VEARTH RPG: PLAYERS GUIDE

Halflings and Nomes

# PLAYABLE RACES (CONTINUED)

## HALFLINGS

The magnificent halfling race embodies the spectacular virtues of comfort, community, and pragmatic courage. Though smaller in stature than most of Pan's peoples, these remarkable beings demonstrate that true significance lies not in physical size but in the capacity for joy, loyalty, and quiet bravery when circumstances demand it.

**Ability Adjustments**: +1 Dexterity, -1 Strength—their magnificent nimbleness balanced by smaller physical power

**Special Abilities**:

- **Small Size**: +1 bonus to Armor Class against larger opponents, their diminutive stature making them magnificently difficult targets

- **Naturally Stealthy**: +2 bonus to stealth attempts, their spectacular ability to go unnoticed a racial gift

- **Lucky**: Once per day, may reroll one failed save—the magnificent universe itself seems to look out for them!

- **Keen Hearing**: +2 bonus on perception checks involving sound, their magnificent ears catching the faintest whispers

- **Thrown Weapon Experts**: +1 with thrown weapons, their spectacular aim compensating for lesser strength

**Physical Characteristics**:

Halflings stand between 3 and 4 feet tall with magnificently proportioned bodies that appear essentially as smaller humans, though with slightly larger heads and feet relative to their size. Their spectacular dexterity manifests in nimble fingers and an innate sense of balance that makes even inexperienced halflings surprisingly graceful. Skin tones mirror the human range, while hair typically grows thick and curly in magnificent shades of brown, blonde, or occasionally auburn.

Most physically distinctive are halfling feet, which grow naturally tough and typically remain bare regardless of terrain or weather. These magnificent appendages develop leathery soles that provide protection equal to light boots while maintaining spectacular sensitivity to ground textures—a halfling can often identify soil types, detect recent passage of other beings, or sense subtle terrain changes simply by walking barefoot over an area.

**Cultural Notes**:

Halfling communities represent the epitome of pastoral magnificence, often established in rolling hills with abundant farmland. Their settlements feature comfortable burrows and low buildings with spectacularly rounded architecture, gardens overflowing with magnificent produce, and common areas designed for the sharing of meals and stories. Halflings excel at agriculture and brewing, creating crops and beverages of such magnificent quality that they're highly sought after throughout Pan.

They value comfort and good company above material wealth, though their spectacular craftsmanship often brings them prosperity regardless. Their celebrations—particularly the magnificent Harvest Home festival—are renowned across Pan for their unparalleled feasting and merrymaking, with tables literally groaning under the weight of spectacular culinary masterpieces prepared according to recipes preserved through countless generations.

Unlike many races that venerate warriors or sorcerers, halfling culture reserves its highest respect for those who create comfort and joy—magnificent cooks, brewers, storytellers, and gardeners achieve the greatest social status, with community service considered the most admirable use of any talent. This spectacular emphasis on nurturing pursuits leads many non-halflings to underestimate their capacity for courage, overlooking the fierce protectiveness halflings demonstrate when their communities face genuine threats.

**Roleplaying Considerations**:

When playing a halfling character, consider these magnificent aspects of the halfling experience on Vearth:

- **Comfort Philosophy**: How does your character define and pursue comfort in their life? Not mere laziness, halflings view the creation of comfort as a spectacular moral good—a way of making the world more pleasant for all who enter their sphere.

- **Size Adaptation**: How does your character navigate a world built for larger beings? Perhaps they've developed magnificent techniques for climbing quickly, carry specialized tools for interacting with oversized objects, or have perfected the art of commanding attention despite their stature.

- **Risk Assessment**: When does your character's natural halfling caution give way to decisive action? Halflings typically avoid unnecessary risks but can demonstrate spectacular courage when they perceive a genuine need.

- **Cultural Specialties**: What magnificent skills or knowledge did your character bring from their halfling community? Nearly all halflings maintain some connection to their cultural heritage through cooking, brewing, gardening, storytelling, or other traditional practices.

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## GNOMES

The magnificent gnome race represents the spectacular fusion of dwarven resilience and elven creativity, with unique innovations all their own. These diminutive beings combine practical technical genius with boundless imagination, creating wondrous devices and magical effects that larger races often find both baffling and delightful.

**Ability Adjustments**: +1 Intelligence, -1 Strength—their magnificent minds housed in smaller frames

**Special Abilities**:

- **Small Size**: +1 bonus to Armor Class against larger opponents, their compact bodies making them magnificently difficult to hit

- **Darkvision**: Can see in darkness up to 60 feet, their spectacular eyes adapted to underground living

- **Mining Sense**: Can detect approximate depth underground and direction with magnificent accuracy

- **Illusionist Aptitude**: +5% to illusion magic effectiveness, their minds uniquely attuned to the spectacular art of magical deception

- **Magic Resistance**: +2 bonus on saves vs. spells, their bodies containing a magnificent natural resistance to arcane energy

**Physical Characteristics**:

Gnomes stand between 3 and 3.5 feet tall with magnificent proportional diversity—some appear as miniature, perfectly proportioned humans while others develop more exaggerated features like particularly large noses, ears, or hands that give them a distinctively gnomish appearance. Their spectacular physical adaptability extends to coloration as well, with skin tones ranging from deep tan to pale pink, and hair colors including not just natural hues but occasionally magnificent blues, greens, or purples that manifest spontaneously at birth.

Most remarkable are gnomish eyes, which grow naturally large and expressive, often in spectacular colors not seen in other races—violet, amber, silver, or even heterochromatic combinations. These magnificent organs provide exceptional vision in darkness and an innate ability to perceive magical auras that manifests as subtle color variations visible only to gnomish perception.

**Cultural Notes**:

Gnomes often establish communities near dwarven settlements but prefer to build closer to the surface, incorporating natural features into architecture of spectacular whimsy and creativity. Unlike dwarven structures that emphasize permanence and tradition, gnomish buildings celebrate magnificent innovation, with moving parts, unexpected spatial relationships, and integration of both magic and mechanisms to create living spaces that can transform based on practical needs or simply aesthetic whim.

They are natural tinkerers and inventors without peer, creating mechanical devices of such magnificent complexity that they sometimes incorporate minor magical elements—blending science and sorcery in ways other races find both baffling and spectacular. A typical gnomish home might feature automated cooking devices, furniture that rearranges itself based on the time of day, or windows that can modify the light passing through them to create different atmospheric effects.

Gnomish humor is legendary throughout Pan, often involving elaborate practical jokes of such magnificent execution that even the targets find themselves appreciating the spectacular craftsmanship behind their own embarrassment. These pranks rarely cause harm but instead create moments of surprising wonder or perspective shifts that gnomes believe necessary for psychological health—a philosophy encapsulated in their proverb "A day without surprise is a day without growth."

Their magnificent gem-cutting skills are highly prized, and gnomish-cut jewels command premium prices in Dawn City's markets. This talent stems not merely from technical skill but from a spectacular gnomish ability to perceive the inherent "personality" within each stone and bring forth its unique qualities rather than imposing standardized patterns.

**Roleplaying Considerations**:

When playing a gnomish character, consider these magnificent aspects of the gnomish experience on Vearth:

- **Innovation Balance**: How does your character balance magnificent creativity with practical functionality? Gnomes navigate between spectacular vision and pragmatic application, sometimes requiring guidance from more grounded races to complete their most ambitious projects.

- **Humor Integration**: In what ways does your character incorporate spectacular humor into their life and work? Gnomes typically view laughter as essential rather than frivolous—a magnificent tool for building relationships, diffusing tension, and inspiring new perspectives.

- **Technical Specialization**: What magnificent area of invention or magical illusion has captured your character's interest? Gnomes tend to develop passionate expertise in specific fields, whether clockwork mechanics, light manipulation, sound amplification, or other specialized domains.

- **Social Navigation**: How does your character interact with the larger races that dominate Pan's social structures? Some gnomes develop magnificent techniques for commanding attention despite their size, while others prefer to observe from the periphery, intervening precisely when their unique perspective will have maximum impact.