Shoal Gnomes
Kilpi watched the poachers from the shallows, only her eyes visible above the water. They pushed out on their rowboat, but she would make sure they never made it back to their ship…
Kilpi Etterstorm, a Shoal Gnome
This amphibious race of gnomes tends to live in temperate and warm coastal waters, often in or near coral reefs. Hair and eye colors tend to be various shades of green or brown. A shoal gnome’s skin tends towards standard gnomish shades, but with the addition of mottled patches or spots of color along their arms, legs, necks, foreheads, and cheeks. These patterns are a blend of reds, pinks, yellows, silvers, and blues, with the predominance of color and type of pattern varying by region. Their long fingers and toes are webbed.
Shoal gnomes often form relationships with the animals that share their homes in the shallows, and they are especially fond of sea turtles and dolphins. They enjoy all forms of games and contests of skill, from hide-and-seek to riddle contests to races. Some attach harnesses to sea turtles, using the creatures to pull them along behind as they race to see who can circumnavigate their reef home first.
Creating a Shoal Gnome
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to picking your class. However, some races may possess certain racial features that grant them an additional edge when it comes to particular classes or character archetypes.
In addition to those traits that they share with all of their gnomish cousins, such as darkvision and gnome cunning, shoal gnomes possess several traits that reflect their affinity for the sea. This includes the ability to breathe both air and water, an enhanced swimming speed of 25 feet, and even the ability to communicate simple ideas with dolphins and other small aquatic beasts. If you happen to be running in an aquatic campaign, these traits can make your character a highly effective rogue, using their ability to breathe underwater to sneak up on unsuspecting foes. Their racial traits also have a lot of synergy with those of a druid, with their ability to speak to sea creatures, and not needing to wild shape to move easily through the water.
Roleplaying Tips
When it comes to roleplaying, your race and class don’t have to dictate every decision you make, and you certainly don’t have to play into the many clichés associated with them. However, it can be helpful to use them for inspiration!
When playing a shoal gnome, consider how growing up in a sea-based culture might have influenced how you interact with others. Did your character spend their life living in the reefs, only recently emerging to face some dire threat to their homeland? Or did they leave years ago, choosing to spend more time on land than below the waves? Whichever of these paths you choose, consider how it affects your roleplaying. A newcomer might find the social practices of a land-based society strangely foreign, while a shoal gnome that left their home behind might still have to deal with the occasional odd looks in the direction of their gills or webbed feat. It can also be fun to incorporate elements of your racial heritage into your roleplaying. For example, you might use sea-based phrases that others find odd. This can lead to some fun, memorable moments, like when the bartender asks if you’d like a drink and you respond, “Does a dolphin swallow its food whole?” (they do). Lastly, when creating your character, consider what has motivated you to join up with an adventuring party. Is it to face a threat to your homeland? To escape a problem from your past? Or something else entirely? The choice is ultimately up to you!
Shoal gnomes are one of the many races created by our partners at Kobold Press and available to subscribers in our Core Content Pack, along with others such as the Dhampir or the Spindrift Dwarves. Create your own and tell us about it in the comments below or on any of our social channels.
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