You hail from the gnomish kingdom of Neimheim: a place of skilled craftsmen, close families, and blood stains so deep they’ll never wash out. Your homeland labors under a generations-old curse laid by Baba Yaga. Today, your people exist because of a pact struck with a great devil from the Eleven Hells. The pine forests of your home survive because of blood sacrifice paid to the forces of Hell, so the devils hold Baba Yaga’s wrath at bay. You are no stranger to the necessity of keeping up appearances to cover your desperate situation.
- Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Deception
- Tool Proficiencies: One set of artisan’s tools of your choice
- Languages: Infernal
- Equipment: A set of artisan’s tools (matching your chosen proficiency), a roll of remarkably fine vellum, a set of [item]traveler’s clothes, five [item]candles, and a pouch containing 5 gp
Feature: “Special” Leather
Growing up in Neimheim, you have learned not to waste any useful resources. After all, there’s always a market for fine leather, new candles, carved bone jewelry, or soap. You can spend 2 hours salvaging useful materials from a dead humanoid. A Medium humanoid yields enough materials to make 5 pieces of soap, 10 candles, 1 sheet of parchment, or a delicious meat pie that can sustain up to a Medium creature for one day (1 sp worth of goods). With your GM’s permission, you can also create small goods such as belts, pouches, and shoes.
Suggested Characteristics
Gnomes of Neimheim are jovial, gregarious, and hospitable—at least on the surface. While many are genuinely bright individuals, their cultural darkness runs deep. Even the best among them know they must spill blood to survive. Some embrace this harsh truth, putting on a friendly face only to lure strangers under the knife to spare their families. Others reject the infernal darkness clouding their home.
| d8 |
Personality Trait |
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1
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I can’t resist double entendres that hint at the dark truth of my upbringing.
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2
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I keep my lucky skinning knife close and sharpen it often
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3
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I can stay cheerful in the most dire situations.
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4
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New people and new places are my favorite things.
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5
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I size people up like they’re livestock.
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6
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Riddles are the highest form of entertainment.
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7
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Music and good food are the best ways to melt a cold heart.
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8
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I love to haggle with merchants and to debate with friends.
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| d6 |
Ideal |
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1
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Duty. A sacrifice in time saves nine. (Lawful)
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2
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Revolution. The systems that bind us must be broken. (Chaotic)
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3
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Hospitality. I love to share what I have with those who need it. (Good)
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4
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Perfection. Anything worth doing, is worth doing right. (Any)
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5
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Expression. Tales must live on so that we are never forgotten. (Neutral)
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6
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Envy. They don’t know how good they have it, so they deserve to die to keep Baba Yaga at bay. (Evil)
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| d6 |
Bond |
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1
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The devils that protect my village demand a specific sacrifice. I must find someone who fits the bill, or it will be me
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2
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My lover fled our village to avoid being sacrificed, and I won’t rest until we find each other again.
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3
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I’m searching for a way to lift Baba Yaga’s curse so we no longer need the devils.
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4
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The old artisan who taught me is closer to me than family.
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5
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I was set to be sacrificed to our village devils, so I ran. I’m still running.
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6
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My father had to sell his prized possession to a foreign merchant, and now I’m off to recover it.
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| d6 |
Flaw |
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1
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I have a hard time fitting in outside the forest, and I struggle to keep my secrets.
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2
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I used to sacrifice out of necessity, but now I’m tempted to do it for power
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3
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I am terrified of devils and feel compelled to obey them
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4
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I become violently jealous of anyone who is a better craftsman than me
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5
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I’ll only bathe using soap that I made myself.
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6
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Helpful people make me immediately suspicious.
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