Homebrew Dapper Gnome Species Details
One cannot simply understand nature without fungus on their heads.
(The description of the Dapper Gnomes is currently a work in progress)
Gnomes Transformed
The gnomes who became Dapperlings were once a normal gnomish civilisation. Their society used to live in peace, researching and experimenting with herbs and strange fungi. They believed themselves to be the most enlightened mortals in the world when it came to understanding nature, and in their hubris they sought to become ever greater.
Mixing hard obtained fungi from all over the world, they found a recipe that changed them forever. Drinking the strange mixture enabled them to be one with nature, mixing their flesh with that of fungi, becoming like fay gods in body, thought, and emotion. Freed from the limitations of their gnomish bodies, the dapperlings used their new abilities mostly for their own personal curiousness.
Other races found out about their new found powers and tried copying the strange mixture for themselves, but none other than the gnomes could handle the changes the fungi did to their bodies. Some exploded into a cloud of poison and guts, others slowly decaying over time, becoming one with nature in a more litteral sense, starting what later became the Fungus Plague, covering whole cities with fungus and strange undead magic.
One Race, Many Forms
The bodies of all dapperlings have a mix of gnomishlike and funguslike parts, but the proportion varies from individual to individual. Some dapperlings look almost identical to a normal forest gnome, others are half covered in fungi, mostly on their head and arms. The fungus doesn't replace their normal features and bone structure, only adding to it.
Some dapperlings even eat their own fungus because of their nutritional values and fast regrowth.
Roleplaying a Dapper Gnome
Dapper Gnomes are almost as individual as humans, in the sense that everyone has their own personal goals, ambitions, bonds and flaws, even though they tend to be more drawn to nature than any other race, being literally one with the fungus around them.
Some uses their fungus as a symbol of status, other constantly hiding and peeling it off while desperately trying to find a cure.
Some take the roles of caretakers, using their fungi to heal and nurture the weak.
You may be proud of your race resistance against poison,
or you may bear it with secrecy and shame.
Dapper Gnome Names
Dapperlings tend to use names that either resembles nature, the fungus on their heads or names that sounds like nicknames to others.
Dapper Gnome Traits
Your Dapper Gnome character — called a Dapperling for short — has the following racial traits.Ability Score Increase
Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Age
Dapperlings mature at the same rate as humans and have lifespans similar in length to other gnomes. They can live 350 to almost 500 years.
Alignment
Dapperlings are often good-hearted, and even tricksters among them tend to be more playful than vicious.
Size
Dapperlings match other gnomes in average size and weight. Your size is Small.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Innate Spellcasting
You know the poison spray
cantrip. You can cast animal friendship an unlimited number of times with this trait, but you can target only toads with it. Starting at 3rd level, you can also cast suggestion with this trait. Once you cast it, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.Magic Resistance
You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Poison Immunity
You are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common, Gnomish and Sylvan.