Nains (3.5e Race)

Nains

Background

They came to the world together with their fey brethren. An offschoot of the legendary winged fey: fairies, like their smaller ancestors, almost never cross the boundaries of the woodlands they love. Only by the expeditions of the most curious of this race does their existence remain part of the knowledge of men, as they tend to live in small villages, which they hide with the same devotion as Gnomes.

Personality

Nains are joyful and curious. They are caring and devoted beings, but also like to make the occasional prank. The hardships of life outside of the forests tend to change Nains though. Many a Nain adventurer looks back at their younger days in the forest thinking about how naive they were.

Physical Description

They look like stunningly beautiful halfling sized versions of elves. Their fair curly hair is always bleakly coloured. Just like their eyes it can range from light green, to yellowish, through orange, through red, till a tad mauvish. Their hair and eye colours usually match. They often wear brightly coloured garments made from fine silk-or silk-like materials. Like elves they have slenderly built bodies that lack all hair growth, except for a patch of furry orange or brownish hair on their backs where their wings used to be.

Relations

Like Gnomes, Nains tend to hide their communities. Not so much out of fear of being found, more out of trying to blend in with the forest instead of letting the forest make way for their homes. Outsiders could be standing in the middle of a Nain village and not know it. One family may be living in a large nest high in the crown of a tree. Another may be living in between clumps of vines hanging from its branches whilst another may live in holes between the roots of that same tree. They are cautious and timid around other species, though more open to other fey.

Alignment

Tendency towards chaotic good. Evil Nains are improbable, but not impossible.

Lands

Nains live in the forests rich with fey.

Religion

Most of them worship their patron deity Iilanara (CG): domains: animal, luck, plant, tirckery. Portfolio: nains, nature, curiosity, children, beauty. Symbol: a many coloured butterfly with the head of an ageless nain. Iilanara always looks like a nain, but one time she'll appear as an old woman, the other time as a child. (or anything in between)

Language

Like other fey, Nains speak Sylvan. They sometimes know elven if they live close to them. Nains do not naturally know common.

Racial Traits

• +2 CHA, -2 STR (Nains are beautiful and slender)
• Small size (+1AC, +1 to hit, must use smaller weapons, unarmed damage 1D3, -4 grapple, +4 hide etc..)
• Base speed: 20
• (+4 hide: see size) +2 move silently: they are naturally sneaky, have a light build and smaller bodies. +2 Knowledge (nature): they live in the forest and know it inside out. +2 listen, +2 search: they are curious inquisitive beings.
• Low light vision
• They don't sleep and are thus immune to sleep effects. They do trance 4 hours per day as elves do however.
• If their wisdom is at least 11, they can cast faerie fire once per day as a spell cast by a 1st level druid. (wisdom based)
• Languages: sylvan, elven. bonus languages: common, draconic, auran, aquan, halfling, gnome
• Favoured class: Ranger.

Vital Statistics

Table: Nains Aging Effects

Adult	Middle Age^1	Old^2	Venerable^3	Maximum Age
110 years	175 years	270 years	360 years	+4d4 years
At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Table: Nains Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
2'3"	+2d3	20 lb.	*1 lb.

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