Tiny Humanoid (Jermlaine)

Hit Dice: 1/2d8 (2 hp)

Initiative: +0

Speed: 20 ft

AC: 13(+2 size, +1 natural)

Attacks: Small longspear -2 melee; or dart +0 ranged; or Tiny sap –1 melee

Damage: Small halfspear 1d4-2; or dart 1d4-2; or Tiny sap 1d4-2

Face/Reach: 2 1/2 ft by 2 1/2 ft/0 ft

Special Attacks: Sneak attack, teamwork

Special Qualities: Evasion, scent, darkvision 30 ft

Saves: Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +1

Abilities: Str 6, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 13, Cha 9

Skills: Hide +9, Listen +6, Move Silently +5, Spot +1

Climate/Terrain: Any underground

Organization: Gang (4-9), squad (10-24 plus 1-6 giant rats or 1-6 osquips), mob (25-48 plus 1-6 giant rats or 1-6 osquips and 1-6 normal rats), or clan (10-100 plus 100% noncombatants plus 1 3rd-level sergeant per 20 adults and 1 leader of 4th-6th level)
Challenge Rating: 1/8

Treasure: Standard

Alignment: Usually neutral evil

Advancement: By character class

Jermlaines are opportunistic brigands who prey on unwary travelers in subterranean regions.

   Jermlaines appear as tiny humans dressed in baggy clothing and leather helmets, though in fact, the clothing and helmet are the jermlaine’s body and pointed head. The fingernails and toenails are thick and filthy, although the fingers and toes are very nimble. Their gray-brown, warty hide blends well with natural earth and stone. When they wear rags or scraps as clothing, such items are likewise colored.

   Jermlaines speak Common and their own language (a combination of squeaks and twitters that is often mistaken for bats or rats).

COMBAT

Jermlaines only attack when they feel there is no serious opposition. They prefer to attack injured, ill, or sleeping victims. They avoid directly confronting strong, alert parties, although they may try to injure them out of sheer maliciousness.

   Jermlaines preferred method of attack is using nets or pits to trap its prey. In well-traveled areas, they stretch ropes across the corridors in order to trip the unwary traveler. When a victim falls, the jermlaines swarm to attack. Captives are stripped and shaved, robbed, and left bound in a passageway.

   Sneak Attack (Ex): Jermlaines share the rogue’s ability to strike effectively when an opponent is unaware of their presence. Any time an opponent would be denied his Dexterity bonus to AC, or when the jermlaine flanks its victim, the jermlaine deals 1d6 points of additional damage.

   Evasion (Ex): Like rogues, jermlaines who make their Reflex saving throw against an effect that would normally deal half damage instead avoid damage altogether.

   Teamwork (Ex): For every two jermlaines that are grappling a foe, all jermlaines get a +2 competence bonus on attacks against that foe.

   Skills: Jermlaines receive a +4 racial bonus to Move Silently and Listen checks.

JERMLAINE SOCEITY

Jermlaines are extremely distant relatives of the gnomes. Their deeply rooted sense of inferiority at their own diminutive size has become a malicious need to humiliate normal-sized humanoids. They prey on hapless adventurers, who provide riches, sadistic amusement, and an occasional meal.

   Jermlaine society is divided among clans whose members are united by blood. The clan chief is normally the strongest or cleverest of the elders. The chief both instructs the young jermlaine in the art of the ambush and leads important attacks (albeit from a secure location in the rear). Jermlaine family life centers on the mother, as the father may be unknown, off hunting, or dead. If a female jermlaine has dependent children, she normally concentrates on raising such children rather than participating in attacks. As the children mature, she and the clan chief take the young on practice attacks on potential victims and participate in the humiliation of captives.
   Jermlaine lairs are cunningly hidden and physically impassable by most humanoids, as they are usually a series of small chambers and tunnels scaled to their tiny occupants. The typical jermlaine lair is a filthy cave or burrow, a short distance from a larger cavern complex. The only areas that can be easily reached by a Small or larger creature are the ones where living captives are held, and dead victims are butchered for food. Small, corridors or thin, normally impassable cracks in the rock walls control access past this area. The corridors lead directly to living areas and communal chambers. The living areas are furnished with crude furniture and items scavenged from past victims.

   Treasures are concealed throughout the lair. Each family maintains a series of small, personal caches, while the communal hoard is hidden in a series of small chambers at the end of cunningly concealed crawl ways. Creatures of Small or larger size cannot fit into the crawl ways.

The Jermlaine first appeared in the 1e FF(1981).