Kender

D&D 3e (3.0/3.5) Rules

by André La Roche

Personality: Kender are a carefree and jovial people. They are extremely curious and clever. They constantly "borrow" other people's belongs due to their intense natural chidllike curiosity. Combined with natural dexterity and stealth, this curiosity gets kender into no end of trouble. Kender also love to tell tales and sing songs (many kender weapons also double as musical instruments). The more fantastic the tale the better. Kender are also naturally fearless. When a party is attacked by an ancient red dragon, everyone else may be paralyzed with fear, but the kender will be trying to get close to the dragon and satisfy her curiosity about the wyrm.

Physical Description: Kender are a small race, standing about 3'6" to 4'6" at the tallest. Adult kender look similar to human children with pointed ears. They weigh between 85-105 pounds. Haircolor ranges from sandy blond to dark brown and kender usually wear their hair in a topknot.

Relations: The curiosity and constant 'handling' of kender tend to annoy most members of other races. Kender can get along well with all good peoples who are tolerant and patient. They are especially at home among centaurs. Many elves will tolerate the curiosity and talkative nature of a kender. Humans and dwarves sometimes grow fond of kender.

Alignment: Kender, being rather innocent and unpredictable by nature are most often chaotic good.

Kender Lands: Kender possess the lands of Hylo and Kendermore, though in the 5th Age the latter area has been taken over by Malystryx the Red. Kender towns and areas are a massive jumble of confusion, a place that no sane non-kender on Ansalon would like to dwell.

Religion: Although kender recognize all the gods (as well as some nature spirits, eldritch beings, and potted plants), they hold four inr highest regard: Branchala, Chislev, Mishakal, and Gilean. Kenderr generally consider Reorx a grumbling but benevolent grandfather, but do not praise him highly. Seacoast kender set Habbakuk high in their pantheons.}

Language: Due to their location, kender usually pick up the languages dwarven, elven, gnomish, goblin, and kenderspeak.

Names: Kender children are usually named on a whim. Sometimes they will be named after famous kender heroes.

Male Names: Tasslehoff, Balif, Delbin, Trapspringer.

Female Names: Silktoe, Ripplenell, Kelsey.

Family Names: Burrfoot, Knotwillow, Lightfingers, Doorfall, Fargo.

Adventurers: The main motivation for kender to adventure is something all young kender are afflicted with. "Wanderlust" starts affecting kender at about age 20, making them want to travel and see new places. Kender will often travel with companions of their own race, but are just as likely to befriend and travel with adventurers of other races to aid them on quests. Most kender eventually loose their wanderlust and settle down somewhere, but because of their fearlessness and curiosity, many don't survive that long.

Kender Racial Traits

• +2 Dexterity, -2 Wisdom. Kender are quick and agile, but their child-like view of the world often leads to decisions not conducive to a long life.
• Small: As Small creatures gnomes gain a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but they must use smaller weapons than humans use.
• +2 racial bonus to on Pick Pockets, Move Silently, Open Lock checks. Kender are often "finding" items that other races dropped, or removing those pesky locks that keep people out of their own property.
• Taunt: Kender may make an opposted intelligence check against an opponent, hurling insults and curses that can get quite personal. On a success, the opponent angrily attacks blindly, temporarily gains +2 Strength and -2 AC for a number of rounds equal to 3+ the kender's intelligence modifier. On a failure, the one being taunted only gains +1 Strength and -1 AC, being sufficently angry but not overly so. This latter part only applies if the kender has more hit dice within 2 of the victim, otherwise there is no effect.
• +1 racial bonus to Search checks. Kender are often amazed at how lazy others are to leave so many things carelessly lying around.
• +10 racial bonus on saving throws against fear. It's unnatural for kender to feel fear.
• Automatic Languages: Kenderspeak, Common, Dwarven, and Elven.
• Favored Class: Rogue. A kender's rogue class does not count when determining whether he suffers an XP penalty for multiclassing. Kender occasionally have a few levels of fighter.

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