Buy me a coffeeKnockers
This creature looks rather like a gnome with slate-grey skin. His hair and beard are faintly metallic, perhaps copper greying to iron at the edges.
Monster Encyclopaedia I: Ravagers of the Realms
Author August Hahn, Gareth Hanrahan, Lizard
Series Monster Encyclopaedia
Publisher Mongoose Publishing
Publish date 2004
Knockers are a minor race, often mistaken for dwarves, Gnomes or even kobolds by those who do not know them – and few know the knockers, for they are among the most secretive of folk. They dwell in the lowest reaches of the underworld, only occasionally coming to the surface. The underworld is a place of terrible horrors and fearsome monsters, so the little knockers are forced to hide and avoid other creatures. They favour sealed caverns with no ingresses, which they themselves can access using their earth walk ability.
Knocker tribes consist of a few dozen members, who practise the high art of the knockers – mining. Unlike other species, they do not treasure the wealth of gold or silver or the other resources of the earth; they appreciate them solely for their beauty. Knockers dig up gemstones, carve them, polish them, admire them – then bury them again for future generations to find again. The knockers dislike the mining practises of dwarves and men, but only take action against the largest mines that delve too close to knocker villages.
Each village is ruled by a headman, who is generally also a cleric of the knocker deity, the World Stone. clerics of the World Stone may take the Earth and Protection domains.
| Knocker | |
| Small Monstrous | |
| Humanoid (Earth) | |
| Hit Dice | 1d8+2 (6 hp) |
| Initiative | -1 |
| Speed | 20 ft. (4 squares) |
| Armour Class | 12 (+1 size, -1 Dexterity, +2 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 12 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +1/-2 |
| Attack | Slam +3 melee (1d4+2) |
| Full Attack | Slam +3 melee (1d4+2) |
| Space/Reach | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks | – |
| Special Qualities | Darkvision 60 ft., earth walk, stonecunning, tapping |
| Saves | Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +2 |
| Abilities | Strength 13, Dexterity 8, Constitution 15, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 10, Charisma 8 |
| Skills | Craft (stonecutting) +3, Knowledge (architecture & engineering) +2, Listen +3 |
| Feats | Great Fortitude |
| Environment | Temperate hills and underground |
| Organisation | Solitary, gang (4-9) or village (20-50) |
| Challenge Rating | 1/2 |
| Treasure | Standard, double gems |
| Alignment | Usually neutral |
| Advancement | By character class |
| Level Adjustment | +0 |
Combat
Knockers have strong little stony fists and can make a surprisingly good accounting of themselves in a fistfight. When forced to defend themselves, they also use wickedly sharp little shortswords and wear finely made chainmail.
Earth Walk (Su): Once per day, a knocker can earth walk for one minute. While earth walking, the knocker can pass through earth and stone freely, moving at its normal movement through the obstacle. The knocker must keep moving and cannot stop within the stone, but can move in circles and can spend multiple rounds immersed in stone.
Stonecunning (Ex): A knocker has the same stonecunning ability as a dwarf.
Tapping (Ex): All knockers know the secret language of their race, which they can use to communicate over long distances underground. This code is tapped onto the stone; the knocker must make a Craft (stonecutting) check at a DC equal to 5 x the distance transmitted in miles to successfully communicate it.