Duende

APPEARANCE

This squat humanoid has rough brown skin marked with streaks of colored clay. Its hair is long and wild, and it bears a simple walking stick in its hands.

Duende CR 2

XP 600
CN Small fey (earth)
Init +2; Senses low-light vision, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size)
hp 18 (4d6+4)
Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +6

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.
Melee staff +5 (1d6+1) or toenail cutter +5 (2d4+1)
Special Attacks sneak attack +1d6
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +7)

• At will—daze (DC 13), guidance, telekinetic projectile
• 1/day—cause fear (DC 14), inflict pain (DC 15), invisibility (self only), locate object, major image (brown or yellow earthen objects which appear to be gold trinkets, DC 16)

TACTICS

Before Combat The duende typically casts invisibility on itself.

During Combat The duende takes advantage of its invisibility to make a sneak attack. While the duende can, it uses its spell-like abilities to harm or incapacitate its foes. It uses its toenail cutter if forced to engage in melee.

Morale The duende flees if reduced to 3 or fewer hit points.

STATISTICS

Str 12, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 17
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 14
Feats Dazzling Display, Weapon Focus (toenail cutter)
Skills Bluff +10, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (local, nature) +7, Perception +9, Survival +6
Languages Gnome, Sylvan, Undercommon
SQ earthmound dweller
Gear staff, toenail cutter

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Earthmound Dweller (Su)

As a full-round action, the duende shrinks to the size of an ant, allowing it to enter small tunnels within the earth such as anthills or termite mounds. Its speed becomes 5 feet for the duration. The duende can end this effect with a swift action. If the duende is underground, and the space it occupies takes at least 5 points of damage, the effect ends. The duende also takes damage equal to the amount dealt to the space it occupied.

ABOUT

Duendes fancy themselves as lords of the land—which is true, in a literal sense, these spirits embody the very soil upon the ground. Unlike most other fey, duendes have learned from the society that grew around them. They’ve come to accept the mortal understanding of what being a landlord means, so they expect rent from their perceived tenants. However, their notions of acceptable rent—and the acceptable role of a landlord for that matter—don’t really line up with those of most societies. Duendes don’t hold mortal currencies in high regard. They strongly prefer toenail clippings over gold. If they don’t receive them often enough, they enter their tenants’ homes and help themselves. They aren’t very good at doing so and occasionally cut off entire toes during collections.

Duendes’ natural abilities allow them to dwell in termite mounds, but as societies arose, they adopted the habit of sleeping in their tenants’ homes. This tendency can be bothersome, as duendes don’t clean up after themselves, lock doors behind them, or have the basic decency to be visible.

On top of that, they act like they own the places they settle, casting spells on anyone they find annoying. These quirks are usually tolerated, though, as keeping duende happy means that crops grow well and that their magic protects the families in their care. Families aware of their presence are careful to warn invisible duendes before doing things like tossing bathwater out the window or entering a seemingly empty room. These warnings are usually polite but firm, in the vein of “Please move aside!”