By Scott Moore

If you look at the Languages tables in the Player's Handbook (3.0 or 3.5, it doesn't matter), you'll notice that brownies are one of the typical speakers of the Sylvan language. If you look further into any of the three core rulebooks, or even at Monster Manual 2 or the Fiend Folio, you'll notice that brownies aren't detailed anywhere. Maybe it's their great knack for hiding. Or maybe it was just a minor oversight. Either way, since none of the main references from WotC has updated these fun fellows for use with d20, allow me to present, for your enjoyment and amusement, the updated brownie for use in d20 fantasy campaigns. Sans walnuts.

Brownie
Tiny Fey
Hit Dice: 1/2d6 (1 hp)
Initiative: +4 Dex
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+2 size, +4 Dex), touch 16, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-11
Attack: Short sword +6 melee (1d3-2/19-20)
Full Attack: Short sword +6 melee (1d3-2/19-20)
Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Awareness, domestic animal empathy, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +7
Abilities: Str 5, Dex 18, Con 11, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 15
Skills: Craft (leatherworking) +6, Craft (metalworking) +6, Craft (woodworking) +6, Escape Artist +5, Hide +13, Listen +5, Search +5, Spot +5, Survival +5
Feats: DodgeB, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Tribe (4-16)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful good
Advancement: 1-3 HD (Tiny)
Level Adjustment: +3

This being looks like a tiny elf with brown hair, blue eyes, and pointed ears. It is dressed in brightly colored clothing covered with many pockets and decorated with gold trim and stands no more than 2 feet tall.

Description
Brownies are a rare, shy folk that tend to form small tribes and reside in serene, bucolic regions. Related to, but slightly smaller than, regular halflings, some believe the shy and timid brownies may be a cross between halflings and pixies. They are generally friendly to dwarves, elves, humans and halflings and are excellent craftsmen when it comes to repairing leather, metal, and wooden goods. When encountered under friendly circumstances, lawful good characters receive a +4 circumstance bonus on Charisma or Diplomacy checks when dealing with brownies.
Brownies typically make their homes in small burrows or abandoned shelters near active farms. They do not eat meat but subsist quite comfortably on the leftover grains and fruit that they scavenge from harvested fields. They will occasionally milk a nearby farmer's cows to obtain milk as well. Being honest almost to a fault, they will perform small services in exchange for what they take.
Some brownies will actually take up residence within a farming family's dwelling, if they believe the family to be of a high moral fiber. While the family sleeps, the brownie will perform helpful tasks as payment in return for the shelter and food he has received. These may include simple repairs, baking bread, protecting livestock, spinning thread, or any other minor but meaningful tasks. If an intruder were to enter the house, the house brownie will make sure they make enough noise to wake their landlord.
Brownies prefer that no notice be taken of them. In fact, if residents brag about the presence of a brownie, it will leave.
Brownies are by no means greedy, but have been known to hoard small treasures they have received as gifts or taken from evil creatures. Brownies typically leave these where a good-aligned person in need is likely to discover them.
The local brownie population will constantly observe any strangers or outsiders of the community. If the individual cannot be considered harmless, the brownies will work together to harass the individual to leave.
Brownies are extremely knowledgeable about their local region and can make excellent guides. If asked politely, there is a 50-50 chance a brownie will agree to do so.
Brownies speak Common, Elven, Halfling, and Sylvan.

Combat
Brownies are peaceful, pleasant creatures and are likely to attack only when threatened. When the homeowner in whose abode they dwell is threatened, brownies usually remain hidden and rely on their spell-like abilities to intimidate and harass. Brownies typically carry short swords for personal protection.
Awareness (Ex): Brownies cannot be surprised.
Domestic Animal Empathy (Ex): Domestic animals have a starting attitude of friendly towards brownies.
Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): Brownies can use the following spell-like abilities once per day: confusion, continual flame, dancing lights, dimension door, mirror image (3 images), protection from evil, ventriloquism. Brownies are treated as first level with respect to caster level.

Brownies as Characters
A brownie character exchanges its 1/2 HD of fey for its first class level, so a 1st-level brownie sorcerer, for example, has a d4 Hit Die, a +0 base attack bonus, the base save bonuses of a sorcerer, and the sorcerer's skill points and class skills.
Brownie characters possess the following racial traits:
- -6 Strength, +8 Dexterity, +4 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, +4 Charisma.
- Tiny size. +2 bonus to Armor Class, +2 bonus on attack rolls, +8 bonus on Hide checks, -8 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 1/2 those of Medium characters.
- A brownie's base land speed is 20 feet.
- Low-light vision.
- +6 racial bonus on Fortitude saves and a +4 racial bonus on Will saves.
- Racial Feats: A brownie receives Dodge as a bonus feat.
- Special Attacks (see above): Spell-like abilities.
- Special Qualities (see above): Awareness, domestic animal empathy.
- Automatic Languages: Common, Elven, Halfling, Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Gnome.
- Favored Class: Sorcerer or Rogue.
- Level Adjustment +3.

Killmoulis
Diminutive Fey
Hit Dice: 1/2d6 (1 hp)
Initiative: +2 Dex
Speed: 25 ft. (5 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+4 size, +2 Dex), touch 16, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-17
Attack: Short sword +6 melee (1d2-5/19-20)
Full Attack: Short sword +6 melee (1d2-5/19-20)
Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Awareness, domestic animal empathy, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +3
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 13
Skills: Craft (any two) +4, Hide +14, Listen +5, Search +4, Spot +5, Survival +5
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any (human areas)
Organization: Solitary or family (2-3)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: Standard coins; no goods; no items
Alignment: Usually neutral or chaotic good
Advancement: 1-3 HD (Diminutive)
Level Adjustment: -

This being looks like a diminutive elf with a disproportionately large head and nose.

Description
Killmoulis are under a foot tall and are generally found in human settlements wherever foodstuffs are stored, handled, or prepared. They create homes for themselves under floors, above ceilings, or in the walls or crawlspaces of the buildings they inhabit. A distant relative of the brownie, killmoulis are also nocturnal scavengers that excel at hiding. Unlike their cousins, however, killmoulis are omnivorous and are not as selective as brownies when it comes to collecting scraps for eating. Good-aligned killmoulis behave in the same manner as house brownies.
Killmoulis speak Common and Sylvan.

Combat
Killmoulis are peaceful, shy creatures that are likely to attack only when directly threatened. They usually carry short swords for personal protection.
Awareness (Ex): Killmoulis cannot be surprised.
Domestic Animal Empathy (Ex): Domestic animals have a starting attitude of friendly towards killmoulis.

Killmoulis as Characters
A killmoulis character exchanges its 1/2 HD of fey for its first class level, so a 1st-level brownie sorcerer, for example, has a d4 Hit Die, a +0 base attack bonus, the base save bonuses of a sorcerer, and the sorcerer's skill points and class skills.
Killmoulis characters possess the following racial traits:
- -10 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma.
- Diminutive size. +4 bonus to Armor Class, +4 bonus on attack rolls, +12 bonus on Hide checks, -12 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 1/4 those of Medium characters.
- A killmoulis' base land speed is 25 feet.
- Low-light vision.
- Special Qualities (see above): Awareness, domestic animal empathy.
- Automatic Languages: Common, Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling.
- Favored Class: Sorcerer or Rogue.

Suggestions for Using Brownies in Your Game:

- Several months after its construction, the stronghold of a party of good-aligned player characters may become infested with brownies. Characters may notice strange events (warm bread ready and waiting for them in the morning, repairs made to their armor, their weapons polished, etc.), but may not be able to locate the source.
- After performing a task or favor for some other fey creature, the grateful fey may send a brownie or killmoulis to live with one of the PCs as a reward for their service.
- A brownie may have discovered and run off with a rare magic item, in hopes of eventually giving it a person in need. The first problem is that the item was lost by a powerful evil character that is actively searching for it. The second problem is that the brownie was actually a PC's house brownie.
- The players come into conflict over an issue with a good-aligned NPC. While confronting the NPC at his own domicile, the NPC's house brownie stands ready to defend his landlord if the PCs get out of hand.
- 1-2/3 cups sugar, 3/4 cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons water, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flower, 3/4 cup baking cocoa, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup chopped nuts. Stir first three ingredients together. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Combine and mix flour, baking cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a second bowl. Combine both bowls together and mix well. Stir in nuts last. Put it all into a greased 13x9 inch baking pan and cook at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Top them off with powdered sugar, peanut butter and mini-marshmallows, or frosting and chopped nuts. Gamers love 'em.

The Brownie and Killmoulis creatures are based on popular folklore, as well as gaming material from the following sources:
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual by Gary Gygax, 1977: page 11. TSR Games. (now Wizards of the Coast, Inc.).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Monstrous Manual, 1993: page 31. TSR, Inc. (now Wizards of the Coast, Inc.).