Barbegazi

Barbegazi
The brave chieftain Frossbeard and his trusty bear Brutus ride into the heart of battle...
Information
Alternate Names/Spellings	Barbe-Glacée ("frost-beard", "frozen beard", "ice-beard", "snow-beard"), Ice Gnome, Snow Gnome
Origins	Alpine Mythology, Legend and Folklore
Alignment	Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral, Chaotic Evil
Element	Ice
Species	Fay
Appearance	Big-Footed Ice Gnome

Origins

The Barbegazi is one of a race of creatures with origins in Alpine mythology, legend and folklore, especially that of France and Switzerland.

They are believed to have a racial connection to both Gnomes and Dwarves.

Appearance

A Barbegazi is a peculiar sort of diminutive, covered in long, snowy white hair. Their feet are huge compared to their bodies, and act like snow-shoes when they climb the Alpine peaks they reside in.

Joruk heads out to search for berries...

Behavior

Barbegazi are dormant during the summer months, and aestivate in caves. When the first snow falls, the Barbegazi start moving around, skiing on their enormous feet. Because of their distant location, they rarely see humans, save the occasional shepherd. A Barbegazi enjoys surfing down avalanches, but does not wish to see harm done to humans. Before the slide, the Barbegazi gives a low-pitched whistle to warn anything in the path. If a Barbegazi finds a human trapped under the ice, it rounds up a group of other Barbegazi to dig him out.

"Last one down is a melted snowman!"

Abilities

A Barbegazi is resistant to temperature extremes, able to survive the warm days and the subzero nights in the high Swiss Alps. Barbegazi also seem to have the ability to sense when avalanches are coming.

Weaknesses

Ronsig descends the mountain, Barbegazi style

"Jenteg, maybe next time, we take the Northern Route..."