Domovoi

Domovoi is one of a number of Russian household spirits (or small gods, depending on your translation/source) that are traditionally believed to look over the homes of Russian farmers and people, much like the English Brownie. They are generally considered the most powerful of the household spirits, and are fiercely protective of their chosen families, especially the children and animals - but like any such spirit, they expect to be treated with respect and courtesy in turn, or else they will punish the transgressors, ultimately leaving for newer pastures if treated with intolerable rudeness. They are typically described as resembling a small, hairy (in the sense of either being covered in a fur-like hide or just with prodigious beards and hair), often elderly man, similar to a dwarf or gnome, but may also be described as having an impish appearance with a tail, horns and horse's ears. They are most likely to set up residences for themselves in the dark spaces behind the hearth.

In D&D

The domovoi didn't make an appearance in Dungeons & Dragons until the Frostburn splatbook for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition; the closest one got before then were the Uldra and the Brownie races. Frostburn introduced them as a race of small, gnome-like fey (both male and female) with an almost elemental affinity for fire, who exist in symbiosis with the fire-using humanoids of the Frostfell regions - it even presented them as playable.

Frostburn Fluff:

The domovoi is a nocturnal house spirit, a protector of creatures that depend on hearth and fire to live in cold areas. While a domovoi (or just as often, a whole family of them) watches over an encampment, village, or town, the buildings are brighter lit, the hearth fires are warmer, and creatures of cold and night are less likely to strike. For all these reasons, they are found in association with humans, neanderthals, dwarves, gnomes, kobolds, orcs, and even ogres and giants. When winter camps are abandoned by nomadic hunters, the domovoi maintain them as their own until the hunters return.

A typical domovoi is a 2-foot-tall human-shaped creature with a dark, sooty skin and hairy arms, a thick beard, and furry legs, chest, and back. Domovoi typically wear rags cast off by the creatures whose houses they share. They eat small quantities of firewood and grain (offerings) as well as rats and mice they catch for themselves.

Domovoi are not eager fighters, but when driven away from their beloved fires they can grow sulky and even violent. They prefer to fight with magical manipulation of fire and smoke rather than with their rather weak claws. A domovoi typically attacks with its produce flame spell-like ability.

Domovoi never burn down the house of a host; if anything, they quench fires whenever possible. Domovoi clerics can choose two of the following domains: Chaos, Fire, and Luck.

Frostburn PC Stats:

-2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +4 Intelligence, +6 Wisdom, +6 Charisma.

Small size: +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, -4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 3/4 those of Medium characters.

A domovoi's base land speed is 20 feet.

Low-light vision.

Racial Hit Dice: A domovoi begins with two levels of fey, which provide 2d6 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +1, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +3, and Will +3.

Racial Skills: A domovoi's fey levels give it skill points equal to 5 × (6 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Balance, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Tumble, and Use Rope.

Racial Feats: A domovoi's fey levels give it one feat.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A domovoi is proficient with simple weapons.

+2 natural armor bonus.

Fire Subtype: A domovoi has immunity to fire. It has vulnerability to cold, which means it takes half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from cold, regardless of whether or not a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or a failure.

Slippery (Ex): A domovoi's coating of ashes and soot makes it difficult to hang onto. A domovoi gains a +2 racial bonus on any Escape Artist checks or grapple checks.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will - produce flame, pyrotechnics (smoke cloud only, DC 15); 3/day - flaming sphere (DC 15). Caster level 3rd; save DC 10 + domovoi's Cha modifier + spell level.

Automatic Languages: Common, Ignan, Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling.

Favored Class: Rogue.

Level Adjustment: +2.

In Pathfinder

In Pathfinder, domovoi are one of a number of Russian fey who appeared in the Reign of Winter Adventure Path, since that takes place in the distinctly Russian-inspired country of Golarion and revolves around the Russian migrant, Baba Yaga. Other such fey who appeared in that adventure path includes the Dvorovoi, the Ovinnik, and the Kikimora. Domovoi appeared in the very first module of the Path, "The Snows of Summer", and were presented as basically a more militant and Russian version of the brownie; they help out with small chores now and then, but are mostly concerned with warding off intruders, thieves or other people who threaten their chosen household. They also have the gift of foresight, but will get very cranky if people abuse this precognitive power too often.