Barbegazi

'Frozen beards'

The gnomes of a mountainous region from France to Switzerland and tend to hibernate during the warmer months, emerging only after the first heavy snowfalls of winter and only seen when the temperature is below zero degrees. They never venture beyond the tree line of the mountains, and those brought below by mountaineers only survive a few hours.

Their feet are large, and their hair and beards resemble thick clumps of icicles, though beneath the ice real hair is present. Their large feet give them the advantages of both skis and the snowshoes, allowing them to run at great speeds across the snow, and can be used as spades if they are stuck and need to dig their way out. They are generally thought to be beneficient towards humans, and will help those dying of cold and hoot to warn mountaineers of avalanches, although they quite enjoy these, and ride them down the mountainside.