"My word! Can you believe this Galuri? I finally found it! After one-hundred-twenty-seven years I finally did it! With this grain of non-jellyable sand I will be able to disprove Hablan's Thesis on the Formulation of Hypergrymian Sand Modulation! Now, all I need is to find this grain's Unique Selmian Opposite. . ."— Adrail the Sanded
Odd creatures, even to each other, the gnomes of Aedeva are known for their guile and eccentricity. Most gnomes travel the world, documenting their discoveries for posterity and exploring numerous societies before finally settling down for their final century of life.
Geography
Even though the gnomish population is now scattered throughout the known world, there is no doubt among scholars that the creatures originated within the floating mountains of
Smelyevets. It is said that the first gnomes, banished from their ancestral homeland among the fey, appeared from the very rocks inside the so called "Mountains of Origin".
More gnomes still come from the Mountains of Origin, eager to explore this new world. How they appear is a mystery among scholars, since gnomes seem to lack any method of reproduction.
Culture
For gnomes, life is about novelty. The seek it throughout their long lives, always searching for the next interesting thing. For some, this means roaming the world in search of new species, materials, plants, or arcane relics. Others satisfy this need by becoming experts in a given field, usually a particularly nuanced field such as invention, magic, or law.
Regardless of the form it takes, "The Itch" takes a powerful toll on a gnome's life. It drives them perpetually onward, always toward the next thing. Going too long without satisfying The Itch is dangerous, causing severe illness and eventually death if The Itch is not satisfied.
Most other cultures look upon gnomes with fond curiosity. Many more rural cultures have developed superstitions about gnomes. Whether these superstitions regard the creatures as good luck or bad depends heavily on the gnomes they have encountered in the past.
Regarding Slavery
Unfortunately, the quirky curiosity of gnomes, along with their eccentric aesthetics, makes them a prime target for roving Snatchers. Luckily, most gnomes are adept tricksters, more than capable of evading capture. This only makes them that much more valuable, however, and their nature as lone wanderers makes them particularly vulnerable.
Despite this, gnomes do not have an inbuilt hatred for elves, humans or dwarves. Instead, each gnome is left to decide and fend for themselves.
Religion
Gnomes as a whole are not generally drawn to religion, as it tends to involve less change than scientific or arcane study or exploration. When a gnome decides to pursue a religion, they are most likely to adhere to even the most stringent and obscure aspects of that religion. Often becoming priestly scholars or inquisitors.
Even though there are few truly devout gnomes, most do pay at least some homage to
Tiln for merchants and safe travels or to
Gwynn-Morro for the satisfaction of curiosity. Some also serve
Anglea in the hopes of gaining insight into their realm of research.
Magic
Gnomes love magic. Their very nature is intrinsically magical, tracing its origins to the lands of the fey. Even the most mundane gnome is born with some innate magical prowess, and most go on to learn a great deal about the arcane arts.
Gnomes who do not have any innate magic are called "Empties" by other gnomes and are universally reviled and bitter creatures. Nobody knows exactly what turns a gnome into an Empty, but all scholars agree that whatever process removes the gnome's magic transforms them into a truly despicable creature, incapable of any emotion but hate.
Adventurers
Their wandering nature makes gnomes fantastic adventurers. They are always eager to seek out a new challenge or discovery, and The Itch drives their curiosity to potentially dangerous levels.
Gnomish adventurers can expect the people they meet along their journeys to take notice at their passing. Whether that notice is a good or bad thing varies widely from place to place.
