Gnomes

"If there's trouble... If there's anything missing... If something suddenly doesn't work, even though you know - for Moradin's sake - that the damn thing worked just a second ago... Then there's a Gnome about." - Dwarfish Proverb.

Basic Information

Biological Traits

Being magical in origin, gnomes are innately resistant against it's effects.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

'Gnomes love names, and most have half a dozen or so. A gnome’s mother, father, clan elder, aunts, and uncles each give the gnome a name, and various nicknames from just about everyone else might or might not stick over time. Gnome names are typically variants on the names of ancestors or distant relatives, though some are purely new inventions. When dealing with humans and others who are “stuffy” about names, a gnome learns to use no more than three names: a personal name, a clan name, and a nickname, choosing the one in each category that’s the most fun to say.' - Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons 5^th Edition Player's Handbook (2015).

Major Organizations

• The Erudite Gnomish Society of Forthright Cartography and Jolly Exploration

• The Tinkus Research Board

• The Gnomish Order of Calogore

Beauty Ideals

Gnomes often wear their personalities on the outside. Their appearance and how they present themselves is a proclamation of who they are, what they like, and what they are looking for. This dispels a lot of mystery when it comes to courtship (i.e. Gnome A is looking for a bright and bubbly partner, so selects Gnome B who is dressed brightly and acts bubbly) and leaves more time for perusing the mysteries of the universe.

Gender Ideals

Gnomes do not have steadfast gender ideals, so all orientations are accepted and celebrated. The only exception are Gnomish Royal Families (most of which have died out) where a matriarch (a Kelda) selects several suitors to help further a line of succession.

Courtship Ideals

Gnomish Royal Families are sometimes called Clans. These are lead by a matriarch or queen called a Kelda. However, in modern times, Gnomes have become more cosmopolitan and have adopted the human familial structure and customs.

Relationship Ideals

While Gnomes are fun-loving and curious, once they find 'the one' they are set for life. There are - as the saying goes - no unfaithful gnomes. A mated pair of Gnomes (be they mm, fm, or ff) simply see other potential suitors as areas of study or experimentation.

Average Technological Level

Gnomes are credited with a large number of inventions. Some of the most notable include:

• Airships

• Automatons (Golems)

• Firearms

• Telescription Devices

History

According to the Elves, Gnomes came to be when the First Fey experimented with the humanoids of the Prime Material Plain. According to the Dwarves, Gnomes were sent by their god, Moradin, as punishment for their vanity. According to the Halflings, Gnomes are curiosity and mischief personified. The Gnomes themselves - having a penchant for the whimsical - prefer the Halfling version of events. This is despite the fact that relentless scientific inquiry by Gnomish scholars have revealed that they are, in fact, distant cousins of said Halflings, a Gnome would take a silly anecdote over a hairy-footed ancestry any day.

Gnomes are considered to be natural inventors. Some of the greatest scientific breakthroughs are attributed to Gnomish inventors - much to the chagrin of the Dwarfs (who believe themselves the superior craftsmen).

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Gnomes get on with all races, except Dwarves - don't ask.

Fail often, Fail happy by Aaron Miller

Origin/Ancestry

Created by Mystra

Lifespan

350 years

Average Height

3 - 4 ft.

Average Weight

40 lbs.

Average Physique

Gnomes are small humanoids.