Gnome
Gnomes are almost mythical among the humans of Emicara. They are a highly reclusive race, keeping concealed within their burrows except for rare cases of trade or dire peril. Forest gnomes are believed to live throughout all of the woods of Emicara, and are the more reclusive of the two subspecies. Mountain gnomes, however, are more open with human society, trading gadgets and other unusual products whenever they leave their homes deep within the Apps.
Gnomes in D&D Fifth Edition
Forest gnomes use the same statistics and character creation as their counterparts in the Player's Handbook. Mountain gnomes use the same statistics and character creation as the rocks gnomes listed in the Player's Handbook. Deep gnomes or other subraces of gnomes are not currently known in Emicara, but they could always be present in a distant land or continent.Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Gnomish naming traditions rely on names that they have been using for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. A name for a gnome may be found dating back centuries, before you would find another gnome using it. Gnomish surnames emerge through clans and families, often reflecting the influence that tinkering and wood-working have had on their culture and people.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
All gnomes are taught Gnomish at an early age, but gnomes agree that it is important to remain inconspicuous among humans and others. To that end, gnomes learn Common nearly as quickly as they learn their own racial language. In places where Common is not the majority language used, they instead focus on learning the appropriate regional tongue instead, so that they have even better luck blending into their surroundings.
History
The gnomes were one of several races native to Emicara that sought shelter in hiding with the growth and expanse of the Nameless Empire. They found ways to hide in plain sight and often formed communities under the very noses of the human majority of the empire. Their hidden lifestyle and attempts to blend led to an emphasis on family values and clans, and they would form small towns and neighborhoods in isolated regions throughout the Nameless Empire. They were so successful at remaining hidden, that by the time of the collapse of the Empire, gnomes were little more than myths and legends. Even after the empire's fall, the gnomes took their time reentering society, choosing to remain in their own isolated communities rather than fully engaging. Some have entered into the larger world, and are often nondescript and ignored by many humans, who often mistake gnomes for halflings.
The gnomes who have chosen to remain isolated are typically known as the forest gnomes, keeping within their own hidden burrows throughout the woods. Other gnomes, the mountain gnomes, have taken a more active role in wider society. They are known to appear in human settlements, often offering splendid mechanical devices and magical doodads that ease life in human settlements. It is said however, if a person offends a single gnome, the settlement they live in will lose the patronage and services of all gnomes, forever.
Lifespan
250 years
Average Height
3 - 4 ft
Average Weight
40 - 50 lbs
Related Ethnicities
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