Swamp Gnomes

Everybody hates Swamp Gnomes. Of all the tricksters of the Illusion Islands, Swamp Gnomes, are the most aggravating. They practice disorienting magic: things like changing the terrain of an environment so travellers go around in circles, and have a habit of messing with people by creating fake comforts, like the smell of cooking food, warmth on cold nights, and and dry ground to walk on, only to take them away at last minute, right as travellers are about to enjoy them. What's more, once a Swamp Gnome puts you under an illusion, a small part of them stays embedded in your brain, disorienting and annoying you.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Swamp Gnomes speak Chatter, a dialect of Gnomish that is basically the equivalent of Pig Latin. Other Gnome kids might find it entertaining for a bit but anyone old enough and with any sense knows that you could you know, maybe just not do it and speak like a functional person? Seriously, even other Gnomes hate the fact that Swamp Gnomes think this okay to have as their main form of communication.

Coming of Age Rites

A Swamp Gnome keeps track of the number of people they have seriously pissed off. Once that count reaches 2000, then they are considered an adult.

Funerary and Memorial customs

Swamp Gnome funerals are surprisingly elegant. They put a lot of effort and beauty into honouring their fallen comrades mostly because they think that beauty would annoy them if they were still around.

Historical figures

Wigfiddleay Mithsay is considered a disgrace among Swamp Gnomes because of his productive contributions to society. He was a key player in developing the Mirage Arcade.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

A Swamp Gnome's beauty comes not from the inside, but from the reactions they get from others: specifically reactions of disgust and abhorrence. The efficiency in maximizing the amount of people they can annoy with one illusory form is equated as beauty among their people.