"Deep" or "Shadow" or "Umbral" or "Svirfneblin" Gnomes...
Cousins of the Gnomes, the Svirfneblin have chosen the bleak region of the Underdark to make their stone tunnels and to dig their never-exhausted mines. For thousands of years now they have turned away from the light and made their way through the shadows of the Underdark. Some of them have taken to the realms of Shadowfell, living in their dank, dark tunnels there, grimly mining a strange mineral or gem, or engineering some fantastic (and awful) machine or contraption.
Shadow gnomes have lived apart from their cousin race for so long that they barely believe the creation myths that tell of "a time of light" before the blessed darkness came and swept the Snirfvelben (their name for themselves) to their true home among the shadows, below the rocks of the great shadow, the all-mother-father-shadow (the Graefleufenharren). These creatures rarely see outsiders, although their hunting parties come upon plenty of game in the valleys and in the high mountian country. (Hunting is best, of course, in the spring and the summer, but trolls and giants (favorite foods) can be brought in in any season.) The Snirfvelben are distrustful of outsiders, and they will challenge them rather than welcome them, until the latter have proven themselves worthy of hospitality. The shadow gnomes have lost the joy they once knew, and now they are hard-hearted and crabby. Their cunning in machine-craft is the greatest on Little Dream, and the contraptions they devise are of use in any situation; if you can imagine it, the shadow gnomes have devised it in some way.
Svirfneblin are in their heads quite a bit, puzzling and thinking and mentally fussing with whatever issue or trouble is at hand. While this might make them seem distant or aloof, it definitely helps when difficulty presents itself, and this is particularly true underground, or with any problem or issue involving stone. They are superior engineers as well, creating a myriad of contraptions that cut stone, hide in stone, fashion stone, detect in stone, etc.
It is difficult to fully gain the trust of a Svirfneblin, but once you do they are loyal and steadfast friends. They have a respect and fascination with their tunneling and burrowing cousins, the "gnomes above,: as they call them in gnomish.
Appearance: Svirfneblin are usually a little (or alot) ugly, with a greyish hide, large features (especially nose and ears), and a shock of white hair. Some grow white bears, but most are not born with facial hair. They are usually quite stocky compared to the Gnomes Above.
For more information on Gnomes, see
Gnomes of Summer's Tale
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