Svirfneblin
Svirfneblin, or deep gnomes as they are also known, are a subterranean offshoot of the gnome race who inhabit the Underdark. They have a stronger connection to the Feywild, their ancestral homeland, than their surface-dwelling cousins.
Appearence
Svirfneblin appear similar in stature to their overburn (Underdark slang for the surface world) cousins, but with rocky gray or brown skin, and pale, oversized eyes. Males are always bald while females have gray, stringy hair.Personality
Perhaps because of their strong connection to the Feywild, svirfneblin are more emotionally erratic than gnomes, vacillating between cold detachment and violent outbursts. Most are somewhat xenophobic and prefer to keep to their own, hidden insular communities.Origins
The ancestors of the svirfneblin came to Goliria at the same time as the forefathers of the surface gnome race. Their decision to settle in the Underdark most likely was prompted to keep an eye on the evil fey of that realm. Their prolonged exposure to the energies there slowly changed them into the race they are today.Society
Deep gnomes are tenacious opponents of the duergar, and the two races have fought numerous wars in the past. These conflicts have had such a negative impact on the svirfneblin, that they sometimes have trouble separating the grey dwarves from their surface-dwelling dwarven cousins. They also bear no love towards mites, with whom they frequently come into conflict. Svirfneblin live in secret, luminescent cities that are nearly unknown to the other races of the Underdark. Nearly all svirfneblin speak Gnome as well as Undercommon. Because of their isolationism, most svirfneblin have difficulty making friends with other races. Those who accidentally stumble across one of their communities are often incarcerated for the rest of their lives, for fear that they might spread the knowledge of the settlement's location to the outside world. Outsiders who do manage to become friends with a deep gnome are sometimes given bonding stones, which are small stone amulets that symbolize their new relationship.
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