Seeking Souls

A group of gnomes driven out of their home by especially intense Abyssal Storms.
Once known as the forest souls these gnomes were natives of Lephia. Unlike many of their kin they preferred to live in that region’s forests rather than the plains and their culture diverged from their plain living kin.
In 1437 the onslaught of the Abyssal Storms known as the howling death devastated the forests of Lephia and changed the landscapes. While other peoples adapted and rebuilt something happened to these gnomes. They lost the connection they had long felt with their home. Though some made a brief attempt to restore the forest most began preparations to leave Lephia in search of somewhere new to settle.
In the decades that followed these people travelled all over the continent looking for a new home. In cases they were driven off by those already living in an area but even when a region was free for the claiming it usually took no more than a season for the people to agree that it wasn’t right for them and their journey would resume.
Some began to speak of a curse that had afflicted them. A mark left by the howling death that had severed their ability to settle in one place. Some took this a step further and claimed that they wouldn’t be able to settle until the abyssal storms in Lephia had been silenced forever. Whatever the reason these gnomes have continued to wander for centuries with no end to their journey in sight.

Culture

Shared customary codes and values

When you see one…

The seekers rely on caution and stealth to keep themselves safe, going to great lengths to avoid being noticed. When they need to interact with other people a single member of the community is chosen to make contact while the rest take cover some distance away.

The only safety is with family.

Only through numbers can seekers hope to prevail against the dangers of the world. Anyone outside the family is a potential threat to the unity of the family and must be avoided.
Most of the seeking souls travel around in large extended family groupings. They can go years without speaking or sometimes even seeing anyone outside the family thanks to their habit of trying to avoid anyone that could cause them trouble.

Big Speaker

It is easy to say the wrong thing or to be intimidated by the bigger folk. To help counter this each family has a designated speaker who is sent out to talk with the bigger folk. The Big Speaker only goes out when there is a need to negotiate with a settlement, their skills are too valuable to waste on encounters with travellers upon the road.

Conjurers

Unlike most gnomes the seeking souls have developed a facination with conjuration rather than illusion. This has led to them developing some unique traditions such as the creation of Memorial Dolls.

Mapmakers

Their constant travelling and need to find the safest route has led the Seeking Souls to become the most accomplished mapmakers in the world. The detail and accuracy of their maps are legendary, though few outside the families have ever seen one.

Encompassed species

• Gnome

Related Locations

• Lephia