THE LAUGHTER OF GNOMES
I. Of the Origins of Gnomes and Their GodsI. Of the Origins of Gnomes and Their Gods
The gnomes are an ancient race, although they do not keep a history, as the dwarves, nor do they have a racial sense of their past, as th elves. Instead, each gnome lives in his own time, so the origin of gnome-kind is not known, even as legend. The gnomish idea of their gods is similar: they have always been there, and always will be. The gnomes believe that things which have real substance, Truth, last forever. Those things which lack this quality are as ephemeral as an illusion.
The gnomes worship several gods, almost all of whom are male. Gnomish deities are unlike the gods of most races in that they do not embody a particular quality, virtue, or universal constant; rather, they are unique personalities, as complex as any gnome. Each gnome worships the deity or deities that he or she best identifies with; the gnomes consider themselves to have very personal relationships with their deities.
The gnomes tend to make only small communities, and they tend to be widely dispersed. In addition, gnomes are often struck with wanderlust as they reach adulthood, traveling far afield with a friend or two. Thus, gnomes are found throughout Rhean, although they do not have any nation of their own.
Gnomes have an inherent talent for illusions; it is thought that they taught elves the art. Like elves, their magic is deep within them; they do not not need to study their magic once it is learned. However, they are restricted to illusion magic only. They are restricted in the number of spells they can learn by intelligence.
Because gnomes travel readily, they lack the diversification of other races. Other than local differences, gnomes can really only be distinguished by their interactions with their enviroment and other races. On this basis, they can be divided into wild gnomes and settled gnomes. Wild gnomes are sometimes called forest gnomes, as they typically live deep in forests, away from humans and most other races.
All gnomes are short, between 3 1/2 and 4 feet tall. They weigh about 80 pounds. They grow elaborate mustaches and beards. Forest gnomes often braid their hair; badges of rank are placed in the braids (beads, etc). All gnomes have long noses; this is an important feature, a matter of pride. Gnomes typically have nut brown to wood colored skin. Eye color is typically grey to blue, although green is sometimes found. Hair is often white or pale yellow; occasionally it is darker. Gnomes live up to 750 years, although this is uncommon; most average 600 or so years.
All gnomes enjoy jokes, tricks, and stories. Riddling-contests are more common than games in gnomish culture, and are taken very seriously. Stories often involve black humor and generally try to teach some moral. Each community has a skald who preserves the best stories and riddles. As a rule, gnomes are curious and inventive, although they do not practice these to extremes. Gnomes are creatures of moderation in many ways. However, gnomes love beautiful things, prizing gems above all. Most gnomes follow some craft.
As has been stated, gnomes do not build cities or nations; rather, they make small towns and villages. They seldom dwell in great numbers with other races, unless it is for protection. Gnomes build in rocky hills, for the most part, although some make burrows in earth (particularly the forest gnomes). They mine to obtain small amounts of metal, and gems of course, but do not do excavations on the scale of either dwarves or men. They hew few trees, and generally attempt to reduce their impact on the world. While individual families will be likely to have vegetable plots, large scale farming is not common. Gnomes enjoy drink, particularly mead, but almost never imbibe to excess. Likewise, their meals tend to be simple, filling, nutritious foods. Gnomes enjoy smoking a pipe, when they can.
Most settled gnomes dwell in the following areas: Lindon, Relnin, Sirna, the Fairdells, Aenia, Yor, the Neutral Territories, Allitois, and other similar lands. As a rule, they do not dwell in oppressive lands or far to the south or north. As far as is known, no gnomes dwell in Jardaa.
Being of small frame, gnomes receive a -1 to strength; however, their natural moderation and wit gives them a +1 to wisdom. When in natural surroundings, a gnome can detect snares and pits 50% of the time. Likewise, a gnome can always sense direction (as the proficiency). Gnomes possess standard ultravision. Gnomes add +1 to hit either goblins or kobolds (east and west Rhean, respectively). Giant class creatures must subtract 4 from their attempts to hit gnomes. Gnomes receive one of the following proficiencies for free: gem cutting, artistic ability, story-telling, weather sense, weaving, or astrology. They also receive one of the following: plant lore, animal lore, speak with small burrowing mammals, set snares, tracking, or pass with little trace.
As noted, gnomes can be superior illusionists, but also can function as fighters, thieves, priests, scouts, or skalds. All gnomes can learn illusionist cantrips; they can use one per day per level over 6th. Illusionists add this number to their normal usage of 2x 1st level spell usage. Due to their familiarity with illusions, gnomes add +1 to saves vs illusion magic for each 3 points of wisdom over 3. Similarly, they add +1 to poison saves for every 3 points of constitution over 3.
Lindon boasts a significant gnomish population. Gnomes have lived in Avea'lindor since time immemorial, mostly in the hilly area near the Alaron. The city of Kaire contains the largest community of gnomes known, although this is broken up into neighborhoods; essentially, it is several villages surrounded by a wall. Some humans, elves, and halflings live here as well. The villages of Treefield and Gnomehill are almost entirely gnomish. A significant number of gnomes live in scattered areas throughout the rest of Lindon.
Due to their proximity to other races, Lindon gnomes have a most corrupted language. Rather than receiving gnomish as a starting language, gnome characters receive either common, dwarven, or grey elven. Naturally, gnomish (Lindon or other dialect) can be taken as the free language. However, gnomish in this area is liberally sprinkled with words from other languages, especially elvish (whom the gnomes have had the most contac with). Gnomes from the area near the Alaron tend to be on friendly terms with their forest gnome cousins and the sylvan elves of the woods.
VII. Of the Gnomes of the Fairdells
The Fairdells are home to a large number of "typical" settled gnomes. The independent nature of the inhabitants of this land and its fertile soils appeal to gnomes. The towns of Greenfields and Arborton are nearly entirely gnomish, although they have rest-houses for "big folk". Very fine smokeweed is grown around Greenfields, and Arborton is known for its fruits, meads, and honeys.
The gnomes of the Fairdells tend to be on good terms with their human and halfling neighbors, and with the dwarves who pass through this area while journeying to and from the Ironholts. Like most of the inhabitants of this area, they distrust the great powers around them.