The Wee Folk’s brilliant brain; though not always rational, they are always thinking and inventing. Their skills are only matched by the goblins. Preferring a dark place that is clean and quiet, these creatures are often teased, mostly for all their short comings, but always praised for their ability to come up with the most beautiful tinkerings.
Not all Gnomes love to tinker, some love the art of magic. Along with being master tinkers, Gnomes are master illusionists as well; they say it adds to their perfection.
Gnomes have grey skin and pointed ears. They have a natural resistance to mental effects, possibly due to their eclectic minds, as well as toxins. Their heights range between 3’4″ – 4’6″ on average, with males being taller than females. Due to their small stature, they are not as strong as larger races.
Average Life Span: ~200
Average Number of Offspring: 1
Maximum Number of Offspring: 4
Gnomish History
Gnomes were the first race to introduce the idea of adding steam to something to make it move and to give it “power.”
Gnomish Culture
Gnomes are master tinkerers, but they are perfectionists, and as such when they create something it is usually good the first go round, but there is always something that they do not like about it so they will rebuild it and rebuild it until they think it is perfect when it is usually not. Anything created by a Gnome has a chance of backfiring, misfiring, or just downright going crazy. This is not seen as a flaw to the Gnome… to them it is a reason to make another one; this time, make it perfect!
Gnones normally group with larger cultures and cities and adapt to them, but a few still grow up either via the old teachings or in one of the few left gnomish Ruts, or gnomish cities. There are three main cultures of gnomes, each just a little different from the last to an outsider’s eye, but to a gnome it is a world of difference.
Earth Gnomes– The most common Gnomes on Xadune, and normally the most thought of when the word Gnome is said. They are called many things to different people, but the earth gnomes are what they are. They live almost their whole lives underground in cities, and as such suffer physical effects in the daylight. Due to their secluded nature, many have lost their people skills, and can often act rashly towards non-gnomes. They are emotional people with short tempers and very little patience.
Worker Gnomes– Unlike what their common name suggests, these are not slaves but instead your true tinkerers. These are the gnomes that live to build, develop, and create. These gnomes live and breathe creation. Saying their life is consumed by it would be a huge understatement. Dedicated to creating, these Gnomes have little patience for the arcane arts. Unlike their darker cousins, these gnomes are friendlier with people, but are still highly lacking in the people skills department. They tend to be perfectionist, very neat to an obsessive level, and overwhelmingly driven.
Garden Gnomes– The smallest culture of the gnomes, the once common garden gnome. These little guys are at home in nature. Many people know these to be the alchemists of the race and also to be the green thumbs of the forest, but they do not focus in any other production. Of all the gnome types, these are the kindest and most open with non-gnomes. They also tend to be the best at communication as well. This is mostly due to the large amount of contact with others and the large amount of curiosity they have towards the world. Unlike the Earth Gnomes, these people are very peaceful and calm, although they will become completely awestruck by everything that isn’t native to the forest.