gnomes
Gnomes are a race of demihumans in Scarterran known for their small size and social prowess.
There is a saying that "a gnome's sword and shield is his tongue". Most gnomes believe that the goddess Mera created the first gnomes to broker peace between the other races. She made them small to appear non-threatening and she gave them silver tongues in order to defend themselves and be better peacemakers.
Over their history, gnomes had many great successes and many great failures in brokering peace. By the feudal era, most modern gnomes are just trying to live their best life and are no longer devoting their hearts and souls to the cause brokering peace though a few men and women every generation choose to take up the calling.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Gnome men average around 3’4” with gnome women averaging a mere half inch below gnome men. Gnomes have about a two-inch standard deviation in height.
Proportionally, gnomes have larger and more prominent noses than humans. They have slightly squarish ears noticeably pointier than humans but less pointy than elves.
Most gnomes have elemental ethnicity resembling the non-gnomes around them with a slight bias towards more watery traits, said to be the influence of the goddess Mera.
Genetics and Reproduction
Gnomes reproduce in the same general manner as humans, elves and most other mamallian humanoids.
Gnome women are fertile from their early twenties into their twelth decade though babies born on the extreme ends of this window often have health issues. Most gnomes view 40 to 70 as the best window to become a parent and raise healthy and psychologically well-adjusted children.
Gnomes may live longer and mature slower than humans, but gnome babies develop faster in the womb. Gnome pregnancies typically last 250 days compared to human's 280 days. Twins are proportionally rarer among gnomes than most other humanoids.
Growth Rate & Stages
Gnomes children mature approximately half as fast as human children mature. Gnomes are considered to have reached the age of majority at age thirty-five.
Gnomes culturally stretch out adolescence and childhood proportionally longer than humans do. A gnome's 35 is physiologically more similar to a human's 20 than it is to a human's 16 (what most human cultures recognize as the age of majority).
Most gnomes start dying of old age around age two hundred fifty but a rare few exceptional individual gnomes have made it to three hundred twenty.
Ecology and Habitats
Many gnomes enjoy living and working among the 'bigger folk', but gnomes frequently self-segregate into all gnome villages or all gnome city quarters. There are no gnomish kings or queens in Scarterra, but rulers generally treat their gnomish citizens well. Gnomes pay their taxes on time and rarely make waves, so most human rulers are happy to give them autonomy to run their affairs with minimal interference. Our ancestors learned how to use carrots and sticks. The Order of Delas will use their mercantile connections to economically punish any prince or potentate who mistreats gnomes. Those who are especially egregious for their poor treatment of gnomes often experience mysterious accidents."-Carcelli the Arcane Priestessby Eron12 with Hero Forge
Dietary Needs and Habits
Gnomes eat more or less the same food that humans eat, but gnomes only require about half of the caloric intake of humans, but the average gnome spends roughly the same amount of coins on their food as the average human does.
Gnomes have a strong "foodie culture". Once a gnome's basic needs are met, the first place a gnome is likely to spend her discretionary income is towards purchasing fancier food, especially spices and herbs.
Due to their repuation as foodies, a lot of wealthy humans and elves like to hire gnomish cooks for their entourages.
Behaviour
A great many human, dwarf, and elf kings and queens have a trusted gnome advisor quietly serving them. Likewise with dukes, counts, barons, guild leaders, high priests, tribal chieftians, ship's captains, and military commanders also have a trusted gnome advisor. The lower you get down the pecking order, the more likely you are to see a gnome actually sitting on the throne instead of standing behind it. Gnomish barons are fairly common in many lands and gnomish dukes are not unheard of. Likewise, a lot of temples and guilds have a gnome acting as the true leader and not simply as an advisor to the leader. Gnome leaders typically discharge their duties well. Even when they are occupying the top position, gnomish leaders are rarely showy or bombastic. 'Little leaders' usually don the mantle as an agent of their organization rather than style themselves as the leader of their own cult of personality. Just because gnomes tend towards modesty does not mean that all gnomes are all good people. When gnomes are good, they stand in the shadows largely unnoticed. When gnomes are evil, they stand in shadows largely unnoticed. Gnomes adapt to their environment, and some enviroments are harsh. Gnome advisors don't randomly fall into their position, they seek out organizations and leaders that match their temperments and drives. It is said that every benevolent human king has a trusted gnome advising him on how to rule wisely and justly and ensure to the safety and prosperity of all their people. It is also said that every evil human tyrant has a trusted gnome advising him how to squeeze more tax money out of the filthy peasants and how best to crush those damn rebels."-Ragani the gnome GuardianRagani portrait by Eron12 using Hero Forge"Gnomes are easy to overlook...because we are so short. After centuries of jokes like this, the standard gnome response to another race calling us short is to politely say 'thank you'. Gnomes rarely seek glory or fame. Most gnomes are happy to remain unnoticed among bigger folk and we are more than happy to take a support role to others.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Gnomes are usually very family oriented and usually consider family ties to be far more important than national, ideological, or even religious ties.
Parental and child bonds are considered sacred as are sibling bonds. Gnome children are likely to grow up around many aunts and uncles. Gnomes value blood ties but their definiton of "family" is flexible and they can form close bonds with "found families" which may include non-gnomes.
Gnomes naturally gravitate towards tight knit communities and this leads some gnomes to be insular or even xenophobic but those gnomes are a minority as a gnome's natural curosity usually prevents them from being total home bodies. Most gnomes are welcoming to strangers (provided they are reasonably polite) and are very generous hosts to foreign guests, be their visitors or non-gnomes.
Gnomes tend to be chatty and have a well-deserved reputation for being gossips. Usually, the best way to get in the good graces of a newly met gnome is by sharing interesting news.
Because of their desire to stay in touch with friends and kin, their natural curiosity for greater events, and their thirst for gossip, gnomes are usually fairly literate and many of the most sophisticated messenger systems operate largely via the little hands of gnomes.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Gnomes live in every corner of Scarterra. In general, gnomes gravitate towards metaphorical or literal centers of civilization. Gnomes are frequently overly represented in towns and cities and underrepresented in wild and frontier areas.
A lot of gnomes do like to travel, but they normally join civilized nomadic groups such as wandering minstrel troupes or groups of circuit priests.
The reindeer riding Zegdelian gnomes roaming the The Great Colassian Tundra are the only major exception to gnomish cultural gnorms of cleaving to civilized lands. The Zegedlians are only tribe of gnome barbarians that has survived into the Feudal Era.
by Eron12 with Heroforge
Average Intelligence
Gnomes are not inherently more or less intelligent than most other mortal races, but they place a relatively high cultural value on education.
On average, gnomes are more literate than most other races and they are disportionately represented among sagely professions such as priests, book binders, herbalist, historian, and alchemists among others.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Our noses are one of the reasons why the best cooks in Scarterra are gnomes or taught by gnomes.Gnomes have roughly the same vision and hearing that humans enjoy, but we have superior senses of smell. Gnome noses are powerful, but we not on par with dogs or kobolds. Gnomes cannot track people by scent or smell someone's emotions, but we can make an accurate guess on what spices were or were not used to make a batch of stew.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
I am particularly fond of using this external website, at least for the first names.
Not many Scarterran names have a second name or family surname unless they are ennobled. Rare, but hardly unheard of. Such as the prestigious Blueduck family of the Kingdom of Fumaya
Most gnomes are identified by their profession such as Roodnat the chef or Ragani the Guardian.
by me with Midjourney
Major Language Groups and Dialects
History
The First Gnomes
The first gnomes followed Mera’s directive and spread out to every continent. They immediately tried to broker cooperation between the various races and nations. The results were mixed. When the gnomes were not welcome, they would leave peacefully or sometimes flee for their lives or make a fighting retreat. Gnomes like to tell sagas and epic poems about their forebears’ early successes and failures with diplomacy. A lot of these stories are partly or completely made up whole cloth because accurate records before the Unmaking are hard to come by. Their greatest success was with the dwarves. This was helped because largely due to luck. In the Second Age, a gnome was able to save the crown prince of Meckelorn . Gnomes have been welcome and trusted by dwarves ever since. The gnomes used their position of influence to help keep the Second Age elves and dwarves from making war on each other. The gnomes greatest early failure was trying to broker peace between elves and goblins. Most goblins view gnomes as their enemy as much any other race. Either they don't know about our ancestor's diplomacy or they don't care. Some surprisingly well-informe goblins have made the valid criticism that gnomes have and sometimes still do collaberate peacefully with keepers of goblin slaves. They usually choose to make this criticism with knives instead of words."-Master Blaprur, gnome sageby me with Hero ForgeMera working with some of her siblings, created the first gnomes fairly late in the Second Age. By this point, nearly every one of the Nine created a paragon race to embody their own personal ideals and they fought with each other and the dominant elves. Mera wanted gnomes to broker peace and cooperation between all the mortal races of Scarterra.
The Second Unmaking
Modern gnomes often claim that without their contributions the armies of the Void would have wiped out all life on Scarterra. They are probably right.Akeem of Magicland, (human) Expert of Second Unmaking Historyby Eron12 with Hero ForgeDuring the Second Unmaking, It quickly became apparent that Void demons were equally hostile to all mortals, so in a sense all mortals were allies. Few gnomes distinguished themselves on the battlefield, but they were nevertheless valuable behind the scenes. Gnomes often acted as indispensable middlemen helping formerly warring groups to put aside their differences and work together in order to fight the demon hordes.
The Red Era
Some gnomes were able to make permanent alliances with dwarvees and elves, but these were exceptions, not the rule. At the dawn of the Third Age, the majority of gnomes chose to expand and either attached themselves to the new human tribes, or they created their own settlements which were later annexed by emerging human chiefdoms. Initially, relations between little folk and human folk were good. While the period of The Little Unmaking had harsh winters and harsher demons, at least the mortals were getting along. There was a lot of land and not a lot of people, so there wasn't much reason to fight. The Nine gave the humans the basics of all the Gifts but the mortals with Second Age mortal races still had access to more advanced farming, metalwork, seafaring, and writing techniques more advanced than the primitive humans. The elves and dwarves were pretty tight-fisted with their precious lore but our ancestors shared our knowledge freely. This meant for a time gnomes were welcome among humans when dwarves and elves were treated with suspicion, envy and fear. Then the era of 'the Little Unmaking' gave way to the 'Era of Warlords' where our souls were in less danger but our bodies were more vulnerable. The Red Era, was rough for everyone, gnomes and non-gnomes alike both before and after the Era of Warlords. I'm not going to pretend that life was easy for the larger folk, but life was especially hard for the little folk. Once the threat of The Void had faded, faith in the Nine and a general community of mortalkind faded as well. After a couple generations, humanity forgot all the lore we gave them and they assumed their ancestors created the lore themselves. To humanity, gnomes transformed from a race of small benefactors into a race of silver tongued parasites. Warlords fought with each other and the strong routinely exploited the weak. We do not like to admit it, but there are times being small is a severe disadvantage. Gnomes were commonly enslaved by humans (and though they now deny it) by elves. Frequently, because gnomes are fastidious if not strong, gnomes were often "house slaves" rather than "field slaves". Because gnomes are small and unassuming and read nuances better than the larger folk, our enslaved ancestors were able to overheard a lot of juicy secrets and this formed the foundation of our eventual liberation. We are not sure when Delas the Diplomat lived, but the Order of Delas quickly grew and expanded in hs name. Using innocuous gnome household slaves as the base for their spy network, the Order of Delas was able to isolate and eliminate the warlords and others who were especially egregious in their abuse of gnomes. The Order of Delas claimed to avenge any and all gnomes suffering injustice, but in truth they were only able to make examples of the worst offenders. Those larger folk who routinely abused little folk found themselves eating poison, suffering mysterious accidents, or finding all the skeletons in their closet suddenly out in the open for all their peers and rivals to see. Eventually the bigger races took the hint and the rampant enslavement and rape of gnomes largely ceased though gnomes remained well below humans and elves in status as well as stature. Things got better from there but it was a slow process. We gnomes are patient.We little folk are diplomatic by nature, so some gnomes were willing and able to make their temporary alliances permanent, but the larger folk are not always obliging. After the Second Unmaking ended, the numerous temporary alliances our ancestors helped broker began to dissolve.
The Feudal Era
The richest and most powerful mortals in Scarterra are rarely gnomes, but you don't see a lot of gnomes among the poor and destitute either. Gnome criminals and villains are not above the law, and I support them getting what's coming to them, but it is quite rare to see any public figure prejudiced against gnomes as a whole. Thus the Order of Delas can spend more time relaying messages to help distant gnome groups maintain their ties of kinship and less time avenging unjustly fallen gnomes. Gnome advisors have become a cliche but only after centuries of gnomes always being right. Okay usually being right. After all these generations, we finally managed to convince the larger races to appreciate our salt of the earth wisdom and the intellect of our learned sages. We are disproportionately represented among the universities, mercantile guilds, Nonagons, and royal courts. Because we have access to the halls of power in nearly every nation, gnomes tend to get a lot of benefits. Gnome peasants have slightly better parcels of farmland than human peasants, but no so much better that the humans resent us. Likewise, we tend to have gnome quarters in relatively nice parts of urban...but not too nice. We gnomes know better to overreach. Yes, yes, we gnomes have short arms, so we physically can't actually overreach. Thank you."-Wenkler, gnome innkeep and Sedentary Roversby me with Hero Forge"It's been eighteen centuries and some change since Vladimir the Conqueror was slain and Scarterra entered the Feudal Era, and this is a good time to be a gnome. Some gnomes struggle, some gnomes face hard times through no fault of their own, but a race we are better off than most of the big folk.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Dwarf nations: Meckelorn has welcomed gnomes in their borders dating all the way back to the Second Age. When Meckelorn split into two nations, many gnomes stayed with the Mecklorn loyalists and served as able scouts and many gnomes joined with the mass migration to Stahlheim. Gnomes easily make up the largest non-dwarven minority in Meckelorn today (6%). In Stahlheim, there are roughly as many gnomes as there are humans (5% each).
by Me using Hero Forge
During the Second Unmaking , gnome refugees ended up joining forces with the elves that would eventually found the Third Age nations of the Elven Empire and the Wood Elves of Codenya. Most gnomes in Codenya trace their ancestry all the way back to the original refugees who worked and fought besides these elves during the Unmaking. They are commonly known as forest gnomes today.
As the Elven Empire gradually became less elven, gnomes were often called upon to be impartial mediators between elves and humans, usually with the gnomes acting in an informal capacity. A small number of elves took on official roles within the government. The current Elven Empress has decreed that more non-elves should be appointed to high positions. This was intended to provide enfranchise more humans and half-elves, but a lot of these new positions have been given to gnomes
Kasailini Version 2 by Me using Hero Forge
Gnomes in Human Nations
West Colassia: Gnomes in West Colassia are generally well-off and make up about 6% of the continents overall population. West Colassia is where the stereotype of gnomes dominating sagely and advisory positions. Most gnomes that have attained landed titles are West Colassian. The Zegdelian gnomes, the only autonomous tribe of gnomes range here. Umera: Gnomes make up about 5% of the population of Umera. Gnomes in Umera are valued advisors and sages here, but they are a little more quiet and unassuming in this continent than elsewhere. East Colassia: Gnomes are not overtly mistreated in East Colassia but neither are they welcomed with open arms. Gnomes only make up about 2.5% of the population of East Colassia. The dark elves of Kahdisteria have made gnome slavery illegal the Treaty of Delas, but they have not made human slavery illegal. More than a few East Colassian humans view this separately negotiated treaty as a betrayal. Penarchian States: The Penarchian states have about an average number of gnomes (about 5%). Gnomes are not oppressed or disrespected but they have been largely unsuccessful at preventing the frequent interline wars here. It is less common to find human rulers with gnomish advisors here than most other lands.
Gnome Character Creation
Silver Tongue: Gnomes receive a -1 difficulty bonus all non-magical rolls involving Charisma and Manipulation other than intimidation or seduction (they do not receive penalties for intimidation of seduction).
Naturally Stealthy: Gnomes' small size makes them good at hiding and
light on their feet. Gnomes receive a -1 difficulty bonus on all stealth rolls.
Puny: Gnomes suffer +1 difficulty penalty to all Strength rolls, including damage rolls using weapons powered by their own strength. Maximum unencumbered carrying is 15 pounds per point of Strength rather than the usual 25.
The one exception is that gnomes are not penalized on their climbing rolls.
Light: Bullrush and Grappling attempts against Gnomes are at -1 difficulty.
Gnomes usually speak Gnomish as their native tongue.
For guidelines and tips for making gnome PCs, check out So you want to play a gnome?
Genetic Descendants
Lifespan
250
Average Height
Males average 3'4" Females average about a half inch shorter than males. Gnome height has a standard deviation of two inches.
Average Physique
Gnome warriors can be surprisingly strong and robust for their size. They may be roughly half as tall as humans but they are considerably more than half as strong, holding exercise and lifestyle choices constant.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Gnomes are subject to the same metaphysics of elemental ethnicity that most other humanoid mortals are subject to in Scarterra.
About 40% of a gnome's elemental ethnic traits come from her father, 40% from her mother, and 20% from the elemental energies her parents wewre exposed.
By extension, gnomes that are long established in an area will physically resemble the non-gnomes living near them, but there is a slight but noticeable tendency that gnomes tend to be just a shade more watery than the humans, elves, and dwarves around them. Many believe this is lingering influence from the goddess Mera.
Geographic Distribution
Related Organizations
Related Ethnicities
Related Technologies
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