Gnomes

Gnomes are, perhaps, the most mixed up of the D&D races, mainly because the game designers have never had a clear idea of how Gnomes should fit into the D&D game universe.

In first ed rules Gnomes lived in hills and forests un-inhabited by humans - were miners but with illusionary magic - basically lesser cousins of the dwarves with illusionist abilities. In the second edition they became fascinated with practical jokes, gems and jewellery and master jewellers, although they still retained their rural outlook and links to illusionary magics. Still rural they have ‘links’ with nature and commune well with underground (in particular) creatures. Eventually that moved into a full ‘arts and crafts’ type society.

In the third edition they turn into inventors and alchemists although they still live in underground rural settings. They are still inquisitive (a trait that has been there since 1^st ed) still favour the illusionist class and automatically get access to some illusion spells.

In 3.5 the poor gnome had their favoured class changed to bard, and then I kind of get lost … In other words a right mess.

In THIS game, Gnomes take something from each of those descriptions. Don’t be surprised if you come across Gnome craftsmen creating artefacts of some sort – they might be jewellers, alchemists or even leather workers or musicians (although the first two are more common). Gnomes are liable to have a penchant for the countryside, a racial link to underground animals, and an innate ability with illusions.

To make matters easy, there are no long-term Gnome communities in this setting, however, there are small communities of Gnomes who have moved into the area and attached themselves to towns or cities originally settled by other races. You will find these Gnomic communities attached to the Dwarven Stronghold of Dersolbek as well Gnomes attached to towns and villages in various human states as well. These Gnome communities are often found close to mines or metal working centres and are generally on the edge of a town or a city, giving the gnomes access to both the materials they need and the countryside that is ‘in their blood’.

These communities may all have different outlooks on life, with different skillsets and backgrounds, about all this will be common is the country/town borders, the need to 'create' something and the illusions. Gnome racial abilities are EXACTLY like it says in the 3.0 ed handbook - just don’t expect a complex, coherent or flowering Gnome society.

If you choose to play a gnome, you can choose either of the archetypes, jeweller/gems or alchemist, as your background. Actually, so long as you can describe it well, and it isn’t disruptive to the game pattern, I will let you get away with just about any sort of background that ‘sort-of’ conforms to what I have described earlier. You can choose any of the Gnomic communities documented, or you can be a ‘freshly arrived’ immigrant from somewhere outside. If that is the case, you will need to give me some background material on the area that you come from.

Known Gnome Settlements

Dersolbek: The gnomes who have settled in Dersolbek are either jewellers, inventors or Alchemists. Actually, there are less than 100 Gnomes settled in the whole place so there are probably only 4 or 5 different families to work with. They want easy access to the metals and gems stones that are available here.

Rediton has the closest thing to an ‘Old Fashioned’, traditional, gnomish warren that there is in The Alliance. The Kappelkourts (gem polishers and jewellers) Lafftagons (stone masons) Kwillics (herders) and Mastacatl (fishermen) have all built clanholds close together connected by underground passages - however they use the surface dwellers town for public and general functions. (see - AD&D II: Complete book of Gnomes and Halflings P56) *grin* there are a few gnomes from other clans - but those four families came here en masse from their original village.

There are gnomes in Falmar as well. Hapsburg has a jeweller clan as well as Alchemists. Falmar City has a whole Alchemist clan as well as gnomes following other professions, while other groups can be found in Kevlat and Mattuk.

There are also gnomes in Rebul, on the outskirts of the towns (and perhaps larger villages) close to the mountains. There can be clans or families of many different types here.

Gonma has the most gnomes of all, however they are scattered around the country. The largest community is in the capital where there are at least two Alchemist clans, along with sundry other occupations. The other towns and larger villages all have their ‘Gnome Quarter’ although in some cases that might just be one clan or even as little as one family living together in the community