Leper gnome Leper gnomes are a diseased , twisted , and mutated race of gnome s who wander through the irradiated halls of Gnomeregan . Their minds left crazed by the irradiation of their city , the leper gnomes will attack any who dare enter their city , believing them to be trogg invaders . History . When Gnomeregan was invaded by a horde of troggs unearthed from the Uldaman excavation , High Tinker Gelbin Mekkatorque ordered the opening the pressure valves of their giant , grinding machines and released toxic radiation ( via an exploded radiation bomb ) throughout the city . Many more gnomes were killed than troggs when Gnomeregan was flooded with radiation . Forced to flee to the safety of the dwarven capital of Ironforge , Mekkatorque had to deal with the guilt of his actions that day , actions brought on by his chief advisor ' s lust for power . Even worse , though , many gnomes still within Gnomeregan ' s halls became horribly mutated and insane , changing into what are now known as leper gnomes . Leper gnomes vaguely resemble normal gnomes . Emaciated and sickly , their skin is bloated and green with gangrene , while their eyes glow with a color and light similar to that of the radioactive pools in their once beautiful city . Even worse than their physical mutation , though , is the perverse madness caused by the poisoning that twisted their bodies . While individuals among them may seem saner than others , all are irrevocably twisted . Leper gnomes claim Gnomeregan as their own , and , led by Mekgineer Thermaplugg , defend its halls with horrible constructs and their own prowess . They continue their battle against the troggs , who are more dangerous now due to the radioactive goo that clings to their rock - like skin . Perhaps the worst enemies in their minds , are true gnomes , whom they blame for their current existence . They regard High Tinker Mekkatorque as a demon , and his followers not much better . They regard all other creatures as intruders and quickly put them down . Recently , however , some adventurers have seen leper gnomes in company with Dark Iron dwarves . Many theorize that Thermaplugg is attempting an alliance between the two underground races , in an attempt to strengthen his own forces and finally defeat the troggs . A handful of Leper Gnomes have joined the Forsaken in Lordaeron . They usually work for the Royal Apothecary Society as assistants and apprentices . Locations . Leper gnomes are found almost exclusively in Gnomeregan , the doomed capital of the gnomes . There are also many leper gnomes at the Steamvault in Coilfang Reservoir allied to Illidan and his naga . There is an apparent leper gnome ( he can also be undead gnome , lacking unique model ) named Ganoosh in the Undercity , another named Haggle sifting through the trash in the Deeprun Tram , one named Apprentice Crispin at Garren ' s Haunt , and several leper gnome laborers ( possibly slaves ) in the cellar of a blood elf clothier guarded by a level 60 succubus in Silvermoon City . Note that all NPCs that use leper gnome models may not necessarily be leper gnomes . The model may be used to represent other types of sickly or undead gnome forms . Languages . Leper gnomes speak Gnomish and Common . Leper gnomes learn the languages of the creatures with which they live and compete . Gender . Leper gnomes are mutations of both male and female versions of the gnomes . However , only male leper gnomes have been seen in the flesh . The only female leper gnomes in the game are inside Gnomeregan , defending toxic passages , wearing protective suits ( If one inspects closely , they are actually regular gnomes ) . Presumably , their appearance is similar to that of the regular female gnomes , along with green skin with slightly altered texture and green eyes like their male brethren . There is an unexplained female gnome texture in the game that is completely black and untextured . This may have once been the base model for the leper gnomes , and may be the model the gnomes in Gnomeregan use . Cure ? Both Razzle Sprysprocket and Ozzie Togglevolt are trying to find a cure for leper gnomes , and if they manage to do so then gnomes will have both their capital back and the recently cured leper gnomes .