Gnome

A Gnome Wizard

## Overview

Gnomes, or the Forgotten Folk as they are sometimes known, are small humanoids known for their eccentric sense of humor, inquisitiveness, and engineering prowess. Having had few overt influences on the world's history but many small and unseen ones, gnomes were often overlooked by the powers that be, despite their craftiness and affinity for illusion magic.

## Physical Description

Gnomes are very small compared to most other races and, with an average height ranging between 3'0" – 3'6" (0.9 – 1.1 meters) and a weight range of 40 – 45 lbs (18 – 20 kg), gnomes were generally larger and heavier than halflings, though forest gnomes, ranging between 2'1" – 2'10" in height (0.6 – 0.9 meters) and 21 – 35 lbs in weight (10 – 16 kg), tended to be smaller than halflings, leading some scholars to erroneously classify all gnomish races as smaller. However, while halflings were commonly said to resemble short humans, gnomes were more comparable with elves, with whom they shared pointed ears and high cheekbones, or even dwarves, due to their tendency to grow beards and live underground. Many gnomes had a more feral appearance than either, however, with hair that often sprouted from their heads in odd directions.

The skin of gnomes ran in hue from reddish tans to earthy browns or even shades of gray, with exact hue somewhat dependent upon the ethnic origin of a gnome. Similarly, gnomish hair varied wildly in color from blond and brown to more exotic colors like white, orange, or even green. Gnomish eyes were often—particularly in individuals who are native to the Feywild—glittering black or blue, although more natural eye colors were also known to the race.

Gnomes were very long-lived, often living as long as elves, which meant living over three centuries was not uncommonly rare and five centuries was not unheard of. Generally, gnomes were considered to reach maturity at forty years of age. However, unlike elves, gnomes showed a greater degree of aging as they grew older and once a gnome had passed his or her first century, their hair began to gray, if it was not already white, and their skin began to wrinkle as in humans or dwarves. However, even the oldest gnome retained a vitality that would be extraordinarily unusual among many of the younger races.

## Psychology

Gnomes are an intelligent and innately curious race and have a strong affinity for all thing magical, particularly the arcane. Gnomes might lack the drive and ambition of other races, particularly humans, but their creativity gives them a strong ability for ingenuity. Most gnomes are content to live simple lives, acquiring knowledge merely as a hobby but others explore lost ruins, delved deep into the heart of the world, and conduct dangerous research in their unquenchable thirst for knowledge, leading more than a few to an untimely demise.

Gnomes are naturally witty and jovial, and they preferred to overcome obstacles through cunning and innovation rather than the obvious way. Ever curious, gnomes are drawn to adventure more often by a desire to see the world than out of greed or the hope of fame. It was this curiosity, along with their cunning and witty repartee, that made gnomes both entertaining friends and adept arcane spellcasters or scholars.

In their original home of the Feywild, as well as some places in Faerun, gnomes live in burrows and dug-out homes akin to those used by badgers, foxes, or rabbits and as such are fond of these small animals, feeling a sense of natural kinship with them. And, like these animals, gnomes have an aversion to danger that made gnomes naturally inclined to hide away if they are able and many gnomish homes are carefully hidden by magic or other methods.

## Culture

### Culture of Creativity

Like other races, gnomish culture varied based on region and ethnicity, but a few characteristics were common to most gnomes. Among virtually all gnomes, great value was placed on one's ability to avoid trouble and stay out of the way of others. Children's games often involved elements of stealth and among adults drawing attention to one's self was considered a breach of etiquette. The few legends of gnomish heroes were not of powerful warriors but of subtle tricksters, who sneaked past or tricked their opponents rather than vanquishing them in combat. This in part came from the long-standing issue gnomes had faced, namely their minuscule size compared to larger predators or enemies whom few gnomes could hope to stand toe to toe with in a fair fight.

Gnomes have an intricate society based on their love of all kinds of arts, pranks, and their long lives. Gnomes love indulgence, and they make most celebrations on a grander scale. Gnome weddings last for a week, even though gnomes don't view love the same way humans do. Their society is based on art; all gnomes have to take up some form of art, whether music, painting, cooking, building, or any other form that is considered creative by the time they came of age.

Gnomes who leave home to seek an adventurer's life are rare, given the race's famed shyness and lack of ambition. Those that do are motivated by a number of factors, but the impulsive race is often driven by curiosity more than anything else. Many gnomes feel no more rationale for adventuring than simply to explore the world that surrounds them. A few, the more orderly ones that is, seek out adventure for more innately noble purposes, such as to help others, but these gnomes are rare. Other gnomes are driven to become adventurers by little more than simple avarice, as adventuring is often seen as a quick, if unsafe, avenue for wealth. Adventuring is not necessarily a welcomed lifestyle among gnomes, despite the curiosity that filled the whole race, and sometimes is, in fact, seen as a betrayal of sorts to a gnome's clan. Gnomes have an aversion to becoming a part of anything "too big," usually scattering into smaller, like-minded communities instead of attempting to direct larger ones.

### Magic

Gnomes are talented illusionists, with a natural grasp of the arcane. Regardless of their other talents, all gnomes are capable of casting a cantrip or two and have the capacity to disappear from sight if they wished. Gnomes are well-suited to all forms of arcane training, particularly that of a bard, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard.

### Race Relations

Gnomes, in general, are a reclusive people who'd rather stay out of others' affairs. Though some races interpreted this as cowardice, it's more the case that gnomes simply had nothing at stake in the conflicts between most other races and after centuries of being ignored or stomped on and were not particularly eager to fight someone else's fight. In fact, generally speaking, gnomes are a very courageous and good-hearted race, who frequently use their neutrality as a way to negotiate disputes. Of all the races in Faerûn, it's fair to say that gnomes have the fewest enemies, although they have very few friends as well.

Gnomes rarely intentionally invoked ire in any group, but at times circumstances made conflict with other races unavoidable. Gnomes are most often at odds with goblins and kobolds, who share their underground homes and often war with them for territory or wealth. In these cases, gnomes are rarely the aggressors, owing to their tendency to avoid trouble rather than cause it.

Gnomes are on fairly good terms with other fey, they share good relations with elves. Gnomes also got along well enough with halflings. Among those gnomes who live in the caverns, dwarves are often counted as friends, due in part to the two races' physical and cultural similarities. Additionally, dwarves and gnomes both count goblins and giants as enemies and could often be found working together against them. Gnomes are generally suspicious of other races, however.

## Notable Gnome

### Notable Gnome Individuals

There are no notable gnome individuals as of yet