Gnome

**Gnomes** are small humanoids known for their savviness, engineering prowess, and eccentric behaviour. Their influence on the history of most kingdoms outside of the Kallgoor Crescent isn't very well documented but it can be assured that where there influencing events from behind the scenes. Gnomes are often overlooked by the powers that be, despite their craftiness and ability to trade, and those who know how to make good use of their skills are guaranteed to see their power soar.

## Description

Gnomes are one of the smallest humanoid races around, reaching an average height of only 75 centimetres. Their bodies are surprisingly stocky and rotund however, weighting somewhere between 10 to 30 kilograms. Whereas halflings are commonly said to resemble a miniature human, gnomes is said to resemble a miniature dwarf, if such a thing is even possible. They have large round noses, high cheekbones and can grow impressively luscious beards. Gnomes take good care to appear sophisticated, neatly combing their hair each morning and trimming their beards. Their hair can grow in black, brown, salt-and-pepper, or grey colours. The skin of a gnome wrinkles easily, and their skin comes in hues similar to those of humans, although gnomish skin tends to be on the lighter side of the spectrum. Young gnomes see it as a right of passage to get their first wrinkle, and proudly show it off to anyone who might care.

Gnomes are very long-lived, often living as long as elves, which means living over a century is not uncommonly rare and two centuries is not unheard of. Generally, gnomes are considered adults at forty years of age. Unlike elves however, gnomes show a greater degree of ageing as they grew older and once a gnome has passed his or her fifty years, their skin begins to wrinkle in the same way that the skin of a human or dwarf does. However, even the oldest gnome retain a vitality that would be extraordinarily unusual among many of the younger races.

## Abilities

Gnomes are a naturally intelligent and shrewd race, with a charm about them unusual for other humanoids, thou they are likely to be the butt of many a cruel joke. Gnomes are born with an almost supernatural sense that can detect mana and they use this to become great spellcasters. Young gnomes are natural magic savants and even as toddlers most gnomes are capable of casting small cantrips such as prestidigitation and mage hand. Gnomes are stealthy creatures, thanks to their small size, and use a combination of careful movements and illusionary spells to hide in plain sight. This tendency to use illusionary spells has trained most gnomes to always check for the tell-tale signs of illusions, less they end up at the receiving end of wedgie like in their younger days.

Many gnomes are weak compared to other humanoids, though this is far from a universal trait for the race. Like elves, gnomes have sensitive hearing and are often capable of hearing things that other races might miss. Gnomish eyes are also suited for seeing in low-light conditions.

## Psychology

Gnomes are an intelligent and innately curious race and have a strong affinity for all thing magical, particularly the arcane. Most gnomes are content to live simple business lives, acquiring knowledge merely as a hobby but others explore lost ruins, delving deep into the heart of the world, and conduct dangerous research in their unquenchable thirst for a profit, leading more than a few to an untimely demise.

Gnomes are naturally witty and jovial, and they prefer to overcome obstacles through cunning and innovation rather than the obvious way. Ever curious, gnomes are drawn to adventure more often out of greed than by a desire to see the world or the hope of fame. It is this greed, along with their cunning and witty repartee, that makes gnomes both great merchants as daring explorers.

## Culture

### Housing

Gnome cities are made of large brick buildings with impressive decals and engravings. The size of these buildings often seems to be more appropriate for humans than for their own miniature size. Gnomes in rural areas prefer to live in burrows and dug-out homes akin to those used by they're abs, and many gs, or homes are carefu. As such they are pretty fond of these small animals and feel a sense of natural kinship with them.

### Funerary customs

To the gnomes the act of mourning is a public act, not a private one. They fully display that they are in mourning, and expect from others to respect them during this period. Mourning can take up to two years, depending on how close one was to the deceased. Mourners are expected to wear fully black-dyed clothes made out of crape and jewellery fashioned out of jet gems.

When a gnomes dies the rest of the family will take several steps to make sure that they can peacefully go into the Dream. The house is prepared by closing all curtains, stopping all clocks at the hour of death to put the soul at rest. Then a wreath of ghost gum wood is hung on the front door to signify to the neighbours that a death has recently taken place there. The body is then carried on a black coach, drawn by four black cassowaries to the graveyard. Here the body is buried beneath the ground inside of a barred steel cage which prevents the body's eternal rest from being disturbed by a necromancer trying to raise it from the ground.

Poor families often can't afford it to be buried in a steel cage, and many poor gnomes are thrown into small unmarked graves. These graves are popular targets for necromancers to pillage for fresh bodies. This has lead to the creation of Burial Clubs. These are subscription services where a poor gnome can pay a piece of their income each month in exchange for the guarantee that their family would receive the funds to bury them. These clubs are thrive with corruption from both the poor subscribing to multiple clubs and then killing their family member and from the club owners not paying out their dues.

## Names

**Male names**: Alston, Bernard, Carrington, Duncan, Eldon, Frederick, George, Hopkins, Irvine, Jedediah, Kellen, Layton, Manford, Nigel, Orwyn, Pock, Queward, Ronald, Stanley, Terell, Upton, Victor, Wilfred, Yardley, Zayne

**Female names**: Alvina, Bimpnottin, Constance, Dorothy, Eveline, Flora, Gainelle, Heather, Ivi, Jazlyn, Kathleen , Lillian, Marjorie, Nyx, Oda, Penni, Qiana, Rosetta, Susannah, Tana, Ursula, Violet, Winifred, Yirene, Zanna

**Clan names:** Aleslosh, Berens, Crowdy, Doublelock, Ernestein, Filchbatter, Gregson, Holmwood, Ind, Johnson, King, Lestrad, Mingelen, Nickle, Oneshoe, Parkers, Russel, Seward, Turen, Undertaker, Wombats

## Ingame-statistics

Your gnome character has certain characteristics in common with all other gnomes.
***Ability Score Increase.*** You can increase one of your ability scores by 2, and another one by 1. These increases can’t raise a score above 20.
***Darkvision.*** Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of gray.
***Gnome Cunning.*** You have Advantage on all int, wis, and cha saving throws against magic.
***Artificer's Lore.*** Whenever you make an int (History) check related to magic items, alchemical objects, or technological devices, you can add twice your proficiency bonus, instead of any proficiency bonus you normally apply.
***Tinker.*** You have proficiency with artisan's tools (tinker's tools). Using those tools, you can spend 1 hour and 10 gp worth of materials to construct a Tiny clockwork device (AC 5, 1 hp). The device ceases to function after 24 hours (unless you spend 1 hour repairing it to keep the device functioning), or when you use your action to dismantle it; at that time, you can reclaim the materials used to create it. You can have up to three such devices active at a time.
***Languages.*** You can speak, read, and write Common and one additional language of Common rarity. Most gnomes hail from either the Laiscuit League or from one of the other nations in the Rim. When united the people in the Rim created a shared language known as Rimic and as such it is common for gnomes to speak this language.