Gnomes

Small; smaller than even a Diwari at about 1-2 ½ feet tall; and lithe, the gnomes are known to be a crafty sort with many specializing in woodcraft, glassblowing, or various arts like music or dance. They are jolly and helpful people who often are at ends with their “evil” counterparts, the Kabouter; who are a subrace of the Oriki. There are only two subtypes of gnomes with their being no "core" race unlike other races like the Oriki. The two subtypes of gnome are the Kokan and Kokam, very similar to each other in appearance with just small differences in appearance and behavior/adeptness in certain crafts or biomes.

## Physical Information

### Eye Colors

Blue, grey, hazel, green, brown, grey, white, silver, gold, and various gemstone colors

### Haircolors

Black, brown, ginger, white, grey, blonde, grey, white, silver, gemstone colors

### Skintones

Pale to Dark brown, pale to dark grey, gemstone colors

### Distinctions

Larger eyes, softer features, slightly pointed ears, men and women can grow facial hair

## Kokan of the Woods

The Kokan are a subtype of gnome that lives within woodlands, forests, and jungles, they are leaner and lither than their Kokam counterparts due to a life lived travelling through woodlands at high speeds, having to hunt their own food, and grow their own crops. Most of the Kokan tribes do not live nearby a village or town and so they must depend solely on themselves and the others in their clan for procuring food and supplies, on occasion travellers, traders, or another tribe may pass through their land which allows them to trade for item they can not get themselves.

 Skintones
 Distinctions

### Elemental Connection

Kokan gnomes display a connection to the elements not entirely unlike elves, however with Kokan their connection to a specific element describes what kind of druidic magic they may cast, such as a Kokan bound to earth can only cast earth-based spells and a Kokan bound to fire can only cast fire-based spells. Depending on what element you are connect with, if you are connected to one at all because this is just as likely, is dependent on what your tribe will call you. An earthbound Kokan will be called Earthbound Kikara, same with firebound, airbound, waterbound, lightbound, lifebound, etc., etc. There are those who are bound to all the elements and in this case they are called a Tempest or the Tempest and these individuals will be trained to become the next Anei (chief).

### Druidic History

Druidic magic has been connected to the Kokan for as long as they have existed on this realm, with the first Kokan vastly preferring nature and tribes rather than cities and the way of life in large swaths of people. The very first Anei was Anei Hipo, a Kokan man with a long puffy beard and passion for peace and knowledge, he guided his people to be the best they could be, to learn from the nature around them and coexist in a way that would not harm the local environment and he would go on to the Martyr of Peace in the First Kokan Wars.

### Kokan Traditions

**Retire Anei/Anei Ceremony:** if an Anei dies or decides to resign after a new Tempest has been named in the tribe and are of age, the Retiring Anei ceremony will be held. During this ceremony if the Anei is dead, they will be laid to rest beneath the Grand Oak in which the whole of the village sleeps. If the Anei is not dead then they will personally hand off their headdress to the next Tempest.

**The Climb:** The climb occurs once every year when at least 3 individuals are deemed eligible. The contestants are equipped with climbing spikes and shoes with one of the shamans blessing them with a featherfall spell in case they lose their grip or decide to resign from the challenge. The Climb, at its core, is a test of endurance for those in the clan who are to be the next generation and each time there is a winner; the person who gets to the top of the tree gets the honor of sleeping within the trees highest branches as the Anei does when they must ask a question.

### Kokan Deities

**Griffa Mumpley** - lesser patron of fate, tragedy, and the cosmos

**Anei Hipo** - lesser patron of peace, knowledge, and the wilds

## Stone Artisans, Kokam

The Kokam are the descendants of miners who went a little too deep, entering into the area known as Ziiluna or the Expanse, and losing their path back as well as their senses being scrambled due to them being so deep within Damis. They managed to survive, though their future generations would now bear the mark of their ancestors past mistakes. Through magic and time the once Kokan gnomes were transformed into beings of metal and crystal eventually developing similar customs to their Kokan cousins but ultimately different, they would now permanently reside within Ziiluna with few leaving its protective walls.

 Skintones
 Distinctions

### Stone Cities

Within the perceived safety of Ziiluna, the Kokam have taken up residence over the hundreds of years they have remained within it with few willing to leave once again and venturing to the surface. There are 3 main cities of the Kokam, all relatively close together, crafted from stone, metal, and gems to reflect the people that live within. These cities are known as the Kokam Strongholds with their names being: Kaius, Murus, and Fuirus. Fuirus is the largest of the three cities holding the Kokam monarch, Umber, who rules over the three cities civil population and military. In each of the cities is a large tower known as the Hell Rise 1-3 which rise from the base in the middle of the city all the way to the surface (each Hell Rise is roughly 200 miles tall) through which above ground travellers and merchants may venture into the cities and Kokam within the cities may leave from if given permission by a figure of high enough authority.

### Our Mother, Midiri

The Kokam believe that their being trapped within the underdark was no mistake or accident on the side of the mortals, but rather they were meant to reside within Ziiluna all along and the goddess Midiri herself caused the incident so that her children of stone could assume their rightful form and place. As such many Kokam see leaving Ziiluna as a disgrace to their creator, with those who do leave often being treated as outcast if they do return to the city with those around them refuse to speak to them, sell them items, or give them jobs; effectively if one leaves Ziiluna, they have left for good. What few Kokam gods there are, are often overshadowed by the great Mother Earth who the Kokam will devote their entire life serving in the temples and shrines for, it is seen as a stab in the back to the entirety of the Gnomish race for a Kokam to not worship Midiri even if in some small way.

### Kokam Traditions

**Days End:** as the sun gets close to setting from the top of the Hell Rise towers the bell is rung by the guards who stand atop it, with there being guards every 50 floors and a bell this travels down the tower with each bell every 50 floors being rung eventually reaching the lower floors by the time the sun has officially set alerting the cities of a days passing.

**Summerfall:** the final day of summer transitioning into fall, while there is little different noticeable in the depths of Ziiluna, the Kokam still celebrate the passing of summer into fall with a festival containing various baked goods, games, and prayer to Midiri

**Winterrise:** the first day of winter where the Kokam pray to Midiri on behalf of their forest brethren, the Kokan, once the sun has set there is a moment of silence and prayer that takes over the Kokam cities.

**Springrise:** the first day of spring where the Kokam beginning planning for incoming trade from the Kokan and other surface dwellers.

### Kokam Deities

**Doggart Hammerfell** - Demi-god of mining, stone working, smithing, and crafting.

**Murbel Mumpley** - sister goddess of Griffa Mumpley, lesser patron of time, life, and persuasion.