Gnome

Gnomes are small humanoids known for their eccentric sense of humor, inquisitiveness, and engineering prowess. Gnomes are relatively new to the world, with the first reports of one of the small folk appearing around 143 DE.

## Physical Description

Gnomes are very small compared to most other races and, with an average height ranging between 3'0" to 3'6" and a weight range of 40 to 45 lbs, gnomes are generally larger and heavier than tinigen. While tinigen were commonly said to resemble short humans, gnomes are more comparable with eladrin, with whom they share pointed ears and high cheekbones.

The skin of gnomes runs in hue from reddish tans to earth browns. Gnomish hair varies wildly in color from blond and brown to more exotic colors like white and orange. Gnomish eyes were often glittering black or blue, although more natural eye colors are known to the race. Male gnomes typically keep beards groomed in a neat manner.

## Abilities

Gnomes are a naturally intelligent and creative race, with a charm about them unusual to other humanoids. Gnomes have a natural grasp of the arcane, with many innately possessing the ability to cast basic spells. Gnomes have a natural affinity for stealth and illusion, both for the purpose of using it for themselves as well as seeing through other attempts at it. Gnomes are also well known for their tinkering prowess.

Like eladrin, gnomes have sensitive hearing and are often capable of hearing things that other races might miss. Gnomish eyes are also suited for low-light conditions, to a degree comparable with eladrin.

## Personality

Gnomes possess many of the traits other races, particularly humans, attribute to children. Most gnomes enjoy life to their very fullest; asking questions endlessly, playing pranks on friends and strangers, and finding new and interesting hobbies are just a few of the countless chores that gnomes burden each day with. Much like a child, a gnome possesses very little tolerance for long term mental focus unless the task at hand is of notable interest.

While their joyful, child-like viewpoint of life gives the impression that a gnome would be incapable of achieving something as mundane as physical labor, gnomes manage to use their keen intelligence to turn something as generally unexciting as work into a fun and enjoyable expenditure of their time and energy.

## Culture

Among virtually all gnomes, great value is 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 are not of powerful warriors but subtle tricksters, who sneaked past or tricked opponents rather than vanquishing them in combat. This in part came from the long-standing issues gnomes had faced, namely their minuscule size compared to predators or enemies such as the ones found in the Fey, whom few gnomes could hope to stand toe to toe with in a fair fight.

Gnomes tend to love all kinds of arts and pranks. They love indulgence and make most celebrations on a grander scale. Gnome weddings last for a week. Though, gnomes don't view love the same way humans do. If love begins to go wrong between a couple, they might break up and believe it was a prank by Niner, their patron deity. Their society is based on art; all gnomes take some form of art. Whether music, painting, cooking, building, or any other form that is considered creative by the time they come 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. Rarely, some 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 fills the whole race, and sometimes is, in fact, seen as a betrayal of sorts to a gnome's family.

## Relations With Other Races

Gnomes, in general, are a reclusive people who'd rather stay out of others' affairs. Though some interpret this as cowardice, it's more the cast that gnomes simply have nothing at stake in the conflict between most others and after centuries of being ignored or stomped on, are 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.

Due to their relatively recent appearance, gnomes have no true homeland of their own. Instead, they typically have sections in cities with a majority gnomish population. These occurred primarily in human and dwemer cities.