Gnome

Gnomes are often mistaken for offshoot species of dwarves or Halflings. In fact, gnomes have more in common with elves, for they are closely bonded to nature and its essence as much as elves are. Even the most renowned sages can only say that gnomes emerged long ago from primordial forests and from under the deep roots of massive trees. Small even by dwarven standards, gnomes have the potential to be powerful friends and deadly foes despite their size. Although partial to forests and mountains, gnomes can be found living in other remote locations as well. Afflicted with wanderlust, many gnomes are world travelers and enjoy visiting strange, foreign lands in search of new information about the world in which they live.

### **Description**

The gnome is small in stature, averaging 3 feet and 6 inches tall. They have ruddy, earthy skin that appears dry and cracked with age, like an ancient mud flat. Gnomes have large, long noses and wide, gleeful eyes. Gnomes prefer dark, earthy colored clothing, mixing browns and greens with the occasional deep hued blue. They dress more extravagantly during festivals or celebrations, in clothes of a wide array of colors and styles.

### **Personality**

Considered pranksters or mischief makers in many circles, gnomes are generally more concerned with relaxation and mirth than with most other matters. The gnome is occasionally serious, although this demeanor is normally reserved for times of war and great stress. Even in these grave situations, gnomes remain light of heart compared to the other races. Keenly intelligent, curious and observant, gnomes involve themselves in all manner of travels and experiments to fulfill an unremitting curiosity.

           This thirst for knowledge often brings gnomes and their friends together in great concourse. Individuals, families and clans gather from time to time to feast and make merry, and pass the news of the day. All are welcome at these gatherings and it is not odd to see elves, Halflings and dwarves or even humans sitting amongst the gnomes and sharing in stories and tales of great escapades. Gnomes are famous for their songs, dances, drinks and speeches and many other disparate forms of entertainment.

           In fact, gnomes encourage others to sit at tables with them as they struggle to glean information from all and sundry folk. For this reason, gnomes are careful in their speech and possess great skills in extracting all manner of information from their guests, whether their guests intend to reveal it or not. These skills are not limited to civil conversation bu5t are as often used to glean secrets and even concessions from others. Conversely, gnomes are loath to give up information and rarely do so without price. Knowledge gained in this manner is rarely used for evil purposes, but it tucked away for the proverbial rainy day. At such times it is brought forth to the immense enjoyment of the gnome and often to the embarrassment of the victim.

           Gnomes tend to be clannish, living in extended, though tightly knit family units. These families are not restricted to blood relations or even to the race of gnomes. Once trust is given or earned, gnomes welcome friends of almost any race into the inner confidence. Their love of gatherings and their skills in story telling help to bind these clans together through shared folklore and public exchanges of appreciations.

           Gnomes are accounted as great craftsmen and they take pride in the creation of all manner of objects, from musical instruments exotic papers, and colorful inks to noisy clocks and other such goods. But their greatest craftsmen focus on religious edifices. These are large stone menhirs shaped and carved over decades, and placed within scared groves or upon windy heights. At these spots, gnomes gather on summer and winter solstices to offer tidings unto their deities and thanks for lives well lived.

### **Relationships**

Preferring a simple and static world, gnomes are friendly with most of the benign peoples with whom they come into contact. Gnomes, however have contentious relations with those who are destructive and aggressive. The particularly abhor goblins and kobolds. Gnomes consider elves to be distant and elitist cousins. They find dwarves marginally acceptable, but wish they would quit digging so many holes in the earth before it collapses. As for Halflings and humans, gnomes consider one just a shorter, more polite and better fed version of the other. They typically relate well with both.

### **Environment**

Gnomes prefer wild regions that are peripheral to urban or settled lands, including high mountains, hills, deserts, forests, or more rarely marshes.

#### **Racial Traits and Abilities**

**Animal Empathy:** Gnomish relationships with nature and its creatures allow them to communicate with burrowing mammals.

**Combat Expertise (Goblins, Kobolds):** Gnomes receive +1 bonus to hit kobolds and goblins using hand held weapons in melee combat.

**Darkvision:** Gnomes can see in complete darkness for up to 60 feet. Darkvisions produces images that are in shades of gray but it is otherwise like normal sight.

**Enhanced Hearing:** Gnomes receive a +3 bonus to all listening checks.

**Spells:** Gnomes have an innate ability to cast the following spells once per day as a 1st level caster: dancing lights, ghost sound, and prestidigitation. These innate spells are in addition to any spells available to gnomes of spellcasting character classes.

**Languages:** Common, Gnome

**Bonus Languages:** Dwarven, Elven, Goblinoid, Kobold

**Size:** Small

**Movement:** 20 feet.

**Typical Classes:** Rogue, Illusionist, Druid, Bard

**Attribute Modifiers:** +1 Intelligence, -1 Strength

**Rogue and Assassin Modifiers:** +3 Listen

##### **Gnome Starting Ages**

1. **Group 1: Assassin, Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Rogue**
2. **Group 2: Paladin, Ranger, Knight**
3. **Group 3: Bard, Illusionist, Monk, Wizard**

### **Compatibility**

1. Castles and Crusades Generic Gnome.
2. d20/OSR System.