Nome (Unicorn Changeling)

Nomes are small, humanoid-like creatures found solely in Tandeli. They are Unicorn Changelings.

Unlike many other beings, Unicorns and Nomes have become significantly estranged from each other, with stark cultural and behavioral differences.

## **History**

When both Unicorns and Nomes were in greater numbers, the latter would seek out the former for protection. Nomes would wander around a single unicorn’s territory, and they would mostly leave each other be, but would assist each other in rough times. Looking for medical help, bringing food or leading them to food and protecting the smaller ones from predators.

However, once unicorn numbers started to drop, the number of Nomes being formed dropped, so when older Nomes died there wasn’t as many to replace them. When a unicorn died, they no longer had their protection, meaning they were no longer safe from predators.

Therefore, Nomes began to gravitate towards humans. It caused a great rift between them and the unicorns, unicorns thinking that the Nomes were betraying them or turning their backs on them, and the Nomes just hurt, knowing that the unicorns weren’t wrong. It was a practical choice that hurt both sides.

It wasn’t the end though, since many humans didn’t take kindly to these small humanoids that came in from the forest, desert, and mountains. Some were killed as pests before Nomes got the message and stayed a healthy distance. Still, it was close enough to deter most predators.

Nowadays, Nomes are accepted as part of Tandeli. Though their population has grown in the 20 years since Thomas outlawed unicorn hunting, they still aren’t super common. However, if you live on the outskirts of a settlement, there’s a chance you’ll find some Nomes nearby. Leave them be, and they’ll leave you be.

## **Physical Traits**

Small humanoid body, horn head at about 15cm, almost half the length of their entire body at their smallest. 10cm legs, 10cm body, 14cm arms on average when they’re young. 17cm approx. for legs and body as adults, with 20cm long arms. The largest adults stand at about 50cm and the smallest ones stand at 35cm.

When a unicorn dies, the horn remains, despite being organic, because it decomposes so much more slowly than the rest of the body. The outer keratin layer of this horn will often be repurposed for the cone head of a Nome, while the body is made of whatever bone, marrow, and other materials the Fae Folk can find, like any other changeling.

The horn is one solid colour, depending on the original owner’s colour. The body has white stripes, the base colour being dependent on the material used to make it.

The horn is hollow, and there is a small head underneath, which is how they eat. Their heads are fully attached to the horn at the top; it is not merely a hat that can be removed. There is a thick neck connecting the semi-circle face to the rest of the body, while the top of the head is fused to the interior of the horn. As a result, sight, sound and smell are not very good, and as such their eyes aren’t that well developed; they’re only able to perceive shapes, whether it is dark or light, and a bit of colour.

They grow a little bit, having a solid, almost exoskeleton made of keratin and bone. You can tell an old Nome by stress injuries on the joints such as small cracks and having paler colours from sun bleaching.

Thanks to their distinctive horn shapes, Nomes are also called Cone Heads and Little Horns by the general population.

Like human Changelings, Nomes do not necessarily appear at full size when they first enter the Mortal Realm. Most do, but not all of them.

## Language

Their primary forms of communication include tapping against each other like Morse Code, horn glowing, loud pinging when there’s danger. They don’t speak, given their poor hearing, although they can make noises with their mouth.

## Behaviour

When they’re young, Nomes are clumsy. An oversized head and learning to navigate the world without much sight will do that. The adults are better, but accidents happen.

They will wear animal fur and leaves for protection against the elements. A Nome can be surprisingly skilled with tools, although they will try to make their own from natural materials rather than stealing because it’s honestly easier. Finding something to steal and then stealing it while being about half a metre tall and jingling all the way… Not exactly stealthy.

They like things that glow, and sometimes store them in their horn head. They also like things that sound nice, so if they find a small bell, they might just take it.

Unlike unicorns, Nomes are omnivores and will eat just about anything they can fit under their horns.

They like to be fairly close to humans, but you’re most likely to find them near settlements around the northern half of the desert, the villages in the forest, and around mountain foothills.

Their life span is about 20 years, although that’s partially due to wear and tear and injury. No one knows for certain the full lifespan.

### Social Traits

Touch is the most important sense to Nomes. As a result, they are aggressively social with their own kind, placing significant importance on physical contact. They grow extremely uneasy if touch-starved, moreso than humans (which is saying something), so it’s very rare to see one alone.

Two elders will usually lead a group of at least ten Nomes, making sure everyone is fed, warm, sheltered, and together. New Nomes are looked after by the whole group especially. No one really has a specific job within the group; everyone chips in where they can. Territory isn’t really a thing; the more Nomes the better! The only way territory matters are infringing on other species, which Nomes are careful about.

If separated from their group, a lone Nome tends to be somewhat agoraphobic. They will find some crevice, nook, or cranny and hide. It’s not easy for them to find one, as their magic doesn’t allow them to see as well as a human would, and sometimes they’ll know what’s there and sometimes they won’t, and they are vulnerable until they find a hiding place, find a nest of fellow Nomes, or are eaten by a predator.

Because of all this, Nomes cannot fully understand why someone would intentionally wander far from their home unit, even to the point of forcibly trying to return a lone being back home, assuming they’re capable of moving them. However, Nomes rarely do this to anything bigger than they are (which is just about everything, since at their biggest they don’t even hit 1m tall) due to their skittish nature. However, human children seem to be an exception to this rule, likely because they’re closer in height, and Nomes are known to return lost children back home.

### Therapy Nomes

Some Nomes have gotten used to humans and willingly socialize with them. The best example of this are the Nomes living in the Magos Perdidos guild hub in Tandeli. The Magos Perdidos look after changelings, both human and unicorn. Most of the time, these Nomes are just milling around, jingling, and occasionally helping out. Nomes will comfort the new and younger Changelings, and in return, the human Changelings leave food out for them. Their nest is open to the people on campus if they just need a cuddle. However, if someone leaves, they have to let the Nomes know, otherwise they'll become concerned and panicky. They will still be worried, but less so because they leaving Changeling isn't wandering off randomly

Just imagine Nomes carrying baskets of fruit, or cuddling and rocking a toddler Changeling. Awww.

## Magic

Nomes usually have very active magic, since it is their primary method of viewing the world. Since their head and therefore primary senses are trapped under their horn, they can only really see or hear clearly when it’s directly below them. So, their magic is used as a form of sonar or echolocation, which is why you often hearing soft pinging or jingling coming from them. Magic pings react with the magic on their horns and they can build a picture of what’s around them. The most skilled don’t even need to do that, they can just see the outlines of things in their mind, like how we visualise echolocation.

Since they can tell light differences through their horns, they will often light up their horns. They can read magic signatures easily and well so that’s how they tell who’s who in a group.

Like Unicorns, Nomes have a Physical Magical Focus.