Gnomes

A gnomish captain of an airship.

**Gnomes** are a diminutive race of humanoids rarely standing over three feet tall. A race with a history shrouded in mysterious circumstances, the gnomes are extremely intelligent and skilled tinkerers. They often live their lives in dwarven cities, creating technology for the dwarves to use to mine to greater effect.

## Description

Gnomes are a fairly small race, rarely standing above three feet tall. They possess thin limbs and relatively frail bodies. Contrary to their small size, however, gnomes are some of the longest-living races on Eukitia, regularly living to be around 100 years old, however typically dying to accidents before they reach their maximum lifespan, which is believed to be somewhere around 300 years. They possess an innate enthusiasm for life, often happy to try new things. On top of this, they are an extremely intelligent race, possessing a natural capacity for tinkering and playing with technology. As a result of these qualities, gnomes are particularly effective at inventing.

## Society

Most gnomes live among dwarves in their mining leagues, something they have done ever since the First Era. They often act as the engineers for these leagues, providing technology the dwarves can mine more effectively with.

### Extraplanar Origins

The gnomes are not *exactly* native to Rosenwelt. They arrived on the plane on an ancient voidship built by The First, known as The Okham's Hope. Originating from Pandaemonium and intended as an escape vessel for the First to reach Rosenwelt, the Okham's Hope was hastily constructed and ultimately unfit for travel through the Void. Regardless, it experienced a crash landing into Eukitia, where it was lost for centuries. The vessel's doors were all blocked or impossible to open, preventing the gnomes from leaving. During this period, the gnomes lived inside of the vessel, presumably slowly changing to their short, current forms within its tight corridors and hallways, until the early dwarves found the vessel and opened it. From here, the dwarves and gnomes developed a close relationship, and ever since have lived together in their cities.

### Trickster Nature

For whatever reason, many gnomes have quite a tricky nature. Whether it be the fact that they are generally clever folk, or an innate mischeviousness, many gnomes enjoy pulling practical jokes and pranks over on their allies. They do this in good fun, however, and rarely intend it to be malicious in nature.

### Tinkering

Gnomes are extremely proficient at machinery, and almost all gnomes have some form of experience working with it. They are a regular driving force in the technology of Rosenwelt, often the artificers and scientists behind great achievements. Gnomes often use their tinkering abilities in dire situations, known to craft helpful tools quickly to help them out of sticky problems. Most of this technology uses interesting and unique applications of Focus to power them.

## Combat

In combat, gnomes are known to use their trickiness and cleverness to their advantage. As they are small and frail, they lack the ability to do much physically, and as such it is rare for gnomes to fight in melee. Most gnomes prefer to use ranged weapons in combat, or to stick to using magic - a skill of which, while they are not as innately powerful in as engineering, often behooves many a gnome.