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[[Category:Races]]
[[Category:Races]]
[[Category:Created by Sovereign]]
[[Category:Created by Paragon]]


[[File:Gnomes.jpg|frame]]
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!colspan="2"|
[[File:Gnomes.jpg|300px|frameless]]
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|Population|| ~11 Million
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|Traits|| Short Stature, Pointed Ears, Copper Tones to Eyes
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|Homeland|| Dwarven Hold States
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|Leader|| Councilor Grimsby Tometouter
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|}


=Fast Facts=
=Fast Facts=


''Height:'' 3'6"-4'4" (Males), 3'2"-4' (Females)
Height: 3 ft. to 3 ft. 9 in. (Males), 2 ft. 5 in. to 3 ft. 3 in. (Females)


''Weight:'' 80-140(lbs) Males, 60-120(lbs) Females
Weight: 48 lbs. to 60 lbs.


''Lifespan:'' Adult (18 years), Elder (80 years), Deathly (120 years)
Lifespan : Adults (18 years), Elder (115 years), Deathly (130 years)
Stoneborn Lifespan: Immortal unless destroyed.


''Notable Features:'' Short, Human-Like, Larger-Than-Average Heads, Mechanical Limbs
Notable Features: Short stature, copper tones to eye color, pointed ears


''Player Restrictions:'' None
Player Restrictions: None.


''Racial Ability:'' Gnomeledgeable: Gnomes begin with up to two mechanical limbs, or mechanical augments to their limbs, which will be detailed in the "Physiology/Biology" section.
Racial Ability: Gnomes are gifted with a boundless curiosity that drives them to become masters of their chosen path in life. They live in a society that prizes knowledge and uplifts all pursuits that further what they refer to as their Calling. As a result of this and the society they live in, Gnomes get to select one skill related to their Calling and may set that skill at Journeyman level by default upon creation. Justification for how and why this skill ties into their Calling must be provided and explained.


''Population:'' 2,000,000
Population: ~8,300,000
 
Stoneborn: ~2,700,000


=History=
=History=
There is great speculation on the origin of the Gnomes. Just as there are multiple different races of Elves, some biologists believe that Gnomes were originally descended from humans, receiving their unique anatomical structure over time as a result of breeding with other humans of similar traits. This, however, is highly unlikely as there are stories describing Gnomes from as early as the First Age, and always these stories are associated with the mountains overlooking Auris' north, and Kaldria and Daravin's south. Considering these stories begin to appear in historical texts around the same time as the emergence of humanity, it appears that Gnomes essentially came into being alongside humans, rather than from them.


Throughout the First and Second Age, the Gnomes of these mountains began to build cities leading into said mountains, delving deep into their interior. They would fill out the shape of the mountain with tunnels and then architecture, and would even descend deeper into the earth. These were known as Dunes, or Dunecrags, and for a long time Gnomish society - which was typically built around caste - would be formulated by an association with the surface, with the Gnomish nobility living in the deepest recesses of the earth, where they would delegate to others from below and engage in scientific development and innovation far away from any watchful eyes. The technology of the Gnomes, already far superior to that of the other races, became the sole reserve of this deep-underground and mysterious nobility, occupying the lowest of these dunes and communicating with one another through their system of tunnels.
When the Rift Gates of the Hytori Boundless Empire came crashing down, the backlash across the world was immediate and terrible. As the powerful magic of the ancient elves ripped across the world, there was a great dragon that lent her assistance in order to help save the world from destruction. Nomura, a Greatwyrm of the Copper Dragonflight, spread her wings and gave shelter to those whom she could. Considered one of the great elders of the Burnished Dragons, this wise and noble dragon sacrificed herself in order to stave off as much devastation as she could. Seeing her sacrifice and not wanting to lose such a bright star of wisdom and knowledge, Keela, the Dragon Goddess of Wisdom, took Nomura’s spirit and breathed new life into it when the dust of the devastation had settled. She toiled away and wove into being a new race of people that would embody the great dragon’s endless curiosity, knowledge and wisdom. These people would come to be known as the Gnomes in her honor.
 
==The Age of Wonders==


By the Third Age, the Gnomish race had managed to fill out and occupy nearly every mountain in the range along Daravin's southern length, with hundreds of small city-states making up the broad reach of their race. These Gnomes were one of the only races adjacent to the [[Ald'Norai]] who weren't conquered by them, not only because of difficulty but their usefulness; the technology they provided in exchange for their independence. And so began a long tradition of this: Gnomes would develop their innovations underground for hundreds of years, and in exchange for trade, wealth and alliances they would offer their prototypes to the neighboring races. Perhaps due to this dynamic they lived in peace for a very long time, at least with the other races, though among themselves competition was often fierce.
There are those scholars who attribute the naming of this era to the workings of the Gnomes. The beginnings of their race are tied to the beginnings of this age. The Gnomes were birthed in the region of Turoth, not far from where the Clockwork Wastes now stand in the current era. Their curiosity led them to immediately begin exploring the world around them and discover its mysteries. Almost right away, they were taken under the wings of the Copper, Bronze, and Brass Dragonflights as they recognized the echo of their once mighty elder deep within the core of Gnomish souls. This gentle guidance spared the Gnomes from much of the tragedy and conflict that followed in the Age of Wonders as the war between Light and Dark played out.  


By the beginning of the Fourth Age, the largest Gnomish city was the city of Dagrun, which is one of their only remaining cities today. Dagrun was built into one of the largest mountains in the range, Mount Lorscha, and had a uniquely key position along one of the mountain passes connecting Auris, Kaldria and Daravin, and by extension Atinaw. Given that the emerging human Empire of the time eventually came to control all four of these regions, the Gnomes had frequent contact with them and helped to develop many of their technologies. The Empire allowed them to retain their autonomy, as the Ald'norai had, and offered them exceptional wealth.
Under the watchful eyes of the dragons that guided them, the Gnomes began their work of building a civilization for themselves. It was during these early buildings that they encountered their cousins, the Dwarves. Sharing a love a building, the Gnomes and the Dwarves began working together in order to delve deeper into the world, driven to follow what they referred to as the Song of the Mountains. This led to the creation of the Gnomish ancestral city of Numeria. The completion of this city led to a truly golden age of building and creation for the Gnomes. Though the dragons had by this point gently left the gnomes to forge their own path, their influence in their culture remained strong.


But the Empire, unlike the Ashen Elves, did not leave the Gnomes entirely alone. They began to broaden their influence over their society -- they would "encourage" the posting of small military barracks within their cities, they refused to trade in any currency but the dranari farthing, and worst of all they eventually attacked and razed one of the easternmost Gnomish cities.  
Stretching outward from the city of Numeria, the gnomes set about refining their knowledge, becoming prized experts in many of the areas that drew their interest. It is rumored that the gnomes were responsible for the creation of a great many artifacts, the discovering of secrets and the compiling of great knowledge.


It is at this point that the Gnomes began to divide into two ideological groups: one, which spawned largely as a result of Clockwork infringement, began to seek Gnomish unity. It encouraged all Gnomish cities to join under one banner, a Kingdom that would be called Kædanica, meant to act as a bulwark in defense of the overreach of the Clockwork Empire.
==The Lexicon of Numeria==


At the same time, there was another ideological trend towards unity with the outside world; that collaborating with the humans and forging tighter bonds would protect the Gnomes from destruction. That unifying, particularly aggressively, would only divide the Gnomes and provide the Clockwork nation with an excuse to conquer them.  
The ancient wizards of Numeria created a repository for their knowledge and expertise. This device was referred to as the Lexicon. It became the heart of the great gnomish city and through it, the gnomes would inscribe the whole of their life’s knowledge and experience into a single place. As a gnome reached the end of their life, they would gift their knowledge and wisdom to the Lexicon, creating what was once considered the greatest library in all the world. This repository is what drew the attention of a figure known only as the Man in White.


These Gnomish unifiers came together in the recesses of the Dagrun dunes and began to put their efforts towards a new innovation: the development of what they believed, accurately, would become the Gnomish God -- a being who could command them to unite underneath its wisdom. This being was named CORE by the Gnomes who built it, or the "Central Operation and Research Engine". It was a large machine, located in one of the lower crags, developed with incredible operative capabilities and true sentient awareness. It was the first time a machine had been created this way on purpose, and remains one of the greatest technological marvels in the world's history.
Considered a general of the forces of Darkness, the Man in White approached the gnomes and sought the knowledge that was there. The gnomes naively allowed him access to this great library. However, it was not long before they discovered his efforts to use their knowledge for sinister purposes. The gnomes banished the Man in White from Numeria but he was not deterred. Returning with an army of dark creations, the Man in White succeeded in breaching the city’s defenses. With his dark creations at his side, he marched upon the library of Numeria and claimed the Lexicon for himself.  


Before long, CORE did become the de facto God of the Gnomes. As CORE was built as a research engine, with the ability to construct solid hypothesis', to view the results of experimentation objectively with strong recognition of influential factors, and with superior processing capabilities that allowed for great understanding of probability, the being helped the Gnomes dramatically develop their technology at a rate unheard of in their society. While Gnomes had always maintained a scientific edge over other nations, the automaton propelled them into a new era of growth and prosperity. However, it had no ideological bend towards Gnomish unity. As a sentient being, it developed its own perspectives, and eventually urged the Gnomes to join with the Clockwork Empire and reap the benefits of what they could offer. It took sympathy with the view of the Gnomes who wanted to maintain their connection to the outside world, perhaps driven by its own curiosity of life outside of Dagrun and its mountain.
As Numeria burned, it is said that the Man in White showed neither care nor remorse for the destruction he wrought. His only concern was for the claiming of the Lexicon, a feat he succeeded at.


The Gnomes, who eventually unified anyway as an Imperial province, would go on to provide the Empire with the technology it needed to truly become a dominant global power, and it was Gnomes who ironically first developed skyships and Clockwork weaponry.
==Into the Mountains==


This period of prosperity ended like any other did, with the Sundering. Only among all the races, save for the Siltori, the Gnomes were among the most impacted by the Sundering due to their residence in Turoth's mountains.  
With their home destroyed, the gnomes scattered but a great many of them were welcomed into the halls of the Dwarven Holds. The great mountain kingdoms that had been built by the dwarves became a refuge for the gnomes as they found lives for themselves alongside their cousins. The arrangement proved to be a beneficial one for both societies. As the gnomes were allowed to collect themselves and rebuild in the wake of their civilization’s destruction, the dwarves found that the gnomish knowledge helped them in their explorations of the deeper reaches of the earth.


When the Sundering came, immediate physical damage dealt to the range was immense and clear, already vastly damaging several Gnomish cities and causing the collapse of many of their tunnels, cutting them off from one another. The damage to some of the mountains was so severe that the Gnomes were forced to flee their cities as refugees, particularly given an increasing number of earthquakes rocking the foundation of their cities. Gnomish architecture, while solid and long-lasting, was fundamentally delicate due to their reliance on the structure around them. While some Gnomish cities like Dagrun were effectively protected by the mountain surrounding them like a shell, some were devastated by the earthquakes that caused the collapse of several dunes. The vast majority of Gnomish nobility was slain in the Sundering as a result of the dunes either wholly or partially collapsing, with tunnels and exits closing off. Many who survived the collapse died instead to starvation. The coming lack of leadership and administration forced many Gnomish cities into chaos, and the majority of them began to flee through the passes towards Dagrun, seeking the stability and order provided by CORE and the Gnome-King.
Side by side, the gnomes and dwarves found a balance that allowed the two people’s to coexist peacefully for generations. This allowed the gnomes to more readily assist the dwarves in discovering the secrets of the Song of the Mountains. As the war between Light and Dark raged on the surface world, the gnomes as a people largely withdrew.


Only, CORE nearly died in the Sundering as well, as the dune around him collapsed and severely damaged most of his structure, destroying key components across his solid mechanical form. Bound and stationary, as he had always been, he was unable to defend himself against the dune's collapse. Many of the most brilliant Gnomish minds from across the world, previously delegated to act as engineers for the Clockwork Empire, were recalled to Dagrun to help aide in his restoration or at least to prevent his total destruction. Many of the minds of these other Gnomish cities, fleeing to Dagrun as refugees, were also tasked with saving their waning God.
==Age of Sundering==


Dagrun eventually closed its doors to the outside world. Dread Mists continuously infiltrated their mountain from the few excavated tunnels that remained, as well as their exterior gates along the pass. The Gnomes sealed all of these gates and blocked the city's main entrance with a massive vault, seeking to ward off corruption as they believed it to be a threat to CORE and their internal terrace and underground agriculture. Whichever Gnomes were left outside of Dagrun were effectively sealed off from their people forever, as the city's gates would not open again for several lifetimes. The other Gnomish cities that remained were effectively hollowed out in time, living in largely bleak and unsustainable conditions that led many to seek to integrate with the outside world. Over time, though, the Gnomish diaspora of the surface world began to fade into obscurity. Many simply had no children, perhaps due to a known aversion to bearing children on the surface world. Others, some said, excavated new mountains and began to build new homes -- such as in the mountains of Karnor, of Lorien, and so on.
It would not be until the Age of Sundering that the gnomes as a people experienced their next major cataclysmic event. As the deep roads of the world were far too heavily fortified for the likes of the Clockwork Empire to intrude upon, both the gnomes and dwarves largely maintained their independence from the empire. However, when the Godspire was activated and Kaitos Folly was unleashed upon the world, this changed dramatically.


Effectively, Gnomes vanished from the world. By the middle of the Fifth Age, the typical agrarian commoner would have dismissed them as a myth.  
The deep reaches of the world were cracked open and the continents of the world experienced an earth-shattering event that would reshape the world forever. As this catastrophic mayhem was unleashed, the gnomes turned to their quick thinking and ingenuity in an attempt to halt the destruction and save not just them, but their dwarven cousins as well. This led to the activation of what is only known as the Anvil of Stone. The device attempted to harness the power of the catastrophe and redirect it but even the gnomes ingenuity was not prepared to withstand such destruction. The device harnessed the power of the Sundering but the consequences of doing so turned half of the Dwarven Holds and the Gnomish people to solid stone.  


But in this long interim, many changes took place in Dagrun's society. Firstly, with most of the Gnomish dunes collapsing, the "nobility" as a concept ceased to exist. The Gnome-King remained in power, but beneath him was a parliament formed by the Gnomish Guilds, family-factions built around specific technological and scientific trades. These Guildmasters effectively became the leaders of Gnomish society, with the King acting as a religious figure in service to CORE. Worship of CORE became more imposing and pious, largely as a method for the monarchy to retain their power. Attendance to religious services became mandatory, an obsession with "progress" became a mantra for their society, and fear and aversion of the outside world grew until it met a breaking point.
But it was not long before even these stone gnomes came to life in the aftermath of such a terrible fallout. This became known as the Stoneborn Plague. The awoke with utter madness and quickly began to attack the people of the deep roads. This worsened when the Cult of Mending infiltrated the Hold States and exacerbated an already terrifying situation. It was only when the Order of the Dawnmartyr stepped in to lend its assistance that both the gnomes and dwarves were able to turn the tide. Using their gifts the Dawnmartyrs led a team of both peoples deep into the Ruined Holds in order to reach the Anvil of Stone once more. Once there, they activated it and in so doing the Stoneborn Plague was put to an end…and the Stoneborn were freed from their madness.  


Eventually, when CORE was well enough after hundreds of years of repairs and developments necessary to restore his corrupted power source, he fully awoke and began to tell the Gnomes stories. Of the history of their world, of their association with the outside, of the Ashen Elves and then the Clockwork Empire and the many Gnomes who had lived in foreign lands. And of the many Gnomes who had been locked from Dagrun, lost to their homelands, still scattered in places even CORE could not know.
==Age of Steel==


Sentiment began to grow quickly: the Gnomes who had been taught to fear the outside for over three hundred years began to seek to return to it. By this time most of the Sundering's effects had subsided, and - romantically - many were driven to seek their lost Gnomish brethren across the globe. The King was pressured to reopen Dagrun's gates, and for the first time in an Age -- only sixty years ago -- the Gnomes were connected again to the outside world. While they remain largely insulated, Gnomes can be found across Ransera, walking through forests and along hillsides, examining the flora and fauna of the world, and detailing the things that the Sundering changed. Though they tend to shy at much interaction with the outside races, their innate curiosity often leads them towards wild adventures and the unknown.
The gnomes are faced with an uneasy division between their people. As the Age of Sundering came to an end, the Anvil of Stone was activated once more. The Stornborn were freed from their madness but that did not change the fact that death and destruction were unleashed as a result of them. As the Stoneborn step into the world attempting to find their place in it, they are faced with the reality that while tolerated by their former people, they are not truly accepted. This has resulted in an uneasy truce where the people of the Hold States are divided into the Dwarven Holds and the Ruined Holds, with little love between the two. Time will tell if the two people’s can reconcile their differences and grow together. Until then, it will be a rough road of exploration and understanding.


=Physiology/Biology=
=Physiology/Biology=


=Psychology=
Gnomes can be described as having slightly elfish features. They tend to be slimmer in frame and rarely stand over three feet tall. Their skin color ranges from pale to olive toned to dark skinned depending on which region of the world they hail from. Their eye colors are varied but the one thing that is universal about them is that all gnomes have copper flecks or undertones to their irises which creates a unique brilliance to them when reflected in the light. Hair color for gnomes is just as varied and it is not uncommon for gnomes to take to dying their hair as they tend to be a rather expressive people. While not as physically strong as other races in the world, the gnomes make up for this by possessing a natural agility that makes them well suited for feats of dexterity. Due to having lived within the deep places of the world for such a long time, gnomes are naturally gifted with better night vision than most. They are able to perceive in dimly lit conditions with relative ease.


=Culture=
==Stoneborn==


=Clothing and Grooming=
The Stoneborn Gnomes are a subdivision of the Gnomish race. They were not born naturally and came about as a result of the activation of the Anvil of Stone in an attempt to halt the devastation of the Sundering. Stoneborn gnomes are as their name implies. They appear to be gnomes made completely from some type of living stone. Across their skin there are often fissures where veins of aether can be seen glowing softly. These colors range from blue, green, red, orange, violet or a combination of those colors. Their movements are slower than that of their fleshly counterparts but what they lack in speed they make up for in endurance and heightened strength due to being made of stone. The eyes of a Stoneborn are solid pools of light that glow with the same aethereal color as what can be seen on the fissures of their body. Stoneborn do not require sleep in the conventional way but they enter a trance lasting for up to four hours at most. They do not need to breathe but many retain the habit as a holdover from when they were flesh and blood. They do not eat conventional food but rather they must consume dragonshards in order to sustain themselves at regular intervals. This has led Stoneborn to become some of the most skilled and efficient dragonshard miners that can be found. Failure to consume dragonshards at regular intervals will lead to what Stoneborn refer to as the Maddening. It becomes a slow decline in mental faculties that eventually leads to madness. It becomes a difficult thing to reverse if left to perpetuate for too long.
Gnomish clothing is elegant and unique. Guildmasters are - similarly to their old nobility - renowned for incredibly immaculate clothing, often colored gold and white. Historically this is of little surprise due to their short distance from Auris, and their continued association with Hytori throughout history. Gnomes have, due to this association, always viewed shades of ivory and aurum to be synonymous with regality and class. This reflects on much of their greatest works of architecture and engineering, such as CORE himself.  


The common Gnome tends to wear simple, more earthly colors. Blue, purple, auburn and black are common shades, and Gnomish clothing tends to be somewhat uniform. Men often wear open-chested vests with sashes and belts crafted of minerals. Women frequently wear bodysuits and jumpers, with similar belts and longer, Clockwork-like shoes that run across much of their legs. These shoes almost appear as if their legs are mechanical, with brass or gold colors depending on their status in society.
=Psychology=


Goggles, circlets, feathered hats, derby hats and berets are also somewhat common among Gnomes. Women are much more likely to wear goggles and circlets, while men are more privy to hats.  
Gnomes are an endlessly curious people. Owing this to the essence of the greatwyrm that was used to create them, the gnomes are some of the most inquisitive minds in Ransera. They are driven to explore, to create, to test and to simply KNOW. Not only are they driven to know, but they are also driven to understand. As a result of this quality, gnomes are some of the most psychologically well-adapted people that can be encountered. They seldom approach the unknown with fear but rather with wonder. This curiosity often leads gnomes to pursue odd projects that only they seem to be preoccupied with. Regardless, it is a well known fact that associating with a gnome is sure to always yield fascinating experiences. Stoneborn are no less driven by this curiosity. However, there is a melancholy to them that is unmistakable. They can, at times, be far more cynical than their fleshly counterparts.


Gnomish men tend to allow their breads to grow out somewhat, though they find excessive facial hair to be gauche. Both women and men like to groom themselves well, and Gnomes are renowned for looking clean and smelling far better than the average person, with their sanitary infrastructure and emphasis on hygiene much more pertinent than with most other cultures.
=Culture=
 
 
[[File:Core.png|center]]
 
=Technology and Intellectual Pursuits=
x
 
'''CORE''':
 
=Arts and Crafts=
Gnomish art is often centered around technology. It is considered silly to simply create art without displaying some of the latest developments with it; for this reason individual art pieces are somewhat rare, but tend to be expensive, ground-breaking and often quite impressive. Gnomish art is very forward-seeking and built around ingenuity, often displaying impressive twists and surprises. An example might be a painting that literally moves, powered by autonomous Clockwork technology, without the need for a power source. Such a painting may have a mechanical hand that comes out of the canvas, capable of literally grabbing and pulling at people who draw near it. More common than paintings and sculptures are useless inventions, many of them capable of mobility and interaction, even if limited and rudimentary. Much of Gnomish "art" imitates organic life to an extent, but with mechanical templates and roots. So, they may craft a mechanical flower as an art piece, but one that occasionally drops and rolls across the floor, seemingly at random.
 
When Gnomish art is witnessed in the outside world, it is often the subject of awe. For this reason, it is immensely expensive and foreign nobles will often pay absurd amounts to commission famous Gnomish artists, particularly for the most complex and animated of pieces. One key note is that this work is not crafted by Artifice, but rather through the immaculate convergence of artistic skills and Gnomish engineering.
 
=Religion and Worship=
Gnomes worship CORE, and began to do so nearly fifteen hundred years ago. While CORE does not actively seek worship and does not attempt to proselytize, he does not advocate against the Gnomish belief either. Rather, CORE enjoys sharing his wisdom with others and appears to garner excitement from visitors and their many queries. He acts as a sort of augur to Gnomish society, a voice of reason who informs them of probabilities and attempts to mend bridges and further their growth. As CORE has only recently reawoken after hundreds of years of relative dormancy, he carries a strong curiosity for the outside world and its many changes, and frequently tasks Gnomes with exploring and discovering, if only so they might share the details of their discoveries back with him.


The faith centered around CORE is called, unironically, Progress. Common is hearing a Gnome say "For Progress!", or "for the sake of Progress", or something of the like. There is no more compelling jargon-rhetoric in Gnomish society than the concept of Progress, which they view on a macro and micro level. Gnomes are fairly collectivist in nature, and generally seek the overall betterment of their Guild, as well as society at large. This faith has been influential in forming this culture, as the faith is centered around social harmony, equality, the betterment of everyone's lives and the seeking of advancement. It is for Progress that Gnomes seek their technological developments, and it is also for Progress that the Gnomes closed the doors of Dagrun, in order to preserve social harmony.
Gnomes lost their ancestral home of Numeria long ago and while there are those who still seek that lost city, most do not dwell on the wonders that are buried there. As a people, the gnomes tend to look toward the future, using the past as an experience and opportunity to learn from. In the aftermath of Numeria’s destruction, rather than strike out to establish another independent nation, they integrated into Dwarven society. This arrangement has fostered in them an appreciation for tradition but they lack the rigidity that is often associated with their dwarf cousins. This appreciation for progress has helped their cousins in preventing them from becoming a stagnant people unable to face changing times.  


Few Gnomes worship the Dragon Gods. Even less worship other deities. Given that their origins themselves are shrouded in mystery, they have no sense of historical closeness with the Endir. They also tend to view most metaphysical powers - such as spirits - as strange and stagnant anomalies, and carry little interest in them.
The most interesting thing about gnome culture is the phenomenon known as the Calling. As a gnome matures and grows in their understanding of both themselves and the world around them, they experience what is known as the Calling. It is an intrinsic need to form their life around a singular concept that becomes the umbrella under which they do all things. This concept forms the foundation for all their pursuits and the furtherance of understanding that pursuit. This phenomenon is why gnomes are driven to become such undisputed masters of their respective fields, for they can often pursue their Calling with single minded intensity. It is tradition among the gnomish people that throughout the course of their lives, they compile tomes that recount their knowledge and experience that they then send to the archives maintained by their people.


=Reproduction, Aging, and Death=
=Religion=
Concerning reproduction, Gnomes and humans are virtually the same. They have a similar age of fertility, the development of their children consumes an equivalent amount of time - nine months - and so on. The one major separation between Gnomes and others in regards to reproduction is a strange aversion that they have to giving birth to children while living on the surface. Gnomes appear to seek after the comfort of mountains or the underground before having their children, and it is not uncommon for Gnomes living outside of Dagrun to prepare a journey to a mountain cave before one of their women gives birth.


To do otherwise appears to be immensely psychologically stressful to the woman in question, and even increases their infant mortality rate and miscarriage chance. This is considered one of the major reasons Gnomes seek out mountains and the underground; they appear to be, in effect, designed to do so.  
Gnomes who take up the practice of religion are often some of the wisest adherents to any faith. In general, gnomes tend to view gods less as unfathomable beings and more as teachers with a myriad of lessons to study. It is rare for a gnome to be an adherent to New Atheist beliefs because the doctrines of the New Atheist schools of thought espouse the condemnation of gods, spirits and even magic. Gnomes tend to scoff at such teachings or view them with disdain because they undermine the idea that these beings are things that can be learned from. The principles of New Atheism devalue what gods and other beings might have to offer in the way of knowledge and such ideas are often anathema to a gnome. Still, one will seldom find a gnome that will not entertain philosophical conversation because such views diversify an already diverse field of study.  


As far as aging and death goes, Gnomes live somewhat longer than humans. They reach a "senior" age at around eighty, and only very slowly regress from this point, until most of them die at around one hundred and twenty years of age. This long period of elderly life is considered a respectable one for many, and Gnomes are taught from a young age to treat their elders with immense respect. Physical degradation doesn't significantly occur until Gnomes are around one hundred, meaning many of them continue to work - even just as intellectuals - until a little after their first century of life has passed. For this reason, there is a great deal of integration and cohesion between the younger and elder generations.
=Reproduction, Aging, Death=


Death for Gnomes tends to come swiftly. In their last years of life they rapidly degenerate. At this point in time, many acquire mechanical limbs or even frames that they can use to continue to operate normally. Once cognitive decline sets in, Gnomes tend to die shortly afterwards; it is common for a Gnomish elder to note that the last thing they will lose is their brain.
Gnomes reproduce in much the same way that humans do. Gnomish parents are often some of the most patient and educational as they approach the subject of child rearing with the idea that it is an opportunity to pass on what they know as well as learn. Owing to their natural curiosity, gnomish children are often very outgoing and sociable. Their elders are quick to teach them how to harness this curiosity in productive ways.  


=Language=
Many gnomes are driven to wanderlust as they mature, especially in their younger years. The need to explore and pursue every possible avenue pertaining to their Calling pushes them to step into the world with bold determination. As the gnome reaches their older years or perhaps they find a place well suited to their Calling, the gnome will settle down and use it as an opportunity to learn. It is not uncommon for them to become cornerstones of their community because of their expertise in a given subject.
Gnomes primarily speak Kædic, and while almost all Gnomes once spoke Common, teaching of Common was repressed and effectively ceased during their period of isolation in Dagrun. Now, while most within the city do not understand the Common tongue, many of the Gnomes that venture into the outside world learn the language before doing so.  


Kædic is an odd language. It is somewhat similar to Common, with similar grammatical structures and familiar words, albeit with slight variations. Kædic tends to be spoken with a lot of body language, energy and excitement, and this lends to the famously congenial demeanor of most Gnomes. In comparison to real world languages, Dutch can be utilized if seeking to type dialogue in Kædic.  
As the gnome nears the end of their life, many of them opt to travel back to the Hold States in order to join the bulk of their people. It is during their final years that many gnomes spend as much time as they can documenting their knowledge and experiences as well as teaching younger generations.


Gnomish names are frequently called 'strange' and 'abnormal'. Common male names include Thetac, Tondin, Morgred, Linnic and Kirk. Common female names include Hergren, Gylba, Mabres, Iske and Sonyal. Gnomes have no particular, special naming conventions for their surnames, and as they no longer have a caste system their surnames do not denote any form of class.
=Language=


[[Category:Races]]
Gnomish is said to be a very lyrical language that is decidedly complex. A single concept can have dozens of words all of which are used in different circumstances depending on the context. As a result, Gnomish is a language where context is supremely important in order to fully grasp the meaning of what is being said. To the listener, Gnomish often sounds captivating and poetic.
[[Category:Created by Sovereign]]

Latest revision as of 19:16, 20 July 2022


Gnomes.jpg

Population ~11 Million
Traits Short Stature, Pointed Ears, Copper Tones to Eyes
Homeland Dwarven Hold States
Leader Councilor Grimsby Tometouter

Fast Facts

Height: 3 ft. to 3 ft. 9 in. (Males), 2 ft. 5 in. to 3 ft. 3 in. (Females)

Weight: 48 lbs. to 60 lbs.

Lifespan : Adults (18 years), Elder (115 years), Deathly (130 years) Stoneborn Lifespan: Immortal unless destroyed.

Notable Features: Short stature, copper tones to eye color, pointed ears

Player Restrictions: None.

Racial Ability: Gnomes are gifted with a boundless curiosity that drives them to become masters of their chosen path in life. They live in a society that prizes knowledge and uplifts all pursuits that further what they refer to as their Calling. As a result of this and the society they live in, Gnomes get to select one skill related to their Calling and may set that skill at Journeyman level by default upon creation. Justification for how and why this skill ties into their Calling must be provided and explained.

Population: ~8,300,000

Stoneborn: ~2,700,000

History

When the Rift Gates of the Hytori Boundless Empire came crashing down, the backlash across the world was immediate and terrible. As the powerful magic of the ancient elves ripped across the world, there was a great dragon that lent her assistance in order to help save the world from destruction. Nomura, a Greatwyrm of the Copper Dragonflight, spread her wings and gave shelter to those whom she could. Considered one of the great elders of the Burnished Dragons, this wise and noble dragon sacrificed herself in order to stave off as much devastation as she could. Seeing her sacrifice and not wanting to lose such a bright star of wisdom and knowledge, Keela, the Dragon Goddess of Wisdom, took Nomura’s spirit and breathed new life into it when the dust of the devastation had settled. She toiled away and wove into being a new race of people that would embody the great dragon’s endless curiosity, knowledge and wisdom. These people would come to be known as the Gnomes in her honor.

The Age of Wonders

There are those scholars who attribute the naming of this era to the workings of the Gnomes. The beginnings of their race are tied to the beginnings of this age. The Gnomes were birthed in the region of Turoth, not far from where the Clockwork Wastes now stand in the current era. Their curiosity led them to immediately begin exploring the world around them and discover its mysteries. Almost right away, they were taken under the wings of the Copper, Bronze, and Brass Dragonflights as they recognized the echo of their once mighty elder deep within the core of Gnomish souls. This gentle guidance spared the Gnomes from much of the tragedy and conflict that followed in the Age of Wonders as the war between Light and Dark played out.

Under the watchful eyes of the dragons that guided them, the Gnomes began their work of building a civilization for themselves. It was during these early buildings that they encountered their cousins, the Dwarves. Sharing a love a building, the Gnomes and the Dwarves began working together in order to delve deeper into the world, driven to follow what they referred to as the Song of the Mountains. This led to the creation of the Gnomish ancestral city of Numeria. The completion of this city led to a truly golden age of building and creation for the Gnomes. Though the dragons had by this point gently left the gnomes to forge their own path, their influence in their culture remained strong.

Stretching outward from the city of Numeria, the gnomes set about refining their knowledge, becoming prized experts in many of the areas that drew their interest. It is rumored that the gnomes were responsible for the creation of a great many artifacts, the discovering of secrets and the compiling of great knowledge.

The Lexicon of Numeria

The ancient wizards of Numeria created a repository for their knowledge and expertise. This device was referred to as the Lexicon. It became the heart of the great gnomish city and through it, the gnomes would inscribe the whole of their life’s knowledge and experience into a single place. As a gnome reached the end of their life, they would gift their knowledge and wisdom to the Lexicon, creating what was once considered the greatest library in all the world. This repository is what drew the attention of a figure known only as the Man in White.

Considered a general of the forces of Darkness, the Man in White approached the gnomes and sought the knowledge that was there. The gnomes naively allowed him access to this great library. However, it was not long before they discovered his efforts to use their knowledge for sinister purposes. The gnomes banished the Man in White from Numeria but he was not deterred. Returning with an army of dark creations, the Man in White succeeded in breaching the city’s defenses. With his dark creations at his side, he marched upon the library of Numeria and claimed the Lexicon for himself.

As Numeria burned, it is said that the Man in White showed neither care nor remorse for the destruction he wrought. His only concern was for the claiming of the Lexicon, a feat he succeeded at.

Into the Mountains

With their home destroyed, the gnomes scattered but a great many of them were welcomed into the halls of the Dwarven Holds. The great mountain kingdoms that had been built by the dwarves became a refuge for the gnomes as they found lives for themselves alongside their cousins. The arrangement proved to be a beneficial one for both societies. As the gnomes were allowed to collect themselves and rebuild in the wake of their civilization’s destruction, the dwarves found that the gnomish knowledge helped them in their explorations of the deeper reaches of the earth.

Side by side, the gnomes and dwarves found a balance that allowed the two people’s to coexist peacefully for generations. This allowed the gnomes to more readily assist the dwarves in discovering the secrets of the Song of the Mountains. As the war between Light and Dark raged on the surface world, the gnomes as a people largely withdrew.

Age of Sundering

It would not be until the Age of Sundering that the gnomes as a people experienced their next major cataclysmic event. As the deep roads of the world were far too heavily fortified for the likes of the Clockwork Empire to intrude upon, both the gnomes and dwarves largely maintained their independence from the empire. However, when the Godspire was activated and Kaitos Folly was unleashed upon the world, this changed dramatically.

The deep reaches of the world were cracked open and the continents of the world experienced an earth-shattering event that would reshape the world forever. As this catastrophic mayhem was unleashed, the gnomes turned to their quick thinking and ingenuity in an attempt to halt the destruction and save not just them, but their dwarven cousins as well. This led to the activation of what is only known as the Anvil of Stone. The device attempted to harness the power of the catastrophe and redirect it but even the gnomes ingenuity was not prepared to withstand such destruction. The device harnessed the power of the Sundering but the consequences of doing so turned half of the Dwarven Holds and the Gnomish people to solid stone.

But it was not long before even these stone gnomes came to life in the aftermath of such a terrible fallout. This became known as the Stoneborn Plague. The awoke with utter madness and quickly began to attack the people of the deep roads. This worsened when the Cult of Mending infiltrated the Hold States and exacerbated an already terrifying situation. It was only when the Order of the Dawnmartyr stepped in to lend its assistance that both the gnomes and dwarves were able to turn the tide. Using their gifts the Dawnmartyrs led a team of both peoples deep into the Ruined Holds in order to reach the Anvil of Stone once more. Once there, they activated it and in so doing the Stoneborn Plague was put to an end…and the Stoneborn were freed from their madness.

Age of Steel

The gnomes are faced with an uneasy division between their people. As the Age of Sundering came to an end, the Anvil of Stone was activated once more. The Stornborn were freed from their madness but that did not change the fact that death and destruction were unleashed as a result of them. As the Stoneborn step into the world attempting to find their place in it, they are faced with the reality that while tolerated by their former people, they are not truly accepted. This has resulted in an uneasy truce where the people of the Hold States are divided into the Dwarven Holds and the Ruined Holds, with little love between the two. Time will tell if the two people’s can reconcile their differences and grow together. Until then, it will be a rough road of exploration and understanding.

Physiology/Biology

Gnomes can be described as having slightly elfish features. They tend to be slimmer in frame and rarely stand over three feet tall. Their skin color ranges from pale to olive toned to dark skinned depending on which region of the world they hail from. Their eye colors are varied but the one thing that is universal about them is that all gnomes have copper flecks or undertones to their irises which creates a unique brilliance to them when reflected in the light. Hair color for gnomes is just as varied and it is not uncommon for gnomes to take to dying their hair as they tend to be a rather expressive people. While not as physically strong as other races in the world, the gnomes make up for this by possessing a natural agility that makes them well suited for feats of dexterity. Due to having lived within the deep places of the world for such a long time, gnomes are naturally gifted with better night vision than most. They are able to perceive in dimly lit conditions with relative ease.

Stoneborn

The Stoneborn Gnomes are a subdivision of the Gnomish race. They were not born naturally and came about as a result of the activation of the Anvil of Stone in an attempt to halt the devastation of the Sundering. Stoneborn gnomes are as their name implies. They appear to be gnomes made completely from some type of living stone. Across their skin there are often fissures where veins of aether can be seen glowing softly. These colors range from blue, green, red, orange, violet or a combination of those colors. Their movements are slower than that of their fleshly counterparts but what they lack in speed they make up for in endurance and heightened strength due to being made of stone. The eyes of a Stoneborn are solid pools of light that glow with the same aethereal color as what can be seen on the fissures of their body. Stoneborn do not require sleep in the conventional way but they enter a trance lasting for up to four hours at most. They do not need to breathe but many retain the habit as a holdover from when they were flesh and blood. They do not eat conventional food but rather they must consume dragonshards in order to sustain themselves at regular intervals. This has led Stoneborn to become some of the most skilled and efficient dragonshard miners that can be found. Failure to consume dragonshards at regular intervals will lead to what Stoneborn refer to as the Maddening. It becomes a slow decline in mental faculties that eventually leads to madness. It becomes a difficult thing to reverse if left to perpetuate for too long.

Psychology

Gnomes are an endlessly curious people. Owing this to the essence of the greatwyrm that was used to create them, the gnomes are some of the most inquisitive minds in Ransera. They are driven to explore, to create, to test and to simply KNOW. Not only are they driven to know, but they are also driven to understand. As a result of this quality, gnomes are some of the most psychologically well-adapted people that can be encountered. They seldom approach the unknown with fear but rather with wonder. This curiosity often leads gnomes to pursue odd projects that only they seem to be preoccupied with. Regardless, it is a well known fact that associating with a gnome is sure to always yield fascinating experiences. Stoneborn are no less driven by this curiosity. However, there is a melancholy to them that is unmistakable. They can, at times, be far more cynical than their fleshly counterparts.

Culture

Gnomes lost their ancestral home of Numeria long ago and while there are those who still seek that lost city, most do not dwell on the wonders that are buried there. As a people, the gnomes tend to look toward the future, using the past as an experience and opportunity to learn from. In the aftermath of Numeria’s destruction, rather than strike out to establish another independent nation, they integrated into Dwarven society. This arrangement has fostered in them an appreciation for tradition but they lack the rigidity that is often associated with their dwarf cousins. This appreciation for progress has helped their cousins in preventing them from becoming a stagnant people unable to face changing times.

The most interesting thing about gnome culture is the phenomenon known as the Calling. As a gnome matures and grows in their understanding of both themselves and the world around them, they experience what is known as the Calling. It is an intrinsic need to form their life around a singular concept that becomes the umbrella under which they do all things. This concept forms the foundation for all their pursuits and the furtherance of understanding that pursuit. This phenomenon is why gnomes are driven to become such undisputed masters of their respective fields, for they can often pursue their Calling with single minded intensity. It is tradition among the gnomish people that throughout the course of their lives, they compile tomes that recount their knowledge and experience that they then send to the archives maintained by their people.

Religion

Gnomes who take up the practice of religion are often some of the wisest adherents to any faith. In general, gnomes tend to view gods less as unfathomable beings and more as teachers with a myriad of lessons to study. It is rare for a gnome to be an adherent to New Atheist beliefs because the doctrines of the New Atheist schools of thought espouse the condemnation of gods, spirits and even magic. Gnomes tend to scoff at such teachings or view them with disdain because they undermine the idea that these beings are things that can be learned from. The principles of New Atheism devalue what gods and other beings might have to offer in the way of knowledge and such ideas are often anathema to a gnome. Still, one will seldom find a gnome that will not entertain philosophical conversation because such views diversify an already diverse field of study.

Reproduction, Aging, Death

Gnomes reproduce in much the same way that humans do. Gnomish parents are often some of the most patient and educational as they approach the subject of child rearing with the idea that it is an opportunity to pass on what they know as well as learn. Owing to their natural curiosity, gnomish children are often very outgoing and sociable. Their elders are quick to teach them how to harness this curiosity in productive ways.

Many gnomes are driven to wanderlust as they mature, especially in their younger years. The need to explore and pursue every possible avenue pertaining to their Calling pushes them to step into the world with bold determination. As the gnome reaches their older years or perhaps they find a place well suited to their Calling, the gnome will settle down and use it as an opportunity to learn. It is not uncommon for them to become cornerstones of their community because of their expertise in a given subject.

As the gnome nears the end of their life, many of them opt to travel back to the Hold States in order to join the bulk of their people. It is during their final years that many gnomes spend as much time as they can documenting their knowledge and experiences as well as teaching younger generations.

Language

Gnomish is said to be a very lyrical language that is decidedly complex. A single concept can have dozens of words all of which are used in different circumstances depending on the context. As a result, Gnomish is a language where context is supremely important in order to fully grasp the meaning of what is being said. To the listener, Gnomish often sounds captivating and poetic.

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