Gnomes: Halflings with beards, or something more?
I've been thinking about gnomes a lot lately, because, well, I apparently have too much time to think. Anyway, I've been specifically been thinking about gnomes in 4th edition, and how they should it into my campaign. In the past I was not a fan of the gnome, simply because it did nothing to satisfy me. It wasn't as woodsy and magical as an elf, came up short to dwarves as the subterranean race, and lost to halfling in the plucky little guy department. And yet, gnomes continued to be cast as elf/dwarf/halflings, with a penchant for magic, technology, or nature, depending on who you ask.
In 4th edition, WOTC tried to narrow down the role of the gnome, dropping the baggage from Dragonlance and other settings and really trying to establish a unique personality for the diminutive race. What they eventually gave us were shy and elusive fey with a talent for illusions and a penchant for trickery. See, I like that, but I find myself wanting more than just stats in the back of the MM. I know that gnomes are going to be in the PHB2 later next year, so the object of my desire for a full-fledged gnome PC write-up seems to be on the horizon. In the meantime, though, how do I make gnomes fit into my campaign setting without having them become the poor cousin to the other races?
Let's start by considering what a gnome really is, at least by my reckoning. I'll just make a list of the traits I consider to be "gnomish": elusive, illusionist, fey, inventive, magical, curious, mischievous, intelligent, subterranean, secretive.
Okay, let's see what we have here. Based on this list, I'd say I have at least three separate ideas about what a gnome is: the "tinker gnome", the forest gnome, and the deep gnome.
First, let's establish a history common to all gnomes. In my campaign, the fey first came to the material plane long ago, when the borders between the two worlds first became thin enough to cross over. Gnomes first migrated to the material plane at this time as well. Now that we have that settled, let's look at the three gnomes listed above and how they fit into the world today.
Tinker Gnomes: Tinker gnomes, or, more commonly, just "gnomes", are what most humans would think of when they pictured a gnome. These gnomes are the descendants of those fey who assimilated with the "Big Folk". They live in human cities, study magic in eladrin enclaves, and forge magical works alongside dwarven runesmiths. They are highly thoughtful and intelligent, with an aptitude for arcane magic that is matched only by their insatiable curiosity. These traits often lead gnomes to experiment with magical applications to more mundane studies, such as architecture, engineering, and alchemy. The most noticeable development from works such as these are the airships employed by the gnomish artificers guild. Gnomes are a secretive people, however, and they jealously guard the secrets of their airships, along with scores of other marvels of magic yet to be unveiled.
Forest Gnomes: Shy and elusive, the forest gnomes are the most in tune with their fey heritage. Their dwell in pristine forests and other wild places, their villages so cleverly concealed (sometimes magically) that the Big Folk could stride right through them and never see anything more that a forest glade. Like all gnomes, forest gnomes are prone to mischief, and will often use their natural powers of invisibility and their knack for illusions to play pranks upon travellers. They have a strong bond with the flora and fauna of the forest, and will often share their homes with animals, not as pets, but as trusted friends. Because of their connection to the natural world, many forest gnomes become druids, but some forge fey pacts and become warlocks.
Deep Gnomes: The deep gnomes, or Svirfneblin as they call themselves, are descendants of gnomes who escaped fomorian slavery and came to the material plane via portals in the feywild's underdark. At home in the deep caverns of the natural world, the svirfnebli are masterful miners and jewelcrafters. Like their surface brethren, they are secretive, elusive, and shy, but when your closest neighbors are drow and mind flayers, this is a matter of survival, not merely a personality quirk. They usually have good relations with their dwarf neighbors, both as allies for mutual defense and as friends united by their love of working stone and jewels.
I like this so far. Obviously, the most original subtype are the "tinker" gnomes. I'd like to use them in an adventure, maybe even one set on an airship. That could be fun. I also like the idea of a gnomish artificer's guild. Maybe an adventure could center around the PC's being hired by a jealous wizard's guild to infiltrate the gnomes' Artificer's Guildhouse and retrieve some valuable information, all the while battling golems, homunculi, and other automatons of gnomish manufacture.
Actually, there's a chance that I may be playing D&D with some friends in Charlotte this weekend, and one of those guys loves gnomes. Maybe I'll write up that adventure, just in case...
In 4th edition, WOTC tried to narrow down the role of the gnome, dropping the baggage from Dragonlance and other settings and really trying to establish a unique personality for the diminutive race. What they eventually gave us were shy and elusive fey with a talent for illusions and a penchant for trickery. See, I like that, but I find myself wanting more than just stats in the back of the MM. I know that gnomes are going to be in the PHB2 later next year, so the object of my desire for a full-fledged gnome PC write-up seems to be on the horizon. In the meantime, though, how do I make gnomes fit into my campaign setting without having them become the poor cousin to the other races?
Let's start by considering what a gnome really is, at least by my reckoning. I'll just make a list of the traits I consider to be "gnomish": elusive, illusionist, fey, inventive, magical, curious, mischievous, intelligent, subterranean, secretive.
Okay, let's see what we have here. Based on this list, I'd say I have at least three separate ideas about what a gnome is: the "tinker gnome", the forest gnome, and the deep gnome.
First, let's establish a history common to all gnomes. In my campaign, the fey first came to the material plane long ago, when the borders between the two worlds first became thin enough to cross over. Gnomes first migrated to the material plane at this time as well. Now that we have that settled, let's look at the three gnomes listed above and how they fit into the world today.
Tinker Gnomes: Tinker gnomes, or, more commonly, just "gnomes", are what most humans would think of when they pictured a gnome. These gnomes are the descendants of those fey who assimilated with the "Big Folk". They live in human cities, study magic in eladrin enclaves, and forge magical works alongside dwarven runesmiths. They are highly thoughtful and intelligent, with an aptitude for arcane magic that is matched only by their insatiable curiosity. These traits often lead gnomes to experiment with magical applications to more mundane studies, such as architecture, engineering, and alchemy. The most noticeable development from works such as these are the airships employed by the gnomish artificers guild. Gnomes are a secretive people, however, and they jealously guard the secrets of their airships, along with scores of other marvels of magic yet to be unveiled.
Forest Gnomes: Shy and elusive, the forest gnomes are the most in tune with their fey heritage. Their dwell in pristine forests and other wild places, their villages so cleverly concealed (sometimes magically) that the Big Folk could stride right through them and never see anything more that a forest glade. Like all gnomes, forest gnomes are prone to mischief, and will often use their natural powers of invisibility and their knack for illusions to play pranks upon travellers. They have a strong bond with the flora and fauna of the forest, and will often share their homes with animals, not as pets, but as trusted friends. Because of their connection to the natural world, many forest gnomes become druids, but some forge fey pacts and become warlocks.
Deep Gnomes: The deep gnomes, or Svirfneblin as they call themselves, are descendants of gnomes who escaped fomorian slavery and came to the material plane via portals in the feywild's underdark. At home in the deep caverns of the natural world, the svirfnebli are masterful miners and jewelcrafters. Like their surface brethren, they are secretive, elusive, and shy, but when your closest neighbors are drow and mind flayers, this is a matter of survival, not merely a personality quirk. They usually have good relations with their dwarf neighbors, both as allies for mutual defense and as friends united by their love of working stone and jewels.
I like this so far. Obviously, the most original subtype are the "tinker" gnomes. I'd like to use them in an adventure, maybe even one set on an airship. That could be fun. I also like the idea of a gnomish artificer's guild. Maybe an adventure could center around the PC's being hired by a jealous wizard's guild to infiltrate the gnomes' Artificer's Guildhouse and retrieve some valuable information, all the while battling golems, homunculi, and other automatons of gnomish manufacture.
Actually, there's a chance that I may be playing D&D with some friends in Charlotte this weekend, and one of those guys loves gnomes. Maybe I'll write up that adventure, just in case...