The Gnomyn, (Gnomes or Quyi), are a short race of Elf-like folk of light build, dark hair and yellow-brown skin that, due to their years in the baking sun of the Aust of Kalagaer, wrinkles early in life. Gnomes have bright, twinkling eyes with keen sight to match. Because of their height and leanness, individuals of other races often think them half-elves of smaller-than-usual stature or possibly tall Nsini, while others argue that these misconceptions are due to a mysterious, ancient and forgotten ancestry.
It is told that the Gnomes were given their name (meaning Of Knowing) from the Endhro survivors of the The Wrath, many of whom became dependent on the Quyi for their deep knowledge of the barren wilds, into which all the peoples of the earth in that time had been thrust.
Gnomes can live long lives, and older individuals are therefore often highly skilled and experienced craftsmen, traders, artists and magicians.
Many gnome tribes speak one of the various Alvé? dialects found in the nordh and also spoken in some valleys of Eden in the east.
The descendants of the two ancient Gnome Tribes? of the Sun and Moon who once lived on the now-barren plains of Kalagaer claim that they inhabited the region for 25,000 years before it got too hot to survive in. The Gnomes of the Sun? were nomadic hunter-gatherers, and The Gnomes of the Moon? were cattle herders.
All Gnomes of ancient times were skilled archers, hunting wild animals using poisonous arrows, and they ranged widely gathering edible plants, such as berries, melons and nuts, as well as certain insects for sustenance. The gnomes rarely drink water as they get most of their water requirements from plant roots and desert melons that they find buried under the sands. The eggshells of the Austrunner? (a large, flightless terror-bird) are used to store water. Today many Gnomyn still partake of this lifestyle: living in the wild, scantily-covered, unshod, but masters of their chosen environment. Others have integrated successfully into the foreign cultures of the Endhro, Olbytla and even the Elves, taking positions everywhere in the spectrum of society, from low to high.
The languages of the Wild Gnomes?, called the Alvé? tongues - corrupted as they have become over the deeps of time - are notable for a number of distinctive features, including a variety of click consonants, some of which still feature here and there in the speech of more integrated families.
These desert people live in huts built from local materials. The frames are made of branches, and the roof is thatched with long grass. Some Bhäntir-descended tribes such as the Khala-kudhi?, Heræru? and a small number of Anglekin? settlers also live in the Borderlands, austward of their territories of old, which for most part are now become a baked, pathless land of thirst.
The Gnomes have a rich and varied mythology, full of strange beast-lords and wise shaman. Many a young Gnome, set on heroic hunting and adventuring, secretly dreams of discovering the ancient hollows of the Jagged Vault, said to contain a library of ancient tomes containing lore of the Gnomes of the Sun.
Tribal sub-races
This list was copied from the chapter on Gnome Tribes?:
- Gnomes of Namär - The largest tribal group of Gnomyn. Mostly descended from the ancient Gnomes of the Moon.
- Gnomes of Quyind? - A small tribe of Gnomyn.
- Gnomes of Tatyar? - A hunter tribe of Gnomyn.
- Gnomes of Winda? - A pastoral tribe of Gnomyn.
- Gnomes of Damar? - A mysterious, rarely seen tribe of desert gnomes (called by some the "Dark Elves?").
Rules
The following text was extracted from the System Reference Document
- +2 Constitution, -2 Strength.
- Small: As a Small creature, a gnome gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but he uses smaller weapons than Endhro use, and his lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
- Gnome base land speed is 20 feet.
- Low-Light Vision: A gnome can see twice as far as an Endhro in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
- Weapon Familiarity: Gnomes may treat gnome hooked hammers as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons.
- +2 racial bonus on saving throws against illusions.
- Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against illusion spells cast by gnomes. This adjustment stacks with those from similar effects.
- +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against kobolds and goblinoids.
- +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against monsters of the giant type. Any time a creature loses its Dexterity bonus (if any) to Armor Class, such as when it’s caught flat-footed, it loses its dodge bonus, too.
- +2 racial bonus on Listen checks.
- +2 racial bonus on Craft (alchemy) checks.
- Automatic Languages: Common and Gnome. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, and Orc. In addition, a gnome can speak with a burrowing mammal (a badger, fox, rabbit, or the like, see below). This ability is innate to gnomes. See the speak with animals spell description.
- Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—speak with animals (burrowing mammal only, duration 1 minute). A gnome with a Charisma score of at least 10 also has the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—dancing lights, ghost sound, prestidigitation. Caster level 1st; save DC 10 + gnome’s Cha modifier + spell level.
- Favored Class: Bard. A multiclass gnome’s bard class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty.
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See also
For Lore-masters only spoiler
- Back-story - Races?
- Back-story of the Dwarves?
- Back-story of the Elves
- Back-story of the Gnomes?
- Back-story of the Half-elves?
- Back-story of the Halflings?
- Back-story of the Endhro?
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