Gnomes
There be no finer guns money can buy, and no finer innovators and scientists than those of gnomish ilk. They are brilliant folk. Not just thinkers, but tinkers and doers. There is no such thing as a 'perfection' to a gnome, not like their stuffy distant traditionalist cousins, the dwarves. No unlike them, gnomes cannot stand stagnation or even the slow, methodical pace of dwarven engineering study. Amongst gnomish kind, if you are not constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible, you cannot call yourself an engineer or a craftsman, nor a scientist or artisan. They seek not perfection, but innovation, and it is a marvelous thing. Some call it reckless, some madness. But I happen to agree with my old gnomish compatriot Vonnisbrook Emburley. 'The difference between madness and science, my dear Fredrick, is merely in keeping meticulous, detailed and accurate notes!"
Fredrick Silverthorn, a Renarii gunsmith trained abroad under the famous Grandmaster of Smokepowder, the gnome Vonnisbrook Emburley. Describing the gnome to a friend in Tortuga over drinks.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Gnomes are easily the shortest in height and smallest in stature of all the races in Valerick, which may very well explain their species obession with the sciences, and especially in regards to weapons. They are the discovers, inventors, and constant innovators of both Smokepowder and Magnetech technologies, including most importantly, the weapons therein. Gnomes only get to anywhere between two and three feet in height, and weigh in anywhere between twenty-five and fifty pounds. They are known as constant innovators, proud to talk science and technology, proud to share their talents and techological marvels, and yet....it is one of the well known and great unspoken truths of the world that the gnomish peoples by and large hold back. It is generally accepted (though not necessarily known as fact) that even the most cutting edge stuff that comes out of Waston through trade across the wider continent is likely a generation or so behind what the Wastonian nation actually has at their disposal in any given technological field. This even extends to gnomes far away from, or even born into a different nation than, Waston.
It does make sense, one must admit, from a political standpoint. They are, physically, almost laughable unimposing. So it stands to reason they would wish to keep some sort of edge, both as a race and, by virtue and translation, as a nation.
Size: Gnomes are Small Size, with all the effects this might entail.
Common Hair Colors: White, Grey, Pale Blonde, Golden, Copper, Bronze, Brown, Dark Brown, Reddish Brown, Black
Common Eye Colors: Onyx, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Sapphire, Turqoise, Leaf Green, Emerald, Amber, Copper, Citrine, Gold
Starting Racial Wounds: 4
Stat Adjustments: +1 Agility, Intellect and Persona, -1 Power, -1 Toughness. Gnomes are not a physically imposing lot, but they are skilled with their hands, very smart and a well spoken people as well. They are a people of innovation, collaboration, and curiosity.
Movement Score: Gnomes, due to their small stature and shorter frame, are not fast on the move. They have a Movement speed of 20 feet.
Basic Training: Gnomes begin play only as all characters regardless of race do. Light armors only, not trained to handle the heavier armors unless their Profession choice grants them that benefit.
Starting Skills: Gnomes racially start play with the following skillsets at the noted levels of training beyond Untrained, which is where everyone naturally sits in every skill until they acquire ranks in it.
All skills listed above do count as Profession skills for a gnome, regardless if the career they are would normally count them.
Racial Traits
Marksman: Gnomes are very proficient at the arts of accuracy and long range combat. They treat every ranged weapon as if its range is 1.5 times that which is listed in the weapon profile.
Gnomish Awareness: Gnomes are very attuned to the world around them, visually and audibly. Any Awareness check involving seeing or hearing, they always have the Momentum.
Curious Crafter: The gnomish people have always been a tinkering inventive lot. They are predisposed to being crafty, creative sorts. They may make a Craft check as if trained, even if untrained in the appropriate Craft, to figure out how something works. This does not mean they can physically repair it or take it apart and put it back together, or build their own, but they know how it works and can certainly draw a detailed schematic of the object, even if they cannot figure out how to make it and with what materials to make it with.
Small: Gnomes are small size creatures. However they do not apply the rules about weapon damage dice sizes to firearms of gnomish make, as these are specifically designed to give gnomes just as much power, range, and destructive force as those of larger races, even if in a more compact and small package of a design.
It does make sense, one must admit, from a political standpoint. They are, physically, almost laughable unimposing. So it stands to reason they would wish to keep some sort of edge, both as a race and, by virtue and translation, as a nation.
Size: Gnomes are Small Size, with all the effects this might entail.
Common Hair Colors: White, Grey, Pale Blonde, Golden, Copper, Bronze, Brown, Dark Brown, Reddish Brown, Black
Common Eye Colors: Onyx, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Sapphire, Turqoise, Leaf Green, Emerald, Amber, Copper, Citrine, Gold
Starting Racial Wounds: 4
Stat Adjustments: +1 Agility, Intellect and Persona, -1 Power, -1 Toughness. Gnomes are not a physically imposing lot, but they are skilled with their hands, very smart and a well spoken people as well. They are a people of innovation, collaboration, and curiosity.
Movement Score: Gnomes, due to their small stature and shorter frame, are not fast on the move. They have a Movement speed of 20 feet.
Basic Training: Gnomes begin play only as all characters regardless of race do. Light armors only, not trained to handle the heavier armors unless their Profession choice grants them that benefit.
Starting Skills: Gnomes racially start play with the following skillsets at the noted levels of training beyond Untrained, which is where everyone naturally sits in every skill until they acquire ranks in it.
| Skillset | Training Tier (Name of Tier) |
|---|---|
| Awareness | Tier II (Well-Trained) |
| Craft (Engineering) | Tier II (Well-Trained) |
| Craft (Gunsmithing) | Tier II (Well-Trained) |
| Language (Gnomish) | Tier III (Journeyman Training) |
| Language (Valarian) | Tier II (Well-Trained) |
| Ranged (Engineering) | Tier I (Trained) |
| Ranged (Explosives) | Tier I (Trained) |
| Ranged (Firearms) | Tier II (Well-Trained) |
All skills listed above do count as Profession skills for a gnome, regardless if the career they are would normally count them.
Racial Traits
Marksman: Gnomes are very proficient at the arts of accuracy and long range combat. They treat every ranged weapon as if its range is 1.5 times that which is listed in the weapon profile.
Gnomish Awareness: Gnomes are very attuned to the world around them, visually and audibly. Any Awareness check involving seeing or hearing, they always have the Momentum.
Curious Crafter: The gnomish people have always been a tinkering inventive lot. They are predisposed to being crafty, creative sorts. They may make a Craft check as if trained, even if untrained in the appropriate Craft, to figure out how something works. This does not mean they can physically repair it or take it apart and put it back together, or build their own, but they know how it works and can certainly draw a detailed schematic of the object, even if they cannot figure out how to make it and with what materials to make it with.
Small: Gnomes are small size creatures. However they do not apply the rules about weapon damage dice sizes to firearms of gnomish make, as these are specifically designed to give gnomes just as much power, range, and destructive force as those of larger races, even if in a more compact and small package of a design.
Growth Rate & Stages
One of the reasons gnomes may be more forward thinking than their very distant cousins in, the dwarves, is life expectancy and age. It is believed that they share ancestry, though if this is true, they have been seperate species for a very very long time, with no capability to cross breed. Gnomes, unlike the dwarves, have an expected life span of around a hundred and eighty yeas on average, with some of the longest lived of their race living to be as old as about two hundred. Their expected age table is shown below;
| Childhood | Youth | Middle Age | Old Age | Ancient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-34 years old | 35-79 years old | 80-140 years old | 141-185 years old | 186+ |
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Gnomes, as with all the races of Valerick, are found all across the continent in this modern age, focused mostly in urban areas, areas of industrial production. Not resource harvesting so much, but the refinement and finishing, places known for their factories, craftsmenship, and high technological and educational ceilings. They are by their nature, inventive folk, and as such, curiosity has driven them to spread. They are naturally most numerous in their homeland of Waston, on the shores of Southern Valerick, however.
Cultural Perks (Optional)
Wastonian City-Born You were born in one of Waston's great cities, be it the captial of Rydan or one of her other bastions, and were from a young age, surrounded by opportunities to learn, experiment, and become very educated in whatever curiosities took your fancy, including those most curious, devices strange and esoteric. You treat Lore (Arcana) as a profession skill, regardless if it is on your profession list.
Wastonian Rural-Born You were born and raised in one of the Wastonian jungles many villages and town, and as such, were taught the more practical applications of many things, including how to use the environment around you to the benefit of all. Lore (Nature) is a profession skill for you even if not on your profession list.
Wastonian Waif You were raised on the streets, in the underworld of Wastonian's largest cities, involved in all manner of criminal activity, but showed natural disposition towards the sort of tinkering that can get one into a lot of trouble, or garner them great rewards. Subterfuge is a profession skill for you regardless of if it is on your profession list.
Foreign Raised You weren't born and raised in the Tundra Realms, but in one of the other nations, or perhaps Nightvale herself. You may pick a background Perk from another race's list of options.
Cultural Perks (Optional)
Wastonian City-Born You were born in one of Waston's great cities, be it the captial of Rydan or one of her other bastions, and were from a young age, surrounded by opportunities to learn, experiment, and become very educated in whatever curiosities took your fancy, including those most curious, devices strange and esoteric. You treat Lore (Arcana) as a profession skill, regardless if it is on your profession list.
Wastonian Rural-Born You were born and raised in one of the Wastonian jungles many villages and town, and as such, were taught the more practical applications of many things, including how to use the environment around you to the benefit of all. Lore (Nature) is a profession skill for you even if not on your profession list.
Wastonian Waif You were raised on the streets, in the underworld of Wastonian's largest cities, involved in all manner of criminal activity, but showed natural disposition towards the sort of tinkering that can get one into a lot of trouble, or garner them great rewards. Subterfuge is a profession skill for you regardless of if it is on your profession list.
Foreign Raised You weren't born and raised in the Tundra Realms, but in one of the other nations, or perhaps Nightvale herself. You may pick a background Perk from another race's list of options.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Gnomish naming traditions can be seen as wildly esoteric and complex, and most gnomes will simply go by a nickname to any non-gnome they meet. This is because their traditions in regards to names are oft compared to throwing a handful of darts at an dartboard of letters and seeing what you hit. In truth this thought process by other cultures and races can be forgiven, as it isn't completely off base. Some scholars whom have been guests of gnomish culture in Waston have noted, however, that it seems the longer and more difficult your name is to pronounce and spell, the higher your position in society, though this is not a complete and total rule, merely a majority truth.
So gnomes generally have a first and last name, but then will also have a nickname they use, something easy and short based off one or both of their names, with non-gnomes. A few examples will be shown below. Most names in gnomish culture are considered rather gender neutral.
Example First Names: Viest, Cheepqeembem, Drard, Hicduid, Tulint, Gracko
Example Last Names: Arndeg, Fizbogwaan, Tah, Waggle, Ualnelmock, Zittlidrosp
Example Nicknames: Vie, Charn, Draf, Tadu, Drawa, Tuli, Grazi
So gnomes generally have a first and last name, but then will also have a nickname they use, something easy and short based off one or both of their names, with non-gnomes. A few examples will be shown below. Most names in gnomish culture are considered rather gender neutral.
Example First Names: Viest, Cheepqeembem, Drard, Hicduid, Tulint, Gracko
Example Last Names: Arndeg, Fizbogwaan, Tah, Waggle, Ualnelmock, Zittlidrosp
Example Nicknames: Vie, Charn, Draf, Tadu, Drawa, Tuli, Grazi
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Opinion of Dwarves Brilliant fools all of them, so much potential, but stuck in the throes of stagnation, though they would defend it and call it 'tradition.' Naturally one should respect the potential there. You would be a fool not to. However given the current politics and economics of our two peoples and nations, well respect does not mean friendly.
Opinion of Woad Elves: They are....like many of the plants they so love. A thorn in the side of progress. Though admittedly, they have much wisdom to offer, especially in matters regarding magick and agriculture. Much like the dwarves, their long life spans have led to a rather sad stagnation they wish to defend as 'tradition'.
Opinion of Skye Elves: The best thing that ever happened to the cousins of the Woad Elves was their fall from grace. The birth of the Night Elves from the taint of their own stagnations and laudings of successes gone past pushed them to separate themselves more fully from their more wild and less advanced kindred, for they had to, to fight a civil war, all admist the Sundering itself, by all accounts. To this day they are locked in that struggle, seeing the taint of their fallen kindred as their responsiblity. To that end you will find them much more willing to embrace science and progress, as they seek any tool, any advantage in that eternal struggle.
Opinion of Humans Oh, the humans, all of them, Koltai, Hogol and Renarii, they are all fantastic folk. So passionate, so driven, so open minded, so much so that even some of our own would find their willingness to push the limits, push the envelope a bit questionable. They can accomplish so much however, and in so short a time! They are a marvelously varied and complex bunch, well worth knowing a few to be sure!
Opinion of Tanturs We are allied with Kang-Chorath, so one should not speak ill of our allies and neighbors, so I shall not. But I will state, the Tanturs they have skilled hands, but they seem to lack a certain.....will for progress that we possess. I guess it takes all kinds.
Opinion of Halfmen I am not inclined to trust those of halfling heritage, for they are skilled manipulators, and swift and nimble hands, that they oft wish to put to use for ill gotten gains, and they've silvery tongued tendencies towards the same. That said, they've carved out a nice little trade and commerce kingdom in Susma, and more power to them. It allows us to play the game with Suranth, get the ores we so covet from the northlands without engaging with an economic enemy. A boon for all involved, considering I assure you the dwarves do the same as we do with ores for our firearms. After all, its just proper practice to use a middle agent when you are direct economic and political rivals, instead of conducting business directly. The short folk make excellent agents for this purpose.
Opinion of Woad Elves: They are....like many of the plants they so love. A thorn in the side of progress. Though admittedly, they have much wisdom to offer, especially in matters regarding magick and agriculture. Much like the dwarves, their long life spans have led to a rather sad stagnation they wish to defend as 'tradition'.
Opinion of Skye Elves: The best thing that ever happened to the cousins of the Woad Elves was their fall from grace. The birth of the Night Elves from the taint of their own stagnations and laudings of successes gone past pushed them to separate themselves more fully from their more wild and less advanced kindred, for they had to, to fight a civil war, all admist the Sundering itself, by all accounts. To this day they are locked in that struggle, seeing the taint of their fallen kindred as their responsiblity. To that end you will find them much more willing to embrace science and progress, as they seek any tool, any advantage in that eternal struggle.
Opinion of Humans Oh, the humans, all of them, Koltai, Hogol and Renarii, they are all fantastic folk. So passionate, so driven, so open minded, so much so that even some of our own would find their willingness to push the limits, push the envelope a bit questionable. They can accomplish so much however, and in so short a time! They are a marvelously varied and complex bunch, well worth knowing a few to be sure!
Opinion of Tanturs We are allied with Kang-Chorath, so one should not speak ill of our allies and neighbors, so I shall not. But I will state, the Tanturs they have skilled hands, but they seem to lack a certain.....will for progress that we possess. I guess it takes all kinds.
Opinion of Halfmen I am not inclined to trust those of halfling heritage, for they are skilled manipulators, and swift and nimble hands, that they oft wish to put to use for ill gotten gains, and they've silvery tongued tendencies towards the same. That said, they've carved out a nice little trade and commerce kingdom in Susma, and more power to them. It allows us to play the game with Suranth, get the ores we so covet from the northlands without engaging with an economic enemy. A boon for all involved, considering I assure you the dwarves do the same as we do with ores for our firearms. After all, its just proper practice to use a middle agent when you are direct economic and political rivals, instead of conducting business directly. The short folk make excellent agents for this purpose.
Lifespan
about 180 years. Randomizer for stating age=35+4d10
Average Height
Gnomes on average are about two and a half feet in height, or 0.8 meters if you prefer. Randomizer for starting height
2 feet+1d12 inches or 0.6 meters+3d10 centimeters.
Average Weight
Your average gnome will only weigh around thirty-five pounds, or around sixteen kilograms. Randomizer for starting weight
25+5d6 lbs or if you prefer, 11+1d12 kgs
Comments