Gnome Confraternity
The Gnome Confraternity is a, superficially looked, rather small empire, divided in three even smaller provinces, exclusively populated by gnomes. These three provinces are Iluruvax, Irux Valor und Ufrix, which each act and are ruled autonomously. Gnomes are extremly independent and autarkic, nearly exclusively living for their invention and creations.
Alle gnome cities are separated in two parts: a first open one, which is easily accessible to temporary visitors like merchants and that is used as a place of exchange and trade and a second locked and heavily guarded part, which is only accessible by gnomes. Heavily guarded by many patrolling sentinels and mechanisms the important and secret gnome industries are being kept secret. The subterranean mushroom farms, experimental weapon projects or the complete undisclosed railways, which connect the gnome cities, as well the provinces Irux Valor and Iluruvax. The guards as well as most physical arduous jobs as e.g. mining are mostly made up of female gnomes, having larger and stronger bodies than their male counterparts.
Magic
With the granting of magic in the Second Age the gnomes were given the possibility to infuse part of their magic into lifeless objects. This gave them for a start the possibilty to even equip a completly magical untalented person with magical equipment, like magical torches or armor. This was followed by a long experimentation period of creating various traps. In the 6th century the infamous Serna Olinkis had a major breakthrough, when he realised the possibility to infuse dead humanoids with magic. It was a tedious process, improving the formulas and decreasing the number of infusion needed to even make a humanoid make simple movments. The first bodies, which were passably able to move, where tightly focused infused up to 200 times. These first zombies and skeletons are still used by the gnomes as workforce on their underground mushroom farms. Without knowing it the gnomes had laid out the cornerstone of necromancy. This cornerstone was taken by none other than Nyarlathotep himself, who further developed it, simplifying it to an unbelievalbe degree making it useable for anyone with magical talent and subsequently distributing it to his followers.Structure
Goron Acidfoot
The east-gnome Goron Acidfoot is temporarily the chief tinkerer in Silvershield and holds the titel of an Imagin. He further refined one of the most important aspects of firearms: gunpowder. His main research revolves around underwater exploration possibilities and siege weapons.Quorin Tuhirin
Quorin Tuhirin was a famous Imagin in the history of Silvershield. She produced the first protyps of firearms, which were immediately consealed by the dwarven military. Luckily after a few year of research a Gnome from Wixsort managed to reproduce the results.Serna Olinkis
In the 6th century of the Second Age the renowned Serna Olinkis succeeded through the most complex process of hundredfold infusioning of a corpse to make it perform precise movments. Unknowingly he developed the first steps to the magic of necromancy. The gnomes tried for many houndred years to further refine the methods by reducing and simplifing the number of infusions, but in the end grudgingly had to realize that the technology was limited. The puppets mostly were and still are used as half-automatic farming tools or in special traps. This first steps to necromancy were taken by none other than Nyarlathotep himself, who distributed the magic in simplified and enhanced form to his disciples at the beginning of the Third Age.The Scrapwork Guards
Because of the seemingly kludgy makeshift-weapons, almost concealing the weapon origin and its use the, mostly female, guards are referred to as Scrapwork Guards. A quite misleading name, for the well trained guards, are a deadly force. Each of the "scrapwork" weapons is an individual construction, made from the respective guard itself, making it most difficult and thus dangerous to anticipate against what you might be fighting.Public Agenda
As the existence of the gnome is narrowed down to their new inventions and researches, their expectations concerning the rest of the world is rather small. As long their crops produce enough ressources, their fortresses remain impregnable and they have enough space to create the gnomes remain content. In order to make new acquisitions in form of a new ressource or an interesting idea they are eager to trade and exchange goods, but restrain to interfere in world matters.
History
Subtle Beginnings
The gnomes appeared the first time on the surface in the year 71 FA in the middle of the Nohir Cime mountain range, where they constructed there first city Iluruvax. Rather than constructed they hollowed out a mountain into an impregnable bulwark, somewhat resembling a city. After careful investigations the gnomes decided to also claim the rest of the mountain range and built the cities Wixsort and Xadvun also devised as massive fortresses. From their mountains the gnomes observe tribes of large humanoids following large herdes, living nomadic lifes of gathering and hunting; the gnomes deciding exchange with these tribes would hardly contribute something, ignore them. In the 3rd century they notice the migration of the elves, which pass to the south of the Nohir Cime eastwards to settle in the nowaday Rocelia. Intriguingly many humans travel in the opposite direction piquing the curiosity of the gnomes, which decide to send an expedition to examine the phenomenon. The expedition crosses the Frozen Spine, but can't identify the reason for the strange migrations; however they notice that the west of Andaria also has excellent mountain ranges, that wait to be inhabited and without further ado found the city Klonkkrun. In the year 328 FA they make contact with a halfling hunting party and for the first time the gnomes create a friendly relationship with another humanoid race.Incentive Inventiveness
With the Second Age beginning the gnomes were given the gift of magic and were enabled to infuse parts of their magic into lifeless matter. Combined with the already nearly manic attitude of the gnomes in relation of inventing and researching new things, the possibilty to infuse objects with magic unclosed endless possibilites and the amount of inventions figuratively exploded. To satisfy growing population the city Irux Valor was built to the west of Klonkkrun. Due to the growing hostilities between the humans and the elves, and later on between different groups of humans the migration from east to west became more and more dangerous and the amount of new settlers ran dry.The Enclosings
With the dangerously growing quarrels to the end of the 6th century between the kingdoms of Kildoma and Krostov the cities Irux Valor and Klonkkrun completly closed their gates and turned away from the outside world. Quite contrary to the underground where a one of a kind project is started: the construction of a ca. 250 miles long tunnel connecting the two cities. The tunnel is finished in the year 634 SA and if officialy inaugurated. Only 40 years later the constructions are resumed digging a new tunnel from Irux Valor to the new planned city of Xaria. The gnomes of Iluruvax send out expeditions to the east, having heard exciting stories of the impressiv constructions and inventions of the dwarven folk. When they arrived in the year 659 SA in the area of nowaday Silvershield and came in contact with the dwarven outposts the gnome expedition can't help feeling disappointed of the unintersting technological level the dwarfs possess. This quickly changes as the gnomes get deeper insights into alloys unbeknown to them and the somewhat similar, but still completly new rune magic. With the permission of the dwarfs they create in a uninhabited mountain range a new gnome province: Ufrix. After more than 100 years the gates of Klonkkrun and Irux Valor are opened again in the year 681 SA. With the masses of new settlers the city Dranxa is founded in the year 702 SA. As the kingdom of Lixanthia arises to power in the year 817 SA the eastern gates are again closed shut. At the same time in a combined effort of Xaria and Dranxa another tunnel is being constructed. In the year 1000 SA a megalomaniac attempt to connect the cities Klonkkrun and Xadvun a more than 1300 miles long tunnel is being dug; an epic project that will take approximately 400 years. In the year 1790 SA the gates of the province Irux Valor close due to the growing conflict, only to be opened again in the year 2000 SA. With the beginning of the Third Age all gnome cities are reinforced from the interior as well the exterior. After the fall of the kingdom Krostov in the year 130 TA the province of Irux Valor closes its gates again. Similar to the province Iluruvax, which locks its doors after the tsunami in the year 165 TA and the expansion of Great Lixis all over East Andaria. Great Lixis constructs fortresses onto the Nohir Cime and vainly tries to conquer gnome cities four times. In the year 260 TA the gnomes actively help the Angelic Alliance to conquer the fortresses of Great Lixis under the condition, that they are grinded to the ground. A few years after the banishments of the Old Ones the gates reopen.Territories
Irux Valor
The capital of the western province lies in the middle of the Untamed Woods at the origin of the river Giblinc. The mountains are rich in minerals, for which reason the researches of the province has specialised in the development of alchemical supplies. Irux Valor is known for its large production of Alchemists Fire, which it willingly exports.Dranxa
The westernmost city of the Gnome Confraternity Dranxa has been researching for a long time the possibilites of flight without the help of magic or animals. For the same interest there have been first tests on a prototyp of an elevator.Klonkkrun
The oldest city in Westandaria has been struck deep into the mountain and hiddenly extends to the origin of the river Sulphur. The gnomes experiment a lot with new alchemical ingredients and always research new recipes. Some of the more risky experiments are dumped into the river, in order to test it on the downstream living population. Over the centuries the large Rose Lake has changed his natural colouring to a pale rose.Xaria
Xaria is mostly known for its investigation concerning possible fuels. From the production of charcoal over to the use of thermal sources: the Gnome Confraterinity needs a lot of energy for all kinds of experiments and Xaria tries to satisfy these needs more efficiently.Iluruvax
The oldest gnome city Iluruvax lies in the inaccessible middle of the Nohir Cime mountain range. It is a bulwark imbedded into the mountain, carved from the inside out, viewed from the outside hardly distinguishable as a city. Within its walls the city is roughly parceled in divers districts resulting in a giant melting pot of most various odours and experiments. The amount of non-gnomes, who had the honour of being let into Iluruvax is in the double-digits.Xadvun
The second oldest city Xadvun lies at the origin of the river Koykawa and concentrates on the devising of traps and the use of flowing water. Before the foundation of Manitara Xadvun was also a large exporter of wood and wooden products; because of the risks it nowadays bears this sector has been stopped.Wixsort
The city Wixsort has specialized in the fabrication of explosive materials. Apart the obvious destructive potential as military technology it is also largely used as efficient method of excavating more room for the ever-growing cities.Ufrix
In the capital of the east province Ufrix one runs across, incomprehensibly for other gnomes, many dwarfs. The eastern gnomes have opened their doors to congenial humanoids, allowing many non-gnomes with the necessary talent to contribute to gnome inventions. The closed district are naturally still closed for all non-gnomes.Suruknin
Since the recreation of the first firearm the city Suruknin continuously designed to improve it. But also various similar projects have been created and tested with the use of blackpowder.Religion
All gnomes worship the deity Serk Klongrun, for they believe that she gave and infused them with a part of herself as she helped creating them. For this alleged sacrifice the gnomes thank her from deep within their hearts and commit following her teachings.
Apart from that gnomes are rather open-minded regarding religion and most simply venerate the gods from which they think they'll profit the most. Only the worship of non-standard deities is frowned upon. Somewhat popular deities are Iolatan, Keltoras and especially in the east Orolin Firebeard.
Foreign Relations
The gnomes from Ufrix are the only province with an ongoing trade relations, namely with the kingdom of Silvershield. All other trade connections are not explicitly with kingdoms, but with individuals or individual groups of merchants. In almost the same manner are the peaceful relations the gnomes maintain: the only official allies the gnomes have is the Scarlacre Kingdom, which can be traced back to their first contact in the First Age. The west-gnomes of Klonkkrun came coincidentally in contact with a halfling hunting party, resulting in a peaceful exchange of wares. The gnomes were especially intrigued by the traps the halflings were using, never hading the need for such equipment. What followed was a downright boom in gnome handicraft work, as the concept of traps migrated from west to east. For just this simple and weird reason the halfling were accepted in gnome culture as possible contributors to progress.
Interestingly the relationship with the humans is kinda reversed. With the spreading of necromancy at the beginning of the Third Age, especially in human regions, it had to be a human, who further developed and refined the original gnome magic. That means that not only a human had stolen gnome research without anybody noticing, but even worse surpassed them in genius. An affront for every gnome strongly fanning an anti-human mistrust.
Innovation
Founding Date
71 FA
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Capital
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
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