Gnomes

Gnomes are the short, strong, determined burrowers of the earth, known for being as strong and immovable as the earth they call home. Their heads are adorned with crystals that store the knowledge they have learned and wisdom passed down from their ancestors. This connection with the old ways give them strong traditions that are not easily departed from.

Special

Prominent Attributes: Logic and Stamina
Undistinguished Attributes: Agility and Stamina
When standing on solid ground, gnomes cannot be moved from it unless they choose to be. They also have natural Memory Management as they move memories between their mind and various crystals. They are the only race that can benefit from gnome memory crystals.

Optional Talents

• Deadly Force: Time spent mining has strengthened your body, and your attacks are more powerful because of it.
• Depth of Wisdom: Your mind echoes with the sagacity of ages, and you are not easily swayed from your path.
• Hearty and Healthy: You have the gift of Zareph's forebearance, and therefore, death is slower to take you.
• Impeccable Planning: Gnomes can't see the future, but they can remember the past, and that's good enough for them. Your collected lifetimes of experience mean you can anticipate what equipment you'll need to bring and always have it on hand.
• Sturdy Body: You are hard to hurt; injuries that would kill someone less sturdy hardly ruffle you.

Origin

The archons first taught to the races of men many wondrous and noble things, from the taming of animals to the purification and forging of metals to the secrets of love to the depths of wisdom and the heights of magic. All this they learned, but the Law of Zareph they forgot. Their wickedness increased and soon the great wars were begun, with the secrets the archons had taught them used to bring terrible destruction.
The archons fought in these wars, but eventually they realized the folly of the destruction and brought an end to them.
One group of men hid in the caves to escape the devastation and tried to preserve lost knowledge. They especially cared for the Law of Zareph and taught it to future generations. Zareph met with them and offered them gifts of knowledge and long life, and a deeper connection with the earth. They accepted and became the gnomes, and from that day forth each one sprouted a crystal from their head that stores their memories.

Crystals

Gnomes are born with a single green crystal growing from the crown of their head. It begins small but grows in size as the years pass. This crystal can hold knowledge that the gnome chooses to store in it, glowing when that knowledge is stored or accessed.
Upon reaching adulthood at the age of 19, a gnome is given one of his father’s or her mother’s lore crystals. The crystal is surgically removed from the parent’s head and a hole is cut in the young adult’s scalp and skull and then the crystal is fastened on until it grows into its new place, forming a connection with the new host’s mind, and giving the new host access to all the memories the parent imprinted onto that crystal (usually all important memories are written into all crystals a gnome possesses).
Naturally, this allows only one inherited crystal per parent, but upon death, gnomes’ crystals are distributed as their wills see fit, and this allows gnomes to amass quite a few crystals. The oldest lore crystals contain ancient wisdom passed down through the generations, with each new bearer storing comments on the old knowledge while adding new wisdom and experiences. Bearing one of these ancient crystals is considered a great honor in recognition of the bearer’s wisdom (but not necessarily knowledge). It is also a responsibility; the bearer is expected to share wisdom with all who ask. Lying is a terrible sin in gnome culture, as it pollutes not only the truth in the mind of the person being lied to, but all who inherit that crystal.

Kingship

The king of gnomes is distinguished by the crystal he wears on his head, one that has been passed down from age to age from king to king. This crystal not only symbolizes his right to rule, it is the object that allows him to rule, and without it he is not the rightful king. His head is adorned with many other lore crystals and with all this knowledge he has access to the wisdom and learning that is required for his duties. Other races often make crowns of gold adorned with jewels in imitation of gnomes to signify the monarchs' wisdom and right to rule.

Sharing of Knowledge

The gnomes value knowledge and do not spout it casually. However, during the sun festival held at midsummer, gnomes gather to share knowledge, wisdom, stories, history, poems, songs, instructions on carrying out a trade, and other things from their stored memories or of their own creation. Festivals are held in every gnome village and town, but many choose to travel to the Solar Plateau for the great festival. This is where the gnomes with the best talents and the largest lore crystals are given podiums to teach from, and crowds come to hear what they have to share. Despite being a festival celebrating the rays of the sun and the light of truth, the gatherings often continue long into the night, the darkness illuminated by countless glowing crystals on the heads of the gnomes remembering and storing memories for future generations.
The vocations with the most honor and privilege among the gnomes are teaching positions and positions where great knowledge is required. The king is called not so much to lead, although he does that, but to teach his people the right way. However, the learner is expected to seek knowledge, and the teacher is only expected to grant it if the learner has earned it. Sometimes the compliment of asking for knowledge is sufficient. Sometimes there is a payment of money or gifts. Sometimes apprenticeship or years of service are given for the continual sharing of knowledge.

Skill Mastery

Gnomes prize knowledge, but they also prize skill. Virtually every gnome devotes their life to excellence in a particular trade or task, and great honor and respect are given to the best tradesman for each particular vocation. This person is known as the master, such as a master smith, master jeweler, master warrior, master miner, and so on.
There are multiple m The town master will be revered by the townspeople, but not as much as the kingdom master or the world master. Meanwhile, the house master is simply the best at that skill in their particular household. Competitions and challenge are one way to establish supremacy, but another is to point to accomplishments to show what you are capable of.

Sayings

“That’s Common Knowledge.” Knowledge is seen as very valuable to the gnomes. And the pursuit of it is seen as the duty of every thinking being. But common knowledge is the sort of thing that everyone should know, and having to share it with an adult is seen as demeaning. It would be like informing someone you meet that they forgot to wear clothes today.
“Deep knowledge is given for the prosperity of all.” This saying, one that every gnome has stored in a crystal, means two things. Firstly, if you have deep knowledge, you are obligated to use it to benefit others. Secondly, you have an obligation to share it if that knowledge is sought from you.
“You did not seek knowledge.” This is a common response to an accusation of someone not sharing knowledge they were obligated share. While this proverb is of deep meaning, it's often used sarcastically.
"Everything new was once old." gnomes are always trying to discover new technologies, new ideas, new ways expressing. But their ability to recall the past means they see patterns that flow throughout history. Many of the other races have brilliant new ways to radically reshape society and change things for a better, but most gnomes are able to recall a time when such a way of doing things was normal, and why this old way of thinking was abandoned so entirely that the ignorant think it is a revolutionary new idea.

Roleplaying Questions

• Gnomes are not a wandering people; they make their homes and pass them down for generations. What caused you to abandon family, community, tradition, and home?
• What crystals do you have besides the one you were born with? And what memories are stored in those crystals?
• What knowledge and experiences do you hope to preserve in your crystals for future generations?
• What is one memory you won't be storing in a crystal, something you want to make sure never gets passed on?
• Do you abide by the Law of Zareph, or do you follow another path?
• Gnomes pass down trades from generation to generation. What trade did your family try to pass on to you? And how much did you learn?

Appearance

LOTR dwaves, but also garden gnomes. That runs the gamut of what they look like. They can be pretty smart. Also, instead of hair, they have crystals on their heads. Several inches wide and at least that tall. Not all of them are the same length, but the shorter they are the dumber the gnome, or at least the less information they have access to.