Basic Information
Small, bipedal, four limbed creatures with an internal skeleton. Mostly hairless, save for the top of the head.
Unknown; they are very secretive about this aspect.
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They reproduce ritually, through partial cloning - every child is a genetic chimera of its parents. Rituals often include chanting and singing, sometimes for many days, intimacy, blood, and a token of the natural environment (e.g. a stone or a branch - this token will affect the personality and appearance of the child).
Gnomes can live many places. They originally come from the Feywild, an unparsible forest bathed in eternal twilight, but are quite at home in both the wilderness and the cities of Craton II.
Gnomes are omnivores and are physically capable of eating most things. However, the particular ethnoreligious group that makes up the majority of gnomes on Craton II refuse to eat meat that was raised and killed in captivity (they will eat wild-caught flesh). They prefer grains, legumes, and hearty root vegetables.
Additional Information
Gnomes have massive eyes with a vertically oval iris and pupil. They have fleshy, frilled bat-like noses and very wide mouths concealing their large and jagged teeth. Their outer ears are large and curtainlike, and can be furled or unfurled at will. Their overall face shape is often quite doughy. Most gnomes have brightly colored, slightly curly hair.
The vast majority live in urban centres of the C.A.S.A. but many can be found in the forests as well.
Some gnomes have a natural affinity for illusion magic, and can cast minor illusions and communicate with small animals at will.
Civilization and Culture
Gnomes living in the C.A.S.A. may take a human (nahuatl) name for ease of pronounciation, but all have a gnomish name, if only for religious services. This consists of a personal name (Male examples: Władysław, Amadeusz, Iwan, Aron, Dawid, Augustyn, Bogumił, Walery, Bolesław, Miłogost, Gustaw, Borys, Celestyn, Cyryl, Dobrosław, Eliasz, Ignacy, Feliks. Female examples: Serafina, Adelajda, Bronisława, Ludmiła, Agnieszka, Czesława, Brygida, Klara, Eligia, Nadzieja, Elżbieta, Genowef) and a patronym or matronym (boys get a matronym, girls a patronym). Patronyms are a male parent’s name with the suffix -owa, matronyms a female parent’s name with the suffix -ski. In the event of all same-sex parents, nonstandard names may be given.
The ideal gnome is modest in dress and behavior, gracious, friendly, hospitable, and in control of their general affect. Gnomes are less focused on physical appearance and more on moral ideas.
Gnomes are deeply loyal to one set of partners, but there may be many. The most common number is 3 to 6, but there can be as few as 2 or as many as 25. Cheating on your partners is considered a terrible scandal and the offending party will likely be shunned by not only those related to the affected, but all who know of your deeds.
Gnomes are up there with humans in terms of technological progress. They often work together on new developments. Like humans, gnomes routinely make use of electricity, radio, trains, and the like, and are often on the bleeding edge of these technologies.
Gnomes expect other gnomes to follow the codes layed out in their holy books, even if they are not religious themselves. They do not insist apon other species obeying, although the encourage and appreciate it if one is entering a holy space, such as a temple. It is common ettiquette not to argue with them about the nature of their religion, although that goes without saying. Additionally, gnomes expect others to have tight contol of their emotions and only show positive or neutral emotions in public. Showing anger or sadness outside of one’s closest private circles is unacceptable. The only exception to this is artistic expression - thus, gnomes have produced many gorgeous and terribly tragic songs and poems to vent these emotions in a socially acceptable way.
According to their religious code, gnomes must keep their bodies covered at all times, with the exception of their face (and arms, when they are busy). They usually achieve this by draping themselves in fabric from the shoulders down. This fabric does not necessarily match, as they favor bright colors and busy prints. They must also keep their heads covered with a long, pointed cloth hat. Gnomes also often wear a wooden anklet with a single twist (like a Mobius strip). Most gnomes follow this dress code even if they are not religious, as it is simply expected of them.
Almost all gnomes from Craton II are displaced members of a highly specific religious sect who fled the Feywild due to their staunch belief in the existence of only one God (they believe other manifestations of “gods” are either different facets of the same one, or spirits who got too uppity). Many found refuge among the humans of Craton II, as they don’t mind the principles of that religion.
Nudity, public expressions of negative emotion.
Good: humans, lizardfolk, kenku, tabaxi, minority species.
Tense: feywild gnomes, orcs, coatzitzintin, shiftlings.
Terrible: none.
RPG Datasheet
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2.
Size. Your size is Small.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 7 1/2 meters (25 feet).
Master Artisan. You have proficiency in three tools of your choice.
Gnome Cunning. You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Gnomish and one other language of your choice.
Subrace. Gnomes have very different skill sets depending on their environment. Choose one.
Forest Gnome
Forest gnomes may live alone, in small groups, or with rural non-gnomish communities.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Natural Illusionist. You know the cantrip minor illusion. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.
Speak with Small Beasts. Through sounds and gestures you can communicate simple ideas to Small or smaller beasts. Forest gnomes love animals and often keep many pets.
City Gnome
City gnomes often live and work closely with humans, and any other species they may encounter.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Artificer’s Lore. Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to magical items, alchemical objects, or technological devices, you can add twice your proficiency bonus in addition to your regular modifier.
Tinker. You have proficiency with tinker's tools. Using these tools, you can spend 1 hour and 5 cp worth of materials to construct a slapdash Tiny clockwork device (AC 5, 1 hp). The device ceases to function after 24 hours (unless you spend 1 hour restoring it to keep the device functioning), or if you use your action to dismantle it; at that time, you can reclaim the materials used to create it. You can have up to three such devices active at any given time. When you create a device, choose one of the following options:
Clockwork Toy. This toy is a clockwork animal, monster, or person, such as a frog, guinea pig, bird, glyptodont, or warrior. When placed on the ground, the toy moves 5 feet across the ground on each of your turns in a random direction. It makes noises as appropriate to the creature it represents.
Lighter. This device produces a miniature flame, which you can use to light a candle, torch, or campfire. Using this device requires your action.
Tazer. This device releases a small electric charge when triggered. It can be used to short out machines or stun creatures Small or smaller (you can stun a size category larger with each additional tazer). Using this device requires your action.
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