Gnome
Gnomes are a small humanoid race from Emain. Their bodies are formed around a magical gemstone. Like all creatures from Emain, they age at a much slower rate in Droswal, allowing them to extend their lives tenfold if they wish by moving to the neighboring plane.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Gnomes are much smaller than humans, standing at about half the height of one. Their skin and hair colors vary more widely, and their ears come to a point instead of being rounded.
Every gnome has some kind of gemstone embedded in their body, though its location is effectively random and not limited to the surface. It's very uncommon for a gnome's eyes to be a different color than their gem.
Genetics and Reproduction
Gnomes require a seed crystal to reproduce. These objects are crystals that have been tossed through the hole in Glainedir, the Gem Baetylus of Emain. Gnomes are able to tell a seed crystal from a normal crystal by sight, though exactly what the difference is has not been described consistently. Plenty of extra seed crystals have been made and are kept in circulation so that gnomes can be spared a journey all the way to Glainedir in the event that they want children. Gnomish pregnancies last roughly 120 to 140 days.
Growth Rate & Stages
In Emain, a gnome is expected to last 10 to 12 roses (roughly 40 to 50 years). However, they live far longer in Droswal. A decade spent in Droswal effectively ages a gnome by only a year. Gnomes make up for their short lives compared to elves by maturing much faster. In Emain, gnomes are adults by age 2 at the latest. This rapid development makes it much more feasible for a gnome to raise their children in Droswal than it would be for an elf to do the same, as raising a gnomish child developing at one-tenth the normal rate is remarkably similar to raising a human child.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Gnomes' heightened sense of taste leads them to be easily overpowered by flavors that they dislike, even if they would be hard for others to detect. For the sake of comparison, a gnome would react to a jalapeño in the way that a human would react to a ghost pepper. On the other hand, most gnomes lack an upper limit for tolerating sweetness, so gnomish candy is often sickening to anyone else who tries it.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Like all humanoids, gnomes can be used as a source of spirit filaments. This is illegal.
Gnomes also contain a valuable gemstone, which makes them a common target for particularly cruel bandits.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
While Emain is their homeworld and hosts Glainedir, which gnomes need for reproduction, they tend to spend most of their time in Droswal, where they age slower. Gnome parents who get particularly impatient may bring their kid(s) on a lengthy vacation to Emain, and many gnomes have fae friends they like to visit, but permanent gnomish residences are more likely to be found in Droswal.
As a general rule, any location that supports a large population of humans contains a gnomish minority alongside them, with a few exceptions.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Gnomes have better vision in low light than humans do. They also have a heightened sense of taste.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Gnomes enjoy names. They have a tendency to name things (weapons, vehicles, and so on) even more often than humans (the runners-up in this practice), and the names gnomes pick tend to be long, specific, and subject to (usually additive) change.
Since most gnomes live in Droswal, they usually start with names suitable to their area. If the gnome's parents cannot narrow their options down to pick just one, they usually give up and go with several. Then, they add a traditional Sylvan name, which includes their family name. Any title a gnome earns later in life is also going to stick with them for a very long time. However, there is a time and a place for lengthy names, so even the most long-winded gnomes will shorten themselves to a single group of syllables for everyday interactions.
Major Organizations
The Sylvan Circuits govern much of Emain. Like most fae, gnomes are eligible to join any of the Sylvan Courts, so long as no two Courts they join are part of the same Circuit.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Sylvan is the proper language of Emain, but even fae who spend their whole lives in Emain find Droswal amusing enough to study its languages.
Common Myths and Legends
Gnomes sometimes use the semi-random location of their gems for a sort of nonmagical divination, akin to palm reading.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Gnomes are viewed as a bit of an odd bunch by many other fae. They are drawn to Droswal than to Emain, and they take such a keen interest in technology compared to their heavily nature-reverent faerie relatives. They are not exactly outcasts, but there are probably untested limits to a gnome's upward mobility in their homeworld, should one suddenly take an interest in that sort of thing.
In Droswal, gnomes are respected as some of the finest artisans available. Plus, they have a habit of inventing things and no particular interest in keeping those inventions from the rest of the world. Most gnomes are also fun at parties, so there's that.
Genetic Descendants
Lifespan
40 to 50 years in Emain, and ten times as long in Droswal
Average Height
3 feet and 4 inches
Average Weight
40 pounds
Average Physique
As is the trend with fae, gnomes appear slender proportional to their height, but can display surprising strength for their appearance.
