Gnome
A constant hum of busy activity pervades the warrens
and neighborhoods where gnomes form their closeknit communities. Louder sounds punctuate the hum:
a crunch of grinding gears here, a minor explosion
there, a yelp of surprise or triumph, and especially
bursts of laughter. Gnomes take de!ight in !ife, enjoying
every moment of invention, exploration, investigation,
creation, and play.
Vibrant Expression
A gnome's energy and enthusiasm for living shines through every inch of his or her tiny body. Gnomes average slightly over 3 feet tall and weigh 40 to 45 pounds. Their tan or brown faces are usually adorned with broad smiles (beneath their prodigious noses), and their bright eyes shine with excitement. Their fair hair has a tendency to stick out in every direction, as if expressing the gnome's insatiable interest in everything around. A gnome's persona!ity is writ large in his or ber appearance. A male gnome's beard, in contrast to his wild hair, is kept carefully trimmed but often styled into curious forks or neat points. A gnome's clothing, though usually made in modest earth tones, is elaborately decorated with embroidery, embossing, or gleaming jewels.Delighted Dedication
As far as gnomes are concerned, being a!ive is a wonderful thing, and they squeeze every ounce of enjoyment out of their three to tive centuries of !ife. Humans might wonder about getting bored over the course of such a long tife, and elves take plenty of time to savor the beauties of the world in their long years, but gnomes seem to worry that even with ali that time, they can't get in enough of the things they want to do and see. Gnomes speak as if they can't get the thoughts out of their heads fast enough. Even as they offer ideas and opinions on a range of subjects, they still manage to listen carefully to others, adding the appropriate exclamations of surprise and appreciation along the way. Though gnomes love jokes of ali kinds, particularly puns and pranks, they're just as dedicaled lo lhe more serious tasks they undertake, Many gnomes are skilled engineers, alchemists, tinkers, and inventors, They're willing to make mistakes and laugh at themselves in lhe process of perfecting what they do, taking bold (sometimes foolhardy) risks and dreaming large,Bright Burrows
Gnomes make their homes in hilly, wooded lands. They live underground but get more fresh air than dwarves do, enjoying the natural, living world on the surface whenever lhey can, Their homes are well hidden by bolh elever conslruclion and simple illusions, Welcome visitors are quickly ushered inlo lhe bright, warm burrows, Those who are not welcome are unlikely to find the burrows in lhe first place, Gnomes who setlle in human lands are commonly gemcutlers, engineers, sages, or tinkers. Some human families relain gnome lutors, ensuring lhat their pupils enjoy a mix of serious learning and delighted enjoyment. A gnome mighl tutor severa I generalions of a single human family over the course of his or her long life.Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Gnomes love names, and most have half a dozen or so.
A gnome's mother, falher, elan elder, aunts, and uneles
each give the gnome a name, and various nicknames
from juSl about everyone else might or might not stick
over time. Gnome names are typically variants on the
names of ancestors or distant relalives, lhough some
are purely new inventions. When dealing with humans
and others who are "stuffy" aboul names, a gnome
learns to use no more than three names: a personal
name, a elan na me, and a nickname, choosing lhe one in
each calegory that's the most fun to say.
Male Names: Alston, Alvyn, Boddynock, Brocc, Burgell,
Dimble, Eldon, Erky, Fonkin, Frug, Gerbo, Gimble,
Glim,Jebeddo, Kellen, Namfoodle, Orryn, Roondar,
Seebo, Sindri, Warryn, Wrenn, Zook
Female Names: Bimpnollin, Breena, Caramip, Carlin,
Donella, Duvamil, ElIa, ElIyjobell, ElIywick, Lilli,
Loopmottin, Lorilla, Mardnab, Nissa, Nyx, Oda, Orla,
Roywyn, Shamil, Tana, Waywocket, Zanna
Clan Names: Beren, Daergel, Folkor, Garrick, Nackle,
Murnig, Ningel, Raulnor, Scheppen, Timbers, Turen
Nicknames: Aleslosh, Ashhearlh, Badger, Cloak,
Doublelock, Filchbatler, Fnipper, Ku, Nim, Oneshoe,
Pock, Sparklegem, Stumbleduck
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Vou can speak, read, and write Common
and Gnomish. The Gnomish language, which uses the
Owarvish script, is renowned for its technical treatises
and its catalogs of knowledge about the natural world.
Lifespan
500 Years
Average Height
3 Feet
Average Weight
40 Pounds
Related Ethnicities
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