Gnomes
There are two subraces of gnomes on the surface and then the subterranean svirfneblin (deep gnomes).
Rock gnomes are tinkerers and alchemists (not steampunk scientists) as well as illusionists and tricksters. They’re intellectuals with various quirks. Forest gnomes are reclusive and peaceful woodsmen and animal lovers who use illusions to hide. They’re quiet and self-reflective. Gnomes never play a large role in history. They have not founded nations, nor do they build great cities. They are not a numerous race, and indeed, they survive and thrive by keeping a low profile. Avoiding the notice of larger folk obsessed with empires and mighty magic, gnomes have quietly spread across the world in tiny settlements and hidden villages that often go completely unnoticed by their neighbors.
Gnomes sometimes play the role of intermediary between other races or peoples. Few count the gnomes as their friends, but even fewer consider the gnomes their enemies. Gnomes rarely become embroiled in war, remaining neutral in such things because wars are usually fought over goals about which the gnomes care little, such as rights of commerce and settlement, or the drive to achieve and wield power in the world at large.
Rock Gnomes: When most people think of gnomes, they think of rock gnomes. Unlike their reclusive cousins, the deep gnomes and the forest gnomes, rock gnomes are an inquisitive and loquacious people. They are renowned throughout the world as technicians, alchemists, and inventors. Yet most do not care much for living in larger cities, where their talents are in high demand, and prefer the rolling hills of the countryside. But anywhere they find themselves, they display an amazing zest for life and all the pleasures it holds.
Rock gnomes are far friendlier and more outgoing than the other gnome subraces. They are well known for their love of jokes and pranks, as well as their fondness for finely made things. Rock gnomes are generally optimistic. They view the world as a puzzle that the gods—in their infinite wisdom—have laid out before them as the ultimate challenge, one that cannot ever be fully met. It is their greatest joy to be involved in the unraveling of the mysteries of creation, an act they feel brings them closer to the gods with each passing day.
In their adolescence, rock gnomes are encouraged to dabble in as many different things as possible. Eventually, each gnome finds something that truly intrigues him or her, fires the imagination, and sets the gnome on the path of a career that may last the rest of the gnome’s life. Almost every rock gnome has a passion for what she does for a living, which is one of the reasons that they have such positive dispositions.
While most gnomes are homebodies at heart, a number simply can’t resist the urge to go out into the world to explore. Inquisitive by nature, gnomes often find themselves almost compelled to do everything they can to learn about anything they want.
Forest gnomes: Forest Gnomes are shy and elusive, shunning contact with other races except when dire emergencies threaten their beloved homes. They know the secret names and languages of the forest’s creatures, and can pass through their woodlands without leaving a trace. They often befriend small animals, relying on them for information about threats that might infringe on their lands.
Forest gnomes are so reclusive that many times bigger people have “discovered” them, only to find that the forest gnomes have been living nearby for centuries. Forest gnomes are so quiet and painfully shy that they go to great lengths to avoid contact with others unless there is a great need to break their silence. Whereas the rock gnomes are friendly and loquacious and the deep gnomes are sullen and reserved, the forest gnomes are practically invisible, the wallflowers of the gnomes. They have a great love for nature, particularly deep and quiet forests far from civilization. For this reason, many people—including other kinds of gnomes—have never seen a forest gnome. Most forest gnomes are extremely private, preferring to simply be left alone by other peoples. When among their own kind, they are a bit less reserved.
Forest gnomes maintain a strong tradition of instruction in magic, particularly illusions. While not all forest gnomes have the knack for wizardry, generations of devotion to the craft has put magic in their blood and all forest gnomes can craft minor illusions. In private they use this ability to amuse one another with simple pranks and complicated games only possible with magic, but when danger threatens forest gnomes work together to make illusions that hide their homes or mislead enemies.
Svirfneblin: Svirfneblin, or deep gnomes, live amid the dangers of the Underdark deep beneath the surface of the world in twisting warrens and sculpted caverns. They survive by virtue of their stealth, watchfulness, and tenacity.
Deep gnomes are gnarled and callused folk, with little fat at all on their wiry bodies. Their skin is the color of the rocks among which they live, almost as if they sprang directly from the stones themselves. They have dark gray eyes, tending toward black. Their hair is of a similar color, although it’s only seen on the women, as the men are entirely bald and beardless.
Svirfneblin keep to themselves out of fear of outsiders—a fear born from numerous poor experiences with such people. To a deep gnome, the only people you can trust are other deep gnomes from your village, and preferably from your family. All others are best avoided. With strangers, most deep gnomes are reserved and suspicious, almost to a fault. However, when they are alone with their own kind, they are friendly and respectful to each other. Few people from outside a svirfneblin community have ever seen this more pleasant side of the deep gnomes. For their part, the deep gnomes would be horrified to find themselves observed by outsiders, and they find such a person staring at them—or even looking directly at them—quite rude.
All gnomes pay homage to a pantheon of gnome deities led by the trickster-hero, Garl Glittergold, but svirfneblin are most devoted to the Deep Brother, Callarduran. Legend has it that Callarduran was the first to discover the beauty of gems, having picked up a rough stone and absentmindedly rubbed it to smooth brilliance in his pocket. He went into a cave in pursuit of more, and the gnomes who followed him became the svirfneblin. Deep gnomes still pursue gems of all types in their tunneling, having particular regard for large emeralds, which with the blessings of their priests they can enchant to summon earth elementals.
Clockwork Toy. This toy is a clockwork animal, monster, or person, such as a frog, mouse, bird, dragon, or soldier. 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.
Fire Starter. The device produces a miniature flame, which you can use to light a candle, torch, or campfire. Using the device requires your action.
Music Box. When opened, this music box plays a single song at a moderate volume. The box stops playing when it reaches the song’s end or when it is closed.
Rock gnomes are tinkerers and alchemists (not steampunk scientists) as well as illusionists and tricksters. They’re intellectuals with various quirks. Forest gnomes are reclusive and peaceful woodsmen and animal lovers who use illusions to hide. They’re quiet and self-reflective. Gnomes never play a large role in history. They have not founded nations, nor do they build great cities. They are not a numerous race, and indeed, they survive and thrive by keeping a low profile. Avoiding the notice of larger folk obsessed with empires and mighty magic, gnomes have quietly spread across the world in tiny settlements and hidden villages that often go completely unnoticed by their neighbors.
Gnomes sometimes play the role of intermediary between other races or peoples. Few count the gnomes as their friends, but even fewer consider the gnomes their enemies. Gnomes rarely become embroiled in war, remaining neutral in such things because wars are usually fought over goals about which the gnomes care little, such as rights of commerce and settlement, or the drive to achieve and wield power in the world at large.
Rock Gnomes: When most people think of gnomes, they think of rock gnomes. Unlike their reclusive cousins, the deep gnomes and the forest gnomes, rock gnomes are an inquisitive and loquacious people. They are renowned throughout the world as technicians, alchemists, and inventors. Yet most do not care much for living in larger cities, where their talents are in high demand, and prefer the rolling hills of the countryside. But anywhere they find themselves, they display an amazing zest for life and all the pleasures it holds.
Rock gnomes are far friendlier and more outgoing than the other gnome subraces. They are well known for their love of jokes and pranks, as well as their fondness for finely made things. Rock gnomes are generally optimistic. They view the world as a puzzle that the gods—in their infinite wisdom—have laid out before them as the ultimate challenge, one that cannot ever be fully met. It is their greatest joy to be involved in the unraveling of the mysteries of creation, an act they feel brings them closer to the gods with each passing day.
In their adolescence, rock gnomes are encouraged to dabble in as many different things as possible. Eventually, each gnome finds something that truly intrigues him or her, fires the imagination, and sets the gnome on the path of a career that may last the rest of the gnome’s life. Almost every rock gnome has a passion for what she does for a living, which is one of the reasons that they have such positive dispositions.
While most gnomes are homebodies at heart, a number simply can’t resist the urge to go out into the world to explore. Inquisitive by nature, gnomes often find themselves almost compelled to do everything they can to learn about anything they want.
Forest gnomes: Forest Gnomes are shy and elusive, shunning contact with other races except when dire emergencies threaten their beloved homes. They know the secret names and languages of the forest’s creatures, and can pass through their woodlands without leaving a trace. They often befriend small animals, relying on them for information about threats that might infringe on their lands.
Forest gnomes are so reclusive that many times bigger people have “discovered” them, only to find that the forest gnomes have been living nearby for centuries. Forest gnomes are so quiet and painfully shy that they go to great lengths to avoid contact with others unless there is a great need to break their silence. Whereas the rock gnomes are friendly and loquacious and the deep gnomes are sullen and reserved, the forest gnomes are practically invisible, the wallflowers of the gnomes. They have a great love for nature, particularly deep and quiet forests far from civilization. For this reason, many people—including other kinds of gnomes—have never seen a forest gnome. Most forest gnomes are extremely private, preferring to simply be left alone by other peoples. When among their own kind, they are a bit less reserved.
Forest gnomes maintain a strong tradition of instruction in magic, particularly illusions. While not all forest gnomes have the knack for wizardry, generations of devotion to the craft has put magic in their blood and all forest gnomes can craft minor illusions. In private they use this ability to amuse one another with simple pranks and complicated games only possible with magic, but when danger threatens forest gnomes work together to make illusions that hide their homes or mislead enemies.
Svirfneblin: Svirfneblin, or deep gnomes, live amid the dangers of the Underdark deep beneath the surface of the world in twisting warrens and sculpted caverns. They survive by virtue of their stealth, watchfulness, and tenacity.
Deep gnomes are gnarled and callused folk, with little fat at all on their wiry bodies. Their skin is the color of the rocks among which they live, almost as if they sprang directly from the stones themselves. They have dark gray eyes, tending toward black. Their hair is of a similar color, although it’s only seen on the women, as the men are entirely bald and beardless.
Svirfneblin keep to themselves out of fear of outsiders—a fear born from numerous poor experiences with such people. To a deep gnome, the only people you can trust are other deep gnomes from your village, and preferably from your family. All others are best avoided. With strangers, most deep gnomes are reserved and suspicious, almost to a fault. However, when they are alone with their own kind, they are friendly and respectful to each other. Few people from outside a svirfneblin community have ever seen this more pleasant side of the deep gnomes. For their part, the deep gnomes would be horrified to find themselves observed by outsiders, and they find such a person staring at them—or even looking directly at them—quite rude.
All gnomes pay homage to a pantheon of gnome deities led by the trickster-hero, Garl Glittergold, but svirfneblin are most devoted to the Deep Brother, Callarduran. Legend has it that Callarduran was the first to discover the beauty of gems, having picked up a rough stone and absentmindedly rubbed it to smooth brilliance in his pocket. He went into a cave in pursuit of more, and the gnomes who followed him became the svirfneblin. Deep gnomes still pursue gems of all types in their tunneling, having particular regard for large emeralds, which with the blessings of their priests they can enchant to summon earth elementals.
Gnome Traits
Your gnome character has certain characteristics in common with all other gnomes.Age
Gnomes mature at the same rate humans do, and most are expected to settle down into an adult life by around age 40. They can live 350 to almost 500 years.Size
Gnomes are between 3 and 4 feet tall and average about 40 pounds. Your size is Small.Speed
Your base walking speed is 25 feet.Darkvision
Accustomed to life underground, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.Gnome Cunning
You have advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic.Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Gnomish. The Gnomish language, which uses the Dwarvish script, is renowned for its technical treatises and its catalogs of knowledge about the natural world.Forest Gnome
As a forest gnome, you have a natural knack for illusion and inherent quickness and stealth. In Fiore, forest gnomes are rare and secretive. They gather in hidden communities in sylvan forests, using illusions and trickery to conceal themselves from threats or to mask their escape should they be detected. Forest gnomes tend to be friendly with other good-spirited woodland folk, and they regard elves and good fey as their most important allies. These gnomes also befriend small forest animals and rely on them for information about threats that might prowl their lands.Ability Score Increase
You can choose to increase either your Intelligence or your Dexterity score by 1.Natural Illusionist
You know the minor illusion cantrip. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.Speak with Small Beasts
Through sounds and gestures, you can communicate simple ideas with Small or smaller beasts. Forest gnomes love animals and often keep squirrels, badgers, rabbits, moles, woodpeckers, and other creatures as beloved pets.Rock Gnome
As a rock gnome, you have a natural inventiveness and hardiness beyond that of other gnomes. Most gnomes in Fiore are rock gnomes, including the tinker gnome Lorilla Fiddlefen of Trekhom.Ability Score Increase
You can choose to increase either your Intelligence or your Constitution score by 1.Artificer’s Lore
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to magic items, alchemical objects, or technological devices, you can add twice your proficiency bonus, instead of any proficiency bonus you normally apply.Tinker
You have proficiency with artisan’s tools (tinker’s tools). Using those tools, you can spend 1 hour and 10 gp worth of materials to construct a Tiny clockwork device (AC 5, 1 hp). The device ceases to function after 24 hours (unless you spend 1 hour repairing it to keep the device functioning), or when 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 a 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, mouse, bird, dragon, or soldier. 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.
Fire Starter. The device produces a miniature flame, which you can use to light a candle, torch, or campfire. Using the device requires your action.
Music Box. When opened, this music box plays a single song at a moderate volume. The box stops playing when it reaches the song’s end or when it is closed.
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