Gnomes of the Flanaess

Gnomes are a fascinating and complex race, blending cunning, humor, and ingenuity with a love for craft, community, and magic. Whether as illusionists, artisans, or rebels, they continue to shape the world around them with their unique blend of mischief and wisdom.

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Known as noniz to the Flan, gnomes are a resilient and cunning race with a rich history in the Flanaess. Despite their small stature—standing just over three feet tall—they are sturdy and muscular. Their origins trace back to the northern wooded highlands, where they lived as trappers and herders before migrating south centuries before the Twin Cataclysms. Over time, they have developed into distinct subgroups, each with unique traits and cultures.

Gnomish Subraces

Surface Gnomes

Surface gnomes are divided into two main groups: rock gnomes and forest gnomes.

• Rock Gnomes: The most commonly encountered gnome, they dwell in burrow communities found in the Lortmils, Kron Hills, Flinty Hills, and Gull Cliffs. They are excellent craftsmen, known for their skill in illusion magic, artificing, and metalwork.
• Forest Gnomes: A shy and secretive folk, they inhabit forested areas such as the Grandwood, Highfolk, and the forests of Celene. They are more reclusive than rock gnomes and are often skilled in druidic magic and stealth.

Surface gnomes have brown skin, blue eyes, and light hair, though males often go bald with age. Their attire consists of earth-toned clothing with bright accents such as dyed hats, belts, and boots. Their military and hunting garb is mottled in greens and browns.

Deep Gnomes (Svirfneblin)

Deep gnomes are wiry and hairless, with gray or gray-brown skin. Rarely seen on the surface, they dwell in the Underdark, in a vast subterranean kingdom ruled by a brooding and wise monarch. Unlike their surface kin, deep gnomes are known for their stealth, survival skills, and resilience against magic. They prefer to wear simple dark tunics and aprons, though they are almost never seen unarmored.

Gnomish Society

Gnome society is built on ingenuity, artistry, and camaraderie. They are skilled artisans and traders, known for their craftsmanship in jewelry, metalwork, woodworking, leatherwork, and stonecraft. Their merchant lords serve as the backbone of gnomish communities, engaging in trade with elves, dwarves, halflings, and some human settlements. However, they remain distrustful of humans compared to their other allies.

Gnomes live closely with burrowing animals such as badgers, wolverines, and weasels. Young gnomes bond deeply with these creatures, even learning their languages. Svirfneblin, in contrast, form similar bonds with moles, shrews, bats, or giant rats.

Traditions and Customs

• Gnomes can conceive only once every 5-10 years.
• Children are raised at home for 20 years before being sent to school.
• Gnome weddings last an entire week, reflecting their love for celebration and indulgence.
• Gnomes see love differently from humans; if a relationship fails, they often believe it was a prank by Garl Glittergold.

Enemies and Conflicts

Gnomes are in constant conflict with goblins and kobolds, with kobolds being their most hated enemy. Due to orcish and goblinoid threats, many gnomes have migrated to human-dominated lands, seeking aid in reclaiming their lost homelands. They often co-exist peacefully with elves in woodlands and dwarves in hills and mountains, forming strong alliances.

Gnomish Traits and Abilities

• Longevity: Gnomes are one of the longest-lived demihuman races, capable of living up to 750 years.
• Resilience: Naturally resistant to many poisons and spells.
• Darkvision: Can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
• Alcohol Tolerance: Can consume as much alcohol as dwarves, but instead of becoming belligerent, they become euphoric and playful.

Religion

Gnomes worship the Lords of the Golden Hills, with Garl Glittergold as their chief deity. Other prominent gnome deities include:

• Baervan Wildwanderer – Protector of forests and animals
• Baravar Cloakshadow – Master of deception and illusion
• Callarduran Smoothhands – Patron of deep gnomes
• Flandal Steelskin – God of craftsmanship and smithing
• Gaerdal Ironhand – Guardian of gnome warriors
• Nebelun – God of invention and alchemy
• Segojan Earthcaller – Keeper of the earth and burrowing animals
• Sheyanna Flaxenstrand – Goddess of love and passion
• Urdlen – The chaotic, evil god of destruction and hatred

Many gnomes also revere Ehlonna, Fortubo, Jascar, Obad-hai, and Ulaa. However, gnomes tend to be more secular and skeptical, viewing their gods more as mentors and allegories than omnipotent beings.

Gnomish Language

The gnomish language is fluid and expressive, featuring a vast vocabulary with subtle distinctions in concepts like love and color. Scholars across the Flanaess often consider Gnome an excellent academic and engineering language. It shares a writing system with Dwarven and has produced a rich body of literature.

Gnomes use both first and family names, often adding a descriptive title based on occupation or location (e.g., Grimmri Fischer the Jester or Grimmri Fischer of Highfolk).

Gnomish History

The rock gnomes originated in the far northern forests, living as trappers and reindeer herders before migrating south. They have endured various hardships, including:

• Keraptis’ tyranny
• The Gnomelord of Blemu, possessed by Vecna
• The rule of Azalin
• Conflicts with the orcs and goblinoids of Bone March

Despite these adversities, rock gnomes adapted to dwarven, elven, and halfling cultures, blending elements of technology, magic, and art into their own.

The svirfneblin, in contrast, have a hidden history. It is believed that Pyremius’ priests created the jermlaines around -1800 CY, while ancient gnomes once fought the warriors of Caerdiralor between -4358 and -4217 CY.

Gnomish Subraces and Related Creatures

• Steinneblin (Rock Gnomes): Standard gnome subrace, dwell in hills and burrows.
• Svirfneblin (Deep Gnomes): Underground dwellers, more dangerous and stealthy than their surface kin.
• Forstneblin (Forest Gnomes): Smaller, reclusive gnomes living deep in forests.

Gnome-Kin and Related Creatures

• Dwarves: Traditional allies and often neighbors.
• Jermlaines: Tiny, evil, subterranean fey—once gnomes, now twisted.
• Spriggans: Evil, shape-changing gnomes devoted to Urdlen.
• Xvarts: Said to be corrupted gnomes transformed by fomorians and hags.

Gnomes of Korn Hills