Gnome
The Birth of the Gnomes
In the year 1602, the Giants devised a horrifying ritual to amplify their own power. This magic drew strength from other Humans, physically diminishing them into a new species: the Gnomes. While the Giants became colossal, the Gnomes were left small in stature, their bodies weakened, but their minds sharpened as a byproduct of the process.
The Gnomes retained their humanity's spark for ingenuity and resilience, but they harbored a collective bitterness toward the Giants and the Divine alike. Many Gnomes turned their intellect toward understanding the forces that had led to their plight, vowing to overcome their condition through their own ingenuity rather than reliance on faith.
The Flood: A Turning Point
By 1702, the world had descended into deep sin, ignoring the teachings of the Divine. The Corruption reached its zenith, including for the Gnomes, who found their ranks overrun with Goblins. Because of the sin, a great flood was unleashed as a cleansing act. During this cataclysm, the Gnomes were forced to adapt quickly, using their ingenuity to build intricate survival machines—mechanical rafts, submersibles, and floating shelters—ensuring their survival while many other species struggled to endure.
Rather than interpreting the flood as a divine warning, the Gnomes saw it as an obstacle to overcome through technology. As the waters receded, they emerged with a renewed commitment to outwit both nature and the Corruption that plagued the world. They constructed vast underground workshops, isolated from the Divine’s influence, to focus on self-reliance and magical experimentation.
The Age of Defiance (1702–1803)
In the century following the flood, the Gnomes' focus on magic and technology intensified. They believed they could devise a solution to the Corruption that afflicted the world, circumventing the need for divine intervention. They formed a coalition of their greatest minds, known as the Council of Cogwrights, dedicated to unlocking the secrets of magical immunity.
Through years of study, they hypothesized that by altering their physical forms, they could create a permanent barrier against Corruption. Their experiments grew increasingly daring, blending alchemy, magic, and engineering in ways no other species dared attempt.
However, the Council became blinded by ambition and hubris, ignoring the ethical and spiritual implications of their work. Some Gnomes warned against tampering with the fabric of life itself, but these voices were dismissed as regressive and fearful.
The Organism Ooze Polymorphism Situation
In 1803, the Council of Cogwrights initiated their most ambitious experiment: the Omniphysical Overhaul and Purification Spell (OOPS). The spell was designed to reforge the Gnomes’ bodies into forms immune to Corruption, while enhancing their magical and intellectual capacities.
The results were catastrophic. Instead of achieving their desired transformation, the spell reduced the Gnomes to ooze-like Plasmoids—gelatinous beings without defined forms. The transformation robbed them of their original bodies but left their minds intact, albeit altered to accommodate their new liquid state.
The Plasmoids retained their sharp intellect and creativity, but they now faced a new struggle: regaining their lost identities and reversing the OOPS experiment. Many Gnomes were devastated by the loss of their physical forms, while others embraced their new state as an opportunity to explore new avenues of magic and science.
Aftermath and Legacy
The Plasmoids established the Gnomorphy Reclamation and Unhappy Members of the Bureau for Ludicrous Experiments (GRUMBLE) to coordinate efforts to reverse their condition. Their cities in Gnorenori, nestled between two mountain ranges, became hubs of magical and technological innovation, with a particular focus on undoing the effects of the OOPS event.
Despite their plight, the Plasmoids continued to contribute significantly to the world. They developed groundbreaking enchanting techniques, such as extradimensional storage and resilient magical constructs. Their unique physiology also made them adept at infiltrating dangerous areas, as their ooze forms could slip through cracks and crevices.
Cultural Shifts
The Plasmoids' transformation also altered their relationship with other species. Some viewed them with pity, others with suspicion, and a few with admiration for their ingenuity. Within their own communities, debates raged about whether to continue seeking a cure or to accept their new forms and adapt fully to their ooze-like existence.
Plasmoids became a living testament to the dangers of pride and the hubris of attempting to circumvent the Divine. While they retained their brilliance and creativity, they now grappled with the consequences of their defiance—a lesson that echoed across Logos as a cautionary tale.
Extinct due to the Organism Ooze Polymorphism Situation. Current species is now Plasmoid
