Gnomes

Gnomes are creatures of wonder and amazement. To a gnome the world is simply a chest full of secrets waiting to be discovered. The gnomes were instilled with their curiosity by their creator Leximm, keeper of all secrets. Because of this all gnomes are inquisitive by nature and curious to a fault. Gnomes also appreciate grandiose things and generally overdue their cities when construction is underway, after all you never know if you may need to entertain a giant.

Gnome Traits

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.

Rock Gnome Traits

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.

Vention Gnome Traits

Artifcer's Lore

Whenever you make an ability 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. These checks can only be non-combat and must somehow relate to the history, lore or function of the item. The DM has discretion.

Curious Nature

Vention gnomes start with 1 additional skill proficiency.

Rock Gnomes in Oraereum

Personality

A rock gnome is quiet, reserved and careful. Rock gnomes are secretive in nature and very slow to warm to strangers. They trust nobody and like even fewer outsiders. Like their Vention cousins rock gnomes gather secrets but unlike Vention gnomes rock gnomes tend to keep their secrets to themselves and dwell in rocky places away from the prying eyes of others.

Relations

Rock gnomes have amiable relations with most of the civilized races and even the wood elves of Ascalis consider them well balanced. While the rock gnomes have no love for visitors they try to maintain working relationships. The gnomes hold an alliance with the hill dwarves that live on the border of the Bereight stretch and Syrn. The rock gnomes of the Bereight stretch are also constantly at war with the hill giants and ogres of the stretch and hold no love for these brutes.

Alignment

Rock gnomes are generally good in alignment and gravitate towards the neutral line of law and chaos. Although they are secretive and gruff, rock gnomes are generally good hearted people that will warm to you once they trust you.

Rock Gnome Lands

The rock gnomes come from the Bereight stretch in southern Andaria. The Bereight stretch is a dry, rocky stretch of canyons, deep chasms and high mountainous terrain. The rock gnomes have created an empire here in this inhospitable waste. Their cities are built into the sides of cliffs, ravines and chasms in the ground. The gnomes of the Bereight stretch are great practitioners of illusion magic and actually hide their cities from prying eyes by making them seem like they are invisible. Nobody finds a rock gnome city unless they want you to; at least that's what they say. The rock gnomes have some of the finest arcane schools in the lands next to the high elves and some say their schools of illusion and enchantment are laden with formulas the elves have yet to think of. Admission for a non-gnome is difficult but not un-heard of and to practice at the University Incognita is a dream of many an illusionist.

Religion

The rock gnomes venerate their creator Leximm much as their cousins the Vention gnomes do but they celebrate their creators love of the arcane as well and much of their religion revolves around the power of magic in their lives.

Vention Gnomes in Oraereum

Personality

Although all gnomes are curious by nature Vention gnomes have made this nature into a lifestyle and culture. Vention gnomes live to find out new secrets, new ideas and new knowledge. To a Vention gnome a good piece of information is more valuable than any piece of copper, silver, gold or platinum in the world. Vention gnomes also tend to be fidgeting and excitable and are always ready for adventure. Vention gnomes also have very sharp wits and quicker tongues when sharing information. Given the chance a Vention gnome will share everything he knows with you and then some.

Relations

Vention gnomes are not hostile towards any race and will trade, barter and treat equally nearly any non-hostile person. Vention gnomes aren't very charming and they are not stupid but their most sacred tenant is knowledge and secrets and this is something they can only learn by being amiable with others. If Vention gnomes have any racial animosity it is towards the wood elves of Ascalis. The Vention gnomes believe in industry and progress and the wood elves feel that they will eventually consume more natural resources than they should and as such have very little to do with them. This is, of course, something the gnomes themselves consider ludicrous and ill-conceived. None-the-less the gnomes are forbidden from setting forth into the wood elven frontier in any great number and the elven government of Ascalis will hold no formal relations with them.

Alignment

Vention gnomes are neutral by nature in all that they do. They cannot afford to make enemies or allies on any end of the spectrum lest they lose their extensive networks of knowledge and contacts. Even so, many Vention gnomes gravitate towards a particular axis and the life of an adventurer usually calls to them.

Vention Lands

Vention gnomes occupy the Vention Isles in the Inner Sea of Oraereum. The Vention Isles are a chain of volcanic islands, both active and inactive, that the gnomes have settled. The gnomes have built vast cities and fortresses of brass and steel here to continue their work. Avention city is considered the technological capital of the world and boasts the greatest library known to mortals. All who treasure knowledge are welcome here but those who come with false intentions to steal knowledge are prosecuted with Vention's full force. The gnomes may be small of stature but they boast the world's greatest navy and only air force. They also have great mechanical weapons of war that can fell walls with a single shot. The gnomes desire not to conquer and would never use such weapons for that purpose but many try to steal the great plans for these devices. However, a race does not devote itself to secrets if it cannot keep them and to this day no secret that the gnomes do not wish to share has left their vaults.

Religion

The gnomes of Vention worship, adore and give thanks daily to their creator Leximm, the keeper of all secrets. Worship of Leximm is not so much a practice as an art form in Vention and monuments are raised, knocked down for reworking and re-raised continuously. The church itself has little say in the government of Vention but has much pull with the citizens themselves.