Gnomes of Riesa Ethnicity in Riesa | World Anvil
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Gnomes of Riesa

Warpstorms are responsible for both the inventiveness and the wide variety in physical appearance of the gnomes of the the Blightmark. Lacking physical strength and size, many gnomes believe that trouble can’t come to them if it can’t find them. With this philosophy, most gnomes live a nomadic existence all across the plains of the Blightmark. While gnomes trade in almost every type of goods, they are the primary source of many alchemical items and their repeating crossbows and other complicated contraptions are especially prized.
  Of all the races of light, gnomes are the most adventurous and have established communities across southern Riesa, from Lake Haven to the Phoenix Kingdoms. The majority of gnomes still consider the Blightmark to be their homeland. The gnomes of the Blightmark generally hail from one of three distinct heritages: the clockwrights, the fell knights, and the spell brights. Each of these traditions approach life in the Blightmark from a unique perspective.
 

Culture

Other than a few permanent settlements like Shimmerfell or Precipice, most gnomes live a nomadic lifestyle. This has the advantage in being able to avoid the worst of the warpstorms in the Blightmark but also increases their contact with hostile creatures (especially goblinoids).
  To secure their survival, most gnomes travel in large caravans of heavily armored wagons, protected by a variety of ingenious defenses. Each caravan family has its own traditions and solutions to survival on the road. The three primary traditions focus on clockwork constructs, alchemical engines, or summoned beings. There is significant rivalry between families of different traditions.
  Most caravan families have traditional routes they travel, often with the seasons. Most routes include Shimmerfell or Precipice (or both) somewhere along the way. Other waypoints will connect to dwarven, human, or halfling settlements where gnomish merchants negotiate profitable prices for exotic goods.
 
Clockwrights
Gnomes who follow this tradition see machines, technology, and clockwork as the solution to many of their problems. They tend to favour logic and planning in their solutions.
 
Fell Knights
Fell gnomes are masters of alchemy and poisons. By carefully observing the natural world around them they are able to combine different elements in creative and wondrous ways. Fell gnomes acknowledge both nature's laws and her fickleness and work towards a balanced outlook.
 
Spell Brights
If they can’t mold the world around them to their liking, shaper gnomes look to other planes of existence for their building materials. Gnomes with the Spell Bright heritage value novel and unique solutions, and love a good surprise.
 

Relations

Proud as they are of their ability to safely travel throughout the Blightmark, gnomes consider the “settled” races to be inferior. They find dwarves dour, halflings timid, humans simple, and edari scheming. Of course, they can put aside these preconceptions if there is profit to be made or an advantage to be gained! In truth most races don’t understand gnomes’ love of travel either and derogatively refer to them as “gnomads”. It is the other two mostly nomadic races however that have the respect of many gnomes. They respect the fierceness of oroc tribesmen and the grace of the elven dervishes.
Creating a Gnome Character

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Articles under Gnomes of Riesa



Cover image: by Kestrelca via Inkarnate.com

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