Order of Delas

Most gnomes are sedentary and willing to assimilate. gnomes maintain their cultural identity via the Order of Delas (named after the greatest Gnomish hero of the liberation wars against the dark elves).
The Order of Delas is made up of iterant gnomes who keep lines of communication between disparate gnomish communities open. The Order of Delas is made up largely of members who operate on fairly predictable circuits. They also have roving bands of adventurers who serve as roving trouble shooters. More common than gnomish adventuring bands, are a network of gnomes amidst multi-racial adventuring parties. The adventuring gnomes of both stripes serve as defenders or at least avengers for gnomes who face violent discrimination.
Since gnomes rarely have to deal with their people being systematically oppressed, the roving Order members do standard problem solving that many other adventurers do. They also act as roving trouble shooters trying to mediate between warring factions of other races. Pretty much every gnome adventurer who makes a name for himself or herself is likely to get an invitation to join the Order of Delas.
There is a small but growing faction with the Order of Delas and their supporters that the gnomes should found a sovereign nation somewhere. While many gnomes are sympathetic to the idea, there is no real consensus on where said nation should be, who will populate it, what their government system should be, or even what their nation would be called.

Non-gnomes in the Order of Delas

Non-gnomes are occasionally invited into the Order of Delas. To be invited, a candidate has to speak fluent Gnomish and be good friends with a member of the Order of Delas and have halped the Order signfiicantly at least once in the past.
Gnomes are a gregarious and accepting lot and tend to treat non-gnomish Order of Delas very well assuming that any non-gnomes who got that honor must have done something to deserve ti.