Nyoomit

If it weren't for the Nyooms, travelling outside the Moorlands would be be a lot more hazardous for us

— Gnomish trader

Protectors of the Skies

When you are no more than two foot high, travelling out in the big bad world can be quite the dangerous undertaking. That is where the Nyooms come in; Gnomes on brooms who are trained to deal with many of the threats encountered by groups of travelling Gnomes, especially those of the airborne variety. They work together in small squads called Nyoomits, and are capable of dazzling displays of coordinated aerobatics.

Recruitment

Every year, on the first day of spring, the Nyooms announce the number of new candidates they are looking for and declare applications open. Those wishing to apply must hand in their applications no later than two weeks before the entry trials. Trials take place two weeks before the spring end festival, at the Nyoom headquarters near Toppingward.
During the Trials applicants must demonstrate: flying skills, teamwork, good eyesight, and the ability to react quickly to threats. They are assessed by a team of the three most senior Nyooms. who then decide which Gnomes have been accepted this year. The successful candidates are announced that evening at a feast, and training begins the following week.

Training

Basic training takes six months and lasts through summer and autumn. Once the training period is over they are assigned to a Nyoomit. Most often this will be consist of their fellow recruits, sometimes a particularly skilled recruit will be assigned to a Nyoomit which has lost one of its members. During the winter not many Gnomes travel so the new recruits are assigned to home scouting patrols. This gives the new Nyoomit a chance to bond and learn to work together.

Coordinated Manouvres & Tactics

Threat Assessment & Management

Equipment Use & Care

Navigation & Orientation

Equipment

Goggles

Warm weather gear: gloves, hat, fleece lined jacket.

Fire crackers: worn on bandoliers.

Rope.

Smoke bombs.

Flares.

Vehicle

A Nyoom would be nothing without their Broom. It is the most most part of a Nyooms gear and must be kept in tip top shape at all times. Any Gnome wishing to apply to the Nyooms must be able to prove their flying skills, so most Gnomes bring their Brooms with them when they join. However there are cases where a Gnome entered the Trials on a borrowed broom, often that of a friend or family member. In these instances, that Gnome will be issued with a broom by the quartermaster. Regardless of the origins of the Broom, the regulations for maintaining its upkeep are the same for every Nyoom, and the Nyooms are strict when it comes to broom maintenance.

Tactics

A Nyoomit consists of either four or six Nyooms. For shorter journeys four unit Nyoomits are used and for long journeys they use six. The number of Nyoomits sent out depends on the size of the group they are protecting, and how dangerous the route is. In a four Gnome Nyoomit , two members are responsible for spotting airborne threats and two for ground based threats. In a six Gnome Nyoomit, the other two members are responsible for scouting safe paths and navigation.
For most threats involving animals or birds, the Gnomes have found that simple firecrackers are a good enough deterent. An eagle in mid dive, a snake in the long grass, even bears, can usually be fended off with a well placed fire-cracker The loud noise and flash of light is enough to startle and drive off most mundane creatures. For threats beyond the capabilities of the Nyoomit, such as human bandits, or magical creatures, the Nyooms will light their flares which let off a red smoke. Spotters from the travelling group will see this and they will seek to protect themselves however they can.

Type

Airborne