Gnomes (Race)

To be a gnome is to experience everything to its fullest extent, to feel more keenly than others. For members of other races, understanding gnomes is a task fraught with aggravation.

Alien in mindset and physiology, supposedly hailing from the realm of the Feywild itself, gnomes are a mystery even to their closest companions. One minute they're laughing with childlike glee over the shape of a particular cloud or displaying their vast collection of insect heads, and the next they're singing in a happy tune while wallowing shoulder-deep in the intestines of a fallen enemy.

Touched by fey ancestry, their ethics and mindset are inscrutable to most others, and their senses of humor are creative and disturbing. Most people see gnomes simply as "just gnomes". This is often to their own peril.

Overview
Gnomes are welcome everywhere as technicians, alchemists, philosophers and inventors. Gnomes adore animals, beautiful gems and jokes of all kinds. The gnomes have a great sense of humor, and while they love puns, jokes and games, they relish tricks—the more intricate the better. If they applied the same dedication to more practical arts, such as engineering, as they do their pranks there would be nothing the gnomes could not accomplish.

Gnomes are notably inquisitive. They love to find things out by personal experience. At times they’re even reckless. Their curiosity makes them skilled engineers, since they are always trying new ways to build things. Sometimes a gnome pulls a prank just to see how the people involved will react.

Gnomes have a hyperactive metabolism; they think fast, talk fast and move fast. To gnomes, other races seem sluggish and dull-witted. They are known for their observational capability and non-linear thinking. This manifests as an aptitude for research and espionage. They are constantly experimenting and inventing, and it is generally accepted that they always know more than they are letting on.

The scholars of Athas have long been perplexed by this curious folk who seem to have just appeared one day, waking up in the Fields of Aluinen, near the shores of the Inner Sea,and just kind of started wandering around like they’ve always been here. Nobody knows where the gnomes come from—even the gnomes themselves, who claim not to remember anything before the Awakening—but they’re here now and from the moment they first became a part of our world, Athas would never be the same.

Physical Traits
Gnomes are among the smalled of the civilized races of Athas, with a slightly stockier physique than halflings (but much more lithe than dwarves) and are near both in height. While taller than the average halfling, gnomes are not nearly as tall or heavy as dwarves. Thus, gnomes are often confused for halflings or young humans by the unobservant.

Hair and Skin
Gnomes vary widely in skin and hair tone; even gnome twins can have different hair, skin and eye colors and yet be identical in nearly every other way. This change has little to do with ethnicity, however. The concept of ethnicity confuses and fascinates gnomes, especially when it becomes a source of racial tension. As a result, gnomes have little interest in researching their varying colors, resulting in conflicting theories: the truth lies somewhere in a mixture of the season in which they were born, the emotions felt by the mother during pregnancy and even the time of day in which they were born.

Skin color goes through an odd metamorphosis throughout their life. When they are born, their skin is a light green or orange, or pink, purple or sometimes light blue. As they mature, their skin begins to mute until their skin resembles the common tones of humans by the time they come of age. Adult's hair ranged from pale, to ruddy, to a light mocha.

Hair can be of virtually any color, and it tends to vary by season. Green, auburn, gold, pink, black, purple and deep red are the most common colors. During the summer, their hair is vivid and grows quickly. It mutes slightly during autumn and sometimes changes color entirely to something dull or dark. Winter sees a gnome's hair dull and faded. It grows extremely slow. Their hair is droopy during this time and many gnomes either shave their hair for winter or wear their hair in a ponytail. But in the spring, hair starts to brighten up and flushes with color, and it grows back quicker before it reaches the brightness of summer once again. Gnome men are fond of facial hair, as it can be great fun to style it in unusual ways. Gnomes tend to stick to mustaches and goatees, rarely wearing beards.

A gnome's eyes are always large and expressive, and their color tend to be metallic or like gem stones and the gnomes describe them as such. Their colors range from: Silver, Gold, Copper, Tin, Iron, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Azure, Amethyst, Pearl or Diamond. Diamond is truly rare and gnomes believe those born with that shade of color (which usually changes or sparkles in the light) are "Glitterkin", which are said to be gnomes born with a great destiny, either for good or ill.

Gnome hair and skin is bright during childhood, when everything is new and simply living is an experience of unparalleled novelty. A slight muting of skin and hair color is the first sign of adulthood, though few non-gnomes can identify that change. Variation of coloration of skin and hair apparently has only one limit: no gnome except those in the Bleaching can have white hair.

Senses
Gnome's expanded senses hint that their brains and sensory organs are as lithe as their musculature. Even ignoring the social conditioning aspects, gnomish receptivity to sensory input has led to several beneficial adaptations. The most obvious sensory advantage a gnome has is his eyes. Larger proportionally than those of a human, gnome eyes are extremely sensitive, taking in more light from a slightly expanded spectrum, which allows gnomes to see twice as far as humans in conditions of poor lighting.

Pupils that dilate farther and faster than a human's also help to keep gnomes from being caught off-guard when entering an area of low light, though they still rely on normal light to see rather than gaining true darkvision. Similarly, their eye's larger range of movement allows gnomes to see more out of the literal corners of their eyes than a human could from at the same position.

Sight, however, is only one of the gnome's senses. Much of the lauded gnome perception is based on the fact that gnomes customarily use as many senses as possible to experience the world. Whereas a human is often tempted to rely on sight and sound alone, a gnome wants to touch, smell and even taste whenever doing so would be prudent (and frequently when it's not).

This is as much a factor in their resistance to illusion magic as their own innate talents in that regard, for while humans and other can be confused by visual or oral illusions, gnome triple-check their senses to confirm the reality of anything--a legacy of their origin in the First World, where things were rarely quite what they seemed.

Gnome sensory prowess also manifests in what they choose to do as a trade or craft. Melding all their perceptions helps gnomes in designing the color, fit, texture and degree of warmth of clothing, the heft and balance of a weapon (and the aesthetic of the ornamentation) and the taste, smell and visual presentation of food. The easiest and most natural professions for gnomes are tailoring, cooking and drink tasting or poison testing, alchemy, brewing and other jobs linked to acute perception.

Health and Hardiness
The body of a gnome, while humanoid in shape, has many unique traits that serve it well. The physical potency of gnome musculature has both drawbacks and benefits. While weaker than all races but halflings in terms of brute strength, gnomes possess an innate resilience matched only by that of dwarves.

While the stout folk receive their hardiness from their thick, muscular build, a gnome can twist and bend in ways that more dense muscles might not normally allow, also helping them absorb impacts. Of course, many gnomes and those who travel with hem insist it is a gnome's inherent curiosity and enthusiasm that keeps them on their feet long after they should have dropped.

The Bleaching
If allowed to age naturally, most gnomes can live for a little over two centuries. Yet in addition to the normal barrage of accidents, illness and violence, gnome longevity is limited by a unique condition known as Bleaching, in which a gnome begins to lose his grip on the real world and fades in color and enthusiasm.

No gnome knows the time the Bleaching begins but most believe that it stems from a lack of new experiences. Thus, young gnomes strive to do and see and experience as much as they can not only to broaden their own perceptions but to stave off the Bleaching for as long as possible.

No matter what though, eventually, all gnomes begin to gradually feel the years creeping up on them. Their bodies begin to slow, their senses dull and they start to feel less engaged by the world around them. Their colors fade, representing their souls' slow departure from the Material Plane, until their skin and hair are completely snow white. Once the process begins it is impossible to stop and it happens rapidly.

The Bleaching, as it is known, turns the world into one single, unbelievably bland experience, seemingly exhausted of all its possibilities, and this remains the single greatest fear of every gnome. The Bleaching is always fatal--it signifies the gnome's life is coming to an end and their time on the Material Plane is over. Gnomes eventually grow so that breathing or their own blood circulation becomes too great a burden to bear.

While it is certainly a tragedy that all gnomes fear, it is not seen as something evil and those who experience it are not shunned or viewed any differently than other gnomes. The Bleaching is a natural part of life and, while no gnome wants to go through it, it is seen as a dignified thing and only the most craven or insane gnomes would try to stop it.

Gnome in Mind
Even while paying the strictest attention to those around them, gnomes think and react far differently from other mortal beings. Despite nearly two thousand years on this world, gnomes' minds often seem disjointed and chaotic, more akin to the flighty and mischievous intellects of certain capricious fey than the plodding thought processes of a human.

Gnomes draw people of all races to them with their charm and attention. Though many who spend time with gnomes gripe about their companions' incessant curiosity and restless energy, it's these same traits and other distinctly gnome characteristics that make them so attractive as companions and lovers. The focus and obsessive curiosity of the "Fey Folk" is impressive enough when turned upon a field of study but when turned upon a romantic target, the allure of such attention can be unbelievably powerful, even for those of other races. Despite an inability to crossbreed with other races, gnomes' constant hunt for new sensations means they rarely restrict their liaisons to their own kind.

While gnome behavior confuses many, and their bizarre senses of humor can sometimes lead to inadvisable actions, their general lack of pretension or malice and their open, expressive faces often get them out of scrapes. That's not to say there aren't evil gnomes--and when a gone goes bad, he tends to be even more grotesquely creative than most--but rather that, for those used to dealing with gnomes, unexplained and manic behavior isn't seen as sinister and most people living near gnomes spend a lot of time practicing tolerance and extending the benefit of the doubt.

Gnome Magic
Magic comes naturally to all gnomes, and is the strongest piece of evidence for their claim of otherworldly heritage. This affinity is expressed primarily as the four innate spells which all gnomes with enough confidence and willpower can cast. While no one knows why these spells--dancing lights, speak with animals, ghost sound and prestidigitation--come so naturally to gnomes, even those without any other magical ability, various songs and tales from gnomish history offer their own (frequently outlandish or contradictory) explanations. One popular aphorism goes: "The light, the sound, the trick and the voice--these make us giants though the world deems us small."

With magic already in their blood, so to speak, it would be reasonable to expect gnomes to be prolific magic users. This is actually far from the truth: while a gnome’s natural curiosity and obsessive tendencies sometimes drives them to study magic, they don’t often dabble in the arcane arts. They have little patience for such things, for starters, and tend to prefer things they can touch, such as tangible invention and engineering. That isn’t to say that they don’t use magic at all, but gnomes as a race tend to lean more toward science than the Art.

Diet
Gnomes need nourishment to survive, just like every other race, but they need it far less often than other races. On average, a gnome only needs to eat once per day to sustain themselves (making a day's worth of trail rations last 2 days). Additionally, gnomes rarely won't eat something they're given, as that would be denying themselves a new experience. Gnomes love trying and tasting new food, especially from different cultures. They adore spices and sauces, and soups & stews are among the favorite foods for a gnome.

Culture
Given their particular predilection for independence and the chaotic, gnomes rather surprisingly settle into the traditional "civilized' structure quite well. Gnomes delight in defying expectations as a general rule, so it only makes sense they delight in turning around the most common one would, being that gnomes cannot have a true "society". While this was accurate at one time, gnomes have been living in towns and cities of their own for nearly a millenium.

Most gnome settlements, such as Sandytoes in Avistan, are little more than small towns or artist colonies, but many human cities have large gnome communities. Each such community follows a social pattern that places a high regard on individual freedom. They tend to live simply alongside nature, building cities like humans but living in them like elves or halflings. A gnome community, while often strange places of great artistic curiosity, are tightly woven and gnomes fiercely defend their own.

Each gnome settle differs from others in unique ways, so there is no real way to describe them in any cohesive way. However, certain traits and traditions can be found anywhere gnomes thrive.

Arts and Crafts
Gnomes are both blessed and cursed with a philosophical bent and an insatiable curiosity. They express these feelings through art, invention and magic--specifically, illusions (which are prized by Garl). None of these outlets, however, are completely able to satisfy the hunger that drives a gnome through life.

Though gnomes are inspired inventors, whose lives are more comfortable than most other races can boast, their inventions are merely an exercise in managing the world around them, sifting what activities or objects are necessary and irreplaceable from what is simply present. The joy they take in inventing new things comes from both the creative process and the useful end result, but the resulting object is never the goal.

Children of Invention
By their very nature, gnomes are inquisitive, curious and crafty--what better way for them to understand the world and its rules than to experiment with the material of the world itself? Thus, they work with stone, gears, wood, fire, water and steam, shaping it and themselves in the process.

Gnomes are often happy to be jacks-of-all-trades until they find something that captures their attention wholly, at which point they become monomaniacal in their attempts to master a given skill set. Because they are always seeking engagement, they carry small projects with them as they travel and work on them whenever possible.

Many of these creations serve unique purposes, or provide better or alternative ways to accomplish others. Gnomes love to work with springs, gears, pulleys and steam. Automation is also keenly intriguing to gnomes and many seek to not only understand the complexities of clockwork devices, but to improve upon them. Gnome craftsman and engineers are highly prized and sought after, especially since no two gnomes will build the same device.

The Spirit of Fun
Being a gnome means approaching the world with a viewpoint that is deeply at odds with those of most of Athas' citzens. Gnomes' very existence requires surprises, the unexpected and fresh, new sensations. Order, while sometimes fascinating in esoteric ways (such as observing the orbits of the stars, studying the mating habits of giant frogs, or obsessively arranging sticks in order of size and/or color), is an inherently dangerous this, and too much power can drive a gnome to ruin. Small wonder, then, that gnomes--especially those living in cities or human neighborhoods--often express themselves via pranks and other bizarre behavior that startles and delights.

Jokes among gnomes are frequent and audacious, and may either be created on the spur of the moment or carefully designed to elicit the maximum rise out of their targets. Those who travel frequently with gnomes--and as a result have had a front-row seat to their antics--have a saying: "The laughter of a child gladdens the heart. The laughter of a gnome makes it nervous." Some have shortened this further, saying, "Every time a gnome laughs--duck".

Though some gnome pranks are experiments in humanoid behavior, most have desired effects in mind. They might be designed solely for a given purpose, or they may be intended to achieve a myriad of effects, one built on the rest in an interlocking pattern--a puzzle for the target to unravel and try to top. When playing pranks on other gnomes, it's common for good-natured contests to develop, with opponents building on each other's pranks in theme or execution, spurring each other on to new heights of imagination.

The most common reason to play pranks is for the humor value, but the reasons might also include revenge, comeuppance, a desire to see the target reduced to tears, surprise, entertainment, pure vexation, boredom, delight or a desire to share knowledge or wisdom, and there are as many other reasons as there are thoughts in a gnome's head. A prank may be as complex as a tripwire that activates a huge and carefully constructed mechanism designed to knock the target on her face several minutes later, or as simple as a revealing comment in an awkward social situation followed by a pun.

When gnomes play pranks on humans, elves, dwarves or other races, it is not usually from a desire to inflict harm. Instead, it's often an attempt to shock the target into seeing the world a different way, to turn expectations so completely that the world becomes fresh and new again, a place of wonder. Alternatively, it might be simply because the gnome thinks the target needs to lighten up.

Birth and Childhood
Gnomes generally place the decision to procreate solely in the hands of the women bearing the children. It's often said that a gnome's capacity for surprise begins at conception, as their gestation period rate is wildly variable; it ranges anywhere from about six months to nearly a year with no apparent consequences.

Children enter the world vibrant, full of color and immediately alert. They begin to move under their own power within a few weeks, crawling at first until they get their legs under themselves and are walking by 6 months. At about this time, they discover their primary aptitude: getting into trouble. They also discover the notion of consequence.

Gnome children are rarely told what to do, only what to expect. Learning through experience is both a natural predilection and something of a cultural norm for gnomes, and in anything less than a potentially fatal situation, gnomes tend to take a laissez-faire approach, noting children have greater respect for danger once they've seen the consequences firsthand.

This relaxed standard tends to make even the most overprotective gnome parent look negligent to other races. And in some ways, they are--gnomes are far less attached to their own children than they are to the perpetuation of the race as a whole, and youngsters in a gnome village are raised collectively, with the nearest adult providing parenting as necessary.

Formal schooling is a rarity for gnome children. While some families living among other races go with the flow and send their children to school, gnomes generally take it for granted that their children's natural curiosity will lead them to investigate anything that catches their interest.

This self-driven education proves at least as effective as normal human schooling. Most gnomes who enter academies and other formal education do so later in life, when they've identified a particular interest and exhausted all resources available for independent study. Such beings who become teaches often have a difficult time instructing members of other races, who may lack the gnome's own obsessive drive.

Clothing and Hats
Traditional gnome clothing is sort of an oxy-moron. The gnomes inherent individualism and chaotic natures often drives gnomes to dress flamboyantly or in clashing patterns and colors. This isn’t to say every gnome is a dandy or a fashion disaster. Indeed, some gnomes are expert fashionistas and just as many prefer to dress in simple earth tones. But the gnome eye for detail applies to fashion as well, as even when dressing in gawdy, clashing patterns the gnomes often still find some way to make it work.

All gnomes dress boldly and daringly. Most humans scoff at gnomes for dressing like children or too risqué, which gnomes revel in. They are constantly challenging social norms and traditions wherever they go, so of course this apples to their fashion sense as well. Men and women alike wear vests; gnomes tend to have a large collection of vests and both genders adore jewelry of all kinds. There doesn’t seem to be any gender-roles in what jewelry is worn or where.

It should be noted that gnomes, being the varied people they are, are not all daring fashion trend setters. Many prefer simple, comfortable outfits and others still flop the stereotype and dress like the locals in whatever locale they’re living in.

Of particular note in gnome society, male or female, are hats. For one reason or another, gnomes have a deep love for headgear of any variety, even going so far as to refer to helmets as “war hats” and other such affectations. All gnomes own between three and several dozen hats, and hats are often seen as a social status symbol. They favor hats of all styles, colors, fabrics and sizes. Fedoras, beanies, fezzes, bomber hats, bowlers and top hats are the most popular, though any style will do. Gnomes believe a hat can say a lot about the person wearing it. This saying is not just an aphorism, however; it is something taken from their own culture.

In gnome villages and cities, all gnomes possess a single, pointed hat. The color, fabric and size of the hat are indicative of their relative social rank, intellect and criminal record. Red hats are for common folk; blue hats are for officials; yellow hats are for leaders (such as a mayor), brown hats are for criminals and white hats are for Dunces.

Size is also a quality to measure: the taller the hat, the smarter and more accomplished the gnome wearing it is. The pattern and fabric of the hat also say a lot about the wealth of its owner. All gnomes have one of these pointed hats, though they rarely wear them in public outside of gnome communities.

Love and Marriage
Gnomes hold love as the great universal mystery--a source of inspiration and an intrinsic part of truth. The pursuit of love is a popular pastime, whether the goal is a marriage or a fleeting muse. The love between parents, friends, siblings and romantic partners is highly valued and celebrated in story and song, making for a highly romanticized and liberal view of love. Sex outside marriage is expected and tacitly encouraged, though it is considered irresponsible to deliberately pursue an action destined to pain another.

Gnomes never arrange marriages, because they consider marriage a sacred thing that is meant to provide happiness and fulfillment to both parties. Their love of freedom is another factor; to force a gnome into a marriage is denying them their freedom and choice, which is seen as a heinous idea.

Old folk beliefs indicate that failed or unhappy marriages are pranks from Garl Glittergold, though many gnomes today attribute the “prank” to the universe. The topic is often the theme of gnome comedies. In an effort to avoid being victimized by one of these love pranks, gnome culture has two kinds of marriages: Handfasting and Bonding.

Handfasting
Handfasting is the most common method of formalizing a relationship between two gnomes. Only the two lovers and three witnesses need be present to complete the ritual. The lovers' hands are usually bound together with a red ribbon; these are removed, knotted together and presented to the couple at the end of the ceremony. The lovers speak their own vows, which usually rhyme, and consist of promises to look after the other's welfare and to bring them laughter and joy, and to remain faithful for as long as love lasts.

Handfasted couples are entitled to their own houses. If neither party already owns a house, one is built by the community at the earliest opportunity (and is usually ready by the time the Handfasting occurs). Handfasted couples are expected to live and work together as long as they feel affection for one another.

Some handfastings last for decades, and a few last for life. Often, though, because gnomes are intensely curious creatures who constantly crave new experiences, one partner becomes interested in someone else, or perhaps one wishes to leave for an extended period of time (perhaps to go adventuring) and sometimes arguments simply poison the couple's love. In such cases, couples can end their handfasting with a brief ceremony in which the knotted cords they received are untied before three witnesses and presented to the now separated individuals. Children are expected to live with whichever parent wants them. If both do, a child can choose if he or she is old enough to speak; younger offspring usually remain with the mother unless she refuses them.

Bonding
The second level or formalization is the Bonding. Bondings are much rarer than handfastings and cannot be dissolved. Most bondings occur later in a gnome's life, after the lovers have had a chance to live together as a handfasted couple and are certain of their love. Some couples never take this step at all, content to remain handfasted for their entire lives.

A Bond is proposed to the woman by the man, with the presentation of two gold rings. The ceremony is conducted by a cleric of Garl Glittergold, and the rings are connected at a juncture; they are still two rings but are connected and bonded now so they cannot be undone. Gnomes in a bonding wear ornate bracelets with matching gemstones. These ceremonies usually spark weeks of revelry. It is bad luck for a gnome to prank a Bonded gnome for a year after their Bonding.

Calendar and Time
Gnomes believe time is cyclical and infinite, so calendars are largely arbitrary. They do not have a traditional measure of time, though they still kind of stick to the traditional Pantheonic calendar when dealing with other races.

Gnomes do have a fascination with time, however; they are esteemed and renowned clockmakers, having invented the pocket watch and a variety of timekeeping methods that have begun to revolutionize trade.

Language
Zipplish is the language spoken by gnomes. Zipplish is a member of the Terran family of languages and is considered a distant cousin of Khazad. Characteristics of Zipplish are vowel harmony and an aggluntinative morphology. Owing to extensive use of the latter, Zipplish words can be quite long.

The main stress is always on the first syllable. There are eight vowels, whose lexical and grammatical role is highly important, and which are unusually strictly controlled, so that there is almost no allophony. The usual analysis is that Zipplish has long and short vowels and consonants as distinct phonemes. However, long vowels may be analyzed as a vowel followed by a chroneme or also, that sequences of identical vowels are pronounced as "diphthongs".

Zipplish words often have a great deal of consonants, and borrows many words from other Terran tongues, especially Khazad. Zipplish does not have a written form, but instead uses Khazad runes. It is not written in the same fashion as Khazad, however, and instead is written out in the fashion of the common tongue. Thus, punctuation has been added that is identical to those found in Common.

Government
Gnome government is, as might be expected, a complicated affair. Since gnomes prize novelty--and few gnomes enjoy being tied down by too many responsibilities--they often make unusual choices when deciding who is to lead.

Rather than choosing the strongest or smartest as leaders or having hereditary leaders like most humans, gnomes may choose the best craftsman, the gnome with the best sense of humor, the cleverest pranksters, or whoever catches the scepter when the current leader tires of his reign. While other races may scoff, gnomes often point out that over the course of history, their methods of selecting leaders has not only worked for them but nobody's been killed over it.

Settlements are usually led by a council called a Circle of Talky Folk (the actual name), which can consist of anywhere between three or four members, to numbering in the dozens. This depends on the size of the community and the interest those in the community have in governing. Members of a Circle of Talky Folk are called Blue Boys, due to their hats. The Big Hat is the leader of a Circle, who unsurprisingly wears a large yellow hat.

The Big Hat does not have a more important voice than other gnomes, but they do conduct meetings and serve as the tie-breaking vote in the event of a tie. The Big Hat is also an overseer, making sure things are running smoothly, they serve as judges in any trials, mediators in most arguments between citizens, greeters to non-gnome dignitaries and the one who makes hard decisions when nobody else can or wants to.

The Big Hat keeps the title as long as they and the community want them to. When he’s done being Big Hat, all he has to do is take off his yellow hat and place it on someone else’s head. That gnome is the Interim Chief of Hat Placing and is in charge of conducting the search for the new Big Hat. The methods of selection differ greatly between communities and individuals.

The Gnomes at War
In principle, the gnome military machine is similar to those of other nations and races; they exist in small volunteer armies that focus on maneuverability and adaptability. What differentiates the gnomes is not their equipment or doctrine, but their intelligence services and rules of engagement. The gnomes believe that a war should be won before it begins.

The unquestioned superiority of their intelligence services allows them to use their small military to maximum effectiveness. Well before fighting breaks out, the gnomes possess complete knowledge of their enemy’s positions, intentions and tiemtables. Their powerful intelligence network is spearheaded in the field by the Very Special Persons (VIP), who are responsible for monitoring developing situations and taking necessary actions, usually without the shackles of traditional laws and procedures. This may be as simple as scouting or espionage, or as complex as ensuring as ensuring a conveniently unstable political situation stays that way. The effectiveness of the VIP during the Kobold Infestation of Terminor several centuries before proved exactly what the gnomes are capable of.

In every war the gnomes have ever fought, they struck first and without warning. For the gnomes, to know an enemy plans to attack and let it happen is folly; to announce one’s own plan to attack is insanity. They find the moral concept of “do not attack unless attacked” that other races hold incredibly naïve. In defensive wars, they execute devastating preemptive strikes hours before the enemy’s own attacks. On the offense, they have never issued an official declaration before attacking.

While capable of defending themselves against most threats, the gnomes are aware they are small fish in a big ocean that is filled with sharks. As a point of survival, gnomes tend to make friends and ally themselves with larger folk, particularly the dwarves.

Religion
The gnomes were once a spiritual people who venerated the deity Garl Glittergold, also known as the Prankster or the Lord of Fools. He was, and in some ways still is, considered the father of the gnome race. While worship of Garl still occurs in many gnome communities, and almost all communities have a Gazebo dedicated to Garl where important functions (such as marriages) are still held, the gnomes as a people have started to expand their viewpoints and most have taken up a philosophy of cheerful agnosticism.

Gnome Philosophy
While not a true religion, Gnome Philosophy is a way of life that the majority of Gnomes adhere to. They do not believe that gods or goddesses truly exist as most think of them. They think that the personification of concepts is something most mortals need to do in order to make the concept of greater powers beyond one’s self make sense. But there's too many logical inconsistencies inherent in traditional religious thought for Gnomes to accept.

To them, divine magic comes from all living things. Magic is magic, and calling it arcane or divine is simplifying it; it's all too big and too complicated for mortals to comprehend—and that's okay. There's some things we're not supposed to understand yet. So instead of trying to make sense of the unexplainable, they just go with the flow and focus on improving themselves; their bodies, their minds and even their spirit through the use of meditation and communing with nature.

Gnome Philosophy makes great use of Astrology; the gnomes believe there is power in the stars.

Death and Dying
Gnomes age slowly, reaching physical maturity at about forty years old and remaining roughly the same for about a century. Even at middle age, when their physical faculties begin to dim, they dim only slightly and hardly noticeably to others. However, they tend to find their first gray hair at about 150 and from there, things begin to unravel quickly and once the Bleaching starts, the gnome only has a decade left at the most.

When a gnome hits what most races consider young adulthood, the vibrancy of a gnome's hair, skin and eyes dull slightly. This change is natural and happens to every gnome, but it signals an important transformation in a gnome's life: the point at which he is henceforth susceptible to the Bleaching. Though it doesn't necessarily change the gnomes' lifestyle, it does add a certain manic edge to their scholarship and frivolity, and the unsettling, slightly crazed air surrounding many gnomes is due in large part to the pressure of knowing that every day is a step toward the grave.

Gnomes see death as a perfectly natural and unavoidable part of life. This does not mean they do nor mourn; on the contrary, they weep, cry and wail louder and feel the sorrow more deeply than any other race at the loss of a loved one or close companion. But this mourning is tinted with a hint of optimism: the soul has simply moved on to the next phase of life, becoming one with the Astral, nourishing the earth and replenishing reality itself.

Thus, funerals are often short and gnomes rarely cremate bodies. Instead, they bury the body in the earth, naked and uncovered. Oddly, the plant known as Valkovuokko in the Zipplish tongue--or Wind Flower, in common--grows on the burial sites of gnomes. These plants blossom the whole year round, and have gained the nickname "Evermind" by humans.

Myths & Lore
Gnomes love stories. The bawdier, the funnier, the more surprising the better. Even gnomes who are not storytellers or musicians by trade know a handful of stories and every gnome has a deep love of song. Storytelling is an important part of their culture and their tales, poems, songs and jokes that run on too long are too numerous to list here.

But the one story every gnome is taught from the cradle is the story of how they came to be in the world. They are unusual in that the story does not detail their creation or emergence as a race, which is consistent with their view of existence as an infinite thing with no beginning or end. The closest thing they have is the story of the Awakening at the “Beginning of this era”.

The Place of No Consequences
“Not so long ago, we lived in a Place of No Consequence. It was wide and beautiful and covered with trees and mountains, a place where we could do whatever we wanted. We walked both in shadows and in light; we rejoiced in sun and sang with the moon. We lived in the land and of the land--we were a part of it and because we were a part of it, it didn't hurt us. How could it? It was our home.

Our only rule was that we should enjoy ourselves. We drank and danced and played practical jokes and none of the jokes ever hurt anyone--what we now call pain only meant we were the victim of the joke and nothing more. It never stuck with us. What we did was natural. One day that all changed. We had to leave and we came here, to the Second World. We discovered consequence: the world remembers what we do, and sometimes it wishes us ill.

We came from the Place of No Consequence, but we now live in the Land of the Real. Think on the things you do, child, and ask yourself what might happen."

Most children understand this to mean that they should look before they leap. Others glean a deeper meaning: that they are responsible for their actions, and also the actions that others take because of them, the head of a chain of casualty that extends further than they will ever know. How gnomes deal with this understanding is a major factor in determining why some gnomes live by the seat of their pants, others more thoughtful and pensive, and other still are devious masterminds with intricate plots to change the world.

Because of this tale, gnomes call the Material Plane "The Second World". Nobody has any concrete idea what or where the First World—or the Place of No Consequence—is, though some gnomes have dedicated their lives and written extensive volumes detailing the search for it.

Ethnicities
Gnomes do not have ethnicities in the traditional sense. For the most part, these distinctions are mostly geographical in nature, though a couple notable exceptions exist.
 * Chaos Gnomes: Infused with the spirit of chaos, these gnomes are energetic, flamboyant and charismatic. They exude a restless energy and seldom stop to think about their actions, acting out with reckless abandon. Chaos gnomes are even more unpredictable than regular gnomes, often lacking the tendency toward good that most gnomes have. They can change the color of their hair and eyes at will, and can seemingly channel the spirit of chaos itself to benefit them.
 * Dream Gnomes: One day, an entire gnome community just up and vanished, as if it had never been there. Dozens of gnomes disappeared across the face of Athas simultaneously at the same time. When they all returned twenty-five years later, the gnomes were different. They were more creatures of spirit now than flesh. Wise and cautious, they understand the world and the universe in a way that is completely alien to those around them. Dream gnomes share a collective subconscious with each other and the world around them, a phenomenon they call “The Waking Dream”. They do not sleep; they meditate and float a foot or so off the ground. They also sometimes float when awake, for no particular reason.
 * Forest Gnomes: The name given to gnomes who have settled in elven communities, most notably Sans Retouir and the city of Greenleaf in Sindarduin, where the gnomes are allowed to dwell as beloved guests. They tend to be more fond of magic and arcane studies than engineering.
 * Svirfeneblin: The sadistic, bloodthirsty, cannibalistic gnomes who dwell in the Underdark. Legend has it that as the gnomes awoke on the surface with the elves, the svirfeneblin awoke in the Underdark with the drow.
 * Rock Gnomes: The name given to the gnomes who live in cities across central and southern Athas, as well as the gnomes who dwell in Hardby. These gnomes tend to prefer engineering and tinkering. They are the most common type of gnome, by far, that one encounters throughout Athas.
 * Whisper Gnome: While they outwardly resemble other gnomes, they lack their jovial nature and easy outlook on life. Instead, they are grim, melancholy creatures of stealth and suspicion. In profession and behavior, they range from dangerous spies to peaceful recluses. Whisper gnomes are less of an ethnicity and more of an anomaly that is born to otherwise regular gnomes. They are quiet, suspicious sorts who are masters of stealth, almost supernaturally so. Most gnomes claim the whisper gnomes were “tragically born without a sense of humor”. Other gnomes refer to them as “Bummers” and “Edge Lords”.

New Game Stats
Chaos Gnomes Dream Gnomes Forest & Rock Gnomes Whisper Gnomes
 * +2 CHA, -2 STR; Chaos Gnomes are known for being especially personable and are generally able to get others to go along with stuff, though they aren't as hardy as their kin.
 * Small size
 * Low-Light Vision
 * Defensive Training: +4 dodge bonus to Ac vs. creatures of the [Giant] subtype.
 * Magic Resistance: +2 racial saving throw bonus against Enchantment spells and effects. Additionally, they are immune to Confusion effects.
 * Keen Senses: +2 Perception.
 * Obsessive: +2 to a Craft or Profession skill of your choice.
 * Luck of Chaos (Ex): Once per day, a chaos gnome can reroll one roll that she has just made before the DM declares whether the roll was a success or failure. The chaos gnome must take the new result, even if it's worse.
 * Chaos Gnome Magic: A chaos gnome can cast Daze, Prestidigitation and Flare once per day as a spell-like ability. Additionally, their effective caster level is increased by +1 when using a spell with the Chaotic descriptor.
 * +2 CON, -2 DEX; Dream Gnomes are as tough as other gnomes, but they are a bit clumsy and slow to react.
 * Small size
 * Keen Senses: +2 Perception.
 * Knowing: +2 to Knowledge (The Planes) checks.
 * Dream Sight: A dream gnome can see ethereal creatures as easily as they can see material ones.
 * Dream Gnome Magic: 1/day -- Detect Magic. In addition, gain a +1 bonus to DCs of spells of the divination school and any Sleep effect they cast. In addition, dream gnomes with Charisma scores of 15 or higher may use Dream once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level is equal to the dream gnome's character level).
 * +2 CON, -2 STR
 * Small size
 * Low-Light Vision
 * Defensive Training: +4 dodge bonus to Ac vs. creatures of the [Giant] subtype.
 * Illusion Resistance: +2 racial saving throw bonus against Illusion spells and effects.
 * Keen Senses: +2 Perception.
 * Obsessive: +2 to a Craft or Profession skill of your choice.
 * Gnome Magic: 1/day - Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound, Prestidigitation and Speak with Animals. Their illusion spells have a +1 bonus to the save DC.
 * Hatred: +1 on attack rolls vs. creatures of the reptilian and goblinoid subtype.
 * Weapon Familiarity: Gnomes treat any weapon with the word "gnome" in its name as a martial weapon.
 * +2 DEX, -2 CHA; Whisper Gnomes are not as personable or hardy as other gnomes, but they are more agile and flexible.
 * Small size, but with a base landspeed of 30 ft.
 * Low-Light Vision
 * Shadow Dodger: +4 dodge bonus to AC vs. Incorporeal & partially real creatures.
 * Keen Senses: +2 Perception.
 * Inquisitive: +2 to Disable Device & Escape Artists.
 * Gnome Magic: 1/day - Ghost Sound, Silence (centered only on themself). Their illusion spells have a +1 bonus to the save DC.
 * Hatred: +1 on attack rolls vs. creatures of the reptilian and goblinoid subtype.
 * Knack with Poison: +2 racial bonus to Fortitude saves vs. Poison, and a +2 bonus on Craft (Alchemy) checks to make poison. This bonus increases to +4 if they accidentally poison themselves.