Gnomes of Mystara
by RobinI have this Gnomish Timeline I believe combined from various sources. and some other excerpts about Gnomes.
3000 BC: The Great Rain of Fire hits Mystara and the planet shifts on its axis, causing the poles to cover new previously inhabited areas. Earthquakes, storms and volcanic eruptions abound everywhere.
2900 BC: Seeing that his own race, the dwarves, are in great danger and have little chances of surviving, the Immortal Garal creates a stock of gnomes (much like Kagyar will do with dwarves) and places them in Brun (Rockhome and Northern Reaches area). These gnomes prove to be more tinkering and more versed in fantasy physics than the dwarves.
2500 BC: Gnomes living in the Rockhome area start exploring the neighboring sites. Some of them move permanently in the Northern Reaches when the ice sheet recedes, establishing both seaside aboveground and underground complexes (the Falun Caverns) where they live. Others migrate at the foothills of the Cruth Mountains and settle south west of Rockhome territory (in what will be later called Darokin). Among these are the gnomes who will found the city of Serraine. Other Gnomes studied Fairy magic and become Shargugh.
Gnomes keep contacts with the dwarves living in the Northern Reaches area.
2000 BC: Antalians move south to nowadays Vestland. The gnomes keep away from the humans.
1800 BC: The remnants of the old dwarven race are replaced by Kagyar with the modern dwarves. Some of them are placed in Rockhome, where they will eventually found their kingdom in BC 1400. One Clan inhabit the mountains of Vestland and Soderfjord, and call themselves "Modrigswerg". They have not yet been tainted by the Dark Elves by this time.
1500 BC: To the south, the Nithian culture begins its climb to greatness. Pflarr creates the Hutaakan and puts them in the southern Altan Tepes mountains.
1100 BC: The Nithian Empire expands in all directions. Colonies are settled in islands nowadays known as the Isle of Dawn, Minrothad and Ierendi. On the land the Nithians push south into nowadays Thyatis and north into the Northern Reaches. First contact is made with the dwarves and gnomes.
1060-1050 BC: Antalians and dwarves with bronze technology fall before the Nithians with their iron and magic. Humans are enslaved, while dwarves get killed for resisting. Half the gnomes of the Falun clan are taken to the dungeons of Nithia for arcane magical experiments. The other half manage to avoid capture by retreating deep into their cavern complex and devising new traps to hinder the Nithian conquerors. First Gnomish Exodus: Gnomes flee to avoid the Nithian persecution and their gruesome experiments. Many flee where the Nithians haven't gone yet, that's to say Davania, and the more southwards the better. They avoid landing on the Jungle Coast (Nithian colonies there—at its peak the Nithian Empire stretched from the Isle of Dawn to the Savage Coast and from Norwold to the Jungle Coast) and sail until they arrive in the Vulture's peninsula—the Empire of Varellya at that time. They are however mistaken for Halflings or Halfling-kin and after the first squabbles erupt, the gnomes move inland and resettle south of the Aryptian desert in a secluded valley.
Once pushed away by the Varellyan, these gnomes adapted or fled. A few of them popped up in the Lost Valley and began to brood and to seek revenge against the humans. There is now one gnomish kingdom in the Lost Valley region founded by these fleeing gnomes, who dream one day of returning and freeing their brethren. They have no idea the Nithian Empire collapsed millennia ago, and still think there are enslaved gnomes in the northern continent. All their life has been devoted to build the ultimate weapon to defeat their enemies and once they are sure of their victory, they will head north once again.
They are now a very dark folk, obsessed with the past and their flight (a sense of guilt is also haunting them and they want to atone by killing their old enemies—similar to Elven Feadiel clan) and bent over a personal vendetta. As for the object of this revenge, it was primarily the old oppressors (Nithians), but as the years have passed and the experiences with the humans have taught them, the entire human race is to be blamed for their suffering (they may have got clues about the humans' involvement in the Great Rain of Fire as well). First Nithians, then Varellyans and now the human race (at least until a human culture proves its valor and trustworthiness, something which has not yet happened - after all, after thousand years passed in a segregated valley, there haven't been so many opportunities to meet new people).
1050 BC: Evil Nithian necromancers research a way of creating a servitor race resembling the Hutaakans by reincarnating gnomes using the blood of trolls. The entire Northern Reaches have been conquered in the attempt to get more specimens. After a few years the first hundred gnomes and a few Trolls (The whole Dark Moon Tribe) are turned into thousands of Gnolls. It was mainly due to the Trolls regeneration in the blood merged with small Gnome parts that thus regrew a mixed body; the Gnoll.
1000 BC: The Nithian experiment goes bad as the Gnolls are not submissive as the Nithians predicted. They are strong, barbaric and they bred at a frightening rate. Thousands Gnolls break free from their masters and invade the Traldar lands. In Nithia, the remaining gnomes are put to slavery working in the pyramids.
800 BC: The Nithian colony of Thothia experiences a heavy drought. Assistance is needed from the mainland but the Nithian galleys are too slow to bring grain in time.
795 BC: Empress (Pharaoh) Shadla "the Learned" discovers the gnomish slaves skill with technology, and constructions She promises the gnomes partial freedom if they manage to design advanced vessels that do not require rower slaves (at that point in history oceanic vessels were yet to be invented). By BC 1,000 the Nithians had colonies on the Isle of Dawn, Ierendi and Minrothad, and this could have been achieved even without seagoing vessels (the Phoenicians were master sailors but didn't have oceanic vessels). However, by BC 700 the Nithians were already in the Savage Coast, so even if the Nithians hadn't ocean-going vessels by BC 795, they certainly invented them by the middle of the eighth century. The gnomes' knowledge was indeed used to produce fine sea-going vessels that helped the Nithians become master sailors as well.
773 BC: The gnomes finish building a huge ship shaped as a wood and metal whale. They name it "Leviathan". Pharaoh Shadla is skeptic about putting humans in the ship and is also afraid of losing grain. She orders that the gnomes be put into the leviathan to operate it and to simulate the weight of grain. The Leviathan is set on a test sail accompanied by Nithian war galleys to prevent escape.
Once deep at sea the Leviathan suddenly begins to sink in the water. The Nithian captains try to rescue the ship but without success. The truth is that, using their technological knowledge, the gnomes created a submersible ship powered by water elementals and used it to escape slavery.
772 BC: In a fit of rage, Shadla orders the death of hundred gnomes in Nithia. Then she issues a proclamation promising to spare all those gnomes who would have helped the Nithians building sea-going vessels. Many gnomes begin to collaborate with Pharaoh Shadla to save their lives. Those who refuse are put to death. Ranivorous contacts Shadla and she is slowly corrupted by his false promises of greatness. The entropic corruption of Nithia begins.
771 BC: The Leviathan settles on the floor of the Alphatian Sea. Gnomes contact the local sea races and with their help start building an underwater city where to live. This is the city Aquas.
750 BC: After learning all she wanted from the gnomes, Pharaoh Shadla (inspired by Ranivorus) orders all the gnomes living in Nithia to be sacrificed to the gods in order to protect the first great Nithian sea expedition to the west. In fact, her real fear is that gnomes could reveal others the secrets of their skills and Shadla wants to prevent this from occurring.
730 BC: The gnomes finish the construction of the city of Aquas, an impressive submersed city powered by gnomish technology mainly. With the help of the local merfolk, they begin to explore the Alphatian Sea.
700 BC: Thanatos, Immortal of the Sphere of Entropy, helped by the Immortal Ranivorus, completes the corruption of the pharaoh of the Nithians. The pharaoh turns the Nithian Empire toward worship of Entropy. The Nithian colonists in Thothia turn away from the Entropic faith of their homeland and increasingly turn to a new form of mysticism. Nithians arrive on the Savage Coast. They interbreed somewhat with Oltecs.
500 BC: The Nithian Empire, having incurred Immortal dislike, abruptly ends. The Immortals alter the climate, divert the headwaters of the River Nithia, promote social unrest, deny magical powers to their clerics, and take other actions which cause the Empire to collapse catastrophically. The Immortals use magic to ensure that almost all trace of the Empire is wiped from the face of the Known World. The colonies are systematically destroyed—except for Thothia, which has already turned away from the Entropic faith which led to the destruction of Nithia.
492 BC: At the battle of Sardal Pass, the humanoids are routed, the Orcs utterly massacred. Ubdala dies. Hordes routed south and west, crowding Cruth mountains and Altan Tepes. Gnomes kicked out of their former position in the south and west of Rockhome, where the humanoids spread.
490 BC: Kobold clans are driven into the uplands of the Northern Reaches from the west. They overrun and exterminate the surviving gnomes living in the Falun Caverns, and occupy their subterranean kingdoms. The Immortals transport the Valoin Gnomes to a Floating Continent in the Hollow World.
The Battle of the Falun Caverns
495-490 BC: Second Gnomish Exodus. Many gnomes flee the Goblinoid invasions that are rocking the Known World going in two directions: southwards (Davania) and westwards (Hule and the Savage Coast). Many run westwards, where they establish their colonies (the ancestors of the Hulean and Savage Coast gnomes). A few clans build ships and take for Davania instead, settling for a brief period in the Milenian lands. Some flee deep into the ground, evolving later into the Deep Gnomes.To most surface dwellers the gnomes of this race are mysterious denizens of the Underworld about whom little is known. Those who judge by appearance see them as stunted and gnarled creatures and believe them to be the surface Gnomes' evil counterparts, the Gnomish equivalent to the Shadow Elves. In truth, they aren’t evil; their sinister reputation is merely the result of ignorance. The Deep Gnomes are the most reticent of all the Gnomish Subraces, surviving in an extremely hostile environment entirely by their own wiles. These Gnomes have become thus in the second Gnomish exodus, where a group of Falun Cavern Gnomes fled deep into the ground to escape imminent death by the Kobolds. These were members of the Svirnebli Clan.
440 BC: The gnomes living in Davania hear of some strange short fellows, not Halflings for sure, dwelling south near the Varellyan Empire. They take interest in these rumors and think they could be descendants of the Lost Clans, who according to the legends sailed southwards many centuries before. One third of them moves south to uncover the truth, while the others stay in northern Davania. Contacts with the explorers are lost within the year.
These gnomes actually stumbled upon a very interesting site during their trek and stopped there. In this secluded valley not far from the Diamond Ring, they found a very precious mineral (Mystara's version of adamantium) and started mining it out. However, they were soon attacked by great metallic beings who seemed to patrol the area and were forced to flee.
The truth is that there are some Mek Masters buried under this specific location in the Vulcanian range. The meks who patrol the area saw the gnomes' excavations as assaults to their masters and their duty was to blast them.
400 BC But the Davanian gnomes were not discouraged by the first losses and tried to regain their mine during the last four decades. After the first disastrous battles the gnomes devised a countermeasure to fight off the meks: earthshakers. Originally they rebuilt three former Blackmoor samples and used them against the meks. However, these proved extremely bulky, difficult to control and took too much time to build. So they went with a new design, trying to scale things down.
300 BC: During the exploration of the Sea of Dread, the Gnomes of Aquas discover the Twaelar civilization in the southern area near Thanegioth. After hearing of the misdeeds and corruption of the surface dwellers from the gnomes, the Twaelars vow to mistrust them and to stay away from them as much as possible. This is just one of the causes of the Twaelars' isolation policy which still applies in the present.
251 BC: A legendary gnome craftsman named Glimreen Gemeye discovers a jet engine artifact of the destroyed Blackmoor civilization near Serraine.
150 BC+ Gnomes start building the flying city. Nagpa and Tabi soon joins the gnomes.
91 BC: Sphinxes join the group working on the flying city.
14 BC: The outer shell of Serraine is completed.
0 AC: Highforge Gnomes settle in Traldar territories.
9 AC: Gnomes contact Faenare to join the group that is building Serraine.
16 AC: Building of the Great Library of Serraine started.
39 AC: On Ambyrmont 1st the Flying City of Serraine makes its maiden flight.
91 AC: The Great Library is completed.
200 AC: Gnomes from the flying city of Serraine make contact with the Alphatians. Some of them respond to their invitation and remain in the Alphatian continent to establish a colony of gnomes in Stoutfellow.
400 AC + The amazing Gnomish city of Torkyn Fall is destroyed by Dragons.
5th century AC: On Serraine the whole Flaemeker clan is hurled into the Void by an experiment went awry. The immortals transport the clan on a Floating Continent in the HW
778 AC: The flying islands of Valoin and Flaemeker collide giving birth to the new flying continent of Oostdok.
978 AC: Heldannic Knights invade Oostdok.
1009 AC + With the week of No magic (1009 AC) Serraine had to land (on a small island of Minrothad), as its ways of keeping aloft was mainly due to the levitation magic on it. The next year, it almost had to land anew, but the sinking was so slow, as the gnomes found a way of strengthening the anti-gravity generators, just a few feet from the ground. The next year they further improved these generators, keeping Serraine aloft indefinitely. However, as the anti-gravity generators are fueled by a special generator (originally the shield-modulator), and the main generator, was fed by magic poured into it by local magic-users, Serraine would not be able to move. It would remain locked on the spot, when the day of dread no magic) would affect it. The same would affect the smaller vessels in the same way, they would not be able to propel forward, but could glide (crash-land) down in reasonably safe conditions.
1010 AC: With the help of Alphatia the Gnomes on Oostdok free themselves from the Heldannic Knights.
1011 BC: After Alphatia's sinking and the Behemoth's awakening, numerous problems arise for the gnomes and other inhabitants of Aquas in the Alphatian Sea, including attacks from sea-beholders and new merfolk immigrants.
1016 AC: With the Thyatians passing more and more frequently in their seas, the Twaelar fear they will be soon discovered and enslaved, and thus have declare war on the terrestrian, helped by the gnomes of Aquas living with them.
Serraine the Flying City
History
3002 BC. The Great Blackmoor spaceship “Uther’s Name” was finished. Its goal to retrace the path of the FSS Beagle and make civilized contact with that race, to further increase technological knowledge. After 15 years construction, copying master plans of the FSS Beagle (stolen earlier before its disappearance) it was ready for its maiden flight.
Political decisions delayed the flight however for 18 months.
The vessel took off slowly taking the sky, loaded with several smaller air Vessels (MK 1 to 8) and two sets of each 6 Shuttles, it passed over the continent of later-to-be Alphatia, moving over the North Pole (where the Skyshield is thinner) ready to break the Skyshield and enter space, when suddenly a great explosion swept over Mystara. Unknown that this was the Great Rain of Fire, the captain tried to save the vessel, and decided to try to land in the Blackmoor colony on the continent of Brun. He ejected the nuclear rocket system above the area later to become Broken Lands, and crash-landed somewhere on the edge of the Mountainous icecap. Hundreds of people died instantly as the vessel went down on the frozen mountains of future Rockhome, the rest died within 2 weeks due to the cold, deprivation, radiation, monsters or by their wounds. There were no survivors. The vessel sunk in the ice due its heat and was soon covered with a thick layer of snow and ice, remaining hidden for ages.
The nuclear rocket system was later triggered by the explosion of the discovered underground RCC machinery by elves in 1700 BC and the combined blast devastated the whole region. The vessel itself was the last remaining Blackmoor piece of technology still partially intact.
When the ice disappeared as the polar cap changed its location due to the shifting of the axis of Mystara, the machine sunk further, into the muddy ground of the valley where it crashed. Broken is thousands of smaller parts, the smaller vessels lying damaged next to or into it. Its overall structure crushed under the impact of the centuries of ice, corrosion, time and the initial crash. No-one could ascertain whatever it was and what it purpose had been, until…
Around 2900 BC, the immortal Garal Glitterlode created the Gnomes from a few Dwarves. Garal (himself an early Dwarf) created only a few of this new race, fearing that other immortals might become concerned if another populous race should appear on a young world. Still, the gnomes began to spread slowly through Rockhome and the Northern Reaches, with some of the most intrepid heading through what is now Darokin, Alfheim and Northern Karameikos.
Garal gave his creations a more quirky sense of Humor than the dwarves possessed and an impractical curiosity. These traits reached a Zenith, of sorts, in the legendary gnomish artisan Glimreen Gemeye.
In 251 BC, Glimreen stumbled upon the last relic of Blackmoor technology, the "Uther’s Name" (only a few letters were readable. From the fist part “Uther’s” only the “s” remained, the “n” was broken up appearing as “rr”, the ”a” was whole, the “m”was broken up appearing as an “I” and an “n”, the ”e”was also readable, to a total of “s rraine", by the gnomes doubted as “Serraine”) hidden in the mountains of Rockhome, scattered by the cataclysm of 3000 BC.
The wreckage was immense and spread over a large area, although the main part could still be recognized as a type of vessel. No organic remains of any kind were found, nor any magic, or working technology. All seemed broken, shredded, rusted or even worse. His clan soon began meddling, experimenting, altering and repairing. The relic was a technological-magical device which Glimreen understood as a jet-drive unit of giant proportions. It combined a thrust-driving principle with artificially reversed gravity (these are not Glimreen’s terms, though). The machine was never located before, as being lying in a secreted hidden valley West of Ylaruam, North-East Of later to be Selenica, far from any civilization, covered by snow and ice the first centuries and later by rust and growth.
Glimreen and his people at once had a vision of what they might achieve. With the dwarves claiming Rockhome as their own. Alfheim elves jealous of their land, and the beginnings of a conflict between the Traldar and the Hutaaka brewing in the south, the gnomes saw a wonderful chance for escape. Craftsmen began planning, designing, and building tiny models.
The vessel was officially named Serraine after the vague symbols found on its outer side. Around a century later (approximately 145 BC), the immense scaffolds and instruments needed to begin work on the flying city had been assembled in the valley well-hidden by illusions and traps. Not too long after, however, the gnomes were found and approached by a human sage (who saw the in an Ylari village Market bickering about steel needed for screws and bolts, while handling a strange metal device.). The sage recognized the material, and offered information about Blackmoor, and magical skills which could aid the gnomes, and a source of dexterous and intelligent help. The gnomes reacted favorable, so Retch foot the Nagpa dropped his polymorphed disguise (Retch foot wanted to be judged by what he had to offer, not his appearance. Though uncertain, the gnomes allowed the Nagpa a trial period. His help proved most useful and soon a group of refugee Nagpa and Tabi arrived to help out.
The next visitors, around 91 BC, were a pair of Sphinxes from the Lands of Tel Al Kefir. As collectors of Blackmoorian memorabilia, they had traced the gnomes’ relics by magical scrying the Nagpa were also important. With their scholarly outlook and resources, they were intrigued and befriended the sphinxes. The Sphinxes offered magical skills as assistance, and from their knowledge of Blackmoor assisted the Gnomes in the proper use of the relics. This reduced the crash rates for prototypes by 72% in a decade. The shell of the city, around the half its present size, was completed in 14 BC. The jets were reinstalled, but delicate levitation tests showed serious gaps between theory and application. A series of twiddles and tweaks did nothing to solve the difficulties (they could not find out that the engine was a nuclear reactor nor how to repair, or even fuel it). Finally, in AC 9, a formal approach was made to a clan of refugee Faenare who sought sanctuary from a powerful enemy. Protection was offered in return for the help of a windsinger who used his skills to summon air elementals, which had previously been too unpredictable and dangerous. The Faenare took years to decide, but finally agreed. Soon, a smooth passage of air and through the ducts was achieved.
The superstructure quickly developed as Levitation tests were carried out successfully. The Great Library was started at this time 16 AC)—a work which was to take over 75 years to complete.
The defense of the flying city now became an urgent matter. The gnomes and their co-workers realized that many creatures might desire their city, and a stern defense would be necessary. First, Pegataur mercenaries were hired, the ancestors of the Pegataurs who now dwell in the city. An ingenious Arch-mage was hired to build a special weapon batteries on the leading edge of the city. His genius was stilled forever by a secretive group of Nagpa who feared that he would speak of what he had seen. Even today, the guns bear the mage’s name–Ack-ack. Since gnomes deemed flying mounts unreliable, work was begun on the other flying machines found, in an attempt to drive enemies away at a distance—giving birth to the Top Ballista Flying Academy. Many vessels were repaired, others copied from understood mechanics, and the space vessels were however damaged beyond repair except one example, which until today is still not understood.
An interrupted chase brought a pair of astronomers and a scream of Harpies to bolster the city’s defenses. The mages became aerial spellcaster and the harpies used their Charm touch to keep monsters away at a distance. Protected by a Gnome-Wicca invisibility and such spells as Bless, Haste and the like, they became a formidable defense unit.
At last, a small step for a gnome but a massive leap for gnome kind…the flying city rose from the ground on 1 Ambyrmont, 39AC, on a test Levitation lasting 10 minutes and a short flight of a few hundred yards. The following day, Serraine rose majestically into the heavens, a bearing of south-south-east was determined in the Air Control Tower, and some 1100 highly excited, semi-delirious gnomes took off with their motley collection of fellow travelers. What the Gnomes never knew, is that they repaired only the lower part of the vessel and only a few upper parts, like the cockpit. But this never disturbed them, as they never knew how the layout was of the upper parts. The two thrust engines, they even placed within the vessel, instead, as it was, outside, on side arms.
In the intervening years, the Flying City has travelled all over the Know World. At first, it was necessary to land at fairly frequent intervals to take on food and water, but after a time the cloud clippers were built to deal with such problems and the city remained permanently airborne extensions were built in flight and the population grew slightly. Somewhere along the way gremlins and other pests snuck on boars, including the occasional stowaway in a cloud clipper.
In the 5th century AC, the Flaemeker Clan developed new technologies (in fact they discovered the true purpose of the jet thrust engines of Serraine) to power and maneuver the city of Serraine. The testing of their device tore away the section (the additions and repairs were not strong enough to harbor and channel the strength created by fully activating the engine) that included the Flaemeker households and sent it on a fatal flight up through the Skyshield and into the void of space (the engine they used—one of 8—broke away through the weaker gnomish constructions). The immortal Garal Glitterlode set them on a floating island in the Hollow World to save them, but removed the memories of Serraine.
Future developments on Serraine
About 1014 AC The principles of the Delta Flyer are understood. The following years short trips outside the Skyshield are made.
About 1015 AC The Helldanic Knights discover the Mindflayers, frozen in bubbles of solid time on remains of meteors in space and even on Mystara. Unwittingly they release a great danger.
About 1018AC The use of the Teleporter are understood, greatly enhancing surface / Serraine transport, special crystals (magic and Anti-magic together are used as fuel...each gram combined equal 10.000 HD of spells. The Serraine Teleporters have a maximum range of 100 miles must be controlled by one person remaining on board, and can transport 8 units of 3000 cn (300 LBS) at the same time to the same desitnation and back. Teleports as normal Spell, but without ending in solid matter chance, by teleporting too low. (Too high is still possible though).
About 1019 AC The Delta Flyer first discovers the invisible moon of Myoshima, and makes friendly contact with the Rakasta living there (both are vivid opponents of Heldannic Knights).
About 1019 AC The discovery of the Hollow World is made, but after contacting Garal Glitterlode their immortal, he explained them the area is taboo to them, and explained it is a reserve of very dangerous and extinct species, not to be meant to be disturbed by their presence. The Gnomes understand and obey.
About 1020 AC The principles of the onboard food replicators are understood, though only a few remain, garbage can now be transformed into food or drink.
About 1022 AC The 4th planet is visited, revealing only a vast desert.
About 1025 AC The Invisibility spell is used on the delta flyer, to spy on the space travelling Helldannic Knights.
About 1027 AC The discovery that the 5th planet, long ago exploded, was once a haven of strange life is made. The strange assumption (though correct) is made that the Gray Ooze originates from this destroyed planet, and probably other species survived it to come to Mystara (how this is done is unknown). The Gnomes discover soon that these creatures also included the Mindflayers, who their cousins the Deep Gnomes already have encountered,
Gnome species
Deep Gnome/ Svirnebli (Homus minor Terreanus )
Sky Gnome (Homus minor Aviens)
Common Gnome (Homus minor Technicus)
Shargugh-Forest Gnome (Homus minor Sylvestris)
Gremlin (Homus minor Gremlinus)
Shargugh (pronounced SHAR-guh) are small hairy humanoids. The smallest of all the gnomes, they average 2 to 3 feet in height.
Their long, chronically matted and tangled hair is usually walnut brown, although some rare individuals have dark-green locks. In addition, males have long, unkempt beards. Shargugh complexions tend to be dark and ruddy with bark-colored, gray-green skin, dark hair.
Their features coarse but oddly handsome, their eyes amber, deep green, blue, or brown.
Shargugh wear ragged brown or green clothing made from woven leaves, grass, and scraps of fur and old cloth. They rarely if ever wear shoes.
Adults of either sex weigh between 30 and 40 pounds.
Shy and elusive, the forest gnomes live deep in forests and shun contact with other races except in times of dire emergencies threatening their beloved woods.
A very long-lived people, they have an average life expectancy of 500 years.Languages
Most forest gnomes can speak gnome, Fairy, Treant, and the secret tongue of druids; about 35% also speak Common. They also speak a simple language that enables them to communicate on a very basic level with forest mammals.
Combat:
A Shargugh can deliver a nasty bite, but 50% of all groups arm themselves with daggers or short swords. At least one member of an armed group will have a silver weapon.
All Shargugh are expert stone throwers; each typically carries 1d4+1 stones and can hurl one per round (with a range of 20’ / 40’ / 60’). These stones inflict 1d4 points of damage; a Shargugh gains a +3 bonus to attack rolls when hurling them.
They are sometimes armed with silver daggers. Forest gnomes prefer booby traps and missile weapons to melee weapons when dealing with enemies. Due to size and quickness they receive a -4 bonus to Armor Class whenever they are fighting larger than human sized creatures. Forest gnomes receive a +1 bonus to all attack and damage rolls when fighting orcs, lizardmen, troglodytes, or any other creature which they have seen damage their forest.Thievery
Shargugh are mischievous and are likely to steal valuable objects from any creature encountering them. They are able to pick pockets with an 85% chance of success and move silently 85% of the time.
To dissuade Shargugh from stealing, woodland folk often leave offerings of food and drink far the creatures. In return for this, Shargugh have been known to carry out small but useful tasks.Abilities
Shargugh are well adapted to their woodland homes and can pass through brambles and undergrowth with ease, just as druids can. All forest gnomes have the innate ability to Pass without Trace (as the spell). They are also able to hide in woods, with a 90% chance of success. They can climb vines and trees just as a thief climbs walls (75% chance) and can move silently 85% chance.
Five times a day, a Shargugh can use transport via plants, though the maximum distance it can travel is 600 yards. The Shargugh always has a 100% chance of arriving at the location it desires, so long as the location is within the 600-yard range.
They aggressively protect their woodland homes and do not tolerate wanton destruction of forests. They use their ability to hide in and move through undergrowth to avoid hand-to-hand combat with stronger creatures. Their pick pocket and transport via plants abilities enable them to steal weapons and spell components from their foes, then throw stones from a safe distance.Habitat/Society:
Shargugh live singly or in family groups. Families usually number three (two parents and a single offspring). The young Shargugh will be a noncombatant infant 25% of the time and a juvenile or young adult with full adult abilities 75% of the time.
Each family occupying a large, hollowed-out tree. Most of these villages are disguised so well that even an elf or a ranger could walk through one without realizing it.
A young Shargugh never really leaves its parent’s territory. The youngster either remains until its parents die, in which case it inherits their territory, or the youngster and parents move to opposite sides of the parents’ territory. Eventually, the two groups form two entirely new territories with a common border.Forest Connection
Each individual or group has a woodland territory roughly equal in area to a 24-mile-wide wilderness hexagon. Shargugh have symbiotic relationships with their territories. The shargugh’s life force both draws strength from and gives strength to its woodland home. In addition, Shargugh actively care for their territories-pruning the trees, picking the fruit, and fend off external threats.
A Shargugh will never voluntarily leave its territory, and if forced to do so, will sicken and die in 1-2 days unless returned before that time. Any section of woodland whose Shargugh is killed will became cursed and infertile for 7 years. During that time, no new plants or trees will grow. Existing plants and trees will continue to grow, but will not bear any fruit or flowers. A druid who casts a remove curse spell can restore fertility to the land of at least 12th level or a wish can restore fertility to the land before the end of the seven years at any time.
A typical Shargugh lair, by use of its transportation to the other side of the water and rocks confrontation is easily prevented.
Shargugh generally maintain friendly relations with any good or neutral woodland creatures living in their territory and will tolerate evil creatures as well, provided that these creatures do not harm the woods or try to subjugate the Shargugh. Dryads, centaurs, unicorns, and treants usually can count on the Shargugh as allies.
The Shargugh are a tribe of gnomes who delved deep into fairy and nature magic, and became mixed with it. In fact they have become a cross of Gnome and Fairy. This not only explains their magical abilities, but also their mischievous habits.
A Shargugh can live about 250 years, longer than a normal Gnome due to the fairy magic.Ecology:
Forest gnomes are guardians of the woods and friends to the animals that live there. They will often help lost travelers but will strive to remain unseen while doing so.
and yes..according to what I found even Gremlins are part of the Gnome race
Gremlins are 3’ tall humanoids with pasty-green skin, large saucer-shaped eyes and large sideways directed pointed ears.
They have almost no hair, except some on the middle of the skull, cheeks, ears, and mid-chest.
Their skull and shoulders are often splotched by brow to dark-green patches. Their small irregular teeth seem to jut mainly outside their mouth.
They are whimsical and have an evil sense of humor. With an continuous fanatical grinning smile upon their face, they look a bit mean and nasty, while their large round skull—as wide as the body, the ears work like cat whispers to prevent becoming stuck—and small pot-bellied body seems hilarious.
Origin
They were created by an Immortal of Entropy (real name unknown, but a week-long continuous spoken sentence name is known—speaking this name gets oneself turned into a Black Pudding at the end). This Immortal disliked the fusion of Thought and Matter—imagining’ ideas made concrete and real, like Gnomish contraptions, gave him indigestion. But being a youngish Immortal of no great power and more given to sneakiness than direct confrontation, he did the Gnomes a worse turn than if he had turned all their gems into sugar candy. He created the Gremlins (probably by fusing them with already chaotic Fairies like the Imps) to subvert, confuse and irritate the living daylights out of everyone. This happened probably no more than 300 years ago.