Welkinhold (Serraine)
by Marc SaindonA counterpoint to Serraine, this time the Gnomes evolved into a grim culture of militaristic Artificer sky pirates. They exact tributes on lands over which their grim flying fortress hovers, sometimes using advanced weaponry to make examples, or just for callous testing. Unstoppable, their main issue is demographics, as they lack the numbers to enforce a lasting occupation over any country on the long term.
Lore-wise, they are Falun Gnomes who went to a (more sociable) Modriswerg for help in their study of the Blackmoor engine, as well as to find means to fight against the Kobold invasion. While they could not push back the Kobolds, the Rot Dwarf and the Gnomes did devise a plan to partially circumvent the Immortals' curse binding the mad one to his mountain lair by creating the flying city of Welkinhold by severing a huge part of the summit with a mix of Elemental magic and retro-engineering. In the years that followed, more weapons were developped, and Welkinhold became a mighty fortress. Despite technological achievement, the Gnomes following the Rot Dwarf's leadership slowly grew tainted with callousness.
(Image from: https://www.deviantart.com/brolo/art/Gnomo-chaman-tecnomante-310693915)