I have an idea regarding the nature and status of gnomes on Mystara but I'd really like to hear from some others with thoughts on the subject. The player is more interested in playing a "Mystaran Gnome" rather than just a generic one from the PHB. So far we have found that they are very creative, well versed in 'fantasy physics', and possessed with a 'I have some ideas on how to improve this _____' addiction.
So, I thought we could use this thread to bring together thoughts on one of Mystara's neglected demihumans; fluff preferred, crunch accepted. ;)
(Note: I naturally searched on the Vaults first but even that has little of what I'm looking for.)
There are also the more normal random encounter table, appear in quests alongside dwarves ( ie. in B10 the gnome and dwarf miners ) gnomes.
I assume there is a quite a distinction as one type has a little tinge of crazyness and likes inventions while the other type is the forest and mines type and is more of a traditionnal fantasy staple.
In my campaigns gnomes that live in forest and hills often live as hermits or in small communities often having dealing with dwarves and halflings while the more fantasy physics gnome are the one who deal more with humans and which tend to live in larger human towns. Fantasy physics gnomes also have larger more organized communities like High Forge, Serraine and Oostdock. These gnomes tend to congregate into mugh larger communities unlike their traditional fantasy types.
From the book I know the Sky Gnomes are the one's in Serraine. I tend to call the more traditionnal one Forest and Hill Gnomes depending on where they live. Highforge is kind of a mix between more traditionnal Hill Gnomes and Sky Gnomes.
A point of interest would be, where would those Oostdock gnomes have lived when they weren't in the Hollow World ? Are there still remnants of their civilization around on Mystara ?
(Note: I naturally searched on the Vaults first but even that has little of what I'm looking for.)
Look for "Snarta" and "Earthshaker" for Davanian Gnomes:
http://pandius.com/snart.html
http://pandius.com/earthshk.html
http://pandius.com/souvulc.html
The Flying City of Serraine, home of the Sky Gnomes is fully described in PC2 Top Ballista.
These gnomes stretch the boundaries of fantasy physics to the point that they fly fokker triplanes and other WWI-inspired aircraft.
The history of gnomes in Mystara is quite a tragic story. Never a numerous race, they have failed to keep control of a country or even a region of their own - unlike the other demihuman races. Their outposts and settlements have seen decline like no other race has experienced, to the point where they have actually become extinct in some areas, and assimilated into the general population in others.
Chief among these fallen settlements are the Falun Caverns in the Northern Reaches (GAZ7), and Torkyn Fall in the mountains between Glantri, Wendar and Ethengar (Dragonlord Trilogy). Both these settlements were once major cities of the gnomes, and both held many treasures in the form of strange devices and inventions, artefacts and relics in their underground halls. Falun Caverns fell to the more numerous kobolds, while Torkyn Fall was abandoned due to concentrated dragon attacks.
The only known outposts of gnomes on Mystara in modern times are Highforge in Karameikos (a shared gnome and dwarf settlement; GAZ1), the flying city of Serraine (PC2), and Oostdok in the Hollow World (Princess Ark series and Poor Wizard's Almanacs). But none of these are purely gnomish settlements.
Mystara's gnomes are characterised by a love of practical jokes and trickery, and are renowned for their quirky sense of humour. Like the dwarves, they appreciate fine crafts, especially precious metals and gems, but they are not obsessed with the same greed as their larger cousins. Many gnomes live in underground settlements, which tend to be a little more haphazard than those of the dwarves, although the workmanship is on a similar level.
Lastly, gnomes are seized by a relentless curiosity for the workings of devices of all kinds. They are fascinated by science and automation, and love to dabble with inventions. But they don't care nearly so much about function and usability, and so more often than not gnomish inventions are nonsensical wonders rather than useful appliances. These traits are encompassed by a few special skills: Fantasy Physics, which is the bizarre gnomish theory of fantastic science and technomagic; Engineering, which is the application of this theory, as well as more normal forms of construction; and Meddling, which is how gnomes really get things to work where their science and engineering skills fail.
It's perhaps because of these traits, and the slight hint of craziness that pervades the gnomish character, that despite their somewhat tragic history, gnomish culture has not descended into endless lamenting and nostalgia for the good old times. Nor do the gnomes have any great plans to reestablish their race in their own nation. They remain a forward-thinking, insatiably curious race, and it seems likely that their best chance for survival in the future will be as minority workers and specialists in other nations. This can be seen most clearly in the gnomes' most successful settlement, Serraine.
I haven't checked up on the official sources in order to write this, although I think my interpretation is pretty faithful to the few sources that detail the gnomes. In regards to game rules, I haven't really thought much about them yet. I always liked the rules in PC2, which I used to play a skygnome PC many years ago. The racial description in the 3rd edition Player's Handbook seemed mostly okay to me, with the obvious exception of their preferred class.
As far as I'm concerned, the biggest work that would need to be done to bring them into 3rd edition fully would be developing the skills and porting over the invention rules. That was always one of the most fun things about playing a gnome for me. Inventing can be a driving force for any gnomish PC, motivating them to adventure to collect materials and/or do hands-on research for their latest crazy invention idea. :D
A point of interest would be, where would those Oostdock gnomes have lived when they weren't in the Hollow World ? Are there still remnants of their civilization around on Mystara ?
PWA2 gives Oostdok's history as the result of two floating continents colliding to form a single one. The first was inhabited with the Valoin gnomes saved from the Falun Caverns and the second was inhabited with the Flamaeker gnomes of Serraine.
Although the campaign will begin in the Known World, both the player and I think a visit to southern Davania might be in order. ;)
How does everyone veiw the relationships of the various types of gnomes. Personally, I feel that it is merely a function of culture and preference.
How would/have you play/ed a gnomish character? The player is leaning towards a cleric of Garal Glitterlode (expect a spell list soon ;) ) and I suggested that one of his concerns be the aiding of gnomish creative endeavors.
Perhaps their reason for existence (at least in the Known World) is to develop technology to drive out those races that have taken over their ancestral settlements.
IIRC, gnomes abandon Torkyn Falls at the end of the trilogy (about AC500), so today (i.e. AC1000) it would lay abandoned or in ruins.
On the Italian MMB we hypothesized that the colony could have been built by gnomes escaped from the slaughter of their culture in the Falun Caverns. The gnomes of Torkyn Falls probably have relocated in Wendar, Heldannic Territories and even Norwold.
BTW, we also know that there are gnomes in Ylaruam (see GAZ2). IMO these could be survivors of the Falun invasion, as their Highforge cousins. Given these facts, I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to have small gnomish communities located even in Darokin and Rockhome.
In Dragon Magazine #237 (the one with Bruce's article on Lupins), under "Gnomish Snoutzer", are mentioned even some mysterious "forest gnomes", but really I don't know who they may be...
In Dragon Magazine #237 (the one with Bruce's article on Lupins), under "Gnomish Snoutzer", are mentioned even some mysterious "forest gnomes", but really I don't know who they may be...
Forest Gnomes are a gnome subrace in AD&D.
They are smaller, and less technologically-oriented than other gnomes.
I'd probably put a colony of Gnomes in each of the major Skarrad settlements, due to their primary interest in Gaz6 is given as "Technological Development".
PC2 does say that "Not a few live with dwarves and work with them, so that Rockhome contains a significant number of gnomes". The Skarrad clan is a good choice as I've come to veiw dwarves as lacking creativity and imagination, prefering the tried-and-true traditional (but as with every race, individuals may vary).
As Saru the Serpent remarked in Gaz7, "A dwarf never had an original idea... Gnomes, now, they're the ones to get crazy ideas". From this I'd say that gnomes have likey had a significant impact on the development of Rockhome's advancment. There seems to be a synergy between dwarves and gnomes, but due to the gnome's overwelming minority, they often don't receive the full, open recognition that they are due.
From "Dragonlord Trilogy" we also know that the gnomish colony of Torkyn Falls
I think this will have to be an adventure for the PCs!
BTW, we also know that there are gnomes in Ylaruam (see GAZ2). IMO these could be survivors of the Falun invasion, as their Highforge cousins. Given these facts, I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to have small gnomish communities located even in Darokin and Rockhome.
I had to double check to make sure they appeared there in my monsterous atlas and they did! Btw, I'm of the veiw that races or cultures will naturally group together when outside their home regions; so gnomes in Darokin, etc. will be found in small groups scattered about and not likely as a solitary individual with a shop in the middle of Darokin City (although it's possible given certain circumstances).
Forest Gnomes are a gnome subrace in AD&D.
They are smaller, and less technologically-oriented than other gnomes.
I'm personally sticking with the idea that gnome sub-races are merely groupings as a result of the culture/preference of a group of gnomes and so there are no other noticable differences (i.e. statistically the same).
The only known outposts of gnomes on Mystara in modern times are Highforge in Karameikos (a shared gnome and dwarf settlement; GAZ1), the flying city of Serraine (PC2), and Oostdok in the Hollow World (Princess Ark series and Poor Wizard's Almanacs). But none of these are purely gnomish settlements.
Will reply more on this thread later, but thought I'd point something out that I noticed a while back (before you were on-list, Thorf):
Ierendi Gnomes
There was also something I noticed recently about gnomes (maybe from the Hollow World sourcebook?) that I hadn't before that was interesting. If I remember, I'll be sure and post it.
Will reply more on this thread later, but thought I'd point something out that I noticed a while back (before you were on-list, Thorf):
Ierendi Gnomes
There was also something I noticed recently about gnomes (maybe from the Hollow World sourcebook?) that I hadn't before that was interesting. If I remember, I'll be sure and post it.
Very interesting. Little references like these support a case for having more gnome communities scattered around the world.
The "Supreme Symposium of Gnomish Syndicates" sounds like a very gnomish title. It could just be a severely aggrandising name for a small group of gnomish inventors or engineers in Highforge - which would be typical of the gnomes' sense of humour. But it could also be a large organisation spanning multiple countries and regions, perhaps the gnomish answer to their own nation. Instead of a real nation, they have created the world's first conglomerate/mega-company.
! It proved quite interesting!Symposium [Gr. symposion, from syn, with, posis, a drinking.] A feast where there is drinking; a convivial (i.e. relating to a feast or entertainment; festal; social; jovial) meeting; a discussion by writers in a periodical.
Syndic [Gr. syndikos, helping in a court of justice, an advocate - syn, with, and dikē, justice.] An officer of goverment, invested with different powers in different countries; a kind of magistrate; a person chosen to transact business for others. -Syndicate. A body of syndics; the office of a syndic; an association of persons formed with the view of promoting some particular enterprise, financial scheme, or the like.
For me this paints quite the picture of how gnomes govern themselves. It could be that since they have been unable to retain a land for themselves they have instead (like Thorf suggests) created a gnomish nation without borders.
However, the actual syndicate is likely a structured, although rather informal group in Highforge. (I can visualize a merry feast while trying to make decisions that lasts all day long!) The syndicate probably has representatives around the known world; including a liason with the DDC ;) . This system could keep most gnomes connected with the larger 'gnomish nation' and would aid other nations in their state projects (as with Ierendi).
This leads to alot of possibilities!
No one is going to take the "Supreme Symposium of Gnomish Syndicates" entirely seriously - not with a name like that. And yet, that could work in its favour, by diverting attention away from the scale of the gnomish enterprise and the true extent of their success.
I like very much how these things tie together, but my ideas so far are more feelings and hunches rather than anything concrete. It definitely bears thought.
Gnomes will be found further north in and around Ghyr and its neighbors to the north.
-OldDawg