GNOMES

The Gnomes of Habololy have the unfortunate distinction of having spawned two of the greatest tragedies in the history of the world.  The first, being the Gnome turned deity Amat, who ruled the world for centuries and twice returned from exile to bring war to the world.  The second catastrophe was the War of Technology, which was brought on by the inventions of the gnomish tinkers.  These events have led to a distrust and dislike of the Gnomes by most other races.

Three of the four varieties of Gnomes are descended from those Gnomes who have lived on the great plateau since the world’s creation or soon after according to some.  Those Gnomes who are little different from the original ones are called simply plateau Gnomes.  They live in harmony with the other races of the great plateau and have adopted many of their styles, giving them just a slight gnomish twist.  They have no cities of their own.  The kingdom they once had fell to corruption centuries ago.  To look at this curious, kind-hearted, little race, one would wonder where they could have been lead astray.

The Amatine Gnomes were the first departure from the traditions the Gnomes of long ago.  Amat was the first of these Gnomes, and so distinct was he, that the Gnomes that followed him now bare his name.  Much like Amat, the Amatine Gnomes are greedy.  They are planners and schemers.  They love to invent and create new things to further their greed and ambition.  Their wars have also tried to further that cause, but have ultimately lead to the imprisonment of their leader in the moon and their home being on the far off continent of Ekarude.  Despite these loses, the Amatine Gnomes have not given up.  The Amatine Assassin is one of the most feared being in existence, out done in infamy by only the dragons.  Although they live in a far off continent, they live there in prosperity, waiting for the day when they can launch another war, behind the leadership of the descendants of Amat.

Perhaps their cousins, the Tinker Gnomes, caused the greatest thing that ever happened to the Amatine Gnomes.  The tinkers love invention and the sciences above all else.  Most of the world has long taken a foul view of the workings of the tinkers.  When the country that protected them fell, it did not take long for outsiders to come in and put an end to many of the advances they had made.  Wizards and clerics alike wanted nothing to do with technology.  The tinkers were infuriated, but had no recourse.  Years passed, and eventually, the rest of the world had other concerns.  It was then the tinkers launched into their greatest drive ever.  A century after the drive began; they brought the War of Technology to the world; much like Amat had done time and again in ancient days.  With this new threat, the world put its distrust of the Amatine Gnomes aside.  Eventually the world was able to stave off the tinkers and drive most of them back into hiding.  The great plateau remains the only place where they can live peacefully.

The final race of Gnomes, actually have nothing to due with their cousins.  The Ice Gnomes are a hardy little race that carved out a place for themselves in the inhospitable frozen wastes of northern Icefia.  For much of their history, they were the unwilling slaves to the climate and its rulers.  Much like Amat, a Gnome by the name of Gnarion rose through the ranks of the Ice Gnomes and eventually led his race out from under the thumb of the deity Frostine and his minions.  The Ice Gnomes live by perseverance and persistence.  They openly trade and talk with anyone willing to make the journey to their homeland, seeing the journey itself as a way of honoring them.  Ice Gnomes gladly take on a challenge, looking to overcome every obstacle.

APPEARANCE:  The average plateau Gnome stands just over 3 ft. tall and weighs about 40 lbs.  Their skin varies from pale to a healthy pinkish tone.  Their hair can be white, blonde, brown, black, or any shade in between.  Their eyes are usually brown.  Their ears have a slight point and their faces are usually long and have sharp features.  Hair and clothing styles vary greatly from Gnome to Gnome.  Regardless of style, all Plateau Gnomes are meticulously clean.  Female Gnomes are more slender than the males and have noticeably bigger eyes.  Tinker Gnomes are nearly indistinguishable from Plateau Gnomes, a fact that has helped keep them alive.

Amatine Gnomes have the same height and build as their cousins.  Their hair is always dark, as are their eyes.  Their skin has an almost leathery feel and is brown with deep lines.  While the average Amatine Gnome dresses similarly to the Gnomes of the plateau, no one can mistake the sight of an Amatine warrior.  They dress in black boots that go up above the knee, leather armor that looks eerily similar to their skin, and bracers made of the same material, which far too often hold magic devices.  Goggles are another common sight, as is a finely crafted crossbow.  Amatine Gnomes care less for cleanliness and more for practicality, but not at the cost of style.

Ice Gnomes are about 6 inches taller than their cousins and weigh about twice as much.  They are sometimes plump, usually well muscled, and always have enough reserves to get them through the winter.  Their skin is always in a tanned state.  Their hair is always a shade of brown.  Their eyes are blue or green.  Every male Ice Gnome grows some form of facial hair.  Clothing for the Ice Gnomes is a necessity and its quality comes before style, color, or cost.  Female Ice Gnomes tend to be voluptuous and are considered the standard of beauty among many of the races of the world.

ALIGNMENT: Plateau and tinker Gnomes tend to be truly neutral.  Amatine Gnomes are never chaotic and rarely good.  Ice Gnomes are never evil.

RELIGION:  The Gnomes have lost many of their deities since the world began.  Their creator was slain by Amat, who was in turn imprisoned.  The god of technology died at the end of the War of Technology. 

The plateau Gnomes worship a variety of deities based upon individual beliefs and the beliefs of the races they live near.  The tinker Gnomes dislike most faiths and only worship in certain cults if at all.  The Amatine Gnomes still hold Amat as their creator, although he cannot aid them.  Most have turned to the worship of the other deities or toward some cult, but there is no majority.

The Ice Gnomes have great faith in Gnarion, who they see as a savior.  They still revere Frostine as a holder a great power.  Habastly, Stasis, and The Oldest Orc also have strong followings among the Ice Gnomes.

WHAT MAKES GNOMES DIFFERENT:

The paths the Gnomes have taken have led to some striking differences between them.  This is clearly apparent when looking at an Ice Gnome and an Amatine Gnome, who are completely different.