A constant hum of busy activity pervades the warrens and neighborhoods where Gnomes form their close-knit communities. Louder sounds punctuate the hum: a crunch of grinding gears here, a minor explosion there, a yelp of surprise or triumph, and especially bursts of laughter. Gnomes take delight in life, enjoying every moment of invention, exploration, investigation, creation, and play. Curious and impulsive, Gnomes might take up adventuring as a way to see the world or for the love of exploring. As lovers of Gems and other fine items, some Gnomes take to adventuring as a quick, if dangerous, path to wealth. Regardless of what spurs them to adventure, Gnomes who adopt this way of life eke as much enjoyment out of it as they do out of any other activity they undertake, sometimes to the great annoyance of their adventuring companions.
As far as Gnomes are concerned, being alive is a wonderful thing, and they squeeze every ounce of enjoyment out of their three to five centuries of life. Humans might wonder about getting bored over the course of such a long life, and Elves take plenty of time to savor the beauties of the world in their long years, but Gnomes seem to worry that even with all that time, they can’t get in enough of the things they want to do and see. Gnomes speak as if they can’t get the thoughts out of their heads fast enough. Even as they offer ideas and opinions on a range of subjects, they still manage to listen carefully to others, adding the appropriate exclamations of surprise and appreciation along the way.
Gnomes make their homes in hilly, wooded lands. They live underground but get more fresh air than Dwarves do, enjoying the natural living world on the surface whenever they can. Their homes are well hidden by both clever construction and simple illusions. Welcome visitors are quickly ushered into the bright, warm burrows. Those who are not welcome are unlikely to find the burrows in the first place. It’s rare for a Gnome to be hostile or malicious unless they have suffered a grievous injury. Gnomes know that most races don’t share their sense of humor, but they enjoy anyone’s company just as they enjoy everything else they set out to do.
Though Gnomes love jokes of all kinds, particularly puns and pranks, they’re just as dedicated to the more serious tasks they undertake. Many Gnomes arc skilled engineers, alchemists, tinkers, and inventors. They’re willing to make mistakes and laugh at themselves in the process of perfecting what they do, taking bold (sometimes foolhardy) risks and dreaming large. Gnomes who settle in Integrated Society are commonly gemcutters, engineers, sages, or tinkers. Some Human families retain Gnome tutors, ensuring that their pupils enjoy a mix of serious learning and delighted enjoyment. A Gnome might tutor several generations of a single Human family over the course of their long life.
Gnomes are present in some Giftworlds, including:
SWADE Mechanics:
- CLEVER: Gnomes start with a d6 in Smarts instead of a d4. This increases maximum Smarts to d12+1.
- INHERENTLY MAGICAL: All Gnomes have an innate aptitude for magic and therefore start with the Edge Arcane Background: Magic.
- EFFICIENT NAPPERS: Gnomes require only about 4 hours of sleep per day to function normally.
- SIZE -1: Gnomes are short, with adults reaching rarely reaching 4 feet. Their Size and Toughness are reduced by 1.
- MAJORLY CURIOUS: It killed the cat, and it might as well kill your Gnome as well. Curious characters have to check out everything and always want to know what’s behind a potential mystery or secret.