Gnome

Gnome
Gnomes were the last of the Elder races to be brought into existence by Gaea to combat the chromatic dragons. Intelligent, inquisitive and creative, gnomes gravitate towards magic, engineering, alchemy, and all forms of invention. Their sharp wits are often coupled with a kind of absent-minded recklessness when they are obsessively working on a project.

Physical Description
Gnomes stand about 3 to 3-1/2 feet tall and weigh 40 to 45 pounds. Their skin ranges from dark tan to woody brown, their hair is fair, and their eyes can be any shade of blue. Gnome males prefer short, carefully trimmed beards. Gnomes generally wear leather or earth tones, and they decorate their clothes with intricate stitching or fine jewelry. Gnomes reach adulthood at about age 40, and they live about 350 years, though some can live almost 500 years.

Culture
Gnomes generally get along very well with dwarves, but don't waste resources on grand halls or cityscapes for themselves. Instead, many gnomes prefer comfortable burrows tucked in rolling hills such as those in eastern Estelle. Others like to immigrate to large towns or cities and establish shops and labs there. Gnomes are paradoxically individualistic and yet adapt well to diverse groups and stressful situations. Like dwarves, they have deep emnity towards orcs, trolls and goblinoids. Some become very avaricious and can make extremely selfish decisions, but generally avoid unnecessary conflict, not out of cowardice but practicality.

Gnome Alignments
Gnomes are typically neutral good, but can easily fall into any neutral alignment.

Gnome Subraces

 * Forest Gnomes
 * Rock Gnomes

Suggested Starting Classes/Motivations

 * Gnome Bard
 * Gnome Cleric
 * Gnome Duelist
 * Gnome Fighter
 * Gnome Pirate
 * Gnome Psion
 * Gnome Ranger
 * Gnome Sorcerer
 * Gnome Thief
 * Gnome Wizard