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<blockquote data-quote="QuietBrowser" data-source="post: 7306330" data-attributes="member: 6855057"><p>I really don't like multi-posting, and I worry about overwelming readers... but, at the same time, I'm afraid of this topic slipping into obscurity. So, I'm going to try and release at least one post of setting-related ideas or problems on a daily basis.</p><p></p><p></p><p>So, since I think Cogsoul Gnomes got a lot of development early on, let's take a look at their cousins.</p><p></p><p></p><p><u>Wildheart Gnomes:</u></p><p>Having survived the Netherstorm by bonding the forces of nature itself, wildheart gnomes naturally feel a deep empathic bond to the wilderness. This does not mean that they are against using nature - the cycle of life and death is natural itself, after all - but does mean they are opposed to its waste or destruction.</p><p></p><p></p><p>A wildheart gnome would have no problem with a man hunting an animal, or with him claiming a trophy as a reminder of his kill. But what would incense her is if that human simply took their trophy and left the valuable meat, hide and bone to rot in the wilderness. Slaughter is not hunting, and this is the kind of thing that wildheart gnomes oppose.</p><p></p><p></p><p>There are documented historical cases of vengeful gnome clans destroying human families or households that have abused the wilderness, one of the few things that rouses the gnomes to make war on humanity.</p><p></p><p></p><p>As such, whilst hunting is a status symbol for noble families in the Republic, the destructive aspects of the "Great White Hunter" archetype have not taken root in this culture; a hunter may keep the skin and horns for a trophy, but is expected to either eat their kill or give it to people who will make use of it. Many gnomes act as guides or hunter-trappers themselves, seeking to prevent overexploitation.</p><p></p><p></p><p>It's well known that "the bond", the ability of a wildheart gnome to adapt to its environment is something that happens in the early years of its life. However, an adult gnome can also undergo a mystic rite that allows them to readapt to a new environment. This rebirth requires a year-long hibernation, and causes drastic physical and psychological changes; the gnome's old identity becomes little more than hazy memories, and even gender may change. Such a "reborn" gnome is considered to be dead to their former friends and family.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Whilst wildheart gnomes have a reputation for being "primitives" who wield stone or bone weaponry, they are not inherently anti-technology. It's simply that gnomes do not possess the infrastructure to create or support most technologies, and are unlikely to desire such infrastructure if it would harm their wilderness homes. Wildheart gnome smiths do exist, but they mostly work with copper or bronze; metals that don't require the intense heat (and thus extreme fuel consumption) of iron or steel, nor do they require deep, scarring tunnels to find the raw metal.</p><p></p><p></p><p>These gnomes recognize that steel weaponry is useful, but they would rather trade for it than ravage their own homes to make it.</p><p></p><p></p><p>In general, wildheart gnomes live a subsistence-level tribal existence; family groups or lone individuals taking what they need from the land around them and carefully shepherding its restoration in order to ensure there is always food for tomorrow.</p><p></p><p></p><p>All wildheart gnomes are magical in nature. But some are more magical than others, resulting in not only traits unique to each subrace, but also in powers that can be unique to given individuals or clans. One infamous ability is that some of these gnomes have limited shapeshifting, able to assume the form of an inanimate object that blends into their current surrounding - a rock, a stump, a shrub, a mushroom, etcetera.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><u>Forest Gnomes:</u></p><p>The most common of the wildheart gnome subraces, forest gnomes are found throughout the Republic. They are considered by many to be the most magical of their kind, for forest gnomes retain a strong affinity for illusion magic. They use this to ward off threats - mostly predators but also the occasional bandit.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Forest gnomes are not especially adept at climbing, having seemingly forsaken the enhanced mobility of some wildheart gnomish breeds for greater affinity at magic, but they are without a doubt the stealthiest of their race. Even without actively employing magic, forest gnomes can move swiftly and quietly through their woodland homes, leaving no trace and giving no sign as to their presence.</p><p></p><p></p><p>They have a reputation for being some of the most introspective and patient of gnomes; the forest gnome way is to watch, see and think, waiting until just the right moment to act, which fits with their cultural emphasis on stealth. However, they are also considered to be some of the most friendly gnomes; as their forest homes both support larger families and brings them more readily into contact with humans, forest gnomes tend to be more sociable than other wildheart gnomes.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Thats not to say that there aren't shy forest gnomes, but generally, once you befriend one, they are outgoing and compassionate allies who will do whatever they can to help.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Perhaps because of their environment, forest gnomes have a particularly deep affinity for animals. Almost all forest gnomes learn the arts of beastspeech, and it's rare indeed for a forest gnome arcanist to not have a familiar.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><u>Mountain Gnomes:</u></p><p>Hailing predominantly from the World's End Mountains or the Hellfire Crags, mountain gnomes are the strongest and hardiest of the known gnome races. Stereotyped as tough, gruff, no-nonsense and close-lipped, even amongst a species known for its closeness to nature, mountain gnomes are regarded as a people of survivalists.</p><p></p><p></p><p>By gnomish standards, mountain gnomes have a prominent antisocial streak. This most likely stems from their choice of environments; the rugged mountains don't support large populations particularly well, keeping mountain gnomes sparser than their kindred.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Another influence of their surroundings is that whilst wildheart gnomes don't engage in widescale agriculture, mountain gnomes do; carefully encouraging the diversion of mountain streams and the growth of edible plants in areas already predisposed to harbor life, which they use to supplement their diet of hunted meat. Such grove-gardens are very precious to mountain gnomes, and mountain dwelling communities have learned to loudly announce their intentions and only take what they need; despoiling a grove-garden will incur the wrath of its owner.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Mountain gnomes mostly dwell in caves. Those that live on the lower slopes of forested mountains will also set up home under deadfalls or beneath trees, whilst those that live in more barren environments have been known to build cairn-like dwellings out of rock.</p><p></p><p></p><p>The strongest of their kind, mountain gnomes are thusly the heaviest, with even the most wiry of their ilk having dense bones and musculature that helps them to survive. Some mountain gnomes are also known for being quite hefty, or even feeling an instinctive urge to bulk up during autumn for greater protection against the cold.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Perhaps the most distinctive physical trait of the mountain gnomes is that their nails are sharp, pointed, and partially retractile. These talons help them in scaling the heights of their homeland, but also serve as essential natural weapons.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><u>Water Gnomes:</u></p><p>The gnomes who took to life in the water are instantly recognizable, with their inhuman coloration, gills and pronounced webbing between their digits. Indeed, they look so much more inhuman than normal gnomes that some have mistaken them for a seperate species entirely.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Water gnomes are found throughout the Known World, but particularly favor coastal regions and large lakes. There are no major differences between freshwater and saltwater gnomes.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Highly inquisitive by nature, water gnomes frequently interact with others, and are considered much less shy and reclusive than forest gnomes. They can be annoying, but are usually respected, and their warnings are well-respected by sailors and fisherfolk, whom they frequently interact with - or even marry.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><u>Swamp Gnomes:</u></p><p>Perhaps the least is known about this gnomish subrace, whose presence is restricted to the little-explored swamps of the Woundshoal and the marshy regions of Gloomlund.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Whilst mountain gnomes are the strongest, swamp gnomes are the toughest, highly resistant to poison, disease and parasites.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Swamp gnomes sport both small, claw-like nails - too short to serve as weapons - and webbing between their fingers. Unable to breathe water like their aquatic kin, swamp gnomes instead possess an unnatural aptitude for both swimming and climbing, spending their lives moving from the wet marshes beneath to the tall trees above and back.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Despite rumors, swamp gnomes are actually a surprisingly gregarious people. Well aware of how dangerous and gloomy their home is, swamp gnomes respond by being, as a rule, vibrant, chipper people who live each day as if it may be their last.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="QuietBrowser, post: 7306330, member: 6855057"] I really don't like multi-posting, and I worry about overwelming readers... but, at the same time, I'm afraid of this topic slipping into obscurity. So, I'm going to try and release at least one post of setting-related ideas or problems on a daily basis. So, since I think Cogsoul Gnomes got a lot of development early on, let's take a look at their cousins. [u]Wildheart Gnomes:[/u] Having survived the Netherstorm by bonding the forces of nature itself, wildheart gnomes naturally feel a deep empathic bond to the wilderness. This does not mean that they are against using nature - the cycle of life and death is natural itself, after all - but does mean they are opposed to its waste or destruction. A wildheart gnome would have no problem with a man hunting an animal, or with him claiming a trophy as a reminder of his kill. But what would incense her is if that human simply took their trophy and left the valuable meat, hide and bone to rot in the wilderness. Slaughter is not hunting, and this is the kind of thing that wildheart gnomes oppose. There are documented historical cases of vengeful gnome clans destroying human families or households that have abused the wilderness, one of the few things that rouses the gnomes to make war on humanity. As such, whilst hunting is a status symbol for noble families in the Republic, the destructive aspects of the "Great White Hunter" archetype have not taken root in this culture; a hunter may keep the skin and horns for a trophy, but is expected to either eat their kill or give it to people who will make use of it. Many gnomes act as guides or hunter-trappers themselves, seeking to prevent overexploitation. It's well known that "the bond", the ability of a wildheart gnome to adapt to its environment is something that happens in the early years of its life. However, an adult gnome can also undergo a mystic rite that allows them to readapt to a new environment. This rebirth requires a year-long hibernation, and causes drastic physical and psychological changes; the gnome's old identity becomes little more than hazy memories, and even gender may change. Such a "reborn" gnome is considered to be dead to their former friends and family. Whilst wildheart gnomes have a reputation for being "primitives" who wield stone or bone weaponry, they are not inherently anti-technology. It's simply that gnomes do not possess the infrastructure to create or support most technologies, and are unlikely to desire such infrastructure if it would harm their wilderness homes. Wildheart gnome smiths do exist, but they mostly work with copper or bronze; metals that don't require the intense heat (and thus extreme fuel consumption) of iron or steel, nor do they require deep, scarring tunnels to find the raw metal. These gnomes recognize that steel weaponry is useful, but they would rather trade for it than ravage their own homes to make it. In general, wildheart gnomes live a subsistence-level tribal existence; family groups or lone individuals taking what they need from the land around them and carefully shepherding its restoration in order to ensure there is always food for tomorrow. All wildheart gnomes are magical in nature. But some are more magical than others, resulting in not only traits unique to each subrace, but also in powers that can be unique to given individuals or clans. One infamous ability is that some of these gnomes have limited shapeshifting, able to assume the form of an inanimate object that blends into their current surrounding - a rock, a stump, a shrub, a mushroom, etcetera. [u]Forest Gnomes:[/u] The most common of the wildheart gnome subraces, forest gnomes are found throughout the Republic. They are considered by many to be the most magical of their kind, for forest gnomes retain a strong affinity for illusion magic. They use this to ward off threats - mostly predators but also the occasional bandit. Forest gnomes are not especially adept at climbing, having seemingly forsaken the enhanced mobility of some wildheart gnomish breeds for greater affinity at magic, but they are without a doubt the stealthiest of their race. Even without actively employing magic, forest gnomes can move swiftly and quietly through their woodland homes, leaving no trace and giving no sign as to their presence. They have a reputation for being some of the most introspective and patient of gnomes; the forest gnome way is to watch, see and think, waiting until just the right moment to act, which fits with their cultural emphasis on stealth. However, they are also considered to be some of the most friendly gnomes; as their forest homes both support larger families and brings them more readily into contact with humans, forest gnomes tend to be more sociable than other wildheart gnomes. Thats not to say that there aren't shy forest gnomes, but generally, once you befriend one, they are outgoing and compassionate allies who will do whatever they can to help. Perhaps because of their environment, forest gnomes have a particularly deep affinity for animals. Almost all forest gnomes learn the arts of beastspeech, and it's rare indeed for a forest gnome arcanist to not have a familiar. [u]Mountain Gnomes:[/u] Hailing predominantly from the World's End Mountains or the Hellfire Crags, mountain gnomes are the strongest and hardiest of the known gnome races. Stereotyped as tough, gruff, no-nonsense and close-lipped, even amongst a species known for its closeness to nature, mountain gnomes are regarded as a people of survivalists. By gnomish standards, mountain gnomes have a prominent antisocial streak. This most likely stems from their choice of environments; the rugged mountains don't support large populations particularly well, keeping mountain gnomes sparser than their kindred. Another influence of their surroundings is that whilst wildheart gnomes don't engage in widescale agriculture, mountain gnomes do; carefully encouraging the diversion of mountain streams and the growth of edible plants in areas already predisposed to harbor life, which they use to supplement their diet of hunted meat. Such grove-gardens are very precious to mountain gnomes, and mountain dwelling communities have learned to loudly announce their intentions and only take what they need; despoiling a grove-garden will incur the wrath of its owner. Mountain gnomes mostly dwell in caves. Those that live on the lower slopes of forested mountains will also set up home under deadfalls or beneath trees, whilst those that live in more barren environments have been known to build cairn-like dwellings out of rock. The strongest of their kind, mountain gnomes are thusly the heaviest, with even the most wiry of their ilk having dense bones and musculature that helps them to survive. Some mountain gnomes are also known for being quite hefty, or even feeling an instinctive urge to bulk up during autumn for greater protection against the cold. Perhaps the most distinctive physical trait of the mountain gnomes is that their nails are sharp, pointed, and partially retractile. These talons help them in scaling the heights of their homeland, but also serve as essential natural weapons. [u]Water Gnomes:[/u] The gnomes who took to life in the water are instantly recognizable, with their inhuman coloration, gills and pronounced webbing between their digits. Indeed, they look so much more inhuman than normal gnomes that some have mistaken them for a seperate species entirely. Water gnomes are found throughout the Known World, but particularly favor coastal regions and large lakes. There are no major differences between freshwater and saltwater gnomes. Highly inquisitive by nature, water gnomes frequently interact with others, and are considered much less shy and reclusive than forest gnomes. They can be annoying, but are usually respected, and their warnings are well-respected by sailors and fisherfolk, whom they frequently interact with - or even marry. [u]Swamp Gnomes:[/u] Perhaps the least is known about this gnomish subrace, whose presence is restricted to the little-explored swamps of the Woundshoal and the marshy regions of Gloomlund. Whilst mountain gnomes are the strongest, swamp gnomes are the toughest, highly resistant to poison, disease and parasites. Swamp gnomes sport both small, claw-like nails - too short to serve as weapons - and webbing between their fingers. Unable to breathe water like their aquatic kin, swamp gnomes instead possess an unnatural aptitude for both swimming and climbing, spending their lives moving from the wet marshes beneath to the tall trees above and back. Despite rumors, swamp gnomes are actually a surprisingly gregarious people. Well aware of how dangerous and gloomy their home is, swamp gnomes respond by being, as a rule, vibrant, chipper people who live each day as if it may be their last. [/QUOTE]
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