The Gnome Poll

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Those Gnomes are very different from the "Unified Theory" Gnomes Mr. Dustyboots presented. I get the impression that if UT-Gnomes ever had a full blown nation, most people wouldn't even know it was there; of if they suspected, all the details would be wrong.

I can just picture now an adventurer wandering through some woodland and suddenly a Gnome appears: "Ok, look here pal." says the Gnome "We've tried to do this the easy way by presenting you with easier paths to walk down, but you keep picking the hard ones. You've deliberately avoided every inviting elven camp we led you to. You've ignored and dragon spoor dropping we left lying on this road, and even avoided that one orc encampment when we thought reverse-psychology would get us somewhere. I don't know how or why you're doing it, or if you are deliberately seeking the Gnomish settlements, but it's gotta stop. Go back."

"But I am seeking King Peldypants of Frugalforn. I believe I have been in the Kingdown of Frugalforn's lands for the last two days. Yes?" replied the Man.

"No such king, no such country. We just told that Sage a tall tale to make him happy and go away. The fact is, there's no kingdom at all here. You're just too close to a small gnomish village, and we don't like it."

(Several more minutes of arguing ensues. Eventually the Man leaves, frustrated.)

After silence has fallen on the glade for several minutes, another Gnome sticks his head out of a bush. "Did the Man leave?"

"I think so. Go tell King Kuldorkins the same. He'll want to know."

"Good. I didn't like how he was standing right in the middle of town like that. That was too close."

I am Whizbang Dustyboots, and I support this message.

 

[WhatGravitas]

Fascinating. Was that in the main ECS book, and I missed it? I didn't get that impression from reading the article on it, but maybe I skimmed too quickly.

Partially. Problem is: To get the impression with the ECS alone, you must puzzle it together the impressions you get from the write-ups of the gnomes, the Trust, House Sivis, while that post discussed it spot-on.

Or to put it in another way: Reading the article, then checking the ECS works, the other way round needs a bit more of intuition and "Keith Baker"-mindset to get it.

So, no, you haven't skimmed it too quickly.

Cheers, LT.

 

[Pygon]

Given the nature of the replies, I don't believe that WotC was doin' the thinky...

 

[Voadam]

Played a gnome fighter in a 1e game once. Made a 3e gnome bard for pbp game but never got to use him. I ran the Hidden Temple of Tharizdun which has a community of gnomes in it.

I don't use them or like them much.

My favorites are the evil gnomes of Return to White Plume Mountain. Those had me excited to use gnomes in a game for a while, but it has mostly passed.

 

[TerraDave]

They do seem to holding their own, both in posts and cross links here, and in the poll.

With 152 votes, just over half have actually played a gnome. I am curious to see if that holds up...and only 30% fall into the "never, or only if better" camp.

But I don't know if WotC made a mistake. They have to get us to buy the PHBII somehow.

EMONG

 

[Sir Sebastian Hardin]

This poll is badly done. It should feature a "I have never played a gnome PC" and a "i have never run a gnome NPC"

It shows how many posters have played gnomes and how many want to play gnomes, but there is NO OPTION for us, who never played a gnome. Maybe it would show that a great amount of gamers have neevr played a gnome

 

[beholdsa]

Gnome bards forever!


Really... They're my favorites.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I want gnomes to fall out of anitquity.

 

[Dykstrav]

I dig gnomes. It's halflings that I don't dig.

In one 3.5 game, I had a drug cartel actually lead by gnomes. As expert alchemists, they manufactured alot of the street drugs and thus had a subtle, but strangling control on the local underworld. Everybody knew better than to cross the Insane Cog gang.

 

[Pygon]

But I don't know if WotC made a mistake. They have to get us to buy the PHBII somehow.
EMONG

That wasn't the kind of mistake I was referring to...