amysrevenge
First Post
All this talk of gnomes, and someone mentioning Tolkien, made me think of how HE used the word "Gnome".
In his early writings (the period of roughly 1916 - 1930, don't have the books on me for exact dates), material that would eventually be assembled by his son in the Silmarillion, Tolkien referred to what would eventually be called Noldor as either Noldoli or Gnomes. In these early writings, all of the Eldar grew smaller in stature as Men grew larger in stature, so the Gnomes would have been diminutive at some point (this shrinking is not as explicit in the materials as-published). A large portion of the Gnomes were enslaved by the Enemy, Melko (later Melkor/Morgoth).
If you only know Lord of the Rings, then a brief description of Noldor is warranted.
1) There were three types of Elves/Eldar. Noldor were one of them.
2) The Noldor interests and skills were in craft, invention, and lore.
3) The "High Elves" of Middle Earth were all of Noldorin origin (the rest of the elves were Sindar or of lesser stock) - ie. Galadriel, Glorfindel -> Noldor; Celeborn, Legolas -> other, Elrond -> both, plus Man.
4) The Elves that crafted the rings of power were of Noldorin stock.
In his early writings (the period of roughly 1916 - 1930, don't have the books on me for exact dates), material that would eventually be assembled by his son in the Silmarillion, Tolkien referred to what would eventually be called Noldor as either Noldoli or Gnomes. In these early writings, all of the Eldar grew smaller in stature as Men grew larger in stature, so the Gnomes would have been diminutive at some point (this shrinking is not as explicit in the materials as-published). A large portion of the Gnomes were enslaved by the Enemy, Melko (later Melkor/Morgoth).
If you only know Lord of the Rings, then a brief description of Noldor is warranted.
1) There were three types of Elves/Eldar. Noldor were one of them.
2) The Noldor interests and skills were in craft, invention, and lore.
3) The "High Elves" of Middle Earth were all of Noldorin origin (the rest of the elves were Sindar or of lesser stock) - ie. Galadriel, Glorfindel -> Noldor; Celeborn, Legolas -> other, Elrond -> both, plus Man.
4) The Elves that crafted the rings of power were of Noldorin stock.
There have been stats for half-elves that have drow for the elf-half in the Realms.
