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Message: <blockquote data-quote="wingsandsword" data-source="post: 1462921" data-attributes="member: 14159">I think that the "tinker gnome" stereotype of Gnomes being mad scientists with horribly unsafe inventions became popular for one obvious reason.It was the first real identity gnomes had.Gnomes were thrown into D&D, but without anything really to make them different from other races, especially halflings and dwarves.  Tinker Gnomes were the first really popular and distinct take on gnomes, that didn't make them just another slightly different form of dwarf, or an underground breed of halfling.  Tinker gnomes also were a nice way for us 20th century types to introduce technological concepts that seem logical to us (in small amounts), but don't fit in a historically accurate setting (but if you're introducing fantasy creatures and magic, historical accuracy already goes out the window).  Since most of the nonhuman fantasy races are notoriously serious (haughty elves, dour dwarves, angry orcs ect.), somewhat silly Gnomes (with the funny spelling of their gname) provide a built-in comic relief (which is good when taken in moderation).</blockquote>