Oh Yeah.. Gnomes...

[sjmiller]

In my campaign world there is an island off the subcontinent where most of the action is taking place. That island, about the size of Madagascar, is the homeland of the gnomes. They run the island under a meritocratic-technocracy, with the main port city governed by a council of guild masters. The island has become a refuge for dwarves escaping the heavy-handed monotheistic theocracy in the Dragonspine Mountains. The dwarves there are a bit xenophobic, and the PCs have only met a couple in their adventures so far.

I think gnomes are great, and are a wonderfully undertapped resource.

The halflings in my world are rather like the Roma, wandering from place to place doing odd jobs and being accused of all sorts of things.

 

[Umbran]

It was Adkinson

That's "Adkison".

Gnomes play a very big part in my current game world - they fill the role normally filled by the elves, who seem to have been... removed from the picture... some centiries before the campaign takes place.

 

[Scribble]

Gnomes play a very big part in my current game world - they fill the role normally filled by the elves, who seem to have been... removed from the picture... some centiries before the campaign takes place.

No... Elves... BLASPHEMY!

 

[Dragonbait]

In all of my groups, I'd say gnomes are definitely not forgotten. Nor are the old hobbit-halflings (in fact, players in my groups seem to pick if they play a hobbit or the new anti-hobbit halflings, and no one second guesses them. Both coexist without a problem). True, they lack a clear identity, but that seems to be more of a problem with the rock gnome in particular rather than all gnomes.

However, on the net gnomes could be considered the "forgotten child", I guess. Or the unwanted child. It's always interesting (and often disheartening) at how different my group's views on many things in games are when compared to what I read on the net.

 

[tombshroud]

In the homebrew I am working on most of the world's gnome population live in a country that is mostly massive primordal forests and protected by the innate gnomish illusions. They fill the standard role of tinkers and bookworms but I have also worked a few potential DM secrets into them - one of them being that both elves and dwarves keep a continually occupied keep in the gnomish country to help protect the gnomes from....something no one will discuss. The reason for the elves and dwarves assistance to the gnoes is also a mystery.

The main plot hook with gnomes in my homebrew is their mutual racial hatred for goblins. Goblins got a major re-working in my world. The popular theory is that they are a twisted off-shoot of the elves - I even slightly altered their physical appearance to make them some gnomish features. Goblins also have an inbred talent with mechanics - traps and gadgets. This leads to some fierce competition with the gnomes.

Since most of my players dis-like playing gnomes I like to keep them mysterious and use them for plot hooks.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Gnomes. . .

Huh? Never heard of them.

 

[Zander]

I like gnomes but not as they're portrayed in 3.x. I think of gnomes like this.

In my homebrew, they're found in the remote woods and hills between the great forests of the elves and mountains of the dwarves. Their territories are protected by powerful fey magic.

 

[Kael]

Seems like you never hear all that much about Gnomes...

And that's the way they want it. As true masters of illusion, gnomes are the unseen masters of reality. Who can tell what is real and what is reality with a gnome around? Gnomes stay on the sidelines and make sure no one notices them until the time is right...and then they strike!

 

[JoeGKushner]

If I was doing the 'core' races of D&D...

Humans
Elves
Dwarves

Gnomes? Pass
Half-Orcs? Unless the assassin is a core class and they fix the stat penalties to 'em, no.
Half-Elves? Put a template or something for half-X and get over it. Pass
Halflings? Pass

Too many races diluting the uniqueness of each.

 

[Faraer]

Indeed, in the Realms gnomes are named the Forgotten Folk.

But it's not because they aren't developed; the original AD&D/Greyhawk gnomes, gnomes of Faerûn, and tinker gnomes are all coherent and interesting races.