Races of Vathis – Gnomes: Out of Sight, Builders and Innovators
Masters of technology and craftsmanship, proficient in the arcane and arts of magic, able to trace their ancestry all the way back to the Vibrant and only standing four feet tall, gnomes consider themselves a proud and influential race among the people of Vathis.
While they’re often compared to the similarly small halflings, they’ll be sure to tell you that the two are nothing alike. Gnomes pride themselves on their ability to innovate and help drive the future through thoughtful engineering and practiced craftsmanship. They play an integral role in many of the magical organizations of the world and consider themselves the unseen gears that keep cities like Synethil moving.
Gnomes stand shorter than almost all other civilized races except halflings.
They average about three and a half to four feet tall in their prime. While their proportions are mostly similar to that of a human only smaller scaled, their faces tend to have large eyes and noses and rounded ears. Gnomes tend to have an innate aptitude for magic and be more attune to the ether than most races. Many speculate that gnomes were once halflings that found their way to the Vibrant and were altered before returning to the material plane, much like the Ele’rin in more recent years. This is purely speculation though as there are no recorded instances of this happening. Both races will deny this fact vehemently as they tend to not get along. Gnomes find companionship among dwarves, who share their innovative minds and love for crafting as well as humans, who’s culture tends to mesh well with gnomes, at least in terms of celebration and humor.
The gnomes of Vathis have been around as far as history can recall.
Orignally dwelling in the forests of Leyathar, the created small villages in the trunks of trees and traded often with the inuzen populations around them. As time wore on and the Leyathar Empire began to rise, the gnomes were quick to integrate with modern society. They were fast learners and helped to push the innovative ideas of modern society forward. Gnomish engineers were a key part in the Empire’s expansion. When Synethil was shunted to the Vibrant at the end of the Night Wars and the Empire dissolved, the gnomes were divided. Those that stayed in Synethil became an integral part of the cities survival. Their magical engineering helped the city create new wonders of the arcane that allowed for an easier life on the alien landscape the Vibrant imposed. The gnomes left on the Material Plane were scattered, taking refuge wherever they could in the world. Many found there way to Mythrane and Vavaire. Wherever they went their minds were put to good use creating new infrastructure and technological advancements to help push society forward.
The advent of Eldria followed by airships led to new opportunities for gnomes.
Their innate connection to the ether led them to becoming key innovators when it came to Eldria. Even to this day CORE will often seek out gnomes for their jobs knowing that the small but feisty individuals are an invaluable asset. Gnomes are widely accepted throughout Vathis due to their non-threatening appearance, and helpful attitudes. While they tend towards magical pursuits, gnomes boast the ability to make stout fighters, unseen thieves and devout clergymen depending on the individual. Their versatility and ability to adapt causes them to be found in some capacity in nearly every nation and every organization throughout Vathis. More importantly, gnomish engineering, thanks to CORE, has become a staple in nearly every home in Vathis in some way shape or form. Their clever devices and ability to create them have given them an edge while surviving and thriving in the growing industrial world of today.
