Races - The Golden Gnomes

The Humans -

The Elves -

The Fallen Dwarves -

The Golden Gnomes -

The Aragonians -

The Zamberians -

The Defiled


Living on the broad, grassy plains of central Terra Main, the Golden Gnomes live a life of spirituality and respect for Nature... and to battle the unnatural forces that seek to destroy that natural beauty, whether it be monstrous Aberrations or mundane poachers. Being hermaphroditic, Golden Gnome gender is meaningless.

Personality: Their curious nature and plucky attitude make them some of the most determined people of New Genesis.

Physical Description: Golden Gnomes are easily distinguished from the other Races by their short stature, their large, expressive eyes, their small canine 'fangs' and by their eponymous golden-hued skintone. Their eyes, no matter the particular color, are often compared to pure colors found in nature, such as deep sapphire sky blue, sunset purple, earthy clay reddish-brown, and seagreen.

Relations: Golden Gnomes, as a Race, tend to eschew contact with the larger Races, as the other's disconnect from nature unsettles them. Most contact that they have with the other races is in the form of poachers and tresspassers onto their land. Although a Golden Gnomes trust is hard to earn, once it has been, one has a friend for life. The only Race that Golden Gnomes truly dislike are the Aragonians. The dusk-skinned sullen people seem to make Golden Gnomes very uncomfortable and they will actively avoid contact with them, if politely possible.

Alignment: Golden Gnomes, as a Race, definately lean towards Chaotic Good, but all alignments are represented, with Lawful Evil being the most rare.

Lands: The vast, rolling and sometimes scorching plains of mid-TerraMain are where the Golden Gnomes create their tribes and live in their shamanistic ways. Officially, according to the city of Terra, the area is either a "natural reserve" or a "reservation", depending on the bureaucrat one asks.

Religion: As mentioned above, the Golden Gnomes have a very Nature-based religious structure that includes, and is a complex mixture of, Druidism, Animism, Ancestor Worship, and overall insight into the "Spirit World".

Technology: Golden Gnome technology, at its highest form, consists of leather-tanning, simple weapon creation, and advanced, potent Herbalism. In addition, Golden Gnomes have learned the secrets of cultivating Ironroot, a light, nigh-unbreakable wood, for use in tools, weapons and armor.

Language: Plainspeak, the name outsiders have given to the eclectic smattering of related languages that exist over breadth of the central plains, is a highly corrupted form of ancient Elven, with bits of the more lyrical words and phrases from tribal Orcish and Fey.

Names: Taking their names from their environment, most Golden Gnome monikers are of two descriptive parts, such as "SplinterCat" (a Rogue), "ShatterHawk" (a Warrior), or "LifeWind" (a Healer).

Adventurers: Most Golden Gnomes are trained from birth as either warriors (Fighters, Rangers... usually considered to be masculine) or healers (Clerics, Bards... usually considered to be feminine). Because of their small size, natural agility and endless curiousity, Golden Gnomes also make decent Rogues or Scouts. Sorcerers (Soul Mages) are much more common among Golden Gnomes than Wizards.

Golden Gnome Racial Traits

  • +2 Dexterity, -2 Strength: Agile and quick, Golden Gnomes are simply not as physically strong as the larger Races.
  • Small: As Small creatures, Golden Gnomes enjoy a +1 bonus To Hit and a +1 bonus to AC due to their smaller size.
  • Golden Gnome's base land speed is 20 feet.
  • Large Eyes: +2 bonus to Spot Checks and Low Light Vision. Golden Gnomes have big, keen eyes.
  • Hardy: +2 bonus to saves versus poison. Racial exposure to natural poisons and a uniquely resilient metabolism make it tough to poison a Golden Gnome.
  • Aberration Hunter : +1 bonus To Hit Aberrations. Knowledge of how to fight Aberrations in their homelands is critical to a Golden Gnome's survival.
  • Weapon Familiarity: Golden Gnomes treat boomerangs as Martial weapons, rather than as Exotic Weapons.
  • Limber: +2 bonus to Escape Artist Checks. Golden Gnomes are extremely flexible and fidgety and are notoriously difficult to restrain.
  • Survivalist: +2 bonus to Survival and Knowledge (Nature) checks. GoldenGnomes have a particularly strong survival instinct.
  • Automatic Languages: Plainspeak and Common. Bonus languages: Druidic, Elven, Orcish, Giant.
  • Favored Classes: Ranger and Druid. Golden Gnomes are strongly connected to their naturalistic, Shamanistic ways.