Basingstoke

Forest Gnomes of Bloodline Basingstoke see themselves as engaged in a lifelong struggle for survival.

History

Basingstoke gnomes think of themselves as the original gnomes because they live more closely to ancient traditions than any other group. They tend to be conservative and haughty around gnomes of other bloodlines. Basingstoke gnomes live in compounds in deep woods defended by traps and snares. Being a semi-nomadic people, they move their compounds every three years. The Basingstokes consider nature as a more hostile than benevolent force because of their relative size and strength. Most Basingstoke gnomes worship Imaera.

Gnomes of bloodline Basingstoke are known to be cooperatively competitive in nature, often competing with each other to see who can provide more for their community.

Basingstoke compounds can be found--by those perceptive enough to find them--in every forested region of the continent, but always at a comfortable distance from the settlements of other races.

At the end of their childhood, the gnomes of Bloodline Basingstoke endure a rite of passage known as Zhadu’gno, or the Blood-marking. The rite begins with the identification of the gnome’s nemesis. Every adolescent gnome is given an herbal compound that induces a deep sleep, and in their dreams an animal appears. While some clerics preach that the nemesis is chosen by Imaera, other gnomes admit privately that they fell asleep with the image of a particular animal in mind. In either case, it often comes to pass that the nemesis predicts the profession of the gnome: a great hunter might see a grizzly bear, while a gnome destined to oversee the granary is likely to see a mouse. It then becomes the task of the gnome to track down and kill the nemesis. The adolescent chooses an adult, someone whose character they admire, as their mentor for the Zhadu’gno. Some gnomes choose a close relative or friend merely to witness their achievement, but most gnomes choose a mentor who will contribute materially to their kill: a proven tracker, archer, or trapper. When the animal is brought down by main force or stratagem, the mentor bleeds the animal, the adolescent, and himself. After mingling the bloods, the mentor uses the mixture to mark the young gnome.

The bloodmark of Basingstoke is unique among gnomes - one side of the neck bears the sign of Bloodline Basingstoke, a single straight line with an oak leaf and berry cluster at each side, while the other bears some mark from the slain foe of their Nemesis beast from their Zhadu'gno ceremony: a paw print, a claw mark, or a pattern of teeth.

Reference

• Races: Forest Gnomes on play.net
• History of the Gnomes: Bloodline Basingstoke on play.net