Burghal gnome

Burghal gnome Decay Timer 14 minutes Spirit Regeneration 1 per 3 min, ×2 on node Height 3' to 3.25', 3.5' max Weight 40 to 120 lbs. Languages Common, Gnomish

Burghal gnomes live in, under, or near the cities and towns of other civilizations. Like their woodland cousins, the burghal bloodlines are excellent scavengers... and even thieves. Though the true delight of the burghal gnome lies in the art of tinkering (that semi-mythical branch of magic some call "mechanical engineering"), burghal gnomes are also likely to spend time tending lawns and gardens (and exacting the price of the choicest produce).

Burghal gnomes take great delight in puzzles and games, which helps to explain their relatively high logic and intelligence, though that inclination sometimes turns to a joy in pranks and dirty tricks in the darker bloodlines.

The burghal gnomes' tendency to build their compounds (usually built of brick-lined subterranean rooms and passages) near magical nodes has been offered as one explanation for the burghal gnomes' high aura, though the burghal bloodlines have always held elemental magic and its adepts in very high esteem.

Statistics

Strength	Constitution	Dexterity	Agility	Discipline	Aura	Logic	Intuition	Wisdom	Influence
-15	+10	+10	+10	-5	+5	+10	+5	0	-5

For statistic growth rates by profession, see List of statistic growth rates#Burghal Gnome.

Cultures

The Withycombe Bloodline

The gnomes of Bloodline Withycombe descend from the original burghal gnomes, who left the forests for the shelter of the Human Empire. They reside in brick-lined compounds deep underground, and they often serve host families as expert gardeners and housekeepers. Their attention to detail and manual dexterity makes them skillful tailors and jewelry makers--as well as expert thieves. The true calling of the Withycombe gnomes lies in mechanical design and tinkering, however, as they compensate for their diminutive stature with elaborate labor-saving devices. A cheerful people, the Withycombes delight in toys, gems, and poetry (however bad).

The Winedotter Bloodline

The gnomes of Bloodline Winedotter live beneath the cities of the elven nations. Individual families of gnomes serve particular families of elves, and they take the role of servant very seriously (many wear livery marked with their elven family's crest). Their passion is winemaking and wine tasting, though Winedotter gnomes are also famous for their clocks and music boxes. A matriarchal society, the Winedotters are particular devoted to female Arkati, and to those lesser spirits who act as servants to the Arkati. Others among the bloodline serve as mystics, using starstones to read the past and future.

The Aledotter Bloodline

The gnomes of Bloodline Aledotter live outside the caverns of the dwarves, often sneaking inside to glean information about metallurgy and forging. Aledotter gnomes supply the other bloodlines with metals and weaponry; over time this role has expanded to encompass the entire inter-bloodline trade. These gnomes are particularly proud of their size, believing that it gives them an advantage over larger, clumsier races; as a result, Aledotter women are known to choose their mates on the sole basis of stature. Aledotter gnomes rarely worship the gods on a personal level, though respect for Eonak and Gosaena is deeply embedded into their cultural lives.

The Nylem Bloodline

The gnomes of Bloodline Nylem love nothing better than a good joke, preferably at someone's expense. Where Withycombe gnomes act for the good of their hosts, the Nylem undermine with dirty tricks. They often select targets who deserve punishment for some failing or flaw, but in other circumstances these merry pranksters act with no moral purpose at all. Most Nylem are profoundly irreligious, though Cholen and Jastev receive respect. The cultural life of the bloodline surrounds the roast, and no acquaintance of a Nylem gnome is spared their caustic wit.

The Vylem Bloodline

The gnomes of Bloodline Vylem are the proudest of their race, and they brook no disrespect from other gnomes. Worshippers of the Lornon pantheon with a special devotion to Eorgina, the Vylem are ruled by adolescent queens whose every whim is law. Vylem men always defer to Vylem women, who tend to be imperious as a result. Many Vylem men chose a life of chastity, for reasons best left unsaid. Along among the burghal gnomes, the Vylem are self-sufficient, believing it demeaning to work for--or even steal from--the other (inferior) races.

The Neimhean Bloodline

The gnomes of Bloodline Neimhean live in silence and shadow, in and among the larger burghal bloodlines. A society of assassins and thieves, the Neimhean mask their identity from all but fellow initiates. The very name "Neimhean" is anathema to all but the Rosengift gnomes, who supply the group with poisons. Rarely will a gnome tolerate the presence of a Neimhean, even one who renounces membership in the group. So vicious and permanent is the revenge taken on oathbreakers that one may safely assume that a gnome who speaks openly about Neimhean cultural practice is a fraud.

Other Characteristics

Spirit Regeneration	1 per 3 min	Decay Timer	14 min
Max Health	90	Base Regeneration	?
Weight Factor	0.70	Encumbrance Factor	0.78
Maneuver Bonus	Best

Burghal gnomes receive a bonus to cocking crossbows and a moderate bonus to hiding in town. Both varieties of gnomes are skilled ventriloquists and imitators -- they are perfect at using IMITATE, have a bonus to throwing their voice, can speak anonymously from hiding, and receive a bonus to using the Divert combat maneuver.

History

Pestilence forced the civilized gnomes from their caves around the year -125. Decades of rancorous debate over the future of the race leads to The Great Schism. Sandor Withycombe led one group into the cities and towns of the Kannalan Empire, and Doneagil Basingstoke leads the remainder back into the forest, thus establishing the primary bloodlines of Burghal and forest gnomes.

In 725, a group of Withycombes attached themselves to some elven traders and traveled to Ta'Nalfein, where they developed a fondness for wine and an expertise in wine production. This was the beginning of the Winedotter bloodline.

In 1135, a group of Winedotters living near Ta'Vaalor decided to go in search of the dwarves. Their delight in dwarven brews lead their cousins to name this group Bloodline Aledotter.

In 4120, Danail Nylem was exiled from the Withycombe for violating and mocking the centuries-old period of official mourning for the collapse of the Kannalan Empire. More than a quarter of the bloodline admires Nylem's transgressive humor, and they accompany his departure to form a new bloodline, the Nylem.

In 4634, a secret cult of Eorgina arises within the Nylem, their worship of the dark queen at odds with the neutral trickster-ism of the bloodline. A brief but bloody struggle for power ends with the Eorgina faction separating from the rest. They adopt the mocking nickname bestowed by their cousins-Vylem-as sign of the purity of their devotion.

In 5051, the Withycombe (as the eldest of the bloodline is named) died under mysterious circumstances, and an investigation uncovered a secret society of gnomish assassins. Its leader, Todor Neimhean, was immediately put to death, but his followers created a new bloodline in his name, called Neimhean.

In one of the most impressive feats of engineering, not to mention an unprecedented case of cross-bloodline cooperation, gnomes of the Withycombe, Winedotter, and Nylem bloodlines join forces to build an airship, the Dhu Gillywack in the year 5101. Designed using elements from the airships of the elves and dwarves but with a distinctively gnomish twist, the Dhu Gillywack visited several cities in the Turamzzyrian Empire, Kharam Dzu, and Ta'Illistim for the purpose of selling uniquely gnomifactured goods. The ship flew again in 5103.

Race-Specific Verbs

The following verbs have extra modifiers for Burghal gnomes:

TINKER
TINKER	You search for something worth tinkering with.
TINKER <metal item> Not held	You carefully tinker with (item), working to improve it.
TINKER <metal item> Held	You carefully tinker with your (item), working to improve it.
TINKER <self>	You methodically tinker with each one of your belongings.
TINKER <person>	You sneak closer to (target) and tinker with a few of his things.

Resources

• Races: Burghal Gnome, on Play.net
• Officials folder