Much of the downstream and estuarine regions of the Great Convergence are controlled by the gnomes, resulting in the name Gnome Country being given to the monarchist state they have created in their lands. Despite the curse placed upon their people over 2,000 years ago, the gnomes have taken advantage of their proximity to the Tradestream and several deep water ports to create a prosperous and stable state. As a wealthy trading kingdom, most citizens in Gnome Country enjoy a relatively high quality of life.
Gnomes value many things, but above all else they have a cultural veneration for thieves and tricksters. Gnome culture and religion venerates these figures to the point that particularly infamous gnomish thieves become saints, with the most important of all gnomish saints being St. Gnelson, the ancient king who caused the gods of chaos to curse the gnomish people with their small statures by stealing powerful magic items from them. It is even said that these items are still held deep in the vaults of the Gnome Monarch’s Palace.
Gnome City is at the center of the government and culture of Gnome Country, but that does not mean that the rest of the country is empty. There are many small towns which farm food and produce trade goods along the rivers and plains of the small state. Towns are administered by mayors, who are themselves appointed by the reigning monarch of Gnome Country. It is the job of each mayor to ensure their town is producing a high volume of goods and generating a net profit for the state-owned trading companies. In exchange for this, townsfolk are provided with the food and supplies they need free of charge. Ports are centers of trade where the mayors, also appointed by the reigning monarch, are responsible for maintaining peace and collecting taxes on all imports and exports that pass through their docks. As long as the money keeps flowing, mayors are given much leeway to rule as they want.
Overall, the gnomes of Gnome Country are good-humored and welcoming, but they see locked doors and clutched purses as a challenge. Spending time with them can be quite enjoyable, provided one keeps their wits and stays wary of scams and cons. Gnomish locksmiths are renowned for their ability to make nearly unpickable locks, thanks in part to the high number of people testing their designs in Gnome Country.
Magic and Technology:
Due to their wealth and connection to other wealthy trading nations, gnomes have access to the best magical products and enchantments that money can buy. Provided they have the money, people in Gnome Country are able to live life in a level of comfort equivalent to that of wealthy people in the real world. Gnomes in particular have a cultural interest in magic that assists in stealth and criminal activities, so pretty much all of the magical universities in the country specialize in such spells and enchantments, among several related schools of magic. At these institutions, one can learn potent spells of invisibility, or how to make shoes that make the wearer impossible to hear. Gnomes also seem to have a talent for protective magic and illusions, born from necessity as magical thieves would otherwise make a joke of any concept of personal property in Gnome Country.
Those without much money are not able to gain the benefits of imported magic items and expensive home enchantments, so they live life much more like people of late medieval Europe. What magic and enchanted items people can get their hands on are coveted and often shared for the good of their community. This is more or less tolerated by the nobility, who technically possess the sole right to use and own enchanted items by a near-obsolete law which has almost been repealed several times. With over 2,000 years of the cultural veneration of theft and trickery, gnomish lock, key, safe, and protective booby trap technology surpasses that of any other nation. The gnomes have leveraged this skill to trade for the best raw materials and luxury goods from around the world, allowing many noble gnomes to create enchanted safes and locks that are virtually impossible to get into without the correct key or combination. While enchanted locks are the stars of the trade, they cannot be made as quickly as mundane locks and safes. Mundane gnomish locks and safes of high quality still command a high price and maintain an adamantine reputation. It is said that a good gnomish lock will take even the best lock pickers hours to open up, or at least as long as it takes for security to find them.
Society:
Gnome Country is a plutocratic monarchy where all industries and companies are either owned or heavily taxed by the reigning monarch, known as a king, queen, or simply monarch as individual identity dictates. To maintain a class of loyal nobility, the monarch grants nobles shares in companies, monopolies on industries, land holdings, and responsibilities according to noble title. Noble titles and holdings pass to the oldest living child of the noble in question upon their death unless the reigning monarch intervenes and grants them to someone else. Younger siblings inherit nothing and it is up to the titled nobles to decide how much to support their untitled relatives. Some families of particularly high influence may have more than one titled member, sometimes even dozens. It is also traditional for the monarch to grant important titles and holdings to their immediate family members, although it is not a requirement.
Untitled individuals without a titled relative to support them must find some other way to afford food and shelter. Jobs in Gnome City and the ports pay in Gnomoleons, the minted currency of Gnome Country which can be used to buy goods at markets and stores. In smaller towns, mayors are shipped goods and supplies according to how productive their town has been. These goods and supplies are then distributed as the mayor sees fit, although they are usually distributed equally or by lottery (depending on how much of a given good there is) to avoid bureaucratic headaches. Surviving as a peasant can be difficult and stressful with very little social mobility, but the gnome mafia and gnomish religious orders offer some relief.
Gnomish society values a lot of behaviors that are illegal in other places such as theft, extortion, and racketeering, so the gnome mafia operates more or less in the open. While they do not officially perform hits or anything else which is against the laws of Gnome Country, the mafia is able to openly manufacture and export glitter and breed rabbits for illegal pageant rings. Other nations, even those with good diplomatic relations, find this open support of industries they banned long ago to be a source of tension. The mafia in Gnome City is seen as the progenitor of all other gnome mafia groups and its leader is considered the honorary leader of all gnome mafia groups around the world. Any gnome is able to join the gnome mafia, and members of other species are able to join with the permission of the leader of their local gnome mafia cell. Members are entitled to food and shelter no matter their ability to work, although they must do things for the mafia when they are able to.
Religion:
Gnome religion is split into two main sects with a long history of conflict between the two. Both sects are heavily involved in the daily lives of gnomes and have polarized gnome society. The two sects are the Reformed Church of Gnomishness and the Orthodox Gnomish Temple, with the latter being the older and more conservative branch of the faith. Both sects agree that the religion began with the Shrinking of the Gnomes by fey lords in retaliation for the actions of the ancient king and first true gnome, St. Gnelson. St. Gnelson is said to have stolen something valuable from the gods of chaos, the curse upon his people being evidence of his success. The gnomes, however, found their new size to be more of a boon than a curse, building their religion and cultural values around the chaotic and selfish actions which brought about their condition. Although there are many differences in philosophy and specific beliefs between the two sects, the biggest difference is that the the orthodox gnomes believe the shrinking of the gnomes was always meant to be a blessing while the reformed gnomes believe it was meant to be a curse and that gnomes have defied the expectations of the fey lords by embracing it.
Although gnomes generally see their stature as a boon, they do not actually worship the beings responsible, or any gods for that matter. Instead, gnome religion venerates the various saints who they’ve canonized and the personality traits associated with proper gnomes. This focus on values, historical figures, and practices over worship and belief has kept it as an important part of gnome culture for hundreds of years, even in gnome enclaves far away from Gnome Country. Although they tend to value certain parts of gnome religion differently, practices do not vary much between the two main religious sects. While the average person only really goes to the temple or church when they need advice or specific services, members of the clergy fill their days with performing rituals and rites in accordance with the secret holy calendars of each group. On various days of each month, each sect holds various religious festivals and go on processions to promote various qualities of the ideal gnome. Although the schism between the groups happened hundreds of years ago, they still share many saints and stories with each other. Both sects are also adamant that their saints and values exemplify theft and other criminal activity as forms of chaos and mischief. These sects are aligned with cosmic chaos and decry any selfish and evil motivations that gnomes may have when thieving. In reality, theft and mischief in the name of chaos is more of an ideal than the thing that actually happens.
The Orthodox Gnomish Temple is the older of the two institutions and tends to embody a more conservative and traditionalist worldview. The Orthodox High priest is a good friend of the royal family and generally tries to interpret religious issues in the nobility’s favor. To avoid seeming too invested in the ruling class, the Orthodox gnomes also sponsor some of the largest homeless shelters and soup kitchens in Gnome Country. While not all of the commoners are swayed by these shows of good faith, many still follow orthodoxy out of a sense of tradition and duty. Members of the temple tend to view members of the Reformed Church as misguided apostates who ought to return to the fold of Orthodoxy.
The Reformed Church of Gnomishness, however, sees orthodoxy as an outdated and regressive philosophy which upholds a somewhat harmful status quo. Reform gnomes tend to be political progressives and reformists as well as religious ones, seeing the problems caused by the nobility and the monarchist system and wanting to enact some form of change. The head preacher of the church sees the organization as a vehicle to assist the poor and concentrate their power into something that the nobility is unable to ignore. As a result, nobles and monarchists in Gnome Country tend to see the Reformed Church as a thorn in their collective side. The institution is popular enough that not much can be done about them, but not so powerful that they get a lot of the things they actually want. Lately, the Church of Gnomishness has become a breeding ground for more radical and revolutionary ideas, leading to increased tensions with the rest of gnome society.
Although gnomes generally see their stature as a boon, they do not actually worship the beings responsible, or any gods for that matter. Instead, gnome religion venerates the various saints who they’ve canonized and the personality traits associated with proper gnomes. This focus on values, historical figures, and practices over worship and belief has kept it as an important part of gnome culture for hundreds of years, even in gnome enclaves far away from Gnome Country. Although they tend to value certain parts of gnome religion differently, practices do not vary much between the two main religious sects. While the average person only really goes to the temple or church when they need advice or specific services, members of the clergy fill their days with performing rituals and rites in accordance with the secret holy calendars of each group. On various days of each month, each sect holds various religious festivals and go on processions to promote various qualities of the ideal gnome. Although the schism between the groups happened hundreds of years ago, they still share many saints and stories with each other. Both sects are also adamant that their saints and values exemplify theft and other criminal activity as forms of chaos and mischief. These sects are aligned with cosmic chaos and decry any selfish and evil motivations that gnomes may have when thieving. In reality, theft and mischief in the name of chaos is more of an ideal than the thing that actually happens.
The Orthodox Gnomish Temple is the older of the two institutions and tends to embody a more conservative and traditionalist worldview. The Orthodox High priest is a good friend of the royal family and generally tries to interpret religious issues in the nobility’s favor. To avoid seeming too invested in the ruling class, the Orthodox gnomes also sponsor some of the largest homeless shelters and soup kitchens in Gnome Country. While not all of the commoners are swayed by these shows of good faith, many still follow orthodoxy out of a sense of tradition and duty. Members of the temple tend to view members of the Reformed Church as misguided apostates who ought to return to the fold of Orthodoxy.
The Reformed Church of Gnomishness, however, sees orthodoxy as an outdated and regressive philosophy which upholds a somewhat harmful status quo. Reform gnomes tend to be political progressives and reformists as well as religious ones, seeing the problems caused by the nobility and the monarchist system and wanting to enact some form of change. The head preacher of the church sees the organization as a vehicle to assist the poor and concentrate their power into something that the nobility is unable to ignore. As a result, nobles and monarchists in Gnome Country tend to see the Reformed Church as a thorn in their collective side. The institution is popular enough that not much can be done about them, but not so powerful that they get a lot of the things they actually want. Lately, the Church of Gnomishness has become a breeding ground for more radical and revolutionary ideas, leading to increased tensions with the rest of gnome society.
- Thievery
- Mischievousness
- Shrewdness
- Thriftiness
- Gumption
- Pacifism
- Wit
Gnome City:
Gnome City is seen as the center of not only Gnome Country, but all of gnome culture as well. All gnomes, by virtue of the well-known reason for their existence, see Gnome City as their ancestral home. Even gnomes from far-flung and disparate diaspora groups will try to visit the city at least once in their lives, seeing the trip as an important cultural and religious experience. While not seen as a pilgrimage in any real sense, these trips reaffirm the heritage and connection that all gnomes share and helps to maintain a strong identity among the gnomes of the entire world. The city is also a huge trading hub, sitting along the waters of the Tradestream, a massive river that begins far to the east on the farthest edges of the First Empire. Because of this high volume of trade, it is easy to find outsiders and non-gnomes in Gnome City, although they are mostly restricted to approved areas which have been built with the tall folk in mind. Parts of the city are reserved for gnomes, with these rules being enforced by both the royal guards and the city police.
People who live in the capital of Gnome Country certainly see themselves as being part of something important. Many of them even seem to look down on those who live outside of the city. This attitude has become something of a stereotype that gnomes in the towns and port cities apply to gnomes from Gnome City. The royal family and important noble families of Gnome City, while already wealthy from their control of local trade and industry, are made even more wealthy by their domination of trade and industries in the towns and port cities. Residents of these outlying areas have been known to feel resentment over this, leading to several revolts in the past.
As the capital city and diplomatic center of Gnome Country, Gnome City is also home to the embassies and ambassadors of various countries that maintain positive relationships with Gnome Country. These embassies are another reason why non-gnomes come to the city, often with the goal of limiting the amount of glitter and pageant rabbits being exported by the country. Often being met with limited success, the stories of what is and is not legal in Gnome Country that these diplomats brought home have also created a fledgling tourism industry in Gnome City as people come to enjoy things which are taboo back at home. The gnomes of the city are generally overjoyed at the influx of rubes and marks they can make money off of.
Ports:
The port cities of Gnome Country are important centers of commerce and access to maritime trade routes. Most ships docked in these cities are heading to or from the Shiverstrewn Islands which lie directly south of Gnome Country. Despite doing more trade than Gnome City, the Monarchy heavily taxes all trade and owns most companies and industries, funneling most of the wealth generated in the ports to Gnome City. The mayors and nobles in charge of the ports are granted a percentage of this wealth, so while they live lives of luxury, the local commoners and laborers live in generally worse conditions than the gnomes of the capital. Cultural influence from the less centralized Shiverstrewn Island Confederation and the general inequality of Gnome Country have led to a bit more of a rebellious streak and several historical uprisings centered on the port cities.
Towns:
Less independent and less wealthy than the port cities are the many towns of Gnome Country. Towns are usually focused on one or two industries which make money for Gnome Country and receive regular shipments of food and supplies in return. The mayors of these towns and their families are usually the only nobles around and are thus granted free reign to govern as they please. The only real caveat to this is that the towns must remain stable and profitable. Methods of distributing the supply shipments are usually fast and cheap, so lots of people fall through the cracks or eke out special exceptions for themselves. Townsfolk are generally aware of the injustices and suffering they live under but do not have as many opportunities as the residents of port cities to revolt and try to make changes. This is because townsfolk usually have basic survival to worry about, but they are often willing to join whatever movements start in the ports.
Rough Timeline
Gnome City is seen as the center of not only Gnome Country, but all of gnome culture as well. All gnomes, by virtue of the well-known reason for their existence, see Gnome City as their ancestral home. Even gnomes from far-flung and disparate diaspora groups will try to visit the city at least once in their lives, seeing the trip as an important cultural and religious experience. While not seen as a pilgrimage in any real sense, these trips reaffirm the heritage and connection that all gnomes share and helps to maintain a strong identity among the gnomes of the entire world. The city is also a huge trading hub, sitting along the waters of the Tradestream, a massive river that begins far to the east on the farthest edges of the First Empire. Because of this high volume of trade, it is easy to find outsiders and non-gnomes in Gnome City, although they are mostly restricted to approved areas which have been built with the tall folk in mind. Parts of the city are reserved for gnomes, with these rules being enforced by both the royal guards and the city police.
People who live in the capital of Gnome Country certainly see themselves as being part of something important. Many of them even seem to look down on those who live outside of the city. This attitude has become something of a stereotype that gnomes in the towns and port cities apply to gnomes from Gnome City. The royal family and important noble families of Gnome City, while already wealthy from their control of local trade and industry, are made even more wealthy by their domination of trade and industries in the towns and port cities. Residents of these outlying areas have been known to feel resentment over this, leading to several revolts in the past.
As the capital city and diplomatic center of Gnome Country, Gnome City is also home to the embassies and ambassadors of various countries that maintain positive relationships with Gnome Country. These embassies are another reason why non-gnomes come to the city, often with the goal of limiting the amount of glitter and pageant rabbits being exported by the country. Often being met with limited success, the stories of what is and is not legal in Gnome Country that these diplomats brought home have also created a fledgling tourism industry in Gnome City as people come to enjoy things which are taboo back at home. The gnomes of the city are generally overjoyed at the influx of rubes and marks they can make money off of.
Ports:
The port cities of Gnome Country are important centers of commerce and access to maritime trade routes. Most ships docked in these cities are heading to or from the Shiverstrewn Islands which lie directly south of Gnome Country. Despite doing more trade than Gnome City, the Monarchy heavily taxes all trade and owns most companies and industries, funneling most of the wealth generated in the ports to Gnome City. The mayors and nobles in charge of the ports are granted a percentage of this wealth, so while they live lives of luxury, the local commoners and laborers live in generally worse conditions than the gnomes of the capital. Cultural influence from the less centralized Shiverstrewn Island Confederation and the general inequality of Gnome Country have led to a bit more of a rebellious streak and several historical uprisings centered on the port cities.
Towns:
Less independent and less wealthy than the port cities are the many towns of Gnome Country. Towns are usually focused on one or two industries which make money for Gnome Country and receive regular shipments of food and supplies in return. The mayors of these towns and their families are usually the only nobles around and are thus granted free reign to govern as they please. The only real caveat to this is that the towns must remain stable and profitable. Methods of distributing the supply shipments are usually fast and cheap, so lots of people fall through the cracks or eke out special exceptions for themselves. Townsfolk are generally aware of the injustices and suffering they live under but do not have as many opportunities as the residents of port cities to revolt and try to make changes. This is because townsfolk usually have basic survival to worry about, but they are often willing to join whatever movements start in the ports.
Rough Timeline
- 2,500 years ago- The human ancestors of the gnomes found Gnome City and name it after their king, Gnomulus.
- 2,300 years ago- Gnome Country takes on its current boundaries, more or less
- 2,250 years ago- The gnome mafia declares its first leader, Biggus Antonius
- 2,000 years ago- St. Gnelson travels to Pandemonium and steals powerful magics from the chaos gods and the fey lords, resulting in the Shrinking of the Gnomes
- 1,800 years ago- The Great Rebuild is completed, making all structures in Gnome Country the appropriate size for their occupants; Gnome culture has embraced their new size and the behaviors that led to having it
- 1,750 years ago- Gnaomi’s Floodwall is completed and named after the queen who oversaw the first half of its construction
- 1,500 years ago- The first peasant revolt is subdued
- 1,375 years ago- The upstream and downstream locks are completed, along with the canal of many docks, forming Gnorbert’s island, named after the king who oversaw its entire construction
- 1,300 years ago- The second peasant revolt is subdued
- 700 years ago- Merchants and emissaries from the First Empire make their way down the Tradestream and establish relations with the monarchs of Gnome Country
- 650 years ago- The third peasant revolt is subdued
- 500 years ago- The Reformed Church of Gnomishness splits from the Orthodox Gnomish Temple due to a disagreement over the nature of the magic cast upon their species by the fey lords: was it intended to be a blessing or a curse at the time of casting?
- 200 years ago- The Shiverstrewn Island Confederation establishes diplomatic ties with the monarchs of Gnome Country
- 175 years ago- The fourth peasant revolt is subdued
- 50 years ago- The fifth peasant revolt is subdued
- 8 years ago- The current king, Gnorbert 5, is coronated, much to the displeasure of the rest of the nobility
- 5 years ago- The sixth peasant revolt is subdued
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