order. Similarly, Tempus and the Red Knight appeal to
the warrior spirit in some dragonborn, and Kelemvor
speaks to some of the inevitability of death and the need
to live well in one's allotted time. Religious belief is an
intensely personal thing the dragonborn who espouse it,
some of whom are as devoted to their faith as they are to
their family and clan.
GNOMES
Small of stature and dwelling in the corners of FaerGn
away from prying eyes, gnomes are one of the least pop-
ulous and influential races in the world, called the "For-
gotten Folk" by some. This appellation doesn't bother
the gnomes; they generally prefer their anonymity and
the protection it affords them.
According to legend, the first gnomes in FaerGn
sprang from mystic gems buried deep in the earth-an
event that accounts for both the gnomes' love of gems
and the cozy embrace of their underground warrens. It
is said that mystic diamonds became the rock gnomes,
emeralds birthed the forest gnomes, and rubies turned
into the deep gnomes. Since the time of their creation,
gnomes have settled in hidden places away from other
races, concerned that their way of life couldn't survive
wider exposure.
Gnomes gladly socialize and work with humans,
elves, and dwarves, but they always keep in mind that,
as a small and relatively insignificant race, their inter-
ests can become secondary even among their allies.
Indeed, members of other races sometimes thought-
lessly treat gnomes as second-class citizens, perhaps
thinking highly of their gnome friends but rarely giving
credit to gnomes as a people. Gnomes are regularly un-
derestimated, and they use that lack of esteem as both a
defense and an offense, when need be.
Like dwarves, gnomes have long battled for territory
with kobolds, goblinoids, and ores, but gnomes and ko-
bolds share a special hatred for each other. Both races
believe in a legend that, long ago, the deity Gari Glit-
tergold tricked the kobold god Kurtulmak, collapsing
the earth and trapping him in an endless underground
maze and earning his everlasting enmity.FOREST GNOMES
The reclusive forest gnomes live simply in hillside dwell-
ings deep in the woods. A neighbor could live only a few
miles from a forest gnome settlement for a lifetime and
never know it. In these communities, anonymity and
stealth help to ensure protection, peace, and survival.
If they are discovered and treated well, forest gnomes
make fine neighbors, but they usually avoid contact even
with civilizations that seem friendly.
Forest gnomes use their affinity with small animals
and their knack for illusions to help them remain hid-
den. When necessary, a forest gnome community de-
fends itself with all the resources at its disposal. Many
settlements, however, simply vanish if they are discov-
ered, retreating to some uncharted corner of the forest
to begin anew.
The rare forest gnomes who leave their people to
become adventurers often draw upon their closeness to
nature and their magical gifts to serve as guides, scouts,
or mystics. Living close to nature also makes forest
gnomes likely to take up roles as druids, who serve vari-
ous forest spirits and deities.
Forest gnomes in FaerGn have the racial traits of for-
est gnomes in the Player's Handbook.ROCK GNOMES
When most folk on the Sword Coast and in the North
talk about gnomes, they mean rock gnomes. Unlike
their shy forest cousins, the inquisitive and irrepressible
rock gnomes interact regularly with individuals of other
races, especially if those individuals have something to
teach them. Rock gnomes prefer to live on the edges of
other settlements in their own enclaves, though the oc-
casional adventuresome rock gnome takes up residence
in a human or dwarven city.Ladi.es of the Golden Hills
A curious bit of gnomish lore is that the pantheon counts
not a single female within its ranks. Legend has it that the
mysterious Ladies of the Golden Hills went away together
on some task in the most ancient days, and have not yet
returned. The stories differ as to the Ladies' task, from
seeking to gather examples of all of the beauty and riches
ofToril, to a secret plan to thwart the evils of the world us-
ing their anonymity as a shield, causing the world to forget
even their names and identities for a time. Gnomes who
wander far from home are said to have "gone looking for
the Ladies."