Gnome in Serenia
Gnomes are another of the races of little people.
Background[]
Gnomes are close cousins of both the dwarfs and the dark elves and are associated with the spirits of both the earth and the mountains. Most, but not all, live underground and are said to guard veins of precious metals and stones, as well as vast, ancient treasures that have been buried there.[1] Gnomes are a mischievous people.[2] Gnomes are long lived, while they may look a certain age in human years, it is likely their age is ten times that of humans. For example, some gnomes may appear to be sixty years old, but actuality they may be six hundred.[3] Thus gnomes that appear to be around one hundred, could in theory actually be closer to a thousand years old.[4] While they are long lived, they do still appear to have mortal lives.
Gnomes can be found residing in tree logs, shacks, and small huts. They look like dwarfs, with beards and pointed hats, but they are shorter. Gnomes also normally have the ability to weave magic into the the things they make.SNW #? Ropes made by gnomes are known for being strong reliable rope (unless the magic is disrupted somehow).SNW #? Another Gnome was known for making special boots that wouldn't slip on the rocks of the Glass Mountains, and gloves that couldn't be cut by the sharp edges of the mountains.KoS #? The gnome Rumplestiltskin is known for his ability to turn straw into gold. This is the power of his one-of-a-kind spindle.[5] He has been encountered several times by the Royal Family of Daventry. Graham once met him in Daventry and answered his riddle and later while in Serenia he returned his spindle to either him or his relative. Alexander-Gwydion met him once on his return to Daventry.
In the Underground Realm of the Gnomes, most underground Gnomes appear to have gray dirty skin. It is possible that they may be a different sub-race. This race is immortal.
A gnome with a pointed hat stole the belongings of the Wanderer.
Another race of gnomes known as the Sense Gnomes are guards of the Isle of Wonder. There are five of them, one for each sense. Vizier Alhazred had contacted them to tell them to kill Alexander. However Alexander was able to trick each of their senses one by one with a stinky flower, a mechanical nightingale, a mint, a rabbit's foot, and Invisible Ink.
Gnomes may have mundane dames such as David, Charles, Bill, Tom and Fred, or whimsical names such as Trilly Dilly, Mosstwizzle, Wigglebright, Rumplestiltskin, or Zax.[6]
Behind the scenes[]
Gnomes were given their name and differentiated from dwarves by the physician Paracelsus in the early fifteenth century.
The reference to David is a reference to David the Gnome to which the gnome in Wizard and the Princess resembles. Charles is obviously a reference to Charles Isham, who invented the garden gnomes (which also look much like the gnome in Wizard and the Princess). Zax is less clear but could be a reference to the two individuals in the Dr. Seuss story in the The Sneetches and Other Stories.
In KQ8 Hintbook they are referred to as 'Gnomes' (capital).