Category:Gnome

The eccentric, often-brilliant gnomes are one of the most peculiar races of the world. With their obsession for developing radical new technologies and constructing marvels of mind-bending engineering, it's a wonder that any gnomes have survived to proliferate.

No one knows much about the gnomes' history before dwarves discovered them, not even the gnomes know much of their own history prior to the second war. Historically, there are some records of gnomes having contact with other races. There is the occasional historical documentation of individual gnomes having contact with humans and high elves in the northern continent of Lordaeron in Tirisfal Glades as early as 848 years before The Burning Crusade.

The first recorded interaction between gnomes and dwarves occurred 200 years prior to The Burning Crusade. As the story goes, a dwarven explorer came across a small gnomish village. He was shocked to discover that while dwarves had just discovered gunpowder, the gnomes already had a fully automated village with such novelties as mechanical chickens. Contact between the two races grew, and soon, they became quick allies, and the dwarves allowed the gnomes to build their capital city, Gnomeregan in the foothills of Dun Morogh, near the capital, Ironforge. Shortly after this alliance was formed, the War of the Three Hammers occurred.

Thriving within the wondrous techno-city of Gnomeregan, the gnomes shared the resources of the forested Dun Morogh peaks with their dwarven cousins. Though dwarves also have a propensity for technology and engineering, it is gnomes who provide the critical, visionary designs for most of dwarven weapons and steam vehicles.

The gnomes served the Alliance well during the Second War. Strangely, they refused to send any personnel to aid their allies during the Burning Legion's recent invasion during the Third War. Though their designs helped turn the tide against the Legion, humans and Bronzebeard and Wildhammer dwarves were shocked by Gnomeregan's decision to withhold their courageous troops and pilots.

When the Third War ended, the Alliance discovered the reason for the gnomes' sudden withdrawal. Apparently, a barbaric menace - troggs - had risen from the bowels of the earth and invaded Gnomeregan. Knowing that their allies' priority was defeating the Burning Legion, the gnomes decided to make their stand alone against the troggs.

Though they fought valiantly to save their beloved city, Gnomeregan was lost and nearly half of the gnomish race was wiped out during its fall. The ragged survivors fled to the safety of the Ironforge.

Committed once again to the cause of the Alliance, gnomes spend their time devising strategies and weapons that will help them retake their ravaged city and build a brighter future for their people. Currently, gnomes can be seen living in numerous Alliance and Neutral cities such as Darkshire, Gadgetzan and Auberdine. One can also spot the occasional gnome hovel in places like Tanaris, the Hinterlands and Azshara. Their ruling council of the gnomes has reunited at Tinker Town in Ironforge. Their only notable settlement is in Blade's Edge Mountains in Outland - the only all-gnomish town known, Toshley's Station.

Culture Little is actually known about gnomish culture. Though what gnomish life really revolves around is unclear, it is perceived by most to be about striving towards the next levels of technology and knowledge through experimentation and tinkering (this is corroborated by the comments and clothing of gnome NPCs).

Languages Gnomes speak Gnomish and Common. Gnomes know the languages of their friends and their goblin rivals.WoWRPG 41

Technology Gnomish technology seems to focus on seemingly pointless, inane and impractical goals that are occasionally strewn with malfunctions and backfires, often as the expense of the user's health, well-being and physical form. This is most evident in Gnomish Engineering. Most gnomish experimentation focuses on bending the laws of time, space and physics, as seen in the many experimentation quests of Toshley's Station. While mainly impractical, such as the Gnomish Poultryizer or Shrink Ray, occasionally, they may stumble into something useful, such as the Deeprun Tram.

Legacy The first historical account of a gnome is Erbag, the gnomish representative of the Tirisfalen during the early days of Aegwynn. Erbag was described as being highly talkative as well as rather impatient with Aegwynn. He stands as an accurate and general example of gnomish psyche. He was already inducted by the time of eight hundred and forty-eight years prior to World of Warcraft and spoke on par with his Human and Elven counterparts, despite their relative obscurity in historical records. Gnomes have not had Kings or Queens in 400 years.WoWMan 175APG 147MG 168

No other dates or facts have been given.