As far as I read somewhere, Krynn Gnomes are an active and very effective discouragement for all other races to progress in technology, as the inventions of Gnomes usually explode. Races of Ansalon, one of my favorite source books as it happens to be a lot of background information, lists another great invention: a sentint book rack, that can hand over a book to anyone needing a book via a mechanical arm. Of course if malfuntions from time to time and throws books with such force at innocent Gnomes walking nearby, that it actually makes attack and damage rolls. Also, one of the funnier racial feats was a "It's gonna blow!"-Feat where a Gnome inventor could grant himself a bonus on a saving throw up to +5 by hiding behind someone else (who would get the same number on a malus on his saving throw). I did played a Gnome for a short series of sessions. It was fun, but can get tedious after a while. His short name was Islawalandabizaboreraium (which I claimes translated to "He who dances with levers") and his life quest was to perfect a device that would multiply levers, like a black box where you put one lever into the box, pull a lever, and get two identical to the input levers output. As a GM, one of my players once bought a Gnomish Crossbow, which hat a flap at top where he would pour 20 crossbow bolts into a drum, make an attack roll and then roll 1d20 of bolts that would fire and maybe hit the target. Ofc then some bolts remained in the drum of the crossbow, not to be found when opened up. If the player ever rolled a 1, however, the crossbow would explode, piercing everyone in a 20' radius with 1d20 bolts each. Ofc the malfunction condition wasn't known to the player and he happily used it for almost 30 sessions before it finally exploded. Also ofc in the most inopportune moment. Most laughed, except for the mage player who was hit in the face by 17 bolts (but since it was higher level, he survived; the fight just got way more tense all of a sudden)
The Dragonlance version of gnomes has become one of the biggest influences on gnomes generally in fantasy settings. Gnomes as machinists and inventors can be found in several fantasy anime series and of course World of Warcraft. They also influenced gnomes in the Forgotten Realms in the technically advanced gnomish nation of Lantan.
I made two more fan made gnomish settlements in my own version of Dragonlance. I made Winston's tower on the Island of Karthay as a massive tower that keeps building larger and larger, being a city in itself. The whole tower is one massive machine, with whole sections of the tower moving about on gears. Another is Gnome Gulch in the Plains of Dust, which was on the Sean MacDonald map in "Tasselhoff's Map Pouch". I turned it into a parody of Galt's Gulch from Ayn Rand's silly novel "Atlas Shrugged".
When I think about Tinker Gnome speech, I think about John Moschitta and his micro machines spokesperson voice tempo or that typical legalese speedy speech you hear at the end of a law or medical ad.
Gnomes are considered to be one of the original races of Krynn, created during the Age of Dreams. When chasing the Greystone, all gnomes effectively ended up being cursed, whether by Reorx, or by the properties of the Greystone itself. Those who pursued it out of curiosity transformed into the kender, while those who did so out of greed became the dwarves. As for those who didn't get too close, and who abandoned the chase entirely, the gnomes of Ansalon were cursed by Reorx to become obsessed with technology, but to never be able master it. The gnomes of Taladas (pronounced "Tah-LA-das," btw), who either remained faithful to Reorx's quest, or who never took it up to begin with, are all effectively "cursed" gnomes, whose technology works too perfectly.
I always love how the histories are different in each sourcebook, novel, racial memory and module. When I reference information, I tend to go with the original as the primary source (where it was first told), then reference different editions to add adjustments. Then distill it all for time and clarity. Sometimes I miss something or accidently alter it a bit accidentally so I'm not just copy/pasting, but I always hope to find the heart of the subject. I am writing a Dwarf episode now and it is VERY different in relation to Gnomes and the Greystone.
@@DLSaga - You didn't really miss much. I just added it for some additional info. I'm amazed that I still remember all this, after 20+ years. I don't even use references; I'm doing this purely from memory! :-D
@@bloodaonadeline8346 See the book Darkness and Light. They find themselves on Lunitari, where they have to find a way to fix the airship and return home.
Dragonlance forever changed the meaning of "tinker" in D&D. A "tinker" in medieval times was a person who worked with "tin" to mend broken pots and utensils...not an "inventor".
I think that you forgot one thing. whenever a Gnome names something there is a good chance it will be needlessly long. if I recall mount Nevermind used to have a name that was a full paragraph long. the knight's then gave up trying to remember it and inadvertently changed it.
I didn't know the curse had been lifted. One thing you forgot to mention is that if a gnome completes their life quest, their children will be without a purpose and never be accepted in gnomish society. Also, the new adventure book notes that forest gnomes do exist on Krynn, is that supported anywhere?
Thank you for watching today's Dragonlance Setting video! What do you think about the transformation of Gnomes in Dragonlance? Leave a comment below.
As a STEM student I relate to it immensely
Nice!
A Tinker Artificer. These words should send shivers down the spine's of any group.
Lol so true.
Hey, if the flung gnome isn't caught in time by the emergency sponge system, at least the sponges are already out to clean up the mess.
haha
Killing tinker gnomes isn't a bug, it's a boon
As far as I read somewhere, Krynn Gnomes are an active and very effective discouragement for all other races to progress in technology, as the inventions of Gnomes usually explode.
Races of Ansalon, one of my favorite source books as it happens to be a lot of background information, lists another great invention: a sentint book rack, that can hand over a book to anyone needing a book via a mechanical arm. Of course if malfuntions from time to time and throws books with such force at innocent Gnomes walking nearby, that it actually makes attack and damage rolls.
Also, one of the funnier racial feats was a "It's gonna blow!"-Feat where a Gnome inventor could grant himself a bonus on a saving throw up to +5 by hiding behind someone else (who would get the same number on a malus on his saving throw).
I did played a Gnome for a short series of sessions. It was fun, but can get tedious after a while. His short name was Islawalandabizaboreraium (which I claimes translated to "He who dances with levers") and his life quest was to perfect a device that would multiply levers, like a black box where you put one lever into the box, pull a lever, and get two identical to the input levers output.
As a GM, one of my players once bought a Gnomish Crossbow, which hat a flap at top where he would pour 20 crossbow bolts into a drum, make an attack roll and then roll 1d20 of bolts that would fire and maybe hit the target. Ofc then some bolts remained in the drum of the crossbow, not to be found when opened up. If the player ever rolled a 1, however, the crossbow would explode, piercing everyone in a 20' radius with 1d20 bolts each. Ofc the malfunction condition wasn't known to the player and he happily used it for almost 30 sessions before it finally exploded. Also ofc in the most inopportune moment. Most laughed, except for the mage player who was hit in the face by 17 bolts (but since it was higher level, he survived; the fight just got way more tense all of a sudden)
I laughed out loud on this comment. Thanks for sharing!
The Dragonlance version of gnomes has become one of the biggest influences on gnomes generally in fantasy settings. Gnomes as machinists and inventors can be found in several fantasy anime series and of course World of Warcraft.
They also influenced gnomes in the Forgotten Realms in the technically advanced gnomish nation of Lantan.
I made two more fan made gnomish settlements in my own version of Dragonlance. I made Winston's tower on the Island of Karthay as a massive tower that keeps building larger and larger, being a city in itself. The whole tower is one massive machine, with whole sections of the tower moving about on gears.
Another is Gnome Gulch in the Plains of Dust, which was on the Sean MacDonald map in "Tasselhoff's Map Pouch". I turned it into a parody of Galt's Gulch from Ayn Rand's silly novel "Atlas Shrugged".
Whoa, interesting! Have you ever shared it with the different groups that make supplemental game information? (dragonlancenexus.com)
You're absolutely right.
When I think about Tinker Gnome speech, I think about John Moschitta and his micro machines spokesperson voice tempo or that typical legalese speedy speech you hear at the end of a law or medical ad.
Haha I haven’t thought of him in like 30 years!
@@DLSaga Of course, it is possible that Tinker Gnomes could speak even faster and sound like this. ua-cam.com/video/hMvLFRJWOlk/v-deo.html
everytime I saw the BBT guys I always imagined them as habit inventors, I wasn't that far
Hahah yep
Just imagine: A gnome... holding a smartphone for the first time. EPIC.
I would be afraid it would explode....
@@DLSaga gnomie-talkie
In the 2nd book of the new series (2023), Dragons of Fate, there is a Gnome moment that *literally* made me laugh out loud! ❤
That’s always been the gnomes for me. I’ll harumph at the thought of them then laugh when they do what they do.
Loved the origin story from Jeff Grubb!
There were a lot of great influencers to this IP. Grubb being one.
Gnomes are considered to be one of the original races of Krynn, created during the Age of Dreams. When chasing the Greystone, all gnomes effectively ended up being cursed, whether by Reorx, or by the properties of the Greystone itself. Those who pursued it out of curiosity transformed into the kender, while those who did so out of greed became the dwarves. As for those who didn't get too close, and who abandoned the chase entirely, the gnomes of Ansalon were cursed by Reorx to become obsessed with technology, but to never be able master it. The gnomes of Taladas (pronounced "Tah-LA-das," btw), who either remained faithful to Reorx's quest, or who never took it up to begin with, are all effectively "cursed" gnomes, whose technology works too perfectly.
I always love how the histories are different in each sourcebook, novel, racial memory and module. When I reference information, I tend to go with the original as the primary source (where it was first told), then reference different editions to add adjustments. Then distill it all for time and clarity. Sometimes I miss something or accidently alter it a bit accidentally so I'm not just copy/pasting, but I always hope to find the heart of the subject. I am writing a Dwarf episode now and it is VERY different in relation to Gnomes and the Greystone.
@@DLSaga - You didn't really miss much. I just added it for some additional info. I'm amazed that I still remember all this, after 20+ years. I don't even use references; I'm doing this purely from memory! :-D
Love it! Some of the most fun characters in the book series were the gnomes. They even took Storm and Kitiara to the moon! LOL
I always enjoyed their encounters. And Tas taking the Gnomeflinger was pretty hilarious.
which moon?
@@bloodaonadeline8346 See the book Darkness and Light. They find themselves on Lunitari, where they have to find a way to fix the airship and return home.
So in other words gnomes are Wylie Coyote and his overly complicated Acme traps.
hah, nice comparison.
Dragonlance forever changed the meaning of "tinker" in D&D. A "tinker" in medieval times was a person who worked with "tin" to mend broken pots and utensils...not an "inventor".
Yea, it’s wild it changes gnomes everywhere.
I think that you forgot one thing. whenever a Gnome names something there is a good chance it will be needlessly long. if I recall mount Nevermind used to have a name that was a full paragraph long. the knight's then gave up trying to remember it and inadvertently changed it.
Thats how it became Mount Nevermind lol
The Gnomes were enchanted by the humans abilitiy to summarize such a complex and long describtion with one single word.
You're absolutely right. I found myself cutting information for time. I should have fit that in.
I didn't know the curse had been lifted. One thing you forgot to mention is that if a gnome completes their life quest, their children will be without a purpose and never be accepted in gnomish society.
Also, the new adventure book notes that forest gnomes do exist on Krynn, is that supported anywhere?
There are thinker gnomes in the fifth age. They weren’t addressed in the book though
@@DLSaga I thought it was odd that Goldmoon would jump into a gnomish submarine with complete confidence.
I like them as secondary characters. Every tinker gnome centric novel I have read has been a slog. They are fun though.
I don't recall reading any of the Gnomish novels... I may have to remedy that.
@@DLSaga conundrum and the siege of Mount Nevermind. Never finished the Nevermind.
But then Gnomes in every system became a bit of a joke, since people just had to make every gnome into a Tinker gnome.
Yea, they did effect every gnome across settings. It’s wild.
You left out the amazing inventions to survive and thrive in Hitehkel ☹
You're right. I plan to explore the different races specific cultures on different continents as a different episode.
I AM a tinker gnome... that’s why my GF broke up with me.
Gah! There must be other Gnomes out there in Mount Nevermind for ya.
Aren't the gnomes on Ansalon quite different from those on Taladas? I seem to remember them being different similar to Mountain and Hill dwarves.
The gnomes on Taladas don’t tend to blow things up.
@@WesAllen I vaguely remember them from Dark Queen of Krynn and I never had any of the sourcebooks for the other continent.
Yes, Taladas is very different in all respects. I will eventually get to breaking down races on the other continents.