"Deep gnomes are much like their surfer cousins, eh surface cousins" No AJ, That wasn't a mistake. You just created the greatest of all D&D subspecies--surfer gnomes. So pitted.
The Surf Gnome, or Surfneblin, use wind surfing to travel from beach to beach, where they set up small, nomadic, beachfront villages. From these villages they fish and gather materials needed to build their surfboards and upkeep their houses, which are made out of buoyant materials and in a way such as to be easily taken apart to be transported. When not fishing or stockpiling materials, they spend their time in the ocean, preforming dances and tricks of acrobatics while riding their surf boards atop the waves. The Surfneblin do this both for relaxation and as a form of worship, as these most unique of Gnomes exclusively worship Umberlee, and see the wave as her gift to the mortals of Toril. Indeed, they even preform ceremonies such as weddings and funerals, as well as religious and magical rituals while on their boards, though they will often bind several boards together to form a platform or raft for these such events. Their villages never stay in one location for very long, as they constantly chase one of Umberlee’s Perfect Storms, for a chance to praise their goddess’s glory by riding waves of monstrous proportions.
Markus Nävergård I’ve seen a few comments where you’ve been really negative about the Gnomes, like on a personal level. Did they hurt you, Markus? Can you show us on the stuffed owlbear doll where the mean Gnomes touched you?
@@Im-Not-a-Dog Yeah, It honestly started as a gag back In WoW, but i feel its kinda gotten a bit out of hand and i´ve started to kinda dislike them for real, That was never my intention. I just find Gnomes as they are presented in DnD to be super annoying, so i Adopted this idea of Gnomes being vermin as a joke. Then i found others who held similar ideas like "only take a gnome with you as a snack for a monster" and similar things. Though i kinda Miss whean Gnomes where elemental creatures of earth, Like Salamanders.
My current deep gnome character has a favorite snack, A dried beetle that's diet consists primarily of cultivated mushrooms. When the beetles grow fat they put in mesh cages are salted and smoked usually with larger mushroom stalks. The texture of the beetles are that of very salty but crunchy beef jerky.
"The darkling beetle is a small, brown beetle that can be found throughout North America. These beetles enjoy eating mushrooms and they are able to digest the mushroom’s cell walls. The darkling beetle benefits from this by gaining essential nutrients, such as proteins and lipids." ~Bing Search "beetle eating mushrooms"
My Gnome has set up a gemcutting guild called "Deepslice" in Waterdeep his name is Gabber Goldstein and he's a 14 Illusionist/10Theif he's happy to cut gems for any of you and he's considered a master as he used 6 slots for Gemcuttingx2 and Appraisal as well. He can be found at the refurbished tavern called "The Bloody Fist" in the dock ward! First rounds on me friend! 😊
Very useful, though a couple of corrections: The "dour" nature of Deep Gnomes tends to be a front from outsiders and their natural disposition is much more similar to regular gnomes Deep Gnomes are also thought to have originally lived nearer their cousins, particularly with settlements found in places like Calimshan. Likely they originally didn't live far underground but were a tribe who were simply more adept at delving down there. And lastly they are in fact a player character in 4E! I'm planning a Deep Gnome cleric. I was going to do an adapted version of the Path of Light from Eberron, since I wanted a play on the idea of a "deep" Gnome, hearing about Gelf Darkhearth is interesting as I could write him in as an agent to the Dreaming Dark.
3.5e Psionic hand book had blue skin goblins who's favorite class was Psionist. So my gaming shop had a few dozen acre field covered in multiple berry bushes and the sorcerer/ psionic goblins lived in well drained trenches and ground borrows. The area was covered in an Orb of Control Weather/ misty fog and the goblins went every in the fog dressed in white. They crafted berry wine, .. so it was a flip over smurf village.
Svirfneblin verses drow, i can imagine how intence fights like that could get. Two civilisations of magical maniacs going at it. In urban warfare, retreat through the coridor full of angry enemy infantry and charge at the empty coridor - Or should you do the opposite because thats what they want you to think? Your a human mercinary and you can't tell. You keep asking the drow but they wont stop smiling. They're having the time of their lives... 😟
Well, I am sure my careers advisor at high school would not have suggested Graphic Design as an option. But, there was no such thing as a "SageUA-camr" back then.
The Svirfneblin have always struck me as a mix of Drow and Kender cultural traits applied to the typical tinkering and inquisitive culture inherent in all Gnomes. Serious and dour yet friendly and detached from many of the concepts that normal cultures find essential(like history).
Not a Dog Even the damn drow fear the illithids, for all their magical might, they have no defense against mind flayer psionic abilities. Mind blast that ass to grass. When you feel those tentacles squigglin up your nose or down your ear....it's over within mere moments.
Earth Observer and yet somehow the Deep Gnomes have avoided them. That’s either some amazing luck. Or Illithids are afraid of midgets....I’m actually not sure what’s more likely.
"I know you Emyreans consider yourselves to be deitis. For the longest time now, I wondered to myself, how does one go about killing a god? Well, in hindsight, the answer was quite apparent. You make a deal with the devil." This is a quote from a recent campaign I played in which a group of humans stood up to a group of tyrannical Empyreans. This was a quote from the leader of the party before summoning an ancient god of destruction.
Back when, when the deck of many was using inscribed cards, I had a Gnome that inscribed them with fireballs, illusions, and stuff like that. His nickname was "Ogre". He heard that there was an "underworld" on the surface, and set out to take it as his own. For a while people thought that the Gnome was a herald for an underworld loan shark. People would be thrown on their faces, just so that they could make eye contact. He wasn't that bad. Not so much evil as trying to to follow a social convention. His fellow adventurers were a Barbarian named Gale, a Ranger SpellSinger named Hawk, A Thief/Druid, named Trevor, who was descended from an Elven god, (he had enough personality issues that no one was sure of his name) and a cleric that was gradually becoming an avatar of a God that had been the guardian of an ancient "city of the gods" that had been destroyed. The cleric was as interesting as the Gnome. Since the domains were not in use yet, I felt like I was a forerunner for that. He had certain spells that he was allowed to use in spell slots, like a sorcerer, like protection spells, while other s had to be prepared daily; so, the studied spells had to be written out, but he could substitute "domain-type" spells, like protection from Evil, or Wizard Lock, which could be substituted as long as he ticked off one of his prepared spells (often finding that he had needed that spell).
I miss having players with ingenuity. Trevor would turn into a horse, and put on a hat to look like a Centaur, then follow someone. Obviously avoiding eye contact, and trying to hide behind things that didn't hide him at all. All the while "Ogre", disguised as a child, followed them,, or raided their house while they watched Trevor follow them as a horse that was pretending to be a Centaur. Then they would swap out, for some jobs. Trevor would rob them while Ogre kept a message spell readied, in case the quarry was headed home. Gale and Hawk appeared to be muscle, but Hawk was generally behind it all. Sometimes they would pretend to be a rival gang, and steal messages, mug messengers, and attack while meetings were taking place. Sometimes Hawk would pretend to die a few times, while disguised as other mob enforcers, just to mix it up.
I don't think I could last even a month in the underdark. I'd be cracking jokes, getting nothing but stern stares in response and I'd end up getting killed for screaming at someone to "SMILE, YOU MISERABLE @#$&!". 😄
So, there is/was an Urdunnir Dwarven city called Iltkazar, that was one of the deepest, most defended, and secretive places in Faerun. I'm actually sort of surprised that the Deep Gnomes don't have some similar place. A city hidden in the deep rock, with only a few entrances, warded by their skilled craft, and hidden by their great illusion magic, guarded by earth elementals, naybe some golems, and a few fed xorn, almost feels appropriate, except I guess they don't value anything, apart from each other, enough to erect such mighty defenses. Beyond that, ive always sort of liked the Svirfneblin. It's nice to have at least one Underdark race who aren't evil, aren't all slaves, and the like. I've never actually played one, but I've imagined several Illusionist Wizards, Gloomstalker Rangers, and ruby-dotted Hexblade Warlocks from among their people, and maybe someday, I even will.
The Deep Dwarves, not to be confused with the duergar, are also good. I also include a dark elf as separate to the Drow in my games. They are the neutral descendants of the dark elves who were not Drow, yet were equally exiled by the good elf deities. Their culture isn’t entirely friendly to strangers, but they aren’t as openly hostile as the Drow, who they will kill on sight. They blame the Drow for their exile, not anyone else.
Great video AJ. In my campaigns, I tell my players that pick that race they are totally the black sheep of their race, no matter how close they choose to play a Deep Gnome type PC. At the very least, they are willing to leave their community and go to the surface world. At the most, they are more human (player) in personality and are akin to the player.
I started reading the drizzit books about 3 months ago and I have to say I'm hooked. On book nine now. I have to say I enjoy drizzits good burrow warden friend. Maga camradra or however you say it. Takes some effort to gain a deep gnomes friendship, but once you gain it you gain a friend for life it seems.
@@michaelkelligan7931 that's the one. He said that saying a lot on their travels. I enjoyed him when they first met and was wondering if he'd ever turn up again, I was pleasantly surprised when he did!
It would be interesting to create a female deep gnome that goes to the surface to become a powerful wizard possibly no longer in the Deep Darkness tending to compensate their small size by specializing in conjuration the idea of a little known summoning lots of big buddies to help her with whatever she needs
Freed a bunch of svirfneblin slaves from some fire salamanders and drow. Might make a player character who is a Necromancer but is afraid of ghosts,etc and has a penchant for drow and orc women.its gonna be hilarious when i do
I'm currently running Out of the abyss and your videos have been invaluable! Subscribed and joined! I look forward to listening to many more of your videos (the lines at the start of your Orcus video I enjoyed the most so far).
LOL, yeah Les Schtroumpfs was first published in 1958. Fun fact, the word Schtroumphs was invented during a meal when the artist could not remember the word for Salt, this was later "translated" (it never did have any actual meaning) into Smurf for the English audience.
I seem to remember a 'fun house' style adventure (probably in Dragon mag) where you encountered 'different enough to not be copyright claimed' smurfs, using these guys for stats, could have been xvarts tho... funny how the mandela effect kicks in.
Dang, I just started with the Siege of Darkness and had to stop at 3:00 minutes so I don't spoil it for myself. Guess I'll have to come back in a few days now.
If it makes you feel better, I am reading Starless Night (just started it) right now, and I HAD to spoil it for myself to do this video full justice. I'll take one for the team :)
Great video. What domain did your cleric of Gelf Darkearth use? I'm absolutely stealing the whole 'break their item over the anvil holy symbol' thing btw :D
1.) In the Elemental Evil Players Companion it says that some become merchants or middle men between different races both above and below the surface, and that "Drow, duergar, and other peoples know that svirfneblin are usually neutral in outlook and typically honest in their dealings". Is that just with races of the under-dark or with those who have experience dealing with them? 2.) Is there some sort of story of how they ended up down there like with the drow or duergar or did they just see a place and expanded into it? 3.) How do they get along with other gnomes? Do they have any connections (trade, alliances, communication, friendly relations, etc.)?
1.) They are generally known to be trustworthy merchants, this does open doors to trade that are otherwise closed to other races. 2.) Their gods literally led them down into the Underdark and said: "This is your home". 3.) They trade with surface Gnomes only rarely and they keep things pretty simple. Rock and Tinker gnomes know that pranks and practical joke played on the Deep Gnomes can have disastrous results.
I can picture your NPC having a stash of rocks that he can easily polymorph into the object that has been surrendered by the person seeking magical help which then he sleight-of-hands the precious object for the polymorphed duplicate...smashing the duplicate while saving the actual objects for some dark ritual involving many items of personal attachment & that's when the End of Sorrow is accomplished for the previous possession. Spriggan was that part of the Svirfneblin race?
I wonder what the interactions would be like with that deep gnome cleric of yours and an anti highwayman? As to say an anti highway man wont just have marble architecture in their their house, but they'll have mahogany doors. The interaction with a highwayman and an anti highwayman would go something like this: "your money or your life." reply "my money sir." ans "stand and delivour!" reply "I deliver myself, into the jaws of death." Ans "If you were part with your belongs, no more than the hefted burdening purse at your side. And afew easily detachable items of jewlry, then one could continue? Unaccosted? And with ones dignity intact?" Reply "my money is my dignity. to be exposed to destitution, is fate far more terrofying to my sensibilities than death. And since i cannot best you sir, then i am forced to plead for a civilized mercy. So that in my passing i might be spared the sight of my own diminishment." Ans "But you have lands..." Reply "Of the least of which i can aford on my own person..." Ans "But surely sir/madam the stones..." Reply "Priceless relics..." Ans "The shirt on your bach?" Reply "spiders silk hand woven by..." Ans "Good god man/woman!?!? It's your life!" Reply "I know, it's a shame, i'm a fine breed." Ans "And you would die for it all, linens, coins, cloacks and stones. And would have me leave here ideally were i not so beset to rob you in a carriage turned casket, departed in, but not parted from your own lavish oppulence?" Reply "You would honour me sir, for you see, for one as refined as i. Luxury is sacrosanct." Ans "But sir/madam" Reply "I already provide, "arms for the poor"." Ans "And now you insult me." Reply "Discharge your wepon, the horses are of finer stock than i." Ans "Must one procede pose for the shot aswell!?" Reply "Ofcourse! One has no buisness dying out of fashion."
Hey you do a great job bringing these creatures and monsters to life! The dark setting of deep gnomes reminded me of The Lost City, a module I am struggling with, and The Cynidicean tribe/people. Could you add them to your list of future videos?!
OMG!! FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I HEAR HOW U ACTUALLY PRONOUNCE Menzoberranzan ! 2:38 I read so many drizzt books and trust me i never pronounced it this way
@@80Elminster Right. Emphasis is in the wrong place. AJ has huge trouble with some words. or accidentally swaps them out altogether. I STILL like his work. Prolific.
Josh Cade They keep track with thermal clocks. Rock formations permanently enchanted to radiate a certain amount of heat at certain elevations to track the hours of the day. Then I will imagine quill, ink, and parchment will keep track of months and seasons. Only makes sense.
Hi quality vids mate. What creatures do you think dwell the deepest in the Underdark? Aboleth? Or are there other unknown things that lurk in the greater dark?
oh by all means make it obvious for us all why dont you??? That's what I did when I thought I was clever and look at me now... i'm miserable! keep. your. clap. trap. shut.
I hope you're doing well my friend I hope your peaceful Little slice of the world returns to peace soon sorry to hear about all the craziness and the authoritarian steps your government's been taken i hope your safe
To be honest, nobody I know is overly fussed about the steps the government is taking, I am not in support of blocking an entire web service just because of one video... block THE video, not ALL the content entirely.. it is a dick move, we can do better.
@@AJPickett Why did I laugh so hard at this? WHY? I assume you are being like an IT guy and not trying to be funny but I am still laughing at you being an IT parody. I'm going to Hell.
@@heresysmith4068 Let's just put it this way: When a can of food expands like a balloon normally, that's a sign of botulism. Cans of Surströmming are SUPPOSED to do this...
If you decide to rebrand, you should rebrand your channel as something having to do with "Deeply Nerdy". Like, "Dungeons, Dragons, and Deeply Nerdy" Or "Deeply Nerdy D&D Lore" / "Deeply Nerdy Extras: Tabletop Bling" / "Deeply Nerdy Surprise: Book of Erotic Adventures". You know, just re-contextualize your regular content :)
It's not that I think the Mighty Gluestick is a bad name--it's that I had no idea what it meant, and couldn't find out for ages and ages. And honestly, is it a predominently tabletop accessories channel any more? I'd rebrand to something more general.
I ran a poll, the Democratic majority voted to keep the brand, that was sufficient feedback for me. Thanks though Scott, I can certainly use those suggestions of future channel merch.
Finally, we have been Gnomed.
Ahh, the Deep Gnomes. The perfect race for an Underdark Ranger Build.
"Deep gnomes are much like their surfer cousins, eh surface cousins"
No AJ, That wasn't a mistake.
You just created the greatest of all D&D subspecies--surfer gnomes.
So pitted.
The Surf Gnome, or Surfneblin, use wind surfing to travel from beach to beach, where they set up small, nomadic, beachfront villages. From these villages they fish and gather materials needed to build their surfboards and upkeep their houses, which are made out of buoyant materials and in a way such as to be easily taken apart to be transported. When not fishing or stockpiling materials, they spend their time in the ocean, preforming dances and tricks of acrobatics while riding their surf boards atop the waves. The Surfneblin do this both for relaxation and as a form of worship, as these most unique of Gnomes exclusively worship Umberlee, and see the wave as her gift to the mortals of Toril. Indeed, they even preform ceremonies such as weddings and funerals, as well as religious and magical rituals while on their boards, though they will often bind several boards together to form a platform or raft for these such events. Their villages never stay in one location for very long, as they constantly chase one of Umberlee’s Perfect Storms, for a chance to praise their goddess’s glory by riding waves of monstrous proportions.
Hmmmm... Well, Lantan IS an island...
They all got eaten by sharks. as should be the fate of all Gnomes. to be devored by larger predators
Markus Nävergård I’ve seen a few comments where you’ve been really negative about the Gnomes, like on a personal level. Did they hurt you, Markus? Can you show us on the stuffed owlbear doll where the mean Gnomes touched you?
@@Im-Not-a-Dog Yeah, It honestly started as a gag back In WoW, but i feel its kinda gotten a bit out of hand and i´ve started to kinda dislike them for real, That was never my intention. I just find Gnomes as they are presented in DnD to be super annoying, so i Adopted this idea of Gnomes being vermin as a joke.
Then i found others who held similar ideas like "only take a gnome with you as a snack for a monster" and similar things.
Though i kinda Miss whean Gnomes where elemental creatures of earth, Like Salamanders.
My current deep gnome character has a favorite snack, A dried beetle that's diet consists primarily of cultivated mushrooms. When the beetles grow fat they put in mesh cages are salted and smoked usually with larger mushroom stalks. The texture of the beetles are that of very salty but crunchy beef jerky.
"The darkling beetle is a small, brown beetle that can be found throughout North America. These beetles enjoy eating mushrooms and they are able to digest the mushroom’s cell walls. The darkling beetle benefits from this by gaining essential nutrients, such as proteins and lipids." ~Bing Search "beetle eating mushrooms"
I loved the Underdark book for 3.5. I didn't have a lot of friends growing up, so I would read books like that and imagine worlds I wanted to play in.
The people are interesting enough, but I just love the name “svirfneblin.”
Smirfs.
My Gnome has set up a gemcutting guild called "Deepslice" in Waterdeep his name is Gabber Goldstein and he's a 14 Illusionist/10Theif he's happy to cut gems for any of you and he's considered a master as he used 6 slots for Gemcuttingx2 and Appraisal as well. He can be found at the refurbished tavern called "The Bloody Fist" in the dock ward! First rounds on me friend! 😊
Svirfneblin like it deep,true story! This message has been brought to you by the national gnome awareness institute. 😉
i liked the deep gnomes was a good part in the drizzit story showing the underdark wasn't full of evil or cruelty and such
I absolutely want to meet your gnome character AJ. That guy sounds like the best! Good job as always you crazy cheese eating madman! Loved it.
Very useful, though a couple of corrections:
The "dour" nature of Deep Gnomes tends to be a front from outsiders and their natural disposition is much more similar to regular gnomes
Deep Gnomes are also thought to have originally lived nearer their cousins, particularly with settlements found in places like Calimshan. Likely they originally didn't live far underground but were a tribe who were simply more adept at delving down there.
And lastly they are in fact a player character in 4E! I'm planning a Deep Gnome cleric. I was going to do an adapted version of the Path of Light from Eberron, since I wanted a play on the idea of a "deep" Gnome, hearing about Gelf Darkhearth is interesting as I could write him in as an agent to the Dreaming Dark.
Thank you for the information, always appreciated :)
This gnomes are so deep Adelle tried to roll for it.
Kinda funny how it sounds like smurf goblin, and look like a mix of both, more or less x)
That is entirely accurate, and now I can not unsee it.
3.5e Psionic hand book had blue skin goblins who's favorite class was Psionist.
So my gaming shop had a few dozen acre field covered in multiple berry bushes and the sorcerer/ psionic goblins lived in well drained trenches and ground borrows. The area was covered in an Orb of Control Weather/ misty fog and the goblins went every in the fog dressed in white. They crafted berry wine, .. so it was a flip over smurf village.
I'm excited. I'll be playing my 1st adnd campaign as a deep gnome wizard. Thank you aj for all your videos. Your work keeps dreams alive.
Svirfneblin verses drow, i can imagine how intence fights like that could get. Two civilisations of magical maniacs going at it. In urban warfare, retreat through the coridor full of angry enemy infantry and charge at the empty coridor - Or should you do the opposite because thats what they want you to think? Your a human mercinary and you can't tell. You keep asking the drow but they wont stop smiling. They're having the time of their lives... 😟
My youngest son just started a gnome ranger: Papa Svirf.
I love me some gnome. And I prefer my gnome how I like my lungs. Black.
- Innkeeper Vase Odin
Seamus wuz here!
You deserve more subs, your great at this. If we only had U-tube back in the eighties, cheers
Well, I am sure my careers advisor at high school would not have suggested Graphic Design as an option. But, there was no such thing as a "SageUA-camr" back then.
The Svirfneblin have always struck me as a mix of Drow and Kender cultural traits applied to the typical tinkering and inquisitive culture inherent in all Gnomes. Serious and dour yet friendly and detached from many of the concepts that normal cultures find essential(like history).
thats an unholy combination
Another quality video AJ! That thumbnail looks like an affirmative action yoda dude lol.
Michael Kelligan “Affirmative Action Yoda” 😂😂🤣🤣🤣😭😭😭😭💀
You fucking killed me with that.
@@Im-Not-a-Dog 😉
I think the Svirfneblin might be the only Underdark culture that hasn’t directly clashed with the Illithids.
Not a Dog Even the damn drow fear the illithids, for all their magical might, they have no defense against mind flayer psionic abilities. Mind blast that ass to grass. When you feel those tentacles squigglin up your nose or down your ear....it's over within mere moments.
Earth Observer and yet somehow the Deep Gnomes have avoided them. That’s either some amazing luck. Or Illithids are afraid of midgets....I’m actually not sure what’s more likely.
Not a Dog I think the deep gnomes are just that reclusive. Prolly because they know everything wants to get over on them.
"I know you Emyreans consider yourselves to be deitis. For the longest time now, I wondered to myself, how does one go about killing a god? Well, in hindsight, the answer was quite apparent. You make a deal with the devil."
This is a quote from a recent campaign I played in which a group of humans stood up to a group of tyrannical Empyreans. This was a quote from the leader of the party before summoning an ancient god of destruction.
Back when, when the deck of many was using inscribed cards, I had a Gnome that inscribed them with fireballs, illusions, and stuff like that. His nickname was "Ogre". He heard that there was an "underworld" on the surface, and set out to take it as his own. For a while people thought that the Gnome was a herald for an underworld loan shark. People would be thrown on their faces, just so that they could make eye contact.
He wasn't that bad. Not so much evil as trying to to follow a social convention. His fellow adventurers were a Barbarian named Gale, a Ranger SpellSinger named Hawk, A Thief/Druid, named Trevor, who was descended from an Elven god, (he had enough personality issues that no one was sure of his name) and a cleric that was gradually becoming an avatar of a God that had been the guardian of an ancient "city of the gods" that had been destroyed.
The cleric was as interesting as the Gnome. Since the domains were not in use yet, I felt like I was a forerunner for that. He had certain spells that he was allowed to use in spell slots, like a sorcerer, like protection spells, while other s had to be prepared daily; so, the studied spells had to be written out, but he could substitute "domain-type" spells, like protection from Evil, or Wizard Lock, which could be substituted as long as he ticked off one of his prepared spells (often finding that he had needed that spell).
I miss having players with ingenuity.
Trevor would turn into a horse, and put on a hat to look like a Centaur, then follow someone. Obviously avoiding eye contact, and trying to hide behind things that didn't hide him at all. All the while "Ogre", disguised as a child, followed them,, or raided their house while they watched Trevor follow them as a horse that was pretending to be a Centaur.
Then they would swap out, for some jobs. Trevor would rob them while Ogre kept a message spell readied, in case the quarry was headed home.
Gale and Hawk appeared to be muscle, but Hawk was generally behind it all. Sometimes they would pretend to be a rival gang, and steal messages, mug messengers, and attack while meetings were taking place. Sometimes Hawk would pretend to die a few times, while disguised as other mob enforcers, just to mix it up.
I don't think I could last even a month in the underdark. I'd be cracking jokes, getting nothing but stern stares in response and I'd end up getting killed for screaming at someone to "SMILE, YOU MISERABLE @#$&!". 😄
Bonus points for pronunciation. /salute
So, there is/was an Urdunnir Dwarven city called Iltkazar, that was one of the deepest, most defended, and secretive places in Faerun. I'm actually sort of surprised that the Deep Gnomes don't have some similar place. A city hidden in the deep rock, with only a few entrances, warded by their skilled craft, and hidden by their great illusion magic, guarded by earth elementals, naybe some golems, and a few fed xorn, almost feels appropriate, except I guess they don't value anything, apart from each other, enough to erect such mighty defenses.
Beyond that, ive always sort of liked the Svirfneblin. It's nice to have at least one Underdark race who aren't evil, aren't all slaves, and the like. I've never actually played one, but I've imagined several Illusionist Wizards, Gloomstalker Rangers, and ruby-dotted Hexblade Warlocks from among their people, and maybe someday, I even will.
There is not in the the underdark but in the plane of earth
The Deep Dwarves, not to be confused with the duergar, are also good.
I also include a dark elf as separate to the Drow in my games. They are the neutral descendants of the dark elves who were not Drow, yet were equally exiled by the good elf deities. Their culture isn’t entirely friendly to strangers, but they aren’t as openly hostile as the Drow, who they will kill on sight. They blame the Drow for their exile, not anyone else.
Step 1: Dwell in the Underdark
Step 2:
Step 3: Profit
XD
Great video AJ. In my campaigns, I tell my players that pick that race they are totally the black sheep of their race, no matter how close they choose to play a Deep Gnome type PC. At the very least, they are willing to leave their community and go to the surface world. At the most, they are more human (player) in personality and are akin to the player.
Ah yes I've been waiting for this one! Love the sverfneblin
A.J. i asked my little boy who he saw on the thumbnail and without missing a beat he said "its yoda,but whys he black and not green?".........lol
Sorry that I wasn't here earlier. I was busy adding a bunch of reuploads from a content creator who quit youtube and deleted his videos to a playlist.
You are a modern sage, and a hero.
Love the vids...would love to see more terrain videos...really enjoyed the making vids...keep up the great work...
I started reading the drizzit books about 3 months ago and I have to say I'm hooked. On book nine now. I have to say I enjoy drizzits good burrow warden friend. Maga camradra or however you say it. Takes some effort to gain a deep gnomes friendship, but once you gain it you gain a friend for life it seems.
Indeed!
Magga Camarra-------"By the stones",a quote of Belwar Dissengulp,Master Burrow Warden of Blingdingstone
@@michaelkelligan7931 that's the one. He said that saying a lot on their travels. I enjoyed him when they first met and was wondering if he'd ever turn up again, I was pleasantly surprised when he did!
i imagine that heat metal would be used to cook things often in the underdark
oh you think Drow be emo?
lemme tell ya bout the dark gnomes.
Hi, anyone want to join this paladin on an adventure to the underdark?
Was looking forward to this :)
Talk some on underdark oceans. I promise you will get views.
It would be interesting to create a female deep gnome that goes to the surface to become a powerful wizard possibly no longer in the Deep Darkness tending to compensate their small size by specializing in conjuration the idea of a little known summoning lots of big buddies to help her with whatever she needs
Great video
Freed a bunch of svirfneblin slaves from some fire salamanders and drow. Might make a player character who is a Necromancer but is afraid of ghosts,etc and has a penchant for drow and orc women.its gonna be hilarious when i do
I'm currently running Out of the abyss and your videos have been invaluable! Subscribed and joined! I look forward to listening to many more of your videos (the lines at the start of your Orcus video I enjoyed the most so far).
Then you better get some more abyss! ;P
Im playing a deep gnome for out of the abyss so i watched this
I want to play a deep gnome monk for that module. Punching for 1d20 damage is the dream.
Nice video AJ!
Yay deep gnomes. My go to race.
I think I am going to play deep gnome barbarian next.
You would have to take the feat where you can use heavy weapons cuz size small creatures cant use heavy weapons.
Rafeeki and the deep gnomes would get along very well 😃
i've always believed that these gnomes were based on the Smurfs... at least back in 1e. cant wait to hear what AJ researched on these creatures
LOL, yeah Les Schtroumpfs was first published in 1958. Fun fact, the word Schtroumphs was invented during a meal when the artist could not remember the word for Salt, this was later "translated" (it never did have any actual meaning) into Smurf for the English audience.
I seem to remember a 'fun house' style adventure (probably in Dragon mag) where you encountered 'different enough to not be copyright claimed' smurfs, using these guys for stats, could have been xvarts tho... funny how the mandela effect kicks in.
@@jasonkrynicky3170 Xvarts always remind me of the sound of a fart on a leather seat.
Xvarts, Pecks, Vegepigmies, etc
Dang, I just started with the Siege of Darkness and had to stop at 3:00 minutes so I don't spoil it for myself. Guess I'll have to come back in a few days now.
If it makes you feel better, I am reading Starless Night (just started it) right now, and I HAD to spoil it for myself to do this video full justice. I'll take one for the team :)
@@AJPickett Haha thanks for taking one. I finished it a week ago, such a good book!
Absolutely love it
4:24 Papa Svirf
Droki
Yessssssssss!!!!!!! Thank you!
I'd assume you make a badass dm.
Michael Rains He has videos of one of the games he DMs. Its pretty damn good.
Well, there are some recordings of me DMing on the channel :)
Imagine having to call someone mr brongle.
Great video. What domain did your cleric of Gelf Darkearth use? I'm absolutely stealing the whole 'break their item over the anvil holy symbol' thing btw :D
1.) In the Elemental Evil Players Companion it says that some become merchants or middle men between different races both above and below the surface, and that "Drow, duergar, and other peoples know that svirfneblin are usually neutral in outlook and typically honest in their dealings". Is that just with races of the under-dark or with those who have experience dealing with them?
2.) Is there some sort of story of how they ended up down there like with the drow or duergar or did they just see a place and expanded into it?
3.) How do they get along with other gnomes? Do they have any connections (trade, alliances, communication, friendly relations, etc.)?
1.) They are generally known to be trustworthy merchants, this does open doors to trade that are otherwise closed to other races.
2.) Their gods literally led them down into the Underdark and said: "This is your home".
3.) They trade with surface Gnomes only rarely and they keep things pretty simple. Rock and Tinker gnomes know that pranks and practical joke played on the Deep Gnomes can have disastrous results.
great artworks
There are some AMAZING artists out there!
Just what we need. More Gnomes. ( i am being very sarcastic)
@12:16 Shinckledick lol
I am sure thats what he said, lol.
I can picture your NPC having a stash of rocks that he can easily polymorph into the object that has been surrendered by the person seeking magical help which then he sleight-of-hands the precious object for the polymorphed duplicate...smashing the duplicate while saving the actual objects for some dark ritual involving many items of personal attachment & that's when the End of Sorrow is accomplished for the previous possession.
Spriggan was that part of the Svirfneblin race?
No, spriggans are fey folk.
good video
I wonder what the interactions would be like with that deep gnome cleric of yours and an anti highwayman? As to say an anti highway man wont just have marble architecture in their their house, but they'll have mahogany doors. The interaction with a highwayman and an anti highwayman would go something like this: "your money or your life." reply "my money sir." ans "stand and delivour!" reply "I deliver myself, into the jaws of death." Ans "If you were part with your belongs, no more than the hefted burdening purse at your side. And afew easily detachable items of jewlry, then one could continue? Unaccosted? And with ones dignity intact?" Reply "my money is my dignity. to be exposed to destitution, is fate far more terrofying to my sensibilities than death. And since i cannot best you sir, then i am forced to plead for a civilized mercy. So that in my passing i might be spared the sight of my own diminishment." Ans "But you have lands..." Reply "Of the least of which i can aford on my own person..." Ans "But surely sir/madam the stones..." Reply "Priceless relics..." Ans "The shirt on your bach?" Reply "spiders silk hand woven by..." Ans "Good god man/woman!?!? It's your life!" Reply "I know, it's a shame, i'm a fine breed." Ans "And you would die for it all, linens, coins, cloacks and stones. And would have me leave here ideally were i not so beset to rob you in a carriage turned casket, departed in, but not parted from your own lavish oppulence?" Reply "You would honour me sir, for you see, for one as refined as i. Luxury is sacrosanct." Ans "But sir/madam" Reply "I already provide, "arms for the poor"." Ans "And now you insult me." Reply "Discharge your wepon, the horses are of finer stock than i." Ans "Must one procede pose for the shot aswell!?" Reply "Ofcourse! One has no buisness dying out of fashion."
My favorite gnomes!
Also at 10:27, it sounds like you said Neep Domes by mistake
I also say Snerfneblim a few times.. so easy to drop that V!
17:20 I want that pipe!
Have you done the dwarf base race yet?
Not yet.
Lookin forward to it then! Thanks for you time and work man!
That underdark map at 3:06, what suppliment did that come from? I wantz it!
www.realmshelps.net/faerun/underdark/geography.shtml
So do Deep gnome players get those natural occurring spells? I didn’t see anything about it on DND beyond
It's a racial feat for them. Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes has it, as well one other source that I am forgetting atm.
It was in the earlier errata, and even as PCs. Like Wood Gnomes speaking to animals.
Hey you do a great job bringing these creatures and monsters to life!
The dark setting of deep gnomes reminded me of The Lost City, a module I am struggling with, and The Cynidicean tribe/people.
Could you add them to your list of future videos?!
OMG!! FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I HEAR HOW U ACTUALLY PRONOUNCE Menzoberranzan ! 2:38 I read so many drizzt books and trust me i never pronounced it this way
Except it's not the right way :)
@@80Elminster Right. Emphasis is in the wrong place. AJ has huge trouble with some words. or accidentally swaps them out altogether.
I STILL like his work.
Prolific.
@@heresysmith4068 Me too! I enjoy his vids very much!
Don't think I would ever play one of these.To grim for me. Great video though.
Yeah buddy. First like!
BIVRIP!!!
Matthew Monroe .....I’m listening to drizzt audiobooks and I am where drizzt goes to bling den stone. Wonderful recount of books read 20 yrs ago.
13:15.... LMFAO
Thats gnome... I mean thats deep!
It's HOGGLE!
Is that word in bottom of thumbnail silvermine in english
Svirfneblin is a completely made up name for Deep Gnomes.
Fermented fish alcohol?... That doesn't sound tasty at all. Why they don't drink fermented rothe milk? Oh well, they like salty food so why not XD
Salty spit in vampire's face? Ouch
Best place to find copy or good summaries of the Underdark sourcebook?
www.drivethrurpg.com/product/28621/Underdark-35
The Out of the Abyss book was a good one for 5th edition.
How do they know when to have their festivals if they don’t have calendars?
Clerics are informed by their gods.
Josh Cade They keep track with thermal clocks. Rock formations permanently enchanted to radiate a certain amount of heat at certain elevations to track the hours of the day. Then I will imagine quill, ink, and parchment will keep track of months and seasons. Only makes sense.
Hi quality vids mate.
What creatures do you think dwell the deepest in the Underdark? Aboleth? Or are there other unknown things that lurk in the greater dark?
Aboleth for sure, also eldritch horrors, demons, and foul undead.
@Kedron Mercer Brilliant stuff!
Sniff fib linn I pernounce it
oh by all means make it obvious for us all why dont you??? That's what I did when I thought I was clever and look at me now... i'm miserable! keep. your. clap. trap. shut.
I hope you're doing well my friend I hope your peaceful Little slice of the world returns to peace soon sorry to hear about all the craziness and the authoritarian steps your government's been taken i hope your safe
To be honest, nobody I know is overly fussed about the steps the government is taking, I am not in support of blocking an entire web service just because of one video... block THE video, not ALL the content entirely.. it is a dick move, we can do better.
I just think it's wrong that they're threatening people with prison time that's all like the guy who runs kiwi farms
@@linguisticallyoversight8685 Meh, how would I know, I spend all my time thinking about D&D (and cheese)
"deep" sense of community... lolz
Wtf UA-cam how come I got no notification
Sometimes UA-cam notifications go to the spam email box.
Have you tried turning the subscription off and on again?
@@AJPickett Why did I laugh so hard at this? WHY? I assume you are being like an IT guy and not trying to be funny but I am still laughing at you being an IT parody. I'm going to Hell.
They are completely hairless, yes?
The only cool kind of gnome.
Deep Gnomes drink the juice of surstrommings, I now like them even less.
ate that stuff once...
well ok i had one bite and promptly decided fuck no.
What is "surstrommings"?
@@heresysmith4068 Let's just put it this way: When a can of food expands like a balloon normally, that's a sign of botulism.
Cans of Surströmming are SUPPOSED to do this...
If you decide to rebrand, you should rebrand your channel as something having to do with "Deeply Nerdy".
Like, "Dungeons, Dragons, and Deeply Nerdy"
Or "Deeply Nerdy D&D Lore" / "Deeply Nerdy Extras: Tabletop Bling" / "Deeply Nerdy Surprise: Book of Erotic Adventures". You know, just re-contextualize your regular content :)
It's not that I think the Mighty Gluestick is a bad name--it's that I had no idea what it meant, and couldn't find out for ages and ages. And honestly, is it a predominently tabletop accessories channel any more? I'd rebrand to something more general.
I ran a poll, the Democratic majority voted to keep the brand, that was sufficient feedback for me. Thanks though Scott, I can certainly use those suggestions of future channel merch.