Gnomes of Chardia
A deep hush of anticipation falls over the arcane laboratory where the collection of gnomes in attendance are poised to uncover the latest magical discovery. Elsewhere in the world, a modest gathering of gnomes link hands together in prayer around the statue of their goddess, seeking the blessing of her protective magic. In a dark cavern deep within the Underdark, a lone gnome artisan intricately carves and chisels at the diamond he discovered a day earlier, carefully shaping it with intricate cuts in an attempt to release its latent capacity for magic.
An Unequaled Passion
Throughout the lands of Chardia, there are none more inherently curious and exploratory about the magic that surrounds them than gnomes. Although their bodies are small, being only 3 to 4 feet tall on average and only 40 to 45 pounds in weight, gnomes are filled with a zeal for magic that practically bursts from their very pores. They take reverent pride in the discovery, investigation, study and practice of magic, forming an inseparable bond with the powers that fill and fuel the world.
Behind their eyes is a brilliance that provides a window into their ever-present inquisitiveness. Their hair is often wildly askew, occasionally as a result of sticking their considerable noses into dangerous places in an effort to make an observation. Though they are modestly dressed in earthen tones, even a gnome’s garb shows their commitment, decorated with markings and reminders of their magical exploits, pockets filled with notes, scriptures and samples from their latest discovery.
Time Not Wasted
To a gnome, every moment counts and each of those moments should be spent furthering what they can learn. While many of the younger races are only around for a fraction of the 350 to 500 years gnomes can live, it always seems that they are in a rush to pack even more activity into their lives. So much so that gnomes often speak in jumbled, run-on sentences, with ideas colliding together and coming out all at once. Even still, they are thoughtful and harken the words of others most appreciatively.
Gnomes are also very skilled in other areas of study, often weaving what they have learned about magic into their techniques as engineers, alchemists, tinkers, healers, inventors, and craftsmen. They are also perfectionists, willing to take bold risks and make mistakes, sometimes dangerously, in order to achieve their goals.
A World Full of Magic
While most gnomes tend to stay close to their kin, a few choose to travel out into the world, seeking adventure as a means to discovery. Gnomes who adopt this way of life are just as exuberant as those who spend the entirety of their days in an academy. The magic they uncover while
adventuring in the dangerous places of the world are brought back home and celebrated, before being analyzed, probed, scanned and sometimes dissected.
Gnome Traits
Your gnome character has certain characteristics in common with all other gnomes.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution increases by 1.
Age. Gnomes mature in their late teens and live between 350 and 500 years.
Size. Gnomes stand between 3 and 4 feet tall and are generally 40 to 45 pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Darkvision. You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light, although you can’t discern colors; only shades of gray.
Gnome Cunning. You have advantage on mental attribute saving throws against magic.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Gnomish.
Subrace. The following subraces of gnomes are found throughout Chardia: minomir, sylnomir and ternomir. Choose one of these subraces.
Minomir
As a minomir, you have a natural knack for the science of the arcane. Spending significant portions of their lives in large arcane institutes of higher study, minomir believe that solving the mysteries of science and magic will someday be the key to freedom from the gods. They experiment with magic tirelessly, without fear of side effects, or even death. What the minomir have discovered and proven thus far is nothing short of magnificent.
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence increases by 2.
Magic Scholar. You have proficiency with the Arcana skill.
In addition, choose a class: bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard. You know a cantrip
of your choice from the chosen
class’s spell list.
At 3rd level, choose a 1st-level spell from the same class’s spell list. You can cast this spell once before having to finish a long rest. At 5th level, choose a 2nd-level spell from the same class’s spell list. You can cast this spell once before having to finish a long rest. Your spellcasting ability for these spells is Intelligence.
Prismatic Resistance. Whenever you take magic damage of one of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder, you can use your reaction to gain resistance to damage of the triggering type. If you take damage of multiple types at the same time, you can choose which type triggers the resistance. The resistance ends after 1 minute. You cannot gain resistance with this trait again until you have finished a long rest.
Sylnomir
As a sylnomir, you have a deep bond with the divine magics of your chosen deity. Sylnomir have chosen to shun civilization in favor of more natural, forest homes. Many sylnomir are affiliated with a clan in worship of the god that blesses their everyday lives and devote their lives to the practice of their god’s teachings.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom increases by 2.
Plague Survivor. You have advantage on saving throws against poison and disease.
Devout Scholar. You have proficiency in the Religion skill.
Clan Affiliation. Your clan affiliation determines additional traits and spells gained. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Avimir. Your clan is loyal to the goddess Kyrana, who grants you the following benefits:
- You know the gust cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the thunderwave spell once per day. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the dust devil spell once per day.
- You have advantage on attacks against constructs and elementals.
Feymir. Your clan is loyal to the goddess Kimikari, who grants you the following benefits:
- You know the minor illusion cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the misty step spell once per day. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the mirror image spell once per day.
- You have advantage on attacks against aberrations and monstrosities.
Solmir. Your clan is loyal to the god Adul, who grants you the following benefits:
- You know the sacred flame cantrip. Once you reach 3rd level, you can cast the burning hands spell once per day. Once you reach 5th level, you can also cast the flaming sphere spell once per day.
- You have advantage on attacks against fiends and undead.
Ternomir
As a ternomir, you have an innate tie to the lost art of gem magic. As denizens of the Underdark, the life of a ternomir is fraught with danger, and as such, they don’t often live much past 250 years. Most of their lives are spent just trying to survive, while seeking out the minerals and gems that are the Underdark’s greatest treasures. Each new deposit is possibly the key to recapturing the magic that has eluded them since the Age of Madness.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma increases by 2.
Superior Darkvision. Your darkvision has a radius of 120 feet.
Stone Camouflage. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide in rocky terrain underground.
Tool Proficiency. You have proficiency with Jeweler’s tools.
Gemstone Sorcery. You know one cantrip from the sorcerer’s spell list. At 2nd level, you can empower gems with a magic charge used to cast spells. You can empower a gem by performing a special ritual while holding a gem worth at least 50gp. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. At the end of the ritual, choose a 1st-level spell from the sorcerer’s spell list. The spell is imbued in the gem with 1 charge and it regains the charge daily at dawn. Another 1-hour ritual can be performed to imbue a different spell within the gem, or remove the empowerment from the gem.
You can spend an action and expend an empowered gem’s charge to cast the spell stored within it. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells. Each time you spend a charge from an empowered gem, roll a d20. On a 1, the gem cracks and can no longer be empowered. Gems damaged in this manner lose three quarters of their value.
Once you have expended the charges of 2 empowered gems, you can’t use empowered gems again until you finish a long rest.
Extra Language. You can speak, read, and write Undercommon.
Gnome Feats
As a gnome, you have access to exclusive talents and expertise that grant you special capabilities. It embodies training, experience, and abilities beyond what a class provides.
Arcane Ingenuity
Prerequsite: Gnome (minomir)
Your understanding of the arcane and its intricacies has become paramount. You have learned how to scrounge your surroundings for unlikely sources of arcane energy and discovered ways to enhance your scientific mastery over the arcane. You gain the following benefits:
- When you cast a spell with a material component cost, reduce the cost by half.
- The spells learned with your Magic Scholar trait can now be cast at the
highest spell level you can cast. - You now have advantage on all saving throws against magic.
Critter Friend
Prerequisite: Gnome (sylnomir)
You gain a mystical friendship with small animals. You gain the following benefits:
- You gain proficiency in the Animal Handling skill. If you're already proficient in it, you gain expertise in the skill.
- You learn the speak with animals spell and can cast it at will, without expending a spell slot. You also learn the animal friendship spell, and can cast it once per day. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Fade Away
Prerequisite: Gnome
Your people are clever, with a knack for illusion magic. You have learned a magical trick for fading away when you suffer harm. You gain the following benefits:
- Increase your Dexterity or Intelligence score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- Immediately after you take damage, you can use a reaction to magically become invisible until the end of your next turn or until you attack, deal damage, or force someone to make a saving throw. Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Intense Devotion
Prerequisite: Gnome (sylnomir)
Your allegiance to your clan’s chosen deity gains in intensity. You gain the following benefits:
- Increase your Wisdom score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- Whenever a creature you can see of one of the types you are granted advantage against from your Clan Affiliation trait makes an attack roll, ability check or saving throw, you can use your reaction to give that creature disadvantage on that roll. You can’t use this benefit again until you have finished a short or long rest.
- Whenever you finish a short rest, you regain an expended spell of your choice from your Clan Affiliation. You can only gain this benefit once per day.
Metagem Sorcery
Prerequisite: Gnome (ternomir)
Your powers of gemstone magic have increased. You gain the following benefits:
- Increase your Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- You can now expend up to 3 empowered gems before having to finish a long rest.
- When you perform the ritual to create an empowered gem, you can instead create a Metamagic gem. Choose one of the Metamagic options listed on page 102 of the Player’s Handbook. The gem is imbued with the chosen Metamatic option. Only one Metamagic option can be imbued at a time. If you imbue another gem with a Metamagic option, the existing one will lose its empowerment. You can use a Metamagic gem anytime you would be allowed to use sorcerer points on the Metamagic option’s effect.
Svirfneblin Magic
Prerequisite: Gnome (ternomir)
You have inherited the innate spellcasting ability of your ancestors. This ability allows you to cast nondetection on yourself at will, without needing a material component. You can also cast each of the following spells once with this ability: blindness/deafness, blur, and disguise self. You regain the ability to cast these spells when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells, and you cast them at their lowest level.
Art Credits
- Page 1: Ellywick, Gnome female by Penett
- Page 2: Gnome mercenary by MarschelArts
- Page 3: Daily - Celena Ashram by Ruloc