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Gnomes are one of several intelligent races that inhabit Gielinor, with an extensive civilisation and culture. Not only do the gnomes have their own empire, but they also have their own cuisine, clothes, methods of transportation (spirit trees and gnome gliders), quests, and minigames (Gnome Ball and Gnome Restaurant). Most gnomes are found in Kandarin, but gnome explorers can be found all over Gielinor.

Gnomes: the people

Gnomes appear as short men, women, and children, about two to three feet tall (about 0.6 to 1 meters). The gnomes are very human-like, and they often dress in green tunics and trousers, with red or green pointed hats. In many ways, they appear similar to dwarves, although unlike dwarves, they rarely have facial hair and have pointed ears similar to the elves. Although they mostly speak in the common tongue today, they also speak their own language: Ancient Gnomish.

Gnomes are often regarded as more intelligent than most other races, and have a higher standard of living. Gnomes generally love nature, making their homes in treetops and living in heavily wooded forests. Despite their usually peaceful nature[1], gnomes are militarily experienced due to territory disputes and harassment from other races, such as goblins and humans. They mount terrorbirds and battle tortoises to make up for their small size. Most gnomes, even civilians, carry bows, and some carry metal weaponry in combat. Following the Glouphrie incident, gnomes have developed a general kind of distrust of mages.[2][3]

Crystal Singing Bowl in Brimstail's cave

Gnomes are a highly diplomatic race, having made alliances with many other mortal races, both in and outside Kandarin. Whether in large cities or unexplored areas, gnome ambassadors, researchers, and explorers can often be found attempting to increase their knowledge of the world. Gnomes are unique culturally: they love cooking, music, animals and inventing new things. They are also infamous pranksters and are well known for their own sport, Gnome Ball.

Gnomes are perhaps the most technologically advanced race on the mainland, rivaled only by the dwarves. One of their most notable inventions is the gnome glider, an aerial transport system used both in combat and peace. Other technological innovations include their ballistic military devices, their invention of the parachute, and their knowledge of elven crystal equipment.

There is a close association between gnomes and the god of balance, Guthix. Gnomish mages generally use Claws of Guthix in combat, Hazelmere mentions his loyalty to Guthix, Hudo shouts "Great Guthix!" when shown giant frog legs, gnome children may recite a prayer to Guthix when spoken to, and the player mentions at one point that they thought Guthix created the gnomes and dwarves as the first races. Additionally, the battle mages aligned with Guthix are gnomes.

History of gnomes

In the First and Second Age, gnomes dwelt on Gielinor with dwarves, elves and humans. The gnomes and elves were engaged in an economic partnership that was severed due to the God Wars.[4] During the God Wars, gnomes did not fight; instead, like the dwarves, they hid underground.[5]

Unlike the dwarves, however, the gnomes returned to the surface at the beginning of the Fourth Age as part of the Great Migration to found their new city, the Tree Gnome Stronghold— most of which was built by the famous engineer and architect, Oaknock.[6] This began with the planting of the Grand Tree, with other settlements to follow in its creation, such as the Tree Gnome Village. The gnomes engaged in a beneficial alliance with the elves and humans, wherein each party saw mutual prosperity under a peace agreement. When the elves left late in the Fourth Age, the gnomes began to quarrel with the goblins from the south who were driven out from Feldip Hills by ogres and seeking a new place to settle.[7] Eventually, with the help of Glouphrie's illusion tricks, they managed to scare goblins even further north.[8]

They still thrive today, although they are currently at war with the Khazard Army under the command of General Khazard. However, there is internal strife seen within the gnome community. The misanthropic Glough persistently tries to incite an attack on humanity, spawned from the continuous heinous mistreatment of his kin by such aggressors as Khazard and his army. He has made efforts to enter into a partnership with Ape Atoll in order to see to his goals of eliminating the human threat to gnomes at large, although his plans were later thwarted and he was killed by the player. Glouphrie the Untrusted is the most notable figure of opposition to the monarchy, who has a history of subverting the throne and manipulating the rulership for their own undisclosed, ominous goals, as well as spying on the Tree Gnome Stronghold. He is currently said to reside in a hidden city called Arposandra and is, himself, making connections with the more unsavory elements of the Keldagrim dwarves.

Gnome husbandry

Gnomes raise two non-humanoid creatures that are used in battle, as well as for transportation: tortoises and terrorbirds. It is common to see gnomes mounted upon these creatures. If they are killed, their riders may attack any nearby players.

Cute Creatures also can be found in the Tree Gnome Stronghold. Their origins are initially unclear, but during the The Eyes of Glouphrie, it is revealed they are actually Evil Creatures sent by Glouphrie the Untrusted to spy on the gnomes of Tree Gnome Stronghold.

Gnome settlements

Two gnome cities are open to visitors: the Tree Gnome Stronghold and Tree Gnome Village. A third city, Arposandra, is known to exist, but the exact location is unclear.

Gnomes can be found in smaller numbers in other places, such as the gnome Hazelmere inhabiting a small island in the Yanille Chain and gnomes in the vicinity of the shipyard on Karamja.

Gnome cooking

The gnomes have a very sophisticated sense of taste and make and eat gourmet foods and cocktails. With a bit of training, the player can also make Gnomish food and drinks. The ingredients for these foods can be purchased from Hudo, Heckel Funch, or looted from gnomes using the Thieving skill.

Gnome clothing

Gnome clothing such as cream, turquoise, pink, green, and blue robes, hats, and boots can be found in the clothing store in the Grand Tree, located on the 1st floor. Despite being sold by gnomes, all gnome clothing available for sale fits humans.

Transportation

Gnomes use a variety of transportation methods, which are made available to humans after the completion of certain quests. Spirit trees allow transportation throughout the world and can even be grown in special Farming patches by players. Access to the spirit tree network is unlocked after completion of Tree Gnome Village. Gnomes are also well-known for their gnome gliders, which players may use after completing The Grand Tree.

Both methods of transportation start with several destinations available, with additional destinations being unlocked by completing other quests or, in the case of spirit trees, a sufficient Farming level to plant them.

  • Gnome glider
  • Spirit tree

Gnomes abroad

Various types of gnomes can be found throughout the world, far from their ordinary settlements.

Notable gnomes

Quests

References

  1. ^ "Glough's Journal". Old School RuneScape. "We are small and at heart not warriors but something must be done! We will pick up arms and go forth into the human world!"
  2. ^ Brimstail in The Eyes of Glouphrie. Old School RuneScape. "Excellent, it's so rare I can find someone discuss my researches, most gnomes seem to find it all very tedious. [...] Well that's true. These days, apart from a few combat spells, most gnomes seem a bit suspicious of mages."
  3. ^ King Narnode Shareen in The Eyes of Glouphrie. Old School RuneScape. "Glouphrie! Now we know what he has been up to all these years. Gah! Never trust a Mage."
  4. ^ "Eastern Discovery". Old School RuneScape. "They found a land in chaos; many of the races that had been dominant before the end of the God Wars were on the edge of extinction or had simply vanished. The gnome city, which in years past had good trade with the elves, was now little more than a village."
  5. ^ "Glough's Journal". Old School RuneScape. "After spending half a century hiding underground you would think that the great migration would have improved life on Gielinor for tree gnomes."
  6. ^ Brimstail in The Eyes of Glouphrie. Old School RuneScape. "Ah, Oaknock was an engineer and architect. Very famous. There are statues to him around the place - his reputation amongst gnomes is second only to King Healthorg himself. He built most of the Stronghold you know."
  7. ^ Hazelmere in The Eyes of Glouphrie. Old School RuneScape. "Let us travel back in time, to the time you humans call the Fourth Age. King Healthorg had become King. The elves mysteriously decided to travel west, leaving most of Kandarin open for conquest. The humans weren't here yet, only King Healthorg and the gnomes to the north, and a collection of Goblin tribes to the south. Both armies moved to claim the lands, and were of course destined to meet in battle... And so it came to pass the Goblins and Gnome armies met at the battle of Atarisundri"
  8. ^ Hazelmere in The Eyes of Glouphrie. Old School RuneScape. "Both sides faced each other on the Battlefield. A bloody battle was in prospect, our gnomes were brave, but we were no match for the mass of brute goblin stupidity...
    ...but Glouphrie and King Healthorg had devised a plan...
    ...If you don't lead an invincible army - pretend you do...
    And so, Glouphrie created an army of illusory Giant tortoises, knowing that goblins would be scared of anything bigger than they were."

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Content from the Old School RuneScape Wiki (operated by Weird Gloop), licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0.

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