The Gnomes of Gnomeregan

They say good things come in small packages, and that holds true in the case of the gnomes. The diminutive race of tinkerers and engineers have long been the source of the Alliance’s more sophisticated weapons, and the gnomes apply the same analytical methods and sharp intellect to the study of the arcane as well, making themselves very adept mages (and somewhat dangerous warlocks). But like all races in World of Warcraft, these light-hearted geniuses and inventors have overcome hardship and tragedy in their past.

The origins of the gnomish history are lost to the mists of time. Gnomes focus on advancement and innovation, and for much of their history paid little heed to recording their history. In time, the gnomes would learn their lost history and that the gnomes are children of the Titans, along with the humans, dwarves, and other races. They were originally mechagnomes, clockwork caretakers and innovators of the great Titanic technology that works under Azeroth’s surface and in the various Titan facilities spread across Azeroth. Whereas the humans and dwarves accepted their new forms over time, some gnomes have wished to return to the days of being mechanical rather than flesh and bone. This has led to a number of leaders, including their greatest king, Mechagon, trying to reclaim their heritage. That is a story for the Mechagnome entry in our series, however.

In the centuries preceding the First War, the dwarves of Ironforge encountered the little gnomes living in villages in the western reaches of the Dun Murough. They had built well-defended villages using their technical prowess to protect themselves from the harsh environment as well as the ice trolls who lived in the range and often warred with the gnomes and dwarves. The dwarves used their experience building cities inside of mountains to help the gnomes construct a capital where most of their population could settle, safe from the elements and the trolls. This city was Gnomeregan. 

Despite their relative isolation, some gnomes did find themselves out in the world at large, as there are records of gnome individuals in the histories of the humans and high elves of Lordaeron going back 2600 years before the First War.

During the First and Second War, the gnomes created much of the technology the Alliance used to gain victory. In the Second War, the Horde laid siege to both Ironforge and Gnomeregan. The sieges proved fruitless as the gates of both cities were the only points of access the orcs knew of and both were massive and shut tight. Gnomish devices and traps laid out in the countryside decimated the orc armies. EVentually, the warchief would move the rest of his force northward to invade the human kingdoms of Lordaeron, allowing a relief force of humans and high elves to sweep aside the remaining forces outside Ironforge and Gnomeregan. After this, the dwarves and gnomes formally joined the Alliance of Lordaeron and went to war. The gnomes lacked the armies or martial attitude of the dwarves, so used their technology to help turn the tide against the orcish menace. Gnome-made flying machines and submarines prowled the skies and seas, destroying vulnerable orcish targets. The only way the Horde protected itself against the superior gnomish technology was through the help of goblins hired into orcish service. Goblins, with a penchant for creating weapons and blowing themselves up, were mercenerial and didn’t care who hired them, as long as the pay was good. They had some technological capability themselves, and this would create a rivalry that exists to this day between the goblins and the gnomes. Both diminutive races strive to prove they have the better mind for technological innovation.

The gnomes mostly didn’t participate in the Third War against the Burning Legion in Kalimdor. Their silence surprised their allies. While their currently-serving Alliance pilots and troops did help, and their technology was instrumental in winning, the gnomish presence in the war was small.

Afterwards, the Alliance would find out why. Gnomeregan had fallen to an unseen enemy. While exploring and excavating under the city, the gnomes had opened caverns containing vicious cave-dwelling creatures called troggs. As these troggs overwhelmed the city’s defenders, treachery from within accelerated the fall of this great city. By the time all was said and done, the gnomes had irradiated their own city in an attempt to stop the troggs. Between the troggs and the radiation, 80% of the gnomes in the city died, the remaining groups of gnomes fled into the mountains, arriving at Ironforge where their dwarven cousins took them in. There they built a neighborhood for themselves, Tinkertown. This is where gnomes start at the beginning of World of Warcraft.

In time, over the expansion cycle of the game, the gnomes would learn much of their lost history, and would begin the process of reclaiming and cleansing Gnomeregan. To do so they built a military camp and city outside the gates of Gnomeregan, called New Tinkertown. Their reclamation efforts would be stopped for the time being when Sicco Thermaplugg, the original planner behind the radiation attack and driven mad by radiation sickness, detonated yet another radiation bomb to defend what he, in his madness, viewed as his kingdom from invasion. Ensuing events between the Horde and the Alliance would preclude another attempt on reclamation. For now.

Gnomes are a versatile race, capable of fulfilling a number of adventuring roles. They can be warriors, death knights, hunters, rogues, monks, mages, priests, and warlocks.

Gnome racial bonuses tie in to their small size and sharp intellects, giving them a number of unique bonuses.

1. Escape Artist. Gnomes are small and nimble, this allows them to remove any snare or movement speed reducing effect from them every 1 minutes.

2. Expansive Mind. Gnomes have voracious intellects and an innate ability to learn and adapt greater than most other races. Their maximum resources (mana, rage, energy) increases by 5%

3. Arcane Resistance. Gnomes are dedicated researchers, they strive to understand what they see. This leads to them taking 1% less damage from arcane attacks.

4. Engineering Specialization. Of course, a race of prolific tinkerers would be natural engineers. Engineering starts at 15 skill points, rather than 1. 

5. Nimble Fingers. Gnomes are small and agile. This dexterity allows them to attack 1% faster.

Gnomes might be a race many players overlook due to their small size, but they have a dedicated fanbase and are a solid choice to adventure with. They offer a fun alternative to the usual big tough fantasy races. So, if you want maximum fun in minimum size, go Gnome or go home!