...oh hey, that's me!
Hola, guys. My name is Paersi, and I am the new forest gnome guru. I am typically hiding in Silverwood Manor (mentors are the best!), but they foolishly allowed me to come play with you too!
My intentions for 2014:
1st Quarter: Comb through existing documentation, identify gaps and/or areas to expand.
2nd Quarter: OOC Meeting (most likely a Saturday evening), work on a plan for filling gaps with unofficial lore.
3rd Quarter: Gnome Cultural Event - this will be partnered with the Mentors. If you've been to one of their cultural events before, you know they are AMAZING!
4th Quarter: Bakral's World Tour (I'll be using my merchant, Bakral, to wander around Elanthia and spread FG lore. Dates will be posted so you know in advance!)
I look forward to meeting you all!
Much love,
Mama P
GS4-PAERSI
SABLANJM
Re: New Guru!
01/22/2014 01:44 AM CST
In Celebration of a new guru.
Why I Went Gnome
I have played Gemstone IV since it was Gemstone III, with several long breaks. My first character was a Half-elf, just because, and I do not remember much about that time except an event I went to and my prized weapon was melted by the end encounter boss, which horrified me back then but obviously left a lasting impression. Later on I would make a halfling around the time Icemule was out and RR had the boot and then I took a long break. When I came back this time I was looking through the lore, and being a bit tired of elves and evil elves and not wanting to be a tart eating halfling farmer turned mage (sorry wizard now) again I read a lot of lore.
What caught my eye about the Forest Gnome was it's unique nature and the underlying stoic brutality of that lore. I think Dragon Lance and World of Warcraft (and everquest before that) have made the tinker/burghal gnome more recognizable but these Forest Gnomes I was reading about the complete opposite of that, savage instead of technological, they <chose> to be that way and continue to choose that life style. Unlike the sylvans, or forest elves, that so often pop up in fantasy these guys and gals are not masters of nature, they do not have some giant magical tree city, they get killed by the nature they choose to live in. They live with Native American level technology even though they are right next door to races, including their Burghal cousins, that would easily allow them to become "modern". Many of them follow Imaera but they live so close to nature they recognize it is not always a tree hugging experience
<"it should be noted that not every young gnome survives the Zhadu’gno. Such cases are considered a very great blessing: It is said that Imaera spares the gnome a long life of struggle and pain by coalescing those forces into the nemesis.>"
I imagine the outlook towards the Goddess of Nature, Animal, and Plants changes a bit when the Animal part is trying to eat you. This idea of seeing Imaera as both the source of life and the challenge that either killed them or made them stronger was an interesting twist.
After thinking of the RP opportunities that such a race allowed for, and the joy of playing a race that disdained pretty much everything in every city I would visit. I was hooked.
The Bloodline options often a good bit to choose from as well, obviously the Basingstoke is the core of the race and everything else came after. The Arkati hating Angstholm who are mostly just a mystery in the lore. The elf admiring Felcour and sylvan copying Greengair. The somewhat evil Rosengift. I chose the Wendwillows because they are still rather stock forest gnome but allowed for an easier reason for my character to be exploring and in the civilized world.
It worked out pretty well, I am glad I went Forest Gnome, I even get a beard so I do not have dwarf envy.
That being said there are a few areas the lore could be looked at and a few mechanic changes I think should definitely be implemented (even if they are mostly fluff)
Lore
--- in -10500 the official Zelia lore use to say, and the krakepedia still says that a windwillow matriarch helps heal Zelia. I suppose it was easier to change the lore than to explain the time gap but I am still going with the idea that Windwillow as a Blood Line existed before Doneagil Basingstoke condensed all the Blood Lines into one. It is very possible my character is wrong but it seems to make more sense and also explains the why the Windwillow Blood Line isn't named after Mircea Adhiambo who {re}founded it.
--- The Felcour have been around Ta'vaalar for over 500 years now according to the timeline, it is odd there isn't something written about the relationship they do or do not have...even if Forest Gnomes are sneaky and very good at a race at not being detected you would think a group of them dressed in heavy armor and having gladiator games would eventually attract attention...even from elves. There honestly isn't much written about the Felcour at all, you have to look in the timeline to know they turned that way because of watching the Valaar. They do not even get a mention at https://www.play.net/gs4/info/tomes/gnomes/other.asp
The Angtholm are also not very detailed but that comes across more as a design decision since they are, by design, mysterious and little known.
Mechanics
--- In some areas it really seems like they rolled burghal and forest gnome out without enough time to separate some of the fluff mechanics. We have the same language even though they have been apart for 5000 years, and the same list of animals to imitate. We even have the same bonus to crossbows which is odd, I suppose they could have some kind of primitive cross bows but that is not the kind you normally find in Elanthia shops.
It would be nice if we could get common/gnome/burghal and common/gnome/forestgnome as language options as well as different animals for the imitate command, and maybe forest gnomes could replace tinker with something more forest gnome (though I admit I do have fun with the tinker verb from time to time)...this I think I have heard several forest gnomes comment on.
-- What is with that trading penalty in the landing? Is krakepedia wrong or did Forest Gnomes run off with the local farmers livestock or something?
-- It would be insanely nice if we could replace the cross bow rt reduction with normal bow rt for Forest Gnomes. Look at that picture of the Forest Gnome of the official, now look back, now look at that picture of the Forest Gnome again...you see a complicated Burghal cross bow? Hell no, what you see is a nice stick with a string that shoots pointy things.
Why I Went Gnome
I have played Gemstone IV since it was Gemstone III, with several long breaks. My first character was a Half-elf, just because, and I do not remember much about that time except an event I went to and my prized weapon was melted by the end encounter boss, which horrified me back then but obviously left a lasting impression. Later on I would make a halfling around the time Icemule was out and RR had the boot and then I took a long break. When I came back this time I was looking through the lore, and being a bit tired of elves and evil elves and not wanting to be a tart eating halfling farmer turned mage (sorry wizard now) again I read a lot of lore.
What caught my eye about the Forest Gnome was it's unique nature and the underlying stoic brutality of that lore. I think Dragon Lance and World of Warcraft (and everquest before that) have made the tinker/burghal gnome more recognizable but these Forest Gnomes I was reading about the complete opposite of that, savage instead of technological, they <chose> to be that way and continue to choose that life style. Unlike the sylvans, or forest elves, that so often pop up in fantasy these guys and gals are not masters of nature, they do not have some giant magical tree city, they get killed by the nature they choose to live in. They live with Native American level technology even though they are right next door to races, including their Burghal cousins, that would easily allow them to become "modern". Many of them follow Imaera but they live so close to nature they recognize it is not always a tree hugging experience
<"it should be noted that not every young gnome survives the Zhadu’gno. Such cases are considered a very great blessing: It is said that Imaera spares the gnome a long life of struggle and pain by coalescing those forces into the nemesis.>"
I imagine the outlook towards the Goddess of Nature, Animal, and Plants changes a bit when the Animal part is trying to eat you. This idea of seeing Imaera as both the source of life and the challenge that either killed them or made them stronger was an interesting twist.
After thinking of the RP opportunities that such a race allowed for, and the joy of playing a race that disdained pretty much everything in every city I would visit. I was hooked.
The Bloodline options often a good bit to choose from as well, obviously the Basingstoke is the core of the race and everything else came after. The Arkati hating Angstholm who are mostly just a mystery in the lore. The elf admiring Felcour and sylvan copying Greengair. The somewhat evil Rosengift. I chose the Wendwillows because they are still rather stock forest gnome but allowed for an easier reason for my character to be exploring and in the civilized world.
It worked out pretty well, I am glad I went Forest Gnome, I even get a beard so I do not have dwarf envy.
That being said there are a few areas the lore could be looked at and a few mechanic changes I think should definitely be implemented (even if they are mostly fluff)
Lore
--- in -10500 the official Zelia lore use to say, and the krakepedia still says that a windwillow matriarch helps heal Zelia. I suppose it was easier to change the lore than to explain the time gap but I am still going with the idea that Windwillow as a Blood Line existed before Doneagil Basingstoke condensed all the Blood Lines into one. It is very possible my character is wrong but it seems to make more sense and also explains the why the Windwillow Blood Line isn't named after Mircea Adhiambo who {re}founded it.
--- The Felcour have been around Ta'vaalar for over 500 years now according to the timeline, it is odd there isn't something written about the relationship they do or do not have...even if Forest Gnomes are sneaky and very good at a race at not being detected you would think a group of them dressed in heavy armor and having gladiator games would eventually attract attention...even from elves. There honestly isn't much written about the Felcour at all, you have to look in the timeline to know they turned that way because of watching the Valaar. They do not even get a mention at https://www.play.net/gs4/info/tomes/gnomes/other.asp
The Angtholm are also not very detailed but that comes across more as a design decision since they are, by design, mysterious and little known.
Mechanics
--- In some areas it really seems like they rolled burghal and forest gnome out without enough time to separate some of the fluff mechanics. We have the same language even though they have been apart for 5000 years, and the same list of animals to imitate. We even have the same bonus to crossbows which is odd, I suppose they could have some kind of primitive cross bows but that is not the kind you normally find in Elanthia shops.
It would be nice if we could get common/gnome/burghal and common/gnome/forestgnome as language options as well as different animals for the imitate command, and maybe forest gnomes could replace tinker with something more forest gnome (though I admit I do have fun with the tinker verb from time to time)...this I think I have heard several forest gnomes comment on.
-- What is with that trading penalty in the landing? Is krakepedia wrong or did Forest Gnomes run off with the local farmers livestock or something?
-- It would be insanely nice if we could replace the cross bow rt reduction with normal bow rt for Forest Gnomes. Look at that picture of the Forest Gnome of the official, now look back, now look at that picture of the Forest Gnome again...you see a complicated Burghal cross bow? Hell no, what you see is a nice stick with a string that shoots pointy things.
GS4-SCRIBES
Re: New Guru!
01/22/2014 08:29 AM CST
Always awesome to see an enthusiastic fan of a race.
Good post!
GM Scribes
Good post!
GM Scribes
ARIETTA
Re: New Guru!
01/22/2014 08:44 AM CST
I agree, great post! :)
My own story of amazing gnome awesomeness is a little different. Gnazzy is an Angstholm gnome. While characteristic of her bloodline in many ways, she stands apart in others. Gnazzy, like most of her kin, holds contempt for the Arkati and finds them unworthy of worship. She dedicated herself to mastering elemental magic, following in the footsteps of her elders. But something went a little...wrong.
Those who have heard the story of how she came to be the future supreme empress of the world will understand. ;)
~ GtG
My own story of amazing gnome awesomeness is a little different. Gnazzy is an Angstholm gnome. While characteristic of her bloodline in many ways, she stands apart in others. Gnazzy, like most of her kin, holds contempt for the Arkati and finds them unworthy of worship. She dedicated herself to mastering elemental magic, following in the footsteps of her elders. But something went a little...wrong.
Those who have heard the story of how she came to be the future supreme empress of the world will understand. ;)
~ GtG
