Gnomes

''The following history has been transcribed from the journals and collected literary curriculum vitae of Brocc, the Roly-Poly Afnatoler of the Folkor Clan to aggregate the accumulated history of the Erraneblin people and culture. Any source materials used by the author have been cited in the text. For use with express permission from the Council of Elders.''

 In the Beginning, an Account of the Creation of the Erraneblin People 

The history of the Erraneblin begins deep in the bowels of the mountains of Erranor. Dain created the Erraneblin (Gnomes of Erranor, in the common tongue) to aid the work of the Shadrir and the Dwarves and to repair the great forges and furnaces of Erranor. The work that they labored at for centuries, while proficient, was beneath their potential. Written accounts of this time are inconsistent in their veracity. What is agreed, I will now recount for this record."'Soulon and Thradia noticed the plight of the Gnomes and took pity. Working behind their brother, Dain's back, Soulon and Thradia gathered the Erraneblin and said unto them 'Lo, hear our words, my children. You have suffered much at the hand of the Shadrir. For this reason, we shall bestow upon you a special cunning. The Shadrir only see you as servants. More property than man. Now, you will be in control of how you are seen and perceived. Watch carefully, for there is much to learn.' Dain sensed his brother and sister near his furnaces and went to investigate. Embracing them, Dain's eyes were open to the Erraneblin's plight for the first time and wept, for he cared for all of his creations. Turning to them, Dain speaks, 'My children, hear my words. You are my creations, and I have failed to see your plight. I cannot fault you for entreating my brother and sister for aid. From here forth, if you wish to pledge your heart to one of them, you are free to do so with my blessing.' From that day forward, three distinct groups began to appear, which would later turn into the Svirfneblin (Deep Gnome, in the common tongue), Øivindneblin (Forest Gnome, in the common tongue), and Børreneblin (Rock Gnome, in the common tongue).""Citation: The Book of Dain, (author unknown), Canto 72, verse 23-42, copied by the author with permission from the Council of Elders." Gifts from the Gods and the Founding of the New Neblin Civilization 

The Neblin, gifted with the art of the craft from the Gods, found themselves with their eyes truly open to the world for the first time in Neblin history. Now, instead of repairing the forces, the Neblins watched the hands of their masters, the Shadrir. The award winning historian, Korpo Abelia Phophelia the Rotund of the Folken Clan had the following to say."'To free themselves from the burdens of manual labor, the Erraneblin used the craft to construct mechanical versions of themselves to repair the forges and furnances. The Erraneblin were so proficient in their craft that the Shadrir and Dwarves began to be unable to determine whether the Erraneblin that they looked upon were clockwork or flesh and bone.With the special cunning that was freely given by Soulon and Thradia in the third century P.C. (Pre-Cunning), the Erraneblin began slowly stepping back into the shadows of the mines and began adapting what they had learned, watching the Shadrir work, reading their words and gaining full knowledge of the Shadrir's craft. As the years progressed, the Erraneblin civilzation slowly retracted into the shadows of society, preferring to form secret communes living in cities that are hidden from the world. Now, the Neblins are regarded by some to be only urban legend. The reality is a fairly different story.'""Citation: Erraneblin hopeka 'The accumulated history of the Gnomes of Erranor', (Phophelia), page 50-51, copied by the author with permission from the Council of Elders."It is during this time that the Erraneblin split into three distinct factions: The Svirfneblin, who preferred to stay near the mountains of Erranor and continued to follow Dain. They settled near the foothills and deep within the bowels of Mount Erranor. The city in the foothills was named Svidrin and devoted themselves to the study of dynamic spellcraft. The Øivindneblin were drawn towards Soulon and felt compelled to settle deep in the woods of Chintaka. Their community, called Clankvolt, specializes in Transference Mechanics. The Børreneblin were drawn towards Thradia, and travelled to the mountains of Chintaka. To the north-west of Clankvolt stands the Børreneblin city of Nal Kahldur. The Børreneblin that live at Nal Kahldur are master adepts at Theoretical Esoterica.