Someone mentioned the idea of Elephant Cavalry for the Zilargo gnomes. As Zilargo is hardly a warrior-nation it was quickly pointed out that the animals would also be of use in large-scale construction due to their strength and (limited) dexterity with their trunks.
The prestidigitation power was suggested to have a major impact in their culture as recipes could incorporate artificial flavouring in this manner and cleaning the streets would be a negligible effort. Operas and plays would likely also incorporate the use of minor illusions.
A great many ideas was suggested about a Zils relationship with his family in relation to scheming, keeping secrets and possibly passing such secrets along. Anything from trusting family implicitly to keeping the secrets one has discovered to the death was suggested.
The idea of creating a "cabal" of sorts that would share secrets between themselves and help protect the secrets of the other members was one of the more interesting ideas, a form of "adopted family," that could be the basis of many adventure hooks.
"The Council of Arbitration" was also suggested, as a form of mediators and civil servants who would help settle minor disputes or criminal violations [The Trust can't be everywhere, after all (or that's the image they want you to believe)].
Darth Syntax even posted some basic grammatical rules for the Zil language (I'll be glad to send them to anyone who wishes a copy).
As The thread more or less died when 4E announced that gnomes would be in the Monster Manual, the mechanical differences of the gnomes in 4E hasn't been discussed. Since I haven't seen the Eberron Gnome in 4E (I'm assuming it's different from the one in MM 4e ), I would like to hear how that works.
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So to sum up: What are your thoughts on Zilargo culture?
Mechanically, the player write-up for Gnomes is idenitical plus a few extra bits:
- Fey Origin
- Master Trickster: Once per encounter, use cantrip ghost sound
- Trickster's Cunning: +5 racial bonus to saving throws against illusions.
This obviously leaves a lack of minor illusionary power (presdtidigitation) that is very important to Eberron flavor. A few rituals come to mind, but nothing that encompasses as well as in the previous edition.
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/2...
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/2...
As another 3.5/4E conflict people can decide what to do with, in 3E the gnome's racial bonus to Alchemy was flavor-texted as beiong tied to an excellent sense of smell. The second Dragonshard expanded on this idea:
Gnomes also have a keen sense of smell, and scent plays a significant role in Zil fashion; men and women alike make use of perfumes and oils, many so subtle that humans can't even smell them. A social "language of scent" allows a gnome to indicate her current status -- seeking companionship, conversation, solitude, help, and so on. A gnome can recognize the intent of a scent by making a DC 10 Wisdom check and a DC 15 Knowledge (local) check. Other creatures with enhanced senses -- such as a shifter with the Wildhunt ability -- can identify these scents, but unless raised among gnomes they cannot deduce the social meaning of the smell.
One can certainly leave it in as something slightly less subtle (though again, outsiders wouldn't know the meaning)... but as it stands, I don't believe 4E gnomes have an unusual sense of smell. I like it as an example of the sort of subtle intrigues going on that outsiders may not recognize.
but as it stands, I don't believe 4E gnomes have an unusual sense of smell. I like it as an example of the sort of subtle intrigues going on that outsiders may not recognize.
Not to an extend that they get a bonus on skills, but that does not mean they cannot have a better smell than humans ;)
Any thoughts?
There's a feat which adds prestidigitation and mage hand as encounter powers for gnomes. A DM who feels it's necessary for the concept can give that as a bonus feat. If not, it's only one feat to get it.
Personally, what I like about this is that it suggests that it's a latent ability that can be harnessed, but that not all gnomes do - and since you can do what you want with NPCs, it's up to the DM to decide if they have. The reason I like this is because it lets one say that it's a cultural aspect of Zilargo that they have harnessed these powers and use them on a daily basis... but that the random gnome from Thrane has simply never gotten in touch with these powers. Furthermore, the fact that once you DO harness them, you can use them as encounter powers lets them be a much stronger part of the culture than having them as once-daily powers; the cook can flavor a new meal every five minutes.
So a PC who isn't from Zilargo isn't unusual in not having the feat; one from Zilargo without it simply never mastered his lessons (and remember than in 3.5 you had to have a Charisma of at least 10 to have the illusion powers - so there were "flunking gnomes").
Any thoughts?
Check out the picture in the Zilargo section of the 4E ECG for my thoughts on the matter.
What you can't see in that image is that my art direction was that they be seen more from the side, so it's clear to the reader that the woman in the mask is casting a spell behind her back (she does have her hand behind her back in the current image). Speaking to illusionary tricks, I'll note that Zilargo is the birthplace of glamerweave, clothing with illusions worked into the fabric. There's a lot of different styles one can explore with this - but it's certainly something that would make a formal ball even more colorful than it could be.
Before PHB2 came out I would have suggested a feat which allows full at-will wizard cantrip access for anyone who took it. The prerequisites would have been either Training in Arcana or membership of an Arcane class.
The idea of the "Magewright" is worth bringing up again.
Maybe in another thread.
I also just recently acquired my MA in Library Sciences, so when I think about Zilargo, I think about Korranberg and what sort of call numbering system they must use. (This is a sign that I must get out more.)
Something I want to examine more is the Zil reputation as shipwrights. How'd they develop that reputation? How does that affect the Zilargo interactions with House Lyrandar (main investors in elemental galleons), House Cannith (the big engineering concern), and the Lhazaar Principalities (a region that lives and dies by its ships)?
Just a few random thoughts!
EDIT: Another random thought, having just reread the old Zilargo Dragonshards (always worth it).
Much mention is made of Zilargo's culture of intrigue, with blackmail and secret-stealing being major tools of feuds. Which makes me wonder... what do Zilargo gnomes feud about? Grudges over a childhood incident of tag-and-seek? Outmaneuvering for coveted positions in the Library faculty? Stealing someone's byline for a Chronicle article? More importantly, how might a family feud play out for a PC gnomes?
Much mention is made of Zilargo's culture of intrigue, with blackmail and secret-stealing being major tools of feuds. Which makes me wonder... what do Zilargo gnomes feud about? Grudges over a childhood incident of tag-and-seek? Outmaneuvering for coveted positions in the Library faculty? Stealing someone's byline for a Chronicle article? More importantly, how might a family feud play out for a PC gnomes?
I think gnomes are inclined to scheme about pretty much everything, but I'd guess that their rivalries aren't always about the fued in question. Rather, they scheme as a pyshological imperative. Just as rams but heads or pea**** show off their feathers, gnomes scheme to show off just how excellent they are. Being a good schemer doesn't just mean getting the elemental binding job or the best tickets to the opera - it means you've proven that your blood is worth carrying into the future.
I'd bet that it's hard for a gnome to not scheme to get what they seek. Just as dwarves like to turn everything into a matter of personal and clan honor, and orcs turn everything into a test of strength, gnomes make everything into a battle of subtle wit.
I could see gnome romances being long drawn-out affairs where the prospective mate proves his or her worth by scheming the counterparty into various romantic situations. The more subtle the schemer, the more attractive the gnome.
Hah! I like it! An entire society in which Hitch-style manipulation and trickery is considered the romantic ideal. The Zil idea of a romantic date is one which you don't even realize you're on until halfway through. Love notes which appear to be gibberish, or a shopping list, or even a headline, but are actually personally-encrypted missives using, say, your favourite poem as the key. Being treated exceptionally nicely by a number of strangers only to discover that they were all your suitor in disguise.
I would imagine that no culture in the world takes the concept of a 'secret admirer' as far as Zilargo; while rare, it's been known for two lovers to remain oblivious to one another's true identities even until their wedding night, peeling away one another's cover identities and false backgrounds as seductively as others might remove articles of clothing.
Perhaps the traditional means of marriage is to ensnare your significant other in some form of contract binding zie into matrimony. It's traditional always to leave your love some esoteric loophole by which to escape, be it though clever interpretation or some antiquated precedent. This is all tradition and ceremony, mind you; no more meaningful than our world's tradition of the bride's father 'giving her away', consent is obviously still respected no matter how clever the contract.
(Consider this appropriated for my 'Making Non-Humans Truly Inhuman' thread.)
Of course, this being Zilargo, said entry is actually a long vitrolic diatribe about how much the writer hates you, but of course you've also found the decrpytion key in her sock drawer and translated it all into the correct meaning. And once you've done all that, you've proven your intellect and ability, and being worthy of such feelings in the first place.
So, it's kind of like blackmailing someone who wants to be blackmailed.
...I'm probably thinking about this way too much.
Real world historical anecdote: When the son of John Wesley (founder of the Methodist Church) went off to university, Wesley advised him, "When you send me a letter, do so in Greek-- it's the only language your mother doesn't speak." Especially in the case of House Sivis members, dropping in phrases from other languages (Elven, Goblin, Giant, und so weiter) is probably de rigeur.
Heh.
Similarly, they may pursue personal slights or act out personal opinions through their associates. If they disapprove of an associate's heavy drinking, they may attempt to arrange events to cast him in a bad light with his associates or humiliate him in the hopes he may clean up his act.
(Of course there's bound to be more than a few who wage fueds over the neighbour's descision to marry someone from Karrnath or their choice of faiths.)
Further down the line, there's an attitude shared by the Lhazzar peoples, that if you cannot defend your property, it never was yours in the first place.
Maintaining a few counter-intrigues against your business rival's efforts are par for course and indeed the mark of a good businessman. If you're seen to expose and quash a bid to ruin you, partners will know their investment with you is safe.
I think gnomes are inclined to scheme about pretty much everything, but I'd guess that their rivalries aren't always about the fued in question. Rather, they scheme as a pyshological imperative... I'd bet that it's hard for a gnome to not scheme to get what they seek. Just as dwarves like to turn everything into a matter of personal and clan honor, and orcs turn everything into a test of strength, gnomes make everything into a battle of subtle wit.
Excellent analysis, and lots of good ideas following up.
All I'll add is that family bonds are also very important for the Zil, and many businesses are family businesses. As such, some of the practical, extended feuds will be related to one or both of these things. Go to Zolanberg and you'll surely find a dense web of intrigues involving the mines, with the fortunes of families rising and falling as they acquire or lose property due to their schemes and the intrigues of their rivals. And within a business, as Sarlax suggests, cunning is simply the tool gnomes naturally turn to in order to solve their problems and advance.
The Korranberg Chronicle doesn't have a games section-- it is a games section.
This is a lovely idea.
Still, I'm having a hard time comming up with something.
Well, you could start with something that looked Mediterranean Moorish on the outside-- lots of archways, balconies, arcades, and covered walks-- but then on the inside, instead of open courtyards, there's just... more. No box shaped rooms when you can have an L-shaped rooms, no rooms you can't get to three different ways. (Hm, wonder if gnomes get along with minotaurs.)
Another option is to go with classic Japanese architecture-- Chinese-inspired gables and lots of interior walls that move to reconfigure rooms.
Good luck!
Tangential observation about gnomes' relations with other people:
- A changeling can mimic any Medium humanoid.
- Gnomes are Small humanoids.
- Therefore, changelings cannot normally mimic gnomes. (Really talented doppelgangers might have undocumented abilities to do so, but we'll leave that out for the moment.)
Just a thought!