Gnomes in the Dungeons & Dragons Gnome Zone

Gnomes are small, mischievous creatures with a penchant for gardening and an insatiable curiosity about the world around them. Their energy and enthusiasm are reflected in every inch of their tiny bodies, and they exude a joy for life that’s hard to miss. Their prodigious noses are a testament to their inquisitive nature, and their eyes twinkle with delight.

While they may seem aloof, gnomes are surprisingly kind and generous. They love to entertain and can be extremely quick on their feet. They can often be found sharing laughs with their friends and family or simply chatting about the things that interest them most.

They usually live underground, but get fresh air and enjoy the living world on the surface as well. They use clever construction and simple illusions to hide their homes. Gnomes who settle in human lands are typically gemcutters, engineers, or tinkers. Many human families retain a gnome tutor for their children, allowing the child to experience both serious learning and delighted enjoyment of life at the same time.

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, gnomes are one of the core races available for play as player characters. They’re smaller than dwarves and larger-nosed, and have a natural affinity for small animals and a keen skill with illusion magic or engineering.

The gnome zone is a new area of the game that will let players explore a wide variety of gnome-themed locales, from tinkering and engineering to gardening. There will also be opportunities to meet a wide array of characters—some friendly, others not so much—as they complete quests and interact with the gnome population of Azeroth.

Gnomes are a recurring character in the popular children’s series of books by L. Frank Baum and Ruth Plumly Thompson, and have been featured in the JK Rowling Harry Potter series (created 1997 to 2007). They’re sometimes called “gnome pests” because they invade the gardens of witches and wizards, but they’re generally regarded as harmless.

Gnomes are also featured in a number of video games, including the popular The Elder Scrolls and the recent Wallace & Gromit stop motion animated comedy film titled Vengeance Most Fowl. They’re the inspiration for a new exhibit at the Aspen Art Museum called “Gnome-a-Lot!” that opened in November 2018. The show features 39 gnomes that have been collected by the town’s own gnome enthusiasts, ranging from the collection of councilman Auden Schendler and his son Elias to those from a gnome camp class held at Rock Bottom Ranch. The exhibit will be on display through April 2019.