Gnomes are diminutive humanoids who came to Esterfell in the first few waves of immigrations. They spread across all corners of the continent, with larger populations in Lenya and the Ashen Archipelago and a few families settling in Barria and Yggru.
Dust gnomes are a lineage of smallfolk with an innate bond to the elements of earth and fire. Their ears are larger and wider than their gnomish cousins, granting them keen awareness of their surroundings.
The hot stretches of Barrian desert drew in the dust gnomes, who helped establish some of the early populations that founded Mawlin. These folk can be found in other regions of Esterfell, but they tend to avoid overly humid environments.
As a dust gnome, you have the following special traits.
Desert Born. Because of your natural adaptations to hot climates, you have Resistance to Fire damage, and you do not need to drink water, as your body is able to survive on the small amounts of moisture found in your normal food intake.
Dust Magic. You know the Druidcraft cantrip. When you reach character level 3, you learn the Jump spell, and when you reach character level 5, you learn the Pass without Trace spell. You always have these leveled spells prepared, you can cast them each once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to cast them in this way when you finish a Long Rest. You can also use any spell slots you have to cast these spells. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for the spells you cast with this trait (choose the ability when you select the lineage).
Gnomish Cunning. You have Advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws.
Waterdowsers. You are innately suited to exploring hazardous climates, granting you Advantage on Wisdom (Perception and Survival) checks to forage or navigate within a natural environment.
Forest gnomes possess a connection to the plants, animals, and spirits of the natural world. This magical bond even grants them a limited means of communication with some beasts.
The temperate forests of Lenya, particularly the Eastern Forests, were a welcoming space to these gnomes, and they helped found clans such as the Balsam and Eldwin.
Rock gnomes originated from deep underneath the largest mountains of Mote. In some corners of the world, the existence of rock gnomes only became common knowledge on the surface when mountain dwarves unearthed them during deep mining expeditions. Their magical connection to stone makes them natural masons, and their desire to know everything about how minerals interact leads many of them to tinkering.
Though some rock gnomes gravitated toward the mountains of Yggru, many opted instead to contribute to the development of the Esterfell Accord's larger cities. A majority of the engineers and city planners who contributed to grand structures such as the artificial island on which Cape Bec was founded were rock gnomes. The Ashen Archipelago also has some settlements with larger rock gnome populations, the descendants of tinkerers drawn to the exotic gems and ores found within the dormant volcanic soil.