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The Fantasy Gnome: A Creature People Easily Misunderstand
Sunfire
CONTENTS
Overview
The denizens of fantasy come in many forms, some large and small, and when people think of the latter, the leprechaun usually comes to mind. That shamrock-loving green guy isn’t the only diminutive creature that appears in worlds across the genre. In fact, there is another one and it is equally interesting as the leprechaun and it would be the fantasy gnome.
When people think of the gnome, they think of the garden version where they stick it right in it, serving as a decoration but its fantasy counterpart is anything but still. It retains the same appearance, right down to its pointy hat which is considered one of its signature garments. No matter where it appears in, the gnome doesn’t change in terms of its appearance which makes it easy for people to know what it is when they see it.
The fantasy gnome has several things going for it. Its adorable appearance masks a creature of intellect, one it uses zealously to protect whatever it’s guarding. It has no qualms about using physical force, namely its razor-sharp teeth, to harm intruders and other unwelcome guests.
If there is one thing this adorable creature is known for, it’s for acting as a guardian, especially of treasures found in the ground, notably those in the mines. It will go to great lengths to prevent any thievery, channeling powers that take people by surprise, of whatever it’s protecting. When in an enraged state, there is no reasoning with it and those who wish to speak with it must wait until it calms down and regains its senses.
This is article number thirty in the fantasy creatures series. If you wind up enjoying this article and want to see what else we have to offer, our blog page is your next destination. It’s chock-full of many fantastic articles that focus on various aspects of fantasy worldbuilding!
The Interesting Appearance of the Fantasy Gnome
Though it may be one of many denizens that populate the genre, the gnome has an interesting appearance. Its unusual look has become one of its defining traits as exemplified in its appearances across many worlds of the genre where it doesn’t really change that much from world-to-world.
In short, the fantasy gnome is a small little guy, roughly smaller than the leprechaun though there are some exceptions. It sports a beard, usually white though there are some with silver or brown beards. The majority of gnomes have white hair and those that don’t have it have brown, black, and even red hair.
Due to its tiny size, the gnome has stubby fingers and toes. The latter is covered by brown or black boots that enable it to move around quickly without fear of having sore feet. It wears a shirt, usually green, to shield its body from the elements.
The hat atop its round head is one of the gnome’s signature garments. It is pointy, almost triangular-like, and comes in many different hues. The color of the hat the gnome wears matches its outfit, making it look like it is wearing clothes all of the same color.
The fantasy gnome prefers clothes that are comfortable and suitable for just about any occasion. It likes loose, relaxed clothes that let it move around with relative ease, perfect for a day protecting the garden or deep within the mountainside where it keeps an eye on a rare artifact that someone shouldn’t take.
The Capabilities of the Fantasy Gnome
In some of the stories it’s in, the gnome is presented as a kind creature that does no harm to anyone. It has a merry disposition and enjoys playing tricks much like the leprechaun. This is far from the truth in that the gnome is anything but nice in the majority of the stories it appears in. If someone angers it, he is in for a world of hurt.
The fantasy gnome uses its appearance to hornswoggle people into believing it can’t hurt a fly. The townsfolk lets down their guard around it and it causes trouble whenever they’re not looking and poses as still as a statue to evade being caught for whatever trouble it caused. When people search for the culprit, the one they’re looking for is right in front of them and they don’t even realize it.
What the gnome is capable of manifests itself when it is guarding something. Taking its responsibilities seriously, it will do whatever it takes to ensure that whatever it’s protecting remains in place and leave no options off the table. At first it’ll do things to ward off the intruder like shouting at the top of its lungs, hoping that he’ll get the hint and elicit to go elsewhere.
Should the unwelcome guest press forward, the fantasy gnome will resort to harsher actions. Since it has razor-sharp teeth, it’ll pounce upon the intruder and sink its teeth into his flesh, causing some deep marks on his skin. This will cause a good number of these interlopers to decide it’s not worth going after the treasure it’s protecting but not all.
The most determined intruders won’t be fazed by one or several bites from the gnome which means it’ll have to take even more stringent measures to deter them. Since it is of small stature, it is more nimble and will use its body to attack the threat. Facing a fury of fists and a rapidly-moving small object, the unwelcome guest will have a hard time fending it off since it is moving so fast it’s difficult to pin down.
How the Fantasy Gnome Fits in the World
Like everything else in a fictional world, the gnome has a role to play and it does so to great aplomb. When people think of what it does, they think of the ones they put in their garden, acting as a decoration. In fantasy, it isn’t just a decoration, it has a job and it is very dedicated to ensuring that it does it successfully without any hitches.
The main role the fantasy gnome has is to protect something. Most of the time it is something deep either underground or within the mountain. It could be treasure, a rare object, or a secret pathway to a place only a most select few can enter.
The gnome does several things when guarding something. It can stand as a sentinel, keeping an eye out for potential signs of trouble or it can conduct patrols, checking the immediate area for anything out of the ordinary. When it first senses that something is amiss, it springs into action, moving swiftly to safeguard whatever it’s protecting.
When the fantasy gnome detects an intruder, it adopts defensive measures. First, it’ll try to deter him from approaching the object and if his attempts to do so end in failure, he’ll use more aggressive tactics. Essentially, he’ll go to great lengths to defend the treasure or whatever else he’s guarding.
Of all of the denizens of the genre, the gnome is one of the most interesting and underestimated. Most people fail to realize this creature isn’t just something to decorate their garden with, it’s a diminutive being that is zealous in its job which is to ensure that whatever it’s protecting isn’t stolen. If you haven’t thought about incorporating the fantasy gnome in your world and story, you might might to reconsider. It could shape your world in ways even you didn’t expect!
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Thanks for reading this and until the next time,
Sunfire
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