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Adept Greytalker
Joined: Sep 20, 2001
Posts: 355
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Mon Aug 28, 2017 2:04 pm
Forest Gnomes when? why?
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I would like to know what product added forest gnomes to the Greyhawk campaign. As far as I can tell, throughout first edition AD&D, even after Gygax left TSR, the Flanaess had two kinds of gnomes: rock and deep (svirfneblin).
At some vague point during second or third edition, there seemed to arise a general agreement that forest gnomes were a third sub-race, and that many of the Flanaess gnomes previously believed to be rock gnomes were actually forest gnomes.
Where did this come from? When did this start?
I've been looking at Joseph Bloch's Adventures Dark and Deep Player Guide, and noticed that he includes forest gnomes as a sub-race there too. Since that game is an explicit attempt to create a "what would Gygax have done" 2nd edition, the inclusion of forest gnomes there is really puzzling to me. I don't remember any reference to them at all until the Sargent era at least, and maybe even the Roger Moore reboot or even third edition.
Is there any canon reason to include them?
Someone tell me where the forest gnomes came from.
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GreySage
Joined: Sep 09, 2009
Posts: 2470
From: SW WA state (Highvale)
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Mon Aug 28, 2017 3:53 pm
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I cannot answer the question when or why specifically, but know they were added in the "Complete Book of Halflings and Gnomes" as a subrace.
Perhaps somebody else can more faithfully answer your queries (my money is on Rasgon...).
-Lanthorn
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Apprentice Greytalker
Joined: Jul 30, 2017
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Mon Aug 28, 2017 4:50 pm
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Were forest gnomes actually added? Do they appear in any published GH works?
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Adept Greytalker
Joined: Apr 21, 2013
Posts: 378
From: Minnesota
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Mon Aug 28, 2017 7:47 pm
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As Lanthorn stated, they are listed in The Complete Book of Gnomes and Halfings, page 30. They are said to be a "not so common" subrace.
On page 10 of the same book it states the book introduces the subrace of Forest Gnome.
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Apprentice Greytalker
Joined: Jul 30, 2017
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Mon Aug 28, 2017 8:44 pm
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It has been a long time since I saw a copy of Complete Book of Little Dudes.
Is there actually a GH-specific reference to forest gnomes in it, or just generic material on forest gnomes?
I do not recall ever seeing a forest gnome in any GH product. But I have not seen every GH product, just many.
It seems possible that forest gnomes never appeared in any GH products. That would make them noncanonical, for those who care about canon.
I don't, except as a useful common frame of reference for gamers.
RE Forest Gnomes in GH:
I'd just use ordinary gnomes who live in -- or under--- the woods, instead of a new subrace.
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CF Admin
Joined: Jun 29, 2001
Posts: 1477
From: Wichita, KS, USA
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Tue Aug 29, 2017 5:11 pm
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I thought that Gary mentioned forest gnomes in one of his Gord novels (presumably Artifact of Evil), perhaps??
Allan. _________________ Allan Grohe (grodog@gmail.com)
http://www.greyhawkonline.com/grodog/greyhawk.html
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Adept Greytalker
Joined: Apr 21, 2013
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From: Minnesota
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Tue Aug 29, 2017 7:17 pm
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Been a while since I read the book but I quickly skimmed it last night and saw no specific Greyhawk reference.
I personally have never used them so I have not put much thought into them one way or another.
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