Gnomes

Gnomes were the only successful Reshaping performed upon a non-human Heir race. Seeking a people that retained the Elves' remarkable affinity for arkana without their ambition and potential threat, the Wardens reshaped Elves into a smaller, more modest people. Gnomes inherited keen magical talent, exceptional curiosity, and nimble hands, making them unrivaled tinkers, artificers, and enchanters.

One unintended consequence of the Reshaping was the return of facial hair. The influence of Warden ancestry had long since stripped Elven males of the ability to grow beards, though they retained normal hair upon their heads. In reducing and reshaping the Elven form, this was unexpectedly regained, Gnome males could grow facial hair. Curiously, the opposite occurred among the Halflings, whose ability to grow facial hair became greatly reduced despite possessing no Warden ancestry. Both became enduring examples of the unpredictable secondary effects that could accompany successful Reshapings.

Gnomes became the perfect complement to Dwarven craftsmanship, fueling a highly competitive enchanting industry. Most settled in Fairbarrow, where they developed a close, if occasionally rough-edged, friendship with the Halflings, whose steady practicality balanced the Gnomes' boundless curiosity.