Above all, we gnomes worship knowledge. Whether arcane or scientific, we have devoted a great deal of time and effort to the acquisition and documentation of information.
Typical gnomish spiritual beliefs fall more along the lines of philosophy than structured religion. That is not to say that we do not have our own pantheon of sorts. The Great Thinkers of the Ages are all historically documented individuals who have contributed in some significant way to our society. It is through a general public consensus, usually decades or centuries after the individual has passed on, that we begin to accept new thinkers into this highly-respected group.
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While some claim that gnomish philosophy is a notable departure from the generally religious beliefs that are common to most of Ganedan, we are not so different. The names of the Great Thinkers are often spoken with reverence and our land is dotted with statues that have practically become shrines to their celebrity.
I will name eight of the universally accepted Great Thinkers of the Ages, although many other talented scholars have also made names for themselves in the annals of history.
Sannerwalk the Wise is considered to be the father of modern philosophy and chief amongst the great gnomish thinkers. He was a true renaissance gnome with skills that spanned many different fields, from science to mechanics to mysticism. He lived in the early years of the Age of Challenge, between 12 AC and 85 AC, and died peacefully in the city of Ignilly where he spent the declining years of his life.
Born in the middle years of the Age of Strife, Ittervik the Inventor was a career tinkerer with a powerful talent for mechanics. She rarely ever set out to invent anything revolutionary, but her ground-breaking work often resulted in devices, such as the printing press, which changed the course of civilization. It is notable that her creations were never of a type that found use in combat.
Another Great Thinker of the Age of Challenge, Gatwellen the Learned was a gifted mathematician and engineer whose theories proved pivotal in the planning and realization of the Unified Bridge System. His area of expertise extended to celestial research, as well, but only toward the end of his extensive career. |
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Yimmelsin the Peacemaker established many a peace treaty between settlements and nations during the latter part of the Age of Challenge. She made it a personal goal to settle arguments quickly and as fairly as possible and became known as a trusted arbiter throughout Ganedan. It has been suggested that if she had still been alive at the time, the Age of Strife might never have commenced.
In the early years of the Age of Strife, Kotterkess the Arcane made many significant advancements in the study of magic. Her skills spanned all classifications of the Art, although she studied sorcery and necromancy mainly for the theoretical knowledge and not for any practical use. Kotterkess trained many talented apprentices in her time, most notably Habberdash, Jilinnalfee and the self-styled Quickwits.
Bithrellin the Explorer was an accomplished traveller who made a point to visit and document every gnome settlement on record at the time. Once she had covered the entire gnomish territory, she visited the human, elf, dwarf and cyclops lands, eventually venturing off into uncharted territory. Her work has been compiled into a most comprehensive atlas of much of the world which has changed hands many times and been updated periodically over the years.
One of the more recent great thinkers, Ellywen the Thoughtful was a gnome who put forth a number of bold, new theories based on Sannerwalk's original teachings. Though met with great resistance at first, particularly from older, more entrenched philosophers, her ideas steadily gained acceptance after the publishing of a series of insightful treatises. Aside from her refinement of Sannerwalk's original teachings, she also created amendments to the works of many previous thinkers, including numerous updates for Bithrellin's atlas/encyclopedia set.
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Matterjak the Accomplished was a true cosmopolitan gnome. An artist, a philosopher, a warrior, and an academic, Matterjak's curiosity and genius knew no bounds. He put forth the plan for the northern observatory near Riddlehok and implemented the start of the project during his time. He has also been credited with honourary rooms at a number of universities due to the variety of works he has published.
It is through continued analysis and study that we seek to improve the state of our entire world. The Great Thinkers of the Ages have not only advanced society, but also set a fine example for all gnomes who have come after them.
- Kitterwen, Chief Historian of Ignilly University |
