Gnomes, one of the so-called Cursed races, and it is one I have kept active contact with for years. Their patron deities are Venix, the God of Invention and Enchanting, and Forta, the Goddes of Mutilation and Dismemberment

In truth, Gnomes differ little in appearance from a below-average height Human, except the naturally vibrant hair colors. If one wanted to hide in a human city, they could, and I know of a few that do precisely that: not that it's as dangerous as it once was to do such a thing.

Despite differing minimally from Humans in their natural appearance, you would be hard-pressed to notice the similarity between them while walking through a Gnome village. I was shocked the first time I saw how similar Gnomish children look to human ones.

Gnomes have an uncanny understanding of enchanting and the body, so much so that a master technician could replace every part of his body except his own head. This results in them having a skewed perspective on safety, often taking negligent actions that result in loss of limb or other bodily functions. Beware walking around a workshop operated by a Gnome. I almost lost my arm once because a pipe I thought was for venting heat actually vented molten slag.

Not every gnome partakes in the direct replacement of body parts, instead opting to create equipment to cover themselves; the untrained eye won't see the difference a lot of the time. Sometimes the replacement body parts will look like massive constructions of insanity, other times like the real thing, while the equipment ranges from skin-tight suits of enchanted weaves to giant suits of heavy-hitting armour. It's an interesting experience operating a Gnomish war machine; the context has, unfortunately, always marred my time with them.

The equipment made by a Gnomish technician is comfortable and functional, but maintenance is difficult. They don't design things with the idea that they will last for long. The mindset is that they can perform maintenance themselves or build a new one should the current break. This is why I designed the mechanism that stops my coat from pulling away from me during a fight with a Gnome's input but did not let them design it themselves.

Some may think that Gnomes have bypassed the limitation of life expectancy for their race: or that they don't have to be concerned about the inability of healing magic to replace lost limbs and organs, but I assure you, this is far from the truth.

Gnomes have a long life compared to some other races, but their minds don't last forever. The consequences of replacing their body with stone and metal show over time rather than instantly. The inability to feel the sun on their skin, or the touch of the one they love, drives some of them mad. Not that it's the most common way for them to go, far from it. Sometimes their minds age so much that they can no longer perform the necessary repairs themselves, and they eventually succumb to the failure of the body they built for themselves. Other Gnomes, they die of natural causes and shop accidents or simply choose to shut down after a long life.

I keep track of several amicable Gnomish technicians for a couple of reasons. The first is that should I require a specific tool for a task; they are the fastest at designing them. The second is that if the need ever arises, I will have an avenue available for the acquisition of prosthetic limbs. The third and final, it's fun to mess with the things t they are working on; it makes me chuckle when they can't find a screw they've gone to fetch four times.