Gnomes and faith

Ok I’m thinking (heavily) on doing a gnome based religion.
I have nothing typed out idea wise. (Due to work com) but mainly based around a gnome superior believe. Possibly a twisted version of the light. Starting small and building up as cat moves closer. No guild based so people wouldn’t have to leave there current guild and would be welcoming to other races who may be converted to this believe

Before I carry on, I wanted a little feed back from the RP community before making this more solid i.e., would it be excepted. Also if any one knows if gnomes believe in anything religious wise could they point it out? Having hard time searching at the moment, only getting a few lines.

Thank you
Skarre

p.s if i put this in the wrong place and spelling errors sorry

The religious beliefs (or rather lack thereof) were discussed quite indepth here. The articles gives a good summary of how the are characterized in wow as a race of curious followers that descended from robots, and are mostly aspiring to just look out for themselves and those they consider their friends. (with those friends seemingly being the first ones they meet that treat them nicely)

Personally I would find any form of gnomish supremacy movement quite out of character for the common gnome and thus unlikely to gather any significant support from the majority of them.

Ghost in the Shell and Deus ex machina?

There are two values that are very fundamental to gnome: ingenuity and friendship. The first probably comes from the fact they were once robots, programmed to create and invent things, and leads to an almost reckless form of curiosity. The second might also be derived from their robot-history; they were never programmed to fight or rule anything, and even with the curse of flesh most of them don't really care about power, they see friendship as a far more constructive way to treat other people.
Both values might be used to explain the incoming priests (either they see it just like the arcane as a new realm to explore and utilise, or they just want to help other people) and another explanation given is that they might start worshipping the titans like the dwarves do now they know where they come from.
Looking at the value of friendship I think it would be hard to explain a group that's looking negatively at other races, and from experience I can tell it's no fun rping anything else than eccentric friendlyness to other races, it feels way to human (I'm personally having problems with that even now).

Wait for the Blizzard to explain what is the upcoming gnome priests' faith before doing such a huge work.

My gnome priest will just be role-played as a Medic, i.e. using medicine, first aid etc. rather than actually having a "faith". I assumed most of the "gnome priests" were like that anyways. At any rate, I think Cataclysm will tell us more about this new possible faith if any!

I think it's just Blizz giving gnomes priests for the sake of it and not giving a crap.

However, in my opinion, I think gnomes beleive in the giant boot, and as a show of kindness, I deliver that boot to their faces.

Was an idea (one of many) thanks for the input

Lilenath wrote:I think it's just Blizz giving gnomes priests for the sake of it and not giving a crap.

However, in my opinion, I think gnomes beleive in the giant boot, and as a show of kindness, I deliver that boot to their faces.

D'ah! Now you're making me angry!

...

Again.

Gnomes has the least amount of classes of all races, anyone else noticed that?

Only because tinkerer isn't a class.

Cid wrote:Gnomes has the least amount of classes of all races, anyone else noticed that?

At least we're the only race with our own profession specialisation.

...

d'argh, they should've made gnomish engineering gnome-only!


But about the 'medic priest' idea, you might want to take a look in Gnomeregan's clean zone, there are npc's there called medics who use priest spells (heals and powerwords). Seeing as gnomes have no widely accepted religion pre-BC, they might've accessed the energy through technology rather than faith (like Belf paladins before the new sunwell)

The selective gnomish priests are infact followers of the Light. Why wouldn't it be possible to believe in doing good and still being an engineer.

Madel/Vectoria/Koblitz wrote:Why wouldn't it be possible to believe in doing good and still being an engineer.

Because science is inherently evil.

I really highly doubt that Gnomes will be religious, despite the fact they will be able to play as a priest class. I've always played them as athiests; scientists, who will only do something if it makes sense. I was thinking they would more-so be a less-immoral version of the Blood Knight order, while X'uru was still enslaved by them. They'll find some kind of scientific way to harness the Light, I'm sure. If not, and they become silly priests who act just as pathetically shiny as the Humans and their 'prayer' then I will be severely disapointed... damn, the only reason I played a Gnome in the first place is because their personalities and idiosyncracies match my own, especially when it comes to the athiesm.

But you have to ask are the Titans a theology? Even a religion? We have proof. Undenyable proof that they excisted. So surely they are just another science.

Titanology I can accept, An. Titanology is more of a... teaching, like one would teach Physics, than a religion.

HOWEVER. Human Religion in WoW is thus: People who have evidence in the Light's existance, yet they still call it a religion and have 'faith' (although the evidence contradicts the definition of faith itself).

That probably didn't make sense. Look up the Babel Fish Argument from Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Anyway. If Gnomes treat it as a science, fine. If it's a religion, then Gnome priests can gtfo.

Anaei/Vezullia wrote:But you have to ask are the Titans a theology? Even a religion? We have proof. Undenyable proof that they excisted. So surely they are just another science.

We have undeniable proof of the Light, the Shadow, the burning Legion, The Old Gods and whatnot as well. And they all figure in religions.

In fact... most religions consider themselves to have "proof".

My view on gnomish religion have always been that the gnomes consider religion to be a personal thing and have no need for churches and such. Which makes them seem a-religious (but they're not).

Not every gnome is a obessive engineer.


I hope they follow the light and not some, Science crappy-poo-theory.

Says the, most likely, non-Gnome. You haveth no opinion!

And I don't. That'll ruin the whole Gnome visage, and turn the Gnomes into some shiny 'let's be happyyyy and praaaay' humans... it'll be boring. I'm biased in this of course; I think 'following' the Light is stupid in character and out, as there is NO point in worshiping an ENERGY FORCE which has had it's existence proven. Especially since the Sin'Dorei have already proven that you can claim the Light without giving anything in return.

If the Gnomes become one of these silly people who follow the Light even though logic would indicate it's stupid, then I'll actually be tempted to racechange Jazzle into a worthier race.... or just go evil, and kill of the shiny bastards, and burn their churches.

Jazzle wrote:Says the, most likely, non-Gnome. You haveth no opinion!

And I don't. That'll ruin the whole Gnome visage, and turn the Gnomes into some shiny 'let's be happyyyy and praaaay' humans... it'll be boring. I'm biased in this of course; I think 'following' the Light is stupid in character and out, as there is NO point in worshiping an ENERGY FORCE which has had it's existence proven. Especially since the Sin'Dorei have already proven that you can claim the Light without giving anything in return.

If the Gnomes become one of these silly people who follow the Light even though logic would indicate it's stupid, then I'll actually be tempted to racechange Jazzle into a worthier race.... or just go evil, and kill of the shiny bastards, and burn their churches.

The point of the light is simple, Y'know that wussy feeling you get when you do good? That's the light, the force that comes to the weak and makes them strong through the sheer power of faith. Because of this it doesn't take any old race to just dominate the light. No the Sin'dorei were able to control it without the need for a good will because they feel the very flow of magic and energy themselves.
Gnomes are not inheritly evil, they don't lack the capacity to command the light. They have gnomes in the Argent Crusade, even current lore charecter gnomes who follow the light.

People don't worship the light in the same way they would fire. No, it's about following it's virtues and understanding why it blesses those who do. The light is simply faith and through the power of faith alot is possible. I personally feel gnomes feel alittle like one trick ponys. " We build stuff! " and that's not fair atm, Gnomes to me feel like the best race for a capacity to be heroic and versatile. Look at most gnome warriors they press on into combat without a second thought about their height.

Can you honestly dislike the idea of a curly haired, blue eyed gnome Paladin, picking up a shield and rushing towards a family of cowering gnome's defense? A large ghoul about to nom them down until he gets a fist full of light from the hero?

Or a long hair, perky gnomish Priestess who carrys around various alchemy equitment and bandages but inheritly spends more of her time resting her glow hands on the wounded and making sure they live to fight another day? Gnomes to me are good things in small packages and deserve a class with some faith and some heroics.

The Light is just a "good force" in WoW. The Holy Light on the other hand, is a religion. Personally, my gnome priest will just be a medic, unless this new faith (if any) is more interesting than that!

Madel/Vectoria/Koblitz wrote:

Jazzle wrote:Says the, most likely, non-Gnome. You haveth no opinion!

And I don't. That'll ruin the whole Gnome visage, and turn the Gnomes into some shiny 'let's be happyyyy and praaaay' humans... it'll be boring. I'm biased in this of course; I think 'following' the Light is stupid in character and out, as there is NO point in worshiping an ENERGY FORCE which has had it's existence proven. Especially since the Sin'Dorei have already proven that you can claim the Light without giving anything in return.

If the Gnomes become one of these silly people who follow the Light even though logic would indicate it's stupid, then I'll actually be tempted to racechange Jazzle into a worthier race.... or just go evil, and kill of the shiny bastards, and burn their churches.

The point of the light is simple, Y'know that wussy feeling you get when you do good? That's the light, the force that comes to the weak and makes them strong through the sheer power of faith. Because of this it doesn't take any old race to just dominate the light. No the Sin'dorei were able to control it without the need for a good will because they feel the very flow of magic and energy themselves.
Gnomes are not inheritly evil, they don't lack the capacity to command the light. They have gnomes in the Argent Crusade, even current lore charecter gnomes who follow the light.

People don't worship the light in the same way they would fire. No, it's about following it's virtues and understanding why it blesses those who do. The light is simply faith and through the power of faith alot is possible. I personally feel gnomes feel alittle like one trick ponys. " We build stuff! " and that's not fair atm, Gnomes to me feel like the best race for a capacity to be heroic and versatile. Look at most gnome warriors they press on into combat without a second thought about their height.

Can you honestly dislike the idea of a curly haired, blue eyed gnome Paladin, picking up a shield and rushing towards a family of cowering gnome's defense? A large ghoul about to nom them down until he gets a fist full of light from the hero?

Or a long hair, perky gnomish Priestess who carrys around various alchemy equitment and bandages but inheritly spends more of her time resting her glow hands on the wounded and making sure they live to fight another day? Gnomes to me are good things in small packages and deserve a class with some faith and some heroics.

Ahh! Once again that stupid word comes up. 'Faith'. Faith would indicate that you are believing in something without evidence to back it up. The Light exists, as we can manifest it into spells. So surely faith is obsilete? Also, Gnomes are not evil, I never said they are. However, I would expect them to have more sense than to follow something blindly, when they could just dump all the worship, and churches, and use the Light in a practical manner. (Much like Mages uses Arcane).

And no, I would not like so see a Gnome save these people using the Light. Merely because a warrior or mage could do exactly the same, just as well, without the stereotypical and INCREDIBALLY HUMAN 'Let's worship the shiny Light happyzface'.

Writing this at 10 in the morning so it won't make sense. Apologies.

Arguing for atheism in a world where gods, demigods and what not has a tangible, observable existence is pretty pointless if you ask me.

And since Gnomes are rather intelligent creatures, it's not a stretch for to see them intellectually reasoning for why they should wield and/or pray to the Light etc.

To my knowledge there is only one real "God" in the Warcraft universe and that's Elune, who has never made a real appearance in person, so to speak.

The Old Gods and others aren't real Gods, they're just being worshipped as such. They can still die and all that.

But yeah, I don't see it as a stretch that some Gnomes could believe in the Holy Light.