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Mythology & Religion
20.1 Cosmology
The Gnomish worldview is mechanistic-spiritual: the universe is a vast, self-sustaining clockwork set in motion by the Celestial Artificer. Every natural process - from planetary orbits to the heartbeat of a newborn - is understood as the turning of an invisible gear. The goal of Gnomish existence is to understand and harmonize with this cosmic mechanism, not to worship it in passive reverence.
20.2 Deities & Spirit Beings
| Entity | Domain | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| The Celestial Artificer | Creation, cosmic order | The supreme creative force; not personified but understood as an intelligence expressed through mechanism. Gnomes "honor" the Artificer by creating with integrity. |
| The Gear-Spirits | Individual mechanisms | Each major device is believed to develop a faint sentience over centuries of use. The Great Gear, for instance, is said to "speak" through vibrations that Lore-Gears interpret. |
| The Aether-Wraiths | Raw magical energy | Neutral entities that inhabit concentrations of Aether. Not worshipped, but respected and studied. Disturbing their domains risks Arcane Overload. |
| The Tarnished One | Corruption, entropy | A cautionary figure representing what happens when creation serves only ego. Associated with Soul-Gearing and other forbidden practices. |
20.3 Sacred Texts & Prophecies
- The Chronicles of the Cog: 12-volume epic detailing creation, founding, and great events. Recited by Lore-Gears at festivals and vigils.
- The Balance Codex (Sacred Edition): Beyond its legal function, the original Codex is a philosophical treatise on the moral obligations of creators. Kept in the Resonant Archive.
- The Prophecy of the Final Gear: A contested text predicting that when the last Aether Crystal dims, the Celestial Artificer will return to "re-wind" the cosmic mechanism - but only if Gnomes have proven themselves worthy stewards. Interpretations vary from literal to metaphorical.
20.4 Religious Orders
- Order of the Cog-Sanctum: Custodians of the temple, keepers of the First Cog replica, officiants at life rituals.
- Order of the Green Gear: Eco-spiritual guardians of the natural world; believe that the Celestial Artificer's mechanism includes every living thing.
- Order of the Quill-Gear: Scholarly monks dedicated to preserving knowledge; maintain the Grand Library and Memory Gear archives.