gnomepunk classic

We are going to devote this week to the one iconic character from D&D who definitely brings the gnomepunk.

Most of D&D carries with it a sort of Lord of the Rings vibe, set as it is in a vaguely middle-ages, quasi-European-flavored world, with Tolkeinesque influences evident in the sensibilities portrayed in most of the cultures - human, elf, dwarf, and halfling (hobbit). This aesthetic has slowly been chipped away over the years, as the player base of D&D has continually broadened from just middle-aged white medievalist wargamers to include lots of folks of all different stripes. Gnomes are one of the races that have strayed away from the Tolkein source material, allowing for new, cool interpretations.

Nebin, the Gnome Illusionist, appearing in the Player's Handbook as a paradigmatic character, is the most prominent figure to take D&D right into gnomepunk:

This is the classic image of Nebin, which can be found on page 57 of the Player's Handbook. With that Inverness cape and those boots, he's already a lot closer to high renaissance than the middle ages, but get a load of the accessories: a gratuitous hand-guard laced onto his left hand, an inner coat with lots of utility pockets, and cool map tubes. He's rocking a soul-patch/goatee and one earring, and the crowning touch is, of course, the goggles. And they're not just any goggles: these are asymmetrically-lensed goggles, the height of steampunky ocular fashion.

So here's to Nebin, the Dean of D&D gnomepunk! The rest of this week will feature various images of Nebin from different sources.

Nebin is the intellectual property of Wizards of the Coast, publishers of the world's most popular role-playing game. Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook Core Rulebook I v.3.5 published in 2003.