Forever Campfire Codex
StoriesTimeline
GnomeDwarfHumanNight ElfOrcTrollTaurenUndeadSkyborne

Story 01 · Alliance

Gnome

They were born as machines of the Titans and woke as a people of flesh. Short in stature, yet their inventions have kept the Alliance’s armies standing for years.

Into the story
GnomeRacials, Race Notes & StatsClassesPlayable Classes & Skills
Homeland
Dun Morogh · Khaz Modan
Former capital
Gnomeregan · lost
Current base
New Tinkertown
Leader
High Tinker Gelbin Mekkatorque
Mount
Mechanostrider
Closest ally
The dwarves of Ironforge

Chapter I · Origin

From Metal to Flesh (Curse of Flesh)

The first gnomes were not flesh and bone. The Titan Watcher Mimiron designed them as mechanical servants that kept the Titan works running. These mechagnomes never hungered and never tired.

Then the Curse of Flesh, spread by the Old Gods, turned their metal and stone bodies into flesh and bone. The gnomes became fragile, and in return they gained feeling, curiosity and free will.

  1. Mimiron

    Titan Watcher, the designer

  2. Mechagnome

    Metal body, programmed duty

  3. Curse of Flesh

    The Old Gods’ curse turns metal to flesh

  4. Gnome

    Organic body, flexible mind

Curse of FleshWhat was the curse, and which peoples did it change?

Chapter II · Kinship

Two peoples in Khaz Modan

In the snowy mountains of Dun Morogh the gnomes became neighbours of the Ironforge dwarves. Both peoples have Titan origins, so they call each other cousins.

The dwarves recognised gnomish genius early and took the gnomes as their closest military ally. The bond still stands as one of the longest-lasting alliances on Azeroth.

DwarfGnome

Dwarf

Deep mining, smithing, gunpowder and heavy weapons.

Gnome

Gears, steam, hydraulics and mechanisms that need a fine hand.

Steam and brass

The strongest industry in the Eastern Kingdoms

Steam tanksArmoured vehiclesMechanised rifles

Chapter III · Wars

The mind behind the front

Gnomes fought not with brute strength on the front line but with the machines they sent there. As you scroll, the map shows their part in the great wars step by step.

  1. Khaz Modan

    Mountain fortress

    Khaz Modan, ringed by snowy peaks in the middle of the Eastern Kingdoms. Ironforge at its heart, Gnomeregan to the west.

    Homeland

  2. First War

    Stormwind falls

    The Horde comes through the Dark Portal and destroys Stormwind. The gnomes stay out of the war and watch from afar as a kingdom left on its own collapses.

    Onlooker

  3. Alliance of Lordaeron

    An alliance is formed

    King Terenas Menethil II and Lord Anduin Lothar form a new alliance. The gnomes join its ranks alongside humans, dwarves and high elves.

    Founding ally

  4. Second War

    Machines at the front

    Flying machines, submarines, steam power and firearms. The Horde is driven back to the Dark Portal and the Alliance wins its greatest victory.

    Victory

  5. Third War

    Absent at Hyjal

    Lordaeron falls to the Scourge, and the last stand against the Burning Legion is fought at Mount Hyjal in Kalimdor. The gnomes are not there: their own capital is collapsing.

    Could not join
Khaz ModanMountain fortress
NeighboursStormwind fallsHorde invasionAlliance of LordaeronStormwind refugeesBack to the Dark PortalAlliance offensiveGnomeregan crisisKalimdor · Mount HyjalScourgeQuel'ThalasLordaeronIronforgeGnomereganStormwindDark Portal

Chapter IV · The fall

The fall of Gnomeregan

Just before the Third War, primitive troggs from deep underground overran Gnomeregan. Not wanting to burden allies worn out by war, the gnomes chose to fight alone.

SurfaceUpperWorksLowerTunnels
Gnomeregan’s lower levels, schematic cross-section. As you scroll, the gas rises and the lights go out.

The radiation decision

80%

About 80% of the gnome population died or lost their minds to radiation.

High Tinker Gelbin Mekkatorque, on the advice of Sicco Thermaplugg, decided to flood the city with radiation. The troggs did not stop; the poison struck the gnomes. Thermaplugg later turned traitor and took command of the irradiated gnomes left in the city.

Exile and return

From Gnomeregan to Ironforge, then back to the gate

ExileOperation Gnomeregan1Gnomeregan2New Tinkertown3Kharanos4Ironforge · Tinker Town5Coldridge Valley
Dun Morogh.Route into exileOperation Gnomeregan
  1. 1GnomereganFormer capital, lost to radiation
  2. 2New TinkertownNew base at the city gate
  3. 3KharanosVillage halfway along the route into exile
  4. 4Ironforge · Tinker TownGnome quarter in the dwarven capital
  5. 5Coldridge ValleyDun Morogh’s southern valley

Former capital

Gnomeregan

The city of technology in western Dun Morogh. Evacuated after the trogg invasion and the radiation.

Refuge

Tinker Town

The quarter the dwarves opened to the gnomes inside Ironforge. It became both home and workshop.

New base

New Tinkertown

The surface base built at the city gate during Operation Gnomeregan. Headquarters of the return.

Chapter V · Today

The Alliance’s engine of technology

High Tinker Gelbin Mekkatorque

Leader

High Tinker Gelbin Mekkatorque

King of Gnomes

Gnomes are led by merit, not bloodline. Mekkatorque’s engineering genius and logical decisions kept his people standing through their darkest years.

Mechanostrider

A robotic mount that gets past physical limits through engineering.

Flying machines

The Alliance’s eye in the sky since the Second War.

Submarines

War machines of steam and brass that go under the waves.

Armoured vehicles

Dwarven armour, gnomish engine. The heavy end of a siege.

Firearms

They level the field against the strength of orcs and tauren.

Arcane

Mental discipline makes gnomes masterful mages.

Beyond Khaz Modan

Gnome footprints from Ulduar to Outland

KALIMDOREASTERN KINGDOMSNORTHRENDOUTLANDMaelstrom1Ulduar · origin2Fizzcrank Airstrip3Ironforge4Dark Portal5Toshley’s Station6Mount Hyjal
Azeroth and Outland, schematic map. Scale and positions are approximate.Gnome expeditions
  1. 1UlduarNorthrend, Storm Peaks. Mimiron’s home, where the mechagnomes began
  2. 2Fizzcrank AirstripGnome outpost in Northrend’s Borean Tundra
  3. 3IronforgeThe starting point in Khaz Modan
  4. 4Dark PortalThe gateway to Outland
  5. 5Toshley’s StationGnome base in Outland’s Blade’s Edge Mountains
  6. 6Mount HyjalThe last front of the Third War; the gnomes could not join

Epilogue

Small but indispensable

A people who learn from their losses, never give up and never stop exploring. A light still burns at the gate of Gnomeregan.

See this story’s events on the timeline

Note

The drawings are schematic illustrations made for this page; the markers on the game maps are placed approximately.

Images

Ironforge screenshot and maps from WoW Forever. The Mechagnome image, Gelbin Mekkatorque, Sicco Thermaplugg and troglodyte images belong to Blizzard Entertainment (troglodyte model sheet: Matthew McKeown).