Bleaching

The Bleaching is the name given to the physical decolorization and aging of a Gnome, and is caused by a lack of exposure to new and exciting experiences. This leaching of color is accompanied by a psychological decline first into depression and apathy, and eventually into madness and death. Gnomish efforts to fend off the Bleaching only serve to fuel their racial curiosity and whimsy, giving it somewhat of a manic edge. Some claim that the Bleaching is a result of the gnomes' leaving the Fey Sphere thousands of years ago.

Despite generations of visionary gnomish research, the exact nature of the dire affliction known as the Bleaching remains a mystery. The race’s scholars believe it is tied to the events of the exodus and insist that the mortal world lacks the animus to nourish a gnome’s sophisticated spirit.

Symptoms

The Bleaching begins to manifest in early adulthood, and is characterized by a blanching of skin, hair, and eye color. The complexion of the gnomish body is tied to the experiences she alights upon. The more shocking and vivid a gnome’s life, the more vivid in color she herself becomes. In contrast, a lack of excitement causes a fading of color and is accompanied by depression and the dulling of curiosity, heralding the beginning of a vicious spiral that leads to insanity and death. As gnomes age naturally, they require increasing amounts of excitement and new experiences to stave off the Bleaching, a condition that runs counter to the greater familial and social responsibility expected of older gnomes. This pressure can cause aging gnomes to commit very foolish acts that lead to their death.