The Creation of the Gnomes:

When Sarnea first came to Ianis, she saw countless races starving, lacking the knowledge required to bring forth the worlds bounty. Sarnea attempted to share her knowledge with the people of Ianis, but found quickly that she lacked the patience and did not understand mortal concerns around time and actually needing to eat. Frustrated, but still wanting to help, she turned to the earth. It is said that Sarnea began to dig and turn a hardy bed of soil, with the intention of planting her greatest crop. The Goddess was unsatisfied however with what she had done and began again. 19 times Sarnea turned the soil, 19 days she spent in the fields. Still unsatisfied, Sarnea began to rage and spit, tearing out her hair and casting it to the ground in frustration. Finally, exhausted, she fell to the ground and slept. That 19^th night, the rains came. The soil that Sarnea had turned, the sweat from her brow, the spit from her mouth and the hair from her head combined in the coolest, most refreshing rain fall. And the Gnomes were born from that soil. Possessing both her knowledge and a mortal perspective, Sarnea instructed the Gnomes to teach other races the secrets of farming, a task they undertake (somewhat) to this day.