Gnoblar Scrappers



Gnoblar Scrappers (or Magpies as they arealso known) are the merchants and inventors of Gnoblar-kind. Perhaps due to the extreme poverty they live in, most Gnoblars have a miserly approach to possessions and carefully horde away anything shiny or crafted. The scrap and broken items other races throw away are the basis of the Gnoblar economy. As Ogres tend to loot many of their possessions from other races, Gnoblar tribes are the proud owners of detritus from across the world.

The splintered remains of an Elven bow might rest against the a wagon spoke taken from the Ivory Road, both supporting the tattered remains of an Imperial bannerand all suffering the indignity of ending their days as a Gnoblar tent. The Scrappers take this obsession to the extremes, hoarding everything they can scavenge, trade or steal. The richest move between the tribes in Rhinox-drawn caravans with a band of guards, trading with anyone they meet.

Overview
Most travellers would be hard pressed to find anything more valuable than a rusted axe, a cracked helm or a broken belt buckle in these 'treasure' wagons, however, occasionally the Gnoblars will have something of genuine value. It is very rare for them to have something of obvious utility, however, as an Ogre will simply take anything they want from them. The Magpies also sell many 'artefacts' taken from the corpses of great heroes or looted from fabulous ruins. Most of these items are obviously faked and replaced after each sale, but the far-fetched stories behind them have normally been in the merchant's family for generations.

Some Scrappers, whilst pawing over broken items from across the world, become inspired to emulate the craftspeople of other races. Unfortunately gross incompetence, theft and constant bickering are just some of the factors stacked against budding Gnoblar inventors. However, Gnoblars make up for some of these deficiencies with blind enthusiasm and a light-hearted approach to safety, and although their designs are without exception inefficient and dangerous, some are actually fairly effective. It was just such a design, 'inspired' by the wreckage of a Dwarf stonethrower, that led the famous Scrapper Bik the Nail to infamy with his creation of the Scraplauncher.

Often the most valuable thing in a Scrap Caravan is the Rhinox that pull it. Gnoblar-trained Rhinox are a rare, bad tempered and valuable commodity. In some shanty towns, individual Gnoblars will specialise in variety of diverse beast-handling skills, ranging from safe but grubby jobs like dung-beetle farming all the way up to Rhinox training. Most Rhinox are so bad-tempered and aggressive they are almost impossible to train to the level of domestication a human would consider safe and acceptable. However, the odd trampling or goring is considered a bonus to most Gnoblars, as it makes fine entertainment. New-born Rhinox are stolen or caught by Trappers, handed over to beast-trainers or Scrappers of the same tribe, and trained. Most of this training consists of groups of Gnoblars standing along the back and flanks of the poor Rhinox with sharp sticks, however it has proven to be remarkably effective. Master beast-handlers often have rights of initiation where apprentices must sneak under a Rhinox and cut off a piece from its shaggy pelt with a sharp knife. Delicately put, sometimes the pieces they slice off greatly aid in the beast's domestication.

Source

 * White Dwarf UK (Issue #310)
 * pg. 100

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