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Kaldorei
walk through Stormwind, too proud to look
down for gnomes. Brave souls who once helped the
Alliance fight off the demonic Orcs.
A race which sacrificed many of their proudest
warriors transporting the Alliance troops
deep into the midst of battle.
However,
despite the enormous efforts of the gnomes and
dwarves, they daily have to suffer indignities
from the larger races. People bump into them on
the street without apologizing, the Scarlet
Missionaries yell for their eradication. Even
the Cenarion Stronghold in Silithus
doesn't seem to want to hire gnomes. Even the
dwarves, who are only a few feet higher than gnomes,
doesn't trust them enough to even sell them a
ram.
Despite
all of this, Gnomes still continue to fight for
the Alliance. As if that wasn't hard enough,
some Gnomes have recently begun to question this
hatred that the taller races seems to have against
them. With her new movement, Equal Heights,
Lady Narcissa Wrenchwhistle, a skilled
gnome engineer, is fighting "heightism".
The Azeroth Journal arranged an interview
with her.
The
interview took place in the basement of the Stormwind
Cathedral. Taller races rarely venture
there, since they're afraid to be below the rest.
We found a table there and sat down. Lady Wrenchwhistle
showed her skills as an engineer by helping me
fix a few gadgets given to me by Maud Doe
to help in the interview. I suspect it may be
a camera, but I'm not sure.
Stoen
Pongram: First of all, could you tell us a
bit about yourself?
Lady
Narcissa Wrenchwhistle: Of course, of course.
I expected this question. My name is Narcissa
Wrenchwhistle. Lady Narcissa Wrenchwhistle to
be precise. Perhaps a familiar name, because my
uncle Gerenzo caused quite a stir in the Stonetalon
Mountains, which is a sad story in itself, because
he was forced to work for the venture company.
(Pauses) Anyhow, of course you know all about
the disaster that hit Gnomeregan. At that time,
was staying at my uncle's in Ratchet. I was on
holiday at that time. My parents were still deep
down there in Gnomeregan.
SP:
(at this point, I felt the need to interrupt since
my writing hand was starting to hurt) Sorry to
hear that.
LNW:
Since the disaster, I have never seen them again.
I've been back myself, and I have seen evacuees,
but never my parents. Nor have I heard anyone
talk about them, but I still hope they are somewhere
down there. I am convinced that they are still
alive. But, as time moved onward, my uncle Gerenzo
took me in. He taught me much of the engineering
business until, one day, a bunch of big strong
goblins knocked on our door and forced him to
come along to help cut down the forest of Stonetalon.
His name seems to have been his doom. Occasionally,
I try to visit him, but the deforesters attack
me. They really want to keep me away from that
place.
LNW: So again, I was alone. At that moment,
I went out to see the world and I met a group
of marvelous people of different races, united
in the Orange Dragon Order. As I got older, as
my skills progressed, I rose through the ranks.
At that moment, they bestowed upon me the title
"Lady." I have seen many frown whenever
I introduced myself formally, but this is the
story. Nothing else to it. My title is based on
merit, and merit alone. Unfortunately, the Dragons
ceased to exist as an order, but 'till this day,
I cling to my title to remember the old days.
(Pause) Those were the days.
SP:
(I chose to shake my hand a bit before asking
my next question). So, you said you saw frowns
when you introduced yourself as a lady. Was this
because of your race or your less... Ladylike
behavior?
LNW: Less ladylike behavior? Ah, you mean
the title based on merit against the one of inbred
nobility, I assume.
SP:
Something like that.
LNW: Both, I'm afraid. I am not one who
goes around wearing high heels, sipping from cups
of tea. The world is my home, and my home has
many dangerous rooms. Rooms that, sometimes, need
to be cleared out.
I
write down her answers as she talks. Lady Wrenchwhistle
seems to have an interesting past, but that isn't
particularly
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important
at the moment. I try to change the topic to what
I came to discuss.
SP:
So when did you come up with the idea for the
"Equal Heights" movement?
LNW: You know, we gnomes have had to put
up with heightism for a very long time. People
regard us to be furniture, they bump into us on
the streets, if they don't step on us. The challenge
our abilities. This has frustrated me for a very,
very long time already, seeing that the Gnomes
and Dwarves themselves welcome both Humans and
Nightelves in Ironforge. But I got triggered by
this particular preaching of the Senior Preacher
of the Scarlet Missionaries, Magwitch. In this
preaching, she indirectly called for the eradication
of all gnomes and dwarves in human lands. She
called us vile, minor lifeforms.
(At
this point, Lady Wrenchwhistle slammed
her fist onto the table, obviously getting angry.
Her calm voice was slowly turning to angry yells.)
LNW:
I mean, I never thought this to be possible! We
opened up our hearts and homes to those who are
of different height. We contributed to the war,
we invented so many gadgets. And now this?! What
happened to gratitude? Instead of uniting us,
the Scarlet Missionaries drive a wedge between
us. All this based on not being as tall as them.
(She
sighed, and began to talk in her normal tone of
voice again. )
LNW:
Look, I can understand if someone makes a mistake.
No problem, we all do that. If someone walks into
me on the street and apologizes, I forgive and
forget. Nowadays, heightist discrimination gets
more and more common, and even endorsed by that
preacher Magwitch.
SP:
So, just for the record, can you define "heightism"?
LNW:
Heightism is, in fact, every derogatory action
or remark, based on differences in height. The
feeling of: "I'm better because I am bigger."
It sickens me.
SP:
Okay, thanks. So" Equal Heights" was
a response to the statements made by the Scarlet
Missionaries?
LNW: The campaign itself is, yes. I considered
it to be time for action.
SP:
In your own words, what is "Equal Heights"?
LNW: Well, "Equal Heights" is
a call for more respect to us, gnomes and dwarves.
That's about it, I guess. What's it about in the
end.
SP:
So what's your goal?
LNW: The goal is to make heightism punishable
by law. Unfortunately, I see no other option to
end Heightism.
SP:
What kind of punishment did you have in mind?
LNW: I think we could start with fines,
but actually that's something the People's Militia
should take care of.
SP:
Thanks. Have you talked to the Militia about this?
LNW: I have indeed, and a high ranking
official told me their Commander was not against
implementing it on short notice. But at the same
time, I have a feeling the Militia itself is not
free of heightism. Just an hour ago, I went to
the Command Center to file a complaint against
the Scarlet Missionaries. No one was upstairs,
so I went to the basement, and locked in one of
the cells, was a gnome who claimed to be imprisoned
only because of his size.
I
smile and add 'corruption in the Militia'
with a big smiley face in my notes. This interview
is certainly turning out more interesting than
I first suspected. I briefly consider if this
corruption is worth a separate article, but decide
against it. I don't have enough proof, anyway.
Yet. However, I still feel that Lady Wrenchwhistle's
statements are worth a few extra questions.
SP:
Did you happen to get his name?
LNW: He didn't mention it, but the guard
talked to him, and I overheard him say Dil...
The rest I couldn't hear. He shut the door quickly,
when that poor prisoner threatened him with the
Equal Heights Campaign. But when we met outside,
I was having a conversation with officer Pike
of the Militia, and he told me that the gnome
down there was a common criminal. I myself am
not so sure about that, though.
SP:
Do you think this sort of stuff often takes place
in the Militia?
LNW: I don't know, honestly. I haven't
made a habit out of it to visit them every day,
so I can't tell you, sorry.
I
shrug and write it down. It's not a lot, but it
will do for now. I change the topic back to the
Equal Heights movement.
SP:
Other than that, how do you think the general
response has been to Equal Heights?
LNW: Well, looking at the posters I have
pasted over town, the responses are mostly as
expected. Gnomes and Dwarves endorsing the petition,
Humans and Nightelves, with a few exceptions,
being
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against
it. No surprises there. But I am glad you let
me have this interview, because finally this problem
gets the broad attention it deserved so long already.
SP:
Any noteworthy exceptions?
LNW: Not really, but one thing is worth
mentioning, and that is the invitation to put
notices up in the Undercity as well.
SP:
I assume this Undercity is Lordaeron?
LNW:
Well, what used to be Lordaeron, yes, I believe
the undeads call it the Undercity. So I tried
to do it. I went in and down and some more down,
but as I started to put my posters on the bank,
I was attacked. How naïve I was. They didn't
care at all, they just wanted to eat me. Like
I was some kind of snack! But I managed to escape,
luckily. Being small and a rogue has its advantages.
But since then, I tend to question the motives
of the undead. And most certainly, I shall not
be going there again for this campaign.
SP:
Well, at least eating gnomes is not considered
heightism. Anyway, how do you feel heightism has
evolved? Did it get worse after Gnomeregan fell?
LNW:
I saw the occasional human and Nightelf before
Gnomeregan fell, but not as much as I see these
days. So even though I tend to say; "yes,
it got worse," I really don't have any proof
other than the blatantly public prayers of the
Scarlet Missionaries.
SP:
So you can't say for certain?
LNW: Well, I haven't heard of any public
prayer to get rid of gnomes and dwarves before.
SP:
Has the appearance of the Scarlets made it worse
then?
LNW: From what I hear, most certainly!
For the first time that I know of, people denounce
us in public.
SP:
Can you give us any examples?
LNW: Well, the prayer itself is enough
of an example, but people seem to step on us intentionally.
More and more you hear Gnomes and Dwarves being
called "shortie" on the street, or "little
one." That hurts. Physically and mentally.
When back in the earlier days, people took their
time to apologize. Now they tell you to be taller.
SP:
Do you know of anybody else who has gotten hurt
by this?
LNW: I have seen so many others, but I
haven't asked their names. My fault, perhaps,
I know you need more than just me, but those accidents
are always messy affairs. But the fact that the
petition gets signed indicates that more Gnomes
and Dwarves feel this way.
SP:
Before this interview, I took the liberty of gathering
some opinions. The general response seems to be
that "Gnomes ruined their own city and are
now living as guests. They can't expect us to
look down for them all the time."
LNW: Well, that's a typical heightist remark.
We don't want to have them look down all the time,
but just to be a bit more careful and avoid phrases
like that.
SP:
So you don't mind people bumping into you as long
as they apologize?
LNW: I do mind, but I tend to be more lenient
when they apologize. For it is clear that they
didn't do it intentionally. Although I wonder
how it'll be after this interview.
I
thank her for her time, and ask if she would mind
posing for a few pictures. She agrees, and suggests
that we take them upstairs, near the altar. Unfortunately,
the humans already seem to be having some sort
of ceremony there, and we are forced to take them
in the middle of the room instead. We then make
our way outside, before the humans have a chance
to notice us. They may be some of the few kind
ones, but there are no reason to take chances.
Especially, not with humans you find in the Cathedral.
Outside,
we wave goodbye to each other, and go our separate
ways. What will happen next to the Equal Heights
movement is unknown. The future will tell if it
will have an impact on the taller races. All we
can do now is wait.
Normally,
I would end this by saying that, if you wish to
contribute to the Equal Heights Campaign,
feel free to contact Lady Narcissa Wrenchwhistle.
However, due to the fact that the mailing goblins
have messed up a few names, including hers, merely
mailing it to her first name isn't likely to work.
Mail to "Sis" instead. Even though
the mail goblins haven't sorted out the naming
issue, they have promised all mail directed to
"Sis" will reach Lady Narcissa
Wrenchwhistle. Furthermore, contribute by
signing the petition, by spreading the word yourself.
If you see a gnome or dwarf, be polite. If you
bump into one by accident, apologize, and offer
a bandage if you caused a wound.
We
will continue to follow the Equal Heights movement
and keep you updated if anything new happens.
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he
world is big. From the jungles of Un'Goro
to the frozen land of Winterspring. It's
large enough to hold all the giants of the world.
Large enough to still hold mysteries for the Explorers'
League to find. It has room for giants of
stone, and even the troggs emerging from their
underground prisons don't seem to lack space.
