A fictional creature created by Paracelsus as the earth elemental. They are typically said to be a small, humanoid creature (resembling a tiny old man) that lives underground and hordes treasure, and are commonly drawn wearing a pointed hat. A statue of one used as a lawn ornament is known as a garden gnome.
Due to living underground, they are often used as an earth elemental in fantasy works, particularly in Japanese video games. They are also a common fantasy player character race, due to Dungeons & Dragons where they are a bit larger than in most traditional depictions and are often pranksters, illusionists, and/or tinkerers.