The creature garden gnomes are based on is a 'nisse' or 'tomte', a sort of Scandinavian brownie or house kobold with super strength that was easily offended and sometimes responded to perceived insults with pranks, sometimes with severe beatings.
https://mythus.fandom.com/wiki/Nisse
https://mythus.fandom.com/wiki/Nisse
I'm not anti-Christian. I'm anti-stupid.


