User blog comment:Kalitu/Racial abilities-perks?/@comment-5803730-20130719070310/@comment-24205786-20130719191412

I have to agree with Smartan here, except about the mercenaries bit. That might be pushing the envelope just a little. I don't think the gnomes would trust humans with pilots. It's renting out a major cultural secret that I don't think they trust to other races. (Renting would also enable people to keep using these gliders and say the gnomes let them, but the purpose of this blog and soon-to-be article is to restrict their usage to gnomes only.)

The Adventurer is a sort of savior to the gnomes. They've saved both kingdoms from Glough (for those of you who don't know who he is, he's the most hated gnome and one of the most evil in their history), they've saved spirit trees (even planted one or two!), and saved the Grand Tree. One should note the importance and sacredness of the Grand Tree. It was the first they planted when they come out from hiding, it appears on all their banners, and is a symbol of their people. For lack of a better example of it's sacredness, think of the Home Tree of the Na'vi from Avatar.

The Adventurer saved their most precious site and he only gets a ride. Not the secret of how to fly, not a personal glider, but a ride. In other words, no matter who you are, the gnomes don't trust any other races with such valueable technology.