In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the gnome pantheon of gods, also called the Lords of the Golden Hills, consists of the leader, Garl Glittergold, as well as Baervan Wildwanderer, Baravar Cloakshadow, Flandal Steelskin, Gaerdal Ironhand, Nebelun, Segojan Earthcaller, and Urdlen. The Glutton, Gelf Darkhearth, Ril Cleverthrush and Sheyanna Flaxenstrand, being introduced in a supplemental book, are not considered canon to the pantheon, although they are included here for completion.
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Baervan Wildwanderer is the gnome deity of Forests, Travel, and Nature. He lives in the gnomish realm of the Golden Hills on the plane of Bytopia.
Callarduran Smoothhands is the gnome god of the earth. He is the patron deity of the svirfneblin (deep gnomes), and is not very popular among other gnome subraces. Unlike other gods of the Underdark, he is not an outcast. He voluntarily led his people to the depths as a means of encouraging diversity among the gnomes.
Flandal Steelskin is the gnome deity of mining, smithing, and fitness. His symbol is a flaming hammer. He appears as a balding, aging gnome with skin the color of blue mithral steel, eyes like flaming coals, and hair of brilliant blue-silver. He wears a leather apron over the rest of his clothes, and carries Rhondang, an intelligent axe-backed hammer made of yellowish metal. He is the strongest of the gnomish pantheon and is able to sniff out veins of any ore with his prodigious nose. As such, he is the patron of gnomish warriors, miners and metalworkers.
Gaerdal Ironhand is the gnome deity of protection, vigilance, and combat. He lives in the gnomish realm of the Golden Hills on the plane of Bytopia.
| Game background | |
|---|---|
| Home plane | Unknown |
| Power level | Intermediate |
| Alignment | Chaotic Neutral |
| Portfolio | Entropy, revenge |
| Domains | Chaos, Destruction, War |
| Design details | |
Gelf Darkhearth is the gnomish deity of entropy and revenge. He was introduced in the Races of Stone supplement book.
Gelf is Garl Glittergold's brother, and rarely have two brothers been more bitter rivals. Gelf, depicted as a gray-skinned dwarf with a black beard, takes obsessive delight in opposing everything his brother attempts. This compulsion puts Gelf in the tragic position of tearing down the gnome society he loves, just to thwart Garl Glittergold. Gelf isn't evil, but he feels compelled to destroy everything Garl holds dear. Gelf is an angry, sorrowful deity, and he attracts followers of similar temperament. The reason for Gelf's attitude and rivalry with Garl is not known, but it is possibly because they both covet the Gnomish goddess of love Sheyanna Flaxenstrand. Gelf's holy symbol is a black anvil that is splt in two, set against a murky purple background. His favored weapon is the warhammer.
Would-be clerics of Gelf are individually recruited by senior clerics who sense kindred spirits. Those who follow Gelf are rebels so committed to their cause that they would do anything to defeat the authorities they despise.
Gelf's prayers are often wordless ululations—long strings of vowel sounds. To nonbelievers, they sound like gibberish, but the exact order of sounds has meaning to the faithful.
Gelf's temples aren't hidden, but they are out of the way and placed so that Gelf's worshipers aren't seen coming and going. Most gnomes know where to find a temple to Gelf (assuming one is nearby), but few can think of a reason to go there.
Many of Gelf's rites seek to bestow a curse or ill will on a nonbeliever. Few are known outside the fairly insular circle of Gelf's worshipers—with one exception: Almost every gnome warrior knows the Rite of the Adroit, a brief group ceremony that steels the minds of gnomes to the chaos of war.
If someone has hatched a plot against one of Garl Glittergold's temples—or against a thriving gnome community—Gelf Darkhearth is probably behind it. He takes particular glee in using Garl's faithful against him, duping adventurers into doing his bidding.
The herald of Gelf is a 20th-level fiendish gnome rogue. His allies are succubus demons, green slaadi, and death slaadi.
| Game background | |
|---|---|
| Home plane | Abyss |
| Power level | Lesser |
| Alignment | Chaotic Evil |
| Portfolio | Disaster, greed |
| Domains | Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Strength |
| Design details | |
The Glutton is the gnomish deity of disaster and greed. He was introduced in the Races of Stone supplemental book.
The Glutton is usually depicted as a massive, ravenous badger or wolverine. The Glutton figures prominently in the bedtime stories gnomes tell naughty children -- "Go to sleep or The Glutton will get you!" The Glutton is blamed whenever a burrow collapses or another misfortune befalls the gnomes. It is said that The Glutton was once a gnome who was cursed with a hideous form and a desire to consume the gnomes and all they hold dear (why is not known). His holy symbol is a gaping, fanged mouth surrounded by what looks like a golden band, and what appears to be a smear of pink blood behind it. His favored weapon is the heavy mace.
The Glutton's few clerics are all secretive cult leaders, for no gnomes would willingly allow worshipers of The Glutton into their burrows. New clerics are recruited from among the mad and the hopeless.
Cultists of The Glutton take his name literally when they pray, stuffing themselves with food as they make profane utterances to their evil deity.
The Glutton has no temples. His cultists meet wherever they can find a measure of secrecy.
Rites require a level of organization that The Glutton is uninterested in. If his cultists want a ceremony to perform, they have to create it themselves.
The Glutton's goals are straightforward enough that he doesn't send followers on quests. But the cults that act in his name might send adventurers on quests to acquire more evil power
The herald of The Glutton is a mighty balor. Allies are howlers, greater barghests, and nalfeshnee demons.
Urdlen is the gnome deity of greed and blood. It manifests as an enormous blind mole.
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