Character 8 - Gnome Cleric

Born in the dwarven citadel known as the Ironhills Delve, your early life was unremarkable for a gnome. Your curiosity and wonder led you to investigate anything and everything there was to see and discover. In your late teen years, shortly after reaching your physical maturity and thus being able to experience what "the grownups" did with their lives, you discovered your first true passion: gambling. Your fascination was first with the games and the odds of winning them. You focused on the players and their natures, and you learned of the Duagnar goddess Gimna - the dwarven goddess of dreams, but also the goddess of luck. The need to learn everything about Gimna led to you becoming a trained priest of the goddess.

Your clerical training taught you to trust Gimna in any risky situation. It also taught that the goddess did not look kindly on cheaters. Understanding the odds, and even acting to improve them was okay, but there was a fine line somewhere between that and "cheating". In games of cards, carefully tracking the play to better guess what was coming next was a wise action. Marking the cards to eliminate the element of chance was cheating.

There were people in the world that called themselves "adventurers". These people took "playing the odds" to a whole new level, with their very lives on the line instead of just a few coins. This concept was fascinating to you! What would cheating look like in this endeavor? Was it even possible? You simply had to discover this for yourself.

You left the Delve to journey out among the rest of the Folk of the world. You hoped to attach yourself to a group of these adventurers to learn everything you could about them: how they lived, how they thought, how they sought their challenges and how they dealt with them. You supposed that this would make you an adventurer as well; that thought was somehow thrilling. Leaving the Delve, you traveled east. In some of the settlements you passed through, your ability to detect cheating in the taverns and gaming halls, and your deeply ingrained need to call it out resulted in your being run out of more than a handful of establishments. It even cost you the one chance you had to join up with an adventuring group -- after calling out the half-orc warrior for cheating at cards, her friends wanted no part of you.

While sitting in a small casino in Karnstown, you overheard a discussion about an Inn deep in the Feywood forest along the road between here and a village called Feybridge Crossing. This Inn was known as an occasional gathering place or even temporary base for adventurers. And so... after several days more on the road, you find yourself in the common room of the Bugbear's Head Inn, looking for a group of adventurers to join... and study.
Race
Gnome
Heritage
Traveler
Background
Gambler
Class
Cleric (Cloistered canon)

Trained Skills
Deception, Diplomacy, Medicine, Nature, Religion, Stealth, Gaming Lore

Armor
Explorer's Clothing
Melee Weapons
Fist, Starknife
Ranged Weapons
Hand Crossbow, Starknife

Deity
Gimna
Deity Spells
1st Level: Sleep
Children

Physical Description

Most gnomes stand just over 3 feet in height and weigh little more than a human child. They exhibit a wide range of natural skin, hair, and eye colors. For gnomes that haven’t begun the Bleaching, nearly any hair and eye color other than white is possible, with vibrant colors most frequent, while skin tones span a slightly narrower spectrum and tend toward earthy tones and pinkish hues, though occasionally green, black, or pale blue. Gnomes’ large eyes and dense facial muscles allow them to be particularly expressive in their emotions.

Gnomes typically reach physical maturity at the age of 18, though many gnomes maintain a childlike curiosity about the world even into adulthood. A typical gnome can live to around 400 years old.

Other Characteristics

As a Gnome...

You will embrace learning and discovery of new things, possibly even hopping from one area of study to another without warning. You may have a tendency to rush into action before fully taking stock of the entire situation. You also have a tendency to speak, think, and move quickly (sometimes without really planning first), and may show exasperation when others can’t keep up. Others will either appreciate your enthusiasm and the energy, or show exasperation of their own at your "dive in" approach new situations. They will often struggle to understand your motivations or adapt to your rapid changes of direction. All in all, you will likely be viewed as unpredictable, flighty, unreliable, or even reckless at times.

As a Traveler Gnome...

Your ancestors have never been happy settling down in one place for any appreciable length of time. There's simply too much of the world to see and experience. Your inborn desire to discover and experience new things everywhere you go translates into an enhanced attention to detail when it comes to perceiving your surroundings.

As a Former Gambler...

The understanding of "the odds", and the thrill of the win drew you into games of chance. This might have been a lucrative sideline that paled in comparison to the real risks of adventuring at first - until you started to become aware of the rampant and widespread cheating that went on, especially in "organized" gaming houses. This, combined with your growing familiarity with the goddess Gimna and her intentions when it came to luck, or chance, you realized you had a higher calling.

As a Cloistered Cleric...

During combat encounters, you primarily cast spells. Most of your spells can boost, protect, or heal your allies. Gimna grants you the power to either heal your allies or harm your enemies. During social encounters, you might make diplomatic overtures or deliver impressive speeches. Because you’re wise, you also pick up on falsehoods others tell. While exploring, you detect nearby magic and interpret any religious writing you come across. You might also concentrate on a protective spell for your allies in case of attack. After a battle or hazard, you might heal anyone who was hurt. In between adventures, you might perform services at a temple (or, in your case, a gaming house), travel to spread the word of your deity, research scripture, celebrate holy days, or even found a new temple.

You might visit gaming houses, weeding out the cheaters and offering guidance to those who need it. You know the teachings of Gimna's holy texts and how they apply to a dilemma. You will cooperate with your allies, provided they don’t ask you to go against divine will. Others probably find your devotion impressive, even if they don’t understand it. They will expect you to heal their wounds, and will rely on you to interact with other religious figures.


Cover image: The Inn from the Bridge over Daphinia's Stream by RPGDinosaurBob (with Flowscape)

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