D&D: An Adventurer’s Guide to Garl Glittergold
Garl Glittergold was the most popular gnomish god. Laughter, jokes, and gold all appeal to the Sparkling Wit of Faerun’s pantheon.
In all of Faerun, there were no deities quite as mirthful as Garl Glittergold, the god of gnomes and luck and trickery. With concepts like joke-telling, dancing, and storytelling under his portfolio, Garl Glittergold was a dashing, irreverent figure.
Depending on which end of his “jokes” you ended up on, he was either a great friend and protector or the arch-enemy of your entire species. Whatever your opinion, there’s no denying that Garl Glittergold left an impression wherever he went.
Garl Glittergold – Luck, Trickery, Gnomes
Garl Glittergold was often depicted as a handsome, golden-skinned gnome with gemstones for eyes. Wearing a flowing silk cloak, he was often depicted in lavish settings. This depiction likely led to the gnomish myth that Glittergold, and other deities, were birthed in veins of precious metals in the heart of the world.
And it’s worth mentioning that the gnomes of Faerun (or anywhere else in the multiverse) tend to believe many contradictory things at once. For the gnomes believe that Garl Glittergold also discovered the first gnomes.
As an ever-curious deity, he is said to have descended into a massive cave system. When his companion, Arumdina, a magical and sentient axe, detected a hidden chamber, Garl Glittergold entered it. There, he found a vast cavern covered from wall to ceiling with brilliant gems.
Most gnomes hold that he plucked gems from out of the wall and breathed on them, giving life to tiny forms within the gems. These became the first gnomes:
- Svirfneblin came from rubies
- Rock gnomes from diamonds
- Forest gnomes emeralds
Although some legends say that Glittergold also accidentally released some of these forms into the air, becoming the ancestors of faeries.
Whatever the case, Garl Glittergold leads the gnomes out of the cavern by telling them a very good joke and then convincing them to follow along.
Divine Tricks
Glittergold had a knack for trickery that would drive anyone of less than divine patience to frustration. His pranks have brought mirth to many a deity. But it has also earned him the wrathful ire of his enemies. In particular Kurtulmak, god of the kobolds.
According to legend, Kurtulmak ambushed Garl, who proceeded to pretend to be tightly bound in order to be taken deep into Kurtulmak’s cave halls. There, while Kurtulmak was entertaining “one of the major arch-devils”, did Glittergold collapse the ceiling on them both? The arch-devil, believing this to be an assassination attempt, punished Kurtulmak. In this case, by suspending the kobold’s deity over an active volcano by his tail for six weeks.
Kurtulmak from that point on swore eternal vengeance against the gnomish trickster.
Clerics of the Sparkling Wit
Glittergold’s clerics adorn themselves with jewels. In particular, their helms and belts are said to represent the sparkling wit of their deity.
They follow Garl Glittergold’s commandments, which include:
- Cultivate a sense of humor, regardless of your hardships
- Teach your community to cooperate for the greater good
- Pranks are a necessary way of life, especially against those in power
- Authority figures shouldn’t take themselves too seriously
- Preserve the tales and jokes of the gnomish people
- Embrace the changing tides of the world
Ceremonies dedicated to Glittergold often involve storytelling, feasts, jests, and dancing.
Happy adventuring!
