Garl Glittergold
Encyclopedia
Garl Glittergold is the patron deity
of gnomes
in the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
, and a member of the game's default pantheon of deities. His symbol is a gold nugget.
Garl's role among his followers was expanded upon in the article, "The Gnomish Point of View," in Dragon
#61 (1982).
(1992), including details about his priesthood.
His role in the cosmology of the Planescape
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996).
Garl received a very detailed description for his role in the Forgotten Realms in Demihuman Deities (1998).
Garl is described as one of the good deities that celestials
can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999).
Garl Glittergold is detailed in Deities and Demigods (2002), and his role in the Forgotten Realms is revisited in Faiths and Pantheons
(2002).
(2004).
and their patron deity Kurtulmak
.
In many campaign setting
s, the gnome pantheon of gods consists of the leader, Garl Glittergold, as well as Baervan Wildwanderer
, Baravar Cloakshadow
, Flandal Steelskin
, Gaerdal Ironhand
, Nebelun
, Segojan Earthcaller
, and Urdlen
.
In Races of Stone, Garl Glittergold has a twin brother (and nemesis), Gelf Darkhearth, his rival for the hand of the goddess Sheyanna Flaxenstrand.
Garl is on good terms with Aasterinian
and Pelor
and allied with Yondalla
, Corellon Larethian
, and Moradin
. He is also allied with Brandobaris
, Clangeddin Silverbeard, Cyrrollalee
, Dumathoin
, Erevan Ilesere
, Grumbar
, Vergadain
, and all of the gnomish pantheon except for Urdlen and Gelf.
Garl's enemies include Kurtulmak, Urdlen, Gelf, Gruumsh
and the other orc
, kobold
, and goblin
gods.
. The Golden Hills are a set of seven hills, one for each of the deities who dwell there. The whole realm glows with a golden hue. Garl's hill is known as Glitterhome, but he prefers to wander throughout the realm, often in disguise.
Priests of the Sparkling Wit serve as crafters, teachers, goldsmiths, miners, entertainers, mediators, councilors, and protectors. They defend the community against outside threats, often with axes, their god's favored weapon.
Prayers to Garl are typically composed in call-and-response style, with the priest asking a riddle and the flock calling out the answer.
came from rubies, the rock gnomes came from diamonds, and the forest gnomes from emeralds. In other versions of the myth, a handful of the tiny forms are blown into the air by a sudden upcurrent, and they become the ancestors of some minor faerie folk. Usually, the first thing Garl does after setting the gnomes free is tell a hilarious joke.
legends claim that Garl was once a dwarf god of magic called Garal, who drew away a portion of the dwarven people and remade them to suit his needs, thus creating the gnomish race.
, doing more than deploying mere tricks and illusions, but attacking him with the desire to kill.
According to another version of the myth in Dragon #61, the Sparkling Wit snuck into Kurtulmak's throne room and created a structural defect in the ceiling. Kurtulmak was entertaining the arch-devil Asmodeus
when the roof came down on them both. The archdevil, believing this had been an assassination attempt, suspended Kurtulmak over an active volcano by his tail for a week.
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
of gnomes
Gnome (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, gnomes are one of the core races available for play as player characters. Some speculate that they are closely related to dwarves; however, gnomes are more tolerant of other races and of magic, and are skilled with illusions...
in the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, and a member of the game's default pantheon of deities. His symbol is a gold nugget.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
Garl Glittergold was created by James M. Ward for the Deities and Demigods Cyclopedia (1980).Garl's role among his followers was expanded upon in the article, "The Gnomish Point of View," in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#61 (1982).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
Garl Glittergold was detailed in the book Monster MythologyMonster Mythology
Monster Mythology is a sourcebook for the second edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Released by TSR in 1992 and written by Carl Sargent, with interior illustrations by Terry Dykstra, John and Laura Lakey, and Keith Parkinson, Monster Mythology was released as a companion volume for...
(1992), including details about his priesthood.
His role in the cosmology of the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996).
Garl received a very detailed description for his role in the Forgotten Realms in Demihuman Deities (1998).
Garl is described as one of the good deities that celestials
Celestial (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, celestials are a class of creatures and monsters known as outsiders who are of wholly good alignment....
can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)
Garl Glittergold appears as one of the deities described in the Players Handbook for this edition (2000).Garl Glittergold is detailed in Deities and Demigods (2002), and his role in the Forgotten Realms is revisited in Faiths and Pantheons
Faiths and Pantheons
Faiths and Pantheons is a campaign accessory for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons, for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.-Contents:...
(2002).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)
Garl Glittergold appears in the revised Players Handbook for this edition (2003). His priesthood is detailed for this edition in Complete DivineComplete Divine
Complete Divine is a supplemental rulebook for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game published by Wizards of the Coast...
(2004).
Description
Garl is depicted as a handsome, golden-skinned gnome with sparkling gemstones for eyes. He wears a flowing silk cloak and usually a substantial amount of gold decoration.Relationships
Garl, as god of Luck and Trickery, leads the gnomish pantheon. He is the arch enemy of koboldsKobold (Dungeons & Dragons)
Kobolds are a fictional species featured in the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Aggressive, xenophobic, yet industrious small humanoid creatures, kobolds are noted for their skill at building traps and preparing ambushes...
and their patron deity Kurtulmak
Kurtulmak
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Kurtulmak is the chief deity worshipped by the kobold race. He is a member of the default pantheon....
.
In many campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
s, the gnome pantheon of gods consists of the leader, Garl Glittergold, as well as Baervan Wildwanderer
Baervan Wildwanderer
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Baervan Wildwanderer is the gnome deity of Forests, Travel, and Nature.-Publication history:...
, Baravar Cloakshadow
Baravar Cloakshadow
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Baravar Cloakshadow is the gnomish deity of illusions, protection, and deception. He creates traps and illusions of stunning complexity and cunning. He is somewhat mean-spirited compared to most of the other gnomish gods, and his pranks may cause even...
, Flandal Steelskin
Flandal Steelskin
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Flandal Steelskin is the gnome deity of mining, smithing, and fitness. His symbol is a flaming hammer.-Publication history:...
, Gaerdal Ironhand
Gaerdal Ironhand
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Gaerdal Ironhand is the gnome deity of protection, vigilance, and combat.-Publication history:...
, Nebelun
Nebelun
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Nebelun is the gnome deity of inventions and good luck.Nebelun is, in fantasy literature, a fictional Gnome deity of invention and good luck...
, Segojan Earthcaller
Segojan Earthcaller
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Segojan Earthcaller is the gnome deity of earth and nature. Unlike Baervan Wildwanderer, who is a god of the plants and forests of the surface world, Segojan's area of concern is the deep earth and the life within it...
, and Urdlen
Urdlen
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Urdlen is the gnome deity of greed and blood.In many campaign settings, the gnome pantheon of gods consists of the leader Garl Glittergold, as well as Baervan Wildwanderer, Baravar Cloakshadow, Flandal Steelskin, Gaerdal Ironhand, Nebelun, Segojan...
.
In Races of Stone, Garl Glittergold has a twin brother (and nemesis), Gelf Darkhearth, his rival for the hand of the goddess Sheyanna Flaxenstrand.
Garl is on good terms with Aasterinian
Aasterinian
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Aasterinian is the draconic deity who serves as Io's messenger. Her symbol is a grinning dragon's head....
and Pelor
Pelor
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Pelor is the god of the Sun, Light, Strength, and Healing. Pelor is also a prominent member of the third edition of the game's default pantheon, and is a popular choice among player character clerics because he...
and allied with Yondalla
Yondalla
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Yondalla is the chief halfling goddess and a member of the game's 3rd edition "core pantheon". Her symbol is a shield with a cornucopia motif....
, Corellon Larethian
Corellon Larethian
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Corellon Larethian is the leader of the elven pantheon, and the god of Magic, Music, Arts, Crafts, Poetry, and Warfare. Corellon is also considered a member of the default D&D pantheon. He is the creator and preserver of the elven race, and governs those...
, and Moradin
Moradin
Moradin is the chief deity in the dwarven pantheon in the Dungeons & Dragons game and is a member of the default D&D pantheon. Moradin's domains are Creation, Earth, Good, Law, and Protection. His titles include Soul Forger, Dwarffather, the All-Father, and the Creator...
. He is also allied with Brandobaris
Brandobaris
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Brandobaris is the halfling deity of Stealth, Thievery, Rogues, and Adventuring. His sacred animal is the mouse. His symbol is a halfling's footprint.-Publication history:Brandobaris was first detailed in Roger E...
, Clangeddin Silverbeard, Cyrrollalee
Cyrrollalee
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Cyrrollalee is the halfling deity of Friendship, Trust, and the Home. Her symbol is an open door...
, Dumathoin
Dumathoin
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Dumathoin is the patron of mountain dwarves, and the dwarf deity of mining and underground exploration. He is also the protector of the dwarven dead. His holy symbol is a cut, faceted gem inside of a mountain.-Publication...
, Erevan Ilesere
Erevan Ilesere
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Erevan Ilesere is the elven deity of Mischief, Change, Rogues and Changelings. Erevan is a fickle, utterly unpredictable god who can change his appearance at will. His symbol is a nova star with asymmetrical rays.-Publication history:Erevan Ilesere was...
, Grumbar
Grumbar
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Grumbar is the "Elemental Lord of the Earth."-Publication history:...
, Vergadain
Vergadain
In many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Vergadain is the dwarf deity of Wealth and Luck. Vergadain's titles "the Trickster" and "the Laughing Dwarf" are not used by his worshippers. His holy symbol is a circular gold coin. These coins must be acquired in payment for...
, and all of the gnomish pantheon except for Urdlen and Gelf.
Garl's enemies include Kurtulmak, Urdlen, Gelf, Gruumsh
Gruumsh
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Gruumsh, also known as Gruumsh One-Eye, is the patron deity of orcs, who regard him as the god of Conquest, Survival, Strength, and Territory. He is also considered a member of the default D&D pantheon of deities...
and the other orc
Orc (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, orcs are a primitive race of savage, bestial, barbaric humanoid.-Publication history:The orc was one of the earliest creatures introduced in the D&D game. The D&D orc is largely based upon the orcs appearing in the works of J.R.R...
, kobold
Kobold (Dungeons & Dragons)
Kobolds are a fictional species featured in the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Aggressive, xenophobic, yet industrious small humanoid creatures, kobolds are noted for their skill at building traps and preparing ambushes...
, and goblin
Goblin (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, goblins are a very common and fairly weak race of evil humanoid monsters. Goblins and Kobolds are commonly non-human monsters that low-level player characters will face in combat. In D&D, goblins aren't smaller cousins of orcs, but are a part of...
gods.
Realm
Garl lives in the gnomish realm of the Golden Hills on the plane of BytopiaBytopia
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Bytopia, also known as the Twin Paradises or more fully, the Twin Paradises of Bytopia is a lawful good/neutral good aligned plane of existence...
. The Golden Hills are a set of seven hills, one for each of the deities who dwell there. The whole realm glows with a golden hue. Garl's hill is known as Glitterhome, but he prefers to wander throughout the realm, often in disguise.
Dogma
A sense of humor is an important thing for anyone to cultivate, regardless of their hardships. The inhabitants of a community ought to cooperate for the greater good. Pranks are a sacrament. Authority figures shouldn't take themselves too seriously. The tales and jokes of the gnomish people should be preserved, but change should not be feared.Worshippers
Garl Glittergold is the most popular of the gnomish deities, and honored, in one way or another, by nearly all gnomes.Clergy
Garl's clerics wear war helms and gold belts. On ceremonial occasions, their helms and armor are plated with gold as well. Novice priests are known as the Uncut, while full priests are called Jewels. The ranks in Garl's hierarchy are, in ascending order, the Amethyst, Topaz, Opal, Jacinth, Diamond, Emerald, Ruby, and Sapphire priests. High priestesses are called Star Rubies while male high priests are called Star Sapphires. Specialty priests are called glitterbrights.Priests of the Sparkling Wit serve as crafters, teachers, goldsmiths, miners, entertainers, mediators, councilors, and protectors. They defend the community against outside threats, often with axes, their god's favored weapon.
Temples
Temples to the Priceless Gem are unassuming and often hidden. They are normally worked caves just beneath the surface, in the heart of a gnomish community. They are usually circular with a domed ceiling divided into four quadrants, the walls and ceilings decorated in gold leaf and studded with gold nuggets when this can be afforded. Comedians, illusionists, and other entertainers use the space to bring joy and laughter to the faithful. Priests there are usually glad to help traveling gnomes in need.Rituals
Ceremonies in honor of Garl are flashy, full of illusion and mystery. They extol gnomish virtues such as cleverness and craftsmanship. During the Communion of Laughter, the faithful are expected to sacrifice a bit of gold or gold dust to the church, who use it for the good of the community.Prayers to Garl are typically composed in call-and-response style, with the priest asking a riddle and the flock calling out the answer.
Holy days
Worship services are held on the 13th of each month in a holiday known as the Communion of Laughter. Lasting the whole day, the Communion of Laughter includes quiet contemplation, prayer, communal eating, dancing, storytelling, and joke-telling contests.Birth of the gods
The gnomish gods were born as gems or veins of precious metals in the heart of the world, some say. Subterranean waters slowly eroded the earth around them until they were free.Creation of the gnomes
While most gnomes imagine the multiverse as a steady-state model with no beginning or end, there does exist a myth of the ever-curious Garl Glittergold descending into a limestone cave system and being alerted to the presence of a hidden cavern by his intelligent axe, Arumdina. Using his magic to enter the cavern, Garl discovered it was covered wall to ceiling with brilliant gems. Picking some of the gems out of the wall and breathing on them, tiny forms within the gems were set free, becoming the first gnomes. Some believe the svirfneblinSvirfneblin
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, svirfneblin , or deep gnomes, are a sub-race of gnome.-Publication history:The svirfneblin first appears in first edition in the adventure modules D2 Shrine of the Kuo-Toa , and D3 Vault of the Drow , and then in the original Fiend Folio...
came from rubies, the rock gnomes came from diamonds, and the forest gnomes from emeralds. In other versions of the myth, a handful of the tiny forms are blown into the air by a sudden upcurrent, and they become the ancestors of some minor faerie folk. Usually, the first thing Garl does after setting the gnomes free is tell a hilarious joke.
Garal
DwarvenDwarf (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, dwarves are a humanoid race, one of the primary races available for play as player characters...
legends claim that Garl was once a dwarf god of magic called Garal, who drew away a portion of the dwarven people and remade them to suit his needs, thus creating the gnomish race.
Gelf
There was a time when all was harmonious and good. But then Garl Glittergold noticed a disharmony, a dissonance, the sound of a being at odds with all existence. He investigated the sound, and after traveling for days in the space of an instant he discovered his counterpart, Gelf Darkhearth, who was exactly the same height and shape as Garl, even dressed the same as Garl, but with gray skin and black hair. The terrible sound emanated from Gelf's weapon, which was a thing of chaos, neither musical instrument nor sword nor wand but all of these things, shifting from one to the other. The two discovered they knew everything about one another, and that they were fated to battle eternally, Garl's sword against Gelf's thing, and so they do, because their ways are antithetical to one another. Their battle is the battle that goes on within every gnome's heart between peace and tranquility and the desire for rebellion and change. It is the battle of the multiverse itself, creation balanced against destruction.Gruumsh
The gnomes of Gaborren's Rift in the Grandwood forest have a unique myth in which Garl directly battles the orcish god GruumshGruumsh
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Gruumsh, also known as Gruumsh One-Eye, is the patron deity of orcs, who regard him as the god of Conquest, Survival, Strength, and Territory. He is also considered a member of the default D&D pantheon of deities...
, doing more than deploying mere tricks and illusions, but attacking him with the desire to kill.
Kurtulmak
According to legend, Garl collapsed the cave-system hall of Kurtulmak. The circumstances of this are debated, but most gnomish legends (according to Monster Mythology) say that Kurtulmak had ambushed and bound Garl, while Garl only pretended to be bound securely in order to play his prank.According to another version of the myth in Dragon #61, the Sparkling Wit snuck into Kurtulmak's throne room and created a structural defect in the ceiling. Kurtulmak was entertaining the arch-devil Asmodeus
Asmodeus (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Asmodeus is an Arch-Devil: a lord of the game's version of Hell . There he is the Overlord of the Dukes of Hell...
when the roof came down on them both. The archdevil, believing this had been an assassination attempt, suspended Kurtulmak over an active volcano by his tail for a week.
Additional reading
- Conforti, Steven, ed. Living Greyhawk Official Listing of Deities for Use in the Campaign, version 2.0. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005. Available online:http://www.wizards.com/rpga/downloads/LG_Deities.zip
- Decker, Jesse, Michelle Lyons, and David NoonanDavid Noonan (game designer)David Noonan is an author of several products and articles for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from Wizards of the Coast.-Role-playing games:...
. Races of Stone. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2004. - Sargent, CarlCarl SargentCarl L. Sargent is a British author of several roleplaying game-based products and novels.-Early career:...
. Ivid the Undying. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1995 (unpublished). Available online:http://www.io.com/~wmallman/ivid.html - Dragon magazine #283 - "Do-It-Yourself Deities"
- Living Greyhawk Journal no. 3 - "Gods of Oerth"