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    Canonfire :: View topic - I need a cursed and cursing gnome
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    I need a cursed and cursing gnome
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    Adept Greytalker

    Joined: Sep 20, 2001
    Posts: 355


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    Wed Mar 21, 2018 7:51 pm  
    I need a cursed and cursing gnome

    This is a rather vague request: I need to create a specific NPC to mentor a PC (and perhaps cause a lot of future mischief). The NPC will be a cynical and complaining old gnome codger hexblade (3.5 warrior class that curses his opponents) by the name of Thistle. Probably lawful, maybe evil, and not at all good. He presents himself as a grizzled old warrior, former adventurer.

    His secret is he serves the Unseelie Court as a spy on the mortal lands, but I'd like him to have been born in the Flanaess, nevertheless.

    The campaign takes place in western Sterich, at a sort of adventuring school set up by a PC in a previous campaign.

    What I'm looking for is Thistle's Flanaess connection. Where would such a gnome come from? What might his Oerthly history be and how would he have come to serve the faeries in this capacity?

    The only truly shady or evil gnome I can remember from Greyhawk lore is the psychopathic one who serves Iuz, and that's definitely the wrong flavor for this guy. I love gnomes, but, man, the Flanaess ones seem to be awfully goody two-shoes.

    I'd love to hear ideas anyone has on connecting this figure more tightly to the setting. It's less interesting to me if he were born in Faerie.

    (Also, if anyone knows of an existing NPC that's anything remotely resembling this, I might just steal him.)
    GreySage

    Joined: Jul 26, 2010
    Posts: 2695
    From: LG Dyvers

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    Thu Mar 22, 2018 5:22 am  

    You could have him originate anywhere that gnomes are common in the Flanaess, but it may offer a better explanation of his attitude if he comes from a place recently overrun by evil (e.g. the extended lands of Iuz, the Great Kingdom, the Lost Lands of Geoff and Sterich, an Iron League nation now under Scarlet Brotherhood control, or even the Bone March or the Pomarj).

    He is so furious at the destruction of his family and home he has turned to evil (fight fire with fire) to exact vengeance. He found his way into service of the Unseelie Court, believing they were his best bet for returning such ruination upon his hated foes.

    Also, he sounds like a perfect candidate for the Malefactor class by TPKGames. Wink

    SirXaris
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    Adept Greytalker

    Joined: Sep 20, 2001
    Posts: 355


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    Thu Mar 22, 2018 12:14 pm  

    Thanks for the tip on the malefactor; I'll have to check that out.

    I was thinking of having Thistle telling everyone that he serves "the Queen", being ambiguous as to whom he means.

    Does anyone know if King Kimbertos Skotti is married? Is there a Queen of Keoland?

    Web search revealed about three or four different Keoish lineages, with living or dead queens. Has this question ever been answered in a canon-ish product?
    GreySage

    Joined: Aug 03, 2001
    Posts: 3310
    From: Michigan

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    Thu Mar 22, 2018 3:03 pm  

    The gnomes who serve Keraptis beneath White Plume Mountain are known for their wickedness; you could have him hail from there.

    It might be more useful to connect him to a more typical gnome community, however, and have him be an exile, consumed with envy when his family or clan lost power and driven to accept darker sources of prestige. The lawful part of his nature springs from his belief that he's the rightful ruler of his people, a birthright denied him by traitors and fools. He might even have something of a legitimate grievance: the usurpers might have broken with established traditions about choosing their leaders, perhaps because they considered Thistle to be temperamentally unacceptable even if his case was legally air-tight, or perhaps partly out of greed and ambition of their own.

    As Saracenus speculated, though, perhaps he lost power because a more powerful evil force like the giants who invaded Geoff and Sterich forced him from it. Maybe his clan capitulated to them.

    I say that might be more useful because it connects him to gnomes who might be allies of the PCs rather than making him one more deranged Keraptis-obsessed gnome out of many. Perhaps more lawful PCs might even find Thistle's case sympathetic.

    The Queen of Air and Darkness is sometimes blamed for the creation of spriggans, twisted gnomes with the power to become giants. Perhaps Thistle seeks to become one as well, or at least is allied with them.

    Quote:
    Does anyone know if King Kimbertos Skotti is married? Is there a Queen of Keoland?


    Jedrae, apparently, according to this thread, 533 CY-593 CY. Based on Living Greyhawk sources, I guess.
    Adept Greytalker

    Joined: Apr 11, 2009
    Posts: 379
    From: Verbobonc

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    Thu Mar 22, 2018 8:30 pm  

    You could use the village of Osnabrolt from Vecna Lives!. The village was the hiding place of the Sword of Kas and ravaged by one of Vecna's avatars. That could easily twist someone on the path of evil.
    Black Hand of Oblivion

    Joined: Feb 16, 2003
    Posts: 3835
    From: So. Cal

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    Thu Mar 22, 2018 8:59 pm  

    You could go with a changeling origin story- stolen as a child from his crib by the Unseelie Court, and replaced with a changeling, the gnome has grown up in the service of the Unseelie Court and has now been returned to the Flanaess as their agent. Because of his true land or origin, gowning up in the lands the Unseelie Court have...changed the gnome. He is picked up some sort of fey oddity, which equivocates to a curse. Perhaps the gnome finds iron to make him itch horribly, or he must always lie in some manner (at least by omission) when asked a direct question.

    And so you can have a gnome from an utterly goody-two-shoes community, but who is a really evil little turd.
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