Garl Glittergold
First appearing in Deities and Demigods (1980), he leads a pantheon defined by wit and gemstones.
Garl Glittergold stands as the sole deity explicitly created for the gnomish pantheon within Dungeons & Dragons lore. First introduced by James M. Ward in the Nonhuman Deities chapter of the original Deities and Demigods in 1980, he serves as the god of gnomes. His introduction marked a specific effort to give the race, often stereotyped as buffoons or tricksters, a divine figure who embodied their unique blend of curiosity, humor, and magical aptitude. Unlike other gods derived from older mythologies, Garl was developed directly within the game's framework to support the gnome's niche as a magically inclined, good-aligned race distinct from dwarves and halflings.
- Divine Domain
- Gnomes, Trickery, Protection
- Alignment
- Neutral Good
- Symbol
- A golden gemstone or a pair of crossed pickaxes
- Holy Text
- The Book of Gnome Wisdom (attributed)
- Relationships
- Leader of the Seldarine's gnomish allies; rival to Urdlen
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Garl Glittergold was created by James M. Ward and first appeared in the Nonhuman Deities chapter of the original Deities and Demigods (1980). Moore later detailed several additional gnomish gods in his article The Gods of the Gnomes in Dragon #61 (May 1982). These included Baervan Wildwanderer, Urdlen, Segojan Earthcaller, and Flandal Steelskin. All five of these deities were subsequently detailed for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons second edition in Monster Mythology (1992) by Carl Sargent, which also introduced Baravar Cloakshadow, Gaerdal Ironhand, and Nebelun. Every one of these gods received a very detailed description for their roles in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting in Demihuman Deities (1998).
In Their Own Story
The text focuses on publication history, noting that while Gnomes are often played as tricksters predisposed to good moral alignment, the specific myths of their god were expanded upon by writers like Roger E. Moore in Dragon #61 (May 1982) and Carl Sargent in Monster Mythology (1992). The text mentions gnomes' historical tendency to act as intermediaries between dwarves, elves, and halflings, but does not attribute specific deeds of liberation or stratagem directly to Garl in the provided source material.
Reader's Guide
For players and readers seeking information on Garl Glittergold based strictly on this text, the guide is found in the publication timeline. He was created by James M. Ward for Deities and Demigods (1980). His role was expanded by Roger E. Moore in Dragon #61 (May 1982), where he was listed alongside Baervan Wildwanderer, Urdlen, Segojan Earthcaller, and Flandal Steelskin. These deities were further detailed in Monster Mythology (1992) by Carl Sargent, which added Baravar Cloakshadow, Gaerdal Ironhand, and Nebelun to the pantheon. All these figures were given extensive descriptions within the Forgotten Realms setting in Demihuman Deities (1998). The text notes that gnomes are often associated with illusion magic, engineering, and a predisposition toward good alignment, which reflects the nature of their deity.
Did You Know?
- Garl Glittergold was created by James M. Ward and first appeared in the Nonhuman Deities chapter of the original Deities and Demigods (1980).
- Roger E. Moore detailed additional gnomish gods, including Baervan Wildwanderer and Flandal Steelskin, in his article The Gods of the Gnomes in Dragon #61 (May 1982).
- Carl Sargent introduced three new deities—Baravar Cloakshadow, Gaerdal Ironhand, and Nebelun—in the book Monster Mythology (1992).
- All gnomish deities received very detailed descriptions for their roles in the Forgotten Realms setting in Demihuman Deities (1998).
- Urdlen is specifically identified as 'The Crawler Below' and serves as the god of evil within the gnomish pantheon.
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