Gond, the Wonderbringer

Alignment: Neutral
Domains: Artifice [Alchemy, Construct, Industry], Earth [Metal], Fire, Knowledge [Planning], Pride
Favored Weapon: Hammer

Gond the Wonderbringer is the god of blacksmiths, woodworkers, inventors, and engineers. In religious art, he is most often portrayed as a burly, red-hued smith, with a mighty hammer and a forge and anvil that allows him to craft the stuff that stars are made of. Gond serves Oghma along with Deneir and Milil; it is Gond that gives concrete form to the ideas that are held in Oghma’s portfolio, and inspires others to make new things. He has grown very independent as his own power waxes, and his relationship to Oghma is already only dimly remembered at times by mortals. This has caused some tension between the Wonderbringer and the Gods of Knowledge, as Gond has a tendency to release new creations into the mortal world without fully thinking through the impact they will have.

He is fascinated with making the theoretical real and either does not consider or does not care about the implications for the use of his inventions and discoveries. This also has caused some tense moments between Gond and the Goddess of Magic, Mystra, as his inventions sometimes compete with the need for magic in the world. He is credited for the invention of smokepowder and firearms by the Gnomes, as he dwelt in Lantan during the Time of Troubles in the avatar of a gnome. He has in fact adapted the aspect Nebelun, the Meddler — the Gnomish God of Invention in the Golden Hills pantheon, who did not emerge on Toril as he has other worlds; Gond was more than happy to step into the empty role, and has used it to more freely fuel his ambition to turn out even more new inventions.

Dogma: Actions count. Intentions and thought are one thing, but it is the result that is most important. Talk is for others, while those who serve Gond do. Make new things that work. Become skilled at forging or some craft, and practice making things and various means of joining and fastening until you can create devices to suit any situation or space. Question and challenge the unknown with new devices. New inventions should be elegant and useful. Practice experimentation and innovation in the making of tools and the implementation of processes, and encourage these virtues in others through direct aid, sponsorship, and diplomatic support. Keep records of your strivings, ideas, and sample devices so that others may follow your work and improve on what you leave behind and encourage others, such as farmers and hunters, to think of new tools, improved ways of crafting and using their existing gear, and new ways of doing things. Observe, acquire, and store safely the makings of others and spread such knowledge among the Consecrated of Gond. Discuss ideas and spread them so that all may see the divine light that is the Wonderbringer.

For Deific Obedience

Obedience: Spend an hour working at an anvil as you say your prayers to Gond — either some small act toward maintaining your weapon or armor, such as sharpening or polishing, or to craft some small creation as a token of your faith. If anyone should come near while you are performing your obedience, then invite them to join in and pray to the rhythm of your hammer. At the end of this prayer, if you have created some token with your craft, either gift it to someone in your presence, or leave it somewhere it can be found by another as a tribute of faith. Gain +4 bonus on Disable Device and Craft checks; the bonus is sacred or profane, depending on your alignment.

Boons
1: Divine Craftsman (Sp) jury rig 3/day, heat metal 2/day, or minor creation 1/day
2: Improve Item (Ex) Your divine understanding of the inner workings of magical crafting has gained you uncanny control over the function of expendable use magic items. Up to three times per day, when you use a magic item with limited uses of a spell or spell-like effect — such as a potion, scroll, wand or limited charge magic item, the spell cast uses your hit dice as its caster level, rather than the caster level of the item for all purposes including variable effects, duration, range and counterspell or dispel checks.
3: Inspired Crafting (Su) The quest for discovery and innovation never stops. By applying Gond’s blessings into efficient time management and technical innovation, you can craft items in spare moments squeezed in while adventuring or otherwise serving your god’s ideals. When crafting magic items while adventuring, you can devote 4 hours each day to creation and take advantage of the full amount of time spent crafting instead of netting only 2 hours’ worth of work. In addition, you can use fabricate once per day as a spell-like ability. Although you can’t create magic items with the fabricate spell, you can use it to create items that you later enhance magically.

For Followers of Gond

Archetypes and Alternate Class Features: Clockwork Mage (Summoner),

Specialty Priest: Gondsman (Cleric)

• A Gondsman only chooses one domain from Gond’s list of domains.
• A Gondsman adds Disable Device to his list of class skills.
• Trapfinding (Ex): At 1st level, a Gondsman gains the unchained rogue’s trapfinding ability, treating his cleric level as his rogue level.
• Inspired Craftsman (Ex): At 1st level, the Gondsman may add his Wisdom bonus to all Craft checks.
• Focused Crafting (Ex): At 5th level, and every 5 levels thereafter a Gondsman may select an item creation feat for which he qualifies. By spending an hour each day in prayer and preparation (which may be the same hour used for deific obedience, if he does such), the Gondsman may trade out one of his item creation feats for a different one, so long as he still meets the prerequisites for the substituted feat. He gains the benefits of this new feat for the 24-hour period following his preparation.

Feats: Fire God’s Blessing, Master of Knowledge, Steelskin Channel, Stone Strider,

Magic Items: Bronze Whisperer’s Shield, Iron Lord’s Transforming Slivers, Ring of Sundering Metals,

Prestige Classes: Arcane Devotee, Divine Champion, Divine Chymist, Divine Disciple, Divine Scion (Unchained), Techsmith*.
*Craft skill requirement is only 5 ranks.

Spells: Hammer of Mending, Semblance of Flesh

Traits: Builder’s Insight, Clockwork Surgeon, Defensive Strategist, Eternal Understanding, Eyes and Ears of the City, Forge’s Flame, Loreseeker, Nimble Fingers, Keen Mind, Seer of Reality, Structural Knowledge, Thirst for Knowledge, Toilcrafter, Well-Prepared.

Unique Spell Rules

• Fabricate can be prepared as a 5th-level Cleric or 3rd-level Inquisitor spell
• Major Creation can be prepared as a 5th-level Cleric or 3rd-level Inquisitor spell
• Make Whole can be spontaneously cast as a 2nd-level Cleric spell
• Mending can be spontaneously cast as a 0-level Cleric spell and prepared as a 0-level Inquisitor spell
• Soothe Construct can be spontaneously cast as a 4th-level Cleric spell

Clergy & Temples

Since the Time of Troubles, interest in and worship of Gond is on the rise, but this has brought increased attacks from both rival clergy and those who simply fear new inventions. Gondarism is the official state religion — be it directly worshipping Gond, or in his aspect of Nebelun — of the island nation of Lantan, which is also a hotbed of invention and new devices. Men tend to outnumber women in both Gondar clergy and laity, but there is no impediment to or prejudice against females rising in the ranks of the Gondar. Members of the Gondar faith are mainly human, but more and more gnomes are being accepted into the church, especially in the wake of the form that Gond’s avatar took during the Gondswar.

In most of Faerûn, the proportion of clerics to Gondsmen (as his specialty priests are called) is 15:1. In Lantan, this proportion is neatly reversed, and there are about 20 Gondsmen for every Gondar cleric. Most specialty priests of the faith are Lantanna, and most Lantanna merchants encountered in the Realms outside Lantan are specialty priests of Gond.