Guides of Isolda

Gnomish beliefs are unusual in that all but Isolda were originally mortal gnomes that ascended into godhood. Isolda is considered the creator god or goddess who gave all gnomes life. The earliest depictions of Isolde show them to be a female, but over time they have become more genderless and is often referred to by the technically masculine word ‘god’. In the early days, when a gnome was especially brilliant or influential, upon death They gave them divine powers to help guide their fellow gnomes in the afterlife.  The divine guides are not so much considered “gods” as they are “Saints” or better yet “Guides”. They do not use the word saint to denote a religious hero who died tragically, but as a religious hero who was favored by God and honored/rewarded in death. Only one, Hisila the Horrible, is thought to have possibly come to divine power on her own and she is also considered the only evil gnomish deity. Most gnomish cosmologists are split between those that consider Hisila an “Evil Saint” given power by Isolda or those who consider her a proper “Evil Goddess” to rival Isolda. There are great differences between what the vast majority of gnomes believe and what cosmologists who follow The Tree of Arnora myth believe. In the Tree myth, the Guide of Death, Demelza, could not have been mortal originally- she was born in the first autumn when a fallen leaf from the great tree hit the ground. This would also make her much older than many of the other “Guides” and would make her a proper goddess. It would make her tragic origin story just that- a story. There are gnomes who study cosmology and history that are more than willing to claim that their own myths have been drastically altered over the course of time and are very likely incorrect.

Gnomes do not necessarily worship the saints- only Isolda, but they can turn to them for help in times of trouble or fear, and if they are believed to have been given help, they are sure to give tribute in thanks. To do otherwise would mean they may not offer help when next asked. This could be as simple as a gnomish bard asking Bede for help in an upcoming performance and as a result, dedicating it to her at the end. It could also be a traveling merchant, praying to Dagmera for protection during a particularly infamous stretch of road, and burying a coin in the dirt for them in thanks when they make it through unharmed. How involved these guides actually are in mortal life is unknown, for it is believed that they act in indirect or passive ways or appear as normal gnomes that one might meet. They may leave “signs” for gnomes to follow, but these can be highly subjective. Some give gnomes a certain dream to guide them but do not appear therein. They do not tend to appear in full glory and majesty the way some elf deities do or appear to give direct advice in dreams like dwarven deities are said to, and how they look is unknowable. Over time, there have been conventional symbols attributed to them based on how artists have rendered them, but these were attributed to them BY mortals, and don’t reflect the Guides preferences or looks in any real way.  For example, Dagmera can look like any female gnome but is always shown holding her wooden spear and Cyred is usually shown holding a shovel or axe. It’s not entirely unlike the dwarven religion’s use of tool symbols, though they can have multiple symbols based on their lives as mortals.

Gnomish guides don’t have temples, sigils, or cults of devotees. Gnomes don’t look to these Saints as omniscient or all-powerful; just as helpers who can choose to give assistance or withhold it depending on how much respect or tribute they are given. Gnomes will turn to any and all of the gnomish guides, depending on what they are trying to do on a given day. Praying for help is something casually done, without any expectation. Some gnomes are atheist and still throw up these prayers more out of cultural habit than real belief. There are gnomish clerics that receive divine power from their Guides, which is proof enough for most that they do exist at least. Clerics are some of the only gnomes said to be able to hear direct words of the divine guides. They are the closest thing most gnomes have to priests.

* Isolda- Goddess of Life
* Cyred- God of Invention
* Dagmera- Goddess of Defense
* Arlo- God of Adventure
* Legua- Goddess of Nature
* Geirr- God of Wealth
* Elan- God of Scholarship
* Bede- Goddess of Humor
* Kennak- God of Illusion
* Demelza- Goddess of The Grave
* Hisila- Goddess of Violence