Gralin Cobbler

Gralin was a Gnomish philosopher, politician, and social revolutionary. Considered the founding father of the Gnomish People's Republic, the influence of his philosophy and politics continue to be felt to this day. A champion of the rights of the poor and downtrodden. The founder of a totalist regime. His legacy and reputation is very controversial and divisive. The only thing that could be agreed on was that he was definitely a defining individual.
In his homeland, a cult of personality has risen around his identity where he is hailed as a paragon and example of a good citizen. It is very common to see statues bearing his visage across the nation. He also feature's prominently on different pieces of their currency, where others would have a monarch.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Gralin was the third child out of six born to a merchant family. His family had done very well for Gnomes in the Free Gnomish Republic, and could afford to send him to school abroad. He went to learn business to continue the family business, but he was drawn into nascent socialist movements. Though he managed to finish his degree, he was threatened with deportation several times.
When he returned to his homeland, though he did get involved in the family business, he began to get involved with politics at home. He experienced first hand the racism and business restrictions Gnomes faced. Even out of slavery, many people stereotyped them to being only suitable for menial work. Due to the poverty of the state, many politicians found more wealth in favouring foreign interests than domestic and maintained this status quo.
Gralin managed to galvanize growing dissent against the leading powers of the time, and his young Gnomish People's Front began to swell in support in the elected houses. Those in power, and their foreign allies, began to get nervous and take more active roles against the Communists. This all came to a head during the Khazdul Incident, where a Dwarven merchant was lynched. There is debate on the reason why he was killed, some say he had stolen from the local community, some say he had gone too far, and the Dwarves claim it was just another sign of how dangerous and untrustworthy free Gnomes are.
Whatever the cause, this incident brought an immediate and swift response from the Dwarves and the international community at large. Others condemned the event, and the Dwarves gave an ultimatum that the perpetrators must be handed over or they would claim them. In the end, the ruling body handed over 16 Gnomes without a trial to the Dwarves knowing they could not survive an international intervention.
Though this saved the nation from external threats, it doomed it from internal ones. All faith in the authority of the central government fell apart. The Republic fell into a time of civil unrest and anarchy. The Gnomish Civil War Moderates quickly lost ground as things became more and more extreme. Fascists and Communists fought for the soul of the nation.
In the end, Gralin's Communists won. After years of conflict, idealism has given way to pragmatism. A purge of all political opposition followed, and they went to work establishing new mechanisms of state.
With political power fully under their control, Gralin began trying to implement some of the programs he preached. They began trying to further industrialization efforts, education efforts, and new infrastructure projects. Success was mixed, and scholars debate where the blame lies. Whether it was an inherent flaw in communism, or the international community treating the nation as a pariah.
Gralin died of a stroke in his bed after having ruled the country for 17 years.

Species

Gnome

Ethnicity

Red Gnomes

Circumstances of Death

Old Age