Flandal Steelskin

Master of Metal, Lord of Smiths, the Armorer, the Weaponsmith, the Great Steelsmith, the Pyromancer

Flandal Steelskin (FLAN-dahl STEEL-skin) is a master of mining and one of the finest and strongest smiths in creation. The Forgotten Folk hold that he helped create the craft of metalworking along with several of the dwarven powers. In particular, Flandal devised an alloy first employed by gnomes known as telstang, and he was the first to discover the properties of arandur, a legendary metal once known only to the Forgotten Folk. Flandal is physically the strongest of the gnome gods, and his prodigious nose gives him an uncanny ability to sniff out veins of metal that thread the earth. The Master of Metal is the patron of gnome miners, artisans, crafts' men, and all smiths, not just blacksmiths, but goldsmiths, silversmiths, and all other workers of metal. They venerate Flandal in the hope of gaining a fraction of his skill. A large number of gnome warriors venerate Flandal the Armorer as well, for his skills help ensure their continued survival.
Flandal has excellent relations with the other gnome powers, with the notable exception of Urdlen. It was Flandal who helped forge and enchant Arumdina, Garl Glittergold's battle axe, and the Master of Metal is a trusted advisor to the head of the gnome pantheon. Flandal is friendly toward Segojan Earthcaller, for both oversee the safety of gnome miners. Similarly, Flandal and Nebelun (Gond) share a strong bond as fellow craftsmen, though the Master of Metal despairs that the Meddler will ever get his projects to actually work. Flandal is also closely allied with many of the good aligned deities of the dwarven pantheon, and he shares a particularly strong bond with Moradin the Soul Forger. Like all gnome powers, Flandal opposes the various humanoid powers, particularly the kobold pantheon. The role the Master of Metal takes in combating them is indirect, for his primary focus is to pass on secrets for forging armor and weapons to the Forgotten Folk, so that they may defend themselves. Flandal is a true master craftsmen. He is ever-demanding of his own work and strives tirelessly to increase his skill. He is also a patient tutor; only lazy and indifferent craftsfolk draw his ire.
The Master of Metal is often found traveling with one or two of the other gnome powers in search of new ores and veins of metal to use in his forges. When Flandal is not traveling, he can be found in his workshop, planning or making a new magical weapon. He is no stranger to battle, trusting in the creations of his forges to see him to victory. Although Flandal's war hammer Rhondang is capable of conversing with all fire-using creatures, its language proficiencies in no way means that Flandal is friendly toward those beings. Still, this god is prone to talk first in preference to combat. On rare occasions, Flandal dispatches an avatar to instruct gnomes in some very tricky smithing process or to guide them to hidden veins of ores. He may also send an avatar to deal with any disputes between gnomes and fire-dwelling creatures.

Divine Domains

Forge, Knowledge

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Flaming hammer

Tenets of Faith

The treasures of life were buried within the earth's embrace at Segojan's hand, and only hard labor, dedication, and great craftsmanship, as taught by the Master of Metal, can reveal their hidden beauties and wonders. Dig mines, extract ores, and forge suits of armor, weapons, and other items of metal. Strive to refine known techniques of metalworking, invent new processes for tempering and refining it, and discover new alloys and test their potentials. Finally, stay physically fit to enable you to pursue the rigors of the forge and mine with your whole heart.

Holidays

Members of Flandal's priesthood assemble annually on Midsummers Day in great moots to celebrate the holy day known as the High Forge. The faithful gather in the morning to make offerings of forged metal weapons to the god and offer praises to him through rhythmic, percussive hammer hymns culminating at midday with a brief period of utter silence. In the afternoon and evening, the participants exchange ideas and new techniques and exhibit the finest of their wares, and by evening the gathering is overwhelmed by merchants seeking to acquire new trade goods.

Divine Goals & Aspirations

Day-to-Day Activities

Members of Flandal's priesthood are inveterate miners and smiths. They continuously hone their skills in underground environments, seeking an intuitive understanding of the earth and stone. Many serve as teachers, instructing other gnomes in the art of detecting veins of ore, unsafe environments, and the presence of hostile creatures. Priests of the Master of Metal oversee the safety of gnome miners and inspect the output of gnome smithies. Nearly all members of the clergy are considered master smiths when working with one or more types of metal, and they produce fantastic weapons and suits of armor whose quality rivals that of priests of Moradin. Flandal's priests are expected to undergo regular strength and stamina training, a practice that keeps them physically fit for mining, smithing, or battle, as needed.

Priestly Vestments

The ceremonial garb of Flandal's priests is a steel helm and a suit of metal armor, typically chain mail or plate mail. Senior priests tint their metallic vestments the red-orange hue of the forge. The holy symbol of the faith is a miniature steel hammer engraved with a flame.

Adventuring Garb

Priests of Flandal favor the most durable metal armor available when adventuring, trusting their safety to the quality of workmanship and strength of materials. They only employ weapons made at least in part of metal, and solid metal weapons are always preferred.

Symbol: Flaming hammer
Home Plane: Dothion/the Golden Hills (the Mithral Forge)
Alignment: Neutral Good
Portfolio: Mining, physical fitness, smithing, metalworking, weaponsmithing, armoring
Worshipers: Artisans, fighters, gnomes, miners, smiths
Cleric Alignments: CG, LG, NG
Domains: Forge, Knowledge
Favored Weapon: "Rhondang" (warhammer)
SUPERIOR: Garl Glittergold
ALLIES: Clangeddin Silverbeard, Cyrrollalee, Dumathoin, Geb, Grumbar, Kossuth, Moradin, Urogalan, Vergadain, the gnome pantheon (except Urdlen)
FOES: Abbathor, Gaknulak, Kuraulyek, Kurtulmak, Urdlen, the goblinkin pantheons

Divine Classification

Intermediate Power