Gnomen Cognomen

Appearance:

• Gnome Male, about 89 years old.
• Olive-complexion. Shaved head with black peach fuzz. No facial hair, except for
  some salt and pepper stubble. Wears tinted goggles during the day.

Background:

• To sum up Gnomen, you only need one word… Dangersome.
• Gnomen is a spy, loyal to the island Kingdom of Lantan, a bureaucratic technocracy
  off the south west coast of Faerun.
• Gnomen was born into a modest home. His father was a decently successful
  tinkerer, and his mother was a popular stage actress and comedian. Throughout his
  youth, Gnomen struggled to find his calling. He was interested in his father’s
  inventions, but he also loved to watch his mother perform, especially when she
  could take the family on tour to the other islands.
• When a Lantan gnome turns 17, a choice is set before them:
  • Attend the Felton Applied Institute of Letters (FAIL), where they may study civil
    bureaucracy, civil magics, civil arts, and civil engineering. All this to prepare
    them for a life of public service, policy shaping, and scientific discovery.
  • Enter the seminary at the High Holy Crafthouse of Inspiration, living the life of a
    cloistered monk, hammering on anvils all day in service to the church of Gond.
  • Enlist in the Lantan Militia and serve a ten-year term of compulsory service.
    Once a gnome’s time is completed, they are considered full citizens of the
    kingdom
• All three choices are equally valued in Lantan society, though
• Gnomen’s mother had chosen military service before becoming an actress. His
  father attended FAIL’s civil engineering program, working for the state for some time
  before opening a private tinkering practice.
• Gnomen considered the priesthood, but he knew he wanted to travel, so he chose
  the militia.
• There he quickly found that while he wasn’t the fastest runner, or the strongest
  fighter, he was by far the cleverest of his class. His wit and keen sense of
  observation gave him a sharp tactical mind, which made him and his squad
  extremely effective in their training exercises.
• Gnomen’s talents did not go unnoticed by his instructors and he was fast tracked to
  specialized training in asymmetric warfare. He was taught infiltration, demolitions,
  hand to hand combat, and gnomish smokepowder weapons, which he became an
  expert with. (Smokepowder weapons are not allowed off the island, except in times
  of war… they are a state secret and cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hands.
• Five years of extensive special forces training, followed by five years deployed to the
  Jungles of Chult, tracking down cultists, and establishing a rapport with the locals.
• After his ten years were up, he stayed in for another tour and distinguished himself in the
  Calimshan campaign, taking down warlords and slavers loyal to the Snake Queen.
• After his second tour, Gnomen returned home. Home to his family, to his childhood
  friends. He didn’t see things the same way anymore. He only knew this life. He had
  seen the evils of the world, and he knew there were so many threats out there. He
  couldn’t just settle down and make contraptions or argue about the million things
  that seem so important to civilians. He had to fight.
• So he went back in. This time, not with the military, but with the office of
  Gnomeland Security. He had attained the rank of Lead Operator. He was offered
  higher positions, but he declined. His place was in the field.
• For the last 42 years, Gnomen has been leading and executing counter-espionage
  and anti-terrorism operations all around Faerun.
  • The St. Cuthbert’s Day massacre that dismantled Waterdeep’s most dangerous
    crime syndicate? That was him.
  • The pirate ghosts somehow exploded during their blockade of Firedrake Bay?
    That was him.
  • That Lantan princess who found herself pregnant while her husband was
    away? Well, that wasn’t him, but he killed the guy that did it.

Outlook:

• Pragmatic. Duty and results driven.
• Lawful Neutral
• Examples: Cassian Andor, The Operative from Serenity, Ding Chavez from Rainbow
  Six. Harry Hart from Kingsmen.

Wants:

• To accomplish his mission.
• Gnomen’s orders are simple. Travel to Neverwinter, evaluate the situation and
  determine if Lantan may be threatened by the mounting turmoil. If it is, stop it.
  Reports are to be filed every tenday via his state-issued Tome of Enigmatic Xeroxing
  Telescription (TEXT).
• Maybe get out of this life one day and start a family. But that day isn’t today.

Fears:

• A world descending into chaos.
• Filth in general, but rats in particular.

Secrets:

• Everything. His entire background is classified by Gnomeland Security and will be
  disavowed if questioned.