Flandal Steelskin
Cleric Alignments: CG, LG, NG

Flandal Steelskin Master of Metal, the Great Steelsmith
Intermediate Gnome Deity
Symbol: Flaming hammer
Home Plane: The Golden Hills
Alignment: Neutral good
Portfolio: Mining, physical fitness, smithing, metalworking
Worshipers: Artisans, fighters, gnomes, miners, smiths
Cleric Alignments: CG, LG, NG
Domains: Craft, Gnome, Good, Metal
Favored Weapon: "Rhondang" (warhammer)

landal Steelskin (flan-dahl steel-skin) is a true master artisan. He is ever-demanding of his own work and strives tirelessly to increase his skill. He is also a patient tutor, and only lazy and indifferent crafters draw his ire. The Master of Metal is often found traveling with one or two of the other gnome deities 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 products of his forges to see him to victory. Although Rhondang, his magical warhammer, is capable of conversing with all fire-using creatures, its language proficiency in no way means that Flandal is friendly toward those beings, though the deity is prone to talk first before attacking. On rare occasions, Flandal instructs gnomes in some very tricky smithing process or guides them to untapped metal ores. He may also mediate disputes between gnomes and fire- dwelling creatures.

Not unlike a guild of artisans, the church of Flandal allows its members a great deal of individual freedom, serving primarily as a forum for improving their skills and exchanging ideas. Members of Flandal's clergy are peerless miners and smiths. They continuously hone their skills in underground environments, seeking an intuitive understanding of their natural environment. Many serve as teachers, instructing other gnomes in the art of detecting likely veins of ore, unsafe environments, and the presence of hostile creatures. Clerics 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 clerics of Moradin. Flandal's clerics are expected to undergo regular strength and stamina training, a practice that keeps them physically fit for mining, smithing, or battle, as needed.

Clerics of Flandal pray for their spells at noon, when the forge of the world is at its brightest and hottest. Members of Flandal's clergy assemble annually on Midsummer's Day in great gatherings 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 deity and offer praises to him through rhythmic, percussive hammer hymns culminating at midday in 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. Many clerics multiclass as fighters.

History/Relationships: Flandal has excellent relations with the other gnome deities, with the notable exception of Urdlen. In particular, Flandal gets on well with Segojan Earthcaller, for both are responsible for overseeing the safety of gnome miners. Flandal is also closely allied with Gond and many of the good-aligned deities of the dwarven pantheon, particularly Clangeddin Silver-beard, Dumathoin, and Vergadain, and he shares a particularly strong bond with Moradin. Other allies include Cyrrollalee, Geb, Grumbar, Kossuth, and Urogalan. Like all the gnome deities, Flandal opposes the efforts of the various humanoid deities, particularly the kobold pantheon, but his role in combating them is more indirect, as he primary focuses on sharing secrets of forging armor and weapons with the Forgotten Folk so that they can defend themselves.

Dogma: The treasures of life are buried within Flandal's embrace, and only hard labor, dedication, and great craftsmanship, as taught by the Master of Metals, can reveal that hidden beauty. Dig mines, extract ores, and forge suits of armor, weapons, and other items of metal. Strive to refine known techniques, invent new processes, and stay physically fit.