Caislen Campaign Notes

Garko was born as a human. Originally he was known as Mel (first name), and Garko was his last name. Mel Garko's expanded bio is largely unknown and set well before our campaign happens. Maybe it has a chance at being part of a future one shot adventure with alternate characters, but for now all that really matters is that “Mel Garko” founds himself walking a fine line between arcane magic user and mad scientist at one point in his life.

At this point he began capturing and experimenting on gnomes. What these experiments were about, are again largely unknown and set well before our campaign happens. But this causes a lot of gnomes to suddenly try to flee him, so the implication is that he became powerful enough to hunt down many against their will. These gnomes flee, particularly underground and to gloomier places where he can't find them as readily. They become known as the Niflome. Most start referring to Mel Garko as just, “Garko”. So we'd think of him with the last name being more important as a moniker. Some might still be inclined to add on his first name though for a more complete experience, which would make him “Garko, Mel”.

Time marches on and the Niflome largely view Garko as a powerful and evil entity. By the rules of our campaign & largely aligned with 5.5e wherein that which has a lot of belief in it, via faith, or perhaps some now generational tale of Garko as a boogeyman, can become something more, causes Garko to gain a godlike status. There's a lot of historical fine print, backstory, etc, missing & not included here, as again, this would be set before our campaign. But none the less, an entire sub-race of gnomes has a belief in this evil Garko entity, empowering it with much irony.

Garko as a Anti God or Patron of the Niflome curses them all by bestowing a gift upon the entire race in the form of a cantrip ability for each and every one, whether they want it or not. This makes the entire race technically warlock adjacent. Those who would use their cantrip ability unfortunately further elevate the very belief system that helped Garko ascend.