Copernicus

by Kendermage

Special

Dwarf Traits, Primary Focus (Sage), Knacks (Academic Reputation, Complementary Scholarship), Near-Sighted, Absent Minded, Non-Combatant, Unreactive

Skills: Appraise +5 (+7 when appraising telescopes), Concentration +9, Craft (alchemy) +5, Craft (glassblowing) +7, Craft (ocular devices) +11, Decipher Script +5, Disable Device +7, Knowledge (arcana) +16, Knowledge (geography) +13, Knowledge (history) +13, Knowledge (nature) +13, Knowledge (religion) +13, Knowledge (the planes) +13, Open Lock +5, Profession (astronomer) +10, Search +15, Sense Motive +4

Feats

Astrological Forecasting, Diligent, Nimble Fingers, Sharp-Eyed, Skill Focus (Knowledge/arcana), Skill Focus (Craft/ocular devices), Skill Focus (Profession/astronomer)

Languages

Common, Dwarven, Ergot, Gnome, Solamnic

Possessions

Masterwork telescope, masterwork spyglass, masterwork magnifying glass, masterwork artisan's tools.

Description

Copernicus stands just over three feet tall and has a short white beard. He wears glasses with thick lenses; which he cannot see without. He has a slothful appearance, as making himself presentable for the sake of others holds no appeal for him. Frequently he can be found wearing little more than a nightshirt and his slippers.

Personality

Copernicus is totally obsessed with his studies of the heavens and Krynn's new position in the cosmos. Copernicus tends to keep to himself. It takes a lot to pry him away from looking through his telescope and recording his observations on intricate charts. When one can rouse him from his work, he becomes irritable if he can't get back to work rather quickly. He despises being interrupted as it forces him to take his eyes off the sky. Copernicus is afraid that if he doesn't watch the sky he will miss something. To that end, he sleeps very little relying on both natural stimulants and those he has created through alchemy) to keep himself awake (Copernicus sleeps only one day out of every seven).

Background

Copernicus is one of the rare gnomes who have no desire for incessant tinkering (except when it comes to making ocular devices). Most would term him a mad gnome, but he prefers the term "thinker" gnome. As a child he loved to star up into the starry sky wondering what wonderful discoveries awaited beyond the reaches of the world of Krynn. He inherited his father's lifequest of discovering a cure for kender curiosity, but tossed it aside as a meaningless waste of time. He applied for admission to the Aeronautic and Astronomical; however his disdain for the lifequests of his forebears led to him being black listed by the guild and denied guild membership.

Copernicus turned his back on gnome society as they had turned their backs on him and left Mt. Nevermind. He hasn't looked back. He made his way to Palanthas by selling ocular devices he invented. Using the proceeds of his inventions, Copernicus built an observatory in the mountains overlooking Palanthas. Nowadays, he spends the greater majority of his time looking at the stars. Once a week he receives a delivery from Palanthas containing food stuffs, glassmaking materials, and the materials He needs to continue making his stimulants.

Adventure Hooks

Copernicus is running low on some of the herbs he needs to make his stimulants. The apothecary in town has run out as well. Copernicus is advertising for adventurers to go to Sancrist and gather the herbs. He will reward the adventures by casting an astrological chart for them and giving them one dose each of his patented Stay Awake Juice.

Copernicus has spotted something headed for Krynn and it has him spooked. The normally hermetic gnome is running through the streets of Palanthas raving about, "It's coming this way! It's gonna hit us! A Fiery Mountain is headed this way!" The heroes must find someway to figure out what Copernicus knows and also find a way to avert the threat.

Copernicus has hired the heroes to retrieve a retrieve a meteorite that he saw fall on Southern Ergoth. He believes the meteorite may contain precious starmetal. Unfortunately Copernicus wasn't the only one to see it fall. A rival group is working their way to the meteorite. The heroes will have to hurry if they intend to claim it.

This item has been published here with permission from the author(s) and may not be reproduced without permission. This is a fan submission and its contents are completely unofficial. Some characters, places, likenesses and other names may be copyright Wizards of the Coast.