Gininbog

Gininbog, the eldest of the three gnomish brothers who control the 22. The Brothel & The Stands of Nulb in Nulb, serves as the brains behind their operation. While his younger brothers focus on the brutal day-to-day activities of the Pit, Gininbog dedicates himself to the family's financial stability and expanding their influence. He is a calculating and ruthless businessman with a sharp eye for opportunity and a penchant for gathering intelligence.

The Eldest of the Gnome Brothers

Gininbog’s appearance reflects his disciplined and professional demeanor.

• Height and Build: Slightly taller than most gnomes, Gininbog is lean and carries himself with a calm but commanding presence.
• Hair and Grooming: His short-cropped black hair and well-trimmed nails are a testament to his meticulous nature.
• Clothing: Gininbog favors stylish black robes adorned with thin gold trim, presenting himself as both affluent and authoritative.

Personality

Gininbog is serious, pragmatic, and intolerant of failure. While not prone to outbursts of anger like his younger brother Wikkaveer, his quiet judgment can be even more intimidating.

• Business-Minded: He thrives on negotiation and financial strategy, preferring to control situations through wealth and information.
• Information Gatherer: Gininbog’s interest in espionage extends beyond the Pit, as he believes knowledge is the key to power.
• Ruthless: While he appears composed, Gininbog is unafraid to eliminate obstacles, whether they be competitors, debtors, or potential threats to his business.

"While my brothers bruise their knuckles, I shape the future with a quill and coin."

Background

Gininbog’s background is one of ambition and cunning. While his brothers are preoccupied with the physical aspects of their operations, Gininbog has always been focused on the long game.

• Family Role: As the eldest brother, Gininbog is the de facto leader of the trio, managing the family's finances and negotiating deals.
• Arrival in Nulb: The brothers moved to Nulb three years ago from a scattered clan in The Wild Coast, drawn by the town's lawlessness and proximity to the Temple of Elemental Evil.
• Current Financial Situation: The brothers are heavily in debt to Gillum Family, owing 4,250 gp. Despite this, Gininbog believes their investments in the Pit and the Brothel will pay off handsomely.

Motivations and Goals

Gininbog’s ambitions drive his every decision.

• Financial Recovery: His primary goal is to pay off their debt and establish the family as major players in Nulb's underworld.
• Temple of Elemental Evil: Gininbog is keenly interested in the Temple’s activities, believing an alliance with one of its factions could be highly profitable.
• Control Over Nulb: While his brothers are content with running their operations, Gininbog dreams of dominating the local economy and political landscape.
• Recoup the family’s investment in the Pit and brothel.
• Explore alliances with the Cult of the Elder Elemental God for mutual benefit.
• Leverage information about the Temple’s movements to gain influence.
• Maintains a network of spies, including a serpentine owl familiar.
• Interested in aligning with factions of the Temple of Elemental Evil for potential profit.

"The Temple thinks it rules this swamp. How amusing that their arrogance blinds them to opportunity."

Relationships

Lady Lmag: Gininbog respects Lady Lmag as a powerful figure but views her as a rival. He keeps his distance, avoiding direct confrontation while quietly gathering information on her dealings.

• Views Lady Lmag as both an obstacle and a potential ally.
• Carefully avoids drawing her ire while keeping tabs on her activities.

Wikkaveer and Murwag: Gininbog’s younger brothers are the instruments of his will. While he values their loyalty, he often finds himself frustrated by Wikkaveer’s recklessness and Murwag’s brutality.

• Delegates operational duties to his brothers while focusing on strategy.
• Sometimes steps in to mediate disputes between them.

Temple of Elemental Evil: Gininbog has been spying on the Temple through his serpentine owl familiar. He is intrigued by the potential for profit but remains cautious.

• Has identified significant activity around a hunting cabin south of Nulb.
• Plans to approach one of the Temple factions when the time is right.

Gillum Family: Gininbog owes 4,250 gp to House Gillum, a debt that weighs heavily on him. While he despises being in their pocket, he sees this as a temporary obstacle.

• Uses diplomacy and promises of future profit to appease the Gillum lenders.
• Secretly explores ways to eliminate the debt without repayment.

"The secret to staying on top? Always know who to bribe and when to twist the knife."

DMonly Section

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Resources and Treasures

Gininbog maintains the family’s wealth and secrets with obsessive care.
Treasure Vault: Hidden in a secret chamber behind a false wall in his walk-in closet. The area is protected by a continual darkness spell and a poison needle trap on the chest.
Contents of the Chest:

• 23 pp, 250 gp, 80 ep.
• An exercised letter of credit stamped with the seal of House Gillum for 4,250 gp.

Role in the Campaign

Gininbog serves as a behind-the-scenes manipulator and a potential source of intrigue.

For the Players

• Gininbog may approach the party to act as intermediaries with the Temple or to investigate rivals.
• His serpentine owl could spy on the players, leading to tense confrontations.

For the Dungeon Master

• Gininbog’s schemes provide opportunities for espionage and moral dilemmas.
• His connections to the Temple and House Gillum offer multiple story threads.

Secrets and Plot Hooks

• Temple Connection: Gininbog has identified a hunting cabin south of Nulb as a hub of Temple activity. He plans to infiltrate or strike a deal with the faction operating there.
• Debt to House Gillum: If the players discover Gininbog’s debt, they could use it to manipulate him or expose his financial vulnerability.
• Serpentine Owl: Gininbog uses his owl to spy on players and Temple members alike, providing the DM with a tool for surveillance and narrative twists.
• Hidden Treasure: The secret chamber in Gininbog’s closet could serve as a reward for players who outwit him or gain access to his home.

Conclusion

Gininbog is a master manipulator whose ambitions extend far beyond the confines of the Pit. His role as a cunning businessman and information broker makes him a versatile NPC, capable of serving as an ally, adversary, or wild card in any Greyhawk campaign. Dungeon Masters can use him to weave intrigue, introduce complex moral decisions, and tie the players into the larger conflicts surrounding Nulb and the Temple of Elemental Evil.

"Knowledge isn’t just power; it’s profit. And profit is the only power that matters."

Gininbog (Gnome)

Illusionist/Thief Level: 5/7

• AC: 9 (Dex) | HP: 22
• #AT: 1 | Damage: 1d6 (staff)
• S 9 | I 14 | W 12 | D 15 | Co 14 | Ch 14 | Com 9

Items

20 gp, 25 ep, 12 sp, 17 cp
Figurine of Serpentine Owl: Used for reconnaissance and spying. Ioun Stones:

• Pink: +1 to Constitution (+6 HP while active).
• Pale Lavender: Absorbs up to 20 levels of spells (4th level or lower).
• Dull Gray: Burnt-out, kept for study.

Key Spells

• 1st: Change Self, Phantasmal Force, Wall of Fog, Hypnotism, (Audible Glamer), (Dancing Lights), (Gaze Reflection)
• 2nd: Improved Phantasmal Force, Invisibility, Mirror Image, (Magic Mouth), (Deafness)
• 3rd: Suggestion, Continual Darkness, (Rope Trick)

Tactics

Uses illusions and evasion (Invisibility, Rope Trick) when threatened. Releases Ioun Stones only as a last resort.

Alignment

Neutral evil

Current Location

23. The Iron Lash: Slave Dungeon, Gladiator Pit, and Brothel

Species

Rock Gnomes

Sex

male

Height

3'5"

Quotes & Catchphrases

"Never trust anyone who smiles too much… except me, of course."