Gnossos Valmar was a gnome bookmaker and odds-taker operating in the Yawning Portal inn in Waterdeep in the mid-to-late 14th century DR.[1]
Description[]
Having a bad left leg, he got by on a cane.[1]
Activities[]
A permanent fixture among the patrons, Gnossos handled most of the betting on the success, or failure, of those who ventured into Undermountain through the Yawning Portal's dry well. Circa Eleint of the Year of the Banner, 1368 DR, for beginner adventurers, he typically gave odds of 10 to 1 silver pieces against their survival, ranging through to 3 harbor moons (150 gp) to 10 gold pieces for the safe return of veterans the likes of Durnan and Mirt. Skilled at odds-making, he hardly ever made a bad bet and regularly pocketed 5 to 60 gp each evening.[1]
Faithful to both Selûne the Moonmaiden and Tymora, the Lady Luck, Gnossos donated generously to the churches. He gave up to half his winnings to the Tower of Luck every tenday, placing it in the hands of the Tymoran priest who had the night-shift at the Yawning Portal, Adama Miiralin. Adama initially distrusted the bookmaker for his trade, but came to believe he was "quite pious in his own way."[1]
Gnossos didn't actually go adventuring himself, owing to his leg, but was unwittingly a capable spy and informant. He acquired information and passed it on to the Yawning Portal's innkeeper Durnan (who passed it to the Red Sashes) and to his lover Kylia (who passed it to the Lords of Waterdeep).[1]
Relationships[]
Gnossos was in a romantic relationship with Kylia, a gnome illusionist, circa 1368 DR.[1]
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Steven E. Schend (March 1996). “The Reports from Undermountain”. In Pierce Watters ed. Dragon #227 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 15–16.