[FR] High Imperceptor of Bane: What happened to Orthodox Banites?

[Amrynn Moonshadow]

cloak & dagger has mucho info on the whole bane church / zhent issue . . .

god, how i miss this stuff (first time visiting here in over a year)

 

[Iron_Chef]

Yeah, but I don't have C&D, and isn't much of it out of date now with 3e anyway?

 

[BobROE]

Not really, it was the last 2E product to be released and updated alot of the timeline to 1370 (or even 71). Unfortunately I don't have the book with me so I don't know what the exact state of affairs is. But if it says he's dead in it, he's still dead even with the switch from 2E to 3E.

 

[Iron_Chef]

I found some mention in Ruins of Zhentil Keep that the High Imperceptor went into hiding in Mulmaster after the Church of Cyric condemned him to death, but that he has not been found as of the writing of that book (1995).

 

[AJA]

Cloak and Dagger may be 2E, but it is still an excellent product, very much worth picking up if you come across it (even though parts of it have been covered in LOD).

Anyhow, from a cursory reading of C&D:

In Tarsakh 1369, Fzoul discovers an alliance between the High Imperceptor of Mulmaster and the beholder Orox.

In Marpenoth Fzoul seizes control of the Cult of Xvim. The Cultists "first strike in their god's name" is the killing of High Inquisitor Ginali.

Warfare between the forces of Fzoul and the Cyricists of Mulmaster in Uktar of the same year results in the deaths of Orox the beholder, "more than half of Cyric's Mulmastran worshipers," and the High Imperceptor of Cyric (who dies by Fzoul's hand).

The "long-hidden" High Imperceptor of Bane is captured during the chaos and taken back to Zhentil Keep, his hands and jaw broken, to endure "months of torture....beneath the Keep at the Heart of the Hand."

As for the fate of the High Imperceptor, I'm not sure if its ever mentioned (he may be still strapped to a table in the dungeons beneath the Keep!), but he may also have been consumed during the ritual that produced the Tyrantfog; while C&D mentions "captive allies of Manshoon" and "numerous "heteritcal" Cyricists" becoming blood sacrifices, Fzoul may have thrown the High Imperceptor in as well....

As for the Tyrantfog, it was the result of the aforementioned ritual and sacrifices. It produced a "dark gray fog" that settled over the Moonsea and lands as far south as Starmantle. The fog harmed Cyricists and places of Cyric-worship, and caused "pockets of power attributed to Bane," including temples, shrines, and all baneliches caught within its' reach to explode into flame. The fog then receeded, imbuing Fzoul with its power and turning him into Xvim's Chosen.

Hope that helps,

 

[Alzrius]

AJA, that was a great synopsis. One thing though, I glanced at the product in a store, and didn't Fzoul only become Xvim's Chosen when he destroyed that one banelich that Manshoon sent after him with the Scepter of the Sorcerer-Kings and absorbed its power? That's how I thought it went.

 

[Iron_Chef]

Great synopsis, but more info please on this banelich, scepter, and attack on Fzoul that made him Bane's Chosen. I can only assume the failure of the High Imperceptor to destroy Fzoul and heal the rift in the church was why Fzoul was made the reborn Bane's Chosen.

ALTERNATE THEORY: Now if Fzoul was first Xvim's Chosen, then theoretically, couldn't Bane have his own Chosen, keeping Fzoul imbued with the power of Xvim's Chosen and not telling Fzoul, who would assume he was Bane's Chosen? And that Bane could then imbue someone else with his Chosen Template? Perhaps to see who is more powerful, or perhaps to consolidate power elsewhere (Mintarn, maybe, or a new High Imperceptor)? After all, Bane might be secretly pissed at Fzoul for switching to Cyric all those years ago, LOL. Also, the prior High Imperceptors (now Baneliches) who still survive might have been imbued with fractions of Bane's power when he was killed, and that is why Xvim was trying to kill them all, to reclaim that power. But some survived and who knows where they are... Theoretically, killing off those other Baneliches might have made it easier for the survivors to kill each other off until there was one left, one imbued with as much if not more of Bane's divine power than Fzoul. Any thoughts?

 

[Staffan]

AJA, that was a great synopsis. One thing though, I glanced at the product in a store, and didn't Fzoul only become Xvim's Chosen when he destroyed that one banelich that Manshoon sent after him with the Scepter of the Sorcerer-Kings and absorbed its power? That's how I thought it went.

That's what started the whole thing. Something like:
1. Fzoul gets the Scepter from Khelben (which also results in Khelben being expelled from the Harpers and starting his own little group).
2. Fzoul kills a banelich with the scepter, absorbing a portion of Bane's divine power. This makes Fzoul significantly more powerful, but is eating away at him since his mortal body isn't built for that kind of mojo.
3. Fzoul performs big nasty ritual, sending the banelich's power to Xvim along with the power from all those other things consumed by the Tyrantfog.
4. Xvim ascends to become an Intermediate power and makes Fzoul his Chosen.
5. Bane "hatches" from Xvim.