The World of Khanesh
- Thread starter Nebuchadnezzar
- Start date
Azure Trance
First Post
I would actually like to see more.
Nebuchadnezzar
First Post
Nice to see that someone actually enjoyed reading about Khanesh, thanks guys. The campaign has changed slightly, but only slightly. Some things are fleshed out, other things were taken out of the campaign.
As a start, I've added a lot more to the cosmology post above.
As a start, I've added a lot more to the cosmology post above.
Nebuchadnezzar
First Post
Although there are no gods in the Horror Vaccui campaign, there are entities that are the focus of faith from thousands of people. These entities gain power from faith and can in turn impart some power to some chosen worshippers. They are far from gods though, most are at the power-level that they can be slain by a party of optimized level 20+ characters. Also, they lack the power to grant spells to a large number of worshippers. Thus, there are no cleric class in the Horror Vaccui campaign. Instead, each patron (as such entities are called) have a prestige class, sort of a speciality priest or chosen. Anyway, here are two patrons:
Note: Druids play an important role in Khanesh. Many cultures and races across the world are atheist, or at least display an outright contempt of clerics and the entities they deem divine. The reasons for this contempt are many, but the Divine Silence and the events proceding it are certainly important in this regard. Instead of bowing to divinity, such races and cultures instead turn to nature for spiritual enlightenment. Note that druids are often known as shamans and might even worship a specific entity (like Rirru detailed below).
Corsentius
Corsentius is the celestial king of Heedsan. His titles are the Hope of Mardukia and the Heir of Abdeshum. Tall and regal, Corsentius' right hand is surrounded by a nimbus of glowing red light. The feathers on his left wing appear schorched. Half of his face lacks flesh, but still his voice rings with truth and compassion. Corsentius used to be Abdeshum's right-hand before the Divine Silence, now he seeks to unite the chaotic lands of Mardukia into the empire it once was. He is also intent on spreading his worship outside of Heedsan's gates, so that Abdeshum's dogma once again could guide the people of Mardukia truthfully. Though benelovent, Corsentius prepares his priests and followers for war. The Hope of Mardukia is well aware that the people of the land not willingly will submitt to his holy rule. He resides in the Ivory Tower in Heedsan.
Rirru
Rirru is worshiped by corrupted druids and evil woodland creatures. Its titles are the Twisted Owl and the Sylvan Fiend. Rirru is portrayed as a three foot tall owl with overly long, gaunt and grotesque children-like arms. Its feathers are brown and its eyes are yellow with black pinpoints. Rirru's hoot sounds like the gurgling of a choaking child. Rirru resides in Hell. Followers gather in moonlit glades to sacrifice animals before an idol depicting the Sylvan Fiend in all its horror. Strangely, Rirru does not care for the sacrifice of intelligent creatures. The Twisted Owl is immensly evil, and most certainly a fiend, but yet it never attempts to corrupt good. Anyone depraved enough to worship it are usually already evil if not mad. Rirru compells his followers to wage war on civilization and expand the forests of Khanesh. Ironically, these two goals undermine each other: The cities of Mardukia fear nothing more than the spreading desert, but planting new trees keeps the desert in check.
Note: Druids play an important role in Khanesh. Many cultures and races across the world are atheist, or at least display an outright contempt of clerics and the entities they deem divine. The reasons for this contempt are many, but the Divine Silence and the events proceding it are certainly important in this regard. Instead of bowing to divinity, such races and cultures instead turn to nature for spiritual enlightenment. Note that druids are often known as shamans and might even worship a specific entity (like Rirru detailed below).
Corsentius
Corsentius is the celestial king of Heedsan. His titles are the Hope of Mardukia and the Heir of Abdeshum. Tall and regal, Corsentius' right hand is surrounded by a nimbus of glowing red light. The feathers on his left wing appear schorched. Half of his face lacks flesh, but still his voice rings with truth and compassion. Corsentius used to be Abdeshum's right-hand before the Divine Silence, now he seeks to unite the chaotic lands of Mardukia into the empire it once was. He is also intent on spreading his worship outside of Heedsan's gates, so that Abdeshum's dogma once again could guide the people of Mardukia truthfully. Though benelovent, Corsentius prepares his priests and followers for war. The Hope of Mardukia is well aware that the people of the land not willingly will submitt to his holy rule. He resides in the Ivory Tower in Heedsan.
Rirru
Rirru is worshiped by corrupted druids and evil woodland creatures. Its titles are the Twisted Owl and the Sylvan Fiend. Rirru is portrayed as a three foot tall owl with overly long, gaunt and grotesque children-like arms. Its feathers are brown and its eyes are yellow with black pinpoints. Rirru's hoot sounds like the gurgling of a choaking child. Rirru resides in Hell. Followers gather in moonlit glades to sacrifice animals before an idol depicting the Sylvan Fiend in all its horror. Strangely, Rirru does not care for the sacrifice of intelligent creatures. The Twisted Owl is immensly evil, and most certainly a fiend, but yet it never attempts to corrupt good. Anyone depraved enough to worship it are usually already evil if not mad. Rirru compells his followers to wage war on civilization and expand the forests of Khanesh. Ironically, these two goals undermine each other: The cities of Mardukia fear nothing more than the spreading desert, but planting new trees keeps the desert in check.
Azure Trance
First Post
What are these outsiders in game terms? A solar and powerful nature elemental lord? If they could be slain by 20th level PCs, a CR of 24+ would be my guess.
Nebuchadnezzar
First Post
If you are refering to Rirru and Corsentius: their exact nature would be anyone's guess. Rirru is a fiend, though that says little of what it is in game terms, except that it's evil and hails from Hell. In the Horror Vaccui setting, "Fiend" is the name of something which comes from Hell (or more specifically, something which was created with Hell). Fiends come in every size and colour; every fiend is unique. There are no balors, lemures, or vrocks. Indeed, there are no demons, devils, or yugoloths. Fiends share only three traits:
* Fiends are evil, but they can be either lawful, neutral, or chaotic.
* Fiends were created with Hell (a fiend can never perish as long as Hell still exists).
* Fiends share a few game-statistics (See the MM, baatezu qualities).
The same with Corsentius, who hails from Heaven. As a celestial, he is completely unique (no planetars, solars, etc). Celestials also share three traits:
*Celestials are good, but they can be either lawful, netural, or chaotic.
*Celestials were created with Heaven, but they can be slain (and thus their souls are banished to the Void). This puts the forces of good at a severe disadvantage compared to the forces of evil. Why there is such an inherent lack of balance in the multiverse is unfathomable.
*Celestials share a few game-statistics (see the MM).
I won't give Rirru and Corsentius complete statistics as of yet, I've got many more important things to do with the Horror Vaccui setting.
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