Topic: Followers of Zanar

[RandalThor]

Because Zanar isn't an actual diety of Shadow World, how do the followers of Zanar deal with the whole no channelers thing? Does anyone have an idea of how the priesthood is put together? I am putting together a back story for an adventure that involves some followers of Zanar and I do not know what to make them (fighters, rogues, laymen, magicians, sorcerors, etc.). As they can't have channelers as they have no actual GOD then they must have a way of "dealing" with that situation (i.e., the other religions have priests that can channel while they don't).

I do not have internet at home, so I will have to wait until later tonight to check any messages.

Terry, if you could weight in on this THAT WOULD BE GREAT. 

[RandalThor]

OK, so I looked at the short section on the "Eight Orders" in the Emer book (from the boxed set) and it said: "But the Dark God Zanar was amusedd by the fact that his name was the same as that of the order, and decided to make it his own." But nowhere else is Zanar mentioned - certainly not in the section on the Dark Gods in the Shadow World Atlas Addendum (also from the boxed set) or in Powers of Light and Darkness.

So who is Zanar and what is his religion like?

[fac]

I think it was explained later in one of the books (maybe Emer 1 or Powers) that in the old empire days they channeled from Eissa but as the order was corrupted by the JA they are channeling from the Crystal in the Ahrenthr?k.

[RandalThor]

OK. So they "Channel form the Crystal in the Ahrenthrok" - which means what exactly? Can they be classified as Clerics, Animists, Paladins, Rangers, or are they a special type of Priest with their own spell lists?

Also, if I have to make the Inquisitors myself, then what do you suggest they have as base lists? I understand they like fire and the such, so a Firelaw-like list would be appropriate, but what else? Any suggestions?

[markc]

OK. So they "Channel form the Crystal in the Ahrenthrok" - which means what exactly? Can they be classified as Clerics, Animists, Paladins, Rangers, or are they a special type of Priest with their own spell lists?

Also, if I have to make the Inquisitors myself, then what do you suggest they have as base lists? I understand they like fire and the such, so a Firelaw-like list would be appropriate, but what else? Any suggestions?

[Note: i do not know Shadow World all that well so if I propose something that is anti canon please correct me ASAP]

Rand,
 As to your last question I would look at the RMSS Arcane Companion at the Arms-Arcane profession. I can not remember the name right now. Or I am fairly sure that something close to those spell lists appear in RM2 somewhere, maybe SUC. If not I think a quick conversion would not be a big problem. I think i would give them some good combat spells but also some very good anti-magic spells as well. In fact I might have them work in teams of no less than 2, with one focusing more on arms and the other on magic then arms. In fact maybe they go around in threes for some reason, 1 pure, 1 magic-arms and the last arms-magic.
 [ IMO a good example of Inquisitor squad would be like they have in Warhammer 40K. Not a squad so much but a finly tuned machine that works very well together.]
 
 As to the other professions I would drop Terry a PM to see if they are special and can change thier realm. But this is very non standard RM2 IMO but not out of the realm of possbilities. Or you could creat some special spell lists for thoes professions that worship Zanar. I know in RMSS any profession can take the channeling skill but I am not to sure if any profession can take the skill in RM2/C/X.

good luck
MDC

[Witchking20k]

I am writing a bunch of stuff up on the Priests of Zanar, as I am doing development for Orian (mentioned elsewhere).  I would classify them as Clerics (priests if you have the channeling companion).  In the Channeling Companion there are a bunch of lists appropriate to the Inquisitor, and of course a couple of Evil Channeling lists are good too.  A custom Priest is ideal.
If the Channeling companion is not available, yank some list from the evil mentalist or sorcerer maybe.

When I have my books infront of me I will take a look for suggested lists if you want.

One of the things to keep in mind is that the Priests "believe" in Zanar whether the deity is real or not, and so they go through the motions as any other Channeler would.  Zanar was a god from another dimension, and when the origional fallowers ended in SW Eissa channeled power to them until they were told that their diety was not actually Zanar but an imposter and a woman (by ondoval I think), he then presented himself as an illusion of Zanar and tricked the Priests into practicing the rites that would channel power to, and from the Crytal.

[Witchking20k]

Oh yah, Powers of Light and Dark has some stuff on Zanar I think.

[Walt]

Didn?t read ?bout them quite for a time because I?m concentrating on Jaiman but such a nice cult!!

In the old Emer book it?s only written about the evil god Zanar. In Powers Terry changes it in this way, that the god Zanar war the official religion of the Aldarian Empire. And ?bout that because their was not such a god somebody else did "the mantle of Zanar" in this case Eissa. Later on Onodoval refocused the religion on the Jewel of Ahrenthrok.
The second part with the Jewel is thrilling, the first part completly boring. Again a God of Orhan "pretending" to be another god...yaawn!

Even if you go on with Terrys interpretation, think about if their can?t be a real god, Zanar, perhabs from Kulthea, perhabs (like the Aldarians) from another world? And I would make my mind up what chances this guy would have to come back to power? Can he come in dreams to one of your characters? Trying him to redirect your group to an ancient tempel of the original Zanar religion? If Eissa has put on the mantle of Zanar, Zanar was probably a local god of Earth in Emer. Now the power is redirected from Eissa again to the Earth, to the Jerak Ahrenreth Crystal. Could this place your characters in a religios war, trying to establish again the benevolent Church of Zanar against the existing Church of Zanar and Eissa??

[RandalThor]

I am writing a bunch of stuff up on the Priests of Zanar, as I am doing development for Orian (mentioned elsewhere).  I would classify them as Clerics (priests if you have the channeling companion).  In the Channeling Companion there are a bunch of lists appropriate to the Inquisitor, and of course a couple of Evil Channeling lists are good too.  A custom Priest is ideal.
If the Channeling companion is not available, yank some list from the evil mentalist or sorcerer maybe.

Yeah, I have that and I think I will use it to make them up (though I would love to see your version too).

This reminds me of something I was thinking about with Magicians and how I don't like that they all have to have the elemental law lists, but I will post that idea/question in the main RM list.

One of the things to keep in mind is that the Priests "believe" in Zanar whether the deity is real or not, and so they go through the motions as any other Channeler would.  Zanar was a god from another dimension, and when the origional fallowers ended in SW Eissa channeled power to them until they were told that their diety was not actually Zanar but an imposter and a woman (by ondoval I think), he then presented himself as an illusion of Zanar and tricked the Priests into practicing the rites that would channel power to, and from the Crytal.

Yeah, I eventually saw all that (or, more accurately: "re-saw") but it still means a bit of work -  guess I can't be allowed to be too lazy. 

Here is my story premis:

A combination of A Meeting with Zanar and Night Ceremony (pg. 80 in the Emer book from the boxed set) adventure ideas. Only, in this concept, the priests of Zanar are actually the good-guys in that they are trying to get the PCs out of the village before dark, when the villagers are likely to attack them and try to capture them. I thought that might be a nice little twist to the adventure idea. If anyone wants to know, I can flesh out the idea I have for the adventure/story.

[Witchking20k]

I am actually using a Priest of Zanar as a "good" NPC in our current campaign.  He is working the slums of Orian, healing a terrible sickness that is infecting the poor and the homeless.  Unbeknownst to him, the sickness is being spread by agents of Zanar.  Eventually, the sickness will spread into the upper classes, and the Priest will be called upon to cure Nobles & Merchants, then perhaps a member of the royal familly.  At this time, or there abouts, a higher up in the Clergy will be in town....and hopefully infiltrate the Palace.

The PCs are going to spend a couple of sessions retireving old texts and ingredients for this Priest so he can do his good work. 

I am currently writing this scenario out in hopes of submitting it to the Guild Companion, but time is fleeting.....

[RandalThor]

Sounds good. Hope to see it in there.