Vote Up A Campaign Setting: Discussion Thread IV

[afroakuma]

It seems the voters have conspired to make me a liar once more, and so here we are at the fourth (and final) discussion thread for Hourglass of Zihaja.

For those of you seeking to play catch-up, the previous discussion thread is here.

As is customary for these threads, a new thread brings new revelations. Who better to bear these revelations than...

Spoiler

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The Darshan

The Vision, The Hierophants, Those of Mystery, Secret Ones
Symbol: Three interlocking rings with an eye at the center
Alignment: True Neutral
Portfolio: Omniscience, awareness, divinity, prophecy, divination, forethought, guidance
Granted Domains: Knowledge, Prophecy, Travel
Favored Weapon: Awakening (spear, warhammer, or scimitar)
Aliases: Aspiration, Fact, & Legend, the Angel, the Light of Fact

The Darshan (dahr-SHAHN) are the agents of Zihaja, who deliver divine will & divine guidance to the peoples of Siraaj & Najmah. The three divine spirits gather mystery cults around the secret of their actions & draw individual worship by virtue of being Zihaja’s hands upon the worlds.

Region
The Darshan have no defined region; their mystery cults are everywhere, & individual worshipers appear in their wake. Many formal churches perceive the appearances of the Darshan to be the hand of their own divinity at work.

Worshipers
There are few racial patterns to the Darhsan’s faithful. On Najmah, they are followed in large numbers by the houris who aspire to enlightenment, & are often labeled with the individual names of Aspiration, Fact, & Legend. Demons ignore them, while devils & devas fear them. The Darshan rarely appear to genies or half-genies, & never to ghuls.

The Darshan do not filter worshipers by alignment. However, few of their clergy are evil. The Darshan do not support paladins as a general rule; individual paladins of the Darshan have been encountered.

Churches
The Darshan have two loose traditions & one notable individual practice.

The Order of the Eye
A mystery religion based around individual encounters with the Darshan & the Universe Eye symbol, the Order of the Eye gathers in insular cloisters to archive & document the will of their masters & the divine instruction passed to them through mortal paths. Their leaders, called Prophets, spend much of their day in oracular trances, & it is the second tier, the Interpreters, that gauge the words of their deities & instruct the small congregation as to their meaning. The Order also traces the route of the Universe Eye sigil through history, believing (correctly) that it is the symbol of all things & the sign of the path of wisdom, & once had a deeper meaning now lost to time. Their clerics often choose the Knowledge & Prophecy domains.

The Awakened
The Awakened are small groups of sages & initiates who have received direct instruction from an encounter with a Darshan. Understanding that they serve a higher power, they quest for learning & travel far in their mission to order the world’s happenings according to the divine decree. These traveling bands may settle briefly around a location, a people or a single individual, acting passively to manipulate events in accordance with their instructions. The Awakened are thus often sought for guidance, but many larger religions or traditions resent the interloping presence of external authority figures, & clash with them, driving them out of various territories where to this day they are unwelcome. Their clerics often choose the Knowledge & Travel domains.

Ruyah
Ruyah is the name given to the Sacred Dream that inspires its individual practitioners to abdicate the trappings of their current life & go forth as mortal agents of the mysterious, hooded divinities. Those who experience the Ruyah spend their lives seeking & sharing, delivering augury & aid before continuing in their ceaseless journey towards the answer to their enigmatic dream. The Darshan appear to these individuals in dreams & visions, but will never be encountered by followers of the Ruyah, as theirs is a quest without an answer. Paladins of the Darshan are always followers of the Ruyah. Ruyah clerics often choose the Prophecy & Travel domains.

Faith Structure
The followers of the Darshan build no temples or great works. Small shrines for speakers of prophecy are all they can afford themselves for religious luxury. The Order of the Eye may acquire hidden caches, caverns or rooms wherein they may cloister themselves & conceal a Prophet, but the Awakened are always on the move, as are followers of the Ruyah.

The Darshan largely acquire followers either through direct contact or as individual initiates to the esoteric gatherings of the main groups. Their clerics & paladins are almost always hooded, & bear water & a knotted rope with them. Some clerics keep spices to serve as a focus for their trances. Priests tend to bear a weapon with a shape reminiscent of the light of the Darshan that they met: a spear for Aspiration, a hammer for Fact or a scimitar for Legend.

Origin
The Darshan are spirit creations of Zihaja from the early days of the world, when many matters pressed him & dealing with the races of the two worlds was of low priority. The trio was formed to act on the over-deity’s behalf, going among the peoples of the worlds to serve Zihaja’s will. When Zihaja removed himself from the worlds permanently, the Darshan saw their roles change to become his full-time agents & representatives, not merely via the church but for the entirety of the worlds, as Zihaja’s record was erased from history.

By Other Names
The Darshan are revered under other names by different cultures:

Aspiration, Fact, & Legend
The Darshan are given individual names in certain myths & traditions, & even some of their conventional worshipers identify them by these instead of the collective noun. Aspiration is the Darshan of future events & action, & is the youngest, radiating long, sharp beams of light. Fact is middle-aged, solid & stern, with an ice-gray nimbus of imposition & weight; it represents the present time & what is & is not possible. Legend is the oldest, in a cloak of shifting colors, surrounded by swirling curves of light that dance & clash. It represents the past, magic, lore, & conjecture; living in uncertainty with available knowledge.

The Angel
From time to time, an individual Darshan manifests as a celestial presence to do some great work, as per Zihaja’s command. This incarnation, called by people the Angel, may impose on lesser beings to accomplish its task. Those who work alongside the Angel can choose from the Good, Heroism, Protection, & Law domains, & must not be of an evil alignment.

The Light of Fact
In some far-flung cultures, such as the matriarchal island of Sa’hsan or among the desert centaur tribes, the trio of the Darshan are seen as an abstract figure, a force of light in humanoid form. This light is said to speak truth & to convey the true order of things. Some of these cultures accept prophecy from the Light of Truth, though in shaghal culture such oracles are hidden & reserved for only the elite, who deeply reconsider any decision that would conflict with the knowledge of the Light. The few who worship the Light of Fact choose from the Knowledge, Luck, & Prophecy domains.

Anyways, today's revelation is both an awesome and a warning, a threat to anyone who dares to piss me off this time around. Doing so will put you on the receiving end of:

Spoiler

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Fiat: Death
Evocation
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100’ + 10’/level)
Effect: Ray of pure magical potency
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
Spell Resistance: Yes
Focusing the most potent, raw arcane energies through an enchanted vessel, you invoke the Fiat to unleash a coiling rush of pure sorcery. This power crashes over your foe like a torrent, the pressure expelling soul from body.

A living creature struck by the ray of magic is instantly struck dead unless it succeeds on a Fortitude save. Undead can be affected as well, provided they are not mindless. A creature other than a living creature or sentient undead, or a creature that succeeds on its Fortitude save, instead takes 20d6 damage.

The massive breadth of the ray affords you a +4 bonus to your ranged touch attack. This ray ignores deflection bonus to AC & miss chance due to incorporeality. The ray affords you a +4 bonus to your caster level check to overcome spell resistance.

Focus: A magical rod or staff. You may use a magical wand with at least 10 charges remaining, but doing so will cause it to shatter.

[Athaniar]

Ooh, intriguing.

A question: why do devas fear the Darshan?

[SwordGoddess]

Duuuuude...that is more awesome than the word awesome can encompass.

Plus, while reading about The Order of the Eye, I was majorly hit with inspiration for a character.

[Lappy9000]

Mmmm, nice

"Seeing the Divine"

[Comet]

You know how I asked you for themes similar to Dune in this setting?
The Darshan fit the bill quite well. I like, oh so very much.

[Juhn]

...You can gain divine power through worship of the Darshan?

This is news to me.

[afroakuma]

...You can gain divine power through worship of the Darshan?

This is news to me.

...hold on a sec. Run that by me again.

It's news to you that you can be a cleric of the Darshan, or...?

[Juhn]

...yes.

I thought I had the whole "You get divine power from Zihaja through his aspects" thing straightened out after all this time, but apparently not.

[afroakuma]

...yes.

I thought I had the whole "You get divine power from Zihaja through his aspects" thing straightened out after all this time, but apparently not.

Alright, what needs explaining?

[Juhn]

...I generally have diffuculties wording things properly, so I'm not going to attempt to pursue this for fear it become another two-page rambling discussion like that whole Johoum business.

[The Neoclassic]

Is there an overview/outline of what's been decided upon so far? I'd be happy to help out with little details or niches in the world, if you're still accepting new help.

[afroakuma]

...I generally have diffuculties wording things properly, so I'm not going to attempt to pursue this for fear it become another two-page rambling discussion like that whole Johoum business.

At least give it a try.

Is there an overview/outline of what's been decided upon so far? I'd be happy to help out with little details or niches in the world, if you're still accepting new help.

The build team's keeping it insular, but thanks for the offer.

[LordZarth]

OK. Let me field asking Juhn's question (I think).

1. Clerics of the Aspects, which are real, but only sort of, receive their divine power straight from Zihaja, unbeknownst to the clerics. Correct?

2. Hagalvethr is a racial deity. He is separate completely from Zihaja. Is this correct? Now, do his clerics receive divine power from him or from Zihaja? Or through him, provided by Zihaja?

3. The Darshan are created by Zihaja and agents of Zihaja, yet they are their own entities, correct? But does the divine power provided to their clerics find its source in the Darshan or in Zihaja? Or imparted to the Darshan by Zihaja? Or channelled through them by Zihaja?

[paddyfool]

Shiny. Very, very, shiny.

I wish to request clarification on one manifestation of them, however:

The Angel
From time to time, an individual Darshan manifests as a celestial presence to do some great work, as per Zihaja’s command. This incarnation, called by people the Angel, may impose on lesser beings to accomplish its task. Those who work alongside the Angel can choose from the Good, Heroism, Protection, & Law domains, & must not be of an evil alignment.

Specifically:
- How recently was the last such manifestation?
- Do clerics of the "Angel" remain able to draw power via this route after a task has been achieved or, Zihaja forfend, failed? If so, do they exist in the present-day?
- Is it possible to be a Paladin of the Angel?

[afroakuma]

OK. Let me field asking Juhn's question (I think).

1. Clerics of the Aspects, which are real, but only sort of, receive their divine power straight from Zihaja, unbeknownst to the clerics. Correct?

Correct.

2. Hagalvethr is a racial deity. He is separate completely from Zihaja. Is this correct?

Correct.

Now, do his clerics receive divine power from him or from Zihaja? Or through him, provided by Zihaja?

Clerics of Hagalvethr receive divine power from Hagalvethr.

3. The Darshan are created by Zihaja and agents of Zihaja, yet they are their own entities, correct?

Correct.

But does the divine power provided to their clerics find its source in the Darshan or in Zihaja? Or imparted to the Darshan by Zihaja? Or channelled through them by Zihaja?

The Darshan have innate divine power supplied to them by Zihaja, which they allocate on his behalf to best deliver his message and complete their duties. I suppose that's the best way to put it.

Shiny. Very, very, shiny.

I wish to request clarification on one manifestation of them, however:

Specifically:
- How recently was the last such manifestation?

No idea.

- Do clerics of the "Angel" remain able to draw power via this route after a task has been achieved or, Zihaja forfend, failed?

I wouldn't think so. What would be the point? That would basically just be divine power for personal use at that point, no?

I suppose some very few might be delegated an open-ended or continuous duty, but that technically doesn't count for your question. Similarly, failure might result in being given a chance to make amends.

- Is it possible to be a Paladin of the Angel?

The Angel doesn't fall under the clause in Ruyah, so yes.

[Zeta Kai]

Is there an overview/outline of what's been decided upon so far? I'd be happy to help out with little details or niches in the world, if you're still accepting new help.

We like to fight amongst ourselves, & more people in the ring makes for a bloody brawl.

[Lappy9000]

We like to fight amongst ourselves, & more people in the ring makes for a bloody brawl.

Quite a few others, like to snipe at the build team from a distance. Shadow Elf, being shadowy and stealthy, doesn't leave his darkened nooks long enough to get targeted, but Afro's...afro is too big of a target not to hit. I imagine it's looking quite like a pincushion now. Zeta Kai has Damage Reduction/4th edition, so he can deflect most of the damage.

[afroakuma]

Afro's...afro is too big of a target not to hit. I imagine it's looking quite like a pincushion now.

Just remember, it hits back. With Fiat: death.

[Juhn]

What, continuously radiating lethal doses of pure POWER isn't good enough anymore?

[afroakuma]

What, continuously radiating lethal doses of pure POWER isn't good enough anymore?

Did you even read Fiat: death? That's basically what it does.

Did your questions get cleared up above, Juhn?

[Juhn]

Well, I'd assumed that the POWER, being radiated from a roughly spherical source, would be more or less omnidirectional, while Fiat: Death is a ray attack.

Also, pretty much, yeah, though losing divine power once the task is completed doesn't sound too fun to me.

[afroakuma]

Well, I'd assumed that the POWER, being radiated from a roughly spherical source, would be more or less omnidirectional, while Fiat: Death is a ray attack.

Well, it raydiates out. Just a lot of rays.

Also, pretty much, yeah, though losing divine power once the task is completed doesn't sound too fun to me.

Well, that's really up to the DM, but more importantly, as I already pointed out, you're no longer in service to a higher cause, which means you'd be keeping that divine power to serve your own selfish desires. Divine power does not spring from one's own selfish desires, it comes from adherence to belief in a divine source. The source in this example would be the mission. Clerics of Heironeous don't get to keep casting spells if Heironeous kicks off, nor if they stop worshipping. What do you propose would make more sense than this?

[Lord_Gareth]

You mentioned that the Darshan are servants of Zihaja, but haven't made it clear if their mystery cults are aware of that. Certainly, some of the fluff implies that the reason for their worship is their divine empowerment.

[afroakuma]

You mentioned that the Darshan are servants of Zihaja, but haven't made it clear if their mystery cults are aware of that.

They are not. I really shouldn't still be needing to crush all hopes in this direction.

Certainly, some of the fluff implies that the reason for their worship is their divine empowerment.

I don't follow. Could you clarify?

[Lord_Gareth]

I will, but tomorrow - I only have sixty seconds left on this PC.

[Zeta Kai]

Look for more fiat spells in the final release.

[Alteran]

Well, I'd assumed that the POWER, being radiated from a roughly spherical source, would be more or less omnidirectional, while Fiat: Death is a ray attack.

Spoiler

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Fiat: POWER
Evocation
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S, X
Casting Time: 1 full-round action
Range:
Area: 20-ft.-radius burst centered on the caster
Effect: Wave of pure POWER
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: See text

Summoning the most primal reserves of POWER within, the caster creates a tiny seed of pure magical energy at one point within range. A wave of POWER instantly erupts outwards, enveloping all within range. The devastating forces of the Fiat ravage the body, mind, and soul of its victims.

A living target must make a fortitude save or die immediately. This effect has the Death descriptor.

A target must make a reflex save or take 1d6 damage per caster level (max 25d4). A successful save halves the damage taken. This damage cannot be resisted or reduced in any way.

A target must make a will save or be turned insane, as the Insanity spell. This effect has the Mind-Affecting descriptor.

Targets with spell resistance must attempt to resist each effect separately.

XP Cost
1000 XP

...is that at all balanced? I'm hoping the Death and Mind Affecting descriptors helped it out a bit, along with the XP cost and full-round action casting time. My main concern is simply the AoEness combined with several powerful effects. Perhaps it could be better expressed as an epic spell, but I know even less about making those.

Also, I wasn't quite sure how to list the descriptors. Different effects had different descriptors, I don't know how that's shown.

[LordZarth]

Should be only a domain spell (Afroakuma 9).

[Juhn]

...And here I was thinking it'd be on par with Vengeful Gaze of god. All users not in posession of afroakuma's afro take full backlash damage.

[Alteran]

Spoiler

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Afroakuma Domain
Granted Power
Once per day, you can radiate an aura of POWER as a standard action. It is a 10-ft.-radius emanation centered on you. You and your allies within the emanation gain a +2 morale bonus to attack rolls and saving throws, and your enemies within the emanation gain a -2 morale bonus to attack rolls and saving throws. The aura lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Cleric level. This is a supernatural ability.

Afroakuma Domain Spells
1. Cause Fear
2. Hideous Laughter
3. Enervation
4. Crushing Despair
5. Dominate Person
6. Harm
7. Destruction
8. Power Word POWER
9. Fiat: POWER