[Greyhawk] Information on Kelanen?

[Fax Celestis]

I don't have much access to older editions and frankly don't know much about Greyhawk in general (I've played mostly in Faerun, Eberron, and custom worlds), but from what little I know and what little I've read, I selected Kelanen for my character that's in an ongoing Expedition to the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk campaign.

Rather than just playing lip service to a deity, I'd like to know a little more about Kelanen (or even just pointers to books that contain information about him) than the sparse information I've been able to find on various unfinished and incomplete wikis or in the old Living Greyhawk pantheon document (2007! Didn't dinosaurs walk the earth then?).

[hamishspence]

GHwiki is the only source I could find:

http://www.canonfire.com/wiki/index.php?title=Kelanen

Complete Divine didn't mention him- but that might be because he's a "hero-deity"- somewhere around quasi-deity or demigod status.

[Keld Denar]

Check the Living Greyhawk Dieties Document (v2.0). If not there, try the Living Greyhawk Gazeteer (which you'd have to buy). It has some general writeup on goings on in that world.

There were also a couple of Living Greyhawk core modules that had some details and story concerning the Lord of Blades. I don't remember the whole arc, but some of the module names included "Sympathy for the Baatezu" and "A Tiger? In Ahlissa?" and I believe "All Roads Lead to Rauxus". If you googled around, you might be able to find some kind of a synopsis of their plots, as the arc involved an avatar of Kelanen manifesting on the Prime. The modules themselves are illegal to possess or distribute, as all rights to them have been returned their respective authors and WotC jointly. Even if you got expressed written permission from the author, good luck getting the same from WotC. I know people who have tried...

And yea, he's a hero-god of Demigod rank, which means he only grants 2 domains. War and Travel. (Have Sword - Will Travel is a mantra used by many of his warrior-clerics)

[Ormagoden]

I have a picture of him around here somewhere...oh here it is! (http://conanpowermetal.ytmnd.com/)

I'll post up the real info when I get home.

[Matthew]

Here is what they were saying in 1983:



Kelanen, The Prince of Swords, is one of the very powerful individuals who might, or might not, be a true deity. Thus he is known as a hero-deity, and some who live by the sword pay him homage.

Although his true form is commanding, Kelanen usually takes the guise of a beggar, thief, mercenary, or rogue. In any of these disguises he will appear to be unremarkable, sometimes young, sometimes of middle years. He has the power to alter self at will, so Kelanen seldom appears in the same form twice, except when he chooses to show his true one. Each of his forms always bears a scar on face or neck — for a reason to be revealed later. In any form, Kelanen prefers garments of gray or blue-gray and ornaments of silver or platinum.

The true form of Kelanen is that of a youngish, quite handsome man, fair of complexion, with silvery-gray eyes and coal-black hair. It is said that he was once as comely as any deity, but in order to become the Prince of Swords, Kelanen had to undergo a series of challenges and tests which resulted in his disfigurement. His visage bears a long, silvery scar from eye to chin on the right side of his face. Those who know of the Sword Lord recognize Kelanen immediately when this mark is revealed. His form is slender and sinewy, his height just under six feet. He is unnaturally quick and fleet due to enchantments placed upon him.

Kelanen has a stronghold in an extradimensional partial plane. He usually travels on the Prime Material Plane, however, be it on Oerth or another parallel world, seeking adventure and engaging in actions of warlike sort which promote the balance of Neutrality.

[Cieyrin]

Though not canon in the slightest, I was always of the opinion that his symbol of the ring of nine swords is uncannily similar to ToB and it's nine disciplines, leading me to make the supposition that Reshar was an avatar of Kelanen. Reshar's sudden appearance and journey of traveling the world to master each of the nine disciplines, founding of the Temple of Nine Swords before eventually journeying once again are well within Kelanen's precepts.

[Fax Celestis]

That's pretty neat, and fits fairly well too. I may have to aim Damocles at Master of Nine in that case.

I'm actually using this tarot's nine of swords image (http://www.78tarots.com/tarots_swords/9swords.jpg) as Kelanen's symbol rather than the ring of nine swords, but it still seems appropriate.