[Hourglass of Zihaja] Chapter 0: How it All Began

[apocalypsePast2]

I guess my banner is too big for forum rules. Downsizing. -sob-

[Juhn]

Heh. I didn't take you for the avant-garde, counterculture type.

[Zeta Kai]

Nathar is up, as is his banner. Sorry for the delay. Don't worry, Juhn, I'll make sure that Sidaru gets posted today.

[Juhn]

...I'm kind of impressed that Nathar managed to do all that without Zihaja getting his smite on. If he's contemporary with Johoum, then Big Z would still have been doing that.

Of course, he did do that "hide as a mortal" thing. Clever bastard.

You should've done this earlier, then you would've beaten Eberron in that contest.

In all seriousness, I think I agree that you guys would have won, had you had this idea a couple years earlier.

Still can't wait to play in this setting.

[Vaynor]

Maybe Nathar is Zihaja?

[afroakuma]

...I'm kind of impressed that Nathar managed to do all that without Zihaja getting his smite on.

Nathar is a wickedly clever fiend. Johoum's lieutenant during the invasion. Nasty piece of work.

Of course, he did do that "hide as a mortal" thing. Clever bastard.

You didn't even see the pinnacle of his sneakiness: he took on multiple identities while hiding among the shaghals, so that no one name would be worshiped. Eventually he came out in full force under his own name, but spending time as Mahat, Bashra, Kehlek etc. let him fly under the radar for centuries... and made his hold over the shaghals absolute.

I love Nathar.

[Juhn]

I've noticed something about the Chapter 1 release thus far: there's very little denoting which divinities are Aspects of Zihaja, & which actually exist as their own entities. I know which are which thanks to having followed this project through the Discussion Threads, but it might confuse newcomers to the project.

Dammit Zeta, now you've got me doing it.

[afroakuma]

I've noticed something about the Chapter 1 release thus far: there's very little denoting which divinities are Aspects of Zihaja, & which actually exist as their own entities. I know which are which thanks to having followed this project through the Discussion Threads, but it might confuse newcomers to the project.

I told him he should sort them by category, but what can ya do.

[Juhn]

Well, now we've got reader feedback confirming the benefits of that method.

Possibly even just something like:

The Aspects:

Adimas through Waharim

Servants/Children of Zihaja: (whichever is more accurate)

Akasha through Zaia

Racial Deities:

Hagalverthr & his family
Martuakh
Nathar

[Shadow_Elf]

I must confess something - the setting's inaugural campaign has already begun. Last January. My PnP group has been playing in the setting, updating their characters as we (The Build Team) finalized new information for about ten months. For the audience's curiosity, I shall give a quick rundown of the party.

Spoiler

Show

Party Level: 13
Alteran: Namir, Changeling Infiltrator (Assassin|Rogue/Shadowblade)
Tuataralad: Dr. Sulafat Jones, Kobold Archaeologist (Artifier/Battle Engineer)
Zocelot: Sven, Half-Dao Dvernin Freelance Tactician (Warlord/White Raven)
Lord Sazz: Garrus, Half-Djinn Human Ex-pirate (Swashbuckler/Peerless Pirate)
Almost Skillful: Simba, The Clanless Aazlai (Barbarian/Pride Lord*)
Apotheosis: Canas, Human Professor-Librarian (Wizard/Unseen Mage)

*The Pride Lord Paragon Path is an Aazlai racial paragon path that will appear as bonus content for the setting.

[Zeta Kai]

Pashati is up. For the record, here's the list by category:

Aspect Divinities

• Adimas
• Daq
• Johoum
• Limalia
• Maqur
• Pashati
• Qirus
• Sidaru
• Umaj
• Waharim

Servant Divinities

• Akasha
• The Darshan
• Sunya
• Zaia

Racial Divinities

• Hagalvethr & the Dvernin Pantheon
• Martuakh
• Nathar

I was originally going to keep the divinities separate, but as time went on, it seemed less important to do so, & eventually I consolidated the list. I will probably make a note in each entry as to what kind of divinity it is, although I obviously have other priorities at the moment.

[AlmostSkillfull]

My personal thanks to my DM Shadow_Elf for starting us up a campaign about a year ago, the second that enough of the setting was thought up for our characters to breath and generally function without dieing.

However as a member of the first party to ever play in the HOZ campaign setting, I can assure you all that it is incredibly fun, the content is amazing, and I am sure you will all thoroughly enjoy playing it. It really is quite a lot of fun and I would highly suggest it over all other settings I have tried.

Also go Aazlai!

[Juhn]

Pashati hates bugs? ...Huh. Any particular reason why?

Also, one other thing I've noticed that's largely absent from most of the divinity writeups: they don't go into any opinions each church has on the others gods/churches (with the exception of the Dvernin Pantheon writeup, which mentioned Johoum, Sidaru, Maqur, etc.). Is that forthcoming in a later section?

[Elfstone]

My personal thanks to my DM Shadow_Elf for starting us up a campaign about a year ago, the second that enough of the setting was thought up for our characters to breath and generally function without dieing.

However as a member of the first party to ever play in the HOZ campaign setting, I can assure you all that it is incredibly fun, the content is amazing, and I am sure you will all thoroughly enjoy playing it. It really is quite a lot of fun and I would highly suggest it over all other settings I have tried.

Also go Aazlai!

Lucky!!
I assume you play the pride lord?

And now I really really wanna play in a HOZ campaign.

[afroakuma]

Pashati hates bugs? ...Huh. Any particular reason why?

I draw your attention to the new poison rules. Pollinators are one thing, creepy-crawlies quite another.

Also, one other thing I've noticed that's largely absent from most of the divinity writeups: they don't go into any opinions each church has on the others gods/churches (with the exception of the Dvernin Pantheon writeup, which mentioned Johoum, Sidaru, Maqur, etc.). Is that forthcoming in a later section?

There's a fairly good reason for that: it's not like the Forgotten Realms, where deities' turfs overlap. Pashati is concentrated in the West, Sidaru in the North, Johoum in the South and Limalia in the far, far East, with Qirus reigning roughly in the middle. Where there are religious clashes, it's therefore generally a regional thing, with the minor faiths being the fly in the ointment (Johoum and Adimas, Johoum and Daq, Maqur and everyone ). Therefore, unless it's a blanket disdain for other faiths, it goes fairly unmentioned in the gods' writeups. Do remember as well that these are for the most part monotheistic religions, which makes the rest feel fairly pagan. Qirus isn't "the war god," he's "the god." Same for the rest of them. They tend to have deep symbolism associated with their core concepts, though.

[Juhn]

Yeah, I figured that might be the case. Pashati's writeup just reminded me of the ostensible Pashatai/Sidarite Lizardfolk conflict, so I figured I'd bring it up for clarification.

I suppose a lot of the regional names will make more sense once the Siraaj chapter goes up. At the moment, we're getting a bunch of names tossed at us without any geographical frame of reference (beyond what we may remember from the old threads).

Also, re: Shadow's campaign: Huh. I didn't know Changelings existed in this setting. Is that a 4e thing, or did it just never come up?

[afroakuma]

I suppose a lot of the regional names will make more sense once the Siraaj chapter goes up. At the moment, we're getting a bunch of names tossed at us without any geographical frame of reference (beyond what we may remember from the old threads).

Indeed. They're all on the maps and Zeta has... exhaustive details on all of them.

Also, re: Shadow's campaign: Huh. I didn't know Changelings existed in this setting. Is that a 4e thing, or did it just never come up?

I. Did. Not. Know. Changelings. Existed. In. This. Setting. Either. Stupid edition.

[Vaynor]

I. Did. Not. Know. Changelings. Existed. In. This. Setting. Either. Stupid edition.

Seems to me it was more of a "We don't know what's going to be in this setting since it's not even done yet, so I'll let you play a changeling" to me. Could be wrong, though.

[afroakuma]

Seems to me it was more of a "We don't know what's going to be in this setting since it's not even done yet, so I'll let you play a changeling" to me. Could be wrong, though.

One year ago? Ohhh we knew.

[Juhn]

Well, it's possible he was being nice to his player and letting them play a race that technically shouldn't exist in the setting.

Or Shadow just went and 4e'd you. Could be either.

Don't worry, Juhn, I'll make sure that Sidaru gets posted today.

T-minus 2.25 hours...

[Shadow_Elf]

One year ago? Ohhh we knew.

He's a human who was given magical powers of shapeshifting. He's mechanically a Changeling. Also, Afro, you stated that Dopplegangers were in, IIRC, and in 4e, Changelings = Dopplegangers.

[Juhn]

Poor Shimha Qirus. Built a devoted to the glory of his god, only to have that god completely forgotten.

[Zeta Kai]

Qirus is up.

Sidaru will be along as close to midnight (EST) as I can swing it. Don't poop your pampers, Juhn, I got your back. Look for a tweaked pally code.

Also, what wrong with Papyrus?

Lastly, remember that almost every religion has multiple factions, & some of them have conflicts with other religions more than others sect within their faith. A regional cult of Pashatai may have some issue with Sidarites, but the church as a whole does not.

[Juhn]

Qirus is up.

Noted and commented on.

Don't poop your pampers, Juhn

Uhh...

I got your back. Look for a tweaked pally code.

This part is good, though.

I suppose I'm almost obligated to play a Paladin now, aren't I?

Also, what wrong with Papyrus?

Eh?

[afroakuma]

Also, what wrong with Papyrus?

This, this, and hey, a whole site dedicated to hating it.

[Elfstone]

This, this, and hey, a whole site dedicated to hating it.

Wow. The last one is kind of... obsessive?

[Zeta Kai]

Sidaru has arrived. Enjoy & discuss.

[Juhn]

It appears that the font ruse was a distaction. We HAVE the Sidaru writeup.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to change my sig banner.

EDIT: And now, having had a chance to properly read said writeup, I have a couple of comments:

When the Ten Dark Years ended, Sidaru himself issued a scroll (later called the Final Edict) to his clergy, which detailed his opinions regarding the Black Annals. They were subsequently rewritten, with Sidaru’s words from the scroll edited into the codices & the original texts extensively revised to be more in-line with his judgments.

Was this Sih Daroga, or Sidaru the Aspect?

Also, that writeup is making me want to crack open my BoED again. An Exalted Sidarite might actually be feasible...

[Juhn]

Also:

If such spells are to be cast in your presence, then you are obligated to attempt to stop them.

Never incite conflict

Which of these supersedes the other?

[Zeta Kai]

Was this Sih Daroga, or Sidaru the Aspect?

Sidaru the Aspect is an imaginary construct of a church & its faithful. This is the White Sphinx actually showing up & actually handing over his actual notes on his own actual bible. When So-&-So is described as taking a real action, you can be assured that it is the namesake, not the aspect.

Which of these supersedes the other?

Consult your local Sidarites high priest/DM. [/copout]