"Conspiracy Theories" of D&D Worlds

[Yora]

By which I mean theories fans and players have about things within the settings.

One of the most popular ones would probably be "The Burning Hate": Pelor is actually the evil Human-Supremacy-God Zarus.

I just had another one, which made me think this thread could be fun:
I think the evil gnome god Urdlen, the giant naked white mole, is actually the god Malar, the evil god of predatory beasts, hunting, and lycanthropes in the forgotten Realms. I think it kind of fits, both are raving beasts of almost blind destruction, and since gnomes are highly associated with badgers, hares, and other burrowing animals, it only makes sense that they would know Malar in a similar form.

Also the deity Ghaunadaur is just the demon Lord Juiblex. The two are basically identical, being ancient beings from the abyss that rule over slimes and oozes.

[Pokonic]

Jubilex is a result of some far-realms creature attempting to merge the Abyss and,well, the Far Realm. As such, every time he dies, he comes back with a little more insight into this strange world...

[Yora]

Now that I think of it, Planescape seems pretty much "Conspiracy Theories: The Fantasy World" to me. I mean, isn't the entire setting about slightly deranged people making crazy, but actually quite plausible claims about virtually everything?

Also, a pretty much eternal one: Leira, the goddess of illusions, was never killed by Cyric. She only faked her own death as one of her illisions. That 15 years have passed with no signs of her being alive only makes this lie an even greater accomplishment. And even 200 years later, you can never be sure that she isn't just faking her death for 200 years. Because she's the goddes of lies and deception.

[Yanagi]

Okay. Just deleted a post about PS stuff because I thought the request was more for personal theories than established stuff, but maybe I misread the situation.

Yeah, Planescape is fraught with rumors and theories about the secret intrigues and mechanisms of the cosmos.

The one I try to promote is that the Modrons purposefully amp up their reputation as laughable clockwork things, as well as Mechanus's reputation as boring and monotonous. This leaves them open to exercise soft power through information brokering and selective distribution of secrets to manipulate the other planar powers. The Great Modron March is basically a giant diagnostic of their espionage apparatus.

I used to have a bunch of FR ones for my personal version of the setting, but the only two I can remember are that (1) all the various serpent deities of Faerun, as well as Dendar the Night Serpent, are shards of a primal serpent god, and that (2) the Mulan gods Set and Sobek are part of that collection, not transplants from Pharaonic Egypt as it would superficially appear (the latter I feel is justified, given that while the other Egypt transplants are identical to the originals, those two are very different: Set has a snake motif and isn't reconciled with the other gods, and Sobek is vicious animal rather than a paladin-ish protector.

[TheGeckoKing]

The one I thought of that I liked, was how the Daelkyr War in Eberron was caused by demons in The Abyss;

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It was sparked by some Obyrith's Eberron description in MMV (I think it was the Draudnu), which said that Xoriat were the home of the Obyrith, and are left largely to themselves by the Daelkyr and the Kaorti. Then I thought "OoooOoooo!". Because I do that a lot. My theory is as such;

The obyrith, after their defeat at the Fields of Pesh by the Wind Dukes, decided to scarper. Only, instead of dying in droves like the world would like to believe, they had a backup plan. That backup plan was Xoriat, which had been found by obyrith travellers. I mean, of course they must of had a backup plan. They may be demons, but they're not Tanar'ri for hate's sake. So when it went pear-shaped in the Abyss, the Obyrith scarpered to Xoriat to make it into their new plane. The Daelkyr were evicted and had to try and invade Eberron for new homes, kicking off the great Daelkyr War.

To this day, (WARNING: SHAKY GUESSING) the Obyrith fester and dwell in great (but not quite like back home) numbers, and Xoriat has even started churning out obyrith. Hell, it's a mad enough plane to do that for a laugh. A gutteral scream of a laugh that lasts an eternity.5??ERROR.
The obyrith don't really want to gain the attention of the other outsiders and get attacked again, so this is kinda-kinda not a secret. The only obyrith that didn't migrate are the rank and file who got lost in the mess, the stupid ones (Ugudenk), the bitter war vets (Obox-Ob), the weird ones (Pale Night), the seemingly content ones (Dagon), the unbothered ones (Pazuzu) and the ones too terrified to show their faces again ones (The Queen of Chaos).

Also, Sigil is a city built on a monument to the God of Donuts, ruled by the Ratatosks Three, in power by their Cloak of Pointy Needles, their Levitating Disk and their Rod of Flaying. You know it to be true!

[erikun]

There is a theory that Eilistraee did not kill her brother Vhaeraun, but rather, that Vhaeraun killed Eilistraee and then assumed her appearance.


There is also this crazy theory that the Elder Elemental Eye does not exist, but is actually an aspect of some bizarre reality-destroying deity. Pretty silly, huh? I mean, imagine the Elemental Princes actually worshipping a deity that has nothing to do with the elements...

[nyarlathotep]

The one I thought of that I liked, was how the Daelkyr War in Eberron was caused by demons in The Abyss;

Spoiler

Show

It was sparked by some Obyrith's Eberron description in MMV (I think it was the Draudnu), which said that Xoriat were the home of the Obyrith, and are left largely to themselves by the Daelkyr and the Kaorti. Then I thought "OoooOoooo!". Because I do that a lot. My theory is as such;

The obyrith, after their defeat at the Fields of Pesh by the Wind Dukes, decided to scarper. Only, instead of dying in droves like the world would like to believe, they had a backup plan. That backup plan was Xoriat, which had been found by obyrith travellers. I mean, of course they must of had a backup plan. They may be demons, but they're not Tanar'ri for hate's sake. So when it went pear-shaped in the Abyss, the Obyrith scarpered to Xoriat to make it into their new plane. The Daelkyr were evicted and had to try and invade Eberron for new homes, kicking off the great Daelkyr War.

To this day, (WARNING: SHAKY GUESSING) the Obyrith fester and dwell in great (but not quite like back home) numbers, and Xoriat has even started churning out obyrith. Hell, it's a mad enough plane to do that for a laugh. A gutteral scream of a laugh that lasts an eternity.5??ERROR.
The obyrith don't really want to gain the attention of the other outsiders and get attacked again, so this is kinda-kinda not a secret. The only obyrith that didn't migrate are the rank and file who got lost in the mess, the stupid ones (Ugudenk), the bitter war vets (Obox-Ob), the weird ones (Pale Night), the seemingly content ones (Dagon), the unbothered ones (Pazuzu) and the ones too terrified to show their faces again ones (The Queen of Chaos).

Also, Sigil is a city built on a monument to the God of Donuts, ruled by the Ratatosks Three, in power by their Cloak of Pointy Needles, their Levitating Disk and their Rod of Flaying. You know it to be true!

That is a great idea. Especially if you consider Dagon's position in this. He and possibly that one whale obyrith (not sure if he was ever named) stay behind on purpose in order to cultivate a new generation of demons and slowly transform them into a new generation of obyriths, they can reclaim their homeland, keep their new home and not even need to risk any of their own lives to do it. After all obyriths can transform into tanarii as shown by Pazuzu, why wouldn't Dagon try to do the reverse; Demagorgon is looking pretty tentacle happy to me.

[Steward]

Some people suggest that the hideous slug-like monstrosity Baalzebul, Lord of the Seventh, was once a beautiful archangel. Which is absurd, of course.

[Illven]

By which I mean theories fans and players have about things within the settings.

One of the most popular ones would probably be "The Burning Hate": Pelor is actually the evil Human-Supremacy-God Zarus.

Really he's supposed to be Zarus? I know Pelor the burning hate, but I just thought that he was a Neutral evil god of the Sun highlighting the sun's negative aspects.

[hiryuu]

Don't think "gods masquerading as/stealing worship from other gods" works outside FR. Shouldn't really work in FR, anyway, as it's also counter-intuitive to the way "fueled by worship" works.

Also I don't think Eberron is attached to the Great Wheel, so the Abyss doesn't factor into it.


Here's a crazy one that I'm fond of: Eberron's Dolurrh is the fuel source for the setting's magic. Memories fade because any spell use costs memories and soul energy. People making magic items just use it up personally, but casting a spell makes someone pay the cost, and the souls in Dolurrh are the ones paying. It's why Nalfeshnee are so keen on getting escapees back, they know the truth and they're afraid of losing anything out of the magic fuel pot.

[Arbane]

The gnomes are behind everything.

EVERYTHING.

[Eldan]

Also I don't think Eberron is attached to the Great Wheel, so the Abyss doesn't factor into it.

Actually, Planescape pretty much spells out that the Wheel is connected to everything. Especially things that seem incompatible.

Which means that the more specific a cosmology gets, the more fun the people on Planewalker will have connecting it.

So, conspiracy theories...
Someone once posted a short story about Vecna's adventures in Die, Vecna, Die, and how the Lady defeated him. It is told through the eyes of a doctor interviewing a Madman who claims that once, Vecna took over Sigil. The Doctor smiles, locks him up in solitary confinement and mutters about crazies.

Turns out, in the end, that there is an entire week that no one remember, around the time Vecna apparently conquered Sigil...

[The-Mage-King]

Really he's supposed to be Zarus? I know Pelor the burning hate, but I just thought that he was a Neutral evil god of the Sun highlighting the sun's negative aspects.

Indeed, that's the version I'm familiar with.




At any rate, a theory? Let me tell you a tale, young 'un.

Some legends speak of the Modrons, and their fearsome powers. The very embodiments of Law, they keep themselves quietly on the plane called "Mechanus". Some people talk 'bout their ruler, a Modron called "Primus", with enough power he might even be called a god.

But, if the Modrons were ruled by a god, wouldn't they be takin' a much bigger interest in the affairs of things, and trying to increase the amount of Law in the world? And wouldn't someone, somewhere, have seen this "Primus"?

But no, the Modrons keep to themselves in their plane of Mechanus, not even helpin' make Inevitables, or aidin' the Fomorians in their quest.

Now, some adventurers say, after a few celebratory drinks when they get back from questin' on Mechanus, that the plane itself seems alive, and that maybe the Modrons, what with their not leaving it, are caring for th' place. "Maybe", they say, "It's Primus.".

But enough of an old man's talking.


TL;DR: Mechanus=Primus, god of Modrons.


Related theory: Limbo=God of (Outsider Race)

Further related theory: Both Limbo and Mechanus have giant, humanoid forms, and are going to beat the **** out of each other if they ever meet up.

[Eldan]

I've always loved the Mechanus-mecha theory.

That said, there's one simple explanation why the Modrons aren't helping the Formians: they are at war. The books are quite clear on that. And with the Modrons weakened by the death of Primus and the fake March, they are probably losing.

[Tvtyrant]

You ever notice that out of all the demons on the plane, there is only 1 that can plane shift? Or that humans, animals, and all variety of other creatures can't and a few big shot Angels and Genies can?

It is a conspiracy!

Back before the big war at the beginning, everyone could do it. You wanted to go to Celestia? BAM! you were there. This all ended when the big war broke out, and the gods themselves couldn't stop the demons and devils from pouring into every nook and cranny. So they took the ability from everyone but their pets. The Genies gave themselves the ability to do it with their wishes, which is why they can and we can't.

[erikun]

Really he's supposed to be Zarus? I know Pelor the burning hate, but I just thought that he was a Neutral evil god of the Sun highlighting the sun's negative aspects.

Pelor the Burning Hate was a thought experiment of an evil sun-god masquerading as a good aligned one. A bit later, people noted that Zarus shares a lot of similarities - sunlike holy symbol, evil, primary human worshippers, similar methodology - and the two have just become linked as the same deity.

[Morithias]

This only really applies to my own personal setting, but here it is.

In my setting there is a metropolis called Eterena..actually metropolis might be selling it a little short seeing how it's a city that takes up about 1/10th of the world.

In this city there is a shop that used to be owned by it's former ruler now it's owned by his niece, a 12 year old girl named Recette (yes I effectively stole the character). It's the most popular store in the city.

Next door there is an "unholy" store that sells things like poison, unholy weapons, and is rumored to even have a Book of Vile Darkness in stock (fortunately in this setting Dark is not Evil is in full effect) it's run by the villainous crime lord Lord Kane who is known for his mass weapon shipments to the north eastern continent where there's a huge war going on.

However this theory comes up due to something someone once noticed.

Recette's shop is open from (approx) 8 am to 7 pm.

Lord Kane's shop is open from 7 pm to 6 am. And the two are never open at the exact same time.

This has lead to a rumor flying around that Recette is actually Lord Kane and owns BOTH shops.

[hiryuu]

Actually, Planescape pretty much spells out that the Wheel is connected to everything. Especially things that seem incompatible.

Which means that the more specific a cosmology gets, the more fun the people on Planewalker will have connecting it.

Eberron is the one setting that, were the Great Wheel a factor, I would expect the natives to not only know but have exploited the hell out of it. They'd have become either the center of the economy or have turned the portals into merchant controlled toll roads so fast the planars wouldn't even get the phrase "clueless prime" out of their mouths before they owed money to all three branches of Cannith simultaneously. Same reason I don't think Eberron should be connected to the Spelljammer cosmology, either. It would only end in giant Syberis shard mining vessels and a crying Elven Empire.

[Eldan]

If we can connect Dark Sun, we can connect Eberron, just saying

But yeah, I think the consensus over there was "Eberron is isolated to such a degree that it might as well be separate". Including a set of large demiplanes masquerading as true planes (much like the plane of shadow in the wheel).

It also explains why Eberron's gods are comparably passive: they can't get through the barriers either.

As for Eberron owning the Wheel or not...
I wouldn't be too sure. For one, we can't be sure any of their magitech would work outside of Eberron. There's ample evidence of such things happening in Planescape, across pretty much every planar border: you have to learn spell keys first to cast certain magics on certain planes.
And some of the planar trade organizations could give Cannith a run for their money.

[Siegel]

"A wizard did it"

[DigoDragon]

The last time I participated in a Forgotten Realms campaign, there was a conspiracy going around that Bahamut wasn't as absent from the world of Toril as everyone assumed he was.

[Yora]

There is a theory that Eilistraee did not kill her brother Vhaeraun, but rather, that Vhaeraun killed Eilistraee and then assumed her appearance.

This is wrong on so many levels, and I don't mean the transvestitism.

Don't think "gods masquerading as/stealing worship from other gods" works outside FR. Shouldn't really work in FR, anyway, as it's also counter-intuitive to the way "fueled by worship" works.

Actually, this had been done by FR deities a lot.

Shar did it. At least twice, I think.

[Tanuki Tales]

I was always under the impression that Pelor, as the "Burning Hate" was a pawn or an avatar for Asmodeus. When did it change to Zarus?

Edit:

To add my own theories;

The Daelkyr are so much like humans because Xoriat is actually a temporarily displaced Eberron, existing as a separate demi-plane in the cosmology. Humans became supreme and were the only base race to survive the horror that made Xoriat Xoriat.

[Tiki Snakes]

I've never heard of Asmodeus being involved in the Burning Hate angle, actually. The Zarus one works much better, really, though I do still prefer the idea that no, he's just Pelor and only Pelor.

In a partially developed setting I was working on a few years back, the Church of Pelor was to act in line with the Burning hate theory, talk as if he was the canonical version and go to extreme lengths to root out the 'Burning Hate Heresy', rounding up people who espoused it using their Inquisition, interrogating people by using a gigantic glass dome at the peak of their temple as a magnifying glass to literally burn them using Pelor/the Sun's Majesty. They'd also have mad prophets who had burned their eyes out staring directly into the Sun and so on.

Here's a conspiracy theory true fact for you;

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Eberron is known for the great scar of a wasteland called the Mournland. It was created by a colossal act of Defiling, a new and potent method of casting magic. In the future, almost the entire world will be ruined by it. Eberron's natural resources shall by then be all but used up by the industry of old Eberron and the Sun itself will go Dark.

[Tanuki Tales]

My favorite explanation thus far (though I really liked yours) for the Mournland was that Cyre was swallowed up into Ravenloft and that's what happens when the Dread Realm claims something.

[Bearpunch]

Here's a conspiracy theory true fact for you;

Spoiler

Show

Eberron is known for the great scar of a wasteland called the Mournland. It was created by a colossal act of Defiling, a new and potent method of casting magic. In the future, almost the entire world will be ruined by it. Eberron's natural resources shall by then be all but used up by the industry of old Eberron and the Sun itself will go Dark.

What is this from? I need a source, because I wanna add some random eberron remains to my Dark Sun campaign setting if its true.

[Yora]

I think the mournland was created by accident by Cyre.
The borders follow exactly the borders of the territory controlled by Cyre at that time, which means that some kinds of markers were used to define the exact shape of the area that would be affected. And the only nation with access to the entire border of Cyre was Cyre itself. Neither Karnath nor Breeland would have been able to place the markers along the entire border, as they both had access to only one border. Only Crye would have been able to place markers on both borders.
Cyre would have wanted to cover as large an area as possible, but if they needed to place some kinds of markers or beacons, they would only have been able to do so within the territory they control.

Also, if you wanted to destroy Cyre, you could just target the majority of the major cities and fortresses. With them out of the way, the rest of the countryside would be easy to take control of and why make sure you annihilate an entire country when it's a lot easier to just destroy parts and get the rest for free?

So the creation of the Mournland has to be a failed attempt at a Cyre defense system.

What is this from? I need a source, because I wanna add some random eberron remains to my Dark Sun campaign setting if its true.

There is no source, which is the reason this thread is not called "Not widely known facts about the D&D Worlds".

[Shoot Da Moon]

This thread reminds of the time I read a post on a forum that wanted to come with a reason for why dragons hoard vast amounts of treasure, and then from there basically exported the basic plot of Deus Ex One into a fantasy setting.

[Tiki Snakes]

No source, though I wouldn't be suprised if other people have indepentantly come to the same conclusion. I'd almost be more suprised if they hadn't.

The Ravenloft idea works too, though they could even be combined for extra crack-theory excellence. Defiling is a magical technique that boosts the power of a spell by directly sacrificing life-force in the region to the dark powers of Ravenloft. Particularly epic, sustained or frequent uses of the technique can, if not careful, attract their direct and active attention.

[Tanuki Tales]

This thread reminds of the time I read a post on a forum that wanted to come with a reason for why dragons hoard vast amounts of treasure, and then from there basically exported the basic plot of Deus Ex One into a fantasy setting.

Missing the point, but at least one Forgotten Realms novel (and one Prestige class) posits that dragons can actually gain sustenance from just the sheer greed they feel over their horde and that this alone can sustain them as sufficiently as eating a normally balanced draconian breakfast!