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    Canonfire :: View topic - Nazarn the Gladiator Part 1: Questions
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    Nazarn the Gladiator Part 1: Questions
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    Adept Greytalker

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    Thu Oct 27, 2016 2:52 pm  
    Nazarn the Gladiator Part 1: Questions

    I've been expanding on the little bit of information known about the Hero-Deity Nazarn for use in my campaign, and would be interested in any feedback/criticism/suggestions that folks may have.

    In particular, I'm wondering if any of the chronologically-minded greysages may have some ideas or opinions as to just when Nazarn ascended to immortality: Is he a recent god? or hundreds or thousands of years old? All that we really know about his past is that he escaped from the Scarlet Brotherhood and ended up in a Helpmonaland arena run by yuan-ti.

    The other question I'm flummoxed by is what sort of creatures should serve him as his herald (i.e. summoned by a gate spell) and his planar allies (for those various spells). I'd be interested in any plausible candidate from any edition of the game or Pathfinder or an OSR retroclone. There aren't a lot of neutral outsiders that aren't elementals, and I haven't found any that really have a gladiator-feel to them. The only vague idea I've had on the herald is that this might be the half-giant child of Kord that sponsored Nazarn's ascension. (Is there any canon or other source regarding this half-giant or any other specific progeny of the Brawler?)
    GreySage

    Joined: Aug 03, 2001
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    Thu Oct 27, 2016 5:32 pm  
    Re: Nazarn the Gladiator Part 1: Questions

    edmundscott wrote:
    In particular, I'm wondering if any of the chronologically-minded greysages may have some ideas or opinions as to just when Nazarn ascended to immortality: Is he a recent god? or hundreds or thousands of years old? All that we really know about his past is that he escaped from the Scarlet Brotherhood and ended up in a Helpmonaland arena run by yuan-ti.


    According to The Scarlet Brotherhood, the yuan-ti of Hepmonaland were created in -1100 CY when the high priests of Alocotla and Xapatlapo made a bloody pact with the rain-god Tlaloc. The Scarlet Brotherhood was founded as an organization three years prior to the Rain of Colorless Fire, and they settled on the Tilvanot Peninsula shortly after the Rain.

    He can't be "thousands" of years old, then, since the Scarlet Brotherhood is only about 1,000 years old and the modern yuan-ti species is only about 1,700 years old. But anything less than 1,000 years old seems a legitimate possibility.

    I'd make him younger. Most of the other hero-deities are only a few centuries old.

    Quote:
    The other question I'm flummoxed by is what sort of creatures should serve him as his herald (i.e. summoned by a gate spell) and his planar allies (for those various spells). I'd be interested in any plausible candidate from any edition of the game or Pathfinder or an OSR retroclone.


    A valkyrie seems like a good possibility, given Kord is a deity of Ysgard. There's a chaotic neutral valkyrie in 3rd edition's Tome of Battle and in the Bestiary 3 for Pathfinder.

    You could also go with a ferrumach rilmani (3rd edition Fiend Folio, Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II).

    Quote:
    The only vague idea I've had on the herald is that this might be the half-giant child of Kord that sponsored Nazarn's ascension. (Is there any canon or other source regarding this half-giant or any other specific progeny of the Brawler?)


    There's a Kord-blooded template in the 3rd edition Monster Manual V (page 66). There's some detail on Kord's children in Dragon #87, but I don't think any specific ones have been named. It seems likely that Vatun and possibly Dalt are deified children of Kord, though, since they're members of the Suel pantheon but seem to postdate the Great Rain of Fire.
    Adept Greytalker

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    Sun Oct 30, 2016 12:08 pm  

    For reasons mysterious, my previous reply to this has vanished, so, basically, here it is again:

    Thank you, Rasgon, for the great suggestions as always.

    I looked over the Kord-blooded template and it just seems too weak-sauce to me: Oh, so the son of a god is just +1 CR, so what.

    But I'd totally forgotten about the valkyrie in Tome of Battle, and that's a great suggestion, as is the ferrumach rilmani. I'd thought about the rilmani and disregarded them because I'd remembered them as too philosophical for someone like Nazarn; but reading over the ferrumach again, I can see he's just right.

    Unfortunately for the planar ally spells, both of these would clock in at (basic) Planar Ally, leaving lesser- and greater- without servants (as well as Gate). Do you (or does anyone) know of an Acheron outsider who might be a good planar ally for a gladiator god? a) it would balance out the chaos and good ishness of the valkyrie, and b) the denizens of Acheron always seem particularly battle-hungry and might serve such a god.
    GreySage

    Joined: Aug 03, 2001
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    Tue Nov 01, 2016 10:22 am  

    Quote:
    Do you (or does anyone) know of an Acheron outsider who might be a good planar ally for a gladiator god


    How about a bladeling (3e Monster Manual II, Planes of Law)? Native to Acheron, only one hit die. Would work for Lesser Planar Ally. Planes of Law even mentions they're often summoned. You could even add class levels to buff it up a bit.

    Another good option: the maug from 3rd edition's Fiend Folio. An extraplanar construct, native to Acheron, two hit dice, usually lawful neutral. Again, you could buff it up with class levels.

    The steel predator from 3rd edition's Fiend Folio clocks in at 12 hit dice (enough for a standard planar ally spell). They're neutral outsiders native to Acheron.

    More powerful planar allies can be created, again, by adding hit dice or character class levels.

    What if you could summon the green dragon that Nazarn defeated?
    Adept Greytalker

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    Thu Nov 03, 2016 7:50 pm  

    The young green dragon is a great suggestion, especially if we make Nazarn old enough that the green dragon has moved up several age categories. He could even be what Nazarn's clerics gate in, Nazarn's first follower who pledged loyalty after being defeated.

    The other dragon I thought about, though, is the battle dragon from Draconomicon. These seem very much in the battle for the sake of glory that Nazarn would approve. A young battle dragon would be just right for Planar Ally, for which we have an embarrassment of riches.

    The question is whether it makes sense for Nazarn to have two different dragon servants. If only one, which is the better fit? the one that ties with existing background or the more philosophically/thematically suited?

    Your best suggestion overall is the valkyrie, who loves fighting in the same way as Nazarn himself, and this makes me think the best option would be to make this the Greater Planar Ally and add some levels of swordsage to her to get her to 18HD.

    Is there any giant we could add the kord-blooded template to and keep at 6HD or less? That might solve the lesser planar ally problem.

    The Maug seems too soldier, not enough gladiator. The bladeling is better, but I feel like there isn't quite enough backstory/theme to tie him to Nazarn, other than they both love battle.
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