
|
Anzu
Demipower, "the
Dreambreaker"
AoC:
Broken dreams
Alignment:
CE
WAL:
CE
Symbol:
Spilled dust, lying on a
pillow.
Home
Plane/Realm: Plane of
Dust/Dreaming's End
Some
say the Prime Material Plane is made of the dreams of the
elemental folk, just as the Outer Planes are formed from
the beliefs and delusions of the Prime. Every ripple,
breeze and rockslide comes from the subconscious flowing
of the inner planar denizens.
Anzu
was once a major planar power of elemental earth, a
high-up tugglemonkey like few others. He attempted to
control the dreaming of an earthen kingdom in order to
shape and form vast regions of the world of the
flesh-folk, and thus establish a foothold on the Outer
Ring.
He
found a stone that concentrated the dreams of
spirits.
He
failed; Grumbar himself wrenched the upstart apart, and
all of Anzu's dreams crumbled to dust.
In
Dust he remained, and his portfolio changed: Anzu now
represents all whose dreams shatter and fall away. He
takes these souls to his crumbling throne, kisses their
heads, and brings company to their misery. Those desiring
success sacrifice to the god to ward him off, while the
depressed and despondent embrace him. The guardians of
the worlds' dooms love him.
Anzu
plots still. He plots against Grumbar and the
archomentals. He plots against the gods of dreams and
nightmares. He plots against all those who dream and
believe in their visions.
He
always strives to rein the Ethereal islands of dream into
his devouring embrace, to destroy what he cannot
control.
Anzu's
realm resembles a Prime Planar terrain (dissolving on the
edges) filled with empty, despondent humanoids, fading or
undead dreamspawn and dream-eaters. Images and phantasma
fade sadly just beyond the range of vision, and spells of
those schools are useless.
Paradyn, God of
Fallen Ideals
Demipower, "Gray
Son"
AoC:
The abandonment of ideals
Alignment:
CG
WAL:
Any
Symbol:
A holy book, finely ground, usually kept in a sack
Home
Plane/Realm:
Dust/Doomglory
Paradyn
was never idealistic, never a champion of anything. His
two older brothers were, and died for it, killed by a
lord of the Abyss (older stories say they died in battle
against a rival tribe). Paradyn donned his own suit of
armour and went to the road to convince people to never
die fighting for foolish ideals and creeds. "Stay home,"
was his motto, "and live." Ultimately, Paradyn found his
own petty divinity in this philosophy, and a small group
of loyal followers.
The
Gray Son is the enemy of nearly everyone in the Outer
Planes; only his isolated location and lack of great
power and influence keeps him safe. He is aware of the
paradox of his quest to end all quests, but considers it
to be the only cause worth having, if the plane will let
him keep it.
Paradyn's
realm contains many crumbling churches and recruitment
centres, filled with rot and corruption. Its highlight,
however, is a long, seemingly endless graveyard. Row
after row, column after column, of gravestones poke out
of the dust. Each stone memorialises someone who died
fighting for a cause. Even fiendish veterans of the Blood
war get a section, and Paradyn grieves over this one as
well. The stones are the only memorial many will ever
have.
Paradyn's
proxy is an elderly baku, a former member of the
Harmonium who was disgusted by their activities in
Arcadia. Paradyn sends the baku all over the multiverse,
where its anti-philosophy keeps it on the run.

[
Main |
The Basics |
Locations |
Creatures |
Genasi
] [
Magic
|
Powers |
Stories |
TSR's Inner Planes ]

|
Here's
something I can't praise enough. This tome explores
not only Dust, but all eighteen Inner Planes,
describing the hazards, physical conditions,
powerful residents and most famous sites of
each.
Just
because I like you, I'm going to make you an offer.
You want to learn more about the Inner Planes? You
got the right jink? Why didn't you say before? It's
a deal!
Find
out more about the Inner Planes book
here,
or order it here, at a generous discount from the
RRP of US$20: [ US$
| UK£
]
|
Copyright
1999, text by Jon Winter,
graphics by Jon Winter and Jeremiah Golden


|