The Shan’n’nur Cult
Their name is taken from the Nimberlan Elvish, and is translated as “those who hate magic”.
Founded during the Anmagus Crusades after the fall of Soguer, the Shan’n’nur were originally a group of worshipers of Baccob who had been made to repent the use and worship of magic, and therefore were spared death at the hand of the inquisitors of The Sword of Light. Encouraged to join the crusade, the broken but grateful penitents quickly became one of it’s most zealous elements.
Over the course of the crusade, use of magic by this group eventually became tolerated, receiving the official sanction of the High Pontiff of Heronious. Even so, their devotions were carefully watched over by wardens from the Sword of Light through the long years of the crusade and the eventual siege of the last temple of Baccob.
After the High Pointiff declared the Anmagus Crusade over, the Shan’n’nur Cult became the church’s official enforcers of edicts related to the use of magic through all the lands surrounding the Soral Sea. In those 30 years their wardhouses have become grim edifices in many of the cities through the middle kingdoms. However, in the chaotic warring states of former Soguer their influence is now much less felt and hedge mages and war-sorcerers are beginning to be heard of in those lands.
Over the years they have become extremely secretive in their ritual, and have broken somewhat from the church. Influenced by doctrines of Hextor in the region of former Soguer they are very focused on control of society, and publicly offer worship to Hextor and Heronious. They have also become a hedonistic group, and utilize sensual energies in their duties, their magic and their worship. This trend is the result of the worship of Grazz’at by a small group of the elders in the cult, who have spread that demon lord’s mores, if not his name, to their brethren under the guise of magically useful teachings. Grazz’at himself is savoring the long slow betrayel of the church by the Shan’n’nur, who were themselves founded in betrayel.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged nation or organization, Shan'n'nur by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Shan’n’nur buckler / Witchwarden buckler
When the Shan’n’nur assemble to confront a rogue spellcaster, they do so en mass. They are a unnerving sight, dressed provocatively beneath their long robes, wearing ceremonial masks, bucklers on their arms, and wand or sword in their hands. Seeing them, none can doubt that their prey are doomed.
The bucklers confer a +1 shield bonus to AC, just as a normal finely crafted buckler would. They are also generally enchanted to provide a +1 enhancement bonus to AC. In addition, they grant the wielder Spell Resistance 13.
Made of the finest metals and engraved with the arcane symbols of Shan’n’nur warding, these shields do not confer an armor check penalty. Even as light as they are, they sometimes interfere with arcane gestures, and cause a 5% chance of arcane spell failure.
Finally, as with all bucklers, the armor bonus is not applied for these bucklers on the turn that their wearer used their shield arm to attack or cast a spell. The SR is still applied, however.
Strong abjuration; CL 15th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, spell resistance; Price 9,165 gold; Weight 3 lbs.
Posted in Magic Item and tagged armor, Shan'n'nur by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Barael’s Blade: the first Witch-blade
Forged by the Crow Mage from shards of darkness, infused with the finest dwarven steel, and honed by his half-breed apprentice to near-vorpal sharpness, this blade was wielded by Barael, the famous bastard child of King Elespor Galdius.
It is said that it takes a warrior’s hand and a wizard’s mind to wield this blade and those crafted in it’s image. The original Witch-blade has many special properties, and is a demon-bane +2 hand-and-a-half sword. It has the same dispelling and counterspelling properties that all witch-blades share. In addition, it is an sentient weapon with a deadly thirst for the blood of those who lead the worship of abominations, such as the Spider Priests of the Shona’qua dark elves whom Barael led a vicious crusade against.
As its fame grew, the cultists of Shan’n’nur attempted to wrest this blade from Barael’s possession in order to learn the secrets of it’s construction. For many years the cult hounded him and would send agents after him whenever his travels brought him to the middle kingdoms.
The cult was never successful in subduing Barael or eliciting his cooperation, though they nearly succeeded once, when he was seduced by one of their agents. Eventually the leaders of the Shan’n’nur decided to abandon their efforts, as it was too great a drain on the organization’s mediocre resources.
Years of research later, the Shan’n’nur duplicated the witch-blade effect with the help of Barael’s old foe Faduardo Gantonín and began enchanting their long knives and swords with the property.
The Witch-blade: all witch blades share this property. They are ensorceled such that they may be used once a day to either remove or counter magical effects, but only in the hands of an arcane spellcaster. This property adds an additional 4,200 gold to the magic weapon’s cost and is the equivalent to an additional +1 enhancement for purposes of determining maximum weapon enchantment.
Eldritch Parry: As a standard action, they may be used to counterspell. When used in this way they function exactly as though the wielder had cast dispel magic to counterspell. All caster level checks use the wielder’s arcane caster character level.
Sever Spell: As a standard action they may be used to perform a targeted dispel magic. The blade must touch the target of the dispel, be it a creature, object, or continuing area spell. As with the counterspell ability, the blade uses the wielder’s arcane caster level when making the caster level check.
Moderate abjuration; CL 5th; must be a bladed weapon, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, dispel magic; Price 4,200 gold.
Author’s note: The Priest of Doom would like to thank The Sword for inspiration.
Posted in Magic Item and tagged Shan'n'nur, weapon by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Masks of the Shan’n’nur
The officials of the Shan’n’nur wear these masks during rituals and when in public performing their mysterious duties and enforcing the will of their cult in the cities.
As befits the wearers, the masks give the practitioners several abilities they find useful as they police the use of magic in the areas they control.
Lesser Mask of the Shan’n’nur
- charm person or cause fear: only works on on those who are not members of the Shan’n’nur – 3/day
- detect magic – at will
- detect evil/good/law/chaos: according to wearer’s alignment: the wearer can detect alignments opposite to hers – at will
Faint divination and enchantment; Caster Level 1st; charm person, cause fear, detect magic, and detect alignment, creator must be a member of the Shan’n’nur; Price: 4,200 gold, Weight 1 lb.
The master’s masks grant the following additional powers:
Greater Mask of the Shan’n’nur
- arcane sight for up to 5 minutes per day
- true seeing for up to 10 minutes per day
- analyze dweomer for 11 rounds, 1 / 3 days
Faint divination and enchantment; Caster Level 11th; analyze dweomer, true seeing, arcane sight, charm person, cause fear, detect magic, and detect alignment, creator must be a member of the Shan’n’nur; Price: 53,400 gold, Weight 1 lb.
Posted in Magic Item and tagged face, Shan'n'nur, wondrous item by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.