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    The Church of Xan-Yae in the City of Greyhawk
    Posted on Sun, September 02, 2001 by Tizoc
    MerricB writes "This uses a slightly different version of the City and the Faith of Xan-Yae than most people are used to from Erik Mona's writings. Dates are purposefully left out of this article to allow inclusion in ongoing campaigns.

    Author: MerricB



    The Church of Xan-Yae in the City of Greyhawk
    By: MerricB (merricb@yahoo.co.uk)
    (Used with Permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.)

    The Church of Xan-Yae never had a strong following in the City of Greyhawk. A few years ago, this changed when a particularly dynamic High Priestess of the faith was chosen, Xanetia.

    Xanetia saw an opportunity to spread the word of the faith further, so with funds acquired from an early life spent adventuring, she set up a chapter of the faith in the City of Greyhawk. With uncharacteristic openness for a priestess of Xan-Yae, she built a small temple in the heart of the Foreign Quarter. In co-operation with the priesthood of Ehlonna, Xanetia announced that the church of Xan-Yae would fund an archery contest during Richfest that year.

    The archery contest was a great success, and further contests were planned for future festivals. Meanwhile, the church began to attract more members as the tenets of physical perfection and mind over matter proved attractive to some of the more adventurous (or larcenous) of the citizenry.

    Although happy with the spreading of the faith, the church in the west was rather less happy with the reinterpretation of certain aspects of the doctrine. With conservative elements gaining the upper hand in the western power struggles, a deputy was assigned to Xanetia, Yeven, a master of doctrinal theology.

    Unsurprisingly, Xanetia and Yeven did not get along very well. However, further undermining of Xanetia's position was prevented by her popularity, and the discovery in the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk of The Medallion of Zuokan, reputed to be the holy symbol of Xan-Yae carried by her most puissant servant. (Zuokan is the demi-god servant of Xan-Yae, and is thought to be imprisoned somewhere).

    Things were brought to a head a couple of years later just before the Richfest festival began, when the Medallion of Zuokan was stolen by a thief. Divinations revealed that the thief had fled into the dungeons beneath Castle Greyhawk, but had there perished to one of the many traps. An expedition recovered the medallion, but in doing so found that the thief had uncovered a statue of Xan-Yae!

    Further investigations revealed further evidence of an abandoned Temple of Xan-Yae, reached through a teleporter in Castle Greyhawk. Within its confines the priests discovered several ancient scrolls of prophecy, foretelling a time when the church would be split and the Balance imperilled, and a method for combatting this time.

    At this point, Xanetia took ill, and died shortly thereafter. Although nothing was proved, her supporters believed it was the result of poison. Yeven became leader of the church in Greyhawk, and began discontinuing several non-orthodox practices.

    Then came the Night of Assassins. It was during the Brewfest festival. Yeven was planning to discontinue the archery contest, but he had not yet stopped it, and he was compelled to attend. During the final round, the leading archer suddenly changed his aim and killed Yeven with a Black Arrow of Iuz. Confusion ensued, of course. That night, whilst the temple was still trying to deal with the assassination, black-clad figures poured into the temple and killed everyone there; only a couple of priests escaped with their lives, and the Church of Xan-Yae's presence in Greyhawk was at an end.

    Currently, there are two survivors of the purge. Yahlos, a war-priest of the faith, and Xelia, a mystic with certain gifts of prophecy. (They were investigating the hidden temple at the time.) Together they are seeking the truth behind the purge and Zuokan's disappearance, for they may be connected. Rumour states that Starlin Farr, the assassin of Yeven has repented of his deeds and has joined them in their quest.

     



    Note: Urban, Zuoken"
     
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    Re: The Church of Xan-Yae in the City of Greyhawk (Score: 1)
    by Taras on Mon, September 03, 2001
    (User Info | Send a Message)
    Interesting. I always did prefer reading about the religion more than the god. There's just so much more you can do with the details on the fath (whether the doctrine and structure or the actual followers and temples).

    Is this the setup for an ongoing campaign? It sounds like it should be one if it's not. And if it is, will more details of it make their way online to be seen?



    Re: The Church of Xan-Yae in the City of Greyhawk (Score: 1)
    by MTG (mtizoc@canonfire.com) on Thu, September 06, 2001
    (User Info | Send a Message)
    So devotees of Ehlonna and Xan-Yae collaborate?

    I like this idea. Where else in the Flanaess have these faiths cooperated?





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