Anshar – some questions on followers

Please note: whatever her origins, so far it seems that Ansgar is toeing Illiir’s line. Because of this, I would bet that the human-kin and Dwarf followers of hers would go to the Cauldron and not through Kassegore’s digestive tract because Illiir would command it so and Beltine would enforce it since Anshar/Yig has no domain over the soul.

As for the val’Holryn there are many reasons why they could mimic their powers, not the least of which is that there is references to the Inares in the First Imperium, but the first reference to the Holryn family is during the Theocracy of the Cleansing Flame. They may just be able to mimic all that came before them.

NEVER trust an IC post by one of Eric (Hughes) PC’s. Illiir knows I don’t. Better yet, don’t trust his opinions on Arcanis Cosmology either. He’s been known to jump in the deep end of the Gulf of Yarris for fun. That and he has been proudly proclaiming support for the silence on this side of the pacific.

moving right along…..

While this may be completely wrong, if the Ansharans/val’Inares souls went somewhere ‘else’, you’d think think that over the past 5,000 years or so that the Beltinians would have made note of it. That said, I also think that there should be more in-character notices that the val’Inares ‘disappear’ around Middle Age and more commentaries on that too. . .

Personal view: if Anshar was “outed” just before the Khitani split, I would expect that the Khitani would be more willing to call her Yig. My read is that they were told by Sleepy that Anshar and Ansharans are not to be trusted and she became taboo. This could be why ul’Shi Dao references her association with serpents as more of a superstition than a direct link.

First of all, I put a little more faith in Illiir. The, “Hey I’m your long lost sister,” idea is a great story for the masses, but considering that the PoM may be a construct of various gods who decided to unite (and thus not really a family at all) or some other organization, I don’t think Illiir was duped by any such claim. Especially since, even if they were all a family, I suspect he would know if he had a sister. So I suspect Illiir made a political call – Yig was more valuable/useful inside the pantheon than outside. Let’s face it, from what we can tell, she departed with them to go fight Oblivion, and an extra goddess in that fight is nothing to sneeze at.

I also find it interesting to look at not just what god’s have done, but what they haven’t done that effect the order of the world. The main one is the brief departure of Yig and Kassegore, just in time for the Ssethrics to lose (again) to the Elorii, and the Varn to gain power among the Ssethrics. If they had stayed, as Kassegore had originally desired, they would have possibly won, and been in power when the PoM appeared. This would potentially put them directly in Umor’s path, or the PoM’s. Instead, by departing when they did, they left Umor to meet the Elorii, and in turn be destroyed by the PoM. The Ssethric gods and PoM have never been in conflict – making us natural allies! Something made easier by Yig being part of the PoM. And who knows what went before. For all we know Kassegore infiltrated the PoM many years earlier, as Nier already (before the Valinor were handed out/created, so he has them).

There are other interesting things they haven’t done – like not killing the lead god of the race they wiped out earlier in time. Instead just tying him to a rock. That just seems like all kinds of stupid – unless he still has a part to play…. (But that has nothing to do with Anshar)

My theory about Kassegore is that he is Illir, or he was a part of Illir. Perfection’s price.

I have always suspected that Umor is the creator God. Sort of like Umor is to Illir like Chronos is to Zeus.

That being said, when was Kassegore last heard from? What is Umor = Kassegore=Creator God. It would raise interesting questions about the “Yig is Anshar”

Here is a quote from the Ssethregor book, pg 102. It is what the “Daughter’s of the Hidden Adder” (followers of Yig) profess to believe:

On the eve of the battle for Belestor, Kassegore, the Dreaming God and the Master of Prophecy fell into a deep slumber, his unfathomable mind searching through time and space, looking for hints as to the future of his children. Long he searched and further than ever before he stretched his divine influence, seeking answers to the questions wracking his mind. What he discovered was a great power, destined to wrap this world in a veil of darkness more pronounced and infinite than the chaos from which he formed the world. He saw the coming of the children of the sun and their heretical Godlings of chaos and unrest. He watched as the Dark One made pacts with the enemies of his creations and the breaking of the world. All this passed before his timeless gaze.

(snip) The two Gods contemplated this matter and decided that they would oppose this destruction with all of their formidable power.

(snip) The Queen of the Insidious Fang formulated a devious plan, one whose brilliance is of unfathomable magnitude. They would be ready for the coming troubles and they had a way to prepare their children

That story is the earliest indication we have heard about planning for and reaction to the coming of the Silence, and the PoM. If true, it gives us a lot of information about the goals/plans of Kassegore and Yig. Originally upon reading it I thought that it might indicate that something other than Umor might be the “Dark One” (my original thought was that it might be the sorcerer king), and Umor might be “misunderstood.” I know some others have thought that Umor might have been Kassegore, but I don’t think so. What convinced me that Umor was indeed the one that made the deal with the silence was this passage from the year 5 module from the last campaign, To Peel the Veil of Lightness and Dark.

Screaming and trembling, she calls out, “No more! I wish to see no more!” But her words are unheeded as the Dark Moon that circles Arcanis shatters and rains down on the world. Cities that are easily recognized, yet subtly changed take form before you – Naraanth, Entaris, Nishanpur, Panari, Grand Coryan and even the First City itself, engulfed in a blue-white, crackling wave and then are gone, only the blackness of the Void and complete silence remains.

Suddenly, the endless, blank image undergoes a startling transformation as an inhuman shape
appears, with a slick, smooth, elongated and eyeless head and snapping jaws. The creature reaches out and looms over Imdara, when it is dissipated by the body of one of her guards who flung himself at the apparition

Now that seems to indicate a pretty strong connection between the silence and the dark moon, right? Additionally, I found this in the The Theocracy of Canceri pg 15:

Undeterred, Leonydas led his army unerringly to the ancient Citadel of Nier in the Blessed Lands. Once he arrived, he had his army camp about the Citadel and with only his personal guard, entered the ruined fortress. What occurred therein is known only to the Heavens and his entourage never emerged from the Citadel and that when the black moon loomed at it apex over Onara the Nierite army was attacked from beneath the very ground by their ancient nemesis – the Voiceless Ones.

And while there is nothing direct there, there does seem to be a connection between the dark moon and the silence. Finally there is quite a bit of connection with the Dark Moon and the Silence in the year three story, “The Storm”

With this simple declaration, an image appears to their mind’s eye. The image slowly focuses, becoming a barren black plain. Obsidian perhaps? The vision moves, scanning the horizon. A green orb and a blue and green orb hang just over a large obsidian building. A fortress? A temple? The vision moves into the citadel, into a central chamber where there are twelve figures standing around a brilliantly glowing orb. The twelve figures are wwearing robes… priest robes? Robes of ancient High Priests? As one, they begin to speak…. or chant… or make some type of noise… but the vision fades..

(snip) As he falls to unconsciousness, he sees… 12 clerics in a black chamber, gathered around something.

(snip) Xym sees a ball of glowing light… in a temple… surrounded by….

(snip) The last thing he sees is… clerics… chanting in a dark room… it’s important…

(snip) The last thing Temujin sees as the creatures feast on him, is… a temple on a dark moon. 12 clerics are surrounding a glowing orb. They begin to make a noise… it is important… oh so important…

So, from the prophecy it seems clear that Kassegore is opposed to the silence, and from everything else it appears that the possible release of Umor trapped in the dark moon would be favored by the silence, it seems that it is unlikely that Kassegore is the silence or Umor. It also convinced me that Umor isn’t misunderstood, he really is the big bad end of the world to the Silence. It doesn’t answer who he was in relationship to the PoM – their “father”? Just one of them who grew in power by making deals with the Silence? An intruder? I’d love to hear what others think.

As for when Kassegore was last heard from? I believe that when the Val’Sosi were created one of their number was a Ssressen, and that afterward he then underwent a “purification ritual” where he died and came back santified by Kassegore. It is believed that Kassegore was directly involved in that process – so that would be the last time we saw a direct action by Kassegore that I know of.