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Anticlion Son of Semnion
Acolyte
USA
6 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 06:50:57
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Hello all,
It occurred to me the other day that in the sourcebooks and novels we have seen the emergence of more and more "Chosen," by which I comprehend not just the Chosen of Mystra--who are, as High Lord Greenwood has taken pains to repeat, special in their own right--but all individuals who are empowered by a deity in a manner above and beyond that of a god's clergy and paladins. Such individuals are usually given, in addition to wondrous powers that reflect the nature of the divine benefactor in question, longevity and a specific mission tied to the aims of the deity.
In the beginning, we had only the Chosen of Mystra (the greatest of the Chosen, in my opinion). Now, we have Chosen of Mask, a Chosen of Lolth, a Chosen of Gruumsh, a Chosen of Deneir, a Chosen of Bane, and a Chosen of the Seldarine--and by no means is the preceding list exhaustive.
My question is if the growth of the numbers of these special beings is real rather than just seemingly so. In other words, has their really been an increase in the number of Chosen, or is it that we are just aware of more now? If the answer is that the growth is indeed real, can we attribute it to the fact that other deities have noted the effectiveness of Chosen as special agents? Particularly the effectiveness of the Chosen of Mystra? Or is it that Ao's decree, delivered at the end of the Time of Troubles, that a deity's power would be more directly tied to the conditions of his or her mortal worshippers, responsible for the creation of more Chosen? (presumably these Chosen would, in addition to carrying out special missions, rally the faithful and embolden their religiosity through example and deed, perhaps even attracting new worshipers thereby)
I envision the Chosen as the elite mortal forces of the deity, in contradistinction to the regular clergy who do the grunt work of maintaining the faith and expanding it. Hence, I am persuaded to think that the Gods would now be scrambling to create their own Chosen as a means of giving their influence in the Realms a more precise and steady reach, and that they would be even more compelled to make Chosen if their competitors have set about doing so.
Any thoughts?
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"It is well known that, while reason embraces a cold mediocrity, our passions hurry us, with rapid violence, over the space which lies between the most opposite extremes." -Edward Gibbon |
Edited by - Anticlion Son of Semnion on 27 Apr 2006 06:53:50
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 07:06:07
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The Chosen Arms-Race, as I choose to called it, no pun intended, actually happened throughout 2e and continues into 3.5e. :) There has to be about 30 canon Chosen with Mystra topping the list, of course.
This is the list that many of us put together:
Canon Chosens
Mystra
Elminster
Storm Silverhand
Laeral Silverhand
Alustrial Silverhand
Qilue Veladorn
Sylune Silverhand
Khelben Arunson
Dove Falconhand
The Simbul
Noumea Drathchuld (the last current magister, before the current magister Talatha Vaerovree of Innarlith was raised to the office)
Alvaerele Tasundrym (She was the Magister back in 576 to 592DR. She's called the Silent Chosen and most have no idea she exists. She guards things the old Mystra wanted to keep secret, like where the Srinshee sleeps. She also makes sure to keep human, half-elven, and elven family trees up to date so they don’t become lost)
Symrustar Auglamyr (Deceased, according to Steven Schend)
The Srinshee
Embrae Aloevan of Ardeep
Sammaster (ExChosen)
Nadrathen, the Rebel Chosen (deceased)
Bane
Fzoul Chembryl
Cyric
Malik el Sami yn Nasser
Deneir
Cadderly Bonaduce
Pertelope (deceased)
Eilistraee
Qilue Veladorn
Eldath
Ashenford Torinbow
Lady Shadowmoon Crystalembers
Shinthala Deepcrest
Gilgleam
Shuruppak (ExChosen since Gilgleam's death)
Mask
Kesson Rel
Avner of Hartsvale
Erevis Cale
Drasek Riven
Mielikki
Jeryth Phaulkon
Ashenford Torinbow
Lady Shadowmoon Crystalembers
Shinthala Deepcrest
Oghma
Sephris Dwendon
Shar
Underdark said she has one, but name and race wasn't given.
Silvanus
Ashenford Torinbow
Lady Shadowmoon Crystalembers
Shinthala Deepcrest
Talona
The Rotting man (Unapproachable East)
Ubtao
Alisandra Rayburton
Dhlamass Rayburton
Ras Ni
Fipya
Kwalu
Mainu
Ossaw I
Umberlee
Slarkrathel
Malar
Anth-Malar
Lolth
Liriel Baenre (possibly but might be a ExChosen)
Another but I don't want to spoil a certain set of novels
Merrshaulk/Sseth
Pil'it'ith (ExChosen)
Sehanine Moonbow
Embrae Aloevan of Ardeep
Labelas Enoreth
Vartan Hai Sylver
The Seldarine (elven pantheon)
Queen Amlaruil of Evermeet
Ilyrana |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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Anticlion Son of Semnion
Acolyte
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 07:09:51
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My thanks, Kuje. Please pardon my ignorance. |
"It is well known that, while reason embraces a cold mediocrity, our passions hurry us, with rapid violence, over the space which lies between the most opposite extremes." -Edward Gibbon |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 07:12:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Anticlion Son of Semnion
My thanks, Kuje. Please pardon my ignorance.
That's okay. I was surprised there were so many as we worked on the list. :) |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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Shadovar
Senior Scribe
785 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 11:40:11
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Hmm...based on what i am reading from these posts, it is clear that the Realms are indeed facing a sort of Chosen "arms-race". We have Gruumsh Chosen as Obould and Moradin's Champion as Bruenor who answers the challenge of Gruumsh and so on. We have Mask's Chosen as Erevis Cale and the one eye Zhent as well as three mysterious Maskarran Chosen. For Finder there is the Rebel Bard Joel.
I think these days, the deities since the Time of Troubles had lost many followers due to loss of faith or other similar reasons, the oldern method of clerical sermon and clerical preaching these days in the realms isn't winning followers as fast as those Pre-TOT days when the cleric's word goes a long way. Hence, having a Chosen would serve as a role model of their teachings, a living embodiment of their teachings and someone who could on the spot demonstrate the glories of his/her patron by showing live demonstrations of his/her special power and how he/she managed to live by the teachings under different situations. So in a way, the Chosen would serve as shining examples of the dieties' faith and draw the masses closer to the deities' faith.
But having a Chosen can be a huge investment and risky gamble to the deity and having even more Chosen can heighten the risks as it is quite well known not all Chosen of the deities act by the deities teachings and hence tarnish the divine reputation.
Unlike those days when the Chosen are tested time and again to prove their worthiness and faith, these days the Chosen are just chosen by hastiness and the need to keep up with the opponent actions regardless of the Chosen's personality(example Erevis don't seem to really emobody the teachings of Mask and Malik can't even say a decent lie), hence it appears the Chosen of the deities these days are less outstanding as examples of their deities' will.
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We have fostered trust, recruited loyalty, and gathered the faithful. We have trained thousands. Our legions can cover the land, fill the sky and travel through the darkness. We can hunt any and all that would deny our heritage. Now is our time, now is the time of the Dark Reign(Rain) of the Empire of Shadows.
- High Prince Telemont Tanthul, Lord Shadow
In a speech given to the citizens of Shade Enclave
At the celebration of the Shinantra Battle victory when he revealed that he was THE Lord Shadow of legend. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2006 : 13:10:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
quote:
Originally posted by Anticlion Son of Semnion
My thanks, Kuje. Please pardon my ignorance.
That's okay. I was surprised there were so many as we worked on the list. :)
Indeed.
Certainly the Chosen who are the frequent focus of sourcebooks and novels are almost always the more obvious and well known. It's when you start digging and pulling out the older references and some of the newer ones, especially when Chosens for other deities became "all the rage" so to speak, the listing really started coming together.
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The New Divine Arms Race?
