Controversy time: Nova Vaasa

[tomokaicho]

Ah yes. Nova Vaasa. The land of the oft-touted continuity flaws.

Nova Vaasa is different to the rest of the Dread Domains in that it has five moons. Or is that one moon? This is a minor point of contention, really. Five moons or one doesn't change much. What is different is the vast differences in the nature of the domain.

In The Enemy Within, Nova Vaasa was portrayed as a land where religion had withered away.

The gods had long since become "unfashionable" in Nova Vaasa. A few country folk still worshiped various deities, but the majority of citizens had ceased to search for the sacred in their daily lives. There was little wonderment in the world to inspire awe and respect for some distant divinity. Nor were there many dangers in the land that would not fall to a sword blow or arrow. Traditional clerical duties had gradually become the responsibility of others. Herbalists healed without divine intervention; people learned to rely on themselves rather than favours from a divinity. Other responsibilities fell to the government, such as weddings and, less happily, funerals. As mayor of Kantora, it was Osric Laars's duty to attend the king's funeral; as friend of the dead man, it was his privilege.

Realm of Terror, the original Ravenloft Boxed Set, does not mention religion in Nova Vaasa at all. Domains and Denizens from the Red Boxed Set also has no mention of any Nova Vaasan religion. The adventure module The Awakening mentions no religion and no Bane/Lawgiver. The first of any religion in Nova Vaasa that I can find is mention of the Church of Bane being the official religion of Nova Vaasa in Domains of Dread.

Despite this, it isn't clear that the Church of Bane/Lawgiver has the fanatical following among the masses that it is given in later products. The Church of Bane/Lawgiver is an interesting addition, but I prefer the masses to be tepid in their faith, with the Church supported by a "church tax" administered by the state, like some countries in Europe. The church tax keeps these churches on life support, where otherwise they would probably wither away.

What is YOUR preference?

[Mistmaster]

I prefer the Gazetteeer version.

[alhoon]

The Gazetteers are, in short, awesome so it's not a big surprise there.

[IanFordam]

Personally, I'm more interested in the politics among the five families and, of course, the tension between the recognized civic authorities and Malken's criminal underworld. I would play the Church of the Lawgiver as an influential faction but no more dominating than any of the five families or Malken.

[tomokaicho]

Personally, I'm more interested in the politics among the five families and, of course, the tension between the recognized civic authorities and Malken's criminal underworld. I would play the Church of the Lawgiver as an influential faction but no more dominating than any of the five families or Malken.

Right. Having a very powerful religion with secular influence really changes the political dynamic, especially when the leader of the religion is clearly a Pope figure (the Divine Fist of the Lawgiver).

I think that Christie Golden did a good job with The Enemy Within, and didn't really contradict any canon that existed when she wrote the book. Had there been a very powerful church there, the story would have been very different.

I think it makes more sense for the Church of the Lawgiver to have been a minor sect at the death of King Kethmar (although, in later canon he is not king merely prince). When Prince Othmar assumes the throne, he names the Lawgiver religion the official religion of Nova Vaasa, and in turn receives support of the church. Otherwise it doesn't really make sense that the Church of the Lawgiver would support the Bolshnik family against the backlash of the other families.

[IanFordam]

I think it makes more sense for the Church of the Lawgiver to have been a minor sect at the death of King Kethmar (although, in later canon he is not king merely prince). When Prince Othmar assumes the throne, he names the Lawgiver religion the official religion of Nova Vaasa, and in turn receives support of the church. Otherwise it doesn't really make sense that the Church of the Lawgiver would support the Bolshnik family against the backlash of the other families.

Yeah, that fits with what I was thinking.

[Mistmaster]

In the Mistworld the Church of Zhakata the Lawgiver is an important player and Nova Vaasa's state religion .