Storm Soldiers -- Consistency Errata
by Bruce Heard I checked in the origins of the
Heldannic Knights, finally. There is one nasty bit of inconsistency
in the Dawn of the Emperors (DotE) boxed set. In the DM's
Sourcebook, Thanatos is the main instigator behind the Hattian
Storm Soldiers, while in the player's book, they are worshipers of
Vanya.
Harumpf...
Sorry for that clunker, folks. Let's see if I can come up with a
patch for this one.
Thanatos indeed was the instigator of the Hattian Storm Soldiers.
He passed himself off as Heinrich Oesterhaus and controlled the
Storm Soldiers through magic and suggestions. This smacked of
direct intervention and eventually Thanatos had to retire, staging
his "death" around AC1004.
Meanwhile, Vanya noticed his subterfuge. She started a small church
following in Hattias in AC 940, and later sent dreams to some of
the more influent Storm Soldiers to join this new warriors' church.
Clerics of Vanya knew to dispel any charm or mind-control spells
that may have been cast upon visiting Storm Soldiers. Most remained
with the church. It wasn't long before the Storm Soldiers split
into two groups, the ones under Thanatos' influence, and the
others actually worshipping Vanya.
Around AC 945 the Church of Vanya becomes entirely separate from
the Storm Soldiers. It had enough following on its own and ceased
targeting the Storm Soldiers. In AC 950, Vanya's clerics leave
Hattias to conquer the Heldann Freeholds. They leave nothing behind
in Hattias, as a sign to all that there is no turning back.
After Thanatos' departure Hansel Oesterhaus, the son of the late
Heinrich and Thanatos' mortal minion, remains as the Hattian
clique's top dog to perpetrate even more crimes against the Thyatis
Empire. Some ties remains between the Storm Soldiers and the
Heldannic Knights, especially among the sect called Fist of
Hattias. It isn't rare when a Storm Soldier in trouble with the
Imperial Law leaves to join the Heldannic Knights.