Maanzecorian
Encyclopedia
In many campaign setting
s for the Dungeons & Dragons
role-playing game
, Maanzecorian is the illithid
deity of knowledge and philosophy. His symbol is a silver crown set with a red gem.
Maanzecorian was killed by Tenebrous
while the latter was trying to return to his former existence as the Demon Prince
Orcus
.
(1992). His death was reported in the Planescape
adventure Dead Gods
(1997), and depicted on page 37, with its aftereffects depicted on page 18.
, although he did keep some secrets from the more powerful deity.
The philosopher-god sometimes dispatched avatars to meditate or share knowledge with his small priesthood or, on particularly propitious occasions, to help negotiate with other races.
Two of Maanzecorian's servants were illithids called Hananolith and Dleniacorus. Both of them died shortly after their master.
. He has a vast library of arcane works in his palace. His palace is sumptuously furnished with jet, jade, ivory, marble, and skins of many different creatures.
A portal from Rictus led to Chariamur, an old open-pit mine located between the realms of Ilsensine and Gzemnid
in the Outlands, where servants of Maanzecorian would come to spy on Ilsensine. The Rotting Oracle was a former temple to Juiblex
built in the bottom of the mine; two pillars in the half-sunken building formed the portal.
overthrew the empire.
Tenebrous (the undead spirit of he who once was Orcus) sought out many gods of knowledge in an attempt to find a deity who knew the location of his lost Wand. One of the first of his victims was Maanzecorian; Tenebrous used the Last Word, a powerful magical effect, to strike the god dead. Tenebrous then stood over the corpse of the deity, absorbing the eons of collected secrets the dead deity released. Unfortunately, none of the secrets were the location of Orcus's wand, forcing Tenebrous to continue his quest elsewhere.
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
s for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, Maanzecorian is the illithid
Illithid
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, illithids are monstrous humanoid aberrations with psionic powers. In a typical Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting, they live in the moist caverns and cities of the enormous Underdark...
deity of knowledge and philosophy. His symbol is a silver crown set with a red gem.
Maanzecorian was killed by Tenebrous
Orcus (Dungeons & Dragons)
Orcus is the fictional demon prince, and lord of the undead in many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. He is named after Orcus of Roman mythology. His symbol is a mace with a human skull as the head...
while the latter was trying to return to his former existence as the Demon Prince
Demon lord (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demon lords are demons who have gained great power and established a position of preeminence among demonkind. Each demon lord has a unique appearance and set of abilities. Most control at least one layer of the Abyss...
Orcus
Orcus (Dungeons & Dragons)
Orcus is the fictional demon prince, and lord of the undead in many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. He is named after Orcus of Roman mythology. His symbol is a mace with a human skull as the head...
.
Publication history
Maanzecorian first appeared in second edition AD&D in Monster MythologyMonster Mythology
Monster Mythology is a sourcebook for the second edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Released by TSR in 1992 and written by Carl Sargent, with interior illustrations by Terry Dykstra, John and Laura Lakey, and Keith Parkinson, Monster Mythology was released as a companion volume for...
(1992). His death was reported in the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
adventure Dead Gods
Dead Gods
Dead Gods is an adventure module for the second edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. The book was published in 1997, and was written by Monte Cook, with cover art by rk post and interior art by rk post, Adam Rex, and Josh Timbrook.-Plot summary:Dead Gods is...
(1997), and depicted on page 37, with its aftereffects depicted on page 18.
Description
Maanzecorian appeared as a 10 feet (3 m) illithid with purple and green skin and yellowed tusks on either side of his tentacles. A silver crown always levitated above his head. The gem set in his crown acts as a gem of brightness, though this light creates no negative effects for illithids.Relationships
Maanzecorian was always deferential to IlsensineIlsensine
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Ilsensine is the patron deity of illithids . While not the creator of illithids, Ilsensine sees mind flayers as the entities most worthy of dominating the universe...
, although he did keep some secrets from the more powerful deity.
The philosopher-god sometimes dispatched avatars to meditate or share knowledge with his small priesthood or, on particularly propitious occasions, to help negotiate with other races.
Two of Maanzecorian's servants were illithids called Hananolith and Dleniacorus. Both of them died shortly after their master.
Realm
Maanzecorian's realm of Rictus was located on the plane of GehennaGehenna (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Gehenna , is a plane of existence of neutral evil/lawful evil alignment...
. He has a vast library of arcane works in his palace. His palace is sumptuously furnished with jet, jade, ivory, marble, and skins of many different creatures.
A portal from Rictus led to Chariamur, an old open-pit mine located between the realms of Ilsensine and Gzemnid
Gzemnid
Gzemnid is a fictional deity in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It is a beholder deity. Gzemnid is the beholder deity of gases, fogs, obscurement, and deception.-Publication history:...
in the Outlands, where servants of Maanzecorian would come to spy on Ilsensine. The Rotting Oracle was a former temple to Juiblex
Juiblex
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Juiblex, also called The Faceless Lord, is the demon lord of Slimes and Oozes. Juiblex's lair is on the 222nd layer of the Abyss, which he shares with Zuggtmoy, the Demoness Lady of Fungi. In Gary Gygax's Gord novels, Juiblex is alternately called Szhublox...
built in the bottom of the mine; two pillars in the half-sunken building formed the portal.
Dogma
Maanzecorian believes that illithids are the natural masters of all the multiverse, and that other races are only fit to be food or slaves. However, unlike his master Ilsensine, Maanzecorian believes that there are some things that illithids may profitably learn from other races before devouring them, and that the pleasure of eating is even greater after lingering to anticipate it.Worshippers
Maanzecorian's small priesthood concerned itself with the pursuit of knowledge, exploration of new territory, and the exploiting of knowledge they had gained. They would negotiate with other races, but only from a position of strength.Temples
A sealed, ruined temple on the distant world of Penumbra contains Maanzecorian's last, faded avatar. If this avatar is destroyed, the last vestige of Maanzecorian's power will have vanished from the multiverse.History
Maanzecorian was already a deity long ago, when the great illithid empire dominated multiple worlds and planes. At least one temple was erected to him on distant Penumbra, the illithid capital; this temple was abandoned after the ancestors of the githyankiGithyanki
The githyanki are a fictional humanoid race in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. They are cousins to the githzerai. In the Dark Sun setting, they are simply called gith...
overthrew the empire.
Tenebrous (the undead spirit of he who once was Orcus) sought out many gods of knowledge in an attempt to find a deity who knew the location of his lost Wand. One of the first of his victims was Maanzecorian; Tenebrous used the Last Word, a powerful magical effect, to strike the god dead. Tenebrous then stood over the corpse of the deity, absorbing the eons of collected secrets the dead deity released. Unfortunately, none of the secrets were the location of Orcus's wand, forcing Tenebrous to continue his quest elsewhere.
Additional reading
- Grubb, JeffJeff GrubbJeff Grubb is an author and game designer. He has worked on a number of computer and role-playing games and has written a number of successful novels, short stories and comics...
, David NoonanDavid Noonan (game designer)David Noonan is an author of several products and articles for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from Wizards of the Coast.-Role-playing games:...
, and Bruce CordellBruce CordellBruce Robert Cordell is an American author of roleplaying games and fantasy novels. He won the Origins Award for Return to the Tomb of Horrors and has won several ENnies as well...
. Manual of the PlanesManual of the PlanesThe Manual of the Planes is a manual for the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game. This text addresses the planar cosmology of the game universe....
. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001. Page 111.
- McComb, ColinColin McCombColin McComb is an American writer and game designer born in Evanston, Illinois. He is married to musician Robin Moulder. They currently live in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, with their two children...
. On Hallowed GroundOn Hallowed GroundOn Hallowed Ground is an accessory book for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, for the Planescape campaign setting.-Contents:This book contains information about deities' planar domains from 20 separate pantheons...
. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1996.