Maanzar, the Grand Strategist

Maanzar (/maːnzaːɻ/) is the god of war, strategy, cunning, and deception. His followers include tricksters of all stripes, from thieves to street magicians to military tacticians.

History

The Age of Dawn

Maanzar rose to godhood during the first age of mortals, known as the Age of Dawn. The story of their mortal life before ascension is steeped in confusion, as is typical of stories from this time. What is known is this: in their youth, Maanzar was a trickster and a thief, stealing from others for their own gain. After many years abroad, their elder brother Amvald tracked them down in the hopes of turning Maanzar down a path of redemption for his selfish past. Being Maanzar's brother, Amvald knew the young thief's heart well enough to sway it, and Maanzar joined their siblings in their journey to better the world.

The Rending War

When the emperor Hanzou of Vurus sent his armies across the Vassalier Ocean to Eloqua, Maanzar and his siblings became pivotal figures in the ensuing war. While Amvald, Strannen and Nondra traveled to the throne room of Vurus, where they would do battle against Hanzou himself, Maanzar remained on Eloqua to push back against Vurus' armies. Using their talents for trickery and strategy, Maanzar directed his own makeshift militias in battle against troops led by Vurusian general Grunmug, ultimately defeating their armies and all but ending the war. However, though the jaws of their final trap snapped shut on Grunmug, the general managed to throw his spear at Maanzar's heart, and the weapon struck true. Maanzar fell, but rather than returning to the Ether, their soul was gifted divine might by Vimeri as reward for both their aid in felling Grunmug and for Maanzar's dedication to redeeming themself.

Description

Appearance

Maanzar is a fire giant with ashen skin and short, windblown hair the color of smoldering embers. They wear a suit of leather armor over simple coal-black garments meant to draw as little attention as possible. Though they wield a set of twin daggers, Maanzar's true weapon is the Tactician's Key, a magical scroll with divinatory powers, which hangs in a silver scroll case on Maanzar's side.

Personality

Maanzar is a quiet, secretive god who keeps their desires close to their chest. They have, however, been known to occasionally speak to their followers through cryptic visions or prophecies.

Worshipers

Rogues and bards make up the bulk of Maanzar's worshipers, as their particular skill sets rely on the tricks and traps which Maanzar delights in. military strategists, diplomats, thieves, and con artists are all equally likely to worship Maanzar. The Grand Strategist does not require goodness of their followers, though they sought redemption for themself when mortal, thus making them an appealing choice for brigands and heroes alike. Worship of the god tends to increase during times of war, as soldiers tend to put their faith more in Maanzar than in the strategies of their commanding officers.
There is no unified religious organization dedicated to Maanzar, though the champions of Amvald and Vimeri speak highly of the god.

Edicts and Anathema

Edicts

• Plan and prepare before battle

• Use deceit or trickery to your advantage

• Create tricks and traps to ensnare your foes

Anathema

• Rush headlong into battle

• Act without thinking or act on emotion alone

• Needlessly stray from a plan

• Lose a battle or competition when the option to win through trickery was possible

Artifacts

Places of Worship and Holy Sites

Deity Information

Titles
The Grand Strategist
Classification
Ascended God
Portfolio
War, Strategy, Cunning, Deception
Symbols
Rolled parchment crushed in a clenched gauntlet
Divine Realm
-
Alignment
Chaotic Good
Gender
Nonbinary
Presentation
Androgynous
Pronouns
They/Them

---

Worship

Worshipers
Bards, rogues, con artists, strategists, soldiers
Holy Days
----
Major Temples and Holy Sites
----