Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 13 Jul 2002 to 14 Jul 2002 (#2002-181) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 15/07/2002, 17:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 3 messages totalling 311 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Mystaran Almanac: AC1018 Events (a short review) (2) 2. Church of Karameikos ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.dnd.starflung.com/ To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 14 Jul 2002 03:36:02 -0700 From: Herve Musseau Subject: Re: Mystaran Almanac: AC1018 Events (a short review) From: DM I will give a few comments on your review. Not so much to try to change your opinion on parts you like or don't like (it is normal everyone should prefer some events and found others less interesting) but to answer some of your questions or concerns. > I downloaded the less bulky version of events, that's to say RTF document, and it came out smooth and well edited, so my praise to the Editors as usual (kudos to Hervé and Geoff ;)). Thanks. You may also want to eventually download the pdf and print it out, as it conveys a very different feeling of the almanac, thanks to the illustrations, the different layout and font, not to mention the fact that it is more enjoyable to read a book on paper than on screen. > I liked the fact that many events were kept brief and not too extensive, coz this facilitates the reading process and doesn't bore the reader. I also liked the fact that the big events were interspersed with less important and flavor events, which just make the setting more real and living, IMHO (like the deeds of the Darokinian thief "Shadow" or the hin voyages -I expect much from the hin pilgrimage to Davania next year!- or the Thyatian scandals here and there). The various authors should be thanked for that. > Heldannic Civil War (spoiler) Btw, I think that with this turn of events, the heldannic nation will be scaled down a lot in power in the next future... which leaves Thyatis the biggest player in the world geopolitical scenario in the years to come! Interesting turn of events, no? Though mostly unintentional, it somewhat reflects the RW geopolitical scene, with only one empire remaining the sole big player (Thyatis as the USA), while another empire that was its greatest contender has lost a great deal of its strength and is trying to remain important yet has clearly taken a step back (Alphatia / USSR-Russia). A confederation is trying to unify but is more divided than united (Nayce as the EU). Other empires that were deemed less important during the height of the Thyatis-Alphatia cold war are trying to become the next big players (Hule, Heldannic Order and others as China and others). I guess it means we will need more writers for Thyatis... > Some were definitely good and interesting, others were simply average (mainly burocratic events told). I was a bit surprised by Eusebius's declaration at the end of the year, especially since he should have noticed the problems that NAYCE and the Heldannics are having, and so it should have been clear this was the right moment to exploit Thyatis' seemingly better situation to gain new ground in the Old WOrld (which is mainly what they are doing in norwold, I reckon.. but why stopping if you have a lucky hand? ;)) I thought it was because they would proceed not military, but economically. Thyatis is not only the only big player left militarily, but economically it's even more clear, I think. Nayce is an economic dwarf (Alphatia was never much into economics), and Thyatis's neighbours are just too small to compete. I think this can be seen as Eusebius's bias: he wants to see Thyatis rule the world, indeed, but he prefers to accomplish that through economic takeover than outright military conquest. Policy may change with another emperor, IMHO. > Terari is acting a bit too erratically for my tastes, so better let him go and give the Karameikan School of Magecraft to Karameikan mages (I am sure they will be competent enough) ;) Well, Terari's actions have some hidden reasons (only hinted at for now). As for the KSoM, I believe you have the same interpretation of the events as I do, given your comment with a smiley. > Ok, I must say I have never liked the idea of Glantri producing SO MANY skyships in SO LITTLE TIME! IT is just impossible and too costly! And giving a couple to Darokin to appease them is IMHO ridiculous, especially if there's a real risk of them being stolen once outside Glantri! Please, even the Alphatians have slowed down the manufacturing of skyships, and the Heldannics don't have the Warbirds anymore (for now): be assured to limit the aerial power of Glantri and any other nation in the world, or we'll soon start playing Dragon(my)star(a) ;) Yes, we are trying to cut back on those munchkin flying devices, to keep a decent level of playability. Alphatian and Naycese skyships have been cut back, Thyatis didn't develop them too much, HKs are loosing them (at least in their munchkin form). I guess we can say that giving some to Glantri was a way of evening things out a bit between the various nations with wizardly might. However, I agree with you that we shouldn't let it get out of hand like the Alphatian man-o-war (that can teleport anywhere and rain magical fire to raze anything unhindered) or the Heldannic warbird (that can fly even on the DoD or through anti-magic and attack while everyone is helpless). > Oh, and another thing about Glantrian events I didn't like one bit: Oards in GLANTRI??? WHY?? How did they manage to get here?? Aelos is on another solar system and IIRC oards didn't have skyships and didnt use magic, merely technology, and they could travel throughout time yes, but nothing more... please have a second thought... ;p If you don't like oards in Mystara, you can easily ignore any reference to them and just use the Free Anachronists, for instance. > So, where are they?? Nothing, Nada, Zero events on these nations, how is it possible?? I mean, there are a couple for Hule interacting with Zuyevo, but no more. No Hulean moves on the Old World or the Savage coast?? Only minor events for Savage Coast (revolving around lizardkin of the Bayou)... is there anybody in charge of this area? That's a recurrent problem in the almanac, or any other volunteer-based project. People come and go, the almanac isn't their priority (RL interferes), etc. And we never have enough writers. It inevitably results in gaps, inconsistencies, and other such problems. There are indeed no events for the SC except the fillers I wrote, and only a couple of continuity events for Hule and Zuyevo. The same can be said for other areas as well -- some parts of the HW (Azca), Thothia, or even some OW countries. To avoid that, there is no secret, we need writers. The events you mentioned as very good in this almanac (and that come from regions that were mostly left out in previous almanacs), often come from new authors to the almanac that joined for the sole purpose of writing atlas entries and events for one specific nation that they had an interest in, and they did just that. Anyone can join, and help us a lot more than they think by just a small, but right on target, contribution. You don't have to take on "the Savage Coast" or "the Hollow World"; if you really like Slagovich or Atruaghin or whatever and have good ideas for it, that's great! > OTOH, we have more than our fair share of events involving the floating continent of Alphatia... and they are long, too long, especially given the fact I don't think they were so important (personal opinion). The fact I have no current interest in Alphatia is not the reason that makes me judge them this way: i have no interest at all in the Merry Pirate Seas, but that didn't prevent me from enjoying the events, and they are both set in the Hollow World... The reality is that these events are IMO useless. Who cares if they want to build canals in the lake region? Ok, let's em do it, but don't write 10+ pages detailing how long it takes to dig the canals and who's in charge and updating us with every detail in its building. I couldn't care less. I am sure Thyatis manufactures canals or acqueducts as well, but we don't read pages and pages of lenghty events describing this. ;p
Also,I have not understood what's the problem behind the war between Stonewall, Randel,and other nations in Alphatia. I just couldn't get hooked or interested, so I skimmed them. And they took a good chunk of the almanac. I guess you are right about the length. About the wars, I think it comes from your disinterest in the region, because I don't think the wars in Alphatia are less interesting than the war in, say, Heldann. The repercussions of the wars in Alphatia are also as far-reaching, geopolitically, as those in Heldann or Norwold or anywhere. I think you underestimate the importance of the canals for Alphatia. There is a difference between those canals and the building of an acqueduct in Thyatis. The canals will change the face of Alphatia forever. You are probably right when you say the description of the building is too lengthy, but I believe it is leading to some important consequences that you may have failed to see or foresee because you found them too long or boring. Besides, Hitchhiker fans, you have a little gem hidden inside those events. I would like to point out something, too, which is that the events in Alphatia try to depict the Alphatian mindset. Things are chaotic, the aristocracy has no concern for the mundaners and does not want to (or fails to) see things how they are, and as a consequence act for their own interest without regard for the greater picture (a common Alphatian defect). It may be done in too many words, but I would advise against skipping all those events altogether as you would miss that chaotic wizard-centric vision that characterizes Alphatia. > I am inclined to believe that some events' descriptions are simply too long to be easily read and enjoyed. Keep em shorter. It's a matter that was raised a couple of years ago regarding events in general. Some have respected the rule, but some other events not, so please, don't be too verbous in the future ;) Ha! You're one of our most verbous authors! :) It is true, though, and is a recurring concern among the almanac crew. I have always be reluctant to do severe cuts to the various authors' work (I sometimes do, but it's rare), due in large part to the fact that it's voluntary work and an aggressive editor might detract the authors. Also, editing and rewriting shorter takes time, that I'd rather be used to fill the gaps that you noticed in the world-wide coverage. It is a hard call to make. It is, nevertheless, a rightful concern. > Ok, that's everything I had to say about MA Events AC 1018. I really enjoyed them, as usual, and maybe I enjoyed this particular format (Events in one book and Atlas in another) better than the previous one (AC1017 was too big to be bearable! :p). I am glad you enjoyed the almanac. Our work was not in vain ;) As for the format, I think it was long due that we split it due to the thing's sheer size. For those who print it, I think it works nicely, too, as you get three books that constitute a whole boxed set almanac (though I'd welcome some feedback on that). >> From the prognostications, I also expect to see uncovered some very large area of Esterhold in next issue of the Mystaran Almanac. I look forward to it :) Hopefully yes. As you might have guessed, it still depends on how many of you Mystara fans will join our effort. BTW, concerning Skothar, it would be nice if you could help us Marco, as you may have recognized a reference to a prophecy that IIRC you introduced. And of course phophecies and prognostocations are just that -- things that may come to pass, or not. Besides, they are not dated, so for various reasons (including lack of time/authors) we sometimes postpone things by a year or two (that's right, prophecies from earlier almanacs may still be actual...). For example I have written a set of nice phophecies for the SC (BTW the sonnet in Renardois and the sonnet in Bellaynish don't say exactly the same things...), because I feel like writing for the SC next year, but since there is no SC team I don't know what I'll do exactly if I'm alone. > So, I hope everyone will like this year's almanac............ or at least don't bash us too hard ;p I hope so too. Hmmm, did I put enough calls for writers throughout this mail or what? Oh, I think not. I think some of you still think that we are overstaffed, and that we don't welcome you point of view and your insightful help, and that if we don't write about the puny nation that you love so much it's because we're evil control-freaks who like to keep it under the boot. Of course not. We welcome new writers. We like different takes. We would be delighted if you wanted to write for your favorite nation that for various reasons we have unfortunately overlooked in this or previous almanacs. Again, we do welcome new writers (we have a lot of vampires to feed). In fact, we NEED new writers (what did I just say about vampires? you aren't listening). Serious, we do. Whether your pet nation appears in the almanac and you'd like to steer it in even more interesting directions, or it is grossly underused and you have plenty of ideas to give it the attention it deserves. Say, did I mention we need some writers, too? ===== ___________________________________________________________ Herve Musseau http://www.geocities.com/hmusseau/ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Autos - Get free new car price quotes http://autos.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 Jul 2002 22:43:03 +1000 From: Alfred O'Meagher Subject: Re: Mystaran Almanac: AC1018 Events (a short review) > < It's not out of a TSR product is it?>> > > This question comes up every MA release. I am wondering if Herve has a > pre-typed response ready to be pasted into a mail to respond. LOL. Actually > the name stems from New Alphatian Empire as cited in the PWAs. It became New > Alphatian Confederate Empire....N.A.C.E for short. A "Y" was later added to > display Alphatian extravagance. Hence N.A.C.E. became Nayce. Right. Well NAE is all well and good as it is from the PWA, but the rest of it seems like a load of bollocks to me. Why add the Y at all? Seems l-a-m-e. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 14 Jul 2002 13:55:02 -0700 From: Brendan Corliss Subject: Re: Church of Karameikos --- Marco Fossati wrote: > I need to know what is the holy symbol of the Church > of Karameikos, if it > exists of course... The "official" CoK symbol is shown in GAZ1. It is, I believe, a diagonal scepter (or mace) with a sun above and a moon below (or maybe the other way around). Anyway, I'm not sure how this would translate into an actual holy symbol... However, if you are looking for an alternative to canon here, I use the fleur-de-lis as the symbol for the CoK IMC. You'll be able to see exactly how I use it when I unveil the new and improved Corliss Enterprises, Ltd. website in a few days... -Brendan Corliss Corliss Enterprises, Ltd. Darokin City (AKA Damon Alexander Brown) ===== May all your endeavors be Gold! __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Autos - Get free new car price quotes http://autos.yahoo.com ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 13 Jul 2002 to 14 Jul 2002 (#2002-181) ****************************************************************