Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 29 Jul 2002 to 30 Jul 2002 (#2002-197) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 31/07/2002, 17:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 8 messages totalling 360 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Revisionist Atlantis for Myth/Laterre (3) 2. Cleric Spells 3. [GANDERG@tc.gc.ca: New clerical spells] (4) ******************************************************************** 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: Tue, 30 Jul 2002 03:34:57 -0400 From: David Knott Subject: Revisionist Atlantis for Myth/Laterre As establithed in WotI, the dimension of Myth/Laterre matches historical Earth except that all of its mythologies are literally true. Given the Mystaran material about Old Averoigne/Laterre, one mythos that must be accepted literally in the Myth/Laterre setting is the Christian Bible. Thus, Laterre was created by a single Supreme Being several thousand years ago. A few thousand years later, that same Supreme Being destroyed the world (except for a single family) in a universal flood. The survivors of that flood formed a universal culture that survived until Nimrod led them in constructing the Tower of Babel, which so offended the Supreme Being that he created linguistic chaos to disperse that universal culture. Since the myths of non-Judeo-Christian cultures are equally valid in the history of Myth/Laterre, the Babel incident provides the first opportunity to introduce mythic events not mentioned in the Judeo-Christian Bible. In particular, the first such events that need to be introduces are those associated with Atlantis and other non-historical civilizations. The history of Nyx (an Immortal with clear roots in the Indian sub-continent of Myth-Laterre) is best supported by the existence of a post-diluvian but prehistoric culture of Lemuria in the region of modern Indonesia. Presumably, Lemuria is destroyed concurrently with Atlantis. As for Atlantis -- here I must reveal my prejudices about certain revered Greek philosophers: Socrates: He wrote nothing -- nada -- zip! All we know of him is given in the writings of his student Plato. Plato: Plato is especially problematical, given that he endorsed cultures (notably Sparta) that left us no independent information while condemning other cultures (notably Athens) that would seem to modern observers to be most compatible with modern viewpoints. His surviving writings would seem to suggest that he is in modern terms a fascists whose political opinions are not to be trusted. I am thus seriously inclined to treat any information he gave as factually correct for the world of Myth/Laterre but be highly skeptical of any moral judgments he passes on any past cultures. Aristotle: As a tutor for Alexander the Great, Aristotle is the only true pragmatist among the ancient Greek philosophers. His self-censorship should be limited to that which his patron Alexander might object to. I have thus far failed to discern any particular pattern to Alexander's likely objections to any of Aristotle's philosophies. I would thus posit the following cultures for the Atlantean era: Atlantis: In Plato's view, the downfall of Atlantis began when that culture rejected its initial "purity" in favor of contributions from the various neighboring cultures (namely, pre-historic Europe, Africa, and South America). In my revisionist view, Atlantis actually benefited from the cultural and genetic contributions of its nearest neighbors but nevertheless was totally obliterated when the final Atlantis cataclysm destroyed the major centers of Atlantean civilization in the Atlantic Ocean and cut off contact among the various cultures previously linked by Atlantean civilization. Khemites: The Khemites are meant to be the ancestors of the later Egyptian civilization. To retain any semblance of sanity, they should be the most primitive civilizatin of the Atlantean era. Their role in subsequent history should be to record prior events and use them to develop their pre-eminent status in the post-Atlantean era. Aryans: I would unapologetically make use of Hitler's promotion of a pure "Aryan" race to disparage any group that makes use of that name. In particular, I would disparage the inhabitants of the location that would later be known as "Athens" as "Aryan" fascists of the worst possible sort. Thus, the inhabitants of the region that would later become known as "Greece" would be cruel fascists with a society based on a combination of the worst aspects of historical ancient Sparta and a malevolent interpretation of Plato's "Republic". My interpretation of Plato's "historical" synopsis would be to suggest that the culture of Atlantis spread slowly from its original home in the islands of the Atlantic Ocean and the mainland of the eastern Atlantic coasts of Europe and Africa until it confronted two hostile civilizations: the "Aryans" of the Greek peninsula and the "Khemites" of the Nile delta. Their attempts to free various cultures of Western Europe from the Aryans met with mixed success, while their attempts to liberate African cultures from Khemite domination were mostly successful until they approached the Nile delta. Ultimately, the Atlanteans were stalemated until a great cataclysm ended their empire as well as that of the Aryans. The most primitive of the three civilizations, the Khemites, survived that cataclysm and subsequently became the most advanced culture of the ancient but post-Atlantean world. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2002 09:38:06 -0400 From: Geoff Gander Subject: Re: Revisionist Atlantis for Myth/Laterre You wrote: > Khemites: The Khemites are meant to be the ancestors of the later > Egyptian civilization. To retain any semblance of sanity, they should > be the most primitive civilizatin of the Atlantean era. Their role in > subsequent history should be to record prior events and use them > to develop their pre-eminent status in the post-Atlantean era. Hmm....have you ever read "Khai of Ancient Khem" by Brian Lumley? Although it have some loose connections with the Lovecraftian universe, it is centred around the trials faced by a heroic figure in the land of Khem, which is situated where Egypt would arise (and before northern Africa dried out). Not the best work of fiction I've ever read, but there are some useful tidbits about culture and such that might help. Interesting piece, though! Did you mainly use Timaeus and Critias? I'd like to see more! Geoff -- Geoff Gander, BA 97, MPA 02 Carnifex Loremaster/Mad Roleplayer Master of the Elemental Plane of Bureaucracy au998@freenet.carleton.ca : www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Realm/2091 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2002 09:54:09 -0400 From: Geoff Gander Subject: Cleric Spells I have just posted some new cleric spells that I created, some of which were inspired by the spell lists in the Arcanum (a now out of print rules supplement for the Atlantis RPG). Enjoy! Geoff -- Geoff Gander, BA 97, MPA 02 Carnifex Loremaster/Mad Roleplayer Master of the Elemental Plane of Bureaucracy au998@freenet.carleton.ca : www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Realm/2091 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2002 09:52:20 -0400 From: Geoff Gander Subject: [GANDERG@tc.gc.ca: New clerical spells] ================= Begin forwarded message ================= From: GANDERG@tc.gc.ca ("Gander, Geoff") To: au998@freenet.carleton.ca ("'au998@freenet.carleton.ca'") Subject: New clerical spells Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2002 09:47:48 -0400 Clerical Spells Level 2 Steadfastness Range: Touch. Duration: 1 turn/level of caster Effect: Makes one person immune to being surprised. When cast, this spell bestows upon the recipient an aura of calm and certainty, such that he or she cannot be surprised while the effect lasts. This spell does not provide the recipient with any sort of "danger sense" or related ability; it merely prevents him or her from becoming stunned momentarily due to being ambushed or surprised. When cast upon an individual who has been stunned or otherwise temporarily incapacitated due to being surprised or failing a morale check (in the case of NPCs), that person will be able to act normally. Steadfastness cannot counteract paralysis (such as that which results from a ghoul's touch), or similar effects achieved through poisons; nor can it nullify the effects of hold person or similar spells. Level 3 Minor Ward of Guarding Range: One object in the caster's possession. Duration: Permanent Effect: Places a minor ward on one item in the caster's possession. This spell places a minor ward on any portable item in the caster's possession. When the item in question is touched or taken by any other person, it emits a minor electrical jolt of energy, doing 1d6 damage to the would-be thief (no saving throw). The item will shock the thief each round if he or she continues to hold on to the item. The item upon which this spell is cast sustains no damage from the ward. If the item's owner gives it willingly to another person, no shock is emitted while it is in the other person's possession. The caster may have only one warded item of this sort on his or her person at any given time. The ward is permanent until dispelled. Level 4 Holy Sustenance Range: 0' (caster only) Duration: 1 day + 2 hours/level of caster Effect: Temporarily eliminates the caster's need for food or drink. When cast, this spell allows the cleric to sustain him- or herself with holy energy, obviating the need for food and/or drink for a period of one day, plus an additional hour per level. The cleric will be able to act and move normally, fight without penalties, and cast other spells, without suffering the effects of starvation and/or dehydration. This spell does not protect the caster from the effects of the elements; therefore, a cleric could survive for days in a desert without water, but the intense heat could still be deadly. No ill effects are suffered after the spell's duration ends, but this spell may not be cast more than three times in a single month (or 28 day period, whichever is shorter). Level 5 Neutralise Pain Range: 0' (caster only) Duration: 1 hour/level of caster Effect: Allows the caster to ignore all pain for the duration of the spell. This spell allows the cleric to call upon his or her Immortal's protection, and ignore all pain (but not damage) for the spell's duration. As a result, the cleric, if he or she has suffered grievous injuries (from falling, fire, freezing, spells, or any other damage) will be able to carry out actions without suffering any penalties as a result of pain (although modifiers due to pain are often at the discretion of the DM). This spell therefore renders the cleric effectively immune to physical torture. Additionally, the cleric will be able to perform such minor (i.e., non-combat related) acts as grasping a red-hot brand, walking on a bed of coals, and pulling something out of a fire, without sustaining any damage or feeling any pain. Finally, any poisons or illnesses that cause pain (which could otherwise debilitate the victim) will not affect the cleric for the duration of the spell, although the cleric can still receive damage and/or other penalties (such as decreased attributes) from them, and could die as a result. It should be noted that the cleric's possessions and clothing are not protected in this manner, and once the spell expires, any ignored pain (if it still exists) will become noticeable once more. -- Geoff Gander, BA 97, MPA 02 Carnifex Loremaster/Mad Roleplayer Master of the Elemental Plane of Bureaucracy au998@freenet.carleton.ca : www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Realm/2091 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2002 08:13:17 -0700 From: Joe Kelly Subject: Re: [GANDERG@tc.gc.ca: New clerical spells] Hey Geoff, what about those maps? I am going to need them soon! Let me = know. Thanks!=20 JK Wolf ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2002 19:53:55 +0200 From: =?iso-8859-1?q?la=20Volpe?= Subject: Re: Revisionist Atlantis for Myth/Laterre The ideas are cool, but be warned of what you write, because a lot of people may not be too happy to have their religions described as myths in a fantasy setting or to have real-world political views put on the plate. Personally I don't mind, I am not accusing you of anything nor trying to discourage you, but be warned, though. Iulius Sergius Scaevola Captain of the XXth Cohort Port Lucinius, Thyatis ______________________________________________________________________ Scarica il nuovo Yahoo! Messenger: con webcam, nuove faccine e tante altre novità. http://it.yahoo.com/mail_it/foot/?http://it.messenger.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2002 13:24:45 -0400 From: Geoff Gander Subject: Re: [GANDERG@tc.gc.ca: New clerical spells] > > Hey Geoff, what about those maps? I am going to need them soon! Let me = > know. They're ready to go - just give me your address and I'll send them along. Geoff PS - Did you ever get that other email I sent you about them? -- Geoff Gander, BA 97, MPA 02 Carnifex Loremaster/Mad Roleplayer Master of the Elemental Plane of Bureaucracy au998@freenet.carleton.ca : www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Realm/2091 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Jul 2002 11:54:18 -0700 From: Joe Kelly Subject: Re: [GANDERG@tc.gc.ca: New clerical spells] Yes you said you were busy at the time, and you would let me know, since = then I've been on vacation for 3 weeks and just got back a week ago. Plus = my group hasn't played for awhile, but now as things move along there is = going to be a visit by my Elven Imperial Navy who are fighting the Scro = from the Serpent Peninsula, and of course Freeport is going to be right = in the middle of it! Ill send you my addy via your email. Later!=20 :) JK Wolf >>> au998@FREENET.CARLETON.CA 07/30/02 10:24AM >>> > > Hey Geoff, what about those maps? I am going to need them soon! Let me = =3D > know. They're ready to go - just give me your address and I'll send them along. Geoff PS - Did you ever get that other email I sent you about them? -- Geoff Gander, BA 97, MPA 02 Carnifex Loremaster/Mad Roleplayer Master of the Elemental Plane of Bureaucracy au998@freenet.carleton.ca : www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Realm/2091 ******************************************************************** 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. ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 29 Jul 2002 to 30 Jul 2002 (#2002-197) ****************************************************************