Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 17 Aug 2003 to 18 Aug 2003 (#2003-202) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 19/08/2003, 17:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 5 messages totalling 669 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Queen's Legions pt 2 (2) 2. Queen's Legions 3. Sindhi History 4. Hackwurld of Mystaros? ******************************************************************** 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: Mon, 18 Aug 2003 13:48:26 +0200 From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Havard=20Faanes?= Subject: Re: Queen's Legions pt 2 Wow! Alex, this is really cool! The storyline is truly epic, as it should be. You assume that she is actually the legitimate daughter of Arturos (I usually refer to him as Arturus, as that sounds more Thyatian), whereas the official line is that she is not. Both work though, and I like the inclusion of the "Morganna" character (although I could never get away with using that name in my campagin, LOL). Also, the story idea you present below, is way much more interesting than Queen's Harvest. IMC, Illyana is sadly dead (got her head cut off and her body burned), but Im thinking of bringing her back somehow, if I can think of a good way of doing it. Anyways, thanks for the creative input! Havard --- Alex Benson skrev: > (continued) > > Note: I am unsure of the events and timeline for > Queen's Harvest so I > appologize for any discrepancies. In truth, I > remember little about this adventure > module. I am assuming the adventure took place > around the Gaz era around the > time of Arturos's death. > > Illyana grew bitter upon hearing of her father's > death, yet another loss to > her sense of a normal life. She also began rebelling > against Orcus. Things came > to a turning point with the death of Arturos. > Rightfully or wrongly, Illyana > blamed Arturos's death upon Orcus, driving a further > rift between her and the > Immortal. The final straw was the events of Queen's > Harvest. Illyana abandoned > Orcus and his following. > > She made her way to Penhaligon only to find her > sister wedded to one of the > adventurers that had opposed her in Queen's Harvest. > With her father gone and > only a wedded sister that she did not know > remaining, things did not look good > for Illyana, at least in her eyes. She assumed that > her sister would not > accept her, both due to recognition from her husband > and based on a potential rival > to rulership of Penhaligon. She may join the > adventurers to get a better idea > of what her sister is and how she will be recieved. > > Illyana announces herself and is either rebuked by > rebuked or excepted by > Arteris. This could entail a series of adventures > sponsored by Arteris and hubby > to validate Illyana's claim. This could be done > through talks with surviving > old friends of Arturos (including Stefan) to > establish Morganna, the children, > and her fleeing. Additional investigation to see > positive links that Illyana > is the child of Morganna and Arturos. Perhaps an > adventure discovers Arturos's > old journal, where the wife and child are mentioned. > Of course, validation > will see confirmation, somehow, from Orcus's > following, possibly a journel left > by Morganna. > > After validation, alot depends upon Arteris's > reception of her sister. A > sense of distance is not unexpected as they are > essentially strangers and have > little in common. Plus, she has a hostile history > with her brother in law. I'd > make her gradually gain a sense of acceptance, > either through deeds or through > personality. Afterall, Illyana can partake in > adventures whereas Arteris has to > serve as ruler. Given her zest seen in battle, it is > possible that Arteris > sees a sense of freedom outside of the Countess > role. > > Alot depends upon how you want to play it, but the > previous history with the > PC husband is a definite aspect to exploit. Perhaps, > Arteris excepts Illyana > wholeheartily, but her husband views her > suspiciously and with hostility. > > Orcus, infuriated by Illyana's betrayal, shows up. > He basically makes the > situation worse by giving the husband added cause to > be suspicious of Illyana. > Being not so subtle or cunning, the plots are > uncovered and Illyana is typically > cleared. However, the fact that trouble seems to > follow her does not rest > well with the Count. > > Eventually, Illyana's desire for the rulership comes > into play. I would > suggest an event happen where Illyana become very > angry at her sister and sees her > as being unworthy of rulership. Then begins her bid > for power. All of this is > being orcestrated, not by Orcus, but by Thanatos, > manipulating both mortal and > Immortal to his plan. > > Conversely, you could have Arteris coldly recieve > Illyana, accepting her as > her sister after it is proved beyond a doubt. She > accepts her out of respect to > her father and her family blood. Ironically, Illyana > gains support from the > Count, seeing her as being redeemed. You'd have to > insert some events to > reinforce this belief in redemption. This will also > require the DM to bring the > Count PC into the plot as a participant. > > Arteris begins to be openly critical of Illyana, > suspecting that she and her > husband are up to something. Whatever the reasons, > founded or unfounded, the > rift between sisters grows. It eventually escalates > to Illyana trying to usurp > Arteris. > > What this does is present two sisters, both being > brought up under two > different environments. Both are products of their > environments. Both, in some > regards, desire what the other has. What they need > is each other, but that is > something that is easier said than done. Added > influences do not help. > > However the adventure continues is up to the DM. > What fate awaits the NPCs is > dependant, as always, by the actions of the PCs. In > this case, there is an > added degree of influence as one of the PCs is > married to one of the focal NPCs. > > Additionally, the adventure will bring forth lore > from the early days of > Stefan's days as an adventurer as well as his rule. > Little is given on Arturos, so > that void can be filled. > > As mentioned, I do not remember much about Queen's > Harvest. This includes > Illyana's race, age, and class. Also there was > mention in the original post about > fiendish seduction. If a fiendish heritage is a > factor, this would carry over > into Arteris. A simple explanation is that > Morganna's mother was a cleric of > Thanatos, seduced into bearing a mortal child. That > union as well as the fate > of the resulting descendants were part of > manipulations engineered, not by > Orcus, but of Thanatos. This means he used Orcus as > much as he used Morganna, > Morganna's mother, Arturos, Arteris, Illyana, etc. > > Thanatos's influences is also the means to prevent > any further retribution > from Orcus. Orcus discovering Thanatos's > involvement, as well as his own > tendency to act on impulse, should turn his > attentions away from Penhaglion. If > anything, Orcus will not want to interfere with any > plans his former master may > have going. > > Also note that this is very rough and would require > reworking to fit the > times and dates. Also, certain events occuring > within your own campaign would need > to be taken into account. Sorry for the length. > > ******************************************************************** > 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. > ______________________________________________________ Få den nye Yahoo! Messenger på http://no.messenger.yahoo.com/ Nye ikoner og bakgrunner, webkamera med superkvalitet og dobbelt så morsom ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2003 13:52:02 +0200 From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Havard=20Faanes?= Subject: Re: Queen's Legions You know what, thats not a bad idea. Perhaps, by changing bits here and there in Drums of Fire Mountain, I could change the island village into an Inbred Traladaran Village, where people are just a litle bit different.... And Devil Swines, I actually havent brought them into play yet, as Orcus has been presented as the main patron of any humanoids in the region. But they are cool, and my campaign so far has been built around stealing ideas from various modules so why the heck not! :) Thanks, Havard --- Chris Cherrington : > Orcus plots, got to love them devil swine! Why not > tie in Drums on Fire Mountain? The major baddy > there is a MU Devil Swine, with an available and > comely daughter. He may have been defeated on his > little island, darn those meddling adventurers, and > needs a new hide out. He hangs around the other > devil swine worshipers of Orcus and hatches a plot > of revenge in Penhaligon. Maybe the players > themselves where the ones that ousted his little > chieftainship in Tiki-man-tori-bori, whatever the > name was for that island of pig worshipers; or the > players are related somehow to the reasons for his > ousting. Any ways, these two NPC’s had a lot of > color, and deserve to come back. Maybe Illyanas had > a daughter, I mean if she did not want a big fat > glutinous husband around to foil her plans, why not > send him off to a little unknown island? > > ******************************************************************** > 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. > ______________________________________________________ Få den nye Yahoo! Messenger på http://no.messenger.yahoo.com/ Nye ikoner og bakgrunner, webkamera med superkvalitet og dobbelt så morsom ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2003 08:11:09 -0700 From: Joaquin Menchaca Subject: Sindhi History Hi, I few years ago I was working on this epic campaign where an evil force relating to the Master (X4, X5, X9) has established forces secretly in Eastern Brun, and more openly in Sind and Hule. I am currently documenting the Eastern order, but I have came across some notes on the western order that I through some of you might enjoy. For years, there have been a long term plot to conquer the Known World, which in part started out of Hule. Later over time, there has been growing influence into Sind, to use this nation as an unstoppable force to invade future established nations, which would later become Darokin. Here is the history of occurances within Sind and also meddling by the Master. ======================================================= Ancient History ---------------- 2250 BC: Ilsundal led several clans of elves on a migration across the Great Waste. Herd animals and Urduks (Neathar descendants) settled the area. 1750 BC: Several volcanic eruptions and earthquakes extending eastward from the Burning Waste split several land masses away from the coast forming scattered islands in what is modern day Ierendi and Minrothad Guilds and shattered the plateau. (Known as the War of the Elements) 1675 BC: Migrations of copper skin settlers from the ruined plateau were driven from their homes by Tahkati Stormtamer and his united tribes called the Children of the Horse. These people later called themselves the Sindhi. Trade later developed between the Sindhis and the Urduks. 1400 BC: Children of the Horse united under their leader Artuaghin. Urduks and Sindhis enjoyed prosperity from the rich fertile crops of Sindhi and the herds of Urduks. 1291 BC: A tribe of ogres settled in marginal lands on the edge of the Plain of Fire and lived in peace with the Urduks and Sindhis. 1271 BC: With five years of drought and dried up wells, the ogres migrated eastward in search of food and water. During their migration, the ogres devasted the Sindhi villages and enslaved the populace. 1257 BC: Tribes of Red Orcs lead by Wogar overan southern lands of Sindh and tribal lands of Atruaghin Clans. The Sindhi strenghtened by Urduk horsemen fended back most of the Red Orc attacks. 1255 BC: Renewed attacks from Red Orcs led to the conquest of Shahjapur (presently Sayr Ulan). 1253 BC: Hardpressed Sindhis and Urduk allies were assisted unexpectedly by an Urduk explorer returning from the Serpeant Peninsula whom brought with him a band of short dark skinned warriors and five trained elephants. 1250 BC: Sindh was free of the Red Orcs. The Sindhis pushed their armies eastward and established fortifications. 1000 BC: Tribes of gnolls fleeing from their Nithian masters made their way into Amsorak Mountains. Hordes of orcs from the conquered Five Shires, and goblins and hobgolbins migrated to Amsorak Montains and northwest towards the Black Mountains. 800 BC: Atruaghin returns to unite his people against Red orcish oppressors. Sindhis seized the opportunity to throw themselves in force against the Red Orc western lines. 795 BC: Concerted attacks by two enemies crushes the orcish conquerors causing the remaining Red Orc survivors fled towards east and north. Eastern border of Sindh establish after negoiations by Atruaghin. Atruaghin raises a mighty plateau which causes bizarre weather patterns. 650 BC: Most interior grassland slowly reverted to desert, which also caused the abundant Urduk herds to dwindle. AC 1: Sindh had disintegrated into a number of mumlykets, or little kingdoms, whose rulers constantly squabble over poorly productive land. Modern History -------------- AC 67: Massive Orc forces are drivin out of Darokin by combined Darokin and Elven forces. Thousands of orcs overrun and pillage Nagpuri territory. AC 100-150: Prominent famililes rise to power in Asanda plain: Pratikutas, Rastrapalas, and Mahavarmans AC 179: The Pratikutas seize control of the entire length of the Asanda River. AC 186: Rajah Vijay Pratikuta dies leaving rule to weak son Sarad. New rulers suspected of being shapeshifters devide territory of Putnabad into Jalawar and Jhengal. AC 250: Yalaruam nomads driven out of their homelands by Thyatian incursions settle in parts of Darokin and Sindhi. AC 425: Minrothad traders unwittingly introduce lycanthropy into Sind. (Suspected plot of Gaia) AC 451: Sindhi mages led by Maga Aditi unit and overthrow the shape shifters. The Dark Inquistitions follow to expose further shapeshifters. The mages of Sind establish their own caste, Jadugeryas, and claim themselves high born. AC 609: Decades of feuding between the Jadugeryas and Rishiyas end as Jadugeryas flee to southern Putnabad and form their own mumlyket called Jaibul. AC 687: Ierendi merchants discover the rich trade opportunities of Sindhi ports and both Jaibul and Putnabad compete fiercely for foreign trade. AC 691: Yuvraj Narenda ul Nervi, the Crown Prince of Sindrastan, nearly dies when favorite elephant goes mad and gores him. A mysterious holy man calms elephant and heals prince. As prince remains unconciouses, he receives holy vision that Sind faces eminent doom unless the mumlykets are united. Narenda's father, Sanjiva ul Nervi, dies a year later, leaving rulership of Sindrastan to his son, the new Rajah. AC 695: Rajah Narenda ul Nervi iniatites slow process of unification of Sind by conquering Gom, Karganj, and Naral. AC 696: Sandapur falls to Rajah Narenda's onslaught. The village of Pramayana stands against Sindrastan's armies for more than a year. AC 698: Pramayana falls. Rajah Narenda strikes out against a weaker west taking Sindri and Khamrati and the rest of Jhengal. AC 700: Rajah Narenda establishes Gola Keep to encourage desert trading caravans to enter the Asanda river via Jhengal. Rajah marries his first wife Drisana who bears his first son the next year. Lucrative trade is established with Slagovich. AC 703: Raja Narenda's forces conquer Baratpur, bringing Baratkand under Sindrastani control. The Rajah assumes the title of Rajadhiraja, or king of kings. This in effect allows the former Rajah of Baratkand to retain his title and some governmental privileges, and places Rajah Javis Nandin on the throne of Jhengal. AC 704: Both unconquered Putnabad and Jalawar agree to unite with Sindrastan and pay annual taxes and tribute to Rajadhiraja Narenda ul Nervi in return for sharing the benefits of trade with Slagovich. The ruling Jadugeryas of Jaibul reach an agreement with the rajadhiraja for the autonomy of Jaibul. AC 705: The Rajadhiraja turns attention to the rich furtile lands of Nagpuri and within six months the rajah of Nagpuri declares fealty to Rajadhiraja Narenda ul Nervi. AC 706: Bloody campaign starts against Gunjab and Kadesh which nearly exhuast the Rajadhiraja Narenda's resources. AC 712: Gunjab falls to Rajahiraja Narenda's troops. AC 713: Kadesh agrees to unite with lower Sind provided that Rajah of Kadesh retains rulership under a new title of Maharajah, or Great King. AC 714: Total unification of Sind announced after a treaty is reached between Sindrastan and Peshmir. Ravi Prabhapravitha of Peshmir assumes title of Maharajah. AC 717: The Rajadhiraja charges Jahore of Putnabad and its ruling families with the task of building the Sindhi Navy. AC 726: The newly completed navy of four merchant vessels and a war galley mysteriously sinks in Jaibul's outer harbor. AC 735: Elderly Narenda ul Nervi dies in his sleep. Kistna proves just and capable Rajadhiraja. AC 776: Rajadhiraja Kistna ul Nervi dies of a fever. His grandson Hansh ul Nervi succeeds Kistna as Rajadhiraja. AC 793: Rajadhiraja Hansh ul Nervi is found dead after eating a poisoned fig. His son Ramanan takes the throne. AC 805: Dwarves fleeing the anti-dwarf policies of Glantri establish small communities in the mountains of Nagpuri, Gunjab, and Peshmir. AC 812: Rajadhiraja Ramanan ul Nervi dies after eating a bowl of figs. Kulpakh assumes the throne. Within a week, Kulpakh makes bizarre proclamations exhorting the Jadugeryas to find a way to make it snow in the Great Waste, proclaiming all Rishiyas, the priestly caste, to be vampires feeding on the people of Sind, and insisting all animals be set free of their bondage. Within a month, a cermonial elephant set free to roam the streets tramples and kills Kulpakh. Kulpakh's brother Balin takes the throne. AC 832: Rajadhiraja Balin ul Nervi drowns in the Asanda's flood waters while trying to rescue a child caught in the churning river. His 18 year old daughter Nitara ul Nervi claims the throne. AC 882: Ranidhiraja Nitara ul Nervi abdicates the throne of Sind in favor of her grandson, Anandarun ul Nervi. AC 889: Rajadhiraja Anandarun ul Nervi is assassinated, leaving no heirs. Kulpakh ul Nervi's great-grandson Vadin seizes the throne. AC 897: The Srinivasans of Sandapur petition Rajadhiraja Vadin ul Nervi to allow them to secede from Nandin-ruled Jhengal, claiming incompetence on part of rajah of Jhengal. Rajadhiraja orders Jhengal devided into two mumlykets. The newly formed mumlyket towards the east is named Azadgal. AC 901: Kers Zeberdesti, a Jadugerya claiming to be Anandarun ul Nervi's illegitimate son, heads a sucessful coup against Rajadhiraja Vadin ul Nervi and takes the throne. Kers Zeberdesti adopts the name ul Nervi. AC 913: Rajadhiraja Kers ul Nervi dies in a blazing fire caused by a magical experiement gone awry which destroys the palace. His son Darshan becomes Rajadhiraja and orders the palace rebuilt. AC 915: A Himaya named Sarad Ylayci seizes the throne in a bloody coup. He claims to be yet another illgitimate son of Anandarun ul Nervi. Sarad Ylayci adopts the name ul Nervi. AC 939: After Sarad ul Nervi dies in his sleep, his son Sarad ul Nervi takes the throne. Intervention of the Master -------------------------- AC 184: Agents are sent into Sindh to spy on political occurances within the land. AC 254: Missionaries from Hule are sent to Sind to secretly establish cults of faithful worshippers. AC 453: Various shapeshifters are approached and are offered protection for cooperation and pledged loyalty towards the Master. AC 564: With the Jadugeryas attention turned towards establish their caste, shapeshifters are recruited and used to infiltrate all portions of government throughout all the mumlykets of Sind. AC 674: Missionaries from Hule strike out amongst the desert wastes to unite the wandering nomads. AC 691: Rajah Sanjiva ul Nervi is assassinated by a Rakshasa agent. This leaves Narenda ul Nervi as a pawn in a greater game. AC 695: Cults of the Master recruit many displaced downtrodden populace ravaged by the wars to come. Through the Master, the helpless find a new freedom and hope. AC 700: Agents posing as engineers alter the construction of Gola Keep. Secret rooms and dungeons are added. The blueprints for the keep later disappear. From Gola Keep, operations are established to spread the gosphel of the Master throughout Sind. AC 703: Order of the Serpeant is established which has a secret order where women take leadership roles and roles of caste are ignored. This becomes an organization where many can find a new freedom and liberation where society offered none. AC 705: Drisana, first wife of Rajadhiraja Narenda, is recruited into the Order of the Serpeant. Drisana teaches and recruits her daughters to the faith. Her daughters marry other rajahs, which then recruit their children into the Order. AC 897: A new territory is formed called Azadgal. Here the Order of the Serpeant practices openly and has public churches. The upmost secrets are kept from all but the most loyal of the faithful. AC 937: Thousands Urduk nomads and raiders combined with wandering tribes of Ogres swarm from the desert and conquer Baratpur of Buratkand. This begins a long campaign to conquer the Kingdom of Sind. ======================================================= Hope people like this. -- Joaquin Menchaca __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2003 14:39:07 EDT From: Alex Benson Subject: Re: Queen's Legions pt 2 Thanks for the compliment. It's been a while since I have done anything in regards to Mystara, but this was actually fun to come up with. As you said, Illyana's death is by no means the end. In fact, it actually helps the plot transition from Queen's Harvest into the plot I described. Choose a nuetral or good aligned Immortal, one that could be seen as being sympathetic towards the Illyana I described. Say this Immortal revives her and offers her a chance at redemption for past actions as well as future happiness with her lost family. This could be the point where she learns of her true heritage. Gaz era could be Petra (or any of the Tradaran Trio). Post Wrath could be Benekander or Gareth...each seeing her situation as a product of Immortal intervention. This also helps bolster her support if the Immortal responsible has a cleric (or a following) in Penhaliogon. Or you could keep her as a evil NPC and simply have Orcus or some other Entropic bring her back. Good villains never die, they just come back, stronger and smarter. I'd go with someone else. I don't see Orcus as being patient enough or cunning enough to revisit Illyana as a renewed threat, especially in trying to undermine Arteris. Maybe Hel since she has a history of doing such things. Thanatos could work as well, but I doubt this would be worthy of his attention. She could be manipulated by the revelation of her true heritage (or been told that to motivate her). After her raising, give her a new name (but same appearance) and have her start doing good deeds and such. Toy with your PCs by having them sent on a task only to arrive "a day late", The reborn Illyana having taken care of it before they arrived. Play it up by having her leave prior to their arrival, just missing her and unable to identify her. Make her up as this new epic hero. Finally she debutes in Penhaglion among cheering crowds. Perhaps rumors of her being Arteris's sister precede her. Shock arises as the "epic heroine" is recognized as none other than Illyana by the same PCs that killed her. > From there, alot depends on her real relationship between her and Arteris. Her plans. And why she was revived. <> ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2003 22:53:46 -0400 From: Geoff Gander Subject: Re: Hackwurld of Mystaros? Marco wrote: > Any further information on the release date of the Hackwurld of > Mystaros?
I saw on the dragonsfoot.org forums that James had to step down because "real life reared its ugly head" (quoted from David Kenzer). He goes further to say that anyone interested in completing the project should send an email to Brian@kenzerco.com. 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 ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 17 Aug 2003 to 18 Aug 2003 (#2003-202) ****************************************************************