Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 26 Aug 2003 to 27 Aug 2003 (#2003-211) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 28/08/2003, 17:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There is one message totalling 68 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Fantasy Elements ******************************************************************** 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: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 20:39:01 +0200 From: Morten Greis Subject: Re: Fantasy Elements Citat Mischa Gelman: Haavard wrote: > > Reviewing gazetteers such as Athruagin and Ethengar, > > one of the things I feel that these Gazetteers lack is > > classical fantasy elements. > Mischa: > Classical in what sense? They fit rather well into most pre-1980 views > of fantasy. What is so unusual about the human cultures in the worlds of > Alexander, Tolkien, Donaldson and the other writers of fantasy in that > period? The early backbones of D&D (including Blackmoor) do not emphasize > strong high-fantasy elements in every culture and throughout the GAZ > series the major distinctions are cultural and not fantastical - which is > how it should be IMO. Hi I must say, that I agree wholeheartedly with Mischa. There is a good point in keeping the setting cultural. For the fantasy element I'd sneak it in the through the backdoor. For one thing, I often find a greater challenge in dealing with cultural/societal challenges, than just finding one big baddie for the characters to beat. Creating an alliance or negotiating a peace treaty between Darokin merchants and Atruaghin traders can be a much greater challenge, especially when including cultural differences, especially when they have an 'authentic' backing. Imagine a meeting between the two groups on Atruaghin lands and the elders of the atruaghins demand a ritual perfomed to satisfy the spirits or they will disrupt the meeting - however in this case the GM can manifest angry spirits, that will disrupt the meeting if the rite is not performed. And of course the Atruaghins can be made very exotic - the first time my players heard about them, was when they were sailing from Sindh to Ierendi and the Minrothaddian sailors told of an Ierendian explorer, that had dared to explore the place and he had met a strange people of canibalistic barbarians, that walked naked and worshiped statues of gold and they had no cities. Then you can have the characters go exploring and see for themselves how barbaric these people might be. The trick is that much fun can be had from 'ethnographic' scenarios, where a familiar race - humans - can become very exotic, the advantage is that the magic the shamans practice is real and that when they fear demons in the night (or whatever malign force), they too are real for the characters. That's what I consider sneaking in the monsters from the backdoor and don't forget that an elephant or polarbear might be just as exotic as a manticore for the right people. The Ethengarians can be just as exotic - for historical inspiration try to read Widukind von Korvey's Saxon Chronicle, which besides dealing with the Ottonians, also deals with the Hungarian invasion of Central Europe. Or try Pricus, who met with the Huns. He is quoted at length in "The Age of Attila" by C.D.Gordon. This doesn't rule out pegasi riding Atruaghins, it just limits the amount of Indian elves. Morten greis ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 26 Aug 2003 to 27 Aug 2003 (#2003-211) ****************************************************************