Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 9 Feb 2003 to 10 Feb 2003 (#2003-42) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 11/02/2003, 19:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 4 messages totalling 279 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. The Northlands 2. Magical Cosmetics 3. Alcoholism in games 4. Alymer's Gases ******************************************************************** 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: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 12:37:00 -0500 From: David Knott Subject: Re: The Northlands From: "Havard Faanes" > > Humanoid > characters might be more tolerated here than > elsewhere. Any stranger will be met with scepticism, > but will be given a chance to prove himself worthy of > trust. Prejudice is a civilized phenomenon and does > not exist in barbarian societies. (at least according > to the Conan stories...) Unfamiliar humanoids such as lupins and rakasta might be given a fair chance, but goblinoids would not be. Kobolds, gnolls, trolls, and giants are all present in Vestland and the Soderfjord Jarldoms and wreak a great deal of havoc in those two nations. The general reaction of a warrior from the Northern Reaches who sees a goblinoid type would be to strike first and ask questions later. ******************************************************************** 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, 10 Feb 2003 12:54:11 +0100 From: Francesco Defferrari Subject: Re: Magical Cosmetics Ross Gould wrote: > If you liked the magical cosmetics, Master Alymer has something > that's a real "gas". It took place during the Arcanium 1002 AC, and > will be posted soon. Ok, I'll waiting for it ! I like a lot things about magic and everyday life... In High Magical nations like Glantri and Alphatia there is plenty of options to explore... bye Francesco ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 14:27:22 +0200 From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Ville_V_L=E4hde?= Subject: Alcoholism in games I'm not sure if I shared this already, but... Lately out 12+ year old campaign made a surprising development. Flint, our dwarven fighter from day one (yes, the first adventure ever!) finally succumbed to alcoholism. He had been drinking heavily all those 14 years of game-time, but it "never was a problem". The last straw was one week in Athenos, when the group was preparing for a diplomatic jounery towards Minrothad and Ierendi. Flint hasn't really been around dwarves much during the last years. His own people were slaughtered and enslaved, and he found lasting dwarven company only three years ago when he founded a colony in Gyl Erid. However, he has been too busy there to be drinking too seriously. Now he had the chance to really "sit down with the guys", and what's more, he was also perceived as a hero by the Rockhome allied force (in X10) that was camped around Athenos. Flint's friends lost track of him for a while, and when they found him he had been drinking berserker-mushroom-induced dwarves spirits for three days straight and engaging in Fight Club -style brawling matches with berserker dwarves. In game-terms I made him throw wisdom checks (his WIS is sadly 6) every day whether he could stop drinking. He threw 20, a critical miss, three times in a row. The next days after his friends had extracted him from the dwarven camp, he threw another two 20's - alcoholism had finally taken a solid hold on him. Alcoholism is a sad thing, my own uncle died of it. So I'm not saying it is a light an funny topic. But it has really added spice to the campaign's microlevel, the everyday ambience. This is not just a "disadvantage" bought with points like in GUPRS. This is an organic development of the PC's psyche. Actually, our group has been close to tears a couple of times. Like during the Ierendi state ball, where the others were either angagind in diplomacy or finding female company, Flint was sitting alone at a table, drinking monotonically, and continuing the same story (for the third time) about his adventures in Kol - not even noticing that the audience had either passed out or left. Poor old sod. Or during the sea voyage, when Yuri (thief) had stolen all his booze to keep him in adventuring shape. Flint managed to but some rum from the sailors and started "closet-drinking". By the way, nowadays the bastard Yuri is actually stealing Flint's booze and selling it back to him. That is until Flint's berserker buddies caught him in the act and beat him to pulp. (Steelcap boots to groin and such. Luckily the PC priest found him in time.) I always thought that alcoholism and similar problems wouldn't work well in games. They too easily become empty rituals. But if the problem is built up during the PC's career, instead of being stamped on as an attribute, that is a different story. Finally some anecdotes from Flint: "Look, guys. I'm 90 years old. I have been drinking for over 70 years, so I know booze much better than you. Don't try to tech your father to f**k." "What is this? Suddenly one lousy drink becomes larger than life? One lousy drink?" Yes, poor old sod. - Ville ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 15:25:59 -0800 From: Ross Gould Subject: Alymer's Gases Dear Reader: Here are my notes and a transcription from one of two speeches given by Alymer, a master Alchemist of the Corporation of Alchemists. They were presented in Glantri City during Arcanium, the annual wizard's fair, in the month of Thaumont, 1002 AC. The first on Moldain the 25th and the second on Soladin the 28th. Gases and Potions It is the month of Thaumont, Moldain the 25th. The city of Glantri is astir for it is the first night of Arcanium. Wizards abound buying and selling magic spells, supplies and trinkets. Deals are made behind Wizard Locked doors to keep out the "Mayflies" - wizard riffraff. One such meeting this evening is being held at the Corporation of Alchemists' House. Why are dozens of the top guild members anxiously waiting in one room? Alymer is coming. This notorious alchemist hasn't set foot in the Guild for thirteen years, though he's paid his dues. The previous Guildmaster despised him, yet the brethren hold him in high esteem for knowledge is power. It has been said that Alymer is as brilliant as the Ever Glowing Light of Knowledge. Fame and fortune await those who can emulate his concoctions. The main door opens. A thin man in black robes enters. He is tall, yet stooped over from countless hours of experimentation. As he takes the podium, the audience gasps. The blue star tattoo of this man is blazing! It is indeed Alymer. "I come to you tonight to share my knowledge ... for a price. While you have diddled and fiddled here, I have been out in the real worlds. I have collected components you have never dreamed of to produce gases, potions and powders you have never heard of. In my presentation, I will describe these products. For each product, I have a scroll with complete instructions which will be sold to the highest bidder at the end of Arcanium. And now ... let us begin with gases and potions:" Gas of Eye Irritation Area of Effect: 5' radius Saving Throw: Poison Duration: 2-5 turns Cure: None Sale Value: 1000gp/flask A highly volatile liquid, it must be kept in a sealed flask. When opened or broken it evaporates, forming a yellowish brown haze. Those creatures in range who fail their saving throw versus poison will have their eyes become red, watery and itchy. Those afflicted fight at -3 to hit in melee and missile fire combat, and have trouble seeing anything clearly. Infravision and ultravision will not function. The chief ingredient comes from the condensed fumes of burning black stones commonly found in the Principality of Blackhill. I enjoy placing flasks of this with my caches. Believe me, adventurous thieves will think twice about opening and sampling potions after experiencing this gas. Hallucinatory Gas Area of Effect: 10' radius Saving Throw: Poison -2sv Duration: 2-5 rounds, except as noted Cure: None Sale Value: 1500gp/flask This potent gas is compressed and tightly sealed in a small bottle. Upon opening or smashing, the gas rapidly expands causing those who breath it in and fail their saving throw to act confused similar to the spell of that name. Confused creatures react as follows: 01-10 wander away 11-50 stand confused and drooling, some (5% chance at the DM's discretion) will have bizarre visions of an important future event 51-60 act and react in an opposite manner 61-80 attack nearest creature 81-96 remove armor, clothes, and/or any other personal belongings from their body and start singing. 96-00 collapse unconscious for 8-12 hours Those who make their saving throw are left gasping and can take no action for two rounds. The main component is an exotic mushroom only found growing in the Wendarian Range. This product slows up those snoopy bands of fighters and thieves who dare enter my domicile. Potion of Disillusionment Area of Effect: Line of sight - 120' Saving Throw: None Duration: Sip= 5 rds., dose= 2 turns Cure: None Sale Value: 2000gp/flask The imbiber is able to identify all illusion/phantasm spells of 1st, 2nd and 3rd level as being illusions. However, there is a 10% chance of a false reading. A false reading indicates to the imbiber that there is no illusion when in fact there really is one. Illusion/Phantasm spells of 4th level or higher cannot be discerned with this potion. The chief ingredient of this preparation is a portion of svirfneblin brain. It's a very useful potion for those who travel deep down to the lowest levels of caves and dungeons. Monster Bug Repellant Area of Effect: User Saving Throw: None Duration: 8 hours Cure: None Sale Value: 2000gp/flask with 5 applications This oil spread carefully on a person will repel all neutrally-aligned monster insects. Hostile monster insects and those neutrals attacked by the user fight at -2 to hit. Normal insects, hostile or otherwise, cannot approach within one foot of the user due to the magically-enhanced musky smell of this oil. This repellant does not wash away in water. The critical component of this concoction comes from a special pool of black tar located in the Blackhill. If any of you have had to travel through a swamp or have been accosted by an irate druid, then you know this repellant is invaluable. Potion of Wakefulness Area of Effect: User Saving Throw: None Duration: 36 hours Cure: None Sale Value: 750gp/bottle The quaffer of this potion will be able to remain awake and alert for a day and a half with no adverse effects. Food and water will need to be consumed every 4-6 hours as usual. No more than two doses in a row can be used safely. Drinking a second potion right after the first 36 hours expires will be effective for only 30 hours, and will cause a temporary loss of 1 point of dexterity due to slight, uncontrollable trembling. Trembling will last for 30 hours. Drinking a third potion in a row will have a 24 hour duration and -2 dexterity penalty and a -1 penalty for any intelligence proficiency check. Lastly, anyone under the influence of this potion is immune to magical sleep spells or potions. The prime ingredients are from the tropical Thanegioth Archipelago: the cacao seed and the kola nut. If you give a guard this stuff, he will not fall asleep while on duty. It also allows us wizards to remain awake to think about and solve problems while other party members sleep. >> From Ross: I hope there is some stuff you folks haven't seen before. ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 9 Feb 2003 to 10 Feb 2003 (#2003-42) **************************************************************