Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 22 Aug 2004 to 23 Aug 2004 (#2004-174) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 24/08/2004, 17:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 20 messages totalling 1675 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Reviving the Tome of Mystara (7) 2. Request to clip content... (3) 3. More Holy Swords of the Known World 4. Website updated (Shameless Plug) (2) 5. Mystara Dutch (2) 6. Rough Expanded Darokin Timeline (3) 7. Kiwis and Aussies (2) ******************************************************************** 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, 23 Aug 2004 09:21:55 +0200 From: Giampaolo Agosta Subject: Re: Reviving the Tome of Mystara Vinicius R. de Moraes wrote: > >> I think we all miss the Tome of Mystara (for those who don't know, it >> was a _very_ good Mystaran webzine), > > How frequent was that? One issue every three months, IIRC. > What is "OD&Dities"? An OD&D-only fanzine. Quite good, actually. Search "OD&Dities" on google, it should be the first website found. > Does something REALLY happen at the MMB? I check it... say... yearly. Do > you guys post there? Or find useful info/cool discussions there? Do you > read it frequently? Am I missing something by not doing so? Recently (i.e., in July and August) there has been quite a lot of activity, though in the past it was nearly dead. Some people active on the MMB post here as well (Haavard, Porphyrogenitus), and Shawn archives posts from the MMB as well as those found here, so you won't miss much if you scan the updates at the VoP. > You say "editing": maybe the Wiki. We have been discussing it recently. I've read some of the discussion. > Giampaolo, do you think of many people working together in a same text > (i.e. you can add/change/delete things from a text that a first created) or > not? If so, he Wiki is ideal. I'm quite uncertain w.r.t. Wiki. I think they work best for technical topics. The good part of the Wiki is the reduced overhead, the bad is the lack in control. It seems to me that a Wiki would overlap with the MML/MMB rather than with fanzines such as OD&Dities or the Tome of Mystara. It merely differs from the first group from a technical point of view (if you include Shawn in the MML/MMB, of course), and the MML/MMB+Shawn combination is (obviously) more flexible. > Important point: I remain, as always, FAN NUMBER ZERO of Shawn's site. > Mystara is the ***only*** subject about which I do not look for info on > Google or Altavista... I go directly to Vaults of Pandius. :) -- Giampaolo Agosta http://digilander.iol.it/agathokles ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 03:52:24 -0700 From: Keene Hammond Subject: Request to clip content... Hi all, You probally didn't notice but I was offline a last week, vacationing and upgrading, but everyone can relax now I am back at the grindstone and ready to work. I decided that I would attempt to host a wiki dedicated to the world of Mystara and Dungeons and Dragons in general, as I have always on networking (cable-rr) and I have just bought components for my new system including plenty of disk space even for a very active wiki. I am guessing that the server will be available to use in the next couple of weeks, as funds allow, and then I will be sure to post the url here. FYI: I will be using the very quick wiki 2.7.1 from www.sourceforge.net, a Jboss 3.2.5 application server from www.jboss.org and a mySql database from www.mysql.com, because I am a Java-man and all of this software is free and platform independent. Ok, enough with the clicks and buzzes from me. The point of this message, is to ask for permission, and/or declare intent to, and/or to recieve advisement in copying, clipping, linking or otherwise using content from this list and/or the dnd.starflung.com web site to begin the wiki. If any of the authors object, I will not use the material or removed if they object, also due to the nature of the wiki the author could also remove the content themselves (or perhaps even update or change it in some way, maybe). My goal is to help the Mystara community, take advantage of all the contributions that already been made, and make it easier to contribute material in the future. Fishing for comments, -Keene _______________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Win 1 of 4,000 free domain names from Yahoo! Enter now. http://promotions.yahoo.com/goldrush ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 11:23:26 -0400 From: Chris Cherrington Subject: Re: Request to clip content... You got my permission, that is until I win the lotto and buy all of Mystara back, then all yall can work for me! 8-) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 00:56:49 +0800 From: Francisco Navarro Subject: More Holy Swords of the Known World --Apple-Mail-1--991107513 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; format=flowed Hail Mystarans! I am proud to share my second article on holy swords for the Mystaran=20 setting. I am particularly proud because I whipped this up and=20 completed it in a flash (compared to the first one!). But I am not so=20 proud as to not want feedback, suggestions, and comments from you. Compared to my first article (which btw Shawn, I'm in the finishing=20 touches now, so I'll be sending you a copy soon for the Vaults!), this=20= features less swords, but it has longer descriptions. I think the=20 storytelling here really immerses in the Mystara setting. So enjoy! Francisco Mystaran Arcanist and Collector of Sacred Weapons =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D More Holy Swords of the Known World =46rom the Alphatian continent to the deserts of Sind, from the island = of=20 Ochalea to the Five Shires of the hin, from the Northern Realms to the=20= Fairy Realms, here are five more holy swords blessed by the Immortals=20 Razud, Alphatia, Koryis, Freya, Hel, Khoronus, and Faunus! Thrice-Blessed Alphatian Sword Not as rare or shrouded in mystery as other holy swords, thrice-blessed=20= Alphatian swords were awesome weapons highly celebrated throughout the=20= Empire of Alphatia. These wondrous swords were crafted by the largest=20 churches throughout the continent, and conferred to the most pious and=20= most powerful paladins devoted to the three chief Alphatian Immortals:=20= Razud, Koryis, and Alphatia. Each of these +2 holy long swords is in itself a masterpiece work of=20 art. The craftsmanship is of the finest Alphatian make. The hilt and=20 pommel varies greatly in style, depending on the region of origin and=20 the contemporary fashion, but usually highly colorful and intricately=20 decorated. The blade of a thrice-blessed sword is always of a fabulous=20= iridescent alloy, forged only by the artisan-priests of the Immortal=20 Alphatia. It is this =93chromatic steel=94 that allows for the = enchantment=20 of the three divine blessings, for which the swords are named. The first blessing comes from Razud, the Patron of Self-Sufficiency and=20= Endurance. Once a day, the sword can cast the regenerate spell on the=20 wielder. The second blessing is ascribed to Alphatia, the Patroness of Pacifism=20= and Artistry. With the sword, the paladin can parry, deflect, or disarm=20= attacks of opponents (as per the Improved Disarm feat). Any non-magical=20= weapon that is parried or disarmed by this sword will instantly=20 disintegrate in a burst of rainbow-colored energy. Magical weapons are=20= allowed a Fortitude save, adding any magical bonuses to the save. The third blessing is evoked from the Immortal Koryis, the Patron of=20 Peace. An opponent disarmed or defeated using the sword is placed under=20= a geas of peacefulness towards the paladin, never to attack, retaliate=20= or exact vengeance on the paladin directly for as long as he wields the=20= thrice-blessed sword. During the Wrath of the Immortals War, the rest of the Known World=20 became witness to the marvelous power of thrice-blessed swords in the=20 hands of Alphatian paladins. But when a paladin fell, his sword lost=20 and fallen into the hands of the unworthy, the sword was reduced to a=20 mere +1 merciful sword. And with the sinking of the Alphatian=20 continent, a thrice-blessed Alphatian sword suddenly became more=20 precious and more sought after in the Known World. After the war, two such swords found their way to Tredorian, the=20 Alphatian Prince and hostage to Thyatis. He has since awarded these to=20= two Alphatian paladins now in the loyal service of the Thyatian Empire=20= and thus restored the swords to their full glory. A third sword is=20 rumored to be somewhere in Thyatis City in the hands of the cult of=20 Alphaks. Whether this is true, or a devious ploy of the evil clerics,=20 remains to be seen. In the Principalities of Glantri (the main enemy of Alphatia during the=20= war) the Council of Princes candidly maintains to have collected a=20 veritable arsenal of these swords from defeated Alphatian enemies,=20 albeit in their diminished form. The Glantrian make no secret that they=20= are kept one of the lower vaults at the impenetrable Tower of Sighs,=20 but of course, they have said nothing whether these swords are actually=20= thrice-blessed Alphatian swords. Holy Inspirer Rumors have persisted for years that certain +1 holy long swords are=20 sacred to the Immortal Freya, whose divine mission is to locate heroes=20= for good and even recruit candidates for Immortality. In the hands of a=20= paladin or cleric devoted to Freya, the holy inspirer becomes a +4 holy=20= long sword and is said to be able to grant special abilities to heroes=20= of good, lawful, or at the very least true neutral alignment. Everyday, the sword can grant upon three heroes a +4 bonus to up to=20 three ability scores. Once a day, the holy inspirer can also bestow on=20= one hero invigoration (the reverse of the enervation spell that adds=20 1d4 experience levels and other related bonuses). These benefits=20 normally last only one full day, unless these heroes undertake a=20 quest=97bestowed by the sword and usually in the service of Freya=97for=20= which the bonuses will be sustained until the quest is completed. In the Northern Realms, there are legends of a heroic godi of Freya who=20= with her holy sword could transform ordinary warriors to champions of=20 good, and who lead her entire party onto the Paths of Immortality=97or=20= some say, into the Halls of Valhalla. A strangely parallel myth is also told in the western realm of Sind. It=20= tells of Prince Rohin, a kshatriya (holy warrior) devoted to his=20 Patroness Parjani and whose sacred khandar (sword) can =93transfigure=20 humble men to great heroes=94 and =93grant men of pure heart the=20 realization of their higher incarnation.=94 The striking similarities of both tales have lead some religious=20 scholars to identify the Sindhi Immortal Parjani with the Northmen=20 Immortal Freya. But the divergence between these two cultures and the=20 differing accounts of what the holy inspirer sword appears like has=20 lead to much confusion=97and high demand for any +1 holy long swords = that=20 might possibly be such a weapon. Sword of Dark Resurrection As much as the Sindhi people celebrate the holy inspirer of Prince=20 Rohin in myth and song, they also tell a sinister tale of its evil=20 twin=97a sword so corrupt in its influence, it damns the soul of = mortals,=20 preventing it from achieving Nirvana. The Sindhi name it a sword of=20 dark resurrection. Such a sword is deceptive in its very nature, seeming like a=20 magnificent, bejeweled +1 holy long sword=97save perhaps that it cannot=20= deal extra damage or negative levels towards evil creatures. In fact,=20 when an evil character wields this sword, they will discover its evil=20 nature and the extra 2d6 points of damage it deals to good beings. The darkest powers of the sword can only be unleashed by one devoted to=20= the wicked Sindhi Immortal Kala, Patroness of Destruction, Death, and=20 Reincarnation (known as Hel to the rest of the Known World). The sword=20= becomes a true unholy long sword with a +3 magical bonus. Once a day,=20 the sword can also be used to resurrect a living creature that was=20 slain with it=97but with very dire consequences. Any good being killed = by=20 this sword that is raised or resurrected, using the sword or any other=20= method, will be brought back to life with a chaotic evil alignment. It=20= is believed that only Immortal magic or a well-worded wish or miracle=20 can say the damned soul from the dark resurrection. While swords of dark resurrection are generally unheard of outside of=20 Sindhi, ever since the Republic of Darokin has opened up trade with=20 Sind, the Darokinian Diplomatic Corps has been receiving disturbing=20 reports of thugs and villains in other countries wielding such=20 malevolent weapons of Sindhi myth. As far as Thyatis, the temple of=20 Odin has claimed to have caught one avenger with such a sword, and it=20 is believed the slavers of the Iron Ring in Karameikos are in=20 possession of one. But most disturbing of all to the DDC are rumors=20 that a thug worshiper of Kala has plans to assassinate the heads of the=20= Darokinian merchant houses and then raise them as their evil=20 reincarnations. Time Stiller The ancient Immortal Khoronus, Patron of Time and History, is widely=20 venerated if not entirely understood, throughout the Known World. His=20 cults and religious orders are often shrouded in mystery, and so is=20 this sacred sword that is held only by the finest paladins of Khoronus. The holy sword known as the time stiller will first seem like a +2 long=20= sword of speed or a +2 long sword of defending. Should it appear as the=20= former, the warrior wielding it will feel as if his opponents are=20 slowed down during combat, allowing him to attack twice as fast. Should=20= it appear as the latter, the warrior will find that he somehow always=20 manages to avoid attacks just in the nick of time. When a true holy warrior devoted to Khoronus takes up the time stiller,=20= he will find it having the magical properties of both swords=97and more.=20= The time stiller is a long sword of speed with a +2 bonus to attacks=20 and damage, and grants a permanent +2 enhancement to AC. Moreover, the=20= time stiller can cast a 10-foot radius circle of stilled time, where=20 every creature and object is uncannily slowed to half its speed. The=20 circle of stilled time can be called upon only three times a day and=20 can be stopped at will, but its cumulative duration can only total 12=20 rounds a day. In spite of the amazing and unique properties of the time stiller=20 sword, very few people throughout the Known World have actually heard=20 or seen such a weapon=97except perhaps in one nation, the Five Shires = (of=20 all places!). Over pipesmoke and ale, the hin have often told this tall=20= tale of this great paladin from Karameikos or Darokin or Thyatis or=20 Alphatia (depending on the telling) who wielded a time stiller sword=20 against a dervish from Ylari or Ethengar. When the paladin engaged in=20 combat, it seemed as if time would warp and bend, slowing down to let=20 the paladin carefully aim at his foe, then speeding up for his blow to=20= strike with more force, then slow down again to allow him to dodge a=20 blow from the dervish whose whirling was impossibly slow. It is also told by sailors and sea merchants that in the oriental=20 Kingdom of Ochalea, there is a secluded monastery to the Immortal Kong=20= Ru, where the mystics practice rigorously a strange martial art, both=20 barehanded and armed, wherein all the movements are done in slow=20 flowing motions=97but whether this is a natural skill of the monks or a=20= magical effect of a time stiller sword is not understood. The fact that there is no evidence of the time stiller has lead some=20 sages to believe that the clerics of Khoronus have deliberately kept=20 its existence a secret and diligently removed any records from=20 histories=97perhaps because the sword possesses the magic of = chronomancy,=20 which even the Immortal themselves are loathe to utilize. Fey Friend The fey friend is far from being the typical paladin=92s holy sword that=20= is glorious in its very craftsmanship and resplendent with divine=20 power. In fact, it not even recognized as a holy weapon by religious=20 experts, save for its rumored ties with the fanciful Immortal Faunus. The fey friend appears as a fancy rapier, its blade a light copper or=20 bronze alloy, the hilt bejeweled with multicolored cut glass, and its=20 purpose more ornamental than actually martial. Divinations upon it show=20= varying random results (from faint illusion to strong enchantment) but=20= actually use of the sword can reveal it to be an +1 anarchic rapier.=20 Another fantastic power that the sword=92s wielder may discover is that=20= the sword generates a 10-foot radius circle of wild magic, where most=20 any form of magic creates a wild surge. And if that were not disconcerting enough, the wielder of the sword=20 will experience vague little perplexing incidents: a creepy feeling of=20= being watched, seeing tiny sparkles in the air or something move=20 suddenly in the corner of his eyes, childish giggles or whispering=20 voices in the wind, vivid and recurring dreams or a constant sense of=20 d=E9j=E0 vu. The wielder may even lose items (never the sword though) = only=20 to find them later, or get lost himself then unexpectedly arrive at the=20= right destination. All these weird occurrences can be explained by the true nature of the=20= fey friend sword, which can only be revealed by one devoted to the=20 Immortal Faunus. This wild and whimsical Immortal is perhaps the only=20 Immortal of Mystara who consorts amicably with the Fair Folk, and=20 because of this, the divine champion of Faunus who wields this sword=20 will be regarded a special friend of the sidhe, sprites, pixies,=20 pookas, leprechauns, and the rest of the fey creatures. In the hands of Faunus=92 chosen champion, the fey friend counts as a +2=20= anarchic long sword, though it retains the properties of a rapier, with=20= respect to weight and ease of use. (Proficiency, Weapon Focus, and=20 Weapon Specialization for either rapier or short sword apply equally.)=20= The circle of wild magic is somewhat suppressed, such that wild surge=20 effects that are directly harmful to wielder (and, unfortunately, only=20= the wielder) are negated. The fey friend also confers second sight and fey tongue, allowing its=20 wielder to see and communicate with the Fair Folk clearly. Wielding the=20= fey friend sword also grants the wielder three fey favors for every=20 lunar cycle. This means that in three instances where he fails a saving=20= throw, a fey creature may suddenly appear out of the blue and intervene=20= to save him. (For example, if the favored mortal accidentally sets off=20= a trap, a pooka in the shape of a purple kangaroo will pop up out of=20 nowhere, knocking him off his feet and effectively out of range of the=20= trap.) The final and most powerful enchantment of the fey friend sword=97it is = a=20 bane against undead=97hints at the possible reason for the alliance=20 between Faunus and the fairies. It is most ironic that the wild and chaotic worshippers of Faunus are=20 as unlikely to be brandishing rapiers or long swords as they are to=20 become paladins, crusaders or any holy warrior=97which logically puts to=20= question who is meant to wield the fey friend. But then, mortal men do=20= not know the logic of Immortals=97especially a crazy one like Faunus=97any= =20 more than they can grasp the peculiar mind of the fey. --Apple-Mail-1--991107513 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/enriched; charset=WINDOWS-1252 ArialHail Mystarans! I am proud to share my second article on holy swords for the Mystaran setting. I am particularly proud because I whipped this up and completed it in a flash (compared to the first one!). But I am not so proud as to not want feedback, suggestions, and comments from you. Compared to my first article (which btw Shawn, I'm in the finishing touches now, so I'll be sending you a copy soon for the Vaults!), this features less swords, but it has longer descriptions. I think the storytelling here really immerses in the Mystara setting. So enjoy! Francisco Mystaran Arcanist and Collector of Sacred Weapons =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
ArialMore Holy Swords of the Known World
Arial =46rom the Alphatian continent to the deserts of Sind, from the island of Ochalea to the Five Shires of the hin, from the Northern Realms to the Fairy Realms, here are five more holy swords blessed by the Immortals Razud, Alphatia, Koryis, Freya, Hel, Khoronus, and Faunus! Thrice-Blessed Alphatian Sword=20 Not as rare or shrouded in mystery as other holy swords, thrice-blessed Alphatian swords were awesome weapons highly celebrated throughout the Empire of Alphatia. These wondrous swords were crafted by the largest churches throughout the continent, and conferred to the most pious and most powerful paladins devoted to the three chief Alphatian Immortals: Razud, Koryis, and Alphatia. Each of these +2 holy long swords is in itself a masterpiece work of art. The craftsmanship is of the finest Alphatian make. The hilt and pommel varies greatly in style, depending on the region of origin and the contemporary fashion, but usually highly colorful and intricately decorated. The blade of a thrice-blessed sword is always of a fabulous iridescent alloy, forged only by the artisan-priests of the Immortal Alphatia. It is this =93chromatic steel=94 that allows for the = enchantment of the three divine blessings, for which the swords are named. The first blessing comes from Razud, the Patron of Self-Sufficiency and Endurance. Once a day, the sword can cast the regenerate spell on the wielder.=20 The second blessing is ascribed to Alphatia, the Patroness of Pacifism and Artistry. With the sword, the paladin can parry, deflect, or disarm attacks of opponents (as per the Improved Disarm feat). Any non-magical weapon that is parried or disarmed by this sword will instantly disintegrate in a burst of rainbow-colored energy. Magical weapons are allowed a Fortitude save, adding any magical bonuses to the save. The third blessing is evoked from the Immortal Koryis, the Patron of Peace. An opponent disarmed or defeated using the sword is placed under a geas of peacefulness towards the paladin, never to attack, retaliate or exact vengeance on the paladin directly for as long as he wields the thrice-blessed sword. During the Wrath of the Immortals War, the rest of the Known World became witness to the marvelous power of thrice-blessed swords in the hands of Alphatian paladins. But when a paladin fell, his sword lost and fallen into the hands of the unworthy, the sword was reduced to a mere +1 merciful sword. And with the sinking of the Alphatian continent, a thrice-blessed Alphatian sword suddenly became more precious and more sought after in the Known World. After the war, two such swords found their way to Tredorian, the Alphatian Prince and hostage to Thyatis. He has since awarded these to two Alphatian paladins now in the loyal service of the Thyatian Empire and thus restored the swords to their full glory. A third sword is rumored to be somewhere in Thyatis City in the hands of the cult of Alphaks. Whether this is true, or a devious ploy of the evil clerics, remains to be seen. In the Principalities of Glantri (the main enemy of Alphatia during the war) the Council of Princes candidly maintains to have collected a veritable arsenal of these swords from defeated Alphatian enemies, albeit in their diminished form. The Glantrian make no secret that they are kept one of the lower vaults at the impenetrable Tower of Sighs, but of course, they have said nothing whether these swords are actually thrice-blessed Alphatian swords. Holy Inspirer Rumors have persisted for years that certain +1 holy long swords are sacred to the Immortal Freya, whose divine mission is to locate heroes for good and even recruit candidates for Immortality. In the hands of a paladin or cleric devoted to Freya, the holy inspirer becomes a +4 holy long sword and is said to be able to grant special abilities to heroes of good, lawful, or at the very least true neutral alignment.=20 Everyday, the sword can grant upon three heroes a +4 bonus to up to three ability scores. Once a day, the holy inspirer can also bestow on one hero invigoration (the reverse of the enervation spell that adds 1d4 experience levels and other related bonuses). These benefits normally last only one full day, unless these heroes undertake a quest=97bestowed by the sword and usually in the service of Freya=97for which the bonuses will be sustained until the quest is completed. In the Northern Realms, there are legends of a heroic godi of Freya who with her holy sword could transform ordinary warriors to champions of good, and who lead her entire party onto the Paths of Immortality=97or some say, into the Halls of Valhalla. A strangely parallel myth is also told in the western realm of Sind. It tells of Prince Rohin, a kshatriya (holy warrior) devoted to his Patroness Parjani and whose sacred khandar (sword) can =93transfigure humble men to great heroes=94 and =93grant men of pure heart the realization of their higher incarnation.=94 The striking similarities of both tales have lead some religious scholars to identify the Sindhi Immortal Parjani with the Northmen Immortal Freya. But the divergence between these two cultures and the differing accounts of what the holy inspirer sword appears like has lead to much confusion=97and high demand for any +1 holy long swords that might possibly be such a weapon. Sword of Dark Resurrection As much as the Sindhi people celebrate the holy inspirer of Prince Rohin in myth and song, they also tell a sinister tale of its evil twin=97a sword so corrupt in its influence, it damns the soul of mortals, preventing it from achieving Nirvana. The Sindhi name it a sword of dark resurrection. Such a sword is deceptive in its very nature, seeming like a magnificent, bejeweled +1 holy long sword=97save perhaps that it cannot deal extra damage or negative levels towards evil creatures. In fact, when an evil character wields this sword, they will discover its evil nature and the extra 2d6 points of damage it deals to good beings. The darkest powers of the sword can only be unleashed by one devoted to the wicked Sindhi Immortal Kala, Patroness of Destruction, Death, and Reincarnation (known as Hel to the rest of the Known World). The sword becomes a true unholy long sword with a +3 magical bonus. Once a day, the sword can also be used to resurrect a living creature that was slain with it=97but with very dire consequences. Any good being killed by this sword that is raised or resurrected, using the sword or any other method, will be brought back to life with a chaotic evil alignment. It is believed that only Immortal magic or a well-worded wish or miracle can say the damned soul from the dark resurrection. While swords of dark resurrection are generally unheard of outside of Sindhi, ever since the Republic of Darokin has opened up trade with Sind, the Darokinian Diplomatic Corps has been receiving disturbing reports of thugs and villains in other countries wielding such malevolent weapons of Sindhi myth. As far as Thyatis, the temple of Odin has claimed to have caught one avenger with such a sword, and it is believed the slavers of the Iron Ring in Karameikos are in possession of one. But most disturbing of all to the DDC are rumors that a thug worshiper of Kala has plans to assassinate the heads of the Darokinian merchant houses and then raise them as their evil reincarnations. Time Stiller The ancient Immortal Khoronus, Patron of Time and History, is widely venerated if not entirely understood, throughout the Known World. His cults and religious orders are often shrouded in mystery, and so is this sacred sword that is held only by the finest paladins of Khoronus. The holy sword known as the time stiller will first seem like a +2 long sword of speed or a +2 long sword of defending. Should it appear as the former, the warrior wielding it will feel as if his opponents are slowed down during combat, allowing him to attack twice as fast. Should it appear as the latter, the warrior will find that he somehow always manages to avoid attacks just in the nick of time. When a true holy warrior devoted to Khoronus takes up the time stiller, he will find it having the magical properties of both swords=97and more. The time stiller is a long sword of speed with a +2 bonus to attacks and damage, and grants a permanent +2 enhancement to AC. Moreover, the time stiller can cast a 10-foot radius circle of stilled time, where every creature and object is uncannily slowed to half its speed. The circle of stilled time can be called upon only three times a day and can be stopped at will, but its cumulative duration can only total 12 rounds a day. In spite of the amazing and unique properties of the time stiller sword, very few people throughout the Known World have actually heard or seen such a weapon=97except perhaps in one nation, the Five Shires (of all places!). Over pipesmoke and ale, the hin have often told this tall tale of this great paladin from Karameikos or Darokin or Thyatis or Alphatia (depending on the telling) who wielded a time stiller sword against a dervish from Ylari or Ethengar. When the paladin engaged in combat, it seemed as if time would warp and bend, slowing down to let the paladin carefully aim at his foe, then speeding up for his blow to strike with more force, then slow down again to allow him to dodge a blow from the dervish whose whirling was impossibly slow. It is also told by sailors and sea merchants that in the oriental Kingdom of Ochalea, there is a secluded monastery to the Immortal Kong Ru, where the mystics practice rigorously a strange martial art, both barehanded and armed, wherein all the movements are done in slow flowing motions=97but whether this is a natural skill of the monks or a magical effect of a time stiller sword is not understood. The fact that there is no evidence of the time stiller has lead some sages to believe that the clerics of Khoronus have deliberately kept its existence a secret and diligently removed any records from histories=97perhaps because the sword possesses the magic of chronomancy, which even the Immortal themselves are loathe to utilize. Fey Friend The fey friend is far from being the typical paladin=92s holy sword that is glorious in its very craftsmanship and resplendent with divine power. In fact, it not even recognized as a holy weapon by religious experts, save for its rumored ties with the fanciful Immortal Faunus. The fey friend appears as a fancy rapier, its blade a light copper or bronze alloy, the hilt bejeweled with multicolored cut glass, and its purpose more ornamental than actually martial. Divinations upon it show varying random results (from faint illusion to strong enchantment) but actually use of the sword can reveal it to be an +1 anarchic rapier. Another fantastic power that the sword=92s wielder may discover is that the sword generates a 10-foot radius circle of wild magic, where most any form of magic creates a wild surge. And if that were not disconcerting enough, the wielder of the sword will experience vague little perplexing incidents: a creepy feeling of being watched, seeing tiny sparkles in the air or something move suddenly in the corner of his eyes, childish giggles or whispering voices in the wind, vivid and recurring dreams or a constant sense of d=E9j=E0 vu. The wielder may even lose items (never the sword though) = only to find them later, or get lost himself then unexpectedly arrive at the right destination. All these weird occurrences can be explained by the true nature of the fey friend sword, which can only be revealed by one devoted to the Immortal Faunus. This wild and whimsical Immortal is perhaps the only Immortal of Mystara who consorts amicably with the Fair Folk, and because of this, the divine champion of Faunus who wields this sword will be regarded a special friend of the sidhe, sprites, pixies, pookas, leprechauns, and the rest of the fey creatures.=20 In the hands of Faunus=92 chosen champion, the fey friend counts as a +2 anarchic long sword, though it retains the properties of a rapier, with respect to weight and ease of use. (Proficiency, Weapon Focus, and Weapon Specialization for either rapier or short sword apply equally.) The circle of wild magic is somewhat suppressed, such that wild surge effects that are directly harmful to wielder (and, unfortunately, only the wielder) are negated. The fey friend also confers second sight and fey tongue, allowing its wielder to see and communicate with the Fair Folk clearly. Wielding the fey friend sword also grants the wielder three fey favors for every lunar cycle. This means that in three instances where he fails a saving throw, a fey creature may suddenly appear out of the blue and intervene to save him. (For example, if the favored mortal accidentally sets off a trap, a pooka in the shape of a purple kangaroo will pop up out of nowhere, knocking him off his feet and effectively out of range of the trap.)=20 The final and most powerful enchantment of the fey friend sword=97it is a bane against undead=97hints at the possible reason for the alliance between Faunus and the fairies.=20 It is most ironic that the wild and chaotic worshippers of Faunus are as unlikely to be brandishing rapiers or long swords as they are to become paladins, crusaders or any holy warrior=97which logically puts to question who is meant to wield the fey friend. But then, mortal men do not know the logic of Immortals=97especially a crazy one like Faunus=97any= more than they can grasp the peculiar mind of the fey. = --Apple-Mail-1--991107513-- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 22:51:15 +0200 From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Havard=20Faanes?= Subject: Website updated (Shameless Plug) I just wanted to let you all know I've updated my Blackmoor website at http://www.geocities.com/havardfaa/. Most of the changes are on the layout side, but I am pretty happy about the results. Let me know what you think? Oh, and with a major update like this, glitches are bound to sneak in. Bear with me on this and let me know if you find any. I'll do my best to fix them as soon as I find out about them Håvard ===== *** Håvard R. Faanes www.stud.ntnu.no/~havardfa ______________________________________________________ Få den nye Yahoo! Messenger på http://no.messenger.yahoo.com/ Nye ikoner og bakgrunner, webkamera med superkvalitet og dobbelt så morsom ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 23:40:33 +0200 From: Bertrand Lhoyez Subject: Re: Website updated (Shameless Plug) Very nice. Simple and elegant. Perhaps here and there you should add a bit of shimmerings. Just get rid of the Geocities Ads (i know it's more and more a pain in the ass to find a good free host ... by the way, that could be interested having someone who offer some hosting for mystara, if this don't exist) -----Original Message----- From: Mystara RPG Discussion [mailto:MYSTARA-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM]On Behalf Of Havard Faanes Sent: lundi 23 août 2004 22:51 To: MYSTARA-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM Subject: [MYSTARA] Website updated (Shameless Plug) I just wanted to let you all know I've updated my Blackmoor website at http://www.geocities.com/havardfaa/. Most of the changes are on the layout side, but I am pretty happy about the results. Let me know what you think? Oh, and with a major update like this, glitches are bound to sneak in. Bear with me on this and let me know if you find any. I'll do my best to fix them as soon as I find out about them Håvard ===== *** Håvard R. Faanes www.stud.ntnu.no/~havardfa ______________________________________________________ Få den nye Yahoo! Messenger på http://no.messenger.yahoo.com/ Nye ikoner og bakgrunner, webkamera med superkvalitet og dobbelt så morsom ******************************************************************** 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, 23 Aug 2004 16:57:05 -0700 From: The Stalker Subject: Re: Reviving the Tome of Mystara On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 17:39:27 +0200, Giampaolo Agosta wrote: (snip) > I think we all miss the Tome of Mystara (for those who don't know, it > was a _very_ good Mystaran webzine), and I'm thinking we could work on a > webzine that would fill the same niche. > Most of us would welcome the return of the Tome of Mystara (I was a contributor in half the six issues that came out), but while I think we'd all support such a project, I fear whoever took it on would soon run into the same problem the editors did - lack of time. Working on the MA is already pretty daunting and slow going, so I'm afraid I'm not too optimistic about the chances. That said, I would certainly consider contributing again, if someone made the effort. Also, contrary to popular belief, the Tome of Mystara has *NOT* disappeared into the cruel non-cyberspace of a void that is Geocities' policies. The issues are still there! Yes, the main page to the individual issues is gone, but the individual issues themselves are still there. At least, the following links still work for me (though I haven't checked all the individual articles): http://www.geocities.com/mystaratome/tomevol1/main.html http://www.geocities.com/mystaratome/tomevol2/main.html http://www.geocities.com/mystaratome/tomevol3/main.html http://www.geocities.com/mystaratome/tomevol4/main.html http://www.geocities.com/mystaratome/tomevol5/main.html http://www.geocities.com/mystaratome/tomevol6/main.html Check them all out (yeah, shameless plug for my own stuff - I know...) Oh, and could somebody please back them all up or mirror them if they have space? I can't do myself, but I'd sure like to know the resource will still be out there in the future. - The Stalker ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 21:29:50 -0300 From: "Vinicius R. de Moraes" Subject: Re: Mystara Dutch At 03:45 23/8/2004, you wrote: > Vinicius R. de Moraes wrote: > >>> Well, any nation colonized by the Flaems (from Glantri) would be an >>> M-Dutch country. >> >> "M-Dutch" = "Mystaran-Dutch"? > > Yes. > >>> in Glantri, plus the gnomes in the Hollow World are a sort of M-Belgium. >> >> Are they? Never thought of that. Why do you say so, "carissimo" (dear)? > Well, we have these two clans of gnome, Valoin and Flamaker, which seems > to mirror the division of Belgium into french-speaking (Wallon) and > dutch-speaking (Vlaams) regions. I thought Beliguim spoke French and GERMAN. Maybe the 3 of them? > Also, one family of these gnomes is named "Les Nerviens", which in the > RW is the (french) name of a gallic nation in Belgium. Hey, you are a cultured man! > There may be other hints in the VotPA article, but I haven't it here. > > Bye, > GP Thanks! vini ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 21:33:11 -0300 From: "Vinicius R. de Moraes" Subject: Re: Reviving the Tome of Mystara At 03:22 23/8/2004, you wrote: > Vinicius R. de Moraes wrote: > >> >>> The Tome of Mystara is gone due to Geocities' recent policies >> >> How come? Is it because Mystara is owned by a company? > > No, just because the website has been inactive for a long time -- the Tome > had been discontinued after five or so issues. Hum... Giampaolo, please propose something on a Wiki - write a short article - and let's see qwhat happens. Per favore (please). >>> but some of us do have mirror copies (I do, for one). >> >> could you please make it available? > > Yes and no: I understand the 2 meanings of "can": "to be possible" and "to be allowed". In Portuguese it is the same. > no, in the sense that I can't simply put the stuff on some > website, since it's not my own stuff, yes in the sense that I can send > it by mail to people, or simply provide the files if the original > authors/editors need them. > > Bye, > GP Well, if you can e-mail it, I'd be really glad. TIA and regards, vini ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 21:42:00 -0300 From: "Vinicius R. de Moraes" Subject: Re: Reviving the Tome of Mystara At 04:21 23/8/2004, you wrote: > Vinicius R. de Moraes wrote: > >> >>> I think we all miss the Tome of Mystara (for those who don't know, it >>> was a _very_ good Mystaran webzine), >> >> How frequent was that? > > One issue every three months, IIRC. > >> What is "OD&Dities"? > > An OD&D-only fanzine. Quite good, actually. Search "OD&Dities" on google, > it should be the first website found. > >> Does something REALLY happen at the MMB? I check it... say... yearly. Do >> you guys post there? Or find useful info/cool discussions there? Do you >> read it frequently? Am I missing something by not doing so? > > Recently (i.e., in July and August) there has been quite a lot of > activity, though in the past it was nearly dead. > Some people active on the MMB post here as well (Haavard, > Porphyrogenitus), and Shawn archives posts from the MMB as well as those > found here, so you won't miss much if you scan the updates at the VoP. > >> You say "editing": maybe the Wiki. We have been discussing it recently. > > I've read some of the discussion. > >> Giampaolo, do you think of many people working together in a same text >> (i.e. you can add/change/delete things from a text that a first created) or >> not? If so, he Wiki is ideal. > > I'm quite uncertain w.r.t. Wiki. What is "w.r.t."? > I think they work best for technical topics. Yes, they work well for technical topics, but I do not see why they would fail on fantastic topics. > The good part of the Wiki is the reduced overhead, Adn why is that? > the bad is the lack in control. Sure. You are right. Guidelines must be defined. > It seems to me that a Wiki would overlap with the MML/MMB rather than with > fanzines such as OD&Dities or the Tome of Mystara. > It merely differs from the first group from a technical point of view (if > you include Shawn in the MML/MMB, of course), I do not fully get your point here. > and the MML/MMB+Shawn combination is (obviously) more flexible. Again I do not fully understand. Please note that Peter and I are writing the book together via Wiki but all the discussions (both about solar racing and about what should be in the book or not and how - i.e. the "metadiscussion") still happen via e-mail msgs. >> Important point: I remain, as always, FAN NUMBER ZERO of Shawn's site. >> Mystara is the ***only*** subject about which I do not look for info on >> Google or Altavista... I go directly to Vaults of Pandius. > > :) > Giampaolo Agosta ;-) vini ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 21:50:29 -0300 From: "Vinicius R. de Moraes" Subject: Re: Request to clip content... At 07:52 23/8/2004, you wrote: > Hi all, > > You probally didn't notice but I was offline a last > week, vacationing and upgrading, but everyone can > relax now I am back at the grindstone and ready to > work. I guessed something like that. :) > I decided that I would attempt to host a wiki > dedicated to the world of Mystara and Dungeons and > Dragons in general, as I have always on networking > (cable-rr) and I have just bought components for my > new system including plenty of disk space even for a > very active wiki. It is the 2nd time that someone is worried about disk space. If we are talking about TEXT content, that would not be a - very - serious problem. > I am guessing that the server will be available to use > in the next couple of weeks, as funds allow, and then > I will be sure to post the url here. > FYI: I will be using the very quick wiki 2.7.1 from > www.sourceforge.net, a Jboss 3.2.5 application server > from www.jboss.org and a mySql database from > www.mysql.com, because I am a Java-man and all of this > software is free and platform independent. > Ok, enough with the clicks and buzzes from me. ZZZZZZZZZZZZ... snooooooooore... :-P Just kidding! I'm even sending this msg to Peter (the guy who is writing the book wit me), Keene. > The point of this message, is to ask for permission, > and/or declare intent to, and/or to recieve advisement > in copying, clipping, linking or otherwise using > content from this list and/or the dnd.starflung.com > web site to begin the wiki. > If any of the authors object, I will not use the > material or removed if they object, also due to the > nature of the wiki the author could also remove the > content themselves (or perhaps even update or change > it in some way, maybe). > > My goal is to help the Mystara community, take > advantage of all the contributions that already been > made, and make it easier to contribute material in the > future. IMHO once the contents are considered ready they should migrate to VoP, which should always be regarded as the ultimate source of info on Mystara. I mean we should DE-CENTRALISE (does it exist?) when it comes to create, but CENTRALISE when it comes to put the info, ready, availabe to people eager to learn. I'd like to hear Shawn on all of that. He said he is busy, but, well, if he is neither hosting nor taking care of the Wiki, I'd like hear his thoughts on that. > Fishing for comments, > -Keene Got a fish. Big one! vini ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 20:20:52 -0500 From: Aaron Nowack Subject: Rough Expanded Darokin Timeline Now that I am back from summer vacation and at my main computer, I'm starting to dig up one or two old Mystara projects that have never quite made it out the door. This is one of them. This was originally a set of notes designed to help me keep my dates straight when writing the Houses of Darokin posts, but was slowly beginning to be expanded into a full timeline. This version is still fairly rough - it won't make much sense if you aren't familiar with the Houses of Darokin, there isn't as much detail as I'd like, and large sections of history are left pretty uneventful. If I recall correctly, this timeline includes a few minor ties to the Cynidecia Project. Hopefully this will be of use to someone, and any comments or suggestions are most welcome, and will likely be taken into account as a work to finish this timeline. 1500 BC: Free Traldar tribes fleeing the merging Nithian Empire found Salonikos (later Selenica), the first major human settlement in what will become Darokin, around this time. They, along with other fleeing tribes, will emerge as a distinct culture - the Doulakki - over the next several centuries. 1300 BC: Three more Doulakki city-states are established in Darokin by this point: Dolos, Cruth, and Canolbarth. 1200 BC: By this point small Doulakki settlements on the sites of modern day Akorros and Athenos are founded. 1000 BC: Gnoll invasion forces some Doulakki north into orc territory, few survive. Those that do found the city-state of Dast. The City-State of Cruth is utterly destroyed, while Canolbarth begins a long decline. 900 BC: By this point the Canolbarth Plains are orcish-occupied, while Dast is under a constant state of war. 800 BC: Elves settle Alfheim, driving the orcs west. As a result, the settlements at Athenos and Akorros are destroyed. For the next six hundred years, wars between the remaining Doulakki city-states and Alfheim will occur. Repeated civil wars among the orcs allow the humans to begin to recover parts of western Darokin despite this. 600 BC: Favaro is founded by the Eastwind Clan around this time. 500 BC: Athenos founded. 200 BC: Darokin is held by two main races by this point: human and orc. Humans control Athenos, near modern Darokin City, the Cruth region, and Selenica. The Orclands, modern Corunglain and the Amsorak region belong to the orcs. 100 BC: Around this time the Eastwind Clan begins its rise to power. 21 AC: Ansel Eastwind founds the Kingdom of Darokin and Darokin City. He proclaims himself King Ansel I of the House of Darokin. The new Kingdom only controls territory in, roughly, a 32 mile radius from the city. 87 AC: Aden I killed, Time of Three Kings begins. 102 AC: Elves support Corwyn I as King, Time of Three Kings ends 122 AC: Corwyn I dies. 250 AC: Displaced Ylari tribes (from Thyatian colonization) move into Darokin. 293 AC: Last orc tribes driven from Darokin. Free City of Corunglain founded. 412 AC: Traladran Wars begin. Selenica is allied with Traladara. 413 AC: Selenican Civil War begins. 414 AC: Selenican royalists retake the city, forcing the rebels to flee. 417 AC: Traladran Wars end with the Peace of Marlinev. 493 AC: Darokin annexes the Cruth region. Border raids with Selenica begin. 501 AC: The Elfwar begins. 503 AC: Mithras V dies in battle with elves. 504 AC: Elfwar ends. 523 AC: Corunglain falls to orcs. 525 AC: Corunglain rebuilt, becoming fifth Duchy. 574 AC: Selenica taken by treachery, Raros Hallonica becomes Duke. 641 AC: Reginald of Crowlerd born. 650 AC: By this point the Kings are powerless. 692 AC: Al-Azrad House founded. 714 AC: Mauntea House founded. 715 AC: Linton House founded. 723 AC: Santhral II, last King of Darokin, dies. Darokin split by bloody civil wars. (Akesoli vs. Akorros - Amsorak War, Malpheggi vs. Darokin City- Elstrich Wars). 741 AC: Akorros triumphs in Amsorak War, reaffirming status as capital of the Duchy of Amsorak. 752 AC: Republic of Selenica (Selenica and Cruth) founded. 764 AC: Elstrich Wars end in a draw, though the town of Elstrich is in Darokinian hands. 773 AC: Itheldown Island destroyed. Ithel House reestablishes self in Akorros. 774 AC: Umbarth House founded in Akesoli. 792 AC: Mauntea House becomes ruler of Darokin City 825 AC: Al-Azrad one of the largest trading families in the Thyatian Empire. 828 AC: Dwarven refugees from Glantri in Darokin. 833 AC: Toney House founded in Akorros. 846 AC: Ardelphia falls. Ardel House relocates to Anismont. 853 AC: Al-Azrad House moves into Selenica. 856 AC: Ylaruam invades Selenica. 857 AC: Ylari decisively defeated at Battle of Parsa, Parsa annexed. 862 AC: Umbarth House forms Diplomatic Corps, other Houses soon follow. 870 AC: Athenos Canal construction begins. 899 AC: Athenos Canal completed. 900 AC: Refugees fleeing Thyatian takeover of Traladara enter Darokin. 913 AC: Merchant's War (Malpheggi and Corunglain vs. Darokin and Amsorak) begins when Linton House seizes control of the Athenos Canal, which they previously jointly operated with Mauntea House. 922 AC: Merchant's War ends. 927 AC: First Great Merchant's Council, Republic of Darokin founded, Charles Mauntea becomes Chancellor, DDC formed. The Nine Great Houses, in order, are Mauntea, Linton, Corun, Hallonica, Umbarth, Al-Azrad, Raken, Ardel, and Ithel. 928 AC: First Great Reckoning is held this year. No changes to House rankings. 930 AC: Pennydown House founded. 932 AC: Charles dies, Lydia Mauntea declares self Chancellor, Night of Bloody Knives. 933 AC: Second Great Reckoning held. The Nine Great Houses, in order, are Mauntea, Hallonica, Al-Azrad, Umbarth, Linton, Ardel, Raken, Corun, and Ithel. 934 AC: Second Great Merchant's Council 938 AC: Third Great Reckoning held. The Nine Great Houses, in order, are Mauntea, Hallonica, Linton, Umbarth, Corun, Al-Azrad, Raken, Ithel, and Ardel. 943 AC: Fourth Great Reckoning held. The Nine Great Houses, in order, are Mauntea, Hallonica, Linton, Corun, Umbarth, Al-Azrad, Raken, Ardel, and Ithel. 946 AC: Toney absorbs Ithel House in a surprise (friendly) move. 947 AC: Franich House founded. 948 AC: Fifth Great Reckoning held. The Nine Great Houses, in order, are Mauntea, Linton, Hallonica, Umbarth, Corun, Al-Azrad, Raken, Toney, and Ardel. 949 AC: Lydia dies, Vardon Kalimi becomes Chancellor. Athenos Canal sold by Linton and Mauntea Houses to the Republic for a single daro. 950 AC: Parsa returned to Ylaruam for trade concessions. 953 AC: Sixth Great Reckoning held. The Nine Great Houses, in order, are Mauntea, Hallonica, Linton, Umbarth, Corun, Raken, Al-Azrad, Toney, and Ardel. 958 AC: Seventh Great Reckoning held. The Nine Great Houses, in order, are Mauntea, Hallonica, Linton, Corun, Umbarth, Al-Azrad, Toney, Raken, and Ardel. 963 AC: Eighth Great Reckoning held. The Nine Great Houses, in order, are Mauntea, Linton, Hallonica, Umbarth, Corun, Raken, Al-Azrad, Toney, and Pennydown. 968 AC: Ninth Great Reckoning held. The Nine Great Houses, in order, are Mauntea, Linton, Hallonica, Umbarth, Corun, Al-Azrad, Toney, Pennydown, and Raken. 971 AC: Vardon resigns, Corwyn Hoff (Toney House) becomes Chancellor. 973 AC: Tenth Great Reckoning held. The Nine Great Houses, in order, are Mauntea, Linton, Hallonica, Umbarth, Corun, Al-Azrad, Pennydown, Toney, and Franich. 974 AC: Raken House joins Toney House in a hostile takeover. 975 AC: Hoff assassinated by Linton agents, Rypien Hallonica becomes Chancellor. 978 AC: Eleventh Great Reckoning held. The Nine Great Houses, in order, are Mauntea, Linton, Hallonica, Corun, Umbarth, Al-Azrad, Pennydown, Toney, and Franich. 983 AC: Twelfth Great Reckoning held. The Nine Great Houses, in order, are Mauntea, Linton, Hallonica, Corun, Umbarth, Al-Azrad, Toney, Pennydown, and Franich. 981 AC: Several thousand orcs and goblins attempt to overrun Ft. Runnels as a prelude to a major attack on the Darokin Heartland. However, the forces there manage to hold until relief arrives. 988 AC: Rypien dies, Corwyn Mauntea becomes Chancellor. Thirteenth Great Reckoning held. The Nine Great Houses, in order, are Mauntea, Linton, Hallonica, Corun, Umbarth, Toney, Pennydown, Al-Azrad, and Franich. 990 AC: Toney House insults the Thieves Guild of Akorros. 993 AC: Fourteenth Great Reckoning held. The Nine Great Houses, in order, are Mauntea, Linton, Hallonica, Corun, Umbarth, Pennydown, Toney, Al-Azrad, and Franich. 998 AC: Fifteenth Great Reckoning held. The Nine Great Houses, in order, are Mauntea, Linton, Hallonica, Corun, Umbarth, Pennydown, Al-Azrad, Franich, and Toney. 1000 AC: The time of the Gazetteer series and the Houses of Darokin posts. -- Aaron Nowack "Never let reality get in the way of a good hypothesis." http://www.mimiru.net/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 22:17:34 -0300 From: "Vinicius R. de Moraes" Subject: Re: Reviving the Tome of Mystara At 20:57 23/8/2004, you wrote: > On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 17:39:27 +0200, Giampaolo Agosta > wrote: > (snip) > >I think we all miss the Tome of Mystara (for those who don't know, it > >was a _very_ good Mystaran webzine), and I'm thinking we could work on a > >webzine that would fill the same niche. > > > > Most of us would welcome the return of the Tome of Mystara (I was a > contributor in half the six issues that came out), but while I think we'd > all support such a project, I fear whoever took it on would soon run into > the same problem the editors did - lack of time. Working on the MA is > already pretty daunting and slow going, so I'm afraid I'm not too > optimistic about the chances. That said, I would certainly consider > contributing again, if someone made the effort. > > Also, contrary to popular belief, the Tome of Mystara has *NOT* > disappeared into the cruel non-cyberspace of a void that is Geocities' > policies. The issues are still there! GOOOOOOOOOD news, oh, Mighty Stalker! > Yes, the main page to the individual issues is gone, but the individual > issues themselves are still there. At least, the following links still > work for me (though I haven't checked all the individual articles): Seems to be working for me. > http://www.geocities.com/mystaratome/tomevol1/main.html > http://www.geocities.com/mystaratome/tomevol2/main.html > http://www.geocities.com/mystaratome/tomevol3/main.html > http://www.geocities.com/mystaratome/tomevol4/main.html > http://www.geocities.com/mystaratome/tomevol5/main.html > http://www.geocities.com/mystaratome/tomevol6/main.html > > Check them all out (yeah, shameless plug for my own stuff - I know...) > > Oh, and could somebody please back them all up or mirror them if they have > space? I can't do myself, but I'd sure like to know the resource will > still be out there in the future. > > - The Stalker > I do not have it installed on this machine, as I have just reinstalled the > OS, but the way the articles are done (i.e. using a tree-based directory > hierarchy and w/o CGI) a program like Webzip or Webleech or Websnake could > get it all at once. All you have to do is ask for the program the whole > site under http://www.geocities.com/mystaratome Hope it helps, vini ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 22:12:21 -0400 From: Geoff Gander Subject: Re: Mystara Dutch Agathokles wrote: > Well, any nation colonized by the Flaems (from Glantri) would be an > M-Dutch country. > > Right now, we have the Principality of Bergdhoven in Glantri, plus the > gnomes in the Hollow World are a sort of M-Belgium. I guess I had better finish up my own little project that's been sitting on the back burner for the past while, then. I had been developing the "Adakaners" - basically the Mystaran version of the RW Afrikaners - a people descended from Bergdhovenese refugees who fled Glantri during the Forty Years War, and found themselves in the Adakkian Sound region. 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: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 18:52:43 -0700 From: The Stalker Subject: Re: Reviving the Tome of Mystara On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 21:42:00 -0300, Vinicius R. de Moraes wrote: > At 04:21 23/8/2004, you wrote: >> Vinicius R. de Moraes wrote: >> >>> (snip) >> >> I'm quite uncertain w.r.t. Wiki. > > What is "w.r.t."? > It's an acronym for "with regard to". You can always (at least it usually works for me) at www.acronymfinder.com Bookmark that site! Believe me, if you do, you'll be surprised how often you'll slip over there to clear up the mystery of an obscure acronym (well, I did at least...). Heck, they even have a few acronym from my own obscure native tongue there, which I found rather surprising... - The Stalker ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 22:21:45 -0400 From: Geoff Gander Subject: Re: Rough Expanded Darokin Timeline > > Now that I am back from summer vacation and at my main computer, I'm > starting to dig up one or two old Mystara projects that have never quite > made it out the door. This is one of them. This is great! Incidentally, I'm in the process of working out/filling in some gaps in the history myself, and this will certainly help. Basically, I'm developing the period immediately before Ansel crowns himself king, and the period between AC 650 and the Great Merger (when Darokin was a nation in name only). During both of those periods, a number of realms rose and fell - some more important than others. I've released a little bit so far (see the latest issue of OD&DITIES), but I see no reason why we shouldn't be able to integrate it. Would you be interested? 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: Mon, 23 Aug 2004 22:42:56 -0500 From: Aaron Nowack Subject: Re: Rough Expanded Darokin Timeline Geoff Gander wrote: > This is great! Incidentally, I'm in the process of working out/filling in > some gaps in the history myself, and this will certainly help. Basically, > I'm developing the period immediately before Ansel crowns himself king, > and the period between AC 650 and the Great Merger (when Darokin was a > nation in name only). During both of those periods, a number of realms > rose and fell - some more important than others. I've released a little > bit so far (see the latest issue of OD&DITIES), but I see no reason why we > shouldn't be able to integrate it. Would you be interested? Just went and read the OD&DITIES article, and I also see no reason it couldn't be integrated. It also helps that I don't have many ideas for those two periods, with most of mine falling during the Kingdom of Darokin is founded and during the Republic. ;) There are some things I've started to lay out with regard to the time between the fall of the Kingdom and the rise of the Republic, as you can no doubt tell from the timeline. My version of the Kingdom of Darokin was divided into Six Duchies - Darokin (the title of Duke of Darokin for most of the Kingdom being like the Prince of Wales in the UK - going to whoever the heir to the throne was), Malpheggi (Athenos and Tenobar, basically), Selenica, Amsorak (Akesoli and Akorros), Corunglain, and Cruth (the area between Alfheim and Karameikos). Save for Cruth, which quickly collapses and is partly absorbed by the the now-Republic of Selenica, I've envisioned these forming the main powers during the era between the Kingdom and the Republic. However, Darokin is a big place, and with the constant fighting there's plenty of room for other nations to rise and fall. I've also a handful of ideas involving how the Kings became so powerless, which can be seen to some extent in the relevant section of my "Rulers of Darokin": 632-648 AC Emilia II Anismont, the Weaver (sister, abdicated in favor of husband due to sickness) 648-657 AC Aden III Anismont, the Vampire (husband, fled when discovered as a nofesteratu, may potentially survive to this day) 657-689 AC Ansel IV Attleson, the Incompetent (cousin, died of natuaral causes) 689-712 AC Santhral I Attleson, the Gardener (son, died of natural causes) 712-723 AC Santhral II Attleson, the Last King (son ,died of natural causes with no heir) Basic concept is that Emilia II is a poor ruler, allowing the Kingdom to decentralize during her reign. Aden III briefly manages to reverse this, but his tyrannical rule and the revelation of his nofesteratu status keep the gains from lasting past his reign. The ultimate heir, Ansel IV, is a less than intelligent pawn of various Dukes throughout his reign, and when Santhral I takes the throne the King's effective rule barely even covers the palace grounds. When Santhral II dies without a heir, the last shreds of unity fall away and open warfare starts. So anyway, those are my two daros on that time period, which you can use or disregard as you see fit. -- Aaron Nowack "Never let reality get in the way of a good hypothesis." http://www.mimiru.net/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 03:48:13 +0000 From: adrian mattias Subject: Re: Kiwis and Aussies Shawn, Surely you remember that I am an Aussie also. And from the same city as you (Canberra) no less. Cheers Adrian > From: shawn stanley > Reply-To: Mystara RPG Discussion > To: MYSTARA-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM > Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] Kiwis and Aussies > Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2004 18:37:13 +1000 > > At 01:17 AM 11/08/2004 -0300, you wrote: > >Are there Kiwis in the list other than Chris? Chris, do you know? > >What about Aussies other than Shawn? Shawn, do you have any info on that? > > Jonathan Nolan who was active a while back is/was from Australia I think, I > don't particularly know of any others though. > > >Any "Aussie/Kiwi-Con" or something? What about magazines? > > All the major cities in Australia have gaming conventions, although in > recent years Cancon, the one in Canberra, has goen more back to it's > wargaming roots and taken on a lot more M:tG, LAN parties and that sort of > aspect on. > > I don't think there's any locally produced magazines, or not that I know > of. > > shawn stanley > > what have you done for me lately ... more to the point what have i done for > me > - mightyfew, "i can't wait" > > ******************************************************************** > 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. > _________________________________________________________________ 10,000 children need sponsors – change a life: http://ad.au.doubleclick.net/clk;9294008;9739733;y?http://www.worldvision.com.au/childsponsorship/search/child_search.asp?om=1 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 16:48:44 +1000 From: shawn stanley Subject: Re: Kiwis and Aussies At 03:48 AM 24/08/2004 +0000, you wrote: > Shawn, > > Surely you remember that I am an Aussie also. And from the same city as you > (Canberra) no less. oh yeah, sorry I forgot Adrian. We've never ran into each other that I know of though. shawn stanley what have you done for me lately ... more to the point what have i done for me - mightyfew, "i can't wait" ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2004 08:54:59 +0200 From: Giampaolo Agosta Subject: Re: Reviving the Tome of Mystara Vinicius R. de Moraes wrote: > >> I'm quite uncertain w.r.t. Wiki. > > What is "w.r.t."? As the Stalker said, "with regard to". >> I think they work best for technical topics. > > Yes, they work well for technical topics, but I do not see why they > would fail on fantastic topics. Because of the lack of authorial control -- unless, of course, rules are made. And because while on technical topics it may happen that someone finds a mistake and can correct it, in a fictional topic there is no actual "correctness". >> The good part of the Wiki is the reduced overhead, > > Adn why is that? Because there's no central authority working on archival decisions. >> It seems to me that a Wiki would overlap with the MML/MMB rather >> than with fanzines such as OD&Dities or the Tome of Mystara. It >> merely differs from the first group from a technical point of >> view (if you include Shawn in the MML/MMB, of course), > > I do not fully get your point here. > >> and the MML/MMB+Shawn combination is (obviously) more flexible. > > Again I do not fully understand. Let me elaborate a bit on this. The MML/MMB works like this: someone posts something, others may discuss, prompt for changes, sometimes take the post and elaborate on it, but rarely modify it directly. Then Shawn reads everything, and archives significant posts (possibly including comments) in the right place in the VoP. A Wiki works (AFAIK, correct me where I might be wrong): someone posts, others may add comments and/or modify the text. As you noted, e-mail is still needed for metadiscussion. You may note the advantage of the first solution: it does not require the users to employ two different tools (browser/wiki and e-mail). Also, since there is rarely the need to directly modify text written by someone else, one of the main advantages of a Wiki is somewhat negated. Actually, I can remember only a single VoP article that was updated by people who were not the original authors, that is the Sentient Races list. -- Giampaolo Agosta http://digilander.iol.it/agathokles ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 22 Aug 2004 to 23 Aug 2004 (#2004-174) ****************************************************************