Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 24 Aug 2004 to 25 Aug 2004 (#2004-176) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 26/08/2004, 17:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 9 messages totalling 822 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. A Mystara Wiki (2) 2. Rough Expanded Darokin Timeline (3) 3. one world, many authors (3) 4. Expanded Darokin Timeline Part 1: From the Founding of Salonikos to the Fall of al-Zalenikah (1500 BC - 351 AC) ******************************************************************** 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, 25 Aug 2004 12:54:17 +0200 From: Francesco Defferrari Subject: Re: A Mystara Wiki ----- Original Message ----- From: "Keene Hammond" > So check it out. > http://celestialweb.dnsalias.net/wiki/mystara/Wiki I found two errors: Alamanacs instead of Almanacs (I corrected this one) and Karamiekos instead of Karameikos (I corrected this one in the campaign page, but check the title because it seems I cannot modify it) Added the link to my campaign. bye Francesco ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 14:05:58 +0200 From: =?iso-8859-1?q?la=20Volpe?= Subject: Re: Rough Expanded Darokin Timeline Personally I have my own ideas on the origin of Darokin and its people. It would be easily integrated with what Aaron and Geoff are writing...I am especially interested in the ancient era, say 2000-500 BC, because of my Etnography Project. I'll let you know my ideas as soon as possible...these days I've got loads of things to do... Giulio ___________________________________ Yahoo! Companion - Scarica gratis la toolbar di Ricerca di Yahoo! http://companion.yahoo.it ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 06:01:19 -0700 From: Keene Hammond Subject: Re: A Mystara Wiki Thanks, I have unlocked the header, footer and left nav -Keene --- Francesco Defferrari wrote: > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Keene Hammond" > > So check it out. > > http://celestialweb.dnsalias.net/wiki/mystara/Wiki > > I found two errors: Alamanacs instead of Almanacs (I > corrected this one) and > Karamiekos instead of Karameikos (I corrected this > one in the campaign page, > but check the title because it seems I cannot modify > it) > Added the link to my campaign. > bye > Francesco > > ******************************************************************** > 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. > > _______________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Win 1 of 4,000 free domain names from Yahoo! Enter now. http://promotions.yahoo.com/goldrush ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 07:08:22 -0700 From: Keene Hammond Subject: one world, many authors Hummm, --- shawn stanley wrote: > yeah that's why I'm a bit confused about this whole > wiki push, most of the > articles on the Vaults are single author creations, > they aren't collaborations > I see that I might have come off as pushy, really it is just enthusiasm, my apologies. Also I think one of the reason that there are not more articles on the Vaults that are created by more than one author is because of the logistics of collaborating with other authors. A wiki is a way to ease the logistical problem of authoring shared content with others. I set up the wiki because I could and I needed it, plus there is tons of information on the Official Site that I wish to cross reference and connect together, working out the conflicting information. There are articles I wish to expand on filling in some of the blanks, and I want to allow others to do the same, each of us furthering the efforts of the others. It is meant as a gift to the Mystara community as a whole. Why host it myself, there were free services available, but there was size restrictions and functionality issues. My requirements were large amounts of available space, and and interface that would work for both authors who know html (me) and those who don't (my players). Now my players and I can publish our information from anywhere, anytime, and interact with each other information however we wish, and the larger community is free to add, change, correct the information as they see fit. The more people that participate the better of a resource it becomes. I guess it is an experiment, in group think, and a valuable tool for use in my campaign. Try it out, maybe you will find it a valuable resource. After all it will be make we make it. http://celestialweb.dnsalias.net/wiki/mystara/Wiki -Keene __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - 100MB free storage! http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 17:00:33 +0200 From: Giampaolo Agosta Subject: Re: one world, many authors Keene Hammond wrote: > > Also I think one of the reason that there are not more articles on > the Vaults that are created by more than one author is because of > the logistics of collaborating with other authors. A wiki is a way > to ease the logistical problem of authoring shared content with > others. Maybe, and then also maybe not. There are more than a few people who like to be in control of what they write, or who prefer to work in small groups, or any other number of solutions -- myself, I prefer to work in a pair, or alone, for example. However, the type of content is also relevant. For example, I've now put some entries on your Wiki. Most of them simply deal with known facts -- such as what is Davania, or who are the Simbasta. Here, I feel quite appropriate to let this info go into the Wiki, since it's mostly canon stuff -- other people may like it or not, but there really little to discuss. Also, I might have done mistakes, or just forgot some info, so it would be good if someone integrated/corrected what I've written. It would have been different if I were to, say, add my Taymor gazetteer -- that goes way beyond canon, and makes assumptions other people may not share. I would not want to force these assumptions on them, but neither would see people tinkering too much with them -- after all, I've written that stuff with some purpose. This example should also clarify a bit what I was meaning when I said to Vinicius that Wiki are IMO more appropriate for "technical" content. That said, the Mystarapedia does have potential as a glossary/introduction/encyclopaedia of Mystara, as well as an advanced/cooperative version of the Newbie guide, Sentient Races list and the like. For other, less canon-sticking article, I still have some doubts. -- Giampaolo Agosta http://digilander.iol.it/agathokles ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 09:36:20 -0700 From: Keene Hammond Subject: Re: one world, many authors Point taken. However, It would be interesting to see how your gazetteer would evolve on the wiki. You will always have what you created your way, but the group mind might inspire and suprise you. Anyway, your input is valuable (here and there). Thank you, -Keene --- Giampaolo Agosta wrote: > Keene Hammond wrote: > > > > Also I think one of the reason that there are not > more articles on > > the Vaults that are created by more than one > author is because of > > the logistics of collaborating with other > authors. A wiki is a way > > to ease the logistical problem of authoring > shared content with > > others. > > Maybe, and then also maybe not. There are more than > a few people who > like to be in control of what they write, or who > prefer to work in small > groups, or any other number of solutions -- myself, > I prefer to work in > a pair, or alone, for example. > > However, the type of content is also relevant. > For example, I've now put some entries on your Wiki. > Most of them simply deal with known facts -- such as > what is Davania, or > who are the Simbasta. > Here, I feel quite appropriate to let this info go > into the Wiki, since > it's mostly canon stuff -- other people may like it > or not, but there > really little to discuss. > Also, I might have done mistakes, or just forgot > some info, so it would > be good if someone integrated/corrected what I've > written. > > It would have been different if I were to, say, add > my Taymor gazetteer > -- that goes way beyond canon, and makes assumptions > other people may > not share. > I would not want to force these assumptions on them, > but neither would > see people tinkering too much with them -- after > all, I've written that > stuff with some purpose. > > This example should also clarify a bit what I was > meaning when I said to > Vinicius that Wiki are IMO more appropriate for > "technical" content. > > That said, the Mystarapedia does have potential as a > glossary/introduction/encyclopaedia of Mystara, as > well as an > advanced/cooperative version of the Newbie guide, > Sentient Races list > and the like. > > For other, less canon-sticking article, I still have > some doubts. > -- > > Giampaolo Agosta > > http://digilander.iol.it/agathokles > > ******************************************************************** > 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. > > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail is new and improved - Check it out! http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 19:26:24 -0400 From: Geoff Gander Subject: Re: Rough Expanded Darokin Timeline Aaron wrote: > 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). This is very similar to my own ideas. Following the fall of Corunglain in AC 523, the king lost a great deal of credibility among the northern houses (after all, the Gaz states that it was a Corun who founded Corun's Glen way back when, and it was a Corun who led the fight to reclaim and rebuild it). No real mention of the king - I decided to have that signify that the king's aid was either too late, or ineffectual. In either case, the northerners began to turn away from their southern brethren at that time. Corun House began to rule Corunglain as a realm unto itself - first as a city-state, later as a full-fledged duchy. By AC 650 (which, following the Gaz, was the time by which the king was largely ceremonial), almost all of the lands north of Ansimont paid little more than lip service to Darokin City, and some (such as Corunglain and Ardelphia) openly behaved as independent states. In this region, a number of realms arose: The Duchy of Corunglain (proclaimed AC 628) The Duchy of Ardelphia (proclaimed AC 647, destroyed by humanoids AC 846) The Duchy of Callair (proclaimed AC 672, laid waste by humanoids AC 702, territory claimed by Corunglain AC 704) The Kingdom of Daelbar (proclaimed AC 669, nearly destroyed by orcs following Fall of Ardelphia, faded away by AC 875, territory claimed by Corunglain AC 891) A little further south, in the rich heartland of the Streel Valley, numerous would-be kings set up shop, eager to control the lucrative river trade and lumber industry, which still ran strong even during the most chaotic years. Due to its closer proximity to Darokin City, the king's writ (such as it was in the later days of the monarchy) did extend here, and so this region remained "loyal" for a longer period. However, by AC 650, it was clear to those in Darokin City that this region, too, would soon go the way of the northern lands. In this region the following realms arose: The Duchy of Favaro (proclaimed AC 662, collapses in civil war AC 690, considered part of Streel Marches by AC 700) Principality of Dirnath (proclaimed AC 678, collapses AC 686, part of Streel Marches AC 690) The Duchy of Rondeth (proclaimed AC 685, despoiled by Red Duke of Irum AC 7 785, absorbed by Duchy of Amsorak AC 791) Kingdom of Almarand (proclaimed AC 699, conquered by Darokin AC 914) Barony of Sashenta (proclaimed AC 682, conquered by Duchy of Amsorak AC 756) Duchy of Irum (proclaimed AC 690, obliterated by Darokin-Almarand alliance AC 807) Barony of Eraeda (proclaimed AC 700, collapses AC 738, part of Streel Marches AC 740) Barony of Nethlinn (proclaimed AC 693, despoiled by Red Duke of Irum AC 791) ...and of course, Amsorak and Darokin played important roles here, too. Another lost element of Darokinian history is the following. I don't know when it would be placed, but logically it belongs to the time of the kingdom, preferably when it was ascendent: In the east, I had the city-state of Salonikos persist as an enclave of Doulakki culture for several centuries, until it was conquered by an army of Ylari, who had been exiled from their homeland (this is before the time of Al-Kalim). Renaming the city "al-Zalenikah", the Ylari chief ruled it as a caliphate, creating a dynasty that lasted a couple of generations before one of the Daro kings (preferably a nastier one, as it would fit the storyline), in a fit of self-aggrandisement, attacked the caliphate, conquered it after a brutal siege, and proceeded to give his army free reign for a week. After humiliating the caliph publicly, the king had him beheaded, and had all of the resident Ylari enslaved. Some of them managed to flee to the hilly country to the north, and to this day, the countryfolk north of Selenica are noted for their slighty Ylari features, and for their dialect, which incorporates a number of Ylari words. Tragically, the destruction of the caliphate brought to an end an enlightened realm, where astronomy, philosophy, and physics were pursued. Al-Zalenikah also boasted a library of considerable repute; scholars from Thyatis were known to have visited it on several occasions in order to consult the many ancient tomes and scrolls contained therein. It is said that some of those tomes dated from an ancient realm that none remember (Nithia, and some from Taymor), but few believe that any of those fabled books survived the conquest, for the king, in his fury and hatred, ordered the library to be burned. After the conquest, the king forbade the people of Selenica (as he named the city) to speak Ylari, upon penalty of death. Within three generations, the language was no longer heard on the streets, even in the darkest alleys. Few Darokinians today are even aware that Selenica's history has such a dark chapter as this; nor are they aware that there was an Ylari presence that predated the arrival of House Al-Azrad. Some Ylari, however, do know, for some refugees from Al-Zalenikah made it back to what is now Ylaruam, and shared their tales of woe. Even to this day, some Ylari will spit, or utter the phrase, "a thousand curses upon his name" upon hearing the king's name uttered, to cleanse their spirits, and many of those same people will refuse to speak to Darokinians, or even acknowledge their presence, calling them "Defilers of Al-Zalenikah". I've got some more ideas to share, but this should do it for now. :-) 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: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 19:53:39 -0500 From: Aaron Nowack Subject: Re: Rough Expanded Darokin Timeline Geoff Gander wrote: > Aaron wrote: > This is very similar to my own ideas. Following the fall of Corunglain in > AC 523, the king lost a great deal of credibility among the northern > houses (after all, the Gaz states that it was a Corun who founded > Corun's Glen way back when, and it was a Corun who led the fight to > reclaim and rebuild it). No real mention of the king - I decided to have that > signify that the king's aid was either too late, or ineffectual. In > either case, the northerners began to turn away from their southern > brethren at that time. Corun House began to rule Corunglain as a realm > unto itself - first as a city-state, later as a full-fledged duchy. Hmm... my version actually goes somewhat in the opposite direction, as detailed in my Corun House writeup. Prior to the Fall, the Corun family ran Corunglain as a more or less independant city-state, though closely allied with Darokin. Corwyn XIII, wary of war after the Elfwar, was unwilling to commit Darokinian forces to retake the city, so the head of the Corun family was forced to wage a political war to get him to do so. In revenge, when the city was retaken, Corwyn annexed it and appointed a relative the Duke of Corunglain. The Corun family fled to Ardelphia, and turned to buisness to survive. The other northern nobles, most of whom had been vassals of Corunglai nrather than Darokin prior to this, were less than pleased, but too weak after the orcish invasion to protest openly. As the King's power weakened, the Coruns slowly regained influence, finally retaking formal control of the city after Santhral II's death. > By AC 650 (which, following the Gaz, was the time by which the king was > largely ceremonial), almost all of the lands north of Ansimont paid little > more than lip service to Darokin City, and some (such as Corunglain and > Ardelphia) openly behaved as independent states. In this region, a number > of realms arose: > > The Duchy of Corunglain (proclaimed AC 628) In my version, I would probably rather set this as the date after which the royal house is no longer able to provide effective aid to the Attleson Dukes, and the Coruns start retaking the city. > The Duchy of Ardelphia (proclaimed AC 647, destroyed by humanoids AC 846) > The Duchy of Callair (proclaimed AC 672, laid waste by humanoids AC > 702, territory claimed by Corunglain AC 704) I would say... As royal, and soon ducal, power faded in the north, the Attleson Dukes were no longer able to extract tribute from their vassals, many of whom had ties to the old Corun family. Some ambitious lesser nobles declared themselves Dukes in their own right, and the Dukes of Corunglain were powerless to stop them. > The Kingdom of Daelbar (proclaimed AC 669, nearly destroyed by orcs > following Fall of Ardelphia, faded away by AC 875, > territory claimed by Corunglain AC 891) The noble here would be a little bit more ambitious, declaring independance entirely from Darokin, I suppose. > The Duchy of Favaro (proclaimed AC 662, collapses in civil war AC 690, > considered part of Streel Marches by AC 700) > Principality of Dirnath (proclaimed AC 678, collapses AC 686, part of > Streel Marches AC 690) > The Duchy of Rondeth (proclaimed AC 685, despoiled by Red Duke of Irum AC 7 > 785, absorbed by Duchy of Amsorak AC 791) > Kingdom of Almarand (proclaimed AC 699, conquered by Darokin AC 914) > Barony of Sashenta (proclaimed AC 682, conquered by Duchy of Amsorak > AC 756) > Duchy of Irum (proclaimed AC 690, obliterated by > Darokin-Almarand alliance AC 807) > Barony of Eraeda (proclaimed AC 700, collapses AC 738, part of > Streel Marches AC 740) > Barony of Nethlinn (proclaimed AC 693, despoiled by Red Duke of Irum > AC 791) Not as much to say here, this can mostly be integrated without much difficulty. The date of Almarand's conquest suggests it allied with Linton and Corun Houses against Mauntea in my "Merchants' War" (the last big war before the Great Merger). > Another lost element of Darokinian history is the following. I don't know > when it would be placed, but logically it belongs to the time of the > kingdom, preferably when it was ascendent: [snip] Hmm... The Establishment of al-Zalenikah should probably be somewhere around 250 AC, when canon sources indicate Ylari fleeing Thyatian colonization entered Darokin. The conquest, however, wouldn't be by Darokin itself, as Selenica remains an independant Kingdom up to 574 AC in my version. Other than that, it should fit easily. > I've got some more ideas to share, but this should do it for now. :-) Indeeed. I'll try to start work on a "more expanded" timeline later tonight. -- Aaron Nowack "Never let reality get in the way of a good hypothesis." http://www.mimiru.net/ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 23:21:28 -0500 From: Aaron Nowack Subject: Expanded Darokin Timeline Part 1: From the Founding of Salonikos to the Fall of al-Zalenikah (1500 BC - 351 AC) Well, I was inspired, so I got this bit done. There's lots of new stuff, not just integration of Geoff's ideas, so take a look. Some things here could still use some work though. In particular the events prior to the founding of the Kingdom of Darokin could use some expansion, and I'd like to add more details of the conquest of Amsorak. Any and all comments are most welcome. The Expanded Darokin Timeline Part 1: From the Founding of Salonikos to the Fall of al-Zalenikah 1500 BC: Free Traldar tribes fleeing the emerging 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. 23 AC: The newborn Kingdom of Darokin becomes embroiled in a war against nearby orcish tribes. 28 AC: With the war effort taking up more and more of his time, Ansel I appoints a friend, Charles Ansimont, to fill his role while he is away. Charles takes the title "Duke of Darokin." 34 AC: Ansel I is slain in an orcish raid. Charles Ansimont proclaims himself Charles I, King of Darokin. He leads Darokinian forces to victory over the tribes responsible for the raid. 35 AC: Ansel I's son, also called Ansel, contests Charles's claim to throne after the orcish threat again recedes. Charles I orders the boy thrown in jail, but Darokin family loyalists break him out. He reappears in the Eastwind stronghold of Favaro, and begins raising an army. 36 AC: Charles I leads an army of his own north to Favaro. In the Battle of Two Kings, the Eastwinds break the Ansimont force. Charles is captured, and Ansel Darokin orders him executed. At the end of the year, the Eastwind army takes Darokin City, and Ansel proclaims himself Ansel II, King of Darokin. 37 AC: Ansel II's army marches north to seize the Ansimont family lands. He names his wife Natana the Duchess of Darokin in his absence. 38 AC: Ansel II is assassinated by a supporter of Charles. With their son, Anos, deemed too young to rule, Natana rules as Queen of Darokin. 42 AC: Anos I Darokin is crowned as King. Natana retires to the Eastwind family estates in Favaro. 87 AC: Anos I dies a natural death. His son, Aden, takes the throne, and leads a crusade into the far north against the orcs, failing to name a Duke. He is slain in battle late in the year. A young cousin takes the throne as Aden II Darokin. Within days, the head of the Ansimont family, another Charles, declares himself King. In the resulting furor, the entry of a third contender, Anders Attleson, goes almost unnoticed. 89 AC: Anders Attleson leads his small armies north to halt an orcish invasion. He succeeds, but is slain in battle. His son Corwyn takes up his claim to the throne, but makes little effort to force the matter, preferring to let the other two claimants fight it out. Instead, he opens some of the first friendly relations with the elves of Alfheim. 91 AC: Aden Darokin is captured and executed by the Ansimonts. His daughter Natana, a priestess of no small repute, proclaims herself Queen and rallies the demoralized Eastwind family. 95 AC: Ansimont forces besiege Darokin City. The Attlesons and Eastwinds briefly unite to stop him. Natana slays Charles Ansimont in a duel. His son Zendrolion claims the throne, but withdraws Ansimont forces across the Streel. The other two families quickly revert to hostile relations. 102 AC: With the orcish threat on the rise due to human disunity, the elves announce their support of Corwyn Attleson as King. After heated negotiations, Corwyn marries Natana Darokin. Faced with insurmountable opposition, Zendrolion Ansimont forever renounces his family's claim to the throne. In return, he is granted permission to conquer and rule the lands to the south of Darokin. 108 AC: Zendrolion Ansimont conquers the city of Athenos. He proclaims himself the Duke of Malpheggi, and takes the city as his capital. 122 AC: Corwyn I dies. His son peacefully takes the throne as Corwyn II. 203 AC: Corwyn III Attleson dies of natural causes. His daughter, Emilia, becomes the first acknowledged Queen to rule Darokin in her own right. 208 AC: Emilia I marries and abdicates in favor of a member of the Darokin family, who takes the throne as Corwyn IV Darokin. Due to the unbroken line of succession, historians still consider him and his descendents part of the Attleson dynasty. 209 AC: Members of the Attleson family, discontent over their loss of the throne, raise unrest in Darokin. In response, Corwyn IV grants one of the ringleaders the right to cleanse the Amsorak region of orcs and rule it as Darokin's third Duchy. 250 AC: Displaced Alasiyan tribes fleeing Thyatian colonization conquer the City-State of Salonikos. Their leader renames the city the Caliphate of al-Zalenikah, with himself as Caliph. Doulakki refugees flee west, settling near the long-ruined Dolos, on Darokin's eastern border. Those who do not flee are enslaved by the conquerors. 274 AC: The second Caliph of al-Zalenikah orders the construction of a great library. Many tomes of lore from all over the region, including some of the few surviving works from the Nithian Empire find their way to the library. Anos II of Darokin, upon hearing the news, contributes copies of several Darokinian histories. This is the first formal recognition of the Caliphate from Darokin. 288 AC: With Anos II growing old, his son Mithras, Duke of Darokin takes on more of role as leader of the nation. Eager to expand the Kingdom, he offers a Dukedom to anyone who can clear the orcs from Darokin's northern border. 291 AC: The adventurer Farold Corun leads an army to several victories over the orcs. The site of one of the major battles becomes known as Corun's Glen, and a settlement springs up there. 293 AC: Now-King Mithras II offers Farold Corun the title Duke of the Northern Marches. Farold refuses, stating that Darokin did nothing to take the lands, and has no claim to them. He then formally establishes the Free City of Corunglain, and offers Darokin an alliance. With Farold considered a hero among the people of Darokin, Mithras II has little choice but to accept this. 300 AC: Mithras II's wife dies in her first childbirth, and the child perishes soon after. Mithras soon marries Amanda, the daughter of a major Doulakki leader from Dolos. 303 AC: With no heir three years into the marriage, Mithras II dies suddenly. Amanda is briefly reigning Queen of Darokin, before a group of adventurers finds evidence of foul play pointing to her. She is revealed to have been having an affair with the Duke of Darokin, Mithras's younger and only brother - an affair that recently resulted in her first pregnancy. At her lover's insistence, she poisoned Mithras II in his sleep. A Corwyn Attleson leads an almost bloodless coup, executing the lovers and proclaiming himself King Corwyn V due to his distant relation to Queen Emilia I. The Darokin family is now extinct. 304 AC: Claiming their involvement in the murder plot, Corwyn V invades Dolos. The Doulakki beat off the first attack, then offer a few of Amanda's relatives as a peace offering. Corwyn V accepts, and the whole matter is quickly forgotten on both sides. 315 AC: By this point, al-Zalenikah has become one of the greatest centers of learning in the Known World. Thyatian and even a few Alphatian scholars flock to the Library of al-Zalenikah, where many important works are written in the fields of astronomy, philosophy, and physics. Trade between Darokin and al-Zalenikah expands quickly, and the Doulakki of Dolos begin to flourish from the wealthy traders passing through their lands, though they are quickly becoming more like the Darokinians than the enslaved Doulakki of al-Zalenikah. 326 AC: Corwyn V's heir, also named Corwyn - as is fast becoming a tradition - is sent to study wizardry at the Library of al-Zalenikah. 333 AC: The Duke of Amsorak, Aden Attleson, claims that he is a closer relative to Emilia I than Corwyn V, and thus the rightful King. Recalling his son to fulfil his duties as the Duke of Darokin, Corwyn V raises forces to put down the rebellion. His son brings with him a squadron of al-Zalenikan sorcerers to aid the war effort. 334 AC: Facing overwhelming force, Aden Attleson offers an alliance to Dolos, promising to support them against al-Zalenikah if he becomes King. A few border lords raid the Darokinian border. The Ansimont Duke of Malpheggi repels the raids and launches several of his own border raids in retaliation. 335 AC: The Amsorak Rebellion is completely crushed this year. Forces from the Free City of Corunglain acquit themselves well, and in return Corwyn V settles several border disagreements in the Free City's favor. He orders no bloody reprisals on the people of Amsorak, but rumors of the al-Zalenikan sorcerers using dark magics on prisoners keep the whole area in a mild state of unrest. The Duke's young heir, Roger Attleson, flees to Dolos, where he marries the daughter of a nobleman. He takes their family name, becoming Roger Issatios. 342 AC: Researchers studying ancient works of magic from Nithia and Taymor manage to unleash a host of dark beings upon the city of al-Zalenikah. Though the exact nature of the beings is never determined, they are eventually defeated. A few flee to Dolos, where they cause great damage before being destroyed. Trade begins to die down after the disaster, and al-Zalenikah begins to decline. 348 AC: Now a prominent figure in Dolos, Roger Issatios agitates for war against al-Zalenikah. Thousands of men from all over Dolos and Darokin flock to his banner, much to the dismay of the leaders of both nations. His campaign begins as little more than banditry, but he makes a point to free Doulakki slaves whenever he can, swelling his numbers further. 351 AC: Just over a hundred years after Salonikos fell, an open slave revolt breaks out in al-Zalenikah. Seizing the opportunity, Roger Issatios storms the city. After a week of bloody fighting, he captures the palace and the Caliph. After public humiliation, the Caliph is beheaded. Roger then allows the army and the freed slaves another week of looting. During this week, the Library of al-Zalenikah burns, and many ancient works are lost. The surviving Alasiyans flee east, but Roger pursues them, slaughtering thousands near the present Ylari border. Returning to the city, he renames it Selenica, and proclaims himself King Roger I. -- Aaron Nowack "Never let reality get in the way of a good hypothesis." http://www.mimiru.net/ ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 24 Aug 2004 to 25 Aug 2004 (#2004-176) ****************************************************************