Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 29 Oct 2004 to 30 Oct 2004 (#2004-235)
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There are 3 messages totalling 547 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

 1. Traladaran History Part 3: A Symposium in Thyatis Part 2
 2. [Blackmoor d20] Thanatos
 3. Traldaran History Part 4: An Immortal's-Eye View of the PJS Papers

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Date:    Sat, 30 Oct 2004 02:41:27 -0500
From:    James Mishler <mystaros@CWWIS.COM>
Subject: Traladaran History Part 3: A Symposium in Thyatis Part 2

<After the dinner, the room is packed, with even more Hattian students, =
as well as a mix of local nobles, hangers-on, intelligentsia, and bored =
military students.>

"While that was a most refreshing break, you will have to pardon me if =
my voice breaks or falls to a hush, as young Sir Klagen kept me speaking =
every moment I had not a bit of food in my mouth. A most interesting =
discussion it was, too, and it touched on many things I will here speak =
of, and much that I will not.

"But again, to the Thonians. Yes, the much-ridiculed Thonians, whose =
tales of great empire, great feats, and terrible cruelty are regarded in =
same light as the same fables of King Loricus, Prince Achileus, and the =
infamous Earthshaker! While I cannot vouch for the existence of the =
great metal man of myth, just as I have proven the existence of King =
Lorius and Prince Achileus, or at least, of the once-living beings upon =
whom those myths are based, I can now prove to you the existence of the =
Thonians, or at least, a culture so near as to that of the legendary =
'Thonians' as to necessitate the use of the name.

"Where the Thonians came from is beyond doubt-in fact, as in legend, =
they came out of the north. Some believe they came upon the wings of =
dragons-this I do regard as myth, though again, based in fact. For the =
Thonians sailed the northern seas, in great ships with dragon-like wings =
and dragon-prows. Yes, the very same styles that can be seen today in =
the vessels of the vikings of Vestland and Ostland. This is no =
coincidence, for the Thonians invaded that land, long centuries ago, and =
merged to a great extent with the Eastern Antalians.

"However, though the Thonian bloodline entered the Eastern Antalian =
line, it was not a foreign line-for as my research has shown, the =
Thonians were themselves descended from a far-flung clan of Antalians!"

<Much loud muttering, a few chuckles, and much discussion followed, =
until the scholar was able to regain control of the crowd.>

The evidence again, as I say, speaks for itself, Or rather, spoke for =
itself. For it was in the tombs of early Thonian invaders that I got the =
tale of their own origins. The Thonians that invaded the northeastern =
coasts of Brun had traveled far, a great distance from their own land, =
in the icy northeast, beyond even the isle of Alphatia. These Thonians =
were descended in long line from the lost First Empire of the Thonians, =
swallowed in the Great Rain of Fire-they called their surviving kingdom =
Nentsun. I discovered some references to it in the ancient archives of =
the Alphatians, left here after the Great Rebellion. When the Alphatians =
first arrived from their distant home, more than 1800 years ago, they =
encountered the remnants of the great Thonian Empire of Nentsun-as well =
as its western counterpart.

"Yes, I said western counterpart. For long centuries we have known that =
there once stood a great empire where now stand the sandy wastes of =
Alasiya. I maintain, through records researched and actual, on-site =
investigation in Ylaruam, that there once stood in that land a great =
empire, the Western Thonian Empire, built by the Thonians, Eastern, and =
Western Antalians."

<At this several scholars, notably a group from Biazzan, leave in a =
great huff. The scholar ignores them.>

"As I said, the Nentsun Thonians were a resurgent people, recovering =
from the fall of the First Empire. Their initial invasions were mere =
raids, but later incursions were wholesale migrations of peoples. Not in =
any great numbers, mind you, but more than enough, with their superior =
technology. For these Thonians brought with them the secret of iron. =
Together with the Eastern Antalians, with whom these Western Thonians =
merged, they built a new empire on the then-fertile plains of Alasiya. =
In the west they settled several allied tribes of Western Antalians. =
This empire grew great and powerful. It was they that brought the =
ancestors of the Alasiyani to Brun, as slaves, from their original home =
in the southern reaches of the Isle of Dawn."

<Even more scholars file out, finding even this to be too much. The =
scholar continues listing more and more evidence, barrows, ruins, =
legends, myths, and linguistic evidence, often gotten at great costs =
from ancient tombs in desert wastelands, from most reticent subjects. By =
the end of his listing of evidence, almost half the audience has filed =
out, leaving fully half the remaining audience to be the Hattian =
contingent. The scholar sighed.>

"I knew well this would be the most difficult, and bitter pill to =
swallow. But my evidence does not lie. As I noted, the modern Kingdom of =
Thothia, the last surviving successor of Western Thonia, evinces remnant =
cultural and linguistic trends from the Western Thonian Empire, even =
though its peoples are descended from the native and slave races.

"But enough on the Western Thonian Empire itself. What were its effects =
as to the disposition of the Antalian peoples, Western and Eastern? =
First, to the Traldar.

"The Traldar are the primary descendants of the Western Antalian tribes. =
Into their care had been given the western portion of the mainland =
Empire, that part that is now today known as Makistan, and much of the =
western Emirate of Alasiya-this, after the dwarves arose from the earth =
at the behest of Kagyar, whom the Traldar revered as did the dwarves. =
They expanded to the south from there, and settled the southern littoral =
of the continent, and the isles thereabouts along the northern Sea of =
Dread, even unto colonies along the Shadow Coast of the Isle of Dawn. =
Their great and terrible history is known to all, through the many =
classics read in academies to the various myths and legends of the =
Thyatians today. The original founders of the Traldar branch of the =
Western Antalians settled the lands south of the Altan Tepes, from =
modern Tel Akbir in the east to Akorros in the west, about twenty-two =
centuries ago-they were the first, perhaps unintentional expansion of =
the growing Western Thonian Empire. However, they apparently encountered =
some setbacks, and...

"What? Yes, yes indeed, Sir Klagen, this setback was indeed very likely =
in part due to the need to absorb the local native tribes, which were =
primitive in extremis and most warlike and distasteful, worshipers of =
dark Immortals of snakes and death. You were quite right at dinner, I =
must add, that the Traldar did absorb a great deal of this non-Antalian =
bloodline, and thus while the original leaders and great heroes of the =
Traldar exhibited classic Antalian features such as blonde and red hair =
and great height, today their descendants, the Traladarans, are swarthy =
of skin and dark of hair. Though of course, that is a relative feature, =
as compared to most Thyatians, Kerendans, and Hattians, and especially =
the modern Antalians of the Northern Reaches. As compared, for example, =
to Alasiyani or especially Nuari, they are quite pale, indeed, =
especially the coastal clans.

"Pardon? Yes, the non-Imperial Traldar were thus only partially of =
Antalian ancestry, being descended from the already mixed tribes of the =
Western branch, and then assimilating the local natives of southern =
Brun. But I have found in my studies that there are few 'pure' branches =
of the Antalian lines, the modern Antalians and Heldanners being the =
'purest,' with the Hattians being a close third, though the Hattians and =
the peoples of the Northern Reaches have a great deal of Thonian blood-a =
moot point, Thonians being Antalians by a side-line of cultural =
diffusion. But I digress.

"Thus, even before the fall of the Western Thonian Empire-and fall it =
did, I'll get to that shortly-the Western Antalians had already branched =
off from their Eastern/Thonian cousins as the Traldar. Before I continue =
with the fate of the Eastern Antalians, I shall detail a bit of the fate =
of the Traldar. As all know, the Beastmen invaded the southern lands in =
1000 BC, long after the heyday of the Traldar, and after the great =
debilitating Laticean Wars, which divided the Great Houses of the =
Traldar and reduced their numbers and prosperity greatly. Aye, many now =
as then believed the Beastmen were the scourge of the Immortals, to =
chastise the Traldar for their foolish internecine wars. But from that =
point, the Traldar branched off into four main groups.

"The first and primary group, the most vital, were the Milenians, who =
followed King Milen to the Southern Continent. There they founded the =
great and lost Milenian Empire, which had such a great impact on the =
ancestors of the Thyatian tribes. Today, nearly a thousand years after =
the fall of the Empire, they are a shattered, barbaric people. I have =
seen with my own eyes the decadent and barbaric city states of the =
northern plains of Davania. But there their descendants still survive, =
in savage splendor-a decadent existence as compared to that of their =
barbaric ancestors of the far northern lands, but similar in many =
respects.

"The second group were the Alatians, who, as the name suggests, settled =
the Alatian Islands, there merging with the natives, distant relatives =
of the peoples of the southern Isle of Dawn. Pardon? Yes, Theoderic, =
they did indeed mingle quite thoroughly, as evinced by their deep brown =
skin, brown eyes, dark hair, and language, which assimilated much of the =
proto-Thothian tongue. But distant descendants of the Antalians they =
are.

"Then there were the various Traldar settlements on the Isle of Dawn, =
which have long since been absorbed by the native Thothian, Alphatian, =
Aran, Espan, or Amancerian peoples. However, a strong Traldar =
undercurrent remains in the Alphatian/Thothian peoples of the =
city-states of Ekto and especially Trikelios, though the latter may =
perhaps be a further influx of Alatian blood at some distant period of =
Alphatian rule-the records are messy that way.

"Finally, of course, there remained the Traldar of the mainland. As I =
discussed with Theoderic earlier, much of the original Western Antalian =
bloodline apparently failed among the Traldar of the mainland. My belief =
is that it was due to an influx of semi-Traldar clans from the hills and =
inland, as the major Antalian bloodlines had always remained in the =
cities and along the coast. Thus, the modern Traladarans are more a mix =
of the original Traldar and a marginally-Traldar people, related by =
blood more with the original native tribes than with the early, invading =
Traldar. The Traldar of the Isles, which were absorbed during the =
Kerendan and Hattian drift in the centuries leading up to the crowning =
of Zendrolion, were distinctly more civilized and Antalian in culture =
and phenotype than their mainland cousins, which supports this =
hypothesis. The Minrothians, of mixed Traldar and Alphatian ancestry, =
proved so vital that the Kerendans and Hattians moved on to the islands =
that now form Ierendi, and even colonized the interior of the mainland, =
forming the kernel of the modern Darokin peoples along the banks of the =
River Streel... but then, again, I am getting ahead of myself.

"But those four branches account for the remnants of the Traldar. Of =
course, there also remained the Traldar of the Western Thonian Empire, =
which stood for yet another five centuries following the fall of the =
southern Traldar. But I shall turn to them last of all, I think.

"The Empire had great success, and spread colonies far and wide, from =
the isle of Alphatia to the Isle of Dawn, and far across the Sea of =
Dread, to the nigh-mythical Southern Continent of Thyatian legend. In =
most lands, the seed of Empire, and the Antalian bloodline, fell on =
bitter soil, and little remains. We have but a patchwork of historical =
records to indicate that there were colonies in the Northern Isle of =
Dawn, and spotty Alphatian records of the colonies in Alphatia-which may =
have actually belonged to the original Nentsun Thonians to the north and =
east, I am not as yet sure. But in one place, the colonies held, and =
thrived. That was on the southern continent, Davania.

"Davania, of long-storied myth and legend, is, of course, no longer a =
legend, as we learned not so long ago from the Ierendi expeditions of =
the past century. I was myself able to travel there, to further =
investigate the legends of the origins of the Thyatian tribes.

"And I found those legends to be very close to the truth."

<At this, many of those who were shaking their heads and expressing =
doubt and mirth at the scholar's words perked up.>

"Yes, even to my skeptical eyes, I must say, the legends are mostly =
true. Did I find the barrows of King Thyatis, King Kerendas, and King =
Hattias? No. But I did find evidence of the existence of proto-Thyatian, =
proto-Kerendan, and proto-Hattian occupancy in the jungle-cloaked lands. =
The poor and backward scholars of the Milenian city states had some =
ancient records, that spoke of the three great tribes, and the great =
wars that they had. Some were difficult to believe, at times. But =
through the mess, and through first-hand investigating, I was able to =
piece together at least part of the truth. Someday I intend to return =
there, and find out more, though I have another expedition in mind =
currently.

"But anon, to Davania again. As mentioned, the Empire colonized many =
areas, but only on the southern continent did the Antalian people take =
hold. Not only did they find purchase there, but they grew great, and =
the colonies grew into three kingdoms.

"The first of those kingdoms, and foremost, was primarily a =
Thonian/Eastern Antalian settlement. This colony grew into the Kingdom =
of Hattios, which caused no end of trouble for the Milenian Empire and =
the other kingdoms over the centuries. The second largest kingdom was =
founded by mixed groups of Eastern and Western Antalians, with a =
leavening of Thonians and Traldar expatriates and later, Milenians. The =
people of this kingdom, whose name has been lost to time-I found its =
monuments ruined, and all written records expunged, from those carved in =
stone to those written on ancient papyrus of the rotting libraries of =
Ilioloosti-were the ancestors of the Thyatians. The third kingdom, the =
name of which, too, remains mysteriously vanished, was founded by =
Western Antalians, Traldar, and a massive influx of Dunael and Aran =
clans-slaves, really-these all together being the ancestors of the =
Kerendans.

"What's that? Yes, yes there was, indeed, a fourth kingdom, as per the =
myths, but that kingdom was, in fact, the nascent Milenian Empire. For =
the Milenian Empire was, at the time of the founding of the three =
Thonian kingdoms, merely another colony. Over the following centuries, =
the colonies grew to kingdoms, and then competed for the title of =
Empire. For it was around that time, about 800 years before the crowning =
of Zendrolion, that the Western Thonian Empire began its long decline. =
Civil war wracked the empire. Outlying colonies clashed with the =
motherland and were extirpated, or simply collapsed, invaded by =
barbarian and savage tribes. The three great colonies, fully-fledged =
kingdoms, competed with each other, with the Milenians, and with the =
forces of the Thonian Empire for dominance on the southern continent.

"The most successful of all was the Kingdom of Hattios. First the =
kingdom of the Thyatian peoples fell, and the survivors fled back to the =
mainland, as per our ancient myths and legends, settling in modern =
Thyatis, where once stood of old a long-vanished Traldar kingdom. That =
was in the middle of the civil war, in the seventh century before =
crowning or thereabouts. And yes, Theoderic, as you maintained earlier =
the Thyatians found there the semi-barbaric remnants of the Traldar, and =
absorbed even further Traldar bloodlines, as well as evolved the =
distinctive and amazingly adaptable Thyatian tongue, which combines =
elements of classical Antalian, Traldar, Milenian, and other languages, =
in a distinct and highly-adaptable and expandable manner.

"Similarly, about a century after the Thyatian exodus came the Kerendan =
exodus, as the second of the three original colonies was conquered and =
extirpated. The Kerendans arrived in several waves in the mid-to late =
sixth century before crowning-several groups of Milenians arrived with =
them, too, later in the period. The Kerendans settled along the coast of =
their current territories, and eventually moved into them on to the =
plains-like the Thyatians assimilating the local Traldar clans. The =
peoples of the Duchy of Karameikos are the heaviest of all =
Traldar-influenced Kerendan groups, having also absorbed no small =
numbers of Milenians from the last waves. As mentioned before, many =
Kerendans, and their Milenian cohorts, began to drift west from there, =
settling on the islands and along the coastline, merging with the local =
Traldar clans. This, I think, is also part of the reason the coastal =
Traladarans differ so greatly from their hill and forest-dwelling =
cousins, though the evidence is still out on just how much Kerendan and =
Milenian blood the southern Traladarans absorbed. This was around the =
same period when the Traladaran Traldar began to emerge from their long =
dark age, and rebuilt towns-again, though, how much was native evolution =
and how much was from pressure from or assimilation of migrants, I do =
not know.

"Back on the southern continent, it had finally come down to two =
contenders-the Milenians and the Hattians. It was then that the last, =
terrible conflagrations of the overall Thonian Civil War struck, =
destroying the mainland empire and nearly shattering the Kingdom of =
Hattios. On Davania, the Milenians made good use of this opportunity, =
and nearly extirpated the Hattian people. The survivors were few, and =
like the other tribes before them, they made their way north, where they =
conquered and settled the modern Isle of Hattias. Unlike their Thyatian =
and Kerendan cousins, the Hattians either extirpated the native Traldar =
peoples or kept them as a distinct sub-class of slaves and serfs. Thus =
the Hattian bloodline remains fairly pure, save for the westernmost =
branches. After the first settlement of the island, the Hattians found =
Hattias to be a less than satisfactory home, being rocky and not the =
best suited for farming. Too, the semi-Hattian slave and serf class =
quickly began to outnumber the pure ruling clans, and so, within a =
generation of landfall (set fairly accurately according to legend at 480 =
before crowning), the Hattians, too, began to drift west. Led mostly by =
expatriates, especially those who had no problem mixing with other =
races, these western Hattians settled among the western islands with the =
earlier Kerendan colonists, and together many of them settled the lands =
held by Orcs along the River Streel. These peoples, a mix of Hattian, =
Kerendan, Milenian, Traldar, and even Thyatian settlers, united to form =
the kernel of the first Darokin clans. I discovered, in fact, in ancient =
records in Darokin City, that the Eastwind Clan most likely descended =
from a Hattian/Kerendan settlement of the early fourth century before =
crowning. This is why, linguistically speaking, the modern Daro tongue =
has much in common with Kerendan, Hattian, and even Thyatian, as well as =
Traladaran.

"I could continue on for hours about the various cadet branches of the =
three main tribes, such as the Espans descended from the Kerendans, or =
the Amancerians descended from a mix of Thyatians and Alphatians, or =
even the various Traladaran sub branches in Darokin and Glantri, but the =
history of those peoples are fairly well recorded. What is not well =
known is what happened to the Thonians and Antalians of the Western =
Thonian Empire after the fall of the Empire at the close of the sixth =
century before crowning. Also undiscussed is the disposition of the =
modern Antalian peoples of the north.

"The modern Antalians, of course, today form the various clans of the =
kingdoms of Vestland and Ostland, as well as the ever-feuding earls of =
the surrounding lands. These peoples are the closest representatives of =
the classic Antalian type, unsullied by other cultures or bloodlines. =
The sole exception are the royal clans of Ostland, who, if rumor is =
true-and I know not, either way-possess a dollop of Alphatian blood, =
from a long-lost clan of exiled wizards. But today, they remain as =
barbaric as our ancient ancestors, representing to some the best, and at =
the same time worst, Antalians have to offer. Their Heldanner cousins to =
the north, and the three great tribes of the lands of the Northern Wold, =
too, maintain many of the ancient traditions and ways.

"But as to their long-vanished Thonian and Antalian cousins of the =
fallen Western Thonian Empire, there are two tales to be told of these =
peoples, both fairly short-one grim, the other as yet unresolved.

"Of the Eastern Antalians and Thonians of the eastern portion of the =
Empire, the record is nearly blank. Some scholars believe the royal =
clans fled, ere the final catastrophe, which literally wiped the eastern =
cities from the face of Mystara, struck. I do not believe this; I =
believe that they were lost with their cities, and the few that survived =
elsewhere were extirpated by the remaining slaves, the ancestors of the =
modern Alasiyani nomads. How, you ask? How could such primitives have =
eliminated the flower of Antalian culture? Easily, for the Thonians had =
done most of the job for them, when they had fallen into debauchery and =
decadence. I have seen the last remnants of the cities of the eastern =
portions of the lost empire, and the things I found therein terrified =
me, in their dark evils and unsubtle inhumanity. My mind... swoons to =
even think of the things I witnessed therein, and the unholy... =
maddening creations of that Empire which still remain to this day, =
against all blasphemous..."

<The scholar swooned at this point, and was caught by Sir Klagen.>

"Thank you, thank you Theoderic. It's... it's difficult to even think =
upon such matters. It is as though the very knowledge of them poisons my =
mind and body somehow. But such were the evils of the empire in its =
latter days. Even I, who have dared much, would warn all here and any =
who read of my expeditions, to avoid attempting that which I have done, =
regarding the long-vanished empire..

"As to the Western Antalians, the last remnants thereof in the =
westernmost portions of the mainland Empire seem to have survived, at =
least for a time, fairly intact. Only recently some of my colleagues =
have discovered old records in Parsa, which indicate the existence of =
Traldar-style ruins in the sands to the east of that town. The few names =
mentioned in the passages, 'King Alexander' and 'Cynidicea,' strike me =
as being of Western Antalian and Traldar derivation, while the name =
'Zargon' may well have Traladaran elements. I believe there are great =
mysteries to be unearthed there.

"I leave early next week for Ylaruam, and have great hopes to discover =
further historical details of Antalian history at this reputed 'lost =
city.'"

<Many thanks and credits redacted>

... to be continued ...

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 30 Oct 2004 11:47:41 +0200
From:    la Volpe <iuliusscaevola@YAHOO.IT>
Subject: [Blackmoor d20] Thanatos

--- Giampaolo Agosta <agathokles@KATAMAIL.COM> ha
scritto:
> Havard Faanes ha scritto:
> >
> > My only reason for considering going with the DAB
> > version is that it is really cool involving
> Thanatos
> > stealing the immortal power of Sollus' brother.
> But
> > like I said it could be dismissed as a legend
> among
> > mortals.
>
> Exactly, it could still be a legend (perhaps with
> some grain of truth).
>

An idea could be the following:

Thanatos is not present in the Blackmoorian pantheon.
He assumes a mortal identity (something he is keen on
doing - just think of Heinrich Oesterhaus in "Dawn of
the Emperors"), and uses it to further his plans. He
causes somehow a major stroke to Temrin and steals his
portfolio adding it to his own and sending the
Immortal dormant (or, maybe, tricking him into some
sort of forbidden actions that bans him from the Prime
for some time). In this way he also manages to sneak
into the Blackmoorian pantheon.

It may be worked upon, but as a working base it could
fit and preserve both the Blackmoor d20 info and the
original Mystara info.

Iulius Sergius Scaevola
Captain of the XXth Cohort
Port Lucinius, Thyatis



___________________________________
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------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 30 Oct 2004 12:12:33 -0500
From:    James Mishler <mystaros@CWWIS.COM>
Subject: Traldaran History Part 4: An Immortal's-Eye View of the PJS Papers

A Treatise on the Antalian Theories of Philios Jandarsites-Schmidt of =
Thyatis-An Immortal's Eye View, by Mystaros

Of course, he was wrong.

He did get some things right, though, and in the broadest sense, he was =
correct. But, like most scholars and archaeologists, across all planes =
and dimensions of existence, he was far too certain in his own theories, =
and could not see, in some cases, the forest for the trees.

Les us review the major fallacies first, shall we?

1) The "Western Thonian Empire." This, of course, is wrong-but also, it =
is not his fault. With the data he had at hand, combined with the great =
Spell of Oblivion placed upon the very memory of the Nithian Empire, he =
made a conclusion that fit the evidence. The conclusion just happened to =
be wrong. But he had the essence of it right, in the broad. There was in =
fact, a great empire based out of those lands, and he even was able to =
determine the general time frame of the empire, and its deeds, and =
colonies-a remarkable achievement, altogether, considering the very will =
of the Immortals was against him. But, even though he claimed to be =
academically neutral with regard to the various races of man, his own =
prejudices combined with faulty and missing data to project an Antalian =
origin to the Empire... it never entered his mind that such greatness =
could be built otherwise. Of course, it did not help that even the =
racial characteristics of the Nithians had all but been extinguished, =
overwhelmed by their successors, the Alasiyani.

2) The "Thonians" were no such thing. The "Thonians" from the north, the =
"Nentsun Thonians" as he termed them, were, in fact, descended from =
Skandaharians. These Skandaharians simply adopted the name of Thonia, =
the ancient empire of their own nightmares, as their own, to frighten =
the Antalian peoples they raided for several centuries around the second =
millennium before crowning. He was, however, correct in maintaining that =
there was a Nentsun Empire, and that the Skandaharians were descended =
from a very early, far-eastern drift of proto-Antalians, the Neathar, =
really. Interestingly, though he hit the mark on the origin of the true =
Thonians, he did so accidentally, as the original, true Thonians were =
also descended from that same early Neathar drift.

3) The "Western Antalians" were not Antalians as we here in Pandius =
understand them-they were simply another branch of the Neathar, closely =
related to the Antalians, the differences being that intermingling of =
Skandaharian bloodlines through the Nentsun. It was this group, which we =
call the proto-Traldar, which gave the classical Nithians their =
strongest Neathar bloodline (the secondary and tertiary Neathar =
bloodlines being through the Thonian and early Neathar components of the =
classical Taymoran bloodline). As PJS noted, these proto-Traldar, a =
Stone Age people who reverenced Kagyar, originated in the region now =
known as Ethengar, and migrated into the Atlan Tepes when the =
Oltec/Azcan ancestors of the Ethengar invaded from the former Western =
Kingdom of Taymor. There they settled among the Kogolor dwarves, who =
taught them bronze making, and gave them their distinctive axe style. As =
noted elsewhere, from that point, they moved south, into Nithia, where =
they became the Ptahr-Al-Dar peoples of the western empire, and =
eventually the ancestors of the Traldar. This movement, though, was in a =
series of waves, which continually refreshed the original proto-Traldar =
blood, and maintained a very strong Neathar component in the western =
bloodlines.

4) The "Four Kingdoms" of myth were, of course, the early Milenian =
Empire and the three Nithian colonies, which were, as PJS noted, =
distinct in their racial mix, though the "Thonian" element of course, =
did not exist. The Nithian racial element was all but extinguished after =
the first hundred years, as the colonies were not, in fact, part of the =
Empire any longer, but failed, as did many of the Nithian colonies. Left =
to their own devices, the Antalians of the southern continent formed =
their three great tribes, the Hattians the most powerful thereof, and =
history did fall pretty well thereafter as PJS described. He, of course, =
was unaware of the survival of other Antalian tribes on the southern =
continent, as he only traveled through the westernmost Milenian city =
states, so his presentation did not include mention of the Kymrae, who =
are descendants of the Dunael and Aran slaves, nor does he note the =
continued existence of the Hattian tribe of the Lost City of Hattios.

5) Further, one last final major point missed in his presentation, was =
the fact that the proto-Traldar were not culturally unified-the =
proto-Traldar had been made up of several different Neathar tribes, each =
with slightly different culture, each with slightly different linguistic =
developments, each with differing physical types. Thus, the Ptahr-Al-Dar =
were a very diverse lot, as were the subsequent Traldar peoples, =
especially when the influence of the various divisions of the latter-day =
Taymoran cultures were assimilated, and the subtle (or at times, =
not-so-subtle) machinations of the Hutaaka and the latter-day influx of =
other post-Nithian Traldar and Oltec bloodlines were felt on the =
northern tribes in the central Traldar lands.

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End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 29 Oct 2004 to 30 Oct 2004 (#2004-235)
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