Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 30 Oct 2004 to 31 Oct 2004 (#2004-236) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 01/11/2004, 19:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 5 messages totalling 1065 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. [Blackmoor d20] Thanatos 2. Traladaran History and Heritage-One Sage's Viewpoint, Pa rt 1 3. Traladaran History and Heritage-One Sage's Viewpoint, Pa rt 1 4. Traladaran History Part 5: The Founding of the Traldar 5. Rakastas, Ochalea & Myoshima (...and Makai!) ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.mystaranet.jamm.com/vaults/default.aspx To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 11:57:23 +0100 From: Havard Faanes Subject: Re: [Blackmoor d20] Thanatos --- la Volpe wrote: > 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. I like this idea alot! :) > 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. I think that is a good concept for how to use the two sources. If we can combine the good ideas from both sources without creating contradictions that is much more interesting than saying that either is wrong... Håvard ===== *** Håvard R. Faanes www.stud.ntnu.no/~havardfa ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 14:52:29 +0100 From: Havard Faanes Subject: Re: Traladaran History and Heritage-One Sage's Viewpoint, Pa rt 1 I printed out all of your posts on the Traladaran History yesterday, and read through the whole thing. Truly inspirational reading James! I loved the inclusion of Thoth and Laughing Axe. Ever since I first heard about these characters through reading your stuff on the Isle of Dawn and the Stone Folk, I've been wanting to hear more about those guys. Famous characters like these makes Mystara's history feel more real than just having to refer to numbers and dates. I liked the idea about the Traladaran name originating from the name Pthar-al-dar. That just made sense in a really scary sort of way. It doesn't quite fit with my idea about Traldar actually being a person, the Wizard-Priest who created the Eye(s) of Traldar, that I am currently discussing with Steven Wilson over at the MMB. Ofcourse, the name Traldar may not actually be the Wizard-Priest's name, but rather something that was given to him by his friends or adversaries. He would have been known as "The Traldar" originally, as he was a leader of that people, and then that gradually became his name. Any further ideas on this as to how I can incorporate this into my own campaign? I intentionally left most of the details on Traldar vague anyways, since some of it is myth and some is reality. Traldar would have been the leader of this people in the period before they were taken by plague and famine and ended up as slaves of the Hutaakans. My theory is that the plague and famine were of a supernatural origin, caused by the ones responsible for Traldar's death. As you can see, you have give me much to think about! I'll try and comment more on your text later, now I really need to get some work done! ;P Håvard --- James Mishler skrev: > Ancient Origins of the Traldarans, Part 1 > > Excerpt from Chapter Three (2000 to 1000 BC) of the > Book of Ages, by Mystaros (Mortus Libris Publishing, > Pandius, Matera) > > "During this period Orisis became acquainted with a > traveler from the far east, an elderly wizard who > went by the name Thoth. Thoth and Orisis became > quick friends, despite the Undying nature of the > OverKing. Thoth revealed himself to be one of the > legendary Stone Folk who was on a great quest: he > was searching for the reason behind the slow demise > of the Elder Dwarven race. Orisis was unable to help > him directly, though he was able to inform Thoth > about Dwarven settlements to the north. Thoth > eventually continued on to the Dwarven lands in the > north, accompanied by his companion, the Dwarf known > as Laughing Axe. After a very nasty encounter with > the minions of the Vampire-Queen Nennaya-Sherat, the > pair finally reached the lands of the Kogolor > Dwarves in 1900 BC [Ed.-modern Rockhome]. The > elderly sage and his companion were surprised to > discover not only Dwarves, but also a race of Humans > living in the mountains. The Humans were a tribe of > Neathar that had been pushed out of the Northern > Plains [Ed.-modern Ethengar] by invading hordes of > Oltecs around 2000 BC; they had long been the allies > of the Dwarves, and found refuge among them. But the > Neathar were nomads, and found the mountains and > valleys to be extremely restrictive [Ed.-the Neathar > were a mix of several undifferentiated tribes, fused > into one macro tribe by the proto-Ethengar invasion. > Needless to say, due to early contacts with the > invading proto-Ethengar, there was already some > Oltec blood in the line of several clans.] > > During his time in the Kogolor lands, when he was > not investigating the history of the Dwarves, Thoth > regaled the Neathar with tales of the rich plains to > the south which were dominated by Tamyris, the realm > ruled by Nennaya-Sherat. Being a friend of Orisis, > who was an enemy of Nennaya-Sherat, and having his > own vendetta against the Vampire-Queen, Thoth > convinced the Neathar clans to cleanse the plains of > the realm of Nennaya-Sherat. In doing so, they would > win their own lands, lands that were not unlike > those they had left behind a hundred years before. > Thoth communicated with Orisis using magical means, > and set up a series of meetings whereby the Neathar > clans would join with the forces of Orisis in a > concerted effort to destroy the realm of Tamyris. In > return for his assistance, the Neathar were able to > acquaint Thoth with their Patron Immortal, Kagyar, > for the Neathar were known as the People of Kagyar. > [Ed.-Eventually, Thoth would convince Kagyar to > assist the Dwarves, and Thoth would go on to earn > Immortality under the sponsorship of Kagyar]. > > Khypta was taken by the united forces of the People > of Kagyar and the forces of the city of Nithus in > 1875 BC, and in 1850 BC the allies destroyed > Tamarnak itself. Her city razed and her forces > shattered, Nennaya-Sherat fled to the Isle of > Serpents where abode her ally, Setu-Kha. The People > of Kagyar had settled in the plains around Khypta in > 1875 BC, and eventually they rebuilt the city, > renaming it Khyptahr. Over the years they would > eventually adopt many Nithian customs, though they > always remained a people apart from other Nithians. > They became known to the Nithians as the "Ptahr > Al-Dar" ("House of Ptahr" (Kagyar)). During this > period Orisis was able to bring Herunak and > Djer-Amon into his kingdom, as part of the alliance > against Nennaya-Sherat and Setu-Kha. Again, he > allowed the people to keep their own faith, and > allowed them self-rule of their cities and lands. > With the destruction of Tamarnak, Orisis became the > single ruler of the entire Eastern Realm." > > The Traldar Migration-Some Minor Historical > Comparisons and Notes from Mystaros > > The "great Traldar migration," as it is known in > history and song, was not so great as it is made out > to be. Liken it more unto the Norman migration to > Angle-Land in your own world of Earth. A fair > number, but not great number, of Normans, mostly > nobles and younger sons of nobles, migrated to the > northern island after its conquest in the year 1066 > CE. Similarly, and perhaps more pointedly, in > ancient Greece, the Heraclids, proto-Hellenes of the > Indo-European group, related to modern Greeks as the > Belgae were related perhaps to modern English, > migrated south from your Balkan territories into the > territories of the Minoans (also known as Pelasgians > to your archaeologists, though the latter-day Greeks > mis-applied this to the pre-Dorian Greeks). > > Regardless of comparisons, the fact remains that of > those peoples found south of the Cruth-Altan Tepes > range following 1500 BC, perhaps one in 50 was of > the vaunted Ptahr-Al-Dar, while the remainder were > remnants of the ancient Taymoran peoples, who had > lived in relative savagery amidst the ruins of their > northernmost kingdoms for centuries. One can readily > compare the patriarchal Kagyar-worshiping > Ptahr-Al-Dar to the ancient Heraclids, and the > matriarchal Nyx-worshiping Taymorans to the > Pelasgians. Note too, that while the Ptahr-Al-Dar > were ostensibly Nithian, the Nithian culture was > merely a thin veneer over their ancient Neathar > ways-especially among those who chose to leave the > ever more restrictive Nithian society. > > The vast majority of the Ptahr-Al-Dar dwelt along > the seacoast and along the river banks, where they > built trading posts and small citadels, as the vast > majority of the interior was still held by primitive > tribes of Taymorans and things less pleasant. Though > the colonists themselves made the long trek to their > new land over the mountains and through the forests > (a great saga of the day itself), support for the > colonists was supposed to come by sea, the cheapest > and quickest route. Unfortunately, the various > concerns of the growing empire turned elsewhere, as > politically the quasi-Neathar Ptahr-Al-Dar of Nithia > lost support with the Pharaoh, and the promised > development of trade never appeared. The colonists > were on their own... > > ... to be continued ... > > ******************************************************************** > The Other Worlds Homepage: > http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp > The Mystara Homepage: > http://www.mystaranet.jamm.com/vaults/default.aspx > To unsubscribe, send email to > LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM > with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. > ===== *** Håvard R. Faanes www.stud.ntnu.no/~havardfa ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 09:03:46 -0600 From: James Mishler Subject: Re: Traladaran History and Heritage-One Sage's Viewpoint, Pa rt 1 Thanks Håvard! As to the name "Traldar" being the name of the wizard who created "The Eye of Traldar," while I possess the module of that name, I do not have The Dymrak Dread--it is one of the very few Mystara modules I do not have. So I do not have any more history of The Eye than from that first module. But I can say this--the Egyptians (and thus the Nithians) and the Greeks (and so too, the Traldar) often used the names of the gods in their own names. Think on Heracles and Ramses, or look to the names of the various pharaohs I have in my dynasties of Nithia. These naming conventions are historically accurate. So it would not be surprising if one of the wizards who accompanied the original (or later) colonists would have had the name "Ptahr" as an element of his own personal name. Or, indeed perhaps, the wizard was "the" wizard of the colonists, their "Archmage" as one would have a "High Priest," and he was simply known as "The Wizard of the Ptahr-Al-Dar." And in time, through myth and legend, he (or one of his successors) simply became known as "The Wizard Traldar." More to come on the Traldar and the evolution of some of them into the Traladara... James ----- Original Message ----- From: "Havard Faanes" To: Sent: Sunday, October 31, 2004 7:52 AM Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] Traladaran History and Heritage-One Sage's Viewpoint, Pa rt 1 > I printed out all of your posts on the Traladaran > History yesterday, and read through the whole thing. > Truly inspirational reading James! > > I loved the inclusion of Thoth and Laughing Axe. Ever > since I first heard about these characters through > reading your stuff on the Isle of Dawn and the Stone > Folk, I've been wanting to hear more about those guys. > Famous characters like these makes Mystara's history > feel more real than just having to refer to numbers > and dates. > > I liked the idea about the Traladaran name originating > from the name Pthar-al-dar. That just made sense in a > really scary sort of way. It doesn't quite fit with my > idea about Traldar actually being a person, the > Wizard-Priest who created the Eye(s) of Traldar, that > I am currently discussing with Steven Wilson over at > the MMB. Ofcourse, the name Traldar may not actually > be the Wizard-Priest's name, but rather something that > was given to him by his friends or adversaries. He > would have been known as "The Traldar" originally, as > he was a leader of that people, and then that > gradually became his name. Any further ideas on this > as to how I can incorporate this into my own campaign? > > I intentionally left most of the details on Traldar > vague anyways, since some of it is myth and some is > reality. Traldar would have been the leader of this > people in the period before they were taken by plague > and famine and ended up as slaves of the Hutaakans. My > theory is that the plague and famine were of a > supernatural origin, caused by the ones responsible > for Traldar's death. > > As you can see, you have give me much to think about! > I'll try and comment more on your text later, now I > really need to get some work done! ;P > > Håvard > > --- James Mishler skrev: >> Ancient Origins of the Traldarans, Part 1 >> >> Excerpt from Chapter Three (2000 to 1000 BC) of the >> Book of Ages, by Mystaros (Mortus Libris Publishing, >> Pandius, Matera) >> >> "During this period Orisis became acquainted with a >> traveler from the far east, an elderly wizard who >> went by the name Thoth. Thoth and Orisis became >> quick friends, despite the Undying nature of the >> OverKing. Thoth revealed himself to be one of the >> legendary Stone Folk who was on a great quest: he >> was searching for the reason behind the slow demise >> of the Elder Dwarven race. Orisis was unable to help >> him directly, though he was able to inform Thoth >> about Dwarven settlements to the north. Thoth >> eventually continued on to the Dwarven lands in the >> north, accompanied by his companion, the Dwarf known >> as Laughing Axe. After a very nasty encounter with >> the minions of the Vampire-Queen Nennaya-Sherat, the >> pair finally reached the lands of the Kogolor >> Dwarves in 1900 BC [Ed.-modern Rockhome]. The >> elderly sage and his companion were surprised to >> discover not only Dwarves, but also a race of Humans >> living in the mountains. The Humans were a tribe of >> Neathar that had been pushed out of the Northern >> Plains [Ed.-modern Ethengar] by invading hordes of >> Oltecs around 2000 BC; they had long been the allies >> of the Dwarves, and found refuge among them. But the >> Neathar were nomads, and found the mountains and >> valleys to be extremely restrictive [Ed.-the Neathar >> were a mix of several undifferentiated tribes, fused >> into one macro tribe by the proto-Ethengar invasion. >> Needless to say, due to early contacts with the >> invading proto-Ethengar, there was already some >> Oltec blood in the line of several clans.] >> >> During his time in the Kogolor lands, when he was >> not investigating the history of the Dwarves, Thoth >> regaled the Neathar with tales of the rich plains to >> the south which were dominated by Tamyris, the realm >> ruled by Nennaya-Sherat. Being a friend of Orisis, >> who was an enemy of Nennaya-Sherat, and having his >> own vendetta against the Vampire-Queen, Thoth >> convinced the Neathar clans to cleanse the plains of >> the realm of Nennaya-Sherat. In doing so, they would >> win their own lands, lands that were not unlike >> those they had left behind a hundred years before. >> Thoth communicated with Orisis using magical means, >> and set up a series of meetings whereby the Neathar >> clans would join with the forces of Orisis in a >> concerted effort to destroy the realm of Tamyris. In >> return for his assistance, the Neathar were able to >> acquaint Thoth with their Patron Immortal, Kagyar, >> for the Neathar were known as the People of Kagyar. >> [Ed.-Eventually, Thoth would convince Kagyar to >> assist the Dwarves, and Thoth would go on to earn >> Immortality under the sponsorship of Kagyar]. >> >> Khypta was taken by the united forces of the People >> of Kagyar and the forces of the city of Nithus in >> 1875 BC, and in 1850 BC the allies destroyed >> Tamarnak itself. Her city razed and her forces >> shattered, Nennaya-Sherat fled to the Isle of >> Serpents where abode her ally, Setu-Kha. The People >> of Kagyar had settled in the plains around Khypta in >> 1875 BC, and eventually they rebuilt the city, >> renaming it Khyptahr. Over the years they would >> eventually adopt many Nithian customs, though they >> always remained a people apart from other Nithians. >> They became known to the Nithians as the "Ptahr >> Al-Dar" ("House of Ptahr" (Kagyar)). During this >> period Orisis was able to bring Herunak and >> Djer-Amon into his kingdom, as part of the alliance >> against Nennaya-Sherat and Setu-Kha. Again, he >> allowed the people to keep their own faith, and >> allowed them self-rule of their cities and lands. >> With the destruction of Tamarnak, Orisis became the >> single ruler of the entire Eastern Realm." >> >> The Traldar Migration-Some Minor Historical >> Comparisons and Notes from Mystaros >> >> The "great Traldar migration," as it is known in >> history and song, was not so great as it is made out >> to be. Liken it more unto the Norman migration to >> Angle-Land in your own world of Earth. A fair >> number, but not great number, of Normans, mostly >> nobles and younger sons of nobles, migrated to the >> northern island after its conquest in the year 1066 >> CE. Similarly, and perhaps more pointedly, in >> ancient Greece, the Heraclids, proto-Hellenes of the >> Indo-European group, related to modern Greeks as the >> Belgae were related perhaps to modern English, >> migrated south from your Balkan territories into the >> territories of the Minoans (also known as Pelasgians >> to your archaeologists, though the latter-day Greeks >> mis-applied this to the pre-Dorian Greeks). >> >> Regardless of comparisons, the fact remains that of >> those peoples found south of the Cruth-Altan Tepes >> range following 1500 BC, perhaps one in 50 was of >> the vaunted Ptahr-Al-Dar, while the remainder were >> remnants of the ancient Taymoran peoples, who had >> lived in relative savagery amidst the ruins of their >> northernmost kingdoms for centuries. One can readily >> compare the patriarchal Kagyar-worshiping >> Ptahr-Al-Dar to the ancient Heraclids, and the >> matriarchal Nyx-worshiping Taymorans to the >> Pelasgians. Note too, that while the Ptahr-Al-Dar >> were ostensibly Nithian, the Nithian culture was >> merely a thin veneer over their ancient Neathar >> ways-especially among those who chose to leave the >> ever more restrictive Nithian society. >> >> The vast majority of the Ptahr-Al-Dar dwelt along >> the seacoast and along the river banks, where they >> built trading posts and small citadels, as the vast >> majority of the interior was still held by primitive >> tribes of Taymorans and things less pleasant. Though >> the colonists themselves made the long trek to their >> new land over the mountains and through the forests >> (a great saga of the day itself), support for the >> colonists was supposed to come by sea, the cheapest >> and quickest route. Unfortunately, the various >> concerns of the growing empire turned elsewhere, as >> politically the quasi-Neathar Ptahr-Al-Dar of Nithia >> lost support with the Pharaoh, and the promised >> development of trade never appeared. The colonists >> were on their own... >> >> ... to be continued ... >> >> > ******************************************************************** >> The Other Worlds Homepage: >> http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp >> The Mystara Homepage: >> http://www.mystaranet.jamm.com/vaults/default.aspx >> To unsubscribe, send email to >> LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM >> with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. >> > > ===== > *** > Håvard R. Faanes > www.stud.ntnu.no/~havardfa > > ******************************************************************** > The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp > The Mystara Homepage: http://www.mystaranet.jamm.com/vaults/default.aspx > To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM > with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. > > ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 13:49:58 -0600 From: James Mishler Subject: Traladaran History Part 5: The Founding of the Traldar The History of the Traldar Territories The classical mainland Traldar territories, defined as those areas of = mainland Brun in which the Traldar ruled, either through cultural, = political, or economic dominion, are as follows, in order of original = the original wave of conquest or settlement. First Wave (1500 to 1490 BC): The first wave of the Ptahr-Al-Dar capture = the Great Pass through the Altan Tepes at Biazzan in merely one year, = rapidly exterminate the local Taymoran populace in the valley, and from = there swarm out, in several large groups, across the plains of modern = Kerendas. They use their large chariots, pulled by the famous Northern = Horses. Side Note: The Northern Horses of the Ptahr-Al-Dar were famous in Nithia = as these were true horses, albeit small, as compared to the asses then = typically used by the other Nithians. The ancestors of the Northern = Horses came over the mountains of Rockhome with latter-day waves of = proto-Traldar tribes. The Northern Horses of the Traldar were the first = domesticated true horses in the area south of the Cruth-Altan Tepes = range. By 1495 BC, the first wave of the Ptahr-Al-Dar conquered all the major = settlements in the Kerendan Plains as far as the coast of the Sea of = Dread, from the mouth of the Rugalov River to the modern City of = Thyatis. The local Taymoran kings and queens, and their peoples, had = almost no defense against this massive influx of highly-trained, = experienced warriors, and had never encountered chariots before. The = only places where the Ptahr-Al-Dar were not immediately triumphant were = in the hills and mountains, where their chariots were of dubious use. = There the simple hill forts of the Taymorans were more than ample to = protect them from the Ptahr-Al-Dar. Side Note: The ancient coastline was, on average, about eight miles = south of the modern coastline, and thus many of the latter-day Taymoran = and early-Traldar settlement are lost beneath the waves. Some few that = remain are those that were, once upon a time, on a river or inlet, such = as the modern-day cities of Kerendas and Thyatis. By 1490 BC, the first wave of the Ptahr-Al-Dar had expended itself. = During this time two smaller groups broke off from the main group, one = to the west, the other east. Each had tremendous success as, like the = Taymorans they had encountered to date, the locals had never encountered = chariots, and they swept the rabble forces down like so much ripe wheat. = By 1490 BC, the western force had reached modern-day Specularum, where = they conquered the largest Taymoran town of the day; this force = controlled a swath of land perhaps 24 miles wide from Specularum to the = Rugalov (plus the Vorloi Peninsula). The eastern force drove deep into = the east and north-east, conquering the entirety of the remaining = Thyatian Plain to the Gulf of Kantrium, including the second largest = town of the Taymorans, where stands modern Thyatis. Again, only in the = hills did the Taymorans resist the invasion, and remain free from the = Ptahr-Al-Dar conquerors. Side Note: The region of forest controlled by the Vyalia was, at this = time, smaller than today, and the Vyalia population lower. The Vyalia = also had a "non-interference" philosophy with humans in those days, and, = though several of the more civilized Taymoran "kingdoms" made trade = overtures, when they were swept away by the Ptahr-Al-Dar, the Vyalia = were unconcerned. They did, however, make it clear to the Ptahr-Al-Dar = that their own forests were sacrosanct, and through communication with = the magi and priests of the invaders, reached an accord before blood = ever had to be shed. Thus, after ten years of war and raid, the Ptahr-Al-Dar came to rule a = territory about 100 miles deep and 400 miles long. Within that area they = controlled twelve median to large-sized towns, numerous villages, and = uncounted orchards, farms, pig ranches, and other productive = agricultural lands. They held almost none of the hill territories, where = the Taymorans continued to thrive, and where many Taymorans of the flat = lands fled during the night. Some areas, in between the towns where = Ptahr-Al-Dar control was strongest, were in chaos. It was only once the = Ptahr-Al-Dar were secure in their control of the towns and outlying = areas that the warriors sent for their wives, children, and = reinforcements from their home base in the city of Khyptahr, in Nithia. Inter-wave Period One (1490 to 1480 BC): During the 10-year break = between the first and second waves, the Ptahr-Al-Dar had to put down = several insurrections on the part of their new slaves and serfs, as well = as repel several counter-attacks from the hill territories. Some of the = discontent of the Taymorans was resolved by the ancient tradition of = marriage, in which a Ptahr-Al-Dar lord (usually a younger son or brother = of the prince of the city) would marry a princess of the Taymorans (it = was never the other way around, as the Ptahr-Al-Dar were patriarchal). = In some cases this did bring the peoples to a closer understanding-in = others, it caused even more confusion, as part of some Taymoran = religious ritual, "kingships" only lasted for a period of a few years = (three to 10), and then the "king" was ritually sacrificed by the = "queen." There were no few misunderstandings there... Side Note: At least at first, the rulers of the "Southern Territories," = as they were then called, were on paper subservient to the King of = Khyptahr (himself a servant of the Pharaoh at Nithus). Thus, the rulers = of the towns, and the adjacent territories, were titled as "Princes," = with the ruling prince being the "Great Prince." The southern princes = were immune to taxation for a period of 20 years following the first = date of invasion-this was, as shall be seen, a major factor in the push = behind the second wave. Of course, the vast majority of the intermarriages occurred among the = lower-class Ptahr-Al-Dar warriors, who had no wives or family to = bring-one of the main reasons the Ptahr-Al-Dar invaded the Taymoran = lands was because of a population explosion, and the need to marry off = or otherwise get rid of many younger sons of younger sons. So it was = only among the upper and middle classes that the Ptahr-Al-Dar lineage = remained pure to begin with. By the time the second wave, consisting of = wives, children, and even more young and eager warriors, arrived over a = period of 10 years, there were already a whole new generation of mixed = race growing up in the towns, which were growing rapidly. Many Taymoran = men had been lost in the invasion, and so it was not difficult for even = a lower-middle class Ptahr-Al-Dar warrior to afford a concubine or = three, in addition to his wife (who may or may not have been Taymoran as = well), all of whom rapidly provided the most prolific warrior with many = sons and daughters. Side Note: The Ptahr-Al-Dar had never been the most literary or = "fine-culture" minded folk to begin with, and thus within the first = generation of occupation, the art of reading and writing began to = suffer, without the continual application of Nithian and Addakian = influence. Only among the clergy and the very few magi did the literary = arts survive in any way beyond the most basic of methods. The clergy and = the magi maintained the old hieroglyphic system of the Nithians, while = the warrior-princes and their clerks, who kept careful track of supplies = and tribute, used a new system of writing, developed specifically for = the purpose. Far simpler to learn and understand, it used a combination = of glyphs and alphanumerics. The glyphs were used to represent, = literally, the object they depicted; a steer's head mean "cattle," a = sheep mean "sheep," and so forth, while alphanumerics were used to spell = out names and numbers. The system was invented by the magist of the High = Prince, and thus, came in time simply to be known as "Traldar Script." At the end of the first inter-wave period, twenty years had passed since = the first invasion. During the preceding 10 years, a whole new wave of = Ptahr-Al-Dar colonists, most warriors, but some craftsmen and farmers, = had moved in to the new colonies. In addition, a new generation of = half-breeds had grown up, schooled in the Ptahr-Al-Dar ways, and hungry = and eager to conquer their own territories. With the first turnover of = princes due to age and battle deaths nearly complete, it was a whole = new, Ptahr-Al-Dar/Taymoran wave that moved out from the core lands and = conquered new territories. Side Note: The most important new colonists were actually not = Ptahr-Al-Dar, they were, in fact, from Thothis, a coastal city of = Nithia. They brought with them the worship of Nun (Protius) and Thoth. = These colonists were ship-builders, who had made the long trip by land, = as the Sea of Dread at that time was still untamed and nigh-impossible = to navigate. One of the long-term goals of the colonists was to build a = fleet along the shores of the sea itself and, using the strong and = fearless warriors of the Ptahr-Al-Dar, clear out the monsters and = pirates (of Taymoran/Makai/Nithian extraction, followers of the Dead = King, Setu-Kha) from their island and atoll lairs. This was a very = important factor in building the viability of the colonies, as without = trade by sea, the planned grain and raw materials trade would likely = fail, as the amount that could be shipped overland would be = insignificant compared to that which could go by sea... Second Wave (1480 to 1470 BC): This second wave consisted of new = colonist-warriors from Khyptahr, the mixed-breed sons of the original = invaders, and the mostly pure-breed sons of the rulers who, like their = fathers before them, led the battle from the front, not the rear. Thus = the tales of the great warrior-kings grew, and the cult of the = warrior-hero evolved. But that laid the seeds for another time. The = second wave drove in three directions: northeast, north, and west. The northeastern wave went into the Mesonian and Kerendan Hills, where = local Taymorans panned the rivers for gold and worshiped the Queen of = the Night. This was a difficult, harsh series of battles, as the = Ptahr-Al-Dar had to acclimate themselves to battle on foot, rather than = stride chariots. It was a harsh 10-year-long series of sieges, fighting = hilltop to hilltop, but by the end of the period, most (though not all) = of the Taymoran villages had been captured. Those that were not = conquered directly paid tribute for their independence, and so they = retained their cultural and religious identity, for the nonce. Side Note: To this day (1000 AC) there are clans in the Mesonian Hills = that trace their ancestry back to these independent Taymoran clans. Of = course, they long ago became marginally Traldar-ized, so to speak, so = they consider their heritage to be Traldar, not Taymoran. But they still = follow the old mysteries, and tend to the ancient altars, and tell tales = and legends around their hearth that are found in no book of Traldar = heroes. It is these people who have, for centuries, kept the Mesonian = Imperial Territories from being broken off into domains. The Kerendan = hill clans, of course, were exterminated or absorbed by orcish invaders = 491 BC (the same hordes that failed to bring down the walls of = Selenica). The northern wave cut a swath through the forests of Traladara, = following a route not too different from that of the Kelvin Road. After = ten years the Ptahr-Al-Dar had conquered or cowed every Taymoran tribe = to the Black Peaks-all, that is, save for a strange tribe which = exhibited extreme arcane magical prowess, found in the hills east of = Threshold. The Ptahr-Al-Dar, not used to such amazing feats of wizardry = (at least, not from Taymorans), set a picket around the territory, to = make sure that none escape, but did not proceed further into the = territory of that tribe. This group also suffered no small amount of = trouble from werebeasts, giving rise to the legends of huge wolves, = giant boars, and other creatures fought by ancient Traldar heroes. Side Note: Of course, the power behind the magic of the mysterious = Taymoran tribe was not their own, it was that of the Hutaaka, who had = settled in the hidden mountain valleys to the north and west merely a = generation before, and watched the expansion of the Ptahr-Al-Dar with no = small trepidation. It was during these first encounters, with their = allied Taymoran tribesmen taking the brunt of the damage, that the = Hutaaka began to develop their long-term plan to blunt the edge of the = Ptahr-Al-Dar drive to empire. Finally, the western wave had the easiest time of all, as the western = lands were only lightly held by Taymorans-most of whom heard tales of = the fate of their distant cousins to the east, and welcomed the = Ptahr-Al-Dar, if not with open arms, at least with begrudging ideas of = what would happen if they did not. Here, too, the Ptahr-Al-Dar = encountered a race of elves, the Truedyl, or Gentle Folk, and out of = respect for the known powers of the Vyalia, left them and their deep = forests alone. By the end of the period, the foundation stones of the = town of Athenos had been laid (over the top of ancient Taymoran ruins, = mind you), and some brave (or foolhardy) explorers hade even trekked = into the Malpheggi Swamp, to see if there were any good lands beyond it. Side Note: The only real difficulties the Ptahr-Al-Dar had in this drive = west were in the Blight Swamp and the hilly and forested territories = north of there. These troubles were resolved by a small group of = Ptahr-Al-Dar noble sons, warrior-heroes all, and began the first cycle = of identifiable hero-myths of the Traldar, with their encounter with the = hydra of the swamp, the nymphs of the forest, and the = necromancer-priests of the hill tribes. The leader of the group even = gave his name to the region-Achileus, which through the years has become = known as Achelos. Of course, this person is not to be mistaken with = Prince Achileus, the friend and ally of King Loricus. The tendency for = heroic (and villainous) names to repeat themselves in Traldar myths = causes no end of consternation for sages. So, by the end of the second wave, the entirety of the lands south of = the Cruth-Altan Tepes range were under the direct or indirect control of = the Ptahr-Al-Dar, save for the two territories held by the Vyalia and = the Truedyl. At this point, there were no dwarves or gnomes in the = region, and there were as yet no orcs or goblins or other beastmen. = There were, however, giants, some of which became the allies of the = Taymorans and fought on their side-usually to fall at the axe of a = Ptahr-Al-Dar hero. Of werewolves, devil swine, and other such creatures = there were plenty, all-too many one might think. The same could be said = of the other children of the night, vampires and nosferatu, and their = allies, necromancers and death priests. But most fell to the axes of = heroes, though far more heroes died trying. Many dark myths of the = creatures of the day, and their alliance with the Taymorans, haunt the = tales of these early Traldar heroes-though the name "Taymor" is all but = forgotten, and the pre-Traldar peoples of the land are known as the = "Dirt People" or the "Children of the Night." First Setbacks (1470 to 1450 BC): It was during this period that the = Ptahr-Al-Dar first began to see failures on a regular basis. Crops = started to fail, Taymoran populations began rebelling more effectively, = the development of a ship-building industry had many setbacks, as did = the few expeditions that actually set sail, and the various princes = began arguing among themselves over division of treasures and tributes. = It did not help that the doddering Great Prince, Hyraksos II, who was 30 = years old at the time of the first invasion, would not die, and ever = more and more kept making strange proclamations. Many blamed the = strange, Nithian pure-blood magist and his acolytes, whom he employed = beginning in 1470 BC. The Nithian continually provided unusual oracles = and strange advice, and seemed to do his best to cause dissension in the = ranks of the princes-most successfully, too. Side Note: The mysterious magist, who called himself Nemmu-Pflarr, and = his acolytes were actually disguised Hutaaka priest-mages of Pflarr, = sent to "guide" the Ptahr-Al-Dar in the direction the Hutaaka = desired-down and out, until they could be more easily controlled and = directed the way the Hutaaka wished. Nemmu-Pflarr kept the old Great = Prince under his control, and extended his life through dark magics = (even to this day, Hyraksos II stirs in his tomb, far beneath the ruins = of his ancient palace). The Ptahr-Al-Dar never learned the identity of = the magist or his acolytes, nor the extent of his involvement in their = fall-though rumors spread that he was the spawn of a dark Immortal or = demon, and several legends grew from there. The biggest difficulty for the colonists, however, was that try as they = might, they could not discover a large, regular source of iron ore. They = found copper and tin aplenty, though, and so many common materials and = lower-class weapons were produced of bronze, rather than the preferable = steel weaponry that was brought from Nithia. Too, the craftsmen of the = Taymorans were never very advanced themselves (many tribes and cities = were still using beaten copper or stone when the Ptahr-Al-Dar invaded), = and so the metalworkers of the ruling race were few and far between. = Overall, over time, while the general level of technology advanced as = compared to that of the previous latter-day Taymoran civilization, = compared to the Nithian civilization to the north, the Ptahr-Al-Dar = territories were a virtual backwater. Side Note: Yes, either the Nithians had steel, or they had no access to = tin. Bronze is, generally, superior to common, non-carbonized iron. The = Bronze Age gave way to the Iron Age only because tin, a very necessary = part of bronze, ended up in short supply at the time. But steel, which = is carbonized iron, is superior to bronze. Thus, without a source of = iron with which to make steel, the Ptahr-Al-Dar would naturally turn to = the next best thing, bronze. At first it was a stop-gap measure, but in = time, it became a way of life... Three major crop failures in seven years made for difficult times for = the colonists, especially as the King of Khyptahr still demanded his = tribute. Then came the first plague, in 1452 BC. Oddly enough, it struck = mostly only those with relatively pure Ptahr-Al-Dar blood, secondarily = those with mixed-blood, and barely touched pure-blood Taymorans at all. = This created huge, gaping holes in the noble structure-though the = doddering old fool, Hyraksos II, survived intact, purportedly due to the = ministrations of his magist. Several princes closed off their own = territories, to try to control the plague, but to little avail-and such = actions caused no end of trouble with their neighbors, as well. Side Note: The pestilence that haunted the crops, and the plague were = magically created by the Hutaaka, to put a check on the growth of the = Ptahr-Al-Dar, and to create exactly the kind of dissent and difficulty = it caused. Unfortunately, later the both would get out of hand, and out = of the Hutaaka's control... Two years later, the plague died down, and it was again safe to travel. = Hyraksos II called a Great Conclave of the Princes at his capital (now a = haunted and much-storied sea-side hill outside Kerendas). There most-but = not all-the princes went to discuss the problems that had occurred over = the last generation, and plans to rectify the situation-and get tribute = back on track to the King in Kheptahr. But those discussions never = occurred, as a great conflagration struck the throne room of the Great = Prince in the first minutes of the meeting, and most of the princes and = their retinues were slain. Fires raged throughout the capital city (as = city it had become), and chaos ruled. When the smoke cleared the next = day, the Great Prince was presumed dead with his princes, the magist and = his acolytes were also dead (or disappeared), and much of the support = structure in the capital city (granaries, the only library in the whole = territory, many of the experienced craftsmen and their tools and = experience) were gone, wiped out with half the population. The few = surviving princes and nobles in the city immediately returned to their = own towns and citadels. Civil war broke out. The Ptahr-Al-Dar Civil War (1450 to 1430 BC): The Ptahr-Al-Dar civil war = lasted a whole generation, as city fought city and clan fought clan. = During this time, trade with Nithia fell to almost nothing, as Nithia = was experiencing its own difficulties, going through the excesses of the = latter Pharaohs of the Second Dynasty (the vile usurper Pharaoh Ausar = Ranak and his oppositely oriented, far-too-good-for-her-own-good = daughter, Pharaoh Ausar Paranmaat "The Rectifier"). Many deeds great and = terrible were performed at this time, and most of the history lost, as = records were destroy4ed willy-nilly. Several minor waves of Ptahr-Al-Dar = joined their southern brethren from Nithia-fleeing the horrible = theocratic wars for simple, common civil wars. The plague and pestilence = of the early setbacks returned, sometimes in force. Entire villages died = out, whole clans were extirpated, and trade ground to a halt. The King = of Kheptahr gave up all pretense of controlling the situation, and did = his best to keep it contained south of the Altan Tepes-that is, until he = was dragged, screaming and weeping, to the Abattoir Pits of Pharaoh = Ranak. Side Note: During the first half of the civil war, the Hutaaka did all = they could to fan the fires and stoke the flames. Then, at its height, = they began appearing in their natural form among the peoples, first in = the villages, then in the towns, as healers and traders, seeking to do = nothing more than help the poor, hungry, and maimed. They began = preaching peace to the Traldar as they knit wounds, and spoke of = brotherhood as they traded their food and other goods for the poor = things the Traldar had. Slowly, ever so slowly, the Hutaaka began to = earn a very positive reputation among the Traldar, which would suit them = well in later days. Eventually, the civil war wound down, as old princes died and new one = arose, as old cities fell and new ones were built, and the Traldar began = to build new kingdoms. Each of these was about the size of a modern = Thyatian duchy, and centered around one city/citadel, usually on the = seacoast or river bank. With the assistance of the Hutaaka in matters = architectural, agricultural, and otherwise, the Traldar slowly began to = rebuild. Eventually, a low-level peace was reached among the major = kingdoms, though minor kingdoms and various free clans (such as hill and = forest clans) remained relatively chaotic. Side Note: It was during this period that the Ptahr-Al-Dar language and = identity had finally evolved to a level independent of that of their = forefathers. Four and more generations had passed since the first = settlement, and much chaos and mingling of races and cultures had = occurred. Thus, the Ptahr-Al-Dar became the Traldar, a single, unified = word, melded by the differing tongue and half-intelligible languages of = the half-breeds and Taymorans. Literature and poetry blossomed across = the kingdoms, spread by the Hutaaka, and melded the disparate tongues = into a single tongue, though there were many, many local dialects, and = the Old Tongue of the Taymorans still was spoken in some forest glades = and hilltop citadels. The core of the Traldar language was Neathar, with = slight Nithian overtones, followed by large (and in some territories, = notably in forest and hill regions, excessive) Taymoran word usage, all = mixed together and evolved through the Hutaakan scholastic lens, = enforced by the final evolution of the written Traldar script and = teachings of the Hutaaka. Side Side Note: Note that the "reduction of the Traldar to the Stone = Age" is a mixing of legends and myths of the decline of the Ptahr-Al-Dar = with the actual state of the Taymorans they discovered when they arrived = in the area, combined with the further decline (and retrogression) of = many heavily Taymoran clans during the Civil War. All these legends = were, of course, quite happily expanded by the Hutaaka as self-serving = propaganda during the later years of the Civil War and following the = final Collapse! At the end of the Civil War, the Traldar found themselves with many, = many warriors eager to prove themselves, but, due to the treaties and = alliances negotiated by the Hutaaka, nowhere to point them. So, of = course, in what had already become a Traldar tradition, they all moved = out and set out for other territories. Third Wave (1430 to 1420 BC): The third wave of Traldar colonization set = out in four directions: north, northwest, west, and south. The northern colonists set out over the Altan Tepes, where they founded = what would eventually become the city of Selenica. There they = encountered savage Stone Age tribes of Azcans, whom they slaughtered in = droves. They also had their first encounter with goblins, surviving = tribes from the debacle at Chongor almost three centuries ago. They = drive these wolf-riders into the mountains to the north and east. Some = Traldar begin moving west from there, and settle the hilly lands as far = west as Nemiston. The northwestern colonists cross the Cruth Mountains at Mar and start = settling the lands north, along the River Streel, where they are met by = the western-moving colonists. Together the two groups push back the = Azcan Savages and claim territories along the Streel and Elstrick = rivers, until they come to Lake Amsorak. There the bulk of the Traldar = settle, and found the city of Akorros. Hundreds continue to the west, = along the southern shore of the lake, ever seeking their own new = territories-these peoples are lost to memory, though they may (may) have = formed the core of the ancestors of the Darine Gypsy folk, who claim = descent from just such a group. The southern colonists set out by ship to claim the islands of the Sea = of Dread as their own. Finally, after long decades, and only with the = help of the Hutaaka, the Traldar were able to build the ships they had = desired for so long. On the islands they would encounter a vast array of = peoples, survivors from Taymor, a strange race of albinos, Makai, elves, = old Nithian followers of Setu-Kha, many, many monsters, and even a few = "lost colonies" of Ptahr-Al-Dar, who set sail generations ago during the = first attempts and were lost, with no way to return home. The Traldar = settled all the islands, from Hattias in the east to Ierendi Island in = the west. Some enterprising groups even set sail for Nithia and places = further afield-according to legend, some reached early Sind, and the = Shadow Coast, or even the mysterious islands at the heart of the Sea of = Dread. But these were merely the first, short steps in the long, long = Traldar movement to the sea. The great Traldar Age of Sail would not = come for another century, when the deeds and acts of these first = colonists were become legend and myth. Final Setbacks (1420 to 1402 BC): The good times, though, did not last. = Eventually, the kingdoms started bickering again, over territory, = colonies, and tribute, and low-grade wars again were fought, though = often most of these were little more than raids. Many kings (for they = now called themselves such, owing no fealty to the King of Kheptahr), = began to turn away the advice of their Hutaakan allies, who began to = slowly retreat from the kingdoms. They left behind dire warnings with = the clergy and the commoners, warning them of the dangerous and deadly = times ahead. Plague and pestilence once again began to run rampant, and whole clans = began moving across the land. Hardest struck were the western lands-the = Hutaaka claimed that the plagues and pestilence there were caused by the = Gentle Folk, who were subsequently raided by the Traldar, and many died. = Similar attempts to blame the eastern plagues on the Vyalia failed, if = only because Traldar "vengeance raids" against the elves failed to ever = return. Contact was lost with the colonies at sea and across the = mountains. Slowly, prince turned against prince, and brother turned = against brother, and after ten years of strife, the land was again in = chaos. Then the Nithians struck Collapse and Rebirth (1402-1392): While the Traldar had been waxing and = waning in the south, the Nithian Empire had been undergoing its own = growing pains. The first colonies, those of the Ptahr-Al-Dar, had been = obvious failures, and no king would sponsor further such ventures-so the = normal outlet for extra population was not available. Thus, the Nithians = turned to civil war. From 1421 to 1411 the Pharaoh Ausar Horon, son of = the overly strict and bloodthirsty Ausar Paranmaat, had fought against = his rebellious brother, Ausar Munes. In the end, the more bloodthirsty = and vicious Ausar Munes won, and when he claimed the throne, placed the = Temple of Set at the top of the hierarchy, changing his own regnal name = to Setu Herkete. After six years of putting his empire in order, Setu = Herkete decided to reclaim the lost lands to the south for the Empire. = This effort would claim the last ten years of his life, much Nithian = treasure, and forge the Traldar into one, united people, after passing = them through a crucible of flames. The attack came in two movements, the primary by land, over the same = pass the Ptahr-Al-Dar had arrived almost a century before, with masses = of chariots and foot soldiers, and the secondary attack by sea, with = several fleet-loads of marines attacking each major port city. At first, = the battle went very well, as kingdom after kingdom fell to the = Nithians. Then, the fleets began to feel the nibbles of the Traldar = raiders at sea, while the supply lines of the land-based forces were = continually harried by the combined forces of several Traldar kingdoms. = Meanwhile, the mages and priests of the Empire were being met spell by = spell by unknown, cowled wizards and priests (the Hutaaka, in disguise). = After the first five years of mixed success, the final five years of = Nithian occupation came to an astounding and bloody close, as the = Nithians were slaughtered, city by city, fort by fort, and driven back = into the sea or over the mountains. At times, the Hutaaka fought = side-by-side with the Traldar, openly, earning them great respect. They = earned the Traldar gratitude for the use of their magics, in the end = openly, especially in the final battle, where the half-Traldar son of = Setu Herkete, Herculis, turned against his father and struck the blow = that brought the Pharaoh down. The Nithians were cast out of the Traldar Territories, and truly, the = Traldar now completely identified themselves as Traldar, a people apart = even from their cousins, the remaining Ptahr-Al-Dar of the western = Empire. All ancient things Nithian, from the early Ptahr-Al-Dar = settlement, were broken-the gold was re-forged into new, Traldar idols, = and the silver into coins. Having no longer the craftsmanship to smelt = and re-use the iron weapons of the Nithians, the Traldar buried these, = in great tombs, along with the bodies of the fallen Nithians, and the = Hutaaka cast many spells and curses over them (though a few weapons and = such remained, as trophies in king's halls). Though the kingdoms remained divided, the Traldar had in no uncertain = terms declared their independence, politically as well as culturally, = from the Nithians. A new Nithian dynasty arose, washed their hands of = the whole affair, and went about on their own business again. The = Traldar had their independence, and no force on Mystara would ever take = that away... Of course, what the Hutaakans never told the Traldar, and the Traldar = never discovered, was that the Nithians invaded the Traldar through the = machinations of the Hutaaka. The maneuver definitively broke the Traldar = away from the Nithians, and created a buffer between the Nithians and = the Hutaaka. From the Hutaaka mind set, a Traldar people, divided into = often-at-odds kingdoms, but ever vigilant against Nithian interference, = was the best solution to their own difficulties. The Traldar now owed = them favors, great and many favors, and saw them as saviors, both for = the assistance provided after the Civil War, and for the assistance = provided against the Nithians. The Traldar also depended greatly upon = them for trade, advice, and technical knowledge. For all intents and = purposes (and, as many Nithians considered it), the Traldar Territories = were in fact the Hutaakan Empire. But the results of that, and the role this played in the creation of the = Gnolls, and the invasion of the Traldar lands by the Gnolls, is a story = for another time... ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 19:55:51 -0800 From: Andrew Theisen Subject: Re: Rakastas, Ochalea & Myoshima (...and Makai!) --- Dave Keyser wrote: > While I have lupins in the Known World from Dragon > Magazine #237, citing X2 is not strong evidence for > the existence of lupins or rakasta in Glantri. In > that module it mentions that one of the groups, > not sure which, but I think it is the lupins, were > originally human, but polymorphed into their current > form as the curse. Actually, it isn't until Mark of Amber that we first get the "rakasta and lupins in Castle Amber were servants who were polymorphed by Etienne's curse" concept. In the original module, they were simply what they appeared to be- lupins and rakasta. However, since Castle Amber does not take place on Mystara, for the most part (save for a brief portion of the opening 'setup' paragraphs), the point can still be made, as you say, that X2 is hardly strong evidence for their inclusion in the Known World. ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 30 Oct 2004 to 31 Oct 2004 (#2004-236) ****************************************************************