Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 18 Jan 2005 to 19 Jan 2005 (#2005-18) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 20/01/2005, 19:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 5 messages totalling 284 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Corun house history (2) 2. Shiye Relic 3. Ezechiel Naramis (incomplete) 4. New Blackmoor Fiction posted ******************************************************************** 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: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 00:01:53 -0800 From: Andrew Theisen Subject: Re: Corun house history --- Giampaolo Agosta wrote: > That's certainly true. Except Alfheim and the Broken > Lands, there shouldn't be too many SE agents -- and I > wouldn't have agents outside Darokin and perhaps > Glantri before 1000 AC. Heh. Funny you should mention SE agents in Glantri. There's something I've been sitting on for... well I guess it's been a couple years now (yeesh!). I'll see if I can finish it up real quick and post it up for you all. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 00:27:34 -0800 From: Andrew Theisen Subject: Shiye Relic Posted this on the MMB the other day, thought I'd post here, too to see what you all think: Here's something Geoff Gander and I came up with several years back, that I never got around to posting about: Every elvish clan in the kingdom of Shiye-Lawr has a special grove at its heart that houses its clan relic, the Fount of Vitality. The Fount is a large magical pool that is continually refreshing itself and functions in all ways like a Decanter of Endless Water. Often times artificial streams are built leading from the Fount to other areas of the clanhold, providing running water for the clan. In addition to its standard relic powers, the Fount may be used to create the rare Dew of Flora and the elvish Greenship. The dew of flora is the byproduct of condensation from the Fount that collects on specially prepared flower beds that surround it. The petals of these flowers are cultivated and preserved through a process known only to the Fountkeepers. After allowing the petals to absorb the condensation for a month, they are then ground up, mixed with water from the Fount, and distilled into the dew of flora. The process is slow, and can yield only one ounce per year. The dew of flora can be applied to inanimate objects, providing them with the ability to move through vegetation as easily as through air. Most often, the collected dew is applied to specially prepared elven ships to create the Shiye Greenship- which can move at the same rate as a small sailing ship as long as it is in contact with vegetation. It takes 100 ounces of dew to create each Greenship; each Greenship can carry up to 10 elves. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 10:36:31 +0200 From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Ville_V_L=E4hde?= Subject: Re: Corun house history On Tue, 18 Jan 2005, Giampaolo Agosta wrote: > That's true. Perhaps the major problem for the SE in setting up a > network in human lands is that it will never be a long-standing affair, > since any SE agent will need to change cover after a mere 50 years or so. This was the main reason I decided to build the SE network through the Corun House. In their dealings with the inner cabal of the house they don't have to worry about cover. Indeed, the fact that the same agent is familiar to several generations of Coruns makes them seem more powerful and mysterious. Most of the practical missions are done by humans. SE operatives are used only in short-time missions. Of course there might be some operatives who are disquised as forest elves. I believe the small cell in DDC would have to be organised this way. In fact, elves must be a strong influence in DDC in general. The possibility of having diplomats who have personal memories of past events and people is very valuable, and they can organise policy in a long-term perspective much better than humans. This means that DDC is an important venue of Alfheim influence in Darokin. On the other hand, I think that elves who embark on a decades long, or even centuries (3 is max) long diplomatic career would become very alienated from the Alfheimian worldview. This doesn't mean of course that the whole DDC would become an elven political tool. The mainly human Houses simply would not allow that. Also, most diplomats have to pass a long period of apprenticeship which includes trips to foreign lands. Elves of any kind would have serious difficulties in Ylaruam, Ethengar, possibly the western lands etc. The persistence of racial tolerance gives human diplomats advantage in certain areas and thus insures their influence in the organisation. > That's certainly true. Except Alfheim and the Broken Lands, there > shouldn't be too many SE agents -- and I wouldn't have agents outside > Darokin and perhaps Glantri before 1000 AC. My thoughts exactly. Ville ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 01:02:01 -0800 From: Andrew Theisen Subject: Ezechiel Naramis (incomplete) Here's what I was teasing about. It's not quite done (hence why I never posted it), but I thought I'd let you all see a profile of a Glantrian NPC that has rarely been mentioned: Ezechiel Naramis By Andrew Theisen AC 1000 I Appearance Ezechiel Naramis is a bit stout of appearance (a lot of meals, something he doesn't get in the Shadow Elf territories). His hair is white, and his eyes are a dull grey in color. He dresses entirely in black clothing, even wearing black gloves almost constantly. The only skin he reveals is that of his face, which betrays grayish tints. Under bright lights (a condition in which Naramis can almost never be found) it seems to be slightly scaly- if asked, he claims to have a rare skin condition. If he doesn’t like the questioner, he may also claim it is slightly contagious. II Personality Ezechiel is quite a bit of an eccentric, meaning he fits in perfectly amongst the nobility of Glantri. He shuns the daylight, preferring to remain in the confines of his secluded tower of Nathrat in the Silver Sierras. On those occasions that he does venture outside, he rarely goes any further than the forests that surround his tower- dark, magically grown fungal forests that thrive in the shadowy canyon around his home. Ezechiel plays his cards close to his chest. He is a virtual chameleon, adapting his personality to suit the occasion and the needs of those around him, to best accomodate his goals. He is vain, crafty, and plotting, and more than a little bit gluttonous now that he lives in the outer world. III History Far beneath the surface world, the shadow elves have dwelt for centuries, quietly coveting a chance to reclaim their place in the lands above. Two shadow elves in particular, Xatapechtli and Kanafasti- the spymaster and high magist of the kingdom of Gwaithallin- had for years been planning to infiltrate various surface world nations. Ever since 802, when one of their operatives there inadvertently brought the plague back to the underworld with him, there had been no operatives in Glantri. Towards the end of the 9th century, that nation was experiencing many changes, in particular a governmental change based on magical ability. Kanafasti and Xatapechtli felt this was an opportune time to send more agents there. They began a search through all the territories for potential recruits. They found one in the person of Ezechiel Naramis- a young shadow elf blacksmith. Naramis was currently serving his mandatory period of enlistment in the shadow elf army. He was singled out by the spy organization known as the Second Shadow due to his chameleon-like ability to blend in with people, while at the same time hiding his true feelings. It wasn’t long after his recruitment that he became the favored choice of the two shadow elf conspirators. Kanafasti oversaw his training in the magical arts, while Xatapechtli trained Ezechiel in spycraft. Once his initial training was complete, he was sent to the surface world. He was initially introduced into Alfheim society as a distant cousin of General Gilfronden. He ingratiated himself with many Alfheim personalities during that time. A year or so later, having made several connections within the Erendyl clan, he made the move to Glantri, where he lived among the Erewan clan- cousins of the Erendyl elves. After remaining with them for a time, Ezechiel eventually found patronage and joined the Great School of Magic. He completed his studies with the Great School and returned to the Erewan clan, taking every opportunity to involve himself in Glantrian politics when he could. When the Barony of Egorn became vacant, Ezechiel put himself in the pool and was selected to become the new baron. From there, he politicked for many years, finally earning the title of Viscount of Nathrat in 991 AC. He has since passed up any opportunity for political advancement, for many reasons. Nathrat is close to known entrances to the shadow elf caverns, from which further infiltrators can be smuggled to the surface. Also, unbeknownst to his masters, he has discovered a mysterious antimagical ore that he is studying and hopes to use for his own benefit. (Campaign Notes: As of the current timeline, 1018 AC, Ezechiel Naramis is long dead, having been destroyed along with his dominion in the meteor strike of 1006 AC. That need not be the end of this character, however. It is entirely possible that he had been pulled out of Glantri by his shadow elf masters long before the meteor hit- either due to the burgeoning war among the surfaceworlders and the war with Alfheim, or else due to his insubordination. He may still be actively involved either in Gwaithallin or in the new surface colony of Aengmor- his experience on the surface being a valuable asset to shadow elves living there. He- or a "relative"- may also turn up in Glantri again, seeking to reclaim the former dominion of Nathrat- now overrun and claimed by humanoids.) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 23:54:30 -0500 From: Dustin Clingman Subject: New Blackmoor Fiction posted Greetings all, I have posted up the first part of our new Blackmoor Serial at www.zeitgeistgames.com. "A Night in Maus" is written by Harley Stroh and provides a nice backdrop of the role that Inquisitors play in Blackmoor. In addition to the first part of a great story, this download also provides game rules and mechanics for items introduced into the serial. We will post part two of the story in about two weeks. Please check it out and let me know your thoughts. Dustin -- Dustin Clingman President, Zeitgeist Games, Inc. www.zeitgeistgames.com ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 18 Jan 2005 to 19 Jan 2005 (#2005-18) ***************************************************************