Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 23 Jan 2005 to 24 Jan 2005 (#2005-20) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 25/01/2005, 19:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 5 messages totalling 240 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. HackWurld of Mystaros Playtest on Kenzer Boards 2. slaves of the Known World (2) 3. Problems accessing the Vaults 4. Greetings from an old friend ******************************************************************** 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: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 04:38:36 -0800 From: Ray Allen Subject: Re: HackWurld of Mystaros Playtest on Kenzer Boards James, How close are you to a finished product? I'm guessing that you're still a good distance from one, right? Still this is good news. :) --Ray. --- James Mishler wrote: > Hi all! > > I'm at a point where I'm trying out some things with > the HackWurld in game play (finally). I'm running a > HackWurld of Mystaros campaign set in the Westerlands. ===== If you have to choose between books and computers, there's no doubt which you should choose. You should choose books. --Bill Gates of Microsoft ---------------------------------------------- Geek Code: GLS$ d- s:+ a C++ UL++++ P? L++ E---- W++ N+ o-- K- w--- O? M- V-- PS+++ PE Y PGP- t+ 5-- X+++ R++ tv-- b++ DI- D---- G-- e+++ h--- r+++ y+++ ---------------------------------------------- Don't tell me the RIAA are a bunch of hypocritical, dishonest bastards! Now I have nothing left to believe in. (www.slashdot.org) __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - You care about security. So do we. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 14:12:47 +0100 From: Francesco Defferrari Subject: slaves of the Known World Hello to all, I was thinking about the slaving nations of the Known World (Thyatis, = Ostland, Jaibul and the Black Eagle in AC 1000, just Thyatis and Jaibul, = I believe, in AC 1018) and I ask myself where they slaves come (and = came) from.=20 About Ostland, it's quite easy: its slave population came from Norwold, = Heldann, Vestland, Soderfjord, Ylauruam and Northern Isle of Dawn. I = believe Ostland raiders didn't even dare to raid directly Thyatis (with = Thyatis they were even allied for some time IIRC), or Alphatia, but = maybe raided some of their merchantile ships. For the same reason, I = believe the most of Oslander raids hit Norwold and the Isle of Dawn, and = a lot less the more warlike and ready to retailate Heldann and Ylauruam = and the too near Vestland and Soderfjord. But sure Ostlander pirates = didn't mind to raid ships of any nation, and probably they do even in = 1018, after the abolishing of slavery in their nation, and maybe sell = slaves to Thyatis... Jaibul probably take slaves from the coasts of Sind, Yavdlom, the = Serpent Peninsula and the Savannah coast. I think that the Iron ring = organization in the Black Eagle barony simply bought slaves from Jaibul = and from pirates of the Sea of Dread to sell them to Thyatis. Nowadays = probably Thyatians slavers buy directly from Sea of Dread pirates, or = from Minrothad slavers. A lot of the slaves in Thyatis probably came = from the Four Kingdoms in Davania, too. Some slaves could be from = alphatian territories of the Isle of Dawn too, but only those taken in = times of war, because I believe that Thyatis wouldn't risk an all-out = war against Alphatia or Thothia capturing slaves in time of peace. I = don't recall if under thyatian law it's possible to enslave thyatian = citizens for debts, if it's possible probably some thyatian slaves are = simply... thyatians (IIRC criminals are not enslaved but exiled to = colonize remote lands or deported to Borydos island...) In the past thyatians have taken slaves from other nations too, = particullary Norwold, Traladara, Ylauruam and Ierendi, but nowadays I = believe that should be no more slaves from those nations, or maybe just = some sailors enslaved by pirates. Some thyatian slaves, particullary in = the country, could be slaves from some generations, but I think there = will be not too many slaves of this kind, because probably many masters = free their slaves after a lifetime of service, as often happened in the = ancient roman empire.=20 These are my thoughts, and now go with the question to the list :-)=20 Probably nations bordering Thyatis know that there are pirates and = slavers that sell their citizen to the empire, so these nations could = protest with thyatian ambassador or maybe even threaten war... How do = you think the WDL should act in this matter? Or maybe do you think that = Thyatis forbid buying subjects of KW nations as slaves? Obviously = Darokin would never tolerate the enslavement of a gold or even silver = class citizen, but what about a copper class sailor? Would Darokin (or = Ierendi, or...) protest if captives from its ships are enslaved? How many of Thyatis slaves population do you think are from the Four = Kingdoms? and Thanegioth? Isle of Dawn, KW nations? Norwold? Sind and = the west? and Thyatians? I would gamble something like 35% 5% 15% 10% = 10% 20% 5%... what do you think? bye Francesco ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 11:23:08 -0400 From: Steven Carter Subject: Re: slaves of the Known World Well I would say that until recent decades prior to Ochalea attaining true independence that Thyatis would have benefitted greatly by bleeding the population a little each year. I would expect that as dynasties rose and fell within the Ochalean bureaucracy they would have different policies on slavery and even on the nation's relationship with Thyatis. Therefore in some decades you might find a lot of political or ethnic criminals within the groups enslaved. Othertimes you might find lots of debt-slaves. And other times the number of slaves would be almost zero. However, it may also be dependent upon the prefecture or province of the island. Also, women would probably account for far more of the slaves than men until modern times. Just prior to WotI I would say a moderate and possibly independent faction would have slowed the flow of slaves to almost nothing. I don't see the current exarch allowing that to continue although I doubt everyone in positions of power on the island shares his views so some slavery may continue illegally. But that's just my opinion. I see Ochalea as having been little more than a puppet/client state of Thyatis since the betray and conquest despite the Empress's (Valentia???) Citizen's Proclamation. On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 14:12:47 +0100, Francesco Defferrari wrote: > Hello to all, > I was thinking about the slaving nations of the Known World (Thyatis, Ostland, Jaibul and the Black Eagle in AC 1000, just Thyatis and Jaibul, I believe, in AC 1018) and I ask myself where they slaves come (and came) from. > About Ostland, it's quite easy: its slave population came from Norwold, Heldann, Vestland, Soderfjord, Ylauruam and Northern Isle of Dawn. I believe Ostland raiders didn't even dare to raid directly Thyatis (with Thyatis they were even allied for some time IIRC), or Alphatia, but maybe raided some of their merchantile ships. For the same reason, I believe the most of Oslander raids hit Norwold and the Isle of Dawn, and a lot less the more warlike and ready to retailate Heldann and Ylauruam and the too near Vestland and Soderfjord. But sure Ostlander pirates didn't mind to raid ships of any nation, and probably they do even in 1018, after the abolishing of slavery in their nation, and maybe sell slaves to Thyatis... > Jaibul probably take slaves from the coasts of Sind, Yavdlom, the Serpent Peninsula and the Savannah coast. I think that the Iron ring organization in the Black Eagle barony simply bought slaves from Jaibul and from pirates of the Sea of Dread to sell them to Thyatis. Nowadays probably Thyatians slavers buy directly from Sea of Dread pirates, or from Minrothad slavers. A lot of the slaves in Thyatis probably came from the Four Kingdoms in Davania, too. Some slaves could be from alphatian territories of the Isle of Dawn too, but only those taken in times of war, because I believe that Thyatis wouldn't risk an all-out war against Alphatia or Thothia capturing slaves in time of peace. I don't recall if under thyatian law it's possible to enslave thyatian citizens for debts, if it's possible probably some thyatian slaves are simply... thyatians (IIRC criminals are not enslaved but exiled to colonize remote lands or deported to Borydos island...) > In the past thyatians have taken slaves from other nations too, particullary Norwold, Traladara, Ylauruam and Ierendi, but nowadays I believe that should be no more slaves from those nations, or maybe just some sailors enslaved by pirates. Some thyatian slaves, particullary in the country, could be slaves from some generations, but I think there will be not too many slaves of this kind, because probably many masters free their slaves after a lifetime of service, as often happened in the ancient roman empire. > These are my thoughts, and now go with the question to the list :-) > Probably nations bordering Thyatis know that there are pirates and slavers that sell their citizen to the empire, so these nations could protest with thyatian ambassador or maybe even threaten war... How do you think the WDL should act in this matter? Or maybe do you think that Thyatis forbid buying subjects of KW nations as slaves? Obviously Darokin would never tolerate the enslavement of a gold or even silver class citizen, but what about a copper class sailor? Would Darokin (or Ierendi, or...) protest if captives from its ships are enslaved? > How many of Thyatis slaves population do you think are from the Four Kingdoms? and Thanegioth? Isle of Dawn, KW nations? Norwold? Sind and the west? and Thyatians? I would gamble something like 35% 5% 15% 10% 10% 20% 5%... what do you think? > bye > Francesco > > ******************************************************************** > 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: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 05:53:13 +1100 From: shawn stanley Subject: Problems accessing the Vaults There are problems accessing the Vaults main page, http://www.mystaranet.jamm.com/vaults, at the moment - but fear not. That page is only a pointer to the ctual main page, http://www.mystaranet.jamm.com/vaults/html/HOME.html, which has always been a lot quicker to load anyway. So might I sugegst to everyone to go directly to the html page which seems to be working all fine. I've passed this one onto Jenni (as well as my inability at the moment to actual perform updates) and hopefully these thigns should be rectified soon. shawn stanley what have you done for me lately ... more to the point what have i done for me - mightyfew, "i can't wait" ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 11:40:37 +0900 From: Thorfinn Tait Subject: Greetings from an old friend Hi. :-) It's been an awfully long time since I communicated with anyone in the Mystara community, but now I finally find myself in the position to get back in touch, and I have to say it feels good. I've actually been lurking for a while now, but I can't hold off on making my presence known again any longer! I have so many questions and things to talk about with you guys, built up over the last five or six years. But I'm getting ahead of myself... For those that don't know me, and as a recap for those who do: Hi. :-) My name is Thorfinn Tait. I hail from the Orkney Islands in the north of Scotland, but these last five years I have been living in northern Japan. Since I last participated in discussions about Mystara, I have come a long way and changed rather a lot, I think: I graduated university, moved to Japan, and started work as an Assistant English Teacher, helping to teach our language to secondary school kids. That job ended, and I liked it enough here in Akita to stay on doing private work. The job and the pay aren't great, and to be honest I would probably be going home this year, but for one thing: since early last year I have been hopelessly in love with a lovely lass from one of the small towns where I used to work. ;-) How things will proceed from here is anyone's guess, but in the meantime - I'm back! :-) I'm very happy and impressed to see that you all seem to have been busy during my long absence! The Vaults have burgeoned to an immense size, and every section feels more full than I remember it being. It's also very nice to see so many familiar names, although I noted the lack of some others. Can anyone fill me in on who is still around? By the way, in case you were wondering: it seems I was slow in finding them, but the reason I am able to come back to Mystara now is the PDF files available from SVGames. I spent almost $200 stocking up on them while I was home at Christmas time, and despite their flaws, it's great to be able to access my collection when the actual books are 6000 miles away! Still, I was surprised to see there was so little in the way of an evaluation of them at the Vaults - maybe something I could help fix. That's all for now. I'll be around, lurking, and working on my latest secret project. ;-) It's great to be back! Thorfinn ============================================ Thorfinn Tait --------- thorf @ chokai.ne.jp Land of the Rising Sun, 5 years and counting ============================================ ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 23 Jan 2005 to 24 Jan 2005 (#2005-20) ***************************************************************