Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 24 Nov 2005 to 25 Nov 2005 (#2005-220) From: MYSTARA-L automatic digest system Date: 26/11/2005, 19:00 To: MYSTARA-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 2 messages totalling 109 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Blood Brethren 2. 'Honest' Life on Ne'er-Do-Well? ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.pandius.com To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2005 02:42:02 -0800 From: Andrew Theisen Subject: Re: Blood Brethren --- Giampaolo Agosta wrote: > Uhm, this makes all the plot weaker, since other > Immortals would certainly notice that their missing comrades are gone for longer than they were > expected to. Also, there would be little point in > leaving Asterius behind as guardian, since actually 80% of the Immortals never left. Possibly, though I think as long as the "chief" Immortals of the Hollow World are gone, Thanatos can continue with his plots. I think Allen Varney may have been under the impression that the Immortals described in the HW boxed set were the only Immortals that existed, and didn't seem to be aware of the Avatar option for Immortals (which would also obviate the need for Asterius to remain behind, as they could literally be in two places- or times- at once). In any case, the HWA series only calls for the Immortals to be gone for a month (rather than the seconds they believe to take place)- which IMO is rather optimistic of Thanatos- but should be little enough time to justify the Immortals taking a short break from things- even if you go with the series' plot of having all Immortals vanish. ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.pandius.com To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2005 16:14:08 EST From: Erol Bayburt Subject: Re: 'Honest' Life on Ne'er-Do-Well? In a message dated 11/22/2005 1:46:16 PM Central Standard Time, libramus@SCN.ORG writes: > So I've been recently thinking about the Alphatian kingdom of Ne'er-Do-Well, and wondering exactly how the kingdom manages to remain > stable on anything resembling a long-term basis. [snip description of problem and unsatisfactory possible solutions] > Any ideas on other possibilities, or ways in which one of the above could be reconciled to something that makes sense? Because as it stands, I'm not sure why Ne'er-Do-Well didn't starve out years ago. - The Kingdom of Ne'er-Do-Well is blessed by various Immortal patrons of thieving and trickery, so that the variously thiefly goings-on *do* produce value in the long term - magically and indirectly. In particular: - Most of the economic activity actually is honest trade, of a low-key sort that's less visible than the flamboyant thefts and con-games. - The honest activity is run, as 'fronts' or 'side businesses,' by various thiefly sorts. Due to the blessings of the Immortals, this activity is especially productive & profitable. And because it is so blessed productive, honest merchants who don't have a dishonest sideline (and who therefore don't receive the trickster blessing) go bankrupt. - Foreigners who trade with the Ne'er-Do-Well merchant-thieves will do well in their trading (due to the blessing) *unless* they fall victim to one of the thefts, scams, etc. On the average/over the long run it all evens out: The "expected return" is typical for a trading venture, or maybe a little higher because of the risk premium. Or the blessing could (at least partly) shift the *type* of risk - There's more chance of a cargo of (e.g.) grain being lost to theft or fraud, but less of a chance of it being lost to rats, rot, shipwreck, etc. - Foreign thieves who come to Ne'er-Do-Well are 'encouraged' to either become part of an existing organization (if only by paying a "squeeze" to one of the established merchant-thieves) or else to establish a 'front' organization of their own. - Some of the 'front' organizations can be open secrets, paper thin. Others can be deeper secrets - "It looks like Honest John really *is* honest. But it can't be; not here in Ne'er-Do-Well - he's *gotta* be playing an angle. But I can't see what it is. No one's been able to figure it, not in the 50 years he's been here. So maybe her really *is* honest." (Common knowledge about Honest John, who actually is also...) Just off the top of my head ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.pandius.com To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 24 Nov 2005 to 25 Nov 2005 (#2005-220) ****************************************************************