Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 5 Feb 2005 to 7 Feb 2005 (#2005-32) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 08/02/2005, 19:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 2 messages totalling 100 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. On the newbie guide 2. Dave Arneson's Blackmoor wins Weird GameWyrd Game Award! ******************************************************************** 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, 7 Feb 2005 12:11:11 +0200 From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Ville_V_L=E4hde?= Subject: On the newbie guide Hello, I haven't been following the guide issue too closely, but one idea comes to mind. It would be nice if the guide included some GM material on the nature of Mystaran societies and their differences to "corresponding" RW societies. Of all the TSR originated worlds Mystara is IMO the most real in the sense that a plausible socio-political world can be developed on it. The nations really have character, diverse factions, aims etc that aren't based on a vague "mythological" axis of alignments. But to use these possibilities to the fullest extent a newbie GM could benefit from some important notions that flesh out KW's everyday reality. Some examples: - There are very few feudal societies. Some like Karameikos are built on an old system of nobility, but instead of serfs you have freemen that live under the rule of local and regional nobility. Others, like the NR countries, are closer to traditional feudalism, but mixed with older communal systems. - Banking, thus "paper money" of a sort, is emerging. Darokin and Thyatis are most likely the most powerful economic states, and their currency is much more stable than the Roman sestertius for example. Darokinian "clocs" or other such documents are valid currency in many countries. - The presence of healing and decontamination magic (very low elvel clerical spells) makes diseases much less rampant. Cities are more densely populated than in the corresponding RW ears, and their populations are more stable. (In RW societies cities depended on an influx of rural people for a long time.) It is also very likely that they are more clean - working alchemical and other sciences would supplant some of the effects of modern medicine. - Many of the nations are fairly young, like Glantri, "Republican" Darokin, Karameikos, Heldann, and Ylaruam. This is an era of nation-building with diverse elements: religious unification, theocratic invasion, colonial rule and mercantile politics. - Alongside are very old cultures like Ethengar, the Norsemen, Atruaghin and of course the demi-human realms. The DH realms add another important thing: the presence of reliable long-term histories. Even though the laymen in most human societies are most likely fairly uneducated, common kowledge of the world is much more spread and reliable than in RW Europe of the corresponding era. Also, demi-humans are fairly active in KW Mystara. They are not "retreating" like in many other worlds. No ancient degenerating elven kindgoms, but a vibrant trading elven nation. - The area of KW is fairly small, so communication and trading takes place more intensively than our historical analogies would suggest. Check some travel times for caravans and you'll see... - Religion is not mainly built on isolated "cults" of various gods/Immortals, but on Churches. There is a Church of Thyatis with various Orders, and the Churches of Karameikos and Traladara... The religions are much closer to RW feel than in other TSR worlds. Of course analogies between established montheism and "real" polytheisms don't work very well. But still, in the KW religion is engaged in everyday life, not just a front in a good vs. evil battle. - Technology has "progressed" towards early industrialism in some parts. At least in Darokin there are manufactures, private plantations, farmers' combines etc. Even in Minrothad the "guilds" are much more like giant corporations than craftsmens' unions. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2005 16:24:41 -0500 From: Dustin Clingman Subject: Dave Arneson's Blackmoor wins Weird GameWyrd Game Award! We have great news to announce! Zeitgeist Games is proud to accept the award for "The RPG or Supplement = Most Likely to Improve Your Campaign" from GameWyrd.com. We would like to = thank the voters who took the step to register and vote at GameWyrd for recognizing our hard work. We would also like to thank the many writers, designers and artists that help take the vision from and idea and into reality. Without that dedicated team, this would never have been = possible. Lastly, we would like to humbly thank the fans who kept Blackmoor alive through the year. Without them, this would not have been possible.=20 For more information, check out: http://www.gamewyrd.com/awards/wgwa2004_results.php Dustin=20 --- Dustin Clingman President, Zeitgeist Games, Inc. Phone: 407-376-3695 www.zeitgeistgames.com =A0 ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 5 Feb 2005 to 7 Feb 2005 (#2005-32) *************************************************************