Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 17 Mar 2005 to 18 Mar 2005 (#2005-59) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 19/03/2005, 19:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 4 messages totalling 204 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Baldandar (3) 2. Minrothad campaign ideas II ******************************************************************** 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: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 09:34:41 +0100 From: Giampaolo Agosta Subject: Re: Baldandar Jon Cole wrote: > does anyone know anything about the Baldandars from CC p60, as I'm thinking > of using one The Mystara MCA has some information about the Baldandar's ecology. However, there are no info on the presence of Baldandars in Mystara. From the MCA text, it seems that the Baldandars did (and maybe still do) live in areas not inhabited by other humanoids, and used their illusions to help in hunting. Hope it helps, GP ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 23:05:58 -0300 From: "Vinicius R. de Moraes" Subject: Re: Baldandar At 05:34 18/3/2005, you wrote: > Jon Cole wrote: >> does anyone know anything about the Baldandars from CC p60, as I'm thinking >> of using one What is the "CC"? The MCM (1994, AD&D 2nd Ed.) brings it. I used one. Pretty good for plots. It much more than "just a monster". :-) > The Mystara MCA has some information about the Baldandar's ecology. Dear G, are we talking about the same book? > However, there are no info on the presence of Baldandars in Mystara. > From the MCA text, it seems that the Baldandars did (and maybe still > do) live in areas not inhabited by other humanoids, and used their > illusions to help in hunting. > > Hope it helps, > GP My use of it was throwing it as the plotter behind the scenes - and yes, from a secure place, but not as far as "areas not inhabited by other humanoids". Regards, Vini ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 12:24:19 +0200 From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Ville_V_L=E4hde?= Subject: Minrothad campaign ideas II Part II: Eluna Kelar's machinations It was indeed the leader of Water elf Guild, Eluna Kelar of the Clan Elsan, who was behind Oran's death and the resulting chaos. In the eyes of the public and the competing Guilds, the Elsans had always seemed powerful yet harmless, not intent on gaining political power or supremacy in the Minrothadian confederacy. This was perhaps due to the fact that after the political isolation of the previous ruling water elf clan, the Kasans, people couldn't believe that yet another bad apple was found in the basket. It had been Oran Meditor himself, a member of the same race (although technically of a separate ethnic-political group), who had chosen the new ruling clan. The secret Keepers of the water elves had also had a say in the matter, and their wisdom was trusted. This couldn't have been farther from the truth. For a long time, perhaps for a couple of centuries, Eluna Kelar has been a student of lost Taymoran secrets. His/Her (sorry, have to check on this later) agents had found some tomes which depicted necromantic rituals of summoning evil spirits, possession and ripping the soul from others. Kelar was intent on using these powers in order to achieve two major aims: to gain supreme power in Minrothad, and later to gain control of the secret Pearl. The first step was to get rid of Oran Meditor. Eluna Kelar actually had the alternative of possessing the King either herself or via a puppet-spirit. But she considered getting into the skin of the king to be way too dangerous, and she wouldn't trust a magical being to such a delicate and complex task. So Oran had to be killed. Eluna Kelar started a slow project of getting trusted agents into Meditor court - pretty easy due to the presence of a lot of water elves there (or at least easier than to the other guilds). The next step was to possess Eliz Blanceer, the Master Treasurer, and to get him slowly removed from the centre of the court. Kelar thought that controlling the Council funds would be necessary, but Blanceer's actions would have to seem plausible. If he would start acting funny exactly the same time the king was assassinated, suspicions would arise. So a few months earlier Blanceer started to become more and more independent, alienating "himself" from the king. The next move was surprising: Eluna Kelar formed a secret alliance with Clan Kasan! The former water elf rulers were suspicious, and rightly so, but in their powerless state they couldn't object. They needed friends. Eluna Kelar urged Kasans to make their relationship to the Privateers stronger in order to recruit agents and bring mercenaries to the country in secret. (I deduced this relationship from the name Hamilvar Kasan in the Privateers' Guild.) Of course such moves would have to wait a moment, so Alf Shadower wouldn't get a chance to notice and alert Oran. Finally everything was ready. Elsan agents caused havoc in the Palace, and shielded by this diversion Eluna Kelar attacked Oran Meditor in his bedroom. Luckily Astra Meditor was away at that time. The method of assassination was bizarre and cruel. Eluna Kelar possessed Oran's body, moving the king's soul into a "Flesh Jar" where it would be helpless and imprisoned. (I got the image of the Flesh jar from the Sandman story "Game of you".) Then Eluna Kelar simply committed a magical suicide using a Taymoran ritual that left no clues on the body. Her soul returned to her own body. The most important thing is that Oran isn't tecnically dead, only his body has been destroyed. So he can't be Raised or his soul can't be consulted on his death. After the assassiation Eluna Kelar's agents and allies started to harrass Truth Greenton's agents and Alf Shadower's guild. A quick alliance was made with the Quickhands. The halfling guild's leaders don't have an idea of Elsan's plans, they are cinvinced that either Corsers or Kasans were behind the murder. They just wanted to ally themselves with a likely winner of the power struggle. Elsans promised them the continued control of the capitol and other concessions in the future. The first result of the alliance was that the officials of Minrothad City began to enact the Death to Thieves edict vigorously. The cozy days of the Thieves' Guild were over. Combined with the attacks of Kasan agents, Oran Meditor's former intelligence network was soon in shatters. Thus Astra and Ginol Meditor are virtually isolated in the palace. Eluna Kelar's next plans are to use the Meditors by possessing one of them, possibly Ginol. Thus any plans of regaining power would come to her attention. But a much more important thing is to try to get the Corsers and the Verdiers to fight with each other. (IMC I laid some groundwork for this in the Nomad War sub-campaign, so this was prety easy and plausible. In this campaign scheme this will be a hard task.) --- But Eluna Kelar is not the only player in town. Ulard Forster of the Verdiers still has his powerful lycantrope network and other resources. Hildric Vendor of the Coursers has joined forces with powerful Glantrian mercenaries. There is also the Keeper of the Oak, who plans to use the powers of the Relic to 1) get rid of Ulard Forster, 2) Gain leadership of the Guild and 3) become a powerful player. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 11:56:02 +0100 From: Giampaolo Agosta Subject: Re: Baldandar Vinicius R. de Moraes wrote: > > > What is the "CC"? Creature Crucible (OD&D monster book). >> The Mystara MCA has some information about the Baldandar's ecology. > > Dear G, are we talking about the same book? I think so. > My use of it was throwing it as the plotter behind the scenes - and yes, > from a secure place, but not as far as "areas not inhabited by other > humanoids". Of course, I was just referring to the probable origins of the monster, not to the possibility of finding it in cities and/or human-held lands. Bye, GP ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 17 Mar 2005 to 18 Mar 2005 (#2005-59) ***************************************************************