Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 1 May 2005 to 2 May 2005 (#2005-89) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 03/05/2005, 17:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 2 messages totalling 142 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. weekend holidays? 2. Ochalea (are you sick of it yet) ******************************************************************** 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, 2 May 2005 11:15:21 +0200 From: Francesco Defferrari Subject: Re: weekend holidays? Ohad Shaham (Morphail) wrote: > Sunday is the first work day of the week, sadly, > everybody works... Interesting, I supposed do... > I suppose they use sunday but Im not sure. So do I The day of rest > probably gave rise to the world creation story of 6 > days and the holy day of rest. My apologies for my > blasphemy, if anyone is offended. Right, probably all the semitic people (babilonians, sirians, phoenicians, hebrew and many others) had the week (they invented it :-) and a rest day in it. But I was thinking to egyptian (who afaik hadn't a rest day), greeks and romans (who had the week but not fixed day of rest, afaik) > I suggest that most fantasy societies (human ones at > least) have some day of rest. Maybe based on a > different week length, but I think humans need a day > off or else they go insane... could be a nice campaign > idea. As Altair IV just said, probably there aren't weekly rest days in Mystara because people usually don't work 6-12 hours a day as in our RW Earth: in classical and medieval societies nobles and rich people simply didn't work, ever. Work was something for peasants and farmers (who anyway in normal weather conditions worked a lot just in some months and had months of little of no work) or for merchants, artisans and shopkeepers, who mostly worked at home because they had shop and house in the same place... I believe actually that to work all day was something reserved to slaves only... bye Francesco ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 2 May 2005 16:51:16 -0300 From: Steven Carter Subject: Re: Ochalea (are you sick of it yet) I think it would be pretty unusual for any group to stay in one spot and not migrate for the 7000-8000 year period I'm looking at. Besides which, the Ochalea region is pretty central for migration purposes. I think an aweful lot of people would move through there putting a lot of pressure on any group living there. I suppose the Sinoltecs could logically begin there, migrate out, fracture into the Huangqi, Ethengar, proto-Yasuko, and then the Huangqi go back again solidifying a somewhat smaller population around 2500 BC. Unless of course the group established there had a significant power base to defend itself. But if it did then why is the island now for all intents and purposes predominantly Common Alphatian? I'll posit this one:=20 Most place and proper names in Ochalea are pseudo-Chinese.=20 The name of the land is not pseudo-Chinese.=20 The culture is not recognizably Alphatian. The pseudo-Chinese aspect comes from the combined culture of an aboriginal Sinoltec group, the rakasta and the lupins. The name of the island itself originates from a segment of the Cypro-Alphatian population - notably a pacificist element not involved in the Air-Fire war that somehow managed to bargain it's way to salvation following the Alphatian Armageddon. I submit that the name comes from Lord Palam Ochal, King-Priest of the Province of Ochal. The province on Alphatia Prime was conspicuously mystical in outlook and promoted dialog, integration and elemental harmony. Probably very scholarly. Perhaps even partly responsible for the infamous scholastic debates. I don't think even if they managed to bargain their salvation they would be treated kindly by the other Alphatians. Probably marginalized, discriminated against, accorded only the worst lands, least favourable access to native Mystaran resources and trade partnerships. It may be someone took pity on their long suffering. Perhaps this is when the pachydermions could appear and direct the Ochaleans to the island they would call Ochalea. It's a pity Alphaks isn't very subtle. Luring the Ochaleans to Ochalea where they could be assimilated, lose much of their cultural Alphatian identity, and later be conquered by the barbarian Thyatians would be a lovely coup. As part of this pile of ideas I'm looking at a Chinese legend concerning 12 demon lords that I'd like to integrate into the rule of the ogre magi on Ochalea. Anyone have any dates on when the ogre-magi began their reign? If not I have some I'll propose. Lots of stuff for everyone to pick apart. On 5/1/05, Francesco Defferrari wrote: > Steven Carter wrote: > > The Sinoltec develop their own bronze age, writing, language, artistic > > expression and culture. They revere spirits, ancestors and immortals > > through shamans. Some of this is from the roots carried from the > > parent Oltec. Most is independent. > (snip) > > Can this group be squeezed in on the coast of Davania between the > > Enduk, Golden Empire and the elves? It would be useful because I have > > ideas for how those contacts affect the Huangqi. > =20 > I agree with a sinoltec group, but I would place them in Ochalea and > Bellisaria, mostly, to be the forefathers of ochaleans and yasukan, while > ethengarians I see more as another group, originated from another > "chinese-like" mother culture somewhere in Skothar. Maybe one of this day= s I > will be able to write and post my ideas about the alphatian sea ancient > cultures.... > bye > Francesco > =20 > ******************************************************************** > 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. > ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 1 May 2005 to 2 May 2005 (#2005-89) *************************************************************