Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 27 Jan 2006 to 28 Jan 2006 (#2006-14) From: MYSTARA-L automatic digest system Date: 29/01/2006, 19:00 To: MYSTARA-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There is 1 message totalling 61 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Flaems (was: Flaem race and culture?) ******************************************************************** 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: Sat, 28 Jan 2006 11:55:12 +0200 From: Ville V Lahde Subject: Re: Flaems (was: Flaem race and culture?) Very little information on them unfortunately. First, before I forget: the Flaem discover the existence of Alphatia very early on, around 400 AC. That is clearly stated. But it seems that neither side wishes to look for further conflict. (see for example the timeline in Dawn of the Emperors Gaz) Second: I've never read the Dragon trilogy, so it was a surprise to me that the Erewan and Belcadiz were written as living in the area during 450-500 AC. The Glantri GAZ suggests that other settlers come after 700. Alfheim GAZ states that the Erewan leave for Glantri around 700. - I couldn't find a reference as to when the Belcadiz arrived, but they must have done so earlier than the other elves. They were the original elven leaders in that area, and the Erewan originally were "adopted" into their culture (from Glantri Gaz). The first descriptive account of the Flaem is in the Gazetteer, page 4. It hints that at that point they have a highly religious culture. They seem to worship "the Great Flame" and make human sacrifices. So, I'd suggest that Radiance hasn't yet become a cultural focus for them. Their culture has been greatly affected by their exodus through the planes, most likely also prolonged contact with fire elemental species. (The description of their aesthetic culture mentions brass decorations and religious tattoos.) Perhaps during their first decades on Mystara the Flaem still regard most of the sentient species they meet as inferior: either as not worthy of their attention, as dangerous barbarians (Ethengarians started attacking them in mid 550's) that need culling, as good sacrifices, as infidels (there is a direct reference to this in the Gaz)... It will take the humanoids of the Broken Lands to force them in cooperation with the local humans. The Mystaran timeline mentions joint operations with the Darokinians after 500 AC. And even after that they remain pretty aloof. Perhaps their violent religion and their cultural attitudes could account for the fact that relations with the elves that arrive in the Flaem lands remain distant for the first three centuries before the age of mass migrations. Looking at the timeline, it seems that the Flaems are mostly engaged with the neigbouring Ethengarians. The timelines note that in 585 during the first skirmishes the Ethengars "oppose" the Flaem. Might this imply that it is actually the Flaem who precipitate the conflict? Perhaps they are trying to gain the plains for themselves? ******************************************************************** 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 - 27 Jan 2006 to 28 Jan 2006 (#2006-14) ***************************************************************