Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 21 Apr 2006 to 22 Apr 2006 (#2006-76) From: MYSTARA-L automatic digest system Date: 23/04/2006, 17:00 To: MYSTARA-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 10 messages totalling 1002 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Claw (Was: Re: [MYSTARA] Anyone do Red Steel?) (2) 2. Half-Orcs (was: Claw (Was: Re: [MYSTARA] Anyone do Red Steel?) 3. Ratlings (was: Claw (Was: Re: [MYSTARA] Anyone do Red Steel?) (2) 4. Ratlings (3) 5. Claw (2) ******************************************************************** 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, 22 Apr 2006 11:10:54 +0200 From: Giampaolo Agosta Subject: Re: Claw (Was: Re: [MYSTARA] Anyone do Red Steel?) Átila Pires dos Santos ha scritto: >> Yes, Lupin, Gnolls and Hutaakans can interbreed. However, in Mystara >> being able to interbreed (even producing fertile offsprings) is no basis >> to belong to the same species. > > And in all the other d&d worlds, like human/elven situation, right? Indeed, since half-elves are fertile in all d&d worlds. >> Hutaakans >> might have been evolved by Pflarr from ancient Lupin stock (Aardovai), >> and the Gnolls were specifically created to mimic Hutaakans. > > That's what i was thinking =) > Kobolds are probably Beastmen with some Aardovai blood. > > Could lupin and kobold interbreed? That might sound disgusting (specially > for a lupin), but i'm curious =) Probably yes. Goblinoids (including gnolls) are able to interbreed among themselves and with humans, there's no reason why they shouldn't be able to interbreed with lupins. > Half-orcs existed in the od&d and ad&d or just in the new d&d 3.0 and 3.5? > These human/orc interbreed are like human/elven in the Know World (no > half-orcs) or in the Savage Coast (where half-elf exists)? Half-orcs, /as a race/, are not available in OD&D, much like half-elves. However, the offspring of an orc and a human is fertile, though it might look mostly like a human, an orc, or something in the middle (33% chanche each, IIRC). GAZ10 provides more detailed rules for creating crossbreed characters that can be used to create "half-elven" characters as well. Note also that, while the Alfheim GAZ denies the existence of half-elves with mixed attributes, such characters do exist in earlier gazetteers (e.g., there's a "human" NPC in Ierendi who has inherited infravision from an elven parent). >> They would probably convert to standard renardois lupins, or to Ispan >> Pistolero mercenaries from the Savage Baronies. > > Yes, both seen possible, specially now that i know how the Pistoleros look > like, hehe =) (by the way, only now i got the "cocker-spaniard" joke, hehehe > =) ) :) Note that spaniels are classified as "gundogs" ;) > I thought the same thing while reaing your article about the lupins at the > Vaults of Pandius. The guys that created Claw must had read the article too, > hehe =) More likely, Bruce Heard's original article on Dragon Magazine, where the various breeds are described. >> Likely Grand Bloodhounds -- they're the most common breed in the >> Gendarmes of Renardie. > > I agree (well, i know very little about dog breeds and lupin breeds, > whatever you say i'll believe and agree, hehe =) ) I'm not a dog expert myself -- I just use wikipedia's dog breeds page to see what they look like when needed ;) >> Not that I know of. There are wererats, of course, but they aren't >> present in the Savage Coast. I do remember something about a rat-folk >> being created by Mrikitat (the wererat Immortal), but it might have been >> from some article in the Vaults. > > My first thought was that they were wererats, but that would be strange, > even if wererats were common there. I didn't find the article about the > rat-folk, unfortunally. But i guess it's not a problem if we "forget" this > one, at least for now =) (i'll do the same for the "morse-person" (like the > Thanoi form Dragonlance?) that appears briefly during one of the cutscenes, > hehe) Here it is, it's from the Mystaran Almanac AC 1016: Kaldmont 7, AC 1016: Rats Leaving a Sinking City. Location: City of Thyatis, Thyatian Empire. OW Description: Mrikitat plunks down an artifact near his wererats' Big City, and tells His clerics about it. The artifact is a stone archway; the wererats are told that by walking through it, they will be transported far away from Thyatis City to a golden new homeland full of milk and honey. This is true; the arch will transport them to either a hidden location in the Hollow Moon [or the Hollow World, if your campaign doesn't have the Hollow Moon sub-setting. Ed.], or to a cavern system underneath the Free City of Dunwick in the Savage Coast. What Mrikitat does not say is that when any lycanthrope besides a greater wererat travels through the arch to the Savage Coast, they will be permanently locked into their hybrid, beast-man form. Greater wererats will also be changed, so that their "default" form becomes a man-rat, but they retain their ability to transform to giant rat or human forms. Giant rats that travel through are transformed into a new species of rodent, useful for both riding and milk. (The honey comes from the bees that pollinate the sleeping lotuses aboveground; the gold is flashy iron pyrite dust, which is common in the caves the wererats will travel to.) Anybody else who uses the gate turns into a giant rat. Over the next few weeks, two-thirds of Thyatis' wererats funnel through the archway. Those who stay behind remain with the hope they can still save their undercity from the expected assaults. (See Ka. 3, Ka. 4; Ka. 10, Ka. 12.) What This Means: Mrikitat is getting a little tired of his followers being killed so often. He is using this opportunity to create a new race of followers who won't necessarily be attacked on sight. Mrikitat's Escape Arch Artifact: Vessel(s): Several Stonehenge-like archways, which the fleeing wererats walk through. One arch is in a tunnel underneath the wererats' Big City underneath Thyatis; another somewhere in the Hollow Moon [or the Hollow World. Ed.]; and the final one lies in the cavern system underneath the Free City of Dunwick on the Savage Coast. Powers: When a person walks through one arch, they walk out one of the others. Which one they walk out of is either simply random, or determined by Mrikitat. Effects: 1) When a greater wererat goes through, their "default" form becomes their man-rat form; they are still as able as ever to change to human and giant-rat forms. 2) When any other lycanthrope goes through, they change into their beast-man form, permanently. They are still immune to other forms of lycanthropy. 3) When a giant rat goes through, it transforms into an even larger rodent, which the new ratling race can get milk from and ride on. 4) When a human, demihuman, or humanoid goes through, they are transformed into giant rats. This effect can be dispelled if the giant rat can find a way to make someone cast a remove curse or dispel magic. Should they try to go back through the arch, effect three will turn them into a riding beast. (This effect is from Korotiku the Trickster.) 5) Should any undead go through the gate, non-sentient undead are transformed into undead giant rats, while sentient undead change into undead ratlings. This does not affect any of the undead's abilities, just their appearance. (Nyx is using the gate as a way to experiment with a new shape of undead.) Unknown to the any of the creators of the arches, Thanatos has pulled a fast one on them all. Remember the disease-ridden undead Heinrich sent into the wererat tunnels? When an infected wererat goes through the arch and is transformed, they will no longer have to worry about any of the disease's symptoms; they will be immune to whatever diseases they carry (including their original lycanthropy). They're simply going to be carriers, infecting any non-ratlings they meet. > Yes, but i guess they were suposed to be cats/rakastas sailors Ok. >> Well, the sea off the Savage Coast is not described, except for a few of >> its inhabitants (the Sea Hermit). Given the Sea Hermit description, it >> looks like that the species that dwell in the deep sea are different >> from those of Known World Undersea. So mercats could easily be introduced. > > I think the same. Another possibility is that they could be afflicted > (Animal Form legacy) but otherwise regular merfolk, pehaps? The Curse does not extend to the sea, but if a group of mermen where locked for a week in one of the rivers of the Savage Coast, they might acquire legacies. It would be a nice solution, though an explanation of why exactly they were locked for a week in a river would be in order. >> They can be Sherkasta, a tiger-like Rakasta breed. Surely, they must >> come from far away, since the Sherkasta usually live in Skothar, but >> this may not be a problem, since they would be serving directly Bastet. >> Note that Bastet is the ancestor of Tiger-like Rakasta, while the >> Lion-like Rakasta descend from her (human) husband, the shaman Kum-rah. >> So it's appropriate that Bastet has tiger-like servants. > > Very interesting. Pehaps she ordered her followers to travel to this island > and rebuild/guard this Nithian ruin? That's certainly possible. Bastet is trying to rebuild a following in Mystara after having been away for more than a millennium, and with her original descendents extinct (the Cave Rakasta, now found in the Hollow World only). Creating an hidden temple would be the first thing to do to guarantee a minimum of worshippers, and a training center for priests. > After reading the article about the lupin and the story of Saimpt Clébard > and realising how the Pistoleros looks like, I guess the best way to fir > Claw and Mystara is the Renardy idea. I was thinking about if during the > arrival of the Ispans (around 902-907) a small group of > adventures/conquistadores from Narvaez conquered the southwestern part of > Renardy, fouding the city of El Puerto Del Lobo (this name because the > native lupins) and the fortress called La Roca to protect their newfounded > barony. Pistoleros came with the Ispans, making this breed even after 100 > yers after quite common in the region. > When Clébard lupins arrived in Renardie, they helped the native lupins to > defeat the narvaezans and reclaim the barony. As a reward for the help, > Clébard became the new baron and rename El Puerto Del Lobo as Mons-en-Plécy; > La Roca as Cambourg; Baronía de Puerto Lobo as Baronie de Marmandie. I definitely like this option :) > The map that claw found along his adventure is a hundred years old and still > brings the old names (funny, except from the map, no one during the game say > the mane of the city, just "the city on the map" or "the city that lies at > the other side of the forest" (actually i'm guessing the excact words; i > only have the portuguese version of the game), making this possibility very > possible =) ) and not very accurate (something very common to XVI century > maps). The legacies that Claw and Wolvington have is, then, Ball of Fire, > common in Renardy, Bellayne and Dunwick. If the merfolk possibility is true, > Tiger Island belongs to the group 2 of legacies by regions (very probable, > since if El Puerto del Lobo is Mons-en-Plécy, the Pirates Cove is in the > Tortle Tribelands, between the hills and the shore, very close to Renardy; > Tiger Island would be southest the Pirates Cove, west or northwest of > Protectorado da Presa). That would fit quite nicely. > By the way, i realised that in Renardy map there is an battle site marked, > but there's no battle name... pehaps Clébard's lupins and Narvaezans battle? > =) Maybe. I don't remember whether the battle site is attributed to a specific battle somewhere or not. > I guess this way we could adapt Claw without changing anything at all > ("Cocker-Espaniard" or "Cocker-Ispaniard" may be a nickname (probably > pejorative) for the Pistoleros)! now i'm really sure, this can't be just > coincidence! (By the way, i just discovered that now Claw is abandonware; > somehow now i'm more relieved, i'm now feeling like really talking about > Mystara instead of just trying to make someone buy the game (yes, monolith > is not paying me, hehe =D)) LOL! Bye, GP ******************************************************************** 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, 22 Apr 2006 10:40:40 -0300 From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?=C1tila_Pires_dos_Santos?= Subject: Re: Claw (Was: Re: [MYSTARA] Anyone do Red Steel?) On 4/22/06, Giampaolo Agosta wrote: > > =C1tila Pires dos Santos ha scritto: > >>Yes, Lupin, Gnolls and Hutaakans can interbreed. However, in Mystara > >>being able to interbreed (even producing fertile offsprings) is no basi= s > >>to belong to the same species. > > > > And in all the other d&d worlds, like human/elven situation, right? > > Indeed, since half-elves are fertile in all d&d worlds. > > >> Hutaakans > >>might have been evolved by Pflarr from ancient Lupin stock (Aardovai), > >>and the Gnolls were specifically created to mimic Hutaakans. > > > > That's what i was thinking =3D) > > > > Kobolds are probably Beastmen with some Aardovai blood. > > > > Could lupin and kobold interbreed? That might sound disgusting > (specially > > for a lupin), but i'm curious =3D) > > Probably yes. Goblinoids (including gnolls) are able to interbreed among > themselves and with humans, there's no reason why they shouldn't be able > to interbreed with lupins. If only kobolds were common at the Savage Coast, they could became our "mousefolk"... this particular enemy likes to throw bombs and I cant stop thinking about the caymas... hm... > Half-orcs existed in the od&d and ad&d or just in the new d&d 3.0 and 3.5= ? > > These human/orc interbreed are like human/elven in the Know World (no > > half-orcs) or in the Savage Coast (where half-elf exists)? > > Half-orcs, /as a race/, are not available in OD&D, much like half-elves. > However, the offspring of an orc and a human is fertile, though it might > look mostly like a human, an orc, or something in the middle (33% > chanche each, IIRC). GAZ10 provides more detailed rules for creating > crossbreed characters that can be used to create "half-elven" characters > as well. Note also that, while the Alfheim GAZ denies the existence of > half-elves with mixed attributes, such characters do exist in earlier > gazetteers (e.g., there's a "human" NPC in Ierendi who has inherited > infravision from an elven parent). I'm so relieved that in the Savage Coast we don't have this problem =3D) >> They would probably convert to standard renardois lupins, or to Ispan > >>Pistolero mercenaries from the Savage Baronies. > > > > Yes, both seen possible, specially now that i know how the Pistoleros > look > > like, hehe =3D) (by the way, only now i got the "cocker-spaniard" joke, > hehehe > > =3D) ) > > :) > Note that spaniels are classified as "gundogs" ;) Hm?... Ahn! Gundogs, hahahahahaha, i got it XD Ironic, they indeed uses fireweapon in the game (Arquebus), hehe > I thought the same thing while reaing your article about the lupins at th= e > > Vaults of Pandius. The guys that created Claw must had read the article > too, > > hehe =3D) > > More likely, Bruce Heard's original article on Dragon Magazine, where > the various breeds are described. Indeed, hehe =3D) >> Likely Grand Bloodhounds -- they're the most common breed in the > >>Gendarmes of Renardie. > > > > I agree (well, i know very little about dog breeds and lupin breeds, > > whatever you say i'll believe and agree, hehe =3D) ) > > I'm not a dog expert myself -- I just use wikipedia's dog breeds page to > see what they look like when needed ;) So i guess i'm not the only one doing this, hehe =3D) >> Not that I know of. There are wererats, of course, but they aren't > >>present in the Savage Coast. I do remember something about a rat-folk > >>being created by Mrikitat (the wererat Immortal), but it might have bee= n > >>from some article in the Vaults. > > > > My first thought was that they were wererats, but that would be strange= , > > even if wererats were common there. I didn't find the article about the > > rat-folk, unfortunally. But i guess it's not a problem if we "forget" > this > > one, at least for now =3D) (i'll do the same for the "morse-person" (li= ke > the > > Thanoi form Dragonlance?) that appears briefly during one of the > cutscenes, > > hehe) > > Here it is, it's from the Mystaran Almanac AC 1016: > > Kaldmont 7, AC 1016: Rats Leaving a Sinking City. > Location: City of Thyatis, Thyatian Empire. OW > Description: Mrikitat plunks down an artifact near his wererats' Big > City, and tells His clerics about it. The artifact is a stone archway; > the wererats are told that by walking through it, they will be > transported far away from Thyatis City to a golden new homeland full of > milk and honey. > This is true; the arch will transport them to either a hidden location > in the Hollow Moon [or the Hollow World, if your campaign doesn't have > the Hollow Moon sub-setting. Ed.], or to a cavern system underneath the > Free City of Dunwick in the Savage Coast. > What Mrikitat does not say is that when any lycanthrope besides a > greater wererat travels through the arch to the Savage Coast, they will > be permanently locked into their hybrid, beast-man form. Greater > wererats will also be changed, so that their "default" form becomes a > man-rat, but they retain their ability to transform to giant rat or > human forms. Giant rats that travel through are transformed into a new > species of rodent, useful for both riding and milk. (The honey comes > from the bees that pollinate the sleeping lotuses aboveground; the gold > is flashy iron pyrite dust, which is common in the caves the wererats > will travel to.) Anybody else who uses the gate turns into a giant rat. > Over the next few weeks, two-thirds of Thyatis' wererats funnel through > the archway. Those who stay behind remain with the hope they can still > save their undercity from the expected assaults. (See Ka. 3, Ka. 4; Ka. > 10, Ka. 12.) > What This Means: Mrikitat is getting a little tired of his followers > being killed so often. He is using this opportunity to create a new race > of followers who won't necessarily be attacked on sight. > Mrikitat's Escape Arch Artifact: > Vessel(s): Several Stonehenge-like archways, which the fleeing wererats > walk through. One arch is in a tunnel underneath the wererats' Big City > underneath Thyatis; another somewhere in the Hollow Moon [or the Hollow > World. Ed.]; and the final one lies in the cavern system underneath the > Free City of Dunwick on the Savage Coast. > Powers: When a person walks through one arch, they walk out one of the > others. Which one they walk out of is either simply random, or > determined by Mrikitat. > Effects: > 1) When a greater wererat goes through, their "default" form becomes > their man-rat form; they are still as able as ever to change to human > and giant-rat forms. > 2) When any other lycanthrope goes through, they change into their > beast-man form, permanently. They are still immune to other forms of > lycanthropy. > 3) When a giant rat goes through, it transforms into an even larger > rodent, which the new ratling race can get milk from and ride on. > 4) When a human, demihuman, or humanoid goes through, they are > transformed into giant rats. This effect can be dispelled if the giant > rat can find a way to make someone cast a remove curse or dispel magic. > Should they try to go back through the arch, effect three will turn them > into a riding beast. (This effect is from Korotiku the Trickster.) > 5) Should any undead go through the gate, non-sentient undead are > transformed into undead giant rats, while sentient undead change into > undead ratlings. This does not affect any of the undead's abilities, > just their appearance. (Nyx is using the gate as a way to experiment > with a new shape of undead.) > Unknown to the any of the creators of the arches, Thanatos has pulled a > fast one on them all. Remember the disease-ridden undead Heinrich sent > into the wererat tunnels? When an infected wererat goes through the arch > and is transformed, they will no longer have to worry about any of the > disease's symptoms; they will be immune to whatever diseases they carry > (including their original lycanthropy). They're simply going to be > carriers, infecting any non-ratlings they meet. I guess it could solve the problem, if they can fit both "giant rat-folk" and "mouse-folk". What is this new race's name? And their riding beast? Ratiquine? hehe =3D) > Yes, but i guess they were suposed to be cats/rakastas sailors > > Ok. I only know this because two rakastas wearing simmilar clothes (i guess it is some kind of uniforms for the Red Tail's crew) appears in the cutscene just before this enemies apperas. >> Well, the sea off the Savage Coast is not described, except for a few of > >>its inhabitants (the Sea Hermit). Given the Sea Hermit description, it > >>looks like that the species that dwell in the deep sea are different > >>from those of Known World Undersea. So mercats could easily be > introduced. > > > > I think the same. Another possibility is that they could be afflicted > > (Animal Form legacy) but otherwise regular merfolk, pehaps? > > The Curse does not extend to the sea, but if a group of mermen where > locked for a week in one of the rivers of the Savage Coast, they might > acquire legacies. > It would be a nice solution, though an explanation of why exactly they > were locked for a week in a river would be in order. Yes, you are right. But the undersea cave's entrance is in the continent an= d the exit is in Tiger Island. Thus, they could have legacies. By the way, they indeed have magic powers that could or could not be legacies (but, like araneas and ee'aars, their magic powers is a somewhat "legacy equivalent" one). While the males are able to fire some kind of magic projectile (through their tridents) and the females to paralise all except "mercatfolk" that hear their song. If this are legacies, males might have ball of fire/missile/somethinglikethat (that legacy seens to be quite common here, hehe =3DD) and the females, Hypnosis. In both cases (either be= ing legacies or not), they do not seen to have the detriment effect of this or any other legacies excepf animal form (if they were once merfolk or even rakasta). Or they are a new race or the Red Curse is somehow being altered here (pehaps Aquatis have something to do with it?). By the way, any ideas about Aquatis? And since we are again talking about bosses, any ideas about LeRauxe breed? =3D) >> They can be Sherkasta, a tiger-like Rakasta breed. Surely, they must > >>come from far away, since the Sherkasta usually live in Skothar, but > >>this may not be a problem, since they would be serving directly Bastet. > >>Note that Bastet is the ancestor of Tiger-like Rakasta, while the > >>Lion-like Rakasta descend from her (human) husband, the shaman Kum-rah. > >>So it's appropriate that Bastet has tiger-like servants. > > > > Very interesting. Pehaps she ordered her followers to travel to this > island > > and rebuild/guard this Nithian ruin? > > That's certainly possible. Bastet is trying to rebuild a following in > Mystara after having been away for more than a millennium, and with her > original descendents extinct (the Cave Rakasta, now found in the Hollow > World only). > Creating an hidden temple would be the first thing to do to guarantee a > minimum of worshippers, and a training center for priests. The same I was thinking. She choose this place, close to bellayne, planning to do something like Pflarr and the lupins, pehaps? Other reason/possibilit= y is that she discovered that the Amulet was there before ordering her followers to travel to this island. By the way, where i can read more about Bastet? > After reading the article about the lupin and the story of Saimpt Cl=E9ba= rd > > and realising how the Pistoleros looks like, I guess the best way to fi= r > > Claw and Mystara is the Renardy idea. I was thinking about if during th= e > > arrival of the Ispans (around 902-907) a small group of > > adventures/conquistadores from Narvaez conquered the southwestern part > of > > Renardy, fouding the city of El Puerto Del Lobo (this name because the > > native lupins) and the fortress called La Roca to protect their > newfounded > > barony. Pistoleros came with the Ispans, making this breed even after > 100 > > yers after quite common in the region. > > When Cl=E9bard lupins arrived in Renardie, they helped the native lupin= s > to > > defeat the narvaezans and reclaim the barony. As a reward for the help, > > Cl=E9bard became the new baron and rename El Puerto Del Lobo as > Mons-en-Pl=E9cy; > > La Roca as Cambourg; Baron=EDa de Puerto Lobo as Baronie de Marmandie. > > I definitely like this option :) Thanks =3D) I like it a lot as well, hehe =3D) > The map that claw found along his adventure is a hundred years old and > still > > brings the old names (funny, except from the map, no one during the gam= e > say > > the mane of the city, just "the city on the map" or "the city that lies > at > > the other side of the forest" (actually i'm guessing the excact words; = i > > only have the portuguese version of the game), making this possibility > very > > possible =3D) ) and not very accurate (something very common to XVI > century > > maps). The legacies that Claw and Wolvington have is, then, Ball of > Fire, > > common in Renardy, Bellayne and Dunwick. If the merfolk possibility is > true, > > Tiger Island belongs to the group 2 of legacies by regions (very > probable, > > since if El Puerto del Lobo is Mons-en-Pl=E9cy, the Pirates Cove is in = the > > Tortle Tribelands, between the hills and the shore, very close to > Renardy; > > Tiger Island would be southest the Pirates Cove, west or northwest of > > Protectorado da Presa). > > That would fit quite nicely. > > > By the way, i realised that in Renardy map there is an battle site > marked, > > but there's no battle name... pehaps Cl=E9bard's lupins and Narvaezans > battle? > > =3D) > > Maybe. I don't remember whether the battle site is attributed to a > specific battle somewhere or not. > > > I guess this way we could adapt Claw without changing anything at all > > ("Cocker-Espaniard" or "Cocker-Ispaniard" may be a nickname (probably > > pejorative) for the Pistoleros)! now i'm really sure, this can't be jus= t > > coincidence! (By the way, i just discovered that now Claw is > abandonware; > > somehow now i'm more relieved, i'm now feeling like really talking abou= t > > Mystara instead of just trying to make someone buy the game (yes, > monolith > > is not paying me, hehe =3DD)) > > LOL! XD hehehe =3D) ******************************************************************** 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, 22 Apr 2006 16:41:15 +0200 From: Havard Faanes Subject: Re: Half-Orcs (was: Claw (Was: Re: [MYSTARA] Anyone do Red Steel?) --- Giampaolo Agosta skrev: > Half-orcs, /as a race/, are not available in OD&D, > much like half-elves. However, the offspring of an orc and a human is > fertile, though it might look mostly like a human, an orc, or something in > the middle (33% chanche each, IIRC). Game mechanically, there was no half-orc, but Gaz 11 (Darokin) provided quite a bit of information on the half-orcs of that country. As you say, the rules in Gaz10 can easily be used to devise OD&D stats for such a race. Half-elves: > GAZ10 provides more detailed > rules for creating crossbreed characters that can be used to create > "half-elven" characters as well. Note also that, while the Alfheim GAZ > denies the existence of half-elves with mixed attributes, such characters do > exist in earlier gazetteers (e.g., there's a "human" NPC in Ierendi > who has inherited infravision from an elven parent). Also, Bruce Heard later supplied rules for OD&D half-elves in an VotPA article in Dragon with information about the half-elves in Robrenn. Ofcourse, True Half-elves, as described in Gaz 5 were supposed to combine all of the strength of each race. They could be talking about something else... Håvard ******************************************************************** 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, 22 Apr 2006 16:47:59 +0200 From: Havard Faanes Subject: Re: Ratlings (was: Claw (Was: Re: [MYSTARA] Anyone do Red Steel?) >> Átila Pires dos Santos wrote: > > http://claw.ben-ts.net/rtp.gif > > http://claw.ben-ts.net/bear.gif > > Enemies that can be found at the Shipyards. (The > second one is not rakasta > > or lupin. The name of the file suggest that he is > from some "bear-people" > > race; my first impression was that he was from an > "giant rat-people" race, > > spceccialy because there are an "diminutive > rat-people" race in the game > > (not appearing in this site)... is there anything > like these in Mystara?) The closest thing to a humanoid bear in Mystara would be either Bugbears or Werebears in their beastman form. Ratlings appear in the Thunder Rift module Curse of the Silver Sword. Also, two breeds of wererats could both represent these creatures as well... Håvard ******************************************************************** 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, 22 Apr 2006 12:10:36 -0300 From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?=C1tila_Pires_dos_Santos?= Subject: Re: Ratlings (was: Claw (Was: Re: [MYSTARA] Anyone do Red Steel?) On 4/22/06, Havard Faanes wrote: > > >> =C1tila Pires dos Santos wrote: > > > > http://claw.ben-ts.net/rtp.gif > > > http://claw.ben-ts.net/bear.gif > > > Enemies that can be found at the Shipyards. (The > > second one is not rakasta > > > or lupin. The name of the file suggest that he is > > from some "bear-people" > > > race; my first impression was that he was from an > > "giant rat-people" race, > > > spceccialy because there are an "diminutive > > rat-people" race in the game > > > (not appearing in this site)... is there anything > > like these in Mystara?) > > The closest thing to a humanoid bear in Mystara would > be either Bugbears or Werebears in their beastman > form. That's another good option, since both are strong enemies. The only, small, problem is the fast that bugbear are chaotic and savage. Would they want to work as sailors? Would they be accepted and permitted to walk freely at Mons-en-Pl=E9cy? Ratlings appear in the Thunder Rift module Curse of > the Silver Sword. I don't have information about this module. How are this race? "Giant rat-folk" or "Mouse-folk", pehaps? Where is in Mystara the Thunder Rift? Also, two breeds of wererats could both represent > these creatures as well... My first option, but their problem is simmilar to the burgear. In fact, i guess the bugbears would fit better (since they are not deseased/cursed creatures) ******************************************************************** 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, 22 Apr 2006 17:48:35 +0200 From: Havard Faanes Subject: Re: Ratlings --- Átila Pires dos Santos skrev: > On 4/22/06, Havard Faanes > wrote: >> > The closest thing to a humanoid bear in Mystara > would > > be either Bugbears or Werebears in their beastman > > form. > That's another good option, since both are strong > enemies. The only, small, > problem is the fast that bugbear are chaotic and > savage. Would they want to > work as sailors? Would they be accepted and > permitted to walk freely at > Mons-en-Plécy? Perhaps in this part of the Savage Coast there exists a particular culture of Bugbears who is more sofisticated than their barbaric cousins? > Ratlings appear in the Thunder Rift module Curse of > > the Silver Sword. > I don't have information about this module. How are > this race? "Giant > rat-folk" or "Mouse-folk", pehaps? Where is in > Mystara the Thunder Rift? Though details are rather vague, they certainly resemble rats rather than mice. Thunder Rift can be placed anywhere on Mystara, though my suggestion is somewhere in the mountains near Darokin. You can read more about my thoughts on TR over here: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=496288 It is indicated from the module that Ratlings are not natives to Thunder Rift, so having them exist other places on Mystara is perfectly acceptable. > Also, two breeds of wererats could both represent > > these creatures as well... > My first option, but their problem is simmilar to > the burgear. In fact, i > guess the bugbears would fit better (since they are > not deseased/cursed > creatures) Agreed :) Håvard ******************************************************************** 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, 22 Apr 2006 18:15:02 +0200 From: Havard Faanes Subject: Re: Claw --- Giampaolo Agosta wrote: > Kobolds are probably Beastmen with some Aardovai > blood. > Note that Orc and Humans can interbreed, even though > there's no direct relation (Beastmen were created at some point in the > Blackmoor era by Hel, IIRC, Humans evolved much earlier). IMC, I have decided to go with the 3E version making the Kobolds lizardkin. Still, they retain their doglike attitude (yapping, wagging their tails), which may still indicate some Aardovai blood in there. Håvard ******************************************************************** 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, 22 Apr 2006 14:22:53 -0300 From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?=C1tila_Pires_dos_Santos?= Subject: Re: Ratlings On 4/22/06, Havard Faanes wrote: > > --- =C1tila Pires dos Santos > skrev: > > > On 4/22/06, Havard Faanes > > wrote: > >> > The closest thing to a humanoid bear in Mystara > > would > > > be either Bugbears or Werebears in their beastman > > > form. > > > That's another good option, since both are strong > > enemies. The only, small, > > problem is the fast that bugbear are chaotic and > > savage. Would they want to > > work as sailors? Would they be accepted and > > permitted to walk freely at > > Mons-en-Pl=E9cy? > > Perhaps in this part of the Savage Coast there exists > a particular culture of Bugbears who is more > sofisticated than their barbaric cousins? Very likely, specially in the Savage Coast (something like the gnolls of El Grande Carrascal). We only would need an explanation for that =3D) > Ratlings appear in the Thunder Rift module Curse of > > > the Silver Sword. > > > I don't have information about this module. How are > > this race? "Giant > > rat-folk" or "Mouse-folk", pehaps? Where is in > > Mystara the Thunder Rift? > > Though details are rather vague, they certainly > resemble rats rather than mice. They are like Skaven, then? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skaven Thunder Rift can be placed anywhere on Mystara, though > my suggestion is somewhere in the mountains near > Darokin. > > You can read more about my thoughts on TR over here: > http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=3D496288 Very interesting. And the map you made is very cool =3D) It is indicated from the module that Ratlings are not > natives to Thunder Rift, so having them exist other > places on Mystara is perfectly acceptable. And very possible. At least somewhere in the Hollow World Depending how large they are, they could replace the bugbears (but i guess bugbears, indeed, are your best option here) =3D) > Also, two breeds of wererats could both represent > > > these creatures as well... > > > My first option, but their problem is simmilar to > > the burgear. In fact, i > > guess the bugbears would fit better (since they are > > not deseased/cursed > > creatures) > > Agreed :) By the way, Giampaolo posted an fragment from the MML Almanacs about the wererats of Thyatis City and the new race they are now, transformed by thei= r immortal's dimensional portal. Any connection between these ratlings and th= e ones of Thunder Rift? Or the Ratlings and the wererat Keshute? ******************************************************************** 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, 22 Apr 2006 14:24:18 -0300 From: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?=C1tila_Pires_dos_Santos?= Subject: Re: Claw On 4/22/06, Havard Faanes wrote: > > --- Giampaolo Agosta wrote: > > > Kobolds are probably Beastmen with some Aardovai > > blood. > > Note that Orc and Humans can interbreed, even though > > there's no direct > > relation (Beastmen were created at some point in the > > Blackmoor era by > > Hel, IIRC, Humans evolved much earlier). > > IMC, I have decided to go with the 3E version making > the Kobolds lizardkin. Still, they retain their > doglike attitude (yapping, wagging their tails), which > may still indicate some Aardovai blood in there. I wonder if a ratling/kobold interbreed is possible, and if it would result in mouse-kobolds, hehe =3D) ******************************************************************** 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, 22 Apr 2006 15:59:45 -0400 From: Gilles Leblanc Subject: Re: Ratlings Concerning Ratlings, I have the Quest for the Silver sword module is then i= s praticly no information given about the ratlings from what I remember ( I DMed the module when it came out so my memory is sketchy, but skimming over it now there doesn't seem to be a lot of stuff in there ). ******************************************************************** 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 - 21 Apr 2006 to 22 Apr 2006 (#2006-76) ***************************************************************