mystara-digest Friday, September 24 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 419 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: Re: [MYSTARA] - Reconquest Re: [MYSTARA] - [MYSTARA] Chronomancy and Alternate Realities Re: [MYSTARA] - About Synn Re: [MYSTARA] - About Synn Re: [MYSTARA] - Thri Kreen (was Bigotry vs. Criticism) Re: [MYSTARA] - Thri Kreen (was Bigotry vs. Criticism) Re: [MYSTARA] - Play by email? And WotI Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? Re: [MYSTARA] - [ADMIN] The List Ogre Steps In ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 18:09:03 -0400 From: redrobyne Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Reconquest Very good setup I think I might use this myself with a few minor tweakings. Stewart 3 > After long silence I thought to write something. Have been here all the > time, jumping over the tons of flamewars, accusations, explanations and > just bad netiquet. By the way, I will strongly oppose some things said > about my beloved homeland Finland on this forum by some other natives. > Please do visit the country to see the facts yourself. > > ~the text is a bit long, hope you dont mind. > > -- > X Pasi Anias X p.03 - 2533536 X \\|// X > X Sammonkatu 8-10 G 62 X a122286@proffa X (o o) X > X 33540 Tampere X .cc.tut.fi X o000--(_)--000o X > > > > Having enjoyed the late discussion about a war between Karameikos and > Thyatis, I wrote up this open ended campaign to present my thoughts on the > matter. As allways, its from my head, for my campaign, You should feel free to > change anything to suit your taste, or just ignore if its impossible. If You > like it, I wouldn't mind hearing that. > The dates are for my campaign, You can easily put this anywhere from 1005-1025. > > > Reconquest > > 1.5.1020 The mercenaries and peasant-troops start gathering in Machetos. > 1.6.1020 Troops leave Machetos, heading to Rugalov Keep. > 6.6.1020 Siege of Rugalov keep. With the help of a hired wizard, Armaur, and of > the staff of the Blackpoint Citadel, Machetos invades Rugalov in one night. On > the morning of 7th, new flag flies in the tower of Rugalov, the flag of Baron > Armaur of Borderhold. > 7.6.1020 Mercenaries belonging to the army of Machetos storm rugalov float and > village, looting, raping and finally burning most of the village. Duke disagrees > with the burning of the village, making Armaur burn the leader of the > mercenaries. Within 2 days one tenth of the mercenaries flee the army. > On the evening, Old King Karameikos gets message of the attack from Lord Viktor > Lutescu, heir to Lord Vlad, who was slain in the battle. King calls a counsil to > discuss the matter. > 8.6.1020 Duke of Machetos sends emissaries to lady Marilenev and Chief Gro'tol > of dymrak forest, promising titles and fiefs within the conquested Karameikos, > for help in the war. > Karameikos starts mustering troops, naming slightly unwilling Lord Justin > Marshal and leader of the defence act. > 10.6.1020 The treachery of Kelvin is revealed, as he denies messangers to north. > 12.6.1020 Alfric Oderbry named Patriarch of Specularum and head of the church. > 14.6.1020 The army attacks the Barony of Bach at the Lake of Lost Dreams. At the > absence of the adventuring Baron, the barony is taken with ease. Baron Halaran > jailed at Kelvin. > 19.6.1020 The forces of Penhaligon and Treshold start attacs against Kelvin. > 27.6.1020 The battle of Tears field, halfway between Krakatos and Rugalov. Both > sides take heavy casulties and there is no clear victor. > 1.7.1020 Caracallus is joined by a group of Kerendan nobles with some cavalry, > hoping to earn some dominion in the duchy. Karameikos is joined by a small > troupe of halfling bowmen, eager to help in the war, to keep Thyatis off their > border. One half of the men in duke's Road keep join the Kelven front. The Magic > school sends 30 of their students (levels 2-6) to aid Karameikos. > > > > > PARTICIPANTS > > Duchy of Machetos > The Duke of Machetos is the key figure in the scenario. Duke Caracallus > Jowdynities is a nephew of late Callastian Jowdynities. In his youth Caracallus > was a officer in the Thyatian Army, eventually raising to some fame in battles > at Isle of Dread and then in battles against rebels at hinterlands. At his > uncles death he elbowed, bribed and bought the duchy to his name. Using his > strategic mind and leadership skills he got the duchy to its feet, paid the > handsome dept he had to take to get the duchy, and even bought the title and > post of General of the Blackpoint Citadel. On the process he had to use most of > the natural recourses (wood) of his duchy. > Duke Caracallus is a shrewd and power-hungry man. At his forties he is not yet > satisfied with his achievements. He plans his plots carefully and puts them > through efficiently. However he is not prone to self-deception or denial: at the > need he will change his plans and act with speed to answer any new situations. > The Duke has no wife nor legitimate children, but is a solitary figure, enjoying > high arts, hunting and strategic planning more than home-life. At his death the > most likely heirs would be his sister or one of the cousins. > > Empire of Thyatis > The most important thing to note is, that this campaign is not war between > Thyatis and Karameikos. In such a war, the Karameikos would surely have no > chance whatsoever to keep independence. Should the Emperor want Karameikos, he > would take it. > As it is, the Emperor will not openly go to war against Karameikos. The trade > between Thincol and Stefan Karameikos vas legitimite, and at the time wery good > for both. The Emperor, let it be Thincol or Eusebius, could not break the > contract without losing face, at least as long as Stefan was alive. Emperor > Eusebius surely has plans, or at least options, for karameikos for the future, > but only after Stefan is dead, and the word given to him counts no more. > Duke Caracallus knows this of course. He also knows that there has been bad > words with Thincol and Stefan, and that Eusebius has newer been close with > Karameikos at all. Thus it is safe for him to assume, that should some minor > noble clash steel with an unpopular neighbor, the Emperor would not likely > intervene. The basic idea in Duke Caracallus's plan is to take Karameikos before > the Emperor turns his eyes towards it, and as Karameikos is wery old, the time > is now or never. > > County of Vyalia > The count of Vyalia does not want to take part to the campaign. Count Yldysul > Greenhight, an elf of over 500 summers, is above all, horrified of the prospect > of having to fight with the Callarii elves of Karameikos. Under no condition > will the count take part into a kins-slaying. > Some younger elves, belonging mainly to Clan Treeshields, will however join the > action, even if just as scouts and hunters for the army. Many human citizens of > Vyalia join the expedition too, wishing for more land in Karameikos. The > foresters will not join, being utterly loyal to the count and to the emperor. > > Barony of Kelvin > Duke Caracallus knows, that his mercenary troops are not enough to fight an > united Karameikos. Thus he needs allies. It has been commonly known for a long > time, that Desmond Kelvin II has not been satisfied with his position in > Karameikos. His ambitious and often fanatic nature has alienated him with the > King, and with most of the society. Thus, when the Duke approached Kelvin, and > offered him the County of Kelvin, consisting of all areas between the rivers > Castellan and Windrush, the baron was taken. To fortify the union, the Duke has > promised his sister to the baron as a wife, thus making Desmond one of possible > heirs to the duchy too. > The importance of this union is great beyond the 500 men garrison and the other > forces Kelvin is able to muster. Fist of all, it cuts the Northern Karameikos of > from the southern, keeping such forces as Penhaligon with her knights and Baron > Sherlane Halaran with his sturdy mountaineers at bay. Secondly, it gives Duke > Caracallus some more influence to the Church of Karameikos. > > Church of Karameikos > The church of Karameikos is basicly an independent part of the Church of > Thyatis.As such the church members find their loyalties in contradiction. Duke > Caracallus has the blessing of the Thyatian Church at his side. He has even > employed some clerics of Vanya to act as healers for his officers and troops. > The more peaceful wing of the church dreads the economical and cultural effects > of a war, rather liking King Stefans calmer ways to take care of the kingdom, > and the enlightened monarchy of Karameikos. Then again, the more fanatic wing of > the church sees the war as a way to get rid of the church of traladara, and to > spread the influence of their church. After the peaceful death of Patriarch > Oliver Jowett, opposition leader Alfric Oderbry has gained more and more favour > within the church. As Patriarch Kelvin gets to Duke Caracalluses side, he gives > his votes to Alfric, making him the Patriarch of Specularum, and acting head of > the Church of Karameikos. In return, Kelvin is named the High Knight and > commander of the Order of Griffon, thus taking Karameikos the only airforces he > had. > As the church moves strongly, even if never totally out of Karameikos hand, the > threat of the invasion suddenly becomes a truly great one. > > Kingdom of Karameikos > King Stefan is old and tired. Even if he has feared the invasion of Thyatian > forces all these years, he still finds it hard to cope with. Especially as it > comes from his old fief. Stefan is in no shape to fight the war himself, and so > he is lessened to an advisor, waiting at home for any news of the war. The > treachery of kelvin and the clergy gets him into rage, with no power to supress > the mutiny. His only chance is to hold into his oldest allies and to the > traladaran population, who mainly opposes the thyatian invasion wholeheartedly. > Prince Justin is less than happy with his appointed charge as the Marshal of > Karameikos. He would have hoped for his sister and lord Devon Hyraksos to handle > the war, but The King is definite in his demand that the moral of the troops > need an Karameikos to lead the war. Suprisingly the best support he gets comes > from his brother Valen, who seems to know a lot about what's going on > everywhere. Master Terari is also a great aid, and reveals a great deal of > knowledge about common military strategies of thyatians and about the use s > of magic in a war. Princess Adriana keeps away from the war as an protest > against his father. > Justin is forced to leave the western Karameikos open, and to take troops from > the western forts to the war in the eastern front. He gains some extra troops > from the Callarii, but they deny their help in the main war, only promising to > defend their forest and the city of Specularum. The Gnomes of Highforge send > vast amounts of weapons for the King in secrecy to be used in the war. > > Marilenev and the Traladaran nobles > At Duke Caracalluses approach the old Matron Magda Marilenev kills the messanger > and goes to the King to promise all the help she can offer to be used against > the thyatians. This gesture, even if not so important in itself, raises the hope > of King Stefan to be able to go through the war. He offers Lady Marilenev a rank > of a knight, which she declines, telling him, that she will help in this war, > but after that everything will go back to normal, as it has been.Marilenevs > gesture doesn't go unnoticed with the other traladaran peoples either, who > soon flock to Stefan, understanding, that the Kingdom of Karameikos will be > infinitely better option to them, than the Grand Duchy of Machetos. > The Church of Traladara also gives its total support to King Stefan, thus > filling the hole left by the Karameikan clergy. > > The Thyatian nobles > The treachery of Kelvin and the Church troubles the rest of the Karameikan- > Thyatian nobility too. To most it poses an religious question, but to halaran > and to Penhaligon it is an military threat too. Patriarch Sherlane Halaran tries > to approach Kelvin, but is eventually jailed in Castle Kelvin. Sherlanes > daughter and his husband join forces with Lady Arteris Penhaligons Knights of > the Three Suns (no Flinn there. no) and wake war to Kelvin. Arteris sends for > Duke's Road keep too, to get more troops. > In south the Vorloi's collect a massive fleet and join Justin's navy. > > Orcs of Dymrak forest > the orcs are far less numerous than Duke Caracallus thinks. Chief Gro'tol > promises his help, but takes his tribes north to avoid the war. The tribes unite > with some northern cousins, waking Havok along the Highreach. > > > > WHAT WILL FOLLOW > I will not tell who will win. One or the other. You decide for your game. Both > sides are rather even i think. Caracallus gets a good start, but is suprised by > the loyalty of the traladaran nobles. > Even if karameikos wins, the country might be heading for a civil war. The heir > of the King is not named, and vill cause some critisism what ever it will be. > The church is in trouble, should they go along the line set by Vanya (Kelvin > and Oderbry), or rather hear the teachings of Tarastia (Halaran). Or rather > choose a new leader amongst the other god's priests. The traladaran wont forget > that it was them who saved Karameikos, which might give them new ideas. Etc. > Then again if Caracallus wins, the traladaran peoples will not be handled > kindly. Caracallus would need money to strengthen his precense, and he would get > it from the natives. The thyatian nobles might find the new overlord not to > their liking either. > > Personally, I think i'll continue the war for a year or two, then get some > balance. But we will see. > > > WHAT IF'S (Story Hooks) > - What if Armaur was actually Bargle? > - What if Sherlane Halaran was able to get through to Desmond Kelvin? > - What if Caracallus would die? > - What if Stefan would die? > - What if Justin would die? > - What if the count of vyalia was forced to take part, either by the orcs or > Karameikan forces? > - What if the Orcs were a bigger force? > > The players could be (on either side): nobles, officers, soldiers, politics, > emissaries, spies, assassins, traders, hunters, or just innocent victims. > > > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 18:55:50 -0400 From: redrobyne Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - [MYSTARA] Chronomancy and Alternate Realities Three Chears for Kit!!! Bravo, a rules breaker and campaign changer some of the most important skills a DM should ever learn! > Kit Navarro here. Reason for being here: > --I want to feel that Mystara is alive and well > --I want to know what's going to happen next in Mystara > --I need material for an Oriental campaign > --I need to know, does Princess Dolores put one lump or two in her tea? And > what does she put in them crumpets. > > Let me share my experience with one very fun, albeit short-lived campaign: a > chronomancy campaign. > > I started a Chronomancy campaign in Mystara. The 3 PCs were a Boldovian > chronomancer, an Ylari cleric of Protius, a Karameikan bard (with some ties > with Dian de Moriamis, giving him chronomantic devices), and I added 2 NPCs > to the party: a mysterious rumor-mongering elven oracle/diviner a > not-so-malevolent undead lich historian from Alphatia. > > Then, I did a radical thing, I opened the DM books to the PCs. At that time, > the party was in Glantri, so I let them read as much as they wanted about > Glantri, secrets about Dolores, the Radiance and all! (Not that they didn't > know much already, they were are DMs themselves.) > > Then what I did was pull the rug from under them! While they were enjoying > the Chronomancer powers, I changed the Mystara reality, or at least some of > it. When the got back to the Prime one time, Glantri was a magophobic > theocracy ("The Patriarchies of Caventry"). Though they avoided being burned > as a witch by Prince Santiago de Maldequiz, Patriarch of Rafiel in the > Patriarchy of Maldequiz, they got out of the Prime quickly and regrouped. > (Awww! They didn't even get to have tea with Princess Dorothy Hillsbury, > Matriarch of Tarastia!) > > The next time they came back to Glantri, it seemed like the old Glantri, > exept Nouvelle Averoigne was ruled by an eccentric family of wizards called > the d'Amaranthes.... Well, the campaign ended there, unfortunately. But I > did have a couple more alternate realities for them to jump into, much like > the "Sliders" TV show. In one reality, the Princes of Glantri would have > been revealed as all dragons in human guise, no doubt affected by the > "Dragonlord of Mystara" series (Etienne=gold, Jaggar=white, Julianna=red). > In another, I was planning to make Glantri into an group of oriental nations > (kinda like a wizardly Ochalea), and I had plans in making Princess Dolores, > the good guy for once! > > My point: I totally played around with continuity, threw away all the > Mystara bibles, broke all the rules, and had lots of fun doing it. > > I hope the rest of you guys in the MML can have the same fun. > > Kit Navarro > fanavarro@pacific.net.ph > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 19:04:02 -0400 From: redrobyne Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - About Synn > Has any of you ever found a bit puzzling the fact that a Greater Night > Dragon like Synn, who in her TRUE DRAGON FORM (which is supposed to the > most powerful form) could normally cast five 1st lvl wizard spells, five > 2nd lvl spells, four 3rd lvl spells, three 4th lvl spells and two 5th lvl > spells, then polymorphs into a human and can cast (guess what?) spells as a > 36th level MAGE??? Check your facts she should only be a 20th lvl mage, And her dragon form can take more punishment naturally and has unlimited flying capabilities so she dosn't have to worry about dispel magics be cast. > Where the heck come this power from? Is Synn a sort of Immortal or what? > have other Greater Night Dragons the same ability (for it's not written in > the monster entry in Champions of Mystara..) > well she could have gained her human form from training as a human and I think in such a case she should carry over her casting abilities as a dragon (the only reason why a dragon gains spells in the first place is because of its strong natural magical tie, IIRC) Stewart 3 *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 21:02:14 +0200 From: DM Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - About Synn At Thu, 23 Sep 1999 20:01:39 -0400, "SteelAngel" wrote: >You just said the important word - polymorphs. She can't cast as a 36th >level mage. She pretends to, and everyone thinks that she's some powerful >wizard, but she isn't, she's just a polymorphed dragon with a ego-complex :) Actually, she pretends to be LOWER level (as PWA reports),and to pretend to be a mage one must actually show he's capable of casting spells. So I guess the Princes examined her before awarding her the title of Baroness and Princess.. But this doesn't solve the problem.. Then Victor Caminha added: >IMC, where Synn is the Ultimate Nemesis of the PC (its an one-to-one this >campaign) i decided to accept the 36th magic-user statistics (i am thinking >in doubling her hp when she assumes the Dragon form only..) as it was >described that Synn was a near-immortal entropic draconic being. I can understand. That's why I asked if she was some kind of Immortal, because from her deeds it seems so, but if u read Champions of Mystara, the references to Synn in the Night Dragon entry doesn't really say that much. I think there should have been a specific entry for Synn as well, anyway.. >I also credit she is the queen of all night dragons of Mystara. So i >disregard the spell list given and use instead a 36th MU table (one of the >little tricks Synn have done was the time warping of Princess Ark to the >future, so i think she deserves a better stat). Indeed, I had not considered this display of power. I agree she may very well be a demi-immortal (not full immortal though). Or maybe she used one of her Wishes VERY cleverly... > Adding to this i decided to >imput on her a) A resistance to sunlight in Dolores Form and b) a degree of >Anti-magic (just some creatures of M3 have) against mortal-magic only, which >she normally supresses as this could be downright disastrous to her ID in >Glantri. Uhmm.. I can agree on the first power, but I don't think you should give her the second one.. You'd better say she's immune to 1st and 2nd level spells, if you really want to give her an advantage, but not TOTALLY immune to mortal spells (that's a characteristic of Immortals only.. not even demons are that powerful..). >ps: i do not remember/know about the origin of the Night Dragons. IMC i >decided that all began when Synn (a powerful red dragon) fell to the >corruption of Atzanteotl, renegating her patrons ( The dragon Rulers) and >embracing the entropy. After that, she "evoluted" to Night Dragon and all >her descendants carried this corruption. Of course, all dragonkind considers >these traitors as the vilest creatures. Any comments? It could work. But didn't she serve Thanatos? DM Senior Editor of the Mystaran Almanac First Officer of U.S.S. Unicorn Visit Marco's Mystara Homepage at: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dungeon/2967 Join the Mystara Webring at: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dungeon/2967/mystring.html Join the Starfleet Academy at: http://gilda.it/startrek (Italian RPG PBEM) *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 16:37:50 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Thri Kreen (was Bigotry vs. Criticism) Yes. I know it is bland to have a brand-x monster. It is better to make it fit within the game system. Otherwise, it just is an object to slay for PCs. The Thri-Kreen did appear before the Monterous Compendiums in AD&D1 books before Forgotten Realms existed. TSR likes to slap the Forgotten Realms label on it to make it sell more. - -- On Fri, 24 Sep 1999 00:57:37 =?iso-8859-1?Q?=E0=E9=EC=EF_=F9=E7=ED?= wrote: >Actually, the Thri Kreen (mantis warrior) was part of the Forgotten Realms monster compandium, even before Dark Sun came up. >I usually do not like new monsters from the MCs (and no, this had nothing to do with the D&D-AD&D flamewarthread) byt I did like the Thri Kreen alot. it had lots of potential for Mystara. I once made a list of different races in "my" Mystara. And I placed lots of Thri Kreens in Skothar. >I think Thri Kreen cam work great in Mystara, but as always, changes should be made for whatever society you want them to have. > >Morphail (Ohad Shaham) >"and all the while as vampires feed- I bleed..." /the Pixies > > >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > > HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 19:40:51 EDT From: Scoooman@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Thri Kreen (was Bigotry vs. Criticism) isn't the thri kreen in the Monster Manual? i could swear it was last time i checked . . . Meltheim the Shadowstalker Infiltrator to the Immortals Devotee of Fate Eyes of theStarwatcher *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 09:52:37 +1000 From: Anakin Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Play by email? And WotI If you find one or get one off the ground please let me know I would be most inbterested. Ed Paynter wrote: > Anyone interested in or know of a good Mystara Play by email? > Most of my old gamer buddies are spread all over the US now and so the only > games I get to be in are PBEM, at least until I find some new RPGers. > Sooo... Addresses or ideas welcome. > > Also, thanks guys for the "WotI" warnings. > I'm looking for the set for my DM knowledge. I've been good at separating > player knowledge from character knowledge in the past, so I'm not too > worried about spoiling anything. Not to mention that I still haven't > finished reading and absorbing the Gaz's et al that I have already. So any > insite as to places to look or what price to expect for the WotI set would > be appreciated. > > Myrkul, ATheisen order of Mysticism > Ed Paynter epaynter@iupui.edu > I hope to soon have a mini-web page that can at least be viewed. I am a > web-novice as far as design goes. All the stuff you guys have is really > cool, and I've been getting great ideas! But I don't think I'll ever be > ready for "suggestions" (sigh) Maybe I'll take a web design class next > semester, if I can find time in my school/work schedule. > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 09:54:45 +1000 From: Anakin Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? Has anyone seen one of the newer releases for AD&D that makes the immortals of Mystara the same as the gods of other realms, with homes on the planes etc. I'm not sure if this has been discussed or not but would like to see what others think, personally I think it would be taking a bit too much from Mystara to 'standardise' the world. Anakin *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 20:05:45 -0400 From: redrobyne Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - [ADMIN] The List Ogre Steps In Mr.Leroy, I although sometimes at fault am glad that you step in, you have not been unjust in any decisions since I have been on the list. And I also would like to thank all those who step in to stop flame wars for I have lost what little appetite that I had to do so, And please Leroy don't leave us! Stewart 3 > > I love Mystara. You may not be able to tell from how often > I participate on the list, but it is one of my favorite settings. > I also love the MML. As most of you know, I started it, and > have been running it for over four years now. > > But lately, every once in a while, I want to just leave the list > behind, give adminship over to someone else, and leave the > work to someone else. Because it is work. Trust me. If it isn't > error messages filling my mail box, it's breaking up flame wars > or having to stand my ground on not letting people use profanity > on the list because they feel it is their right. Or a multitude > of other things. > > If I left I know a few people that would probably be happy to > see me leave. > > But then I stop and think about how many people out there > have written me in support of what I do and the decisions I > have made. It seems after every incident that I have to put > my foot down and be the List Ogre, I wonder if I did the right > thing, if I handled it correctly. Then the mail comes in, and I > feel better about it all. When I laid down the law on the > profanity, the amount of support mail was surprising, which > helped a lot. Other than the occasional pot-shot at me > (such as in a recent e-mail on the list), it seems most people > have little problem with how I run things. > > Why am I telling you this? Well, this latest round of nonsense > has left me with the idea that I do not watch some threads > closely enough, and that perhaps I need to be a wee bit > more strict in how I take care of things. Not to the level I see > on some lists, but enough to end problems while still blossoming. > Will it work? Will I piss people off? I guess we will find out... > > > As of right now the threads on cannon vs. non-cannon, > AD&D vs. D&D, different Mystara gamer types and other related > debates/flamewars will end. Even if you have something you feel > you just _need_ to say, don't say it. Even if you feel it is > really constructive and not a flame, keep it to your self. It is > not that everything that has been said is a flame - much of it > wasn't, and some of it was well spoken. It is just that it > isn't going to acheive anything. Intelligent, well spoken > things were said the last _three_ times we had this debate, > so it is obvious intelligent well spoken arguements do no good. > > From now on, if you have any comment whatsover that > negatively _criticizes_ something for being non-canonical, > non-OD&D, or non-Mystara-feeling, write it on a piece of paper > and stick it in your scrapbook. Don't post it here. I emphasize > "criticize" because pointing out something that someone > might have missed isn't necessarily a bad thing. > > If you feel the need to state a preference for any one game > system, feel free, as long as it somehow has some Mystara > relevance. If you feel the need to comment negatively on > another game system, keep it to yourself. It has nothing to > do with Mystara. > > Realize that there are comments that achieve nothing other > than pissing people off, without helping in any way. It seems to > me people should be able to tell the difference, but this isn't > often the case. If you can't tell, you will now be informed by > me, should I catch them. Make them often enough and you > will be warned. > > Read the FAQ. Read it again. It can be found at... > > http://www.users.uswest.net/~malacoda/mmlfaq.html > > That is the straight address. No frames, no navigating, and thus > no excuses. > > After I write this I am going to be away from the net until later > tonight. At that point I am going to look over the posts and > determine if I need to send out a reminder to end it all. Then > starting fresh and early tomorrow morning, I am going to be > paying close watch on things, and handing out warnings > like candy, should I need to. Anyone breaking the rules outlined > above or in the FAQ is going to get a personal e-mail from me. > And I am going to start keeping track of warnings as well. > > > To some this may all sound pretty harsh. And possibly a > bit fascist. But, please be assured that this is not necessarily a > step towards an overtly admin dominated and controlled list. > It is simply me making an attempt at ending threads or > posts that achieve nothing other than inciting flamewars or > making others mad. > > Will it work? I guess we will see. > > > > Leroy Van Camp III > malacoda@uswest.net > ICQ #20039817 > > "You know, not kneeing you in the groin is a constant struggle." > MST3K > > > > > > > > > > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #419 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Saturday, September 25 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 420 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: Re: [MYSTARA] - About Synn Re: [MYSTARA] - AD&D Question!! (was: Bigotry vs. Criticism) Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? Re: [MYSTARA] - About Synn Re: [MYSTARA] - About Synn Re: [MYSTARA] - M-Russia? [MYSTARA] - [ADMIN] Followup [MYSTARA] - PBEM! [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw Re: [MYSTARA] - About Synn Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw Re: [MYSTARA] - About Synn Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw Re: [MYSTARA] - M-Russia? [MYSTARA] - Immortal Time Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw Re: [MYSTARA] - Thri Kreen (was Bigotry vs. Criticism) Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 20:44:02 -0400 From: redrobyne Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - About Synn > > ps: i do not remember/know about the origin of the Night Dragons. IMC i > decided that all began when Synn (a powerful red dragon) fell to the > corruption of Atzanteotl, renegating her patrons ( The dragon Rulers) and > embracing the entropy. After that, she "evoluted" to Night Dragon and all > her descendants carried this corruption. Of course, all dragonkind considers > these traitors as the vilest creatures. Any comments? > > That sounds like a good idea Victor since synn is basically a red dragon however I don't have a whole lot of info on Atzanteotl Stewart 3 *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 20:47:55 -0400 From: redrobyne Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - AD&D Question!! (was: Bigotry vs. Criticism) Heres what I liked to do when I played elves, I kept a card with all powers I gained written on them and any restrictions this along with my player sheet worked out alot better than having to scan through rule books. Also you stress the overwhelming ability of the elves this is why I tried to come up with restrictions (other than level limits and the like since I never liked it to begin with). > > > With Kits, race/class combinations and > > multi/dual class, AD&D gives the players a much wider variety of options. > > So many options, so many things that are so complex. Why is it that AD&D has > to be so darn complex?? I just played a friendly game of AD&D (one-shot > Desert of Desolation-based adventure) recently. I don't really like AD&D, > as most people here know, but hey, it's my favorite module. > > Ok, so anyway, we had so much to choose from in character creation. Players > handbooks/Rules options, etc. It takes me about 10 minutes to roll up a > character in OD&D. It took slightly longer (about 1/2 hr) in AD&D. No > biggie, I can deal with that. > > During the adventure, we had about 3 elf multi-classes, a human mage, and a > tinker gnome (me). Every battle those crazy elves pulled out another bonus, > and the DM went scrambling for rules clarification through like 3 books. Oi. > It's bad enough my little gnome was rather useless, I don't have all those > cool spells/theif abilities etc. My DM shot down an AD&D translation of a > Serrainian Gnome, so I was stuck being a dumb short guy with a bag of toys > that blow me up.. > > Anyway, my point is for all the AD&D people out there, if you allow your > characters all these "options" how do you keep them all straight? When I DM > OD&D games I have a problem remembering everything, and I have the RC right > in front of me. With AD&D it just gets exponentially harder IMHO. > > > Ethan - I had fun though. Even when I got dropped from the top of the > pyramid. 20d6 damage.. yum :) > > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 20:49:51 -0400 From: redrobyne Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? I wonder how powerful the Old Ones would be then! ungodly powerful ! Stewart 3 > Has anyone seen one of the newer releases for AD&D that makes the immortals of > Mystara the same as the gods of other realms, with homes on the planes etc. I'm > not sure if this has been discussed or not but would like to see what others > think, personally I think it would be taking a bit too much from Mystara to > 'standardise' the world. > > Anakin > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 21:54:01 -0300 From: Victor Caminha Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - About Synn > >>I also credit she is the queen of all night dragons of Mystara. So i >>disregard the spell list given and use instead a 36th MU table (one of the >>little tricks Synn have done was the time warping of Princess Ark to the >>future, so i think she deserves a better stat). Well, as Synn was originally described in Princess Ark, perhaps in the DRAGON CD-ROM (hoping it will contain the entire Chronicle, not a fractured part as in "Champions of Mystara") > >Indeed, I had not considered this display of power. I agree she may very >well be a demi-immortal (not full immortal though). Or maybe she used one >of her Wishes VERY cleverly... Yes..although she receive just one wish per century , old as she is its conceivable she decided to do just that. Speaking of her status, i wonder: Why not Synn is on the final stage on her path of Immortality , culminating with the total havok of Glantri ? >Uhmm.. I can agree on the first power, but I don't think you should give >her the second one.. You'd better say she's immune to 1st and 2nd level >spells, if you really want to give her an advantage, but not TOTALLY immune >to mortal spells (that's a characteristic of Immortals only.. not even >demons are that powerful..). Hey, i didnt say she is TOTALLY imune to mortal spells..i put a score of Anti-magic but its not 100% in any way..Perhaps 50%, i have not determined it yet. I would never bolster this resistance to the point of a Demon or immortal. > >>ps: i do not remember/know about the origin of the Night Dragons. IMC i >>decided that all began when Synn (a powerful red dragon) fell to the >>corruption of Atzanteotl, renegating her patrons ( The dragon Rulers) and >>embracing the entropy. After that, she "evoluted" to Night Dragon and all >>her descendants carried this corruption. Of course, all dragonkind considers >>these traitors as the vilest creatures. Any comments? > >It could work. But didn't she serve Thanatos? > Did She? Now i am confused..i do not remember if i read any reference about her patron (so, i decided in my campaign that old Atziann could be a worthy patron). Do you know where describes thanatos as her patron? []s Victor Caminha "Receive the bounty of your hero's deed Tainting thy life by the gift of the dead Eternally running from a priestly bead Unable to bear the Orb in your head You'll walk in the darkness so alluring Without Hope to cleanse your sin Away from the joy of the living Forever to serve your Twin" *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 22:10:37 -0300 From: Victor Caminha Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - About Synn >> >That sounds like a good idea Victor since synn is basically a red dragon >however I don't have a whole lot of info on Atzanteotl > > Well, i based the theory on Atzanteotl as her patron because: a) as described in Hollow World box and Wrath, he LOVES to corrupt the races, especially a good Race. Thickening the plot, what IF instead of a Red Dragon, she was a Ruby one..The theory of a Red dragon corrupted is already difficult, and much more inconceivable is a Ruby Dragon being corrupted. But turning an originally Lawful Dragon to Entropy is a sweeter deal to Atzanteotl than a chaotic one. b) I also see the Night Dragons as a somewhat "independent" race in regards to having a constant immortal atttention and demand for their actions. Atzanteotl loses most of his interest in the races he corrupted after they turned to evil. This could be the case, with Synn (if we assume her as The Queen of the Night Dragons) having free reign to move to Glantri and (IMC) fulfilling her path. Once Immortal, the Dragons could be a more organized force, meaning much trouble for other immortals and the Dragon Rulers, especially. []s Victor Caminha "Receive the bounty of your hero's deed Tainting thy life by the gift of the dead Eternally running from a priestly bead Unable to bear the Orb in your head You'll walk in the darkness so alluring Without Hope to cleanse your sin Away from the joy of the living Forever to serve your Twin" *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 19:02:18 PDT From: "adrian mattias" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - M-Russia? >From: Håvard Rønne Faanes >Reply-To: mystara-l@lists.imagiconline.com >To: mystara-l@lists.imagiconline.com >Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - M-Russia? >Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 16:01:51 +0200 (CEST) >Looking forward to seeing it. For some reason I dont see a russian >culture >along the yalu as especially locial. But hey, this is Mystara >so I guess >anything goes :) I can assure you that we have made the integration of the Yalu River region and the Midlands very logical. Christian Constantin's material on the Midlands draws on RW Central Asian, Caucasus and Siberian culture which has always had a very interesting interplay with European and western Siberian Russia (the basis for Zuyevo). Similarly Hule mimics the RW Ottoman Empire and so we thought that an M-Russia would fit in very well to this region. At the same time, it should be stressed that we have drawn on the RW for inspiration only - Zuyevo and the Midlands are not a direct copy or anything - - otherwise I think you lose the interesting aspects of a fantasy world which Mystara clearly is. >If so I really liked his black and white historican maps of >Hule. Any chance of seeing some of these for the Yalu region? Quite probably - but you would have to ask Christian Constantin about that one. All I can say is the maps of the Yalu River region that he has done already are excellent. They should be released reasonably soon on his website - we intend to post to the MML when all the information is ready. >Keep up the good work :) Cheers Adrian Mattias ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 20:15:59 -0600 From: "Leroy Van Camp III" Subject: [MYSTARA] - [ADMIN] Followup Mystarans, Well, the vote is in. One negative, one mixed, and several dozen postive response to my announcement of a tighter watch on things. To be honest, many seem to think it should have been some time ago, and that perhaps I was a bit to soft in the past. So, to all of you that wrote to me, publicly or private, to show your support for me and my stances here on the list, I thank you. Many kind words were said, and they all meant something to me. Your appreciation is reciprocated. Have a good one... Leroy Van Camp III malacoda@uswest.net http://www.users.uswest.net/~malacoda/TarkasBrainLabIV.html ICQ #20039817 "When you die you're free. I had a friend who committed suicide, and she's free now. I talked to her on a ouija board, and she said she was free." November 17, "Wasted" *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 22:31:16 EDT From: Scoooman@aol.com Subject: [MYSTARA] - PBEM! for those of you interested in PBeM and how you can get involved, I suggest you check out a little company called Irony Games. They are the only online resource I have found that has not only player listings, but campaign info, and parties that need players! It has links to lots of sites with people interested in PBeM, so if you want to check it out, go to http://www.irony.com Enjoy! Meltheim the Shadowstalker Infiltrator to the Immortals Devotee of Fate Eyes of the Starwatcher *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 21:58:30 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw One thing nice about Immortals of OD&D, is that mortals become gods, and the PCs could perhaps one day be one of these immortals and actually become a god. It is a novel concept. However, what would prevent a PC from going back in time and slaying, let's say King Halav? Then that Immortal simply never existed, because his mortal form was erased from time, and thus he cannot undergo the quest for immortality. In RW and also AD&D, many gods were conceptual forces (Time, Nature, Chaos, War, etc.) that manifested themselves in the form of some entity, and became a god until mortals. They never started out as mortals, and thus they are not vulnerable. It is very rare for mortals to become Immortals, but in Mystara, this seems to happen quite frequently. I think they started the one Immortal, multiple aliases, concept after realizing the problem, but that still doesn't necessarily solve the problem. HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 01:14:56 EDT From: Scoooman@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw I see the point you are talking about, and quite frankly, it disturbs me that something of that magnitude could happen. I'm not completely sure of the complete extent of the powers of Immortals, but if traversing throughout time is one of them, then wars could be solved quite quickly. In my Netbook of Mystara, there is a rather lengthy description of how to earn the status of an Immortal, and I can tell you, it is quite an arduous task. Of course, if Immortals could travel back in time and do as they wished couldn't they just as easily ax the Old Ones? Or does something of that greatness become a moot point when dealing with something as powerful as an Old One . . . ? Meltheim the Shadowstalker Infiltrator to the Immortals Devotee of Fate Eyes of the Starwatcher *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 01:44:05 EDT From: Kaviyd@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - About Synn In a message dated 1999-09-24 20:59:38 Eastern Daylight Time, wykthor@esquadro.com.br writes: > Well, as Synn was originally described in Princess Ark, perhaps in the > DRAGON CD-ROM (hoping it will contain the entire Chronicle, not a fractured > part as in "Champions of Mystara") Certainly the entire Princess Ark series should be on that CD-ROM, as it contains the complete contents of the first 250 issues, and the "Known World Grimoire" ended in issue 200. I am fairly sure that Bruce Heard's article on lupins would have made the cut, but I am less sure about his rakasta article -- was it in the 240s or 250s? But as for the night dragon's statistics, I am pretty sure that they did not change between the Princess Ark series and "Champions of Mystara". Certainly either version of her powers and spells makes her more powerful than the mid-level mage she pretends to be. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 01:55:31 -0400 From: "SteelAngel" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw > However, what would prevent a PC from going back in time and slaying, let's say King Halav? Then > that Immortal simply never existed, because his mortal form was erased from time, and thus he > cannot undergo the quest for immortality. Erk.. Now that's a small problem. However, it is one that is solved quickly by the agents of the Sphere of Time! Just as Matter prevents wholesale destruction of existence, Energy keeps things running, and Thought's importance keeps ideas fresh, Time makes sure that noone plays with the time-stream of the Prime. I would think that a disturbance of the time-stream would be like large ripple or tear in space-time that slowly grows to engulf everything, giving Khronous and the rest if the SoT gang "time" to fix things up. But Time is so subjective anyway.. Who says that killing King Halav would have an immediate effect anyway? By the time you returned to your present, it'd be all fixed! *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 01:54:57 EDT From: Scoooman@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw i dunno, that sounds kinda like circle logic to me . . . Meltheim the Shadowstalker Infiltrator to the Immortals Devote of Fate Eyes of the Starwatcher *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 23:35:37 -0700 (PDT) From: Shane Henry Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw - --- "Mr. Darknerd" wrote: > However, what would prevent a PC from going back in > time and slaying, let's say King Halav? Then that > Immortal simply never existed, because his mortal > form was erased from time, and thus he cannot > undergo the quest for immortality. The AD&D Chronomancer accessory deals at length with this very question. Basically, either the world's Powers/Immortals with Time-related portfolios act to neutralize such threats (with Good Powers/Immortals shunting the timetravelers to a less significant time, and Evil ones slaying them) or, if the travelers succeed for some reason, then another person will soon rise to fill a similar place in history (eg. perhaps within 10 years, a Traladaran soldier who witnessed the slaying of Halav, rises to drive the occupying Gnolls out of the country, and thus is sent on a path to Immortality, eventually fulfilling the "would-have-been Halav's" destiny in most respects). These timeline-preserving measures apply to any significant historical event. Here's some useful online chronomantic resources: For the official word on Mystaran time travel see Roger Moore's "Chronomancy and the Multiverse" at http://dnd.starflung.com/chron.html. The complete document, which also deals with the Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, etc. is at http://www.wizards.com/dnd/DnDDownloads.asp (download #7). For much more detail on Mystara, see "Mystara and Chronomancy" at http://dnd.starflung.com/mchronom.html by Herve Musseau. And for a conversion of the AD&D Chronomancer class into an OD&D Glantrian Magic-User Circle (with all but the introduction in German), see Wolfgang Rozen's http://dnd.starflung.com/chrono.html. Shane __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 02:44:19 EDT From: Kaviyd@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw In a message dated 1999-09-25 00:59:35 Eastern Daylight Time, darknerd@hotbot.com writes: > However, what would prevent a PC from going back in time and slaying, let's > say King Halav? Then that Immortal simply never existed, because his mortal > form was erased from time, and thus he cannot undergo the quest for > immortality. I would rule that Immortals are not vulnerable in that way -- an Immortal whose mortal past is wiped out by time travelers simply loses all memory of his mortal existence (and possibly one Mortal Identity, if it was based on his mortal form) but retains all of his powers as an Immortal -- I originally suggested this idea as one way of explaining all those older Immortals who seem to have forgotten their mortal lives. Another possibility is to remember that all Immortals, including but certainly not limited to those of the Sphere of Time, are capable of time travel them- selves and thus will keep a close eye on any mortal time travelers who get too close to certain times and places -- and the mortal career of any adventurer destined to achieve Immortality would certainly qualify as something to guard carefully. Basically, any time a party travels into the past, you can be certain that many Immortals will be watching them carefully and will intervene in subtle ways to prevent major changes to history. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 19:00:21 +0800 From: "Francisco Navarro" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - About Synn > I can understand. That's why I asked if she was some kind of Immortal, > because from her deeds it seems so, but if u read Champions of Mystara, the > references to Synn in the Night Dragon entry doesn't really say that much. > I think there should have been a specific entry for Synn as well, anyway.. My, my, all this attention to my dear Princess Dolores! She would be very pleased! She would probably hold a tea party and invite us all! :) Just curious... I thought I knew everything there is to know about our dear princess... What does it say in the Champions of Mystara about her? Kit Navarro fanavarro@pacific.net.ph *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 19:34:25 +0800 From: "Francisco Navarro" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw > However, what would prevent a PC from going back in time and slaying, let's say King Halav? Then that Immortal simply never existed, because his mortal form was erased from time, and thus he cannot undergo the quest for immortality. According to the great AD&D Chronomancer book, it says that the Immortals shuttle time travellers AROUND important points in the timeline. So let's say some PC did plan some chronomantic assassination attempt at Halav, I'm sure Halav's patron, Petra, Halav himself, an Old One, or just about any lawful Immortal of the Sphere of Time would botch their attempt. There is also the idea that the timeline is rigid (meaning time travel is just experiencing a virtual reality of ht past, with no changes possible), or inflexible (meaning even if you kill King Halav, someone else, maybe his best general or his son, will take his place is leading the Traldar, defeating the gnolls and become their Patron Immotal). Of course, we don't have to follow the rules... Kit Navarro Chronomantic Rulesbreaker First Tea-Waiter of Fenswick Keep fanavarro@pacific.net.ph *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 13:49:23 +0200 From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?=E0=E9=EC=EF_=F9=E7=ED?= Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - M-Russia? Do I hear Baba Yaga? On Mystara?! That will be really great!, waiting to here more, Ethan. Morphail (Ohad Shaham) "and all the while as vampires feed- I bleed..." /the Pixies *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 09:07:36 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Time Here's another concept thrown this way. What is time to an Immortal. An Immortal has an infinate number of realities the Immortal resides in. If a mortal attempts a chrono-assassination, then that reality of that Immortal is completely whiped out, but that Immortal still exists in other realities. Also, after the mortal has done his dirty deed, other Immortals would do a chrono-assassination of him. This creates a paradox, and then several realities converge a disappear. Woe befallen on the traveller that travels to those realities at that time. The mortal may still exists, but now there is no base of reference for him, i.e. no one knows him. Also, the Immortal sees time as simple one element, never going forward, nor backward. All things exist as once. Time is not etched in stone as the expression goes. Many realities exist at once, and how the Immortals navigate or understand these things is beyond our comprehension (at this in our evolution). That is why we are just mere mortals anyhow. What happens if an Immortal interferes? This could depend on the Immortal's perception. Some Immortals might be prevented from interfering, even though it personally affects them. The mortal assassin will simple locked in his own reality, but the Immortal will exist in several other realities. The annoying factor for the Immortal is that his faithful is gone from that reality. As such, he has less energy gathered from the faithful worshippers in that reality. HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 09:12:05 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw The Old Ones would exist before the Sphere of Time. This is extremely powerful because in a sense, they were existing before the creation of the universe (or possibly multi-verse). As all Immortals would see time as one existance, neither going forward or backwards, in multiple realities at once, the concept of being trapped to one time event is absurd. In our limited mortal conception of time, this means they can pop up at any time at their own will. Whether they can interfere with mortals actions is another story, no matter how personal. - -- On Sat, 25 Sep 1999 01:14:56 Scoooman wrote: >I see the point you are talking about, and quite frankly, it disturbs me that >something of that magnitude could happen. I'm not completely sure of the >complete extent of the powers of Immortals, but if traversing throughout time >is one of them, then wars could be solved quite quickly. In my Netbook of >Mystara, there is a rather lengthy description of how to earn the status of >an Immortal, and I can tell you, it is quite an arduous task. Of course, if >Immortals could travel back in time and do as they wished couldn't they just >as easily ax the Old Ones? Or does something of that greatness become a moot >point when dealing with something as powerful as an Old One . . . ? > >Meltheim the Shadowstalker > Infiltrator to the Immortals > Devotee of Fate > Eyes of the Starwatcher >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > > HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 12:01:13 -0700 From: IronWolf Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Thri Kreen (was Bigotry vs. Criticism) Yes, in Monster Manual 2, 1st Edition AD&D. Which, technically, means they appeared in Greyhawk first. (You know, even after twenty years, they still have not reproduced every monster that was in the Monster Manual 1, 2, and Fiend Folio in newer editions.) Adamantyr "It's Specularum, damn it!" Scoooman@aol.com wrote: > isn't the thri kreen in the Monster Manual?  i could swear it was last time i > checked . . . > > Meltheim the Shadowstalker >     Infiltrator to the Immortals >         Devotee of Fate >             Eyes of theStarwatcher > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 12:03:24 -0700 From: IronWolf Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? There's an "Immortals Project" going on to revise their information to be as detailed as the entries in the Faiths & Avatars book. However, there's been no attempt to conform them completely, such as having Avatars and whatnot. That's largely a personal preference. Myself, I'd like to rework the Immortals to a full AD&D system eventually, but I don't have plans on running an Immortals campaign yet. You can find the Immortals Project at:  http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Fortress/2198/Mystara/IP/immoproject.html Adamantyr "It's Specularum, damn it!" Anakin wrote: > Has anyone seen one of the newer releases for AD&D that makes the immortals of > Mystara the same as the gods of other realms, with homes on the planes etc. I'm > not sure if this has been discussed or not but would like to see what others > think, personally I think it would be taking a bit too much from Mystara to > 'standardise' the world. > >          Anakin > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #420 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Sunday, September 26 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 421 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: [MYSTARA] - Wild Magic in Mystara Re: [MYSTARA] - Wild Magic in Mystara Re: [MYSTARA] - Wild Magic... Not in Kansas anymore! RE: [MYSTARA] - fron Italian Mystara fan Re: [MYSTARA] - Orient Re: [MYSTARA] - Thri Kreen (was Bigotry vs. Criticism) Re: [MYSTARA] - Thyatis's backyard (a little bit late) [MYSTARA] - Ethenglantri Re: [MYSTARA] - M-Russia? [MYSTARA] - Thoul Ecology Re: [MYSTARA] - Thoul Ecology [MYSTARA] - TSR dumping everything? Re: [MYSTARA] - TSR dumping everything? Re: [MYSTARA] - Thoul Ecology Re: [MYSTARA] - TSR dumping everything? Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Time Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? [MYSTARA] - Topic of Wild Magic Re: [MYSTARA] - Topic of Wild Magic Re: [MYSTARA] - Thri Kreen (was Bigotry vs. Criticism) Re: [MYSTARA] - Topic of Wild Magic Re: [MYSTARA] - [Fwd: Thyatis and Karmeikos - my .02]] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 12:16:30 -0700 From: IronWolf Subject: [MYSTARA] - Wild Magic in Mystara Greetings. As I continue my work to make a player's handbook for AD&D Mystara, I ran across wild magic. My initial urge was to reject it, being designed for Forgotten Realms, but after some thought, it's not a bad idea. Wild Magic would likely be the discovery of civilized and advanced mages, such as those in Glantri and Alphatia, mages of other nations and cultures would likely shun it as chaotic forces that are best left alone. (One would argue that Glantrians are the only ones twisted enough to try and work with it...) Likely wild magic would only naturally manifest at sites of great chaotic power, such as the Land of Black Sand in Ethengar, and the Broken Lands, and the Great Crater, post-WotI. (Broken Land Magi are also a likely source of Wild Mages, but I would argue myself that they'd likely not be nearly so good at it as Glantrians, who would bring the field to the level presented in the Tome of Magic.) If Glantri is the source of wild magic training and spell creation, they would likely begin as a secret faction, trying to utilize the new resource. Pre-WotI, they'd likely be fairly well hidden, and players may be involved in discrete quests to strange locations for them. Post-WotI, they likely were revealed or exposed during the war, perhaps utilizing their magics in the final attack on Glantri, thus bringing their faction to the attention of the Princes. Synn would likely view it as a potential source of power at first, but would quickly discard it when she discovers that it knows no master, not even evil, and would destroy her just as easily as anyone else. The faction would likely gain a reputation for being dangerous crackpots dealing with forces they don't understand. Wild magic may also only manifest after WotI, with the idea that this is a result of the Nucleus of the Spheres draining Entropy instead of Energy. It's introducing more chaotic and decaying elements into magic itself. Any thoughts or comments? Adamantyr "It's Specularum, damn it!" *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 12:41:09 -0700 From: Eleanor Williams Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Wild Magic in Mystara But, couldn't wild magic also be created by barbarian-like, or new cultures just discovering magic? Kind of like grabbing a hold of a dragon's tail, and not realizing tthat what you had wasn't a snake? I would think the more regimented societies would never even consider it would, or could happen. Just IMO -- Course, yours works too! *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 15:43:59 EDT From: M76762@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Wild Magic... Not in Kansas anymore! In a message dated 9/25/99 3:18:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time, ironwolf@ewa.net writes: > As I continue my work to make a player's handbook for AD&D > Mystara, I ran across wild magic. My initial urge was to > reject it, being designed for Forgotten Realms, but after > some thought, it's not a bad idea. An old college DM of mine used Wild Magic one time in his campaign. Though he used it a little differently than you described. Wild Magic to him was "non sphere magic." Deep in the most magical forests, or deep within the delves of the earth, we sometimes ran into wild magic areas or zones. The bad thing was, normal magic didn't work in these areas. The worse thing was, anyone who studied wild magic could indeed use magic in these areas. (But only these areas, they were powerless once they left.) We had made some powerful dark elf spellcaster quite angry with us, and we were lucky to get out of the magic area before she could get most of us. Though we did have to go back and rescue one PC. It was, of course, our PC spellcaster who was next to useless. I can't remember if he allowed magic items to work, or if they were malfunctioning too. (I think they did work) This could be a good way to make otherwise unstoppable PCs feel like 5th level again, or get rid of some of those annoying charges on wands or staffs depending on how you want to play it. It was really neat though, with all new spells and spell effects. It brought back some of the mystery and intrigue of magic in D&D. (This was AD&D unfortunately) We ran into really WILD elven shamans and found some magic items with all new uses. Wild magic zones were very dangerous, for many reason, but they are fun to romp around in. (I was a rogue, I didn't use magic anyway) Matt & Yazin *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 22:33:39 +0200 From: "J.W.K. \"X\" Kramer" Subject: RE: [MYSTARA] - fron Italian Mystara fan Typical, isn't it? :-) Kristian "X" Kramer AD&D Fellowship Holland   "Cold be hand and heart and bone... till the Sun fails and the moon is dead." LotR, J.R.R. Tolkien - -----Original Message----- From: owner-mystara-l@lists.imagiconline.com [mailto:owner-mystara-l@lists.imagiconline.com]On Behalf Of Hoddie Sent: woensdag 22 september 1999 19:46 To: mystara-l@lists.imagiconline.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - fron Italian Mystara fan > (sorry for my english) Why is it that everybody who says this usually writes better English than the, er, English? Hoddie *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 16:49:53 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Orient In a message dated 24/09/99 23:41:35 GMT Daylight Time, au998@freenet.carleton.ca writes: > *This goes for you, too, zombie Carl - undeath is no excuse for decreased > productivity. I don't care if your fingers fall off when you type out your > documents - production quotas must be met! :-) Apologies, Oh Mighty One! I'll have some new stuff for the list's edification within the next week - I'm in the midst of a production of "Robert & Elizabeth" right now with my Operatic Society (we open Wednesday). Okay, you can call that Greater Servitor off now...;-) Carl Q (the original "stiff little fingers" - or should that be "little stiff fingers"? ;-) *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 17:48:24 EDT From: BoBoII@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Thri Kreen (was Bigotry vs. Criticism) In a message dated 99-09-25 15:03:51 EDT, you write: << Yes, in Monster Manual 2, 1st Edition AD&D. Which, technically, means they appeared in Greyhawk first. (You know, even after twenty years, they still have not reproduced every monster that was in the Monster Manual 1, 2, and Fiend Folio in newer editions.) >> Well, some of them were pretty stupid, IMHO. While it had some great ones from the more popular modules and white dwarf magazine, many were just "Monster Manual creature with a tweak." And the artwork was terrible!!! *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 23:53:16 +0200 From: Jamuga Khan Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Thyatis's backyard (a little bit late) There are two things to be said: 1. Of course Thyatis could crush Karameikos withou any greater problems but what good this would mean for the Empire? Something conquered so easily cannot have any value. BTW, Karameikos (aka Traladara) was a Thyatian dominion for around 70 years and the Imperial Thyatian Bureaucracy still knew that there is no profit to be made. ("What? Duke Stefan has offered to trade Machetos for this miserable dirty backyard? Crazy! The man must be completely mad!") 2. Karameikos seems to be a haven for many, many monsters. During the time of occupation quite a number of soldiers has been killed not by the local population but by monsters. Losing soldiers that way does not mean fame for the generals. So the Thyatian generals should not be too ineterested in conquering Traladara. "Werewolves? Oh no, don't worry. The natives have told me that usually there are no werewolves in regions where vampires and nosferatus dwell." Jamuga Khan "Hear and obey, because the Mighty Khan's word is law!" *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 23:53:57 +0200 From: Jamuga Khan Subject: [MYSTARA] - Ethenglantri > Oh quite true and don't forget that: Ethengar is a principality of Glantri > and Glantri is a dominion of Ethengar (don't ask me ask Jamuga) Well, Subutai, ride and inspect the Khanates of Morlay-Malinbois, Aalban, Sablestone and Nouvelle Averoigne. You, Nargabai, will visit the Khanates of Krondahar, Klantyre, Bergdhoven and Bramyra. Menghai, your destination are the Khanates of Glantri, Erewan and Belcadiz. Don't disturb the wizards in Glantri City too much. They still think that there living in the "Principalities of Glantri". Strange, this lowlife! Avoid the Badlands of Fenwick! And if you should catch this Elven Bitch Dolores, KILL HER AT THE VERY MOMENT. I've seen her agitation and rebellion much too long now. Ride now, and Great Yamuga may bless you, Tubak may protect you, and Cretia may rally your foes. Jamuga Khan "Hear and obey, because the Mighty Khan's word is law!" *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 17:55:02 EDT From: BoBoII@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - M-Russia? In a message dated 99-09-25 07:53:28 EDT, you write: << Do I hear Baba Yaga? On Mystara?! That will be really great!, waiting to here more, Ethan. >> I'm personally a big fan of Cristians Hule material. In one of the old Dragons from the early eighties (dating myself a bit here, I admit) there was a long article about the heros and monsters of Boyar Russia. You m-Russ developers may want to take a gander in either the original or forthcoming CD-rom form. BoBo II "J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Je . . . *snap* . . . oh well, there's always next season." *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 19:08:27 -0300 From: Victor Caminha Subject: [MYSTARA] - Thoul Ecology I always saw the Thoul as a bizarre monster, because of its undead part in its breed. I never saw an ecology of a Thoul detailed how was possible to merge an undead spirit with life force of a troll and hobgoblin. Any explanations? I wonder if the Thoul was not a long abandonned project of Nyx in creating a new undead race, using living ingredients as well. Perhaps this failed experiment (after the thoul is not undead) can give meaning to the relative obscure past and history of the Thoul (especially they are confused with hobgoblins). Any suggestions? []s Victor Caminha "When Prometheus gave gifts to humans, what was his greatest gift?" "FIRE!" "What tool did Flambeau teach us to use?" "FIRE!" "When a physician sees an open Wound filled with pus,what does he use to cleanse the wound and save the patient's life?" "FIRE!" "What is the pus that poisons the Order of Hermes?" "LLEWELLYN THE ACCURSED!" "What is the only solution to the lies and deceit that Llewelyn has brought to the Order?" "FIRE!FIRE!FIRE!" - The Primus Entisimon rallying the followers of Flambeau for a Wizards March against House Diedne during the Schism War *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 16:00:42 -0700 From: IronWolf Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Thoul Ecology You're not the only one, the Thoul was the butt of jokes for a long time by AD&D players as an example of how 'silly' D&D was. (No I was not one of them.) The Mystara Monstrous Compedium did a good job redetailing them as something more interesting, and the fan work has been dedicated as well. I know it was suggested that the Thouls were created by the Nithians, (they were screwing around with Troll anatomy, that's how they got Gnolls) Nyx is an excellent source as well, as she does favor creating new life. Thouls definitely have a hard life, as undead hate them, Hobgoblins despise and fear them, and trolls probably eat them like anything else. To me, it's just an example of how rigid thinking can remove some truly innovative concepts. Too many players tend to follow the rules to the letter, and ruthlessly shoot down anyone who questions them, or tries something different. Part of the idea behind 3rd Edition is to make a system that allows players and DM's to make their own campaign worlds suit their needs, rather than the other way around. While some concepts I'm still a little leary on, (Dwarf Mages for example) I look forward to seeing some new things tried, what may come of it, and how we can use it to better our own Mystara campaigns. Adamantyr "It's Specularum, damn it!" Victor Caminha wrote: > I always saw the Thoul as a bizarre monster, because of its undead part in > its breed. I never saw an ecology of a Thoul detailed how was possible to > merge an undead spirit with life force of a troll and hobgoblin. Any > explanations? I wonder if the Thoul was not a long abandonned project of Nyx > in creating a new undead race, using living ingredients as well. Perhaps > this failed experiment (after the thoul is not undead) can give meaning to > the relative obscure past and history of the Thoul (especially they are > confused with hobgoblins). > > Any suggestions? > > []s > > Victor Caminha >   > > "When Prometheus gave gifts to humans, what was his greatest gift?" > "FIRE!" > "What tool did Flambeau teach us to use?" > "FIRE!" > "When a physician sees an open Wound filled with pus,what does he use to > cleanse the wound and save the patient's life?" > "FIRE!" > "What is the pus that poisons the Order of Hermes?" > "LLEWELLYN THE ACCURSED!" > "What is the only solution to the lies and deceit that Llewelyn has brought > to the Order?" > "FIRE!FIRE!FIRE!" >   - The Primus Entisimon rallying the followers of Flambeau for a Wizards > March against House Diedne during the Schism War > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 19:37:58 -0400 From: "SteelAngel" Subject: [MYSTARA] - TSR dumping everything? I just visited my local comix shop looking for a copy of "Warriors of Heaven". When I arrived, the owner told me that he had recently received a letter from Wizards detailing what he should have on his shelves. The letter hinted that with the advent of D&D3, the powers that be would only support Forgotten Realms, and had no plans to resurrect any other worlds. I was confuzzled, wasn't TSR supposed to be keeping Greyhawk and Dragonlance alive too? Ethan *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 17:23:45 -0700 From: IronWolf Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - TSR dumping everything? According to the 3rd Edition FAQ, they are supporting Dragonlance and Greyhawk, the latter of which will be the one in the Core Rulesbook. However, I would have to say that Forgotten Realms is the more worthy 'default' campaign setting, due to it's popularity, and the fact that the world is better designed for an adventuring format. It could be a recent policy change. (Dragonlance I'd be a bit shocked, since they are fairly popular themselves, and are usually accorded the best novels ever written for D&D.) It does make sense, in a fashion, to supply more materials for you to develop your own worlds, and support one world, than to tie up all your resources making several campaign settings, some of which will have weak sales. Either way, it's doubtful we'll see Mystara material, so we'd best not speculate further into this subject, since it's rather astray from the mailing list. Adamantyr "It's Specularum, damn it!" SteelAngel wrote: > I just visited my local comix shop looking for a copy of "Warriors of > Heaven". When I arrived, the owner told me that he had recently received a > letter from Wizards detailing what he should have on his shelves. The letter > hinted that with the advent of D&D3, the powers that be would only support > Forgotten Realms, and had no plans to resurrect any other worlds. I was > confuzzled, wasn't TSR supposed to be keeping Greyhawk and Dragonlance alive > too? > > Ethan > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 21:27:07 -0300 From: Victor Caminha Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Thoul Ecology The >Mystara Monstrous Compedium did a good job redetailing them as something more >interesting, and the fan work has been dedicated as well. I know it was >suggested that the Thouls were created by the Nithians, (they were screwing >around with Troll anatomy, that's how they got Gnolls) Nyx is an excellent >source as well, as she does favor creating new life. The theory about the Nithians is described in the Appendix? I do not have it and i am curious about whatever description could be there... []s Victor Caminha "Receive the bounty of your hero's deed Tainting thy life by the gift of the dead Eternally running from a priestly bead Unable to bear the Orb in your head You'll walk in the darkness so alluring Without Hope to cleanse your sin Away from the joy of the living Forever to serve your Twin" *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 20:31:53 EDT From: RLaRue@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - TSR dumping everything? In a message dated 9/25/99 6:36:52 PM Central Daylight Time, spymaster@planetfortress.com writes: << I just visited my local comix shop looking for a copy of "Warriors of Heaven". When I arrived, the owner told me that he had recently received a letter from Wizards detailing what he should have on his shelves. The letter hinted that with the advent of D&D3, the powers that be would only support Forgotten Realms, and had no plans to resurrect any other worlds. I was confuzzled, wasn't TSR supposed to be keeping Greyhawk and Dragonlance alive too? >> I believe your local shop owner is wrong. Greyhawk will be the default setting for AD&D 3rd Ed. Support will continue for the Forgotten Realms, but all other material (Ravenloft, Planescape, etc.) will be under the generic "Core AD&D" banner. Sadly (or not depending on how you look at it because I'd hate to see Greyhawk done to death like FR) we will see little or no direct support for Greyhawk as we've come to think of it. That is, we won't see various areas of the Flanaess covered repeatedly like they did to FR or a nice hardcover source book like Ravenloft had. At least that's the was plan before the Hasbro buyout and it's far to early for Hasbro to be making production changes. We won't see the effects of Hasbro control for about a year. Remember, most products are "finished" well in advance (like 6 months to a year) and changes or cancellations cost BIG money. Of course Hasbro has big money, so maybe they'll scrap everything and make Pokeman the default setting for AD&D3. ;) My guess is your local shop owner misinterpreted what he was told or what he was told was just wrong. Hope that helps. Rick *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 21:02:00 EDT From: Scoooman@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Time I think you're thinking too much, you should worry about more important things (like Meltheim's experience . . .) before you go talking about Chronomancy and the Multiverse, because i know way too much about it all. take care to stay in your own reality, and everyone will live a lot better. Meltheim the Shadowstalker Infiltrator to the Immortals Devotee of Fate Eyes of the Stwarwatcher *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 18:06:36 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? Totally awesome. However, the colors of the web site are unreadable, at least with my monitor. Lose the blue scheme. - -- On Sat, 25 Sep 1999 12:03:24 IronWolf wrote: >There's an "Immortals Project" going on to revise their information to be as >detailed as the entries in the Faiths & Avatars book. However, there's been no >attempt to conform them completely, such as having Avatars and whatnot. That's >largely a personal preference. Myself, I'd like to rework the Immortals to a full >AD&D system eventually, but I don't have plans on running an Immortals campaign >yet. > >You can find the Immortals Project at: >http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Fortress/2198/Mystara/IP/immoproject.html > >Adamantyr > >"It's Specularum, damn it!" > >Anakin wrote: > >> Has anyone seen one of the newer releases for AD&D that makes the immortals of >> Mystara the same as the gods of other realms, with homes on the planes etc. I'm >> not sure if this has been discussed or not but would like to see what others >> think, personally I think it would be taking a bit too much from Mystara to >> 'standardise' the world. >> >> Anakin >> >> *************************************************************************** >> To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >> with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > > HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 18:17:44 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: [MYSTARA] - Topic of Wild Magic During the transition from Entropy to Life or Creation (described briefly in PC1 Tales of the Wee Folk), most magic was wild magic. There was not much reality or Order at this time. Most things were chaotic, however there are those that formed reality out of their very imagination. This was wild magic in its finest form. The fey often used this to shape the dreams and reality to their imagination in early Mystara (pre-dinosaur era). Time pushed realties into motion, and thus created change. This caused these realities to expand, and chaos to diminish. As chaos diminished, magic became more defined and rigid. As entities tried to alter reality by bending the fabric of reality, this caused a backfire (sometimes called paradox or wild surge). Nowadays, wild magic can exist, but there is always potential backfire. Most magic workings is how to use magic within the confines of reality. As time continues reality becomes stronger, and magic is more difficult to wield. In the times similar to real world, most magic is subtle like to become rich by somehow picking the right lottery tickets. More vulgar magic or wild magic would be having the monster inside a Heracules episode actually pop out of the television and chomp on someone. This has a chance to have a wild surge. As reality is stronger, the greater chance for a wild surge, and the stronger and more disruptive the surge is. HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 21:27:26 EDT From: Scoooman@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Topic of Wild Magic in my opinion, all magics of the genre labled "wild magic" should be active like a wild talent, or one of those dweomers that has a randomized effect on it, i think that it's a first level spell, nystul's dweomer or something? Meltheim the Shadowstalker Infiltrator to the Immortals Devotee of Fate Eyes of the Starwatcher *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 04:19:41 EDT From: Kaviyd@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Thri Kreen (was Bigotry vs. Criticism) In a message dated 1999-09-25 17:52:06 Eastern Daylight Time, BoBoII@aol.com writes: > Well, some of them were pretty stupid, IMHO. While it had some great ones > from the more popular modules and white dwarf magazine, many were just > "Monster Manual creature with a tweak." And the artwork was terrible!!! Hmmm.... Maybe WotC should publish a volume of "Worst Monsters of D&D" for laughs at some point. It could include the flumph, the llort (so bad that it didn't even make the Fiend Folio), and many of the creatures that appeared in "Castle Greyhawk". If it is done well, it will prove very amusing to veteran gamers -- even though they wouldn't be caught dead consulting that book as DMs during their gaming sessions. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 19:23:19 +0800 From: "Francisco Navarro" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Topic of Wild Magic Mr. Darknerd wrote: > During the transition from Entropy to Life or Creation (described briefly in PC1 Tales of the Wee Folk), most magic was wild magic. There was not much reality or Order at this time. Most things were chaotic, however there are those that formed reality out of their very imagination. This was wild magic in its finest form. The fey often used this to shape the dreams and reality to their imagination in early Mystara (pre-dinosaur era). I agree with Mr. Darknerd's description of Wild Magic. One point that they always emphasize with Mystara is that the Lawful-Chaotic axis is more important that the Good-Evil axis. (Granted it probably came from OD&D becoming AD&D...) The Chaos/Entropy-Order/Integration creation myth from Tales of the Wee Folk reflects this. It makes sense that Wild Magic does a have such a place in Mystara. It makes sense too that the faeries would probably be a good source of wild magic. Philosophical question: Does the presence/occurence of wild magic in this time in Mystara herald the coming of that cosmic flux between Order/Integration and Chaos/Entropy? Kit Navarro fanavarro@pacific.net.ph *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 09:02:42 EDT From: Alex295@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - [Fwd: Thyatis and Karmeikos - my .02]] In a message dated 9/21/99 7:10:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time, solmyr@kolumbus.fi writes: << Some gems of thought from our friend James Ruhland (who isn't currently on the list btw). I had to wonder where James was at. This is one of the few times I can claim we are in a fair degree of agreement on a subject. Planets must be aligned or something :-) Well I won't respond to every line of Jame's response....for brevity and since we are in particular agreement. Instead I'll offer a few tidbits to the thread based upon his comments and others....i.e. it's a general response to the thread. Thyatis's Treacherous reputation- While I agree that just about every canon reference to Thyatis is accompanied with the "treachery" tag, this is not as much a hindrence as a benefit for Imperial expansion. Surely there is an underlying reasonings for this perception and this trait has surely been nurtured to an expertise. Thus Thyatian initiated plots would be pretty sound and any international repurcussions would minimal as such ploys would be expected. The exceptions to this rule may be due to Eusebius having to work with agents/operatives/etc. established by his father's administration. Also Eusebius's own personal plots may be a bit different than his dad's. Traldaran Outcries- Another way to look at the Traldaran is to think about their own fears of Thyatis coming back. Stefan broke away from Thyatis...instead of adhering to the cozy preWrath relationship the Duchy had with Thyatis. All blame for a Thyatian return could be solidly blamed upon Stefan. Every Traldaran killed, Traladaran village burned, Traldaran field trampled is a stoic propaganda tool to laying blame on Stefan for "his war." War Goal- For Thyatis to come out good does not mean it has to occupy Karameikos in the first offensive. Earlier I made mention of Thyatis gaining land through the DDC. Let's say the Thyatian legions (I hate the PWA cohorts) march 100 miles into Karameikos. Through some bizarre series of events the assault is turned or events make continuing the war difficult. Still Thyatis has gained ...by right of might...a sizable chunk of land. Since Karameikos would be hardpressed to dislodge them, Thyatis is guaranteed at least half the territory its conquered. Thyatis could simply take over these negotiated conquered lands, possibly continuing its western expansions later on. Of course I do not like the idea of the DDC brokering a land deal...especially in a fuedal/renaissaince setting. What right does DDC have to do such a thing? Personally I think an expansion should be decided upon the field of battle. WDL Aid- The WDL is the WDL and I won't go back into that alliance's weaknesses in solidarity and troop strength. However, I must restate that even if they do commit troops....it would take time to mobilize and deploy them to Karameikos and through the wilderness to meet the Thyatians. For every day spent getting there, Thyatis gains a day's march. And since Thyatis would be the initiator they may have several days on everyone before the WDL and even Karameikos knows they are in-country. War- From my earlier posts on this matter I still think that Karameikos and the WDL would fall before Thyatis. However, I will state that a war's outcome is solely dependant upon the DM and PCs running the war. If there is a biasedness for either side, victory can be achieved dispite the stats. It's like playing against yourself in chess, checkers, or tic-tac-toe...whether you intend it or not you will favor one side over the other. Such battles would have to really be played out by players who want their respective nation to prevail. You could cite RW historical examples of a "few holding off many hostile troopers"....conversly you could also go a bit deeper to bring out details to further explain these "legendary feats of valor" beyond the common perception. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #421 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Monday, September 27 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 422 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: [MYSTARA] - french list Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw Re: [MYSTARA] - Thyatis's backyard (a little bit late) Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw [MYSTARA] - OD&D and AD&D to MSH SAGA [MYSTARA] - The battle for the Nucleus Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw Re: [MYSTARA] - The battle for the Nucleus Re: [MYSTARA] - Orient Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? Re: [MYSTARA] - Thoul Ecology Re: [MYSTARA] - OD&D and AD&D to MSH SAGA [MYSTARA] - THE IMMORTAL WHEELS Re: [MYSTARA] - The battle for the Nucleus Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. [MYSTARA] - update on the site, new maps available. Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 21:55:12 +0200 From: Cobaye Subject: [MYSTARA] - french list Hi all, i would like to tell to the last members who hadn't the last messages that we've created a list which is for those who feel better in french than in english here is the address, where you can have some explanations: write to: thibsylv@club-internet.fr or send me a personnal mail got to: http://perso.club-internet.fr/thibsylv/ the mail address for the list is: mystara_french@listbot.com hope to see you soon in french friendly, Fred"Cobaye"DeLaval *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 06:30:37 +1000 From: shawn stanley Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw >However, what would prevent a PC from going back in time and slaying, let's say King Halav? Then that Immortal simply never existed, because his mortal form was erased from time, and thus he cannot undergo the quest for immortality. The Council of Mystara, the Council of Intrusion, erm any immortal from the sphere of time ..., erm the PCs own intelligence, the DM, a group of NPCs who go back in time and stop the PC before they even started the whole thing ... a boggle-eyed man from a police box, really the possibilites are endless for ways to stop this occurring. shawn stanley http://dnd.starflung.com what have you done for me lately ... more to the point what have i done for me - mightyfew, "i can't wait" *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 17:00:21 -0700 From: Patrick Sullivan Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Thyatis's backyard (a little bit late) >1. Of course Thyatis could crush Karameikos withou any > greater problems but what good this would mean for > the Empire? Something conquered so easily cannot > have any value. BTW, Karameikos (aka Traladara)... Well, the Alphatian presence at Krakatos is reason enough for an invasion, IMO. Also, Karameikos came through WotI much better than most countries--Stefan's coffers alone should pay for the invasion, and the chance of plundering magical treasures and/or secrets from the school of magecraft is an added bonus. I believe Eusebius would be happy to let current Karameikan lords who support him expand their dominions and divide the remainder of the territory among Traladaran and Elven lords in return for loyalty to Thyatis and a nominal annual tribute. Patrick *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 17:09:28 -0700 From: Patrick Sullivan Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw IMC, the past is inalterable--if PCs go back in time, it is part of the necessary structure of the past that has to occur to lead to the present. Thus, a present-day assasin of Halav might be killed by one of Halav's soldiers just before the assasination. Halav, out of gratitude and having been impressed by the young soldier's bravery, made the young man a General on the spot--and it was that general's tactical brilliance that allowed the Traldar to finally defeat the beastmen. Also, I personally don't like the idea that immortals can easily travel through/manipulate time. While they should certainly be able to speed or slow time as they wish, IMHO they should not be able to travel through time. Or, at the very least, they shouldn't be able to travel backwards through time. This prevents immortals from doing each other mischief in the past. It also reinforces immortal dependence on mortals--anything that requires time travel must be undertaken by mortals--and it makes things like strokes and plots far more real. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 21:11:07 -0400 From: "Simon B. Sinister" Subject: [MYSTARA] - OD&D and AD&D to MSH SAGA I don't know if anyone else on the list has tried this yet, but lately I've been working up conversion charts for OD&D, AD&D, and WFRP to Marvel Super Heroes. Because the range for Marvel SAGA is a little different than that for Fifth Age, I figured I'd better come up with new charts for AD&D and OD&D: For these charts, round all fractions up. STRENGTH: (STR+CON)/4 AGILITY: DEX/2 INTELLECT: INT/2 WILLPOWER: (WIS+CHA)/4 ABILITY CODES Warriors: Sa, Aa, Ic, Wc Wizards: Sx, Ax, Ia, Wa Priests: Sa, Ab, Ic, Wa Rogues: Sc, Aa, Ic, Wc OD&D Mystics: Sa, Aa, Ic, Wa Multiclassed AD&D characters receive best possible code in each category, OD&D dwarves and halflings are considered Warriors and OD&D elves are considered Warrior/Wizard multiclass AD&D LEVEL to EDGE 0:0 1-9: 1 10-14: 2 15-19: 3 20+: 4 Powers: 5 OD&D LEVEL to EDGE 0:0 1-9: 1 10-18: 2 19-27: 3 28-36: 4 Immortals: 5 AD&D SPELLCASTER LEVEL to MAGIC INTENSITY 0: 0 1-9: 1-9 10-14: 10 15-19: 11 20-24: 12 25-29: 13 30+: 14+ OD&D SPELLCASTER LEVEL to MAGIC INTENSITY 0:0 1-9: 1-9 10-18: 10 19-27: 11 28-36: 12 If anyone would like me to, I can also pass along the OD&D and AD&D monster conversion chart I've made as well... SIMON B. SINISTER *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 04:02:13 EDT From: Kaviyd@aol.com Subject: [MYSTARA] - The battle for the Nucleus As a follow-up to my earlier post about what is being drained by the Nucleus of the Spheres: It is clear that the only spheres directly affected by the Nucleus are those of Energy and Entropy. Depending on how its controls are set, it is either drain- ing Energy and benefitting Entropy (the default setting which was in effect for most of Mystaran history) or draining Entropy and benefitting Energy (the setting that was put into effect late in AC 1009 as a result of events of WotI and remained in effect for an indeterminate time thereafter). In the earlier post I suggested that the very next "Day of No Magic" was sufficient to reverse the setting, but from the deafening silence that greeted that suggestion it is clear that this explanation was too pat. So let us revisit the situation as of 1010 AC. At this point the default setting of the Nucleus has been reversed, and the "Rad drain level" is in the 100-500 range, so the "Day of No Magic" occurs each year until the "Rad drain level" moves outside of that range. As long as Entropy is the sphere being drained, usage of the Nucleus will reduce rather than increase the "Rad drain level". During the years covered by the PWAs, Rad is out of the picture, but the Immortal Rafiel and most of the Immortals of the Sphere of Entropy are battling for control of the Nucleus of the Spheres. Rafiel, who wants to increase the drain on Entropy, has offered to a select few of his followers clues as to how to access the Radiance directly via the Nucleus of the Spheres. In addition, he has subtly encouraged Glantrian mages so that many new members have joined the Brotherhood of the Radiance. On the other hand, members of the Sphere of Entropy (certainly including the night dragon Synn aka Princess Dolores) have been anxiously seeking the means to reverse this drain, while taking advantage of the side effect of this drain in concentrating the power of Entropy in Glantri. The forces of Entropy at first concentrate their efforts on killing off those members of the Brotherhood that they can find -- but their ultimate goal is to find a way to reverse the drain so that the Nucleus reverts to its previous behavior. It is up to the DM to decide if and when they succeeed. In the event that the Entropics fail in their quest, the question comes up as to what the ultimate effects of the negative Energy drain will be. Clearly, as soon as the "Rad Drain Level" falls below +100, the Day of No Magic will no longer occur -- and Princess Dolores will be truly alarmed when such an event occurs, as she will know exactly what such a non-event signifies. Since a "Rad Drain Level" of 0 is the stable balance point, nothing further should happen until the "Rad Drain Level" falls below that point and reaches - -100. Presumably at that point a "Day of No Death" should occur -- but just what does that imply? For those of you who have access to the old "Manual of the Planes", I would suggest that each negative "Rad Drain Level" would represent an increase in the positive "Magic Factor" (MF). Magic use will become ever easier -- perhaps the first visible effect would be the newly discovered ability of anti-magical races such as dwarves to learn wizardly magic (a good transition to 3d edition, right?). Further negative drains would increase the magical talent of all creatures (certainly upsetting the general philosophy in such places as Ylaruam) and ultimately create conditions similar to those described in the Netheril boxed set. But how far should such conditions be allowed to get? Unless you wish to depict Immortals of Entropy as completely incompetent, I would propose that the setting of the Nucleus would be reversed long before the "Rad Drain Level" reaches negative values. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 18:41:07 +1000 From: shawn stanley Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw At 17:09 26 09 99 -0700, you wrote: >IMC, the past is inalterable--if PCs go back in time, it is part of the >necessary structure of the past that has to occur to lead to the present. >Thus, a present-day assasin of Halav might be killed by one of Halav's >soldiers just before the assasination. Halav, out of gratitude and having >been impressed by the young soldier's bravery, made the young man a General >on the spot--and it was that general's tactical brilliance that allowed the >Traldar to finally defeat the beastmen. This gets into the whole thing of whether something was to coin a Doctor Who phrase 'always part of the time-stream'. It's just a system whereby no matter what happens at any point in history, it always happened. So for the companion module "Where Chaos Reigns" the whole idea is to stop the Oard changing history, but that really isn't it. The idea is that characters take their part in history and stop the Oard plan which was always in effect, as it were. If you just stick to this idea the whole idea of changing history and all the rest of it actually comes out a lot easier. Either that or if the PCs are stronger willed than the DM then if they kill Halav then when they get back to the present the DM can always just say that instead of Halav there's some guy called George or something who now basically exists in history taking the role of Halav, maybe he did things a couple of years later or something - but in this scenario basically George would be Halav. shawn stanley http://dnd.starflung.com what have you done for me lately ... more to the point what have i done for me - mightyfew, "i can't wait" *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 21:13:12 +0800 From: "Francisco Navarro" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - The battle for the Nucleus ----- Original Message ----- From: >For those of you who have access to the old "Manual of the Planes", I would > suggest that each negative "Rad Drain Level" would represent an increase in > the positive "Magic Factor" (MF). Magic use will become ever easier -- > perhaps the first visible effect would be the newly discovered ability of > anti-magical races such as dwarves to learn wizardly magic (a good transition to 3d edition, > right?). Further negative drains would increase the magical talent of all creatures > (certainly upsetting the general philosophy in such places as Ylaruam) and > ultimately create conditions similar to those described in the Netheril boxed > set. > > But how far should such conditions be allowed to get? Unless you wish to > depict Immortals of Entropy as completely incompetent, I would propose that > the setting of the Nucleus would be reversed long before the "Rad Drain > Level" > reaches negative values. Ah! I like your ideas that a reverse Rad Drain will cause more magic to occur in Mystara... But how's this point of view: More magic bursting out all over Mystara, dwarves casting spells, Ylari zealots simultaneously converting and jihad-ing everyone... What else can happen? Glantri's supremacy in magic is questioned. Thyatis invades Karameikos with MAGIC. Karameikos fights back with more MAGIC. Elves, dwarves, shadow elves, humanoids blasting each other will spells. In the Savage Coast, the Red Curse becomes even more potent. Legacies are busting out all over, doubling, tripling in number and potency... In the Hollow World, primitive ancient cultures suddenly learn new spells previously uncastable... In the Sea of Dawn, Ochaleans start going offensive with priestly magics. And Thothian fear that what happened to ancient Nithia is happening again. I say this spells CHAOS. Oooooh! Wouldn't Entropy love this? And wouldn't this be a great time to introduce WILD MAGIC? If Entropy is being drained, causing more Radiance and more magic, this new Radiance and new magic is touched by Entropy, not necessarily the evil undeath Entropy, but the wild chaotic Entropy of the previous age that only faeries remember, when the Sphere of Integration was still in existence. Thus, by nature, this new magic would be Wild Magic. Also, since this new magic will be wielded by relatively "un-disciplined" "un-trained" magic-users (i.e. dwarves, primitive races of the Hollow World, Ylari and other monsters, in the truest sense), there will be a great possibility that their form of magic will be WILD! More magic, more chaos, more entropy. And the best part is, most of the Immortals, particularly the Immortals of Energy, will probably be FOR this "Reverse Rad Drain." And they won't realize it until it's too late. Let's see who's incompetent now... Kit Navarro fanavarro@pacific.net.ph "Tea is served" - --Princess Dolores' fateful words at Fenswick Keep when the "Day of No Magic" DID NOT occur one year in the future... *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 11:37:59 -0400 (EDT) From: Mischa E Gelman Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Orient > > What about M-Mesoamericans? > > Are the Atraughins the sole surviving descendants of the Azcans? > > Davania is a pretty big continent -- surely there is room for a few dozen > Mesoamerican cultures down there? Sorry for being not too specific - my question was more of "would it be reasonable to assume most remnants of the Azcans/Oltecs died off or were shipped to the HW?" than "is there room for another Mesoamerican culture?" Opinions? - - Mischa Happy is that nation whose annals are tiresome - Montesquieu *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 17:04:40 +0200 (CEST) From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?H=E5vard_R=F8nne_Faanes?= Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? On Sat, 25 Sep 1999, Anakin wrote: > Has anyone seen one of the newer releases for AD&D that makes the > immortals of Mystara the same as the gods of other realms, with homes > on the planes etc. I'm not sure if this has been discussed or not but > would like to see what others think, personally I think it would be > taking a bit too much from Mystara to 'standardise' the world. Could you provide some examples? Personally, I agree that Immortals should be like Gods in most senses (with onvious exceptions), but I can't say I like having them wandering around in the Forgotten Realms or anything. If they do they should at least kick some serious butt! :) Håvard Haavard R. Faanes (hoc@nvg.ntnu.no) http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/~hoc "Remember, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people." -Mr Garrison, South Park. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 17:06:50 +0200 (CEST) From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?H=E5vard_R=F8nne_Faanes?= Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Thoul Ecology On Sat, 25 Sep 1999, Victor Caminha wrote: > > I always saw the Thoul as a bizarre monster, because of its undead part in > its breed. I never saw an ecology of a Thoul detailed how was possible to > merge an undead spirit with life force of a troll and hobgoblin. Any > explanations? I wonder if the Thoul was not a long abandonned project of Nyx > in creating a new undead race, using living ingredients as well. Perhaps > this failed experiment (after the thoul is not undead) can give meaning to > the relative obscure past and history of the Thoul (especially they are > confused with hobgoblins). IMC Thouls are the result of an unholy ritual performed by hobgoblins. Only the most powerful warriors among the hobgoblins can be chosen to ascend to Thoulhood. Håvard Haavard R. Faanes (hoc@nvg.ntnu.no) http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/~hoc "Remember, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people." -Mr Garrison, South Park. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 17:10:10 +0200 (CEST) From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?H=E5vard_R=F8nne_Faanes?= Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - OD&D and AD&D to MSH SAGA On Sun, 26 Sep 1999, Simon B. Sinister wrote: > I don't know if anyone else on the list has tried this yet, but lately I've > been working up conversion charts for OD&D, AD&D, and WFRP to Marvel Super > Heroes. Because the range for Marvel SAGA is a little different than that > for Fifth Age, I figured I'd better come up with new charts for AD&D and > OD&D: I only have limited knowledge of the Marvel SAGA system, but I'm planning on buying it soon. However, this looks very interesting :) > If anyone would like me to, I can also pass along the OD&D and AD&D monster > conversion chart I've made as well... Go for it! :) Have you checked out Byron Molix' excellent 5thAge Saga Mystara page? Håvard Haavard R. Faanes (hoc@nvg.ntnu.no) http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/~hoc "Remember, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people." -Mr Garrison, South Park. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 17:41:58 +0200 From: Jost Westenberg Subject: [MYSTARA] - THE IMMORTAL WHEELS - ------=_NextPart_000_0017_01BF090F.99396C60 Content-type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_0017_01BF090F.99396C60 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable please help me agin THE IMMORTAL WHEELS there shout be 3 immortal wheels i have only found 2 wheels wheel of fate and wheel of destiny but where is the the Magic Wheel of Gargantua please answer to the MML - ------=_NextPart_000_0017_01BF090F.99396C60 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
please help me agin

THE IMMORTAL WHEELS

there shout be 3 immortal = wheels
 
 i have only found 2 = wheels
wheel of fate and
wheel of destiny
 
but where is = the

the Magic Wheel of Gargantua

please answer to the = MML

 

- ------=_NextPart_000_0017_01BF090F.99396C60-- - ------=_NextPart_000_0017_01BF090F.99396C60-- *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 10:05:55 -0700 From: Patrick Sullivan Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - The battle for the Nucleus There've been some really good ideas posted during this thread. >out all over, doubling, tripling in number and potency... In the Hollow >World, primitive ancient cultures suddenly learn new spells previously >uncastable... Either that, or perhaps the number of people with magical talent in the HW increases, but at the same time the Spell of Preservation first repairs the damage it sustained during WotI and then begins to strenghten itself, preventing more and more spells. This could bring Alphatia better into balance with the rest of the HW. >I say this spells CHAOS. Oooooh! Wouldn't Entropy love this? But remember, Energy is the only sphere directly tied to the philosophy of chaos. The proliferation of magic throughout the area would increase Energy's power and influence in Mystara, so the other spheres would probably join together to fight Energy's rise. This could certainly lead to massive warfare and even immortals' destrution--something that would benefit Entropy, but chaos alone is not, according to WotI, associated with Entropy. Patrick *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 12:27:18 +0200 From: thibault sarlat Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. may i ask where you find that the immortals can travel at will through time? I don't remember reading anything like this in any rule book or supplement.If it is a rule you added to your campaign , tell me so. I remember reading that even Khoronus (as an immortal) had to use the artifact he made as an immortal to travel back in time but there is no mention that he can alter Time through his own powers (even if we can suspect that he can alter a bit of the space time continuum.). As for the questions regarding the possibilities that players (or NPC) can go back in time and change the past, I would say that they would then create a new future in the already infinite set of possible future.So If they choose then to go back to the future , they would not be allowed to return to their actual future but to another one , the one they created when altering the past. Some future can be very similar, but other would be completly different ( a bit like the Sliders show) .So people would have to think twice before altering the past because it would then sever them from their "normal" future.But changing the future would not sever them from their past,since the reality they create at that time is still linked to their own , thus they can go back in their time( and it is happy for those who undertake the path of the dynast.It reminds me of the drawing on the board that Doc Brown did to Marty in the Back to the future trilogy.There would be knots from where different future would originate . I don't like the idea that immortals would intervene to prevent the changes, because the more future possibilities there are the more followers they would get at least potential followers). but then there's one thing disturbing me.Would there be as many set of immortals as there are possible futures?I don't know, i am no Old One. One last suggestion: if in your campaign you don't have found a reasonnable cause for jedi knights to be there, then you can make them agents of immortals investigating the newly built future (helped with artifacts that allow to travel back and forth through time and through the alternate realities).They would fit well Khoronus (because of his blackmoor technological past), and thus it would give light sabre a reason to exist ( an immortal who has created a time travel machine can easily create a light sabre weapon). that's it for me dude. - -- Thibault Sarlat ICQ 16622177. Check out my sites : The main page is at http://www.mystara.com.bi Also, the Mapping Zone is at http://www.mystara-maps.com.bi And finally the Gazeteer zone is at http://www.mystara-gazeteers.com.bi Pour rejoindre la Mystara mailing liste francophone, rendez-vous sur ma page de garde en bas. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 17:14:13 +0200 From: thibault sarlat Subject: [MYSTARA] - update on the site, new maps available. hi all i just did an update on my site, updated the western skothar (i extended it to the IoD), and i did the central portion of Skothar , but with just the cities , the rivers and the plateaux limits so as to allow everyone of you to set the limits he wants to the dominion there... You would then be able to exchange your views by trading the maps.(personnaly i use paint shop pro to draw over the map and i stick with the Gif format for the big maps because the color code is closer than the one on grid cartography (i am not sure i am clear)). If you detect anomalies on the links or the site, please send me a note so that i can fix it. - -- Thibault Sarlat ICQ 16622177. Check out my sites : The main page is at http://www.mystara.com.bi Also, the Mapping Zone is at http://www.mystara-maps.com.bi And finally the Gazeteer zone is at http://www.mystara-gazeteers.com.bi Pour rejoindre la Mystara mailing liste francophone, rendez-vous sur ma page de garde en bas. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 20:44:49 +0100 From: "Rob" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? Could you provide some examples? Personally, I agree that Immortals should be like Gods in most senses (with onvious exceptions), but I can't say I like having them wandering around in the Forgotten Realms or anything. If they do they should at least kick some serious butt! :) Nahh. Probably just get killed by some weedy little drow goddess (like Orcus). (Is Orcus more D&D than AD&D do you think? Orcus, Demogorgon and Alphaks are supposed to be the three Immortal Fiends in WotI - Orcus and Demogorgon are alive and well in the Abyss, though I imagine it would be pretty pointless bringing Alphaks along into AD&D without Alphatia to kill...) Rob *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #422 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Tuesday, September 28 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 423 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: Re: [MYSTARA] - Orient Re: [MYSTARA] - OD&D and AD&D to MSH SAGA Re: [MYSTARA] - Orient Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. [MYSTARA] - OD&D and AD&D Monsters to MSH SAGA [MYSTARA] - Re: mystara-digest V1999 #422 Re: [MYSTARA] - Zany Monsters! (was Thri Kreen) Re: [MYSTARA] - OD&D and AD&D to MSH SAGA Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. Re: [MYSTARA] - The battle for the Nucleus Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. Re: [MYSTARA] - Zany Monsters! (was Thri Kreen) Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? RE: [MYSTARA] - Thri Kreen (was Bigotry vs. Criticism) Re: [MYSTARA] - Thyatis's backyard (a little bit late) [MYSTARA] - Immortal Wheels Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 06:51:49 +1000 From: shawn stanley Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Orient At 11:37 27 09 99 -0400, you wrote: >> > What about M-Mesoamericans? >> > Are the Atraughins the sole surviving descendants of the Azcans? >> >> Davania is a pretty big continent -- surely there is room for a few dozen >> Mesoamerican cultures down there? > >Sorry for being not too specific - my question was more of "would it be >reasonable to assume most remnants of the Azcans/Oltecs died off or were >shipped to the HW?" than "is there room for another Mesoamerican >culture?" Opinions? Well there is probably rome for such cultures given the HW map which has Oltec migrations from Cestia to Davania, there is no indication what happened to these people anywhere. So, no it's probably not reasonable to assume that there are none anywhere on the Outer World. shawn stanley http://dnd.starflung.com what have you done for me lately ... more to the point what have i done for me - mightyfew, "i can't wait" *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 07:13:32 +0800 From: "Francisco Navarro" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - OD&D and AD&D to MSH SAGA Would you know the website address? - ----- Original Message ----- From: Håvard Rønne Faanes To: Have you checked out Byron Molix' excellent 5thAge Saga Mystara page? Håvard *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 19:55:34 EDT From: Kaviyd@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Orient In a message dated 1999-09-27 11:40:14 Eastern Daylight Time, megst19+@pitt.edu writes: > Sorry for being not too specific - my question was more of "would it be > reasonable to assume most remnants of the Azcans/Oltecs died off or were > shipped to the HW?" than "is there room for another Mesoamerican > culture?" Opinions? Given the large amount of undetailed area on Mystara and the wide dispersal of known Oltec descendants in the outer world, I would say that there probably are many such groups scattered all over the outer world. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 19:56:00 EDT From: Kaviyd@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. In a message dated 1999-09-27 13:57:32 Eastern Daylight Time, thibsylv@club-internet.fr writes: > may i ask where you find that the immortals can travel at will through time? > I don't remember reading anything like this in any rule book or supplement. > If it is a rule you added to your campaign , tell me so. No, it is cited in the first three Hollow World modules -- remember how all those Immortals went missing when Thanatos displaced their anchors in the present? > I remember reading that even Khoronus (as an immortal) had to use the artifact > he made as an immortal to travel back in time but there is no mention that he > can alter Time through his own powers (even if we can suspect that he can > alter a bit of the space time continuum.). Though he obviously needed a time traveling artifact while he was questing for Immortality, I don't recall seeing any indication that he required such an artifact after he achieved Immortality. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 22:15:15 -0400 From: "Simon B. Sinister" Subject: [MYSTARA] - OD&D and AD&D Monsters to MSH SAGA Thanks for the positive feedback! Here's an early version of these charts; some of the folks on the Marvel Super Heroes list have some other ideas for Strength which involves the monsters' size as well as its HD. In the meantime, here's what I've got so far... Again, round all fractions up. AD&D MONSTERS: STRENGTH: 2 points for each HD up to 3, +.5 for each additional HD AGILITY: Movement/2 INTELLECT: INT/2 WILLPOWER: Morale/2 OD&D MONSTERS STRENGTH: 2 points for each HD up to 3, +.5 for each additional HD AGILITY: Movement/2 INTELLECT: INT/2 WILLPOWER: (Morale X 1.5)/2 WEAPON BONUS: Max. Damage/2 ARMOR BONUS: (10-AC)/2 As for Byron's site, I lost all of my IE5 favorites recently, so now I'm not sure if I've been there or not. What's his URL? SIMON B. SINISTER - -----Original Message----- From: owner-mystara-l@lists.imagiconline.com [mailto:owner-mystara-l@lists.imagiconline.com]On Behalf Of Håvard Rønne Faanes Sent: Monday, September 27, 1999 11:10 AM To: mystara-l@lists.imagiconline.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - OD&D and AD&D to MSH SAGA I only have limited knowledge of the Marvel SAGA system, but I'm planning on buying it soon. However, this looks very interesting :) > If anyone would like me to, I can also pass along the OD&D and AD&D monster > conversion chart I've made as well... Go for it! :) Have you checked out Byron Molix' excellent 5thAge Saga Mystara page? Håvard Haavard R. Faanes (hoc@nvg.ntnu.no) http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/~hoc "Remember, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people." -Mr Garrison, South Park. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 02:31:53 -0400 (EDT) From: Inspector Rob of the Nova Police Subject: [MYSTARA] - Re: mystara-digest V1999 #422 >> From: Patrick Sullivan > Well, the Alphatian presence at Krakatos is reason enough for an invasion, > IMO. Why? Just because they hate Alphatians? Plenty of them were succesfully absorbed into the army. And I can't see a simple school of wizardry being much of a security threat compared to, say, the other unconquered Alphatian territories. When Sri Ramakrishna was asked why, if God is good, is there evil in the world, he replied, ``To thicken the plot.'' "Like every other TA at USF has a Ninja Gumby Playset." "I'm apparently some kind of agent from another planet, but I haven't got my orders decoded yet." William S. Burroughs Robert Fernandez "Plays Well With Others" rfernand@chuma.cas.usf.edu AIM: Gamaliel8 http://chuma.cas.usf.edu/~rfernand ICQ: 37895987 *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 01:08:04 -0700 (PDT) From: Shane Henry Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Zany Monsters! (was Thri Kreen) - --- Kaviyd@aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 1999-09-25 17:52:06 Eastern > Daylight Time, BoBoII@aol.com > writes: > > > Well, some of them were pretty stupid, IMHO. > While it had some great ones > > from the more popular modules and white dwarf > magazine, many were just > > "Monster Manual creature with a tweak." And the > artwork was terrible!!! > > Hmmm.... Maybe WotC should publish a volume of > "Worst Monsters of D&D" > for laughs at some point. It could include the > flumph, the llort (so bad > that it > didn't even make the Fiend Folio), and many of the > creatures that appeared > in "Castle Greyhawk". If it is done well, it will > prove very amusing to > veteran > gamers -- even though they wouldn't be caught dead > consulting that book as > DMs during their gaming sessions. I'd be one DM who *would* be caught dead consulting such a distinguished tome :o). I am very fond of flumphs, [what pray tell are llorts? I'm sure I'd like them], death sheep, blink wooly mammoths (quite a sight!), gello monsters, killer spruces, paper dragons, pink dragons, pigeontoads, ticklers, and unicows (who only accept milkmaids of course!) [from Dragon #156]. I played through "Castle Greyhawk", and I found it to have quite a change in tone from the usual D&D outing, to say the least. ;-). My werebear Ranger in a Forgotten Realms campaign had a "burburr" as his only follower (don't ask). As you can surmise, my Mystara campaign definitely includes many of those noble(?) and fearsome(?) creatures. Hey, maybe with the new 3E PC race-creation rules, combined with the new 3E elimination of race-class restrictions, I can finally have that wereflumph ranger/mage/psionicist I've been pining for. Shane __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 01:01:38 -0700 (PDT) From: Shane Henry Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - OD&D and AD&D to MSH SAGA Here you go: http://web.missouri.edu/~c594314/mystsaga/ - --- Francisco Navarro wrote: > Would you know the website address? > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: H嶡rd RFaanes > To: > > > Have you checked out Byron Molix' excellent 5thAge > Saga Mystara page? __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 08:57:00 +0200 From: thibault sarlat Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. It not said that he needs an artifact to travel through time, but it is not said that he doesn't.What is said is that he recreated an artifact ("recently , in a nostalgic mood he recreated his original time travel"p26).So for me (and i don't take TSR rules for Commandments but as guidelines), if the TSR crew working on the WotI codex of the immortals did not stated somewhere that among immortals powers were the one of time traveling, then i think it's up to us (as DM) to decide for our campaign if it is possible or not.I am not sure which supplements was the oldest between WotI and the hollow world series of modules.But my guess is that WotI is the oldest , that's the reason why it is not stated that Immortals can travel through time. Kaviyd@aol.com a écrit: > In a message dated 1999-09-27 13:57:32 Eastern Daylight Time, > thibsylv@club-internet.fr writes: > > > may i ask where you find that the immortals can travel at will through time? > > I don't remember reading anything like this in any rule book or supplement. > > If it is a rule you added to your campaign , tell me so. > > No, it is cited in the first three Hollow World modules -- remember how all > those Immortals went missing when Thanatos displaced their anchors in > the present? > > > I remember reading that even Khoronus (as an immortal) had to use the > artifact > > he made as an immortal to travel back in time but there is no mention that > he > > can alter Time through his own powers (even if we can suspect that he can > > alter a bit of the space time continuum.). > > Though he obviously needed a time traveling artifact while he was questing > for Immortality, I don't recall seeing any indication that he required such > an > artifact after he achieved Immortality. > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. - -- Thibault Sarlat ICQ 16622177. Check out my sites : The main page is at http://www.mystara.com.bi Also, the Mapping Zone is at http://www.mystara-maps.com.bi And finally the Gazeteer zone is at http://www.mystara-gazeteers.com.bi Pour rejoindre la Mystara mailing liste francophone, rendez-vous sur ma page de garde en bas. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 02:27:59 -0700 (PDT) From: Shane Henry Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - The battle for the Nucleus Hmm...this all seems to me like a *really* interesting way to develop Mystara. I myself like the idea so much that I might like to see it adopted by the Mystara Net Almanac team sometime in the future. Having a number of years-time during which the rad force hits some ultra-low negatives, while the Immortals battle it out again, would be wild (WotI:II = Battle for the Nucleus [BftN])! This could be a neat event for the Almanac (in a couple years from now) to apply their respective expertises to, and to focus on. I believe Mystara, of all the official settings, would be most suited to having such a period of hypermagic, which would be the first application of the "Manual of the Planes"/"DM's Option: High-Level Campaigns" 'Magical Ratings' (MR) system that I'm aware of (BTW, the 1E MotP Magic Factor (MF) table was redone for 2E DMO:HLC). I was going to give people an idea of what the progression of such an event would be like, by giving a preliminary table based on DMO:HLC, the rad force table from G:KoM, and Kaviyd's suggestions, but I found that the various effects of magic malfunction listed for each step on the rad force table, matched up to various different level equivalents on the HLC magic ratings table. Anyway, though I didn't feel like doing it myself just now, the MotP/HLC MR table could easily be brought into line with the Mystara-specific rad force table. As a sample though, here's my first, rough attempt to match the rad force levels to HLC magic ratings. 5000 rads = MR 2: No spell, spell-like ability, magical item, artifact, or psionic power functions, and travel into or out of Mystara's solar system [is this the extent of the NoS's effect, or is it the planet's atmosphere?] is possible only through a pre-existing gate. Land creatures are not more than 10 feet tall, and there are no flying creatures [though this one element would better match MR 5, which allows size Tiny flying creatures]. Demihuman and fantastic creatures do not exist, though each individual is allowed a saving throw vs. death ray -- failure results in death, while success leaves the creature with a loss of 4 hp per hit die (min. 1/die), and a -4 penalty on all attacks, saving throws, and ability score checks. Newborn DHs and fantastic creatures have to make such checks too, until those races go extinct. After BftN were over, the rad level would be left at a subzero level, which, as suggested, would provide explanations for the weird new 3E race-class combos such as the Dwarf Wizard and Gnoll Ranger (and possibly new [rare] OD&D classes such as the Dwarf-Magic-User and Gnoll-Forester[?]). As a side note, if the negative rad force diminished entropy instead of causing the growth of magic, then, as Kaviyd implied, there'd be a yearly Day of Joy(?), during which all beings (plant and animal) on the planet are granted a one-day-long reprive from death. Though if they received a mortal wound during this day, they'd keel over the next. Though it might not fit into the grander concept of a growth in magic, I believe this DoJ would just ooze with adventure and roleplaying opportunities. Finally, I'd love to hear some MML old-timers' opinions on/suggestions about/problems with Kaviyd's concept (and the responders' ideas too). Shane __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 06:17:04 EDT From: Kaviyd@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. In a message dated 1999-09-28 05:01:17 Eastern Daylight Time, thibsylv@club-internet.fr writes: > I am not sure which supplements was the > oldest between WotI and the hollow world series of modules.But my guess is > that WotI is the oldest , that's the reason why it is not stated that Immortals > can travel through time. Then your guess would be wrong -- the Hollow World boxed set has a copyright date of 1990, while WotI has a copyright date of 1992. I am fairly sure that the Hollow World modules came out shortly after the Hollow World boxed set. I have no idea why WotI would not have mentioned the ability to travel in time beyond the obvious problem that any time traveling Immortal would run into problems with contemporary Immortals (perhaps including himself). I would assume that such Immortals would be free to observe past events and intervene to negate interference by other time travelers but that any attempt on their part to interfere for their own purposes would bring down the wrath of nearly all of the contemporary Immortals on them. In any case, the current timestream has a LOT of intertia behind it, given the vested interest that most Immortals would have in maintaining it. If player characters are capable of traveling in time and no Immortals intefere with their efforts, then the only reasonable conclusion is that nothing they could possibly do in the time period they are visiting can possibly have any adverse effect on the future timestream. In particular, the Blackmoor adventures are permitted because everything they do will eventually be wiped out in the GRoF, which the player characters will never be given the opportunity to negate. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 06:17:01 EDT From: Kaviyd@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Zany Monsters! (was Thri Kreen) In a message dated 1999-09-28 03:55:29 Eastern Daylight Time, shane_henrymml@yahoo.com writes: > [what pray tell are llorts? I'm sure I'd like them] They are the "nilbog" version of trolls (you did ask...). When struck in combat, they gain hit points, but they also begin to degenerate at a rate of three hit points per round. No matter what they do to trick PCs into inflicting further damage on them, they are ultimately doomed. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 14:14:52 +0200 (CEST) From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?H=E5vard_R=F8nne_Faanes?= Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? On Mon, 27 Sep 1999, Rob wrote: > (Is Orcus more D&D than AD&D do you think? Orcus, Demogorgon and Alphaks > are supposed to be the three Immortal Fiends in WotI - Orcus and Demogorgon > are alive and well in the Abyss, though I imagine it would be pretty > pointless bringing > Alphaks along into AD&D without Alphatia to kill...) Orcus has been part of the AD&D mythos a long time. I consider AD&D Orcus and Mystara Ocus to be two separate entities. Just the same as Odin for that matter... :) Also, I think our Orcus would kick Lloths butt easily :) Håvard Haavard R. Faanes (hoc@nvg.ntnu.no) http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/~hoc "Remember, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people." -Mr Garrison, South Park. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 08:08:06 -0500 From: "Albert Edward Capt. 552 CSG/SCXX" Subject: RE: [MYSTARA] - Thri Kreen (was Bigotry vs. Criticism) I think Thri Kreen first appeared in the Fiend Folio, which was out WAY before FR. ASEO out *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 19:25:37 +0200 From: Jamuga Khan Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Thyatis's backyard (a little bit late) > Well, the Alphatian presence at Krakatos is reason enough for an invasion, > IMO. Also, Karameikos came through WotI much better than most > countries--Stefan's coffers alone should pay for the invasion, and the > chance of plundering magical treasures and/or secrets from the school of > magecraft is an added bonus. I believe Eusebius would be happy to let > current Karameikan lords who support him expand their dominions and divide > the remainder of the territory among Traladaran and Elven lords in return > for loyalty to Thyatis and a nominal annual tribute. > Patrick Maybe!? Anyhow, it wouldn't be a good idea for the Karameikan lords to join the Thyatians only for hope of making profit. None of them is Thyatian enough anymore like their fathers and mothers. Probably they would be sacked by more callous Thyatian nobles and businessmen in a very short time... Jamuga Khan "Hear and obey, because the Mighty Khan's word is law!" *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 21:53:50 +0200 From: DM Subject: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Wheels At 15.47 27/09/99 -0400, Jost Westenberg wrote: >please help me agin >THE IMMORTAL WHEELS > >there shout be 3 immortal wheels > > i have only found 2 wheels >wheel of fate and >wheel of destiny > >but where is the >the Magic Wheel of Gargantua Err... mein Schuld, Jost! I'm the one who started detailing the Immortal Wheels, but I stopped before sending the Wheel of Fortune and the Magic Wheel of Gargantua because I had (and currently have) very pressing matters.. However, I hope to be able to post them next week, so please be patient! ;) Tschuess! PS: is there anyone going to Oktoberfest in Munich (Munchen) this weekend? DM Senior Editor of the Mystaran Almanac First Officer of U.S.S. Unicorn Visit Marco's Mystara Homepage at: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dungeon/2967 Join the Mystara Webring at: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dungeon/2967/mystring.html Join the Starfleet Academy at: http://gilda.it/startrek (Italian RPG PBEM) *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 22:01:22 +0200 From: DM Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw At 15.47 27/09/99 -0400, somebody wrote: >>However, what would prevent a PC from going back in time and slaying, >let's say King Halav? Then that Immortal simply never existed, because his >mortal form was erased from time, and thus he cannot undergo the quest for >immortality. > I'd like to refer to Hervé's article about Chronomancy in Mystara (which in turn takes inspiration from the Chronomancer supplement): " No Guardians-like group of chronomancers is known here, as the Immortals of Time do a fine job of policing. Unobtrusive chronomancers would have considerable freedom; furthermore, they might gain the cautious notice of Immortals from Energy or Time (particularly Ixion or Khoronus), who might be bribed at tremendous expense to reveal other secrets of chronomancy or Mystaran history. Immortals of Time carefully shunt time travelers "around" critical events in history, so that all attempts to reach those times are missed by days, months, or years. Time travelers perceived as dangerously hostile to Mystaran history are located and destroyed without ceremony or delay. No chronomancer can use time-travel powers, either arriving or departing, during the Day of Dread (Kaldmont 28), from AC 1009 onward. " And also, refer to the section "Immortals and Timestream": "All Immortals, at least those that remember it, have lived a mortal life before gaining their immortality. Thus, they have-or, more exactly, had-a lifeline. This lifeline is generally very bright, especially at the end of their life, since they were very powerful characters in life. Where their lifelines end, it is generally one of the most bright lifeline around, and bears a great momentum that is often transmitted to many other lifelines-followers and clerics. Severing lifeline: Upon reaching immortality, one does not really die, but instead reaches another, higher form of life. Therefore, the new Initiate's lifeline does not automatically end. However, at that same moment when the candidate becomes an Initiate, it is the responsibility of his/her sponsor to sever the candidate's lifeline. The would-be Immortal is generally not even aware that he/she has ²died², since he/she founds himself/herself in a new body-his/her manifestation form-with amazing new powers. Moreover, he/she is not surprised if the sponsor disappears for a moment during the final stage of his/her ascension to immortality, and some Immortals even go back in time while they are in the Temporal Prime so that they seem never to have slipped away from reality. It should be noted that some Immortals, especially some from the Sphere of Entropy, and Rathanos, get a real, intense pleasure at severing the lifeline of their candidate, effectively killing them-or, in the eyes of Rathanos, bettering their status. Those few Immortals that have gained their Immortality through other means that sponsorship (i.e. Rad, Rafiel and Benekander), the intense source of energy that gave them Immortality also severed their lifelines in the process, although it is not known whether this is automatic or if this was special to these three Immortals. The severing of the candidate's lifeline is by tradition a part of the ascension to Immortality, and no Immortals has ever tried to defy that tradition. It is not known, even to the most knowledgeable Immortals of the Sphere of Time, what would happen if that step was, for some reason, overlooked. Contrary to mortal chronomancers that would cast the 9th-level spell Sever Lifeline, Immortals do not become natives of Temporal Prime; they become Immortals and become linked to their new home plane (generally created by themselves or their sponsor, or an already existing one that fits them). Protecting lifeline: Most Immortals feel somehow vulnerable as Immortals through that mortal lifeline of theirs. If a mortal chronomancer, or an Immortal foe, were to locate his/her lifeline within the timestream-which wouldn't be that difficult-it would be easy enough to disrupt events so that they never even become Immortals-although the momentum of time would oppose such a change. Therefore, Khoronus, Father Time, in his desire to protect Mystaran history-of which the Immortals are obviously part-developed an Immortal-level spell--Protect Lifeline-that can be cast on the mortal lifeline of an Immortal so that it can't be interacted with-even by other Immortals. This is in no way a 100% effective protection, since it is always possible to travel through time and meddling with the life of an Immortal to be without following his/her lifeline. Generally, a sponsor casts this spell at the lifeline of a candidate just after severing it. Immortals that were not sponsored are not automatically protected, but must first discover of this weakness and the existence of such a spell, ask Khoronus for it-something he is not known to have ever denied-and cast it themselves. Doubling lifeline: Since Immortals have no lifeline any more, they have no restrictions in regard of doubling their lifelines. However, since they are forbidden to directly intervene on the Prime Material Plane, this is generally of little use. Some have tried to double their ²lifeline² in regard to their home plane or an inner or outer plane, with the hope that this would permit them to be twice as active, but they have found that this generally led to more problem than it was worth. Their first problem is themselves: Immortals are often very arrogant and dislike to share their power, influence or followers with someone else, even themselves; moreover, their self from the right time sometimes believed this was a trick by another Immortal to fool them and opposed the plans of their time-traveling self. The second major problem is their limited understanding of how Temporal Prime works, especially the momentum of time; only Immortals from the Sphere of Time and some of the Sphere of Energy have studied it enough to understand what they're doing when time-traveling; those that would enjoy the most doing some time travel and disrupt events at any place and time, the chaotic elements of the Sphere of Entropy, have rarely studied it enough-except for Thanatos, who is quite knowledgeable about Temporal Prime, and sometimes uses it to his advantage (see the HWA series for an example of his time-related plots). Last but not least, Immortal time travel is restricted by Immortal laws. Immortal laws: Immortals have their own laws concerning time travel, as they have laws concerning direct intervention. The law is quite simple: Time traveling is forbidden, except for Immortals from the Sphere of Time-this is their natural sphere of influence, and they are assumed to know best-and when special missions through time are approved by a council of hierarchs (see the HWA series for an example of such an occurrence). There is one major exception to this rule: When a candidate reaches Immortality, his/her sponsor can slip to Temporal Prime to severe his/her lifeline, to cast a Preserve Lifeline spell, and possibly to travel back a few seconds to return at the very time of his/her slipping. Immortals from the Sphere of Time are responsible for watching Temporal Prime for unauthorized Immortal travels, catch the culprit-generally by trapping them in a temporal stasis with their greater knowledge of Temporal Prime-and bringing them to a council of hierarchs to be judged. Some Immortals of the Sphere of Time generally volunteer for this task, because they are profoundly interested in the safekeeping of Mystaran history-with Khoronus being the first of them and coordinating their efforts. Because of this laws, as well as other reasons, most Immortals prefer not to tamper with Temporal Prime unless they have the proper authorizations, or they are very careful to conceal their actions. Immortals that didn't gain their Immortality with the help of a sponsor don't always strictly adhere to Immortal laws, and are known to travel through time when this is in their interest, or otherwise interfere with Temporal Prime-this is what Rafiel and Rad did when chronomancers of Alphatia tried to contact the Blackmoorians-but they are generally watched by Immortals of Time and can be brought to Pandius to be judged if they interfere. Mortal identities: Whenever an Immortal creates a mortal identity, a new lifeline appears in the Temporal Prime. This lifeline is generally quite bright since the mortal identity is very powerful and able to greatly affect the lives of many persons. If the Immortal returns to his/her manifestation form and back from time to time, the lifeline corresponding to the mortal identity stops and restarts accordingly, the same way as does that of a chronomancer. If the mortal identity is the same as that the Immortal had in mortal life, the same lifeline continues at some point after the effective ²death² of its owner (this phenomenon can also happen with a chronomancer's lifeline). Immortals sometimes protect the lifelines of their most important mortal identities. An Immortal can be present in his/her mortal guise and Immortal form at the same time simply by traveling through time as Immortals, effectively negating the side effect of not being able to use their Immortal powers while in mortal form, but this is rare occurrence because of the Immortal laws." This means you cannot interfere too much in an Immortal's life, for Temporal Prime and the Sphere of Time would prevent you from doing anything like this.. For more information, see: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dungeon/2967/m-chrono.html in my homepage. DM Senior Editor of the Mystaran Almanac First Officer of U.S.S. Unicorn Visit Marco's Mystara Homepage at: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dungeon/2967 Join the Mystara Webring at: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dungeon/2967/mystring.html Join the Starfleet Academy at: http://gilda.it/startrek (Italian RPG PBEM) *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #423 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Wednesday, September 29 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 424 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. Re: [MYSTARA] - Topic of Wild Magic Re: [MYSTARA] - Play by email? [MYSTARA] - question for all of you.(IMPORTANT) Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? [MYSTARA] - Burial ceremonies of the Hin Re: [MYSTARA] - question for all of you.(IMPORTANT) Re: [MYSTARA] - question for all of you.(IMPORTANT) Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? [MYSTARA] - Tall Tales of the Wee Folk Re: [MYSTARA] - question for all of you.(IMPORTANT) Re: [MYSTARA] - Tall Tales of the Wee Folk Re: [MYSTARA] - Tall Tales of the Wee Folk ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 18:31:51 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? I do not think Orcus, nor Odin think of themselves as being D&D or AD&D. They think of themselves as people. Just Imagine, "Hi, I'm Odin. I come from the order of D&D. Do not defy the order of D&D!!!" - -- On Tue, 28 Sep 1999 14:14:52 =?iso-8859-1?Q?H=E5vard_R=F8nne_Faanes?= wrote: >On Mon, 27 Sep 1999, Rob wrote: > >> (Is Orcus more D&D than AD&D do you think? Orcus, Demogorgon and Alphaks >> are supposed to be the three Immortal Fiends in WotI - Orcus and Demogorgon >> are alive and well in the Abyss, though I imagine it would be pretty >> pointless bringing >> Alphaks along into AD&D without Alphatia to kill...) > >Orcus has been part of the AD&D mythos a long time. I consider AD&D Orcus >and Mystara Ocus to be two separate entities. Just the same as Odin for >that matter... :) > >Also, I think our Orcus would kick Lloths butt easily :) > >Hevard > >Haavard R. Faanes (hoc@nvg.ntnu.no) >http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/~hoc > >"Remember, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people." -Mr >Garrison, South Park. > >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > > HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 18:34:19 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. I think that whatever happens in the PCs reality should be allowed. This will not affect other realities. This just removes the PC from the normal stream of realities. The game master should not dictate either way. HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 18:53:44 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Topic of Wild Magic Order/Integration and Chaos/Entropy should not be combined. There are various concepts. There could be ordered entropy and chaotic creation. In the beginning, there was a lot of random energy (CHAOS) which was on the positive side (CREATION). The absense of anything was ENTROPY. Overtime (at this point there was no concept of linear time) or rather as TIME put in motion the bodies of reality (think of this like islands in a sea), reality merged and ORDER was formed. As ORDER formed, magic was less wild. As time progresses there is less wild magic, and magic becomes more difficult to cast. The more difficult it is to cast magic due to ORDER, the greater the effect of backfire from wild magic. Wild Magic actually causes a slight bend in the fabric of reality, while ordered magic works within the confines of reality. OD&D lumps evil as being Chaos, and good with being Lawful. This is not necessarily the case. Both chaos and order (lawful) are different ways to go about being good or evil. Evil and Good are primitive cultural concepts. The preception of good/evil varies from culture to culture, and from individual to individual. Maybe the designers chose to ignore good/evil for this exact reason. The concept of creation and entropy are higher concious thoughts and do not necessarily all the time equate to good and evil. These are just forces of the universe. Interestingly, this concept creation/entropy are a part of Buddhaism beliefs of conciousness and destruction. To achieve elightenment, i.e. attaining absoluting nothingness through will, will allow one to understand everything, the meaning of life, the secrets, everything. In a sense, this is acheiving Immortality. (Hmm... ideas for worshippers Al-Kalim ). regards, Joaquin - -- On Sun, 26 Sep 1999 19:23:19 Francisco Navarro wrote: >Mr. Darknerd wrote: >> During the transition from Entropy to Life or Creation (described briefly >in PC1 Tales of the Wee Folk), most magic was wild magic. There was not >much reality or Order at this time. Most things were chaotic, however there >are those that formed reality out of their very imagination. This was wild >magic in its finest form. The fey often used this to shape the dreams and >reality to their imagination in early Mystara (pre-dinosaur era). > > > >I agree with Mr. Darknerd's description of Wild Magic. > >One point that they always emphasize with Mystara is that the Lawful-Chaotic >axis is more important that the Good-Evil axis. (Granted it probably came >from OD&D becoming AD&D...) The Chaos/Entropy-Order/Integration creation >myth from Tales of the Wee Folk reflects this. It makes sense that Wild >Magic does a have such a place in Mystara. It makes sense too that the >faeries would probably be a good source of wild magic. > >Philosophical question: Does the presence/occurence of wild magic in this >time in Mystara herald the coming of that cosmic flux between >Order/Integration and Chaos/Entropy? > >Kit Navarro >fanavarro@pacific.net.ph > > >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > > HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 22:10:46 EDT From: BoBoII@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Play by email? You can also check out a Mystara based game using X4,X5, Master of the Desert Nomads campaign on the Phoenyx.net. BoBo II *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 11:25:15 +0200 From: thibault sarlat Subject: [MYSTARA] - question for all of you.(IMPORTANT) hi everybody (again). I would like to know if among you all the browsers you are using can read the PNG format (a very compacted graphic format).I just tested it and the results are amazing.Where a good gif would take 300k, the same pict in png format only take 105k!!!! so for all of us who have ( or will have) a site with picts/maps etc...this could be the solution.But want to be sure that all the browsers you are using are compatible (IE4 and N4 are compatible), and also the web TV surfer.... So let me know what you think about an potential change in the default format. - -- Thibault Sarlat ICQ 16622177. Check out my sites : The main page is at http://www.mystara.com.bi Also, the Mapping Zone is at http://www.mystara-maps.com.bi And finally the Gazeteer zone is at http://www.mystara-gazeteers.com.bi Pour rejoindre la Mystara mailing liste francophone, rendez-vous sur ma page de garde en bas. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 13:45:50 +0200 (CEST) From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?H=E5vard_R=F8nne_Faanes?= Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? On Tue, 28 Sep 1999, Mr. Darknerd wrote: > I do not think Orcus, nor Odin think of themselves as being D&D or > AD&D. They think of themselves as people. > > Just Imagine, "Hi, I'm Odin. I come from the order of D&D. Do not > defy the order of D&D!!!" Okay, in relation to previous debates I suppose my statement about Mystara Orcus/Odin and AD&D Odin/orcus should be clarified. :) Orcus and Odin are part of the generic AD&D myhtology which I believe is derived from Greyhawk. What I meant was that if this mythology is used in a setting where Mystara also exists, Odin of Mystara and the other Odin should be considered separate entities. Just as two guys named Peter only one is from the US and the other is from Britain or something :) So, my previous post should not be read as an anti-ad&d statement. Håvard *** Haavard R. Faanes (hoc@nvg.ntnu.no) http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/~hoc "Remember, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people." -Mr Garrison, South Park. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 17:07:52 +0100 From: "Martin Mathes" Subject: [MYSTARA] - Burial ceremonies of the Hin This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_00B9_01BF0A9D.2A559BE0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi, during the planning of my latest campaign, I came upon the question, = what is the special relationship of a clans Blackflame and the clan.=20 So I thought of this: The clan's Blackflame is feed with the ashes of the dead hin of that = clan. This way the souls of the acestors are part of the hin life and = obviously a keeper will only use the Blackflame of his own clan. So if a = clan looses all his Blackflame it is at the edge of destruction as the = souls of all ancestors are lost as well. Any comments on this? - ------=_NextPart_000_00B9_01BF0A9D.2A559BE0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hi,
 
during the planning of my latest = campaign, I came=20 upon the question, what is the special relationship of a clans = Blackflame and=20 the clan.
 
So I thought of this:
The clan's Blackflame is feed with the = ashes of the=20 dead hin of that clan. This way the souls of the acestors are part of = the hin=20 life and obviously a keeper will only use the Blackflame of his own = clan.=20 So if a clan looses all his Blackflame it is at the edge of destruction = as the=20 souls of all ancestors are lost as well.
 
Any comments on this?
 
- ------=_NextPart_000_00B9_01BF0A9D.2A559BE0-- *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 10:11:48 -0500 From: "Ed Paynter" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - question for all of you.(IMPORTANT) Where can we find .PNG files to see if we can view them? - ----- Original Message ----- From: thibault sarlat To: Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 1999 4:25 AM Subject: [MYSTARA] - question for all of you.(IMPORTANT) > hi everybody (again). > > I would like to know if among you all the browsers you are using can > read the PNG format (a very compacted graphic format).I just tested it > and the results are amazing.Where a good gif would take 300k, the same > pict in png format only take 105k!!!! > so for all of us who have ( or will have) a site with picts/maps > etc...this could be the solution.But want to be sure that all the > browsers you are using are compatible (IE4 and N4 are compatible), and > also the web TV surfer.... > So let me know what you think about an potential change in the default > format. > > > -- > Thibault Sarlat > ICQ 16622177. > Check out my sites : > The main page is at http://www.mystara.com.bi > Also, the Mapping Zone is at http://www.mystara-maps.com.bi > And finally the Gazeteer zone is at http://www.mystara-gazeteers.com.bi > Pour rejoindre la Mystara mailing liste francophone, rendez-vous sur ma > page de garde en bas. > > > > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 11:36:07 -0500 From: "Eric Gillespie, Jr." Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - question for all of you.(IMPORTANT) - --wzJLGUyc3ArbnUjN Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable On Tue, Sep 28, 1999 at 11:25:15AM +0200, thibault sarlat wrote: > hi everybody (again). >=20 > I would like to know if among you all the browsers you are using can > read the PNG format (a very compacted graphic format).I just tested it > and the results are amazing.Where a good gif would take 300k, the same > pict in png format only take 105k!!!! More importantly, PNG is a lossless type of compression, unlike GIF or JPEG, both of which discard data during compression. Also, there are no patents on the algorithm, unlike GIF. > so for all of us who have ( or will have) a site with picts/maps > etc...this could be the solution.But want to be sure that all the > browsers you are using are compatible (IE4 and N4 are compatible), and > also the web TV surfer.... I don't know about web tv, but the latest versions of Internet Exploder and Nutscrape Navigator both support PNG. Visit http://www.w3.org/Graphics/PNG/ for more information on PNG. Also, the 3 images at the top of the page are PNGs, so you can make sure your browser supports the format. - --=20 Eric Gillespie, Jr. <*> epg@pobox.com "Man is a rope, tied between beast and overman--a rope over an abyss. A dangerous across, a dangerous on-the-way, a dangerous looking-back, a dangerous shuddering and stopping." --Friedrich Nietzsche - --wzJLGUyc3ArbnUjN Content-Type: application/pgp-signature - -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.0.0 (GNU/Linux) Comment: For info see http://www.gnupg.org iD8DBQE38j/3PTmY0kRwMzIRAV6CAJ9y09MZvIKV/0jcpJd8ggSuseV61ACggZyN tQJ7u/YwcwBqbTOl7xQl0xo= =utqH - -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- - --wzJLGUyc3ArbnUjN-- *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 14:22:16 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? Hey. :) I think in general it is important to be clear, as this consumes less time for everyone involved, and it more effectively communicates your thoughts. It is important to keep in mind that OD&D and Mystara are two different concepts. Mystara has statistics in both OD&D and AD&D, and there is a following that has adapted it to GURPS. Another point is that AD&D2 has many campaigns which include DarkSun, Ravenloft, Birthright, PlaneScape, SpellJammer, Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, Blackmoor, SavageCoast, HollowWorld, and Mystara. Moving on... Orcus was a general description presented in the original monster manual. Orcus only remained a monster statistic, and I beleive Mystara is the only campaign that represented him as a god/diety/immortal. Odin was never presented for Greyhawk. Odin was merely a description of a god presented in Dieties & Demigods, which was renamed into Legends & Lore. Odin was nothing more beyond this. I do not beleive Odin was presented in any campaign world besides Msytara though. - -- On Wed, 29 Sep 1999 13:45:50 =?iso-8859-1?Q?H=E5vard_R=F8nne_Faanes?= wrote: >On Tue, 28 Sep 1999, Mr. Darknerd wrote: > >> I do not think Orcus, nor Odin think of themselves as being D&D or >> AD&D. They think of themselves as people. >> >> Just Imagine, "Hi, I'm Odin. I come from the order of D&D. Do not >> defy the order of D&D!!!" > >Okay, in relation to previous debates I suppose my statement about Mystara >Orcus/Odin and AD&D Odin/orcus should be clarified. :) > >Orcus and Odin are part of the generic AD&D myhtology which I believe is >derived from Greyhawk. What I meant was that if this mythology is used in >a setting where Mystara also exists, Odin of Mystara and the other Odin >should be considered separate entities. >Just as two guys named Peter only one is from the US and the other is from >Britain or something :) > >So, my previous post should not be read as an anti-ad&d statement. > > >Hevard > >*** > >Haavard R. Faanes (hoc@nvg.ntnu.no) >http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/~hoc > >"Remember, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people." -Mr >Garrison, South Park. > >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > > HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 19:32:23 -0400 From: "SteelAngel" Subject: [MYSTARA] - Tall Tales of the Wee Folk Anyone else not completely buy that whole story about the "good folk" being fallen Immortals? That just smacks to me like a cheesy fairy legend, not the absolute truth. I would seem to think that the Fey were created before the Elves, but not before the creation of Mystara! Anyway, ideas, comments, flames? Ethan *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 17:37:17 -0700 (PDT) From: Jenn Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - question for all of you.(IMPORTANT) >But want to be sure that all the browsers >you are using are compatible (IE4 and N4 >are compatible), and also the web TV >surfer.... So let me know what you think >about an potential change in the default >format. Well, of the graphics on that web page, only one at the top was an actual .png, and it didn't show up for me (on WebTV). So I went to their home page, and they said that only WebTV boxes produced since January 1999 (I think that would be that Dish Player and "New Classic"/"New Plus" versions) can "read only" in .png...So I guess that's a big "no" for me. Disappointing, but I don't expect you to hold back everyone else just for my toaster box (and Ron's) ;-) ...if it works better, go for it! Jenn (back on the list, after a week of withdrawals) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 20:38:04 EDT From: Scoooman@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Tall Tales of the Wee Folk For one, I am close friends with many of the Fey, and they assure me that there is a starting point for all this. In the beginning there was only oblivion and within this oblivion there was something. The contestbetween Entropy and Creation continued. Time, Matter, Energy, and Thought awaited for the change towards Creation. Life was very powerful, but there was no order to define Life. As Entropy and Creation struggled, there was chaos. As Thoughts formed the Dreams, Energy was weaved into Matter, and the order of reality was thus established. Only pockets of this reality was formed between the wild chaos. Pathways or trods navigated the chaotic storms between these realities. In the beginning, Mystara was a small pocket of reality amongst the chaos and was formed by the Dreams of Immortals. There were no mortals as mortality could not be conceived at this time. The Immortals walked through all Time and realities and freely navigated the chaos. There were some that were confined to live within the Dreams of Immortals, and these people were known as the Fey. The Fey descended to Mystara to live amongst the Dreams. Here they could forge their own reality as they desire. In the beginning magic was very free and uncontrolled. Magic was unrestricted by the threads of reality. Surrounding the dreams of Mystara was the frenzy of chaos. Immortals and Fey alike could wield magic to their every desire, and use it to define the very reality. Great care was needed to wield such magic. If every Fey with their varying desires and passions formed their own separate reality, there would only chaos. Chaos would then destroy the very Dreams that made Mystara. Mystara would then be dissolved into oblivion. Immortals concerned with their Dream of Mystara had to take precautions. They could not permit the Fey to destroy Mystara with their passions and reckless usage of magic. The Immortals organized a group of Fey sworn to protect Mystara from the oblivion of Entrophy. This group was to be named the Seelie. The Seelie roamed Mystara policing wild and irresponsible uses of magic. Where one Fey changed reality, the Seelie would alter and patch reality again so that it reverts to its original state. The benign nature the Fey is to play freely without responsibility. There were those Fey that felt the Seelie were upsurd for "cleaning" up after other use of magic. These Fey became determined to make a joke out of the Seelie, and sought to destroy the work of the Seelie all in the name of fun. These group of pranksters became more popular and more of a nuisance. As their numbers grew, the group of pranksters were titled Unseelie. Eventually the Immortals of Entropy took notice of the Unseelie's activities. The Immortals of Entropy decided to help organize some grand festivities with the ultimate goal of dissolving the workings of the Seelie Fey, and in turn threatening to erase Mystara from existence. Good enough for you? Meltheim the Shadowstalker Infiltrator to the Immortals Devotee of Fate Eyes of the Starwatcher *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 02:24:33 +0200 From: "=?ISO-8859-1?Q?Andr=E9s_Piquer_Otero?=" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Tall Tales of the Wee Folk That just smacks to me like a cheesy fairy legend, not the > absolute truth. I would seem to think that the Fey were created before the > Elves, but not before the creation of Mystara! > Well, it does not sound too absurd if you think about the considerable number of Immortals whose original mortal forms were not native to Mystara, or even to Mystara's dimension (diaboli Immortals come from the Dimension of Nightmares). So, a conceivable story could be developed about fallen Immortals or would-be Immortals being flung by the hand of Fate into Mystara, instead of reduced to oblivion. Andrés *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #424 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Thursday, September 30 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 425 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: Re: [MYSTARA] - question for all of you.(IMPORTANT) Re: [MYSTARA] - question for all of you.(IMPORTANT) Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? Re: [MYSTARA] - Burial ceremonies of the Hin Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. [MYSTARA] - Two Questions [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) [MYSTARA] - Herolian Brands (long) [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence Re: [MYSTARA] - question for all of you.(IMPORTANT) Re: [MYSTARA] - Two Questions Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence [MYSTARA] - Tome of Mystara ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 23:09:46 -0500 (CDT) From: CronoCloud@webtv.net (Ron Rogers) Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - question for all of you.(IMPORTANT) HI My WebTV box (an original Plus) displayed every PNG test image I could find in the site Eric posted just fine and dandy. However when I checked file types supported by WebTV,(at http://developer.webtv.net) PNG is not listed. But the PNG sites themselves say WebTV boxes DO support PNG and most of the PNG features like alpha blending and gamma correction.(at least the boxes manufactured this year) CronoCloud (Ron Rogers) *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 10:08:51 +0200 From: thibault sarlat Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - question for all of you.(IMPORTANT) Here is a thought.i would from now on post my maps in a ping format (if everyone is ok with that) and for those who cannot read them , i will be glad to mail them the same map in gif if they ask me for it.Ok? Ron Rogers a écrit: > HI > > My WebTV box (an original Plus) displayed every PNG test image I could > find in the site Eric posted just fine and dandy. However when I > checked file types supported by WebTV,(at http://developer.webtv.net) > PNG is not listed. > > But the PNG sites themselves say WebTV boxes DO support PNG and most of > the PNG features like alpha blending and gamma correction.(at least the > boxes manufactured this year) > > CronoCloud (Ron Rogers) > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. - -- Thibault Sarlat ICQ 16622177. Check out my sites : The main page is at http://www.mystara.com.bi Also, the Mapping Zone is at http://www.mystara-maps.com.bi And finally the Gazeteer zone is at http://www.mystara-gazeteers.com.bi Pour rejoindre la Mystara mailing liste francophone, rendez-vous sur ma page de garde en bas. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 05:10:11 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? In a message dated 29/09/99 22:27:34 GMT Daylight Time, darknerd@hotbot.com writes: > Orcus was a general description presented in the original monster manual. > Orcus only remained a monster statistic, and I beleive Mystara is the only > campaign that represented him as a god/diety/immortal. Actually, Orcus (the demon) was a/the prime villain in the "Bloodstone" modules for AD&D; although you're right when you say that only in Mystara is he considered a full-fledged Immortal/god/whatever. Carl Q. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 05:10:09 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Burial ceremonies of the Hin In a message dated 29/09/99 16:08:20 GMT Daylight Time, mathes@aix.siwi.uni-essen.de writes: > The clan's Blackflame is feed with the ashes of the dead hin of that clan. > This way the souls of the acestors are part of the hin life and obviously a > keeper will only use the Blackflame of his own clan. So if a clan looses all > his Blackflame it is at the edge of destruction as the souls of all ancestors > are lost as well. It's a very poetic idea, but since Blackflame burns in reverse, surely this would recreate the (dead) bodies of those Hin? Where would they keep them? And most importantly, how would they cope with the smell when all those bodies started decomposing? ;-) Carl Q. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 20:07:56 +1000 From: shawn stanley Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. At 18:34 28 09 99 -0700, you wrote: > >I think that whatever happens in the PCs reality should be allowed. This will not affect other realities. This just removes the PC from the normal stream of realities. > >The game master should not dictate either way. So what was the point of your original question if you ended up at this point any way? shawn stanley http://dnd.starflung.com what have you done for me lately ... more to the point what have i done for me - mightyfew, "i can't wait" *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 07:52:49 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: [MYSTARA] - Two Questions All, A couple of quick questions, as I don't have access to my Glantri Gaz or Dawn of the Emperors box at present:- - What's the proper name/title for the Council of 1,000 Mages in Alphatia? - - What's the name of the Flaemish Principality in Glantri? I'm embarrassed to have forgotten these, and if anyone can help, I'd be most grateful. Carl Q. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 08:32:12 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) All, Some more stuff from the echoing, dusty vaults of my imagination...;-) Comments/kindly crits appreciated , as always. Carl Q. - - Magical Cloaks: The following are a selection of the many magical cloaks and capes to be found on Mystara. Unicorn Cloak: These items are popular in the Kingdom of Wendar, particularly amongst forest Scouts; Diplomatic Couriers attached to the Royal Household sometimes wear them while on a mission. The Cloaks are woven from grey goat's-wool, shot through with silvery threads - the latter taken from the manes and tails of Unicorns (with their permission). The Cloaks radiate strongly under Detect Magic spells. A Unicorn Cloak grants its wearer the power to Dimension Door once per day, as a Unicorn. The normal rules concerning range and location apply. This effect requires simple concentration to activate. The Cloak's enchantment is centred on the slender threads of Unicorn hair in its weave; if struck by a bladed weapon, the wearer should roll 1d6. On a roll of 1 or 2, the blow has caused serious damage to the weave, and the Cloak loses its powers forevermore. Cloak of Arachnidae: This is a lightweight cloak, woven of expensive spider-silk and dyed black, which enjoyed a vogue in Alphatia during the years leading up to that continent's destruction. it serves as an attractive overgarment, both cool in the summer and cool in the winter, and provides a surprising degree of rain-proofing. The Cloak's true value, however, is as a defensive weapon. If the Cloak of Arachnidae is thrown at a target within 15' and a command word ("Aravarel") is spoken, it swiftly unravels itself, forming a silken web measuring 10'x10' which functions in all respects as a Web spell. The Cloak is a one-use item; once activated, it cannot be changed back into cloak-form. Despite their expense, many hundreds of Arachnidae Cloaks were manufactured in Alphatia; their usefulness makes it highly likely that they are still being produced on the new Alphatian continent. Cape of the Hsaio: This is a short cloak made of cotton, whose outside is completely covered in feathers from dozens of birds. The design is Ochalean. Only half-a-dozen were ever made, due to the rarity of their primary component; feathers gleaned from the powerful race of owl-Clerics called Hsaio. A Cape of the Hsaio acts as a Cloak of Protection +1 as long as it is worn. Each Cape has a number of Hsaio feathers (2d4 + 2 per Cape) attached loosely to it; these will detach when given a firm tug. The underside of each bears an inscription written in Ochalean, although the wearer of the Cape can read it as if it were in Common. Each of these feathers carries a random Clerical spell of 1st-3rd level, which the Cape's wearer (only) can cast as if from a scroll, whatever his class. Once the spell is cast, the feather crumbles into dust. When the last feather is used, the Cape loses all enchantment. Most of these Capes are the prized possessions of high-ranking Ochalean families, and are used only in extreme circumstances. Robe of Repulsion: This item is a fine, floor-length woollen over-robe or mantle. Each one is dyed and decorated to its owners specifications, so the appearance varies from garment to garment. A popular anti-assassin item in Glantri, where the Robes originated, the basic form of the garment allows the wearer to cast Protection from Normal Missiles upon himself once per day by speaking a command word (which varies for each individual Robe). However, since Glantrian Wizards are fundamentally incapable of leaving well enough alone, there are many Robes of this kind which also provide Invisibility when desired, automatic Teleportation if the wearer is harmed, etc. - the possibilities are endless. The Robe of Repulsion is frequently employed by adventuring Magi to provide protection in melee, enabling them to cast spells from the rear of the party without fear of having those spells disrupted by missile-fire. Although considered a "personal" item by most Glantrians, quantities of the basic Robe have been made and sold to other countries over time, so it might be possible to find a Robe of Repulsion almost anywhere in the Known World. Greycloak: This is a nondescript, dark grey woollen cloak with a hood, of a type which is almost universal throughout Mystara. The only distinguishing features about it are a faint trace of magic when Detect Magic is cast, and the fact that the hood fits tightly to the head, covering the face down to the base of the nose like a mask - a mask without eyeholes. These items were made and enchanted to the specifications of Doleran Forsuph, Guild Master of the Greycloaks, a small-time thieves' guild operating on Belissaria around 1950 AL; indeed, the thieves took their Guild name from the garments. They were designed to assist in night-time activities by negating the need for light. When pulled over the head, a Greycloak's hood magically provides the wearer with Infravision to a range of 30' in place of normal sight. This lasts for as long as the cloak is worn, and activates each time the hood is donned. A Dispel Magic spell, cast on a Greycloak, will negate this ability for one Turn. The Greycloak thieves guild was dissolved in 2007 AL when its Master was executed; many former members took their Greycloaks with them when they fled, while others were impounded or destroyed. A few such items almost certainly still exist, and might be found almost anywhere by now. Peace Cloak: These appear to be heavy, waterproof travelling-cloaks; they are only ever found in dark colours. Due to an unusual property of the cloaks themselves, they do not show up under magical detection - a very useful property, considering what these cloaks can do. The Peace Cloaks were manufactured by the Heldannic Orders, and are still used primarily by them, particularly in towns and cities where the carrying of weapons is forbidden. The lining of each Peace Cloak contains a small Pouch of Holding, whose interior is just large enough to contain a sword or mace. The aperture opens and closes when a command phrase ("Open in Vanya's Name!" - the Heldannics aren't particularly inventive) is spoken. When closed, the aperture is completely undetectable by any means, and the non-detection ability of the cloak protects magical weapons from discovery. A very few Peace Cloaks have left the Knights' grip, and might be found by adventurers; however, the Knights keep an eye open for lost items, and will come down heavily should they learn of one in private hands. Cloak of Preservation: This is a long, heavy, shiny cloak made of a curious, unnatural fibrous material unknown elsewhere on Mystara. In its normal form, the cloak has a hood in a concealed pocket, and a clasp made of precious metal and gemstones. The person who wears it will find it completely weatherproof and windproof (particularly with the hood up); moreover, when wrapped around the wearer, the cloak somehow maintains a constant, comfortable temperature no matter what the temperature is outside. The true power of the Cloak of Preservation comes into play when the wearer speaks the command inscribed on the clasp's underside (an ancient word which translates as "Activate"); the hood deploys, and the Cloak wraps itself like a shroud about the wearer, leaving no part of him uncovered. It then becomes a hard, indestructible sheath (actually, a force field deploys about the cloak). The occupant, meanwhile, is placed in suspended animation, protected from harm and the ravages of time, and requiring neither food, nor water, nor air. The field can only be deactivated by touching the gems of the clasp in a particular order. The Cloak of Preservation is a creation of the last days of Blackmoor, and was used by its occupants to survive the Great Rain of Fire. Only one is known to still exist, in its cocoon form, and resides as an exhibit within the Thyatian Museum of Antiquity in Kerendas. The unknown occupant expected to be freed after a short period by the other survivors of the cataclysm; he, or she, is still waiting. It is possible that other examples of the Cloak still remain, awaiting discovery; but where they may be, and who might occupy them, is a tale for another day... *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 08:32:15 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: [MYSTARA] - Herolian Brands (long) All, The following is the basis for a "different" type of magic which could be dropped into a Campaign; with slight variations and expansions, it might work well in, for example, a barbarian culture, in place of "normal" magic; alternatively, it works as an addition to the common body of lore. Feel free to use it as you choose. Any comments or crits would be very welcome. Carl Q. - - Alternate Magic - Herolian Brands: Delivane Crookback's multiversal travels once brought her to the Alternate Prime world of Herol - a world whose native magic was tied up in the creation of magical Brands, tattoos placed on certain parts of the body, which imparted some form of power to the Branded being. Intrigued, Delivane apprenticed herself to Ledendran, a Master of Brands, for a year to learn the basics of this art; upon returning home, she was delighted to discover that Herolian magic retained its efficacy even on Mystara. She has since taught the rudiments of Branding (treat as a three-slot Skill; only Delivane is qualified to teach it at present) to other Magi. The process of Branding is akin to the tattooist's art; it requires special dyes, created using expensive and difficult-to-obtain ingredients, and a fine needle of solid gold to prick the skin and implant the dye beneath it. Once the tattoo is in place, an extensive ritual (equivalent to a 6th-level spell, and memorised in a suitable slot - each different Brand requires a separate ritual, which must be taught or researched) is performed to enchant the Brand. An individual can bear any number of Brands, if they can bear the strain. Brands detect faintly as magical to a Detect Magic spell; they can be removed only by a Dispel Magic cast by a Mage of at least five levels higher than the Brander, a suitably-worded Wish, or by physically removing the Brand - and the skin it lies beneath - from the body. The creator of the Brand (only) may dispel the Brand's powers by reversing the original ritual, although this leaves the bearer with a non-magical tattoo. The Day of Dread causes the powers of the Brands to become dormant, regaining their powers the next day. Branding does not come without cost: the recipient of the Brand must sacrifice a portion of her life-force, or physical/mental prowess, to help empower the magic. Each Brand received costs the recipient either one attribute point from their Prime Requisite - if there is more than one PR, the highest score is used - or 1d4 hp, deducted permanently from their total (DM's choice). The only exceptions to this rule are Attribute Brands (see below), which draw 1 point from an opposing Attribute, or Slave Brands, which deduct hp from the Brand-Master instead. A selection of Brands - most of Delivane's available selection - are listed below. DMs are encouraged to come up with further examples of their own. - - The Warlock Brand: a crimson 5-pointed star, placed on the right cheek. This Brand grants the recipient the spellcasting abilities of a 1st-level Mage; any spells must be found and learnt separately, however. On Herol, this Brand is used to grant Mage-potential to likely candidates. The recipient has the potential to improve her abilities through training (and the acquisition of experience points), as per a normal Mage; if a 0-level human, she will progress normally as a Mage. If the recipient is already trained in another Class, however, she has the potential to become split-classed; to progress as a Mage, she must donate all XP received in any particular adventure into the Mage-class. No split-class character can progress in both classes at the same time, although she can alternate freely. Receipt of the Brand also permits usage of Mage-specific magical items as if a Mage of that level. - - The Priest Brand: a silver-grey birdlike shape, placed on the left cheek. This Brand grants the recipient the Turning powers of a 1st-level Cleric. As per the Warlock Brand, above, the recipient may advance as a split-class; however, he must ally with an Immortal or Ethos to do so - the initial Turning power is fuelled by the Brand itself. The Priest Brand allows the recipient to use Cleric-specific magical items, unless they are restricted to Clerics of particular Immortals. - - The Brand of Prophecy: a pair of blue zigzags covering the lips. This Brand grants the ability to perceive the future, both in dreams and visions. The power is not under the recipient's control, however, and occurs randomly (i.e. at the DM's convenience). Prophets on Herol are highly regarded, often taking positions of great importance amongst their people. - - The Moon-Touched Brand: a black crescent moon, placed on the forehead. This Brand grants the recipient the ability to Hide in Shadows with the same chances as a 1st-level Thief. If the recipient can already Hide in Shadows (a Thief/Rake/Bard), their effective level in this ability is boosted by one. The recipient receives no other Thief-like skills, however; and unlike the Warlock and Priest Brands, the Brand does not allow the bearer to improve on this level of skill (unless already a Thief or similar). - - The Beastmaster Brand: a dun-brown representation of a curved animal horn, placed over the left brow. This Brand grants the knowledge and Skills of Animal Empathy and Animal Training to the recipient, but only for one particular type of beast (horse, dog, etc). A second such Brand may be placed over the right brow, to grant Skill with another beast type, if desired, but two is the limit. This Brand usually grants Skill with normal domestic animals, although wild beasts or even magical creatures (DM's decision) might be possible. - - Attribute Brands: simple circles of different colours, representing each of the Attributes, placed on various parts of the body (the palm of the hand for Strength, for example, or the forehead for Intelligence). These boost the level of the chosen Attribute by one; unfortunately, as noted above, any such gain will require the sacrifice of one point from another Attribute. No Attribute can ever be raised by more than one point, using this method. Should the Brand be Dispelled or destroyed, the raised Attribute reverts to its former level; however, the sacrificed point is not regained. - - Slave Brands: These are individually-designed sigils, created by each Brand Master for her own use; they are placed on the subject's chest. The Brand Master must first place a Master Sigil on her own chest, twice the size of the Slave Brand, and costing one Intelligence point. Thereafter, each Slave Brand costs the Brand Master (not the Branded target) 1d4 hp from her permanent total. Thereafter, the victim of the Slave Brand obeys the Master as if Charmed, with the notable addition that he or she will actually kill, or lay down his/her own life, if so ordered. Permanently enslaving others in this way is frowned upon by the Heroli; on Mystara, it might be considered an Evil act (DM's decision). *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 08:32:19 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence All, Here's a possible solution to the Permanence-cancelling effects of that furshlugginer Day of Dread. Please let me know what you think. Carl Q. - - Improved Permanence: The advent of the Day of Dread - that awful time on the last day of the year when all magic fails on Mystara - in 1010 AC caused a shake-up in the way magic is viewed. Until this time, many spells with a "permanent" duration could indeed last forever; and, thanks to the 8th-level spell Permanence, many other spells could be granted a similar duration. This spell provided a cheap method of creating simple magic items, or granting innate powers to living creatures (although, since the spell could be Dispelled by a higher-level caster, such enchantments were far less durable than those used to create properly Enchanted items). The Day of Dread (DoD) changed all that. Now, the maximum possible duration for any Permanent spell is one year. Since 1011 (when Mystarans realised that the DoD was a recurring phenomenon), Mages across the globe began furiously researching ways to combat magic-cancelling effect. Fortunately, Permanence itself is an 8th-level spell, which allows for an improved version to be created. The basic version of this new spell - currently gaining popularity amongst Archmagi across the Known World - is outlined below:- Improved Permanence Level: 9 Range: 5' Duration: permanent until dispelled Effect: causes one magical effect to become permanent This spell, as the name suggests, is a more powerful version of the standard Permanence spell. As per the 8th-level version, this spell grants magical spells of 7th-level or less an indefinite generation. It has no effect on spells with either instantaneous (e.g. Fireball, Lightning Bolt) or permanent (e.g. Continual Light) durations. The enchantment lasts until Dispelled by either the caster or another spellcaster of equal or higher level; both spells are cancelled at the same time. Unlike Permanence, this spell is not destroyed by the effects of the DoD; instead, Improved Permanence and its dependent spell merely go dormant for the day, returning to normal function the next morning. A weapon can take up to three Improved Permanence spells (as opposed to five for Permanence); living creatures and non-weapon objects can hold only one each. Further castings of the spell on the same target cancels all such spells. Weapons have a 35% chance (for each casting after the first) of being destroyed utterly from the stresses of holding such powerful magic, causing 10d6 explosion damage to all beings within 10' (including the caster). A creature or weapon which has reached its limit of Improved Permanence spells can still receive additional castings of Permanence, however; 1 for creatures, 2 for weapons (allowing for the failure and destruction rule, above). One useful aspect of this spell is that it can work to preserve one-shot magic items such as Potions, which would otherwise be spoiled by the absence of magic - items so treated recover their efficacy on the following day. Note: If a creature or object is the subject of both Improved Permanence and Permanence enchantments, then only the spell affected by Permanence is cancelled on the DoD. The Improved Permanence-enchanted spell returns from dormancy the next day, as usual. This version of the spell, however, is far from the only one to spring up in the last few years. The following spells are a sampling of other, more idiosyncratic versions:- Eternal Life Level: 9 Range: 10' Duration: permanent until dispelled Effect: causes one magical effect to become permanent This unpleasant Permanence-variant was created by the Denagothian Necromancer Yemrath Verdiak in 1012 AC. Although he is no longer to be found on Mystara (either dead, or journeying through the Planes), his spell found its way into a number of spellbooks before (and since) he went missing. The spell functions similarly to Improved Permanence, above; like the earlier spell, Eternal Life is not cancelled by the DoD, instead going dormant for 24 hours. Verdiak designed his spell to use the life-force of sentient beings to fuel its power. For every level of the spell to be made permanent, the caster must ritually sacrifice twice as many HD-worth of sentient beings (e.g. to make a Fly spell - a 3rd-level enchantment - permanent requires the sacrifice of one 6HD being, two 3HD creatures, etc). A curious side-effect of Eternal Life causes the occasional enchanted object (never a creature) to develop sapience, as the soul of the sacrifice becomes tied into the enchantment. This is always a new persona, lacking the memories and skills (but sharing the Alignment) of the original. The chances of this happening are a base 5%, plus 1% per level of spell incorporated, multiplied by the number of spells made permanent on that item - hence, a weapon is far more likely to attain sentience than another object. If sentience is achieved, use the "Sword Intelligence, Communication, and Speech" rules in the Rules Cyclopedia to determine the level of that sentience for individual items. Use of this spell is an Evil act. Brigadon's Fading Enchantment Level: 9 Range: 10' Duration: permanent until dispelled Effect: causes one magical effect to become permanent Created by the Wizard Brigadon, an Alphatian émigré now living on Sclaras Island, this Permanence-variation employs a unique method of avoiding the DoD's effects; aware that the cessation of magic only occurred on the Prime Plane, Brigadon chose to incorporate a Plane-shifting aspect into his spell. Any object or being treated with Brigadon's Fading Enchantment will, at the moment the DoD begins, phase into the Ethereal Plane, remaining there for twenty-four hours; when magic returns to Mystara, so does the enchanted creature/item. No saving throw is permitted to resist this effect. A powerful character might easily use magic to return to the Prime Plane at any time, but doing so during the DoD will, of course, destroy the Fading Enchantment and its dependent spell. Whilst on the Ethereal, items (and creatures) are at the mercy of that Plane's native denizens; it is therefore advisable to conceal items within thick stone walls or behind lead plates before the shift occurs, to minimise the chances of them being moved or stolen before the day is over. Living beings are less easy to protect; encounters with Ethereal natives are almost assured (DMs should roll at least twice for encounters during the day, unless extraordinary measures are employed); fortunately, any magic the character possesses will still be available and useable whilst on the Ethereal. Nevertheless, Brigadon's Fading Enchantment is rarely used to grant permanent powers to living creatures. Spiritual Sustenance Level: 7 (Clerical) Range: touch Duration: permanent until dispelled Effect: causes one magical effect to become permanent Following the advent of the DoD, many Mages sought a solution to the disrupted Permanence spell - and not only Mages; high-ranking members of many religious orders sought out methods to achieve the same effect. The result, Spiritual Sustenance, was formulated by and provided to the High Clerics of half-a-dozen different Immortals at roughly the same time, which suggests collusion amongst the Immortals themselves - perhaps, in part, as recompense for the Immortals' part in forcing the creation of the DoD in the first place. Spiritual Sustenance functions in exactly the same way as Improved Permanence (see above), going dormant on the DoD but returning the day after, with two notable differences; the range of effect, and the necessity to maintain the spell's power on a regular basis. Specific rituals (which vary according to which Immortal provided the spell in the first place) must be performed over the spell's recipient at various times of the year (again, depending on the Immortal worshipped - usually on High Holy Days, and varying in duration, detail and frequency - DM's should provide the details). These should be performed by the casting Cleric, another Cleric of the same faith, or the recipient/carrier of the item - assuming the latter is a follower of that Immortal. This is vital, as sustaining the item requires an investiture of power by the Immortal, however minuscule it may be; the rituals replenish the energies within the enchanted object or person. The Immortals will usually forgive one missed ritual during the year; however, if more than one is missed, or the rituals are neglected entirely, the Spiritual Sustenance spell will fail permanently on the next DoD. If the neglect was the fault of the casting Cleric, she may find herself denied access to the Spiritual Sustenance spell in future, at least until restitution is made. One advantage of this is that stolen items will eventually lose their powers, unless the thief cannot maintain the rituals - the casting Cleric is not penalised in this instance, so long as she has made some effort to recover the item. Unlike the other Permanence-based spells listed here, this one affects both Clerical and Magical spells of 6th level or lower (DMs should carefully judge whether certain spells, once made permanent, would be unbalancing to the Campaign, in which case these are disallowed, By Order of The Immortals). The first Immortals to provide the spell were Ixion, Rathanos, Valerias, Ordana, Frey and Freyja (under their various guises), but other Immortals - of every Sphere - have begun to provide some version of it, too, in recent times. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 08:49:00 -0700 (PDT) From: Jenn Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - question for all of you.(IMPORTANT) > My WebTV box (an original Plus) displayed every PNG > test image I could > find in the site Eric posted just fine and dandy. Ron was kind enough to snd me some better test sites (thanks, Ron!), and I could load the images on my box as well. So it appears everything is ok, thib! Sorry for the confusion. Jenn __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 08:51:31 -0700 (PDT) From: Jenn Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Two Questions > - What's the proper name/title for the Council of > 1,000 Mages in Alphatia? IIRC, it's the Grand Council. > - What's the name of the Flaemish Principality in > Glantri? Berghdoven. > I'm embarrassed to have forgotten these, and if > anyone can help, I'd be most > grateful. Don't be embarassed till it's your own name you've forgtten (a point to which I feel dangerously close this week) ;-) Jenn __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 08:57:51 -0700 (PDT) From: Jenn Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence Carl, Sorry that I don't have more time to go though and reply to all of your wonderful creations at the moment, but I did want to write in and say that you've outdone yourself again! Everything was great, but I especially loved the magical cloaks (the Heldannic one in particular). Can't wait to see these uploaded to your site. Great work! Jenn __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 09:01:22 -0700 (PDT) From: Jenn Subject: [MYSTARA] - Tome of Mystara Hi all, (Sorry for the plug, but...) I just wanted to let everyone know that Tome of Mystara Issue #1 will be available tomorrow! (around midnight Eastern, 10/1) So please be sure to check into the Tome homepage then: http://www.geocities.com/mystaratome/ Thanks! Jenn __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #425 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Friday, October 1 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 426 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: Re: [MYSTARA] - Two Questions [MYSTARA] - i would have time to make more maps... Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence Re: [MYSTARA] - Tall Tales of the Wee Folk Re: [MYSTARA] - Herolian Brands (long) Re: [MYSTARA] - i would have time to make more maps... Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. [MYSTARA] - site Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence Re: [MYSTARA] - site Re: [MYSTARA] - site Re: [MYSTARA] - Tome of Mystara [MYSTARA] - Announcement! Re: [MYSTARA] - Faeries = Nightmare Immortals?? (was Tall Tales of the Wee Folk) Re: [MYSTARA] - i would have time to make more maps... Re: [MYSTARA] - i would have time to make more maps... Re: [MYSTARA] - Burial ceremonies of the Hin Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 18:24:48 +0200 From: Erewan Laubgaenger Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Two Questions CQuaif@aol.com wrote: > - What's the name of the Flaemish Principality in Glantri? the Principality of Bergdhoven. Ruled by House Linden have a nice day IBON *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 19:50:20 +0200 From: thibault sarlat Subject: [MYSTARA] - i would have time to make more maps... It is a great honor and pleasure( and relief) for me to announce that i got my exams.i will have one more year to spend mapping up mystara for all of us. - -- Thibault Sarlat ICQ 16622177. Check out my sites : The main page is at http://www.mystara.com.bi Also, the Mapping Zone is at http://www.mystara-maps.com.bi And finally the Gazeteer zone is at http://www.mystara-gazeteers.com.bi Pour rejoindre la Mystara mailing liste francophone, rendez-vous sur ma page de garde en bas. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 11:11:41 -0700 From: Patrick Sullivan Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence <> I like these, although I think it would be kind of cool to explain exactly what mechanism Improved Permanence uses to go dormant and then correct itself. It seems like most mages of sufficiently high level to use that spell would most likely take themselves and most of their important posessions away to their secret tower in another dimension for that time period. Also, what happens if another week without magic occurs, as happenned in WotI and as could happen again once enough energy is drained? Just some miscellaneous troublemaking--I really did like the ideas :~) Patrick *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 11:20:37 -0700 From: Patrick Sullivan Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Tall Tales of the Wee Folk One cool possibility opened by the fairies' previous existence as immortals is that it explains their affinity for mushrooms--think about it, fungi have almost no root system, and they seem to spring up anywhere where conditions are right. They feed off of other better-organized organic constructions (plants & animals, primarily), recycling their materials back into a more free, natural (to the fairy mind) state. Similarly, perhaps fairies have a close affinity with a few arthropods that fulfill similar functions--earthworms come to mind. Haven't you ever watched an earthworm crawling along and wondered why it suddenly changed course for no apparent reason? Well, perhaps earthworms have secod sight, and there was a fairy standing there :~) And perhaps on Mystara, such gifts aren't limited just to earthworms, but also to their bigger cousins, the purple worms and perhaps caecilliae. Perhaps the reason that fairies are so often seen in the compan of various insects is not just their size, but also a natural friendship of sorts. I'm not saying that fairies should necessarily pre-date the immortals, but to be honest, I don't think I've heard any more interesting explanations. Patrick *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 14:31:15 -0500 From: "Ed Paynter" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Herolian Brands (long) I like these! Would you say that they could be used as enchantment type magics as well? For eample, could someone use one in place of the Armor spell, or Stoneskin? Or are these all more ability based? epaynter@iupui.edu - ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Thursday, September 30, 1999 7:32 AM Subject: [MYSTARA] - Herolian Brands (long) > All, > > The following is the basis for a "different" type of magic which could be > dropped into a Campaign; with slight variations and expansions, it might work > well in, for example, a barbarian culture, in place of "normal" magic; > alternatively, it works as an addition to the common body of lore. Feel free > to use it as you choose. > > Any comments or crits would be very welcome. > > Carl Q. > > - > > > Alternate Magic - Herolian Brands: > > Delivane Crookback's multiversal travels once brought her to the Alternate > Prime world of Herol - a world whose native magic was tied up in the creation > of magical Brands, tattoos placed on certain parts of the body, which > imparted some form of power to the Branded being. Intrigued, Delivane > apprenticed herself to Ledendran, a Master of Brands, for a year to learn the > basics of this art; upon returning home, she was delighted to discover that > Herolian magic retained its efficacy even on Mystara. She has since taught > the rudiments of Branding (treat as a three-slot Skill; only Delivane is > qualified to teach it at present) to other Magi. > > The process of Branding is akin to the tattooist's art; it requires special > dyes, created using expensive and difficult-to-obtain ingredients, and a fine > needle of solid gold to prick the skin and implant the dye beneath it. Once > the tattoo is in place, an extensive ritual (equivalent to a 6th-level spell, > and memorised in a suitable slot - each different Brand requires a separate > ritual, which must be taught or researched) is performed to enchant the > Brand. An individual can bear any number of Brands, if they can bear the > strain. > > Brands detect faintly as magical to a Detect Magic spell; they can be removed > only by a Dispel Magic cast by a Mage of at least five levels higher than the > Brander, a suitably-worded Wish, or by physically removing the Brand - and > the skin it lies beneath - from the body. The creator of the Brand (only) may > dispel the Brand's powers by reversing the original ritual, although this > leaves the bearer with a non-magical tattoo. The Day of Dread causes the > powers of the Brands to become dormant, regaining their powers the next day. > > Branding does not come without cost: the recipient of the Brand must > sacrifice a portion of her life-force, or physical/mental prowess, to help > empower the magic. Each Brand received costs the recipient either one > attribute point from their Prime Requisite - if there is more than one PR, > the highest score is used - or 1d4 hp, deducted permanently from their total > (DM's choice). The only exceptions to this rule are Attribute Brands (see > below), which draw 1 point from an opposing Attribute, or Slave Brands, which > deduct hp from the Brand-Master instead. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 16:02:24 -0400 From: Jerry Hovenanian Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - i would have time to make more maps... thibault sarlat wrote: > It is a great honor and pleasure( and relief) for me to announce that i > got my exams.i will have one more year to spend mapping up mystara for > all of us. Joy.. Rapture. But i have two questiona...have you not maped the world by now???...LOL...and will there be Hollow World maps???...HHHMMMMM..... - -- Jerry Hovenanian clumsydwarf@usa.net http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Dunes/7295/ ICQ# 18008809 War doesn't determine who is right, war determines who is left. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 23:48:31 +0200 From: Erewan Laubgaenger Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) CQuaif@aol.com wrote: > Magical Cloaks: > > The following are a selection of the many magical cloaks and capes to be > found on Mystara. i like them - send more the Cloak of Preservation is very good. i have an coffin that has the same effect. i use it to freezer for humans - an old warrior is inside and will support the PC if they need big help. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 16:44:23 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. You don't have to be so cynical. Have I said any offensive words to have such a reaction? I was stating that the player's reality should be left alone. The GM shouldn't mess with the player's reality in his timeline. When the player changes his reality, it simply creates a new alternate timeline. Thus the GM in a sense, can keep the current timeline untouched, but the player's existance in ther other remains changed. - -- On Thu, 30 Sep 1999 20:07:56 shawn stanley wrote: >At 18:34 28 09 99 -0700, you wrote: >> >>I think that whatever happens in the PCs reality should be allowed. This >will not affect other realities. This just removes the PC from the normal >stream of realities. >> >>The game master should not dictate either way. > >So what was the point of your original question if you ended up at this >point any way? > >shawn stanley >http://dnd.starflung.com > >what have you done for me lately ... more to the point what have i done for me > - mightyfew, "i can't wait" >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > > HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 18:34:26 -0700 From: Eleanor Williams Subject: [MYSTARA] - site Here's a site that may be of use, maybe not. http://crpp0001.uqtr.uquebec.ca/www_wanderer/Towns/Cartes.html *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 22:43:00 EDT From: Kaviyd@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence In a message dated 1999-09-30 14:10:51 Eastern Daylight Time, pds3@dana.ucc.nau.edu writes: > Also, what happens if another week without magic occurs, as > happenned in WotI and as could happen again once enough energy is drained? > Just some miscellaneous troublemaking--I really did like the ideas :~) A lot depends on which way the drain is occurring now -- are we closer to another week of no magic or to having Kaldmont 28 become a normal day once again? *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 22:43:01 EDT From: Kaviyd@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - site In a message dated 1999-09-30 21:33:08 Eastern Daylight Time, ewilliams@onlinemac.com writes: > Here's a site that may be of use, maybe not. > http://crpp0001.uqtr.uquebec.ca/www_wanderer/Towns/Cartes.html Okay -- why might this site be of use? What is it about? *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 19:54:56 -0700 From: Eleanor Williams Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - site It's a collection of maps. I thought they might be of use. Kaviyd@aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 1999-09-30 21:33:08 Eastern Daylight Time, > ewilliams@onlinemac.com writes: > > > Here's a site that may be of use, maybe not. > > http://crpp0001.uqtr.uquebec.ca/www_wanderer/Towns/Cartes.html > > Okay -- why might this site be of use? What is it about? > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 21:00:39 -0700 From: Patrick Sullivan Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Tome of Mystara I just want to congratulate everyone who worked on the Tome of Mystara--I haven't had a chance to look through it thoroughly yet, but so far it looks good. I haven't checked the MMB yet this evening, but if you haven't yet posted a notice there, someone should do so--looks great! Patrick *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 21:00:13 -0700 (PDT) From: Jenn Subject: [MYSTARA] - Announcement! Tome of Mystara, the first Mystaran e-zine, is online, and available now! Adventures, articles, essays, and original artwork - all in one place! Stop by and see, and leave a note in our Guestbook! Tome of Mystara is at: http://www.geocities.com/mystaratome/ Just look for the Issue #1 link! - - Jennifer Favia Guerra - - Kevin Turner Editors, Tome of Mystara ===== __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 23:39:29 -0700 (PDT) From: Shane Henry Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Faeries = Nightmare Immortals?? (was Tall Tales of the Wee Folk) I'm not sure on this, but didn't someone posit that the Faeries are the Nightmare Prime's version of the Normal Prime's Immortals? If so, I'd like to know more about this theory, since I'm really "into" Normal/Nightmare parallels. Shane ===== __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 01 Oct 1999 09:40:33 +0200 From: thibault sarlat Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - i would have time to make more maps... halas , not the whole outer world!! but before the next june, i would have mapped up the outer world, in 72 miles per hex at least.Then the process of focalisation (going to 8 miles per hex) would take long also. As for the HW, i've not worked on it yet but i may do it (if someone ask me so). thib Jerry Hovenanian a écrit: > thibault sarlat wrote: > > > It is a great honor and pleasure( and relief) for me to announce that i > > got my exams.i will have one more year to spend mapping up mystara for > > all of us. > > Joy.. Rapture. But i have two questiona...have you not maped the world by > now???...LOL...and will there be Hollow World maps???...HHHMMMMM..... > > -- > Jerry Hovenanian clumsydwarf@usa.net > http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Dunes/7295/ > ICQ# 18008809 > > War doesn't determine who is right, > war determines who is left. > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. - -- Thibault Sarlat ICQ 16622177. Check out my sites : The main page is at http://www.mystara.com.bi Also, the Mapping Zone is at http://www.mystara-maps.com.bi And finally the Gazeteer zone is at http://www.mystara-gazeteers.com.bi Pour rejoindre la Mystara mailing liste francophone, rendez-vous sur ma page de garde en bas. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1999 15:20:07 +0200 (CEST) From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?H=E5vard_R=F8nne_Faanes?= Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - i would have time to make more maps... On Thu, 30 Sep 1999, Jerry Hovenanian wrote: > thibault sarlat wrote: > > > It is a great honor and pleasure( and relief) for me to announce that i > > got my exams.i will have one more year to spend mapping up mystara for > > all of us. > Joy.. Rapture. But i have two questiona...have you not maped the world by > now???...LOL...and will there be Hollow World maps???...HHHMMMMM..... How about one of the entire Brun continent? Dunno what scale that would be, but a kind of overview map would be neat. More on my wish-list: Sylvan Realm (did anyone do that?) Hyperboria Håvard Haavard R. Faanes (hoc@nvg.ntnu.no) http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/~hoc "Remember, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people." -Mr Garrison, South Park. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1999 09:38:38 -0400 From: "jdaly" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Burial ceremonies of the Hin Perhaps indeed the flame acts as a kind of preservative. Perhaps the Five Shires practices mummification at that point... - ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Thursday, September 30, 1999 5:10 AM Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Burial ceremonies of the Hin > In a message dated 29/09/99 16:08:20 GMT Daylight Time, > mathes@aix.siwi.uni-essen.de writes: > > > The clan's Blackflame is feed with the ashes of the dead hin of that clan. > > This way the souls of the acestors are part of the hin life and obviously a > > keeper will only use the Blackflame of his own clan. So if a clan looses > all > > his Blackflame it is at the edge of destruction as the souls of all > ancestors > > are lost as well. > > It's a very poetic idea, but since Blackflame burns in reverse, surely this > would recreate the (dead) bodies of those Hin? > > Where would they keep them? And most importantly, how would they cope with > the smell when all those bodies started decomposing? ;-) > > Carl Q. > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1999 09:41:46 -0400 From: "jdaly" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) I like these. I might change the origin of the Unicorn Cloak to Bettelyn though... - ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Thursday, September 30, 1999 8:32 AM Subject: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) > All, > > Some more stuff from the echoing, dusty vaults of my imagination...;-) > > Comments/kindly crits appreciated , as always. > > Carl Q. > > - > > Magical Cloaks: > > The following are a selection of the many magical cloaks and capes to be > found on Mystara. > > > Unicorn Cloak: > > These items are popular in the Kingdom of Wendar, particularly amongst forest > Scouts; Diplomatic Couriers attached to the Royal Household sometimes wear > them while on a mission. The Cloaks are woven from grey goat's-wool, shot > through with silvery threads - the latter taken from the manes and tails of > Unicorns (with their permission). The Cloaks radiate strongly under Detect > Magic spells. > > A Unicorn Cloak grants its wearer the power to Dimension Door once per day, > as a Unicorn. The normal rules concerning range and location apply. This > effect requires simple concentration to activate. The Cloak's enchantment is > centred on the slender threads of Unicorn hair in its weave; if struck by a > bladed weapon, the wearer should roll 1d6. On a roll of 1 or 2, the blow has > caused serious damage to the weave, and the Cloak loses its powers > forevermore. > > > Cloak of Arachnidae: > > This is a lightweight cloak, woven of expensive spider-silk and dyed black, > which enjoyed a vogue in Alphatia during the years leading up to that > continent's destruction. it serves as an attractive overgarment, both cool in > the summer and cool in the winter, and provides a surprising degree of > rain-proofing. The Cloak's true value, however, is as a defensive weapon. > > If the Cloak of Arachnidae is thrown at a target within 15' and a command > word ("Aravarel") is spoken, it swiftly unravels itself, forming a silken web > measuring 10'x10' which functions in all respects as a Web spell. The Cloak > is a one-use item; once activated, it cannot be changed back into cloak-form. > > Despite their expense, many hundreds of Arachnidae Cloaks were manufactured > in Alphatia; their usefulness makes it highly likely that they are still > being produced on the new Alphatian continent. > > > Cape of the Hsaio: > > This is a short cloak made of cotton, whose outside is completely covered in > feathers from dozens of birds. The design is Ochalean. Only half-a-dozen were > ever made, due to the rarity of their primary component; feathers gleaned > from the powerful race of owl-Clerics called Hsaio. > > A Cape of the Hsaio acts as a Cloak of Protection +1 as long as it is worn. > Each Cape has a number of Hsaio feathers (2d4 + 2 per Cape) attached loosely > to it; these will detach when given a firm tug. The underside of each bears > an inscription written in Ochalean, although the wearer of the Cape can read > it as if it were in Common. Each of these feathers carries a random Clerical > spell of 1st-3rd level, which the Cape's wearer (only) can cast as if from a > scroll, whatever his class. Once the spell is cast, the feather crumbles into > dust. When the last feather is used, the Cape loses all enchantment. > > Most of these Capes are the prized possessions of high-ranking Ochalean > families, and are used only in extreme circumstances. > > > Robe of Repulsion: > > This item is a fine, floor-length woollen over-robe or mantle. Each one is > dyed and decorated to its owners specifications, so the appearance varies > from garment to garment. > > A popular anti-assassin item in Glantri, where the Robes originated, the > basic form of the garment allows the wearer to cast Protection from Normal > Missiles upon himself once per day by speaking a command word (which varies > for each individual Robe). However, since Glantrian Wizards are fundamentally > incapable of leaving well enough alone, there are many Robes of this kind > which also provide Invisibility when desired, automatic Teleportation if the > wearer is harmed, etc. - the possibilities are endless. > > The Robe of Repulsion is frequently employed by adventuring Magi to provide > protection in melee, enabling them to cast spells from the rear of the party > without fear of having those spells disrupted by missile-fire. Although > considered a "personal" item by most Glantrians, quantities of the basic Robe > have been made and sold to other countries over time, so it might be possible > to find a Robe of Repulsion almost anywhere in the Known World. > > > Greycloak: > > This is a nondescript, dark grey woollen cloak with a hood, of a type which > is almost universal throughout Mystara. The only distinguishing features > about it are a faint trace of magic when Detect Magic is cast, and the fact > that the hood fits tightly to the head, covering the face down to the base of > the nose like a mask - a mask without eyeholes. > > These items were made and enchanted to the specifications of Doleran Forsuph, > Guild Master of the Greycloaks, a small-time thieves' guild operating on > Belissaria around 1950 AL; indeed, the thieves took their Guild name from the > garments. They were designed to assist in night-time activities by negating > the need for light. > > When pulled over the head, a Greycloak's hood magically provides the wearer > with Infravision to a range of 30' in place of normal sight. This lasts for > as long as the cloak is worn, and activates each time the hood is donned. A > Dispel Magic spell, cast on a Greycloak, will negate this ability for one > Turn. > > The Greycloak thieves guild was dissolved in 2007 AL when its Master was > executed; many former members took their Greycloaks with them when they fled, > while others were impounded or destroyed. A few such items almost certainly > still exist, and might be found almost anywhere by now. > > > Peace Cloak: > > These appear to be heavy, waterproof travelling-cloaks; they are only ever > found in dark colours. Due to an unusual property of the cloaks themselves, > they do not show up under magical detection - a very useful property, > considering what these cloaks can do. > > The Peace Cloaks were manufactured by the Heldannic Orders, and are still > used primarily by them, particularly in towns and cities where the carrying > of weapons is forbidden. The lining of each Peace Cloak contains a small > Pouch of Holding, whose interior is just large enough to contain a sword or > mace. The aperture opens and closes when a command phrase ("Open in Vanya's > Name!" - the Heldannics aren't particularly inventive) is spoken. When > closed, the aperture is completely undetectable by any means, and the > non-detection ability of the cloak protects magical weapons from discovery. > > A very few Peace Cloaks have left the Knights' grip, and might be found by > adventurers; however, the Knights keep an eye open for lost items, and will > come down heavily should they learn of one in private hands. > > > Cloak of Preservation: > > This is a long, heavy, shiny cloak made of a curious, unnatural fibrous > material unknown elsewhere on Mystara. In its normal form, the cloak has a > hood in a concealed pocket, and a clasp made of precious metal and gemstones. > The person who wears it will find it completely weatherproof and windproof > (particularly with the hood up); moreover, when wrapped around the wearer, > the cloak somehow maintains a constant, comfortable temperature no matter > what the temperature is outside. > > The true power of the Cloak of Preservation comes into play when the wearer > speaks the command inscribed on the clasp's underside (an ancient word which > translates as "Activate"); the hood deploys, and the Cloak wraps itself like > a shroud about the wearer, leaving no part of him uncovered. It then becomes > a hard, indestructible sheath (actually, a force field deploys about the > cloak). The occupant, meanwhile, is placed in suspended animation, protected > from harm and the ravages of time, and requiring neither food, nor water, nor > air. The field can only be deactivated by touching the gems of the clasp in a > particular order. > > The Cloak of Preservation is a creation of the last days of Blackmoor, and > was used by its occupants to survive the Great Rain of Fire. Only one is > known to still exist, in its cocoon form, and resides as an exhibit within > the Thyatian Museum of Antiquity in Kerendas. The unknown occupant expected > to be freed after a short period by the other survivors of the cataclysm; he, > or she, is still waiting. > > It is possible that other examples of the Cloak still remain, awaiting > discovery; but where they may be, and who might occupy them, is a tale for > another day... > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #426 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Friday, October 1 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 427 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. Re: [MYSTARA] - i would have time to make more maps... Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? [MYSTARA] - Arcane Items of Night's Dark Terror Orcus Rebuttle (was Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods?) Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? [MYSTARA] - Conjure companion from GAZ3 Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 01 Oct 1999 09:46:27 +0200 From: thibault sarlat Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortal Flaw , my version of it. So i agree with you on that matter. everything depends on the prospect.DM or PC. thib Mr. Darknerd a écrit: > You don't have to be so cynical. Have I said any offensive words to have such a reaction? > > I was stating that the player's reality should be left alone. The GM shouldn't mess with the player's reality in his timeline. When the player changes his reality, it simply creates a new alternate timeline. Thus the GM in a sense, can keep the current timeline untouched, but the player's existance in ther other remains changed. > > -- > > On Thu, 30 Sep 1999 20:07:56 shawn stanley wrote: > >At 18:34 28 09 99 -0700, you wrote: > >> > >>I think that whatever happens in the PCs reality should be allowed. This > >will not affect other realities. This just removes the PC from the normal > >stream of realities. > >> > >>The game master should not dictate either way. > > > >So what was the point of your original question if you ended up at this > >point any way? > > > >shawn stanley > >http://dnd.starflung.com > > > >what have you done for me lately ... more to the point what have i done for me > > - mightyfew, "i can't wait" > >*************************************************************************** > >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > > > > > > HotBot - Search smarter. > http://www.hotbot.com > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. - -- Thibault Sarlat ICQ 16622177. Check out my sites : The main page is at http://www.mystara.com.bi Also, the Mapping Zone is at http://www.mystara-maps.com.bi And finally the Gazeteer zone is at http://www.mystara-gazeteers.com.bi Pour rejoindre la Mystara mailing liste francophone, rendez-vous sur ma page de garde en bas. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 01 Oct 1999 15:55:21 +0200 From: thibault sarlat Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - i would have time to make more maps... they are already on their way ... =?iso-8859-1?Q?H=E5vard_R=F8nne_Faanes?= a écrit: > On Thu, 30 Sep 1999, Jerry Hovenanian wrote: > > > thibault sarlat wrote: > > > > > It is a great honor and pleasure( and relief) for me to announce that i > > > got my exams.i will have one more year to spend mapping up mystara for > > > all of us. > > > Joy.. Rapture. But i have two questiona...have you not maped the world by > > now???...LOL...and will there be Hollow World maps???...HHHMMMMM..... > > How about one of the entire Brun continent? Dunno what scale that would > be, but a kind of overview map would be neat. > > More on my wish-list: > Sylvan Realm (did anyone do that?) > Hyperboria > > Håvard > > Haavard R. Faanes (hoc@nvg.ntnu.no) > http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/~hoc > > "Remember, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people." -Mr > Garrison, South Park. > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. - -- Thibault Sarlat ICQ 16622177. Check out my sites : The main page is at http://www.mystara.com.bi Also, the Mapping Zone is at http://www.mystara-maps.com.bi And finally the Gazeteer zone is at http://www.mystara-gazeteers.com.bi Pour rejoindre la Mystara mailing liste francophone, rendez-vous sur ma page de garde en bas. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1999 17:24:00 +0200 (CEST) From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?H=E5vard_R=F8nne_Faanes?= Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? On Wed, 29 Sep 1999, Mr. Darknerd wrote: > It is important to keep in mind that OD&D and Mystara are two > different concepts. Mystara has statistics in both OD&D and AD&D, and > there is a following that has adapted it to GURPS. Another point is > that AD&D2 has many campaigns which include DarkSun, Ravenloft, > Birthright, PlaneScape, SpellJammer, Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, > Blackmoor, SavageCoast, HollowWorld, and Mystara. I disagree. And Agree. It is clear that rules and setting are two separate things, but OD&D has had a tremendous impact on Mystara, and one can say that Mystara has evolved around the D&D system. I'm not saying you can't play Mystara with other rules (I use GURPS and SAGA myself). AD&D has had several products published that have setting information in them, but that claim to be core products independent of setting. even if the Complete Book of Dwarves has Battleragers, that doesn't mean that every AD&D world has battleragers. However, the way this is done in AD&D is that if the setting products The reason why this is important to me is because the gusy who converted Mystara to AD&D didnt do a good job. And they even attempted to squeeze mystara into the standard AD&D Multiverse removing such elements as dimensions and changing the Nightmare dimension to the demiplane of Nightmares etc. All these minor changes made Mystara more like any of the other AD&D settings and IMO what makes Mystara interesting is what sets it apart from other settings. > Moving on... > > Orcus was a general description presented in the original monster > manual. Orcus only remained a monster statistic, and I beleive > Mystara is the only campaign that represented him as a > god/diety/immortal. Odin was never presented for Greyhawk. Odin was > merely a description of a god presented in Dieties & Demigods, which > was renamed into Legends & Lore. Odin was nothing more beyond this. > I do not beleive Odin was presented in any campaign world besides > Msytara though. But does this mean that you think the Orcus statistics presented in the mm should be accepted as official AD&D Mystara? Do you think that the description below the stats applies automatically to Mystara? The same for Odin? Håvard Haavard R. Faanes (hoc@nvg.ntnu.no) http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/~hoc "Remember, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people." -Mr Garrison, South Park. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1999 12:04:36 -0400 From: "jdaly" Subject: [MYSTARA] - Arcane Items of Night's Dark Terror This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01BF0C05.216E26A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable See what you guys think of this. I have decided to give some extra = details to magic items in=20 some of my favorite modules. **************************************** Night's Dark Terror 1) Description-A physical description of the object,=20 2) Details-Those items which may be learned from significant research = and analysis magic. =20 It is NOT stuff that will be commonly known, but a DM may hand out the = info at his own=20 discretion. Sometimes it will be handed out as a result of a skill a = character has (arcane lore,=20 history) and other times it will come out as a result of time spent = searching for the details. =20 Any effort on the part of the pcs should be rewarded, but the timing and = the amount of=20 information rewarded is completely up to the DM. ? Pyotr's Sword Description-An old beat up broadsword, with nicks and scratches all = along the length. =20 The blade is wholly unremarkable except for the fact that it is so worn, = and yet useable. The=20 hilt is plain, the bindings fraying a bit here and there. Details-Pyotr loves to tell the story of how his father gave a traveler = a warm, dry bed on a=20 cold day in the Fall. The traveler turned out to be a priest of Halav, = who blessed his father's=20 sword where it hung over the mantle and rubbed special oil into the = blade. ? Pyotr's Arrows Description-17 finely fletched arrows. While the material is poor, the = workmanship is=20 excellent. The heads are a kind of steel, with silvery sparkles showing = beneath the sheen. Details-The day before he died, Novannes the smith made these arrows out = of the only=20 material at hand: a few rocks found along the riverbed by his wife. = Unfortunately, the=20 arrows were not enough to save his life when he was struck down by = goblins. ? Gnhass' Red-blade Battle Axe Description-This battle axe has been completely coated in red paint. = Were the paint to be=20 removed, fine sigils would be seen along the haft. Details-The sigils hearken to the story of Halav and the Serpent = Warrior, an obscure=20 heroic tale known only to a few old Traldaran story-singers. Basically, = the read something=20 like, "For the love of his people, he clove the serpent." The axe = itself, was made centuries=20 after Halav's time, when the stories were being told and young men = listened intently. The=20 axe was commissioned by one of these young men, to fight against the = invasion of Thyatis. =20 To his disappointment, the glorious battles never quite happened the way = he wanted them to. ? Fyodorll's Chainmail Description-A bluesteel chainmail that shines dully. Details-Fyodorrl is an elven renegade from Vyalia. She slew her husband = over some=20 meaningless quarrel, and fled with his suit of chainmail. The working = of the armor is elven,=20 one of many made for the betterment of the clan. ? Vlack's Two-Handed Sword Description-A massive blade, with a garnet in the hilt. Details-The barbarian devotee of Thor, Rodigard Thelfson, made a name = for himself in the=20 Soderfjord Jarldoms. He traveled from camp to camp, petty warlord to = petty warlord,=20 respecting his own law and dispensing his own justice wherever he went. = The valkyries=20 eventually came for him, in the midst of an enormous battle with gnolls. = The blade passed=20 hands from humanoid to adventurer, until it ended up among the = hobgoblins of Karameikos. ? Ancient Hutaakan Mace Description-A mace, long and heavy, with jewels running the length of = its handle, and a=20 few gems embedded in the head. The handle is made of wood, but the head = is bronze. Details-An old Hutaakan necromancer made this mace for a favored = servant. The=20 servant's job was to subdue any creations that ran wild, and so the mace = was a very=20 appropriate gift. =20 ? Elven Short Sword Description-A keen, blade with faint runes on the pommel of the hilt.=20 Details-Forged with the purpose of defeating the evil mage, who hit the = Petrified Forest=20 with a magical blight many centuries ago, this sword is courtesy of the = Eastern Vyalian elves=20 of Thyatis. There were about 100 forged for the battle, most were lost. ? Shield of Kloss Description-A kite shield, whose excellent workmanship is belied by the = crude depiction of=20 a wolf skull. Details-This shield was wielded by a knight of Kelvin, Baik Talor, who = received the shield=20 as a gift from his parents. He left it behind on an adventure to = Alfhiem from which he has=20 never returned. His parents gave the shield to an adventurer, in the = hopes that he would be=20 able to use it to find Baik. The adventurer died at the hands of the = goblins. ? Arthol's Sword Description-While not having rich trappings, this sword is well oiled = and sharp. It is=20 obviously a sword of quality workmanship. A small blue hammer sigil can = be seen on the=20 hilt. Details-This is a blade that the Patriarch of Threshold had made for = officers of the town. ? Gragszt's Battle Axe Description-An iron battle axe, unremarkable. Details-Forged by local dwarves long ago as a present to an ancient, = forgotten king of=20 Traladara, the iron is considered far superior to the soft bronze the = humans were used to. ? Hutaakan Armor Description-Heavily decorated armor with scrollwork and sigils. The = metal making up the=20 armor is orange, but does not have the same texture as rust. Details-While oddly shaped, the armor may be worn by normal adventurers. - ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01BF0C05.216E26A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
See what you guys think of this.  I have = decided to give=20 some extra details to magic items in
some of my favorite=20 modules.
****************************************
 
Night’s Dark Terror
 
1) Description—A physical description of the = object,=20
 
2) Details—Those items which may be learned = from significant=20 research and analysis magic. 
It is NOT stuff that will be = commonly=20 known, but a DM may hand out the info at his own
discretion.  = Sometimes=20 it will be handed out as a result of a skill a character has (arcane = lore,=20
history) and other times it will come out as a result of time spent=20 searching for the details. 
Any effort on the part of the pcs = should be=20 rewarded, but the timing and the amount of
information rewarded is=20 completely up to the DM.
 

? Pyotr’s Sword
Description—An = old beat up broadsword,=20 with nicks and scratches all along the length. 
The blade is = wholly=20 unremarkable except for the fact that it is so worn, and yet = useable.  The=20
hilt is plain, the bindings fraying a bit here and = there.
Details—Pyotr=20 loves to tell the story of how his father gave a traveler a warm, dry = bed on a=20
cold day in the Fall.  The traveler turned out to be a priest = of Halav,=20 who blessed his father’s
sword where it hung over the mantle = and rubbed=20 special oil into the blade.
 
? Pyotr’s Arrows
Description—17 = finely fletched=20 arrows.  While the material is poor, the workmanship is=20
excellent.  The heads are a kind of steel, with silvery = sparkles=20 showing beneath the sheen.
Details—The day before he died, = Novannes the smith=20 made these arrows out of the only
material at hand:  a few = rocks found=20 along the riverbed by his wife.  Unfortunately, the
arrows were = not=20 enough to save his life when he was struck down by goblins.
 
? Gnhass’ Red-blade Battle = Axe
Description—This battle axe=20 has been completely coated in red paint.  Were the paint to be =
removed,=20 fine sigils would be seen along the haft.
 
Details—The sigils hearken to the story of = Halav and the=20 Serpent Warrior, an obscure
heroic tale known only to a few old = Traldaran=20 story-singers.  Basically, the read something
like, “For = the love of=20 his people, he clove the serpent.”  The axe itself, was made = centuries=20
after Halav’s time, when the stories were being told and young = men listened=20 intently.  The
axe was commissioned by one of these young men, = to fight=20 against the invasion of Thyatis. 
To his disappointment, the = glorious=20 battles never quite happened the way he wanted them to.
 
? Fyodorll’s Chainmail
Description—A = bluesteel chainmail=20 that shines dully.
 
Details—Fyodorrl is an elven renegade from = Vyalia.  She=20 slew her husband over some
meaningless quarrel, and fled with his = suit of=20 chainmail.  The working of the armor is elven,
one of many made = for the=20 betterment of the clan.
 
? Vlack’s Two-Handed = Sword
Description—A massive blade,=20 with a garnet in the hilt.
 
Details—The barbarian devotee of Thor, = Rodigard Thelfson, made=20 a name for himself in the
Soderfjord Jarldoms.  He traveled = from camp=20 to camp, petty warlord to petty warlord,
respecting his own law and=20 dispensing his own justice wherever he went.  The valkyries =
eventually=20 came for him, in the midst of an enormous battle with gnolls.  The = blade=20 passed
hands from humanoid to adventurer, until it ended up among = the=20 hobgoblins of Karameikos.
 
? Ancient Hutaakan Mace
Description—A mace, = long and heavy,=20 with jewels running the length of its handle, and a
few gems = embedded in the=20 head.  The handle is made of wood, but the head is = bronze.
Details—An=20 old Hutaakan necromancer made this mace for a favored servant.  The =
servant’s job was to subdue any creations that ran wild, and = so the mace was=20 a very
appropriate gift. 
 
? Elven Short Sword
Description—A keen, = blade with faint=20 runes on the pommel of the hilt.
 
Details—Forged with the purpose of defeating = the evil mage,=20 who hit the Petrified Forest
with a magical blight many centuries = ago, this=20 sword is courtesy of the Eastern Vyalian elves
of Thyatis.  = There were=20 about 100 forged for the battle, most were lost.
 
? Shield of Kloss
Description—A kite = shield, whose=20 excellent workmanship is belied by the crude depiction of
a wolf=20 skull.
Details—This shield was wielded by a knight of Kelvin, = Baik Talor, who=20 received the shield
as a gift from his parents.  He left it = behind on=20 an adventure to Alfhiem from which he has
never returned.  His = parents=20 gave the shield to an adventurer, in the hopes that he would be
able = to use=20 it to find Baik.  The adventurer died at the hands of the=20 goblins.
 
? Arthol’s Sword
Description—While = not having rich=20 trappings, this sword is well oiled and sharp.  It is
obviously = a sword=20 of quality workmanship.  A small blue hammer sigil can be seen on = the=20
hilt.
Details—This is a blade that the Patriarch of = Threshold had made=20 for officers of the town.
 
? Gragszt’s Battle Axe
Description—An = iron battle axe,=20 unremarkable.
Details—Forged by local dwarves long ago as a = present to an=20 ancient, forgotten king of
Traladara, the iron is considered far = superior to=20 the soft bronze the humans were used to.
 
? Hutaakan Armor
Description—Heavily = decorated armor with=20 scrollwork and sigils.  The metal making up the
armor is = orange, but=20 does not have the same texture as rust.
Details—While oddly = shaped, the armor=20 may be worn by normal adventurers.
 
 
 
 
- ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01BF0C05.216E26A0-- *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 01 Oct 1999 10:20:14 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Orcus Rebuttle (was Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods?) >But does this mean that you think the Orcus statistics presented in the mm >should be accepted as official AD&D Mystara? Do you think that the >description below the stats applies automatically to Mystara? The same for >Odin? > >Hevard I beleive that the picture is important. :-) Actually, I think the description as used in the Mystara setting should be used. It the AD&D1 statistic matches the Mystara description, then this can be accepted. The description would need updated to AD&D2 though for those players, and naturally converted to any other source. As always, the idea supercedes the gaming system, as the idea can be translated to any system. An example is that Zirchev has animal friends and casts spells that affect animals. This idea can be converted into numerous conceptions in various gaming systems, but the idea remains the same. HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 01 Oct 1999 10:28:23 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Immortals to Gods? I am not sure if I can completely understand your point. You points do not seem to relate to my assertion that "Mystara and OD&D are different concepts" or rather "seperate concepts". Focusing on your comments, I agree that (1) there are generic material which may belong to a given campaign, and (2) that the AD&D version of Mystara didn't do a good job, or rather failed to convert many of the concepts to the AD&D2 system. Nevertheless, Mystara world can be presented successfully to many systems: SAGA, GURPS, Fantasy Hero, OD&D, AD&D1, AD&D2, AD&D2 + Handbooks, AD&D2 + Handbooks + C&T + S&P + S&M, D&D3, etc. Mystara can be presented successfully, or it can be presented poorly. Personally, I hope to present Mystara successfully in AD&D2. And some day, I hope I can present it successfully in GURPS (and maybe even D&D3, though I am a little cautious). - -- On Fri, 1 Oct 1999 17:24:00 =?iso-8859-1?Q?H=E5vard_R=F8nne_Faanes?= wrote: >On Wed, 29 Sep 1999, Mr. Darknerd wrote: > >> It is important to keep in mind that OD&D and Mystara are two >> different concepts. Mystara has statistics in both OD&D and AD&D, and >> there is a following that has adapted it to GURPS. Another point is >> that AD&D2 has many campaigns which include DarkSun, Ravenloft, >> Birthright, PlaneScape, SpellJammer, Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, >> Blackmoor, SavageCoast, HollowWorld, and Mystara. > >I disagree. And Agree. >It is clear that rules and setting are two separate things, but OD&D has >had a tremendous impact on Mystara, and one can say that Mystara has >evolved around the D&D system. I'm not saying you can't play Mystara with >other rules (I use GURPS and SAGA myself). > >AD&D has had several products published that have setting information in >them, but that claim to be core products independent of setting. even if >the Complete Book of Dwarves has Battleragers, that doesn't mean that >every AD&D world has battleragers. However, the way this is done in AD&D >is that if the setting products > >The reason why this is important to me is because the gusy who converted >Mystara to AD&D didnt do a good job. And they even attempted to squeeze >mystara into the standard AD&D Multiverse removing such elements as >dimensions and changing the Nightmare dimension to the demiplane of >Nightmares etc. All these minor changes made Mystara more like any of the >other AD&D settings and IMO what makes Mystara interesting is what sets it >apart from other settings. > >> Moving on... >> >> Orcus was a general description presented in the original monster >> manual. Orcus only remained a monster statistic, and I beleive >> Mystara is the only campaign that represented him as a >> god/diety/immortal. Odin was never presented for Greyhawk. Odin was >> merely a description of a god presented in Dieties & Demigods, which >> was renamed into Legends & Lore. Odin was nothing more beyond this. >> I do not beleive Odin was presented in any campaign world besides >> Msytara though. > >But does this mean that you think the Orcus statistics presented in the mm >should be accepted as official AD&D Mystara? Do you think that the >description below the stats applies automatically to Mystara? The same for >Odin? > >Hevard > > >Haavard R. Faanes (hoc@nvg.ntnu.no) >http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/~hoc > >"Remember, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people." -Mr >Garrison, South Park. > >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > > HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 01 Oct 1999 13:22:56 -0700 From: Dave Keyser Subject: [MYSTARA] - Conjure companion from GAZ3 I have a question about the Conjure Companion ability, as taken from GAZ3: It says that a magic-user has a 2% chance per level to succeed. So a 9th level mage will have an 18% chance of success. Later, it says that every asterisk after the hit dice which the target creature has reduces the chance of success by -10%. So a gremlin, which is listed as 1**, would reduce chance of success by -20%. Now I understood this to mean that a 10th level wizard could not conjure a gremlin for a companion. One would have to be at least an 11th level wizard. But in the NPC descriptions, Lathan Aendyr, a level 5 magic-user at the school, has a gremlin familiar. Does this mean I should interpret the penalty to be a percentage of the percentage of success? So Lathan would have had a 10% chance of success normally, and an 8% chance of success for summoning a gremlin. Or is this another case of an NPC not having to play by the same rules as the PCs? Dave Keyser *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 01 Oct 1999 17:29:52 -0400 From: redrobyne Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) These are pretty neat, I especially like the cloak of preservation and cloak of Hsaio. Stewart > All, > > Some more stuff from the echoing, dusty vaults of my imagination...;-) > > Comments/kindly crits appreciated , as always. > > Carl Q. > > - > > Magical Cloaks: > > The following are a selection of the many magical cloaks and capes to be > found on Mystara. > > > Unicorn Cloak: > > These items are popular in the Kingdom of Wendar, particularly amongst forest > Scouts; Diplomatic Couriers attached to the Royal Household sometimes wear > them while on a mission. The Cloaks are woven from grey goat's-wool, shot > through with silvery threads - the latter taken from the manes and tails of > Unicorns (with their permission). The Cloaks radiate strongly under Detect > Magic spells. > > A Unicorn Cloak grants its wearer the power to Dimension Door once per day, > as a Unicorn. The normal rules concerning range and location apply. This > effect requires simple concentration to activate. The Cloak's enchantment is > centred on the slender threads of Unicorn hair in its weave; if struck by a > bladed weapon, the wearer should roll 1d6. On a roll of 1 or 2, the blow has > caused serious damage to the weave, and the Cloak loses its powers > forevermore. > > > Cloak of Arachnidae: > > This is a lightweight cloak, woven of expensive spider-silk and dyed black, > which enjoyed a vogue in Alphatia during the years leading up to that > continent's destruction. it serves as an attractive overgarment, both cool in > the summer and cool in the winter, and provides a surprising degree of > rain-proofing. The Cloak's true value, however, is as a defensive weapon. > > If the Cloak of Arachnidae is thrown at a target within 15' and a command > word ("Aravarel") is spoken, it swiftly unravels itself, forming a silken web > measuring 10'x10' which functions in all respects as a Web spell. The Cloak > is a one-use item; once activated, it cannot be changed back into cloak-form. > > Despite their expense, many hundreds of Arachnidae Cloaks were manufactured > in Alphatia; their usefulness makes it highly likely that they are still > being produced on the new Alphatian continent. > > > Cape of the Hsaio: > > This is a short cloak made of cotton, whose outside is completely covered in > feathers from dozens of birds. The design is Ochalean. Only half-a-dozen were > ever made, due to the rarity of their primary component; feathers gleaned > from the powerful race of owl-Clerics called Hsaio. > > A Cape of the Hsaio acts as a Cloak of Protection +1 as long as it is worn. > Each Cape has a number of Hsaio feathers (2d4 + 2 per Cape) attached loosely > to it; these will detach when given a firm tug. The underside of each bears > an inscription written in Ochalean, although the wearer of the Cape can read > it as if it were in Common. Each of these feathers carries a random Clerical > spell of 1st-3rd level, which the Cape's wearer (only) can cast as if from a > scroll, whatever his class. Once the spell is cast, the feather crumbles into > dust. When the last feather is used, the Cape loses all enchantment. > > Most of these Capes are the prized possessions of high-ranking Ochalean > families, and are used only in extreme circumstances. > > > Robe of Repulsion: > > This item is a fine, floor-length woollen over-robe or mantle. Each one is > dyed and decorated to its owners specifications, so the appearance varies > from garment to garment. > > A popular anti-assassin item in Glantri, where the Robes originated, the > basic form of the garment allows the wearer to cast Protection from Normal > Missiles upon himself once per day by speaking a command word (which varies > for each individual Robe). However, since Glantrian Wizards are fundamentally > incapable of leaving well enough alone, there are many Robes of this kind > which also provide Invisibility when desired, automatic Teleportation if the > wearer is harmed, etc. - the possibilities are endless. > > The Robe of Repulsion is frequently employed by adventuring Magi to provide > protection in melee, enabling them to cast spells from the rear of the party > without fear of having those spells disrupted by missile-fire. Although > considered a "personal" item by most Glantrians, quantities of the basic Robe > have been made and sold to other countries over time, so it might be possible > to find a Robe of Repulsion almost anywhere in the Known World. > > > Greycloak: > > This is a nondescript, dark grey woollen cloak with a hood, of a type which > is almost universal throughout Mystara. The only distinguishing features > about it are a faint trace of magic when Detect Magic is cast, and the fact > that the hood fits tightly to the head, covering the face down to the base of > the nose like a mask - a mask without eyeholes. > > These items were made and enchanted to the specifications of Doleran Forsuph, > Guild Master of the Greycloaks, a small-time thieves' guild operating on > Belissaria around 1950 AL; indeed, the thieves took their Guild name from the > garments. They were designed to assist in night-time activities by negating > the need for light. > > When pulled over the head, a Greycloak's hood magically provides the wearer > with Infravision to a range of 30' in place of normal sight. This lasts for > as long as the cloak is worn, and activates each time the hood is donned. A > Dispel Magic spell, cast on a Greycloak, will negate this ability for one > Turn. > > The Greycloak thieves guild was dissolved in 2007 AL when its Master was > executed; many former members took their Greycloaks with them when they fled, > while others were impounded or destroyed. A few such items almost certainly > still exist, and might be found almost anywhere by now. > > > Peace Cloak: > > These appear to be heavy, waterproof travelling-cloaks; they are only ever > found in dark colours. Due to an unusual property of the cloaks themselves, > they do not show up under magical detection - a very useful property, > considering what these cloaks can do. > > The Peace Cloaks were manufactured by the Heldannic Orders, and are still > used primarily by them, particularly in towns and cities where the carrying > of weapons is forbidden. The lining of each Peace Cloak contains a small > Pouch of Holding, whose interior is just large enough to contain a sword or > mace. The aperture opens and closes when a command phrase ("Open in Vanya's > Name!" - the Heldannics aren't particularly inventive) is spoken. When > closed, the aperture is completely undetectable by any means, and the > non-detection ability of the cloak protects magical weapons from discovery. > > A very few Peace Cloaks have left the Knights' grip, and might be found by > adventurers; however, the Knights keep an eye open for lost items, and will > come down heavily should they learn of one in private hands. > > > Cloak of Preservation: > > This is a long, heavy, shiny cloak made of a curious, unnatural fibrous > material unknown elsewhere on Mystara. In its normal form, the cloak has a > hood in a concealed pocket, and a clasp made of precious metal and gemstones. > The person who wears it will find it completely weatherproof and windproof > (particularly with the hood up); moreover, when wrapped around the wearer, > the cloak somehow maintains a constant, comfortable temperature no matter > what the temperature is outside. > > The true power of the Cloak of Preservation comes into play when the wearer > speaks the command inscribed on the clasp's underside (an ancient word which > translates as "Activate"); the hood deploys, and the Cloak wraps itself like > a shroud about the wearer, leaving no part of him uncovered. It then becomes > a hard, indestructible sheath (actually, a force field deploys about the > cloak). The occupant, meanwhile, is placed in suspended animation, protected > from harm and the ravages of time, and requiring neither food, nor water, nor > air. The field can only be deactivated by touching the gems of the clasp in a > particular order. > > The Cloak of Preservation is a creation of the last days of Blackmoor, and > was used by its occupants to survive the Great Rain of Fire. Only one is > known to still exist, in its cocoon form, and resides as an exhibit within > the Thyatian Museum of Antiquity in Kerendas. The unknown occupant expected > to be freed after a short period by the other survivors of the cataclysm; he, > or she, is still waiting. > > It is possible that other examples of the Cloak still remain, awaiting > discovery; but where they may be, and who might occupy them, is a tale for > another day... > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #427 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Saturday, October 2 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 428 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! Re: [MYSTARA] - Burial ceremonies of the Hin Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! Re: [MYSTARA] - Burial ceremonies of the Hin Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! [MYSTARA] - Empire of Zuyevo -LONG (By Adrian Mattias) [MYSTARA] - Zuyevo Map Legend -LONG (By Adrian Mattias) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 01 Oct 1999 17:38:48 -0400 From: redrobyne Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence I always thought things went dormant in the first place not completely dispelled because that would mean artifacts and the like would be ruined? Stewart > Here's a possible solution to the Permanence-cancelling effects of that > furshlugginer Day of Dread. Please let me know what you think. > > Carl Q. > > - > > Improved Permanence: > > The advent of the Day of Dread - that awful time on the last day of the year > when all magic fails on Mystara - in 1010 AC caused a shake-up in the way > magic is viewed. Until this time, many spells with a "permanent" duration > could indeed last forever; and, thanks to the 8th-level spell Permanence, > many other spells could be granted a similar duration. This spell provided a > cheap method of creating simple magic items, or granting innate powers to > living creatures (although, since the spell could be Dispelled by a > higher-level caster, such enchantments were far less durable than those used > to create properly Enchanted items). > > The Day of Dread (DoD) changed all that. Now, the maximum possible duration > for any Permanent spell is one year. Since 1011 (when Mystarans realised that > the DoD was a recurring phenomenon), Mages across the globe began furiously > researching ways to combat magic-cancelling effect. Fortunately, Permanence > itself is an 8th-level spell, which allows for an improved version to be > created. The basic version of this new spell - currently gaining popularity > amongst Archmagi across the Known World - is outlined below:- > > > Improved Permanence > Level: 9 > Range: 5' > Duration: permanent until dispelled > Effect: causes one magical effect to become permanent > This spell, as the name suggests, is a more powerful version of the standard > Permanence spell. As per the 8th-level version, this spell grants magical > spells of 7th-level or less an indefinite generation. It has no effect on > spells with either instantaneous (e.g. Fireball, Lightning Bolt) or permanent > (e.g. Continual Light) durations. The enchantment lasts until Dispelled by > either the caster or another spellcaster of equal or higher level; both > spells are cancelled at the same time. > > Unlike Permanence, this spell is not destroyed by the effects of the DoD; > instead, Improved Permanence and its dependent spell merely go dormant for > the day, returning to normal function the next morning. A weapon can take up > to three Improved Permanence spells (as opposed to five for Permanence); > living creatures and non-weapon objects can hold only one each. Further > castings of the spell on the same target cancels all such spells. Weapons > have a 35% chance (for each casting after the first) of being destroyed > utterly from the stresses of holding such powerful magic, causing 10d6 > explosion damage to all beings within 10' (including the caster). A creature > or weapon which has reached its limit of Improved Permanence spells can still > receive additional castings of Permanence, however; 1 for creatures, 2 for > weapons (allowing for the failure and destruction rule, above). > > One useful aspect of this spell is that it can work to preserve one-shot > magic items such as Potions, which would otherwise be spoiled by the absence > of magic - items so treated recover their efficacy on the following day. > > Note: If a creature or object is the subject of both Improved Permanence and > Permanence enchantments, then only the spell affected by Permanence is > cancelled on the DoD. The Improved Permanence-enchanted spell returns from > dormancy the next day, as usual. > > > This version of the spell, however, is far from the only one to spring up in > the last few years. The following spells are a sampling of other, more > idiosyncratic versions:- > > > Eternal Life > Level: 9 > Range: 10' > Duration: permanent until dispelled > Effect: causes one magical effect to become permanent > This unpleasant Permanence-variant was created by the Denagothian Necromancer > Yemrath Verdiak in 1012 AC. Although he is no longer to be found on Mystara > (either dead, or journeying through the Planes), his spell found its way into > a number of spellbooks before (and since) he went missing. > > The spell functions similarly to Improved Permanence, above; like the earlier > spell, Eternal Life is not cancelled by the DoD, instead going dormant for 24 > hours. Verdiak designed his spell to use the life-force of sentient beings to > fuel its power. For every level of the spell to be made permanent, the caster > must ritually sacrifice twice as many HD-worth of sentient beings (e.g. to > make a Fly spell - a 3rd-level enchantment - permanent requires the sacrifice > of one 6HD being, two 3HD creatures, etc). > > A curious side-effect of Eternal Life causes the occasional enchanted object > (never a creature) to develop sapience, as the soul of the sacrifice becomes > tied into the enchantment. This is always a new persona, lacking the memories > and skills (but sharing the Alignment) of the original. The chances of this > happening are a base 5%, plus 1% per level of spell incorporated, multiplied > by the number of spells made permanent on that item - hence, a weapon is far > more likely to attain sentience than another object. If sentience is > achieved, use the "Sword Intelligence, Communication, and Speech" rules in > the Rules Cyclopedia to determine the level of that sentience for individual > items. > > Use of this spell is an Evil act. > > > Brigadon's Fading Enchantment > Level: 9 > Range: 10' > Duration: permanent until dispelled > Effect: causes one magical effect to become permanent > Created by the Wizard Brigadon, an Alphatian émigré now living on Sclaras > Island, this Permanence-variation employs a unique method of avoiding the > DoD's effects; aware that the cessation of magic only occurred on the Prime > Plane, Brigadon chose to incorporate a Plane-shifting aspect into his spell. > > Any object or being treated with Brigadon's Fading Enchantment will, at the > moment the DoD begins, phase into the Ethereal Plane, remaining there for > twenty-four hours; when magic returns to Mystara, so does the enchanted > creature/item. No saving throw is permitted to resist this effect. A powerful > character might easily use magic to return to the Prime Plane at any time, > but doing so during the DoD will, of course, destroy the Fading Enchantment > and its dependent spell. > > Whilst on the Ethereal, items (and creatures) are at the mercy of that > Plane's native denizens; it is therefore advisable to conceal items within > thick stone walls or behind lead plates before the shift occurs, to minimise > the chances of them being moved or stolen before the day is over. Living > beings are less easy to protect; encounters with Ethereal natives are almost > assured (DMs should roll at least twice for encounters during the day, unless > extraordinary measures are employed); fortunately, any magic the character > possesses will still be available and useable whilst on the Ethereal. > Nevertheless, Brigadon's Fading Enchantment is rarely used to grant permanent > powers to living creatures. > > > Spiritual Sustenance > Level: 7 (Clerical) > Range: touch > Duration: permanent until dispelled > Effect: causes one magical effect to become permanent > Following the advent of the DoD, many Mages sought a solution to the > disrupted Permanence spell - and not only Mages; high-ranking members of many > religious orders sought out methods to achieve the same effect. The result, > Spiritual Sustenance, was formulated by and provided to the High Clerics of > half-a-dozen different Immortals at roughly the same time, which suggests > collusion amongst the Immortals themselves - perhaps, in part, as recompense > for the Immortals' part in forcing the creation of the DoD in the first place. > > Spiritual Sustenance functions in exactly the same way as Improved Permanence > (see above), going dormant on the DoD but returning the day after, with two > notable differences; the range of effect, and the necessity to maintain the > spell's power on a regular basis. Specific rituals (which vary according to > which Immortal provided the spell in the first place) must be performed over > the spell's recipient at various times of the year (again, depending on the > Immortal worshipped - usually on High Holy Days, and varying in duration, > detail and frequency - DM's should provide the details). These should be > performed by the casting Cleric, another Cleric of the same faith, or the > recipient/carrier of the item - assuming the latter is a follower of that > Immortal. This is vital, as sustaining the item requires an investiture of > power by the Immortal, however minuscule it may be; the rituals replenish the > energies within the enchanted object or person. > > The Immortals will usually forgive one missed ritual during the year; > however, if more than one is missed, or the rituals are neglected entirely, > the Spiritual Sustenance spell will fail permanently on the next DoD. If the > neglect was the fault of the casting Cleric, she may find herself denied > access to the Spiritual Sustenance spell in future, at least until > restitution is made. One advantage of this is that stolen items will > eventually lose their powers, unless the thief cannot maintain the rituals - > the casting Cleric is not penalised in this instance, so long as she has made > some effort to recover the item. > > Unlike the other Permanence-based spells listed here, this one affects both > Clerical and Magical spells of 6th level or lower (DMs should carefully judge > whether certain spells, once made permanent, would be unbalancing to the > Campaign, in which case these are disallowed, By Order of The Immortals). The > first Immortals to provide the spell were Ixion, Rathanos, Valerias, Ordana, > Frey and Freyja (under their various guises), but other Immortals - of every > Sphere - have begun to provide some version of it, too, in recent times. > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 00:15:48 +0200 From: Jamuga Khan Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! > > I was just reading in PC4 that Lycanthopy was introduced by Alphatia. I > really do not like the idea, because it does not seem to make sense. > > > > Why did Alphatians have lycanthropy? How did Alphatians get lycanthropy? > > I'm pretty sure that lycanthropy is pretty well explained in PC4. The > Alphatians wanted to create a way to all become shapeshifters - Some > Alphatians were shapeshifters naturally. Except that their viruses went > awry, and spread the disease throughout Mystara. > > Lycanthropy is in the Hollow World too!! There have been a few races that > have gone to the HW since Alphatia was around, so they may have had infected > people too! > > Ethan BTW, have you noticed that the "original" HW lycanthrops are NOT affected by astral bodies but cannot eat in human(oid) form, only in wereform? Later on, "Night Howlers" explained that they ARE affected by the Floating Continents of the Hollow World, in an absolutely unpredictable way... Jamuga Khan "Hear and obey, because the Mighty Khan's word is law!" *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 06:39:32 +0800 From: "Francisco Navarro" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Burial ceremonies of the Hin - ----- Original Message ----- From: jdaly > Perhaps indeed the flame acts as a kind of preservative. Perhaps the Five > Shires practices mummification at that point... Ooooh! Hin mummies! That would be cool! Kit Navarro fanavarro@pacific.net.ph "Oh! Don't worry about them! They've got short stubby legs all wrapped up in bandages. They'll never catch up t--AAAAAAAAH!!!!" - --final words of a human thief, robbing tombs in the Five Shires *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 01 Oct 1999 16:22:40 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! Interesting. Does the PC4 state how lycanthropes came to the Hollow World? I think PC4 does an excelent job in explaining Lycanthropes and does a decent job on the history. However PC4 falls short of explaining the lore or science of the Lycanthrope. I just feel the reason behind the lycanthrope and development of the lycantrope pales in comparison to other material such as Werewolf supplements from Whitewolf, which actually explains why the relationship exist between wolf, man, and nature. Also, the whitewolf explains werewolf tribes that exist. So, rather that having some sort beast with a limited scope, one can choose from a list of very well-developed set of lycanthrope tribes with goals, attitudes, tribe/pack loyalty, etc. I'll type out some of my notes for role-playing lycanthropes of Mystara which include those lycanthropes from Gaia (or Terra), those from Entropy, and those from wizardly magic. ciao, Joaquin - -- On Sat, 02 Oct 1999 00:15:48 Jamuga Khan wrote: >> > I was just reading in PC4 that Lycanthopy was introduced by Alphatia. I >> really do not like the idea, because it does not seem to make sense. >> > >> > Why did Alphatians have lycanthropy? How did Alphatians get lycanthropy? >> >> I'm pretty sure that lycanthropy is pretty well explained in PC4. The >> Alphatians wanted to create a way to all become shapeshifters - Some >> Alphatians were shapeshifters naturally. Except that their viruses went >> awry, and spread the disease throughout Mystara. >> >> Lycanthropy is in the Hollow World too!! There have been a few races that >> have gone to the HW since Alphatia was around, so they may have had infected >> people too! >> >> Ethan > >BTW, have you noticed that the "original" HW lycanthrops are NOT >affected by astral bodies but cannot eat in human(oid) form, >only in wereform? >Later on, "Night Howlers" explained that they ARE affected by the >Floating Continents of the Hollow World, in an absolutely >unpredictable way... > > > > Jamuga Khan > > >"Hear and obey, because the Mighty Khan's word is law!" >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > > HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 01 Oct 1999 16:25:27 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Burial ceremonies of the Hin I can just see popular reading for many a Hin. "The Book of Hin Undead", "Beware of the Hin Necromancer Club" "The Path to Hin lichdom" "Hinomancer Reborn" - -- On Sat, 2 Oct 1999 06:39:32 Francisco Navarro wrote: > >----- Original Message ----- >From: jdaly > >> Perhaps indeed the flame acts as a kind of preservative. Perhaps the Five >> Shires practices mummification at that point... > >Ooooh! Hin mummies! That would be cool! > >Kit Navarro >fanavarro@pacific.net.ph > >"Oh! Don't worry about them! They've got short stubby legs all wrapped up in >bandages. They'll never catch up t--AAAAAAAAH!!!!" >--final words of a human thief, robbing tombs in the Five Shires > > >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > > HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Oct 1999 22:29:43 -0400 From: "SteelAngel" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! > I just feel the reason behind the lycanthrope and development of the lycantrope pales in comparison > to other material such as Werewolf supplements from Whitewolf, which actually explains why the > relationship exist between wolf, man, and nature. Not to be snotty, but, remember Mystara is NOT White Wolf :) We have our own mythologies, and sometimes it's not always a good idea to introduce others' mythologies.. Ethan *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 01:15:32 -0400 From: "Christian Constantin" Subject: [MYSTARA] - Empire of Zuyevo -LONG (By Adrian Mattias) This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_0014_01BF0C73.9F848DE0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Empire of Zuyevo Location: Known World, Continent of Brun,Yalu River Basin (For a map of the region, go to : http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Cauldron/5014/Graphs/Maps/Yalumap.JPG ) Area: 470,000 sq. mi. Population: 2,800,000 (all human). Languages: The Zuyevans speak a language that shares a 45% commonality with Heldannic with a slight hint of Ethengarian influence. Coinage: Dvina (gp), Vaska (sp), Kiven (cp). Government Type: Autocratic Imperial Monarchy Ruler: Tsar Andrei III Industries: Agriculture, hunting, fur trading, logging, conquest, mining (gold, silver, tin, electrum, copper, iron), alcohol production. Description: Zuyevo itself is a land of immense steppes and grasslands as well as vast forests. The land is bounded by major natural barriers - the Endworld Mountian Range to the west, the Yalu River to the east, dense forest to the north and Yalu Bay to the south. It is also a cold and bitter land, especially in the north, and the population works hard to extract a living from the soil. The north of the Empire is prone to heavy snowfalls, although the hunting is good in the birch, aspen and conifer forests of the north in the non-winter months as bear, deer and other wildlife are plentiful. The land is most heavily settled along the Yalu River and its numerous tributaries – however, Zuyevan colonization spreads far beyond these regions, although populations here tend to be much more sparse and clustered in defensible villages along internal routes of communication, and at sites of valuable resources like mines and good hunting regions. The Zuyevans come from a mixed heritage. The most numerous, from a Yevo background) are largely of Antalian heritage, tall and of light complexion. The Talmavs who make up much of the remainder of the population are of Oltec stock and tend to be more swarthy and stocky. A significant proportion of the peasantry are serfs – bonded labourers - while there are also a small group of profitable and independent farmers: the kulaks. The merchant/middle classes tend to be relatively small as much of the export trade is dealt with by a handful of trading families. The nobility (the only precondition for entry being the amount of farming land owned) is quite large in comparison to most other dominions (especially ones like Karameikos and Thyatis). Notable Sites: Zuyganev (pop. 55,000) is the capital city of the nation – a prosperous collection of stone and wooden buildings it is also a rambling and broad city surrounded by thick and strong stone walls. It is home to the principal Imperial Palace, as well as many other fine examples of the unusual Zuyevan architecture. Kulikovo Fortress (5,000 soldiers) is an immense rambling fortification system built on the eastern side of the Yalu river. It features a sizable wharf/dock area where riverboats ferry troops and supplies to the fortress from the eastern side of the river. The Fortress is the only major military instillation of note on the eastern side of the river, and is the point from which military expeditions are sent out against the vicious humanoids of the northern Yazak Steppes. History: Zuyevo’s distant beginnings lie in the reign of terror created in Norwold by the vast humanoid army of the Great King Loark. His assault on the Antalians of the area in 1722 BC was savage in the extreme. A large tribe of Antalians known as the Yevo managed to escape the slaughter by migrating west over the Icereach mountains. Ten years later, another migration begins this time by Ethengars of the Talmav tribe, driven from their country by the southward rampage of King Loark. Over a period of 650 years the Talmav horde moved slowly westward warring as they did with various humanoid tribes. Around 1050 BC these Talmav tribesmen, having traversed the entire northern expanse of Brun, move south down the Yalu River. Skilled horse-archers, they maraud through the declining Yalu River Empire. That Empire is finally crushed in 1034 BC with the death in battle of the Emperor Dorfin. The Yalu River Empire splinters as various factions vie for whatever power and resources that they can secure. The Talmav settle around the area that is now Kharkav. On a separate, and more northerly migration, the Yevo tribes enter the northern Yalu River valley from the Hyborean steppes around 550 BC. Finally finding a place safe from marauding humanoids, they settle in the steppes north of Severnaya Novay on the western bank of the Yalu River. Over a period of several hundred years the Yevo expand across the northern steppes. In the 2nd Century AC however, a considerable blow splinters their burgeoning civilization. For several centuries the area was becoming increasingly inhospitable as weather patterns across the lower Hyborean tundra made the area colder and colder. In 175 AC freak snowstorms of bizarre intensity strike the region resulting in a blizzard that covered the whole region for more than a month. When the snow finally stopped, the Yevo emerged to find many of their kinsmen dead and their cropland devastated. Seeing no other option, the Yevo packed their remaining possessions into longships, which they were now adept at sailing, and travel south down the Yalu River. After failing to find suitable landing sites, in 179 AC the Yevo find and quickly conquer the small but prosperous dominion of Vyatka. >From this powerbase in the rich black earth plains, the fierce Yevo raiders, sweep over a number of surrounding tribes and villages during the following 200 years. Soon the Yevo find it more profitable to farm the region and grow rich on the tribute levied on subject tribes. They found their capital, Zuygano in 415 AC and build the city into both an impressive citadel and a centre for trade and the arts. Their warlike nature does not abate however, and the Yevo continued to conquer surrounding peoples. Over a long period these tribes and kingdoms were gradually assimilated. In 502AC, Zuyevo as the kingdom had come to be called (literally "place of the Yevo") faced one of its bigger tests when it involved itself in a full scale war with the Visneskaya kingdom to the north. The war raged on and off for 15 years, before the Zuyevans, with the help of the former allies of Visneskaya (the Talmavs), finally crushed their opposition. The leader of the Zuyevans, a man known as Miska Gureyivich, had himself crowned Tsar – Emperor of the united Zuyevan and Visneskayan kingdoms - at Kirov, the site of his greatest victory over the Visneskayan forces. The Zuyevan program of assimilation continued for a further 200 years until they were masters of the entire Yalu Steppes. Only a handful of unimportant tribes in the Tunguska River region remained outside the control of the Tsar. During this period, the Zuyevan nobility grew greatly, as nobility was based on land control, and warriors and others who had grown rich on the conquests of surrounding peoples soon began to acquire vast estates. This led to a growing class of peasants with no access to land. In 696AC, Tsar Alekseyev, later known as Alekseyev "the brutal" instituted a system of serfdom for landless peasants – a form of indenture, whereby these serfs worked hard on the lands of the nobility in return for the right to own and farm their own little plot in their "days off". The dawning of the 8th Century AC saw a series of border skirmishes along the southern frontier of Zuyevo with the Yezchamenid Empire. Fast expansion of the Empire had stalled in the north, as the Zuyevans became bogged down in conflicts with the tribesmen of the Tunguska Forests. As a result, Zuyevan interests had turned south to the wide Koltenyi steppes. More critically though, Zuyevo desperately wanted an ice-free port at the mouth of the Yalu River. In 706 AC, concerned at the Zuyevan intransigence to its north, the Yezchamenid Empire sent an expeditionary force to teach the upstart Zuyevans a lesson. Tsar Alekseyev led Zuyevan forces to a monumental victory over the invaders at the battle of Akmolinsk. The Yezchamenid force was outmaneuvered by the skillful Talmav Guard Cavalry and pulverised by the onslaught of wave after wave of Zuyevan infantry. Out of a force of 25,000 Yezchamenid troops, 13,000 were killed outright and the remainder surrendered. Alekseyev accepted their surrender, disarmed the soldiers and then massacred them. Although Tsar Alekseyev had been a brilliant leader since his crowning in 687 AC, the Yezchamenid invasion appeared to trigger a complete personality change. He grew brutal, perceiving enemies at every turn. Alekseyev abandoned his plans to push the Zuyevan Empire to the brink of the Yalu Bay and instead turned inwards, conducting a campaign of terror within Zuyevo itself - killing all those who opposed him. A daring assassination attempt, with the connivance of some Zuyevan military officers finally ended his life in 716 AC. For the remainder of the 8th and the whole of the 9th Centuries AC, the Zuyevan Empire pushed northwards into the Severnaya Novay (the new north). The catalyst for this expansion was the fur trade – on which the Empire grew rich. Furs and pelts of all kinds were traded to Douzbakjian and other countries of the Midlands as well as Hule, the Yezchamenid Empire and even Gombar and Suma’a. With Talmavs pushing deep into the Tunguska region, conflict with the local tribespeople was inevitable. However, the superior weapons and technology of the Talmavs proved far superior – and Tunguska tribes were quickly conquered. This was reinforced by the Tsar’s armies, always plodding along behind the Talmav frontiersmen – enforcing the will of the Tsar through the force of arms and the building of stockaded forts and villages along the rivers and trade routes. The late 9th Century also saw the discovery of large veins of gold in the western mountains around Dubyshev. This led to the local nobility, and the Princes of Dubyshev in particular growing rich on the taxes levied on the miners. The beginning of the 10th Century AC, saw the Zuyevan Empire again expanding southwards after easy gains had been made in the north. Zuyevan settlers overran the Koltenyi Steppes and armed conflict between Zuyevans and Yezchameni farmers were common. This increasing tension exploded in 913 AC when a group of Yezchameni slaughtered a camp of Zuyevans settlers including many women and children. Regardless of the fact that the Yezchameni were responding to the burning of their farms by militant Zuyevan settlers, Tsar Turgay declared war on the Yezchamenid Empire – sending his large serf armies southwards. The Yezchameni respond by sending a force of infantry and chariots to meet this threat. After a series of skirmishes the two forces meet in the battle of Dasht-i-Kavar. Bloody losses are sustained on both sides, but the sheer size of the Zuyevan army eventually tells, and the Yezchameni are routed. The Zuyevan war machine continues to rumble south until it is halted with heavy casualties at Qesun. A formal truce is negotiated within weeks that gives the northern two-thirds of the Koltenyi Steppes to the Zuyevans. Surprisingly, both sides observe the new borders in a peace that is destined to last 84 years. The Zuyevans make the most of this peaceful situation to strengthen their foothold on the eastern side of the Yalu River. Constructing a string of fortresses that radiate out from the giant fortifications at Kulikovo, the Zuyevan army concentrates its efforts on subduing the humanoid tribes of the northern Yazak steppes. This policy is designed to remove the threat of humanoid invasion from the east as well as to open up the possibility of contesting with Hule for the mineral rich Bylot Hills, and even the Converted Lands. The humanoids are driven further and further back after successful campaigns by Tsar Berezov the Great (935-967) and Tsar Andrei II (967-976). However, during the reign of Tsar Alekseyev II, the Zuyevan army suffers a series of reverses in the campaign of 979-981 AC. The humanoids have finally united under a strong leader – Vacek Jawbreaker – an orc of exceptional cunning. With dissension at home rising at these continued failures, Tsar Alekseyev II personally takes command of the war. This proves to be a disasterous step. The reverses continue and Vacek even succeeds in sacking Kulikovo’s two satelite fortresses of Kustany and Aktynkidze in 983 AC. The blame for these losses falls squarely on the Tsar, where before it had been falling on his generals. After a series of riots in 984 AC, the Dubyshev Princes lead an uprising against the Tsar. Initially the rebel forces make considerable incursions into Imperial territory, assisted by military equipment and financial assistance from the Yezchamenid Empire. Vyamisgrad and Kirov fall to the rebels in 985, and in 986 rebel troops from Anzhero and Krasnavodsk capture holdout imperial forces in Archangelsk. Also in 986, Ryazan is sacked by rebel forces and even Kharkav falls under siege by rebel troops from Surgut and Dubyshev. The summer of 987 sees a turning in the tide of the war however. Imperial forces under the leadership of one of the greatest Zuyevan generals of all time, Marshal Steyev, begin to beat back the Dubyshev forces. Kirov is liberated and the Imperial forces press north to break the siege at Kharkav. In so doing, they allow Talmav units to move southwards to assist the Imperial forces. With Dubyshev forces holding impenetrable positions in the Tashkent Khrebet, Imperial troops are forced to swing south along the Vyamis River. In 988 the rebellion is finally broken with the defeat of rebel forces at the epic battle of Vyamisgrad. The rebellion quickly falls apart as Imperial forces had clearly gained the upper hand. Rebel troops in Anzhero saw the way the war was turning and sided with Marshal Steyev. This support was critical, as Anzheran troops held the strategic Aska Pass – preventing rebel reinforcements from Archangelsk from reaching Dubyshev in time to save it from the Imperial Army. Despite his victory, Tsar Alekseyev II was politically disgraced, and much of the Empire’s economy was in ruins. The nobility forced his abdication in favour of his young son, Andrei III. While only a young man of 19, this was a most fortunate move for the Zuyevan Empire, for Andrei III was energetic and dynamic, and a gifted leader. Tsar Andrei revitalised the Empire, crushed internal dissent, and focused the Empire on expansion once again. This led to colonising drives to the south of the Empire – fortuitously establishing the town of Zybirsk in the south-western hinterlands. This is a particularly mineral rich area, and soon gold, silver, electrum and other metals were winging their way back to the center of the Empire. Of far more significance however, was Tsar Andrei’s financing of insurgency within the Yezchamenid Empire, a technique he learnt from the Yezchameni themselves. With the death of Shah-an-Shah Mayzar Yezchamenid during 997 in a "hunting accident", and the crowning of his four year-old son, Andrei seized the chance to capture the Yalu River Delta. Launching a lightning attack, the Zuyevans seized a large swathe of Yezchameni territory, effectively cutting the zatrap of Dradze off from the rest of the Empire. Most importantly, the Zuyevans finally have access to the Yalu Bay. Tsar Andrei immediately founds the naval base of Kishinev at the mouth of the Yalu River, and establishes a bastion of forts around the Yalu River estuary. The zatrapy of Drazde becomes de-facto independent of the Yezchamenid Empire in 999, but the authorities in Dravya, the capital city, are divided between the supporters of Zuyevo and those still loyal to their old motherland and the now seven year old Shah-an-Shah. - ------=_NextPart_000_0014_01BF0C73.9F848DE0 Content-Type: application/octet-stream Content-ID: <000d01bf0c95$263919c0$3ab7d084@conc01077505> Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAP///wAAACH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== - ------=_NextPart_000_0014_01BF0C73.9F848DE0-- *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 01:15:38 -0400 From: "Christian Constantin" Subject: [MYSTARA] - Zuyevo Map Legend -LONG (By Adrian Mattias) This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_0021_01BF0C73.A3043EC0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Map Legend for Zuyevo (For a map of the region, go to : http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Cauldron/5014/Graphs/Maps/Yalumap.JPG ) Zybirsk (population 6,000): Zybirsk is a relatively newly created town following the discovery of silver and gold in nearby hills in 999 AC. Zybirsk is the classic frontier town – wild and untamed, although the Tsar’s troops maintain a presence in the town, ostensibly to make sure that taxes are paid on the metals extracted from the mines. However, corruption is rife, and the Tsar’s troops and officers often accept kickbacks in return for not levying taxes. Kishinev (population 3,000): Kishinev is the newest of all Zuyevan towns, founded as recently as 1006AC. It is Zuyevo’s only year-round ice-free port, and its only outlet onto Yalu Bay. The small Zuyevo Southern Fleet is headquartered here, and the town is a base for naval explorations of Yalu Bay and beyond. Zuyganev (population 55,000): Capital city of the nation, Zuyganev is a prosperous but rambling collection of stone and wooden buildings, surrounded by thick and strong stone walls. It is home to the principal Imperial Palace, as well as many other fine examples of the unusual Zuyevan architecture. Dubyshev (population 27,000): Dubyshev is a thriving logging and mining town, and is the key to the Aska pass, the narrow and treacherous route that links Zuyevo to its northern ports on the Sea of Brun. It was originally the powerbase of the Dubyshev Princes, but since the recent ‘time of troubles’ ie the civil war of 994-998AC, the independence of the region has been crushed by the Tsar – who maintains two Talmav Guard Regiments in the city. Krasnavodsk (population 12,000): The earliest Zuyevan port that was built, it was settled in 594AC by Talmav explorers. It is now a thriving sea-port, although the Bay that it is situated on (the Ostrov Vaigach) freezes over for 3 months of every year and is dangerous to larger ships for another 2 months due to floating ice sheets and the like. Archangelsk (population 25,000): Archangelsk (or Archangel in Zuyevan) is the principal port of the Empire. However, it faces similar problems as does Krasnavodsk, with the port open to navigation at best 7 months of the year. It is the administrative and economic center of Zuyevo’s north. The region (or oblast) is cut of from the outside world for at least 4 months out of every year with the Aska pass snowed in and impassable during winter and the shipping lanes similarly impassable. Despite the founding of Kishinev, which is still in its infancy, Archangelsk is the main route for exports to be shipped out of Zuyevo. Kulikovo Fortress (population 5,000 soldiers): Kulikovo is an immense rambling fortification system built on the eastern side of the Yalu river. It features a sizable wharf/dock area where riverboats ferry troops and supplies to the fortress from Sharya. The Fortress is the only major military instillation of note on the eastern side of the river, and is the point from which military expeditions are sent out against the vicious humanoids of the northern Yazak Steppes. Sharya (population 23,000): Strategically positioned in the apex of the mighty Yalu and Rybinskoye Rivers, Sharya is a booming city, and gateway to the east. It is largely a military town, and is constructed as such – neat long streets in a grid pattern. Sharya supplies the troops across the Yalu river at Kulikovo, and is the starting point of military and trading expeditions that strike out eastward across the northern Yazak Steppes Vyatka (population 18,000): Vyatka has been an integral part of the Zuyevan Empire since it was conquered by the Yevo in 320AC. It sits amongst vast tracts of excellent Oshak agricultural lands – wheat, rye and other grains are grown here in abundance. As a result, Vyatka is known as the granary of Zuyevo, exporting its excess produce north and south along the Rybinskoye River. Kostyn (population 19,000): Kostyn sits at the source of the Medyn River, namely Markavey Ozero, (Z. Markavey Lake). Its main industries are fur trapping and fishing. The city has grown rich and prosperous from the fur trading in particular – pelts of beaver, mink, sable and others are sold here by hunters that range hundreds of miles north and east through the forests of the Kostyn Oblast, punctuated only by stockaded forts and villages. The Tsar levies a 15% fur tax on all pelts brought into the city, but corruption and overzealous bureaucracy often results in more or less being collected for the imperial coffers. Kirov (population 38,000): Kirov is the second largest city in Zuyevo. It size is built on the prosperity of its fur trade and its strategic position at the junction of the Rybinskoye and Tashkent Rivers. Formerly the capital of the powerful Visneskayan Khanate, it was conquered by the Yevo War Leader Miska in 517AC. It is also well known for its most famous product, Vodka – which is produced here in abundance. Kharkav (population 21,000): Located on the upper reaches of the Rybinskoye River, Kharkav is the traditional home of the Talmav tribespeople who have been a part of the Empire for almost 500 years. The Kharkav Oblast is principally wooded steppe, but there are also large plains of feather grass. Horses are common in the region, and many peasants living in the Oblast are excellent horsemen. As such, many go on to join the Tsar’s armies, and vie for positions in the elite Talmav Guards. Chusqvoi Selo (population 7,000): Chusqvoi Selo is a solitary and often snowbound northern outpost for Zuyevo. Connected by roads (little more than muddy and barely passable tracks) to Saratov and Kharkav, it is the centre for those hardy Zuyevans who choose to live in the inhospitable north of the Empire. Talmavs settlers continue to push the borders of the Empire further north and east every year as they expand the fur and the hunting grounds. They leave behind small fortified hamlets and villages along muddy roads that are forged through the Chusqvoi Steppes. Saratov (population 16,000): Saratov is Zuyevo’s window on the north. It is a large trading centre – many expeditions leave from Saratov for Douzbakjian and Sardjikjian. Its primary industries aside from that are military and fur related. The military are there to secure the routes of communication and to prevent tribesmen (like the Sendarya from the Zdredanyan Forest) and dark orcs from the north disrupting trade. The hunters are there, because wildlife is abundant in the region and the value of a good pelt is often more than worth the risk. Vyamisgrad (population 4,000): Vyamisgrad is but a shadow of its former glory. The town is still recovering from its almost total annihilation by Marshal Steyev in 998AC when it was the unfortunate site of the largest (and final) battle of the time of troubles. However, the region is rich in farming land and is another major crop growing area, and will likely bounce back within a few decades. Many of the nobility maintain estates in the region of varying sizes – each populated by anywhere from 10 to 5,000 serfs. - ------=_NextPart_000_0021_01BF0C73.A3043EC0 Content-Type: application/octet-stream Content-ID: <001a01bf0c95$2a0515e0$3ab7d084@conc01077505> Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAP///wAAACH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== - ------=_NextPart_000_0021_01BF0C73.A3043EC0-- *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #428 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Saturday, October 2 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 429 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: [MYSTARA] - Mystara and ancient Earth maps -- a speculation Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence Re: [MYSTARA] - Mystara and ancient Earth maps -- a speculation Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) Re: [MYSTARA] - Two Questions Re: [MYSTARA] - Herolian Brands (long) Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) [MYSTARA] - After a brief break, I'm back [MYSTARA] - Underyord Gnomes Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! Re: [MYSTARA] - Blackmoor device buried in the Broken Lands (X1) Re: [MYSTARA] - Demons on Mystara ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 03:25:31 EDT From: Kaviyd@aol.com Subject: [MYSTARA] - Mystara and ancient Earth maps -- a speculation Something has occurred to me that I neglected to mention while this thread (about the resemblance of Mystara to Earth during the late Jurassic period) was active: Maybe the histories of Earth and Mystara were closely parallel until some time during the Mystaran Jurassic period. At that point, the divergence that occurred was the development of intelligent reptilian humanoids, who not only thrived for a while but developed magic. One of their more powerful spellcasters (Ka? one of the Carnifex?) eventually cast a powerful spell that had the effect of speeding up evolution. In the course of perhaps ten million years, life developed as far as it did in a hundred million years here on Earth - -- only the geology didn't keep up. This speeding up of evolution may suggest something about the motives of the Old Ones in introducing the Nucleus of the Spheres to Mystara -- they saw how the ancient reptilian species were all but wiped out by competition with the newly evolving mammals and saw that if the process wasn't checked the same fate might befall the human race. The most effective way to destroy the spell that had sped up evolution was to utterly eliminate magic from Mystara, which is exactly what would happen once human mages discovered and started exploiting the powers of the Nucleus. While events of WotI would disrupt that plan, the Old Ones (with their very long view of things) probably would not notice the reversal of the effects of the Nucleus until a century or so after the fact, when the Rad Drain Level drops below 100. But I am still of the opinion that the Entropic Immortals would find a way to re-reverse the drain of Entropy long before it got out of hand -- and given what I think was the intention of the Old Ones in creating the Nucleus in the first place, the Old Ones would surely offer them subtle support in this effort once they became aware of it. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 01:24:19 -0700 From: Patrick Sullivan Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence <> Well, according at least to the PWAs, artifacts do not lose effect on the DoD. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 01:27:59 -0700 (PDT) From: Shane Henry Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Mystara and ancient Earth maps -- a speculation - --- Kaviyd@aol.com wrote: > Something has occurred to me that I neglected to > mention while this thread > (about the resemblance of Mystara to Earth during > the late Jurassic period) > was active: > > Maybe the histories of Earth and Mystara were > closely parallel until some > time during the Mystaran Jurassic period. This is more or less the assumption that I'm basing the "Primeval Timeline of Mystara" on (which I'll be posting on the MMB sooner or later). The main purpose of the timeline will be to try to suggest a framework for Mystara's "deep time" which is as incomprehensibly long as the RW's. This is primarily due to my concern for how all of Mystara's civilizations seem to be crammed into the last 20 thousand years. To me (a geology major), it seems like a waste of "time-space" to not have anything interesting occuring on the planet for the first 4 1/2 *billion* years of Mystara's existence (which is how old the Earth is), until the Pteryx, Carnifex, Lhomarrians, and Blackmoorians arrive on the scene, especially since this is a fantasy world. Also, since it's now possible to have chronomantic adventures in Mystara (with the AD&D Chronomancer accessory, and the OD&D conversion at Shawn's site), I'd hope that there was more to see in pre-Pteryx/Carnifex Mystara than a bunch of mundane plants and animals. > At that point, the divergence > that occurred was the development of intelligent > reptilian humanoids, who > not only thrived for a while but developed magic. > One of their more powerful > spellcasters (Ka? one of the Carnifex?) eventually > cast a powerful spell that > had the effect of speeding up evolution. In the > course of perhaps ten > million > years, life developed as far as it did in a hundred > million years here on > Earth > -- only the geology didn't keep up. > This speeding up of evolution may suggest something > about the motives of > the Old Ones in introducing the Nucleus of the > Spheres to Mystara -- they > saw how the ancient reptilian species were all but > wiped out by competition > with the newly evolving mammals and saw that if the > process wasn't checked > the same fate might befall the human race. The most > effective way to destroy > the spell that had sped up evolution was to utterly > eliminate magic from > Mystara, which is exactly what would happen once > human mages discovered > and started exploiting the powers of the Nucleus. > > While events of WotI would disrupt that plan, the > Old Ones (with their very > long view of things) probably would not notice the > reversal of the effects of > the Nucleus until a century or so after the fact, > when the Rad Drain Level > drops below 100. But I am still of the opinion that > the Entropic Immortals > would find a way to re-reverse the drain of Entropy > long before it got out of > hand -- and given what I think was the intention of > the Old Ones in creating > the Nucleus in the first place, the Old Ones would > surely offer them > subtle support in this effort once they became aware > of it. I agree that the recent rise of the reptilian and mammalian races is mostly attributable to divine help. However, I'd say that the reptilian and mammalian hyper-evolution is only the most recent example of Old One/Immortal fiddling. I'd say that there are probably *thousands* of intelligent races which preceded the reptilian sentients, specifically including intelligent versions of animal groups which preceded the reptiles, such as perhaps the amphibian kopru, or arthropodan crabmen. Each race would have their own Immortal pantheons (unless the race solely consisted of Outer Being-worshippers), of which modern Mystarans (and most modern Immortals) know absolutely nothing about -- as over millions of years, *mountains* will be eroded down to sand and clay, much less sentient-made structures and artifacts. Since Mystara is a fantasy world, I see no reason why there couldn't be multitudes of lost civilizations thoughout the billions of years of Mystaran prehistory, and in numbers, and with complexity, equal to that of the Pteryx-Carnifex-Lhomarr-Blackmoor-Known World era's 20-thousand-year length. To get a sense of the perspective I'd like to see adopted for Mystara, 20,000 goes into 4 1/2 billion, 225,000 times -- so there could conceivably be 225,000 civilizational eras on par with that of the known (and semi-known) "recent" civilizations. Shane ===== __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 07:12:26 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence In a message dated 01/10/99 22:45:21 GMT Daylight Time, redrobyne@ellijay.com writes: > I always thought things went dormant in the first place not completely > dispelled because that would mean artifacts and the like would be ruined? Artifacts and *enchanted* items - the expensive, researched objects - DO go dormant, in my understanding - actually, that's wrong; I think Artifacts (Immortal Magic) continue to function on the DoD; anyone? - but the "easy" enchantments, and personal spells, created by Permanence get cancelled. That's IMO, of course; any other ideas? Carl Q. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 07:12:41 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) In a message dated 01/10/99 22:49:39 GMT Daylight Time, redrobyne@ellijay.com writes: > These are pretty neat, I especially like the cloak of preservation and cloak > of Hsaio. Thanks! :-) Carl Q. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 07:12:51 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Two Questions In a message dated 30/09/99 16:51:33 GMT Daylight Time, valerya1@yahoo.com writes: > > - What's the proper name/title for the Council of > > 1,000 Mages in Alphatia? > > IIRC, it's the Grand Council. > > > - What's the name of the Flaemish Principality in > > Glantri? > > Berghdoven. > > > I'm embarrassed to have forgotten these, and if > > anyone can help, I'd be most > > grateful. > > Don't be embarassed till it's your own name you've > forgtten (a point to which I feel dangerously close > this week) ;-) > > Jenn You're not the only one...;-) Thanks to Jenn, Marcus, and everyone else who responded to my plea (I'll thank you all at once, to save filling up people's mailboxes! ;-) - I can now finish a couple more postings, which should be with you tomorrow! Cheers, Carl Q. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 07:12:56 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Herolian Brands (long) In a message dated 30/09/99 19:58:47 GMT Daylight Time, epaynter@iupui.edu writes: > I like these! Would you say that they could be used as enchantment type > magics as well? > For eample, could someone use one in place of the Armor spell, or Stoneskin? > Or are these all more ability based? I worked with the ability-based idea to differentiate the Brands from "standard" magic, but there's absolutely no reason there couldn't be Brands which grant specific magical effects or enchantments - this is the primary magic on Herol, after all, so there's countless other uses for Brands waiting to be discovered! How about working up an example of such a Brand, and posting it to the list? Glad you liked this posting! Carl Q. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 07:12:55 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence In a message dated 30/09/99 19:10:51 GMT Daylight Time, pds3@dana.ucc.nau.edu writes: > I like these, although I think it would be kind of cool to explain exactly > what mechanism Improved Permanence uses to go dormant and then correct > itself. It seems like most mages of sufficiently high level to use that > spell would most likely take themselves and most of their important > posessions away to their secret tower in another dimension for that time > period. Also, what happens if another week without magic occurs, as > happenned in WotI and as could happen again once enough energy is drained? > Just some miscellaneous troublemaking--I really did like the ideas :~) > Patrick Thanks. And troublemake away - it's nice to have feedback...;-) Second point first; IP can cope with one day of no magic, same as truly "permanent" items, and by the same mechanism (whatever that may be...ideas? perhaps these items link into the magical "weave" - to borrow a FR term - to replenish their power, something standard Permanence can't do). Longer than that, I'd say saving throws would be necessary for every day without magic - a failure cancels the spell. And do all high-level Mages have secret other-dimensional towers? If so, that dimensional real estate must be pretty crowded by now...;-D Carl Q. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 07:12:59 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) In a message dated 30/09/99 22:48:29 GMT Daylight Time, IBON@gmx.de writes: > the Cloak of Preservation is very good. i have an coffin that has the > same effect. i use it to freezer for humans - an old warrior is inside > and will support the PC if they need big help. That sounds interesting - more details, please? Carl Q. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 07:13:04 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) In a message dated 01/10/99 14:45:31 GMT Daylight Time, jdaly@friend.ly.net writes: > I like these. I might change the origin of the Unicorn Cloak to Bettelyn > though... Go ahead - I've no problem with folks changing things to fit. Sounds like you've a use for this item already - care to fill us in? Carl Q. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 12:21:51 GMT From: "Nicolas Hudson" Subject: [MYSTARA] - After a brief break, I'm back Hello everyone, I know it has been a while since I last posted, but this summer was appalingly hectic; I was abroad and had little or no access to a computer. I wasn't idle though, and I'm transfering ideas from paper to computer, for everyone's edification and enjoyment. :) "In the Beginning, there was Darkness, but before there was Darkness, there was Frog." - St. Stephen Mr. Nicholas, Oard Extraordinaire (who only recently managed to get out of that annoying time trap) ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 12:23:11 GMT From: "Nicolas Hudson" Subject: [MYSTARA] - Underyord Gnomes Thanks to Håvard for the initial inspiration. The Gnomes of Underyord Vestland scholars from Norrvik have only just realized the extent of the gnomish culture that once flourished in the Northern Reaches. What little information adventurers have been able to bring back from kobold-controlled caverns indicates the gnomish clans that were not exterminated in the kobold invasion fled the Northlands, never to return. What the researchers have not yet discovered is that a few clans, already too deep in the caverns to reach the surface through the rampaging hordes, migrated even further into the bowels of the earth. Using hastily constructed drills and explosive devices, the gnomes opened tunnels and caves that they had never entered before, and sealed them up behind them. Harried the entire way by kobold advance forces, the invaders called off the assault when the gnomes moved through ghoul-occupied caverns. Possessing more spell casters than the kobolds, the gnomes were able to move past the ghouls, but not without heavy causalities. After several years of wandering, the migrants reached a cavern system devoid of other life. After discovering large mineral deposits, the gnomes decided to end their wanderings here, and established their new kingdom of Underyord in 386 BC. Geography The main cavern system consists of four oval caverns surrounding a large spherical cave, connected by large tunnels, arranged in a vertical lattice: the smaller caves are above, below, and to the sides of the larger sphere. The ovals are named Top Egg, Down Egg, Right Egg, and Wrong Egg, each about 1200 ft. in radius, while the central sphere is called Not Egg, with a radius of 2500 feet. With the exception of Not Egg, which is perfectly smooth, the caverns contain many stalactites and stalagmites, providing additional area for buildings and farming. The complex, called by the gnomes the Pentaegg, is surrounded by many smaller, irregular caves and tunnels that the gnomes use, and claim as theirs. Top Egg Agriculture is the primary concern of Top Egg. Although many farmer gnomes maintain houses here, the permanent population is few and sparse, totalling 200. Most of the area is taken up by fungus farming, and large tracts of land are kept for mule and giant ant ranching. The entire cavern radiates with a sickly green glow, given off by small obelisks strategically placed throughout. The light, the by-product of a reaction between several chemicals milked from slime limpets, encourages rapid fungi growth. The light provides enough luminescence to see bb without using infravision, and is never extinguished. Every two weeks, the farmers have to replace the chemicals, a simple process of emptying the waste products by a spigot at the bottom, and pouring in the fresh batch through a hole in the top; the two-week period is staggered from obelisk to obelisk so that only a third of the obelisks need refilling every two weeks. Production is very efficient, providing more food than the gnomes need for their population. Excess is stored in various methods, and agriculturally inclined gnomes vie amongst themselves to develop more interesting and unique ways of keeping food, with originality edging out flavour-retention as the main criterion, a small sacrifice for science. Top Egg is very humid, with moisture from the other caverns condensing here. Rain is rare though, and limited to certain times of the year. The gnomes have built channels to funnel most of the water to the fungi and repositories for later consumption. The excess water follows small caves down to Down Egg (see below). Right Egg The seat of the gnomish government lies in Right Egg, as well as most of the population of Underyord; Right Egg has 5,000 gnomes. Most of Right Egg is given over to buildings of some sort or another. The cavern is very crowded, with stores, houses, workshops, and government offices stretching for as far as the eye can see. Continual light spells have been cast at convenient locations, and with the Underyorder disrespect for time, there is always of bustle of gnomes moving from one place to another. The streets are winding and mismatched, with street names changing at odd intervals and building number sin no particular order. Roads are a stream of activity, with gnomes, ants, and mules always rushing in both directions, often accompanied (or chased) by contraptions of all sorts. Fountains connected to Top and Down Egg bring potable water to both the gnomish homes and public. Much of the surface of the buildings is covered with fungi that the gnomes grow for decorative value. Various ministries compete with each other to have the most audacious and ostentatious displays for their headquarters. Down Egg Half of Down Egg is under water, a result of both the falling condensation from Top Egg and a rushing river, the Egg Beater. The roar of the water fills Down Egg at all times, noticeably loud, but not noisy enough to interfere with communication. The Egg Beater is very fast, and neither its headwaters nor its destination have been reached in all the years the Underyorders have been exploring it. Seven hundred gnomes make their home on ledges above the Egg Beater, while 200 have built a complex, anchored to the wall, about 300 ft. under the surface. This Experimental Underwater, People, Houses for, Or Really Insane Adventurers (or EUPHORIA), was built in 586 AC, and all of the leaks were finally plugged in 921. EUPHORIA can support another hundred gnomes as day researchers. Most families live in EUPHORIA for only a few decades at a time, but several have been in since the beginning. Access corridors reach up from EUPHORIA to the ledges, providing easy access from the complex to the surface, and then the other Eggs; most gnomes who live here go shopping in Right Eggs large department workshops. Egg Beater fish provide Underyord with protein and variety in their diet, as well as access to other caverns if the population overflows or there is an invasion. To the mechanical gnomes though, the Egg Beater provides a cheap source of power, and mills of varying sizes and questionable structural integrity line the walls at Down Egg's midway point, the surface between water and air, called by Underyorders The Yolk. Phosphorous algae on The Yolk illuminate much of the cavern with a purple sheen. Wrong Egg As far as possible from the residencies, Wrong Egg is the home of the gnomish industrial complex. At the top of the cavern vents allow vapours and smoke to rise away from Underyord, possibly to the surface, but just as likely to another cavern. Just as packed as Right Egg, large and/or dangerous experiments are carried out here; there is no official population, but more than a few gnomes will spend a couple of years effectively living here while working on a particularly unusual machine. At any given time, up to 25% of the Underyord population might be in Wrong Egg. The air in Wrong Egg, even with the venting and circulation, is acrid and heavy, and visitors can expect to cough quite a bit during their stay. The gnomes are used to it, however, and barely notice the change. Gigantic machines of impossible complexity fill this cavern, as well as the vats where slime limpets are processed for their chemical properties. Whirring noises echo off the walls of Wrong Egg, as well as the occasional explosion, creating a unique symphony of industrial sounds. Not Egg A perfect sphere, Not Egg connects all of the Eggs through their major arteries; there are smaller tunnels that one can use to move from Egg to Egg without going through Not Egg, but large traffic always takes the central route. The walls of Not Egg are covered with runes and symbols, which were there when the gnomes found the caverns. At the centre of the sphere, a large rock floats in ominous silence. This is the home of the Underyord religion, covered below. No one gnome makes a permanent home here, and even with all of the traffic, Not Egg remains surprisingly quiet. Culture Government Underyord is ruled by a monarch, The Grand-Hereditary-Autocratic-King-of-All-For-Life (who is chosen by lot from all gnomes every four months) who has the Authority-To-Do-Anything-He-Or-She-Wants (provided that anything he or she wants is approved by the referendum of all gnomes that is required with any policy change) and is the one All-Must-Obey (if they feel like it). Underyord government is chaotic and haphazard, with most of the time being taken up by meaningless arguments. Virtually all Underyord gnomes find politics to be a favourite hobby, right after tinkering, and to accommodate the populace, the government has formed countless deliberative bodies, blue-ribbon panels, and ministries. The roots of such a government lie in the gnomes' fortune. There has been no contact with other intelligent life for nearly 1400 years. Technology has allowed the gnomes to have an amazingly high standard of living, and there are no pressing social problems. To entertain themselves and pass the time, they developed a complicated system of rule. The monarch's title is a throwback to the survivalist government necessary when the gnomes were displaced by the kobolds. Obviously, the Underyord government is ineffective and useless, but Underyord society manages along despite it. Society With the lack of real government, and the destruction of clan identity in the exodus, Underyord gnomes have only three social institutions: the family, the invention, and religion. Like other gnomes elsewhere, Underyorders take care of their own in extended families. Most gnomes live in large multi-storied buildings with as many relatives who care to. Excess food supplies make food easy to come by, and there is no real poverty in Underyord. When a family home explodes (a regular event with gnomish devices), other families come together to help rebuild. Underyord is a very magical society, and every gnome is either a wokani or a shaman, with some being both. This is demonstrated throughout Underyord society, but no to the degree seen in Glantri or Alphatia: the gnomes see magic as a means to assist technology, and look down upon using it as an end. Magic is fine, but the true mark of character is to use magic to help with technology. Both wokani and shamans feel that they are equals, and those who pursue both paths do not receive hostility from either end; both paths serve the machine. Every gnome has an instinctive desire to build, and this shared interest keeps gnomish society together. All gnomes are ready to work on some odd device, and co-operation is the highest virtue for the Underyord. Indeed, working on a machine has immensely spiritual implications for these gnomes, as seen in their religion, the foundation of which is on the floating rock. The Tickers After the kobolds drove the surviving gnomes out of their ancestral homes, there developed a spiritual crisis in the gnomish community. The few remnant clans, even as they were fleeing from the kobolds and the ghouls, argued fiercely over what was to blame for the reversal of fortunes. One faction claimed that it was the peaceful gnomish beliefs that put them at risk in such a violent world, and that technology should not be pursued for its own ends, but as a weapon against the lesser races that meant only harm to the gnomes. Virulent and bitter over their exile, this view, the Way of the Controlled Explosion, attracted some gnomes, but most still believed that technology was its own end, and that inventions should be sought after for the value of the discovery. Antisocial and vicious, the Way of the Controlled Explosion parted ways with the majority, and went down another cavern. The belief of those who remained grew and evolved, until it reached the point where it said that technological development was the path to spiritual salvation. Garal Glitterlode put the gnomes on an earth filled with raw materials, but these materials were put here so that the gnomes could learn to master their environment. But that was not the end of technology. Once they have mastered their environment with technology, the next step is to use it master themselves, then their minds, and finally their souls. "Intelligence is virtue," is the motto of the current Underyord religion, adherents of which call themselves Tickers. How can one use technology to master spiritual truths? Tickers believe logic, ethics, and aesthetics all lead to the same conclusion, and mathematics is the language of all three. What they need is a calculator, not just an arithmetic one, but also a philosophic abacus. After reaching what would become Underyord, the Tickers had finally discovered what they would need: The Clockwork God. The Clockwork God A seemingly impossible complication of artefact, machine, magic relic, and intelligent being, the Clockwork God (affectionately called the CG) is the philosophical calculator the Tickers are seeking. Originally a dumping ground for broken and unsalvageable machines and magic items, the floating rock in the centre of Not Egg began to take on a life of its own, and the gnomish shamans detected vast spiritual power emanating from it. An aged machinist, Evner Cogglewheel had a dream that this would be the place where the Tickers' dreams would come true, and the gnome shamans began blessing and sanctifying the rock. Construction of the Clockwork God began in 324 BC, and continues to this day. Virtually every Underyorder is today a Ticker, and devote all of their free tinkering time to building new gears, wheels, and whistles for the CG. Wokani provide all sorts of magical items to be integrated into the CG, while miners offer unusual rocks and metals, with craftsmen fashioning them into works of mechanical art. The construction of the Clockwork God is indefinite and constant; it has long since begun calculating the universe, but requires immense power and constant upgrades. This construction is the focus of most Underyorder gnomes, and fully approved of by the government (for what that's worth). It is a matter of intense religious and philosophical debate among Underyord society whether the Clockwork God is intelligent (a topic referred to as CGI). The CG doesn't communicate beyond instructions on how to upgrade it next, but gives regular updates on what it has decided via vis philosophical questions, indicating abstract capabilities, but shows a complete lack of self-awareness. But if understanding the universe is true salvation, and the CG is what will understand it, then shouldn't it be the most intelligent entity ever, even if it has no self-consciousness? These questions dominate conversation, with gnomes always trying to come up with a more obtuse and incomprehensible argument for or against than the next one. Garal Glitterlode has considered adding Immortal power to the CG, but he doesn't know what that might do to the experiment (if other Immortals knew of the existence of the Clockwork God, they would be very interested, and quite possibly scared, for what it implies is unknown for now), and he is ecstatic that the gnomes have created something so amazing. Garal has decided to hold off on adding power to see just how far mortals can go. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 12:35:00 GMT From: "Nicolas Hudson" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! >From: "Mr. Darknerd" >For lycanthrophy development, I like to have some rich background. There >is little information available on Alphatia (before the civil war), and >there is no information about lycanthropes from Alphatia except PC4. Gaz 3 mentions that wereboars and werebears were common among the Flaems (Alphatian refugees), and that's why Glantri, until recently, outlawed lycanthropes. It is clear from X2, though, that werewolves are also native to Latere/Averoinge/Mythical Earth (whatever you decide to call where the d'Ambrevilles come from), but that does not necessarily mean that Mystaran werewolvism came from that place. It seems reasonable to assume that Mystara could have had native lycanthropes, perhaps different from the Alphatian forms, and that is why Alphatian lycanthropy was such an epidemic on Mystara, because it was an unusual disease, but not overly different from one the Mystarans were familiar with. "In the Beginning, there was Darkness, but before there was Darkness, there was Frog." - St. Stephen Mr. Nicholas, Oard Extraordinaire ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 12:42:53 GMT From: "Nicolas Hudson" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Blackmoor device buried in the Broken Lands (X1) >From: "Albert Edward Capt. 552 CSG/SCXX" > >While reading the Hollow World Box Set and the Poor Wizard's Almanac I have >come across the sentence referring to a Blackmoor device buried in the >Broken Lands. This is always followed by the reference (X1). Now X1 is >Isle of Dread, is it not? I've read through Isle of Dread and have found >no >mention of a Blackmoor device buried in the Broken Lands. There is a 1 >sentence blurb on the Broken Lands, but it is hardly worth referencing. > >What is up with this (X1) reference? > >ASEO out What, haven't you read the second appendix at the end of Isle of Dread, that explains how the natives only pretend to be primative, and are in fact the inheritors of the glory that was Blackmoor, and possess the most advanced technology this side of the Draconian Cluster? I hear it was cut out of a couple of editions. "In the Beginning, there was Darkness, but before there was Darkness, there was Frog." - St. Stephen Mr. Nicholas, Oard Extraordinaire ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 12:54:09 GMT From: "Nicolas Hudson" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Demons on Mystara >From: Andrew Theisen >The mention of Razrog and Itheldown on the list recently, as well as some >things I'm doing with Immortals, has spurred this observation- > >The Demons from the Gold Box Immortals set are so much more powerful than >either the AD&D 2nd Edition Demons/Tanar'ri or even the "Fiends" from the >WotI boxed set. > >I was curious as to what others do with this information in their campaign >worlds. Personally, I sort of prefer the stronger demons of the original >Immortals set, but they do seem a bit overpowered for mortal level >campaigns (even Masters level campaigns). The original reasoning, of >course, was that they *were* the Immortals of Entropy, >Andrew "Cthulhudrew" Theisen >Aspiring screenwriter, actor, and gadabout Do you have to go to graduate school to be a gadabout? I reconcile WotI and the Immortals rules by stipulating that the fiends from WotI are the "elementals" of the Sphere of Entropy. They are the native race of some outer plane, and just as water elementals are naturally aligned towards Time, these fiends are naturally aligned towards Entropy (although, for other miscellaneous reasons, I don't like the concept of a Negative Energy plane in OD&D cosmology, but that's another issue). Just as elementals and other residents of the elemental planes can achieve Immortality, so too can these fiends, and when they do, they reach the powers described in the gold box. One implication of this is that, if you allow elementals to reach Immortality in spheres other than their "natural" one (which I do, but it doens't happen much, if it all), it is conceivable that there can be demons in other spheres (can be, but not necessarily so). "In the Beginning, there was Darkness, but before there was Darkness, there was Frog." - St. Stephen Mr. Nicholas, Oard Extraordinaire ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #429 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Saturday, October 2 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 430 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: Re: [MYSTARA] - Nightmare Dimension and Myth of Creation (was: Blackflame rekindled) Re: [MYSTARA] - Thoul Ecology Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 13:01:22 GMT From: "Nicolas Hudson" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Nightmare Dimension and Myth of Creation (was: Blackflame rekindled) >From: DM >Sure thing, if you proceed by the assumption that the ND is the opposite of >Mystara Multiverse, than this is a very sound explanation. It could be >interesting adapting Stephen King's and Peter Straub's alternate universe >described in "The Talisman" to this setting.. > >Unfortunately, I do not second this assumption. ;) > >IMHO, the Nightmare Dimension is not the negative parallel of the Mystaran >universe, rather another dimension of its own. The strange thing is that >this dimension often collides with Mystara and even strangest is that the >inhabitants of the two worlds can catch a glimpse of one another in their >dreams. This way I picture the ND much like HPL's Dreamlands, which were as >real as the Real World where his characters lived. >DM >Senior Editor of the Mystaran Almanac >First Officer of U.S.S. Unicorn A fascinating view on the Nightmare Dimension, DM, with a rather unique story backing it up. Personally, my view od the ND is the same as presented in the gold box, but I just might have to appropriate some of your concepts. Eminent domain, and all that. Good show! "In the Beginning, there was Darkness, but before there was Darkness, there was Frog." - St. Stephen Mr. Nicholas, Oard Extraordinaire ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 13:11:13 GMT From: "Nicolas Hudson" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Thoul Ecology >From: Victor Caminha >I always saw the Thoul as a bizarre monster, because of its undead part in >its breed. I never saw an ecology of a Thoul detailed how was possible to >merge an undead spirit with life force of a troll and hobgoblin. Any >explanations? I wonder if the Thoul was not a long abandonned project of >Nyx >in creating a new undead race, using living ingredients as well. Perhaps >this failed experiment (after the thoul is not undead) can give meaning to >the relative obscure past and history of the Thoul (especially they are >confused with hobgoblins). > >Any suggestions? > >[]s > >Victor Caminha The ghoul was, in the writings of the early 20th century pulp writers on which D&D was based (okay, I'm streching a little with some of these "sources", but this theory was actually mentioned in an old Dragon) such as H.P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, Robert E. Howard, et al., not an undead in the same sense as, say, zombies or vampires, but degenerate humans who were driven out of society because of their replusive beliefs (such as cannibalism and necromancy) and into the caves of the Earth, and are thus mortal, subhuman wretches. I personally find this view far more creepy than the "somewhat-stronger-zombie" of the official rules, and a crossbreed makes more sense with this theory. "In the Beginning, there was Darkness, but before there was Darkness, there was Frog." - St. Stephen Mr. Nicholas, Oard Extraordinaire ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 11:12:30 -0400 From: "jdaly" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks (long) Its only a vague idea at this point. It stems from my Bettelyn Gazetteer, which I will post below your message. Please feel free to comment on it. Pay special attention to the Unicorps. > > I like these. I might change the origin of the Unicorn Cloak to Bettelyn > > though... > > Go ahead - I've no problem with folks changing things to fit. Sounds like > you've a use for this item already - care to fill us in? > > Carl Q ***************** Kingdom of Bettelyn Philosophy The people of Bettelyn have faith. Those of like faith gather together around great Cathedrals at the center of particular cities. They are not a violent people and will try to convert through thoughts and ideas, rather than through conquest. They will not hesitate to fight though, when their values are challenged. There is a fierce competition between Randel and Bettelyn. Each side believes itself to be right and superior. Bettelyn tends to see Randel as a violent, oppressive kingdom, which if Bettelyn and the Imperial crown did not hold them in check, would enslave every other land in the world. But at the same time, there is an unspoken love/respect between the two kingdoms. If one were invaded, no doubt the other would rise quickly to the call. Bettelyns don't believe in slavery. While they do practice it, they believe the future of Alphatia lies in working gradually out of it. They recognize the reality of slavery in the empire and that violent opposition will only make the situation worse. Instead, they treat their slaves with dignity and respect, often teaching them and paying them a modest salary, and eventually releasing them well-educated and ready for freedom. Other Towns Isoin (pop. 35,000) and Lonval (pop. 30,000) produce grains and crops. The Grey Mages of Sabetta often are hired on a contractual basis to help in the digging of irrigation trenches. This is where all soldiers begin whether they wish to be archers or pikemen or cavalry. They train here until they reach lvl 5 at which point they may progress to Dheys to continue in the typical landbound military or Lewec if they wish to sail in the Bettelyn Navy. Part of the military service here entails a "community service" in which the young soldier helps the farmers working the fields or helps to bring the crops into market. No money is gained from this aside from regular military pay. It is considered part of the soldier's duty to help the common man. There are 3 Councilors living between Isoin and Lonval. Jarastar, Nemwat, and Hulion form the "Triad of Pleth". Pleth is a barely remembered name from the Alphatian's homeworld. These three took the name more for its arcane sound than any real knowledge of what it means. Lewec: This large town of 20,000 is one of many fishing towns in Bettelyn. It is the smaller, though more fortified, of the two Bettelyn Naval bases. Here would-be sailors learn to fight on the water, under the water, and with their triton allies. An interesting fact about Lewec is that it is often referred to as "Leweo" in older manuscripts. Some of the more conservative residents still prefer the latter pronunciation. There is one Grand Council member living here. He would rather be a big fish in a small pond rather than an average fish among many. And in fact spends much of his time in the form of a huge fish swimming around in the pond located on his estate. Weltara: With 30,000 inhabitants, is the other naval base and is the ship-producing centre for Bettelyn. The shipyards are actually rather small and the base relies more on equipment gained through trade rather than building. Two Grand Council members make their home here. Vonboby: This town of 10,000 houses the famous UniCorps. This is a group of 100 women warriors who ride unicorns and owe allegiance only to Alphatia herself. However, if the King of Bettelyn is a respectful yet strong leader he can garner the aid of this force. It is said that any woman wishing to be one of this group must enter the Purewood and gain the respect of the unicorns. It is unknown how this is accomplished. Some suggest that the unicorns look into the very soul of the petitioner and judge her worthiness. What is known for sure is that the petitioners who are found wanting are sent back to Vonboby, their legs and arms horribly maimed. The unicorns are less merciful to any man who enters, though - any man so foolish is summarily killed. The Purewood lies to the west of Vonboby. The only known sentient creature that lives in the wood is the unicorn. This unicorn is more warlike than his shy Known World counterpart. The Maidens of Dawn tell a story of an ancient heroine in a time of war between the unicorns and men of Bettellyn. This heroine entered the ever-shrinking forest and somehow tamed or gained the respect of the unicorns. Ever since this time the unicorns of the Purewood have agreed to serve 100 women whom they find worthy but no more than 100. When one of the UniCorps dies or retires many petitioners come to Vonboby. Only one emerges intact with a unicorn mount. Recently the Grand Council member of Vonboby has been making calls on the current leader of the UniCorps. Some speculate that Dergath and Volustren have a romantic fling going, others suggest there is a political tie there. Dheys: This large town of 25,000 produces many of the weapons that are found in the kingdom, and in fact the rest of the empire. Smiths specializing in different armaments may be found here. Soldiers who have reached the 5th level may come here to choose any of 3 divisions: Missle, Foot, and Mounted. The missile division is trained in the heavy crossbow, the longbow and in working with the shielding priests. The foot division is trained in polearms and all manner of hand to hand weapons. They are trained to avoid the blinding flashes of the priests' light spells. The mounted division is trained in riding warhorses and using the lance. They are also trained in utilizing chevron shields and in accepting the boosts that the priestly regiments give. Missle and foot divisions go on to Masala once they reach 9th level. Mounted goes to either Rimpos or Quanfax. The Alphatian Transportation system has a station here. From it, a traveler can reach Sundsvall and lands beyond, or Rimpos. There are three Grand Council members residing here. Masala: Masala is located in a light forest along a river. This town of 15,000 produces textiles and much of the paper materials found throughout the kingdom. Archers and foot soldiers receive high level instruction here. There are no less than 10 Grand Council members living in or around the city. Rimpos: (pop. 30k) and Quanfax (pop. 50k) have vast grazing areas for cattle, sheep, and horses. A few exotic herds are to be found here as well. One can find catobolepas, rhinoceri, llamas, various dinosaurs, stirges, and dragons all being tended by the Mageherds ("Majerd"). Water is brought in through permanent one-way gates and magical compulsions keep the beasts from straying too far or fighting with each other. Their meat, leather, furs, and other products are used all over the empire. Both cities breed the strongest warhorses to be found in the empire. Rimpos breeds for speed and endurance while Quanfax steeds are bred for muscle and power. The Quanfax steeds are huge and bulky and many are bred for the cold. Magic is often used in the breeding process to develop steeds that are unnaturally suited for inclimate weather. A mounted soldier of 9th level may choose several paths at these towns. Those of a lawful persuasion may pledge to the church of Alphatia to become paladins. A more chaotically aligned mounted soldier may become an avenger by pledging to Ixion(?). Finally there is Castle Arkensheld which lies to the east of Rimpos. Here are several high level knights that a young soldier who does not wish to ally with a church may go to to find a sponsor for knighthood. At this point the young soldier becomes a squire and when the knight sponsor deems him worthy the young squire is sent on to Citadel there to pledge himself to the King and be knighted in a grand ceremony. Located in and around these cities are 20 Councilors. They become more and more numerous as one moves toward the capital. Ufacos: Sometimes written "Uffacos", (pop. 30k) is for low-level clerical and mage instruction. There are more clerics than mages in Bettelyn yet the mage tower in this city is as large and elaborate as the central temple. The temple is a huge building housing all major Alphatian faiths. At a high level some priests are sent on to Rimpos or Quanfax to help in the instruction there and others are sent to Brocto to become battle priests. To the northwest there are ancient ruins. These were left behind by the indigenous people of Bettelyn. The 5 Councilors consider the ruins sacred and untouchable. Brocto: (pop. 30k) is really the central military headquarters for Bettelyn. Here the battle priests are trained and the various Bettelyn troops are taught coordination and tactics. This city is a consumer of products rather than a producer. Its harbor is for warships only, all "commercial" ships are turned away. Adventurers hired by the state must produce some kind of proof (usually a letter of some kind) to dock their ship. 10 Councilors live here, but only 8 of them are active in military affairs. Sareba: (pop. 10k) protects the approach to Citadel. Traditionally the people are all responsible for defense in case of an attacking army. Realistically, they know attack is highly unlikely. There are no known Councilors residing here. The city of Citadel (pop. 40k) is the capital of Bettelyn. This is a city comprising exactly one building and as large as a mountain. It was raised, straight up from the earth, by powerful magics. The topmost suite of the building is built upon the ruins of an ancient people. Paladins, priests, and knights all come here at least once in their lifetime. It is a place of pilgrimage as well as an incredible city. There are 30 Councilors living in or nearby Citadel. Sabetta: (pop. 10k) is a mining town that does not see much action, though it is on the border of Randel, for two reasons. The first is its fairly snug out of the way position in the Grey Mountains. The second is the presence of the "Grey Mages". These mages are what may be termed "geomancers". They comprise a lost school of magic which fled with the air mages at the end of the other-world empire. There are very few left and they like to be left alone. In return for aiding the miners of Sabetta the town provides for their needs and gives them the privacy they desire. There are 2 Councilors here who are rumored to be among the Grey Mages, but they are not telling. HISTORY Upon the Alphatians' arrival in this strange new world known as Mystara, several mages and generals of the Alphatian army were given the task of exploring the landfall continent. The great general Zarthurastram is given the task of exploring the eastern half of the continent. To do so, he called upon the men and women that served under him during the war. It just so happens that this was the corp-sized unit, which was the one that laid siege to the Flaemish capital. This veritable horde of powerful men and women of former Alphatia believed in Zarthurastram's leadership ability and remembered his promises in pre-destruction times of "lands to rule as their own" and were fully expecting to be compensated now that a beautiful new land has been discovered. They thoroughly and methodically explored the eastern portion of the continent. The great general found things moving rather fast even for his quick mind and allowed them to lay claim to present day Eadrin, Randel, Bettellyn, and part of Foresthome before consulting the Emperor and the Grand Council. The Council and Emperor apocryphally "grant the General a kingdom for his services" so as not to lose face and to avoid any unpleasantness. The mage wanted and expected all that he claimed. However, the kingdom proposed by the Emperor and council was only the combined area of Randel and Bettellyn. The mage used his power to gain concessions. After all, he occupied a large chunk of Alphatia, and he had a large following, which was composed of many of the elite, deadly soldiers who had followed him in the old world. Using his power base as a major negotiating tool he received: 1.Autonomy in rule. 2.The ability to appoint the ruler of Eadrin. 3.Retention of command in his armies. The Emperor agreed but added these provisions: 1. Swear the allegiance of not only himself but also his Armies to the Emperor (Note this was a clause placed by the Emperor. The Grand Council did not notice the reference to "Emperor" and not "Emperor and Grand Council" or "government" until it was too late. 2. Erect a system of schools to train other kingdoms' troops, for which Imperial funding would be given. 3. Neither the mage's family nor his decendants could lay claim to the Imperial Throne. The mage agreed to these, as they were basically what he wanted. He set up his new kingdom, Zarthura, as detailed in the compact. Since the lands to the north were of better soil they would be used as an agricultural base. The southern lands with their rough soil would be used for the military aspect. Quanfax was the site of the capital of this magnificent kingdom. An order of knights, now retired from military service, built Castle Arkensheld and used the surrounding lands to breed horses. "Horse show" competitions began in Rimpos and Quanfax. These shows were not the contests of skill found in Thyatis, rather they were a chance for a breeder to show off the magnificent creatures visually. Over the next hundred years or so, the mageking Zarthurastram ruled over a united country. But those who looked closely could already see the makings of disaster. The agricultural north was settling into a comfortable aristocracy - they had served their time in the military and saw it as the job of the south to provide for the common welfare. Instead, they spent their time clearing the land and farming it. Religion was popular during this time and many high nobles took it upon themselves to put up money for a series of cathedral-like buildings across the kingdom. This too was a competition of sorts, as each cathedral was intended to be bigger and better than the last. Towns sprang up around the cathedrals, immigrants having heard of the honor to their own particular Immortal being given in the area. After the Mageking died, his son carried on as usual. With the figurehead gone, attempts were made by the Grand Council to bring Randel/Bettellyn into a more conventional and subordinate role. The successor proved as stubborn and wise as the founder. He used the law and agreements to his advantage. The kingdom remained as it was until the Zarthura War... The split occurred during the Alphatian war against Thyatis (AY808). As was customary, the king led his forces in the field. Large portions of his armed forces were back in Randel/Bettellyn. In typical Alphatian arrogance, the king of the time completely underestimated the Thyatian forces. He and his minimal forces were cut off and isolated. During this time the forest cutting in the northern region had met with some resistance. There was a wood in the western end in particular that gave some trouble. A nearby logging town was completely depopulated by savage unicorns. It was debated and decided that some evil mage must be controlling the unicorns, for everyone considered the unicorns' actions to be very unusual for such normally peaceful beasts. A contingent of soldiers was sent in to investigate. It did not return. Adventurers were sent. They did not return either. Finally an all female adventuring group entered and of them, only one returned. She left the woods riding a unicorn and informed the people outside the forest that the wood was sacred and would not suffer being touched by the hands of mortals. She went on to say that 99 women warriors must enter the forest and join her in a "semi-holy" cause of protecting the forest from intrusion. She concluded by saying that if any man entered the forest, he would be killed. If any woman entered the forest, beyond the 100 "special women warriors" then she would be seriously maimed for her insolence and sent on her way. While all this is going on, the call to arms sounded for the entire kingdom. Councillor Grakathan told the south to send aid to the king. He declared the north to be in a state of emergency. The southern portion was more readily able to mobilize and left shortly after the call was issued. The northern portion was not as prepared, and took more time. The southern aspect landed on Brun and managed to break through to the king's forces. Unfortunately, much of them were dead, including the king. The reunited forces fought their way to the coast, and withdrew to the Alphatian Mainland. There, the finger pointing began, as blame was sought for the loss of not only the war, but also the loss of the king. The matter worsened as one of the northern nobles offered her claim to the throne. Councilor Grakathan, a member of the Grand Council and an aristocrat but not actually one of the kingdom's ruling nobility, offered to take responsibility for his earlier decision and the crown as well. Many southern citizens suspected the north was intentionally slow in mobilizing its forces to cause the death of the king, to make a bid for the throne. At this point Councilor Grakathan apologized for his hasty offer of taking the crown and stepped out of the running. More insults were exchanged between the north and the south. The south was united behind one man but the north had yet to appoint a leader. A civil war broke out. The larger forces of the south marched toward the north under their appointed king Randel (cousin of the dead king). The north finally named their own king, who happened to be a paladin of Alphatia, named Karamor. He attempted to make some overtures of peace, but hotheads on both sides continued fighting and vandalizing. He realized that peace was only possible if the entire kingdom was united behind one man. He began the idea of "Peace through Military Strength" that is still prevalent among Alphatia's followers in Bettelyn. The North and the South met at a shallow winding valley of a dried riverbed cut by glaciers when ice covered the continent. Seeing that such a war could harm the Empire further, measures were initiated to stop the war. Before the two could engage, the Imperial Throne and the Grand Council intervened. Delegates escorted by Imperial troops and skyships gave cause to stop the war. Not that the force could do so, for it was small. The two combatants were reminded of their oaths to the Throne, and negotiations began. Seeing that no side would give ground, the delegation decided to split the kingdom. The border would be the lines of battle. That way both sides could say that they lost nothing to the other, giving a symbolic show of saving honor. Symbolism and honor were then and still are very important in Bettelyn. Each town had its own faith and its own symbol. Knowing that means had to be made to ensure that neither invaded the other in the future, the delegation wrote up a pact between the two kingdoms that would forever after limit the number of troops either kingdom could put into an invasionary force. Still, the two governments placed their capitals as far from the border as possible, Bettelyn building the capital of Citadel in the north, and Randel choosing the city of Randel in the south. Citadel, too, is a symbol. The wars that Bettelyn fought against the unicorns and against their southern relatives were costly things that took away from the previous cathedral building. So Citadel is not only a mighty fortress, but also a great cathedral with vaulted halls and beautiful windows and wall pictures. Bettelyn was named after a martyr, from the war, named "Tellyn". A literal translation of "Bettellyn" in the old tongue might be "Land in honor of Tellyn" or "Kingdom consecrated to Tellyn". Landmarks 1.The Citadel: It is a "don't miss" for any cleric or paladin. Tapestries line its walls depicting the history of Bettellyn. It is very much a living tableaux as the images continually shift and change. One may watch the entire history unfold by walking its length. So rapt do people become, the Bettellyns had to install railings lest onlookers fall down the high stairs or from the parapets. 2.The Aquarium at Citadel There are no less than 5 levels of Citadel devoted to aquatic creatures. Many were either captured by intrepid adventurer mages, or created by priests or mages. Specially designed "force cages" were built to house these creatures. A visitor can walk the glass-like halls all day and not see all there is to see. Diffused continual light spells provide illumination without disturbing the sea life. 3.Vonboby's Unicorps: Don't miss them, but don't bother them either. These proud women are only active in times of need, but they remain ever viligant and are always extremely serious. 4.The Library at Marsala: Not the largest or the one with the most writings, but it does have many copies of the more popular books and tomes. There is a monastery in town, which provides the copying while the paper mills provide the material. Anyone interested in researching ancient history or religions of the world should pay Marsala a visit. Chances are, a long lost manuscript, thought to be destroyed centuries ago, will surface from time to time here. 5.The Grey Mages' Cabal: A stone tower, seemingly one with the rest of the earth, rises from the Gray Mountains. It is a mysterious place that is hard to reach by normal means. Visitors are unwelcome. 6.The Horse shows of Quanfax: The best in horseflesh can be seen in Quanfax. Competitions are held fairly regularly. 7.The Races of Rimpos: The people of Rimpos have gone beyond the horse racing activities of their ancestors. While horse racing is the most popular sport, just about anything that moves has its own race now. It is considered fairly crude to participate in or enjoy human foot races. But any animal that can be bred or magically created is fair game. 8. The Wormhole Commuter stop in Sareba is the only stop in Bettelyn. It is located underground and is bristling with defenses, as if the architects were certain attack would come from the capital itself. The "worms" are creatures known as "Phase Worms" or "Astral Worms". Although, it is only known by the mages who control them whether these silver-gray beasts come from the Astral in truth, or whether they are actually from the Dimension of Nightmares. One can almost feel the intelligence bound within these creatures, held tight by shackles of magic, and the hatred that emanates from them is palpable. There are perhaps a thousand that travel from city to city in their daily task of taking commuters to and from the capital. At rest, in the Wormhole stops, they appear as fat, fleshy creatures with holes that sphincter open to allow travelers to enter. Once they start moving, the flesh hardens to a steel-like substance. Suddenly the thing will move with lightning speed as it enters a burst of light and is gone. And finally, there are many cathedrals in the kingdom. There is one cathedral built into the centre of every town. CATHEDRALS Isoin: Is one of two theories, or more correctly philosophies, regarding war. Isoin is the "masculine face", the hard, the aggressive, half of war. Lonval: Lonval is the other half of war. It is the "feminine", seemingly soft, defensive aspect. The complete meaning of the two philosophies is very complex, but suffice to say that one cannot win without the other, therefore they both contain aspects of each other. Lewec: Protius is honoured here with a small but well kept Cathedral. As Lewec is one of the older cities, so too is this one of the older Cathedrals. Dheys: Eiryndul is honored with an intricate Cathedral shaped entirely by trees. The trees have been bent and twisted by magic to create a huge, strong dwelling. Unbeknownst to Dheysans, Eiryndul really does not appreciate how the trees were forced into these shapes. Elves do not tend to travel to this town, and express their disgust when they do. Weltara: Vanya has found some following here in the guise of Zhokastia. Her Cathedral consists of several manmade islands connected by bridges. Vonboby: The Cathedral here is to Terra. It is constructed out of a depression in the earth with trees arranged around the outer rim and centre. Sareba: This place is considered a Cathedral in itself. It is a fairly small city (only 10,000 people) and every building is connected. The walls are sturdy and the roofs strong. Cathedral Sareba is dedicated to the natural disorder of things (Chaos). Citadel: An entire level of Citadel houses a the suite of chambers and worship areas that comprise that city's Cathedral. When Citadel was built, the worship of Alphatia was a strong flame sweeping the empire. This Cathedral was designed to honour her. There is not a door in the entire area, part of an idea that "no one needs to hide when Alphatia is with us". The Alphatia-worshipping Alphatians in Bettellyn believe in "peace through military strength" and support the nation in its strong defensive military. Sabetta: houses a Cathedral to Zyxl, Immortal Patron of Heroes Down on Their Luck. He is "borrowed" culturally from the Thyatians. But his followers in Thyatis are even less numerous than his followers in Bettellyn. He often manifests in the form of a fat "buddha-like" man with four almost elephantine legs. Rimpos: Kagyar is favored here with a simple Cathedral. It was originally planned to be built for some forgotten Immortal, but plans changed when the split happened. The Bettellyns built this one as a gesture of hope for peace. Quanfax: For reasons of its history of being a former capital, Quanfax is the home of the Cathedral to Razud. Quanfax is the city that was first colonized by Zarthurastram and it was the capital during his and his son's reigns. The Cathedral was built both in honour of Zarthurastram and Razud. The statue of Razud, in the courtyard of the Cathedral, has facial similarities to both Zarthurastram and Razud. On the outer walls one will find the busts of many stout warhorses - but Razud doesn't mind. Masala: Zirchev is honoured with a fairly straightforward Citadel. Truth be told, he is somewhat embarrassed by it. Not even in his native country of Karameikos is he so honoured. Many elves come to this town just to see the huge Cathedral peeking over the tallest trees. Ufacos: A huge Cathedral representing all mainstream Alphatian faiths is here. It is the largest Cathedral existing in Alphatia. Brocto: This is sometimes called the forgotten Cathedral. It is said the Bettellyns built it with their backs turned. It is a Cathedral to all those Immortals who generally wish humans or Alphatians ill. The Bettellyns figured they should build the Cathedral "just to be on the safe side". So Alphaks, Thanatos, and all the Ancient Outer Beings are quietly, namelessly, honored with this building. What others say about the Kingdom of Bettellyn: Pharimor, Lordpriest of Isoin: "Our people are founded on peace and reverence. Our Cathedrals are magnificent testaments to the might of the Immortals. The people of Bettellyn, as significant from other kingdoms of Alphatia, believe!" Laugwallis, a Draco Magelord: "No, no my lad. Here in Draco we merely realize the proper use of fighters and we wish them to serve the kingdom happily. If you believe in equality and are against slavery then go to that silly kingdom on the eastern portion. They would have all people be equal. Never mind that slavery is practiced in their realm, mark my words." Dlocteriol, Grand Council Member living in Haven: "The people of Bettellyn provide a special resource for the empire. They let us know whenever we are doing something wrong, but of course I say this in jest. They are good, if somewhat over zealous, people." Commander Broderick: "If ever a force penetrated far enough, they would find a surprise in Bettellyn's army. Therein are many elite units. They are not terribly reliable as an invasionary force because of their tendency to be more chaotic in their makeup than say, Randel. Also there is the unfortunate inclination of the individual to "moralize". In any case some of the greatest warriors come from this land with an incredible number of paladins and warrior priests." *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #430 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Saturday, October 2 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 431 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: [MYSTARA] - Tr: Yezchamenid Empire, part1 -LONG (By Christian Constantin) [MYSTARA] - Tr: Yezchamenid Empire, part2 -LONG (By Christian Constantin) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 11:15:13 -0400 From: "Christian Constantin" Subject: [MYSTARA] - Tr: Yezchamenid Empire, part1 -LONG (By Christian Constantin) This mail was meant to be sent along with the Zuyevo Empire made by Adrian Mattias, since it seems that it is too big to reach the MML, I have it divided in two. I hope that nobody has received the first three tries... Christian "Krieg!" Constantin Introduction to the Yezchamenid Empire > Location: Continent of Brun, northern Arm of the Immortals, between >the Yalu Bay and the Sea of Brun (For a map of the region, go to : >http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Cauldron/5014/Graphs/Maps/Yalumap.JPG ) > > Area: 508,500 sq. miles Population: 3,500,000 (80% humans, 10% >pegataurs, 5% dwarves, some elves and demi-ogres). Language: Dars, Hatti, >Yivj, Mebir, Churan, Pegataur, Midannite and Dremen. Coinage: Talen (pp), >Darik (gp), Sicles (sp), Sabzi (cp). > > Government Type: Hereditary monarchy. Divided in ten Zatraps, each >headed by an heriditary family or relatives of the Shah-an-Shah (emperor). > > Industries: Trade, textiles, silk, spice, herding (sheep, ox, >goats), fishing, rare woods, oil, mining (gold, copper, iron), arts and >literature, magic. > > Important Figures: Shah-an-Shah Zhoher Yezchamenid (M-U 1), young >emperor of the Yezchamenids; Quymer Yezchamenid (C16, of Mizara-Idan, >Ixion), Imperial Regent, Uncle of Zhoher Yezchamenid, Zatrap of Darsi; >Parsan Zhemenieh (F23), Zatrap of Uvaraz; Gulbuddin Marzik (F19), Zatrap of >Zrakan; Mursillis Labinitas (M-U20), Zatrap of Hattas; Azartan Cemirtus >(T14), Zatrap of Yivja; Zholodeer Yemilcataur (13 level Pegataur), Zatrap of >Pazarkan; Nisir Suun (F7), Zatrap of Mebirush; Eratkar Kasusu (C18, of Edad, >Thor), Zatrap of Chura; Odarit Muztasir (F26), Zatrap of Midan; Djomel >Tirruk (M-U17), Zatrap of Draya > > Description: The Yezchamenid empire stretches along the two coasts >of the Arm of the Immortals from the southern foothills of the Resht Zanbaar >(southern Endworld Line) to the Resht Kazit (Northern Shield of the >Immortals). Most of the Empire’s population is regrouped in two major >plains: the fluvial plain of the Zebris valley, between the Northern Shield >of the Immortals and Dzemayaut Range, and the Jyar plain, northwest of the >Yalu Bay. The rest of the population is concentrated along the coastal >plains and in the higher valleys, only the pegataurs dwell in the highest >regions. > > The weather of the empire is varying widely from one region to the >other. But, overall, the climate of the regions is mild and temperate. The >western coast is slightly dryer the eastern although this change at the >latitude of Attasar where the colder currents coming from the northern Sea >of Brun meet with the warmer waters of the western coast of the Arm of the >Immortals. Inside the land, the weather varies according with the altitude; >the Zebris valleys shares a similar weather pattern as the western coast. At >water level, or in the large valleys, there are normally four seasons in the >Empire. A long dry summer, a milder yet dry fall, a short but rainy winter >and a rainy and warm spring during which hurricanes may follow the coast up >to the Yezchamenid Empire. > > The Yezchamenid Empire is a multinational state where no ethnic >group really predominates. Relations between the peoples of the Empire are >free of competition or confrontation on ethnic ground, people of the Empire >refer to themselves as Yezchamenids before any other designation based on >language, ethnicity or race. The larger ethnic group of the Empire, is the >Dars, this people came from the steppes of inner Brun about two milleniums >ago. These people are of approximately the same breed of Oltec and Neathar >blood as the Huleans and the people of the Midlands are even if they mingled >with some of the Pitchans who were living in the Jyar plain before their >arrival. Dars can be found throughout the Empire serving in administrative >offices or trading with the locals, but they are predominant in the three >zatrapies of the northwest, Darsia, Uvaraz and Zrakan. Many dialects are >spoken among the Dars and may vary wildly from one region to the other. The >second most important group of people in the Empire are the Churans. They >live principally in the Zebris Valley in Chura, Midan and southern Mebirush. >Of all the people in the Empire, they are the closer to the original >Pitchans even if they have lost most of their ancestors original culture. >Some Churans are of mixed Oltec (Pitchans) and Tanagoro blood which explains >their darker completion. The Mebirs and Yivj share the same language and >origin but their cultures are so different that the Empire threat them as >different people, which they, in fact, are after centuries of differences in >the cultural and religious field. Both peoples are the sons of the first >Tanagoro settlers that landed on the western coast around 1700 BC and were >integrated by the Pitchans of the coast. The Hattas are closer to the Oltecs >than to their Pitchan cousins, they were forced to migrate from the lower >basin of the Yalu River to forested hills of the western coast when the Dars >tribes arrived in the region. Since then, they might be consider more as >being a blend of Oltec and Neathar since some marriages occurred between the >two nomadic groups. The Middannites are a smaller ethnic group, they are >close to the Dars since they came from the same far away steppes, but were >send to the higher part of the Zebris Valley so that they would oversee the >obedience of the natives Churans to the early Kanastenid Empire. Since then, >the Midannites have lost most of their earlier cultural traits to the >contact of the Churans, but they still consider themselves as different. The >Dremens are the sons of the Pitchan nomadic tribes, they have abandoned this >mode of living long ago, but they are among the most closed society of the >Empire, and marriages with the other groups has always been forbidden, which >explains there quasi-pure Oltec/Pitchan traits. As for the pegataurs of >Pazarkan, they came from the northern mountains times ago, and much of their >memories about this distant times were lost during their exile. Since then, >they have been very reclusive in their high mountains, but accept the >suzerainty of the Shah-an-Shah, for he traditionally gives them the best >position in the army and leaves them manage their own lands as they want. > > The social structure is roughly the same throughout the Empire, the >main social divide coming not from the different cultural areas but more >from cleavage between the sedentary people of the coastal and fluvial >plains, and the semi-nomads of the hills in Zrakan, Hattas and Draya. These >peoples social and political structures are built upon the clanic ties and >the leadership is, in general, given to the elders. Clerics and priests are >most of the time the counselors of these chiefs, magic-user are few but >respected, and warriors are plenty and skilled. In the urban areas and in >the rural communities of the valleys and coasts, social classes are more >elaborated with the scholars and religious people being almost on par with >the hereditary nobility. Rich merchants may wield more influence than the >nobility and scholars and richest of them may have a similar standing as the >upper class, but, generally, they live in conditions closer to the bulk of >the laborious population. While highly respected, the free peasants and >craftsmen must economically support the entire Empire and pay most of the >taxes. The law allows slavery in all the Empire but the teachings of >Zaranaster have had such an impact that some regions are nearly freed from >this form of exploitation. The slave status may be deceiving since some of >the richest land owner may grant to their slaves the right to retain some of >their production for their own use (they may choose to sell it or to consume >it), so that it isn’t uncommon to see some slaves of the Zebir valley be >much more comfortable than the freemen of the less fertile regions. > > Historically, the Empire as been quite decentralized, the regional >leaders being quite free to do what they want as long as they respected >their obligations toward the Shah-an-Shah, paid their taxes and send their >armies when needed. Nowadays, the zatraps still have almost the same >autonomy as kings would have elsewhere, but discontent against the central >administration of the imperial regent have encourage the zatraps to ask for >more autonomy. Recently, they have been increasingly reluctant to send their >taxes and military to Darsagades, and some are nearly asking for full >independence. > > One of the most surprising thing in the Empire is its code of law. >It came down through the generations and, albeit modified regularly, have >retain most of its original characteristic while being quite modern and >impressively comprehensive. Everything or so is codified in the Yazchamenid >Law, from the unified weight of the money pieces to the age at which it is >allowed to marry (15 years for a man and 13 for a women), through the exact >distance at which one must kneel when facing a noble or a high-ranking >priest. There are many to say that this strict and comprehensive, while >just, code of law is the key to the survival of an Empire that might have >crumbled under the weight of its ethnic and religious cleavages. > > > > The zatrapies: > > Darsia: Darsia is the biggest of all the zatrapies, it is located in >a large plain, the Jyar Plain, and overlook the waters of the Yalu Bay. It >is charcaterized by large valleys flowing slowly toward the bay. Small white >houses dotted the lands sometimes regrouped in small fortifies hamlets, >sometimes build atop a higher hill. Many shrine dedicated to the philosophy >of Zaranester may be found along the trails and roads of Darsia; inside >them, one can find the ever feed fires dedicated to Mizara-Idan, it is >considered as a crime for an non-religious to even breath into the air near >such a sacred fire. The biggest cities of the zatrapy are Darsagades, the >imperial capital (73, 000 habs.) and Ragmata (26,000), the empire’s major >port on the Yalu Bay > > Uvaraz: This small zatrapy is peopled almost only by Dars, but was >forged of the Darsia more than 300 years ago as a gift to a cavalry captain >who saved the live of the Shah-an-Shah. Since then, the people of Uvaraz >have tended to develop an identity of their own, but the main thing that may >distinct them from the Dars of Darsia is the fact that the Hivebrood is a >constant threat in the region, and that many from Uvaraz are infected and >cured or sent to the southern steppes. The Zatrapy’s capital is Uvar >(8,300), a pretty-looking port on the Yalu Bay that also serves as the main >naval base on this side of the Empire. > > Pazarkan: Pazarkan is the land of the pegataurs, it is located atop >the high peaks of the northern Immortal Shield. It is a region blown by >constant fiery winds and showered by the regions worst thunderstorm in >winter and spring. Pegataurs have adapted well to this environment and have >built what they call "cloud cities" on the verge of the most precipitous >cliffs. The biggest of these "cloud cities" is Degerin (18,000), the Zatrapy >’s capital and Pegat (16,800) a city in two part: the upper levels, reserved >to the pagataurs, and the lower levels where human merchants of the rest of >the Empire come to trade with the winged centaurs. > > Zrakan: Zrakan is one of the poorest Zatrapy of the Empire, yet it >is of strategic importance since it’s high forested hills and the narrow >valleys are the easiest (and almost only) way to cross from the eastern part >of the Empire to the western coast. People there survive by herding sheep >and goat, and by trading their carpets renowned for their quality beyond the >Empire’s frontiers. Also, one of the main resource of the zatrapy’s >administration comes from the trade on the imperial road and the central >state’s credits to maintain it. Praptanj (6,900) is the regional capital, it >is a bleak city where only the central market, the Bazaar, seems to live. > > Hattas: Hattas is the empire’s jewel. It provides almost half of the >Empire’s mineral resources and nearly three quarters of its timber. It also >profit from the imperial road, which brings even more riches in the Zatrap’ s >coffers. However, Hattas as always been one of the most turbulent zatrapy of >the Empire, for its people still believe that it should head the Empire >instead of the Dars. Nevertheless, the riches that Hattas receives from the >Empire’s inner trade is enough to convince them that stability is better >than civil war. Attasar (22,400), is filled with opulence and monuments that >were built in the time that it was the Empire’s capital. It is also a major >center for the study of magic in the Empire. > > Yivja: Yivja is the land of the Empire’s best and richest merchants. >The Yivj are among the best sailors living on Brun, and went farther than >many other seaborne people. Their only problem is that, if they are good >merchants and sailors, they are poor warriors; this helps explain why the >Empire’s oversea trade is still constrained by foreign piracy, after >centuries of fighting. Utsidon (42,600), the capital city of the zatrapy, is >the Empire’s biggest and most prosperous port; Bertsos (21,400) is the home >of the imperial fleet and a holy site of the Yivjs’ religion. > > Mebirush: The land of the Mebirs encompasses the most fertile lands >of all the Empire. There, the irrigation network, is ,in itself, a real >wonder. Rice, sorghum and wheat are harvested in large amounts. Date palms >are grown along the main rivers and on the seaside and provide an additional >source of revenues for the peasants. Linen is also grown both for its oil >and for its textile fiber. There are two cities of great importance in >Mebirush: Ishmar (34,200), the zatrapy’s capital, is a impressive city >renown throughout the empire for its immense gardens and its multitude of >fountains, and Kadour (22,600), while more austere is also impressive for >its fifteen-stories-high ziggurat. > > Chura: Chura is the land that has been inhabited by sedentary people >for the longest period in the Empire. Artifacts and ruins of long gone >peoples and kingdoms dot its lands. Chura is somewhat smaller than the >territory inhabited by the Churans, which extends well beyond the frontier >with Midan and along the frontier with Mebirush. Chura comprises most of the >central Zebris valley and the fields are almost as bountiful as they are in >Mebirush. Asniveh (27,400) is the historical capital city of the Churans and >it is still the capital of their zatrapy, Regnieh, was traditionally the >second city of importance in the zatrapy, but it has been given to Midan by >the current central administration in a bold move to weaken the influence of >the Zatrap of Chura. > > Midan: Midan is the most artificial zatrapy of them all. It has been >given to the Middanite nomads by the first emperors so that they would help >the central government to control the Churans’ sovereign aspiration. Now, >the Midannites are a minority in their own lands, most of them live in the >hills at the foothills of the great Immortal Shield (which, from Midan’s >side, looks like a wall of rock thousands of feet high), while the Churans >occupy the valleys and cities. Nonetheless, Midan is one of the richest >zatrapy of the Empire, its richest coming from its lands, ideal for the >culture of wheat, and from its hills that are hiding many gold and silver >deposits. Nishep (18,600), once was the Churan Kings’ summer capital, now it >is the permanent capital of the zatrapy. Regnieh (13,200) as been considered >as part of the zatrapy of Chura for most of the reign of the Yezchamenids, >until the current regent decided to give it to Midan. > > Draya: The land of the Dremens is among the most arid of the empire, >the Dremen coast is constantly swept by the hot winds of the Sea of Brun. In >Draya, the coastal plain is less grassland than steppes while the hills are >almost desert. The few rivers coming from the mountains are much or less mud >pits during most of the year. In Draya, one will find villages of tall >buildings cling together to the hills or grouped around a well. The Dremens >normally are distrustful with strangers (anybody who isn’t from the clan) >and tend to be reclusive. Zabiis (8,900), is a small city if compared with >the other zatrapies’ capital, but it is renowned for its tall rectangular >towers and for its spice market. > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 11:15:37 -0400 From: "Christian Constantin" Subject: [MYSTARA] - Tr: Yezchamenid Empire, part2 -LONG (By Christian Constantin) > History: The history of people living on the Arm of the Immortals >goes back well beyond the Great Rain of Fire. However, at that time, only >the southernmost part of it was inhabited since the Northern part was >covered with a thick icesheet. People of roughly the same origin as the >Oltec and Azcans settled this land well before the rise of Blackmoor. The >Pitchans, as they called themselves, where living in the coastal plains and >the misty mountains of the southern part of the peninsula. They’d followed a >path similar to the Oltecs even though contacts were sparse and the Pitchans >isolated. Between, 4000 BC and 3000 BC, the Pitchan’s were able to unite the >tribes of the Arm of the Immortals. Large cities were build atop the rainier >plateaus of the central Immortal Shield Range. With the Great Rain of Fire, >however, their mighty empire crumbled as terrific earthquakes rocked their >lands drowning parts of the coastal plains and wrecking havoc on the higher >plateaus. The survivors of the Pitchans, fell back into barbarism as tribes >fought each other for the little resources left. > > As the ice sheet receded over the northern part of the peninsula, >some Pitchan tribes begun to migrate north as others tried to reestablish >the old order as they remembered it. The two groups gradually lost contact >from each other since the hardship of surviving in this trouble times >impeded travel and since the arrival of the migrating elves of Ilsundal in >the region, around 2350 BC, further rendered the communications between the >two branches difficult. For almost a thousand years, the northern tribes >remained nomads trying to survive on the desolated land that slowly replaced >the glacier. It is only around 2100 BC that, the northern Pitchan tribes >settled down in the area known as the Zebris valley, where the ice had left >place to rich pasturelands that were soon irrigated and cultivated by the >Pitchans. > > There were five Pitchans city-states competing for power in the >Zebris valley when, fifty years later, a mission of Enduk came in contact >with the Pitchans. Following this first contact, trade ties were established >across the Yalu Bay between the more advanced civilization of the Enduks and >the somewhat retarded Pitchans city-states. The Pitchans adopted many of the >customs of the Enduk in architecture, arts, technology, magic; even their >language was rapidly filled with Enduk words. The worship of Ixion also grew >among the Pitchans, even though, it had to share the Pitchans’ souls with >other divinities instead of being the sole Immortal as in the Enduk >pantheon. Contacts with the city of Dravya also developed between 2100 BC >and 2000 BC, even if they were a little tenser than the relations with the >winged minotaurs, the contacts with Dravya had a great impact on the, still >nomadic, northern tribes some of which adopted the fiendish cult. > > The city-state of Asniveh rapidly took advantage of its position of >main trading partner of the Enduks among the Pitchans to increase the >techno-magical gap between it and it’s competitors. The Churans of Asniveh >transformed what look liked peaceful knowledge into a military edge against >the other tribes and gradually subdued most of them. Around 1850 BC, the >Churan Empire is at its apex . Centered on the Zebris valley it covers much >of the northern Arm of the Immortals, and trades with most of the nations of >the Yalu and the Savage Coast. > > Around 1700 BC, a small fleet of raft loaded with people from Tangor >lands in the northwestern region of the Churan Empire. The new settlers are >welcomed and are promptly integrated into the Churan society. Their >assimilation will leave the Churans with the knowledge about distant lands >overseas, but will also add new deities to the region’s pantheon. In 1556 >BC, however, the Mebirs - of mixed Tanagoro and Pitchan blood- revolt >against their Churan Masters. A civil war ensue between the two peoples. >When, in 1478 BC, the civil war ends, the Mebirs have been able to establish >their hold upon most of the former empire territories. > > The Empire of Mebirush will keep the control of the northern Arm of >the Immortals until, around 1280BC, scores of humanoids from Wogar’s hordes, >invade its territory. For almost a century, the humanoids will plunder the >land, leaving behind them only ashes and smoke. When, around 1200 BC, they >resume their southward migration, Mebirush is in ruin; only the high walls >of Utsidon and Bertsos were able to resist the creature’s onslaught. Once >the humanoids gone, the two cities will thrive as the sole inheritors of >Mebirush’s trade links with Skothar and Davania. > > Another group of humanoid will deliver chaos to the distant northern >land of the Pegataurs, which will be force in exile. They land in the high >mountains of the norhtern Immortals’ Shield around 1150 BC. They found a new >kingdom, Pazarkan (Freedom), and establish good neighborly relations with >the divided and exhausted peoples surrounding them. > > Coming from the far steppes of inner Brun, several tribes - of >Oltec-Neathar ascent- moves into the lands of the Hattis, a Pitchan tribe >living at the mouth of the Yalu River, submerged by the riders’ number, the >Hattis withdraw toward the mountains. The nomadic tribes are the avant-garde >of the gigantic Yalu River Empire, which stretches as far as the Hyborean >valley. Dravya is conquered and sacked by the nomads in 1088 BC. Following >the demise of Emperor Dorfin, the Yalu River Empire fragments in 1034. Under >constant threat from the humanoids of the Yazak steppes, the main tribes >among the nomad, the Dars, retreats behind the protection of the Yalu River >estuary into the Jyar Plain at the Northwest of the Yalu Bay. Pressurized by >the westward move of the northern nomads, the Hattis are forced to settle >the forested valley of the Zob River. > > The Dars finally settle the valleys of the Jyar Plain, in 1000BC, >Darsagades is founded. Contacts are made with the societies of the western >coast. This is the dawn of the region’s modern history. > > From 750 BC to 700 BC, Xaries, King of Darsagades, unites the >city-states of the Jyar Plain. Trade with the kingdoms of the western coast >and Nimmur intensifies. > > In 653 BC, Zaranaster, a merchant from Darsagades come back from a >journey to the land of the Enduk. He brings home a new cult - in fact a >syncretism of the traditional Darsian manicheist pantheon and the Enduks >cult of Idu (Ixion)- where Mizara-Idan is the sole god. This religion will >preach that people doing good will be rewarded at the time of their death >while people of evil nature will be sent to a place of eternal torments. >Many Dars among the nobility as well as among the populace adopt his >religious school. > > In 611 BC, the sacred alliance is signed between Kanastez, Shah of >the Dars, and Pasuldar, King of the pegataurs. This alliance decrees that, >while being their vassals, the pegataurs will make up the bulk of the Dars’ >elite troops, and, as such, will be the first to exert their right to >plunder new territories in the name of the alliance. Also, the alliance >establishes that as long as the pegataurs will stay trustful allies of the >Dars, only pegataurs will be eligible as king of their brethren. Following >the signature of the treaty shortly, the Dars and their new elite cavalry of >pegataurs launch an attack against the small and divided kingdom of the Arms >of the Immortals’ western coast and the Zebris valley. In 590 BC, the >conquest of the Pitchan’s lands is done and Kanastez is sacred Shah-an-Shah >(Emperor); the Kanastenid dynasty is founded. > > From 590 BC to approximately 400 BC, the Kanastenid Empire blooms: >it becomes a trade hub in western Brun. The merchants ships of Yivja can be >found in the farthest ports. Trade links are established with Nimmur, the >Nithian Empire, Hule, the Milenian Empire , the Eastern coast of Skothar, >and western Davania. Maritime expeditions are sent to explore the Mystara, >some will go as far as Alphatia or Pelatan. Money taken from the taxes >finances the arts, science and literature, and the Kanastenids are renown >for their magical skills. Humanoid tribes of the Yazak Steppes are military >kept at bay or even bribed to stay in peace. The teachings of tolerance from >Zaranaster allow the Empire to avoid any religious troubles among the >diverse confessions. > > The first blow to the Kanastenid Empire is the eradication of the >Nithian Empire. Even if the memories of that Empire were removed by the >Immortals, the disappearance of a major trading partner in Eastern Brun >handicapped the Kanastenid merchants. More costly was the war between the >Enduks and the Sothkar manscorpions, the demise of Nimmur, the Empires first >trading partner, will make the eastern trade route almost profitless. > > The real blow to the Kanastenid dynasty will also come from >commerce, even if it is a very different nature: in 314 BC, a cargo ship >coming back from Davania lands with a crew infested by Broodlings. The >parasite creatures will rapidly spread throughout the unprepared Empire. >Years of internal fighting against the Hives won’t be enough for the Empire >to win, and, finally, in272 BC, the Kanastenid Empire collapses, its >administrative structures corroded by the monstrous parasite. > > Around 250 BC, while the people of the northern Arm of the Immortals >are divided and exhausted by their struggle against the Hivebrood, a group >of ogre-kin sailors from Tangor lands on the western coast, south of the >former empire territory. From this time on, they begin to settle a land that >was known as the Land of the Gyerians under the empire. The ogres-kin will >buy parts of the land to the bird-like gyerians in exchange of petty jewelry >and fake precious stones. As they settle the lands, these newcomers are able >to overtake much of the trade routes abandoned by the disorganized empire. >In 239 BC, there are enough ogres-kin to found a new political entity called >the Kingdom of Suma’a; 16 years later, a second kingdom is founded, named >Gombar. Both countries will thrive on the trade with Tangor, Davania and the >Arm of the Immortals. > > In 44 BC, a group of Hattas adventurers, led by the mage Supalinaan, >is able to kill the broodmother of Attasar. This event will trigger an >awakening of the people in the former Kanastenid Empire. Supalinaan and his >group are projected at the head of a vast crusade against the Hive in the >entire Empire. As the chief of the liberation squads, Supalinaan and his >friends take the opportunity to build a new empire: each city freed of the >Hive must swear allegiance to the council (he and his friends) in Attasar. >By 10 AC, the entire country is liberated from the Hive’s yoke, Supalinaan >leaves the new empire’s throne to his son Attassaper in order to quest for >immortality. A new special security force is created in 9 AC in order to >keep the hive out of the Empire’s territory, any new infected person must be >sent to the closest temple for immediate healing, else, the new hivebroods >are sent to the steppes south of Uvaraz. The new empire awakens only to find >that it isn’t the center of the world anymore… > > After one and a half century of internal rebuilding, the new >Hattasin Empire feel ready to take back its former position. In 157 AC, an >armada of breathtaking size is assembled in the western ports of the empire. >Its goal? To invades the ogre-kin kingdoms of Suma’a and Gombar and reassert >the empire’s control over the trade routes across the strait of Tangor. On >its way to the two kingdoms, the armada is surprised and nearly annihilated >by a hurricane summoned by the ogre-kin shamans. The few remaining vessels >of the fleet are sunk or captured by the smaller but faster ships of the >ogre-kin navies. Defeated at sea, the empire tries an overland invasion >seven years later. But the legions of the Hattasin Empire are humiliated by >what was thought to be uncivilized and disorganized gyerians. The Hattas >discover that, helped by the Gombarians, the gyerians have created their own >kingdom, Adilli, and mastered the modern war techniques and equipment. > > In 179 AC, the Yevo, a nomadic tribe of Antalian blood coming from >the northern steppes, conquers Vyatka, which was, until then, a satellite of >the Hattasin empire. Preoccupied by its conflict with the western kingdoms, >the Hattas neglect to care about these peripheral developments. > > Focused by its maritime struggle against the kingdoms of the western >coast, the Hattasin Empire is surprised, in 217 AC, by a sudden attack from >the humanoids of the Yazak Steppes and their Hulean allies. The Empire >looses its control over Dravya and the Yalu River estuary. Threatened on its >eastern flank, the Hattasin Empire signs a peace treaty with Adilli, Suma’a >and Gombar in 220 AC, in exchange, the Empire receives some minor trade >routes toward Tangor. From 233 AC, the Empire enters a war of reconquest >against the humanoids of the Yazak Steppes. Casualties are heavy on both >sides, and the frontline stalls on the Yalu River with neither adversaries >able to cross it. > > It won’t be the situation on the frontline that will define the war >result: the implosion of the Hulean Empire (in 295 AC) and the following >fragmentation of the Yazak tribes (from 297 AC) will. The armies of the >Hattasin Empire reach Dravya in 299 AC and conquer a large portion of the >Yazak Steppes in the following four years. > > Around 415 AC, the increasing resources diverted from the Hattasin >Empire’s economy to protect the eastern territories stirs discontent among >the nobility. In 466 AC, the discontent reach its apex and the vassals of >the Zebris valley deliberately refuse to pay their taxes and send any more >troops to the eastern territories. The imperial army is sent to quell the >revolt and bump into the local garrison supportive to the rebel nobles. The >Empire in split between those allies to the Hattas rulers (most of the >northeastern nobility) and the southwestern kings. The ensuing civil war >will devastate most of Yivja while other territories will be much or less >spared. In 473 AC, while most of the imperial army is battling in southern >Yivja, the King of the Dars, Pirooz Yezcham, backstabs the Hattas by sending >his forces to Attasar. With the support of the pegataur king, he proclaims >that Darsagades will be the capital city of a new empire, the Yezchamenid >Empire. The elite pegataur troops shift their allegiance followed closely by >the core of the imperial army. A separate peace is signed in 475 AC with the >King of Chura, thus splitting in two the alliance of the southern vassals. >However, it takes more than 30 years for the Yezchamenids to reunify the >territory of the preceding empire. > > It is only with the conquest of the last Dremen rebels, in 508 AC, >that the new dynasty stabilizes its power at the head of the new empire. >But, after more than a century of troubles, the empire’s trade has been >disrupted and the most prosperous regions have been ravaged. The economy of >the empire is at its worst as traders from the Savage Coast (primarily from >Bellayne and Renardy) now control most of the trade to and from the Yalu Bay >ports. Also, the loosening of the sanitary controls during the civil war has >triggered a new surge of the Hivebrood in the eastern regions. > > Following the end of the civil wars is a period of inner buildup and >socio-political modernization in the Yezchamenid Empire. The multitude of >vassals that characterized the reign of the Hattas will be reduced to ten >Zatrapies, each headed by a zatrap designated by the Shah-an-Shah among the >locals or in his family. The teachings of Zaranaster are brought back to the >forefront after a period where the Hattas pantheon prevailed. The inner >economic infrastructures are revamped and a state school system is >established. Ready to reassert itself as a major power in western Brun, the >Yezchamenids build a new war fleet in the Yalu Bay. In 622 AC, at the Battle >of the Bayou, the fleets of Bellayne and Renardy are ousted of the Bay, the >colonists of those countries are forced to withdraw from the region. >However, the two kingdom of the Savage Coast continue to finance piracy in >the Strait of Yalu, thus impeding the growth of the Yezchamenid trade >outside the bay. Also, in 649 AC, the hivebrood is effectively repelled from >the Empire lands. And, in 665 AC, a new trade treaty is signed with the >Kingdoms of Suma’a and Gombar that allows the Empire to conduct trade with >Tangor and Davania, but piracy remains an endemic problem in the Sea of Brun >’s waters. > > Around 700 AC, the growing power of Zuyevo increasingly worries the >Yezchamenids. A small scale military expedition is sent in 706 AC into the >Zuyevan lands to test their capacities. The rapid victory of the Zuyevans >signals to the Yezchamenids that they are no longer free of threats from the >north. > > Despite the piracy problem on both sides of the Yezchamenid Empire >and the growing power of Zuyevo, the eight century AC is marked by the >prosperous and peaceful reign of Qanikes Yezchamenid "The Enlightened" from >727 AC to 789 AC. During his reign the Empire undergoes an artistic, >philosophic and magic renaissance. Trade ties with neighbors also develop, >but oversea trade remains constrained by the pirates’ activities. > > His grandson, Sasdan, will follow the guideline set by his >grandfather. But his reign is abruptly ended when, in 818 AC, his ship is >sunk in the Yalu Strait by Renardian pirates. Leaving no heirs, his throne >becomes the object of a fierce competition among his brothers. The ensuing >fifty years, during which the throne is vacant, are filled with >assassinations, intrigue and treason. In 866 AC, Fazar Yezchamenid, a >distant nephew of Sasdan will be chosen by a council of mages to be the new >Shah-an-Shah. His reign, from 866 to 903 AC is renowned as one of the most >just of the region’s history. > > In 913 AC, the southward expansion of Zuyevo bumps into the >interests of the Yezchamenid Empire. This expansion leads to the first open >conflict between the two big countries over the status of the southern Yalu >Steppes. After a brief engagement in which the mobility and discipline of >the Zuyevans allows them to take the upper hand against the flying chariots >and infantry of the Yezchamenid army, the Yezchamenids are defeated and will >only keep a small band of land around the Yalu River estuary to link them >with the Zatrapy of Drazde. > > In 957 AC, the citizens of Utsidon are marveled at the sight of a >flying island hovering just outside their city. Soon they meet the island’s >inhabitants, wizards of a distant empire named Alphatia. Their island came >from the Kingdom of Floating Ar, and for a reason unknown broke free from >its magical anchor and derived randomly for more than 15 months. In fact, >Palartarkan, the immortal who created the island, freed it from its magical >anchor and brought it to Yivja in a move to widen his followers base. The >journey of the Alphatians was made hard by the lack of onboard food >resources, and, since the Yivj helped them with food upon arrival, the >Alphatians feel welcome in this new land. Local merchants seeing an >opportunity to bypass the pirate of the Sea of Brun begin to learn from the >Alphatians how to make flying ships. The cult of Palartarkan taught by the >newcomers finds many followers among the merchants and sailors of Yivja. > > In 977 AC, a new competitor appears in the Yalu Bay: the >Villaverdeans. Five years later, the Empire is defeated by them at the >Battle of the Horn. The Yezchamenid eastern fleet is destroyed and the Bay >is opened to the Savage Coast colonial powers anew. > > In 986 AC, Zuyevo sinks into a civil war, seeing in this struggle an >occasion to weakens its northern neighbor through a long and destructive >civil war, the Yezchamenids secretly provide help and equipment to the two >factions. However, in 990 AC, the unrest is quelled by Zuyevan military and >the Yezchamenid plot is unfold, stirring anger throughout the Zuyevan >nobility. > > The year 997 AC is marked by the death of Shah-an-Shah Mayzar >Yezchamenid in a hunting accident. His sole son Zhoher is sacred emperor at >the age of four under the tutelage of his uncle Quymer. The regent’s >decision to put some of his relatives at the head of the state, to rise the >taxes and lower the transfers to the Zatraps, to use his own guard as a >paramilitary forces and to enforce religious repression rapidly award him >with the hatred of most of the Zatraps. Nevertheless, the Zatraps allegiance >goes first to the Shah-an-Shah and even if the disapprove his uncle’s >policies and strive for greater autonomy, none of them will attempt to >declare independence as long as a Yezchamenid is at the head of the state. > > Profiting from the Yezchamenid Empire’s problem, the Zuyevans launch >a blitz attack against the Empire possessions at the northern tip of the >Yalu Bay in 998. Taking the Yezchamenids offguard, they easily conquer the >estuary of the Yalu River and found the city of Kishinev on the bay’s >shores, thus cutting the Yezchamenid Empire in two. The zatrapy of Drazde >becomes de facto independent in 999 AC, but the authorities in Dravya, the >capital city, are divided between the supporters of Zuyevo and the loyalist >to their old motherland > > > > Religion: The Yezchamenid Empire is almost as diverse on the >religious ground as it is at the ethnic level. The traditional religious >tolerance of the rulers has allowed many pantheons and philosophical schools >to develop or the perpetuate within the political framework given by the >Empire. Religious conflicts were few in the Empire history and they did >happen only in time when no legitimate ruler was in charge of the central >administration. Spellcasters of the Empire are called mages regardless of >the origin (magical or granted by the immortals) of their powers. The >peoples of the Empire may be broadly divided in five main religious groups: >the followers of Zaranaster’s teachings (found mainly in Darsia, Uvaraz and >Zrakan); the followers of the Churans’ pantheon (most of the Churans and >Mebirs, and some Midannites); the Hattas, the Yivjs, and the, both have >their own pantheon as for the Dremen, they have their own ways to accomplish >miracles. The pegataurs also have their own pantheon, but many of them have >been converted to the teachings of Zaranaster. > > > > Zaranasterism > > Zaranaster, was a merchant of Dars origin, who went to the land of >the Enduks, Nimmur, during the seventh century BC and came back enlightened >by the winged minotaurs’ faith in a sole god. Once back to Darsia he began >to preach the faith in a sole god, Mizara-Idan (Ixion). According to >Zaranaster, Mizara-Idan, was accompanied by two different immortal and >immaterial spirits, Spenta Mainyu, the one he loved and cherished, was a >good spirit and was the guardian of a paradise-like place where the souls of >the do-gooders would go after their deaths; the second, Angra Mainyu, >despised by Mizara-Idan, was of evil essence and was responsible for the >punishment of the evil beings. The teachings of Zaranaster were >revolutionary for the Dars as the gave a meaning for the people’s lives. >They weren’t the pawns of the immortals anymore and were free to choose >their path between good and evil and be rewarded or punished accordingly in >a life after life. According to the prophet’s teachings, fire was of holy >essence since it was given to the humans by Mizara-Idan to fight the >darkness of Angra Mainyu’s realm. > > If, at first, the teachings of Zaranaster were followed tightly by >his followers, the centuries and the action of the Immortals have changed >what Ixion once thought would be a realm devoted to his own magnificence. >The two Mainyu’s, which were only supposed to be avatars of Ixion began to >act independently from the sun-god’s will. At first, only the evil side of >his personality, acted in autonomy: it was Hel, who used this identity to >influence the followers of Zaranaster’s teachings to do evil actions. Then, >in a quick response, Odin overtook the role of Spenta Mainyu to balance the >entropic immortal. Since then, the followers of Zaranaster’s philosophy more >of less have a pantheon made of three immortals even if most ignore this >fact. > > > > The Churan Pantheon: > > The Churan Pantheon, is a classic pantheon if compared with >Zaranasterism, it regroups many immortals revered elsewhere on Mystara, even >if they have different names or functions. Another specific trait of this >pantheon is the role given to the Shedus (winged bulls with human heads from >another dimension, the ancestors of the Enduks) who are the messengers and >guardians of the immortals. The importance given to the Shedu, help explain >the reverence with which the Enduks are treated on Churan soil. Each Churan >city has its own protector, which might even be from entropy. Entropic >immortal are on an equal stand as the other since they are essential to keep >the balance of the universe. They are even more revered and honoured ins ome >region since their worship is seen as a way to protect itself from the wrath >of the fiend. > > The main immortals of the Churan pantheons are: Edad (Thor), god of >lightning and rain; Allaruta (Talithas), goddess of copulation and lust; >Aszun (Korotiku), the wicked thief; Abskallar (Ka), He who teaches the arts; >Asarduxli (Pflarr), He who has the power of magic; Ashnankan (Freyja), >goddess of grain and fertility; Alu (Alphaks), He who crushes men; Pastirrid >(Loki), He who erases; Shagulhaz (Masauwu), upholder of evil; Menkir (Odin), >god of wisdom; Enbiludli (Koryis), god of irrigation, farming and >prosperity; Kerrar (Orkus), The Scorched Earth; Gibal (Rathanos), Fire god; >Gushkin (Kagyar), He who works metals; Basmur (Atzanteotl), the Horned >Serpent; Umbala (Ordanna) Guardian of the forests; Ishahura (Tarastia) >goddess of marriage, the Enforcer of oaths; Ishteri (Valerias), Goddess of >love and war; Mushassu (Demogorgon), the Furious Snake; Nebur (Ssu-maa) God >of writing and eloquence; Namuntar (Thanatos), the Decider of faith, god of >plague and other diseases; Nanash (Nyx), moon-goddess, the Darkness; Kulit >(Tiresias) the Hymns Singer; Ninlul (Calitha) goddess of sailors; Numsar >(Djaea) goddess of plants and survival; Nuskmash (Ixion), God of light and >sun. > > > > The Hattas Pantheon: > > As the Churans, the Hattas have their own pantheon, which predates >the Empire by centuries. The main figures of this pantheon are: Kumarbis >(Odin), the Storm God, head of the Hattas’s pantheon; Tasmisus (Thor), the >children of Kumarbis; Hannahanna (Terra), the mother of all gods; >Suwalyattas (Halav), the warrior god; Upelluri (Gorrziok), a giant who >carries the world on his shoulders; Ulikummis (Kagyar), god of rocks and >mines; Hapantallis (Ixion), the Sun god; Inaras (Djaea), goddess of the wild >animals and forests; Telepinus (Frey), She who make the crop grows; Hahhimas >(Protius), the sea god; Illuyankas (Ka), the dragon, he who makes the earth >rebirth; Kamrusepa (Pflarr), patron of magic and learning; Astabis (Orcus), >the destroyer; Yarris (Thanatos), god of pestilence; Hasamelis (Asterius), >he who protects travelers; Istustayas (Nyx), moon goddess. > > > > The Trinity of Yvja > > Strangely, for such a peaceful and constructive people, the Yivjs, >worship a triad of entropic deities: Djaal (Thanatos) who rules the universe >from a throne of skulls; Ashaat (Talitha), the false maiden; and Melqeart >(Orcus), He who supervise the process of destruction. This strange >particularity come from long-forgotten times where the Yivjs entertained >close trade contact with the ancient city of Dravya, where the fiendish cult >was celebrated. Many ancient Dravyan came to Yivja when the Yazaks destroyed >their city and brought with them the cult of entropic immortals. The Yivjs >see their evil and chaotic immortals as being at the root of all changes, >without them their wouldn’t be a reawakening of the earth every spring, for >the earth needs to plunge into darkness to wake up. The Yivjs have built >giant-sized statues of the three immortals in their cities with fire always >burning inside them, offerings (fresh meat, money, even human sacrifices) to >their gods are thrown in the fire. Human sacrifices are common, but it is >seen as an honorable end to die in such a way that it will appease the wrath >of the fiendish trinity. > > > > The Way of the Dremens > > For the Dremens, there are no archbeings. No immortals from which to >draw the energy to cast spells or prayers. This is not to say that there isn >’t somebody able to heal one or to turn undead. The Dremens, do not have >shaman either, what they have instead are what they call, Qur-Zhoïtkar, or >The Permutators. Permutators are people able to discharge the magical power >imbedded in the Qur-Aoutat, The Root, a magical tubercle found in the >valleys and caves of Draya. The ways to use The Root are only taught to >young Dremens who owns certain mystical characteristics. A Permutator, will >discover how to trigger new power from the consumption of the Qur-Aoutat as >he will get experienced with the use of the vegetal (same spells and spell >progression as the clerics). Many scholars and mages of the rest of the >Empire have tried to explain and use the magical capacity of The Root, but >none have reached convincing conclusions or results, so the use of the >Qur-Aoutat remains unexplained and limited to the Dremens. > > > > > > > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #431 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Sunday, October 3 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 432 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence Re: [MYSTARA] - Demons on Mystara Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! [MYSTARA] - Overquoting [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! Re: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! Re: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! Re: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! Re: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! Re: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! Re: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! [MYSTARA] - Delivane's Books of Dweomer, pt. 2 [MYSTARA] - More from Delivane's Museum Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 09:59:16 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! Like many others on this MML, I do not wish to use other material, as this would not be unique to Mystara. However I do _not_ beleive you clearly read my statement before making a reply. My statement was not copying White Wolf material into Mystara, but rather about how Lycanthropy is underdeveloped in Mystara in contrast to other games and novels which have more well developed lycanthropy lore. I feel Mystara should include lycanthrope tribes which are unique to Mystara. Perhaps these lycanthrope tribes could have unique abilities paticular to a given tribe. For example, there are many types of wolves in RW. Perhaps different werewolves of different wolf types could grant different abilities. Maybe the human society could affect the lycanthrope thinking. For instance, maybe Ostland werewolves could be stronger and have a warrior like culture. The supplement PC 4 Night Howler's is a great in allowing players to role-play lycanthropes in OD&D rules. However, I feel that there is not much dimension beyond simply playing a monster. There is nothing to define the lycanthrope's personality, how he exists is a given society and that societies views on lycanthropes, how he is influenced by the loyality to his tribe or wolf pack, his wolfpack's philosphy or views, how he became a lycanthrope, etc. I think in Mystara, we can have rich background material. This material could be even better than White Wolf and other novels. Thus we can make our own material and mythologies with the same or better richness. It should be welcomed to make such criticisms, as snotty remarks seem to encourage ignorance. (Not to say anyone made such remarks :) - -- On Fri, 1 Oct 1999 22:29:43 SteelAngel wrote: >> I just feel the reason behind the lycanthrope and development of the >lycantrope pales in comparison > to other material such as Werewolf >supplements from Whitewolf, which actually explains why the >> relationship exist between wolf, man, and nature. > >Not to be snotty, but, remember Mystara is NOT White Wolf :) We have our own >mythologies, and sometimes it's not always a good idea to introduce others' >mythologies.. > > >Ethan > > >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > > HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 12:23:14 -0700 (PDT) From: Damon Brown Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence - --- CQuaif@aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 01/10/99 22:45:21 GMT Daylight > Time, redrobyne@ellijay.com > writes: > > > I always thought things went dormant in the first > place not completely > > dispelled because that would mean artifacts and > the like would be ruined? > > Artifacts and *enchanted* items - the expensive, > researched objects - DO go > dormant, in my understanding - actually, that's > wrong; I think Artifacts > (Immortal Magic) continue to function on the DoD; > anyone? - but the "easy" > enchantments, and personal spells, created by > Permanence get cancelled. > That's IMO, of course; any other ideas? > That sounds reasonable. Any permanent magic item shouldn't be dispelled on the DoD, but spells effects from them certainly would. For insyance, I would say a potion in a flask would not be any good on the DoD but fine afterwards. However, if the effects of the potion were in effect for some reason when the DoD rolled around, they would be dispelled. As far as Artifacts, that's a tricky one. I would think Immortal magic would be immune to the DoD but that kinda depends on where the NoS is drawing it's power from in a given campaign. Anyway, just some thoughts... auf wiedersehen, Damon ===== If a 'Vegetarian' is someone who eats vegetables, shouldn't 'Humanitarian' be another name for a 'Cannibal'? __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 17:25:22 EDT From: BoBoII@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Demons on Mystara In a message dated 10/2/99 8:55:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time, dr_bombastic@hotmail.com writes: << Do you have to go to graduate school to be a gadabout? >> No; but it helps. BoBo II (who has gadded from time to time) *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 19:40:52 -0400 From: "SteelAngel" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! > I feel Mystara should include lycanthrope tribes which are unique to Mystara. Perhaps these lycanthrope tribes could have unique abilities paticular to a given tribe. For example, there are many types of wolves in RW. Perhaps different werewolves of different wolf types could grant different abilities. Maybe the human society could affect the lycanthrope thinking. For instance, maybe Ostland werewolves could be stronger and have a warrior like culture. True that PC4 did only do a representation of Werewolves in Glantri, but then again, that's the only place where werewolves aren't hunted down and killed for XP. What i would like to add though is that According to PC4, Were-beasts are not really tribal. They have a hierarchy, but not much more than master-student relationships. I don't know where that leads, but I don't think that there are organized lycanthrope tribes on Mystara, except in areas where they are tolerated. Ethan *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 13:33:39 +0200 From: DM Subject: [MYSTARA] - Overquoting Hi! This is just a short and polite message to tell you all to please STOP overquoting. When you reply to a message, just quote the parts you need to make others understand what you're talking about, and then delete the remaining. And also PLEASE, STOP attaching the WHOLE original letter to the end of the reply, especially when the reply consists only of: "Hey! I like this stuff!" I know I have no authority over this matter, but I felt this was needed to mantain a good netiquette. Thanx. DM Senior Editor of the Mystaran Almanac First Officer of U.S.S. Unicorn Visit Marco's Mystara Homepage at: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dungeon/2967 Join the Mystara Webring at: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dungeon/2967/mystring.html Join the Starfleet Academy at: http://gilda.it/startrek (Italian RPG PBEM) *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 23:55:50 -0400 From: "Christian Constantin" Subject: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! Hi everybody! I have added a new map on my site, but it seems that some of you haven't been able to download it, even if, from my computer, no problem arose. So, I would like to know if it is a generalized problem or if it's only a ponctual/specific issue. The map is located at: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Cauldron/5014/Graphs/Maps/Yalumap.JPG . I know, it looks like an ad., but I just want to know if my work is accessible for all. Thanks! Christian "Krieg!" Constantin *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 21:06:44 PDT From: "adrian mattias" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! And it is a good ad too! :o) >From: "Christian Constantin" >Reply-To: mystara-l@lists.imagiconline.com >To: "MML" >Subject: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! >Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 23:55:50 -0400 > >Hi everybody! > I have added a new map on my site, but it seems that some of you haven't >been able to download it, even if, from my computer, no problem arose. So, >I >would like to know if it is a generalized problem or if it's only a >ponctual/specific issue. The map is located at: >http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Cauldron/5014/Graphs/Maps/Yalumap.JPG >. >I know, it looks like an ad., but I just want to know if my work is >accessible for all. >Thanks! >Christian "Krieg!" Constantin > >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 22:44:27 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! Thus, is it my understanding that people playing Mystara would be against having tribes of werewolves? Do werewolves live by themselves, forever a monster to be slayed, or do they band togther and form alliances, which could form into societies. Could werewolves ever take on the personage of the beast, the wolf? Could they form societies similar to beast socieities, or do they always follow human ways over wolf ways? Changing the subject from tribes and societies... How were werewolves created? This was never really discussed in PC4. The description of PC4 for werewolves can be summarized as "The Wizards Did it!". I think this is more of a cop-out rather than a well developed background, but I won't go there. I thought of an idea. There has to be some sort of spell which transformed people or wolves into werewolves. Perhaps this spell can be used again. HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 22:46:21 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! Nope. IT's a messed up JPEG - -- On Sat, 2 Oct 1999 23:55:50 Christian Constantin wrote: >Hi everybody! > I have added a new map on my site, but it seems that some of you haven't >been able to download it, even if, from my computer, no problem arose. So, I >would like to know if it is a generalized problem or if it's only a >ponctual/specific issue. The map is located at: >http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Cauldron/5014/Graphs/Maps/Yalumap.JPG . >I know, it looks like an ad., but I just want to know if my work is >accessible for all. >Thanks! >Christian "Krieg!" Constantin > >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > > HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1999 01:53:21 -0400 From: "Christian Constantin" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! - -----Message d'origine----- De : Mr. Darknerd À : mystara-l@lists.imagiconline.com Date : 3 octobre, 1999 01:47 Objet : Re: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! > Nope. IT's a messed up JPEG >-- So far 50% of success, that's not enough... I think that I will try to shrink the size of the file, any other ideas are welcomed... Christian "Krieg!" Constantin *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 22:57:05 -0700 From: "Mr. Darknerd" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! OK. I got it working. All I can say is that this is freakin' awesome. I mean just like plain awesome. - -- On Sat, 02 Oct 1999 21:06:44 adrian mattias wrote: >And it is a good ad too! :o) > > >>From: "Christian Constantin" >>Reply-To: mystara-l@lists.imagiconline.com >>To: "MML" >>Subject: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! >>Date: Sat, 2 Oct 1999 23:55:50 -0400 >> >>Hi everybody! >> I have added a new map on my site, but it seems that some of you haven't >>been able to download it, even if, from my computer, no problem arose. So, >>I >>would like to know if it is a generalized problem or if it's only a >>ponctual/specific issue. The map is located at: >>http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Cauldron/5014/Graphs/Maps/Yalumap.JPG >>. >>I know, it looks like an ad., but I just want to know if my work is >>accessible for all. >>Thanks! >>Christian "Krieg!" Constantin >> >>*************************************************************************** >>To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >>with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. >> > >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > > HotBot - Search smarter. http://www.hotbot.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1999 02:04:06 -0400 From: "Christian Constantin" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! >OK. I got it working. All I can say is that this is freakin' awesome. I mean just like plain awesome. >-- I'm not too sure if I should take that as a positive reaction :~) Christian "Krieg!" Constantin *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1999 03:25:10 EDT From: Kaviyd@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! In a message dated 1999-10-02 19:39:03 Eastern Daylight Time, spymaster@planetfortress.com writes: > True that PC4 did only do a representation of Werewolves in Glantri, but > then again, that's the only place where werewolves aren't hunted down and > killed for XP. Sure they are -- just because something is illegal does not mean it isn't done. Just ask Dame Genevieve de Sephora -- she hunts werewolves all the time. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1999 09:24:05 -0400 From: "SteelAngel" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! the map is 1.1Mb in size.. it really slows down older computers. try converting to websnap gif, or 5th quality jpeg Ethan *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1999 09:43:20 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: [MYSTARA] - Delivane's Books of Dweomer, pt. 2 All, A few spells for your delectation. Comments, please? Carl Q. - - Delivane's Books of Dweomer, Part II: The following are further spells from Delivane Crookback's vast collection of magical lore:- Frostburn Level: 2 Range: Touch Duration: 2 rounds (see below) Effect: siphons heat from target This is an antique spell, first used by the Flaemish settlers in what would one day become the Principalities of Glantri. Some Sages believe that the spell's origins predate the Flaem's migration from Old Alphatia, although no-one still living can confirm or deny this. When the spell is cast, the Mage touches her target (requiring a normal "to hit" roll) and drains heat from the target's body into her own, causing 1d6 hp of chill damage. In the next round, the caster must again touch another to discharge the absorbed heat, this time causing 1d6 heat damage (or 1d4, if the original target is chosen, since this attack replenishes some of their lost heat). If the caster does not discharge in the next round, either by choice or because she fails her "to hit" roll, then she suffers the 1d6 damage herself. This spell is still relatively common among Glantri's Flaemish Magi, although it is little-known or used elsewhere; even the Great School of Magic's copious libraries do not hold copies of the spell, merely long-buried and oblique references to it. Corebin's Snarefire Level: 5 Range: see below Duration: special Effect: creates magical trap Another Flaemish spell, this time named for its creator, the Wizard Corebin of Bergdhoven. Corebin's Snarefire was designed as a trap-spell for protecting valuables, although enterprising Wizards have found other uses for it over time. Before casting, the Mage draws a circle on the ground using a stick of charcoal; this may measure a maximum of 10' across, but can be smaller, if desired. The spell can be set to trigger whenever anyone steps within the circle, or restrictions can be made - react only when men/elves/goblins etc enter the circle, or do not react when so-and-so enters, for example. When triggered, a circular Wall of Fire springs up at the limits of the circle, trapping the intruder within. Creatures of less than 4HD cannot break through the Wall; those of 4HD or greater can, but take 1d6 damage in the process, unless protected from magical fire. Cold-using creatures take double damage. The Snarefire lasts for 6 Turns, once triggered. The spell can remain dormant indefinitely, until triggered - or until the Day of Dread, when it fades away harmlessly - and many Mages are known to set up multiple Snarefire circles to protect their homes and valuables. Castle of Time Level: 8 Range: see below Duration: see below Effect: exchanges past and/or future selves This unique spell was created 50 years ago by the Wizard Djoremyn during his quest for Immortality in the Sphere of Time (Sponsored by Khoronus). It permits the caster to exchange the current body of the recipient for a past or future version, for the duration of the spell. The spell has two variations; a short-lived combat version, and a more powerful variant with an indefinite duration. The former, usually used as an attack, requires a "to hit" roll by the caster to touch the target. If the blow lands, the victim must make a Save vs. Spells or be transformed into a younger or older form (caster's choice). Only rough age-ranges can be chosen (infant, child, young, middle-aged, old, venerable); the caster normally attempts to transform his target into a helpless newborn or feeble old-timer. The spell lasts for 10 rounds, + 1 round per 2 levels of the caster. This spell is sometimes used to temporarily rejuvenate an ageing (or artificially aged, i.e. by a Haunt) caster, or his companion, to the prime of life. The latter, permanent version requires an expensive (and accurate) full-length portrait of the subject to be painted - cost normally varies between 25,000 - 50,000 gp. The caster uses this to extrapolate the past or future form of the subject; checks against both Wisdom and Intelligence are required to cast the spell correctly. If either one fails, the spell is ruined, and a new portrait must be painted. Incorporating something of the subject - skin scrapings, perhaps, or ground-up nail clippings - in the paint grants a bonus of +1 to each roll. If successful, the spell is then cast on the painting itself, which alters to represent the new form; simultaneously, the target likewise takes on that appearance (if the change is involuntary, the target is permitted a Save vs. Spells). Since the spell is cast on the painting, the target does not detect as magical; nor will a Dispel Magic, cast on the recipient, cancel the change (although a carefully-worded Wish will). If the painting is destroyed or Dispelled, the spell is shattered. The spell may be used to create an impenetrable disguise, if necessary, or to Curse an enemy with old age; but its most common use is to rejuvenate an elderly being - the spell is more effective than Potions of Longevity, particularly if the painting is stored on some Plane other than the Prime (to avoid the effects of the Day of Dread). Both the target and the painting age together; the same painting may be used for further castings as the target grows old again, potentially granting eternal life. However, destruction of the painting will negate all such spells at once, causing a truly ancient target to crumble into unliving dust. Castle of Time was created as part of Djoremyn's attempt to gain Khoronus as a Sponsor, in lieu of the more traditional physical Gift; since he sought Immortality in an unusual Sphere (for a Mage), Djoremyn felt an extra-ordinary tribute was required. Apparently, Khoronus was delighted with such a unique tribute, and accepted the Mage without delay. Djoremyn is now nearing the end of his Testimony, since the capitol of his realm, Kalmaya (a small island realm, far to the South of Belissaria), is almost completed; with only his Task to complete - he has three young daughters, one of whom will most likely succeed him - he is likely to Ascend to the ranks of the Immortals within the next decade. Note: The "temporal alternates" are not drawn from the target's own timeline - - a target temporarily aged by 30 years will not, thirty years hence, briefly revert to a younger self - but from one of any number of alternate timelines. This effect was especially chosen by Djoremyn to avoid creating a temporal paradox, which would only serve to anger the very Immortal he was trying to impress! *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1999 09:43:24 EDT From: CQuaif@aol.com Subject: [MYSTARA] - More from Delivane's Museum All, Second posting of the day - these items were actually used in my late-lamented campaign, to quite good effect. Please let me know what you think. Carl Q. - - Delivane's Museum - More Wonders: The Everfire Bow: This is a Short Bow crafted from yew wood, either dyed or painted golden. The bowstring appears to be made of spun gold, made magically strong and supple; the string glows faintly in the dark, although not enough to see by. Anyone picking it up will find the Bow to be perfectly balanced for firing. A Detect Magic spell reveals a strong enchantment on the Bow. The Everfire Bow provides no bonuses to hit and damage. When the string is drawn, Its magic Teleports arrows to the Bow, ready for firing. The time thus saved lets the Bow's wielder fire twice per round. The Bow draws its ammunition from the wielder's own quiver; if that is empty or missing, it grabs arrows from the wielder's pack, a friendly source, or an unfriendly (enemy) source, in that order. If there are no unspent arrows within 500' of the Bow, its powers cannot function. The Bow cannot distinguish between magical and non-magical arrows; if both are available, it will summon them at random, which might cause the wielder to fire a valuable magical missile at the wrong time, or in an unnecessary situation. Many a wielder has found it prudent to keep only one type of arrow - - enchanted or otherwise - in his quiver at any one time while using this Bow. If desired, the Everfire Bow can be used to nock and fire arrows normally, of course. The name of the Everfire Bow's creator is lost to time; it is known that the Elf Herulaer Feadiel brought it with him from the Sylvan Realm during the Feadiels' migration to Alfheim. Herulaer lost it - and his life - battling humanoids in the Broken Lands a century later. Since that time, the Bow has appeared sporadically in various places. Until recently, it was an exhibit in Delivane's Museum of Curiosities; however, the Mage is believed to have lent it to an old friend, Joram of Norwold, to help him hold on to his lands during the recent turmoils. The Bow was lost again when Joram's castle was overrun; its current location is unknown. Bracers of Lightning: These are a pair of wide wristbands made of soft, yellow-dyed leather. Sewn into each is a large, cabochon-cut diamond of flawless quality, worth at least 20,000 gp each for the gem value alone. The Bracers are worn so that the gems are situated on the outside of the wrists. The wristbands are enchanted to be impervious to damage; they cannot be cut, pierced, burnt, or otherwise damaged by anything short of a Wish. The diamonds charge themselves daily with electrical energies from the atmosphere; each one can release 10d6-worth of Lightning Bolts per day, with the damage split in any way the wearer likes (e.g. one 6d6 and two 2d6 Bolts). In addition, any electrical attack (magical or natural) intercepted by the wearer is absorbed into the Bracers - although these energies must be released again within 2 rounds, or the diamonds automatically expel their stolen power. In this case, the wearer takes half damage from the escaping electricity. (Note: the Bracers need not both be worn by the same person - two individuals could wear one each and enjoy both power and protection.) The Bracers of Lightning were made by the Alphatian Archmage Gerderain of Arogansa, a member of Alphatia's Grand Council. They were a gift for his daughter, the half-Nuari child of his beloved Pearl Islander bride - a daughter so perfect in grace and feature that her parents called her Beauty; with the dusky skin of her Mother, and her Father's regal bone structure, she certainly lived up to her name. A talented - and wilful - student of magic, she changed her hair colour to burnished silver while still a child, and refused to allow her Father to change it back. Her particular interests were in nature, particularly in the wind and rain - had she been raised in her Mother's homeland, she would no doubt have become a Druid - which caused her to specialise in Air- and Weather-magic, and earned her the sobriquet "Wind-Rider". She loved to fly; for her sixteenth birthday, her father cast the spells Fly and Permanence upon her, letting her ride the winds at will. Her parents gave her the Bracers when she decided, at age 21, to go adventuring. Beauty made many friends during her years of travel, most notably the mage Delivane Crookback; When she retired to raise a family, she bequeathed her Bracers of Lightning to Delivane for her collection. Beauty finally met her end many years later, while she and her family were visiting her parents in Arogansa...on the day Alphatia sank beneath the waves. Delivane mourns her loss to this day*. [*Unbeknownst to Delivane, both Beauty and her entire family were transplanted to the Hollow World upon Alphatia's destruction; the Wind-Rider, who was of a high enough level to retain her true memories, now occupies much of her time exploring this strange, new, inverted world.] *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 03 Oct 1999 10:08:42 -0700 From: Patrick Sullivan Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Lycantrhopes from Alphatia? Insane! > Gaz 3 mentions that wereboars and werebears were common among the >Flaems (Alphatian refugees), and that's why Glantri, until recently, >outlawed lycanthropes. It is clear from X2, though, that werewolves are also >native to Latere/Averoinge/Mythical Earth (whatever you decide to call where >the d'Ambrevilles come from), but that does not necessarily mean that >Mystaran werewolvism came from that place. It seems reasonable to assume >that Mystara could have had native lycanthropes, perhaps different from the >Alphatian forms, and that is why Alphatian lycanthropy was such an epidemic >on Mystara, because it was an unusual disease, but not overly different from >one the Mystarans were familiar with. That's a good point, the Laterre werewolves, and one which I had forgotten about. It certainly provides yet another layer to the history of lycanthropes, and another source from whicih lycanthropy can have spread. Perhaps even the virulent lycanthropy of the Alphatian homeworld was not quite so difficult to cure until it came into contact with Laterre's lycanthropy, causing both to mutate into something even more hideous. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #432 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Monday, October 4 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 433 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: [MYSTARA] - no email Re: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! Re: [MYSTARA] - Underyord Gnomes [MYSTARA] - Character Monster guides? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 3 Oct 1999 14:46:42 EDT From: Scoooman@aol.com Subject: [MYSTARA] - no email I have completed one of my missions, and am needed in the DreamLand, so for the next week or so, I will be unavailable for torment. Enjoy! Meltheim the Shadowstalker Infiltrator to the Immortals Devotee of Fate Eyes of the Starwatcher *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 10:36:13 +0200 From: thibault sarlat Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - OT-Help wanted! As i said before, Christian, you can first save in gif , then convert to ping format, the compression rate will impress you and there is no loss in quality. - -- Thibault Sarlat ICQ 16622177. Check out my sites : The main page is at http://www.mystara.com.bi Also, the Mapping Zone is at http://www.mystara-maps.com.bi And finally the Gazeteer zone is at http://www.mystara-gazeteers.com.bi Pour rejoindre la Mystara mailing liste francophone, rendez-vous sur ma page de garde en bas. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 16:51:52 +0200 (CEST) From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?H=E5vard_R=F8nne_Faanes?= Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Underyord Gnomes On Sat, 2 Oct 1999, Nicolas Hudson wrote: > Thanks to Håvard for the initial inspiration. Wow, this little idea of mine actually grew into something! :) > The Gnomes of Underyord I dont have time for a detailed comment at the moment, but this looks pretty cool. I envisioned the Underyord to be a much larger complex though, with distant colonies far into Norwold. But I guess none of the below negates that possibility. Alltogether: cool stuff! Mind if I put this on my website? :) Håvard Haavard R. Faanes (hoc@nvg.ntnu.no) http://www.nvg.ntnu.no/~hoc "Remember, there are no stupid questions, just stupid people." -Mr Garrison, South Park. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 15:48:55 -0500 From: "Ed Paynter" Subject: [MYSTARA] - Character Monster guides? This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_03B8_01BF0E7F.F6B118A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I was just reading through a Play-by-email message from a campaign and = the problem of identifying monsters has just come up. This started me thinking... I don't remember ever having, as a = character, any sort of guide to identifying monsters. But surely such a = thing must exist in the characters world. How could there be so many = magical creatures and grand adventurers without someone cataloging the = various monsters? So... the question I present is: has anyone = developed/written an In-Game monster manual? I can see wonderful descriptions and warnings... "We fought this strange = ooze as best we could... with little result. We tried to burn it, stab = it, smash it.. nothing seemed to work. We decided that it must be some = foul magical creation of a demented wizard!" (I'm away from my resources = so I can't put a name to it without making a fool of myself...) There could also be sections describing denizens and curses, lycanthropy = and vampirism, etc... Ed Paynter epaynter@iupui.edu - ------=_NextPart_000_03B8_01BF0E7F.F6B118A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I was just reading through a = Play-by-email message=20 from a campaign and the problem of identifying monsters has just come=20 up.
This started me thinking... I don't = remember ever=20 having, as a character, any sort of guide to identifying monsters. But = surely=20 such a thing must exist in the characters world. How could there be so = many=20 magical creatures and grand adventurers without someone cataloging the = various=20 monsters? So... the question I present is: has anyone developed/written = an=20 In-Game monster manual?
 
I can see wonderful descriptions and = warnings...=20 "We fought this strange ooze as best we could... with little result. We = tried to=20 burn it, stab it, smash it.. nothing seemed to work. We decided that it = must be=20 some foul magical creation of a demented wizard!" (I'm away from my = resources so=20 I can't put a name to it without making a fool of = myself...)
 
There could also be sections describing = denizens=20 and curses, lycanthropy and vampirism, etc...
 
Ed Paynter
epaynter@iupui.edu
- ------=_NextPart_000_03B8_01BF0E7F.F6B118A0-- *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #433 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Tuesday, October 5 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 434 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: [MYSTARA] - Character Monster Guides? REPOST in TEXT format... Re: [MYSTARA] - Character Monster guides? [MYSTARA] - Numenor and CS Lewis Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence [MYSTARA] - Secret Craft Questions Re: [MYSTARA] - Secret Craft Questions Re: [MYSTARA] - Secret Craft Questions [MYSTARA] - Looking for a reference. Re: [MYSTARA] - Looking for a reference. RE: [MYSTARA] - Looking for a reference. Re: [MYSTARA] - Looking for a reference. Re: [MYSTARA] - Secret Craft Questions Re: [MYSTARA] - Character Monster guides? Re: [MYSTARA] - Character Monster guides? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 15:57:15 -0500 From: "Ed Paynter" Subject: [MYSTARA] - Character Monster Guides? REPOST in TEXT format... I was just reading through a Play-by-email message from a campaign and the problem of identifying monsters has just come up. This started me thinking... I don't remember ever having, as a character, any sort of guide to identifying monsters. But surely such a thing must exist in the characters world. How could there be so many magical creatures and grand adventurers without someone cataloging the various monsters? So... the question I present is: has anyone developed/written an In-Game monster manual? I can see wonderful descriptions and warnings... "We fought this strange ooze as best we could... with little result. We tried to burn it, stab it, smash it.. nothing seemed to work. We decided that it must be some foul magical creation of a demented wizard!" (I'm away from my resources so I can't put a name to it without making a fool of myself...) There could also be sections describing denizens and curses, lycanthropy and vampirism, etc... Ed Paynter epaynter@iupui.edu Ed Paynter epaynter@iupui.edu *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 13:34:58 -0700 (PDT) From: Shane Henry Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Character Monster guides? - --- Ed Paynter wrote: > So... the question I present is: has anyone > developed/written an In-Game monster manual? > > I can see wonderful descriptions and warnings... "We > fought this strange ooze as best we could... with > little result. We tried to burn it, stab it, smash > it.. nothing seemed to work. We decided that it must > be some foul magical creation of a demented wizard!" > (I'm away from my resources so I can't put a name to > it without making a fool of myself...) The "Ecology of..." DRAGON magazine articles are usually written IC, with the OOC stats given as footnotes. With the new DRAGON Archive CD-ROM, it'd be easy to use Adobe Acrobat (I believe that's the Archive's format) to edit out the OOC notes, and give the rest to the character/player. Shane ===== __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Oct 1999 18:20:19 -0400 From: "jdaly" Subject: [MYSTARA] - Numenor and CS Lewis This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01BF0E95.1D1FC300 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable This may be on topic only in the most general of senses, but I hope = anyone sensitive enough=20 to detect it will simply forgive me. I have been reading CS Lewis' science fiction series (written some time = in the 40s), and=20 came across an interesting reference in the 3rd book. In the author's = note at the beginning,=20 he says something to the extent (paraphrased) "Anyone wishing to know = more about=20 Numenor and the True West, will have to wait for Professor Tolkien's = series to be=20 published." About midway through the book, I finally came to the reference. = Basically, Merlin is=20 suggested to be the last remnant of Numenor. Its a very intriguing = excerpt, and I highly=20 recommend the trilogy. The titles follow... Out of the Silent Planet Perelandra That Hideous Strength - ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01BF0E95.1D1FC300 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
This may be on topic only in the most general of = senses, but I=20 hope anyone sensitive enough
to detect it will simply forgive=20 me.
 
I have been reading CS Lewis' science fiction series = (written=20 some time in the 40s), and
came across an interesting reference in = the 3rd=20 book.  In the author's note at the beginning,
he says something = to the=20 extent (paraphrased) "Anyone wishing to know more about
Numenor and = the True=20 West, will have to wait for Professor Tolkien's series to be=20
published."
 
About midway through the book, I finally came to the = reference.  Basically, Merlin is
suggested to be the last = remnant of=20 Numenor.  Its a very intriguing excerpt, and I highly
recommend = the=20 trilogy.  The titles follow...
 
Out of the Silent Planet
Perelandra
That = Hideous=20 Strength
- ------=_NextPart_000_0007_01BF0E95.1D1FC300-- *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 20:00:08 -0400 From: redrobyne Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Improved Permanence > In a message dated 01/10/99 22:45:21 GMT Daylight Time, redrobyne@ellijay.com > writes: > > > I always thought things went dormant in the first place not completely > > dispelled because that would mean artifacts and the like would be ruined? > > Artifacts and *enchanted* items - the expensive, researched objects - DO go > dormant, in my understanding - actually, that's wrong; I think Artifacts > (Immortal Magic) continue to function on the DoD; anyone? - but the "easy" > enchantments, and personal spells, created by Permanence get cancelled. > That's IMO, of course; any other ideas? > so you mean like a holy avenger sword would go dormant but a permanent alarm spell would dispell? That makes better sense. Stewart *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 20:28:52 -0400 From: redrobyne Subject: [MYSTARA] - Secret Craft Questions What dragon is Von Dratchenfells (did I spell that right) aligned to does anyone know? and how come he dosn't look that much like a dragon since he is the high master? Stewart *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Oct 1999 05:13:38 +0200 From: Erewan Laubgaenger Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Secret Craft Questions > What dragon is Von Dratchenfells (did I spell that right) aligned to does > anyone know? and how come he dosn't look that much like a dragon since he is > the high master? (Jaggar) Von Drachenfels is not a dragon. he is a human spellcaster and his name is "von Drachenfels" he is a nobel - in german they take a "von" between theire names. Drachen + Fels means "Dragon Rock" or "Rock of a Dragon" he is the High Master of Dracoloy one of the seven secret crafts. a highmaster can assume dragon form. his father morgaithe was like lots of the Drachenfels a farmous Dragonslayer. he understand the the power of the Dragons and teach them to Jaggar. Jaggar improved the skills and became the high master of Dracoloy because he was the one who knows the most about dragons. disciplene and order are very important to him. he dislike creatures of chaos and want to destroy them. he calculate each move, like tactics, military and strategies. his AL is LE (on mystara the L-C axis is more important) so the has to be an dragon of lawful Al. thast has the same personality. i would say he can assume as Bronze Dragon (tin and copper) IBON *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 20:11:53 -0700 From: IronWolf Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Secret Craft Questions Bruce Heard actually answered this one. In GAZ10, he mentioned that Drachenfels was the Star Dragon of the Companion Book fame. He later, though, retracted this, saying that he became the Star Dragon a short time, to find out how enormous the responsibility was, and that by his assuming the title, all of dragonkind's balance was threatened, so he summarily stepped down. There's a written explanation of this somewhere around, I can't recall where it is. Anyone else got it? Adamantyr "It's Specularum, damn it!" redrobyne wrote: > What dragon is Von Dratchenfells (did I spell that right) aligned to does > anyone know? and how come he dosn't look that much like a dragon since he is > the high master? > > Stewart > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com > with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 11:26:29 +0800 From: "Murphy, Jason" Subject: [MYSTARA] - Looking for a reference. Ayop people I have been looking through my Gaz1 for a particular reference. Sometime ago i am certain i read on this list about the Duchess of Karameikos preference for a particular child of hers to ascend to the throne of Karameikos and that this was a source of friction between the Duke and Duchess. I can find any mention of this in the Gazetteer and am wondering if it is indeed canon. Oyasuminasai Jason Murphy Software Engineer MITS Limited EMAIL: jason.murphy@mitswa.com.au PHONE: 08 9481 4066 FAX: 08 9481 4064 *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 23:41:58 -0700 From: Patrick Sullivan Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Looking for a reference. >I have been looking through my Gaz1 for a particular reference. Sometime ago >i am certain i read on this list about the Duchess of Karameikos preference >for a particular child of hers to ascend to the throne of Karameikos and >that this was a source of friction between the Duke and Duchess. >I can find any mention of this in the Gazetteer and am wondering if it is >indeed canon. It's definitely in one or more of the Poor Wizard's Almanacs--at the very least it's in the one where Stefan names his daughter as heir. I think it's also discussed in K:KoA. Of course, at the time, they're king and queen, but that's a minor detail. I don't recall whether it's mentioned in GAZ1, but if you couldn't find it, it's probably not in there. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 14:50:54 +0800 From: "Murphy, Jason" Subject: RE: [MYSTARA] - Looking for a reference. > also discussed in K:KoA. Of course, at the time, they're king and queen, > but that's a minor detail. I don't recall whether it's mentioned in GAZ1, > but if you couldn't find it, it's probably not in there. > > [MURPHY Jason] Ahh yes. I think they were referred to as King and Queen. So it possibly is in K:KoA or the PWA's Thanks Jason *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 02:52:28 -0500 From: "Daniel " Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Looking for a reference. There is a referece in Gaz one about the Duchess wanting the youngest son to take over the throne as she though he was maliable and the oldest child (the daughter I belive) to have too much of her father in her. - -----Original Message----- From: Murphy, Jason To: 'mystara-l@lists.imagiconline.com' Date: Tuesday, October 05, 1999 1:54 AM Subject: RE: [MYSTARA] - Looking for a reference. > >> also discussed in K:KoA. Of course, at the time, they're king and queen, >> but that's a minor detail. I don't recall whether it's mentioned in GAZ1, >> but if you couldn't find it, it's probably not in there. >> >> > [MURPHY Jason] > Ahh yes. I think they were referred to as King and Queen. So it >possibly is in K:KoA or the PWA's > Thanks > > Jason >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com >with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. > > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 07:21:30 -0400 From: "SteelAngel" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Secret Craft Questions > What dragon is Von Dratchenfells (did I spell that right) aligned to does > anyone know? and how come he dosn't look that much like a dragon since he is > the high master? Jaggar isn't supposed to look like a dragon, regardless of whether he is the high master of Dracology. Jaggar is aligned with the Star Dragon, and can assume his form. However, he has already abdicated rulership of Lawful Dragons to the real Star Dragon. Ethan *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 09:44:50 EDT From: Arminath@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Character Monster guides? I had a character from my D&D Ultima Campaign that got transported to the Forgotten Realms for a few years. He kept a crude juornal so that when he got back home, he could present a written and verbal account of creatures that he encountered, here is a snippet of it: Beastiary of my Travels Anton Almeric, Year 109 A.C. Not long after my arrival in the World of Faerun, I began encountering creatures both familiar to me from Britannia and some that were strange and new. This log is a running journal of those creatures I have seen, fought and befriended. I hope someday that I may return home when or rather if, the Moongate north of the City of Waterdeep opens next and incorporate this and other journals into the Lycaeum. Note to the readers: I use the Britannian standard of measure for these beasts. So as not to confuse any one person, 1 Stone is about 6 inches of length or height and also equal to 2 pounds. Alligator/Crocodile (Common): The garden variety swamp lizard with big teeth. About 16 to 30 stones in length and well over 200 stones in weight, they have brown-green armored scaly hides and resemble floating logs when not moving about. A danger that I have witnessed a bit too close. Kobold (Very Rare): This race of creatures are humanoid dog-men, standing about 6 stones in height and weighing less than 30 stones. Most have coloring ranging from reddish brown to black and red eyes that seem to glow with an inner light (this is just an illusion of the color). They also have tiny horns and rat-like tails. When speaking, they have comical yapping voices. I've seen no special abilities or magical tendencies, so one must wonder how such a weak race of creatures has survived with much stronger and more prolific races around them. Ogre (Common): A big, ugly giant human. The Ogre stands 18 to 20 stones in height and weighs in excess of 200 stones. They have skin coloring ranging from dull yellow to brown-black and purple eyes with white pupils is very common. Not very intelligent, these belligerent ill tempered mini-giants have great strength and love to use it. Just intelligent enough to be dangerous, if one can get an Ogre talking, sometimes a small trade can be worked out for some of the creature's treasures. But let the prospective bargainer beware, Ogres know they can just take what they want from a weaker creature. Orc (Common): Orcs are a vile race of humanoids bent on destruction of Good folk. Standing between 11 and 13 stones in height and about 75 stones in weight, Orcs have dull green skin, dark lanky hair and many beastial human features (pig snout, sharp canine teeth, low blunt ape-like forehead). They have human-like eyes that have a reddish tint and in the dark their eyes actually glow dull red. Orcs are ruled by the strongest and their continual thirst for combat ensures only the strongest survive. Phantasmal Cat (aka Displacer Beast, Rare): These are semi-intelligent ebon cats, about 20 stones in length and over 100 stones in weight. These unusual beasts have an extra pair of legs and a pair of tentacles as long as their body. The one magical ability these felines exibit is a projected illusion of themselves that decieves opponents and prey as to the cat's true location. They seem to be natural enemies of Phase Hounds. Phase Hound (aka Blink Dog, Very Rare): Phase Hounds are intelligent dogs, about 8 stones in length and 90 stones in weight, with a yellowish brown coat and stocky build. They have the ability to enter and leave the ether at will, attacking an opponent or prey from one location then phasing through the ether to attack from another location. Packs of these creatures use their phase ability in concert, confusing and confounding their targets. They seem to be the natural enemies of Phantasmal Cats and do not seem to be fooled by the cat's projected illusions. Skeletal Fire Giant (aka Giant Skeleton, Very Rare): These large humanoid skeletons stand 24 stones in height, about 100 stones in weight and have a magical flame centered inside their chests. They appear to be intelligent and in battle they can reach inside themselves and remove a portion of their infernal flames, using it against an opponent. Because of their total lack of a body, save their skeletal structure, edged and piercing weapons are very ineffective. Shapeshifter (aka Doppleganger, Very Rare): This dangerous human-like creature stalks lone travellers and assumes their identity, copying almost perfectly physical features and even knowing events of the person's past. How they do this is unknown, but it is a frightening ability. The true form of these creatures is a smooth grayish skinned, genderless humanoid, about 12 stones in height and 90 stones in weight. Apparently they can shift their bodies to a form up to 2 stones smaller or bigger. No other magical abilities or tendencies about this race is known. It was crudely done and stopped shortly after this because my DM started throwing every monster in the book and I just couldn't keep up. (Up to this point he used monsters only in certain areas and it was nice to get to know what creatures preferred what type/climate of place..) Jim Bobb *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Oct 1999 18:57:08 -0400 From: Andrew Toth Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Character Monster guides? At 09:44 AM 10/5/99 EDT, you wrote: >I had a character from my D&D Ultima Campaign that got transported to the >Forgotten Realms for a few years. He kept a crude juornal so that when he >got back home, he could present a written and verbal account of creatures >that he encountered, here is a snippet of it: A D&D Ultima adventure? How was that like? From which time period did you play it from? Age Of Darkness? Reason? If you played from the Age of Reason, did you use the 8 virtues, or incorporate it in any way into an alignment system? Beyowulf Steely Blue Dragon -==UDIC==- "Stay frosty" - Reboot "'Some might say were interfering in their culture.' 'Screw'em.'" - B5, Crusade *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #434 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message. mystara-digest Wednesday, October 6 1999 Volume 1999 : Number 435 Mystara is a trademark of TSR Inc. All Rights Reserved. The following topics are covered in this digest: Re: [MYSTARA] - Secret Craft Questions Re: [MYSTARA] - Secret Craft Questions [MYSTARA] - Campaign Cartographer 2 Re: [MYSTARA] - Herolian Brands (long) Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks Re: [MYSTARA] - Secret Craft Questions... [MYSTARA] - O-T (And will be kept short): D&D Sosaria Re: [MYSTARA] - Operation Hydra: Day 23 Re: [MYSTARA] - Operation Hydra: Day 24 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 05 Oct 1999 20:11:47 -0400 From: redrobyne Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Secret Craft Questions > > Jaggar isn't supposed to look like a dragon, regardless of whether he is the > high master of Dracology. > Jaggar is aligned with the Star Dragon, and can assume his form. However, he > has already abdicated rulership of Lawful Dragons to the real Star Dragon. > Ohh must be a bad line in the 2nd ed. Glantri box (I know I shouldve gotten the GAZ) , it just says people who practice dracology start to get draconic looking sfter 2nd circle I believe. And I was just wondering what color he prefers since most dracologists tend to stick to a dragon matching their alignment. Thanks to all those who replied, Stewart *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 21:00:04 -0400 From: "SteelAngel" Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Secret Craft Questions > Ohh must be a bad line in the 2nd ed. Glantri box (I know I shouldve gotten > the GAZ) , it just says people who practice dracology start to get draconic > looking sfter 2nd circle I believe. And I was just wondering what color he > prefers since most dracologists tend to stick to a dragon matching their > alignment. Ah ha! Crazy AD&D Boxed sets! (And I should talk, I'm on a AD&D1 collecting hunt.. Anyone have a 1st ed Manual of the Planes?) Anyway, I think Jaggar would become either Goldish or Diamond-ish. Other mettalic dragons (i.e. Copper, Tin) Are VERY VERY rare on Mystara, if present at all. Therefore, Jaggar would not be knowledgeable about them. Ethan *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 02:01:38 EDT From: M76762@aol.com Subject: [MYSTARA] - Campaign Cartographer 2 Hey All, I noticed that someone had some maps of Mystara made with Campaign Cartographer 1 available for download on their webpage. Does anyone have any maps for Camp Cart 2? Or is there a way I can use Camp Cart 1 maps? Also, Camp Cart is hard as anything to use properly. Does anyone know of any other programs of this type that are user friendly? Matt *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 23:37:17 -0700 (PDT) From: Shane Henry Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Herolian Brands (long) - --- CQuaif@aol.com wrote: > Alternate Magic - Herolian Brands: > > Delivane Crookback's multiversal travels once > brought her to the Alternate > Prime world of Herol - a world whose native magic > was tied up in the creation > of magical Brands, tattoos placed on certain parts > of the body, which > imparted some form of power to the Branded being. > Intrigued, Delivane > apprenticed herself to Ledendran, a Master of > Brands, for a year to learn the > basics of this art; upon returning home, she was > delighted to discover that > Herolian magic retained its efficacy even on > Mystara. Is this world of Herol a place that's been used in your campaign, or was it just thought up for the spell's background? Hmm...that gets me thinkin'...how about a Herol Gazetteer, Carl? ;-) Shane ===== __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Oct 1999 23:48:23 -0700 (PDT) From: Shane Henry Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Magical Cloaks - --- CQuaif@aol.com wrote: > Cape of the Hsaio: > The underside of each bears > an inscription written in Ochalean, although the > wearer of the Cape can read > it as if it were in Common. Do you mean that the Ochalean characters can be read as the Common language of whatever locale the cloak is currently in (ie. Thyatian in the KW, Slag in the SC, Alphatian in the Alphatian Sea lands), or that the writing simply can be read as the native language of any literate viewer, no matter what their language? This could be relevant, since not all people can read Common, and since there are different "Commons" in different regions. Shane ===== __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 12:30:25 +0300 (EET DST) From: Markus Olavi Montola Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Secret Craft Questions... > Anyway, I think Jaggar would become either Goldish or Diamond-ish. Other > mettalic dragons (i.e. Copper, Tin) Are VERY VERY rare on Mystara, if > present at all. Therefore, Jaggar would not be knowledgeable about them. Jaggar wears white clothes. [Even mentioned somewhere] Probably he has been a Crystal dracologist, and after that a Diamond dracologist. White goes well for the both, especially as Jaggar's clothes should be shining clean. - Markus P.S. Is it just me, or has there been little conversation of *real* interest lately? At least the topics have not been really relevant to my games. Feelings, anyone? ----------------------------------------------------------------- W A R I S P E A C E F R E E D O M I S S L A V E R Y I G N O R A N C E I S S T R E N G T H ----------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 09:08:24 EDT From: Arminath@aol.com Subject: [MYSTARA] - O-T (And will be kept short): D&D Sosaria In a message dated 10/5/99 6:56:12 PM Eastern Daylight Time, beyowulf@pipeline.com writes: << A D&D Ultima adventure? How was that like? From which time period did you play it from? Age Of Darkness? Reason? If you played from the Age of Reason, did you use the 8 virtues, or incorporate it in any way into an alignment system? >> We played from the begining of the Age of Enlightenment (IV) to the end of the Age of the Guardian (VIII). During that time, we did some time hopping through a couple of Silver Moongates and helped the future Avatar defeat Mondain during the First Age of Darkness. The DM was cool about everything, in that even though the Avatar was the main focus of the world at large, we were the main focus of the gaming sessions and not treated as second hand. Instead of the Alignment system, the DM focused on our Virtues and Vices and kept track of them reasonably well and kept alignments as secondary forms of determining the character's worldview (focusing on the Law/Chaos axis, especially during our stay on Serpant Isle). It was cool, can't wait to play during the Age of Might, now that all the fractured realms of Old Sosaria are whole again. Jim (BTW, the campaign lasted 2 years!) *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 10:18:43 EDT From: Alex295@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Operation Hydra: Day 23 Operation Hydra: Day 23 Force A: The seige of Minrothad City continues. The tedium is broken by the HardBall teams continuing their tournament. Adm. Helena has structured the semifinals to insure that at least one Thyatian team continues, by pitting two of them against each other. The matches are held and by day's end there are four teams left. One Thyatian team and three Alphatian teams advance. By now the betting has intensified as the dominent Alphatian team of Fregnoss has been recognized. Adm. Helena retires to dine with her staff. The HardBall matches are a welcome diversion that even the Thadders seem to appreciate. There have been a few taunts and jabs between the turncoat Alphers and the Thyatians but nothing serious. Though all would rather see a Thyatian team win all know that the Alpher teams are too good and too familiar with the game. One of her subordinates jokingly remarks about challenging the Thadders to a bout with the city as the prize. Another quickly interjects that such a match would give the Alphatians credit in the victory. The comments draw laughs from the officers. Helena then instructs her officers to prepare for an assault. The Thyatians have been too idle and victory is expected shortly. Helena also contacts Nikkos at Open Island. She is updated on the preparations. Force B: In Harbortown, the Thyatians continue in their occupational duties. Gen. di Cicero rushes to get the forces reorganized and prepared for departure. The 26th Assault Cohort, 9th Cohort, and 17th Cohort. The 20th Cohort will remain in Harbortown as the occupation force. Its numbers are almost half, as its troops have been sent to the deploying cohorts to bring them up to strength. To provide naval support and escort, di Cicero assigns the 13th Fleet to them. As the senior military officer di Cicero will assume command of this force and turn military governorship over to the commander of 20th Cohort, General Valicius. Through utilization of local laor forces the deployment is scheduled for the following day. Force C: Gen. Nikkos personally oversees the reorganization of the forces. His attentions are complicated as he stillk finds himself performing governor duties while Dergrasus becomes more familiar with them and the Hin. Nikkos knows he has the luxery of time. The forces from Harbortown are to meet them at Open Island. This gives his forces several days to prepare. As planned he will send the 28th Kerendas Cavalry Cohort, and 4th Cohort. 14th Cohort will remain in Malfton as the occupation force. Its ranks are thinned out as its troops have been reassigned to the deploying cohorts to make up for losses. Force D: Adm. Pentalon's fleet sails a steady course for Harbortown. The supply ships lay low in the water severely slowing the convoy. They pass the ships of Adm. Corso (Group J). Force E: Capt. Ostenphius and his troops continue their lonely vigil at BrightCliff. The crews and marines of the three wargalleys of 14th Fleet (7th, 8th & 9th Reg) are firmly integrated with the encampment at BrightCliff. As a diversion Ostenphius begins sending the wargalleys out on limited patrols. He sends a small contingent of his troops with each galley. He also begins fortifying the lighthouse area. Defenseworks and a few ballistae batteries are planned. The artillerymen of the galleys being needed to build the weapons and train gunners. Group F - Captain Dregarius orders his minifleet onward, keeping Serpico's within sight. They move slightly northward to await the approaching supply ships. Group G - Adm. Serpico orders his ships (and Group F) to begin patrolng the area north of Bright Cliff. He keeps the two Groups within sight of each other. One of the ships, the Sundowner, has an outbreak of plague. Clerics are dispatched from the other vessels to help quell the outbreak. Group H - Capt. Xappellus and her ships continue their hunt for shipping. Their hunt is interupted by rough seas and storms. Damage is light but it takes most of the day to pump out the water and repair bad rigging. Group I - The 14th Fleet arrives at Seahome and drops anchor within sight of the harbor defenses. Their arrival is spotted by the elves but no forces come out to meet them. Group J - Adm. Corso's ships continue on through the northern sealane. They encounter the supply convoy and act as escort for a few miles before breaking off to continue their patrols. Group K - Horatio's ships sail on through the southern portions of the sealane. Horatio sets a course for BrightCliff to replenish his freshwater supplies. Group L - Adm. Perdry's 23rd Fleet rests off the coast of Fortress Island. By midday a lone vessel approaches under a white flag. Perdry receives the dwarven captain and the two converse over a light lunch. Perdry tells the dwarf that the war is going badly for the Thadders. He cites the expectations of the fall of Trader Island and the probability that the elves and dwarves would be next to be attacked. Through conversation the two officers conclude that they are in a standoff. Perdry's forces lack the numbers to assault the dwarven stronghold. The dwarves lack the ships to engage the Thyatian Fleet. Capt. Ironside proposes a truce for the time being. No sense being enemies when there is no battle. Perdry agrees and the two agree to meet regularly. After Ironsides leaves, Perdry reports the meeting to Helena, who approves of the truce. She even cites the opportunity to negotiate a peace with the dwarves. Group M - Arogast throws caution to the wind and increases his ships' pace. By midafternoon they spot the southern coast of Trader Island and begin following west. Hours later he has to move further out from the coast as fog has blanketed the coast. In Minrothad City, Oran is updated on the events of the war by Warheart Cleaver. News of the Thyatian ships anchored off both Seahome and Fortress Island are troubling. Likewise the reports of reorganizations in Malfton and Harbortown are received with mixed results. They suspect these troops are to be sent to the islands or to the IoD. But Oran doubts they are going to IoD. He points to a map and shows the distance they would have to travel. More likely reinforcements would come from other Thyatian lands like Hattias and Tel Akbir. They go over Blue Eel reorts from the IoD to try to find weaknesses in the Thyatians that the NACE forces have used in their surprisingly rapid advances. Their findings are disappointing The only relevations they can discover is that the NACE forces have mainly encountered the local militias and home armies. These forces were ill prepared to stand before NACE regulars. Many of these regulars were leftovers from the Great War. The Thadder and Privateer ships spot the Ierendi vessels of Capt. Delorno. The Ierendi ships transfer excess supplies to the seaweary Thadder vessels before continuinng. Delorno surmises the status of his fleet. His available ships have been at sea for too long some for close to a month. Some of the Thadder vessels are missing their marines (MMF on Malfton). The Thadders place themselves under the command of Delorno, the most capable commander. Even the Privateers oblige without protest. Delornao tells them that they are going to Min City. There they will hit the Thyatian ships, doing as much damage to them as possible before heading off to attack Thyatian shipping. With their limited numbers he holds no false pretenses of engaging the main Thyatian naval body. He stresses engaging them on Thadder terms where their numbers are advantageous to the Thadders. Such hit and run attacks should draw the Thyatians out to hunt for them. Sucg a hunt will necessitate splitting up their fleets to cover more area. That is how they will win, by divide and conquer. By dusk Warheart reports to Oran the progress of the remaining Thadder vessels, the Privateers, and Captain Delorno's ships. The vessels have met and are rounding the western coast of Trader Island. Oran is pleased. In Thyatis City, the Blue Eels continue laying low and focus on info gathering. They begin contacting their fellows elsewhere to inquire as to any information they may have gathered. They have nothing new to report, at least info that they had not already known. Eusebius is update on the war effort. Escalation in the Minrothad theater is going well and should be apparent with a few days. He is told of the truce between Perdry and the dwarves. He sees the opportunity to negotiate a peace with the dwarves instead of engaging in a costly assault against the dwarven defensive measures. To the contrary things in the IoD theatre are not going well. Westrourke has all but fallen. Newkirk had surrendered during the night and even now NACE troops were dispersing throughout the countryside asserting their presence in the scattered villages of the kingdom. Even with its massive defenses, Kendach may hold out for any extended period of time. Reports are stating that NACE patrols are breaking away from the beseiging forces to consolidate their hold on the countryside. Dunadale was gone, it had been almost from the start. Redstone was bracing for the expected assault. West Portage forces had met a small NACE force during the night and had fallen back to the city to boost the garrison. West Portage was expected to be under seige by nightfall. Meeting with his staff Eusebius inquires as to which Cohorts can be moved to support Redstone and possibly West Portage. The report is sobering. At best only three cohorts can be diverted. And doing so may compromise certain territories. Looking them over, Eusebius agrees to send the 24th Cohort in Hinterlands, 5th Cohort in Tel Akbir, and the newly formed 30th Kerendas Cavalry Cohort. They will be covered by the 2nd and 4th Fleets. The 24th and 30th will head for Redstone while the 5th Cohort will head for West Portage. Eusebius also makes contingency plans for mobilization of the 13th and 17th cohorts. To cover the deployments Eusebius authorizes the reactivation of five divisions of Imperial Defenders. Eusebius is told that at the earliest the closer troops will have prepared and arrived in a week. Several request breaking off the war with Minrothad and sending those troops to the IoD. Eusebius ponders that: trading the IoD for Minrothad. It is tempting but such a redeployment may be too late and Thyatis may never get another shot at Minrothad. He tells the officers to begin the deployments as per his instructions. Eusebius then inquires to the rapid advances that the NACE troops have gained. He is told various probabilities. However, it is the opinion stated by the Imperial Mage that he finds most probable. According to Demetrion, despite the sinking of the Alphatian Mainland, the Alphatians still foot a sizable army... one that was stranded topside. The troops are seasoned veterans and full of hate for the Thyatians. Since then the armies have been reorganized and placed under the NACE standard. That army had been the one that had defeated Thyatis and was about to assault Glantri. Demetrion then scolds the actions of Eusebius's father. Thincol had broken the treaty he had signed with Eriadna. All of this is in response to that. The Alphatians are just taking back what they lost. He tells that he had tried to talk Thincol out of it but to no avail. Now those actions were coming back to haunt Thyatis far beyond the perceived horrors of the Thothian stand. Demetrion cites that the IoD is lost to Thyatis. Though his officers scoff at the old mage, Eusebius knows it is the truth. Several offer threats to invade Karameikos if the NACErs do not halt their advances. This is quickly shouted down by the existance of the WDL. To save the IoD Thyatis would have to commit troops on a level unseen since the Great War. Doing so would weaken Thyatian borders elsewhere. He asks Demetrion if there can be anything done. Demetrion responds that negotiation may keep some Thyatian interests alive. Given the general lack of official diplomatic ties with NACE this will be difficult. Demetrion offers to parley with Master Terari of the Karameikan School of MageCraft. Eusebius ponders the relevancy of such discussions. Demetrion tells him that despite his appearance Terari is not who is seems. Though he is vague, Demetrion seems to imply that Terari is actually a prominent Alphatian Noble. Demetrion contacts the Karameikan School and converses with Terari. By day's end a meeting is agreed upon between Thyatian representatives and NACE representatives. They will meet in Redstone the following day. Given the distance and short time frame, magical means of transportation are needed. Both Demetrion and Terari will attend. Eusebius contacts Stefania and Anabaxius to tell them of the meeting. He also advises them to prepare to leave the kingdom if negotiations break down. It would break his heart to see his sister or brother in law captured or killed. Aside from that such misfortune would be a blow e to the Empire. They agree to his request. Eusebius contacts the Darokin ambassador to request the participation of the DDC in the coming negotiations in Redstone. He is surprised as the DDC snubs the request, sarcastically citing that all of the DDC's resources are dedicated to resolving the conflict in the Minrothad Guilds. They hint that if the Minrothad situation is to be included in the negotiations then perhaps they could spare a couple of mediators. Eusebius restates Thyatian demands of Minrothad's surrender before any negotiations for that nation are to begun. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Oct 1999 10:18:52 EDT From: Alex295@aol.com Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] - Operation Hydra: Day 24 Operation Hydra: Day 24 Force A: The seige of Minrothad City continues. The tedium is broken by the HardBall teams continuing their tournament. The day's two matches are watched by most Thyatians and a goodly number of Thadders from their vantagepoint on the walls. Unsurprisingly the two advancing teams are both Alphatian. Fregnoss's team decidedly beating the other Alpher team and the Thyatian team being humilated by the team headed by Morcrynn. Despite the strong showing, Fregnoss remains the favored team for the finals. Both teams request another day to rest up for the big game. However, Helena wants it to end the tourney tommorrow to accommodate her own plans. Helena calls her staff to meet. She divulges her plan to begin the assault at the conclusion of the HardBall finals. Over the weeks of idle seige, she has had much time to contemplate her attack plan. As is, the Thadder capital is assailable only through the outer keep. Capture of that entryway is seen as the only way to gain entrance for the assaulting troops. Once captured the keep will be used as a staging point to gain entry into the city itself. That day will see the beginning of a continuous barrage from the artillery of the 27th Assault Cohort. Attentions will be focused upon the city's outer defensive keep. However, portions of the artillery will be diverted to bear upon the SeaGate. That avenue of entry may become useful if the gates can be breached. The honor of the initial assault will be given to 6th Cohort. The 12th will be held in reserve. The plan lacks any semblance of tactical brilliance, relying on brute force. Casualties are expected to be high, but it is seen as the only way to gain entrance. Helena contacts the rest of her forces to get a daily update. Nikkos's reorganizations are going well. They should be ready well before the forces from Harbortown arrive. She is pleased to hear of the rapid pace that Gen. di Ciciero has reformed and assembled his troops. Personally she had not thought it possible for another two or three days. Her conversation with Adm. Perdry further strengthens her resolve in taking Min City quickly. If a battle with the dwarves can be avoided it would be best. Adm. Helena contacts Eusebius privately. He updates her on the situation on the IoD and the planned negotiations. He reiterates the need to bring a hasty end to the war in Minrothad. He goes as far as to tell her that accomplishing this feat will garner her a noble title via the Senate. Then, he tells her, they can marry without criticsm. (note- in OpHydra the empress perished giving birth in AC1015 and Eusebius and Helena have had an affair since). Force B: In Harbortown, the Thyatians continue in their occupational duties. Gen. di Cicero rushed efforts to get the forces reorganized and prepared for departure have resulted in their readiness by midafternoon. After officially turning administration of the city over to Valicius, he and his staff board ship and depart. The 26th Assault Cohort, 9th Cohort, 17th Cohort, and13th Fleet are all under way to meet Nikkos forces at Open Island. Force C: Gen. Nikkos is startled when he is told that Gen. di Cicero's forces were enroute to meet him. Like Helena he had thought di Cicero's planned deployment impossible. He estimates their arrival in about four days. He is determined to be ready and waiting for them and not hold up the planned assault on Seahome. The troops of 28th Kerendas Cavalry Cohort and 4th Cohort continue preparing. Force D: Adm. Pentalon's fleet sails a steady course for Harbortown. After encountering the ships of Serpico, they pass within sight of BrightCliff before heading on towards Harbortown. Serpico offers to escort the supply vessel bound for Min City. Pentalon turns down the offer. At BrightCliff they are hailed by the wargalleys stationed there with requests for supplies. Though its not in his orders Pentalon obliges the request. This transfer is done at sea to limit the amount of time needed. Pentalon will escort the supply ships there, then will take half of the vessels to supply the Thyatian forces at Min City. This manner will cost the supply effort at Min City a couple days but it wll give Pentalon the credits for delivering supplies to both. Force E: Capt. Ostenphius and his troops continue their lonely vigil at BrightCliff. The sighting of the supply convoy and the supplies bolsters them somewhat. News of the NACE offensives on the IoD is a surprise. No one had thought to inform the troops of BrightCliff. Group F - Captain Dregarius orders his minifleet onward, keeping Serpico's within sight. They move slightly northward to await the approaching supply ships. Group G - With Pentalon's supply ships spotted, Adm. Serpico orders his ships (and Group F) to move to the west to Harbortown. The outbreak of plague has been quelled by the clerics. Serpico plans to replace his tainted supplies. Given Pentalon's stop to supply BrightCliff Serpico's vessels should easily beat him to Harbortown. Group H - Capt. Xappellus and her ships continue their hunt for shipping. Their hunt is interupted by the discovery of additional damage incurred from the previous day's storm. One vessel, The Sea Bitch, has developed a breach in her hull. Overnight the trickle has formed into a steady influx of water. The crew hastens to bilge the water out and plug the hole. It becomes necessary to call upon the assistance of the other vessels. The crews eventually win their battle with the seas and the ship is saved. With the day wasted, Xappellus makes offerings to Protius and rests her crews. She does take the precaution of having the officers personally inspect their vessel for anymore surprises that may have been overlooked. Group I - The Seahome Elves finally acknowledge the presence of the Thyatian 14th Fleet. The early light of dawn reveals a flotilla of six vessels of various sizes rapidly approaching the Thyatian formation. From the elven vessels come a flurry of magical spells and normal missiles. The Thyatian ships Tarrous and Timult bear the brunt of this attack. Through concerted artillery fire from the Fleet, the elven vessels are turned back. Though several Thyatians ships pursue them, they must break off after coming within range of the Seahome defenses. The Tarrous is demasted and has some repairable hull damage. Also her crew has taken some heavy casualties. The Timult is in far worse shape. Half her crew, including the captain and first mate, is dead and she is listing heavily. The remaining crew and Marines struggle for hours to keep her afloat. However, eventually the order to abandon ship is given. The vessel's crew are transferred to the Tarrous. In a move to keep the Thadders from getting the credit, the Thyatians fire into the crippled vessel sending her to the bottom. Group J - Adm. Corso's ships continue on through the northern sealane. Group K - Horatio's ships sail on through the southern portions of the sealane. By nightfall, BrightCliff is but a few hours away. Not wanting to risk the reefs and rocks, he anchors his vessels until dawn's light. Group L - Adm. Perdry's 23rd Fleet continues its vigil off the coast of Fortress Island. As with the previous day, a lone vessel arrives and Capt. Ironsides meets with the Thyatian admiral. During their light conversation, Perdry brings up the possibility for a seperate peace between Thyatis and the dwarves. Ironsides does not dismiss the the idea. However he does cite that it is too early. If and when Min City falls, such an agreement may be possible. The two speak for about an hour more, mostly about the NACE offensives on the IoD. When Ironsides does leave, Perdry contacts Helena and tells her of the conversation regarding the seperate peace. Group M - Arogast continues his cruise at breakneck speeds. As his vessels round the western point of Trader Island they spot a grouping of Minrothad vessels. Though considered a daredevil, Arogast is not foolish enough to pit his handful of ships against more than a score of Thadder vessels. He signals the vessels to flee, his intentions to report their discovery and live to fight another day. However the Thadders pursue and with their better seamanship and spells quickly bear down upon them. Using their greater numbers, the Thadders move in on the Thyatians and systematically dismantle their rigging. Then it is but a matter of time. The Privateers outright sink two of the vessels. They offer no quarter to the survivors in the water, dispatching them with missile fire. The Thadder and Ierendi vessels board the remaining vessels. Arogast is unable to get off a message to Adm. Helena before he falls to the affects of a Careen spell. For their victory, the Thadders paid dearly. In boarding the Thyatian ships they had lost several irreplacable Marines in the fighting. Seeing their fellows cutdown offered the Thyatians the motivation to fight to the death. Though they had captured two repairable vessels, they lacked the time and crews to make the needed repairs as to utilize them for their own fleet. With some regrets, the Thadders strip the vessels of its weapons and valuables and scuttle them. On a more personal note, the actions of the Privateers against the surrendering Thyatians strikes a disturbing chord with the Ierendi and some of the Thadders. There was no honor in shooting defenseless sailors. Honor and morales aside, any captured Thyatians probably could have been coerced into repairing and manning the captured vessels. Delorno is furious at the whole matter and almost pulls his forces out. Reporting to Ierendi officials, he goes on record condemning the atrocities and identifying the perpetrators. Secretly he and his fellow Ierendi vow to report the incident to the Thyatians if they survive this quest. In Minrothad City, a few hearty fellows brave the walls to catch glimpses of the HardBall tourney. The Thadders make it no secret that their support goes to the Alphatian teams. Tales of the matches continue to be retold in the city's pubs and taverns. With the big match the next day, numerous bookies have risen to handle bets. Like the Thyatian gamblers, the Thadders favor the team of Fregnoss. Oran and Warheart meet to discuss the war. Both are discouraged by reports that the Thyatians and NACE are to begin negotiations on the situation on the IoD. Unless they break down, there is little hope for Thyatian troops to be diverted to that region from Minrothad. Warheart suggest sending orders to Blue Eels in Redstone to try to disrupt the talks, even intensify things if possible. Though the idea of promoting war is distasteful to Oran he agrees and has the orders sent. Reports of the vicoty against the Thyatians is received with mixed blessings. Delorno's displeasure in their conduct has drawn disapproval from the Ierendi mercenaries and their government. The Ierendi government has even threatened to withdraw support. Oran manages to calm these threats by pointing out that the Privateers committed the acts, not regular Naval personnel. Back to war matters, Warheart points out that since the Thyatians are making no deviations from redeployment they must be setting the stage for another invasion. The dwarf surmises that it is either Fortress Island or Alfheisle. Not that he wishes war on his fellow dwarves, but he hopes that it will be the Stronghold. Warheart knows that Stronghold will force the Thyatians to assault the dwarves directly. There will be no landings down from the city's defenses. Such an assault will eat up the Thyatian forces. For those same reasons Warheart feels that the Thyatians will strike next at Alfheisle where they can land troops in more favorable areas and dictate the war in their own terms. It is during this line of discussion that an aide brings in a report from Seahome reporting the seabattle. The loss of one Thyatian vessel and another heavily damaged is greeted warmly. However, the report also bears some bad news. In the battle Merchant Prince Vaneer Malloasa was slain by a Thyatian ballistae bolt. Also coming out badly was Merchant Prince Dorell Conditor and his son Erkrell. Dorell took an arrow in the eye and was blinded. Young Erkrell had a piece of rigging fall on top of him breaking several of his ribs and his right arm. Oran sends his condolences to the Malloasa family and his well wishes to the Conditors for speedy recoveries. The death and injuries to two of Seahome's prominent merchant families is surely to hamper morale. Oran has the naval victories announced to the capital's populace. Any victories are beneficial to keeping morale up. However, he omits the details about the atrocities, Ierendi disapproval, death of Malloasa, and the injuries to the Conditors. Warheart puts before Oran a plan to disrupt the Thyatians. Tommorrow during the HardBall tourney attentions will be focused upon the match. With them as a diversion small groups of Thadder troops could wreak havoc among the camps. Likewise, the expected masses of Thadder spectators on the walls could be used to cover a heavy archer presence. Though he dislikes the use of such underhanded tactics, he sees the rationality behind it. He offers his support for the venture. Warheart summons twenty elven troops and twenty human troops. He briefs them on the misson. After nightfall they are to covertly leave the city and make their way out beyond the Thyatian camp. Out in the countryside they are to stay in hiding, avoiding Thyatian contact until the HardBall match is fully involved. They will then attack targets of opportunity, preferably ones that will hamper the Thyatian war effort the most. Warheart offers them each trooper three potions of fiery burning and one potion of explosions. The elves each receive six arrows of detonation and scrolls of teleportation to allow the ease of access back into the city. In Thyatis City, the Blue Eels continue laying low and focus on info gathering. Theor fellows in other countries have forwarded to them news of the planned negotiations between NACE and Thyatis. Later they are informed of troops mobilizations throughout Thyatis. They hold off reporting the mobilizations until they can determine where they are bound. The Eels are not happy about being tasked with disrupting the negotiations in Redstone. However, they oblige and send word to their sole operative in Redstone. That Eel has been operating under the guise of a palace servant so she does have access. Whether or not she can pull it off is another matter. Redstone is not really known to boast a great deal of Minrothad sympathizers. And given the short amount of time, organizing something will be difficult. In Redstone, Terari and Demetrion arrive almost simultaneously. Over the next hour they are joined by the arrivals of various officials. Though everyone is present well befor dark, there are actually no official talks initiated. Both sides meet with their countrymen to discuss matters, strategies, and the like for the actual discussions. Terari and Demetrion do speak informally for some time in private. Though the subject matter is unknown, both meet with their fellows in private. Deep in debate, each are interrupted with news that Kendach had surrendered, following Countess Marie Kendach being captured. The news is a blow to the Thyatians, who now want to begin negotiations immediately. However, the NACE contingent will not begin discussions until morning. Both sides retire for the night, with intentions to begin talks at dawn. Eusebius is told of the fall of Kendach. He is not happy as nothing keeps the Alphatians from striking at Redstone and West Portage. He demands a report on the status of the mobilization of the Cohorts and Fleets. He is told by an aide that- The 24th Cohort in Hinterlands can be at sea within three days. However it will take at least three weeks of sea travel. The 5th Cohort in Tel Akbir can be on landed at Redstone within a week. The newly formed 30th Kerendas Cavalry Cohort is not up to strength and lacking in both weapons and horses. Even if they were equipped there are no transports available. The 2nd and 4th Fleets can both be at sea within a day or so. Both can be off the Redstone coast within a week. The contingency mobilizations of the 13th and 17th Cohorts has also met with problem. There are not enough transports available to get both cohorts to the IoD. Also the bulk of 13th was suffering from a case of dysentery contracted while on maneuvers. It would take weeks before it could be readied for combat. The 17th was up to strength and properly equipped, however its ranks were almost entirely filled with raw recruits. Eusebius cancels the deployment of the 24th. That would take too long. He also cancels the deployment of the 30th Cavalry Cohort. They are not ready. The 5th Cohort will leave for Redstone immediately. As for the 17th, they are too green and will march north to Tel Akbir to fill in for the 5th Cohort. Eusebius will instead send his own 2nd Imperial Cohort. The able bodied members of the 13th Cohort will assume the duties of the 2nd Imperial Cohort. The deployment of the 2nd Imperial Cohort is a resounding sign of Eusebius's resolve. However, it will still take three days to prepare for the venture and another week to get to Redstone. Eusebius contacts Stefania and Anabaxius to tell them of the impending deployments. They are to forward this information to Demetrion and the Thyatian representatives. If the talks go badly, perhaps knowledge of the impending reinforcements...especially the Imperial Cohort... will give the Thyatians added bargaining power. He has them relay another message. Priority is to go towards maintaining Redstone and West Portage. Try to get as much land back as possible but retain Redstone at all costs. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara-l' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of mystara-digest V1999 #435 ******************************** *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.imagiconline.com with the line 'unsubscribe mystara' as the body of the message.