I just re-read this novel and was wondering if anyone had incorporated the information in this novel into their Mystara/Karameikos campaigns?
Good man!
I think the Mystaran Net Alamacs provided some dates for when Yuchiev became a Lord and perhaps also the events involving Grygori and the Dark Knight, but I don't remember the details (too lazy to check right now).
That said, I would be quite interested in discussion how to use these events in a campaign. I strongly dislike the AD&D cosmological elements towards the end so it would be interesting to see how these can be adressed should one wish to.
What are your thoughts on the novel firebee?
Havard
I strongly dislike the AD&D cosmological elements towards the end so it would be interesting to see how these can be adressed should one wish to.
I conceive that those extraplanar events, as described, only took place in the Second Edition Reality of Mystara. According to a DRAGON magazine OD&D/AD&D crossover article, the Second Edition Reality exists as a parallel Reality to the OD&D Reality. I suggest that in the OD&D Reality of Mystara, essentially the same events took place, but at a planar location from the OD&D Cosmology.
Travis
Good man!
I think the Mystaran Net Alamacs provided some dates for when Yuchiev became a Lord and perhaps also the events involving Grygori and the Dark Knight, but I don't remember the details (too lazy to check right now).
That said, I would be quite interested in discussion how to use these events in a campaign. I strongly dislike the AD&D cosmological elements towards the end so it would be interesting to see how these can be adressed should one wish to.
What are your thoughts on the novel firebee?
Havard
Actually, it has been so long since I last read the novel, I had almost forgotten how much I enjoyed it! Of the (sadly) few Mystaran novels, I thought this was the most consistent with the gaming products, even though it was written in support of AD&D, rather than Classic. The fact that the characters' names were more Traladaran (as opposed to the names in Penhaligon Trilogy) was most welcome. Having said this, I do wish that the author had used more of the wonderful characters already created in Gaz1, Karameikos KoA, and other published products. It would have given the book a more connected feel.
I was intrigued by the idea of a Traladaran lord trying to undermine the ruling Thyatian class by trying to out-colonize them, rather than through force or even subterfuge. I also liked the idea of sponsored Traladarn Knights as a counterbalance to the Order of the Griffon. I'm not sure how I feel about the extra-planar prison in Rugalov though. I'd always imagined Rugalov as a pretty low-magic border fortress prepared to be overrun by Thyatian Legions; the prison seems pretty 'high magic', but then again, Mystara is a pretty magic heavy setting.
I have to say that the only part of the book that I didn't particularly care for was the ending. It seemed very rushed to me. Also, having a demon lord as the final villain was a bit too Greyhawk-ish for my tastes. I would have preferred a more native Mystaran villain.
What I'd always hoped for were some novels that were more directly related to the gaming history, for example a novel (series of novels) covering Stephan Karameikos' becoming Grand Duke, or Bargle's infamous rise to power in the Black Eagle Barony. I think those types of novels would have generated more interest in the Mystara products.
However, I really can't complain. The folks on this forum and at Dragonfoot provide so much great discussion and materials that it's like Mystara never stopped! Also, the material in the forums and at Pandius are actually much more useful to me as a Classic D&D DM (as opposed to the latest versions of the game.)