Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Oct 31, 2004 16:08:09	I've been thinking lately that the name "Known World" is misleading: it seems that at least some people in the KW (merchants, diplomats) know about many lands beyond the borders of the KW (Sind and Wendar for sure, the Savage Coast area etc.). So - what is left unknown in Mystara?
#2 zombiegleemax Oct 31, 2004 19:15:51	The "Known World" would certainly be a left-over reference from earlier days, though not so long ago as one might think. Until the late 8th and early 9th centuries, with the exception of the doddering Kingdom of Darokin and the isolated (and mildly xenophobic) demi-human realms, most of the "Known World" was anything but! Look at this list of kingdoms and their foundings: Alfheim 800 BC The Five Shires 572 BC Rockhome firmly established 492 BC Empire of Thyatis 0 AC -- except for southern Ylaruam early in its existence, Thyatis turned away from most of Brun, and concentrated on the Isle of Dawn and Alphatia, for centuries. Kingdom of Darokin 21 to 723 AC -- growing, conglomerating, but mostly turned inward save for the various wars and minor aquisitions. Kingdom of Ostland 478 AC First Kingdom of Ierendi 602 AC to 775 AC Kingdom of Vestland 614 AC First Council of the Minrothad Guilds 691 to 862 AC Second Kingdom of Ierendi 775 AC to 867 AC Republic of Glantri 829 to 858 AC Sultanate of Ylaruam 831 AC Principalities of Glantri 858 AC Second Council of the Minrothad Guilds 862 AC Third Kingdom of Ierendi 867 AC Republic of Darokin 927 AC Nordhartar Defense League 950 AC Grand Duchy of Karameikos 970 AC King Thar unites Broken Lands 975 AC Moglai declared Khan of Khans in Ethengar 996 AC You will see that most of them were founded or established after 500 AC, many of them after 800 AC. That was the beginning of the end of the "dark age" the "Known World" had been in since, well, since the Great Rain of Fire, really (not counting the Taymorans, who were consumed with as "dark an age" as can be). So up until about 100 years ago, when these states were fairly firmly established (or re-established, in the case of Darokin at least), anytghing beyond the next domain or two was pretty much a mystery, except to say "over yonder, past Sir George's lands, and a good piece beyond, lies the Empire of Thyatis. Your grandfather traveled there once, perhaps you will, too." So the "Known World," from the western border of Darokin to the Sea of Dawn, would pretty much have been it for even the greatest sages of the region, until recently, in the last generation or two, when trade opened up with Sind through Darokin and the ways east were opened up (and sewn up, in some cases) by the Minrothad Guilds. Some maps in the west might have included Sind now and again, while those in the east might ahve included the western section of Redstone or Westrourke... save for the Empire, which, of course, knew its own territories quite well.
#3 Hugin Oct 31, 2004 19:16:15	It's probably one of those terms that have just lingured on dispite the new knowledge gained in the last century of more and more lands. And most of the populations in the KW are still only really aware of these close nations; the knowledge of the more distant places is still likely restricted to the elite classes such as the great merchants, rulers, diplomats, adventurers, and scholars. So - what is left unknown in Mystara? IMHO, I'd say Davania beyond the Hinterlands, the vast majority of Skothar, and the Immortals Arm with very limited knowledge of Orc's Head, and the interior of Brun. Historically speaking, the interiors of large land masses were the last thing explored with the exception of along the navigatable rivers; water being the prime mode of travel, especially before roads are created. Edit: Mystaros beat me but seems to have the same conclusions.
#4 npc_dave Nov 01, 2004 3:18:48	I always keep everything beyond Sind to the west, and Alphatia/Isle of Dawn to the east as unknown to all but players in powerful guilds or merchant houses. It is more fun to the players if the land beyond is something to be explored.
#5 spellweaver Nov 01, 2004 4:44:06	Well, I always figured that the "Known World" was just a term used by the original inventors of the world for the 0D&D game that eventually just stuck. I never actually wondered if the people living in the Known World refered to it as such? So up until about 100 years ago, when these states were fairly firmly established (or re-established, in the case of Darokin at least), anytghing beyond the next domain or two was pretty much a mystery, except to say "over yonder, past Sir George's lands, and a good piece beyond, lies the Empire of Thyatis. Your grandfather traveled there once, perhaps you will, too." That is a really good point that I never thought much about before! In this day and age with the Internet and such I know more about the back side of the moon or the jungles of Congo than my greatgrandfather knew about the next shire. Campaigns should, IMO, reflect this more. PCs should encounter curious NPCs asking them all sorts of questions about where they have travelled and PCs could also hear ridiculous rumours about places they have explored. ("Yeah, I tell you. Those savages on the Atruaghin frontier are cannibals, the whole lot of them!") Magic might enable communication over long distances, much as the Internet in our days, but that would be restricted to less than one percent of the population. Hmm...suddenly we see once again why books are worth so much in a world like this. Interesting. :-) Jesper
#6 zombiegleemax Nov 02, 2004 8:42:41	Wow! Great answers. Thanks all. Mystaros - this is extremely interesting. I never thought of the KW as being rather "young" in its current formulation. Thank you.