About Our Contributors

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Who's Responsible For This?

The Editors

Kevin Turner is a Master's candidate in Library Science, and works on the Reference Desk in a public library. His contributions to the Tome of Mystara included a sampling of his dark yet adventuresome fantasy fiction, as well as timely DM campaign advice and an adventure. Kevin's post-Mystara hobbies will include further developing his own game world (the basis for his fiction) and the never-ending quest for the perfect video game experience, as well as chasing down the forces of evil on his motorcycle. Kevin lives in Delaware wth his wife, Lynn, where he spends the remainder of his time trying to keep the cat from eating every other living thing in the house and wrecking his CD collection. Visit his web pages here and here.

Jennifer Guerra is a post-graduate student of Clinical Psychology, who also dabbles (and is published in the field of) primate social behavior. Her contributions to the Tome of Mystara included a DM advice article, as well as a look at a darker, alternate, Darokin. Jenn's post-Mystara activities will include study of earth-based religions and research on lost ancient civilizations, as well as working on her first full-length novel and developing her own campaign world, Minar. Jenn, who hopes to someday be a "recovering" workaholic, lives in Texas with her husband, Ariel, and their cat. Visit her web pages here and here.

The Contributors

Derek Adam is a budding author (along with his co-author, Jenni A. M. Merrifield) who goes by the alternate identity of Vantarius. While Derek himself purports to be a mild-mannered Canadian family man, insiders know that this is just a front; the "real" Derek is Vantarius, and woe to those who cross this Thyatian archmage! We're still trying to figure out Vantarius' arcane connection to the Rom of Traladara, though...

A computer programmer working in the field of Biotechnology, John Calvin maintains the Glantrian Library project and illustrates the Mystaran Almanac. His daughter keeps him busy, but he still finds time (in the wee hours of the night) to spend on his favorite hobby: Mystara, as well as his art gallery.

It's Sunday morning. Mr. Caroletti wakes at eleven, as he always does so in the week-end. However, Mr. Caroletti doesn't know that this morning, a 17-foot tall alien clone of Magnum P.I. has decided to take him as a souvenir to his planet, Planet Iggenz. This is just the start of a long adventure, that will change forever the mind of the man, who will become a really weird Italian student of Physics...

Geoff Gander is a graduate student of public administration living in Ottawa, Canada. Rumours that he is also a part-time civil servant in the same city are believed to be true. He is an avid reader of fantasy, Lovecraftian horror, and science fiction, and enjoys playing and writing for the D&D Mystara gaming world. He is particularly interested in adding new cultures to Mystara, and in detailing its history. Any connection between Geoff and his more fiendish creations is purely coincidental. Honest. Trust us.

This is not André Martins' first foray into the ancient secrets of Mystara's history; he also the author of a Natural History of Mystara. André has also been involved in the MOrient Project, and is currently signed up for John Polacek's NWN Mystara project, where he will, no doubt, import the evils of the Outer Beings, as well as vast Immortal conspiracies. André lives in Brazil.

Jenni Merrifield is a woman of multiple Mystaran personalities: an 18 year old from southwestern Karameikos who is a "Swordsman of The Order of the Lion Blade," wields a super-fast and deadly katana, and has dedicated to avenging the destruction of her family's at the hand of slavers; a 19 year old from Minrothad City who is a junior Journeyman with the Devices Guild (an Associate Guild of the Minrothad Tutorial Guild), who wears black leathers, wields a mean whip and pointy daggers and has dedicated her life to hunting down lost relics from the Known World for both profit and pleasure (but mostly for profit); plus a myriad of major and minor personalities found throughout the Minrothad Guilds, the Ierendi Isles and the Republic of Darokin who variously help, hinder, harm, heal or just plain infuriate the five player characters who's lives were thrown together by "fate" [mwhaa-ha-ha-ha-haaaa] and who are slowly being lead in the direction of becoming true adventuring companions. In "Real Life," Jenni is a woman of a single personality: a 33 year old from Vancouver, BC, Canada, who is a "User Interaction Design Engineer" working in the field of Web Content Management systems, wields a keen eye for design and is happily married with child (one 2-1/2 year old son). In addition to playing in and running as many Mystara based campaigns as she can fit into her busy life, she also enjoys reading, counted cross-stitch, dragon boat racing, and web site design.

Some would say that Max Monas' foray into the darker side of Mystara began with his account of the Black Rose Cult, a shadowy assassins' organization based in Karameikos. In fact, Max's interests extend beyond Karakmeikos (for which he has also authored a calendar), into Glantri, where he is a member of the Glantrian Personnel Division. With this sudden interest in the corruption of Darokin, one must wonder what really are Max's plans for the Known World?...

John Polacek is a graphic designer from Chicago. As a child he had a very overactive imagination, which led his parents to buy him a glorious red box containing a game that has provided him with endless hours of entertainment ever since.

"Great mighty Alphatia sank, upon a fateful day,
The Dwarves of Rockhome dropped their axe, and hid themselves away,
Sylvan Alfheim, an early loss, lies no more upon the land,
Yes, strange things happened everywhere, but the Thyatian walls still stand.

Once Blackmoor ruled an ancient coast, but where is Blackmoor now?
The Milenian Phalanx no more wears the winning olive bough,
And where are Alphatia's teeming hordes, that swarmed throughout the land?
Their day is done, by sand and sun, but the Thyatian walls still stand.

Who endured Thothia's wicked plague, upon its stalwart back?
Who stood the Ylaris upon their heels and broke up each attack?
Who held The Reaper at the line, with willing heart and hand?
The answer rings from Shore to Shore: the Thyatian walls still stand!

James "Porphyrogenitus" Ruhland was born many years ago in a fortified settlement, the son of human parents (not the spawn of fiends, as some have surmised). He has been a Mystaran for over twenty years, and uses his knowledge of history and politics to generate creative gaming ideas. Formerly the "Evil Genius" of the MML, James has gone into voluntary exile. Some say he's a menace and a troublemaker, an oozing sore on the fundiment of Mystaran gaming. Others say he's cantankerous but misunderstood. Many hope this will be the last they will see of his contributions to the Mystaran Online Community, so they can be free of his uncomfortable ideas and finally get their way. Only the Immortals know for sure, but such people may be right. His webpages can be found here, and he can be reached via email if one has questions or comments.

"Far off I hear the rolling, roaring chears.
They come to me from many yesterdays,
From record deeds that cross the fading years,
And light the landscape with their brilliant plays,
Great stars that knew their days in fame's bright sun.
I hear them tramping to oblivion" - Grantland Rice

Jens Schnabel is a mysterious Dane almost as enigmatic as his elusive, "stalking" Alphatian counterpart on Mystara. Rumor would have it that he has been studying English at the South Danish University in Odense, yet people who role-play with him have accused him of being a devious and manipulative overlord known as "DM." One must wonder, indeed...

Jacob Skytte hails from the cold northern wastes of Greenland. His travels abroad have landed him in Denmark, carrying a pen and a sword (one might be mightier than the other). While he rarely makes use of his extensive knowledge of chemistry and environmental biology in his descriptions of all things Mystaran, he usually does draw on his knowledge of ancient Danish history and legends.