Xyxl as the setting of the 3-D Dragon Tiles adventures
by Travis HenrySo, I'd suggest that the island Xyzl is specifically the setting of the 3-D Dragon Tiles adventures - and that it's an entire subsetting, on par with the Known World and Savage Coast.
Since Xyzl appears to be the Jurassic Java, and since Java is the center of Indonesia culture (official national history books harken to the Majapahit Empire which arose in medieval Java, and secondarily to the Srivijaya Empire of medieval Sumatra), I'd suggest that the M-Indonesian-speaking kingdom of Princess Arelina is located there, and is the primary culture there.
That's my tentative preference, pending affirmation that it would fit with the few Official references to Xyzl.
In Indonesian, the name of the island would be pronounced: Ksisol.
Based on how Indonesian adapts xylophone = ksilofon
zebra = Indonesian "zebra," but "z" is not a natural/native/stable sound in Indonesian, so despite its spelling, it's more natively pronounced with an "s-"
bott-le (like Xyz-l) > botol
As for the rest of the Island of Xyzl: rather than just one monolithic culture, it's an entire KW/SC-sized subsetting, with a patch-work quilt of cultures, just like the KW/SC. It's the home of every scrap of cultural info which can be gleaned from the two 3D Dragon Tiles products.
Here's a tentative sketch:
-The Kingdom of Utuh (autonym: Kerajaan Utuh, the "Intact Kingdom") is the "Karameikos" of the setting, as seen in AC3 and AC8. The national language is called Bahasa Utuh (the Intact Language). "Utuh" is the antonym of "Rusak" (broken). Cultural analogue: M-Majapahit Empire (medieval Java)
-The Petrofsky Khaganate (autonym: Petrofskij Kaganat; Also known as Petrofskaya Zemlya - Petrof Land). Based on the early dark-age Rus Khaganate
In other words: An M-Rus, but from the very early Khaganate era, under Turkic influence, just prior to its being taken over by Norse Varangians. (As seen in the Turko-Slavic name Turef.) Like the RW Khaganate era of Rus, it is also place of operations of M-Varangians (East Scandinavians). Leader = analogue of Khan-Tuvan, the leader of the Kabar faction of Khazars who fled to Rus
[Edit: On second thought, since the name Petrov is of Christian origin, this could be from the Christian era, so Tsardom of Petrovska. The Turkic and Norse-Varangian elements would be covered by the following two cultures.]
-The Tur Khaganate. Cultural analogue: M-Khazaria. Source of the element "Tur-" in the name Turef (in AC8). Language = Old Turkic.
-The Chiefdom of Thorsgard (Autonym: Ţórgarđr). Cultural analogue: Varangian Novgorod. Norse-Slavic, as seen in the name Thoref (in AC8). They worship the Immortal Thor of course.
-The Kleptarchy of Marabon(e). An M-English land run by Chaotic Thieves Guilds. E.g. Dickensian land of Oliver Twist, run by Fagin-types.
-The Sewer Kingdom. An entire land of were-rats, beneath Marabone. The center of were-rat culture in Mystara. Other than humans, they're the only sapient species encountered in AC3/AC8. It's the were-rat version of the "Valley of the Wolves" of Glantri in the KW. And like the Valley of the Wolves is a dominion hidden within the wider human culture of Glantri, the Sewer Kingdom is hidden within (beneath) the human Kleptarchy of Marabon. But the were-rats are truly a distinct people and polity.
-The Equine Kingdom of Philippia (Autonym: Basileios tes Philippias) Cultural analogue: M-Kingdom of Macedon, during Philipp II's rule, just prior to the Macedonian Empire of Alexander the Great. Source of the M-Greek name (Philip) seen in AC8. But Instead of humans (boring!), I'd make them horse-folk! There's no better lover of horses, than horses themselves! That is the source of the name "Philip", which was borrowed by "neigh"-boring humans. But these horsefolk have ancient Macedonian culture - their king is an analogue of the RW-Macedonian King Philip (who popularized the name throughout Europe), and his son Alexander the Great is still a "colt" in 1000 AC.
-The Kingdom of Ziegleria (autonym: Königreich Zieglern). A serious land of bricklayers, brick buildings, and military officers. Cultural analogue: M-Kingdom of Bavaria, prior to German unification.
-The Magisterium of Middel-Erde. Leader: Magister Throrogast. Cultural analogue: A tongue-in-cheek mashed-up analogue of Tolkienian Middle-earth (which coyly but closely avoids copyrighted IP). Just like the name Thror-o-gast. (Thror + Radagast). In AC8, the villain Rusak was impersonating the real Magister Thorogast, who is quite a fine wizard. In Middle-Erde, there's a Shire, there's Treants, and so forth. Middle-earth meets Mystara.
-High Kingdom of Inisfirg [Edit > The Illusory Kingdom of Glenfirg, restore "Glenfirg" (from AC8) because there's no reason for it to be an island; ad Illusory Kings are the title instead of High Kings.] Cultural analogue: A united Irish-Scotic Gaeldom, like the few times when Ireland and Scotland (or at least the western Scottish "Kingdom of the Isles") were ruled by the High King. Language = Classical (Early Modern) Gaelic (which was the literary language of Ireland and Scotland alike.) A land ruled by illusionist-high kings. The villain Rusak learned his illusionism from here, but perverted it to his own selfish ends.
-The Bishopric of Gargouille. Source of the Gargoyle statue motifs in AC3 p.3. Cultural analogue: Province of Rouen 600s AD, ruled by analogue of St. Romanus, bishop of Rouen. Language: (Old) French.
But in Mystara, the gargoyles are the people of this land. And the ruler, St. Gargouille--though not human, and made of stone--might be quite a fine fellow. M-Merovingian French Gargoyles. A land of gothic cathedrals. The whole land has gothic architecture.
-A Kingdom (or Cemeteriuim? or Cemetary Emirate?) of Ghouls? M-Arabic-speaking Ghouls. Not sure about this. But there are a lot of ghouls in AC3! The word and legend of the ghoul original come from Arab folklore.
(Yeah, I know I'm scraping bottom, but there's only so many bits to draw from in AC3/AC8 to flesh out a whole sub-setting!)
-M-Greek source of the name "Petros/Peter" seen in the name Petrov (of Peter). Must be Milenian influence. See also the horsefolk Kingdom of Philippia, which shares the Milenian language. Ha! Eureka! It's a land of M-Greek Rockmen (from AC9 Creature Catalogue). The Petrarchy of the Rock Men (or Rockfolk in present-day gender-neutral D&D terms). Their culture is a (delicately portrayed) analogue of 1st-century Greek apostolic Christianity...in a similar way that the Church of Karameikos is a (delicately portrayed) analogue of Byzantine (Eastern Orthodox) Greek/Bulgarian Christianity. The Rock Men are the source of the name "Peter," at least in Xyzl. Their leader is named Cephas and Petros.
-An M-Latin (or Italian or Spanish) source of the "-ina" suffix in the name "Arelina." Maybe there is ancient Thyatian influence on the island. There may or may not still be a representative colony of this culture left on the island. Or that may be a revered royal cultural legacy which is remembered only in names. [Edit: Howabout this analogue: instead of ancient Thyatian, it could very recent influence. Spanish-era Philippines style. Spanish language and culture is very intertwined with the Malayan languages of the Philippines. I guess that'd make it an Espan colony. Not sure if I can justify that great leap from the Savage Coast to Xyzl. But maybe! Yes, the Captaincy-General of Espan Xyzl! That's just one country among many on Xyzyl. But elements of their language have spread somewhat, as seen in the fashionable -ina suffix with which King Limakhan named his daughter, rather than a traditional name in the Bahasa Utuh language.]
-An M-Hebrew culture, source of the name "Ariel" which is implied in the name "Arel-ina"??? Maybe a land of celestials. Or mermaids / merfolk. :) Yes, probably merfolk. There'd be a whole "quasi-Disney + Hans Christian Andersen" merfolk culture, led by the mermaid Princess Arel. A sort of aquatic counterpart of Princess Arelina. They even switch places with each other, since they're lookalikes. She has two companions: a fish and a crab. The two Immortal patrons are Mystara's version of Triton and Athena. The Merfolk Kingdom Under the Sea. It's centered along the shore of the Kingdom of Utuh. It's a kind of aquatic counterpart. [Edit: But maybe not, since the Disney film didn't come out till 1989, so it's anachronistic in 1984-1985. Though still an 80s motif, which I feel are fitting for Mystara. But maybe some other approach. This is all about finding a source culture for Ar(i)el- in the name Arelina. Maybe go back further to the Shakespearean spirit Ariel. I don't know yet.]
-In my Mystara, there are Rakasta, Lupins, and Tortles in practically every village. The culture specific breeds and species would be detailed. For example: Zieglerian Mountain Hounds
Not sure where the typical demi-humans fit yet. Which makes sense, since there are NO DEMI-HUMANS seen or mentioned in AC3 or AC8. Not one of the 8 sample PCs are demi-human. Weird.
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Lastly, I suggest there's some kind of "Dragon Tile" magic throughout the land…as thematic as the "Red Curse" is to the Savage Coast.
So that's a sketch of a Mystaran subsetting:
XYZL: LAND OF 3-D DRAGON TILES!
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Now all I gotta do is make a map.
And check for Official references to take account of. (E.g. I remember Xyzl once sent a trade delegation to the Arm of the Immortals or something.)