The Solar System of Mystara - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

The Solar System of Mystara

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Nov 08, 2005 11:04:06 Re-posted from Dragonsfoot; seems only fair that now I've de-lurked and asked a question, I should also supply something of interest for the board. Here's a summary of the Mystaran Solar System from my campaign.

I use the twin moons of Mystara. Matera is mostly a dense jungle moon, with one continent and a single vast sea. It is invisible (as per VotPA), and made up of two distinct Rakasta cultures; Myoshima and the Free States. Thus far, the oceans and the polar regions are unexplored, and little is known of the Free States.

Patera is the one known as 'the moon'. Pandius (City of the Immortals) is well known and explored, but it's a seperate planar bubble, so not strictly 'on' the moon. The moon is rather desolate. Unknown even to most of the immortals, it was once a green, fertile place. One day I'll have some PC's adventure extensively on Patera and discover what heppened.

Further afield, the solar system I use comprises 9 planets, formerly 10.

The first planet is Masauwu, it is a hot, almost molten planet, inhabited Efreet, fire elementals and other fire loving creatures. Certain immortals of energy make bases there, but few travellers from Mystara visit this place.

The second planet is mysterious, covered in constantly swirling clouds, and it is known to most as Valerias. It has a mysterious history, is a place where creatures such as spectral hounds, mujina, diaboli and other monsters of the dimension of nightmares can be seen.

Then comes Mystara, also known as Urt. Mystara possesses more water than all of the other planets combined, and is the only planet on which elemental water based creatures truly thrive.

The fourth planet, the bright morning star Ixion, is a harsh, cold desert world, named ixion not for its heat but for its intense red colour in the sky. Water is at a premium on this world, and many of those creatures that make their home there are associated with the element of earth.

Then comes the detritus left by the destruction of the planet Arik. An ancient battle between Immortals and Outer Beings left this world shattered; various asteroids have been colonised over the years, but there is nothing substantial. Ghosts and spirits of the former inhabitants of Arik make their home here; the dark shados hide beholders, fiends and undead.

Chronos is the fifth planet; it is a vast, ringed planet, with a rocky, windswept surface. Chronos has a dense, breathable atmosphere that encompasses dozens of moons, each itself habitable. Its heavy atmosphere retains heat well, making Chronos the ideal habitat for creatures native to the plane of air.

Thanatos is the sixth planet; it is a dark, almost black planet, a gas giant made up of swirling grey clouds. It is rarely visible from Mystara, but when it is it seems to gleam with a brightness that outshines the other planets; many cultures on Mystara view it as a herald of death to come. No explorers from Mystara have ventured there and returned, no scrying has yielded any information, so consequently nothing is known about the inhabitants of Thanatos.

Eiryndul is the seventh planet. A gas giant like Thanatos, it reflects a pale green light. It has special interest for the Elves of Mystara, who view it as a bringer of luck. The serene green beauty of the planet from a distance belies the truth beneath, which is that the clouds that make up the planet are cold, caustic, and so very turbulent that any mortal contact with the strange creaures scryed living there has thus far been impossible.

Ka is the eigth planet. After Mystara, it has the most water of any planet in the system, but that water exists only as ice. However, cretures such as hydrax thrive here. It is a small, ice planet reflecting pale white light.

Nyx is the ninth planet, and cannot be seen from Mystara without magic or technology. It is a small, bare planet, known to be made up of frozen poisonous gasses toxic to all known living things. Visitors have reported seeing some movement on the planet, a race of metallic, spiderlike beings, rumoured to be the creators of the dreaded Meks, have been sighted.
#2
zombiegleemax
Nov 09, 2005 3:17:44 Very nice idea to give Immortals' names to planets. It adds a lot of flavour and realism to the setting ;)

If I remember correctly, the old Immortal Set (the golden box) gave a description of the solar system of the characters' world (the name 'Mystara' was already to come). Was 'Urt' the name the Immortals gave to this planet (which was a Megalith - a sentient being)?

The solar system of 'Mystara' was not reported in WotI boxed set, so it is unclear if this piece of information should be considered obsolete or still valid. Personally, I think they utterly dropped the idea of the original solar system; so, anyone is free to develop Mystara's solar system as he likes.

Anyway, the composition of the original solar system was:

- 8 planets, with 'Mystara'/Urt being the second nearest to the sun;
- the other planets are nearly identical to that of our solar system, with these exceptions:
- no 'Mercury' and no 'Pluto'. No asteroidal belt between 'Mars' and 'Jupiter', substitued by a planet called 'Damocles' (which should be destroyed sometime in the future; its fagments originating 'Mercury', 'Pluto' and the two moon of 'Mars');
- Damocles is the homeplanet of an advanced civilization that, maybe will cause the destruction of its own world;
- 'Mystara'/Urt has only one moon, identical to Earth moon;

In syntesis, we have, from inner to outer regions of 'Mystara's' system:

- 'Sun' (identical to Earth sun)
- 'Venus'
- 'Urt/Mystara' (with one 'Moon')
- 'Mars' (with no moons)
- 'Damocles' (moons?)
- 'Jupiter' (identical to Solar system Jupiter)
- 'Saturn' (identical to Solar system Saturn)
- 'Uranus' (identical to Solar system Uranus)
- 'Neptune' (identical to Solar system Neptune)

If this model of Mystara's system is considered valid, then it could be interesting to update it with VoPA's information about Myoshima and the Pyritean Archipelago.
Myoshima, being invisible, doesn't have any problem of location, while the Pyrithean Archipleago of asteroids could be possibly located in substitution of the Trojan asteroids of 'Jupiter'.
#3
zombiegleemax
Nov 09, 2005 6:06:21 For my version of the Mystaran Solar System, look here:
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dungeon/2967/mysspace.html
and here:
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dungeon/2967/kompor.html

:D
#4
zombiegleemax
Nov 09, 2005 11:50:06 I wanted to keep some of the elements of Gold Box immortals rules, but I wanted to add a bit of Mystara flavour to it. So when I devised my own version of the solar system I used Immortals names, added in some notes for what to find on each planet, and moved the destruction of Damocles (Arik) into ancient history. One day some PC's will go looking into that and find out what really happened! Anyway, that means you can fit in the odd races that came from the asteroids.

I like your version DM; looks like you were going in a similar direction to me.
#5
havard
Nov 10, 2005 3:24:48
I wanted to keep some of the elements of Gold Box immortals rules, but I wanted to add a bit of Mystara flavour to it. So when I devised my own version of the solar system I used Immortals names, added in some notes for what to find on each planet, and moved the destruction of Damocles (Arik) into ancient history. One day some PC's will go looking into that and find out what really happened! Anyway, that means you can fit in the odd races that came from the asteroids.

I like your version DM; looks like you were going in a similar direction to me.

When it comes to a question of whether older material is canon or not, I'd say it is unless more recent material contradicts it. So, even though most of the rules about immortals and planes was changed with WotI, it never mentioned the solar system which would mean that everything from the old set applies. The name of the known world planet has ofcourse been changed from Urt to Mystara, though Urt could remain as an older name, or perhaps the Alphatian name. The suggestion that Urt is a Megalith is not neccesarily invalidated because of the existance of the Hollow World, though it was never certain that Urt actually was a "living planet".

On the issue of names of the planets, I have found that using the names of immortals for the planets tends to confuse the players since they dont know whether I am talking about the planet or the immortal. I'm thinking about basing the names of the planets on the names of the months instead....

Håvard

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Nov 08, 2005 11:04:06	Re-posted from Dragonsfoot; seems only fair that now I've de-lurked and asked a question, I should also supply something of interest for the board. Here's a summary of the Mystaran Solar System from my campaign. I use the twin moons of Mystara. Matera is mostly a dense jungle moon, with one continent and a single vast sea. It is invisible (as per VotPA), and made up of two distinct Rakasta cultures; Myoshima and the Free States. Thus far, the oceans and the polar regions are unexplored, and little is known of the Free States. Patera is the one known as 'the moon'. Pandius (City of the Immortals) is well known and explored, but it's a seperate planar bubble, so not strictly 'on' the moon. The moon is rather desolate. Unknown even to most of the immortals, it was once a green, fertile place. One day I'll have some PC's adventure extensively on Patera and discover what heppened. Further afield, the solar system I use comprises 9 planets, formerly 10. The first planet is Masauwu, it is a hot, almost molten planet, inhabited Efreet, fire elementals and other fire loving creatures. Certain immortals of energy make bases there, but few travellers from Mystara visit this place. The second planet is mysterious, covered in constantly swirling clouds, and it is known to most as Valerias. It has a mysterious history, is a place where creatures such as spectral hounds, mujina, diaboli and other monsters of the dimension of nightmares can be seen. Then comes Mystara, also known as Urt. Mystara possesses more water than all of the other planets combined, and is the only planet on which elemental water based creatures truly thrive. The fourth planet, the bright morning star Ixion, is a harsh, cold desert world, named ixion not for its heat but for its intense red colour in the sky. Water is at a premium on this world, and many of those creatures that make their home there are associated with the element of earth. Then comes the detritus left by the destruction of the planet Arik. An ancient battle between Immortals and Outer Beings left this world shattered; various asteroids have been colonised over the years, but there is nothing substantial. Ghosts and spirits of the former inhabitants of Arik make their home here; the dark shados hide beholders, fiends and undead. Chronos is the fifth planet; it is a vast, ringed planet, with a rocky, windswept surface. Chronos has a dense, breathable atmosphere that encompasses dozens of moons, each itself habitable. Its heavy atmosphere retains heat well, making Chronos the ideal habitat for creatures native to the plane of air. Thanatos is the sixth planet; it is a dark, almost black planet, a gas giant made up of swirling grey clouds. It is rarely visible from Mystara, but when it is it seems to gleam with a brightness that outshines the other planets; many cultures on Mystara view it as a herald of death to come. No explorers from Mystara have ventured there and returned, no scrying has yielded any information, so consequently nothing is known about the inhabitants of Thanatos. Eiryndul is the seventh planet. A gas giant like Thanatos, it reflects a pale green light. It has special interest for the Elves of Mystara, who view it as a bringer of luck. The serene green beauty of the planet from a distance belies the truth beneath, which is that the clouds that make up the planet are cold, caustic, and so very turbulent that any mortal contact with the strange creaures scryed living there has thus far been impossible. Ka is the eigth planet. After Mystara, it has the most water of any planet in the system, but that water exists only as ice. However, cretures such as hydrax thrive here. It is a small, ice planet reflecting pale white light. Nyx is the ninth planet, and cannot be seen from Mystara without magic or technology. It is a small, bare planet, known to be made up of frozen poisonous gasses toxic to all known living things. Visitors have reported seeing some movement on the planet, a race of metallic, spiderlike beings, rumoured to be the creators of the dreaded Meks, have been sighted.
#2 zombiegleemax Nov 09, 2005 3:17:44	Very nice idea to give Immortals' names to planets. It adds a lot of flavour and realism to the setting ;) If I remember correctly, the old Immortal Set (the golden box) gave a description of the solar system of the characters' world (the name 'Mystara' was already to come). Was 'Urt' the name the Immortals gave to this planet (which was a Megalith - a sentient being)? The solar system of 'Mystara' was not reported in WotI boxed set, so it is unclear if this piece of information should be considered obsolete or still valid. Personally, I think they utterly dropped the idea of the original solar system; so, anyone is free to develop Mystara's solar system as he likes. Anyway, the composition of the original solar system was: - 8 planets, with 'Mystara'/Urt being the second nearest to the sun; - the other planets are nearly identical to that of our solar system, with these exceptions: - no 'Mercury' and no 'Pluto'. No asteroidal belt between 'Mars' and 'Jupiter', substitued by a planet called 'Damocles' (which should be destroyed sometime in the future; its fagments originating 'Mercury', 'Pluto' and the two moon of 'Mars'); - Damocles is the homeplanet of an advanced civilization that, maybe will cause the destruction of its own world; - 'Mystara'/Urt has only one moon, identical to Earth moon; In syntesis, we have, from inner to outer regions of 'Mystara's' system: - 'Sun' (identical to Earth sun) - 'Venus' - 'Urt/Mystara' (with one 'Moon') - 'Mars' (with no moons) - 'Damocles' (moons?) - 'Jupiter' (identical to Solar system Jupiter) - 'Saturn' (identical to Solar system Saturn) - 'Uranus' (identical to Solar system Uranus) - 'Neptune' (identical to Solar system Neptune) If this model of Mystara's system is considered valid, then it could be interesting to update it with VoPA's information about Myoshima and the Pyritean Archipelago. Myoshima, being invisible, doesn't have any problem of location, while the Pyrithean Archipleago of asteroids could be possibly located in substitution of the Trojan asteroids of 'Jupiter'.
#3 zombiegleemax Nov 09, 2005 6:06:21	For my version of the Mystaran Solar System, look here: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dungeon/2967/mysspace.html and here: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dungeon/2967/kompor.html :D
#4 zombiegleemax Nov 09, 2005 11:50:06	I wanted to keep some of the elements of Gold Box immortals rules, but I wanted to add a bit of Mystara flavour to it. So when I devised my own version of the solar system I used Immortals names, added in some notes for what to find on each planet, and moved the destruction of Damocles (Arik) into ancient history. One day some PC's will go looking into that and find out what really happened! Anyway, that means you can fit in the odd races that came from the asteroids. I like your version DM; looks like you were going in a similar direction to me.
#5 havard Nov 10, 2005 3:24:48	I wanted to keep some of the elements of Gold Box immortals rules, but I wanted to add a bit of Mystara flavour to it. So when I devised my own version of the solar system I used Immortals names, added in some notes for what to find on each planet, and moved the destruction of Damocles (Arik) into ancient history. One day some PC's will go looking into that and find out what really happened! Anyway, that means you can fit in the odd races that came from the asteroids. I like your version DM; looks like you were going in a similar direction to me. When it comes to a question of whether older material is canon or not, I'd say it is unless more recent material contradicts it. So, even though most of the rules about immortals and planes was changed with WotI, it never mentioned the solar system which would mean that everything from the old set applies. The name of the known world planet has ofcourse been changed from Urt to Mystara, though Urt could remain as an older name, or perhaps the Alphatian name. The suggestion that Urt is a Megalith is not neccesarily invalidated because of the existance of the Hollow World, though it was never certain that Urt actually was a "living planet". On the issue of names of the planets, I have found that using the names of immortals for the planets tends to confuse the players since they dont know whether I am talking about the planet or the immortal. I'm thinking about basing the names of the planets on the names of the months instead.... Håvard