One of the "problems" with the KW is that it some times seems like too much of a happy place so there isn't enough to do for wannabe heroes. Maybe an evil parallell universe could do the trick?
Havard
It was partially inspired by this post on the MML a couple years back (though IIRC, I'd been working on it already- the post just helped to clarify a couple of thoughts I'd been working through.)
In keeping with the dementia of a ctuhlu/E A Poe line; would not the paranoid Caurenze make some good story lines as well? Something horibly wrong hidden in the depths of that area, with wizards being so keen on tapping into obscure ley lines or magics, and stumbling over many sinister things. I would even go as far as putting a gothic style Amittyville Horror house somewhere between Caurenze and Glantri. Other places like the borderlands west of Averoigne could have local towns with weird superstitions, the likes of Children of the Corn or Stoning ceremonies for the harvest. Some lakes near Klantyre might hold some super zombie, the likes of Jason of Friday the 13th. Horror movies offer some of the best plotlines for side adventures. Just think of Freddie the next time one of those pesky villagers goes and burns a heritic illusionist at the stake.
From the notes I have so far, these were the basics of it:
Locations
Rules
Races
Other things
Anyway, just some general musings on ways to turn Glantri even more evil.
I remember some interesting discussions about an evil version of King Stefan, and I was wondering if anyone has ideas for reimagining the other KW countries, or their rulers.
One of the "problems" with the KW is that it some times seems like too much of a happy place so there isn't enough to do for wannabe heroes. Maybe an evil parallell universe could do the trick?
Havard
Well, I've never run short of trouble for adventurers, though one thing I wish it had more of was wilderness inside the core area, which is pretty civilized in most of it.
But to address your OP, some ideas for evil alternate versions:
Emirates of Ylarum: A nation of conquering religious fanatics, now laying plans to crush the Northern Reaches and use its population as slave labor towards the 'Dream of the Desert Garden'.
Minrothad, Glantri, Heldannic Knights, Thyatis, Alphatia, Ethengars: Already evil enough
Rockhome: For the last century, they've been digging a giant tunnel which leads to Glantri. Soon, they will swarm out and start butchering wizards. IT IS TIME FOR REVENGE. Dwarven Payback is like a lava flow. Slow, heated, deadly, irresistable.
See the Lords of Shaerdon in my alternate Shires
Darokin: He who has the gold, makes the rules. Greedy Plutocrats rule over an oppressed working class, while trying to turn the nations around them into economic dependants.
Atruaghin Clans: Overcrowding of the plateau has an easy solution--burn and pillage Darokin and turn it into one giant buffalo supporting steppe.
Ierendi: The nice thing about Tourists is how you can easily grab a few and no one will miss them. Then your dark god's altars need never go without a nice coating of blood...
Ylaruam: Go full bore Arabian Knights with this place (by way of Ray Harryhausen). I'm talking evil wizards, animated skeletons, etc. You could even combine this with John's evil religious empire above.
Alfheim: Make the elves sinister and evil, the woods dark and foreboding. The Fey races become the Unseelie Court.
Ethengar: Make them the barbaric Mongols of ancient tales- just brutal and bloodthirsty pagans. Take the worst descriptions of them by middle ages historians and expound upon that.
Northern Reaches: This pretty much goes hand in hand with the Ethengars; just play up the rapacious, brutal viking image. For good measure, bring in things like dragons and monsters (Grendel and Fafnir, etc.) from the Elder Eddas and Norse myth.
Minrothad Guilds: I see re-imagining this place like the British East India Company, but with additional interests in slavery, trafficking of illegal substances, etc. Basically, they would be a combine of pirates, smugglers, drug-runners, etc. but with a veneer of civilization. The rulers would be sophisticated and cultured aristos, who rule over a conglomerate of degenerates. Nothing would be considered beneath them so long as it earned them a profit, and they would have a lot more colonial interests than the current MGs do.
I would probably downplay the elves in MG, as I don't know that they fit well with the change, although I'm trying to think of a good twist. As for the Alphatians, anywhere they are involved (such as Glantri) I'd probably play up the idea that they are aliens to Mystara in every real sense- different outlook, perhaps mysterious powers and different religions (sort of a lesser version of the Elder Gods of Cthulhu lore, who are aliens as much as magical beings).
Now that I think of that angle, the elves might fit better. In fact, I am getting a sort of Melnibonean vision of Minrothad now, which would contrast well with the more decadently human Darokin.
Ierendi: Along the lines of the above, I might go with a sort of Freeport version of the Ierendi Isles, with Serpent Men the real behind the scenes movers and shakers (and founders) of this nation.
Darokin: Going along with John's idea of the haves and have nots- really make that divide a much more prominent one than in the current Republic (where they make a big deal about how anyone can become wealthy). Basically make it like the American Nightmare, instead of the American Dream. I'd play up the colonial America allusions a lot more too, which would tie in with Minrothad and Atruaghin better.
Atruaghin Clans: Make them more like the stereotypical barbaric raiding Native Americans of old western movies and bad history. I'd give them a much larger portion of the southwestern Known World to play in, and have them be very feared in the frontier.
Sind: To tie this in with Minrothad, I'd have the Guilds play a prominent role here, and model this more on British Colonial India. Lots of wars going on in the region, as the Guilds attempt to wrest more control of the region. For additional conflict, I'd probably have either Darokin or (possibly) Thyatis as the major oppositional power in the region (somewhat akin to the French occupational forces in India). Of course, there would be the ever-present threat of the Atruaghin clansmen to contend with as well.
Rockhome: Make the dwarves more like the Modrigswerg as a culture. Very isolationist and with a deadly reputation for creating powerful and deadly magical items and technology. Depending on how much reworking of evil Mystara's history you do, this could then be the new basis of their dislike of the Glantrians- competition. Rockhome would be a forboding place where everyone fears to go.
Ylaruam: Go full bore Arabian Knights with this place (by way of Ray Harryhausen). I'm talking evil wizards, animated skeletons, etc. You could even combine this with John's evil religious empire above.
Nithia reborn! Or perhaps a world where Nithia - as a culture worshipping Thanatos primarily - never died.
I remember some interesting discussions about an evil version of King Stefan, and I was wondering if anyone has ideas for reimagining the other KW countries, or their rulers.
The evil Karameikos was Giulio's idea to explain some of the unlikely actions of Duke Stefan Karameikos:
http://pandius.com/dkstefan.html
There have been also other ideas for a darker version of KW, including the Dark Hin (http://pandius.com/hellnght.html) and my own "Dark Mystara" (http://pandius.com/endknown.html), where Darokin collapses as the result of the war with the Master of Hule, Zandor manages to retain control of Bellissaria, the Black Eagle becomes a hero for stopping the Dark Hin invasion, and the Shadow Elves corrupt the forest of Canolbarth, transforming it in a giant version of the petrified woods of Dymrak.
Heldannic Knights Vs. The Cult of Hel
While looking for source material for a Northern Reaches campaign, I came across a disturbing notion that the said lands (Vestland, Soderfjord, Ostland) are either poorly organized, chaotic, or weakened of earlier wars, aka easy prey for the Heldannic Knights.
Now if we assume they retain their expansionism, Heldannic Knights could (and would) occupy Vestland and Soderfjord sans effort. Technically there's no reason why they would not do this.
The next idea I got from viewing Jacob Skytte's painstaking description of Ostlandic domains:
Akin to the cults of Idris and Synn, this underground cult would prove out to be the only powerful and uniting means of defense against outside invaders for the Northern Reaches. This once hated cult would seize the opportunity to take control of the chaotic domains, appointing their own approved rulers (such as Spawn of Hel)
Eventually, Clerics of Hel, with Duergar dwarves and possibly some renegade chromatic dragons, would not only appoint and instruct leaders in the Northern Reaches but have the power to create magical armies (of undead, chaotic and evil origin) to both set against the Heldannic Knights and enslave the peoples of Northern Reaches.
Add Ethengaris, Thyatians, Schattenalfen and some former Alphatian outposts to the mix, and we will have a nice multifront Known World War will complex allegiances and a lot of Evil Vs. Evil campaigning.:D