Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 5 Jan 2002 to 6 Jan 2002 (#2002-7) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 07/01/2002, 19:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 5 messages totalling 276 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. MA available on almanac.starflung.com 2. War Journal of Bue Geirsteinson - Part IV 3. Ideas for adventure without magic? (3) ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.dnd.starflung.com/ To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2002 10:51:48 +0100 From: hador Subject: Re: MA available on almanac.starflung.com We dowloaded the almanac files in pdf; we pasted them and tried to unzip by winzip 8.0. The program found error in the first file into 13. Renato e Nadia ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2002 14:44:34 +0100 From: Jacob Skytte Subject: War Journal of Bue Geirsteinson - Part IV In the deep of the night... Jacob Skytte scythe@wanadoo.dk --- The War-Journal of Bue Geirsteinson Vatermont 19th, the year 1000 After Crowning of the First Emperor of the = Thyatian Empire It was the last night before I would set out for Noslosford with my = army, a band of warriors composed of the greatest this country had to = offer. I was in emotional pain, knowing that I would soon fight my own = clan, my own family. There was no choice though, I would do what I had = to do to save as much of my clan as I was able to, and to uphold my = fealty to Odin and the king He had chosen for Ostland. My thoughts were = interrupted as the door to my chambers was slammed open. In the doorway = stood Stein Anlafson, the son of the jarl of Vestpont and a spoiled brat = if I'd ever met one. "Bue Geirsteinson," he bellowed. "You have a lot of nerve showing up = here, commanding men mightier than you to follow them. You may be a = jarl's son, but you're still a boy and should be hiding under your = mother's skirts." Stein was a year older than me and had been at the Royal Court for two = years now. "Stein, I command no one. The king asked for volunteers and = noble warriors chose to join me." "Noble warriors indeed! You are an upstart, who should know his place. = You have come to the king with an improbable story of treachery, just = because you're only second in line for the jarldom, and you need to get = rid of your father and brother both. You endear yourself to Hord by = foiling this 'coup' and set yourself up as jarl of Noslosford. Don't = think I can't see through your plans." I sighed. "Even if it was so, what would that matter to you? It is not = your domain of Vestpont that will be invaded, a domain that you are next = in line for. Why do you care?" "You have overstepped your boundaries. You have found a way to get the = king's attention and you have played upon that. I have worked hard for = the past two years to get acknowledged by the king, and yet you, a = whelp, just step in here, make him your confidante and get him to lend = you great warriors for your coup. I'll admit that you are clever; I = should have thought of something like that." "Stein Anlafson, you are mistaken. I intend no coup, I'm here to save my = clan from destruction. My father has betrayed our country, and I am the = only one who can save clan Noslosford from the rightful wrath of Hord, = should my father put his plans in motion. I do the will of the Gods and = fight for honor." "You are suggesting that I do not revere the Gods? Or that I do not hold = up honor? Your intentions are hardly as noble as that, Bue. I noticed = how you drew the attentions of Ingibjorg Siglindesdottir. She is a fine = shield-maiden, and with all your acting-up, you have managed to turn her = head. Well, you are a fool. Ingibjorg desires a grown man like myself, = not a boy such as you. You can settle for the unnatural Asta = Katlasdottir, she and her sorcerous family will suit a trickster like = yourself just fine." A cold voice came from the doorway. "Stein Anlafson, you are mistaken = about a great many things. Asta Katlasdottir is a warrior true, and her = family has served the king well." It was none other than Ingibjorg Siglindesdottir, and she continued. = "Bue Geirsteinson is a noble warrior, who believes in the Gods and = follows the will of Odin. He is your better in every way, and should I = desire for a man, it would be someone like him, and not a backstabbing, = slandering midget such as yourself." Stein looked at me with hatred in his stare. "You set me up, Bue. You = invited her here for a 'midnight talk' and set me up. You put those = words in my mouth. Ingibjorg, you must believe me. Bue tried talking me = into helping him betray his family, he's tricking his way into Hord's = confidence. Surely you can see that." She snickered. "You are a fool. I have come here of my own will, Bue = knew nothing of it. Withhold your slander if you do not wish the king to = hear of it. Now, since you haven't seen fit to join Bue's army, I don't = believe you are privy to the strategy talks we will conduct. Please = leave us." Stein skulked out the door, then turned to give a final snarl. "I will = not forget this, Bue Geirsteinson. You have tried to take my place from = me, and that will not go unpunished. As for you, Ingibjorg, you are not = the woman I thought you were and I will leave you to whore with this = traitor." "I'm happy to disappoint you!" she called after him, then turned to me. = "I'm sorry you had to witness that. Stein has long been drooling over me = and he is used to bully any man who crosses him. He thinks that he can = always get what he wants, but I find him despicable." "I can deal with men like Stein," I replied. "I do not want to be caught = up in court politics and intrigue, I wish only to save the lives of my = clan. His accusations cannot hurt me, since they are false and, as such, = mean nothing to me. But why have you come here at this hour?" She smiled. "I wished to see if you were ready for tomorrow. I know that = you must be in pain over going to war with your family and I wished you = to know that I understand and will provide whatever support you could = wish for. We are many who believe that what you do is right and = honourable and I have come to say that you do the right thing and that = we support you." "I thank you Siglindesdottir, I know what I do is right, but that does = not ease the pain. Now let us not fuel the rumors that Stein will = undoubtedly start about us. You had better go to your fellow = shield-maidens before your honor gets stained beyond repair." Ingibjorg laughed clearly and strongly. "My honor would hardly be = stained by such rumors. I would be the envy of the shield-maidens for = landing a catch such as yourself. You do not give yourself enough = credit, Geirsteinson. Like I said, many are those who believe in you, = and many are those who admire you. But I will do as you suggest and join = my sisters of the shield. Sleep tight." With that she left me to pen my thoughts in this journal of mine. It is = strange that a woman would speak thus. I have known only women like my = sisters, cold and hard or pure and innocent. This rowdy manliness in a = woman is unexpected, but appropriate, I guess, for a shield-maiden. I am = not sure what to make of her intentions. Thoughts like these must wait, = though. I am off to war, to spill the blood of those I call my family = and that is what matters. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2002 12:51:55 EST From: Greg Pratt Subject: Re: Ideas for adventure without magic? In a message dated 1/4/02 4:25:17 PM Pacific Standard Time, alphatian@ANGELFIRE.COM writes: > >7) Ever wanted to take a trip to Shadow Elf lands? Good thing that you can > >blend into the local populace with all of that illusion magic because the > >Shadow Elves aren't much for having visitors. The PCs are in trouble > again. > >When magic fails they won't look like elves anymore, and they won't have a > fast > >way home either. > > > > Yes, but then they don't have much reason to go there I think... Unless > it's to wage war on the shadow elves, but then the SE would be just as > affected by the lack of magic as they would. You're probably overlooking a very good reason to visit the Shadow Elves here - Rheddrian may have gotten some hints of the little project the Shamans are working on. He might ask the party to investigate. After all, what the shamans are working on has a rather striking resemblance to what he's hunting for. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2002 17:31:16 -0800 From: The Stalker Subject: Re: Ideas for adventure without magic? On Sun, 6 Jan 2002 12:51:55 EST, Greg Pratt wrote: (snip) >> >> Yes, but then they don't have much reason to go there I think... Unless >> it's to wage war on the shadow elves, but then the SE would be just as >> affected by the lack of magic as they would. > > You're probably overlooking a very good reason to visit the Shadow Elves here > - Rheddrian may have gotten some hints of the little project the Shamans are > working on. He might ask the party to investigate. After all, what the > shamans are working on has a rather striking resemblance to what he's hunting > for. > Perhaps, but why at this time? After all, Rheddrian is an immortal. If he really knew about the chamber of the spheres or thought it was involved, he would probably have sent the PCs to investigate before, I think, most likely when the shadow elves invaded Alfheim and founded Aengmor. By the time of the WWM, that was two years ago. You could argue that he only just found out, but then that just begs the question of how he could miss the NoS which is "right next door" (in Glantri, and he even said himself it was "close by" as early as 1004), then why would he detect the CoS which is far below ground and being used much less than the NoS? But yes, the potential is there, though it's more an excuse to explore the shadow elf caverns than Aengmor, I think. - The Stalker ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2002 17:46:35 -0800 From: The Stalker Subject: Re: Ideas for adventure without magic? (snip) > > None of them are Alphatians. They are all from Karameikos or Darokin, > except the dwarf (Rockhome obviously), and usually lurk about in those > lands. A sea voyage might be an idea, though. I suppose I could have > Rheddrian or the DDC (of which one is a member) send them on a mission to > persuade the Alphatians not to invade Darokin, then have them become > shipwrecked once magic fails, and they cannot avoid it... > I've given this one some more thought. If the PCs are at sea when the WWM occurs, they could be shipwrecked, but where? Well, I looked at the map and *finally* (after all these years!) found a use for Ierendi! Don't know if I'll go with this yet (it will be up to the players what happens), but at least it's an option. One of the Ierendi islands is called Safari island because they have big game hunting for monsters there. Now normally these monsters must be stopped from eating the tourists (!) and so are kept under control by magic, but oh wait! Magic just failed! Now all those monsters are running rampant unchecked! And the PCs just came ashore shipwrecked in the southern Tikka mountains on the western coast? Hmm, looks like they have a choice of walking through the hydrae-infested Kuali swamps or the Tikka mountains (which are filled with whatever monsters I like, such as giants, griffons, or what have we)... Not that they know it... This could be a monster hunt yet. And best of all, by the end of their journey magic returns and everything is sorted out, and the PCs are fined for all the monsters on the "endangered species list" they have killed without a license ;) [Ominous DM laughter in the background] How is that for a nasty adventure? - The Stalker, evil DM and loving every minute of it! ;) The Stalker=92s DM motto: Life itself is rarely fair, so why would you expec= t more from me? ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 5 Jan 2002 to 6 Jan 2002 (#2002-7) ************************************************************