Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 14 May 2005 to 15 May 2005 (#2005-100)
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Date: 16/05/2005, 17:00
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Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion
There are 4 messages totalling 223 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Ylari Campaign -- Waleed bin Jamal al Jaboori
2. The Death of Desmond Kelvin
3. For Stanley - bugs in ESDs
4. New Blackmoor serial available!
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Date: Sat, 14 May 2005 18:36:35 +0200
From: Giampaolo Agosta <agathokles@KATAMAIL.COM>
Subject: Ylari Campaign -- Waleed bin Jamal al Jaboori
Waleed bin Jamal al Jaboori
1st level Human (Alphatian) Wizard (Unseen Sea Mage)
Str 10, Int 14, Wis 8, Dex 13, Con 9, Cha 12
Station: 6
AC 8, HP 3, All. CG, THAC0 20
Ht: 1,76 m Wt: 68 kg MV 12 (12 w/ current load of 27.5 lbs)
Languages: Alasiyan, Heldanner.
Weapon Proficiencies: Cutlass, Jambiya
Non-weapon Proficiencies: Seamanship, Spellcraft, Genie Lore, Swimming,
R/W Alasiyan, Fishing, Cantrip, Disguise.
Special: Two-Weapon Fighting Style.
Money: 4 dinar, 5 dirham, 3 fals.
Equipment: Jambiya, Cutlass, Leather Armor; Shirt, Breeches, Skull Cap,
Sash, Knife Sheath, Belt Pouch; Aba, Cloth Slippers, Turban; Backpack, 2
Waterskins, Whetstone, Large Sack, Fishhooks (2), Tinder Box; Travelling
Spellbook [no spells].
Weapon Speed Dmg S/M
Cutlass 5 1d6/1d8
Jambiya 3 1d4/1d4
Appearance
Waleed is of average height and in good physical shape. He has a
natural coppery complexion, but due to his life on the sea he is very
tanned. He has chestnut eyes and dark brown hair, but he shaves his head.
Even though he is an apprentice wizard, he dresses as a corsair, with
knee-long white breeches and a shirt with large sleeves. He also wears a
red skull cap and a high blue sash. Within the sash Waleed stores a
dagger and a small pouch holding his meager wealth.
He carries along a large backpack.
History
The Alphatians settled in the northern coast of the Emirates several
centuries ago, in the attempt to counter the Thyatian expansion in
Nicostenia and Dythestenia. Later, when Al Kalim unified the nomad
tribes to cast off the invaders, many of the Alphatian colonists
converted to the Eternal Truth and remained in the Emirates of Ylaruam,
and especially in the coastal areas of Nithia and Abbashan.
Waleed is a descendent of these colonists, and like many Alphatians he
has a special talent for magic. However, the Emirates of Abbashan and
Nithia are not the most friendly environment for a wizard.
While the cultured town people of Ylaruam and the wordly Nicostenians
value magic as a form of knowledge and study of nature, the Abbashani
are mostly suspicious and conservative, usually seeing all magical
practices as heretical, unless the magician is a member of the clergy.
Nithia, while the not controlled by the Kin faction as Abbashan, is even
more dangerous for wizards: here, an evil fire-worshippers sect has its
strongholds, and vigorously, if covertly, attempts to wipe out all
practitioners of magic.
The Abbashani and Nithian wizards usually fall into one of two camps:
the followers of the Way of the Scholar, who practice their craft in the
temples of the Eternal Truth, and the Unseen, wizards who prefer to hide
their abilities from the common folk, constantly wearing disguise and
avoiding casting spells in public. Being an Unseen is a crime in the
Emirates, where wizards must clearly identify themselves by their
clothes and register at the Ministry of Magic, but some wizards who do
not subscribe to the tenets of the Eternal Truth do become Unseen.
Waleed, a would-be master of sea magic, has therefore built a cover
identity as a bold sailor looking for a job on corsair or merchant
ships. Actually, he only worked for a few years as a fisherman in
Jaboor, his home town, then moved to Cubis, in the Emirate of
Nicostenia. Here he befriended a young fisherman of Thyatian ancestry,
Jibril. Jibril owns a small fishing boat, and Waleed often works with
him. His sailing experience, other than on fishing boats, is limited to
a couple journeys between the few Ylari ports.
Personality
In his cover identity, Waleed is only one of the many sailors looking
for employment in the ports of the Emirates.
His true personality lies deep under the mask of the sailor, which is
now a second nature for Waleed. The two personalities share a deep love
for the sea, and some dislike for the arid lands -- Waleed does not like
to travel across the deserts.
Waleed is not a True Believer, he just goes through the motions for the
sake of his disguise. However, he does have an healty dose of respect
for some of the Immortal Guardians, especially the Old Man of the Sea,
for their power over the element of water.
He also finds merit in the Dream of the Desert Garden, one of the main
pillars of the Eternal Truth: transforming the desert into a garden
seems a good proposition, if a bit too ambitious.
Notes
This character introduces a wizard kit from Al Qadim, the Unseen, a
kind of Elementalist who disguises as a fighter or rogue.
While the Ylari have no prejudices against wizards, there may still be
reasons for a wizard to avoid being known as one, and, due to the laws
on wizard dressing codes, any wizard who does not wish to make his
profession known to everyone must actually become an Unseen.
The main reasons are those mentioned in Waleed's background: escaping
the attention of the Magian Fire Worshippers, or those of fanatical
Abbashani who believe that the only ortodox magic is the one that
members of the Way of the Scholar (or the Military Orders) wield (these
people may simply believe that the wizard is actually a priest of some
kind of entropic power).
Since Unseens are breaking the law, most other people tend to react
poorly towards the Unseen. Spellslayers and Magians actively hunt down
Unseen mages, for different reasons.
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Date: Sun, 15 May 2005 11:32:10 +0200
From: Giampaolo Agosta <agathokles@KATAMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: The Death of Desmond Kelvin
Andrew Theisen ha scritto:
>
> Now, though I doubt there was ever intended any direct
> connection, I postulate that Mustapha had an affair
> with Desmond Kelvin's wife, resulting in a duel in
> which Desmond Kelvin was killed, Mustapha was
> extradited to Ylaruam, and the baron's son, Desmond
> Kelvin II came into power. It had to have happened
> prior to 998 AC (Mustapha, in 1000 AC, has been the
> Provincial Secretary for Kirkuk for two years), and
> probably sometime before that (in the interim
> following his return to Ylaruam, he worked in several
> different fields, presumably over a couple of years).
> I don't know precisely when/if it has been stated that
> Desmond Kelvin II took over, but if there isn't any
> hard information, this should fit.
Yes, your theory is sound -- and there aren't that many alternatives.
> It also fits with the idea that Mustapha worked as a
> diplomat at the Imperial Court in Thyatis, where he
> may very well have encountered Kelvin and his wife
> (prior to or subsequent to their emigration to
> Karameikos) and/or acquaintances of theirs.
Uhm, I think this goes to far back in time. Desmond Kelvin II is not
that old and he has not been baron for long (he has not yet refitted his
castle as he would like to do), I'd say Desmond I may have died anywhere
between 995 to 998. The affair was probably short-lived.
> kind of prefer the idea that Desmond Kelvin II would
> a) have a scandal of a family affair coloring his
> background, especially given his membership to the
> Church of Karameikos and the Order of the Griffon, and
> b) possibly have a grudge against Stefan Karameikos
> for allowing his father's murderer to be extradited
> for political reasons, rather than allowing Kelvin to
> have vengeance.
Yes, it's a nice addition to an otherwise not too colorful character.
GP
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Date: Sun, 15 May 2005 17:03:50 -0400
From: shawn <shawn_s@TPG.COM.AU>
Subject: Re: For Stanley - bugs in ESDs
At 08:58 AM 13/05/2005, you wrote:
> Hi,
> this is a memo for Stanles: here's the search page of the MML archives where
> I pointed out a number of bugged Mystaran ESDs. Have a Look!
>
> Federico
>
> http://oracle.wizards.com/scripts/wa.exe?S2=mystara-l&D=0&H=0&O=T&T=1&q=&s=esd&f=kaftal&a=&b=
>
> ********************************************************************
> The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp
> The Mystara Homepage: http://www.mystaranet.jamm.com/vaults/default.aspx
> To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM
> with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message.
>
Thanks Federico that's great, I didn't realise there was that service for
searching through old messages that's definitely cool.
shawn stanley
what have you done for me lately ... more to the point what have i done for me
- mightyfew, "i can't wait"
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Date: Sun, 15 May 2005 17:06:15 -0400
From: shawn <shawn_s@TPG.COM.AU>
Subject: Re: New Blackmoor serial available!
At 01:07 PM 4/05/2005, you wrote:
> I'll get one copy, for sure.
>
> is there any other Blackmoor material that is not listed in the famous
> "produlist.htm" * ?
>
> * Which I continuously use to orient me in what is canon so I buy the right
> stuff.
>
> TIA,
> Vini
Vini, the list contains none of the new Blackmoor material, looking in the
FAQ that list was last updated in October 2000. If anyone wants to fix
this please go ahead there's other things I've got on my plate at the moment.
shawn stanley
what have you done for me lately ... more to the point what have i done for me
- mightyfew, "i can't wait"
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End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 14 May 2005 to 15 May 2005 (#2005-100)
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