Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 23 Jul 2009 to 24 Jul 2009 (#2009-31) From: MYSTARA-L automatic digest system <LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM> Date: 25/07/2009, 17:00 To: MYSTARA-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 3 messages totalling 223 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. What is a Dervish in Mystara? (DoD vs. GAZ2 vs. etc.) 2. R: [MYSTARA] What is a Dervish in Mystara? (DoD vs. GAZ2 vs. etc.) (2) ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.pandius.com To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:14:15 +0000 From: Gary Davies <gazza557@HOTMAIL.COM> Subject: Re: What is a Dervish in Mystara? (DoD vs. GAZ2 vs. etc.) Here's a little bit from my English translation of Marco Dalmonte's Codex I= mmortalis=2C there is probably more in his book on Mystaran Magic but I hav= en't translated that (yet). Dervishes: these clerics are holy hermits who dedicate themselves to the contemplation of the natural world and to the concrete manifestation of the Eternal Truth. Rejecting the distractions of civilisation=2C they retreat i= nto the more desolate areas where they lead a simple and reserved existence=2C = live in caves=2C tents or lucky refuge=2C in total contemplation and meditation. In= the contemplation of the world=2C of nature and of the elements they attempt to attain a mystic union with nature participating in its balance and tranquillity=2C notice and communicating with the animals and plants of the desert=2C as well as with the elemental forces that they animate also thank= s to their magical powers. It is in virtue of their asceticism=2C the dervishes = also exercise their minds by reciting the verses of the Nahmeh and the sacred prayers to the Guardian Immortals in order to strengthen the spirit and sus= tain the body in the efforts that such a rigorous existence imposes=3B because o= f this the dervishes are famous for their unequalled physical and mental resistanc= e. Although they wish to remain far from the comfort and from the distractions of the c= ity=2C they nevertheless don=92t forget to protect and honour their neighbour=2C a= s told in the Nahmeh=2C and because of this they act as guardians of the tribes of= the desert and of the Ylari settlements (and are therefore revered and helped b= y these)=2C and can be called upon to help the travellers in difficulty or gi= ve guidelines to the pilgrims and to the faithful engaged in sacred quests and righteous causes=2C provided that these don=92t show themselves too insistent or trou= blesome. The dervishes are peaceful and usually do not make use of weapons or armour= =2C only rarely interfering in violent conflict=2C even if their superior physical c= ondition gives certain advantages to the dervishes in a hand-to-hand fight (which th= ey always fight with bare hands). Regards Gary _________________________________________________________________ Celebrate a decade of Messenger with free winks=2C emoticons=2C display pic= s=2C and more. http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/157562755/direct/01/= ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.pandius.com To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:17:02 +0000 From: la Volpe <iuliusscaevola@YAHOO.IT> Subject: R: [MYSTARA] What is a Dervish in Mystara? (DoD vs. GAZ2 vs. etc.) I think that the easiest way is to assume that the Dervish of I3-I5 are "ma= d dervishes", something akin to "black druids" or "black sorcerers", albeit= "mad dervishes" are not evil they will suffer the same social disadvantage= s. It could be easy to link them with pre-Al Kalim worshippers of Protius t= hat refused to accept the "revelations" of Al Kalim and lost their spells, = forging a new, loose, warrior order. Some of them could even be clerics or = fighter/clerics getting power from faith (not above 2nd level) or worshippi= ng elder gods (Rathanos could be one, Pflarr another, some other water god = even better but I can't think of one no). Some of them could even be tied i= n with Outer Beings, who knows? I don't see problems in keeping both dervishes in the setting - calling the= m "dervishes" and "mad dervishes" would be enough to any Alasyian to "know"= immediately which is which. Giulio aka Iulius Sergius Scaevola Saxa Rubra, Thyatis (yes, I'm not in Port Lucinius anymore) I was wondering fudge this, to be pure canon as possible, but bend the modu= le to a Mystara setting.=C2=A0 I am open to suggestions on this one. The dervish is fanatical nomad (fighter), while GAZ2 reinvents the druid an= d calls it a dervish.=C2=A0 In real world, seems they were religious practi= tioner that took a vow of poverty.=C2=A0 As they do not beg, being against = their order to do so, it would seem they are respected in the real world, a= s much as friars would in our western world.=C2=A0 So it seems that both im= plementations misappropriated it, maybe even mis-applied a stereotype. The Al-Qadim netbook defines a dervish as a "A wandering or monastic Sufi. = Also called a fakir". Thoughts? I3-5 Deserts of Desolation --------------------------------------------- "Called Dervishes, they are aliens, outcasts, and even outlaws wherever the= y go.=C2=A0 In fact, because they feel that their god has turned away from = them in reglating them to the desert, not only do tey worship the old relig= ions, but they now fanatically protect the religious freedoms and holy plac= es of all peoples, whatever their practices or beliefts.=C2=A0 They hate ro= bbers of graves and tombs, and protect such places from 'infidels,' tending= to make encampments nearby.=C2=A0 If they find a holy item or palce has be= en looted or damaged, they will mark the vandal/thief for Bloodquest.=C2=A0= This means they will use their considerable tracking ability (the same as = rangers) to hunt down and destroy the one so marked.=C2=A0 The final stroke= is carried out under the trembling, vibrating scream of any Dervishes at h= and, fighting to the death.=C2=A0 This has spawned a desert proverb: "Woe b= e unto him who puts blood in the eye of the Dervish" (Hickman et. al 5) GAZ2 EMIRATES OF YLARUAM --------------------------------------------- "The dervishes are holy hermits, True Believers following the Way of teh Sc= holar as they live solitary lives of contemplation and physical devotion in= the desert wildernesses of the Emirates.=C2=A0 Also known as desert druids= , these holy men live in caves, crude shelters, or tents in remote regions.= =C2=A0 Dervishes are revered by desert nomads, who aid in providing the hol= y hermits with food adn shelter needs" (Rolston 34) WIKIPEDIA ENTRY (Real World) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dervish --------------------------------------------- A Dervish or Darvesh (from Persian =D8=AF=D8=B1=D9=88=DB=8C=D8=B4, Darv=C4= =ABsh) is someone treading a Sufi Muslim ascetic path or "Tariqah", known f= or their extreme poverty and austerity, similar to mendicant friars in Chri= stianity or Hindu/Buddhist/Jain sadhus. Dar in Persian means "a door", so Dervish literally means "one who goes fro= m door to door". The word is also related to terms for "ascetic" in some la= nguages, as in the Urdu phrase darwaishana thabiyath, "an unflappable or as= cetic temperament". As Sufi practitioners, Dervishes have been known as sources of wisdom, medi= cine, poetry, enlightenment, and witticisms. For example, Nasrudin became a= legend in the Near East and South Asia, not only among the Muslims. ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.pandius.com To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. =0A=0A=0A ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.pandius.com To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:14:55 -0700 From: Chris Cherrington <sr596bear@HOTMAIL.COM> Subject: Re: R: [MYSTARA] What is a Dervish in Mystara? (DoD vs. GAZ2 vs. etc.) 3 other possibilities are available for "mad dervishes": =20 First=2C one faction has gained a large advantage over the other in politic= s. Thus making some dervishes "mad" by their political views. Second=2C there could be an importation of "mad dervishes" from their close= alliance with Hule. Third=2C an influential leader of a group of dervishes has been influenced = by being to close to the Seed of Oblivion=2C thus getting things twisted in= his mind and starting his followers down a darker path. > I think that the easiest way is to assume that the Dervish of I3-I5 are "= mad dervishes"=2C something akin to "black druids" or "black sorcerers"=2C = albeit "mad dervishes" are not evil they will suffer the same social disadv= antages. It could be easy to link them with pre-Al Kalim worshippers of Pro= tius that refused to accept the "revelations" of Al Kalim and lost their sp= ells=2C forging a new=2C loose=2C warrior order. Some of them could even be= clerics or fighter/clerics getting power from faith (not above 2nd level) = or worshipping elder gods (Rathanos could be one=2C Pflarr another=2C some = other water god even better but I can't think of one no). Some of them coul= d even be tied in with Outer Beings=2C who knows? > =20 _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live=99 SkyDrive=99: Store=2C access=2C and share your photos. See = how. http://windowslive.com/Online/SkyDrive?ocid=3DTXT_TAGLM_WL_CS_SD_photos_072= 009= ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.pandius.com To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 23 Jul 2009 to 24 Jul 2009 (#2009-31) ***************************************************************