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THE ESTATE OF DMITROV
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: 244 Square Miles
POPULATION: DMITROV (6500 people)
DESCRIPTION: Primarily a Fishing Community dominated by a Traladaran Population. Although there were rarely issues of Piracy in these parts, The Minrothad Guilds recently Surrendered to the Thyatian Empire and this Estate is now a short distance across the sea from an expansionist Empire.
- 200 FISHING FAMILIES
200 Cran x 12 months = 2400 Cran
9600 Firkin/Preserved Fish
USING 2400 FIRKIN OF SALT
200 x 12 = 2400 Firkin of Salt
- 600 FARMING FAMILIES
102,400 acres in rotation
OATS:
34,133 acres x 60 bushels x 0.63
= 1,290,277 bushels
=64, 511,370 LB OATS
- 1,706,675 LB SEEDGRAIN
=62, 804, 695 LB
HAY:
34, 133 acres x 5 tons x0.63
=107,518 TONS HAY
- 200 TIMBER LOGGING FAMILIES
200 x 17 acres = 3400 acres/year
3400 x 20,000LB = 68,000,000 LB
ENOUGH FIREWOOD FOR 10 YEARS
(OR SUSTAINABLE FIREWOOD FOR
10 % POPULATION OF ESTATE)
Or post more economics... er...
Would you be integrating the material from the travelogues from 'The Voyage of the Princess Ark' (Dragon Magazine, many years ago...)?
Was that ever considered official?
It sure was. Goofy as all get out and 100% official.
In my loose thinking of adapting Mystara to 4e, I toyed around with the idea of making the tieflings being descendents of the Nithians. In the history as written, the Immortals banded together to wipe this Egyptian-themed culture from the world including the memories and records of other nations. I don't remember exactly why, though, and was thinking either truck with fiendish powers is as good a reason as any.
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I'm assuming anyone who remembers the setting must be a self-confessed grognard, who started with either the Erol Otus box, the red Elmore box, or the 'Heroquest'-style black crate.
I was introduced to it in the 1981 edition of 'Isle of Dread'. Did the setting officially exist in print before then?
Mystara may be a good fit for 4E, since
- it has less existing baggage (adventures, fiction or sourcebooks) to reconcile,
- the last official product was many years ago, so the cries of 'Too soon for a new edition' don't apply,
- it was the setting for a much simpler version of the rules (Basic/Expert/Companion, etc), so any differences in mechanics will be more likely to be viewed as 'additional options', rather than 'taking our toys away', and
- both the rules and setting had an implied 'Epic Destiny', in the Immortals rules for PCs ascending to demi-godhood at 36th level.
And here I thought I was being all clever for going to Mystara for my 4E game :-D
I love Mystara. Always have, always will. I finally got a copy of the Karameikos boxed set off eBay ($7!!) and am working on advancing the timeline some 200 years or so. My basic idea is that a great Event happened and changed the workings of magic forever. Many previously powerful spellcasters lost their abilities and others found new ones. The world is still reeling from this event and the PCs are thrown into a hostile and dark world.
And here I thought I was being all clever for going to Mystara for my 4E game :-D
People have been talking about this option since before the game was released. I think its got something to do with the Astral Sea. That and there are those that suspect that the game has a BECMI 'feel'.
I'm assuming anyone who remembers the setting must be a self-confessed grognard, who started with either the Erol Otus box, the red Elmore box, or the 'Heroquest'-style black crate.
I was introduced to it in the 1981 edition of 'Isle of Dread'. Did the setting officially exist in print before then?
Mystara may be a good fit for 4E, since
- it has less existing baggage (adventures, fiction or sourcebooks) to reconcile,
- the last official product was many years ago, so the cries of 'Too soon for a new edition' don't apply,
- it was the setting for a much simpler version of the rules (Basic/Expert/Companion, etc), so any differences in mechanics will be more likely to be viewed as 'additional options', rather than 'taking our toys away', and
- both the rules and setting had an implied 'Epic Destiny', in the Immortals rules for PCs ascending to demi-godhood at 36th level.
Yeah, baby - black crate for the win. Never looked back!
And here I thought I was being all clever for going to Mystara for my 4E game :-D
I love Mystara. Always have, always will. I finally got a copy of the Karameikos boxed set off eBay ($7!!) and am working on advancing the timeline some 200 years or so. My basic idea is that a great Event happened and changed the workings of magic forever. Many previously powerful spellcasters lost their abilities and others found new ones. The world is still reeling from this event and the PCs are thrown into a hostile and dark world.
Alphaks wins. 200 years pass under his rule, and then he disappears. His empire crumbles nearly overnight as his underlings carve his empire into tiny pieces, each grabbing as much land as they can. Many die in the battles that follow. The survivors cling to "points of light" surrounding the fortresses of the remaining nobles, while the rest of the land becomes a monster infested wilderness.
Alphaks wins. 200 years pass under his rule, and then he disappears. His empire crumbles nearly overnight as his underlings carve his empire into tiny pieces, each grabbing as much land as they can. Many die in the battles that follow. The survivors cling to "points of light" surrounding the fortresses of the remaining nobles, while the rest of the land becomes a monster infested wilderness.And here I thought I was being all clever for going to Mystara for my 4E game :-D
I love Mystara. Always have, always will. I finally got a copy of the Karameikos boxed set off eBay ($7!!) and am working on advancing the timeline some 200 years or so. My basic idea is that a great Event happened and changed the workings of magic forever. Many previously powerful spellcasters lost their abilities and others found new ones. The world is still reeling from this event and the PCs are thrown into a hostile and dark world.
Oh - that is nice! Really good idea there - thanks!
I, too, have always loved Mystara. I firmly believe TSR/WotC shot itself in the foot when they chose never to revisit it. (The fact that similar fans exist for Greyhawk, Dark Sun, Planescape, and Birthright nonewithstanding). There is way too much of it to develop to simply ignore it.
I can't visit Pandius' Vault at work due to web blocking. What I'd like to see is a hardcover book for the setting... at least for the Known World. The Red Steel setting *might* warrant a follow-up volume. And maybe a third book for the rest of the setting (mostly idea seeds as to what lies in the lands not already covered).
Of course, for some reason that I have yet to discover for myself, WotC will probably never do this.
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And here I thought I was being all clever for going to Mystara for my 4E game :-D
I love Mystara. Always have, always will. I finally got a copy of the Karameikos boxed set off eBay ($7!!) and am working on advancing the timeline some 200 years or so. My basic idea is that a great Event happened and changed the workings of magic forever. Many previously powerful spellcasters lost their abilities and others found new ones. The world is still reeling from this event and the PCs are thrown into a hostile and dark world.
It was called the ascention of Bargle the Infamous to Immortality. He cut a deal with Alphaks and restored Alphatia as an Island of a Thousand Volcanos fed by Enthropy...so now Magic is chaotic.
The Temple of Alphaks sends Orcs armed with Corrupted Steel (save or become half fiendish), and Enthropic Magma Stone Axes (Double Damage vs non enthropics) through Dimensional doors to anywhere on Mystara. THey burned down the forest of Alfhiem.
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Or post more economics... er...
Not just economics, its to give you an idea of what is going on there. The Estate of Dmitrov is now "Just across the border" from the Thyatian empire thanks to the surrender of the Minrothad guilds. THyatians now fish in Karameikian waters. Its territories are increasingly under dispute.
Right... but I was sort of expecting more along the lines of "How do Eladrin fit into the world? Do they exist at all?" That sort of thing, rather than geo-political stuff which could be used in any rules-set.
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Right... but I was sort of expecting more along the lines of "How do Eladrin fit into the world? Do they exist at all?" That sort of thing, rather than geo-political stuff which could be used in any rules-set.
The funny thing about MYSTARA is that like Galorian (Pathfinder) it has a huge universe where everything is consistently available. It isnt like Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Forgotton Realms where the sea of stars endsat the crystal sphere boundary somewhere past the asteroid belt. While they dont exist in the published MYSTARAN stuff (at least i dont recall them)- the published stuff covers a geographical region equal to North America and there is a lot of stuff out there in the gameworld - I know Vaults of Pandius has a good archive of current game ideas.
My problem is that I dont even have access to 4E yet...still "in the mail" as it were.
So lets look at what you know of the Eladrin and create something here: Who are they? what are they like? and what are their socio-environmental needs?
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Bumped because this thread has so much more to contribute(*TM*) than
Edition wars - why do we care any more?
Please stop the insults.
Abandoning the fans?
GSL posted
and the numerous other bicker, b~#~~ and moan threads.
I'm sad to say I remember Mystara poorly if at all so can't really contribute. However I look forward to seeing where you go with Mystara 4E 8-)
What is the relation of Mystara and the Hollow World? Are they one and the same? Is the Hollow World the inside of the Mystara world? Did I completely hallucinate any kind of connection between them in the first place?
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Mystara for 4E is something I could see working very well. Some of the design is similar to B/X, and the way the world was "twisted" to fit B/X's rules' assumptions, it could be twisted just the other way around to fit 4E's.
What is the relation of Mystara and the Hollow World? Are they one and the same?
Yes, they are. The Hollow World is the "other side" of Mystara. The inside, indeed.
They are not drow, but their own separate race (radiation-scarred almost albino elves) - there are no drow on Mystara.
I can see Eladrin taking the place of the Alfheim elves, and the Elves of 4E taking on the Radlebb, Callari (sp?) elves in Karameikos. Dragonborn... tricky, but perhaps in enclaves on one of the southern continents. Tieflings, again, some out of the way place.
Warlocks, not certain how or if they would fit - but then again, Mystara has a fey realm, an unfathomable cosmic awfulness realm and various demonic places so it could work...
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They are not drow, but their own separate race (radiation-scarred almost albino elves) - there are no drow on Mystara.
I can see Eladrin taking the place of the Alfheim elves, and the Elves of 4E taking on the Radlebb, Callari (sp?) elves in Karameikos. Dragonborn... tricky, but perhaps in enclaves on one of the southern continents. Tieflings, again, some out of the way place.
Warlocks, not certain how or if they would fit - but then again, Mystara has a fey realm, an unfathomable cosmic awfulness realm and various demonic places so it could work...
Is there no room for integration of the Dragonborn/Tieflings?
Or is strange stranger from a strange place the only option?
I find that a little hard to swallow, I'm sure we're more creative than that.
Must...resist...getting...Mystara...books out....
And here I thought I was being all clever for going to Mystara for my 4E game :-D
I love Mystara. Always have, always will. I finally got a copy of the Karameikos boxed set off eBay ($7!!) and am working on advancing the timeline some 200 years or so. My basic idea is that a great Event happened and changed the workings of magic forever. Many previously powerful spellcasters lost their abilities and others found new ones. The world is still reeling from this event and the PCs are thrown into a hostile and dark world.
Just refresh yourself on Rad and the nature of the Radiance, which is the source of magic itself. Your "Event" should probably be something based on the Radiance, such as the events set forth in Wrath of the Immortals. Just an idea from another gamer that remembers Mystara fondly.
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According to Wikipedia, it is the inside of Mystara.What is the relation of Mystara and the Hollow World? Are they one and the same? Is the Hollow World the inside of the Mystara world? Did I completely hallucinate any kind of connection between them in the first place?
MYSTARA & HOLLOW WORLD: I believe Pandius hosts a 3D map of Mystara and the hollow world but yes The hollow world (annoyingly covered by a boxed set and three kingdom gazeteers) is inside Mystara.
Spelljamming: For those looking for the Cryatal sphere around a gameworld with an infinite universe...try deep below the surface (Some of us decided that Mystara was an inverted outer boundary so you had to delve deep beneath the world to find spelljamming).
Yes I know we is sick puppies but hey...
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Is there no room for integration of the Dragonborn/Tieflings?
My thoughts on these were to use the Dragonborn pretty much as written in the 4e rules ... rare wandering mercenaries. If I needed a Dragonborn homeland, I was thinking the Wyrmsteeth Range which is described as being riddled with dragon lairs.
For Tieflings, well, their flavor text basically hinges on them being former humans who allowed their empire to fall into devil worship and was wiped out because of it. That sounds very closely aligned to Mystara's Nithian empire, which was wiped out by the Immortals for following the teachings of Thanatos (or some other evil Immortal). That sounds close enough for me.
Dragon-Humans can be found in the Principalities of Glantri 2nd edition box set.
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They are not drow, but their own separate race (radiation-scarred almost albino elves) - there are no drow on Mystara.
I can see Eladrin taking the place of the Alfheim elves, and the Elves of 4E taking on the Radlebb, Callari (sp?) elves in Karameikos. Dragonborn... tricky, but perhaps in enclaves on one of the southern continents. Tieflings, again, some out of the way place.
Warlocks, not certain how or if they would fit - but then again, Mystara has a fey realm, an unfathomable cosmic awfulness realm and various demonic places so it could work...
Considering the elves migrated from the southern continent of Vulcania - when their technology took a failed save vs immortal magic there might still be unusual elves clustered in forgotten colonies.
You know what - I love this game. I've had the 4E books for a while and tried to wrap my head around how my campaigns or characters would map across and how the heck it all fitted together (this isn't an anti-4E rant by the way). And I FORGOT about all the cool stuff in Mystara that I'd left years behind with my crayon-lines dice and prettily coloured (and Elmore adorned) boxes.
Thyatis, Alphatia, Wrath of the Immortals, Glantri, Voyage of the Princess Ark (mad as cheese) etc etc. All brill.
And perfect for 4E, with little mechanical baggage to hold it down. The only issue I can see is that PCs may well choose to play lots and lots of Warlords, Teiflings, Dragonborn or Eladrin when their representation in Mystara is decidedly minimal.
I suppose it's easily explained by the "PCs are special, so don't conform to normal racial representation ratios in a party."
Or by DM fiat.
Anyway, let's get this going! I'll have to dig my books out...
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As much as I don't have any interest in playing 4e, this is an interesting thread. I'd be curious to see how you guys tackle the Rakasta, my all-time favorite PC race.
Here Kitty!
No only joking...the Rakasta were covered in Isle of Dread and The Princess Ark. I think you are best suited for "WARLORD" with that race because of the nomadic culture of the Rakasta described in Isle of Dread.
My problem is the NINJA Kittys of the Invisible moon orbiting MYSTARA.
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I thought some more about Mystara 4E, and I must say, I think it could work so well that'd be a setting I would actually purchase. And I am not all that fond of 4E. But with Mystara done right and in sync with 4E... that could actually make me want to RUN the system.
Not that anybody cares, but that's significant for me.
mmmmm Rakasta - my favourite cat people! lets see what we can come up with. I don't have a lot of info on them but I do have X1 Isle of Dread. I don't know where else they appeared so I'll just go with that.
Average Height: 5'6"-6'2"
Average Weight: 130-200lbs
(for these I am just guessing - no actual info is listed in the module but I figure they would be close to human norms for height if a little lighter)
Ability Score Bonuses: +2 Dex, +2 Con (they have natural agility and come from a hardy nomadic lifestyle)
Size: Medium
Speed: 6
Vision: Low Light
Languages: Common choice of 2 others (a Rakasta's nomadic life brings it into contact with a variety of cultures and people)
Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Nature (pretty obvious the nomadic life again)
Rakasta Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency with Rakastaian War Claws which have statistics identical to a Katar from the PHB
Soft Fall: You always ignore the first 10 feet of falling damage when you fall. If you fall 10 feet or less you take no damage.
Now I am stuck for an encounter power of some kind. I'm leaning towards something like Elven Accuracy which allows a reroll of an attack. Anyone else got ideas?
I thought some more about Mystara 4E, and I must say, I think it could work so well that'd be a setting I would actually purchase. And I am not all that fond of 4E. But with Mystara done right and in sync with 4E... that could actually make me want to RUN the system.
Not that anybody cares, but that's significant for me.
I care! I am so pumped about a 4E Mystara game I want to run it right freaking now. My 3E game still has a few sessions left though so it'll just have to wait.
I really forgot what a rich setting Mystara was. Too bad we'll never see a professional treatment of it *sigh*
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mmmmm Rakasta - my favourite cat people! lets see what we can come up with. I don't have a lot of info on them but I do have X1 Isle of Dread. I don't know where else they appeared so I'll just go with that.
Average Height: 5'6"-6'2"
Average Weight: 130-200lbs
(for these I am just guessing - no actual info is listed in the module but I figure they would be close to human norms for height if a little lighter)
Ability Score Bonuses: +2 Dex, +2 Con (they have natural agility and come from a hardy nomadic lifestyle)
Size: Medium
Speed: 6
Vision: Low LightLanguages: Common choice of 2 others (a Rakasta's nomadic life brings it into contact with a variety of cultures and people)
Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Nature (pretty obvious the nomadic life again)
Rakasta Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency with Rakastaian War Claws which have statistics identical to a Katar from the PHB
Soft Fall: You always ignore the first 10 feet of falling damage when you fall. If you fall 10 feet or less you take no damage.Now I am stuck for an encounter power of some kind. I'm leaning towards something like Elven Accuracy which allows a reroll of an attack. Anyone else got ideas?
Very nice. They have a strong culture with rugs and tents done like high quality tapestries. SO throw in SKILL(WEAVING) & SKILL(ART)
They don't exist as skills anymore.
Please don't start with that; it's been done to death, and is unhelpful at best.
I like Mystara. I like 4E. Let's see what we can all do together for it. The Rakasta is awesome. More please folks!
They don't exist as skills anymore.Aw! Thats too bad. Guess it was inevitable they would go all Warcraft Online on us.
Don't harsh my mellow, mang.
(and those don't exist as skills in 3E either! Trickery!)
Please don't start with that; it's been done to death, and is unhelpful at best.
I like Mystara. I like 4E. Let's see what we can all do together for it. The Rakasta is awesome. More please folks!
Thanks but it still needs an encounter power. How about this (this is based off of the description in X1 of them leaping from their mounts to attack)
Leaping Attack (Rakasta Racial Attack)
Gathering your strength you leap at your opponent in a dazzling display of athletic prowess!
Encounter
Minor Action Personal
Effect: If you moved at least 3 squares you may add your Dex modifier to your attack and damage rolls for your next attack this round.
Keeps the flavour of them leaping into battle viciously raking opponents with their war claws.
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Please don't start with that; it's been done to death, and is unhelpful at best.
I like Mystara. I like 4E. Let's see what we can all do together for it. The Rakasta is awesome. More please folks!
Sorry if you thought I was dissin your Joy hombre. I was just being crit on me not knowing they ditched skills in 4E.
I have gone back to the 1981 copy of X1 Isle of Dread and the Rakasta are not the same size as human - they appear to be 4&1/2' - 5' in height, very light weight like an elf. So they are not Medium size.
I have gone back to the 1981 copy of X1 Isle of Dread and the Rakasta are not the same size as human - they appear to be 4&1/2' - 5' in height, very light weight like an elf. So they are not Medium size.
I've got the module right here in front of me and can't find anything about how tall/heavy they are. Also at 5' they are most certainly a Medium sized creature. Small is 4' or less even in 3E.
Hey, me, too. $e has this throwback simpleton feel that is ideal use for Mystara. And, to this date, Mystara is one of the very few world i kow where the level-system is taken to its logical conclusion: high-level guy and gals rule the land.
I was 50% through a conversion of the Rules Cyclopedia to 4e when stumbled upon the GSL and abandoned the project, not wanting to be sued when i put my notes on pbwiki.