MYSTARA MESSAGE BOARD (AOL) Folder 3 - 13th Mar 1996 to 23rd Aug 1996 Subj: * New Folder Date: 3/13/96 2:23:40 PM From: TSRO Tank Posted on: America Online Please resume the Mystara discussion here --Tank Subj: New Folder! Date: 3/13/96 3:02:12 PM From: TSR Bruce Posted on: America Online Hip Hip, Hurray! Subj: Repeat -- Q of the Week Date: 3/13/96 3:08:19 PM From: TSR Bruce Posted on: America Online Subj: Question of the Week -- Repeated here from the previous folder for your convenience. Date: 96-03-11 11:48:26 EST From: TSR Bruce Posted on: America Online What if... ...Wendar became a new rising power in the Known World. As a nation, Wendar certainly is "big" and advanced enough to represent a northern threat to the present status quo. As a nation predominantly of elves (gray/urban elves in AD&D terms), they have significant magical and military know-how. So far, they have never been presented as an expansionist power (actually, they have been rather nice people). But what if they changed their style -- and why? What would be the result? What could be the factors balancing out Wendarian political or military influence in the Known World? Have fun (I hope!) Bruce Heard Subj: Re: Question of the Week Date: 3/13/96 3:09:27 PM From: TSR Bruce Page 1 of 173 MYSTARA MESSAGE BOARD (AOL) Folder 3 - 13th Mar 1996 to 23rd Aug 1996 Posted on: America Online Subj: Re:Question of the Week Date: 96-03-11 23:28:55 EST From: Kaviyd Posted on: America Online The main obstacle that I would see to Wendar becoming an expansionist nation is geography -- surrounded as it is by mountains, it is difficult for its armies to invade any other nation or vice versa. However, I do see a way that Wendar could become quite agressive, by use of the Elvenstar or some other powerful artifact as well as a large number of paving stones to hell (good intentions, in other words): Denagoth has always been an "evil" nation, and the Heldanners have been aggressively expansionistic since the Heldannic Knights took them over several decades ago. To make matters worse, Glantri is becoming ever more twisted and corrupt as Princess Dolores exerts her evil influence. All it would take is some sort of crisis precipitated by one or more of these nations plus the realization that Wendar after all had the power to do something about it to start Wendar on the road to empire. Assuming that Wendar is successful in conquering these three nations, other nations would react with alarm to that devlopment. While Norwold and Darokin could be appeased, Ethengar would have to be taken next -- and Wendar would then face endless guerilla warfare from the "conquered" Ethengars. Then comes the Broken Lands -- hordes of Orc refugees then head south, plunging Darokin into chaos. The Shadow Elves take advantage of this chaos to raid territories occupied by Wendar (after all, there is no love lost between them and the Alfheim refugees who make up a large proportion of Wendar's population), and Wendar counterattacks, perhaps even reconquering Aengmor/Alfheim. Needless to say, at some point Thyatis will take notice and, despite its currently weakened state, send troops to areas occupied by Wendar to counter their influence. Then, if matters continue to get out of hand, the remnants of Alphatia may decide to become involved. Finally, if Darokin is seriously weakened by Orc raids, the Master of Hule may decide to invade Darokin again. So there you have it -- without any Immortal taking an active role, you have another world war in Mystara. Enjoy! Subj: Re: Question of the Week Date: 3/13/96 3:10:02 PM From: TSR Bruce Posted on: America Online Subj: Re:Question of the Week Page 2 of 173 MYSTARA MESSAGE BOARD (AOL) Folder 3 - 13th Mar 1996 to 23rd Aug 1996 Date: 96-03-12 00:46:25 EST From: B1Bard Posted on: America Online Without starting a major war, I think that some of Kaviyd's ideas could be taken in a slightly different direction: After subduing Denagoth in a quick political deal, Wendar turned on the ever-aggressive Heldannic Knights, and conquered the territories. The conquest was not well-executed, though, and the Wendarians ended up policing a lot of the territories, much like the Israelis in Palestine. After a few years the Wendar Elves decide to cut their losses and run, taking every Heldannic airship they can find, and decide to go exploring. Of course, the reputation preceeding their flying ships is one of subjugators and oppressors, spread by, of all people, the Heldannic Knights. Word of the increasing flights reaches Thyatis and Darokin, who form an alliance to take down Wendar, but a funny thing happened on the way to the war. A sudden disease striking the ruling family in Thyatis (of suspicious magical origins, of course) ruins their resolve to join the fight, and instead, they sign several trade pact with the elves, offering them numerous concessions and monetary incentives in return for the use of the airships to take their wares all over the world. The resurgent Wendar becomes, quite unintentionally, a great mercantile power. Of course, this doesn't last, as a rather virulent disease that affects everyone but elves surfaces in the Wendar trading fleet, which the Heldannic Knights (obviously) claim is an elven plot to rule the world, and once again, the elves find themselves shunned and unwanted, even by their allies. adventure ideas: 1. find a cure 2. Heldannic knights fighting elven "aggression" 3. Thyatian merchants need the elven trade and must rescue their reputation 4. Norwolders on a "holy quest" to eradicate the source of the disease 5. Heldanners wanting their ships back 6. pissed-off Darokin military types that want revenge on Thyatis take your pick... 8) Bard Subj: Re: Question of the Week Date: 3/13/96 3:10:26 PM From: TSR Bruce Posted on: America Online Subj: Re:Question of the Week Date: 96-03-12 14:46:43 EST From: TSR Bruce Posted on: America Online Page 3 of 173 MYSTARA MESSAGE BOARD (AOL) Folder 3 - 13th Mar 1996 to 23rd Aug 1996 Trading Wendarians... Hey, that's a thought. I bet the Minrothad elves would have a problem with that. They'd either strike a deal with Wendar to get something out of this mess, or else they might instead seek contracts with other nations to pose as corsairs (legalized piracy in someone else's name) in order to avoid confronting Wendar directly. No doubt Darokin would support any Minrothad schemes opposing this unwanted competition. :) The threat of "presumably-peaceful-until-proven-otherwise" Wendarian traders offers all sorts of campaign possibilities. Over the years, Wendar could more or less "Finlandize" a lot of smaller powers and easily maintain the capability of paying armed visits to other powers (that is, with extreme prejudice). Keeps everyone on their national toes. The idea of a powerful nation of elves who aren't evil, but nevertheless appear as unfriendly could certainly change a few things for PC running high elves in foreign places. Bruce Heard Subj: Heldannic Skyships Date: 3/13/96 3:19:43 PM From: TSR Bruce Posted on: America Online Something that may cause difficulties for the Wendarians: Heldannic skyships aren't truly magical (at least that's what I came up with back when creating the original order of knights in DRAGON Magazine). In fact, they each inlcude a small chapel linking them to a central artifact. It is the artifact's power that provides the magical power to make these ships fly. The on-board chapels really only serve as energy relays. This presents a number of inherent limitations to the Heldannic skyships. They have a set range (possibly subject to the level of the cleric tending the ship's altar), they may not be able to enter other planes, and they are vulnerable to theft of a vital part of the ships' altars which would instantly cut off the link to the artifact. If anything, Wendarians would have to come up with some creative ways to make sure the altars on stolen ships are properly handled. Furthermore, it may not be beyond the Heldannic Grand Master's ability to cut off the magical link to a stolen ship directly from the artifact (remote control?). Just a thought. Bruce Heard Subj: Re:Heldannic Skyships Date: 3/13/96 3:56:28 PM From: Barbarian Posted on: America Online Didn't a fleet of Heldannic Airships somehow make it into the Hollow World and, commit a number of raids and attacks on Alphatia and the other hollow worlders? (this comes from 94's Almanac). Page 4 of 173 MYSTARA MESSAGE BOARD (AOL) Folder 3 - 13th Mar 1996 to 23rd Aug 1996 Subj: Re:Heldannic Skyships Date: 3/14/96 1:05:49 AM From: Kenderspoo Posted on: America Online Not only did the airships make into the Hollow World they left the Hollow World. Vjk Subj: Re:Heldannic Skyships Date: 3/14/96 3:43:45 PM From: TSR Bruce Posted on: America Online They did... enter and leave the Hollow World. The Hollow World is still in the prime plane, so we should still be okay here as far as ranges go. We also know, based upon earlier Princess Ark episodes in DRAGON Magazine, that Heldannic skyships can reach at least as far as Myoshima (Matera and Patera, Mystara's two moons).