From mystara-mail@fishys.jammys.net Thu Jul 18 13:37:33 1996 Date: Thu, 18 Jul 96 00:27:17 EST From: postmaster Reply-To: mystara-l@io.com To: mystara-l@io.com Subject: [Mystara] timeline draft for AC 1014 WARNING: THIS POST IS LONG!!!!! Well, I've been working on this little project for a while, and decided to post it up on the mailing-list and see what others think. I figured if everyone here works together, we could probably make our own version of the Poor Wizard's Almanac (PWA) or Joshuan's Almanac (JA) for the year AC 1014. What I therefore have here is a draft of what could possibly the outcome of events in AC 1014. I would very much appreciate feedback, comments, suggestions, and so-on to touch up on this year-long timeline. I some parts, I have even asked questions when I myself wasn't certain what the outcome would be. I figure it we work on it, we could have it ready for December, which is when the JA2 would have been out if TSR had continued the Mystara line. Anyone who wants to send in suggestions, feel free to mail me directly at: mroy@cyberus.ca Finally, there are a few points I left out because I didn't have time/ressources to work on them. If anyone else wants to develop those plotlines please let me know... the plots are: 1) the return of the Karameikans from the Hollow World and the ramifications it will have on the various governments 2) the growth of the faith of Gareth. I believe at this point, it will start to be stong in Sind and Darokin, and will likely cause many problems in the religious nation of Sind... could there be some sort of civil war or at the very least a restructuring of the religions? 3) the Pioneer, which left Mirros on Klarmont 3, AC 1013 (JA) intends to sail around the world, heading westward. Anyone care to take care of their adventures? Well, here goes the first half of what I have so far... NUWMONT, AC 1014 Event: Aengmor warns Rafielton (the nation of Aengmor) not to ally themselves with the former elves of Alfheim as they will only try to get their homeland back and cause disention among the shadow elves. Meaning: A growing cult of Atzanteotl is gaining more power in the city of Aengmor, and it wishes to spread it's influence to the other shadow elves. They fear that if they learn of the inherent goodness of the surface elves, it will be harder to convince them to worship Atzanteotl. The cult of Atzanteotl was introduced by the various artifacts/religious icons left behind by the humanoids, as well as the old shadow elf wanderers living in the city who also took to the rules of Atzanteotl. The wanderers would rather see Atzanteotl in charge than Rafiel, as Rafiel's shamans will only force them to leave once more when discovered, and they have come to regard Aengmor/Oenkmar as their home. VATERMONT, AC 1014 Event: Despite warnings from Aengmor, after several small meetings between elves representing King Doriath and Princess Tanadaleyo, the shadow elves and elves of Alfheim agree to work together to save the Canolbarth forest, and perhaps learn to live together in one elven nation. Several surface elven mages and Tree Keepers move back to the forest, joining the Norwold (Foresthome) elves and shadow elves in working out magic to save the trees. Among them is Jorodrin Feadiel, the former Tree Keeper of Clan Feadiel (from GAZ 5: The Elves of Alfheim). Meaning: Princess Tanadaleyo truely desires to save the forests of her nation, as she wants a beautiful surface nation for her and her people. She finds it unlikely that the shadow elves and surface elves will ever manage to live together, so does not see her offer of letting the elves move back in as something too dangerous for her people. The elves of Alfheim do not see much hope in peaceful coesxitence either, but they also truely care about their forest. They would rather see their forest still alive and in shadow elf hands than dead and belonging to them. THAUMONT, AC 1014 Event: The elves of Alfheim are mystified as their magic spells fail to bring back water to the Canolbarth Forest. Some of the spells even missfire and cause minor injuries. Tension begins to mount between the shadow elves and surface elves, as each suspects the other of sabotage. After a couple of weeks of research, the elves discover that some strange magic is starting to overwhelm the forest and is preventing the elve's magic from working. The exact nature of this magic remains a complete mystery. Meaning: Although each sub-race of elves blaims the other, in fact neither are directly responsible for preventing the magic from working. The former nation of Alfheim has always been a strong magical place. Most of the magical energies of the nation focused into areas that became known as Magic Points (see GAZ 5; The Elves of Alfheim) When the shadow elves unleashed their great magic against the forests of Alfheim, that magic eventually disipated and merged into the existing magic points, currupting them as it once corrupted the now dying forest. At this point, the magic points are causing more nightmares, madness and insanity then ever before, and they are releasing never before seen monsters onto the world of Mystara. As a side effect, they are beginning to influence and cause the strongest/largest magical effects (such as nation-wide weather magic) to go wild or not work at all. THAUMONT 1014 AC Event: A patrol of Heldannic Knights bringing gold (taxes and treasures from captured lands) back to Freiburg is ambushed by a large group of armed peasants. The peasants manage to grab the wagon with the gold and get away. The rebels, knowing the surrounding forests better than the Knights, manage to split up and lose their pursuers. The use of magic prevents the knights from using their own clerical magic to track down the traitors. The Heldannic Knights believe that Geoffrey of Grunturm is behind the daring raid. The loss of money causes a serious blow to the war funds of the nation. Meaning: The Heldannic Knights were never truly loved by the commoners of the Heldann Freeholds, but were tolerated because life manage to go on more-or-less as usual. However, last year, Wulf von Klagendorf declared an Inquisition against the non-believers in Vanya (JA, Nuwmont 1, AC 1013). Too many sons and daughters have been executed in that Inquisition, and many of them only to gain land/property for the Lord leading the Inquisition more than for any religious herecy. Many Heldanners have had enough, and are ready to start a rebellion against their oppressors. This raid is just the first of many skirmishes and was as much intended to show insperation to the commoners as to deal a severe blow to the Knights's coffers. Geoffrey of Grunturm is behind this particular group of rebels. His own lands in Norwold having been overrun and conquered (and his people enslaved by the priesthood of Vanya) by the Heldannic Knights, Geoffrey has decided that he has had enough with the clerics of Vanya. He has returned to his homeland, having vowed not to give up until the Knights have been defeated so that they can no longer harm and persecute anyone else. He has managed to inspire several peasants who have also decided that enough is enought. THAUMONT 1014 AC Event: A heavily armed, trained, and magical group of mercenairies break into Chateau Morlay and attack Prince Malachie. The castle defenders are unable to stop the intruders, and several guards are killed. When Malachie himself is cornered by the assailants, another mage arrives and joins to the defense of the Prince. This unknown mage uses several powerful spells and manages to chase of the attackers. Once the danger is gone, the man disappears as mysteriously as he arrived. None of the attackers are captured. Rumors spread from the incident claim that Etienne d'Ambreville returned to help Prince Malachie just as he did two summers ago to help his successor against Henri d'Ambreville. Some begin to claim that his ghost is watching over his former allies during his life. Meaning: Synn discovered that Malachie gave Jaggar one of her scales and has decided that she has had enough with the interfering Prince. She used her vast treasure horde to get the best mercenairies she could find. Through several contacts so no trail could be lead back to her, she hires them to eliminate her opponent without further delay. Unfortunately they failed. The mysterious mage that saved Malachie was indeed Etienne d'Ambreville. Rumors of his return have been going around since the summer of AC 1012, but the former Prince has decided he would rather stay in hiding until he can recouperate and regain all the power he once had (either attain Immortality again or avoid being detected by the other Immortals until he is ready for them if he is Immortal once more, depending on the outcome of Mark of Amber). When he does return, Etienne will need all the allies he can get to help him reestablish his political power, and therefore could not afford for Prince Malachie to be defeated. He was forced to come out of hiding to help his ally. The other Princes of Glantri, upon hearing the rumor, will begin to once more search and try and discover Etienne d'Ambreville as they did when rumors left Chateau Sylaire about his return. As during their previous search, all means mundane and magical will reveal nothing of his presence. FLAURMONT AC 1014 Event: Pressured by his various Jarls, King Ragnar once again leads his men into the Hardanger Mountains to chase out the humanoids that have been harrassing his people for the past couple of years. This time, as well as his normal army, several bands of mercenairies and adventurers march into the mountains as well, hoping to get their share of the 1,000,000 gp offered in bounties in the Humanoid Defense Fund established by the Nordhartar Defense League (JA, Sviftmont 28, AC 1013). Finally, Vestland has also begin to coordinate attack plans with Soderfjord as they too are being harassed by orcs (instead of Kobolds) and it would be best for both nations to be rid of all humanoids. This time, they march straight for the Falun Caverns which where discovered two years ago by his scouts (PWA3, Eirmont 26, AC 1012) but he had never been able to attack because of the constant raid and harassment between the kobolds and humans armies last year. Meaning: This is basically a straight-foward human vs. humanoid military campaign by the men of the Soderfjord Jarldoms. Ragnar, having lost many men and battles in the mountains the past couple of years, had hoped to end the fighting before losing more face to his people, and hence helped establish the Humanoid Defense Funds. But it was too late; he had already lost the respect of several Jarls when he withdrew and declared the war over. Determined to prove once again that he is a great warrior, he leads for the third year in a row another army up into the mountains to find and defeat the kobold horde. YARTHMONT, AC 1014 Event: During a talk between the shadow elves and elves of Alfheim over the magic influencing the forest, a shadow elf assassin attempts to kill Tree Keeper Jorodrin Feadiel. The forest elves retaliate and about a dozen are wounded and/or killed on both sides before the elves of Alfheim manage to retreat and lose their pursuers. After several days of fleeing and occasional skirmishes with the shadow elves, the elves manage to leave the Canolbarth forest and return to safety in Darokin. Meaning: The shadow elves had nothing to do with the assassination attempt. It was actually an elf of Alfheim using his magic to impersonate a shadow elf who fired the arrow at the Tree Keeper. The elf, a member of the Alfheim Avengers, purposely missed as he did not want to kill one of his own. The whole event was to make it look like the shadow elves cannot be trusted and to polarize the opinion of the surface elves against the Shadow Elves. It seems the attempt worked. YARTHMONT, AC 1014 Event: Lenard Doverson, an adventuring priest of Vanya from Thyatis is arrested in Freiburg for heresy against the Heldannic Knights and Vanya. At his trial in the Star Chamber, he denounces everything the Knights stand for and says that they have lost the true meaning of Vanya, which is to conquer, not to persecute and enslave. The man is executed for such blasphemy, as "only the Heldannic Knights know the true will of Vanya." Afterwards, throughout the Territories, the Knights spells and magic begin to fail. Many Knights are stripped of their most powerfull spells, while some even lose all their spell-casting abilities. Meaning: Vanya has always been the patroness of War and Conquest, and she has upheld the Heldannic Knights as her favored as they were always ready to seek glory in battle and war. Yet last year, when the Knight turned inwards rather than to continue conquering, and started their persecution of others, Vanya was dismayed. She gave them leeway as it is the right of the conquerers to dictate how the conquered will behave, to gain time to rest and gather troops/intelligence, as well as to bring new followers to her flock of worshipers. But then many of the Knight Lords began using the Inquisition as means of disposing of their rivals and gaining more lands/money/power rather than for her glory. She has been disapointed ever since, and the execution of one of her own faithful priest trying to return them to the path of conquest was the last straw. The arrogance at the trial of declaring that only the Heldannic Knights know her desires have cost most of them her blessings, as well as the magical support they once had. YARTHMONT, AC 1014 Event: The Cult of Atzanteotl in the city of Aengmor has managed to gain a large amount of political power in short time. The shadow elf priests of Atzanteotl, working with the wanderers in the city that they have managed to locate, begin working on a spell to raise Oenkmar back to the surface of the world. Meaning: Atzanteotl has always been interested in the activities of the shadow elves, and now that they are back in his city, he has become particularly active in trying to convert them to his way. Unfortunately for Rafiel, he seems to be succeeding very well as many have become disillusioned with the Way of Rafiel, finding that it is outdated and too restrictive after having had their taste of life on the outer world. The cult in the city point out that the ancient elven relics show that they once worshiped Atzanteotl in the city and must have abandonned him when the city sank. They claim the city of Aengmor was the golden age of the shadow elf culture and that perhaps they should return to Atzanteotl's worship to restart a new golden age. And such claims seem to be finding more and more acceptance amongst the elves in the sacred city. The wanderers have been convinced to join in raising the city and supporting Atzanteolt since it will bring them out of reach of the shamans of Rafiel and they will no longer have to be wanderers; they can continue to live in Aengmor for the rest of their lives. And since most of the wanderers of Aengmor were use to the rules of the humanoid shamans of Atzanteotl, they don't really see anything wrong with the shadow elves following the same philosophy. It's no more cruel then Rafiel's forcing of elders or disfigured new-borns out of your own communities! The shadow elf behind everything is Xatapechtli, the Spymaster and Feathered Serpent, his mind having been slowing corupted to the Azcan way of life (and hence Atzanteotl) by the magical cloak he wears. He has been pulling the strings behind the scenes to bring back the glory of the way he now sees as the true way of life of shadow elves (See GAZ 13: The Shadow Elves for Xatapechtli's stats). Question: I have been debating on whether or not Kanafasti would join the elder wanderers in raising the city to the surface or not. His dislike of the shamans and Rafiel as well as Xatapechtli's influence on him might cause him to help, but he is also loyal to the Royals and doesn't want them to lose power either. Any opinions on the mater? KLARMONT, AC 1014 Event: There is celebration in Thyatis City as Emperor Eusebius I's daughter is born. Eusebius names her Valentia after the famous Empress of Thyatis that ruled the Empire of Thyatis in the year AC 20 and held it together after Zendrolion's death. (See Dawn of the Emperors boxed set for Thyatis' history) Meaning: There is no hidden meaning in this event. Of special note, Demetrion Karagenteropolus, the Magist to the Emperor of Thyatis, has noticed that Valentia seems very magicaly inclined and could one day become a powerful wizardess if trained correctly. Kallatari Hopstride Michael Roy "I am not a thief!" mroy@fishys.jammys.net mroy@cyberus.ca