Mystara

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File:Ms-logo.gif
The 1990s Mystara Logo

Mystara is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role playing game. It originated as the Known World, a semi-generic setting used in early adventure modules, first mentioned in the Module X1, Isle of Dread, which was expanded upon in various D&D modules and sources, particularly a series of Gazeteers.

Mystara began as several semi-independent projects by different teams of writers who were each assigned to the task of developing different cultures and nation or nations that would exist in the fantasy world that was supported by Dungeons & Dragons at the time. Their work was gathered and compiled, blended, and combined to form a fantasy world, Mystara. It became, and remains, one of the most richly varied, in-depth, and detailed campaign settings to exist for a fantasy world. Although it has officially been dropped from production by its creators, many fans continue to develop and evolve this fantasy setting jointly, continuing its original theme of group development.

Mystara Planet

Mystara's outer surface consists of three principal land masses: the continent of Brun, the continent of Skothar, and the continent of Davania, plus the island continent of Alphatia (up to AC 1010). In the officially published materiel, the Known World concentrated on the eastern portion of Brun along with the lands of the Sea of Dawn.

The inhabitants of Mystara are diverse: humans of all races can be found here, along with myriad creatures such as elves, dwarves, halflings, orcs, dragons.

Some of the notable nations of Mystara include the Thyatian Empire, the Grand Duchy of Karameikos, the Principalities of Glantri, the merchant-run Republic of Darokin, the Emirates of Ylaruam, the Dwarven nation of Rockhome, The elven Kingdom of Alfheim, Halfling lands of the Five Shires and the chaotic Alphatian Empire, ruled by arcane spellcasters.

The continent of Brun

Mystara's outer surface most commonly known land mass is actually a tiny portion of the continent of Brun itself. consists of three principal land masses: the continents of Brun, Skothar, and Davania, plus the island continents that constitute the Empire of Alphatia. In the officially published materiel, the Known World concentrated on the eastern portion of Brun along with the lands of the Sea of Dawn.

The Known World

The Known World has cultures and a level of technological development that resemble the Europe of our Earth around the 15th century, but without gunpowder. Nations of the known world have a great range of government types. Some nations are populated entirely by demihumans and/or humanoids.

Some of the notable nations of Mystara include the Thyatian Empire, which could be compared to Byzantine Empire; the Grand Duchy of Karameikos, comparable to medieval southeastern Europe; the Principalities of Glantri, which is similar to medieval western Europe, ruled by wizard-princes; the merchant-run Republic of Darokin, which is based somewhat loosely on the merchantile states of Medieval Italy, the Emirates of Ylaruam which have an Arabic flavor, the Dwarven nation of Rockhome, elven Kingdom of Alfheim, Halfling lands of the Five Shires and the Alphatian Empire, ruled by arcane spellcasters.

The Savage Coast

Mystara includes the Savage Coast, an area located in the south central part of the Brun continent. This part of Mystara is under the Red Curse, which eventually kills its inhabitants by mutating them unless the metal cinnabryl is worn in contact with the body. This area was published in its own boxed set entitled Red Steel, and later republished on-line as the Savage Coast. It's a swashbuckling region with a very different flavor than the "Known World", closer in atmosphere to that of the Age of Exploration than the fantasy middle-ages/renaissance tone of the Known World, complete with gunpowder ("Smokepowder") weapons.

The Continent of Davania

Even though most of the Known world civilization historically originated from that part of the planet, it has not been very much developed while the Mystara product line was still hitting the shelves. The first major appearance of the Davania continent occurred in Dragon magazine # 148. This continent was then sketched as the Voyage of the Princess Ark series (By Bruce A. Heard) was published in Dragon magazine up to the # 220 issue. In recent years, many Mystara fans have been turning their attention to developing Davania with fan-based materiel.

The Continent of Skothar

Vey little has been officially developed for this part of Mystara. Ever since the Mystara product line has been discontinued, the fans have assembled their own developpement for this part of Mystara and it is now not as terra incognita as it was before.

The Hollow World

Main article: Hollow World

Mystara is a hollow planet, with a habitable surface on its interior called the Hollow World. This world is lit by an eternal red sun at the center of Mystara, and serves as a "cultural museum," preserving the societies that have become extinct in the outer world. One must keep in mind that the original creators of the Mystara world developed a very thorough and comprehensive history, almost as long as recognized real world civilization. The existence of the Hollow World is not, in general, known to the inhabitants of the outer world. The poles are actually huge, subtly curving holes that allow passage between the outer and inner world, although it is a long, hard trek through a cold, unlit, stormy and anti-magic area. The curvature of the holes is so subtle that explorers from either surface do not notice the transition until after it is already made, causing quite a shock for most.

Moons

Two moons orbit the planet. Matera is a moon much like our own, whose phases govern lycanthropy (werewolves, werebears, etc.). It is uninhabited, except by the Immortals who have built a city, Pandius, where they can meet and watch over Mystara. Patera, or Myoshima to its inhabitants, is an invisible moon that cannot be seen from Mystara. Patera's inhabitants have a culture similar to that of medieval Japan.

Blackmoor

Mystara also incorporated the Blackmoor setting by describing Blackmoor as evolving from a feudal kingdom into a highly advanced civilization, which existed in the distant past. The culture of Blackmoor unfortunately utilized more and more powerful, and destructive, technology. It ended itself in an apocalyptic explosion so devastating that it changed the climate and geography of the planet as a whole.

Mystara Video Games

Mystara is the setting for the Capcom arcade Beat 'em up/RPG games Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom (1993) and Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow over Mystara (1996). Other Mystara video games are: Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun (Sega Genesis, 1992), Fantasy Empires (PC, 1993), Order of the Griffon (TurboGrafx 16, 1992).

Novels

  • Dark Knight of Karameikos (October 1995), by Timothy Brown, (ISBN 0-7869-0307-4)
  • The Black Vessel (August 1996), by Morris Simon, (ISBN 0-7869-0507-7)

1st Quest

Dragonlord Chronicles

  • Dragonlord of Mystara (July 1994), by Thorarinn Gunnarsson, (ISBN 1-56076-906-8)
  • Dragonking of Mystara (July 1995), by Thorarinn Gunnarsson, (ISBN 0-7869-0153-5)
  • Dragonmage of Mystara (April 1996), by Thorarinn Gunnarsson, (ISBN 0-7869-0488-7)

Penhaligon Trilogy

  • The Tainted Sword (October 1992), by D.J. Heinrich, (ISBN 1-56076-395-7)
  • The Dragon's Tomb (April 1993), by D.J. Heinrich, (ISBN 1-56076-592-5)
  • The Fall of Magic (October 1993), by D.J. Heinrich, (ISBN 1-56076-663-8)

External links

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