#35 Download for Free from www.pandius.

com

The Mystara Magazine

Glantri and Magic

The thirty-fifth issue of Mystara’s premier magazine

focuses on the most magical nation of the Known World

A free download from

pandius.com thepiazza.org.uk
THRESHOLD - the Mystara Magazine

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

ISSUE #35
First published:
January 2025 THE MYSTARA MAGAZINE

Contents
OUR AIMS:
To provide a venue for community Issue Credits...........................................................2
members to present material to Editorial ..................................................................3
promote the Vaults of Pandius and This Issue’s Contributors .......................................4
the material there to increase the A Mystara Glossary ..................................................7
exposure of existing and new articles Next Issue ...............................................................8
to encourage authors to revisit and
Call for Contributors ..............................................9
revitalise existing articles to motivate
interest in Mystara in general. Previous Issues .....................................................10
Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail .12
Basics of the Radiance ..........................................33
Golems of Glantri .................................................41
The Forgotten Reign of Baron Elktazar ................55
Fan Productions on Glantri..................................61
THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine
is unofficial Fan Content permitted The Future of Mystara part 2 ................................65
under the Fan Content Policy. Not A Crown for Synn ...............................................111
approved/endorsed by Wizards. Por- The Memory Gap ................................................115
tions of the materials used are prop- Vancian Magic .....................................................116
erty of Wizards of the Coast. Weapon Mastery for Magic Items ........................123
©Wizards of the Coast LLC. Meg’s Mystaran Cookbok part 1 .......................129
THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine The Mystaran Tarot .............................................139
is a non-commercial, fan-produced The Mystery of Oisar part 2 ................................158
magazine. There is no intention to Artwork Sources/Credits .....................................165
infringe on anyone’s rights, and in
Submission Guidelines ......................................170
particular not on those of Wizards of
the Coast, which holds all rights to
the original material on which the
magazine is based.
All issues of THRESHOLD are avail-
able for FREE download from the
Vaults of Pandius website.

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Issue Credits

Issue Credits

Editing Issue #35

Francesco Defferrari (Sturm)
Allan Palmer (AllanP)
Hervé Musseau (Andaire)

Layout
Allan Palmer (AllanP)

Art
Allan Palmer – AI and Commons
THRESHOLD EDITORIAL TEAM Cab Davidson – AI and Original photographs
Fearghus O’Rourke – AI (modified) and Commons
Francesco Defferrari (Sturm) Francesco Defferrari (Sturm) – AI and Commons
Allan Palmer (AllanP) Jeffrey Kosh – Original
Hervé Musseau (Andaire) Jim RGF – AI
LadyofHats – Original from Commons
Sebastien (Senarch) – AI (modified)
Trevor Holman – AI
EDITORS EMERITI V Shane – Stock, Original
Giampaolo Agosta (Agathokles) William McAusland – Stock, Original
Andrew Theisen (Cthulhudrew) Cartography:
Ashtagon Aoz
Jesper Andersen (Spellweaver) Demos Sachlas
John Calvin (Chimpman) Micky
Joseph Setorius (Julius Cleaver) Robin
Leland (Argentmantle) Thorfinn Tait
Shawn Stanley (stanles)
Thorfinn Tait (Thorf)
Additional Reviewing & Proofreading
Allan Palmer (AllanP)
Cab Davidson
THRESHOLD logo designed by Thorf
Harri Mäki
Hervé Musseau (Andaire)
Robin
Rob Koper
Simon Barns

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Editorial

“The Principalities of Glantri”, has been one for Glantri by Robin, Micky, Aoz, Kit Navarro
of the most favorite Mystaran locations (after and many others.
the nation of Karameikos) since the publica-
tion of the Glantri Gazetteer (GAZ3) of the We continue with my article on the Future of
same name1 by Bruce Heard back in 1987. Mystara part 2 examining the events of the
And what’s not to love in the nation of canon and fan Almanacs, this time focusing
wizards? There is magic, intrigues, secret on Aengmor and elves, Broken Lands and
societies, monster hunting and plenty of vil- humanoids, Darokin, Ethengar and Glantri.
lains, often including the Princes themselves. The editor of the planned AC 1020 Almanac,
Hausman, then describes in A Crown to Synn
The “Wrath of the Immortals” and the the incoming battle for the future of Glantri.
“Glantri: Kingdom of Magic” boxed sets and
the “Poor Wizard’s Almanacs” continued to The next set of articles, The Memory Gap by
expand and explore the country, introducing Trevor Holman, Vancian Magic by Lance
new elements and a new, terrible archenemy, Duncan and Weapon Mastery for Magical
Dolores of Hillsbury a.k.a. Synn the Night Items by Cab focus instead on variant rules
Dragon, introduced by Bruce Heard himself and expansions for Magic, the other theme of
in the “Voyage of the Princess Ark” saga pub- this issue.
lished in DRAGON Magazine.
Meg’s Mystaran Cookbook by Cab, The
Building from all this fantastic canon mater- Mystaran Tarot by Fearghus and The
ial, Mystara fans have created a lot more as Mystery of Oisar part 2 by Jim RGF are
we’ll showcase in this issue of THRESHOLD. instead articles on different themes, as is
We’ll start with Robin’s Plans of the Great usual in each issue, three interesting gems
School of Glantri City to illustrate the which give even more life to our beloved
detailed description she has made of the world of Mystara that, as we can see from the
most famous wizardry school in Mystara. continuing quality and quantity of fan pro-
Then Wing of Coot will introduce us to the duction, is still very much alive.
Basics of the Radiance and Cab to Golems
of Glantri. Demos will lead us to explore This issue, like many others previously, sports
The Forgotten Reign of Baron Elktazar in many beautiful illustrations by Jeffrey Kosh,
the past of Glantri, then we’ll take a good who has drawn so many great pictures that
look at the fantastic Fan Productions made we had to hold back several for the next
issue. Special thanks also to Senarch and
1
Most of the material in this issue is indeed based on many of the authors who helped us greatly
the great work done by Bruce Heard. The original by providing some nice AI or searching for
Gazetteer can be bought at the DriveThruRPG site
here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/ suitable Commons images!
16975/gaz3-the-principalities-of-glantri-basic. Glantri
was the focus of another official product in the AD&D Soon we’ll begin working on issue #36,
Mystara line, the “Glantri: Kingdom of Magic” boxed which will be dedicated to Adventures and
set, which is also available here: https://www.
drivethrurpg.com/en/product/17553/glantri-kingdom- Modules, a theme chosen by Mystara fans
of-magic-2e with a poll on The Piazza forum. The theme

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

This Issue’s Contributors

for issue #37 has been chosen as well, Vil- THIS ISSUE’S
lages and Towns, but we’ll soon run CONTRIBUTORS
another poll to choose issue #38’s theme.

To join the next issues as authors or illustrat-

Aoz (Mark Crosby) is an avid role-playing
ors please send your proposal to the game enthusiast and active contributor to
THRESHOLD mail (check Submission The Piazza. His love for Dungeons &
guidelines and mail on the last page of the Dragons began with B/X and has only
issue) or write in the Call for Contributors deepened over time, despite occasionally
thread for issue #36 which will soon appear mixing up edition rules. Aoz is particularly
in The Piazza forum. drawn to the rich lore of Mystara and has
actively engaged in various Glantrian pro-
Even though we usually have no shortage of jects. He has dozens of articles in the Vaults:
articles, we always need help for proofread- https://pandius.com/aoz.html from Old
ing and editing the submissions. So anyone Wizards, Economics of Spellcraft, New Bar-
willing to help the THRESHOLD Editorial onies, Foods of the Broken Lands, The
Team please come forward and let us know Adventure Guild, A New Immortal, Seashell
through the mail or in the Call for Contribut- Ambassador, The Bone Bandit, spells, some
ors for issue #36 thread at The Piazza. magic items and much more. Along with a
Helping THRESHOLD Magazine certainly few side projects he is currently working on.
needs some time commitment, but is creative
and rewarding work. Cab Davidson lives and works in Cam-
bridge, United Kingdom, and as well as
The THRESHOLD Editorial Team and the running his regular D&D campaign (from
authors hope you will enjoy reading this new which his material published here derives)
issue as much as we enjoyed putting it he also enjoys adapting historical recipes to
together, and stay tuned for the next issue! modern tastes.

Demos Sachlas is a past contributor to

Francesco Defferrari (Sturm) THRESHOLD Magazine. He ran a nine-year
Editor, THRESHOLD Issue #35 campaign based in the Principalities of
Glantri, from 1987 to 1996, for which a
lengthy campaign journal exists. Sachlas is
active on many of the online forums and
social media groups dedicated to the Old
School Renaissance and Mystara, in particu-
lar. He delves into the historical roots of the
hobby on his blog, the OSR Grimoire (https://
osrgrimoire.blogspot.com).

Fearghus O’Rourke has been playing and

running RPGs since the late 80’s and Mystara
has always been his first love. To this day he
considers the Rules Cyclopedia the most
complete game system ever written. Cur-

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 This Issue’s Contributors

rently running a 5e campaign in Mystara Jim RGF has been playing and dungeon
online for some old college buddies that actu- mastering D&D games on Mystara since
ally manages to meet most weeks. 1982. He fell in love with the setting at a
young age and particularly loves Alphatia,
Hausman Santos has been an enthusiast in Shadow Elves and Nithian magic-users. He is
Mystara since 1995 when he met in Brazil the beginning to write stories set in this won-
D&D Easy-Way Black Box and in 96 the derful world and loves to teach others about
AD&D boxed set of Karameikos. He has nar- it. He has created a YouTube channel called
rated game groups in Thyatis, Alphatia, Rock- Raise Game Fully where he showcases parts
home and Glantri since then (since 2002). In of D&D that aren’t as well known. His
addition to producing articles for the Vaults ongoing video series on Mystara is aimed at
of Pandius (since 2008) and THRESHOLD helping newer players realize how amazing
Magazine (since 2015), he manages a page the setting truly is. He lives in New England
for Mystara Brazilian fans on the internet. with his wife and sons.

Lately he has been working as an editor on Lance Duncan (aka Wangalade) started
the continuation of the Mystaran Almanac playing D&D with his father using the
fanon project along with well-known former BECMI boxed sets. With his sisters and
Almanac Team and former TSR writers on the brother, he explored the caverns of
old and unfinished plotlines in order to Quasqeton and the Caves of Chaos and the
resume them. Isle of the Hideous One, eventually discov-
ering the lost valley and journeying to the
Hervé Musseau, a former editor of the Mys- faraway land of Hule to defeat the Master.
taran Almanac, is now helping shape Though he has explored many different
THRESHOLD Magazine. games (Alternity being a favorite), he has
always come back to Mystara and D&D. His
Jeffrey Kosh is the pen name of a writer current D&D campaign is set some 30-odd
and graphic artist specialized in book years after the events of that original cam-
covers and movie posters. He collaborates paign; the known world of Dracopolis
with various publishing companies and reflects how Mystara was presented by his
authors. His covers range from dark horror father with the limited resources of the box
to space opera, from thrillers to fantasy. sets and a few adventure modules.
Inspired by great fantasy artists, such as
Clyde Caldwell, Larry Elmore, Keith Parkin- Robin (at The Piazza, Robin D elsewhere)
son, and more, Kosh likes vibrant colors Female from 1962, she began playing D&D
and heavy use of light and a dark contrast. since its earliest days as far back as 1978,
His graphic tends to be moody and evocat- soon after becoming “addicted”. Ultimately,
ive. He also likes to work on ‘era-specific’ she was intimately bound to the world of
movie posters and book covers, trying to Mystara, because of its complex diversity. A
recreate the style used in those years, from current compiler of massive materials avail-
the 1920s to the 1990s. As a writer he has able on the Vaults of Pandius & her “Breath
been published various times. of Mystara” blog; and former Teacher of
(https://jeffreykosh.wixsite.com/jeffreykosh- Biology, Ecology, Chemistry, Physics, once
graphics/home) travelling all over Europe as a stage dancer
including house parties. Once called “The

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

This Issue’s Contributors

Fletcher” at UK GenCon by Bruce Heard for Wings of Coot: found the old red box Basic
her extensive compilation in “Revenge of set at about 8, and that classic solo adven-
the Little Ones”. ture was my introduction to D&D and the
entire concept of RPGs. A few years after
Sebastien Martineau (Senarch) started graduating from college I got back into
playing D&D again in early 2022, and dusted D&D, and soon after that I found the Piazza
off his prized GAZ1, promptly falling in love and discovered the modern online Mystara
with Mystara again. He combines Daz, Ai and community and THRESHOLD Magazine. I
digital painting in his artworks, and has have always had an interest in the exotic
started drawing again. Some of his work can aspects of Mystara (Immortals and the multi-
be found here: https://www.deviantart.com/ verse, Hollow World, unusual PC types, etc.)
senarch/gallery and he can be contacted so the Radiance has always been fascinating
here: senarchpublishing@gmail.com
Allan Palmer (a.k.a. AllanP) was first intro-
Even though Sturm (a.k.a. Francesco Deffer- duced to D&D a long time ago (but not
rari) loves any alternate world, he believes quite in a galaxy far away) by a work col-
Mystara is incomparably the best for its league who set up a gaming group using
vibrant community endlessly delving into the last version of the “blue book” rules.
ethnography, linguistics and history just to While dabbling with RuneQuest and Travel-
make a little sense of it. Something like the ler along the way, he developed a liking for
real world, but with dragons. what would become the world of Mystara as
the BECMI box sets were released. He has
Trevor Holman has been a designer and always been fascinated by maps. He is an IT
web developer for nearly 30 years, playing professional and when not indulging in
RPG and War games since he was a kid. He hobbies of panelology, retro tv watching
currently creates artwork for other game and family history research, uses his various
companies. PC skills to consolidate the writings of
others into the issues of THRESHOLD.

From the
MYSTARA
FORUMS at

Some features in issues of THRESHOLD carry a “From the

Mystara Forum at The Piazza” tagline. Theses Discussion
Boards are an active and dynamic home of creativity for
the Mystara community and many other game worlds. We
hope you will enjoy the articles from The Piazza website:
https://www.thepiazza.org.uk/bb/index.php

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 A Mystara Glossary

A GLOSSARY

The Editors present a list of common abbreviations that authors may use to refer to various
Mystara-related game products and events:

AC# - Accessory series product (rules supplements, campaign sources, etc)

BECMI - Basic, Expert, Companion, Master, Immortals rules (by
Frank Mezter, 1983-6)
BX - Basic/Expert rules (by Tom Moldvay/David Cook, 1981)
B#, X#, CM#, M#, IM# - Basic, Expert, Companion, Immortal level adventure modules
CoM - “Champions of Mystara” boxed set
DA# - Blackmoor setting adventure modules
DDA# - Challenger series adventure modules
DMR# - Challenger series rules supplements
DMSK - “Dungeon Master’s Survival Kit”
DotE - “Dawn of the Emperors” campaign boxed set
GAZ# - Gazetteer series campaign sources
GAZF# - Fan-produced campaign sources
GRoF - the Great Rain of Fire, a cataclysmic event in Mystara’s past that destroyed the
ancient Blackmoor civilization
G:KoM - “Glantri: Kingdom of Magic” campaign boxed set
HW - the Hollow World campaign setting
HWA#, HWO# - Hollow World adventure modules
HWR# - Hollow World rules supplements
JA - “Joshuan’s Almanac & Book of Facts” campaign source
KW - the Known World campaign setting
K:KoA - “Karameikos: Kingdom of Adventure” campaign boxed set
MA - Mystaran Almanac (fan-produced)
MCMA - “Monstrous Compendium, Mystara Appendix” rules supplement
PC# - Creature Catalog campaign sources
PWA - “Poor Wizard’s Almanac & Book of Facts” I, II & III (AC1010, AC1011 & AC1012)
PSK - “Player’s Survival Kit” campaign source
RC - “Rules Cyclopedia”
RS - Red Steel campaign setting
SC - Savage Coast campaign setting
TM# - Trail Maps
VotPA - “Voyage of the Princess Ark”
VoP or Vaults - The Vaults of Pandius website
WotI - “Wrath of the Immortals” campaign boxed set

Readers may also find Dave Keyser’s “An Index to Mystara Products” and Andrew Theisens’s
“Mystara acronyms” (both available at the Vaults of Pandius website) of assistance

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Next Issue

NEXT ISSUE

The first issue of 2025 will gather interesting

experiences to throw at your adventuring party!

Adventures
and Modules
Anticipated contents include:

•Into the Wufwolde

•Factions of Glantri in Blades in the
Dark
•Future of the Known World Part 3
•The Minor Arcana

Cover not final illustration …and much much more!

Your Opinions?

The Editorial Team welcomes your feed- Or by email to the Editorial address:
back on this issue of THRESHOLD. Threshold.Mystara@gmail.com
Please post your comments either by
posting in The Piazza Forums Please begin the subject line with the tag
“[LETTER]”

From
The Vaults
of Pandius

Some features in issues of THRESHOLD carry a “From the

Vaults of Pandius” tagline. As one of our stated aims is “to
promote the Vaults of Pandius and the material there”, we
hope you will enjoy these revised or extended treasures
from the Vaults of Pandius website: http://pandius.com

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Call for Contributors

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTORS

The THRESHOLD editorial team invites

all fans of the Mystara setting to submit
contributions to the magazine’s next
issue. We are especially looking for con- Call for proposals for main themes of
tributions fitting the following themes: forthcoming issues:

Issue #36—Adventures and Modules Issue #37—Villages & Towns

The first issue of 2025 will gather The second issue of 2025 will focus on
interesting experiences to throw at the small and not-so-small communit-
your adventuring party! ies of Mystara.

Proposal Deadline: February 15th, 2025 Proposal Deadline: August 15th, 2025
Manuscript Deadline: May 1st, 2025 Manuscript Deadline: November 1st, 2025
Issue Published: June 2025 Issue Published: December 2025

Articles about other topics are still

welcome and the editorial team will
evaluate their publication for any
upcoming issue, taking into account
available space and the issue’s theme.

THRESHOLD accepts and invites submis- The THRESHOLD editorial team strives for
sions of extended or revised versions of edition neutrality, but edition specific art-
works having appeared on The Piazza or icles (e.g., conversions) are also accepted.
Vaults of Pandius. Statistics for new monsters and NPCs may
be included in articles (e.g., adventure
Contributions may include, but are not
modules, new monsters or NPCs) in any
limited to: Articles: short stories, short
version of Dungeons & Dragons. The edit-
adventure modules, NPCs, historical treat-
orial team also offers help in providing con-
ises and timelines, geographical entries,
versions to some specific rules set,
new monsters and monster ecologies, etc.;
including BECMI/RC, 2nd Edition, 3rd edi-
and Illustrations: portraits, maps, heraldry,
tion/Pathfinder. However, this material
illustrations, etc.
should be limited to a minimum. For most
Please refer to our Submission Guidelines NPCs, it is sufficient to mention class, level,
elsewhere in this issue. and alignment. For important NPCs, a one
or two line stat block may be included.

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Previous Issues

The Mystara Magazine

PDF editions and print-ready files are

available for free download from the
Vaults of Pandius website:
http://www.pandius.com/

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine is a The print-ready files are an option provided
non-commercial, fan-produced magazine. in addition to the “normal” PDF document
There is no intent to infringe upon anyone’s version of each issue. Individuals may freely
rights, in particular those of Wizards of the download the two print-ready files (cover
Coast, which holds all rights to the original and interior) and submit them to a print
material on which contributors base their service for professional printing at their
work. As the magazine is a free fanzine of own risk. Any associated financial transac-
original articles inspired by the world of tion is between the individual and their
Mystara (trademark of Wizards of the chosen print service. Neither the
Coast), the Editorial Team cannot sell THRESHOLD Magazine Editorial Team nor
printed copies of the magazine. We have the Vaults of Pandius receive monies in
published issues of the fanzine as PDF doc- respect of the provision of these print-ready
uments that are freely downloadable from files or from the printing of them.
the Vaults of Pandius website. A list of the
issues published follows. The print-ready interior and cover files have
been formatted to produce an A4-page
Over time, the THRESHOLD Magazine Edit- sized paperback book; no other page size/
orial Team received enquiries about obtain- format is available; the print service will
ing print versions of its issues. Following offer users choices of colour quality, paper
continued interest, in 2022 an initial trial stock, cover finish, etc. The print-ready files
using issue #28 created print-ready files of have been successfully used at www.lulu.
cover and interior page that could be sub- com to produce a printed book; the Editor-
mitted to a print-on-demand service (such ial Team cannot guarantee the use of these
as www.lulu.com) by individuals to produce files with other print services.
a professionally printed version for their
personal use. The trial garnered a positive The print-ready version of THRESHOLD
response and work continued through Magazine is provided for personal use only.
2022 to generate print-ready files for all THRESHOLD Magazine in either its PDF or
previous issues (as well as incorporating the print version cannot be sold in any online
process in the production of new issues). or physical store.

10

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Previous Issues

FREE DOWNLOADS OF PREVIOUS ISSUES

Previous issues of THRESHOLD - the Mystara Also available at the same location are higher
Magazine, both in digital and print-ready resolution versions of the maps that were
format are available for download from the included in the issue’s PDF, allowing greater
Vaults of Pandius website (www.pandius.com) detail to be viewed.

#1 (Oct 2013) “Karameikos” #21 (Oct 2018) “Specularum”

#2 (Jan 2014) “Vaults of Pandius” #22 (Mar 2019) “Adventures & Campaigns”
#3 (Mar 2014) “The Sea of Dread” #23 (Aug 2019) “Adventures & Campaigns 2”
#4 (Jun 2014) “Return to Dread” #24 (Nov 2019) “Adventures & Campaigns 3”
#5 (Oct 2014) “Exploring Davania” #25 (May 2020) “Strongholds”
#6 (Dec 2014) “The Northlands” #26 (Dec 2020) “Heroes, Villains & Organizations”
#7 (Apr 2015) “Exploring Norwold” #27 (Jul 2021) “25th Anniversary of the Vaults”
#8 (Jul 2015) “Warlords of Norwold” #28 (Jan 2022) “Trade Routes and Darokin”
#9 (Sep 2015) “Hollow World” #29 (Jul 2022) “Vampires and the Undead”
#10 (Jan 2016) “Elven Realms” #30 (Dec 2022) “The Alphatian Sea”
#11 (Apr 2016) “Thyatis & Alphatia” #31 (Jun 2023) “Undersea”
#12 (Jul 2016) “Ages Past” #32 (Sep 2023) “Return to Undersea”
#13 (Oct 2016) “A Crucible of Creatures” #33 (Dec 2023) “Dungeons”
#14 (Jan 2017) “The Shadowdeep” #34 (Jul 2024) “Future & Alternate Mystaras”
#15 (Apr 2017) “Mystaraspace”
#16 (Jul 2017) “Dwarves, Gnomes & Hin”
#17 (Oct 2017) “Western Brun”
#18 (Jan 2018) “Savage Coast”
#19 (May 2018) “Planes and Immortals”
#20 (Jul 2018) “Skothar”

11

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

12

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Editor’s Introduction
This article aims to showcase what’s
maybe the biggest fan work ever
made about Glantri and possibly the
most detailed magic school ever in
the worlds of fantasy, maybe beating
even that of a very famous young
adult series on wizards. “Glantri
Great School of Magic in Detail” is
indeed a 555-page PDF file which
can be freely downloaded from here:
https://pandius.com/gsomdtl.html in
the Vaults of Pandius.

In her monumental and fantastic

work, Robin details the Timeline of
the School, 10 main levels, 6 layers of
basements, 2 courtyards, 4 extra loca-
tions, and the Chamber of the Radi-
ance, with 55 maps and extended
descriptions, many adventure seeds,
new spells and items. An entire cam-
paign with many adventures from
levels 1 to 36 could be easily set in
the School with Robin’s book. It is
obviously impossible to host the
whole work on THRESHOLD Maga-
zine, so here I will showcase only the
maps of the ten levels and the six
basements with the name and func-
tion of each room, linking to the
appropriate page in Robin’s PDF. But
to better introduce this marvellous
From
work, I’ll leave it to the original fore- The Vaults
word she wrote. of Pandius
Sturm aka Francesco

13

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Foreword
from “Glantri Great School of Magic” by Robin

Something bugged me a long time ago. It beyond that, I made two more Isometric
was the Gazetteer 3: “The Principalities of maps from other directions, enabling the
Glantri”; an outstanding work by our Great School of Magic to be viewed from all
beloved Bruce Heard, our Mystara Spirit. directions. With this, more detail came
The book gave us stacks of intense usable about the inside, and following the canon
information, yet it also gave some incom- sources together with architectural laws for
plete material. The AD&D2e adaptation of stability, strength, and consistency I now
Mystara and the “Glantri Kingdom of even created the inside floor plans, first in
Magic”, “Wrath of the Immortals”, “Poor pencil, later clarifying with Windows Paint.
Wizard Almanacs”, “Castle Amber”, “DM Rereading all the canon sources, and the
Survival Guide” and “Players Survival newer fanon sources, more information was
Guide”, added some information, but holes added, a timeline came forth, and the
stayed, or more were created due the awful various uses canonically of the rooms made
desecration of Gazetteer 3 by GKoM. Many even more clarity. Using the interior maps
flaws have crept in, and areas left open. that came forth after the creation of the Iso-
Areas you actually need in playing the Great metric maps and more architectural sanity, I
School of Magic in Glantri on Mystara, created the Great School of Magic of Glantri
BECMI style (or actually any D&D style)! as presented canonically in the Mystara
various sources (including many more small
I searched and searched, found and com- bits & pieces from fans). I continued to
piled, not only from the canon sources, but stray further…and deeper, higher…a
also with the help of some fan work. The strange habit I know, but it brings me even
great difficulty was that various canon more clarity and depth, but specifically mul-
sources gave various scales to work upon tidimensional reality. I expanded the
(our beloved Bruce Heard even added yet Magical Circles, to bring more magic in the
another recently). Combining size and reas- world. I also took many items and spells
on/logic together I came finally upon the from other D&D sources, and some self-cre-
scale of 1 inch = 40 feet (1mm = 1.27 feet) ated to bring more magic use and feel.
to be used from the original map in the
inside cover of Gazetteer 3, instead of the 1 Without further ado; I am now ready to
inch = 20' as per GAZ3. With almost this present you Glantri Great School of Magic
scale I had earlier created an Isometric map in detail …and scent, and touch, and sight,
of the Great School of Magic (GSM) in and magic, and material, and use ….etc, as
Glantri City made from the initial interior best I could compile from all the canon
cover map of the GSM. And I already started sources and creations together in 16
to make the vertical information, according months of near continuous work.
to canon sources…then Real Life kicked in,
and I had to store my stuff. Here the maps Robin
were damaged by moisture and mice. In
2016 I rediscovered this map, and decided
to restore or redraw them. I actually went

14

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Main Building Level 1: Auditorium

High-res. map in the Vaults: https://pandius.com/02_GSM_interior_+1p.jpg.

A: Entry Hall (pg. 12) I: Storage Vault of

B: Classroom, necromancy (pg. 13) Liquids & Components (pg. 16)
C: Study Chamber (pg. 13) J: Classroom, Glantrian History (pg. 16)
D: Deep Hall (pg. 14) K: Storage Vault of Scrolls (pg. 17)
E: Teachers’ Lounge (pg. 15) L: History Hall (pg. 18)
F: Auditorium (pg. 15) M: Stairway to Level 2 (pg. 19)
G: Silent Hall (pg. 16) N: Closed-off Stairway to Basements (pg. 19)
H: Old Keep Storage Vault of Items (pg. 17)

Important Notes
All grid maps presented in this book have a scale of 5 feet per square. Making the GSM
roughly 160 x 250 (with some outside poking corners & edges).
All page number references relate to the pages of the PDF document hosted on the Vaults
of Pandius (https://pandius.com/gsomdtl.html).

15

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Main Building Level 2: Classrooms and Library

High-res. map in the Vaults: https://pandius.com/04_GSM_interior_+2.png

A: Old Keep Classroom, I: Hortus Herbaricus Classroom,

Invocation/Evocation (pg. 20) Herbalism, Mandragora (pg. 23)
B: Hexagon Tower Classroom, J: Long Hallway (pg. 24)
Scrolls Inkmaking (pg. 21) K: Private Teacher’s Room (pg. 25)
C: Museum of Monsterology Classroom, L: Private Teacher’s Room (pg. 25)
Animal & Monster Lore (pg. 21) M: Classroom, Abjuration (pg. 25)
D: Corner Room Classroom, Penmanship, N: Latrines (pg. 25)
Magescript, Spellbook (pg. 22) O: Classroom, Ancient History
E: Dance Hall Classroom, & World History (pg. 26)
Magic and Society (pg. 22) P: Classroom, Illusionism (pg. 26)
F: Teachers’ Lounge (pg. 22) Q: Crampy Corridor (pg. 27)
G: Private Teacher’s Room (pg. 23)
H: Storage Room (pg. 23)

16

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Main Building Level 3: Classrooms and Raven Dormitory

High-res. map in the Vaults: https://pandius.com/06_GSM_interior_+3.png

A: Classroom, Enunciation N: Classroom, Planar Geography

+ Read/Write (pg. 32) & Elemental Knowledge (pg. 35)
B: Stairways (pg. 32) O: Museum of Monsterology, 2nd floor (pg. 36)
C: Study Hall (pg. 32) P: Classroom, Biology & Ecology
D: Classroom, (including Geomorphology) (pg. 36)
Languages Ancient & Old (pg. 33) Q: Old Keep Classroom,
E: Raven Dormitory (pg. 33) Conjure Companion (pg. 37)
F: Washroom Hall (pg. 33) R: Private Teacher’s Room (pg. 42)
G: Turret base, NW (pg. 33) S: Classroom, Alchemy, Chemistry,
H: Round Hall (pg. 34) Brewing (pg. 42)
I: Classroom, Somatics (pg. 34) T: Long Hallway (pg. 42)
J: Storage Room (pg. 34) U: Library (pg. 43)
K: Latrines (pg. 34) V: Stairways (pg. 43)
L: Classroom, Agility Training W: Storage Room under the Stairs (pg. 43)
& Quick Casting (pg. 35) X: Turret Base, SW (pg. 43)
M: Classroom, Formula Analysis (pg. 35)

17

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Main Building Level 4: Classrooms and Dormitories

High-res. map in the Vaults: https://pandius.com/08_GSM_interior_+4.png

A: Eagle Dormitory (pg. 46) N: Hall of Stuffed Animals (pg. 51)

B: Hawk Dormitory (pg. 46) O: Private Teacher’s Room (pg. 51)
C: Vulture Dormitory (pg. 47) P: Private Teacher’s Room (pg. 52)
D: Raven Dormitory, 2nd floor (pg. 47) Q: Duck Dormitory (pg. 51)
E: Owl Dormitory (pg. 47) R: Crowded Hall (pg. 52)
F: Swan Dormitory (pg. 47) S: Classroom, Philosophy of Magic,
G: Rooster Dormitory (pg. 48) Spell Theory, Casting,
H: Private Teacher’s Room (pg. 48) and Crystalogy (pg. 52)
I: Private Teacher’s Room (pg. 48) T: Classroom, Politics (pg. 53)
J: Jay Dormitory (pg. 48) U: Latrines (pg. 53)
K: Classroom, Laboratory Techniques V: Stairways (pg. 53)
& Apothecary (pg. 49) W: Washroom (pg. 54)
L: Old Keep Classroom X: Turret, SW (pg. 54)
of Experiments (pg. 50) Y: Turret, NW (pg. 54)
M: Museum of Monsterology,
3rd floor (Anatomy) (pg. 50)

18

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Main Building Level 5: Hall of Music and Roof, Archive Tower

High-res. map in the Vaults: https://pandius.com/10_GSM_interior_+5.jpg

A: Old Keep Classroom, H: Latrines/Washroom (pg. 60)

Great Hall of Music (pg. 56) I: Museum of Monsterology,
B: Stairways (pg. 57) 4th floor (pg. 60)
C: Stairways (pg. 57) J: Tower of Experiments (pg. 60)
D: Corner Hall (pg. 57) K: Archives Tower (pg. 60)
E: Classroom, Meditation L: Turret Top, NW (pg. 61)
& Memorization (pg. 57) M: Main Roof (pg. 61)
F: Minor Hall (pg. 57) N: Turret Top, SW (pg. 62)
G: Private Teacher’s Room (pg. 58)

19

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Main Building Level 6: Organ Hall and Hidden Library

High-res. map in the Vaults: https://pandius.com/11_GSM_interior_+6.jpg

A: Great Hall of Music (pg. 63) I: Tower of Experiments,

B: Organ Room (pg. 63) 2nd floor (pg. 69)
C: Stairways, down (pg. 66) J: Museum of Monsterology,
D: Stairways, up (pg. 66) 5th floor (pg. 70)
E: Organ Hall (pg. 67) K: Archives Tower 2nd floor (pg. 70)
F: Cistern Bottom (pg. 67) L: Central Gear Room (pg. 70)
G: Upper Guard Room (pg. 68)
H: Hidden Library (pg. 68)

20

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Main Building Level 7: Grand Master’s Quarter

and Astronomy Classroom
High-res. map in the Vaults: https://pandius.com/12_GSM_interior_+7.jpg

A: Great Hall of Music (pg. 71) I: Private Latrine/Washroom (pg. 73)

B: Organ Room (pg. 71) J: Western Balcony (pg. 73)
C: Stairway (pg. 71) K: Tower of Experiments Classroom,
D: Stairway (pg. 72) Astronomy/Astrology (pg. 74)
E: Private Foyer (pg. 72) L: Gear Room (pg. 75)
F: Small Hall (pg. 72) M: Museum of Monsterology, Roof (pg. 73)
G: Private Living Room (pg. 72) N: Archives Tower, 3rd floor (pg. 75)
H: Cistern (pg. 73)

21

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Main Building Level 8: Ceilings and Tea House,

Platform of Adventure
High-res. map in the Vaults: https://pandius.com/13_GSM_interior_+8.jpg

A: Vaulted Ceilings above the Music Hall G: Attic on top of Private Foyer (pg. 78)
and Organ Room (pg. 76) H: Tower of Experiments, Roof (pg. 79)
B: Tea House (pg. 77) I: Astronomy Stairway (pg. 79)
C: Stairway (pg. 78) J: Archives Tower, Roof (pg. 79)
D: Stairway (pg. 78) K: Platform of Adventure
E: Middle Roof (pg. 78) and Freedom (pg. 79)
F: Open-top Organ Hall (pg. 78)

22

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Main Building Level 9: Grand Master’s Study and Library

High-res. map in the Vaults: https://pandius.com/14_GSM_interior_+9g.jpg

A: Main Study Room (pg. 81) E: Turret North Stairway, up (pg. 83)
B: Personal Library (pg. 82) F: Eastern Roof (pg. 83)
C: Stairway, down (pg. 83) G: Astronomy/Astrology Stairway,
D: Turret South Stairway, up (pg. 83) up/down (pg. 83)

23

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Main Building Level 10: Grand Master’s Attic

High-res. map in the Vaults: https://pandius.com/15_GSM_interior_+10.jpg

A: Grandmaster’s Northern Experiment Room (pg. 84)

B: Grandmaster’s Southern Experiment Room (pg. 84)
C: Grandmaster’s Private Griffon Landing (pg. 84)
D: Astronomy/Astrology Laboratory (pg. 84)

24

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Main Building Basement -1: Classrooms and Study Chambers

High-res. map in the Vaults: https://pandius.com/17_GSM_interior_-1a.jpg

A: Main Hall (pg. 88) M: Old Keep Forgotten Basement (pg. 93)
B: Pudding Room (pg. 88) N: Scroll-Enchanting Chamber (pg. 93)
C: Old Major Stairways (pg. 89) O: Classroom, Item Creation (pg. 94)
D: Old Stairways, down (pg. 89) P: Classroom, Gem-cutting (pg. 94)
E: Abandoned Lower Hall (pg. 89) Q: Translocation Classroom (Practice) (pg. 95)
F: Auditorium (pg. 89) R: Basement Library (pg. 95)
G: Abandoned Experiment Room (pg. 90) S: Classroom, Translocation (Theory) (pg. 96)
H: Abandoned Classroom, T: Small Hall (pg. 99)
Item Creation (pg. 92) U: Stairs, up and down (pg. 99)
I: Abandoned Storage Room (pg. 92) V: Study Chambers (pg. 100)
J: Abandoned Classroom, W: Work & Tool Room (pg. 101)
Enchantment (pg. 92) X: Private Room,
K: Abandoned Hallway (pg. 92) Head Housekeeping (pg. 101)
L: Abandoned Vault (pg. 92)

25

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Main Building Basement -2: Classrooms and Exam Entry Room

High-res. map in the Vaults: https://pandius.com/19_GSM_interior_-2.jpg

A: Abandoned Classroom, M: Old Keep Lower Machine Hall (pg. 110)

Conjuration (pg. 102) N: Hidden Library (pg. 111)
B: Abandoned Classroom, O: Classroom, Spell Practice (pg. 112)
Transmutation (pg. 102) P: Room of Volume (pg. 112)
C: Abandoned Classroom, Q: Study Room (pg. 113)
Spell Practicum (pg. 103) R: Exam Entry Room (pg. 113)
D: Old Stairways (pg. 103) S: War Magic Testing Area (pg. 114)
E: Closed Section, Cygnus Hall (pg. 103) T: Middle Hall (pg. 114)
F: Abandoned Study Corner (pg. 103) U: Stairways Hall (pg. 115)
G: Abandoned Teacher’s Room (pg. 104) V: Classroom,
H: Classroom, Transmutation (pg. 104) Spell Seminar/Spell Tutorial (pg. 115)
I: Classroom, Conjuration (pg. 104) W: Storage Hall (pg. 116)
J: Slender Hall (pg. 105) X: Hall of Recognition (pg. 117)
K: Classroom, Divination (pg. 105) Y: Latrines (pg. 117)
L: Classroom, Enchantment (pg. 110)

26

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Courtyards and
Extra Locations
around the School

All this is just a small part of the content

of Robin’s Great School of Magic in
detail book, and to showcase all the 55
maps would take too much space, but
we can give you a bird’s eye view of the
rest of the PDF content.
Courtyards are detailed on pages 119–
217 and include Dueling grounds with
new rules for magical duels, Temple of
Rad with its Crypt, Owlery, Kitchen,
Infirmary, Dining Hall, Serving Hall,
Confectionary, the Dream Masters’
Nightmares Room, Administration
Tower, Warehouse and Griffon Hall
(including griffons’ tricks, appearances
and traits), Guardhouse, Secret Cham-
bers of Earth Elementalists (with many
spells), Ghoul Chambers. It’s a huge
section full of content and surprises.
From page 218 to 273, there are some
extra locations around the Great
School: the Silver Tower Inn (with
Cryptomancers’ rooms and spells),
Alexander Plaza (with Dragon Masters’
chambers), Aeromancer Stronghold
(invisible above the GSM), the Canals
(with their own secrets).

27

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Main Building Basement -3: Testing Area,

Water Elementalists’ Rooms and Classrooms
High-res. map in the Vaults: https://pandius.com/20_GSM_Interior_-3_Wizwarrens.png

This level contains the Graduation test Silver Tower Inn and Secret Chambers of
rooms presented in Gazetteer 3 pages 90– Earth Elementalists, extra locations listed
93 and the rooms of the “Test of Darkness” below. So here only a thumb of the big map
adventure contained in the “Glantri: is shown. This level also contains the rooms
Kingdom of Magic” boxed set, with full of Water Elementalists, Hydromancers’
detailing of the darkness itself. It’s a huge Library, the related Aquatic Classroom, the
level described in detail from pages 274 to Alchemy Classroom, and the Music & Sound
305, also connected to Alexander Plaza, Classroom.

28

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Main Building Basement -4: Necromantic and Alchemy Level

High-res. map in the Vaults: https://pandius.com/21_GSM_Interior_-4a.png

This level, described from pages 306 to 360, contains the Necromantic Classrooms,
Museum of Osteology, secret Necromancers’ Library (with more spells), more Alchemy
Classrooms, the Secret Dungeon of Alchemists, and Library (and spells).

29

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Main Building Basement -5: Storage and Hall of Witches

High-res. map in the Vaults: https://pandius.com/22_GSM_Interior_-5a.png

Described from pages 361 to 389, this level contains some storage areas, the Hall of
Witches and the Secret Dungeon of Alchemists, the Secret Catacombs of Necromancers,
Classroom of the Teachers, and Museum of Osteology Archives. From an area infested by
giant spiders it is possible to reach a level dating back to Blackmoorian times.

30

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Robin’s Glantri Great School of Magic in Detail

Lower Chambers
Described from pages 390 to 402 these
are Blackmoorian rooms infested with
the Wasting Disease, and the only way
beside Immortal Magic to reach the
Chamber of the Radiance.

Great School of Magic

Dependance
In the “Glantri: Kingdom of Magic”
boxed set there was the illustration of a
country mansion indicated as the Great
School. As it did not fit at all the map of
the School in the Gazetteer, Robin
decided to use it as the Dependance of
the School, an old Flaemish villa
described from pages 403 to 475, and
containing several Classrooms, some
located here as it could be dangerous
or impractical to have them in the
center of Glantri City, such as the Fire
Elementalists’ Portal Room or Griffon
Pens. The Dependance also contains
the Convenchamber of Witchcraft.

Chamber of the Radiance

and the Rest of the Book
In the final 80 pages of the PDF there is
a lot more content which I’ll only list
briefly but it’s definitely worth check-
ing: Chamber of the Radiance and
related themes from pages 476 to 497,
and from pages 498 to 554 wandering
monsters, maps of all buildings, list of
classrooms and libraries, spellbooks,
magescript, list of teachers and staff,
spell miscasting rules, special skills,
marble types, final report card, new
magic items list, new spells list, adven-
tures leads list, the expanded history of
Glantri City once Braejr once Redfen,
suggested PCs or NPCs.

31

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

THRESHOLD - the Mystara Magazine

http://pandius.com/tome/ https://blackmoor.mystara.net/forums/

Almanacs at the Vaults of Pandius 2300 BC sub-forum at The Piazza

32

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Basics of the Radiance

Basics of the
Radiance

Converting the Radiance

of GAZ3: “The Principalities of Glantri”
for D&D 5E
From
The Vaults
of Pandius
by WingofCoot
33

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Basics of the Radiance

Access to the Radiance: To access the Radiance Corruption: There are three
Radiance, a character must be an arcane forms of harm from exposure to the Radi-
spellcaster (bard, sorcerer, warlock, or ance: radiant damage, temporary Radiance
wizard); must be a noble of Glantri; must Sickness, and permanent Radiance Wither-
have discovered the existence of the Radi- ing. All can result in the transformation of a
ance; and must construct a Radiance Focus. person into a horrible undead-like, yet not
truly undead, monstrosity.
The Order of Radiance: The secret influ-
ence of the Immortal Rad and the Brother- Some Radiance effects cause radiant
hood of the Radiance has shaped the damage; any humanoid killed by radiant
Glantrian nobility system. Glantrian nobles’ damage from a Radiance-associated source
dominion locations are assigned according rises as a lightning zombie.
to “the Order of Radiance”, with the
highest-ranked nobles nearest to the capital Radiance Sickness can be caused by expos-
(and source of the Radiance). This is ure to external Radiance energy, such as
because the nearer a Radiance Focus is that found around certain ancient artifacts
placed to the capital, the more Radiance or evoked by the wasting cloud or dis-
power it can draw. Except for the Princes of charge spells. Radiance Sickness simply
Glantri, a member of the Brotherhood can inflicts the poisoned condition, but any
only place their Focus within their own humanoid that dies while poisoned from
dominion. this source rises as a lightning zombie.

The minimum distances from Glantri City Radiance Withering can only be caused by
for each level of dominion are: personal overuse of the most powerful
Radiance magic. It is permanent and cannot
Baron……… 180 miles
be healed by any magic less than Immortal-
Viscount…… 120 miles
level. Whenever a Radiance spell of 8th or
Count……… 80 miles
9th level is cast, roll a d20: on a 1, one
Marquis…… 50 miles
point of Radiance Withering is received.
Duke………. 40 miles
(Overuse of the retain power spell can also
Archduke….. 30 miles
cause Radiance Withering: see the spell
Radiance Bonus: Some Radiance spells entry below.) A character suffering from at
use a Radiance Bonus. This is determined least one point of Radiance Withering has
according to the Order of Radiance, based disadvantage on any ability check or saving
on the nearness of the Brother’s Radiance throw that uses Strength or Dexterity.
Focus to the source:
Like failed death saves, track the number of
Baron……… +1 spell
Radiance Withering results: at 6 points of
Viscount…… +1 spell
Radiance Withering, a character becomes a
Count……… +2 spells twisted, undead-like creature. If the charac-
Marquis…… +2 spells ter is able to cast 9th-level arcane spells, this
Duke………. +2 spells is a Radiance lich; otherwise it is a lightning
Archduke….. +3 spells zombie.
Prince……… +4 spells

34

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Basics of the Radiance

Changes After the Wrath of the Immor-

tals: Since the Brotherhood is no longer
aided by the Immortal Rad, it is now pos-
sible for non-nobles, or foreign agents in
Glantri, to use the Radiance if they meet the
other criteria (arcane spellcaster capable of
5th-level spells, discover its existence, build
a Radiance Focus). The Radiance Bonus
received by such “rogue” Radiance users
will be based only on the location of their
Radiance Focus, not their (non-existent)
nobility rank, as follows:
Location Range Radiance Bonus
More than 120 miles +1
50 to 120 miles +2
30 to 50 miles +3
Less than 30 miles +4
Radiance Monstrosities: A lightning zombie
is identical to a standard zombie except that The Nucleus of the Spheres now draws from
its type is monstrosity, not undead. A Radi- Entropy, not Energy. Therefore, Radiance
ance lich is identical to a standard lich liches and lightning zombies created after
except that its type is monstrosity, not this time are true undead creatures (those
undead, and it has no phylactery. which already exist do not change to
undead). Undead Radiance liches still have
Standard Spells Granted by the Radi- no phylactery.
ance: In addition to the Radiance-only
spells, a Brother of the Radiance also adds
the sunbeam, sunburst, and sickening radi- NEW SPELLS
ance (from Xanathar’s Guide) spells to their
class’s spell list, if they are not already on it. Spells marked with RF under Components
require the use of a Radiance Focus (see the
Shamans of Rafiel access the Radiance in a New Magic Items section). This is similar to
more limited, but safer, way. They may be a material component or arcane focus,
either clerics of Rafiel or arcane spellcasters except that (as the Radiance Focus is too
(bard, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard), and large to be held like a normal focus) the
must learn the Way of Rafiel (presumably Radiance Focus must merely be within 30
from the existing Shamans). They must feet of the caster for the spell to be cast.
possess a Soul Crystal (see the New Magic These spells can only be used within 500
Items section) to use the Radiance. miles of Glantri City.

They add the sunbeam, sunburst, sickening Spells marked with R under Components
radiance, call upon Radiance, and retain require the caster to be attuned to a Radi-
power spells to their spell list. ance Focus, but the Focus need not be
nearby.

35

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Basics of the Radiance

When a creature enters the spell’s area for

Call Upon Radiance
the first time on a turn or starts its turn
there, that creature must make a Constitu-
5th-level transmutation tion saving throw. A creature which fails this
Casting Time: 1 action save gains the poisoned condition (Radi-
Range: Self ance Sickness). Any humanoid that dies
Components: V, S, RF while poisoned in this way rises as a light-
Duration: 1 round/level ning zombie, which is not under your
control. The smoke moves 10 feet away
This spell imbues you with a brief, tempor- from you at the start of each of your turns,
ary burst of Radiance energy. While this rolling along the surface of the ground.
spell is in effect, you add your Radiance Being heavier than air, the smoke sinks to
Bonus to spell attack rolls and your spell the lowest level of the land, even pouring
save DCs. If you cast a spell that deals dice down openings.
of damage, you can re-roll a number of dice
equal to your Radiance Bonus, but you At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell
must take the re-rolls even if they are lower using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the
radius of the fog increases by 10 feet for
At Higher Levels: If a 6th- or higher-level each slot level above 5th.
spell slot is used, this spell may be cast at
Negate Magic
any distance from the Radiance Focus; its
Components entry becomes “V, S, R.”
5th-level abjuration
Conversion Note: Since the only difference Casting Time: 1 action
between Summon Radiance and Call Upon Range: 240 ft.
Radiance is the need to be close to the Components: V, S, R
receptacle, the 5E upcasting mechanic Duration: Instantaneous
allows combining them into one spell.
This spell acts like dispel magic cast with a
Wasting Cloud
5th-level spell slot, except that you have
advantage on the check to dispel spells of
5th-level conjuration 6th level or higher, and it can dispel certain
Casting Time: 1 action Radiance-based spells such as retain power.
Range: 200 ft.
Area of Effect: 20-ft.-radius sphere At Higher Levels: As with dispel magic,
Components: V, S, R when you cast this spell using a spell slot of
Duration: Concentration, 6th level or higher, you automatically end
up to 10 minutes the effects of a spell on the target if the
spell’s level is equal to or less than the level
You create a 20-foot-radius sphere of Radi- of the spell slot you used.
ance-infused smoke centered on a point
you choose within range. The smoke
spreads around corners. It lasts for the dur-
ation; wind cannot disperse this smoke. Its
area is heavily obscured.

36

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Basics of the Radiance

radius beyond that. You also gain your Radi-

ance Bonus on saving throws you make
against spells (including spells cast from
magic items, such as a fireball from a wand
of fireballs).

The real use of this stored power, however,

is to bend fate in your favor. When you
make an attack roll, saving throw, or ability/
skill check, you can choose to gain advant-
age on that roll. This ends the spell. This
spell cannot be dispelled except by negate
magic.

You may have multiple retain power spells

active. Two or three may be combined
safely, but if more than three spells are
Imbue Radiance Weapon
active at once, you must make a Constitu-
tion saving throw (DC 5 + number of spells
6th-level transmutation active) or suffer Radiance Withering.
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch Conversion Note: This spell has been,
Components: V, S, R essentially, combined with the control
Duration: Concentration, destiny spell, since the original retain
up to 1 hour power spell doesn’t really do anything
except make you glow except in combina-
A nonmagical weapon you touch becomes a tion with control destiny or discharge,
magic weapon. For the duration, the which doesn’t really fit how 5E spells work.
weapon has a +2 bonus to attack rolls and
Discharge
deals an extra 2d6 radiant damage when it
hits. This spell cannot be dispelled except
by negate magic. 8th-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Retain Power
Range: 500 ft.
Components: V, S, R
7th-level transmutation Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Self You choose a target within range: a creature
Components: V, S, RF or an object. This spell automatically des-
Duration: Until used troys a Large or smaller non magical object,
blasting it to tiny shards. A creation of
This spell imbues you with a lasting charge magical force (such as a wall of force or for-
of Radiance energy. You begin to shine with cecage) is automatically destroyed by this
blue light, casting bright light in a 30-ft. spell also. If the target is a Huge or larger
radius and dim light in a further 30-ft. object, such as a castle wall, the spell blasts

37

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Basics of the Radiance

a 20-foot-cube breach (hole) into it. A magic arily winks out of existence, then instantly
item is unaffected by this spell. reappears once the spell ends.

If the target is a creature, it must make a This spell cannot be dispelled by dispel
Constitution saving throw. It takes 12d6 magic, though negate magic (or a wish)
radiant damage and suffers Radiance Sick- can end the effect.
ness on a failed save, or takes half as much
damage (and doesn’t suffer Radiance Sick-
ness) on a successful one. A creature made NEW MAGIC ITEMS
of inorganic material such as stone, crystal,
or metal has disadvantage on this saving
throw. The Nucleus of the Spheres

Conversion Note: This spell is a lot less like Artifact

fireball than it used to be. I leaned into the
“siege” aspects of the spell—it can be cast This artifact has no random powers or
against creatures (following 5E precedent random side effects. Its only power is
with things like shatter and the horn of serving as the source of the Radiance; its
blasting), but it’s not best used that way. side effects are a deadly field of Radiance
This is really for blowing breaches into energy and (before the events of Wrath of
castle walls, sinking ships, etc.; for that the Immortals) a slow drain of magic from
purpose, its range being vastly better than the world of Mystara.
disintegrate and the larger breach more
than justifies its 8th level. Source of Radiance. Radiance Foci, and
spells with RF components, can only be
Ray of Radiance Absorption
used within 500 miles of the Nucleus of the
Spheres. The power weakens with distance;
9th-level abjuration the maximum possible Radiance Bonus that
Casting Time: 1 action can be applied to Radiance spells is +4
Range: 60 ft. within 30 miles of the Nucleus, +3 from 30
Components: V, S, R to 50 miles’ distance, +2 from 50 to 120
Duration: 24 hours miles’ distance, and +1 beyond 120 miles’
distance. This artifact is far too large to
You target one creature within range. Any move, the size of a large building, and is
spell on that creature ends as if dispelled by permanently located in a cavern (with no
dispel magic, and the creature must make a existing entrance) 10,000 feet under Glantri
Charisma saving throw. If the save fails, the City.
creature can’t cast spells or activate magic
items, and any magical items held or worn Deadly Field. Any creature in the cavern of
by that creature have their properties and the Nucleus of the Spheres must make a DC
powers suppressed (for example, a longs- 15 Constitution save each round or suffer
word +1 functions as a nonmagical longs- 12d10 radiant damage. A creature reduced
word for the duration). If the creature was to 0 hit points by this damage becomes a
summoned or created by magic, it tempor- lightning zombie.

38

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Basics of the Radiance

In addition, a creature which fails any of

these saves suffers an extreme form of Radi-
ance Sickness. While affected, the creature
is poisoned, and this poisoned condition
cannot be removed by normal means such
as Lay on Hands, lesser restoration, or pro-
tection from poison. Only a heroes’ feast,
wish, or other spell of 6th level or higher
which removes the poisoned condition will
work.
Radiance Focus

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement

by its maker)

This large crystal is set into a complex

apparatus of precious and other metals.
Soul Crystal
The entire apparatus is the size of a small
table and weighs 400 lb.
Wondrous item,
A Radiance Focus is used to communicate uncommon, rare, or very rare
with other Brothers of the Radiance, simil-
arly to a sending stone except that each A soul crystal is a mysterious crystal found
Focus is linked to all other existing Radi- deep beneath the surface in the Shadow
ance Foci, rather than just one other. This Elves’ Territories, which contains a measure
ability works only if within 500 miles of of Radiance energy. A soul crystal can be
Glantri City. used in place of a Radiance Focus to cast a
spell with an “RF” component (though not
In addition, a Focus is needed to use spells spells with “R” component). Spells cast this
with R or RF components. way have a Radiance Bonus of +1 for an
uncommon crystal, +2 for a rare crystal, or
Each Focus must be constructed by the pro- +3 for a very rare crystal; Glantrian nobility
spective Brother of the Radiance personally, rank is irrelevant. This cannot be combined
as only its maker can attune to a Focus. Cre- with the Radiance Bonus based on nobility
ating a Focus can only be done by an arcane rank/Radiance Focus location; a Radiance
spellcaster (bard, sorcerer, warlock, or spell must be cast using either a soul crystal
wizard); requires a large, fine crystal; costs or a Radiance Focus, never both.
10,000 gp (for the crystal and other sup-
plies); and requires 3 months of work. The Brotherhood of the Radiance (and even
the Immortal Rad, at least as of AC 1000) is
unaware of soul crystals.

39

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Basics of the Radiance

Where is Transcend Life Force? Credits

I feel like the original transcend life force The 500-mile range to use Radiance spells
spell isn’t really best handled in 5E as a comes from Robin’s work here:
simple spell. It’s more a series of quests, http://pandius.com/radusage.html
given all the steps required to get to that
point. GAZ3 says that “a PC will never dis- The imbue radiance weapon and negate
cover this spell if an Immortal of the magic spells derive from Rodger Burns’s
Sphere of Energy does not wish so. If an 3.5e conversion here:
Immortal is favorable to a PC, he may http://pandius.com/35radmag.html
send him dreams about the spell and
what it does. Only at this time can a PC The ray of radiance absorption spell is
start researching this spell. The caster found on the Vaults of Pandius both here by
must be obedient to the philosophy of Michael Berry:
energy”—so it’s basically an alternate http://pandius.com/radabs.html
form of questing for Immortality, and and here by Rob:
likely should use those mechanics http://pandius.com/radspell.html
(deserving a separate article). —not sure who the original inventor was.

Other inspiration came from John Calvin’s

3.5e conversion here:
http://pandius.com/radnce.html

GAZ3: “The Principalities of Glantri” is available as a PDF on DriveThrurpg:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/16975/gaz3-the-principalities-of-glantri-basic

40

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Golems of Glantri

by Cab Davidson

Extract of a lecture given at Dunadale Technical College by visiting professor

Aurélie "L’Animatrice" Desjardins of the Great School of Magic.

Bonsoir, mes amis. I am glad you have So, with experience both making and study-
asked me here today to describe some of ing the many forms of automaton we have
the more unusual and, how do you say par- in Glantri (to the point where I have had
ticulier? Ah, oui, idiosyncratic, golems and the epithet L’Animatrice conferred upon
constructs of les Principautés de Glantri. I me), I am here to share with you an over-
suppose that when invited to give such a view of some of the creations I believe to be
talk at an august établissement d’enseigne- somewhat less common in your kingdoms
ment it is incumbent upon the speaker to here.
establish crédibilité, and I have to impress
upon you, the cream of Alphatian youth, Our attitude to constructs sets us apart from
why you should listen to some old foreign other nations, especially the Alphatian king-
duffer, oui? doms. While you in Alphatia study magic to
create art, we aspire to create magic AS an
Well, as you know, I am Professeur de Con- art, and this ethos is found in all of our
structions Cagiques at the Great School of endeavours. So sometimes if our golems
Magic in Glantri, a position I have held for seem to be rather more theatrical than
some 25 years now, and since that unfortu- yours, in that they have appearances and
nate nastiness between our nations a few functions that seem to be almost at odds, I
years ago, I have been part of a programme urge you as scholars to try to understand
to try to rebuild some bridges between our that there is always a method in our appar-
peoples in the hope that we can resist any ent madness. What may seem to you super-
future temptation to wipe each other out. fluous is often, to us, a synergy of form and
And while we cannot claim that our little function taken to a level or artistic perfec-
project has solved all of the world’s prob- tion.
lems, we can take some comfort from the
fact that we have played a small part in But, anyway, without further delay I will
keeping our peoples from a state of mutual start by describing some of our golems
mass murder. ordinaires before moving on to our more
unique constructs.

41

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Golems of Glantri

GOLEMS ORDINAIRES Golem, Armour*

In many ways, of course, a golem is a Armour golems are favoured for use as dec-
golem. But in Glantri we consider what a orative guards or sentries, used in castles,
golem will be like to live with – how will it palaces and homes of renown as tireless
look in our princely estate or guarding the watchers, able to remain on post and guard
gates of a walled encampment against orcs. a location such as a door, corridor or room
We like our golems to command a certain for years on end without falter, questioning
presence, to look the part as well as act it. or needing sustenance or relief. They are
typically highly decorated, taking the form
Thus our armour golems are the perfect of ritual or high-status armour on display as
guards within the home. Ever vigilant, dec- if mounted as a suit, blending seamlessly
orative and trustworthy. Whereas when we into the typically ostentatious decorations
go campaigning, it is our tin golems who favoured by the wealthy.
are in essence animated pennants, they
wear the livery of our houses and the Armour golems are primarily sentries, and
symbols of our ranks. To shock our foes, to their capacity to observe danger and react is
lead our men into battle, we have the flame- second to none. They cannot be surprised,
belching horror of the pyrites golems, and while many are quite slow in move-
dazzling their foes before immolating them. ment terms their finely tuned combat
Whereas, to stand guard at the gates are the instincts give them +2 to individual initiat-
trusty fluorspar golems – my own Blue John ive. They fight with weapons, often swords,
being a fine example thereof. Yes, you can spears, pole weapons or flails, and wealthy
pet him. I think he actually likes it. Let us owners often use them to both display and
go into the details of each thus… to protect magical weapons, and such is

Golem, Armour*

Leather Scale Chain Banded Plate Suit

AC: 7 6 5 4 3 1
HD: 4* 5* 6* 7* 8* 10*
Move: 180' (60') 150' (50') 120' (40') 90' (30') 60' (20') 30' (10')
Attacks: 1 weapon
Damage: By skilled weapon
No. Appearing: 1(1) 1(1) 1(1) 1(1) 1(1) 1(1)
Save As: F2 F3 F3 F4 F4 F5
Morale: 12 12 12 12 12 12
Treasure Type: Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil
Intelligence: 4 4 4 4 4 4
Alignment: Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral
XP Value: 100 250 450 850 1,200 1,750

42

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Golems of Glantri

Armour Golem, original drawing by Jeffrey Kosh

(https://jeffreykosh.wixsite.com/jeffreykoshgraphics/home)

43

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Golems of Glantri

Golem, Fluorspar*

AC: 4
Hit Dice: 7**
Move: 120' (40')
Attacks: 1 bite or special
Damage: 2d6 or special
Number Appearing: 1 (1)
Save As: Fighter 7
Morale: 12
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: 1
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 1,250

Usually only crafted in regions where

their skill that they fight with skilled deposits of fluorspar, a crystalline mineral
weapon mastery with all melee weapons. also known as fluorite, are common, fluor-
They may also use shields if they have a free spar golems are typically made in the form
hand, gaining the standard bonus of -1 to of huge dogs, standing 5' tall at the
AC. shoulder. Usually violet or purple, these
crystalline golems can be any of a range of
As golems they are immune to sleep, charm colours including green, blue, yellow, tur-
and hold spells, all forms of magical cold quoise and burgundy, depending on the
and all mind-affecting magics, and can only source of the mineral used to create them.
be struck with magical weapons. Leather, All of them emit a dim glow to a range of
scale mail and chain mail golems take half 10', making creeping up on them almost
damage from all blunt weapons, while impossible (they are surprised on a 1 on
banded mail, plate mail and suit armour 1d10). They also have an excellent sense of
golems are immune to all missile weapons. smell, their entire surface being sensitive to
scents, and they can track any enemy flaw-
lessly by scent.

Like all golems they are immune to sleep,

charm and hold spells, all forms of mind
magic, and to cold-based attacks. They can
only be struck by magical weapons. They
also have some peculiar interactions with
other forms of magic and attacks. Fire-based
attacks inflict only half damage on them, as
their crystal structure can convert heat into
light. All creatures (other than other fluor-
spar golems) within 1' per point of fire
damage a fluorspar golem takes must make

44

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Golems of Glantri

Fluorspar Golem, original drawing by Jeffrey Kosh

(https://jeffreykosh.wixsite.com/jeffreykoshgraphics/home)

45

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Golems of Glantri

Golem, Pyrites*

AC: 3
HD: 8**
Movement Rate: 90' (30')
Attacks: 1 cutlass or 1 spark burst
Damage: 2d8 (cutlass)
or special (spark burst)
Number Appearing: 1 (1)
Save As: Fighter 8
Morale: 12
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: 2
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 1,750

Pyrites golems, also known as fool’s-gold

golems, are crafted from iron pyrites,
usually in the form of a humanoid with a
grafted-on ragged, sharp blade resembling a
cutlass. They shine like fool’s-gold, often
tricking observers into believing that they
are crafted from precious metal. A strange
quirk of pyrites as a material renders grant-
ing such a golem vision a difficult task, and
this is achieved using a single crystalline eye
(usually glowing an eerie red) for visible
light, and a dark, cloth-covered eye (often
in the form of an eye patch) for infrared
a save vs. dragon breath or be blinded for light, granting them 60' infravision. To best
3d6 turns. Light-based attacks (such as con- operate with infravision they usually wear
tinual light or light spells used to try to large, wide-brimmed hats to prevent any
blind a creature) are reflected from them stray light interfering. They have a toothy,
back upon casters. Likewise, a fluorspar fearsome demeanour, with jagged pyrites
golem running towards an enemy can, by crystals forming a crude maw. When
changing direction or twisting, generate a approaching an enemy and about to attack,
burst of light in a cone 30' long and 30' this mouth grinds, releasing a harmless but
wide at its far end, blinding creatures bright shower of sparks, creating a creaking,
therein that fail a saving throw vs. dragon eerie “Yo-ho-ho” sound, requiring all
breath for the same amount of time. A flu- hearing it within 60' to make a saving throw
orospar golem must only run for 30' in a vs. spells or run in fear for 1d6 rounds.
round before stopping to generate this
attack form.

46

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Golems of Glantri

Golem, Tin*

AC: 5
HD: 3*
Movement Rate: 60' (20')
Attacks: 1 weapon or 1 clang
Damage: by weapon
or special (clang)
Number Appearing: 1 (1)
Save As: Fighter 3
Morale: 12
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: 3
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 45

The tin golem is a medium-sized, clunky

automaton often created to act as a guard
or watcher, typically when more advanced
or expensive materials are in short supply.
Standing about six feet tall, the tin golem
has a roughly humanoid shape, its body
composed of sheets of hammered tin strips
riveted together. They emit a hollow, metal-
lic echo with each movement, with joints
that creak and groan if not recently oiled.
They are usually painted in the colours of
whichever house, guild or army that has
The most feared attack from a pyrites golem paid for their construction, as symbols of
is a burst of sparks, created by running the power and strength, quite often bearing
handle of their cutlass down the opposite heraldic symbols and icons.
arm. A shower of burning pyrites is projec-
ted forwards in a cone, 30' long and 30' While not the most resilient or intelligent of
wide at the end. All creatures in this areagolems, the tin golem compensates this
must make a saving throw vs. dragon breath with a unique clang ability, which can
or take damage equal to the golem’s hit disrupt and disorient nearby foes. Once
point total. every 2 rounds, the tin golem can strike
itself in the chest or clap its tin arms
They are immune to sleep, charm, hold and together to produce a resounding metallic
slow effects, to all mind-affecting magic, clang. All creatures within a 15-foot radius
and can only be struck by weapons of +2 or must make a saving throw vs. paralysis or
greater enchantment. be stunned for 1 round due to the disori-
enting noise. Creatures who fail the save
also suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls for

47

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Golems of Glantri

Tin Golem, original drawing by Jeffrey Kosh

(https://jeffreykosh.wixsite.com/jeffreykoshgraphics/home)

48

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Golems of Glantri

LA MACHINE RUSÉE
I have observed that in Alphatia or Thyatis,
you like to solve your domestic problems
with slavery. This, to us, seems somewhat
barbaric. Yes, in Glantri we can be hard
taskmasters, but we don’t enslave others
when we have magic to do the same work.
And here we come to the most common
construct in les Principautés, which would
be La machine rusée, or the cunning
machine. You have a similar device here,
and you call it the contrivance, but whereas
in Alphatia they are made to be simple,
unadorned, even plain, in Glantri they are
engraved with the crests of the noble
houses from which they derive, and we
believe that they even show a certain pride
in their work. Let me describe them for you.

Contrivance*

AC: 2
HD: 10*
Move: Variable
Attacks: Nil (or special)
Damage: Nil (or variable)
1d4 rounds as they recover from the rever- No. Appearing: 1 (1)
berating sound. Save As: F10
Morale: 12
Like all golems, tin golems are immune to Treasure Type: Nil
sleep, charm, hold, and mind-affecting Intelligence: 10
magic, as well as poison, and magical Alignment: Neutral
weapons are required to strike them. They XP Value: Typically nil
are also unaffected by gas-based attacks due
to their hollow and sealed tin bodies. Being designed and constructed largely as
catch-all working golems, contrivances
resemble 4'x4' cubes with a single small
wheel on two opposite sides. The wheels
can be turned individually or together, and
are typically attached to cogs, belts, wheels
or pulleys as part of either simple or
complex mechanisms. Their role is to drag
ploughs from a static location, pull carts

49

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Golems of Glantri

with cogs and wheels attached to their GOLEMS REPRODUCTEURS

central motor, beat clay, turn millstones,
power bellows, or perform any of a multi- And now we come to the most unique class
tude of other tasks in a techno-magical of golem that we have in Glantri. Les golems
society. The capacity of contrivances to reproducteurs, or the reproductive golems as
power machines, vehicles or war engines is you would say. We do not entirely know from
limited by the engineering skills of their whence they came, or how they came to be.
operators. But we do know that they are distinctly dif-
ferent from any other form of golem in their
They are more intelligent than most other capacity to replenish their numbers by
golems and have a limited capacity to speak making more of their kind. There are stories
(in a stunted, mechanical, almost robotic in the valleys of Klantyre of a creature that
way). This can be used to command other made the first of each, a hedge wizard of
golems that they are left in control of, using some sort with unique abilities, but we have
them to change fixtures and fittings accord- no real information. Each of them seems
ing to their own instructed tasks. Golems harmless, in their own way, and indeed they
being tireless automata never need repair, can be found contributing usefully within
but they do need healing on occasion. A communities. The scarecrow role seems
wise owner of a contrivance will regularly obvious enough, of course, but they do more
employ clerics to cast healing spells to keep than repel birds – they can defend a crop
them going, and if well cared for they may against invading humanoids, even against
work indefinitely. monsters. Whereas a mannequin is more
than just a shop dummy, they can take on
A contrivance without any fittings is of aspects of running their masters’ businesses.
course useless in a fight, but depending on The aunt Sally, however, is more enigmatic –
what they are being used for they may be they exist, they perpetuate, we are to be
dangerous guards. With wheels and blades thankful that their populations rarely grow
attached and when mounted on carriages enough to become a problem.
they can tear through bodies of troops, or
when used to power siege engines they may
make loading and loosing projectiles faster
than is normally possible. Imaginative
owners have put them to many such uses.

But in themselves contrivances are not

aggressive and will not look for trouble.

50

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Golems of Glantri

Scarecrow*

AC: 7
HD: 2*
Movement Rate: 90' (30')
Attacks: 1 weapon + 1 spore cloud
Damage: By weapon + special
Number Appearing: 1 (1)
Save As: F1
Morale: 12
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: 5
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 24

Scarecrows, or straw golems, are perhaps

the most primitive, weakest of all golems.
They are simply formed of old clothes
stuffed with sticks and straws, with heads
formed of wurzels or swedes. They are
essentially animated scarecrows, created by
hedge wizards and rural guardians protect-
ing their wards from the darkness in uncivil-
ised borderlands.

They move in a jerky, slow fashion but can

attack with any weapons that are to hand,
often clubs, scythes, sickles, rakes and other
agricultural implements. In addition to the Strangely, scarecrows are able to perpetuate
use of weapons any creature in hand-to- their own kind by constructing more scare-
hand combat with a straw golem must make crows out of clothing, straw, and sticks. To
a saving throw vs. poison each round or be able to do so they must identify a sizable
succumb to a coughing fit for 1d6 rounds as farm field in need of a scarecrow, they
they breath in clouds of mould spores cannot simply make one where it is not
exuded by the golem, incurring -2 to hit needed. The new scarecrow feels the same
and damage, cumulatively, per coughing fit sense of duty as its creator and will typically
still in effect. guard the field for as long as is needed.

Like all golems, scarecrows are immune to

sleep, charm, hold, mind-affecting magic
and attacks, and also to gases. They can
only be struck by magical weapons. They
are immune to all missile fire devices but
make saving throws vs. fire-based attacks at
-2, and take double damage from fire.

51

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Golems of Glantri

Scarecrow Golem, original drawing by Jeffrey Kosh

(https://jeffreykosh.wixsite.com/jeffreykoshgraphics/home)

52

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Golems of Glantri

Mannequin*

AC: 7
HD: 3*
Movement Rate: 60' (20')
Attacks: 1 punch
Damage: 2d4
Number Appearing: 1d4 (1d4)
Save As: Fighter 3
Morale: 12 or 8
Treasure Type: Special
Intelligence: 5
Alignment: Lawful (employed),
Chaotic (free)
XP Value: 45

Another creation of the mysterious and gifted

hedge wizard who created both the straw
golems and aunts Sally, the mannequin is a
form of golem originally created for tailors to
work with (pinning clothes on to or draping They cannot wield weapons, but their capa-
in fabrics or clothes) and to display their city to change shape to a limited extent gives
wares. They are essentially tailors’ dummies, them an advantage in combat. All hand-held
crudely articulated at each joint, the neck attacks against them suffer a -2 to hit and
and the centre of the torso, with more damage, and the subterfuge offered by chan-
complex articulation allowing them to ging arm length and shape gives them a +2
change waist size, chest size, shoulder shape, to hit. Like other wooden golems they are
and leg and arm length at will. They are immune to all missiles, like all golems they
usually human-shaped but demi-human man- can only be struck by magical weapons, and
nequins are known, and they come in male are immune to sleep, charm, hold, and cold-
and female forms (but there is no discernible based attacks. They fear fire-based attacks
difference in behaviour of the two). They are and save against them with a -2 penalty.
capable of limited speech, with a child-like
intonation and limited vocabulary, and tend While not suffering extra damage from pier-
towards being malicious gossipers. cing weapons, such weapons as spears, short
swords and the like send them into a rage;
When employed by a tailor who treats them perhaps the memory of being stuck with pins
well (allows them to gossip, supplies them causes this. If facing such weapons their
with cups of tea in fine porcelain cups which morale is 12. They are immune to normal
they cannot drink but love to hold and look weapons, sleep, hold, charm, paralysis and
at, etc.) they are lawful creatures. If at all (inall mind-affecting magic.
their eyes) treated badly they will leave their
employers, and from that point their align- Like straw golems and Aunts Sally, the man-
ment becomes chaotic. nequins are able to craft more of their own

53

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Golems of Glantri

kind. They can only do so when they have wooden dolls with
accumulated a high-value (above 100gp in few if any discern-
worth) full set of clothing to equip their ible human fea-
progeny. In the ‘wild’, those mannequins that tures.
have claimed their freedom obsess over fine
clothes and jewels, and will attack and kill They are golems,
the best-dressed travellers they meet. They of a kind, and
don’t carry treasure as such, but they are therefore can only
often found to be wearing several layers of be struck by
fine, expensive clothes. magical weapons,
are immune to
mind-based
Aunt Sally* attacks, gases,
charms, and hold.
AC: 7 Similarly to a
HD: 3+3* wood golem they
Movement Rate: 90' (30') are also immune
Attacks: 1 slap to missile fire
Damage: 2d8 weapons, such that arrows, crossbow bolts
Number Appearing: 1(1) etc. cause them no harm.
Save As: F2
Morale: 12 While not desperately intelligent, they under-
Treasure Type: Nil stand the weak spots that humans and
Intelligence: 4 humanoids have, and instinctively know to
Alignment: Neutral go for the throat, to try to remove the head
XP Value: 65 (perhaps a racial memory of what they were
constructed for). In the first round of combat
they can leap up to 30' to attack the head,
The same gifted hedge wizard who first and if their first strike hits the victim must
created scarecrows and mannequins also make a saving throw vs. death ray or die.
carved the first animated Aunt Sally, and by
the same spark imparted the ability to these Aunts Sally are rare, perhaps because few of
grotesque mannequins to craft more of them see a purpose in creating more of their
their kind. kind, and because the conditions in which
they can do so are restrictive – they must pur-
Aunts Sally starts off as hideous figurines of chase the wood they need, with gold that
women, rarely more than 2'6" tall, resem- they have earned (opportunities for paid
bling the dolls used as target practice in an employment are few and far between for an
old pub game where wooden clubs are aunt Sally). They tend towards the chaotic
thrown to knock the heads off the dolls while and evil end of neutral. They have been
leaving the bodies in place. Naturally they known to pose as aunt Sally dolls in pubs,
strongly resent the practice and will remorse- their immunity to normal weapons making
lessly attack anyone playing such a game. the vengeance they claim on drinkers playing
Over many years their features wear thin, and what they view as a grotesque game
old Sallies more resemble crude, ugly unanswerable.

54

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Forgotten Reign of Baron Elktazar

The
Forgotten Reign
of
Baron Elktazar

by Demos Sachlas
Companion-level module CM8: “The
Endless Stair” (1987)1, by Ed Greenwood, is
a D&D adventure for a party of four to six
characters of levels 15 to 20. Greenwood
has described it as his “learn how to write SITUATING CM8:
TSR modules” module, released the same “THE ENDLESS STAIR”
year as the original “Forgotten Realms”
IN THE PRINCIPALITIES OF
boxed set.
GLANTRI
The adventure begins at “Daelzun’s Rest”, a
large and busy inn which serves as a gather- Here’s what the module has to say about
ing place for local trappers, woodcutters, the setting:
prospectors, and hunters. The PCs get
caught in the crossfire between a deceased “This adventure is designed to fit into an
wizard’s apprentices, as the rival mages vie ongoing campaign. It can be introduced
against one another to claim their master’s into play any time the PCs are traveling
inheritance. overland together for more than a day’s
journey, through fairly extensive rocky,
A small wilderness area is featured, along forested regions. The area in which play
with two dungeons: a wizard’s tomb, and will take place lies on a road far from
the titular “endless stair” leading to an large cities and at least a day’s ride from
extra-dimensional complex of chambers any large towns, in fairly rugged terrain
housing the Seat of Power, a lesser artifact that discourages travelers from casual
created by the Immortal “Cheiros”. The exploration. For those campaigns set in
whole adventure can probably be com- the D&D® game world introduced in the
pleted in 2–3 sessions. Expert Set, it is recommended that
Daelzun’s Rest be located on a road
1
somewhere in the Principalities of
The module can be bought on the Drivethrurpg
website here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/ Glantri, at least four days’ ride from
product/17133/cm8-the-endless-stair-basic Glantri City.” (CM8 pg. 2)

55

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Forgotten Reign of Baron Elktazar

The “D&D game world” is “The Lands and through the Isoile river valley in New
Environs of the D&D Wilderness” as presen- Averoigne, which isn’t the best fit for CM8,
ted in the 1983 Expert Rulebook (pg. 33), since the route doesn’t pass through any
based on the map of “The Continent” in rocky, forested regions at least a day’s ride
module X1: “The Isle of Dread” (pg. 16). from any large towns.
The map in the Expert Rulebook also
depicts overland trade routes, with two An alternative for the location of Daelzun’s
roughly parallel routes leading northwest Rest involves a “lost” trade route – the one
out of the Principalities of Glantri. depicted in the D&D Expert Set, but not
GAZ3. This route clearly follows the
The map in GAZ3: “The Principalities of Vesubian river on the Expert Set map, but
Glantri” (1987) only depicts the southern stops at Leenz on the Gazetteer map.
of these two trade routes, the one that runs

56

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Forgotten Reign of Baron Elktazar

By extending the road from Leenz across The Lands of Baron Elktazar
the mountains to join the main trade road
going north, we create a fitting location for According to the module, the area around
Daelzun’s Rest, perhaps halfway along this Daelzun’s Rest was ruled by Baron Elktazar
route, described as “the only shelter and some 300 years earlier, when the highlands
source of supply for goods from afar in the region was still a Flaemish realm, prior to
area”. the formation of the Principalities of
Glantri.
The module goes on to state that “Weapons
are permitted in the inn (as this is wilder- Elktazar’s domain contained “vast forests,
land country), and visitors of all races and rocky crags, and small farms, a loyal land
creeds are welcome.” (The latter possibly under the Baron’s even justice in a land of
explains the tolerance of a clerical sect many small baronies and landholdings.”
described later in the module – after all, The northern Vesubian river valley could
these are the outskirts of the Principalities.) represent Baron Elktazar's domain (there
might have been more widespread forested
The wilderness map in CM8, “The Woods areas, which were cleared to create more
Around Lost Axe Lake”, covers a small area farmland).
(about 2,000 x 3,000 yards, less than 2
square miles). A standard 8-mile hex con- CM8 also states that the Baron reigned from
tains 55.4 square miles, so if it were not for Moonkeep “a many-towered fortress atop a
the trade road, the map could really be situ- rocky crag (it is up to the DM to decide if
ated anywhere. Moonkeep has vanished entirely, is an

Moonkeep

57

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Forgotten Reign of Baron Elktazar

explorable – i.e., dungeon – ruin, or still Baron Elktazar) and contains interesting
exists, perhaps under a different name, as details concerning the period of Flaemish
an inhabited stronghold).” Perhaps Fort rule.
Nordling represents the centuries-old
Moonkeep? The northern portion of the Aalban river
valley on the map on the inside front cover
Continuing this line of thought, I consulted of “Dragonlord of Mystara” is depicted as
my copy of “Dragonlord of Mystara” (1994) heavily forested, fitting the description of
by Thorarinn Gunnarsson. The novel is set Baron Elktazar’s land of “vast forests, rocky
in AC 500 (200 years before the rule of crags, and small farms”.

A map of “The Highlands” in AC 700 could include the “many-towered fortress” of Moonkeep in the
location of Fort Nordling, and a village in the location of the town of Leenz. Lands held by the House
of Linden would represent the southern boundary of Baron Elkatazar’s lands.

58

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Forgotten Reign of Baron Elktazar

Locations in GAZ3 that don’t appear on the Frictions with the neighbouring Ethengar
map in “Dragonlord of Mystara” include Khanate, starting in AC 585, culminated in a
the town of Leenz, Fort Nordling, and the disastrous invasion attempt by the Flaems
villages of Vorstadt and Ostbruck. in AC 662, when the Flaemish expeditionary
force was utterly massacred in the steppes.

In the years following this humiliating

History defeat, an adventurer by the name of Elk-
tazar established a Barony in the unclaimed
The Flaems, also known as the Followers of forested wilderness in the northern
Fire, first arrived in the lands now known as Vesubian river valley.
the Principalities of Glantri in AC 395.
Their settlements multiplied, and their great By all accounts, Elktazar was a tall, powerful
capital of Braejr was established in AC 450. man with a battered visage and great
prowess, also known as the “Axe-Lord”
because of his favorite weapon.

With the help of his magist, Phelzaron the

Long-Lived, the baron constructed an
imposing, many-towered fortress atop a
rocky crag, naming it Moonkeep.

The early years of his reign were marked by

skirmishes with neighbouring Flaemish
lords, in which the Baron would usually
prevail.

By AC 700, Baron Elktazar was thirty-eight

years of age and in the thirteenth year of his
reign. He was known far and wide for his
love of falconry, hosting splendid tourna-
ments, and breeding fine warhorses
(including his black stallion “Darkmane”).

The magus Ruirlon the Brown was a fre-

quent visitor to Moonkeep, and would assist
Phelzaron with magical research. The
Baron’s court also attracted foreign mages,
such as Dathlinn “Windmaster”, a Follower
of Air from the distant Empire of Alphatia.
Elktazar’s alliances with powerful magic-
users served as a deterrent to attacks by
Flaemish sorcerers.
Baron Elktazar

59

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Forgotten Reign of Baron Elktazar

The Baron and his wife, the Lady Baeria, Staging

had a son, the proud and warlike Thykyl,
and a daughter, the quiet, dark-eyed Although the module assumes the PCs are
Lathluryl. travelling overland when they stop for the
night at Daelzun’s Rest, there are several
The fall of the Barony is shrouded in mystery, more engaging adventure hooks for a cam-
possibly involving the schemes of the evil paign set in the Principalities of Glantri.
Flaemish sorceress Lady Maerklara of
Nordeen. The baron, his wife, and their Rumors of the Baron’s tomb might lead the
daughter were entombed in a remote loca- PCs to its location. Alternately, legends
tion in the nearby mountains, to discourage about the Endless Stair could serve as an
grave robbers. impetus to explore the area around Lost
Axe Lake, or else rumors of the Seat of
Today, the reign of Baron Elktazar is not Power itself.
well remembered by the Flaems, who
prefer to think of themselves as the only Ed Greenwood includes many interesting
settlers of the Highlands prior to the arrival new monsters (Prying Eyes, Guardian Hand,
of the d’Ambrevilles from La Terre in AC Skullwraith, Eater-of-Magic) that don’t
728 and the first Thyatian settlers in AC appear elsewhere, as well as new spells
730. (Stone Bolt (3rd level), Control Bats (4th
level), Warning Trumpet (4th level), Control
However, memory of the Baron is certainly Gargoyle (5th level), Symbol: Spell Loss;
known to the local folk, and preserved by Entrap (8th level)) and magic items (Crystal
“Those Who Watch”, a secretive clerical sect of Death Scrying, Dart of Death, Gem of
which believes that dead champions of the Magic Missile Protection, Diadem of Disen-
past will rise again to renew the lands. chantment).

Overall, CM8 is an underused module with

lots of useful material, which situates quite
neatly into Northern Glantri.

60

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Fan Productions on Glantri

Fan Productions on
Glantri
A summary by Sturm
of material produced by fans,
including Robin, Aoz, Micky
and others
Glantri is probably, after Karameikos, the nation of the Known
World for which there is the most abundance of fan materials.
Even if multiple people over the years contributed to expand the
information on the Principalities, it is sufficient to take a look at
the dedicated page in the Vaults of Pandius1 to realize that some 1
https://pandius.com/
contributors stand out for the abundance of material. glantri.html

We already mentioned Robin and her work about the Great

School of Magic in a dedicated article elsewhere in this issue, but
there are 36 other entries by her in the Glantri page of the
Vaults. Check them to find out about the Glantrian Bureaucratic
Agency, spells, locations, maps of the Great Crater2 and Trintan3, 2
https://pandius.com/
and much more. Check especially her map of Glantri City 30 feet grtcrtr.html
per hex, which details the city, expanding it much beyond the 3
https://pandius.com/
GAZ3 description. trintan.html
Robin also made
several 1 mile per
hex maps of
Glantrian domin-
ions, as she did for
Karameikos and
the Broken Lands.

Glantri City 30 feet

per hex by Robin,
full-scale map in the
Vaults of Pandius 4 4
https://pandius.com/m_
glncty.html

61

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Fan Productions on Glantri

Another very important

contributor to fan produc-
tion in Glantri is certainly
Michael Berry, a.k.a.
Micky, who has 49 entries
in the Vaults’ Glantri page.
His contributions include
spells, histories, almanac
entries, detailed descrip-
tion of Glantri City quar-
ters, and his extensive
description of Glantrian
Dominions5 which also 5
https://pandius.com/
includes several 1 mile glandomn.html
per hex maps.
Map of New Averoigne, 1 mile per hex by Micky 6 6
https://pandius.com/
NewAveroigne.png

Aoz is another important Glantrian contributor with 63 entries

in the page and an impressive range of subjects that really
brings the nation of wizards to life: spells, stories, locations,
magical creations, items, societies, adventure seeds, and much
more. There is really a wide wealth of information and imagina-
tion on Glantri in Aoz’s articles, and as we cannot list them all
here, I’ll just mention some stand-out contributions to give
readers an idea of his wonderful inventions: ”New Kolland and
Trapmaking”, ”Glantrian Giant Crawling Hand Mounts”,
”Canal Pirates of Glantri”, ”Shops in Glantri”, ”Etienne”s Disap-
pearance and the Temples of Rad”, ”Radiance Becoming Sen-
tient”, ”Glantrian Scholastic Insomniacs”, to name just a few!
Aoz also has the additional hobby of searching for stock images
on the web that can be adapted to Glantri, including maps as
the one below.

“Dark Druid’s Cave” from “Glantrian

Crown Properties” by Aoz7, made with 7
https://pandius.com/
Paths Peculiar, World building for fantasy gcrwnpty.html
role-playing games,8 8
https://www.wistedt.net/

62

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Fan Productions on Glantri

Among other contributors who have greatly enriched the Glantrian

page in the Vaults I think I should also mention some of them:

Harri Mäki (20 entries), especially his Timeline of Glantrian His-

tory9 and the histories of the major Noble House of Glantri. 9
https://pandius.com/
historia.html
Andrew Theisen (16 entries), with a lot of useful entries; check
for example, “The Changing Face of Glantrian Politics”10 or 10
https://pandius.com/
Members of the 7 Crafts11 glnpol16.html

11
https://pandius.com/
Greenbrier (15 entries), see for example, “Barhopping in glantri2.html
Glantri City”12 or ”Fast food...Glantrian style”13 or “El Arbol, an
12
alternative Belcadiz Tree of Life”14 https://pandius.com/
gcbarhop.html
Emanuele Betti (11 entries), whose crown achievement is, I’d 13
https://pandius.com/
say, the Poster Maps of Southern15 and Northern Glantri16 in 1 glnfstfd.html
mile perhex.
14
https://pandius.com/
elarbol.html
John Calvin a.k.a. Chimpman (10 entries), who made Crests for
the Noble Houses, Views of the Tower of Sighs and much more, 15
https://pandius.com/
such as “The Radiance Revisited”17 Glantri_South_poster_
map.png
Sean Meaney (10 entries), with many adventure ideas and “The 16
https://pandius.com/
Great Crater AC 1016”18 published in THRESHOLD Magazine Glantri_North_poster_
issue #16. map.png

17
https://pandius.com/
Nathan Elling (8 entries), who drew up the “Glantrian Noble”19 radnce.html
class, spells, and a new conception of the seven secret crafts.
18
https://pandius.com/
Caius of Glantri (8 entries) with a D&D 5th edition Glantrian grtcrtr2.html
campaign set in “Mystara (5e Glantri Campaign): Duels”20 19
https://pandius.com/
gnoble.html
David Knott (7 entries); see for example, “Changes to Glantrian
Titles since 1000 AC”21 and “More on Glantrian Succession”22 20
https://pandius.com/
5eglndul.html
Kit Navarro (6 entries) with “The Cults and the Immortals of 21
https://pandius.com/
Glantri”23 and “Glantrian Foreign Service”24 and was also the fan glantitl.html
behind the Glantrian Personnel Division and Paparazzi Glantri
22
websites described below and an important contributor of the https://pandius.com/glan_
suc.html
later fan-produced Mystara Almanacs.
23
https://pandius.com/
There are also many other people with at least 5 entries, but we glanrclt.html
cannot list them all as the page has about 450 entries in total, 24
https://pandius.com/glan_
and as we have seen in the examples above, some of them
fs.html
contain many other subpages with lots of content. An impressive

63

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Fan Productions on Glantri

work by the fan community and more than enough for hun-
dreds of adventures and campaigns in Glantri!

Glantrian Personnel Division

and Paparazzi Glantri

Beside the Fan Production described above, I think it’s

essential to add two sites listed in the links section of the
Vaults of Pandius25, which are absolutely necessary resources 25
https://pandius.com/links.
to play in Glantri. html

The Glantrian Personnel Division was a Geocities

webpage which has now been saved and linked to on the
Vaults at this address: https://www.oocities.org/principalit-
ies_of_glantri/ and it’s really something that everyone who
wishes to play in Glantri should read.

It contains, in fact expanded descriptions and

histories of almost all the nobles and characters
presented in GAZ3: “The Principalities of
Glantri” and several more, such as the Masters
at the Great School of Magic, Nobles from the
Minor Houses, and Members of the Seven
Crafts, adding a wide gallery of characters for
playing in Glantri.

Paparazzi Glantri is another fundamental

Glantrian site also saved from the old Geocities
and present at this link: https://www.geocities.
ws/paparazzi_glantri/. It is a fantastic gossip site
on Glantri, perfectly suited for a country of
wizards and intrigues. Its sections speak for
themselves, so go check “The Latest Trends”, “The Glitter-
ati”, “Gossip & Rumors”, “Anecdotes & Stories”, “Glantrian
Etiquette”, “Who are the Paparazzi?”, and “Les Liaisons
Dangereuses”. The site is also ‘present’ in the later Mystaran
Almanacs as an existing ‘in-world’ Gazetteer gossiping on
Glantrian nobility. Reading it, you will certainly discover
many secrets about Glantrian society, and most of them
could even be true!

64

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Replica map
by Thorf

An examination of the events of Known World

as outlined in the Mystaran Almanacs

Focusing on
Aengmor and the shadow elves,
Broken Lands and humanoids,
Darokin, Ethengar and Glantri

65

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

This article follows “The Future of Mystara” this greatly useful list will be eventually
feature from the previous issue (#34) of posted in the Vaults of Pandius. The events
THRESHOLD Magazine1 in which I imagined of the list here are described briefly, some-
the future of the Known World and Mystara times using the same titles as the Almanacs,
in general if the product line had continued sometimes explaining with more details
beyond the Almanacs. Following the exam- what happens, so that it’s possible to read
ination of the events in the official Almanacs briefly through the events of each nation
(Poor Wizard’s Almanac I, II and III and through the years. Some events are
Joshuan’s Almanac & Book of Facts) and repeated in multiple countries or lands if
the events of the “Wrath of the Immortals” multiple places are involved.
boxed set2 covering the years from AC 1,010
to 1,013 I’ll now proceed to the events of
the Mystaran Almanacs3 created by the fan
community, which cover the years from AC
1,014 to 1,019, with AC 1,020 currently in
production.

This article and the previous one have

addressed only the Known World, while
future articles will treat Alphatia, the North
and the rest of the world. I’ll also highlight
some ‘lost threads’ which were introduced
in the Almanacs but never developed
further later. In this issue I will focus on
Glantri and some countries around it that
have a specific influence on the nation of
wizards in the Mystaran Almanacs. I’ve
also expanded Harri Mäki’s ‘A geographical/
political index for the almanacs AC 1014 to
AC 1018,’4 adding the years before AC 1,013
and AC 1,019. My full expanded version of
1
THRESHOLD Magazine issue #34 is available as a
PDF at the Vaults of Pandius website.
2
Links to the PDF versions of the “Wrath of the
Immortals” boxed set and to the official Almanaca
available via Drivethrurpg.com can be found in the
REFERENCES section at the end of this article
3
The Mystaran Almanacs created by the fan
community can be downloaded for free here in the
Vaults of Pandius http://pandius.com/alm.html
4
I will follow more or less the geographical division
outlined by Harri Mäki in ‘A geographical/political
index for the almanacs AC 1014 to AC 1018’ which
can be found in the Vaults at http://pandius.com/
almindex.html. I am working on an expanded version
of this greatly useful list which I’ll post in the Vaults of
Pandius as soon as it’s completed.

66

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

THE KNOWN WORLD Chamber of the Spheres defeats the Schat-

tenalfen at the very last moment, and they
As explained in the previous article, I think escape underground or to Aengmor City.
that the Day of Dread and the publication In Aengmor/Alfheim however, peace makes
of Claransa’s Travels to the Center of the progress and on Fyrmont 3rd, AC 1,015 a
World should have long-term consequences treaty is signed between King Doriath and
on the Known World. In the Mystaran Princess Tanadaleyo which allows the
Almanacs we’ll see later that there are former Alfheimer to return to the Canol-
several actions started by Known World barth forest and help heal it. The Church of
countries to access the Hollow World, but Atzanteotl and the Alfheim Avengers keep
with limited results. As the Day of Dread plotting against the peace, and try to assas-
becomes a yearly event, all Known World sinate Doriath and Tanadaleyo, but on
countries prepare for it as best as possible, Flaurmont 12th, AC 1,019 a Ceremony of
especially wizards and magic-rich countries Reconciliation is held in Rafielton by the
such as Glantri. two leaders, who also strike against follow-
ers of Atzanteotl with the help of other
Known World nations. On Kaldmont 25th,
Aengmor and the Shadow AC 1,019 Rafielton is renamed Alfheim
Elves (plus Alfheim) Town in this spirit.

The shadow elves received quite an extens- Behind the scenes Ilsundal and Rafiel have
ive treatment in the five Mystaran Alman- allied to heal the forest, using also the new
acs, following the several events of the radiant soul crystals produced in the
previous official Almanacs in which they Chamber of the Spheres, which also allows
conquered Oenkmar. After waging a war shamans to cast spells even during the Day
with Rockhome and almost the whole of Dread.
Western Defence League, finally the shadow
elves start some peace talks with the dis- In AC 1,017 the forest of Canolbarth is also
placed Alfheim elves. The process however menaced by Synn, who tries to take control
is hindered by the actions of the Alfheim of its magic points as per the events of the
Avengers and by the Church of Atzanteotl, videogame Shadow over Mystara, but it’s
which also raises Oenkmar/Aengmor back saved by a group of adventurers.
to the surface on Fyrmont 2nd, AC 1,014
and takes control of it. A civil war ensues in
Nuwmont, AC 1,015, with the City of the
Stars attacking Rafielton, where a New Way
of Rafiel is spreading, and Aengmor city,
which officially supports Rafielton but is
really controlled by Atzanteotl’s church.
Eventually the City of the Stars and
Rafielton settle the matter but Aengmor City
becomes de-facto independent and con-
trolled by Atzanteotl, who at the end of the
year sends a Schattenalfen army against the
City of the Stars. The completion of the

67

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

AENGMOR (colony in Canolbarth) events

1006 Fall Twisted Trees of Alfheim (WotI p. 81)

1007 Fall Alfheim Is No More (WotI p. 84)
1010 Flaurmont 7 Birthright in the twisted woods
Fyrmont 1 Aengmor is going dry, Princess Tandaleyo asks for help from
Norwold elves
Ambyrmont 2 Shadow elves want more land and threaten Darokin
Sviftmont 5 Shadow elves reach Norwold
Eirmont 21 Darokin offers trade
1011 Vatermont 13 Torrential rains
Sviftmont 1 Weather magic in Aengmor fails to bring stable rainfall
Kaldmont 25 Alfheim avengers in Karameikos scheme
1012 Vatermont 15 Shadow elves learn of Oenkmar
26 Shadow elves march on the Broken Lands
Thaumont 9 Darokinian diplomats ask for explanation in Rafielton but are
sent away
15 Rain in Canolbarth thanks to the effort of Norwold elves and
shadow elves
Flaurmont 4 Shadow elves attack the dwarves around Oenkmar
6 Rockhome asks the WDL for help against the shadow elves
8 Shadow elves’ assault on Oenkmar
9 Dwarves and humanoids ally and drive the shadow elves out of
Oenkmar
11 Relief troops from Rockhome arrive in Oenkmar
23 Darokin calls for peace but it’s ignored by the shadow elves
Yarthmont 1 Shadow elves renew attack on Oenkmar
10 Ylaruam and Five Shires send troops to Fort Nell
15 Shadow elves agree to a truce promoted by Darokin, war stops
22 Everast XVI and Tanadaleyo meet in Selenica; peace talks fail;
war resumes
28 Karameikos sends troops to Darokin
Klarmont 2 Battle of the Black Hills, shadow elves repelled to Aengmor by
forces of Darokin, Ylaruam, Karameikos and the Shires
16 Fighting continues between dwarves and shadow elves while
surrounding humanoids attack both
18 Shadow elves’ assault on Oenkmar barely repelled
26 Darokin and Karameikos convince Aengmor to agree to another
truce

68

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Felmont 1 In Selenica Darokin brings proof that Oenkmar was the ancient
elven city of Aengmor
2 Alebane’s humanoids attack dwarves and elves
3 General Garafaele order shadow elves to retreat to Canolbarth
28 Truce in Selenica between dwarves and shadow elves; Rockhome
leaves the WDL, offended for lack of support
Ambyrmont 14 Shadow elves take Oenkmar with a surprise attack; humanoids
resist in the Citadel
16 Shadow elves slaughter and drive away all humanoids in Oenkmar

Sviftmont 15 Humanoid raids increase all around the Broken Lands as many
tribes escape from the shadow elves
28 Tanadaleyo informs ambassadors the shadow elves now own
Oenkmar/Aengmor and the lower Broken Lands
Eirmont 20 Canolbarth’s borders recede
1013 Vatermont 22 Shadow elves’ delegation in Darokin City
Ambyrmont 10 Battle between shadow elves and humanoids along the Vesubia
river causes a flood which blocks the caravan route between
Darokin and Glantri
Sviftmont 23 Tiernan Chossum of Radlebb meets Princess Tanadaleyo and is
told Alfheim elves who wish to cure the forest and return are
welcome
Eirmont 16 Alfheim refugees return to Radlebb after talks in Aengmor
Nuwmont 4 Debate among shadow elves about the elves of Alfheim, sparked
1014
secretly by the church of Atzanteotl
Vatermont 3 Agreement with former Alfheim elves
28 Jorodrin Feadiel, the Tree Keeper of Clan Feadiel, arrives in Rafiel-
ton
Thaumont 9 Spells to save the forest fail; tension mounts
27 Source of warped magic found in the former magic points
Yarthmont 12 Alfheim Avenger disguised as shadow elf attacks Jorodrin and
makes the peace talk fails
19 Jorodrin and his elves escape
Fyrmont 5 Oenkmar-Aengmor’s rise to the surface revealed
Ambyrmont 22 Debate spreads on the New Way of Rafiel

Sviftmont 12 Tanadaleyo proposes peace again; some Alfheimers return to help

Kaldmont 8 Divisions in the Church of Rafiel in Aengmor, Rafielton

22 The City of the Stars declares war on the rebellious kingdoms of
Rafielton and Aengmor City

69

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Nuwmont 1 Civil War between Reformists and Conservative, with the Church
1015
of Atzanteotl secretly behind the first one
4 Opportunistic raids by Huptain Khan from Hobgobland
15 Kanafasti discovers the truth in Aengmor and escapes to Rafiel-
ton
17 Prince Erian asks for peace in Rafielton and is wounded by an
assassin; the civil war ends; skirmishes in Aengmor-Oenkmar
Vatermont 21 New Way of Rafiel discussed also in the City of the Stars
Thaumont 26 Way of Rafiel revised, Wanderers still have to leave home but may
now return to shadow elves’ lands
Felmont 18 Tanadaleyo proposes King Doriath an encounter in Darokin
Fyrmont 3 Peace talks resume in Favaro, Darokin
26 Peace treaty signed; Alfheimers can return to the forest and help
heal it
Ambyrmont 1 Many Feadiel and Red Arrow from Karameikos resettle the forest,
as well as a big group of Erendyl and a few Mealidil and Long
Runners from Wendar
Sviftmont 17 Some tension between shadow elves and returned Alfheimers on
the anniversary of the conquest of Alfheim
1016 Nuwmont 7 Gilfrondel buried in Canolbarth after his death in Denagoth
23 East Rafielton enclave created for returned Alfheimers
Vatermont 14 Gilfronden’s corpse stolen in Rafileton to be raised in the City of
the Stars
Thaumont 6 The two hidden Trees of Life left regain energy in Canolbarth,
result of a cooperation between Ilsundal and Rafiel
11 More Alfheimers come and ask to settle in southwestern Canol-
barth
14 Alfheimers’ request is not granted and they are sent to eastern
lake Selinar
20 Alfheim Avengers infiltrated by Atzanteotl
27 Jorodrin Feadiel announces the other Trees of Life must return
to Canolbarth
Flaurmont 12 Alfheim Avengers assassinate in secret shadow elven merchants
and other important people
Yarthmont 7 Assassination attempt against Falanen
8 News of the crusaders’ defeat in Wendar reach King Doriath in
Rafielton
13 General Sputafiel saved from drowning
18 New soul crystals work above ground

70

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Klarmont 3 Rising paranoia among shadow elves after the assassinations

24 Trees of Life return to Canolbarth
Fyrmont 26 Shamans and Treekeepers work to use the soul crystals with the
Trees of Life to heal the forest

Ambyrmont 16 Erewan elves arrive in Canolbarth to help the healing

Sviftmont 17 Tensions during the 9th anniversary of the conquest
27 Alfheim Avengers try to assassinate Tanadaleyo and Doriath but
fail
1017 Yarthmont 16 Synn explores a corrupt magic point to unleash chaos on Canol-
barth

Klarmont 2 Synn recruits shadow elven mercenaries

Ambyrmont 3 Skyship sent by Malachie crashes in Canolbarth
14 Synn’s fortress rises from the earth above Canolbarth
15 Synn’s fortress is attacked by skyships and disappears
25 Tanadalaeyo investigates
Sviftmont 1 Glantri denies involvement with the shadow elves
1018 Vatermont 27 New flowers growing at Ironbark
Fyrmont 8 Dreamlands restored
1019 Thaumont 1 Forest returns to life especially around Rafieltown and Selinar
Flaurmont 12 Ceremony of Reconciliation held by Doriath and Tanadaleyo in
Rafielton; more Alfheimers and fairies returning to the forest

Yarthmont 5 Fights erupt in Canolbarth but are quelled; role of Atzanteotl is

discovered by Ilsundal and Rafiel
Klarmont 11 Doriath, Tanadaleyo, Telemon, Mauntea, Stefan Karameikos and
Bensarian of Wendar meet secretly to act against the Church of
Atzanteotl

Felmont 2 Adventurers and soldiers of Aengmor, Shadowlands, Karameikos,

Darokin and Wendar strike the Church of Atzanteotl
Ambyrmont 8 Atzanteotl’s priests try to kill Tanadalaeyo in Rafielton in retalia-
tion
Eirmont 22 Secret church of Atzanteotl destroyed under Darokin, but the
cult survives in Aengmor City
Kaldmont 25 Rafielton regains the name of Alfheim Town

71

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Portrait of Tanadaleyo by Bing AI Image creator

AENGMOR CITY (former Oenkmar) events

1014 Nuwmont 4 Debate among shadow elves about the elves of Alfheim, sparked
secretly by the church of Atzanteotl
Yarthmont 20 Wanderers hidden in Oenkmar/Aengmor make plans to raise the
city back to the surface, secretly inspired by Atzanteotl
Fyrmont 2 Aengmor city rises; earthquake in Darokin, southern Glantri, Eth-
engar; humanoids scattered
5 Rafielton announces Broken Lands belong to the shadow elves
now
Ambyrmont 2 In Aengmor is put a stop to the abandonment of deformed chil-
dren and exile of the Wanderers
14 Cult of Atzanteotl stirs protests in Aengmor City
Kaldmont 8 Divisions in the Church of Rafiel in Aengmor City and Rafielton
22 The City of the Stars declares war on the rebellious kingdoms of
Rafielton and Aengmor City
1015 Nuwmont 10 Kanafasti and the Wanderers leave Aengmor City
20 Atzanteotl’s church conquers Aengmor and defeats the shadow
elves’ army
Klarmont 11 Atzanteotl’s priests obtain the alliance of Huptain Khan’s hobgob-
lins

72

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

ALFHEIM events in “Wrath of the Immortals”

1006 Spring The Master Is Hammered (WotI p. 80)
Fall Twisted Trees of Alfheim (WotI p. 81)
1007 Fall Alfheim Is No More (WotI p. 84)
Winter Elves Winter in Cruth (WotI p. 84)
1008 Fall Ethengarians Ambush Elves (WotI p. 86)

SHADOWLANDS events
1010 Kaldmont 13 Shadow elves meet the Schattenalfen in the Hollow World
16 The Queen of the Shattenalfen agrees to open diplomatic rela-
tions
1012 Vatermont 15 Shadow elves learn of Oenkmar
26 Shadow elves march on the Broken Lands
Flaurmont 4 Shadow elves attack the dwarves around Oenkmar
6 Rockhome asks the WDL for help against the shadow elves
8 Shadow elves’ assault on Oenkmar
9 Dwarves and humanoids ally and drive the shadow elves out of
Oenkmar
11 Relief troops from Rockhome arrive in Oenkmar
23 Darokin calls for peace but it’s ignored by the shadow elves

73

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Yarthmont 1 Shadow elves renew attack on Oenkmar

10 Ylaruam and Five Shires send troops to Fort Nell
15 Shadow elves agree to a truce promoted by Darokin; war stops
22 Everast XVI and Tanadaleyo meet in Selenica
28 Peace talks fail; war resumes; Karameikos sends troops to
Darokin
Klarmont 2 Battle of the Black Hills; shadow elves repelled to Aengmor by
forces of Darokin, Ylaruam, Karameikos and the Five Shires
16 Fighting continues between dwarves and shadow elves while sur-
rounding humanoids attack both
18 Shadow elves’ assault on Oenkmar barely repelled
26 Darokin and Karameikos convince Aengmor to agree to another
truce
Felmont 1 In Selenica Darokin brings proof that Oenkmar was the ancient
elven city of Aengmor
3 After Alebane’s attack General Garafaele orders shadow elves to
retreat to Canolbarth
28 Truce in Selenica between dwarves and shadow elves; Rockhome
leaves the WDL, offended by lack of support
Ambyrmont Shadow elves take Oenkmar with a surprise attack; humanoids
14 resist in the Citadel
16 Shadow elves slaughter and drive away all humanoids in
Oenkmar
Sviftmont 1 Wanderer contacts Royal Wizard Kanafasti and reveals several of
them were hidden in Oenkmar
15 Humanoid raids increase all around the Broken Lands as many
tribes escape from the shadow elves
28 Tanadaleyo informs ambassadors the shadow elves now own
Oenkmar/Aengmor City and the lower Broken Lands
1013 Vatermont 22 Shadow elves’ delegation in Darokin City
Ambyrmont Battle between shadow elves and humanoids along the Vesubia
10 river causes a flood which blocks the caravan route between
Darokin and Glantri
Nuwmont 4 Debate among shadow elves about the elves of Alfheim, sparked
1014 secretly by the church of Atzanteotl
Kaldmont 8 Divisions in the Church of Rafiel in Aengmor City and Rafielton
22 The City of the Stars declares war on the rebellious kingdoms of
Rafielton and Aengmor City

74

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Nuwmont 1 Civil War between Reformists and Conservatives, with the Church
1015
of Atzanteotl secretly behind the first one
4 Opportunistic raids by Huptain Khan from Hobgobland
15 Kanafasti discovers the truth in Aengmor and escapes to Rafiel-
ton
17 Prince Erian asks for peace in Rafielton and is wounded by an
assassin; the civil war ends; skirmishes in Aengmor-Oenkmar
Vatermont 21 New Way of Rafiel discussed also in the City of the Stars
Thaumont 26 Way of Rafiel revised; Wanderers still have to leave home but may
now return to shadow elves’ lands
Sviftmont 13 Geonids attack shadow elves
25 Preparation for a Rockhome attack, all ploys by Atzanteotl
Eirmont 24 Schattenalfen arrive
27 Spiders attack to distract the shadow elves’ army
Kaldmont 2 Schattenalfen attack the Great Cavern
3 Aranea and spiders driven from Losetrel
5 Schattenalfen camp in Piliny
10 Some Schattenalfen defect to shadow elves
12 Assault on the City of the Stars
14 Schattenalfen about to conquer the City
27 General Garafaele dies
28 Shamans of Rafiel repel them after completing the Chamber of
the Spheres
1016 Nuwmont 1 Defeated Schattenalfen escape to Aengmor City or underground
3 Garafaele’s body brought to the Chamber of the Spheres
15 Garafaele resurrected as protector of the Chamber of the Spheres
Vatermont 8 Rafiel instructs Porphyriel to place soul crystals in the Chamber
14 Gilfronden’s corpse stolen in Rafielton to be raised in the City of
the Stars
Flaurmont 28 Rafiel instruct Porphyriel to bring the new radiant soul crystals to
the surface to heal the forest
Yarthmont 18 New soul crystals work above ground
Klarmont 10 Calenderi, shaman and daughter to King Telemon, sent as
shaman in Rafielton
Felmont 10 Shadow elven ambassadors sent to Known World capitals, along
with members of the Second Shadow rebuilt by Gilfronde

75

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Fyrmont 1 Shamans learn that lesser soul crystals shatter in the Chamber
but keep this a secret
Ambyrmont 3 Prince Erian of the shadow elves is sent to study at the Great
School of Magic
Kaldmont 28 Shamans of Rafiel can cast spells using radiant soul crystal, even
on the Day of Dread
1017 Yarthmont 16 Synn explores a corrupt magic point to unleash chaos on Canol-
barth
Klarmont 2 Synn recruits shadow elven mercenaries
Ambyrmont Synn’s fortress rises from the earth above Canolbarth but it is
14–15 attacked by skyships and disappears
25 Tanadaleyo investigates
Sviftmont 1 Glantri denies involvement with the shadow elves
1019 Flaurmont 12 Ceremony of Reconciliation held by Doriath and Tanadaleyo in
Rafielton; more Alfheimers and fairies returning to the forest
Klarmont 11 Doriath, Tanadaleyo, Telemon, Mauntea, Stefan Karameikos and
Bensarian of Wendar meet secretly to act against the Church of
Atzanteotl
Felmont 2 Adventurers and soldiers of Aengmor, Shadowlands, Karameikos,
Darokin and Wendar strike the Church of Atzanteotl

The Mystaran Almanacs

ous thread. The AC 1,018 Almanac has only
Storylines through the Years some minor events highlighting the pro-
gress in healing the forest. The AC 1,019
The development of the storylines in the dif- storyline reprises the peace process and the
ferent years of the MA deserves some brief struggle with the Church of Atzanteotl.
comments as it is apparent for this area—as There are no events focused on the Shad-
we’ll see in future installments it is also the owlands after AC 1,016.
case for others—that probably different
authors worked on the area depending on
the year. Comparison with the Official
Almanacs
The AC 1,014 to AC 1,016 storyline is
focused on the peace process in Alfheim/ The events of the Mystaran Almanacs obvi-
Aengmor and the attempts to sabotage it by ously built on some seeds already present
the Alfheim Avengers and the Church of in the official ones, especially the peace
Atzanteotl which took control of Aengmor. talks with the former Alfheimers and the
The AC 1,017 storyline focuses instead on effort to heal the forest, leading to a true
the story of the Shadow over Mystara peace treaty and serious hopes of a lasting
videogame, forgetting to update the previ- reconciliation. It went therefore in a very

76

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

different direction from the one presented Broken Lands, Great Crater
by Robin in “The Fall and Rise of the Canol- and Orclands
barth” article of THRESHOLD Magazine
issue #105, with the forest almost disap-
pearing for some decades, as she supposed
even magical regrowth would take a long
time. In the official Almanacs however it
seemed that shadow elves were bent on
absorbing the whole Broken Lands, but this
did not happen in the MA as Oenkmar/
Aengmor City became de-facto independent
and separated by other shadow elven
dominions.

Possible Future Development

In the situation presented at the end of AC

1,019 the hypotheses on the future I made
in the previous article still seem possible
even if in a slightly different scenario. The
elves may well become an united force but I will treat all this big region together to
they still have to deal with Atzanteotl’s pres- examine the fate of the humanoid leaders
ence in the city of Aengmor and the under- presented in GAZ10: “The Orcs of Thar”, as
ground menace of the Schattenalfen, which the WotI and Almanacs events disperse
however could also become a way to reach them all around the Known World and
the Hollow World. The completion of the beyond. In the official almanacs, examined
Chamber of the Spheres could have con- in THRESHOLD Magazine issue #34, there
sequences also for the Radiance in Glantri, are important storylines about Thar’s failed
and Synn could make another attempt to attacks against Glantri, Darokin and Rock-
take control of the forest. Certainly now Alf- home, which ultimately led to his submis-
heim/Aengmor is more integrated with the sion to Kol and exile to Vestland. Kol
rest of the Known World. instead ascends as Prince of Glantri and
becomes de-facto the leader of the Broken
Lands’ humanoids. It seems however that
Alebane does not submit to him, as he tries
instead to conquer Oenkmar, fighting both
dwarves and shadow elves. This storyline
ends with the fate of Alebane unknown,
Oenkmar conquered by shadow elves and
Kol welcoming many refugees from the
Broken Lands, supposedly increasing his
5
See here the article on page 67 of the PDF issue at power. Strangely enough all the other
https://pandius.com/Threshold_10.pdf and related
maps in the Vaults of Pandius: https://pandius.com/ humanoid leaders of GAZ10 are completely
thrs_mag.html#10 ignored by the official almanacs.

77

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

BROKEN LANDS,
GREAT CRATER
and ORCLANDS events

1007 Summer Thar Looks to Glantri (WotI p. 83)

1008 Spring Shires Reinforce Darokin (WotI p. 85)
Summer Plague Reaches Glantri (WotI p. 85)
Winter Thar Moves South to Darokin (WotI p. 86)
1009 Spring Heldanners Hit Thar (WotI p. 87)
1010 Vatermont 3 Thar is repelled from Glantri after betrayal by Dolores/Synn
20 Thar strikes Darokin around Lake Amsorak
Flaurmont 11 Migrations of humanoids to eastern Broken Lands
Yarthmont 17 Thar hits Akesoli
Felmont 14 Dwarven adventurers discover Oenkmar
Fyrmont 10 Thar defeated in Amsorak
Ambyrmont 7 Kol asks for Princehood, war begins between Kol and Thar
Sviftmont 1 Darokin builds Great Wall
6 Dwarves arrive in the Broken Lands
25 Thar submits to Kol
26 Dwarves settle in for siege
Eirmont 25 Kol and Thar refuse to help Alebane against the dwarves

78

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Kaldmont 2 Dwarves build lava rafts

5 Kol on road to become Prince in Glantri but not yet
12 Dwarves find Oenkmar
18 Dwarves ask for supplies to Rockhome
1011 Nuwmont 5 Dwarves recalled from Oenkmar due to civil war
7 Thar proposes anti-dwarven alliance to Alebane
18 Black Eagle brought to Kol by goblin shaman
27 Thar and Alebane invade Rockhome
Vatermont 3 Fort Denwarf falls
5 Stahl falls
6 Battle of Stahl Plain won by dwarves; Alebane goes back to
Broken Lands; Thar escapes to Vestland
Flaurmont 17 Kol petitions for his Principality but he is defeated again
Yarthmont 14 Dwarves prepare new expedition to Oenkmar; King Kol receives
arms from Sind
Klarmont 16 Kol’s army brings humanoid tribes under its control
Felmont 15 Great Wall of Darokin half finished from Fort Fletcher to Fort
Runnels
Felmont 21 Kol’s humanoids raid Gunjab’s humanoids
1012 Vatermont 15 Shadow elves learn of Oenkmar
26 Shadow elves march on the Broken Lands
Thaumont 23 Dwarves assault Oenkmar
24 Reinforcements arrive for dwarves
27 Fighting continues in Oenkmar
Flaurmont 4 Shadow elves attack the dwarves around Oenkmar
5 Prince Kol protests in the Council against monster hunters in
the Great Crater
6 Dwarves take Oenkmar, accepting Angus McClintock surrende-
ring after Lord Zotl dies and Xilochtli runs away with the Blue
Knife
8 Rockhome ask the WDL for help against the shadow elves
9 Shadow elves’ assault on Oenkmar
11 Dwarves and humanoids ally and drive the shadow elves out of
Oenkmar
23 Relief troops from Rockhome arrive in Oenkmar; Darokin calls
for peace but it’s ignored by the shadow elves

79

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Yarthmont 1 Shadow elves renew attack on Oenkmar

10 Ylaruam and Shires send troops to Fort Nell
15 Shadow elves agree to a truce promoted by Darokin; war stops
22 Everast XVI and Tanadaleyo meet in Selenica
28 Peace talks fail; war resumes; Karameikos sends troops to
Darokin
Klarmont 5 King Alebane tries to unite the tribes
16 Fighting continues between dwarves and shadow elves while
surrounding humanoids attack both
18 Shadow elves’ assault on Oenkmar barely repelled
26 Darokin and Karameikos convince Aengmor to agree on
another truce
28 Alebane gathers troops to attack Oenkmar
Felmont 1 In Selenica Darokin brings proof that Oenkmar was the ancient
elven city of Aengmor
2 Alebane’s humanoids attack dwarves and elves
3 General Garafaele orders the shadow elves to retreat to Canol-
barth
4 Betrayed by Oenkmarian allies, dwarves retreat to the Citadel
5 Dwarves ask in vain for help from the WDL
7 Fighting continue with dwarves helped by adventurers and mer-
cenaries
8 Dwarves sue for peace but General Tlatepetl refuses
10 Rescue forces help the dwarves
11 Aided by rescue forces, the dwarves escape Oenkmar
12 Dwarves and rescue forces retreat to northern Darokin
18Alebane’s humanoids spy on Oenkmar
Fyrmont 17 Alebane’s troops storm Oenkmar
21Battle continues in Oenkmar
Ambyrmont 12 Oenkmar ransacked by Alebane’s forces; only Temple and Citadel
still resist
14 Shadow elves take Oenkmar with a surprise attack; humanoids
resist in the Citadel
16 Shadow elves slaughter and drive away all humanoids in
Oenkmar; Angus McClintock escapes to Glantri

80

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Sviftmont 1 Wanderer contacts Royal Wizard Kanafasti and reveals several of

them were hidden in Oenkmar
15 Humanoid raids increase all around the Broken Lands as many
tribes escape from the shadow elves
28 Tanadaleyo informs ambassadors that the shadow elves now
own Oenkmar/Aengmor and the lower Broken Lands
Kaldmont 1 New Kolland asks the Council for food and gold to deal with
humanoid refugees from the Broken Lands
Ambyrmont Battle between shadow elves and humanoids along the Vesubia
1013 10 river causes a flood which blocks the caravan route between
Darokin and Glantri
Nuwmont 1 Hool and the Red Orcs decide to go west to search for the Blue
1014 Knife
5 Other humanoids not interested in following Hool
Vatermont 6 Great Wall of Darokin completed from Fort Fletcher to Corun-
glain
Flaurmont 3 Hool and the Red Orcs begin great migration to Atruaghin to
search for the Blue Knife; Nizam’s gnolls follow
11 King Alebane, Hutai-Khan, Moghul-Khan, and General Tlatepetl
unify the Orclands and clash with Fort Nell soldiers
Yarthmont 1 Orclands humanoids of Tlatepetl clash with shadow elves
Klarmont 5 Moghul-Khan’s yellow orcs from Dast clash with Hutai-Khan’s
hobgoblins from Grukk
Felmont 24 Thar and Psa’gh ally in Vestland
Fyrmont 2 Earthquake after Oenkmar’s rising scares the humanoids of the
Orclands
5 Humanoids discovers Oenkamr is on the surface
8 Thar attacks Rhoona
17 The red dragon Khordarg returns to her lair after several attacks
in Ethengar, Darokin and Aengmor
20 Alebane raids Fort Hobarth
Ambyrmont 1 Hool and Nizam routed at Bangore in Sind
3 Khordarg visits Tlatepetl in C’Kag and he accepts to serve her
5 Thar and Psa’gh defeated in Vestland
6 Alebane defeated in Darokin, retreats to Xorg
Kaldmont 17 Synn sends the lich Deimos to raise Sable Tower in eastern
Broken Lands

81

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

1015 Nuwmont 4 Hutai Khan hobgoblins raid shadow elves in Aengmor

7 Schattenalfen find Barleycorn monastery as a route to the Hollow
World
22 Great Migration in Atruaghin’s lands
Vatermont 4 Orcs report to Alebane in Xorg about the Darokin Tunnel to Roc-
khome
Thaumont 25 Shadow Lord in the Guardian Mesa to obtain the Black Staff
(M3 module)
Flaurmont 3 Hool’s Great Migration retreat after he discovers Blue Knife is not
in Atruaghin lands
4 Shadow Lord returns in Denagoth after retrieving one of the
seven keys
5 Alebane raids near Fort Hobarth to start moving his troops toward
Rockhome
Klarmont 1 Deimos defeated by adventurers
11 Hutai Khan’s hobgoblins allies with the city of Aengmor and
Atzanteotl’s priests
Felmont 11 Great Migration diverted from Sind by the Master
Fyrmont 20 Ethengarians defeated in Battle of Glantri City with decisive help
of Kol’s forces
24 Duric and Bifia allies with Thar and Psa’gh to take Rockhome
Ambyrmont 15 Greenston in Rockhome raided by Alebane’s forces
Sviftmont 8 Thar and Psa’gh take Kurdal
23 Hordes of yellow orcs pillage Ethengar
Eirmont 5 Thar and Psa’gh’s horde grows
Kaldmont 1 Thar and Psa’gh take Smaggeft
15 Alebane attacks western Rockhome
1016 Thaumont 25 Angus MucDuff/McClintock holds a seminar on Oenkmar/Aeng-
mor at the School of Magic in Glantri City
Flaurmont 2 Tlatepetl proposes diplomatic relations to Darokin
3 Master uses the Great Migration against Sindian rebels
Yarthmont 13 Tlatepetl offers aid to the WDL in Rockhome
Klarmont 1 Alebane keeps harassing Greenston in Rockhome
4 DDC envoys meet Tlatepetl in Xorg
9 Alebane is killed in Styrdal Vale, Rockhome
Felmont 8 Great Migration recruits more gnolls in Baratkand, Sind

82

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Ambyrmont 2 Humanoids defeated at Smaggeft

4 Great Migration to the Great Waste
Sviftmont 7 Thar and Psa’gh defeated at Kurdal in Rockhome
8 Shadow Lord in the Broken Lands tricks adventurers and keeps
six of the seven keys of the Pits of Banishment
26 Kol’s minions retrieve Volospin Aendyr alive
Eirmont 8 Synn enraged at Kol for retrieving Aendyr
10 Battle in the Guardian Mesa as Carnifex try to return to Mystara
12 Great Migration disappears in the Plain of Fire to Graakhalia
Yarthmont 1 Moghul Khan denies any help to the rebellious Ethengarian
1017
Kiyats
Kaldmont 14 Robin Moorkroft attacks Kol
19 Kol is mocked in Parliament and meditates to shift from Dolores
to Jaggar
1018 Ambyrmont 8 Kol leaves Dolores and allies with Malachie and Jaggar
Sviftmont 18 False alarm on attack on New Kolland by elves
Vatermont 18 Carlotina Erewan confers with Kol, threatening to reveal he is a
1019 shadow elf unless he stops harassing her territories
Felmont 3 New Kollanders ask admission at the Great School of Magic,
including grandson of Doth
20 Humanoid wizards admitted at the Great School

The Mystaran Almanacs

will die there in AC 1,016. Hutai Khan’s
Storylines through the Years hobgoblins end up allying with Aengmor
City/Oenkmar, now controlled by shadow
The Mystaran Almanacs introduce a new elven followers of Atzanteotl. Moghul
important storyline: Hool’s red orcs and Khan’s yellow orcs interfere in Ethengarian
Nizam’s gnolls Great Migration, to search politics, helping enemies of the Great Khan.
for the Blue Knife that disappeared in Tlatepetl becomes the true ruler of the Orc-
Oenkmar in AC 1,011 with the priest lands, starts diplomatic relations with
Xilochtli. The Great Migration storyline Darokin, and even offers help to Rockhome
goes on in Sind and Atruaghin lands from against the humanoids of Alebane and Thar.
AC 1,014 to AC 1,016, then disappears in The latter, former Overking of the Broken
the Plain of Fire, entering Graakhalia. Lands, in fact has a long dedicated storyline
They also reveal the fate of some humanoid too in the MA, allying with kobold leader
leaders and the Oenkmar refugees, with Psa’gh in Vestland in AC 1,014 and creating
Alebane, Hutai-Khan, Moghul-Khan, and troubles with him until repelled to Rock-
General Tlatepetl in the Orclands in AC home, which they however attack in AC
1,014, trying to unify and rule the whole 1,015 until their defeat in AC 1,016.
region. Alebane eventually will try to attack The AC 1,017, AC 1,018 and AC 1,019
Rockhome and after some initial success almanacs do not continue the above

83

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Comparison with the Official

Almanacs

Several important humanoid leaders of

GAZ10 are not mentioned in either the offi-
cial almanacs or the Mystaran Almanacs.
These are especially Haa’k, queen of the
trolls, Ohr’s, king of bugbears, and Doth
and Yazar, king and queen of goblins. It is
possible to suppose that they accepted
Kol’s authority over them and are now the
equivalent of Glantrian nobility. Indeed
there is also a brief mention of Doth’s
grandson entering the Great School of
Magic in the AC 1,019 Almanac, but the
entry does not specify if he is still alive.
Alebane created by Bing AI Image creator Andrew Theisen wrote an article about all
prompting the description in the PWA the humanoid leaders and personalities. It
is stored in the Vaults of Pandius and deals
storylines and do not give any information with their possible fate, expanding on the
about progresses of Tlatepetl or the Great MA events6.
Migration, or if Thar and Psa’gh survived
the war. The only humanoids events of
these three years are just a mention of Possible Future Developments
Moghul Khan not helping his former
defeated Ethengarian allies and events What happened to the Great Migration?
about Kol. What’s the fate of Thar and Psa’gh? Will Kol
pay a price for shifting his allegiance away
The kobold prince becomes a Glantrian from Dolores? Will Tlatepetl be able to
hero in AC 1,015 with a decisive contribu- create a true humanoid nation in the Orc-
tion to the victory against the Ethengarians. lands? What happened to the other
In AC 1,016 however his minions find humanoid leaders not previously men-
Volospin Aendyr alive, with great displeas- tioned? Will the Broken Lands fall into the
ure of his ally Dolores/Synn. His relation shadow of Atzanteotl-ruled Aengmor City?
with her worsens in AC 1,017 and eventu- These and plenty other questions could be
ally in AC 1,018 he shifts his alliance to answered by future almanacs or fan works.
Malachie and Jaggar, also obtaining in AC
1,019 admittance of humanoid wizards to
the Great School of Magic.

6
“Whatever happened to ... your favourite
humanoids” by Andrew Theisen at the Vaults of
Pandius: https://pandius.com/noids.html

84

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Darokin

The country of merchants had

quite some difficulties during the
Wrath of the Immortals events
and in the official almanacs, with
Hule’s invasion, Thar’s attacks,
plague, and the end of Alfheim.
The threats of Thar, Hule and the
shadow elves continue in AC
1,010 to AC 1,1012 but the cre-
ation of the Western Defense
League, trade improvement, and the first World games in Darokin
world games eventually bring benefits to
Darokin while the menaces lessen. This
trend will be further developed in the Mys-
taran Almanacs.

DAROKIN events

1005 Spring The Master Seizes Sind (WotI p.78)

Winter Nomads Invade Darokin (WotI p. 79)
1006 Spring The Master Is Hammered (WotI p. 80)
Summer The Master’s Revenge (WotI p. 80)
1007 Fall Alfheim Is No More (WotI p. 84)
Winter Elves Winter in Cruth (WotI p. 84)
1008 Spring Shires Reinforce Darokin (WotI p. 85)
Winter Thar Moves South (WotI p. 86)
1009 Spring Heldanners Hit Thar (WotI p. 87)
1010 Vatermont 1 Trade agreements with Five Shires and Karameikos
16 Western Defense League created; Five Shires pledges aid
20 Thar attacks
Thaumont 4 River floods
Flaurmont 2 Flooding worsens
11 Humanoid migrations to eastern Broken Lands
12 Flooding lessens
Yarthmont 15 Hulean Sea Reavers attack
17 Thar hits Akesoli
Klarmont 6 Alphatian conquerors in Atruaghin

85

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Felmont 15 Darokin retaliates against pirates

Fyrmont 10 Thar defeated in Amsorak
Ambyrmont 2 Aengmor threatens Darokin
4 World Games proposal
Sviftmont 1 Darokin builds wall on the Broken Lands border
Eirmont 21 Darokin offers trade to Aengmor
1011 Nuwmont 3 Mummy guardian murders a Darokinian in Ylaruam
Vatermont 13 Torrential rains
Thaumont 10 Sea Reavers from Sind capture Darokinian, Thyatian and Kara-
meikan ships
Klarmont 3 Mummy strangler kills in Selenica
Felmont 1 News of Gareth’s philosophy arrives in Darokin
5 Naval forces of Darokin, the Shires, Ierendi, Karameikos and
Minothad patrol the Sea of Dread against Sea Reavers from Sind
and Jaibul
15 Great Wall half finished from Fort Fletcher to Fort Runnels
18 Fort Highlake construction begins north of Akesoli
Fyrmont 1 Phenomenal harvest
1012 Vatermont 26 Shadow elves march on the Broken Lands
Thaumont 9 Darokinian diplomats ask for explanation in Rafielton
11 Trading House Arden auctions a map to reach Atruaghin plateau
through caves, without the need of the destroyed Elevator
18 Toney House wins the map
Flaurmont 1–2 Western Defense League meets and Rockhome announces attack
on Oenkmar
6 Rockhome asks the WDL for help against the shadow elves
23 Darokin calls for peace but it’s ignored by the shadow elves
Yarthmont 1 Shadow elves renew attack on Oenkmar
10 Ylaruam and Five Shires send troops to Fort Nell
15 Shadow elves agree to a truce promoted by Darokin; war stops
22 Everast XVI and Tanadaleyo meet in Selenica; peace talks fail; war
resumes
28 Karameikos sends troops to Darokin
Klarmont 2 Battle of the Black Hills; shadow elves repelled to Aengmor by
forces of Darokin, Ylaruam, Karameikos and the Shires
9 Darokinian investigators visit Oenkmar to discover the origin of
the city
22 Rockhome asks for more help to the WDL but other countries
refuse and urge for peace talks
26 Darokin and Karameikos convince Aengmor to agree on another
truce

86

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Felmont 1 In Selenica Darokin brings proof that Oenkmar was the ancient
elven city of Aengmor
5 Dwarves ask in vain for help from the WDL
28 Truce in Selenica between dwarves and shadow elves; Rockhome
leaves the WDL, offended by lack of support
Fyrmont 15 World Games begin in Selenica, bringing athletes from as far as
Yavdlom
18 Ethengar Mare wins race at World’s Games in Selenica
25 Glantrian athlete disqualified for using potions; Vestland athlete
with firbolg blood not disqualified
28 First annual world games end
Sviftmont 15 Humanoid raids increase all around the Broken Lands as many
tribes escape from the shadow elves
28 Tanadaleyo informs ambassadors that the shadow elves now own
Oenkmar/Aengmor and the lower Broken Lands
Eirmont 20 Canolbarth’s borders recede
21 Darokin Trust challenges thieves to breach its deposit
24 Five Shires denies through the DDC involvement in the attemp-
ted kidnapping of Von Hendriks
Nuwmont 3 Akesoli damaged by the gargantoid of Ferdynand Lillipt, who is
1013
banished
Vaterrmon 22 Shadow elves’ delegation in Darokin City
Thaumont 6 New bridge across the Streel opens
Flaurmont 9 Wedding between Bernard Kalimi Corun and Felicia Hallonica
canceled after the groom embarrassed the bride’s family
21 At Masked Ball in Selenica participants are put asleep and thieves
steal 100,000 gp of jewelry
Yarthmont 15 Partial eclipse of full moon in Glantri, Darokin, Karameikos;
lycanthropic activity increases
Felmont 7 Delegates of the Atruaghin clans visit Darokin City
Fyrmont 21–22 Thunderstorms in the central plains cause flooding and crop loss
Ambyrmont 4 Humanoids raid Letizia village near Fort Lakeside
10 Battle between shadow elves and humanoids along the Vesubia
river causes a flood which blocks the caravan route between
Darokin and Glantri
Sviftmont 9 Gian Sebastiano of Darokin convicted for the murder of a dozen
women
1014 Vatermont 6 Great Wall of Darokin completed from Fort Fletcher to Corun-
glain
Thaumont 5, 7 Arturo Olivera arrives in Akorros and begins preaching new faith
in Gareth
Flaurmont 11 Skirmish with humanoids near Fort Nell
20 Great Migration assaults Fort Lakeside but it’s driven back
24 Great Migration pushed by Fort Highlake troops toward Sind

87

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Yarthmont 1 Tlatepetl and Hutai Khan try to attack Fort Nell but have to face
shadow elves
Fyrmont 2 Earthquake for the rising of Oenkmar
Kaldmont 11 Shrine to Gareth completed in Akorros
1015 Thaumont 8 Massive river serpent attack near Elstrich
Flaurmont 5 Alebane’s troops raid near Fort Hobarth
20 Deimos’s humanoids attack Corunglain from the sewers
Yarthmont 1 Deimos’s humanoids move from Corunglain
10 Deimos’s humanoids lay siege to Darokin City
12 Humanoid army defeated
18 Bounty on the humanoids left around the city
Klarmont 9 Vestland petitions to join the WDL
Felmont 1 Council offers a 10,000 daros bounty to investigate monster
attacks in the Malpheggi swamp and bay
13 Sea Reavers found dead in the swamp
Fyrmont 3 Peace talk begin between shadow elves and former Alfheim elves
26 Treaty of Favaro signed between King Doriath and Princess Tana-
daleyo
Kaldmont 24 WDL meets and decides to send help to Rockhome
Vatermont 26 Lucius Linton and his two sons murdered by Minrothad assas-
1016
sins in Athenos
Thaumont 4 Magistrate in a borderland town dies leaving a will [CM8 seed]
5 Darokin tunnel is clear and WDL troops prepare to march to
Rockhome
6–8 Envoy from Kastelios reaches Athenos; talks begin
18 Kastelian embassy granted in Athenos
20 Alfheim Avengers become more violent
Flaurmont 2 Tlatepetl contacts Darokinian Council
4 Corwyn Linton regain consciousness
8 Corwyn Linton speaks about the assassins
13 Fence with Linton jewelry arrested in Corunglain
22 One of the assassins, the elf Authrael, is arrested in Selenica
Yarthmont 2 Authrael confesses
5 Darokin formally accuses Minrothad
6 Darokin, Karameikos and Five Shires troops meet in Fort Hobarth
to march to Rockhome
11 Thyatis defends Minrothad and asks for more proof
13 Tlatepetl’s humanoids join the WDL forces
22 Alfheim clanmasters meet in Selenica to discuss the Alfheimer
defeat in Denagoth

88

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Klarmont 4 DDC visits Xorg in the Orclands

18 Emilio the Great kidnapped by Alfheim Avengers en route to Sele-
nica
Felmont 1 Painting of Greenleaf Vickers disfigured by Alfheim Avengers in
Akesoli
10 Shadow elven ambassador in Darokin City
15 WDL meets in Selenica to discuss the Alfheim Avengers
Fyrmont 18 Darokin Council officially recognizes autonomy of the Orclands
Sviftmont 17 Alfheim refugees protest under the shadow elven embassy in
Darokin City
Nuwmont 12 Greenleaf Vickers, leader of Umbarth House, agrees to help the
1017 Master of Hule
Vatermont 3 Mineral oil discovered in Norfen near the Malpheggi swamp
Thaumont 19 Trade friction with Thyatis
26 WDL meets to discuss Thyatian expansion
Flaurmont 5 Adventurers wanted to clear Ardelphia
7 Council protests against Thyatis confiscations
23 Hulean agents stir friction with Thyatis
Felmont 1 Five Shires requests aid to Darokin and Karameikos after the
Thyatian attacks on hin ships
10 Celebration in Selenica of Al-Azrad House and improved relations
with Ylaruam
11 DDC reaches agreement on trade in Thyatis City
Fyrmont 4 The Council buys borderlands from magistrates
6 The Council protests against Thyatian attacks on Five Shires
ships but does nothing
8 Pennydown and Linton Houses decide to retaliate autonomously
Ambyrmont 25 Tanadaleyo asks about the skyships over Aengmor’s skies
Sviftmont 3 Ierendi joins the WDL
13 Some items of Nithian Queen Nennaya-Sherat’s tomb stolen in
Selenica
1018 Nuwmont 20 Mages’ Guild for Darokin proposed
Vatermont 19 Thief Shadow announces he’ll steal Allana Maunea’s necklace at
the Masked Ball
Thaumont 8 Chase of the thief Shadow
Flaurmont 21 Theft of Allana Mauntea’s necklace at the Masked Ball
22 Bounty for the thief Shadow
Yarthmont 8 Darokinian wizards gather in Darokin City for the new Mages’
Guild
10, 19, 27 Bastian Rodens searches for the most important wizards of the
country

89

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Klarmont 11 Hallonica and Linton Houses criticize Mauntea for the handling
of the theft
Felmont 15 Great Conclave of Valerias in Darokin City
18 Arturo Olivera, priest of Gareth, warns the Conclave about
Immortals’ plot
22 Bastian searches for more wizards
Ambyrmont 1 Vessel of brain collectors crashes in Hendry
4 Glantrian skyships in Corunglain and Darokin City
5 Brain collectors attack people in Hendry
9 Dwarven engineers in Ardelphia
Sviftmont 15 Great Reckoning of taxes begins
1019 Nuwmont 1 Earthquake in Glantri felt in northern Darokin too
3 Ships lost in lake Amsorak
Vatermont 12 Trade deals with Ochalea; humanoids attack Ardelphia
13 Mauntea loses discussion on tariffs
Thaumont 5 Millington, former diplomat in Ierendi, arrives in Athenos to inve-
stigate the Amsorak lake
10 Shadow almost caught in Selenica
14 Adventurers sent to investigate the Amsorak disappear
Flaurmont 2 Adventurers find gold in Atruaghin lands
27 Shadow caught but involved in a Linton and Mauntea plot
Yarthmont 5 Squatters in Atruaghin lands
8 Academy Tower will be built for the Mages’ Guild of Darokin City
9 More Glantrian airships in Corunglain
18 Hule and Thyatis sign secret treaty against Darokin
19 Shadow put to trial but secretly gets a minor sentence
22 Atruaghin retaliate against squatters
26 Millington meets Shadow to try to solve the Itheldown curse in
Amsorak lake
Klarmont 11 Meeting in Darokin City of Doriath and Tanadalaeyo to act
against the Church of Atzanteotl; Trimark cargo ship arrives in
Akorros with dead crew
13 Millington talks to Bastian in Darokin City
14 Corun House commissions an airship
16 Minrothad privateers sack a Linton ship en route to Yavdlom
17 Rush to extract oil in Norfen; the demon of Itheldown sends a
disguised woman to Akesoli
18 Sindhi Prince Almiron Kalkiin visits Akesoli

90

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Felmont 1 Ystran House starts a war in Atruaghin lands

2 Darokin joins in Atzanteotl’s hideouts’ destruction
4 Millington searches for the wizard Dusk
12 Miners attacked in Atruaghin lands
15 Ardelphia founded again
Fyrmont 2 Ystran House defeated in Atruaghin lands
18 Millington returns to Bastian to find the wizard in Akorros
20 Theft of claims in Norfen
22 Constable murdered in Norfen
Ambyrmont 1 Demons attack Bronsdale on lake Amsorak
3 Academy Tower completed
5 More deaths in Norfen
6 Goblins raid Reedle
7 Umbarth House accuses Ystran House in Akesoli
12 Millington arranges for a meeting between the wizard Graylock
and the thief Shadow in Darokin City prison
15 Graylock reveals to Mauntea he and Shadow are descendants of
House Ithel
17 Shadow released temporarily to stop the Ithel curse
27 Goblin attacks in the southwest
Svifmont 3–8 Graylock, Shadow, Millington and companions sail to Itheldown
from Akorros, attacked by demons en route
21 Thyatians in Selenica to discuss trade
26 Demons banished in Itheldown
Eirmont 1 Millington returns to Darokin City; Shadow’s sentence reduced
8 Investigation team sent by Darokin and Thyatis to Altan Tepes
goblins
22 Temple of Atzanteotl destroyed in Darokin City
24 Khoronus sends his clerics against oards in Glantri City
Kaldmont 1 Clerics of Khoronus help defeat the oards in Glantri City; inden-
tured servants transported from Darokin to Polakatsikes by the
Heldann
5 Silver Star airship of Corun House arrives in Corunglain

91

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

The Mystaran Almanacs

Storylines through the Years

Differently from other countries in the Mys-

taran Almanacs Darokin does not have
some major storylines but many minor
events and several minor storylines. The
status and stability of the country steadily
improves, despite several humanoid threats
and a cold war with Thyatis for trade in the
Sea of Dread, which at times risks becoming
a true war. The Great Wall is completed,
Ardelphia is being rebuilt, trade has
resumed with Atruaghin, there is peace with
the shadow elves of Aengmor and resettle-
ment of the Alheimers, a skyship trade is
beginning with Glantri, the Itheldown curse
is finally defeated, and the Western Defence acs, but Darokin’s classist society could well
League is reinforced by the victory in Rock- have a darker side so far unexplored.7
home and the adhesion of Vestland and
Ierendi. Still there are great potential
threats Darokin could face in the future. Possible Future Developments
Hule is the more obvious, but also the
instability in Ethengar and the possible A war with the shadow elves has become
rising of Synn in Glantri aren’t minor. Then more improbable, but there is a growing
there is Aengmor City in the Broken Lands, rivalry with Thyatis and Minrothad as new
even if the agreement with Tlatepetl in the trade routes open to Western Brun and
Orclands could work in Darokin’s favor. Davania. The presence of the Great Wall,
The relationship with Thyatis and Min- the refounding of Ardelphia and the pres-
rothad is also a great unknown. ence of two relatively law-abiding
humanoid leaders in Kol and Tlatepetl
could lessen the humanoid threat on
Darokin, unless the risen Aengmor City
becomes a real danger. Darokin has pos-
Comparison with the Official sible routes to the Hollow World very near
Almanacs to its territory, in Atruaghin lands and in the
Broken Lands. But they could bring either
The ‘improving’ trend which was already huge economic advantages or unexpected
present in the official almanacs continues in dangers.
the MAs for Darokin, and even expands, but
there are new intrigues among the major
Darokinian Houses and a dangerous infilt-
ration from Hule. Generally Darokin is cast 7
But in THRESHOLD Magazine #28, check “Dark
in a positive light in official and fan alman- Darokin” by Not A Decepticon https://pandius.com/
Threshold_28.pdf

92

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Ethengar

There is not much love for Eth-

engar in “Wrath of the Immor-
tals”, nor in the official Almanacs
or the Mystaran Almanacs. The
Great Khan’s invasion plan ends
in failure against Heldann and the
country does not have much
space later, and is almost ignored
in the Joshuan’s Almanacs. The
Mystaran Almanacs will give Eth-
engar more spotlight, but not
more success.

Moglai khan made with Bing AI Image

creator (modified) as described in PWA

ETHENGAR events

1004 Summer Heldannic Clerics Killed (WotI p. 75)

Fall Heldanners Attack (WotI p. 76); (Events leading to war between
Heldann and Ethengar)
1006 Winter Ethengar vs. Heldann (WotI p. 82)
1007 Spring Ethengarians Swarm (WotI p. 82)
Winter Plague Hits Freiburg (WotI p. 84)
1008 Summer Massacre at Tromso (WotI p. 86)
Fall Ethengarians Ambush Elves (WotI p. 86)
1010 Thaumont 28 Ethengarians attack Grauenberg
Flaurmont 11 Migrations of humanoids to the Broken Lands
13 Heldann counterattack with skyship
Felmont 3 Heldannic knights move to Grauenberg
5 Ethengarians pillage
14 Reinforcements reach Grauenberg
26 Moglai Khan sends peace message
Fyrmont 9 Peace treaty with Heldann includes Ethengarian volunteers to
Norwold
22 Ethengarians retreat

93

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

1011 Nuwmont 27 Unknown to the khans, some warriors join humanoid attack
against Rockhome
Vatermont 6 Ethengarians retreat from Rockhome
13 Blizzard
Thaumont 15 White horse escapes sacrifice
Eirmont 1 Great fire in the Sea of Grass
1012 Vatermont 1 White horse appears and defeats the Great Khan’s war stallion
Thaumont 15 White horse ceremony without sacrifice
Fyrmont 18 Ethengar Mare wins race at World’s Games in Selenica
Sviftmont 15 Humanoid raids increase all around the Broken Lands as many
tribes escape from the shadow elves
21 White horse crosses border into Heldann
Eirmont 13 Heldanners meet the Ethengarians and follow them
18 Heldanners insist Ethengarians leave
1014 Fyrmont 2 Earthquake on the raising of Aengmor
26 Oktai Khan’s plot sends the Uighurs against the Heldann, but the
Great Khan discovers it
Ambyrmont 4 Oktai Khan’s treachery proven
8–9 Grand Khan attacks the Taijits; Oktai Khan beheaded; war
announced against Glantri
1015 Flaurmont 9 Bramyra and Tchernovodsk attacked
13 Bramyra and Tchernovodsk conquered by the Ethengarians
15 The Khan splits the horde
17 Horde blocked at Skullhorn pass
20 Boldavia besieged
23 Ethengarians fight against the undead
Yarthmont 4 Boldavia resists
18 Undead change side
20 Morphail says the Ethengarian shamans took control of them but
it’s a plot by Dolores
Klarmont 11 Boldavia’s defense broken; the horde moves to Klantyre
19 Siege of Glenmoorloch begins
Felmont 3 First two Glantrian skyships sail
6 Pegasus skyship bombards the Ethengarian at Skullhorn pass and
they have to retreat
8 The Griffon skyship crashes in Klantyre
10 Jaggar asks for more funds for skyships but they are denied
23 Jaggar considers hot-air balloons
26 Glenmoorloch falls

94

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Fyrmont 1 Ethengarians plunder Krondahar

4 Ethengarians repelled in Bergdhoven and Aalban
5 Prince Jherek killed in magical duel in Braastar
8 Glantrian air fleet of 20 skyships with air balloons launched
16 Bombardments of Ethengarians who move to Glantri City; siege
begins
20 Kol’s humanoids attack Ethengarians and Von Hendriks kills the
Great Khan; siege broken and Ethengarians retreat
25 Lan-Syn Virayana new Princess in Krondahar, Jaggar renounces
to invade Ethengar
Sviftmont 23 Hordes of yellow orcs pillage Ethengar
1016 Nuwmont 1 Manghai, Batu and others fight to become new Great Khan
Thaumont 8 Caravans attacked in Ethengar due to the civil war
Flaurmont 11 Kadan Khan dies; Kiyats merged with the Murkits; Manghai pos-
sessed by evil spirit Jaku
16 Duttai Khan rebels with some Kiyats
Yarthmont 9 Taijits at war with Yakkas
13 Kaeruts and Uighurs raid Heldann
Fyrmont 3 Undead Sliktor orcs pour out of the World Mountain
Ambyrmont 11 Manghai defeats Ortu Khan in battle and gains full control of the
Murkits
Kaldmont 28 Good spirits warn shaman Trungpa of Manghai’s possession
1017 Flaurmont 11 The wizard Akmad ibn Yussef discovers the body of the Great
Khan is stored in Glantri City and informs his daughter Bakai
Yarthmont 14 Moglai’s thirteen children, minus Manghai, depart with Akmad
ibn Yussef for Glantri City to demand the body of the Great Khan
20 Tajits attack the expedition secretly sent by Manghai/Jaku
27 Bakai and others arrive in Bramyra
Klarmont 10 Bakai and the others are stopped at the Great School and hosted
by Urmahid Krinagar
18 Moglai’s body stolen
27 Bakai and the others return home
Felmont 3 Evil spirits attack Bakai and the others; she is wounded, younger
brother Hurkati killed
18 Bakai and the others return to the camp of the Great Khan but
she is still sick
Fyrmont 10 Assassination attempt on Bakai
12 Akmad ibn Yussef and the shaman Trungpa set out to search for
Manghai’s soul
15 Date of burial of the Great Khan set
Ambyrmont 11 Duttai defeated and slain by Manghai
Kaldmont 28 Good spirits warn shaman Trungpa of Manghai’s possession

95

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Flaurmont 11 The wizard Akmad ibn Yussef discovers the body of the Great
1017
Khan is stored in Glantri City and informs his daughter Bakai
Yarthmont 14 Moglai’s thirteen children, minus Manghai, depart with Akmad
ibn Yussef for Glantri City to demand the body of the Great Khan
20 Tajits attack the expedition secretly sent by Manghai/Jaku
27 Bakai and others arrive in Bramyra
Klarmont 10 Bakai and the others are stopped at the Great School and hosted
by Urmahid Krinagar
18 Moglai’s body stolen
27 Bakai and the others return home
Felmont 3 Evil spirits attack Bakai and the others; she is wounded, younger
brother Hurkati killed
18 Bakai and the others return to the camp of the Great Khan but
she is still sick
Fyrmont 10 Assassination attempt on Bakai
12 Akmad ibn Yussef and the shaman Trungpa set out to search for
Manghai’s soul
15 Date of burial of the Great Khan set
Ambyrmont 11 Duttai defeated and slain by Manghai
Eirmont 15 Great Khan burial; only three Khans come; Trungpa and adventu-
rers slip to the Spirit World
16 Manghai with the Tajits attacks and defeats the Bortaks of Batu
Khan and his wife Bakai, but they escape
1018 Nuwmont 11 Batu Khan and the Bortaks prepare for war against Manghai
Yarthmont 5 Murkits and Tajits attack the Bortaks
Klarmont 8 Trungpa and the adventurers return with Manghai’s soul
Ambyrmont 23 Some Bortaks defect to Manghai
Eirmont 15 Trungpa confronts Jaku and banishes it from Manghai’s body
16 Rumors about dark magic in Xantha
1019 Ambyrmont 12 Raids increase by Kaeruts and Uighurs against Heldann
27 Attack on Grauenberg
28 Anna Von Hendriks takes the city
Eirmont 7 Anna Von Hendriks sends the Black Lion airship to attack Ethen-
gar bands in the south
27 Anna marches against raiders in the southeastern coast

96

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

The Mystaran Almanacs

Storylines through the Years Comparison with the Official
Almanacs

The official almanacs focused all the

storylines on the enmity between Ethengar
and Heldann, ignoring Glantri, while the
MA instead created an interesting war
against the nation of wizards. They also
developed some hints which were present
in Gazetteer 12: The Golden Khan of Eth-
engar. Still it is a bit of a pity that Moglai
Khan is defeated multiple times and fails to
conquer any lands, as an Ethengarian
expansion in the territory of its neighbours
could create some interesting adventures.

The Great Khan discovers a Glantrian plot

to weaken him in AC 1,014 and invades
Glantri in AC 1,015 but is defeated at the
doors of the city. I must say I didn’t like too
much the spotlight given to Von Hendriks,
who in my campaign was eliminated much
earlier by PCs, as I supposed was more or
less meant to be in GAZ1: “The Grand Trungpa speaking with Manghai khan
Duchy of Karameikos”. However the beauty
of the Almanacs is that you can use or not
use whatever you like. Anyway the defeat in Possible Future Developments
Glantri causes an ongoing civil war in Eth-
engar as Moglai’s son, Manghai, tries to take A weakened Ethengar could easily become
control of the clans, first possessed by an prey of the Heldann, Thar and Psa’gh, the
evil spirit and later as himself in AC 1,019. risen Aengmor City, or even Glantrian con-
The last MA however didn’t go on with this quest. But Manghai could still prove to be
interesting storyline, as the Almanac con- better, or luckier, than his father and finally
tains only two events related to an Eth- lead his people into their much dreamed
engarian raid in Heldann. conquest of neighboring lands.

97

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Glantri

Glantri is obviously a major focus of the

“Wrath of the Immortals” war and is greatly
changed after it, with the presence of the
Great Crater, the death of some Princes and
the disappearance of Etienne. In AC 1,010
Dolores/Synn arrives in Glantri with a mys-
terious agenda, probably related to the
Radiance as the fact that the Day of Dread
begins at the midnight of Glantri City is
bound to reveal to all wizards and astro-
nomers of the world something’s going on
there. She rapidly rose to Principality,
allying with Jaggar and sponsoring Kol as a
new Prince too. In the meantime Averoigne
is contested between Henri and Isidore,
with the final victory of the latter in AC protects Von Hendriks as new advisor and
1,011. In the end Dolores loses her ally the War in Oenkmar actually makes New
Henri but gains a new one in Kol. In AC Kolland stronger. The Joshuan’s Almanac
1,012 Dolores tries to have Malachie killed, in AC 1,013 has some minor interesting
as he is investigating her, but ultimately he events for Glantri but almost nothing to
discovers what she truly is. Kol enjoys and continue the ‘Dolores’ storyline.

GLANTRI events

1004 Spring A Spy Perishes (WotI p. 73)

Summer Alphatian Proclamation (WotI p. 74); Death of Torenal (WotI p.
74); ‘Assassins’ Escape (WotI p. 75)
Fall Glantrians Assassinated; Thyatis intrudes (WotI p. 76); Asterius’s
Temples Burned (WotI p. 77)
Winter Alphatian Armada Burns (WotI p. 77)
1005 Spring War Is Declared (WotI p. 77)
Summer Empires Build Forces (WotI p. 78); Alphatia Sends Monsters
(WotI p. 78)
1006 Spring Sabotage in Alphatia (WotI p. 79)
Summer The Master’s Revenge (WotI p. 80)
1007 Summer Thar Looks to Glantri (WotI p. 83)
1008 Summer Plague Reaches Glantri (WotI p. 85)
Fall Rad Grows Desperate (WotI p. 86)
Winter Thar Moves South (WotI p. 86)

98

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

1009 Spring Heldanners Hit Thar to help Glantri (WotI p. 87)

Fall The Week Without Magic (WotI p. 89);
Winter Thousand Wizards Convene (WotI p. 89); The War Ends (WotI p.
90)
1010 Nuwmont 20 Synn arrives in Glantri; Margaret Fenswick dies
23 Synn poses as Dolores Hillsbury, daughter of Margaret and Volo-
spin Aendyr
Vatermont 3 Dolores becomes a heroin by stopping King Thar’s attack
Thaumont 15 Attempted kidnapping of Isidore and Richard d’Ambreville
Flaurmont 15 Frau Gertrud Von Drachenfels dies
18 Council refuses help to Erewan
Klarmont 12 Isidore and Richard captured by Henri
25 Henri new Prince of Averoigne
Felmont 9 Several Erewan elves to Karameikos
Ambyrmont 7 Kol petitions to become a Prince but doesn’t succeed yet
26 Dolores becomes Princess of Fenswick
Kaldmont 5 Kol on three-month probation to become Prince
1011 Nuwmont 1 Reaction to the Day of Dread
Vatermont 13 Heavy snow in Glantri
Thaumont 24 Agents of Morlay-Malinbois fail to free Isidore and Richard from
Henri d’Ambreville’s dungeon
Flaurmont 1 White Wolf and his men free Isidore and Richard
7 Prince Malachie brings charges against Prince Henri in the
Council
14 Council hearings begin
17 Kol petitions for his Principality but he is defeated again
Yarthmont 7 Prince Henri fined by the Council
Fyrmont 20 Isidore petitions the Council against Henri
27 Council votes to reconsider the succession of Nouvelle Averoi-
gne
Ambyrmont 6 Parliament reopens succession of Averoigne
20 Ferdynand Lillipot’s flying Gargantoid stolen in Glantri City
Sviftmont 5 Prince Malachie tries to set up a trap against Henri
8 Vote on Averoigne is a tie so a duel will take place for the succes-
sion
9 Henri attacked by werewolves, but he and his guards kill them
12 Isidore attacked by assassins, but the attempt is unsuccessful
14 Henri cursed
15 Isidore defeats Henri in duel and disintegrates him

99

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Eirmont 6 Great School of Magic announces students will be able to learn

custom spells, to compete with the Karameikan School
Kaldmont 19 Murders in Nouvelle Averoigne; secret attacks by Synn
21 Principality of New Kolland is approved
27 Preparation for the Day of Dread
1012 Nuwmont 14 New Kolland borders set
Vatermont 18 New worm from Great Crater displayed at Monster Fair
Flaurmont 4 Prince Kol protests in the Council against monster hunters in
the Great Crater
5 Malachie discovers Dolores cannot be the daughter of late Lady
Margaret of Fenswick
27 D’Ambrevilles called in Castle Amber; Malachie investigates
Yarthmont 4 Dolores declares the White Wolf dead
8 Glantri City’s canals dry up due to an underground elemental
battle
11 Malachie declared dead and Morlay-Malinbois awarded to John
Beaumarys-Moorkroft
14 Prince Malachie returns and dominions awards stop
Klarmont 15 Malachie hunted by Geneviève de Sephorà in the Night of the
Red Moon, escapes
Felmont 21 Council votes to improve roads and travel means; shadow elves
slaughter and drive away all humanoids in Oenkmar; Angus
McClintock escapes to Glantri City
Ambyrmont 23 Adventurers meets Ferdinand Lillipot and his Gargantoid in the
Kurish Massif on his way to Sind
Sviftmont 15 Humanoid raids increase all around the Broken Lands as many
tribes escape from the shadow elves
Eirmont 8 Ludwig Von Hendriks captured by halflings in New Kolland
12 Von Hendriks rescued by kobolds
14 A Prince Malachie spy sees Dolores transforming into a dragon
15 Kol demands protest is sent to the Five Shires for attempted kid-
napping
19 Malachie ask Jaggar’s help to ascertain if he knows Dolores is a
dragon
24 Five Shires denies through the DDC involvement in the attemp-
ted kidnapping of Von Hendriks
Kaldmont 1 New Kolland asks the Council for food and gold to deal with
humanoid refugees from the Broken Lands
1013 Nuwmont 5 Great snowstorm in Glantri
Vatermont 18 Trained yowler bought for 5,000 gp at Monster Fair
Thaumont 7 Early thaw of the canal drowns 19 skaters
27 Mishap at the Arcanium Fair provokes destruction of tents but
no victims

100

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Yarthmont 15 Partial eclipse of full moon in Glantri, Darokin, Karameikos;

lycanthropic activity increases
Felmont 17 Escaped giant tarantella spider kills 100
25 Mages from the Great School in Glantri and the Karameikan
School sail from Mirros to study the Behemoth
Fyrmont 1 Plague in Morlay-Malinbois stopped by priests
20 Mild eruption of Mount Skullhorn in Glantri
Ambyrmont 10 Battle between shadow elves and humanoids along the Vesubia
river causes a flood which blocks the caravan route between
Darokin and Glantri
Kaldmont 3 Avalanche blocks Skullhorn Pass
1014 Nuwmont 1 Hool and the red orcs decide to leave New Kolland; Kol lets them
go
5 Great Migration decides to go west to search for the Blue Knife;
no other humanoids want to go
Thaumont 28 Etienne secretly saves Malachie from assassination attempt
Flaurmont 3 Great Migration commences; Nizam’s gnolls join it
Felmont 15 Glantri boycotts Third World Games in Ylaruam due to rules
against wizards
Fyrmont 2 Earthquake in southern Glantri, western Ethengar and northern
Darokin for the rising of Aengmor City
Ambyrmont 9 Ethengar prepares a war against Glantri
Sviftmont 3 Jaggar understands Dolores is evil and begins working against
her
Kaldmont 17 Synn and Deimos begin their attacks on Darokin from the
Orclands
1015 Nuwmont 17 Jaggar wants to rebuild Volospin’s Dragonflies
Vatermont 3 Dragonflies cannot be rebuilt
7 Jaggar asks for new skyships
17 Glantri City attacked by the Thousand Fists of Khan
Flaurmont 9 Bramyra and Tchernovodsk attacked
13 Bramyra and Tchernovodsk conquered by the Ethengarians
15 The Khan splits the horde
17 Horde blocked at Skullhorn pass
20 Boldavia besieged
23 Ethengarians fight against the undead
Yarthmont 4 Boldavia resists
18 Undead change side
20 Morphail says the Ethengarian shamans took control of them but
it’s a plot by Dolores

101

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Klarmont 11 Boldavia’s defense broken; the horde moves to Klantyre

19 Siege of Glenmoorloch begins
Felmont 3 First two Glantrian skyships sail
6 Pegasus skyship bombards the Ethengarian at Skullhorn pass and
they have to retreat
8 The Griffon skyship crashes in Klantyre
10 Jaggar asks for more funds for skyship but they are denied
23 Jaggar considers hot air balloons
26 Glenmoorloch falls
Fyrmont 1 Ethengarians plunder Krondahar
4 Ethengarians repelled in Bergdhoven and Aalban
5 Prince Jherek killed in magical duel in Braastar
8 Glantain air fleet of 20 skyship with air balloons launched
16 Bombardments of Ethengarians who move to Glantri City; siege
begins
20 Kol’s humanoids attack Ethengarians; Jaggar mutilated by the
Great Khan, who is killed by Von Hendriks; siege broken and
Ethengarians retreat
25 Lan-Syn Virayana new Princess in Krondahar; Jaggar renounces
to invade Ethengar
26 Urbaal accuses Montgolfière of stealing his air balloons
28 Duncan McGregor meets Von Hendriks to increase power of
non-mages
Ambyrmont 4 Urbaal and Montgolfière meet and agree to cooperate
14 Qenildor Erewan new Baron of Huledain
Sviftmont 4 Angus McClintock recognized as new Baron of Uigmur; his
mother Mira can now rest
6 Dolores asks that Jaggar is stripped of nobility as he cannot cast
spell without an arm
25 Hobgoblin Goznuk hides in Glantri City as he knows Von Hen-
driks did not slay the Khan
Nuwmont 1 Dolores and Malachie to compete for supreme judge; Brannart
1016
presumed dead
2 Isidore promotes improvement of roads
3 Jaggar increases military budget and narrowly maintains title of
Prince in voting
5 New Tree of Life in the Barony of Celedyl
13 Angus McGregor claims the title of Prince of Klantyre
15 Karameikos and Five Shires protest Von Hendriks’s presence

102

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Vatermont 3 Ralindi and Rejladan Virayana challenge Lan-Syn’s title of Prin-

cess
4 Jaggar ponders how to replace his arm
13 Werewolves in the service of Dolores attack Les Hiboux
16 Dolores meets Aleah Virayana to support her son Ralindi
Thaumont 7 New road commissioned between Celedyl and Fort Fletcher in
Darokin
17 Werewolves attack Stratford in Westheath
25 Angus McClintock, now McDuff, hosts a seminar on Aengmor
City/Oenkmar at the Great School
Flaurmont 12 Von Hendriks stages and defeats a bandit attack in Estin, Sable-
stone
20 Werewolves attack Galadyl in Erewan and Dolores plants proofs
against Malachie
Yarthmont 1 Dolores wins the title of Supreme Judge
23 Rolf von Graustein makes a new mechanical arm for Jaggar
Klarmont 3 Ralindi Virayana voted as new Prince of Krondahar
Felmont 9 Von Hendriks courts Juliana Vlaardoen
10 Shadow elven ambassador in Glantri City
15 Sinaria Verlien found by adventurers in the Nightmare Dimen-
sion
Ambyrmont 1 Juliana Vlaerdoen voted as new Treasurer
3 Prince Erian of the shadow elves is sent to study at the Great
School of Magic
10 Juliana and Von Hendriks go to the theater
16 Carlotina Erewan agrees to assist the shadow elves in healing
Canolbarth forest in exchange for help against humanoids
Sviftmont 26 The goblin Broknag finds Volospin Aendyr in Silverston
Eirmont 8 Synn as a black dragon attacks settlements in New Kolland,
displeased by Volospin Aendyr’s return
1017 Nuwmont 2 Brotherhood of the Radiance has strange dreams
14 Montgolfière & Urbaal reveal their flying gondola
Vatermont 3 Taterhill Races proposed by Archduke John Beaumarys-Moorkroft
7 Long Runner exiles fleeing Wendar arrives at the Forteresse
d’Ylourgne
9 Warehouses of Montgolfière & Urbaal, Ltd. set ablaze in Leenz
10 Alfheim refugees continue on to Erewan
12 Moorkroft has interests in Taterhill
15 Taterhill Races proposal voted down
24 Alfheim refugees welcomed in Erewan

103

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Thaumont 6 Attempted assassination of Dolores in the theatre; assassin disin-

tegrated
8–9 Investigation goes on on the assassination attempt
11 Erendyl refugees from Wendar arrive in Celedyl
14 Investigation on assassin’s identity leads nowhere as a suspect is
found killed
Flaurmont 4 Morphail meets Jaggar
11 Ethengarians discover the body of the Great Khan is in the Great
School of Glantri; Don Fernando de Casanegra feels a presence
in the Radiance
13 Atzanteotl sends Dolores a dream of Canolbarth
Yarthmont 27 Bakai and other children of the Khan arrive in Bramyra
Klarmont 10 Bakai and the others are stopped at the Great School and hosted
by Urmahid Krinagar
11 Morphail propose three new Council charges and a new Duchy
17 Volospin sighted in Eriadna
18 Moglai’s body stolen by Krinagar and given to Bakai
20 Parliament votes on the new charges
Felmont 7 Anton Vlaardoen talks to Feldian to plot against Von Hendriks
15 Midsummer Night’s Ball of Princess Carnelia sees the apparition
of the supposed mortal forms of Ixion and Valerias
18 Malachie is Warden of the Marches with Jaggar’s support, Prince
Ralindi Virayana is Merchant-Mage, Prince Angus McGregor is
new viceroy of the fort to be built between Ylourgne and Sable-
stone; Duchy of Taterhill approved
20 The Erewan suspicious of Dolores’s activities in Canolbarth
Fyrmont 3 Clerics of Valerias from Darokin visit Glantri and meet Carnelia
7 Humanoids attack Trintan
16 Feldian contacts Juliana
23 In Adlertum Rolf Löwenroth, heir to the Baron, marries Viktoria
von Drachenfels, cousin of Jaggar, and Walburg Löwenroth, the
baron’s daughter, marries Jaggar’s heir Sigmund
Ambyrmont 1 Volospin sighted in Glantri City
3 Malachie sends skyships to Aengmor
15 Synn defeated in Aengmor
22 Pilgrims of Valerias to Belcadiz Manor in Glantri City
24 Feldian saved from assassins by halflings
25 Princess Tanadaleyo asks about the skyships
27 Lovecraft asylum burns in Rymskigrad and Sinaria Verlien
escapes

104

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Sviftmont 1 Carlotina and Urhamid speak with shadow elven ambassador

about the skyships
12 Alasdair McAllister new duke of Taterhill
20 Duel set for Viscount seat
Eirmont 2 Juliana is pregnant
5 Gerrid Rientha wins the duel and is the new Viscount of Castel-
bianco
10 Juliana confides in Dolores
20 Robin Moorkroft and his Mundaners pillage the McAllister
caravan in Taterhill
Kaldmont 14 Robin robs Prince Kol
19 Kol protests in Parliament and is mocked by Dolores and others
22 Chaos in Parliament with cross-accusations about the identity of
Robin Moorkroft
26 Dolores orders the removal of Valerias’s pilgrims camped near
Belcadiz Manor
27 Alexander Day massacre of pilgrims leaves dozens dead
1018 Nuwmont 1 Council of Princes following the massacre
5 Gnomes leave Torkyn Falls for Rockhome; new meeting of the
Council
Vatermont 3 Baron of Oxhill Pieter Vandehaar stages his death by Followers
of Claymore to avoid judgment for cheating in duel; infant son
becomes new baron
9 Thousand Fists of the Khan attack at the Monster Fair
18 Church of Valerias and some nations like Sind, Ylaruam and
Ethengar promise retribution for the massacre
28 Tubak/Ixion appears to Boldavian barons, in truth a prank by
Robin Moorkroft
Thaumont 7 Followers of Claymore take over the new Fort Augusburg
11 Malachie retakes the fort with skyships bombardment
15 Marriage in Krondahar of Prince Ralindi Virayana and Rina Krina-
gar
Flaurmont 1 Brotherhood of the Radiance hears new voices
19 Failed assassination attempt against ambassador Catherine
d’Ambreville in Thyatis City
Yarthmont 10 Followers of Claymore attack Sablestone and Prince Harald
defeats them with water magic
12 Morphail goes to Norwold to investigate Nyx’s realm and seek
contact with her
16 Attempt to kill Morphail by supposed Belcadiz undead slayers
Klarmont 3 Sinaria Verlien goes to Juliana
15 Jaggar’s heir has triplets

105

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Felmont 4 John Beaumarys-Moorkroft shifts sides again and allies with Kri-
nagar
15 Carnelia host her Summer party again but there are no Immortals
apparition this year
18 Conclave of Valerias in Darokin City; Gareth speaks in favor of
Glantri
26 Volospin Aendyr returns and proposes to appease Darokin, Kara-
meikos and Thyatis by selling skyships, extraditing Von Hendriks,
and granting a plot of land to clerics of Valerias to build a church
Fyrmont 1 Juliana, freed of Von Hendriks’s spell, denounces him
9 Juliana gives birth
14 Von Hendriks tries to kidnap the baby but is defeated by Juliana
22 Von Hendriks arrested, departs by caravan to Karameikos
Ambyrmont 4 Skyships fly to Darokin
8 Juliana and Kol no longer Dolores’s allies
27 Sigmund von Drachenfels unveils the metallic dragon ‘Old
Dolores’ in Graez
Sviftmont 1 Voice from the Radiance
15 Skirmish with elves in New Kolland
20 Tel’Erond meets Carlotina
Eirmont 2 Sigmund Von Drachenfels abducted in Leenz
12 Ground broken in Caurenze for the new monastery of Valerias
Kaldmont 1 Von Hendriks arrives in Mirros
2 Sigmund reappears in Leenz after oards’ kidnapping
5 Harsh winter hits
17 Prince Harald’s breakdown
22 Frau Hildegarde prepares for a duel with Innocenti di Malapietra
in Caurenze
1019 Nuwmont 1 Earthquake in Glantri after the death of Innocenti
4 Fake Innocenti killed at the Abbey of Valerias sent by Hildegarde
7 Ellerovyn clan oracles divine Kol is a shadow elf
25 Blackmoorian artifact belonging to Danira Voshane, baroness of
Egorn, is reactivated by oards
Vatermont 7 Rolf Löwenroth will have illegitimate heir
18 Carlotina tells Kol she knows his secret and demands a stop to
raids against Erewan
27 Lucrecia di Malapietra hosts a banquet in Glantri City

106

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

Thaumont 4 Agostino di Malapietra seemly dies attacking Lucrecia but it’s

really Cesare Fulvina
10 Horde from the plane of Earth attacks Sablestone
22 Robin Moorkroft turns Ambreville paintings into caricatures
Flaurmont 2 Two young werewolves rough up three teen partygoers
7 Free Anachronic Society denounced by Jaggar as criminal in
Aalban
15 Young werewolves cause more nuisance
18 Young werewolves hurt young mage Valachi Sulescu
22 Pieter Verlien campaigns against fraudulence among the nobility
26 Lucrezia announces death of Innocenti, Agostino claims Sirec-
chia, Lucrecia dies and Agostino is the new Viscount
Yarthmont 2 Agostino dies and Bartolomeo is Viscount
3 Young werewolf killed
7 Hildegarde von Drachenfels visits Berrym
9 More airships to Darokin
12 Fake Marchioness of Berrym exposed, kills herself
13 Official investigation on young werewolves ends
Klarmont 12 Award festival for Berrym
14 Corun House commissions airship
21 Dian and Diane de Moriamis fight at Chateau Morlay
22 Malachie in Court House of the Parliament; Dian is arrested but
vanishes
Felmont 3 New Kollanders at the Great School
9 Werewolves battle a female wizard in Glantri City
11 Werewolf hunter Myndella unmasked; Malachie and Morphail
meet
18 Werewolves attack a caravan near Braastar
20 School of Magic admits humanoids
Fyrmont 7 Play mocking Juliana ends in fire at the theatre
11 Werewolves arrive in Karameikos to hunt the hunter
17 Three students die at laboratory incident in the Great School,
Carlotina saves the others
27 Carlotina escapes aerial assassination
Ambyrmont 2 Carlotina meets Harald in Sablestone
15 Wedding of Dominick Haaskinz with Ysabel de Fedorias where
Etienne is sighted

107

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Sviftmont 11 Bounty on Myndella elapses as per agreement between Malachie

and Morphail
12 Harald dines with Carlotina and Carnelia
23 Sean McAllister kidnapped
Eirmont 5 Students reveal to Grand Master of the School Harald that Sean
McAllister is Robin Moorkroft
14 Fireball at the Ice Games when Sinaria Verlien confronts Jissel de
Gheyn, who affirms to have Juliana’s real mother
24 Clerics of Khoronus in Darokin have a vision of oards in Glantri
City
28 The oards find the Beagle engine
Kaldmont 1 The oard Viktoria von Drachenfels and her minions fight in Ale-
xander Platz with Harald, Carlotina, other School masters and
clerics of Khoronus but are defeated
17 Synn learns about the location of the Radiance
26 Silver Star airship of Corun House’s first flight to Glantri City

The Mystara Almanacs

Storylines through the Years

Glantri has even more space in the MAs

than it had in the official Almanacs. AC
1,014 has only some events, with the rift
between Jaggar and Dolores which devel-
ops from some hints in the Poor Wizard’s
Almanac III and an intervention by Etienne
which also stems from the PWA’s events.
The AC 1,015 storyline is focused instead on
the war with Ethengar with the victory of
Glantri and the development of new sky-
ships. In AC 1,016 Glantri rebuilds after the
war, continuing with the usual intrigues.
Dolores tries to maneuver Von Hendriks to
gain the alliance of Juliana Vlaardoen but
Kol made with Bing AI Image creator prompting
the description in the PWA, not exactly as the she is displeased with Kol, whose minions
known illustrations but interesting. retrieve her alleged ‘father’ Volospin
Aendyr. In AC 1,017 there are many events,
with the usual intrigues and political man-
euvers. Dolores is busy in Aengmor/Canol-
barth (the plot of the videogame Shadow
over Mystara) but is eventually defeated by

108

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Future of Mystara part 2

adventurers and Malachie’s skyships. Comparison with the Official

Juliana is torn between Von Hendriks and Almanacs
her former lover Feldian, and discovers she
is pregnant at the end of the year. Morphail The Mystaran Almanacs developed several
and Malachie begin to talk, and Dolores more storylines on Glantrian nobility, also
may lose him too after losing Kol as an ally. using the vast material of the Glantrian Per-
The year ends with the Alexander Day mas- sonnel Division and Paparazzi Glantri, two
sacre of clerics of Valerias gathered after a great fan works on the country of wizards of
supposed apparition of Ixion and Valerias at which we give some more details in this
Belcadiz Manor. In AC 1,018 the massacre issue. Dolores/Synn and her search for the
has repercussion with Glantri threatened by Radiance is obviously still the most import-
the Church of Valerias and attacked intern- ant one. It’s a great idea to use the plots of
ally by Followers of Claymore and the the videogames Tower of Doom and
Thousand Fists of the Khan, so eventually it Shadows over Mystara in this context as the
has to apologize, granting an abbey to the MAs did in AC 1,014–15 and AC 1,017, as it
Church and supplying skyships to Darokin. makes sense Dolores doesn’t know exactly
Von Hendriks tries to kidnap Juliana’s baby where the Radiance is located and the
but is defeated and extradited to Kara- shadow elves’ crystals may well be one of
meikos. Dolores as Supreme Judge of her first hypothesis. At the end of 1,019,
Glantri suffers a diminishing reputation for also ‘thanks’ to the meddling of the oards,
the massacre and loses Juliana too as an she knows. And this will certainly not bode
ally. Volospin Aendyr publicly returns to the well for the future of Glantri.
Council and officially recognizes her as a
daughter. A bandit, Robin Moorkroft,
becomes famous with some daring thefts
and pranks against famous wizards. In the
meantime the oards (a cybernetic civiliza-
tion which appeared in CM6 Where Chaos
Reigns) have discovered the Radiance and
want to take control of it! In AC 1,019 there
are again many events for Glantri. Hilde-
garde Von Drachenfels secretly kills Inno-
centi di Malapietra and after a long series of
assassinations, Bartholomeo di Malapietra is
the new Viscount of Sirecchia. Young were-
wolves cause some troubles in Glantri City
while Dolores continues her intrigues. At
the end of the year the oards try to take
control of the Radiance but are defeated by
Harald and Carlotina and other wizards of
the School. Dolores finally learns where the Synn
Radiance is exactly located and will prob-
ably act on this information.

109

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Future of Mystara part 2

Possible Future Developments

Dolores/Synn had several setbacks and lost

some allies during her years in Glantri, but
she’s still the major menace the nation has
to face. It could be expected that in AC
10208 Synn will make her move to take
control of the Radiance and probably Etien-
ne/Rad would have to intervene to stop her.
The outcome of this battle will likely shape
the future of Glantri.

8
There is a working thread on the AC 1020 Fan
Almanac, which Hausman is editing, in The Piazza
forums, see the link in the References below

REFERENCES
The “Wrath of the Immortals” set and the official Almanacs can be bought as PDF files on
the Drivethrurpg site:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/284479/Wrath-of-the-Immortals
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/17347/poor-wizard-s-almanac
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/16994/poor-wizard-s-almanac-ii-basic
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/17348/poor-wizard-s-almanac-iii-book-of-facts
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/17350/joshuan-s-almanac-book-of-facts-basic-2e
Mystaran Almanac AC 1020 at the Piazza Forums:
https://www.thepiazza.org.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?t=17075&start=250

110

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 A Crown for Synn A Crown for Synn

It is a guideline about the conflict between

AUTHOR’S INTRODUCTION Synn and the Brotherhood of Radiance
(and the situation of Rad/Etienne) in the
This article provides an update to the face of the discovery of the secrets of Radi-
Glantri setting, primarily a plotline collect- ance and the attempt of the Queen of the
ing the exchange of information that was Night Dragons to try to take this power for
discussed between myself (Hausman) and herself (using all possible forces). That
Micky, also with some scenery elements that would happen, according to the course of
were being worked on by Robin (like the the Almanac AC 1020, at the same time that
incidents with the sphere of darkness at the the Orcwars are devastating eastern
Great School of Magic1) as part of the work Darokin.
for a follow-up to the Mystaran Almanac.
These are the basic essays on the outline for
the plotline (before defined or concluded)
1
See “Test of Darkness” in “Glantri Kingdom of for Glantri and their situation in Mystaran
Magic” Boxed Set – TSR Publishing; also the article:
“Charting and projecting continued Radiance usage” – Almanacs’ age.
by Robin at the Vaults of Pandius

111

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

A Crown for Synn

BASIC PREMISES The intrigue of hidden figures in notes (as

per Margaret's notes and Edward Hills-
Since her first appearance in DRAGON bury's diaries) and demonstrations of
Magazine2, the Queen of the Night Dragons powers show that there are forces beyond
has been gaining relevance in the Known the powers of the council of princes gov-
World. At some point post “Wrath of the erning the magic of Glantri. That in fact the
Immortals” events she began her personal Radiance is not something symbolic like
project of gaining power in Glantri by being magical knowledge emanating from Glantri3
a force moving her influence to the council as many argue, but rather a real palpable
of princes or even controlling all of them as power unknown to the masses. As Synn is
a final intention. well positioned in Glantrian politics, she
begins her move in this direction.
Gradually, the editions of the “Poor Wizards
Almanacs” (through the production of “She does quietly go the knowledge/dis-
Aaron Allston in PWA I and continued by covery route and puts enough pieces
Ann Dupuis in PWA II and III) developed together to build her receptacle. She
the plot of how Synn gained power among will make a play at gaining control of
the princes of Glantri until her discovery of the Radiance… but she will need help
the Radiance (finally in fanon Mystaran to even have a reasonable (or most
Almanac AC 1019). This leads to a new importantly PLAUSIBLE) chance to gain
escalation of power and she is determined its power.”
to take this magical force and use it to
achieve immortality in the sphere of Having built her personal receptacle, Synn
Entropy. would already benefit from her first contact
with the Radiance. However, this also
brings her into contact with the Brother-
SPECULATED hood of the Radiance, who will try to dis-
PROGRESSION cover her identity. But this does not matter,
because she will do everything possible to
take this power into her own hands and
Here are some interspersed excerpts dis- destroy anyone who opposes her.
cussed in brainstorming to develop the pro-
gression of these outlines:

“Synn discovered Margaret’s notes. Sees

obviously those who wield it are of
immense power thus she just can’t
muscle in and take it... She assumes she
is dealing with forces perhaps greater
than her own, thus she is vulnerable.
Since she is not an idiot, she moves cau-
tiously.”
2 3
Issue #163: “The Return of the Darkness” in “The As shown in “The Order of Radiance” pg. 15 –
Voyage of the Princess Ark” by Bruce Heard – TSR GAZ3: “The Principalities of Glantri” – TSR
Publishing Publishing

112

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 A Crown for Synn

Opposition from the Brotherhood of Radi-

ance is a formidable opponent even for
Synn, for Radiance is a secret that cannot be
kept from anonymous amateurs. So this
ignites an open confrontation for Radiance.

“She will need immortal help... Entropic

help, the few that know enough to help
her directly. But of course the Brother-
hood of the Radiance is warned by Rad
(wait… how many years has since Rad
vanished/disappeared?) that she is bad
news and refuses to accept her.”

Immortal powers are not something

unknown to Synn (although the immortal
powers in Glantri have a very peculiar char-
acteristic). However, even the Queen of the
Night Dragons has some access to the
Immortals of Entropy that date back to their
origins in the ruins in Oceania5. She will
present those powers with a significant
offer – the Radiance of Glantri – in
exchange for the power and aid of the
Immortals of Entropy. She will try to bring
Dolores and her dragon form, image produced
by Midjourney AI prompted by Senarch these allies with her as an ace up her sleeve
in a possible confrontation with Rad and
the Brotherhood of the Radiance.
The Path to Entropy4
“The Brotherhood moves in to stop her...
The path for the Sphere of Entropy doesn’t and she calls her allies... that thing
favour any class in particular. Given that being on the council would be sort of
Entropy is opposed to the other four self-evident. Especially if she engages in
Spheres, there exist four distinct paths for outright warfare against the keepers of
achieving Immortality (namely: Destroyer, what made Glantri what it is, the Broth-
Manipulator, Dungeon Master and Tyrant), erhood of the Radiance.”
each one of which is directly opposed to
one of the four paths of the other Spheres As can be seen in the Glantri Gazetteer6 the
in a sort of negative or compensatory new user’s contact with the receptacle built
parody. with the energies of the Radiance also
depends on the consent of Rad (who is
5
See more in “Gazetteer of Oceania” (an Italian PDF)
4
See more in “Paths to the Immortality” in “Codex in the Vaults of Pandius
6
Immortalis” by Marco Dalmonte at the Vaults of “The Secrets of the Radiance” section – GAZ3: “The
Pandius Principalities of Glantri” – TSR Publishing

113

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 A Crown for Synn

Intelligence/Wisdom
A ND THEN GO O Adjustments
N
The
aware of all minds directly linked to the
energy of the Radiance), who, once disap-
proving of Synn’s actions and intentions, These
I.e. a are
3rd-level
ideas created
Conjurerbycan
many cast
hands
two and
1st-
Memory Gap
can reveal her identity to the members of
the brotherhood and order a true hunt to
minds
level spells
Conjurer
in theand
editorial
one 2nd-level
acs, whichhasweanhave
history ofspell.
Intelligence
the Alman-
collectedscore
If the
with of
great
16
extinguish her (preserving Glantri’s magical respect
they canand memorize
consideredtwo the
additional
best possible
spells
secret).
A Simple Rad Spellcasting
can contact and order his most
Variant development
per level. Instead
for an
ofappreciable
the two 1st-level
sequel.
spells
The
warlike followers in this case. and onewill2nd-level
answer certainly spell,
come the character
in future edi-
wouldofnow
tions have four
the Fanon 1st-level spells and
Almanacs.
by Trevor Holman
“The most evil of the bunch, Angus three 2nd-level spells to choose from, but
McGregor, would be first and foremost could still only cast two 1st-level and one
in defense of Glantri and the Radiance References:
2nd-level spells in a day.
and
In my against
AD&D Synn. games, Especially
I’ve createdas the last
a spell-
thing
castinghe’dsystemwantthat is competition
enhances theonspell- the As mentioned,
• GAZ3: this is a simple
“The Principalities variant and
of Glantri”
block
caster’sforoptions
being the for most
the wayevil they
member choose on the–DMTSRcan still require characters to study
Publishing
the
theirCouncil
spells asofwellPrinces.
as thelmao!”
number of spells all their spells before each adventure or
they can cast. It doesn’t use spell points, force
• spellsKingdom
“Glantri to be lostofon casting
Magic” them.Set
Boxed This
Well,
but itthen
doesalladdhell breaks
rules loose...the
to balance butbenefits
in the variant
– TSRcan also be expanded to include
Publishing
Glantrian style of receives—such
the spell-caster intrigue betweenaswizards. spell casting additional spells during adventures
Of course,
fatigue andallexhaustion,
the excerpts presented
spell erosion,above etc., where
• a character
“Charting is desperate.
and projecting continuedThere
frommore.
and this brainstorm of ideas discussed would be usage”
Radiance great by riskRobin
involved, causing
between writers and members of the Almanac fatigue, exhaustion,
– Vaults of Pandiusor even death to the
Team
For my are basic
general guidelines
games I wanted where the plot
something caster.
will seek but
simple, a linesomething
of development to run.
that still offered a • DRAGON Magazine Issue #163:
little more freedom for the spell-caster to “The Return of the Darkness” in
Robin
have options
also brought
shouldusa an situation
interesting
arise,subject
allow- “The Voyage of the Princess Ark” series
regarding
ing more spontaneous
the uncontrolled gameplay
growth forofspell-
the – TSR Publishing
casters. of darkness beneath the Great
sphere
School of Magic in the capital – and cer- • “Codex Immortalis vol.1”
Below Synn
tainly is something
will take I hope fits thatofbill.
advantage this to by Marco Dalmonte – Vaults of Pandius
bring darkness and chaos if she needs to
confront
In this variant,
her enemies
spells are andlearned
usurp normally
Glantri’s • Italian “Gazetteer of Oceania”
per thepower
magical rules for ofherself.
study and meditation. – Vaults of Pandius
However, they remain in memory until dis-
carded for other spells. The number of • “Poor Wizard’s Almanac” series (I-III)
spells a character can memorize is based on – TSR Publishing
their class level plus their intelligence or
wisdom score, depending on the class • Fanon Mystaran Almanac series
(wisdom for clerics, intelligence for magic- – Vaults of Pandius
users and elves). The effect below does not
allow the character to cast additional spells
but will enable them to memorize more
spells to choose from. Thus, depending on
the situation, the character becomes slightly
more useful—and dangerous.

114

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Memory Gap

The
Memory Gap
A Simple Spellcasting Variant

by Trevor Holman

In my AD&D games, I’ve created a spell-

casting system that enhances the spell-
caster’s options for the way they choose
their spells as well as the number of spells
they can cast. It doesn’t use spell points,
Intelligence/Wisdom Adjustments
but it does add rules to balance the benefits
the spell-caster receives—such as spell
fatigue and exhaustion, spell erosion, etc., Score Effect
and more. 13—15 + 1 spell/level
16—17 + 2 spells/level
For my basic games I wanted something 18 + 3 spells/level
simple, but something that still offered a
little more freedom for the spell-caster to I.e. a 3rd-level Conjurer can cast two 1st-
have options should a situation arise, allow- level spells and one 2nd-level spell. If the
ing more spontaneous gameplay for spell- Conjurer has an Intelligence score of 16
casters. they can memorize two additional spells
per level. Instead of the two 1st-level spells
Below is something I hope fits that bill. and one 2nd-level spell, the character
would now have four 1st-level spells and
In this variant, spells are learned normally three 2nd-level spells to choose from, but
per the rules of study and meditation. could still only cast two 1st-level and one
However, they remain in memory until dis- 2nd-level spells in a day.
carded for other spells. The number of
spells a character can memorize is based on As mentioned, this is a simple variant and
their class level plus their intelligence or the DM can still require characters to study
wisdom score, depending on the class all their spells before each adventure or
(wisdom for clerics, intelligence for magic- force spells to be lost on casting them. This
users and elves). The effect below does not variant can also be expanded to include
allow the character to cast additional spells casting additional spells during adventures
but will enable them to memorize more where a character is desperate. There
spells to choose from. Thus, depending on would be great risk involved, causing
the situation, the character becomes slightly fatigue, exhaustion, or even death to the
more useful—and dangerous. caster.

115

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Vancian Magic

by Lance Duncan From the

MYSTARA
FORUMS at

This is my attempt to reform the magic few short stories, several excerpts from the
system in D&D to be more in line with the novels relating to magic, and other people’s
fiction of Jack Vance. I should warn the analysis of the “Dying Earth” fiction. I am
reader that I haven't actually read all of the also using the “Dying Earth RPG” (2001) to
“Dying Earth” novels, but this is my under- fill in some gaps.
standing from reading a couple novels, a

116

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Vancian Magic

ON THE PRINCIPLES OF Cantraps are the simplest spells; they

MAGIC involve only minor gestures and a short
phrase. Anyone can perform a cantrap. The
effects of a cantrap can include simple
Let’s begin by examining the basic prin- blessings or curses, minor physical effects
ciples of all magic. Mathematics reveals the like swatting a fly, or putting out a candle.
secrets of magic. Essentially, mathematics Each cantrap causes a specified effect. If a
and mathematical formulas are magic. cantrap is miscast the effect can backfire on
Because math can be used to model/reveal the caster.
the secrets of the universe it is also the basis
for magic. In this sense magic can be looked Arcane Spells and Incantations are a defined
at as a science, simply one that we don’t set of instructions to a magical being to
understand. Yet magic isn’t an exact perform something specific. These spells
science; it is more of an art form. The math- are written in books, memorized by a
ematical formulas conceal the elemental magic-user, and then cast by chanting an
nature of magic. Mathematics is simply a incantation to release the spell. (Basically
way of understanding and codifying magic what we consider normal spellcasting in
for practical uses. Just like in other sciences, D&D.)
mathematics is not physics or astronomy or
chemistry, the equations are simply used to Sandestines are immortal magical creatures
analyze and understand these parts of the able to perform almost any magical feat
universe. imaginable. These creatures are fully
sapient with their own will. Magic-users
summon these creatures and through the
presence of another type of magical
creature, a Chug, bind the Sandestine into
ON THE PRACTICAL USE indentured servitude through a series of
OF MAGIC negotiations. Once indentured, the Sandes-
tine will perform magical tasks for the
magic-user, but often pervert the magic-
In the “Dying Earth”, much of the know- user’s intention or just do a poor job out of
ledge of magic has been lost, so what is left laziness. Only the most powerful magic-
is arbitrary. Basically spells are used, but the users are able to indenture a Sandestine.
mathematical principles behind them have
been lost, and because of that, research of Thaumaturgical Runes are the method by
new spells is practically impossible. There which magic-users enchant items. Runes
are no more than 100 spells left in exist- can be inscribed into objects or floors or
ence. Each spell has been named after its walls. They capture a spell and it is per-
original creator and performs specific for- formed continuously; the spell effected by a
mulaic effects. There are a few different rune cannot be turned on or off.
methods of enacting magic, these are:
cantraps, arcane spells and incantations, the
indentured servitude of Sandestines, and
thaumaturgical runes.

117

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Vancian Magic

ON THE
PREPARATION AND
CASTING OF
SPELLS

Each spell is a living thing; it is

not just words or numbers on
a page. The mathematical
formula binds each spell into
words and characters on the
page. These living spells want
to be released, and the very
image of the spell on a page
will force itself into the mind
of the reader. Just reading a
spell will release it into a per-
son’s mind, and this can drive
people mad. The reading (or
memorization in D&D terms)
is an arduous task. An ordinary
man (Intelligence of 10) can
hold one spell in his mind; two
will drive him mad. Some
people have an innate ability (greater Intel- In order to cast a spell a magic-user has to
ligence) to hold more spells, and through be able to speak. A spell has to be spoken
study and practice (higher-level magic-user) perfectly or else it can backfire on the
individuals can learn to hold even more caster; this goes back to the formulaic math-
spells simultaneously. ematical roots of containing magic in spells.
Also the true name of a being has power; a
Spells are of differing intensity or level. magic-user can curse a being if they know
While a man may be able to hold 6 lesser their true name. The casting of spells leaves
spells in his mind, he may forgo them if he a distinctive smell in the air that can be
wants to carry 4 greater spells in his mind, detected by anyone who is aware of the sig-
or about a 3:2 ratio of lesser to greater nificance of the scent.
spells. The lesser spells are easier to hold in
the mind than the greater spells; just
because someone can hold some of the less
formidable spells does not mean they can
hold any of the spells of greater formidabil-
ity. In addition a magic-user can purpose-
fully cast out or forget a spell in order to
free up space or mental power for a differ-
ent one.

118

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Vancian Magic

RULES FOR D&D Also a minor detail, there is only 1 spell per
spellbook and they are not objects easily
Here I am only going to outline some rules carried around. I’m aware there are many in
for modifying the spellcasting of the magic- the D&D community that feel the descrip-
user class; cantraps, runes and sandestines tion of a spellbook in the D&D Basic Set
will not be treated here. (1983) as having dimensions of 2'x2' and
weighing 20 pounds was a mistake, but I
I see the biggest change necessary to be a think it was a good decision. As far as I’m
difference in how magic-users determine aware nowhere in the fiction of Vance, or
which spells they can memorize. Instead of for that matter any other author who wrote
being able to memorize a specific number before the publication of D&D, do you see a
of a specific level, they should be able to magician carrying around easily referenced
memorize based on a spell-point basis. spellbooks from which they can quickly
Whether spells are split into lesser and memorize a spell. There is always a well-
greater spells, or 9 different levels of spells protected library and/or laboratory in their
seems unimportant to me; it demonstrates home, and it is always something of interest
the same principle. So a magic-user will be to gain a spellbook containing the lost spell
given a certain number of spell points or of X from the great magician X. So each
slots (similar to 5e) and each spell costs a spellbook contains only one spell and is
number of spell points to memorize equal something to be closely guarded in a secure
to its spell level. I am calling this their location, not bandied about like some trav-
“Spell Focus” which will be different for each eling bible. (Of course this is something
magic-user based on intelligence. (Follow- that can be easily discarded by a DM.)
ing there is a Spell Focus chart which is
derived from the spells per day chart of the Below is the outline of the rules I have been
magic-user in the BECMI rules.) using for magic-users based on the above
guidelines:
The other big change to implement is a
chance for spell failure. I am basing this on
a standard INT check. This check would
then be modified by the level of the spell
being cast (the higher the level, the more
chance of failure), the amount of armor
worn (this allows magic-users to wear
armor, just with penalties to spellcasting),
and the base level of magic-user (a higher-
level caster is better at casting higher-level
spells). Also to prevent this from being
cumbersome in game play the miscast roll
is unnecessary when high-level magic-users
cast low-level spells.

119

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Vancian Magic

Spells Miscasting

A spell consists of formulae used to bind a A spell may be miscast if the incantation is
daemon to a grimoire. When a grimoire is botched.
read the daemon enters the magic-user’s
mind. The daemon is then released from ▪ Make an INT check, -1 per spell level, -1
the character’s mind and forced to perform per AC granted by armor worn, +1 per
a task when an incantation is properly 5 levels of the magic-user; a roll of 1
chanted. results in a backfire (to be determined
by the DM)
▪ a magic-user must not be fatigued when
reading a grimoire ▪ if an incantation is interrupted it is
miscast, roll for backfire as normal
▪ it takes 1 turn per spell level to read a
grimoire Counter-Spells

▪ it takes 1 round per spell level to chant Magic-users can counter other spells.
an incantation
▪ requires the release of a daemon of a
▪ a magic-user may not contain two level equal to the level of the spell being
daemons of the same spell type in their countered
mind without going insane
▪ 1 round to cast if initiative won
▪ each spell requires an amount of ‘spell
focus’ equal to its level, allowing a ▪ contested roll : successfully counter if
mixture of high- and low-level daemons miscast roll is higher than the spell
to be contained being countered

▪ the level and INT of the magic-user

determines their spell focus (see accom- Scrolls
panying table on page 122 )

▪ to read a spell beyond the safe number,

roll an INT check minus the spell level,
a failure results in insanity

▪ if a magic-user dies with spells still pre-

pared, all the remaining spells are
released simultaneously at random
targets Magic-users may scribe the incantation of a
spell from a grimoire onto a scroll (weigh-
ing 0.1 lbs. per spell level) to be preserved
for a casting at a later point in time.

120

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Vancian Magic

▪ it requires 1 day of game time and ▪ 8th = 1,000 leaves, 102 lbs., 5.5 inches
100sp worth of a magical ink per level of
the spell to be scribed on a scroll ▪ 9th = 1,100 leaves, 112 lbs., 6 inches

▪ when the incantation on the scroll is ▪ each grimoire contains the arcane back-
read the ink dissipates, releasing its hold ground, history, incantation, and neces-
on the daemon sary binding formulae of 1 spell

▪ magic-users begin with read magic and

one other 1st-level grimoire of their
choice
Grimoires
▪ to scribe a known grimoire a magic-user
must have access to an arcane library
and enough spell focus

▪ to scribe a grimoire takes 1 week and

1,000sp per spell level

Research

To research an unknown spell a magic-user

Magic-users keep libraries of grimoires must have access to an arcane library, a
hidden and well-protected. laboratory, and enough spell focus.

▪ Grimoires are 2'x2', varying in thickness ▪ to research a new spell takes 2 weeks
based on spell level and 2,000sp per level

▪ 1st Level = 300 leaves of parchment, 32 ▪ at end of research roll to miscast

lbs., 2 inches
▪ on failure they must continue research
nd
▪ 2 = 400 leaves, 42 lbs., 2.5 inches with -1 to miscast

▪ 3rd = 500 leaves, 52 lbs., 3 inches ▪ on backfire all previous research was
wasted, laboratory is destroyed; save vs.
▪ 4th = 600 leaves, 62 lbs., 3.5 inches breath or suffer a critical wound

▪ 5th = 700 leaves, 72 lbs., 4 inches

▪ 6th = 800 leaves, 82 lbs., 4.5 inches

▪ 7th = 900 leaves, 92 lbs., 5 inches

121

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Vancian Magic

Spell Focus by Intelligence

● Suffixes (1)–(8) on Magic-User level =no chance of miscasting a spell of this level

Magic-User Intelligence
Magic-User Level 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
3(1) 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 2 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
5(2) 2 6 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
6 2 6 12 12 12 12 12 12 12
7(3) 3 7 13 17 17 17 17 17 17
8 3 9 15 23 23 23 23 23 23
9(4) 3 9 18 26 31 31 31 31 31
10 3 9 18 30 40 40 40 40 40
11(5) 4 10 19 31 41 47 47 47 47
12 4 12 24 36 46 52 52 52 52
13 4 12 24 24 46 58 58 58 58
14 4 12 24 40 55 67 67 67 67
15(6) 5 13 25 41 56 68 75 75 75
16 5 15 30 46 61 73 87 87 87
17 6 16 31 47 67 85 99 99 99
18(7) 6 16 31 47 67 85 99 107 107
19 6 16 31 51 71 89 103 119 119
20 6 16 31 51 71 95 116 132 132
21(8) 6 16 31 51 71 95 116 132 141
22 6 18 33 53 78 102 123 139 157
23 6 18 36 60 85 109 130 154 172
24 7 21 39 63 88 118 146 170 188
25 7 21 39 63 88 118 146 178 205
26 7 21 42 66 96 126 161 193 220
27 7 21 42 66 96 126 161 201 237
28 8 24 45 69 99 135 177 217 253
29 8 24 45 73 108 144 186 226 271
30 8 24 48 76 111 153 195 243 288
31 8 24 48 76 111 153 202 250 304
32 9 25 49 81 121 163 212 268 322
33 9 27 54 86 126 174 223 279 342
34 9 27 54 90 130 178 234 298 361
35 9 27 54 90 135 189 245 309 381
36 9 27 54 90 135 189 252 324 405

122

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Weapon Mastery for Magic Items

by Cab Davidson
A few orders of magic-users and clerics
around Mystara have mastered strange abilit-
ies to boost their magical prowess, using
certain totems, charms, holy symbols and Training and Attunement
other items of significance only within their
own orders. While not widely known A caster can only attune to
outside of their orders, these unique prac- a single item at a time;
tices confer specific advantages to those who they may not have two or
study them. In Alphatia, magic-users speak more items of the same or
of these crafts in hushed tones. In Glantri, different types to which
they do not discuss them at all. Whereas the they are attuned. Training
clerical orders of Thyatis and Heldann prefer in the use of the attuned
to show their abilities only to their own true item is never offered to
believers. Such abilities can add interest and outsiders so, for example,
variety to the Weapon Mastery system (first wizards in a particular
introduced in the Masters Set and detailed order may all be masters
extensively in the Rules Cyclopedia), which of crystals and will not
provides a mechanism describing training train those from other
and progression used here. nations in the use of the
crystal. Such crafts are rare
and secretive, potentially
What Items Can Be Attuned to? necessitating great stand-
ing in a theocracy or status
A spellcaster can attune a single within an organisation of wizards. This will
item that becomes an extension of be dependent on your campaign.
their spellcasting ability. Casters of
magic-user spells can choose a Training uses the same mechanism (and
wand, staff, ring or crystal. Casters slots) as weapon mastery. Basic mastery
of clerical spells can choose a holy allows the caster to attune to the specific
symbol of their patron Immortal item, but does not confer any specific bene-
(conferring benefits according to fits. Attunement and use require that the
the sphere of power of that item be used appropriately – i.e. a ring
Immortal). Wicca and shaman must be worn, a wand or staff wielded, a
casters can select an appropriate crystal held, etc. Further training works in
gris-gris which is the equivalent of the same way as for weapon mastery, taking
any of the items below, at the the same amount of time and costing the
DM’s discretion. Druids are same amount of gold, but trainers are rare
limited to staffs and crystals. and likely to be restricted to small geo-
graphical areas or magical and holy orders.

123

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Weapon Mastery for Magic Items

The item can be mundane or magical – a These items incur no off-hand penalty and
wand, for example, may be a simple stick or a can be wielded in either hand. Each item
magic wand of any type. A staff can be a confers a specific bonus to one activity, and
magical weapon or simple broom handle. If a special effect, each improving with
the approximate description fits, the item can increasing levels of mastery as shown in
be attuned to. The attunement ritual (learned table 1 below.
at basic level) takes 1d4 hours, and can only
be carried out once per month, at most.

Table 1 – Magic Item Attunement

Ring Bonus Special
Basic — —
Skilled +2 Spell Levels Interrupt (30')
Expert +4 Spell Levels Interrupt (60', save -1)
Master +8 Spell Levels Interrupt (90', Save -2)
Grand Master +12 Spell Levels Interrupt (120', Save -4)

Wand Bonus Special

Basic — —
Skilled Range +10% Save -1
Expert Range +20% Save -2, Spell Deflect (1)
Master Range +40% Save -3, Spell Deflect (1)
Grand Master Range +80% Save -4, Spell Deflect (2)

Staff Bonus Special

Basic — —
Skilled Damage +1 per 4 dice Spell Deflect (1)
Expert Damage +1 per 3 dice Spell Deflect (2)
Master Damage +1 per 2 dice Spell Deflect (3)
Grand Master Damage +1 per 1 dice Spell Deflect (4)

Crystal Bonus Special

Basic — —
Skilled Save +1 Save -1
Expert Save +2 Save -2
Master Save +4 Save -4
Grand Master Save +6 Save -6

124

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Weapon Mastery for Magic Items

Table 1 continued

Holy Symbol – Energy Bonus Special

Basic — —
Skilled Turn +1d4 hd Undead Lore
Expert Turn +2d4 hd Undead Lore +1
Master Turn +4d4 hd Undead Lore +2
Grand Master Turn +6d4 hd Undead Lore +3

Holy Symbol – Matter Bonus Special

Basic — —
Skilled Healing +1/die Nature Lore
Expert Healing +2/die Nature Lore +1
Master Healing +3/die Nature Lore +2
Grand Master Healing +4/die Nature Lore +3

Holy Symbol – Thought Bonus Special

Basic — —
Skilled +2 Spell Levels Concentration
Expert +4 Spell Levels Concentration +1
Master +8 Spell Levels Concentration +2
Grand Master +12 Spell Levels Concentration +3

Holy Symbol – Time Bonus Special

Basic — —
Skilled Duration + 25% History Lore
Expert Duration + 50% History Lore +1
Master Duration + 100% History Lore +2
Grand Master Duration + 150% History Lore +3

Holy Symbol – Entropy Bonus Special

Basic — —
Skilled Control Undead (1/4 level) Undead Lore
Expert Control Undead (1/2 level) Undead Lore +1
Master Control Undead (3/4 level) Undead Lore +2
Grand Master Control Undead (at level) Undead Lore +3

125

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Weapon Mastery for Magic Items

Explanation of Bonuses and Saving Throw Bonus

Special Effects
If the caster is wielding an attuned crystal
they gain a saving throw to all saving throws
Bonus Spell Levels vs. spells, wands, staves, rods and spell-like
effects (such as from a beholder’s eye stalks,
The spellcaster can memorise the stated for example). Saves versus natural attacks
number of extra spell levels, divided as they and breath weapons are not affected.
see fit. For example, an Expert with the ring
can memorise four extra first level spells, a Interrupt
second and two first, a third and a first, or
one fourth. The normal limit for spell levels
is not changed; a caster may not memorise
a higher-level spell than they otherwise
would be able to. And if the ring is
removed, the same number of spell levels
of memorised spells (determined ran-
domly) are forgotten.

Range Increase

All spells can be cast with an increase in

maximum range, as shown. Spells with a A ring user may choose to declare ‘inter-
zero or touch range are unaffected, and rupt’ as their intention for the round, in
areas of effect are not modified. place of casting a spell or taking other
actions. A single target within range is spe-
Damage Increase cified, and if that target chooses to cast a
spell they must make a saving throw against
Any damage-inflicting spell cast is increased wands to do so successfully. The result of a
in damage as stated. The minimum damage failed saving throw is that the spell is lost.
increase is +1, even where there are fewer Spells and spell-like effects from devices
damage dice rolled. For example, a third- (wands, staffs, etc.) can be affected.
level magic-user skilled with a staff would
be able to cast a magic missile for 1d6+2 Saving Throw Penalty
damage. A twentieth-level magic-user who
is a master with a staff would inflict While the attuned item is wielded, any
20d6+10 damage to all within the area of saving throws against spells cast by the
effect of a fireball (although normal wielder are at the stated penalty.
saving throws for half damage are unaf-
fected).

126

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Weapon Mastery for Magic Items

Spell Deflect Turn Bonus

The wielder of a staff may declare that it is Clerics with a mastery of holy
their intention to deflect incoming spells symbols of Energy immortals
that round. Spells to be deflected must be gain a bonus to the total
directly aimed at the wielder of the staff, number of HD of undead
rather than area-of-effect spells cast around affected by turning, whether
them. Only one deflect attempt can be made the result is a turn determined
per spell cast at the user, although a grand by rolling 2d6, T, D, D+ or D#.
master can try to deflect two spells in a
round. A spell is successfully deflected if the
caster makes the normal save against the
spell, but if no save is normally permitted a Healing Bonus
save vs. spells is allowed, but with a -4
penalty to the roll. A deflected spell is effect- All healing spells cast by the cleric are
ively re-directed towards another target, affected, as is healing produced from wands
chosen by the wielder of the attuned staff, as or staffs of healing. For example an expert
long as sufficient range exists. For example, with a matter symbol casting cure light
if the mage wielding the attuned staff is tar- wounds would heal 1d6+3 instead of the
geted with a power word kill, which has a usual 1d6+1.
120' range from 90' away, only targets up to
30' away can be chosen. Any recipient of a Control Undead
deflected spell may also make a save to avoid
the effects thereof, regardless of whether a A cleric attuned to a symbol of an entropic
saving throw is normally allowed for that Immortal may, instead of trying to turn
spell. Deflecting a spell requires concentra- undead, attempt to control them. This is
tion – no other actions can be taken in the not the same as an avenger controlling
same round. undead but uses the same mechanism as
undead lieges and pawns. The cleric oper-
Undead Lore/Concentration/History ates as if an undead creature of their level
Lore/Nature Lore in hit dice. Note that the same limitations
also apply. Turning undead controlled thus
The wielder gains the general skill stated works in the normal manner for breaking
(with the stated bonus). If the skill is undead control, with a skilled wielder being
already known, a +1 bonus is gained in treated as a wraith, an expert as a spectre, a
addition to any other bonuses due to a master a phantom, and a grand master a
higher level of mastery. spirit.

From
The Vaults
of Pandius

127

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Weapon Mastery for Magic Items
THRESHOLD the Mystara Magazine

https://mystara.thorfmaps.com/
http://pandius.com/gazfmyst.html

GAZF sub-forum at The Piazza

https://thornschronicle.blogspot.com/
http://pandius.com/hllwmoon.html

128

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Meg’s Mystaran
Meg’s Mystaran Cookbokpart
Cookbok part11

Meg’s
Mystaran
Cookbook
Part 1
Being a Collection of
Recipes from All Great
Cuisines of Mystara.

By Meg of Wheaton, House-

keeper and Cook of the Great
Castle of Magan (Translated by Cab Davidson)
Translator’s note: These recipes are from a All of the dishes here serve two people,
vast repository of notes left by Meg of either as a side dish or as a central part of a
Wheaton, famed housekeeper of the Great meal, except for jugged hare, which can
Castle of Magan, the southern Norwold serve 6–8 people (depending on the size of
dominion. She was first employed by Lord the hare).
Spirrel and worked through to her retire-
ment, taking in the reigns of Beotach, Meg mostly used imperial measurements in
Obsidian, and the first years of Clarissa. her notes (alongside handfuls, spoons,
During that time the Great Castle of Magan pinches, scruples and various other inde-
paid host to delegations from across cipherable volumes), with the conspicuous
Mystara, from as far afield as the Arm of the addition of ‘coins’ in some places, being a
Immortals, Brasol, Vulcania and Zyxl, and weight equivalent to a tenth of one pound.
indeed some from even more exotic loca- I believe this to be a common Mystaran con-
tions that I am still trying to identify. Here vention, an internationally recognised con-
I’ve translated and transcribed some of her cession to the inadequacies of the imperial
recipes, including traditional dishes from measurement system. For clarity, the
Norwold, Thyatis and Glantri, alongside English imperial measurement system
Meg’s own (idiosyncratic) thoughts relating rather than the American one is used by
to each. In places she has added to the tra- most authorities on Mystaran cuisine (and
ditional methods used in those other trade). I have included metric approxima-
nations, but it is my hope that this analysis tions for dishes alongside imperial meas-
will assist others in further research on the ures.
authentic foodstuffs of Mystara.

129

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Meg’s Mystaran Cookbok part 1

Honey-Glazed Mushrooms if you can’t get garum you can substitute

(Thyatian) any other fermented fish sauce. Most other
kinds are saltier, and you should take that
into account in your final seasoning of the
dish.

Down in Thyatis they like to use Lucinius’

mushroom (Amanita caesaria1) for this
dish, but you should be cautious because
when cooked the death cap (Amanita phal-
loides) closely resembles that choice edible.
I have often wondered if this is why they’re
so fond of using Caesar’s mushroom, the
Thyatians being such a Machiavellian lot
who relish their assassinations almost as
Ingredients much as their food. Here in Norwold we
use what we have according to season (and
1 tablespoon of honey our less murderous taste in dining), and
1 tablespoon of garum or fish sauce this dish is excellent with morels
½ lb (250g) of mushrooms (Morchella esculenta and similar), maybuns
1 tablespoon of olive oil (Calocybe gambosa), horse mushrooms
Sprigs of fresh parsley, lovage or celery leaf (Agaricus arvensis), penny buns (Boletus
Pepper and salt to taste edulis), honey fungus (Armillaria mellea),
winter oysters (Pleurotus ostreatus), and
Instructions
even plums and custard mushrooms (Trich-
Mix the honey and garum together. olomopsis rutilans) can be made quite
good in this dish. In the Cruth mountains I
Pick over the mushrooms and discard any am informed that they cook shriekers this
that are infested with mushroom larvae*. way.
Cut any tougher parts of the mushroom off,
stems and the like, and fry in the oil until *A common warning in old recipes, due to
softened. Slice the caps and add them to the prevalence of insect larvae in wild-
the pan. Once sizzling away, add in your picked mushrooms.
honey and garum mix, and when it is thick-
ening and getting sticky add in chopped
parsley, pepper and salt to taste. Serve
immediately.
Meg’s Comments
I learned this as a young girl, from a visiting
Thyatian legionary (Maximus Bendicus)
who wanted to make sure the officers were
kept passive with good food, and indeed
the higher-class Thyatians go mad for it. You 1
Called Caesar’s mushroom on Earth
can tell a Thyatian recipe by the garum, but https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_caesarea

130

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Meg’s Mystaran Cookbok part 1

Cotoneum et Phasianum Baked Fish of Archie’s

Pulmentum (Thyatian) Trousers (Thyatian)
Ingredients

4 pheasant thighs (or 2 chicken thighs)

3 large quinces
Oil for frying
1 onion
1 stick of celery
½ lb (250g) of mushrooms
1 large glass of white wine
Chicken or pheasant stock
1 tablespoon of cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of honey
A splash of garum or fish sauce
Salt and pepper to taste Ingredients
Instructions
1 good-sized fish (e.g. a sea bass) or ½ lb
Chop the onion, celery and carrot finely (250g) of boned, skinned and filleted fish
and sauté until softened. Add the pheasant (e.g. salmon)
thighs and brown them. Peel and slice the A dozen vine leaves and string
quinces and mushrooms, and add them to 2 oz (60g) of butter
the pan with the wine, honey, vinegar, Sprigs of marjoram, thyme and parsley
garum or fish sauce, seasoning and if neces- A squeeze of lemon
sary just enough stock to cover. Cook in a Salt and pepper
moderate oven for 40 minutes.
Instructions
Meg’s Comments
Lay the leaves down in a layer such that
This is my take on a fairly classic Thyatian they’ll be sufficient to wrap the fish, with
dish. Quinces are uncommon here in three strands of string running left to right
Norwold but we do grow them, and they’re beneath them. Spread the butter in a line
an under-used fruit that I think should be down the middle, from top to bottom, and
more popular. I usually cook this using lay the herbs on top of this, with a sprink-
thighs from pheasant or chicken, which ling of salt, pepper, and a squeeze of
makes this a most economical dish. The lemon.
breasts go to the tables of the nobles in the
castle, whereas pheasant drumsticks are full If you’re using a whole fish then gut and
of hard sinews so they go into the stockpot scale it, and remove the gills before scoring
with the carcass. I cook great pots of this the skin with a sharp knife. Lay your fish on
stew for the staff when pheasants are in the butter and herbs, wrap the leaves up
season. around from either side and tie tightly
closed with the string. Turn this over, lay it
in a baking tray, and cover lightly.

131

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Meg’s Mystaran Cookbok part 1

Bake in a hot oven for half an hour, after Salted Mackerel (Norwold)
which cut the string, peel back the leaves, Ingredients
and serve thereupon.
4 large mackerel fillets
Meg’s Comments
6 oz (170g) of coarse salt
Having regular visits from Thyatian officials Spices (optional)
meant their chefs traipsing in and out of
Instructions
our kitchens with their strange ways. They
were always wrapping something in some- Scatter salt at the bottom of a clay pot and
thing else or stuffing one animal into put the mackerel fillets down on top.
another, so much of their cooking is about Scatter with more salt. If you want to make
presentation rather than taste. The lack of this on a larger scale then keep layering
fresh fig leaves here in Magan meant that mackerel and salt as you go. You may also
they substituted vine leaves for them, and add coriander seeds, peppercorns, grains of
the addition of butter was my own idea (it paradise, or any other spices you wish.
isn’t a bad dish without, but everything Cover tightly to keep the air and flies out.
goes down better when you’ve taken the
time to butter it up, as I used to tell my After several hours, remove the fillets, wash,
Thyatian legionary friend Maximus). and pat dry. With care you should be able to
peel the coarser layer of skin from the
Translator’s Note: The name of this curious underside.
dish is similar to a recipe called baked fish
of Archestratus, thought to be of Greek Serve as they are, or grill them quickly by
origin, in which fish is simply scattered with the fire.
marjoram and baked wrapped in fig leaves,
Meg’s Comments
and which was transcribed by the ancient
Roman writer Apicius. Understanding the Great barrels of salt mackerel are packed all
link between Mystaran and Terran cuisines along the coastline of Norwold, and this
may thus prove to be most informative, in a preserved food is a staple for the poorer
wider context. classes. However, for those of more refined
taste this dish is best made on the day it is
intended for consumption. The King of
Oceansend prefers his to be briefly poached
in wine with a little verjuice (sour juice of
unripe grapes) after only four hours of
salting.

132

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Meg’s Mystaran Cookbok part 1

Jugged Hare (Norwold) After this, warm the butter in a skillet, lift
out and scrape the hare clean of its marin-
ade, which should be saved in the pot. Coat
the hare with flour, and fry until golden
before removing and placing it back in the
earthenware pot with the marinade. Now in
the same skillet, fry your bacon, carrot,
onion, and celery, along with the heart, liver
and kidneys of the hare, again chopped
fine, and when starting to brown add that
to the pot with the hare

Add the mushrooms, and make sure that

Hare marinating the hare is at least mostly covered with wine
(with some water if needed). Now season
Ingredients with pepper and salt, cover it, leave on a
warm fire (for those with modern ovens,
1 large brown hare (skinned, with liver, that’s equivalent to a medium oven) for
heart, kidneys and blood saved) three hours, checking and turning the meat
4 oz (125g) of fatty bacon, chopped occasionally.
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped When it is tender, place the blood in a cold
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped pan, and add a small amount of the warm
2 sticks of celery, chopped fine sauce. Mix rapidly, using the sauce to warm
1 tablespoon of plain flour the blood with care, to prevent curdling.
1 oz (30g) of butter Add the rest of the sauce, ladle full at a time,
1 bottle of good red wine (elderberry or a and warm until it is just starting to steam.
chewy Glantrian red) Do not boil it at this point. Return the sauce
Sprigs of thyme, chervil, parsley and rose- to the pot with the hare, check seasoning,
mary and serve at once with fine bread, roasted
A good half pound (250g) of mushrooms vegetables and kale.
(may buns, penny buns and sticky buns are
good, depending on time of year)
3 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Joint the hare, cutting the saddle into four
or five pieces, and put it into your best
pottery cooking vessel. Crush the garlic,
chop the herbs, mix with salt and pepper,
the olive oil and the wine. Add this to the
hare, cover tightly and leave it for several
hours to marinade.
Pappardelle alla lepre, Thyatian pasta with
jugged hare

133

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Meg’s Mystaran Cookbok part 1

Meg’s Comments Damson Gin (Norwold)

This is always a favourite dish through the
autumn months in Magan Castle, and
indeed it is popular across Norwold. Up in
the highlands a different species, the moun-
tain hare, is preferred. While economical (if
a peasant can procure a hare for a few
coppers in trade with a hunter or poacher)
the quality of the dish rests upon the quality
of other ingredients, particularly the choice
of wine, and therefore this dish can grace
the very highest of tables (where removing
the meat, once cooked, from the bone, may
be preferred).

Poorer peasants who lack a good, sealed

clay pot to cook in make do with the most
menial vessels, often using a jug sealed with
paste, hence the rather base name of this
princely dish.

Damsons growing wild

Ingredients

Damsons
Gin
Sugar
Instructions
If you pick your damsons early in the
season, before any frost, prick each one
with a needle before putting them into a
jar. Cover with gin, seal the jar and leave
them for a fortnight.

After this time the gin should be dark-col-

oured and the damsons fully soaked with it.
Pour the gin off into a bottle and stopper it
tightly. Now pour enough sugar onto the
gin-soaked damsons just to coat them
(don’t cover them – use roughly a third to a
half of the weight of sugar to the initial
weight of damsons used) and shake the jar.

134

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Meg’s Mystaran Cookbok part 1

Come back every day and shake it again, Damson Sauce for Poultry
until the sugar has dissolved, and the (Thyatis)
damsons have wrinkled a little. Pour the Ingredients
syrup thus produced into the gin, shake
well, and enjoy. Carefully. 8 oz (250g) of damsons
4 tablespoons of honey
Meg’s Comments
1 large glass of wine
The same legionary (Maximus Bendicus, we 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
were close, for a while) who taught me the 1 stick of celery
Thyatian mushroom recipe expressed 1 tablespoon of oil
delight one evening when he spotted 1 tablespoon of vinegar
damson trees laden with heavy purple fruit. Liquamen or fish sauce
They’re a small, sour, intensely flavoured Seasoning
plum common in the hedgerows of
Instructions
Norwold, but he insisted that they’re origin-
ally from Hule. I doubt that’s true. We took Cook the damsons in just enough water to
my brother out picking them and I remem- cover the bottom of a pan, tightly covered,
ber Maximus staring open-mouthed in awe until they’re soft. Rub them through a sieve
as he pulled off great handfuls of plums. to get them smooth and to leave the stones
behind.
While you do not need the finest gin for
this, you should avoid the cheaper varieties Fine chop the celery, fry it with the cumin
brewed up in the bathtubs of backstreet seeds, and add the fruit pulp, wine, vinegar,
hucksters. The exquisite flavour of the and honey. Cook this until it starts to feel a
damson will overwhelm harsh notes of a little thick and sticky, and add a few dashes of
relatively poor gin but will not save you liquamen (or other fish sauce) then season.
from blindness.
Meg’s Comments
This is what Maximus wanted to do with his
damsons, and it is how he handled his
plums that led me to understand the joy of
hot, salty, sour Thyatian sauces. For a royal
table one might serve this with crane or
bustard, whereas the middle classes would
more often have it with goose (we get pink-
footed geese here) or duck, but even an
earthy commoner might find this econom-
ical sauce livens up an old boiling fowl or
cockatrice sold for a few coppers by adven-
turers down on their luck.

I have, with great success, used the leftover

fruit from damson gin for this dish, which I
find to be a pleasing memorial of my time
with Maximus.

135

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Meg’s Mystaran Cookbok part 1

Stuffed Cabbage (Glantrian) instead of something sensible like caul fat

or intestines they use cooked cabbage.

The Thyatians are of course masters of

sausage, or botulus as they call them, espe-
cially the Hattians who are renowned
sausage lovers. Glantrians come up with all
sorts of strange and peculiar dishes to allow
them to deny that they’re just as fond of
sausage as the rest of us. But we all know
that they are.

Poudre douce is a savoury spice mix, and

each Glantrian chef has their own blend. I
Ingredients use a mixture of ginger, pepper, cinnamon
and mace, with just a little sugar.
½ lb (250g) of minced pork
Cabbage leaves You can make this dish more to Norwold
1 egg tastes by putting something more than just
2 teaspoons of poudre douce (spice mix, pork in the cabbage parcels. I like a little
see Meg’s Comments below) tomato and fried onion, or sometimes
Salt apple and sage, for example.
Instructions
If you have a hard cabbage, boil it until you
can remove the outer leaves. Otherwise,
take leaves from the cabbage and blanch in
boiling water until tender. Drop them into
cold water, then drain.

Mix the pork, poudre douce, salt and egg

together, and spoon some into the centre of
each cabbage leaf. Fold them closed, and
turn them upside down so that the parcels
remain intact. Arrange them in a tray, cover,
and bake in a hot oven for about half an
hour to forty minutes (until thoroughly
cooked when tested). Serve with verte
sauce.
Meg’s Comments
Honestly I don’t understand Glantrians.
This is sort of half way between good
honest Norwold sausages and faggots, but

136

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Meg’s Mystaran Cookbok part 1

Verte Sauce, a sauce for all Rique-Manger (Glantri)

savoury dishes (Glantri) Ingredients
Ingredients
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
4 slices of bread 4 eggs
1 handful of fresh mint 1 tablespoon of butter
1 handful of fresh parsley 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar and spice
1 clove of garlic 1 pinch of powdered saffron
¼ cup of cider vinegar
Instructions
1 cup of white wine
¼ teaspoon of salt Parboil the apple slices for just a few
½ teaspoon of dried ginger minutes, until they’re tender. Drain them.
¼ teaspoon of ground pepper
pinch of saffron Warm the butter up to a sizzle and fry the
apples until browned. Add the eggs, and
Instructions
stir very sparingly. When they’re cooked,
Beat the herbs and garlic together with the sprinkle on the saffron, sugar and spice,
salt in a pestle and mortar and leave to and serve immediately.
steep in the vinegar for a quarter of an
Meg’s Comments
hour. While doing so, break the slices of
bread up in the wine, and leave to soak. I was taught this old Glantian dish by the
After this, rub the bread and wine through a head of the ambassador’s household. His
colander into a pan, and then do the same excellency took great joy from all sorts of
with the vinegar and herb mix, squeezing egg dishes, and sweet ones all the more so.
out as much of the moisture as you can. Each Glantrian chef has their own mix of
Add the saffron, ginger and salt to the pan, sugar and spice that they use to flavour
and boil until the sauce starts to thicken sweet dishes; they often carry it around in
slightly. If it is not sufficiently green add tightly stoppered little jars, and few share
more parsley and mint. their own recipes. When I make mine up I
use 3 tablespoons of ginger, 2 tablespoons
Meg’s Comments
of sugar, 1 ½ tablespoons of cinnamon, ½
Our Glantrian visitors really were a fuss, tablespoon of powdered cloves, and 1 tea-
demanding sauces with everything. There’s spoon of grains of paradise.
a verte sauce, a jaune sauce, a rouge sauce,
everything has a complex and annoying
sauce. That really is what typifies Glantrian
food, I think, a desire to hide the fact that
their actual food is terribly cooked by
means of complex and highly flavoured
sauces. Why, I can recall the ambassador
looking askance at our scullery maids
bearing my perfect roast partridges, insist-
ing our birds were just not saucy enough From the
for his cosmopolitan tastes. MYSTARA
FORUMS at

137

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Meg’s Mystaran CookbokTHRESHOLD
part 1 - the Mystara Magazine

For Spelljammer fans…

The Wildspace Magazine is a free 66-page PDF created by

fans and available from:

h�ps://www.thepiazza.org.uk/bookhouse/doku.php/wsm1_rock_of_bral

138

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Mystaran Tarot The Mystaran Tarot

The
Mystaran
Tarot

The standard Mystaran Tarot is a set of 22

by Fearghus O’Rourke
wood-cut, illustrated, and painted cards in a
deck used for divination purposes. The decide in advance what card(s) will be
cards and their typical meanings are shown drawn, in what order or position they will
below. A Mystaran diviner or amateur practi- appear, as well as an appropriate interpreta-
tioner can use several different card tion. Readings should follow a narrative and
spreads, depending on the complexity of should tell an emerging story as they are
the questions they are trying to answer and being drawn. A reading using one of the
on their own culture. larger spreads described below should be
an event or scene into themselves. An
The purpose of this set of cards is to add example of this would be the readings given
colour to your game and I have deliberately by the character of Fiddler in Steven
avoided adding any mechanical effects, Erikson’s Malazan Series (especially “Dust
either positive or negative, to the cards of Dreams”.)
unlike either the “Deck of Many Things” or
the “Deck of the Spheres” from the 2nd The cards listed below are generalised and
Edition AD&D Dungeon Master Survival Kit. there should be regional variants. In Tral-
daran culture for example “The Warrior”
If you are using the Mystaran Tarot to drive would traditionally be depicted as Halav
a story event in your game, you should defeating a beastman.

139

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Mystaran Tarot

CARD SPREADS 5. The Enchanted Castle spread

Purpose: To explore a complex situ-
1. The Single-card spread ation or journey, uncovering various
Start with just one card. It represents layers and influences.
a concise message or insight related Layout:
to your query. The Gate (Card 1): Represents the
entry point or the beginning of the
2. The Seer’s Insight spread journey.
Purpose: To gain a quick overview of The Guardian (Card 2): The main
a situation. challenge or obstacle that must be
Layout: faced.
Card 1: The Present – Represents the The Courtyard (Card 3): The immedi-
current state or situation. ate environment or influences sur-
Card 2: The Challenge – Highlights rounding the situation.
the main obstacle or challenge. The Tower (Card 4): The higher per-
Card 3: The Guidance – Offers advice spective or the goal to be achieved.
or guidance on how to proceed. The Dungeon (Card 5): Hidden fears
or subconscious influences.
3. The Knight’s Quest spread The Throne Room (Card 6): The seat
Purpose: To explore the journey or of power or the core issue at hand.
quest of a character. The Secret Passage (Card 7): Hidden
Layout: opportunities or unexpected help.
Card 1: The Call to Adventure – What The Treasury (Card 8): The rewards
initiates the quest. or outcomes of the journey.
Card 2: The Allies – Who or what will The Crown (Card 9): The ultimate
aid the character. achievement or realisation.
Card 3: The Trials – The challenges
or trials faced during the quest. Detailed Description:
Card 4: The Reward – The outcome
or reward of the quest. Card 1: The Gate – This card sets
the stage, representing the current
4. The Mystic’s Vision spread situation or the beginning of the
Purpose: To delve into the past, journey.
present, and future.
Layout: Card 2: The Guardian – This card
Card 1: The Past – Influences or reveals the main challenge or
events from the past. obstacle that must be overcome to
Card 2: The Present – The current progress.
situation or state.
Card 3: The Future – What lies ahead Card 3: The Courtyard – This card
or the potential outcome. shows the immediate influences or
environment that affect the situation.

140

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Mystaran Tarot

Card 4: The Tower – This card Card 7: The Secret Passage – This
provides a higher perspective, rep- card reveals hidden opportunities,
resenting the goal or what you aspire unexpected help, or secret know-
to achieve. ledge that can aid in the journey.

Card 5: The Dungeon – This card Card 8: The Treasury – This card
uncovers hidden fears, subconscious shows the rewards, outcomes, or
influences, or past traumas that what can be gained from the journey.
impact the situation.
Card 9: The Crown – This card rep-
Card 6: The Throne Room – This resents the ultimate achievement,
card represents the core issue or the realisation, or the final outcome of
heart of the matter, where decisions the journey.
are made.

This spread can provide a comprehensive and

layered understanding of a complex situation.

141

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Mystaran Tarot

MAJOR ARCANA
The Elemental Constellations Unaligned Cards
1. The Manticore 13. Ixion
2. The Eagle 14. Mystara
3. The Chimera 15. Matera
4. The Centaur 16. Patera
5. The Griffon 17. Damocles
6. The Warrior 18. Hel
7. The House 19. Ka the Preserver
8. The Lizard 20. Khoronus
9. Justice 21. Odin
10.The Nymph 22.The Ard Ri, Oberon
11.The Hydra
12.The Narwhal

Air Elemental Constellations

1. THE MANTICORE: In the ether-

eal heights where clouds entwine, the
Manticore emerges, a majestic being of
enigmatic duality. Its lion’s body is
veiled in golden fur that glimmers with
sunlight, while its human-like visage
bears the weight of ancient wisdom and
cunning. The stinger of its scorpion tail
dances on the breeze, embodying both
beauty and danger. Those who draw
upon the energy of the Manticore are
urged to embrace their inner strength
and intellect, for they possess the power
to challenge the winds of fate and rise
against adversities with undisputed
ferocity. Symbolizing courage, inner
strength, and mastery over oneself, the
Manticore reflects a fierce determina-
tion and intelligence.

Keywords: Strength, intellect, duality,

challenge, ferocity.

142

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Mystaran Tarot

Reading: Drawing the Manticore card

signifies a time to harness your inner
strength and intellect. You are being
called to face challenges head-on with
both ferocity and wisdom. Embrace
your dual nature and use your cunning
to navigate through adversities. This
card encourages you to rise above
obstacles with the power and grace of
the Manticore.

2. THE EAGLE: Soaring through the

azure realms, the Eagle embodies the
spirit of freedom and enlightenment. Its
majestic wings spread wide, casting
shadows upon the world below, where
visions are birthed. With its piercing
gaze, the Eagle sees beyond the veil of
reality, unravelling secrets held within
the ether. Those who find solace
beneath its constellation are granted the
gift of foresight, encouraging them to
rise above mundane existence and
embrace lofty dreams, soaring to
heights they never thought possible.
The Eagle’s ability to gain perspective 3. THE CHIMERA: A being of conver-
and insight drives its quest for enlight- gence and transformation, the Chimera
enment and inner wisdom, soaring high weaves a tapestry of elements amidst
above the earthly struggles for clarity. the skies. With the fierce head of a lion,
the cunning visage of a serpent, and the
Keywords: Freedom, enlightenment, graceful body of a goat, it embodies the
vision, foresight, dreams. union of opposing forces. Each facet of
its being represents a different aspira-
Reading: The Eagle card invites you to tion: courage, cunning, and tenacity.
soar above the mundane and seek Guided by the Chimera, one is
higher truths. It symbolizes freedom, reminded of the transformative power
enlightenment, and the gift of foresight. of adaptability, teaching that true
You are encouraged to look beyond the strength lies in marrying various aspects
surface and trust your vision. This is a of oneself into a harmonious whole.
time to embrace lofty dreams and rise to Representing fusion and the harmoniz-
new heights, guided by the clarity and ing of opposites, the Chimera embodies
insight of the Eagle. an energy of choices, duality, and the
union of contrasting forces.

143

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Mystaran Tarot

Earth Elemental Constellations

4. THE CENTAUR: Poised between two

realms, the Centaur is the quintessential
symbol of balance and duality. With the
robust body of a horse intertwined with
the sagacity of a human intellect, it roams
the earthy expanse armed with know-
ledge and intuition. The Centaur is a dip-
lomat among the stars, embodying the
intricate dance between instinct and
reason. Those under its guiding light are
encouraged to nurture their passions
while embracing the wisdom of their
roots, forging paths that honour both
their wild spirit and cultivated mind. This
constellation's balance of instinct and
intellect aligns closely with themes of
mastery, determination, and harnessing
powerful forces to overcome challenges.

Keywords: Transformation, adaptability,

courage, cunning, tenacity.

Reading: When the Chimera card

appears, it signifies the power of trans-
formation and adaptability. You are
reminded that true strength lies in
embracing the diverse aspects of your-
self. This card encourages you to blend
courage, cunning, and tenacity to over-
come challenges and achieve harmony
within.

144

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Mystaran Tarot

Keywords: Balance, duality, wisdom,

passion, intuition.

Reading: The Centaur card represents

balance and duality. It calls you to har-
monize your wild passions with wisdom
and reason. This is a time to nurture
both your instinctual and intellectual
sides, forging a path that honours your
entire being. Embrace the dance
between instinct and reason to achieve
your goals.

5. THE GRIFFON: Standing guard

atop mountain peaks, the Griffon is a
majestic sentinel of pride and nobility.
With the regal body of a lion and the
wings of an eagle, it straddles the realms
of earth and air, bearing the weight of
ancient stories upon its broad shoulders.
Known as the protector of treasures and
wisdom, those aligned with the Griffon
are bound to honour their heritage while
seeking adventure. It whispers the
importance of courage in the face of
adversity, urging souls to reclaim their 6. THE WARRIOR: A fierce homage to
power through resilience and honour. As valour and honour, the Warrior constella-
a guardian and symbol of power and tion resembles a brave figure, wreathed in
authority, the Griffon represents stability, the colours of the earth, with a shield
protection, and leadership. raised high and weapon poised for battle.
With every flicker of its stars, the Warrior
Keywords: Pride, nobility, protection, inspires the hearts of those who find
courage, resilience. meaning and strength in struggle. Fuelled
by loyalty and courage, its essence is a call
Reading: Drawing the Griffon card sig- to arms, prompting those who gaze upon
nifies a call to honour your heritage and it to confront their fears and claim their
seek adventure. It embodies pride, rightful places as the architects of their
nobility, and protection. You are urged destinies. In the warrior’s spirit, lessons
to stand tall with courage and resili- of perseverance and sacrifice beckon the
ence, reclaiming your power in the face brave to take their stand. The Warrior’s
of adversity. The Griffon guides you to embodiment of bravery and embarking
protect what is valuable and pursue on life’s challenges represents new begin-
your noble quests. nings, courage, and the spirit of adven-
ture, albeit with an innocent sense of
discovery.

145

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Mystaran Tarot

Fire Elemental Constellations

7. THE HOUSE: A brilliant tapestry of

vivid energies intertwines to form the
House, an enigmatic constellation that
symbolizes the inherent magic within all
realms. With its crystalline walls and
shimmering doors, each entryway
reflects the countless paths to explora-
tion and understanding. While some
houses tower with grandeur, others are
humble yet vital to the spirit of those
who dwell within. The House beckons
one to cultivate an inner sanctuary that
harmonizes value and purpose, urging
individuals to foster security within
while embracing the wondrous uncer-
tainty of the cosmos beyond. Symboliz-
ing structure, tradition, and spirituality,
the House embodies the essence of cul-

A common variant of this card in Kara-

meikos and Western Thyatis would be
“Halav, the King”. When this variant is
used, the card has additional meanings
including defence of home and leader-
ship.

Keywords: Valour, honour, struggle,

perseverance, sacrifice.

Reading: The Warrior card is a powerful

symbol of valour and honour. It calls
you to confront your fears and claim
your destiny. This is a time for persever-
ance and sacrifice, where your strength
and loyalty will be tested. Embrace the
spirit of the Warrior to overcome
struggles and emerge victorious.

146

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Mystaran Tarot

tural heritage and communal bonds. A

common variant of this card in Glantri
would be “The College of Magic”.

Keywords: Magic, exploration, security,

purpose, harmony.

Reading: The House card symbolizes

the magic within and the countless
paths to exploration. It encourages you
to cultivate an inner sanctuary that har-
monizes value and purpose. This is a
time to foster security within, while
embracing the wondrous uncertainty of
the cosmos. The House invites you to
explore and understand the many facets
of your existence.

8. THE LIZARD: A vibrant flurry of

emerald scales glimmering in the
cosmic framework, the Lizard embodies
renewal and transformation. Known for
its remarkable ability to regenerate, it
reflects the power of rebirth and sur-
vival amidst the flames of trial. Those
who identify with the Lizard are urged Keywords: Renewal, transformation,
to embrace change, for within the cru- survival, rebirth, change.
cible lies the promise of emerging
stronger and more vibrant. This constel- Reading: When the Lizard card appears,
lation serves as a fiery reminder to shed it signifies renewal and transformation.
old skins, casting away past burdens to You are encouraged to embrace change
embrace the exhilaration of new begin- and shed old burdens. This is a time for
nings with every dawn. The Lizard’s rebirth and survival, where you can
association with regeneration and trans- emerge stronger and more vibrant. The
formation signifies endings and new Lizard guides you to embrace new begin-
beginnings, renewal, and the cycles of nings with enthusiasm and resilience.
life. The Lizard card is occasionally
replaced by The Dragon card represen- 9. JUSTICE: Radiating with an aura of
ted by an image of one of the chromatic harmonious balance, the Justice constel-
dragons, which varies regionally. This lation manifests as a striking figure
has a similar meaning when drawn, but wielding scales and a sword, its lumin-
the transformative change is more ous presence echoing affirmations of
destructive and more of a negative truth and fairness. Glancing upon this
obstacle to be overcome. constellation is a reminder of the uni-
versal laws that govern existence, where

147

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Mystaran Tarot

universal laws that govern existence and

urges you to illuminate paths toward
righteousness and ethical responsibility.

Water Elemental Constellations

10. THE NYMPH: Delicately adorned

with shimmering droplets, the Nymph
constellation emerges as a celebration
of beauty and grace, gliding through
lunar reflections like whispers of the
wind. With an effervescent spirit,
Nymphs dance upon water surfaces,
drawing forth emotions and memories
that heal and inspire. Beneath their
light, those who connect to their
essence are urged to embody fluidity
and empathy, embracing the gentle
power of compassion and intuition that

right triumphs and equity reigns. Those

drawn to Justice find themselves
entwined with resolute purpose, being
called to act with integrity and account-
ability. With each star, it heralds the
importance of defending what is right,
illuminating paths toward righteousness
and ethical responsibility. The Justice
constellation emphasises fairness, truth,
moral responsibility, and the balancing
of scales in the pursuit of equity.

Keywords: Balance, fairness, truth,

integrity, accountability.

Reading: The Justice card radiates with

balance and fairness. It calls you to act
with integrity and accountability. This is
a time to defend what is right and strive
for equity. Justice reminds you of the

148

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Mystaran Tarot

can mend both heart and spirit over

time. Embodying beauty, fertility, and
nurturing energy, the Nymph repres-
ents abundance, love, and emotional
expression.

Keywords: Beauty, grace, empathy,

intuition, healing.

Reading: The Nymph card celebrates

beauty and grace. It invites you to
embody fluidity and empathy, using
compassion and intuition to heal and
inspire. This is a time to embrace the
gentle power of the Nymph, allowing
emotions and memories to guide you
toward healing and inspiration.

11. THE HYDRA: An intricate array of

serpentine forms, the Hydra constella-
tion symbolizes resilience and multifa-
ceted wisdom. Each head of this
celestial beast represents a different
challenge, reminding viewers that con-
fronting fears can lead to profound
enlightenment. The Hydra’s stars wisdom. Each challenge you face is an
weave tales of regeneration and adapt- opportunity for growth and enlighten-
ability, urging individuals to harness ment. This is a time to harness your
their innate potential for growth. potential for regeneration and adapt-
Those who align with the Hydra are ability. The Hydra encourages you to
propelled to face their challenges with confront your fears with determination
unyielding determination and creativ- and creativity, embarking on a journey
ity, embarking on journeys of self-dis- of self-discovery.
covery that stretch the boundaries of
their own narratives. The Hydra’s rep- 12. THE NARWHAL can also be
resentation of facing adversity and known as the Spuming Nooga. Majestic
regeneration often heralds sudden and elusive, the Narwhal constellation
change, upheaval, and transforma- converges upon the oceanic depths,
tional lessons driven by crises. known as the unicorn of the seas. With
its spiralled tusk reflecting the light of
Keywords: Resilience, wisdom, chal- distant stars, it embodies purity and
lenge, growth, adaptability. magic within the water. The Narwhal
calls upon those who seek profound
Reading: Drawing the Hydra card sig- insights and mystical adventures
nifies resilience and multifaceted beneath the surface, guiding minds

149

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Mystaran Tarot

into the emotional oceans of your

existence, guided by the Narwhal’s
wisdom. Embrace vulnerability and
connection to uncover hidden truths.

Unaligned Cards

13. IXION, the Sun God, stands as a

radiant beacon in the cosmos, his pres-
ence a blazing testament to the power
of light and energy. As the Lord of Light
and Energy, he governs the realms of
Fire, Good, Knowledge, Sun, and
Righteous War. His symbol, a flaming
wheel, spins eternally, casting a warm,
golden glow that dispels darkness and
ignites the hearts of the righteous.
Chief Hierarch of the sphere of energy,
Ixion’s influence is felt in every

toward undiscovered realms of

wisdom. It signifies the importance of
embracing authenticity and intuition,
teaching that true strength lies in vul-
nerability and connection to the
world’s vast, emotional oceans. Known
for its mystical qualities and connec-
tion to intuition, the Narwhal embod-
ies the essence of hope, inspiration,
and a deep understanding of one’s
inner self and the universe.

Keywords: Purity, magic, insight,

authenticity, intuition.

Reading: The Narwhal card embodies

purity and magic. It calls you to
embrace authenticity and intuition,
seeking profound insights and mystical
adventures. This is a time to dive deep

150

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Mystaran Tarot

sunrise, every spark of inspiration, and

every act of valour that lights up the
world. Ixion represents the power of
transformation and creation. When
Ixion appears in a reading, it signifies a
time of harnessing your inner energy
and potential. It encourages you to act,
use your skills, and manifest your
desires. This card is a reminder that
you have the power to shape your
reality through willpower and determ-
ination. The Sun represents clarity, joy,
and enlightenment. Ixion’s presence
brings warmth and vitality, dispelling
darkness and bringing a sense of fulfil-
ment. This card signifies success, posit-
ivity, and the realisation of your goals.
It is a reminder to embrace the light
and let your true self shine.

Keywords: Light, energy, inspiration,

valour, righteousness.

Reading: Drawing the Ixion card signi-

fies the power of light and energy. You
are called to ignite the hearts of the natural world. Mystara’s influence
righteous and dispel darkness. This is a ensures that life continues to flourish,
time for inspiration and valour, where rooted deeply in the rich tapestry of
your actions can light up the world. the earth. Mystara embodies intuition,
Ixion encourages you to embrace the mystery, and the deep wisdom of the
warmth and brilliance of the sun, earth. Mystara’s presence in a reading
guiding you toward righteous endeav- suggests that you should trust your
ours. instincts and seek knowledge from
within. It is a call to connect with the
14. MYSTARA, who can also be known natural world and uncover hidden
as Djaea or Terra, is the nurturing truths. This card encourages introspec-
cradle of life, the very ground beneath tion and the exploration of the subcon-
your feet. She embodies the essence of scious mind.
the earth, providing a stable founda-
tion for all living things. Mystara’s pres- Keywords: Earth, stability, life, resili-
ence is felt in the fertile soil, the ence, foundation.
towering mountains, and the vast
plains that stretch across the land. She Reading: The Mystara card represents
is the silent guardian of life, her the nurturing essence of the earth. It
strength and resilience mirrored in the calls you to provide stability and

151

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Mystaran Tarot

support for all living things. This is a dark, order and chaos. Matera’s serene
time to root yourself deeply in the rich glow illuminates the night, offering
tapestry of life, embracing resilience solace and guidance to those who seek
and strength. Mystara guides you to her wisdom. Matera signifies the cyc-
honour the natural world and ensure lical nature of life and the constant ebb
that life continues to flourish. and flow of fortune. When Matera
appears, it indicates a turning point or
a change in circumstances. This card
reminds you that life is full of ups and
15. MATERA, the visible moon, known downs, and it encourages you to
as Luna, is the celestial child of embrace change and find balance. It is
Mystara. She is the gentle marker of a symbol of destiny and the intercon-
the seasons and the creator of the nectedness of all things.
tides, her silvery light guiding the
natural cycles of the world. Matera is Keywords: Moon, cycles, balance,
closely associated with were-creatures guidance, serenity.
and the rhythms of nature, her phases
influencing the ebb and flow of life. Reading: Drawing the Matera card sig-
Her presence is a constant reminder of nifies the gentle guidance of the moon.
the delicate balance between light and You are called to embrace the natural
cycles and rhythms of life. This is a
time to find balance between light and
dark, order and chaos. Matera’s serene
glow offers solace and wisdom,
guiding you through the ebb and flow
of existence.

16. PATERA, the hidden moon, also

known as Myoshima, is the enigmatic
and invisible child of Mystara. This
card is sometimes replaced with
Korotiku the Trickster with similar
meanings. Shrouded in mystery, Patera
is the secret unknown card, full of life
yet concealed from the naked eye. Her
influence is subtle, felt in the whispers
of the wind and the shadows that
dance in the moonlight. Patera repres-
ents the hidden aspects of existence,
the secrets that lie beneath the surface.
Her presence encourages exploration
and discovery, urging beings to
uncover the mysteries that shape their
world. Patera represents a shift in per-
spective and the value of patience. Pat-

152

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Mystaran Tarot

17. DAMOCLES, the destroyer, is the

doomed planet fated to shatter. His
presence is a harbinger of destruction,
a reminder of the fragile nature of
existence. Damocles hangs in the sky
like a sword, its impending doom
casting a shadow over all who gaze
upon it. His influence is felt in
moments of crisis and upheaval, where
the old must be destroyed to make way
for the new. Damocles embodies the
inevitability of change, the relentless
march of time that spares no one.
Decks constructed in Alphatia or part
of Thyatis replace this card with
Alphaks, the Roaring Demon;
however the meaning remains
unchanged.

era’s influence suggests that you may

need to pause and reflect, looking at
your situation from a different angle.
This card encourages surrender and
acceptance, teaching that sometimes
the best way forward is to let go and
trust in the process.

Keywords: Mystery, secrets, explora-

tion, discovery, hidden.

Reading: The Patera card represents

the hidden aspects of existence. It calls
you to explore the mysteries that lie
beneath the surface. This is a time for
discovery and uncovering secrets.
Patera encourages you to delve into
the unknown, guided by the subtle
whispers of the wind and the shadows
that dance in the moonlight.

153

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Mystaran Tarot

Keywords: Destruction, change, crisis, a stark reminder of her dominion over

inevitability, upheaval. the afterlife. Hel’s icy grip extends to
the darkest corners of existence, where
Reading: Drawing the Damocles card souls are judged and reborn. As the
signifies impending change and Chief Hierarch of the sphere of entropy,
destruction. You are reminded of the she oversees the cycle of death and
fragile nature of existence and the rebirth, ensuring that the balance
inevitability of transformation. This is a between life and death is maintained.
time to prepare for upheaval and Hel represents temptation, bondage,
embrace the new that follows the old. and the darker aspects of existence.
Damocles guides you to navigate Hel’s presence in a reading warns of the
moments of crisis with resilience and dangers of succumbing to negative
adaptability. influences and urges you to confront
your inner demons. This card chal-
18. HEL, the Patroness of Reincarnation lenges you to break free from unhealthy
and Keeper of the Netherworld, reigns patterns and reclaim your power. It is a
as the Queen of Ice and Shadow. She is call to face the shadows and transform
the patroness of Evil, Death, Corrup- them into light. The card Thanatos is
tion, Darkness, and Cold. Her symbol, a sometimes substituted in place of Hel
black stone carved with human skulls, is with similar meanings but with the
aspect of rebirth being corrupted
towards undeath and nothingness.

Keywords: Death, rebirth, darkness,

corruption, cold.

Reading: The Hel card embodies the

cycle of death and rebirth. It calls you
to confront the darker aspects of exist-
ence and embrace transformation. This
is a time to acknowledge the inevitabil-
ity of change and the balance between
life and death. Hel’s icy grip reminds
you of the importance of renewal and
the preservation of balance.

19. KA THE PRESERVER, the Keeper

of Life and Culture, is the Amber
Serpent who safeguards the Hollow
World and collects lost things. He is the
patron of Law, Good, Knowledge,
Healing, and Protection. Ka’s symbol,
an amber-coloured winged and
feathered serpent, represents his role
as a guardian and preserver. His influ-

154

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Mystaran Tarot

Reading: Drawing the Ka the Preserver

card signifies the importance of preser-
vation and protection. You are called
to safeguard knowledge, heal wounds,
and protect the vulnerable. This is a
time to embrace order and stability,
ensuring that the physical world
remains a place of harmony. Ka guides
you to honour the past and protect the
future.

20. KHORONUS, Father Time, is the

Keeper of the Gates of Time and the
Patron of History and Philosophy. He
governs Knowledge, Magic, Nobility,
Oracle, and Persuasion. His symbol, an
hourglass or a water clock, signifies the
passage of time and the wisdom that
comes with it. Khoronus’s presence is
felt in the flow of history, the unfolding

ence is felt in the preservation of

ancient knowledge, the healing of
wounds, and the protection of the vul-
nerable. As one of the Hierarchs of the
sphere of matter, Ka ensures that the
physical world remains a place of
order and stability. Ka symbolizes
balance, harmony, and the blending of
opposites. When Ka the Preserver
appears, it signifies a time of healing
and the need for moderation. This
card encourages you to find equilib-
rium in your life, blending different
aspects to create a harmonious whole.
It is a reminder to be patient and to
seek inner peace.

Keywords: Preservation, healing, pro-

tection, knowledge, stability.

155

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Mystaran Tarot

of events, and the timeless pursuit of

knowledge. As the Chief Hierarch of
the sphere of time, he oversees the
continuum of existence, guiding the
past, present, and future. Khoronus
symbolizes reflection, redemption, and
the call to a higher purpose. When
Khoronus appears, it signifies a time of
self-evaluation and the need to make
important decisions. This card encour-
ages you to reflect on your past actions
and seek forgiveness and renewal. It is
a call to rise above your current cir-
cumstances and embrace your true
potential.

Keywords: Time, history, wisdom,

knowledge, continuity.

Reading: The Khoronus card repres-

ents the passage of time and the
wisdom that comes with it. You are
called to embrace the flow of history
and the unfolding of events. This is a
time to seek knowledge and under-
stand the continuum of existence. realisation of one’s true potential.
Khoronus guides you to honour the Odin’s presence in a reading signifies
past, navigate the present, and shape the culmination of a journey and the
the future with wisdom. achievement of balance and fulfilment.
This card encourages you to celebrate
21. ODIN, the Patron of the Northlands, your accomplishments and embrace
is the Lord of Sky and Winds and the the interconnectedness of all things. It
Patron of Fair Rulership and Nobility. is a reminder that you are part of a
He is associated with Law, Good, Air, larger whole and that your journey is
Knowledge, Nobility, and Storms. His both personal and universal.
symbol, the silhouette of two ravens
whispering in a man’s ears, represents Keywords: Wisdom, foresight, justice,
his connection to wisdom and nobility, clarity.
foresight. Odin’s presence is felt in the
howling winds, the rolling thunder, Reading: Drawing the Odin card signi-
and the just rule of noble leaders. As fies wisdom and foresight. You are
the Chief Hierarch of the sphere of called to embrace clarity of mind and
thought, Odin inspires clarity of mind the pursuit of justice. This is a time to
and the pursuit of justice. Odin repres- seek knowledge and act with nobility.
ents completion, harmony, and the Odin’s presence inspires you to navig-

156

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Mystaran Tarot

ate the winds of change with wisdom

and fairness, ensuring just rule and
noble endeavours.

22. THE ARD RÍ – OBERON, HIGH KING

OF THE SIDHE, stands as the eternal
sovereign of the Good Kingdom of the
Sidhe, a realm untouched by the
ravages of time and death. In this
enchanted land, where the illusion of
change dances perpetually yet nothing
truly alters, Oberon’s reign has spanned
epochs beyond human comprehension.
His presence is a constant amidst the
ever-shifting landscape, a beacon of sta-
bility and wisdom. The Sidhe, his
immortal subjects, have witnessed the
rise and fall of mountains, the birth and
decay of countless worlds, all under the
watchful gaze of their ageless king. Yet,
in this timeless existence, ennui often
shadows their immortal lives, a testa-
ment to the paradox of eternal life.
Oberon’s rule is marked by an unyield-
ing serenity, his eyes reflecting the
depth of ages past and the promise of Reading: The Ard Ri card embodies
an unchanging future. He is the guard- the essence of eternity and stability.
ian of a kingdom where the passage of You are called to embrace the timeless
time is but a distant memory, and the wisdom and serenity of Oberon’s
essence of eternity is woven into the reign. This is a time to find balance in
very fabric of existence. The Ard Ri sym- the ever-shifting landscape of exist-
bolizes eternal sovereignty, stability, and ence. The Ard Ri guides you to navig-
the paradox of change within constancy. ate the paradox of eternal life, finding
When Oberon appears, it signifies a meaning and purpose in the unchan-
time of enduring leadership and ging fabric of the Sidhe’s realm.
wisdom. This card encourages you to
find strength in stability and to embrace
the timeless aspects of your existence. It
is a reminder that true power lies in
understanding the balance between
change and permanence, and in
guiding others with a steady hand.

Keywords: Eternity, stability, wisdom,

immortality, serenity.

157

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Mystery of Oisar part 2

A Journey through
Mystara’s Past and Future by Jim RGF

PART TWO: DANGER ON THE ROAD

The sun began to set on the first day of the “Sorry,” he offered hastily. “I didn’t see you.”
journey. The wagons of the caravan had
come to a stop and the passengers all disem- “There is no need to apologize, young
barked to prepare for the night. Tredzis Tredzis,” the strange man responded with a
remained in his wagon and stared at the nod.
western sky. He felt both excited and scared.
He had never slept outside before, and was He looked at Tredzis in a way that unnerved
worried that he wouldn’t be able to get any the young mage. “Thou dost seem nervous.
sleep. He glanced around. Maiika was Is everything well?”
helping her aunt and uncle set up camp.
The guards were organizing their equipment “Yes. Yes, of course. Just daydreaming a bit.”
and securing the horses. He decided he
should help out. He jumped down from the “I can relate. I was young once myself. I will
wagon, turned around and nearly bumped see thee soon.”
into Oisar.
“You’re leaving?”

“Regrettably, yes. I hope it is for the last time.

I have been attending to other matters and
they are almost concluded. Farewell.”

“Farewell,” Tredzis echoed as Oisar walked

past him and headed away from the camp.

There was something intriguing about that

man. Tredzis just couldn’t figure him out.
Who was he? Tredzis watched Oisar for
several seconds and then turned around to
find the others. Maiika was standing right in
front of him. They both jumped.

“Oh, sorry,” she said. “I thought you knew I

was here.”

158

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Mystery of Oisar part 2

“No. No, it’s fine. I’m sorry. I didn’t… my “I saw you looking at the ruins earlier,
fault.” Tredzis,” Khosu began. “Do you know of
them?”
“Are you alright? You seem tense,” she
observed. “Very little, actually,” Tredzis admitted.

“Yeah. I just spoke with Oisar. There’s some- “They’re the remains of Krakatos. It was a
thing about him,” he wondered out loud. town back in the days of King Halav.”

“Something a little creepy, right?” “Ah, the Song of King Halav,” Tredzis recog-
nized. “I’ve read about that. Didn’t a battle
“Something unusual, at least.” take place near here?”

“Yeah, I kind of feel it too. He’s been nothing “Nobody’s sure,” Khosu answered. “I
but nice, though. Where’s he going?” imagine that there were battles all along the
Volga River. There were hordes of monsters
“I’m not sure,” Tredzis replied. battling the armies of the King and Queen.
It must’ve been horrible.”
“Well, why don’t you come over there with
us?” “There’s not much left here,” Tredzis noted.
“I wonder why it hasn’t been torn down.”
“Sounds good,” he agreed and the two teen-
agers headed over to Uncle Khosu and Aunt “It is our history,” Dukaina answered. “So
Dukaina. They set up three tents in short many Karameikans are of Traldar heritage.
order, and before long everyone was eating Sites like this connect us to our past and
by the fire. remind us of the struggles our ancestors
went through.”

“That’s fair. I guess I don’t really think about

history much.”

“It’s the Thyatian in you,” Khosu teased. “No,

I’m kidding. I’m kidding.”

“Well, I guess that’s true,” Tredzis admitted.

“My grandfather always says ‘out with the old
and in with the new.’”

“I think it’s important to learn about the past

so you can shape the future better,” Maiika
added. Everyone nodded. Tredzis looked at
her and smiled. There was a lot more to her
than he first realized.

159

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Mystery of Oisar part 2

They soon finished eating and everyone The rest of the day passed by uneventfully.
settled down in their tents. Tredzis looked The caravan stopped and pitched camp
up into the darkness for a long time. He just around nightfall. The night passed quickly,
couldn’t relax knowing that there weren’t and the next day dawned cool and overcast.
any walls to protect him. He began thinking By noon, there was still no sign of Oisar, as
about how he could escape his tent in the the road entered a forest and the caravan
event he needed to. He then began to think wagons tightened up their formation. After-
about his spells. He remembered the day he noon turned to dusk, and dusk gave way to
and Maiika practiced wizard lock back at the evening. The caravan pressed on. Tredzis
school and it comforted him. He was soon started to become uneasy.
asleep.
“Are we stopping for the night?” he asked.
The sun was up early the next morning.
Tredzis rubbed the sleep from his eyes and “There’s a point just ahead where the road
quickly sat up. He was relieved that the comes up alongside the Volga,” Dukaina
night had passed without a problem. He got answered. “It’s a good place to stop. Better
up, got dressed and headed outside. It was a visibility.”
sunny, humid morning and people were
scurrying about breaking down the camp. “Oh,” Tredzis replied. A little while later, they
He saw Maiika nearby and headed over to came to the spot Dukina mentioned.
talk to her.
Everyone went to work immediately setting
“Good morning,” she said. up camp. They ate a quick, simple meal and
headed off to sleep. The sound of the
“Morning,” he replied. “We’re moving on nearby river was soothing but irritating at
already?” the same time; Tredzis found that it fueled
his anxiety about camping even more than
“Yes. Uncle likes to be on the road as soon as before. He tried not to think about it as he
breakfast is done. Let’s break down our crawled under his blanket for the night.
tents and then we can eat.” Just then, a drum began beating somewhere
in the distance. He sat up. It stopped. He
“Very well.” listened intently, but only heard the river.
Again the drum began beating. He jumped
Working together, they quickly broke down up and ran outside. Everyone was awake.
their tents. By then, the smell of potatoes The guards had equipped their weapons and
and bacon was too enticing to ignore. Every- had formed a perimeter along the road,
one ate breakfast, and before long the facing the forest to the west. Two of them
caravan was rolling again. Tredzis looked were holding torches and the light cast an
around at everyone they were traveling with. eerie orange glow across the encampment.
Maiika was crouched alongside her aunt and
“Where’s Oisar?” he asked Dukaina. uncle against one of the wagons. Both of
them were holding small axes. All of them
“We don’t know. He never returned yesterday.” looked frightened. Tredzis looked back
towards the road, struggling to see in the
“Hmm,” Tredzis mused. dimness.

160

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Mystery of Oisar part 2

cast fireball. He took a breath and looked

down. He began speaking the words to
summon fire. He steadied his shaking hands
and willed the flames to form. He focused
his attention on the energy. It ignited and
swelled. It was going to work! He lifted up
his head to choose a target for his spell and
his eyes fell on a man standing on the edge
of the camp.

It was Oisar.

He was standing in the dark with his sword

drawn. He was right in the goblins’ path.
What was he doing? Was he part of the
goblin attack? As these thoughts raced
through his head,he finished his spell. The
energy swelled with fierce intensity and
Tredzis almost forgot to get rid of it. He
hastily flung the fire towards the forest. As it
sped from his hands, he realized that the
fireball was flying directly towards Oisar.

“Goblins!” someone screamed. Tredzis

turned towards the voice. It was one of the
guards. As Tredzis watched, the guards
formed a line as monstrous screams echoed
across the camp. Battle cries erupted from
the line. Tredzis strained his eyes and was
just able to make out several small,
humanoid shapes.

He turned around to look over at Maiika

and as he did so, he caught a glimpse of
shapes moving in the dark. There were
more goblins to the north, away from the
guard line. Tredzis froze. The guards didn’t
see the second group of attackers. He didn’t
know what to do. If he shouted to the
guards, he’d be drawing attention to
himself. If he ran to Maiika, he might lead
the goblins to her. His mind raced. The
goblins crept forward out of the trees
toward the wagons. He had to do some-
thing. He thought about his spells. He could

161

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Mystery of Oisar part 2

“No,” Tredzis whispered. He wasn’t sure “Did you cast fireball?”

what Oisar was doing here, but he certainly
didn’t want the spell to hit him. Should he “I did but… he… he redirected it.”
warn him? It was too late. The glowing fire
flew towards Oisar at an amazing speed and “Who did?” Khosu asked.
Tredzis held his breath.
“Oisar.”
With one swift move, Oisar calmly spun
around, waved his arm, and caught the fire- “Oisar’s here?” Dukaina asked with surprise.
ball in his left hand. The goblins were As if on cue, Oisar emerged from the woods.
shocked by the sudden light from the spell He sheathed his sword and walked into the
and paused when it went out. They turned torchlight. Behind him were a group of
their attention to Oisar. Oisar held out his elves holding bows. The guards approached
hand and the flame appeared on his palm. Oisar with smiles and seemed to be thank-
He then stretched his arm above his head. ing him. He smiled and shook many of their
The small flame shot upwards and erupted hands. The elves politely stayed behind him
into another fireball. It exploded harmlessly and didn’t immediately approach the
in the air, but the flash caught the goblins by humans. One guard walked over to them
surprise. They turned from the bright light, and thanked them repeatedly.
and in that very instant arrows sprung from The elves smiled in acknowledgement.
unseen bows and struck the goblins. The
sound of twanging bowstrings filled the “I need to thank him,” Dukaina said. Khosu
night air, and seconds later the goblins fell nodded and they started walking towards
back in terror. Oisar quickly dashed into the Oisar. Maiika put her hand on Tredzis’s arm.
forest and joined several other shapes
moving through the trees. “Are you alright?”

Tredzis suddenly realized he had been com- “Yeah, I… I didn’t cast it right.”
pletely hypnotized by the situation. He
shook his head and looked around. An “What do you mean?”
inhuman cry filled the air from behind the
main battle line. The goblins that were fight- “It didn’t go where I wanted it to. I could’ve
ing the caravan guards scattered and killed him.”
retreated. Several of them dropped dead
with arrows in them before they made it “But you didn’t,” Maiika reassured him.
back to the forest. The guards slowly drifted “Everything’s fine.”
back into the camp. Some were wounded.
Tredzis blinked in disbelief. Maiika, Khosu, “Yeah. I don’t know how, though.”
and Dukaina were suddenly by his side.
“Come on,” she encouraged, “let’s go see
“What just happened?” Maiika asked. him.”

“I’m not entirely sure,” Tredzis muttered Maiika started to walk over to the others.
slowly. His hands were shaking. Tredzis took a breath and forced himself to
walk. He followed Maiika slowly and

162

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 The Mystery of Oisar part 2

approached the guards. Oisar was helping a I wasn’t trying to hit you last night. I’m sorry
wounded man sit down, but stood up when that I almost did.”
Dukaina and Khosu approached. They each
hugged him and he seemed somewhat taken “There are no ill feelings, young master.
aback. He smiled and began to talk with Releasing a fireball is the hardest part of the
them just as Tredzis got within earshot. spell to master.” Tredzis nodded.

“We can’t thank you enough, Oisar!” Dukaina “Where did all of the elves go?” Maiika asked
exclaimed. casually.

“For certain,” Khosu added. “Fantastic timing!”

“I’m actually here much later than I intended

to be,” Oisar apologized.

“All’s well that ends well,” Dukaina encour-

aged. “We’re really glad to see you.” Oisar
smiled and lowered his head. When he
raised it, he turned to look at Maiika and
Tredzis. Tredzis swallowed nervously. He
wasn’t sure what he should say.

“I’m glad to be back,” Oisar added.

The camp quickly quieted down and every-

one tried to get a little sleep. No one actu-
ally did.

When the sun rose, weary eyes greeted it. All

of the wounded bodyguards seemed to be
doing well. Camp was broken down, and
once again the caravan began to roll
onwards. As it did, Tredzis gently slapped
his face to wake up. He was not himself. He
was still shaken up from last night. A horse
suddenly whinnied nearby. Tredzis turned “They are tracking the goblins westward.
to see Oisar riding alongside the wagon. Hopefully they will discourage them from
Behind him, on another horse, was one of following the caravan. Yngal decided to stay
the elves. Tredzis looked at him nervously, here with us,” Oisar indicated his elven
uncertain of what to say. companion. Yngal nodded. “Besides, we’ll
reach Kelvin before nightfall. We should be
“Good morning,” Oisar greeted him. safe now from any more ambushes.”

“Um… hello,” Tredzis replied with a mixture

of uncertainty and embarrassment. “I, uh…

163

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

The Mystery of Oisar part 2

“And after Kelvin, we’ll reach Penhaligon,

and then the King’s Keep,” Maiika added as
she looked over her map.

“And then the mountains,” Khosu added.

“Snow that never melts, right?” Tredzis asked

Oisar. Oisar smiled.

“Well maybe not this far south, but there will

be snow.”

Tredzis smiled and looked to the horizon.

He may have misjudged Oisar. He had so
many questions for him but he didn’t know
how to ask them. Where did the elves come
from? How did Oisar know how to cast
spells? How on earth did Oisar catch that
fireball? He ended up not asking anything at
all. He decided it would be better to bring
them up at a later time. Tredzis had doubted
Oisar’s intentions, and he was feeling guilty
over it. As he turned and looked northward
along the road, he realized that he still had a
lot to learn about a lot of things.

To be continued…

164

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Artwork Sources/Credits

ARTWORK SOURCES AND CREDITS

Front [Image: Cover of issue #35]

cover: Cover of issue #35, using Bing AI Image creator prompted by Sturm
[Image: Wizard and PC]
Page 2:
AI image generated from Mictrosoft Designer by AllanP
[Image: Mockup Cover of issue #36]
Page 8:
Proposed over of issue #36, using “Uninvited Guests”, original illustration by Jeffrey Kosh
Pages [Images: Great School of Magic]
12 to 21: Maps, side view and tower by Robin
Pages [Images: Wizards, Radiance Weapon, Soul Crystal]
33 to 39: Images created by Sturm with Bing AI Image Creator
[Image: Armour Golem]
Page 43:
Original drawing by Jeffrey Kosh (https://jeffreykosh.wixsite.com/jeffreykoshgraphics/home)
[Image: Armour Golems]
Page 44:
Created by author with Microsoft Designer AI and Paintshop pro
[Image: Fluorspar Golem]
Page 45:
Original drawing by Jeffrey Kosh (https://jeffreykosh.wixsite.com/jeffreykoshgraphics/home)
[Image: Fluorspar Golem2]
Page 46:
Created by author with Microsoft Designer AI and Paintshop pro
[Image: Pyrites Golem]
Page 47:
Created by author with Microsoft Designer AI and Paintshop pro
[Image: Tin Golem]
Page 48:
Original drawing by Jeffrey Kosh (https://jeffreykosh.wixsite.com/jeffreykoshgraphics/home)
[Image: Tin Golem2]
Page 49:
Created by author with Microsoft Designer AI and Paintshop pro
[Image: Scarecrow Golem2]
Page 51:
Created by author with Microsoft Designer AI and Paintshop pro
[Image: Scarecrow Golem]
Page 52:
Original drawing by Jeffrey Kosh (https://jeffreykosh.wixsite.com/jeffreykoshgraphics/home)
[Image: Mannequin Golem]
Page 53:
Created by author with Microsoft Designer AI and Paintshop pro
[Image: Aunt Sally Golem]
Page 54:
Created by author with Microsoft Designer AI and Paintshop pro
[Image: CM8 Cover thumb]
Page 55: Fair use of copyrighted material (book cover)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CM8_The_Endless_Stair.jpg
[Map: The Vesuvian Valley 1,000 AC]
Page 56:
By Thorf based on a design by Demos Sachlas
[Image: Moonkeep]
Page 57: Bled Castle on a 1689 copper engraving by Valvasor cropped by author
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bled_Castle_by_Valvasor_1689.jpg
[Map: The Highlands AC 700]
Page 58:
By Thorf based on a design by Demos Sachlas
[Baron Elktazar]
Page 59:
© William McAusland http://www.outlandarts.com
[Image: Wizards]
Page 61:
Image done by Bing AI Image Creator prompted by Sturm
[Map: Glantri City in 30 feet per hex]
Page 61: Original map by Robin expanding GAZ3’s Map of Glantri City, available at the Vaults if Pandius:
https://pandius.com/glantri_city_30feet_hex4_by_6inchnails_decp17i.jpg

165

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Artwork Sources/Credits

[Map: New Averoigne]

Page 62: Original map of New Averoigne, 1 mile per hex by Micky; available at the Vaults of Pandius: https://
pandius.com/NewAveroigne.png
[Map: Druid Cave]
Page 62: Dark Druid’s Cave made with “Paths Peculiar, World building for fantasy roleplaying games”, https:/
/www.wistedt.net/
[Image: Wizards’ Ball]
Page 64:
Image done by Bing AI Image Creator prompted by Sturm
[Map: Known World]
Replica map from “Wrath of the Immortals” boxed set by Thorfinn Tait ; available at the “Atlas of
Page 65:
Mystara” website: https://mystara.thorfmaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/wrath-known-
world-24-1010ac.png
[Image: Elves]
Page 66:
Created by AI Image Creator prompted by author
[Image: Tanadaleyo]
Page 72:
Created by AI Image Creator prompted by author
[Image: Tree]
Page 73:
© William McAusland http://www.outlandarts.com
[Image: Spider]
Page 73:
© 2003 V Shane https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/475/v-shane
[Image: Orc]
Page 77:
By LadyofHats - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:LadyofHats
[Image: Dwarves Against Orcs]
Page 78:
Created by AI Image Creator prompted by author
[Image: Alebane]
Page 84:
Created by AI Image Creator prompted by author
[Image: World Games in Darokin]
“Football” match in Piazza Santa Maria Novella in Florence via Wikimedia commons : https://
Page 85:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giovanni-Stradano-Gioco-del-calcio-in-piazza-Santa-Maria-
Novella-1561-62-1024x721.jpg
[Image: Masked Ball]
Page 92:
Created by AI Image Creator prompted by author
[Image: Moglai Khan]
Created by AI Image Creator prompted by author, modified, background from Wikimedia
Page 93:
commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:151127-worlds-largest-yurt-Mary-
Turkmenistan.jpg
[Image: Ethengarian Warrior]
Page 97: Portrait of Genghis Khan via Wikimedia commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Brooklyn_Museum_-_Portrait_of_Genghis_Khan.jpg
[Image: Trungpa Speaking With Mangai]
Qiu met with Genghis Khan via Wikimedia commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Page 97:
%E4%B8%98%E8%99%95%E6%A9%9F%E9%9D%A2%E8%A6%8B%E6%88%90%E5%90%
89%E6%80%9D%E6%B1%97.jpg
[Image: Glantri City]
Page 98:
Created by AI Image Creator prompted by author
[Image: Kol]
Page 108:
Created by AI Image Creator prompted by author
[Image: Synn]
Page 109:
Created by AI Image Creator prompted by author

166

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Artwork Sources/Credits

[Image: Crown]
Page 111:
Image produced by Bing AI Image Creator prompted by Sturm
[Image: Dolores/Synn]
Page 113:
Image produced by Midjourney AI prompted by Senarch
[Image: Book]
Page 114:
© William McAusland http://www.outlandarts.com
[Image: Wizard]
Page 115:
Prompted by author with Midjourney
[Image: Wizards]
Page 116:
Prompted by Stum with Bing AI Image creator
[Image: Wizards2]
Page 118:
Prompted by Sturm with Bing AI Image Creator
[Image: Magic-User]
Page 119:
© William McAusland http://www.outlandarts.com
[Image: Scroll]
Page 120:
© William McAusland http://www.outlandarts.com
[Image: Grimoire]
Page 121:
© William McAusland http://www.outlandarts.com
[Image: Wand]
Page 123:
© 2003 V Shane https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/475/v-shane
[Image: Staff]
Page 123:
© 2003 V Shane https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/475/v-shane
[Image: Ring]
Page 126:
© William McAusland http://www.outlandarts.com
Image: [Holy Symbol]
Page 127:
© 2003 V Shane https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/475/v-shane
[Image: Meg]
Page 129:
Prompted by author with MS Bing
[Image: Honey-glazed mushrooms]
Page 130:
Cooked and photographed by author
[Image: Baked Fish]
Page 131:
Cooked and photographed by author
[Image: Hare marinating]
Page 133:
Cooked and photographed by author
[Image: Pappardelle]
Page 133:
Cooked and photographed by author
[Image: Cooking pot]
Page 134: Photograph by Benny Stæhr: free for use from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/silhouetted-bowl-
hanging-on-a-chain-9431143/
[Image: Damsons]
Page 134:
Cooked and photographed by author
[Image: Cook]
Painting entirled ‘A kitchen interior with a young maid hanging various meats, figures preparing food
Page 135: beyond’ by Circle of Jean-Baptiste de Saive (Namur 1540-1624 Malines) from Wikimedia Commons: https:/
/commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jean-Baptiste_de_Saive_%28circle%29_Kitchen_interior_with_maid_
1563.jpg
[Image: Stuffed Cabbage]
Page 136:
Cooked and photographed by author
[Image: Cook]
Page 136: Photograph (no attribution given) from website ‘Recipe Reminiscing’: https://recipereminiscing.wordpress.
com/category/medieval-cooking-techniques/

167

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Artwork Sources/Credits

[Image: Tarot Reading Session]

Page 139: AI generated from Mictosoft Designer via prompts by AllanP
[Mystaran Tarot Cards]
Pages All images created by author with DALL-E AI and MS Publisher except for Chimera which uses
142 to 157: Wikimedia commons image https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chimera_Apulia_Louvre_
K362.jpg and Mystara using Jurassic-era Earth map.
Pages [Images: Oisar, Tredzis, Maiika, The Ruins, Goblins, Fireball, Oisar & Yngal]
158 to 163: All images created by author using AI art generator Dream by WOMBO

Back cover: [Image: Wizardess]

AI generatedc using Bing AI Image creator prompted by Sturm

168

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Notes

169

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

Submission Guidelines

Submission Guidelines Other types of contributions: the editorial team

will consider on a case by case basis other types
Proposals of contributions. Please contact us to inquire if
All proposal submissions can be sent by mail to and how we can accommodate unusual contri-
the editors at the following address: bution formats.
Threshold.Mystara@gmail.com, and must be
received by the proposal deadline†. The The following guidelines apply to different
THRESHOLD editorial team will contact you types of submissions:
within 7 days of the proposal deadline regard-
ing the status of your proposal. Illustrations: Please submit art and maps in
lossless format (e.g., PNG).
Submission proposals should be sent inline in the
mail, using the following subject format: Articles: Manuscript submissions can be sent by
[ISSUE#][Proposal]<title of your article> mail as plain text, doc(x) or odt, or shared as
Google Doc. The issue editor will create a
The mail content should include the following: shared document (for each article) to allow the
• Proposed article title author and editorial team to work on it. Articles
• The type of article being proposed (short can be as short as a single page, or as long as 6
story, adventure, geographical location, pages, depending on the specific content. The
organization, etc...) editorial team will do its best to accommodate
• A one paragraph description of what the the contributions, but especially long works
article is about may be split over several issues.
• An estimated word count of the article (art-
icles should range anywhere from 1000 to Tables: Tables should be numbered (Table X:
7000 words, depending on the type of Name of Table), and any references in the
article submitted) article should refer to that table number (and
not to “he table below,” for example).
Manuscripts
Manuscripts should only be submitted after you Author Bios: Please include a short blurb (one
proposal has been accepted by the THRESHOLD or two sentences) biography/blurb about your-
editorial staff, and must be received by the self for our “contributing authors” section. It
manuscript deadline†. When submitting a can be serious or silly, but don't get too carried
manuscript file, please use the following away with it, please.
naming convention:
threshold_#_your_title.<extension> Other types of contributions: The editorial team
(extension: see below for recommended file will consider on a case by case basis other types
formats) and the following subject format: of contributions. Please contact us to inquire if
[ISSUE#][Manuscript]<title of your article> and how we can accommodate unusual contri-
bution formats.
The mail content should include the following:
• The article title. †Refer to “Call for Contributions” (page 9) for
• An attached document containing the article next issue deadline dates.
contents.
• The final word count of the article. #Insert relevant issue number in place of ‘#’

170

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 THRESHOLD - the Mystara Magazine

THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #35

 Download for Free from www.pandius.com

THE MYSTARA MAGAZINE

Glantri and Magic

In this new issue of THRESHOLD Magazine we travel to the land of

the wizard Princes, home of the Radiance, the Great School of
Magic, playground for adventurers, scheming nobles and terrible
villains! With the authors of this issue we’ll walk in the halls of the
Great School, meet golems, wizards, and explore the characters, the
past and the future of Glantri. We’ll also have some extra time for a
Mystaran cookbook and a Mystaran Tarot.
All this can be found only in this latest issue of our favourite
magazine!

www.pandius.com Threshold.Mystara@gmail.com