Mystara question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Mystara question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Slydor
03-20-04, 02:41 AM Can anyone tell me what planet Mystara (Known World) is supposed to be on? Is it on the same planet as Forgotten Realms is on or is it part of Greyhawk setting? Or some other planet? If anyone can list the known D&D planets and their corresponding settings/maps that would help tremendously.

Thanks much.
Slydor
Pegeyepete
03-20-04, 02:43 AM From what I can recall Mystara was part of it's own planet. I don't remember all the continents but there was one called Skothar, which I remember because I had a pet by that name a long time back. It was also where the whole hollow world thing was so I really doubt it'd have any relation to greyhawk or forgotten realms. Not a whole lot of help I realize but it's all I can remember off the top of my head.
Wooly Rupert
03-20-04, 04:32 AM I'm fairly certain Mystara was its own world.

I know that it's not part of the Realms, and I'm fairly certain it wasn't part of Oerth. It's not Krynn, either.

The Forgotten Realms is on the planet called either Toril or Abeir-Toril.

Greyhawk is set on the planet Oerth. One oddity about Oerth: it really is at the center of its solar system -- the sun and everything else revolves around it. At least, that's what it said in Greyspace, and I'm fairly certain the original Spelljammer boxed set said the same thing.

The Dragonlance Saga happens on Krynn.

All three of these worlds had their entire solar systems described and mapped in various Spelljammer supplements, though the Krynnspace one had some serious errors in it.
Amoun
03-20-04, 06:05 AM if I remember correctly Mystara was the first D&D settings, even prior to Greyhawk... either that or got developed right after Greyhawk... It lost popularity, but yeah it's its own world. But definately was made before FR, hope that helps a little
Slydor
03-20-04, 11:00 AM Wow! Thank you to all three responses...that helps. I really appreciate it guys. Also, if anyone else in the future can add their 2 cents, thank you for that too!

Slydor-
Misyrr
03-20-04, 12:02 PM Originally posted by Amoun
if I remember correctly Mystara was the first D&D settings, even prior to Greyhawk... either that or got developed right after Greyhawk... It lost popularity, but yeah it's its own world. But definately was made before FR, hope that helps a little I think you're very wrong.
Faraer
03-20-04, 12:42 PM I believe the D&D Known World first saw partial print in the Dave Cook-edited D&D Expert Rulebook (1981), and was most fully presented in the GAZ series (http://www.acaeum.com/DDIndexes/MiscPages/GAZ.html) (1987-91). The name Mystara appeared when the world was published in the 90s as an AD&D campaign setting; it's the name of the planet, of which the Known World is part.

The World of Greyhawk (the land Flanaess, the western part of the continent of Oerik on the world of Oerth) originated in the early 1970s during the D&D playtests, but its geography was substantially altered and made up for its first full appearance in print in the 1980 folio. I think (but may be getting this wrong) the Oerthcentrism was a delusion of the Savant-Sage.

Realms began 1967, seeped into print 1979-80, fully published as a campaign setting 1987.

Because Mystara has its own cosmological rules (those of the D&D Basic/Expert/Companion/Master/Immortals rules) it never crossed over much with the other settings.
Amoun
03-20-04, 12:59 PM hey we all make mistakes but misyrr next time try to tell me why you think I'm wrong... but what faraer seems the most correct :)
Wooly Rupert
03-20-04, 01:33 PM I'll agree with Faraer on everything but the part about Oerthcentrism being a delusion...

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I have very little Greyhawk stuff (Castle Greyhawk, Greyhawk Adventures, and the Greyhawk appendix of the Monstrous Compendium), and not much interest in the world.

But the original Spelljammer boxed set, in a couple of different places, put Oerth at the center of its crystal sphere, and so did the Greyspace supplement.

(Now that I think about it, eclipses must be quite common in that sphere!)

There could have been later, non-Spelljammer supplements that changed that, but so far as I know, the sun does revolve around Oerth, and so does everything else.
Faraer
03-20-04, 01:40 PM You're certainly right in terms of TSR-canon Greyhawk, but what I recall is that the author of SJR6 Greyspace took the introduction to the Guide too literally. This is based on either careful reading of the wording in the Guide, confirmation by Gary, a passage in Saga of Old City, or all three.
Wooly Rupert
03-20-04, 03:34 PM What is this Guide?

And do you know the exact place in the book Saga of Old City? I didn't mention it, but I do have those old Greyhawk novels, as well.
Faraer
03-20-04, 04:04 PM The Guide is the Guide to the World of Greyhawk, the main 80-page book in the 1983 boxed set. Its author refers to 'the five wandering stars', which is what medieval astronomers called planets and their 'irregular' movements. Ah, on pp. 341-2 the druid Curley Greenleaf lays out gems representing the heavenly bodies... 'These various stones are the spheres which accompany our world in its circuit of the sun'. On balance, I think Curley is more likely to be right than the Savant-Sage. But TSR mostly ignored SoOC in its version of Greyhawk City, too.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Slydor 03-20-04, 02:41 AM	Can anyone tell me what planet Mystara (Known World) is supposed to be on? Is it on the same planet as Forgotten Realms is on or is it part of Greyhawk setting? Or some other planet? If anyone can list the known D&D planets and their corresponding settings/maps that would help tremendously. Thanks much. Slydor
Pegeyepete 03-20-04, 02:43 AM	From what I can recall Mystara was part of it's own planet. I don't remember all the continents but there was one called Skothar, which I remember because I had a pet by that name a long time back. It was also where the whole hollow world thing was so I really doubt it'd have any relation to greyhawk or forgotten realms. Not a whole lot of help I realize but it's all I can remember off the top of my head.
Wooly Rupert 03-20-04, 04:32 AM	I'm fairly certain Mystara was its own world. I know that it's not part of the Realms, and I'm fairly certain it wasn't part of Oerth. It's not Krynn, either. The Forgotten Realms is on the planet called either Toril or Abeir-Toril. Greyhawk is set on the planet Oerth. One oddity about Oerth: it really is at the center of its solar system -- the sun and everything else revolves around it. At least, that's what it said in Greyspace, and I'm fairly certain the original Spelljammer boxed set said the same thing. The Dragonlance Saga happens on Krynn. All three of these worlds had their entire solar systems described and mapped in various Spelljammer supplements, though the Krynnspace one had some serious errors in it.
Amoun 03-20-04, 06:05 AM	if I remember correctly Mystara was the first D&D settings, even prior to Greyhawk... either that or got developed right after Greyhawk... It lost popularity, but yeah it's its own world. But definately was made before FR, hope that helps a little
Slydor 03-20-04, 11:00 AM	Wow! Thank you to all three responses...that helps. I really appreciate it guys. Also, if anyone else in the future can add their 2 cents, thank you for that too! Slydor-
Misyrr 03-20-04, 12:02 PM	Originally posted by Amoun if I remember correctly Mystara was the first D&D settings, even prior to Greyhawk... either that or got developed right after Greyhawk... It lost popularity, but yeah it's its own world. But definately was made before FR, hope that helps a little I think you're very wrong.
Faraer 03-20-04, 12:42 PM	I believe the D&D Known World first saw partial print in the Dave Cook-edited D&D Expert Rulebook (1981), and was most fully presented in the GAZ series (http://www.acaeum.com/DDIndexes/MiscPages/GAZ.html) (1987-91). The name Mystara appeared when the world was published in the 90s as an AD&D campaign setting; it's the name of the planet, of which the Known World is part. The World of Greyhawk (the land Flanaess, the western part of the continent of Oerik on the world of Oerth) originated in the early 1970s during the D&D playtests, but its geography was substantially altered and made up for its first full appearance in print in the 1980 folio. I think (but may be getting this wrong) the Oerthcentrism was a delusion of the Savant-Sage. Realms began 1967, seeped into print 1979-80, fully published as a campaign setting 1987. Because Mystara has its own cosmological rules (those of the D&D Basic/Expert/Companion/Master/Immortals rules) it never crossed over much with the other settings.
Amoun 03-20-04, 12:59 PM	hey we all make mistakes but misyrr next time try to tell me why you think I'm wrong... but what faraer seems the most correct :)
Wooly Rupert 03-20-04, 01:33 PM	I'll agree with Faraer on everything but the part about Oerthcentrism being a delusion... Now, I'll be the first to admit that I have very little Greyhawk stuff (Castle Greyhawk, Greyhawk Adventures, and the Greyhawk appendix of the Monstrous Compendium), and not much interest in the world. But the original Spelljammer boxed set, in a couple of different places, put Oerth at the center of its crystal sphere, and so did the Greyspace supplement. (Now that I think about it, eclipses must be quite common in that sphere!) There could have been later, non-Spelljammer supplements that changed that, but so far as I know, the sun does revolve around Oerth, and so does everything else.
Faraer 03-20-04, 01:40 PM	You're certainly right in terms of TSR-canon Greyhawk, but what I recall is that the author of SJR6 Greyspace took the introduction to the Guide too literally. This is based on either careful reading of the wording in the Guide, confirmation by Gary, a passage in Saga of Old City, or all three.
Wooly Rupert 03-20-04, 03:34 PM	What is this Guide? And do you know the exact place in the book Saga of Old City? I didn't mention it, but I do have those old Greyhawk novels, as well.
Faraer 03-20-04, 04:04 PM	The Guide is the Guide to the World of Greyhawk, the main 80-page book in the 1983 boxed set. Its author refers to 'the five wandering stars', which is what medieval astronomers called planets and their 'irregular' movements. Ah, on pp. 341-2 the druid Curley Greenleaf lays out gems representing the heavenly bodies... 'These various stones are the spheres which accompany our world in its circuit of the sun'. On balance, I think Curley is more likely to be right than the Savant-Sage. But TSR mostly ignored SoOC in its version of Greyhawk City, too.