The Megalith (Part 2)

Continued from http://breathofmystara.blogspot.nl/2013/04/the-megalith.html

A lesson By Mergrath the Druid of Dwarves. (translated from Dwarvish).

The group of Dwarves is seated haphazardly in the great cave. The domed ceiling towering above them, altering the voices to a form of echoing greatness. the whispers speak of rumors, legends and stories of makebelief. The hush slowly falls as Mergrath enters.

A Human, but as shaply formed as a dwarf. They call him Dwarf, yet actually he is an Earth-Elementalist. Mergrath is five foot five and about half as wide as high. He wears a proud dwarven-styled beard and is dressed in surly brown robes. His ankles are clad in leg bracers, yet his feet are bare. They seem to be more Hin-like due the hair on it. The musk of freshly-delved ores and soil clings to him like a cloud. He wiskes his beard from his mouth, and clears his throat. A strong Dwarven-like rumble. The dwarves are content; This is no normal stupid-assed mage. This person is like them; a friend of the earth.

"Listen friends" Comming directly to order.Siliencing the crowd by the mere tone of his voice.

"From the earlier story (The Death of Urt). we have learned what did happen. Remember friends, that yet to nobody will acknowledge this. Not even Immortals.Yet proof is clear as we will see in the lesson today. I know that some individuals still think as Urt being alive, and that most creatures are absolute unaware of the state the world they tread on is in. I will try to show you the evidence that was found, showing you the details of how Urt still functions (even while it is dead as a doornail)."

The room stays silent, about a hundred pair of Dwarven eyes and ears are pointed at Mergrath. Who starts casting an Illusional dweomer. Slowly an image appears. An Image of the Planet they live upon; A planet they know as Mystara and some call Urt. A great Globe of blue, green and brown, with white on the poles. Slowly it rotates, so all in the cave can clearly see what Mergrath points at. His concentration must be imense, as while he starts to speak, there is no blurring of the details.

"It was somewhere millions of years ago when the smaller Megalith was slammed into Urt-Mystara. Yet the wound can today still be seen. Contrary to what we think it was not a direct impact that merged the two spheres into each other. The shapes of thesemegalith were, like most creatures, more or less flexible. As the tension from the impact reduced due to its resistence, both shapes were reflected back hence they came. The Smaller Megalith was repelled back into space, later to be captured in the gravitational pull of Mystara. Mystara--or shall we call it Urt-- was slightly pushed away from the sun. Only a few thousand miles or so, yet still, and was locked into the gravitational orbit around the Sun as we see today".

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The image showed to spheres slamming into each other, and then slowly drifting away. a cloud of debris is clearly seen falling back to the surface. The cloud cloud of ash dispersing over the surface. the colr shifts to a darker green and blue, and slowly the white parts become about twice as large as before.

"This was the era in which the great Dinosaurs lived and ruled. Some of these creatures can still be found. There are rumors of many of them surviving in the Hollow World, others in the tropical or secluded regions of Mystara. The Impact must have killed millions of lifeforms of any kind. and this was followed by billions more as the surface became blocked by ash and dust, and the planetary body became set in an orbit of which the general temperature was several degrees lower. The dust called forth the first Ice age, of which most of you have seen the traces in the ground. Luckily the dust, fell down rapidly, and Mystara being Urt having many magical spots generated enough elemental air, water, energy and even earth to enable the creatures on its surface to survive and adapt.

The smaller Megalith, however, was not that lucky. Its mass being to low to hold on its Atmosphere of air and water, and without this delicate balance energy was smored to death, leaving nothing but a bare looking clumb of matter."

Courtesy Phenomenica.com

The Image of the moon was slowly altered, from a green lushous surface to a grey globe, dotted with ash and craters caused by the debris falling back upon its surface. it was as if centuries passed by in a few moments. The smaller Megalith, now functioning as a moon, captured most floating debris, and many pieces fell back on Mystara (these can be found by the multitude of small craters. the Worldshield protects any mater from forcefully impacting on the planet and acts like a planetsized protection from mirrors spell). 

"Some of this debris still floats in Space. most as dust, but also several large clunks of rock and metal. Some of these fall back after centuries of floating. Most of them on the Moon, some even here on Mystara. You know these as meteors"

The Image of the moon slowly faded away, while that of Mystara became bigger. Slowly it enlarged to such a size that the other parts of the sphere were no longer within range of the spell and dissapeared, leaving only a part of Mystara to see.

"We now go to the part of Impact. This is located in the region we know as Norwold. This region we call; The Great Crater. The area also known as the former Kingdom of Alinor. Rich for its metal deposits. Abandoned for (at least to me) unknown reasons. (probably war or monster infestations, or strange magic--see later here)

From Wikipedia

As the moon departed, the matter of impact was slammed away. Parts of both celestial bodies literally sprewn around like a drop in a pool of water. 

The Ground came up again, whilethe borders solidified. Within the center of this enormous crater, a small mountain can be found. The Mountain of Steel. This part is actually the greatest part of the Moon that you can find on the surface of Mystara. Embedded a mile or son in the ground this mass of matter is almost purely metallic ore. And when the tension strenth of the surface pushed all up, this mass of ore became a real mountain, centered in a valley surrounded by mountains (which were in fact the Rim). Follow thge red dotted line and see how enormous the surface area still is today."

The Mage turned and walked a bit around the illusion.

"Look clearly, and see if you can captures something very important I try to clarify to you"

A moment of Silence was followed by a soft rumble of dwarven whispers. A Slender (at least to dwarven opinion) female dwarf stupped up. Her round cheeks a bit rosy and round, frilled by her aubern hair. She stepped forward in her darkbrown leather armor. A member of the Syrklist clan.

"Daganak Daughter of Solis of the Syrklist Clan" she introduced herself.

"I see that the volcanoes can be found on the borders. And I also see that the area is composed of several large round circles. As if more material did fall. Yet I do see only one central mass ofMountain; the Mountain of Steel. Is this what you mean, Mergrath? 

She almost brutally directed the answer to him. Her deep brown eyes glinting with pride.

The buzz heightened. some giggles and some grunts. The male-dominated behavior of the dwarves did accept female input, but often ridiculizes it beforehand. Mergrath shifts it head towards the young dwarven maiden, and looks intrigingly.

"Yes You are Right. You of all has seen what I meant."

The buzz of dwarven voices arose in volume. 

Biology-about.com

"Silence Please, and I will explain. As I have said before Mystara as we know it was actually a living organism. Most organisms are build up out of cells. Tiny enclosed particles of individually areas with each there own purpose. like Plants you can examine under a magnifying class, so is Urt (or Mystara) composed of cells. Yet these cells are larger than anything we know, as the creature itself is actually the largest existing creature in the whole Multiverse, I mean as a species.Some individuals may be smaller, but the race as a whole is the largest existing. And as thus its cells are gigantic."

Original by Torfinn  Tait, Adapted self.

Some of you have dug deep into the earth and discovered that a single layer of magma is deep underneath us. This fiery mass of composed Matter and Energy together, is magical----or actually the opposite. it nullifies all magic. This is called the Worldshield.. From the Voyages of Prince Haldemar of Ar we learned that our world is hollow. and from the inside to the magma layer the distance is roughly the same. The matter placed above it, is actually the mass of cells of which the creature is composed of. As you can see here the diameter of Mystara. It contains the central layer of Magma (sometimes incorrectly dubbed Lava. Magma is underground, and lava is what has erupted on to the surface or opens up in large caves. Magma contains much volatiles (water, co2 and so2 and such), which are kept dissolved within it but at high pressure underground. Once magma erupts and turns into lava, those gases tend to bubble and escape from it, thus leaving lava depleted in gases. Most explosive eruptions are caused by gases bubbling out of the molten rock.).

On the surface has been collected over millenia (ever since the last waking period of Urt) matter, water and gasses of all sorts, thus creating a thin layer of viable atmosphere with living conditions suitable for all. Yet as you look upon the globe, you can see that the planet's surface is riddled with shapes of mountains, plateaus, depressions, and so forth. and all these areas seem to have regular borders. Why is this"

Without waiting for a response from its curious listeners, the mage continued.

Planetary mapping  studies by Thorfin Tait

"This is because of the cells. these cells measure several miles in diameter, and are rarely perfectly round as in this examle. They are layered upon eachother like the cells of a leaf. with along its cellular walls the volcanic corridors and gigantic caves.

The Image changes to a cell-shaped globe.

"In this example, you can clearly see a regular pattern of cells. In reality these cells will be much more irregular, but can still easily be identified as such.

This concept will also change the current knowledge about tectonic behavior of Mystara.

Instead of large plates moving up and over or along eachother, thus causing Volcanic active areas, earthquakes and mountains and depths. On mystara it is a bit different. The cells slowly move. Sometimes under immortal Influence (as with the Atruaghin Plateau) some by disaster, but regularly by itself. Cells are being heated from within and tend to push themselves upwards. New cells are created to enable growth in a living Megalith. But this no longer happens on mystara. 

The surface cells are slowly dying out. sometimes they detach themselves partially from eachother, thus creating the gigantic caves we know of the underground realms of the Broken Lands and of the Shadowelves", and suggested happening underneath the rising and tilted Plateaux of Ethengar

With a small cough, Mergrath changed tone.

Tectonic cell movements.

Cartography Torfinn Tait

Based upon Rifts, Mountainridges, Depressions, Plateaus and the

Great tectonic changes of the last  5000 years.

"And although the planet is still alive, we think it is also dying, literally, there is still enough geological activity for a million years or even more.The cells can rotate in any direction on the surface or even slowly tilt, creating  mountains on its sides. They may collapse into itself causing depressions, or shrink and causing great rifts miles deep. There is activity enough to sometimes lift a cell, being pushed up by some of its neighbour cells. It can be noted that in these cases near to almost giant caves will be created underneath these rising cell masses and plateaus. 

Volcanoes can thus be explained easily too. These are the veins of magma from the Worldshield (which in fact was similar in use to our heart), passing between these cells, with the intend of continuating their functions. These veins will regularly reach the surface thus creating volcanoes. This is the same function as scabs on a wound. Yet though the body of the Megalith still tries to continuate its existence, its identity, its soul, its brain, or whatever it was, has long left the Hollow World behind. Some say it imploded into itself thus creating the Sun of the Hollow World (hence its red Glow) others say it was expulged out. But we can't find it anywhere. There is a rumor of an invisible moon from the expeditiions of Haldemar from Ar, which also could explain where the matter went. Others say it is found in the still active World Shield" .

Puzzling he looked upon his crowd. Most were still listening, though some had fallen asleep. He looked into the clear and questioning open eyes of Daganak. At least she had the spirit and true interest.

Back to Mystara. The crust of Mystara, though covered with a thin (about a mile) foreign material (water, matter, air) was a way of the creature to protect its inner organs. Some of these organs had great magical powers and could be the reason of magical minerals, like the mnemnonic minerals found in former Alphatia and Dawn, or Cloudstones in Ar, or the Psychadelic crystals of the Shadow Elves. there are probably much more. they will also explain the existence of magical areras; where magic will be strong, or weakened (wholly or partially). It explains why some Elemental portals exist, die or become active, why creatures from those realms come here to explore, propagate (as seen as in Earth and Fire Elementals near the Worldshield), or feed (or be fed upon--as with the Giant Annelid on Earth Elementals). It also explains why certain magic (not all) seems to affect the seismic balance, causing or decreasing volcanic activity (measured in Seismic Force Point). But this is something I try to explain later, with a more magical orientated public.

Art by Jaworski

I hope you all learned something from this. Now you know that we are the lice in the pelt of Mystara. The Giant worms in the earth (the Purple Worms, The Annelids, the Burrowers, The  feasting upon its remains, and actually all you see is what remained of a gigantic singular creature. A slowly, very slowly degredating carcass of Urt the Megalith.

He dispelled the Illusion. The Dwarves slowly arose. Some awakened, as if they had misses something, some scratched their backs, bottoms or beards and only heard their stomach rumble. Daganak was only one of the few who went to Mergrath for some Questions. Questions He  (in this case I the writer) was willing to answer.

The Megalith

The Megalith

The Story of the Grouzhina Flood I created I retrospect of what Humans do to our  World.

We must learn that most we do will have some effect on the world. In the same retrospect I created the following about the Megalith we know as Urt or Mystara.

I read a Dragon Magazine article about Seismic Force Points, that explains how certain spells would affect the power stored underneath the crust.  (an excellent article by Jennifer Tittle Stack in Dragon Magazine 265 page 34).

Though I would not use the special Druidic class she used herein, but I instead would give the same powers/spells to Earth-Elementalists instead—especially since Earth-elementalists of mystara are affected by the very on sphere..

The point is that it could also be used in a different way. In the Almanacs we saw a sudden run on a newly discovered mineral that increased magical power but at a later moment would decrease the same (Mnemnonic mineral it was known). But this purely natural mineral would have had special effects in the world or in its vicinity to flora/fauna/ and even matter or magic. Other materials would have similar effects; (I'd mention the brilliant mineral Cloudstone  Bruce Heard created in his Blog about the Floating Islands of Ar (http://bruce-heard.blogspot.nl/2013/01/Ar01.html#more].

He also speaks that the mineral is almost depleted (at least as far known on the Outer World). In the Hollow World many floating continents exist, so apparently the same mineral can be found there more often and apparently in greater amounts.

I'd surmised why Cloudstone minerals would exist. They were most likely connected with the stearing mechanism of the Megalith that Urt/Mystara is.

How that exactly works I havent Figured out yet, but it would make it logical in a magical world.

It also explains that other Minerals with special powers, would probably have had  functions for generating/collecting energies or for distributing them. Similar to our nervous, muscular-electrical, or lymphe-knode system. It would explain a lot of the magic-interactions of Mystara.

The mining of these materials thus would greatly affect the megalith itself. I've read some articles on Pandius of the Megalith being in its sleep modus and being a hollow variant.

That does not seem logical, even in a world as magical filled as Mystara.

No creature would remain inactive with the amounts of damages done to it, as is done to Mystara; An Explosion so enormous that shifted its axis, altered poles, currents and seasons, Causing enormous upheavels  (Plateaus up like Atruaghin, and down like Taymora) , and  Gigantic worms (Burrowers, Purple worms and others, crawling through it, many creatures feeding from its crust, and so on. All this without awaking it. It would seem much more logical that the Megalith Urt/Mystara is dead (or at least Dying), and that the feasting of the corpse has begun long ago.

A Copy from the Old Immortal Set

Megalith

Sphere:                         Matter

Status:                          Empyreal

Power Points:                5000

Anti-Magic:                    75 %

Armor Class:                 -5 (core) or + 15 (mantle)

Hit Dice:                       Unknown (see below)

Move:                           Constant (see below)

Attacks:                        See below

Damage:                       See below

No. Appearing:              1

Save As:                       Empyreal 5

Morale:                         12 +

Treasure Type:              Self

Alignment:                    See Below (Habits)

XP Value:                     Not Applicable

Correct Digital Mastering of Mystara by Thorfinn Tait
Clearly revealing the shape resembling a round polyp without roots or arms.

Megaliths are the largest known life forms in the multiverse. They may be related to baaka (q.v.), but are of a greater order of magnitude, and are as yet classified as a different life form. A megalith may, at first sighting, appear to be a planetary body. In its long dormant phase, it may be indistinguishable from a planet.

The smallest known megalith is about 3000 miles in diameter; the largest, over a million. The average weight of a megalith’s form varies from 100 to 500 pounds per cubic foot. Its exact Hit Dice are unknown, and of no practical use in games, but are believed by Immortals to be about 1 per mile of the creature’s diameter.

A megalith’s body has two distinct parts. Its center, in which the life essence resides, is a warm, solid core weighing almost 20% of the total mass. This core, effectively the creature’s brain, is protected by an outer covering of mixed solid and liquid matter. This covering is called its mantle, and can withstand nearly any imaginable attack due to its sheer size.

Over long periods of time, very thin layers of earth, water, and air collect on the creature’s surface. Most transient life forms present during a megalith’s active phase confine themselves to these added layers, and rarely penetrate any large fraction of the mantle.

Abilities and Limits:

Active

In its active phase, a megalith can use all forms of Power attacks, and can create any magical effect within its Sphere by standard procedures. The range of such effects is measured from the creature’s outer edge, not the core. A megalith in dormant phase is immune to Power and magical attacks.

Megalith Strength and Constitution scores are extremely high. They vary by the creature’s size, with a minimum of 1000 (virtually incomprehensible even to Immortals). Megaliths have no Dexterity whatsoever, and are immune to direct attacks on that ability score. Mental ability scores, including Charisma, are of the usual range for Empyreals (50 to 75).

During its active phase, a megalith can communicate by gentle, subtle manipulations of the surface of its mantle. The only mortals able to understand megalith “speech” are specialists called druids, and even they do not fully understand the process or the implications. Immortal intelligence, augmented by magical aids such as telepathy, can establish two-way communication with megaliths in active phase.

Dormant

During its dormant phase, a megalith rejects all attempts at communication, and will instinctively use its mantle to defend itself or to repel irritants. Its physical attacks include great earthquakes and huge volcanic eruptions. The latter may be used to hurl large quantities of lava (molten liquid matter) to a maximum range equal to the megalith’s diameter. The combined force and heat of the lava causes an amount of damage equal to the megalith’s Hit Dice, thus instantly slaying any victim hit and utterly obliterating any object, even an artifact. An Immortal may make a Dexterity check to avoid being struck,

with bonuses or penalties based on the amount of warning indicated by the circumstances.

Resistances:

A megalith’s core has 75% A-M and is immune to direct Dexterity attacks, but has no other special defenses other than its protective mantle. Only the core life force can be attacked by Power or ability score attacks, and the process of physically reaching it can be difficult.

 

Correct Digital Mastering of Mystara by Thorfinn Tait
revealing innards (Hollow World) Mystara in correct proportions.

Habits:

The monotony of a Megalith’s life is broken by cycles. Each cycle consists of two phases, active and dormant. In the active cycle,  the megalith is fully awake and Lawful in alignment. It observes its surroundings and examines itself constantly, noting the appearance and disappearance of life forms on and within it aiding their development and defending itself. Of generally good intentions, a megalith will try to avoid unexpected movements while awake, for such can damage or destroy the life forms. The active phase lasts for 10,000- 1,000,000 years (ld100 *10,000).

Near the end of its active cycle, a megalith loses interest in its surroundings. It cools its outer parts by rotating with increasing speed, slowing only after all extraneous material (such as water, life forms, etc.) is discarded. It then withdraws its life force to some central point, finally lapsing into a dormant phase (similar to animal hibernation).

During this phase it ignores most activity within, on, and around itself, and becomes Chaotic in alignment reacting randomly and instinctively. Whether it dreams or not, who can tell.

Background:

All the known megaliths were created at the same time as the multiverse. The home planet of all PCs is a megalith, now nearing the midpoint of its active phase. The Immortals made special arrangements with this creature, who is known to them as Urt, before starting to cultivate life forms upon and within it.

Needed alterations

As seen in the Habits a megalith alterates its active and dormant phases between 10.000 and 1.000.000 years.

According to found Hollow World Boxed set  Mystara is milions of years old.

As  an active megalith cools its outer parts by rotating with increasing speed, slowing only after all extraneous material (such as water, life forms, etc.) is discarded. It then withdraws its life force to some central point, finally lapsing into a dormant phase (similar to animal hibernation).

Such an event did not happen. According to the stories of Ka the Artisan and Ordana life continued in a constant line. Some disasters did happen, but nothing was expulged from the Planet.

This concludes that; or the periods of Active/Dormancy are wrong, or –much more realistic—that the creature is no more living at all.

The activity of the planet, is just a continuated biological process slowly (very slowly  in this case) losing its energy to continue.

The noting that  Urt/Mystara was nearing its midpoint of its active phase would have been long before Ka an Ordana came to exist.

It is also known that it were not the Immortals which created life in the Prime Plane (Also canon material—although I can’t retrace it) Thus Life as we know it must come from other sources; why not the gigantic sources of life we know as megaliths, who pour their balanced  energies out over itself thus creating life as a by-process of its own existernce. It is thus these Balanced energies (probably controlled by the Megalith (or the Old Ones) that create and sustain life.

As these energies are depleting extremely slowly, it would also be more reasonable for a dead Megalith.

The Death process of a Mega-magical near-to-immortal creature like a megalith are of course unknown. But it would clarify everything. The body-processes slowing down (there have been Ice ages according to TSR sources and clearly visible facts—creatures evolutions/adaptations, surface alterations by ice), the feasting upon its remains (The worms and multitude of life living on it), the slow degradation  of its sources (the body was warmer long ago in the Dinosaur era) and the uncontrolled motion of it(hanging in a constant orbit around  the sun). All these would make sense now.

And the sole reason for this would most possibly be Thanatos, supreme Hierarch of Death of the Sphere of Entropy.

He hated  this form of life—as these beings originating from the dawn of time are nothing more than pure life itself,  with their near-infinite hit Dice as according the Old Immortal box..

The killed creature would not lose its tremendous powers immediately, but it would be dead. Caught in an orbital motion around a sun, captured in its gravitational wake.

This would also explain the two moons of Mystara , Matera and Patera; one invisible and unknown to most—but a  source of pure magical matter, the other also a dead body (and according the same information on Pandius  also Hollow.). It even would explain the Apocalypse Stone (from the same named AD&D adventure which could be used on Mystara roughly together with the Wrath of the Immortals), and

I read all and surmised the following story. Keep in Mind that even Thanatos has forgotten what and how he did this, but would be glad to know that he did this and why, he would be very unhappy for knowing that the very life-force escaping from the dying body would have been the reason of the explosion of different sentient and non-sentient forms of life of which many became Immortal in their own fashion.

The Death Of Urt

It was at an early moment in Time that the Immortals, under which were Thanatos, found that not only did the Megalth collect Matter, Water and Air, upon themselves,  but first in history it was on the bodies of Megalith where arose miniature forms of life. Like tiny flees on a body, these forms evolved rapidly due to the magic emanating from the Megalith.

Immortals soon learned themselves to create life with spells like Create Species, using the same source of balanced forms of energy (Matter, Time, Thought, Energy, and even Entropy balanced together).

This was a thorn in the eye of Thanatos, supreme Hierarch of Entropy (and probably one of the rare entities from the Era of Chaos—we are now in the Era of Order), and he took ways to try to discover their destruction. Thousands and thousands of experiments were needed. He tried to slay them by impacting them with meteors, or solar flames, expulged doses of magical powers upon it, etc. , but either they did not react at all (even when it’s surface was a wasteland), or attacked with full force.

Then he tried to alter some of the small lifeforces into gigantic forms of pests (a trick he first tried on the lifeforms themselves, which worked so well that evben in the real-world pests are the most prolific lifeform existing). The Burrowers were thus created. But even now the megalith did not react, just as many lifeforms sometimes seem unaffected by pests , the Megalith weren’t either. Their power of life was so strong that wounds restored themselves in decades or centuries. (a mere fragment of time in the existence of these creatures).

Contemplating all his actions, failures and wounds, He found a small Megalith and a Larger one. The larger one was named Urt by the Immortals, and was very large. He looked upon the two Megalits initiating a reproduction method. It was a sudden idea, when he discovered that Megaliths weren’t immune to their own powers. This was the reason they gained offspring, in a way he did not understood.

Thanatos, though Immortal, was inexperienced, and direct to act. With his Immortal power of Shaping Reality by moving celestial bodies, Thanatos grasped the  smaller Megalith and slammed it unsuspectingly into Urt. The blast was terrible, killing most life on it as was, expect the minute forms like Algea, bacteria, Some Plants and creatures like the Burrowers deep inside itself.

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The smaller one bounced back and was dead in an instant, its innards spewn out in a wide spray.  Urt, however, was dying rapidly, its essence slowly pouring out of the wound (or the pole most near to it—this is unsure). 

It still succeeded to combining the essence of the smaller Megalith with some of its own, thus creating the Stone of Corbinet (see adventure the apocalypse Stone). 

This stone is in fact nothing more than an egg, which will grow into a Megalith if set out in space in millions years of time, probably feasting unknowingly upon some of the remains of its parent(s)—what creatures do to save their kind.

Soon thereafter Urt died. The last remains of its gigantic lifeforce—its brain, heart, soul combined was expulged out of its crust.

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The expulsion of the softer organs of the Megalith; its brain, sensory organs and other.

Slowly this pure magical matter coalesced with the parts of the smaller megalith innards it bounced into outside the body. The magical matter combined was drawn into the gravitational orbit of the body, and gravity slowly mixed it together into a new, yet invisible, orb of magical matter. Together  with the smaller dead Megalith it follows an orbit around the body (which is later known as Mystara. Thanatos, as yet was unaware of either the Stone egg, as the invisible moon.

From Coast to Coast site about Hollow Earth

The body of the smaller Megalith became known as Matera (sometimes mentioned as the Father, and the Body of Mother Earth is named Mystara), the unknown invisible moon is named Patera by the immortals who later discover it.

The Planet  Mystara seemed dead at first, yet the immense energies it had, were still available. Although the layer of air and water decreased (it actually seeped in the Hollow World), upon the carcass the planet actually was, life literally exploded. Thousands and thousands of species arose and lived on and from it. The energies, slowly—very slowly—subsiding. This explains the multitude of lifeforms earlier in history, slowly decreasing in number over time.

The Immortals, curious as be took residence upon Matera and create the tiny plane Pandius., to view and explore the sudden experiment laid down to them.

What actually did happen, they never knew. Some outside force (The Old Ones?) erased the memory of all immortals who knew it. Thus even erasing their own histories.

Some Immortals (and recently even a very few Mortals) discovered the Great Crater in Norwold. Within the middle the metallic ore remnants of another source. They imagined all that it must have been a comet, or meteor, yet bigger than ever before. Soon thereafter Ka discovered the Hollow World while examining the wound itself. He forgot what he actually researched and placed all its interest in this new location.

Then the Interstellar Craft FSS Beagle crashlanded on Mystara, disabled by the very life-energies it still emanates. The humans soon discovered the technology and somehow fused it together in a technological/magical combination (Techno-magic). This caused the explosive rise of this culture, but it did not last long. An engine of the vessel exploded after some wrongly handling and within its blast it literally wiped the Blackmoor culture from the face of Mystara.

In the wake of Destruction, the Planet tilted, poles changed and the original openings (which were the megalith’s sensory organs)  became visible.

The Immortal closed them up with debris collected from outside Mystara, and from the new polar gates they created instead. This they did to prevent depletion of sources like air and water. As they had discovered that the patterns of Air and Water still influenced eachother with the changing seasons.

from
http://blackmoormystara.blogspot.nl/2012/04/wotc-to-kill-princess-ark.html

by Robert J Schwalb?

Currently Mortals and immortal alike survey Mystara, and even beyond. Patera and Matera are visited (though the common public knows still only one moon), and matrial from extraterrestrial origin is discovered. 

The knowledge of other planets becomes more widely soread, and even extra-terrestial interactions have been made. All these confirm the rumors that Mystara is something way different than a common hunk of matter balanced in an orbit around a sun. 

What this difference is, Only immortals know so far. Maybe in time, the dreaded disaster will become known; 

maybe…

maybe then, the common people will come to understand that the world they live on is not an infinite source of whatever, and maybe… 

yes maybe they will grant it more respect. 

This in the Real World as in this Game World.

All actions have reactions, not all are wanted, so balance or stop those actions causing them.
Continued inhttp://breathofmystara.blogspot.nl/2013/04/the-megalith-part-2-lesson-by-mergrath.html

How does alcohol affect the body? 

Remember Alcohol can be dangerous!!!!

Don't drive a horse or wagon or cast any spells while under influence!!!!!!

This system is created to make a reasonable real interaction with the normal intoxicating effects of alcoholical beverages. To know how much Alcohol points a character has consumed; see the Tables in What Can Be Bought. The system works with some formulas as follows;

Any race;                Con. + 15  (+ 10 / drinking skill) + Racial Adjustment = Drinking Level (DL) 

Total alcohol points drunk (ap)  = Alcohol level (AL) Round up

Additional Racial adjustments to alcohol (in-) tolerance on the Drinking Level are as given here or in the racial information.

Dwarves +5, +1 extra/ drinking skill,

Dragons +40,

Elves –5,

Faun, Orc +5,

Giant, Troll +25,

Ogre +10,

Fairies –5, they will get drunk easier but the intoxication will never increase beyond the state of drunk, how many they drink.

Pooka +8

*If AL = Higher then Constitution + racial adjustment then you’re under influence,

          Dex –2,                         Sight 50%,             

                Character Traits (as used in Gazetteer Northern Reaches) –1 if Lawful, -2 if Neutral, -3 if Chaotic             

          SV-1

          Must make Int. checks for any act of concentration (spell casting!!) or combat or fail it.

          Must make a Con.check for each drink or 5 ap consumed beyond AL, or become Drunk.

è*If fail then drunk for 4d4 hours,

          THAC0 - 4,                    Sight x ½,              

          Surprise + 2,                  

          Dex, Int, Wis, and Cha/Com –4  SV-2        AC-2        MV 2/3

          50% –5 % / Hour chance to exgurgitate all drinks and food eaten in the last 10 hours.    

                Must make a Con.check for every next drink consumed.

è*If fail then 1d6 hours        KO. + 1d10 + 9 hours deep sleep *

Direct after drunkenness     

Headache for 3d4 hours (no concentration, spellcasting Int. checks -8)

                THAC0 + 1,             Cha –1d3, Com –1d6

Alcohol Poisoning.

If total ap consumed is 3 times or more then DL, then alcohol poisoning comes into effect; this means no recovery from magical healing, KO for 4d4 hours, save vs. Poison every Hour KO adjusted by Constitution adjustments or die by heartfailure due alcohol poisoning in 1d3 Rounds. A Neutralize Poison will remove all alcohol Poisoning Effects only. Any exgurgitating will remove 25% ap. Only, and only once, but will not remove any drunkenness this way. Drinking during Pregnancy may cause the child Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which could result in mental or physical deformed child, spontaneous abortion or even death due bloodloss.

Magic used with Alcohol (Poisoning).

Hedge wizard/Herbalist Brew; Hangover Remedy

Removes the after-effect of alcohol poisoning for 1d4 hours                                          10            sp 10 cn

Village Magic:        Wine Makes you Dizzy

Mage Enchantment spell lvl 1

Range:                    Touch
Duration:                4d4 turns

Effect:                    A bottle of wine

Save:                     none

Casting Time:        1

The magic-user enchants a bottle of any sort of wine (not spoiled or Vinigar. The wine turns a bit darker in color and the smell becomes richer. The enchantment on the wine lasts for 3 turns and people drinking from this bottle their Alcohol-level is reduced to zero, they become drunk and fall heavily asleep 6 rounds later (all actions till then penalized by 4) and sleep 4d4 hours unless awakened. Only living humanoid creatures with 4+1 HD or less is affected by this spell. There is enough of this enchanted wine to affect 2d4 victims. There will be no hangover effects of any kind. In fact they are refreshed as with a good sleep, whatever the current conditions.

Bugman’s Mug      

Mage Alteration spell lvl 1.

Range:                             Touch

Duration:                         1 Turn per level of the caster               (1 minute per level of the caster)

Area of Effect:                 1 mug of water

Saving Throw:                  None

Components:                   A pewter mug full of clear water. (+ a non-flowering Zzongha Root and Friendly Fungus Saliva)

Casting / Reading time:        4 (+1) / 5 (+2)

Bugman, a thoroughly loathsome looking Geonid mage with a heart of gold (literally), created this spell for a Dwarven friend who often visited. This spell alters normal water into a Magical potion that must be imbibed in the duration of this spell. The potion removes hangovers and other ill effects of inebriation and will negate any current state of drunkenness or intoxication. It is effective only against alcohol-based changes in the target’s physiology, thus being ineffective against drugged stupor’s and poisons. No other way to use this spell has yet been found. Maybe some other added components could remove any ingested poisons or drugs. It’s rumored a not-flowering Zzongha root together with Saliva from a well treated Friendly Fungus will suffice this, but this—by Alchemist of the GSM in 1011 AC—stated information could not be checked. (the altered statistics are in parentheses). Bugman created this spell in Rockhome in 945 AC

Protection From Intoxication

Mage Abjuration Spell lvl 2  

Range:                                  Touch

Duration:                               1 hour/level

Area of Effect:                       One person

Save:                                     None

Casting Time:                        1

Components;                         A drop of Alcohol

This spell causes the recipient to be immune to the effects of any kind of alcohol. It also grants immunity to the Seductress spell Kiss of Intoxication.

Detect Poison       

Range:                                    caster only              for Shaman only

Duration;                                2 Turns                   1 Turn

Casting Time ;                       2                            1

Effect:                                   30’ radius                 30’ radius

Save:                                    None                      None

Cleric 1, Healer 1, Exorcist 1, Humanoid Shaman 1, Druid 1, Dervish 1, Shaman 1 spell.

This spell will allow the caster to determine if poison is present or is being used within a 30’ radius, and where. I t will also reveal the type of poison,  and if the caster has an alchemy skill also its side-effects and what kind of antidote must be taken to reverse it malicious effects. This spell doesn’t protect against any poison, it only shows if one is existent in the area. Remember that a lot of Human product are actually poisonous, and so are a lot of products of other creatures. Dung for example is dangerous to inhale, and deadly to eat for humans, and sugar can kill if eaten more than one pound within an hour. The spell will also revel this is especially looking for it. Healers will be able to use this spell to determine what poison is used, and when they have a successful Alchemy or Apothecary skill they can sometimes make an Antidote. This spell will also reveal the DL and AL of a Character  when under Influence of Alcohol, and can be used to determine the Ap of a single Beverage (or food) each round.

Neutralize Poison 

Range:                                    Touch

Duration;                               Permanent             

Casting Time ;                       5

Effect:                                  A creature, container, or object.

Save:                                   None

Casting Time:                        4

Cleric 4, Healer 2, Exorcist, Humanoid Shaman, Druid, Dervish, Master, Shaman, Shamani 4, Shadow Elf Shaman 5, spell.

This spell will make poison harmless either in a creature, a container (such as a bottle), or one object (such as a chest). It will even revive a victim slain by poison if cast within 10 rounds of the poisoning (Note: many poisons have an incubation period longer than 10 rounds!!). The spell will affect any and all poisons present at the Time it is cast, but doesn’t cure any damage (and will thus not revive a poisoned victim who has died of wounds). A revived person will be as if the poisoning did not take place at all. A Neutralize Poison will remove all Alcohol Poisoning Effects only, not any other Alcohol effects.

Protection from Poison

Range:                              Touch

Duration;                          1 Turn per level of the caster

Casting Time:                   3

Effect:                              Gives one creature immunity to all poison.

Save:                               None

Casting Time:                   5

Cleric 5, Healer 3, Exorcist 5, Humanoid Shaman 3, Druid 2, Dervish 3, Shadow Elf Shaman 3, Shaman 3 spell.

For the duration of this spell, the recipient is completely immune to the effects of poisons of all types, including gas traps and Cloudkill spells. This protection extends to items carried (thus protecting food, water, potions, etc., against a Spirit’s poisonous presence, for example). Furthermore, the recipient gains a +4 bonus on saves vs. poisonous breath weapons (such as Green Dragon Breath), but not Petrification Breath (such as a Gorgon’s). The character will be thus Immune from Alcohol poisoning, but not from the other Alcohol effects.

Slow Poison                         

Range:                                 Touch

Duration;                             1 round (cumulative) per level of the caster

Casting Time ;                     3

Effect:                                  Character touched

Save:                                  None

Cleric 2, Healer 1, Exorcist 2, Humanoid Shaman 2, Druid 2, Dervish 2 spell.

This spell slows the effects of any poison for a limited Time. When the spell dissipates the victim suffers the poison’s full effect unless a Neutralize Poison spell is cast. The spell duration increases by 1 round cumulative per level of the caster. (level 1 = 1 round, level 2= 3 rounds, level 3 = 6 rounds , etc.). Even High level Paladins or Avengers can cast Slow poison.  Alcohol Effects will also be slowed by this spell taking full effect after the spell ends as the current AL. Thus the character can become Drunk instantly!!

(artist unknown)

Drinks (as seen from official D&D Products)

1gallon = 4 quart = 8 pints, 1 quart = 2 pints, 1 pint / mug = 4 gills or 16 oz. , 1 glass/ cup =  +/ - 1 gill or 4 oz.        

Small Keg                              1 gallon / 8 pints 

Large Keg                              2gallon / 16 quart

Average Barrel                       50 gallon / 400 pints

Bottlesize                                10-30 glass variable by drink

Italic=Magical Origin or Effect)

Item		Normal Drinking Amount	AP	Cost		Enc. (cn)	Common Bottle
	Ale / mead / grog, Local	Pint	1	5	cp	8	not applied
	Ale, Dwarven (Dark)	Pint	1½	7	cp	8	not applied
	Ale, Orcish	Pint	2	1	sp	8	not applied
	Aquavit, Other	Glass	3	1	sp	3	x16
	Aquavit, Ostlander	Glass	5	3	sp	3	x14
	Arkhi (Hobgoblandish fermented mushroom milk drink)	Glass	4	4	sp	6	x10-20
	Beer, Small, Light	Pint	½	2	cp	8	not applied
	Beer, Large, Light	Quart	1	4	cp	16	not applied
	Beer, Small, Normal	Pint	2	3	cp	8	not applied
	Beer, Large, Normal	Quart	4	5	cp	16	not applied
	Beer, Small, Dark	Pint	2	4	cp	8	not applied
	Beer, Large, Dark	Quart	4	6	cp	16	not applied
	Brandy,Thyatian Imperial	Glass	4	4	sp	4	x16
	Brandy, Minrothadian	Glass	4	3	sp	4	x16
	Cider	Mug	5	10	sp	5	x17
	Coffee /  Cacao	Cup	0	5	cp	5	not applied
	Coffee, (Ilse of Dawn)	Cup	3	15	sp	5	not applied
	Ever-(Mead)	Glass	5	5	sp	3	x16
Fruit juice, Fresh made		Glass	0.5	15	sp	4	not applied
0-15%	If held in closed cool container for more than 1 year; vinegar,						x10
85-00%	or a wine/cider like alcoholic drink						x10
	Mescal, Sindhi	Glass	7	4	sp	3	x10
	Mescal, Savage coast	Glass	8	3	gp	3	x10
	Milk, Any (stays good 4 Days)	Quart	0	4	cp	40	x10
	Ouzo, Redstone	Glass	3	5	sp	3	x10
	Ouzo, Ierendi	Glass	7	10	sp	3	x15
	Rum, Ethengarian	Glass	5	4	sp	3	x10
	Rum, Heldannic	Glass	6	4	sp	3	x10
	Rum, Light	Glass	6	5	sp	3	x10
	Rum, Dark	Glass	7	7	sp	3	x10
	Sake, Pearl Islands	Glass	5	6	sp	3	x10
	Sake, Alphatian	Glass	5	8	sp	3	x10
	Tequila, Savage coast	Glass+ 1 lemon and salt	8	15	sp	4	x10
	Tequila, Yazak - Orcish	Glass+ 1 lemon and salt	8	5	sp	4	x10
	Tequila, With Insect/Scorpion	Glass+ 1 lemon and salt	7	25	sp	4	x17
	Uisce, Glantrian	Glass	5	3	sp	3	x14
	Uisce, Other	Glass	5	2	sp	3	x10
	Vodka, Karameikan	Glass	5	3	sp	3	x18
	Vodka, Glantrian	Glass	2	10	sp	3	x9.5
	Whisky, Texeiran	Glass	4	1	sp	3	x16
	Whisky, other	Glass	4	2	sp	3	x16
	Wine,Elven White (exquisite taste)	Glass	2	1	sp	5	x15
	Wine, Other White	Glass	1	8	cp	5	x15
	Bellayne, Renardois, Karameikan Red	Glass	2	10	sp	5	x14
	Wine, Thyatian red	Glass	1	1	sp	5	x14
	Wine, rare / old	Glass	3	10-3000	sp	3	x14
	Wine, other red	Glass	1		cp	5	x15
Use for all Wines the following Effects; roll 1d30 if found. Apply effects to designated Wine above, or Vinegar below.
1	Excellent Wine	Glass	x 2	x 200		3	x10
2-3	Fair Wine	Glass	x 1..5	x 100		3	x10
4-8	Good Wine	Glass	x 1	x 50		3	x10
9-17	Normal Wine	Glass	x 1	x 1		3	x10
18-22	Bad Wine, sv poison or cramps 1d4 hr	Glass	x 1d6-1	x 0.4		3	x10
23-27	Very Bad Wine, sv poison or cramps 1d10 Days	Glass	x 2d6-2	x 0.1		3	x10
28-29	Vinegar	Glass	x 0	2-3	cp	3	x10
30	Spoiled, cramps 2d10 Days -1d4 hp, sv poison for ½	Glass	x 0	free		3	x10
	Vinegar	Quart	0	2	cp	10	x10
	Vinegar	Quart	0	3	cp	10	x10
	Vinegar, With inserted Herbs	Quart	0	2	sp	10	x10
	Thee	Cup	0	2	sp	3	not applied
	Thee, Herbal	Cup	0	3	sp	3	not applied
	Water, can be dirty, infected, diseased or downright awful	Glass	0	free		3	variable
	Water	1 barrel 30 quarts	0	65	cp	360	barrel
	Yogurt, any, stays good 4days	Pint	6	3	cp	25	x10
Well Known Magical Beverages
	Feywine (Fairies only)	Crystal glass	11	1500	sp		x15
Origin of this drink is unknown, but seemingly all Fairies seem to use it regularly,
especially Pooka’s and Fauns but also Centaurs buy it regularly from the Fauns who produce it.
The drink give a Bless effect equal to the Clerical Bless spell for as long as there the character is under influence.
When becoming drunk, the penalties thus obtained, negate the Bless effect.
	Mitaq, Elven	Glass	10	25	sp	3	x14
	Mitaq, Shadowelven	Glass	11	125	sp	3	x14
	Mitaq, Dwarven	Glass	12	60	sp	3	x14
	Mitaq, Draconic	Glass	15	10.000	sp	3	x15
Any Mitaq is made with some blood of the species mentioned and therefor imbues the drinker with a magical dweomer,
that—if detected—improves reactions with that race by 3, it also enables the drinker minute access to magical effect solely for that race.
Access to a Dwarven Forge, an Elven Tree of Life, a Draconic Circle or a Shadowelven Fungal Heart or similar locations
are only possible by at least an intake of 1 glass prior access.and under influence during access.
Many magical effects can be granted to the drinker, but never they are more than a Magica Cantrip, or a defensive 1st level Clerical spell.
	Trees blood Darokinian Brandy	Glass	5	25-125	sp	10	x10
This heavy, strong smelled brandy is made from the sap of Alfheim Elven Home trees and could change the drinker to chaotic evil after prolonged usage,
it  also causes a berserk rage when becoming Drunk and being agitated. Illegal in Glantri, Northern Reaches, Ethengar, Karameikos and Thyatis.
Semi legal in Darokin and Minrothad due merchant value.
	Zzongha, Alphatian	Glass	2-3	50-200	sp	3	x5
	Zzongha, Thyatian	Glass	3	20-500	sp	3	x6
Zzongha is made from the fruits of a plant brought to this world and grown is secret specialized chambers by the Alphatians. The plant has a
undistinguishable super-sweet taste and is very addictive. It causes lack in anything except Zzongha, and therefor loss of abilities after prolonged usage.
The plant is illegal worldwide and penalties range from forced breaking down the habit to the death penalty
(often it is seen as High Treason, by bringing this degenerative effect in the world.
	Kol-Dahk, Kolland	Glass	10-15	5-50	sp	3.3	x4
Kol-Dahk is a special dark red, bubbly watery liquid, often extra fermented, from the river water of the Kol-Dahk river in Lower Kol, it is not magical in it self
but when boiled it  will create a 2000 cubic yards, filling the area up to 20 yard high, cloud of dark brown vapor per flask, which has the same intoxicating
effect as drinking the liquid, when inhaled per minute (6 rounds).
The cloud will evaporate 10 %  of its volume and effect per Hour cumulative (so  never longer than 4 hours)
A  mask with special fungal herbs, created by the Kobolds of Kol, will prevent this for 1 hour 5 sp 25cn
	Gyrian Sivler Cuckaroo	Bowl (1.2 Quart)	9	5	cp	8	1 Amphora (x4)
This beverage is made from in spit fermented seeds, and will change the hair of the user into feathers.
With each use about 2% of the existing hairs are changed. this change is not instant, but takes several hours (1d4+1).
Any Dispel effect will reverse the affected individual, but when over 75% is changed, the festhers a\re permanent.

Magical Effects of Alcoholical Beverages. Not to create an extensive list. I think for the following table will suffice. Take a basic beverage from above to find approximate taste and use, Ap, and serving. Choose a history; Humanoid origins         Price x 1.5 to 3 Human origins               Price  x 2 to 5 Elven Origins                 Price x 3 to 15 Dwarven Origins           Price x 2 to 12 Fairy Origins                  Price x 0.2 to 15 Monster origins (Dragon, Beholder, etc.)  Price x 1.5 to 5 Non Prime Plane          Price x 3 to 20 Magical effect are mostly illusional, chance perceptions (can give Infravision, Second Sight, Detect Invisibility, Detect Good/ Evil or Alignment, detect original form, or siimilar) or mimic the low level spells like cantrips or first level spells. Examples best used are;random levitation burbs, Flatulence Fog, Remove Fear, Berserk, Silence, Auro of Light, See into Nightmare Dimension, See into Ethereal Plane, See  into other Plane. Fairy beverages could even transport you to realms they harbor. Use your imagination. Have fun. Alcoholic drinks (sometimes even foods) can bring some fun in the game, making it more real-like. It will also spur contact between the different cultures and races. But keep in mind Alcohol damages more than you want. in real life as in Phantasy. Aftereffects, addictions could haunt your character or its direct surroundings in a similar fashion as the real world.

The Autor of the Art is Unknown as written underneath it. The Original articles are from Dragon Magazine Volume 4 #3 Author unlisted, Dragon Magazine 163, Hedge Wizards by Greg Sharp for the spells, A Drink Table Game Workshop D&D Article (magazine unknown) Author?? Geheerentode??, and Further The Trail maps 1 and 2 of Mstara (the small tables on it), Inns and Taverns fro Best of Dragon volume 2 author Marc Carlson, and of course the Rules Cyclopedia, and Wizard's Spell comnpendiums.

Drinking  (based on Constitution)

T

his skill gives the character a talent for absorbing greater amounts of alcoholical beverages without being affected. Drinking is actually an Important skill of many creatures, like Centaurs, developed over many lean years when those who survived were those able to consume much while the edibles were there. A successful check in this skill enables the character to consume a much larger portion than normal. This may then mean that the character can go longer without adverse effects. When intoxicants such as alcohol are involved, a successful check means that the character with this skill gets a+10 bonus per skill used on his Drinking level. (thus if the character has 2 skillslots based on this skill he has a bonus of +20 for his drinking level limit).. The skill takes no time to use.

How are skills used.

E

ach general skill is based on one of the character’s abilities (Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution and Charisma). To know the score of a single skill a character begins with roll 8+1d10, that was the score equal to that from the last teacher, if this is higher than the ability the character has, the score is derived from the used ability instead. For example a character has Intelligence 14, and has a knowledge skill learned from a teacher who had a score of 12 for that skill, then the character will also have only a 12 on that skill. But if the teacher had a 15, his skill score would be 14 basically, his own limit.

W

henever a character’s skill is appropriate to the current situation, the player rolls a 1d20 against his current score with the ability. If the roll on the 1d20 is equal or less than the ability score, the skill use succeeds. A roll of 20 always fails, no matter how high the chance for success. For example, if the character is riding a horse and the horse is suddenly spooked and begins rearing. The character’s player than rolls 1d20 against his skill score. If the character’s skill ability is a 15, the player has only to roll a 15 or less to successfully use the skill. This roll is called a “skill roll” or “skill check”. A successful check means the character succeeds in the task he was attempting. If a character is trying to track an animal through the forest, and he successfully makes his tracking skill check, then he is able to follow the tracks of his prey. Of course, to use a Skill, the character must have any tools and materials needed to do the job.  A carpenter can do very little without his tools, and a smith is virtually helpless without a good forge. The character must also have enough time to do the job. Certainly, carpentry Skill enables your character to build a house, but not in a single day. Some Skill descriptions state how much time is required for certain jobs. Most, however, are left to the DM's judgment.