SPJ-L: Mystara

Though Mystara as an AD&D product line is just beginning, the world has 
been around for a rather lengthy time.  In that time, little has come to 
light on the rest of the inhabitants of her system.  (One would think 
that now, since Mystara is an AD&D line, she would be situated in a 
crystal sphere :-) )

The following are the only notes I have been able to glean from the 
materials I have at hand:

(1) The Mystaran planetary map, inside and out, is available for anyone 
who picks up the Hollow World boxed set, or the Rules Cyclopedia.  A fair 
amount of both are at least partly mapped in the respective products, and 
owning just the two Poor Wizard's Almanacs gives one MOST of the notable 
portion of Mystara.

(2) Mystara has two moons, Matera and Patera.  Matera is inhospitable, 
with no atmosphere, and is rocky and crater-pocked (much like our own 
moon).  Patera (also known as Myoshima) is invisible, due to its core 
material, and is quite well inhabited.  A good description is available 
in one of the Voyages of the Princess Ark (but I forget the exact number 
of the Dragon magazine with it), and also in the first Poor Wizard's 
Almanac, and also in the Champions of Mystara boxed set, in "Heroes of 
the Princess Ark", p. 93.  It is around 3,000 miles in circumference, and 
covered with steaming jungles, home to nations upon nations of rakasta.  
As far as I know, the surface has yet to be mapped, other than in loose 
verbage.....  It is home to the Empire of Myoshima, the nation of 
Rajahstan, and many smaller territories (Kompor-Thap, Selimpore, 
Malacayog, and Surabayang).  Basically, a miniature, stylized Orient 
using Rakasta :-)

(3) I vaguely recall Mystara being mentioned as the third planet around 
the sun, but I could well be mistaken in this.....  If anyone happens to 
have seen a reference agreeing or disagreeing, let me know :-)

(4) An asteroid "archipelago" was named in the second Poor Wizard's 
Almanac (specifically the Pyrellian or Pythian or Pythellian or some 
similar variation), along with a *brief* history..... seems some 
expatriates crashed in northern Davania and set up the Kingdom of Eremond.

Anyways, that's all the information I have on the crystal sphere of 
Mystara.  If anyone has anything to add, let me know.

Also, it would make sense (to me, at least) that, since Mystara's map is 
based on Earth's of ~135 million years ago, it's probable that the rest 
of the system would bear resemblance to our own.  Would, then, Venus (or 
its equivalent) use a map similar to the Venusian surface map, only with 
water and vegetation?

Just some random ramblings.....
 

    Mike Phillips
    msphil@?????.??.edu