User:ItalianKarsus/Sandbox

=RPGA and Old Sites= So! I found some old websites linked from the old RPGA websites in TSR and TSRinc. I'll try to keep track of what they turn out to be.

The Vast Primer
The first one is a number of pages cataloging stuff about the Vast, in books, and in... ephemera, too. Our first version is from Feb 1999, apparently, however, its subpages claim updates on previous dates- implying strongly that it had been there for a few years prior.
 * https://web.archive.org/web/19990220105526/http://www.netspace.org/%7Edwb/vast/ by David

David here was the "plot coordinator" for the villages all across the Vast. He references the following page for Hidden Hollow:
 * https://web.archive.org/web/20000523175042/http://members.aol.com/hdragonsna/Earthenmore.html by Larry Heydorn. This is clearly something Larry could edit at will, it was his own page.

He also references unpublished modules scheduled for 98-99, implying the initial version predates the year 1999.
 * https://web.archive.org/web/19991104084641/http://www.netspace.org/~dwb/vast/highbankforest.html

It also makes reference to someone else. That's clearly not a TSR site.
 * https://web.archive.org/web/20000127132753/http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Fortress/2191/Enterance.html

It also references Dan Donnely's opinion.
 * https://web.archive.org/web/20001206112800/http://www.netspace.org/~dwb/vast/newhope.html

Some of its info appears to rely on ephemera, mentioning GenCon 1997.
 * https://web.archive.org/web/20001206131400/http://www.netspace.org/~dwb/vast/portsoy.html

I suspect that this was an internal resource maintained by a coordinator, intended to guide writers, but which did not have any weight as it was not meant to be binding, instead borrowing weight from the sources it cites. Much like our own wiki. :)

That also makes its endorsement of Jay Fisher's Procampur carry a giant asterisk. Jay Fisher's Procampur is brought up next.

The source is also available as one easy print document, if you're interested.
 * https://web.archive.org/web/20001206064200/http://www.netspace.org/~dwb/vast/index-print.html

Procampur, Jewel of the Vast
This is a site that was once maintained by Jay Fisher, for Procampur. It appears to be entitled "The Procampur Expansion Packet".
 * https://web.archive.org/web/20001206134800/http://www.concentric.net/~Jlorien/procampur/

Last one's fancier, but I think this one might be more enlightening.
 * https://web.archive.org/web/19981202065857/http://www.concentric.net/%7Ejlorien/page3.html

The Procampur Expansion Packet - Here you will find the official expansion update for the city of Procampur that was made available at GenCon 1997. Procampur Submissions - Unlike Ravens Bluff, Procampur is a controlled city in terms for development. Players wishing to submit outlines for businesses, personalities, locations, and/or tournaments should do so through the UCC. All material for Procampur must approved through TSR, Inc. prior to it becoming official. While Procampur is an expansion of the Living City Campaign, it is not player controlled as compared to the city of Ravens Bluff. Submissions can be sent by EMail to Jay Fisher.

OK, so, this was ephemera for GenCon 1997, and was obviously abandoned beyond that point.

Sarbreenar
The main source on the Vast also mentions this website. It's small as heck, seems to have remained quite stable over the years. 1997-2003, it stayed the ruins of a small town, heck.
 * https://web.archive.org/web/20001029164908/http://www.discover.co.uk/~nickm/sarbback.htm

Potions, Lotions, and Notions
So, uh. Living City, right here, had a number of links. Both RPGA pages seem to be the same page. Of note, here's some text...
 * https://web.archive.org/web/19990208232354/http://www.tsr.com/rpga/LivingCampaigns/livingcity/livingcityindex.html
 * https://web.archive.org/web/19981202070205/http://www.tsrinc.com:80/rpga/LivingCampaigns/livingcity/livingcityindex.html

"New 11/24/98: Application forms for meta-campaign booths have been added to the site. You can now find all that you need to get meta-campaign reps and booths for your interactive. Just added: Bard's Guild, Charity Auction request, City Watch, Clerical Circle, Land Sales, PLN Magic Trader. and Wizard's Guild. Check the links to the left.

Check out the City of Ravens Bluff sourcebook, in stores now. It is the definitive work on Ravens Bluff, and is the culmination of 10 years of RPGA member creative efforts. New details on the noble and merchant families, secret societies, magic, and more await you. The new color poster map is spectacular too, and you can see where everything is by taking the walking tour.

Okay, okay, so I have not gotten the survey results out yet. I'm trying.

You can now find the Procampur Campaign Expansion link here, in addition to the Vast Primer link. The Vast is that part of the Forgotten Realms outside Ravens Bluff, and includes from Mulmaster down to about Procampur and east to the borders of Impiltur. Authors going outside the city will find this a valuable reference. Procampur is a city south of the mountains south of Ravens Bluff, and development of that area is under the guidance of the Universe Construction Club.

We are working on the special mission applications and posting the forms for the guilds, religions, watch, and so forth. It is our hope to ease work on meta-campaign reps by moving the forms and application information here. Special missions are those adventures which are unique to a character, and which cannot be accomplished in tournament play or in an interactive. They are rare, and must be important to character development. More information will be posted here. Special missions are closed until the application appears."

And so it links here. It claims to be RB's official magic shop, and shows to have had its last edit in July '98. Page drops off the face of the Earth between Feb 03 and Apr 21 1998...
 * https://web.archive.org/web/19990203172007/http://members.aol.com/PLNotions/index.html

=Martek being Martek=

So! Let's get to work.

There's very little we can do to date Desert of Desolation. Provisorily we are working under the assumption it is 1356 DR. We shouldn't assume it drifts too far off the date of the other 1e modules.

While dating it, I'm going to collect some of my disordered thoughts here- feel free to pitch in if you see me being wrong on the internet.

NOTE: Martek being a seer of the future, some of these events may not have occurred in the expected order. Martek's actions can have future causes- so long as they do not involve future resources. He cannot, for instance, place the Gem of Aga-Pelar in Eilish until he has Khalitarius bound with it (i think), and he cannot work on Medinat Muskatwoon if it is still on fire (or can he?).


 * Year ?-y: Temple of Set is built.
 * Year ?-r: Martek places the inscription in the Sandvoyagers' Guild building in the Oasis of the White Palm.
 * Year ?-p: Martek grants gifts to the Oasis of the White Palm: two amulets, and the magic of the bride.
 * Year ?-q (y+??): Martek hides STAR OF KHAN-PELAR in the Temple of Set.
 * Year ?-a: Martek gifts the GEM OF SHAH-PELAR to a forgotten ruler.
 * Year ?-t (a+??): The gem of GEM OF SHAH-PELAR is stolen by Badr Al-Mosak.
 * Year ?  (t+??): Badr Al-Mosak dies and is interred as a pharaoh with the GEM OF SHAH-PELAR.
 * Year ?-b: Martek gifts the STAR OF MO-PELAR to Amun-Re.
 * WE CAN SEARCH FOR SOMETHING HERE. They make references to a bunch of lands that trade with Amun-Re: Gheldaneth • Jhandyl • Phannaskul • Phelzol • Seldazzar • Semkhrun • Uttermost East • Unthalass • Ustann • Zindalankh. In theory, if any of them was founded not very early, that limits the time in which Amun-Re could've been the king of a place that traded with them. Can't trade with the unborn!
 * Gheldaneth (NEEDS WORK)
 * Jhandyl (NO DATA)
 * Phannaskul (UNKNOWN START)
 * Phelzol (UNKNOWN START)
 * Seldazzar (NO DATA)
 * Ustann (UNKNOWN START)
 * Zindalankh (UNKNOWN START)


 * The following cities won't narrow anything down.
 * Semkhrun (-1124 DR)
 * Unthalass (-2087 DR)

Approximately One Thousand Years Later, Aman Al-Raqib requests his penpal Elminster for some bozos to fulfill Martek's prophecy. I'll have to look at this closer later. Any clues to the time in The Realms will show up in relief on a close reading against the original modules: they need to be later additions and changes.
 * Year ?-c (b+??): Amun-Re dies, interred with the STAR OF MO-PELAR. Athis dries: CURSE OF AMUN-RE.
 * Year ?-d (c+??): The dome of Phoenix is built due to the CURSE OF AMUN-RE.
 * Year ?-h (d+??): Phoenix is finally abandoned. Krinos Pandipolous is left to die there.
 * Year ?-p (h+??): Martek binds Aeraldoth and places AERALDOTH'S LAMP in the ruins of Phoenix.
 * Year ?-e (c+??): Medinat Muskatwoon's Me'at dries due to the CURSE OF AMUN-RE. People begin to abandon the city.
 * Year ?-f (e+??): The last caravan arrives at Medinat Muskatwoon and is killed by desperate citizens.
 * Year ?-g (f+??): The last inhabitant of Medinat Muskatwoon dies. Medinat becomes a ghost town, and a target for looters.
 * Year ?-i (g+50): Efreet Pasha Khalitharius takes up residence in Medinat Muskatwoon, raises the Malatath army.
 * Year ?-j (i+??): Martek binds Khalitharius in STAR OF AGA-PELAR at Temple of Eilish, Pazar. Magical flame settles in Medinat.
 * Year ?-n (j+??): Pazar is finally abandoned. Kalif Maniozimus raises a statute to himself.
 * Year ?-k (j+20): The flames in Medinat die down, leaving the Skysea behind.
 * Year ?-l (k+??): Martek personally adapts the ruins of Medinat Muskatwoon to conceal the STAR OF MELOS-PELAR.
 * Year ?-o (c+??): Terbakar is finally abandoned due to CURSE OF AMUN-RE.
 * Year ?-s (c+??): Sandvoyagers' Guild makes its first trip across the Lands of Bakar.
 * Year ?-m: Martek dies. He is interred with his possessions: a "Visit Beautiful Cormyr" poster, and the book "201: A Sea Odyssey".
 * Year ?-z: Is it 1000 years since Amun-Re dies, or 1000 years since Big K was bound? There's no less than 50 years of diff, probably more.

The place is set, but no man knows the time. So true, Martek, so true.