IM2 Known World, 24 miles per hex
There were only three published Immortal-level adventures, and their field of play was somewhat beyond the Known World; IM1 famously took PC Immortals to TSR Headquarters in 1980s Chicago. IM2 was more down to earth, including a portion set in Darokin, which is where this map comes in. It’s a peculiar map in some ways, because it used a slightly different variation on the usual art and typefaces of the time. If it has a point of note, it’s probably that it shows the whole Atruaghin Plateau, but it was beaten to the mark on this by X10 two years previously.
Replica Map (September 2020)
Sources
- IM2 Wrath of Olympus (1987) (PDF at DriveThruRPG)
- “Republic of Darokin”, inside cover
Chronological Analysis
This is Map 53. It was published in February 1987. The updated version of this map has not yet been released. See also Appendix C for annual chronological snapshots of the area. For the full context of this map in Mystara’s publication history, see the upcoming Let’s Map Mystara 1987.
The following lists are from the Let’s Map Mystara project. Additions are new features, introduced in this map; Revisions are changes to previously-introduced features; Hex Art & Fonts track design elements; and finally Textual Additions are potential features found in the related text. In most cases, the Atlas adopts these textual additions into updated and chronological maps.
Additions
Nothing in particular.
Revisions
- Borders — Other than two hexes between Glantri and Darokin, borders conform to Mystara 1986’s configuration.
- Rivers — The rivers throughout the region have been changed to conform to the hex grid, following the edges of hexes. Additionally, a lot of rivers have been left out. For example, almost none of the rivers around Lake Amsorak are present. Finally, the rivers of western Karameikos have been merged with those of the neighbouring Five Shires.
- Settlements — Akorros is marked as a capital, despite clearly being within the territory of Darokin. Athenos has been upgraded from town to city, while Luln has been downgraded from town to village. Fort Doom has changed from castle to town. Threshold and Kelvin are entirely missing their icons, though their labels are present.
- Terrain — A few hexes are different from previous maps. Mostly these feel like omissions, such as the lack of the swamp hex next to the Black Eagle Barony.
Hex Art & Fonts
- Symbols — This map has its own unique set of hex symbols, characterised by an old-style mountain symbol that is rather spikier than usual.
- Fonts — Libra BT throughout.
Textual Additions (IM2, 1987)
- Planes — This Immortal adventure includes a number of new planes:
- Kryla, an Outer Plane, accessible only through another Outer Plane, Rylum. Kryla includes the planet of Coriopt. (Page 2.) “It is a trispace, and magic simply does not work.” The connection between Kryla and Rylum is some form of gate. (Both page 3.)
- Rylum, an Outer Plane, connected to three other planes: the Astral Plane, Kryla, and Pyts. (Page 2.) “Rylum is tetraspatial”, which means Immortal magic does not work, though mortal magic functions as normal. (Page 3.) “Viewed from the Astral Plane, Rylum is a large, pinkish bubble, indicating that its dominant element is Fire.” The planet Simoom is in the Plane of Rylum. It also has a sun, “a huge ball of fire: very close, very bright, and very hot.” It is inhabited by a race called the Isiidi, who are organised into a “Confederacy, though relations between the states are as fiery as the planet.” Water is very scarce on Simoom, and states guard their wells. Only the state of Pyros enjoys unlimited water. Aside from the Isiidi, red dragons, helions, and fire elementals can be found on Simoom. (All page 4.) The gates connecting to other planes from Rylum appear as doors, with grey leading to Pyts, (light) brown leading to Kryla, and silver leading to the Astral Plane. (Pages 6 and 8.)
- Home Plane of Terra, the Hierarch of the Sphere of Matter. Another Outer Plane. (Page 3.)
- Tempus, an Outer Plane. (Page 3.)
- Pyts, an Outer Plane that is “adjacent to both Rylum and Kryla”. It is “a very nasty place”. (Page 4.) “This plane is of the Sphere of Entropy”, and it “is a pentaspace”. (Page 8.)
- Settlements — Both X10’s map and IM2’s changed the rivers so that they conform to the hex grid. One major change caused by this was the relocation of Corunglain, which up until that point had been depicted as being to the west of the river fork; now, it appeared between the two rivers, nestled in the fork. IM2 adds the force of text to this configuration, noting that Corunglain was situated “between the forks of the Streel” (page 35).
- Terrain — Hex #3410 (as marked on X10’s map) contains a mountain named Calor’s Hump, upon which Balthac’s Cairn sits. The peak is “perhaps 5,000 feet above the tree line.” (Pages 34 and 36.) Balthac’s Cairn itself seems too small to permanently mark at this scale, though perhaps it could later be marked at 8 miles per hex. Sinan’s Oak “lies some 70 miles southeast of Calor’s Hump”, presumably in Hex #3914, although the hex number is not given. (Page 37.) Ascalon’s Tomb, north of Lake Amsorak, is in a similar situation. It is located in Hex #1811, also on a mountain peak, although this one is unnamed. (Pages 36 and 38.) For now, all of these have been added to the map with Ruin symbols, although later they may be shifted to larger scale maps as they become available.
