SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS Issue # 162 9 Halloween: Vol. XV, No. 5 A time to summon friends. October 1990 Bazaar of the Bizarre — Christian Bök 10 A magical tome with deadly spells: The Book of Horrors Publisher James M. Ward The Mind of the Vampire — Nigel D. Findley 15 The lords of the undead never wait around to kill heroes. They stay Editor active! Roger E. Moore Hammer and Stake — Kevin A. Ross Fiction editor 21 Hunting Cthulhu isn’t enough? Try a foe with fangs and brains! Barbara G. Young Out of the Shadows. . . — Tom Moldvay 27 Three shadowy monsters, and what they want to do to your player Assistant editor character. Dale A. Donovan

Editorial assistant OTHER FEATURES Joseph M. Nowak The Voyage of the Princess Ark — Bruce A. Heard Art director 41 If your flying ship crashed, would you let gnomes fix it? Larry Smith The Role of Computers — Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser You’re back in Britannia to face your ultimate challenge in Ultima VI. Production staff 47 Gaye O’Keefe Angelika Lokotz The Dragon’s Bestiary — Spike Y. Jones Tracey Zamagne 52 Undead with a twist: the spiritus anime and the ankou.

Subscriptions A Prayer for the Dead — fiction by Deborah Millitello Janet L. Winters 58 The dead have their own good reasons for hanging around.

U.S. advertising Novel Ideas — Theresa Hickey Roseann Schnering 65 Reach the outermost limits of science fiction and fantasy in three new novels from TSR. U. K. correspondent and U.K. advertising The MARVEL® - Phile — Dale A. Donovan Sue Lilley 71 Only one person could be as dangerous as Dracula: his daughter. The Game Wizards — Bruce Nesmith 79 Try this RAVENLOFT™ game advice and really scare your players!

Role-playing Reviews — Allen Varney 89 A super game for super characters: Hero Games/ICE’s CHAMPIONS® system.

Through the Looking Glass — Robert Bigelow, Jay Clenndenny, 103 and Ralph Cooper The war continues! More campaign rules for FASA’s BATTLETECH® game.

DEPARTMENTS

5 Letters 36 Forum 86 TSR Previews 6 Editorial 68 Gamers Guide 94 Dragonmirth 32 Sage Advice 83 Convention Calendar 96 Twilight Empire COVER

Michael Weaver feels that undead are overdone as the subjects of fantasy and horror paintings, most of them being killers and objects of fear. Preferring to evoke other emotions with his work, he offers his cover painting, “Lost Soul,” which depicts a knight destroyed by a guest that was too great for him. For information on prints, write to: Michael Weaver, P.O. Box 2428, Athens GA 30605.

4 OCTOBER 1990 DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is published monthly by TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 756 (201 Sheridan Springs Road), Lake Geneva WI 53147, United States of America. The postal address for all materials from the United States and Canada except subscription orders is: DRAGON Magazine, P.O. Box 111 (201 Sheridan Springs Road), Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.; telephone: (414) 248-3625. The postal address for all materials from Europe is: DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd, 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LD, United Kingdom; telephone: (0223) 212517 (U.K.), 44-223- 212517 (international); telex: 818761; fax: (0223) 248066 (U.K.), 44-223-248066 (international). What did you think of this issue? Do you have issues this mistake will be corrected. Distribution: DRAGON Magazine is available from a question about an article or have an idea for a game and hobby shops throughout the United States, Apart from these gripes, I would like to con- Canada, the United Kingdom, and through a limited new feature you’d like to see? In the United gratulate you on producing such a fine issue. number of other overseas outlets. Distribution to the book States and Canada, write to: Letters, DRAGON® Christian McCarthy trade in the United States is by Random House, Inc., and Magazine, PO. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, England in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd. Send orders to: Random House, Inc., Order Entry Department, U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Letters, DRAGON Westminster MD 21157, U.S.A.; telephone: (800) 638- Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 Church End, Cherry We are mortally embarrassed that we did not 6460 toll-free except Alaska (call (800) 492-0782 toll-free Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LD, United Kingdom. catch the reference to the 50th anniversary of in Maryland). Newsstand distribution throughout the United Kingdom is by Seymour Press Ltd., 334 Brixton America’s entry into World War II. We were Road, London SW9 7AG, United Kingdom; telephone: being a little too self-centered there, and we 01-733-4444. PLASTIC!?!? offer you (and everyone else who rolled his eyes Subscriptions: Subscription rates via second-class mail are as follows: $30 in U.S. funds for 12 issues sent at the reference) our apologies. to an address in the U.S. or Canada; £16 for 12 issues Dear Dragon: Your second complaint caught us off guard, sent to an address within the United Kingdom; £24 for 12 I just received the latest copy of DRAGON and we spent many minutes flipping the Union issues sent to an address in Europe; $50 in U.S. funds for 12 issues sent by surface mail to any other address; Magazine today, and I was shocked. It was Jack card from issue #159 over and over, trying or $90 in U.S. funds for 12 issues sent airmail to any wrapped in PLASTIC! I’m not sure where you to figure out which end was “up” (neither end other address. Payment in full must accompany all got this environment-destroying idea, but I’m was, as they are identical). Then we found an subscription orders. In the U.S. and Canada, methods of totally against it. Please return to the brown illustration of the Union Jack in an almanac, and payment include checks or money orders made payable to TSR, Inc., or charges to valid MasterCard or VISA wrapping that I’m used to seeing. If this is not we discovered that the flags on the subscription credit cards; send subscription orders with payments to: possible, then at least tell me that you are using card had been reversed left-to-right, so we were TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 5695, Boston MA 02206, U.S.A. In recycled plastic or make an effort to start using actually running mirror images of the three the United Kingdom, methods of payment include cheques and money orders made payable to TSR Ltd, or recycled plastic. I hope lots of other concerned U.K. flags. We are now twice as mortally embar- charges to a valid ACCESS or VISA credit card; send readers have asked you the same thing. rassed as we were formerly, especially since we subscription orders with payments to TSR Ltd, as per that Harry Moren have repeated this error on subsequent cards. address above. Prices are subject to change without prior notice. The issue of expiration of each subscription is Plano TX But one could say that it’s the little surprises like printed on the mailing label of each subscriber’s copy of this that make life interesting, eh? the magazine. Changes of address for the delivery of The brown paper wrapper that we formerly subscription copies must be received at least six weeks used to ship both DRAGON Magazine and prior to the effective date of the change in order to assure Vampire blues uninterrupted delivery. DUNGEON® Adventures has indeed been re- Back issues: A limited quantity of back issues is placed by plastic wrap, as our North American available from either the TSR Mail Order Hobby Shop subscribers are aware. The plastic is better able Dear Dragon: (P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.) or from While gaming, one of the characters in my TSR Ltd. For a free copy of the current catalog that lists to protect your magazine during shipment, and available back issues, write to either of the above it also allows us to place loose inserts in the campaign has become a vampire. His assailant addresses. magazine without fear of losing them. We have was killed, though, and the character is now Submissions: All material published in DRAGON also received numerous reports over the years free willed. The party is evil and accepts his Magazine becomes the exclusive property of the pub- lisher unless special arrangements to the contrary are of lost and damaged magazine issues resulting presence. His current state has quickly unbal- made prior to publication. DRAGON Magazine welcomes from the use of paper wrapping, and we feel anced my campaign. unsolicited submissions of written material and artwork; that the change will benefit all of our readers. I’ve already consulted the Monster Manual however, no responsibility for such submissions can be and the AD&D® 1st Edition assumed by the publisher in any event. Any submission The plastic wrap itself is not recycled plastic, Dungeon Masters accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope of but you might he able to find a local recycling Guide, but still have no clue as to how to handle sufficient size will be returned if it cannot be published. center that will accept that type of plastic (if you free-willed undead in my campaign. If this topic We strongly recommend that prospective authors write has been covered, could you please tell me for our writers’ guidelines before sending an article to us. are already used to separating your trash for In the United States and Canada, send a self-addressed, recycling or pick-up). Check your Yellow Pages where? (If not, would you please cover it soon stamped envelope (9½” long preferred) to: Writers’ under “Recycling Centers.” in “The Ecology of . . .” or similar column?) Guidelines, c/o DRAGON Magazine, as per the above James Massaro address; include sufficient American postage or Interna- Elizaville NY tional Reply Coupons with the return envelope. In Europe, write to: Writers’ Guidelines, c/o DRAGON Deux faux-pas Magazine, TSR Ltd; include sufficient return postage or A vampire PC in an AD&D game is a serious IRCs with your SASE. Dear Dragon: Advertising: For information on placing advertise- problem. The vampire is probably creating a ments in DRAGON Magazine, ask for our rate card. In I am writing this letter to show my annoyance horde of charmed slaves and half-strength the United States and Canada, contact: Advertising at some comments made in the “Novel Ideas” vampire servants, has coffins in hundreds of Coordinator, TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 756, 201 Sheridan column in issue #158. In it, Will Larson stated places, can kill anyone he wishes with a touch Springs Road, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. In Europe, contact: Advertising Coordinators, TSR Ltd. that Douglas Niles will be releasing two games or two, can escape pursuit with impunity by DRAGON is a registered trademark of TSR, Inc. to commemorate the 50th anniversary of World assuming gaseous or animal form, and so on. Registration applied for in the United Kingdom. All rights War II in 1991. We in England were always Even vampire NPCs operate under serious to the contents of this publication are resewed, and under the impression that it started in 1939. nothing may be reproduced from it in whole or in part restrictions given their fantastic powers; I without first obtaining permission in writing from the How silly we are, for it evidently started on would rather have a lich PC in a game campaign publisher. December 7th, 1941. This news comes as a any day ® designates registered trademarks owned by TSR, shock to me, especially as we are presently My best advice for handling the situation— Inc. ™ designates trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Most other product names are trademarks owned by the commemorating the 50th anniversary of the assuming that you wish the campaign to con- companies publishing those products. Use of the name of Battle of Britain. tinue as it is — is to have every NPC in the area any product without mention of trademark status should While I am in a moaning mood, I would also like take at least minimal precautions against the not be construed as a challenge to such status. ©1990 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. to complain about the DRAGON Magazine vampire, and have large numbers of NPCs set Second-class postage paid at Lake Geneva, Wis., subscription-card insert designed to be used by up antivampire patrols (not to mention creating U.S.A., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send British and European readers. It has three Union address changes to DRAGON Magazine, TSR, Inc., P.O. Jacks on it. But some fools have managed to place Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. USPS 318-790, ISSN 0279-6848. all three upside down. I hope to see that in future Continued on page 7 DRAGON 5 Number 23: The untold story

The 1990 GEN CON® game fair, which ended on August 12th, was TSR’s 23rd and my eighth such convention in a row. By early estimates, it was the greatest of them all. It broke all previous records for at- tendance (estimated at over 12,000), num- ber of events (over 1,200), and amount of cake displayed, of both the cheese and beef varieties (I guess that’s why the Mil- waukee MECCA Center is called an “exhi- bition hall”). I also broke all my previous records for amounts and varieties of Chi- nese food consumed, thanks to Toy’s res- taurant, across the street from the Hyatt. My thanks to MECCA for the forklift used to get me back to my room. Our TSR Periodicals booth was at the east end of the TSR Parthenon (the green marbeloid thing up front; you couldn’t miss it). We had lots of space to show off back issues of DRAGON® Magazine and DUNGEON® Adventures, along with our (surprise! surprise!) brand-new T-shirts and drinking mugs! The T-shirts were sold out by Saturday; a few mugs survived for next year. Our thanks to Ray, Barbara, and

Derek Van Tilburg, who created and air- Donovan. He picked up a copy of GDW’s l Comics artist and writer Steve (Twi- brushed the T-shirts designs. Challenge magazine, issue #45, and read light Empire) Sullivan, who signed auto- There was a lot to see and do, and I met associate editor Julia Martin’s discussion of graphs and gave informal talks next to our staggering numbers of old friends, new romance in role-playing games, which was booth, without once telling people he was friends, friends of friends, vaguely famil- the topic of my editorial in DRAGON issue my evil twin, Skippy.

iar people whose names I could not re- #161, which was at the printer during the l West End Games’ PARANOIA* brand member, and total strangers who seemed convention. Maybe cosmic background drinking cups (“Bouncy Bubble Beverage: to know me like a brother. I was also radiation is responsible. It’s the MANDATORY thing!“). I forgot to pleased to see that many gamers and staff l The glass elevators and open balconies get one.

members decided to break tradition and in the Hyatt, which terrorized all the l The truly original TSR Model Shop, catch their post-convention flus and colds agoraphobics and acrophobics. The height run by Dave Sutherland and Dennis right at the convention’s start. The follow- didn’t bother me at all, though my feet Kauth, at which you assembled your own ing things stood out as those most worthy started to sweat when I got within a yard 3-D grav tanks and SF exploration rovers of mention of this incredible event: of the railing on the 14th floor. And no, I from the materials they provided. The 15- l Good behavior from nearly everyone. didn’t throw any airplanes off the balco- mm and 25-mm vehicles you could make There were lots of comments on this. This nies. That’s a big no-no, and those who try from paper and plastic parts were better was a genuinely fun convention. it will be taken away and gently chastised than those from store-bought kits.

l The much-appreciated magazine feed- by the Hyatt staff, who are ex-bikers with l The huge 25-mm cityscape set-up for back we began to receive from those who names like Napalm, Crowbar, and Dead FASA’s SHADOWRUN* game, including read the editorial in DRAGON issue #160. I Zone. Just a word to the wise. graffiti, burned-out cars, internally lit feel a lot better now; your comments were l The great response to the Wheeler & executive offices, and elevated highways. very helpful. Thank you! Rice seminars on game and campaign Everyone wanted to take it home and put l My favorite bad pun of all time. You’ve philosophy, which saw their third success- it in the basement.

gotta hear this. I was at the TSR Books ful year, and the great response to the l The partial suits of chain mail armor booth when Mary Kirchoff asked me to seminars run by your Periodicals staff, sold by one booth, which we nicknamed check the front of the glass case for a copy which were also lots of fun, particularly Frederick’s of Byzantium, which included of The Legend of Huma. I looked, then when Barbara Young tried to address an chain mail bras and halter tops. Really. (An said, “I’m sorry, but I fail to see the Huma audience while she had laryngitis. She aside to those courageous enough to wear in it.” Ha, ha! Get it? Wasn’t that . . . um . . . would poke Dale and whisper “Tell them them: Like, didn’t they pinch?)

Next, we have: about . . .” and Dale would turn to the l The complete suit of chain mail armor l The discovery of spontaneously gener- audience and say, “Barbara says to tell manufactured by Brian (“Bud Knight”) ated twin editorials, first noticed by Dale you . . .” Smith of Springfield, Ohio, composed of

6 OCTOBER 1990 4,000 pop-tops from aluminum cans (the l Saturday’s Miskatonic University’s armor, not Brian or Springfield, Ohio). 1990 Class Reunion, featuring the Laugh-

l My first viewing of the Australian ter of Insanity and Scream of Terror con- Design Group’s hilarious HUNTER tests, the Piñiata of Doom, and the Dread PLANET* role-playing game, in which you Parade through the dealers’ area to cele- play aliens who come to Earth to bag the brate H. P. Lovecraft’s 100th birthday. The fearsome Homo sapiens, who can (unfortu- Dread Parade’s unscheduled stop by the nately) fight back. I also saw copies of the Periodicals booth was especially touching; NIGHTLIFE* game (vampire and werewolf our thanks to all who made faces at us. PCs in New York City), West End Games’ l And last but hardly least, a visit from TORG* game (Earth conquered by transdi- Santa Claus (courtesy of Iron Crown), who mensional villains), StarChilde’s JUSTIFI- joyfully presented your editors with a ERS* game (SF humanoid animals go to lump of coal and an offer for us to do his war), ADG’s ALBEDO* game (SF cartoon laundry. animals go to war), Crunchy Frog’s CRIT Then it was over. We packed up our TER COMMANDOS* game (regular car- magazines and went home to take baths, toon animals go to war), and the PUPPY relax, and discover how much weight we’d POUNDERS* game (stuffed plush animals gained (M&MS: They’re not just for break- go to war). May Jim Ward strike me down fast anymore). The coal looks very nice on if I am lying. my office bookshelf, and we’ve mostly l The Chaosium booth, which offered recovered from our colds. And if you miss each visitor a chance to stick his hand into next year’s GEN CON games fair, it will be a vat containing a (real) proto-shoggoth in all your fault. It’s gonna be better still. order to grab his very own prize: an eye- ball. As you can imagine, it was gross and yukky and horrible and everyone did it. I’m glad I didn’t have to clean it up.

l The demo copy of the soon-to-be- released Jorune computer game, which has beautiful graphics (my favorite was the breathing, blinking corastin, a dra- gonlike humanoid). l Friday morning’s excellent RPGA™ Network breakfast, at which the Gamers’ Choice awards were presented. My thanks once again to MECCA for the forklift.

l Friday night’s awesome TSR party for the game-company industry, funded by the * indicates a product produced by a company other than TSR, Inc. Most product names are trademarks in-house production of the Monstrous owned by the companies publishing those products. Compendium SPELLJAMMER™ Appendix The use of the name of any product without mention (hi to everyone there, glad to have met of its trademark status should not be construed as a you, sorry I had to turn in so early and challenge to such status. Also, I want to say “Hi!” to everyone who came up from Iowa City, and thanks miss the rumors and the 2 A.M. cut-off, my especially to Spike Jones for the much-needed help, thanks to MECCA for the forklift, etc.). even if we can’t publish all of your monsters.

Letters Continued from page 5 assault teams of adventurers bent on destroying balance, and he is willing to work to bring the the menace). Spread garlic, holy symbols, holy fun in the game back again. water, and the like all over; also make sure no You could just ban that character from play, one ever allows anyone but trusted friends to too, without bothering to go through all of the enter a home. If the situation is truly desperate stress of trying to kill the character off. A neu- (roaming teams of vampires are slaying every- tral deity might “cure” his vampiric powers to one outdoors at night, whole villages are being preserve the “balance,” leaving the character depopulated, etc.), then have a group of NPC alive but less powerful. Or you could start a clerics summon one or more powerful entities new campaign from scratch and ban all undead to deal with the situation: a squad of movanic and lycanthropic PCs, making such characters devas, backed up by a few paladins and a bunch into NPCs once they “cross the line.” It is con- of clerics and mages, for instance. Attacks on ceivable that you can find a way to balance your the vampire and his allies and minions should campaign again with a vampire PC in it, but it grow more frequent and powerful as word of would be challenging only if most of the NPC his threat spreads among adventurers. opponents were at least as tough as the If the vampire’s player complains that you are vampire—not a likely situation! trying to “kill” his character, you should cheer- fully nod and say, “You bet!” If he thinks about it and gives up his character, all the better; it shows that he is mature and intelligent enough to know that the campaign is flying out of

DRAGON 7

The Book of Horrors: a compendium of terrifying spells

by Christian Bök

Ancient legends relate that an evil sor- is darkly reflective, and Adjazzet writes unknown (so that each DM may design the cerer named Azirian once summoned a that eerie, phantom “images” sometimes book to his liking). The tome is rumored to black ship from a distant land far across appear in the plates and then immediately include not only such familiar magic as the ocean, a ship loaded with a cargo of vanish. No one can decide for certain what animate dead and Evard’s black tentacles, terrifying artifacts, among them the these swirling, shadowy images are, but but also such exotic magic as the wu jen Cryptichronos (also known as The Hidden glimpsing them is extremely disconcerting spells creeping darkness and wall of Time, in reference to its ancient origins, to the viewer. Those who gaze for over a bones. At least five of the spells in this and as The Book of Horrors, for more turn at the covers suffer the effects of a section are known to be completely obvious reasons). Scholars agree that scare spell at the 16th level of ability. unique, never before seen in any other Azirian must have gone insane when he The first page of the book depicts an volume of magic. read the grimoire, for he tried to use its illustration of a laughing skull burning up The last two pages of the Cryptichronos powers to summon a beast he claimed in violet flames. A magic mouth is acti- describe the drawing of a special pentacle could destroy the world, then fled with vated whenever the book is first opened to used in the summoning and binding of the book into the earths catacombs, this page, causing the skull to speak in a extraplanar creatures. The textual descrip- where he surrendered his will (and his heretofore unknown language, perhaps tion, written in the language spoken body) to the hunger of the illithids. the one indigenous to the land of the the magic mouth, is accompanied by No more is known of the Cryptichronos books origin. (A spell such as comprehend actual rendering of the pentacle— until it is mentioned 500 years later in the languages provides the following rough a rendering that acts as journals of the wandering mage Adjazzet, translation: “Curse the thief of secrets! Let symbol of insanity to who discovered the book in a rusted, him know his heart’s corruption! What he all who look upon it subterranean vault and managed to record reads here is the writing on the walls of without the benefit of some of the books contents before also his own tomb!”) When the magic mouth an anti-magic shell going mad, committing suicide by ingest- intones this weird message, the opener of spell. The victim be- ing green slime. His apprentice Olmoroth the book must make a saving throw vs. comes subject to every inherited the work and used it to become death magic or become afflicted with a manner of madness, the tyrannical ruler of a dying city; how- rotting disease similar to the leprous touch becoming a (short-live ever, he eventually lost the book (and his of a mummy. This disease is fatal within 1- NPC. life) in a necromantic duel with a vastly 8 months, and for each month that it The unique spells superior opponent, possibly a beast from progresses the victim permanently loses follow: the lower planes. two points of charisma (possibly acquiring The present whereabouts of the a negative ability score). The course of the Cryptichronos remain unknown, and wise disease can be halted only by administer- men fear that the book may have fallen ing a cure disease spell (from a priest of at into wicked hands. Anyone finding the least 9th level) or a heal spell (the latter grimoire is encouraged to destroy it for offering the added benefit of restoring lost Undead Control (Necromancy) fear of someone unleashing an unspeak- charisma points). While so afflicted, a Level: 3 Components: V,S,M able horror upon the world. Indeed, this person cannot respond to any other cure Range: 20 yards CT: 1 latter possibility may have already hap- wounds magic, and all nonmagical healing Duration: Special Save: Special pened in the campaign world. occurs at 10% of the normal rate. Once Area of Effect: Special Description: The book consists of 19 the magic mouth has been activated, it With this spell, the caster may control pages of vellum bound with silver wire to never speaks to the same individual again, any undead creatures within range as if two thin plates of obsidian that bear no although another person opening the book an evil priest four levels lower in experi- identifying marks or inscriptions. The may hear the message and possibly suffer ence (thus, a 5th-level wizard may affect plates measure two spans by three spans its ill effects. undead as though he were a 1st-level evil in size and are especially resistant to chip- The next 16 pages of the Cryptichronos cleric). While casting the spell, the wizard ping and grazing (treat as hard metal for contain various spells, one spell to a page. rolls 1d20 and consults Table 47 on page item saving throws). The obsidian surface The exact content of these pages remains 67 of the 2nd Edition DMG in order to

DRAGON 11 could conceivably keep the vapor at bay with a torch. The mist drains blood from any creature caught within its area of effect, doing 1-8 hp damage per round. The enveloped creature must make a saving throw vs. death magic during the first round of damage or else fall down incapacitated, unable to leave the gaseous cloud without help. As the vampire mist “feeds,” it turns dull red and can drain up to 48 hp damage before being completely “satiated” (i.e., inactive) for the remainder of the spell duration. A creature does not need to breathe the vapors in order for their effects to work. The mist cannot harm an individual protected by an anti-magic shell, and a gust of wind repels the vapor without determine whether or not the monsters damage with their fangs, and there is a 3% dispersing it. Violent winds (such as those are commanded (a “D” result is treated as chance per level of the spell-caster that the created by an air elemental) completely a “T”). The wizard can make only one serpents are poisonous to humanoid crea- obliterate this gaseous horror, as do ex- attempt to control the undead; whether or tures. Anyone bitten by a venomous snake tremely hot fires (such as those created by not the attempt succeeds, the spell is used must make a saving throw vs. poison at a fireball or flame strike). Vampire mist up and lost from memory. Any encoun- - 2 or go into violent convulsions for a does not harm fire-based creatures, un- tered group (not type) of undead that number of rounds equal to the caster’s dead, or monsters from a plane other than resists the control of the wizard can never level. A convulsing creature suffers 1 hp the Prime Material. When the duration of be commanded by his use of this spell. damage per round and is incapable of any the spell expires, the cloud simply thins When confronting a variety of undead, action (treat as a stunned opponent). out into nothingness. the wizard affects the weakest type of The wizard cannot cast this spell while creatures first. Multiple castings of the holding any object or while wearing any- Crimson Scourge (Necromancy) spell are required in order to exert control thing upon the hands (e.g., rings and Level: 5 Components: V,S,M over the more powerful members of an gloves). Similarly, the wizard cannot grasp Range: Touch CT: 5 undead horde. The spell permits the wiz- anything while under the influence of this Duration: Special Save: Neg. ard to wrest control of the monsters from transformation, nor can he cast spells with Area of Effect: Special another evil priest or from another wizard somatic components. A snake charm can This terrible spell can affect one human employing this magic. Note that anyone of pacify the tentacles for 5-8 rounds if the being whose number of levels (or hit dice) good alignment must, of course, use the wizard fails a saving throw vs. spells. Note do not exceed the level of the spell- caster spell only after careful consideration. (See that the sinuous horrors can never be (dwarves, elves, and other humanoid the 2nd Edition DMG, page 68, for more compelled to attack their host, and that creatures are immune to this magic). Upon information regarding the influence of evil they remain in effect until the expiration pronouncing the curse, the wizard priests over undead creatures.) of the spell, regardless of the wizards touches the victim, who is entitled to a The material component is an evil desire. saving throw vs. spells at -2, with failure priest’s unholy symbol or some other indicating that the target person begins to properly cursed talisman forcefully pre- Vampire Mist (Evocation) bleed profusely through the pores of the sented to the affected monsters. The com- Level: 4 Components: V, S skin, taking 1-2 hp damage per round until ponent is not lost in the casting and may Range: Special CT: 5 dead. Regular first aid cannot prevent this be subsequently reused. Duration: 1 rnd./lvl. Save: Special damage, and most magical curatives have Area of Effect: 6’ diameter cloud no effect upon the affliction. Such spells as Sinuous Horrors (Alteration) With this spell, the wizard causes a pale remove curse, cure serious wounds, and Level: 4 Components: S cloud of chilling vapor to form at any cure critical wounds can staunch the Range: 0 CT: 1 desired spot within a 30’ radius. The va- hemorrhaging, but hit points may be re- Duration: 5-10 rnds. Save: Special por billows, shifts, and appears almost gained fully only through time and rest. A Area of Effect: Caster sentient even though it is not truly alive. It heal spell, on the other hand, can dispel This spell transforms each of the wiz- moves at a rate of 30’ per round, seeking the results of this evil magic entirely. ard’s arms into a writhing, hissing serpent out and enveloping the nearest life-form The most horrible property of the crim- that can strike at any opponent within within reach of its gaseous tendrils (possi- son scourge, however, lies in the “conta- arm‘s reach. Each snakelike tentacle can bly attacking the spell-caster if he does not giousness” of its effects, for whenever an attack once per round as a monster with take precautions). Once the spell is cast, afflicted victim comes into physical contact as many hit dice as the wizard the wizard does not need to concentrate with someone else, the touched person has levels of experience. upon the magic in order for its effects to may have to make a saving throw vs. The snakes each do 1-3 hp persist. spells at -2 or become likewise afflicted. The vapor can flow over 10’ Fortunately, a character is immune to the high walls and can seep curse so long as he has more levels or hit through even the smallest dice than the person bleeding; moreover, openings and cracks. It cannot the spell-caster can never suffer the ef- pass through airtight barriers fects of his own crimson scourge. Certain (such as a wall of force or a plagues throughout history have, in fact, hermetically sealed door), nor been attributed to this spell (that often can the mist move across goes by the name of “the red death”). an area of fire. The gas avoids However, the spell does not really cause a open flames, so a character biological illness and is, therefore, unaf- fected by any spells that cure disease. ard then holds the sphere in a shocking kills four 2-hp opponents. The blob, there- The working of this curse requires that grasp so that he can magically activate the fore, grows four cubic feet larger and the wizard wear a scarlet robe and a liquid contents. Once these procedures are attacks as a 4-HD monster, doing 4-13 hp faceless red mask, both made from the completed, the wizard may use the orb at damage per round. finest silk, worth at least a 1,000 gp each. any time thereafter to cast an amorphous Note that the blob needs only one round These components are not lost in the blob. Should the glass container break to grow to its new volume, and during this casting and may be used as many times as before the spell is actually employed, the time the creature can perform no other desired. fluid is lost and the wizard must start the action. All increases in hit dice, size, and process over again from scratch. damage are permanent and do not de- Amorphous Blob (Alteration, Casting an amorphous blob causes the crease with the loss of hit points. No Necromancy) fluid inside the sphere to congeal into a known limit exists to the blob’s total vol- Level: 7 Components: V,S,M dangerous, amoeboid life-form that is ume, and if not soon killed, the creature Range: Touch CT: 1 released whenever the glass is shattered. can become extremely powerful. Duration: Special Save: None The wizard can smash the ball by hurling The blob can regenerate 1 hp per round, Area of Effect: Glass orb filled with fluid it at an opponent (treat as a grenadelike but this ability cannot bring a dead blob The casting of this spell requires that the missile), but great care must be taken back to life. The creature can flow wizard first construct a crystal orb filled since the caster has no control over his through narrow openings and can ooze with a swirling, gelatinous fluid. The orb creation once it is released. The blob re- along walls and ceilings. The blob also and its contents take 1-4 weeks to manu- sembles an ochre jelly and has the follow- secretes a digestive acid that dissolves facture. In order for the spell component ing statistics: AC 6, MV 6, HD 3, hp 24, wood (at a rate of 2”/round) and metal (at to be made properly, the wizard must #AT 1, Dmg 3-12, AL N. The monster feeds a rate of ½”/round); stone and glass re- enlist the aid of an experienced alchemist in order to grow, and it grows extremely main unaffected. Magical cold does no and must build a special laboratory fast. The blob has a volume of four cubic damage to the blob, but slows the monster equipped with its own strange, custom- feet upon its release, but on a killing at- (as the spell) for 2-8 rounds. Fire harms made apparatus, the total cost of which tack, the amoeboid creature engulfs its the creature normally, but lightning actu- can be no less than 5,000 gp. The wizard prey and gains 1 hp for each hit die of the ally imbues the blob with an extra hit also needs to procure the following ingre- dead victim. Every 8 hp gained by the blob point for every hit die of damage that dients used to formulate the weird fluid: endows it with an additional hit die (in might have been inflicted; thus, a 6d6 one pint of the spell-caster’s blood, three terms of fighting ability) and results in not lightning bolt endows the creature with 6 pints of ochre jelly, and one dram of acid only an increase in volume of four cubic hp, possibly increasing the blob’s size and from a black pudding. With these ingredi- feet, but also a cumulative bonus of + 1 on attack potential. Mind-influencing spells, of ents, the alchemist prepares a viscous damage rolls (modified results cannot course, have no effect upon this unintelli- solution and encapsulates it in a finely exceed 12 hp damage per round). gent creation, and all forms of magical blown glass ball, 1’ in diameter. The wiz- Example: A blob freed from a sphere control are useless against it. 14 OCTOBER 1990 ghost is dead and her beloved isn’t, the only way this reunion can come about is if her love interest dies as well. Think it through: The poor, despairing girl finds existence without her beloved intolerable. She responds by killing herself, terminat- ing her existence and her despair. But then she finds that death doesn’t bring oblivion after all; consciousness and despair re- main. This realization might be enough to by Nigel D. Findley ghosts, liches, and vampires. Many of unhinge even the most stable of psyches— these options are based on representations and a mind that would choose suicide as of undead in fiction and cinema; others an escape from pain probably isn’t particu- The lightless crypt is silent, as only a are logical outgrowths of the creatures’ larly stable. Thus the trauma of death, and grave can be. No movement stirs the dust characteristics as described in the Mon- the realization that the end of life isn’t the on the floor, no stray currents of air dis- strous Compendium. Scattered throughout end of pain could easily unhinge the turb the delicate drapery of cobwebs that this text are concrete examples of atypical ghost’s reason. embellishes the ceilings and walls. Even undead. DMS should feel free to mix and In this case, the ghost could be role- the tiny but venomous spiders that dwell match options or replace them with ideas played as a tragic, pathetic figure, adding a in the webs are motionless. The crypt is of their own. new twist to the phrase “undying love.” waiting, endlessly waiting. Her undead status is such that anyone Then in the blackness something moves: Ghosts who sees her is subject to fear, and anyone a figure lying on a bier of black stone. According to the Monstrous Compen- she touches is aged by 10-40 years, but she Eyelids spring open to expose a sullen red dium, ghosts are the souls of creatures has no desire to inflict these horrific ef- glow burning in the sockets. The figure who were either so evil or so emotional fects on anyone. She won’t actively attack sits up and pulls its moldering garments during life that, upon death, they were anyone other than her beloved, either closer about its gaunt frame. It knows that cursed with undead status. Their central physically or through her magic jar power, intruders are in the chapel above. Its motivations are usually revenge (a desire unless attacked first. She would probably arcane senses can detect them; it can smell to “get even” with people who wronged try to communicate with anyone who their blood. The figure’s thin pale lips them during life) or the discharge of obli- came near, asking pathetically for informa- draw back from its fangs. The waiting is gations or obsessions that drove them tion on her beloved and asking that the over, Now it is time to feed. while alive. These obsessions might have intruders take a message to him, begging driven these beings to their deaths. him to dwell with her forever. This is the way vampires (and undead in Revenge is an easy motivation to role- If she encounters her beloved, she’ll general) are usually played in AD&D® play, but only when the DM knows exactly probably beg him to come with her, an games: as lurking creatures of the dark- what happened to generate such hatred in invitation he would certainly refuse. Her ness whose one goal in (un)life is to kill the ghost, Obvious examples involve a response would depend on his reactions. If heroes. When they’re not draining blood person who was murdered by another or he insulted the girl or demeaned her or life levels, the undead are usually hang- was put into a situation in which death “love” for him, she could easily fly into a ing around in dusty crypts, doing nothing was inevitable. Thus a ghost might be rage and attack him or anyone nearby. If except waiting for a hapless intruder to motivated by a desire to kill its murderer he didn’t, she might concentrate her atten- wander by so they can drain blood or life or the superior officer who sent it on a tions on trying to kill him alone. levels. It’s a rather empty existence, and it suicide mission. An attack on the lover brings about an makes you wonder if vampires and their Other situations are a little more tricky. interesting role-playing opportunity: How undead kin haven’t been shortchanged. It’s been said that love and hatred are would the ghost respond when she saw The undead aren’t the only ones who’ve closely allied emotions, very similar in the aging effect her touch had on her been shortchanged, of course. DMs who their depth and power. This offers a con- beloved? A sensitive ghost might be horri- play powerful but one-dimensional undead venient “character tag” for ghosts in the fied at seeing her beloved aging before her are cheating themselves and their players AD&D world. For example, take the case eyes, and might stop the attack. She might of some great role-playing. Remember, of a person hopelessly in love with an- simply withdraw to the Ethereal plane and high-powered undead are free-willed and other (in literature, this is often a young spend the rest of eternity wallowing in her are often as intelligent, if not more so, girl who’s fallen for a heartless cad). When own despair. A more selfish personality than many of the PCs who hunt them. the girl realizes that her love is unre- wouldn’t care what ravages her attentions Liches and vampires have supra-genius quited, she falls into despair and kills were having on her beloved and continue and exceptional intelligences, respectively, herself. Her passion is so strong, even in to attack him until he died. and even spectres have high intelligence. death, that her soul remains bound to the Undying vengeance: William Con- Here we have creatures who were once Prime Material and Ethereal planes as a greve said it best: “Heaven has no rage, humans or demihumans, but have under- ghost. The ghost might respond to this like love to hatred turned, nor Hell a fury, gone a change and now must come to situation in one of two distinct ways; how- like a woman scorned.” What’s true for a terms with new powers, new limitations, ever, each is based on the desire to kill woman is true for a man. The ghost’s and immortality. What must their world- Undying love: In the first scenario, the suicide might not be an attempt to escape views be like? What goals and aspirations ghost doesn’t hate the love interest at all. from pain, but rather an act of anger, a do they have? What motivates a vampire? If only she can be reunited with her be- spiteful “grand gesture.” In this case, an- This article points out some of the op- loved (so she believes), she can persuade ger, quickly turning to hatred, will be the tions that DMs have when handling him to love her. Unfortunately, since the ghost’s primary motivation. His hatred

DRAGON 15 might easily extend to everyone (after all, psyche is somehow linked with this an- hindrances that must be overcome. they’re alive and he’s not), driving him to chor. Destroying the anchor permanently Many of these considerations could also attack anyone who comes near. The ghost destroys the ghost. While the anchor still be applied to the other noncorporeal would, of course, show the greatest feroc- exists, however, the ghost—even if appar- undead, such as spectres or wraiths. ity in attacking his one-time beloved, but ently destroyed—will return and manifest others might attract more than their fair itself again weeks or months later. A ghost share of his wrath. Any other man who is usually but not always aware of the Liches shows even the slightest attraction toward importance of this anchor, though it often his beloved would be hated above all, as protects it to the best of its abilities. might others who have found the love that “Anchored” ghosts have no great goal, the ghost was denied. Thus, obvious lovers whether revenge or the completion of a or man-and-wife couples would be among task, toward which they strive. Instead, the ghost’s preferred targets, In this sce- they’re simply here. Just as mortals fear nario, the ghost wouldn’t be a pathetic death, either because it’s the great un- character, but a ravening killer. known or because they hate the idea of In either scenario, the ghost’s goal would nonexistence, anchored ghosts fear their be achieved with the death of the love own destruction. Although they know object. What follows depends on the align- they’re not really alive, they sometimes ments involved and on the DM’s prefer- cling to the fiction that they live and that ences as a storyteller. Ghost and beloved the memories of their death are actually might end up on the same Outer Plane, nightmares. Such ghosts go through the where either true love might blossom or motions of mortal life, trying to convince their enmity might continue. Alternatively, themselves that they never really died. their spirits might go to totally different They often frequent areas where people planes where they’d be separated for rarely come, since the reactions of in- eternity. In both cases, once the ghost’s truders force them to recognize their goal is achieved, the spirit would fade undead status. Anchored ghosts will often away and never return. attack intruders on sight as a way to re- Liches are arguably the most powerful Obsession: A ghost’s obsession might move these unpleasant reminders of their and most intelligent of all undead. All run in a direction totally different from true nature. liches are mages or priests of great skill the pursuit of love (or revenge springing Sometimes, other mortals will play along and power, and all are highly formidable from unrequited love). As with haunts with this self-deception. A living person opponents. (Monster Manual II, page 74), people who who was very close to the ghost while But must all liches be opponents? From die leaving a vital task unfinished might alive, particularly a parent or twin sibling, the description in the Monstrous Compen- remain bound to the world by their own might be immune to the ghost’s fear effect dium, it seems so. But a creative DM can indomitable will or sense of duty. and might delude himself that the ghost ring in some interesting variations on the Since a ghost is noncorporeal, the crea- never actually died (see the film comedy lich’s personality. ture might be unable to discharge its obli- High Spirits for examples). Thus, adventur- Unperceived change: Horror litera- gation and might need the help of the ers might meet twin sisters, living far from ture contains many tales of people who living to complete the task. Such a ghost any town where one sister is actually were too involved in their pursuits, often would probably try to communicate with undead. Or they might find a widowed magical research, to even notice their own living characters, trying to persuade or mother caring for and protecting her deaths. Their concentration is intense threaten them (depending on the crea- ghostly son. (Such mortals will try to drive enough to bind their spirits to their ture’s alignment when alive) into discharg- away or kill anyone who tries to take their bodies, and to the Prime Material plane. ing the duty. The use of magic jar here is ethereal companion away from them, or Characters like this present fascinating almost guaranteed in order to gain a phys- even anyone who poses a threat to their possibilities for role-playing, and liches ical body as a last resort. fragile self-deception.) Again, such ghosts represent the best such candidates. Imagine the frustration of such a ghost. might be more pathetic than horrific. The Monstrous Compendium explains Most attempts to communicate would Alignment: The Monstrous Compen- the process by which prospective liches cause the potential helpers to flee in fear dium classes ghosts as lawful evil in align- achieve their undead status, and certainly or to instantly attack. Since the ghost is ment, but this reflects our prejudices this is the way most liches come into exist- duty-bound to complete its task, it would more than it does the nature of ghosts ence. The world is wide, however, wide be forced to fight back, no matter how themselves. The lawful component is enough to contain atypical liches as well. much it regrets the necessity. appropriate for ghosts bound to this plane These atypical creatures are unaware of Possible focuses for such an obsession by an undischarged obligation, but ghosts their true state or, like some ghosts, are might be a binding oath or other duty. with other motivations could easily have unwilling to admit it. Perhaps at the time Such a ghost could be role-played as a other alignments. of their physical death, their concentration strong, almost noble (but obsessive) per- The evil component is more obviously a and willpower was intense enough to bind sonality, like the spirit of Hamlet’s father, human perception. The merest touch from them to the material world, or perhaps the Such a ghost can be found in Tanith Lee’s a ghost can kill an older individual, It’s transition was the whim of a deity. In any novel, Kill the Dead (required reading for easy to see how this can be interpreted as case, NPCs like this might guess that any DM who wants to add new depths to an active antipathy to life. The ghost itself “something has changed” only when they undead). The ghost would fade away might have a totally different view of its realize that they haven’t eaten or slept for forever as soon as its task was complete. own alignment; take, for example, the case months or years, or when their familiars Spiritual anchors: A ghost might be of the jilted lover or the soldier whose start hiding from them. bound to the world not by its own will, duty was interrupted. In many cases, Initially, these “accidental liches” would but by the existence of a particular object. however, the definition of evil as given in have no reason to change their alignment In literature, this “spiritual anchor” is the AD&D 2nd Edition Player’s Handbook or world-view. Thus PCs might encounter sometimes an item that was of great emo- will apply: lack of recognition that what a kindly, reclusive mage still completely tional importance to the ghost while alive, the creature does is destructive or disrup- immersed in her research-but one whose hut more often it is a piece of the ghost’s tive, and the belief that people and things body has taken on a withered, decayed mortal body. In either case, the ghost’s obstructing the creature’s plans are mere appearance. Perhaps the researcher isn’t

16 OCTOBER 1990 so kindly; her reaction to the interruption of a creature as powerful as a lich would of her work might be a blinding rage that be significant. she is now uniquely able to vent on any- Another consequence of accidental one unfortunate enough to be nearby. lichdom is that these creatures won’t These accidental liches may be of any create a phylactery in which to store their alignment and may vary in personality life—force-at least, not until they’ve real- almost as much as living NPCs. DMs ized (or admitted) their true nature. Even should remember, however, that only then, certain liches won’t bother. reclusive and obsessive personalities Free will: The majority of liches have would ever get into this situation in the chosen and actively sought their current first place. (For an example, see the lich state. These are the individuals that use Azimer in the adventure “Lashan’s Fall” the process described in the Monstrous from the DM’s Sourcebook of the Realms, Compendium to achieve lichdom. in the FORGOTTEN REALMS™ boxed set.) Why would a powerful mage or priest Facing the change: Eternity is a long seek this rather horrific form of immortal- time, and even the most single-minded ity? (Remember, the outcome isn’t guaran- researcher would eventually realize his teed, and the price of failure is instant true nature. The lich’s reaction would vary death.) The motivation to take this gamble from individual to individual. Some would will certainly vary. be horrified and might go so far as to end As an aging mage feels the chill winds of their own existence. If they cannot face approaching death, he might decide to risk self-destruction so directly, perhaps they the chance of instant death, and the avoid- could enlist the help—voluntary or ance of perhaps a decade of diminishing otherwise—of a band of doughty adven- facilities, senility, and pain, against the turers. One means to gain such unknow- chance of gaining an eternity in which to ing “helpers” might be to spread rumors continue his work. There are interesting that a wealthy lich abides in a certain nuances here. Does the prospective lich place (the lich’s actual home), then wait for fear the waning of his abilities and even- the “lichbusters” to come and finish the tual death? Or is what he fears the fact lich itself off. Other liches might send that his work might remain unfinished? charmed intermediaries to actually hire Both motivations reflect different world adventurers capable of destroying them. views and different personalities for the Other NPCs would see lichdom as a boon lich. Dedicated researchers who choose to rather than a curse, focusing on their gamble death against the freedom to con- immortality and the whole of eternity in tinue their work will probably share many which to continue their work. Liches like characteristics with the accidental liches these would be protective of this “gift” discussed earlier. Those who fear personal that fate has given them. Whatever their death will probably tend more toward evil alignment, they would probably use their in alignment; at least, the alignment shift considerable powers to ward their homes will probably take place earlier. and would fight furiously to ensure their The most common motivation for choos- continued existence. ing lichdom is probably power. Again, Whatever their outlook, liches will find however, there are various nuances that that eternity is a long time. Liches who can be interesting to explore. What kind of don’t destroy themselves or have them- power is the prospective lich seeking, and selves destroyed would eventually change why is he willing to risk instant annihila- their outlook. As they forget the day-to- tion for that goal? day details of their mortal lives, they’d lose One candidate for voluntary lichdom is their sense of kinship with the living. the despot of a country or region, a “ma- More and more, the concerns of mortals gocrat” or autocrat who rules mainly by would seem petty things, and the liches virtue of his magical prowess. The deci- wouldn’t concern themselves with mortal sion might be made when the despot starts affairs. Such liches would eventually con- to feel the ravages of age and realizes that sider the death of a mortal as nothing his position as “President For Life” might important. What does a human lose when be coming to an end. For an individual like he’s killed before his time, after all? Thirty this, there might not be too much of a or forty years, perhaps as many as fifty. choice. Age brings with it diminishing How can that seem important to a crea- capacities, that in turn brings with it the ture who’s existed for a thousand years possibility, developing into a certainty, that and might continue for eternity? For this someone will eventually stage a coup. The reason, most accidental liches will eventu- despot might quickly decide that the possi- ally swing further and further toward evil. bility of becoming “President For Eternity” The key word in the previous sentence is worth any risk. If the process is success- is “most.” Some few liches might see the ful, the lich-king can continue his rule, his boon of immortality and their continually authority backed up by his new power. expanding power in a different light. They Despots rarely show concern for the might decide that with privilege comes lives and well-being of their subjects to responsibility. From their reclusive retreat, begin with. How much worse this would they might use their great powers to fur- be when the ruler is undead. A lich-king ther the cause of good or perhaps neutral- would be pragmatic in all its decisions, ity. Their actions would almost certainly quite willing to “spend” an entire army if be indirect, but even the indirect actions that’s what it takes to achieve his goals.

DRAGON 17

shock might drive him mad, turning him since “evil” is defined as “holding life in into the ravening monster that is the low regard,” a creature who must drain stereotypical vampire. Alternatively, he life force to survive could be classed as Vampires might hang onto his sanity but believe that evil, despite its other behavior. since fate has decreed that he become a Vampirism is fun: In most role- monster, he has no option but to act the playing games, the main motivation for way he thinks such a monster should act. creatures such as vampires is to simply kill A third possibility—and maybe the most the living. Why is this the be-all and end- interesting of the three—is that the poor all of a vampire’s existence? Vampires are wretch is unable to fully renounce the life exceptionally intelligent, which means he once had. A pathetic figure, the vam- they’re capable of abstract thought. pire “haunts” his old home, watching from They’re also immortal. When you’ve got the darkness and trying to pretend that the whole of eternity spread out before he’s still part of mortal life, if only as a you, the simple pursuits of draining inno- spectator. Such a vampire would feed cent maidens and trashing adventuring rarely and would never deliberately kill, parties would eventually grow stale. Im- stopping before he’d drained all his vic- mortality must be a pretty bleak picture if tim’s life levels. Using his charm abilities, all you’ve got to look forward to is your the vampire could easily make sure that next kill. his victims don’t remember what hap- Assume that a character can make the pened to them, thus sparing them the transition to vampirism without being emotional trauma they’d otherwise suffer driven insane by moralistic shock and (and, incidentally, protecting the vampire without otherwise becoming the stereo- Although not as powerful as liches, from detection). Pathetic or not, such a typical “exists to kill” vampire. What, then, vampires can be even more interesting creature would be likely to viciously attack would be the character’s motivation? It NPCs than their magically inclined kin. any vampire-hunters who came after him. can be almost anything. The recent overwhelming popularity of After all, the adventurers are taking away Vampires have powers far beyond the vampire-related books and movies show even the semblance of his old life. capabilities of most mortals: exceptional how compelling these creatures are. DMs The intrepid vampire-hunter who rises strength, the ability to charm with a who prefer the dark and labyrinthine as an undead would certainly have a dif- glance, superhuman combat abilities, the trappings of psychological horror to ferent view of the world. Since she’s very power to change to gaseous form or poly- simple-minded slash-’em-up combat could familiar with her one-time quarry, she’d morph into a giant bat, etc. To the right find few monsters better suited to that immediately realize what happened. Her kind of personality, these powers would playing style than vampires. (DMs will also reaction would probably depend on her be boons beyond price. The person would find the new AD&D RAVENLOFT™ supple- motivation for becoming a vampire-hunter relish his new-found powers, constantly ment fits this style perfectly.) in the first place. If she took up the career pushing their limits and “living” an exist- “The Dark Trick”: In her cycle of as a moral duty, to rid the world of vicious ence of otherwise unattainable fun. (“Can I vampire novels, Anne Rice uses the phrase monsters, then the shock to her sanity spy on Lady Maretha’s mansion? Sure. Can “the Dark ‘Trick” to describe the transition would be profound: suddenly she’s be- I move the ceremonial cannon from the from life to vampirism. The circumstances come exactly what she’d once dedicated town square into the mayor’s office? Why of the Dark Trick, when and how it hap- herself to fight. She might easily go mad. not?”) Feeding is still a necessity, but he pens, as well as the nature of the victim Alternatively, the new vampire might would probably do it in the most humane can have a great effect on the personality make best efforts to destroy herself imme- way possible, never killing his victim and of a vampire. Take a young, naive man, diately. Since only the strongest-willed of only rarely leaving any evidence behind. raised in a sheltered household, who fell vampires could overcome their “instinc- Fun-loving DMs could easily develop a prey to a vampire that was stalking the tive” revulsion to sunlight or running vampire who’d fit well into the movie region. The man knew nothing about the water, the creature might take the easier Animal House. vampire until it attacked and killed him. way out and enlist the (voluntary or invol- On a more serious note, a thief turned Compare this case with a determined untary) aid of adventurers, as was previ- into a vampire would find her supernatu- vampire-hunter who was cut down by her ously mentioned for liches. Or the vampire ral abilities tailor-made for her career. quarry in the heat of battle. When the might continue to dedicate herself to her Who needs grappling hooks when you can new vampires arise from their graves, former life’s work. She might use her spider climb, or needs lockpicks when you their views of the world will be totally powers as an undead to help her track can assume gaseous form? A thief-vampire different. down and destroy others of her kind. (See might cut a swath through the rich inhab- The naive man might at first be totally Tanith Lee’s Kill the Dead for a portrait of itants of a city, cleaning out their valuables unaware of his true nature. He might such an undead ghost-hunter.) in daring raids that leave the constabulary come to the (seemingly reasonable) conclu- But what if the one-time adventurer scratching their heads. The vampire’s den sion that he actually never died but merely originally got into the vampire-bashing would be full of opulent furniture and was badly wounded and then buried pre- business for other reasons: the money, for fittings. (If the character couldn’t enjoy maturely by his overzealous family. At example, or the adventure? The undead luxury while alive, why not take advan- first, he wouldn’t understand why people character might decide that being a vam- tage of the opportunity afterward?) run when he tries to explain to them their pire isn’t that bad after all, since she’s got A compelling figure from many histori- mistake, or he might decide that the a much better chance now of reaching her cal novels is the gentleman adventurer, the townsfolk have wrongly assumed that he’s goals than she did when she was alive. person who’s as much at home in polite “risen from the dead” (how ludicrous!). As with ghosts, the fact that vampires society as he is outside it (often way out- Evidence of his true nature would quickly are described as chaotic evil says more side it). A vampire would make a perfect build up, however: the fact that he doesn’t about human perceptions than it does gentleman adventurer. A somewhat aloof cast a shadow or appear in a mirror, the about the creature’s true personality. manner and a very daunting reputation fact that he feels an uncontrollable urge to “Chaotic” simply means that these crea- would keep others distant enough that return to his coffin when sunrise is immi- tures put their personal interests over they’d never learn the vampire’s true nent, and the steadily growing urge to those of the masses—understandable, nature, while the character’s habit of feed. When he finally realizes his fate, the considering that they’re immortal. And dropping out of sight to go on adventures

DRAGON 19 would be a perfect cover for the vampire’s vampire is to “save” a loved one from moral and ethical stance. Now that he’s “hunting trips.” (Presumably, such a vam- death. Imagine the feelings of a sensitive able to act freely, he might decide to use pire would fast while within civilization, vampire knowing that a relative or close his powers to set right, at least partially, and then gorge himself once away from friend is dying. The vampire is immortal the damage that he and his master did. polite company.) Some of the vampire’s and knows that he has the power to make This creature could become a secret bene- acquaintances within the social milieu the dying person immortal as well. The factor to a community: performing good might suspect or know the creature’s true temptation to work the Dark Trick might deeds late at night (e.g., using his great nature, but not take any action because become almost irresistible. Of course, once strength to repair walls) and defending the the vampire is such a “jolly good chap.” the deed was done, the master vampire village from marauding monsters. The The gentleman adventurer vampire is would find the same horrible situation: the townsfolk may never suspect the true quite a different creature from the typical loved one, remembered as an independent nature of their benefactor. Those few who monster described in the Monstrous Com- personality, would have lost all free will might have some suspicions would be pendium. That rampaging killer “lives in and become a mindless slave of the master careful to keep them silent, in case some- areas of death and desolation where they vampire. (Both these motivations for creat- one tries to destroy their benefactor. Since will not be reminded of the lives they have ing new vampires are worked through in vampires—particularly magic-capable left behind.” The social vampire has come Ann Rice’s vampire cycle.) individuals—can often successfully “pass” to the conclusion that he doesn’t have to The descriptions above assume that for human, the vampire might even be forego all the pleasures of his life after all. secondary vampires aren’t free-willed known to some of the townsfolk, perhaps Social vampires soon learn ways to dis- entities. This is implied in the Monstrous as “that strange hermit who lives in the guise their true nature. They’ll avoid mir- Compendium entry, in the corrected ver- cave.” rors and brightly lit areas (where their sion published in DRAGON® issue #150, Eternity is a long time, however, and lack of shadows might be noticed), and but isn’t stated explicitly. The entry merely vampires’ attitudes would probably shift. they’ll devise plausible justifications for says that “the new undead is under the Eventually, they’d lose their kinship with their “allergy” to garlic and their “moral complete control of its killer.” The question the living and consider the fates of mortals offense” when they see openly displayed remains: What form does this control as petty things, unworthy of their atten- holy symbols. As with liches, magically take? Is the new vampire merely a mind- tion. Thus, vampires too would eventually capable vampires have eternity in which less puppet? Is it controlled by some varia- swing toward a passively evil alignment. to develop new spells. Thus a social vam- tion of the master’s charm spell? Or does pire might be warded with dweomers that the new vampire follow the master’s com- Conclusion block powers that detect undead, and mands simply because it believes, rightly It’s not necessary that every powerful perhaps even calm the fears of dogs and or wrongly, that the master is more pow- undead in your campaign world have other creatures. erful than itself? The latter two theories complex motivations. Sometimes motiva- Social vampires are well documented in are the more interesting from a role- tion should take a back seat to conven- literature. One of Anne Rice’s vampire playing perspective, since they imply that ience. Take Bram Stoker’s Dracula, for characters was a participant in Parisian the secondary vampire might somehow be example. What was Count Dracula’s moti- aristocracy’s social whirl, while another able to escape the control of its creator. vation? Nothing consistent, that’s for sure. pursued a career as a rock star. Even the The possibilities are interesting. For exam- The sole purpose of his actions seemed to archetypal vampire, Count Dracula, ple, a “social” vampire has created a sec- be to drive a good story. (Take, for exam- proved himself a charming and debonair ondary vampire. This secondary vampire ple, when he crawled like a lizard down host when it suited his purposes. While is slowly resisting the control of the mas- the outside of his castle, apparently just multidimensional characters like these ter and reverting to its true personality: a for the fun of it, since he could turn into a might exist in any given campaign world, ravening, heartless monster—the complete wolf, a bat, or a cloud of fog at will.) If the the majority of vampires will be the super- opposite, philosophically speaking, of the story you’re telling as DM requires a ficial killers described in the Monstrous primary creature. (Again, Ann Rice ex- straightforward, kill-crazy ghost or vam- Compendium. DMs should use just enough plores this concept in her novels.) Alterna- pire, use one. What I’ve provided here are “complex” vampires to make the PCs won- tively, cunning PCs might be able to turn a just suggestions, ways to throw a little der what they’re going to meet next. secondary vampire against its evil master. further complexity at your players. Gifts of un-life: Why do vampires Good vampires: Can a vampire be Many DMs won’t feel the urge to use “work the Dark Trick” and create other good? Not according to the Monstrous any of these suggestions. After all, undead vampires? The accepted theory, as stated Compendium, which states that a vampire are conveniently simple villains. Players in the Monstrous Compendium, is that is “a thing of darkness that exists only to and their PCs don’t have to feel any moral vampires use chattel creatures as slaves bring about evil and chaos.” But if we qualms about destroying creatures that and, if necessary, cannon fodder. There assume that these are “typical” vampires, are played as thoroughly, unquestionably,* are other, more interesting possibilities, and that atypical individuals exist, then the and unrepentently evil. Lots of DMs and however. answer might well be “yes.” Theoretically, players like to have at least some monsters How about a vampire who used to be a a vampire isn’t restricted to feeding on the where the instant response to sighting very social personality while alive and is life force of sentient creatures; it could them is—and should be — “Kill it!” It’s good now suffering from his enforced with- feed on unintelligent creatures as well. to have something with which you can get drawal from society? (In short, he’s devas- Thus a vampire could “live” without ever into a knock-down, drag-out fight, and yet tatingly lonely.) The idea of creating having to kill a human or demihuman. not feel guilty afterward. For these rea- another vampire—a creature like him, Imagine the case of a good-aligned hu- sons, many players and DMs will always someone he can share his thoughts and man who fell prey to a vampire. While the enjoy beating on undead guys. fears with—might become too attractive to first vampire existed, the new undead was For those DMs and players who enjoy a resist. Unfortunately, since “secondary” under its sway, forced to commit horrify- little more complexity—both moral and vampires aren’t truly free-willed, the ing and sickening acts. When the master tactical—in their role-playing, atypical lonely vampire wouldn’t find the compan- vampire was destroyed, however, the undead can be interesting and exciting. ionship he was seeking. In fact, he might secondary vampire became free-willed. They add a few more decisions to the start to see the secondary vampire as a How would it react? The Monstrous Com- player characters’ already confusing lives. horrible parody of the friend he sought: pendium states that “In most cases, vam- When PCs meet a ghost, should they at- nothing more than a mirror or echo cham- pires do not lose the abilities and tack it or commiserate with it? When they ber, feeding back to him his own beliefs knowledge which they had in life when encounter a lich, should they destroy it or and thoughts. they become undead.” Thus the secondary exchange magical trivia? Another possible reason for creating a vampire might still remember his one-time It’s your choice. Happy role-playing!

20 OCTOBER 1990 Let vampires put the bite on your Cthulhu investigators! ©1990 by Kevin A. Ross OF CTHULHU rulebook describes vam- years, these lesser creatures strengthen pires briefly on page 131. Information and become greater vampires. But quite Artwork by Thomas Baxa from this source will be referenced herein often their lack of subtlety arouses suspi- Chaosium’s CALL OF CTHULHU® game but will not be repeated. cion, and they are hunted down and de- is sometimes referred to as a gothic horror The vampires described here aren’t stroyed before they make the transition to role-playing game. However, in recreating taken verbatim from any single piece of greater vampires. the cosmic horrors of Lovecraft and his literature. Instead, these rules reflect the disciples, little space was devoted to the aspects of vampirism most suitable for use Becoming a vampire petty terrestrial horrors of man’s in a role-playing game. In particular, this The most obvious way of becoming a imagination, the true gothic menaces. The article attempts to recreate the flavor of vampire is to be bitten by one. In some scenario “The Rescue” in the first Cthulhu the numerous vampire movies made by legends, the mere bite of a vampire is not Companion (and the fourth-edition game Hammer Films in the 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s, enough to infect the victim with the curse rulebook) described one of the more tradi- as many gamers are familiar with these of blood-thirst, although some Game Mas- tional horrors, the werewolf, in great celluloid undead. ters (GMs might not let their players detail. This article expands the existing Two types of vampires are discussed in know that. The vampire must have killed vampire rules so that an entire campaign this article: the fledgling lesser vampires the victim by completely draining all of his can be based on the hunting and slaying of and their more experienced and much blood. If the proper steps are not taken, these legendary creatures. These rules can more powerful counterparts, the greater the corpse will rise within a week or two be used with RUNEQUEST® and other vampires. Lesser vampires are relatively (for game purposes, 2d6 days) as a lesser games based on Chaosium’s BASIC ROLE- weak, and their tactics reflect their inex- vampire, which is described later. PLAYING system. The fourth-edition CALL perience and lack of finesse. After a few Another way of becoming a vampire is to be excommunicated by one’s church. the character should have made at least POW vs. POW roll, this victim has been According to this belief, the body of the one previously unsuccessful attempt to hypnotized. This hypnotizing effect lasts excommunicated person will never rest photograph a vampire.) On a similar note, for a number of rounds equal to the vam- until it is accepted back into the church. In the voices of vampires cannot be recorded pire’s POW, or until the victim is physically this case as well, the corpse arises as a by normal means. These problems limit a disturbed in some way (such as being hit lesser vampire within a few days of its vampire’s ability to move among humans by a successful attack or being vigorously burial. and appear to be human itself. slapped, etc., but not by being bitten by The last method of becoming a vampire A vampire needs to rest during daylight the vampire). The effect allows the vam- is one that should set any good CALL OF hours in a coffin or crypt that contains soil pire to give the victim unspoken com- CTHULHU Keeper’s creative gears in mo- from the country of its birth. If this is not mands that he will then carry out. A tion. The bodies of men and women who done, it loses 1d6 hit points each day until command for overtly suicidal behavior were purported to be sorcerers were said it either perishes or has rested on its home breaks the spell, but a command for at- by legend to rise again to continue their soil. These losses are regained only after tacking one’s colleagues does not. Only one evil doings. Needless to say, these crea- the creature has slept on home soil and victim at a time can be so held by the tures also need the blood of the living to has then fed on blood. Its hit points are vampire; an attempt against someone else continue this nefarious “afterlife.” They, then restored by an amount equal to the automatically frees the first. Most vam- too, start off as lesser vampires. number of CON it drains during a feeding pires use this ability to force their oppo- (see “The lesser vampire: Feeding”); this nents to drop their guard (especially if that Vampiric disabilities continues until the vampire’s hit points are guard includes garlic or holy items). The two types of vampires have a num- restored to their original level. This same ber of things in common, one of which is deterioration occurs if the vampire is The lesser vampire their aversion to garlic. This aversion unable to get its quota of blood (see “Feed- Means of destruction: The lesser vam- prevents them from approaching any ing” under “The lesser vampire” and “The pire, in addition to the vulnerabilities closer than 6’ from a person wearing or greater vampire”). Failure to obtain blood discussed above, takes minimum damage brandishing garlic. The vampires take no results in a loss of 1-6 hit points per day, from and cannot be impaled by normal damage from this substance; it merely and this loss can be halted and reversed as weapons of any kind. However, if struck irritates them in a manner similar to a noted previously. The POW that the vam- with an impaling roll in the chest by a severe allergic reaction. Vampires can (and pire drains from its victim by touch is wooden weapon such as a stake, sharp- probably will) use their hypnotic gaze to added to its own POW total (though a ened staff, or the like, they are immedi- force offenders to drop the garlic. vampire still has a SAN of zero, like all ately destroyed. Also, if struck by an Both types are also damaged by contact monstrous creatures). impaling roll to the head with a long- with holy items, in particular the Christian A wounded vampire regains all hit bladed weapon such as a sword, battle- cross, the Star of David, and holy water. points lost from combat within 24 hours, axe, or similar weapon, they are The cross or the star does 1d6 points of provided it rests on home soil as detailed immediately decapitated and destroyed. If damage to a vampire per touch, and the above. If damaged but not brought to zero you are not using the hit-location tables vampire will try to avoid contact at all hit points, it is quite able to defend itself from the Cthulhu Now supplement, allow costs, usually keeping about 10’ between during the daylight hours. Its only daytime a 25% chance of striking the chest and a itself and the offending object. As with the supernatural powers, however, are its 5% chance for the head; you may double garlic, a vampire will probably use its gaze attack and the related “blood slavery” these percentages if the Investigators state hypnotic gaze to make the holder drop the telepathy, both of which are discussed they are aiming for these specific loca- item. A splash with holy water also does later (the latter in the section “Victims of tions. Lesser vampires take normal dam- 1d6 damage per hit to the undead. These vampirism”). The vampire can still attack age from but are not impaled by silver or weapons should be in the arsenal of every physically, of course. If brought to zero hit magic weapons. Fire affects them nor- competent vampire-hunter. points, the vampire is completely helpless mally, but it does not destroy them. Two of Nature’s most common phenom- and must revert to a smoky, foggy, or To summarize methods for destruction: ena spell doom for the vampire: sunlight misty incorporeal form, returning to its decapitation; wooden stake through the and running water. Immersion in running coffin until fully regenerated. Once inside heart; exposure to sunlight; immersion in water (and this means immersion, not the coffin, the vampire can only call its running water; prolonged failure to rest throwing a bucket of water over it) and “blood slaves” or use its gaze to fend off on home soil; prolonged failure to feed. direct sunlight each causes a vampire one vampire-hunters; otherwise, it is quite Shapechanging: Lesser vampires have point of damage per round of contact. A vulnerable to destruction. only one form of this power, and it is vampire reduced to zero hit points as a One of the most dreadful abilities of assumed only involuntarily, when the result is permanently destroyed. Neither both types of vampires is the power to creature is brought to zero hit points by vampire type is able to cross running hypnotize anyone catching their gaze. The nonfatal means. This is its smoky incorpor- water or open sunlight for this reason. vampire can use this ability on any one eal form. The vampire is able to pass Obviously, vampire hunters can use the target of its choice that is able to see its through very small cracks or openings to above vulnerabilities to limit the move- eyes, and the undead must be successful get to its coffin to rest and regenerate ments of vampires. Blocking their routes in a POW vs. POW struggle against the when in this form. with crosses, smeared garlic, or water target. Gaze attacks are resolved at the Feeding: A lesser vampire must feast on courses suggest themselves. beginning of the round and if the vampire blood three times per week, or about Lesser and greater vampires cast no fails, it is still allowed another action be- every other day. A successful attack drains reflections, whether in mirrors or other sides a gaze (attack, short movement, etc.) 1d4 each of CON and POW from its victim glass surfaces or on the surface of water. at the very end of the round. The target per round of feeding. This blood can be Neither variety casts a shadow. Extrapolat- can try to avert his eyes from the vam- taken from the bodies of animals as well ing from these properties, it can be as- pire’s gaze by rolling his POW × 5 or less as humans, but this is only done in ex- sumed that their images cannot be on 1d100 each time the vampire makes treme emergencies as the vampire prefers captured using normal photographic tech- such an attempt. However, this allows any humans. The lesser vampire will usually niques. (Characters with the Photography physical attacks made by the vampire on try to hypnotize its victims first; if this skill should be allowed a roll to see if they that character to be at + 10% to the attack fails, it will batter them into unconscious- can come up with a way of catching these roll. If the victim is unable to avert his ness or submission. creatures on film. Before allowing this roll, eyes in time and the vampire makes the Behavior and tactics: Lesser vampires

22 OCTOBER 1990 might resort to drinking nonhuman blood, gaseous incorporeal form discussed for Skills: As a rule, most of the Agility skills which would sicken greater vampires. For lesser vampires must be assumed by a of a greater vampire should be at least the most part, the lesser variety is driven greater vampire when it is brought to zero doubled from its “living” scores to reflect by animal desires and is likely to make hit points by nonfatal means; this form its ability to scale steep inclines, make foolish mistakes in its lust for blood. The can also be taken at will by the greater fantastic leaps, and perform other such results of the lesser vampire’s loss of hu- vampire. This monster can also assume feats. This does not extend to such skills as manity is its loss of APP, as illustrated in the form of a wolf or large bat at will. This Swimming and Boating, for obvious rea- the Lesser and Greater Vampires’ Statistics process takes a round to complete. While sons. Stealth and Perception skill areas table. They are not totally stupid, how- in these forms, the vampire cannot use its should probably be doubled from previous ever; lesser vampires often choose weak gaze but retains its other immunities and “living” scores. Knowledge skills will prob- victims such as women and children to vulnerabilities. While in mist form, the ably increase considerably as well due to assure their own relative safety. The lesser vampire is immune to all forms of damage the additional EDU point (and the accom- vampire is more likely to create other except magical weapons and attacks until panying 15 skill points) it receives for vampires because of inexperience, eager- it changes form again. When in human or every additional 10 years of its “life.” A ness, blood lust, etc., than the more re- animal form, it can summon each of the greater vampire may still be weak in Ma- served greater vampire, though they have following creature types once per 24-hour nipulation and Communication skills, and less of a chance to control their victims (as period: 2d6 large bats, 2d6 rat packs, or only one or two attack forms other than noted later). They usually don’t create 1d3 wolves. These creatures are subject to punching or grappling should have in- other vampires willingly, of course, for availability in the area, rats or bats being creased very much. Greater vampires this draws too much attention and usually much more accessible in most attack as do lesser vampires but with a “crowds the marketplace.” If another vam- places than wolves. These animals usually 15% bonus to all of their physical attack pire is inadvertently created, the original arrive within 3d6 rounds and flee when forms. one may try to destroy it to keep the com- they have lost more than 50% of their petition down. numbers. Victims of vampirism Skills: For the most part, the lesser vam- Feeding: The greater vampire is able to As we saw earlier, a vampire can create pire’s skills are the same as they were control its urges for blood to some degree. a new vampire by completely draining a during the creature’s life. As time passes, It needs to feed only once per week, but victim of blood. But if the vampire is very increases occur in the subject’s Agility the greater vampire absolutely will not careful or very lucky, it can make one of (Climb, Dodge, Jump), Stealth (Hide, drink the blood of anything less than a its victims a slave to its will, as if the crea- Sneak), and Perception (Listen, Psychology, human. As it drains 1d6 + 1 POW and ture’s gaze attack were permanently in Spot Hidden, Track) skill areas. During its 1d6 + 1 CON from its victim, it must be effect on that person. stint as a lesser vampire, Manipulation, relatively careful and in control of its For this reason, the losses of CON and Communication, and (to a lesser extent) urges or it will create new vampires every POW must be carefully tracked for each of Knowledge skills remain relatively con- time it feeds. This draining effect makes a vampire’s victims. When a vampire suc- stant. Some penalization in the Communi- the greater vampire more likely to be able cessfully subdues a victim by gaze or by cation skills might not be a bad idea, due to control its victims (see later), making for fist, it then bites that victim. The GM to the loss of APP (‘Isn’t that Yorga fella more frequent visits to these unfortunates. should roll one dice of the appropriate kinda creepy? I mean, he’s so pale.“). In The vampire’s feeding is often facilitated type (1d4 for lesser, 1d6 + 1 for greater) combat, lesser vampires attack as per the by hypnotizing or charming its victims or, each round and subtract the result from details in the CALL OF CTHULHU game’s failing that, by pummeling them into sub- both the CON and POW of the victim. As fourth-edition rulebook, on page 131. mission. stated earlier, most vampires will not The transition: Add together the STR, Behavior and tactics: Because it has a intentionally try to drain their victims CON, INT, POW, and DEX scores the vam- greater degree of control over its blood- completely. For a lesser vampire, the pire had when it was alive, then subtract lust, the greater vampire is a far more blood-draining process takes the total from 100. This gives you the subtle opponent than its lesser counter- 1-3 rounds, depending number of months the vampire must part. With a few exceptions, the greater on the victim’s size. The remain a lesser creature before becoming vampire is infinitely more refined and greater vampire must a greater vampire. graceful in its appearance, and definitely be more careful to more attractive and charismatic; this be- keep from killing too The greater vampire havioral refinement is illustrated by the many of its victims and Means of destruction: In addition to the greater vampire’s increase in APP. Like the making them into vulnerabilities discussed in the text on lesser creatures, the greater vampire vampires. For them, lesser vampires, greater vampires take no usually refuses to make its victims into about 1-2 rounds should damage whatsoever from normal weapons new vampires. If the vampire does, it will suffice. If a victim’s (with the exception of impaling strikes to probably be for some perverse form of POW or CON is ever the chest with wooden weapons, as per vengeance against said victim, and eventu- brought to zero by a lesser vampires above). They do take ally the vampire will have one of its non- vampire’s draining minimum damage and no impaling strikes vampiric servants or victims destroy this attack, that person from silver or magic weapons. unfortunate one. Those whom the greater dies and becomes a To summarize the ways of killing greater vampire unwittingly infects with vampir- lesser vampire. If a vampires: exposure to sunlight; immersion ism will also be dispatched by his servants. vampire of either type in running water; prolonged failure to rest Few opponents are more dangerous or drains a victim of more than half on home soil; prolonged failure to feed; or more alluring than the greater vampire. If of that victim’s original POW, then a wooden stake through the heart plus it feels that it is soon to be discovered, it that person has become a blood either burning, decapitation, or exposure will create several new vampires before slave to that vampire. to sunlight or running water (the stake making its escape to safer environs. This The characteristics losses of a victim alone merely keeps it immobile, decom- way it not only creates further menaces are regenerated at a rate of one point poses it to the bare bones, and holds it for its pursuers to deal with, it also leaves to POW and CON per day, or 1d3 + 1 completely powerless until the stake is behind seeds that may grow into a power- removed). ful alliance as well as a bitter form of Shapechanging and summoning: The revenge. Luck rolls and (more importantly) hit points.

DRAGON 23 A blood slave is kept in mental contact second and subsequent SAN rolls, but if vampires are known to anyone with an with its vampiric master at all times. This they, too, fail, this weak-willed individual Occult skill of 15% or more, while the mental contact merely allows the sending must wait another 1d10 × 5 minutes and more obscure means (such as the fact that of messages between the two minds, not then attempt yet another SAN roll, contin- greater vampires are not slain by staking visual or audial sensations. The victim will uing this process until the SAN roll is alone) are known to those with an Occult follow any command the vampire gives made, someone else stakes the vampire-to- skill of 30% or more. The methods for provided the order doesn’t involve suicidal be, or the vampire-to-be wakes up! fending off vampires (garlic, cross, etc.) behavior as per a gaze attack. However, Staking any already risen vampire (of are known to anyone with a skill level the blood-slave effect is permanent and is either type) costs 1 SAN if the roll fails, but better than 5%. (These figures may seem usable by the vampire during the day, the character is still able to participate; if rather low to some, but remember that we usually to aid the vampire if its resting the roll is successful, there is no loss. in the 1990s have had 60 years of vampire place has been found. This contact can be Staking a vampire, risen or not, who was films to “teach” us about the ecology of the broken only by the destruction of the known in life to the one doing the staking vampire. Folk in the 1920s were limited to controlling vampire and is effective at any requires a roll for a SAN loss of 1d6 (or 1), written sources of vampire lore. Keepers distance. and if the roll fails the character cannot running campaigns set in the 1990s may A victim slain by a vampire’s blood immediately take part in the act. A charac- wish to lower these minimum skill levels draining (i.e., brought to zero POW or ter with a failed roil must make SAN rolls by 5% or so to reflect the Investigators’ CON) arises within 2d6 game days as a every 1d10 × 5 minutes as before, but each “education” via the cinematic vampire.) lesser vampire, independent of the greater failed roll still causes a loss of 1 SAN. Most of this information can be found at a vampire’s control. There are ways to avoid Viewing the disintegration of a vampire nearby library with a couple hours re- this, most notably the grisly method of due to most usual methods of vampire- search and a few successful Library Use staking the defenseless creature before it killing costs 1d3 or zero SAN, depending rolls. arises. Another successful method would on the success or failure of the SAN roll. It should be apparent that vampires be cremation, provided the undead victim On the other hand, destroying a lesser need to change their feeding grounds has not yet initially risen from its grave. vampire restores 2d4 SAN to those who every so often to avoid suspicion. Some- More subtle methods such as prayer vigils took part in its execution, while the de- times they may be forced to move because or the use of holy items or garlic might be mise of a greater vampire gains 2d6 SAN suspicion has already been aroused. Vam- successful, according to the GM’s wishes, for each of his killers. The Keeper may pires almost always have some sort of but this is not recommended. Vampire also wish to give an additional point of human slave or contact to take care of exterminating should be a dirty, gruesome SAN for each nonplayer character blood major travel arrangements; this is espe- business. slave freed by a vampire’s death. cially true of movements across bodies of Sanity and vampires Vampires in campaigns water. These slaves are usually victims of the vampire’s POW-draining that have The various aspects of vampirism can When using vampires in CALL OF been promised eventual full vampirehood affect the SAN of the viewer. Seeing a CTHULHU adventures, note that these for their aid. These slaves often transport lesser vampire and knowing it to be such rules are by no means carved in stone. several coffins for their vampiric masters, costs 1d6 SAN unless a SAN roll is made, in The Keeper can and should tinker with as these monsters tend to have several which case there is no loss; a greater these ideas to create a few unique vam- spread about their hunting and haunting vampire requires a roll for a possible loss pires to be encountered in addition to grounds. of 1d8 SAN (or 1 SAN if the roll is made). If those described herein. Imagine, for in- A final note: When a vampire gets in a the vampire was known in life to the stance, a vampire who is unaffected by the free-for-all with the PCs, if at all possible witness, an additional loss of 1d4 (or 1) usual banes detailed above (sunlight, holy just knock them around until they’re un- SAN is taken. Being bitten by a vampire (of items, running water, etc.) until the night conscious. Then have the vampire bite either type) requires a SAN roll; 1d4 is lost, on which it must feed, at which time it ‘em. If it suits your needs, you should try or 1 point is lost if the SAN roll is made. becomes a sort of bestial “were-vampire.” to make one of your PCs (or at the very Seeing a vampire feed on another human Or picture an atheistic vampire immune to least an important or powerful NPC) into a being costs 1d3 SAN unless a SAN roll is religious trappings such as holy water and slave of a vampire. This may involve fudg- made, in which case no SAN is lost. holy symbols, but otherwise like the un- ing the die rolls during the vampire’s Participating in the staking of a new dead described in this article. Or perhaps blood-draining (it wouldn’t do to kill the vampire that has not yet risen also re- a vampire unaffected by sunlight and with Investigator too quickly; just make him quires a SAN roll. If the roll is successful, no special powers during the day, but in and his companions squirm). The charac- the character loses only 1 SAN and can all other respects like the vampires de- ters will then have an even better reason continue the procedure; if the roll fails, scribed above. Using this article as a guide- to hunt down the nefarious bloodsucker, that character loses 1d4 SAN and cannot line, the possibilities are virtually endless. to free both their friend and the world of take part in the staking at that time. At One of the most important jobs of the this menace. Then again, if the vampire least 1d10 x 5 minutes must pass before prospective vampire-hunter is cutting does happen to kill one of the Investiga- that character can get up the nerve to try through all the myth and legendry sur- tors, the remainder of the party will have again, at which time another SAN roll rounding these creatures and finding their to deal with the victim in addition to the must be attempted; there is no loss for the true banes. Most methods for destroying original horror. Imagine the horrible scene when the Investigators set out to stake Lesser and Greater Vampires’ CALL OF CTHULHU® Game Statistics their former colleague! While As Lesser’s As Greater’s [Other recent articles on vampires that Characteristic living lesser average greater average have appeared in DRAGON® Magazine STR 3d6 3d6 + d6 14 (3d6 + d6) x 2 28 include: “Hearts of Darkness” and “A CON 3d6 3d6 + d6 14 (3d6 + d6) x 2 28 Touch of Evil,” in issue #126 (on AD&D® SIZ 2d6+6 2d6+6 13 2d6+6 13 game vampires); “The MARVEL®-Phile,” in INT 2d6+6 2d6+6 13 2d6+6 13 issue #126 and in this issue (on MARVEL POW 3d6 3d6 10-11 3d6 x 2 21 SUPER HEROES™ game vampires); and DEX 3d6 3d6 10-11 3d6 x 1.5 16 “Fangs Alot!“ in issue #150 (on AD&D 2nd APP 3d6 3d6 — d3 8-9 3d6—d3+d6 12-13 Edition game vampires).] HP (average) 12 - 14 - 21

24 OCTOBER 1990 DRAGON 25

. . . and into your campaign come three shady creatures

by Tom Moldvay are still the undead of the original Monster One thing we do know is that all ghosts Manual. They are merely described in had an irresistible craving to drink blood. shadow: something without reality or more detail, in keeping with the AD&D In the Odyssey, Homer described how substance; imaginary vision . . . a ghost; 2nd Edition game format. For example, the Odysseus consulted the dead prophet apparition. usual details of shadow habitat, society, Teiresias, once a holy man of Thebes. New World Dictionary of and ecology are included. According to the Following Circe’s instructions, Odysseus the American Language Monstrous Compendium, shadows “appear sailed across the river Ocean, which encir- to have been magically created, perhaps as cled the world. On the far side he beached The shadow is an invented monster, one part of some ancient curse.” The listing his ship on Persephone’s shore, where created specially for the AD&D® game and also gives a theoretical means for restoring stood the entrance to the dark realm of not directly based on traditional sources of PCs changed into shadows. Hades. mythology and legends (though its inspira- The dichotomy of shadows continues. Journeying deep into Tartarus, Odysseus tion is there). The word “shadow” is some- The D&D® game is strictly based on the and his crew took living sheep as sacrifices times used as a synonym for a ghostly original (“classic”) rules. When I edited the to entice the ghost of Teiresias to appear. apparition, so it is an appropriate name second edition of the Basic D&D rules, and Odysseus first dug a grave-size pit. He for a monster type. The gaming logic is Frank Mentzer edited the third edition of then killed the sheep and filled the pit elemental. In underground dungeons lit by the same rules, we both kept shadows as with their blood. The ghosts of the nether- torchlight, there will always be shadows. non-undead monsters. Thus, in the AD&D world rushed to the pit, thirsty for a Why not have some of the shadows attack game, shadows are undead; in the D&D drink. Odysseus and his men drew their the characters every once in a while? A game, they are not. The final decision swords and held off the massed ghosts monster could thus be hidden in a room, whether or not to class the monster with until Teiresias finally arrived. in plain sight, to give characters an occa- the undead depends on the DM’s needs. The dead prophet drank his fill and, as sional nasty surprise. For some campaigns, having more sorts of he did so, became more substantial and In the history of the game, shadows undead is useful; for other campaigns, it is looked more like a living man. His full were not always a sort-of undead. The a hindrance. memories returned, and he was able to monster was introduced in Greyhawk, The inspiration for shadows as undead answer all of Odysseus’s questions. Teire- Supplement I of the original, pamphlet- monsters comes from Greek mythology. As sias prophesied Odysseus’s further wan- sized D&D® rules (now usually referred to Edith Hamilton, in Mythology (pages 42- derings, gave him sage advice (that was as the “classic” edition of the game), by 43), notes: “In Homer the underworld is often ignored), and held out a ray of hope Gary Gygax and Rob Kuntz. In Greyhawk, vague, a shadowy place inhabited by that, eventually, Odysseus would return shadows were described as “non-corporeal shadows. Nothing is real there. The ghosts’ home and be reunited with his beloved intelligent creatures . . . [that] hunger after existence, if it can be called that, is like a Penelope. the life energy of living things.” They miserable dream.” This Homeric concep- Later classical writers modified this were, however, “not ‘Undead’ per se” tion better fits the horrid existence of the primitive gloomy afterlife. They defined (pages 34-35). undead than it does a true afterlife, as we the world of the dead more clearly as the When Gary Gygax wrote the first Mon- think of it. place where the evil are punished and the ster Manual, he decided it was more logi- The realm of Hades in Homer’s Iliad and good receive their just rewards. cal to make shadows a type of undead. Odyssey is not a pleasant place. The dead, The allusion in classical mythology to Shadows became “horrible undead crea- mere shadows of their former selves, ghosts as “shadows” is reflected in most tures . . . [who] . . . exist primarily on the wander aimlessly through gloomy caverns, dictionary definitions of “shade.” The usual negative material plane” (page 86). The across cold wastes, and over meadows definitions of “the shades” in this sense is: change helped the cleric class by giving it filled with pallid, ghostly flowers. The “the world of the dead; nether world; another kind of undead that it could turn. dead are forever alone, doomed to a phan- Hades” or “the disembodied spirits of the The function of intelligent, malign, non- tom existence and trapped with their dead, collectively” (New World Dictionary undead shadows was taken over by the faded memories. Precise details of this of the American Language). The Homeric shade in the Monster Manual II. netherworld are scarce, for few ancient vision of the dead also inspired the follow- In the Monstrous Compendium, shadows writers cared to dwell on it. ing undead monster for the AD&D game:

DRAGON 27 to eternal wandering. Gaelic (Scottish Highlands) mythology has tales of the sluagh (pronounced “slooa”), who are known as “the host of the unforgiven dead” or, more simply “the host.” Descrip- tions of the sluagh vary, but most corres- pond closely to that given by Alexander Carmichael in the Carmina Gadelica (vol- ume II, page 357). He noted that the “hosts” are the spirits of dead mortals. One informant told Carmichal that these spirits fly about in great clouds like starlings and return to the scenes of their earthly trans- gressions. On bad nights, say others, the hosts shelter themselves under russet docken stems and yellow ragwort stalks (two types of plants found in the High- lands). They fight aerial battles as men do on the earth, and may be heard and seen on clear frosty nights, advancing and the skotos (skotos is Greek for darkness or prey. Skotos look like pale, shadowy ver- retreating. After a battle, their crimson shadow). sions of normal beings. They can be of any blood may be seen upon the rocks and The monster format used throughout intelligent race and any evil alignment, for stones. These spirits use poisonous darts this article, while essentially the same as only evil creatures would voluntarily leave to kill cats, dogs, sheep, and cattle. They that of the AD&D 2nd Edition rules, does the afterlife to prey upon the living. can command men to follow them, and differ slightly. These changes are used: Combat: A skotos is drawn by fresh men obey, having no alternative. Such 1. “TREASURE” lists both a percentage blood, which it consumes. As it absorbs human victims slay and maim at the bid- (the old “% IN LAIR” value) and a treasure- the blood, it grows stronger (it absorbs ding of their spirit-masters, who in return type letter. For example, “30% B” means blood even from the wounds it inflicts in treat them badly and without pity. there is a 30% chance the monster (if combat against living creatures). The The picture of the sluagh that emerges is randomly selected) will be in its lair, and it skotos gains a number of hit points equal certainly full of horror. On a chill frosty has treasure-type B. to the damage it inflicts in combat; thus, a night, one might see the host advance in 2. The subcategory of “Ecology” has skotos that hits for 8 hp damage gains 8 the bright moonlight. Like fast-moving, been left out since such a category is es- hp, up to its maximum hit-point total (40). low-lying storm clouds, boiling with irides- sentially meaningless when applied to the Note that the hit points are not perma- cent blues and greens and reds as if the undead, who contribute nothing to living nently lost by the victim, who still heals aurora borealis was trapped within, the ecologies. normally. host would wash across the night sky. In a normal encounter, skotos as a group Sometimes the rolling clouds would clash have a 75% chance to hide in shadows together and, when they did, bloody crim- Skotos successfully and thus surprise their prey. son rain would fall to stain the earth. Skotos encountered during or immediately As the sluagh got closer, it could be seen CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any usually after a bloody conflict will be so frenzied that the “clouds” were actually masses of subterranean by the sight of blood that they will make malignant bird-sized spirits. Each creature FREQUENCY: Very rare no attempt at concealment, immediately would look much like the negative photo- ORGANIZATION: Roving bands attacking any living creature in sight. graphic image of a sprite, with a dark ACTIVITY CYCLE: Night or Intelligent prey is, however, preferred. shadowy body and iridescent wings. Each darkness As with many types of undead, skotos would be armed with a tiny bow with an DIET: Living beings are not affected by sleep, charm, hold, or equally tiny broad sword strapped to its INTELLIGENCE: cold-based spells, nor by poison or paraly- waist. Trapped deep within the cloudlike Average (8-10) zation. Holy water causes 2-8 hp damage host would be numerous zombies, magi- TREASURE: 5% E to them per vial, and a raise dead or resur- cally born aloft and forced to obey every ALIGNMENT: Any evil rection spell will destroy a skotos. Any whim of the sluagh host. NO. APPEARING: skotos reduced to zero hit points or less is 3-30 in wilderness; forced back into the netherworld. A cler- 1-10 in dungeons ic’s chance to turn a skotos is the same as Sluagh ARMOR CLASS: 4 for a ghast. Normal weapons will harm a MOVEMENT: 12 skotos. CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Cold or temperate/ HIT DICE: 5 Habitat/Society: Skotos usually roam mountainous THAC0: 15 in bands composed of similar races and FREQUENCY: Very rare NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 alignments, though different beings may ORGANIZATION: Large roving bands DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-10 band together in their common goal of ACTIVITY CYCLE: Nocturnal SPECIAL ATTACKS: None feeding upon the living. Though they have DIET: Living beings SPECIAL DEFENSES: Hit points escaped the netherworld, skotos generally INTELLIGENCE: Average increase inhabit places that remind them of it. TREASURE: Nil MAGIC RESISTANCE: Special Subterranean caverns and tunnels are ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil SIZE: M (5-6’ tall) preferred, although skotos bands will NO. APPEARING: 10-100 in MORALE: Fearless (20) sometimes roam wilderness wastelands at wilderness XP VALUE: 420 night. While skotos are not harmed by ARMOR CLASS: 5 sunlight, they dislike it intensely and will MOVEMENT: 3, F1 24 (B) Skotos are spirits that have broken free flee sunlight if at all possible. HIT DICE: 2 of the netherworld and now roam the THAC0: 19 world of the living as undead. They form Greek mythology is not the only tradi- NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 hunting packs to better swarm over their tional source for a horde of ghosts cursed DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4

28 OCTOBER 1990 DRAGON 29 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spell-casting, poisoned tered, their commander will be a lich. shadow lengthened in the afternoon, his missiles Note that special undead leaders make an strength came back. An enemy discovered SPECIAL DEFENSES: Control of encounter with the sluagh more deadly the secret of this man’s strength and killed zombies and should be used only if the characters him at noon. MAGIC RESISTANCE: Special are of an appropriately high level (with at Sir James Frazer also discussed customs SIZE: S (2’ tall) least some chance of a cleric of their level practiced in his day (1922) in southeastern MORALE: Fearless (20) turning the leader). Europe. When the foundation of a new XP VALUE: 975 building was being laid in Greece, a cock, In many cultures, a person’s shadow is ram, or lamb was slain; its blood flowed The sluagh (also known as “the host”) linked to that person with strong magical on the foundation stone, under which the are undead spirits who roam the night in bonds. In The Golden Bough, a classic animal was then buried. The sacrifice was packs, warring with each other and prey- collection of folklore written in 1922, Sir thought to give strength and stability to ing on the living. A member of the sluagh James Frazer discussed shadows on pages the building. Sometimes, instead of killing looks much like a black sprite, with a dark 220-222. He wrote that “the savage re- an animal, the builder led a man to the shadowy body and gauzy iridescent wings. gards his shadow as his soul, or at least a foundation stone, secretly measured his Seen at a distance at twilight, a group of vital part of himself. As such it can be- shadow, and buried the measure under sluagh looks like a roiling thundercloud. come a source of danger to him.” If a prim- the stone. The builder sometimes laid the Combat: The sluagh fire tiny bows with itive man’s shadow was trampled, struck, foundation stone upon the man’s shadow poisonous arrows, having a maximum or stabbed, he felt the injury as if it were instead, which it was thought would cause range of 75 yards. A victim hit by an ar- done to himself; if the shadow was pulled the man to die within a year. Romanians in row must save vs. poison or die in 2-5 away from him entirely, the man believed Transylvania thought that a man whose rounds (unless the poison is slowed or he would die. Magicians on the island of shadow was so entombed would die neutralized). The save need be made but Wetar, said Frazer, could make a man ill by within 40 days; persons passing by a build- once only; any character who survives stabbing his shadow. ing under construction often hear a warn- such a poison attack is thereafter immune In the Banks Islands in the Canadian ing cry: “Beware lest they take thy to sluagh poison. The sluagh can also fight Arctic are remarkably long stones called shadow!” There were even shadow trad- with tiny swords that do damage equal to “eating ghosts.” because dangerous ghosts ers whose business was to give architects daggers. were believed to live in them. If a man’s the shadows necessary for securing walls. The sluagh can cast the spells animate shadow touched one of these stones, the The measure of a shadow was seen as dead and fly, one spell per round, as often ghost drew his soul out so that the man equivalent to the shadow itself; to bury a as they wish. Any character slain by the died. Such stones were therefore set in shadow’s measure was to bury the soul of sluagh is turned into a zombie and is then houses to guard them. A messenger sent the man whose shadow was measured taken along when the sluagh fly away. The to a house by an absent owner had to call (thus dooming him). The custom was a sluagh are usually accompanied by 3-24 out the name of the sender to keep the substitute for an older practice of sealing a zombies already under their control. watchful ghost from attacking. living person in the walls, or crushing him The sluagh need not make normal mo- When the lid was about to be placed on under the foundation stone of a new rale checks. At the DM’s discretion, any the coffin at a funeral in China, the by- building; this caused his ghost to haunt the time the sluagh turn a victim into a zombie standers stepped back or even moved to place and guard it against enemies. they may choose to fly away. The sluagh another room, to avoid endangering their This collection of shadow-lore from The exist in a state of barely controlled rage. health by allowing their shadows to be Golden Bough inspired the following mon- When not tormenting the living, they are enclosed in the coffin. When the coffin ster: the ghost stone. likely to fight among themselves. Tales are was about to be lowered into the grave, told of great aerial battles fought between bystanders stepped away so their shadows divisions of the sluagh host. Characters did not fall into the pit. Grave-diggers and Ghost-Stone can often turn this animosity to their coffin-bearers avoided these dangers by advantage, as large numbers of the sluagh tying strips of cloth tightly around their CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any, often are easily tricked into fighting each other waists to keep their shadows attached. subterranean and leaving the characters alone. Animals, too, were believed to be FREQUENCY: Very rare The sluagh are not affected by sleep, harmed or to bring harm by means of ORGANIZATION: None charm, hold; or cold-based spells, nor by their shadows. A snail from the hills of ACTIVITY CYCLE: Shadow activated poison or paralyzation. They take 2-8 hp Malaya was believed to suck the blood of DIET: Living beings each per vial of holy water and are de- cattle through their shadows; the cattle INTELLIGENCE: Average stroyed by raise dead or resurrection grew lean and sometimes died from blood TREASURE: 50% E spells. loss. It was once believed in Arabia that if ALIGNMENT: (Any) evil A cleric has the same chance to turn the a hyena trod on a man’s shadow, it de- NO. APPEARING: 1 sluagh as he has to turn ghouls. In the prived him of both speech and movement. ARMOR CLASS: 3 same round, allow the cleric a chance to If a shadow is seen as so closely tied to MOVEMENT: None turn the zombie accompanying the sluagh. the life of a man that its loss means injury HIT DICE: 20 (stone only) Habitat/Society: Sluagh always travel or death, the shrinking of the shadow is THAC0: Not applicable in large war bands, being the undead logically regarded with fear. In Amboyna NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 forms of warlike elves who turned on and Uliase, two islands pear the equator DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-20 their fellow elves and were slain in battle. (where little or no shadow is cast at noon), SPECIAL ATTACKS: Blood drain They appear only in the wilderness, never local people did not to go out of their SPECIAL DEFENSES: None in dungeon settings. The sluagh never houses at midday to avoid risking the loss MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below appear during the day and always flee of their souls’ shadows. SIZE: L (10’ tall) sunlight. Their preferred habitat is any The Mangaians told of a mighty warrior MORALE: Fearless terrain similar to the Scottish Highlands. whose strength waxed and waned with XP VALUE: 4,000 The sluagh are sometimes led by other the length of his shadow. In the morning, types of undead. For every 20 sluagh there when his shadow was longest, his strength Ghost-stones are just that: stones inhab- is one wraith lieutenant. For every 40 was greatest; as his shadow shortened ited by ghosts. A powerful, evil individual sluagh there is an additional vampire toward noon, his strength ebbed, till it may choose to send his malicious spirit captain. If 80 or more sluagh are encoun- reached its lowest point at noon. As his into a specially prepared stone upon his

30 OCTOBER 1990 death. The person prefers an undead son to be suspicious of that particular Bibliography existence to risking the punishments of stone, the DM should allow a saving throw Carmichael, Alexander. Carmina Gadelica, the netherworld. The ghost-stone is often vs. wands to the PC. 4 vols. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd, 1928- placed so that it guards the treasure the Any character who strikes the ghost- 1941. evil person hoarded in life; the treasure stone physically, without first choosing an Frazer, Sir James G. The Golden Bough, may actually be concealed within the attack angle that guarantees that his one volume, abridged edition. New stone itself. shadow will not fall upon the stone, could York: The Macmillian Company, 1922, Combat: If the shadow of a character end up trapped also. Each person in addi- reset and reprinted 1951. falls upon a ghost-stone, that person is tion to the first gains a saving throw vs. Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. Boston: Little, trapped. The individual can still fight and wands to avoid entrapment. Only one Brown and Company, 1942. cast spells, but is unable to move more person at a time will be drained of blood, Homer. The Odyssey of Homer, trans- than 10’ away from the stone. The ghost- however. Other trapped individuals are lated by S. H. Butcher and Andrew stone uses the shadowy connection to simply unable to move away. If the ghost- Lang. New York: Airmont Publishing drain the victim’s blood, doing 1-20 hp stone survives attacks against it, it eventu- Company, Inc., 1965. damage per round automatically. ally drains all of its victims of blood. There are two ways to destroy a ghost- A cleric has the same chance to turn stone. If the stone holding the evil ghost is away the spirit in a ghost-stone as he has completely hacked apart, the spirit is to turn a ghost. If turning is successful, forced to depart and undertake its long the ghost-stone releases all victims cur- delayed journey to the netherworld. An rently being held. It will not attack unless exorcism spell has the same effect. it is itself attacked, or if a character tries The ghost in the stone can be pacified if to steal the treasure the ghost-stone is its name is known. A simple command of: guarding. “[Ghost’s true name] be still, and at peace” (Note that the “Habitat/Society” category calms the angry spirit even if its treasure is meaningless for the ghost-stone.) is taken. In a campaign, the DM has the option of revealing the ghost’s name to the PCs, perhaps making the answer a puzzle or riddle. Since ghost-stones look like any other stones, they normally attack with surprise. The first indication of trouble is when a character’s shadow gets automatically trapped. If the characters have some rea- by Skip Williams

If you have any questions on the games page 35, for a discussion of time periods in simply linked the rings, as did their suc- produced by TSR, Inc., “Sage Advice” will the AD&D game and their associated cessors when they were in a hurry or answer them. In the United States and technology.) Scale mail, an ancient armor wanted to cut costs. This generally made Canada, write to: Sage Advice, DRAGON® type, had all but disappeared by the time inferior armor, but Oriental armorers Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI chain mail came into common use during often made very good unriveted chain 53147, U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Sage the Middle Ages. Obviously, if you have a mail (as good as riveted mail) by using a Advice, DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 campaign set right on the borderline be- superior alloy and by making each ring Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge tween the end of the Ancient period from two or three coils of rod. CB1 3LD, United Kingdom. We are no (when the DMG says chain mail doesn’t For readers who are interested in learn- longer able to make personal replies; exist at all) and the beginnings of the Dark ing more about the manufacture of chain please send no SASEs with your questions Ages, about 1100 A.D. or so, chain mail is mail and other types of armor, I recom- (old SASEs are being returned with writ- going to be very expensive. There are mend A Glossary of the Construction, ers’ guidelines for the magazine). several reasons for this. First, chain mail Decoration, and Use of Arms and Armor, Once again, the sage looks back to re- would represent the newest and best by George Cameron Stone. The book is consider some old advice. Page numbers concept in body armor—keeping up with uncommon but is available at better used refer to rulebooks for the AD&D® 2nd the latest developments is always costly. book stores and at large libraries. Edition game. Second, the manufacturing techniques and advanced metallurgy that made chain mail I really enjoyed your “April Fools” I could not believe my eyes when I economical to manufacture during the column back in issue # 156. Did any- read your answer to the question Middle Ages would not yet have been body help you think up the about the cost of chain mail in issue invented. Third, from a campaign stand- questions? #158. I, too, thought the prices had point, chain mail should be more expen- The questions in #156 were real; readers been misprinted. Your response that sive that scale mail; you can kiss your play really sent them in. I am not clever scale mail costs more to make than balance goodbye if the best armor availa- enough to think up questions like that. I chain mail is idiotic and grossly ble isn’t also the most costly. You are free suppose I could get together with a few unhistorical. Chain mail is made of to set your own cost for chain mail in such colleagues and think up a few questions wire (itself difficult and expensive a setting, but I recommend at least double that would be pretty wild, but that would to make) that is formed into links (150 gp) and triple (225 gp) normal prices be a waste considering what the mailbag that are interlocked, then soldered would not be unreasonable. Furthermore, holds every month. or welded together. In the fourth chain mail in this setting probably would and fifth centuries A.D., a Roman be made of iron, not steel, as the equip- To answer your question in issue armorer, using techniques that re- ment list in the Player’s Handbook as- #156 (page 55, third column): Yes, mained essentially unchanged sumes. Such chain mail would weigh 50 those questions do arise during throughout the Middle Ages, could lbs. instead of the listed 40 lbs., or 25% play. Now that you know this, per- make four or five suits of chain mail more (see DMG, page 38). haps you’d reconsider your answer a year. By contrast, scale mail uses Speaking of the “unhistorical”: One does to the “watery ranger” question. metal plates— not wire—that are not have to have wire to make chain mail. Where I’m from, characters get simply sewn onto a leather shirt. The Romans used rings cut, punched, or wished into glasses of water all the To reiterate, the base cost of chain mail drilled from sheets of metal. The Romans time (the idea originated in a fan- in the AD&D 2nd Edition game is 75 gp, and ancient Chinese probably also had zine), and your suggestion that such and the base cost of scale mail is 120 gp. access to cast rings. Wire was pretty rare characters can be killed simply by Itemized breakdowns of the costs of man- in medieval Europe, and most wire was drinking them is tough on PCs. ufacture for each type of armor are given gold, silver, or copper for use in jewelry First, if wishes are so common in your on page 6 of the Complete Fighter’s Hand- and adornments. Medieval armorers al- campaigns that they are used for anything book. Your estimate of the construction most certainly made their chain mail from “all the time,” you’ve got too many wishes time for chain mail agrees with the table rods that they forged themselves from floating around; cut back. Note that a wish in the Complete Fighter’s Handbook, ingots or bars; this is not as difficult as it is the only magic in the core AD&D rules where an unsupervised apprentice work- sounds, especially when the armorer that can turn a character into a glass of ing in a properly equipped shop can make knew what he was doing and had his water. Polymorph any object can turn a suit of chain mail in 10 weeks (5.2 suits a whole life to practice the skill. (Note that organic matter into inorganic matter, but year). However, two apprentices working making a rod from a chunk of raw metal into only one kind of matter at a time; a under the same conditions take eight takes a lot less hammering than what successful spell could turn a character into weeks to make a suit of scale mail (16 would be required to make a flat plate out a glass, or into water, but not both. man-weeks in all). Scale mail requires of the same piece of metal.) Furthermore, Second, wishes are not intended to be more raw materials (60 gp worth) than the chain mail currently preserved in used as direct attacks on creatures. Such does chain mail (38 gp worth); chain mail’s museums and private collections is not wishes fall into the grossly unfair category rings require less labor and metal than soldered or welded, but riveted; in most (see PHB, page 197), and the DM should scale mail’s plates. cases, however, the rivets were hammered actively subvert the intent of such spells Note, however, that chain mail and scale so carefully that the links appear to be whenever they are used, even when they mail come from two different historical welded. Finally, not all chain mail had its are used by NPCs. Thus, if an evil wizard periods. (See the Dungeon Master’s Guide, links fastened. Ancient armorers often wishes a PC “into a glass of water.” a huge

32 OCTOBER 1990 glass containing the PC and many gallons of water should appear; rest assured that at least one novel twist exists for each possible wording of this wish. Third, this wish should allow a saving throw, since it is being used as a high- powered polymorph any object spell. Fourth, any polymorphed character retains his hit points. Drinking the charac- ter will cause harm just as surely as eating the character would, but if the character has 100 hp, drinking the character is going to be a long and difficult process. Water in a glass has no armor class (it just sits there), but the most damage a human can do by drinking is 1-2 hp per round. Note that big, nasty teeth have no real effect on water, but a large tongue does, so a dragon or cow might be able to “drink” 1-12 hp each round. Also, as TSR editor Jon Pickens points out, if a character is turned into a glass of water, a few of his hit points will be held in the glass (say 10- 20% of the total), and the glass must be smashed before the character can be killed; this, too, is easier said than done if the victim has a lot of hit points. Finally, although evaporation or spillage can “kill” the character, death won’t be instantaneous. An evaporated character is effectively in gaseous form until his mole- cules are thoroughly dispersed in the atmosphere; a kind DM might rule that the gaseous state lasts indefinitely. Similarly, a watery character poured into the dirt and allowed to soak in can be considered melded into stone and not truly dead.

Back in issue #121, you said that non-yakuza ninja do not have the ability to pick pockets. However, the same issue of DRAGON® Magazine contained a new Oriental character class, the geisya. This class is sup- posed to have a pick pockets ability that is the same as a ninja of the same level. Furthermore, Oriental Adventures itself says that a yakuza has a chance to pick pockets equal to that of a ninja of the same level. What gives? This column was right; ninja do not have a pick pockets ability unless they are ninja- yakuza. Until an official correction comes along, assume a 1st-level yakuza has a 30% chance to pick pockets. This ability increases by 5% per level to a maximum of 99% at level 15. Allow the geisya to pick pockets as a yakuza (not a ninja) of equal level.

A couple of issues ago, you said that the new dragons can breathe only three times a day. What’s wrong with allowing them to breathe once every three rounds with no limit on the number of times per day? Nothing’s wrong with that. In fact, that’s the way dragon breath is supposed to work with the new dragons (my error).

“Forum” welcomes your comments and opinions people who would condemn the entire game I’m a Christian and an adult. The AD&D game, on role-playing games. In the United States and because there have been a few goofy players. as a game for adults, is terrific. Adults already Canada, write to: Forum, DRAGON® Magazine, But still, let me say a few things about the light have decided what is good and bad, and how P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. In and dark sides of AD&D games: they will live their lives. But when TSR watered Europe, write to: Forum, DRAGON Magazine, I learned to play the AD&D game in college, down the AD&D game to the paperback book TSR Ltd, 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton, eight years ago. At once the game struck me as level and started selling it to preteens is where I Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom. We ask being an amazing adventure, a storybook of think the trouble began. Kids do role-model; it’s that material submitted to “Forum” be either valiant deeds that could last a thousand life- proven. And in “Monty Haul” dungeons where neatly written by hand or typed with a fresh times, a chance to do in a passing evening epic the DM is an adolescent who hates the world, ribbon and clean keys so we can read and quests that spanned the planes. I was fortunate evil wins. That is why parents, right or wrong, understand your comments. in that my fellow players were all neutral good. fear D&D games. It’s because when it is run Later, when I began to DM and teach the game badly, it can feed hate rather than drain it away. For some time, we have been collecting letters to others, I made sure that evil characters met It’s rather like being a Jedi Knight; as a DM, I from gamers concerning the a attacks being made an untimely death, and that whatever the ad- feel that if I introduce the AD&D game to upon role-playing in general (and the D&D® and venture, great deeds would be done. I had anyone under the age of 18, I should show the AD&D® games in particular) that charge such quickly found that evil characters bug down the glory of the game, the valiant hero we all should games with being harmful to gamers. These game with petty greed at the party’s expense. be, not the cowardly assassin who slinks in the fetters address the specific prejudices that We hung together. In my world, Good always night. (The assassin is an NPC and lives a very gamers encounter and suggest ways to over- wins. short time in my world.) come that prejudice. We welcome further We ask why people fear fantasy role-playing The other bad side of the AD&D game stems letters from our readers on this topic. Please games. It’s partly because the average guy in the from the few actual magic flaws engineered in note that the opinions expressed in this column street’s had his imagination stomped out of him by its designers. I’m not the narrow-minded (as in all previous “Forum” columns) do not at an early age, and so thinks a “game without a fellow who thinks that a cleric character pray necessarily reflect the views of TSR, Inc.). board” is really weird. Unfortunately, it is more ing to his deity is the same as a player “worship- than that. It’s the few actual oddballs that have ing idols,” as some nongaming people would I am one of a seemingly small minority, the gone off gaming’s deep end and met with trou- believe (although all PC clerics in my world are Christian gamer. As such, I have to applaud and ble (including a few suicides). As gamers, we neutral-good Jehovahans). But there is elemental comment on your “Letters” column and editorial know role-playing is like any tool: It does what evil in the real world. It’s a joke to most gamers. in issue #125. It was an even-handed treatment you do with it, and a few people have indeed But it’s a short step from a pentagram inscribed of parental concerns, while at the same time a given the whole field a bad name. But I’d like to in the Dungeon Masters Guide to messing valid scratching of the head at the kind of say this about responsible DMing: around with tarot cards, Ouija boards, and

36 OCTOBER 1990 Darkness. “My magic-user casts a sleep spell,” sition is doing. They begin to preach about the for the suicides of several teenage players. works just fine. When you get into specifics like good aspects of role-playing just as the opposi- These organizations feel that the only solution is symbology and actual arcane markings, you are tion [preaches about the bad aspects]. Yet both to ban or outlaw the game. playing with fire, as the barriers between our- sides seem to forget that it is our legal right TSR has responded to these allegations through selves and Satan are there for a reason. either to play the game (it has not been out- a number of means. The means most familiar to The AD&D game is just a game. It’s fun, like lawed) or to preach against it. This right is readers of DRAGON Magazine is a series of editori- all FRPGs. But when it glorifies darkness, greed, guaranteed by the Constitution in the Bill of als, the first one appearing some months ago. But or hate, or when it is used as a tool to escape Rights. The opposition has every right to try to this is not sufficient. It is time that someone take a our troubles rather than just to let off steam, it get the different role-playing games banned, just long and organized look at the charges against the runs the risk of harming people. I wouldn’t give as role-players and advocates of this hobby have DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game in order to refute a loaded gun or a bottle of scotch to a child and the right to try and make sure the opposition them and prove the innocence of this game. tell him to “go have fun.” Likewise, if I pass the does not get what it wants. Most people, espe- By far the most serious accusation against the AD&D game on to another person, it should be cially those of the opposition, believe that their DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game is the charge as a glorious adventure, a chance to be a hero. side is correct and that no one is going to that the D&D game has caused the suicides of In the Bible, good triumphs over evil; in a good change their minds, and it bothers me that a lot several teenage players across the United States. game, the same thing happens. If you want to of role-players get this same attitude. To disprove this claim requires a brief examina- play in a campaign with backstabbing and This letter is a reminder to the role-players of tion of the phenomenon of teenage suicide. secrecy are viewed as useful skills, play West the world that those people have a right to try Statistically, suicide is the number-two killer of End Games’ PARANOIA game, where everyone and keep us from playing, just like we have a those 15 to 24, second only to vehicular acci- knows that the mayhem is a joke, not something right to stop them, but it is also to remind those dents. It is thought that half of all teenagers on which to build young lives. of the role-playing establishment not to get pig have contemplated, planned, or attempted Andrew Bartmess headed and see only one way, that makes us as suicide. Cincinnati OH bad as them. Suicide is the result of extreme amounts of I would like to mention the fact that the stress. This stress can be caused by a number of This letter is in response to your editorial people that are trying to stop role-playing have sources: pressure to perform in school, peer featured in the June 1988 issue of DRAGON a philosophy similar to that of those that have pressure to conform or to use alcohol and Magazine. The underlying theme of your edito- tried (and are still trying) to stop rock and roll. drugs, pressure in the home due to parental rial (in my opinion) was that of personal choice. Robert B. Luhrman divorce or unemployment, etc. Stress manifests There is another issue that I believe you need to Griffin GA itself in feelings of confusion, frustration, and stress when you deal with the issue of role- helplessness. People undergoing such stress see playing versus no role-playing. The issue is on The greatest threat facing the DUNGEONS & themselves as sliding into a hopeless pit of legal rights. DRAGONS® game today comes from certain depression. A lucky few reach out to friends or Everyone has the right to his own opinion. organizations that claim that D&D games have a family for help, but most cannot stop the inexo- Almost all role-players who hear people talk harmful effect on their pIayers. These organiza- rable slide and turn to escapes like alcohol and negatively about role-playing get heated up and tions (typically parents’ associations, school drugs. These escapes, while providing no real try to convince these people that role-playing is boards, and religious groups) make numerous solution, at least allow them to temporarily not evil and that it can be beneficial. Role- allegations against the D&D game, ranging from forget their problems. players are doing the same thing that the oppo- accusing it of glorifying violence to blaming it Unfortunately, drugs and alcohol are very

DRAGON 37 popular—but better escapes exist. Consider for game, saying that it is sacrilegious and it pro- example a role-playing game like the motes devil-worshiping. Of course, this is silly. DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game. It allows a Their arguments are based on the fact that player to take on a new persona, to control a among the thousands of pages of gaming mate- character with mighty abilities and without the rial can be found such things as maps of the player’s own worries and limitations. It allows a planes of Hell and lists of the powers of demons player to adventure in a fantastical world where and devils. But just because players use such gold, magic, dragons, and fair maidens are material during an adventure doesn’t mean they commonplace. In short, role-playing games believe it is true. The D&D game is a fantasy provide a temporary escape from the realities game, and most players have no trouble differ- and frustrations of everyday life. entiating between it and reality. Unfortunately, retreating to such an escape Clearly, it can be concluded that, when prop- only postpones a player’s problems and does erly run, the D&D game is an innocent game nothing to alleviate them. Victims of stress who that has no harmful influence on its players. try to escape their problems rather than solve Any apparent ill effects are the result of some them soon discover that such escapes are artifi- other factor such as stress. In fact, the D&D cial and temporary. This realization sends them game can have a beneficial effect on its players spiraling further down into their pits of depres- because it provides not only a temporary escape sion until they finally seek the One Permanent from the stress and frustration of life, but also Escape that will irrevocably solve all their an outlet for pent-up anger and tension. problems. As a final note, it must be realized that most Thus, the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game is of the people who criticize the D&D game have being made into a convenient scapegoat. It is never actually played the game. It is a sad fact particularly ridiculous to claim that a game could in this age of education and enlightenment that cause the suicides of its players. Suicide is the ignorant beliefs and hearsay can cause so much result of stress, and, if anything, the D&D game damage. Rather than naively banning D&D helps reduce stress by providing a temporary games, why don’t the critics try playing it first? escape from the frustrations of everyday life. Most gaming clubs would be happy to put on Another popular allegation is that the D&D demonstrations, and some of these critics just game glorifies violence. Critics claim that D&D might realize what they’ve been missing. games, like many television shows, teach that Gord Coleman violence is an acceptable way to solve problems. Nepean, Ontario The critics contend that a typical adventure consists simply of the characters slaughtering I am writing in regard to Alex Martin’s letter everything they meet. The players never see the in issue #152 and Wesley Crowell’s letter in consequences of their actions, and if a character issue #155. I understand and agree fully with is killed, his player just rolls up a new one and both of these letters. Parents seem to think that dives back into the fight. the D&D game is a horrible game. I have talked It must be admitted that some campaigns are with my parents several times on this matter. like this. But this is the fault of the DM and the They think that the D&D game has no morals. players, not the game. Good DMs and players Well, it does: It teaches that Good forever rules never make these kinds of mistakes. Firstly, over Evil. I’m an experienced DM, and I know most DMs realize the importance of interactive about this kind of stuff. character generation. The more detail the I have read the book Mazes and Monsters, and player gets to input, the more he sees the char- I say that the author had no idea what she was acter as his own and so the more he cherishes talking about. I also read a nonfiction book that character. Few players are willing to risk entitled Dungeon Master. The same thing hap- favorite characters in combat if they can think pened to the kid in this story as Mazes and their way out of a problem. Secondly, good DMs Monsters, there was one difference: The kid in try to create adventures that emphasize think- Dungeon Master was on drugs before he ever ing and problem-solving rather than allowing heard of the D&D game. characters to simply fight their ways past every I can understand Michael Natale’s position in obstacle. his letter in issue #152. A friend of mine Currently a popular topic in “Forum” is thought she knew everything about the D&D whether playing evil characters is justifiable. game and said it was devil worship. This same Many players feel it is not. They argue that person and her mother also believed a story in playing evil characters is wrong because such The National Enquirer that said a six-year-old characters habitually perform such acts as gave birth to a two-headed baby! That just assassination and torture. shows that parents shouldn’t be worried about However, another group (including a number us D&D game players. of psychologists) has recently come out in favor This is what I did to make my parents see of evil campaigns. Their reasoning relates back what the D&D game really is. I am running a to the problem of stress and the pent-up feel- DRAGONLANCE® saga campaign right now, so I ings of frustration and anger that stress creates. read stories from DRAGONLANCE Tales (Heart It is important that such pent-up emotions find of Goldmoon, Silver and Steel, From the Yearn- some outlet, and one of the easiest ways to ing for War; and War’s Ending) to them. They alleviate them is through physical violence. The trusted me and my judgment after that. anger is transferred to the target, and the Thanks to Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, and person feels relieved. Unfortunately, hitting all of the people who made the DRAGONLANCE things tends to be very destructive, so psycholo- saga. Even 50-year-old parents love it! And by gists are seeking more constructive ways of the way, I’m only 13 years old, but that doesn’t relieving stress and tension. Fantasy games are mean that parents shouldn’t listen to us kids. If a perfect constructive outlet. With every imagi- they would listen and believe us every once in a nary blow, players drain very real anger and while, I think some things (such as the D&D tension into imaginary foes. This is particularly game) could be explained more easily: true of evil campaigns in which characters can Marian Lynn Lucas carry out violent acts on hapless orcs, which is Angleton TX much better than having the players carry out those acts on teachers, bosses, parents, etc. Religious groups frequently criticize the D&D

38 OCTOBER 1990

importantly, some magical items are pow- erless as well, although they still radiate magic. Alas, I can no longer rely on my crystal ball to seek Herr Rolf, that fiend. I could only conclude that we traveled mostly north through the icy mountain range past Southern Vulcania and the ice pack. Within recent days we navigated over a long, narrow stretch of steep moun- tains that I named the White Peninsula. Herr Rolf could be in any of this range’s narrow, frozen canyons. I hope to catch him later on a vast frozen bay that offers little shelter. At least we have the advan- tage of speed and absolute mobility over his land-striding cat. Nyxmir 28, 1965: Myojo spent long hours observing the ground with my spyglass, hoping to see the Heldannic knight. Earlier on this day, he spotted what could be a small campsite. After a short visit, Xerdon and Myojo determined Herr Rolf had been there recently. They found the dead remains of Kenju’s cat, reduced to a mere carcass. Footprints revealed that a fight took place, possibly between Herr Rolf and a giant lizard. Myojo pointed out he did not smell the odor of human blood. Xerdon ended the report by adding that no footprints left the by Bruce A. Heard Nyxmir 26, 1965: Further repairs scene, which leads me to suspect the beast were completed aboard the Princess since flew away with Herr Rolf. The question is: the return of magical power. Our long This series chronicles the adventures of Was he prey or master? journey being dragged across the rough an Alphatian explorer and his crew as Amphimir 3, 1965: An unforeseen ice of the Hollow Worlds Antarctic Gate they journey across the D&D® Known event has led me to believe that we are had caused much damage to the ship. World in their skyship. The information being observed. I was awakened this night Talasar has spent hours restoring order herein may be used to expand D&D cam- by a strange crying. It was reminiscent of and healing the sick among the crew. 1st Class Boltman Ramissur’s cry of agony paigns using the Gazetteer series. I studied in great detail the topography when he was abandoned to the shadow of the lands below, seeking the where- dragon on Oceania, months ago. At first I abouts of Herr Rolf, our Heldannic fugi- thought I had been dreaming, but the tive. He successfully evaded our vigilance noise persisted. and rode away on a stolen Myoshiman cat I arose and found the small bat I had to some unknown destination. I am disap- recovered over Cestia, lying over my crys- pointed to notice that several spells no tal ball and staring at the swirling mists longer function in this new world. More inside the crystal. Although nothing else could be seen inside the sphere, the lumi- desert on its western reaches. A long river lowering clouds were forcing the Princess nescent stone had dominated the little flows along the entire valley, ending at a closer to the city. Concerned, Khufiri animals mind and was draining it of its life large lake in the north. The valley seems asked that we regain altitude until the force. Somehow, the bat had unlocked its to be fertile and probably harbors life— clouds cleared up again. Satisfied when I cage and pulled the velvet shroud off the perhaps a great civilization. gave the order to climb, Khufiri retreated crystal. The stone’s powerful hypnotic While I was deeply involved in my to her cabin, along with her purring pan- effect had seized the bat’s gaze and pre- thoughts about the world below, someone ther and feather-fanning goblin. vented it from pulling free. I lifted the coughed softly behind my back. For an At that point I decided to put that time poor thing off the glowing ball and put it instant I believed Talasar had entered my to good use. I could not take the chance of back in its cage. cabin, but I turned to find instead a lady missing Herr Rolf, should he unexpectedly I suspected foul play. The lock on the casually sitting on my bunk. A panther decide to come down. I ordered the crew cage was not one that a mere bat could was lying at her feet, and a small goblin to prepare for a blind sail. First Class undo. It was also quite improbable that an slowly waving a large feather fan. She had Navigator Ashari took her post at the animal would accidentally pull the thick bronze skin and long, black hair. But what prow and sounded the horn at regular veil from the crystal ball; it could have impressed me most was her eyes— intervals. A returning sound would indi- flittered across the cabin to seek a way immense and black as the night, yet in- cate the presence of a very large out, or landed on my dinner’s leftovers. tense like the sun. A long, white robe, obstacle—if any were possible at that Amphimir 5, 1965: We pursued our Thothian in style, draped her body down altitude. Ashari was well trained in this course toward the northeast above a ridge to her feet. A beautiful lady indeed. technique and navigation went smoothly of high mountains. I have decided to arise “The land you gaze upon is called for several hours. above the skyshield; it is much quicker to Nithia,” she said. “And, yes, as you We got close to Herr Rolf. He appeared travel through the void. I am gambling on thought, it indeed is the center of a great no more than 100 yards ahead, and I the chance that Herr Rolf needs to cover a civilization. Perhaps the greatest ever.” caught him glancing back over his shoul- long distance and therefore has done the “I suppose Nithians have no doors,” I der several times when Ashari’s horn same. Somehow, I simply cannot believe answered. “Else they should know it is echoed through the clouds. He pressed his that someone like Herr Rolf could be taken customary to knock at one’s portal before dragon forward and dove back into dark, away by a mere monster. By now he must entering, dear . . . who, may I inquire?” stormy clouds. have found a way to gain the upper hand. “Khufiri is my name.” She smiled and The cracking sound of bolts and the I would not be surprised if he had staged added, “Of course, you do realize it is you growing rumble of the storm greatly al- the whole event, both to cover up his who are prying into our ancestral lands. I tered the effectiveness of Ashari’s horn. tracks and to travel faster. don’t believe you have been invited to Threatening flashes illuminated the clouds On an unrelated note, it occurs to me enter the Sky of Nithia. Our priests have a so often that I commanded the Princess to that the east and west directions are in- habit of observing the sky, for it is sacred. return to safety above the clouds. verted in this world, compared to the New objects such as your wondrous vessel And a good thing the Princess began her Surface World. If travelers—such as are a source of great interest.” ascension! Just as her prow rose, the ourselves—followed the Meridian of “Then perhaps we might find a way to clouds cleared up ahead, suddenly reveal- Sundsvall toward the north on the Surface satisfy each other’s curiosity. You may ing a huge cliff. Instantly I thought this World, West would be on the left, and East remain aboard, in exchange for which I could not possibly be, at such an altitude! on the right. When continuing along this request your guidance in these lands.” But yet a cliff was approaching, and so at a longitude we would enter the Hollow Khufiri accepted. She was friendly, but frightening speed. I commenced an evasive World through the Arctic Gate, then pro- distant and a bit disdainful, definitely a maneuver, but alas, too late. The stern of ceed southward along the Central Merid- sophisticated lady. She entered my cabin the Princess was still low and hit the edge ian. Assuming that West remains on the by secret magical means, I would guess, of the plateau. Within seconds, the entire left and East on the right, the two direc- and was reading my thoughts. Although hull had scraped the rough, jagged rock, tions then appear to be “reversed.” In cordial, she could be quite dangerous. and the ship dragged to a halt. Painfully effect, 10o East on the Surface World We spoke at length about her lands and evident were those planks that flew off would be exactly above 10o East in the its people’s common life and customs. Her the wounded flanks of the Princess. We Hollow World. Although confusing at first, temple had sent her through spiritual were stranded. Rain then began to fall, this is a convenience when reporting ways up to the Princess, essentially as an and a raging tempest ensued. More later. relative positions on a map. observer and escort through Nithia. Until Amphimir 9, 1965: The gale has Amphimir 06, 1965: By luck and with my such time our intentions are made clear to passed on. The clouds cleared up so that spyglass, I have spotted our fugitive riding the temple, the Princess was not to land in we could see for a few hundred yards. It a white dragon. The Heldannic Knight Nithia—a directive that I intended to fol- appears we are perched precariously on a must have been nearing his destination, low. Obviously, her temple had the means high, narrow mesa. The hull is so damaged for he reentered the skyshield and dove to observe their skies very well, for I had that the Princess can no longer lift herself. into the clouds beneath, remaining within believed the Myoshiman monolith was still Everyone aboard shares her silent pain. the thick cloud cover. The cloud bank had cloaking the Princess from normal sight. Worse, we aren’t alone. Several hundred been slowly moving to the Hollow Worlds The trio was sent to a separate cabin, feet below is a town, a large, populous west and stretched several hundred miles with a special escort of boltmen to keep an town. All around our promontory are across. I ordered the Princess to fly under eye on them. All this has been very dis- towers, mansions, and other buildings the clouds in the event Herr Rolf would turbing and demands further observation. stretched as far as we can see under the reappear. I then ordered the Princess to descend gloomy clouds. No one in the streets seems Amphimir 7, 1965: An interesting below the level of the cloud cover. to have noticed our unfortunate posture. day, indeed. I had been avidly observing Amphimir 8, 1965: Khufiri has Much worse yet, an ominous white the land below the skyshield with my proven very useful in identifying and banner with the black lion emblem flutters spyglass, spending long hours mapping out naming regions we flew over. We reached in the breeze over a large fortification. On these new lands. We were far from the an expanse of water called Lake Thufu the ramparts pace the unmistakable ar- surface, but some detail was visible still. and followed a large river to the north— mored guards of the Heldannic Order. Near the eastern edge of the clouds lies a the River Hapta. The region is quite fertile Again we might meet Herr Rolf, but this very large valley. A ridge of mountains and villages dot the river banks. After time in the Black Lion’s den. forms its eastern boundary, with a large flying over the large City of Hapta, the Amphimir 10, 1965: Still no one

Artwork by Jim Holloway DRAGON 43 seems to have noticed our presence. I ing heer, you know, but yet I say my nose damage. He jabbered something like “Be suspect the storm muffled the sound of bleeds and I sit on my reer, once, and I say right back!” and unexpectedly jumped off our crash, and since the Myoshiman mon- but theer’s really nothing heer, nothing I the railing, hopping away so fast that no olith is intact, it cloaks the Princess from can see, so, I think I must be dreaming one had time to intervene. prying eyes. But we are dangerously close once, and then, Boum! The sky falls on my I was willing to take the chance. Repairing to a potentially hostile people, with the head, and it’s all dark, you know. Is this the Princess could take months. Perhaps this prow unnervingly jutting out over the the end of the world, I say. . . .” The gnome gnome will indeed find a way to help with- edge of a cliff. Slowly, quietly, the crew did go on for some time in this way. out alerting the knights. I only hope these has begun to repair damage. Eventually I was able to slip in a word or gnomes would not damage the Princess It appears we are on a flying island or two. It appears we landed on the floating further. This might be the ship’s death. continent. The clouds do not allow better Island of Oostdok. Our captive, now ap- Amphimir 16, 1965: Nothing has observation. Unlike the tall men-at-arms parently a willing guest, goes by the name happened since Leopold’s hasty departure. on nearby battlements, the people in the of Leopold of Le Nerviens Corporation (as I am confident that he has remained on street seem much smaller. I will have to Leopold said: a Duly Accredited And Con- our side, since no Heldannic Knight has get a closer look later on. The clouds seem solidated Enterprise, Wholly Owned And been seen anywhere close. Repairs are to get thicker and darker at regular inter- Guildmarked By Le Nerviens Family Trust proceeding but slowly. vals, pouring rain over the flying land. Incorporated—in other words, a respect- I had several conversations with Khufiri Amazingly, the storm acts to create “night,” able family of professional inventors). about Nithia and our current fate. She was a period of sleep for the town people, Oostdok is an island, roughly 50 miles of course quite worried. Khufiri said she while heavily armed squads of men-at- long by 30 miles wide, with a series of knew about these gnomes and warned arms patrol the street. small mountains and plateaus such as the that they could bring only woe and chaos I notice Myojo is spending much of his one on which we have crash-landed. It has with their inventions. The rare times time with Khufiri. He enjoys the presence a capital city, the one sprawling from our Nithians encountered Oostdokers have of her panther, which has adopted him. vantage point, called Schaerbeek. Oostdo- lead to untold disasters. Khufiri shows much admiration and affec- kers are essentially gnomes. Amphimir 17, 1965: Repairs were tion toward the Myoshiman warrior. This It seems the Oostdokers are divided into temporarily halted as a violent thunder- is useful for the moment, for Myojo is a two main ethnic blocks, the Flamaekers storm struck Schaerbeek. Soon afterward, loyal follower and I can thus obtain infor- and the Valoins. The problem is very old. our friend Leopold returned. He ap- mation on Khufiri. I must, however, re- It seems Oostdok was originally two sepa- proached the Princess, casually hopping main cautious, for this relationship must rate islands, Oostmaeker and Waldok. The about, hunting for snails after the rain. not get out of hand. All this reminds me of two islands collided and remained stuck Twenty yards from the ship, he stopped, my dear Lady Abovombe. Now that she is together. Since then, both peoples have looked over his shoulder, then leaped far away, I do realize how much I became accused each other of causing the catas- forward, thinking the Princess was near. accustomed to her presence. I long for this trophe. They’ve never really got along, He was wrong; he flailed his arms, then wretched mission to come to an end. I Both peoples excel in the art of creating fell heavily into a mud puddle. After a must return Herr Rolf to Myoshima and machinery, a science purely gnomish in number of similar attempts, he eventually recover Lady Abovombe unharmed, and nature that I will not attempt to explore bumped into the Princess’s hull and was the sooner the better. further. Apparently, when a ship full of yanked aboard. Amphimir 11, 1965: I was quietly but Heldannic Knights became stranded (like Leopold brought great news. The Van- firmly awakened this morning by Talasar. the Princess Ark), the knights offered dermersh Corporation was sponsoring the The watch had spotted movement near great rewards to those able to repair their annual Schaerbeek Regatta, when the my cabin. Indeed, observing through the vessel. A large number of Flamaek and most powerful family trusts would race in stern’s window, I could see a townsperson. Valoin family corporations competed for the skies above Schaerbeek with their He was casually walking about, holding a the contract. One of them apparently built flying contraptions. It so happens that the small umbrella in one hand and a pointy a device that would return the Heldannic regatta’s trajectory includes a tight turn cane in the other. Humming and whistling, ship back to its intended course. right over the Tanneken-Pes, the steep he was picking snails with his cane and This event was soon followed a massive mesa on which the Princess is stranded. dropping them into a pouch at his waist. I invasion by Heldannic Knights. They occu- Leopold’s commercial kin at Le Nerviens’ hoped he’d walk past the Princess. pied all of Oostdok and forced both the Corporation had a plan. Their ship, We had no such luck. The townsperson Flamaekers and the Valoins to build won- L’Epaulard, would come very low over the came closer and attempted to hop onto a drous contraptions for the benefit of the plateau’s edge and attempt to lift the Prin- rock—under the invisible Princess’s hull. Heldannic Order. The Oostdokers’ submis- cess off the rock. Despite my absolute He bumped flat into the hull, dropping his sion to the Heldannic Order is reluctant, inability to grasp the technical details of belongings and sliding down several feet, and both Valoins and Flamaekers are wait- Leopold’s plan, I found the scheme none- then landing heavily on his posterior. ing for an opportunity to throw them out. theless frightening. I am afraid my argu- In pain, the townsperson whined loudly, Leopold was very interested in the fact ments didn’t deter Leopold a bit, either. holding his rather protuberant and now we weren’t Heldanners. He was all the The plan was already in motion. bloody nose. The whine stopped abruptly more interested to learn that we in fact Amphimir 18, 1965: The regatta when two muscular boltmen hastily were opposed to the Heldannic tyranny started shortly after another heavy rain- grabbed him, dropped a bag over his head, and that we would be able to cause some fall. Over the edge of Schaerbeek, already tied him up from toe to nose, and uncere- trouble to the knights provided our ship dozens of gigantic, multicolored dirigibles moniously lifted him aboard. Nobody else could be repaired and returned beyond were gathering for departure. They seemed to have witnessed these events. the polar gate. looked like incredibly huge, bloated Amphimir 12, 1965: Talasar and I Leopold’s eyes had a sudden flicker of whales, with plump fins at their rears. remained alone with our captive. He conniving joy. We could already see ideas Each of these grotesque airships had a turned out to be a gnome, judging from and schemes crossing his mind. Leopold cabin underneath its chubby belly, with his size, more-than-generous nasal append- became very agitated and began pouring pipes, fans, and tubes sticking out in all age, and somewhat pointy ears. an endless stream of nonsensical sentences directions. A crowd gathered in the “I say, once!” he spoke in his curious punctuated by sporadic giggles, while streets, at balconies, and at windows eve- accent. “What’s come into you heer? Theer pointing in every direction at once. The rywhere. Great horns echoed through the I go, once, hunting snails, and Boum! I hit gnome went literally all over the Princess, city, and the crowd cheered, waving the something, I thought, but no, theer’s noth- observing her structure, mechanism, and flags and banners of their family trusts.

44 OCTOBER 1990 A deafening roar began as the airships did not hook up to the Princess’s masts Oostdok trade houses began the race. Billowing clouds of smoke and hull in a even manner, causing the Oostdok is a small floating continent and steam poured out of the airships’ ship to hang starboard down. Everyone made of two celestial islands, each inhab- cabins, as strange devices caused blades aboard grabbed at anything within reach ited by gnomes, that collided several cen- and other parts to propel the ungainly to avoid failing off. Most of the scene was turies past. The two gnomish peoples so blimps. The Demeulemeister III lurched obscured by the billowing smoke and joined, the Valoins and the Flamaekers, ahead, while the VandenKoop spun off steam pouring out of the blimp. have different cultures and get along with course, bumping into Le Gros Belouga. L’Epaulard’s speed was greatly reduced, some difficulty. Both the Valoins and Fla- The latter landed flat on a large cohort of but its pilot decided to continue the race. maekers originally had the power to con- Heldannic Knights underneath—causing Demeulemeister III was regaining control, trol the flight of their islands through the great panic in their ranks—then promptly while the rest of the pack was catching up. use of gigantic machinery buried in the rebounded back into the race. The crowd By then, the pilots on the Hembeek and rock of each continent. That ability was went wild! Meanwhile, rattling and shud- Broqueville — still tangled up—had resorted lost when the two islands collided. dering, L’Epaulard roared after Demeule- to fist fighting, while the Johanneke took The two gnomish cultures have since meister III along with a horde of other the lead, harried by Le Gros Belouga. then evolved into a society based on pow- outrageous blimps. The end of the second lap came very erful trade houses. These are essentially Demeulemeister III came first above the fast. L’Epaulard was desperately trying to very large families dedicated to commerce mesa. It launched a grapple that caught on gain altitude while the Princess swung or manufacturing as a means of achieving a ridge, using it to spin around the edge of wildly underneath, threatening to hit some political supremacy on Oostdok. So far, the plateau. The pilot promptly severed of the Heldannic Knight’s upper towers. seven trade houses dominate the political the cable and raced back toward the cen- Sparks shot out of the blimp’s portholes. and economic environment. Scores of ter of Schaerbeek. L’Epaulard followed, Several cables were being cranked back, minor trade houses struggle for survival, very low on the ridge. I could see the slowly bringing the Princess to a more all of them aiming to one day become one pilot’s head sticking out of a porthole; he convenient posture, just in time for of the major powers. However, all trade was squinting and looking for something. L’Epaulard to veer back into the third and houses are in league against a common With horror I realized that Leopold had final lap. oppressor, the Heldannic Knights who probably failed to tell his kin that the By then, L’Epaulard was in the middle of invaded them a decade earlier. Princess was not visible. the main pack of airships. The Vanden- All members of a trade house are fanati- That’s when I noticed Leopold was miss- Koop was coming fast behind, and low, cally devoted to their kin, hard-working, ing. He was spotted a moment later, perched thinking it could pass L’Epaulard under- and very rarely, if ever, betray their cause. on the highest point of the ship, cheering neath! Its pilot, of course, could not see Trade-house members bear the natural and waving Le Nerviens’ colors. He had the invisible Princess dangling in its way! birthmark of the family, so both of the attached a flag to a pole and had propped it At the last moment, L’Epaulard swerved member’s parents must be natural kin of up in the air in order to exceed the area of aside, but the VandenKoop’s balloon the trade house. Each trade house comes effect of the Myoshiman monolith. caught the Princess’s wing, which scraped with its own police force. The pilot waved back and veered toward along the length of the balloon and finally Failing to live up to the expectations of the Princess, cutting across the path of the pierced its thick fabric. The VandenKoop one’s trade-house supervisor may cause wild, tubby pack racing after him. The suddenly lurched forward as gas violently the culprit to be shunned by the entire Montjoie Rouge made a loop to avoid L’E- blew out of the gap at the rear—and it Oostdok establishment. None of the trade paulard, while the Hembeek, Johanneke, took the lead in front of the Johanneke, houses will ever “hire” or deal with an and Broqueville bumped into each other. flying forth to victory! individual who wasn’t born in the family. L’Epaulard got through, scraping the edge Meanwhile, L’Epaulard dipped behind One who has been rejected by his kin has of the plateau. It made a pass over our the mesa, abandoning the race. It flew at a his birthmark burned off or branded in a ship and decided to go after Demeulemeis- very low altitude over a small river and way sufficient to deface it. Those born of ter III. The Hembeek and Broqueville left Schaerbeek. Everyone aboard was illegitimate parents (parents of different followed, some of their riggings fouled exhausted, panting, and sweating—except trade houses) are treated in similar fashion together. Both pilots exchanged colorful for one. Leopold was on the mast, still and abandoned. All those rejected by their vociferations on their way. Meanwhile, the waving his flag and crying for an encore! kin form a caste of “untouchables”: poor, Montjoie Rouge ended its loop and But that was enough for the day. hopeless wretches shunned by all other bumped into the rear of the Johanneke, Amphimir 22, 1965: The trip took a gnomes. pushing the blimp ahead of the pack. Not few days. We flew over a series of small Broqueville, Sa. (Inc.): This Valoin far behind, Le Gros Belouga and the Van- farming communities and rolling hills. trade house specializes in the manufacture denKoop were rushing back into the race. Storms and rainfalls continued at regular of military hardware. They are one of the Soon L’Epaulard caught up with De- intervals on this gloomy land. At last, the most powerful and disliked trade houses meulemeister III and began the second lap. pilot waved at Leopold; we were nearing on Oostdok since they do business with The crowd was hooting and cheering. The our destination. Leopold pointed at a small the Heldannic Knights—though not by two airships prepared their approach of rocky hill ahead of us. A large tower stood choice. The Knights outlawed all arms our mesa. Demeulemeister III launched its on the top, bearing Le Nerviens’ colors. At ownership by and all arms sales to Oostdo- second grapnel but missed, spinning last, the Princess stood a chance of rest kers, but Broqueville is secretly stockpiling wildly out of control. L’Epaulard reversed and repair. common weaponry and has built a dooms- its propellers to slow down, causing its To be continued. . . . day machine, speculating on the day when whalelike balloon to bulge forward. At this Oostdokers will revolt and overthrow very moment, a dozen cables shot down at their oppressors. They are actively manip- us, out of the cabin. Some had hooks, ulating other trade houses to commit others suction cups; I even saw a few with If you have any comments regarding this themselves to the revolt. bola-type endings. Everyone on the deck column or the D&D game’s Known World Broqueville’s dirigibles use magical cam- of the Princess ran for cover. Amazingly, as designed in the Gazetteers, please send ouflage patterns that change color to no one was hurt, but L’Epaulards machin- your inquiries to: Bruce A. Heard, D&D match their background, much like a ery started roaring madly as the blimp Column, TSR, Inc. P.O. Box 756, Lake Ge- chameleon. The natural colors are often made its turn and attempted to lift the neva WI 53147, U.S.A. We cannot guaran- Princess. tee that all letters will get answers, but Lift her it did—but sideways. The cables they always have our attention. Continued on page 76

DRAGON 45 46 OCTOBER 1990 Ultima VI (Origin) The ultimate Ultima

This column marks the debut of regular Origin well your answers to the situations the video-game coverage as well as computer- P.O. Box 161750 gypsy presents. Remember the Codex! game coverage. The video-game market is Austin TX 78716 As you answer each question, the gypsy predicted to reach nearly five billion dol- (512) 328-0282 pours a small amount of colored liquid lars in sales by 1991. Due to the number from one of several flasks into a glass of system units sold, it is not an entertain- Ultima VI: The False Prophet * * * * * beaker. You‘ll note that if you answer the ment medium we can ignore. PC/MS-DOS 80286 version with EGA board situation by indicating a specific virtue, We hope that this coverage will allow and EGA monitor $69.95 the gypsy pours from the same-colored our readers to broaden their knowledge of This is a jam-packed adventure. It’ll be flask time and gain. Balance your answers! both game systems. If this is a good idea, months before we are close to succeeding When the situations have all been an- let us know. If not, tell us that also. in the quest! The thrill is in trying. The swered, she asks you to drink the liquid. excitement of the Ultima series comes into You do . . . and you awake upon an altar, play as you try to overcome not only dan- about to be sacrificed by hideous gar- Reviews gerous physical adversaries, but your own goyles! But your associates from previous weaknesses as well. Ultima adventures rescue you; Iolo the The adventure starts with you watching Bard, Shamino, and Dupre drag you Computer games’ ratings television. Lord British summons you to through another gate into Lord British’s aid Britain, and a moongate appears. You castle throne room. X Not recommended enter Britain and encounter a gypsy cara- Guess what? You have company coming * Poor van. A gypsy confronts you and states, through the portal. Gargoyles are all ** Fair “Behold the Virtues of the Avatar. Let us around you, and they are pressing their *** Good begin the casting.” You must then answer attack. Before continuing, we’d better **** Excellent seven questions. We restarted Ultima VI explain that you should have read the ***** Superb several times and learned that the ques- Compendium and the Reference Guide tions are repetitive. You must consider before you arrived at this stage of the

DRAGON 47 adventure. If you haven’t, you won’t know how to equip yourself to enter the battle against these evil beasts. The gargoyles that now threaten Britain were discovered after the first expedition into the underworld, and they are now seizing the holy shrines. They seem to be seeking something of immense value, and they also want you, the Avatar, dead. We first played Ultima VI in EGA mode and wished we had VGA graphics. EGA is stunning, but occasionally a small charac- ter on-screen becomes lost in the back- ground or foreground color. (And you should definitely pay attention to small characters. Make certain that rat you’re about to slay is really a rat. Something that looks like a rat but is far more friendly may be needed to help your quest!) Also, during some combat sequences with a gargoyle, the creature folded or unfolded its wings, which caused slow screen refresh. This became a little con- fusing when moving our characters be- cause we couldn’t tell where the opposition was situated. We would like to see a better method of distributing items to fellow adventurers. Currently you have to drop an item from your inventory to a specified location on- screen. The character for whom the item is intended must then Get the item. There is also no good way to distribute wealth other than the aforementioned method. This gets a little tiring when in a shop trying to buy goods for all, and only one adventurer has sufficient funds to com- plete the purchase. Other than these minor drawbacks, the consistency of graphic excellence is a feature of which Origin should be ex- tremely proud. Add an easy user inter- face, and you’ve got the best Ultima adventure yet produced. You move your character by either click- ing the mouse in the direction you wish your character to move, or through use of the keyboards keypad (we found key- board play to be the most efficient Ultima VI (Origin) method). You control the party through spell and the more magical power re- which individual in each town knows the your Avatar character. However, each quired from the caster (all magic power is mantra for a shrine. With the rune and character can also operate independently regenerated over time). the mantra, you have the power to eradi- in solo mode. Make certain you don’t Once you learn the mantra necessary to cate the gargoyles from a particular forget where your characters are if you meditate at a specific shrine, you will learn shrine. Each town in Britain is assigned to suddenly decide to return to party mode. if you have enough experience to advance a shrine. For example, north of the Cape You can save your game at any time with in level. But be careful; the shrines are of Heroes is Trinsic. Trinsic was founded the CTRL-S double key press, and you can now the targets of gargoyles. Should you on Honor, so it makes sense that the man- toggle the music on or off. As you can travel to a shrine to meditate and be un- tra and rune of Honor will be found here. have as many as eight characters in your prepared to rid it of the violent influence (Clue: The mantra is “summ,” learned from party, the numeric keys 1 through 8 en- that attracts the gargoyles, you may be in the mayor, and you’ll want to walk around able you to quickly enter solo mode for for the fight of your life. the town to see what’s out in plain view.) each numbered character. Ultima VI is peopled by more than 188 One action important to the quest is in Spell casting is unique. In order to cast a nonplayer characters (NPCs), each with a learning the gargoyles’ Gargish language. spell you must possess the reagents as well wealth of information to help you succeed. An individual named Captain John has as know the magic syllables. For example, Some NPCs will try to mislead you, so take apparently written a dictionary that would to cast the Unlock Magic spell (a second plenty of notes. Perhaps a good way to be useful if used for learning purposes. Circle spell), you must have sulfurous ash initiate a conversation is to ask an NPC his Above all, we recommend you learn to and blood moss in your inventory. You name and his job in Britannia. Then follow use the Orb of the Moon that you possess then utter the words “Ex Por,” and the up with an appropriate question based when you arrive in Britannia. Ask Lord spell is cast. Other spells can be gained upon what you’ve been told. British about it. If you learn to use this through possession of scrolls. The higher You’ll learn where the runes for each tool, your frustration will decrease, as the Circle, the greater the power of the shrine have been hidden for safety, and you’ll be able to move from one area to

48 OCTOBER 1990 space mission as you take on the role of one of the best pilots in the galaxy. Hired by the Cobra Steel Company to work on the dangerous world called Full Metal Planet, you are challenged to collect as much ore as possible. Fighting for your life, you must capture all of the ore taken by rival companies on the planet and return safely home. The game is for Amiga and PC/MS-DOS computers for $49.95. Electronic Arts (415-571-7171) is intro- ducing Powerdrome for PC/MS-DOS com- puters. This is a futuristic airborne racing simulation that has players racing Typhoon-class jet hovercraft through twisting, tunnel-filled courses, competing against the clock or battling four interga- lactic rivals. You race on five different planets and must make strategically neces- sary decisions. You choose the appropriate fuel, fuel filter, and aerodynamic structure of your racer to keep pace with the com- petition. The price is $39.95. Origin (512-328-0282) is releasing a new Ultima VI (Origin) line of PC/MS-DOS role-playing products entitled Worlds of Ultima. Forthcoming another with ease. It then becomes a sim- battleground. With three skill levels to episodes will take players on adventures to ple matter of tracking your movement in choose from, you select one of 14 ships all-new story settings. The first installment relation to the position of your Orb. displayed for its handling characteristics, in this series is entitled The Savage Em- Britain has taverns, shops that stock special powers, and secret weapon, each pire, set in the steamy jungles of a hidden magical supplies (reagents and spells), with its own distinctive sound effects. land, Eodon, where time has been frozen provisioners for that desperately needed There are melee and full combat modes, for millennia. The landscape is punctuated lockpick and other assorted items, healers with the latter encompassing nine differ- by mysterious pyramids and lost cities (don’t forget that Lord British heals you at ent strategic scenarios. The game is for where dinosaurs, stone-age tribes, mad no charge), weapons shops, inns, and PC/MS-DOS machines for $49.95. scientists, and a jungle princess roam. horse merchants. Everything you could Also from Accolade is Stratego, the These all combine to create a world of possibly require is available to you—if you computer version of the Milton Bradley savage beauty and compelling intrigue. have the gold to buy the items. board game for PC/MS-DOS and Macintosh The price is $59.95; expect this adven- Save your game as often as possible. And computers. One player competes with the ture’s release this fall. never forget the virtues you learned as an computer. Also coming from Origin is Wingleader. Avatar. They will hold you and your com- Bethesda Softworks (301-926-8300) is Mankind is locked in a deadly war with panions in good stead. distributing Damocles. This is a real-time the Kilrathi in the 27th century. Battling Origin has not only maintained the Ul- arcade adventure played within an accu- these vicious militarists are the daring tima tradition but has improved it. Ultima rate and detailed model of a moving solar pilots of the Terran Confederation. With VI is an awe-inspiring accomplishment. system. The comet Damocles is hours his faithful wingman flying at his side, the Movement through a city or the wilder- away from colliding with the planet Eris. fearless Wingleader battles with Kilrathi ness is finely detailed. You can use so As interplanetary destruction nears, the aces in heated deep-space dogfights. The many items that you may wish to maintain players, with the helpful robot guide Ben- game features Panaview, 3-D technology a list so you’ll never forget what each item son, are challenged to save Eris. The ad- that employs highly detailed, ray-traced, can do for your characters (we’ve already venture takes place while exploring a bit-mapped images modelled in 256 VGA logged 285 items!). detailed world created using solid-fill colors. You select from four different This game requires 640K of computer vector graphics and realistic sound effects. starfighters and use such weapons as heat- memory, with a video board (either CGA, There are nine planets, 19 moons, 37 seeking missiles, neutron cannon, and the EGA, VGA/MCGA, Tandy 1000, or Hercu- cities, and over 3,000 multiroom buildings deadly Friend-or-Foe missile. The price for les), color monitor, and a sound board to create this game experience. The game PC/MS-DOS machines is $59.95. (either Roland, AdLib, Game Blaster, Inno- is available for the Atari ST for $44.95, Another game for PC/MS-DOS com- vation, or Covox). The game set contains with an Amiga version expected soon. puters is Flight of the Intruder. The game seven 5.25” disks, a full-color 18” × 18” Also from Bethesda comes The Termina- portrays the harrowing missions flown tapestry map of Britannia, an Orb of the tor, based on the hit movie. Set in Los over North Vietnam by Navy A-6 Intruder Moon gemstone, a stand-up reference Angeles, this is the story of a superhuman and F-4 Phantom pilots. Missions are of- card, and a Compendium playbook. This is cyborg sent back through time from a fered in which you are usually part of a the first Ultima to have been developed on hellish future where man’s existence larger operation undertaken by one of a PC/MS-DOS system. We certainly hope hangs in the balance and machines rule several sections of aircraft. For example, a Origin sees fit to consider releasing this the earth. The Terminator is to destroy the section of A-6 Intruders going on a bomb- terrific fantasy role-playing adventure for mother of the one man who is destined to ing mission would be joined by a section of other 16- and 32-bit systems as well. save mankind. The game will be released F-4 Phantoms to help keep enemy MiGs off for PC/MS-DOS, Commodore 64/128, and the bombers’ backs. You can also choose to News—computer games Amiga computers as well as a coin-op be the Mission Commander, selecting Accolade (408-985-1700) is releasing Star version. primary and secondary targets, weapons Control, which combines elements of From Data East (408-286-7080) comes and external stores, and waypoints setting strategic challenge with arcade action. A Full Metal Planet, a science-fiction adven- up the desired route. The price is $59.95, three-dimensional star cluster is your ture. You are whisked away on a secret with versions for the Amiga and Atari ST

DRAGON 49 expected later this year. Strategic Simulations, Inc. (408-737-6800) has released its latest offering in its line of TSR-licensed AD&D® computer products, Secret of the Silver Blades. New adven- tures may be started by using characters generated in the Curse of the Azure Bonds game, or an all-new party can be created. Here, you’ll explore the largest 3-D adven- turing expanses ever created in a fantasy role-playing game. New monsters and higher character levels are offered, as well as new spells such as barkskin, charm person, and delayed blast fireball. A clue book will be available late this summer for $12.95. The game itself is being released for PC/MS-DOS computers at $49.95 and for the Commodore 64/128 computer at $39.95. All SSI games are distributed by Electronic Arts. Walt Disney Computer Software (212/ 475-8030) has Arachnophobia for PC/MS- DOS and Amiga computers at $44.95 and Commodore 64/128 systems at $29.95. This pits one or two players against a species of spider that is lethally poisonous, Ultima VI (Origin) extremely aggressive, and strangely intelli- ment with Nintendo to develop and mar- gent. You must destroy the deadly queen ket products for the Nintendo Enter- spiders and their lethal offspring before tainment System (NES). they take over the country. Data East USA, Inc. (408-286-7080) is releasing a new cartoon-style entertain- News—video games ment for NES entitled Caveman Games. Accolade (408-985-1700) is introducing Players go back in time when competition four products for the video-game market. began to become one of six cavemen ath- The company has signed a licensing agree- letes. Each has his own special set of skills and battles against other cavemen in a series of six events that will keep players rolling with laughter. Players compete to earn medals and the ultimate honor, in- duction into the Caves of Fame. The price The Savage Empire (Origin) is $49.95. this year for Genesis include Populous, Also for NES from Data East is Battle Budokan, and Zany Golf. Sega will also Chess. This game combines the strategic license 20 games from Electronic Arts to challenges of traditional chess with the market in Japan. Sega has also licensed high-tech excitement of 3-D graphics and Abrams Battle Tank and 688 Attack Sub sound to create a unique game environ- for Genesis worldwide marketing. The ment. There are six levels of strategic play. company has also signed a distribution Players watch battles unfold as pieces are agreement with Ocean Software of Man- moved and formulated moves are exe- chester, England. Electronic Arts will cuted. The price is $44.95. introduce six Ocean Titles in the U.S. Heavy Barrel is also coming from Data NEC Technologies (708-860-9500) will East for NES. This is a strategic combat soon release the long-awaited Double game where players must recapture an Dungeon. We viewed a prerelease copy underground control complex of a nuclear and this could be a hot item. Players enter missile site that has been seized by terror- one of 20 different dungeons and explore ists. The player’s mission is to infiltrate the the underground maze from a first-person installation and eliminate the terrorist perspective. You’ll find monsters that must force before it’s too late and the world is be destroyed and treasure to be gained. destroyed. The price is $44.95. The unique feature of this game is that Data East also has a Game Boy game two players can simultaneously delve into ready — Lock n’ Chase. You assume the role a dungeon as a team. Double Dungeon of a clever international diamond thief on looks like a good role-playing game and the run. You must find your way through should be out in stores soon. a series of twisted mazes, each littered Also enroute from NEC is a hand-held with cash and gems. Players score points color unit to take on the likes of Atari’s by outsmarting their pursuers, picking up Lynx portable video-game system. Called coins, sacks of cash and other valuable the TurboExpress, this new unit uses items with every new turn of the maze. active matrix, backlit, liquid-crystal tech- Electronic Arts (415-571-7171) has signed nology that can display 512 colors on- a licensing agreement with Sega to develop screen simultaneously. All Turbographx and market games for the Sega Genesis and TurboChip games (expect about 50 of video-game system. Titles to be released them before Christmas) will run on the

50 OCTOBER 1990 TurboExpress. The unit operates on six AA batteries and has an optional snap-on tuner that allows the unit to operate as a portable TV The tuner also features a video-in port that allows the system to act as a monitor for a camcorder or VCR. The TurboExpress weighs about 1 lb. What NEC has basically done is take its Turbo- grafx-16 home system, add a TurboPad controller and a TV monitor, then reduce the entire unit to a portable whose size is 4 1/3” × 7 1/3” × 1 1/8“. The display boasts 238 x 312 pixels, while the Atari Lynx offers 160 × 102 pixels. Expect to see sev- eral accessories for this system, including a communication link, an AC adapter, battery pack, and a car cigarette-lighter adapter. The stereo sound uses your own earphones, For the NES come the following new games. The first is Lolo 2, a game that teaches patience, strategy, and logical thinking without sacrificing fun. This is a favorite of the Nintendo game counselors and is a refreshing break from the alarm- ing rise in senseless violence in video games. The price is $38.95. Daydreamin’ Davey, $49.95, is a time- travel adventure. Davey daydreams excit- ing adventures from the relative safety of his school desk. This is a huge role-playing game that uses a character players of all ages can identify with. Take on the Clan- ton Gang at the OK Corral, search for Excalibur, journey through Greek mythol- quickly after their human helpers have 2. Inside Hordtkhen’s palace, try activat- ogy, then outwit the biggest boss of all, the been eliminated. ing the second symbol from the left. You principal. After you have defeated the first wave, won’t be sorry. Hudson Soft USA Inc. (415-871-8895) has parts of Moander that are trapped on the 3. Healing graces can be found north of released four new NES titles. Starship Prime Material plane when you close the the north road. Look for a split in the road Hector is a futuristic space adventure with gate will form monsters that possess the itself, and head north toward a jagged many challenging options. Princess Tomato abilities of shambling mounds but with mountain. Walk carefully and avoid those in the Salad Kingdom is a role-playing enormous numbers of hit points. You wet spots! The temple may not be easy to game that features an exciting plot and a should hold formation even though these find, but it certainly can aid beginning host of intriguing characters far beyond new beasties are so enormous only two or adventurers in reacquiring hit points. the usual garden variety. Mendel Place three of your characters can attack at 4. The best way to prevent body com- offers 200 different game screens. The once. Your best bet against these creatures pression is to Lock a drawbridge. fourth release is Adventure Island Part II, is a Hold Monster spell. Even if only one is 5. You won’t be able to enter the Prince with enhanced graphics. paralyzed, it can then be killed with a of Water’s castle until the Princess of Earth single blow. gives you something very important. After the battles, your characters will 6. The Prince of Water is there, the Clue corner probably be in pretty poor shape. The first second time around. room you found when you entered the 7. Try to avoid travel at midnight; that’s Curse of the Azure Bonds (SSI) second level seems to be safer for resting when the constellations attack! 1. In the pit of Moander, at Mogion’s than other areas. You will still be attacked, 8. Teleporters operate only in similar shrine, it is very important to fight con- but not as often as elsewhere. Make cer- geographical terrain. servatively. Move your characters toward tain everyone is in top condition, because The Lessers the right of the screen, and you will find you will have to engage in yet another an enclosed area where four can fight massive melee in the room that contains Once again, it is time for each of our abreast and can be attacked only from the the only exit route on the first level. readers to pick up a pen and postcard and front. Warriors (and priests, if you don’t Aaron Richards write down the name of the best software have four fighters) should make up the San Lorenzo CA adventure of the year. Be sure to specify front line. Position any mages and at least the system version of the software for one cleric behind this line so they can Draconian: Drakkhen (Data East USA) which you are voting (PC/MS-DOS, Macin- throw spells at the enemy without being 1. Yes, that shark at Prince Hordtkhen’s tosh, Apple II, Commodore 64/128, Atari physically attacked. While setting up this palace is nasty. It seems like every time ST, Amiga, etc.). The results will be pub- formation, let Alias and Dragonbait buy someone tries to cross the moat, it’s a lished in our December column. you the necessary time. They fight so quick dive, a snap, and it’s goodbye char- Keep in mind that your game hints help pitifully that this is about the only thing acter. Why not have one of your party everyone. Mail them to: The Lessers, 179 you might find them capable of handling. become invisible, wait until the sharks tail Pebble Place, San Ramon CA 94583, U.S.A. 2. Knock off enemy clerics first so you disappears beneath the drawbridge, then Until next month, game on! don’t have to worry about their Hold command your invisible adventurer to Person spells. The shambling mounds fall cross immediately to the door?

DRAGON 51 by Spike Y. Jones Artwork by Thomas Baxa

Spiritus Anime

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Anywhere dead bodies can be found FREQUENCY: Very rare ORGANIZATION: Solitary ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any DIET: Nil INTELLIGENCE: Semi- (2-4) TREASURE TYPE: See below ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil NO. APPEARING: 1 ARMOR CLASS: 7 (skeleton)/8 (zombie)/6 (spiritus anime) MOVEMENT: 12 (skeleton)/6 (zombie)/24 (spiritus anime) HIT DICE: 3 THAC0: 17 (in all forms) NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 (as skeleton or zombie)/Nil (as spiritus anime) DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6 (skeleton)/1-8 (zombie) SPECIAL ATTACKS: Animate dead SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil SIZE: M (as skeleton or zombie), or T (1’ diameter cloud as spiritus anime) MORALE: Elite (13) XP VALUE: 650 + 65 per animated body

52 OCTOBER 1990 The spiritus anime is an undead crea- ture, in the shape of a formless vapor, capable of animating the bodies of dead creatures in its vicinity. Its appearance is that of a glimmering cloud of dust with a tenuous thread of dust motes attaching it to the body the spiritus wore in life (its “home body,” which is almost invariably buried). This cloud is normally invisible but a detect invisibility or true seeing spell reveals it as a glowing nimbus around the bodies it animates, or as a cloud if found without bodies. In addition, if someone actively tries to see this monster without magical aid, the attempt will succeed if a save vs. spells is successfully made. The viewer must be within 10’ of the spiritus anime in order to have any chance of seeing it. Combat: In its natural, cloudlike form, the spiritus anime makes no attacks; to fight, it possesses and animates a corpse or skeleton within 100 yards of its original home body. When in one of these bodies, it fights as if it were a normal animated undead, either a skeleton or a zombie, with the animated body having all appro- priate statistics (the body’s hit dice and hit points are separate from the spiritus ani- me’s own). Damage done to the animated body is not taken by the spiritus anime; when a body that the spiritus anime in- habits is “slain,” the monster merely ani- mates another corpse on the following round and once more rises to the attack (having a +4 penalty added to its initiative roll on the first round of a new body’s anime’s home body, instead of merely resurrection will all kill it without a saving use). “Slain” undead cannot be animated dispatching its host bodies. If attackers throw. again by the same spiritus anime, though manage to identify and dig up its home A spiritus anime can be turned by a zombies that are “slain” can be reused as body, they can “slay” this body and, in so cleric as if it were a ghoul. A “D” result skeletons months later, once the flesh has doing, kill its spiritus anime. The home destroys the body the spiritus anime is rotted from their bones. Only the remains body has the statistics of either a skeleton animating but does not harm the spiritus of human, demihuman, or humanoid or zombie, though if not animated it will anime itself. If a spiritus anime is turned, beings can be so animated. not attack. When an attack on the home it can leave the body it is animating and There are four ways to halt a spiritus body is begun, the spiritus will concen- resume its attacks in the next round by anime’s attack. The easiest is to retreat trate its efforts on protecting its home entering a new body, just as if the first more than 100 yards from the spiritus’ body either by using animated bodies or body had been destroyed. A bless spell home body, the distance beyond which it by animating its home body and attempt- cast upon a body that has not been ani- cannot move an animated host body. (The- ing to flee with it. Normal weapons are mated will permanently protect that body oretically, a spiritus anime could use an effective against a spiritus anime’s home from animation by a spiritus anime. If the animated body to carry its home body to a body, and holy water does 1-4 hp damage spell is cast on the spiritus anime’s home- distant site, in order to find a larger sup per vial both to the body and to the spiri- body, the spiritus anime takes the usual ply of corpses to animate or to follow a tus anime itself. 1-4 hp damage, no matter where it is or particular enemy to which it has devel- The final method of killing a spiritus what it is doing. oped some special attachment, but such an anime is through magic. If any cure Once in a while (10%), a particular spiri- intelligent plan would surely be beyond it.) wounds spell is used on a body the spiritus tus anime will have developed a special The second method is to destroy the anime is animating, the spiritus anime and deceptive battle tactic. It will abandon supply of dead bodies that it can animate permanently loses a number of hit points a wounded host body before the body is as weapons, a time-consuming process from its own hit-point total (not from the completely destroyed, only to return to it that can be counterproductive if some of hit-point total of the animated body) equal- later. As those fighting against the undead the attacking party dies in the melee, ling the number of hit points that the spell will have assumed that they slew the first allowing their bodies to be animated as would have cured. Bless causes 1-4 hp body, having it rise a second time will zombies by the spiritus anime (in prefer- damage to the spiritus anime if it fails a make them believe that the undead bodies ence to the weaker skeletons). saving throw vs. spells, and exorcise, are impossible to slay—a frightening pros- The third way is to destroy the spiritus dispel evil, spiritwrack, raise dead, and pect indeed.

DRAGON 53 Habitat/Society: A spiritus anime is a type of undead created only when a hu- man, demi-human or humanoid creature is buried alive, either intentionally (as a torture or sacrifice) or by accident (such as a landslide or the result of a tragedy involving a disease, a feign death spell, etc.). Many (40%) of those so buried be- come spiritus animes, desperate to escape burial and return to the surface. Because such circumstances are usually uncommon, only solitary spiritus animes are typically encountered. If more than one of them haunts a single site, the only sign that they acknowledge each other’s existence is that they usually refrain from animating each other’s home bodies unless there are no other bodies available to them. If this does occur, and one of these home bodies is slain, this automatically slays the spiritus anime to which the body belongs, without materially affecting the spiritus that had been animating the body. Thus, “killing” a zombie on one side of a graveyard could actually slay a spiritus anime on the other side of the field, caus- ing two undead bodies to fall, in different locations, when only one was struck (though a third body might soon arise!). Although both skeletons and zombies can be created from the bodies of any dead monster, a spiritus anime animates only bodies that are similar to the one it wore in life, for it feels comfortable in that shape alone. If the body animated is of the same species as the spiritus once was, then the animation is handled with ease. If there is a minor difference in size (such as that caused by a once-human spiritus anime using a dwarven skeleton), the animated body fights at - 1 to hit; if there is a major difference between the bodies Ankou his own family out of greed or to have (such as the size difference between a allowed his family to perish rather than halfling and an ogre, or the presence of CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any inhabited area share his hoard of food with them. When extra body parts such as the tail of a trog- FREQUENCY: Very rare (Rare) death claims such a person, his soul some- lodyte or the four arms of some sahuagin), ORGANIZATION: Solitary times returns as an ankou, roaming the the body fights at -4 to hit. ACTIVITY CYCLE: Night countryside in search of other victims to Ecology: Spiritus animes are not natu- DIET: Nil collect. ral creatures and do not participate in any INTELLIGENCE: Low (5-7) An ankou appears quite ordinary at a way in the food chain, except to create TREASURE TYPE: Nil distance, seeming to be a poor farmer on carrion in their immediate vicinities that ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil the road late at night, perhaps returning attracts scavengers, insects, etc. As these NO. APPEARING: 1 from a market town. It wears typical rural creatures are usually found in areas ARMOR CLASS: 6 clothing: ragged shoes or boots; worn, shunned by civilization, they are set very MOVE: 6 patched and dusty work clothes; and much apart from the worlds everyday HIT DICE: 8 sometimes a broad-brimmed work hat set functioning. They exist only to procure THAC0: 13 to cover its eyes. Closer inspection reveals additional host bodies to preserve their NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 it as an emaciated old man, with parched “lives” aboveground until they are finally DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type lips and with skin pulled tightly across the laid to rest. (doubled) face and body. Spiritus animes do not collect treasure, SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil Three things upset this picture. First, an but sometimes they will have incidental SPECIAL DEFENSES: Never surprised; ankou is usually armed with a farmer’s treasure. If in a proper graveyard, each of detects hidden or invisible beings scythe (50%), a long sword that it carries the bodies they animate, plus their home within 60’ without a scabbard (20%), or a large club bodies, will have only the normal burial MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil (20%); it is unarmed 10% of the time. goods of that region, ranging from a burial SIZE: M Second, as an ankou takes its slow; stiff, shroud to the riches of a major tomb. If MORALE: Champion (15-16) and deliberate steps forward, its head the bodies used are the result of an acci- XP VALUE: 975 never ceases to turn from side to side, its dental burial, then the treasure will con- glowing, flame-red eyes scanning the land sist of the normal goods carried by the The ankou is an undead creature who to either side looking for prey. Third, the creatures when alive. was a miserly farmer or peasant in life, a ankou is always followed by an apparently person so debased as to have murdered sourceless, wooden creaking sound. This 54 OCTOBER 1990 is a product of an invisible cart pulled by chest to crush him. The ankou needs to they will re-form on the following night if an equally invisible ox or horse that is make a single to-hit roll; if it succeeds, the the ankou still exists). Weapon blows and even more emaciated than the ankou. The ankou has caught the victim in a bear hug magical effects are ineffective against purpose of the cart (a gift of some nether- of fantastic strength, its fingers locking them. world god of evil) is to carry away the together with startling power. Every Habitat/Society: The ankou is a very bodies of the ankou’s victims, leaving round thereafter, the ankou does damage slow and patient creature with the cease- behind nothing to mark its victims’ last equal to the victim’s armor class (armor less endurance of the undead. If an ank- struggles. Sometimes the sound of the cart type and magical bonuses apply, but shield ou’s victim escapes alive, it will follow him can be heard minutes before the ankou and dexterity bonuses do not, for the at its slow, plodding pace for the rest of appears, apparently stepping out of the purposes of this calculation). Victims with the night, until it either catches and dis- lengthening shadows of dusk or merely armor classes of 1 or less take no damage. passionately kills him, or until the first approaching along a darkened road. The hugged victim may attack the ankou light of dawn intrudes, banishing the Combat: The ankou is not particular with a one-handed melee weapon at - 2 to ankou back to Tartarus until the next about whom it kills, but it is more likely to hit; he may instead elect to attempt to dusk. It has no memory to speak of and so be encountered by solitary travelers than break the ankou’s hold, which can be done will not resume its pursuit the next night by groups (treat the ankou as if it were if he makes a successful bend bars/lift out of any spite. But if the ankou encoun- only “rare” on such occasions). It has ex- gates strength roll (one attempt per round ters the same traveler on some subsequent cellent senses of hearing and sight, so it allowed with no limit to the number of night, it will attack him normally, as if the can detect anyone in hiding and cannot be attempts). first encounter had never occurred. surprised. Even with this ability, it will still Being undead, the ankou is unaffected Ecology: The ankou is probably the attack only those who are accessible. The by spells involving sleep, hold, charm, or undead that contributes the least to the ankou cannot cross open water or flame, cold of any sort, and its excellent senses ecology of a world. As with others of its though rough ground slows neither itself negate the effects of many illusions (giving ilk, it neither eats nor can be safely eaten nor its beast-drawn cart. it a bonus of + 3 on saving throws vs. by Prime Material plane dwellers. But In combat the ankou usually fights with illusions). It can be turned by good clerics unlike other undead, it does not leave a weapon, doing double damage on all hits (or caused to ignore evil ones) as if it were even the lifeless bodies of its victims be- (2-16 hp damage with a sword, club, or a spectre. The touch of holy water in- hind to be eaten or picked through for scythe) because of its great strength and stantly causes it and its cart to return to treasures. All that remains after an ank- carefully aimed attacks. As it is as slow as the nether realms of Tartarus without the ou’s attack are a line of the victim’s foot- a zombie, it gets only one attack per round possibility of a saving throw. prints that end at the point where the and always strikes last. The invisible cart and beast of burden victim was waylaid by the driver of an ox- If unarmed, an ankou attacks by grab- can be directly attacked only by casting a or horse-pulled cart, and the wheel ruts bing at its opponent and attempting to dispel evil or exorcise spell upon them, that continue down the road, fading to wrap its thin arms around the victim’s which will instantly destroy them (though nothingness.

DRAGON 55

he dead stayed dead. That was a fact of life. They were buried with solemn rituals and rivers of tears. Friends and neighbors sympathized with the be- A Prayer reaved family, bringing food and drink and comfort. But nothing changed the fact that the dead stayed dead. “Except in Aldagar,” Livvona sighed as she answered the knock at her door. Perhaps because the land had a for the history of wizard wars or because the lines of magic forces met there—whatever the reason, the dead often left their intended final rest and roamed the desolate hills and scrub grass plains, seeking . . . what? Dead It was Livvona’s vocation to discover what the dead were seeking, then lay them to rest—permanently. At least, that was how people viewed her work, like the four men standing before her, all from the village of Eldon Green. Livvona sighed again, glancing at the half-finished cloth on her loom. She’d started weaving four months ago, just after High Summer’s Day. Every time she’d added a few inches, another group of petitioners had appeared at her door. This time she’d been home for a full day before the men of Eldon Green had knocked at her door. “You’ve got to rid us of a Cold One,” insisted Taygus, by Deborah Millitello the leader, a nut-brown man who stank of smoke and iron. “He’s killing our children!” “Killing children!” she said, astonished. Taygus nodded. “Just children ?” Livvona asked, puzzled. Taygus nodded again. “Cold Fever’s already taken three.” “Oh, he’s not killing them himself.” “Same as if he did! You’ve got to stop him!” Livvona finger-combed a strand of graying hair from her face. Being a priestess of Sorwe the Gentle, she was compelled to help anyone who asked. “I’ll come.” “If we leave now, we can reach our village by noon tomorrow,” Taygus said. A double arch of black brows frowned together above his sharp nose. Sighing, Livvona shuffled to the shelves lining one end of her hut. Wooden boxes and ceramic bottles and crocks sat in neat rows, color bands indicating what each con- tained. Potions for milk fever. Potions to keep locusts from crops. Potions for luck. She put several containers carefully into her bag, along with food and a reed pipe. “We’ve no time for music,” Taygus growled. “Then I pity you,” she said as she slid the strap over her shoulder. King’s Road, running north toward Aldagar’s capital, was deserted except for a man leaning heavily on a staff. The ragged sling on his left arm almost hid the merce- nary’s tattoo on his hand. Livvona stopped to check his injury, but Taygus tried to drag her away. “Forget him! We found you before he did!” Jerking from his grip with a strength that left Taygus looking shocked, Livvona glared at him. “Everyone who needs my help gets it. He’s hurt. I have to help.” “But the Cold One! Our children are dying!” Illustrations by Timothy Standish “The time I give this man won’t make any difference,”

DRAGON 59 she said quietly, but her tone was hard as stone. sponse, but without sincerity. She watched them, with- Taygus started to say something but closed his mouth in drawn, their eyes avoiding hers. They hid behind invisible a tight frown. walls of fear and distrust . . . or was it something else? She cleansed and rebandaged the soldier’s wound, and She didn’t know. What she did know was that pain was gave him the blessing of Sorwe. He gave her thanks and a Taygus’s shield, a pain so sharp it had carved deep copper coin in return, then trudged southward. wounds in his soul. What could hurt a man like him down Her companions said little the rest of the way, except to the core of his being? Morthat, the youngest of them. He walked beside her Livvona fell asleep, watching Taygus and wondering. with a loose, easy gait. His eyes were like clouds heavy with life-giving rain. Taygus had been right. After turning off King’s Road “Tell me about the Cold One,” Livvona asked. and walking for several hours, they arrived midday at “He came—” Eldon Green—a dozen stone huts clustered between Taygus interrupted Morthat. “I’ll tell her what she meadows and woods. All the inhabitants poured from needs to know.” behind locked doors to greet the men. Morthat lowered his gaze instantly and moved out of Livvona could almost taste fear in the air. Hands Taygus’s way. clutched children close. Eyes, red from lack of sleep, Taygus looked down at her with eyes of iron. “I’ll an- glanced everywhere. But hope flickered in faces as the swer your questions.” villagers looked at Livvona. Giving him a smile meant to put him at ease, she said, “Taygus!” a woman’s voice cried. From one of the “Then tell me about the Cold One.” buildings ran a middle-aged woman, her ash-gray eyes Taygus kept his expression blank, staring straight up the wild, her chestnut hair loose and tangled. She plowed road as they walked. “What d’you want to know?” through the crowd and tumbled into Taygus’s arms, “When did the Cold One appear?” sobbing. Taygus blew out a slow breath. “Ten days ago. A boy “Ada! Ada, what’s wrong?” named Micah came running from the goat pasture and “She’s dead! Raelyn’s dead!” said a man had crept up from behind and hit him. All the Anguish filled Taygus’s dark eyes and cut deep lines in men grabbed their weapons and went after the man.” his forehead. “Raelyn?” he whispered. “Goddess, no. Taygus shivered, although the air was warm. “We found Not her, too.” He buried his face against Ada’s thick hair him—it—a Cold One. Skin blotched red from Blood and wept. “What about the boys?” Plague, eyes like the fires of Keddor’s hell. We threatened “Alive, barely,” she said. it, but we knew we couldn’t harm it. It said it’d kill all our Livvona touched Ada’s shoulder. “Show me where they children.” are. I can still save them . . . I hope.” Morthat broke in then. “Our healer died several weeks Wiping tears on her gray sleeve, Ada ran to her house, ago. We’d heard about your power over Cold Ones. a neat stone building with a forge to the left. Inside, near That’s why we came to you.” a blazing hearth, were four cots. A blanket covered a tiny For a moment, Taygus looked as if he might strike Mor- form on one. In the other cots were three young boys, that. Slowly, anger drained from Taygus’s leathery face to pale as moonlight. be replaced by pain. “Yes, that’s why we came to you. Livvona touched the smallest boy’s cheek. Sweaty but You have to send the Cold One to Keddor’s endless fires— cold as frost. Breathing so shallow, she could barely detect before it kills anyone else!” it. Body rigid and deathly pale. Just as she feared. Cold Livvona shuddered. Taygus’s anguish was like a blast of Fever in its last stage. Even with the potions she’d winter. brought, she couldn’t be certain the children would live. “Why does he only touch your children?” she asked. “Get tubs, troughs, anything large enough to hold the “How should I know?” Taygus snapped at her. “It’s a children. You have to bathe them in hot water, hot as they Cold One! Who knows why it does what it does? That can stand, to stop the Cold. I’ll make a potion that will kind hates life, all life!” His voice softened, and a tear help. Force them to drink it. It should keep them alive wavered at the corner of his eye. “Any life.” He stared at until I can banish the Cold One.” the road for a few moments, then looked up at her sharply. Ten other children were also ill, she was told, but none “What difference does it make, anyway? It’s a Cold One. as seriously as Ada’s children. Taygus refused to leave You’re a priestess. You’re supposed to banish it.” Raelyn’s body. He sat in a chair beside the hearth and “Yes,” Livvona said softly as she stared at him, “but I rocked her, singing a lullaby. He stared at the fire, with- have to know why he’s plaguing you before I can put his drawn, not answering when Ada pleaded with him to help soul to rest.” with his sons. Taygus mumbled something she couldn’t make out, “Raelyn was our only daughter,” Ada said as she sank then picked up his pace. Even Morthat had difficulty to a stool beside Livvona, who stirred a kettle of potion for keeping up, with him. Livvona was grateful when Morthat the children. “Taygus adored her.” Looking toward her offered to carry her sack and gave her his walking stick to husband, she blinked back tears. “One day, some of the lean on. By the time they made camp at sunset, she was children slipped away to play at the edge of the woods. We exhausted. should’ve watched them closer. That’s when the Cold One No one talked much that evening, except when Livvona found them. Imsen—our oldest son—he tried to protect prayed after the meal. The men chorused the proper re- his sister and the others. Imsen and another boy died right

60 OCTOBER 1990 after Micah. That’s when Taygus went to find you. Too and closing doors. late . . . too late for Raelyn.” She hid her face in her Walking west across the wide meadow, Livvona looked hands and cried. for a place for the confrontation. The setting sun dyed Livvona felt cold and sick, remembering how forceful everything blood red and rust orange as it crept toward Taygus had been when she’d stopped to help the merce- the mountains. At last, she chose a slight rise with a clear nary. Had that delay caused Raelyn’s death? No, surely view on all sides. Shadows spread across the meadow as not. It had taken only a little while to clean and dress the she searched for a flower, finding a tiny but fragrant but- wound. It couldn’t have made the difference. Still, doubt terdrop. From her sack she removed a square of fabric bothered her conscience. and spread it on the ground. Sorwe’s symbol, an out- When the potion was finished, she sent for the women stretched hand, glittered golden on the silver cloth. She whose children were ill, giving a cupful for each child. placed the flower and a small dish of honeycomb on it, “This should be enough for now. I must talk to the rest of then sat crosslegged on the. ground, shivering as, the chill the villagers before I meet the Cold One, but first I need air seeped through her clothes and into her joints. Taking some sleep.” the reed pipe from her sack, she prayed a protective circle “Please, stay at my house,” Morthat said. Livvona around her as she watched the final sliver of sun sink be- hadn’t noticed him hovering at the doorway. When she hind the mountains. hesitated, he continued, “I live alone, so you’ll be The moon rose milk-white and full over the trees. Liv- undisturbed.” vona began to play her pipe softly, a tune filled with sum- She smiled. “I’ll check the other children, then come.” mer skies and bubbling streams, warm days and pleasant Morthat smiled back, smoothed back his golden-brown nights, woman’s love and child’s laughter. The music hair, then left. glided on the night wind, growing stronger as she played. Livvona checked all the children, making certain the Suddenly, she felt a draft of cold that even Keddor’s potion was being used properly, and gave them Sorwe’s fires couldn’t warm. A graveyard stench made her stom- blessing. As she trudged to Morthat’s house, she leaned ach lurch. The Cold One was near. Her hands shook, but heavily on the walking stick he had lent her. She felt old she kept playing. suddenly, tired, and she wondered if she were strong Soon, a shadowy form covered with rotting clothes enough to deal with the Cold One. Too late to send for stood before her. Even in the moonlight she could see dark another priestess. She had to face him now, whether she stains on his skin, signs of the Blood Plague that had killed was ready or not. him, but lesions of decay marked him as well. He stared Morthat had moved his bed before the hearth and pro- at her, eyes glowing like a forge, burning with hate. vided a thick fur to spread over the blankets. “I’ll guard “Who ar-re you?” he asked, his voice like dry leaves. the door while you sleep.” “Livvona, priestess of Sorwe the Gentle, healer, peace She smiled at him. “Thank you. Wake me well before giver.” She held the pipe between her palms and bowed. sunset.” “And who were you?” He nodded and left. “Wer-re?” His laugh was cold as ice, sharp as steel. Huddling under the covers, Livvona breathed the slow, “No one.” calming prayers she’d learned so many years ago, then fell “But you had a name.” asleep. “Yes-s,” he answered slowly. “Sethim. My name was-s Sethim.” She moaned as Morthat woke her, not wanting to leave She bowed again. “One who was Sethim, I offer you the warmth of the bed. “So soon?” she whispered. gifts. Breathe the scent of this flower, and remember the “Yes. The men are waiting outside, as you asked.” perfume of spring meadows. Taste the sweetness of honey, Joints creaked as she pushed back the blankets and sat and remember the satisfaction of good food and mead. up. This would be the last time she gave a Cold One Hear the music of my pipe, and remember the songs of peace. Somehow, she knew it. She tugged her sack over birds and the laughter of children. All these are the joys of her shoulder, the weight like lead. “May I use your walk- living.” ing stick a while longer?” He looked down at the butterdrop, then knelt and “Of course,” he said, offering his arm for support. touched it. A tear oozed from his eyes and fell on the She smiled, shook her head, and preceded him from the flower, coating it with frost. Jerking his hand away and house. standing quickly, he glared at her. All the men were there, all but Taygus. Livvona heard “The joys-s of life have no m-meaning to m-me,” he his voice singing softly to his dead child. She would have hissed. “Only sor-r-row and r-reveng-ge.” to heal him later. “Revenge? You seek revenge against children?” “Stay inside tonight, all of you,” Livvona said. “Bar “No!” The force of his voice was a gale against her doors and windows, and don’t step outside until dawn.” shields. “Not against-st children! Against-st their She started to leave. parents-s!” “I’ll come with you,” Morthat said. “Why? What did they do to you?” She didn’t stop or even look back at him. “No. I need “They know.” The hellish light in his eyes burned to be alone and undistracted tonight. Sorwe will protect brighter. “They know well. J-justice for their crim-me!” me. Stay inside.” One seeking vengeance—a true revenant, she thought, shiver- There was a momentary silence, then hurried footsteps ing. The power of his hate, his rage, pounded against her

DRAGON 61 circle of protection. This was going to be harder than Fever. Her voice became soft, gentle, as a mother whis- she’d imagined. Revenants didn’t reveal their purposes pering to her child. “Will stealing their lives give life to readily, and they weren’t banished to the grave by prayers Chellaine?” alone. “No,” he said, leaf-tangled hair falling over his face as She pushed against his hate, gently, without threat, then he hung his head. “But what justice is-s there for her spoke again. “But you’re killing children! Four are al- death-th?” ready dead, and more will die.” Livvona considered his question. What would be justice He squeezed his eyes shut and turned his face from her. for the villagers’ actions? “I don’t know. But I will. By A sob heaved his hollow chest. “No . . . I . . . No.” Sorwe I swear, I will. Rest tonight. Tomorrow, come to As his hate wavered, Livvona pressed him. “Today a the edge of the village at sunset. Justice will be done.” little girl died, one who’d never harmed you. She died He looked at her, eyes narrowed, brow creased with slowly, painfully, Cold Fever stealing the warmth of her doubt. At last, he spoke. “I’ll wait one more day.” life away. You killed her! Why?” She thought she’d She nodded. “That’s all I ask.” touched his compassion, stirred his pity. His reaction He turned and started toward the woods, but over his wasn’t what she expected. shoulder he said, “One day only. And I swear that if your “They killed m-my daughter-r!” he shouted at her. judgment isn’t true justice, you’ll be the first-st to join me “Death-th for death-th!” in Keddor’s hell.” The fury of his hatred slammed her back against the Sethim merged into the night shadows, taking his kill- cold ground. Gasping for breath, she rolled slowly to her ing cold with him. The fiery gleam from his eyes re- side, pushed up on her elbow, and met his gaze. “The mained with Livvona for hours. villagers . . . murdered . . . your daughter?” “Yes-s!” The last stars were fading when Morthat met her half- “How?” she whispered. “Tell me the truth, Sethim, way to the village. and by Sorwe I swear justice will be given to them.” “I couldn’t stay in the village while you were out here Sethim hesitated, anger and pain flitting across his ul- alone. I watched from here, to make sure you weren’t cered face. hurt. Are you all right?” he asked. “Let me help you.” “Did the villagers of Eldon Green murder your Even though she was drained and barely able to stand, daughter?” Livvona pulled back from his offered hand, leaning heav- “Yes-s! No. But they killed her-r!” His shoulders ily on the walking stick to keep from shaking. “No.” sagged, and he closed his eyes. “We fled our-r village in “Is he . . . gone? Forever?” the west because of the Blood Plague, but I didn’t know “No.” Her voice was sharper than she’d intended. we alr-ready had the sickness. I was trying to r-reach the “Why didn’t you tell me the truth?” Temple of Sorwe when I found the village. Chellaine was-s He flinched, then stared at his feet, his shoulders droop- unconscious-s by then. I shouted for a healer. They told ing. When he met her gaze finally, his face was pale, his me to go away. I begged, I pleaded for-r help, but they cheeks sunken. “I wanted to. Sorwe knows, I tried, but threw stones at us-s and drove us-s into the woods.” He Taygus said you wouldn’t help us if you knew. I . . . I sank to the ground as if weak. “Chellaine died a short couldn’t let the children die.” time later. I dug her grave with my lingers-s and buried Putting an arm around her waist for support, Morthat her. Not long after that, I died too.” told her the truth while the two of them walked. The vil- Livvona’s thin brows pulled together as she closed her lage healer had just died when Sethim had stumbled into eyes in shock. Only one other village in Aldagar had ever Eldon Green, marks of Blood Plague covering his body. acted as Eldon Green had. A barren desert covered the “There was nothing we could do to cure him or his little remains of that cursed place. “Sorwe forgive them.” girl. I wanted to give him water and food, but Taygus said “No!” Sethim pounded his rotting fist against the no, and the others agreed with him.” He hung his head. ground. “They deserve no forgiveness-s-s! When they “I should’ve anyway.” came for me, I swore they’d pay for Chellaine’s death-th, Livvona gave his arm a light squeeze. She understood that none of their children would live!” the villagers’ fear. Blood Plague spread quickly and was Horror clutched her heart and forced tears from her always fatal unless treated by a healer. But to do nothing, eyes. Her stomach felt as if she’d eaten a half-cooked to drive the sick away with stones. . . . lump of dough, and her throat was as raw and burning as When she and Morthat arrived at Eldon Green, they if she’d vomited. Why did children often pay for their were surrounded by the villagers. parents’ sins? And what sin was worse than lack of “Is he gone?” compassion? “Are we safe?” She swallowed hard before she spoke again. “You know “Will the children live?” what it is to watch your child die, helpless to stop it. You Livvona stared at each of them, her mouth tight, her know how she suffered. Do you want other children to eyes narrowed. Not one could meet her gaze for long. suffer as she did? To feel the burning fever, the freezing “Sorwe forgive you all,” she said, her voice soft but chills? To be too weak to breathe, too tired to live?” She piercing. “I know.” summoned the images of the sick children of Eldon Green, The villagers shrank from her, shame coloring pale showing him their pain, forcing him to feel their suffering, cheeks. hear their sobs, see life drained from them by the Cold “But they had the plague. . .”

62 OCTOBER 1990 “We had no healer . . .” “We would’ve died . . .” “There was nothing we could do . . .” She raised the walking stick with both hands, then pounded it against the ground like a forester splitting logs. “You could’ve built a shelter of sticks and hides outside the village! You could’ve given them food and water and firewood, and sent for a healer! You could’ve cared! See what your fear and lack of compassion has cost you!” Heads turned away. Hands muffled sobs. Eyes fixed on grass, sky, woods, anywhere but on her. Morthat bowed his head, lines cutting across his high forehead. “Priestesss, I knew it was wrong, but I didn’t stop them. I did nothing. What punishment do I deserve? What will give the Cold One—and us—peace?” Livvona shook her head. “I don’t know. I must pray and ask Sorwe’s guidance. The Cold One will come at sunset. Then, I’ll give you my judgment.” The strength her anger had given her disappeared. She walked toward Morthat’s house, stumbled, and felt his arms catch her. “Please. Let me help you,” he said. Too tired to argue or answer, Livvona leaned on him. He guided her to his house, helped her into bed, and built caused four deaths, taken four innocent lives. You’ll have a new fire in the hearth. to answer to Sorwe for them!” Shivering beneath the blankets, she prayed. Lady Sorwe, Sethim winced under her gaze but didn’t answer. goddess of healing, show me what is justice for Sethim and Eldon Livvona looked back at Morthat. “Mercy? Can you Green. give life to the dead?” She waited for an answer to come, as it always had “I would if I could,” he said. “I’d trade my life for before. This time there was silence within. All she heard theirs, if it were possible.” His eyes widened. “Is it?” was Morthat adding wood to the fire, and the echo of his She shook her head. “Only the goddess can give life. words: “Let me help you.” The words became visible, But you can give what she demands as just payment.” letters written in light and blood that changed into hands “Anything.” reaching out. “She asks your life.” Livvona smiled as she drifted to sleep. She had her Morthat’s thin brows arched and met above his sloping answer. nose. “But you said . . . but they can’t . . . I don’t understand.” Morthat stood beside Livvona as the sunset turned the “‘Let me help you.’ Twice you’ve said that to me. That world to flame. Behind her, the villagers shuffled uncom- is what you must do, what all of you must do.” She swept fortably. She shielded her eyes against the red glow, her hand toward the villagers. “Offer your help to every- watching, searching. one who needs it. Eldon Green will be a haven for the Out of the sunlight came a shadow, a darkness without sick, the homeless, the hopeless. No one will be turned warmth of life. Preceded by a blast of soul-chilling cold, away, ever. Life for death.” Sethim approached, his eyes glowing brighter than the The villagers glanced at each other, then nodded at sun. “It is-s time, priestess of Sorwe. Show me justice.” Morthat. She nodded slightly and turned to the villagers. “He “Thank you,” he said, a smile almost bowing his lips. asked for your help; you refused him. He asked for shel- Turning to Sethim, Livvona said, “Life for death. Is ter; you drove him away. He asked for pity; you showed this justice?” him fear. You caused the death of this man and his child. He was silent for a moment, then he said, “Justice. . . You murdered them as surely as if you had driven swords and mercy.” through them. Their blood has stained your fields and “Then be at peace, Sethim. Rest in the gentle arms of pastures, and Sorwe’s face is turned from you.” Sorwe.” Terror paled faces as villagers gasped or sobbed. Her The fire in his eyes mellowed to the soft glow of dying curse meant no blessing at birth, no prayer at death, and embers. “Peace be yours, priestess-s-s. May we meet no healer between. again beyond this world.” He bowed, turned, and walked Shaken, dark eyes haunted, Morthat sank to one knee with stiff, halting steps toward the woods. and reached out to her. “Priestess, please, show mercy!” Livvona started to follow, but Morthat stopped her. “Mercy!” Sethim said, eyes like bonfires. “What mercy “How can we care for the sick? We have no healer.” did you show Chellaine or m-me?” The corners of her mouth twitched as she held back a “Peace!” Livvona said, glaring at Sethim. “Death for smile. “You do now.” death. That’s what you said. They caused two deaths, you She hobbled after Sethim, reciting prayers for the living and Chellaine. Count the deaths here, Sethim. You’ve and prayers for the dead.

DRAGON 63 64 OCTOBER 1990 TSR™ Books is wrapping up its 1990 A trio that’ll take you to the limits schedule, and the last three novels you’ll see this year prove to be thrilling. These by Theresa Hickey books mark the appearance of three new authors to the publishing world, and TSR national sales manager, and a vice presi- The Road West is confident their stories will grab you dent of manufacturing. He also has Gary Wright is no stranger to the feel of from the start. The pace is quick, the worked as a professional lobbyist and mountains underfoot. “I’m very much a enemies many, and the outcomes—well, currently is the managing editor of Scor- mountain man,” he says. “I grew up in the they’re for us to know and you to find out, pio Press. hills of New England, and I have to have if you dare. “I’ve had a lot of career changes and jobs mountains around me.” His love of the in my life, and I think the reason for it is outdoors may be one reason Wright set his Outbanker that I’ve always been a writer and wasn’t first novel, The Road West, in the troubled If you are a science-fiction fanatic, look writing,” Madden says. “I have a lot of mountains above a city named Midvale. for Outbanker. First-time author Timothy talents, but I never knew what I wanted to The Road West follows the life of Keven Madden creates a scenario that will have do—I was a creative artist and wasn’t of Kingsend, a young man orphaned at an you dancing along the gravitational edge doing creative arts of any kind.” early age who, by his own talents, man- of a star system with Ian S. MacKenzie, These experiences, though, did not ages to join the prestigious King’s Arms Outbanker, and his loquacious computer, constitute lost time. “I was always ‘psycho- Academy. After graduating with highest Sheila. Sent to patrol the boundaries of logically’ or ‘spiritually’ destined to write, honors, Keven goes west on the questing their star system, they are to the future so until I did it I was just going along gain- road and discovers adventures in the what knights and cowboys were to our ing experiences for my writing,” Madden mountains above Midvale. The story ad- past. MacKenzie battles robots whose explains. dresses internal as well as external tur- touch turns flesh to jelly, and Sheila floods Currently he has four other completed moil, and the enemies are not always the air with revelations as she “matures novels and plans to begin a fifth; all of his clearly evident. out” and develops a human personality. books include the theme of political power “Keven carries a lot of his own problems Their mission, through it all, is to protect and its intrigues. In addition, his charac- along with him, and most of his enemies their home colonies from the villainous ters never seem to have all the informa- are within himself,” Wright explains. “But Corporate Hegemony. tion necessary to make important the problems he meets on the road are a Madden conceived the idea while driving decisions, and yet, at some point in his means of solving his own troubles.” One home from Springfield, Ill. “It had been a stories, they are forced to decide. Madden notable characteristic of The Road West is bad week. Murphy’s Law had worked considers this type of decision making an the author’s use of dialogue and colloquial- everywhere,” he says. “I was out in the essential part of life. isms. Wright borrowed heavily from local middle of Route 55, rolling along, there When he’s not writing, Madden reads conversation, recording the voices of those wasn’t much traffic, and suddenly the first science and technology books, and philoso- around him. “A lot of those [colloquialisms] lines of the narrative popped into my phy books covering science and technol- are New England Yankee sayings, and head.” ogy. He watches movies and lists among sometimes I even used the accents,” Madden was not always a writer by his favorites Predator, Conan the Barbar- Wright says. “And some are expressions I trade. He has a master’s degree in public ian, and The Terminator. heard when I was a little boy, though I’ve administration and was an intelligence Outbanker is already on your bookstore changed them around to fit the story.” analyst, a rehabilitation center director, a shelves. The main character and portions of the

DRAGON 65 plot were, at one time, part of a DUNGEONS main characters are aliens that the author “No matter what the adversity, there is a & DRAGONS® game scenario. “Keven was a describes as “a combination of cats and very positive side to it. It doesn’t matter character that was rolled up at one time, bears, but as removed from cats and bears how bad it is, it could be worse,” and he graduated from there,” Wright says. as we are from apes.” This alien species Gallagher spent 10 years, off and on, But it took many hours of developing to has reached an evolutionary dead end writing The Alien Dark, and unlike many transform Keven from a game name to a and, faced with a slowly dying home writers, she does not have a regimen character who was able to sustain a novel. planet, decides to launch six vessels into when writing—she writes whenever she Then it took many more hours of writing to deep space. They hope to find an uninhab- can find the time. “I’m working in negative express these ideas clearly. ited world suitable for colonization. After hours at the moment,” she says with a “I’d get at it early in the morning and a decades-long mission, the search party laugh. She isn’t certain if training and work until my back started telling me to finds a system that seems ideal for the taking care of her daughter’s show horses quit. That could be anywhere from four to species—until some startling discoveries constitutes a true hobby, though it’s the eight hours,” Wright says. He worked daily throw everything into question. only type of leisure she can afford at and occasionally on weekends. Whenever Gallagher admits that using alien crea- present. he ran into a snag, he’d go hiking to let his tures as main characters was not the Before she embraced novel writing as a subconscious work things out. “Writing easiest way to begin her novel-writing type of second career, Gallagher experi- allows you to be independent, but it can career, but she believes readers will be mented with poetry and dabbled in song become very strenuous. You have to be able to empathize with her characters. writing and in the entertainment profes- very strict with yourself.” “The trick is to have them be alien enough sion. “Then I went through a hiatus for Although The Road West is Wright’s first without having them be something that a about four years when I didn’t do any- novel, he is no stranger to writing. He has human reader can’t identify with. My thing,” she says. But one night her activi- sold stories to periodicals such as Galaxy characters grew by small increments until ties began again as suddenly as they had and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science they became real personalities and very stopped. “I went to see Star Wars and was Fiction, and his story “Mirror of Ice” was real to me, so consequently I’m sure they’ll totally blown away,” she explains. “It was included in Nebula 3 and in a volume of be real to the reader,” she says. the visual scope, to know that someone, Harry Harrison’s Best Science Fiction of The themes covered in The Alien Dark somewhere, envisioned this in his mind the Year are not easily summarized, according to and then made it happen. At that point, I The Road West will hit bookstores in Gallagher, but they center around a type started writing immediately.” October. of societal myopia. “I guess you could say The Alien Dark will be in bookstores in the book is about not looking ahead to see December, 1990. The Alien Dark the results of your actions,” she says. “And Keep your eyes on the table of contents Diana Gallagher, a 1989 Hugo award- yet, when faced with the ultimate disas- for our next “Novel Ideas” column in issue winning artist, makes a strong showing ters, there will always be hope.” #164, when we will tell you what’s new with with her first novel, The Alien Dark. The “I’m a very positive person,” she explains. the barbarians in the Empires Trilogy.

66 OCTOBER 1990 DRAGON 67

LILITH™ Daughter of Dracula

F EX (20) Health: 186 “Hi. My dad’s Vlad.” A IN (40) S RM (26) Karma: 96 E UN (100) by Dale A. Donovan R GD (10) Resources: GD (10) I IN (40) P AM (46) Popularity: - 20

POWERS: All of Lilith’s vampiric powers If you haven’t been following the latest stemmed from a spell cast on her by a story line in Marvels Doctor Strange comic, gypsy when Lilith was a normal child (see you might not know that the spell Doc “History”). Lilith possessed all of the stand- Strange cast awhile back that wiped out ard abilities of a vampire, almost none of vampires on Earth (the Montesi Formula) the limitations, and one extra power. Due has been invalidated, and vampires are to the spell, Lilith’s vampiric powers ex- back in the MARVEL UNIVERSE®. In brief, ceeded the levels of all other vampires, here’s how it happened: with the possible exception of her father, Many years ago, when Stephen Strange Resistances: Lilith could not be perma- was a mere apprentice to his mentor, the nently harmed by most physical or energy Ancient One, Strange cast a spell he was attacks. She could be poisoned but could not familiar with (the Vampiric Verses) in not die from poison. (Ignore Kill results order to save his dying brother, Victor. against her, but Lilith can be Slammed and Victor’s life was saved, but he was trans- Stunned. For specific weaknesses, see formed into a vampire. Using his medical “Limitations” below.) expertise, Strange had Victor put into Transformation: Lilith could change her suspended animation for safekeeping and shape to any of the following forms in one stored him in an empty warehouse that round, with Amazing ability: Strange owned. —A visible cloud of mist that could pass It was after this point that Doc Strange through very small cracks and openings. cast the Montesi Formula from the Lilith could fly at Feeble airspeed in this Darkhold (a book of “black magic”), ban- form and was immune to physical attacks. ishing all vampires from Earth. This spell She could transform discrete portions of did not affect Victor Strange, however, as her body into mist as well. being in suspended animation apparently —A normal-size bat that retained Lilith’s protected him. intellect. In this form, she could fly at Poor More recently, after Doc Strange’s appar- airspeed and attacked on the Edged At- ent death, his associate Sara Wolfe sold the tacks column, doing Poor damage (but land on which the warehouse was built. couldn’t score any Kill results). See page 58 When the empty warehouse was torn of the MARVEL SUPER HEROES Advanced down, the suspended animation equip- Set Judge’s Book for more on bats. ment was damaged, and Victor revived. Vampire’s Bite: Although Lilith did not This event, and those that followed, have need to ingest blood to survive (see “Limi- seemingly “broken” the Montesi Formula, tations”), she did savor the taste and would opening the door for vampires to again often bite the neck of a victim to obtain it. plague the mortals of Earth. Her bite did Typical (6) damage per round. This month, I’ll give the statistics for my As she fed, Lilith also injected an enzyme favorite MARVEL UNIVERSE vamp, Lilith, into her victim’s body that would add to and discuss using vampires in your Marvel his weakness (due to blood loss) and make campaign. For more information on him susceptible to Lilith’s hypnotic com- MARVEL UNIVERSE vampires, see Dracu- mands, even over long distances (see la’s statistics in either DRAGON® issue “Summoning and Controlling” and “Lim- #126 or the Gamer’s Handbook of the ited Telepathy” below). If the victim died MARVEL UNIVERSE®, Vol. I, and see from blood loss, the enzyme would cause DRAGON issue #104 for the MARVEL him to arise three nights later as a normal SUPER HEROES™ module, Sudden Dawn, vampire. This vampire would have all the which details the Nazi vampire, Baron traditional weaknesses of vampires (sun- Blood. light, garlic, holy symbols, etc.) even

The MARVEL-Phile’s Marvel characters and the distinctive names and likenesses thereof are trademarks of Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. and are used with permission. Copyright ©1990 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

DRAGON 71 MARVEL though Lilith did not. have contacts with Dracula (as a nemesis, body completely, even to the point of Summoning and Controlling: Lilith had not an ally) and Doctor Strange, as she making it look like Lilith’s original body. several powers in these areas: was present when he cast the Montesi Angel had no memories of these episodes, —Lilith could summon and control up to Formula. although she realized she was experienc- her Psyche number in rats, mice, bats, ing “blackouts.” dogs, or wolves with a successful Psyche NOTE: It is important to remember that Bored with the British Isles, Lilith co- FEAT roll. The type of animals summoned Lilith is a member of the undead, and erced Angel into moving to New York City, depended upon the environment in which there is no Karma loss for destroying her. where Angel met, fell in love with, and Lilith was encountered. If Lilith is inhabiting a “captured” body, lived with a man called Martin Gold. Lilith —She also had the ability to hypnotize however, the PCs should be awarded extra soon wearied of having to share a body, so an ordinary mortal when she caught the Karma if they attempt to remove Lilith she sought out Victor Benzel, a descendent victim’s eye, even for a few seconds (one from the body she’s inhabiting, rather of the gypsy, Gretchin. Benzel, who had round). Lilith could then command suc- than just killing Lilith outright. inherited much of Gretchin’s mystic lore, performed mystical ceremonies that re- cessfully hypnotized victims into perform- HISTORY: Lilith was the daughter of Vlad ing virtually any act short of outright Dracula and his first wife, a Hungarian moved Lilith from Angel’s body and pro- murder or suicide. Lilith could perform no noblewoman, Zofia. After Lilith was born, vided a duplicate of Lilith’s own for her. other actions in the round she attempted Dracula drove her and her mother away; Angel returned to her life under a spell so to hypnotize. Lilith was given to an old gypsy woman that she would never remember any part —Lilith could control the weather with a named Gretchin, and her mother commit- of her life and dealings with Lilith. red Psyche FEAT roll. The effects varied ted suicide. A few years later, Dracula Lilith now sought out her father for a final confrontation. She found him at from thick fog to powerful rain, snow, himself was mortally wounded in battle wind, or electrical storms, all equal to and was taken to a gypsy healer who was Castle Dracula, where they battled. Drac- Lilith’s Psyche in strength. This act actually a vampire. The healer killed Vlad ula finally bared his chest to Lilith and drained Lilith, however, and left her un- and transformed him into a vampire. As a dared her to drive a stake into his heart. Lilith found that she could not do it. Drac- able to use any other vampiric abilities for result of this treachery, the now-undead 1-10 hours. Vlad Dracula went on a rampage, killing ula taunted her, saying that as a part of the spell that changed Lilith, Gretchin had Immortality: Even if Lilith’s body was all the gypsies he could find. destroyed, her spirit would escape and The vengeful mother of one of the gyp- made Lilith incapable of killing Dracula, which would then end Lilith’s own exist- eventually enter the body of an innocent sies Dracula killed, Gretchin, cast a spell woman who wished her own father dead. on Dracula’s daughter, Lilith. This spell ence. Lilith doubted this reasoning, but Lilith could then, using certain mystic transformed the child into an adult vam- they parted soon after. It remains unclear rituals, transform her “new” body into a pire. Certain properties of this spell gave whether Dracula’s reasoning was true or whether he was exerting some kind of duplicate of her own. Lilith could not be Lilith both the vampiric and unique abili- permanently destroyed as long as her ties she possessed and granted her the control over his daughter. father, Dracula, existed. Lilith also pos- status of Dracula’s eternal foe. Lilith would Lilith lost track of Dracula after this. sessed Excellent (20) regenerative abilities exist, moving from body to body as each Although she still longed to destroy Drac- ula should she ever find him, Lilith began in any body she inhabited. died, as long as Dracula roamed the Earth. Limited Telepathy: Lilith could telepathi- At first, Lilith attacked humans indis- to live an independent lifestyle. She even- cally command any person anywhere on criminately to feed her vampiric tastes. tually came to live in a villa in southern Earth from whom she had drained blood, She eventually learned to control her France, after adopting the surname Drake (the form the family name Dracula evolved whether that victim was still alive or had bloodlust, only attacking those whom she died and arisen as a vampire himself. considered evil. She also came to the real- into). She was present when Doctor Strange and his allies cast the Montesi LIMITATIONS: Because Lilith’s vampir- ization that she didn’t need blood to sur- ism was due to the spell cast upon her, she vive, thanks to Gretchin’s spell. Formula that ended her existence and her was immune to most of the traditional Lilith wanted to punish Dracula for all father’s. banes of vampires. Lilith did not need to the evil and suffering he had created in ROLE-PLAYING NOTES: Since vampires rest during the daylight hours, had no the world. After battling her father for can again exist on Earth, it is possible for dependence on her native soil, and could centuries, the two eventually came to a Lilith (and other vampires, including her withstand direct sunlight. She also did not truce, vowing never to meet again. They father) to appear in your campaign. She need blood to sustain herself (but she did did not see each other until about 30 years could be searching for her father, perhaps enjoy the taste). She was not repulsed or ago. On the estate of Quincy Harker— aware of his (recent or impending) arrival harmed by religious objects, and she could Dracula’s longtime nemesis—Harker’s wife in your campaign city. If so, she might use them against other vampires. She was died from fear of Dracula. Harker took his even be inclined to work with the heroes also immune to the effects of garlic. revenge by killing Lilith. to help eliminate her father’s threat. She Lilith was not totally invulnerable, how- Lilith’s spirit wandered the British Isles would, of course, do her best to keep her ever. Her body could be killed by driving a for three decades searching for an inno- identity and powers secret—at least until wooden stake through her heart. This cent woman who wished her father dead. the right moment. would require restraining Lilith (getting at She finally found such a woman in North- Lilith need not be linked to her father, least a Partial Hold), and getting a Red ern Ireland. A girl named Angel O’Brien, a however. She could also come back as a result for the staking attack. Also, success- Catholic, had married and become preg- ravening monster, worse than her father, fully attacking Lilith with silver weapons nant by a Protestant man named Ted Han- if her “death” by the Montesi Formula did normal damage to her. nigan. Upon hearing this, Angel’s father drove her mad. Lilith would be an ex- TALENTS: Lilith had considerable knowl- attacked both Angel and Ted. Ted was tremely dangerous foe, given that she has edge about the occult, mystic lore, vam- felled by the blow, struck his head, and so few weaknesses common to other vam- pires in general, and her father in died. At that moment Angel felt a murder- pires and is immortal. particular. Treat her Reason as Excellent ous hatred for her father, and Lilith en- (20) in these areas. tered her body. OTHER VAMPIRES: Vast possibilities Angel/Lilith killed Angel’s father (he did exist for encounters and even full cam- CONTACTS: Lilith had few contacts in not become a vampire) and began a dual paigns featuring vampires. If vampires the world of mortals, although she could existence. Lilith often took over Angel’s infest your city, your heroes could become modern-day vampire-hunters, carrying around hammers and wooden stakes along with their splurge-guns and wakka-wakka devices. Imagine your players’ faces the first time their characters encounter a vampire attacking some poor soul. They’ll charge to the rescue, only to discover this being is no ordinary mugger! For those Judges devilish enough to incorporate vampires into their cam- paigns, a brief conversion system is of- fered to transform characters into the vile, blood-sucking fiends we all love so much. Remember that very few vampires would have abilities at Lilith’s level. She was definitely an exception to the rule. (Thanks to Jeff Grubb for the original conversion guidelines in DRAGON #126.) Agility: +1CS (maximum Remarkable); Strength: +1CS (maximum Remarkable); Endurance: +2CS (maximum Amazing); Health: modified accordingly. A “normal” vampire can: transform into mist and at least one animal form; climb sheer surfaces (wall-crawling); use Typical (6) or better Regeneration; command certain animals; and control any vampire it creates if the target vampire fails a Psyche FEAT roll. It also has all weak- nesses normally associated with vampires. Feel free to adapt these conversions to fit the power level of your campaign and heroes. Just remember that vampires are some of the most dangerous beings in the MARVEL UNIVERSE, and any encounter with one should be extremely challenging for your heroes. One more thing to remember about Lilith in particular, and MARVEL UNI- VERSE vampires in general, is that through biting (but not killing) a victim, a vampire can control the victim’s actions. This includes most PC heroes. Although Lilith certainly could attack and control one of your PCs, I personally don’t recom- mend it. The heroes are really the “stars” of the campaign, and taking the control of a character from the player is a very tricky situation at best. To me, taking a character away from the player, especially in a super-hero game where the PCs have powers “beyond the ken of mortal men,” just isn’t right. If you decide to do this, do it very carefully. NPCs are another matter entirely. If a vampire attacks and controls an important NPC, maybe even a loved one of the hero(es), many interesting role- playing situations can develop. That’s it for now. Next month, look for “Leftovers II: The Villains,” and I’ll be back in issue #165. Send any comments or questions to: The MARVEL-Phile, DRAGON Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.

DRAGON 73

Voyage when business is poor. geon), both of which they own. Continued from page 45 HH&H dirigibles come in light- and dark- Montjoie Rouge, Sa. (Inc.): A family blue wave patterns. clan of Valoins formed this trade house, Johanneke Gnomes Worldwide, which specializes in the business of enter- patches of green and beige. These dirigi- Ltd.: These Flamaeker gnomes established tainment. It handles theaters of mechani- bles are often (illegally) armed. the bulk of their business in banking. Not cal puppets, the organization of the Demeulemeister, Ltd.: This Fla- only are most major projects financed Annual Schaerbeek Regatta, the publishing maeker trade house is specialized in the directly by Johanneke, but the trade house of gnomish joke books, and the manage- construction of vehicles that fly and in the also owns and operates countless gold ment of a fleet of circuses on Oostdok and business of transportation. Its specialty is mines on Oostdok and in the mountains at on the Hollow World’s mainland. Less the dirigible. Part of Oostdok’s economy the Hollow World’s equator. The gold is reputable is this house’s activities among relies on doing business with people living what attracted the Heldannic Knights in the shadier circles of the population, for on the mainland, and good dirigibles are the first place, but in the long run the gold whom nocturnal recreational services are difficult to build and fly. Transport dirigi- may in fact turn against them. This gold is performed behind closed doors. This bles are often purchased or rented from harming the Heldannic economy by caus- allows the trade house to quietly spy on Demeulemeister’s Rent-a-Blimp service, ing inflation in the various Heldannic and extort information from other trade under the condition that a properly ac- colonies; prices are rising without limit. houses, and especially from the Heldannic credited and trained Demeulemeister crew Johanneke is aware of the effect, and it Knights. Subtle messages about secret controls all piloting procedures. Demeule- tends to be overgenerous to the Knights Heldannic plots or patriotic satires of the meister is having difficulties with the when paying the annual gold tribute in oppressors are then passed on to cus- Heldannic Knights, who want the com- hopes this will accelerate the inflation tomers through the dialogues of Montjoie’s pany to train Heldannic crewmen. Hem- process (the plan does seem to be work- mechanical puppets. beek, Hembeek & Huysevant (see later) ing). Johanneke Gnomes Worldwide also Montjoie Rouge’s dirigibles are easily has been administrating the case . . . for act as traveling gold and gem traders with recognizable by their all-scarlet color the last 10 years. Demeulemeister officials other mainland cultures, from whom they scheme. are in contact with Broqueville representa- extort high change fees. VandenKoop Brothers, Ltd.: This tives to purchase armament in the event The Johanneke dirigibles have a purple- Flamaeker trade house specializes in the the case is lost. Demeulemeister intends to and-yellow checker pattern. production of all types of poultry and defend its policies against the Heldannic Le Nerviens Family Trust, Inc.: A eggs. It owns huge, mechanical farms in intrusion to the bitter end. respectable trade house of Valoin origins, various regions of Oostdok, as well as an Demeulemeister’s dirigibles bear red and this group specializes in pure inventions. important network of quick-service tav- white stripes. The company owns a dozen, Although its members are often referred erns (a large share of Oostdok’s population each with a large number painted at the to as “The Mad Scientists,” many of their eats at these bustling eateries). In addition rear, on the fins. creations have been legally guildmarked— to the common ethnic fare on Oostdok Hembeek, Hembeek & Huysevant, a patenting process that has produced the (beer-that-you-eat-with-a-fork, potato-fries- Ltd.: Created by the amalgamation of two ever-so-ominous “GM” sigil—and are in-a-horn, and “Azcan” steak, the Vanden- Flamaeker cousin clans with a third allied widely used by the Oostdok public. Le Koop Taverns also offer such delicacies as family, this trade house deals with all Nerviens scientists have discovered and Egg-on-a-Stick(GM), Wing Dings(GM), and aspects of the law. The majority of its kin now control some of the most sensitive Turkey Necks(GM). Many areas of agricul- form a powerful corps of attorneys, law- information about the cosmology of the ture also are under Vandenkoop’s control. yers, magistrates, and legal scribes having Hollow World and its relationship with the The VandenKoop dirigibles have a bright a monopoly on all judiciary proceedings on Known World on the surface. They are yellow overall color scheme. Oostdok. Professional advocates and pros- attempting to reactivate a giant mecha- The “fifth column”: There is a terror- ecutors working for HH&H have been nism that will allow the company to regain ist revolutionary group on Oostdok, most mentally conditioned to be absolutely control over the flight of Oostdok. The of its followers being those who were impartial to their clients; the best of them scientists’ plan is to change the natural rejected by their trade houses. This group work only for HH&H proper. This house’s flight path of the island and relocate it to is the equivalent of the humans’ thieves’ greatest power resides in its legal right to hide from the Heldannic Knights. and assassins’ guilds, being utterly secret cause other trade houses to sue each Le Nerviens generally color its dirigibles and ruthless but working for no one but other, whether they want to or not; this is to resemble large fishes, like L’Epaulard (a itself. Most of its members use fake birth- a major source of revenue for HH&H killer whale), and Le Gros Belouga (a stur- marks and have sworn to destroy Oostdok and its society. Their main goals, among others, are to forever ground Oostdok and dismantle the trade-house structure. The fifth column has infiltrated Broqueville circles, where it has learned about the doomsday machine; these terrorists intend to activate it if they can reach it. For the moment, the fifth column sides with the Heldannic Knights to achieve its ends. The fifth column owns no dirigibles.

76 OCTOBER 1990 DRAGON 77 78 OCTOBER 1990 What you don’t know will scare you in RAVENLOFT™ campaigns by Bruce Nesmith

Dungeon Master: “You are walking How could the players have been fooled cally role-play their characters as being through the tunnel of bones when the by such an encounter? Actually, it was frightened. spot beneath you erupts and [checking a easy. The GM lied. Yes, he intentionally The specific elements you need are as die roll] knocks you off your feet. Over a deceived the party. He described the centi- follows: dozen large, undulating, insectlike crea- pedes as being as long as the player’s arm, Description: This is the most impor- tures pour out, snapping and crushing the about 3’ long, instead of giving their real tant element to horror role-playing of any dry bones like twigs. Each monster is as length of 2’. And he said that there were variety. Never tell the players the name of long as your arm, with a sickly yellow over a dozen of them, when in fact there the monster they are facing or the techni- fluid dripping from its mandibles. As you were just under a dozen. cal definitions of scenes or items. Don’t be lay there, one slithers over your leg and Deception is just one of several methods afraid to use lots of colorful descriptions goes for your face.” that can be used to frighten the players in like “horrid” or “bloodcurdling.” I even Player: “Quick! Let’s get out of here! I your RAVENLOFT campaign. Chapter XV keep a short list of such words handy as a attempt to fling the thing off of me and of the RAVENLOFT rules set describes reference tool. run back down the tunnel. We need a plan several techniques of terror. Most of those For example: “The huge dog slowly and some heavy firepower to deal with are on the grand scale, useful when de- warps and shifts until it is a horrid man- these things.” signing an adventure or campaign. This beast towering over the tallest of you.” article will address the specific elements of Now that is scary! It is much better than: This is a short rendition, loosely trans- how to run a single encounter to scare the “The werewolf shapechanges into its half- lated, from a RAVENLOFT™ game demon- players. man, half-wolf form.” By using the terms stration run at the 1990 GEN CON® game Please notice that I am not concerned “werewolf” and “shapechange,” the mon- fair this year. The players were scared out with scaring the characters, but rather the ster is now comfortably pigeon-holed and of their minds by — yes, folks — giant centi- players. Characters are easy to scare. The is not the least bit frightening. They play- pedes. Each was a double-sized (2’ long) DM merely rolls some dice and announces ers know right off if they can beat it or if giant centipede, with 4 hp, doing 1 hp “the characters are terrified,” and the they should retreat. damage per bite (plus a weak acid). There players have to role-play being scared. Whenever possible, compare the en- were 10 of them. A single blow from most Keep in mind that the players are the countered monster to the players. Role- weapons could kill one of these ravening important element in the game. If the playing is a very personal experience, and terrors of the tunnel of bones. players are frightened, they will automati- horror role-playing is even more so. Tell-

DRAGON 79 ing the player that the monster is “tower- the sturdy bolt. From the other side he Hidden information: The DM should ing over the tallest of you” is much more heard faint shuffling noises and some sort keep as much game information hidden personal and frightening than saying that of animal sniffing at the base of the door. from the players as possible. When I run a the werewolf “is six and a half feet tall” By this time, each of the players has had RAVENLOFT adventure, the players roll Your adventures will take longer when far too much time to think about what their own attack dice and damage dice, you have to describe every encounter and might be on the other side of the door. and that’s it. I roll all the saving throws, all scene in this detailed fashion, but it is well When the werewolves crashed through the undead-turning attempts, etc. Some- worth it. the walls, ignoring the door, the PCs times I even keep track of the PCs’ hit Deception: In the heat of the moment, leaped out of the windows, crashed points and wounds. Under no circum- most of us tend to exaggerate what we through the outer walls themselves, and stances will I reveal the rolls or numbers see. In the centipede example above, the basically did everything in their power to involved in my end of the game. If the DM was merely making that a part of the escape from a menace they could have players ask, they get a narrative descrip- game. Like all good DMs, he did not easily defeated. They were more than tion of what happened. A player is more overdo it. He did not say that the centi- willing to take the falling damage rather timid if he is told that his character is pedes were 20’ long or that there were than face the monsters! sorely wounded than he is if told his char- hundreds of them. Nobody would be that The unexpected: Your players know acter has 15 hp left. far off in his judgment. A good rule of all of the standard monsters and plots. If When the player rolls a die, he can thumb is to exaggerate by no more than you give them an encounter that follows blame his failures on the die roll. If a roll double (or devalue by one-half). Tell them this well-trod path, they can hardly be that should have succeeded fails, he learns that what they face is one-half the size of expected to be frightened by it. In the that there is something at work here that X or is twice as large as X. Tell them its example above, with the werewolves in is out of the ordinary. These kinds of bite hurts twice as bad as it really does. the inn, the routine outcome would have things conflict with a good horror adven- If the players declare that they are tak- been for the werewolves to break down ture. This is not to say that the player ing a quick head count or that they want the door. In fact, I dare say that a PC or shouldn’t get any feedback on his actions to look closely at the scene, then the DM two was standing to either side of the or die rolls. As the DM, when you take should give them more accurate descrip- door, waiting to sword-stick whatever away a die-rolling mechanic from the tions. The kind of exaggeration described poked its snout through. Instead, the players, you must replace it with a verbal above only applies to first impressions in werewolves burst through the very walls description of the action. tense situations. If the players remain calm of the characters’ rooms. Great hairy arms For example, a priest attempts to turn an enough to ask the questions, reward them shot through the thin plaster and grabbed undead legion of skeletons, and you roll by giving them accurate information. the helpless characters pressed against the that he fails. The player gets to hear some- Play upon similarities to safe and ordi- wall. thing like this: “As you hold forth the nary things. For example, describe wolves In order to make the unexpected work, symbol of your faith, demanding that the as dogs. To the undiscerning eye, one sometimes you must cheat. I don’t care undead creatures turn back, your voice could easily be mistaken for the other. For what anybody says; all great DMs cheat. breaks. Your convictions seem to weaken most people, a dog is a friendly creature, Since the DM is not truly all-seeing or all- as the horror of the situation mounts. The and that makes it all the more horrifying powerful, he needs something on his side, skeletal legion marches toward you with- when it suddenly becomes a ravenous so he cheats. Wait to see what the party is out breaking stride.” Now the player man-beast. It can be quite a shock! doing to prepare for an encounter. Then knows he failed his turning attempt, but Suspense: Keep your players waiting. have the encounter act in such a way as to he does not know exactly why. Was it his Build the scene a little at a time. Give the maximize the unexpected, as if the beasts own lack of faith, or was it the powerful players time to worry about what might had been planning it that way all along. and dark forces that animated the skele- happen. Their fertile imaginations will However, always allow the characters a tons? Is it worth trying again or not? This probably scare them more than the actual way out. It’s much more fun to watch unknown element is quite frightening. encounter. In a recent playtest of the them run away in terror than it is to kill Final notes: It is hard to scare players RAVENLOFT adventure, RA1 Feast of them. who are role-playing fantasy heroes. Their Goblyns, one party was sleeping on the This technique should be applied spar- characters come well equipped and armed second story of an inn. The thief awoke in ingly. Your run-of-the-mill encounters with powers beyond the scope of normal the middle of the night to the soft sounds should act in predictable ways, allowing men. They are used to being in control. of something trying to slowly open the the players the satisfaction of defeating You will have to work hard to frighten door. As he woke the others and armed them with a well-executed plan. Only the them, but the techniques from the himself, he saw the handle stop as it hit special encounters should have the advan- RAVENLOFT boxed set and from this tage of the unexpected. article should do the trick for most play- ers. Once you have scared them, always reward them. That may sound funny, but remember that your players are just peo- ple out to have an evening’s fun with role- playing. If they spend the whole game session being scared and unable to suc- ceed at any task or defeat a single mon- ster, they will become frustrated. Their characters may be stuck in the RAVENLOFT universe, but the players can walk away from the gaming table at any time. Give them an encounter they can defeat. Let them find or decipher a clue to the solution of the adventure. As the DM, you must lead them from suspense, to terror, to release, and — yes — to success. Then you get to start the whole process over again . . .

80 OCTOBER 1990

82 OCTOBER 1990 a dealers’ room, a miniatures-painting contest, and on-site food. Registration: $4/day and $7 for the weekend until Sept. 30; $5/day and $10 for the weekend at the door. Send an SASE to: The Game Emporium, 3213 23rd Ave., Moline IL 61265; or call: (309) 762-5577 (no collect calls).

U-CON ‘90, October 12-14 This gaming convention will be held in the Michigan Union in Ann Arbor, Mich. Featured activities include over 120 events, an auction, and a special AD&D® serial dungeon. Special * indicates a product produced by a company other than TSR, Inc. Most product names are trademarks owned by the guests include Robert Lynn Asprin, Lynn Abbey, Convention Calendar Policies companies publishing those products. The use of the name of and Darwin Bromley. Write to: U-CON, c/o any product without mention of its trademark status should not Michigan Wargaming Club, P.O. Box 4491, Ann This column is a service to our readers be construed as a challenge to such status. Arbor MI 48106; or call: Eve or Larry at (313) worldwide. Anyone may place a free listing 971-8459. for a game convention here, but the follow- ENBICON ’90, October 12-14 ing guidelines must be observed. This gaming convention will be held in the RUDICON VI, October 19-21 In order to ensure that all convention Student Union Building of the University of New Held on the campus of the Rochester Institute of listings contain accurate and timely infor- Brunswick, Fredericton, N.B., Canada. Events Technology, this convention is sponsored by the mation, all material should be either typed include BATTLETECH*, WARHAMMER*, Rochester Wargamers Assoc. and the RIT Student double-spaced or printed legibly on stand- AD&D®, SHADOWRUN*, CALL OF CTHULHU*, Directorate. Events include RPG and war-gaming ard manuscript paper. The contents of TORG*, and SPACE HULK* games, with a minia- tournaments, miniatures-painting and art contests, each listing must be short and succinct. tures painting contest and war games. Registra- SCA demos, a large dealers’ room, historical minia- The information given in the listing must tion: $8 (Canadian)/weekend. Write to: ENBICON tures, an auction, and a con party complete with include the following, in this order: ‘90, c/o UNB Student Union, P.O. Box 4400, costume contest. Registration: $5 for the weekend. 1. Convention title and dates held; Fredericton NB, CANADA E3B 5A3. Dealers are welcome. Write to: RUDICON VI, c/o 2. Site and location; Student Directorate, 1 Lomb Memorial Dr., Roches- 3. Guests of honor (if applicable); QUAD CON ’90, October 12-14 ter NY 14623. 4. Special events offered; Sponsored by the Riverbend Gamers Club and 5. Registration fees or attendance re- the Game Emporium staff, this fifth-annual GAMEMASTER ’90, October 20 quirements; and, convention will be held once again at the Palmer This gaming convention will again be held in 6. Address(es) and telephone number(s) Auditorium in Davenport, Iowa. Events include the Student Union Building of Boise State Uni- where additional information and confirma- AD&D®, CALL OF CTHULHU*, BATTLETECH*, versity in Boise, Idaho. The guest of honor is tion can be obtained. CHAMPIONS*, MARVEL SUPER HEROES™, and Gary Thomas. Events include AD&D®, MEGA- Convention flyers, newsletters, and other SHADOWRUN* games. Other activities include TRAVELLER*, CAR WARS*, WARHAMMER*, mass-mailed announcements will not be historical and computer games, a silent auction, BATTLETECH*, GURPS*, STAR TREK*, STAR considered for use in this column; we prefer to see a cover letter with the an- nouncement as well. No call-in listings are accepted. Unless stated otherwise, all dollar values given for U.S. and Canadian conventions are in U.S. currency. WARNING: We are not responsible for incorrect information sent to us by conven- tion staff members. Please check your convention listing carefully! Our wide circulation ensures that over a quarter of a million readers worldwide see each issue. Accurate information is your responsibility. Copy deadlines are the last Monday of each month, two months prior to the on- sale date of an issue. Thus, the copy dead- line for the December issue is the last Monday of October. Announcements for North American and Pacific conventions must be mailed to: Convention Calendar, DRAGON® Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. Announcements for Europe must be posted an additional month before the deadline to: Convention Calendar, DRAGON® Magazine, TSR Limited, 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom. If a convention listing must be changed because the convention has been can- celled, the dates have changed, or incor- rect information has been printed, please contact us immediately. Most questions or changes should be directed to the maga- zine editors at TSR, Inc., (414) 248-3625 (U.S.A.). Questions or changes concerning European conventions should be directed to TSR Limited, (0223) 212517 (U.K.).

indicates a Canadian convention. indicates a European convention.

DRAGON 83 SCI CON XII, November 2-4 GAMESCON ‘90 This convention will be held at the Holiday Executive Center in Virginia Beach, Va. The guest Laindon Community Centre, Basildon, Essex. of honor is Kim Stanley Robinson, and the artist guest of honor is Bob Eggleton. This SF convention Saturday 27th October 1990 features panels, readings, videos, a costume con- test, an art show, a hospitality suite, and gaming. Trade Stands. Demonstration and Participation Games. Registration: $25. Write to: SCI CON XII, Dept. DR, P.O. Box 9434, Hampton VA 23670. Painting Competition and much more. Players required for the AD&D® Tournament. SOONERCON 6, November 2-4 For details contact: This convention will be held at the Central Plaza Hotel in Oklahoma City, Okla. Guests of Chris Baylis, 67 Mynchens, Lee Chapel North honor include Lois McMaster Bujold, Dr. William F. Wu, Alicia Austin, and Susan Satterfield. Basildon, Essex SS15 5EG. Events include open gaming, an art show, a video room, British TV, a masque and a masque Tel: (0268) 419933 dance, an art auction, and a contest for the “Worst-Dressed Sentient Being.” Registration: AD&D is a registered trademark of TSR, Inc. $10 until October 10. Write to: P.O. Box 4229, Tulsa OK 74159.

FLEET BATTLES*, MARVEL SUPER HEROES™, GAMESCON ’90, October 27 GAME-FEST ’90, November 3 CHAMPIONS*, and STAR WARS* games. Other This convention will be held at the Laindon This convention will be held at Kaspar’s Ark, features are an original tournament adventure Community Centre on High Road in Basildon, north of Lebanon, Pa. Events include AD&D®, based on the film Total Recall, strategy gaming, Essex. Activities include a RPGA™ AD&D® CHAMPIONS*, TORG*, ASL*, AXIS & ALLIES*, open gaming, miniatures contests, and an auc- tournament, a painting competition, demonstra- and BATTLETECH* games. Registration: $5 tion. Registration: $3 preregistered before Oct. tion and participation games, and traders. preregistered; $7.50 at the door. Write to: Leba- 10, and $4.50 at the door. Write to: Gamemas- Clubs, DMs, and players are all welcome! Write non Area Gamers, 806 Cumberland St., Lebanon ters’ Guild, 1511 Bergeson, Boise ID 83706. to: Chris Baylis, 67 Mynchens, Lee Chapel PA 17042; or call: (717) 274-8706. North, Basildon, Essex, England, SS15 5EG; or NECRONOMICON ’90, October 26-28 call: 0268-419933. ROCK-CON XVII, November 3-4 This convention will be held at the Holiday This convention will be held at Rockford Inn-Ashley Plaza in Tampa, Fla. The guests of HALLOWEEN TOURNAMENT XI Lutheran High School in Rockford, Ill. Guests of honor are Jack C. Haldeman II and Lawrence October 27 honor are Jim Ward, Tom Wham, and Lou Watt-Evans. Other guests include Timothy Zahn, This convention will be held at St. Paul’s Zocchi. Activities include over 100 gaming Richard Lee Byers, Richard Louis Newman, and United Methodist Church in Tucson, Ariz. events including RPGA™ tournaments, the Prudy Taylor Board. Activities include artist and Events include an AD&D® tournament, a raffle, annual auction, a dealers’ room, and the Don author panels, a masquerade, a trivia contest, a and a costume contest. Prizes will be awarded. Snow Memorial AD&D® tournament, sponsored fan cabaret, gaming, an art show and auction, Food and accommodations will be available on by the RPGA™ and Black Hawk Distributors. the Creatures of Night Pageant, and a charity or near the site. Registration: $5 at Things for Judges are needed! Registration: $5 for one or auction to benefit Wildlife Rescue, Inc. There’ll Thinkers; call: (602) 326-7679. For hotel infor- both days. Write to: ROCK-CON XVII Game Fair, also be a dealers’ room, a Friday night banquet, mation, call: David Orahood at: (602) 887-3983. 14225 Hansberry Rd., Rockton IL 61072. a 24-hour hospitality suite, and an Ygor party. Registration: $20 for the weekend or $8/day. CONTRARY ’90, November 2-4 UMF-CON ’90, November 3-4 Write to: NECRONOMICON ‘90, P.O. Box 2076, This gaming convention will be held at the Beat the snow to the University of Maine- Riverview FL 33569; or call: (813) 677-6347. Quality Inn & Conference Center in Chicopee, Farmington Student Center for this convention. Mass. An honored guest is Michael Gray. Events Events include AD&D®, GAMMA WORLD®, TOP STAR CON ’90, October 26-28 include six RPGA™ tournaments, plus other RPGs, SECRET/S.I.™, miniatures, war, and board This convention is sponsored by Star Base board games, miniatures, and painting and cos- games. Registration: $3/day or $5 for the week- Alpha and will be held in Menasha, Wis. Events tume contests. Registration: $15 preregistered. end preregistered; $4/day or $8 for the week- include a wide variety of games and tourna- Write to: CONTRARY ‘90, 933 Belmont Ave., end at the door. All games have an additional $2 ments, as well as other activities. Write to: Star Springfield MA 01108; or call: (413) 731-7237. table fee. Write to: Table Gaming Club, Student Base Alpha, 1112 R. Lake St., Neenah WI 54956, Center, 5 South St., Farmington ME 04938. GENERICON ’90, November 2-4 COMMAND.CON TOO, October 27 This gaming convention will be held in the AUG-CON II, November 9-11 The convention will be held at the St. Louis Coffman Memorial Union of the University of AU Gamers are proud to announce that this Community College in the Forest Park Cafeteria. Minnesota-Minneapolis campus. Role-playing, convention will take place at the Sheraton Tara Events include RPGA™ AD&,D® games, a pleni- board and war gaming will be featured, plus Hotel in Parsippany, N.J. Featured events in- tude of miniatures, board, and role-playing movies, an art show, costume contests, tourna- clude RPGA™ tournaments, a game for charity, games, plus the SAGA game auction. Registra- ments, and much more. Registration: $10 prere- costume and miniatures contests, an auction, tion: $5. Write to: COMMAND.CON TOO, P.O. gistered before Oct. 1; $15 at the door. $2 and a dealers’ room. Registration: $8/day and Box 9107, St. Louis MO 63117; or call: (314) 727- discount from at the door admission with the $20/weekend before Oct. 20, $10/day at the 1508 or (314) 721-1155 before 10 p.m. No collect donation of nonperishable food items for Minne- door. Call the hotel for special room rates: (201) calls, please. sota Food Shelves. Write to: GENERICON ‘90, 515-2000, ext. 5800, and be sure to mention the 2835 Rice St., #817, St. Paul MN 55113. convention. Write to: AU Gamers, c/o Oakwood ELLIS CON II, October 27 Village Apts., Bldg. #26, Apt. #9, Flanders NJ This simulation-game conference will take HEXACON ’90, November 2-4 07836; or call: (201) 927-8097. place at Harvard H. Ellis Technical School in The Science Fiction Fantasy Federation’s fifth Danielson, Conn., sponsored by the Ellis Tech annual gaming convention will be held in the NEBULOUS CON II, November 9-11 Simulation Club. Two tournaments with prizes Bryan School of Business on the University of The Penn State University—New Kensington will be featured, as well as introductory and North Carolina—Greensboro campus. Events campus will be the site of this gaming conven- complex simulations including GUNS OF AU- include two RPGA™ AD&D® tournaments, with tion. Various role-playing and strategic games GUST*, AFRIKA KORPS*, NAPOLEON AT WA- STAR FLEET BATTLES*, TOON*, AD&D® 1st will be featured along with a video room and a TERLOO*, ARAB/ISRAELI WARS*, AXIS & and 2nd Editions, CHAMPIONS*, and GURPS costume contest. Sleeping space in the gym will ALLIES*, and BLUE MAX* games. Registration: HORROR* games. Registration: $5/day or $12/ be available. Registration: $13/weekend prere- $5 at the door. Write to: John Haskell, c/o H. H. weekend preregistered by Oct. 20; $7/day and gistered; or $4 for Friday, $7 for Saturday or Ellis RVTS, 613 Upper Maple St., Danielson CT; $15/weekend thereafter. Student Specials apply Sunday, and $15/weekend at the door. Send an or call John at: (203) 774-8511. with a valid I.D. Write to: HEXACON ‘90, Science SASE to: NEBULOUS CON II, c/o Penn State New Fiction Fantasy Federation, P.O. Box 4, Elliot Kensington, 3550 Seventh Street Rd., New 84 OCTOBER 1990 University Center, UNCG, Greensboro NC 27412. Kensington PA 15068. KETTERING GAME CONVENTION CONTEX 8, November 23-25 SYNDICON III, December 8 November 10-11 This convention will be held at the Hilton This convention will be held at the Interna- This gaming convention will be held in the Southwest in Houston, Tex. Guests include tional Inn in Orlando, Florida. The guest of Charles I. Lathrem Senior Center in Kettering, Robert E. Vardeman, Sherlock, and Willie Siros. honor is Rembert N. Parker, RPGA™ Regional Ohio. Events include FRP games, with DUNGEON®, Activities include gaming, merchants, an art Director. Events include one- and two-round POOL OF GOLD*, CIVILIZATION*, CIRCUS MAXI- show, costuming, writers’ workshops. filking, RPGA™ AD&D® tournaments, with BATTLE- MUS*, DIPLOMACY*, ACQUIRE*, RAIL BARON*, films and videos, plus the Contex Cross-Tavern TECH*, ILLUMINATI*, CAR WARS*, CALL OF STOCKS & BONDS*, RAILWAY RIVALS*, NAVAL Cosmic Tour. Dealers are welcome! Write to: CTHULHU*, SHADOWRUN*, SPELLJAMMER™, WAR*, RISK*, MONOPOLY*, and TALISMAN* FRIENDS OF FANDOM, P.O. Box 266996, Hous- DIPLOMACY*, DRAGONQUEST™ games. Regis- games. Dealers will be present and there will be ton TX 77207-6996; or call: (713) 729-6733. tration: $8; $6 for RPGA™ Network members; also be an auction. Registration: $2/day or $3/ $10 at the door. All of these include four free weekend for those age 13 and over; $.50/day for EUROPEAN GEN CON® GAMES FAIR 1990 events. Write to: SYNDICON III, 11324 Porto those 12 and under. Write to: Bob Van Gruenigen, November 30-December 2 Court, Orlando FL 32821; or call: (407) 857-1896 2013 Gay Dr., Kettering OH 45420. Europe’s largest residential gaming convention or (407) 788-3014. will be held in Camber Sands, Rye, Sussex. PROVOCATION, November 10-11 Guests of honor include TSR’s Blake Mobley, Jim Organized by the Quebec Gamers’ Assoc. (AQJS), Ward, Jeff Easley, Harold Johnson, Jean Rabe, this convention will be held at Pierre-Dupuy High and free-lancers Larry Elmore and Tom Wham. How effective was your convention listing? School in Montreal, Quebec. Activities include 33 Tournaments include AD&D® European Open, If you are a convention organizer, please hours of nonstop gaming, plus an auction, open BUCK ROGERS™, STAR WARS*, 2300 AD*, write to the editors and let us know if our gaming, an art show, and a figurine contest. SPELLJAMMER™, CALL OF CTHULHU*, “Convention Calendar” served your needs. Registration: $21 U.S./weekend and $13 U.S./day. BATTLESYSTEM™, and BATTLETECH*, among Your comments are always welcome. Write to; PROVOCATION, Box 63, Station M, others. Registration: £39.95 including accommo- Montreal, Canada H1V 3L6; or call Christine: (514) dation. Write to: EUROPEAN GEN CON, 120 596-0115; or Daniel: (514) 252-3032. Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge, CB1 3LB ENGLAND. TURP-CON, November 17-19 Out of Supplies? This gaming convention will be held at the TROPICON 9, November 30-December 2 Torquay Boys’ Grammar School in Torquay, This convention will be held at the Ft. Lauder- Write for a free catalog from the Devon, England. Events include AD&D®, PARA- dale Airport Hilton hotel. Guests include Hal NOIA*, MERP*, ROLEMASTER*, WARHAMMER Clement and Bruce Pelz. Events include pro- Mail Order Hobby Shop, c/o TSR, 40,000*, BLOOD BOWL*, and D&D® games, gramming, filking, an art show, a video room, a Inc., P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI with miniatures demos and painting contests, dealers’ room, a banquet, a trivia contest, a 53147 U.S.A. If you need special videos, and gaming tournaments. Registration: masquerade, and gaming. Registration: $20 until supplies for your role-playing ad- £0.50 plus £1.50 fee to play (all fees are one-half Nov. 1; fees will be higher at the door. Write to; ventures, the Mail Order Hobby price to students). Send an SASE to: Richard TROPICON 9; c/o South Florida Science Fiction Barrow, 169 Windsor Rd., Ellacombe, Torquay, Society, P.O. Box 70143, Ft. Lauderdale FL Shop has them — from all parts of Devon, GREAT BRITAIN, TQ1 1SR; or call: (0803) 33307; or call: Tony Parker at: (407) 391-4380. the gaming universe! 297314 evenings.

DRAGON 85 NEW PRODUCTS FOR X-Men Box Set lurk within this 64-page module. MARVEL SUPER HEROES™ boxed set Suggested Retail Price: $8.95/£5.95 OCTOBER by Jeff Grubb and Rick Swan Product No.: 9301 Many marvelous mutants make their mark in RA1 Feast of Goblyns this boxed set. This set covers the powers and WGA3 Flames of the Falcon AD&D® RAVENLOFT™ module abilities of the X-Men and the other major AD&D® GREYHAWK® module by Blake Mobley mutants while presenting several adventures by Richard and Anne Brown A dose of horror arrives just in time for for the X-Men or your own PCs to X-perience— Assaults on the City of Greyhawk by a venge- Halloween! Will your PCs survive in the do- the ultimate mutant experience! ful cleric have terrified the citizens and caused mains of Ravenloft? Find out in Feast of Suggested Retail Price: $18.00/£11.95 a panicked exodus. If the cleric continues her Goblyns, the first AD&D® game adventure Product No.: 6896 plans, the city will become a ghost town, ripe based on the RAVENLOFT™ boxed set! The for the picking by the cleric’s followers. Your RAVENLOFT™ DM’s screen and a full-color Viperhand mission: Stop her! A 25-mm fold-up mansion is poster of the cover art are included. The Maztica Trilogy, Book Two included, compatible with the Cities of Mystery Suggested Retail Price: $10.95/£6.95 by Doug Niles accessory. Product No.: 9298 The Maztica Trilogy takes its theme from the Suggested Retail Price: $8.95/£5.95 historical conquering of the Aztecs by Cortez. Product No.: 9302 DRAGONLANCE® saga Classics, Vol 1. When fantasy and magic are thrown into the AD&D® DRAGONLANCE® module plot, it makes for an thrilling new twist on an HWA1 Nightwail reprints already interesting story. D&D® HOLLOW WORLD™ module by TSR staff Suggested Retail Price: $4.95 by Allen Varney The first four classic DRAGONLANCE® mod- Product No.: 8476 This is the first module based on the new ules (DL1-4) originally introduced three years HOLLOW WORLD™ boxed set! This adventure ago have been updated for use with the AD&D® shows player characters how to discover the 2nd Edition game. All of the maps, characters, first kingdom in the Hollow World. Details on and information from the four modules have NEW PRODUCTS FOR the infamous Azcan Empire are revealed within been brought together into one package. NOVEMBER this three-part quest. This module is also com- Suggested Retail Price: $15.00/£9.95 patible with the AD&D® 2nd Edition game Product No.: 9291 Castles Box Set system. AD&D® boxed set Suggested Retail Price: $8.95/£5.95 FOR1 Draconomicon by Jeff Grubb, David “Zeb” Cook, Bruce Product No.: 9303 AD&D® FORGOTTEN REALMS™ Nesmith, and Andria Hayday accessory Castles are a powerful symbol in the world of 25CR2 Earth in the 25th Century by Lots O’People the AD&D® role-playing game, and castles for XXVc™ game accessory Everything you ever wanted to know about all three established TSR campaign worlds by Dale “Slade” Henson the great Wyrms of the FORGOTTEN REALMS™ (Krynn, Oerth, and Toril) are included in this The Earth is in ruins. The other planets in the setting is here. This is a back-to-the-basics look set. Each has a 48-page booklet containing full solar system have far surpassed it in power and at dragons: their homes, their magic, their color 3-D accessories, BATTLESYSTEM™ rules technology. Planet Earth is continually being treasures, and lots more! This material can information, full-color posters, and sections for exploited, but those, that live there are still easily be used in any fantasy campaign. adventures. If you use castles in your campaign, fighting to survive. Suggested Retail Price: $15.00/£9.95 don’t miss this one! Suggested Retail Price: $9.95/£6.50 Product No.: 9297 Suggested Retail Price: $24.95/£15.95 Product No.: 3567 Product No.: 1056 SJA3 Crystal Spheres Tanis, The Shadow Years AD&D® SPELLJAMMER™ module FR11 Dwarves Deep DRAGONLANCE® Preludes II Trilogy, by J. Paul LaFountain FORGOTTEN REALMS™ accessory Volume Three This adventure takes your SPELLJAMMER by Ed Greenwood by Barbara & Scott Siegel campaign PCs to four new crystal spheres in an Everything you need to know about dwarves Tanis Half-Elven once disappeared in the effort to save a prince and his entire sphere in the AD&D® game system is in this accessory, mountains near Solace, so it is told. He returned from the dark influence of an evil being. Ex- which outlines many new projects and abilities changed, ennobled — and with a secret. The plore new worlds and make your mark in this that PC dwarves can learn. This material can be adventure begins with a dying wizard who interplanetary adventure! used in any TSR fantasy game setting. needs Tanis’ help. Suggested Retail Price: $8.95/£5.95 Suggested Retail Price: $8.95/£5.95 Suggested Retail Price: $4.95 Product No.: 9299 Product No.: 9300 Product No.: 8333

25CA2 N.E.O. in the 25th Century FA1 Halls of the High King BOOT HILL® Wild West Game XXVc™ module AD&D® FORGOTTEN REALMS™ module Third edition RPG by Troy Denning by Ed Greenwood by Steve Winter There’s something rotten in Coprates. A Evil lurks in the hearts of the marauders of The Old West comes alive in this revision of a professor from Mars University hires your band Moonshae! Viking lords are laying waste to what TSR classic role-playing game! Range wars, of shady vagabonds to explore Jupiter’s moons was once a peaceful island of magic. The en- Indians, sheepherders, and cowboys all come to for legendary alien artifacts. There’s more to chantments now wane, and water monsters life again. Take part in showdowns at high noon this adventure than meets the eye though, as you role-play a character in the classic Ameri- including a sultry someone called Matahari! can adventure setting: the Wild West! Suggested Retail Price: $9.95/£6.50 Suggested Retail Price: $20.00/£12.50 Product No.: 3566 Product No.: 7005

MARVEL SUPER HEROES is a trademark of the Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All Marvel characters, names, and BUCK ROGERS and XXVc are trademarks used under the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of the Unless otherwise noted: license from The Dille Family Trust. ©1990 The Dille Family Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. ©1990 Marvel ® and ™ denote trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Trust. All Rights Reserved. Entertainment Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ©1990 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

86 OCTOBER 1990

88 OCTOBER 1990 The state of the art in superheroics

©1990 by Allen Varney

Scene: The 1989 GEN CON® game fair, But at 15 seconds before 12 noon, he What makes an established game’s on Friday, 11:55 A.M. In the Great Exhibit strode casually up that carpeted aisle. Tall, fourth edition such an event? The answer Hall of the MECCA Convention Center, a blond, lean as a varsity swimmer, and lies in the checkered history of the CHAM- hundred exhibitors sensed, the way roost- wearing an immaculate night-black tux- PIONS game. ing crows sense an oncoming earthquake, edo, Rob Bell, HERO SYSTEM™ game line In 1981, two gamers in San Mateo, Calif., that something momentous approached. editor at Iron Crown, had not planned the designed a superhero game, printed the At the Iron Crown Enterprises booth, drama of his arrival. His wristwatch was manuscript on a daisy-wheel printer, got sealed cardboard boxes stood in tall set wrong, almost the only detail he had one of their players to draw some illustra- stacks. Six dozen gamers waited tensely in overlooked in a year-long preparation for tions, and found the money to print 1,000 the aisle as the time crept toward noon. the great event. copies of the 64-page rulebook. George Behind the counter, nervous attendants Those last 15 seconds passed, then the MacDonald and Steve Peterson took the asked one another at 30-second intervals: packing boxes and the gamers’ wallets first edition of their CHAMPIONS game to Where is he? With the moment so near opened, and across the table passed the a Bay Area gaming convention with hopes and with the culmination of his year of first of over 400 copies of the long that appear, in retrospect, overly realistic. labor so close, could the man himself be awaited fourth edition of Hero Games’ “We knew just how much we could late? The crowd was growing by the mo- CHAMPIONS? The Super Role-Playing afford to lose, what we would do with ment, anticipation charging the air, yet the Game. It was big, shiny, and beautiful, the unsold stock—we had it all figured out,” attendants couldn’t imagine opening those hit of the convention. And when anyone says Peterson. “The one outcome we never boxes and pulling forth their contents— saw Rob Bell, he was grinning like a father considered for a moment was: What if the not without him, the man of the hour. has given away his daughter at a thing sold a zillion copies?” Thousands of dollars at stake, and the wedding. Their little rulebook did sell, if not a disappointment of a hundred fans, and zillion copies, at least very strongly. The yet.... CHAMPIONS®: The Super Role- success led Peterson and MacDonald to Playing Game recruit another player, Ray Greer, as mar- 352-page hardcover book keting maven and sales rep, and form Hero Games/ICE $32 Hero Games. During the next five years, Design: George MacDonald, they produced two more editions of the Steve Peterson, and Rob Bell CHAMPIONS game and two dozen adven- Fourth edition editing: Rob Bell tures and supplements. They also trans- Cover: George Perez lated their comic-book superhero rules Illustrations: Rob Davis, into other adventure genres: superspy- Glen Johnson, espionage, pulp-era crimefighting, fantasy, Denis Loubet, Sean Sharp, Jason and Japanese robots. Nimbly crossing Waltrip, Mark Williams, genres, the CHAMPIONS game spawned Barry Winston, the all-encompassing HERO SYSTEM game. Mike Witherby, Pat Zircher But as the little company’s audience grew, so did its troubles. Fundamentally the three partners were gamers, not busi- nessmen. Schedules fell apart, support fell to almost invisible levels, and cash-flow problems sent Hero Games into virtual hibernation. Loyal players in isolated regions of the country sustained their campaigns purely by their own efforts. In January 1986, the three Hero part- ners, fed up with business worries, made an arrangement with ICE, the publisher of the ROLEMASTER™ game and a popular line of supplements set in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. The Hero partners would acquire and develop HERO SYSTEM prop- erties, and Iron Crown would produce and distribute them. To the core Hero audience that still hung on, the arrangement seemed dubious, but the gamers were

DRAGON 89 ready for any change. superhero comics genre, its conventions acter starts play as a capable individual, Product flow improved for a time, but and requirements, and the issues that customized to the player’s wishes. The soon dropped as the Heroes found new arise in a superheroic campaign. Finally, game imposes no arbitrary restrictions of pursuits. MacDonald became Senior Game the Campaign Book offers pregenerated class, weaponry, armor, behavior, lan- Developer at the software company Strate- heroes, villains, bases, and scenarios. guages, or power level; if you can think of gic Simulations, Inc., where he supervises Iron Crown packaged this magnum opus it, and can get your game master (GM) to many of SSI’s licensed TSR AD&D® com- using strong production values and a first- approve it, you can play it. puter games. Peterson also went into game class cover by comics star George Perez. Combat: The combat rules, like charac- software and technical writing. Greer In the year and more since its 1989 re- ter creation, offer endless, not to say worked for Steve Jackson Games, then lease, the fourth edition CHAMPIONS overwhelming, options. later joined a Los Angeles special-effects hardcover has seen three or four print- On the face of it, the basic hit rules company, working on such films as The ings, and even the most particular Hero sound simple: Each character has a Com- Abyss, Tremors, and Darkman. savants have pronounced it a worthy bat Value (CV) based on the Dexterity Meanwhile, the Hero support line con- accomplishment. characteristic. The base roll to hit a target tinued to dwindle. Each release seemed Every game has its adherents, but fans of is 11 or less on three six-sided dice. The more slender and decrepit. Finally, in the HERO SYSTEM game have shown devo- attacker adds his CV to 11, but the target 1987, Iron Crown took over editorial du- tion above and beyond the call. Why? The gets to subtract its own CV. If the attacker ties as well as production. To that end, ICE answer usually boils down to flexibility. can roll the resulting number or less on (after an abortive liaison with a group of Character creation: The HERO SYS- 3d6, the attack hits. fans called “the Hero Auxiliary Corps”) TEM rules vastly improved on existing So far, so good. Then the attacker rolls hired one part-time intern to take charge point-allocation systems of character build- huge numbers of six-sided damage dice of the entire Hero line. ing, and they pioneered the much-imitated and counts them up in two different ways, The intern was still at the University of concept of disadvantages, by which char- while the victim applies the damage Virginia when ICE hired him, just finishing acters take drawbacks in order to buy against his resistant and nonresistant a degree in History and Environmental more abilities. And what a candy-store of defenses, subtracts the remainder from Science with a thesis on two invasion abilities the player can choose from! The his STUN and BODY characteristics, com- scares in Britain during World War I. Yet CHAMPIONS fourth-edition game offers pares the damage to his Constitution char- within weeks of his arrival, despite his comprehensive lists of skills from Acrobat- acteristic to check for a Stunned result, academic duties, Rob Bell had jump-started ics to Weaponsmith, perquisites like Fol- checks for Knockback . . . are you lost yet? production of new HERO SYSTEM supple- lowers and Bases, talents ranging from This intricacy has always been the stand- ments. And he had begun work on the Absolute Time Sense to Simulate Death ard rap against the HERO SYSTEM rules. CHAMPIONS game revision. and Universal Translator, and a long list of For the devotee, though, nothing less The reasons for doing the revision superheroic powers. captures the variety of attack outcomes closely resemble those behind the AD&D The game’s elegant approach to super- seen in comics, movies, and adventure 2nd Edition game. With the HERO SYS- powers relies on the player’s creativity. stories. TEM rules spread across five separate The powers list includes several dozen For example, the HERO SYSTEM rules games, its mechanics were diffuse and generic effects, like Energy Blast, Killing gain much by separating Stun damage inconsistent. Also, 10 years of play by Attack, Teleport, and Transform. Three (grogginess or unconsciousness) from fervent devotees had revealed many rules dozen advantages improve the basic ef- Body damage (wounds, or “hit points,” if glitches. To fix the glitches and to pull all fects, like Area Effect and No Range Pen- you will). In most RPGs characters who the Hero rules into one comprehensive alty, but also increase the power’s point take damage get knocked out, then (and and consistent whole, Bell (who soon went cost. To bring the cost back down, take a only then) die. But think of all those mov- full-time at ICE) and the original Hero limitation or two, such as Charges, Side ies in which Edward G. Robinson or James partners enlisted over 100 gamers across Effects, or Focus (that is, making the Cagney, riddled with bullets and bleeding the country, some of the core audience power work through a device of some to death, staggers on through the final that had sustained the game during the kind). Power frameworks like Multipower scene, blasting G-Men and calling for his long drought. and Elemental Control also give cost Irish mother. Mortally wounded CHAMPI- For more than a year this team scruti- breaks for creative ideas. ONS game characters can perform the nized every rule, proposed new ones, tore Just as important as these game terms, heroic equivalent and eventually stagger away at the proposals, and polished what- though, is the power’s “special effect,” to the nearest first-aid kit. Not that the ever withstood playtesting. It was “easily what it looks like and how it works. The situation arises often, mind you; this is the single largest undertaking of my life,” text sums it up nicely (p. 52): “For in- only one example of the system’s wide says Bell. stance, when a character buys an Energy range. As politicians at budget summits like to Blast, the attack might come from the Action proceeds by 12-second turns, say, everything was on the table. A CHAM- character’s fingertips, eyes, or forehead. divided into one-second segments. Charac- PIONS game player would blanch to see The energy may be lightning, fire, cold, ters act in phases within the turn accord- some of the suggested changes: the Ego sonics, radiation, rubber bullets, or what- ing to their Speed and Dexterity characteristic changed in name and cost, ever. Rather than trying to list each type of characteristics. With various options to mental attacks hitting automatically, Dam- Energy Blast we could think of, we let the delay attacks or abort to defenses (that is, age Resistance and Mind Scan gone, and player choose what type of energy to give up a later phase in order to defend four, count ‘em, four successive sets of project.” against a surprise attack), even the se- Growth rules. One radical suggested strip-. With these abilities, and with disadvan- quence of play can approach the complex- ping the list of 60 + superpowers down to tages like Secret Identity, Rivalry, and ity of war games. just four (Attack, Defend, Move, and various psychological and physical limita- When added to the long lists of maneu- Sense) and simulating all effects with tions, the HERO SYSTEM rules let players vers and combat options, this complexity advantages and limitations. create any character, in any genre or time can turn a single battle between super- Yes, that latter suggestion died on deliv- period, with any abilities and power levels. teams into an evening marathon. This is ery. Many others were weeded out in Granted, the player needs an hour or the price of tactical richness, and few intense playtesting, and the fifth cycle of two, plus a pocket calculator, to make a games can match the HERO SYSTEM rules revisions produced a clean and integrated character. It’s an arduous process, bolting for that. three-part manuscript. The Rulesbook all those abilities onto the character- HERO SYSTEM game combat, in short, is proper includes the complete HERO SYS- conception lathe and grinding them into for experienced players who prize versatil- TEM rules, applicable to any genre. The shape with appropriate advantages, limita- ity over simplicity. Note that I don’t say Sourcebook section details the four-color tions, and frameworks. But the final char- “realism over playability”; despite its slow pace, CHAMPIONS game combat remains normal-level technology, hit locations, and A reasonable point. But like the issue of quite playable, with well-integrated rules “pushing” —that is, how easily a character reality vs. genre, it admits of two ap- and a clear play sequence. As for realism, can increase his abilities in emergencies. proaches. In the Balance-or-Die version, that leads smoothly to the HERO SYSTEM The dichotomy gives a GM maximum the game’s designers try to imagine every rules’ greatest virtue. flexibility (there’s that word again) in es- combination of powers and situations, rule Campaigning: “Realism” varies from tablishing his or her own unique world. on them at length, and autocratically veto genre to genre, according to the story The GM’s duties include passing judg- any they’ve overlooked. They treat rules being told. The .44 magnum load that ment on what abilities are allowed in the like the Food and Drug Administration splatters a post-holocaust starveling will game. The text encourages every GM to treats medicines, requiring exhaustive only put a superheroine’s boyfriend in the set up house rules forbidding certain testing to prevent consumer toxicity. Once hospital; the same shot just makes James powers, requiring others, and altering the balanced, the rules become Holy Writ, Bond grit his teeth. They’re all ostensibly written rules. A GM can change anything from which thou shalt not depart. the same weapon and the same human in the game, so long as the players are I know players who prefer this ap- beings, but in each case the genre’s con- alerted before play. The GM also arbitrates proach, perhaps for the sense of control ventions set weapon deadliness at a differ- numerous case-dependent rules questions and stability it produces. Again, the ent level. (“Does my Continuous Uncontrolled flame CHAMPIONS rules take a different tack by A system that purports to be universal attack go away when I shift the points out shifting the responsibility for game bal- can adjust the genre to match “reality,” but of its Multipower slot?”) and interprets the ance from the publisher to the GM. The in my experience that simply makes the consequences of a power’s special effects. rationale is that in a system that allows game’s adventures as routine as everyday The GM’s total control of the game has desolidification, time travel, clairsentience, life or as deadly as a real-life battlefield. given rise to the CHAMPIONS Light-Bulb and a dozen other story-altering devices, These cases seldom recapture the genre’s Joke: it’s up to each individual GM to choose not native appeal. Far better to take the HERO Q: How many CHAMPIONS characters only the story but the ways in which the SYSTEM game’s approach: Adjust reality to does it take to screw in a light bulb? players can alter it. This is one more rea- match the genre. A: That’s a GM call. son that a GM or player should have expe- The CHAMPIONS rules distinguish be- I hear that this open-ended approach rience, and a certain amount of courage, tween heroic and superheroic campaigns. brought a sneer from an editor at a rival before coming to the CHAMPIONS game. The first type involves putative normals, game company that publishes another Storytelling: Fortunately, new arrivals the characters of spy stories, pulp, and universal system. “Look at this!” he said of get plenty of coaching from the hardcov- heroic fantasy, whereas the second as- the CHAMPIONS game’s powers list. “They er’s Sourcebook. This friendly text tutors cends to the fun-filled and garish realm of put pictures of magnifying glasses and the GM in the selection of campaign comic books. The rules separate heroic stop-signs next to some of the powers to parameters—for instance, whether the and superheroic campaigns by their warn you that the powers are unbalanced! worlds morality is fuzzy or clearly drawn, power levels, restrictions on character If they can’t balance them, they should whether the campaign is optimistic or creation, the availability and cost of leave them out.” pessimistic, how important the player

DRAGON 91 characters are in the world, and so on. these are solid and sometimes very sub- the opportunity, with some glee, to omit Story values also dominate the discus- stantial works, appearing monthly and the less well-conceived villains from those sion of adventure design. Supervillain filled with long-term usefulness and cam- three early books. No sign here of the motivations, the creation of subplots, the paign possibilities. Whether measuring by Amazing Darkon, Sledge, or Frizbe the narrative use of deathtraps, the role of page count, number of products, or sales discus thrower.) Hunteds and Dependent Non-Player Char- volume, Bell brought out more and bigger Classic Enemies also incorporates an acters (DNPCs, another much-imitated Hero material in his three years at ICE updated description of Stronghold, the CHAMPIONS game tradition)-none of than Hero Games did in the six years be- venerable supervillain prison that first these elements involve hitting the bad guy, fore his arrival. appeared in 1981 and has since dutifully but they make the difference between a served as a revolving door for villains in routine slugfest and a lively plot as en- The HERO SYSTEM™ Rulesbook campaigns nationwide. Pat Zircher, cur- grossing as any in the comics. 220-page softcover rulebook rently the best superhero illustrator in the Is it paradoxical that a game with 200 Hero Games/ICE $20 gaming field, presents these fiends with pages of rules argues strongly for story clarity and style. values over game mechanics? Only at first What if you’re curious about the HERO If you run a four-color CHAMPIONS glance. In fact, given such a flexible sys- SYSTEM game, but you have no interest in campaign, you want this book. tem, story logic becomes a necessary superheroes? Or you’ve sprung for one check on “power gamers” who simply copy of the hardcover but can’t afford Mind Games want to pile up points and buy their Nova additional copies for the players who want 48-page booklet Blasts to planet-roasting levels. to borrow it? Hero Games/ICE $8.00 I recall a story about the Computer The HERO SYSTEM Rulesbook exactly Design and illustrations: Science department at MIT university, reproduces the rules section of the fourth- Cover: Neal “Spyder” Hanson which had problems in the 1960s with edition hardcover. It omits the hardcover’s ambitious hackers who tried to crash the Sourcebook and Campaign Book, the Mentalists of the villainous Parapsycho- mainframe system. The operators finally genre-specific material covering superhe- logical Studies Institute (PSI) dominate the foiled the hackers by creating a “CRASH” roes. Significantly, this softcover edition first supplement for the fourth edition. PSI command — type it, and the system would incorporates errata from the hardcover, a comprises 13 villains, mostly mutants with crash, as easy as that. Bored by the lack of couple of advantages introduced in a post- psionic powers, with goals as varied as challenge, the hackers abandoned their hardcover supplement, and that most their personalities. A crazier bunch you vandalism. neglected of rulebook virtues: an index. wouldn’t want to meet. There’s a megalo- The parallels with the HERO SYSTEM With this rulebook, a GM can create maniac, a split personality, a glutton, ob- game’s power gamers are not exact, but everything needed for a campaign in any sessives, amoralists, and miscellaneous the point is clear. Given a charitable GM, genre. All it requires is a few months of psychotics, all prone to infighting and abusing a system this flexible is not only intense effort! How good, then, that ICE conspiracy. PSI even trains a cadre of easy, it’s positively degrading. Eventually has obliged the overworked GM with superpowered students, and they’re just the power gamer, bored with Novablast campaign supplements that detail specific as maladaptive. The author draws all these the Planet-Roaster, grows up and begins to genres (see the review of Ninja Hero that personality types from his own experi- role-play characters with personalities, not follows), with more on the way for horror, ences in counseling. just scads of points. cyberpunk, and even the Old West. Though the text lacks flash and there’s Evaluation: One cannot lightly recom- This book provides an economical intro- little insight into mentalists as such, this mend a game that costs $32. Sure, it’s a duction to the HERO SYSTEM rules and is supplement offers a scary and ruthless 352-page hardcover. But $32 is almost the a handy reference for those times (such as villain group and some nice scenarios. It’s price of two 128-page Chaosium supple- the last hours of gaming conventions) worth a good look. ments, almost twice as much as the 192- when the hardcover is just too heavy to page AD&D 2nd Edition Dungeon Master’s carry. Ninja Hero Guide, and over half as much as a big 176-page softcover book imported box from Games Workshop . . . Classic Enemies Hero Games/ICE $17.00 so maybe $32 isn’t so far out of line. Boy, 112-page softcover book Design: Aaron Allston this industry sure has gotten pricey. Hero Games/ICE $13 Editing and Development: In any case, certain readers need the Editing and development: Scott Bennie Cover: Jackson Guice CHAMPIONS fourth edition game at almost Cover: George Perez Illustrations: any cost. Fans of previous editions will de- IIIustrations: Pat Zircher, Mark Williams light in the new consistency and versatility. Aaron Allston wrote TSR’s new D&D® Experienced players of other games, discon- This book should be every CHAMPIONS HOLLOW WORLD™ Campaign Set, as well tent with the arbitrary restrictions of their game GM’s first supplement. Scott Bennie as the and current system, should also find the HERO is the author of TSR’s FORGOTTEN for the AD&D 2nd SYSTEM rules a superb investment. REALMS™ accessory, FR10 Old Empires, Edition game. He has also been “the Lastly, for comic-book fans who want to and co-author of the MU series, Gamer’s CHAMPIONS guru” almost since the game’s simulate every maneuver they see in their Handbook of the Marvel Universe for inception, and he wrote many of its best favorite stories, the CHAMPIONS game TSR’s MARVEL SUPER HEROES™ game. supplements. Ninja Hero is Allston’s latest remains, after almost 10 years, the system Bennie is also a longtime Hero player, and and best, an exhaustive treatise on martial to beat. Though I dislike its slow pace, it’s he has poured his heart into this massive arts as they exist both in reality and in still the one I play. Rob Bell has left Iron roster of 80 supervillains from Hero freewheeling kung-fu movies. Technically Crown for greener pastures, but we long- Games’ first three Enemies collections, this book supplements The HERO SYSTEM suffering devotees owe him gratitude for originally published in 1982 and 1984. Rulebook, not the CHAMPIONS game; that resurrecting this landmark system. Hopelessly obsolete in game mechanics means it works with both heroic and Perhaps the prime virtue of Rob Bell’s and poorly illustrated, these sturdy oppo- superheroic campaigns. tenure at Iron Crown has been, not the nents still excited interest, lo, unto the One of the great ornaments of the CHAMPIONS fourth edition rules, but the third edition and beyond. Bennie revised fourth-edition line, Ninja Hero describes tsunami of support products that followed their statistics, updated and expanded two dozen martial arts (everything from it. Unlike the 32-pagers that. once slouched their character backgrounds, and gener- aikido &wrestling, plus 15 sub-styles of forth semi-annually from Hero Games, ally gave them more pizazz. (He also took kung fu, not to mention football). It offers

92 OCTOBER 1990 guidelines for developing ninja, samurai, ness has provided fans with an unflagging leaders, with a hand of cards used to Chinese knights (shih), Buddhist warrior- source of sarcastic humor. The AC, alleg- attack rival leaders, expose scandals, and monks, and so on, including classic stereo- edly a quarterly magazine, appeared more take foreign junkets. Players try to purge types like the Irritable Student and the or less annually for years. Now in a new opponents and make one of their leaders Unwilling Fighter. A highlight of the book comic-book size, it shows signs of lurching President. Meanwhile, crises keep turning is its rules for designing new martial arts back toward regular publication. The AC up in the deck, and everybody has to help and maneuvers. deserves attention for its scenarios, NPCs, solve them—or the Soviet Union falls Learn how characters fight in enclosed gadgets, and campaigning tips, but it’s thin apart! Despite some rules inconsistencies spaces, while bound, or in zero gravity. and badly printed. At $3 an issue, it’s still and gaps, this two-decker game evokes the Check the Sourcebook for huge lists of in a wait-and-see stage. Subscription que- required ambience of internecine backbit- weapons and gadgets appropriate to dif- ries can be sent to: AC Subscriptions, Box ing. Play it before its real-life model van- ferent campaign styles. The Campaigning 1605, Charlottesville VA 22902, U.S.A. ishes from the Earth. chapter details those styles, from the Far more vigorous is the semi-official heroic level of real-world martial arts to HERO SYSTEM computer bulletin board Challenge magazine, edited by Michelle the wild martial-arts campaigns of Hong system (BBS), Red October. Based in Aus- Sturgeon. Game Designers’ Workshop, Kong chop-socky films, where frantic tin, Tex. (a hotbed of Hero Games activity), $3.50/issue ($15/six issues from GDW, Box avengers leap over buildings, exhale nox- this free BBS features active discussions 1646, Bloomington IL 61702-1646, U.S.A.). ious winds, and wield the dreaded Dim and playtests of works in progress. (Ninja There’s been a dearth of good general- Mak touch (that’s the one where a master Hero and the new edition of Fantasy Hero interest gaming magazines, but now an hits you with six precisely timed touches, both received active playtest through Red ambitious new editor is expanding this and a week later you die, explode, or October.) Forthcoming projects and cam- one-time house organ to cover science- whatever). The scenarios are among the paign chronicles are available for down- fiction games of all companies. The bulk of best Hero Games has published. load. Set your modem to dial: (512) 834- each bimonthly issue of Challenge (it’s up I’m convinced that Aaron Allston is the 2548 (300/1200/2400 baud, N-8-1). to issue 46 as I write) still covers GDW’s best in the business at writing campaign MEGATRAVELLER™ game and other GDW material, so I am biased in evaluating Ninja Short and sweet releases, but there’s plenty of notice given Hero. If the topic interests you, see this RED EMPIRE game, by Frank Chadwick. to FASA’s SHADOWRUN™ system and one for yourself. Its quality shines forth. Game Designers’ Workshop, $12.00. GDW other SF games, and even West Ends won the topicality award at GAMA’s 1990 PARANOIA® game. You also get reviews, Miscellaneous support ORIGINS™ gaming convention with “The news briefs, a miniatures showcase, and The Hero fan community owes a vote of Card Game of Soviet Power Politics.” Three “Players Wanted” classifieds. There’s no thanks to the official HERO SYSTEM maga- to six players (more is better) get a Polit- challenge in learning to like this solid zine, Adventurers Club. Its constant tardi- buro faction of Party, Military, and KGB periodical.

DRAGON 93

96 OCTOBER 1990 DRAGON 97 98 OCTOBER 1990 DRAGON 99

Photography by Mike Bethke

©1990 by Robert Bigelow, Jay Clenndenny, and Ralph Cooper

Setting fire to the galaxy: BATTLETECH® campaign rules, part 2

For those of you just joining us this one resource planet per two players (see contracts. Mercenary units must have a month, we present the second half of our Mercenary Campaign Set-Up diagram). newly written deal at the end of this phase miniatures campaign rules for FASA’s Each player’s home planet contains 300 in order to break a contract with a BATTLETECH® game, as used by the resource points, plus one each of six facili- House—and gain the resultant problems. Gamemaster’s Guild of Waukegan. These ties (DropShip, assault, heavy, medium, (Mercenary units simply don’t break con- campaign rules were put together from light, and vehicle) and two spaceports, tracts for the heck of it.) Record keeping is club input, the sacrifice of time and effort each with cities. Each resource planet very important here! by Ralph Cooper, and the knowledge and contains one resource facility, one space- 3. Each House plots its own movements skill of Jay Clenndenny. port, and 700 tons of resources. Players on paper. This also includes orders for may raid each other’s planets for re- mercenary units on contract. If the merce- An alternative campaign sources or production facilities. All other nary unit has secretly broken a contract, A short, bloody BATTLETECH campaign control rules apply to the use of resource then the mercenary unit must plot where may be created by using The Mercenary’s points, and all other campaign rules apply. it plans to go independently of House Handbook and restricting construction orders. projects to a total of 1,000 points per turn. 4. Each House and mercenary force No Houses are involved, as this is strictly a BATTLETECH® moves its units. campaign between mercenaries. In addi- Campaign (con’t.) 5. Combat is resolved by miniatures tion to 1,600 points for initial construction, battles. each player gains JumpShips as needed, Sequence of Play 6. Repairs, battlefield salvage, and am- but starts with only two Leopard Drop- 1. Industries consume resources and munition replacement are conducted. You Ships and a converted Leopard oreship produce new units. Check your account- may not use battlefield salvage collected (having open compartments that cannot ing figures carefully and have someone this turn to repair units, unless the sal- transport ’Mechs). double check them. vaged material is used to repair a unit The players’ planets should form a dou- 2. Any mercenary unit not under con- involved in the same battle. Only repair ble ring around a central star (ignoring tract may come up for bid, and offers may parts designated at the beginning of the orbital effects), with a ring of resource be made to mercenary units under con- turn are available for use. Repair parts are planets between the other rings to make tracts to encourage them to break their generic except for limbs and drive compo-

DRAGON 103 Griffin-S: Add 3 HS. Hunchback: No variants allowed. JagerMech: Add 2 LRM (RA/LA) and 2 tons ammunition each to RT/LT. Javelin-F: Add 4 ML (RA/LA/RT/LT), 1 SL (H), and 1 HS; armor: H 8, RT/LT 10/4, RL/LL 14, CT 16/4, RA/LA 10. Jenner: Armor: H 8, RT/LT 12/4, RL/LL 13, CT 18/4, RA/LA 12. Kirin VTOL: Remove 2 ML; add 1 HS and 1 SRM-2 (front). LRM/SRM carrier: You may design this unit as you wish, though the unit must have an I.C.E. engine and must weigh 60 tons. Locust 1E: Remove 2 MG and ammunition; add 1 ML (CT) and 2 SL (RA/LA); keep other ML; armor as Wasp. Locust 1M: Remove 2 MG and ammuni- tion; add 2 LRM (RT/LT); armor: H 1, RT/LT 2/1, RL/LL 2, CT 2/1, RA/LA 1. Locust 1S: Remove 2 MG and ammunition; add 2 SRM (RA/LA); armor: H 6, RT/LT 5/2, RL/LL 6, CT 8/2, RA/LA 3. Marauder-D: Add 1 LL (RT) and 4 HS. Marauder-M: Add 4 HS. nents, which must be designated as sepa- (rear); add 7 HS; no other variants Marauder-L: Add 2 HS, 1 PPC (RA), rate parts. (You can generate spares on the allowed. 1 LL (LA). following turn.) Blackjack: Remove 2 ML (RA/LA); add 2 LL Mercury: Add 1 extra ML (LT). 7. Resources are shipped to production (RA/LA) and 6 HS; armor: H 5, RT/LT Orion: Add 3 SRM-4 and 2 tons ammuni- planets. 13/5, RL/LL 16, CT 16/7, RA/LA 12. tion (LT), and add 1 HS. Note: If a production facility is cap- Catapult-LRM20: Remove 4 ML and 4 HS; Ostroc: 1 LRM replaces 1 SRM; no other tured, resources may be shipped to that add 1 ton ammunition (CT) and 2 SL variants allowed. facility starting on the following turn, and (RT/LT). Ostsol: Remove all ML; add 2 PPC (RT/LT). actual manufacturing may begin for the Catapult-PPC: Remove all JJ and LRM; add Phoenix Hawk-K: Add 3 HS and 1 SL (CT); capturing force on the turn after that. 2 PPC (RA/LA) and 6 HS. armor: H 9, RT/LT 18/4, RL/LL 22, CT Centurian-L: Remove AC10; add 1 LL and 23/5, RA/LA 14. Variants 1 ML (RA), and 2 HS; armor: H 9, RT/LT Quickdraw: Add 4 HS and 2 ML (LT). Some of the variants given in official 18/6, RL/LL 24, CT 24/7, RA/LA 16. Rifle AC: Remove all LL and AC; add 2 sources and articles are not possible due Centurian-20: Add AC20 (RA). AC10, 2 ML, 2 tons ammunition (one of to weight or rules restrictions. Below are Charger: No variants allowed, except for each to each arm); armor: H 6, RT/LT our official campaign versions of which the Challenger. 12/2, RL/LL 10, CT 20/4, RA/LA 13. unit variants are used. Other ’Mechs and Cicada-F: Remove 1 ML (RT) and SL; add 2 Rifle PPC: Remove all AC5 and LL; add 2 PPC variants are from Battletechnology maga- flamers (RT/CT); armor: H 6, CT 8/4 (all and 2 ML (one to each arm) and 11 HS. zine, produced by Pacific Rim Publishing else is same). Shadow Hawk-2D: Remove 2 HS; add (3833 Lake Shore Avenue, Oakland CA Cicada-PPC: Not allowed. SRM-2 (RT) and ML (RT). 94610, U.S.A.). The use of variants must be Clint-AC10: Remove all JJ and ML (CT); Shadow Hawk-2K: Model has only 14 HS. agreed upon by all of the players taking replace AC5 with AC10. Spider (both): Remove 2 JJ (one each side). part in a campaign game. ’Mech body-part Clint-D AC5: Remove all JJ and ML; add Stinger-V: Add ML (LA); armor as Wasp-K. abbreviations used include: H = head, AC5 (RA); armor: H 5, RT/LT 2/1, RL/LL Super Griffin: Not possible. RA = right arm, LA = left arm, RL = right 2, CT 4/1, RA/LA 2. Thunderbolt-E: Add 2 JJ each to RT/LT, 1 leg, LL = left leg, RT = right torso, CT Commando-AC: Remove 1 SRM; add AC2 LRM-10 in RT, and 2 HS. = center torso, LT = left torso. Systems (RA) and 1 ton ammunition (RT). Thunderbolt-S: Add 2 flamers (RT) and 5 HS. abbreviations used include: AC = autocan- Commando-L: Remove 1 ML; add 1 Titan-J: Remove 1 SRM-4 from each side; non; HS = heat sink; JJ = jump jets; flamer (RA). move SRM-6 to LT; add 3 JJ (RT/CT/LT). LL = light laser; LRM = long-range missile; Commando-LL: Remove 1 ML and 6 SRM; Titan-2: Ignore comment on extra 5 tons of MG = machine gun; ML = medium laser; add 1 LL (LA). ammunition; add SRM-2 (LT). PPC = particle projection cannon; SL = Crusader-D: Add 4 HS. Trebuchet-5J: Add 5 JJ (2 RL, 2 LL, 1 CT), small laser; SRM = short-range missile. Crusader-K: Add 4 HS. 4 HS, and 1 ton LRM ammunition (RT); Crusader-L: Add 2 JJ each in RT/LT, and armor: H 9, RT/LT 13/5, RL/LL 16, CT Alliance: No variants allowed. add 2 HS. 22/7, RA/LA 11. Archer: No variants allowed. Cyclops: Remove AC20 and ammunition; Trebuchet-5S: Add 2 SRM-6 (RT), 1 ton Assassin: Remove 2 JJ (RT/LT); add 2 SL add 2 LRM-15 and 4 tons ammunition ammo (RT), and 8 HS. (RL/LL); armor: H 8, RT/LT 8/4, RL/LL 6, in place of AC20; armor: RA/LA 25/25 Urbanmech: Add AC20 (RA); remove 1 HS; CT 10/4, RA/LA 6. (all else is same). armor: H 5, RT/LT 7/3, RL/LL 10, CT Atlas: Remove 1 ML (RA) and 1 SRM; add 1 Firestarter: Add 2 SL (CT) and 3 SL (RT); 10/7, RA/LA 9. LL (RA). armor: H 9, RT/LT 12/6, RL/LL 12, CT Vindicator: Not possible. Awesome: No variants allowed. 16/6, RA/LA 12. Victor-S: Remove 1 HS; replace SRM-4 with Battleaxe: No variants allowed. Gladiator: Remove all JJ; add 2 ML (RT/LT). SRM-6. Battlemaster: Remove 2 ML and 1 SRM Goshawk VTOL: Remove 1 HS; add 1 ML Vulcan: Add 1 MG (LA) and 3 ML (RT); (front). armor: H 8, RT/LT 16/4, RL/LL 20, CT 16/6, RA/LA 12.

104 OCTOBER 1990 Warhammer-D: Add 3 HS; armor: H 9, RT/ LT 21/8, RL/LL 30, CT 30/9, RA/LA 21. Warhammer-L: Add 1 flamer in RT/LT. Wasp-D: Remove SRM-2; add 2 SL (LT) and 1 flamer (LL). Wasp-K: Remove ML; armor: H 6, RT/LT 8/2, RL/LL 8, CT 8/4, RA/LA 6. Wasp-L: Remove all weapons; add 1 SRM-4 (LL). Wasp-WD: Remove all weapons; add 2 SL (RA), 2 SL (LT), and 2 SL (LL). Whirlwind Hover: Change fusion to 135 I.C.E; remove 2 ML; add 1 MG (turret) and ½ ton ammunition; allow 3 tons for infantry transport. Whitworth: Remove LRM; add 3 SRM-6 (RT/CT/LT) and 2 tons ammunition (RT/LT) Wolfman: Not allowed in play. Wolverine-K: Add 1 LL (RA), 1 ML (CT), 1 SL (CT), 3 HS; armor: H 8, RT/LT 20/6, RL/LL 26, CT 28/8, RA/LA 18. Wolverine-M: Add 1 LL (RA), 1 ML (RA), and 4 HS. Wyvern VTOL: Replace 1 SL with 1 HS; armor: F 26, L/R 22, B 20, R 2 15. Prohibited Items No Star League materials or units are all fit on the map. City Layout used in the campaign. Additionally, mines, If a resource center or a spaceport is on To create natural terrain on a board vibra-bombs, Land Air ’Mechs, and pop-up the board, the defender places that facility showing a city layout, each player selects a pill boxes or other fancy fixed defenses after all terrain features have been laid number between 1 and 3 and uses the are not used. All fixed weapons in a city out, and he can automatically place a two- Terrain Generation Table. This terrain is are placed in buildings. If these units are hex-wide road from that center leading off placed first. Any reference to possible used, prepare to limit them to avoid pro- the board. The defender will also be able extra buildings is automatically treated as longed trench, siege, or fortress warfare. to place two small maintenance OF defense open terrain. buildings (one-level, one-hex, 75 CFs) for The defender of an urban area involved Terrain Generation every 25 tons of fixed defenses. These in ’Mech combat is allowed to use 2,000 Terrain for miniatures battles is gener- must be placed within six hexes of the CFs of buildings to form his city. This sum ated whenever there is combat in nonur- facility in question and must also be placed must be distributed in lots of 25 CFs size. ban areas across open ground, at resource within six hexes of each other, so long as The Building CF Costs Table is used to centers, or at spaceports. One representa- they can each trace a line of sight back to determine building costs. The selected CF tive from each side involved in the fighting the facility. is multiplied by the given multiplier, and chooses a number between one and six. A spaceport building is two hexes wide, the product is then multiplied by the Add one to each number selected. Each one hex deep, and three levels tall. Next to building’s level (e.g., a two-hex, level-2 result represents the number of times that it is a concrete launching and landing pad structure of 50 CFs would be 100 CFs the player may roll on the Terrain Genera- that covers a square four hexes across. total). After the defender decides upon his tion Table to create the battlefield environ- Resource centers cover four hexes and buildings, they are placed on the board. ment. (If generating terrain for urban have two levels. A concrete lot one hex in The player must place paved streets using battlefields, see “City Layout.”) size lies immediately next to the facility; common sense. Both players reveal their chosen num- this lot is where resources awaiting ship- bers at the same time. The person who ment are found (and from where they get Infantry Costs selected the lowest number (or the defend- stolen on raids). The Infantry Costs Tables show the ing player, if the numbers selected were a Production facilities cover six hexes and production costs (in tons) for infantry tie) rolls 2d6 on the Terrain Generation have three levels. A concrete lot one units in a BATTLETECH campaign. Note Table and places the result on the board; square wide encircles the facility. No other that anti-’Mech infantry costs double the this is his first turn. Players alternate terrain features may be placed next to this values given. rolling dice and choosing terrain until one facility. player has made as many rolls as he is No military units may enter or stand on Home Guard allowed. The other player then finishes top of a spaceport, a resource center, or a Each of the five Houses has a Home out his rolls. Terrain is placed as it is production facility. Concrete pads and lots Guard to protect its capital. Because of rolled, before the next roll on the Terrain may be entered like any other area of their special status, Home Guard units are Generation Table is made. clear terrain. treated as exceptions to several rules First and foremost, the layout of the Wind: After terrain is laid out, wind presented in this column. battlefield board must make sense. You direction is determined by rolling 1d6. On Home Guard units for all Houses are can’t run a river over the mountains, but a roll of 1-2, wind is present; numbers are created during the initial (pre-game) con- you can start one there. You may place assigned to the cardinal directions struction period. Each such unit consists trees on mountains if you wish, but they (1 = north, 2 = northeast, 3 = east, etc.), of 12 ’Mechs totalling 400 tons (only may not be placed on buildings. Buildings then 1d8 is rolled for the direction itself. If ’Mechs may be purchased for Home may be placed on hills only if they fit. the initial 1d6 roll is 3-6, no wind is Guards). Home Guard ’Mechs may be of Buildings may not be placed on water. You present. Wind direction remains constant any size but must be regular ’Mechs or must use the terrain as rolled, and it must throughout the course of a battle. approved variants without modifications.

DRAGON 105 Mountains Subtable

1d6 Mountain result 1 One five-level mountain 2 One four-level mountain 3-4 One three-level mountain 5-6 Two two-level hills

Hills Subtable

1d6 Hill result 1-2 One three-level hill 3-4 One two-level hill 5-6 Two one-level hills

Roads Subtable

1d6 Road result 1 One two-hex-wide road across the board Pilots for such units are received free and In engine weight calculations of modi- 2 One one-hex-wide road across the include a 2-2 commander, with all other fied vehicles, the engine must have at least board Home Guard pilots being 3-3. twice the rating of the weight of the vehi- 3-6 No roads Home Guard units and pilots may not be cle before suspension becomes a factor. transferred or moved off the capital city Torso critical hits are not automatic. You board during a battle. These units do not must roll on the ’Mech Hit Location Table count for stacking purposes in combat (see and Critical Hit Effects Table, pages 22 and Buildings Subtable “Battles: Stacking” in last months column). 23, in The BATTLETECH Manual: The Finally, Home Guards may replace losses, Rules of Warfare. ammunition, and make repairs at the rate An ammunition explosion destroys a 2d6 Building result of 40 tons per turn, over and above all ’Mech’s limb when that limb is blown off, 2 One large two-level, three-hex build- other production considerations. but the blast does not hurt the rest of the ing (50 CF) ’Mech. 3 One large one-level, two-hex build- Rules Clarifications Damages for purposes of a piloting skill ing (50 CF) In any campaign, rules disputes may roll are cumulative (e.g., if your unit takes 4 One small two-level, one-hex build- appear and rules lawyers might try to 40 points of damage, it gains a +2 PSR ing (50 CF) change the intent of the game. The modifier; 45 points of damage would still 5 No buildings BATTLETECH Manual: The Rules of War- be + 21. A piloting roll for leg damage need 6 No buildings 7 fare governs the conduct of combat in this be made only after a successful physical No buildings campaign. All rules disputes must be set- attack against a ’Mech’s leg. 8 No buildings tled by the representatives of each House, 9 One medium, one-level, two-hex the mercenary representative, and the Questions building (50 CF) judge. Possible areas of rules conflicts are All questions and comments on these 10 One large, three-level, two-hex addressed as follows: campaign rules may be directed to: Robert building (50 CF) Punching rules in the game are not very Bigelow, c/o Friends’ Hobby, 1411 Wash- 11 One medium one-level, two-hex clear. You may punch only if your ’Mech ington Street, Waukegan IL 60085, U.S.A. building (50 CF) has a lower arm actuator (a fist) on the 12 One huge two-level, four-hex build- limb in question. It does not matter what ing (25 CF) weapons the unit has in the arm it Terrain Generation Table punches with. Each official ’Mech’s actua- tors are given on its sheet from the 2d6 Terrain result BATTLETECH Reinforcements pack. The 2 Roll on Mountains Subtable referee is the final authority on what 3 Roll on Hills Subtable Water Subtable ’Mechs have in any event. Do not forget 4 One one-level hill the - 1 penalty to hit if no hand actuator 5 One lightly wooded area 1d6 Water result is present. 6 Open terrain (roll on Roads 1-2 One two-level-deep river (two hexes A charge attack requires that the charg- Subtable) wide) crossing the board ing unit has a chance to survive the attack 7 Open terrain 3-4 One one-level-deep river (one hex wide) crossing the board at the time the charge is declared. VTOLS 8 Open terrain (roll on Buildings may never declare a charge. The damage Subtable 5-6 One small lake with a one-level-deep points caused by a charge attack are fig- 9 Roll on Water Subtable river (one hex wide) leading away ured by multiplying the charging unit’s 10 One one-level hill from it to the edge of the board tonnage by the distance to the target in 11 One lightly wooded area hexes, then dividing the result by 10 and 12 Roll on Woods Subtable rounding up to the nearest whole number.

106 OCTOBER 1990 Woods Subtable

1d6 Woods result 1-2 Two heavily wooded areas 3-4 One heavily wooded area 5-6 Two lightly wooded areas

Building CF Costs Table

Level Level Level Building 1 23 hex Min/ Min/ Min/ size Multiplier Max Max Max 1 hex 1 25/100 25/75 25/50 2 hex 2 25/75 25/50 25 3 hex 3 25/50 25 n/a 4 hex 4 25 n/a n/a

Infantry Costs Tables

Foot infantry Cost ’Mech infantry cost Jump infantry Cost Rifles 7 Rifles 21 Rifles 30 Machine guns 10 Machine guns 30 Machine guns 28 Flamers 10 Flamers 30 Flamers 28 Portable lasers 14 Portable lasers 28 Portable lasers 33 SRM 14 SRM 28 SRM 33

DRAGON 107