Issue #184 SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS Vol. XVII, No. 3 NPC’s to the Rescue! August 1992 9 A player has one character, but a game master has a thousand. Courts and Courtiers— Larry Granato Publisher 10 Castle lords need soldiers-and diplomats, cooks, and jesters, too. James M. Ward Really Good Bad Guys — Derek Jensen Editor 16 There’s everyday scum, and then there’s scum with imagination. Roger E. Moore The 7-Sentence NPC— C. M. Cline 22 Turn your nonplayer characters into people in just seven simple lines. Associate editor Dale A. Donovan “You Again!” — Scott Sheffield 26 The worst enemies are those who never forget (and never stay dead). Fiction editor Barbara G. Young FICTION Editorial assistant How Nemra Added a Line to the Book of Thieves — fiction by Wolfgang H. Baur 84 Dan Crawford Nemra, master of master thieves, could do anything— almost. Art director Larry W. Smith REVIEWS Production staff Gaye O’Keefe Angelika Lokotz The Role of Computers — Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser Tracey Zamagne 57 On-line games: Your opponent is just as devious as you are. Role-playing Reviews — Rick Swan Subscriptions Ever wish someone would make a role-playing game for beginners? Janet L. Winters 72 Through the Looking Glass — Robert Bigelow U.S. advertising 112 An angry wizard makes a great miniature. Cindy Rick OTHER FEATURES U.K. correspondent The Referee’s Code of Honor — John Setzer and U.K. advertising Six things you can do to run a better AD&D® game. Wendy Mottaz 33 The Voyage of the Princess Ark — Bruce A. Heard 41 The readers respond! More letters on the D&D® game. The Game Wizards — David Wise 66 TSR™ Trading Cards: better than ever, and here’s why. Novel Ideas — Sue Weinlein 88 Author Troy Denning sheds light on his DARK SUN™ novels. Magic With an Evil Bite — Jason M. Walker 92 The vilest race in the SPELLJAMMER® universe just got worse: Audible Glamour— Not Clamor — Mike Shema 96 Words are a game master’s most powerful tools. Son of Pen Power — the DRAGON® Magazine staff 100 One last chance to vote and be heard— and win a prize! DEPARTMENTS 5 Letters 47 Convention Calendar 102 Dragonmirth 6 Editorial 52 Sage Advice 104 Twilight Empire 39 TSR Previews 78 Forum 108 Gamers Guide COVER If player characters are so smart, why is this one having his pocket picked? Cover artist Robh Ruppel offers an innovative black-and-white look at a game master’s best friends, the nonplayer characters, and the kinds of fun they can have.

4 AUGUST 1992 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 of America 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; fax (414) 248-0389. The postal address for all materials from Europe is: DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cam- bridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom; telephone (0223) 212517 (U.K.), 44-223-212517 (international); telex: 818761; fax (0223) 248066 (U.K.), 44-223-248066 (international). Distribution: DRAGON Magazine is available from game What did you think of this issue? Do you have “Since I’ve got the stage here, I should point and hobby shops throughout the United States, Canada, the a question about an article or have an idea for a our a minor error in “Just Who Are These United Kingdom, and through a limited number of other overseas outlets. Distribution to the book trade in the United new feature you’d like to see? In the United Folks?” (the recap of the strip, which ran in States is by Random House, Inc., and in Canada by Random States and Canada, write to: Letters, DRAGON® issue #178). The recap said that Kalil was an elf, House of Canada, Ltd. Distribution to the book trade in the Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, when in fact he is a faerie. This is something United Kingdom is by TSR Ltd. Send orders to: Random House, Inc., Order Entry Department, Westminster MD 21157, U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Letters, DRAGON like confusing a rifle with an Uzi: While both U.S.A.; telephone: (800) 733-3000. Newsstand distribution Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 Church End, Cherry are guns, they possess quite different character- throughout the United Kingdom is by Comag Magazine Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom. istics. These differences will become more Marketing, Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE, United Kingdom, telephone 0895-444055. apparent as the series progresses. Subscriptions: Subscription rates via second-class mail are “Etymologically yours, Steve Sullivan.” as follows: $30 in U.S. funds for 12 issues sent to an address in the U.S. or Canada: £21 for 12 issues sent to an address within the United Kingdom; £30 for 12 issues sent to an address in “Cro-hah, emberi!” Europe; $50 in U.S. funds for 12 issues sent by surface mail to any other address, or $90 in US. funds for 12 issues sent air Cro-hah #2 mail to any other address. Payment in full must accompany all Dear Dragon, payment include checks or money orders made payable to I happen to be of Hungarian descent. As such, TSR, Inc., or charges to valid MasterCard or VISA credit cards; I couldn’t help but notice that the lizard men (or Dear Dragon, send subscription orders with payments to: TSR, Inc., P.O. Box I am writing to point out the futility of contin- 5695, Boston MA 02206, U.S.A. In the United Kingdom, trogs, or whatevers) in the latest TWILIGHT methods of payment include cheques or money orders made EMPIRE™ installment seem to speak my parents’ uing to print the TWILIGHT EMPIRE comic payable to TSR Ltd., or charges to a valid ACCESS or VISA language. So, what’s the scoop? How did these strip. It is quite obvious that Robinson S. Edgar, credit card; send subscription orders with payments to TSR being from New Hampshire, is going to escape Ltd., as per that address above. Prices are subject to change monsters come to know Hungarian? And how without prior notice. The issue of expiration of each subscrip- about a translation? I know igen means “yes” from the world he’s lost in and make his way tion is printed on the mailing label of each subscriber’s copy of and emberi means something like “people” or home with no problem. New Hampshirites, as the magazine. Changes of address for the delivery of subscrip- everyone knows, are indefatigable, brilliant, tion copies must be received at least six weeks prior to the “humans,” but the rest is a bit hazy. effective date of the change in order to assure uninterrupted D. Mark Griffon shrewd, and generally unstoppable. Besides, no delivery. Kenosha WI one who had ever seen New Hampshire would Back issues: A limited quantity of back issues is available give it up for cheap adventure or magic or from either the TSR Mail Order Hobby Shop (P.O. Box 756, lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.) or from TSR Ltd. For a free We turned your letter over to Steve Sullivan, anything like that. This unfortunately spoils the copy of the current catalog that lists available back issues, the writer for the TWILIGHT EMPIRE strip, and story by giving away its ending. If you don’t feel write to either of the above addresses. like ending the story, perhaps you should reveal Submissions: All material published in DRAGON Magazine he had this reply: becomes the exclusive property of the publisher, unless special “About the language of the hideous Toad-Men that Rob was born in Vermont or Boston or arrangements to the contrary are made prior to publication. of Valdor in my strip, THE TWILIGHT EMPIRE: some place like that. Thank you for your time DRAGON Magazine welcomes unsolicited submissions of and attention. written material and artwork; however, no responsibility for Yes, it is indeed related to Hungarian. I find it such submissions can be assumed by the publisher in any useful to base fantastic languages on those of Tim Denby event. Any submission accompanied by a self-addressed, our Earth— less to make up that way. Lucasfilm Goffstown NH stamped envelope of sufficient size will be returned if it cannot be published. We strongly recommend that prospective authors did the same sort of thing in Star Wars. (There’s write for our writers’ guidelines before sending an article to us. also a rationale for this within my series, though In the United States and Canada, send a self-addressed, I’m not ready to reveal what it is yet.) stamped envelope (9½” long preferred) to: Writers’ Guidelines, Where’s the teeth? c/o DRAGON Magazine, as per the above address; include “I chose Hungarian for the Toad-Men because sufficient American postage or International Reply Coupons the words I was looking for sounded appropri- with the return envelope. In Europe, write to: Writers’ Guide- ately guttural and exotic in that language. From Dear Mr. Moore, lines, c/o DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd; include sufficient I can only assume that you are the sadist return postage or IRCs with your SASE. there, I modified the language to suit exactly Advertising: For information on placing advertisements in what I was looking for. Thus, while it is close, it responsible for the blurbs describing each DRAGON Magazine, ask for our rate card. All ads are subject is not exactly Hungarian. month’s cover of DRAGON Magazine. I’ve been to approval by TSR, Inc. TSR reserves the right to reject any ad patient in the past, but no more. In issue #140, for any reason. In the United States and Canada, contact: “So, here is a primer on the language of the Advertising Coordinator, TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 756, 201 Sheridan people of the sunken city, as seen in the comic: it was “Notice the pigs?” Sure, I noticed the pigs; Springs Road, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. In Europe, Cro-hah: Hah (a laugh) no problem. Then, in issue #150, it was the contact: Advertising Coordinators, TSR Ltd. arrowhead and “good luck finding it!” It took me Advertisers and/or agencies of advertisers agree to hold Emberi: Human(s) TSR, Inc. harmless from and against any loss or expense from Estal: Estal, the crystal-eyed god of the an [expletive deleted] hour to find the stupid any alleged wrongdoing that may arise out of the publication of Toad-Men thing. But this time [with issue #181] you’ve such advertisements. TSR, Inc. has the right to reject or cancel gone too far. False teeth for a skull? FALSE any advertising contract for which the advertiser and/or agency Eszik: Eat(s) of advertiser fails to comply with the business ethics set forth in Hala: Die(s), dead TEETH FOR A SKULL!?!?!? AAAARRGGG!!!! I such contract. Igen: Yes looked for an hour, my friends looked for an DRAGON is a registered trademark of TSR, Inc. Registration hour, I screamed and foamed at the mouth, and applied for in the United Kingdom. All rights to the contents of Jon: Come(s) this publication are reserved, and nothing may be reproduced Megy: Go(es) my now-former friends left. That was when the from it in whole or in part without first obtaining permission in Mosk: Now two men in white coats from the Sunnyside writing from the publisher. Material published in DRAGON® Mental Institute came to take me to my new Magazine does not necessarily reflect the opinions of TSR, Inc. Tapalek: Food Therefore, TSR will not be held accountable for opinions or Var: Wait(s) home, where the doctors have counseled me to mis-information contained in such material. Zalad: Run(s) forget all about false teeth for skulls, claiming ® designates registered trademarks owned by TSR, they don’t exist. I’m feeling much better now. Inc. ™ designates trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Most “Now, those of you who are interested can go other product names are trademarks owned by the back and find our exactly what the Toad-Men Denise Olsen companies publishing those products. Use of the name of were saying. If Rob and company had known, No address given, but any product without mention of trademark status should we assume it’s now at not be construed as a challenge to such status. they could have avoided a bit of trouble. ©1992 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. “An interesting side note is that DRAGON the Sunnyside M.I. Second-class postage paid at Lake Geneva, Wis., Magazine editor Dale Donovan managed to U.S.A., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send Continued on page 30 address changes to DRAGON Magazine, TSR, Inc., P.O. catch an error in my translations’‘ without Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. USPS 318-790, actually knowing the language I was using. Nice ISSN 1062-2101. job, Dale!

DRAGON 5 “And the survey says. . .”

As I write this, the deadline for our first you want to have a say in the direction of topics were addressed by respondents, survey, “The Power of the Pen,” has this magazine takes in the future, fill out and I’ll briefly comment on some of the passed. The staff of DRAGON® Magazine the survey form in this issue and send it most common themes. would like to thank every person who in— now! Many respondents commented that they took the time to respond to that survey Five percent of the respondents were enjoyed reading “The Ecology of . . . ” and its sequels— including “Son of Pen female, and almost 70% of all the respon- pieces that have often appeared in these Power” in this issue. We’d also like to dents checked either the “Completed pages. We enjoyed them too, but we’ve thank TSR, Inc.’s computer department for grades 10-12” or “Completed college” box- received very few lately that were of their invaluable aid. We’ve gotten a lot of es for the education question. This infor- publishable quality. If you want to see useful and sometimes surprising informa- mation gives us a picture of an “average more “Ecology” articles, remember that tion from you. Much of that information is reader” of DRAGON Magazine as a male in someone has to write them before we can briefly summarized here. A list of the his late teens or early twenties. publish them. prize-winners follows. The five most popular features of the A surprisingly large number of respon- Just under 1,000 people responded to magazine are (in order): “Dragonmirth,” our first survey, close to 1% of our ap- “TSR Previews,” “Sage Advice,” “Forum,” proximate circulation of 100,000 copies. and “The Game Wizards.” Other popular Statistically, a response rate of 1% is pretty features included the review columns, good, but think about it like this: Out of with “Role-playing Reviews” topping that PRIZE-WINNERS! every 100 people who read DRAGON list, followed by the “Novel Ideas” column Magazine, only one person bothered to fill and our short fantasy fiction. All of these out the survey form and mail it to us. If features received a majority of votes in the We have randomly selected 10 winners “5” (“I always read the feature”) or “4” (“I from the respondents to our first sur- usually read the feature”) categories. We’ll vey, “The Power of the Pen,” which ran do our best to continue to bring you these in DRAGON® issue #180. The lucky and other popular features as often as we winners are: Cindy Kula of Cedar can. Rapids, Iowa; Elizabeth Woodward of The respondents graded the artwork Anaheim, Calif.; Eric Sidoti of Des appearing in DRAGON Magazine very Plaines, Ill.; Jeffery J. Hanshan of Oolte- highly. Ninety-seven percent gave our wah, Tenn.; Eric J. Carter of Warrens- cover art a “5” or “4” rating. Seventy- burg, Mo.; Michael Hachey of Toronto, four percent also gave the interior art a Ontario, Canada; Phil Howlett of Nor- “5” or “4.” wich, England; Adrian Watts of Alres- The most popular topics covered in ford, England; Oskar Backlund of Tyst- DRAGON Magazine were all AD&D® cam- berga, Sweden; and Jonas Axelsson of paign settings. The FORGOTTEN Lidingo, Sweden. Congratulations go REALMS® setting was the most popular, out to the winners and condolences to which was not a big surprise. Seventy those of you who did not win this time. eight percent of respondents graded our Speaking of prizes, it was interesting Realms coverage with a “5” or “4.” Other to note the products the winners re- campaign settings that received a majority quested. Four of the 10 winners chose of “5” or “4” votes were (in order): the the AL-QADIM™ Arabian Adventures WORLD OF GREYHAWK® setting; the campaign book. Other popular choices RAVENLOFT® Gothic-horror campaign, the were the War Captain’s Companion DRAGONLANCE® world of Krynn; and the boxed set for the SPELLJAMMER® DARK SUN™ campaign setting. campaign setting, The Complete Bard’s Regarding the coverage of nonfantasy Handbook, and one game near and role-playing games (RPGs) in the magazine, dear to my own heart, the new the two most popular RPG genres were GAMMA WORLD® game. science-fiction and horror games. Other If you’d like to get in on the winning, popular games or game-types were: the just fill out the “Son of Pen Power” D&D® game; fantasy and science-fiction survey in this issue (this is the last board games; and fantasy and science- DRAGON survey of the year, we prom- fiction computer games. ise), clearly print your name, address, Reading through the “specific com- and the product number of the TSR ments” given by some of the respondents product listed in this months “TSR to the survey was very enlightening. Previews” column that you want to win Thanks to all who let us know they enjoy if we draw your name as a winner, and DRAGON Magazine; we’ll do our best to mail it to us before the listed deadline. “keep up the good work.” Quite a number Good luck!

6 AUGUST 1992 dents requested that we expand our cover- DRAGON Magazine will not publish adven- A special note to those aspiring writers age of other RPGs, both fantasy games and tures. who often write to us or corner us at other genres (science-fiction RPGs gar- DRAGON Article Index: We are consider- conventions and say something along the nered the most requests). DRAGON Maga- ing the possibility of another index, but lines of, “Just tell me what to write about zine has always been open to publishing have no concrete plans for publishing one and I’ll do it.” Well, you now know what quality articles on other RPG systems, and at this time. our readers like to see in this magazine, so we will continue to do so when we receive Best of DRAGON Magazine: Right now, if you start working from the information such articles on these systems. “What we have no plans to publish another “Best above, you can only improve your chances systems?” you may ask. Our rule is we’ll of” volume, although I feel one is long of being published. To further improve look at articles on any popular RPGs that overdue. those chances, be sure to get a copy of our are currently being supported by their Best of Dragonmirth: This is an interest- writer’s guidelines before you send us publishers. ing possibility, but again it’s something we anything. Send a business-sized SASE to: Other topics were mentioned by survey have no plans to publish in the near fu- Writer’s Guidelines, DRAGON Magazine, respondents that can be dealt with very ture. P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, briefly: U.S.A. Remember, DRAGON Magazine can Modules in DRAGON Magazine: That’s some of the basic information we only publish what is sent to us. If you DRAGON Magazine will not publish gained from our first readers’ survey. We want to see more of a certain type of adventure modules in the foreseeable will be taking steps to see that your pref- article in this magazine, get our guidelines future. Modules are the purview of our erences are reflected in future issues of and sit down and write. sister publication, DUNGEON® Adven- the magazine. If you agree with the pref- tures, and we try not to overlap the other erences stated above, terrific. If you do magazine’s specialty. Just as DUNGEON not agree, however, please write and let us Adventures won’t run a “Sage Advice” know what you do like and want to see. column, The only way we can publish what you want is if you tell us what you like.

Artwork by Jim Holloway DRAGON 7

Expert hirelings to flesh out your game's royal courts

Lord Chumley, envoy of the Grand Duke Courts and courtiers of Ralinor, shifted uneasily on the wooden The size and affluence of a noble’s court bench in the great hall and sniffed daintily is directly proportional to his prestige. A into his lace handkerchief. Sir Coroman’s ruler helps the economy of his domain by castle was strong, and he had a reputation hiring many servants; he’s usually the as a grim fighter, but Chumley found the largest local employer. A large, efficient, accommodations revoltingly primitive. The and handsome retinue will impress both food was coarse peasant fare, and the few the locals and visiting dignitaries. The old and surly servants were apparently lords courtiers can be highly useful. Per- relatives of his host. The sloppy adminis- manent embassies did not exist in medi- tration of the fortress was obviously a eval times, so trusted members of the result of having henchmen more capable court can be sent on diplomatic missions. of hacking monsters than managing a fief. Courtiers can be appointed to positions in There were no amenities such as enter- the government and authority can be tainment, refined conversation, music, or delegated to them when necessary, since courtly etiquette. “My cultured Duke will they will be skilled in governing and famil- agree to no alliance with this crude, petty iar with their lord’s wishes. They can be lordling,” thought Chumley. relied upon to bring information from other courts. Foreigners are especially Artwork by John Stanko There is more to running a castle than useful for their skills in languages, their hiring soldiers. In the Middle Ages, the trade contacts, and their knowledge of size and quality of a lords court was a distant lands. that bejeweled dandy a shiftless coward or reflection of his prestige and wealth. No- Courtiers are expected to be proficient expert swordsman? Could the trusted ble visitors expected to be wined, dined, in such skills as dancing, hunting, falconry, advisor be working for a rival? Are flatters and entertained in courtly style. This singing, heraldry, etiquette, poetry, gam- or wishy-washy advisors hiding unpleas- article lists additional expert hirelings that ing, sports, horsemanship, and playing ant news? Complacency can prove a player-character ruler in an AD&D® musical instruments. They should also be embarrassing— or fatal. game may wish to employ, and it describes well educated. the activities of a court that PCs may visit. The court setting also provides a meet- Court activities Characters who visit or are employed at ing place for learned men, nobles, mer- The activities of a court fall into a com- court have opportunities for wealth, hon- chants, knights, clerics, mages, and others. mon pattern. Although the lord deter- or, and advancement not found in other This allows the freeholder (ruler) to get mines most activities, the courtiers can places, as most of the money and political advice or opinions, and keep in touch with have a great influence on his decision. power are centered around the court. the feelings of the common people There will be at least one activity a week The tables of standard hirelings and through the members of his court. in a PC’s court to keep court interesting. expert hirelings in the AD&D 2nd Edition A PC who receives a favorable reaction The DM may use Table 1 in this article to DMG (see pages 104-111) list the most roll while visiting court may eventually inspire activities for PC rulers (“Well, common types of people a lord will em- obtain a position like those given here. milord, remember you’re to spend the day ploy. Katherine Kerr’s article, “The Care of Usually, these jobs do not require full-time at the opening of the Fishmonger’s new Castles” in the Best of DRAGON® Magazine attention if a capable assistant is at hand. guild hall, the Elf-King’s envoy is expected Anthology, volume IV, outlines the various However, if something goes wrong, the PC tomorrow, and then there’s the Swan assistants needed to operate a stronghold. will be held responsible. The PC can use Festival next week . . .”) Use the nature of The additional expert hirelings listed here- his appropriate skills to enhance his the ruler’s domain to inspire more activi- in can be hired in the usual manner for chances of success. ties (harvest festivals in crop-producing attracting expert hirelings, but many will It is vital to maintain good relations with areas, sea-god holidays and religious festi- be available only in small numbers. They powerful courtiers, or they could under- vals in coastal regions, etc.). will also expect recognition, living arrange- mine the PC’s job with rumors or sabo- ments, and compensation commensurate tage. Courtiers compete with each other Attracting new hirelings with their social status and occupation. for limited jobs, gold, and power, and Generous treatment of the PC’s hirelings The numbers, salaries, and duties of these newcomers are often the subject of jeal- will attract the notice of other prospective servants can also be found here. ousy. Courtiers strive to outdo their rivals employees. Wandering bards and min- In addition to those who run the castle, in sports, games, elegant clothes, or polite strels, roving mercenaries, visiting mer- more people will be needed for activities manners. The activities of every courtier chants, and traveling knights can be paid the lord of the castle wishes to enjoy. Will are the subject of intense gossip and spec- to spread praise about the freeholder in he want to hunt? Better hire a hunting ulation. Life at court can be a fascinating other lands. master and some huntsmen. Does he want adventure, whether one is a visitor or When a ruler has established a reputa- to go hawking? He’ll need a falconer. Does ruler. tion for generosity, hirelings will begin to he have children? A nurse and teacher The accumulation of prestige is of vital apply for positions. Every two months, must be employed. Are important guests importance at court. A job done well (or there is a 10-60% chance that a prospec- coming for a visit? Musicians, entertainers, done badly) will probably attract the atten- tive hireling appears. Determine the appli- and a poet or orator should be on tap. Is tion of the ruler and result in promotion cant’s occupation using the tables in the he throwing a dinner party? He ought to (or disfavor). Continued successes will DMG, or Table Two. Sometimes a courtier have a chef and servers. Does he need eventually bring wealth and a high- will recommend an expert hireling. Natu- expert advice on running his barony? Trot ranking position. This will give the PC rally, the new hireling will be indebted to out the sages, scholars, astrologers, and influence and recognition outside the the courtier, if he’s not already one of the lawyers. Does he want to be known as a court itself as well. Too many mistakes and courtier’s lackeys. man of culture and be immortalized in the PC will be ejected from court. A negative side to fame and fortune is bronze? He’ll have to become an artist’s The DM can create an attitude of uncer- that a character’s renown will also attract patron, of course. tainty about the members of the court. Is less reputable NPCs (20% chance per

DRAGON 11 month). Distant relatives, impoverished who acts as a matchmaker, chaperon, confi- but they will gain his gratitude in the noblemen, sundry sycophants, con-men, dant, and arbitrator. This person has ears unlikely event he comes to power. and ne’er-do-wells will appear, hoping for for all court gossip, high and low. 17. The power behind the throne is a hand-outs or cushy jobs. They appear to 10. The oily courtier is a golden-tongued spouse, close relative, or advisor, etc., who work hard when the PC is around, but rascal who’s a master of style and devious- holds the true power, and the ruler always loaf the rest of the time. Most of their ness. He finds subtle ways to insult others, does what he says. efforts center around gossip, intrigue, and and makes plans to implicate them in some 18. The hostage or prisoner is a famous the acquisition of power and loot. They trap. There is a 90% chance he is involved or noble captive who is being held for pretend to be loyal but are likely to desert in some intrigue, but he can usually talk ransom or as security, but who is treated when the chips are down. his way out of trouble. as an honored guest. 11. The sycophant is an ardent bootlick- 19. The imposter is someone who imper- Court personalities er who spends his time praising the ruler sonates a noble or royal figure. He may try The DM must create distinctive person- and running small errands for him. His to borrow money and valuables from PCs, alities for important members of the favorite activity is informing on others. putting up nonexistent lands and treasure court, such as the marshal, royal steward, 12. The dirty deed-doer is a black- as collateral. chief justice, etc. When a PC meets these hearted knight or noble who uses the 20. The sponge is a professional party- NPCs, reaction rolls will determine if the forms of chivalry only to gain an advan- goer, with a capacity for food and drink PC enhances or lowers his prestige. Bribes, tage. He enthusiastically performs unpleas- that is enormous. He is a skilled flatterer flattery, and personal appearance will ant tasks for the ruler. and is always looking for handouts. modify the reaction roll. 13. The fop is a languid and frail- PCs visiting court may also encounter seeming aesthete who complains of contin- Additional expert hirelings unusual characters who may help, hinder, ual boredom and fatigue. He dresses in the Many of these expert NPCs must possess or merely irritate them. Jape Trostle’s most stylish fashions and looks down his nonweapon proficiencies to perform their article in DRAGON issue #136, “Fifty Ways aristocratic nose at social inferiors. De- duties. Suggested proficiencies are listed to Foil Your Players,” contains information spite his appearance, there is a 25% with each entry. Also, the Reading/Writing about NPC “foils” that can be used at chance he is a fighter of 1-10. skill is common at many courts; assume court, especially the ignoble noble and the 14. The questing knight is a cloudy- that these hirelings have that skill if their court schemers. The following 20 person- minded chevalier is always planning some duties require any sort of record keeping alities can also be used to spice up court ridiculous quest and will ask the PCs or any of the “business” of running a life. along. These adventures usually end in court. 1. The knight errant is a high-level, well- disaster, but once in a while he is wildly Also, for any of the occupations here equipped, boastful fighter who makes a successful. that involve apprentices, lackeys, etc., the living by jousting in tournaments. He is 15. The provisioner is a wealthy mer- master’s relevant ability should be higher likely to challenge other fighters (especial- chant with an exclusive contract to supply than those of his assistants to reflect his ly PCs) given the slightest excuses. the court. His prices are outrageous, but expertise (although prodigies are always 2. The scheming bureaucrat is a he is the sole source for certain merchan- possible). hunched, squinting scrivener who has dise. If the PCs deal with anyone else, he Accountant: An accountant is a specialist exceptional talent for administration and is will charge them triple prices for items scribe who does calculations for business an indispensable part of the bureaucracy. they can’t get elsewhere. and bookkeeping purposes. Any business His nocturnal scrutiny of documents and a 16. The bastard is an illegitimate child of enterprise requires an accountant. Very network of informers lets him know al- the royal house. The bastard has an am- large holdings or departments require a most every secret of the realm. biguous status at court, as he can neither team of accountants under a chief ac- 3. The royal pretender is a person has be advanced nor ignored. Those who countant, who receives double pay. All some claim to the throne of a nearby land. befriend him will attract much suspicion, accountants possess the Reading/Writing He often bestows worthless titles and honors on visitors. There’s an 80% chance he’s involved in a plot to regain his legacy. Table 1 4. The exiled noble is a foreign noble Court Activities Table who has been banished from his homeland for falling into disfavor or committing 1d100 Event some crime. There’s a 60% chance he is 01-08 Ball, masquerade, or party plotting to return home and take revenge 09-19 Banquet or feast on his enemies. 20-28 Ceremony* 5. The favorite is an advisor or compan- 29-34 Concert, performance, or entertainment ion who can do no wrong in the eyes of 35-38 Embassy or parley the ruler. To offend the favorite is asking 39-42 Holiday or religious festival for big trouble. 43-52 Hunt or falconry 6. The nosy servant is usually a curious 53-55 Procession, parade, spectacle, or display loyal family retainer, but he may be a 56-60 Public appearance, oration, opening, dedication, or inspection beady-eyed, unscrupulous underling with 61-69 Reception, presentation, audience, demonstration, or interview a grudge. 70-78 Sports or competition* * 7. The rake or flirt is a debonair man or 79-83 Tournament, joust, or melee woman who pretends sincerity while 84-96 No major activity (other than gambling & gossiping) using romance to manipulate others. A 97-00 Uproar* * * broken heart is the usual result. 8. The old knight is a relic of bygone * Ceremonies include knightings, marriages, accepting vassals, funerals, religious days, as he endlessly repeats the stories of observances, bestowing awards, births, coming of age, vows, etc. the adventures that brought him fame and * * Sports includes bowling, field hockey, tennis, horse racing, etc. Competitions include a place at court. However, he still has games, poetry, singing, courtly romances, etc. surprising strength and courage if such is * * * Uproar could be such things as outrageous behavior, horrible rumors, murder, needed. discovery of a spy, thievery of a major item, disfavor, insubordination, duels, etc. 9. The court gossip is an influential noble

12 AUGUST 1992 nonweapon proficiency (NWP) and also times the normal fee, but can increase the languages, or areas of special interest to have some skill at mathematics (what we chance of a favorable verdict at the DM’s their deity. consider basic math— no algebra, geome- option. Attorneys all have knowledge of Cook: A lords refinement is often judged try, etc.). local laws and customs (treat as the Reli- by the excellence of his dinner table. A Almoner: An almoner supervises the gion NWP, except the relevant ability is cook requires at least one lackey (apprentice) disbursement of gifts to charities and the intelligence and it grants legal, rather than to assist him. Cooks have the Cooking NWP. poor. Almoners handle all the clerics, religious, information). Court announcer: The court announcer charity-collectors, beggars, mendicants, Bard/storyteller/minstrel: Every court regulates daily business at a noble’s court. cranks, and reformers seeking money and needs a talented bard who can tell stories or He announces visitors, observes protocol, favors who often approach wealthy char- sing and play music. History, legends, and schedules appointments, supervises audi- acters. Almoners, like accountants, have poetry are passed down through the verses ences, and keeps his eye on guests. An- skill at mathematics. of bards, who are also the court composers. nouncers will have both the Etiquette and Artist: Artists are skilled in the produc- An NPC of this type may (if not a member of Heraldry NWPs. tion of fine statues, busts, murals, or paint- the bard adventuring class) exhibit the Artis- Dance master: Dancing is a skill that is ings. A work of art takes from a few days tic Ability, Musical Instrument, or Singing expected of every well-bred aristocrat. to many weeks to create. A huge sculpture NWPs. Bards may also have some knowledge The dance master instructs the pages and or decoration of a palace can take years to of history or languages. damsels of the household in the rudiments complete. A few artists are masters who Chamberlain: A chamberlain is the offi- of dancing and also teaches new dances to can produce a masterpiece that will bring cial in charge of a noble’s household. The the court. Such instructors possess the acclaim to the artist and his patron. Artists chief butler and master of the wardrobe Dancing NWP. will possess the Artistic Ability NWP. report to him. Very large households re- Doctor/physician: Doctors are skilled in Astrologer/soothsayer: Astrologers, quire several chamberlains. Chamberlains the treatment of wounds and disease. soothsayers, diviners, and fortune tellers will certainly make use of the Etiquette Although clerics in the AD&D game per- are common in many rulers’ courts. In a NWP and perhaps have the Heraldry skill form the functions of doctors, DMs could magical universe, it is possible to make as well. have “healers” who cure wounds and useful predictions on occasion. The accu- Champion: A champion is a fighter who diseases with the Healing, and possibly the racy of a prediction depends on the exper- accepts challenges on behalf of kings or Herbalism, NWPs. tise of the astrologer; some may be rulers who cannot fight themselves, or for Entertainers: Entertainers include ac- charlatans. Fortunes are often given in mages and other characters who cannot tors, mimes, jugglers, acrobats, wrestlers, cryptic forms, and are liable to be misin- engage in personal combat with fighters. puppeteers, dancers, knife-throwers, terpreted. These NPCs possess the Astrolo- Champions expect to be well rewarded animal acts, etc. Entertainment is expected gy NWP. after each victory. Create and equip an at important social gatherings. Performers Attorney/lawyer: In urban areas, citizens appropriate warrior NPC for this role. can be hired individually or in teams of may need legal advice about taxes, debts, Chaplain: Every estate or castle should 2-16. When a company has six or more rights, property, or inheritance. Rulers have a chapel and chaplain for the reli- members, there is a 25% surcharge to pay will need expert information on the cases gious needs of its inhabitants. Adventuring for the impresario, drivers, and lackeys. brought before them. Lawyers can be kept clerics usually don’t have the time for such Famous troupes of entertainers fetch 2-4 on retainer and are also paid a daily fee work, so an NPC cleric can be hired, as times normal prices. Most troupes should while preparing or arguing a case in court. long as he gets the usual salary, upkeep, have members who exhibit many of the If a PC gains a sum of money from legal fees, tithes, assistants, and so on. Chap- following skills: Dancing, Singing, Musical action, the lawyer will take 30-50%. Some lains will possess the Religion NWP, and Instrument, Juggling, Jumping, Tightrope lawyers are famous (5%), charging 5 to 10 some may also have knowledge of history, Walking, and Ventriloquism. Equerry/Stable Master: An equerry is an official in charge of a stable. He oversees the horse trainers and grooms, buys and Table 2 sells horses, buys fodder, and maintains Additional Expert Hirelings Table the stable. An equerry is needed if a stable has 30 or more horses. Such an NPC will Hireling Daily cost * Hireling Daily cost * possess the Animal Training and Animal Accountant 2 gp Almoner 3 gp Handling NWPs for horses (or whatever Artist * * 20 gp Astrologer/soothsayer 10 gp mount is most common in the campaign). Attorney/lawyer 50 gp Bard 20 gp Falconer: A falconer specializes in the Chamberlain 4 gp Champion 10 gp/level care of falcons and hawks. One falconer Chaplain 10 gp Cook 1 gp can care for four birds. For every two Court announcer 2 gp Dance master 1 gp additional birds, he requires a lackey. Doctor/physician 15 gp Entertainer 10 sp Falconers will have the Animal Handling Equerry/stable master 5 gp Falconer 4 gp and Animal Training NWPs appropriate to Gatekeeper 25 sp Gentlemen/ladies-in-waiting* * * 25 gp the type of birds used. Herald 6 gp Horse/animal trainer 8 gp Gatekeeper/porter/doorwarden: The Hunting master 15 gp Jester 10 gp gatekeeper greets visitors, makes arrange- Librarian 15 sp Maid/butler/servant 4 sp ments for their stay, and maintains the Master of the wardrobe 5 gp Musician 8 sp gates and drawbridges in good operating Nurse 3 sp Orator 2 gp conditions. Such an NPC will have the Page/squire* * * 2 gp Poet laureate 9 gp Heraldry NWP and may possess some Scholar * * * 25 gp Scribe/clerk 3 gp knowledge of drawbridges, gears, etc. Secretary 5 gp Steward/seneschal* * * 8 gp/level (Engineering NWP). Teacher/tutor 1 gp Trumpeter 15 sp Gentlemen- or lady-in-waiting: Gentlemen- and ladies-in-waiting are per- * Monthly cost is the daily cost × 30. Room and board must be also provided. sons of noble birth who serve as assist- * * Plus a fee for each item produced, plus the cost of materials. ants, companions, and bodyguards to a * * * Servants and quality room and board must be provided. ruler. A minor noble might have 1-3

DRAGON 13 gentlemen-in-waiting; a king, up to 50. includes cupbearers, servers, chamber- for such NPCs, according to your cam- Such NPCs will possess a wide variety of valets, ushers, messengers, laundry wom- paign’s background. NWPs, but Etiquette is mandatory. en, etc. These types generally display few Scribe/clerk: Scribes maintain records, Herald: Heralds are skilled in the usages talents, though exceptions to the rule are copy documents, and take dictation. For of heraldry, diplomacy, and chivalry, and always possible. every 100 soldiers in a fortress, one scribe hence possess the Heraldry NWP. There is Master/mistress of the wardrobe: The will be required to assist the officers in often a hierarchy of apprentices (pursui- master or mistress of the wardrobe is making muster lists, payrolls, inventories, vants), heralds, and chief heralds at larger responsible for the care of a noble’s cloth- and in writing orders. Scribes might be courts. Chief heralds receive five times ing and private chambers. He or she also needed to assist the seneschal, chamber- normal pay and pursuivants earn one-half disburse the lords private funds for per- lain, equerry, librarian, almoner, secretary, that of a herald. sonal and miscellaneous expenses. Eti- attorney, scholar, master of the wardrobe, Horse or animal trainer: Animal trainers quette is an important skill for these NPCs, etc. All scribes exhibit the Reading/Writing are skilled in the care, training, and breed- as is some skill at math. NWP. ing of animals. Normal training takes three Musicians: Musicians include flute play- Secretary: A secretary is a type of scribe months, with the trainer able to handle up ers, lutists, drummers, horn-players, sing- who personally assists a ruler or noble in to six animals. War training requires an ers, bagpipers, harpers, fiddlers, etc. They the day-to-day operations of his domain. additional three months, with three ani- are needed for balls, dances, masques, and The secretary is knowledgeable in admin- mals being the limit that can be trained at the like. Musicians usually perform in istration, screens visitors, makes appoint- once. One horse trainer is needed to care groups of four to 12 members. If there are ments, handles documents, channels for every 40 horses in a stable. more than six musicians, they will be led communications, and supervises other Hunting master/huntsmen/houndsmen: by a music master who receives double clerks. The Reading/Writing NWP is impor- A hunting master is necessary to make pay. Five percent of musicians are virtuo- tant for this NPC, as is the Etiquette NWP arrangements for and to lead a hunt. The sos who perform alone and receive 10 and familiarity (knowledge) of the ruler’s hunting master supervises the huntsmen, times the normal pay. All musicians have interests, hobbies, etc. all of whom have the Hunting NWP. the Musical Instrument NWP, possibly Steward/Seneschal: A steward or sene- Houndsmen exhibit Animal Training and with multiple instruments (which would schal is needed for every castle, business, Animal Handling skills for hunting dogs. require multiple proficiency slots). estate, fief, or office belonging to a charac- Other common NWPs these NPCs could Nurse: Children of noble families are ter that he does not personally supervise. possess are Direction Sense, Fire-Building, cared for by a nurse. Each nurse may look Very large estates or fiefs will require Fishing, Riding Land-Based, Set Snares, after up to four children. several stewards, headed by a grand sene- Animal Lore, Survival, Tracking, or Weath- Oratar/rhetorician: Orators are profes- schal or chief steward. Stewards need a er Sense. sional speech makers. They may be hired variety of skills, although a highly skilled Jester: Jesters provide entertainment to make speeches on a character’s behalf, staff is a great boon as well. and keep themselves well informed of or may be hired on a monthly basis to Teacher/tutor: A teacher instructs chil- court gossip. They can give advice and teach oratorical skill. Each month a char- dren between the ages of six and 16. A defuse possibly hostile situations through acter takes oratory lessons (with several teacher may have up to 12 students in a humor. Jesters may also be skilled in lessons a week), he receives a cumulative class. Teachers should have at least some magic-use and thieving. Jesters should chance equal to his intelligence to receive of the following NWPs (though others are have NWPs similar to those listed under Oratory skill, if he has a nonweapon profi- possible): Reading/Writing, Local History, “Entertainers.” ciency slot available. Oratory skill gives a Ancient History, Modern Languages, An- Librarian: A librarian is needed to orga- +20% reaction adjustment when making cient Languages, and Math. nize and care for any large collection of speeches in noncombat situations to those Trumpeters/drummers/standard bearers: books and scrolls. Librarians can maintain who can understand what the orator is Trumpeters and drummers are needed to written records; read languages; identify saying. play marches and fanfares at parades, authors, handwriting, dates and places of Page/squire: Leading noblemen or rulers tournaments, speeches, coronations, exe- publication; and repair and restore dam- often have dozens of pages and squires, as cutions, and funerals. They also make aged books. In addition to the Reading/ their vassals are eager to send their sons signals in battles. Musical Instrument skill Writing NWP, librarians are often sagelike to be educated and learn chivalric skills. is essential. storehouses of information about history They serve as messengers, aides, and A standard bearer is a soldier, usually a and languages. servants to lords and ladies, and they form sergeant, who carries a lords insignia into Maid/butler/servants/lackeys: Maids and a guard of honor. Pages are usually adoles- battle to rally soldiers. Carrying a standard butlers clean and care for buildings. A cents with little combat skill; squires are into battle requires no special skills, but an maid is needed for every eight apartments, older and may be 1st-level warriors. Both unusually large amount of bravery is and a butler for each large hall. The chief pages and squires may also have some helpful. butler (major-domo) works with the cham- Riding, Heraldry, or Tailoring skill (for berlain, head chef, steward, and master of sewing torn tabards, etc.). Bibliography the wardrobe to assure the smooth func- Poet laureate/court chronicler/writer: A Bishop, Morris. The Middle Ages. Ameri- tioning of the household. These servants poet composes verses for any subject or can Heritage Press: New York; 1970. should have the Etiquette NWP. occasion, and a court chronicler records Bloch, Marc. Feudal Society. University of Every castle requires a barber, who events and supervises the archives. They Chicago Press: Chicago; 1961. often doubles as a surgeon. Such an NPC may be sent as envoys because of their Dickens, A. G., ed. The Courts of Europe. may possess the Healing or Herbalism knowledge of etiquette and diplomacy. All McGraw-Hill: New York; 1977. NWPs. Noblewomen may need a hair- writers must possess the Modern Lan- Tuchman, Barbara W. A Distant Mirror. dresser and seamstress, the latter of guages and the Reading/Writing NWPs; Ballantine Books: New York; 1978. whom should possess the Seamstress/ some may be members of the bard class. Tailor NWP. Each carriage must have four Scholar/professor/philosopher: Scholars coachmen, and a sedan chair requires four are specialized men or women of learning. to eight footmen. Grooms are necessary to They may answer questions as sages in care for each one to four horses, and one field with a -2 penalty that is cumula- formal gardens require a gardener who tive with any other penalties, but they may possess the Agriculture or Herbalism require only half the upkeep and pay of NWPs. The servant/lackey category also sages. Select appropriate fields of study

14 AUGUST 1992

by Derek Jensen

Artwork by David O. Miller Some challenging ideas to make challenging foes

Evil nonplayer characters usually get the (use teleport, dimension door, invisibility, long enough to kill them; if they fail, they short end of the stick when it comes to or a call for help from a fighter). Follow just scatter, every man for himself. battle tactics in AD&D® games. They typi- the free advice from players as to what a One problem with pitting good PCs cally come off as twisted spell-casters or thief should do when he sees a spell-caster against evil NPCs is that NPCs are adven- dumb fighters, and the tactics attributed mumbling and waving his arms about turers, too, and adventurers usually have to these evil NPCs usually consist of noth- (throw a dagger! throw a dagger!). Give a magical items. Conquering a lot of NPCs ing more than casting a few horrible spells fighter NPC some weapon specialization, a could seriously overburden a PC with too or just swinging away with magical girdle of stone giant strength, and a long much “liberated” magic. A good way to swords before they are overwhelmed by sword +2, then see how your player’s limit this is make an evil character’s items the player characters. fighter likes a bit of his own medicine. evil in alignment, and therefore unusable These sorts of tactics do not accurately Second, use what your NPCs have al- by the PC. A better way to do it is to give reflect the fact that most evil NPCs make ready got. Evil clerics should make use of NPCs one-shot magical items like potions their living by cunning, ruthless, cold- evil spells. Bestow curse (the reverse of and scrolls, then have them use them up hearted (and sometimes cowardly) murder. remove curse) is a good one; animate in the battle. After all, what fool wouldn’t Evil characters are almost never bound by dead, cause blindness, and cause serious use a potion of gaseous form if he was any sort of code of ethics or restrictions wounds are other good examples. Don’t hard-pressed by a gang of hardened ad- on weapons or tactics. There is no reason hesitate to allow your players’ opponents venturers? Always remember to allow why an evil character could not follow to drop back and heal their wounded with NPCs to do whatever you allow PCs to do. treasure-laden PCs around town until he the help of a staff of curing, just like the It will shock them, but there’s no way they could quietly poison them, except that it one the PCs have. Evil wizards can use can complain. would abruptly end the entire game. shield, protection from normal missiles, There are other things NPCs might try. Evil characters whose actual dwelling is protection from good, stoneskin, and Alter magical items. Consider the evil invaded would almost certainly have wick- mirror image to defend themselves. Evil fighter/thief who attacks PCs from behind ed traps and numerous preplanned tactics characters aren’t stupid; they’re just evil. with a long sword that emanates darkness for counterattacks and escape. To keep the Of course, it ain’t easy being evil. Being 15’ radius (which does not affect the game interesting and balanced, the DM evil has inherent disadvantages that make wielder’s vision, of course). Assuming the should give intelligent evil beings a few Good the first choice of most intelligent heroes capture the sword, what party basic tactics and plans in case they are creatures— disadvantages like the fact that would put up with their own fighter blind- visited by a number of armed foes. After your own partner might backstab you if ing them whenever he wanted to fight? all, evil characters have to be on the look- he feels he can escape with your treasure Combine spells, too. How about drop- out for both good and evil enemies. Intelli- in the confusion of battle. Maybe the evil ping in an evil cleric who casts darkness gent ones know how both kinds of people cleric won’t heal you because he’s healing on a stone, approaches the PCs enveloped think and how to counter their tactics. It himself. Evil characters hold out on each in the mysterious blackness, then tosses shouldn’t be so hard to think of some good other, sometimes fail to cooperate, and the stone at them and casts silence 15’ tactics, because being the Dungeon Master occasionally fail to notice that their own radius at them as well? If the cleric is with has built-in advantages. companions will be caught in their fireball a party of his own, it might be better for First of all, the DM has at his disposal a blasts. Evil characters might also bargain him to toss a normal stone first in order to group of the most devious and fertile for their lives with the treasure (or life) of judge the throw that he will have to make gaming minds you’ve ever heard of: the a member of their party. More often than in darkness, while the fighters keep the players. Take some tips from players as to not, however, evil characters will work in PCs busy. This would have the added what wizards do when they are in trouble consort against good characters at least benefit of confusing the PCs for a moment

DRAGON 17 while they run from the mysterious stone, invisibility. In moments, a wizard can 30’ wide, and 50’ long will be filled to kick it out of the way, or try to pick it up create an extradimensional space where overflowing! Fireballs also burn spell and throw it back. PCs are, as a rule, he and some friends can hide, drawing up books and robes, set ropes and wooden easily confused and prone to panic. Play the rope until the party passes. Once the beams aflame, melt treasure, and destroy on that. party is engaged with the rest of the NPC magical items. Can you say “total destruc- Remember that NPCs will usually be the party and no one is watching their backs— tion”? I knew you could. Fireball is an evil inhabitants of the area that the players are surprise! spell if ever there was one. intruding upon. The NPCs will know the * Unseen servants cannot fight, but they * Command, a first-level priest spell, layout of the area, the locations of secret can bewilder PCs forever or lure them would not allow poor Norman doors and pit traps, and the necessary into a grand trap with virtually no effort Crossblades, a 5th-level fighter, a saving passwords or alarm signals to allow them or risk on the behalf of the caster. Added throw (it requires 6 + HD or an intelli- safe passage. Inhabitants of a cave com- tip: Ventriloquism or audible glamer spells gence of 13 +). He could therefore be plex should not sit idly by while their can help. automatically made to, for instance, eat or comrades are slaughtered in the next * Strength spells last for one hour per drink something he normally wouldn’t, fall room; give them intruder-alert plans. level! At that rate, what respectable party asleep for a moment, stop over a trap, or What is unreasonable about orcs who can afford not to walk around in a do any one of a number of unwise things, have barricades that they can draw across dungeon looking like steroid monsters? restricted only by your vocabulary. Make a corridor to provide cover for safe missile * Web spells cover huge areas: 8,000 sure that the one round Norman is obey- fire? They might even have a way of drop- cubic feet. That’s a dungeon corridor 15’ ing the command is taken advantage of, ping a portcullis behind the party to block high and 10’ wide webbed for over 50’ of but not with Norm’s best interests in mind. the PCs’ immediate retreat (and perhaps its length! Spin the web during battle (the * The sanctuary spell doesn’t last too another portcullis in front of the party). PCs will suffer -2 on their saving throws) long (two rounds plus one per level), but it Humanoids who are lawful have discipline or else cover the mess with a nice illusion gives a cleric a few minutes of safety to and therefore make plans. The following and walk away. Remember, too, that webs heal or run away. Its short duration allows are more examples to fertilize your mind burn like wildfire for 2-8 hp damage. it to be cast upon a thief, who can then and send players whimpering into dark Conclusion? Fireball the trapped PCs and proceed to slip around the melee in order corners. attack them the next round when they’re to attack from behind a few rounds later. * As the party fights an evil priest’s burnt and dazed. It could also give the wounded a few min- group of guardian skeletons or zombies, * Speaking of which, reread the fireball utes of safety to scramble or be pulled out the room begins to fill with a gas that spell and ask yourself what 33,500+ cubic of harm’s way. causes breathing creatures to save vs. feet means. I’ll tell you: It means fire filling * Light can be cast up to 120 yards away poison each round that they are in it or a 10’-wide, 15’-high corridor to a depth of and can be cast upon a fighter’s visor to else fall unconscious for 1-6 rounds. 110’ on both sides of ground zero! It effectively blind him. Light lasts a very * Rope trick is the poor man’s mass means that a temple or great hall 20’ high, long time (an hour plus one turn per level), but continual light would last until shouldn’t be accompanied by a troop of than hacking up a monster. dispelled and would be devastating against well-armed and well-armored undead. When played well, the AD&D game can a thief (what thief can afford to walk And, since humanoid corpses can also be produce some of the greatest challenges around announcing himself in a 60’-radius animated according to hit dice, even a 5th- and most satisfying fun of any game in the sphere of bright light?). level cleric could have a couple of undead form of cunning adversaries. It is that * Wyvern watch, cast by a retreating ogres around to do his dirty work. aspect of the game that makes it great— party of NPCs, will hang up a party of * A 7th-level cleric has a 60% chance of the fact that the players’ opponents are pursuing characters for quite a long time, dispelling the magic of that pesky 5th-level not predetermined, matrix-generated especially if they notice it before it strikes wizard who likes to fly around or use automatons controlled by a computer, but but are unable to accurately identify it. shield. Even his two subordinate 4th-level thought-generated deviants controlled by a * NPCs who have ways of protecting clerics each have a 40% chance. Note that cunning human being who is capable of themselves against fire might dump oil all dispel magic affects a wide area, so it changing methods of attack and defense over the field of combat and wait until the could also get that cleric who uses protec- whenever necessary. middle of battle to set it ablaze. Then tion from evil or resist fire. The game should be something of a again, they might just set themselves * A lightning bolt is preferable to a competition between the DM and his ablaze in order to scare off the PCs or at fireball underground because its area of players, challenging one another to think least their horses, hirelings, and men-at- effect is more limited and it can be harder and becoming more creative and arms. They would also be less hesitant to bounced off a wall to further cut the area cunning while staying within the bounds use magical fire spells. of effect as it retraces its path (striking of rule and reason. It shouldn’t be a frolic * Be imaginative with glyph of warding most victims twice— victims who would through blood and guts or a grim contest and bestow curse spells. The higher the likely make their saving throws at -2 or of wills; the DM controls the game and has level of the cleric, the greater the magic he -4 for being dazed and wounded). to play with the players as much as (but should be able to unleash with these. A no more than) he plays against them. The glyph from a 9th-level cleric might deliver Of course, there’s nothing to prevent best kind of DM fashions people, places, a flame strike. A 7th-level cleric might be PCs from utilizing some of these tactics, and things as if he were a player, then able to create a glyph that reduces the but they would be subject to the restric- disconnects himself almost completely and defiler to gaseous form or makes his body, tions of their alignment, and some actions referees as if he were the players’ best but not his gear or clothes, invisible (but would require a ruling by the DM. It is friend, because he is both of these things. only to his companions) until lifted or important to remember that NPCs are just “Gee, Bob, I’m really sorry, but your dispelled. as worried about staying alive as anybody cleric takes a lightning bolt in the back * Animate dead is only third level, yet else, but they are more devious in the and is blown forward into the pit from the zombies and skeletons created by it, at ways that they guard their lives. From the which he was trying to pull the mage’s 1 HD per level, will hang around forever. player’s point of view, defeating an intelli- lifeless body. Tough break, buddy. More There’s no reason that every evil cleric gent adversary is much more satisfying pizza?”

20 AUGUST 1992 DRAGON 21 by C. M. Cline Artwork by Jim Holloway A new way to bring nonplayer characters to life (in the game, that is) Rand the Elder is a blacksmith who has with “bit parts.” All too often, the results of Occupation & history spent all his life in Arabel. He is a tall man this are a few well-developed NPCs and a The first sentence serves as the intro- with a heavy black beard. Rand is known lot of stereotyped bit-part NPCs who seem duction to the NPC, describing his occupa- for his great strength (16), skill as a black- to all look the same. tion and giving a brief history of the smith, and rather dim wit (Int 7). He val- To give NPCs more variety while keeping character. If the NPC has a front, such as ues his family above all, is honest to a down the effort in their development, I being a gem smith who is a cat burglar at fault, and has a great fondness for music. developed what I refer to as the “seven night, this information can be provided in Uncomfortable and a man of few words sentence NPC” (SSNPC). The seven sen- this sentence. A brief historical note can with strangers, he is talkative and likes to tences used to describe the NPC contain give the NPC more depth and indicate sing with his close friends. With his shop what I considered to be the essential ele- skills and knowledge that are not readily on the main thoroughfare, he hears many ments to allow PCs to deal with and re- apparent to the PCs. For example Rand the of the tales from outside the city, but often member the NPC. Other Dungeon Masters Elder, mentioned at the start of this article, gets the facts mixed up due to his slow may differ on what they feel is essential; if may be the retired adventurer Randel the wit. He talks in a deep, slow drawl and so, the SSNPC described here can provide Giantslayer, renowned throughout the pulls at his beard when talking to others. a starting point for developing a new set FORGOTTEN REALMS® setting and with a of essential data. vast knowledge of the Spine of the World. Creating nonplayer characters for a Just because this NPC description is game session is an interesting and chal- referred to as a “seven sentence NPC” does Physical description lenging part of adventure creation. How- not necessarily mean each NPC is de- The second sentence is a brief physical ever, while great time and effort can be scribed in exactly seven sentences. For the description of the NPC. In some cases this spent on major antagonists and player sake of the English language and clarity, may give a hint as to an NPC’s hidden character companions, rarely does a DM sometimes more than one sentence is used occupation, such as a note that a beggar have the time to put equal effort into NPCs for a given point. has a flash of gold in his mouth. Attributes & skills The third sentence describes the NPC’s attributes and skills. Here, any attributes above or below average should be noted. When describing attributes, it is easiest to reference those used in the game. In the AD&D® game, these would be intelligence, wisdom, strength, dexterity, charisma and constitution. Any attributes not mentioned are considered to be average. Any special skills and the NPC’s level of ability with these skills can also be men- tioned. These skills do not necessarily have to be associated with the NPC’s current occupation. For example, if Rand is an average blacksmith but a great song writ- er, the sentence may not even mention blacksmithing, noting only his undiscover- ed talent for musical composition. These skills and attributes may be wide- ly known or known only to the NPC him- self. Whatever the case, this should also be noted in this sentence.

Values & motivations The fourth sentence is one of the most important, from a role-playing point of view. This sentence describes the values that the PCs must discover and exploit in order to motivate a NPC to doing as they ask. This is particularly important if the PCs are asking the NPC to do something that is against the NPC’s basic principles. For example, due to Rand’s honesty, the PCs will have a difficult time convincing him to shoe a horse so that the horse will probably throw the shoe after a short distance. Money probably will not do it; however, if the PCs threatened his family, there is little doubt that Rand will shoe the horse as the PCs’ desire (but he will proba- bly hate them for it). The values and motivations described in this sentence should not be directly re- vealed to the PCs. The PCs will have to search for clues in the way the NPC talks and acts in order to discover which but- tons must be pushed to get the NPC to do as they desire. From the DM’s point of view, the values and motivations described for the NPC help the DM decide how the NPC will react to the questions and offers of the PCs.

Interactions with others This sentence describes how the NPC interacts with others. Whether he is loud and obnoxious or condescending and rude, it can be noted in this sentence. Many NPCs will react differently to the PCs depending on whether they know them or not. If this is the case, it will be noted in this sentence.

Useful knowledge This is also a very important sentence, from the PCs’ point of view, as it describes what the NPC knows that may be of use to the PCs. This information might be simple, such as where a tired adventurer can get a good meal and a bed for the night. On the other hand, it can be a key clue leading to

DRAGON 23 the next adventure. The knowledge de- of which he is the seventh heir. He is a in her surroundings and subtly pumping scribed in the given example for Rand is of short man, clean shaven with a very up- the other person for information. Lady general nature, which should be the case right posture. Wardog is a 9th-level fighter Erin knows virtually all of the gossip of in most NPC descriptions. There should famous for his incredible stamina (Con 18) the nobility and rich merchants of Cormyr, also be an indication of bow reliable the and his leadership abilities (Cha 15), as as well as many private facts with respect NPC’s information is. In some cases what well as his alleged ability at musical com- to these people. She has a small mole on the NPC knows may be very specific, such position (his works are described as being her right cheek. as the location of a dragon’s lair or who to more like the sounds of war than actual bribe to get a buddy out of jail. This will music). Beside composing music, the bar- usually occur when the NPC is designed on’s greatest love is war, and he will use for a specific walk-in part in the current almost any excuse to take up arms against adventure. anyone he thinks might prove an interest- ing adversary. The baron has a rather Distinguishing feature blunt and direct way of dealing with peo- The last sentence is used to describe a ple, but mixes it with enough charm to distinguishing feature or characteristic of avoid being abusive. He knows a lot about the NPC. This gives the PCs something to military tactics, different military organi- remember the NPC by, possibly helping zations and how to defeat them, but virtu- them to locate him in the future. It is fairly ally nothing about the back-room politics common for players to forget the names of in Sembia (or music, for that matter). The NPCs, unless they are in the habit of writ- baron always talks in a loud voice with his ing down the names of every character head stuck right in your face, so you can they meet. If a distinguishing feature is smell the heavy garlic on his breath. described, the players can often recall this description if not the NPC himself. If the PCs cannot remember an NPC’s name, the DM should not give it out. The PCs can return to the city and enquire for the blacksmith with the deep, slow drawl who always is pulling at his big, black beard.

Sample NPCs To assist with the understanding of how this NPC system can be used, several ex- amples set in the FORGOTTEN REALMS campaign are provided below.

Durwald of Stonecleft is a dwarf originally from the Mines of Tethyamar, and is now the leader of a small dwarven mining and forging operation in the Thun- der Peaks south of Tilverton. He is average in stature for a dwarf and has a dull gray beard that he wears in two braids tied loosely around his head. Durwald is a 9th- level fighter and capable leader, but a rather indifferent miner and smith. Durwald considers other dwarves’ dreams of regaining lost kingdoms to be foolish and believes that only one thing matters: Lady Erin of Loft is the demure third the survival of the dwarven race. This, he daughter of the Mayor of Espar in believes, is most easily obtained by earning Cormyr— at least, during the day she is. At favors and great amounts of treasure with night, Erin becomes the infamous Lady which to buy mercenaries as cannon fod- Darkthreat, an assassin who employs der. Durwald of Stonecleft is a clever magic and poison to destroy her targets. dwarf who is always willing to deal with Erin is a petite blonde with delicate fea- others and believes in “long-term invest- tures, and men often wish to protect her ments” that he will always cash in on. He (she finds this amusing). She is a 7th-level is quite familiar with the Thunder Peaks, mage with an extensive knowledge of from the Inner Sea to the Border Forest, poisons and a high intelligence (Int 17), and has personally fought many of its quick reflexes (Dex 18), and the constitu- denizens. He is intimately familiar with the tion of a horse (Con 17). Lady Erin lives ways of the Mines of Tethyamar and, for the kill. She loves to get to know her having no interest in returning, might be victims intimately, using this knowledge to willing to sell this if the price is high set up the perfect assassination. Lady Erin enough. Durwald has a long scar down the Baron “Wardog” Muckdigger is the is always charming and warm, and ap- side of his head that he often scratches lord of a small land holding in east Sembia, pears to engage in idle gossip while taking while making conversation. 24 AUGUST 1992

by Scott Sheffield

Artwork by L. A. Williams Enemies who never go away— and how to create them

Grub the gnome nervously eyed the later, he straightened with a sigh, a palm- successful rogue some gold and a few glass case, focusing his thoughts on the sized gem in hand. The job done, Grub experience points, and nothing more. In a tutelage he’d received at the local thieves’ turned and hurried to the open window, different campaign, however, the theft guild. He recalled stern Wesley drilling pausing momentarily to survey the dark would have earned Grub much, much him on the intricacies of finding and re- street below. Deciding it was safe to de- more. It would have earned the player- moving traps. Grub bent low over the case scend, he swung out onto the ledge and character thief a nonplayer-character to examine it, then smiled. “There it is,” he deftly climbed down to the narrow alley. nemesis. said in hushed tones, spotting the tripwire Seconds later, he had disappeared into the leading to the magical canister beneath the misty streets of Sombralil. The recurrent NPC case. Dungeon Masters who wish to add The short thief’s fingers worked quickly What happens next? In many AD&D® depth to their fantasy campaigns should to defuse the poison-gas trap. A minute campaigns, this encounter would earn the consider making use of recurring NPCs. In a campaign that utilizes recurrent figures, the DM and his cast of colorful NPCs would not be content to let Grub off the hook. While the victim of a burglary might let the culprit go, it is more likely that the victim will use whatever magical and mundane resources he has at his disposal to track down his light-fingered visitor, like so:

The bald-headed high priest smoothed his crimson robes and waited for word from the sorcerer bent low over the crys- tal ball. “I have found him, master,” whis- pered the mage at last. “He walks the streets of this very city. I even recognize the stall keeper with whom he now haggles.” “Excellent,” replied the bald cleric, a broad smile crossing his weathered face. “Keep an eye on him. I want to know everything our little friend does.” As he left, the priest thought, I shall personally teach him that stealing from the Cult of the Thirteenth Circle is at best unwise, if not fatal.

When a PC interacts with a DM’s world, that interaction should reflect the reality that deeds don’t go unnoticed. By using this notion of action/reaction, the DM can build a more believable and exciting ad- venturing environment. A well-run inter- active campaign makes use of recurring figures to add both a dash of reality and a sense of continuity.

26 AUGUST 1992 Recurring NPCs can be used to start new oids. There are many intelligent creatures makeup and background. For instance, the adventures or to link unconnected adven- that can be used as nemeses. There is only individual who dresses in foreign garb tures together. A foe met first at the Pit of one caveat to remember: If you intend to may be a trader who deals in rare herbs Despair shows up by surprise at the next use a monster on an ongoing basis, choose and spends long periods in foreign lands. city in the PCs’ journeys. Coincidence? one that is not restricted to a particular Being thus engaged, she’s adopted the style That’s for the DM to decide, but the simple locale. A monster that cannot leave a of dress from another part of the cam- presence of that foe will serve to bind swampy environment will not be as versa- paign world. together the two settings and will lend the tile a foe as one able to function anywhere Careful design of the NPC can give the game world an air of connectedness. the PCs can. PCs clues about the true nature of their Not only will the players begin to view foe. It will start the players thinking and their world as one that evolves and changes Creating the NPC prompt them to see their nemesis as more in response to their PCs’ behavior, but they Not all recurring NPCs need to be fully than just a cardboard character. Habits will also be motivated to role-play. If hack- developed prior to their introduction into peculiar to an NPC can help the players and-slash play has enduring consequences, play. In some cases, the DM may reuse an gauge their foes. Maybe she coughs ner- players learn that it is wise to review the NPC initially intended to be used only once vously or is forever scanning the vicinity, alternatives before rushing headlong into the in the campaign. Perhaps the NPC turned eyes darting to and fro. Perhaps she ner- fray. Success then depends on the ability of out to be memorable in some unexpected vously strokes a feathered amulet when- players to be creative, rather than how way, and the DM fancies using her again. ever threatened with harm or grins many hit points their PCs have. Play be- There is nothing that prevents the DM broadly at the mention of hostilities. comes more interesting for all participants, from doing so, but before the NPC is rein- What the DM should aim for in selecting DM and players alike. troduced, time should be taken to flesh quirks and physical characteristics is an her out. NPC that is memorable. When the NPC Acquiring a nemesis When designing an NPC for use on a next appears, the DM need only describe How is it that the PCs come to be the foe recurring basis, the DM should try to give the identifying trait to elicit immediate of a recurrent NPC figure? In the example her some element of distinctiveness. A recognition. If the DM uses miniatures in here, the PC gnomish thief named Grub unique speech pattern, a style of dress, a the course of play, it’s suggested that the precipitated the relationship— it was his particular gait or some mannerism peculi- same miniature be used to represent that actions that began the bald cult leader’s ar to the individual is essential. Perhaps NPC whenever she makes an appearance. involvement in the thief’s affairs. the NPC speaks with a lisp, has bushy In time, just the placement of the minia- A different scenario is quite possible. In eyebrows, and a broken nose. Or maybe ture on the gaming surface will elicit the course of play, the PCs might stumble she dresses in foreign garb or has an groans and a flurry of action as the play- onto an NPC plot. A party that inadver- accent. ers scramble to meet the challenge. tently meddles with an organization’s The selection of readily recognizable DMs should also spend time developing a plans to depose the current ruler will earn NPC traits shouldn’t be haphazard. The background for the nemesis. Whether the that group’s enmity as well as the ruler’s DM should pick characteristics for the NPC was raised on the filthy streets of praise. In this way, PCs can incite the NPC that fit with the NPC’s psychological Gligpthor and spent her childhood barely wrath of a vast number of NPCs. Recurrent NPCs need not all be arch- villains out to kill the PCs. The rivalry doesn’t even have to be deadly to be inter- esting. Jealousy, pride, competition, and the desire for revenge can fuel the rela- tionship. Some among your cast of recur- ring foes can merely trip up, annoy, or embarrass the PCs. Perhaps the NPC who turns out to be a recurrent foe is a competitor. Every time the PCs attempt to retrieve a lost artifact or endeavor to defend the honor of a lady, the NPC shows up first and denies the PCs the glory. Think of the scene early in the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark, in which Indiana Jones loses the idol he’s retrieved from the death-trap tomb to another col- lector of antiquities. Do you recall the line, “Once again, Dr. Jones, what was briefly yours is now mine”? If the PCs are adventuring in a city, the potential cast of recurring “foes” is vast. The captain of the city guard might take a special interest in them, imagining them likely candidates for stirring up trouble, and he will always have them followed by guardsmen. An unscrupulous tax collector might decide to relieve them of their ex- cess gold whenever they return from adventuring. The local thieves’ guild could even tell its apprentice thieves to practice their skills by lifting items from the unsus- pecting PCs. As the DM, you needn’t limit your cast of recurrent NPCs to humans or human-

DRAGON 27 surviving or instead was the daughter of a conversations lip-read. This particular type of revenge serves to stuffy, depraved baron from the Duchy of Any constraints on the NPC should also knock the PCs down a peg or two and Ultinsad will influence her perspectives, be considered when the DM portrays the assaults their pride. It also fosters animosi- motivations, disposition, and general be- nemesis. An NPC who is wanted in half-a- ty and competition between the NPC and havioral patterns. dozen realms for sundry misdeeds will the PCs, and prompts the PCs to seek For example, whereas the NPC with the prefer not to make his presence known vengeance of their own. If that happens, cut-purse background would likely favor and will opt to deal with the PCs in a way great! You’ll know you’ve really got your utilizing poison or an alley encounter to that preserves his secrecy. How a nemesis players involved and played the nemesis even the score with a PC rival, the baron’s deals with PCs will be greatly influenced well. daughter might use her political connec- by that NPC’s circumstances. Generally, indirect forms of revenge are tions to have the PCs arrested and de- better suited to the more intellectual and tained in the cells of a castle in her uncle’s Sweet revenge calculating members of the DM’s cast of duchy. Once the background and connections NPCs. For these connivers, embarrassment Having a background for the nemesis of the recurrent NPC have been devel- of the PCs is an effective and popular can make the DM’s task of character por- oped, the next step is to decide how the revenge. The NPC might dig into a PC’s trayal easier. When the DM must decide nemesis will seek vengeance. The NPC past and reveal illegitimate heirs or inap- how the nemesis reacts in a given situa- may choose to confront the PCs or take a propriate lovers. The NPC might also tion, he can base the decision on what his more subtle or devious route. fabricate tales about the PCs that have no own choice would be if he had the same Direct retribution would include at- factual basis and spin them with an eye to background as the NPC. A consistent por- tempts to physically attack the PCs. If the discrediting them. The character assassi- trayal contributes to the believability of DM has decided that the NPC is craven, nation might, for instance, involve allega- the nemesis and permits the players to the nemesis may have someone else com- tions of cheating at cards or tax fraud. A identify with their foe more readily. bat the PCs, but he will watch and hurl resourceful nemesis might frame PCs for Before unleashing the recurring NPC it’s insults as the hired thugs engage them. On the commission of a crime, contriving to also good to work out some of the NPC’s the other hand, if the nemesis is a noble, a have it look as if the PCs murdered some- connections. What organizations or reli- member of the PC party may be called out one, stole something, or plotted an over- gious group does she belong to? Who owes to match blades with him. throw of the king. her favors? To whom does she owe debts? The marking or maiming of a PC by an The type of revenge sought should de- Are the authorities interested in her activi- NPC enemy is another possible form of pend both on the nature of the relation- ties? NPCs, not unlike well-played PCs, revenge. The fictional figure Zorro was ship between the nemesis and the PCs, should make use of whatever special con- famous for slashing a Z-shape onto his and the personality of the NPC. For nections they have. For instance, an NPC opponents. Instead of using a Zorro-style example: nemesis who belongs to a local thieves’ rapier, the foe might use a branding iron guild may have the PCs tailed and their or mark the PCs with a magical symbol. Erimus the Black had watched the gnome known as Grub for two weeks. Tonight, Erimus would do as the cult- master had bid him do. With infinite stealth, the black-clad master thief slipped into Grub’s bedchamber and retrieved the stolen gem from the satchel at the foot of the bed. Without a sound, Erimus took from his own pouch a royal seal that he’d stolen that same night and put it inside Grub’s satchel. By morning, the royal guard would receive information implicat- ing Grub as the thief, and a “witness” would emerge to testify to having seen Grub running from the royal treasury. By midday, Grub would be before the courts, his hours numbered.

In this example, the bald-headed priestly superior directed Erimus to achieve re- venge in a way that would preserve the Cult of the Thirteenth Circle’s secrecy and keep the authorities from inquiring into the doings of their clandestine organiza- tion. Because the magical gem was neces- sary for the ritual that would summon their extraplanar lord to the Prime Materi- al plane, the cult needed it back. The bald priest got immense pleasure from the thought that Grub might be convicted for a crime that he didn’t commit, instead of for a crime that couldn’t be revealed. The NPC’s form of revenge should also be guided by the disposition, background, and character classes of the PCs. Nemeses will seek to find out where the PCs’ vul- nerable spots are, then strike where the PCs are most tender. If the player who runs Aethelward the paladin portrays him

28 AUGUST 1992 as morally upright to a fault, the NPC During the course of play, PCs invariably off-balance. To, do that, the DM should might elect to besmirch the paladin’s repu- suffer various misfortunes. Given time, have some advantage over the PCs, be it tation. The NPC could spread rumors that players might attribute their unfortunate financial, magical, or informational. This Lady Emiline, wife of the local duke, is circumstances to the fiendish machina- difference in capacities, whatever its form, pregnant with Aethelward’s child! Or he tions of their slippery NPC foes. Some- should remain throughout play. Essential- could leave “evidence” indicating that times their suppositions may indeed be ly, this means that parallel development of Aethelward used magical enchantments to correct, while at other times they may be the NPC must take place. cheat at last spring’s joust. Whatever type wildly inaccurate. If a player incorrectly As PCs advance in levels and gain magic of vengeance is chosen, remember to concludes that the party’s nemesis is be- and money, so, too, should the nemesis. If tailor it to suit both the PC it is aimed at hind the PCs’ misfortunes, you as the DM the PCs began adventuring as 1st-level and the NPC from whom it originates. shouldn’t disabuse the player of the no- characters and have risen to 4th level, tion. Instead, permit the players to draw then the foe who was 3rd level to start Keeping tension high their own conclusions, and have fun. should now be 5th or 6th level. The neme- A recurrent NPC should serve as a con- If the players’ inferences are erroneous sis’ advancement should be roughly equal stant and unpredictable element in play. but nevertheless intriguing, a nimble DM to that of the PCs in terms of experience The key is to maintain an aura of anticipa- can modify the story line in that direction. points, but the NPC-PC level difference tion. Individual DMs will come up with Done well, this enriches play as players may shrink over time. If the nemesis is to their own techniques to keep up the sus- start to see the adventuring environment remain a challenge and a threat, his con- pense, but here are a couple of options to as a living world where happenings are stant and continuous growth is necessary. get you started. You may want to drop not a collection of random encounters misleading hints to indicate the “presence” without meaning or connection. Keeping the NPC alive of a nemesis. Mistaken identity encounters Whatever technique is used to keep the It is the nature of nemeses that they should be kept to a minimum but keep PCs players guessing, the DM should aim for a must return. The initial encounter be- on their toes, like so: state of mild paranoia. Players will become tween PCs and their soon-to-be nemesis more embroiled if they perceive their will in some sense be indistinguishable Grub and his adventuring companions nemeses as a real and continuing threat to from any other encounter. On the second are strolling in the royal gardens when their characters’ well-being. To achieve collision, both parties may begin to de- they notice a bald-headed man slip around this anticipatory atmosphere, the DM must velop feelings toward each other, perhaps a corner ahead. Grub and his friends periodically remind the party that their animosity or curiosity. When the NPC and quickly draw weapons and ready spells, unseen nemesis remains behind the cur- the PCs come together in the third and intent on doing away with their bald tain of the campaign stage, waiting for the subsequent encounters, it is likely that the priestly foe. Rounding the corner, they DM’s cue to reappear. PCs will begin to either dread or eagerly skid to a stop in front of a frail, open- If the tension is to be kept up, it’s also anticipate the arrival of their elusive mouthed gardener who is definitely not essential that the nemesis keep the PCs opponent. their elusive bald foe.

The liberal use of red herrings tossed into the mix keeps the PCs guessing and maintains the sense of an impending en- counter. Curious goings-on can be used to give the appearance that there is method behind the madness the PCs experience. For example:

The four puzzled companions sat at a table mulling over the events of the pre- vious three days. Caine, a cleric of the Morning God, pointed out that the barrel that fell from the supplier’s shop the day before had missed Grub by only inches. “And then this morning,” Cain said, grow- ing excited, “after that cat walked by us, we were attacked by those cultists! In the name of the Sun, I’d almost swear that cat was a wizards familiar.” “Then there was that merchant in the market who started yelling about me owing him money. No doubt he was paid to do that so no one would give us lodg- ings in this forsaken city,” added Porthos, a fellow adventurer. “Perhaps our bald-headed nemesis is up to his old ways,” interjected Aethelward. “I wish Grub had never stolen that gem and gotten us mixed up with this Thirteen Circles gang.” Will Derkellian, the party mage, leaned back in his chair and turned the ring on his finger. “Then again, perhaps it’s all just coincidence, and you’re just jumping at shadows,” he commented, a barely hidden smile playing at his thin lips.

DRAGON 29 How, though, does the DM manage to ultimate foe is for the DM to decide. as all good DMs know, the next adventure keep a nemesis in the campaign when the Then there is the classic vendetta. Fami- will bring new foes— and among those foes PCs are doing their best to remove him ly or friends of the recently departed there just might be another embryonic from play? There are a number of solu- could take it upon themselves to avenge nemesis waiting to spring on the PCs. tions to the dilemma. The most basic is the death of the recurring NPC. This even- flight. The foe could simply disappear tuality is guaranteed to confuse and befud- Final thoughts from the scene whenever things look dle the PCs. A total stranger may appear Although this article has been written threatening. The easiest way for him to one day and unleash a lightning bolt at the with a particular bent toward fantasy leave is by fleetness of foot, but in a magi- party for no apparent reason. If the PCs adventuring, it can be readily adapted for cal world he has many other options for survive, they will be faced with the task of use in other genres. The basic notions can extracting himself from seemingly hope- discovering why the mysterious robed be applied to horror, science-fiction, or less situations. Potions, oils, scrolls, and figure hurled the spell their way. A DM super-hero gaming. No matter what type sundry magical devices can be used to might even wish to make the bolt-hurling of game system you run, the creative use beat a hasty and enchanted retreat. stranger into a recurrent NPC foe in his of recurrent NPCs will add to the enjoy- While whisking NPCs out of harm’s way own right. ment of role playing. After all, there is may frustrate the PCs to no end, it serves If the DM has ruled out resurrection and nothing like meeting an old foe . . . except two valuable purposes: It will keep the concluded that no associate would ever perhaps beating him once and for all! NPC alive to do battle again, and it will seek vengeance on behalf of the nemesis, also build the relationship between the then there exists one last alternative. Such With thanks to the University gamers elusive foe and your campaign’s adventur- a friendless nemesis can rise of his own and Spike Y. Jones. ing group. accord as a member of the undead legions, At times, given overwhelming opposition possibly as a revenant or an evil undead or unfortunate circumstances, it may be creature like a wraith. The shock value of appropriate to have the NPC foe “die.” facing the NPC again will be heightened if Even if this happens, the DM is not pre- the PCs believe that they have faced their cluded from using him in future game foe for the last time. . . . sessions; his death could have been avoid- ed by any number of means. (This is the Skalderskien the half-ogre leaned down Letters “obscure death” option presented in the and clapped his short companion on the Continued from page 5 DRAGONLANCE® saga modules for the back. “Did ya see de rocks fall on dat bald AD&D game.) For instance, the nemesis guy?” he grunted happily. “We got im‘ good The next time that the doctors let you have a might have used a timely illusion to dupe dis time, eh?” copy of DRAGON issue #181, with Robin Wood’s the PCs into believing that the game was “Yes, indeed,” sighed Grub in relief. “Old wonderful cover depiction of a wizard’s labora- up. Even if the death isn’t illusory, it need Baldie won’t shadow us any longer now tory, look carefully at the toothless skull to the not be final. A truly dead nemesis might that our rock slide did him in. He should far left center of the cover (this only works with be resurrected by a loyal companion. This be flatter than a buckwheat cake.” The the American cover, as the British cover was possibility should be used sparingly, companions left the area in high spirits, heavily cropped). Look at the spot where the though. Keep in mind that resurrection returning north to the city. lower jaw connects with the skull. Now, move to the left about one-eighth of an inch, to the and raise dead spells are very costly and That night, however, a pallid, bloody half-hidden thing in the darkness under the ought to be restricted to NPCs of wealthy form stirred beneath the rocks and debris. scroll. Hah! Isn’t that incredible? They were background or those who have connec- Slowly, the being that was once an arro- right there the whole time! I love being a sadis— tions in religious organizations. gant and powerful high priest shook off its um, an editor. Actually, the only reason I know There is another entirely different solu- rocky tomb and arose, its shattered body where they are is because two fellow TSR tion available to DMs who are using mon- mending in horrific fashion as its sunken employees became frustrated with the search strous nemeses. Keep in mind that for eyes turned in the direction of those who themselves and called the upstairs art director some creatures, destruction of their had slain it. It slowly nodded. Undead who called the artist and got the answer I’m “body” is inconsequential. The destruction power coursing through its limbs, the glad you enjoyed our little game. of a powerful extraplanar being’s Prime being started north. Material form does not entail its final demise. While being barred from return- As the DM’s cast of recurrent NPC foes Wild dice ing to the Prime Material plane for a time, swells, care should be taken to select from the entity is not without means of evening the different modes of keeping the NPC in revisited the score. Such a “dead” foe could prove to play. Using the same bag of tricks becomes be a continuing source of annoyance to tedious. When the alternatives presented Dear Mr. Moore, the PCs. Minions on the Prime Material here have all been used, be creative and I really enjoyed Michael J. D’Alfonsi’s article, plane could be instructed to seek out the design some of your own. “The Wild, Wild World of Dice” [in issue #182]. PCs and deliver retribution. Even worse, Many of my gaming buddies have some of those weird habits, too. My favorite dice story is one the minions might be instructed to bring Ending the relationship that a good friend told me. He was DMing an the PCs to the being’s home plane for a There will, no doubt, come a time when AD&D® adventure for a single player. When the personal reckoning. a favorite recurrent NPC has become player’s characters were badly injured in a If you like running adventures with (banish the thought) boring. When the surprise attack, the player became excited and numerous plot twists, you might consider reaction of your players upon seeing their yelled “Fire seeds!” [for one of his characters’ the following scenario for keeping a neme- nemesis reappear is no longer “What? You attacks]. He then grabbed up all the dice and sis in the picture: PCs who slay a “neme- again? We’ll get you this time!” but instead threw them across the room to illustrate. sis” may be chagrined to realize that the is more like an “Oh, him again! What else Joel Patton persistent NPC was merely the stooge of a is new?” response, then perhaps it’s time Travelers Rest SC more powerful and equally persistent to retire that particular recurrent NPC. master. The clever puppeteer may have set The retirement need not be permanent, The only weird dice story I recall comes from the stage to lead the PCs to believe it was but sometimes it’s best that it is. Recurrent the habit of one gamer I knew who put dice in the vanquished underling who ran the foes should engage the interest of the PCs, his mouth and spit them out on the table when show. Just how many hierarchical layers challenging and intriguing them. Letting he had to roll them. Needless to say, no one ever are interposed between the PCs and their go might be like losing an old friend but, stole his dice.

30 AUGUST 1992

by John Setzer Artwork by Joseph Pillsbury

Six simple ways to earn players’ trust

Any AD&D® game DM™ must be trusted by his players if he is to run a successful role-playing game. It is almost impossible to run a game if the players always whine that you cheated on a die roll or were too tough on them with your choice of mon- sters and adventure tasks. Players must trust the DM so that he has the freedom to take on special situations that call for role- playing, not just roll-playing. There are several things that a DM can do to earn this sought-after trust. What follows are six guidelines for DMs to fol- low that will insure that they are as fair to the players as possible.

1. Always treat your players with re- spect. This may sound simple, but it is not always that easy. I’ve seen DMs who actu- ally chastise players for allegedly not being smart enough to figure out a puzzle, or who even yell at them and stop the game when the players do something that the DM believes wasn’t very bright. It should go without saying that you should treat your players as human beings. Remember: They are not really fierce fighters, brilliant mages, and crafty thieves; they are stu- dents and workers and husbands and wives. They play as best they can, but sometimes they may take actions that their characters likely wouldn’t. If they do something wrong, let them find out through the play of the game itself. Don’t sigh heavily, roll your eyes, and close the module. That is out of context of the game and will only serve to embarrass those who made the mistake. Think of the times when you screwed up; did the more-experienced players yell at you, or shake their heads and mutter? (“John, John, John, what are you doing? This is not the time to use that spell. You should save it for when we come across something more powerful.”) Remember

DRAGON 33 that feeling; it is all the worse when a DM For example, I have seen in published jump up on any DM who has big plans for does that to a player. Some players will be modules certain cursed items that immedi- a campaign. The DM may initially provide very embarrassed and may become quiet ately kill their users without a saving a couple of hints at something, and the and unsure of themselves for the rest of throw (cloaks of poisonousness come to players bite at the bait. Then the DM leads the game. Others will be irritated, taking a mind). Instead, try to help the player make the players on a bit more, but the players hostile stance and bringing about the a decision based on role-playing. Consider are really getting into the DM’s “stuff.” “players vs. DM” syndrome. This is to be the difference in these two examples: They get going too quickly, wanting to go avoided at all costs. Role-playing success on ahead faster than the DM can keep up, depends on the entire group— the DM DM: “You see a statue of a werewolf. and he makes up something that goes too included— working together. The DM The statue wears a real cloak.” far; perhaps it leads to a war or a conflict “wins” when the players have fun. Player, figuring the real cloak on a statue with a campaign fixture, maybe even an Instead of taking out your frustrations must mean something: “I take the cloak encounter with a deity. on a player (“How could they be so dumb and put it on.” Let me give you an example of some- as to miss that? Now the whole adventure DM: “Your character dies, no save.” thing that happened to me. Throughout is messed up!“), think about what you, the one campaign, I had characters catch DM, did wrong. You are the players’ eyes, DM: “You see a statue of a man, but the glimpses of a creation of mine, the “great ears, and everything else; you are their man has been twisted somehow into the orc” (based on Tolkien’s Uruk-hai). The PCs only link to the game world. Perhaps you form of a wolfman. His face is contorted in would be on their way from one town to were a bit unclear in giving the long, an angry snarl, but his eyes belie a deep the next, and I would occasionally let them drawn-out monologue the priest gave at sense of pain. A black cloak is draped on encounter a couple of great orcs in the the beginning of the mission; the players the terrible statue, hanging limply in con- woods at night. It soon became an obses- might have been bored because you were trast to the motion of the statue. You feel a sion; the players figured that every new just reading some speech you wrote earli- knot form in the pit of your stomach as adventure had to do with these orcs. I let er. Next time, role-play the speech. Let the you gaze upon the horrible sight.” this go on for awhile, enjoying the effect it players interrupt and ask questions, in- Player: “The cloak is real? I try to exam- had on the group. Then, once they finally stead of saying, “Wait till the end to ask ine the cloak.” killed one, they examined it very closely. questions,” then sticking your nose down DM: “How are you examining the cloak? They decided that they needed to get to into the text— which is, of course, behind Do you touch it in any way? Where are the bottom of this mystery. I had not fig- the DM’s screen. Players will know by the you touching it? Do you touch the clasp? ured on this, that they would jump in this impassioned speech of the NPC when not Do you touch the statue at all?” The DM quickly dropping everything else, but I to say anything. Maybe, too, the puzzle may even drape a coat over a chair at this succumbed to the players’ wishes (they you laid out had too few clues, or the point and say, “Show me exactly what you were so excited). clues you did lay were too obscure for the are doing.” For the rest of the night, I DM’ed off the players to figure out. The clues might top of my head. Everyone had a great time refer to a passage in an ancient text, for All of this gives the player more infor- but, as the players delved further into the example, that you feel the characters mation about the cloak. It is not just a mystery, I let myself go too far. I wove in a would know about, but unless you provide piece of cloth on a statue; it is a black particular rumor that had been going the information beforehand, the players cloak on a horrible stone figure, and a around about a powerful being controlling will miss it. sense of dread tweaks at the character’s many of the goblinoid tribes in the area. innards. Doing this gives a player more Through stealth, one character found the 2. Never take a character away from a choices in deciding his character’s actions; lair and went deep into it. He overheard player. There are two instances in which he knows something is not right, but is it some of the denizens discussing their many DMs will take a character away because of the cloak or the statue? He can plans to start an organized takeover of the from a player: magical control of some proceed from here. It is his decision; the local village to carve out their own orc sort, and death. In the case of the former risks have been well presented. nation. Their leader was discovered to be (charms, possession, and the like), the DM One note about giving details: It is very an illithid. The character went back and must remember that the character and easy for a DM to manipulate players by told the rest of the group. In the next few not the player is controlled by the spell. portraying things in a certain way. In the sessions, they continued to infiltrate the Whenever possible, let the players role- previous example, instead of the DM hint- place and gain more and more informa- play through the situation (e.g., the NPC ing the cloak had a backdrop of dread, he tion. All was going well, until it became mage gives commands to the player char- could have given the player the opposite time for the actual war. acter). This is one of the most tricky situa- impression: “The cloak is draped majesti- What had I done? I didn’t want a war! tions for a player; it takes a good cally on the powerful back of the creature, But one night of wild improvisation had role-player to correctly play an other- lending an impressive quality to the started one. The characters had seen the controlled character. The player must statue.” A description along these lines lair, the troops, and the equipment. There have a knowledge of the spell or power in makes the cloak seem desirable, emphasiz- was a massive underground complex, deep use, including guidelines and restrictions ing power (which many characters crave). in the earth. Now I had to resolve this. The for both the controller and person being So, if the DM wanted the PC to try the players weren’t interested in playing the controlled. For example, a player who’s cloak on and get killed, he could steer him war out with the BATTLESYSTEM™ rules. I character has been charmed should know in that direction while still having an air of could have just said that the war had that if the PC is commanded to kill himself, innocence. (“Well, he took the cloak, so it’s taken place and this is what happened, but he would not do it and would have a his fault. It wasn’t like I fudged a roll or I wasn’t prepared to deal with the after- chance to break the spell then and there. something to kill him.“) Be careful that you math. The world would be forever Sometimes, a brief explanation to the give fair descriptions that do not deceive changed; many of my designed adventures player (in the form of a note, usually) on characters. Such deception will only make would be ruined as those areas were hit the specifics of a spell in relation to a the players overly suspicious of you, and by the war. Nations would maybe even be character’s reactions is necessary. you will lose their trust. realigned if the monster army had any As far as death is concerned, the control success; even if they didn’t, certainly many I am talking about is related to the dice. 3. Don’t take on more than you can cities and towns would be changed or Characters should not die because of roll handle. DMs who are unprepared or who destroyed. I could have worked through of the dice alone. Give characters a chance aren’t good at improvisation can run into this, but I was overwhelmed by the task. to role-play out a life-and-death situations. this problem very easily, but in truth it can To top it off, I really didn’t have the time to

34 AUGUST 1992 deal with it. The campaign soon died off. ing your word during a game if your word make sure that you allow periods of NPC What I had done was take on a grand is worth little outside of the game. interaction if you like to role-play. Variety task without thinking first what it would is the spice of the game. Players may even entail. This is where reality comes into 5. Make the game fun for the players begin to enjoy the role-playing part more play. None of us can afford to spend entire and yourself. There are as many types of than combat if you role-play well. weeks of time on our hobby; we have players as there are types of people. No work, school, families, friends, and other matter how you may categorize a player, 6. Take pride in your work and also in outside commitments. Don’t take on some- each one is still unique. One thing that all the group. DMs have to do a lot of work, thing before thinking how much time it players share, however, whether they are but they also have the opportunity to be will entail. This means sitting down and problem-solvers or role-players, is the proud of what they do. Writing an excel- putting on paper what needs to be done desire to have fun. That is the primary lent adventure that challenged the PCs to and how long it will take. Be careful when reason they play the game. How do you their limits, playing that necromancer NPC playing improvised games that you do not know if the players are having fun? The so well that the mere mention of his name do something that you will regret later. best gauge is if they still play in your causes heroes to look over their shoulders, game. Players will let you know they are even getting all of the mundane things 4. Be reliable outside the game. If you not having fun by not coming to your done to prepare for a game (experience want to be trusted during the game, you game. If the players always come away updates from the last adventure, setting must be trustworthy outside of it. Don’t from the game having enjoyed themselves, up props and music, getting the food say that you can play Sunday afternoon they will trust the DM in most situations ready, etc.) are all things that a DM should when you know you have a paper and a because they know that the DM will make be proud of. While a group effort is need- major test to deal with on Monday. You that situation fun to play. Conversely, if ed to really have a fun evening of role- may find that you didn’t get it done that the players do not always have a good playing, most of the responsibility lies on week and will need to spend time on Sun- time or don’t get some satisfaction from the shoulders of the DM. The best ones day studying and writing (especially if every game, they will protest many bad gladly take that responsibility, and they you’re a big-time procrastinator). It’s not situations that get thrust upon them be- pride themselves on a job well done. This fair to the players to cancel at the last cause they fear that this will be another also extends to the group as well. If you minute; they’ve probably reserved this one of the DM’s “drags.” They just don’t have a good group of players, you should time for the game and could have been trust the DM to make this fun for them. realize that you are at least in part respon- doing something else had you told them You, the DM, should be having fun too! sible for that. When a younger player sooner that you couldn’t make it. You are not there to be a tool to provide begins to show gaming maturity, you can Players have a concept of you as a per- amusement only for the players. Do some be proud that you had a lot to do with son. It is rare to be perceived in two en- things that you’d like to try in your game. bringing enjoyment to that person. tirely different ways by people who know If the players are predominantly hack-and- you; the players will have difficulty trust- slashers, provide them with action but

36 AUGUST 1992 DRAGON 37

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All Rights Reserved. 1992 Series, Part Two TSR Product No.: 9351 by TSR staff MARVEL SUPER HEROES™ , MARVEL UNIVERSE™ , and all The hot-and-happening collectibles have Marvel characters and the distinctive names and likenesses Sword and Shield thereof are trademarks of Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. returned with the second half of 1992’s 750- D&D® game module and are used with permission. card collection, This year’s cards offer unique by TSR staff and interesting characters, monsters, and items Have you ever wanted to play a full-sized for the discriminating AD&D® game player and adventure but just can’t seem to find enough

DRAGON 39

Page 36 of GAZ2 Emirates of Ylaruam shows only 11 months in the calendar. Are they using a different calendar or is there a omission? Surely, our favorite editorial gremlin must have taken the twelfth month away, and stashed it with the lost dwarven months! The missing month is the month before Ramadan, Shaban.

The Verdier Calendar in GAZ9 Minro- thad Guilds consists of 336 days (12 com- plete lunar cycles). Therefore the calendar dates for the lunar phases should not change from year to year, which contra- dicts page 13 of the Adventurer’s Guide. This issue has always been rather con- fusing. First note that there is a small glitch in the month of Onmun— the first- quarter moon waning should be on the 26th (not on the 29th), and the second new moon should be on the 28th (instead of the 30th). With this being corrected, and since both calendars have the same total num- bers of days and lunar phases, the yearly two-day adjustment then seems indeed superfluous.

Page 52 of GAZ3 Principalities of Glantri claims Nuwmont is in early spring. Since most supplements contradict this, should by Bruce A. Heard Letters we assume that it is an error and that all The dwarven calendar on page 27 of events should be pushed forward two This series chronicles the adventures of GAZ6 Dwarves of Rockhome only shows months to the corresponding time of the an Alphatian explorer and his crew as the Thyatian names of the months. Are year? they journey across mountains of there any dwarven equivalents? Sigh. Only those events that are tied to letters! So, here we go again, trying to Yes, they are Wharlin, Morlin, Hralin, seasons should be moved up. keep up with all these little notes of en- Hwyrlin, Styrlin, Bahrlin, Buhrlin, Klintlin, couragement and criticism. Readers will Birrlin*, Biflin, Jhyrlin, Kuldlin (*instead of Are the villages of Mar and Hinmeet on find answers they were looking for to Barrlin, which sounded too much like the color maps of Darokin transposed? their D&D® game questions. Bahrlin). To add insult to injury, the dwar- According to the descriptions on page 42 ven calendar shows cryptic symbols that of GAZ11 Republic of Darokin, Hinmeet aren’t explained in the main calendar key would be close to the Malpheggi Swamps. (our pet gremlin penciled in Glantrian Correct. Mar and Hinmeet were acciden- holiday symbols to better confuse every- one). This all should be fixed in the up- coming AC1010 Poor Wizards Almanac.

DRAGON 41 tally transposed on the very first color but rather Immortal heroes who act as Back around the time of Charlemagne, map (the error has been perpetrated on all superpowerful patrons on behalf of one barons and counts were no more than later maps of the region). cause or another. Up to a point, they have administrators (chosen among the Frank- the ability to answer prayers, and for a ish tribal aristocracy) in the service of the It’s about time we got D&D™ novels! I DM, they are convenient tools to put back emperor. It is only afterward that these would like to find out how ideas are select- on track a game that is going out of con- various administrative functions became ed for novels that fall under the TSR trol. Immortals aren’t gods; they are more nonrevokable, hereditary titles at the banner. like super heroes straight out of comic source of the more familiar medieval The book editors are thrilled to hear books! Your player should understand that nobility. Monarchs and powerful nobles that the new line of D&D novels is receiv- everything in the game is make-believe, developed the bad habit of “donating” a ing so much support from DRAGON® which includes the “praying,, for clerical piece of their domain to weaker nobles in Magazine readers. It’s an even bigger spells. This is a very common theme in exchange for their loyalty (thus creating compliment that the books and the games fantasy role-playing games. It was never vassals). Many nobles in history accepted have inspired fans to do some writing of intended to offend anyone or conflict with such land gifts from different suzerains, their own. anyone’s faith. There are two things you and the fealty that came with them. All the D&D novels will be written on a can do: either replace the “praying” termi- The medieval system eventually fell work-for-hire basis, just like other shared- nology with “meditation” terminology apart when powerful nobles went to war world lines, such as the DRAGONLANCE® (likewise replace “religion” with “philoso- against each other trying to call upon Saga, the FORGOTTEN REALMS® books, phy’,), or ask your player if she wants to vassals who effectively owed fealty to both etc. D.J. Heinrich is now busy writing the switch characters. The latter might be the sides! It then boiled down to basic greed, Penhaligon Trilogy, the first book of simplest. If you need to go one step fur- politics, or fear of which side might win which, The Tainted Sword, will be in ther, you can remove the concept of Im- and exact revenge upon the “treacherous” stores this October. The two other novels mortals from the game altogether Clerics vassal. Short of going to war, it also proved in the trilogy will be released in 1993. will then become simple representatives of very difficult for a suzerain to recover We know readers have some very crea- the abstract philosophies of Law, Neutrali- whatever land was given a way to unruly tive plot and character ideas for this new ty or Chaos. They draw their mystical vassals. line. Unfortunately, we cannot accept any powers from those forces. This, however, The D&D game tries to simplify this and unsolicited manuscripts or book proposals. does take away a lot of the game’s flavor maintain the myth of feudalism. The sys- The D&D novels, like other shared-world and uniqueness. tem of economics prescribed by the D&D settings, are plotted out well in advance to game is imprecise, incomplete, and unreal- ensure consistency within the series. It I always thought the city scales for Thy- istic because of this— but it is a solution. would be nearly impossible to keep the atis and Sundsvall were inaccurate and far Others exist that are far more compli- plots and the characters in line if we did too small. A little calculation using the cated. Otherwise, you are right in pointing not maintain this control. Coliseum from DDA2 Legions of Thyatis as out many Gazetteers are not really com- However we are always interested in a measure proves this. A thousand yards patible with the true medieval tradition learning what our readers would like to per inch might be a better scale (also mea- (after Wrath of the Immortals, the new see published. If you want to let us know sure the cities versus real-world Constanti- “kingdom” of Karameikos will work better what you think, send a letter to the Books nople and Cordoba). with standard D&D rules on chivalry and Department at TSR’S address (P.O. Box 756, Your are probably right. However the dominions). Of course, there were far Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.). We read task of making a more realistically sized more efficient administrations in his tory every letter and we pass the ideas along. city such as Thyatis fit inside a single (like the ancient Romans who, for centu- mapsheet is often limited by the designer’s ries, successfully managed millions of Where would Blizzard Pass (of module ability or our staff’s workload. The other people and their various lands). M1 of the same name— the old D&D game problem is that a correctly scaled street invisible-ink module) be on the map? It’s map for a medieval city of 500,000 to How did the Heldann Freeholds become supposed to run between the Five Shires 1,000,000 inhabitants means that the more potent than Thyatis and Darokin, and Darokin. Does it lead to Mar or streets would become mere lines with and possess more magical power than Hinmeet? street names and few dots for points of Glantri? If Thyatis has 250 + L36 mages, The location was never established, but interest (check your Rand McNally city and fosters strong clerical and fighting it would be logical to place the pass be- maps). Alternatively, the city map could be arms, why is it so feeble? While 250 L36 tween the villages of Ringrise and Hinmeet limited to the very center of the city Fi- mages may pale before the might of Alpha- (looking at the color mapsheet of the re- nally, most TSR products offer the country tia, it towers above that of other countries, gion). The pass between Sateeka and Mar map first and then— maybe— the capital including Glantri. Thyatis, being more is too well travelled and at too low an city, if enough space is left. efficient and less chaotic than Alphatia, altitude for this type of adventure. should be able to make better use of its I think the “Rich Resource” rule (Rules mages. If it’s because the mages are not Are there critical fumbles in the basic Cyclopedia, page 140) is a bad one. It en- loyal and don’t trust the Imperials, why D&D game? courages subinfeudation to an extent that don’t they abandon them entirely, muscle No. However it is customary to automat- is inconsistent not only with the real in on Glantri, and get hold of the Radiance ically miss a target on a natural roll of 1, world but also with the world described in instead of hanging out on a puny island? or to automatically hit it with a natural roll the Gazetteers. Rich hexes don’t seem to Do the Heldannic Knights have 250 L36 of 20. Some DMs like to have their players have a ruler for that hex alone. Obviously, mages and clerics? Everyone seems to make a Dexterity Check on an attack roll nonfeudal, efficient administrations can do portray the Thyatians as evil and sinister. of 1 to see if a fumble occurs, or on a roll the job at least as well as subinfeudation, Why is that? If it’s so bad, why didn’t the of 20 to see if the attack causes double without the hassle of a vassal. populace (ahem, citizens) welcome the damage. This all depends upon the type of era the Alphatians as liberators in 959? campaign setting is emulating. In history, The Heldann Freeholds were the nordic I have a small problem with my cleric the use of vassals to manage territory was tribes occupying the land north of Vest- player. She doesn’t like to say she’s praying established by the Carolingian dynasty (6th- land. Over the years, they have been effec- to her god because she feels it is not right 9th centuries in France) that later led to the tively taken over by a growing group of in reality. feudal system that is more familiar to D&D expatriate Hattians who established an The D&D game does not have “gods,” players (9th-13th centuries). aggressive order of knights— the Heldannic

42 AUGUST 1992 Knights, under Vanya’s guidance. Native certainly didn’t think of themselves that creasing difficulties with the Myoshimans. Heldanners are not “free” anymore, nor do way! My guess is that the same would be The knights’ arrogant, bellicose attitude is they “hold” much since the knights’ arriv- true with Thyatis. Life in Thyatis is still far not endearing them to the other civiliza- al. No, the knights are nowhere near as better than many other chaotic or eco- tions there either. That typical Hattian tough as the Thyatians. But they do have nomically depressed places. And Thyatians temperament tends to get in the way several advantages. They know the Thy- are notorious for their national pride. when it comes to exploration. In any atians very, very well, since they originally Alphatian liberators? Heck, no! event, space and HOLLOW WORLD expe- were Thyatians themselves. Their order is ditions are a risky proposition at best. one of fanatics. They also possess some- In DRAGON issue #164, we learned that thing Thyatis doesn’t— an artifact upon the Princess Ark cannot return to Alphatia Why weren’t the Sea Machine rules which they draw power to lift their sky- because the crew knows too much about included in the Rules Cyclopedia? ships (comparable to long range telekine- the HOLLOW WORLD™ setting and the Unfortunately, there was no room left. sis). That’s how they got flying ships. Skyshield. Why not? Wouldn’t this infor- Trust us, we tried! The problem with this is that their arti- mation be of great service to Alphatia? fact has a limited power and that the Wouldn’t this knowledge give the Known Why are the Thyatian armies so feeble flying ships need an onboard consecrated World an edge against the Heldanners, in X10 Red Arrow, Black Shield? temple to receive the artifacts power. This who are apparently flying regular expedi- The module represented only those means the number of ships they can send tions in space and to the HOLLOW forces Thyatis deigned to send against the up in the air (or through the Skyshield) is WORLD lands? Master of Hule. What the module should definitely limited. Finally, the Heldannic The information has already been pro- say is that Hule should never attack main- Knights have been draining some of the vided to Empress Eriadna. Eriadna’s prob- land Thyatis, since it has a much larger ebullient Hattian youth, keeping their lem lay in the presence at the Imperial army Provided that the Master made it ranks full while ever so slightly depleting Palace of powerful and unscrupulous that far across the Known World (an un- some of Thyatis’. Heldannic Knights, of wizard aristocrats (an opposing faction— likely feat), it would be outright suicidal to course, rely heavily on hundreds of got to have palace politics!) who would invade Thyatis. knights and clerics (preferably heavy inevitably come to the conclusion that cavalry and infantry), and the direct sup- Haldemar and his companions are indeed Isn’t the Thothian enchantment used to port of Vanya, their chief Immortal. So, for who they claimed to be. They would sus- create the Princess Ark just a tad too now, the Heldannic Knights are still a pect Haldemar of holding some mysterious powerful, even for a 9th-level spell? Just minor power compared to Thyatis, but a secret explaining his bizarre return from casting the first portion of the spell can fast-growing one. As far as possessing the past. (Aha! Perhaps a clue on eternal save a mage hundreds of thousands of more magical power than Glantri, this youth!) These wizards would stop at noth- gold pieces in enchanting costs in the remains to be seen. Glantri is awfully ing to “extract” from Haldemar or any of creation of the flying toy. The second, tough in that field, and certainly not a his companions whatever information while dangerous, is even more potent, not pushover they might have. only in giving the vessel more powers, but You qualify Thyatis as “feeble?” A nation The best way to protect Haldemar and in creating more magical items and en- as geographically small as mainland Thy- his companions is simply to send them chantments. And don’t try to sneak atis possessing such a disproportionate away as far as possible into the unknown, around it: If an NPC with no connection to colonial empire doesn’t look “feeble” to me to make it hard for those wizards to track the ideology of the spell’s creator can cast (consider England at the height of its colo- them down. Alphatian jails would offer this spell, so can any other PC. nial period). Compared to the size of main- little protection against these kinds of The first part of the spell is almost use- land Alphatia, Thyatis has done incredibly people— or else Eriadna would’ve had to less without the second part, as you well as a foreign land-grabber! There is execute the whole crew and throw their should have noticed in the earlier adven- nothing in Thyatis (or Alphatia for that ashes away, and this she simply refused to tures of the Princess Ark, since without matter) that can possibly be qualified as do. So they sailed away. Haldemar could the creature’s intelligence, most of the “puny.” always be recalled at a later time. special abilities cannot be used at all. The You have to realize that Thyatis’ perma- The Heldannic Knights do have some spell, partially completed, did indeed pro- nent rivalry with Alphatia drains much of colonies in the HOLLOW WORLD setting, vide the Princess Ark its ability to fly, but both empires’ attention and national en- but their problem lies in the fact it is al- all of the other abilities of the skywyrm ergy. Why would the Thyatian mages not most impossible to fly in and out of Mys- were not available then. Some weird, muscle in on Glantri? Because Thyatian tara’s polar gates without crashing. What minor phenomena were observed mages are perfectly happy where they travellers have to do is fly to the edge of occasionally— purely for drama tic are. An army of 250 L36 mages— the anti-magical region, disembark, cross purposes— and that’s about it. something totally out of character for the dangerous polar region on foot, and If you find this too much of a giveaway, high-level wizards in the first place— is not then re-embark on a ship presumably don’t allow the spell to be interrupted at going to take over Glantri in any case. waiting on the other side— either this or all, or give the caster a 10% chance of Glantri has enough wizards to give any mount the skyship on skis like Haldemar obtaining the desired result (failure mean- Thyatian visitors a run for their money. did once. This means that Vanya’s artifact ing no results at all). If the caster fails, You should realize that those Glantrians (see the previous letter) can sustain a then he must begin the whole enchant- involved with the Radiance are utterly skyship’s flight inside the Hollow World, ment again— with all the risks involved. secretive about it. It is just not common but as soon as the ship’s onboard temple Have you tried to actually complete the knowledge among either Thyatians or enters the anti-magic area, it becomes whole sequence of the enchantment (with- Alphatians. So no, they wouldn’t “muscle- incapable of receiving the artifacts power out cheating)? It’s really tough for the in” and seize the mysterious Radiance and the ship crashes. character not to go insane. This wonderful (there is a certain Immortal guarding it The Heldannic Knights managed to get character— who took so long to reach the anyway). Everyone outside Thyatis could one skyship through the polar opening. experience level necessary to cast such a indeed portray the empire as evil and They failed in all other attempts. Those dangerous spell— has a greater chance of sinister (if that were true in the first place) knights inside the HOLLOW WORLD set- being doomed than anything else. Then, because they fear its power If a few years ting managed to build several more sky- there is the problem of the caster’s soul ago you stood at the border with the old ships there, but they are stranded there. being forever bound to his creation. U.S.S.R., you might have thought it to be As far as space colonies are concerned, Indeed, it’s a monstrously powerful spell, threatening and sinister. But Soviet citizens Heldannic Knights are experiencing in- but awfully risky, too. And don’t forget it’s

DRAGON 43 ultimately rare; it’s just not going to fall should not unbalance the game. square keep? At the cost of 75,000 gp per into anyone’s hands unless a DM wishes it keep, this does make a great difference for to. If your character survives an epic quest In DRAGON issue #155, we are intro- an impoverished noble. to piece this spell together, then why not duced to the boltmen, who use recharge- Your best bet is to turn to history books. allow amazing results? The spell could be able wands of lightning bolts. Since when Otherwise, the following guesswork might “made available” to a party of adventurers are wands rechargeable? do. If you assume a three-tiered bunk, a as a DM’S device to allow them to create a This approach was necessary for the chest, and some surrounding space re- wondrous vessel and go on fantastic ad- Princess Ark, not to make the boltmen quire approximately 8’×8’, you would ventures on their own. That’s part of the better than anyone else but simply be- need a 2,135 square feet room to house all game too. Otherwise, I would agree that cause the skyship leaves for extended 100 troops. That’s approximately a the description was rather vague. A few periods of time. The boltmen would soon 50’× 50’ room. Throw in some extra space more lines would have helped dispel this run out of power. And I’ve yet to find a for several tables, stools, a large barrel of confusion. note in the Rules Cyclopedia about wands water, coal braziers for heat, some elbow not being rechargeable. Why not make room near the crossbow slits in the walls, It was a joy to watch the Princess Ark this an option? a stairway, and a weapon’s rack, and you fly over medieval Spain, France, and Celtic get, say a 60’×60’ room. It’s packed, but it England complete with medieval jousts. Of Please keep the Princess Ark campaign should work considering troops will not course, the exception was DRAGON issue down to earth (Mystara), both figuratively be in the barracks all at the same time— #176, which featured the American Old and literally. The series is most enjoyable some will be on night patrol, others pacing West. I personally thought it was a bit silly, without the Ark hurtling through space the battlements on guard duty, etc. but it was very entertaining. By the way, and other dimensions. The enemy Heldan- Your typical 75,000 gp stone keep is shouldn’t Sir John of the Wayne be a nic ships with squadrons of magic missile- 80’ × 60’× 60’. This means it probably has Duke, instead of an Earl? shooting fighter jets (DRAGON issue #161) six 60’ × 60’ floors, not counting the thick- Ouch— Yes, he definitely should have are a bit hard to swallow and best left to ness of the walls, but including a tall main been a duke! The bit on the Old West was the AD&D® SPELLJAMMER® supplement. hall on the lower level. Voilá! Your 100 meant to be silly; there was no way it Mystara already has so much going on troops could probably occupy a single couldn’t have been. That one was for inside it and on its surface. To fly through floor in the keep. The rest of the keep laughs. By the way, the Robrenn were space and time on galactic, cross- could easily be taken up by a well room, inspired from ancient Gaul, not Celtic dimensional adventures in a ship that can stable, latrines, kitchen, mess hall, storage England. already do some outrageous things would for food and other goods, sergeant’s or be pretentious. captain’s quarters, a chapel, etc. DRAGON issue #165 has the description The flight plan for the Princess Ark has Remember, this is a game. Absolute of Lady Abovombe, who is a Master of the been down to earth for about a year (and reality is not required. Think about this: A bola at 4th level! How? DRAGON issue will remain so). Now that the Savage Coast single large galley as described in the rules #167 describes Ramissur the Boltman. He’s has been almost completely mapped out, has a total crew of 250 people, including only second level, but has Expert mastery suggestions are welcome for where in rowers, sailors, and marines, sharing a of the dagger! I don’t mind fudging the Mystara our readers would like the Ark to total deck surface close to 8,000 square rules and making new ones, but what we go. The subject of space and the HOLLOW feet (presumably with a top deck, a row- have in above examples are some no-nos WORLD setting were briefly touched on ers’ decks, and a cargo deck). If they can that knock over the game balance enough (had to try them at least once!). Where live that way, so can a band of 100 war- to reduce the credibility of the Princess could we go next? If the knights’ space riors in a rather spacious 21,600 square- Ark campaign. fighters get in the way of your campaign, foot keep! Right? This was a mistake on my part. That was the Myoshimans could chop them into the bad news; the good news is that we sushi during some epic battle. There are definitely have a Princess Ark accessory in otherwise no current plans to develop this the works where— hopefully— these unusual aspect of the Heldannic Knights. shameful glitches will be fixed. Any other comments about rules “no-nos” found in I am a fan of the BATTLESYSTEM™ the Princess Ark campaign will be greatly rules. I like what was done with the appreciated. Thanks. Ethengar Gazetteer. The special maneu- vers were great. Players might be inter- DRAGON issue #156 introduces Heldan- ested in a war almanac that gives statistics nic Knights, an order of clerics who wield on armies and strategic points throughout edged weapons. Is this right? the Known World. This war almanac Yes, this is correct. However, it deserves would require the use of some form of the an explanation. According to standard BATTLESYSTEM rules. rules, clerics don’t use edged weapons, There is an Almanac due out at the end period. There has been a number of of this year It does contain War Machine comments about the logic of such a rule, statistics of many armies (Known World particularly when specific Immortal pa- and HOLLOW WORLD settings) after trons come into play. Vanya is an Immor- Wrath of the Immortals’ great war. It tal of war, and his followers form an would be hard to adapt them for AD&D order of sword- or lance-wielding BATTLESYSTEM rules since the armies knights. That’s why their clerics are al- shown in the AC1010 Almanac sometimes lowed to use swords. This new material reach well over 100,000 troops. A D&D will be reflected in the upcoming Wrath War Machine to AD&D BAT’TLESYSTEM of the Immortals boxed set (due out this rules- or troops-conversion article might Looking for some fun? August). Many of Wrath’s clerics end up make a great topic in this magazine. Are you hunting for a gaming conven- acquiring some new advantages over the tion in your area? Turn to this issue’s “standard” cleric as a result of rules de- Just how much space do 100 troops “Convention Calendar” for the latest velopment presented there. This was need to live in? I know it sounds pretty information on where the fun is. done for color and background, but picky, but can they all live in a single

44 AUGUST 1992 DRAGON 45 46 AUGUST 1992 CON-SPIRACY ‘92, Aug. 28-30 NC This convention will be held at the Omni Durham Convention Center in Durham, N.C. Guests include Greg Porter and Allen Wold. Activities include RPGA™ Network tournaments, workshops, Japanimation, speakers, an SF movie room, miniatures and open gaming. Registration: $25/weekend or $15/day. Write to: NAARP P.O. Box 2752, Chapel Hill NC 27515- 2752. Make checks and money orders payable to NAARP. * indicates a product produced by a company other than TSR, Inc. Most product names are trademarks owned by the PACIFICON Aug. 28-31 Convention Calendar Policies companies publishing those products. The use of the name of 92,‘ CA any product without mention of its trademark status should not This gaming convention will be held at the This column is a service to our readers be construed as a challenge to such status. Dunfey Hotel in San Mateo, Calif. Ask about worldwide. Anyone may place a free listing special room rates. Activities include role- for a game convention here, but the follow- BUBONICON 24, Aug. 14-16 NM playing and board-game tournaments, a flea This convention will be held at the Ramada ing guidelines must be observed. market, seminars, movies, painting contests, Inn East in Albuquerque, N.M. Guests include In order to ensure that all convention dealers, auctions, and miniatures and open listings contain accurate and timely infor- Thorarinn Gunnarson, Dell Harris, and Walter gaming. Write to: PACIFICON, P.O. Box 2625, mation, all material should be either typed Jon Williams. Activities include panels, readings, Fremont CA 94536. movies, a play, parties, an auction, filking, and double-spaced or printed legibly on stand- the Green Slime awards (Saturday is Toga Day). ard manuscript paper. The contents of TACTICON ‘92, Aug. 28-30 CO Registration: $23 at the door. Write to: NMSF each listing must be short and succinct. This convention will be held at the Holiday The information given in the listing must Conference, P.O. Box 37257, Albuquerque NM Inn Convention and Trade Center in Denver, include the following, in this order: 87176; or call: (505) 266-8905, 10 A.M.-10 P.M. Colo. Events include the first NASAMW WRG local time. No collect calls, please. 1. Convention title and dates held; Ancients Final west of the Mississippi River. 2. Site and location; Other activities include gaming of all kinds, 3. Guests of honor (if applicable); REALM OF ROLEPLAY V, Aug. 14-16 RPGA™ Network tournaments, auctions, a 4. Special events offered; This convention, hosted by TROA, will be held figure-painting contest, and miniatures events. 5. Registration fees or attendance re- at Loewangskolen in Denmark. Events include Registration: $15/weekend. Write to: Denver quirements; and, role-playing games, with additional local games. Gamers’ Assoc., P.O. Box 440058, Aurora CO 6. Address(es) and telephone number(s) GMs are welcome. Registration: DKK 80. Write 80044; or call: (303) 665-7062. where additional information and confirma- to: TROA, Martin Laursen, Vestergade 25 - 2, tion can be obtained. 9400 Noerresundby, DENMARK; or call: +45 98 GATEWAY 12, Sept. 4-7 CA Convention flyers, newsletters, and other 19 22 09. This convention will be held at the L.A. Air- mass-mailed announcements will not be port Hyatt Hotel in Los Angeles, Calif. All types considered for use in this column; we SARASOTA-MANATEE FANTASY FAIR ‘92 of strategy, family, and adventure board, role- prefer to see a cover letter with the an- Aug. 16 FL playing, miniatures, and computer gaming. nouncement as well. No call-in listings are This convention will be held at the Holiday Other activities include seminars, demos, flea accepted. Unless stated otherwise, all Inn Airport in Sarasota, Fla. Guests include Scott markets, auctions, an exhibitors’ area, and dollar values given for U.S. and Canadian Ciencin and comics artists. Activities include special guests. Write to: STRATEGICON, P.O. Box conventions are in U.S. currency. gaming, dealers, trading cards, anime, a cos- 3849, Torrance CA 90510-3849; or call: (310) WARNING: We are not responsible for tume contest, and door prizes. Registration: 326-9440. incorrect information sent to us by conven- $3.50 at the door, $3.50 game fee (if applicable). tion staff members. Please check your Write to: The Time Machine, 5748 14th St. W., TEXICON ‘92, Sept. 4-7 TX convention listing carefully! Our wide Bradenton FL 34207; or call: (813) 758-3684. Sponsored by Greater Houston Gaming, this circulation ensures that over a quarter of a convention will be held at the J. W. Marriott million readers worldwide see each issue. Hotel in Houston, Tex. Events include RPGA™ Accurate information is your responsibility. Network games, with role-playing, board, and 1992 GEN CON®/ORIGINS™ GAME FAIR Copy deadlines are the last Monday of miniatures games. Other activities include an Aug. 20-23 WI auction, a video room, and open gaming. Regis- each month, two months prior to the on- This gigantic gaming convention will be sale date of an issue. Thus, the copy dead- tration: $20 until Aug. 14; $25 thereafter. Special held at the MECCA Convention Center in room rates and one-day passes are available. line for the December issue is the last Milwaukee, Wis. Events include hundreds of Monday of October. Announcements for Send an SASE to: Greater Houston Gaming, P.O. role-playing, board, miniatures, war, and Box 631462, Houston TX 77263-1462. Checks North American and Pacific conventions computer games. Other activities include must be mailed to: Convention Calendar, should be made payable to TEXICON 92‘ or panels, seminars, workshops, the Exhibit Greater Houston Gaming. DRAGON® Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Hall, an art show, and a games auction, with Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. Announcements RPGA™ Network games. Registration: $35/ for Europe must be posted an additional EMPEROR’S 22nd BIRTHDAY, Sept. 5-6 IN weekend preregistered; $40/weekend at the This convention will be held at the Century month before the deadline to: Convention door. Write to: 1992 GEN CON®/ORIGINS™ Calendar, DRAGON® Magazine, TSR Center in South Bend, Ind. Events include Game Fair, P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI Napoleonic miniatures and RPGA™ Network Limited, 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton, 53147, U.S.A. Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom. games. Other activities include a dealers’ area. If a convention listing must be changed Registration: $12/weekend or $7/day. Write to: because the convention has been can- Mark Schumaker, P.O. Box 252, Elkhart IN celled, the dates have changed, or incor- DRAKCON ‘92, Aug. 22-23 46515; or call: (219) 294-7019. rect information has been printed, please This fund-raising convention for famine relief contact us immediately. Most questions or will be held at the Northern College of Educa- ANDCON ‘92, Sept. 11-13 OH changes should be directed to the maga- tion in Aberdeen, Scotland. Events include an This gaming/PBM game convention will be zine editors at TSR, Inc., (414) 248-3625 RPGA™ Network tournament and a figure- held at the Holiday Inn Independence in Inde- (U.S.A.). Questions or changes concerning painting contest. Registration: £5.50. Single-day pendence, Ohio. Guests include Darwin Bromley European conventions should be directed tickets will be available at the door. Write to: and Jim Landes. Events include RPGA™ Network to TSR Limited, (0223) 212517 (U.K.). Sandy Douglas, 13 Springbank Terrace, Aber- games; role-playing, miniatures, and board deen AB1 2LS SCOTLAND. All checks should be games; a national PBM expo; a PUFFING BILLY* indicates an Australian convention. made payable to Dragon Aid. tournament; a dealers’ room; and a luau. Regis- indicates a Canadian convention. tration: $17.50 until Sept. 1; $22.50 at the door. indicates a European convention. Write to: ANDCON 92,‘ P.O. Box 142, Kent OH 44240-0003; or call: (216) 673-2117.

DRAGON 47 DEFCON IV, Sept. 11-13 NJ Fantasy Follies Event Coordinator, c/o General Registration: $25/weekend or $15/day. Write to: This gaming convention will be held at the Delivery, Burke SD 57523. ICON 17, P.O. Box 525, Iowa City IA 52244; or Ramada Inn in Edison, N.J. Events include role- call John at: (319) 377-3738, or Michelle at: (319) playing and miniatures games, and RPGA™ RPG HIGH ADVENTURE, Sept. 26 VA 626-6962. Network games. Registration: $15 preregistered; This convention will be held at the Moose $20 at the door. Single-day rates are available. Lodge in Mechanicsville, Va. Events include WORLD TITAN TOURNAMENT ‘92 Write to: DEFCON, 16 Grove St., Somerset NJ RPGA™ Network and open role-playing, board, Oct. 2-4 VA 08873; or call: (908) 249-0570 before 11 P.M. local historical, fantasy, and miniatures games. Other This convention will be held at the Best West- time. activities include dealers, anime, videos, food, ern Cavalier Inn in Charlottesville, Va. Events and prizes. Registration: $7.50/day before Sept. include continuous TITAN* games. Trophies will MIRACLECON ‘92.2, Sept. 19 OH 11; $10/day at the door. Send an SASE to: Tom be awarded. Registration: $9 preregistered; $11 This convention will be held at the Liedertafal Kube, 6405 Ewell Cir., Mechanicsville VA 23111; at the door. Write (and make checks payable) to: Club in Springfield, Ohio. Events include or call: (804) 746-8375 evenings and weekends. Bill Scott, 2317 Barracks Rd., Charlottesville VA gaming, a dealers’ area, an auction, and a 22901; or call: (804) 293-9265. miniatures-painting contest. Registration: $5 I-CON 3, Oct. 2-4 preregistered until Sept. 1; $6 at the door. Visa/ This SF/gaming convention will be held at the HIGHLAND V, Oct. 3 TN Mastercard are accepted. Write to: Wolfs Lair Harbour Towers Hotel in Victoria, B.C. Guests This convention will be held in the University Games, 601 W. Leffels Lane Ste. P, Springfield include Dave Duncan, Dr. John G. Cramer, and Center of Tennessee Technological University in OH 45506; or call Tim at: (513) 325-0059. Betty Bigelow. Activities include two costume Cookeville, Tenn. Activities include a con suite, contests and RPGA™ Network and other gaming dealers, art exhibition, computer/video games, CAMELOT IV, Sept. 25-27 AL events with prizes. Registration fees vary with and gaming. Registration: $2 general admission. This convention will be held at the Huntsville age, and special “gaming only” rates are availa- Write to: Alpha Psi Phi, Box 5226, Cookeville TN Hilton and Towers in Huntsville, Ala. Guests ble. Write to: I-CON 3, P.O. Box 30004, Saanich 38505. include Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, and Bob Centre Postal Outlet, #104-3995 Quadra St., Giadrosich. Activities include role-playing and Victoria, B.C., CANADA V8X 5E1; or call Mark PHANTASM ‘92, Oct. 3-4 miniatures games, videos, a masquerade and evenings at: (604) 595-1104. This convention will be held at the Peterbor- computer room, and dealers. Registration: $20 ough Public Library in Peterborough, Ontario. preregistered; $25 at the door. Write to: ICON 17, Oct. 2-4 IA Guests include Ed Greenwood. Activities include H.A.G.A.R, P.O. Box 14242, Huntsville AL This SF/gaming convention will be held at the dealers, RPGA™ Network events, and an art 35815-0242; or call: (205) 837-9036. Best Western Westfield Inn in Coralville, Iowa. display. Registration: $10 (Canadian) preregis- Guests include Mercedes Lackey, Rex Bryant, tered; $15 (Canadian) at the door. Single-day FANTASY FOLLIES I, Sept. 26-27 SD Joe & Gay Haldeman, Rusty Havelin, Larry rates are available. Write to: PHANTASM 92,‘ This convention will be held at the City Audi- Dixon, Mickey Zucker Reichert, Glen Cook, and 276 Parkhill Rd. W. (Rear), Peterborough, Ontar- torium in Burke, S.D. Events include RPGA™ Roger E. Moore. Activities include gaming, io, CANADA K9H 3H5; or call: (705) 748-0796. Network games and many popular board games. panels, dealers, an art auction and print shop, a Judges are welcome. Registration: $10 preregis- masquerade, videos, Old English dancing, fal- tered; $15 at the door. Write to: Eric T. Benoit, conry, and the Trans-Iowa Canal Company,

48 AUGUST 1992

TOLEDO GAMING CONVENTION X include panels, an art show, dealers, a charity computer, miniatures, and RPGA™ Network Oct. 3-4 OH auction, a masquerade, an Ygor party, a trivia game events, plus a game auction. Registration: This convention will be held at the University contest, and workshops. Registration: $15/ $2/day. Write to: Bob Von Gruenigen, 804 Wil- of Toledo, Scott Park campus. Events include weekend before Sept. 15; $20/weekend there- lowdale Ave., Kettering OH 45429; or call: (513) over 150 games, with nonstop movies, demos, after, or $8/day. Write to: NECRONOMICON 92,‘ 298-3224. an auction, painting contests, and open gaming. P.O. Box 2076, Riverview FL 33569; or call: (813) Send an SASE to: TOLEDO GAMING CONVEN- 677-6347. WHITEWATER GAMERS CONVENTION 3 TION X, c/o Mind Games, 2115 N. Reynolds Rd., Oct. 10-11 WI Toledo OH 43615. QUAD CON ‘92, Oct. 9-11 IA This convention will be held at the Campus This convention will be held at the Palmer Activities Center on the campus of the Univer- COSCON ‘92, Oct. 9-11 PA Auditorium in Davenport, Iowa. Events include sity of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Registration: $5/ This convention will be held at the Holiday role-playing, miniatures, and historical games, weekend, or $3/day. Judges are welcome. Write Inn in Beaver Falls, Pa. Guests include Jean with a silent auction, a miniatures-painting to: Vince Reynolds, 1380 W. Main St., Apt. #111, Rabe. Activities include many RPGA™ Network competition, dealers, and on-site food. Preregis- Whitewater WI 53190; or call: (414) 473-4206. events, dealers, a gaming auction, a miniatures- tration materials will be available after Aug. 1. painting contest, and an anniversary gift for Registration: $9/weekend or $4/day preregis- ENBICON IV, Oct. 16-18 every registrant. Registration: $15 until Sept. 30; tered; $12/weekend or $6/day at the door. This convention will be held at the Student $20 thereafter. Send an SASE to: Circle of Games will cost $2-3 each. Send a long SASE and Union Building on the campus of the University Swords, P.O. Box 2126, Butler PA 16003; or call two stamps to: QUAD CON 92,‘ c/o Game Empo- of New Brunswick in Fredericton, New Bruns- Dave at: (412) 283-1159. rium, 3213 - 23rd Ave., Moline IL 61265; or call: wick. Guests include Margaret Weis. Activities (309) 762-5577 (no collect calls, please). include role-playing, board, and miniatures COUNCIL OF FIVE NATIONS 18 games, plus game auctions, dealers, seminars, Oct. 3-11 NY GAMEMASTER ‘92, Oct. 10 ID and miniatures and art competitions. Registra- This convention will be held at the Washing- This convention will be held at the Student tion: $12 (Canadian). Write to: ENBICON, c/o ton Inn in Albany, N.Y. Events include RPGA™ Union Building of Boise State University in UNB Student Union, Box 4400 UNB, Fredericton Network events, with role-playing, board, and Boise, Idaho. Events include role-playing, board, NB, CANADA E3B 5A3; or call James at: (506) miniatures games. Other activities include and miniatures games. The guest of honor is 459-5689. dealers, seminars, miniatures and board games, Gary Thomas. Registration: $5 before Oct. 7 and a miniatures-painting contest. Registration (students with I.D.s: $4). At-the-door rates will NOVAG VII, Oct. 16-18 VA varies, going up after Sept. 15. Write to: COUN- be slightly higher. Write to: Gamemaster’s Guild, This convention will be held at the West Park CIL OF FIVE NATIONS 18, Schenectady Warga- 3531 Sugar Creek Dr., Meridian ID 83642; or Hotel in Leesburg, Va. Activities include role- mers Assoc., P.O. Box 9429, Schenectady NY call: (208) 888-6851. playing and miniatures games, with raffles, 12309. dealers, and contests. Registration: $10 preregis- KETTERING GAME CONVENTION VII tered, $12 at the door or $6/day. Preregistered NECRONOMICON ‘92, Oct. 9-11 FL Oct. 10-11 OH GMs will receive a discount. Write to: NOVAG, This convention will be held at the Holiday This convention will be held at the Charles I. c/o Ralph Allen, P.O. Box 5094, Sterling VA Inn in Tampa, Fla. Guests include James P. Lathrem Senior Center in Kettering, Ohio. 22170; or call: (703) 450-6738. Hogan, Ray Aldridge, and Glen Cook. Activities Events include fantasy role-playing, board, TACTICON ‘92, Oct. 17-18 CT This convention will be held at the Ramada Inn in Stratford, Conn. Events include role- playing and miniatures games, with open gam- ing. Other activities include dealers, movies, and a miniatures contest. Registration: $15 preregis- tered; $20 at the door. Write to: TACTICON 92,‘ c/o Jim Wiley, 100 Hoyt St., Stamford CT 06905; or call: (203) 969-2396.

WIZARDS’ GATHERING III Oct. 17-18 RI This convention will be held at the Days Hotel in Providence, R.I. Events include role-playing and miniatures games, with dealers, a miniatures-painting contest, a costume contest, awards, and a raffle. Registration: $15/weekend or $10/day before Oct. 3; $25/weekend or $15/ day at the door. GMs are welcome. Write to: WIZARDS GATHERING, c/o SMAGS, P.O. Box 6295, So. Sta., Fall River MA 02724; or call: (508) 324-4717.

WARP III, Oct. 23-25 OK This convention will be held at the Trade Winds Central Inn in Tulsa, Okla. Guests include L. Neil Smith, Ron Dee, and Randy Farran. Activities include role-playing, miniatures, and board games, plus a costume contest, dealers, an art show and con suite, videos, music, par- ties, and open gaming. Registration: $8 preregis- tered; $14 at the door. Write to: WARP, 415 S. 66th E. Ave., Tulsa OK 74112.

How effective was your convention listing? If you are a convention organizer, please write to the editors and let us know if our “Convention Calendar” served your needs. Your comments are always welcome.

ORIGINS is a trademark owned by the Game Manufacturers Assoc.

TM and ® designate TSR Inc. trademarks 50 AUGUST 1992 DRAGON 51 by Skip Williams

If you have any questions on the games happens to touch-delivered spells and fier from the die roll. If you do this, I produced by TSR, Inc., “Sage Advice” will spells that affect only the caster. I suggest strongly suggest the DM take a long look answer them. In the United States and that touch-delivered spells originate at the at the monsters that populate the cam- Canada, write to: Sage Advice, DRAGON® image, which the caster can then use to paign and assign a reaction modifiers to Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI “attack” targets within his own movement some of the quicker beasts; otherwise, the 53147, U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Sage limits. I also suggest that all spells with a PCs are going to win initiative far too Advice, DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 purely personal effect (range 0, or area of often. Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge effect limited to the caster) take effect only CB1 3LB, United Kingdom. We cannot upon the caster; assume that such effects Many of the thief kits in The Com- make personal replies; please send no stay with the caster and don’t “flow” plete Thief’s Handbook require or SASEs with your questions (SASEs are through the channel. Note that project recommend the Gather Intelligence being returned with writers’ guidelines for image extends a spell’s range only indi- nonweapon proficiency. I cannot the magazine). rectly by virtue of the fact that most spells find this skill listed anywhere. This month, the sage clarifies a few originate from the image and not from the “Gather Intelligence” is a typo. The items before venturing into the untold caster. Likewise, clever casters might use proficiency’s real name is “Information reaches of optional material for the project image to cast spells around corners Gathering.” AD&D® 2nd Edition game. or into areas where they’d rather not be. The caster is free to change the image’s It’s raining monsters in my cam- facing relative to himself just by concen- paign! It seems that anyone with the Does the wizard spell project im- trating for one round, which limits the Dimensional Door devotion can age allow the caster to extend the caster to half movement and no attacks. place a dimensional door under any range of his spells? If not, what Once the relationship changes, the image poor, unsuspecting fool and watch good is it? What happens when the goes right on duplicating all the caster’s him fall 60 yards or more to his caster wants to change a projected actions, all the way down to spell-casting. death. Unless my DM and I are mis- image’s relation to himself? In other reading the description (The Com- words, if the image is facing in the My friends and I have been trying plete Psionics Handbook, page 69), same direction as the caster, what to find the rules for adjusting initia- anyone with this power can kill does the caster have to do to make tive rolls in the AD&D 2nd Edition anything that can’t fly or slow its the image face to his left? What hap- game according to the character's fall. pens to the image after the relation- dexterity score (reaction adjust- Boy, are you ever misreading this devo- ship shifts? ment). However, there is no mention tion’s description! First, while it’s fine to The text in the spell description (Player’s of dexterity in the Standard Modi- assume that a creature automatically steps Handbook, pages 180-181) does say that fiers to Initiative table or in any of into a door created beneath it, it doesn’t the image duplicates all the caster’s the optional initiative rules. have to be so. The DM is free to allow the actions, including spell-casting. That You can’t find any mention of the effects creature a save to avoid “falling in,” or the doesn’t really make the spell’s effect on of dexterity on initiative in the AD&D 2nd DM can decide that a creature never falls spell-casting very clear, but the spells Edition game because there isn’t any, and in and is just displaced onto safe ground description in the 1st Edition PH (page 85) there weren’t any in the AD&D 1st Edition instead. includes this line: “A special channel exists game either. Raw reflexes can affect sur- Second, there’s nothing in the descrip- between the image of the magic-user and prise, but their only effect on combat is to tion that suggests creatures passing the actual magic-user, so spells cast actu- adjust armor class. The AD&D game’s one- through the door suffer damage of any ally originate from the image.“ I don’t think minute combat rounds make individual kind, Any creature entering one door the 2nd Edition team left out that line to quickness much less important than the automatically appears at the other one, strip the project image spell of this prop- character’s defensive value and general and vice versa. This movement is instanta- erty. As people on the GEnie computer class of actions; that’s why things like neous and interdimensional. This is not network have pointed out, the spell does weapon speed factors and spell-casting the same as falling or running an equiva- very little to deserve its sixth-level power times do affect initiative. Of course, DMs lent distance; the creature does not gain ranking without this ability. are free to add their own house rules any velocity or kinetic energy, it appears Running the spell this way does, how- incorporating reaction modifiers. The at the other door just as if it used a tele- ever, force the DM™ to consider what simplest way is to just subtract the modi- port or dimension door spell to go from

52 AUGUST 1992 one door to the other. Note that a creature long into new devotions— they explore free use (for purposes of prerequisites, falling 60’ into one door probably will them slowly and deliberately. PSP expenditure, and otherwise) of any suffer 6d6 hp damage when coming out power that does not violate the limits. For the other door, as the dimension between What happens if a character with a example, a character with a Mind Bar wild the doors doesn’t reduce kinetic energy or wild talent decides to become a talent could choose telepathy as his pri- velocity any more that it increases it. psionicist? Does he add all his PSPs mary discipline and have free access to the Note also that one of the two doors the together? Do his wild talents count power, since Mind Bar is a telepathic devo- psionicist creates appears in front of the as prerequisites for new powers? tion. (The total number of devotions with- psionicist (the description does not say Do wild talents count toward the in a primary discipline is limited only by how close, but I suggest from 1" to 5’ at characters limits on disciplines, the psionicist’s level. In this case, Mind Bar the psionicist’s option), and one pretty devotions, and sciences? is a “bonus” power.) Powers that exceed much wherever the psionicist wants it. All the rules on dual-classed characters the limits must remain separate; for exam- This means that if the psionicist wants to in the PH, page 45, apply. The character ple, a character whose primary discipline create a door immediately underneath a temporarily sets aside his wild talents and is psychometabolism might not have foe, he’d better be ready for a fight. sets out to study how psychic powers “room“ for Mind Bar, since the number of really work. (Note that most DMs probably nonpsychometabolic devotions he can Psychokinetic devotions seem wouldn’t make a character set aside wild have is limited to at least one less than the impossible to get. Every psycho- talents if the dual-classed character was number of psychometabolic devotions he kinetic devotion has Telekinesis as a picking up any other class except psioni- has. So long as the character has even one prerequisite, which is a science. You cist, since wild talents have nothing to do excess power, his wild talent PSPs can be must have twice as many devotions with any character class, but this is a expended only to establish and maintain in a discipline as you have sciences, special case.) The character gains a sepa- wild talents (and PSPs gained from the so to add a psychokinetic devotion rate pool of wild-talent PSPs and powers, character’s psionicist level cannot be spent to your repertoire you’d have to add and he cannot use powers or PSPs from on such rogue powers). If the character Telekinesis and two devotions. The this pool without giving up experience as has a power both as a wild talent and as a only time you get to add a science described in the PH. The wild talents do psionicist’s power, he should be allowed to and two devotions (according to the not affect the types of psionic powers the merge the two and gain a point on his table in the CPH, page 12) is when character can learn; they are locked away power score. Likewise, if the character you go from 2nd to 3rd level. How- in a separate part of the character’s mind, manages to fit all his wild talents into his ever, you also are not allowed to just like all the other class abilities the limits, he should be allowed to add his have as many sciences or devotions character has chosen to ignore for the wild-talent PSPs to his psionicist total. The in a discipline as you have in your moment. easiest way for the character to do this primary discipline, and at 3rd level As soon as the character’s psionicist level would be to choose a primary discipline you only get two sciences. You can’t exceeds his old character-class level, he that includes his wild-talent powers. just pick up Telekinesis alone, then theoretically has access to his old charac- add devotions later, because you ter abilities and wild talents. However, he The text and illustrations in The must always have at least twice as also still must abide by all the restrictions Arms and Equipment Guide identify many devotions in a discipline as of the psionicist class. The simplest way to a morning star as a kind of club you have sciences. Am I misunder- handle this is just to assume that the char- with a spiked head. I always standing something, or is there a acter has a few rogue powers and a pool thought a morning star was one or problem here? The difficulty could of PSPs to support them. Such powers more balls attached to a short han- be solved by adding a psychokinetic would never count against the numerical dle by a chain or chains, but The devotion or two that does not have limits on the psionicist’s powers or be used Arms and Equipment Guide de- Telekinesis as a prerequisite. as prerequisites for other powers. How- scribes that kind of weapon as a Actually, there are several psychokinetic ever, the DM might allow the character to flail. Also, where is the mace entry powers that don’t require Telekinesis: integrate his wild talents into his list of on the Master Weapons Chart? Animate Shadow, Control Light, Control psionicist powers. This should not be a In both versions of the AD&D game, a Sound, Molecular Agitation, Soften, and, of problem if the character does not exceed morning star is a big club with a spiked or course, Telekinesis. This is an official piece the number of disciplines he normally is ridged head, something like a hardwood of errata that was included with the DARK allowed, and if he does not exceed the baseball bat with a lot of large nails driven SUN™ boxed set. (For a free copy of the number of different kinds of sciences and into the business end. That also is the CPH errata sheet, send a self-addressed, devotions he can have within those disci- definition given in every reputable treatise stamped envelope to: Steve Winter, c/o plines. That is, the character can have on medieval weapons I’ve ever read. TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI “bonus” sciences and devotions but not A flail, in the AD&D game and any- 53147, U.S.A.) extra disciplines, and the total number of where else where an accurate nomencla- Even so, if psychokinesis isn’t your char- devotions and sciences he has in his pri- ture of medieval weapons is used, is a acter’s primary discipline, it’s pretty rough mary discipline still sets a limit on the weapon with the business end separated to add Telekinesis to your psionicist’s bag number of sciences and devotions he can from the handle by a chain or other flexi- of tricks. This difficulty is not limited to have outside the primary discipline (the ble joint. The ball, chain, and short-handle psychokinesis. Since you can never have primary discipline is the first discipline version is called a horseman’s flail in the as many sciences or devotions in a second- chosen when the character is a 1st-level AD&D game. Another common form of ary discipline as in the primary discipline, psionicist). Proper play balance requires flail is a long handle with a big club at- the additional science earned at 3rd level that the character’s total number of disci- tached to the end by a very short length of must be in the primary discipline, no plines remain unchanged and that the chain; this is called a footman’s flail in the matter what the primary is. This is delib- ratio between powers inside and outside ADD game. Flails of all kinds are the erate. Learning psionic powers is an or- the primary discipline be maintained. The direct descendants of agricultural flails derly process that does not allow the effects of lifting these limits would be used to thresh grain; before the Industrial character to jump willy-nilly between something like letting wizards and priests Revolution, the only way to separate disciplines. That’s why psionicists must be choose their daily spells as they need them grains of wheat, oats, rice, etc. from their lawful. No psionicist has the mental instead of studying or praying for them in stalks was to pile up the harvested plants wherewithal to become a dilettante. advance. and literally beat (thresh) them. The extra Psionicists aren’t meant to plunge head- The character should be able to make “snap” provided by the flails jointed head

DRAGON 53 allowed the farmer to hit the pile of grain basic forces in the multiverse while adven- don’t list any monetary values for magical with more force and get the job done turing in Ravenloft takes the same risk. items. The upcoming Magical Encyclopedia faster. When a character first fails a powers does list a gold-piece value for just about Both morning stars and flails were main- check, the powers of Ravenloft essentially every item ever created in the AD&D stays of the common folks weaponry invite the PC to become one of their own game (volume one, of two, will be available because they were easy to make and use. “part of the furniture,” as TSR’s Jon Pick- this fall). Gold-piece values, however, are No commoner— certainly no farmer— ens puts it. A stage-one failure is a subtle even higher than experience values, and a would ever mistake one for the other. I enticement that shouldn’t give the PC any starting witch probably could afford to personally have never seen a flail improp- obvious clues about what’s really going on. “buy” only a single cursed item or a useful erly identified as a morning star in print, When paladin or cleric abilities disappear, potion or two. This is because the witch is but I have met a lot of people who appar- the character is getting a strong clue that supposed to have an old item or two just ently have. I’ve also met people who con- he’s started down the wrong path. Also, as left laying around from the old days, not fuse flails for maces, probably because you point out, you can fail a powers check so that she can have a leg up on every- they both can have round heads studded by doing things that would be considered body else in the magical-treasure depart- with spikes. If using an alternate nomen- good deeds anywhere else. Since powers ment. As a rule of thumb, an item’s clature for medieval weapons makes you checks are intended to punish players who monetary value is three to seven times its happy, fine, but when you’re playing the wander off the straight-and-narrow path xp value (usually five times), and most AD&D game use the game nomenclature of heroic fantasy, play balance and overall cursed items usually are worth 100 gp (for to avoid confusion. campaign health dictates that the DM potions) to 1,000 gp (for miscellaneous magic). [Webster’s Third New International allow characters to redeem themselves Dictionary (Unabridged, 1986) describes a once they’ve gone astray. For the moment, morning star as “a weapon consisting of a DMs are on their own when deciding how The descriptions of both the heavy ball set with spikes and either at- and when a character properly atones. Dwarf Runes and Endurance non- tached to a staff or suspended from one However the upcoming Forbidden Lore weapon proficiencies in The Com- by a chain-called also holy-water sprin- boxed set, available in November and plete Book of Dwarves say that all kler” (page 1471). “Holy water sprinkler” is previewed in POLYHEDRON® Newszine dwarf characters get them at no used as an alternate name for the morning issue #74, has extensive new material on cost. Yet the Nonweapon Proficiency star in both the 1st Edition PH (page 37) powers checks. Groups section on page 39 lists the and AEG (pages 82-83). Obviously, some Here are some suggestions until some- cost of both as one slot. Which is confusion on this matter exists even thing better comes along: At the minimum, correct? among authorities.— Editor] a character who wishes to reverse the Both are. Dwarves get these nonweapon [Don’t depend on the dictionary for results of a failed check should act scrupu- proficiencies for free but must “spend” a definitive information on game topics. lously good. If the character has taken any slot to improve them (PH, page 55); non- Dictionaries and encyclopedias are fine special vows or represents a particular dwarves can obtain both these proficien- places to start looking, but the people who system of beliefs (a paladin, for example), cies at the listed cost of one slot each. compile them are unlikely to be experts on his new behavior must absolutely embody medieval weapons, and they certainly the tenets of his sect or order. Further- While reading the Tome of Magic, aren’t experts on the AD&D game. — Sage] more, the character should avoid making this question occurred to me: If wild The two forms of mace, horseman’s and use of the rewards and enticements a mages cannot specialize in any footman’s, don’t appear on the AEG’s Mas- failed check brings. It might be hard to school except wild magic, and if ter Weapons Chart (page 108). The typo avoid using a +1 saving-throw bonus, but only wild mages can cast wild-magic monster strikes again. The statistics for in such cases I suggest the DM allow it, spells, why are all the wild-magic the two types of maces presented in the especially if the character role-plays the spells put into schools other than PH, page 68, are correct. attempt to give up the bonus (“Yeah, I wild magic? know Bruce Bonecruncher gained a +1 First, wild magic is not a school; it is a In the RAVENLOFT® setting, will a bonus on fear checks after wrecking that chaotic magical force and a method of paladin or good cleric lose his spe- altar, but he really looks long and hard at studying magic that capitalizes on that cial class abilities if he fails a the swarm of killer bees just to be sure he chaos. As the TOM points out (page 5), Ravenloft powers check? If a resur- has the gumption to stand up to them.”). wild mages are not true specialist wizards, rection or raise dead spell fails and Of course, an atonement and a suitable but their unusual approach to magic gives instead turns the target into an un- quest should reduce or remove the effects them many of the same benefits that spe- dead, would the spell-caster have to of a failed powers check. So might a sim- cialist wizards get. make a powers check? If so, why? ple remove curse, especially if the charac- As unpredictable as wild magic is, it still Isn’t casting one of these spells a ter has left the demi-plane or has spent functions within the school framework. good act? Is there any way to re- some time actively resisting the powers. That is, wild-magic spells serve to alter, move the stages and effects of failed For a stage one failure, I suggest one summon, block, etc. just like other spells powers checks? month as the minimum period of in the game do. Note that priest spells First, take another look at the altered atonement. aren’t arranged into schools, either, but spell descriptions for raise dead (Realm of each spell still is assigned a school that Terror, page 44) and resurrection (RT, page Page 46 of The Complete Wizard’s helps define how and why it works. Vari- 45), and you’ll find that each of these Handbook says a starting witch ous game mechanics that make use of spell spells requires a powers check if they character has 1,500 gp worth of schools work normally in regard to priest succeed or not. Bringing the dead back to magical items, but the rules don’t and wild-magic spells. For example, a life sends ripples through the Demi-plane give gold-piece equivalents for magi- detect magic spell can be used to deter- of Dread. No matter what the spell-caster’s cal items. Is it supposed to say 1,500 mine a spell’s school, which in turn reveals intention, plucking a being out of the xp? Even if it does, you can’t choose clues about what the spell is doing and afterlife and returning him to the lands of from many items, as most rods, how it might affect an adventure. Like- the living is an event that the powers of staves, wands, and miscellaneous wise, a specialist wizard who receives a Ravenloft always find interesting. It is true magical items are worth more than bonus or penalty to saving throws against that powers checks are intended to start 1,500 xp. spells of a particular school gets that bo- evil PCs down the road to ruin, but any- This is a design/editorial error, as the nus or penalty even if the spell in question one who tampers with fate or with other core rules for the AD&D 2nd Edition game is a wild magic spell or priest spell.

54 AUGUST 1992

Treasures of the SavageFrontier (SSI) Survive on the savage frontier, if you can KnightLine from your computer as well: two MB of system manufacturers address the issue of You think you’ve engaged in top-notch memory plus an expanded memory man- price. Usually, if one is patient after a computer fantasy role-playing? Well, hang ager are required! Also making their debut game platform has been introduced, the on, folks! We have just experienced a from Origin are their new clue books, and price eventually decreases. Sega has an- demonstration of Origin’s Ultima Under- they’re just in time. These new insights nounced that the price of its 16-bit Sega world: The Stygian Abyss, and it’s the will prevent many gamers from going Genesis system is now $129. By the end of finest first-person game perspective we’ve absolutely crazy trying to figure out a this year, it is estimated that there will be seen. There are no difficult movement puzzle or two. The clue books are Mys- somewhere around 350 titles for the Gene- commands to worry about— everything is teries of the Abyss for Ultima Underworld, sis system, making the system even more mouse driven. All objects look correct and Key to the Black Gate for Ultima VII. enjoyable. from any angle, and your motion is ex- We are always happy to see major game Also, Sierra has announced that its on- tremely realistic. Master the magical rune line game service, The Sierra Network, has stones and learn as many as 40 spells. But reduced its price to a flat rate of $12.95 Computer games’ ratings watch out-the creatures in Underworld per month. With fully-interactive games, are quite intelligent. And, best of all, X Not recommended this flat rate gives gamers 30 hours of on- there’s truly exceptional auto-mapping. * Poor line time per month. Options are also You can bet your shield that it’s going to * * Fair available for those who wish more than 30 take you quite some time to make your * * * Good hours of on-line game time. way through the 25 miles of nightmarish * * * * Excellent Strategic Simulations, Inc. is bringing the traps and corridors. Naturally, all this * * * * * Superb results of its new game development sys- great gaming is going to require something tem to the public. These new engines

DRAGON 57 you play against human opponents via an velop, resulting in broader ranges of game going. AppleTalk network. play. Additionally, the company has devel- As with most Macintosh entertainments, oped a new simulator. The evidence of all you have to do is move the game icon these technologies will be offered in three Reviews from its game disk to your mass storage new products. The first is DARK SUN™ : media. There is no copy protection. Veloci- Shattered Lands, based on TSR’s hit Out of This World ***** ty trusts Macintosh gamers to have the AD&D® game campaign setting. The Interplay common courtesy of respecting authors’ games will be released for PC/MS-DOS, PC/MS-DOS, reviewed using SoundBlaster rights and to pay for their gaming plea- Macintosh, and Amiga, with an additional and VGA graphics mode $59.95 sures. It’s a most reasonable request, and release on CD-ROM in early 1993. You Interplay and Delphine Software have one all should be delighted to support. must create a rebel force with enough combined their efforts to create this If your Macintosh is equipped with power to destroy the sorcerer-king’s army. action/adventure game that uses brilliant either a color or gray-scale monitor, Spec- The second offering is M, a science- cinematic zooms, pans, close-ups, and tre boots up in the best video mode availa- fiction and fantasy role-playing adventure. scaling to make it more than just an action ble. To view the Arena with filled polygons The game engine was designed using game. Out of This World uses polygonal and gradient backgrounds you need at Autodesk’s 3-D CAD system and features a graphics normally found only in topnotch least 1350K of free RAM. Otherwise, you’ll continuous score, full-screen isometric flight simulators to create the figures and be playing with vector line representa- view that scrolls smoothly, as well as de- animation. Interplay has achieved a look tions. For those with less than 950K of tailed animation and special effects, giving that is— well— out of this world! RAM, the full sound set won’t be heard. If the look and feel of a full-scale film pro- You are a working on a nuclear experi- your system is eating up your RAM, con- duction. This is the first in a series of M ment when something goes awry and you sider temporarily moving out some INITs games that feature an undercover team are blown into an alien dimension. The or CDEVs to decrease the demand on your that is called to the planet Monsoon to object is to survive the hostile environ- memory. The polygon fills are certainly help free kidnapped diplomats. ment and return home. Using the joy stick the best way to play Spectre. If you are The third game is Great Naval Battles: or keyboard, you can walk or run left or playing this game on a Macintosh Plus, North Atlantic 1939-1943. This is SSI’s first right, jump, or attack with your feet or a Classic, SE, or Portable, there is no filled- combat simulator and is a single-player weapon. This game reminds us a bit of the polygon option. game that allows you to be either an admi- laser disc classic Dragon’s Lair with its The tutorial allows you to learn how to ral, fleet commander, or ship captain. You cinematic style. One wrong move could play this action game in less than 10 min- can simulate certain scenarios or the en- prove to be fatal. Unlike Dragon’s Lair, utes. We noted that the best control meth- tire campaign. This game features instant however, this game gives you far more od is through use of the keypad. You can replay and a large database. Even weather control of your character and his actions. use your mouse to control your cybertank, conditions affect game play. The game also provides access codes upon but we found it harder to use, especially Some really outstanding games debuted your death, and these can be used to skip when pinpoint accuracy was required. at the Consumer Electronics Show in sequences that you already completed. You may select to operate a well- Chicago last May. LucasArts Games de- Out of This World is an action master- balanced Spectre tank, one that is very buted Star Wars: X-Wing, a high-action piece. There is enormous attention to fast but has little shielding or ammunition, space-combat simulator for PC/MS-DOS detail, even in the backgrounds, with one that has a lot of shielding but is rather computers. You’ll find yourself in the rocks shattering as they hit the ground slow and has little firepower, or custom- struggle of the Rebel Alliance against the and beasts that watch and react to your ized version. If you decide to try the latter, evil Imperial Forces. For the Nintendo movements. You even leave footprints you have 15 points to distribute between Entertainment System (NES), LucasArts when you walk. One of the best features speed, shields, and ammo. You also decide Games is releasing Super Star Wars. Also in this game, in the age of CD-ROMs and on how much Coast your cybertank will from this high-visibility game publisher, 15 MB hard-disk game-eaters, is that this have— the higher the Coast number, the Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis will product only uses 1.5 MB of disk space! greater your momentum, no matter which be released in both PC/MS-DOS and CD- If you are looking for an action game direction you’re facing. Once you’ve select- ROM versions. that we guarantee will keep you in your ed the tank you wish to use, you click on seat for many hours of excitement, look the Play button and you’re dropped into H.E.L.P. no further. Out of This World is an adven- the Arena. Fellow gamers, we have a reader who ture that will keep you on the edge of There are three views you can request. states that without some assistance, he’s your seat for some time to come. The first is the 3-D front view. What you going to take a magnet to his Neuroman- see ahead of you is what you must con- ***** cer disks. Eric Heikkila of Westland, Mich., Spectre front. To see other areas of the arena in asks, “I am really stuck in Neuromancer. I Velocity Price n/a this view, you must move your cybertank. have been playing it, on and off, for about Macintosh, supports color and black-and- The second view is the 2-D top view. You 18 months, and I find myself clueless. I white Macintosh computers, play via net- are looking down upon your position and need help with Comlink 5.0, Comlink 6.0, work or as single player Price n/a can see surrounding edifices and tanks. Panther Moderns level two password, You’re about to enter the world of cy- This is a great view for checking your Freematrix level two password, and what berwarfare. You are dropped into the surroundings but we found firing at the should I do with the sake? Any help would Arena, where you control a single cyber- enemy in this view quite difficult, as there be greatly appreciated!” tank. You must capture enemy flags to is no targeting crosshair. Our thanks to all the readers who have build your score. You have three “lives” The third view is the map view. This is a come to the assistance of gamers needing with which to attain the highest level flat view of the entire Arena and is great H.E.L.P. If your answer doesn’t appear in possible. There are 50 levels and, once you for determining where flags, ammunition our column, it’s simply because another get above the tenth level, hang onto your dumps, and enemy units are located. How- reader has already taken care of the prob- cerebellum. You’re in for some pulse- ever, it does little to aid you when you lem. We figure you deserve thanks, re- pounding action that can’t be topped by decide to attack an enemy cybertank. gardless of whether or not your individual too many other offerings. When you con- You must collect all of the flags for each tip is printed. In answer to Brian Donner sider that all this action is happening to level before you can proceed to the next of Gary, Ill.: Yes, a BBS would be a great you in single-game mode, imagine what level. Time management is critical for your service to provide, but unfortunately we your blood pressure’s going to do when continued success. The radar screen in the

58 AUGUST 1992 Sierra PC/MS-DOS, reviewed using VGA graphics mode $12.95 We recently received a subscription to The Sierra Network (TSN), a new telecom- munications package for PC/MS-DOS com- puters. We are impressed with this entertainment bulletin board’s ease of use and high entertainment factor. This net- work provides gamers the opportunity to play bridge, checkers, chess, cribbage, hearts, and backgammon, all in full VGA or EGA graphics. If those games are not your cup of tea, there’s always Sierraland where you can engage in a game of paint- ball, miniature golf, or a multiplayer ver- sion of Red Baron. Installation of the product is quite sim- ple, and TSN supports major sound boards! You build your on-screen persona from hundreds of different facial parts until you have constructed yourself or an alter ego. Hobbies and favorite pastimes are selected from a list of dozens. You then rate your skill level as to how well you play the six games offered. Treasures of the Savage Frontier (SSI) Connecting to TSN is as simple as click- ing the mouse on the Play button when the information service’s main menu ap- upper right corner of your screen shows yourself immediately transported to an- pears. Once you are on-line, you are the flags as flashing crosses. When you see other area of the Arena. You can see how shown the waiting room. Here, all other them in the 3-D screen, they are rotating much Hyperspace power you have by users who are on-line are revealed by flags. To capture one, you simply run over checking the vertical H power bar on- name with an icon representing the activi- it with your tank. screen. The power to command this action ty each one is involved in at that moment. When you use the keypad to control resupplies over time. Just don’t try Hyper- By simply selecting one or more names, your cybertank, you fire your weapon by space if you aren’t at full power. If you do, you can then click on several options to pressing the space bar. You’ll often find you might witness your tank’s implosion. the right of the waiting room. You can yourself running out of ammunition as the If you have other friends who each have view the other gamers and see their on- thrill of the hunt takes over and you fire their own copies of Spectre, or if you’ve screen personas, hobbies, and skill levels too many shots to kill a target. Fortunately, purchased the LAN pack, Spectre can be at the games. While viewing others, you there are small flashing squares located experienced to its fullest potential. Multi- can also put them in your address book throughout the Arena. Run over these player games are a superb test of your with a click of a mouse button, then recall squares— they are ammunition dumps and capabilities. You can decide whether the that information later when you want to each affords you 20 rounds. Plus, when game is to be played until a certain num- send mail. you retrieve your ammo, you receive one ber of points have been acquired by the You can move out of the waiting room extra point to your shielding! At the high- winning player, or until a certain number and check out the bulletin-board system, er levels of play, the enemy robots will of minutes have passed. All participants in read a hint board for Sierra-specific guard not just the flags, but the ammuni- the multiplayer game have an unlimited games, go to a conference room where tion dumps as well. number of lives. many different groups meet to discuss a There are two kinds of enemy robot Few games on any platform offer the variety of topics, or collect your mail. The Spectre tanks. The first group— the flag excitement and variety found in Spectre. mail room is as user-friendly as any other guards— are not all that bright. They have For single or multiplayer gaming, this part of TSN. Any mail you receive is only one armor shield, and a direct hit can action and strategy game not only oper- shown as post-marked envelopes. By sim- do them in, although do take care. They ates on a wide variety of Macintosh com- ply double-clicking the envelope, you can can surprise you with a maneuver you puters, but also in a variety of black and read the message. Mail is sent by clicking weren’t expecting. white or color modes. With thoughtful the Send button and addressing the enve- The second robot type is actively hostile. assignment of keys to control your tank, lope. If you forgot the person’s address, You’ll run into them after you complete any gamer can enjoy the delights of cy- you can look it up in your address book. level four. Not only do these tanks fire at berwarfare. The sound effects add genu- Afterwards, simply type the letter and you a great deal, but they are also far ine value to the total game environment. A click on Send, and the E-Mail is on its way. more intelligent than their flag-guarding well-written user reference manual in- You can also move to a different host on counterparts. These robots also possess forms you not only how to play the game, TSN. There are 10 Sierra hosts and two more armor, making them harder to kill. but adds a novella to initially inspire you Sierra lands. This allows certain groups to They move in groups and know how to to the role cyberwarfare plays in the meet within a specific host on a preselect- lead their shots. Once you complete Level future. There is absolutely no excuse why ed night and time to find other people to 10, these robot Spectres gain an extra every Macintosh gamer shouldn’t rush out play a specified game. The user can move shield every five levels. When or if you and purchase Spectre— it’s really worth around and deal with fewer people than ever get to Level 50, these robots are darn the price of admission. one huge mass of on-line personas all at near indestructible. once. You can also access Hyperspace. If you depress the Backspace key, you’ll find Continued on page 62 DRAGON 59

Role of Computers to play right away and don’t have that Cloud spells. Remain on marked trails or level of character available to import from riverways. The Savage Frontier didn’t Continued from page 59 the first adventure, SSI has included in the receive its name because it’s a quiet and Now to Sierraland: This is a unique game disk a party of adventurers. We used peaceful area. When you have encounters, experience unlike the regular TSN them and continue to do so, as their they are going to be quite difficult to win. network. It reminded us of stepping into a combination of fighting ability and magic The wise gamer knows to save the game Sierra graphic adventure but, unlike other skills have so far managed to defeat all continuously. Sierra games, you cannot make a wrong enemies. However, this has not been There are a total of 83 Journal entries in move. The best entertainment we found in without cost— better remember where the the game. Each Journal entry imparts Sierraland was in the arcade. Here, you healing temples are, as well as Memorize critically needed information, such as a can play against other people in your spells at every opportunity. You are hint or a map. multiplayer games of Red Baron. The going to run into some brand new As far as your character choices are software is already included with the TSN creatures not seen before in an SSI concerned, you may select dwarves, elves, software. The controls are simple, and AD&D® game, and you’ll need your wits to half-elves, gnomes, halflings, or humans. when you have four biplanes in the sky accomplish every mission. The constants of Strength, Intelligence, trying to shoot each other down, the The interface remains identical to Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, and action becomes quite intense. Sierra is previous SSI AD&D game gold-box Charisma remain the bounds within which planning to include a Stellar Seven adventures. There are no technological or characters are created and developed. You multiplayer game in the future. game-interface firsts in this game. If may have your characters (depending There was a problem with this network, you’ve played one gold-box adventure, you upon their racial characteristics) become however. Many times, while talking to should have absolutely no difficulty in clerics, fighters, paladins, rangers, people in the waiting room, we were starting play in another one. magic-users, or thieves. Multi- and disconnected for no discernible reason. A Don’t forget that if you find yourself dual-classed characters are also possible. few times, it took four or five tries to log repeatedly losing a specific encounter, We found a fair mixture requires half on back onto the network. We’re sure check the difficulty level at which you are remain single-classed, and the other half Sierra will have these bugs fixed in the playing. You may select Novice, Squire, dual-classed; otherwise, it takes too long future, but it can be an annoyance to Veteran, Adept, and Champion. For solid for characters to gain the experience suddenly be disconnected when you’re play, yet with a difficulty level that’s fair to necessary to move ahead in level. With talking to someone. both yourself and the SSI programmers, gains in levels come critically needed TSN now has flat rates in effect. For we recommend the Veteran level. additional skills, such as magic. $12.95 a month, you receive 30 hours of However, keep in mind that the higher the Treasures of the Savage Frontier is a TSN time. For $2 extra you can send mail, difficulty level at which you play, the more highly enjoyable FRPG. There is nothing and for $4 more, you can access experience points you receive in combat. really new within its game boundaries, but Sierraland. If you are an avid user and run One helpful aspect of this FRPG is that, the conclusion to the Savage Frontier over the 30 hours, the charges change to although it is sometimes easy to become adventure is satisfying. Experienced $7/hour weekdays, and $2/hour on lost or not know what one should try next,. players will have no problem immediately weekends. TSN is simple enough for the there are items you can find throughout accessing the adventure, although many novice user, and experienced users will the game that can help you. One of these will be surprised at the ferocity of the have fun on this service as well. With is the Crown of Amanitas which allows initial combats. We recommend this FRPG plans for a Larryland and other exciting you to speak directly with Amanitas and to all. games in the work, The Sierra Network is obtain his critically needed advice. You can the next step in on-line gaming; it is an also find Lucky Papers in most locations. ingenious and well-crafted network. Let’s These will not become readable until after Clue corner hope versions become available for you’ve found three colored crystals. You’ll Macintosh and Amiga computers as well! note on occasion that when you attack a Curse of the Azure Bonds (SSI, generic group of powerful enemies, some will hints) Treasures of the Savage start smashing their crystals before the 1. In the Sphere of Annihilation duel, let Frontier **** battle begins. It’s no wonder— they a paladin take the challenge and he should Strategic Simulations Inc. certainly don’t want you to be able to win every time. Just be certain to save the PC/MS-DOS, EGA, TGA, VGA/MCGA; decode anything! game outside. You’ll receive a nice reward AdLib, Sound Blaster, and Tandy You’re going to find yourself not only for your trouble. sound $49.95 encountering nonplayer characters (NPCs) 2. If you transfer your characters from This is SSI’s second volume in its Savage but also controlling them as well. This is a Pool of Radiance, and your character has a Frontier FRPG series. As you may have nice addition, especially when your party covering from the Manual of Bodily guessed, because a sequel has been finds the beautiful and highly talented Health, plus a strength of 18(00) “Gauntlets released, the victory scored at Ascore in Siulajia. Please keep in mind that she really of Ogre Power,” he has the permanent the first volume apparently was not as doesn’t have a twin, and a Detect Magic strength stat of 18(00). This works well on decisive as everyone had thought! Now might be able to offer you insight into the humans, and not only fighters. This does you find yourself in the city of Llorkh, real NPC. not work on demihumans. hearing about the terrible defeats suffered No longer does the Fix command both 3. In the caves before the Rebuizard’s by the Zhentarim forces inflicted by the heal your party and rememorize used Tower, find the Salamanders, then cast very monsters you summoned in the first spells. To obtain the latter you must Rest. Resistance to Fire on one of your adventure. You are now asked by Amelior Clerics can cast a Cure Disease spell, but characters. Parlay with them slyly, then Amanitas to assist the dwarves in pushing that does nothing to restore any lost hit loot the chest and you’ll receive a couple Lord Geildarr, that Zhentarim misfit who points. of scrolls, a Dragon Slayer sword, and killed the dwarven King of Llorkh, out of As the developers of this FRPG suggest, more platinum than you’ll know what to dwarven lands once and for all. Plus, you we strongly endorse that all magic-users do with! must also save the entire frontier from a memorize Charm Person, Stinking Cloud, 4. Javelins of Piercing work great against cataclysmic war. and Fireball spells right away. Additionally, everything. In order to compete at a level of success when facing enemy clerics and magic 5. In Myth Drannor, don’t loot the in this FRPG, you must have at least users, charm them if you can. Larger graves. 5th-level characters. For those who want monsters are still susceptible to Stinking 6. Blessed crossbow bolts kill rakshasas

62 AUGUST 1992

instantly. but it is not as valuable as the robot bonus. rifle), and lasers. Give him the best armor 7. For the exploding paper in the Red described above when you’re still at the you have and just blow the thing away! Wizard’s Tower, have a cleric cast Detect lower levels. Fire full auto a lot. If the guy in the maze Trap and your magic-user will be able to 3. You’ve been dropped into the Arena falls unconscious, just shift to the party disarm the trap. and you immediately suffer damage from outside the maze and wait for several 8. You can use the shield and the plate a surrounding bevy of enemy Robots. Fire hours. Then, the guy in the maze is fully mail from the Dark Elf Lord without it that grenade and run for open space. healed and raring to go. becoming destroyed by the sun. 4. In your haste to grab those flags, an 4. As far as I can tell, there are no levels Jason R. Moore enemy tank has maneuvered behind you. beyond command cadet, and the grazer Charlotte NC Don’t bother wasting time by turning your bat fetish is useless, as well as are mirrors, tank around to fire on the enemy— hold matches, and fruit. Might and Magic II (New World down that “2” on your keypad and back Frederic Bush Computing, Genesis and Macintosh hints) your tank up. You’ll have the enemy tank Rochester NY 1. This is a useful trick I stumbled upon. in your sights far faster than if you tried Leave the Middlegate Inn. Go one step to turn on it. We have now been writing this column east. Go one step south. Now, drink. The Lessers in DRAGON® Magazine for nearly eight 2. Try this hint after you’ve completed years. In all that time, we have missed the one above. In the inn itself, there is a Wasteland (Electronic Arts, Apple IIe) only one column. We figure it’s time to secret door. From the starting point, go 1. The four keys are used to make Base take a vacation, so we are going to skip the west one step. Turn south. There is a wall Cochise self-destruct. Incidentally, if you’re next two issues of DRAGON Magazine and there, but you can go through it. Once in missing some keys, try fixing your work on some outside projects as well as the secret room, go two steps east. You’ll toasters. The weirdest things seem to be update ourselves on some of the new meet some monsters. Perhaps it’s not hidden inside them. games and prepare for one terrific column spectacular, but it works. 2. Once you have destroyed Base in DRAGON issue #187. Please, continue to Ben Rosengart Cochise, you have won the game. Explore send us your letters and hints and we’ll New York NY the world as much as you want, and kill all start afresh in two months. Our address is: those people you’ve always wanted to 521 Czerny Street, Tracy CA 95376. Please, Spectre (Velocity) terminate but never had the chance to no phone calls and no long FAX messages— 1. Don’t capture that last flag until after before. especially at two o’clock in the morning! you’ve destroyed all of the robots on your 3. There is no easy way to destroy the Good heavens, even orcs don’t work at current level. It’s worth a bonus of 50 gigantic monster Finster at the end of the that hour! Thanks for all of your support points if you get rid of all the robots, then mind maze. The best way is to give the and we look forward to writing to capture your last flag. poor guy in the maze loads of Anti-Tank everyone again with DRAGON issue #187. 2. The time bonus is a great incentive, weapons, 7.62 mm clips (for an assault Until then, game on!

64 AUGUST 1992

I got into the fantasy trading-card busi- The first difference that people notice Brown. This year’s set was written by ness in a hurry. Actually, it would be more when they see the 92‘ cards is in the art- everybody! The entire research-and- accurate to say that I was hurried into the work. This year’s card art is almost entire- development staff of TSR, Inc. divided up trading-card business. That’s because you, ly new, while the 91‘ series was produced the character cards and created over 400 the gamers, hurried out and bought the almost exclusively from existing art in the original personalities to go with the origi- AD&D® Collector Cards Premiere Series in TSR catalog. All of the fabulous color art nal art on the other sides. On top of that, droves last year. The 1991 TSR trading that adorns our fantasy game products we included about three dozen characters cards were so incredibly successful that was first painted on canvases, then photo- submitted by members of the RPGA™ only Jim Ward, the project’s creator, re- graphed and stored on 6” × 8” transparen- Network. mained insufferably unsurprised through- cies. Last year’s trading-card editor, Anne Perhaps you have noticed that the magi- out the deluge of demands for more. That Brown, gathered together those transpar- cal items are slightly mutated in this year’s kind of popularity is too good to rest on, encies with the help of graphics coordina- collection. After a few people complained and Jim is not the type to put off until tors Peggy Cooper and Stephanie Tabat, that last year’s magical-item cards were a tomorrow what can be done yesterday. and cropped them into a full-sized collec- bit on the dull side, because they were just So, a full two months before the 1992 tion of trading cards. The finished package getting a rehash of the material in the trading-card project was scheduled to yielded a slick, highly detailed collector- Dungeon Master’s Guide and Tome of begin, Jim called me into his office, gave card series that has been valued at as Magic, Mr. Ward suggested that we “per- me one of his patented pep talks (“David, much as several thousand dollars. sonalize” this year’s selection by giving tell your wife to be very nice to you when Needless to say, a 750-card art order each of them an owner. I took that idea you get home tonight, because I’m about uses up a lot of transparencies, as well as one step further and subtly (okay, some- to ruin your day”), then gave me an ambi- the art that they came from. As we began times blatantly) changed the functions of tious assignment with an ambitious dead- to work on the 92‘ series, we didn’t have the items. I also put rather vague labels on line (“I want a 750-piece art order by next that huge library of art by Easley, Elmore, the fronts of the item cards to make them Friday.”). Thus, only one week after joining Brom, Fields, and all the rest to draw a more useful gaming aid. Now, when the the TSR staff as a fledgling editor, I began upon. Therefore, we contacted a dozen DM shows a magical-item card to one of working on a project of monstrous con- free-lance illustrators and put them to his smug, seen-it-all players or rules law- tent, size, and popularity. It was a fear- work drawing over 700 separate pieces of yers and says, “You find this,” that player’s some task for a guy so new on the job that art for an all-new collection. character may be in for a little surprise he wasn’t even sure where the bathroom The result is a wide variety of cards in when he attempts to use the item. was, but I had no time to feel insecure. styles and colors that you won’t find any- Unhappily, one other change that we That’s Jim’s way of making you feel right where else. Even better, this art is com- attempted to make this year put a small at home— at least he was willing to point pletely original and designed specifically wobble in the new wheel: We thought that out the men’s room. for the trading-card venue, so you’re get- we would group the rare cards all togeth- ting a player aid that may be even more er, rather than scatter them across the All new for ‘92 valuable than its predecessor. There’s a collection. The specific idea was to make Now you’re seeing the product of that nice, even blend of classes, levels, races, the last 30 cards of each half of the series work, and I’m sure the temptation to and fantasy realms that comes of starting (#331-360 and #691-720) the designated compare the 1991 and 1992 sets is irresist- the order from scratch, rather than hav- rare cards. But when we reviewed cards ible, so I’m going to start off by telling you ing to write the cards to match what’s #331-360 just before printing, we realized a little about the differences between the already drawn. The only unoriginal char- that there were only character cards two collections. As we approached the 92‘ acters in the 92‘ set are those that we among them, and we wanted to include at collection, our main objective was to con- wanted to include in the trading-card least a few monsters, too. Therefore, we tinue the highly successful format of the series (like Strahd Von Zarovich and Mor- borrowed 17 cards from Part 2 of the premiere series, but also to develop new denkainen), so you’re going to see more series to fill out a more balanced selection. and interesting angles on the theme-in new faces in this one project than you can This has resulted in some confusion over other words, we were out to reinvent an find anywhere else. the numbering of Parts 1 and 2, but such already-excellent wheel. There may be a An even bigger difference between last anomalies are what make the trading-card few staunch conservatives out there who year’s series and this year’s lies on the business an interesting one. Realizing that question the wisdom of this, but I think a backs of the trading cards. Last year’s set a hand-picked rare card is a beautiful rare new tire beats a retread every time. was written by veteran gamer Rick card, we abandoned our attempt at

Trading-Card Trivia Test 3. Two of the characters in this collection 7. What is wrong with the picture on also appeared in the RPGA™ card 243? Here’s a little trading-card trivia test for FORGOTTEN REALMS® game accesso- 8. There is a sweet and lovable young lady you. The answers are printed on page 70 ry, LC4 Port of Ravens Bluff. Who are wandering around Ravenloft who of this issue. they? unwittingly enjoys a -10 Armor Class, 4. One character from the AL-QADIM™ thanks to a curse. Who is she? 1. Designer Slade Henson created five campaign world is seeking a certain 9. One character in the collection is a DRAGONLANCE® campaign world fabled city— so fabled, in fact, that it polymorphed human who likes his character cards featuring people who does not yet exist in any TSR game or new form so much that he’s decided were associated with a certain feared accessory. What is the name of this to keep it. However, at a party of criminal, yet the criminal himself does city? (Hint: You might need a Factory creatures like him, he would defin- not appear in the collection. What is Set to answer this.) itely clash. Who is he? his name? 5. One dwarf character in the collection is 10. One card in the series is that of a 2. One of the wizard characters in this quite aptly named because he killed a rogue character with a cat burglar collection owns nothing but cursed dragon with his bare hands! What is his kit, but this thief takes her job title a magical items, but he manages to name? bit too literally, as she actually steals make good use of them anyway. What 6. Only one card in the entire 92‘ series cats. Who is she? is his name? features two characters. Which one is it?

DRAGON 67 Cards 001-100 Cards 401-500

001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 011 012 013 014 015 016 017 018 019 020 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 021 022 023 024 025 026 027 028 029 030 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 031 032 033 034 035 036 037 038 039 040 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 041 042 043 044 045 046 047 048 049 050 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 051 052 053 054 055 056 057 058 059 060 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 061 062 063 064 065 066 067 068 069 070 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 071 072 073 074 075 076 077 078 079 080 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 478 479 480 081 082 083 084 085 086 087 088 089 090 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 091 092 093 094 095 096 097 098 099 100 491 492 493 494 495 496 497 498 499 500

Cards 101-200 Cards 501-600

101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 501 502 503 504 505 506 507 508 509 510 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 511 512 513 514 515 516 517 518 519 520 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 521 522 523 524 525 526 527 528 529 530 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 538 539 540 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 541 542 543 544 545 546 547 548 549 550 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 559 560 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 561 562 563 564 565 566 567 568 569 570 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 571 572 573 574 575 576 577 578 579 580 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 581 582 583 584 585 586 587 588 589 590 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 591 592 593 594 595 596 597 598 599 600

Cards 201-300 Cards 601-700

201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 608 609 610 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 618 619 620 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 621 622 623 624 625 626 627 628 629 630 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 631 632 633 634 635 636 637 638 639 640 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 641 642 643 644 645 646 647 648 649 650 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 651 652 653 654 655 656 657 658 659 660 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 661 662 663 664 665 666 667 668 669 670 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 671 672 673 674 675 676 677 678 679 680 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 681 682 683 684 685 686 687 688 689 690 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 691 692 693 694 695 696 697 698 699 700

Cards 301-400 Cards 701-750

301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 701 702 703 704 705 706 707 708 709 710 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 711 712 713 714 715 716 717 718 719 720 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 721 722 723 724 725 726 727 728 729 730 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 732 732 733 734 735 736 737 738 739 740 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 741 742 743 744 745 746 747 748 749 750 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 Note: Rare cards numbers are listed in bold face 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 and promotional cards are listed in italics for ease of reference.

numerical symmetry and went back to the Second, this year we adopted the practice original method of choosing them card by of decorating checklist cards with logos card. I guess some parts of a wheel just from our many game lines. We think that can’t be improved. this is an attractive way to set them apart Now, let me fill you in on a few trading- from the other cards, so we’re going to card features that will not change in the stick with it. Finally, we’re pleased to boast foreseeable future. First, we have estab- that everyone is happy with the game lished a format of using a gold border content of the cards. These babies don’t around the art of each card to designate lay around in a plastic sleeve like pictures the first print run and a silver border on of Nolan Ryan and Joe Montana— they’re the factory-set cards. This color scheme bona fide game-playing aids, not just a will serve as a standard for all AD&D bunch of pretty faces! Collector Card Series, past and future,

68 AUGUST 1992

with this article. revel in the tiniest, seemingly most insig- Building the batch Here’s a few other tidbits of information nificant innovations. Some of my fellow Putting this collection into the form that for you. There are 15 nine-card mini-series game makers suggest that I have begun to you see has been quite a learning experi- included in the entire collection. They are: describe everything in four sentences or ence. I learned how to enjoy designing and magical portals (#36-44); special corridors less, and that any combination of nine editing trading cards in my office every (#45-53); fiendish traps (#156-164); Mor- makes me foam at the mouth, but the day and in my dreams every night. I also denkainen and the Circle of Eight (#165- truth is that trading cards are, as Jim learned what it must have been like to be 173); SPELLJAMMER® campaign ships Ward would describe them, “way cool.” a foreman during the construction of the (#276-284); vampires of the RAVENLOFT® They’re fun to collect and trade, they Tower of Babel. Collating the creative campaign world (#285-293); FORGOTTEN constitute a legitimate investment, and juices of the entire TSR Creative Staff is a REALMS® campaign world cities (#396- they make gaming a little more colorful bit like running a 200th-level party with- 404); famous artifacts (#405-413); genies of and fun. What’s more, if you can’t find an out your DMG — everybody has their own the AL-QADIM™ campaign world (#516- NPC in these collections to suit your cam- interpretation of the rules, and all you 524); special dragons (#525-533); familiars paign, then you must be playing a com- want to do is keep playing the same game. (#636-644); undead creatures (#645-653); a pletely different game! Finally, this is the Dori Watry took the allegorical approach Road to Urik series, featuring characters only trading-card collection that seeks to card design, combining famous literary from that module in the DARK SUN™ your input. If you’ve got an idea for the personages with fantasy settings in a way campaign world (#654-662); and two perfect trading card, I’m always happy to that would make Shakespeare roll over in “Create-Your-Own” series, featuring cards hear and use it. Just address your letters his grave, and Rob King could never quite with blank backs for players to fill with to me, David Wise, c/o TSR, Inc., P.O. Box get his tongue dislodged from his cheek. their own game stats (#464-472 and #534- 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. Andria Hayday kept me sensible of politi- 542). The familiars mini-series is in the cal correctness with her contributions, rare-cards set of Part 2. while Jeff Grubb whipped up a dozen-and- Cards #721-750 are the promotional a-half extremely interesting characters releases, and here’s where you can find with an air of expertise that made me them: Cards #721-737 were printed in nervous about editing any of it. The vol- issue #34 (March/April 92)‘ of DUNGEON® ume of description on each card written Magazine and issue #180 (April 92)‘ of by Jon Pickens made for some wonderful DRAGON Magazine. These were all char- characters, but to use it all we would have acter cards. Cards #738-741 (monster had to shrink the type enough to make a cards) were sponsored by Capital City mouse squint. Then there were the sug- Distributors. Capital City has spread these gestions for mini-series from jokers like four cards out across the country— check Roger Moore, who treads a line so fine with your local comic-books store if you between the ingenious and the absurd that want these cards in gold-bordered, first- his shoes must have notches in them. run copies. Diamond Comics sponsored (Actually, nine views of Jim Ward in the card #742, of Maligor the Red Wizard, in buff might sell a lot of trading cards . . . special foil printing. This card, too, was nah.) distributed to comic-book dealers across What new features are we going to the country. Cards #743 and #746 have yet include in sets to come? Sorry, we’re not to find their official way into a promotion. talking about that, but I can tell you that a Cards #744 and #745, which are DARK lot of great possibilities came from SUN” campaign world cards, have been DRAGON® Magazine readers. In my last produced by Barnes & Noble company, the “Game Wizards” article, published last owners of B. Dalton bookstores. When you December in issue #176, I invited you all buy a TSR product at one of their stores, to send me your favorite trading-card you may receive these cards as a bonus. ideas, and you sent me a few gems. Inter- Finally, cards #747-750 (AL-QADIM™ cam- estingly, some of the best ideas were paign world cards) have been sold to shared by several of the folks who wrote Waldenbooks. When you buy a TSR me, so there’s a good chance that much of product from them, you may receive these what you’re hoping for in a trading card four cards, printed on one large sheet. will appear in the 1993 series. The card numbers and legal statements were omitted from cards #118-120 (check- By the numbers list cards) in the final printing. Card #118 One thing that I’ve learned about features the FORGOTTEN REALMS cam- trading-card collectors is that they love to paign world logo, card #119 features the know the numbers, so here’s the break- SPELLJAMMER campaign world logo, and down for Part 1 of the 1992 series (Part 2 card #120 features the GREYHAWK® cam- has not been printed yet, as of the writing paign world logo. of this article): There were 2,453,184 16-card foil packs of trading cards re- And on to ‘93 leased for sale. There are 115,969 copies With the 1992 series through the presses of each regular card and 27,763-35,684 and into your hands, I am passing the copies of each rare card. Approximately mantle of Trading Card Guru on to Thom- two out of every five foil packs will con- as Reid, who will design and edit the 93‘ Were we great what? tain one rare card. The purchase of four collection, but I’ll still keep a hand in all boxes of the foil packs should yield a com- the collections to come. After all, trading What do you think of this magazine? plete or near-complete set of cards. The cards have become as much a part of my What do you like best or want to see rare card numbers for the entire 750-card day-to-day business as breakfast, lunch, changed most? What do you want to series are printed in bold type, for your and dinner. I now explore every new card see next? Turn to “Letters” and see convenience, on a checklist sheet included I find as if it were a 64-page module, and I what others think, then write to us too!

70 AUGUST 1992

©1992 by Rick Swan

Getting started in role-playing is getting easier

72 AUGUST 1992 Like driving a car, performing brain ers may not be any smarter than they are surprised, then both sides spend the surgery, and changing diapers, role- used to be, but they’re certainly more first round of combat doing nothing. They playing is best learned from somebody experienced, and they’ve sniffed out and just stare at each other in disbelief.“). After who already knows how to do it. However, eliminated many of the ambiguities that they familiarize themselves with the rules, not all of us are lucky enough to have a plagued the Stone-Age RPGs. This month, players are instructed to flip the card over good teacher handy when we need one. we’ll be taking a look at several state-of- to the “Goblin’s Surprise” encounter, lay My first experience with the DUNGEONS the-art beginners’ games, any of which out the map sheet of Zanzer’s Dungeon, & DRAGONS® game is a case in point, would make an ideal introduction to the and place fold-up counters of the relevant About 10 years ago, two grade-school-aged hobby, even for those who don’t know a characters in specific locations on the cousins of mine were bugging me to teach PC from a pea shooter. map. Using both narrative elements them how to play the D&D® game, which (“Wake up!” Axel says. “We can escape!” we’d all heard of but none of us knew You open your eyes to see Axel’s face. It is much about. To get them off my back, I DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® covered with bruises) and simple prompts invited them to spend the weekend, prom- game * * * * ½ (“Move your counter and Axel’s counter ising that we’d give it a shot. I’d learn the Boxed game with 64-page rule book, into Room #2”), the card walks the players rules in the meantime. Dungeon Master’s Screen, Dragon Card through a nine-part scenario involving an The day before they came, I visited the Learning Pack, fold-up counters, color uncooperative door and a skittish goblin, local K-Mart and bought the pink-boxed map sheet, dice painlessly introducing the concept of D&D Basic Set and what I presumed was TSR, Inc. $20 initiative along the way. It’s a remarkably an introductory adventure, The Sinister Design: Troy Denning (based on the origi- efficient and entertaining method of in- Secret of Saltmarsh. That night, I gave nal DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game by struction. If public schools were this much myself a few hours to master the rules Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson) fun, we’d all know calculus by the time we and prepare the adventure. I couldn’t Rule book: Timothy B. Brown finished junior high school. make heads or tails of a lot of it, but I got Developmental Editing: Jonatha Caspian The four-page miniadventures that pop the general idea, figuring I’d improvise the Cover: Jeff Easley up in the card pack at regular intervals fine points as they came up. Interior illustrations: Terry Dykstra incorporate the rules discussed up to that To make a long story short, that first Map: Spectrum Graphics point into a linked series of encounters adventure was a lot of fun, but the rules Playing pieces: Brom, Clyde Caldwell, Jeff that give the beginning referee a chance to we used weren’t exactly RPGA™ Network- Easley, Fred Fields hone his skills. The encounters include sanctioned, if you get my drift. In our directions for setting up counters on the version of the game, there was no signifi- If only this had been available when I map, boxed text to be read to the players, cant difference between rounds and turns, was getting started, you can bet my early and a list of responses to the probable hard-to-fathom concepts such as encum- campaigns wouldn’t have had any rotating actions of the PCs. Faced with a whip brance and alignment were ignored alto- undead or spells confined to the basement. carrying hobgoblin at the doorway of their gether, and when a cleric turned undead, Lavishly packaged, logically organized, prison cell, the PCs may choose to rush the undead rotated in a circle, then kept and lucidly explained, this is as close to a the door (in which case the referee is coming. We had a particularly hard time perfect beginner’s package as I’ve ever directed to slam the door before the PCs with the concept of “levels,” particularly as seen. Anyone who can read can now learn reach it), refuse to cooperate with the applied to magic; I ruled that first-level to play the D&D game as it was intended. hobgoblin’s demands (the hobgoblin whips spells functioned only in the first level of Realizing that novices are often intimi- them through the bars), or fake an illness dungeons, second-level spells worked in dated by the amount of rules required in (the hobgoblin ignores them). The first the next dungeon level, and the really an RPG, even in one as simple as the basic mini-adventure uses a stripped-down powerful spells operated only in the D&D game, the designers present the version of the combat rules and ignores depths of the basement. rules twice, once in the rule book and magic entirely, but by the time the new Most telling, I think, was that every again in the Dungeon Card Learning Pack, GM reaches the final mini-adventure, he’s module we used in our D&D games was a set of 48 cards, each 6½ ” × 9 ½ ” that assessing damage and juggling spells like a actually intended for the AD&D® game (as also includes a few four-page supplemen- pro. was The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh); I tary miniadventures. The front of each The new rule book tightens up and figured that the AD&D game was a more card features a discussion of a single facet reorganizes the material in the original complicated version of the D&D game, of the rules, such as nonplayer characters, D&D set, though the fundamentals are left and that we’d just ignore the advanced hit dice, or initiative rolls. The back of the intact. The tone is less formal, and there’s rules whenever they came up. How was I card describes a brief scenario to illustrate more emphasis on character classes; supposed to know the AD&D game was a the rules discussed on the front. For in- where mages and thieves were limited to completely different game? It didn’t say stance, the card featuring initiative rolls only a few paragraphs of description in anything about it in the pink box. explains in clear language the difference the previous edition, here they each earn a So we bumbled along and everything between initiative and surprise; it not only full page. The differences between rounds eventually worked itself out, but looking outlines the nuts and bolts of the rules, and turns are clearly distinguished, spells back, I wish I’d gotten it right from the but also gives players an idea of what’s now feature listings for effects as well as beginning. Of course, maybe I was just a actually happening to their characters ranges and durations, and a few new bonehead, but I prefer to believe that the when the rules are in effect (“If both sides monsters (among them the chimera, cock- first round of RPGs weren’t as user- atrice, and gorgon) have been added to the friendly as they could’ve been. I’d have basic roster. A revised monster reaction appreciated an approach that was a little table slightly increases the likelihood of more sympathetic to the novice, where Role-playing games’ ratings hostile encounters, while new restrictions new concepts were plainly and precisely on retainers (for instance, they can’t be defined, detailed examples of play were X Not recommended higher than 1st level) force the PCs to be given to illustrate every facet of the rules, * Poor, but may be useful more dependent on their own skills. as much care was given to clear writing ** Fair Hard-liners might grumble that the and tight editing as dreaming up monsters *** Good revision wasn’t radical enough; in fact, all and spells. **** Excellent the rules that drive nitpickers crazy are That’s why I envy today’s first-timers, ***** The best pretty much untouched. Elves and who have it a lot easier than I did. Design dwarves are still treated as classes, align-

DRAGON 73 ments remain rigid (there are still only As with the revised D&D game, new acters are delineated by a dozen basic three— Lawful, Chaotic, and Neutral), and players are advised to begin with the attributes, ranging from the expected the overall system is far less sophisticated programmed adventure, and it’s a good Strength and Agility to the less obvious than that of the AD&D game. None of this one, an exciting, atmospheric scenario Subterfuge and Perception. While the particularly bothers me; anybody who can titled “Dawn Comes Early” that features calculation of the attributes is coherently accept talking dragons and magical the rescue of an imprisoned companion, explained, their application isn’t always so fireballs ought to be able to handle elven an encounter with a pair of nasty trolls, clear; I’m not sure a novice GM would be character classes. But even though I’m and a cameo by Gandalf, one of the most able to tell if a character uses Subterfuge comfortable with the system, I wish more noteworthy characters from the novels. or Agility when trying to untie a bound effort would’ve been made to explain some The adventure is structured as a series of companion. Combat tends to bog down in of the esoteric rules; inquiring minds may simple scenes that include numerous a morass of attack bonuses, fussy move- want to know exactly why mages can’t examples of play and plenty of Game ment restrictions (“A character that is wear armor or why alignment languages Master Notes to guide the first-time ref- moving at a walk may move up to 50’ plus are necessary in the first place, but they’ll eree. For instance, Scene One details the 10’ multiplied by his movement bonus”), have to look elsewhere for answers. And initial gathering of the PCs at a hobbit- and hard-to-remember special circum- what happened to the index? hole, where they’re encouraged to get to stances (“A moving character may shift Evaluation: Whether you find the know one another and discuss their plans items and equipment on his person, but D&D game’s approach charming or anach- for a rescue attempt. In addition to scene- the distance that the character may move ronistic depends on your tolerance for setting text read directly to the players is decreased by 10 feet for each item shift- adventures that focus almost exclusively (“Despite the warm summer breeze blow- ed for that round.“). on dungeon crawling, treasure grabbing, ing in through the open windows, a small Compared to the combat rules, the mag- and monster bashing. As for me, I’m solid- cheery fire burns in the hearth . . .”) and ic system is smooth and straightforward. ly in favor of the D&D game; I’ve never tips for the referee (“Instruct the players Spell-casting is treated as a skill; a die-roll met a new player who didn’t get a kick out to place their stand-up cardboard figures of 7 or more, modified by the applicable of a basic dungeon crawl, and I’ve GMed on the floor plan of the sitting room to magic bonus, results in a successful cast- everybody from grade school kids to indicate where their characters are lo- ing. But there are only 15 spells, with fire Ph.D.s. The revised D&D game is an excel- cated”), there are sidebars that clarify the bolt the most spectacular of a rather dull lent introduction to a fascinating hobby, concept of experience points and explain selection. The equipment list is likewise recommended for curious newcomers and methods for communicating the location skimpy, including basic armor types, ge- nostalgic old-timers alike. of physical objects. For confused players, a neric weapons, and not much else. Hack- section of sample dialogue shows them n-slashers‘ will be disappointed by the LORD OF THE RINGS* how to introduce themselves (“My charac- absence of a monster roster. game **** ter is Lily Greenthumb. Lily is a hobbit Evaluation: Quibbles aside, role- Boxed game with 32-page rule book, 64- and therefore quite short and . . .”). playing novices in general and Tolkien fans page adventure book, 32-page floor In later scenes, when the action becomes in particular ought to be tickled pink by plan and character book, fold-up more complex, the referee is referred to the LORD OF THE RINGS game. It’s as counters, color map sheet, dice the Action Sequences in the Guidelines well-written and graphically attractive as Iron Crown Enterprises, Inc. $18 Book, which are among the game’s most the revised D&D game, only a bit harder Design: Jessica M. Ney and S. Coleman innovative and useful features. There are to learn. Best of all, it successfully cap- Charlton 14 different Action Sequences, ranging tures the fairy-tale ambiance of the novels. Editor/developer: Jessica Ney from “Sneaking Through Town by Night” Conceivably, this could be used as a bridge Cover: Angus McBride to “Picking a Pocket” to “Ambushing an to Iron Crown’s ambitious MIDDLE- Interior illustrations: Liz Danforth, Marco Enemy.” Each sequence lists specific steps EARTH ROLE-PLAYING* game, but I’d be Aidala, Ron Hill, Jaime Lombardo for the referee to execute in order to just as happy sticking with the simpler and Map: Eric Hotz simulate the intended action. “Sneaking more satisfying LORD OF THE RINGS Playing pieces: Marco Aidala, Liz Danforth Through Town,” for example, begins by system. Black and white maps and floor plans: instructing the referee to describe the J. M. Ney scene to the players. He then asks them 5th edition TUNNELS & what precautions their characters are TROLLS* game * * *½ The LORD OF THE RINGS* game is, of taking to pass unseen and unheard. A 96-page softcover book course, inspired by the classic fantasy chart describes the penalties or bonuses Flying Buffalo, Inc. $10 trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien. While those for each likely action (+1 for wearing soft- Design: Ken St. Andre who’ve never read the novels will be a soled shoes, -1 for talking), while a sec- Editing: Liz Danforth step behind, familiarity with the source ond chart provides a variety of results Cover: Liz Danforth material isn’t absolutely necessary, thanks based on each character’s modified die-roll Interior illustrations: Rob Carver, Liz Dan- to a sparkling approach that serves both (a roll of 7 indicates that “the breeze ruf- forth, Victoria Poyser as an introduction to role-playing and a fles your cloak, but your steps make no guide to the wonders of Middle-earth. sound.“). Though some of the Action Se- Since its inception in 1975, the TUNNELS The format is similar to that of the re- quences are complicated — “Escaping from & TROLLS* (T&T) game has been dogged vised D&D game. Both products feature a Capture” involves nine detailed steps that by an undeserved reputation as a superfi- wealth of attractive components (including could take a novice referee as long as an cial knock-off of the D&D game. The two ready-to-use floor plans and colorful fold- hour of real time to complete— overall, games certainly have a lot in common. The up counters corresponding to the charac- they’re excellent templates for teaching T&T game employs many of the same ters in the introductory adventure), a referees the intricacies of handling com- concepts (such as character levels and congenial style that rightfully assumes the mon RPG situations. experience points— here called Adventure reader has no previous experience with If the rules were as elegant as the adven- Points) and maintains a similar tone (PCs role-playing, and a presentation of the ture they support, the LORD OF THE stomp monsters and snatch treasure to rules not once, but twice— theGuidelines RINGS game would be an unqualified acquire ever-increasing levels of power). Book is a formal compilation of the rules, winner. Unfortunately, the game system Even its name sounds suspiciously similar while the Adventure Book teaches the leans a little too hard on statistics and to you-know-what. rules in a programmed format, not unlike modifiers, which could easily scare off But the T&T game presents itself as a the revised D&D game’s Dragon Cards. players with a phobia for numbers. Char- reaction to what designer Ken St. Andre

74 AUGUST 1992 sees as an unnecessarily complicated ap- only requires eight points from a staff- game with the TOON Silly Stuff, Son of proach to role-playing. “I just wanted wielding wizard. Overall, magic flows TOON, and TOON Strikes Again supple- something I could play with my friends at more freely in the T&T system than it ments, as well as a few all-new bonus a reasonable price, with reasonable equip- does in the basic D&D game, as beginning adventures— the hold-outs have run out of ment,” he says. If you judge an RPG by the mages have more options than their D&D excuses; this is the definitive TOON game, thinness of the rule book and the scarcity equivalents, and high-level spells are more and it’s worth a look from anyone who’s of charts and tables, he largely succeeded. accessible. ever laughed out loud at Daffy Duck or Whether the T&T system works as a game A game this simple is imprecise by defi- empathized with Wile E. Coyote. depends on your ability to improvise with- nition, and the T&T game remains a hair- Aside from some light editing, the rules in an intentionally loose set of rules and splitter’s delight. Due to the Monster are identical to the those in the original your willingness to overlook the inevitable Ratings, there’s no meaningful distinction edition. Briefly, the TOON game is set in an holes. between fighting a giant slug and a drunk- world of cartoons, not unlike that of Who Though the writing, editing, and produc- en swordsman. Spell effects are open to Framed Roger Rabbit? (which the TOON tion values of the T&T game have come a broad interpretation, as are the details of game predates by a good four years), a long way from its shaky 1st edition, the combat. And the experience rules are wildly chaotic setting where the laws of basic concepts are essentially unchanged; downright goofy; by my calculation, it physics are as unwelcome as common this new edition is virtually identical to its takes 712,000,000 experience points to sense. Players assume the roles of ani- predecessor (by my count, this is the sec- reach 25th level. mated characters, literally any creature or ond version of the 5th edition, distin- Evaluation: The TUNNELS & TROLLS object they can dream up; I’ve been Irma guished only by a better cover and some game is by no means the most sophisti- the Ironing Board, and my wife is fond of minor corrections). Players choose from cated alternative to the D&D game— the Willy the Weremouse. PCs are loosely four character classes— warriors, wizards, AD&D game, the Avalon Hill Game Compa- defined by four attributes— Muscle, Zip, rogues, and the less-common warrior- ny’s RUNEQUEST* game, and even the Smarts, and Chutzpah— and individualized wizards— whose randomly determined new LORD OF THE RINGS game are all by an imaginative assortment of skills attributes include Strength, Luck (analo- better designs— but it’s certainly the easi- called shticks, ranging from the self- gous to saving throws in the D&D system), est to learn. A beginner should be able to explanatory Incredible Luck to the off-the- Intelligence, Constitution (comparable to master it in an afternoon, and a veteran wall Coat of Arms (the ability to generate a the D&D game’s hit points), Dexterity, and will probably nail it in under an hour. The mechanical arm from a cloak or other Charisma. After selecting weapons from game’s casual approach works best in garment to produce ray guns, cream pies, an impressive list featuring sword canes, short spurts rather than extended cam- or whatever else the character desires). To piton hammers, and other exotic choices, paigns, as the system tends to spring leaks round him (it?) out, a character is assigned the PCs are off to the dungeon— make that once the PCs leave the confines of the a natural enemy to serve as a recurring “tunnel’—‘ to face off against the orcs and dun— . . .er, tunnel. The game is especial- villain (Willy the Weremouse’s natural ogres who stand between them and untold ly well-suited for solo play, as demon- enemy is Frankencheddar the Undead riches. strated by Flying Buffalo’s excellent line of Cheese), along with a belief, a personal What the combat system lacks in real- solitaire adventures; check out Arena of credo that centers the PC’s personality ism, it makes up for in simplicity and Khazan and Sea of Mystery. (Irma the Ironing Board’s Belief is I Must speed. Essentially, each opponent rolls a Smooth Out Wrinkles Wherever I May fixed number of combat dice, modified by Deluxe Edition TOON* Find Them, which had interesting conse- a handful of bonuses or penalties. The low game * * * *½ quences in our nursing-home adventure). roll is subtracted from the high roll, and 208-page softcover book The referee— or Animator, in TOON- the difference is taken as damage by the Steve Jackson Games $20 talk-regulates the action by simple dice loser. Monsters have only one pertinent Design: Greg Costikyan rolls and random whims. Should the game attribute, a “Monster Rating” that repre- Development: Warren Spector get out of control, baffled Animators are sents both the strength of the monster and Editing: Steve Jackson encouraged to use the Fifty-Percent Rule, how much damage it can take. With only a Additional material: Allen Varney, Gerald where an ambiguous situation is reduced single rating to worry about, referees Swick, Kyle Miller, Steve Jackson, Wil- to a “Yes or No” question; a 1-3 result on a won’t have any trouble running T&T liam Herz, Caroline Chase, Joseph J. six-sided die means “Yes,” 4-6 means “No.” monsters, but they’ll have a tough time Anthony, Chad Duncan, Russel Grant Characters who run into walls or fall into making them memorable. Collins, Dave Sals, and Andy Egan food processors lose a die’s worth of hit Players who don‘t gag on the cutesy-poo Cover: Kyle Miller points. A PC reduced to zero hit points spell names like Take That You Fiend and Interior illustrations: Kyle Miller and Carl doesn’t die, he just Falls Down; the player Hidey Hole will find the magic system to Anderson sits out for three minutes of real time, be exceptionally clever. Mages cast spells after which he rejoins the game, his char- by expending strength points. Each spell I’ve been reading game reviews for a acter fully recovered. An adventure usu- costs a particular number of points, and long time, and I’ve never run across a ally lasts an hour or less, ending abruptly when the caster runs out of strength, he product that’s received as much attention with a crackpot finale. Suggested climaxes can’t use magic until he recovers, regain- as the TOON* game. In the pages of this include an avalanche of hot fudge that ing lost strength at the rate of one point very magazine, it’s been covered no less buries all concerned, and a garbage truck per turn of rest. The effects of certain than four times, reviewed in DRAGON® that mistakes the PCs for litter and hauls spells may be increased by expending issues #92 and #144, discussed in Michael them all to the dump. more than the required number of Dobson’s “Bad Idea, Good Game” article in The adventures themselves emulate strength points, and low-level mages may issue #106, and plugged again in DRAGON Warner Brothers’ cartoons— that is, they’re pool their strengths to cast higher-level issue #178’s editorial. The attention has heavy on slapstick violence and light on spells unavailable to them as individuals. been almost universally positive, and de- Walt Disney-ish whimsy. The TOON Deluxe Magic staves, which may be created by servedly so. From conception through game features more than a dozen adven- enchanting regular wood (at a cost as high execution, the TOON game is a brilliant tures of various lengths, the best of which as 5,000 gold pieces and the risk of an design, as appealing to beginners as vet- are Warren Spector’s “The Better House- explosion if the enchantment fails), lower erans, and easily the hands-down funniest trap,” where the PCs take on a gang of the cost of spells by an amount equal to RPG ever to see the light of day. With the hostile kitchen appliances, and Allen Var- the level of the mage; a Whammy spell publication of the deluxe edition-a single ney’s “Now Museum, Now You Don’t,” a that ordinarily costs 10 strength points volume that combines the original 1984 light spoof of D&D-styled fantasy sce-

DRAGON 75 narios featuring a magic mirror that dis- fiers, and default penalties. Who cares plays public television documentaries and about the mass category of the Militech a cursed gem called the Hatsabad Dia- laster-blaster? I want to know more about mond. For the industrious, the “TOON Projectile Vomiting. There’s enough inven- Adventure Generator” shows how to cre- tive material here for veteran role-players ate cartoon plots from scratch. The “Places to develop into a suitably crazed cam- to Go” chapter details the Robot Factory, paign, but novices are likely to flounder. the Incredibly Busy Street, and other Meanwhile, I’m keeping my fingers generic settings in which to stage original crossed for a revision; here’s hoping that adventures, while the “Cartoon Stars” when the designers get around to it, they chapter lists statistics and background spend less time with weapon tables and notes for Morty Tortoise, Professor Main- more with Larry, Moe, and Curly. spring, and thirteen other oddball NPCs. Evaluation: So if TOON is so great, D&D Rules Cyclopedia, by Aaron All- why the qualified recommendation? Like ston. TSR, Inc., $25. A compilation and West Ends PARANOIA* game, R. Talsor- revision of the old D&D boxed series ian’s TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE* (comprising the Basic, Expert, Companion, game, and other humorous RPGs, the and Masters boxes), this stunningly com- TOON game places a disproportionate prehensive volume begins where the re- burden on the referee; not only must he vised D&D set barely scratches the adjudicate the rules and keep the story on surface, carrying characters all the way to track, he’s got to have a flair for funny the 36th level. The book includes more business. And if you’ve ever suffered detail than most GMs will ever use-in all through an attempted joke from a humor- my years of D&D gaming, I’ve never need- impaired friend, you know that comedy ed to know the cost of keeping an arch- doesn’t come naturally to everyone. How- duke in my stronghold (it’s 700 gp per ever, for a referee with an affinity for the day), but if you want it, you can probably absurd and a group of like-minded play- find it here. Of particular interest to old- ers, the TOON game can be terrific fun. timers are the special sections on skills (including such entries as Intimidation and Short and sweet Food Tasting, notably absent in both the TALES OF THE FLOATING VAGABOND* secondary skill and non-weapon proficien- game, by Lee Garvin, Nick Atlas, and John cy lists in the AD&D 2nd Edition Player’s Huff. The Avalon Hill Game Company, $14. Handbook) and the informative look at the I like adolescent humor as much as the Known World and HOLLOW WORLD™ next guy, and I’ve got the Three Stooges game settings. Best of all, the material is a videos to prove it. This is why I was look- joy to read, thanks to the breezy style of ing forward to the TALES OF THE FLOAT. Aaron Allston, who must’ve been geneti- ING VAGABOND game, the new RPG from cally engineered to write RPG rules. This Avalon Hill that unapologetically celebrates is a must for serious fans. dumbness. The game takes place in a lunatic ver- Tharkold, by Paul Hume and Greg Gor- sion of the bar from Star Wars (The Float- don. West End Games, $18. I didn’t get too ing Vagabond), a hang-out for insectoid excited about the first round of TORG* swashbucklers, brain- dead wizards, and game supplements, as the blend of science- other assorted weirdos, including the PCs. fiction, fantasy, and horror never seemed Using the Vagabond as a interdimensional to jell. But the designers have hit their launching pad, characters bounce through stride with Tharkold, a bone-rattling a variety of logic-free adventures in just sourcebook describing a decadent Los about any era and genre of the referee’s Angeles besieged by the Tharkoldu, a choice, periodically finding themselves demonic race of aliens who relate to hu- locked in mortal combat with the evil mans like sharks relate to raw meat. A Space Nazis or the People’s Revolutionary compelling array of new monsters and Temperance League. exotic technology complements a week-by- The PCs derive from a gallery of motley week accounting of the Tharkoldu inva- archetypes, such as the Tough Guy and the sion and a grim tour of Beverly Hills, Bounty Hunter, souped up with gloriously Compton, and other hot spots. Absent in stupid shticks (shades of the TOON game!). previous TORG products but delightfully Typical shticks include the Schwarzeneg- present here is an undercurrent of black ger Effect, in which the PC remains totally humor. For instance, we’re told of a Bur- oblivious to the damage he’s taken until he bank TV studio that’s home to a program drops dead, and the Rogers and Hammer- titled L.A. Challenge, where desperate stein Effect, where the PC’s every move is citizens are enticed to perform suicidal heralded by his personal theme song. stunts with a promise of impressive prizes Skills, acquired through the expenditure for their designated heirs; being meticu- of skill points, include Swing Nasty Pointy lous entrepreneurs, the producers are Thing, Party Like A Madman, and Belching planning to film 130 episodes so they can For Effect. sell the series in syndication. Can a The game lacks the courage of its own Tharkoldian version of Jeopardy be far convictions however, as the engaging behind? inanities are dulled by a set of rules that rely too much on number crunching and *indicates a product produced by a company other not enough on low comedy. The combat than TSR, Inc. Most product names are trademarks system is a yawner employing hit bonuses, owned by the companies publishing those products. The use of the name of any product without mention weapon ranges, and damage tables. Skill of its trademark status should not be construed as a use involves difficulty levels, skill modi- challenge to such status.

I could not believe the audacity of the un- named person [in issue #177] who wrote to your magazine and proposed that DMs should charge for the adventures they write (and presumably run). Admittedly, this question arose in our group, and we settled it in a mature fashion- for our group we have three DMs, each of us with our own “specialty” that we run; we buy our own munchies and freely cover for some- one else who may be short on funds, and trans- portation fees are handled the same way. When it comes to the adventures that are run, they are either “store-bought” or the DM has written his own. The cost is defrayed by having every one participate and have fun—it doesn’t matter who bought what, or how much time went into preparation, because between three DMs it all balances out in the end. “Forum” welcomes your comments and opin- can easily destroy friendships and break up The best advice I can give to those DMs who ions on role-playing games. In the United States gaming groups. However, if the referee uses write great adventures and want to get paid for and Canada, write to: Forum, DRAGON® Maga- modules a lot, there is one way that it’s feasible it is to send for the writers’ guidelines for zine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, for players to more or less “pay” their DM. DUNGEON@ Adventures [Send an SASE to: U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Forum, DRAGON Instead of paying several dollars each for the Module Guidelines, DUNGEON Adventures, PO. Magazine, TSR Ltd, 120 Church End, Cherry honor of playing in the DM’s game, the players Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.] and Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom. can all chip in and pay for the module that the send in those ideas! We ask that material submitted to “Forum” be DM is going to use next. This way the players Tracy Greathouse either neatly written by hand or typed with a aren’t paying the referee personally, and there Bedford Heights OH fresh ribbon and clean keys so we can read and isn’t as much pressure on the DM to perform as understand your comments. he‘s not using his own adventure, merely run- It is sad that it took the death of a close friend ning a pre-made one. to make me write this letter. I am writing in response to the first letter in Ian Johnson I’ve read your magazine since I was about 12 DRAGON® issue #177, entitled “DM’s dilemma: Asheville NC years old, rarely missing an issue, and I’ve had Fee or free?” I agree that this can be a very very few complaints. The most bothersome item touchy subject, and a good case can be made for After reading about the “DM’s dilemma: Feet has been letters from players or DMs who have either side of this issue. Still, I felt motivated to of free or free?” letter in DRAGON issue #177, I was had problems with the others in their groups. write and express several ideas I have on the slightly shocked. Although it is labeled a “very I’m talking about problems that occur during a subject. touchy” topic, this was the first I had ever heard session, such as characters killing or stealing First, the writer is correct that many players of it. From the moment I finished the column, I from other characters. This problem plagued who do not themselves act as referees may not had already formed an opinion of it: I strongly our campaign several years ago. appreciate the amount of work that goes into disliked the concept. To me, it seemed, well, for There were nine of us in the beginning, running a game. Gaming is not cheap if you go lack of a better word, an abomination of the around 1983. We played just about every week- into all the extras, such as figures, elaborate position of the Dungeon Master. I have DMed vari- end, and it was expected of the group to have at props, maps, modules, character sheets, and ous games (most notably TSR’s AD&D® game least one all-night session each month. We lived extra dice to replace the ones your mother and Palladium’s ROBOTECH* game) for about for those games. For myself and others, it was vacuumed up. Then there are all the supplies seven years. It is impossible to express in words the ultimate social event. Because of this, I was that you need but don’t use during the the sense of fulfillment it gives me. Strangely labeled a misfit (geek, nerd, and worse) by my game itself, such as brushes and paints for the enough, I can count the number of adventures I classmates. I didn’t care, though. I had the figures, reference material, gaming magazines, have participated in from the player’s perspec- game, and more important, I had my friends to etc. And don’t forget the nongaming items that tive on my left hand, and not use all my fingers. share it with. Who could ask for more, right? you need during the game itself: drinks, mun- By the letter author’s various gripes about the During our junior and senior years in high chies, napkins, ice, and so on. amount of work involved, I can discern that he school, the first problems arose. There were a I have found the best way to organize all this is not cut from the cloth true DMs are made lot of arguments, fights, and hatreds toward is to have as many different people in the group from. Sure, I have experienced exactly what he each other. Vendettas were started and flour- as possible run games, ideally each one running has, sometimes worse. At the moment, I am ished in the game. Someone’s PC would steal not only a different campaign but also an entire- organizing a campaign for my high school’s from or kill someone else’s character, and the ly different game system. Play one adventure strategic games club. Immediately, I had 11 problem would become more and more uncon- through in one game, then switch to the next people eager to play, and I turned away none of trollable. Eventually, it developed into an out-of- one. This way, the expense and work of DMing them. For the past week, I have been writing game problem. Some of us stopped talking to is more or less evenly distributed between the module in which they will play. This trans- each other, and there was an endless repetition everyone in the group, plus you get to play lates into many late nights ( up to seven hours a of verbal back-stabbing. The group split up. different characters in different games so you day) and missed schoolwork (unwise, I know). I I happened to keep all those individuals as don’t get burned out playing the same one all will not kid you: It is tremendously difficult, friends. We had a few gaming sessions, but they the time. The group should rotate the location mostly because of the sheer volume of work I didn’t compare with the games we used to of the game each session, playing at a different must do. Yes, I have been known to let a com- know. When you’re used to eight-PC games and person’s home so that no one person gets stuck plaint slip out from time to time. But every then have to make do with only three PCs, the with “entertaining” the group every time. Lastly, minute of effort will be worth the satisfaction I game starts to lose its appeal. Then, I became let everybody take care of bringing his own will get when I see the player characters defeat disenchanted with it all and left the fold. drinks and munchies. This solves problems such the kobold leader/shaman and liberate Kur- Last January, I received a letter from my as one person always “forgetting” to bring tulmak’s Temple. Simply put, the satisfaction I parents. They also enclosed a newspaper clip- something, or bringing something that some- get out of my labors far surpasses any effort I ping about one of my old gaming pals. During body else in the group doesn’t like or can’t eat. put in. If the author does not feel this personal the Persian Gulf war, he was assigned to the However, on the topic of actually charging for satisfaction from his DMing, I suggest he try a 82nd Engineers. While his platoon was clearing your DMing services, I have to agree with Mr. new position, or the selective crown of DMing an Iraqi mine field, one of the mines went off, Moore that this idea creates more problems is too small for his head. I am in full agreement killing him and seven others. than it solves. He makes a good point that play- with Mr. Moore’s comment, “I strongly feel that The news came like a thunderbolt. I stood ers, too, spend money on their gaming. Money being a DM is a labor of love.” there dumbfounded. I refused to accept his is very dear to most people, especially in these Jay Kirkman death. “He’s not dead. He’s not dead” I kept tough economic times, and disputes over money Fairfield CT repeating to myself. The news also struck my 78 AUGUST 1992 friends hard. like to hear the official TSR argument in this in a while. My wish was to have at least been at his matter as well. And what about wild and dead psionic zones? funeral, but I was assigned to a military training Maurice Sprague If wild-magic and dead-magic zones were cre- school at the time and couldn’t leave by orders Phoenix AZ ated after the Time of Troubles in the of my superiors. The others did go and, possibly FORGOTTEN REALMS® setting, and seeing how for the first time in years, talked to each other. Okay, now that everyone has had a chance to psionic power is a natural, “nonmagical” art, We all regretted that we couldn’t tell him how playtest the psionicist, I want to know what why not have wild and dead psionic zones, too? we felt about him as our friend. We loved him. other people think of the class. I guess I’m just another player of an angered We just wished he could have lived long enough The psionicist character was a great idea. The mage who would like to see the shadow of the for us to become friends again and forgive first time I read through it, I decided that the psionicist removed and the power of centuries everything we’d said about him and the others. CPH was the best written of all the handbooks. of arcane studies return mages to their positions It’s too late to do that now. At least, we can’t But now that I’ve had a chance to see it played, I in the ever-changing power structure of the tell him face-to-face like we’d hoped. All we can decided that it’s way too powerful. Unlike the realms. do is visit his grave and ask the silence to for- mage, the psionicist character never goes Brad Allison give us for what we’ve done. through a stage of weakness. He never need Laurinburg NC My message to the players and DMs is: Don’t let worry about spell components or even being differences interfere with your friendships. It can interrupted during casting. Mages have saving After reading Mr. Detwiler’s article in be hard at the time to just let it go when Bork the throws and magic resistance to deal with, but DRAGON issue #173, “Magic Mangling Made fighter has just killed your favorite character, but nothing of the sort ever comes the psionicist’s Easy,” I found many of his ideas quite disturbing. think of what can come of it. I made that mistake way, except for maybe a power check failure While it is possible that a poorly run campaign years ago and now I have to pay. Don’t let a bad (but with decent placement of ability scores, this might allow spell-casters to become overly game ruin a good friendship. is a rarity). powerful, I don’t believe the suggestions in the If you print this, please withhold my name. This is the first campaign I have had the article are the answer. Rather, they will proba- Thank you, pleasure of playing along with a psionicist, and I bly prove to be unnecessary, unwelcome, and had a feeling that maybe they were a bit power- damaging to the campaign in the end. In response to Geof Gilmore’s “Forum” letter on ful when our 2nd-level psionicist single- Although there are a wide variety of wizard psionics in DRAGON issue #178, I have brain- handedly Disintegrated a greater wolfwere. I classes in the AD&D 2nd Edition rules, none of stormed and come up with a few suggestions. suggested to our DM after our psionicist alone them are disproportionately powerful when As a DM for the last six years, I have found defeated a shadow dragon with the Invincible compared to the other classes. As long as the few opponents that are as vile or powerful as a Foes power and a handful of caltrops that he rules concerning spell-casting are properly villainous psionicist. Since the introduction of might want to start granting powerful creature enforced, there should be no problems; any the Complete Psionics Handbook, I have had an psionic resistance equal to their magic class can become unbalanced when the rules archvillainess behind the scenes wreaking havoc resistance. are ignored. Although Mr. Detwiler makes with my campaign’s characters and their Something must be done to restore balance to reference to the rules in his article, he is not friends. The requirements to be a member of the game. Magic has lost its arcane power to the suggesting you enforce them as written. The the psionicist character class virtually guarantee influx of psionics. I have suggested to our DM to point of the article is to render spell-casters, an intelligent and devious opponent. While this drop all of a psionicist’s base power scores by primarily wizards, useless through bizarre and has been beneficial for the mood and intensity four, thus giving him a chance to fail every once detrimental coincidences, inflicting all manner of my campaign, if I unleashed her upon my PCs with no restrictions other than those in the above-mentioned book, they would be mere fodder feeding the giant space hamsters of great renown. To tone down the power of the psionicist, I have made a few alterations and included a few more restrictions on the class. Included in these restric- tions are all non-humanoid psionic creatures. Psionicists may no longer engage in any other actions during the use of a psionic ability; this includes the loss of half movement for the character and dexterity bonus to armor class. (This is the price spell-casters pay to cast a spell.) Failure on a power score roll results in the full loss of PSPs, not half (a disrupted spell is wiped from the spell-caster). Only one power may be maintained at a time, although a one- shot ability is still usable. Matching a power score results in an extension in duration instead of an enhancement of power. (Do wizards get “super” fireballs?) Any failed ability that was directed at an individual alerts the victim to “something tampering with your mind or body.” In addition, that particular ability is of no use to the psionicist against that opponent until next level or, in the case of nonhumanoids, until a month has passed. Multiple conflicts, as per page 24 of the Complete Psionics Handbook, should be restricted or eliminated where it pertains to individual minds being in contact with a single psionicist— there’s simply too much input for the psionicist to handle effectively. I hope my input will be helpful in determining any changes to the psionicist character class that may be deemed necessary in a campaign to balance the odds. I do believe psionicists are too powerful in comparison to other, more tradi- tional character classes. Imagine the shock experienced when my 16th-level paladin slew two of his friends at the behest of a 9th-level psionicist with the Body Control ability! I would

DRAGON 79 of unrealistic hardships upon them. thing. If you tell your party’s mage that his best can a cold or flu. Second, an allergic reaction While it is true that spell-casting requires spell was ruined when the noise of indoor occurs when a foreign protein enters the body complete concentration, the mage is not totally combat makes a stone or bit of plaster fall from and is attacked by antibodies; the resulting oblivious to everything around him, nor is his the ceiling and hit him on the head, see how he wastes damage nearby cells. At any rate, no concentration so feeble and easily disrupted as likes it (especially after the third or fourth time reaction can occur until the antibodies are Mr. Detwiler suggests. I strongly resist the it happens). produced by the body. Although a very allergic notion that light (nondamaging) pebbles thrown On the subject of spell components, while it’s person can produce them faster, it still takes at the caster could disrupt his concentration. true that the loss or destruction of a mage’s time. Unless they were hurled with considerable components can ruin him, it should be a very The idea that a mage could be prevented from force (such as from a sling), such a light object rare occurrence indeed. Any good mage will casting a fireball because of an allergy to one of wouldn’t even be felt through the mage’s robes, realize that his components are nearly as valu- the components is ridiculous. If the momentary and an armored cleric would be totally oblivious able as his spell books and take measures to contact with that small amount of material to such a feeble attempt. Unless you can hit the protect them. Perishable components would be caused any reaction at all, it would be very caster in the head consistently, you can forget preserved if possible and kept in good contain- minor and appear several minutes later, The that idea. There are many distracting things ers if not. Mages will generally have all their only circumstances that might possibly cause a that will not ruin a spell-caster’s concentration; components safely sealed away except for the problem involves sustained exposure to the the din and confusion of battle is a good exam- few they plan to use for spells they currently allergic substance, and in most cases this ple. If every loud noise ruined a spell, mages have memorized. If an absent-minded mage wouldn’t affect spell-casting in the slightest. would be practically useless in a campaign and a decides to cross a river without taking precau- Some spells, like spider climb and identify (in distinct liability in combat. tions to protect the sugar in his pouch despite which the material components must be ingest- Now, in the midst of a furious melee, just try his high intelligence, that’s one thing. On the ed by the caster), probably would cause a reac- telling the party‘s mage that his spell was ruined other hand, if he’s not bright enough to keep his tion from an allergic caster, but not until several because one of the other party members spare supply in a tightly closed bottle, one must minutes after the spell is cast. Components bumped him or a hacked-off bit of armor hit wonder how the numbskull ever got to be a applied to the skin, as in the spell friends for him, all this despite the group’s perfectly exe- mage in the first place. Many mundane things example, also might cause reactions. cuted attack formation. Most players don’t must be taken for granted in the game to pre- At any rate, the very idea of making charac- appreciate this kind of high-handed manipula- vent it from bogging down completely. You ters allergic to things they need strikes me as tion of their characters. Players like difficulties assume the warriors in the party spend some cruel and unusual. If you think your players will they can overcome and foes they can vanquish. time each day cleaning and oiling their arms be upset when a character is made allergic to When they begin falling prey to bizarre feats of and armor. If they didn’t, these items would horses, just tell a mage that he’s now allergic to bad luck that they can’t resist or overcome, quickly become pitted, corroded, and useless. his familiar. Trying to remove some magically their senses of humor will wear thin. Some All characters should be given enough credit to inflicted allergy from the party might make for might simply roll their eyes and decide the gods know their own business. an interesting adventure, but inflicting these hate them, but most, especially after repeated The article’s treatment of allergies is simply vicious and unrealistic allergies on a character incidents, will feel cheated by some whim of the ludicrous. First, the tendency to be allergic, if could quickly turn your normally cheerful DM and grow to resent his mage-bashing. No not having a specific allergy, is genetic and gaming group into a lynch mob. And no, mages one wants to feel like the DM’s helpless play- hereditary. You cannot catch an allergy like you should not be more likely to have allergies (even normal ones) than fighters, unless the mages’ parents did. As a DM, I’m not totally opposed to relieving characters of their “extra” magical items, but it must be done with a certain amount of tact. Occasionally an item will fail a saving throw and be destroyed, or may be lost or bargained away in a deal. A powerful NPC may even offer to buy the item. But just remember, you can only encounter so many rust monsters and disen- chanters before your players cease to take your campaign seriously. In closing, let me say that if you play either the AD&D or D&D® game by the rules, you won’t have any problem balancing the charac- ters in your party. Only you, as the DM, can make someone too powerful. You determine what spells a wizard can find and add to his book, and you decide the number and power of magical items in the party. The best way to prevent spell-casters (or any other character type) from overpowering your campaign is to keep them legal in the first place, and the best way to correct the problem once it starts is to enforce the rules you’ve neglected. Finally, always use your head. You can create challenges for your group without resorting to unrealistic manipulations; these will only make your play ers feel like they’re being toyed with. Allen McMillan Vancouver WA

This is regarding Justin Kelley’s letter in the March “Forum” (DRAGON issue #179). I have one question. Who said you had to throw the spell on the target? There is nothing in the rules that says you can’t take an indirect approach. For example, take the dig spell. At 25th level, the caster can dig a hole as large as 3,125 cubic feet, and holes don’t glow in the dark. Or this master mage could cast transmute rock to mud which, at the 25th level of effect, can change as

80 AUGUST 1992 much as 500 cubic feet of rock into gooey mud. beyond its usual effects. A simple charm spell ter being a mage with a strong liking for necro- Remember, the term is “magic resistance,” not cast on a baatezu’s underling could do wonders. mantic spells. Most of these adventures take “mud resistance.” Encourage her to experiment. The party magus place on the Outer Planes, where magic- A good spell for priests is earthquake. Take a could surprise you. resistant creatures are most commonly encoun- look at what it can do in caverns and tunnels. To paraphrase a theater saying: There are no tered. The mage is now 24th level and has Keep in mind that a collapsing cavern roof is not ineffective spells, only stodgy magi. Be creative, survived many deadly scrapes, but he usually magical, so magic resistance won’t help. To use those spells in ways the designers never hasn’t too much problem with magic resistance, paraphrase a modern-day military term, you intended, and watch the monsters run away. since his tactics involve affecting the areas can’t magic-resist a rock. By the way, the area of Alan Kellogg around creatures, such as disintegrating the effect for an earthquake spell cast by a 25th- San Diego CA area under the creature. One favorite is to level cleric is 125’ in diameter. Depending on the telekinetically lift rocks and boulders above a composition of the cavern or tunnel, this could This is in response to Justin Kelley’s letter in creature, then cause the spell to stop, dropping mean tons of stone on the poor monster’s head. DRAGON issue #179 about how he feels that the the load on the victim. At such high levels, a At least this could mean a delay in his plans AD&D 2nd Edition game is “killing off” the mage great deal of matter could be unloaded in this concerning your party. class. Before I continue, I assume that all his fashion. Tactics are what makes the wizard By the way, the first monster in the basic arguments are concerning the wizard group in character so interesting and attractive; just look Monstrous Compendium that has a magic resist- general, including all the specialist schools such at all the villains in adventures who are wizards! ance rating is the young adult black dragon; as those in the 2nd Edition Player’s Handbook If the designer didn’t think wizards were, in all having 10% is hardly a formidable rating. and the Tome of Magic supplement. their deviousness, challenging enough, he would Many monsters with a magic resistance rating In my 10 years of contact with the AD&D have stuck in a fighter or cleric instead! also usually have underlings, not all of whom game and role-playing in general, I have never All I can recommend to remedy this situation also have a magic resistance rating. Instead of encountered anyone who feels that wizards are is for the group to cooperate better tactically. throwing that confusion spell on the mature a weaker class. Generally, the consensus is that Who’s to say that the wizard ever has to partici- adult red dragon, try throwing it on the accom- they are the most interesting, dynamic, and pate in the battle, anyway? Why can’t he con- panying gnolls, and watch the fun. In one ad- colorful of characters to play— my own first centrate on defenses for the party or himself, venture, my mage and a dwarf were the last character was an illusionist, when I was seven. reconnoitering (there is a huge number of spells survivors of a disastrous expedition. We were As a DM, one of my problems is trying to per- available for this) or performing many other heading for the exit on a flying broom when we suade the players to pick a varied selection of tasks. Two other schools of magic spring to were beset by a swarm of bats. I cast my very character classes— most want to be specialist mind that would help: conjuration/summoning first lightning bolt and did a total of 29 hp of wizards. To date, most of the PCs in my cam- and illusion/phantasm. Indirect help— such as damage (out of a possible 30). We later learned paigns have been wizards. mentioned earlier-can often be as good as the the vampire who had set the bats upon us had In my view, all Mr. Kelley’s friends’ problems more direct effects that, say, a fighter would decided, when he saw his “flock” go poof, to stem from the fact his group plays in such have. This is readily shown by using the exam- leave us alone. We got out of the dungeon. unrecommended “troubled waters” — his group ple of conjuration/summoning spells, such as the Encourage the person playing the party wiz- plays at very high levels. The only campaign I monster summoning variants. Add the use of ard to be inventive, to come up with new and know of that is still running (and has been doing animate dead and abjurations to these, and the interesting ways to use spells. A lightning bolt so for four years now) in which such levels of mage could easily turn the tide of many cast at just the right spot can cause damage far play are used is a “one-on-one,” with the charac- battles— even those above 20th level. Since a greater number of spells to choose from means a greater range of possibilities, the logical conclusion would be that there are then more possible tactics. Because of this, I recom- mend that the group and, in particular, the player of the mage, purchase AD&D supple- ments (especially the Complete Wizard’s Hand- book and the Tome of Magic). The latter would be of special value since it contains a spell that could solve many problems— the spell is called lower resistance, and the title is self- explanatory. I think the idea that not only are mages a weaker class but that the AD&D 2nd Edition game is killing them off is absurd. A huge amount of material is produced for wizards, more than any other class. It is not often you see new weapons or combat rules at the end of published scenarios, for example, but you often see new spells. I can suggest one thing to the player of the mage that has been the butt of all the jokes— don’t take it! Warn the players to lay off, and if they don’t, fry them! No, honest! Fly above them with improved invisibility and other defenses, and let fly with those meteor swarms! Maybe then you can get some respect, since the party is not likely to get up to the position you are now in, let alone stand up to a potential number of five barrages of meteor swarms. Arlo J. White Northern Ireland

* indicates a product produced by a company other than TSR, Inc. Most product names are trademarks owned by the companies publishing those products. The use of the name of any product without mention of its trademark status should not be construed as a challenge to such status.

82 AUGUST 1992

ome years ago, Nemra required a pledge of me that I would never reveal the location of his home. I gave my word, because I thought the tempta- How tion would likely prove too much for most of us, and because it is always unwise to reject Nemra’s requests. For though his artistic nature forbids any killing in the line of duty, this scruple does not extend to murders that are Nemra necessary for concealment. So it will have to do to tell you that Nemra lives in a certain house on a certain street in a certain city, without going into the north, south, east, or west of it. The house Added a is a large one but more than a little frayed at the edges. Seeing it, you might wonder why anyone, particularly a successful artist such as Nemra, would live inside. But inside, where few go, the rooms are furnished with items so old, so new, so large, or so small that their mar- Line to the ket value is above that of the common run of human lives. Everything is stolen, of course: some things on commis- sion and others for the challenge they presented. For Nemra is a master in the Guild of Thieves. Do not rate Book of him too high; I do not mean to suggest that he is a Zagra- josa or a Macavity. But in these lesser, latter days, he is the master of masters, the premier artist of his trade, and it is from this building that missed its calling when it was not turned into a slum that he conducts his commissioned Thieves works. Customers do not enter the building; business with Nemra is conducted on the doorstep. A man or woman with more funds than morals knocks in a certain way on the door. The door opens, and the customer says, “There is a certain emerald which is owned by a man named Schiel.” Nemra nods. A quarter of all the inanimate valuables on the Earth have passed through his hands, and the loca- tions of the rest are known to him. He speaks one word, generally a number. The customer must agree at once; one does not bargain with an artist. Nemra names a date By Dan Crawford and closes the door. On the date named, a hand holding a jewel that Mr. Schiel has not yet missed reaches through a window of the customer’s house. The customer holds out a bag that would clink prettily if Nemra allowed it to do so. If the sack contains the sum agreed upon (and Nemra will know, by the feel of it), the jewel falls from the hand, and hand and sack withdraw through the window. Various wild tales describe what Nemra does with the money he earns, ranging from the buying of children to sacrifice to some god of thieves, to the bribing of govern- ment officials throughout the world that they may move in accordance with some great game of chess Nemra plays to relax his mind. For my part, I feel there is nothing Nemra would buy that Nemra could not steal, and so I have no theory. But I have little faith in tales of some god of thieves, for Nemra has demonstrated very little fear of gods. On a certain day, a certain number of years ago, a cer- tain art dealer, who if I mentioned his name would have his lawyers hound me through the streets, walked down a Illustration by Kevin Ward certain street and knocked on a certain door. When the

DRAGON 85 door was opened, the dealer whispered, “There are four Noon seemed to shine around the second room, but this statues in the Hall of the Priests of Mokhra.” was only the glow of silver ornaments polished with hu- Nemra did not speak for a moment, though he did nod. man blood. Having no need of more silver, Nemra gazed When he did speak, it was to name a sum that made the only on the statue. Here Mokhra twisted the webs that dealer, accustomed to buying for such kings and emperors hung from one crooked arm, winding them around the as could afford his services, turn pale. But he quickly neck of another granite victim. The carving was precise, agreed and turned away, mentally computing the sum he perfect, from the smallest claw on Mokhra’s knees to the could realize on the sale of his wife and children. last constricted vein in the victim’s throat. Nemra nodded Behind the rough wooden door, Nemra was likewise to Klipton and went on with Lamor to the third room. thoughtful, counting on his fingers and muttering names. They stood in the door when they heard a faint sigh. Once he had muttered the names of Klipton, Lamor, and Nemra frowned again and pursed his lips. Nemra’s third Tetion, he nodded again and took down a shapeless gray frown is invariably fatal. When he turned, his knife was in hat from a jade hatstand. He left the house and walked his hand, but Klipton was not to be seen. toward the sea. Lamor saw him first, taking the place of the victim in For though it is written in the Book of Thieves by the Mokhra’s webbing. Yet Mokhra seemed not to have hand of Semag that “The true professional prefers to work moved. alone,” still it is written in older ink by the hand of Lap- Nemra looked beyond, to the first room in the Hall of poirtame that “The true professional need not be a pack the Priests of Mokhra. All that could be seen for certain horse.” Nemra had never seen the statues of Mokhra, but was Tetion’s strap, poured across the floor, unrolled, un- he knew them to be large and heavy, and he knew also moving. that the temple which sheltered them was awake and Lamor looked at his master. Nemra nodded toward the watchful. Even Nemra could not make four trips into an third room. Lamor did not hesitate. unsleeping building and return, and he could not carry The price of several continents was strewn around the the complete set of statues in one trip. Then, too, the sea base of the third statue. Mokhra here exerted himself. came between his home and the Temple of Mokhra, and Three granite hands held down a struggling granite victim he could not carry even one statue across water. (whether female or male it was too late to tell) while the You and I, we could not have gone into the places rest of Mokhra’s hands were engaged in unkind processes Nemra entered and come out again breathing. But the involving notched and edged instruments. Lamor’s hands master thief returned from those unfriendly dives, fol- trembled a bit, but at Nemra’s next nod he brought forth lowed by three assistants, one of whom he had called from long tongs and levers with which he could move a heavy a table, one from a bed, and one from a cabinet. These object and never touch it. Nemra moved on alone. three would do his bidding and receive no pay for it. He stood motionless for two hours, waiting for Lamor’s What profit they derived would come in the form of whis- screams and their echoes to die. When startled silence pers: “Nemra used them.” This was an endorsement to be resumed, and no sign that outside attention had been neither bought nor stolen. Also, they knew it is written in attracted could be perceived, he stepped into the fourth the Book of Thieves by the hand of Widh that “By watching room. This statue was said to be the largest of the lot. If the true professional are true professionals made.” he could deliver it to the dealer, he might redeem as much When the foursome arrived at the Temple of Mokhra, as a fifth of what he had asked for the whole set. they found it unpopulated but unlocked. Each thief knew Paper littered the floor, each slip being a pledge of such the significance of that, but when Nemra slid the door things as humans would do best not to bargain away. open, wide enough for a kitten to pass but not a cat, each Nemra did not see them, fluttering around his feet. His slipped through without pause. Klipton had gained eyes were on the statue that filled half the room. He stud- weight. When he pushed through, the door slid open an ied it for some time, holding motionless in his hands the additional eighth of an inch. Nemra frowned, but he kept instruments with which he could have lifted the temple, his hand from his knife. He would have need of Klipton’s had he a buyer and the inclination. wide back. When his examination of the statue was complete and The first room of the Hall of the Priests of Mokhra he had taken in all the details of the operations being per- glittered with diamonds and other gems, brought in ap- formed by the various limbs and claws, Nemra silently peasement by Mokhra’s worshippers. The thieves gave tucked the tongs and levers back into place about his per- these only as much thought as was required to walk over son and walked from the temple, sparing no glance for the them without making noise. The unlikely form of Mokhra petrifying bodies of Lamor, Klipton, and Tetion. He took rose above them, rendered in granite with accuracy and Lamor’s boat and returned through the darkness to his artistry to drive a dozen sculptors to despair. The clawed tumbling home. hand of Mokhra gripped a weapon of strange design, the Thus it was that a certain art dealer retained possession blade of which was buried in a granite victim. Studying of his family, and thus it was that the Hall of the Priests of the supple and sinister grace of the piece, Nemra wonder- Mokhra went again undefiled. ed whether the price he had named was too low. But he And thus it was that you can see written in the Book of nodded to Tetion. As she unwrapped a long strap from Thieves, in the hand of Nemra, “The true professional around her body, Nemra and the other two thieves moved knows when it is better to return empty-handed.” into the second room. Klipton stumbled over an emerald. Nemra frowned again.

86 AUGUST 1992

by Sue Weinlein Author sheds light on DARK SUN™ books

The gaunt figure of King Tithian crept across his antechamber on all fours, his limbs splayed to the sides and moving in the disjointed rhythm of an insect. The lower mandible of his jaw worked con- stantly, as if gnawing a stalk of thornstem, and his glazed eyes remained fixed on the stones of the floor. The king reached a corner, then clawed his way up the wall until he stood more or less upright. He spent a few moments trying to pull him- self higher, then abruptly fell back to the floor and continued his journey in a new direction. Two disembodied heads fol- lowed the king. . . .* CRASH! Author Troy Denning jerked in surprise as the unexpected noise catapulted him right out of Tithian’s palace on Athas and back to his office at home in Lake Geneva, Wis. Startled, he sent his ball-point pen flying across the room. Denning glared at his three-legged elkhound/shepherd, An- gie, who lowered her head in apology for bumping into the trash can and spilling wet tea bags, candy-bar wrappers, and crumpled paper all over the floor. It was not a good idea to disturb her master while he was engrossed in putting the final touches on his new DARK SUN™ novel, The Amber Enchantress. This scene is not an uncommon one, especially during Denning’s final weeks of is the book in the series that deals most work on a novel. By this point, he has What can readers expect from The overtly with good and evil,” the author become intensely involved in his writing, Amber Enchantress, coming in October? explained. “Sadira’s the one that straddles allowing the rest of the world to fade into Author Troy Denning provides a few ad- the line the most.” the background. “I don’t really want to do vance peeks into the plot of the third On her quest, Sadira meets her long-lost anything else, be bothered with doing the novel in the DARK SUN™ Prism Pentad. father. Faenaeyon, an elven smuggler, gave dishes or mowing the lawn. I guess I get The book follows the sensual enchant- up his half-breed daughter to slavery kind of grouchy and absorbed in what I’m ress Sadira on her journey to the Pristine when she was a child. “Their relationship doing. It gets to be a matter of hibernating Tower, a place guarding many secrets to is a particularly Athasian one,” Denning for a month. I come out of it and the Athas’s magical past. At the end of her said. The sorceress’s encounter with her world has changed.” quest lies a confrontation with Borys, the father gave Denning the opportunity to Considering his rapidly growing list of Dragon. “I think the readers will definitely reveal more about the Athasian elf heri- published works, Denning must have be interested in finding out about the tage. He explores the culture of Athasian missed quite a few world events of late. He Dragon and his relationship to the history elves, including their architecture and has completed the first two novels in the of the world,” Denning said. ambivalent personalities. DARK SUN Prism Pentad, The Verdant While readying herself for this immense However, Denning is not yet ready to Passage and The Crimson Legion, and the challenge, Sadira must resolve her internal shed light on all the mystery surrounding struggle between the powers of dark the race of Athasian elves. “That’s some- * Taken from the forthcoming novel, The Amber sorcery and the curative magic that could thing people will understand by the last Enchantress, by Troy Denning ©1992 TSR, Inc. All heal her world. ”The Amber Enchantress book, why the elves are the way they are.” Rights Reserved.

88 AUGUST 1992 Troy Denning: Game Fair Guest of Honor Troy Denning has attended the GEN tions from readers about The Verdant CON® game fair for a number of years Passage, the first novel in the DARK SUN now, and he’s worn many hats there. He’s Prism Pentad, just as he was wrapping up made appearances as the author of DARK his first draft of the sequel, The Crimson SUN™ and FORGOTTEN REALMS® novels Legion. He was able to incorporate some and has represented various game com- of these suggestions into the second book panies, including TSR, as an editor and and more recent questions into the third designer. However, 1992 marks his first novel, The Amber Enchantress. time attending as the RPGA™ Network At the 1992 GEN CON/ORIGINS™ game guest of honor. fair, which takes place August 20-23 at the “I always look forward to conventions,” MECCA Convention Center in Milwaukee, Denning said, “to talking to people about Denning will be a busy man. Look for him the DARK SUN world, about the books.” at various seminars, including the “DARK Denning said his reader feedback would SUN World Q&A,” “Fiction and Gaming,” be quite limited without the opportunity to “Brainstorming Tournaments,” and “Brain- talk with fans at conventions. “It’s always storming Tournament Characters.” In neat to see someone really involved in the addition, he will sign his work in the TSR characters or pick up the subthemes.” Book Booth on Friday, August 21, and In fact, comments from attentive readers Saturday, August 22. have helped Denning shape forthcoming ORIGINS is a trademark of the Game Manufacturers books. He said he began to receive ques- Assoc.

third, The Amber Enchantress, is due out from the ground up. “The character’s tailed Rikus’s effort to defend his free city in October. In addition, he penned the personal traits are defined by what pur- against invaders. “He was so mad, he said, FORGOTTEN REALMS® novels pose I want him to serve,” he said. I’‘ll never, ever buy your books again!’ I Dragonwall, The Parched Sea, and the Denning credits the complex moral thought, well, he may be mad at me, but he New York Times best seller, Waterdeep system of Athas for aiding the develop- definitely likes Rikus.” (under the name Richard Awlinson). A ment of his protagonists. “There are no Denning takes such heated defense of a former manager of TSR’s game design and gods in the DARK SUN world, but people character as a compliment, though he editorial departments, Denning is the still have to make moral choices. Each offers no apology for making his heroes author of numerous game products as person in the DARK SUN world is strug- face incredible trials. “I seem to have a well and is one of the creators of the gling to find out what is good and what is habit of doing bad things to my charac- DARK SUN fantasy setting. evil. That’s the central conflict. Once you ters. To me, to make a book work is to It’s easy to get wrapped up in the goings- have that, you can start building charac- show them [the readers] that bad things on of the world of Athas, in large part due ters around it.” can happen.” In fact, that’s what Denning to the complexity of Denning’s characters. Athas has conflicts to spare. In the Prism enjoys most about writing these particular Critics and fans alike have praised the Pentad, Denning’s trio of heroes encount- novels. “I don’t have a very romantic per- multifaceted nature of the three main ers constant obstacles to survival, includ- sonality in the Arthurian sense; I’m much characters in the Prism Pentad: Sadira, the ing beasts such as the insectlike thri-kreen, more gritty, and DARK SUN is very gritty. half-elf sorceress; Rikus, the mul gladiator; the harsh conditions of the arid planet, Things don’t always turn out for the best and Agis, the nobleman psionicist. Den- and the cruel power wielded by the for the heroes; the hero won’t always get ning said this dimensionality leads readers sorcerer-kings. Ultimately, each one de- what he sets out to get.” to assume he has based his characters on cides to take his or her own destiny in Denning is not alone in relishing the real- actual people. hand. The motivation provoking the char- ism of the DARK SUN novels; readers, too, “People often say, Well,‘ I think this acter to act becomes a cornerstone of his find the grittiness of Athas compelling. “Peo- character is so-and-so.’ But I don’t do that,” or her personality. ple seem to be a lot more involved in the Denning stressed. “I’m really careful not to “The story is always pulling the charac- story than I expected them to be,” the author do that with people, because I don’t want ters in directions that they don’t want to said. “I think they like the fact that people to insult anyone.” go. The seed is always the motive and are out there trying to figure out what’s Once, he explained, a reader leaped to what it is in the character that prevents right and what’s wrong. That’s the basic the wrong conclusion regarding the rather him from getting his desire. I think that’s problem of human existence.” unpleasant character Tamar, a wraith the key to making the characters round.” Another fascinating discovery for read- featured in The Crimson Legion. “I had a But, while Denning’s characters come alive ers of the Prism Pentad is the altered guy come up to me and ask how I knew in the face of adversity, the kind of adversity nature of some familiar fantasy races. his wife so well.” they face on Athas has readers biting their “That’s one of the most popular things,” Basing a character around a real-life nails as they turn the pages. Denning re- Denning said. “They love it that elves are personality can also limit an author’s op- called a letter from one fan upset with the slimy and halflings are ferocious. I think tions. Instead, Denning builds a character ending to The Crimson Legion, which de- it’s good to take the races people have

DRAGON 89 known for so long and kind of warp books, Denning said he tries never to them.” write “message” fiction. Readers have responded favorably to “Write for the story, don’t serve another Top 10 DARK SUN™ subtopics in the novels as well, especially purpose,” he advised aspiring writers. the theme of environmentalism. Athas is “That’s not to say that the other conflicts Mysteries— Solved? depicted as a desert wasteland whose life- we’re talking about in the real world force is sapped even further with each use aren’t in the story, but those are all sec- While DARK SUN author Troy Denning of magic by the tyrannical sorcerer-kings ondary to the story. If something doesn’t isn’t promising to reveal the answers to all and other enchanters who pull energy fit the story, then it doesn’t go in.” these questions in his forthcoming novel, from the land to cast their spells. When all is said and done, there is a lot The Amber Enchantress, he does say that The impoverished environment of Athas of Troy Denning to be found between the the solutions will be made clear— was designed into the world by Denning, pages of his DARK SUN novels. A Colorado eventually. who began working to create the DARK native, he nourishes his love for the desert SUN setting in October 1989, along with by camping and hiking in the arid wilder- 10. Who is Umbra, and why do his Tim Brown, a games designer, and Mary ness of Arizona and Colorado. And don’t shadow-people need obsidian? Kirchoff, then managing editor of the forget Denning’s self-described “gritty 9. Why does Neeva put up with Rikus? book department. “Athas is very much a personality.” 8. What is Agis’s relationship to warning of what will happen to our planet “I don’t like to see a lot of compromises Durwadala? if we don’t do something, and what will made where they don’t belong,” he said. “If 7. Who are Sacha and Wyan, the talking happen to us if we don’t watch what our you make a mistake, you’re going to get heads? political leaders are doing.” The sorcerer- hammered.” 6. Will Tithian turn out to be a good guy kings, who have crushed the world’s city- Would Denning get “hammered” if he or a bad guy? states with their thirst for control, found himself transported to Athas? 5. Does Sadira really love Agis? illustrate the height of corruption through Would his desert survival skills be enough 4. Does Sadira really love Rikus? absolute power. to sustain him against the forces of nature 3. How are half-giants made? Denning admitted that protecting the and desperate peoples? “To a certain ex- 2. What’s the nature of the Dragon? environment and guarding one’s political tent, I think it comes down to luck,” he freedom are very important issues to him. said. “Ninety-nine percent of the people in And, the No. 1 DARK SUN world un- “As I put more and more of my heart into the DARK SUN world don’t survive. We solved mystery: the book, more and more of what I care don’t write about the unlucky ones be- 1. Can the Agis/Sadira/Rikus/Neeva/ about in the real world tends to creep in.” cause there’s not that much to write Caelum love pentagon ever be resolved? However, a novelist’s chief goal is to enter- about.” tain readers with a good story. Despite He shrugged. “I guess it would depend Stay tuned. alluding to these societal threats in his on when my luck ran out.”

DRAGON 91 The neogi are among the most feared creatures in the AD&D® SPELLJAMMER® setting’s Known Spheres. Their xenophob- ic attitude makes them the enemies of all that live. Although the SPELLJAMMER boxed set mentions the neogi’s magical abilities, little is said about these powers other than what their limits are. Described herein are a few new spells and magical items as well as a very rare magical crea- ture, all created and used exclusively by the neogi. Magic With an Evil Bite

by Jason M. Walker Artwork by Thomas Baxa The neogi have a few surprises in store for SPELLJAMMER® campaigns

New spells This spell creates a magical glob of spi- has no effect. Any creature who fails its der venom in the caster’s mouth, which initial save must save vs. spells again. Venom bite (Evocation) the caster spits out at any single target Success now indicates the creature flees Level: 2 Components: V,S within range. The caster may retain the from the area at its fastest possible move- Range: 5 yds. CT: 1 venom for a number of rounds equal to ment rate for 2-5 rounds. Those who fail + 5 yds./lvl. half his level. If he retains it longer, he are so frightened that they are unable to Duration: Instant. Save: Special suffers the damage detailed below, with- do anything except try to remove the Area of Effect: 10’ square out any saving throw. spiders they believe are crawling all over This spell is the neogi version of a magic The caster can spit the venom up to 10 their bodies. missile spell. When cast, the spell brings yards, whether he normally is capable of The illusion this spell creates is different into being a small set of pointed teeth that such an action or not. The caster must for each individual. It might be argued are fired outward from the caster’s body. make a successful attack roll to strike the that, for example, umber hulks have little One set of teeth is created for every two target (no range penalties apply). Failure to fear from spiders. But when those levels of experience beyond the 1st pos- indicates the venom glob missed, causing it spiders are 1’ in diameter with armor- sessed by the caster (e.g., a 3rd-level caster to dissolve harmlessly. Creatures struck piercing fangs, there is much to fear. The would create two sets of teeth) to maxi- must save vs. poison or suffer 2d4 hp neogi tend to use this spell to disrupt and mum of four sets of teeth. The teeth strike damage plus 1 hp per level of the caster to disorganize enemy forces when boarding as 5-HD monsters; any creature struck by a maximum of +10 hp damage at 10th actions are taking place. a set of teeth must save vs. spells or be level. A successful save indicates only half Note: Regarding the initial saving throw, slowed for 1-4 rounds. The caster can damage. The material component is the DMs must decide whether the target crea- divide the sets of teeth among as many neogi’s own poisonous saliva. ture has reason to believe that what he is opponents as he desires so long as they witnessing is an illusion. It is not unrea- are all within a 10’ square selected as the Arachnophobia (Illusion/Phantasm) sonable to assign a beneficial modifier to focus for the spell. Hits from multiple sets Level: 3 Components: V,S the initial save roll if the target has reason of teeth require multiple saves, unless a Range: 5 yds./level CT: 3 not to believe in the illusory spiders. save is failed and the victim is slowed. Duration: 1 rd./level Save: Neg. Further bites from the same casting of this Area of Effect: Special Identify race (Divination) spell have no effect once the victim has Upon casting this spell, the caster cre- Level: 4 Components: V,S already been slowed. ates the illusion of thousands upon thou- Range: Touch CT: 4 sands of crawling spiders. Only a number Duration: 1 rd./level Save: None Spider gout (Conjuration) of creatures equal to the level of the caster Area of Effect: One creature Level: 2 Components: V,S,M can be affected by this illusion, and all This unusual spell is used by the neogi to Range: 10 yds. CT: 2 must be within a 10’-diameter sphere. Any identify the capabilities of a newly encoun- Duration: Instant. Save: ½ creature targeted by the spell must save tered race. The spell provides for the Area of Effect: One creature vs. spells, success indicating that the spell caster the name of the race (as it is known

92 AUGUST 1992 to the creature itself), its general combat abilities, a brief knowledge of the crea- ture’s customs, and what the creature needs to survive. The spell can identify only one piece of information (e.g., the usual methods of attack) per round. The DM must decide if the information being sought is available. The spell will only identify with that particular creature’s life, not the race as a whole, so different read- ings are possible. For example, the lifestyle and abilities of a human wizard of Thay from the FORGOTTEN REALMS® setting will differ greatly from those of a human Knight of Solamnia from Krynn of the DRAGONLANCE® saga. This spell is used by the neogi to deter- mine the abilities and needs of a potential slave without serious risk to the slave’s life. Although this spell may seem some- what trivial to other races, it has been witnessed that ships bearing neogi wizards capable of casting this spell have far more powerful slaves than those that do not.

Lethal hatchling (Necromancy) Level: 5 Components: V,S Range: 10 yds CT: One round Duration: Special Save: Special Area of Effect: One creature Upon utterance of this spell, the caster conjures up a small, 1” -diameter egg that fires outward from the caster and toward cast at the 8th level of ability. The neogi This item neither has nor requires the target. The target is then entitled to a can attempt this hold on any single target charges. Neogi who possess these rare save vs. death magic. If the save succeeds, he can physically see. The target of the items will go to great lengths to keep them the spell has no effect. Failure indicates a hold is entitled to a save vs. spells. If suc- out of the “hands” of other neogi as well as most gruesome fate: The egg enters the cessful, the target is unaffected. If the save adventuring parties. victim’s body and begins to grow. For the is failed, the target is unable to take any XP Value: Nil (cannot be made by PCs) next four rounds, the target is entitled to actions until the following round. another save vs. death magic each round The neogi are very fond of this item, as Bands of the arachnid at a -2 cumulative penalty (i.e., -2 on the it often buys them an extra moment to These bands are always found in pairs first save after the egg enters the body, escape from the clutches of an enemy or and are very similar in appearance to the -4 on the second, etc.). Each failed save distract the foe long enough for the neogi’s bands of the serpent. The bands are worn results in a loss of 25% of the target’s umber hulks to rip them apart. around the spiderlike legs of the neogi. original hit-point total. If the target makes XP Value: Nil (cannot be made by PCs) Only those of that race who possess magi- a successful save during this time, the cal ability can make use of them. The spell is halted and the egg’s growth stops Bands of the serpent wearer gains the following abilities: and then deteriorates. If the target dies, a Only neogi possessing magical ability can 1. The wearer receives a +2 bonus on all newborn neogi erupts out of its body. make use of this item. These metal bands, saving throws vs. poison. This is cumulative Some neogi wizards have been known to always found in pairs, are worn around with other forms of magical protection. cast this spell to replace neogi lost in earli- the spiderlike legs of the neogi and bestow 2. The wearer is immune to the effects er combats. This is a rare occurrence, upon the wearer the following abilities: of any spell or spell-like ability that affects however, as it usually requires the sacri- 1. The wearer of the bands receives a movement (e.g., slow, hold, etc.). This fice of a slave to do so. +1 bonus on all saves vs. poison. This power is always in effect, regardless of the bonus is cumulative with other forms of wishes of the wearer. A side effect of this protection. ability is that the wearer can move freely New magical items 2. The wearer can communicate with through any web, magical or otherwise, as any form of reptile through a limited form if he were an actual spider. Charm of distraction of telepathy. This includes lizard men and 3. The wearer can transform himself into This minor magical item is usually other sentient reptiles as well as the mun- a giant spider. The wearer gains all of the shaped as a pendant in the form of a dane forms. This telepathy does not give abilities listed in the Monstrous Compendi- neogi’s head looped through a chain. The the neogi any ability to control reptiles, um under “Spider, giant.” The wearer retains wearer of this magical item gains several however. his own hit-point total. This transformation benefits. First, the charm acts as a stand- 3. The wearer can transform himself lasts a number of turns equal to the wearer’s ard ring of protection +1. The charm also into a giant poisonous snake. The wearer experience level. The wearer can transform bestows upon the wearer an additional gains all of the abilities listed in the Mon- into spider form once per day. +1 (for a total of +2) on saves vs. strous Compendium under “Snake: poison, These items neither have nor require enchantment/charm spells. Lastly, the giant.” The wearer retains his own hit- any charges. Neogi who possess these rare charm provides the function of magically point total. The wearer can transform into items will go to great lengths to keep holding an opponent for one round. This snake form once per day, each change them. Neogi cannot wear more than one can be done once per day and is otherwise taking one round to complete and lasting type of magical bands at any time. similar to the wizard’s hold person spell, up to six turns. XP Value: Nil (cannot be made by PCs)

DRAGON 93 New monster The undead hulk is a magical construction monsters they resemble, undead hulks no Recently, a new terror was found created through the use of special en- longer possess the confusion generating aboard a neogi mindspider. Since its dis- hancements developed by the neogi. The power of their magical eyes. covery, more of these terrible creations creature is formed from the remains of An undead hulk can be turned by a have been found among the neogi arsenal. dead umber hulks and to all appearances cleric as a special undead. Detailed here are the statistics on this new seems to be nothing more than a typical menace to spacefarers everywhere. monster zombie. An undead hulk reeks of Habitat/Society: Undead hulks are un- death, and its undead nature is obvious to der the absolute control of their creator Undead hulk anyone within 10’ of it. Other than its and have no culture of their own. They obviously unliving state, the undead hulk serve their “small lords” without question. CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any neogi enclave appears as any other umber hulk. Undead hulks are created through a bi- FREQUENCY: Very rare zarre magical ritual developed by the ORGANIZATION: Solitary Combat: An undead hulk attacks in much neogi (the details of which are left up to ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any the same way as a typical umber hulk: the DM) and the magical joining of dead DIET: Nil with brute force. However, the undead umber hulk parts. Each part (head, right INTELLIGENCE: Non- hulk is totally mindless and incapable of arm, right leg, etc.) must come from a TREASURE: Nil forming any strategy or tactics. It only different umber hulk. ALIGNMENT: N obeys its master, to the best of its abilities NO. APPEARING: 1-4 and heedless of any danger to itself. Ecology: Undead hulks are magical con- ARMOR CLASS: 4 In addition to normal attacks of two structs and play no role in an ecology. MOVEMENT: 6, Br 6 claws and a vicious bite, undead hulks can They simply exist, doing the bidding of HIT DICE: 10 bear-hug any opponent of any size smaller their masters, until they are destroyed. THAC0: 11 than themselves. This requires two suc- NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 + special cessful claw attacks, which do no damage. Don’t judge a book DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3d4/3d4/1d10 Success indicates the victim is crushed by its cover SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below against the undead hulks massive frame SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil and suffers 6d4 hp damage each subse- Learn what new TSR releases are com- MAGIC RESISTANCE: 10% quent round, with no attack roll required. ing to a bookstore near you. See “Nov- SIZE: L (8’ tall, 5’ wide) The undead hulk cannot bite a trapped el Ideas” in this issue for the latest MORALE: Fearless (20) opponent, nor can it attack any other word on adventure. XP VALUE: 4,000 being while hugging a foe. Unlike the

94 AUGUST 1992

“You see that this forty-foot room is kind of bigger than the last one, and twenty feet wide. Apart from the door you en- tered, there is a door in one wall, dust on the floor, a doorway in another, and a portal in the wall next to that one. There is also a medium-sized desk at one wall.” “There are five walls?” “No, the desk is next to the portal.” “What does the portal look like?” “Like the door.” “The one we opened?” “No, the one across from the fireplace.” “Where’s the fireplace?” “Across from the door next to the desk.” “I thought you said the desk was next to the portal.” “It is, but it looks like the door, too. Anyway, while you’re spending all this time looking at the walls, the big monster in the middle of the room attacks.” “#&*%@!” ©1992 by Mike Shema Artwork by John Stanko We’ve just visited the Land of Confusion, signed dungeon to the players in a spe- interested in a passageway lacking such a game setting that can infiltrate any fan- cific, formulaic manner. Begin with the sensory warnings. tasy role-playing scenario and conflict with approach: what the characters hear, see, Details: When characters enter a new smooth play, especially for the enterpris- and smell as they near a particular room. room, begin your description with large ing GM who wishes to create his own Then describe the room as they enter it. visible objects, particularly monsters and scenarios. The problem lies in conveying The depth of detail you give will be affect- doors. If there is time for a more casual ideas and effective descriptions to players. ed by the environment, local monsters, inspection (see “Monsters”), choose a wall In the opening example, the GM clearly and character actions. Less-important (usually the one opposite the direction the has a problem describing the room to the details that may be necessary for proper party enters) and describe anything of players. The description of the items in mapping or exacting searches for traps or importance on it: doors, light sources, the room proceeds illogically, sizes and treasure, such as the room’s size or the tapestries, etc. Move clockwise to the next locations are vague, references are un- composition of the furniture, may be wall and repeat the process, keeping all clear, and well, it sounds like a shop- explained later at the GM’s discretion. descriptions brief. Do the same for large ping list— hardly a narrative worthy of the Approach: This step is purely optional pieces of furniture, machines, and objects players and their fearless characters. as it is not always possible. Doors, walls, not adjacent to any walls. Many GMs create their own dungeons, and other obstructions might block a line Feed uncertainty. If there are no doors, aiming to build brilliant adventures loaded of sight into the room. The range of the then say that there are no apparent doors. with traps, monsters, loot, and (one hopes) party’s light sources and visual abilities If the room is empty, then explain that it excitement. There is often a problem, also limits the extent to which the party appears empty. Keep em‘ guessing! however, in “painting” the scene with can see inside a room. Hearing and identi- Use your own discretion as to the words so that the players become as ex- fying sounds coming from the room de- amount of detail to include in the begin cited with the dungeon as you are. The pends upon the party’s hearing abilities ning. Do not proceed to list the contents of task need not be daunting. With practice and the noise the party itself makes as its a wooden chest if it is locked shut, or and the thoughtful use of a thesaurus and armored warriors clank up the corridor or inform the players of the existence of a dictionary, you, too, can learn to create its scurrilous thieves slink silently in the door hidden by a bookcase. Try to give just exciting adventure descriptions. shadows. Monsters are, of course, a pri- the right amount of surface detail to whet I would like to clarify some points be- mary source of noise, but spells, machin- the players’ appetites. Then, if they be- fore we begin. The use of the term “room” ery, weather effects, supernatural effects come interested in something and investi- is used in this article to mean many things. like ghostly music, or mundane effects like gate it, give more exacting details. A “room” here is a limited physical setting a dripping keg of ale should also be consid- Monsters: The most dynamic part of a that could actually be a wagon, tent, ered. Smells coming from the room hint at room are its monsters, if any are present. bridge, roof top, tunnel, or a real room. the presence of monsters or materials, A monster can obviously interact with Likewise, “dungeon” means a broad setting possibly hinting at the purpose of the characters in positive and negative ways, in which there are many “rooms” (smaller room as well (i.e., spices and meat imply a and its presence can affect the room’s settings). A “dungeon” may be the Purple kitchen or pantry). description. For example, a devious thief Pig Inn, the mystical tower of Corathule Even so, describe the approach only if ii could be leaning against a wall, thus hiding the Sublime, or the entire sleepy town of benefits the scenario. Putrid smells, flitting a secret door behind which he threw all of Gatorsburg. shadows, and monstrous grunting add his gold and which he then hurriedly and A descriptive system much suspense for characters infiltrating improperly closed. A beast lurking on a You need to introduce your newly de- an evil dungeon. They will not be equally high ceiling will not likely affect the de-

DRAGON 97 scription, but a large one standing in the cally doing otherwise. In this article’s opening example of a middle of the room will obstruct things Size: Description of room size is depen- poor room description, the GM gives the directly behind it. dent on the time that the characters spend dimensions of the room, but the distances Action is as important as location. From pacing it out and recording. A party that are separated and give no indication of ravenous beasts to chittering rats, each takes the time to carefully pace the room their orientation. This brings out another monster has an effect on the immediate will have accurate maps, but this takes point: Give the dimensions in a set format, description of the room. An angry orc that much time. On the other hand, players such as north-south by east-west. It is best attacks on sight will leave little time for may wish to hurry the action along be- to agree with the players beforehand the party to pace the length of the room cause the characters are being chased, about this and thus refrain from always or even take a glance at the surroundings. must meet a deadline, or lack interest in repeating, “So-and-so north-south by so- You may wish to describe an outstanding the current room. Size would be approxi- and-so east-west!’ Replacing cardinal direc- feature (such as a quick exit) that would mated and finished quickly. (Remember, a tions in size measurements with a more be impossible to miss, but keep it to a bull's-eye lantern could easily increase the realistic ahead-back/left-right system helps minimum. If the party flees, then it leaves margin of error in measuring a darkened to maintain a fantasy atmosphere. The an unknown portion of their map— room because of its narrow beam.) In my characters can turn thus right or left at a something to explore later. opinion, the quick-and-dirty mapping T-junction instead of east or west. Remem- While small, furry creatures are rare method proves much more entertaining to ber also that a fleeing party does not pay outside of forests and glens, there are game play than an accurate one. A slightly close attention to which direction it runs many other incidents where a neutral or inaccurate map could suggest imaginary (except to move away from what is chas- friendly monster (or a talkative evil one, secret passages or even hide real ones. It ing it). If the characters become lost, like a dragon) will affect the room’s de- keeps the mystery alive! switch to the left/right system until the scription. Suppose that a guard was asleep The measuring of distance need not be characters can reorient themselves. on duty, therefore indifferent to the char- limited to using English units. A 10’-square Signature: The final touch, this person- acters and obstructing nothing (except room could be a “halberd square,” as a alization of the room can be nonexistent maybe the lock on the chest he guards). halberd is about 10’ long. A long hall with or could include a detailed history of the The description of the room could proceed many statues of warriors could be a room and its previous inhabitants. Legend, normally, although pacing the room for its spear’s throw in length (90’), an ancient song, rumor, advice, or written works size might be avoided at first. tunnel could be dwarf-high (4’), and a might mention a room as the site where On the other hand, the guard might sword thrust (6’) might span the length of Lord Merrin was assassinated nine years wake up and start ordering the characters’ a storeroom. Use imagination, trying to ago, or the fact that merchants here will surrender, keeping the characters occu- reference distances to familiar units. This fence “lost” goods. The “signature” does pied with talking— and thus ignoring the will add variety and may reinforce the not have to be elaborate; it could be a chest and other aspects of the room, un- intent of the room (such as a “spear’s simple but bizarre “The room you have less a player says his character is specifi- throw” in a hall of warrior statues). entered looks familiar, probably because you just left it” in the case of a room with a no-exit teleporter. A tag line works beau- tifully to create atmosphere. Word choice: There is one last compli- cation that may lead to confusion. Return to the opening example of room descrip- tion and note that the GM gave three different terms with only shaded differ- ences in meaning: portal, doorway, and door. This caused much confusion among the players even though the GM thought he would make things simple by assigning synonyms to the doors in each wall. Other word groups to watch out for are: room, chamber, and vault; and tunnel, corridor, and passageway. Keep in mind that these guidelines exist not in stone but on paper. Change the order sometimes in detailing a room to avoid overdoing the formulaic bit. (I do this a lot, mainly because player charac- ters draw their weapons every time I read a boxed monolog. “It’s written in the mod- ule,” the players say. “It’s got to be impor- tant or bad.”) Above all, do not become frustrated if first-rate descriptions do not suddenly spring forth from your mind. Remember, you can be your own worst critic. Perseverance is important.

Having a convention?

If you’re having a gaming convention, why not tell the world about it? Check our address in this issue’s “Convention Calendar” and send your announce- ment to us— free of charge!

98 AUGUST 1992 DRAGON 99 100 AUGUST 1992

102 AUGUST 1992 By Joseph T. Pillsbury By Barbara Manui & Chris Adams DRAGON 103 104 AUGUST 1992 DRAGON 105 106 AUGUST 1992

108 AUGUST 1992 DRAGON 109 110 AUGUST 1992 DRAGON 111 ©1992 by Robert Bigelow Photos by Mike Bethke

Riding the Cold Wind to Valhalla; Fred Hicks— Firedrake; Kevin Brewick— Hippogryfe. Now, on to the reviews. Reviews RAFM Company Inc. 20 Park Hill Road Cambridge, Ontario CANADA N1R 1P2

2006 Shambling Death ***** Skeletal armies are always a source of horror on the battlefield. The Shambling Death release from RAFM stands as either a terror weapon or as an interesting (but taxing) painting project that will make a beautiful display. The box contains 18 lead figures in 10 poses. The kit is labeled as being 25-mm scale, but the figures mea- sure just over 28 mm on the average. One group, the archers, consists of two groups of three figures. The skeletons in the first group wear rotting pants and boots; their chests are covered in chain mail, and an armored spiked plate is on each right shoulder. On their backs are quivers secured by wide straps. A small Shambling and silent deaths hole is in the back of each skull on the right side. These figures clutch bows in their left hands. Detail is very good. As you read this, the GEN CON®/ booth upstairs at MECCA. I look forward The second group of archers wears long, ORIGINS™ game fair is less than one to seeing you. rotting robes with holes that expose un- month away, and there is sure to be a I want to thank a number of people for derlying bones and damaged chain mail, large number of miniatures events on tap. their help this month in preparing and The left foot of each juts out from beneath These miniatures games range in difficulty painting the figures to provide you with a its robe. Both arms are bare, with the left from very simple games to full-scale recre- better looking column. I also need to apol- hands clutching bows. A tuft of hair juts ations. A number of events from last year, ogize to Eric Petersen and Chris Osburn from each skull, which is adorned by a including the huge Middle-earth siege, will for the misspelling of their names. This small deaths head symbol on the front. be repeated at this year’s game fair. Sev- months painters and their contributions Each figure’s arrows are in a quiver on the eral large-scale World War II, Napoleonics, are: Mike Bethke— Shambling Death and right hip. FASA’s BATTLETECH*, and naval games Emperor Dragon; Tina Druce-Hoffman— The third group consists of four figures. will provide you with entertainment and a The first is a standard bearer, armored chance to experiment with many types of with a chain-and-plate-mail combination; a miniatures gaming. To showcase this con- Miniatures’ product ratings wound lies high on the right side of its vention, we are going to review products chest. The mouth is wide open and has from a number of companies that will * Poor some light flash. The only thing wrong have representatives in attendance. Look * * Below average with this figure is that the flag is slightly for these and other miniatures companies * * * Average too thick. and see what is available. If you have any **** Above average The second figure is a champion, fully questions or comments for me, I will be at * * * * * Excellent armored in plate and chain from just the Gamemaster’s Guild of Waukegan above its feet to the top of its helm crest.

112 AUGUST 1992 Its left hand holds a thick shield sporting a skull-and-crossbones motif and a pair of half globes. A long, ripped, rotting cape drops to the ground. The right hand clutches a hawksbill-shaped axe with a spiked ball at the top. The third figure is a mounted officer on an undead horse that wears uneven chain and rotting cloth barding. The latter’s bone structure is excellent, with good definition at the joints. The beast has a long shaggy mane, a tail of twisted strands, and a well-preserved saddle and tack with a skull plate. The rider carries a huge spear, a thick shield, and a great sword on the left hip. It is unarmored except for some chain and a small shoul- der protector. The figure is grinning; its last tuft of hair is in a tassel on top of its skull. The main fighting unit of this set are the four groups (with two figures each) of pikemen. These figures range from very simple peasant types with tattered clothes and boots, to a plate-armored fighter complete with rotting fur cape and a long, jagged-edged spear. Another group’s most prominent feature is the absence of the entire top of each skull, with a cavity in the cranium. They wear capes and rotting jerseys covered by a mixture of plate and chain mail bound by a belt. Metal bracers adorn their wrists. The figures are set to stop a charge. The last group is armed with long spears. Each figure is heavily armored on the hands and shoulders, wears a helmet, and has a shield on its back. The figures are missing their entire lower jaw and some teeth from the upper jaws. A great sword hangs from each skeleton’s left hip, with a large provisions pouch on a rotted and ripped belt. The shoes and jerkins are rotting, hanging off of the bodies. These figures are excellent as stand- alone figures but can be readily used a leaders for a large skeleton army from other companies. The price is extremely reasonable at $19.95 per box.

Thunderbolt Mountain Miniatures 656 East McMillan Cincinnati OH 45206

1022 Firedrake The firedrake from Thunderbolt Moun- between the body and wings. Wing detail to look correct. The mouth is open as if tain is listed as a 25-mm-scale creature. is good, with bones clearly defined and attacking. The base is molded to represent a wind- formed. The wing texture is leathery with A major flaw in the support system is swept desert, with rocks and a center ample small folds, no scales, and hooklike that the holes in both the body and stand formation that also acts as the flying claws. The body muscle detail is excellent. were too large and needed to be filled. I firedrake’s support and holder. The feet are thick, and the claws are short then mounted the figure as shown and left The drake consists of four parts: a lower and stubby. The bit of thin flash on the it to dry overnight. When I returned the jaw, a tail, two wings, and the body. The claw tips and between the claws is easily next day, the support rod had bent. I had lower jaw fits nicely into the head, with removed with a knife. A triple row of to redrill the hole and change the point of the mouth in the open position. Small gaps spikes runs down the back from the wings balance. The figure now stays up, but it are in the side and back, but these are to the rear legs, and a single row runs does bob about. easily filled with gap-filling super glue. down the neck and tail. The tail is a sore This figure is one of the few “dragon” The wings join to the back. More easy-to- spot, as it was about 20% larger in diame- miniatures designed and molded to repre- fill gaps lie on the back, and some inten- ter than the part of the body to which it sent a dragon in flight. The figure can be tional gaps in the front form the separation connects and had to be worked with putty used as a battle miniature or as a display.

DRAGON 113 from being put on wrong but provide considerable support as well. The neck assembly consists of two parts, the upper and the lower halves, which fit inside the upper half of the body and contain the lower jaw. The tongue and the upper head and horns are two separate pieces. A lot of small flash was on the model, mostly on the upper half of the torso throughout the scales, which can be cleaned using a small knife. Extremely thick flash or a mold line runs along the right side of the bottom torso along the belly plates, and a thick mold line is on the right side of the tail. The spikes along the back needed to be cleaned, as there was flash at the back of each one. Care must be taken in removing all flash, using a knife, a file, and a file-cleaning brush. The dragon’s ears are Oriental in appear- ance (as in Oriental dragon) but slightly thick. The eyes are engraved to allow you to set expression. Considerable filing is needed at the joints; I recommend that you test-fit all parts extensively to ensure fit before gluing. These pieces are all very large and can easily warp during the pour- ing or cooling processes. I do recommend Even with the work involved, this minia- highly recommended as a display figure. It bending the front left leg outward slightly; ture is recommended at $11.95. costs $11.95. the dragon is using a tripod stance and is slightly unstable if assembled as intended. 1021 Hippogryfe ***** The front foot is also slightly cocked and This Thunderbolt release is entitled “The The Viking Forge not totally flat. Rescue of Angelica by Ruggiero” on the 1711 D Anderson Highway This figure is highly recommended if back of the package. The 25-mm-scale kit Powhatan VA 23139 you want a truly intimidating dragon and consists of eight highly detailed pieces that are willing to work at it. The legs are not must be assembled using adhesives. When Emperor Dragon * * * ½ quite as muscular as I would like to see joined, these pieces form a knight and The AD&D® 2nd Edition rules have them (for comparison, see this column in lady, a base, and the hippogryfe. The beefed up the dragon to very respectable issue #182 for the Gold Dragon from circular base has a wave pattern broken standards in hit dice and size. Unfortu- Thunderbolt Mountain), and very light by a scaly, reptilian head whose gaping nately, the producers of dragon miniatures pitting is on the wing, but neither of these mouth is lined with sharp teeth. Nostrils have not kept up. Grenadier, RAFM, and detract from the miniature. Be prepared and hints of eyes mark the left half of the now Viking Forge have all beefed up some to watch almost a whole bottle of paint head. The hippogryfe is supported by a dragon sizes, but the largest submitted for disappear when painting. This is well peg on the right rear foot that is inserted review is definitely the Emperor Dragon. worth its price of $59.95. into the base. Be careful not to cut this peg Before I get into this review, I need to too short when you remove it from the point out that this dragon is rated the way sprue. it is because it takes a great deal of work Black Dragon Pewter The knight wears plate mail that covers and effort to assemble a good-looking Unit 303 his entire body except for his rugged face. figure from this kit; this set is not made 2437 Bay Area Blvd. He thrusts downward with his spear in an for the majority of modelers who are Houston TX 77058 attempt to discourage the sea monster looking for a quick and painless miniature from attacking. The knight is supporting to throw into their game that night. This 9681 Never Anger a Wizard * * * * * in his left arm a mostly nude female who model is definitely one for experienced This 54-mm pewter sculpture is fairly is trying to climb onto the hippogryfe’s modelers, and for them the figure’s rating self-explanatory and should provide every- back. The female figure is well done but would be considered higher. one who plays a mage in a role-playing could be considered offensive by some The dragon consists of 13 separate cast- game with a slight chuckle (though it people. ings scaled to 25 mm. When assembled, might send a chill down the back of every- The hippogryfe’s wings are in a position the figure weighs nearly 4% lbs and is one who plays a fighter). to lift the figure into the sky. The upper over 560 mm long. The dragon has a bale- The figure is cast on an oval base, with part of the creature is covered by a layer ful stare and a row of spinal spikes down the scenario title engraved on the front of of detailed feathers. The rear portion is a his back that end in a spear-shaped tail-tip. the base. The floor is mixed sand and lion’s body with a birds tail. The front legs The tail is a solid piece that connects to stone with a crystal ball, clothes, and a end in claws, and the rear legs in cloven the top half of the main body, which is breastplate on the ground. A simple but hooves. then secured by the bottom half of the well-detailed wizard, with an expression The model went together well after body. The front of our bottom torso piece more of amusement than anger, shoots a some trimming on the wing slots, which had to be bent considerably to meet the bolt of magic from his left hand. An empty were marked left and right. My figure has bottom of the neck when these parts were helmet and sword hang in mid-air where the spear thrusting into the sea monster’s assembled. Filling was need at the tail/ the spell ends, and a frog leaping away mouth not only to cause damage but to body connection, especially at the bottom. from the result leaves little doubt as to provide extra support to the miniature. The legs fit into their sockets using differ- whether the spell was successful. This miniature took a little work but is ent slots that not only prevent the legs I highly recommend this sculpture to all

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gaps, but they were easily filled with gap filling adhesive that also added extra strength. Two gaps needed to be filled with green putty. There was also a lot of thin flash, especially in the tail curves and at the ends of the extremities. A very low ridge of hardened scales runs down the back in place of spinal spikes. The dragon has a full set of tack molded onto his body and two tracks for the chain that secures the lower basket; a necklace of gold disks surrounds the neck. The posture of the dragon suggests that he is actively contrib- uting to his own defense. Two automatic heavy crossbows provide cover and discourage airborne or ground enemies. These weapons are molded to baskets secured to the dragon and are somewhat protected by molded-on shields. The small basket has a skeletal ram embla- zoned on the back, while the main crew basket has the moon, the sun, and two other symbols emblazoned on shields that not only protect the basket but are the anchoring point for the chain that sup- ports this basket beneath the dragon. The baskets are highly detailed, with well-done wood grain, metal edging, and rivets. All of this is nice, but the joke lies in the com- position of the crew. The “dwarf zeppelin” is staffed by a crew of four. Figure one, in the basket on the back, is dressed like a British or Ameri- can infantryman from World War I, in- cluding goggles, long coat, canteen, dispatch sack, and heavy boots. The dwarf pilot is dressed in a World War I aviator’s cap complete with goggles, a brown flight jacket over chain mail, and high boots. His long, braided beard, parted by the wind, is tossed over both shoulders. Thick gloves protect his hands as he grips the dragon’s horn in his left hand and a battle axe in his right, much in the spirit of a flying ace with his pistol. Javelins are secured to his back; the fact that the tips are covered makes me think they could be explosive. He sits on a small saddle, molded to the dwarf figure, that rests on the dragon’s neck just behind the head. The lower basket’s crossbow is crewed by a dwarf dressed in World War I Ger- man flying gear, including the traditional spiked helmet and gold-eagle visor mark- ings. He also wears goggles, heavy gloves, a canteen, a belt pouch, a vest, and a bil- lowing shirt. The observer is dressed like gamers, and I suggest that it be prominent- RP 10-462 Riding the Cold Wind to an ancient mariner with a short beard, ly displayed when fighters get too uppity. Valhalla ***** flashy clothes, and a spy glass in his right The price for this piece is a very reason The dragon is a multipiece lead kit hand. His left hand holds a parchment that able $30. scaled to 25 mm, consisting of 18 pieces, could either be a map or notepad. This is chain, and three pieces of wire for sup- almost a perfect observation platform. port. The kit’s good set of instructions for This is an excellent miniature and is Ral Partha Enterprises assembly of the miniature includes visual highly recommended for either display or 5938 Carthage Court cues and some tricks of assembly. The game use. I do recommend that you use Cincinnati OH 45212 base is a solid V-shaped bar sculpted in a heavier rods for supporting this miniature, pattern that resembles a mountain peak. as the ones that are included tend to bow Ral Partha Enterprises The finished miniature is roughly 11" out. You can also set up accompanying c/o Minifigs long from nose to tail. Scale, wing, and ground forces using the Orc Foes boxed 1/5 Graham Road, Southampton muscle detail are all excellent. Only a few set from Ral Partha. The totem for the UNITED KINGDOM S02 0AX areas needed to be filled when the minia- cleric in this set is a dragon and goes per- ture was painted. There were several fectly with this kit. If you want to increase

116 AUGUST 1992 the figure’s combat value, use Ral Partha boots. soft lead and should allow for good detail- Import’s figure FA79 (trimming the base Figure #3 is on a circular base with a ing, but there is almost no detail on the from the feet), move the spyglass dwarf cobblestone surface. He is posed as if ship when the miniature is compared to over, and put the human in the front of walking against the wind, with his coat the game’s illustration of the same. Whole the basket with a small mounted crystal open and flowing out behind him. Ammo sections of panel lines, engine accesses, for viewing. You now have air-to-ground bandoliers cross his chest. His right hand and secondary latches and plates are miss- communications and a side-firing weapon holds a flash bomb, while his left holds an ing on the miniature, leaving it very plain. system or back-up defense system. The kit Ares MP LMG. A submachine gun hangs It’s still good for the game, with three to a is a great buy at $20.95. on shoulder straps; spare clips are on his pack for $4. right side. He wears a laced pair of combat RP 20-773 Guillotines * * * * ½ boots, long pants, and possibly an armored ICE 921 Lance Elektra Fighter **** This is an Inner Sphere response Mech‘ vest. The face has sharp African features The Lance Elektra is a large catamaran- for the BATTLETECH* game and is a new with an almost neutral expression. His hulled fighter weighing 420 tons in the release from Ral Partha. This 70-ton Mech‘ “earmuffs” are probably a communications game. The miniature is about 1 mm longer can be found in Tech Manual 3050: The device. His hair is extremely well done, than the Talon and is about 1.5 times as Return of Kerensky, from FASA Corpora- with tightly curled hair peaked in the thick. As with the others, it is underde- tion. The figure is made of lead, measuring front and cut in a flat-top style. This figure tailed when compared with the illustration 45 mm tall, 28 mm wide, and 10 mm deep. is excellent. of the same in the game. This pack also It is molded on an oval base; no hex base These are excellent figures, and the has the peculiarity of containing two pre- comes with the miniature. This Mech‘ is detail is very good, but I do miss the varie- viously unmentioned variants of the almost an exact match with its book illus- ty present in the Grenadier Samurai set. Elektra. One ship is missing a turret, while tration, with only some line differences. These figures can also be used for a varie- the other has different turrets than those The miniature has some problems: Raised ty of different SF and dark-future role- illustrated. These are available at $4 per mold lines lie on the inside of the left arm playing games. The set costs $4.25 per package of two. and on the inside of the right leg, the pack and is highly recommended. These miniatures are made by RAFM, tripod light holder on the upper shoulders which usually does better work. While had one area almost totally filled with Iron Crown Enterprises there was no flash, there is the capability hard flash, and the left shoulder must be P.O. Box 1605 for much more detail. I hope this is only a leveled to correct a slight molding flaw. Charlottesville VA 22902 temporary problem. Generally, this is a recommended set, but quality control does need improving. It I want to offer an explanation to those of I look forward to seeing many of you at costs $4.75 each. you who asked why I didn’t do any follow- the GEN CON/ORIGINS game fair. If you up reviews after the SILENT DEATH* game need to reach me outside the convention, RP 20-502 Street Samurai * * ** * review many months ago. The review minia- you can do so at this address and phone Ral Partha has gained the rights to pro- tures given to me to go with the game’s first number: Robert Bigelow, c/o Friends’ duce miniatures for FASA’s SHADOWRUN* supplement were made by a company that Hobby Shop, 1411 Washington St., Wauke- game. Among the packs now available is no longer has the license to produce them. I gan IL 60085, U.S.A.; (708) 336-0790; the Street Samurai, heavily armed and had requested new miniatures, but the reply MWThF 2-10 P.M., SSu 10 A.M.-5 P.M. loaded for bear. The pack consists of three is wandering in postal lines somewhere. lead figures scaled in 25 mm. Therefore, we will examine ships from the * indicates a product produced by a company other Figure #1 is a human measuring 28 mm Blackguard supplement. than TSR, Inc. Most product names are trademarks to the top of his hair, armed with a CMDT owned by the companies publishing those products. **** The use of the name of any product without mention combat gun in his right hand. A mold line ICE 920 Talon Fighter of its trademark status should not be construed as a runs across the top of his right boot. His The Talon fighter’s stats can be found on challenge to such status. long coat is secured by a belt that supports page 10 of the Blackguard supplement. his sword and pistol. Another belt sup- The design is a basic three-boom model ORIGINS is a trademark of the Games Manufactur- ers Assoc. ports a line of flash grenades and explo- joined at the middle. Observation and sives at about heart level on his chest. His control points are located in the middle face is gaunt, and facial features are well pod. The total miniature size is 36 mm by done; his hair is short, with a long ponytail 15 mm. The center section looks a little in the rear. The hands are well done, too, like the hull of the American F-117A. and his knuckles look like they have im- When the miniature is compared with plants or brass knuckles. The figure is the illustration of the Talon in the book, posed as if stepping down. The base is differences are immediately noticeable. circular, representing pavement and a There is virtually no engraving on tail manhole cover. The mold line across the control surfaces or on wing vents, nor is base requires very little work to clean. there much engraving on the front part of Figure #2 stands on a circular base the engines. The illustration appears to representing a sidewalk, complete with have a more rounded cockpit and center cracks and pits. The figure is of a grim, areas, but this may be an illusion. Detail is over-30 fighter with a cigar stub clenched also lacking on the inside of the engines in his mouth. He wears glasses, and his and fuselage sides. These figures could be hair is long and pulled back. His ears look used for other space-combat games and like he might be part elf. The trousers are a good buy at $4 per package of two. have a multitude of pockets; his belt sup- ports spare ammo clips, grenades, a sword ICE 919 Dart Fighter **** Does your computer sheath, a holster, and a pistol. His armored This fighter reminds me a little of the ever byte back? vest is trimmed in fringes and flaps. An Colonial Viper from the TV show Battles- To learn more about the hottest fantasy AK-74 is strapped to his back. His right tar Galactica, except it is missing the lat- and science-fiction computer games, hand clutches an Uzi, and his left has a ter’s vertical stabilizers. The ship is 29 mm turn to “The Role of Computers” in this sword raised over his head. His feet are long, 14 mm wide, 7 mm tall, and shaped issue! covered by high-topped, Velcro-strapped like an arrowhead. The ship is made of

118 AUGUST 1992