D RAGON 1 SPECIAL ATTRACTION

43 BETRAYED! — Designed by Jim Bengtson A new challenge for AD&D® game player characters

Publisher Mike Cook Editor-in-Chief OTHER FEATURES Kim Mohan Editorial staff 10 Leomund’s Tiny Hut — Lenard Lakofka Patrick Lucien Price Toning down the new demi-human PC races Roger Moore 14 Travel works both ways — Paul Vernon Art director and graphics PCs aren’t the only characters on the road Roger Raupp Subscriptions 20 Seeing is believing — Geoffrey Meissner Georgia Moore It isn’t easy, but here’s a look at invisibility Advertising 24 The rest of the Papers Mary Parkinson Odds and ends to add to our centaur coverage Contributing editors Ed Greenwood 30 The well-equipped victim — Ed Greenwood Katherine Kerr Detailed “treasure types” for O-level encounters This issue's contributing artists A world of difference — Fraser Sherman Robin Wood 36 Use parallel worlds to open up new gaming vistas Roger Raupp Marvel Bullpen Spy’s advice — Merle M. Rasmussen David Trampier 56 Answers and suggestions for the TOP SECRET® game Ted Goff A.J. Toos On the Rocks at Slab’s -John Gregory Betancourt Joseph Pillsbury 64 Tavern patrons protect their happy haunting grounds Richard Tomasic E.B. Wagner Stephen Hearon Larry Elmore

DEPARTMENTS

3 Letters 62 TSR Profiles 90 Wormy 4 World Gamers Guide 69 The ARES™ Section 92 Dragonmirth 6 The forum 86 Convention calendar 94 Snarfquest 6 0 TSR Previews

COVER People are still writing in to say how much they liked Robin Wood’s first cover paint- ing, back on issue #97. This piece depicts an entirely different scene, but we expect the painting to be just as popular as its predecessor. Through the aid of a ring of flying, this magic-user is able to do battle with these giant bats on her own terms. That big bat in the foreground is about to find out the hard way what a lightning bolt spell is like — and it’s not even grounded.

2 J ANUARY 1986 For Paul It’s easy to lose track of what’s really important in life when you spend day after day doing the same things. Anyone who has a job, goes to school, or runs a house- hold knows what I mean. Once in a while, though, something happens during one of those monotonous Here we go again bling the amount. Determine “raw double dam- days — something that almost seems age” first; e.g., an arrow +1 does 2-7 points of designed to shake us out of our ruts and damage, so “raw” double damage” would be 4- get us thinking about what counts. I had Dear Editor, 14 (2d6 + 2). A 14th-level archer also gets +7 on Page 11 of Unearthed Arcana says that “no damage and an extra +1 for using a magic one of those experiences on the day before instances are known of half-elves descended from arrow, for a total of 12-22. That’s enough dam- Thanksgiving, when I received a letter grugach stock.” However, in the article Arcana age, isn’t it? I’d make the archer live with his from a familiar address in San Diego. update in issue #103, it says on page 12 that “A generally lower number of attacks per round (he It was Paul Crabaugh’s address, but it half-elf of wild descent cannot become a cleric, a never gets better than 3/1), as some compensation was his mother who wrote the letter. She ranger, or a magic-user.” for his greater ability to hit and damage. wanted me to know, by means of what she Based on this evidence, either (a) The rule on You'll need to solve other problems to make the called “the letter a mother should never half-elves of wild descent from Unearthed Arcana two systems mesh smoothly; for instance, they have to write,” that Paul died of cancer on is removed; (b) An error was made in issue #103; differ in the definition of point-blank and short or (c) Wild elves can toss humans a long way. range. Maybe you’ll want to rule that an archer Nov. 17, at the age of 29. Which is it? who benefits from some of the aspects of weapon The news hit me right between the eyes Nicholas Leahy specialization can never have proficiency with and sunk into the part of my brain that’s Boise, Idaho anything but a bow. You can use the two systems In Charge of Priorities. Paul had been a side-by-side, or you can mesh one into the other regular contributor to DRAGON® Maga- Thanks, Nicholas. I love multiple-choice tests, without making the archer too powerful. — KM zine longer than I had been on the staff. and I love making corrections to an article about Over the years he had become one of my corrections. . . . The answer, of course, is (b). I many long-distance friends. He sent in used the offending sentence in issue #103 as an lots of articles, practically all of which example to illustrate how certain classes were Back to the dogs were accepted and printed. He always prohibited to certain half-elves, and I didn't stop to think that no half-elves can be “of wild elf Dear Dragon, wrote in a casual style that I enjoyed and descent” in the first place. Thanks for another great article by Stephen envied — a style that made it seem as Technically, the statement is accurate — there Inniss (“A dozen domestic dogs,” issue #103). though he didn’t have a care in the world. is no such thing as a half-grugach cleric, or One additional fact on water dogs is that the And maybe he didn’t. He knew he was ranger, or magic-user. What it doesn't say is that webbing between their toes extends much farther sick, of course, and he did what he could there is also no such thing as a half-grugach toward their nails than that of non-water dogs. to fight the disease. But “he never once fighter, or thief, or illusionist, or . . . . — KM This increases their swimming efficiency and gave in, or even admitted his pain and speed, and the length of time they can spend in discomfort,” said his mother. “Right up to the water over what their brethren can do. his last hours he was looking ahead to Also, in the “Costs” table on page 28, an entry A special archer? for “food dog” is listed. Is this the kind of dog various articles and projects.” In fact, he used to hunt rabbits, or is it the kind that would enjoyed a gaming session with some of his Dear Dragon, be served on a plate in Oriental Adventures? friends the day before he died. Should the archer NPC class (Best of Steve Null Paul Montgomery Crabaugh’s name DRAGON Vol. III) be allowed to have the ability Palm Bay, Fla. will appear on only one more article in of weapon specialization as described in Un- this magazine — a piece we accepted a earthed Arcana? The description of very small normal dogs few months ago, and which will be printed Adam Lidz mentions that some of the canines in this category within another issue or two. But his con- Bala Cynwyd, Pa. “are raised for the cooking pot.” This is what the tribution to the magazine will go on for as entry on the costs table refers to. A dog for hunt- If you’re using the unofficial archer NPC ing rabbits will probably be a small fighter or a long as people keep buying back issues designed by Len Lakofka, the original bonuses to medium runner (in Stephen’s system) and will and taking advantage of the knowledge hit and damage given in that article should be cost 17 gp, as per the Players Handbook. — KM and insight in the pieces he wrote. And his retained, not replaced by the combat bonuses contribution to me will last even longer given in Arcana for specialization with a bow. than that. Whenever I get bummed out Those original bonuses are part of what makes an about the problems I have to solve in my archer an archer; besides, from 4th level on, A jump too far life, I’m going to try to remember Paul they’re better than the bonuses given to a bow and what he had to tackle. From now on, specialist. On top of that, the archer gets an extra Dear Dragon, I’m going to see problems such as making +1 when using any magical bow or arrow. If you I found the article “Short hops and big drops” find these advantages too powerful, you can treat (#93) very useful. However, it does not mix with a deadline and balancing my budget for the archer more like a regular bow specialist. But the Unearthed Arcana version of jumping. The what they are — small obstacles, easily if these advantages haven't caused any game- book says a thief-acrobat with 15 strength and 16 overcome. balance problems in your campaign, then there’s dexterity can make a running broad jump of 9 I realize now that my problems are not no reason to replace them with the lower bonuses. feet at sixth level, and any other character can big ones, and I’m grateful for that. But if I can't think of a logical reason why archers broad jump 8 feet. But in the article, a character I ever have to deal with a real problem, I should be denied the benefit of the other aspects with combined strength and dexterity of 31 would hope I’ll be as strong and courageous of weapon specialization. If a bow specialist “who have a basic jump number of 9, which would be about it as Paul was. begins the round with arrow nocked, shaft doubled to 18 feet for a running broad jump. I’ll miss him. drawn, and target in sight is entitled to loose that Could you clarify this? arrow prior to any initiative check,” then an Peter Colucci archer should be able to do this, too. An archer Alta Loma, Calif. should be able to do increased damage at point- blank range just as a bow specialist can, but don’t You’ve clarified it very well, Peter. The two add in the archer’s damage bonus before dou- systems are drastically different in most respects

D RAGON 3 — so different that they can’t be used side-by-side 14 or higher could jump better than a 6th-level system and you think everyone else ought to have in a campaign without seriously weakening the thief-acrobat.) a chance of being able to jump, then you'll have thief-acrobat split class (Imagine a world where If thief-acrobats exist in your campaign but to do some extensive fiddling with the way a anyone with a combined strength and dexterity of you like the mechanics of the “Short hops” (Turn to page 89) The World Gamers Guide

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4 JANUARY 1986 D RAGON 5 These two scenarios show that the dragon is an inevitable victor against the party, given the circumstances of the encounter and a show of intelligence on the part of the dragon. He would know all his advantages, and would pick out the most dangerous opponents for special treatment. (In the case of the clerics, their arsenal of all blunt weapons is a dead giveaway.) So the great wyrm is triumphant yet again, DMs can rejoice in the fact that the dragon is indeed a challenge to high- level characters, environmentalists can be glad I disagree with the letter from Craig Sheldon in poor fighter even sees his +5 plate mail melt that a creature of Nature was not slaughtered, #102, which said “it is very hard to role-play with away, stripping him down to AC 10. (Since the and everyone lives happily ever after — except one character and a DM.” I have played in both fighters in the example were using two-handed the thief, the magic-user, two clerics, and three situations, with a big party and then just as a swords, they couldn’t have used shields.) fighters. single player with a DM. I’ve been playing the On to the next round. As soon as the fiery Gregory W. Detwiler second way for five years, and I think it’s easier assault is over, the fighters drink their potions of Williamsburg, Pa. and more fun. The player is pushed to think storm giant strength, expecting an imminent more on his own, and his character is limited to melee. Alas, it is a fatal miscalculation on their **** his special abilities only. part. This dragon, having spent part of his trea- I have been playing a monk character for over sure on an issue of DRAGON® #98, has read the The debate about character alignment of late a year as a single player with my DM. Most large dragon articles in it, including the bit about has driven me to give my thoughts on the subject. parties will run from nothing short of a deity, and sneaky tricks. So he flies a short distance away, In the original edition of the D&D® game, all some even then will not run. My character is picks up two boulders, comes back, and proceeds characters were told that “it is not only necessary forced to run all the time from pursuing monsters to play B-17 Over Berlin with the party. The to select a role, but it is also necessary to deter- and even border patrols. This adds much flavor boulders strike as catapult missiles, and the mine what stance the character will take.” To the to the game. Sure, I could be a 20th-level fighter dragon’s supply of them is practically limitless. So new hobby of fantasy role-playing, character with several other 20th-level characters, and we the characters suffer a steady bombardment for a alignment was an important concept. Not only could be a walking meat grinder. But running while. This tactic could finish off the party by did it state what the imaginary player character now and then can be fun. itself, but the dragon eventually wearies of the believed, but it also served to help the player to With the right DM and player, this kind of sport and comes down again. better take on the role of his or her persona. gaming can be even more fun than large parties By this time the unarmored fighter is dead, and In later supplements of the original rules set, of PCs. his armored companion is down to 40 hp. The alignment was taken a step farther. It was used as Cole Langston two clerics are more or less intact, but only at the a means (along with ability scores) to determine Rockport, Tex. cost of expending all of their healing spells on whether or not a PC was eligible for one of the themselves. The dragon breathes again as it more specialized (and often more powerful) sub- **** comes down, killing the fighter and reducing the classes. In this way, alignment was a tool used by clerics to a handful of hit points apiece. He lands both the players and the Dungeon Master to This letter, confusingly enough, is in reply to on top of the cleric who is still armed and crushes relate to the characters’ beliefs, ways of acting, Richard Silva’s reply (#103) to Frank Mentzer’s her before she can use her mace +4 and gauntlets and to restrict entrance into certain sub-classes. letter back in #101. As you will recall, Mr. Ment- of ogre power. One good bite finishes off the It has been eleven years since the original D&D zer’s letter stated that the dragons in the new other cleric, and the battle is over. game appeared. While many of the ideas found in D&D® game system were a challenge even to This scenario is rather unrealistic in one re- those little brown booklets and supplements were 25th-level player characters, while Mr. Silva’s spect — an intelligent beast like the dragon would expanded and revised for inclusion in the AD&D reply denied it. Both writers used the same melee be pickier in its initial selection of victims, assum- game, alignment was not one of them. Even as an example, and I will do the same. Part of ing it had observed them for some time. The though the number of possible alignments has this reply is based on a letter from Dan Fejes example also made no allowance for the possibil- been tripled and more detailed descriptions of (#102) which pointed out that magic items must ity that the dragon was a spell-user. So now, an each ethos given, they are used as little more than save vs. attack forms like everything else. alternate scenario. tools for the players and Dungeon Master, in The seven player characters with “+5 every- After having watched the party for some time, much the same way as was done over a decade thing” are heading for a red dragon’s lair. But the the dragon turns invisible before attacking to gain ago. dragon finds them first, swoops down in a sur- complete surprise (not even a 25th-level magic- My belief is that alignment should be used to prise attack, and flies off with a fighter, the thief, user can keep detect invisibility going all the restrict entrance into certain character classes and and the magic-user. So far, so good. From then time). Carefully selecting his initial victims, he to determine how a player character will act in on, here’s what happens. picks up the magic-user (again!) and the two most circumstances. For example, an assassin, no In the first place, a magic-user caught in the clerics, flying over the ridge before dropping matter how evil or chaotic he or she may be, jaws of a dragon will not be able to cast any kind them. As before, being tightly held prevents spell- would not attack the first group of good and/or of spell. Not only will he not have free move- casting, and with their arms pinned to their sides, neutral adventurers sighted simply because of ment, but the shock and pain will probably keep the clerics can’t even use their weapons. (The their conflicting alignments. The assassin charac- him from concentrating. This would last a short gauntlets only affect the hands, so the female ter class as written is composed of very intelligent time after he is dropped (until it’s too late to save cleric can’t use their power to help her break free individuals who make a living by killing those himself). The magic-user and fighter are killed — and where would she go if she did?) Everyone individuals who are deemed “troublesome” by when the dragon drops its prey. The thief, with dies when dropped this time, and the dead clerics the assassin’s employer. Being as intelligent as he his ring of feather falling, survives — but, fight- certainly can’t resurrect themselves. is, an assassin would know when a particular job ing alone against a huge ancient red dragon, The dragon returns, invisible again. Now he was over his head. Intelligence, not only align- won’t last more than a round or two in melee pops into sight as he breathes on the party. As ment, should dictate how a character reacts to (why waste your breath on one puny thief?). before, the bows and rings fail their saves, this certain situations. Similarly, paladins do not Now the dragon flies over the ridge again, to time including the thief's ring. Again the fighters charge the first demon prince they see, even find the survivors on the ground, who will either drink their potions anticipating melee, and again though such a creature is diametrically opposed be retreating or walking around the ridge after the dragon stays out of reach and drops boulders in its beliefs and actions. the dragon. (If the dragon comes back while they on them. The party is badly battered; no one Thus, alignment has been around with fantasy have their hands full climbing the ridge, the fight dies, but no one is healed, and soon everyone is role-playing games too long simply to be forgot- will end in a hurry!) Swooping down again, the down to 40 hit points each. ten. It is still an integral part of the game. Align- dragon breathes on the entire party. Its members Now for the final round. Still flying out of ment, like other aspects of the game, needs only take half damage from the flames because of their reach of any attack the party can muster, the to be restructured in order to once again take its protective rings, but the cost is high. All the soft dragon belches forth his fire again. Three charac- place of importance among the minds of players metal rings fail their saving throws vs. magical ters die; the survivor is picked up in the dragon’s and their fantasy personae. Remember that all fire and melt. The +5 bows of the fighters are jaws by a swooping attack just as the fire dies that needs to be done is use your head! incinerated (making their +5 arrows useless), as down, carried five hundred feet in the air, and James Maliszewski is one cleric’s staff of withering. In addition, one dropped to his death. Baltimore, Md.

6 JANUARY 1986

The list of possible player-character races was expanded by seven but only when he has to — and the duergar must then operate with with the publication of Unearthed Arcana. Three of the new choices all the penalties given in the text. — gray elf, wood elf, and valley elf — should present no problem for Alas, there is no Create Foster Grants spell that would signifi- the DM to incorporate into a campaign. However, the other four cantly aid the light-sensitive gray dwarf. Perhaps the dwarf could new races all have abilities or characteristics that may make them travel wearing a full helm with the visor down, so that marching tough to handle without upsetting the balance of the campaign. would be a little easier. A lenient DM might want to allow a gray Here are some suggestions for avoiding those difficulties. dwarf attired in some sort of eye or head covering to ignore the dexterity penalty if a thieving ability is used in a noncombat situa- The wild elf tion. However, all penalties given should apply during any hostile This character race is the easiest of the four to deal with. The wild encounter or combat. elf's power of animal friendship could cause the DM possible strife if The duergar’s advantages, and the problems that arise from them, the player decides to have his character (like many a druid we all are the result of having immunities — to non-natural poisons, para- know and love) strike up an encounter with every squirrel and blue- lyzation attacks, and illusion spells. If we tone these down to resis- bird the party chances to meet. The DM can discourage this tactic tances instead of immunities, we can avoid possible game-balance by ruling that the ability is only usable once per day (just as the spell problems. would be), once every 6 hours, or whatever seems appropriate, and An immunity to non-natural poisons may be too strong. Such a also by sticking to the letter of the spell description. First of all, the rule allows a gray dwarf to enter a deadly situation without jeopardy. target is given a saving throw. Second, remember that animal Instead of immunity, give the gray dwarf a saving throw of 2 versus friendship does not allow conversation with or communication from non-natural poisons (so that it can be failed on a roll of 1). Or, re- the animal, and can only be used to attract the pet and teach the duce the experience-point award for the encounter in which the animal three simple tricks. The magic only works on non-magical opponent was expecting an advantage from its use of non-natural creatures of neutral alignment and semi- or animal intelligence. poison. It takes a week to teach each trick, and the animal must be tended Immunity to paralyzation is a greater advantage, and potentially to continuously (at least once every 3 days) or it will leave. It could a greater problem. With this on their side, gray dwarves can stride be ruled that while one animal friendship training session is under into a pack of ghouls or ghasts without fear or threat. The suggested way, a wild elf cannot attempt to use the innate power a second time solutions are the same as above: require a saving throw of 2, or cut without penalty; doing so, even if the target animal makes its save, down the XP award by not counting the paralyzation power as an would cause the first enchantment to be broken. exceptional ability. This immunity/resistance only extends to paraly- A wild elf can attract a second pet successfully only when the first zation caused by physical attack (such as the touch of a ghoul or one has been fully trained (taught three tricks), and in this way can ghast) and not to paralyzation or a similar force of magical origin; accumulate a group of pets. A wild elf can control one or more thus, a gray dwarf is just as susceptible to a hold person spell or a animals totaling 1 HD per level of the elf. This is reduced from the 2 wand of paralyzation as any other dwarf is. HD per level given in the druid spell, because having a 5th-level Now, the book says that gray dwarves are “unaffected by illusion wild elf character with an elephant or a rhinoceros in tow could spells.” This is really opening Pandora’s Box. This statement must unbalance things rather badly. be toned down, or entire types of play are going to crumble into A wild elf player character of an alignment other than neutral nothingness. would have more difficulty in attracting animal pets; allow the ani- Consider one of the most common types of illusion — the invisi- mal +1 or +2 on its saving throw if the wild elf's alignment is one bility spell. Imagine a party of PCs being able to see everything they step removed (neutral good, neutral evil, etc.), and a +2 or +4 encounter because their good buddy, the gray dwarf, is unaffected bonus if two steps removed (lawful good, chaotic evil, etc.). Also, by illusions. As extreme as this example is, it only represents the tip allow an extra saving throw if the elf tries to teach the animal a trick of the iceberg. The party will encounter many other common illu- that would be out of character for the animal, or which would show sions, and having one member (or more) of the group never affected disrespect for nature. by an illusion simply gives the party too big an advantage. To tone down this immunity, let’s first stipulate that in order to The gray dwarf use this characteristic, the gray dwarf must concentrate for one Duergar have a disadvantage that makes them very hard to play round on seeing through, or looking for, an illusion. If any other in some campaigns, and a few advantages that might be too power- action is taken in the same round, the dwarfs concentration is bro- ful for the game if they are interpreted literally. ken and the effort is wasted. The disadvantage (also shared by two other new PC sub-races) is Second, the chance to be unaffected should not be a 100% thing the adverse effect that daylight or bright light has on them. Even in in very many cases. The distance between the dwarf and the illusion a campaign that takes place mostly in the dungeons, a party has to is a factor; it’s harder to detect illusions that are farther away. If you move above ground during the day to get from place to place. Un- interpret this resistance to illusions as an innate ability that cannot earthed Arcana says that the gray dwarf “will not venture forth” on be improved, then a dwarfs intelligence score will also help deter- bright days. This inhibits the player character too strongly. The mine how good he is at seeing through illusions. If you interpret the dwarf may not like to do it, but there are going to be times when ability as something that can be improved through practice and he’ll have to come out in the sunshine to keep from slowing the experience, then use the dwarfs experience level as a factor in deter- party down or becoming separated from it. He will “venture forth,” mining his chance. In the following table, use either the head-

10 JANUARY 1986 ings for “Level” or “Intelligence” over the columns, depending on Deep gnomes what you think is the nature of this resistance ability. These little people have a problem operating in bright light or daylight, just as gray dwarves do, which can be handled as described Range Level in the preceding section. They are also “immune to the effects of to 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8+ illusions and phantasms”; take care of this with a table identical or illusion or Intelligence similar to the one above. (Success figures for deep gnomes might be (feet) 3-7 8-7 10-11 12-13 14-15 16 17 18+ higher than for gray dwarves, since gnomes have an innate attune— 1- 29 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 100% 100% ment to illusions.) 30- 59 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 100% A non-illusionist svirfneblin (say this with a Swedish accent and it 60- 89 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% becomes easy) of 6th level or higher can conjure an earth elemental 90-119 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% once a day! Good grief, what a power! Having a 90% chance to 120-149 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% summon a monster of at least 8 HD once a day will change many a 150-179 5% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% campaign. This is especially true when one considers what an earth 180-209 2% 5% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% elemental can do in a dungeon. Imagine how long your opposition 210-239 — 2% 5% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% monsters will last when an earth elemental, immune to normal or 240-269 — 2% 5% 10% 20% 30% 40% +1 weapons, shows up. And 30% of the time the conjurer will get a 270-299 —— 2% 5% 10% 20% 30% monster of 16 HD or more! 300-329 ——— 2% 5% 10% 20% There are two ways to tone down this power — make it usable 330-359 ———— 2% 5% 10% with less frequency (once a week, for instance) or impose an 360-389 ————— 2% 5% experience-point penalty on player-character deep gnomes in return 390-419 —————— 2% for their possession of this ability. I would suggest a 10% penalty on all earned experience through the end of 4th level, and a 50% pen- It is impossible, even for a gray dwarf of utmost intelligence or alty when going from 5th to 6th level. You may find that a combina- level, to successfully see through an illusion at a distance of 420 feet tion of these procedures (a slight XP penalty plus a reduction in or greater. Illusions that have real effects (such as shadow monsters) frequency) will suit the purpose. could still harm a gray dwarf, even though the character could see The svirfneblin’s spell-like abilities of blindness, blur, and change the monsters for what they are. Concealed and hidden doors are not self are not too radical — although a thief who can change self is illusions in any case. Neither are things hidden in shadows, blended going to be hard to find in a populated area! against rock formations, or similarly camouflaged. This is only one way to deal with this power of gray dwarves; Dark elves certainly there are other ways of approaching the issue — but it Drow player characters also have a problem with bright light or should be approached. Using the rule book literally where immunity daylight; handle this as described above for gray dwarves. to illusions is concerned has the potential to bring irrevocable harm The drow have some very substantial spell-like powers usable once to the campaign. per day. Dancing lights, faerie fire, and darkness 5’ radius are not too severe and probably do not need a counter. Assume that the duration, range, etc., of these abilities are the same as for their namesake spells, with variable characteristics dependent upon the dark elf’s level. Dark elves of 4th level or higher also get detect magic, know align- ment, and levitate abilities. The first two are not great problems, although they can obviously help a party very much. However, the ability to levitate can be an unbalancing advantage for a drow of high level, who might be able to get an entire party out of trouble with one usage of the ability. To compensate for this great advan- tage, I would make all classes of player-character drow take a 10% penalty to earned experience at all times after attaining 4th level. Female dark elves get even more advantages at 4th level, and player characters should take a 20% penalty to earned experience in going from 3rd to 4th level, plus a 10% penalty for every level there- after. This penalty does not seem too severe, considering that female drow obtain clairvoyance, detect lie, and dispel magic abilities — a very handy group of powers for a player character to have on a once-a-day basis.

Editor’s conclusion Much of the difficulty in designing the new player-character races arose from the fact that many of the races were previously described as “monster” types in the rule books. Clearly, player characters belonging to these races could not be permitted to enjoy all the special abilities attributed to the “monsters.” For instance, gray dwarves could not be automatically psionic; svirfnebli could not have special skill with darts; drow could not retain many of the magical attributes given for that race of “monsters” in the FIEND FOLIO® Tome. Counterbalancing this was our desire to be faithful to the way the races were originally described; because of this, characteristics such as the duergar’s immunity to illusions were retained, even though it wasn’t always easy to find a game-balance reason for doing so. The changes suggested in this article are good ways of dealing with problems — if the problems occur or threaten to crop up in your campaign. If you find it necessary, you can use any method of toning down these abilities that you think is appropriate. — KM

12 JANUARY 1986 D RAGON 13 Travel works both ways PCs on the road will meet many fellow wayfarers by Paul Vernon

The encounter tables in the Dungeon weapons” include clubs, staves, bill hooks, rienced or successful hunters might also Masters Guide and the FIEND FOLIO® scythes, axes, sickles, and short bows. have swords and longbows, for use against Tome are very limited where fellow travelers Carters (level 0, AC 8 to 10, 2-5 hp, more formidable quarry. Crossbows would are concerned. The dozen types of men armed with daggers or peasant weapons): not usually be employed due to their low listed lack variety and soon become predict- Carters are found only on roads or tracks, rate of fire and the difficulty of maintaining able. This isn’t so important when the only carting a large variety of loads. In agricul- them in rural areas. traveling is between unrelated dungeons — tural areas, they carry agricultural produce In wilderness areas, hunters pursue more every encounter at least generates some and implements of all kinds (from dung to exotic species, possibly for capture and sale interest or danger to overcome — but when grain and ploughs to millstones, either in to menageries, nobles, or other characters. they are used in campaign play, the tables service to their lords or on their own ac- In this case, they should be treated as ban- soon prove inadequate. count). Alternatively, they could be con- dits as per the Monster Manual, insofar as One of the best things about playing in a nected to some local “industrial” levels, capabilities, and equipment are well-run campaign is that you can almost enterprise, such as a mine, quarry, or clay- concerned. believe that the place actually exists. Unfor- pit, and carry appropriate materials. In less Outlaws: Outlaws are usually runaway tunately, when the only travelers you meet peaceful areas they could be accompanied serfs, common hunters who have been are patrols, robbers, merchant caravans, by men-at-arms. caught with illegal game, or other malefac- rootless tribesmen, and bands of pilgrims on Wandering laborers: Wandering laborers tors fleeing from local justice. Their statis- their way to unknown shrines, the illusion is can either be poor townspeople who supple- tics should conform to the above types. soon shattered. What happened to the other ment their meager incomes by taking agri- They might be seen as freedom fighters by people? This is a question that you must cultural work at certain times of the year the local populace, but should not pose answer for yourself in accordance with the (especially during harvest) or peasants out much of a threat to most parties of player type of campaign you run. of bond who have deserted their former characters. My own campaign is loosely based on masters or fled from famine, war, flood, medieval England, and its roads are used disease, banditry, inroads by monsters, or Tradesmen mainly by the types of traveler which would some other catastrophe that has destroyed Medieval villages would not normally be have been found there. A selection of those their villages. Some lords see them as un- big enough to support many craftsmen, and whom adventurers might meet is repre- welcome troublemakers, as they often would depend upon itinerant tradesmen to sented on the accompanying tables, and spread discontent with the status quo. Their fulfill many of their needs. Even smiths and detailed descriptions of the types are given statistics are the same as those for villagers wheelwrights (who doubled as housebuild- below. Most of the material was gleaned above. ers, carpenters, coffin-makers, and even from various history books, especially En- Beggars (level 0, AC 10, 2-5 hp, armed undertakers) would be itinerant workers, if glish Wayfaring Life in the Middle Ages, by with staff, club, or perhaps dagger): Beg- the local villages were too small to have J. J. Jusserand. gars can be wandering laborers who have their own. Villagers would also have to been unable to find work, or professional trade for necessities (such as salt, metal, and Commoners beggars (most of whom have some real or pitch) and other useful items (tools, pots In settled areas especially, a large number feigned disability). Solitary hermits begging and pans), while the richer ones would of encounters are with common people alms from passersby were fairly common in attract traders in luxury items such as oil, going about their everyday affairs. Al- medieval England and can also be included wine, and finely woven fabrics. though rarely posing a threat to adventur- in this class. Often they lived near bridges As professional travelers, these tradesmen ers, they are useful sources of general or small shrines and begged alms ostensibly have a fund of knowledge about roads and inform&ion about the area, gossip about for their upkeep. They can be a good source inns, useful short-cuts, the state of local political situation, and news of past, of local legends — for a price. Finally, wan- trade (with associated dangers), and the present, and future local events. Many of dering holy men can be found preaching by like, in addition to being among the first to the following are also good disguises for the road side, or anywhere else they can hear about current local news. Typical those not wishing to draw attention to them- find a congregation. A favorite place for tradesmen who could be encountered in- selves, perhaps for nefarious purposes. these (usually good or chaotic) zealots to clude: cobblers and cloggers selling and Villagers (level 0, AC 9 to 10, 1-6 hp): If preach is in the grounds of lawful temples repairing leather goods and shoes or cloggs; encountered near their village, these people on holy days after services so that they can tailors selling, repairing, and making vari- are involved in agricultural tasks (herding, harangue templegoers as they leave. Natu- ous garments to order; joiners repairing tending crops, gathering wild nuts or ber- rally, they are also seen as troublemakers by wooden structures and selling wooden im- ries, searching for straying animals, etc.) or the authorities. plements such as bowls, cooking utensils, other everyday affairs. If encountered on Common hunters (fighter level 1 to 4, buckets, tubs, and tuns; thatchers con- roads they might be taking agricultural AC 7 to 10, armed with peasant weapons or structing and repairing thatched roofs on all produce to a local market, returning from spears): These people hunt for a livelihood, types of buildings; tinkers or itinerant market with their purchases, on the way to rather than for pleasure as nobles do. In metal-workers with portable forges selling or from visiting relatives, and so on. Vil- settled areas, common hunters have the and repairing metal implements, sharpen- lagers possess arms which could be easily statistics given above in parentheses. They ing knives and other cutting tools; and, manufactured or cheaply purchased by the hunt deer, boar, wolves, or fur-bearing quack doctors selling universal panaceas users, or they use agricultural implements animals, some of which may be reserved by and “holy relics” to cure all known ills. employed as weapons. These “peasant nobles for their own sport. The more expe- All of the above are level 0, AC 8 to 10,

14 JANUARY 1986 2-5 hp, and are armed with daggers, tools, products such as corn, meat, hides, wool fied towns in Wales, for example, masons, or peasant weapons. They usually travel in and other animal products, wood bark for carpenters, and diggers were drafted from wagons or carts in the company of one or tanning, and so on, while villages want 28 shires of England, and some specialists more helpers, who could be relatives. necessities like salt, manufactured goods, traveled all the way from Savoy in France. Other professionals who may be encoun- metals, and luxury goods for the richer Cranes and scaffolding would be con- tered include: inhabitants. Alternatively, they could trade structed on-site; tools were often provided Pedlars (level 0, AC 10, 2-5 hp, armed in locally extracted raw materials or be local by the employer. Journeymen were pre- with daggers and peasant weapons): They entrepreneurs taking raw materials to and sented with their own tools on completing travel on foot, selling a wide range of goods collecting finished articles from their out- their apprenticeship, and they would prefer including pins, musical instruments, purses, workers. Whatever their specialty, they to use these. The 70 men from Newport ribbons, points, laces, gloves, knives, usually travel in smaller numbers (and are Pagnell, summoned to the king’s works in glasses, rabbit skins, vests, caps, hats, gir- less well guarded) than merchants traveling Wales in 1282, brought all their own tools in dles, pewterware, and pots. In lawful areas, farther afield. Each local merchant are a handcart. they would need licenses and have to keep accompanied by a scribe and 1-3 carts and Scribes (level 0, AC 10, 1-4 hp, armed to the circuits allotted to them. carters (or pack animals and handlers). If with staves or daggers): Such wayfarers are Herbalists: They travel on foot between men-at-arms are called for, due to local often in search of permanent employment. villages, offering herbal remedies for most unrest or dangers, 1-10 will be in the em- Traveling scribes often take to occasional complaints. Statistics are as for pedlers ploy of each merchant. scrivening for illiterate folk to offset the above. Masons, carpenters and diggers (level 0, costs of their journeying. Traveling between Local merchants: These are similar to the AC 8 to 10, 2-7 hp, armed with tools and towns in the main, they might also head for merchant described in the Monster Man- peasant weapons): Workers at these trades one of the construction projects mentioned ual, but they trade throughout a more would travel vast distances to take employ- above in hopes of finding work in keeping restricted area with a base at a nearby town. ment on large-scale construction projects accounts, etc. They make reliable sources of As with pedlars, they trade in a variety of such as castles, town walls, and temples. information. goods. Towns want surplus agricultural When Edward I built his castles and forti- Bandits: Practicing the robbing of trav-

TABLE 1: TEMPERATE CONDITIONS, INHABITED/PATROLLED/LAWFUL AREAS

No. in Road/ group Plain Scrub Forest Rough Hills Mountains Marsh Villagers 3-18 01-12 01-16 01-16 01-16 01-16 01-16 01-16 Carters 1-4 13-20 — — — — — — Wandering laborers 2-12 21-24 17-20 17-20 17-20 17-20 17-20 17-20 Beggars 1 25 21-23 21-23 21-23 21-23 21-23 21-23 Beggars 2-8 26-27 24 24 24 24 24 24 Common hunters 3-12 28-30 25-29 25-29 25-29 25-29 25-29 25-29 Outlaws 3-18 31-32 30-32 30-32 30-32 30-32 30-32 30-32 Cobbler/clogger 1 33-35 — — — — — — Tinker 1 36-38 — — — — — — Tailor 1 39-41 — — — — — — Joiner 1 42-44 — 33-35 — — — — Thatcher 1 45-46 — — — — — 33-35 Quack 1 47-48 — — — — — — Pedlar 1 49-56 33-50 36-50 33-50 33-50 33-50 36-50 Herbalist 1 57-60 51-56 51-56 51-56 51-56 51-56 51-56 Local merchant* 1-2 61-65 57-65 57-65 57-65 57-65 57-65 57-65 Masons, diggers, and carpenters 4-16 66-68 66-67 66-67 66-67 66-67 66-67 66-67 Scribes 1-2 69-71 68-69 68-69 68-69 68-69 68-69 68-69 Bandits 3-30 72 70-72 70-72 70-72 70-72 70-72 70-72 Nobles * 1 73-74 73 73 73 — — — Church dignitaries 1 75 — — — — — — Noble hunters 2-20 76 74-76 74-76 74-76 73-76 73-74 73 Knights on expedition l-2 77 77 77 77 77 75-76 74-76 Robbers ** 78 78 78 78 78 77-78 77-78 Sheriff* 1 79 79 79 79 — — — Bailiffs* 1-2 80-81 80-81 80-81 80-81 79 79 79 Steward* 1 82 82 82-83 82-83 80-81 80-81 80 Purveyors* 1-3 83-84 83 84 84 — — — Messenger 1 85 84 85 85 82-83 82-83 81-82 Patrol ** 86-88 85-88 86-88 86-88 84-88 84-88 83-88 Entertainers (minor troupe) 1-4 89-92 89-93 89-93 89-93 89-93 89-94 89-94 Entertainers (major troupe) 2-12 93-94 94 94 94 94 95 95 Entertainers (players or menagerie) *** 95 95 95 95 95 — — Merchants 50-300 96-97 96 — 96 96 — — Characters **** 98-99 97-99 96-98 97-99 97-98 96-98 96-98 Pilgrims 10-100 00 00 99-00 00 99-00 99-00 99-00 * — These persons will have suitable retinues and escorts. *** — See listing in article. ** — See p. 182, DMG. **** — See p. 175, DMG.

D RAGON 15 elers as a profession (rather than from ne- Instead of having all their dues sent to a The retinue proper would be followed by cessity as do outlaws), bandits can be played central collection point, it was common parties with lawsuits, out-of-favor nobles as detailed in the Monster Manual or in the practice for lords and their followers to seeking to reinstate themselves with the Best of DRAGON® Magazine, Vol. 4. Most spend much time traveling between estates, king, and other types of petitioners and bandit gangs are made up of ex- literally eating their dues when they stayed solicitors. This latter group spent much mercenaries, deserters from military com- at an estate for a few days before moving on time quarreling, robbing, murdering, and panies, successful outlaws, landless knights, to the next one. This custom applied even generally making themselves (and the king) and other sorts of dangerous malcontents. to kings. In the year 1299-1300, for exam- unwelcome. King Edward II, in the ordi- ple, King Edward I changed his abode 75 nances of his household, ordered that these Dignitaries times without leaving the kingdom, moving “men without a character” should be put in Wayfaring adventurers might also meet on the average three times a fortnight. irons for 40 days and be fed only bread and up with people of considerable importance, Purveyors (see below) would go on ahead of water. He also forbade those who traveled traveling in a style befitting their rank. the main party, requisitioning carts (often with him, his knights, and servants to bring Although these important personages are for no payment) and demanding corn, hay, a wife with them, unless she had a post or unlikely to have much time for common oats, beer, and meat from unfortunate employment at court. Nobles might also be soldiers-of-fortune and riffraff adventurers, peasants. traveling to important functions, such as these encounters give the opportunity to Nobles and their ladies traveled in fine weddings and tournaments; to attend par- make influential friends (or powerful ene- carriages (costing up to 24,000 gp in liament; or, to visit other nobles or impor- mies), and can result in some interesting AD&D® game terms) as well as on horse- tant personages. commissions for a party. back. Their accompanying retinues could Lesser nobles, including church digni- Nobles and retinues: In medieval En- be very large indeed. The king, for exam- taries (who would also be important land- gland, important lords (those with the rank ple, was preceded by two dozen archers and owners), would travel in similar style, of baron or above) often had many estates accompanied by his foreign marshall (his though on a smaller scale. The Bishop of scattered over the country. This aspect of military commander in the field), inner Hereford, for example, had 40 servants, royal policy made the nobles easier to con- marshall (responsible for royal palaces and most of whom accompanied him on his trol, as it deprived them of compact individ- castles, whose duties included keeping them travels. They included the bishop’s cham- ual power bases, lessening the chances of free of courtesans), chamberlain (chief pion, who fought for him in judicial duels. rebellion. In France, on the other hand, accountant), marshall of the hall (to eject Noble Hunters: These are either local where individual nobles controlled vast dogs and unworthy persons from the royal dignitaries (with their relatives, friends, or blocks of land, they could defy royal author- presence), steward (the organizer of the guests) or members of a noble’s retinue ity with impunity (and often did so). The trip, who informed sheriffs and other nota- which is traveling nearby. In either case, only exceptions to this rule were the Lords bles who were expected to entertain the they are hunting for sport and accompanied of the Marches, who controlled counties on king’s party of his forthcoming arrival), and by various grooms, huntsmen, falconers, the borders with Scotland and Wales. These chancellor (chief dispenser of justice), all of and other necessary personnel. lords needed their resources to counter whom would have servants of their own. In Knights on expeditions: Knights could be foreign attacks. With the ever-present threat addition, there would be a host of knights, seeking adventure for its own sake or be of raids on their domains by the Welsh and squires, clerks, valets, grooms, carters, questing for their lords, for their ladies, or Scots, it was felt that these lords would not porters, falconers, huntsmen, messengers, in fulfillment of a vow. In the former case, be free to rebel anyway. bakers, and kitchen servants. mounted adventurers in knightly armor

TABLE 2: TEMPERATE CONDITIONS, WILDERNESS/CHAOTIC AREAS

No. in Road/ group Plain Scrub Forest Rough Hills Mountains Marsh Carters* 3-12 01-05 ——— — — — Beggars 1-12 06-08 01-03 01-02 01-03 01-03 01-02 01-02 Common hunters 8-48 09-10 04-10 03-10 04-10 04-10 03-10 03-10 Quack 11-12 11 11 11 11 11 11 Local merchant* 2-5 13-17 12-17 12-16 12-17 12-14 12-16 12-18 Masons, carpenters, and diggers 6-36 18-20 18 17 18 15 17 19 Bandits 20-200 21-25 19-25 18-25 19-25 16-25 18-25 20-25 Nobles* 1-3 26-31 26-27 26-27 26-27 26-27 26-27 26-27 Church dignitaries* 1-3 32-35 28 28 28 28 28 28 Noble hunters 4-40 36-40 29-36 29-36 29-36 29-34 29-36 29-39 Knights on expedition 1-4 41-45 37-42 37-40 37-42 35-38 37-40 40-45 Robbers ** 46-50 43-50 41-50 43-50 39-50 41-50 46-50 Messengers 2-5 51-55 51-55 51-55 51-55 51-55 51-55 51-55 Nomads 30-300 56-69 56-65 — 56-60 56-66 — — Merchants 50-300 70-85 66-79 56-62 61-70 67-78 56-62 56-62 Characters **** 86-87 80-84 63-67 71-75 79-83 63-67 63-67 Pilgrims 10-100 88 85-86 68-69 76-83 84-86 68-73 68-73 Tribesmen 10-100 89 87-89 70-90 84-89 87-89 74-88 74-90 Berserkers 10-100 90 90 — 90 90 89-90 — Entertainers (minor troupe) 1-4 91-92 91-92 91-96 91-92 91-92 91-96 91-96 Entertainers (major troupe) 2-12 93-94 93-98 97-00 93-98 93-98 97-00 97-00 Entertainers (players or menagerie) *** 95-00 99-00 — 99-00 99-00 —— * — These persons will have suitable retinues and escorts. *** — See listing in article. ** — See p. 182, DMG. **** — See p. 175, DMG.

16 J ANUARY 1986 could be challenged to an impromptu joust 15% chance they are on foot. Hindering tumblers, and acrobats, so as to make up a in the Arthurian tradition. Quests could them in their tasks carries stiff penalties, but circus. range from running down monsters or could provide useful information. Mer- brigands, to rescuing abductees; from seek- chants and important tradesmen also use All of the above wayfarers are included in ing revenge upon individuals who have messengers on occasion, but they usually the accompanying tables, which can be used wronged the knights themselves or their don’t enjoy the same protection under the whenever an encounter with men (including lords in some way, to seeking knowledge law. patrols and characters) is called for by the from elusive wisemen. Alternatively, the Patrols: These are as described in the DMG or FIEND FOLIO® Tome encounter knights could be on their way to a major DMG, p.182. tables. Those groups not mentioned in the conflict, perhaps a crusade or tournament. article should be played as outlined in the Knights are usually accompanied by a Entertainers Monster Manual. squire, and might also have a number of Many different types of entertainers can In a well-structured campaign, the com- men-at-arms if their task warrants them. be found traveling between markets, fairs, ings and goings of important personages Robbers: In less well-governed areas, towns, festivals, and banquets at wealthy who are integral to an adventure plot are travelers were often robbed (and worse) by houses. They have much interesting infor- preordained to a large extent. When an quasi-seigneurial bands under knights or mation concerning local towns, and they encounter with an important personage is nobles who acted as a law unto themselves. possess a wealth of juicy gossip. Details of called for by the encounter tables given with The bands of these robber barons should be rich residences (including layouts) which this article, this could be an opportunity to treated as hostile patrols as per the DMG. they have visited are of special interest to call into play an existing noble who isn’t thieves. Entertainers are likely to travel in doing very much at the time. Alternatively, Officials bands, increasingly so as the following list the personage encountered could be “just A number of officials involved in the progresses: passing through,” visiting an existing noble, government of the local area may be en- Minstrels and bards: They sing and recite or the dice roll could be ignored. When the countered. They are a good source of infor- the deeds of heroes. Bards had their own encounter tables are used in areas that are mation regarding local rulers, but can be a guild in England until the sixteenth century, not carefully structured by the Dungeon great deal of trouble to adventurers if af- complete with a guild marshall and two Master, as in a campaign based upon fronted, insulted, or annoyed. These official wardens. Famous practitioners are in great dungeon-delving, the details and goals of types include: demand among cities and noble houses. encountered dignitaries can be tailored to Sheriffs: They are responsible for tax They are bards, fighters, or thieves of levels the situation in hand. collection and judging offenses against the 1-8. The tables here are by no means exhaus- king (robbery, rape, murder, sorcery, apos- Conjurors: They could be charlatans, or tive, and refer only to a campaign based on tasy, destruction of bridges and roads, etc.). they could be magic-users or illusionists of medieval northern Europe. Various other Usually powerful nobles in their own right, levels 1-2. types of wayfarers could be added, and they often travel to hold Hundred Courts (a Bearwards: They display performing considerable changes must be made if they county being split into several hundreds) in bears or other animals. They are level 0, are to be used in campaigns with other addition to sitting at the county court. AC 8, 4-7 hp, typically armed with staves, backgrounds. In a middle-eastern cam- Sheriffs are fighters of level 7-10, accompa- daggers, or whips. paign, for example, grand viziers, slave nied by 1-3 bailiffs (fighters of levels 2-3; see Jugglers: Depending on their ability, they traders, and troops of exotic dancing girls below), 2-4 scribes, 2-5 servants and 3d4+3 may handle anything from apples to deadly could be substituted for some of the above men-at-arms. sharp knives. types. Bailiff’s: They work under sheriffs, appre- Fire-eaters: Performers who are able to These tables show how the standard hending lawbreakers and collecting taxes. breathe flames from 2’ to 8’ in length. encounter tables can be expanded to help a Bailiffs are fighters of level 2-3, and each is Tumblers and acrobats: A group of these particular campaign come alive. If this is accompanied by 1 scribe and 2-5 men-at- would make a good cover for members of done, the background of the campaign arms. the thief-acrobat split class. becomes much more real and believable. Stewards: They are appointed by impor- Jugglers, fire-eaters, tumblers, and acro- Chance encounters with many of these tant nobles having too many estates to bats are all either level 0 characters (2-5 hp) wayfarers can provide entertaining sub- manage personally. They visit their lord’s or thieves of levels 1-3, AC 10 (though plots to the main adventure, information manors to formulate and implement agri- dexterity will lower this), typically armed may be gained to help the main adventure cultural policy, convene the manor court in with daggers. along. Traveling, especially in settled re- the lord’s absence, ensure that services due Traveling players: They perform plays gions, becomes a much more interesting are being rendered and that the lord gets based on legends or important historical occupation, rather than just a necessary (and keeps) his due, and hear the accounts figures. They could also be commissioned to interlude between dungeoneering and city of the village reeves. They are fighters of perform plays lampooning certain charac- intrigue. level 3-6 and are accompanied by 1-2 ters by their political opponents. They scribes, 2-5 servants, and 2-8 men-at-arms. travel in bands of 10-30 and have wagons to Magistrates: They also travel to dispense transport scenery, costumes and props. justice, and are often installed by the king Players are level 0, AC 8-10, 2-5 hp, and to curb the power of influential sheriffs. are typically armed with daggers or peasant Their statistics are as for stewards above. weapons. The leading actors could be fight- Got a question about an article? A subject you’d like us to coyer — or Purveyors: They precede noble retinues, ers or thieves of up to 5th level; various not cover? What do you think of the having writs to requisition carts and provi- weapons, and armor as good as AC 4, could magazine you’re reading? Drop us a sions. They are thieves of level 3-6. Oppos- be found among the props. line at “Letters,” P.O. Box 110, Lake Traveling menageries: These are the ing a bona fide purveyor carries a stiff Geneva WI 53147. We’ll read every penalty, but there is a 30% chance that any forerunners of zoos and circuses. The ani- letter we get, and we’ll select certain such character encountered is a charlatan. mals would be transported in wheeled letters of general interest for publica- Messengers (level 0, AC 8, 2-5 hp, armed cages, accompanied by 1-2 owners (level 0, tion — maybe even yours! with daggers and swords): They are em- AC 10, 2-5 hp, armed with swords or dag- ployed by nobles, officials, or church digni- gers), 3-10 carters, 3-10 animal handlers taries, and carry tokens designating their (statistics as bearwards), and 3-8 men-at- status. They are always mounted in wilder- arms. Large menageries could be accompa- ness areas, though in settled areas there is a nied by 2-12 conjurors, jugglers, fire-eaters,

18 JANUARY 1986

Seeing is believing Examining the three varieties of invisibility by Geoffrey Meissner

Invisibility is a wonderful thing. It is used Physical invisibility pline while making physical attacks against in many adventures and is a basic power As mentioned earlier, there is only one an opponent; otherwise, a power such as that many characters depend upon. How- known example of an item that bestows this body weaponry would be fairly useless. ever, despite how often it is used, it is one of power: dust of disappearance. This magic What the Players Handbook does not say the most misunderstood spells in the dust has the power to bend the rays of light about psionic invisibility is what happens if AD&D® game. This article explores invisi- as they pass near it. This causes light not to the invisible character physically attacks bility powers in depth. strike the object the dust is sprinkled over, someone who cannot see him: The victim A look at the invisibility spell as described rendering it invisible because no light re- will not realize the attacker is present, thus in the Players Handbook shows that the flected from it reaches the eyes of the view- granting the attacker an enormous advan- spell is an “illusion/phantasm.” This is ers. This is the only “real” invisibility in tage in any combat situation, especially in contrary to the way it’s understood to work. the game, and is also the only power that the first round. In most game play, the spell is not treated as can turn something non-living invisible. An invisible attacker should be allowed an illusion, but rather as something that The other spells only affect a single living one complete surprise attack. The armor affects the physical world. Many references thing and any possessions being carried. class of the defender should be adjusted to in the AD&D game books imply that the The Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 143, disregard any applicable bonuses for dexter- spell somehow bends light waves around the says that the dust’s effects are not negated ity and shield, and in most cases any other recipient, thus rendering him invisible. This by a normal detect invisibility, but are directional bonuses (such as for cover). The raises many questions. What causes us to negated by dust of appearance. The dust attacker can take his time and line up a very think of invisibility this way? What is the has an undependable and limited duration accurate spell attack, weapon thrust, or correct way to deal with invisibility? What (2-20 turns), but while it is in effect, invisi- missile shot. The DM may want to grant an was originally intended? What implications bility from it is not negated if its subject extra bonus “to hit” in this case as well (+1 does this have for AD&D gaming? makes an attack. to +4, depending on circumstances), since The Players Handbook and the Dungeon Apparently, detect invisibility does not the defender has no idea he is about to be Masters Guide contain descriptions of many work against dust of disappearance because attacked. spells and objects that confer invisibility. the spell is potent against illusion-type On all subsequent rounds, the defender They can be divided into three categories. invisibility only, acting as a limited detect will have been alerted. However, if the Physical invisibility is that bestowed by illusion. The dust causes a physical change mind-control invisibility is still affecting an item or power which causes light waves in the world, so it cannot be detected as an him, he will not know what is attacking him to be actually bent around the invisible illusion. or where it is. He will try to defend himself, object. In this class we find only dust of moving his shield toward the direction of disappearance. Mind-control invisibility the last attack, and may possibly try to Mind-control invisibility is a direct Psionic invisibility is a power that affects escape. For subsequent rounds, he still mind-affecting power. It includes the minor its victims through direct mind control; in cannot use his dexterity bonus to AC, but psionic discipline called invisibility as well this sense, it is more of a charm than an his shield (if any) should be usable if the as the druid’s invisibility to animals spell. illusion. It forces the victim’s mind to disre- situation-allows. Attacks against the invisi- The cleric spell sanctuary is assumed not to gard what his senses tell him is going on, ble character are made at -4 “to hit,” if they confer any sort of invisibility as such; ene- without altering the real environment. are possible at all. mies are assumed to be able to see the cleric Illusions, on the other hand, change the Invisibility to animals is classified as a using such a spell, but the cleric’s deity (or sensory information and not the mind itself. type of alteration magic in the Players agent thereof) causes the enemies to believe Psionic invisibility is thus more powerful Handbook. The spell works like a selective that the cleric is unimportant or harmless, than the illusionary spell form, despite its psionic invisibility It reaches into the minds thus sparing the cleric any attack or atten- limitations. of animals and makes the caster totally tion that might otherwise be directed to- The power is interesting in that invisibil- unseen to them, just as the psionic power ward him. ity will be conferred only upon the caster does to characters. The effect is similar even Illusionary invisibility is the sort be- himself, and only be effective against those though the cause is different (a spell instead stowed by several spells used by magic-users people or creatures he specifies. Thus, the of a psionic discipline), but the spell is quite and illusionists, such as invisibility invisi- power is neither infinite in duration nor all- different in some ways from the psionic bility 10’ radius, mass invisibility and inclusive in scope. If another enemy walks power. The effect of the spell is somewhat improved invisibility The effects of most in the room, the caster may not have the weaker than psionic invisibility, since it only magical items that confer invisibility, such ability to extend his invisibility to affect the works on dumb animals. Like most spells, it as a potion of invisibility or a ring of invisi- newcomer (depending upon how many has a finite and fairly limited duration. bility are also in this category. creatures he’s already affecting). And, as with all spell-induced forms of Some spells or magical items confer a This power is so strong that it completely invisibility, the spell “does not allow attack” power similar in some ways to invisibility, neutralizes all attempts to see through the (DMG, p. 60); the magic is dispelled if the such as a cloak of elvenkind or robe of invisibility. Even if the victim decided to try druid makes an attack against a creature blending. These powers are closer to a a detection spell, his mind wouldn’t let him that cannot see him. chameleon’s powers than to real invisibility, believe the results. Therefore, detect invisi- and they will not be considered here. A bility or dust of appearance will not show it Illusionary invisibility thief's hiding in shadows skill also falls into for what it is. Invisibility spells classified as illusion/ this category, and will not be discussed. It must be possible to use a psionic disci- phantasms in the Players Handbook affect

20 JANUARY 1986 the visual senses of the victims. There is no saving throw allowed and no chance to disbelieve. However, in something similar to a disbelief roll, there is a chance for high- level and intelligent creatures to overcome the spell. There are many inconsistencies sur- rounding illusionary invisibility spells. On one hand, they are written as illusions; on the other, they are referred to in ways that imply that they actually alter the light waves around the caster. For example, check the description of psionic invisibility in the Players Handbook, p. 113. The text says that “. . . only a mind bar is able to prevent the power from operating with respect to [the recipient of the mind bar], for this power affects minds, not light waves or similar physical manifestations.” This clearly implies that normal invisibility is physically oriented. The DMG (p. 59) explains the problems a caster may have with invisibility. It points out that if others deduce that an invisible person is in the area, they will take actions to thwart him. For example: “Think of a door opening without any visible cause; this will cause suspicion in the mind of the viewer.” This is a very strange thing to say about an illusion-class spell, as most illu- sions are negated or at least compromised when someone knows what’s going on. This also implies that the power is something other than an illusion. Take a look at the next page (p. 60). It says: “Dust of disappearance does not negate sound or odor either, so it is basically the same as an invisibility spell.” This can be interpreted in several different ways, but it seems to imply that dust of disappearance (a physical invisibility device) is the same as the illusion-based invisibility spell. While they do not affect the mind di- rectly, illusions certainly do not affect light waves, either. An illusion spell should be treated like a projection screen. The illusion flashes something up on this “screen,? hiding something behind it. The senses of the victim register what is seen on the screen and can’t see what’s beyond it. Note that invisibility is a visual screen only; noise and odors are still detected. If the spell were truly an illusion, then the realization that invisibility was afoot should be enough to dispel the magic, or at least greatly reduce its effect on observers. This does not happen. In addition, illusions usually do not affect the friends of the caster. Again, the DMG seems to say the opposite. (See p. 59: “Furthermore, the associates of the invisible party are not able to see him or her any better than foes are, so this can cause problems, too.”) But let’s not get carried away We should not reverse the intent of the spell and call it a physical manifestation; this would just create other problems. The fact that the spell turns itself off after an attack is made suggests that it’s an illusion, and as such would have no effect once the observer is unmistakably convinced (by the attack) that an illusion was present. Changing the invis-

D RAGON 21 ibility spell is certainly not the answer. Why was no saving throw or chance to rule that all other party members have a Much has been written that seems to point disbelieve the spell given in the rules? 100% chance to detect because the evidence either way. If we make any decision, we The rules provide a chance for certain (they saw the spell take effect on the recipi- have to contradict the written word, some- characters and creatures to detect invisible ent) is indisputable. where. It’s a matter of deciding what makes beings, which is equivalent to a disbelief the most sense to the game, and trying to roll. The Detection of Invisibility Table How does dust of appearance work figure out what definition was originally (DMG, p. 60), as given, only applies to with respect to the spell invisibility? intended. beings of at least 7th level (or 7 hit dice) and According to the DMGuide, the dust will Invisibility, as written, is an illusion/ at least 17 intelligence. But other factors reveal invisibility of all forms except the phantasm spell, and this is undoubtedly besides level and intelligence could come psionic version. The dust will insure that a what was intended for it. What remains to into play; as stated in the note below the correct picture of the world is getting to the be done is to clean up the interpretations table, “unintelligent creatures with keen eyes of the user, and whether that picture made with respect to this spell, involving hearing or sense of smell” can be granted a was distorted by illusion or physical bend- some subtle changes in the way in which chance to detect an invisible creature. ing of light waves is immaterial. This power most people play it. Building on this, it would not be unreasona- of the dust does not affect the mind of the In the next section is a list of questions ble to allow certain creatures or character user, so psionic invisibility is not dispelled. about the illusionary invisibility spell. None races a chance for detection based on some of these are official game answers; they are special sensory characteristic. For instance, When an invisible person attacks some- merely suggestions for play of the spell. the same “sense” that gives an elf or half-elf one it cancels his invisibility. However, if Following this, two suggestions for new an advantage in detecting secret doors could he is alone with his victim, kills him, and spells are presented. The first is based on also contribute to that character’s ability to the next victim doesn’t hear the scuffle, physical invisibility, and the second on detect something invisible. If you agree with there is no reason that his invisibility mind-control invisibility. this line of reasoning, you could grant should be cancelled — right? chances to detect/disbelieve for characters Like all illusions, invisibility is dispelled Questions and answers not accounted for on the table. when it (the illusion) comes into contact on illusionary invisibility Players should speak for their characters with an opponent. The phantasmal force when they intend to try to detect invisibil- description (PH, p. 75) says “The illusion If my character is invisible, can he see ity; for NPCs, the DM must use judgment lasts until struck by an opponent,” but this himself? as to when and how often the character works both ways: When the recipient of an Yes. The spell is an illusion which the would intend to try. As demonstrated in invisibility spell causes damage or takes recipient automatically disbelieves — and examples within some of the following damage in a combat situation, the illusion is so, for that matter, does the caster of the answers, the DM may allow detection at- instantly negated for all those who actually spell when the recipient is some other crea- tempts to be made with varying frequency see it dispelled (not just the victim). Obvi- ture. By the same token, neither the recipi- and at different chances for success, de- ously, anyone who encounters the formerly ent nor the caster will be immediately aware pending on the circumstances. invisible character later will see him — of the fact when the recipient becomes because he’s not invisible any more. The visible to others. If some viewers have dis- If a party is absolutely sure that there duration of the spell is given as “special” believed and others haven’t, the recipient is an invisible person in a room, can all not to imply that the magic is permanent in might forget who can see him and who the characters in the party receive a any way, but because the duration of the can’t, which could cause problems. chance to detect the invisibility? invisibility depends on how long it is before A normal chance to detect the illusion of the invisible character attacks or takes dam- Does all of my character’s personal invisibility may be granted only to charac- age in combat. equipment become invisible with him? ters who have evidence that an invisible Yes. The illusion would be useless if a suit person is in their immediate vicinity. If no How can the illusion of invisibility be of clothing were seen walking around with such evidence exists, no roll can be allowed. dispelled if not through combat? no body inside it. The DM may want to If the evidence persists — for instance, if The spell will only be negated if the recip- make a ruling on just how much stuff goes the breathing of an invisible creature can be ient or caster of the spell wishes it to be so, invisible in this manner; it should not be heard continually — then the character or if the recipient is the specific target of a more than the character can bear or carry. sensing the evidence can be granted succes- successful dispel magic or dispel illusion The best way to handle this is to define how sive rolls (once per round would not be too spell or similar magic. far the invisibility “screen” extends out- often) until he succeeds in seeing through ward from the recipient’s body. Anything the illusion. If one character detects an Are there other actions that reveal the that sticks out beyond that point is visible. invisible object or creature, he cannot cause invisibility? About 2’ of space would be a good (perhaps others to see it as well by simply conveying As pointed out above and mentioned generous) ruling on this. the information to them, but this informa- several times in the rules, the spell only tion would allow a bonus to other charac- shields the recipient from detection by sight. What happens if an invisible person ters’ attempts to detect it for themselves. Sound, odor, or any tracks he may make as picks up an object or puts one down? he moves could all give away the presence Since the area of effect of the spell is Are members of a PC’s party able to see of an invisible character to those who sense defined as “one person,” it is reasonable to him if he goes invisible in front of them? this conflicting information and succeed in assume that the things picked up would be Technically, the other members of the actually seeing the source of the sound, behind the aura of the spell and would party who see the spell being cast are af- odor, or whatever. Simply being invisible become invisible. This only works for those fected by the illusion — at least initially — isn’t much good when it comes to being things that are small enough to fit entirely in the same way that anyone else would be detected by certain creatures. A dog, or any within the prescribed “screen” of invisibil- affected. Each of them has to successfully other animal with a good sense of smell, will ity, and which the recipient of the spell is detect in order to actually be able to see his locate some invisible creatures by odor able to lift, assuming he intends to move the invisible cohort, but the roll for detection more easily than any human or demi- object. If he puts something down, and should be made with a hefty bonus and new human could. moves away from it, it becomes visible. rolls (for those who fail) should be awarded Things don’t become partially invisible; if frequently. The odds are that everyone will New spells an invisible character approaches or touches see through the illusion fairly quickly. Alter- If the DM allows new spells to be re- a long table, the table remains fully in sight. natively, to save some dice-handling, simply searched or discovered, here are a couple of

22 JANUARY 1986 ways for magic-users to make use of the the invisible object moves or is moved, believe the caster is there. Note that only other two types of invisibility. Illusionists successful detection attempts must be made creatures within 4” of the caster are so should not be allowed to research or use in each end every round to keep from losing affected; the mind control is broken if these spells, simply because they have noth- track of it again, because physical invisibil- movement takes the caster and viewer more ing to do with illusions. ity is not permanently negated (for that than 4” away from each other. The caster viewer) by a successful detection attempt. can attack a character or creature affected Physical Invisibility (Alteration) The spell remains in effect until it is by the spell, and the defender can only magically broken or dispelled, or until the attempt a futile defense; shield and dexter- Level: 5 duration expires. The recipient of the spell ity adjustments are not counted on any Components: V, S, M may cause damage or take damage without blow. Victims may believe some arcane Range: Touch negating the magic. As with other types of spirit or other aberration is attacking them. Casting Time: 4 segments invisibility, attacks against the recipient are All whom the caster intends to affect by Duration: 5 rounds/level at -4 “to hit” in addition to any other bo- the spell are allowed a saving throw versus Saving Throw: Special nuses or penalties that apply. The material spell at -2 (plus any wisdom bonus or pen- Area of Effect: Creature touched components of the spell are a prism and a alty) to escape the mind control attempt. small mirror. Dispel magic will negate the spell if success- Explanation/Description: This spell fully cast against the level of magic at which causes the recipient to vanish from sight Mind-Control Invisibility the mind-control invisibility was cast. De- and not be detectable by normal vision or (Enchantment/Charm) tect charm will pick out those people under infravision. The spell works similarly to this spell’s effects. dust of disappearance, which is described in Level: 5 the Dungeon Masters Guide. It bends the Components: V, S Conclusions light waves in the immediate vicinity of the Range: 0 Invisibility is not a single power, but is recipient so that no light from his body Casting Time: 4 segments rather a set of very different powers with escapes; therefore, he becomes invisible. Duration: 2 rounds/level similar effects. The distinctions between the The invisible creature is not magically Saving Throw: Neg. three types are very important for an accu- silenced with respect to noise, nor are his Area of Effect: 4” radius of caster rate simulation of the magical effects that smells or tracks masked. occur, and add depth to the playing of the Dust of appearance or a successful casting Explanation/Description: This spell af- game. of dispel magic will negate this spell. Dispel fects the minds of one character or creature Overall, everything is subservient to fun. illusion or detect invisibility will have no per level of the caster (all of which are cho- This look at a very basic AD&D power was effect on this spell. True seeing or a similar sen by the caster) within a 4” radius of his not meant to complicate the game, but was power will allow its caster to see the invisi- location. It causes the caster (and only him) an attempt to understand its foundations, ble person for as long as the true sight is in to become visually undetectable by the and to inject an element of freshness into effect. Any character may have a chance to victims. No matter what means are used to the play. The new spells will, I hope, detect the invisible object or creature, but if locate him, the minds of the victims will not achieve this last goal. The rest of the Papers Cleaning up a few odds and ends about centaurs

Two months ago (DRAGON® issue #103) we presented an article about 6 times as heavy. The height of a centaur at the withers is called “The Centaur Papers,” written by two very centaur-oriented about .84 times the height of an equivalent human. To determine the people from the Great White North, Stephen Inniss and Kelly Greig height and weight of a centaur, roll on the Dungeon Masters Guide Adams. As readers will recall, “The Centaur Papers” was a com- tables for height and weight on p. 102 (or use the tables from posite article, put together from the two individual articles that Stephen’s own article in DRAGON issue #91, “Realistic vital statis- Stephen and Kelly had written on the topic. We claimed at the time tics.”) For example, a height of 6’ and a weight of 175 lbs. is ob- that “The Centaur Papers” had “virtually everything you could tained. Multiplying these figures by the “centaur factors” yields a ever want to know about centaurs.” height of 7’2” (6’ × 1.2) from hoof to head, or about 15 hands high Well, “virtually” should have been “almost.” (6’ × .84 × 3) at the withers. The centaur’s weight is 1050 lbs. Jeannie Whited of Rockville, Md., pointed out that the height of (175 × 6), which agrees very well with Kelly’s notes above. a horse is measured in “hands,” which indicates the height of the Stephen had several other comments. The quantities of food given horse at the withers — at the top of its front shoulders, on the ridge in the table on p. 37 of “The Centaur Papers” are consumed on a of its back. One “hand” is equivalent to four inches; there are three daily basis. Centaurs would not often eat tough foodstuffs such as hands in a foot just as there are three feet in a yard. For instance, a hay and straw. Unicorns, like pegasi, are on distant but good terms 17-hand-high centaur would be 5’ 8” tall at the withers. A centaur’s with centaurs. The starting age for a player-character centaur would withers correspond to the point on its back where the human half of be the same as for a human character of the same class. The use of a the body meets the equine half. spear or lance from a centaur’s back would be difficult, but we, the The two authors also wrote to us with some additional material. editors, feel it is still possible (perhaps with penalties “to hit”). Kelly Adams believes that a weight of one-quarter ton for a centaur Stephen corrects an example given in the article on p. 44: An 8’ tall is rather low, since the average weight for a 14 hh pony is about 700 centaur requires about 12’ vertical space for his front hoof attacks. lbs. Most riding horses are about 1000 lbs., and a horse larger than Stephen has also expanded the Racial Preference Table to include 17 hh will weigh 1300 lbs., or more. centaurs. In the listings that follow, the letter before the slash indi- Stephen Inniss says that the tables for human heights and weights cates the given race’s attitude toward centaurs, and the letter after may also be used to generate centaur heights and weights. A centaur the slash is the centaur’s attitude/reaction toward the given race: is 1.2 times as tall from head to hoof as an equivalent human, and is Centaur, P/P; Dwarf (any), N/N; Dark elf, H/N; Gray elf, G/G; Valley elf, T/T, Wild elf, N/T; Wood elf, P/P; Gnome (any), N/T; Half-elf, T/T; Halfling (any), N/T, Half-arc, A/H; Human, N/N. Last but not least, Stephen suggests a revision of the upper level limits for centaur characters. He pointed out that all other character classes had at least one class in which they progressed without limit, and the various other bonuses and penalties of being a centaur tend to cancel out. We (the editors) prefer the use of the limits given in the article in issue #103, since centaurs are not truly human or demi-human in nature and there is no precedent, on that basis, for them being able to rise to extremely high levels. Nevertheless, Stephen’s table is presented below, for use by more liberal DMs and their players. It is patterned after similar tables in Unearthed Arcana, pp. 8-9.

Ability Highest level attainable as: score Cleric Druid* Fighter Ranger 14 35U6 15 4 61 U6 16 4 72 U6 17 5 93 U7 18 6 114 U 8 18/90 U 96 18/99 U 106 18/00 U 117 19 8 135 U 158 20 10 135 U 158

* — Only possible for a centaur having an unmodified charisma score of at least 15 with respect to other centaurs. In the following notes, “Cha” refers to the centaur’s charisma score with respect to other centaurs. 1: Cha 15 required. 6: Con 19 required. 2: Cha 15 required; Cha 16 7: Int 14, Wis 15, and Con allows 8th level. 19 required; Int 15 and Wis 16 3: Cha 16 required; Cha 17 allows 12th level; Int 16 + and allows 10th level. Wis 17 + allows 14th level. 4: Cha 17 required; Cha 18 8: Int 17, Wis 18, and Con allows 12th level. 20 required. 5: Cha 19 required.

24 JANUARY 1986

The role of books Fantasy and SF literature of interest to gamers Reviews by John C. Bunnell

DEEP WIZARDRY The real surprise is the beautifully intri- Diane Duane cate web that holds all eleven tales in a Delacorte 0-385-29373-9 $15.95 remarkably consistent framework. Liavek is All of Diane Duane’s work to date has an entirely credible, well-designed world displayed the twin virtues of unusually where political intrigue and complicated believable characterization and fine-tuned magic are thoroughly intertwined. Major balancing of the plausible with the com- characters wander in and out of each other’s pletely unexpected. Deep Wizardry, how- adventures almost as if the book were a ever, isn’t just excellent; it’s a truly magical novel, and events in the early stories some- book that may very well be the best fantasy times have effects on those in later adven- novel published in 1985. tures. All this is clearly the result of a It begins as Nita and Kit, first encoun- monumental editing job from Shetterly and tered in Duane’s earlier So You Want To Be Bull — or possibly an indication of just how A Wizard, are enjoying their families’ well the Scribblies and their colleagues work decision to take a vacation on the Atlantic together. In either case, the end product is coast. little short of amazing. Being junior wizards, however, they’re As an additional plus, the system of unexpectedly called on to save the life of a magic that operates in Liavek is exception- fellow magic-worker who just happens to be ally well developed. Several stories turn on a dolphin, and from there, they are rapidly quirks of its application, and another ap- drawn into preparations for a crucial magi- pendix provides a useful summary of the cal ritual needed to preserve the ocean’s concept. Though the idea of personalized vitality. “luck” is very different from the approach The complications that arise along the to magic found in the AD&D® game sys- way are more than merely obstacles to be tem, it’s a premise that seems very adapt- swept aside. Nita and Kit are both eventu- able to a gaming environment — despite ally recruited to take part in the ceremony, the limits the system places on magical but the role Nita assumes calls for an unex- devices. pected commitment. The magic that allows According to the anthology’s final page, Kit to function underwater is not without a LIAVEK at least one more volume of stories will risk. And, Nita’s parents are becoming Will Shetterly and Emma Bull, eds. continue the saga of Liavek. If that book worried about their daughter’s peculiar Ace 0-441-48180-9 $2.95 sustains the high quality so evident in this absences at odd hours. Yet another shared-world anthology has first collection, the Thieves’ World series Duane handles all this with respect, sym- reached the bookshelves. This one is set in will have a serious challenger on its hands pathy, and gentle wit, giving the novel a the “city of luck and wizardry” named in in the shared-world category. light touch even as she stretches her charac- the title. However, Liavek isn’t just a collec- ters’ strength of will to the breaking point. tion of tales riding on the reputation of She also sets her tale against a fresh, origi- Thieves’ World. Both the eleven tales and MUSTAPHA AND HIS WISE DOG nal background of underwater culture, and the editing in Liavek are uniformly excel- Esther M. Friesner game masters interested in seagoing sce- lent — not unexpected, given the track Avon 0-380-89676-1 $2.95 narios will find a wealth of fascinating detail records of many of the people involved. The novel begins with a familiar scene: about marine life. Dolphins, whales, and a An appendix reveals that Liavek is the an old storyteller sits in a corner of a mag- truly nerve-bending shark are among creation of the Scribblies, a Minneapolis nificent bazaar and regales his listeners with Duane’s characters, and each one is distinc- writers’ group that includes co-editors Shet- a tale of magic, adventure, and mysterious tive and memorable. terly and Bull, successful fantasists Patricia quests. It’s not long, however, before Mus- Bookstores and libraries will likely place Wrede and Steven Brust, and talented tapha and His Wise Dog reveals itself as a Deep Wizardry in the YOUNG ADULT sec- newcomer Pamela Dean. All these have highly literate Arabian Nights yam told tion, and its predecessor may be found with stories in the collection, and other contribu- with subtlety and style. the children’s books. Both, of course, are tors include such authors as Gene Wolfe, The storyteller’s tale also is familiar at well written and enjoyable, regardless of the Jane Yolen, and Barry Longyear. first. Mustapha is the fifteenth of fifteen reader’s age. Deep Wizardry is, though, Not surprisingly, such talent makes for a sons, but his wealthy merchant father still that rarest kind of sequel: a book that sur- diverse group of stories. Yolen’s is a proper loves him best. That insult isn’t the only passes the previous tale in both its level of tavern yarn, Bull’s concerns a multi- one for his brothers, though, for upon his craftsmanship and the sheer power of the talented merchant, Wolfe’s involves sea- father’s death, Mustapha inherits more than story itself. farers and religious fanatics, and Wrede’s is a pittance and gains a chance to escape his It’s difficult to imagine how Diane a tale of a chipmunk god and related magic. brothers’ intrigues. However, before long, Duane’s next novel could be better than this Megan Lindholm has contributed a Mustapha is alone in the world with neither one, but both she and her growing group of devious-minded wizard’s story, and Kara friends nor money. readers should have a wonderful time work- Dalkey provides a pleasantly convoluted So it seems, at least, until a chance en- ing out possibilities. mystery. counter in a tavern finds Mustapha the new

26 JANUARY 1986

column? In general, there are two answers. of the overly abused technique of the three- One is unabashedly commercial: since it book sequence is a trifle disappointing. often deserves the chance to reach a wider As The Darkangel ended, Aeriel ap- audience, original paperback fantasy peared to have rescued the mortal prince wouldn’t sell well if it were marketed only Irrylath from the spells of the White Witch to children. That wider audience is the and solved the ancient riddle of Ravenna, second answer: like many so-called chil- last of the Ancients. Now, though, Aeriel dren’s novels, some fantasy works are learns that, though Irrylath is no longer a worthwhile entertainment for readers of all vampyre, the White Witch still commands ages. Children of the Dragon is one such his dreams. Furthermore, there is more to novel: not only will it please children, but it Ravenna’s riddling prophecy than was will also be fascinating to those readers who revealed previously, and Aeriel must go are role-players. questing again in order to fulfill this second Author Rose Estes has previously written part of her destiny. umber of ENDLESS QUEST® books for Pierce sets all this up with a very formal TSR — a credential which implies more structure which makes the first few chapters skill at handling complicated plots than it does at weaving believable, three- dimensional characters. It’s therefore a welcome surprise to find that Estes’s first full-length novel is notable for its thoughtful characterizations and its unassuming, yet detailed, background. Daniel, Lydia, and Max — the three children of the man re- sponsible for taking care of Gallardia’s ancient guardian dragon — are drawn with a light but sure-handed touch, as is the scheming smith Iestyn, who wants control of the dragon’s soon-to-be-hatched off- spring. And the sleepy realm of Gallardia itself has been developed with a startling of speech and shapechanging. After settling degree of realism that adds immediacy to for a time into the lives of traveling per- the tale. formers, the two eventually go in search of a The plot, by contrast, is fairly straightfor- sorcerer who can remove Elcoloq’s power to ward, following the children as they flee transform so that he won’t be tempted to Iestyn’s efforts to seize power and they find steal for his master’s sake. In turn, the themselves lost in an underground laby- sorcerer’s advice sends them into the dan- rinth. There are several dangerous and gerous lands of the Older Empire on a quest puzzling encounters along the way, and the to find the deathless Queen Nahrit, who novel closes with a not-quite-surprising alone may be able to lift the spell. twist and hints of possible sequels. All this is by no means as straightforward Two things, however, lift Children of the as it appears, and secrets are layered within Dragon above the merely average. One is secrets throughout the tale. Friesner’s prose the generous sprinkling of dragonlore Estes deftly captures the easy lilt of the Arabian has provided — one idea is borrowed po- Nights stories which it emulates, as well as litely from Anne McCaffrey, but there is rather slow going. Once the quest is prop- their aura of politely worded wit. Only the still enough detail and insight to give erly begun, however, her storytelling skills novel’s chapter titles provide a contempo- gamers a better perspective on dragon return in full force, and the pace picks up. rary touch, and even those are both amus- character. The other is the sympathetic, Aeriel quickly begins to accumulate gar- ing and somehow relevant. evenhanded treatment Estes gives Iestyn, goyles (giving the book’s title a trace of There are occasional hints of a magic which makes the smith a far more interest- double meaning) and acquires human com- more powerful in scope than even Queen ing villain than is usual in a book aimed at panions as well. This latter fact broadens Nahrit knows, but whether they foreshadow children. the focus of Pierce’s tale, giving it a slightly a companion book or are merely examples The novel is also surprisingly well- different texture than its predecessor. of Friesner’s thoroughness in shaping her packaged for its kind. Both the cover and Although the gargoyles of this book are world is difficult to tell. Whichever is true, paper are of better than usual stock, and not quite as distinctive as was The Mustapha and His Wise Dog is an example Carl Lundren’s illustrations are clear and Darkangel’s vampyre, they are still much of an exceptionally well-created world. The detailed, if a bit oddly flat. All in all, Rose more than standard-issue monsters. Physi- characters are lifelike and engaging, civili- Estes has given readers much more in the cally, they do resemble the grinning Gothic zation and untracked wastes are neatly book than might have been expected. statues for which the monsters are named, balanced, and very little is certain except but their attitude toward Aeriel shows a that the expected will rarely occur. Even loyalty and affection quite unlike any that Scheherezade, Arabia’s original storyteller, A GATHERING OF GARGOYLES might logically be expected from a gargoyle. could hardly have asked for much more Meredith Ann Pierce Unfortunately, a catch in the novel’s plot is than that. Tor 0-812-54902-3 $2.95 likely to make this quality difficult to trans- It’s both exciting and irritating to learn late into gaming situations: Dungeon Mas- that Meredith Ann Pierce’s A Gathering of ter’s have problems with Pierce’s approach, CHILDREN OF THE DRAGON Gargoyles is the second book in a trilogy and others do not easily come to mind. Rose Estes that began with The Darkangel. Pierce is The preceding comments give a rather Random House 0-394-86433-6 $2.95 still mistress of a fascinating style and a dim vision of A Gathering of Gargoyles that Why do novels that seem to be aimed many-faceted tale rooted in old-folk tradi- isn’t entirely justified. Pierce’s narrative toward children keep popping up in this tions, but catering these gifts to the service voice is as interesting as ever, and while her

28 JANUARY 1986 riddles are far from insoluble, they lead also miners of a sort, constantly seeking the Recurring Roles Aeriel into adventures that will generally natural pigments needed to tint their talis- hold readers attentive. But while the novel mans — which are normally used by Because there are both time and space is definitely well above average as far as the hunters and warriors to aid in killing game restraints on this column, not all books can fantasy genre is concerned, its reliance on animals and assorted predators. be reviewed in depth. However, to keep the trilogy format seriously diminishes the Unfortunately, as Masters of Glass opens, readers updated on new installments of a quality of Pierce’s achievement. Some Vigens seem to be in short supply. Worse book series previously reviewed, a section of writers work best with continuing characters still, the vaguely demonic Lame Ones have capsule comments seemed appropriate. and settings, but Meredith Ann Pierce been sighted in the wilds around the town of David Bischoff, regrettably, isn’t as suc- would do better to concentrate on creating Darst, and the Vigen of Darst is without cessful with Wraith Board (Signet 0-451- individual wonders. both an apprentice and the rare pigment 13669-1 $2.95), the second book in the called astablak needed to create talismans Gaming Magi sequence. It’s even clearer effective against Lame Ones. this time out that he’s saving the explana- MASTERS OF GLASS Solving the former problem eventually tions for future books, but neither the hu- M. Coleman Easton requires the Vigen to take on a female mor nor the rapidly disintegrating universe Questar/Popular Library apprentice, going against age-old tradition. — which now includes, among other things, 0-445-20064-2 $2.95 Then the search for astablak leads to an modern-day New York — seem as cleverly Typical fantasy novels often involve obscure mountain village where a renegade designed as they did in the previous book. fantastic amounts of magic and often Vigen has used his talents to enslave his One wonders if Bischoff has simply set his present situations in which vast kingdoms fellow citizens, binding their wills with word processor on automatic pilot. and entire worlds hang in the balance. talismans the color of human eyes. For sheer inventiveness, especially in a Masters of Glass represents the opposite Easton has given his characters reasona- series format, the latest novel from Eliza- extreme: two villages are confronted with bly good treatment in this tale, and the plot beth Scarborough gets far better marks. separate problems, and the futures of both is logically crafted. But somehow the narra- The Christening Quest (Bantam 0-553- rest on the relatively minor powers of tive has a perpetually awkward sound to it, 25122-8 $2.95) starts in the familiar lands carefully-colored glass talismans. as if Easton was not quite sure whether this of Argonia, but quickly follows a stolen M. Coleman Easton has postulated an story was worth telling. The result is a book baby to the less-traveled realms of Mirage- intriguing form of magic in the glass amu- that feels rather too much like the first draft nia and Gorequartz. The plot twists faster lets, which allow the possessor to control a of a novel; even so, it presents enough good than it ever has, and Scarborough’s lively specific creature or type of creature. To be ideas to make it unusually interesting. humor is still fresh and enjoyable. Her trick effective, the tint of the glass must exactly Gamers who are curious about Masters of of following successive generations of char- match that of the intended subject’s eyes, so Glass will have to decide for themselves acters rather than using the same heroes glassmasters (also called Vigens) are re- whether the quality of the concept is worth over and over keeps the books from becom- quired to have superb color sense as well as the effort it would take to translate it into ing repetitive, and this one includes a genu- the usual skills of glassmaking. They are game application. ine surprise ending for good measure.

D RAGON 29 The well-equipped victim A “treasure type” system for 0-level encounters by Ed Greenwood

In the perilous worlds in which most forming some unskilled or routine task not tables B, D, F, H, K, and perhaps I and J, AD&D® game campaigns are set, player requiring complex training. This includes rather than rolling randomly. characters often encounter intelligent oppo- miners, farmhands, dock men, and all other Beggar: This category includes diseased nents who are (through the work of some loaders and unloaders of goods, and those (e.g., with leprosy) and disabled persons, other force) or soon become (at the hands of who dig graves, pits, trenches, and the like. those forced to beg. (Able-bodied, sham the party) helpless to defend themselves. Most laborers are illiterate. Roll on tables beggars should be considered as knaves.) When such victims are bestial monsters, A, E, and I. If traveling, roll also on tables Roll on tables A, D, G, and K (also, per- treasure is expected when player characters D, G, and K. haps, on table I). go looking for plunder — but what if the Mercenary: This category includes all victims are 0-level humans, the countless hireswords, those independents who fight Table A: Everyday garments merchants, craftsmen, beggars, farmers, for the pay of any master rather than in the Roll once on each subtable. For well-to- and other innocent bystanders who fill cities continuous service of only one. Mercenaries do individuals, roll twice on subtables 1 and and villages in the fantasy world? What do are generally better fighters than warriors 3. For beggars and knaves, roll on subtable they have “in their pocketses”? (see below) but are almost always more 2 and add +2 to all rolls (consider results of Here are tables to aid the harried DM poorly equipped. Roll on tables A, C, D, 9 or 10 as 8). when player characters insist on rifling the G, and K. If traveling, roll also on tables F pockets of drunks in alleyways, casualties in and H. This category includes caravan Subtable A-1 tavern brawls, innocent or not-so-innocent guards; caravan masters are usually consid- 1. Cloak w/hood targets of hold person spells, corpses on ered as merchants (see above) for belong- 2. Robe (or long skirt) battlefields, and the like. ings and warriors (see below) for armor and 3. Tunic & hose First, decide which of these categories weaponry. 4. Tunic & breeches describes the victim(s) in question: Warrior: This category includes both 5. Surcoat or overtunic Merchant men-at-arms and guards, sworn to the 6. Smock Craftsman service of an individual, family, or guild. Laborer The bodyguards of nobles and other impor- Subtable A-2 Mercenary tant personages fall into this category. Roll 1. High, hard boots Warrior on tables B, C, D, G, and K. If traveling 2. Low, hard shoes Farmer roll also in F and I. 3. High, soft boots Errand-runner Farmer: This category includes all who 4. Low, soft shoes Knave independently (or, for a fee, working the 5. Slippers Noble land of another absent individual) earn their 6. Clogs Beggar living by raising produce on the land. 7 or 8. Cloth-wraps (strips of cloth tied Each of these categories is briefly de- Farmhands are considered laborers (see and twisted around calves and feet scribed hereafter, and for each the combina- above); their masters are farmers. This tion of tables to roll on is given. Unless category includes independent drovers and Subtable A-3 specific instructions are given to the con- herdsmen. Farmers tend to be middle-aged 1. Belt, leather trary, DMs should roll twice or more on and in prime physical condition. Roll on 2. Cap, felt each table that applies, or choose specific tables A, D, and J, and as follows: if travel- 3. Cap, leather items from the tables (in which case the ing to market, roll on tables F, G, and K. If 4. Hat, woven straw tables actually serve as lists). at home, roll on tables E and I. 5. Purse on straps Merchant: This category includes all Errand-Runner: This category includes 6. Satchel, leather, w/drawstrings independent operators engaged in trade and apprentices and assistants to all the above 7. Pouch, leather, w/wooden toggle commerce, including moneylenders and categories; they are generally younger and fastening moneychangers, ferrymen, and tavernmas- less well-trained than their masters/ 8. Girdle, broad (fitted cummerbund ters. It does not include craftsmen (see employers. Roll on tables A (or B if applica- belt) below). Most merchants are literate. Roll ble), D, E, G, J, and K. If at home, roll on 9. Apron on tables B, H, J, K, and I. If traveling, tables E and I. 10. Headscarf roll also on D and F. Knave: This catch-all category includes Craftsman: Craftsmen and women are jobless persons: hangers-on, roustabouts, those who earn a living by skilled handi- street youths, and 0-level (NPC) thieves, Table B: Fine garments work of some sort, independently or in the the “rabble” of any settlement. Roll on Roll on all applicable subtables. service of another. This-includes-smiths, tables A, D, K, and (if applicable) G. For coopers, harness-makers, tanners, potters, pilgrims, roll also on table H. Subtable B-1: Male garb carpenters, masons, wood carvers, and Noble: This category includes gentry, 1. Doublet & hose (fitted) wagon-makers. Most craftsmen are literate envoys and dignitaries of churches, guilds, 2. Cotehardie (w/short, flared sleeves), or semi-literate. Roll on tables A, E, G, J, and state, and visiting VIPs. The actual worn over long-sleeved jupon, and K. If traveling, roll also on D and F. wealth, dress, or even presence of this cate- and hose Laborer: This category takes in all gory at all will vary according to your world 3. Short gown with voluminous bagpipe presently-employed individuals who earn a and the specific location; it is suggested that sleeves, and hose living by the strength of their bodies, per- the DM make deliberate selections from 4. Tunic and breeches

30 JANUARY 1986 5. Doublet and hose, with leggings 7. Walking-stick, with silver bird, Subtable B-5: Female headgear 6. Pantaloons flower, or heraldic device on top 1. Circlet, gold 7. Surcoat (sleeveless and long, with 8. Mantel (fitted cloak) with jeweled 2. Hennin (long, conical steeple hat with matching shield-cover, if shield breast clasp lappets, dangling head ribbon, and is borne) 9. Sleeves (separate from dress); veil, drapery hanging from point 8. Gorget (throat-plate) of silver set with bejeweled, puffed, and slashed of hennin) gems 10. Purse (amoniere) with needlework, 3. Wimple and veil 9. Chaperon (hood with dangling end to attached to girdle 4. Gable headpiece (brocade, gem- wrap around face or neck) 11. Garter or anklet, bejeweled encrusted cap with gable-like, flaring 10. Roundlet (large, frilled cloth hat, 12. Bracelet; gold filigree with gems side points) worn over cap) 13. Earrings; gold with gems 5. Caul (hair net with diadem and silk 11. Coif (bonnet with chin strap) 14. Necklace; gold chain with gems draperies) 12. Hood (covers neck, shoulders, and and ornaments of precious metals 6. Crispine (gold-thread circular hair head; cutout for face) 15. Ring(s), gold and/or silver, set with net) 13. Hat (beaver hat, conical but rounded, gems 7. Gorget (linen-wrapped around head with turned-up brim) 16. Tussoire (clasp and chain which and neck, to frame face) 14. Cloak, dagged (ragged edges, cut in hangs from girdle to hold one 8. Escoffion (two-horned headdress repeating patterns) with tassels side of long gown up, for walking with veil) or cords with ease) 9. Diadem; jeweled head-band 15. Belt, jeweled, with three strands and 17. Mask or face-veil 10. Hood (of parchment, stiffened and filigreed buckle; one strand is long 18. Pendant; large gem on chain painted, adorned with cloth or silk) and dangles down the front 19. Pectoral; necklace with plates of 11. Liripipe (later form: throat scarf 16. Harness (shoulder to waist ornamen- ivory, silver, polished abalone, covering chin to shoulders, like an tal strap with bells strung on it) or obsidian, joined with filigree all-around stand-up collar) 17. Houppelarde (male version; surcoat wire, and trimmed with pendant- 12. Bonnet, linen, pleated and embroi- with bell-shaped sleeves), worn over cut gems dered, with tassels long-sleeved doublet 20. Eyepatch, bejeweled and with trim 13. Fur cap 18. Robes; two or three worn one over of tiny teardrop rock crystal gems 14. Tiara, of wire filigree studded with the other, outermost with ornamen- gems (e.g., rose quartz, emerald, tal sleeves (dangling empty) Subtable B-4: Female footwear or carbuncle) 19. Breeches, cross-gartered, with jerkin 1. Sandals 15. Headscarf, of green, flame-orange, 20. Sash and breeches, with bell-sleeved 2. Slippers white, or red silk shirt 3. Pattens (ornamental wooden clogs, 16. Soft hat, trimmed with gems, fur, and worn with slippers or boots) feathers Subtable B-2: Male footwear 4. Boots 17. Cap-of-coins, strung on wire 1. Walking boots (heavy leather, with heels) or buskins 2. Shoes, pointed and bejeweled 3. Shoes with very long points, turned up, with knee-to-point chains 4. Bucket-topped boots, ornamented 5. Riding boots, thigh-high and of soft leather 6. Slippers, embroidered

Subtable B-3: Female garb 1. Cote/cotta/cottahardie (fitted tunic), worn over skirts 2. Two-tunic dress (of contrasting colors, with embroidered necks, sleeves, and hems) 3. Houppelarde (large, trailing skirt), worn with kirtle (a silken under- gown) 4. Surcoat (overgown) with tippets (strips of fur or cloth hanging from elbows), worn over chemise 5. Gown (stola), worn with fine linen under-trousers, and mantle 6. Embroidered, close-cut mock version of man’s clothing

Subtable B-3a: Accessories Whenever subtable 3 is used, roll or select 2 or 3 items from following list: 1. Shawl 2. Gloves 3. Scarf 4. Hair-ribbon 5. Frontlet; richly embroidered bodice 6. Girdle, jeweled and studded with gold

D RAGON 31 18. Bucket-hat of black velvet, with trail- 71-83 Chain mail Table E: Tools ing ribbons 84-89 Splint mail Pick deliberately for craftsmen. Other- 19. Cockscomb of wire filigree trimmed 90-94 Banded mail wise, roll three times on the table, re-rolling with feathers 95-00 Plate mail when the result is inappropriate. 20. Hawk-head mask of felt painted and 01-1 1 Mallet, wooden1 trimmed with feathers, gems for Subtable C-2 12-18 Chisel(s), (1-4) with canvas eyes, etc., to resemble bird perched 01-33 High, hard boots, with armored satchel5 on head of wearer (bill forming prow insteps 19-23 Sickle, draw-knife, or coracle5 of brim), plumage shielding head 34-50 Skullcap or sallet (metal cap) 24-27 Hammer1 and tail trailing out behind; 51-58 Helm with visor 28-33 Iron nails, bag of 20-50 various other birds possible 59-65 Gauntlets 34-37 Spike(s), iron, large, 1-125 66-89 Shield 38-40 Wedges, iron, 1-3 Subtable B-6: Possible fabrics for 90-00 Buckler 41-45 Chain, 1-3, each 12’ in length (in fine garments leather pack) Cloth of gold Used by royalty or titled 46-48 Tongs, iron2 nobles only Table D: Personal belongings 49 Anvil iron Sable fur Used by royalty or titled Always a leather backpack, canvas 50 Pincers, iron2 nobles only dunny-bag, muslin sack, leather pouch and 51 Saw (differing sizes, from jeweler’s Camlet Made from camel’s hair; satchel, or the like, plus: to cross-cut 2-man wood- heavy and expensive 01-25 Skin of water, and food (use table cutter’s)2 Cloth of silver of Food & Drink in DMG, 52-57 Bar, iron4 Silk, sheer Gauzy, fine, translucent Appendix I: Dungeon Dressing) 58-62 Shovel3 Samite Thick silk 26-35 Skin of wine and food (see above) 63-64 Whetstone Morey Stiff, water-marked silk 36-40 Earthen jug of milk, wrapped in 65 Oil, non-flammable lubricant, in Satin Sheen-finished, fine silk skin, tied in leather thong glass or clay vial, wrapped in Velvet Silk cut so as to have pile 41 Ink, vial leather Brocade Silk woven in contrasting 42 Parchment, 1-6 scrips 66-70 Rags, 1-6 colors and textures 43-44 Quills (for pens) 71-75 Sack, heavy canvas (1-2) Damask Linen or cotton, with 45-47 Pipe and pouch of tobacco 76-77 Sack, muslin (1-4) pattern in weave 48-50 Tapers, 1-6 78-82 Tarpaulin, canvas Linen 51-53 Candlestick, traveler’s 83 Twine, ball (50’ -90’) Tisshew Gauzy linen weave 54-64 Candles, 1-3, tallow 84 Scissors, iron (rarely, of gold or Wool Heavy-work; warm, 65-75 Tinder box or flint & steel silver, or plated) mainly used for out- 76-78 Drinking jack (hollow-horn 85 Buckle(s) or clasp(s) (1-8) ergarments drinking cup) 86-87 Leather thongs, 1-12 Keyrse Very fine wool, like a veil 79-81 Mirror (small metal hand-held 88-89 Leather straps Musterdevelys Greyish, soft wool type) and comb 90 Awl or punch, iron, with wooden 82-87 Bowl, wooden head5 88-92 Lamp 91 Ladder, wooden, 12’-20’ in length Table C: Harness (body armor) 93-96 Lamp oil in flask 92-95 Poles, 10’ long Roll once on subtable 1 and twice on 97 Symbol, holy, wooden (iron or 96-99 Measuring cord (knotted at regu- subtable 2. Warriors roll three times on silver possible), or “lucky lar intervals), usually 12 ‘-20’ subtable 2, and re-roll any results below 56 keepsake” in length on subtable 1. 98 Lice, body; see DMG, “Parasitic 00 Chalk, 1-4 pieces Infestation,” p. 13 Subtable C-1 99 Disease-carrying germs (see Many tools can be used as weapons. 01-20 Leather jerkin (only) DMG, pp. 13-14) Tools in the above table marked with num- 21-35 Leather armor 00 Family treasure: valuable piece of bers will do damage equivalent to standard 36-44 Padded armor jewelry, minor magic item (such weapon types, as follows: 1 = hammer; 45-55 Studded leather as Quaal’s feather token), 2 = club; 3 = quarter staff; 4 = morning 56-60 Ring mail treasure map, or the like, star; 5 = dart. 61-70 Scale mail well hidden

Table F: Traveling goods and gear Follow the four steps below in the order given. Items considered cargo (materials carried for trade) should be determined deliberately by the DM, and are not given here; Table J gives a random selection. 1. Choose whether victim is afoot (or afloat) and alone, or using beasts of burden: mules, horses, oxen, camels, or others (e.g., yaks, dogs, elephants, pack lizards). 2. Choose conveyance (or none): wagon, litter (covered cargo or passenger cubicle on poles, borne on shoulders of 2 or 4 men or beasts), travois (two poles with cargo lashed to them, and between them — poles and ground form triangular shape — dragged behind men or beasts of burden), sledges or sleighs (dragged behind teams of men or beasts; best in snow).

32 JANUARY 1986 D RAGON 33 3. Tack if beasts used (select): saddles, 98-99 Skillet(s), cast iron traveler or displaced person, cash carried by saddle blankets, saddle bags, bridles, nose- 00 Spare wheel(s) for wagons; a person often engaged in commerce, or bags (feedbags), leading reins, whips, hob- spare poles for litters and items worn or carried by rich persons. bles, harness, barding (beast armor). If travois; spare runners for 01-20 Bars, silver (3-60), each of 25 gp beasts of burden are not used, tack will sledges; spare shoes for value include sacks, ropes, and tumplines (leather horses, etc. 21-30 Bars, gold (4-48), each of 100 gp straps, circular, go around heavy load and value forehead of carrier, load carried on back). 31-45 Chest (iron-bound) holding 250 gp 4. Accoutrements (select or roll): Table G: Carried coinage 46-55 Chest (iron) holding 500 gp 01-20 Tent(s) Everyday monies, carried in pouch, 56-65 Chest holding 500 sp 21-26 Stakes, wooden money belt, or purse. 66-70 Coffer holding 50 pp 27-35 Rope, 1-4, 50 50'-long coils 01-04 6 cp 71-75 Casket of delicately carved ivory 36 Pennant(s) 05-18 3 cp, 1 sp (value 20 gp) holding 100 cabo- 37-45 Bundle(s) of faggots (firewood) 19-26 11 cp, 1 sp chon-cut star rose quartz stones 46 Chopping block 27-36 6 cp, 2 sp (value 50 gp each) or at DM’s 47-55 Torches, 1-20 37-44 15 cp, 4 sp, 1 ep option, another gem type 56-75 Water, in 2-12 costrels (small 45-51 2 cp, 3 sp, 2 ep (bloodstones, zircons, etc.) leather “barrels” with shoul- 52-58 4cp, 6sp, 1 gp 76-86 Ring, gold, worked (value 3 gp) der straps and central neck), 59-65 1 cp, 3 sp, 5 ep 87-90 Ring, gold, set with a ruby (value or 1-6 wooden barrels (in 66-71 2 cp, 4 sp, 2 gp 1002 gp) wagon) 72-77 1 sp, 4 ep, 1 gp 91 Ring, gold, set with a band of four. 76-80 Maps (trade routes, surround- 78-82 8cp, 2sp, 4ep, 3gp emeralds (value 4003 gp) ing lands); usually scratched 83-86 3 6 4 cp, sp, ep, 3 gp 92 Plates (2-12), gold, inlaid with or burned on leather hides, 87-90 4 sp, 1 ep, 4 gp lapis lazuli, ivory, or turquoise rolled and stored in leather 91-93 3 sp, 5 gp (value 25-100 gp each) bags 94-96 3 sp, 3 ep, 6 gp 93 Sack of 300 ep 81-86 Poles (for tents, probing rivers 97-98 1 cp, 2 sp, 4 ep, 9 ep 94 Coffer of mixed jewelry (all pieces for ford-footing, erecting 99-00 3 sp, 11 gp wrapped in velvet or silk), e.g., fences and tripods) necklace of strung pink pearls, 87-89 Snares, wire, and spring-jaws value 8000 gp; silver gorget (for game and against Table H: Wealth inset with a spiral of rubies, intruders) Choose from list according to situation. value 12,000 gp; coronet of gold 90-94 Stew cauldrons(s), iron (1-2) Roll randomly if large caravan, or family inlaid with diamonds, value 95-97 Lamp oil in small wooden hoard, or thieves’ spoils/mercenaries’ plun- 50,000 gp; pectoral of silver barrel(s), 1-2 der. Wealth can be the life savings of a w/moonstones, value 1000 gp.

34 JANUARY 1986 95-96 Religious statuettes, icons, and/or 57 *Map showing way to treasure 44-45 Carved wooden stools; 2 cp censers, bowls, candelabra, holy hoard, wizard’s keep, sprite 46 Statuette(s), carved ivory, jade, or symbols (usually of gold en- settlement, hidden pass, magi- obsidian; 20-200 gp crusted with precious metals cal gates, and the like 47-53 Livestock (use table under and inlaid with precious stones; 58-60 Thread or wool, 1-6 balls “Equipping the Character” in values vary, but usually 500 gp 61-68 Pets (chipmunks, songbirds, Players Handbook) and up for each piece) snakes, ferrets, cats, dogs, 54-55 Parchment, 1 ream (of 50 pages, 97 Furs and skins, 1-20, rare and monkeys, lizards, even beetles in canvas bag, bound between exotic (e.g., bugbear, jaguar, possible) two boards); 2 gp lammasu, owlbear, black bear, 69-70 Doll or toy (ball, carved wooden 56-62 Wine, 3 gills (or “noggins”), glass giant lynx, dire wolf, etc.) soldiers or horses, etc.) bottles each held in wicker 98 Chains, gold filigree, delicate 71-77 Basket, straw or cane carrier; 1 cp/gill to 2 gp/gill (value 25-100 gp). Gold chains 78-80 Walking stick/cane/crutch (varies with quality) vary in length, are usually 81-84 Soap (in clay or metal pot) 63-66 Knives, of iron with wooden joined to form a circlet, belt, 85-86 Mask (ornamental, perhaps handles; 5 sp to 1 gp headband and veil, or mantle, adorned with gems or filigree, 67-73 Candles, in bundles of 12 (scented but are too soft to constrict any feathers, and fur; or, for con- and colored wax with un- but the smallest of creatures, cealment, made of black silk trimmed wicks); 1 sp/candle hold up any weight, or fasten or tanned leather) 74-77 Harness (for horse, or other crea- against any force 87-88 Toothpicks, wooden (for nobles, ture at DM’s option); 12 sp 99 Rare spices in gold, silver, and gold or electrum with jeweled 78-82 Skewers, tongs, and pokers, carved jade vials, 1-8 in num- heads) wrought iron; 1-6 sp ber, value 1-20 gp each (a vial 89-91 Tea, coffee, cocoa, chicory, or 83-86 Herbs: parsley, sage, garlic, rose- of saffron is worth 40 gp) equivalent brewing-drink, dry mary, thyme, marjoram, mint, 00 Perfumes and scarce substances ingredients, in earthen pot oregano, savory, etc. (sprig (e.g., ambergris) in silver and 92 *Book or ledger (perhaps magical) or leaves); 4 sp to 2 gp/sprig glass vials, 1-20 in number, 93-94 *Legal deed, proclamation, heral- (rare spices ten to twenty value 2 sp-5 gp each dic grant-of-arms, (royal) com- times as much; see Table H) mission, writ, or pass 87-90 Lock, brass, with hasp (fist-sized); Table I: Miscellaneous 95 Corpse (in shroud, casket, or bag) both larger and smaller sizes Roll once or twice per person, or (prefer- or memorial stone (borne in more expensive; usually comes ably) choose deliberately from list. Personal wagon, sledge, travois, or litter) with 2 keys); 5 gp items of value (preceded by asterisks) will 96 Cage (iron, wrought) for pets, 91-93 Hinges, wrought iron (large, door typically be hidden (in lockets, boot heels, captured animals, or prisoners size); 1 gp each (2 needed for sewn in belt, cloak-hem, or hat). (various sizes possible) most doors) 01-05 Splint and/or sling 97-98 Needles (and/or pins), 1-8 in 94-95 Spectacles, magnifying-glass or 06-20 Rags/bandages/towels number, of bone, brass, iron, pince-nez (ground glass in brass 21 Harp or wood wire frame; gold or silver 22-24 Flute (“tin whistle”) 99-00 *Key(s), single one on girdle- plated more expensive); 3 gp 25-28 Drum or tambourine thong or neck chain, or ring 96-98 Shears, brass; 1 gp 29-36 Dice, pair (d6) holding 1-20 99-00 Tiles, clay glazed and painted with 37-43 *Pretty pebbles, 1-3, keepsakes (at colored designs; 2 cp each, DM’s option, some may be or 1 cp each for plain tiles ornamental or semi-precious) Table J: Goods and merchandise 44-45 Ball (rubber or leather stuffed with These are items destined for delivery to Table K: Weaponry dried seeds) and jacks (brass, customers, recent purchases, etc.; in gen- Mercenaries and warriors roll three times 3-14 in number) eral, the sorts of things not actually de- on subtable 2; all others roll twice on subt- 46-55 Playing cards signed to be used by the bearer at the time able 1. Re-roll if results are inappropriate 56 *Magic: spell scroll, information he or she becomes indisposed. Monetary (e.g., horseman’s weapons for individual on (item’s command word, being’s amounts, where given, represent the market foot, or duplications). true name, wizard’s name and value of one such item, portion, etc.; location of abode, etc.), or amounts in parentheses are approximations. Subtable K-1 minor magical item 01-05 Glass jug(s), goblet(s), and/or 01-10 Bo stick bowl(s); 3 cp 11-24 Bow with quiver of 2-24 arrows 06-15 Tobacco or snuff; 1 cp 25-38 Club 16-20 Pomander (ball) or perfume (vial) 39-53 Dagger Label your letter or incense stick(s); 1 gp 54-66 Hand axe The address of DRAGON® Magazine 21-23 Brass censer or lamp; 5 sp 67-70 Javelin is P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI 24-25 Vellum, 1-4 hides stretched on 71-79 Sling w/pouch of 1-20 stones 53147, and that’s all you need to wood frames and scraped; 1 gp 80-93 Staff, quarter make sure your letter gets here. But 26-28 Inks (all colors possible), 1-8 glass 94-00 Staff, short you can help us serve you more vials, stoppered with corks and quickly by adding a line at the top of sealed with wax; 6 sp for sepia, Subtable K-2 the address to tell us what depart- up to 2 gp/vial for gold, red 01-40 Dagger ment should receive your letter or is next most valuable 41-46 Flail, horseman’s package. Call it a “manuscript sub- 29-32 Clothing, fine (see table A) 47-55 Glaive mission,” “cartoon submission,” 33-34 Birds, pets, or live food creatures, 56-64 Lance (light horse) or hammer “query letter,” or any other short in cages 65-75 Mace (footman’s or horseman’s) phrase that tells us what’s inside, and 35-40 Copperware (bowls, trays, ewers, 76-84 Sword, long it’ll get exactly where it’s supposed and pots); (5 gp) 85-88 Sword, short to go. 41-43 Silver trays, cups, and pipkin 89-91 Sword, bastard (small dipping cup); (15 gp) 92-00 Spear

D RAGON 35 A world of difference The “parallel” concept expands gaming horizons by Fraser Sherman

The danger of player boredom is one to building it and making it distinct and differ- consistent, only self-consistent. In other concern every DM. No matter how good ent from the one used in the current cam- words, it doesn’t matter if your new world your dungeon is, there can come a point paign. The world may be physically similar is “impossible,” in the sense that it contra- when your players find it uncomfortably to your old one, with the difference lying in dicts the laws of nature, provided that its familiar. In previous issues, DRAGON® the monsters or magic it contains, or it may own laws don’t contradict each other. Magazine has offered many answers to the have physical conditions unlike the ones Another possible shape for a new world problem, from new treasures and monsters your characters are accustomed to seeing. would be an elliptical one. Because the to tips for better refereeing. This article For example, instead of a round parallel atmosphere of any world, no matter what offers one more answer — the use in world, how about a flat one? I use a flat shape, will take on spherical form, the ends AD&D® gaming of parallel worlds. A short earth for my campaign, because of my own of the ellipse, poking out of the sphere, will hop to a strange land can do wonders in desire to try something different. The most have very little atmosphere — or possibly removing campaign ennui. obvious change, from the viewpoint of none at all, if the ellipse is extreme enough. The parallel-worlds concept is a classic someone from a round world, is that the Either way, survival at the ends would be idea in science-fiction and fantasy literature. horizon extends to infinity; given an unob- difficult or impossible without magical It states that an infinite number of universes structed view, it’s possible to see much protection. It’s also possible the world are in existence, independent of each other, further than on our own planet. Because would wobble on its axis as it rotates, so separated by extradimensional barriers of there is no earth-curvature, everything is that the length of the days and seasons time and space. In fantasy, it has been the more or less the same distance from the sun would vary wildly — some years might have basis for DeCamp and Pratt’s Harold Shea (which, in this universe, goes around the no winter, while other years could have books, Randall Garrett’s Lord Darcy sto- earth). No polar or tropical regions exist, triple-length ones. ries, and various novels by Poul Anderson and there are no changes in seasons — a What if a world had two suns? The planet and Michael Moorcock. (This is by no perpetual temperate spring reigns through- could orbit one of the pair or both of them means a complete list.) The official AD&D out the world. Bear in mind, however, that at once, but physics dictates that it cannot material has very little to say about the spring in the American Midwest can in- orbit one and then the other. Then again, a concept (except for the superb use of paral- clude anything from summer heat waves to flat earth doesn’t fit in with physics, either. lel worlds in the Queen of the Demonweb winter blizzards; the weather isn’t boring. In an AD&D campaign, it’s possible that Pits module), but they can add a lot to the Differences in climate are caused entirely by the local deities provided some powerful game. By leaving the worlds of “normal” features of the land — the center section of artifact to protect a sun-changing world AD&D gaming behind, the DM’s options my northern continent, for example, is from harm as it went through its climatic are expanded — new environments, new bounded by mountains on both sides, shut- alterations. If the local evil arch-mage were creatures, new forms of spell-casting, and ting off the rain and creating a desert. threatening to destroy the artifact, that other surprises can be introduced to con- All this, in turn, creates changes in hu- would certainly be a challenge for the player found and intrigue your players. man life. Consider farming: Instead of characters to deal with. having separate times of the year for grow- A world could be shaped like Burroughs’s Types of parallel worlds ing and harvesting, farmers can plant and Pellucidar, located on the inside of the To begin with, where do these alternate reap year-round. Because of the erratic Earth, so that the horizon curves up in the worlds tit in the orthodox AD&D universe? weather, however, it’s more important for distance. One could pick an even stranger The answer, according to Legends & Lore, the plants to be tough and durable than big shape, like Larry Niven’s sun-circling is that the Prime Material Plane encom- — in other words, they can grow more Ringworld, or the ziggurat-shaped planet in passes “the real world and all of its paral- plants, but smaller ones. Because there are Philip Jose Farmer’s The Maker of Uni- lels.” I don’t think it violates the spirit of no seasons, the only measure for the calen- verses. Even on a spherical world, there the game, however, to suggest that there dar is the moon, which waxes and wanes could be unexpected differences — every- may be other worlds existing outside the like our own (but in relation to the power of thing could be a hundred times its normal Prime Material Plane on other, different the moon goddess, not the angle of the sun’s size, for example, so that the characters levels — Alternate Material Planes, let’s light). The moon’s cycle of exactly twenty- appeared no bigger than rats. Suppose the say. The difference could be that the powers eight days makes one four-week month; surface of the planet was airless, confining of the gods and the laws of nature will be fourteen months make a lesser year and two all life to caverns and tunnels below the more or less consistent from world to world such years — twenty-eight months — make ground, or it was unstable, with volcanoes within a given Material Plane, but there a Great Year (all of which makes it a heck of and earthquakes a part of daily life. What of could be great differences between that a lot easier to keep track of days and dates). a planet covered by an ocean and small Material Plane and any of its Alternates. The result is a distinctly different world, islands, like LeGuin’s Earthsea? I think The might of the gods themselves could with the differences evolving logically from you’ve got the picture. change (more on this later) and “reality” the basic decision to make it flat. might be very different from ordinary Some people may be bothered by the fact Populating a parallel world AD&D worlds. While this is not a license that a flat earth isn’t scientifically feasible Once you’ve settled on the world you for completely overthrowing the game, it (there seem to be a lot of arguments along want, the next step is to populate it. A new can justify some of the variant world- those grounds in “Forum” sometimes). world allows you to introduce an assortment concepts discussed further on. Personally, I don’t think feasibility matters of variant monsters to surprise your players. Whichever plane your parallel world in the slightest. In fantasy, as Fritz Leiber One simple but effective step is to reverse inhabits, there still remains the task of once put it, it’s not necessary to be reality- alignments, presenting players with evil

36 JANUARY 1986 D RAGON 37 unicorns and treants, and good fire giants paign — although an alternate world’s would be totally confounded by the affection and werewolves. Monster powers should be invasion of the PCs’ home dimension could most Dragonworlders have for dragons, adjusted accordingly — an evil unicorn’s be the source of many adventures. while a Dragonworlder would be equally horn being poisonous rather than a poison A culture could be developed that has no bewildered by the idea of subduing a antidote, for example. A second possibility connection at all with Earth history. Sup- dragon, let alone selling one. It’s in these would be to give more kinds of magical pose that the new world had once reached a ways that parallel worlds can be built and powers to creatures, creating gnoll illusion- peak in science and technology and then differentiated. ists and giant magic-users. One could go deteriorated; its “magicians” now combine even further and allow one or more of the real magic with advanced science. (The Magical variations demi-human or humanoid races to have the Thundarr TV cartoon series used this con- Even after your world is built, populated, same range of classes and-lack of level re- cept extensively.) This would allow use of and civilized, still more can be done to strictions as humans — halfling arch-mages many new forms of techno-magic, such as make it unusual. One way to give your would be pretty surprising, while a few half- robots, lasers, holograms, and so on. players some new experiences is to intro- orc assassin/magic-users could be both Unique cultural developments are great duce variations in the way magic works. surprising and nasty. fun to tinker with. As an example from my Suppose that boundaries between your For an even more alien world, this can be own campaign, there’s the Dragonworld. new world and the Positive and Negative taken even further. What if the race domi- This is a parallel world where dragonkind Material Planes are weaker or stronger than nating the new world — in the sense of realized from the moment of humanity’s in most worlds. This could affect the having no class or level restrictions — were creation that men (and, to a lesser extent, amount of energy drawn from the planes by neither human, humanoid, or demi- demi-humans and humanoids) had the spells and magic items, so that they would human? What if evolution had turned out potential to challenge or even destroy them. only have one-half or one-third of their differently and the ruling race had evolved Rather than make attempts to destroy these normal power (where the barriers were from dogs, cats, birds, fish, insects, lizards, races, the dragons opted to take the fledg- stronger) or be increased to double or triple or spiders? What would their society be ling races under their wing (figuratively force (if weaker barriers existed). With like? How would they react to humans? speaking), becoming not their foes but their lessened magic, PCs would find adventur- Would elves and dwarves exist, or would teachers and champions. ing far more difficult (and more challeng- they be replaced, too? For example, cat- On Dragonworld, dragons taught witch- ing); enhanced magic could be a lot of fun people could fill the place of humanity, doctors and magic-users their spells and for a short while, like giving players high- while bird-, lizard-, and dog-people fill the offered to protect tribes and towns against level characters to run for one adventure. roles of races with limited classes and levels. the rest of the world — in return, of course, Of course, if they were going to be in an The AD&D game already has intelligent for food, shelter, and lots of treasure. Today, enhanced-magic world for some time, game forms of most kinds of animals, so it’s not every village, town, and tribe has its own balance might dictate pitting them against that great a jump for them to reach full dragon, of variable age, power (the stronger equally enhanced opponents — like double- “human” status. the city, the older and more powerful the strength ogre magi. A different physical world will also pro- dragon), and appropriate alignment (brass A second possibility is that power from duce different inhabitants. If your world is dragons with elves or chaotic good humans, the energy planes seeps constantly into the an Earthsea-style world, adapt land-going black dragons with chaotic evil men or new world (instead of being drawn there monsters for the ocean; the two Monster gnolls). The dragons receive food and trea- only by spells). As a side effect, the natives Manuals have already presented sea-going sure from their allies and, in return, protect could have built up “immunity” to the forms of elves, ogres, gargoyles, and ghouls, them in time of war. (If it looks like its meal magical energy — in other words, even the and you can add to the list. Could there be ticket is going to be wiped out, a dragon weakest of creatures have developed some sea-dwarves or sea-gnomes to match sea- will do whatever it takes to protect the degree of magic resistance. elves? How about aquatic sphinxes, mino- gravy train.) Not everyone believes this It’s also possible that a different world taurs, medusas, or puddings? Whatever benefits humans as much as it does dragons will have new, different spells. In the your new earth is like, see if there are ways — but no one wants to be without a dragon “Earthsea” world described earlier, druid old monsters could adapt to it. protector, nonetheless. spell lists might be expanded to include Once your world is built and populated, All this has made Dragonworld different predict tide, summon current, and call sea- you can civilize its inhabitants. Even if the from my primary campaign world. Where being. Magic-users and clerics would also people of your new realm are humans and my regular game world has only a few have new spells, along the lines of create demi-humans, you can still give the world varieties of dragons (mostly those from the whirlpool, tidal wave, or neutralize drown- special qualities through their cultures. For Monster Manual), Dragonworld has them ing, and might have spells such as water example, what if the world is in a more all. All the official species and many of the walking or water breathing at 1st or 2nd advanced era than the usual setting? It unofficial ones (like the neutral crystalline level. If the DM allows PCs to learn a would be a novel experience for most play- dragons, the yellow, orange, and purple lower-level version of a regular spell like ers to find their characters in societies like dragons, and the landragons from water breathing, it might be wise to reduce Elizabethan or Victorian England, or DRAGON issues #37, #74, and #65, re- the power and duration to make it fit a 1st- France during the revolution. Coping with spectively) exist, for every species has a level listing. new customs and a different class structure good chance to survive and breed. Simi- Another possibility is that the magic-users would be challenging. (The Victorian class larly, while most of the humanoid species in your new world are not generalists, as system was, if anything, harsher than that have been wiped out on my earth (only they are in regular AD&D gaming, but of medieval times, while the French Revolu- goblins and gnolls exist in large numbers), specialists. In this case, fire magicians, ice tion sought to dispense with the aristocracy almost all races survive on Dragonworld magicians, healers, shapechangers, and so completely.) under their lizardly protectors. Where the on make their appearance, perhaps grouped Both technology and magic in these new regular campaign world has been domi- into colleges or guilds like the spell-casters worlds may have advanced beyond the nated by a succession of empires, Dra- of the DRAGONQUEST™ game. This can levels that player characters are used to gonworld has become the province of be fixed by regrouping AD&D spells along seeing. (The Lord Darcy stories mentioned innumerable independent city-states and guild lines; thus, a fire magician would earlier give an excellent example of incorpo- tribes; conquest by the sword has, of neces- know not only burning hands, fire shield, rating magic into a quasi-Victorian setting.) sity, been superseded by political and eco- and fireball, but non-magic-user spells like Being on another world, one doesn’t have nomic pressure and Byzantine intrigue. produce flame, flame scimitar, fire strike, to worry that these more advanced societies In some ways, even the basic outlook is and fire resistance, with most of them avail- will overrun or change the regular cam- different. A human from my main world able at lower levels than a character would

38 JANUARY 1986 get them (for example, getting a 1d6, small- intriguing for your players. For example, setting adventurers loose in the Roaring area fireball at first level). some of the ideas given above for magic Twenties of the GANGBUSTERS™ game? Consider the confusion when a wizard could be reused for psionics — everyone Why not have them join forces with the like that meets an orthodox AD&D en- native to that world could have one random agents and spies of the TOP SECRET® chanter. To the fire-wizard, the latter will psionic ability, or they could all share one game? The heroes and criminals of FGU’s seem like some super-spell-caster, capable of common power, like ESP, teleportation, or VILLAINS & VIGILANTES™ game? using spells from every college; a conven- telepathy. Then again, perhaps only one (Perhaps some super-criminal is recruiting tional magic-user, on the other hand, will branch of humanity possesses special evil magic-users for a sinister plan, driving assume someone who flings around walls of powers — a race possessing innate mass the heroes to seek the assistance of the fire and flame strikes is a much higher-level domination, for instance, could become player characters.) One could also put them character than he actually is. This could master of its world. into another magic-based game system, like lead to some intriguing situations. A new world might also affect the player that of the DRAGONQUEST™ game or It’s also possible to make some simple characters, perhaps stimulating any latent the RUNEQUEST® game. alterations in the spells themselves. Under psionic talents they possessed. A character Whichever system you pick, using it will the natural laws of the new universe, cast- who is potentially psionic (having charisma, require the same sort of work the DMG did ing time might be altered, different material intelligence, or wisdom above 16) will be- for the GAMMA WORLD and BOOT components required, or spell duration come psionic while on this world; but with- HILL games. If the new game uses a differ- prolonged or shortened. Perhaps there’s a out being in control or even aware of his ent set of character abilities, one will have particular material component essential to powers at first. Awareness might only come to generate the statistics that the characters all magic-user spells, the way druids are when some condition is fulfilled; after a set don’t have. If the range of stats is different dependent on mistletoe. Changes like these period of time, a developing talent might (5-25 for normal humans, for instance, could bewilder and surprise the spell-casters start to function but randomly so, or there instead of 3-18), the equivalent in the in your party, in some cases making them could be a percentile chance of activating a AD&D system has to be calculated. In virtually powerless until they learn how the talent during moments of intense stress. addition, one has to answer a dozen other new rules work. The latter would make the PCs’ first battle questions. How do you adapt characters to Suppose there is one kind of magic — pretty bizarre — imagine trying to fight a different initiative system? How do special enchantment/charm spells, illusions, poly- while talents like reduction, dimension door, rules covering fatigue or critical hits apply morph spells, or weather-control magic — or etherealness were activating randomly! to the PCs? What are the effects of new that simply doesn’t work in the new world. Needless to say, game balance usually dic- weapons or powers, such as machine-guns Perhaps, at some time in the long-gone tates that the PCs lose these powers on their or the V&V absorption ability, on AD&D past, a foolishly arrogant magic-user at- return home. characters? If characters from other games tempted to charm one of the gods; as a The social implications of psionics should and worlds pass into an AD&D universe, all result, the outraged deity declared the use also be kept in mind. How would a society of the same questions must be asked in of such spells forbidden for all time. If a of telepaths react to a party of nontelepathic reverse. character casts one, it might simply fail, the characters? Would they mock them? Treat caster might fall under the spell himself, or them as little more than cattle? Subject Borrowed fiction worlds some other penalty you deem appropriate them to “treatment” for repairing what An alternative to borrowing an estab- might take effect. Nor need the classifica- they assume are damaged telepathic facul- lished gaming system is to borrow an estab- tion of taboo spells be as simple as “charm ties? (What effects that could have would be lished fictional system. Players who read spells” or “illusions”; it can be based on anyone’s guess.) Legality might be another fantasy are bound to have favorite charac- any rationale you wish. For example, the important factor; a world where psionics are ters, be they Fafhrd, John Carter, or gods could ban any spell of magic item that commonplace may have firm laws about Conan; think of the pleasure your players does damage outside the range of hand-to- what is and is not permissible (no reading can find in visiting their favorite heroes in hand combat. In order to attack someone, minds without a warrant, no taking over their native worlds. For my taste, it’s best you have to get close enough to him to risk someone else’s mind, etc.). Violating these that they be in their native worlds. Seeing being hurt yourself. rules would bring a great deal of trouble to Elric without Melnibone or the Mouser Finally, what about a world where every- the PCs — and this would probably apply without Nehwon just wouldn’t seem right; one — not just clerics and magic-users — to spells like charm person and ESP, too. their worlds are part of their charm. Rather can cast spells. Perhaps everyone is capable than establishing these heroes in one’s own of learning magic-user cantrips (which are Borrowed game worlds world, where they can never really fit in, some of the most useful spells in non- These suggestions cover some of the one can use a parallel world system to let his combat situations) or casting at least one possibilities for creating an original parallel players meet whom they wish, going to particular useful spell — cure light wounds world of your own. But there is another way Covenant’s Land or Amethyst’s Gemworld or enchanted weapon being common knowl- besides building your own to provide your with no trouble. edge, for instance. Alternatively, everyone players with new and different earths, and Even more than an ordinary game, how- might possess one unique spell of his own, that is to “borrow” your new world from ever, one using an established fantasy re- like the inhabitants of Piers Anthony’s somebody else. quires preparation. To begin with, do you Xanth — one has magic missile, another One means of doing this is to use another know the mythos you’re using? It might be can haste himself, while a third can purify gaming system as the basis for the alternate fun to take your players’ characters to Mid- food and drink. In either case, near- world. The DMC discusses this on pp. 112- dle Earth, but it could be disastrous if they universal use of magic could make a fight 114, working out the possibilities and details all know Tolkien better than you; the odds with even zero-level characters hazardous. for sending AD&D characters into a are they’ll catch every error you make in It would not be advisable to let player char- GAMMA WORLD® or BOOT HILL® handling their favorite work and scream acters learn these special spells. At the very game. The appeal of this approach is natu- indignantly at all of them, which is hardly least, the DM should have PCs forget them ral — the laws of nature and much of the conducive to an enjoyable evening. One when they return to their own world. background for the new world are already must also not only be familiar with the worked out for you, yet your PCs will still personalities and histories of the characters Variant psionics be thrust into a-totally different setting from the book but must translate their Having touched on magic, let’s consider offering a variety of new adventures. powers and abilities into AD&D terms — a closely allied topic — psionics. Even if There’s no need to stop where the DMG what level magic-user is Glinda the Good, your regular game doesn’t use them, creat- does — you can use just about any gaming for instance? There are many resources to ing parallel worlds that do could prove system if you’ve a mind to. How about help out here — Legends & Lore and many

40 JANUARY 1986 D RAGON 41 articles in DRAGON Magazine have given energetic deities can’t proselytize them all), recover any spells above 2nd level, since stats, powers, levels, and descriptions for but it still gives clerics a problem. When anything higher draws upon the divine many fictional and legendary heroes. they enter a parallel world, it’s entirely power. Needless to say, this could prove a Then too, how much change are you possible that no one there has even heard of dire situation. willing for the PCs to bring to the estab- their gods. The native deities will probably Another possible problem (on a world in lished course of events in the fiction-world’s want to keep it that way; who needs the any plane) is that the ruling deities are saga? If you have them enter Elric’s world competition? If clerics of the Greek gods active enemies of the cleric’s god. Imagine during the events of Elric of Melnibone, for were to try preaching their creed on a world the position of a good priest, for instance, example, suppose they revise the entire ruled by the Celtic deities, they would on a world where daemons and devils were Elric canon by killing Yrkoon? If you’re not probably be ridiculed (“Zeus? Hephaestus? the greatest powers, or the danger to a ready for that (and I can vouch from a Where’d you make up those names?”) and priestess of Athena on a world where her similar experience that it can be extremely would certainly run into heavy opposition arch-enemy Ares was the dominant deity. unsettling), it might be better to involve from the established churches. At best, Clerics could wind up making some uncon- them in a minor adventure that won’t affect they’d simply be forbidden to preach; at ventional alliances — a lawful neutral cleric the major hero’s destiny. worst, they’d be outlawed, condemned as might join forces with devils or rakshasa in [AD&D game adventures are available heretics, hunted by the church, and possibly order to break the grip of demonkind on a for Conan’s Hyboria (modules CB1 and threatened with divine wrath as well. world where those chaotic beings held sway. CB2) and Fafnrd’s Nehwon (Lankhmar”: It’s also unpleasantly feasible that on A cleric’s life definitely won’t be easy, but it City of Adventure). Chaosium‘s Thieves’ some worlds the clerics will find their won’t be dull, either. World game setting described the famed city powers diminished. According to Gary The other classes with problems will be of Sanctuary from the anthology series in Gygax (in an article in DRAGON issue those with limited membership at high AD&D terms as well. — Editor] #97), the powers of the gods depend on the levels — assassins, druids, and monks. number of their worshipers on the Prime There is only one 10th-level monk in a Character problems Material Plane; a deity without such wor- campaign area, for example, so if a player Whether one uses an established alternate shipers “is consigned to operations on some takes his own Master of the North Wind world or an original one, and whatever other plane of existence, without the means into another world, he may soon be tagged surprises the world contains, the same PCs to touch upon the Prime Material.” Logi- as an impostor or a fraud. will visit it. Some player character classes cally, this should also apply to Alternate are going to have problems no matter which Material Planes — if a god has no wor- Maintaining the balance world they go to. Of them all, clerics will be shipers there, he has no powers. Thus, if a No matter what you have planned in the hardest hit, for they must deal with the cleric arrives on a world in such a plane, his your new world, it’s important not to over- fact that residents of other worlds and Alter- god would be almost completely unable to look game balance. With parallel worlds so nate Planes may not worship the same gods. aid him and — as happens on the planes of full of special surprises, there’s always the This is entirely understandable (with an Hell or the Abyss, where clerics are simi- risk the PCs will come into possession of infinite number of worlds, even the most larly cut off — the cleric would be unable to (Turn to page 55)

42 JANUARY 1986

BETRAYED! Intrigue and adventure for 4-8 player characters

Designed by Jim Bengtson

This AD&D® adventure is designed for a any useful or valuable items. Wild animals Notes to the DM group of 4-8 characters of levels 3-5. Parties had apparently been at the remains; the Brannod Colnet is still alive, the captive having lower-level members should have bodies that could be identified were all of a firbolg giant in the pay of the House of more adventurers than upper-level parties. escorts from the camping group, but Bran- Volenta. This giant is also responsible for The group should include a ranger and at nod’s body was not found. the stolen spice shipments that have plagued least one cleric or druid. “We resigned ourselves to our loss and the House of Colnet. The giant often main- began mourning when, a week later, we tains his diminutive form to further the Players’ background received a note, by courier, from a member impression that he is a normal human with You are in the city of Gurdikar, at the of Brannod’s escort — still alive! He was at abnormal strength. Though he is quite southern tip of the Palim Mountains. Situ- a small village to the north. He claimed that powerful, a determined and clever party of ated on the trade road between the dwarven the group had been ambushed by orcs, and low-level characters should be able to take city of Galantor and the gnome kingdom of that Vasil was responsible. The orcs seemed on him and his allies and win — though the Oparan, the free city of Gurdikar is gov- to know which among the group was Bran- going will certainly be rough. erned by the powerful Council of Mer- nod, and captured him after a brief fight. This adventure takes place in the Palim chants. This man escaped by feigning death when Mountains, which may be located on the After a week of enjoying the city’s plea- he was injured-and then crawling into some DM’s campaign maps (and renamed) if sures (and emptying your money pouches), nearby bushes. After the surviving guards- used as part of an ongoing campaign. These your party is approached by a man who men were herded away, boulders were mountains are thickly forested with mixed introduces himself as Eskan Colnet. He tells hurled down upon the caravan to make it deciduous and coniferous trees. Because of you that he needs the aid of a group of appear that the group was hit by a land- the very rough terrain, characters are only brave and honest adventurers, and you slide. The guardsman said he saw a man able to move 1½ miles (3 hexes on the agree to hear his story. standing at the top of the hill from which large-scale map) per hour through the “First, I must caution you to tell no one the boulders were thrown, but the man was mountains. This roughly corresponds to the what I tell you now,” he says. “There are not a giant. Perhaps he had the strength of figures listed for “very rugged terrain” on those in Gurdikar who would kill to stop a giant. the outdoor movement tables in the DMG, you from aiding me. I am brother to Kallan “The orcs led their captives east through p. 58. Occasionally, characters may find a Colnet, master of the House of Colnet. We the valley. The guardsman’s wounds were path zigzagging across the face of a moun- are a relatively small merchant house, en- not serious, as it turned out; a broken ankle tainside (such as near encounter area 1l), gaged in the spice trade, but thanks to some was the worst of his problems. He was able but travel on such a path does not make good business deals we are becoming quite to find a pack horse that escaped the land- movement easier: The only way to move successful. slide, and he made his way southwest to the faster than 3 hexes per hour is to stay in the “Recently, though, our shipments of nearest village, where he received help. valleys (see below). The party has 8 hours spice have been stolen with alarming regu- “My brother and I are convinced of this of daylight by which to travel, plus an hour larity. Our caravans are found, burned and man’s -honesty, but we need more than the of partial darkness at dawn and another shattered, with the guards slain and the word of a simple mercenary before accusing hour at dusk. spice gone. This brings me to my current the House of Volenta of being connected Both random and set encounters appear problem, which concerns my nephew, Bran- with the raid on Brannod’s party. I want in this part of the Palim Mountains. Some nod Colnet. you to go into the mountains and find evi- of the encounters are dangerous, while some “Three weeks ago, Brannod went on a dence of Vasil’s treachery, and to see if may be very helpful to the party. Some, camping trip up into the mountains to Brannod yet lives. If you are successful, my such as the werewolf (encounter area 11) celebrate a reunion, of sorts, with his friend brother and I will richly reward you.” and the giant (encounter area 1), require Vasil Volenta, of the House of Volenta. The Specifically, Eskan offers the party a mace careful handling. House of Colnet and the House of Volenta of disruption, a rope of climbing, and a ring have had good relations for many years, of warmth as rewards. However, these items though things have cooled between us for cannot be received before the mission is Valley encounters business reasons. Brannod and Vasil have completed, under any circumstances. Bran- Travel through the valleys is at the rate of been friends since childhood, though they, nod must be returned (or his remains 2 miles (4 hexes) per hour. Encounters in too, have not been very close lately. When brought back) along with his killers — alive, the valleys differ from those in the moun- Vasil contacted Brannod and asked him to if at all possible — before the party can tains around them. Check for valley en- spend a few days in his company, as in the claim the rewards. (If the PCs bring back counters using the table below, rolling for old days, Brannod was pleased to accept. extra prisoners, they may be entitled to an morning, night, and pre-dawn times. “But Vasil Volenta returned alone a few additional reward.) days later, bruised and battered. He told us If the PCs accept Eskan’s offer, he gives Dice Encounter that a rockslide had buried Brannod and his them a map of the Palim Mountains (the 01-30 No encounter escort, killing them all. He alone escaped, Players’ Map; see page 53) marking the 31-40 5-10 wolves (HD 2 + 2, AC 7, MV because he had been riding out ahead of the location of valleys, villages, and forts, and 18“, #AT 1, DAM 2-5) group. He led us to the spot and showed us showing where the ambush occurred. They 41-60* 2-5 hunters from the nearest village; the remains of the escort, buried under tons also receive a pouch containing 100 gp for 1st-level fighters, AC 10, MV 12”, of rock. Looters had stripped the area of outfitting expenses. armed with spears and short bows

44 JANUARY 1986 61-74* Patrol from the nearest fort; ten 1st- marked on the Players’ Map. If the player lative chance per round that the noise will level fighters, AC 7 (leather and characters seek him out, he will repeat what be noticed, and Gador will meet the charac- shield), MV 12”, armed with long he told Eskan in the note, with the following ters in his human form (see scenario 2 swords and spears; and, one 3rd- additional details. below). Hidden above the doorframe (easily level fighter as leader, AC 7 (leather “The man who buried the escort with spotted if characters climb up to look) is a and shield), MV 9”, armed with boulders had a long black beard and carried key that will open the door. Gador keeps it long sword and 2 daggers a two-handed sword. He dressed in brown there as a spare. If the door is opened qui- 75-90 1-2 poisonous snakes (HD 2 + 1, AC clothing. Vasil Volenta seemed very friendly etly (by using a silence spell, a knock spell, 6, MV 15”, #AT 1, DAM 1 plus with him, calling him something that or the key), then use scenario 1 below. poison for 3-12) sounded like ‘Bator.’ ” The floors of Gador’s Hall are cut from 91-00 2-5 giant ticks (HD 3, AC 3, MV If questioned further, the guardsman will stone. The ceiling in rooms 1-5 is 20’ high 3”, #AT 1, DAM 1-4 plus blood admit that he did not see the man actually and only 14’ high elsewhere. All double drain of 1-6 hp/round) throw the boulders. The man walked into doors are 12’ tall, but single doors are of * — For night encounters, a die roll of view moments after the last boulder crashed normal height (7’). 41-74 indicates 3-6 orcs from Ga- down upon the remains of the escort. Vasil dor’s Hall (see encounter area 1, and the man then shouted to each other and room 16). parted, the orcs and their captives leaving Room 1: Main Hall with the strong man. Scenario 1: This large room is lit by oil The guardsman’s broken ankle prevents lanterns hanging from the ceiling. A large Mountain encounters him from accompanying the party. Besides, table dominates the room. It is surrounded If the player characters leave the valleys, he wishes to return to Gurdikar after a few by 15 chairs, the one at the head very much the encounters they have will change, more days of rest and recuperation. larger than the others. A haunch of meat is though most are non-aggressive. Check the The forts are the bases for patrols of roasting over the coals in a fireplace off to following table for mountain encounters at provincial troops, which go out regularly one side. Paintings of mountain scenery morning, night, and pre-dawn times. into the Palim Mountains. Log palisades hang on the walls. The doors are locked and around the forts provide protection from untrapped. Twelve paintings, worth 10-40 Dice Encounter wild animals, but they would quickly fall gp each, hang on the walls. 01-10 1-2 eagles, flying over adjacent hex before siege equipment. The population of Check on the following random en- (60%) or same hex (40%) (HD each keep consists of a 40-man garrison of counter table once per turn that the PCs 1+3, AC 6, MV 1”/30”, #ATT 3, O-level fighters, who are commanded by a remain in this room. DAM 1-2/1-2/1-2) 5th-level fighter assisted by two 3rd-level 11-25 1-4 giant ants (workers), foraging fighters. Die roll Encounter 5-20” away from party (HD 2, AC Both keeps have trading posts, where PCs 1 Gador, in giant form, 3, MV 18”, #ATT 1, DAM 1-6) can stock up on most common items found from corridor 2 26-35 1-2 falcons, flying over adjacent hex in the Players Handbook (at a 10% higher 2-3 Brunnel, from corridor 13 (60%) or same hex (40%) (HD l-l, price). Each fort also has a small chapel, (through secret door) AC 5, MV 1”/36”, #ATT 3, DAM where a 5th-level cleric cares for the spiri- 4-6 1-4 orcs, from corridor 13 1/1/1) tual and physical well-being of the soldiers (through secret door) 36-45 1 ram, 4-16” away (HD 2, AC 6, and nearby villagers. 7-11 No encounter MV 15”, #ATT 1, DAM 1-2 plus None of the soldiers will agree to join the 12 Double encounter — roll twice, charge damage, if any) party if approached, and the 0-level fighters using d6 die 46-60 2-8 huge ravens, flying over adja- will not give information to strangers. How- cent hex (60%) or same hex (40%) ever, if the commander or one of his assis- Scenario 2: The door is opened by a man (HD 1-1, AC 6, MV 1”/27”, #ATT tants is bribed, he will tell the party some or dressed in servant’s robes, a sheathed long- 1, DAM 1-2 plus eye attack) all of the following facts: The Palim Moun- sword at his side. Behind him, beside a 61-65 1 skunk, 2-8” away (HD ¼, AC 8, tains are home to a basilisk and groups of large table, stands a big bearded man MV 12”, #ATT 1, DAM 1 plus rock reptiles, bowlers, and cave fishers, but dressed in leather, his hands on a sheathed musk squirt) no one is sure where their lairs are located. two-handed sword. The man at the door is 66-00 No encounter The mountains also contain bands of orcs, Brunnel (see room 15 for statistics), while of varying numbers, liable to pop up any- Gador, in human form, waits by the table If a ranger searches for tracks, he will where, and somewhere among the peaks is (see room 3 for statistics). Orcs are watch- find only signs of small game unless within the home of a wealthy hermit who occasion- ing through a peephole in the secret door, 2 hexes (1 mile) of a set encounter, in which ally comes to the fort to buy supplies. and they will rush to defend Gador if the case he may find signs of that encounter. If party attacks. a speak with animals spell is used on local If the characters have spoken with the wildlife, the party will receive only very Encounter area 1: Gador’s Hall injured guardsman at the village, they will vague information on nearby encounters. Rangers and elves have a 2-in-6 chance of notice that Gador (because of his beard and No animal knows of the basilisk (those that spotting Gador’s Hall from the valley floor, clothing) resembles the man whom the did are now stone statues), and most ani- 4-in-6 if they are actively looking for it. guard saw appear after the landslide. Gador mals know of a “nice man” (the hermit) They will see a faint path on one side of the will try to use trickery to fool and capture who lives around here. All animals dislike valley leading up the mountainside. The the party, hoping to make them think he is a the brutal orcs. path ends at a house built into the moun- friendly but eccentric hermit. If the party tainside, with attached stables. Smoke drifts members are not hostile, Gador will greet from the chimney. A pair of very large them in a friendly manner and, after find- Villages and forts double doors are on the south end of the ing out the party’s task, will offer to help The villages located around the perimeter building, with a large brass knocker on each out. He claims to know where a band of of the Palim Mountains are small, usually door. orcs may be hiding, and he promises to lead consisting of no more than 10-30 peasant The double doors are made of solid oak them there the following morning. In the families each. The residents know next to (a successful bend bars/lift gates roll is meantime, he invites them to stay in his nothing of the mountains, other than that it required to force them open). They are 10’ home as his guests. is dangerous to go wandering about there. tall and are locked. If characters attempt to If the characters accept Gador’s hospital- The surviving guardsman is at the village force the doors open, there is a 20% cumu- ity, they will be served food and drink con-

D RAGON 45 46 JANUARY 1986 taining delayed-action sleep poison. When the room may also be found six paintings Room 6: Corridor the PCs go to sleep for the night in the guest valued at 10-40 gp each and five bearskin The corridor is lit by torches in holders rooms (8, 9, and 10), they will drop into rugs worth 50 gp each. The bottles of wine spaced 10 feet apart. total unconsciousness. While they are in this would bring a price of 20 gp apiece from a condition, Gador will strip the PCs of all connoisseur. In his pocket Gador keeps a set Room 7: Kitchen their possessions except the clothes they are of keys that open all the doors and chests This room, obviously a kitchen, has a wearing and toss them into cells (rooms 17, throughout the Hall. large oven, several counters, and cupboards 18, and 20), where they will awaken in 2-5 over the counters. A blood-stained chopping hours. (If possible, split the party up into Room 4: Gador’s library block in one corner has a large meat cleaver cells in such a way that the “treasures” This room is obviously a library, with stuck into its top surface, and a solid oak hidden in each cell can be put to the best bookshelves lining two walls and maps and trap door is set into the floor in another use by the characters.) Gador will put the paintings covering the other two walls. A corner of the room. PCs’ magical possessions (if any) in a chest pair of large desks and a large table stand in This room is lit by two oil lamps bolted to in room 5 and their normal possessions in the center of the carpeted floor. The room is the walls. This is where Brunnel (see room room 22. illuminated by two oil lamps hanging from 15 for statistics) prepares meals; he is here the ceiling. The doors are unlocked and not 25% of the time. The cupboards hold the Room 2: Corridor trapped. usual dried herbs and preparations. The The corridor is dark, but a light can be Gador is very interested in maps and trap door leads down into a freezer (large seen under the doors at the far end. The books on distant lands. Most of the 125 blocks of ice line the walls) that holds the ceiling is 20’ high. books in the library deal with geography carcasses of three deer and one human (one and history. Of the five maps hanging on of Brannod’s bodyguards, which Brunnel Room 3: Gador’s living room the walls, only one is familiar to the charac- was planning to prepare as a reward for the This room is lit by oil lamps suspended ters; it is essentially identical to the Players’ orcs). The ice is maintained by a small ice from the ceiling. Several bearskin rugs Map. Reading the books may give the toad (HD 5, AC 4, MV 9”, #ATT 1, DAM cover the floor, and couches line the walls. characters some hints about legends that 3-1 2 plus cold damage), which is fed on A small fire burns in a fireplace, and paint- may be expanded into later adventures. dinner scraps and “useless” prisoners. The ings of mountain scenery hang on the walls. The maps and books are worth 5-20 gp toad has been trained by Gador not to There is a bar in one corner of the room. apiece to a collector, but the bulk and quan- attack him or orcs, and they can enter and Gador, the renegade firbolg giant, will be tity of these books will probably not make leave the freezer at will. Other creatures are encountered here (if not met elsewhere the effort of transporting them or shipping not so favored — even Brunnel dares not already) when the party enters this room. them worth the while. enter the freezer. Nothing else is of value His statistics are as follows: HD 13 + 7, hp here. 55, AC 2, MV 15”, #ATT 1, DAM by Room 5: Gador’s bedroom weapon type (+10). Gador has the follow- This bedroom obviously belongs to a very Room 8: Guest room ing spell-like powers, which he can use one large person, judging by the size of the bed. This bedroom contains two large beds, a per round when not in melee combat: detect It is 12’ long and 8’ wide, and it is covered table, and two chests. The floor is carpeted, magic, diminution (as the potion, with with furs. In one corner of the room is a and an unlit oil lamp hangs from the ceil- double effect and double maximum dura- closet, while a desk and large chest are ing. The door is unlocked, and the chests tion), fool’s gold, forget, and alter self. He along another wall. A very large painting of are unlocked and empty. Nothing of value is can also bat away projectiles (such as ar- mountain scenery hangs over the bed. The here. rows) with a free hand, twice per round, on room is lit by a hanging oil lamp, and an- a roll of 6 or better on a d20. other oil lamp sits on the desk. Rooms 9-12: Guest rooms Gador is chaotic neutral and greatly The doors are locked but untrapped. The Use the description for room 8, adding a dislikes humans. He enjoys the idea of closet contains spare cloaks, boots, and few minor items here and there from the raiding caravans, even if he doesn’t use the clothing for someone of about 11’ in height. Dungeon Dressing Tables in the DMG, pp. treasures he gets from them. Gador uses his In a locked drawer of the desk is a contract 217-219. two-handed sword with both hands when in signed by Vasil Volenta, agreeing to pay human form, but he needs to hold it with Gador 750 gp for holding Brannod Colnet Room 13: Corridor only one hand when in giant form. Gador captive (so that he can be used for a surprise There is a peephole in the secret door. only possesses his +10 bonus to damage in ransom demand later on). Another contract The orc guard at point “x” is drowsy and his giant form (10½’ tall). agrees to pay Gador 500 gp per mission for bored, but will certainly notice anyone Gador also has a figurine of wondrous hijacking shipments bearing the mark of the walking down the corridor from either power, a golden lion. If forced to fight, he House of Colnet. This is all the proof the direction, in which case he will yell an first invokes the lion and has it attack any party needs of Volenta’s involvement in the alarm to the orcs in room 16 and attack. magic-users while he takes on the fighters. crimes. Also in the desk is a paper showing If the party is imprisoned in rooms 17, If Gador is slain, the lion reverts to its the expected routes and dates of shipments 18, and 20, the guard will notice any at- statuette form. In animal form, the lion has for the House of Colnet, which Kellan and tempt to kick the doors down, but he will HD 5 + 2, AC 5/6, MV 12”, #ATT 3, Eskan can use to identify the spy in their not hear any whispered conversations or see DAM 1-4/1-4/1-10 plus rake for 2-7/2-7 if merchant house. a door being opened quietly. It is possible forepaws hit, surprised only on a 1. In the chest (which is locked) will be any for a thief to sneak up on him from the If encountered at night, Gador is 60% magic items and money previously taken cells, if a successful move silently roll is likely to be very drunk. In such a case, he from the party, as well as the following: a made. The orc (HD 1, AC 6, MV 9”, attacks at -5 “to hit” and has 58 hit pouch containing five 100 gp gems; a small, #ATT 1, D battle axe) has the keys to rooms points, due to his greatly intoxicated state. finely crafted wooden box (50 gp) contain- 17-22. If Gador is encountered while drunk, there ing a silver stick-pin with a diamond head is a 10% chance that he will have passed (1000 gp) and a gold necklace (1100 gp); a Room 14: Storage Closet out, but if any damage is inflicted upon green potion of fire resistance; a green Shelves line the walls of this room, filled him, he will awaken and begin to fight potion of flying, a yellow potion of healing, with various miscellaneous items such as drunkenly. 4,840 electrum pieces; and 6,510 gold blankets, tablecloths, and other household Eight kegs of ale are stacked behind the pieces. There are 15 furs on the bed, worth equipment. There are also three large bar- bar. Hidden in a secret compartment in the 5 gp each, and the painting is worth 75 gp rels of oil. The room is dark, and nothing of bar are 30 bottles of a very good wine. In to a collector. particular value is here.

D RAGON 47 Room 15: Brunnel’s room Room 19: Cell also find 5 barrels of ale, apparently stolen This room contains one bed, a desk, and Use the general description for room 17. from an earlier shipment. a chest. The floor is carpeted, and a pair of There are seven humans in this room. One crossed longswords are hung above the bed. matches the description given of Brannod Rooms 23-24: Stables The room is lit by an oil lamp bolted to one Colnet. All are bruised, filthy, and half- Room 23 holds Gador’s heavy war horse, wall. starved, possessing nothing but the clothing while room 24 holds Brunnel’s light war If Brunnel has not been encountered on their backs. horse. Gador can ride his horse only in his elsewhere, it is 70% likely that he’ll be Brannod Colnet is a 1st-level thief with 5 human-sized form. The horses will not here. He is a half-orc, though he easily hp, AC 10 (8 with DEX bonuses), MV 12”, attack unless attacked first. Chain barding, passes for human. A dwarf character has a neutral alignment, STR 11, INT 15, WIS saddles, tack, and other gear are stored just 10% chance per turn, cumulative, of realiz- 13, DEX 16, CON 13, CHA 15. His inside the doors, while hay and oats are ing that Brunnel is a half-orc. He is Gador’s chances of success at thieving skills are: PP stored in the loft. (Heavy war horse: HD butler and cook, and he wears robes over 30%, OL 30%, F/RT 20%, MS 15%, H/S 3 + 3, AC 7, MV 15”, #ATT 3, DAM 1-8/ his splint mail +1 to keep up appearances. 10%, HN 10%, CW 85%. (In a city as full 1-8/1-3; light war horse: HD 2, AC 7, MV He carries a longsword +2 beneath his of intrigue and backstabbing as Gurdikar, it 24”, #ATT 2, DAM 1-4/1-4). robes. In the chest (to which Brunnel has is only natural for members of the merchant the key) are 430 silver pieces. He also wears families to pick up thieving skills.) The rest of these encounters lie scattered a silver ring worth 100 gp. The other six men in the cell are 0-level across the mountains, waiting for adventur- Brunnel is a 3rd-level fighter (25 hp, AC fighters (each 2-7 hp, AC 10, MV 12”, ers to discover them. 3, MV 9”, lawful evil, STR 18(89), INT neutral). They are loyal to Brannod alone. 13, WIS 13, DEX 14, CON 16, CHA 10). Encounter area 2: Rock reptiles His combat adjustments are +3 to hit and Room 20: Cell Two rock reptiles (HD 5 + 5, AC 3, MV +5 to damage from strength, or +5 to hit Use the general description for room 17. 6“, #ATT 1, DAM 1-4 + (5-12), chameleon and +7 to damage with his sword’s bo- Under the straw in one corner of the room, powers, surprises on 1-3) have their lair nuses. If the party was captured and had carefully wedged into a crack in the stone here. They are very active at night but are any magical armor or weapons better than floor, is a dagger of orcish manufacture. It dormant in daylight. Neither has any trea- his longsword, Brunnel will be employing may be found after two turns of searching sure yet. them. the cell. Encounter area 3: Rock reptiles Room 16: Barracks Room 21: Cell A solitary rock reptile of the largest size The walls of this room are lined with Use the general description for room 17. (HD 5 + 12, 12’ long, bites for 13-16 hp bunk beds, and a chest is at the head of The body of a dwarf lies in one corner, a damage) lairs here. This rock reptile man- each set of bunks. At the far end of the worn metal belt buckle in one hand. On the aged to catch a couple of orcs a few weeks room is a fireplace and a table. wall beside it, scratched into the stone, is ago, so it has acquired a little treasure (28 There are 20 beds, and the area by the the following message in Common: “Over- cp, 44 sp, dagger +1) that it keeps in its fireplace is used as a kitchen. This is where heard guards — armor, weapons in next lair under an overhanging rock. the orcs relax when not on guard duty or room — avenge me.” out causing havoc. The orcs will hear and This dwarf was captured a few days ago Encounter area 4: Galeb duhr respond to any alarm raised by the guard while wandering in the mountains. Brannod This location is noteworthy because the (see room 13), but they don’t like Brunnel Colnet saw him being tossed into this cell, moderately steep slope here is covered with and will ignore any noise coming from his and he has seen orcs sneak into the cell loose rock, unlike any of the area around it, room. Because the door opens outward into every so often to beat the dwarf up. Yester- and looks like a good place to climb if PCs the corridor, it is possible to block the door day he saw several drunken orcs enter the are so inclined. At the top of the slope may shut, trapping the orcs inside room 16. The room and heard them kicking and beating be seen several large boulders. Anyone who chests are not locked and contain only spare the prisoner. After an hour, the orcs left, tries to climb the 30-foot slope up to the clothing and miscellaneous items for the and no one has entered the room since. large boulders must make a roll of dexterity orcs (each HD 1, AC 6, MV 9”, #ATT 1, or less on d20 to avoid slipping and causing D battle axe), plus a total of 63 copper Room 22: Storeroom a small rockslide. A character who fails this pieces and 24 silver pieces. This unlit room is filled with crates and roll will slide back down the face of the boxes. In one corner is a pile of armor, and slope, suffering 2-12 points of damage from Room 17: Cell on the wall above are racks holding assorted falling debris. The stone floor here is covered with filthy weapons. If the party was captured by One of the boulders at the top of the slope straw, and the stench in the room is incredi- Gador, their non-magical armor and weap- is actually a galeb duhr (HD 8, AC -2, ble. The door is solid oak, with a 1’ square ons will be found here, except for any ex- MV 6”, #ATT 2, DAM 2-16, various magic window of iron bars set into it about 5’ off ceptional items which may have been spells for attack and defense, various resist- the ground. The room is lit only by the light claimed by Brunnel or an orc. The other ances vs. attacks). The galeb duhr knows shining from the hall through the bars in weapons and armor were taken from Bran- Gador is a giant and the hermit is a spell- the door. A successful bend bars/lift gates nod Colnet, his group of escorts, and from caster. If it likes the party (reaction roll, roll is required to kick the door open. other wanderers in the mountains. The DMG, p. 63), or if the party gives it a gift, A fist-sized rock has fallen loose from the major contents of the room include: it will give them limited information or wall here and is lying under the straw in 8 longswords advice. It will not engage in combat unless one corner. If thrown, its maximum range 5 spears the PCs are foolish enough to attack it first. is 3”, and it does 1-3 hp damage plus a 23 daggers chance of stunning its target equal to the 3 suits of plate mail (man-sized) Encounter area 5: Cyclopskin thrower’s bend bars/lift gates figure. 8 suits of chain mail (man-sized) This remote valley is the home of a fam- 3 suits of banded mail (man-sized) ily of cyclopskin. It is 65% likely that the Room 18: Cell 1 suit of chain mail (dwarf-sized) three largest cyclopskin (from room 4) will Use the general description for room 17. 18 helmets (various sizes) be out hunting and will return in 1-6 hours. A half-dressed human skeleton lies in one 12 shields (various sizes) If so, the party has a 20% non-cumulative corner; hidden in the heel of one of its boots The 12 boxes and 23 crates display the chance per hex (while within 2 hexes of the is a set of lockpicks which will allow a thief mark of the House of Colnet and contain path) of meeting them. Rangers and elves the chance to pick the locks on the doors. the missing spice shipments. The party will have a 2-in-6 chance of spotting the cave,

48 JANUARY 1986 4-in-6 if they are actively searching for noteworthy features. The cyclopskin are implacably hostile toward all humans.

Room 1: Entrance tunnel The tunnel ends at a large wooden door, which is unlocked.

Room 2: Main room A small fire burns in the middle of this cavern; a small iron kettle is suspended over it. A giant, one-eyed woman (7’ tall) sits nearby, stirring the contents of the kettle. A giant child (5’ tall) sits against the far wall, playing with some bones. (Female cy- clopskin: HD 5, AC 3, MV 12”, #ATT 1, D club, +2 on damage. Young cyclopskin: HD 2 + 2, AC 4, MV 12”, #ATT 1, D fists for 1-4.)

Room 3: Women’s cave Rough hides hang on the walls here. A torch burns on the far wall, providing some light. In a pile of furs in one corner lies a female cyclopskin, who awakens if PCs do not enter silently. (Female cyclopskin: HD 5, AC 3, MV 12”, #ATT 1, D club, +2 on damage. The hides are worth about 5 cp apiece.

Room 4: Men’s cave 6” + special). Each bowler has a base 10 gp The little rock formations that litter the A large pile of smelly furs lies in the gem in its center. tunnel entrance are petrified animals (foxes, middle of the cavern. If the male cyclopskin rabbits, etc.). are not out hunting, they will be in here. Encounter area 8: Bowlers At various places on the chamber floor Each has HD 5, AC 3, MV 12”, #ATT 1, This encounter area is similar to area 7, are stone formations resembling men, orcs, D clublike morning star, +2 on damage. except that 5 bowlers inhabit this area. and dwarves — many of them chipped or Under the furs are 6 gems worth 100 gp broken. These are the petrified remains of each. Encounter area 9: Bowlers intruders who were surprised by the basilisk This encounter area is similar to area 7, while investigating its lair. Most of the Room 5: Children’s cave except that 4 bowlers live here. The remains statues have clothing or gear nearby; if all A pile of ragged furs are piled in one of two orcs may also be found here; one of of the statues are searched thoroughly, the corner of the cave. Sitting on the furs are them clutches a pouch with 22 gp inside. total treasure to be found in non-petrified two young cyclopskin. Each has HD 2 + 2, pouches and backpacks includes 4,460 gp, AC 4, MV 12”, #ATT 1, D fists for 1-4. Encounter area 10: Basilisk 170 pp, a green potion of invisibility, a If the PCs enter of the hexes at the edges white potion of heroism, and a blue potion Room 6: Storeroom of this area, each member of the party has a of healing. A cloak of protection +3 is Crude shelves have been cut out of the 25% chance of discovering a crude wooden wrapped around one statue’s shoulders. In stone walls here. Dried leaves and grasses sign in the bushes nearby. The sign is let- the hand of another statue is a bone tube line the shelves, along with roots and other tered in Common and reads: DANGER! DO holding a cleric spell scroll containing dispel food. Behind a pile of dried leaves is a glass NOT ENTER! DANGEROUS MONSTER! Patrols magic and protection from evil, 10’ radius. vial containing a yellow potion of extra- from the forts try to keep these signs posted healing, the cyclopskin know of its powers in plain sight, but occasionally the orcs from Encounter area 11: Werewolf and will use it in an emergency. Gador’s Hall (see encounter area 1) will At the end of a winding path leading up ride by and tear them down. If the PCs this mountainside is a small, crudely built Encounter area 6: Cave fisher continue to travel through this area log cabin. The cabin is 10’ × 15’, with a Anything moving in this valley attracts (whether or not they see the sign) they will dirt floor. The furniture consists of a table, the attention of a cave fisher, which lairs notice that the valley is unnaturally quiet. a cot, and a locked chest containing 5 pelts 20’ above a cliff, and has normal chances to Rock formations bearing uncanny resem- (worth 3-6 gp each) and a pouch containing surprise. It has HD 3, AC 4, MV @1”, blances to living creatures — a rabbit, a 12 ep and 35 cp. #ATT 2, DAM 2-8/2-8 plus 60’ adhesive deer, a bear — will appear in the foliage. This is the home of Diren Belora, a filament. The cave fisher has no treasure as This area is the lair and surrounding hunter. He was recently infected with lycan- such, though the bones of many animals territory of a basilisk (HD 6 + 1, AC 4, MV thropy, and came here so he wouldn’t harm (and a few orcs) may be found within one- 6”, #ATT 1, DAM 1-10 plus petrification). anyone when the blood urge overpowered half mile of it. There is a 60% chance that the basilisk is him; now he’s chaotic evil and dangerous. out sunning itself on the hot rocks, and He will be friendly toward the party and Encounter area 7: Bowlers characters will have a 30% chance per hex will try to get them to stay with him at his This part of the slope is grassy, with few (cumulative) of encountering it. Its cave, in cabin until nightfall, when he can attack trees. At the top of the slope can be seen a the center of the valley, is behind some under darkness. He will not reveal his number of boulders. If any characters head rocks and vines, but can be easily spotted. affliction to the party beforehand. up the slope, three of the boulders begin The tunnel leading to the basilisk’s lair is If the party is within 4 hexes of the cabin rolling down the slope toward them. These about 80’ long and opens into a chamber of when night falls, the werewolf will track are bowlers (each HD 1, hp 2-5, AC 4, MV roughly oval shape, 12’ wide and 30’ long. them down and attack. It has HD 4 + 3, AC

D RAGON 49 5, MV 15”, #ATT 1, DAM 2-8, +1 or them killed an cyclopskin which now lies in Encounter area 17: Rock pile better weapon needed to hit it (or silver a gully where the two monsters lurk. The The valley ahead is almost blocked by a weapon), surprises on 1-3. cyclopskin was carrying a sack containing large pile of boulders. Beneath some of the There is a 70% chance in the daytime three human-sized helmets, a 250 gp gem- boulders can be seen pieces of bone, ripped that the werewolf (in human form) will be stone on a silver necklace, and a bone scroll cloth, and crushed armor. Orc and animal out hunting; if so, characters have a 20% case with a sheaf of illegible papers inside. tracks are all around. This is where Gador’s non-cumulative chance per hex (while force ambushed Brannod Colnet and his within 4 hexes of the cabin) of encountering Encounter area 16: Hermit escort. The boulders are too large and too him. Rangers and elves have a 2-in-6 These are several points at which the heavy to move without a lot of effort. chance of spotting the cabin from the valley party may encounter the hermit who lives floor, 4-in-6 if they are actively searching in these mountains. As the PCs travel into Encounter area 18: Hermit’s grove the mountainside for something noteworthy. each area marked 16, each character in the The crowded forest here opens up into a group has a 5% chance of seeing a one- well-kept grove. There is a 75% chance Encounter area 12: Pedipalps armed old man sitting among the trees to that, unless he has been encountered else- This area is inhabited by a variety of one side of the path, watching the group where, the lone inhabitant of the grove is huge pedipalps, three in number (each HD pass. The hermit will do nothing unless the home. He is a one-armed old man who 2 + 2, AC 4, MV 9”, #ATT 3, DAM 1-6/1- party reacts violently, in which case he will wanders among the trees, singing softly to 6/1-8 plus gripping attack with automatic use an entangle spell to slow the party down himself in the tongue of the druids. The old damage). The pedipalps, if surprised, will and then vanish among the trees by using a man is Edmar Kantorna, a retired druid. be seen waiting silently for animal prey to tree spell. If the party is friendly and re- He lost his left arm while adventuring in his come by. spectful, he will say “The caterpillar is in youth. Unable to continue adventuring, he truth a butterfly. Everything may not be as retired to the mountains to be close to nat- Encounter area 13: Pedipalps it seems.” Then he will walk into the forest ure. Practice has enabled him to cast spells See area 12. One huge pedipalp lurks and vanish among the trees. See encounter with only one hand. Edmar Kantorna is a here. An orc’s dagger is stuck in one of its area 18 for more information on the hermit, 5th-level druid (20 hp, AC 8, MV 12”, uses pincers, rendering the extremity useless (2 who is a retired druid. a staff of the serpent (python) for attacks). attacks only, for 1-6/1-8). If he has already been encountered and He wears a ring of protection + 2. The loss has delivered his warning, the hermit will of his arm does not affect Edmar’s ability to Encounter area 14: Pedipalps remain hidden among the trees during cast spells; when encountered be will be See area 12. Four huge pedipalps roam further encounters. If the characters are carrying the spells detect magic (x2), detect here. having difficulty finding Gador’s Hall, the snares & pits (x2), entangle, speak with DM may have the hermit direct them to the animals, barkskin, charm person or mam- Encounter area 15: Pedipalps galeb duhr by remarking that “the rocks mal, cure light wounds (x2), obscurement, See area 12. Two huge pedipalps hunt for have ears, too,” and giving them directions and tree (x2). Edmar has a friend who is a prey in this area. In the recent past, one of to the galeb duhr’s location. large brown bear (HD 5 + 5, AC 6, MV 12”, #ATT 3, DAM 1-6/1-6/1-8 plus hug). The bear will appear in 1 round whenever Edmar calls for it, and he will do so imme- diately if he is threatened or attacked. Edmar has complete and detailed knowl- edge of the entire region, including the locations of all the set encounters. He knows about Gador and his activities. If the party has been respectful of nature and treats him with respect, Edmar will share his knowl- edge with the party. He may, however, withhold some information to keep things interesting. Edmar lives comfortably in a cave, the entrance to which is hidden by a plant growth spell. The party will not be able to locate the cave without Edmar’s assistance or magical spells. Edmar keeps a small hoard of 573 gp, 423 sp, and 32 cp buried in the dirt floor of his cave. He would love to share the company of a fellow druid, and likes elves, half-elves, and rangers as well.

Ending the adventure If the PCs rescue Brannod Colnet, the House of Colnet will give them the prom- ised rewards. If the characters bring proof that the House of Volenta was behind the thefts, they will get an additional 2000 gp (total). If they bring back the stolen ship- ments, they will receive a finder’s fee of 1 sp per 1 gp value of the shipment (this works out to 5000 sp, or 250 gp). The city of Gurdikar will also award the PCs a bounty of 1 gp for each orc head they bring in and 50 gp for the giant’s head (500 gp if he is brought in alive).

50 JANUARY 1986 D RAGON 51 52 JANUARY 1986 D RAGON 53 54 JANUARY 1986 secrets of controlling an android or an anti- A world of difference gravity platform? If it’s damaged, can they repair it? How will they recharge charged (From page 42) items? To keep their treasures working, it something a little too special; the thought of may be necessary to return to the other a character returning to his homeworld world again. . . . bearing Stormbringer should be enough to Of course, one can reward player charac- make any DM blanch. ters adventuring in parallel worlds with The problem is hardly absurd; there was special treasures to fit the occasion, prizes the article in DRAGON issue #82 citing that are both unusual and game-balanced. characters who’d acquired everything from Any item from a technological world will battlestars (as in Galactica) to Thor’s ham- appear special in an ordinary AD&D world, mer. One has to be as careful giving out even if it isn’t devastatingly powerful. treasure on parallel worlds as he would be Magic items can be distinctive, too; adven- in his primary campaign. While a reason- turers might return from an Egyptian world able amount of caution should protect the with one of Isis’ special charms, or from an mightiest artifacts (it shouldn’t be very hard American Indian plane with a sacred medi- to keep your PCs from getting cine bundle. These items that would appear Stormbringer unless you actually want them quite out-of-the-ordinary on worlds without to get it — in which case, you deserve the those mythologies. Carefully chosen, such results), it’s sometimes harder to make items can give the players real satisfaction decisions about low-powered ones. without overloading their characters with This is particularly true on technologi- power. This is not to say you should never cally oriented worlds; since most items will give a group a spectacular magic treasure not be found in the DMG, it may be diffi- — but think it through carefully first. It’s cult to decide what’s safe to give them. An far better to give PCs too little and to make anti-matter bomb may be clearly too power- it up later than to give them too much. ful, but what about a light-sabre or a jet- The parallel world ideas given here are pack? To decide such questions, translate not — I repeat, not — intended as the basis the items into the nearest AD&D equiva- for anyone’s primary campaign. It’s one lents. A gas mask might be equated to a thing to encounter illusionist kobolds or necklace of adaptation, a jetpack to wings of DRAGONQUEST air mages as a special flying, or a robot to an iron golem. Then feature of a parallel world and quite another decide if the analogous magic item would be to establish them as part of your regular, acceptable as treasure — if a necklace of primary earth; you can’t rationalize a vari- adaptation is line, so is the gas mask, but if ant game by saying it’s set on an Alternate a cube of force seems unreasonable, a force- Material Plane: Just passing through an field device probably will be unreasonable, unorthodox world shouldn’t wreak game too. damage if you’re careful, but making some Keep in mind charges — or the lack of of these ideas part of your regular game them — while you’re evaluating the items, could lead to major imbalances and distor- since this can make a big difference. An tions. The same applies to starting an ordi- anti-gravity belt with unlimited usage is nary AD&D world and then shifting clearly worth more than wings of flying, permanently to a variant one. while a force-field projector with only two There is also one final warning that or three charges remaining is a long way should be added: Always keep the players’ from being as valuable as a cube of force (a satisfaction in mind. No matter how differ- closer equivalent might be a scroll with ent or original your world is, don’t assume three wall of force spells on it). the sheer novelty of the setting will make up Once you know what is and isn’t accept- for any flaws in dungeon design; setting a able, it will be relatively simple to set up the dungeon beneath Lankhmar will certainly adventure with a suitable selection of trea- enhance the game, but it won’t make your sure. If the PCs do manage to get their players overlook any shoddiness in your hands on something you don’t want them to work. This is true even if you’re using an have — or if you want to let them use an original fantasy world or an established one item in the adventure but not keep it for- they don’t know about — in those cases, ever (they may actually need a force-field you can’t count on your world holding their device at some point, for instance), there interest without a good adventure to go with are other steps that can be taken. The sim- it. If players dislike a world, don’t use it at plest is to rule that technological items all; the best DM on earth can’t make me above a certain level of complexity simply enjoy a trip to a BOOT HILL campaign (I don’t work on the PCs’ native world (the do not like Westerns). Also, make sure the laws of nature don’t permit it to operate game balance doesn’t tilt too far against there), or that passage through the dimen- your players. New worlds should be exciting sions has damaged them so that they’re no challenges, not killer dungeons on a grand longer functioning. The same principle can scale, be used to keep spell-casters from retaining Like any artistic performance, a any special spells they may have acquired in dungeon’s success depends on the judgment other worlds. of the audience. Don’t be content to have If PCs do bring something back in work- your players admire your artistry. Reach ing condition, they will still have problems. but and invite them to become part of the Knowledge, for instance: can they learn the scene.

D RAGON 55 Spy’s advice by Merle M. Rasmussen

Are the weights on the Table of Weapon gun design. This also creates a sneaky way What is the air gun (pellet-type) men- Weights (page 23) for empty or loaded to sabotage a character’s weapons. If you tioned on the Special Weapons list on weapons? allow the agent to find, steal, and load off- page 9? What are its weapon statistics The weights given are for unloaded weap- size ammunition, it will teach the agent to (PWV, Range Modifier, etc.)? Does the ons and usually don’t include an empty only use ammo provided by the agency. For air gun do normal damage? magazine. (This table did not appear in the more details, see the rule section on Mis- Air guns (like dart guns) are intended to first edition of the TOP SECRET rules.) fires and Jams, page 25. be used as non-lethal projectile weapons. Assume that purchased guns come loaded All damage should be calculated as if they or with one loaded magazine. Why is high-explosive incendiary were regular weapons, and then halved to ammo more effective against vehicles reflect the non-lethal nature of the attack. It Why do .002 caliber differences be- than armor-piercing incendiary? is possible for a victim to receive ½ point of tween weapons and ammo cause weapons This is a good (and embarrassing) ques- damage; persons with 1 point of Life Level to jam? tion. My original reasoning, given in may be unconscious, persons with ½ point The rule under Weapon Modifications DRAGON issue #49, was that if an incen- are always unconscious, and persons with a and Accessories (page 43) states that ammu- diary (I) bullet has a +10 modifier and a Life Level of zero or less are mortally nition within .001 caliber of a weapon’s high-explosive (HE) bullet has a +20 modi- wounded and usually die within 5 minutes bore can be used in that weapon. A differ- fier, it figures that a HEI bullet will have a if left unaided. ence of .002 larger or smaller will cause +30. It now occurs to me that an armor- Weapon statistics for an air gun are the jamming or non-firing of the weapon. Am- piercing (AP) bullet with a modifier of +10, same as those given for a dart gun on the munition that is substantially larger than or an API bullet with a modifier of +20, is Weapons Chart, page 23, except that am- the weapons’ firing chamber will jam the more likely to pass through a lightly ar- munition varies from 1-100 (pellets only). weapon. Ammunition that is smaller will mored vehicle than to stop and explode or cause the firing pin will miss its mark. ignite on impact. How many Areas of Knowledge (AOK) I chose .001 as the margin of error for all can one agent have? My character weapons so that simple game mechanics What is the rate of fire for the .45- doesn’t know anything about Military would help explain ammunition compatibil- caliber M3 submachine gun? Science/Weaponry; is this possible? If my ity and the effect of off-caliber customized The correct rate of fire for the M3 is a agent does not have Transportation Engi- maximum of 4 shots fired per phase. The 5 neering as an AOK, can she still operate shots each phase mentioned under Auto- any vehicle? matic Weapons on page 20 is incorrect. Every agent has 37 different AOKs (42 if the Agent Dossier accessory rules are in- Agent A (Offense 65) has an Uzi sub- cluded). The number of superior AOKs machine gun set on full automatic (PWV that an agent can have are determined by 72). He is standing unwounded in broad dividing the general Knowledge trait score daylight, aiming with his correct hand at by 10 and rounding up. This gives the agent B, standing 100’ away (medium number of AOKs in which the character range modifier -17). His Base Accuracy possesses a subject familiarity beyond that with all modifiers of hitting with the first of his normal general knowledge. For in- shot is 120 (Chance to hit 95%). His stance, an agent with a Knowledge rating of second chance to hit with an automatic 81-90 would possess 9 superior AOKs. Your weapon is at a -11 penalty. Is this penalty agent only has the superior AOK he or she deducted from 95 or 120? starts the game with. It is possible by apply- The -11 is deducted from 120. The ing experience points to raise any AOK modified Base Accuracy for the five full- value to 150, whether it started out as a automatic weapon shots are: 120, 109, 98, superior AOK or not. 87, and 74. The respective chances to hit The other more numerous AOKs outside are: 95%, 95%, 95%, 87%, and 74%. of a character’s personal expertise will also have a rating score, and that AOK score How fully should an Administrator will uniformly begin at a figure which is describe an NPC holding a weapon to a one-half (round up) of the character’s pri- player character viewing him? Shouldn’t mary Knowledge score. For instance, if a the viewer receive a bonus to notice more character has a Knowledge trait score of 89, about the NPC depending on his skills or he or she would possess 9 superior AOKs at knowledge? the start (with a roll made for each) and the I would roll percentile dice and compare score for the remaining AOKs would be a the value rolled against the viewer’s Obser- uniform 45. vation, Perception, or general Knowledge score. If the value rolled is less than the In TS 003, Operation: Rapidstrike, viewer’s value, the character with a pistol characters have a tertiary personal trait will be much better described than if the called “Wrestling Value.” What is this? value rolled is greater than the viewer’s Wrestling Value is an obsolete trait that score. Specific Areas of Knowledge will help was cut from the TOP SECRET rules in to identify a character’s uniform, costume, the second edition. Its function is performed weapon, or other outer appearances. by the Hand-to-Hand Combat Value.

56 JANUARY 1986 D RAGON 57

TITLES SHIPPING IN JANUARY favorite heroes and villains, all the cross- AC6 PLAYER CHARACTER RECORD overs, all the plot twists, all the excitement SHEETS (Revised) DRAGONLANCE™ Legends Trilogy is now yours. Face front, true believer! This D&D® Game Accessory Vol. 1, Time of the Twins is the most titanic, most incredible, most by TSR Staff by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman stupendous MARVEL SUPER HEROES™ We’ve completely redesigned the Player The Wars of the Lance have ended. Raist- module in the entire history of the universe! Character Record Sheets to cover all the lin, now in the service of the Queen of Dark- And we’re not kidding, either! new rules, character classes, and options of ness, has vanished . . . but his evil magic Product No. 6869 the Companion, Masters, and (upcoming) now threatens the freedom of Krynn. Cara- Suggested Retail Price: $10.00 Immortals sets . . . so this is it!! mon, Tasslehoff, and the Lady Crysania Product No. 9037 MARVEL SUPER HEROES, THE BEYONDER, SECRET WARS II, Suggested Retail Price: $7.50 must stop him before it is too late! and all character names and likenesses are trademarks of the Because you demanded it, the saga con- Marvel Comics Group. ©1986 Marvel Comics Group, a division of tinues, as the heroes start on a new adven- Cadence Industries Corporation. ture . . . one that will take them into new MASTER OF RAVENLOFT realms of danger and romance! AD&D® Adventure Gamebook #6 Product No. 8307 BARBAROSSA™ Game of the Russo- by Jean Blashfield German War 1941-1945 Suggested Retail Price: $3.95 The Master of Ravenloft is having guests An SPI™ Brand Wargame for dinner . . . and you are invited! by David Ritchie Based on the classic adventure I6 DL11 DRAGONS OF GLORY A major new Eastern Front wargame by Ravenloft, this AD&D® Adventure Game- AD&D® DRAGONLANCE® noted designer David Ritchie! This strate- book lets you play the role of the vampire Game Adventure gic-level wargame covers the entire course master of Castle Ravenloft. For a pleasant by Douglas Niles and Tracy Hickman of the war in the East, and contains unique evening’s entertainment . . . heh, heh, heh. This special DRAGONlANCE® module rules for land, sea, and aerial operations, Product No. 8956 covers the entire War of the Lance, from the political factors, and partisans. A new re- Suggested Retail Price: $2.95 first raids of the Dragon Highlords to their lease, original-design game. Product No. 3012 eventual military domination of most of the Suggested Retail Price: $30.00 continent of Ansalon, in a unique wargame TITLES SHIPPING IN FEBRUARY format. New AD&D® game rules allow you to play OA1 SWORDS OF THE DAIMYO TERRIBLE SWIFT SWORD™ a strategic wargame, using the armies, AD&D® Oriental Adventures Three Days of Gettysburg Game dragons, and special powers of both the Game Adventure An SPI™ Brand Wargame Dragon and Whitestone forces. A beautiful by Zeb Cook by Richard Berg set of full-color battle maps covers all ter- Set sail for the continent of Kara-Tur, rain involved in the war. Resolve the battles A complete revision of the classic game where samurai rule in splendor, and the using the wargame system provided in the by famous designer Richard Berg! Using spirit folk haunt the forests. With OA1, module, or with the BATTLESYSTEM™ Fan- the GREAT BATTLES OF THE AMERICAN Swords of the Daimyo, you can begin to live tasy Combat Supplement. CIVIL WAR™ game system, this incredible the new adventures. This 64-page super- A new dimension in adventure . . . the 3-map, 2,000-counter wargame covers all module includes full-color maps of the con- armies are yours to command! the action at the regimental level. A new or- tinent, and provides everything you need to Product No. 9144 der of battle and new scenarios bring it up get a campaign started! Suggested Retail Price: $10.00 to date with the very latest in Civil War re- Product No. 9164 search. Suggested Retail Price: $12.00 Product No. 3017 MHSP2 SECRET WARS™ II Suggested Retail Price: $35.00 MARVEL SUPER HEROES™ B10 NIGHT’S DARK TERROR Game Adventure D&D® Basic Game Adventure by Jeff Grubb by Graeme Morris and Jim Bambra The Beyonder™ returns to the Earth, Bridge the gap between the D&D® Basic threatening all that lives! Set and the D&D® Expert Set with this 64- The best-selling SECRET WARS™ II saga page super adventure. The wilderness is now an exciting adventure for the beckons with the promise of adventure, as MARVEL SUPER HEROES™ game. All your you travel by river and across mountains

60 JANUARY 1986 from the Duchy of Karameikos to the cha- a KGB agent at the party? Does Sir Ran- ABOUT OUR PRICE INCREASE otic lands beyond. dolph have a hidden past? Or Jacques? And Product No. 9149 why is Coca saying all these terriible things On February 1, as Kim Mohan reported in Suggested Retail Price: $10.00 about everybody? DRAGON® issue #103, the prices on some The KNAVE OF HEARTS Scenario starts TSR® items will be increasing. The $12.00 as a soap opera... but ends in murder! An- hardcover books will be going to $15.00, N3 DESTINY OF KINGS other PARTYZONE Entertainment Game — and the DMG will now cost $18.00. Most of AD&De Game Adventure for a party they’ll talk about for weeks. our boxed games (except D&D® Basic and by Steven Bourne Product No. 3523 Expert Sets) are going from $13.50 to Suggested Retail Price: $19.95 Intrigue and mystery abound as you get $15.00. Existing $6.00 modules will not in- involved with a missing heir to the throne crease in price, but new ones will be $8.00 of a small kingdom. Wits and creativity or higher. DRAGONSWORD OF JANKHMAR™ count for more than swordplay in this excit- We really do regret the need to raise ONE-ON-ONE™ Gamebook #5 ing novice-level adventure. prices, but bills keep increasing, and our Product No. 9163 by James M. Ward margin of profit on books, games, and Suggested Retail Price: $8.00 Join Fafhrd™ and the Gray Mouser™ on modules has been steadily shrinking. their quest to locate and recover the myste- This is the first price increase ever in the rious Dragonsword in this new, exciting history of TSR, Inc. We know that this is a CM7 THE TREE OF LIFE ONE-ON-ONE™ Gamebook adventure. big jump for a lot of you, but we raised D&D® Companion Game Adventure In a ONE-ON-ONE Gamebook, each prices enough so that we don’t expect to by Bruce Heard player takes a different book. By turning raise prices again for many years to come Form a party consisting entirely of elves, pages and reading aloud, they pursue each — never, if we can help it. and explore the hidden lands of the Sylvan other through dark catacombs . . . and fi- On new modules, we will be increasing Kingdom, where all your people have dis- nally meet in combat! A unique diceless pages and adding components so that you combat system allows unlimited replay. will get more in an $8.00 module than you appeared. . . and discover their incredible Product No. 9465 fate! got in a $6.00 module, so that will help Product No. 9166 Suggested Retail Price: $5.95 some. Suggested Retail Price: $8.00 We’re grateful for your support over the FAFRHD and GRAY MOUSER are trademarks owned by Fritz Leiber and are used with permission. years, and we’re sorry that we’ve had to do this. We promise that we’ll work even THE INHERITANCE™ Scenario harder to give you the best games, mod- PARTYZONE™ Game #2 AMAZING™ STORIES Books ules, and accessories in the field. by Douglas Niles J.J. Caldwell, patriarch of the Caldwell Strange, unexpected, and startling! The clan, is dead. And he’s left a lot of money. AMAZING™ Stories books combine modern Unless otherwise noted: You are one of the heirs . . . but did you kill horror and weirdness into exciting novels of ® denotes registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. the old man? suspense and mystery. ™ denotes other trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. PARTYZONE™ Entertainment Games are In Book #5, Starskimmer by John Betan- ©1986 TSR, Inc. All Rights Resewed. a new type of party game. When your court, a starship pilot is hired by mysterious guests arrive, each receives a new identity free traders to help them in a project to — and then the fun starts! By talking with “skim” rare jewels from the fringes of each other, trading information, and using stars. the little props that come with the game, In Book #6, Death of a Mayfly, by Lee En- the guests solve a unique murder mystery. derln, a young girl arrives in a small town Give a party they’ll talk about for weeks where the residents are holding a very sinis- afterward . . . with a PARTYZONE Entertain- ter festival. . . . ment Game! Starskimmer Product No. 8080 Product No. 3522 Death of a MayfIy Product No. 8081 Suggested Retail Price: $19.95 Suggested Retail Price: $2.95

KNAVE OF HEARTS™ Scenario PARTYZONE™ Game #3 by Miihael and Deborah Dobson Madeline Grant is getting engaged, but is her husband who he says he is? Is any- body? And what about Simon Tombs? Is he the jewel thief, or what? And is there really

D RAGON 61 KIM MOHAN

“My principal purpose in grant- ing this interview,” said Kim Mohan, DRAGON® Magazine’s male Editor-In-Chief, “is to let peo- ple know what sex I am.” “I’ve had fun at conventions when people see my name tag and then do a double-take when they see my beard, but now it's time to let the world in on the truth.” Kim was born in Chicago on May 4, 1949, and moved to Williams Bay, Wis. (just a few miles west of Lake Ge- neva), when he was five. He grew up in Williams Bay as an avid sci- ence-fiction and fantasy reader and oc casional wargamer, and graduated third in his high school class. He enrolled in Beloit

Editor-in-Chief with issue #49 (May (Wis.) College (right on the Wis- 1981). consin/Illinois border), where he “I suppose I shouldn’t say this, but switched majors a lot — philosophy, I’m not much of a D&D® game player. mathematics, etc. Everything, in fact, This helps me keep my objectivity, except for English and Journalism. which is all to the good. When I look at a “I decided that what I really wanted to manuscript, my judgment isn’t influ- do was write, so I sort of fell into a job enced by my experience as a player or working for the Lake Geneva Regional DM. I see everything as an editor. News as a reporter, and dropped out of “I was very interested in playing the college. That lasted for a few months, D&D game when I first heard of it, but then I joined the staff of the Beloit Daily by the time I found people to play with, News, where I stayed for nine years." the game was my job — and after work- During that time, Kim was a sports ing with it all day, I didn’t want it to be writer, an editorial writer, the state edi- my hobby, too,” Kim said. “This helps tor, the wire service editor, and just keep the game fresh for me.” about everything else. “I was a handy- Kim describes himself as a “compu- man, doing a little bit of everything as it terphile,” and enjoys writing programs needed to be done. Come to think of it, and tinkering with his Commodore 64 in Arcana rule book, and he that’s what I’m still doing,” he said. his spare time. He also collects stamps. edited Saga of Old City, After nine years, he had grown tired of “Well, I accumulate stamps, actually. Gary Gygax’s first novel. the newspaper business, but wasn’t Sometime I’m going to take six weeks “The extra projects are extra sure what he wanted to do next. So he off and put them all in albums.” work, naturally,” he said, “but quit his job to become a freelance writer In addition to being Editor-in-Chief of they were also very fulfilling.” for various newspapers. That wasn’t fi- DRAGON® Magazine, Kim also per- The magazine has grown tremen- nancially viable. “Besides, I discovered forms some managerial duties for dously since Kim took it over, and that that I really needed someone to tell me STRATEGY & TACTICS® Magazine and has resulted in a number of changes — when I had to be at work,” Kim said. AMAZING® Stories. His job involves eve- some of them not good ones. “I’ve One day, in the summer of 1979, Kim rything from planning to production, never wanted to discourage amateur drove over to Lake Geneva, walked in meaning that he does everything from writers from submitting, but we just the door of what was then the TSR Peri- read manuscripts to set type when nec- don’t have as much time for personal odicals headquarters, and invited him- essary. Putting out a monthly magazine feedback and nurturing of new talent as self for an interview. They gave him is an unbelievably complicated process, we used to. We’ve become somewhat some freelance editing assignments as and Kim is proud of the fact that impersonal, and that bothers me — but a test, and when he brought them back DRAGON® Magazine has never missed there’s nothing I can do about it.” in, they hired him on the spot. a printing deadline during his tenure as “I like to get letters from our readers. I Kim started as the number-three man editor. always read them, even if I can’t print or on a three-man staff. Not too long there- In addition to his regular duties, Kim answer all of them. What our readers after, he was promoted to Assistant Edi- served earlier this year as the editor and think is a very important factor in what tor of the magazine, and then to general handyman for the Unearthed kind of magazine we make,” he said.

62 JANUARY 1986 type, and handles a lot of the details of pro- on time. Pat managed the department for duction. For STRATEGY & TACTICS Maga- nearly three years. zine, he does the same. His primary But editing was in his blood, and so he responsibility, though, is for AMAZING Sto- transferred to the magazine staff. “By this ries. Working with editor George Scithers time, I had the technical background to be (who is located in Philadelphia), Pat coordi- a good editor, and I could be useful in all nates all business and production aspects phases of the operation,” he said. “I’m an of the magazine. He handles contracts, editor both by training and temperament, typesetting, page design, relationships and I really like the job I now have. with the printer and purchasing agents, “I’m not a gaming fan, or a would-be subscription labels, ad placement, story game designer, or a would-be writer. I like tracking, covers. . . . Whew! There’s hardly the editor’s role — the responsibility for a single detail of magazine production, helping people come up with ideas and however small, that doesn’t pass across make them work. I think I’ve got a good Pat’s immaculately clean desk. critical sense for identifying problem areas Pat is originally from Whiting, Ind. (a in manuscripts and advising writers on im- southern suburb of Chicago), and has a provements? B.A. in French and Spanish from Marian According to Pat, editing is much like College in Indianapolis, Ind. He became a writing: it is about manipulating the written teacher and tutor in those languages for word. A writer or an editor needs to read a several years. lot - not only for ideas, but to learn syntax, His brother, Mike Price, was at that time a improve vocabulary, and study characteri- game designer for TSR, Inc. (He did some zation. Pat also likes to read and analyze GAMMA WORLD® modules and mini- other magazines to get ideas about how to do things differently. Although there are few colleges offering degrees in editing, Pat recommends not only English and Journalism, but also for- eign languages. “Foreign languages are particularly helpful because you must learn them formally. This makes you focus on syntax, grammar, and word choice.” Pat reviews all fiction submissions for

DRAGON Magazine. His ad- vice to would-be contributors is, “Read, write, read some more, and write some more. That’s the best thing to do. And, before you send your work off to a magazine, read the magazine first. See what’s being done; learn what formats are acceptable. Research your market. For ex- PAT ample, DRAGON Magazine doesn’t publish poetry or plays, but I receive both regularly. PRICE They are rejected automatically. That wastes my time and the author’s efforts. I’d much prefer people to write and ask if they want to submit anything too unusual. It’s On the masthead of every issue of ing for editors . . . and Pat an- far better to ask a stupid question than to DRAGON® Magazine, under “Editorial swered the call. do a stupid thing. And, if you really don’t Staff,” is the name of Patrick Lucien Price. He began with TSR as a games editor in know the answer, then it’s not a stupid In every issue of STRATEGY & TACTICS® 1980, working on the revisions of the question, is it” Magazine, here listed as Assistant Editor, is D&D® Basic and Expert Sets. After a year Pat’s pet dragon is named St. Cyril of Mil- Patrick Lucien Price. And if you open an is- with the company, he was promoted to waukee. sue of AMAZING® Stories Magazine, there manager of the Pre-Press Department, he is again: Pat Price, Managing Editor. Al- which handles typesetting, keylining (the though you may not know him by name, process by which type and art are pasted his work in each issue of TSR’s magazines onto boards for the printer to photograph), is very important indeed. photography, etc. This is one of the most For DRAGON Magazine, Pat edits book important jobs at TSR — the people in Pre- reviews, compiles the Convention Calendar, Press are greatly responsible for making proofreads everything, occasionally sets sure that the final product is done right and

D RAGON 63 64 JANUARY 1986 HE ORACLE RODE ALONE THROUGH the gates of Zelloque: around him On the crackled an almost-invisible aura of power and authority. The City Guard fell in behind him as he headed, intent on his mission, straight for the steps of the palace. Rocks at * * * I was watching two disembodied heads sing drunken songs when the trouble started. A couple of City Guards sauntered in, glanced around with disdain, then headed Slab’s toward my private table. They looked splendid in full uniform, with their red capes flapping boldly behind them. Quite a few of my tavern’s patrons made a hasty retreat by John Gregory Betancourt through the back door. The heads vanished in puffs of ethereal gasses. I had nothing to hide — nothing much, anyway — so I waited. “Ulander,” the guard on the right said, “I have a mes- sage for you.” Only then did I recognize him beneath his red-plumed helm — Nim Bisnar, an old City Guard who’d worked off and on for me during the last ten years. “What is it?” I demanded. “You know you’re supposed to use the back entrance — you’ll give my place a bad reputation!” He ignored my protests. “Captain Yoonlag sent us. An Oracle from Ni Treshel — that’s right the Ni Treshel, where the bones of Shon Atasha are kept — came to the Great Lord’s palace yesterday. He’s looking for more splinters of his god’s bones. Somehow he’d heard tales about Slab’s Tavern, and he persuaded the Great Lord to let him search your place!” I jolted to my feet, startled and alarmed. “What? When?” “In an hour, maybe two.” Calling to Lur, my doorman and bodyguard, I dug a handful of silver royals from my pouch and poured them into Nim’s hands. “Half are Yoonlag’s. Split the other half between you.” “Thank you, sir!” they both said, then turned to go — through the back door, this time. Lur lumbered over to my side. He was a large man — about seven feet tall, with broad shoulders and muscles enough to make him look twice as large. I’d always found those characteristics ideal for my purposes. “Master?” “Throw everybody out,” I said, “except the servants.” “Sir?” he said, bewildered. “You heard me — do it!” The tavern was dark, its dim light concealing the crum- bling plaster and foot-worn paving stones. There were numerous secluded spots, and off at the curtained booth along the edge of the room, illegal transactions were tak- ing place. I marked the pirates at their tables, with their rich, colorful, jewel-encrusted clothes that mimicked but never quite equaled the dress of wealthy noblemen, and nodded to the ones I knew — Rigelem Teq, Hilan Lam- miat, Kol Fesseda, a few others. In return for protecting his city’s ships, the Great Lord of Zelloque had made his city an open port ten years earlier. In one dark corner a couple of black-robed slavers threw dice; in another, two Illustrations by George Barr

D RAGON 65 dock hands threatened each other with knives. With little “Bones!” he mocked. “Bones!” And then he trailed off patience or gentleness, various barkeeps persuaded them in laughter. to take their squabble to a nearby alley. But mostly the I stepped back and he slowly disappeared, people drank and talked and sang too loudly, the room disintegrating in wisps of green fog. ringing with boisterous shouts as they swore, laughed, and “Well,” I told him, “at least I’m not going to die trying argued. to swallow fifty blue-backed crabs — alive!” But gloating Lur moved among them, bending now and then to wouldn’t help; he didn’t have to worry about having his whisper something in various ears. Usually the men would livelihood demolished. He could always go haunt turn pale, then tremble, then bolt for the door. Even the someplace else. pirates left without a fight — Lur’s imposing bulk was just I should have known better than to try to persuade him too much for them, I guessed. Within minutes the place and all the other ghosts not to appear during the Oracle’s was deserted. visit. Now I had a terrible suspicion they’d be certain to For a long minute, I just stood there and pondered the show up, if anyone stepped close to their special spot Guard’s words. An Oracle, coming to search my tavern (which, fortunately, was off in one dark corner tonight). for a splinter of a god’s bone. . . . I stood back and surveyed everyone else’s work, then More than ghostly, disembodied heads that sang gave the signal for the doors to be unbolted and the drunken songs, my tavern had quite a reputation for shutters thrown open. Afternoon sunlight flooded in. strange, magical happenings — it had helped keep away Most of my employees now sat at various tables, with all but the least bloodthirsty clientele. Slab’s was the sort bottles and goblets of wine before them, looking like the of place where anything could happen: rumor said that, tavern’s regulars. I’d stationed them in all the places late at night, drunks sometimes inexplicably became where I knew odd things occurred; they all had orders to sober, the furniture rearranged itself (always when nobody prevent anything unusual from happening — at any cost. was looking), and people sometimes vanished, never to be Only Lur and a couple of the barmaids kept to their seen again. Of course, that was only rumor, but I did regular duties, moving from table to table as usual. For know that against the far wall stood a table where chilled the thousandth time, I thanked my good fortune in having wine tasted like warm blood, and there was a certain spot the most loyal servants money could buy. None would (which moved every night) where Slab Vethiq himself, the give my secrets away. man who’d founded my noble drinking establishment, “Master?” Lur said, looming over me. I took a quick was known to appear from time to time — or at least, his step back and he still loomed over me. “I hear them spirit was. And even if Slab didn’t come, chances were coming.” someone — or some thing — else would . . . if you stepped Straining, I heard them too — the tramp-tramp of too close. many booted feet somewhere close at hand. Then they The two drunken, singing heads suddenly appeared marched outside and halted there. One of the Guards, over a table. One of the barmaids seized a broom and silhouetted in the door, stood for a second and surveyed swatted at them until they disappeared. the place before entering. Then I recognized him: Tayn If the Oracle saw them — or anything else magical — Lastoq, the Captain of all the City Guard — one of the he’d tear the building down in search of his bone. few officials I’d never been able to bribe. Behind him I barred the doors and shuttered the windows. At once came another figure — the Oracle. the barmaids lit tallow candles and set them in various Like all the Rashendi, this one wore gaudy, niches. The place filled with a warm, somewhat hazy brilliantly-colored silk clothing. He carried his light. Everyone stared at me, wondering (I could tell) if I future-telling wheel in front of him like a holy relic, had gone completely mad. It was then that I told them, in which, of course, it was. short, blunt, angry words, what Nim had told me and “This is the place?” he asked, with obvious disdain. He what I planned to do about it. sniffed. “Yes, Oracle,” Tayn said. The Oracle moved through the streets of Zelloque like a “So be it. Find what I seek.” hot knife cutting through fat. He wore gold-and-blue silk I stepped forward. “Wait a minute —” pantaloons, a gold silk shirt, and slippers of soft, white “Be quiet, Ulander!” Tayn snapped. I could see the klindu fur, and he carried a golden wheel in his arms. His Oracle had begun to annoy him — and he was taking it wheel glittered brightly, red and blue from rubies and out on me. “I know you better than you think. You know sapphires, gold and silver from the dying sun’s light. why we’re here! Now let us get on with our business.” Behind him, in perfect formation, marched twenty “I have friends in high places!” members of the City Guard. He whirled around, his sword suddenly in his hand. Its He held his divine purpose in mind: to gather all the point touched my chest just below my heart. “Narmon Ri bones of Shon Atasha the Creator together into one place, himself ordered the search. You have no choice. Do you to use their magic to summon His spirit back to Earth. understand?” The noise of a hundred tramping feet echoed loudly Lur tensed beside me, growling softly, ready to attack through the deserted streets. Tayn. I restrained him with a quick look, then turned back to the Captain of the Guard. “I understand,” I told Trying to reason with ghosts seldom succeeds. Like with him. “But if anything’s broken, I’m sending Lord Ri the Slab. bill .”

66 JANUARY 1986 He laughed, then, and resheathed his sword. “You have (though I had repeatedly said it wasn’t here in front of a quick wit, Ulander. I’ll tell the men to keep the damage him). At last he shouted for Tayn. The Captain of the to a minimum.” Guard hurried over. He turned and sauntered out, leaving the Oracle there “Yes, Oracle?” alone. I heard Tayn instructing his men through the open “Tear out the counter, then have your men start on the door. booths in the back. I want it found if it takes all night!” “Who are you?” the Rashendi asked me. With a sigh, Tayn turned to obey. I threw myself in “Ulander Rasym, owner of this establishment.” front of him before he could speak. “There must be He stared at me a moment, eyes strange and dark. another way!” I said. “You can’t just tear up my tavern!” “Perhaps if you told me more about this god’s bone, I’d “I’m sorry, Ulander, but —” be able to help. What does it look like? Where should it Just then, one of his men chose to step too close to that be?” certain spot in the corner. With a roaring sound, a gaint “It may take,” the Rashendi said softly, “any form — a mouth appeared, filling the whole ten feet between floor piece of marble, a building stone. They try to remain and ceiling. Its lips were thick and bloodless white; its hidden. For years I have located bones for the shrine in Ni teeth were sharp, jagged spikes; its tongue lolled out like Treshel. Each splinter has been different — and yet the some immense gray carpet. Gazing down its gullet, I saw same. They have an odd feel, an uncertain look as if their only blackness. shape is untrue. With my wheel I can perceive a splinter’s This seemed to be what Slab was waiting for. With an true nature, if it is put before me.” He nodded wisely. “So insane cry, he rose and seemed to flow rather than walk to it has always been. I will find one here, I feel.” Then he the Oracle. Seizing the Rashendi by the hair, he dragged turned and wandered toward the curtained booths. him forward and into the mouth, vanishing down its Off to one side, I saw wisps of fog beginning to gather throat. The other ghosts of patrons long-dead grabbed all above a table. I gestured wildly to one of the barmaids. the guards, Tayn included, and spirited them off as well. With a gasp, she seized her broom and stepped forward, The mouth closed with a snap, the tongue flicked over swinging madly at the two disembodied heads that had the lips, and it vanished with a slight sucking sound. begun to appear. They’d started to sing — Too stunned to do more than stare at the now-empty corner, I just stood there. Then one of the barmaids began Vimister Groll was a merry old soul to scream. I heard a slapping sound and she shut up. Who loved his wine and women — I retreated to my booth and sat down heavily. I was ruined, I knew. The Great Lord would have me executed but dissipated just before the Oracle turned to look back. for killing his favorite Captain and twenty of his guards. The barmaid pretended to chase cobwebs from the ceiling His assassins would track me down wherever I went. Well, with her broom while two of the barkeeps took turns I figured, at least I could get drunk, ease the pain of my continuing the song, mimicking the ghosts’ high, drunken death — that was the only advantage left of owning a voices:

He picked a brew and drank up to The point his nose fell brim -in -

It rapidly became obvious they’d never heard the tune before and were making it up as they went along. Fortunately, they soon became stumped at a rhyme for sausage and grew silent. Tayn Lastoq and his men entered and spread through the tavern. For once, everything seemed to be going well — they found nothing but dust beneath the tables and under the booths. I followed Tayn around, looking over his shoulder, trying my best to bother him. “You see,” I said again and again. “There’s nothing here.” Then I turned around and noticed Slab Vethiq sitting at one of the tables, as solid-looking as he’d ever been in life. He grinned at me, then turned back to his wine. As I stared, other people began appearing at the other tables, gradually filling the place. I recognized one — then another — then another. They were all patrons who’d died! Fortunately, they’d brought their own wine. Nobody else seemed to notice. The Oracle now stood in the middle of the room as the men searched, ignoring the people seated at tables. He looked mildly annoyed at not having found his bone

DRAGON 67 haunted tavern. gave me a knowing wink, then slowly faded away. Hearing singing, I looked up. The two disembodied I shuddered a bit. That wink had always disturbed me heads had appeared over my table. Slowly they drifted back in the days when Slab still lived and I’d been his away. Sounds from outside told me a number of pirates right-hand man, with only as much power as he let me had entered. Business went on as usual. have. That wink had been a private sign, one last As the day wore on and I got progressively drunker, I reminder that he owned the place and I never would . . . began to hear strange rumors: tales of how twenty-one of or so he’d thought. Lord Ri’s guards had been plucked from the harbor by But I’d saved my money, made sure I knew all the right slavers — and Lord Ri had declined to buy them back; people, and finally taken over when he’d died. But for all tales of how their leader, Tayn Lastoq, had gone mad and the documents that said I owned the place, something led his men and an Oracle off to fight sea-monsters; tales deep inside me called me a fool, and cursed, and somehow of how the Oracle had disappeared, never to be seen I knew the truth. again. I drank more wine and tried not to think. My pains That night, Slab’s haunted spot moved into my private eased: somehow everything no longer seemed quite so booth. I first became aware of it when I looked up and grim. Slab, they’d said when he was alive, always takes found Slab sitting in front of me, casually sipping a bottle care of his own. of my best Coranian brandy. He raised it in salute, and Secure with that thought, I drifted toward sleep.

68 JANUARY 1986

LOG

Those of you who are comic-book hero fans might be inter- CONTENTS ested to know of a new book on the market which details many of the greatest (and not-so-greatest) heroes ever to appear on the comics racks. The Encyclopedia of Super ARES Log ...... 70 Heroes, by Jeff Rovin, lists the appearances, origins, powers, and biographies of hundreds of super-powered heroes. RITES OF PASSAGE Those featured range from the famed Marvel and DC Comics Danny Kretzer ...... 71 characters to more exotic and humorous ones like Under- Joining your local Cryptic Alliance dog, Ultraman, Super Pickle, Space Ghost, Isis, Judge Dredd, the Lone Ranger, the Masked Lizard, Megaton Man, Tarzan, THE MARVEL®-PHILE Captain Nice, Wonder Wart-Hog, Super Chicken (and Fred), Jeff Grubb ...... 74 Zorro, Captain Klutz, Kid Psycho, The Shadow, Doc Savage, “Why does it have to be snakes?” Mighty Mouse, Popeye, and (ahem) Roger Ramjet. The few problem areas that this wonderful volume have VILLAINS & VARIANTS lie in the realm of who or what is not included in the listings. For example, I cannot find Magnus, Robot-Fighter (of 4000 John J. Polojac ...... 76 A.D. fame), my absolute favorite hero of all time, dating from Optional rules for VILLAINS & my childhood; nor can I find Spain’s Trashman, the black- VIGILANTES™ games bearded, post-holocaust revolutionary from the under- ground comics of a few years back. Jeff Grubb, who is in THE BIG GUNS love with this book, was miffed that Danger Mouse was left William Wilson Goodson, Jr. 78 out, especially since Bananaman is listed. And, if G-8 is Marvelous ships, planes, tanks, and subs included, why not James Bond? I also admit that I would have loved to see individual pic- EXPANDING THE tures for all the heroes and more details on each. A compan- FRONTIER ion volume covering super-powered villains would be nice, William Tracy ...... 82 too. But I cannot fault the quality of this volume otherwise. Planetary exploration for fun and profit The Encyclopedia of Super Heroes is a superb collection that makes an excellent resource book for all gamers involved in hero campaigns. As a gift book, it’s hard to beat. The Encyclopedia of Super Heroes is published by Facts on File, Inc., N.Y., N.Y.; it is hardbound (about 8½” x 11”, 443 pp.), and it costs $29.95.

ARES™ Section 105 THE SCIENCE-FICTION GAMING SECTION Editor: Roger E. Moore Editorial assistance: Eileen Lucas, Georgia Moore, Patrick Lucien Price Graphics, design, and production: Betty Elmore, Kim Lindau, Roger Raupp

All materials published in the ARES Section become the exclusive property of the publisher upon publication, unless special arrangements to the con- trary are made prior to publication. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome, but the publisher assumes no responsibility for them, and they will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope of sufficient size and volume. ARES is a trademark of TSR, Inc.'s science-fiction gaming section in DRAGON® Magazine. All rights on the contents of this section are reserved, and nothing may be reproduced from it without prior permission in writing from the publisher. Copyright ©1985 TSR, Inc. DRAGON, STAR FRONTIERS, ON THE COVER and GAMMA WORLD are registered trademarks of TSR, Inc. Copyright Five of the newest foes of Captain ©1985 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. America™ slither into this issue as mem- All Marvel characters and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of the Marvel Comics Group. MARVEL SUPER HEROES and MARVEL SUPER bers of the criminal union called the Ser- VILLAINS are trademarks of the Marvel Comics Group. Copyright ©1985 pent Society™. Read about them on p. 74. Marvel Comics Group, a division of Cadence Industries Corporation. All Art by the Marvel Bullpen; collage by Rights Reserved. Roger Raupp. VILLAINS & VIGILANTES is a trademark of Fantasy Games Unlimited.

70 JANUARY 1986 by Danny Kretzer hut who also had mechanical genius rolled an 86, thereby failing to join that Whitney was lead into a small room by alliance. This didn’t seem right. Why the hooded figure. A single shaft of should a Cryptic Alliance that needs sunlight from a high window. In one intelligent people to figure out artifacts corner of the room sat a large metal box and piece together the culture of the with a screen and buttons along one Ancients choose brawn over brains? side. A coiled length of wire sat by the From that point, I put into effect the device, one end attached to the back of “initiation rule.” In order to join a Cryp- the device and the other end lying on tic Alliance, a PC would have to pass a the floor, tipping with an unusual pro- specific test or initiation that replaced jection. the dice roll. “You wish to join the ranks of the The first thing a PC has to do is to Restorationists,” the hooded one spoke. locate an appropriate Cryptic Alliance "First, you must prove yourself worthy. base, which could prove to he an adven- That device” — the figure gestured to ture in itself. Just finding information on the corner of the room — “was a com- certain bases runs the risk of being munications system of the Ancients. badly misled or stumbling across ene- Make this device functional, and you mies of your chosen alliance. may take your place with us. You have Once the base is located and its per- until sunset.” sonnel contacted, a fee is usually With that, the hooded one left the required to take the initiation test. room. Whitney stared at the alien con- (Every alliance needs money.) Regardless traption. Over and over, the hooded of the amount of money offered or the one’s words echoed in his mind. personality of the applicant, a character “You have until sunset....” cannot join an alliance that is opposed to his or her (or its) racial type. For exam- ple, a Pure Strain Human could not get In order to join a certain Cryptic Alli- into the Radioactivists. ance in the GAMMA WORLD® game, all The initiation itself could vary widely, a player character has to do roll per- depending on the nature of the Cryptic centile dice, as noted on p. 53 of the Alliance performing it. Warlike alliances Basic Rules Booklet. What this dice roll are generally the more savage and bar simulates is not specified, hut the baric sorts, and have goals centering method seems very insufficient. When a around military activity, conquest, person joins a certain organization, the destruction, and warfare. The Ranks of organization wants to make sure that the Fit and the Friends of Entropy are the new member is of the sort the orga- two good examples of this type of orga- nization is looking for. nization. An initiation into these alli- At one point in my campaign, several ances would likely consist of a test of PCs tried to join the Restorationists. One courage, endurance, or fighting prow- PC who was a Pure Strain Human with ess. Combat with large monsters, driving very low intelligence and mental or running through an obstacle course, strength scores rolled a 07, so he was or spending the night in a cold, wet, and automatically able to join. A humanoid possibly inhabited cavern are three good PC who was not only highly intelligent examples of such initiations.

D RAGON 71 Runo stood in the center of the war pit, the howls of the audience filling his ears. The desert sun was as hot as a blast furnace, but he wasn’t sweating from the heat. “Hey, mutant bait!” shrieked a faceless voice among the watching horde. “‘Catch!” He leaped aside as a six-foot spear slammed in to the ground beside him. The roar of the audience redoubled and became a mindless thunder. Is join- ing the Red Death a good idea after all? he wondered. But he had little time to think now. The cage door was being opened. The Duel of Death had begun. Runo snatched at the spear in panic when he saw what was coming for him out of the darkness. . . . Peaceful Cryptic Alliances are those dedicated to the protection and aid of living creatures. Initiations into these groups would consist of healing an injured person or creature with several medical artifacts provided for this pur- pose, or performing some great and selfless deed using nonviolent methods. “Attend, Torrel,” said the Healer. “On the table before you are five devices. You must choose one with which to heal the podog on the straw mat.” Torrel blinked as he looked over the various artifacts. One was a white box with a scratched red cross on the side, containing several jet-spray tubes and containers of medicine. After a few moments, he chose the box. One of the jet-spray tubes appeared functional, and he loaded an antibiotic into it. Then he walked over to the whimpering, shaggy mass of fur that looked up at him with huge, brown eyes. Here goes, Torrel thought, and gave the creature the full injection. . . . Some alliances are religious in nature, built around the worship of one or more deities and serving them by acts designed to promote their worship. initiations would usually involve a for- mal service, prolonged questioning on religious doctrine, and possibly a special rite to see if the gods show favor in the initiate. Archivists, Followers of the Voice, and Radioactivists are alliances of this sort. Successful operation of an artifact might get one into the Archi- vists; successful operation of a computer terminal or program might work for the Followers (with a SYNTAX ERROR message indicating divine disfavor). Bereny approached the cave under the, watchful eyes of the two mutant priests. He stopped before the ancient opening and examined the faded sign over the sneered. Big deal. So he was supposed to DRAGON® issue #93), then it shouldn’t entrance. WARNING! REACTOR CHAMBER! prove himself to the other Knights by be a difficult matter to design an initia- AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY! killing some wimp humanoid? Fine. He tion rite for them. The Friends of Justice “Here is where you must seek your had his shotgun, commando knife, har- might admit those who prove them- fate,” said the two priests in unison. poon gun, strangling wire, and every selves by taking on a particular threat “Inside a waits the shining Radiant Divine thing else. So why were the faces against their home town, for example. Glory. The Glory will either find favor pressed against the thick quartz win- Adventuring situations with initiation with you or blight you with a defect. If dows around the room so worried look- ceremonies should also be considered. you are unchanged, there is still the ing? Hey, they’d never seen him in The PCs might be hired to infiltrate a Trial of the Green Pit. Go now.” action. particular alliance, thus being required The priests fell silent. Bereny steeled The door opposite him opened, With a to undergo the initiation ceremony in himself, then started toward the lightning move, he snatched at his har- order to complete their mission. Once in caverns. poon gun and took aim. the organization, the PCs set about steal- Cultural alliances vary greatly, more so And froze. ing a particular item, assassinating a than any other sort, and their initiation She was easily the most beautiful hated leader, or the like. Perhaps the practices vary as well. Alliances of this woman he had ever seen in his life, a initiation will be worse than the mission nature seek to bring into being a world- stunning platinum blonde with a heart- the PCs were to carry out. wide culture common to all beings. breaking face, crystal blue eyes, and — The PCs might also be forced to join Restorationists, Seekers, and the Broth- Four arms, each whipping back to an alliance that is suffering from low erhood of Thought are of this sort. hurl a dagger at him. He raised the har- membership. Once initiated, the PCs’ Generally speaking, initiations into poon again, but he’d waited too long. . . next job will be to escape these groups requires the PC to show Any PC undergoing an initiation into a Extraordinary initiations might also that he has the skills or powers neces- Cryptic Alliance should use only the tool occur. If the PCs join an organization at sary to be an asset to the organization. and weapons given to him by the alli- a time when the alliance desperately Whitney’s trial with the Restorationists ance itself. Combat situations should be needs a particular mission accomplished, (at the start of this article) was such an balanced, though bias in favor of either they might end up taking the mission initiation. If another alliance wanted to opponent may be hard to avoid in com- instead of a regular initiation. As one promote a world culture based upon plicated fights using weapons and vari- would expect, the alliance is not likely to peaceful cooperation between human- ous mutations. charge the PCs for this assistance, and if oids and Pure Strain Humans, they If the referee has created his own the mission succeeds, the PCs may be might set up a puzzle, trial, or problem Cryptic Alliances (as delineated in hailed as alliance heroes. that requires the combined efforts of one being of each sort to solve. An attempt to find the fastest route through a maze (with some nasty traps scattered throughout its corridors) would be such a test. Finally, there are the genetic alliances, which are essentially racist in nature and seek to destroy all other intelligent beings not of their own species or mutant type. Some have watered this philosophy down so that they seek only to enslave those not of their own spe- cies, but genocide is usually the rule. If a violent end to other creatures is sought, an initiation usually consists of hand-to- hand combat with a captive creature of the unfavored sort. If the alliance per- mits mutations and the initiate possesses them, they may be used in the combat. Though theoretically anyone of the appropriate genotype could join a genetic alliance, their ranks are usually restricted to those who are deemed superior to their fellows in skill, power, and dedication to the cause. The Cre- ated, Zoopremisists, Iron Society, and Knights of Genetic Purity may be consid- ered genetic alliances, with overtones of warlike alliances evident. Arturo stood alone in the domed room, feeling the slight chill from the air conditioners. Some arena this was, he

D RAGON 73 by Jeff Grubb completes our collection of the bad guys All Marvel Characters, their likenesses, and MAR of the Serpent Society. SUPER HEROES are trademarks of the Marvel Comics A few months ago, I gushed about the Group. Copyright 1985 Marvel Comics Group, a divi- Thanks, Mark. Nothing is better than sion of Cadence Industries Corporation. All Rights efforts of Mr. Peter Sanderson. In addi- getting a full set of serpents. Reserved. tion to being the writer of the Marvel Saga™ and co-writer of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe™, Pete BUSHMASTER™ his shoulders and a 14’-long snakelike came to GENCON® 18 to help out. Now Real name unrevealed tail instead of legs. These modifications give Bushmaster the stats listed above, it’s Mark Gruenwald’s turn. Mark Fighting: EXCELLENT (20) as well as the abilities to move at 4 areas Gruenwald is the other co-writer of the Agility: EXCELLENT (20) per round and to spring up to 1 area Official Handbook of the Marvel Strength: EXCELLENT (20) away (or 2 stories straight up). If using Universe, as well as the writer of the Endurance: GOOD (10) his tail in wrestling combat, Bushmaster Squadron Supreme™ Limited Series and Reason: GOOD (10) may exert Remarkable constricting one of my favorite books, Captain Intuition: GOOD (10) strength on his target. America™. Psyche: TYPICAL (6) In MHAC-7, Concrete Jungle, we laid CLAWS. Bushmaster’s bionic arms each Health: 90 out the existing members of the Serpent include two 6-inch “fangs.” These claws Karma: 26 Squad™, which recently tripled in size are made of Remarkable-strength mate- Resources: GOOD and became the Serpent Society™, rial, inflict Remarkable damage on the Popularity: -7 including some new, never-seen-before Hack-&-Slash chart, and are tipped with members. Enter Mr. Gruenwald, who Excellent-intensity snake poison. (Those sent me the information on Rattler™; failing an Endurance FEAT will be Known powers: coupled with his entries on knocked unconscious and will lose Bushmaster™, Diamondback™, Asp™, and BIONIC LIMBS. Bushmaster is a quadri- Endurance ranks if a second Endurance Cottonmouth™ from OHOTMU, this plegic who has bionic arms attached to FEAT is failed.)

COTTONMOUTH™ ASP™ remains in the same area with her for Quincy McIver Real name unrevealed an hour; prolonged contact with Asp is Fighting: GOOD (10) fatal. She may direct this energy into a Fighting: EXCELLENT (20) Agility: REMARKABLE (30) single bolt of bio-energy, striking a tar- Agility: GOOD (10) Strength: TYPICAL (6) get in the same area with her. This bolt Strength: TYPICAL (6) Endurance: EXCELLENT (20) inflicts Remarkable damage to living Endurance: GOOD (10) Reason: TYPICAL (6) creatures, and those hit must make an Reason: TYPICAL (6) Intuition: EXCELLENT (20) Endurance FEAT against the Remark- Intuition: GOOD (10) Psyche: TYPICAL (6) able-intensity bolt or be stunned for 1-10 Psyche: TYPICAL (6) rounds. Upon firing this bolt, Asp can- Health: 46 Health: 66 not fire another until recharged. This Karma: 22 Karma: 32 takes a half-hour, but if engaged in Resources: GOOD Resources: GOOD strenuous activity (such as belly-dancing, Popularity: -3 Popularity: -5 which she enjoys), she may recharge fully in 10 minutes. Known powers: Known powers: DANCER. Asp has excellent control of BIONIC JAWS. McIver’s mouth and jaws VENOM BLASTS. Asp radiates an her arms, legs, and torso muscles, since have been bionically enhanced. His teeth unknown form of paralytic energy that she is an accomplished dancer. Her agil- were replaced with Incredible-strength inflicts Feeble damage on anyone who ity is Incredible when dodging. steel, and his jaws were strengthened

74 JANUARY 1986 and hinged like a snake’s. Cottonmouth Known powers: refused their offer, as did Constrictor™ uses his jaws as a does a snake, inflicting (who then attempted to betray the BIONIC TAIL: Rattler’s tail is an artificial Remarkable Hack-&-Slash damage to an group to the authorities). bionic implant of unknown origin, and it opponent. (He hits on the Incredible The Serpent Society’s purpose is to has several super-powered abilities. The column if in wrestling combat with his form a union of serpent-named and tail may lift with Remarkable strength. If victim.) His jaws close with Remarkable snakelike villains to serve as an orga- used as a weapon, it strikes for Remark- strength and are capable of surrounding nized negotiating tool with such major able damage. In addition, it may gener- and crushing a normal-sized cinder criminal powers as A.I.M.™, Hydra™, ate sonic vibration waves of up to block. The Secret Empire™, and Kingpin™. In Remarkable intensity. Used offensively, the past, these larger groups would hire the vibrations strike with Remarkable super-powered mercenaries, but usually DIAMONDBACK™ force, breaking down materials of lesser with little trust, considering them Rachel Leighton material strength. The vibrations may expendable in combat. The Serpent disrupt mechanical devices and cause Fighting: REMARKABLE (30) Society is essentially a “villains’ union” nausea in living creatures. (Living tar- Agility: REMARKABLE (30) that negotiates for jobs with these orga- gets make an Endurance FEAT or are Strength: GOOD (10) nizations, with set fees and guaranteed stunned from 1-10 rounds.) The tail may Endurance: GOOD (10) satisfaction (or their money cheerfully also set up a vibrational shockwave in Reason: GOOD (10) refunded). The members of the society the air that will deflect bullets and other Intuition: GOOD (10) retain a portion of the fee for any job physical missile weapons, but it will not Psyche: EXCELLENT (20) they perform, but the majority of the affect energy beams. The range of this funds are invested into dummy corpora- Health: 80 omnidirectional force field is 2 areas. Karma: 40 tions and retirement funds for the mem- bers. Resources: GOOD The Serpent Society’s story: Not In addition, Sidewinder does not Popularity: -1 much is known of the lives of these new accompany the group on their missions, members of the Serpent Society before Known powers: remaining behind to serve as a rescue they joined that team. All that can be force, if need be. If the members of the THROWING DIAMONDS: Diamondback’s said is that they were active as super- society are threatened with capture, preferred weapons are a set of throwing powered criminals before they were they may surrender. He will then use his spikes constructed of carbon tool-steel recruited. teleporting ability to break them out of with collapsible hard rubber vanes. She The Serpent Society is a descendant of jail in quick fashion. (Sidewinder has throws these diamond-shaped spikes the second Serpent Squad™. The original also put some of their funds into retain- with Incredible Agility for a range of 3 Serpent Squad consisted of Viper™, ing a good lawyer, just in case the cap- areas. The effects of a spike depend on Cobra™, Eel™, and Princess Python™; it tured villains are put into an area into the type of head used with it; the follow- was broken up by Captain America which he cannot teleport.) ing are examples. during its attempt to capture Finally, as members of a tight criminal Needle — Inflicts Good Hack-&-Slash the Serpent Crown™. The second Ser- group, these villains may form a Karma damage. pent Squad was funded by Roxxon™ Pool, just like organized hero groups. Venom — Does damage as Needle, with through its mutagenic division, the They will chiefly use this pool for escap- Excellent-intensity poison. Brand ing from heroes, but they significantly Explosive — Explodes in a single area Corporation™. This group consisted of improve their chances of survival as a for Remarkable damage to all within team leader Sidewinder™, Anaconda™, team. that area. Black Mamba™, and Death Adder™, and The Serpent Society’s most successful Acid — Contains Remarkable-strength it succeeded in capturing the Serpent mission to date has been the capture corrosives that inflict Excellent damage Crown for Roxxon. Sidewinder deserted and neutralization of MODOK™ on the to living targets. his teammates to make the delivery, behalf of A.I.M. Their reputation as an Narcotic — Contains a Remarkable- then went underground while his ex- organized team has grown, despite their intensity sleep-drug. If the target fails an partners searched for him and their losing battles with Captain America. Endurance FEAT, the target will be share of the reward. unconscious for 1-10 hours. They located Sidewinder in New York City, where the super-criminal was liv- Bullpen note: A long while back, I RATTLER™ ing comfortably on his gains. Sidewinder introduced the idea of an “advanced” set Gustav Krueger escaped doom at the hands of his of rules for the MARVEL SUPER HEROES™ game. The response was phe- Fighting: GOOD (10) former comrades by giving them their nomenal, ranging from words of encour- Agility: GOOD (10) intended rewards, with additional inter- agement to suggestions for new rules Strength: EXCELLENT (20) est. (Sidewinder had been a financial and rule expansions. After wading Endurance: EXCELLENT (20) analyst before becoming a costumed through the mail, I said that, as a result Reason: GOOD (10) criminal, and he had wisely invested the of the large number of letters, the Intuition: TYPICAL (6) money.) Sidewinder recruited the three Advanced Set was “under consideration.” Psyche: TYPICAL (6) to form the bedrock of his new Serpent Society. The group soon recruited Rat- Well, it’s no longer just under consid- Health: 60 tler, eration. It’s coming, and I’ll talk more Karma: 22 Diamondback, Cobra, Princess Python, about it next month, as we return to the Popularity: -3 Asp, Cottonmoth, and Great White North for Alpha and Resources: GOOD Bushmaster into their ranks. Viper Omega.

D RAGON 75 currently one of the major super- character’s Carrying Capacity. (or three times, in the case of a head powered hero games, and does a good attack) the normal power required for 2.6-F Final calculations: Movement job of simulating the “reality” found in the attack. The attack will have all of the rate. As with HTH combat, there is also the comic books. However, the V&V effects a normal special attack would no PR required for movement. A charac- system is not without its weaknesses. have, but with the following additional ter moving more than one-half of his Some problems have arisen in the two effects: movement rate allowance should be years that my gaming group has been Head: A successful lethal attack to the charged one point of power per turn. playing the game, and I’ve compiled the head yields a 3% chance per point of This would allow a normal man to move solutions we developed. While these damage of causing double damage, and a at top speed for forty turns (ten min- revisions are not official, they should 1% chance per point of forcing the vic- utes) and cover a little more than a mile, add to game balance, repair minor rules tim to make a successful saving roll vs. which is about what a normal man can glitches, and improve the flow of play. Death Touch to avoid death. do in real life. If a character employs a Gamemasters and players should have Eyes: A hit on the victim’s eyes yields a movement power which already has a ample experience with the system 2% chance per point of damage of caus- PR, the power’s PR is added to the PR of before attempting to integrate any of ing double damage, and a ½% chance one per turn, as noted above. these rules into their prospective cam- per point of causing permanent blind- Presently, no rules are given for paigns, as these rules add complexity to ness. A normal special attack to the eyes encumbered movement. I suggest that a the game. should not cause permanent blindness. character be allowed to move at normal The material below is organized in the Throat: A successful hit here has a 2% speed when carrying one-half of his same order in which corresponding chance per point of damage of stunning Carrying Capacity or less, three-fourths material appears in the revised rule- an opponent. A stunned opponent is normal when carrying up to three- book. Thus, each revision is headed by a unable to launch any attacks, moves at fourths of his Carrying Capacity, and number and letter. In the case of one-half his normal rate, and is +4 to be one-half normal speed when encum- entirely new rules, each is numbered so hit by an attack. A stunned character bered over three-fourths of his Carrying as to fit into its proper section of the must roll twice his Endurance or less on Capacity. An encumbered character is rulebook. d100 between turns in order to recover. charged a point of power if he moves Arm, hand, or leg: Hitting the oppo- more than one-half of his adjusted move- nent’s arm yields a 4% chance per point ment score allowance. 2.6-E Final calculations: Basic of damage of disabling that arm, and 2% A swimming character has his hand-to-hand damage. There is cur- chance of causing severe permanent strength and endurance scores halved rently no PR (power requirement) given damage to the limb. A disabled arm will for the purpose of calculating move- for performing hand-to-hand (HTH) heal in (20 - Endurance) days, with a ment, unless he has an appropriate combat or lifting heavy objects. This minimum healing time of one day. A water-related power (Adaptation, Water- makes the strength characteristic inordi- severely injured arm will take five times Breathing, etc.). A character climbing a nately powerful, as characters do not as long to heal. Regeneration will cut the surface like a mountain, tree, or wall have to spend power for any of their recovery time down to one-fifth normal. has his Agility and Endurance cut by attacks. HTH combat should have a PR Further attacks to the arm cause double half as well. of one point per turn. Thus, a character damage. Attacks to hands and legs are employing two HTH attacks in a turn 3.4-A Lethal attacks. One facet of similarly treated. would be charged three power points: comic book reality which is ignored in Device: A lethal attack from a device one for using HTH combat and two for the rules is the ability of villains (and or weapon will do double damage. In taking an extra action phase. If a charac- some heroes) to make potentially deadly addition, a character using an appropri- ter employs his Carrying Capacity sim- attacks. This leads to the introduction of ate attack form (claws, bladed weapon, ply to lift an object, rather than do the lethal attack form. In order to per- etc.) may make a lethal attack without damage, he is only charged one point of form a lethal attack, a character must designating a specific part of the

76 JANUARY 1986 defender’s body as a target. In this case, lethal or special attacks. The GM is free The solution to this problem is the the procedure is as above, but the attack to limit this by ruling, for example, that creation of the zero-level character. This will have a 12% to 2% chance (GM’s lethal attacks cannot be combined with is a typical bystander, someone who has judgement) of forcing the defender to multiple attacks, and that a character no experience in combat (unlike agents, save vs. Death Touch. making a lethal attack forfeits his next policemen, and novice super-heroes, all A character using an item or device to action phase, to recover from such an of whom are assumed to have the mini- make a lethal attack should be charged all-out effort. mum amount of combat training needed the extra power cost if the device has a to bring them up to first level). Charac- PR. If the device uses a set number of 3.4-B Threatening civilians In the ters who are combatants (above zero charges (like a gun, bow, or crossbow), comics, villains often threaten innocent level) gain the following bonuses against the attacker is given a penalty of -5 to bystanders in order to coerce heroes zero-level sorts. his initiative score per lethal attack into surrendering, prevent heroes from 1) A + 4 bonus to hit against such made, to reflect the fact that he must pursuing them, or to serve as a distrac- characters is gained. carefully steady and aim his weapon. tion. This situation does not come up 2) Special attacks require only a roll to A character employing a bludgeoning very often in the V&V game. An average hit without such a bonus to succeed, attack (basic HTH damage is classified as V&V civilian has a total of 4 hit points rather than two attack rolls as usual. such) does not get to use the lethal and 40 power points, meaning that a The same is true for multiple attacks. attacks effect unless his Carrying Capac- villain would have to deliver well over 3) Civilians do not get to save vs. ity is at least five times that of the 40 points of damage in one attack to Power (see 7.2) when placed in deadly defender’s, If the defender makes a have a chance of killing a potential hos- situations, as super-beings do. successful save vs. Strength or Endur- tage. This, in turn, means that heroes The above rules make civilians much ance (whichever is greater), the effects generally don’t have to consider the more fragile, and make it easier for of the lethal attack (chance to injure, possibility of serious harm to innocents, villains and their henchmen to put pres- etc.) are halved. The GM may assign a even from villains with the ability to do sure on heroes by endangering innocent modifier to the save according to how enormous damage. This gives heroes lives. much greater the attacker’s Carrying plenty of time in which to act. This is Hopefully, the new material above will Capacity is than his opponents. If he has often compounded by the fact that vil- add as much to your campaign as it did a ten-times-greater Carrying Capacity, lains with highly damaging attacks are to ours, and make it a more challenging the save is at -1; if twenty times greater, often slow or inaccurate, meaning they task to protect the world from the the save is at -2, and so forth. The modi- may never even score a hit on a civilian. forces of evil. fier should never reduce the character- istic saved against by more than half. A character employing a bludgeoning or impact attack other than HTH (Power Blast, Sonic Abilities, Vibratory Powers, etc.) may attempt a lethal attack in accordance with circumstances (damage done, toughness of defender, range, etc.) on a case-by-case basis. A character employing a neck hold to choke a victim, and whose Carrying Capacity is a least five times the victim’s, may attempt to break the victim’s neck. The attacker is charged three power points per turn that he maintains the hold, and the victim must either escape (save vs. Agility) or be forced to roll vs. Endurance between turns to avoid death. Restrictions are made on bludgeoning attacks because blunt force does not usually cause serious damage unless it is very intense — unlike attack forms such as chopping, impaling, stabbing, etc., which do not require great force to do major damage. The saving throw is given because comics characters are usually able to take a great deal of pun- ishment from more physically powerful opponents without being seriously injured. A character who is very accu- rate or powerful, or who otherwise has the capacity to make many attacks per turn, could easily get out of hand using

D RAGON 77 If a gigantic reptile is chomping on the docks of Seattle or an alien saucer is dropping stink bombs on Kansas City, costumed heroes won’t be the only ones going against the enemy. Aliens, giant reptiles, and Marvel Super Villains™ are going to have to take on the regular Army, Navy, and Air Force — and they are tough!. This article gives a few suggestions on using some of the weapons of the U.S. military in your campaigns, and describes five military vehicles in MARVEL SUPER HEROES terms. First, a few definitions. Crew — Most of the larger vehicles and weapons require a minimum crew to operate efficiently. Each soldier, sailor, or pilot may be considered a typical soldier as described in the Campaign Book. Each shifts his Agility one column to the right when using the weapon or when piloting the vehicle with which he has been trained. Untrained persons trying to fire a heavy weapon must first make a Reason FEAT roll to be able to get it to work. They must also shift their Agility one column to the left to simulate the expected loss in accuracy. Characters with sound control can make themselves invisible Sensors — Radar uses radio waves to detect objects, bounc- to sonar with a successful FEAT roll. ing them off a vehicle or object and measuring the time it Guided missiles and torpedoes — Guided missiles and torpe- takes them to return in order to gauge distance. Some aircraft does have either active or passive control systems. Active are able to fly and land without visibility, using radar alone. control allows the missile to be guided by the person who Radar waves can be controlled by certain individuals with fired it. With passive control, the missile has homing abilities magnetic or electrical control (such as Magneto” or Electra”). using heat, sound, or some other target-finding system. The With a successful FEAT roll, the radar waves may be redi- Control rank of a missile or torpedo represents the accuracy rected to make any one object the controlling person chooses of the tracking system. With a passive system, the person invisible. firing the missile rolls on the control system’s rank rather than For example, a villain with Monstrous electromagnetic con- on the character’s Agility. trol approaches an air base protected by radar with a 200-mile Each missile is designed for one attack mode: air-to-air, air- range. The Judge decides that a Green FEAT will be sufficient to-ground, ship-to-ship, etc. If a missile designed for one pur- to deflect the radar. When the villain enters the radar field, pose is used for another, its Control rank moves one column to the judge rolls for him and gets a Yellow FEAT result. The the left (if it can be used at all). Only missiles designed to go villain is then invisible to the radar unless his power is underwater will be able to penetrate the surface of an ocean reduced or his attention distracted. If he is attacked, the Judge or lake; all others will explode the instant they strike the sur- may require a second FEAT roll to make sure he has not been face of the water. distracted and allowed the radar to detect him. For example, a hypothetical villain named Buzzard Man Sonar uses sound waves to detect objects under water. zooms toward a military jet. The jet fires a passive heat-seek- Almost all naval craft are equipped with some form of sonar. ing air-to-air missile at him. The missile has Remarkable con-

78 JANUARY 1986 The accuracy of bombing is deter- have Excellent protection from energy mined by rolling on the Shooting-&- attacks. Throwing column, using the Agility of On the M-60 series, Bull’s Eye targets the pilot who dropped the bomb. If the include the radio antenna and headlights pilot misses, count the number of (Typical material strength) and the columns by which he missed; that will external machine guns (Good material be the number of areas away from the strength). On a Kill shot, the Judge may target where the bomb strikes the decide to jam one of the treads, freezing ground, in a direct line from the the tank in place until it is repaired. approach of the aircraft. (There is an Performance — The M-60 has a 12- equal chance that the bomb will either cylinder diesel engine capable of 30 mph fall short or long.) Anyone in the blast in flat terrain. The tank can climb a area must roll for damage. Large bombs slope of 60°, climb over vertical obsta- have broader areas of effect. cles 3’ high, and ford water up to 3’ The accuracy of a napalm drop is deep without modifications. determined by the same method as a Armament — The M-60 carries a high-explosive bomb. However, everyone 105mm cannon (Incredible damage, 20- in the target area will be exposed to area range) and a 7.62mm machine gun flame and heat of Incredible power. This (Remarkable damage, 10-area range) on may only be dodged by ultra-high speed its turret. These guns can only fire in or teleportation which allows one to the direction the turret is facing, but the leave the area almost instantly. The turret can turn 360°. On top of the judge must decide if the surrounding turret is a 5” anti-aircraft machine gun buildings, forest, etc., catch fire and, if (Remarkable damage, 15-area range) so, how long they burn. which can turn independently of the Strafing occurs when a plane flies turret for 360°. One model of the M-60 over an area and fires at it with machine tank replaces the 105mm cannon with a guns and cannons. The accuracy of the flame thrower (Incredible damage, 2- attack is determined by rolling on the area range). Shooting-&-Throwing column with the The M-60 can ram for Remarkable pilot’s Agility. Some judges may choose damage. If it rams and rolls a Red result to reduce the pilot’s rank one to the left on the Remarkable column, it will run when flying jets on strafing runs, since over the target and do Incredible dam- jets have such high minimum speeds. age, supposing the target is of the appro- Bull's-Eye and Kill results — To simu- priate size. late the firing of precision weapons against armored vehicles, I suggest cer- F-16 Fighter-Bomber tam unarmored parts be available as The General Dynamics F-16 multi-role jet targets for Bull’s-Eye slots. For example, fighter-bomber is used by the U.S. Air someone shooting-at a tank may not be Force, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, able to penetrate the armor, but he may and Norway. It has a Excellent body, try to shoot off the radio antenna, the Amazing speed, Remarkable control, spotlight, or even the machine gun. and one crewman (the pilot). With a Kill result, the vehicle should trol and makes a Green FEAT roll, mean- Body — The F-16’s body is considered receive some serious damage. On a tank, ing the missile has been able to follow Excellent, but the control and communi- the attacker may have jammed the the heat of Buzzard Man’s jet thrusters. cations systems have only Good protec- treads or damaged the engine, if he or The missile will clip his tail feathers, tion against magnetic and electrical she can penetrate the tank’s armor. perhaps permanently. attacks. The pilot is protected against all Similar results may be devised for other Some characters will use fireballs, fog, chemical and biological weapons while vehicles. or other things to distract a missile. The his cockpit is sealed. The plane weighs judge must decide how difficult it will be 21 tons with a full load of weapons and fuel. for the missile to find its true target M-60 Main Battle Tank under these circumstances. Dodging is A Bulls-Eye result may damage the rolled in the usual way, if a character This vehicle is used by the U.S. Army control surfaces of the plane. If this wishes to avoid being struck by a projec- and Marine Corps, Israel, Iran, Italy, happens, the jet must land as soon as tile or missile. Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Turkey. possible. A Kill result damages the single Bombing and strafing — We need It has a Remarkable Body, Poor Speed, engine and causes the plane to crash. consider only two types of bombs: explo- Excellent Control, and a crew of four. The pilot may only be struck by an sives and napalm. An explosive bomb is Body — The M-60 has .5” to 4.8” of attack that can penetrate the plane‘s treated like a large hand grenade. Every- cast armor and weighs 54 tons. The armor. one in the area where the bomb crew receives Excellent protection (due Performance — The F-16 has one explodes must roll on the Hack-&Slash to the tank’s air conditioning) from all 23,845-lb. thrust afterburner turbo-fan column of the Battle Effects Table to chemical weapons. The electrical sys- engine. Its maximum speed is 915 mph determine if they take damage. tems, including the ignition and radio, fully loaded, but its minimum speed is

D RAGON 79 (Remarkable damage, 10-area range) and two Sidewinder air-to-air heat-seeking missiles (Remarkable damage, 11-mile range, Typical body, Unearthly speed, Typical control). The AV-8 can carry three 1000-lb. bombs, one under the body and the other two in the wings (Incredible damage). The Harrier can ram for Remarkable damage, but if either its Body or Control Rank drop below Feeble, it blows up. Due to its VTOL features, it can blast the area directly below it with flames of Excellent power. This happens when- ever it lands or takes off. If the plane is damaged, the pilot may eject to safety if he makes a Green FEAT Roll on his Agility.

Ohio-Class Submarine The Ohio-class ballistic-missile subma- rine is used only by the U.S. Navy. It has a Remarkable Body, Good Speed, Good Control, and a crew of 133. Body — The submarine’s body con- uncertain. It requires 25 areas to take immediate control check (Yellow FEAT) sists of a very heavy, pressure-resistant off or land safely, requiring a perfectly in order to avoid going out of control hull. The hull is compartmentalized, so smooth, straight surface such as an when it strikes something (or vice if one chamber is breached, it is sealed airport runway. versa). The pilot may successfully eject if to protect the others. Each time a cham- Armament — The U.S. Air Force he makes a FEAT roll against his Agility. ber is flooded, the submarine loses one usually equips the F-16 with one 20mm rank in both speed and control. If either multi-barrel cannon with 500 rounds rank reaches Feeble, the submarine (Excellent damage, 10-area range) and sinks helplessly to the ocean bottom. AV-8 Harrier Jet Fighter carries two Sidewinder missiles, one on The electrical system has Remarkable each wing tip. Under the wings and The Harrier VTOL jet fighter is used by shielding, and the crew is protected body of the plane are four more hard U.S. Marine Corps, Spanish Navy, and from all chemical weapons when the points which can carry cluster bombs, British Air Force. It has an Excellent hatches are sealed. Sidewinder missiles, or Sparrow mis- body, Incredible speed, Remarkable Bull’s-Eyes may be scored against the siles. In the center of the body of the control, and a crew of one pilot. periscope or the radar antenna disc. plane is a rack able to carry a 2,200-lb. Body — The plane’s body is consid- Destroying the disc (Good material bomb. ered Excellent armor, but the control strength) destroys the ship’s radar capa- The Sidewinder is a heat-seeking anti- and communication systems have only bilities. Damaging the periscope (Typical aircraft missile (Remarkable damage, 11- Good protection against magnetic and material strength) renders the ship blind mile range, Typical body, Unearthly electrical attacks. The pilot is protected (except for its sonar) when submerged. speed, Typical control). The Sparrow is from all chemical weapons when his A Kill roll allows the attacker to disable a radar-guided missile which comes in cockpit is sealed. the sub’s single propeller (Excellent three types: air-to-air, air-to-ship (the Sea A Bull’s-Eye result may damage the material strength). Sparrow), and air-to-surface (the Land plane’s control surfaces, requiring it to Performance — The exact top speed Sparrow) (Remarkable damage, 28-mile land immediately. A Kill result means of the Ohio-class submarine is secret, range, Typical body, Unearthly speed, that the engine is knocked out and the but may be assumed to be over 100 mph Good control). Cluster bombs (Incredible plane will crash. (Good speed). The sub’s depth limit is damage) and the single large bomb Performance — The Harrier has one 985 ft.; to go below this level requires a (Amazing damage) may be used free 21,500 lb. thrust turbo-fan engine and FEAT roll using the hull’s strength. A falling or laser-directed. If free-falling, travels 740 mph maximum. It can go a white or green result means it survives, their accuracy is dependent on the minimum of 58 mph (Typical speed) a Yellow roll means the sub drops one pilot’s Agility rank. Laser-directed bombs using its VTOL powers. It is able to take rank in every class, and on a Red roll, are guided toward targets (but not pro- off and land in a single area. Since it the hull is crushed and the sub pelled) by air-control surfaces. This weighs 12.5 tons with weapons and fuel, destroyed. control system simply adds one rank to it cannot land on rooftops or other The submarine requires 36 ft. of the pilot’s Agility. structures not designed to hold such water to manuever on the surface. In If the F-16 rams anything, it does weight (requiring Amazing strength or shallower waters, the sub runs aground. Incredible damage. However, if either better). Escape will require a Green FEAT roll on the plane’s body or control rank falls to Armament — The AV-8 normally the Typical column. The ship may only Feeble, it blows up. It must also make an carries two 30mm machine guns try and escape once every 10 turns.

80 JANUARY 1986 either of these ranks reach Feeble, the ASROC anti-submarine missiles carried ship sinks. on the destroyer become acoustic hom- Possible Bull’s-Eye targets are the ing torpedoes after they strike the water radar discs, radio antenna, and any (Incredible damage, 6-mile range, Typi- crewmembers standing on the deck or cal body, Good speed, Remarkable bridge. The discs and antenna each have control). a material strength of Good. In addition, each destroyer has two 5” A Kill result means one of the propel- MK-45 cannon, one each mounted on ler shafts (Excellent material strength) the bow and stern (Excellent damage, has been damaged or fouled. This 30-area range). They also have six MK-32 reduces the destroyer’s Control and torpedo tubes, firing MK-46 torpedoes Speed by half. with acoustic homing (Incredible dam- Performance — The best speed of age, 2-mile range, Typical body, Excel- the Kidd-class destroyer is over 100 lent speed, Remarkable control). mph. It uses four gas turbines with two The Kidd-class destroyer also carries propeller shafts. two LAMPS (Light Airborne Multi-Pur- The destroyer cannot move into water pose Systems) anti-submarine helicop- less than 60’ deep, or it will run ters. These helicopters are equipped Armament — The Ohio class is aground. Escape will require a Typical with radar, sonar buoys, and a magnetic equipped with four 21-inch torpedo FEAT roll, and an escape attempt may be system for detecting submarines from tubes firing acoustic homing torpedoes made once every 10 turns. the air (nicknamed MAD). They can which follow the sounds made by a ship Armament — The ship carries front direct Harpoon missiles fired from the (Incredible damage, Typical body, Excel- and rear MK-26 twin missile launchers, ship after the missiles have crossed the lent speed, Remarkable control). each able to fire two missiles in the ship’s visual horizon. A LAMPS helicop- It also has 24 tubes for Trident Inter- same round in 180(o) fields of fire. ter has a Good body, Good speed, Good continental Ballistic Missiles (Class 1000 Three kinds of missiles may be used. control, and a crew of four. damage, 4,400-mile range, Good body, The MR anti-aircraft missiles have active Kidd-class destroyers are able to ram Unearthly speed, Excellent control). An guidance (Incredible damage, 6-mile surface targets for Amazing damage ICBM’s target must be a fixed position on range, Typical body, Excellent speed). without harm to themselves, since their the earth’s surface. The missile may be The Harpoon anti-ship missiles also have bows were designed for ramming. This equipped with explosives of any power, active guidance (Good damage, 60-mile attack only affects surface craft and and it may also contain chemical range, Typical body, Good speed). The beings. weapons. As a final resort against intruders, the crew may release radiation from the sub’s power plant. This will cause Mon- strous radiation damage to everything alive in a 10-area radius around the sub. Special equipment — Each ICBM- carrying submarine has ten different communication systems on board, link- ing it to the world’s satellite system as well as allowing direct transmissions. All Ohio-class subs are equipped with sonar and may use both air and surface radar when surfaced. The radar has a range of 200 miles and the sonar 25 miles.

Kidd-Class Destroyer The Kidd-class destroyer is used only by the U.S. Navy. It has a Remarkable body, Good speed, Good control, and a crew of 200. Body — The Kidd-class destroyer is designed for fleet ascort duty, and it carries armor that will not reduce its speed. The hull of a destroyer will not protect crew members from chemical weapons, as it is not sealable. Destroyers are compartmentalized to protect them from flooding. When the outer hull is breached, only one chamber floods; the entire ship loses one rank in both Body and Control whenever this occurs. If

D RAGON 81 Expanding the Frontier Exploring new worlds in the STAR FRONTIERS® universe

by William Tracy spaceship to get to the planet. If they getting a financial backing is the same as don’t own one, there are still some ways that for getting a loan (pp. 40-42, Cam- One of the most exciting challenges in to get one legally. The PCs might buy or paign Book). the STAR FRONTIERS® game comes with get a starship on loan, if they have An expedition team to an unexplored the exploration of an uncharted planet, enough money. If they don’t, their finan- planet must contain at least one charac- facing dozens of unexpected dangers. cial backers will purchase or rent a ship ter who has Environmental skills. But if This can be a great source of adventure, for them. In any case, if a starship is the characters are financially backed by and there is a chance that the characters rented, all characters concerned will be someone else, the character with Envi- will make a pretty good profit — if they required to accept a tracer implant ronmental skills must have a skill level survive. (p. 41, Knight Hawks Campaign Book). of at least 4, or the backer will refuse to Of course, the characters will need a The procedure for renting a spaceship finance the expedition. If this happens,

82 JANUARY 1986 the characters will have to employ an sions of the government’s space fleet. world. Pilot expertise may speed things NPC with the proper qualifications, who Sometimes a group of private citizens along; subtract the pilot‘s skill rating should then receive an equal share in might back an expedition. They are from the number of days needed to the profits. generally interested in establishing a make the map. It always takes a mini- special political, religious, or anti-estab- mum of three days of checking and Financial backing lishment colony with their pooled rechecking to map a world accurately. resources, and hire the characters to The PSS package consists of a special It takes a relatively large amount of find a suitable planet for them. Such sensor attached to the outside of the money to finance such an expedition. If groups are usually called “pilgrims.” ship’s hull and a special computer pro- the characters are not able to support gram. The sensor itself is too small to such an expedition themselves, they can affect a ship’s ADF or MR. The computer be financed by a corporation, govern- Joining an expedition program is level 3 and takes up 25 func- ment, or a group of private citizens. The tion points. The whole package costs Eleanor Moraes (from the “Beyond the Sometimes characters are hired by a 50,000 Cr., and it cannot be rented. Like Frontier” module series, SFKH 2 through ship captain who needs a crew for a the MR system, the PSS is used while the SFKH 4) was financed by the United planetary expedition. They are promised ship is in orbit. Planetary Federation, with a little mega- an equal share in the profits. Unfortu- The sensor scans and photographs the corporation assistance. nately, this does not happen often. The planet, feeding the data into the com- If the characters have their own ship, competition is tough to win a berth on puter. The special computer program they still might want to find a backer such an expedition, since such trips have uses the data to forecast the planet’s who can pay for the special equipment been known to enable a character to climate and general weather patterns, needed to explore a planet. The backer permanently retire on his earnings, A and to pinpoint areas where one is likely can also pay for any special modifica- character must have at least one skill to find deposits of mineral ore. Coloniza- tions to the characters’ ship that are level of 4 before he or she can even be tion sites may be located, and evidence needed to explore planets. A backer considered for the position, of existing civilizations may be found. always requires that the characters The type of ship used for such expedi- Natural hazards, such as volcanoes, fault accept a tracer implant. tions are called exploration ships (p. 8, lines, geysers, swamps, waterfalls, land- Characters will often be granted funds Campaign Book). Occasionally different slide zones, and so forth may also be for exploration work by a megacorpora- types of ships are used; the Eleanor detected. Energy sources such as natu- tion. Corporations are usually on the Moraes was a modified exploration ship ral radioactive ores and artificial power lookout for planets with valuable com- that resembled an assault scout ship. stations may be found, too. modities, such as mineral ores, new Referees may invent new starships and To find out how many days of orbiting types of drugs or food delicacies, or deck plans as they desire. it takes to get a complete scan of the habitable land. Of all the corporations, A variety of special exploration equip- planet, roll 2d10 + 8. This roll cannot the Cassidine Development Company ment can be found on pp. 21-22, in the be reduced by the pilot’s skill level, as backs the largest number of expeditions Campaign Book. Some of this equipment bad weather (obscuring details of the to unexplored planets, since this is the can be rented, but some of it (like atmo- ground) is beyond his control. company’s specialty and main source of probes) must be purchased outright, as The Planetary and Star System Explo- income. Pan-Galactic Corporation also they are one-use-only devices. Any ration (PSSE) computer program is con- sponsors a number of trans-Frontier rental equipment that is destroyed must sidered to be level 3 and takes up 35 expeditions to new worlds, and a gener- be paid for by the characters, unless function points. This special program ally friendly rivalry has developed prior arrangements are made by the data-links the computer to all the equip- between agents of the two companies. persons backing the expedition. Anyone ment used to explore and classify star The UPF, as noted in module SFKH 2, renting equipment must accept a tracer systems and their planets. This includes has become more aggressive about implant, if the equipment costs more the geoscanners, vaporscanners, bios- exploring newly-discovered planets since than 100,000 Cr. canners, the RM and PSS components, the Sathar Wars. Worlds with coloniza- To explore a star system and its plan- atmoprobes, laboratory equipment, tion potential and those with potential ets efficiently, three new pieces of equip- landing drones, remote probes, energy (or existing) Sathar bases are of special ment need to be introduced. These new sensors, and any special information concern. The Planetary Survey Adminis- items are the Radar Mapper (RM), the typed in by the characters. The program tration was created to govern the explo- Planetary Scanning System (PSS), and a correlates all the data from these ration of such new worlds, but the PSA special Planetary and Star System Explo- sources and organizes it into a hard- is rumored to have been infiltrated by ration (PSSE) computer program. copy Star System and Planetary File. The agents of PGC and CDC, who funnel off The RM package contains both a spe- characters must have this information selected information for use by their cial attachment for a ship’s radar system for ground exploration they perform. megacorporations. and a special computer program. The Planetary governments, eager for whole package costs 15,000 Cr., and it colonies which can supply them with cannot be rented. The computer pro- new resources (as was Pale in “The gram is considered to be level 2 and Exploration procedure Volturnus Connection,” in DRAGON® takes up 12 function points. The RM Upon entering a new system, an explo- issue #98), also finance certain explora- package produces an accurate relief ration team follows a general basic pro- tion missions. However, such missions map of a planet’s surface, using the cedure. Each planet in the system is are almost always crewed by members ship’s computer and special program. It orbited long enough for the Planetary of that world’s space navy and armed takes 1dl0 + 5 GST days to produce Scanner System and the Radar Mapper forces, and are considered to be exten- this map while the ship orbits a given to do a complete job. Atmoprobes are

D RAGON 83 then launched at each planet, and other description of the race, including all with carnivorous or annoying animal standard observations are made. relevant customs and superstitions. If he and plant life, geophysical disasters Meanwhile, the pilot and astrogator fails, he has the impression that he (volcanoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, make navigational observations and feed hasn’t missed anything important, but etc.), astrophysical disasters (solar flares, them into the computer. This includes (of course) at least one thing of critical meteorite strikes, radiation increases information such as the jump program and vital importance might have escaped from various sources, etc.), and even to the system, descriptions of the astro- his notice (e.g., Dralasites are spitting new alien races and cultures. The planet nomical bodies in the system, and the images of the local beings’ most beloved might already be inhabited by Sathar stellar type and nature of background deity, and all Humans appear to be and their agents, or it might be used as a radiation (as it applies to communica- “demons” from ancient mythology, bent base by pirates, Mechanons, Zuraqqor, tions and radio interference) — in other on destroying the world). or other unfriendly forces. Crews can words, all the astronomical information After receiving all the data, the com- mutiny, equipment can break down, and that an astrogator and pilot need to puter prints a complete System Brief, ships and vehicles can run out of fuel or travel to and through this system. Alien Creature Update File, Alien Cul- spare parts. Any planets indicated by scanning that ture Background Reports, and maps of Even after leaving the planet, the are capable of supporting life must be the planet. An incomplete report results characters might still face unusual explored further by a landing party. in a deduction in the character’s profits, threats. Their financial backer might try Remember that only ships with a hull as well as possibly causing terrible prob- to get rid of them after getting their size of 3 or less can land on a planet lems later on for other research crews. report. A rival of the characters’ backer with an atmosphere. If an exploration might try to bribe or steal the report ship is not able to land on a planet, the from the characters. If the characters Planetary types characters must use a shuttle or lifeboat try to hold an open auction, any of the to descend, or they must use landing The variety of planetary types is endless, participants might try to steal the drones or remote probes to explore the but very few planets are capable of report. If the characters attempt to planet’s surface. supporting carbon-based life-forms. Of cheat their backer, a price may be put The expedition’s environmentalist course, planets unable to support car- on their heads. (Remember the tracer must land on several different regions of bon-based life might support a new type implant?) the planet so that a total view of the of life form, such as silicon- or fluorine- planet’s eco-system can be obtained. To based life. On such strange planets, the find out the number of different regions characters may have to wear spacesuits the character must visit, roll 2d10 and in order to survive. Even if a planet isn’t Rewards and pay subtract the skill level of the chief envi- habitable, it might still have large ronmentalist. At least two different deposits of valuable ores which can be The final payment for a System Report, regions must be visited. To find out if mined by enclosed colonies or by robots. including the coordinates and the calcu- the character has successfully analyzed Planets that can support carbon-based lations for the jump route to the world, the ecosystem in each region, see pp. 15- life-forms possess many types of terrain. varies a great deal. There is no set for- 16 of the STAR FRONTIERS Expanded Occasionally, a planet is discovered that mula for figuring out the price because Rules Book. Be sure to add all the is almost completely covered by one of a variety of factors. On the average, a bonuses due to mechanical aid, espe- type of terrain, such as water, desert, complete System Report (noting the cially if the character has a laboratory. swamp, forest, or jungle, but this is very location of valuable ore deposits and a If the planet has a previously undis- rarely seen. Referees should map out habitable planet) goes for 250,000 Cr. covered intelligent species living on it, these new worlds before the PCs arrive, This sum can be modified according to the PCs have their work cut out for and should have detailed descriptions of the situation, due to a variety of factors. them. They are responsible for making each planet’s particular features. Global The amount of valuable ores that can be first contact (and making sure the con- maps may be patterned after those used safely mined, the presence of pirates, tact is peaceful and positive), and their for Alcazzar in SF 4, Mission to Alcazzar. Sathar, or other hostile races in the actions could literally make or break all More detailed surface maps may be system, the completeness of the report, future contact with that culture. The generated of particular features that the and the presence of dangerous life UPF emphasizes to its research crews referee believes the PCs may want to forms (of the unintelligent sort, includ- that one thing the Frontier doesn’t need investigate (such as alien ruins). ing bacteria and viruses) that would is another enemy race like the Sathar to The peculiar nature of each planet inhibit colonization are all taken into fight. Megacorporations emphasize the dictates the sort of special equipment consideration. loss in profits taken when a potential needed by exploratory crews. High- If the characters hold an open auction customer and ally turns into a threat. gravity worlds require the use of exo- for the report, they can usually get a A character with a Psycho-Social skill skeleton suits; all-water worlds 1-10% increase in the price. If the char- of at least 4th level is required to study obviously require scuba gear or the like. acters work for the Cassidine Develop- the species adequately. The character Certain other pieces of equipment may ment Corporation, add 15% to the must study the species for 10d10 days to need modification, as desired by the character’s final profit. Future sources develop a first impression of the race referee. of income from the report might even and to establish minimal contact with include being hired to transport equip- them, if such is desired. At the end of ment and people to the new planet. And Hazards of exploration the time period, the character must roll if the characters gain a monopoly on his Logic score or less. If he succeeds, Many dangers face the explorers on transport to the world, they may be able the character is able to give a complete strange planets. Characters have to deal to set themselves up for life.

84 JANUARY 1986

DUN DRA CON, Feb. 14-17 This gaming convention will take place at the Airport Hyatt in Oakland, Cal. Seminars, a painting contest, and a flea market are among the scheduled events. Fore more information, contact: Dun Dra Con, c/o T.O. Green, 386 Alcatraz Ave., Oakland CA 94618

ORCCON, Feb. 15-17 QWESTFIELD 1, Jan. 4 CHIMERACON III, Jan. 25-26 This gaming convention will take place at This one-day gaming event will take place This convention will be held at the the Los Angeles Airport Hyatt Hotel. Ac- at Eason Hall in Westfield, New York. Carolina Union at the University of North tivities will include role-playing tour- Featured events will include AD&D®, Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC. Guests of naments, war games, seminars, and an auc- GAMMA WORLD®, TRAVELLER®, honor include Orson Scott Card, Manly tion. For more information, contact: Orc- STAR FRONTIERS® tournaments. A Wade Wellman, Allen Wold, M. A. Foster, con, P.O. Box 8399, Long Beach CA 90808, dealers’ table will also be available. For more and C. Bruce Hunter. Special events include or telephone (213) 420-3675. information about this event, send a self- an “Outer Limits” cantina, a writing addressed, stamped envelope to: Gamer’s workshop, a trivia bowl, an art show, panels, WISCON 10, Feb. 21-23 Connection, P.O. Box 822, Jamestown NY and readings. Registration fees are $3 per This science-fiction convention will be 14702-0822. day. For more information, send a self- staged at the Concourse Hotel in Madison, addressed, stamped envelope to: Wis. Guests of honor include Chelsea Quinn WINTER FANTASY, Jan. 4-5 ChimeraCon III, 12-A University Gardens, Yarbro and Suzette Haden Elgin. Activities To be held at the Americana Resort in Chapel Hill NC 27514, or telephone include films, a masquerade, and an art Lake Geneva, Wis., this convention will of- (919) 967-5347. show and auction. For more details, contact: fer a variety of role-playing tournaments, WisCon 10, P.O. Box 1624, Madison WI miniatures events, board games, an auction, CACTUSCON I, Feb. 1 53701, or telephone (608) 251-6226 (days) or and demonstrations. Guests of honor will in- This gaming convention will be staged at (608) 233-0326 (evenings). clude game designers Jim Ward, Tom the Knights of Columbus Hall in Sierra Wham, Frank Mentzer, and Carl Smith, Vista, Ariz. Special guest of honor is Rick NOVAG 1, Feb. 22-23 and RPGA™ Network coordinator Penny Loomis of Flying Buffalo. Seminars, instruc- This convention will take place at the Petticord. Registration fees are $7 for the tion groups for beginning players, and a West Park Hotel in Fairfax, Va. Events will weekend, or $4 per day. For more details, variety of role-playing and board game tour- include role-playing and war games. Con- send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: naments are among the planned activities. tact: Northern Virginia Adventure gamers, Winter Fantasy, P.O. Box 721, Lake Registration fees are $1, and each scheduled 101 East Holly Ave., Sterling VA 22170, or Geneva WI 53147. event costs $1. For details, contact: Cac- telephone (703) 450-6738. tuscon I, P.O. Box 1103, Sierra Vista AZ DRAMACON, Jan. 10-12 85635, or telephone (602) 459-1073. WAMCON ’86, Feb 28 - Mar. 2 This convention is sponsored by the Fort This event will be held at the Sheraton Inn Worth Country Day school branch of the In- 1986 FANTASY WORLD’S FESTIVAL, Coliseum in Hampton, Va. Guests of honor ternational Thespian Society, and proceeds Feb. 7-9 will include Judson Scott, A. C. Crispin, will benefit said organization. A variety of This convention will be staged at the and Tracy Hickman. Two- and three-day tournament events will be offered, and there Hyatt Regency Hotel at Oakland’s Interna- registrations are available. For more details, will be a team quiz for which the questions tional Airport. Guests of honor will include send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: will be based upon the literary words of Diane Duane, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and WamCon, P.O. Box 2223, Poquoson VA J.R.R. Tolkien. For more information, send Diana L. Paxson. Registration fees are $25 23662. a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: until February 1, and $30 thereafter. For Dramacon Gaming Convention, 3836 Glen- more details, send a self-addressed, stamped BASHCON ’86, Mar. 1-2 mont Drive, Fort Worth TX 76133, or envelope to: Friends of Darkover, P.O. Box This gaming convention will be held at the telephone (817) 292-8745. 72, Berkeley CA 94701. University of Toledo’s main campus in Toledo, Ohio. More than 60 role-playing RUSTYCON III, Jan. 17-19 WARCON ’86, Feb. 7-9 and board games and miniatures events will To be staged at the Executive Inn in Seat- This convention will be held at the be offered. Also, an RPGA™ AD&D® tour- tle, Wash., this science-fiction convention Memorial Student Center at Texas A&M nament will be scheduled. For more details, will feature a number of activities. Guests of University in College Station, Texas. Events send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: honor include author Vonda N. McIntyre will include tournaments for the AD&D®, UT-BASH, BashCon ’86, 2801 W. Ban- and artist Ilene Meyer. Registration fees are Traveller, Squad Leader, Nuclear War, and croft, Toledo OH 43606. $20. For more information, contact: Star Fleet Battles gaming systems. Rustycon III, P.O. Box 47132, Seattle WA Preregistration fees are $7; registration fees LUNACON ’86, Mar. 7-9 98146. are $10. For more information,’ contact: This science-fiction convention will be MSC Nova, Box J-1, Memorial Student held at the Westchester Marriott Hotel in BRIDE OF PANDEMONIUM, Jan. 18 Center, Texas A&M University, College Tarrytown, New York. Guests of honor will This event will be staged at the Ryerson Station TX 77844. include Marta Randall and Madeleine Polytechnical Institute in Toronto, Ontario. L’Engle. Multi-track programming of This third annual convention will include 17 AUGCON ’86, Feb. 8 panels, workshops, and readings will be games, a figure and diorama contest, an auc- This gaming convention is sponsored by available. Also featured are an art show, a tion, and open gaming. Gift certificates will the Algoma University Games Club, and dealers’ room, films, a masquerade, and a be awarded. For more details about this will be a part of the Ontario Winter Carnival variety of role-playing and computer games. gaming convention, contact: Dungeon Par- in Bon Soo. For more information, contact: Registration fees are $16 until February 26, ties, Inc., P.O. Box 67, Stn. F, Toronto, Algoma University Games Club, 1520 and $20 thereafter. For details, contact: Ontario, Canada M4Y 1N1, or telephone Queen Street East, Sault Ste. Marie, LunaCon, P.O. Box 6742, FDR Station, (416) 924-1989. Ontario, Canada P6A 2G3. New York NY 10150.

86 JANUARY 1986 TRI-CON IV, Mar. 14-16 the University of Rochester’s River Campus AGGIECON 17, Apr. 3-6 This gaming convention will be staged at in Rochester, N.Y. Role-playing events, This convention will take place at the Poe Hall at the NC State University Cam- board games, and historic miniatures will be Memorial Student Center of Texas A&M pus in Raleigh, N.C. Tournaments, films, among the featured activities. A dealer’s University. Guests of honor include George and miniatures events will be scheduled. room will also be available. This convention R.R. Martin, Orson Scott Card, and Frank Registration fees are $5 for the weekend, or is free to the public. For more information, Kelly Freas. Howard Waldrop will be the $3 per day. For more information, send a contact: Jevon Garrett, P.O. Box 29142, toastmaster. Scheduled events include self-addressed, stamped envelope to: N.C. River Station, Rochester NY 14627. panels, readings, movies, a masquerade, an State Gaming Society, P.O. Box 50201, auction, and a banquet. Registration fees Raleigh NC 27650. MACON OPUS CON 1, Mar. 28-30 are $10 until March 15, and $13 therefater. This science-fiction convention will be For more details about this convention, con- NEOCON V, Mar. 21-23 held at the Hilton Hotel in Macon, Ga. tact: AggieCon 17, Box J-l, Memorial Stu- To be staged at the Gardner Student Guests of honor will include television dent Center, College Station TX 77844, or Center of the University of Akron in Akron, celebrities James Doohan, Jon Pertwee, and telephone (409) 845-1515. Ohio, this convention will offer role-playing, Elvira. Activities will include gaming tour- board, and miniatures games. For more in- naments, two costume contests, videos, and VIKING CON 7, Apr. 18-20 formation, send a self-addressed, stamped an art show. Registration fees are $15 until This science-fiction convention will be envelope to: Neocon V, P.O. Box 7411, January 16, and $20 thereafter. For details, staged at the SFFC V. U. Building at Akron OH 44306. contact: Middle Georgia Society for Fantasy Western Washington University. For more and Science Fiction, 4315 Pio Nono Ave., details about this event, contact: Tim SIMCON VIII, Feb. 21-23 Macon GA 31206, or telephone (912)781- Hoehner, Western Washington University, This gaming convention will be staged at 6110. Bellingham WA 98225.

Convention Calendar Policies Sample listing: number. We are not, though, responsible for In order to ensure that all convention listings con- incorrect information provided to this office. If a tain accurate and timely information, all material EVERYCON, Jan 1-3 cover letter is not provided, the listing will not be should be either typed double-spaced or printed This gaming event will take place in Nowhere, printed. No call-in listings will be accepted. legibly on 8½” by 11” paper. The contents of each Ind. Fred Smith and Jane Doe are guests of honor. Foreign and domestic listings are welcome. listing must not exceed 70 words in length. Role-playing games and miniatures events will be Convention listings should be mailed by the copy The information given in the listing must be featured. Registration is free. For details, contact: deadline date to Patrick Lucien Price, Convention prepared in the following format: EveryCon, P.O. Box 000, Nowhere IN 46000. Listings Coordinator, c/o DRAGON® Magazine, 1) title and date (not to exceed 2 lines of printed P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI 53147. matter), Convention flyers, brochures, newsletters, and Copy deadline dates are the last Monday of each 2) site and location, other mass-mailed announcements will not be con- month, two months prior to the on-sale date of an 3) guests of honor (if applicable), sidered for this column and will be discarded. We issue. For example: The copy deadline for the April 4) special events offered, reserve the right to edit listings, but we are not 1986 issue is the last Monday of February 1986. 5) registration fees or attendance requirements, responsible for updating them. For any questions related to the Convention 6) address (telephone number optional) where All listings must be accompanied by a cover letter Calendar, please contact Mr. Price at (414) 248- additional information can be obtained. which includes both an address and a telephone. 3625, ext. 376. 88 JANUARY 1986 Index to advertisers

Name of firm or product Page(s) Name of firm or product Page(s) Adventure Systems ...... 55 Gamers’ Guide ...... 88-89 AMAZING® Stories ...... 50, 54 Games Workshop U.S...... 39, Armory, The ...... 58-59 inside front cover Bard Games ...... 34 Iron Crown Enterprises, Inc...... 1, Chaosium, Inc...... 5 back cover Columbia Games ...... 11 M.S. Kinney Corp...... 21 Companions, The ...... 31 Mayfair Games ...... 29 Compleat Strategist, The ...... 56 Milton Bradley ...... 17 Doubleday SF Book Club ...... 13 Palladium Books ...... 33, 57 DRAGON® Magazine ...... 52 R-Kiiv Miniatures ...... 42 Dunken Co., The ...... 55 RAFM Co., Inc...... 41 Fantasy Games Unlimited ...... 12, 24 Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc...... 37 73, 77, 81 S&T™ Magazine ...... 87 Fantasy-Wear ...... 27 Steve Jackson Games ...... 23 FASA Corp...... 19 Time-Life Books ...... 8-9 Game Designers’ Workshop ...... 25 TSR, Inc...... 7, 68, 85 Game Systems Inc...... 32 West End Games ...... Inside back cover

at jumping than he is already. The thief-acrobat, on the other hand, has a 50% chance of extend- ing his jump to 13 feet — and he’s only at the low end of the scale; as he gains experience, he’ll get even better at jumping. (From page 4) Reducing jump numbers by one-third means character’s jump number is determined. I’d start that a character with an average score (21) in by reducing the basic jump number to two-thirds combined strength and dexterity has a jump of its present value (and I’d make the “Combined number of 4, and can clear 8 feet in a running strength and dexterity” column top out at 36-37; broad jump — the same distance given in Arcana beyond that, you don’t get any better). Now a for a non-thief-acrobat character. non-thief-acrobat with a combined strength and Although it seems inappropriate to use a dexterity of 31 has an unadjusted jump number character class that specializes in jumping plus a of 6; under non-hazardous conditions, he can separate jumping system for everyone else, you clear 12 feet in a running broad jump. But this may be able to find a way for them to work character is near the limit of his physical ability; together. The answer lies in toning down the he has only a 30% chance of being able to extend average guy’s ability to jump, not in improving the jump to 14 feet, and he’ll never get any better the figures for the thief-acrobat. — KM

D RAGON 89 90 JANUARY 1986 D RAGON 91 92 JANUARY 1986 D RAGON 93 94 JANUARY 1986 D RAGON 95 96 JANUARY 1986