D RAGON 1 Publisher: Mike Cook Editor-in-Chief: Kim Mohan The source’s mouth Editorial staff: Roger Raupp Patrick Lucien Price Dear Dragon, Contents Mary Kirchoff I was wondering what your status with Vol. IX, No. 2 July 1984 Roger Moore Tolkien Enterprises is. I have heard a rumor Layout designer: Kristine L. Bartyzel that they have a claim filed against you all. Subscriptions: Mellody Knull SPECIAL ATTRACTION Contributing Editors: Ed Greenwood Is the reason that all of the back covers of Katherine Kerr your magazine have their advertisement on WHITEOUT ...... 41 Ken Rolston it? I was just wondering about the rights Adventuring in Antarctica Advertising Sales Administrator: you and they have figured out. for TOP SECRET® agents Mary Parkinson (Name withheld) This issue’s contributing artists: We get a few letters of this sort every Jack Crane Ruth Hoyer month — people wanting us to confirm or Roger Raupp John Pierard Harry Quinn Dave Trampier deny a rumor or a claim they’ve heard Jerry Eaton Bob Lilly somewhere, or just asking a “simple” ques- OTHER FEATURES Clyde Caldwell Kurt Erichsen tion: Sometimes it’s flattering that you Keith Parkinson Larry Elmore think we would know (“When will the D&D Beyond the dungeon ...... 8 movie be out?“), even though we don’t. DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is Gaming in the great outdoors published monthly for a subscription price of $24 Other times, the questions are bewildering per year by Dragon Publishing, a division of or even astounding. And on occasion, peo- The ecology of the dryad ...... 18 TSR, Inc. The mailing address of Dragon ple ask us things we answer. Publishing for all material except subscription can Femme fatale of the forest orders is P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI 53147; The letter above doesn’t fall neatly into the business telephone number is (414) 248-8044. any of those categories; it just happened to The Legacy of Hortus ...... 31 be in the mail the day I sat down to write DRAGON Magazine is available at hobby A harvest of unusual plants stores and bookstores throughout the United this. I’m confused by the question, and by States and Canada, and through a limited the fact that it’s addressed to the magazine, Simon Sidekick ...... 58 number of overseas outlets. Subscription rates but I guess I can respond to some of it. I’m are as follows: $24 for 12 issues sent to an address Independence isn‘t always best in the U.S., $30 in Canada; $50 U.S. for 12 dismayed by the writer’s confusion over issues sent via surface mail or $95 for 12 issues what Tolkien Enterprises is, and I’m as- Index to advertisers ...... 89 sent via air mail to any other country. All tounded to hear of a rumor about a “claim” subscription payments must be in advance, and should be sent to Dragon Publishing, P.O. Box against us. 72089, Chicago IL 60690. DRAGON® Magazine has no “status”

A limited quantity of certain back issues of with Tolkien Enterprises, and I don’t under- DRAGON Magazine can be purchased from the stand why anyone would ask about some- Dungeon Hobby Shop. (See the list of available thing that has never existed. I don’t know issues printed elsewhere in each magazine.) Pay- ment in advance by check or money order must anything about a “claim,” period. And I’m REGULAR OFFERINGS accompany all orders. Payments cannot be made sure the people at Iron Crown Enterprises through a credit card, and orders cannot be taken would like me to point out that they — not Out on a Limb ...... 3 nor merchandise reserved by telephone. Neither an individual customer nor an institution can be Tolkien Enterprises — have paid us to Letters and answers billed for a subscription order or a back-issue advertise on our back cover for the last 19 purchase unless prior arrangements are made. issues. The forum ...... 6 The issue of expiration for each subscription is We can answer questions that pertain to Opinions and observations printed on the mailing label for each subscriber’s the magazine, but we don’t know anything copy of the magazine. Changes of address for the about what’s going on in the rest of the Convention calendar ...... 22 delivery of subscription copies must be received at least six weeks prior to the effective date of the company, such as when the new AD&D® change in order to insure uninterrupted delivery. game rule book is coming out or how many Gods of the Suel pantheon...... 23 AD&D modules will be released in the next All material published in DRAGON Part 2: Kord and Phaulkon Magazine becomes the exclusive property of the six months. We’re no help at all on rumors publisher upon publication, unless special ar- — again, unless they have to do with the Game reviews: rangements to the contrary are made prior to magazine. publication. DRAGON Magazine welcomes Stalking the Night Fantastic ...... 36 unsolicited submissions of written material and If you ask us a question we can’t answer, artwork; however, no responsibility for such sub- we might try to forward it to someplace else The Forever War ...... 38 missions can be assumed by the publisher in any within TSR, Inc., if we think that’ll help. If event. Any submission which is accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient we’re pretty sure that your question doesn’t The ARES™ Section...... 69 size will be returned if it cannot be published. have an answer . . . well, let’s just say that 16 pages of SF gaming articles we don’t take the time to write “I don’t DRAGON is a registered trademark for Dragon Publishing’s monthly adventure playing know” letters. Gamers’ Guide ...... 88 aid. All rights on the contents of this publication But if you have a question you think we are reserved, and nothing may be reproduced can answer, ask it — this is not intended to Wormy...... 90 from it in whole or in part without first obtaining permission in writing from the publisher. discourage people from writing. Instead of Copyright ©1984 TSR, Inc. letting a rumor influence your thinking, it’s Dragon Mirth ...... 93 better to try to get the facts from the Second-class postage paid at Lake Geneva, Wis., and additional mailing offices. source’s mouth. If we’ve got ‘em, we’ll give Snarfquest ...... 94 ‘em to you. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dragon Publishing, P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI 53147, USPS 318-790, ISSN 0279-6848. DRAGON, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, AD&D, TOP SECRET, BOOT HILL, and GAMMA WORLD are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. ™ designates other trademarks owned by TSR, Inc., unless otherwise indicated.

2 JULY 1984 dventure gaming is fun be- cause players can experience an environment through their characters that’s exciting and interesting — an environment different from their everyday lives. We were thinking along those lines when we decided to print WHITEOUT in this issue. If you think a different environment does make an adventure better, then wait until the next time the air conditioner breaks That assertion struck me as odd, and so I read down, get out your TOP SECRET® game, PBM response again the appropriate sections in the Players and settle down for an evening of subterfuge Handbook and the Dungeon Masters Guide. I and snowstorms in Antarctica. Editor’s note: Glenn Holliday of Empire was not able to find any clause that prohibited a Games sent a letter to Michael Gray at his home cure spell from raising a character’s hit point total WHITEOUT is the latest published address after Mike’s “Problems by mail” review/ to above zero. Cure Wounds spells are truly adventure from Merle Rasmussen, the article appeared in issue #85. We received a copy useless if a character is dead, but, according to game’s author. It’s a sequel to the story line of the letter; excerpts are printed below. the DMG, a player character does not die from that he began with Doctor Yes (issue #48) wounds until he reaches -10 hit points. and Mad Merc (#56) — but, like all good Dear Mike, The correct interpretation, rather, is that a cure sequels, you don’t need number one or Today we read your article in DRAGON #85. spell can indeed restore a character to a positive number two to appreciate number three. I’m sure you expect and deserve a reasonable hit point total, as long as that character is alive at We hope the adventure will please all of you response from us. the moment the spell is cast. Once restored to a who’ve been clamoring for more TOP I think the most important thing to make clear positive point total, a character is still bound by SECRET material, and maybe a few others is that our problems have been a thing of the past the “Zero Hit Points” section of the DMG: he for some time now. The player whom you men- will be comatose for 1-6 turns and then will be of you will be encouraged to try that game. tioned in your article is a happy player in Realms essentially useless for a week thereafter while Jack Crane came up with a good idea for of Sword and Thunder today. We have consist- recovering. a cover and turned it into a colorful piece ently kept to a turnaround time of 2 weeks for Anthony Ragan entitled “The Enchanted Forest.” Then he realms and 9 days for city positions since Christ- Los Angeles, Calif. went himself one better by expanding the mas of 1983. We have added many new players idea into “The Legacy of Hortus,” the since the first of the year, and are planning fur- I’ll defer to Anthony’s judgment, which is a illustrated essay you’ll find starting on page ther expansion. fancy way of saying that he’s right. I was con- 31. Have you ever wondered about your We think we are a good example of a PBM fused (although I didn’t know it at the time) by company being able to deal with its growing snapdragons? . . . the second paragraph of the “Zero Hit Points” pains, and we believe we have been very consci- section on p. 82 of the DMG, and especially the If the characters in your AD&D® game entious about serving our customers and satisfy- last sentence of that paragraph, which seemed to campaign have never ventured into the ing their problems. be saying that only a heal spell was any good wide open spaces, Katharine Kerr’s advice We welcome you, as well as reviewers of any when attempting to revive a character with less in “Beyond the dungeon” will encourage magazine, to participate in ROSAT and judge us than 0 hit points. you to make the transition to outdoor action yourself. We are aware, of course, that I agree with Anthony’s correct interpretation, and help you do it more easily. Even if DRAGON Magazine carries a tremendous and I’d go a little farther in explaining it: A you’re an old hand at outdoor and wilder- weight in the gaming hobby, and we are very character revived after being at 0 hit points or less ness adventuring, check it out; there may concerned that people don’t get a mistaken can be the beneficiary of a cure wounds spell (or impression of Empire Games from such an im- more than one) during his recuperation, but he still be a few points in this article that you portant source. won’t actually receive the hit points gained in this hadn’t thought of before. Glenn E. Holliday way until the week of “uselessness” is over. At As a service to those of you who are on Vice-president the end of that week of rest, the character will summer vacation and might be missing the Empire Games, Inc. have gained seven hit points (one per day, for classroom atmosphere, we offer Shaun Denver, Colo. resting) and will also get whatever other hit points Wilson’s lesson on the dryad as our latest were re-bestowed by cure spells. Then the charac- ecology feature. If you don’t learn anything Mike Gray’s article was written several weeks ter is able to resume normal activity. — KM else from it, remember not to chase any- before finally being published. We’re glad to hear thing that might end up catching you. that in the meantime Empire Games was able to solve the problems that the article described. This month’s ARES™ science fiction section Neither we nor Mike meant any malice toward Spells and rituals is chock full of all-star stuff, including Kim Empire Games; that company’s problems were Eastland’s description of the interstellar described in detail because that was the company Dear Dragon, police in the STAR FRONTIERS® game involved in the specific problem that Mike cited. I hope to see more on the DRAGONQUEST and the latest in our series of articles on the We hope that our readers understood the general game in your magazine. The section on the moon, this one by Traveller® game de- point the article made without paying too much Enchanter in issue #82 was helpful and interest- signer Marc Miller. attention to the companies and games that were ing; however, I don’t agree with the author on The second installment of Len Lakofka’s singled out. — KM Ritual Spell Preparation. deities of the Suel pantheon features a Rule 32.1 states specifically that the adept must couple of chaotic do-gooders, Phaulkon and state which spell he is preparing before starting the Ritual of Preparation. This indicates to me Kord, who also happen to be father and Curing a mistake that ritual preparation is not itself a ritual but a son. Especially if your campaign is based in way of turning a spell into a ritual. Ritual prepa- the WORLD OF GREYHAWK™ Fantasy Dear Dragon, ration may not be invested independently of a Setting, you’ll appreciate these guys. Kim Mohan’s article on healing magic (issue spell, and its advantages could only be applied to . . . And, of course, there’s more inside #85) was very interesting and useful; I have, the spell prepared. Since the ritual is an extended that I don’t have room to write about. But however, one major disagreement. version of the spell, the release of an invested don’t let that get you down: if you’re The article states that a cure wounds spell charge would be the same as the release of an headed for Antarctica, you’ve already got cannot take a character currently at negative hit invested spell except for the increased cast points to a positive hit point total. It says that the enough to worry about. — KM chance. (As an aside, the Ritual of Investment victim must rest at least a week for a cure spell to [32.3] says that only spells may be invested; it be able to restore hit points, not just stop their does not mention rituals. In a strict interpretation loss. of the rules, a ritual may not be invested.)

D RAGON 3 What are your future plans for covering the peryton” in issue #82. In this article, the cleric DRAGONQUEST game and its long-delayed Right and wrong Amhotep says that perytons are not the result of a supplement Arcane Wisdom? magical experiment. But it the Monster Manual Alan Barclay Dear Dragon, it says that perytons are the results of a magical Edmonton, Alberta, Canada In the article on the stirge (issue #83), I noticed experiment. Which is right, the MM or the some differences between the description in the magazine? DRAGONQUEST™ game players should be magazine and in the Monster Manual. The Ryan Nelson happy to learn that we’ve started to put together manual says “The feathers of a stirge are rusty Turner, Maine some plans for publishing the Arcane Wisdom red to red brown,” and it also says, “The dan- supplement to the DRAGONQUEST game in gling proboscis of a stirge is pink at the tip, Sometimes, the authors of our ecology articles the pages of DRAGON® Magazine. That’s not fading to gray at the base.” The picture in the draw conclusions that are different from asser- as vague a prediction as it might sound like — magazine showed the wings to have no feathers tions in the Monster Manual, but we don’t worry unless we run into a difficulty that we can’t and the proboscis is shown as a straight beak. about the differences very much as long as foresee, we’re expecting to get Arcane Wisdom Mike Peters they’re logically explained. Our illustration of the (or at least the first installment of it) into the Curwensville, Pa. stirge depicted a bat-like creature with feathers on magazine within a few more issues. In the mean- the crest of its head, but not on the wings. This time, we‘ll try to keep you DQ players happy Dear Editor: goes along with the passage in the article about with occasional articles. — KM I’m writing in reference to “The ecology of the how the stirge cools its body by flapping its wings. If the blood vessels in the wings were insulated from the surrounding air by a layer of feathers, this cooling process would not work as described. A stirge’s proboscis can be “dangling” (pointing downward) and rigid at the same time, which is how we tried to portray it — and it must be stiff, or the creature wouldn’t be able to pene- trate the skin of its victims. Whether or not the peryton‘s origin goes back to some “magical experiment” is not terribly important in game terms. Because the article we printed on the peryton offered a logical reason for the non-magical origin of the creature, we de- cided it was okay to go against the Monster Manual text on this point. Of course, you‘re entitled to reject any of the assumptions in our ecology articles if you so desire, but we think they complement the descrip- tions in the Monster Manual much more fre- quently than they contradict them. — KM

4 JULY 1984

infinite plane)? If not, how in the world does Elysium look? The forum Thanks to courses in metaphysics and calculus, I’ve found some possible answers. First of all, the inner planes are not arranged in a literal cube, Opinions and observations nor are the outer planes arranged in a circle with up to 665 (in the case of the Abyss) planes hang- ing off the bottom. These shapes are existential I’ve been DMing my campaign for close on many illusions, “special” is the only entry under — shapes which are more than unfounded con- three years now, and in all that time there has “saving throw”; to deal with this, I have been cepts, but which are not exactly “real” in the never been a problem that the DMG, DRAGON asking players to roll 3d6 and score lower than physical sense. To use mathematical terms, the Magazine, and good old common sense couldn’t their character’s intelligence to successfully disbe- planes of existence are sets of infinite sets, which conquer — until now. My problem is disbeliev- lieve an illusion. Should a regular saving throw works like this: ing illusions. also apply in the “special” cases, or what? Imagine taking the number 1, and adding 1 to Disbelief is a thorn in the side of my players, as Lastly, another DM I know insists that disbelief it, to get 2. Then add another 1 to get 3. Now it is the only effective tool for dealing with high- is automatic, while I maintain that the character imagine doing that forever, so that the set of level illusion, be it generated by an illusionist or a in question must state disbelief, and furthermore, numbers reaches to infinity. Now add to this magic item. For example, take the 3rd level once a character fails to see an illusion as merely infinite set another set of numbers. This set starts magic-user spell phantasmal force. According to phantasmal, he or she cannot ever be shown the with the number 2 and adds 2 to it each time to the spell description, “creatures which disbelieve true nature of that particular illusion. get another member of the set. Both sets go to gain a saving throw versus the spell, and if they Is there some rule of thumb that can be applied infinity, even though the numbers in the second succeed, they see it for what it is and add +4 to to the various sorts of illusions and phantasms? one are twice as large. associates’ saving throws if this knowledge can be Have I completely missed the boat on something This is similar to the relationship between the communicated. . . .” Presumably, the character obvious? planes; when you have one plane, it’s infinite in question must say “I disbelieve the [pit, mon- David W. Sisk (unless you want to say that planes are limited in ster, wall of flame]” after which they roll their size, which presents a host of problems). When normal saving throw to escape the effects. So far, * * ** you have two planes, both are infinitely large, yet so good. having two is twice as much as having one, and But what if they try to disbelieve the effects of In DRAGON #84, Edward R. Masters wrote even though you can’t see them in their entirety, the spell after it has already dealt damage to about the elemental planes. Having watched they can easily be seen to be different from each them? Suppose a fighter character, having fallen articles on the other planes come and go since other. This difference between “big” and “little” into an illusory pit and taken several hit points issue #42, I have been sorely disturbed by some infinities explains how the para- and quasi- damage, states disbelief and tries for a saving of the factors Edward points out; no one seems to elemental planes can exist (if they are the edges throw. If the throw succeeds, will that erase the think about (or at least write about) how the and points of an existential cube); they are damage already done? planes are arranged in relation to each other, or smaller than the primary elemental planes, but For the phantasmal killer spell, the intelligence how matter arranges itself on those planes — is are still infinite. of the victim becomes a factor, whereas for the Elysium an endless flat plane, extending in all This concept of different-sized infinities also shadow monsters and demi-shadow monsters directions infinitely? If so, where does sunlight explains another inconsistency in the layout of the spells, the regular saving throw is applied. For come from (since the sun can’t go around an outer planes. Presumably, the outer planes are balanced so that law equals chaos and good equals evil, but there are 666 planes in the Abyss and only Seven Heavens! Now we can explain this (without limiting the size of the planes) by saying that the Heavens are much bigger than the planes of the Abyss — even though all of them are infinite. We are further aided by the relationships of the other planes to the Prime Material. Because all of the elements are part of the Prime Material plane, the sum total of all the elemental planes must exactly equal the size of the Prime Material plane. Similarly, because all alignments are subsumed in the Prime Material, the sum of all the outer planes is also that of the Prime Mate- rial. (The Astral plane is considered an outer plane, while the Ethereal plane is considered an elemental plane for this purpose.) While we can accept the layout the rule books give us for the outer and inner planes in relation to each other, that does not tell us how matter arranges itself on those planes. To solve that problem, we take into account that (at least in Earth’s universe) matter tends to form itself into spheres, which move in elliptical orbits around centers of gravity (usually other spheres, like the sun), and from this we can conclude that all of the other planes of existence have planets. There was one more problem which Edward voiced, and which is very important — what do the elemental planes look like? Are they just abstract fields? The answer lies in what the four elements represented to alchemists (ether is referred to as an element in many alchemical texts, but they are vague about exactly what it is). Alchemists weren’t dumb — they didn’t think that everything was made of dirt, hydrogen dioxide (water), an impure gas (air is about 78% nitrogen, 20% oxygen, and traces of other as- sorted gases), and the rapid oxidation of those (Turn to page 16)

6 JULY 1984

Beyond the Dungeon How to cope in the greatest adventure of all: Part 1

by Katharine Kerr

Most of the people who play the AD&D® DMs can find utterly bewildering. The In fact, experienced DMs may find some of game start their playing careers in dun- whole dungeon set-up is really as stylized as these suggestions rather unorthodox. All of geons. At first, these underground com- the game board for chess or backgammon. them are based on personal experience, and plexes are so much fun that the gaming Leaving it behind means playing a new and are offered only in the hope that other DMs group makes them the center of play. The different game. Consider a scenario, for will find them useful, or at least thought- rest of the game world exists only as a place example, where the goal of the playerchar- provoking. to get supplies for dungeoneering or as a acters is to find a magic item lost in a forest Some of the material is slanted particu- refuge when things get too hot to handle that contains a number of hostile monsters larly for the beginning DM, who all too underground. Sooner or later, however, a and other dangers. On the surface, this often is left to flounder alone with the rule sad truth becomes obvious: dungeons are scenario has much in common with a dun- books. It’s sometimes hard for experienced getting boring. If the players have any skill geon adventure, but it immediately raises gamers to realize that certain “obvious” at all, they’ve learned how to clean out the some different questions. How fast can the principles and techniques are deep mys- average dungeon quickly and efficiently. party move in a forest? How far ahead can teries to the absolute novice. Certain sec- They might know the weak spots of the they see? Where are the monsters’ lairs tions of the article, therefore, are labeled for standard monsters so well that they greet since there aren’t any convenient rooms? beginners, and more experienced players the appearance of yet another dragon with And just how does the party map a forest, can skip over them if they prefer. yawns. anyway? At this point, the DM has two choices. The official rules give few answers to Moving through a wider world He can desperately invent more (and more these and similar questions. In the AD&D When it comes to running a non-dungeon exotic) monsters, dream up more fiendish Dungeon Masters Guide there’s a curious scenario, one of the first problems the DM traps, and pile up the treasure in an attempt “gray area.” Dungeon play, of course, is encounters lies with the movement rates for to keep the game interesting. Unfortunately, discussed in great detail. Likewise, there are player characters and monsters. The basic all of these things are only variations on the excellent rules for long-distance travel. rates given in the AD&D rules seem to familiar theme. The better choice is to get What’s missing is the middle ground, where assume that the persons moving have de- up on the surface of the game world and the actual turn-by-turn adventure takes cent level footing and are able to take each start a full-fledged campaign. A good cam- place in a non-dungeon setting, like the step freely. A moment’s thought shows that paign world offers a vast variety of genu- forest in our example above. in non-dungeon settings, such assumptions inely new situations to explore, ranging This article is an attempt to fill in part of might well be invalid. Consider, for exam- from unusual types of terrain to intricate that gray area by offering practical advice ple, a character climbing a steep hill or one political set-ups. Here the DM is a creative about running and creating non-dungeon fighting while waist-deep in water. Their force, not just a bookkeeper for mindless adventures. Since some readers of movement rates should differ from those of monsters. DRAGON Magazine get confused about characters walking down city streets or As any experienced DM knows, however, the status of material presented here, let me engaging in normal combat. playing beyond the dungeon also involves state now that this article has no claim Let’s break down the AD&D movement some real problems, ones which novice whatsoever to be considered “official rules.” rules in order to examine them more closely,

8 JULY 1984 Since the outdoor travel rates are based on moving down increases it. Likewise, grop- slope and the obstacles would subtract only turns of one full day, we will leave them ing along in the dark is always slower work 60’ from his base rate, allowing him to aside. Basically, we find three rates given: than strolling in broad daylight. stagger uphill at the rate of 30’ a minute. 1) very slow, for dungeon mapping, where Obstacles are things like boulders, trees, Situations will arise in play where the each “inch” of movement rate corresponds or crowds of people which require charac- players argue that their characters can move to one foot of actual movement during one ters to pick their way through or dodge faster through obstacles than the DM is minute’s time; 2) medium, for following a around them. In a forest, for instance, part willing to allow. For a change, these player known route in a dungeon (1" movement of the characters’ actual movement on any squabbles can give the DM a bit of fun. rate = 5’ actual distance); and 3) fast, for given turn will be sideways, not straight The DM should point out that the deter- fleeing in a dungeon, walking through a ahead, as they twist and turn around the mined rate is the safe rate and give the city, or engaging in combat (1") movement trees. Thus, the total distance covered in a players the option of going faster — at their rate = 10’ actual distance). Thus, if a turn will be less than that covered in one own risk. To return to our second example

character with a movement rate of 12” is turn on open ground. Another kind of A well-rounded campaign world mapping a dungeon, he will cover only 12’ obstacle is poor footing. Soft sand, mud, or offers a variety of new situations to in one minute, but he will cover 120’ a slippery surfaces will also slow a character explore. Get up on the surface of minute on a street. down. the game world and adventure Although these rates cover movement in All of these reductions to the movement dungeons quite well, they are inadequate rate are cumulative. For example, consider outdoors. The above scenes which for the myriad of situations that can occur an unencumbered character with a move- depict desert ruins, mountains, aboveground. There are times when the ment rate of 12“, giving him a basic stroll forests, and snow-covered lands DM can make a correlation between the rate of 120’ a minute. Now, suppose this can be idea starters. dungeon situation that the rules cover and character is climbing a steep, boulder- some new outside situation. For instance, a strewn hill in the dark. The DM decides character creeping slowly and cautiously that the pitch of the slope takes 30’ off his above, suppose the encumbered character through a forest might be considered to be move, the darkness another 50’, and work- insists on climbing the hillside in the dark. in an analogous situation to one mapping a ing his way through the rocks another 30’, The DM should allow him to try, but also dungeon. Unfortunately, other situations for a total move of only 10’ a minute. Al- should set a high percentage chance that he defy such analogies, such as a character though this rate might seem slow, consider will fall. Each fall does damage, of course, running full tilt downhill. what it’s simulating: a man half-crawling as the character rolls and smashes into one In unusual circumstances, the DM has to through unseen obstacles, pausing often to of the boulders. make up a new movement rate appropriate catch his breath and grope around him, and In some circumstances, however, the to the conditions in which the moving will every now and then simply running into an DM’s ruling on movement will have to be be done. The easiest starting point is the impassable obstacle that forces him to final. If a character is so encumbered, for fast rate given above, because everyone is backtrack. example, that his movement rate is already familiar with strolling down a city street. By using this method, the DM will find reduced to 3“, there is simply no way that The DM can extrapolate from this known that in certain circumstances the movement this character will be able to climb a rope pace, deciding what factors would make rate is reduced to zero or below, meaning ladder up a cliff or move in any other characters move either faster or slower than that in these circumstances the terrain is equally difficult situation. In this example, they would on a street. These penalties or impassable. If the character in our example if the character insisted on trying the climb, bonuses can be subtracted or added in were so encumbered that his rate was al- the DM could say something like: “Your increments of 10’ a minute, using the total ready reduced to 9” (90’ a minute base arms simply won’t pull you up past the first move per minute (that is, 120’ for a 12" rate), the DM’s reductions of 110’ would rung,” and leave it at that. character) as a base. leave him with a minus number. The player Although most outdoor situations are so The three main factors to consider are the of this character would then have to make complex that the DM will have to deter- steepness of the terrain, the amount of the interesting choice of leaving some of his mine movement rates on the spot, the fol- available light, and the presence of obsta- gear behind or waiting to make the climb in lowing table offers some suggestions for cles. Moving uphill slows movement, while the daylight, when the reductions for the standard reductions and bonuses.

D RAGON 9 Movement factors walking pace for the specific conditions, strong-willed PCs who insist on running all Situation +/- feet per minute then multiplies it by four for the first min- over the map. ute of the run, three for the next ten min- First, plan ahead. Although the move- Gentle slope or stairs down/up...... +/-10 utes, and finally two for the rest of the run, ment of the monsters is dependent in a large Steep slope or stairs down/up...... +/-30 if indeed it continues that far. This system degree on the action of the PC party, the Ladder, down or up ...... -30 represents that first burst of real speed, not new DM should take the time to work out Mountain-style rock climbing, sustainable over long distances (except by some probable courses of action for the down or up ...... -60 experienced long-distance runners) that monsters when the PC party confronts Light underbrush or tall grass ...... -10 occurs when someone takes off at a run. them. If the monsters are guarding some- Thick forest...... -30 thing, for instance, the DM should decide Chaparral or jungle ...... -60 Movement (for the novice DM) which monsters will make a stand, which Swamp or bog...... -60 One of the real advantages of the dun- may try to circle around behind the PC geon — from the DM’s point of view — is party, and which will run for help. A few Water-slick footing ...... -40 the way that stone walls and corridors chan- notes on such possibilities will save a lot of Ice ...... -60 nel movement, forcing both the PCs and playing time. Mud or soft sand ...... -30 the monsters to follow certain invariable Second, use figures or some other kind of Pavement or wood floor ...... +20 routes. Thus, the DM has an easy time of marker. Markers are the only way to keep Wading through shallow water ...... -20 keeping track of everyone’s location and of track of dispersed groups of characters Wading through deep water or snow . . . .-60 deciding the travel routes for the monsters without endless squabbling over who is or and NPCs under the DM’s control. was where. These markers, however, need Obscure light ...... -20 Once the action shifts aboveground, not be expensive figures. A DM who lacks a Total darkness...... -50 characters can move in any direction at large backlog of figures can make a perfectly Working way through a crowd ...... -60 varying rates of speed. The PC party has a playable mass of enemies by cutting card- Picking way along narrow ledge...... -60 large number of choices about how to ap- board into ½” squares. Each square should proach a given obstacle, and the countering have an arrow, pointing to the middle of movements of the monsters will depend on one side, to indicate in which direction the Running offers its own problem out- those choices. What’s more, out in open figure is facing, and a number, which cor- doors, too, because the rate for fleeing in country both PCs and monsters may have responds to a set of statistics in the DM’s dungeons assumes the presence of many to split up their parties for any number of notes. obstacles, such as doors, furniture, twisting reasons. The novice DM can easily get so Finally, keep control of the players. In a corridors, and the like. In contrast, a run confused that he loses control of both his dungeon, if the players all babble at once across open terrain will be much faster. monsters and his players — I’ve seen it that their PCs are moving forward, the DM The following system is easy and works happen to several young DMs. can understand them well enough, but out well in play to determine how fast charac- Here are three pieces of advice for begin- on a hillside, say, with everyone on a differ- ters can run. The DM first determines the ners faced with a group of monsters and ent part of the battle board, the confusion can be infuriating. The novice DM should strictly enforce the rule that the players move their characters one at a time in the order in which the players are seated at the table.

How long is a non-dungeon turn? Breaking down the movement rate into single minutes allows us to address another important question about non-dungeon adventures: just how long is the turn? In the AD&D rules, there are three units of time: the 1-minute combat round, the 10-minute dungeon turn, and the day-long travel turn. Although there’s no need to change the travel and combat turns, the basic “move and explore” dungeon turn needs modifica- tion when adventurers are up on the surface. The length of the 10-minute turn is really centered around the convention of map- ping. Automatically it allows enough time per move for the PC party to have mapped without having to play through every detail of the process. No one plays by saying: “Now I’m dipping my pen in the ink and unrolling the map, while the fighter is pac- ing off the length of the room. . . .” Any PC actions called to the DM are assumed to be taking place after the room is mapped. Once outside the dungeon, however, the mapping process changes drastically (as we’ll see later), to the point where the PCs may not even be mapping at all. In such cases, more actions can be undertaken in ten minutes than the DM can judge all at once. For instance, in a familiar city, a PC

10 JULY 1984 D RAGON 11 could walk a block, turn into a tavern, meet distance away, but they’ll be able to see a friend and order ale, then insult a stranger enemies coming long before the enemies and start a fight — all in ten minutes. can make a strike at them. In my experience, a turn of five minutes Too many DMs, experienced ones as well works better in situations where no map- as novices, hate to accept these new condi- ping is taking place. Although it breaks the tions. I’ve heard DMs make up the most action down into conveniently handled unreasohable “reasons” to prevent their segments, it’s still fast-moving enough to players from undertaking normal scouting keep the game from dragging. and looking around in outdoor settings, There are other times, too, when the DM simply because they were trying to cling to might consider using the 1-minute combat dungeon-based habits. If any DM is forced round as the turn, even when actual combat to plead that it’s more fun if the party is isn’t taking place. This turn length is appro- surprised, then the DM has done a poor job priate in stressful situations involving a of planning the scenario. chance of injury to the party — in a sense, For example, I remember watching one combats with the environment. For exam- game where the PC party was crossing a ple, a PC party is trying to ford a fast- stretch of grassland to reach a ruined town. flowing, deep river by hanging onto a rope. Although they were miles from any sea- At any moment, all sorts of nasty things can coast, a pea-soup fog suddenly enveloped happen: a PC might trip, the rope might them and made it impossible for them to break, or a monster might attack. It makes see. Out of this fog came — you guessed it sense to play this kind of action out slowly, a — an ambush party of orcs. The players minute at a time, rather than making one were justifiably furious with the DM for this rough ruling that each PC did or did not clumsy ruse, especially since the ruins reach the other side safely. themselves would have been a perfectly The 1-minute turn is also useful when a logical place to lay an ambush. The DM’s party or PC is exploring a small area under only defense was that he’d set up a chance a time limit or some kind of pressure. If a of ambush before they reached the ruins, thief, for instance, is trying to find a single and so the dice had made him do it. object in a crowded room, and if guards Such a defense, of course, is no defense at might burst in and discover her there, the all. It’s up to the DM to think out questions DM could build suspense by playing of surprise in advance and to work with the minute-by-minute. Novice DMs, however, terrain in the way that the actual monsters should use this turn length sparingly until would work. In our example above, for they have lots of experience. Overused, it instance, the party of orcs could have made drags play out so long that the scenario a night raid on the PC party’s camp. Such a becomes boring. sneak attack would be consistent with orcish Under certain conditions, the DM might thinking and would have taken advantage of also consider using a turn length of one their superior night vision, too. Since there hour. If the PC party is traveling across a are no closed doors and twisting corridors stretch of terrain that’s potentially danger- outdoors, the DM simply cannot run such ous to them, or if they are searching it for scenarios like he would in a dungeon. something fairly large, the one-day travel For random encounters in the outdoors, turn goes by so fast that it destroys the whether or not the party is surprised will illusion of searching or facing dangers. On depend on the type of terrain through which the other hand, a five- or ten-minute turn they are traveling. Let me note in passing, can make the session drag badly. In this for the sake of anyone who may have for- case, a turn of an hour adds suspense while gotten, that page 49 of the DMG has rules passing time fairly quickly. to determine surprise and its effects in non- dungeon situations. There is, therefore, no Who can see what? need to go into it here. A salient feature of dungeons is that Aside from questions of surprise, how- they’re hard to see in. In the darkness, PCs ever, there’s no doubt that increased visibil- can only see as far as their torch, lantern, or ity presents problems in non-dungeon infravision will allow. What’s more, the adventures, simply because it’s hard to PC’s range of vision is severely limited by determine exactly what a PC or monster the stone doors, walls, and corridors of the can see at certain points. Consider, for dungeon itself. The DM, therefore, has no example, PC party approaching a temple problem with determining what the party sitting in meadow. From a great distance can see at any given moment and can de- away, they can see that a building sits there. scribe things easily. The DM can also plan When they’re within a mile, they can also many a nasty surprise because visibility is tell by the architecture that it’s a temple. so limited. But how close should they be before the Outside in the sunlight, none of these DM describes the cursed runes and sigils on restrictions apply. The PCs can see the full the door that mark it as an evil place, dan- distance of their normal vision, modified by gerous to approach? weather and terrain. Furthermore, they can The answer, unfortunately, is “it de- move freely around in order to give them- pends.” There are so many factors to take selves a better view of something. For ex- into account when determining visibility ample, if the PC party is approaching a that drawing up hard and fast rules is im- castle on a hill, not only will they get a possible. What follows is only a set of guide- rough idea of its defenses from a good lines, meant to be fleshed out with common

12 J ULY 1984 DRAGON 13 sense. Whether or not a given object is jungles, like parts of Vietnam.) leaving it behind is one of the hardest tran- visible depends on the availability of light, In thick forest, (oaks, maples, and so on sitions for both players and DM when they the presence of obstructions, and the dis- with underbrush), visibility improves some- begin to play beyond the dungeon. A dun- tance of the object from the viewer. The what to about 40 feet. The same limit geon map is simply too stylized to transfer DM will have to juggle all three of these applies to chaparral and scrub, but in some over to more open and natural settings. factors when making a final decision. places such cover will thin, allowing brief Let’s look at exactly what the graphed Furthermore, the amount of attention glimpses at a longer range. In open forest, map provides. First, it’s a record of the that a viewer is paying also plays a part in (birches or conifers, or tended parkland), PCs’ route for the players, and it tells the visibility. If a scout is actively scanning a visibility opens up to 80 feet in good light. DM at a glance exactly what parts of the hillside for enemies, she will have a better In plains, deserts, and snowfields, visibil- terrain the party has explored so far. Sec- chance of spotting them than if she were ity technically extends to the horizon, but ond, the graph acts as a calculating device preoccupied with her own thoughts. Al- the DM should keep in mind the effect that to determine movement allowance and lines though this may seem like a small point, sunlight glaring on snow or sand will have of sight. Finally, it may double as a battle paying attention to detail is the mark of a on vision. Since polarized sunglasses don’t board during combat. good player, and thus should be rewarded exist in fantasy worlds, characters will have In a non-dungeon adventure, no single (or its lack penalized) by the game. What to cover or shadow their faces and squint map can perform all these functions. Differ- the AD&D game system needs is a skill like against the glare. They will be able to see ent parts of the scenario will require differ- the “Spot Hidden Item” skill in the Rune- clearly for only half a mile. ent scales of distance and rates of Quest® game, one that could be used by Out in normal open country, light is the movement, and too much of the setting will any class of player in these situations. Until biggest determining factor. On a cloudy, be visible at one time for the map to be and unless something like this concept is moonless night, obviously the conditions are drawn in small increments. The DM and added to the rules, the DM will have to the same as in dungeons: no one can see the players will use several different kinds of make his own arbitrary ruling on matters of anything without a light source, infravision, maps during an outdoor adventure. One paying attention. or ultravision. If the night is starry, how- type, drawn by the DM to a fairly detailed Terrain greatly influences visibility. In a ever, characters will be able to make out scale, provides either a setting or a battle jungle or a rain forest, the visibility is worse large shapes, particularly if those shapes are board for important points of the scenario; than in a dungeon — even in full daylight. moving, out to a distance of 100 yards. another, drawn by the players, provides The foliage is such a tangled, dense mass Moonlight increases visibility up to 300 them with a record of their characters’ that characters cannot see more than 20 feet yards, but the objects seen will lack detail route(s) and what they’ve found along the in any direction, and beyond 10 feet only and color, and very small objects will be way. large moving objects will be clearly visible. overlooked unless they are shiny. Very large Let’s consider the player-made maps If the light is poor, characters will only be objects, like a dragon or a hill, will be visi- first. The usual procedure is to adapt the able to see what is immediately ahead of or ble as silhouettes from a mile or two away. travel system of mapping — that is, the beside them. (Anyone who doubts this At twilight and just before dawn, the PCs players use hex paper, filling in each hex as should talk to soldiers who’ve fought in will be able to see clearly up to 100 yards they travel across it and the DM describes and obscurely up to 300 yards. Again, what it contains. For small-scale adven- dragons, hills, and so on will be visible from tures, this system has to be used loosely, a much greater distance. because visibility will vary widely during Weather also plays a part in visibility. the course of the scenario. Heavy fog, rain, and snow obscure vision For example, suppose a party of PCs is just like twilight, unless the fog is a real tracking down a murderous warg that lives “pea souper” or the snow is a blizzard. In in a wild area near farmland. At first, the those cases, the PCs will only be able to see party walks across farmland and can see the about 100 feet ahead of them. Even very forest edge, looming a mile away. Rather large objects will be hidden by this kind of than waste time by describing hex after hex weather. Smoke in the air will obscure of farmland, it makes sense for the DM to vision like a light fog or heavy fog, depend- draw the forest edge directly on the party’s ing on how much of it there is. map. After all, the PCs can see it clearly. These reductions in visibility are not Once the party enters the forest, however, cumulative, unlike reductions in movement and visibility shrinks to forty feet, the DM rate. The shortest range will always apply. can return to describing the terrain that the For instance, at twilight in a forest, the PCs PCs actually cover in a turn. will be able to see only 40 feet, not 100 The scale of these player-made maps yards. depends on the amount of territory the PCs In full daylight in open country, the prob- will have to cover in an adventure. (If each lem becomes so complex that simple rules hex covers too small an area, then the fin- are useless. The best thing the DM can do ished map will be enormous and unwieldy, is to look at the world around him. It’s a but if the area’s too large, then there will be good exercise for any DM — especially no room for the players to note important novices — to estimate the distance between details.) If the territory to be mapped covers various objects or buildings in the campaign two to four square miles, a scale of one hex environment, and notice exactly what de- to two hundred yards works well, provided tails are visible from what vantage points. the hexes themselves are large enough to After a little practice, he will then be able to contain notes. For smaller areas, one hun- decide just how much information to give dred yards per hex will produce a nicely the players when describing a setting. detailed map. These player-made maps, however, Mapping the adventure (for the novice) should never be as precise and detailed as a One of the most convenient conventions dungeon map, mostly because precision no of dungeon play is the graphed map that longer matters outdoors. Basically, a PC players make as they explore, one small step party makes a map to record the way out of at a time. It’s so convenient, in fact, that the mess they’re in and to make notes of 14 JULY 1984 possible treasure to be picked up after the general, the more detail available, the bet- PCs could have strolled across it in twenty fighting’s over. What counts on their map is ter. The ideal scale is 1 inch = 10 feet; any minutes. Mapping it took over three hours the relative position of important features other scale should be based on increments — hours of constant squabbling between and the travel time between them. The of 10 (1 inch = 20 feet or 30 feet), because a the DM and the mapping player while the position of every tree in a forest or every scale based on 10 translates perfectly into other players gossiped and ate potato chips. twist and turn of a stream is unnecessary. the combat movement rate. The squabbles arose over fitting the various Precise details do count during the com- In fact, here the AD&D game’s move- buildings onto the map. “But if this shop is bat and treasure-seeking phases of an ad- ment system reveals its origins in table-top that big, it overlaps this house here. . .” venture. Every tree in a forest does become wargaming. If a character has a movement Finally the DM took over and tried draw- important if that tree might provide shelter rate of 9”, for example, and the battle board ing the buildings on the map himself as the from an arrow-shot or hide a piece of trea- has a scale of 1 inch = 10 feet, then voilà! PC party progressed. Unfortunately, he had sure. It’s at this point that the map becomes The figure representing that character may to look back and forth between his master a battle board — that is, a display of the move 9 inches across the battleboard in one map and the players’ map so often that he area in which combat or other important combat round. If the scale is 1 inch to 30 got confused and left out an entire street. actions will take place in short turns or feet, then the figure may move 3 inches, This omission, of course, threw the rest of rounds. This display has to include every and so on. The DM can borrow another tip the map totally off. important feature of the terrain, as well as from table-top battles and have a number of Thus we see that DMs who value playa- be drawn in a large enough scale to allow clear plastic rulers on hand for the players bility over “realism” will do well to have a the DM to regulate the movement of PCs to use in measuring out their figures’ map of the town ready and simply display it and monsters. moves. to the players. Although this map will only For the main points of the scenario, the There’s one common gaming situation show the exteriors of the buildings, certain DM has to plan ahead and have the battle that presents special problems in mapping: buildings should be labeled. Places like a boards drawn up, ready to be unrolled at the city, town, or village that the PCs have blacksmith’s shop, a temple to a well-known the proper time. Since combat is so excit- never seen. The characters will not know god, or an open-air cheese market are so ing, it’s frustrating in the extreme to have the location of the various buildings, nor easy to recognize at first sight that it’s ridic- play grind to a halt while the DM sketches will they, realistically speaking, be able to ulous to spend game time having the PCs out a battle board. The DM is likely to rush get an overview of the city all at once. A ask questions of NPCs — or the players ask the job and make mistakes, too. A good purist approach to town mapping would the DM — to determine what they are. If (and cheap) method is to use big sheets of thus demand that the PCs map the town as the DM needs a justification for giving newsprint and draw the terrain with colored they would a dungeon, drawing in each away so much information, he can rule that pencils or crayons — green for trees, gray street and building as they come across it. the PCs have spent several hours wandering for rocks, blue for water, and black for man- I once saw a DM try to follow this ap- around to look the town over. made features. proach by having his players map a circular The scale of the battleboard will depend walled town onto hex paper. Since the town See Part 2 in issue #88 of DRAGON® again on the area to be covered, but in was only about a mile across, in real life the Magazine.

DRAGON 15 planes become a place to which one can go, for all class 0. What happens if the fighter has a strength The forum of them are diverse and fantastic — a far cry from bonus and a magic sword? If he has managed to the abstract, unreachable planes of some, and the survive until 17th level, it’s not altogether un- (From page 6) endless dull rock (or air, water, or fire) of others. likely that he has acquired gauntlets of ogre three (fire can’t exist without something to burn). Scott D. Hoffrage power (which he may have gotten in the G series The four elements do not represent things, they Miller Place, N.Y. of modules), giving him a strength of 18/00. If he represent states of matter — solid, liquid, gas, also has a +5 sword (not totally out of the question and energy (earth, air, water, and fire). Thus, the * * * * for a 17th level fighter), this makes reduces his elemental planes become much more exciting. roll to hit AC 0 to a -4! In other words, he auto- On the plane of earth, for example, we would We hear a lot about overly generous DMs and matically hits, twice per round, anything with AC find only that which is rigid, but of forms that are Monty Haul campaigns that result in ludicrously -5 or worse. incredible. Imagine the mountains of Earth powerful characters who have no further possibili- Perhaps the fighter is accompanied by an 18th without wind or rain to wear them down, imag- ties but a ho-hum tour of the outer planes going level magic-user whose favorite spell is time stop ine valleys and basins filled with the fine white through pantheons like they used to go through and a high-level cleric who can cast resurrection powder that is solid air. Since there is no energy, kobold lairs. on him just in case. Maybe they also have a cube nothing can move except by its own will; no form It is my belief and contention that this im- of force picked up in the D series modules. of life has blood, lungs, or brain (except for balance is not always the fault of an unwise Maybe the trusting but unwary DM has had neural impulses). The list of seeming impossibili- referee — it is built into the game! For example, them through a couple of official modules, such ties goes on and on. In this way do the elemental a 17th level fighter needs to roll a 4 to hit armor as Lost Temple of Tharizdun, where their ability scores can get raised beyond 18, and there are a couple of them with primary characteristics of 20 or more. These guys will toss off huge, red drag- ons in much the same spirit that you or I kill cockroaches, and even nycadaemons won’t give them too hard a time. If characters like these started at first level and worked their way up legitimately over a period of (real-world) years of almost daily play, most players wouldn’t take kindly to junking the campaign and starting over. If there is a solution to this other than placing an arbitrary limit on level advancement, switching to RuneQuest (where even rune lords aren’t this powerful), or beefing up the deities, I’d like to hear about it. David F. Godwin Lynn Haven. Fla.

* * * * This is in defense of my letter printed in issue #84, which Jeffrey Carey criticized in issue #85. I’m sure that Mr. Carey knows what he’s talking about when he makes his comments about physics on the elemental planes, but he doesn’t quite seem to know what I’m talking about. The point of my letter was to show why the conven- tional usage of the elemental planes doesn’t really make sense. Mr. Carey’s system is that there is an infinite expanse of substance (air, water, etc.), and that solid bodies orbit the center of the plane. In other words, each elemental plane is a huge solar system, but with fire, water, etc., separating the “planets” instead of space. I can see how this would work for air, water, and even fire, but it seems hard to use it for the plane of earth. Even if Mr. Carey can justify this, the fact remains that next to no one uses a system like this; I’ve certainly never heard of it before. The way most people handle it is that there is an infinite expanse of the element (air, water, etc.) going in all directions; one direction is “down” and one direction if “up.” What I meant when I said “center of gravity” is this: What force would cause there to be, all over the plane, an up and down direction? The most obvious choice is to have a center to the plane which draws all matter towards it. Whether this causes a fusion reaction or not, there would be, at any point on the plane, an infinite amount of matter pressing towards the center. This would crush anything that appeared on the plane. It’s true that this wouldn’t happen if one used an “orbiting” system like Mr. Carey suggests, but that’s not the system I’m talking about. In my own game world, I use “pure” elemen- tal planes — that is, non-spatial planes of pure element which interact with the Prime Material in an abstract way only. If other DM’s want to do otherwise, fine. Edward R. Masters Washington, D.C. 16 JULY 1984 DRAGON 17 The ecology of the dryad Lesson of the day: Don’t catch them, they’ll catch you by Shaun Wilson

Though it was mid- After a pause, one of autumn, the air was the older students warm on the day of the called out from the class picnic. The sun front of the class. was bright, the sky “Dryads look like clear of all but a few women with green clouds, and a breeze hair, and they live in gently stirred the grass trees. I think some of and fallen leaves. them can talk to plants Everyone agreed that and some can teleport the guest of honor had themselves.” outdone herself with “Not bad,” said her weather-controlling Belzime. “That gener- spell, and Belzime, ally sums up what most druidess of the Eastern people know of dryads, Wood, received their though some of what praise with a satisfied you say is not quite smile. correct. Wood nymphs Old Malec the Sage are quite beautiful, as had suggested to his you have probably also students that they heard, and they do bring large lunches have green hair. As for when they went out to the rest . . . well, I’ll meet the druidess and start at the beginning. her companions at the “Plants, like ani- edge of the wood. In mals, humans, elves, this way he assured and such, have a life there would be enough force that is much like to share with Belzime a soul. This force is and her three attend- much fainter in plants ants, an aged elven than in animals, but woman named Hibis- some of them still have cus and two comely fairly powerful auras. young women. The most powerful “Now, isn’t this plant auras are found better than listening to in oak trees, and sensi- my dull speeches in tive humans, particu- some sage’s dingy larly druids, can feel classroom?” Belzime the power of their life asked the assembled force from three paces students. A chorus of away. This is one cheers came in answer. reason why we druids Only Malec dis- consider the oak tree sented. “My classroom sacred. has its attractions,” he “Certain oak trees said after finishing off in ages past were in- his slice of roast boar. vested with a special “At least there we gift, and could form don’t have to resort to ‘repel insect’ spells to a flame-haired beauty named Robinia. “At their tree-souls into animate shapes. The keep the ants in their place.” any rate, now that lunch is over with, we dryad is a permanent physical form of an “A useful spell, nonetheless,” said Hibis- should get on with the lecture. Are you oak tree’s soul, and is only found around cus. “As a sorceress and a woodland ready, my dear?” huge and old oaks of at least fifty years age. dweller, I can appreciate the value of having “I think so,” said Belzime. “The topic The tree must be large enough to have a a druid around. Are any of your students I’ve selected for today concerns one of our powerful soul, to support the dryad who will interested in druidical magic?” lesser-known forest allies and friends, the live with it and within it. In some sense you “I think the boys are more interested in wood nymph, also called the dryad.” could call the dryad a parasite, but that is your two followers,” Malec observed as he A few of the boys giggled at this an- not a flattering term and isn’t very accurate regarded his charges from beneath shaggy nouncement. “Apparently,” she continued, as well. white eyebrows. Most of the boys were “some of you are already familiar with the “Being an extension of the oak tree’s soul, a clustered around one of the young women, topic. What do you know about dryads?” dryad cannot live if her tree dies or if she

18 JULY 1984 is taken too far from the tree itself. Most “Well, it is at first. The young men never “Um, my pardons,” said Belzime’s red- dryads will never stray more than a thou- want to be rescued. Dryads are especially haired attendant. Belzime motioned for her sand feet from her tree in any direction. good at hiding their fellows, and the men to continue. “It is possible for a dryad to They call this area in which they live a are entranced so they will do anything to leave the terel of her oak for a brief period terel. avoid being rescued. If the dryad wants, she of time, but she will never do so intention- “You may be surprised to know that can even cause her fellow to merge with her ally. To do so brings on glirgimer, the wast- dryads do not need to eat, though they can oak tree’s soul by her magic; then it is very ing away of her soul, and she will wither consume the same foods that you and I do. hard to bring him home. The dryad who and die within hours. It is said that power- They like the taste of nuts and berries, and has the lad isn’t much help, and will deny ful magics can separate a dryad from her may dig up certain edible roots as spices or having ever seen him. If I come and take tree without harm, but” — the girl shivered foods. In the wintertime, when most plants the boy away, she will pout and look as if — “that is a hard thing to imagine!” become dormant and grow more slowly, the she’d lost a cherished toy. She likes to have One of the more athletic boys in the class, oak tree’s life force becomes weaker. Some- the young man cater to her whims and who had listened attentively through the times a dryad must then eat more foods in bring her things, and he lives for nothing lecture, raised a hand. “Is there some way order to sustain herself, and many store but the chance to stare blissfully at his ‘true to get hold of a dryad and not have her away foods that they gather during the fall love.’ charm you?” for this purpose. It is rare that anyone will “Sometimes her spell over the young The color went out of the red-haired girl’s see a dryad in winter; like the trees, they man will wear off, and the dryad will sigh face. “Why?” she asked hotly. “Do you also “sleep” for long periods of time to and give the boy something to remember want to catch one for a pet?” conserve their energy. her by — a few coins, a gem or two, some- “Robinia . . .” murmured Belzime. “Because of her ties with the oak tree’s thing like that. When the fellow reaches “Calm down. Perhaps the young man soul, a dryad gains certain special abilities. home, he usually discovers he’s been away meant something else.” From the tone of She can communicate with all forms of for several years.” the druidess’s voice, however, it was obvi- plant life, and especially well with the an- “Druidess,” called another boy. “How do ous that she agreed with her follower’s cient treants. Since most plants are passive dryads make more dryads?” and unintelligent, they will obey anyone Belzime looked questioningly at Malec, they understand. A dryad can cause plants who shrugged and said gruffly, “They’re to reach out and entangle pursuers, act as old enough to find out. Go ahead and tell spies to report if anyone has passed by, them.” cause vines to trip people, and so on. So “Fine. Well, some of you may have heard close is the link between dryads and plants about races of creatures that have but one that most of them name themselves after sex. Dryads are one of them, as are sylphs, trees in their woods, yielding some lovely nymphs, and satyrs. Dryads can have chil- Many people believe names indeed. dren by human and elven fathers, and if “As an extension of a tree’s soul, a dryad they do then their children will always be that dryads have built can also merge with her parent tree at will. dryad girls. Dryads can also have children Many people believe that dryads have built by satyrs, which as you know are always homes inside their homes inside their trees, and have such male. The child of a dryad and a satyr is a furnishings as tables, chairs, beds, and dryad girl half the time, a satyr boy the trees . . . . Nothing chests full of gold. Nothing could be more other half. It hardly seems likely that dryads wrong; the tiny pile of coins and gems that and satyrs descended from a common an- could be more wrong. fascinate the wood nymphs are usually cestor, so at best we chalk this all up to the hidden in a hollow of her tree or are buried perversity of magic, or the whim of the among its roots. The dryad herself lives gods. within the tree, merging fully with its soul “The female child of a dryad,” Belzime and becoming intangible.” continued, “will stay with her for about “If I may, Belzime,” interrupted Hibis- twelve years. If the child is a satyr, the cus, “it should be said that the dryad can mother will turn the boy over to his father’s merge with other trees as well, though she band for his upbringing. A girl-child will interpretation. She addressed the boy. “To will not remain long within them. If she spend the first few years of her life attached answer your question, no. Unless one uses feels threatened she can cause herself to to her mother’s tree. When the girl comes of powerful magical defenses, the charming become fully immaterial and she will be age, she will be taken to an oak tree of her power of a dryad can overcome almost any transported instantly to the oak that is her own and will become attached to it natu- man’s resistance. And some dryads have home, merging at once with the tree’s soul.” rally. The child then becomes a part of that kept their men hidden forever. “It is possible that some of you have tree’s soul, and will live there for the rest of “If anyone were to try to lay violent heard of another power dryads have,” Be- her days. She will rarely see her mother hands upon a dryad, he would find her lzime continued. “Dryads like handsome after that, but she will be happy and content vanishing before him, on her way back in young male humans and elves, and some- with her life.” spirit form to her home tree, where she times want to keep them — the same way “Why doesn’t she see her mother after could alert any of her allies nearby. Mighty they keep minor treasures. The dryad can that?” a young girl called. treants, remember, care about dryads cast a spell that enhances her beauty to a “Oak trees may grow reasonably close greatly, and so do satyrs, elves, sprites, and man, enthralling him and enabling her to together, but dryads by their nature are pixies . . . and druids.” The emphasis she command the fellow by her thoughts alone. solitary beings. They are happy by them- put on the last word was lost on no one. “It A number of my male druidic students have selves, surrounded by their woods, and they is not a good idea to go hunting dryads for described this effect to me after being res- only rarely wish other company. This part one’s own sport,” she concluded. cued from well-meaning dryads who were of their personality may have developed The youth chewed on a blade of grass taken by their looks.” Belzime smiled. “I because oak trees large enough to support and considered this. He seemed to lose must be a very familiar face to the dryads of dryads are sometimes not easily found. interest in the remainder of the lecture. this wood. I’ve led quite a few rescues.” Each dryad’s attachment to her own oak Hibiscus broke the short silence that A dark-haired boy sitting near the druid- tree restricts her travel, too, so each must be followed. “This brings up the question of ess spoke up. “Is it hard to get the boys satisfied with where she lives — and so what dryads like to do for fun — without back from the nymphs?” she is.” having a fellow around,” she said.

D RAGON 19 “Wood nymphs like their surroundings to Appendix “adult” powers except the speak with plants be pretty, and themselves as well; they like 1. A dryad’s terel cannot be distinguished ability, performed at 1 1st-level effectiveness. beauty only for their own sake, not for what from any of the terrain surrounding her oak When the child reaches 12 years of age, her others care or think. Dryads will perfume tree; the dryad can roughly pace it out, mother helps her find a suitable tree, and themselves with crushed flower blossoms however, because she becomes increasingly she takes up residence as a full-fledged and style their hair with bits of flowers, uneasy as she passes from the 33" distance dryad with 2 hit dice and all of a dryad’s leaves, and other woodland growths. Some- to the 36” radius edge. magical abilities. However, it takes time to times a dryad will find a way to trade some 2. If a dryad is forcibly taken beyond 36” master those abilities: the effectiveness of a of her meager treasure for sewn garments, from her oak, she will rapidly (within five young dryad’s magic goes up one level but dryads are just as happy without cloth- rounds) exhibit symptoms of starvation, every year (2nd level at age 13, 3rd level at ing as they are with it. That’s another rea- depression, and exhaustion, and will die in age 14, etc.) until she attains 9th-level effec- son why young men often hunt for them — 6-36 hours if nothing is done. A heal spell tiveness at age 20. just to get a peek.” will negate all the symptoms, but the effect 6. For game purposes, a dryad’s charm “They’ll have to stand in line behind the of the spell wears off in four hours, and power works much like a powerful version satyrs," Robinia muttered in the back- glirgimer sets in again if the dryad is still of the druid spell charm person or mammal. ground. Belzime gave her assistant a disap- outside her terel. An exorcism spell will An intended victim is allowed a saving proving glance. separate the dryad from the tree’s “soul”; throw (at -3, as per the Monster Manual) Old Malec stretched himself and stood up in this event, the dryad must find another upon first encountering the charm power. from the grass, dusting off his robes. “On suitable oak tree within seven days, or the (Magic resistance, if applicable, is checked that note, I think we should prepare our- glirgimer symptoms begin. A dryad’s magic before the saving throw.) A failure to save selves for the walk home. We still have some resistance should be checked whenever these indicates that the charm has taken effect; things left to see in this forest.” A chorus of or other spells are cast upon her. then, on a roll of 1-3 on a d6, the charm is groans answered him, but he was firm, and 3. An average dryad lives for as long as permanent. If the charm is not permanent, the class made ready to depart. her oak tree does. Damage suffered by the it will last for an indefinite period of time. The victim is allowed subsequent saving throws — each at -3 — at intervals that depend on the victim’s intelligence. (See the chart on p. 55 of the Players Handbook.) However, because of the power of the dry- ad’s charm, read the saving-throw chart intervals as years, months, and weeks in- Because dryads are stead of months, weeks, and days. For instance, a victim with 6 intelligence is highly intelligent, allowed a new saving throw every two years; one with 18 intelligence can try to they don’t try to break the charm once every two weeks. From this, it is easy to see why dryads charm morons if they prefer to enchant young (low- to mid-level) men who aren’t overly intelligent — the can help it. sort who’ll be easy to charm and easy to keep that way. Elves and half-elves, with their innate resistance to charm magic, are rarely the object of a dryad’s “affections.” She will try to charm a character with elven blood only if her life depends on it or if she runs across an elf or half-elf with 18 cha- risma. Because dryads are highly intelli- gent, they don’t try to charm morons if they “We appreciate your time, Madame tree will affect the dryad adversely, perhaps can help it; a servant of low intelligence Belzime,” the sage told her after most of the putting her into a temporary coma even if would become boring before the influence students had set off for the next stop on the tree survives the shock. If her tree dies, of the charm wore off. But they can’t resist their tour. “I think you did a nice job of the dryad will die as well from glirgimer trying to charm characters with high cha- convincing my boys not to comb your unless she is exorcised and transported to a risma, whether they’re morons or geniuses. woods for nymphs.” new tree. If threatened with harm or removal from “Don’t worry,” she said. “It’s late 4. For spell effects, assume a dryad can her terel, a dryad will try to charm anyone enough in the year that they won’t find use the following powers at will: speak with she can. them, or recognize them if they do. Re- plants, plant door, commune with nature, A dryad can use her charm ability three member what I said about dryads having detect snares and pits, locate plants, locate times each day if necessary. She rarely has green hair? That’s only true in the spring animals, entangle, and trip (at the 9th level occasion to use them up since large groups and summer. It changes color in the fall to of druidic ability), and dimension door (to of men don’t often travel through her terel. gold, red, or reddish brown. In wintertime anywhere within her terel). Some dryads Even when her charm powers are depleted. it turns white.” (10%) have the power to use pass plant at she can use her plant door and dimension Malec smiled. “So when the boys go will instead of the dimension door ability, door abilities to get home. looking for a green-haired girl, they’ll only though again it will only function within a 7. When a dryad is inside her tree, she find girls like her.” He pointed to Robinia, dryad’s own terel. can be hurt by any attack form that dam- standing on the edge of the forest talking 5. There is a 2% chance of encountering ages the tree (chopping or burning). But with Hibiscus. a dryad with a female child under twelve note again that a dryad has quite a few “How long have you known?” Belzime years of age. The child will have reduced friends in the forest. Anyone who tries to asked. statistics for an adult, as determined by the harm her or her tree will have to get in line “Since I heard her name. Am I correct in DM. For instance, a young dryad could behind the satyrs, treants, wood elves. recalling that Robinia pseudoacacia is a have 1-4 HP, fight as a creature with less pixies, sprites, and druids — and deal with variety of locust tree?” than 1 - 1 HD, and would have none of her all of them first.

20 JULY 1984 D RAGON 21 SF/gaming convention calendar

OCTACON I, July 13-15 Science-fiction guests of honor include Poul WINGAMES V, Oct. 5-7 The Staff of Giza will be coordinating this Anderson, Karen Anderson, and Melinda This convention centers around a large convention; all proceeds will be donated to Murdock; Dan Charleston will be AD&D® tournament, with prizes and the Augustana Speech and Hearing Center. toastmaster. Featured events are a NASA trophies for most events. Admission is free at Donations at the door will be $5 (which in- display, a buffet banquet, fantasy role- the door, though a small charge (50¢ to $3) cludes one free game). For further informa- playing games, a dealers’ room, an art show, exists per event entered. Contact: University tion about this event, contact: Staff of Giza, and panel discussions and demonstrations. of Manitoba Gaming Club, Box 80, Univer- P.O. Box 772, Rock Island IL 61204, or call Registration is $13 until August 1, and $15 sity Center, University of Manitoba, Win- (309)788-8450. at the door. Banquest tickets cost $10 in ad- nipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2. vance. For details concerning this event, BANGOR AREA WARGAMERS contact: Omacon 4, 2518 So. 167th St., LIN-CON VI, Oct. 12-14 CONVENTION, July 21-22 Omaha NE 68130. To be held at the Gateway Auditorium at This eighth annual convention will be 66th and O Streets in Lincoln, Neb., this staged at the Orono Recreation Center in TIMECON ‘84, Aug. 3-5 convention will feature board games, Orono, Maine. Arrangements have been This convention will be held at the San miniatures events, and role-playing tour- made for participants to stay over the night Jose Convention Center in San Jose, Cal. naments. For additional details, contact: of July 21 in the Recreation Hall, so anyone Events include board games, video games, Merl Hayes, c/o Hobby Town, 134 North planning to attend should bring proper science-fiction and fantasy role-playing 13th St., Lincoln NE 68508, or call sleeping gear. Registration for the weekend adventures, Doctor Who games, an art (402)476-3829. is $5 at the door; no preregistration is show, a costume contest, and a dance. John available. For more details, send a self- Pertwee, James P. Hogan, Eric L. Hoffman, CONSTELLATION III, Oct. 19-21 addressed, stamped envelope to: Edward F. and Dave Smeds will be among the guests of This convention will be staged at the Stevens, Jr., 32 Masonic Street, Rockland honor. For further information, contact: Sheraton Inn located in Huntsville, Ala. ME 04841, or telephone (207)596-0338. Timecon ‘84, 1025 Jefferson St., Santa Master of ceremonies will be Frank Kelly Clara CA 95051. Freas, and guests of honor will include Gor- SUMMERCON 84, July 27-29 don R. Dickson, Maurine Dorris, and Tim To be staged at the MIT Student Center, COLONIAL CITY GAMEFEST, Bolger. Featured events are readings, Cambridge, Mass., this convention will Aug. 10-12 panels, autograph sessions, a masquerade, feature FRP games, board games, and Sponsored by the Mt. Vernon Gamers hearts and gaming tournaments, an art miniatures. Door and event prizes will be Association, this gaming convention will be show, and an auction. Registration fees for awarded. For information, contact: Sum- staged at the Mt. Vernon High School in the convention are $13 until September 15, merCon 84, 122 Bowdoin St., Apt. 77, Mt. Vernon, Ohio. Tournaments, awards, and $16 at the door. For additional informa- Boston MA 02108. an art show, and a miniatures contest will be tion about this event, send a self-addressed, some of the featured events. Contact: Col- stamped envelope to Con-Stellation III, ATLANTA FANTASY FAIR 10, Aug. 3-5 onial City Gamefest, 1003½ East Gambier P.O. Box 4857, Hunts-ville AL 35815. This event will be held at the Omni Hotel St., Mt. Vernon OH 43050. and World Congress Center. Guests include CRUSADER CON IV, Oct. 19-21 Larry Niven, Chris Claremont, Richard ARCANACON II, Aug. 23-26 This event will be held at the Metropolitan Pini, Robert Bloch, and many more. Ac- To be staged at the University High State College campus in Denver, Colo. tivities include tournaments, a costume con- School in Parkville, Melbourne, Australia, Events will include Diplomacy®, test, model and sculpture competitions, an this convention will include board games Kingmaker™, AD&D®, Traveller®, Squad amateur film festival, an art show, a dealers’ and role-playing games and tournaments. Leader™, Car Wars™, and Star Fleet Bat- room, and twenty fantasy films. Pendragon For further information, contact: Ar- tles™ tournaments. Registration is $8 until Galleries will have a special art exhibition canacon, C/- 105 Cardigan Street, Carlton October 1, and $10 thereafter. For more with paintings by all top fantasy artists, in- 3053, Australia. details, contact: The Auraria Gamer’s Club, cluding Boris Vallejo, Michael Whelan, and P.O. Box 13395, Denver CO 80201-3395. Rowena Morrill. Registration fees are $25 at EARTHCON IV, Sept. 7-9 the door. For information, send a self- This convention will be held at the ICON IX, Oct. 26-28 addressed, stamped envelope to: Atlanta Holiday Inn in Cleveland, Ohio. Events will This annual science-fiction convention Fantasy Fair, P.O. Box 566, Marietta GA include workshops, panels on game design will be staged at the Abbey Inn in Iowa City, 30061, or call (404)425-8095. and scenario writing, tournaments, board Iowa. Guests of Honor will be Dean Ing and games, role-playing-games, a masquerade, Wilson Tucker. Registration fees are $10 MYSTICON 3, August 3-5 "filksinging," an art show, a Star Trek until October 1, and $15 thereafter. Art To be held at the Holiday Inn-Tangle- festival, and more. Poul Anderson, Steve show and huckster inquiries are welcome. wood in Roanoke, Va., this convention will Jackson, and Tom Moldvay will be among For further information about the conven- include an art show, role-playing games, the guests of honor. Contact: Earthcon IV, tion, contact: Icon IX, P.O. Box 525, Iowa video movies, and a masquerade. Guests of P.O. Box 5641, Cleveland OH 44101. City IA 52244-0525. honor will be Karl Wagner, Somtow Sucharitkul, Paul Dellinger, and Rudy TENTH ANNUAL COUNCIL R-CON 1, Nov. 2-4 Rucker. Registration fees are $15 at the OF NATIONS, Oct. 5-8 This gaming convention will be held at the door; tickets for the luncheon buffet banquet This special anniversary convention will Genesee Plaza Holiday Inn in Rochester, are $12 each. Contact: Mysticon 3, P.O. include open fantasy role-playing gaming, NY. Guests include David Gerrold and For- Box 1367, Salem VA 24153. mini-battles, a mini-painting contest, game rest J. Ackerman. Featured will be role- instruction, a costume contest, an auction, playing and board games, panels, films, an OMACON 4, August 3-5 and numerous tournaments. For details, art show, and a masquerade. Registration Sponsored by the Omaha Beach Gaming send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to I. fees are $10 until September 1, and $12 at Club, this convention will be staged at the M. Lord, SWA 10th Council, 1639 Eastern the door. Contact: R-Con 1, P.O. Box 1701, Holiday Inn-Old Mill in Omaha, Neb. Parkway, Schenectady NY 12309. Rochester NY 14603.

22 JULY 1984 Gods of the Suel pantheon Kord the Brawler and Phaulkon, his father

by Lenard Lakofka ©1984 E. Gary Gygax. All Rights Reserved.

KORD M-U/ILLUSIONIST: 3rd level magic-user Kord wields it, Kelmar is +7 to hit and +14 THIEF/ASSASSIN: Climb walls as 10th to damage because of Kord’s great strength. The Brawler level thief Kelmar has an ego of 18 and an intelli- MONK/BARD: Fall as 10th level monk gence of 18, and is aligned chaotic good; Greater God PSIONIC ABILITY: VI beings other than Kord can use the sword. ARMOR CLASS: -7 S: 25 (+7, +14) I: 13 W: 13 D: 21 It will dance within 60 feet of the wielder MOVE: 24” C: 22 CH: 13 (24 as titan; see below) just as any dancing sword. When it dances, HIT POINTS: 330 it strikes as many times per round as its NUMBER OF ATTACKS: 4 Kord is a colossus of muscle with a long present wielder would. Kelmar can detect DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-24 + 14 red beard and red hair. He wears a simple enemies within 60 feet of Kord, and will use SPECIAL ATTACKS: Can break any item girdle of dragon hide (will give frost giant telepathy to convey this information, he can grasp except for a few artifacts strength), boots of blue dragon hide (boots whether it is dancing or not. SPECIAL DEFENSES: +2 or better to be of speed), and gauntlets of white dragon Kelmar’s special purpose is to slay drag- hit hide (gauntlets of ogre power); he is not ons. It acts as a vorpal weapon on a roll of MAGIC RESISTANCE: 75% diminished by the loss of these items, how- natural 20 against dragons and dragon- SIZE: L (9’ tall) ever. He will sometimes lend them to other types (including chimeras, dragon turtles, ALIGNMENT: Chaotic good fighters during battle. The saving throw of dragonnes, and wyverns) — even against WORSHIPERS’ ALIGNMENT: Fighters, these items vs. all attack forms is 2. Tiamat. However, the sword is incapable of berserkers, barbarians of all alignments Kord bears the sword Kelmar, an electri- hitting Bahamut. SYMBOL: White gauntlets, blue boots, fied +5 weapon that will dance upon Kord’s If Kelmar comes within 60 feet of a and a red girdle command at its full +5 for six melee rounds, dragon or dragon-type, it will insist on PLANE: Gladsheim striking as a 25th level fighter (as if Kord moving closer to attack the monster. If its CLERIC/DRUID: 3rd level cleric were holding it). The sword deals out 3-24 wielder does not advance toward the mon- FIGHTER: 25th level fighter points of damage when it scores a hit. When ster, Kelmar will leap out of the wielder’s

D RAGON 23 hands or scabbard and dance into combat. List #1 : 1. Save vs. poison is 3 of very high or very low charisma, and so Only a character with a strength of 22 or 2. Save vs. death is 4 forth. greater can hold onto Kelmar when it is 3. Save vs. all forms of fear is 3 Bonus spells are granted cumulatively, so trying to break free. If the sword is carried 4. Immune to quest and geas spells that a 7th level cleric of Kord would have more than 60 feet away from the dragon, it 5. Mask alignment at will access to both protection from lawful and will return to its normal “ready” state. 6. Immune to normal missiles detect lawful. These bonus spells are simply In addition to Kelmar, Kord also bears 7. Immune to sleep, hold, and slow other choices, in addition to normal cleric an ordinary two-handed sword +3 that he 8. Roll twice, ignoring 8s and spells, and do not increase the spell-carrying can use with one hand while Kelmar is duplicates or spell-casting capacity of the cleric. They dancing. are prayed for the same way that regular Once per day Kord can polymorph him- List #2: 1. Heal self once/week cleric spells are received, counting protec- self into a titan with a charisma of 24, main- 2. Jump or levitate at will tion from lawful and detect lawful as 1st taining his full strength. He will use the full 3. Enlarge self at will, as 10th level level spells and enlarge and strength as 2nd awe power of his charisma in this form to M-U level spells. All the bonus spells are cast at aid friendly troops and to undermine the 4. Climb walls as 7th level thief the level of experience of the cleric. morale of hostiles. 5. No non-proficiency penalties Protection from lawful works like protec- Kord is the son of the lesser gods applied tion from evil, except that it serves as proof Phaulkon and Syrul. He has taken little 6. Can cast silence on self at will against those of lawful alignment (while from either of his parents, instead becoming 7. Blood rage: Will go berserk (+2 keeping out chaotics as well). The material greater than either of them — only Lendor to strength) if damaged 50% or component is holy water (sprinkled in a can control Kord if he goes berserk. more in combat, fighting until circle) or holy incense (burned in the air). Kord’s blood rage occurs whenever he slain or until everything within Detect lawful works like detect evil, ex- takes half his hit points or more in damage. 60 feet is killed cept that it discovers emanations from those In this state, he will try to kill anything — 8. Roll twice, ignoring 8s and of lawful alignment. friend and foe alike — that stood within 60 duplicates Enlarge and strength work the same as feet of him when the blood rage began. He the 1st level magic-user spells of the same becomes even stronger, +8 to hit and +17 to Kord’s children may never be lawful, nor names. damage, when he is enraged. Because of may they be paladins, illusionists, monks, Kord is worshipped more than any other this rage, Kord is widely worshipped in the or druids. Any of his children who do not Suel deity. Thriving churches dedicated to barbarian communities, even though enter his clergy and who reject the fighting him can be found in the Barbarian States, Kord’s alignment is oriented toward good. profession (by not becoming a fighter or northern Ulek, Almor, the Great Kingdom, Kord is quite the fool for a pretty face. ranger) and any of his offspring who display Hepmonaland, and on Lendore Isle. Small He favors elven and human women, but cowardice will be disowned, which might isolated churches may be found among has also consorted with other humanoids mean (30% chance) that Kord himself will peasants over the entire route of the Suloise and even giants. The world is full of his come to the Prime Material plane to slay migration (see the WORLD O F GREY- sons and daughters, but few, if any, of them the offending character. HAWK™ Fantasy Setting). can claim demigod status (less than 1%). The clergy of Kord dress in bright red, Any figures who can make that claim must white, and blue vestments, but none may have scores of 18 to 20 in two of these three duplicate the exact pattern that Kord wears ability areas: strength, constitution, and on his girdle, gauntlets, and boots. Only his dexterity. sons and daughters who join the clergy may To determine whether an offspring of dare to don dragon-hide armor as Kord Kord is entitled to demigod status, roll does. Kord’s clergy are either chaotic neu- 2d6+6 for each of the character’s ability tral (3 in 6), chaotic good (2 in 6), or cha- scores. Two of the results must be 18 (rolls otic evil (1 in 6). of 12, modified), and the numbers must be Kord’s clergy must show bravery and assigned so that the character has scores of leadership in battle at all times. To foster 18 in two of the three physical abilities: their fulfillment of this role, Kord strength- strength, constitution, and dexterity. If this ens his clergy with a bonus on saving criterion is met, roll d4 for each ability score throws involving fear and special spells of 18: a result of 1 or 2 means no adjust- attainable at higher levels. ment, a result of 3 raises that ability score to At levels 1-3, clerics of Kord can only 19, and a result of 4 raises it to 20. wear white. They get a +1 bonus on saves Only those characters who pass all these vs. fear attacks. tests and end up with two scores of 19 or At level 4, they can wear white and blue higher among strength, constitution, and robes, the save bonus is +2, and they receive dexterity can dare to claim their birthright access to the protection from lawful spell. and openly profess Kord as their father. At level 7, clerics can wear red, white, Kord will not deny such a claim; instead, and blue garments. They get a +3 save on the child’s 17th birthday Kord will come bonus vs. fear and the new spell detect forth to give the young warrior a great task lawful. based almost entirely on fighting ability. At level 10, Kord’s clerics wear a red Those who pass this test will acquire limited girdle with blue and white trim, they get a special powers (see the lists below). +4 bonus to saves vs. fear, and the ability to Although passing this final test does cast enlarge (on self). qualify the character (in Kord’s eyes) to call At level 16 and above, clerics wear white himself or herself a demigod, the overriding boots, a red girdle, and blue trim. Their power of Lendor keeps Kord’s offspring save bonus is +5, and they can cast strength from dominating the Prime Material plane. (on self). Each “demigod” character gains from 2-4 Saving throws vs. fear apply to all forms special powers; roll d8 once for each of the of fear, including the auras of demons and following lists. devils, fright caused by undead, the effects

24 JULY 1984

PHAULKON

God of the Open Air

Lesser God ARMOR CLASS: -4 MOVE: 12“/48" HIT POINTS: 265 NUMBER OF ATTACKS: 5 (3) DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12 +5 from arrow; 2-11 + 11 from dagger SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spells SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to attacks from feathered creatures MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65% (90% while flying or on Elemental Plane of Air) SIZE: M (6’8" tall) ALIGNMENT: Chaotic good WORSHIPERS’ ALIGNMENT: Good SYMBOL: An outline of a man with large eagle wings PLANE: Elemental Plane of Air CLERIC/DRUID: 5th level cleric/7th level druid FIGHTER: 22nd level ranger M-U/ILLUSIONIST: Special (see below) THIEF/ASSASSIN: 7th level thief MONK/BARD: 22nd level bard PSIONIC ABILITY: VI S: 24 (+5, +11) I: 20 W: 19 D: 23 C: 19 CH: 19

Phaulkon appears as a powerful, usually bare-chested man. He is clean shaven, and his hair is short and always tousled. He wears a simple girdle that gives him the power of flight with the speed and maneu- verability of a djinni. Phaulkon fights with a longbow and ability (as the spell, with no limit on dura- Phaulkon’s clergy often wear headdresses dagger only. He can fire up to five arrows in tion). Phaulkon can speak with any bird or of feathers in services and rituals, one a round. His bow is +5 to hit with a maxi- flying creature that uses wings for flight, feather per level of the cleric. His clerics mum range of 600 yards. Arrows fired from including demons and devils. always wear at least one feather at all times. the bow do not suffer from range reductions By his touch, he can make any bow or As special benefits for their service, and are +2 for the purpose of magical “to arrow +1 to hit and to damage permanently Phaulkon grants his clerics these powers as hit” considerations. Each of his arrows will (subject to possible destruction of the item). they progress in levels: At 5th level his do 2-12 points of damage +5 for the magical He will give this gift only to fighters of good clerics can speak with birds on an unlimited enchantment. Once an arrow is used in alignment who perform some important basis (this does not include giant birds of combat, whether it hits or misses, it be- task for him, enchanting either a single bow any type). At 8th level they can fly once per comes an ordinary arrow again. Phaulkon or one arrow for each level of the fighter/ day as an 8th level magic-user. At 11th level can fire arrows with no penalty while flying. paladin/ranger being benefitted. they can control winds once per day as an His dagger is +3 to hit and to damage Phaulkon is a relatively active traveler, 11th level druid. At 16th level they can because of magic, dealing out 2-11 points of and enjoys the company of men and elves. summon an 8 HD air elemental (that will damage +3 for magic and +11 more for He can shape change into any normal or be totally friendly) once per week. Phaulkon’s strength. He can attack three giant bird at will, as well as into the form of In addition to feathers, his clergy always times per round with the dagger. Both his an elf or sprite. wear white in ceremonies. During travel bow and dagger can be used by no one but Phaulkon is second only to Kord in fight- and everday labors, they wear various Phaulkon himself; they are -3 cursed weap- ing ability among the deities of the Suel shades of blue. ons in the hands of anyone else. pantheon. As such, he has the power to Phaulkon is worshiped as a major deity Phaulkon can summon a djinni once per raise a character’s strength, dexterity, or on Lendore Isle as well as in Keoland, day, a noble djinni once per week, and a 20 constitution score by one full point (or any Ulek, the Yeomanry, and Celene. It is very HD air elemental once per month. Each of those abilities to 15, if it is not already doubtful if his temples appear in the barbar- summoned being will obey him to the that high) for a period of one day. The ian north or in Hepmonaland. death. If giant eagles or rocs are within 100 maximum strength, dexterity, or constitu- miles of him, he can summon all of them to tion score he will bestow in this way is 19. him, but they must come at their normal Phaulkon is highly resistant to the effects flying speed. of artifacts and relics, and can temporarily Phaulkon is immune to any attack from a negate the major power(s) of such a device Look for Syrul, Goddess of False Promises feathered creature, including such beasts as for 6-36 hours (power usable once per and Deceit; Fortubo, God of Stone, Metals griffons, cockatrices, and pegasi. His magic month). He cannot destroy an artifact in and Mountains; and Wee Jas, Goddess of resistance is 90% while he is in the air. any case, but is 75% likely to know a great Magic and Death, as detailed by Leonard Even without his girdle of flight, he can deal about any artifact he sees — aside from Lakofka, in issue #88 of DRAGON® become airborne by using his innate fly how to destroy it. Magazine.

26 JULY 1984 STANDARD DIVINE ABILITIES All deities have the following abilities and powers in common, each usable at will: Astral & ethereal travel Know alignment Comprehend languages Levitate Continual darkness Mirror image Continual light Polymorph self Cure (blindness, deafness, disease, feeblemind, insanity) Read languages & magic Detect (charm, evil/good, illusion, invisibility, lie, magic, traps) Teleport (no error) Geas Tongues Infravision & ultravision In addition, each group of deities has other particular powers and abilities, as described below. A number in parentheses after a listing indicates the times per day the power can be used; lack of a number means the power is usable as often as the deity desires.

Greater Gods: Anti-magic shell (2) Holy/unholy word (3) Restoration (3) Command, 4 rd. effect (2) Improved invisibility Resurrection Control environment1 Improved phantasmal force Shapechange (3) Cure critical wounds (3) Polymorph any object (1) Summon2 Death spell (2) Polymorph others (3) Symbol (3) Dispel (evil/good, illusion, Protection from evil/good, Time stop (1) magic (8 each) +3, 30’ radius Trap the soul Fly Quest (2) True seeing (5) Gate (3) Remove curse Vision (1) Globe of invulnerability (1) Remove fear Wish Heal (3) Regenerate

Lesser Gods: Anti-magic shell (2) Holy/unholy word (2) Remove curse Command, 3 rd. effect (1) Improved invisibility Remove fear Control temperature, 10’ r. Improved phantasmal force Restoration Cure serious wounds (3) Minor globe of Death spell (1) invulnerability (1) Summon3 Dispel (evil/good, Polymorph others (2) Symbol (2) illusion, magic) (4 each) Protection from evil/good, Trap the soul Gate (2) +2, 20’ radius True seeing (3) Heal (2) Quest (1) Wish (1)

Demigods: Anti-magic shell (1) Heal Raise dead (3) Command, 2 rd. effect (1) Holy/unholy word (1) Remove curse (3) Cure light wounds (3) Invisibility Remove fear Dispel (evil/good, Limited wish (1) Summon4 illusion, magic) (2 each) Phantasmal force Symbol (1) Finger of death Protection from evil/good, True seeing (2) Gate (1) 10’ radius Wall of force Notes: 1 — Control environment subsumes both control temperature and control weather. It actually allows the greater god to adjust the surroundings of his or her immediate environ- ment to suit his or her desire, even if the change is radical. The area of control extends from a 12" radius to a 72" radius depending on how radical the change required is. 2 — A greater god can summon from one to six creatures of the same alignment as the god, and all of the same type, with the total hit dice of the creatures so summoned not to exceed 40. 3 — The summon power of a lesser god can bring from one to three creaturses of the same alignment as the lesser deity. Each must be of the same sort as the others summoned. No more than 25 total hit dice of creatures can be so called. 4 — For demigods, the summon power is limited to one or two creatures of not more than 20 total hit dice. Again, creatures must be of the same alignment and (if more than one is summoned) of the same type.

Clerics’ experience penalties In many cases, clerics who worship a deity of the Suel pantheon are rewarded with certain special powers. As compensation for this privilege, a cleric must “pay” experience points, in the form of a penalty that forces the character to earn more points to advance in level than are required for a normal cleric. The recommended way to administer this penalty is to deduct the required percentage of experience points whenever experience points are awarded. For instance, a cleric who must pay a 10% penalty throughout his level progression will have 10% of his earned experience continuously deducted prior to the awarding of expe- rience (usually at the end of an adventure). A cleric who must pay a penalty to advance to one particular level will do so after every adventure during the time he is rising through the next lower level. DRAGON 27 28 JULY 1984 D RAGON 29 30 JULY 1984 The Legacy of Hortus Fifteen of the master’s most fruitful experiments

Text and artwork by Jack Crane

The following text was please his eyes. Hortus the Floriculturist van- extracted and rewritten from the He had dedicated a lifetime to ished from the planet. No re- secret diary of Hortus the Flori- perfecting the design of his chil- mains were ever found. Legend culturist by an unidentified dren. And his lifespan was not imparts that his mortal body was associate and confidant. that of an ordinary mortal; it secretly cremated, his bones was not measured in years or crushed and ground to a fine decades but measured in eons. powder, and the ashes and bone- But alas, he was not immortal. meal offered as fertilizer to his H ortus shut the door Fall had long since passed beloved “children.” Many of softly behind him. He rested his through his elan vital. The chill these strange and often frighten- frame against the door and eternal winter was settling within ing manifestations may be found closed his eyes to drink in the his bones like the first snowfall of in isolated pockets of forest, earthy scents, his lips curling in an ice age. The light blazed but a satisfied smile. His eyes, eyes the flame flickered. that seemed to burn with the fire There would be no more of unquenchable wisdom and springs in his life. Or would power, opened slowly to feast there? upon the scene before him. Something precipitous awaited Within the greenhouse he was Death’s arrival. If Hortus had the creator. He held the power of his way, which was inevitable, life and death — and more — he Death would depart grasping held their secrets. They were his sand. He could not, he would brides in the act of creation, not, resign himself to the finality companions in the womb, await- of the Stygian crossing. Soon his ing the loving manipulation of mortal shell would crumble like this architect extraordinaire. the leaves beneath his window, Around him lay his progeny, but the esoteric essence, his the products of his love, wisdom, being, would continue . . . and power. Hortus knelt on one within his creations. . . . knee in supplication to his chil- At the instant of death, his dren, and lovingly caressed the physical brain would be removed bed in which they were nurtured from his skull like a seed from its . . . the bed they shared with pod and carefully fed, along with their mother. Long had he toiled some magic of alchemy, to a in that bed, his sweat mingling selected few of his spawn. His with their mother, the earth, mind, his thoughts, his life mother of all living things. would coinhabit their magical Slowly, relentlessly, he had hybridized forms. His life form unlocked and unraveled the would continue for eternity in a secrets of the virgin territory. symbiotic marriage with these Patience, discipline, persever- plants through this synthesis of ance, and most of all knowledge science and metaphysics. had prevailed. The rewards were His protégés, those few rare greater than his most outlandish beings with whom he had shared fantasies, than his most outra- his trust and his secrets, would geous intellectual expectations. each take one of the twelve He had tapped The Source. plants that he had entrusted with He owned The Source. He was his soul. Those trustees would the master; The Source moved protect and nurture these and flowed to his dictate. The charmed flora/fauna, and in field, or jungle. Some have been fruit of his genius swayed and return would reap any and all of observed to be in the care of chattered about him. He had Hortus’s wisdom at their beck- certain reclusive magicians and This article and its ac- shaped the very essence of their oning. Immortality would be his clerics. No trace has ever been beings to suit his needs and . . . at a very high cost. found of Hortus’s twelve aposte- companying artwork are whims. Their forms were of his lic custodians. Rumors persist. dedicated to the memory will, their colors of his desire. He On the following pages is a of Steve Arnold, and to had ruthlessly woven the fabrics brief botanical encyclopedia of Gail and Buffy, who sur- of life into patterns of his choos- S ometime during the sec- the bizarre but fascinating flora/ vive to perpetuate his ing. The warp and woof were ond millennium of the Age of fauna engineered by the genius ideals and spirit. wed in organic tapestries to Magic and Enlightenment, of Hortus the Floriculturist. — Jack Crane

D RAGON 31 B eebalm is a perennial, queens are free to fly until mat- developing eggs, larvae, and herbivorous, chaotic good spe- ing, whereupon they take root pupae. Reports of old, incredibly cies found world wide, although for the remainder of their lives. large hive formations have been one particularly aggressive vari- The eggs of the workers develop noted throughout the world, and ety is rumored to inhabit some in the comb/flower structure some hives have been success- tropical zones. Beebalm crea- and become free-flying in fully domesticated for the com- tures are easily agitated, but just adult form for the duration of mercial value of the abundant as easily subdued with the use of their lives. Their lives are spent nectar produced by the plants smoke or other irritants. The caring for and feeding newly and the workers.

C atnip is an annual (ap- pears perennially in tropical and subtropical regions), carnivo- rous, evil hybrid. It is also very prolific, bearing seeds every four to six weeks under ideal condi- tions. Catnip has a mild narcotic effect on all mammals, but is neither addictive nor habit form- ing. While under its effect, ani- mals will display enhanced vision and stealth and rather eccentric or even obsessive sanitary habits. Effects vary with dosage and time. Catnip will never be found near horehound.

Nepeta Cataria Felidae

Monard Didyama Bumblebidae

B utterfly flowers are an- ravenous appetites. They ulti- nual, chaotic/good, omnivorous mately attach themselves in great- caterpillars/herbivorous adults, numbers to the stalks of sturdy found in tropical and temperate plants, whereupon they meta- zones. Hundreds of variations on morphose into immobile adults. this species exist world wide, During the final days of the each mimicking the true insect adult life cycle, males and the specimens native to that particu- egg-bearing females break free of lar region. By luring pure strain their bonds, and glory in a mo- butterflies into futile mating mentary burst of freedom. For attempts, butterfly flowers trick this span of time the creatures them into carrying pollen from exhibit a strange sensitivity to one flower to another, thus aid- strong magical auras. When this ing butterfly flowers with neces- occurs, hundreds or thousands of sary pollination and seed the beauties may be seen homing dissemination. in on magical caches or beings Young butterfly flowers are that may be many miles away. totally ambulatory and possess Schizanthus Lepidoptera 32 JULY 1984 C obra orchids are peren- Dandelions are annual (also ing ability and tenacity. nial, herbivorous, evil creatures appear perennially through the The young kittens are scat- primarily found in tropical and widespread dispersal of prolific tered by seeds and take root subtropical zones, although they seeds), chaotic/evil carnivorous immediately upon striking fertile are occasionally found in pro- creatures. They are fearsome soil, where they stay for the tected areas in temperate zones. creatures of great stealth and remainder of their lives. A cobra orchid bite may or may determination that will surprise Dandelions do not grow near not be fatal, depending on the even the most battle-hardy war- horehound. whim of the creature. The poi- rior with their cunning fight- \ son may be extracted from one much like it would from a true serpent. Like the snake vine, cobra orchids Propagate through the dispersal of egglike seeds in early spring to late fall in temperate zones, and year round in tropical and subtropical zones or when cultivated indoors. The newly hatched young are completely mobile until they shed their first skins, at which time they burrow their tails into the soil and take Darlington Californica Venoma root for the rest of their lives.

Taraxacum Officinale Panthera Leo

Foxglove is a perennial, omnivorous, neutral species found in the pastures, glens, and deep forests of temperate zones. Foxglove is an unusually shy species that is difficult to find, and even more difficult to cap- ture or handle. Foxglove sap may be used as an herb to stimu- late hearts. Foxglove will never be found near horehound, and should not be planted in close proximity to it if cultivation is attempted.

Primula Veris Bovine

C owslips are perennial, deep pools around the creatures. herbivorous, good creatures Below each flower small pouches found in tropical, subtropical, form containing a palatable and temperate zones. Appropri- milky substance. The existence ately named, cowslips exude of this species is proof that Hor- large amounts of a slippery, tus did indeed possess a sense of odorous resin that collects in humor. Marrubium Vulgare Canine DRAGON 33 Horehoud is a perennial, Smartweed is a perennial, levels keep smartweed a fairly carnivorous, neutral species omnivorous, neutral hybrid well-guarded secret. Second, found in all latitudes. Hore- found world wide, including each plant/animal possesses an hounds have an uncanny sense cultivated and urban environ- innate ability to camouflage and/ of smell, and are frequently used ments, although rare. It may be or mimic all other botanical in tracking or other olfactory- potted for outdoor or indoor species. Smartweed is rarely seen related tasks. These creatures propagation with an incredible in its true form. Smartweeds also make excellent watch dogs, variety of subspecies and hybrids may occasionally be tricked into and can easily alert their owners available, each capable of very revealing themselves through an to unusual sounds, scents, or specialized mental disciplines. impulsive habit of correcting any movements, although they are Although the most valuable erroneous or inaccurate state- frequently distracted by food. and coveted of the entire plant/ ments made in close proximity. Horehounds are often potted animal hybrid mutations, this A myth based on some histori- and domesticated, but they will species remains rare for two cal substance maintains that never be found near the hybrids reasons. First, smartweed’s twelve very rare plants of this foxglove, tiger lily, dandelion, or existence and habits are re- species exist. It is further under- catnip. pressed through a carefully stood that twelve caretakers of structured organization of unknown identities maintain knowledgeable subversive indi- these rarities and retain a stag- viduals. A closed circle of magic- gering wealth of knowledge as a users and, more frequently, result. The possession of clerics of higher intellectual smartweed remains priceless.

Digitalis Purpurea Canine Smartus

Tulipa Ornitholigia Mimicus Stachys Olympica Muttonae Parrot tulips are perennial, herbivorous, neutral creatures found in tropical and subtropical Lamb's ear is a perennial, regions only. They are known for herbivorours, good species found their brilliant plumage/petals. in profusion throughout subtrop- Unlike a smartweed, a parrot ical and temperate zones. Fibers tulip is incapable of cognizant from flower clusters are readily endeavors, merely entertaining spun and woven into fabrics itself by mimicking verbatim more durable, warm and prized anything within its hearing than those of ordinary wool. The range, including voices, noises, plant is tasty when broiled or or abstract sounds. It has a finite stewed, but few can bring them- memory limited to approxi- selves to slaughter these gentle, mately several short paragraphs doe-eyes creatures. The sap is or 24 simple sentences. It is often administered as a sleeping useful in delivering short mes- potion. sages or for eavesdropping. Philodendron Polygonum Intellectus

34 JULY 1984 S nake vine is a perennial, Snapdragons are perennial, to be used as a defensive/offen- carnivorous, evil hybrid not to carnivorous, evil creatures found sive weapon. The snapdragon be confused with the snake in a rainbow of colors all over claims the honor of being the gourd, an equally dangerous the globe. They are capable of most vicious, aggressive, and predatory plant that frequents extracting methane (swamp gas) dangerous of Hortus’s mutations. vegetable gardens and flower beds. A variety of this species can be found in virtually all forests, jungles, fields, and cities. A snake vine crushes its prey and swallows it whole, consum- ing victims many times its own size. The creature is anchored by roots and tendrils originating roughly in the middle of its body. The tail contains the seeds/eggs, and all creatures of the species have the ability to reproduce.

Antirrhinum Majus Draconis

Lilium Paradalinum Panthera Tigris

Tiger lilies are a perennial, variety located in pockets of carnivorous, chaotic evil hybrid the polar regions. Dispersal is originally discovered in Asia and accomplished by transplantation the New World (although they of rootstock, and does not occur now exist in many continents, naturally, therefore human inter- from temperate to equatorial vention is essential in establish- zones). Although rare, there is ing its wide range. even an albino winter-hardy

W ormwood are perennial, omnivorous neutral creatures found in all latitudes. Although they do not consume living wood, wormwood have a pench- ant for cured wood, leather, fabrics, and both dead and living flesh. With their rapacious appe- tite they can destroy a building in a day, a small boat in hours, or a body in minutes. Only the young are capable of motion, until as pupae they bond to a tree, cleverly dupheating its leaves or external features. and for all intents and purposes, become part of the plant. Upon maturity wormwood reproduce through asexual reproduction, and each spring during their adult life they drop hundreds of Philodendron Monstera Reptilia Squamata Artemisia Absinthium Segmentus insatiable, winged young.

D RAGON 35 Game review Stalking isn't fantastic

STALKING THE NIGHT FANTASTIC a 0 strength, you might as well forget about ability of success when using that skill. is a near-future role-playing game in which using hand-held weapons; the character will Most starting characters are given a Pri- player characters are members of our gov- never do damage. And what of the charac- mary Occupational skill (at level 5-8), two ernment’s ultra-secret supernatural fighting ter with 0 intelligence? Secondary Occupational skills (each at level force, Bureau 13. Agents of the bureau Maybe patience and perseverance are the 3-6), plus anywhere from 6-22 other skills come from all walks of life, but they have key. It is possible for a character to increase (each at level 1-4). Exceptions are charac- one thing in common: They have each, at certain of his statistics by advancing in ters with 0 intelligence, who presumably get one time or another, had a run-in with a experience and paying out skill points he no additional skills (the chart starts at intel- supernatural or paranormal phenomenon. earns at new levels. If a character with 0 ligence 1), and medical doctor, who have a All the rules are contained in a 104-page, strength is lucky enough to live to second different schedule for acquiring skills. Each softcover 8½" x 11" book that sells for $13. level, he can “get on the board.” But there’s character also gets from 3-6 skills from Stalking uses 17 characteristics to de- another problem at the other end of the Bureau 13, which include such things as scribe a player character. Most of these scale: A rule states that “statistics cannot be magic use, supernatural studies, and demo- attributes are determined by rolling 4d6 and improved over 15,” yet one of the charts litions. These skills start at level 1-4 each. subtracting 4, for a 0-20 range. Others are indicates that it’s possible to have an agility This skill generation system yields some generated by rolling 2d20 and subtracting score greater than 40. good beginning characters, which is all the 20, or are computed from other scores. One After generating a character’s abilities, better because Stalking is a very deadly (Piety) is determined by the player’s deci- it’s time to teach him some skills. There are game. In fact, it is perhaps the most versa- sion. It’s possible to have a characteristic two types of skills, general and medical. tile game when it comes to killing charac- rated 0, but there’s no place in the game for Skills are measured by “level," which ters; over 20 sub-systems are presented that such a character. The charts and tables should not be confused with “experience can do away with characters, covering throughout the book never cover any statis- level” or “language level.” Each skill level everything from asphyxiation to car crashes. tic that is less than 1. If your character has (to a maximum of 20) adds 5% to the prob- However, few of the systems given are compatible with one another, meaning that GM and players alike will constantly refer to the rules in order to resolve conflicts between them. Not all damage-system varieties were “plugged” into one easy system; rather; several different systems were developed to arrive at the damage suffered. It drags out the action, and it’s a very short road from there to boredom. One of the most interesting statements in the Stalking rules is in the “Damage” sec- tion under “Level of Play.” It states that there is a “Fast Play” combat system which disregards all the different forms of injury or death in return for quick, straightforward results. The system is less realistic and does less damage overall to the character than the “Recommended Play” combat system. The kicker is in the final paragraph of the section which reads, “In some ways the recommended system is a little more harsh than taking straight structure (sic) without side effects. This system is not recom- mended for NPC’s or animals.” Obviously, this double-standard system imbalances encounters. While PCs struggle along favoring their sprained ankles and broken ribs, the NPCs waltz around practi- cally unencumbered by their wounds until they drop dead. I highly recommend that one system or the other be used for both PCs and NPCs. Fair is fair. Perhaps the strongest point in Stalking‘s favor is its list of encounters. They run the entire gauntlet from African Witch Doctors and Aliens to Purple Monsters and Shape- less Disgusting Things. Some are very

36 JULY 1984 DRAGON 37 Game review interesting and could have scenarios devel- oped about them in their own right. It looks like a lot of time and effort went into the design of Stalking the Night Fantas- The book’s better tic. It’s a shame that some of the effort was misguided. One thing that might improve the game would be to put the game sections into a logical order; charts and tables are Joe Haldeman wrote The Forever War, a An important feature of the novel was the scattered throughout the book. The two novel about a war that begins in our near time-dilation effects suffered by those who character types, medical doctors and bureau future and stretches on for what seems like travel at relativistic speeds. A spaceship that agents, were shoved into the sections on forever to its participants. Now Mayfair took a long time in transit was in effect general skills, experience, and medical Games has given us THE FOREVER traveling into its future, and an encounter skills. An index would also be indispensable WAR, a game of tactical infantry combat with the enemy might then be dominated by as a gaming aid, especially for a book of this on airless worlds at near absolute zero tem- the changes in technology it had benefitted size. peratures, also borrowing some window from in the intervening years. (How would Stalking the Night Fantastic is not a dressing from the novel as well as the nov- the Spanish Armada have fared against the terrible game, just a very near miss. The el’s name. The book was outstanding; the fleet Jellicoe commanded at Jutland?) Of background history of how and why the game, unfortunately, is less than that. course, the ground troops aboard those Bureau exists is as feasible as the existence In the novel, the war was between hu- ships would face similar problems — and of dragons and dungeons in a medieval mans and aliens known as Taurans. Deep- they do, in the book, but the game inade- world. The game would suit “tinkerers” or space travel was accomplished by diving at quately addresses this element. those GMs who only buy a game to get relativistic speeds into collapsed matter stars So, despite its title, the game called The inspiration for their own systems. Beginners (“collapsars”) and emerging back into Forever War is not a simulation of the war or players who are not enthusiastic about normal space light-years away. As might be in the novel, but only a small part of it. As putting in some overtime on reworking the expected, collapsars were focal points of a game, it’s not outstanding but it’s not rules would do better to stay away from this conflict in the war, and most of the ground bad, either — a beer ‘n’ pretzels shoot-‘em- one. fighting took place on whatever iceball up rather than a detailed but abstracted Stalking the Night Fantastic was designed planets were nearest the collapsars, as each approach (a la Squad Leader). by Richard Tucholka, Chris Beiting, and side tried to secure the planet (and the The game has about 250 playing pieces Robert Sadler. It is available through retail collapsar) as a base or take it away from the made of thin die-cut counters. Most of the outlets and by mail order from the pub- enemy. The novel also included combat on pieces are either infantry counters, repre- lisher, Tri-Tac Inc., P.O. Box 61, Madison habitable worlds and combat between senting individual human officers and troop Hts. MI 48071. spaceships — both of which are absent from units of up to four men (or eight Taurans), — Reviewed by Jerry Epperson the game. or support weapons. The map is mounted

38 JULY 1984 and partly geomorphic, puzzle-cut so that same way as fire combat, except that car- on the CRT for each Tech Level it is higher the pieces can be interlocked in several ried weapons may not be used, and non- than the target unit. different ways. The terrain features are pinned units involved in melee get a The game includes ten scenarios and a limited to mountains, craters, fissures, and favorable column shift on the Combat point-value chart so that players can devise hydrogen ice pools on what is otherwise a Results Table. their own scenarios. The ones provided are plain of smooth lava. Hydrogen ice is easy In the Designers’s Notes at the end of the frustratingly similar and do not really reflect to move on but deadly to be caught on; a rules, designer James Griffin emphasizes any of the specific actions described in the unit that is pinned in a hydrogen-ice hex is the importance of morale and the disparities novel. In all but one of the scenarios, one eliminated without further combat, since in technology caused by the time-dilation side is designated as the defender, who sets “hitting the dirt” causes hot parts of the effects — yet these are reflected in the game up units anywhere on the map at least 4 battle suit to touch the ice with calamitous in only a cursory manner. The Pin/Rally hexes from the map edge and secretly desig- results. sequence deals with morale: a pinned unit nates one of the bunkers in his force-mix as The sequence of play is straightforward. stays pinned until it rallies, which is done the entrance to that side’s underground The attacker moves first, conducts a four- on a roll of 1-3 on a six-sided die. For hu- base. The attacker enters the map anywhere phase turn, and then the defender does the man units, the presence of an unpinned he desires, and the two forces have at it. same. The phases are: Rally, where the leader in the hex allows the die roll to be Play proceeds until (a) one side is wiped phasing player moves his officers (if any) reduced by the amount of the leader’s Mo- out, (b) the defender’s base entrance is and tries to “rescue” pinned units; Check rale Bonus (1 for a lieutenant, 2 for a cap- occupied by the attacker for two consecutive for the appearance of Planetary Fighters tain, 3 for a major). Taurans have a group turns, or (c) time runs out, in which case and resolve their attacks (if any); Move mentality and, as such, do not have leaders, the winner is the side that occupied the base units; and Resolve combat. but each unpinned Tauran unit in the same entrance when the last turn ended. Combat takes place at the end of each hex with a pinned Tauran reduces that As a reflection of the novel on which it player’s turn and is simultaneous, so any unit’s Rally die roll by one. Thus, for mo- was based, The Forever War falls short. To unit can be involved in combat twice during rale purposes all troops, and officers of a be sure, this is a difficult thing to do well, a single game turn. The possible results are given rank, are identical in their effects, and but the lack of “book accuracy” in the No Effect, Pinned, and Eliminated. A these effects are minimal in any case. scenarios makes one wonder if the attempt pinned unit cannot move or conduct fire Time dilation and the effect of differing was even made in earnest. combat (with a ranged weapon), but may technology is simulated by having troops be As a game by itself, The Forever War is melee with an enemy unit in the same hex. at one of five Tech Levels. Certain weapons more successful. It is reasonably fun to play, If a pinned unit suffers a second “Pinned” are unavailable to units of lower Tech Lev- and action moves quickly. But neither the result (but this cannot take place in the els, and the cost of troops and weapons quality of the components nor the design same combat phase as the original pin), the increases with each higher level. Otherwise, justifies the $17 price tag. Or, maybe, it just unit is eliminated. the only effect of the different technologies depends on how much you want to have left Melee combat occurs between opposing is that in fire combat a unit of a higher Tech for your beer and pretzels. units in the same hex, and is resolved in the Level receives a favorable one-column shift — Reviewed by Steve List

40 JULY 1984

OPERATION: WHlTEOUT YOUR OBJECTIVE: GET THE GOODS ON CON — AND DON’T CATCH COLD DOlNG IT

Each time an aircraft approaches the re- much interaction with the outside world AGENT FILE search station and requests landing instruc- would defeat the purpose of their research. tions, the pilot is informed that the airfield Billeter assured them that when visitors do CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND is under localized whiteout conditions and is land, they are treated cordially but encour- MISSION BRIEFING advised to fly to another nearby research aged to leave fairly promptly. GEOGRAPHY: Whiteout Base is located outpost if the craft must set down. (Local- The leader explained further that Atlantis on a flat, icy island at 64 degrees 15 min- ized whiteouts are not uncommon in Ant- II was involved in researching agriculture in utes south, 60 degrees 30 minutes west, ten arctica, but the reported whiteout polar regions, with the intent of achieving miles away from Camp Perez. It is situated conditions at the Atlantis base have become self-sufficiency. He said the project is on property claimed by Great Britain, so prevalent that the research station is funded by Atlantis Enterprises. Chile, and Argentina. Estimates of its hu- known to outsiders as “Whiteout Base.“) The scientists identified themselves and man population range from 80 to 120. It is known that research is carried on at explained the reason for their visit. Billeter HISTORY: In 1947, President Gabriel Whiteout Base, even though exact discov- agreed to their request to set up a tempo- Gonzalez Videla of Chile established several eries and experiments have not been re- rary outpost about 500 yards southeast of research stations to reinforce his country’s ported to the scientific community. Outside Atlantis II to conduct their own research, claim to the Antarctic peninsula. Although researchers hypothesize that the residents of and allowed the team to maintain constant geothermal activity was detected very close Whiteout Base are involved in agricultural radio contact from their base. to the site in question, the station was aban- and geothermal energy research. The scientists used the outpost to keep doned after two years because the Chilean CURRENT STATUS: Responding to 24-hour surveillance on Atlantis II. Activity government was unwilling to finance its the urgings of SCAR members, the UN outside the complex was almost negligible, continued operation. Security Council decided to inspect the much less than would be expected for a base The site lay dormant and unoccupied research station. A little more than two of its size. No aircraft or ground vehicles until 1971, when Atlantis Enterprises con- weeks ago, a plan was conceived to have a arrived or departed during the surveillance tacted Salvador Allende Gossens (the new team of SCAR scientists, including a repre- period, which lasted more than 11 days. president of Chile) and offered to buy the sentative of the Security Council, fly to the During this time, the scientists made brief, station. Both Argentina and Britain pro- research station in an effort to open a line of scheduled visits to the complex every three tested the sale of the station on the basis of scientific communication between the sta- days to exchange meteorological data. Their the international treaty of 1959 which stated tion and other Antarctic bases. requests for other information were refused. that no person, organization, or govern- The scientific team embarked, flew to- On day 12 of the surveillance, geiger ment may own land in Antarctica until ward the research station, and requested counters at the scientists’ camp detected 1989. Allende ignored their protests and landing instructions. The pilot was in- significant levels of radiation emanating sold the station to Atlantis Enterprises. formed that severe whiteout conditions over from Atlantis II. They contacted the base, Beginning five months ago, routine satel- the airfield made landing impossible. The asked about the cause, and were told that lite reconnaissance of Antarctica showed scientists feigned radio failure, approached information was privileged. The scientists evidence of construction and expansion at unchallenged, and landed safely — under detected the source as a cloud of radioactive the Atlantis site. Best information suggests clear skies. steam that was airborne and beginning to that Atlantis Enterprises has revived an old The scientists were greeted at the airport drift. They requested permission to leave association with an ultra-survivalist group, by a guard who was efficient but not hostile. the base, and were told that their plane the Children of Neptune (CON). This He transported them to the research station, would be ready for takeoff in one hour. group has been connected with subversive which looks from the surface like a cluster of They abandoned camp, keeping all their activities including drug trafficking, the greenhouses. surveillance records and notes on the com- selling of military secrets, and the counter- The team stayed in the complex as visi- plex, as well as maps and photographs they feiting of Swiss francs. tors for about 24 hours. They were given had procured at Atlantis II. Just after tak- Only in the last year has any detailed tours by qualified personnel of certain areas ing off, they contacted the UN Security information surfaced about CON. The of the complex, and were politely but firmly Council and sent a coded radio message agency has thwarted two CON operations denied access to other locations. They were concerning the radioactive cloud. Shortly (the Floating Island Mission and the Merce- under constant personal supervision by at thereafter, the Ellsworth base had this con- nary Atoll Mission). The purpose behind least one guard, in addition to any tour tact with the SCAR aircraft, at 1000 hours the construction of a floating island and a guides. on June 2: nuclear-powered floating drydock can only When the scientists tried to question “Ellsworth, this is Penguin One. be guessed at. Plans and blueprints belong- personnel about the “whiteout” ruse, every- Come in, Ellsworth. Over.” ing to CON have been discovered for entire one claimed to know nothing about it except “This is Ellsworth. We read you, floating cities and submarine cities. Now, it the leader of the outpost, who identified Penguin One. Over.” is apparent that CON is on the way to himself as William Billeter, Canadian by “Ellsworth, we are airborne from assembling one of these future-survival birth, and the head administrator of the Whiteout Base. Prepare to receive a cities in Antarctica. complex called Atlantis II. Billeter ex- complete report as soon as we land at Atlantis Enterprises has ignored all at- plained that airport personnel are instructed Ellsworth. Our ETA is 1200 hours. tempts at contact by the Scientific Commit- to discourage casual visitors by claiming a Over and out.” tee for Antarctic Research (SCAR) and whiteout exists, because the station’s work “We’ll be ready for you, Penguin governmental agencies of several countries. is centered around self-sufficiency, and too One. This is Ellsworth, over and out.”

42 JULY 1984 One hour later, this message was received report to Dr. Michael T. Jameson for sup- Will B. Driver, getaway driver. Enjoys from Penguin One: plemental verbal instructions. Jameson can tailing and high-speed chases with any “Ellsworth, this is Penguin One. Do be found in the base library. He is an vehicle. you copy, Ellsworth? Over.” agency contact working for the UN Security “Paper Chaser,” bureaucratic paper- “We copy, Penguin One. This is Council. shuffler with piloting skills. She enjoys Ellsworth. Over.” It is suggested that your team transport adventure and danger. “Ellsworth, we are having fuel prob- all issued equipment from New Zealand, lems. We’ve just passed our PNR since Antarctic bases are poorly equipped Investigation bureau [point of no return] and the gauges are for espionage missions. A limited supply of Miss Ecoute, interpreter and language dropping fast. We’ll try to put her cold-weather equipment, food, water, and arts specialist. She speaks English-92, down on the Filchner Ice Shelf. Our vehicles can be obtained from any Antarctic French-90, Spanish-88, German-40, and current position is 73 degrees South, 47 base. Russian-91. degrees West. We’re going down.” Pierre Piton, French mountain climber. There was no further contact. Agent player character list Carries his own crampons and 50’ of nylon Choose one of the following agents to rope. ASSIGNMENT play. The Administrator will give you an “Dynamo,” fast-talking, fast-acting natu- Because of the mystery about what hap- AGENT DOSSIER after you have chosen ral leader; at least he thinks so. Enjoys pened to Penguin One, the Security Coun- an agent to play. conversation. cil has decided to increase the intensity of its investigation of Atlantis II. SCAR intends Assassination bureau Ellsworth Base to send an investigative team to Atlantis II “The Mugger,” a vengeful vigilante. Supplemental verbal instructions to discover the source of the radioactive Stalks lowlife criminals with a large-caliber “It has been determined that Penguin steam, the complete plans of William Bille- handgun. One crash-landed on the Filchner Ice Shelf. ter, and his intended means of achieving his Olga, former trainer for an Olympic The Soviets recovered the bodies of the goals. The group has contacted your agency wrestling team. Likes to crush her oppo- SCAR scientists and the aircraft’s ‘black to assemble such a team. Violence is to be nents with her bare hands. box.’ The bodies and the black box were kept to a minimum. turned over to the Americans at Ellsworth. Your team and its equipment will be Confiscation bureau No maps or photos were reported found by transported from Christchurch, New “Klepto,” picks up souvenirs unrelated to the Soviets. It is assumed that the maps Zealand, to Ellsworth Base, Antarctica. At missions. Has large collection of tools and survived in a special flameproof container Ellsworth your team is to immediately clothing. now hidden under snow or wreckage at the crash site. “Your team must decide how to proceed. You may fly to the crash site to assist in the search for the maps and evidence, or you may set course for another base. Under the treaty of 1959, any base in Antarctica is accessible to you, since no base can refuse permission for a plane to land. This should also apply to Atlantis II. “Once you arrive at Atlantis II, the exact means of penetration is left up to you. The agency suggests that your team feign air- craft engine trouble and make a forced landing on the Atlantis II airstrip. From there you are to attempt to infiltrate the main complex, collect data, and return to base to report your findings. At no time are you to reveal your true assignment to Atlan- tis II personnel. “If chemical, biological, or radiological (nuclear) warfare devices are encountered in the field, you should make no attempt to disarm or contain the devices. Proper au- thorities (decontamination or bomb disposal units) should be notified at once, even at the risk of jeopardizing a delicate mission. Caution supersedes any political or national allegiances. “It is currently winter on the continent, which means there is continual darkness in most places south of the Antarctic Circle. The average temperature on the coast is -40 degrees Fahrenheit. Any overland traveling is extremely hazardous. The extreme cold tends to jam conventional weapons. Trigger guards prevent mittened hands from pulling triggers. Bare flesh begins freezing after one minute of exposure to sub-zero tempera- tures, and bare skin freezes to metal. The agency recommends that agents avoid out- door battles entirely.”

D RAGON 43 ADMINISTRATOR’S FILE a small atoll in the Northwest Pacific uncov- ered another CON construction. A floating drydock used to construct floating islands Adventure preparation One year ago, supplies and CON person- confirmed the existence of CON and in- Information in the AGENT FILE should nel began congregating in Chile before creased the possibility of additional floating be given to players in the order it is pre- being shuttled by plane and ship to the islands. The Mercenary Atoll Mission also sented here. First, they should read the Antarctic Peninsula. Two runways were hinted at the existence of another CON Christchurch, New Zealand Mission Brief- built with two hangars and temporary hous- construction in Antarctica. ing. Then players make their character ing. A pipeline was driven deep into geo- CON is attempting to make Atlantis II selections based on the brief descriptions (or thermal rock. Slush pumped down the pipe self-sufficient for two major reasons. First, use their own characters), and they depart became superheated steam to supply power to insure the continued survival of their for Ellsworth Base to finish organizing for the base. During the brief warm season, members in the event of a supply-halting supplies and receive their final verbal in- trenches were bulldozed in the sun-softened world holocaust or a blockade against them structions. snow. Seventy-two prefabricated housing on the part of outside countries, they must A player who chooses a pregenerated units were placed in the trenches. Corru- be prepared to provide themselves with the character should first determine the bureau gated metal was used to form curved snow necessities of life. classification of the character he wishes to roofs over the subsurface passageways; the Second, in 1959, twelve countries pro- play. Next, he should either choose an avail- snow froze in position, and the curved claimed a treaty that prevented any territo- able character from that bureau, or select corrugated metal was removed. Clear rial claims in Antarctica from being settled one randomly. In any event, the player’s acrylic Quonset huts were built on the for 30 years. Although the Children of choice is made without knowing details such surface of the snow between the snow- Neptune have staked out a large tract of as the character’s exact ability ratings. One roofed passageways. The Quonset huts were land, neither CON nor any country owns of the eight Agent Dossiers will be given to connected with plywood hallways. In the land in Antarctica. In 1989, CON hopes to the player by the Admin once the player’s center of the buildings and tunnels, a claim and own part, if not all, of Antarc- decision is made. The personal traits of the 60-foot-tall geodesic dome was constructed. tica. CON bases its hopes on the fact that characters are fixed, and may not be ad- The dome is 150 feet wide and is composed although several countries have permanent justed upon receipt of a dossier. of 665 transparent, triangular panels sup- scientific outposts and military bases in Once the players have completed their ported by an aluminum skeleton. Antarctica, none of the countries have a preparations for the game, the referee fin- CON personnel wasted no time moving truly self-sufficient colony. CON’s claim will ishes setting the stage by bringing the player into the finished base and setting up house- have at least some validity, since entire characters from the mission briefing to the keeping. A meteorological tower and a families have taken up residence at Atlantis place where the mission is to begin. This is radio antenna were raised. Live plants, II. Also, most Antarctic bases depend on usually a matter of providing a brief narra- food, clothing, and laboratory equipment food, fuel, and supplies from home coun- tive (such as, “After obtaining supplies and arrived by the planeload. Housing units tries. Atlantis II hopes to grow its own food getting organized, your group is taken via became mess halls, storage areas, mainte- supplies, use naturally occurring geother- transport plane from Christchurch, New nance shops, and laboratories. Atlantis II mal energy, and manufacture all it needs to Zealand to the United States Base, became the long-awaited colony of the function as an independent community. Ellsworth.“). Children of Neptune. However, now that CON’s crimes have In the meantime, CON has evolved from been made known to the world, Billeter Plot synopsis a survivalist group into an ultra-survivalist feels the group’s survival is threatened. He The Children of Neptune (CON) began faction planning world domination after the has instituted a new offensive plan. A team as a survivalist group dedicated to insuring superpowers mutually annihilate each other. of CON engineers has begun constructing the survival of its members in the event of a With Atlantis II as its headquarters, CON small nuclear devices designed to destroy world war or other global tragedy. At that plans to rule the survivors of the earth’s the other Antarctic bases. Billeter hopes that time, the Children of Neptune practiced northern hemisphere, using a fleet of float- setting off a single nuclear explosion at a natural food farming, supply hoarding, ing islands. These islands are to be con- United States or Soviet base will cause an outdoor survival, weapon use, and other structed in nuclear-powered floating international crisis. If one side blames the survivalist techniques. The group seemed drydocks. At present, CON has constructed other, a war could break out, increasing relatively harmless until William Billeter Atlantis II in Antarctica, a floating drydock Billeter’s chances of continental or world became their leader. in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, and a domination. If a war does not break out, Billeter, a former Arctic explorer, is a floating island in the Great Barrier Reef. Billeter plans to claim responsibility for the popular, dynamic speaker and businessman. In recent years, CON activities came to bomb and threaten to destroy other Antarc- Under his leadership, group membership the attention of the world’s peacekeeping tic bases unless Atlantis II is recognized as a and revenues increased throughout the authorities when CON became involved in political entity and given land of its own in world. Billeter contacted several investors to crime to raise money for construction. In Antarctica. provide capital to form a natural food fran- what is referred to as the “Floating Island Recently, while workers were building chise. This franchise became incorporated Mission,” international authorities financed one of the nuclear weapons, an “accident” under the name Atlantis Enterprises. a small team of agents to retrieve stolen occurred in the laboratory. This incident Soon afterward, the Children of Neptune Swiss franc printing plates. Once the manu- forced radioactive dust up an exhaust pipe began planning their own colony. The idea factured floating island had been invaded to the surface. The laboratory was not of Atlantis II was born in 1970, and the and secured, an intensive investigation of contaminated, but the outside snow and the search for a natural undeveloped building the premises followed. Vague references pipe were. site began. In 1971, Atlantis Enterprises hinted at CON’s involvement in the coun- Most of the residents of Atlantis II are purchased a plot of land on the Antarctic terfeiting scheme. It is conjectured that ignorant of the outside world’s discovery of Peninsula where a Chilean research station CON was intending to produce counterfeit the floating island and the drydock, and are once stood. In 1981, Atlantis Enterprises Swiss francs in order to finance the con- not guilty of any wrongdoing except their purchased 72 prefabricated, heavily insu- struction of Atlantis II. Apparently, CON devotion to Billeter. They are intentionally lated housing units and the components for personnel had no intention of flooding the kept ignorant of outside events by Billeter a geodesic dome. Thousands of feet of pipe, world’s financial market or extorting money and his small group of advisers, who make hundreds of fuel oil barrels, sixteen Quonset from the Swiss government. all the policy decisions. huts, and tons of assorted non-perishable Agents investigating the activities of A small secret group of dissenters, calling supplies were shipped to Chile. Colonel Martin “Mad Merc” Strikewell at themselves “625,” want to flee Atlantis II.

44 JULY 1984 themselves to Atlantis II from there, or Atlantis II aerial view proceed on foot or by land vehicle across the ice floe. If the team flies in and asks for landing permission at Atlantis II, personnel there will tell them that the landing strip is currently under whiteout conditions and the aircraft cannot be safely directed to land. (Actual weather conditions depend on what was rolled for the current six-hour game period.) The Children of Neptune will welcome anyone who lands at their airstrip, and will offer the agents mechanical assistance and fuel. If the agents don’t want lodging, they will be expected to stay at the airport until their plane is ready to fly again (which would make this a short mission). If the agents landed the plane because of alleged engine or mechanical trouble, Yang will offer to inspect and repair the aircraft; it will take him 1 - 10 hours to discover that nothing is wrong. He will report this fact to Billeter, who will instruct him to “Snow- bank” the aircraft. (See the section on Code Names.) Yang will only attempt to sabotage the aircraft if all the agents leave the airport area. To cover the time he needs to spend alone with the plane, Yang will tell the agents that he could not find any engine trouble or control problem with the aircraft, but discovered structural wing damage. Repairs can be made in 1-10 hours (Ad- min’s choice or random), and in the mean- time they are welcome to stay as guests in the main complex. Agents may be forced to stay because of approaching nightfall or bad weather. Of course, they can simply accept the invitation (and probably lose the serv- ices of their aircraft) as a means of getting inside the complex. When they enter, the male agents are housed in Unit #23 and female agents in Unit #8.

If Billeter captures any agents, members of character traits are left for the Admin to If the agents approach overland in vehi- “625” may help the agents get away — if determine as well. cles, they will be detected on radar one mile the agents agree to take them along. At Ellsworth Base, the agents meet their away. Yang will approach them in a Sno-cat contact for the verbal briefing and then to find out where they are going and invite Plot directions decide how to set out. They may refuel their them into the main complex. It is impossible to accurately predict the plane immediately at Ellsworth and fly activities of player-character agents assigned themselves to either the crash site, Camp Agents who approach on foot won’t be to a free-form adventure. The adventure is Perez, Atlantis II, or someplace else. A pilot detected by radar, but will be seen 80% of riddled with clues, rumors, characters, and will not go with them, which means that at the time on the base’s infrared surveillance objects intended to provoke action and steer least one agent in the group must have equipment. Two guards will come out on the agents. At certain points in the plot, piloting skill. The agents may choose to open snowmobiles to investigate. If the they must make vital decisions. It is impor- park their aircraft and proceed on foot or by agents are discovered and remain friendly, tant that the agents be reminded of the other means, but this is ill advised for dis- they will be invited to stay in Unit #23 and urgency of their mission from time to time tances of more than a few miles. If agents Unit #8. If agents are unfriendly, they will so that their actions are self-motivated, even want to embark on an overland trek, re- be hunted by guards and shot at by Atlantis if incorrect. mind the players of the time and distance II personnel using heavy machine guns The action should begin with the agents factors involved that make this impossible. placed inside empty fuel oil barrels around being called to a Mission Briefing at a Agents won’t find anything important if the surface of the complex. United Nations Security Council safehouse they visit the site of the Penguin One crash An agent who commits a crime at Atlan- in Christchurch, New Zealand (see the — no map case, no radiation on the wreck- tis II will be considered armed and danger- AGENT FILE). The agents may be at- age. Based on the reports made by the ous. Guards will attempt to arrest the tacked by thugs in a car waiting outside the surveillance team when they were still on agent(s) without harming Atlantis II per- Christchurch safehouse. These thugs are the island, the agents should realize that sonnel. Captured agents will be turned over not associated with the mission, but the they can probably get into Atlantis II easily, to SCAR for legal action. Agents who es- action will get the players in the mood for so they don’t need maps and photographs cape the complex and attempt to leave via later fast action during the investigation. beforehand. their own aircraft will discover their aircraft The thugs can be armed with any hand-held Camp Perez is 10 miles from Atlantis II. has been sabotaged — when it crashes an weapon the Admin chooses. The thugs’ The characters may choose to refuel and fly hour after they’re in the air. DRAGON 45 WEATHER Weather Conditions and Damage Chart in horizontal row of the temperature chart. The climate of Antarctica affects play either the coastal or interior column. This number corresponds to the air temper- directly. Temperature and wind combine to (“Coastal” is any place within 50 miles of ature. By cross-indexing the temperature create deadly weather conditions. Agents the sea; “interior” is the rest of the conti- result with the wind speed result, the Ad- who do not take the weather into account nent.) This number corresponds to wind min can find the base number of Injury may be injured or killed. velocity and determines what row of the Points a character will receive in every ten Weather conditions should be checked temperature chart to consult. To use the minutes of exposure under these weather once every six game hours. Roll two ten- temperature chart, add +4 to the second die conditions. Agents who travel on foot or in sided dice, and find the number rolled on roll if agents are in an interior location, and unheated vehicles will be subject to the full the first die in the left-hand section of the then find the resulting number in the top dangers of the Antarctic cold.

WEATHER CONDITIONS AND DAMAGE CHART

WIND CHART TEMPERATURE CHART (degrees F.) First die: Second die: (may be modified) Speed 1 2 3 4 567 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Coast Inter. Conditions (mph) +10 0 -10 -20 -30 -40 -50 -60 -70 -80 -90 -100 -110 -120 1 1 Calm 0-1 0 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 2 Light air 1-3 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 2 3 Light breeze 4-7 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 3 4 Gentle breeze 8-12 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 4 5 Moderate breeze 13-18 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 5 6 Strong breeze 19-31 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 6 7 Fresh gale 32-46 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 7 8 Whole gale 47-63 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 8 9 Hurricane 64-96 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 Hurricane 97-138 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 Hurricane 139-208 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9

Whiteout Weather damage modifiers Any boldface result on the Weather When calculating weather damage, the number of Injury Points to be subtracted from a Chart indicates the potential for real white- character’s Life Level may be modified by one or more of the following conditions: out conditions. Sometime during the next Character is: Modifier six hours (Admin’s discretion), snow will Standing, lying, or inactive...... +3 begin falling or blowing so hard that the Walking or moderately active ...... +0 horizon will become indistinguishable from Running or extremely active...... -3 the foreground. These conditions will last Immersed in water or wearing wet clothes ...... +5 for 1-100 minutes (roll percentile dice). Missing mittens or boots ...... +2 Visibility becomes very limited at best. Missing mittens and boots...... +4 Small open crevasses become hidden from Protected from the wind ...... -2 view (see the Terrain rules below). Attempt- Moving at less than 20 mph in unheated vehicle without a cab ...... +1 ing to travel overland or in the air without a Moving at 20-60 mph in unheated vehicle without a cab ...... +2 compass will cause the travelers to become Moving faster than 60 mph in unheated vehicle without a cab ...... +3 lost (Admin’s discretion). Any aircraft Wearing inexpensive parka ...... -1 caught in a whiteout should not try to land Wearing moderately priced parka ...... -2 or take off. If either of those maneuvers is Wearing expensive parka...... -3 attempted, refer to the Explosive Use Wearing custom parka...... -4 Against Vehicles Chart on page 37 of the Wearing a space suit...... -5 TOP SECRET® Game Rulebook.

TERRAIN and MOVEMENT Rough terrain is crossed at one-half Characters who travel overland without TERRAIN CHART normal movement, regardless of the means using marked roads run the risk of stum- of overland locomotion used. bling into crevasses (cracks in the icy sur- Dice roll Terrain Crevasses Small crevasses are 1 - 10 centimeters wide face). The danger of crevasses is further 01-40 Smooth None by 10-100 centimeters long and deep. Me- heightened by the fact that they can be 41-58 Rough None dium crevasses are 10-100 centimeters wide hidden beneath a thin layer of ice and snow. 59-66 Smooth Sm & open by 1-10 meters long and deep. Large cre- An intelligently outfitted convoy of vehicles 67-74 Rough Sm & open vasses are 1 - 10 meters wide by 10-100 me- moving over unmarked terrain usually has a 75-78 Smooth Sm & hidden ters deep. large crevasse detector in the lead. Agents 79-82 Rough Sm & hidden Agents can always avoid open crevasses can procure a crevasse detector vehicle 25% 83-86 Smooth Med & open (the sort that are not hidden by ice or snow of the time from any base, and with this can 87-90 Rough Med & open crust) by simply jumping over or walking travel fairly safely. 91-92 Smooth Med & hidden around them — except for small, open The Admin should roll percentile dice 93-94 Rough Med & hidden crevasses encountered during whiteout once every game hour of travel and use the 95-96 Smooth Lg & open conditions; those crevasses are treated as if Terrain Chart to determine present condi- 97-98 Rough Lg & open they were hidden. tions. Unmarked crevasses will not occur 99 Smooth Lg & hidden Vehicles can cross any small crevasses along marked roads or paths. 00 Rough Lg & hidden without slowing down or being affected.

46 JULY 1984 Any vehicle taken across a medium crevasse less than the dice roll, he (or his vehicle) of combat. Revolvers will misfire on a roll will be stuck for 1-10 minutes, and every slips and falls into the crevasse, doing dam- of 99-00, but will not jam. (See page 25 of passenger will take 1 Injury Point of dam- age to the individual or each passenger as the TOP SECRET Game Rulebook.) age from the sudden stop. Any vehicle follows: driven across a large crevasse is stuck per- Small crevasse — Twisted ankle, 1 PHYSICAL SECURITY manently, and every passenger takes 2 Injury Point of damage. All exterior doors can be assumed to be Injury Points of damage. Hidden crevasses Medium or large crevasse — Dam- locked (-/20) at night. Interior doors are can be detected and avoided by any charac- age from falling (see p. 33 of the TOP locked 50% of the time. Desks, files, and ter who succeeds in a percentile dice roll vs. SECRET Game Rulebook). drawers can be considered locked 75% of his Coordination. Each character must Only the lead character risks taking dam- the time. Persons inside private rooms will make this roll if a group is spread out on age if characters travel single file on foot. probably have the door locked and chained foot; if more than one character occupies Characters on foot may choose to rope as well. Security chains have a Difficulty the same vehicle, check the driver’s Coordi- themselves together. Modify all of the tied rating of +10. Vehicles have the keys in them nation for success in detecting and avoiding leader’s damage from falling downward by 5% of the time. crevasses. If a character’s Coordination is one half. LIGHTING Most rooms will have a light switch inside TRANSPORTATION CHART the door on the wall to the right, and from Top speed Velocity Range Seating Chance of 1-10 light sources in the room. Unless oth- Mode of movement (mph) (ft/turn) (miles) capacity access erwise noted, most ceiling lights operate Snowshoes/skis 3 25 ——100% from a light switch and are of the Dogsled 25 185 1000 3 5% fluorescent-tube variety. Open snowmobile 65 480 144 3 90% Cabbed snowmobile 55 405 126 2 70% Sno-cat 30 220 370 8 50% PERSONAL ENCOUNTERS Sno-cat w/detector 15 110 370 6 25% Whenever an agent in the main complex Hovercraft 75 550 330 10 — is outside a unit or the dome, there is a Helicopter 120 880 300 4 25% chance of encountering a passing pedestrian Cargo plane 170 1250 1500 15 95% or seeing a random object. These encoun- ters can occur anywhere except outdoors. Top speed of a vehicle cannot be main- in it. Since hovercraft are experimental, The frequency of checking depends on the tained indefinitely; adjust foot-per-turn there is a 10% chance each hour the vehicle time of day as indicated on the following figures downward proportionately when is driven that it will break down. An agent charts. A second encounter will not occur vehicles are traveling at less than top speed. with an AOK value of more than 75 in until the first encounter is ended. In some Chance of access is the probability that any Electrical or Mechanical Engineering can cases, the specified random encounter may single base will have one or more pieces of repair any breakdown in 1-100 minutes. not occur if the non-player character in- the listed equipment. Both hovercraft are enclosed and heated. volved was injured or put out of action Agents will almost always use one of the Aircraft: The Administrator must keep in during an earlier encounter. modes of movement given on the Transpor- mind that bad weather affects low-flying tation Chart. In dire circumstances when a aircraft. A helicopter dropping off passen- character is on foot without snowshoes or gers might be hit by a whiteout, become DAYTIME ENCOUNTER CHART skis, his base movement rate is one-half disoriented, and crash. Parachutists jump- (10am to 10pm) normal (walking speed 1½ mph). This rate ing into gale-like winds will be blown miles Roll percentile dice for every 10 minutes. is cut in half again, to ¾ mph, in rough off course and be subject to hazardous terrain. landings. It is suggested that the Adminis- Dice roll Encounter With snowshoes or skis: Characters move trator describe the weather conditions and 01-25 None. at normal rates (walking speed 3 mph). let the agents make the decision on whether 26-35 Sound of footsteps. Dogsled: Atlantis II has a pair of 6-dog to act. 36-45 Shadows moving on the wall in sleds. The dogs may pull at full speed for All engine-powered vehicles may carry the distance. only 15 minutes; their usual speed is four extra fuel, which can double their maxi- 46-50 Sound of unintelligible conver- miles per hour. mum range. Broken windows that are not sation in the distance. Snowmobiles, open or cabbed: These repaired will cause vehicles to cease being 51-60 Maintenance person cleaning vehicles are usually available at any base. enclosed and heated, exposing passengers to or doing repair work. Will When available, they can be borrowed for the elements. No base will loan personnel to ignore most people unless he/ the mission. Cabbed snowmobiles have serve as pilots or drivers who would assist she is approached. heated enclosures, offering protection from the agents on their mission. 61-70 Someone calls out a name and the elements. approaches agent with an Sno-cat: These are enclosed, heated EQUIPMENT outstretched hand in greeting. vehicles with skis on the front and treads on The standard parka consists of pants and The person has mistaken the the rear. A Sno-cat with crevasse detector is a padded pullover coat with a hood. Face agent for someone else. much like a regular Sno-cat, with a spider- masks, goggles (sunglasses during daylight), 71-80 A group of 1-10 children on web framework extending from the front mittens, and boots are standard supplemen- their way to the indoor pool. bumper that detects crevasses before the tary clothing. Because of the increased Five pet penguins accompany vehicle passes over them. The vehicle can padding of a parka, all damage from com- the children. be driven faster than 15 mph, but the detec- bat is halved. This includes both projectile 81-90 Security person approaches on tor will not function properly at higher and hand-to-hand combat. routine circuit. He is checking speeds. Standard weapons should have the trigger doors to be sure they are Hovercraft: Two of these experimental guards removed so they can be used with locked. He will not speak to the aircraft are in Antarctica, one at Ellsworth gloved or mittened hands. Because of the agent or stop unless the agent Base and the other hidden at Atlantis II. extreme cold, most guns used outdoors will stops him. The hovercraft at Ellsworth can only be misfire on a roll of 96 and jam on a roll of 91-00 Cracking and low-level rumble borrowed if all agents on the mission travel 97-00 during the hit determination dice roll of icy walls settling.

DRAGON 47 NIGHTTIME ENCOUNTER CHART 71-75 Maintenance person cleaning 86-90 Security person approaches on (10pm to 10am) or doing repair work. Will routine circuit. He is checking Roll percentile dice for every 20 minutes. ignore most people unless he/ doors to be sure they are she is approached. locked. He will not speak or Dice roll Encounter 76-80 Someone calls out a name and stop unless the agent stops him. 01-25 None. approaches the agent with a 91-95 Cold, chilly draft from above 26-35 Faint light in the distance. hand outstretched in greeting. showers agent with minute ice 36-55 Sound of distant running The person has mistaken the crystals falling from ceiling. footsteps headed south. agent for someone else. 95-00 Five pet penguins waddle 56-65 Faint distant laughter in 81-85 Hysterical woman (Vera) ap- toward characters expecting to unknown direction. proaches, begging group to be fed. The birds will not leave 66-70 Young couple walking take her away from Atlantis II, until they are fed or until hand-in-hand toward dome. back to someplace warm. agents run out of sight.

PERSONAL TRAIT VALUES & WEAPONRY CHART

Name PS CH W CO K CD OF DP EV DA MV LL HTH SV QRC ABBY 63 26 40 91 29 56 74 59 41 43 159 10 104 100 ABEL 90 46 21 64 54 56 60 55 51 55 167 11 141 106 BILL 95 76 103 96 82 87 92 86 82 85 285 20 177 168 e, t BONA 56 64 45 35 43 46 41 50 55 45 147 10 111 105 CARL 72 60 75 76 62 89 83 68 75 76 236 15 147 143 CORA 90 46 21 64 54 56 60 55 51 55 167 11 141 106 DALE 46 92 41 40 35 95 68 66 94 65 185 9 140 160 DAWN 73 35 57 74 85 75 75 55 55 80 205 13 128 110 EARL 28 62 65 50 50 68 59 56 65 59 161 9 93 121 EDNA 49 79 40 31 80 45 38 55 62 63 134 9 111 117 FAY 63 26 40 91 29 56 74 59 41 43 159 10 104 100 FELIX 76 49 39 24 69 71 48 37 60 70 186 12 136 97 GAY 40 91 99 86 60 99 93 89 95 80 238 14 135 184 GUY 85 93 88 54 95 53 54 74 73 74 226 17 158 147 HANS 38 53 27 65 30 99 82 59 76 65 164 7 114 136 HOPE 29 75 99 81 40 58 70 78 67 49 186 13 96 145 IAN 40 91 61 86 60 44 65 89 68 52 145 10 108 157 IDA 89 96 79 81 86 77 79 89 87 82 245 17 176 176 JACK 36 91 46 89 91 46 68 90 69 74 128 8 105 159 e JANE 33 33 27 76 68 51 64 55 42 60 111 6 75 97 e KAREN 70 51 63 95 61 91 93 73 71 76 224 13 141 144 e KEN 46 91 89 79 62 27 53 85 59 45 162 14 105 144 LANA 61 45 60 76 84 65 71 61 55 75 186 12 116 116 LANCE 94 48 66 82 87 49 66 65 49 68 209 16 143 114 MAE 52 92 75 32 78 92 62 62 92 85 219 13 144 154 e MARK 91 70 62 56 62 79 68 63 75 71 232 15 166 138 e NADA 43 41 65 70 55 77 74 56 59 66 185 11 102 115 f NEIL 33 50 79 81 86 34 58 66 42 60 146 11 75 108 f OPAL 89 96 46 45 37 76 61 71 86 57 211 14 175 157 f OTIS 90 50 92 99 78 63 81 75 57 71 245 18 147 132 e PAMELA 85 51 91 70 80 47 59 61 49 64 223 18 134 110 PAUL 66 80 70 90 68 91 91 85 86 80 227 14 152 171 d RENE 68 105 36 53 42 56 55 79 81 49 160 10 149 160 f RITA 95 90 94 47 61 96 72 69 93 79 285 19 188 162 e SARA 68 70 81 93 55 90 92 82 80 73 239 15 148 162 SAUL 70 79 90 80 62 90 85 80 85 76 250 16 155 165 d THORA 75 94 84 74 38 42 58 84 68 40 201 16 143 152 f TOM 100 81 35 27 35 97 62 54 89 66 232 14 189 143 e UNA 80 66 62 94 65 61 78 80 64 63 203 14 144 144 VERA 65 75 60 91 56 100 96 83 88 78 225 13 153 171 e VIC 60 93 28 45 26 50 48 69 72 38 138 9 132 141 d WADE 85 62 88 36 95 53 45 49 58 74 226 17 148 107 d WANDA 52 89 62 54 95 33 44 72 61 64 147 11 112 133 k, t XENIA 68 105 36 53 42 56 55 79 81 49 160 10 149 160 k, t YANG 95 90 94 47 61 96 72 69 93 79 285 19 188 162 k, t YING 95 90 94 47 61 96 72 69 93 79 285 19 188 162 k, t ZEKE 68 70 81 93 55 90 92 82 80 73 239 15 148 162 k, t ZOLA 70 79 90 80 62 90 85 80 85 76 250 16 155 165 k, t

48 JULY 1984 THE PERSONNEL OF ATLANTIS II LOCATION AND OCCUPATION CHART Statistical and personal information on Location Code name the residents of Atlantis II is given in the Name Sex Occupation Day Night knowledge Personal Trait Values and Weaponry Chart ABBY F Botanist Dome #19 F W and the Occupation and Location Chart ABEL M Nuclear engineer #68 #1 BDF W that accompany this text. BILL M Leader #45 #20 ABDF S W Personal trait values are abbreviated in BONA F Electrical engineer #68 #3 BDF W the chart headings: PS = Physical Strength; CARL M Mechanical engineer #66 #4 BDF W CH = Charm; W = Willpower; CO = Cour- CORA F Hydraulic engineer STB #1 BDF W age; K = Knowledge; CD = Coordination; OF = Offense; DP = Deception; EV = Eva- DALE M Chemical engineer #68 #2 BDF W sion; DA = Deactivation; MV = Movement DAWN F Welder #59 #4 BDF W Value; LL = Life Level; HTH = Hand-to- EARL M Fitter #59 #3 BDF W Hand Combat Value; SV = Surprise Value. EDNA F Maintenance #53 #2 BDF W Statistics not given in these listings can FAY F Maintenance #53 #20 ABDF S W easily be computed, using the traits given FELIX M Metal laboratory #59 #19 W along with some imagination. GAY F Radar operator #61 #21 W Those characters who carry weapons GUY M Radio operator #22 #46 W have the necessary information listed under HANS M Doctor #32 #21 F W the QRC (Quick Reference Code) column; HOPE F Doctor #15 #5 F W weaponry includes a loaded gun plus one IAN M Nurse #32 #25 FO TW full extra clip of ammunition. IDA F Nurse #15 #5 F W The Occupation and Location Chart uses some abbreviations: STB = Steam turbine JACK M Cook #13 #25 F TW building; QH = Quonset hut; SMB = Small JANE F Cook #34 #5 F W metal building. KAREN F Cook’s assistant #13 #5 F W K E N M Cook’s assistant #34 #25 F TW CODE NAMES LANA F Janitor #22 #41 W Individuals with knowledge of code LANCE M Launderer #29 #25 TW names may divulge that information or MAE F Carpenter #58 #6 F TW acknowledge its use (as a password, rumor MARK M Electrician #43 #25 F TW or whatever) as appropriate to any given NADA F Babysitter #11 #5 F W situation. The use of code names by non- NEIL M Babysitter #11 #25 FO TW player characters is at the discretion of the OPAL F Teacher #12 #5 F W Administrator. Player characters may en- OTIS M Teacher #12 #25 FO TW counter problems if they indiscriminately use inappropriate code names. The names PAMELA F Radio operator #46 #5 W and their meanings are: PAUL M Vehicle mechanic #38 #26 F W Windfall: CON is attempting to make RENE M Vehicle mechanic #38 #26 F W Atlantis II self-sufficient for two reasons, RITA F Nuclear assistant #67 #6 BD TW code-named Wind and Fall. SARA F Geologist #64 #6 F TW Wind (W): First, it is necessary to CON’s SAUL M Nuclear assistant #67 #25 BD TW survival to provide its members with the THORA F Equipment operator #66 #6 BDF TW necessities of life in case they are cut off TOM M Meteorologist #61 #26 W from the rest of the world. This could occur UNA F Metallurgist #66 #6 F TW if outside countries form a blockade against VERA F Plumber #52 #6 FO TW CON or if a world war does break out and VIC M Diesel mechanic #51 #26 F W there is nowhere left to obtain supplies. WADE M Purser #27 #26 F W Fall (F): In 1959, twelve countries pro- claimed a treaty that prevents any territorial WANDA F Guard/pilot #45 #5 SW claims in Antarctica from being settled for XENIA F Guard/pilot #7 #45 SW 30 years. At the moment, no country owns YANG M Guard/pilot SMB#2 SMB#2 B S W land in Antarctica. In 1989, CON hopes to YING M Guard/pilot QH#1 QH#1, SW claim part, if not all, of the continent. ZEKE M Guard STB STB F S W Breakaway: Now that CON’s crimes ZOLA F Guard #7 #45 FSW have become known to the world, Billeter feels the group’s survival is threatened. He has instituted two new offensive plans, Antarctic bases unless Atlantis II is recog- radioactive dust up the chimney from Unit code-named Break and Away. nized as a political entity and given land of #66, alerting the ill-fated scientific inspec- Break (B): A team of CON scientists has its own in Antarctica. tion team. Agents who are captured by begun constructing small nuclear devices Thawout: Among the Children of Nep- Billeter’s forces may be freed by members of designed to destroy the other Antarctic tune are a group of dissenters who disagree “625” performing a Thaw operation. bases. Billeter hopes that setting off a single with Billeter’s policies and have secretly Out (0): The members of “625” want to nuclear explosion at a United States or joined together into a conspiracy against escape Atlantis II with the 20 children from Soviet base will cause an international Billeter. They call themselves “625” after the nursery (Unit #11) and school (Unit crisis. If one side blames the other, a war the numbers of the housing units they live #12). They will try to slip a message to any could break out, increasing Billeter’s in (Units #6 and #25). The code names they Atlantis II visitor asking the visitor to help chances of continental or world domination. use are Thaw and Out. them escape. Away (A): If a war does not break out, Thaw (T): This is the code name for an Dustcloud (D): While workers were con- Billeter plans to claim responsibility for the act sabotaging Billeter’s projects. Thora is structing a nuclear weapon, an accident bomb. He will threaten to destroy other responsible for “accidentally” releasing the occurred in the nuclear laboratory. This

D RAGON 49 accident forced radioactive dust up an ex- LANGUAGES resources, or the control of military person- haust pipe to the surface. The laboratory All agents and NPCs speak fluent En- nel. If the agent’s agency or government was not contaminated, but the surface snow glish. Other languages known by the pre- had wanted military involvement, they and the pipe were. generated agent characters are listed in their wouldn’t have sent agents on an espionage Snowbank (S): This is the code name for respective dossiers. Languages other than mission in the first place. quieting all who visit Atlantis II. All unwel- English will possibly have limited utility on A secret agent should never be allowed to come visitors are silenced after leaving so this mission — but a foreign language request photographic analysis after surveil- they can’t tell anyone what they have seen. might be handy if two or more characters lance has been conducted by a spy plane or The SCAR investigation team was the want to converse without being understood a satellite. An agent should never be al- victim of a Snowbank operation. Small by others. The Admin can assign fluency in lowed the use of a cargo-carrying helicopter holes were punched in their plane’s fuel other languages to the personnel of Atlantis with rockets or given command of 25 para- tanks so they would run low on gas and II as desired. troopers. Not only is such use of military either have to return or crash. Billeter may force unwarranted on a low-profile espio- be planning to Snowbank the player charac- MILITARY INFORMATION nage mission, it is expensive, wasteful, and ters by sabotaging their vehicles (Adminis- Agents should not be allowed indiscrimi- beyond the scope of the TOP SECRET trator’s choice). nate military ordnance, use of military game.

ENCOUNTER AREAS General descriptions for encounter areas Airport be disintegrated. Any character in the blast are given, but much remains for the Ad- The Atlantis II airport consists of two zone will suffer l-100 Injury Points. The ministrator to describe, such as furnishings hangars and two sheet metal structures. All bombs are meant to be radio-detonated on and other small details. four buildings are heated by steam pipes in separate frequencies, but the controls to Entry into any outdoor environment can the floor. Each hangar contains a helicopter, detonate the bombs are not aboard the be gained from any point outside the perim- a cargo plane, and a Sno-cat, all fueled and airplanes; Billeter has the detonators in his eter of a map. Those who exit the map area ready to operate. The Sno-cats are used to possession. are assumed to have escaped any immediate maneuver aircraft, as emergency vehicles, Sheet metal building #1 contains a kennel danger and will generally not be pursued and as transports from the airport to the housing 12 Alaskan huskies (+3/-1), two unless they have broken the law. main complex. Barrels of aviation fuel and dogsleds with six harnesses each, and a Player characters will seek information gasoline surround the buildings. locker of raw frozen meat. through conversation with the characters Aboard each cargo plane is a 55-gallon Sheet metal building #2 contains the they encounter. Answers to routine or insig- barrel strapped down tightly with restraints. quarters of Yang, an 8’ tall giant employed nificant questions will usually be obtain- A geiger counter brought near it will detect as a guard and airport caretaker. An inter- able. For more in-depth queries, use the a very hot radioactive source. The barrel com connects Yang’s quarters with the “Contacts” rules from the TOP SECRET contains a miniature nuclear device (secu- security office in the main complex. game, depending on the means employed rity rating -/75) powerful enough to produce If an aircraft lands on the Atlantis II by the player characters. The Administrator a crater 100 feet in diameter and a blast airstrip, Yang will be dispatched with should play the roles of the encountered zone with a one-mile radius. If the device is lighted hand-held signals to direct the air- characters during this verbal interplay. detonated, anything within the crater will craft toward the parking mat in front of the airport. If the aircraft follows his signals and parks, he will assist passengers with unload- ing and then take them and their luggage to the west opening of the west tunnel at the main complex. Yang is armed. His parka, boots, and mittens are bulletproof. Yang has an identical twin brother, Ying, who lives in Quonset Hut #1 at the main complex. Ying is usually available to make a trip to the airport and help transport large groups of visitors, or to bring part of a group in to the main complex while Yang stays at the airport with the others. Neither Yang nor Ying will allow any visitors inside the airport buildings without supervision.

Steam turbine building This structure stands beside the drilling platform derrick. The entire complex, in- cluding this building, is heated and powered by steam. From the derrick attached to the steam turbine building, a slushy ice-water mixture is pumped down to the geothermal rock beneath the Antarctic surface. The mixture turns to steam, which is piped back to the surface and routed against a series of turbine blades. These blades rotate genera- tor shafts, which in turn create electricity. The steam condenses into hot water and is piped throughout the complex for heating purposes. Zeke is quartered within the steam tur- bine building as a guard and technician. 50 JULY 1984 Main complex, surface level

MAIN COMPLEX It extends another 15 feet down into the Beside each pair of double doors in the SURFACE LEVEL snow and is 150 feet across. The dome is dome is a button that opens or closes the The Quonset huts and the geodesic dome composed of 665 triangular transparent doors unless overridden by security. emit a violet light through their transparent panels supported by an aluminum Personnel present, Daytime: Abby. walls. This violet glow is reflected on the gridwork. snow outside the complex and can some- Hanging inside the top of the dome are Quonset huts times be seen up to a mile away or on incandescent and ultraviolet lamps, and Sixteen transparent acrylic Quonset huts clouds above the complex. The violet color four surveillance cameras. The cameras are are connected to each other and the dome comes from ultraviolet lamps used to raise wired to the security control room; they by plywood corridors. Both incandescent plants in the Antarctic darkness. point at four sections of the balcony, but do and ultraviolet lamps hang from the tops of The main complex is relatively silent at not scan the lower-level pathways, double each hut. Along the walls of each hut are all times. Voices and other sounds that doors, or floor. waist-high tables filled with growing plants might carry between the huts are drowned Access to the floor of the dome is gained from around the world. Huts #1 through #4 out by the sound of the wind blowing ice through four sets of double doors leading contain flowering plants. Huts #5 through crystals against the exterior walls. The from the main tunnels of the complex. #8 contain food crops. Huts #9 through #12 dome and the Quonset huts are heated by Grass-covered paths lead from each door- contain tropical plants. Huts #13 through hot water pipes that run through the con- way, intersecting in the center of the dome’s #16 contain trees, aquatic plants, and cacti. crete floors of each building. floor. The parts of the floor sectioned off by All plants are grown by experimental The transparent dome and Quonset huts the paths contain gardens and a heated methods. Some are started hydroponically cannot be penetrated by standard bullets; pool. in warm-water pipes with holes drilled in explosives or incendiaries must be used to On the upper level of the dome, eight them for the roots to grow through. The cut through the tough acrylic surface. narrow corridors leading from the Quonset seedlings are then planted in nutrient-rich huts connect by doorways to the dome’s soil on the waist-high tables or placed float- Dome balcony. Two stairways in the southeast ing on Styrofoam rafts with their roots hang- The central dome stands 45 feet above quadrant of the balcony lead to the lower ing in a fertilizer solution. Some vine plants the surface of the surrounding snow and ice. level, coming out on either side of the pool. climb vertical strings while others cling to DRAGON 51 A-shaped frames, multiplying the available 95; PB 0; S -2; M -30; L -80; WS Slow; air in to help fuel the generators, and the growing space. Ceiling-mounted conveyors Rate 10. two smaller ones will expel the diesel en- move hanging root systems through gine’s exhaust gases. nutrient-rich misting troughs. The plants Windmills Three ice-encrusted chimneys penetrate respond favorably to ultraviolet light, grow Four 60’ tall, 3-bladed windmills stand the surface beside Hut #12. These three to maturity, and are harvested. around the perimeter of the dome. These chimneys are exhaust ports for diesel fur- Any agent with an AOK score of 75 or generate electricity for the dome. naces used to heat water in Unit #51. If the higher in Agriculture or Botany will be able turbines in the steam turbine building stop to identify the various experimental grow- Chimneys rotating, these three chimneys will expel the ing methods. These methods include aero- All chimneys protrude 3 feet above the diesel furnaces’ exhaust gases. ponics, hydroponics, trickle irrigation, surface of the ice. The chimney on the east side of Hut #16 floating matrixes, conveying systems, in- The chimney on the east side of Hut #4 appears to be surrounded by gray rock dust. tercropping, and nutriculture. Stilts, availa- leads to the galley in Unit #13; the chimney This chimney connects with the experimen- ble in several of the Quonset huts, are used on the west side of Hut #7 leads to the tal ore refining machine in Unit #66. A to reach the tops of some plants. galley in Unit #34. One third (33%) of the geiger counter held near this chimney will Quonset Hut #1 contains a plywood room time either chimney is being examined, it indicate a trace of radioactivity. It was dust with a garage-style overhead door leading to will be emitting warm air that smells like from this chimney, combined with blowing the outside. The room contains a fully cooking food. snow and ice crystals, which the surveil- fueled hovercraft, a spiral staircase leading The chimneys near the northwest and lance camp detected as radioactive steam. down, and the personal belongings of Ying, southwest quadrant windmills are vents for the 8’ tall twin brother of Yang (see the the sewers below the restrooms in Unit #16 Antenna tower Airport section). Ying serves as a guard and and Unit #31. The chimney west of Hut This 100’ high tower supports an an- is the hovercraft operator. #16 is a vent for the sewers below the re- tenna connected to the radio in Unit #46. strooms on Unit #69 and Unit #70. The Six guy wires support the antenna tower. A Ramps chimney between Hut #6 and Hut #7 con- 2’ tall triangular fence surrounds the base Four vehicle ramps made of concrete nects to the dryer vents from the laundry in of the tower. slope from the surface down 15’ to large Unit #29. Humid air with bits of lint are metal double doors. These doors lead to the exhausted from here one third (33%) of the Meteorology hut west, north, east, and south tunnels. time. The humid air freezes when it reaches This small white wooden building is large the surface and coats the chimney with ice enough for one man to squeeze inside. Fuel oil barrels dotted by multi-colored lint. Weather instruments inside the hut are Although fuel oil is not often used at Four chimneys penetrate the ice between connected to displays and data analyzers in Atlantis II, many fuel oil barrels stand on Hut #10 and Hut #11. The two large chim- Unit #61. A small radar dish mounted on the surface of the snow surrounding the neys are air intakes for the diesel generators top of the meteorology hut rotates con- main complex. Twenty of the oil barrels are in Unit #44. The two small chimneys are stantly. Just south of the meteorology hut is really infrared surveillance cameras and exhaust ports for the same generators. If the a wind direction indicator and an anemom- remote-controlled gun mounts. The weapon turbines in the steam turbine building stop eter. These instruments are also connected statistics are: Heavy Machine Gun, PWV rotating, the two larger chimneys will pump to indicators in Unit #61.

MAIN COMPLEX ing the units are not heated directly, but high with videotape cassettes of classic SUBSURFACE LEVEL they are a lot warmer than the outdoors. movies. The temperature is about freezing (32 de- Personnel present, night: #5, Hope, Ida, Connecting tunnels grees F.), and there is no wind; characters Jane, Karen, Nada, Opal, Pamela, and The double doors leading inside from the do not suffer Injury Point damage from the Wanda; #6, Mae, Rita, Sara, Thora, Una, ramps all open into 20’ wide tunnels that elements while they are in the tunnels or and Vera. intersect with the floor of the dome. The trenches. west and east tunnels are lit, but the north Two open snowmobiles are parked near Units #7 - #8 and south ones are not usually illuminated. the outer double doors in the west tunnel, Night crew female dormitory: Eight beds The double metal doors at the extreme ends and two more in the east tunnel. The north line the west wall of this room. The east of each tunnel have a security rating of and south tunnels each contain four Sno- wall is lined with eight padlocked (-/25) (-/50) and a forced entry difficulty rating of cats (with cabs) and two open snowmobiles. lockers, six of them empty and two contain- 65. (See the Forced Entry rules on pp. 34- ing women’s clothing, personal belongings, 35 of the TOP SECRET rulebook.) Northwest Quadrant and 1-100 dollars each. The floor is car- A closed-circuit surveillance camera is peted in light blue shag. There are two fastened to the ceiling just outside each set Units #1-#4 clotheslines strung across the room with of double doors (eight cameras in all). The Apartments: Each of these four apart- stockings and sweaters draped across them. cameras are connected to monitors in Unit ments is the home of a CON scientist, his or Personnel present, day: #7, Xenia and #45. If security personnel see someone her spouse, and two children. Zola; #8, unoccupied. approaching a set of doors, the doors will be Personnel present, night: #1, Abel and opened automatically for any group led by Cora; #2, Dale and Edna; #3, Bona and Unit #9 someone wearing an Atlantis II parka (if Earl; #4, Carl and Dawn. Theatre/Lecture hall: This area has been entering from outside) or a white lab coat (if converted into a small movie theater. There entering the dome). The doors will close Units #5 - #6 is a blank white wall at the north end of the and lock automatically after a person or Day crew female dormitory: Eight beds room. Chairs and a projector stand facing group has passed through. line the west wall of this room. The east the white wall. Six general-interest, English Branching off the east and west tunnels wall is lined with eight padlocked (-/25) language films are on a shelf behind the are a total of 16 side passageways that lead lockers each containing women’s clothing, projector. to subsurface units within the complex. The personal belongings, and 1-100 dollars north and south tunnels each have two side each. A bookshelf along the north wall is Unit #10 passageways. The large tunnels and the filled with novels. A videotape player and Recreation hall/Gymnasium: This room smaller trench-like passageways surround- television beside the bookshelf are stacked contains two weight machines, a set of

52 JULY 1984 DRAGON 53 barbells, two workout benches, six jump Unit #17 gaming or education, and shelves full of ropes, two punching bags, and a treadmill. Fresh water reservoir: A cylindrical metal general-interest books. It has a padded floor. tank in the center of this room contains 2,000 gallons of fresh, clean water. A water Unit #29 Unit #11 pump (used to both fill and empty the tank) Laundry: Among stacks of soiled Nursery: During the day this room con- can be operated and/or repaired by any security-guard uniforms are an industrial tains two babysitters and six babies. character with an AOK score of 75 or washing machine and clothes dryer. White Personnel present, day: Nada and Neil. higher in Hydraulic Engineering. lab coats and casual men’s and women’s clothing are waiting beside an unheated Unit #12 Unit #18 mangle to be pressed. Two electric irons, School: During the day this room con- Food storage: Large sacks and cardboard two ironing boards, and a sewing machine tains two teachers and fourteen children. boxes filled with cereal, sugar, flour, beans, are also in the room. Personnel present, day: Opal and Otis. coffee, potatoes, dried milk, and salt line Personnel present, day: Lance. the west wall of this room. Six levels of Unit #13 shelves cover the east wall, each stacked Unit #30 Galley: Six large pots hang around the with hundreds of canned goods. Every sort Clothing storage: Stacks of dry, folded hood of a cooking stove. The walls are lined of food, from apricots to zucchini, can be towels and sheets line the west wall. Pillow- with well-stocked refrigerators, racks of found here. cases, gray mechanic’s coveralls, and five knives, food preparation equipment, and expensive parka sets are stacked along the storage cupboards. Inside the cupboards are Southwest Quadrant east wall. clean dishes, serving bowls, platters, and silverware. There is usually a large pot of Units #19 - #22 Unit #31 water boiling on the stove when the galley is Unit #19 - Unit #22: APARTMENTS. Males’ toilet and showers: This room has occupied. (Treat boiling-water splashes as Each of these rooms is the home of a CON the same features as Unit #16. W type damage using the Hand-to-Hand family consisting of one man, one woman, rules.) A large baking oven and a butcher and three children. Unit #32 block fill the rest of the room. Thirty meals Personnel present, night: #19, Abby and Males’ medical facility: These three small can be prepared and served at one time Felix; #20, Bill and Fay; #21, Gay and rooms have the same furnishings and sup- from this galley. Hans. plies as Unit #15. Personnel present, day: Jack and Karen. Personnel present, day: #22, Guy and Personnel present, day: Hans and Ian. Lana. Unit #14 Unit #33 Mess/Dining room: Eight tables with four Units #23 - #24 Mess/Dining room: This room has the chairs each line the east and west walls of Night crew male dormitory: Eight beds same furnishings and features as Unit #14. this room. Trays of food can be picked up at line the west wall of this room. The east the door separating the mess from the gal- wall is lined with eight empty, unlocked Unit #34 ley. A tray-return conveyor and dishwasher lockers. The floor is carpeted in light blue Galley: This room has the same furnish- is along the west wall, connecting the mess shag. ings, equipment, and features as Unit #13. deck and the galley. The water inside the Personnel present, day: Jane and Ken. dishwasher heats to 150 degrees Fahrenheit Units #25 - #26 when the dishwasher is in use. Anyone Day crew male dormitory: Eight beds Unit #35 unfortunate enough to come in contact with line the west wall of this chamber. The east Cold food storage: This interior of this the heated water inside the dishwasher will wall is covered by eight padlocked (-/25) unheated unit is lined with frost. The unit suffer W type damage as in the Hand-to- lockers each containing men’s clothing, contains hanging sides of beef and shelves Hand rules. personal belongings, and 1-100 dollars. A filled with sausages, cheeses, poultry, vege- bookshelf along the north wall is filled with tables, fruit, and fish. Unit #15 novels. A videotape player and television Females’ medical facility: This unit is beside the bookshelf are stacked high with Unit #36 divided into three small rooms. The Triage videotape cassettes of classic movies. Fresh water reservoir: This room con- room has first-aid supplies, examining Personnel present, night: #25, Ian, Jack, tains the same features as Unit #17. equipment, and medicine on shelves along Ken, Lance, Mark, Neil, Otis, and Saul; the west wall. In the center of the sterile #26, Paul, Rene, Tom, Vic, and Wade. Northeast Quadrant Operating room is an operating table that doubles as a dentist’s chair. Crowded into Unit #27 Unit #37 the rest of the room are an anesthetic set- General stores: A vast collection of every- Parts storage: The walls of this room are up, trays, and cabinets containing surgical day objects and household items can be lined with tools and workbenches. A large tools and a respirator. One locked (-/30) found here. Office supplies, eating utensils, supply of various nuts, bolts, nails, cotter cabinet contains narcotics, sterile packaged motor oil, slippery hydraulic fluid, bolts of pins, shaft keys, C-clamps, and welding dressings, and splints. The Sick room con- cloth, and color-coded electrical wire are rods are sorted in bins along the east wall. tains three hospital beds and three unlocked stored in cardboard boxes stacked on metal Screwdrivers, wrenches, electric hand tools, clothes lockers. A desk and two chairs stand shelves along the walls. extension cords, and a 200-pound welding near the door leading to the south. Personnel present, day: Wade. machine are on shelves along the west wall. Personnel present, day: Hope and Ida, in Sick room unless busy elsewhere. Unit #28 Unit #38 Library: This quiet, carpeted area dou- Vehicle maintenance: Dissected small Unit #16 bles as a meeting room. A long table sur- engines and a myriad of engine parts are Females’ toilet and showers: This room rounded by ten chairs is centered in the scattered on work benches along the east contains five toilet stalls and five shower room. The west wall is lined with technical and west walls of this room. stalls. There are electric outlets above each manuals, leisure magazines, and world Personnel present, day: Paul and Rene. of the five sinks. Across from the sinks are maps. Along the east wall are a microfiche shelves holding folded towels and bars of reader, a cabinet full of technical and engi- Unit #39 soap, plus a bin for dirty clothing. neering microfiches, a video console for Heavy supplies: Electrical wire, metal

54 JULY 1984 cable, hemp rope, rubber hoses, metal Pressing the TARGET button magnifies the Units #43-#46 and #50-#54 will take 1-10 primer, enamel paint, light bulbs, ultravio- image on the screen for more precise target- Injury Points from the explosion, and all of let lamps, small chains, and other materials ing with the joystick. If the thumb button those areas will be moderately to severely are stored here. atop the joystick is pressed, a stream of .60 damaged. caliber ammunition will be fired from the Both tanks are about two-thirds full at Unit #40 machine gun in the fuel oil barrel. The present. They are bulletproof. General stores: This room has the same original 1000 rounds of ammo in each gun contents as Unit #27. is enough to operate it for about a minute Units #49 - #50 and a half. Empty rooms: These chambers may be Unit #41 The weapon statistics are: Heavy Ma- used as cells to hold captured agents and as Janitorial supply: Brooms, mops, and chine Gun, PWV 95; PB 0; S -2; M -30; a storage area for captives’ equipment. The cleaning supplies are stored here. L -80; WS Slow; Rate 10. outside door of each room may be pad- Personnel present, night: Lana. If the RETRACT button is pressed, the locked (-/25) from the outside. The door infrared camera will be lowered into the fuel leading between the rooms may be key Unit #42 oil barrel. The camera image will appear to locked (-/20) from either side. Furniture storage: Chairs, tables, desks, roll off the top of the monitor screen as the beds, and mattresses fill this musty room. image fades to black. The START button Unit #51 raises the camera out of the barrel and Heat plant: This room contains three Unit #43 starts it panning the surroundings again. auxiliary heat engines (diesel furnaces) Electrical supplies: In the center of this Twelve of the monitoring screens show which are used to heat water when the room is a square wooden table. The clut- stationary views from surveillance cameras steam turbine building is shut down. Hot tered tabletop contains an oscilloscope, inside the main complex. These images are water is circulated from the heat engines unfinished electronic circuit boards, one in natural light. Eight of these cameras are through pipes in the concrete floors of each wire rack with a dozen spools of colored outside the double metal doors in each of building unit, and then back to the heat wire, two soldering guns, two 25-foot exten- the subsurface tunnels. The other four are engines. Fuel lines run from the heat en- sion cords, and a small carbon-dioxide fire attached to the roof of the dome and trained gines to the diesel fuel storage tank in Unit extinguisher. on different sections of the balcony. These #47. A character with an AOK score of 75 Personnel present, day: Mark. twelve cameras have wide-angle lenses that or higher in Construction, Hydraulic, In- produce a somewhat distorted picture. The dustrial, or Transportation Engineering will Unit #44 cameras are stationary and not equipped be able to operate the heat engines. Standby diesel generators: Two diesel- with guns; their twelve monitors do not Personnel present, day: Vic. powered generators are located in the center have joysticks and control buttons in front of this room. If the main power supply from of them. These cameras are always on and Unit #52 the steam turbine building generators is operating unless they or the monitors are Plumbing supplies: Leaning against the disrupted, both of these generators will disabled or damaged. west wall of this room are several 1- 10 foot automatically start after five seconds of All the metal double doors enclosing the lengths of plastic pipe, aluminum conduit, darkness. The northern generator powers tunnels on the subsurface level of the main and ducting material. Boxes of metal all lights and electrical devices on the sur- complex can be locked, unlocked, opened, screws, pipe elbows, joint cement, T- face level of the main complex, the airport, or closed from the security control room by fittings, caps, copper tubing, and plumbing and the steam turbine building. The south- throwing the proper switches. An intercom fixtures are stacked against the east wall. ern generator powers all lights and electrical links the steam turbine building and the Personnel present, day: Vera. devices on the subsurface level of the main airport with this room, so that any sound complex, including the dome. Electrical occurring at those locations can be heard. Unit #53 cables and diesel fuel lines crisscross the Three gas masks and a fire extinguisher Tools and storage: This room has a ceiling and walls of the room. A character hang near each of the two doors. square metal table in its center piled high with an Electrical Engineering AOK score Personnel present, day: Bill and Wanda. with disassembled mechanisms. Pumps, greater than 75 will be able to short out, Night: Xenia and Zola. filters, valves, tubing, control boxes, inter- stop, or start either operating generator com parts, and fan motors lie scattered separately. Unit #46 about the table. Also in the room are six Radio room: This room contains a radio cans of motor oil, a five-gallon drum of Unit #45 transmitter/receiver connected to the an- slippery hydraulic fluid, one 200-pound Security monitoring room: Six swivel tenna tower on the surface. welding machine, welding rod, and a porta- chairs face a bank of 32 television screens. Personnel present, day: Pamela. Night: ble cutting torch. Assorted nuts, bolts, All controls are marked in English. Any Guy. nails, washers, and insulators are in a bin character with a Knowledge rating of 75 or along the south wall. The cutting torch acts higher should be able to activate and oper- Units #47 - #48 like a sword at point-blank range only and ate any device in the room. A single, well- Diesel fuel storage: Each of these rooms is can inflict 1 - 10 points of flame damage per aimed bullet will destroy any particular practically filled by a huge cylindrical tank hit. device, screen, or control in the room. containing diesel fuel. Piping from the tank If the floor of this unit or another unit is Twenty of the monitoring screens show in #47 runs toward the heat plant in Unit covered with oil or hydraulic fluid, a char- the slowly panning views from the surveil- #51; the tank in #48 is connected to the acter with a Coordination of less than 75 lance cameras mounted in the empty fuel oil standby generators in Unit #44. who tries to run on it will fall 50% of the barrels outside the main complex. The A character with an AOK score of 75 or time he steps on the surface. The oil or images appear to be dark except for heat higher in Transportation Engineering or hydraulic fluid can only be ignited by open sources, which appear in various shades of Chemistry will recognize the smell of diesel flame, not by a bullet or an explosion. It red, orange, and yellow. fuel in either of these rooms. If either tank will not soak into icy tunnel floors, nor will In front of each of these twenty screens is is penetrated by 20 ounces of plastique (or it melt the ice beneath where it is burning. a joystick and four buttons. The STOP PAN the equivalent), the resultant massive explo- Personnel present, day: Edna and Fay. button locks a camera onto a viewed target, sion will ignite the other tank as well. The stopping the sweep of the infrared camera area of Units #47, #48, and #49 will be Unit #54 above the fuel oil barrel. The camera’s destroyed, and everyone in those areas at Parts storage: The contents of this room motion is now controlled by the joystick. the time of the blast is killed. Characters in are the same as those of Unit #37.

D RAGON 55 Southeast Quadrant The set weighs 150 pounds and can easily Unit #67 roll along the floor at ankle height. Nuclear laboratory: A geiger counter in Unit #55 this room will indicate a trace of radioactiv- Vehicle maintenance: This room has the Unit #61 ity. Any character with an AOK of 75 or same features as Unit #38. Meteorology laboratory: Inside this lab higher in Geology will recognize that the lab are the gauges and equipment connected to is used for packaging uranium ore. The Unit #56 instruments outside on the surface. Radar walls of this unit are lead-lined, and three Parts storage: This room contains the equipment, a thermometer, a barometer, a sets of lead aprons and lead-lined gloves are same equipment as Unit #37. hygrometer, a wind gauge, and a wind available (hung on the wall when not in use) direction indicator are all here. for workers and visitors to wear. Unit #57 Personnel present, day: Tom. Personnel present, day: Rita and Saul. Wood storage: There are stacks of fresh, uncut lumber along the east and west walls Unit #62 Unit #68 of this room. Six sealed, plainly marked nail Hydrogen laboratory: This laboratory Assembly area: A geiger counter in this kegs stand beside the door in the south wall. contains a table covered by apparatus and room will detect a trace of radioactivity. The The kegs contain nails ranging from 8- three hydrogen-filled balloons, each three walls of this unit are lead-lined. Any charac- penny size to railroad spikes. Each keg feet in diameter. Any character with an ter with an AOK score of 75 or higher in weighs between 75 and 100 pounds. If AOK score of 75 or higher in Chemistry Industrial Engineering will immediately dropped or thrown, a keg will shatter upon will recognize the apparatus as hydrolysis recognize that the room is used for assem- impact with a wall or floor. equipment. Electrical current is passed bling something extremely radioactive and through normal drinking water. The current dangerous. Eight ounces of plastique, two Unit #58 separates the oxygen from the hydrogen. wire detonators, and an electronic timer are Carpentry shop: Two wood lathes, a band The hydrogen is collected in tubing, in the room along with various hand tools saw, and a rotary saw are the largest tools pumped into a tank, and used to fill and miscellaneous equipment. in this room. Power hand tools include a weather balloons. Popping the balloons will Personnel present, day: Abel, Bona, and pneumatic nail driver with a clip of 30 nails. cause a loud but harmless explosion which Dale. The nail driver has a PWV of 50, an Injury can be heard outside the unit. Point modifier of -5, a point-blank modifier Units #69 - #70 of 0, and a short-range modifier of-25. It Unit #63 Dressing rooms: Each of these units (#69 will not fire beyond short range. Glaciology laboratory: This lab is cur- for males, #70 for females) is divided into a Other power tools in the room include a rently empty and unused. dressing room and a restroom. In each router, a 3/8“ drill, and a power saw. Hand dressing room is an industrial-size electric tools in the room are two rip saws, a cross- Unit #64 clothes washer and dryer, plus other laun- cut saw, two hammers, a hatchet, an axe, Geology laboratory: This lab appears to dry accessories. Along the east wall of each an adz, and a crowbar. A pair of sawhorses be currently unused but contains pickaxes dressing room are eight locked (-/30) equip- and a pushbroom are along the north wall. and whisk brooms. On the tables along the ment lockers. Each locker contains a white Personnel present, day: Mae. east and west walls are all sizes of rocks and radiation protection suit with hood, breath- core samples. Characters with an AOK ing apparatus, boot coverings, and a dosim- Unit #59 score of 75 or higher in Geology will be able eter. A suit, properly worn, will protect a Metal shop: Two 200-pound welding to tell that many of the samples are from character from radiation indefinitely, but machines stand near the center of this igneous rock, which indicates the presence there is only enough air in each suit tank for room. The walls are lined with large ma- of geothermal activity. The same character 30 minutes of not too strenuous work. A chine tools including metal lathes, brake will find what appear to be trace samples of suit will not protect the wearer from the presses, drills, and punches. Small hand gold, uranium ore, and oil shale. It will effects of cold, steam, explosion, gunshot, tools include ball peen hammers, grinders, occur to the character that if the samples or a hand-to-hand attack. pliers, wrenches, drills, and calipers. were collected by Atlantis II personnel, they An acetylene torch with two 100-pound must know that they are sitting on a verita- Unit #71 fuel tanks on a wheeled cart is ready for ble goldmine of natural resources. A geiger Garbage room: This room is filled with use. Both the oxygen and the gas must be counter will detect radioactivity in the ura- the sights and smells of garbage. Eventually, turned on for a torch to be ignited with a nium ore samples. the biodegradable part will be used as plant spark from an igniter or by an open flame. Personnel present, day: Sara. fertilizer, and the metal and glass garbage The room also contains 30-gallon barrels, will be separated for recycling. each plainly marked in English according to Unit #65 its contents. The barrels contain lubricating Mining equipment storage: This room Unit #72 fluid, hydraulic oil, cutting oil, cleaning contains shovels, pickaxes, rock crushers, Hot waste: This chamber contains 25 solvent, motor oil, and sawdust. grinders, drill bits, and a small red box stainless-steel cylinders adorned with radio- Personnel present, day: Dawn, Earl, and containing 10 sticks of dynamite. active warning labels. Some of them contain Felix. unused radioactive core material, others Unit #66 contain radioactive waste dust. The cylin- Unit #60 Ore refinery: This room is dominated by ders all weigh the same (25 kilograms each Metal storage: Bins for the storage of an experimental ore refinery machine. Any when full, 5 kilograms when empty), and metal take up most of the wall space in this character with an AOK score of 75 or their contents cause radiation poisoning. room. The metals range from brittle higher in Geology will be able to tell that For each minute that a character is exposed wrought iron to carbon-hardened plate. the equipment is well used and appears to to the contents of a cylinder (only possible if Finely tooled steel in a variety of lengths be for refining uranium. It looks like the one is opened or broken), that character will and dimensions, used for repair work, is crushed ore is dumped in one end of the receive 1 Injury Point of damage each day stored here. There are also large steel plates machine and uranium ore is separated from for the rest of his or her life. (Loss of 2 pts. weighing 250 pounds apiece stacked here, the worthless rock at the other end. A geiger per day for 2 minutes’ exposure, etc.) A along with coil springs of varying sizes, and counter will indicate a trace of radioactivity geiger counter in this area will detect a trace long, thin metal bars. everywhere in this room. of radiation if no containers are opened. If a Strewn in front of the door to Unit #59 Personnel present, day: Carl, Thora, and container is opened, the geiger counter will are the parts of a makeshift set of barbells. Una. indicate a very hot source of radiation. 56 JULY 1984 WHITEOUT agent dossiers

Administrator: Photocopy this page, then clip out agent descriptions and hand them to players when their selections are made.

‘The Mugger’ Assassination bureau Olga Assassination bureau

PS CH W CO K CD PS CH W CO K CD 86 60 89 86 49 78 Languages: 92 34 58 80 52 81 Language: Russian 92 OF DP EV DA MV LL English 84 English 68 OF DP EV DA MV LL 82 73 69 64 273 18 81 67 68 67 231 15 Superior Areas of Knowledge: Superior Areas of Knowledge: HTH SV Engineering, Construction/Civil...... 62 Engineering, Construction/Civil...... 78 HTH SV 155 142 Engineering, Hydraulic...... 90 Geology ...... 84 160 135 Engineering, Mechanical...... 74 Medicine/Physiology ...... 92 Metallurgy ...... 103 Physical Education ...... 112 Military Science/Weaponry...... 96 Political Science/Ideology ...... 81

‘Klepto’ Confiscation bureau Will B. Driver Confiscation bureau

PS CH W CO K CD PS CH W CO K CD 64 79 56 70 68 94 75 62 82 96 74 87 Language: Language: OF DP EV DA MV LL OF DP EV DA MV LL English 90 English 88 82 75 87 81 214 12 92 79 75 81 244 16 Superior Areas of Knowledge: Superior Areas of Knowledge: HTH SV Astronomy/Space Science ...... 64 Architecture ...... 77 HTH SV 151 162 Engineering, Electrical...... 106 Computer Science ...... 92 150 154 Engineering, Mechanical...... 114 Engineering, Electrical...... 78 Geology ...... 82 Engineering, Transportation ...... 116 Photography ...... 90 Law...... 68 Psychology ...... 76 Mathematics/Accounting...... 88 Social Sciences ...... 98 Physics...... 82

‘Paper Chaser’ Confiscation bureau Miss Ecoute Investigation bureau

PS CH W CO K CD Languages: PS CH W CO K CD 46 76 80 94 82 66 English 92 Spanish 88 38 89 52 60 94 70 Language: Russian 91 German 40 OF DP EV DA MV LL English 87 French 90 OF DP EV DA MV LL 80 85 72 74 192 13 65 75 80 82 160 9 Superior Areas of Knowledge: Superior Areas of Knowledge: HTH SV Agriculture ...... 100 Biology/Biochemistry...... 68 HTH SV 118 157 Botany ...... 96 Botany...... 77 118 155 Chemistry ...... 84 Chemistry ...... 86 Ecology/Earth Sciences ...... 74 Fine Arts ...... 106 Engineering, Aeronautical...... 118 Geography...... 73 Engineering, Transportation ...... 92 Literature ...... 98 Mathematics/Accounting...... 106 Photography ...... 89 Social Sciences ...... 102 Political Science/Ideology ...... 91 Religion...... 64

Pierre Piton Investigation bureau ‘Dynamo’ Investigation bureau

PS CH W CO K CD PS CH W CO K CD Languages: 78 75 90 88 50 96 67 90 65 74 76 72 French 91 Language: OF DP EV DA MV LL OF DP EV DA MV LL English 73 English 96 92 82 86 73 264 17 73 82 81 74 204 13 Superior Areas of Knowledge: Superior Areas of Knowledge: HTH SV HTH SV Ecology/Earth Sciences ...... 86 Argiculture ...... 82 164 168 148 Engineering, Aeronautical...... 94 Economics/Finance ...... 69 163 Engineering, Industrial ...... 78 Engineering, Hydraulic...... 84 Geology ...... 96 Law...... 76 Physical Education ...... 101 Mathematics/Accounting...... 68 Medicine/Physiology ...... 88 Political Science/Ideology ...... 90 Psychology ...... 112

DRAGON 57

ARL TUMBLED AS HE FELL. Embarrassment supplanted his ini- Simon tial surprise and panic. His arms flailed in a useless effort to stop the tumbling. As though Carl’s mind had decided that his coordination Sidekick skills were inadequate to keep him from landing awkwardly, it started rattling off useless bits of information. He would be traveling at almost fifteen by John E. Stith meters per second by the time of impact with the water almost sixty meters below. The domed ceiling spun by his view again, followed by the blue circle of the pool far below. There was no hope of controlling the fall, but maybe he could at least avoid a belly flop. The simple jump from the high board had been going smoothly until the pellet hit his neck. The sting startled him enough that he whipped his hands to the back of his head — and that started the tumbling. Since then, his efforts to stop the rotation had made it worse. Carl felt foolish mainly because of the time it took to reach the water: more than eight long seconds. On Earth, at six times normal lunar gravity, the trip would have taken less than four seconds. But then he would have hit the water more than twice as fast. Carl hated recess. During one of the too many instants on the way down, he recalled seeing Peter Tahale’s black hair and white trunks shortly before he jumped. Was this another of Peter’s little jokes? Carl still hadn’t gained control of the fall, so he did the next best thing: he tucked into a cannon ball. Predictably, his rotation rate increased. The scenery whipped by in front of his eyes. Water followed light, water, light. And then came the pain. The impact stung his back from the base all the way up to his neck. Carl hit with almost enough force to knock his breath away, but he knew right then that he was okay. The water quickly buoyed him back to the surface. His form had kept him from going very deep. The spray was still falling when he surfaced and shook the water out of his eyes and hair. As he swam toward the ladder, he heard at least one giggle, but apparently most of the other kids weren’t pay- ing attention. Carl still had halfway to go when a splash sounded behind him. Shortly, a familiar face surfaced directly in his path. “Real good, Carl,” said Peter “Alligator” Tahale. He ran one hand through his sky-black hair, squeezing out the water. Carl ignored him and tried to swim around him. “You should be more careful. How are you going to handle the search when you can’t even jump off the high board?” Peter continued. Alligator was Carl’s name for Peter — all mouth and no ears. What makes you think I even care, Carl almost asked. Peter had gone on the search almost a year early. Since then he had been even more overbearing. Why couldn’t he just let Carl alone? And why should he be concerned about Carl’s future? Peter’s usual idea of planning ahead seemed to be making sure he didn’t walk into anyone. Illustrations by Jerry Eaton

DRAGON 59 Carl kept going. His back still smarted and it had to be but he reminded Carl of his father. His last memories of Peter’s fault. his father were almost eight years old, but the images still Peter called after him. “What I’m trying to show you is wouldn’t fade. . . . that you can’t do the search alone. I can help you if you “What?” Carl realized that someone had been talking let me.” to him. Carl shut out the words. The advice didn’t interest him, “I asked, are you learning a lot in school?” Pel re- and he didn’t want to be reminded of the search. Peter peated. “How’s your interest in math? Your mother tells could find someone else to make dependent on him. He me you’re making excellent progress.” reached the side of the pool and climbed the ladder. There “Oh, sure. School’s great.” Except for recess, he added was no more sound from Peter. He brushed past a bunch to himself. of kids who were between him and the locker room. There Carl saw the look Pel gave his mother. It didn’t last was chubby Alice Kogomo. Carl was now sure he knew long, but it was there. Carl didn’t say anything more, but the derivation of the word pigtail. the adults both hesitated. Recess was supposed to last another hour, but Carl Carl’s mother fidgeted with her slender fingers — her couldn’t take any more. He needed to get back to the frank-discussion fidget. “Carl, I’ve been talking with Pel privacy of his room. He’d had more than enough of peo- about you, and . . . .well, I’m concerned that you’re not ple for one day. making a lot of friends.” His clothes were in the locker. He unwadded a pair of “It’s not my fault that none of the kids are friendly.” jeans and a T-shirt, then put them on. They covered up “I’ve got something you might be interested in.” Pel most of his freckles. It was bad enough at recess, playing broke in suddenly, looking a little embarrassed. games that depended on reaction time rather than intelli- Carl immediately forgot about school. Pel was better gence. It was even worse to have to be half-naked. than a magician, always trying out some new prototype or Carl started down Row A, a plain, three-meter-wide gadget. He was a computer engineer and was lucky steel tunnel. It was typical for Jane Doe Station, the larg- enough, or good enough, to be able to work on a lot of est moon colony. He passed the park, leaving the recrea- exciting projects. tional section behind. Column G, where his mother “I’ve got a new wristcomp for you, if you want it,” he worked in life-support, was on the way, but he didn’t stop. said. A right turn on Column H led toward home, a two- Carl still had the one Pel had given him a couple of bedroom compartment on Row D. Below the Column-H years ago. It worked fine, but the new one had to be even sign was stuck one of the kids’ labels, bearing the words more powerful. “Easy Street.” Nearby were “Memory Lane” and “Try to stop me.” He unlatched the strap on his wrist. “Kangaroo Court.” “Wait a minute. It’s not quite that easy.” Pel grabbed a Carl’s wristcomp said it was only 1400. Fortunately, his travel bag and pulled out a grey box. “If you want this, mother would still be at work. There would be trouble if it’s not just a matter of trading your old one. It’s more she found out he had skipped most of recess. It provided complicated than that.” almost all of the social conditioning time that his school Carl kept waiting for him to open the box. required. “This model does a lot more than the one you have. It The metal corridors were smaller as he neared home. receives sensory input. It also has so many new functions Row D was only wide enough for three people to walk side that I’m not going to tell you all of them right now. And by side. Compartment doors lined the hall. He reached you’ll need a checkup before you start wearing it . . . to his door and tapped in his ID. get it calibrated.” “Carl? You’re early. I thought recess didn’t get out Carl saw his uncle look at his mother again, pretty until 1500.” Oh, no. His mother was home early, too. much like the glance they exchanged after he said “I’m fine.” Carl started to speak as he opened the door. “School’s great,” but he still didn’t know what it meant. “I just —” And then he saw Uncle Pel sitting in the good There wasn’t anything Pel could have said to make him chair. Pel’s broad grin creased an ample number of laugh want to keep his old wristcomp. The new one was beauti- lines. ful. The brushed surface looked like a diamond could “When did you get here ?” Carl hurried in to greet scrape against it without harming it. And it must be spe- him, surprised and happy to see him, and hoping that his cial — it didn’t even have a model designation. mother would forget her question. Pel got off Earth only The next morning they went up to Row B to see Dr. once every few months. He came to Jane Doe Station Frankle. The doctor was a short, tolerant man, a little even less often. older than both Pel and Carl’s mother were. He always “Just an hour ago. We wanted to surprise you.” Pel seemed to Carl to be as careful as his father had been. The stood and pickefting him to touch his head to the ceiling. adults talked to him for almost twenty minutes before Carl It wasn’t difficult since, in the moon’s gravity, Carl was finally admitted. weighed only one-sixth of what he would on Earth. Pel Dr. Frankle had Carl lie down on a table while he was one of the few adults Carl felt comfortable with, so he watched a display on his screen. After the doctor manipu- let him have his fun. lated controls and read instruments for what seemed like a Carl could see that his uncle’s black hair and bushy half-hour, he said, “All right, Carl. You’re going to sleep eyebrows had a few grey lines. Mom had the same black for a few minutes, but you’ll be fine.” That’s all he hair, but hers was still all dark. Pel was Mom’s brother, remembered, until . . .

60 JULY 1984 HE DOCTOR’S VOICE APPROACHED FROM FAR Carl had never been so impatient before. He needed away: “Can you hear me now, Carl?” privacy; though. The warehouse was the easiest place to Carl opened his eyes and saw the doctor’s go; no one bothered him down there. He started down round face. “Yes,” he murmured. He felt more awake a and was part way along Column C when eagerness over- moment later. By the time he was asked to sit up, he felt came him. fine, except for a slight twinge in the back of his neck. “Hello, Simon.” “The diagnostics all look fine, but we have to run some “Hello again, Carl.” Once more the voice was right final tests. You’re feeling all right?,” He waited for a nod. inside his skull. “We need to check the linkages. Can you say hello to “Just how smart are you?” Simon?” “Try me.” “Simon?” Carl suddenly realized that he was wearing But Carl didn’t try just then. From twenty meters away, the new wristcomp. he saw one of the older students from school enter the “Just do it. You’ll see.” same corridor he was in. He still wasn’t too sure, but he said, “Hello, Simon” He lowered his voice. “Can you still hear me?” “Hi, Carl,” came the calm voice as a sound in his ear. “Sure. Whispering’s fine.” But he didn’t hear it. Startled, Carl said good-bye. As the boy in the corridor Carl looked at the wristcomp and then looked at Dr. passed, he gave Carl a funny look. Carl realized he’d have Frankle. The doctor was grinning at what had to be Carl’s to be more careful. astonishment showing all over his face. He’d heard Simon It was hard to do, but he left Simon off until he was directly. As though he was listening with small, stereo safely settled in one of the low-use storage rooms, three headphones, the sound seemed to come from straight levels down. Bacterial processing smells made the air behind his head. musty. “Bone conduction,” said the doctor. “It must be work- “Hello, Simon,” he said at last. ing fine. Tell Simon good-bye for now.” “Hi, Carl. Do you have a short attention span, or are “Good-bye, Simon.” Carl listened for a response, but you just busy?” He could have sworn that Simon was none came. grinning as he spoke,. He could hardly wait to talk more with Simon. He “I wanted to talk to you right away, but I couldn’t . . . didn’t pay much attention while Dr. Frankle led him out at least not without attracting a lot of attention.” to see his mother and Pel. His old wristcomp had speech “You don’t like attention?” capability, but Simon had sounded so unmechanical that “No.” Carl believed he could look behind his shoulder and see “Any kind of attention?” another person. “Well —” Carl, stopped, suddenly realizing who was His mother probably realized how preoccupied he was. asking all the questions. “Hey, what about you?” As soon as she seemed satisfied that he was all right, she “What would you like to know?” told him he was free for the day and could go talk to “Anything. Everything. How’d you get your name?” Simon. “But don't tell any of your friends about Simon. “Simon stands for Semi-Intelligent Monitor. Program- Just let them think it’s an ordinary wristcomp.” That mers and their acronyms.” would be easy. It looked enough like an ordinary one that “Semi- intelligent?” no one would ask. “Maybe they thought Imon was hard to remember.” As Carl started out the door, Dr. Frankle called, “Just “Maybe they were wrong.” remember that Hello, Simon turns it on, and Good-bye, “You have to make allowances with humans.” Simon turns it off. It will explain the rest." “Yeah, I know.” He stopped again. This was going too fast. Here he was, talking with a wristcomp. . . . “You were saying?" Simon’s voice sounded so human. “Who is this actually?” Carl asked warily. “You mean, is this just a transceiver, and who’s on the other end?” “Yes.” “I’m sorry, to disappoint you. It’s just me here. There is no one else. Turn on a radio scrambler and see if my voice goes away.” He knew somehow that Simon was telling the truth. “How old are you?” Carl asked. “At least as old as you, relatively speaking.” “You mean you learn faster?” “Something like that, but I’ve got other limitations.” “Like what?” “Oh, for one thing, quite a few of the people I have met do not like me. I am sometimes a little too logical.” “So am —” Carl caught himself again. He didn’t need to explain himself to a computer. “What do you do, DRAGON 61 Simon?” His old wristcomp had communications, calcula- gradually, with people making trips back from Earth car- tions, and a large data bank. rying small, exotic plants, one whole section of the cham- “Capabilities, functions, features?” ber was now covered with vegetation that had no use for “Yeah.” life-support. “The usual, but with a personal touch. Other than my They were interesting to look at, though. Some of them IQ and personality, most of my other functions are just were incredibly different from the way they looked in routine things for a wristcomp.” photos taken on Earth. The stalks grew so tall and thin in “What type of star is Rigel?” the lunar gravity that they couldn’t have survived any “B type. But there is no need to test me. I will let you surface wind. know if any malfunctions develop. I imagine you are ea- “Hello, Simon,” Carl said, coming to a resolution. ger to show me to your friends.“ “Hello, Are you all right? Maybe I should have waited “I’m not supposed to let anyone know you’re not a to tell you about that.” regular wristcomp.” Carl didn’t feel like telling Simon he “I’m okay. There’s no logical reason why your monitor- didn’t have any real friends his own age. ing should bother me. It just takes a little getting used to.” “I talked with your mother and Pel for a little while. “I understand. Please remember that I am only a ma- They seem nice.” chine.” Simon told Carl that if he was left on, he wouldn’t “They are.” Carl wondered if Simon already knew that speak if it would interfere. And it occurred to Carl that for he didn’t make friends easily. If he did, he was being po- a machine, Simon thought a lot like a person. lite. “How’d you talk to them?” “The usual way. Just because I have this fancy system EFORE LONG, CARL STARTED LEAVING SIMON does not mean the regular features are not available.” Just B on all the time. Simon learned quickly. He could like that, Simon’s voice was no longer in Carl’s head, but distinguish the times when communication was coming from the speaker on the wristcomp. “But this way okay, and usually kept quiet except for them. They were is a bit more private, do you not agree?” And just as in Carl’s room, taking a break between lessons, when one abruptly, Simon’s voice was back inside Carl’s head. certain subject finally came up. Simon was the one who Carl had been so surprised by Simon’s capabilities, he started it. hadn’t even thought about how they were performed. “So “I have heard a few references to something called the that’s why my neck is sore — an implant!” The implica- search. And you usually veer away from the subject. tions sprang up abruptly in Carl’s mind. “What else are What is this?” Simon asked. you tied into?” “It’s an initiation test and it’s stupid,” Carl replied, “I had hoped to wait a while before we discussed this.” finding himself wanting to end the conversation, out of “Tell me.” Carl was beginning to get nervous. habit. Then he realized that he did want to talk about it. “I see that you wore a blue shirt today.” “You have to use a direction finder to locate a transmitter “You mean you can —” that the older kids hide in one of the craters around here.” “Right. I can see through your eyes and hear through “That does not sound too bad,” Simon said. your ears. But only when I am turned on" “But it’s outside — on the surface.” “Good-bye, Simon.” He spoke the words rapidly, Simon seemed to notice the edge in Carl’s voice more barely trusting his voice. “Are you there, Simon?” he than what he said. “Outside. What is so bad about that? asked after his thoughts slowed down. Surely you may wear a pressure suit?“ Silence. So at least he wouldn’t talk if Carl didn’t want Carl thought he detected sarcasm, but tried to ignore it. him to. But Carl’s sense of privacy was destroyed. For all “Obviously. But there are so many things that can go he knew, Simon was listening and watching all the time. wrong with a suit. Pressure, temperature, communica- What could Uncle Pel have been thinking of to do this to tions, who knows what?” him? “Failures are rare, correct?” Carl started back home, unsure if he was mostly angry “Of course, but . . .” His hesitation was brief. A few or mostly hurt. At first, the gift had seemed fabulous. And days ago Carl couldn’t have imagined explaining about now — and now he just realized that he had been thinking his father to a computer. But now, Simon didn’t seem like about Simon as a person. a computer any more. So what if a computer could monitor what he saw and So he told Simon about the accident, about how he had heard? It still wasn’t actually someone else spying. He watched in horror, as his father died in less than a minute simply had to keep thinking of Simon as a computer. Why out there on that stark surface. About how the laser cutter should that be so hard? was jammed against his suit by a freak explosion of the He didn’t go home after all. He still needed time to material he was slicing. About how he so wanted to trade think without having to keep a conversation going. Hy- places, and how the pain inside himself had seemed worse droponics was nearby, and it was usually quiet in there. than trying to breathe air that was being sucked into the When Carl got there, he took a few minutes to look void. around and settle his thoughts. Everything was pretty After Carl’s shakes stopped and he could use his voice much the same as the last time he had been here. What again, he told Simon what kind of man his father had had started out as a small garden was now a miniature been: so careful, so kind, so loving. Carl had never seen greenhouse. Originally, the plants were grown here for him angry. He had been unbelievably patient, always scientific reasons, with specific purposes for each. But ready to answer the questions that only six-year-olds can

62 JULY 1984 think of. And Carl had asked an enormous number of “It makes me more of an expert than someone who questions. hasn’t ever been outside.” “So you do not like the idea of going out on the sur- Carl didn’t mention the one trip he could remember face,” Simon said, after giving Carl a chance to recover. making, but that certainly hadn’t made him an expert, “Maybe you should not make the search. Why bother?” either. “You don’t understand. These kids are fanatical about Simon spoke up while Carl was considering his reply. it. Anyone who doesn’t pass it soon enough gets nothing “He sounds like he is interested in helping.” but trouble from the others. If the suits didn’t have to be “Besides,” Peter continued, “you can’t do it by —” easy to get to in an emergency, the adults would have “I’m not even sure I want to bother with the search,” locked them up long ago. But it’s a ritual; you’re not a Carl interrupted. “It seems like such a waste of time.” teenager until you do it. Peter Tahale went almost a year “A waste of time?” earlier than he had to. And now he’s already teasing me. I Simon again: “Do you hear an echo in here?” don’t want to be teased. I just want to be left alone.” “Do you realize —” Peter stopped himself, perhaps “Have you made any new friends since your father when he saw a grin creep across Carl’s face. “Go ahead, died?” Simon asked. then. Be a jerk.” With that, he got back on his feet and “No,” said Carl quickly. Then came the thought: Ex- hurried away. cept for you. “Thanks a lot, Simon,” Carl whispered. “You might get me in big trouble by butting in on a conversation.” PPARENTLY, PETER DIDN’T KNOW WHEN TO “Have I yet?” quit. He seemed almost attracted to Carl, as “No, not big trouble, I guess. But be careful, okay?” A though Peter considered it his responsibility “So . . . that was Peter Tahale, I suppose?” to goad him into going on the search. But Carl didn’t “Right.” He turned his head away from the activity in want to be dependent on anyone. If he decided to do it, the rest of the room so no one would notice his lips move that would be his decision. as he whispered. He managed to avoid Peter during the next few re- “He did not seem as malicious as I expected, from what cesses, but, while on a field trip to the zoo, he wasn’t so you have told me,” Simon said. lucky. “Well, malicious might be too strong a word.” The zoo was tiny. A couple of dozen animals seemed “How does he fit in with the rest of the group?” like enough to qualify for the name, though. There “Perfectly. They all seem to go along with his ideas. I weren’t any large animals, but there were mice, squirrels, wish I knew why he picks on me.” gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, and several other rodents. “Maybe he —” One of the squirrels was still in a padded cell, since it “Oh, never mind, Simon. I really don’t care about had newly arrived from Earth. Squirrels weren’t quick at Peter. I don’t need him. Let’s just skip it, okay?” adapting to the lunar gravity. New animals always spent “Very well.” at least a week in a padded cell for their own protection. They were likely to jump too hard, especially if they were ARL DIDN’T REALLY LIKE TO EAVESDROP, startled. but when he got home his mother was on the The class was on its own during a break when Peter C phone in her bedroom, and the door wasn’t found Carl again. tightly closed. Besides, it sounded like it concerned him. “Are you ready for the search?” he asked, sitting beside Carl told Simon to keep quiet, but didn’t turn him off, Carl. and he tried to listen as closely as he could while staying Before Carl could answer, he heard Simon blurt out: hidden from his mother’s view. “Are you ready for a suntan session without a suit?” Carl “But it’s been almost a month,” she said. “I don’t think averted his eyes, coughed, then looked quickly at Peter. Simon is helping.” His dark eyes were inquisitive but not astonished. He There was a delay, then a response he couldn’t make apparently hadn’t heard that remark; Simon just meant it out. He supposed it could have been Uncle Pel, back on for Carl’s ears. Earth. Carl couldn’t get a look at the screen to be sure. “Why do you care?” Carl asked. “No. He’s even more withdrawn than ever.” She must “I just figured I could give you some help.” be talking about him, Carl thought, but he didn’t feel “Why would I need your help?” Carl shot back, figur- withdrawn. This time there was a longer pause before she ing he probably couldn’t trust it even if he got it. spoke again. “Because I’ve been out there. I’ve got experience. And “Well, all right, but only a week. If there’s no change, you need someone else.” I’m going to have to take Simon back and send Carl to “You sound just like your father.” Peter’s dad was a Doctor Tamalind. No, I’m . . .” councilman. The class had listened to him talk at school a Carl didn’t hear the rest. He backed away from the couple of months ago. And there was that word again: doorway and left the apartment. need. Carl didn’t need anyone. Carl's eyes were moist as he walked along Row D. He “What do you mean by that?” Peter asked. His eyes didn’t know where to go or what to do — but he knew he narrowed slightly. wouldn’t give up Simon. “I mean you’ve been acting like a politician. Going “It’s okay to talk again,” he told Simon, suddenly re- outside once doesn’t make you an expert.” membering through his fog that he had asked him to be

D RAGON 63 quiet. “She must have been talking to Pel.” pact direction finder. He trembled, unable to calm his “It would seem so. I am surprised that you would listen body. in .” Cynthia Holmes was talking. She was a stocky girl, two “You’re a fine one to talk. Pel’s never taken a gift back years older than he was. Her hands and red curls bounced before.” He changed the subject, feeling a little guilty for excitedly as she talked, even though she had been starting what he had done. kids out on this same trip for almost a year. “Perhaps he will not this time, either.” “All right, Carl," she said. “You’d better start.” “I don’t want to leave anything to chance, though. There was time for one last glance around the bay. A Odds don’t mean anything.” large crowd of curious kids had gathered. Carl caught “I do not understand you.” sight of Peter and noticed that he wasn’t smiling. Earlier “When my father died, everyone said things like ‘What that day, Carl had rejected another of Peter’s offers of a freak accident’ and ‘That wouldn’t happen again in a advice. million years.’ What they meant was that the odds were Cynthia motioned Carl toward the airlock. His helmet small. I paid a lot of attention in school sessions when we clicked into place, the autocheck light winked on, and cool were covering probabilities and permutations. I can tell air started flowing past his face. He plugged the locator you the odds for ten coins winding up all heads. The into the suit equipment interface connector. A few deep chances are small. But no one can tell me it can’t happen. breaths calmed his shaking somewhat, and he shuffled into It could happen. Pel could take you back even if he hasn’t the airlock. taken back a gift before.” The door behind him sealed itself, and he punched the “Or something could happen to you if you went on the exit button. search?” “Simon, can you hear me?” he asked, his voice “Well, yes.” scratchy. “Or something could happen to a friend, or to someone “Yes. How are you?” close to you?” “I’m okay. I —” He froze as the outer door slid open “Yes, but we’re getting off the subject.” and unveiled the high-contrast landscape, eternally lit by “Are we?” the oblique rays of the sun. The surface in front of him “Yes. I don’t intend to give you back.” With that state- was well trampled, flattened by countless footprints. ment, Carl reached the stairs that led to the warehouse Carl couldn’t move. He stood there for the moment, below. petrified. “And how do you propose to stop that?” Simon asked. “Are you sure you are all right?” Simon’s voice in- “What is going to change your mother’s mind about the truded on his fear, linking him back to the real world. fact that you are withdrawn and antisocial?” “Nothing is going to happen to you," Simon added. “She didn’t say anything about antisocial.” Carl forced back the memories that had surged forth, “Answer the question.” then he swallowed hard. “Yeah. I’m okay.” And he did “The search is one way to get her to change her mind, I feel better. His trembling died down, and he felt in control suppose, but it’s not an option,” he said. “And what do once more. you mean, antisocial?” He stepped out of the airlock, the sounds of his breath- Simon ignored the question. “Do you think that you ing louder now. The locator direction marker lit up a would be more accepted if you went on the search?” portion of the status panel near his forehead. It directed “It would at least get some of the kids off my back,”’ him toward a spot on the horizon opposite the sun. said Carl. As thoughts of “now or never” briefly coursed through “Why is it not an option?” his mind, Carl stepped out onto the surface. The first few “Simon, don’t you listen to me? I’ve told you about the paces were the hardest; then a feeling of normalcy slowly last time I went outside.” began to return to his mind and his walk. “You have gone off the high board since the time you “I am glad you are feeling more comfortable now,” had the bad fall, right?” Simon said after Carl had traveled perhaps fifty meters. “Yeah, but that’s different.” “How do you know I am?” “How different? The principle or the degree? Suppose “Routine things. Heart rate, pupil dilation, digestion once you had gotten an electric shock from a computer rate, and a few others.” terminal. Think where you would be now if you were Carl fell silent again, settling into an easy rhythm, feel- afraid to use one again.” ing the dirt below his feet crunch as he walked. Periodi- “But you’re —” cally, he rechecked the locator, also noting the signal “Think about it, Carl.” strength. It was slowly rising. He made his way through a carved path up the side of a RYlNG TO BE REASONABLE, CARL SPENT SOME crater wall, and soon he had traveled far enough that he time thinking about it. Simon had never lied to began to worry about being able to find the way back. He him, at least not that Carl was aware of. And wasn’t sure the direction finder could pick up the beamed the things Simon said seemed to make sense, even if he communications from Jane Doe Station. In an emergency, had trouble agreeing with them. he could always use the suit radio or Simon and have Two days later Carl found himself in front of an airlock, someone talk him back in, but he didn’t want to have to wearing a white pressure suit and carrying a rugged, com- do that. He could probably travel in the direction of the

64 JULY 1984 densest footprints, but that method sounded for the source of the signal, trying to concentrate his atten- undependable. tion on the task at hand. Fifteen minutes later, he stopped. “Simon, you could find the way back, couldn’t you? I Another crater lay directly in his path. On a hunch, he mean, tell me which way to go?” moved several paces sideways around the rim, first one “Certainly.” way and then the other, and the direction reading pivoted Despite — or perhaps because of — Simon’s assurance, accordingly. Carl felt a need to be able to do it on his own, so periodi- “It must be close — probably in the crater,” he said, cally he looked back the way he had come, to see what the looking for the easiest way up the outside wall. He noticed features looked like from this perspective. It was during footprints in one spot, moved to it, and cautiously made one of those times that he spotted sunlight twinkling off his way up the short, gradually sloping incline. From the what looked like a shiny helmet several hundred meters top of the rounded rim, he saw a crater that must have behind him. been about a hundred meters across. And for the first “Peter!” he said. “That must be him, trying to spoil time, he spied the top of a rope ladder anchored into the my search.” rim a few meters to the left of where he stood. “Now “Maybe.” that’s convenient,” he said to Simon. Carl moved slowly Carl turned back quickly so the other person wouldn’t over to the ladder, peering down but failing to see the know he’d been spotted. Ahead, on almost the same head- bottom of it after it disappeared into the shadow caused by ing as the transmitter, was a large rock outcropping. It the crater rim. He judged the inner surface of the crater to would provide concealment. be six or eight meters below where he stood, and he was “Let’s find out”’ he said, continuing to move at his glad the ladder was there to help him descend, even if he original pace. Soon he reached the rock. The surface was nervous about using it at the same time. dipped down slightly past that point, so he continued until “Well, are you ready, Simon?” Carl asked, to steady he was probably below the follower’s line of sight, and himself. then doubled back, hunched slightly, moving sideways “Yes”’ Simon replied. “Be careful.” toward the rock cover. The shadow of the outcropping was Carl bent down, grabbed the first rung, and slowly just tall enough to conceal him if he crouched. swung his body around so he was poised backward at the “What do you hope to accomplish?” Simon asked. top of the ladder. Starting down, he was almost glad that “I don’t know. I at least want to find out who it is.” the darkness prevented him from seeing the bottom. He “But then what?” switched on his suit light after the first couple of rungs. “I’ll figure that out afterward.” He shifted his weight. It was not a terribly long way down, but he was very The wait took less than three minutes. The figure came careful and took his time. He occupied himself by worry- over the rise slowly, maybe wondering why there was no ing alternately about losing his grip and falling, and about sign of Carl farther on. That’s when Carl came out of the Peter coming along and hauling up the ladder after he got shadow and switched on his suit radio. down. But the more he thought about it, he had to admit “Who are you?” Carl asked. that Peter hadn’t done anything actually malicious. There was a slight delay. “Peter," the follower said at “Maybe you’re right about Peter," Carl said, grabbing last. a rung with one hand and releasing the one above it. “Why can’t you leave me alone? Why are you out here “In what respect?” trying to ruin my search?” “Maybe he wants to be friends, but he’s going about it “You can’t do it alone. You’re —” wrong.” “Don’t you get tired of this? I keep telling you, I can “How should he go about it?” manage fine on my own. I’m not a little child. I’ve come “If he just acted nicer, that would be enough.” this far. Now, go back home.” With that, Carl turned off “If that is what’s required, why are you not friends with his suit radio and started on his way again. anyone else? Some of your peers seem decent enough.” “He seemed to want to help," Simon said after a couple “Wait a minute. Aren’t you twisting this around? I of moments. haven’t —” Carl stopped, suddenly confused and unable Carl looked back and saw Peter standing in the same to argue effectively. Simon seemed to be implying that this spot. “I don’t know. Maybe he . . . maybe he’s got an- whole situation was Carl’s fault, and yet . . . other motive. I’m tense out here. Maybe I’m not making Carl’s foot didn’t find another rung of the ladder; in- the best decisions.” stead, it came down on a flat surface that he hoped was “Maybe you are tense when you are inside, too.” the bottom of the crater. He turned and angled his suit “Meaning what?” light down to reveal several sets of footprints. The direc- “Meaning people might be friendlier to you if you were tion finder pointed him along a line that headed toward friendly to them.” the opposite wall of the crater, passing through a couple of Carl looked back again. This time there was no sign of clumps of rocks along the way. The inside of the crater Peter. “He gave up awfully easy.” was gently sloped, just like the path leading up to it had “You cannot have it both ways, Carl.” been. The signal was very strong now. The next silence lasted much longer than before. Carl “We’re almost there," he said. He moved perpendicular watched the signal strength continue to increase as he kept to the direction indicated, and the signal line leading to walking. The path took him gradually uphill along a fea- the transmitter moved along with him, always pointing to tureless part of the lunar landscape. Carl made a beeline the nearest clump of rocks. “That must be it.” He moved

DRAGON 65 toward the rocks, and when he got within a couple of steps stand there and gloat?” of them, he noticed a metallic, dust-covered box partially “I believe you are asking the wrong person," answered obscured from view. Simon. Indeed, this was it. Exhilarated, without speaking to Carl stood watching for a long moment, almost afraid Simon, he moved to the box and leaned down to brush to find out why the other figure was here. Finally, with a away some dust and read the lettering on its top surface. catch in his throat, he switched on his suit’s communica- He expected it to tell him to take the transmitter back to tions and said, “Is that you, Peter?” Jane Doe Station. At last! “Yes.” He didn’t add anything more. This wasn’t going But that wasn’t what it said. As Carl began reading the to be easy, thought Carl. words, his stomach tightened, and he started breathing “Did you come to help? ” Carl asked. He didn’t know if too heavily. the dread sounded in his voice. “No, Simon. It can’t be. Can’t I do anything right?” “Do you want me to?” came the response. Simon’s only response was a quiet, “I’m sorry.” Carl didn’t say anything for a moment. “Yes," he fi- Carl sat down on a nearby rock and read the inscription nally replied. It was one of the hardest things he had ever again, hoping against hope that it would change. The done. words stared back at him: “Okay," Peter said. “I’m coming down.” When you both are ready to proceed, push the switch Neither spoke again until they both stood near the box. labeled A. That will activate the second transmitter some- “I don’t mean to be ungrateful”’ Carl started hesitantly. where in this crater. One of you must go to the second “But why are you here? You’ve played tricks on me be- transmitter. fore, and I haven’t made it very easy on you lately. Is this Four minutes will be allowed for you to reach your your good deed for the day?” positions. Then press the switch marked B. That will acti- “Not exactly,” said Peter. “You’re . . . you’re kind of a vate two more transmitters for fifteen seconds. The person challenge, I guess you’d say. I see my dad getting along who stays here has to note the direction of the first trans- with people he really dislikes. You’re not nearly so annoy- mission. The other person must note the direction of the ing as some of the people in Jane Doe politics, but I could second transmission. These second two transmitters can never reach you. What I mean —” be turned on only once in twenty-four hours, and only for “I know. I think I understand. And . . . and thanks for fifteen minutes at a time. At the intersection of the lines of coming out here. I didn’t realize that part of the search those transmissions, you will find a plastic disk, thirty was to promote the buddy system.” centimeters in diameter, covered by a thin layer of dust. “I tried to get that across to you without coming right You must bring the disk back with you. out and saying it, but I couldn’t get through to you. It’s There are lots of footprints in this crater. Don‘t rely on kind of an unwritten law that someone who’s been on the them. The transmitters are placed in different locations search can’t give away any details to someone who hasn’t for each search. done it. I guess you have to be willing to accept help with- Carl still couldn’t believe it. To come all this way. To out being told that you actually need help to finish the have to go back empty-handed. And why had he shut off search.” Then Peter paused briefly and smiled. all those possible conversations about the search? “If you ask me, that sounds like an idea from the “Simon, I don’t understand. I’m tired, frustrated, adults. And, when you think about it, I suppose the adults angry with myself, but the thing that seems to bother me would have found a way to lock up the suits and have most is having to go back to that group without the disk. emergency overrides if they didn’t see any value in the But, anyway, I can get along without them fine, just like I search. Like my dad says, Jane Doe Station is the frontier have been.” right now.” Simon did not seem to notice the last part of Carl’s Carl wished Peter wouldn’t talk so much about his statement. “There is nothing wrong with needing people, father, but he didn’t say anything. He had been careful even if they might not last forever,” he said. not to interrupt, but now Peter seemed to be done talking. Carl was back on his feet now, wandering aimlessly, “Are you ready?” Carl asked. imagining the reception he’d get back at Jane Doe Sta- “Let’s do it.” tion. He looked across to the far side of the crater, realiz- Peter had suggestions on how to get it done quickly, so ing how difficult it would be to take only one direction Carl listened some more. Soon he was bounding toward sighting, and then search all the area along that path. He the second transmitter, and he switched off his suit com- should live so long. munications long enough to say, “Thanks, Simon.” It was no use. Simon couldn’t help on this one, and he “For what?” couldn’t do it alone. He would have to go home without “You know very well what for.” He switched the suit the disk and face the jeering and the laughing. But why radio back on. should that bother him so much if he didn’t need anyone? It wasn’t long before they were both ready for the new Carl turned around to go back to the ladder, then saw a sightings. Carl activated the switch labeled B, and they shape jutting out of the shadow formed by the crater rim. marked the headings. They started on their separate It looked like a suited figure. He looked up at the rim and courses. About ten minutes later they met again. saw the figure standing there, at the top of the ladder. A spiral search in the dust yielded the plastic disk in less “It has to be Peter,” Carl said. “But why? Is he going than three minutes. to pull the ladder up? Or is he going to help? Or just Almost too quickly, it was over and they were on the

66 JULY 1984 way back. Carl was quiet as they walked, thinking. At last repay you for the things you’ve shown me. What could he said, “Peter, I’ll explain later, but I’d like to turn off any human do for you?” my suit radio for just a few minutes. Okay?” “What have I shown you?” “Fine.” “You know. That Peter just wanted me to accept him “Are you all right?" Simon asked after Carl had been . . . that maybe he wants to be a leader like his father. silent for a long moment. That perhaps I need people more than I thought.” “Yes and no,” he replied slowly. “I did not show you those things. You found them.” “Can you be more specific?” “You know perfectly well what I mean.” “I mean I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.” As the two boys reached the top of the next rise, the “And?” station’s antennae and solar panels glinted in the sun. “And I’ve realized a few things about the two of us.” They came closer and Carl could see that near the airlock, “Go on.” squeezed against the window, was a large crowd of kids. “Pel never actually planned on my keeping you, did Even from here they looked excited. Carl held the disk he?” away from his body so they could see it. This time, Simon’s voice came slowly, too. “No,” he “Simon,” he said fiercely, his vision blurring momen- said with what sounded almost like sadness. “No, I am tarily, “I don’t care how soon Pel expects you back. I afraid not.” want you for at least another week.” “Simon, I feel so helpless. There’s no way I can ever

DRAGON 67

LOG

Often the only interaction that player characters in science- CONTENTS fiction games have with the law comes when they are arrested for robbing banks with laser rifles. In the STAR FRONTIERS® game, however, characters may become law officers themsel- ARES Log ...... 70 l ves; “Freeze! Star Law!” presents new information on the toughest interstellar law enforcement agency in the Frontier, "FREEZE! STAR LAW!": with suggestions for developing your own Star Law charac- Kim Eastland ...... 71 ters and scenarios. The interstellar police of the STAR One of the oldest and best-known role-playing games is FRONTIERS® game. Game Designers’ Workshop’s TRAVELLER® game. The designer of the TRAVELLER game system, Marc Miller, LUNA: A TRAVELLER’S presents a description of the Moon thousands of years into the GUIDE future in the fourth of our “lunar“ portraits. Earth has been Marc W. Miller ...... 75 conquered by the Third Imperium and the Moon is now just a The Moon in the TRAVELLER® game. quiet, peaceful world . . . or is it? Though SIMon Sidekick isn’t in the ARES™ Section, this is a A FIELD GUIDE good place to point it out. It is a superb science-fiction tale TO LUNAR MUTANTS about life as lived on the Moon, and what it takes for a boy who lives there to come of age. It brings the reality of space James M. Ward ...... 80 travel home. The macrobes and plants of Tycho Cen- The Gamma Expert returns with the second part of his ter. article on the Moon of the GAMMA WORLD® game, listing a few of the wonderful, highly-destructive mutant monsters STARQUESTIONS running loose at Tycho Center that will cheer the heart of any Roger E. Moore ...... 82 GAMMA WORLD game referee. They ain’t Munchkins, Toto. Questions, answers, and advice on the We’ve gotten some mail asking for more superhero material UNIVERSE™ game. for the MARVEL SUPERHERO™ and CHAMPIONS™ games; we’ll see what we can do about this in future editions of the ARES section. A nice stack of STAR FRONTIERS and GAMMA WORLD game articles is also appearing from our readers. If there is a game you’d like to see covered here, write to us and let us know. If you’d like to write for us yourself, we’d be happy to hear from you! The editors

ARES™ Section 87 THE SCIENCE-FICTION GAMING SECTION

Editors: Roger Moore & Mary Kirchoff Design director: Kristine Bartyzel, Ruth Hoyer Editorial assistance: Patrick Lucien Price, Georgia Moore Graphics and production: Roger Raupp, Marilyn Favaro

ON THE COVER All materials published in the ARES section become the exclusive property of the publisher upon publication, unless special arrangements to the contrary are made prior to publication. Unsolicited Pinned down by enemy fire, two Star Law manuscripts are welcome, but the publisher assumes no responsibility for them and they will not Planetary Officers attempt to retake a be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope of sufficient size and volume. hijacked interstellar liner before it can ARES is a trademark of TSR, Inc.'s science-fiction gaming section in DRAGON® Magazine. All escape the Prenglar system. Details on 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 ©1984 TSR, Inc. Star Law may be found in “Freeze! Star GAMMA WORLD, DRAGON, POLYHEDRON, UNIVERSE, STAR FRONTIERS, and DELTAVEE are Law!” by Kim Eastland. Cover art by Clyde trademarks of TSR, Inc. Traveller is a trademark of Game Designers’ Workshop. Marvel Super Heroes is a trademark of the Marvel Comics Group Champions is a trademark of Hero Games. Caldwell.

70 JULY 1984 According to the STAR FRONTIERS game glossary, the Star Law Rangers operate as an interstellar police force that “concentrates on finding Sathar "Freeze! agents, but also fights space pirates and other interstellar criminals." We also know that the Rangers have large terri- torial areas of authority because in the Star Law!” history section we find that Rangers “track the Sathar’s agents from planet to The interstellar police of the planet and fight them on their own terms.” Beyond that, there is little for an STAR FRONTIERS® game aspiring STAR FRONTIERS game referee or player to consider when dealing with By Kim Eastland Star Law forces. The purpose of this article is to fill in some holes that exist * Although the interstellar company most referees. What is given here is a sug- about this intergalactic organization and often referred to in the STAR FRONTIERS gested organizational structure for Star its members. game is the Pan-Galactic Corporation, Law. We hear a lot about the Rangers, a Before proceeding any further, let’s the Knight Hawks Campaign Book notes glamorous branch of Star Law, but in look at a few facts and assumptions that that it is only one of a half-dozen similar fact they are only one small part of a will help define law enforcement and mega-corporations in the Frontier. It stellar agency dedicated to galactic military authorities in the STAR seems obvious that each mega-corp peace. FRONTIERS game. would want their own security force to We know that Star Law Headquarters * The peace of the Frontier region is guard their property and interests, to is located in the city of Port Loren on maintained in space by the UPF Space- investigate industrial espionage, etc. No the planet Gran Quivera (“The Hub of fleet (see the STAR FRONTIERS Knight one mega-corp security force would be the Frontier Sector”) in the Prenglar Hawks game). We assume that actual trusted by any other to always stay system. We also know there is a Star authority in deep space is in the hands within its corporate authority. Law base on Morgaine’s World in the of the Spacefleet and not the Star Law. * In addition to the above, innumerable same system. Beyond this, we can create * The defense of individual planets is the other law enforcement agencies would some “basic facts” as a foundation for responsibility of their armies and mili- be at work: high-tech mercenaries hired Star Law. tias. This is certainly true for civilized by rich individuals as body guards, pri- 1) A Star Law base exists on every planets. Whether the armed forces are vate investigative firms licensed to oper- civilized world of any size in the Fron- made up of volunteers, inductees, or ate locally or planet-wide, and so forth. tier Sector. These bases range from mercenaries would depend upon the As you might guess, the problem of large complexes to one-man offices, planetary government, its population interplanetary security is a big one. If depending upon that world’s needs. and resources, etc. (in other words, the the theft of a Pan-Galactic Executive Vice 2) Star Law itself does not own a great referee). It is safe to assume that matters President’s personal belongings oc- fleet of ships or an army of combat of immediate local defense (riots, revolu- curred, it would bring in Pan-Galactic’s vehicles. Each base would probably have tions, massive pirate raids, etc.) usually Security Force, any private firms that an array of fast, light armed vehicles for fall under the authority of a planetary the VP had employed, and (if notified) planetary and interplanetary transporta- army and the space fleet it uses for the city authorities. If the felon was tion, such as flit-boards, rocket bikes, orbital defense. loose on the planet, that might bring in skimmers, etc. * Every large city will have its own all planetary investigators authorized to 3) Star Law would not have vast ar- police force to guard its citizenry and keep the local peace. If certain major mies of combat personnel because the maintain law and order. Some planets crimes were committed during the rob- UPF and individual planetary govern- might have police with wider territorial bery, say the theft of a government ments would not want a powerful Star authority for counties, states, provinces, shuttle for a getaway, the armed forces Law undermining their own powers and nations, or continents. might now be involved. authority. Instead, Star Law would have However, if the fugitive leaves the numerous agents with wide-ranging planet and escapes into deep space, authority who would not pose a threat would the Spacefleet be involved? What to city or regional police forces or plane- happens if one of the possessions stolen tary armies. was a device that would be of interest to 4) Star Law personnel would have the a hostile alien race? Could a Port Loren power to call the UPF’s attention to beat cop try to arrest a Sathar in deep major transgressions by city or plane- space? Obviously, there must be a law tary governments, though they try to enforcement agency with far-reaching avoid matters arising from local politics. powers and jurisdiction that can work They can get military assistance from with different local agencies while tran- Spacefleet or other authorities if scending their limitations. This is the job deemed necessary by the UPF Security of Star Law. Council. An individual Star Law agent’s The exact crimes and jurisdictional firepower would be impressive since he areas that Star Law would be involved must often uphold the law when work- with can be laid out by individual game ing with few allies. An average Star Law

D RAGON 71 mission team would include 2-6 members. only a few that STAR FRONTIER game ranks. Their numbers are few and turn- 5) Any ventures beyond the Frontier players or referees need concern them- over is high. They usually work alone. “on the Rim” (as the unexplored and selves with. The titles and definitions of 8) Star Law Commanders: A Star Law possibly dangerous systems are called) or those positions are: Commander is a Marshal empowered to into alien space (neutral or enemy) would 1) Star Law Deputy Officer (DO): A venture into alien space. He has com- be officially undertaken by Star Law. Star Law DO is a rookie officer, fresh plete authority to operate in the UPF’s Any unofficial ventures would be made out of the academy. He or she is in effect best interests there. In the Frontier and by mercenaries, bounty hunters, etc. a lower-grade City Officer and is as- Rim, he can command all of the above 6) Residents of the Frontier Sector signed to assist someone of a higher levels of Star Lawmen. Commanders are who are not of the four main races but rank, usually a full City Officer. After a the only persons in Star Law who can who have clean records and initiative period of time, usually one to three legally kill an intelligent lifeform without might also be Star Law officers. Indeed, years, the Deputy Officer is evaluated any evidence but their own word. Only when dealing with the Rim, they might and may be promoted to a higher grade. a handful of Commanders exist, and be more desirable as agents than one of On rare occasions a DO might be pro- they report to the UPF Security Council the major races. moted into positions as high as a Chief along with the Star Law Captain-Gen- 7) All investigations of known hostile Agent, depending upon his background, eral. races (Sathar, Mechanons, Zuraqqor, skills, and abilities. A Star Law DO can- Other sections of Star Law that might etc.) would be made under the authority not be immediately promoted to Ranger come into play are: of Star Law. A Star Law agent’s author- status, however. 1) Star Law Posse: A group of Star ity level would be very great in this 2) Star Law City Officer (CO): A Star Law Troopers whose mission is to help area. Law CO may have many Deputy Officers out Star Lawmen in trouble. They can 8) Investigations dealing with possible below him. Usually a CO is a Star Law- only be assembled by a Marshal, Com- crimes committed by Star Law person- man who has authority only over a mander, or Star Law HQ. Their stats are nel would be handled by a special particular city. COs work only in major usually normal for their race, and they branch of Star Law Internal Affairs that cities on highly advanced planets. should be armed and armored competi- answers only to the UPF Security Coun- 3) Star Law Planetary Officer (PO): A tively by the referee. NOTE: The posse cil. Planetary Officer may have many Dep- does not exist to haul the player’s “after- 9) All investigations of other estab- uty Officers below him; on major civi- burners” out of the fire all the time. lished security forces (Spacefleet, world lized planets, he may command some They can help if the referee has armies, etc.) or interplanetary governing COs as well. A Planetary Officer cannot swamped the players with foes. bodies (such as the United Planetary exercise his authority on another planet 2) Star Law Penal Officers: The worst Federation) would be handled by special unless ordered to do so by his Com- criminals in the Frontier Sector are kept investigation committees appointed by manding Officer at Port Loren. at certain penal colonies. Maintaining the Star Law Captain-General. 4) Star Law Deputy Agent (DA): Star these secluded prisons and the transport 10) Under article 15 of the Securities Law DAs may command numbers of ships that conduct prisoners there is the Act, a Star Lawman of Ranger rank or Deputy Officers, POs, and COs. A Dep- business of Star Law Penal Officers. above may commandeer any ship, pri- uty Agent governs investigations that Outside of their penal functions, they vate or UPF-owned, not engaged in an assist other law enforcement and secu- operate at Deputy Officer rank. active defense of UPF space for the rity forces. DAs can command POs and 3) Star Law Internal Affairs Agents: purposes of pursuing enemy agents in COs in their planetary system only. When investigating Star Lawmen, IA or out of the Frontier. 5) Star Law Chief Agent (CA): A Chief agents have the command capability of a 11) Under article 12 of the Securities Agent is one rank above the DA and can Marshal. Act, a Star Lawman of any rank can command all officers below his rank. He 4) Star Law Undercover Agents: impose Stellar Law in a city, county, or has the power to override the authority While most Star Lawmen can go under- continent if he deems it necessary to of other security forces within his plane- cover, these agents are in “deep cover.” maintain civil obedience. tary system when dealing with investiga- They have maintained their cover for 12) Under article 13 of the Securities tions there. A CA is extremely powerful years and may not even reveal them- Act, a Star Lawman of Ranger rank or within his system. selves to player characters, but can pass above may also impose Stellar Law on 6) Star Law Ranger: Rangers are a information to them secretly. They usu- an entire planet if he deems it necessary sort of cross between DAs and CAs in ally only answer to Star Law Marshals, to maintain civil obedience. authority, except they can exercise their Commanders, or HQ, and are found in 13) Under article 14 of the Securities power in any system within the Frontier high risk areas such as the Rim. Act, the Star Law Captain-General may Sector. They operate one level above Star Law Authority impose Stellar Law on an entire system CAs in the Star Law chain of command, if he deems it necessary to maintain civil but usually work with other security All Star Lawmen have the following obedience or UPF security. Only the UPF forces rather than commanding them. powers in addition to those listed above: Security Council can declare Stellar Law Rangers are usually called in when hos- 1) The authority to detain, pursue, and on the entire Frontier. tile alien intrigue is suspected (Sathar warn or arrest anyone within their 14) Star Law retains its authorities plots in particular). jurisdiction who breaks the law. The during both peacetime and wartime. 7) Star Law Marshals: This unusual decision to warn or arrest is at the Star position is usually awarded to Rangers Lawman’s discretion and dependent up Star Law Ranking whose jurisdiction extend into the Rim such factors as past record, severity of Although there are many different posi- systems. Some Marshals patrol the Rim crime (speeding vs. possession of a tions within Star Law and various exclusively. They have authority over weapon), attitude of lawbreaker, etc. grades within those positions, there are other Star Law Rangers and all lower 2) The authority to commandeer any

72 JULY 1984 D RAGON 73 vehicle and pilot it, or cause it to be Star Lawman. These 15 cm. square piloted, in excess of normal legal regula- devices are then tied into Star Law’s tions, in an attempt to fulfill section 1. mainframe computers at the end of This authority does not include any every shift, and their info is dumped overt actions that unnecessarily into the general information pool. Star threaten society. Lawmen thus create a running account 3) The authority to search a premises of their own activities, an open “file” on in an attempt to fulfill section 1 if due various suspects, and recordings of cause exists. In those cases where Star eyewitness accounts and testimonies. Law Command can be contacted imme- The info-pool contains a vast wealth of diately for confirmation, such must be current information that can be made obtained. In those cases where Star Law available whenever it is needed to Star Command is more than ten minutes Lawmen only. communications distance away and the A recorder helmet operates in much Star Lawman decides that this wait is to the same way and even has a file com- the detriment of or dangerous to society, puter built in, but it also has a tiny vis- the Star Lawman may gain access to the ual scanner/recorder built in that can premises in any fashion possible. In record the case visually as well. The cases where a Star Lawman is in pursuit helmet can either be broadcast to a local of a criminal or lawbreaker or is witness recording facility or use micro-discs in to a criminal act, then the Star Lawman the built-in recorder to store the images. may gain access to the premises in any fashion possible. Termination of cases 4) The authority to protect society, and reassignment himself, or private property (in that A Star Lawman under the rank of order), whether in an attempt to fulfill Ranger can be called off a case or have section 1 or in the normal course of his his case closed by either a personal activities, by whatever means necessary directive or general reassignment, both excluding measures which may be more issued by Star Law Headquarters. Star harmful than that which is threatening Law Rangers can only have their cases society, himself, or private property. closed or be reassigned by personal 5) The authority to close down any directive from Star Law HQ. Star Law establishment, business, or operation Marshals cannot have their cases closed, which is either breaking a law or endan- but can be reassigned, but only by the gering society and the common good Star Law Captain-General, and then until the appropriate agency, govern- another Star Lawmen of equal or higher mental department, or proper level of rank must take over their cases. Star authority can investigate the problem. Law Commanders cannot be reassigned (In some instances the Star Lawman or have their cases closed, but they can himself must investigate the alleged be recalled by the Star Law Captain- crime). General for briefing or debriefing. Star Obviously, the Star Lawmen have a Law Commanders can be forcibly re- much greater level of authority than tired, but another Star Law Commander normal law enforcement agents, but must take over the case, and the entire they also have a much greater responsi- casefile and official actions ordered are bility. Because of this, the screening of reported to the Security council to pre- Star Law applicants is incredibly de- vent any cover-ups. tailed and thorough, and includes Telol injections, psychoprobes, and rigorous Final thoughts indoctrination. In the entire history of Obviously, the number of scenarios that Star Law (127 years), there has never can be built upon the needs of the dif- been a recorded instance of a “bad ap- ferent types of Star Lawmen listed ple” getting through the screening, above is far greater than those for a though some Lawmen have gone bad “one-level” Star Law. Game referees after years of stress and exposure to might wish to start players as Star Law criminal element. Deputy Officers and bring them “up To placate an always suspicious public, through the ranks.” The point at which recent innovations such as the file com- PCs are promoted should be determined puter and recorder helmet have been by the referee and should depend less introduced into the Star Law ranks, on PC skill levels than on how PCs con- especially among Lawmen working in duct themselves on cases. As in any law highly dangerous or urban areas. The enforcement organization, the remuner- file computer is a specialized computer ation may not be high, but the excite- that does nothing but record informa- ment and satisfaction of a job well done tion verbally fed into it by a is often reward enough.

74 JULY 1984

Reference: Library Data, Solomani Rim Sector Edition; George Harriman cost 34 lives and pointed out the difficulties Gashidda, IIII of landing spacecraft through a maze of mass driver launch points. Since the mines and the launch points couldn’t be LUNA F20076C-F N Research Laboratory. Colony. shifted, the starport was —to Copernicus. Copernicus is the trade and travel center of Luna. Cargos The only natural satellite of Terra (Solomani Rim 1827). 3476 and passengers normally pass through the spaceport there, km diameter; Gravity=0.1653 (Earth=1); K (density con- though special arrangements for landings at other locations stant)=0.610; Mass=0.123 (Earth=1); Albedo=0.07. Orbits Terra at are possible. Ninety percent of all arrivals to Luna pass 60 diameters with a period of approximately 28 days. Temper- through Copernicus. ature ranges from 100°C. to -100°C during the 655-hour local About 2.2 million people live at Copernicus, most engaged in day. (or in support of) marketing and distribution. The Lunar Sen- Spacers should contact Terra system control at Copernicus ate, Chamber, and Executive are located at Copernicus, as are Down Spaceport on standard frequency beta. All traffic the Lunar Central Bank and several major trade brokerages. within 200 diameters of Terra is under strict control from Copernicus Down Spaceport lies southeast of Copernicus. Its Luna; traffic in outer system is controlled from Rhea. extensive landing pad complexes reflect a time when the port Overview: Luna is a province of Terra with status compara- was busier and had greater importance than today. Fully two- ble to that of a continent; it is allowed self-rule for internal thirds of the facilities are no longer in use, though they stand affairs but subject to the Terran Documents of Confederation ready in vacuum for reactivation if needed. Some sheltered which safeguard human and corporate rights. External affairs areas have been converted to warehouses or business offices, are handled by the Terran Ministry of State. but even those areas are under-utilized. Since the conclusion of the Solomani Rim War, the Terra The academic community that has grown up around Plato system has been under a stewardship administered by the (53°N, 10oW) has made it the third largest settled area on Imperial military governor. The Military Governor for Terra Luna, with a population of about 1,000,000. Plato is the site of reports directly to the Office of the Emperor, and holds the the main campus of the University of Luna, regarded as one of power to require or prohibit any activity deemed detrimental the top schools for high energy physics and astronomy in the to the Imperium. The military government of Terra (and Luna) Terra system. The Plato community is the intellectual center of is scheduled to end 365-1111 Imperial. Luna, with local video, plays, and concerts continually being Lunar industry depends primarily on mining and ore proc- produced by faculty and students. The Lunar Court of Ap- essing, although some ship construction takes place as well. peals also holds its sessions at Plato. Luna is a popular destination for Terran honeymoons (another The remaining settlements on Luna are specialized areas name for Luna is “The Moon”), with several resort complexes devoted to specific activities. Clavius is a modern, high-techno- at Copernicus catering to tourists and vacationers. logical industrial park with production facilities for electronic Population and Demographics: The eight million people and gravity chips, vacuum-process equipment, and thin-film on Luna are concentrated in three population centers — Ar- devices. The prime operator for the industrial park is Gesicht- chimedes, Copernicus, and Plato. Additional settlements such kries Sternshiffbau, AG (also known as GSbAG), with other as the mines at Sinus Iridium and the Montes Apenninus, corporations leasing its facilities. The most apparent feature of Farside Station, the Imperial research laboratory at Clavius, the park is the lack of a central dome. The atmosphere is and the Imperial Naval Base at Theophilus account for less contained by a network of focused grav modules which retard than 10% of the total population. the escape of gasses; leakage is constantly replaced. Although The oldest settlement on Luna is Archimedes (30° N, 5°W), there were some problems with the system in its early years, established in -2510 as a small mining base. The location al- it has functioned without major problems since -1080. lowed construction of quarters and life support facilities un- Farside Station is a scientific research base operated as a der the crater walls while providing access to the mines in the branch of the University of Luna. Accessible only by space- Montes Apenninus. Archimedes is still Luna’s major mining craft, the station is located in the center of the lunar farside, center. away from light, energy, and particle pollution associated with Although pre-landing surveys can be credited with pinpoint- industrialized areas on the near side of the Moon. The station ing the location, the mines at the Montes Apenninus proved to is primarily concerned with radio astronomy and cosmic ray be an unexpectedly rich lode. They have been producing lead, research. Much of the activity at Farside Station has military iron, nickel, copper, and radioactives for over three thousand applications, and access to the facility is restricted. years, and the shafts now reach as far as twelve kilometers A mining center exists at Sinus Iridium. It was opened dur- beneath the lunar surface. During the Long Night, strip min- ing the Solomani Rim War, closed after the war, and was re- ing of Mare Imbrium was also attempted, but the operation cently reopened. Though still in the developmental stages, its proved uneconomical and was discontinued in -800. Recently, developers hope that it will someday rival the Montes Apen- some efforts have been made to restore the strip-mined por- ninus mines in output. tions of Mare Imbrium to their original condition. Theophilus is a Imperial Naval base and training center. Archimedes’ population of 3.6 million is primarily concerned Transport networks: The major settlements on Luna are with the mining industry. Greater Archimedes includes several linked primarily by monorail. The same problems which suburbs which have grown up around the main crater; these moved the main spaceport to Copernicus also pose a threat to serve as bedroom communities. unrestricted grav vehicle travel, and led to the construction of Copernicus (20°N, 10°W) was originally a small scientific monorail links between Copernicus, Plato, Archimedes, and base operated by the United States of America, a dominant (most recently) Sinus Iridium. Aristillus and Autolycus, the Terran nation. It was nearly closed down in -2403 when the residential suburbs east of Archimedes, are linked by a spur major mining expansion took place at Archimedes. The Harri- to Archimedes and thus to the main monorail system. man disaster changed all that: the collision of an outgoing Grav vehicles are strictly controlled on Luna, and major mass driver cargo module with the incoming passenger liner areas are totally off limits to any vehicles at all. Where such

76 JULY 1984 vehicles are allowed, they must be in contact with central vehicle control at all times. In response to commercial needs, in 320 a grav vehicle route was laid out parallel to the monorail lines, to allow heavy-duty goods transportation between settlements. By 450, double monorail lines had been constructed to replace the old single lines, but the need for grav vehicle routes was still increasing. A limited number of clearly marked gravways were con- structed as a result. Each gravway has a central guidance cable which provides signals to grav vehicle autopilots, keeping the vehicles at safe intervals and on course. For visual identification, the route has been marked on the surface by draglines which create a churned effect in the lunar dust. These gravways feature franchised turnouts (every 400 kilometers or so) which pro- vide food, fuel, and repairs. Gravways connect Archimedes, Plato, Sinus Iridium, and Copernicus in a rough circle, with branches extending from Copernicus to Clavius, and from Archimedes to the Imperial Naval Base at Theophilus. Surface (wheeled or tracked) transport on Luna is rare; grav vehicles are more efficient and faster. In addition, conserva- tion and preservation groups have forcefully made the point that vehicle tracks are not weathered or eroded away. In some cases it is possible to positively date surface vehicle tracks to the earliest surface explorations. The few surface vehicles allowed are purpose items such as dirtmovers or construction equipment at the mines, or special prospecting vehicles. Long distance transport, defined as covering more than 2000 km, is generally accomplished by spacecraft. It is the most economical means for sending bulk shipments and is quick as well. Landing pads for such shipments exist at each major settlement. Spacecraft access to the landing pads is relatively easy, provided the proper paperwork (a misnomer — it’s all done electronically these days) is obtained first. Such spacecraft are under strict traffic control from Archimedes. Political Science: Luna was originally a colony of the United States of America with special provisions for its non- American citizens. With the passing years, it evolved into several national colonies (American, European, Soviet, Japa- nese, Chinese, and Indian), but was eventually unified as a nation under the United Nations in -2433. The current government of Luna is a representative democ- racy based on population and employment. Citizens elect representatives to the Lunar Senate based on geographic dis- tricts containing equal populations, and to the Chamber based on employment (the miners’ union elects a Deputy, the univer- sity professors elect a Deputy, etc.) The Chamber and the Senate each select half the cabinet, which then chooses a prime minister as the actual head of government. Luna has three major political parties: the Lunar Labor Party, the People’s Social Party, and the Preservationist Party. The Labor Party generally controls the Chamber and naturally seeks to protect labor unions on Luna. The People’s Social Party is a liberal, left-leaning organization which advocates government programs for social welfare, including programs for free air, subsidized housing, and guaranteed employment. The Social Party generally controls the Senate. The Preservationist Party has environmental concerns as its primary issue. Although it has never controlled the Senate or the Chamber, it is skilled in establishing coalitions and taking into consideration passage of measures which it favors. Recent Preservationist issues have been restoration of the strip-mined areas of Mare Imbrium, strict regulation of mining projects in the Sinus Iridium, and population control. DRAGON 77 Rumors are told of scattered Solomani bases across the lunar surface. Limited library data suggests that some such bases may still exist. A thorough search of the lunar surface by the Imperial Navy in 1080 failed to find any bases not already charted.

The Solomani Party (outlawed following the Solomani Rim its abundant resources. While the Lunar yards continued to War, but legalized in 1095) has a membership of about 2% of produce starships, the expansion into other industries eventu- the total lunar population. The Solomani Party is formally ally restored prosperity to the colony. disassociated from the Solomani Freedom Army, but an infor- Military bases: Luna has one active base on its surface, an mal relationship between them apparently exists. Although Imperial Naval Base established in 1001 by the invading Impe- the Solomani Freedom Army claimed responsibility for some rials as a support base for the invasion of Terra. The Imperial acts of terrorism in the years after the war, it failed to find base took over an existing Solomani naval base which had any true base of support and has no force in local politics. been in use for nearly 300 years. History: The first landings on Luna took place in -2552; The actual naval base occupies the crater Theophilus, near scattered investigations of the lunar surface were conducted Mare Nectaris. A naval reservation around the base stretches by American, Soviet, and European teams between -2552 and from 10°north to 20°south, and from 20°east to 50°east, with -2501. The settlement of Luna began in earnest in -2501 when access to the reservation prohibited without prior authoriza- the United States of America (in association with England and tion. This reservation includes most of Mare Nectaris and the Japan) established a mining site near Copernicus for the ex- southern half of Mare Tranquillitatis. press purpose of supporting the newly established Lagrange Several abandoned military bases of various types remain on colonies in Earth orbit. Ore scooped from the lunar surface the lunar surface. A total of seventeen fighter pads established was sent by mass drivers to the L4 and L5 colonies to facilitate for the defense of the Imperial Naval Base have been aban- colony expansion without paying the high prices required to doned; all lie within 400 km of the base. Some pads were con- move raw materials out of Terra’s gravity well. verted to commercial or industrial uses; those within the naval Inevitably, the mining of surface materials from Luna be- reservation are guarded by automated security systems. An came a major industry. Refining the materials before shipment Imperial Marine protected forces training base occupied a proved cost-effective, but it also required a greater population section of the western wall of Mare Crisium from 1002 to to accomplish the task. By -2400, the lunar population had 1060, but was closed because of force deployments by the grown to 60,000 (nearly a third of the Lagrange colonies’ pop- Navy. The original base structures remain, stripped of all fur- ulations). nishings and equipment, and are now open to vacuum. The development of the jump drive by a joint venture of Rumors are told of scattered Solomani bases across the several companies working on Luna led to the establishment lunar surface, usually associated with Solomani Rim War ac- of the megacorporation GSbAG and several shipyards on tivities. Limited library data suggests that some such bases Luna. Initially, the pace of production was slow, but contact may still exist as equipment caches or laboratories. A thor- with the First Imperium in -2407 sparked the Interstellar Wars ough search of the lunar surface by the Imperial Navy in 1080 and a period of wartime prosperity for both Luna and Gesicht- failed to find any bases not already charted. kries. The presence of the mining and refining industry there Laboratory: The Imperium maintains an extensive high- helped make Luna an excellent place for the production of energy particle research laboratory in conjunction with the basic starship components such as struts, frames, and struc- Naasirka megacorporation at Clavius. This laboratory was tural plates. It became a vital link in the warship manufacture once devoted to the investigation of pi mesons, but has lately and assembly process that was a standard part of the Terran increased experimentation with ultra-high velocity baryons. economy during the 200 years of interstellar wars. The money poured into Luna helped increase its population For the referee and its standard of living, while military defense measures made the colony self-sufficient of Terra. By the end of the Although Luna is not in the mainstream of the Terra system’s wars in 2219, Luna was a full member of the Terran Confed- affairs (Earth outshines it considerably), quite a few adventur- eration. ing possibilities still exist on the Moon. The material presented The end of the wars, however, brought economic depression above should help create a basic adventuring background for to Luna because of the decline in production and service of player characters on Luna. starships. It had become a one-industry town and was now Players may interprete the information as they see fit, per- suffering the consequences. Hampered by lack of funds, Luna haps turning their attention to the terrorist Solomani Freedom nevertheless began to diversify and compete with the La- Army (a bunch of crackpots, rather than a vital political force) grange colonies for vacuum-processing contracts, high quality or the research laboratory at Clavius. Whatever catches their crystal production, and pharmaceutical development. Though imagination can be used to create adventuring situations with the Lagranges had zero-G available, Luna made up for it with great potential for excitement. 78 JULY 1984 Any adventure, however, should have several “pulls” (oppor- local authorities. Spacecraft cannot land at local pads without tunities for adventures) and “pushes” (restrictions and adven- prior filing of flight plans and receipt of proper authority. turing hazards). The following suggestions are adaptable to Spacecraft in violation of these laws are subject to temporary most gaming situations. seizure until a fine is paid and a search for contraband is Pulls: Many pulls are possible in adventures set on Luna. performed. For example, GSbAG is an old, respected megacorporation Surface vehicles, either tracked or wheeled, are prohibited with its origins on Terra and Luna. The archives of GSbAG are on the lunar surface unless a permit has been issued for them. located on Luna (at Plato, in the custody of the University of Such permits are rarely issued and are never given for gen- Luna Library). Many of the items in the archives are papers eral use. that have never been computerized, and the information on Private or rented grav vehicles are allowed only on specified them does not show up in computer-system Library Data. gravways. Driving anywhere within ten kilometers of a grav- These original books and drawings are valuable as antiques to way is considered a technical violation and merits a fine of buffs who collect GSbAG memorabilia much as some people only 1d6 x Cr100. Driving 10 kilometers or more away from a collect stamps, guns, or autographs. gravway is a criminal offense (the Preservationists at work!) The abandoned Imperial Marines base at Mare Crisium and can result in up to one year in jail. might still contain mothballed or overlooked equipment which Laws are not the only pushes; local customs can be just as could be plundered. While the equipment might not be in effective. Residential areas are isolated and insular. Visitors great quantity, it may include standard-issue military goods are rarely welcome unless invited, and may be forcefully ex- not available on the open market. pelled if they don’t show reasonable pretexts for their pres- Mining is a major industry on Luna. The mines at the Mon- ence. tes Apenninus are old, and they may eventually run out. The Luna enjoys a unique position in the Terra system. Extraor- new mines at Sinus Iridium have been opened, and still other dinarily close to Terra, Luna has an environment of vacuum mining sites may be discovered elsewhere. and raw materials set in a shallow gravity well. As a result, Pushes: Prospecting is severely controlled on Luna by the Luna is a major supplier of basic resources to the Lagrange preservationists, but illicit prospecting can bring in good colonies which orbit Terra. Competition with industrialized money if the search turns up a good site and the prospector is asteroids and the relatively low cost of anti-gravity has dimin- not caught in forbidden territory. Being caught in proscribed ished Luna’s economic role, but any loss of markets has been territory can mean a substantial fine or even imprisonment. replaced by the need for locally produced manufactured Similarly, violators of local space traffic control are subject goods. to warnings, fines, and possible restriction of travel by the Welcome to Luna!

D RAGON 79 A Field Guide to Lunar Mutants The macrobes and plants of Tycho Center by James M. Ward

In DRAGON® Magazine #86, the Moon of the ATTACKS: See description GAMMA WORLD® game was described and MUTATIONS: Explosive Seeds, Spore Cloud adventuring suggestions for daring parties of (as per the plant’s powers) explorers were given ("A World Gone Mad”). DESCRIPTION: The adult version of this Six of the most commonly encountered mu- bacteria appears to be a long chain of multi- tant macrobes and plants of Tycho Center colored balls each about .2 meters across; are presented below. there can be up to one hundred balls on the chain. The entire chain is always in motion, swaying slowly back and forth from an an- NAME: Sword Macrobe choring point on a wall or floor. The bacteria NUMBER: 2d8 is sensitive to all forms of movement in a 60- MORALE: 10 (never retreats) meter radius. Anything moving into this area HIT DICE: 8d6 will cause the plant to hurl the endmost pair ARMOR: 3 of macrobe balls at it. LAND SPEED: 12/600/12 One of the balls will explode on contact, doing 6d6 damage to all within a 3-meter MS: 1d12 IN: 1d10 radius and giving off a poisonous spore cloud DX: 3d6 CH: 1d4 of variable intensity (3d6) filling the three- CN: 4d4 PS: 1d8+10 meter radius with spores (attacking victims as per the Spore Cloud mutation). The second ATTACKS: See description ball will attach itself to the victim’s person. If MUTATIONS: Absorption (electrical), Adapta- the victim dies, then the “seed ball” will feed tion (as per the plant’s power), and Anti-Life on the dead creature and grow. All victims Leech who survive the attack will easily be able to DESCRIPTION: This creature has a meter- shed the seed and destroy it. long body and a two-meter tentacle. The Sword Macrobe can sense any plant or NAME: Eye Macrobe warm-blooded creature along an unblocked NUMBER: 1d4 line of sight up to 30 meters away; the mo- MORALE: 1d6+4 ment it finds prey, the .4-meter-long end of HIT DICE: 6d6 the tentacle activates and has the exact prop- ARMOR: 4 erties of a Vibro Blade. The creature will then LAND SPEED: Nil move towards its target and flail out with the energized tentacle. All plants and animals MS: 1d6+12 IN: 1d6+12 slain by this attack will be absorbed and DX: 1d10+2 CH: 1d4 eaten by the Sword Macrobe after the com- CN: 4d4 PS: 1d4 bat is finished. This creature will continue to attack as long as “food” is around. It will ATTACKS: See description never attack any other bacterial lifeform. MUTATIONS: Absorption (electrical); triple power and range for the following mutations: NAME: Ball Macrobe Telepathy, Telekinesis, Life Leech, Repulsion NUMBER: 2d12 chains Field MORALE: 1d4+6 DESCRIPTION: This macrobe is about two HIT DICE: 1d6 per “seed ball” meters long and will always be found grow- ARMOR: 2 ing on a wall near an electrical power source. LAND SPEED: Nil It is very intelligent and serves as sort of a gardener for the rest of the macrobe colony. MS: 1d4 IN: 1d4 Using its mutations, it places new growths of DX: 18 CH: 1d4 bacteria in areas where they will grow and CN: 2d6 PS: 5d4 become useful to the whole colony. This mu-

80 JULY 1984 tant has also been known to coordinate at- tacks against plants and robotic beings, and Rosoid thorns are would attack animals and humans as well. Although it cannot move, it will get other coated with a poisonous macrobes to carry it from one chamber to and acidic sap. another, so long as the chambers are secure from attack. The Eye Macrobe is rarely found at the forefront of any plant-bacteria battle. humanoid shapes, and each walks about on two leglike stalks. All of their appendages are thickly wrapped in thorn vines and are cov- NAME: Coner ered in small rose flowers. Adult Rosoids are NUMBER: 1d20 3 meters tall and are very strong. MORALE: 1d4+5 The color of a Rosoid’s roses determines HIT DICE: 4d12 how intelligent it is and what it will most ARMOR: 3 likely attack. The yellow Rosoid is the most LAND SPEED: Nil intelligent variety (IN: 2d6+6) and can use technological items of all types in its manipu- MS: 1d6 IN: 1d4 lative “hands.” The red Rosoid has a low intel- DX: 3d4 CH: 1d4 ligence (IN: 2d4) and has been bred to attack CN: 3d4 PS: 3d4 robots of any type within sighting range (10 meters). The pink Rosoid is not very intelli- ATTACKS: See description gent (IN: 1d6), but can sense the presence of MUTATIONS: Explosive Seeds, New Body macrobes within 15 meters of it and will Parts, Increased Sense (hearing), Shorter instantly attack this lifeform regardless of the DESCRIPTION: This new mutant stands circumstances. The white Rosoid is the least about one meter tall at full growth. It can intelligent type (IN: 1d4) and rarely leaves its grow on a solid metal floor if it can connect original growing area. This plant will act to its root system to water and food sources protect all other plants within its area and within 30 meters of the parent plant. It re- will attack all opponents by throwing its produces by shooting its cones towards mov- thorns (an attack all the types have). ing targets of any type that it senses with its Rosoid thorns are coated with a poisonous acute hearing organs within 45 meters. Its and acidic sap (intensity 13 poison). If the first attack is to shoot explosive “energy poison doesn’t kill the attacker, the 1d10 of cones” doing 1d20 points of electrical damage acid damage may do the trick. A Rosoid can to whatever they hit (this damage is doubled throw 1d6 thorns each melee round. if the plant can “plug” itself into an electrical power source in the local environment NAME: Shooter through its roots). NUMBER: 1d20 If the target dies or stops moving, the MORALE: 1d4+6 Coner shoots out a “tendril cone” connected HIT DICE: 10d6 to the parent plant by a thin cord. This seed ARMOR: 8 will slowly sprout, its roots consuming the LAND SPEED: Nil body of the target within two days; then it becomes a full-grown Coner and can either MS: 1d4 IN: 1d4 draw off the parent plant for water or find DX: 3d4 CH:1d4 its own source. At least 30 energy cones may CN: 4d4 PS: 3d4 be found on a plant at any given time, and they take only two hours to grow back after ATTACKS: See description being fired. MUTATIONS: New Body Parts, Throwing Thorns, Texture Change, Taller NAME: Rosoid DESCRIPTION: This mutant dandelion stands NUMBER: 1d4 one meter tall and has changed greatly from MORALE: 1d6+4 its parent stock. Instead of one flower it has HIT DICE: 18d6 up to one hundred (10d10). Each bright yel- ARMOR: 2 low flower is composed of hard, razor-sharp LAND SPEED: 12/600/12 petals. The plant attacks living material by shooting the flowers from their stalks, doing MS: 3d6 IN: Variable 3d10 points of damage to any solid object DX: 3d4 CH: 3d4 they hit; double damage is done against unar- CN: 2d4+10 PS: 6d6 mored targets (AC 10). In the presence of moisture (like blood) the flower softens and ATTACKS: Physical blow does 2d20 becomes a seed that will grow in hours if left MUTATIONS: Total Carapace, Throwing undisturbed. The Shooter can fire two Thorns, Modified Leaves, Mobility flowers per melee round and can sense life DESCRIPTION: These mutant plants have forms up to fifty meters away.

D RAGON 81 Star Questions Questions, answers, and advice on the UNIVERSE™ game

by Roger E. Moore

StarQuestions takes a look at the DELTAVEE space combat game. and an adventure in which contact UNIVERSE™ science-fiction game in The DELTAVEE game appeared in can be established between some of this issue. The UNIVERSE game ARES Magazine #9, and should still the races. We also have the sad tale system was developed by SPI in be available through mail-order or of Miriam Al-Rikfeld and Zz’rbtz the 1981, and a number of gamers still retail hobby shops. Sh’k’tlp. More about that one later. use and enjoy the system. If you have some questions or comments Q: What unpublished UNIVERSE game Q: What do the interiors of some of the about the UNIVERSE game, just material does TSR, Inc., have on hand? star? I need to know this in order to write them down and send them A: Several UNIVERSE game articles resolve gun battles aboard ship. in to StarQuestions, Dragon Pub- are awaiting publication in the A: Unfortunately, you are on your lishing, P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva, ARES™ Section on a variety of topics. own with this question. If anyone WI 53147. In addition, much of the “First Con- wants to send in an article on this tacts” material is still on hand, but is topic, we’d like to see it. A number Q: What new scenarios and articles are so long that it might prove difficult of readers wanted to know what the being produced for the UNIVERSE role- to squeeze into the section without inside of starships and starship pods playing game? How can I get copies of cutting it down a bit. If reader reac- in the UNIVERSE game look like. the DELTAVEE™ space combat system tion is strong enough (send in those for that game? letters, UNIVERSE game fans!) then Q: Where can I find more information A: Since TSR, Inc., acquired SPI, a we’ll go ahead and start running it. on the stars and planetary systems listed number of articles have appeared in The “First Contacts” material in- on the Interstellar Display? print about the UNIVERSE game cludes at least two new alien races A: A good physics and astronomy system, and more articles are in the works for the future. ARES™ Maga- zine contained the following articles: Issue #12: The STAR TRADER™ game, fully compatible with the UNI- VERSE game system; UNIVERSE game Comm Link column. Issue #13: "STAR TRADER Game Enhanced” tells how to add corrup- tion, piracy, and other nice things to the game in #12; UNIVERSE game Comm Link column. Special Edition #1: “First Contacts,” giving the first alien race in the UNI- VERSE game, the Sh’k’tlp. This long article includes a history of the 24th Century contact between Humanity and Sh’k’tlp, a system for generating alien characters in detail, and discus- sions of alien psychology, society, and technology. Issue #17: “Mongoose and Cobra” game module, with description of the Chara star system; “The Federa- tion Strikes Back!” presented new pods, starships, and scenarios for the

82 JULY 1984

library at an observatory or college name a star Cincinnati, remember campus should provide you with that astronomers are human, too. quite a few useful details. An article The asteroids in our own Solar Sys- describing some nearby stars is be- tem have been named after every- ing considered for the ARES Section thing from astronomer’s wives to the and may appear here in the future. National Geographic Magazine (aster- It should be noted here that as of oid Geographos). this date (1984) no other planetary systems besides our own have been Q: Under “Accidents” [section 38.1], a authenticated, and planetary sys- meteor storm is listed as occuring in tems listed in the UNIVERSE game outer space. How is this possible? (aside from our own) are fictional. A: What the phrase refers to is a loose cloud of rocky debris, usually Q: Some of the stars on the game’s In- the leftover remains of a comet terstellar Display have very peculiar which has lost all of its gaseous com- names. Are there really stars named ponents. Small clusters of these Cincinnati, Jim/Joe, Chara, and The rocks, stones, and dust particles Flying Star? form a hazard to interplanetary tra- A: Apparently so. The above names vel; several satellites in real life are were taken from actual star catalogs thought to have suffered damage when the display was being devel- from meteor collisions. oped; it was felt that using names By the way, there is a difference such as these, rather than some cata- between meteoroids (the rocky ob- log designation like AOe 17415-6 or jects in space), meteorites (the rocky BD+32° A, would add more interest to objects after they’ve entered a plan- such systems. Would you like to call et’s atmosphere), and meteors your local sun a string of numbers, (which are either meteoroids or the or would you like to call it Cincin- bright streak of light that a meteorite nati? leaves when passing through an As to why anyone would want to atmosphere).

84 JULY 1984 D RAGON 85 86 JULY 1984 DRAGON 87 88 JULY 1984 Index to advertisers

Name of firm or product Page(s) Name of firm or product Page(s) Adventure Games ...... 12 Hobby Game Distributors, Inc ...... 85 Adventures by Mail ...... 11 Iron Crown Enterprises, Inc. . . .1, back cover Armory, The ...... 28, 29 Litrex ‘84 ...... 15 Auto Ventures ...... 17 Mayfair Games Inc...... 67 Avalon Hill Game Co...... 13 Nova Game Designs, Inc...... 40 Bard Games...... 6, 37 Pacesetter Ltd...... 73 Companions, The ...... 14 RAFM Co., Inc...... 83 Compleat Strategist, The ...... 38 Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc. . . . . Inside front Diamond Dice ...... 24 cover, 21 Dunken Co., The ...... 12 RPG,Inc...... 16 Entertainment Concepts, Inc...... 39 Shogun ...... 27 Fantasy Games Unlimited ...... 30, 84 Sky Realms Publishing...... 4 Game Designers’ Workshop...... 79 Sleuth Publications, Ltd...... 10 Game Systems Inc...... 4 StaCom Simulations ...... 36 Gamelords Ltd...... 16 Task Force Games ...... 84 Gamers’ Guide...... 88-89 Toy Soldiers ...... 17 Games Workshop Ltd...... 25 TSR, Inc...... 92 GEN CON® Miniatures Open...... 68 Victory Games, Inc...... 5 Grenadier Models Inc...... 7 West End Games ...... Inside back cover Gryphon Systems ...... 74 Windmill Hobbies...... 86, 87

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DRAGON 93 94 JULY 1984 DRAGON 95 96 JULY 1984