Sample File ® July/August 2002 Vol

Sample file ® July/August 2002 Vol. XVI, No. 3 Issue #93

EDITORIAL 6

LETTERS 8

VANITY 14 CRITICAL THREAT: J. Bradley Schell SADIE & HER LAIR 66 An ancient temple’s guardian hides the secret of one Christopher Perkins man’s great hubris. A D&D adventure for four 5th-level This drider has something to prove, and the means to do PCs but adaptable for levels 3–9. so. A D&D “Critical Threat.”

THE STATUE GALLERY 28 THE STORM LORD’S KEEP 68 Johnathan Richards James Wyatt A room full of statues is almost always a signSample of trou- The file Storm Lord’s daughter has been slain, and no force ble—this one is no different. A D&D Side Trek for 9th- in the world can keep him from his vengeance—except level PCs but adaptable for levels 5–13. the PCs. A D&D adventure for four 21st-level PCs but adaptable for levels 17–25. This adventure is for use SWAMP STOMP 38 with the new Epic Level Handbook. Jeff Ward Something has the peaceful Broken Axe Clan of lizard- WRITER’S GUIDELINES 102 folk riled up. A D&D adventure for four 4th-level PCs The newly revised DUNGEON Magazine Writer’s Guide- but adaptable for levels 1–8. lines will start you on the road to seeing your adventures appear in these pages.

“The infernal storm, eternal in its rage, sweeps and drives the spirits with its blast; it whirls them, lashing them with punishment. When they are swept back past their place of judgment then come the shrieks, laments, and anguished cries; there they blaspheme God’s almighty power. —Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy, “Inferno.” cto. 5, l. 31-6.

COVER The small village of Ruvian stands no chance against the Thunder Champion—illustrated here by Scott Schomburg—and his cloud giant troops when they ride forth to seek the Storm Lord’s vengeance in “The Storm Lord’s Keep.” 6 EDITORIAL ATRO SCALE OF MATTER A oesyhg-ee lyi problematic, is play high-level say Some o’ectigyu apinsotbfr eciglvl 1pu,wyyumd that at made line you a why us plus, Drop 21 decision. levels reaching before short campaign your cutting you’re Challenge by Ranked the “Monsters in The 223–224 setting. page any on chart in Ratings” power of hierarchy a is there that and setting campaign a of game. balance your issue the reinvent in alter even Redshore” to maybe of opportunity Razing good a “The it’s (from way, Pool Either Shadar #92). the power the like introducing artifact shift—by an subtle a like— via be you sparingly can as it disruptive leak—or as radiation be massive can a change to akin This powers. epic to access allows that game the for Fame. waiting of Hall powerbase, Antagonist Epic their the building in claim and a motion stake to in yet opportunity met hadn’t plots they villains vile of plenty setting and of, out track keep were to PCs the for place a big too was meaner and corner. badder, in the bigger, around grow just someone adven- and other always by There’s traveled adventures been evil—before. their has walk and on PCs the turers—good go road Any PCs guys. the bad the of the as do part too Just a so power, it’s there. Assume been play: always epic that’s introducing of world proba- method Again, another heroes? there’s do-gooder So all not. groups bly other your Are in not. adventurers only Probably the world? PCs campaign the Are this: them—consider pursue actually might .” . . “Someday thinking, in were be we we’d while, knew the and all other but each case, either at in look heads one our over took players We prison. his from god to a journey free a and charac- empress 1st-level ancient an as of laps stronghold forbidden our the in exploring involved dropped ters he hooks few first The did. he what exactly that’s htsm a usaetomc o hmt handle. to them for much too away are right with guys realize bad them They’ll level. some present their that level, beyond obviously low cam- are are level that PCs hooks higher adventure your for some When plotting transition. start the you easier earlier the the paigning, fact, In early. epic about thinking or destroyed I already do haven’t How that characters? world? organizations the powerful enslaved evil such powerful, for of challenge presence a the with justify up come I could How tial. coup. count get to I just lair foe’s comrades. powerful bosom a bard into actually creeps epic who they’re the rogue epic that or the redwoods imagining nations chills over warring leaps two who convince barbarian epic can the who of idea the dig I player, world. the campaign challenge their characters of their denizens watching the powerful to kick most forward to look quest they endless that their say in Others gamers ass. power most encourages only it that D&D, of ness” edlv oha o o lno okn pcavnue noyu apin rif Or campaign. your into adventures epic working on plan you how hear to We’d love entirely—consider another or these of use—one you approach which matter No your into event world-altering a introduce to levels epic of approach the use Finally, world the decided I on. early for opted I approach the is this campaign, home my In PCs low-level your that perhaps, fear, this—in like hooks drop to want don’t you If nalunchtime a In Start this: is first The expected. I than easier came obstacles these to Solutions poten- its considered and down sat first I when me terrified play epic DM, a as But a As general. in play high-level to reaction mixed a to confess to have I Personally, retlAdventures Oriental [email protected] apinthat campaign ose Manual Monster Sample file hti ptmzste“munchkin- the epitomizes it that D n hr orei experiences. epic your share and elypt hnsi perspective. in things puts really RAGON dtrMt ent runs, Sernett Matt Editor Editor detsn ae Director Sales Advertising S R er oeaotteOe aigLcneadted20 the www.wizards.com/d20. and visit License please Gaming License, Open System the To permission. about by written more may without learn work form this any of in no reproduced portion contains No product Content. game Game Coast Open the of Wizards this 201-634-7499 NJ Fax: Milford, 201-634-7400. New Tel: 07646. Road, River 730 Company, Circulation 855-8834. (203) 06853, CT Rowayton Rowayton, Avenue, 137 Associates, Buchmayr Buchmayr, Scott publi- the advertisements. of such out expense of arise or cation may loss that any wrongdoing for alleged liable from Coast the to of not Wizards agree reason. hold advertisers any for of agencies ad and/or any whichAdvertisers reject Inc., to Coast, right the the of reserves Wizards are by ads approval All to 204-7262. subject (425) at Henning, Bob Director, +44-18-58-41-4713. call contact or [email protected] Kingdom, United 1- the call In or 800-395-7760. [email protected] at Systems Inc. Creative Coast, the of Wizards of trademarks are RPGA F ino rdmr ttssol o ecntuda a as construed status. be such not men- to should without challenge status product trademark any of of tion name those the publish of that Use companies products. the for by are liable owned names not trademarks product are Most who herein. Inc., staff, expressed Coast, opinions editorial the its of or Wizards employees, of its nec- opinions not the does reflect herein essarily published permission Material written publisher. prior the the of without purposes) review for rights All Inc. Coast, reserved. the of Wizards ©2001 92046. D mailing additional at and offices. WA, Renton, Periodicals at America. Paid Renton, of Postage SW, Ave. States Lind United 1801 98055, Inc., WA Coast, the of Wizards THE D P C D S onta .Rcad .BalySchell Bradley J. Richards M. Johnathan ORGOTTEN OLYHEDRON TAR PELLJAMMER UNGEON OMPENDIUM AVENLOFT UNGEON UNGEON PNGM OTN:Uls tews noted, otherwise Unless CONTENT: GAME OPEN Curtis by Internationally and Nationally Distribution or Sig Representatives: Advertising Northeastern Sales Advertising our Contact ADVERTISING: Publishers contact Please SUBSCRIPTIONS: W (except reproduced be may magazine this of part No to changes address send Please POSTMASTER: R hitpe Perkins Christopher *D otiuigAuthors Contributing ZRSO THE OF IZARDS ED otiuigEditors Contributing rdcinDesigner Production otiuigArtists Contributing iclto Director Circulation rdcinDirector Production RIVE hitpe etCagZipse Craig West Christopher dTafcManager Traffic Ad ct cobr hc Lucaks Chuck Schomburg Scott D M Magazine, by bi-monthly published is 1526-6391) (ISSN# nhn Waters Anthony EATH B ; ao ilasJsnA Engle A. Jason Williams Aaron D ; ru Publisher Group R ASTER L ; E ; A ; IRTHRIGHT EALMS ARK IVING o pne Diesel Spencer Ron M ; CCOEI MAGICA NCYCLOPEDIA ae yt efWard Jeff Wyatt James L rne nteU.S.A. the in Printed r Director Art oe Artist Cover -Q P ; •M ONSTROUS ADIM D ; C C LAYER ATTER ..Bx490,Ecnio CA Escondido, 469106, Box P.O. OAST ITY RAGONLANCE M ; C ; Editor L ; YSTARA ’ A ; D ; S UCLOF OUNCIL IVING O M LIEN UNGEONS PTION ANUAL G G ; C anleMiesner Dawnelle Wilson Johnny Hunter S. Kyle Thomasson Chris Wilson Johnny ct Schomburg Scott Watters Pierce Cummins Theresa Dunn John Perkins Christopher Fiorito A. Stacie Sernett Matthew Mona Erik REYHAWK P ; OMPENDIUM A ; D ; REYHAWK M ; W LANESCAPE LTERNITY RAGON D & YRMS ONSTROUS RAGONS G ; M ; D ; D ; F ; EN ; ARK SU OF ASQUE UNGEON ; IFTH C D&D; ; ON S A UN and ; GE ; ; ; acingGame reeD20 F R ! S CK I H C Y Z A all VENTURE

R INSIDE INSIDE ADVENTURES ROLL ADVENTURES ROLL

® ® tatuary -C ade Easy file Sample R DIE DIE WILL WILL A in S the Letters

C SA SA SU 3•vl V,no.3 XVI, vol. • 93 ISSUE DS DS Y ON THE Y ON THE EPIC-LEVEL AD

ghter M anslaughter s Look ard efore the F ride Goeth Before 30 HEA M Taking it to the Lizardfolk Taking H P UGL HEA DOWN & DIRTY DOWN SEXY DOWN & DIRTY DOWN UGL SEXY

y/August 2002 OFFICIAL DRAGONS DUNGEONS AND OFFICIAL DRAGONS DUNGEONS AND

l ose Tokens Monster Ju

93 DUNGEON • THESTORMLORD’SKEEP • THESTATUEGALLERY • SWAMPSTOMP • VANITY•• THUNDERBALL RALLY JULY/AUGUST 2002 Dungeon 93 Dungeon 8 LETTERS LETTERS ogtalto lc rmsm of some from flack of lot a get to on,bcueyuflsat folks you obvious because I’d point, painfully thought that just cam- mention (I DM’s a world. for go paign to adven- ready the ture make and that remedy EN AND D the GEONS into getting started just I GEON R issues future you of in them city around, print could coastal laying any or have adventures you seafaring if more fact (In players world. campaign my my into nicely Red- fits of shore put city The paces. to I its through and wait times, couple can’t a it through an was awesome Redshore” of “Razing The ok hstuyhsbcm a become has adventure! truly D&D is This D&D work. good about the up Keep here. know right found to want I that everything hap- and been Anything never pier. have I say to I want publication. best your suggested and the they information, was D&D for what source friends a asked few I it. enjoy really I and game, ieGehw rteF the or world Greyhawk campaign like set are existing an adventures into hint.) those Hint, if Even camper. happy a me EALMS D UNGEON HL FAN OF WHALE and ETO THE OF BEST itetekn can tweaking little a , ADVENTURE D detr.Iv read I’ve adventure. RAGON D Magazine RAGONS acetr NH Manchester, aaie seem magazines roleplaying n make and ORGOTTEN BEST e Soyo Dee D UN UN - - h edthe read people of who number the at we surprised Heck, were material. at specific offense campaign take to seem do readers Some h lyr en vce rmthe from with evicted up being players end the to going eventually a uthv oitgaeS integrate to have just may JAMMER F Magazines both subscriptions by to also new but the of edition rules painfree simplified the and by only not swift curve—assisted a learning been RPG hiatus. It’s the ten-year a to following world returned recently I u ed eegtigsr from walls. sore cubi- cle our into getting them bashing were repeatedly heads Our d20 that folks understand more to seem passes, that that issue glad each We’re with and material. material D&D d20 not all was it in because anything it use couldn’t they said and aho.Nw a uthv to have S just add may I Now, fashion. painless relatively in integrated be P Sample file the get will complaining. quit and others idea those years) it dozen player a says a nearly for been DM has and (who if reader a Maybe material.) specific campaign much too about readers your LANESCAPE ORGOTTEN o e,m urn apinis campaign current my see, You ytofvrt etnsaethe are settings favorite two My PELLJAMMER etn A905o eda mi [email protected]. to email an send or 98055 WA Renton, ! EFC FIT PERFECT . D UNGEON apin,wihcan which campaigns, D elu htyutiko hsisesavnue.Wieto: Write adventures. issue’s this of think you what us Tell RAGON R ahr o I now Rather, . EALMS Letters, enSiemsen Dean and 2 Annual d20 i Email Via D is D RAGON D&D. UNGEON PELL and - arni re opoeti from (See it protect illithids. to of order in domination Faerûn in seek who living Faerûn savants) (psionic of faerst group a by Plane Material Prime n negto ieyasof years nine or eight in and mrfrigt npriua is particular in to S referring am that I world campaign The dead? worlds be campaign dead let we don’t why but grinds, come and bumps has its edition with 3rd to conversion 2nd the from that know every I in issue. information useful always find I and years, of number good aebe usrbrof subscriber GEON a been have I JAMMER atdmr.We a S saw I When I more. But wanted Mechanus. and Astral Sigil, for the War, Plane, Blood planned the to I’ve visits mission. planar on busy their them various keep to for adventures the looked I’ve meantime, the in stop in to but Faerûn take-over, the to return task to PCs’ be description the will Ultimately, a faerst.) for e htP that to see nice It’s Ruun-khazai.” of lopers wonder you! thank plan- to Regardless, the of ning. had part was I this whether that D&D setting standard It the to. with well players so the fits subject to plane ed tl,Idlv osemore. see work! to good the love up Keep I’d Still, dead. 81Ln vneS.W., Avenue Lind 1801 Magazine, PELLJAMMER h n hnsas o “Inter- for also thanks and Oh, TSDA,JIM DEAD, IT’S and a efc additional perfect a saw I , D LANESCAPE RAGON mi h military the in am I . ao .Frankland C. Aaron D RAGON Magazines alp NM Gallup, su #281 Issue s’ truly isn’t D PELL o a for UN - - LETTERS 9 - - UN UN D D Via Email Lancaster, CA Marvin Johnson Stephen Nicholson and the new edition of D&D. don’t get enough praise from the readers. BETTER AND BETTER UNGEON continues to achieve such (dare I say it) great- of great interest—I always thought I could do a D UNGEON D I also have a request. I don’t have Internet access, so I just received issue #91, and again, awesome job. I have to say that, for myself, I don’t like the new If any of the adventures seem exceptionally good or Praising the editorial is a sure-fire way to get your letter that their cartography is excellent.in The cartographers ness, I will read it even if you print itI would on like toilet to paper! know howGuidelines to and get Standard a Disclosure Form. copy of the Writer’s better job as anow, DM I crafting have my had own tothe adventures. swallow magazine is my But outstanding, words. the The adventureslent, quality are the excel- of articles topmagazines notch, for and the now price of I’m one—I getting love two it! From the first pagewas of again Chris struck Thomasson’s by editorial, the firsteditorial I class level alone, of I work. immediately Inown the started DMing skills to in develop trying toplayers my think to better of express how their to character’s getalways agenda. trying my I to am find ways to deepenmy the players roleplaying in of their different character personas.lenge “Chal- of Championschance for IV” me was tothrough get excellent—again, my an players adventure to“Kambranex’s a roleplay together. and I get Machinations” can’tmachine template wait is wonderful—in to in that devious, usepush evil, play. the characters The intothe horrible DMsort transformations half- by of waycles (Iwas in Dragon and a the big manikin kit).Threats” fan The feature of new is “Critical the also sheen really top arti- notch. format of the magazine beingrulebooks. patterned I after find the it core distracting foran some aesthetic reason. complaint This and is should notheavily against be the counted excellence too of the magazine. If GEON I am writing to commendquality you of on your the ever magazine. improving and It better! just In keeps previous getting years,GEON better I had never found bad, I’ll email you again and let you know. So you know, the fewestever number printing of is adventures four. we21st-level And plan yes, adventure, on as “The far Stormboth as Lord’s I Keep,” know, is this a issue’s first for

- .I Sample file Sample UN D ! They Via Email was still a dia- UNGEON PELLJAMMER Shadow Chasers D R.J. McKenney ? : Shadow of the Spider UNGEON OLYHEDRON RUN-DOWN D P I would like to say, “I applaud PELLJAMMER S The new format is good. I preferred the first: : PELLJAMMER once I’ve fully read it.) is also great. I’d run it, if it was appropriate for my UNGEON Next issue has an adventure for 21st level adven- One last thing, tell Robert Lee and Christopher West You’re putting more content in eachI’d like to successive see a spotlight on some independent pub- I would like to see follow-up articles to previously Less “Bolt and Quiver.” One or two strips is fine, five I just joined the RPGA, but I would still say(I’ll this comment on D Four adventures (not “Critical Threats”) is the fewest I like “Critical Threats,” keep themI coming. just ran “Kambranex’s Machinations” for my OLYHEDRON players right now. tures! Wow, is this a first for issue. Good, keep that up for a few more issues. lishers. Not all ofharder them time (ugh—some spelling “quality” of control than themwould I like have do), to a but see I some(Clark stuff Peterson and on Bill Necromancer Webb make Games great stuff.) published d20 games like the one for your efforts but I think thatally your shift.” focus should eventu- on page 5. is too much. even if hadn’t, RPGAcoming. articles are good. Keep them Moon GEON I decided tomented wait on a the new couple combinedit format. of was Why? obvious issues that Because the before new I com- gaming, with 40–50 differentthat DMs I know and has PCs, ever no liked one or enjoyed S old format until I read that you canon get a 100 page more with words it! Now, it doesn’t seem so bad anymore. number of adventures I want to see in the magazine. group. I run a beer and pizzabeer, kind of and game, things without the had beenmy getting “no serious, published so adventures” Iand threw found, rule to my out surprise, that thethem the window was right adventure in for the then-current issue of am sorry to say that, butators it of is the S truth. And to the cre- loved it and thought italso was a thought nice I chance ran ofcredit pace. it The goes well. to. Still, Robert I Lee’s know other who adventure for the real mond in the rough, withwanted Erik still to cutting give it. the Really,P poor I guy a break. So here we go,