Dragon 1 Vol. XII, No. 7 December 1987 SPECIAL ATTRACTION

46 KING’S TABLE — Dale Oldfield and Mark Foster For over a thousand years, the Vikings’ choice in board games. OTHER FEATURES

8 Welcome to Waterdeep — Ed Greenwood The dangerous environs of a city in the FORGOTTEN REALMS™ setting. Publisher Mike Cook 16 Matters of Mastery — John C. Bunnell A book about the mastery of role-playing — from a master. Editor Roger E. Moore 18 To Believe or Not to Believe — W. Todo Todorsky Was it real or was it illusory? Only the wisest know for sure. Assistant editor Fiction editor Robin Jenkins Patrick L. Price 22 Role-playing Reviews — Ken Rolston A journey to the limits of fantasy gaming: outer space. Editorial assistants Eileen Lucas Barbara G. Young 34 The Game Wizards — James M. Ward Debbie Poutsch Georgia Moore Want to write for TSR? Wonder what’s coming in 1988? Here’s the inside info!

Art director 36 The Spirit Way — fiction by Leigh Anne Hussey Roger Raupp The secrets of magic are not easily taken; the search alone can kill you.

Production Staff 57 Plane Speaking — Jeff Grubb Marilyn Favaro Lori Svikel Quasi elementals from negative habitats: Ash, Dust, Salt, and Vacuum.

Subscriptions Advertising 60 Chopper Power! — Dennis McLaughlin Pat Schulz Mary Parkinson If you cross an agent with an armed helicopter, you roll up a new agent.

Creative editors 64 A Mutant by Any Other Name — Kim Eastland Ed Greenwood Jeff Grubb . . . would still be a GAMMA WORLD® game mutant.

69 The Island in Your Computer — Cheryl Peterson Beyond your keyboard is a new land of magic: Island of Kesmai.

74 The Marvel®-Phile — Jon D. Martin Cap™ and Bucky™, together again — but who are they?

80 The Role of Computers — Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser Explore the world of Shadowgate, then save the world with S.D.I.

86 U 2 KAN ERN BIG BUX! — Lawrence R. Raimonda Kan u say, “Kall me Konan”? Of kourse u kan!

DEPARTMENTS 3 Letters 90 Gamers’ Guide 97 SnarfQuest 4 World Gamers Guide 92 Index to Advertisers 100 Dragonmirth 6 Forum 93 Convention Calendar 102 Wormy

COVER You can almost imagine the conversation taking place as the two would-be adventurers in Daniel Horne’s cover painting come upon a particularly huge, ugly, vicious, and highly annoyed monster in their local forest. “How many pluses did you say this sword has? Is that all?”

2 DECEMBER 1987 Fun, fun, fun

Working at a game company is a peculiar sort of job. You become so immersed in the world of games, gaming, gamers, game theory, game design, game editing, game news, and so on that you can develop a Clerics (2): Grenadier Models #142: “Clerics” (2 D-Chess I packs) reaction to it. When I came to Lake Basilisks (4): Grenadier Models #1501: “Monster Geneva four years ago, someone Dear Dragon: Manuscripts, Vol. 1” Figure MM4 (4 packs) took me aside and said, “After I just received [DRAGON®] issue #122 and Elementals (2): Grenadier Models #1503: “Mon- you’ve worked at TSR a while, you’ll read the letter from Emil Leong about the ster Manuscripts, Vol. 3” (2 packs) get a real taste for golf.” DRAGONCHESS™ game — and your comment Dwarves (12): Grenadier Models #1603: Though I never sank to those about a computerized DRAGONCHESS game “Dwarves, Army of the Gold Mountain” (1 depths, I did find that I had a new being a horror to develop. You were only parti- pack), and Grenadier Models #189: “Dwarf and rather ambivalent attitude Champions” (1 pack) ally correct. Ever since issue #100, when you about the word “fun.” In order for introduced that game, I have tried to develop a Unicorns (4): Grenadier Models #160: “Unicorn games to sell, they must be fun. computerized version of it on my Apple IIc and Maid” (4 packs) computer because I liked the idea of the game Paladins (2): RAFM Miniatures #3804: “Odo, People who work at game compan- but didn’t like the work involved in setting it up. Warrior Cleric” (2 packs) ies must have a very intense appre- So far, I have a semi-finished version that is Heroes (4): RAFM Miniatures #3810: “Charles ciation for the value of fun, or else playable only by two people who know how to the Great, Paladin” (4 packs) they might as well take jobs as play the game. The basic design of the game Warriors (24): Grenadier Models #1601: “Foot accountants or lawyers.* was easy to create because it was given in the Knights, Army of the Dragon Lords” (3 packs) Anyway, since joining TSR, Inc., I’ve article, but putting the mechanics in the com- Mages (3): RAFM Miniatures #3801: “Nimrod, also developed an intense appreciation puter was hard. The Bold Wizard” (2 packs) for people who know how to have You are correct about it being a horror to Sylphs (12): Grenadier Models #120: “Winged develop; it has taken me almost two years to get Folk” (4 packs) fun. Game companies have no monop- this far, but things are going along nicely. If Kings (2): Grenadier Models “Wizzards and oly on fun-loving people, but keeping anyone who knows about Apple computer Warriors” Double Blister Dioramic Sets #WS4: your sense of fun alive is sometimes programming and how to play DRAGONCHESS “The Royal Court” (2 packs) difficult when it is your job to have games has any advice, it would be greatly Griffons (4): Grenadier Models #6004: “Mon- fun. This is a unique pressure that has appreciated. sters of Mythology” Figure M9 (4 packs) interesting side effects (“Do we have Paul Van Horn The basilisk, elemental, and griffon figures to play today?“). Rochester NY each come with nine other figures not needed But it’s worth it. The closeness of for the DRAGONCHESS game. You can write to the working relationships and the We can pass on comments and questions on Grenadier Models and ask to buy just the one nature of the business at TSR, Inc., the DRAGONCHESS game through this column figure that you need from each set. I bought my have given it the atmosphere of a or through the “Forum,” or if writers enclose griffons this way for only $1.50. large extended family composed of postage and a letter, we can send them on to I hope that this helps anyone putting together adult children.** Co-workers and other writers. Interest in Gary Gygax’s imagina- a DRAGONCHESS game set of their own. Maybe tive game continues to be shown, as witness the it will save them the three months it took me to ex-co-workers are often close following letter: put together my own set. friends who show up at your house Boyce Kline during holidays to trade stories Ledyard CT about work over turkey dinner. And D-Chess II even the worst workday has at least Readers who wish to order these figures one bizarre or amusing event to Dear Dragon: directly from the companies making them may tempt you into coming back again I’ve just read DRAGON issue #122 and Emil use the following addresses: for a little more abuse — most of the Leong’s letter concerning the assembly of his Grenadier Models, Inc. time. I have heard that other game own DRAGONCHESS set. Since my letter in the P.O. Box 305 companies have much in common Forum section in issue #119 (page 6) concerning Springfield PA 19064 here with TSR, Inc., and I can some of the pieces used to assemble my own (215) 583-1105 believe it. We’re all family, in a set, I have completed constructing my own set bizarre way. of figures. I carefully selected each piece and RAFM Company From all of us here at DRAGON® think they represent the best miniatures availa- 19 Concession Street ble. Some (such as the king, basilisks, sylphs, Cambridge, Ontario Magazine, a special wish is offered to and griffons) were the only examples of these CANADA N1R 2G6 our readers and to everyone in the figures I was able to find. (519) 623-4832 gaming business — past, present, and For Emil Leong and anyone else who wants to Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc. future — for the best of holidays. put together his own DRAGONCHESS game, 5938 Carthage Court And have fun. You deserve it. here are the figures that I used, showing the Cincinnati OH 45221 game piece name, number of figures needed, (800) 543-0272 toll-free the figure pack providing the figure, and the (513) 631-7335 in Ohio number of packs you’ll need to purchase: The Grenadier figure pack WS4: “The Royal Dragons (2): Grenadier Models #2505: “Green Court,” has been reissued as #2021: “The Throne Dragon” (2 packs) Room.” All other figures and figure packs are * TSR note: Ha, ha, just kidding, folks. A little Oliphants (4): Ral Partha Personality Minia- available as of this date (November 1987). Call editorial humor there, really. I love ya. tures, #01-099: “Armored Giant on War Ele- the companies involved for their prices, or ** I owe this observation to Margaret Weis, phant” (4 packs) check for them at your nearest hobby and who made it at a party at her house just before Thieves (4): Grenadier Models #193: “Thieves” games shops. we played one of her cats like a bagpipe. (2 packs) (continued on page 56)

D RAGON 3 The World Gamers Guide

If you live outside the continental United than three issues, you must send us DD: D&D® game States and Canada, you can be included in another postcard or letter. Overseas Ameri- GW: GAMMA WORLD® game the World Gamers Guide by sending your can military personnel may also be listed MSH: MARVEL SUPER HEROES™ game name and full address (carefully printed or herein. OA: AD&D Oriental Adventures system typed, please), plus your gaming prefer- When listing gaming preferences, write RQ: RUNEQUEST® game ences, to: World Gamers Guide, DRAGON® out the complete title of the games you RT: ROBOTECH® game Magazine, P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI most enjoy. For the purposes of this SF: STAR FRONTIERS® game 53147, United States of America. column, the abbreviations listed below are T: TRAVELLER® game The World Gamers Guide is intended for used. TMNT: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA the benefit of gamers who would like to TURTLES® game contact other game-players around the AD: AD&D® game TS: TOP SECRET® game world, to share their interests in gaming BS: BATTLESYSTEM™ supplement TT: TUNNELS & TROLLS game through correspondence. Each eligible BT: BATTLETECH® game T2000: TWILIGHT: 2000™ game name and address that we receive is pub- CH: CHAMPIONS™ game VV: VILLAINS & VIGILANTES™ game lished in three consecutive issues of CW: CAR WARS® game DRAGON Magazine. To be listed for more DC: DC™ HEROES game

Michael L. Madsen (AD,DD,OA) Evan Dembskey Aaron McDowell (AD,DD,GW,RQ,TT) 1st Trans. Company 24 Vincent Road 44 Carters Tce. Box 833 Rosetenville-east Ashburton APO NY 09696 Johannesburg 2140 South Island UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Transvaal NEW ZEALAND SOUTH AFRICA Raymond Sison (AD,DC,DD,GW, Chai Tze Hwa (AD,BS,CW,DD, MSH,OA,RT,SF,TS) Jeffrey Jongko (AD,DD,TS,T2000) MSH,OA,SF,TMNT,TS) 155-B N. Domingo Street 12 Yellowstone Street Bishan Road, Street 12 San Juan, Manila White Plains, Metro Manila Block 137, #11-414 PHILIPPINES PHILIPPINES SINGAPORE 2057

Hedron Gaming Society (AD,BT,DD,GW, Alberto Halphen (AD,GW,SF,TS) Siobhan McDonnell (AD) MSH,OA,RC,RT,SF,TS) Lomas de Chapultepec 218 Haleys Gully Road 42-B Matiwasay St. U.P. Village M. Chimborazo 520/701 Hurstbridge Dilliman, Quezon City Mexico DF C/P 11000 Victoria 3099 PHILIPPINES MEXICO AUSTRALIA

Selcuk Gozubuyuk (AD) SN J. (Steve) Hudak (AD,MSH,TS) Steven Eggerking (AD,DD,GW,TS) Cumhuriyet Cad. P.O. Box 37-611 NSGA 145 Omao Street No. 13, Duygu Apt. (NSA Naples, Italy) Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii 96734 Kat 4, Kucukyali FPO NY 09521-4000 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 81570 Istanbul UNITED STATES OF AMERICA George Anastasoulis (AD,RQ,SF,T) TURKEY Bill McQuillan (AD,CH,CW) Apostolaki 1 Gil Shenberg (AD) 042-74-1095 Nea Smyrni 26 Hafetz-Hayim HHC 7th SUPCOM, Box 43 Athens 17121 Raanana 43339 APO NY 09712 GREECE ISRAEL UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Kristoffer (Chris) Kvello (AD) Club de Ciencia Ficcion “UBIK” Waye Mason 214-5 (DD,SF,T2000,VV) 109 Wolsey Road 9170 Longyearbyen Universidad Simon Bolivar Northwood, Middlesex Svalbard Direccion de Desarrollo HA6 2EB NORWAY Estudiantil GREAT BRITAIN K. Kvello is a member of what may be the Seccion de Actividades y Carlos Mondragon, Jr. (AD) northernmost group of AD&D® game Organizaciones Estudiantiles Boulevard Campestre #128-3 players on Earth, located on Spitzbergen Casa del Estudiante Col. Jardines del Moral Island at 78° 12’ N latitude. Gamers with Sartenejas-Baruta, Estado Miranda C.P. 37160 ham radios may contact the club station Apartado Postal No. 80659 Leon, G40 (JW5E) or one of the players (JW7XFA). VENEZUELA MEXICO Write for more information. QSL cards are available.

DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is published monthly by TSR, Inc. The mailing address for all material except subscription orders is DRAGON Magazine, P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI 53147; the business telephone number is (414) 248-3625. DRAGON Magazine is available at hobby stores and bookstores throughout the United States and Canada, and through a limited number of overseas outlets. Subscription rates via second-class mail are as follows: $30 in U.S. funds for 1 year (12 issues) sent to an address in the U.S. or Canada, $50 for 12 issues sent by surface mail to any other address, and $90 for 12 issues sent airmail to any other address. Payment in full must accompany all subscription orders. Methods of payment include checks or money orders made payable to TSR, Inc., or charges to valid MasterCard or VISA credit cards. Send subscription orders with payments to: TSR, Inc. P.O. Box 72089, Chicago IL 60678. A limited quantity of back issues are available from the TSR mail order department, P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147. For a copy of the current catalog listing available back issues, write to the mail order department at the above address. The issue of expiration of each subscription is printed on the mailing label for each subscriber’s copy of the magazine. Changes of address for the delivery of subscription copies must be received at least six weeks prior to the effective date of the change in order to assure uninterrupted delivery. All material published in DRAGON Magazine becomes the exclusive property of the publisher, unless special arrangements to the contrary are made prior to publication. DRAGON Magazine welcomes unsolicited submissions of written material and artwork; however, no responsibility for such submissions can be assumed by the publisher in any event. Any submission accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size will be returned if it cannot be published. DRAGON is a registered trademark for the monthly adventure role-playing aid published by TSR, Inc. All rights to the contents of this publication are reserved, and nothing may be reproduced from it in whole or in part without first obtaining permission in writing from the publisher. Copyright ©1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. AD&D, ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, ADVANCED D&D, AMAZING, BOOT HILL, D&D, DRAGONLANCE, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, FIEND FOLIO, GAMMA WORLD, TOP SECRET, STAR FRONTIERS, and TSR are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. GEN CON is a service mark owned by TSR, inc. ARES, BATTLESYSTEM, BLACKMOOR, DEITIES & DEMIGODS, DRAGONCHESS, DRAGONQUEST, DUNGEON, FORGOTTEN REALMS, GANGBUSTERS, GREYHAWK, POLYHEDRON, RPGA, TOP SECRET/S.I., WORLD OF GREYHAWK, and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. ©1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Marvel and all Marvel character names and likenesses are trademarks of the Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. and are used under license. Copyright ©1987 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Second-class postage paid at Lake Geneva, Wis., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI 53147. USPS 318-790, ISSN 0279-6848.

4 DECEMBER 1987

user can hardly be both absent at the same time. Income is barely mentioned: a lifetime 5,000 gp from the faculty and perhaps 1,000 a year from the students. So we have here a massive drain on the magic-user’s wallet with no clear way to recover the loss. What we need is a mystic college where the PC can, with luck and skill, make money or gain other advantages his adventuring peer might not. That we can do by first demanding tuition on an annual basis, not merely when the stu- dent enters. Second, graduating magic-users I really enjoyed the article on “The Mystic magic-user may have developed up to three should be expected to return to their college for College” by J.A. Yates in issue #123, and plan to cantrips of his own while an apprentice.) level training (with about half the cost of train- use his framework if my DM allows my charac- Allowing the faculty members to engage in ing being net income to the college). For simplic- ter to begin such an enterprise. After reading some research while employed as instructors ity, we can assume each graduate gains one the article, however, several questions arose in would also make the whole idea of establishing level or dies, 50% chance of either every year. my mind. a mystic college more attractive. The chancellor However, the major income/advantage should First, what is the relationship between a would presumably have a role in directing what be related to the purposes of a college – study mystic college and character advancement for kinds of research go on in his institution, and and learning. The PC associated with such magic-users (going from, say, 2nd to 3rd level)? might well insist on not only a copy of the should be able to learn spells or research them The mystic college seems an obvious place for finished product, but also part of the profits (if with major advantages over the non-college- such advanced training to take place, yet in this any) that the faculty member receives upon going magic-user. Magic-users seeking to study admittedly short article only a passing reference selling a spell or formula he has created within should be paying the college money. Creation of is made. the walls of the school! The school might also magical items should also be cheaper and easier. Second, what specific sorts of potions and use the fact that it is engaged in research activi- A possible list of other advantages: scroll inks are the subject of a zero-level initi- ties to solicit donations from individuals or For every graduate, there is a 50% chance a ate’s training? The article suggests that there are groups which are interested in the development magic-user of 7-10th level appears and offers several standard potions and scroll inks for of a particular type of spell. 2,000 gp a year to be an associate of the college, which the formulae are commonly known, This Again, guidelines are necessary to make sure able to use the school library and alchemist for comes as somewhat of a surprise for my 12th- this doesn’t get out of hand. Faculty members cost. (The maximum number of associates is level character, who after a long career had engaged in both teaching and research might one-third the maximum number of students, only been able to determine the recipes for take twice or three times the amount of time and there is a 10% chance each year that an three scroll inks and one potion – all at consid- suggested for the unhindered researcher associate leaves.) The associate will not adven- erable time and expense. What happens to these (remembering that he has both the facilities of ture with the PC unless well paid or benefited, potions and inks once they have been created? the school and students to aid him). Monetary but is likely to defend the college if necessary. Third, I’m curious as to why the article didn’t constraints are one obvious restriction to the There is also a 50% chance per graduate that exploit more clearly the notion of such schools amount of research which can be done. Like- a magic-user wants to use the college’s facilities as research facilities. On p. 20, the article states wise, the size of the schools library would to research a spell (first to third levels at a small that “most [of the faculty] must spend eight probably permit advanced research in only a college, first to fourth at medium, first to fifth months out of every year doing nothing except few areas. One likely consequence of these at large). Income to the college is one-half the instructing students.” This seems unduly restric- considerations would be that most of the mem- cost of researching without a library (Dungeon tive to me. True, the article does go on to state bers of the faculty would be engaged in the Masters Guide, p. 115). that faculty members of 7th level and higher are same type of research, be it alterations or fire Potions may be created at 50% cost because of only required to teach four months a year, but magic, a common theme in fantasy literature available assistants, with a 10% chance they by Mr. Yates own admission, such faculty mem- about such schools. Research projects involving ruin the potion for the PC in addition to the bers will normally be but a small part of the more than one member of the faculty might normal chances of failure. Scrolls, ink, and faculty. In any event, their roles as mentors drastically reduce the amount of time required. paper are routinely available, with preparation would presumably tie them down to the school Students engaged in independent research, time cut in half. Again, a 10% chance of com- for a considerable portion of the eight months either on their own or helping faculty members, plete failure is added. they are free of formal teaching demands. might have less time to learn new cantrips, but If a created magical item fails its save vs. spells As I was reading the article, I kept seeing they should certainly receive some sort of on enchant an item, a magic-user associated parallels between the informal yet rigorous experience-point bonus for an activity which with the caster may make his save vs. spells. If programs Yates describes for the mystic college, would most certainly teach them a great deal successful, he spotted an error in time, and the and the type of research I am involved in as a about their craft. In any event, it would proba- item gains a new save vs. spells. graduate student at the University of Pitts- bly be best to restrict such research to students Now we have a college the PC might want to burgh. Now, as anyone connected with a gradu- at the apprentice level, as those at lower levels run, and we can start to give him problems ate school knows, a faculty member must either are probably not well enough acquainted with about getting or keeping it, such as hostile tax publish or perish; the teaching aspect is not the the basics to really be on top of what the collectors, rival colleges, etc. main focus of a faculty member’s time. If the research is all about. David Carl Argall faculty members of the mystic college are really Dave Rudge La Puenta CA teaching beginning students “the fundamentals” Pittsburgh PA with which they presumably have a great deal Although this is my first letter to “Forum,” I of familiarity, it seems to me a bit excessive to have chosen a topic that seems to be written “The Mystic College” by James A. Yates is a require faculty members to spend all their about quite a lot. The addition of rules by well- tremendous amount of work in a needed area. waking hours in lecture, in preparation for meaning player’s, through articles in DRAGON® Yet no PC will ever want to found a mystic lecture, or in individual consultation with partic- Magazine, and TSR’s new [AD&D® game] books, college under these rules. ular students. Surely one of the most obvious has only led to the confusion of everybody. I tell For a cost of 30,000 gp a year minimum, our reasons why a lesser magic-user would give up you from experience as both DM and player 9th-level mage gets a variety of associates who a career as an adventurer would be the lure of that nothing is more boring than having to look will be too busy to help him raise that sum. On the extensive research materials, libraries, and up the rules on swimming to see if a character a given adventure, he will be able to add one other facilities of the school. And, on the other makes it to the far shore, or look up the (three?) low-level mage to his party, who, if he doesn’t different rules for breaking a weapon. How side of the coin, I think the students would die quickly, will be more burden than help. profit from aiding such an individual in his simple can it be? You either hit or miss; you sink Our small college costs about 20,000 gp to research (a point Mr. Yates explicitly points out or swim. build and has a faculty of 15 total levels, plus on p. 20), as well as attempting some indepen- I have always enjoyed reading the letters in the 6th-level alchemist for 2,100 gp per month dent research on their own in the course of “Forum.” It’s fun to read the arguments about = 25,200 gp a year for starters. A two-thirds this, that, and the other. I guess it’s my turn to their studies. (This point is also suggested in minimum of these must be teaching at all times, p. 79, which states that a (continued on page 32) Unearthed Arcana and the chancellor and the next highest magic- 6 DECEMBER 1987

The environs of the Realms’ City of Splendors

stretched to the east of the forest, in what from a small keep with a farm to a walled by Ed Greenwood is now rolling moorlands known as “the farm complex 20 miles on a side. Over Fallen Kingdom.” The forest is now forlorn 5,000 inhabitants, all of whom are devout and largely empty. The elves have all gone worshipers of Chauntea, tend crops of The following is an introduction to the city overseas to Evermeet via many covert edible vegetables. Patrols of adventurer- of Waterdeep, often mentioned in many of voyages aboard The Morning Bird, a ship priests scour the lands around Golden- Ed Greenwood’s tales from the Forgotten owned by Mirt the Moneylender, a local fields as far north as the Stone Bridge and Realms published in DRAGON® Magazine. merchant of Waterdeep. as far east as the High Forest. ‘Raveling in Though this was originally written for FR1 The elves have left the forest of tall mounted groups of 20 or more, these Waterdeep and the North, the first of the blueleaf, duskwood, and weirwood trees patrols seek trolls, goblinkind, and other FORGOTTEN REALMS™ sourcebooks, unattended (see DRAGON issue #125, evil to fight; they also track game for there was no room for it – so we were “Woodlands of the Realms”). This region capture and domestication. able to steal this piece away for publica- was known as “Faraway Forest” to the To protect their environs, these patrols tion here. It will not be seen in the final elves because, although it was near the challenge all whom they meet, but will not version of Waterdeep and the North, but it western coast of Faerun, it was still “far fight unless they meet evil creatures or is compatible with the material in that away” from what the elves considered are themselves attacked. These groups work. With that, we welcome you to home: the island realm of Evermeet. It is usually include four or five clerics of 3rd- Waterdeep. here that exploring PCs may encounter 5th levels, five or six men-at-arms (accou- the NPCs Quth and Vedellen Hawkhand tred with chain mail and lances), and a (detailed in chapter 7 of Waterdeep and remaining force of zero-level devotees Waterdeep is the gateway to the North. the North), as well as some fearsome for- (accoutred with leather armor and a varie- It dominates the lesser cities of Silvery est creatures that the elves once lived in ty of weapons). There is a 20% chance for moon, Mirabar, Luskan, Neverwinter, and harmony with. each patrol to include a magic-user of 2nd Sundabar (listed here in order of relative After deleting encounters with evil crea- to 5th level who is of neutral-good or size and influence). The North is a frontier tures, lycanthropes, and bandits, the “cold, lawful-neutral alignment. land of rugged mountains, seemingly civilized forest” encounter table on page Goldenfields is rapidly becoming the endless forests, many ruins and dungeons 141 in Monster Manual II may be used. granary of the North, supplying food to (subterranean cities left behind by the Most evil elves have left the area entirely Waterdeep and the other inland cities. dwarves), and mineral wealth now being or have gone into the City (see Elaith With the increased importance of Golden taken by humans as the dwarves retreat, Craulnobur and Zabbas Thuul in chapter fields, the influence and stature of Tolgar as detailed in the first chapter of Water- 7 of Waterdeep and the North). Few were Anuvien have also increased. He is quickly deep and the North. This article deals with welcomed onto the ship to Evermeet. DMs becoming equal in power to the rulers of the immediate vicinity of Waterdeep, as should check for encounters only once Silverymoon and Neverwinter. Tolgar shown on the Environs of Waterdeep map. every two turns. plans to expand Goldenfields north to Numbered map features are detailed Somewhere deep in this forest is the control the strategic Ironford river cross- below. The area to the immediate east and overgrown tomb of Reluraun, a warrior- ing, then to use that control to safely south of the City of Splendors is mostly hero of the elves, who is said to lie in his expand to the east bank of the Dessarin. open, rolling grassland, long since logged vault clad in magical elfin chain mail, with To do this, Tolgar needs adventurers who bare. This land is currently used by many a sword +2, dragon slayer upon his are willing to defend Goldenfields and herdsmen for grazing camps near their breast. According to legend, the tomb is push back the evil creatures that roam the markets in Waterdeep. not unattended; magical creatures guard area. These adventurers must be com- Reluraun’s remains. “Ardeep” was the pletely loyal to Chauntea (or Lathander) 1. Ardeep Forest name of the western region of the ancient and Goldenfields. They will most likely Until recently, this ancient forest, a Fallen Kingdom, and now gives this forest have boring careers in the constant patrol- remnant of the woods that once covered its name. ling of the region, so PCs may not be inter- the North from the river Delimbiyr to the ested in such service. mountains of the Utter North, was the 2. Goldenfields Goldenfields enjoys good relations with home of the Moon Elves. This ancient race Begun only a handful of years ago by the Waterdeep and all the cities of the North of elvenkind once lived in harmony with cleric Tolgar Anuvien of Waterdeep, the (except Hellgate Keep), and happily takes men and dwarves in a kingdom that fortified abbey of Chauntea has grown in adventurers weary of danger or on the

8 DECEMBER 1987 D RAGON 9 run from justice elsewhere, as long as they been collected here, including weapons of Triboar and the northern interior. To the are willing to work in the fields. powerful magic crafted by the elves and west runs the coastal road which, after by dwarven smiths of long ago. passing the two great peaks, enters the 3. Zundbridge The famous bard Mintiper Moonsilver vast and treacherous swamp known as the Named for its creator, the wizard Zund, was allowed to see The House of Stone Mere of Dead Men. The road then passes this squat, massive stone bridge spans the some years ago at the permission of near the ruins of Iniarv’s Tower. Iniarv River Dessarin, carrying the main caravan Eroan, Arch-Mage of the Moon Elves. He was a mighty Arch-Mage of the ancient road south from Waterdeep to the lands of reported that its gates were open. “A hill North who became a demilich later in his the Inner Sea far to the east, and to giant had forced them apart some months life. Some say Iniarv still guards the ruins Baldur’s Gate and the kingdoms of the before my visit,” Eroan told the Lords of of his spell library, though others claim South. Zundbridge has held firmly for Waterdeep, “for its huge corpse hung just that the famed “Company of the Howling over 80 winters, even in the roaring beyond, impaled on a massive stone claw Wolf” destroyed him 42 winters ago. None spring floods of the Dessarin, and has not that had sprung out into the space beyond who may have investigated have made been in need of repairs. Waterdeep patrols the doors. The elves just smiled when I public any report on the truth of this the road as far as Zundbridge and main- asked if the place was full of such traps, academic dispute, however. tains a guard post there to stop adventur- and said it was best to assume so from Mount Sar and Mount Helimbrar are ers who come in search of a stone golem safely outside its walls.” It seems unlikely named for two great fomorian giants who said to have been used by Zund in the that later visitors will bear Mintiper’s lived in the mountains until they were construction of the bridge. According to report in mind. Even now, such Waterdha- slain by early Warlords of Waterdeep. legend, the golem was left at the bridge vian adventurers as Elaith Craulnobur (see These mountains are still said to harbor upon Zund’s death, and may be taken by chapter 7 of Waterdeep and the North) are stone giants and more fearsome menaces, any who can divine or stumble upon the said to be forming adventuring companies although travelers also report seeing secrets of commanding it. to explore this fabled fortress. sylphs on the high ledges and side peaks. Over the years, many such seekers have Gulyaikin Dzrund, “The Mad Dwarf,” also dug around the bridge on both banks, 5. Sarcrag lived in a warren of caves somewhere high swum beneath it, and even tried to pry This small, jutting crag of bare rock up in Mount Sar some 70 winters ago (and stones out of the bridge arches. Water- provides a perfect natural lookout. On a may yet live there, if travelers’ tales are to deep’s Guard fears that if the bridge was clear day, some 60 miles of territory can be believed). Gulyaikin was said to possess left unguarded, it would soon be demol- be viewed; on a clear night, campfires can rich treasures and was noted for his occa- ished by these zealous, would-be golem be seen 90 miles off to the north or east. sional fits of berserk glee. During these owners. The post is equipped with a flight Sarcrag also serves Waterdeep as a warn- fits, Gulyaikin delighted in killing all sorts of three griffon steeds to give Waterdeep ing beacon. From its heights, northern of passersby by rolling large rocks onto advance warning of the approach of any patrols can signal the approach of attack- the roads below and by catapulting large important visiting delegation or an attack- ers (as happened some 22 winters ago boulders at fishing boats offshore. ing force. during the “Bleak Winter” of the Year of The evil mage Marune, once the chief the Shaking Serpent). Sarcrag is said to be agent of the outlawed Shadow Thieves in 4. The House of Stone haunted by the “Howler” a bansheelike Waterdeep (prior to his exile from the To the east of Ardeep Forest is a huge, creature who is never around when City), is believed to have inhabited a sub- square tower built a thousand years ago adventuring bands come seeking it, but terranean stronghold at the base of Mount by dwarves under the charge of Turgo always seems to attack the weak or Helimbrar. This fortress was (and still may Ironfist. The citadel was built to help unwary. Leucrotta are also a persistent be) safe from Waterdhavian patrols, local defend the shared kingdom of the elves, problem in this area, and are the main monsters, and curious travelers alike dwarves, and humans against attacking reason Waterdeep and Goldenfields patrol because of the six will-o’-the-wisps that tribes of orcs, hobgoblins, bugbears, and the road north as far as the trail that guarded the cavern and climbing shaft trolls. The dwarves excavated huge, many- heads east to Ironford. that was its only entry. Marune has not levelled storage granaries out of the rock, According to popular legend, bandits are been heard from in 15 years, although he and built above them a fortress cunningly said to have buried a fabulous treasure may yet be scheming and developing fell crafted of fitted stones. The fortress came here at the foot of Sarcrag. Long ago, an magic for revenge upon the Lords of to be known as “The House of Stone” after armed force escorting the person and Waterdeep. Marune is a chaotic-evil, 17th- the old children’s rhyme of the same title: regalia of King Jaszur of Tethyr was level magic-user (maybe higher) with both ambushed north of Waterdeep and an intelligence and a dexterity of 18. An elf calls the deepest wood his own, destroyed by bandits. These bandits were A human everywhere may roam, surrounded by Waterdeep’s armies and 7. Rat Hills But a dwarf just wants a house of stone. slaughtered the next morning. Jaszur’s This area was once a barren, windswept body was found stripped of its golden and pebble beach. Waves crashed and rolled For many years, the Moon Elves guarded bejewelled crown, orb, scepter, and sword incessantly across the shoal, for the water the tower, letting no one near it. Since of state (a flame tongue blade). The sol- was and still is very shallow at this point. their departure, however, several groups diers of the Guard swear that no man For almost a mile out, the seabed is a mere of adventurers have set out to explore the could have escaped through their lines, for 5’ from the surface of the water. In days structure. As far as Waterdhavians know, mages cast detect magics all night to pre- of old, large ships beached here for none of these groups have returned. In old vent magical escapes or attacks, and found repairs, and lumber barges pulled up for tales, The House of Stone is said to have nothing. Likewise, warriors of Waterdeep loading. As Waterdeep became rich many hidden doors, sliding rooms, and searched from the air on the backs of enough to suffer human raiding, its people chambers that rise or fall in shafts like griffons. Many hopefuls have continued began to see this easy landing place as a buckets in a well. The House of Stone is the search for King Jaszur’s treasure over danger to their safety – and as a free also believed to have dangerous traps, the 80 intervening years, but none have alternative to Waterdeep’s harbor. A rough designed to capture intruders, and numer- found the lost riches. shantytown came into being, and the ous caches of treasures (rooms of gold Shadow Thieves moved quickly to control coins and of gems mined by the dwarves 6. Mount Sar and Mount Helimbrar it. Waterdhavians saw the danger immedi- from everywhere in the North). Most These mighty peaks rise north of Water- ately and acted swiftly. importantly, an armory of, weapons for the deep, guarding it from the worst winds of The men of the Guard were called out in defense of the kingdom is said to have the North. To the east runs the road to force. They drove out the inhabitants of

DRAGON 11 “The Beach,” slaughtering those who resist- has laid over a pit it has dug, placing rocks additional exposure check (one per distur- ed and setting fire to everything that and spears nearby for throwing down at bance). Chances are not cumulative. Eating would burn. The Guard camped on the trapped creatures. the meat of any inhabitant creature of the spot for two days, waiting for the fires to In twilight or dawn, when the light is Rat Hills carries a 60% chance of contract- die down and keeping the area clear with poor, Hlaavin attempts more difficult illu- ing disease and a 100% chance of contract- strong patrols. The burnt debris was then sions, and uses its vocal mimicry. A favor- ing a parasitic infestation (reduce chances tossed into the water, and the City began ite illusion is the image of a running girl by half if the meat is cooked). to bring its garbage to The Beach in wag- clutching a clinking sack, followed shortly If PCs adventure in the Rat Hills repeat- onloads (now done by the Dungsweepers’ by a lumbering warrior. The warrior edly, DMs may wish to expand adventures Guild) rather than burning it outside the snarls “Come back, you little swindler! to include creatures such as boggles or a City walls. Half that gold is mine!” The illusion then gathering of Shadow Thieves who are Today, the Rat Hills are almost four miles disappears deeper into the Hills. planning to jump a convoy of Dung- in length and up to a mile in width. These DMs should bear in mind that Hlaavin sweepers’ garbage wagons. Great treasure hills of piled, rotting garbage poison the uses its ESP to create an image of precisely could well be located in the Rat Hills, water in the shallows and extend along the what a particular PC finds most attractive. perhaps left deliberately for the use of entire beach area, effectively barring any This ESP allows Hlaavin to provide second, slavers in the City. A beholder or powerful hostile landings. The Guard patrols the third, and additional illusions, if necessary, evil creature could well lair in the heart of caravan road and oversees the daily gar- to make a PC believe the lure to be real. the Hills to provide a challenge if PCs are bage convoy of Dungsweepers’ wagons, Hlaavin’s wand has 67 charges left. Hlaavin of formidable strength. but otherwise leaves the Rat Hills alone. does have a very real chest of treasure in As the name suggests, these tangled hills its possession, containing 166 gp, 36 sp, 6 8. Maiden’s Tomb Tor are infested with rats. Scrub trees and cp, and a diamond necklace worth 6,000 This bare, high-peaked landmark is so gnarled creepers are everywhere. The gp. The chest is buried somewhere in the titled for an unknown barbarian princess reek is indescribable and foils all attempts heart of the Hills. who was buried at the foot of the peak to track by scent. Fresh garbage is Many plant monsters may be added to some 400 winters ago by warriors of brought daily, causing the Rat Hills to the list of encounters, if a DM desires; Waterdeep. This honor occurred after the grow by almost half an acre per year. The shambling mounds and all manner of princess’s people had attacked the City of inhabitants of the Rat Hills have made it marine horrors may lurk in the shallows. Splendors in the harshest time of winter too dangerous for the Dungsweepers to There are said to be deep pools and flood- and had been repelled. The princess and carry garbage into the interior, so fresh ed beast-tunnels in the tainted waters. her bodyguard fought with such ferocity garbage is now piled at the outer edge of Lizard men have also been seen in the that they slew thrice their number of fully the Hills. Several attacks have made the area, and giant gar sometimes drift into armored fighting-men of the City in their City strengthen the Guards presence the shallows to await the unwary. day-long, bloody retreat. The barbarians whenever garbage is brought or whenever Even simple contact with the water has died fighting to the very last warrior, parties pass the Rat Hills by night. its perils. Immersion or excessive skin ending their valiant campaign at the foot If the PCs elect to explore the area, DMs contact with the tainted water of the Rat of the Tor. In memory of their heroism, may use Table 1 to determine possible Hills shallows and the pools within the the princess and the last of her body- encounters. To render these encounters, garbage (where rainwater collects) offers a guards were laid to rest in a cairn under roll 1d8 and ldl2, adding the result. Mon- 20% chance of contracting disease and a the summit of the Tor. sters listed in Table 1 are from the Mon- 14% chance of contracting a parasitic Recently, more than 450 kobolds have ster Manual and may have treasure as infestation (refer to the Dungeon Masters taken up residence beneath the Tor (see indicated therein. Guide for details on both). Characters the Rat Hills), under a chief by the name of The Rat Hills are frequented by lizard must make an exposure-check roll on Kuthil. DMs should determine the precise men from the coast farther south, who are percentile dice once for each such contact; dispositions of the kobolds and any trea- considering establishing a fortified lair in for prolonged contact, characters must sure they may possess as desired. Kobold concealment here, and by kobolds from check once per turn for each turn of patrols have not yet menaced the Lords to Maiden’s Tomb Tor. At the DM’s option, continuous contact. Ingesting any of the any extent; Waterdeep and Goldenfields strong patrols of these creatures may be water carries a 32% chance of contracting are not aware of the precise location of encountered. The Rat Hills are also home disease and a 30% chance of contracting a the little monsters. The kobolds could well to Hlaavin, a giant doppleganger (HD 9, 67 parasitic infestation. Characters should have their attention directed mainly hp, with otherwise normal attacks and make an exposure check per ingestion. beneath the earth, in hitherto unknown abilities of dopplegangers) who occasional- Note that dilution with water or wine cuts subterranean realms of which their ly hunts with leucrotta who also dwell in the chances of these contractions in half caverns are part. There are several sur- the area. and may lessen them further due to fur- face connections to their lair on the sides Hlaavin is particularly dangerous to ther dilution. Boiling tainted water reduc- of the Tor itself. visitors because of the wand of illusion it es disease chances to 2% per contact, and gained from an unwary sorcerer. The parasitic infestation chances to 0%. 9. Rassalantar doppleganger uses the wand to lure par- Contact with the garbage of the Rat Hills Rassalantar is the first settlement of any ties of victims into pit traps and snares it (and the many insects that swarm in the size on the Long Road north of the City of has set in the area. After scattering a noisome air above it) carries its own peril: Splendors. This hamlet is named after its group, Hlaavin slays adventurers singly a 5% chance of contracting disease and a founder, the ancient fighter Rassalantar. and feeds on the victims. Hlaavin creates 9% chance of contracting a parasitic infes- He built a keep (which is now in ruins) just tantalizing glimpses of treasure when tation. An exposure check should be made west of the present buildings. (DMs may small groups venture near in daylight. By once for each day in which a being is in or well locate a simple starter adventure for using the wand, Hlaavin may cause a rusty enters the garbage of the Rat Hills. (Thus, low-level PCs in the keep, which is not sword hilt to appear to be of gold set with a character could enter and leave the Hills detailed in the sourcebook.) gems, glowing as if magical; a skeleton’ a dozen times in a day, and still suffer only Today, Rassalantar is little more than may appear to be wearing a gold ring; a single check). If the garbage is excessive- half a dozen walled farms adjoined in this half-buried chests or partially corroded ly disturbed, however, whether by dig- spot, with a horse-watering pond on the trade bars are other favorite illusions. ging, an extensive physical fight, or west side of the road and a good inn, The Most of these images are made to appear spell-casting involving an explosion, all Sleeping Dragon, on the east. Beyond the atop a thin mat of garbage that Hlaavin creatures in the vicinity must make an pond and to the west rises the Keep

12 DECEMBER 1987 D RAGON 13 Woods, a narrow but dense strip of thickly stirges have laired in one of these caves at random, and should decide if any mon- grown, gnarled woodlands in which the for many years. Attempts to find their sters make the vicinity their home. ruined Keep stands between two of the home and to thus corner and destroy farms. The innkeeper, “Spider” Samalla- them have been unsuccessful. Other crea- 14. The Stump Bog han, is a close friend of Durnan (a lord of tures may well make one of the many The vast, sprawling Bog is named for Waterdeep), and the village is under caves their home. This small creek is numerous rotting stumps which rise from Waterdeep’s protection. The Guard main- named for the dwarf Gaustar, who is said the still, green waters like blackened teeth tains a 60-man outpost here, patrolling the to have buried a large chest of precious (the dead trees were cut by an enterpris- road as far as a cairn five miles north of gems somewhere along the banks of the ing woodcutter long ago). Frog-fishermen Amphail (listed later) and as far south as creek. Gaustar perished at the hands of are the only humans who have entered the gates of the City. pursuing orcs shortly thereafter. His peo- the marsh since. The Bog’s algae-covered, These men-at-arms are all zero-level and ple had been forced from their delves in muddy waters are home to many unpleas- are accoutred with chain mail and shields, the depths of winter some 60 years ago ant creatures. lances, long swords, hammers, and dag- and, being harried by orcs all the way The Bog’s waters may well hide many gers. They are commanded by two 3rd- south, were slaughtered one by one. Gaus- small treasures. Countless corpses have level fighter armars (sergeants) and a tar’s treasure has never been found, or at been dumped in the Bog over the years of 5th-level fighter civilar (captain). The least none have admitted gaining it. fighting in the North. Many victims have personnel rotate each week. The three drowned in the Bog after dark following commanders are named Blaskos Ulraven, 13. The Selpir (creek) nearby battles, getting lost and collapsing Timmer Longschal, and Gheldarm Tassor, This slow, quiet creek drains Ardeep as a result of their wounds. Today, the Bog respectively. Forest. Lizard men sometimes lurk in the remains a favorite corpse disposal site for mouth of this marshy source, but mermen brigands, thieves, and City folk who find it 10. Amphail also like to congregate in the area. Recent more convenient for someone to disappear This village boasts the following estab- history is marked by several vicious bat- than to be found dead. lishments: The Laughing Bandit Inn; a tles between the two races, many taking If the PCs enter the Bog, DMs should use forge of excellent reputation, which is run place in the shallows. Table 2 to determine encounters. As with by the tall, bearded human Akrosz In elder days, the Fallen Kingdom was a Table 1 before, roll 1d8 and ldl2, and add Ulvinhand; a horse-breeding ranch belong- proud realm. Many grand heroes of both the results together to render encounters ing to the retired adventuress Elraghona elven and dwarven descent were laid to on Table 2. Selember; and, a small temple to Waukeen. rest in the heart of the woods (the now Perhaps the most successful business in much-smaller woods are known as Ardeep Until swords part Amphail is the horse-breeding ranch, Forest). Over the centuries, the waters of Beyond these environs of Waterdeep lie which supplies remounts to travelers all this tiny creek have run endlessly to the the greater glories of the North. In the along the Long Road through inns such as sea, breaching many such tombs. Over- hands of a DM, more of their mysteries The Sleeping Dragon in Rassalantar (which grown and forgotten even by the demi- may well be revealed, and many of the buys dozens of horses each year from the humans, these tombs have yielded their secrets of the City of Splendors, too! ranch). riches to the relentless water. A patient Adventures galore await PCs in these Named for one of Waterdeep’s early War searcher has a 22% chance (check once lands of savage beauty – adventure Lords, Amphail the Just (who is said to still every 20 continuous turns) of finding enough to fill many lifetimes. Come: Bring ride the area in spirit form, frightening some treasure in the streambed, such as a friend, and bring a sword – and that’s away trolls and hostile barbarian tribes), an electrum piece, perhaps, or a gold key. two friends to keep close, for in the North this village, like Rassalantar to the south, is A dagger + 1 may well turn up; rarely are a good swords the best friend you can patrolled by Waterdeep’s Guard in all larger objects found. The DM should select have. And what’s an adventure without seasons but winter. Amphail is ruled by a items to be found here rather than rolling good friends to share it with? Lord Warder, presently the 3rd-level fight- er Briiathor Alougarr. The Lord Warder swears fealty to Piergeiron, one of the Table 1 Table 2 Lords of Waterdeep. In return, the City of Rat Hills Random Stump Bog Random Splendors provides military strength, a Encounter Table Encounter Table Warder’s purse of 600 gp quarterly, and Roll Encounter many orders for fresh mounts from Roll Encounter 1 mimic Elraghona’s ranch. 2 2 l-3 catoblepas 3 l-6 skeletons 3 1-3 gas spores 4 5-20 rot grubs in carrion 11. River Dessarin 4 2-12 giant crabs 5 1 otyugh The fast-moving, cold, and deep Des- 5 4-16 giant leeches sarin flows down to the sea from this 6 l-4 jackalweres 6 l-20 giant wasps 4-16 wild dogs point. The river is navigable and is home 7 7 l-4 giant crayfish 8 4-24 wererats 4-16 giant leeches to many shalass (silver, troutlike fish that 8 9 5-50 giant rats 5-40 giant frogs grow to 2’ length), which make a highly 9 2-24 giant centipedes prized meal throughout the North. The 10 10 l-2 lampreys river can be crossed “dry” in this vicinity 11 5-50 giant rats 11 3-12 giant frogs 12 1-12 huge spiders 12 l-4 giant crayfish only at Zundbridge, at Ironford, and at the 5-50 giant rats Stone Bridge, far to the northeast. The 13 13 3-12 giant frogs l-3 leucrotta River Dessarin can otherwise only be 14 14 l-2 lampreys 15 l-4 ear seekers crossed by swimming; it cannot be forded. 15 1-3 shambling mounds 16 2-12 poisonous frogs 16 4-16 giant leeches 17 l-12 zombies 17 l-4 giant eels 12. Gaustar’s Creek 18 1 neo-otyugh This small, fast-flowing stream has cut a 18 2-12 giant lizards l-4 catoblepas narrow but deep gorge along its route. 19 19 l-3 will-o-(the)-wisps 20 Special encounter (Table 2) or Many tiny caves and tunnels have been 20 Roll twice again on this table, or DM’s choice scratched out of the soft rock of the gorge DM’s choice of any monster. walls by various creatures. A “thirst” of

14 DECEMBER 1987 D RAGON 15 standing the games, campaigns, and dynamics involved; and to inform partici- pants of the methods of bringing play to a high level in order to enhance their enjoy- ment.” The key words are “enthusiasts” and “a high level,” implying a chosen audi- ence with enough RPG experience to appreciate a more formal presentation with more emphasis on technical and theoretical matters. As a whole, unfortunately, the book is exactly as schizophrenic as these two passages suggest. The writing and pacing are likely to hold a more experienced reader’s attention while drawing impatient yawns from a newcomer, whereas the content (with some exceptions) is probably of more value to beginning gamers than to those well-settled into role-playing. It’s entirely realistic, if distinctly unsettling, to feel as if there are two or three separate books at once unfolding in Gygax’s tome. One of those books is a full-fledged academic textbook that will have readers scanning community college and univer- sity catalogs for Role-Playing 101. While the volume includes neither practice exer- cises nor test questions, several chapters end with neatly summarized lists of princi- ples begging to be memorized for recita- tion in class. Gygax adds to the effect with a writing style that loudly echoes the voice of an eminent professor addressing rows of students with proverbial impressionable young minds. Moreover, in treating RPG concepts generally while offering very little system-specific (or even genre- specific) advice and virtually no rules analysis, the book takes on the role of a basic introductory text rather than a sup- plemental resource. Yet, although Role-Playing Mastery is hardly a field guide to available RPGs (most of the product-related material is consolidated into appendices full of lists), it does qualify as something of a field guide to the personalities who populate the hobby. The second through fourth chap- ters describe a variety of players, referees, and gaming groups, with thorough if largely common-sensical commentary on effective ways of dealing with interperson- al conflicts and less-than-ideal campaigns. takes those assumptions for granted. The descriptions of these people and ©1987 by John C. Bunnell “It is hoped,” says Gygax in his preface, groups are detailed and helpful, but the “(and I go so far as to assume) that inter- advice for coping with them sometimes ROLE-PLAYING MASTERY ested but inexperienced individuals will seems a bit naive. It’s all very well to sug- Gary Gygax read this work prior to beginning activity gest private conversations or advocate Perigee Books O-399-51923-4 $7.95 in role-playing games.” That suggests that booting a misfit out the door, but readers Role-playing Mastery is a difficult book the books audience need not have much will remain understandably wary of start- to describe. It doesn’t easily yield to the knowledge of RPGs and argues for the ing those dialogues without at least some sort of clever one-sentence appraisal that inclusion of lots of easily applied (i.e., guidance. might begin the review of a typical fantasy specific) advice. Ideally, such an introduc- The remaining material, comprising novel. The problem is partly that Gary tory text should also be fairly informal and chapters five through seven, attempts to Gygax’s book seems to have set several relaxed in tone, to minimize the potentially codify the elements of quality gaming different agendas for itself: textbook, field intimidating complexity of RPG rules and techniques in a practical how-to format. guide, and how-to manual are all accurate systems to the uninitiated. Gygax essentially argues that if one con- yet subtly varying descriptions. These Two pages later, however, the book sciously focuses on what his or her PC is structural inconsistencies, though, are less changes its mind. Now its purpose is “to supposed to be doing, rather than more of a concern than the assumptions Gygax inform role-game enthusiasts of the histo- passively “going with the flow,” a higher makes about the nature of gamers and ry and scope of the role-playing hobby level of play results. The specific tips are gaming – and the degree to which he pursuit; to assist all participants in under- again clear, valuable, and sufficiently logi-

16 DECEMBER 1987 cal that experienced gamers will often mutter, “But I knew that!” as they read. Beginning players aren’t likely to get this far – Gygax strongly implies in the section on player groups that they’ll be woefully lost in a cadre of veterans, and by this time it’s clear that the “mastery” referred to throughout the book is a product of long experience that newcomers don’t yet have. It’s there that the dangerous flaw in Role-Playing Mastery begins to assert itself. Though Gygax makes occasional statements in the book about the need to broaden the RPG audience and increase the appeal of gaming to newcomers, his real thrust is almost precisely in the oppo- site direction. The program of “study” outlined for achieving mastery (which is full of words like “must” and “requires”) is given with the implication that mastery is a necessary goal of all gaming. This plan calls, among other things, for playing in numerous campaigns, competing in RPG tournaments, and (at least by implication) submitting articles to gaming magazines. Essentially, Gygax is making the assump- tion that gaming can only be appreciated by an elite group of “masters” akin to the Fischers and Karpovs who dominate the international chess world. “You cannot hope to achieve mastery unless the prohib- itive factor(s) can be removed,” he claims in the book. “You can, of course, still enjoy playing? The unspoken implication, though, is that nonmasters are second- class citizens of the gaming community who need not be taken seriously. That attitude is one the gaming commu- nity should not be promoting under any circumstance. From a purely technical standpoint, it might be true that long-time conventioneers and regular contributors to DRAGON® Magazine are more effective gamers than a squadron of high-school students who have just acquired copies of the TOON® game. But it is an enormous mistake to assume that the high-school gamers aren’t having as much fun as everyone else, or that gamers who regu- larly play in tournaments have more fun than those who don’t. Role-Playing Mas- tery utterly fails to acknowledge the fact that every RPG hobbyist has a different level of commitment to gaming, and that failure makes this book extremely difficult to recommend. Which is a real shame – because there is still a good deal of valuable insight to be had within the pages of Gary Gygax’s book. Gamers who read it carefully will be able to appreciate some of that wisdom, and novices may be able to glean some as well, if provided with sufficient cautions against treating the tome as gospel. With- out those warnings, though, Role-Playing Mastery seems likely to drive away more prospective gamers than it manages to recruit. Its introductory paragraphs to the contrary, a solid, easily assimilated hand- book for aspiring RPG players is still wait- ing to be written.

D RAGON 17 by W. Todo Todorsky

One of the most interesting and effective spell-casting tactics in the AD&D® game system is the use of illusions. It is also one of the most difficult to understand and control. Guidelines in the game texts offer only sketchy advice to aid the DM and players in the casting and administration of illusions. How one goes about disbelieving an illusion is an open question. There are also other matters which arise to confuse the issue. Does the victim believe a phantasm it sees? Is the illusion good enough to fool an exceptionally smart creature? Is the illusion appropriate for the situation? These questions and many others make the judgment and play of illusions an arbitrary case at best. Any magical illusion is essentially a spell. Saving against an illusion is then a simple saving throw vs. spells or casting device (wands, staves, etc.). The level of the vic- tim is accounted for in the saving throw, but that is all. This system works well in low-level campaigns; it is simple to use and fast in its execution. It has, however, some serious shortcomings – particularly when it is used against high-level or highly intel- ligent beings. The level or experience of the caster is not taken into account, nor is the experience difference between caster and victim. It is just as likely for a 5-HD monster to be fooled by an illusion cast by a 5th-level magic-user as by an illusion cast by a 12th-level magic-user. This flies in the face of the idea that magic-users cast more powerful spells as they gain levels. Questions also arise concerning the victim of the illusion. Does an illusion work just as well against an animal- intelligence creature as it does on a genius? Do dragons and dogs see illusions in the same way? Some insight to these matters can be gained by examining illu- sions themselves. An illusion is a mental attack. It works on the victim’s perceptions of his environ- ment. Why is a large woody plant with spreading branches and leaves seen as a tree? We recognize it as a tree because our minds equate the sight with a previously learned shape known as a tree. If the victim’s mind has been altered by an illu- sion spell, then the response to the sight picture is what the magic-user’s spell has programmed. One defense against mental attacks, the magical attack adjustment from the Play- ers Handbook Wisdom Table 1 on page 11, falls into the province of wisdom. It fol- lows that the tendency to believe or disbe- lieve illusions should also be in the province of wisdom. The higher one’s wisdom, the less likely one would be fooled by an illusion. It is assumed that the illusion does not totally control the victim’s mind; therefore, he is still able to use his unaffected mental powers to evaluate his surroundings. The more wisdom he has, Illustration by Joseph Pillsbury 18 DECEMBER 1987 the more unaffected mental powers he love, and charm, wisdom eludes stereotypi- passing definition of an illusion (a magical can muster. cal definition. It is not a simple concept. Most effect that produces an illusion, delusion, A couatl and a 9-HD shambling mound of us can observe the behavior of another hallucination, etc.) will be used. have the same relative level. The couatl and decide if his actions are wise or not. As Cast illusions are spells in AD&D games has a wisdom of 8-18 (as per the DMG, with beauty, wisdom is as wisdom does. which serve as external forces which act page 79), whereas the shambling mound Do not mistake wisdom for intelligence. on the minds of the victims. Victims with has a wisdom of 2-8. it would seem that Intelligence refers primarily to the aca- lower wisdom are more susceptible to this the couatl is more likely than a shambling demic abilities needed in acquiring and form of attack as they tend to take every- mound to know an illusion when it sees processing information. It is helpful for thing they see as real. Those with greater one. Also, the couatl has spell-casting the wise to be intelligent, but it is not wisdom tend to be more skeptical of their ability; some of these spells could be necessary that a wise man be more intelli- surroundings and may take a second look. illusion-based. gent than an average man. When one has Although not a hard and fast rule, crea- This brings us to another part of the intelligence but not wisdom, the informa- tures with great wisdom tend to have illusion puzzle. Magicians and slight-of- tion he gathers is difficult to evaluate and great intelligence. hand artists amaze us by performing feats use in the best possible manner. Illusions also affect a victim’s emotions, which seem impossible. To another experi- Although wisdom is reasonably difficult playing on fear, greed, want, and hopeless- enced prestidigitator, though, these feats to define, we can look at some of its con- ness. Each emotion has the ability to cloud are old hat — stock-in-trade items. He stituent parts. The DMG lists willpower, one’s judgment. Wisdom acts against these would have little trouble recognizing judgment, wile, enlightenment, and intui- wild emotions and against the illusions another magician at work while the rest of tiveness as some of the components which which feed upon them. The power of us were easily fooled. It would follow that go into wisdom. We could add common wisdom over illusion lies in the unemotion- if one knew how illusions were cast, he sense, patience, and experience to that list. al way a wise one views a situation. would be less likely to fall victim to the Wisdom, then, is the effect of all these Wisdom’s unemotional nature does not illusion-based magic of another. factors working together in one person. imply that its view is heartless or not Even a victim without superior wisdom [The official system for handling spell compassionate. A wise being uses a disci- is not totally at the mercy of an illusion- bonuses for high wisdom scores is given plined mind. This allows him to put emo- caster. Someone near his home or lair on page 7 of Legends & Lore. There, intel- tion aside for periods of time while the would be so familiar with the area that ligence has an influence over the detection situation at hand is evaluated. almost any new or unnatural sight would of illusions; wisdom, by the reasoning in How do the components of wisdom be brought immediately under suspicion. this article, could also play a part.] work against illusions? First of all, no As we can see, the question of what will matter how cleverly they are devised, be believed or disbelieved is very complex. What is an illusion? illusions are false images. Materially, they Essentially, however, it is a question of Strictly speaking, an illusion is a false do not exist, and they tend to disappear wisdom vs. illusion. Is the victim wise perception or image, something been when touched. Being false, they are also enough to see through the illusion, or is which is mistakenly perceived. In AD&D imperfect. These imperfections serve to the illusion good enough to fool the view- game terms, “illusion” is generalized to bring about their demise. er? Perhaps a closer look at wisdom and mean many things. Spells or spell-like A character who is confronted with an illusion would aid the debate. effects which are illusions are sometimes illusion first believes it to be real. Disbe- more accurately described as delusions, lieving everything one sees is not normal What is wisdom? hallucinations, mirages, misconceptions, or for any creature. As time passes, the char- As with other subjects which reflect the disguises. For the purposes of this article, acter has a chance to evaluate what he depths of human kind such as beauty, the game’s inaccurate but all-encom- sees more closely. Here is the time when

Illusion Saving-Throw Table

Victim’s level greater by: Caster’s level greater by: Victim’s wisdom 10 987 6543 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 3 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 4 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 5 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 6 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 00 00 00 00 00 00 0 0 7 2 5 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 7 0 7 5 80 85 90 95 00 00 0 0 00 00 00 8 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 00 00 00 00 00 9 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 00 00 00 00 10 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 00 00 00 11 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 00 00 12 0 5 10 15 20 2 5 30 35 40 4 5 50 55 60 6 5 70 75 80 85 90 95 00 13 0 0 5 10 15 2 0 25 30 35 40 45 5 0 5 5 60 65 70 7 5 80 85 90 95 14 0 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 15 0 0 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 16 0 0 0 0 0 5 10 15 20 2 5 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 10 1 5 20 25 30 35 40 4 5 5 0 5 5 60 65 7 0 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 5 5 60 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0510 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 22 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 he uses his wisdom, asking himself mental A new saving-throw table 1. First, determine the wisdom of the questions about what he sees. He knows Under the present system, class and victim. (This is easy for PCs and NPCs. To that he is likely to see a white dragon in a level are the deciding factors in calculating determine a monster’s wisdom, refer to frozen wasteland, but a red dragon would what number a player needs to roll to the DMG, page 79.) be out of place. Knowledge of particular have his PC save against an illusion. If 2. Find the victim’s wisdom on the left aspects of the item in question could be wisdom and level of the caster are includ- side of the table. (This aligns with a hori- compared with what has been seen ed in the calculation, the importance of zontal row.) before. Does this look, sound, move, and the victim’s class is reduced. The only 3. Calculate the difference between the behave as he expects? The sound of a exception to this would be if the victim of victim’s level and the illusion-caster’s level lamia noble moving across the floor is the illusion was an illusion-caster in his (or hit dice, if the caster is a monster). similar to that of a large snake, but a lamia own right. 4. Locate this number on the top row of noble that makes no sound when it moves Having covered what wisdom and illu- the table. If the difference is in favor of could be grounds for disbelief. sion are and how one affects the other, we the victim, the number will be on the left; There is no guarantee that the final come to the Illusion Saving-Throw Table, if the caster has more levels than the evaluation the victim makes will be cor- developed to improve the handling of victim, the number will on the right. Magi- rect. He may miss simple illusions while illusions during a game. The present sys- cal attack adjustment scores shift the looking for complex ones. The situation tem of saving vs. spells takes into account column being read one place to the left may be bizarre and unfamiliar, yet quite the class and level of the victim, but does per + 1, or one place to the right per – 1. real. In this case, the illusion may have not reflect his wisdom or the relative level Thus, a + 2 bonus to the saving throw been so well cast that the victim sees no differences between the caster and the produces a two-column shift to the left reason to disbelieve it. viewer. The game grants that spells cast by [much as is done in the MARVEL SUPER Clerics have not been mentioned as yet, high-level magic-users carry more power, HEROES® Advanced Set game]. even though wisdom is their prime requi- duration, and damage than the same spell 5. The number at the point where the site. Wisdom is important to the cleric cast by a low-level mage. This increased horizontal and vertical lines cross is then because he deals with people in his work ability should also be extended to illusions. read and expressed as a percentage. If the on a day-to-day basis. In an outlying vil- The illusions of a high-level spell-caster victim rolls over that number, his charac- lage, he may be the only person with any should thus be more believable than those ter disbelieves the illusion. If the roll is education at all; this alone would cause of a low-level caster. Conversely, a charac- equal to or less than the number, the people to seek him out for advice. Wise ter of low level and less experience should illusion is believed. men tend to be clerics by tradition. Even have a more difficult time figuring out an A character gains a +4 to his saving so, in no way should one assume that illusion than a character of higher level. throw if another member of the party has wisdom is the exclusive province of cler- The Illusion Saving-Throw Table recon- already made a successful save and sees ics. Wisdom is not determined by class, ciles the level of the caster, the level of the through the illusion. This assumes that the race, sex, or alignment. victim, and the wisdom of the victim. To disbeliever warns or demonstrates that use it, follow these steps: the illusion is an illusion. On the table, this constitutes a shift of four columns to the left for all subsequent saving throws against that illusion. If the victim is an illusion-caster, he is granted one additional column shift to the left for every three experience levels (or hit dice) he has attained. This applies to all illusionists and to magic-users who can cast illusion/phantasm spells, as well as to all creatures who can naturally cast spells. The DM should decide whether beings who cannot naturally cast illusions but who possess and frequently use magical devices which do cast illusions should be granted the save bonus. A victim who is in close proximity to his lair could be allowed one, two, or three shifts to the left due to familiarity to the terrain, at the DM’s option. Dragons, being naturally perceptive, might gain an auto- matic three-column shift. Those creatures listed as “non-intelligent” gain no save against illusions at all, unless the DM feels their sensory abilities would decide other- wise. Creatures with “animal” to “semi- intelligent” ratings are wary of illusions, whether they believe the illusions or not, and have a 75% chance to believe the illusion, regardless of the caster’s level. If a character’s percentage figure is in the upper-right triangle (l00%), then the illusion is believed regardless of any proof given to the contrary. No saving throw of any kind is allowed. If a character’s per- centage figure is in the lower-left triangle (0%), then the illusion is automatically disbelieved if the PC decides to do so.

20 DECEMBER 1987

Tolkien’s Middle-earth®, the apocalyptic world of post-holocaust Earth, and the high-tech worlds of militaristic space opera. The D&D®, AD&D®, MERP™, GURPS® Fantasy, WARHAMMER FANTASY ROLEPLAY, PALLADIUM® Role-Playing, and other FRP games share conventional setting elements like orcs, dragons, elves, dwarves, quasi-medieval cultures, and epic conflicts with the Forces of Evil. The GURPS AUTODUEL®, TWILIGHT 2000™, and GAMMA WORLD® games portray a recognizably modern Earth degenerating into an ultraviolent, barbaric New Wilder- ness where only the strong and well- armed may prosper. The STAR TREK®, SPACEMASTER™, TRAVELLER 2300™, TRAVELLER®, BATTLETECH®, and STAR FRONTIERS® games are generally set against the backdrop of galactic armed conflicts with futuristic technology in the service of the star warrior. I don’t mean to suggest that there is no room for originality in genre-based games; that’s obviously not the case. But here’s the irony: We admire truly original role- playing settings, but the more original and unconventional the setting, the harder it is to create and sustain a role-playing cam- paign in that setting. The games reviewed this month – the EMPIRE OF THE PETAL THRONE and SKYREALMS OF JORUNE games – feature alien role-playing settings that are distinc- tive, original, and brilliant – which is kind of a shame, since they require distinctive, original, and brilliant players and game masters to make them work. Fortunately, we don’t even have to play these games to treasure and admire them, to recognize them as superior models of role-playing, and to steal ideas from them for our more mundane campaigns.

EMPIRE OF THE PETAL THRONE Science-fantasy role-playing game Tékumel Source Book: Swords and Glory, Volume 1, Book 1 An EPT game supplement Different Worlds Publications $12.00 each Author: Professor M.A.R. Barker toward the science-fiction section in the ©1987 by Ken Rolston paperback stores, or rent any video with The world of Tékumel evolved in the spaceships and laser-toting he-men. imagination of M.A.R. Barker many years Want to role-play in a really alien set- The “90% rule” is a pretty good rule of before the first role-playing game was ting? Think carefully. Do you know what thumb for success in selling genre published. Barker conceived of it as a you’re getting into? Everybody knows products. That is, 90% of what the cus- setting for science-fiction adventures, but what orcs and dragons and mutants and tomer gets should be the same old, famil- the appearance of the D&D game in 1975 battledroids are all about, but what do you iar genre elements he’s seen in all the inspired him to develop Tékumel as a know about the ahoggyá or the ngóro? other genre products he’s bought. Sure, he setting for fantasy role-playing. As an Can you distinguish between the larval, wants a few twists – the 10% worth of exercise in imaginary universes, it has second sperric, and third sperric stages in novelty – just so he gets something really more in common with Tolkien’s Middle- the life cycle of the giggit? If you want to new. But if he’s bought a Western novel, earth than with the campaign worlds of referee really weird alien settings, you he wants it to be a Western novel, with all most role-playing games. Tékumel is a have to know this stuff. the old familiar trappings: six-guns, setting rich in language, culture, and histo- Most role-playing games depend on saloons, and tough hombres. Wandering ry. Barker, like Tolkien, is a college profes- established literary and film genres for too far from the established formula is sor with a professional interest in their settings, such as the fantasy, post- pretty risky. language and culture, providing an excel- holocaust, and science-fiction genres. The majority of role-playing settings are lent background for his more stimulating Everybody knows what to expect from patterned on three very successful types avocation of fantasy world creation. these groups. That’s why we gravitate of genre settings: the fantasy world of However, Tolkien’s Middle-earth has its

22 DECEMBER 1987 roots in Western European myth and Actually, these and other EPT magical/ conceptions of their garments, and you culture. Tékumel’s inspirations come from technological devices are fairly standard say, “Sure; I’ll never see one of those guys, two other sources: historical non-Western magical stuff. The priest and magic-user but they sure enough existed.” It’s the myth and culture, and the various synthet- spell lists are useful for player characters same with Tékumel. There is such a ic myths and cultures of 20th-century doing their usual thing (like looting, pillag- wealth of coherent historical, ethnograph- science-fiction and fantasy literature. The ing, and scorching the local flora and ic, and linguistic detail that Tékumel sim- result is a distinctive and alien fantasy fauna), but there is little attention given to ply has to exist. Nobody could make all setting. a rationale for their existence in the Téku- that up. Professor Barker’s EMPIRE OF THE mel culture. Some of these are pretty odd Barker cheerfully acknowledges his PETAL THRONE game (henceforth, EPT) in terms of any alien culture. How about sources – the ancient Egyptian, Aztec, was first published in 1975 by TSR, Inc. “The Amulet of Finding Treasure in the Mayan, Hellenic, Mughal Indian, and medi- The original boxed edition had a single Underworld” – a little obsidian beetle that eval European cultures, and science-fiction spiral-bound booklet and three gorgeous, guides the user to the nearest treasure and fantasy literature – but only a rare full-color maps. One of these full-color hoard. How does it detect the treasure? soul like Barker would be so knowledge- maps was of a city – the first fantasy city What definition of “treasure” does it use in able about all these historical and fictional most of us had ever seen. However, the deciding where to crawl? Its game pur- cultures – and professionally trained to $30.00 price tag made EPT a luxury pose is embarrassingly obvious, but it’s not appreciate what makes those disparate beyond the means of most gamers; in clear how it fits into the Tékumel culture. cultures distinct and fascinating. The 1975, the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game The nature, practice, and significance of peculiar decorative styles and exotic cos- cost only $10.00. The 1987 Different magic in the Tékumel culture is poorly tumes of the illustrations, the beautiful, Worlds EPT edition is a 112-page booklet developed in the basic game, but that’s ornate, flowing script and the literal, awk- with only one map – a reduced, two-color typical for this sort of FRPG. (As long as PCs ward translation of the illuminated Certifi- version of the Jakallá city map. Excluding get to blow up stuff, who cares where the cate of Imperial Citizenship, the annotated the two campaign maps and box, this spells come from?) Explanations for magic roster of the names and deeds of the 61 $12.00 booklet is essentially identical to are a bit disappointing in this otherwise Emperors of the Second Imperium, the the original edition and is certainly more well-developed alien culture, and EPT is casual references to contrasting notions of affordable. less impressive here than is Jorune, which marriage, and the status of women in The 1987 edition of the Tékumel Source more successfully integrates magic into its various human and nonhuman cultures – Book, Book 1 (henceforth, Book 1) contains alien culture. EPT Book 2 is said to provide it’s all so rich and plausible that it has to roughly one-third of the material original- more detailed and Tékumel-ish magic; we’ll be real, yet still odd and unfamiliar ly published in 1983 by Gamescience, Inc., see when the book is available. enough to be truly alien. as Swords and Glory, Volume 1. The 1987 The campaign: Monsters and alien It’s impossible to suggest the texture and Book 1 contains extensive essays on the races galore are given in Book 1. When detail of a tapestry by displaying a few of history, politics, legends, locales, creatures, human space explorers discovered Téku- its threads, but I’ll share a few of my and peoples of Tékumel. Different Worlds mel, it was covered with nasty native favorite features of Tékumel. plans future publication of the rest of the flora, fauna, and intelligent races. The The Sákbe Roads: Take the Great Wall of original 1983 Swords and Glory, Volume 1 spacefaring humans and their assorted China and spread it over an empire like an material as the Tékumel Source Books, alien pals conquered the nasty natives and interstate highway system. To suit the Books 2 and 3. terraformed the planet. Then, several Tékumelani taste for elaborate visual dis- Mechanics: Regarding mechanics, EPT skillion years ago, some mysterious extra- play of social status, divide the road into offers a variation of the D&D game sys- dimensional accident popped Tékumel’s three tiers – the lowest tier for common tem, using many familiar concepts such as solar system right out of Known Space travelers, caravans, and carts; the second armor class, hit dice, experience points, into a Lonely Void. The technological civili- tier for nobles, priests, officials, and senior movement in inches, spell lists, etc. Char- zation devolved to barbarism. Now there clansmen; the third for exalted dignitaries, acter creation is a little more colorful and are native and imported life forms all over the highest aristocrats, and the Emperor’s involved, character advancement is more the place. messengers. In peacetime, this network of gradual, increase in combat and spell The names and conceptions of Tékumel’s monumental roads carries commerce, abilities is only partially determined by unique bestiary are satisfactorily unique communications, and travelers among the increase in character level, and high-level and bizarre. For instance, we have the Imperium’s centers of civilization. In war- characters do more damage when they hit dreaded Ssu, the “Enemies of Man,” aborig- time, the Sákbe Roads present their impos- – but all these variants are fairly simple inal inhabitants of Tékumel – “tall, slen- ing fortifications to potential invaders, and modifications of basic D&D game con- der, six-limbed beings wrapped in what even if one section is captured, swift cepts. If you know the D&D game, you looks like greyish shrouds (actually a loose movements of troops along the roads can zoom right through the mechanics integument which keeps shedding and threaten to outflank the intruder. sections – and ignore them, if you want. pulling off). They smell like musty cinna- The Underworlds: What charming and This is good news if you’re contemplating mon and make a high, sweet chiming elaborate rationales for dungeon-crawling using EPT as a supplement for your D&D sound.” The text descriptions and illustra- the Underworlds are. Take, for example, game campaign. tive anecdotes suggest queer and plausible the custom of Ditlána (translated as Magic and technology: Looking for alien races with distinctive cultures. The “renewing”): every 500 years or so, every some nifty new magical devices for your biology, ecology, and illustrations in EPT city must undergo a ritual purification and campaign? How about some ancient tech- are less persuasive, though somewhat renewal, knocking everything down and nological artifacts? EPT features a group improved in Book 1. To be fair, most FRPG starting over again. Sounds expensive and of devices called “Eyes” – each a small, beasts and races are no more persuasive, wasteful, doesn’t it? “Ditlána must be dull gem with an eyelike aperture and an but by comparison with the more plausi- done,” the people of the Tsolyáni Empire activating stud. The titles of these little ble physiology and ecology of Jorune’s say, “or else we are no more noble than jobbers are their most appealing features: aliens, EPT aliens rate only a “good” rather beasts.” Of course, the temples are reluc- “The Eye of Being an Unimpeachable than an “excellent.” tant to abandon ancient, sacred shrines Shield Against Foes,” “The Eye of Calling Then there’s alien culture. Think about buried by this process, and various Forth an Unconquerable Army,” “The Eye it: You never really doubt the existence of human, nonhuman, and monstrous deni- of Exquisite Power over Maidens,” and so the Mayans. You never met a Mayan, but zens persist in tunneling the razed rubble on. It’s great to have a couple of these you look at photographs of their temples, into labyrinthine networks. These Under- hanging at your belt in a tight spot. architectural decorations, and artists’ worlds may connect by sewers and drain-

D RAGON 23 age tunnels with the Cities of the Dead of the following: the Hirilákte Arenas, the ja lél Béy Sý” (Bednállja and Béy Sý), by the (vast necropolises outside town walls) Omnipotent Azure Legion, the Seclusion of same author, ms. in TsoIyáni, preserved in a providing a dangerous but lucrative cot- the Emperors in the great fortress of private collection in Béy Sý.] tage industry for intrepid grave robbers. Avanthár, the reign of Emperor Gyesmu No one knows where all these under- Dalisan, “the Magnificent and EverLiving:” Evaluation: EPT and Book 1 are living ground passages lead; sometimes they And how about this typical bibliographical classics of fantasy role-playing – a must connect with abandoned temple com- reference cited for those interested in for all gamers who appreciate elegant and pounds, the cramped access mazes of the Nayári of the Silken Thighs, founder of the alien FRPG settings. EPT should be for- Ssu, or the incredibly ancient Tubeways: Bednállja dynasty of the First Imperium: given for antique faults common to its an automatic and fitfully operational sub- contemporaries, and admired for its singu- terranean transit system tunneled through [Bibliography: “Gupaggáli nga Shshi” (the Might lar virtues – brilliant conception, lavish the planet’s crust. of Our Ancestors), by Daggála Mukkrotórr, in history and language, sheer volume of My favorite feature is the use of grand Salarvyáni, ms. preserved in Tsatsáyagga; material, good writing, and vast potential and dignified diction in the titles, pro- “Nganjjá pa Ssú!” (Flee, Ye Ssú!), by Dráka for alien role-playing. Very few gamers are nouncements, and institutions of the Tsol- Gríllpa, in Pecháni, ms. preserved in the likely to establish orthodox Tékumel cam- yáni, suggesting great age and tradition, House of Skulls in Mechanéno; “Kolumélan paigns, but as a source and model for relating remarkable events and traditions, Ssána hiPathái” (Royal Whore of Love), by fantasy adventure settings, Barker’s uni- and citing epigrams of noted historical Pagártra Nemándu, in Tsolyáni, ms. preserved verse should be a rich treasure trove of figures. Consider the euphonious elegance in the Imperial Archives, Béy Sý; and “Bednáll- inspiration.

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24 DECEMBER 1987

SKYREALMS OF JORUNE are from the first edition of the game or bly trying to get all of the player’s [sic] Science-fantasy role-playing game the August 1987 rules supplement and character sheets finished so that gaming SkyRealms Publishing, Inc. $25.00 character sheet (available on request can begin.” These are laudable senti- Design, art, production: Andrew Leker, Miles directly from SkyRealms Publishing). ments, but struggling with the rules Teves, Amy Leker, Mark Wallace I tried to create the Jorune equivalent of writing and revision presentation does a player character specializing in “magical” little to speed and simplify the task of Boy, is this good, and it’s different from skills. It was quite a chore puzzling designing a character. On the same page, most other FRPG campaigns. For instance, through the rules in the Player Manual consider the place where the reader is let’s start with the box cover – the pol- and trying to cross-reference them with told: “After a Sholari is chosen, it’s time ished color, lighting, and composition of a the rules supplement and updates. Here to get underway. The Sholari needs to classically rendered painting, depicting are a few typical problems I encountered: have time to be familiar with all the three beings attending the death of a 1. Imprecise usage of game terminology books; a light reading should suffice.” fourth being. ‘Iwo of the beings are clearly appears in the text. For example, here’s a I’m sorry; I can accept a light reading of human; two are clearly nonhuman. All sentence from one of the updates: “You the Tauther and Sholari Guides with four are equally plausible in appearance. A may only choose dyshas from the lowest considerable skepticism, but a light dimly shimmering globe of light is sus- rank of each group.” Later in the para- reading of the Player Manual is impos- pended between the outstretched palms of graph, it says, “The steps are separated by sible, and a light reading of the sample two of the beings. a thin line.” Nowhere is the concept of adventure would not prepare a game This is a painting with mystery, rever- dysha (spell) “rank” or “step” defined. The master for running the adventure. ence, affection, and dignity. But where are example does not clarify the concept, and I like the skills lists and descriptions; the weapons, slavering monsters, armored the only place where the steps are sepa- they’re useful, well-written hooks for knights, or iron-muscled barbarians? rated is on the revised characters sheet, characterization, and they effectively Where are the pageantry of war and the where in fact the steps are indicated by suggest the alien culture of Jorune. But spatterings of gore? Don’t these people arrows, not by thin lines. each skill rating (from 1 to 10) may trans- know anything about fantasy role-playing? The example above is exceptional in late to a different percentile chance of Jorune often seems like the sophisticated that I never did figure out what was success, according to the specific skill (as role-player’s ideal game. At the same time, really intended. In a number of other per the updates, Skill Level 2 for flora it is also intimidating enough to discourage places, the language is imprecise, but recognition is 50%; for seamanship, 40%; the casual gamer. Ironically, part of the could be puzzled out with patience and for geology, 20%; for Shantha etiquette, intimidation comes from the sheer ele- common sense. 10%). This system may simulate the gance and style of the setting; it also 2. No clear statement exists in either designer’s vision of these skills, but it’s a comes from weaknesses in rules and rules supplement about which passages in mess for quick session improvisation with adventure presentation. the original edition were to be deleted or player and nonplayer characters. Here’s one way to put it: Jorune is the ignored. You must read everything in both Jorune’s combat mechanics are more best role-playing game I’ve never played. the original rules and the supplement, suitable for fantasy role-playing than for To better understand this statement, let’s then figure out whether a specific passage heroic-fantasy wargaming. In the narrative look at some of the things that make it so in the updated text is an alteration, examples, Jorune characters fight reluc- good, and the other things that discourage replacement, or new addition to the origi- tantly and are grimly practical. The rules me from playing it. nal rules. Since the rules supplement does concerning initiative, striking, weapon Mechanics: The first of the four not follow the .presentation structure of differentiation, and wound effects are enclosed booklets, the Player Manual, the Player Manual, this is not straightfor- relatively involved and clunky (comparable contains the basic mechanics, character ward and is sometimes confusing. to the RUNEQUEST® game’s third edition design procedure, and an overview of the 3. The Jorune rules include misleading rules in complexity and pacing), but the campaign. SkyRealms Publishing has pro- advice. Innocent enthusiasm leads the initiative and wounds phases introduce vided at least two rules revision packages, designers to claim that everything is sim- dramatic elements missing in many other free of charge: the 1986 edition (a 16-page ple and easy, when it is in fact anything RPGs. Role-players with wargaming back- rules supplement with revised character but that. For instance, in the introduction grounds may be puzzled by the light gloss sheets) and the 1987 version (a 20-page to character creation (Player Manual, page on tactical maneuvering and pursuit, but rules supplement with revised character 1), you are repeatedly exhorted to not players more interested in character sheets]. These revision packages contain “tarry too long on any single item or rule” development than combat resolution won’t substantial changes to the original Player and to “make your choices with some be disappointed by the narrative examples Manual. All citations in this review speed. The Sholari [game master] is proba- and informal guidelines. I respect SkyRealm’s integrity in making extensive rules updates available free of charge (certainly an exception in this industry). However, the problems with the presentation of the rules are deterrents to beginners and annoyances for experienced players. Further, the relative complexity of the game’s systems greatly limits Jorune’s appeal to the mass market (by which I mean us folks who enjoy D&D and bare- bones AD&D games). Despite my complaints, my reservations about the rules have not dimmed my enthusiasm for the game. Now we come to Jorune’s strengths – the magic system and the campaign background. Magic and technology: The plentiful presence of isho (magical energy) and isho- shapers (magic-users] on Jorune crucially influences the cultures and history of

26 DECEMBER 1987

Jorune. Anyone discouraged by typical through a network of warp doors. The ing kittens from trees or helping old ladies FRPG medieval settings hardly disturbed shanthas, peaceful and contemplative by pay their mortgages isn’t standard role- by cheap and plentiful magic is sure to nature, are bewildered by the humans’ playing game fare, but in Jorune, these appreciate such a virtue. intense interest in mastering dyshas and activities are as meaningful as bashing Jorune generously details the rationale isho technology; the humans are awed and goblins or robbing graves. Making such and pseudophysics of magic, and the proc- intimidated by the magical powers of the encounters into dramatic role-playing ess by which certain beings learn to shantha. sessions might be difficult, but it is just the exploit magical energy. The muadra, a The campaign: Humans came to the sort of challenge good GMs and players human race that naturally pulls in isho planet Jorune in A.D. 2123. There, they cherish. energy, learn as youngsters to “kern,” or found a number of startling enigmas. A The second book, the Tauther Guide, is a discharge the energy. Young muadra must variety of intelligent races were living in player’s guide to the campaign, presented regularly visit “kerning bays” to blow off relative harmony. The humans discovered as a primer for Drenn candidates to pre- energy. Later, as they learn to control and no technologically advanced race, yet the pare them for what they are likely to shape the energy into “naulls” (coherent thriddle (one intelligent race) maintained a encounter as they travel through the lands energy orbs that form from the muadra’s primitive agricultural society amidst the of Burdoth in search of marks of approval palms), they are taught various discharge monumental ruins of some vanished civili- on their challisks. This is a masterpiece. skills called “Dyshas.” Dysha effects are zation. Bizarre geological formations were Read this first – before the Player Manual very similar to typical FRPG spell effects; the apparent source of a hitherto- - and you can easily forgive any faults in dyshas can bake targets, levitate objects, unknown form of energy. However, when game mechanics. heal, and defend against other dyshas. survey reports could produced no evi- Concise, deliberately incomplete infor- The special jargon, technology, and dence of potential threats to a human mation is given on the major races, histo- cultural institutions centered around isho colony, human settlements were estab- ry, geography, and cultural practices of are derived from the true natives of lished. Later, war on Earth cut the colonies Jorune. Superb illustrations – accompa- Jorune, the shanthas. Shanthic culture, off from communication and supply. nied by wry, enigmatic captions – perfect- now in decline after a disastrous conflict Desperate colonists inadvertantly goaded ly communicate the peculiar tone and with the early human settlers of the plan- the shantha into revealing their long spirit of the Jorune campaign. Much of the et, has an entire technology based on isho- dormant destructive abilities. All the vocabulary and concepts are bewilderingly sculpting. With the cle-eshta (stone pillars human colonies were attacked. In retalia- alien; just enough can be guessed from that amplify isho senses), skilled shanthas tion, the humans struck back with biologi- context to make some sense of what is can pick up information about isho weath- cal weapons, decimating the shanthas. read. These tantalizing, half-compre- er all over the planet. (Magical weather? Human and shanthic civilization collapsed. hended hints adroitly support Jorune’s air What a delightful concept!) Shanthas can Now, 3,500 years afterward, humans, of wonder and mystery. travel instantaneously all over the planet shanthas, and the other races of Jorune Most of the third book, the Sholari have created their own unique, melting- Guide, is devoted to details on the intelli- pot culture. This period is the setting of gent races, creatures, history, and places the Jorune role-playing campaign. of Jorune that the GM needs to know, and In most fantasy and science-fiction role- that the player has to find out by hard playing campaigns, the player character experience. The separation of player and generally expects to get ahead in the GM campaign knowledge into two books is world by knocking the stuffings out of exceptionally well-conceived; this principle someone or by grabbing a lot of loot. Some is so obvious, yet so rarely served by most games put more or less noble construc- other RPG or supplement designs. tions on these activities, but these often The alien races and creatures provided boil down to a dedication to accumulating in this guide are the finest in the field, power. both in concept and execution. I’m dazzled In Jorune, the primary motivation of by the illustrations; these pictures are beginning characters is to become full worth more than a thousand words. The citizens of Burdoth, the country where the settings, postures, and dramatic stagings campaign is set. Those seeking citizenship of the illustrations are startlingly eloquent, are called “tauther.” The status they seek is especially in an industry where illustration called “Drenn” – full citizenship. Upon is often of dubious quality or only margin- initiation of the “tauther” process, each ally supportive of the specific text it candidate is given a metal challisk. Upon accompanies. The verbal descriptions are this challisk, the tauther is expected to also excellent, offering vivid details of accumulate marks of approval from the distinctive verbal mannerisms, personality Drenn they meet in their travels, signify- traits, alien biology, and peculiar social ing the tauther’s suitability to advance to customs. The only thing I can think of that Drenn status. A citizen particularly compares with Jorune in its treatment of impressed with the character and achieve- alien races is the brilliant and lamentably ments of a tauther may appear in person out-of-print Trollpack for the RUNEQUEST at the Hall of Drenn and personally attest game – one of the finest FRP supplements to the tauther’s sterling qualities. Marks on of all time. the challisk or personal testimonials earn Also in the Sholari Guide are the best the player character Social Points. When a hints on how to create proper Jorune role- certain number of Social Points are accu- playing adventures. These hints are pre- mulated, the character may formally apply sented as a chapter on encounters, for citizenship. consisting primarily of numerous tables Thus, each encounter a PC has must be suggesting various events, personalities, viewed, not in terms of how his actions and circumstances that might be com- might make him more deadly or powerful, bined to make up an encounter. The phi- but in terms of what actions might recom- losophy suggested by the contents of the mend him as a good citizen. Maybe rescu- tables is perfect for Jorune, but by current

28 DECEMBER 1987

standards of game master support for The setting, challenges, and encounters Still, there are a number of features preparing adventures and campaigns, this of the scenario are excellent, but the orga- commonly found in better game designs material is inadequate. Jorune is a unique nization and presentation of the material that are absent here. There are no pre- and sophisticated sort of role-playing is less developed and professional than pared characters or NPCs; detail, staging, experience; even experienced and gifted one would expect from a major FRP game and GM tips for the adventure are inade- GMs need more help in visualizing the company. This is actually not much of an quate; and, directions for designing and kinds of encounters and adventures inconvenience, since any FRP GM experi- developing adventures with the peculiar appropriate to this unfamiliar setting. enced and sophisticated enough to under- flavor of Jorune are sparse. Attention to Considering the uneven presentation of stand and appreciate Jorune can probably these and other faults – in particular, to the adventure that accompanies the game, develop the outlined events and encoun- the cumbersome rules presentation – in a this is another major weakness in Jorune ters into a solid adventure. On the other revised edition would make Jorune less - it provides the GM with inadequate hand, it’s a comparatively difficult scenario frustrating and intimidating for a prospec- guidance and models for the types of for a less-seasoned GM to run, and it lacks tive sholari. adventures that can effectively exploit the GM tips and anecdotes that help even Evaluation: SKYREALMS OF JORUNE Jorune’s preeminent virtues as a role- an experienced GM present the adventure is a wonderfully original and inspiring playing setting. more effectively. FRPG campaign setting. On that basis The fourth book, “The SkyRealm Kolovi- In terms of presentation, the game’s alone, it is certainly a worthwhile pur- sondra,” is the introductory adventure. It is narrative and descriptive text is generally chase. Jorune’s subtle and unconventional based on a wonderfully imaginative scenario well-written. Often presented through the role-playing style may not appeal to power idea but is incompletely developed by cur- peculiar language and perspective of a gamers or axe-swinging heroic-fantasy rent adventure design standards. Jorune native, the presentation style fans, but those who admire an atmo- On Jorune, certain geologic formations avoids clumsy exposition, relying rather spheric, consistently developed campaign can accumulate vast quantities of isho, on atmosphere and context clues for setting will find much to appreciate. Its causing large sections of crust to break understanding. Jorune’s convincing and less-than-effective presentation of the free of the planet’s surface and float about flavorful use of language – especially the introductory adventure and of GM adven- in the air like clouds. Such islands in the special terms for magical practices and ture and campaign tips are of little con- sky are often sites of ancient shanthic alien cultural institutions – is a strong cern for experienced GMs, but the ruins, isho-rich crystals, and other valu- feature. However, the writing style of the confusing rules presentation may deter ables. The characters are employed by rules, while colorful and right-minded, is those eager to start their own Jorune two men planning an expedition to explore amateurish and unclear. But the illustra- campaigns. a SkyRealm which has recently broken tions are simply spectacular. loose from it's moorings and which is now drifting out over the ocean. Short and sweet cultural stereotypes. Simple rules, fast The AADA Road Atlas and Survival pacing, and numerous hints on how to Guide, Volume One: The East Coast, by make comedy role-playing work make this John Nowak. Steve Jackson Games, $6.95. game unique. This item is another surprisingly plausible (well, plausible enough) campaign supple- B1-9, In Search of Adventure, by TSR ment for the GURPS AUTODUEL and CAR staff. TSR, Inc. $15.00. This is a collection WARS® game universe. The annotated of the choice bits from the first nine B- road atlas of the East Coast makes good series D&D Basic Set modules. A frame is reading, with useful game information and provided to fit the adventures into the adventure hooks. Rules for GURPS helicop- Grand Duchy of Karameikos, the first ters are given, and the campaign support, country treated in TSR’s D&,D Gazetteer staging, and scenario ideas sections are game supplement series. In addition to first-class. The adventure, “Escape from some good, old-fashioned dungeons by Poughkeepsie,” is pretty convincing. Road world-class designers like Gary Gygax, Warrior and post-holocaust fans should be Doug Niles, and Tom Moldvay, there are well-satisfied. two exceptionally fine adventures here. One, “Rahasia,” is a classic low-level Teenagers from Outer Space, by Mike FRPG scenario by Tracy Hickman of Pondsmith. R. Talsorian Games, $10.00. Yo, DRAGONLANCE® saga and Ravenloft dude. Check it out. A humorous role- fame. The other is David “Zeb” Cook’s playing game about teens from the Cos- “The Veiled Society,” a rare example of a mos. Here’s the game itself, telling you political and diplomatic adventure in an how it is: urban setting for low-level D&D game “The plot of Teenagers from Outer Space characters. is pretty simple. Aliens from Out There Aside from the intrinsic value of these invade our planet. They enroll their kids adventures, they are perfect for introduc- in our schools; shop in our shopping malls; ing new players to FRPGs through the hang out in our fast food joints. It’s sort of simple, well-presented D&D Basic game like ‘Leave It To Beaver’ crossed with the system. ’Twilight Zone,’ ‘The Outer Limits: and ‘Alien.’ In the “Role-playing Reviews” column in “We said this was simple. We didn’t say it DRAGON® issue #126, Undead (from May- made sense.” fair Games, Inc.) was identified as a Role Hey, it’s like totally well-written and Aids™ AD&D game campaign supplement. presented, man. I can’t tell who’ll dig it It is not an AD&D game product, which more: old folks, who think teen culture is could only be published by TSR, Inc. – like totally weird, or veritable teens who Editor get a kick out of parodying their own

30 December 1987

(continued from page 6) like a one-charge magical item since all the step into the ring. I want more ideas instead of “defenseless” spell-caster can do is shoot off his rules! I was thrilled to read James A. Yates’s one spell and pray that he survives afterward. I article on “The Mystic College” tissue 123): It must say (meaning no offense to those who was new, it was exciting, and best of all, it agree with this view) that such a view shows wasn’t a set of rules. It fit perfectly into a spot very little imagination. There is surprisingly in my campaign that I just couldn’t fill. That is large room within the actual rules for the the kind of thing that I buy DRAGON Magazine improvement of the “cast and run” magic-user. for. For example: Don’t get me wrong. As a DM, I have been 1. A magic-user proficient in the use of the known to throw in some little piece of magic or dart as a weapon can effectively back up the a new monster to give my players a break from: party by throwing these weapons (at a rate of “A ring? Well, can I control people, control three per round) over the heads of those short- animals, regenerate; do I feel warm, weak; can I er than the mage or through gaps in the front jump, walk on water, etc.?” It is almost a chant row (and let’s face it, there’s plenty of room left when my players find a new item. This is not between two fighters when they’re busy hack- what I am writing about. I am trying to get the ing at foes in front of them). point across that the revisions of the ranger, the 2. The cantrips presented in Unearthed Arca- thief, the druid, the monk, barehanded combat, na can be used to create some extremely useful and dragons, just to name a few, are only mak- (and interesting) effects. A smokepuff cast in the ing a muddled mess out of the game. face of an opponent is an effective way to blind Timothy J. Cunningham someone for a round. The cantrips footfall, Wichita KS thump, rattle, groan, and creak can be used to draw the attention of the enemy to their backs I am writing in regard to W. Brian Barnes’s and perhaps break their morale in the process. [second] letter in issue #122 of DRAGON Maga- These “small magics” can be used to effect many zine. In this letter, he states that “a lst-level useful (and hilarious) results. magic-user, played by the books, is hopelessly 3. Use the race of the magic-user to the fullest deficient in survival skills.” I must disagree with advantage. A drow can effectively double his this notion. rate of fire with darts and knives due to his I have been playing AD&,D games for over ambidexterity. Other types of elves can be five years, and I have found that my favorite useful woodland guides, even though their characters are thieves and (you guessed it) chosen profession would seem to preclude such magic-users. These character classes seem to abilities. have more options open to them and are, in my 4. Double-classed magic-users can wreak mind, more fun to play than any other. havoc upon friend and foe both. Imagine a thief Mr. Barnes states that magic-users are much (continued on page 92)

32 DEcEMBER 1987

March: The TOP SECRET/S.I.™ game boxed set High Stakes Gamble is a compan- ion work for the TOP SECRET/S.I. game that creates a complete European cam- paign setting, incorporating the WEB and ORION organizations. Also appearing in March are The Legend of Huma (a DRAGONLANCE® Heroes book) and two DOUBLE AGENT novels, each including an AGENT 13™ novel and a TOP SECRET/S.I.™ novel. April: The big story in this month is the HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER™ board game. TSR is creating a new line of fast-playing games, complete with special counters and a new look. This game, based on the best- selling novel by Tom Clancy, starts off the line. It will be a hit with the wargaming crowd and perfect for introducing friends to board games. Doug Niles, designer of presently deal with TSR but you meet the the WORLD WAR II™ and ONSLAUGHT™ by James M. Ward above qualifications, contact us to say you games, is even now hard at work on a are interested in working on products, project that will keep TSR the leader in Recently, I was made the manager of the and tell us which areas interest you most. state-of-the-art game systems. Creative Services department at TSR, Inc. Making deadlines is one of the most May: The BULLWINKLE AND ROCKY Creative Services generates games and important factors in dealing with TSR, Inc. role-playing game hits the stores in May! books for the marketplace, and as man- The company presents every free-lance It’s sure to be the cartoon gaming hit of ager I am responsible for maintaining the designer and editor with strict deadlines, the year. You can be right there when high standards that you DRAGON® Maga- and expects the free-lancer to meet or Bullwinkle tries to pull that rabbit out of zine readers are used to seeing in TSR® beat them. his hat. “Presto!” game products. In this column, I would It is also important for the designer to June: The FORGOTTEN REALMS™ 1989 like to answer a question that we com- provide good, clean, entertaining concepts calendar, AGENT 13™ graphic novel, and monly see in our mail, and talk a little that haven’t been presented several times GREYHAWK™ Adventures #6 are all big about TSR products for 1988. before in products from TSR, Inc., or items this month. other companies. In the newspaper busi- July: This month, TSR will produce the How do I get published by TSR? ness, it’s not big news if a dog bites a man, BUCK ROGERS™ board game and the That is the single most-asked question in but if a man bites a dog, that’s news. In the DRAGONLANCE® board game, each with our mail, and the answer is simple. You gaming business, it’s not interesting if the game boards that are works of art. must be a published author of gaming player characters must save a princess, August: The AD&D GREYHAWK hard- material before TSR’s Creative Services but if that princess saves the player char- back book will probably be one of the department will consider you for free- acters, that’s interesting. biggest hits of 1988. Filled with useful data lance work. This rule was created because for DMs and players alike, this volume will there are thousands of people who want The 1988 product schedule completely round out the WORLD OF to submit material to TSR every year, and TSR, Inc., is going to have a 1988 lineup GREYHAWK™ fantasy setting. it’s impossible to review that material with that’s sure to appeal to the widest possible September: The second DUNGEONS & the staff the company has on hand. range of gamers. The following is a brief DRAGONS® art book will appear this There are several ways to be published. look at some of the highlights for next month, providing fans with the best in If you have already been published by year, to give you a taste of what’s coming. fantasy art. another game company or have written Future DRAGON Magazine pages will have October: The Kara-Tur boxed set for the articles for DRAGON Magazine, modules many more details on the products I am FORGOTTEN REALMS™ setting should either for DUNGEON™ Adventures, or going to hit, and there are many products satisfy all the demands that have been POLYHEDRON™ Newszine, this sets you up I am not mentioning (we have to keep made by those game players who want to deal with TSR’s free-lance design coordi- some surprises). more Oriental Adventures information. nator, Bruce Heard. Write a brief note January: Castle Greyhawk is sure to be The set will contain two 96-page manuals telling him you are available and what a hit with all AD&D® game players. Imag- and large maps of the Oriental lands of the your gaming interests are. If you have ine a castle filled with dungeons of every Realms. editing skills and are interested in editing level and with every type of monster, November: DOUBLE AGENT books, a work, you may contact Karen Martin, who trick, and trap. Throw in lots of humor, BUCK ROGERS™ novel, and a BUCK coordinates that area of free-lance work. and you have one of the most entertaining ROGERS graphic novel appear this month. Both Bruce and Karen may be reached by 128-page supermodules ever created. December: Lords of Darkness, a 96- writing to: February: The first of four, 256-page, page book about the undead, the tenth full-color volumes of the Gamer’s Hand- D&D® game Gazetteer (all about those Bruce Heard/Karen Martin book of the Marvel Universe® (for the loveable orcs), and a Kara-Tur module TSR, Inc. MARVEL SUPER HEROES® game) appears should please role-playing fans. This PO. Box 756 this month, complete with sheets on many month reveals another DRAGONLANCE Lake Geneva WI 53147 of the characters from Marvel Comics. novel as well (the third this year). The character sheets will be punched for Once you have been published, don’t three-ring binders for easy use and That’s just a sample of the coming year’s start sending in your wonderful manu- replacement. Players will get not only product – and there are lots of other scripts. The company has contracted the statistics but the biographical information exciting things coming that I know you are entire 1988 schedule; we are currently that will help them properly role-play going to like. Stay tuned for more! working on ideas for 1989. If you don’t their favorite heroes.

34 DECEMBER 1987

36 DECEMBER 1987 small palm of herb, you see, enough to fit in the hollow of your hand.” Ranvaik watched her great-uncle rub The Spirit the dried, crumbled herb between his large brown hands, releasing the oils hiding within. “Be always careful here: do not lick your fingers or rub your eyes; rinse your hands afterward.” Ranvaik knew the Way herb was strong, but she had not known how strong until now. Even the smell of the crushed leaves was tempting her into a trance, luring her on a spirit-journey. “Pay attention,” her uncle said firmly, but not harshly – he knew the nature of the shaman-herb. “Now, in the hollow of this stone, with this other stone, you powder the pearly green rock, to give color – are you watching, girl? - and then stir the two together, herb and earth, kin to each other and to you. They will hold your body to the earth, even as they send your spirit to the otherworlds. by Leigh Anne Hussey That is a mystery of my work. One part herb, one part earth. And five parts bear fat, to bind it all together and hold it on your skin. So. Out into the sun with it!” They climbed together up the short ladder of the Clan House and out into the bright day. A breeze from the sea was just coming up, carrying salt and the smell of fish. Ranvaik’s uncle put the stone mortar down carefully in the sunlight and covered it with a thin piece of the sacred red cedar bark. Then he sat and looked up at his niece. “Sit,” he said, “and let us speak together.” Ranvaik sat, folding her long legs under her, looking with her hazel eyes into her uncle’s black ones. “You are coming of age under this moon,” said he, “and you must choose now whether you will live as a woman or as a mas- ter of spirits. “Wait. Before you speak, listen. The spirit-quest is the same for both, mostly. You go into the wilderness, into the taiga, to fend for yourself. You must take nothing with you but the clothes on your body, for you must get your needs from the taiga’s gifts. Somewhere there you will find a spirit who will be your guardian throughout your adult life. And then you will come back to the village. All this is the same. “But if you are to master the spirits, you must find powerful guardians and helpers, you must have visions, you must be accepted by the spirits. I cannot tell you who you will see, or what. I can tell you that fasting, purifying your body, singing, all these will help you.” He looked gravely at her for a long time, then his eyes became dis- tant and Ranvaik thought he was daydreaming as she had been. He was old, after all, her mother’s mother’s brother, and full of wisdom and visions. She waited some while longer, and was about to rise quietly and respectfully to leave him, when he spoke again in a deep voice. “Walk on the Spirit Way, daughter of the Whale House; I am waiting for you.” He looked at her with eyes black and deep as unknown caves, and he seemed to grow large and terrible, his grizzly-bearded face changing as though, like one of the First People, he were going to become a beast. Power flowed out of those eyes, drawing her, seeking her, calling her. Then her uncle blinked, and he was just a man again, an old man with a tired face. “I think it is time for you to Illustrations by Terry Lee

D RAGON 37 go,” he said. “I wish there was some gift I could give you, She clamped down on her thoughts to silence them. but you must take nothing. Go put on some moccasins, Into that silence one voice came, a niggling voice which though.” He did not look like he was ‘going to get up or she could not suppress: You are a failure. even embrace her in parting. Ranvaik could not tell what was wrong with him, but she did bend down and squeeze Ranvaik had spent more than four days now in the his hand in hers before she went back to her Clan House. taiga, alone. She’d lost count of the days. She had stopped As she climbed the rise behind the village, she looked feeling hungry a while ago, and now she felt light, as out over the five Clan Houses and the great Dance House, though a weight were gone from her. It was the weight of painted with the Clan beasts – Wolf, Raven, Whale, mortality, she knew, because she had ceased to worry Bear, Eagle – beyond them to the sea that was the life of about dying. She wandered aimlessly, falling and getting her people. “I will be a spirit-master,” she swore to the up again, singing all the while with words she could not houses and to the sea. “I will climb the World Tree, I will remember. She stopped at night only when it became too fly to the ends of the earths, I will row to the bottom of the dark to go on without falling over something. sea to find the Mother of Sea-Beasts, I will heal the peo- She was lost, she knew, but didn’t care about that ple. All this I will do. Av-pa, Uncle, I will be a shaman.” either. She felt light, elated, as though she were flying. Then she turned away from the village and did not look Every step seemed to take her high into the air and deep back. into the earth. Above her, suddenly, she heard an eagle’s whistle. Looking up sharply, she saw the white belly and Ranvaik sat under a cedar tree, breathing its subtle brown wings of the sea eagle. It wheeled over her, then perfume, and meditated on the nature of the taiga. It was winged away. the last thing she could think of to do. She had bathed in Heedless of paths or obstacles, she ran, keeping it in the icy river, drunk its water, sung the purifying songs. sight through the budding trees. It was a sign, she knew There, in the middle of the river, with the water curdling it! She didn’t have to worry about falling now, she was around her, she declared herself open, ready for whatever flying with the eagle, and it was leading her to her trans- might come. She had waited expectantly; after all, she was formation. the sister-child of a great spirit-master, and surely the The sun was bright; the taiga was a riot of color flash- spirits would be clamoring for her. ing past. She rose higher and higher, into the sun. She But nothing had come. So, clean of body, she had found looked down and saw with new sight her body fallen and a seat and proceeded to empty her mind as av-pa had lying still, and the taiga spread out beneath her like a taught her, the better to hear the spirit-voices. But nothing painted mask. In the distance she could see in one direc- spoke to her. tion the ocean and in the other the mountains that dis- Having sent everything out of her mind, she decided to couraged travel farther inland. She looked around for the let the taiga back in first, as it was home to more than sea eagle, but couldn’t find it. plants and beasts. Every stone, every leaf, every being in She suddenly realized she was the eagle. the taiga housed a spirit, she had learned, and so she con- She screeched with joy, and she banked and swooped, sidered the taiga, in case a stone’s slow thought was speak- feeling feathers turn on her pinions as she turned. Her ing to her and she was not hearing it. first spirit-animal! And a powerful one at that! And what She filled her senses with the breathing of trees, the was this if not a vision? Wouldn’t av-pa be pleased! colors of mosses; she considered the world of small things She was suddenly concerned for her body: perhaps it that lay under the pelt of dead leaves and compost that was dead, and her spirit had lodged in the body of the clothed the taiga. She considered the qualities of animals, eagle. That would make her uncle unhappy. Well, she but never a one came near her. She had never seen the must see it if were true. taiga so empty of beasts. And the idea of none of them With sharp eyes she spotted her body, and pulling her appealed to her especially. Away with them, then! She wings close to her sides, she stooped as if to strike it. She needed no animal for her helping spirit. She would think came shooting down through the trees like an arrow about trees, and failing that, about herbs, and if that aimed at her body’s heart, everything blurred around her availed nothing, about rocks! but that small space of flesh. But even as her thoughts chased themselves in fury, With a shock, she struck, and jumped up as though under the tumult was a bleak despair. After all, the spirits struck, blinking and looking around. Her eyes were seeing had not made themselves obvious by making her ill – av- normally again; she looked at her hands – they were pa had started her training before that could happen, hands, not wings. perhaps seeing the possibility of mastery in her. But sup- She felt suddenly drained and weak. She had succeeded posing he had deceived himself in his desire for a student in the first part of trial. She was more than an ordinary of his own kin? That meant that she was nothing but an adult, whose animal was a mere guardian; she had flown ordinary woman. She would never see the otherworlds, in an eagle’s body, seen with more than human eyes. Now never fly. she had to find food and her way home in order to com- This was foolish! Even if something were speaking to plete her initiation as a shaman. To be the priestess of her, she would never hear it through this storm of emo- hunters, to be the provider of game to be hunted, she had tions. Well, she would listen, all right! She would fast until to prove herself a hunter. She had to survive and get she starved if need be. She would rather die than come home. home not a shaman. This was a different training, one that everyone learned

38 DECEMBER 1987 to a degree. She looked around her, still almost seeing a tree. Did it have some quarry trapped up there, then, with keen hawk’s eyes, searching for the paths which that it did not want to abandon? That seemed likely. Curi- would show the habitual routes of small animals. There! osity overcoming her good sense, Ranvaik moved silently The growth near the ground stopped, grew around and to where she might have a better view, and looked up into above a small space. There she stooped and found old the tree. tracks, though she could not tell how old. There she would There was something there indeed, high up, something set a snare. And now she had to find cedar trees and braid small and white. It thrashed about a little, and was still strips of their bark into a cord to make the snare. again. She heard a bawling to which the bear responded. It was getting late by the time she had set the snare, and Ranvaik’s scalp prickled; it was a bear cub, and its mother she was exhausted. And she was worried now, too: such a was at the foot of the tree. She looked harder, trying to see small effort should not have tired her so. She knew she how it was caught, peering at the branches above it as had tried too hard again and made things worse for her- well. self. She’d overdone the fasting – she didn’t know how It seemed to have gone too high to support its weight; long she’d gone without food, but now she might have branches had broken and it had plunged down – she made herself too weak to get food. She would look for nuts could trace its fall in the stripped branches. But one in the morning, she promised herself – those, at least, branch had caught the cub and not broken. One of the would tide her over until she could trap some meat, and cub’s paws was wedged up there somehow, and it was she wouldn’t have to run after them. dangling, confused and probably hurt. Judging from the She slept well into the day, however, until hunger wak- tree’s torn bark and bent lower branches, Ranvaik ened her. She wondered why she was only just now notic- guessed that the mother had tried to climb up and save ing hunger. But that whole morning had brought no game her cub, but had not been able to get high enough. to her snare. Ranvaik was torn by the cub’s pitiful wailing. And this This was foolish,, she chided herself. She was using only was a sign also, for these bears were a long way from her mediocre woodcraft. Now that she had a shaman’s gift home. It would be greatly fortunate to save this cub – of distant sight, she should be using it! She must stop not only would it require good fortune, but if she succeed- thinking like an ordinary person, starting now. And with ed, it would surely bring her good fortune: the white bear that, she let her soul fly in eagle form, looking for a is a powerful spirit. She fingered her cedar bark cord and stream that would lead her down to the sea, and then got an idea. home. All the while, she moved slowly, eyes closed, at She felt suddenly giddy; she charged down into the once seeing overhead and sensing all around her. The life water, waving her arms and shouting. “Wa! Everyone is of the taiga spoke to her in myriad voices, and as her eagle afraid of Man-eating Man! Eat! Eat! His face makes the eyes caught a silver flash of reflected sunlight, her ears heart flutter! ” She waded into the middle of the cold water picked out the voice of water from among the others. and started swimming. The bear thundered across the She snapped back into herself and went back to unset river after her. the snare, as she wouldn’t be returning to it. Then she This was the dangerous part, for the white bear is also a walked in the direction of the water. She toyed with the powerful swimmer. Ranvaik let the current help carry her cedar bark cord, finally wrapping it around her wrist like farther downstream, and she scrambled out on the other an ornament from the winter dances. The bark was sacred side as fast as she could. She looked back only a moment; and would be fortunate to wear, and it would provide her the bear had stopped in the middle of the river and turned with a usable snare should she want it. back to chase her. She ran through the trees, dropping her After a while the voice of the river became clearer, but few clothes as she went in the hopes that they would dis- there was another voice with it, and this one did not sing. tract the bear. The air chilled her wet skin. A crashing It howled. Before she knew what was happening, she had behind her told her the bear followed. come out of the trees a small distance from the pebbly Fear sped her feet; the mother realized where Ranvaik bank of the river. was running and came on even faster. The cub’s crying There was a crashing on the other side, and a white led Ranvaik. The torn tree was before her. She sprang to bear, huge and angry, came charging down toward her. it and swarmed up the battered trunk with the mother She froze. She couldn’t keep up a decent pace in her close behind. weakened state, so there was no point in running. There But again the white bear was thwarted by her great were no likely trees to climb near her either. She was weight, even though she came as high as she dared. The resigning herself when she saw that the bear had stopped tree swayed; the cub howled with pain. Still roaring, the at the side of the river across from her. The bear stood up, mother backed down. Ranvaik began to make her way up roaring and reaching with long claws, but came no nearer. to the cub. She could see now that it was a tangle of She retreated slowly into the trees. branches, some fallen with the cub, which trapped one of To her amazement, the bear dropped down to all fours, its hind feet. The cub’s leg was twisted – broken, or turned, and went back up the bank. Ranvaik followed wrenched joint from joint. The cub, hanging upside with her eyes. Could the bear have meant merely to down, saw her coming and renewed its struggles, but pain frighten her off? But the white bear was second in fury overcame fear and it stilled, trembling. The mother was in only to the brown bear of the islands; she had never heard a frenzy below. of one turning away from an enemy. Ranvaik eased herself out along the limb, the branches The bear had stopped now and was sitting at the foot of scratching her bare skin. The branch swayed dangerously,

DRAGON 39 and only then did it occur to her that the branch might She reached the trunk, and where two branches forked not hold them both. Resolutely, however, she went on. out from it she sat, put the branches in her lap, took both She spoke to the cub in soft tones, scolding gently, while the cub’s arms in her hands, and held it tightly. “Now she unwrapped the cedar-bark cord from her forearm. look at me!” she ordered, glaring implacably into the “Now what did you think you were going to find way up brown eyes. “Right now I am your mother and you will there, eh?” She tied the ends together, making a loop. “I do as I say!” She frowned at it, curled her lip, bared her suppose you were showing off for mama. Or was it a teeth, and growled as convincingly as she could. The cub’s squirrel?” Ranvaik flicked the loop down, trying to get it eyes fell from hers, and its struggles subsided. It looked so over the cub’s head; it kept batting the rope away. “Silly much like a small child in its first Winter Bear Dance, baby, didn’t you know a squirrel is faster and lighter than with the red-cedar rope draped around its neck, that she you?” Ranvaik tried to keep the edge of anxiety out of her almost laughed. But she kept her face and voice stern. voice as the branch creaked. “Now hold still for me, baby; “Now keep still!” She thought about hitching the rope hold still so I can get hold of you.” under the cub’s arms and carrying it down on her back The cub stopped pawing at the rope to take a swing at like a baby. But she wasn’t sure the cub would keep still her arm. Ranvaik didn’t cry out as the small claws raked and not fall. No, it would be better to use the cord for her, but she clenched her teeth and managed to get the something more practical; the mother bear might appreci- loop over the cub’s head. She pulled and drew the cub up ate it if Ranvaik tried to fix her cub’s leg. She took the by its shoulders. She hoped the cedar-bark rope would rope off the cub and untied the knot with one hand and hold. It could haul in a fifty-pound halibut, but she didn’t her teeth while holding onto the cub with the other arm. know what the cub weighed. For that matter, she did not She gently felt the cub’s leg as she tried to remember know if she could hold it. Up it came, with the branch how her mother treated such things. She couldn’t feel any quivering horribly. bone ends moving under the skin. The cub whimpered, Before the loop could slip off, she had grabbed one of but held still. The mother below had quieted also. Ran- the cub’s forepaws. Now she quickly pulled the snarl of vaik put the cub’s back to her chest and wrapped one arm branches apart before the cub could wriggle free of her around it, pinning its paws to its sides. Then she took the grasp. She moved in toward the trunk, to the base of the dislocated leg in the other hand and gave it a firm but not branch, the cub under one arm scratching and biting, a jerky pull. couple of broken branches in her other hand. The cub tried to bite her, but it wasn’t limber enough “Fine gratitude you show, small one,” Ranvaik said and couldn’t reach her. She gave it a cuff on the nose with through gritted teeth, “but I don’t suppose your mother her free hand. “Settle down! Your leg is back in joint, so will be any more gracious.” be still unless you want us both maimed or killed!” She had no idea if the bear understood – stranger things had happened after all – but again it settled down and sat meekly while she tied the branches to its leg with the cedar-bark cord, as a splint. Now, slowly and gingerly, holding the cub – which was becoming heavier by the minute – under one arm, she climbed down the tree. The mother called anxiously; the cub answered. Ranvaik knew a moment of terror as she felt the tree sway and knew the mother bear was coming up. She steadied herself where she was and looked down; the great bear was just below her, growling ominously. Ranvaik held the cub between herself and the mother like a shield; as she climbed down, the bear gave way before her. She was on the ground! With her back to the tree, Ran- vaik slowly set the cub down safe before its mother. Then suddenly the energy drained out of her like blood from a wound, and she fainted.

I am the Master Bear. I am the teacher. I am the initiator. Why come you to me, mortal? “Because I wish to see. Because I wish to heal.” You have seen. You have healed. You have healed a child of mine. What more do you wish, that you are here? “I wish to heal my own people. I wish to command the spirits.” No one commands but I! The great mouth opens. To live, you must die! I am the devourer! I am the engenderer! In an instant of light, Ranvaik sees her flesh torn from her bones; her sight flies on eagle’s wings as before. The

40 DECEMBER 1987 great bear nuzzles the bare bones, then opens its mouth in able to kill a deer that way. She could not run as fast as a roar: fire issues forth, and flesh. The bear re-covers the her bear mother, either. For one thing, she had not the bones with flesh of molten earth, skin of light – just weight to push her way through the taiga. She would have before the bones are covered, she sees them change under to get stronger, and keep watching. the bear’s breath, glowing, stony. The bear looks up to She and her bear-sister cornered a wild boar, once, where her sight flies with her soul; with a snarl, it lashes while they were out on their own. Her bear-sister had out with a great paw and smacks her into that fiery body. grown so quickly she was now too big for Ranvaik to car- Now we must do it once more! Again the red mouth opens to ry, and together they were strong, but the boar fought engulf her. single-mindedly, with slashing tusks. Both she and her bear-sister were covered with blood when the boar Ranvaik jumped awake with a shout, seeing still a red charged and sliced open the bear’s leg. In a fit of passion- mouth over her. There was a scrambling, and she looked ate strength, Ranvaik tackled the boar and crushed its to see the bear cub backing away from her in such haste skull with a rock. that it tripped over its paws. Then it gave a small cry and Then she was at the side of her bear-sister, gently jumped to its feet, leaning away from the injured leg. It unmatting her fur to look at the leg wound. It was not too looked at her with awe in its brown eyes. She looked down bad; Ranvaik licked it to encourage the flow of cleansing at herself; her body ached and her skin was torn, but the blood. When she had packed the wound with herbs she cub had licked her wounds clean. And she was alive! The knew her mother used to prevent festering, they returned mother bear was nearby and came quickly, hearing her to the place by the river where they had first met, where cub’s voice. they spent nights now, dragging their hard-won prize She loomed over Ranvaik, snuffling at her. Ranvaik behind them. With the metallic taste of the bear’s blood was stiff with fear. What if the mother had been waiting lingering in her mouth, Ranvaik knew that she and the for her to waken before she killed her? She did not want to bear were true kin now. They had shared blood, Ranvaik die now! The bear eased herself to the ground and rolled at the beginning, her bear-sister now. She would always onto her side. With a happy grunt, the cub bounded up to have an ally in the otherworld. nuzzle her mother’s belly for a nipple. But she had used a tool to kill, and she had killed in The mother was still looking expectantly at Ranvaik. anger. She still had not learned all there was to learn. She Ranvaik hesitated, then moved slowly, afraid of misunder- did not eat that kill, but left her share for her bear-sister, standing the mother’s intentions. But the great bear made to help her heal faster. no complaint as Ranvaik’s hands probed gently to find a She spent nights curled up with the two bears; their fur teat, and when she found one and with some embarass- was bristly, but they kept her furless body warm in the ment, she began to suck – after all, here she was, newly chilly nights that would come down on the balmy days like come to adulthood, being treated like an infant again. the lid on a box. It was a box of dreams, carved and inlaid Ranvaik forgot all else in the delightful wash of warm, with a mother-of-pearl moon. She would wake in the rich milk, sweet and strong. Food at last! And what food! mornings with scant memories of forests of ice, wind- It took her longer than she had expected to get home; battered mountains, ever-frozen seas. Maybe it was once she had partaken of the bear’s milk, the bear took because she was cold in the night, but she saw eyes in her her as another cub, albeit one incapable of her kind of dreams also, ancient and amused. The spirits were trying speech. And the mother was very firm about Ranvaik’s to reach her, she knew it. not wandering off until she had learned everything the So at last she took herself a fair distance upstream, to bear could teach. find silence and solitude. Again the taiga filled her senses, Ranvaik tussled with her bear-sister, grew fat on bear- its scents and sounds and colors. But now she felt a part of milk and then lean on hunting. The fishing was not so it, not a separate vessel. She had lived in the taiga and good, for the salmon would not come until another two from its gifts. The life of the taiga was in her, and hers in moons had waned and waxed. But there were berries to be it. She was so full of excitement and joy she thought she had, roots to dig for, and finally, a young deer, a buck who would break open and scatter her singing soul all over the had won no territory this year. He was wary, beautiful. taiga. Ranvaik, close by her bear mother, heard a low rum- She didn’t realize until that moment that she was, bling in the bear’s throat, unlike any sound she had heard indeed, singing. And something was responding. Some- her make. Ranvaik could feel the mother’s intensity as the thing inside her, something in the taiga, she couldn’t tell deer made his way cautiously to the river to drink. The the difference until she saw the deer nearing her and felt a bear mother hummed, and the deer came nearer! Ranvaik bearlike spirit rise in her. fairly shook with excitement; her bear mother sang hunt- This was the test. Almost in a dream, she rose and ing magic just as her people did! moved forward; the deer came to her as if entranced. She Then suddenly the bear charged out. The deer, seem- took its head in her hands, and they stood a moment so. ingly confused at the sight of an-unfamiliar animal, hesi- “It is not I who have strength to kill you,” she whispered, tated a second, and in that second the bear had pulled him realizing only now the truth of the ritual words. “It is you down and dispatched him with one blow of her huge paw. who fall for me, for my needs. Carry my thanks with The meat was raw, but so what? Still, she was careful to you. . . . ”The deer bowed its head, then, and in that find some pithy tubers to eat afterward to steady her moment she loved it and knew that only with respect digestion. As she ate, she considered: she would not be could she kill and not die inside.

D RAGON 41 With a sharp wrench, it was done; the deer crumpled to had reached at the mouth of a river, and walked along the taiga floor, and Ranvaik knew that it was not her toward a familiar promontory. People stared at her as she physical strength that had killed. It was soul-strength, the passed, as if she were a spirit. Indeed, she felt like one spirit of the bear. She felt that wild power surge in her, returned from the dead. She supposed she looked it as ancient, terrible, implacable, and revelled in it. well, with her body scarred and muscled – she had for- Then, is a flash, she saw her uncle’s face, changing as gotten about clothes! No wonder they stared at her. she had watched. She was changing! She would not be She approached the door of her great-uncle’s house, but able to change back! She could not control the rising tide he was already coming out to meet her, with something like the liquid stone that is the Mother Earth’s blood. The rolled up in his hands. A smile was hiding in his beard, bear-shape was too strong for her! Terror drove all but his eyes shone with pride. “So,” he said, “you come strength from her, and she found herself shaking uncon- naked from the womb of your rebirth. A naked new babe trollably as she looked down at the deer, seeing the trickle should be clothed against the cold – here is your swad- of blood from its nose and mouth. dling cloth.” He shook the bundle out, and it clattered. And as quickly as it had come, the bear-spirit left her It was a dancing apron, a real shaman’s dancing apron, trembling in the clearing. The Master Bear had come to of fine pale deerskin hung with deer toes and cones of consume her again and had left her weak as a baby. She copper to sound in dancing. And in the center was painted was still young, and the Master Bear saw fit to remind her a bear, the white bear, and flanking it a sea eagle on each of it. side. She recognized her uncle’s painting style. He had Humbly, gratefully, she picked up the carcass and car- been watching! He knew! ried it back to the tree by the river. “The spirits have made you theirs, and it is good,” he They ate their last meal there, she and the bears, then continued. “But that does not mean you now know all. turned for their homes; soon it would be too warm for the First, I will teach you dancing. You say you know already bears to be comfortable. But Ranvaik vowed silently to how to dance? But I will teach you trance-dancing, the her bear-sister that she would seek her out again, in the shaman’s dance.” spirit-worlds. And together, each in their own aprons, dancing and drumming in the big, empty Dance House, they danced She came up to her village from the seashore, which she the Spirit Way.

42 DECEMBER 1987

ing's Table

A real-life Viking favorite for over 1,000

Designed by Dale Oldfield and Mark Foster

King’s Table is an exciting and challeng- King, in turn, seeks to reach either a cor- ing board game dating back to at least the ner or an edge of the board to escape his 4th century A.D. Called Hnefatafl (pro- attackers. All game pieces move exactly nounced: neh’ fuh tah’ ful) by the Vikings, like the rook in chess: They may move this game was played for over 1,300 years along any horizontal or vertical rows over by the Germanic peoples of Scandinavia. It any number of squares (provided that is most commonly associated with the those squares are not blocked by playing Vikings, who pillaged and conquered large pieces), but no piece may move diagonally areas of Northern Europe, including Ice- across the board. Only one piece may be land, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, moved at a time, by players taking alter- the Baltic Sea region, and the northern nating turns. The King alone is distinctive coast of France (Normandy). Fragments of in shape among the playing pieces, though Hnefatafl boards and their game pieces the two sides are given different colors (in have been found in most modern archaeo- the diagrams here, black for attackers and logical excavations of Viking settlements. white for defenders). The fragments would have been all that Playing pieces for this game may be remained of Hnefatafl were it not for the easily had for less than $2.00 in most cases Swedish botanist Linnaeus, who first – just use pennies for the attacking (black) observed and described its play while pieces, and dimes for the defending touring Lapland in 1732. We are indebted (white) pieces. More elaborate counters to his careful records of his journey for may be made, of course (see “Author’s our ability to reconstruct the probable Notes”). If coins are used, the King should methods of play for Hnefatafl, and thus still be distinctive; a nickel will do well, King’s Table. As the Vikings were gradu- dividing the teams into “silver” (defender) ally introduced to Christianity by mission- and “copper” (attacker) colors. aries, Hnefatafl was superceded by board Figure A shows the basic 13 × 13 games such as chess. Except for isolated square board, with the initial starting regions like Lapland, Hnefatafl fell into position for the game pieces. Play this disuse and, finally, into obscurity. board first to master the basic rules. The Now, however, Ancient Games, Inc., has 13 × 13 square board is one of four collated the findings of modern scholarly games using the board placed in the cen- research with Linnaeus’s journal entries to ter of this magazine. The colored lines produce the most accurate and definitive separate the 13-square playing field from modern version of Hnefatafl available: the ll-, 9-, and 7-square versions on the King’s Table. Rules for historical variants same board. The line of attacking pieces and options are also given here. marks the outermost edge for each spe- cific game board. After the players decide which game board to play, none of the The Basic Rules pieces may be moved beyond that given boards designated outer edge (e.g., on the In each version of this game, four 7 × 7 square board, no piece may move groups of attacking pieces are placed beyond the perimeter outlined by the along the edge of the board. The attackers attacking pieces at the beginning of the seek to capture the King, who occupies the game). central square (the King’s Throne) and is In the basic game, the King’s opponents surrounded by his bodyguard pieces. The move first. A game piece belonging to

©1985 Ancient Games, Inc. All Rights Resewed. Graphics by Diesel years

either player is captured when it is caught between two opposing pieces. Figure B shows five possible captures. Moving clockwise from the upper left: a white piece takes a black piece; a black takes a white; white takes black; black takes white; and, in the boards center, a black piece takes two white pieces in one move. Pieces cannot be captured diagonally, nor can two pieces in a single line be captured (Figure C). The capture of pieces must be done in an aggressive move by the attack- er. A piece may move between two oppos- ing pieces without being captured (Figure D); this is known as “resting.” If a piece on one side of a resting piece moves away on one turn, then moves back on another turn while the other two pieces have not moved, the opposing piece in the center is captured. The King can help capture piec- es like any of his bodyguards, even though he himself cannot be captured in the usual manner. The central square, or King’s Throne, may be crossed over by other playing pieces if the King is not present, but only × the King may occupy it. Unlike the captur- Figure A: The 13 13 Hnefafafl board, with starting positions. ing process of all other pieces, the King himself can only be captured when he is The game ends when either the King (Figure H) is known to us from a Welsh surrounded by four opponents (Figure E), escapes or is captured, or when a stale- board described in 1587; the game was or when he is trapped against his Throne mate is evident. then known as Tawlbwrdd. Here, you square and surrounded on three sides need 20 attackers against the King and his (Figure F). Here, the Throne acts as an 10 bodyguards. opponent; the King cannot escape when The Game Boards The third, 9 × 9 square board (Figure I) caught in this position. If the King were on is the Lapp board described by Linnaeus. the edge of the board and surrounded by The King’s Table board is designed so For this version, there are 16 attackers three opponents (Figure G), he could not that the players can select among four against the King and his eight bodyguards. be captured. If the King were the only different boards, each being separated by This board is of some historical interest piece left of his original force and if he colored lines. Each version of this game because it was described elsewhere in were thus surrounded, it would be a stale- has a real historical basis and varying literature as representing the King of mate, because the King could not move numbers of playing pieces. Sweden under siege by the Russians. In nor be surrounded on four sides. The outermost, 13 × 13 square Hnefa- the original version, known as Tablut, the In the basic game, the players must tafl game board (Figure A) was discovered King needed only to reach the edge of the decide whether the King’s goal is to reach in fragmentary condition on the Gokstad, playing board – a possible variation for an outer edge of the board or an outer a Viking-age chieftain’s ship found in a this modern version – but the King’s corner of the specific board being played. burial mound. To play this board, you player was required to announce to his If it is the latter, then the corners act like need 24 attackers against the King and his opponent when he had a clear route to an the Throne square, and only the King may 12 bodyguards. edge, thus giving the opponent an oppor- enter them, at which point he has escaped. The next, 11 × 11 square game board tunity to block his escape. If the King had

D RAGON 47 a route to two edges simultaneously, the player would announce the equivalent of “checkmate,” because the King’s escape was inevitable. The innermost 7 × 7 square board (Figure J) represents an original Viking board found in a lake dwelling excavation at Ballinderry, Ireland, in 1932. This wood- en board has a central square with the Figure D: Resting move. four corners clearly marked for the King’s escape – typical features of Hnefatafl Figure C: Two illegal captures.

Figure B: Five possible capturing moves in King’s Table.

Figure E: Normal capture of King.

game boards. To play using this board, you need 12 attackers, the King, and his six bodyguards. Figure K represents a 19 × 19 square board that was played by the Saxons in England during the 10th century. It is the only known Saxon board game. Originally, this board represented a sea battle in which the King’s flagship sought to escape by reaching either an edge or a corner of the game board. Here, the King and his 24 bodyguards face 48 attackers. The rules for this version are identical to the four other boards. The starting positions for all players are clearly marked on the board.

48 DECEMBER 1987 Variations and Options should not be used; however, it would be useful in breaking a stalemate that two 1. The players decide whether the King experienced players may reach when the must reach a corner or an edge to escape, attackers can successfully block all four as has been described above. If the latter, corners and effectively prevent any signifi- it is wise to require the King’s player to cant chance of the King’s escape. In this announce his position if he has a clear situation, the King’s player may request column or file to an edge – but this is not the use of dice described above so that mandatory. Obviously, it takes more time either player could have two consecutive to play a game in which the King must turns to break the stalemate. Figure G: King surrounded (but not captured). escape through a corner square, but this is more demanding and, hence, more rewarding. Figure H: The 11 x 11 Welsh board, with starting positions. 2. The first side to move has traditionally been the attackers, but initial movement can be decided by any reasonable device (e.g., rolling dice, coin toss, etc.). Once the starting player has been established, how- ever, play always proceeds in alternating turns between the two players – unless the next variant is used! 3. Using a six-sided die, each player rolls to see if he can move for each turn; an odd number would allow movement, and an even roll would prevent movement for that turn. In the basic game, this variation

Figure F: King captured against Throne.

D RAGON 49 Strategies Players who wish to replay game prob- given a prefix of a symbol (crown) or the lems, as is done with chess, or preparing letter K. The King, of course, is just the While King’s Table might seem easy to to run play-by-mail games of King’s Table “King.” The game board (as with chess) can play at first glance, it is truly a rigorous may devise notations for each playing be labeled alphabetically for file and test of each player’s concentration. Most piece. The attacking side can be divided numerically for rank. often (approximately 60% of the games), into the four starting groups and labeled One possible – though radical – variant the King escapes. If you are the type who as such (A, B, C, and D, or using symbols of the game would involve handicapping can’t stand losing, play the King’s side. If like a star, triangle, etc.). The individual the King, slowing his movement to you like a challenge, play the opponents of attacking pieces can then be identified by increase the risk of capture. Ideal Toys the King. It is difficult to surround the number (I, II, III, IV, etc.). The King’s body- produced a highly variant version of Hne- King because this requires eliminating guard pieces can each be numbered and fatafl for their “Hi-Q” game series (this one virtually all of the King’s bodyguard before the King can be captured. Figure 1: The 9 × 9 Lapp board, with starting positions. Perhaps another name for King’s Table might be “I Didn’t See That!” This game is often won by waiting for the other player to miss something or otherwise make an error. Like the Vikings themselves, King's Table is bold and direct; while strategy is important, the game is swift enough to usually undo elaborate plans and schemes. The playing time for each of the five versions of King’s Table is linked to the size of the board being played; the larger the board, the longer the game will usually last. Another factor, as mentioned above, is whether the players require the King to reach a corner or an edge to escape. Reaching a corner requires more skill and time to accomplish. To get the best results and appreciation of King’s Table, play both sides to understand the game’s logic and subtlety.

Author’s Notes

I discovered Hnefatafl while in England in 1984. There are published versions of Hnefatafl there, and I kept this in mind as I researched the game, so as not to infringe on their copyrights. The major source used to reproduce King’s Table was Linnaeus’s Flora Lapponica, translated into English by Sir J.E. Smith as Lachesis Lapponica. This record contains the detailed rules for play that Linnaeus observed in 1732. The English versions of Hnefatafl are true to these rules.

50 DECEMBER 1987 named Breakaway) in which the King and the other to move twice. could move only one square at a time, and Another possible means of forestalling in which the attackers were reduced by stalemate, as suggested by a playtester, one piece in each of the four attacking may be used when the King’s goal is to groups. If you wish to use this option, feel reach a corner of the game board. In this free, though it is not historically accurate. variant, the King’s bodyguards are allowed If you still desire a means to forestall to move first. If the King need only reach stalemate (which can result when two the side of the board, the attackers should experienced players go at it), the Welsh move first. version of this game did allow the use of The question arose that if the King can the die roll to have one player lose a turn reenter the central square (the Throne),

Figure J: The 7 x 7 Irish board, with starting positions.

how could he be captured by three oppos- ing pieces when backed against it. This is a historically correct capture, observed by Linnaeus, and must be considered valid. The reasoning behind this move has been lost, but I suspect it represents a signifi- cant insight into the Viking’s thoughts about a King: He shouldn’t get caught in or near his throne room by attackers (where would the attackers be most likely to look for a king, anyway?). Thus, the King must be aware of his position when near the Throne. Players can create their own King’s Table playing pieces from miniature fig- ures available from most game and hobby stores. If you design a board with 1½” squares and mount your figures on 1”

D RAGON 51 bases (round or square), you could pro- they all have the same game value. It is duce a wide variety of Viking warriors and recommended that the King be mounted Kings for use with your game. Addition- on an especially tall base, about ½” higher ally, you could even design fantasy figures than the others. using barbarian, knight, goblin, dwarven, Dale Oldfield or elven pieces. The individual figures should have a paint scheme to differenti- For further information concerning this ate between the two sides (perhaps based game, write to: Ancient Games, Inc., P.O. upon shield designs). The individual war- Box 572, Akron, Colorado 80720, United riors may sport any sort of weapon, since States of America.

Figure K: The 19 X 19 Saxon board, with starting positions.

52 DECEMBER 1987

(continued from page 3) know something about the physiology of clay,” Dave Cook was asked what would happen if The TSR Mail Order Hobby Shop has the he said. you attacked a limbless Claydonian with a Rip figure packs named above for the dragons, We have no immediate plans for Clay-O-Rama Limbs Off power, and he said, “You’re out of oliphants, basilisks, elementals, sylphs, and modules, though it isn’t beyond the realm of luck. You weren’t very bright to have attacked griffons (The Mail Order Hobby Shop, P.O. Box possibility We were astounded at the role- him, were you?” Guess that settles that. 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147). Good luck! playing concept – adventuring Claydonians! – It was also pointed out that throwing your but we also rather liked it. More on this later Claydonian at another Claydonian will hurt both of them – but if you want to do it, have fun. Clay-O-Mania I Clay-O-Mania II Dear Dragon: I have just finished reading the rules to Clay- Dear Dragon: Games & copies O-Rama, and I think that it is one of the best Issue #125 was clearly your best issue in the features ever published in the hallowed pages of fourteen I’ve read – and all because of one Dear Dragon: DRAGON Magazine. My main question is: Why thing. Yes, that’s right: Clay-O-Rama, a great idea Since I’ve subscribed to DRAGON Magazine, I is a creature with large limbs less likely to hit by Mr. Cook. It was funny; this is what DRAGON have seen two games in the pages of the maga- successfully than a creature with small limbs? It Magazine needs, more of this kind of thing. zine. Both Clay-O-Rama and Nibar’s Keep were seems to me that large, long clay arms, with Looking the game over, I find one power (and still are) great games! I would really like to large clay muscles, are better equipped for missing: The Ultimate Missile. Ultimate Missile see games like these more often. I’m not asking attacking than short, thin clay appendages. has the same effect as a regular missile attack, for one every issue, but maybe every three or Also, are there any plans for Clay-O-Rama except you throw your Claydonian at the oppo- four issues. modules? It would be a very lucrative idea to nent’s Claydonian. The damage caused equals Also, I would like to order some back issues of publish small booklets that contain scenarios the largest missile possible (five dice). Another DRAGON Magazine and DUNGEON™ Adven- about different clay creatures for a party of PC power that could be added would be Steal tures, but I don’t want to hack up my maga- Claydonians to encounter! It could include Opponent’s Limb. You rip off a limb of a Claydo- zines. Can I photocopy the order forms or could instructions for the GM on how to set up pit- nian and stick it to your own Claydonian. Of I just put what I want on a piece of paper? falls, such as mousetraps or garlic presses, in course, both of these powers could only be used Mark Anticole the appropriate locations on the landscape. once per game. Dayton OH Todd J.A. Shafritz, I have one question, though. What happens if Wexford PA you have the Rip Limbs Off power, but your We have no problem with photocopying order fellow Claydonian has no limbs? One example forms from the magazines at all – but be sure David Cook was consulted on the above ques- would be the Blue Bowling Ball in the game’s to use the most recent issue you can find. Also, tions, and he said that game balance was the introduction. be warned that prices on back issues of reason that large limbs (which do lots of dam- Long live Clay-O-Rama! DRAGON Magazine are about to rise. See the age) have worse chances to hit than small limbs Tom Sawyer back-issue advertisement in this issue for more (which don’t do lots of damage). “You have to Bolingbrook IL information.

56 DECEMBER 1987 home in these alien environments. temperature is raised above freezing, the by Jeff Grubb Even more so than positive quasi ele- Ash quasi elemental must save vs. poison mentals, negative quasi elementals are or explode, inflicting 1-4 hp/HD damage to In a previous article (DRAGON® issue rarely found in the Prime Material plane, all within 20’. In combat, Ash quasi ele- #125), this column covered the creatures but appear with common frequency in mentals can only be struck by + 1 or native to the positive quasi-elemental their native quasi-elemental planes and are better weapons. planes. Let’s turn our attention to the” uncommon in other Inner planes. They Ash quasi elementals are very rare in other side of the coin: the negative quasi may be able to survive the rigors of the the Prime Material plane, though they are elementals. nearby Negative Material plane, but this is reported to have been used by smiths The negative quasi-elemental planes are as yet unproven. Each quasi elemental forging magical weapons in order to cool those which lie along the borders of the may be of small, medium, or large size, the hot metal. major elemental planes and the Negative depending on where it is found: Material plane. These regions are distin- guished by the reduction and eventual Prime VACUUM QUASI ELEMENTAL absence of a particular elemental type. Material Inner The plane of Ash is the reduction and 1d100 plane plane FREQUENCY: Very rare (Common) elimination of Fire; the plane of Salt the 01-60 Small Large NO. APPEARING: 1 (l-6) removal of Water; the plane of Vacuum the 61-90 Medium Medium ARMOR CLASS: – 1 eradication of Air; and the plane of Dust 91-00 Large Small MOVE: 36” the destruction of solid Earth. The quasi HIT DICE: 6, 9, or 12 elementals of these planes reflect the Statistics given in parentheses for the % IN LAIR: Nil nature of these planes. As is so for “true” following creatures apply to conditions on NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 elementals, quasi-elemental life is a senti- their home planes. Otherwise, statistics DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4 + 1 hp/HD ent animation of the plane itself, as differ- apply to both Prime Material and quasi- SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below entiated from creatures which are at elemental planes. SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below INTELLIGENCE: Low ALIGNMENT: Neutral (chaotic) ASH QUASI ELEMENTAL centaurs, and other creatures. Ash quasi SIZE: S elementals are found in the Prime Material PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil FREQUENCY: Very rare (Common) plane only in regions where intense flame LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VII/ 1,000 + 15 per hp NO. APPEARING: 1 (l-6) has passed and cooled, as in the lava flows ARMOR CLASS: 3 of extinct volcanoes and in the debris left Vacuum quasi elementals are the living MOVE: 12” from large forest fires. embodiment of a nullity – the absence of HIT DICE: 6, 9, or 12 While not cold in themselves, Ash quasi elemental Air. They are invisible by % IN LAIR: Nil elementals suck up the heat from their nature, though if their presence is detect- NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 surroundings, so that all within 30’ suffer ed (by detect invisible, true sight, etc.), DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6 + 1 hp/HD 1-6 hp damage from heat loss for each they appear as amorphous, three- SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below round. Creatures which are cold-based dimensional “skins” of force (similar to an SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below (though not those which are cold-blooded) ochre jelly in zero-gee). MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below are immune to this effect. In addition, the Vacuum quasi elementals suck in any INTELLIGENCE: Low Ash quasi elemental can narrow the focus and all surrounding air, seeking to reduce ALIGNMENT: Neutral (chaotic) of this draining effect to a cone 60’ long any area of confinement to the the same SIZE: M and 30’ across at the base. Those within level of airlessness as their native plane. In PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil this area take 2-12 hp damage. In addition, the Prime Material plane, the region with- LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VII/ 1,000 + 15 per hp the force of this inward blast can snuff out in 60’ of a Vacuum quasi elemental has the torches and small campfires. effects of a gust of wind spell blowing Ash quasi elementals look like animated Ash quasi elementals are immune to toward the quasi elemental. A Vacuum piles of burnt ash and charred cinders. cold-based magic, but heat in any form is quasi elemental can reduce a 60’ × 60’ They are malleable and capable of forming dangerous to them. All fire-based spells area to vacuum in a single round. Those themselves into slate-gray replicas of men, inflict twice the normal damage, and if the within an area so vacated of air suffer the

D RAGON 57 effects of being in the plane of Vacuum (no the Vacuum quasi elemental is allowed a mental may be affected by normal weap- loss of pressure or temperature, only the saving throw vs. death magic; if this suc- ons and magic. An individual engulfed by absence of air itself). In addition, those ceeds, it is unharmed by the attack. If the an elemental may inflict 2-12 hp damage caught within this range who require air saving throw fails, the Vacuum quasi ele- merely by his struggles each round. for survival suffer 1-4 hp damage per mental is destroyed. A gust of wind cast Dust quasi elementals are considered round in addition to any attacks made by by a lst-level magic-user has no effect on a quite dangerous, and, unlike the other the creature. 6-HD Vacuum quasi elemental, but a 7-HD quasi elementals, tend to be avoided and In regions of abundant air (such as the djinn could destroy it. Vacuum quasi ele- not captured or magically enslaved. One Prime Material plane), Vacuum quasi ele- mentals are subject to magical attacks, but reason for this is that, unlike other quasi mentals can cause their air-removal effects require + 1 or better magical weapons to elementals and elementals, these creatures for 10 rounds at most, after which they be damaged. attempt to seek out the ones who have cannot do so again for one hour. When Nature may abhor a vacuum, but magic- enslaved them and slay them. overwhelmed by air, these quasi elemen- users find these airless creatures useful as tals become spherical in shape, and their both protectors and laboratory aides (they armor class increases to AC –4. They may may provide an environment without dust SALT QUASI ELEMENTAL still attack normally (ramming a target by removing the air that keeps the dust with their forcelike bodies), but cannot suspended). As such, they are valued FREQUENCY: Very rare (Common) use their special attack. when encountered on the Prime Material NO. APPEARING: 1-2 (1-6) Air-using spells can destroy a Vacuum planes. This rarely occurs, as most which ARMOR CLASS: 1 quasi elemental only if the level of the survive are those locked in some airtight MOVE: 3” caster (or hit dice of the monster) is compartment which they have drained of HIT DICE: 6, 9, or 12 greater than that of the Vacuum quasi air, or (it is rumored) in the spaces % IN LAIR: Nil elemental. If attacked in such a fashion, between the planets and stars. NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8 + 1 hp/HD SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below DUST QUASI ELEMENTAL ing clouds of dust, dominated by brighter SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below motes which are collected into the “eyes” MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below FREQUENCY: Very rare (Common) of the creature. The quasi elemental can INTELLIGENCE: Low NO. APPEARING: 1-3 (1-8) inflict damage in normal combat, but also ALIGNMENT: Neutral (chaotic) ARMOR CLASS: – 1 can engulf an opponent on a roll of 19 or SIZE: L MOVE: 12” better on 1d20 (regardless of magical PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil HIT DICE: 6, 9, or 12 protections of the target). An engulfed LEVEl/X.P. VALUE: VII/ 1,000 + 15 per hp % IN LAIR: Nil creature suffers the effects of the plane of NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 Dust: the loss of 2-12 hp per round from Salt quasi elementals appear in a variety DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6 + 1 hp/HD the atomic bonding of the body being of forms, but their most common form is SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below broken down and driven apart. If the that of a long, huge, white lizard, like a SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below attack takes place on the plane of Dust, wingless, rime-encrusted white dragon. MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below the effects are doubled. The engulfed They are found only rarely on the Prime INTELLIGENCE: Low creature can only escape by killing the Material plane, and then only in places of ALIGNMENT: Neutral (chaotic) Dust quasi elemental, though the quasi extreme dryness, like the floor of an evap- SIZE: M elemental takes the brunt of all outside orated lake or the salt flats bordering a PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil attacks, like living armor which kills its dead sea. LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VII/ 1,000 + 15 per hp wearer. Salt quasi elementals absorb all available In addition, a Dust quasi elemental can moisture in an area 80’ in radius around Dust quasi elementals are the living blow parts of its body up to 40’ away, the creature. This inflicts 2-12 hp damage embodiment of disintegration, the break- creating a blinding sandstorm. Those per round to all creatures which are made ing down of all solid matter. They are which may be affected by the storm must primarily of water (including most crea- rarely found in the Prime Material plane, save vs. wands or be blinded for 1-10 tures of the elemental plane of Water, as and then only in desertlike regions where rounds, and take 1-2 hp damage per hit well as humans and similar animal life). the winds have pulverized most of the die of the creature. It is possible to overload the amount of earth to sand. One of the most dangerous of the nega- water a Salt quasi elemental can take in. Dust quasi elementals appear as billow- tive quasi elementals, the Dust quasi ele- Full immersion in water (dumping it into a large lake) causes the creature to save vs. death magic or explode. Such an explosion causes all within 30’ to suffer an attack equal to the level of the mon- ster’s hit dice. Those struck in this attack take 1-8 hp damage from shards of salt. Water-based magics have a similar effect only if the magic-user or cleric casting the spell is of higher level than the total hit dice of the quasi elemental. When this is not the case, or when small amounts of water (such as natural rain or fog) are present, the effects are merely absorbed by the creature. Salt quasi elementals are unaffected by fire spells and weapons of less than + 1 magical enchantment. These creatures are often prized by researchers, who use them to reduce the effects of water dam- age in underground libraries.

58 DECEMBER 1987

this argument is true and the TOP SECRET game isn’t a military game, the helicopter can be effectively used for transportation and surveillance, as well as air support. Helicopters can be outfitted with a varie- ty of useful devices to help or harm agents. Such devices include searchlights, cameras, and .50-caliber machine guns. Particularly nasty Administrators and agents may use them to eliminate pesky agents; a Hughes 500 with machine guns can be quite effective in keeping the KGB away from a defector being smuggled to Switzerland — and just as effective in stopping that defector.

Common helicopters Helicopters are very expensive, difficult to obtain, and often dangerous. No agent should be allowed to simply go out and buy one. The helicopters mentioned below “Dan!” Florence shouted. She reached are some of the most common and easily by Dennis McLaughlin down to grab a weapon on the floor by obtainable. Table 1 has more information. her feet. Dan stopped and raised his gun Hughes 500: A small, maneuverable to fire at the ‘copter. He got off two shots chopper with chin and skid gun mounts, Remember the introductory scene from — with no visible effect whatsoever. the Hughes 500 is often seen on TV (“Mag- “Now that’s firepower!” in DRAGON® issue Flashes of light and smoke burst from num PI.” and “Airwolf”). This helicopter is #102? What do you suppose happened the helicopters main guns. Howling excellent for gunship duty. next? Well . . . machine-gun bullets tore through the air UH-1: A common military helicopter over Dan’s head. Dan heard a blood- with several variations, the UH-1E and UH- . . . As the enemy helicopter fell in chilling shriek of agony from Florence — 1N (Bell 212) are the most common ver- flames from the sky, agent Dan Carlyle ran then nothing at all. He looked back in time sions of this helicopter in use. It carries across the beach to the waiting boat. His to see the shattered boat list, roll over, and door, skid, and nose gun mounts. (Do not partner was dead, the mission was over, slip beneath the shallow waves. use the movie Rambo as a deciding factor and it was time to go home. Florence The thundering of the helicopter now in determining the amount of armaments waved him on from the boat, clutching the filled his ears. It was lowering and turning a “Huey” can carry!) wheel with her free hand. “Let’s go!” she toward him. Bell 222B: A large, expensive helicopter, screamed. “Haul it!” Not my day, Dan thought, as the the Bell 222B is good for surveillance and Dan started to shout a smart reply as he machine guns leveled at him. . . . was formerly seen on “Airwolf.” It has only ran — but heard the thumping sound that a door gun mount. gave warning of a second helicopters The use of helicopters in the TOP Agusta 109: Another large, expensive approach. Dan risked a quick look back SECRET® game has not been overly publi- helicopter with a door mount, the Agusta and saw the chopper rise over the tree- cized, because a helicopter gunship is a 109 is quite useful and common. tops. Its shape was familiar from aircraft devastating weapon which shouldn’t be Sikorsky S-76: Similar to the Agusta but identification sessions: a Hughes 500. used often against secret agents. While easier to obtain, this helicopter is also

60 DECEMBER 1987 Table 1 Helicopter Statistics

Overall Hover Service Helicopter length ceiling ceiling Max. speed Range Capacity Average cost Hughes 500 30'4" 8,200' 14,400' 152 MPH 373 miles 1 pilot +4 $185,000 Bell 222B 47’11” 10,600’ 16,000’ 165 MPH 450 miles 2 pilots +6 $950,000 UH-1N (Bell 212) 57'3" 12,900' 17,400' 126 MPH 273 miles 2 pilots +13 $700,000 Agusta 109 42'11" 10,000' 15,000' 193 MPH 354 miles 2 pilots +6 $1,000,000 Sikorsky S-76 44' 10,600' 16,300' 167 MPH 465 miles 2 pilots +12 $1,250,000 Bell 206 Jetranger 41’ 13,500’ 18,900’ 137 MPH 298 miles 2 pilots +3 $250,000

Table 2 Helicopter-Mounted Weapons

Weapon PF PWV PB S M L WS Rate Ammo HWV Weight Average cost M-60 GPMG 20 93 +10 0 - 3 5 -8.5 VS 8 belt 22 10.4 lbs. $ 950 M-2 .50 HMG 22 94 +10 0 -35 -65 S 5 belt 20 n/a $1,200 20mm HMG 30 101 +12 0 -35 -85 BA 10 belt 14 24lbs. $1,500 2.75” rocket 40 — ——————single — 2 lbs. $10 each

excellent for surveillance. either on a pod or a door mount, this is belt-fed and can be removed for hand- Bell 206 Jetranger: One of the most machine gun is quite effective. held use. See issue #102 for details. common helicopters around, the Jetranger .20mm MG: Basically like the .50 MG, uses chin and skid mounts. It has excellent this weapon has a larger caliber. It comes Surveillance devices maneuverability for its size and cost. only in a pod mount. These devices can be used for spying on 2.75” rockets: These have no guidance people, making them especially helpful to Helicopter weapons systems; they go where you point them. Investigators. See Table 3. The weapons available for the helicop- Use the combat system given in issue #102 Searchlight: This allows the helicopter to ters are both expensive and dangerous. for these weapons. They come in pods of see a ground target in the dark. It projects For more information on heavy weapons 19 rockets which can be fired singly or in a halogen beam which can blind someone and their effects, consult “Now that’s fire- groups. These rockets have an effective temporarily if stared at directly. A search- power!” by Desmond P. Varady, in issue range of 150’. light is mounted on a helicopter’s nose. #102. See Table 2 in this article. M-60 GPMG: This weapon is for door Infrared/night vision: This device is a .50 MG: A belt-fed weapon mounted mounts only. A 7.62 mm weapon, the M-60 thermal sensor on the nose of the helicop-

D RAGON 61 sive than buying a new one; add 5-20% to Table 3 the average cost given in Table 1 for a Helicopter-Mounted Surveillance Devices used helicopter in excellent condition, modifying the score downward for heli- Device Mount* Range Weight Cost copters in worse shape. Searchlight A 1,500' 80 lbs. $1,250 Night vision A,B 1,200' 30 lbs. $1,500 Chance Sound system A 800' 50 lbs. $ 650 Helicopter to locate Video camera A,B 1,200' 30 lbs. $ 950 Hughes 500 65% UH-1N 20% * A = chin/nose, B = door. Bell 222B 25% A-109 30% S-76 35% Bell 206 55% ter which runs an electric image to the retractable landing gear cannot have skid gunner’s helmet. It is more effective than a mounts. A new helicopter can always be pur- searchlight, since the target cannot see it Door: A common mount, this is simply a chased from the factory or a dealer being used, but it is also more expensive. machine gun mounted on a holder and (except for the UH-1; being a military Mike/sound system: This device fired through an open door. This method transport, it can only be purchased from screens out the noise of the helicopter was used in Vietnam in UH-1 helicopters the military or from someone who has and background while amplifying the and is still used in the military. An M-60 purchased one from the military). All sounds of conversation and movement GPMG is one of the best guns for the job. weapons must be purchased separately, below. The copilot/gunner must have an Video cameras can also be used on a door usually on the black market. They may AOK of at least 45 in Electrical engineer- mount. Door mounts require a gunner/ also be obtained by robbing government ing or a similar area to be able to screen operator at all times. Weapons and surveil- armories or by requisitioning them from a out the right sounds. This makes an lance equipment can be removed from a liberal agency. Video and surveillance excellent combination with a night-vision door mount if desired. equipment can be legally purchased at device. most large electronics stores. Video: Simply a video camera used to film anything desired, this device can be Acquisition fitted with a night-vision lens. Most of these helicopters cannot be Final notes bought at just any airport. If a character The helicopters listed above are danger- wishes to buy one (assuming the Adminis- ous and expensive, and the Administrator Systems mounts trator will let him), he should roll d100 on still has the right to keep agents from These are the points on the helicopters the table below to find his chances of using helicopters. These things can greatly where equipment of any sort is mounted. getting the particular type of helicopter he upset the game balance. Gunships like the Nose: This mount, under the cockpit, is wants. The percentage chance of finding a AH-64 Apache, AH-l Cobra, Soviet MI-24 an ideal place for a searchlight or certain helicopter depends on the size of Hind, Mi-28 Havoc, or any other solely machine-gun pod. It is controlled by a nearby airports and the type of helicopter military helicopter should not be used by gunner (often the copilot) who is seated in wanted. The base percentages given here any agents. Of course, using them against the cockpit. are for finding a used helicopter in good the agents is another story entirely! Skids: Weapons such as rocket pods and condition at an international airport. For more information on helicopters, machine guns can be mounted on the Administrators should lower the percent- consult Giorgio Apostolo’s The Illustrated skids. These can be controlled by a gunner ages for smaller airports. Buying a used Encyclopedia of Helicopters (New York: or by the pilot. Note that helicopters with (and thus tested) helicopter is more expen- Bonanza Books, 1984).

62 DECEMBER 1987 D RAGON 63 (“beetle”) = pararn, “sword beetle”), the repetition is usually dropped (thus, parn), though this is certainly not always the case. This abbreviating of words is a result of handing a name down over generations, with the repetitive sounds being dropped for convenience. The following is a simple lexicon of Gamman terms translated to English. There are actually so few Gamman words compared to the bounty of the English vocabulary that a reverse translation would be highly repetitive. Some GAMMA WORLD game names are ignored com- pletely because they don’t fit this system; these names were probably affixed to creatures at the beginning of the Shadow Years and have undergone hundreds of pronunciation changes. Other names, like blood birds, are borrowed directly from English. These names do not fit in with the overall nomenclature of Gamman crea- tures and were dropped.

-A-: Concealed, hiding (usually used to mean cowardly, as part of an extremely derogatory term). Al: One who climbs extreme heights, like a mountain climber. Am: Shapeless. An: Tail Ar, er: Folks, people. Arl: Slime, slimy. Arn: Of or belonging to the beetle family. Ark: Of or belonging to one of the larger canine families, such as a wolf or coyote. Ash, ashe: Post-Shadow Years, gamma (as in the Gamma World environment). At: Servant, one who obeys. Ba, bar: Endlessly, forever, eternally; role-playing game; consider, for example, frequently used for any material that by Kim Eastland the effects produced when fantasy-world lasts “forever,” such as a rock. PCs overhear someone mumble about a Bad: Dig, digger, one who burrows. dragon. The very word dragon triggers Bai: Beast. “If a creature is known throughout the the imagination. It is also fun to create Barl: Large fish. lands by the same name, there is a reason: new monsters in the GAMMA WORLD Bat: To spin, spinning. It can either save your life or end it.” game, and properly naming them can lead Bber: Beggar, one who is a pest. – Estelroth Twilyght an attentive party member to anticipate Ber: Sweet (as in taste or smell). what some of their attacks or defenses Besh: Any member of any of the large The Gamman language, as presented in might be. insect families. the GAMMA WORLD® game, is a strange Most of the Gamman names are simple Bil: Crescent, in a crescent shape. patchwork of nicknames, translations, and constructs of individual syllables, each of Bis: Of or belong to the swine family; also scientific names, all taken from civiliza- which has its own meaning. This is very used as a derogatory term for one who tions long past. Before writing some of the much like German word construction in is sloppy. new modules for the GAMMA WORLD which, instead of creating a new word for Bla, blaa, blas: Of or belonging to the game, I decided to make some sense out of the animal bat, a couple of other words moth family. the existing mutant-monster names so are combined to create a name that liter- Bli, blit: Any creature that is or resembles future ones could have a rhyme and rea- ally means “the mouse that flies.” In the a worm; also a derogatory term for one son to them. Where possible, I translated Gamman tongue, seroon lous means who does not stand up for himself. names of mutant beasts literally into the “aquatic trees that are masters of their Bof: Powerful; of or belonging to the oxen alternate names given in the rulebooks. areas.” Sometimes a letter used in the family. Eventually, some of the players in my middle of a word grouping, or used as a Boom, booma: Explosion, exploding. campaign learned this new vocabulary. suffix or prefix, is actually a substitute for Brath: To consume with a voracious Srea, for instance, means invisible. If an a word (such as i, meaning “living”) or a appetite. NPC mentioned that a srea-something-or- concept (such as n followed by an accent Bru: Big. other lived in the hills into which the PCs mark, meaning “beings who are”). Most of Bu, buo: Moon-flier, any creature that were venturing, the PCs knew that there these syllables can be used as prefixes, flies at great altitudes. were creatures living there who were suffixes, or as root words. There are no Bumb: Of or belonging to the bee family. either excellent at camouflage or could rules governing how the syllables should Cal: Of or belonging to any family of fly bend light around themselves and be be combined. As a general rule, if a combi- ing insects. invisible. This type of word association is nation of syllables forms a word but is Carr: Emperor, ruler. important in creating atmosphere in a repetitive (such as par (“sword”) + arn Cee: Feathers, feathered.

64 DECEMBER 1987 Centi: One who is fast. Hel, h-el: Devil, demon, hellish. Mish: Goo, a substance or creature that Choo: Plant, generic term. Her: Tiger, tiger-striped. has a jellylike structure. Chot, chote: Bristles, short needles, small Herk: Cannibalistic, a cannibal. Mub: Murder, to kill. spines, etc. Hex: To suspend above the surface by Mut, mutan: Gas, to spray gas. Con: Hunger, hungry. ropes or poles. N: When used at the beginning of a word Coo: Any baying animal. Hoi: Ugly. and followed by an apostrophe, or at the Cren: Any member of any fish family that Hoop, hop: Of or belonging to the rabbit end of a word and preceded by an apos- can alter its appearance. family. trophe, it means “beings who are.” Crep: Carnivorous. Horl: Of or belonging to the porcupine Narl: Ghost, spirit. Crisp: Midwinter. family, a porcupine-like creature or Naut: Blue-black. Crol: One who runs, running. plant. Neks: Predator. Cut: Friend, friendly. Hri: Indestructible creature, one who can Nep: Death. Cyn: Yellow. withstand a great amount of damage. Nog: Gray. Daan: An indescribable animal. Hu: Hungry or omnivorous, a creature Nos: Of or belonging to the monkey family. Dab: Brown. that will eat anything. Not: Place, location. Day: Bird. Hur: Packed snow. Ny, ni: Deadly. Deb: Crest, crested. Hydr: Multiheaded (three or more heads). Oala, ola: Ball, sphere. Dek: Thatched hut. Hyr: Ice. Obb: Of or belonging to any of the Gam- Dent: Deviate, sick creature; exiled. I: When used at, the beginning of a word man families of mutated, intelligent, Die: Block, cube. and followed by an apostrophe, it means airborne fungi. Dog: Any mount not of an equine nature. “living.” Oda, odo: Thunder, deafening sound. Dol: Trade, bargain, barter. Ik: Acid, acidic. Og: Of or belonging to the ape family. Ed: Paradise. Il: Of or belonging to the feline family in Omnit, omnite: Mirror, mirrored. Eeb: Without structure or form. general. Oon: The area or environment around a Ek, eka: Fur, furry. In: Black, dark. creature that it prowls or controls. El: Sneaky, one who moves by sneaking Irn: Ribbonlike, flat and twisted, spiraling. Or: Double, twin, twice as much. around. Jag, jagg: Of or belonging to one of the Par: Sword. Ep: Tree. family of felines that inhabit the plains Per: Radiation, irradiated. Erd: Fin, finned. or savannahs. Phant: An elephant-like trunk. Erf: Psionics, mental powers, powerful Jema: Glass. Pier: Of or belonging to the bear family. thoughts. Jin: Wing, winged, wing-shaped. Pin: Mount, horselike. Erp: Beetle. Ju, jut: White. Pod: Terrifying. Er, ert (when followed by k, I, m, or n): Jugg, jugger: Rampage, a creature that Prot: Protection, defense. Fish. Given the many varieties of fish, runs rampant. Puf: Wind. the four additional letters designate Kak, -k, -ak, -og: Of or belonging to the Qas, qash: Electricity, electrical; also an either the size or variety of the subject, canine family. electrical shock (like a zap). but this distinction is unfathomable. Kai, kam: Of or belonging to the lizard Qith: Clear, transparent. Erth: Bush. family. Quan, quana: Barricade, barricading. Esk: Hedge, any bushlike plant that forms Kath: Fun, amusement. Rak: Horns, horned. a hedge. Kee: Weird, a highly mysterious creature. Rakee: Literally means “one whose horns Et, eta, ethh: Plains, grasslands, or savan- Kep: Sand. have grown inside,” it is a derogatory nah; usually pertaining to a creature Khesh: Reclusive, a hermit. term for someone who is not mentally found there or to the grass itself. Kiik: Love, loved, loving. balanced (i.e., crazy). Eth: Of or belonging to any family of Kins: Bramble, thorny bush. Ram: Of or belonging to the sheep family. lizards with near-human intelligence. Kir: Endless, seemingly never-ending. Rark: Den. Eto: Cactus. Kit: Mud, clay. Reg: Of or belonging to the turtle family. F, fal: Manlike, humanoid. Klos: Dusk. Ren: Pure strain humans. Farb: Haven, sanctuary. Ko: Shadowy, shadowlike. Ris: Sticky, gooey. Fel: Metal stud, studded. Kraw: Demon. Rod: Rodent (mice, rat, etc.). Fer: Overly willing, gutless. Krea: A hateful creature, a monster. Rot: Roost, avian perch. Fho, fhot: Orange. Kreel: To leap, leaping. Rrer: Cold, freezing. Flin, fl-in: To fly in a fluttering manner. Kus: Motion, moving. Sar: Dirt, earth. Flipp: Of or belonging to the porpoise Laj: Blue. Strep: Of or belonging to any of the tree- family. Lar: Village. dwelling lizard or reptile families. Frid: A creature that resurrects itself, like Leen: A cottage, a home surrounded by Seen: One who tangles, tangling. a phoenix; one who is believed to be plants. Sep: Of or belonging to the shark family. immortal. Len, lens: One who walks upright, bipedal. Ser: Master, one who has mastery. Froth: Glider, gliding. Lep: Of or belonging to any of the families Shee: Long hair, one who is long-haired. Ga, gar, gr: Various shades of color, from of aquatic plants that float on the water. Shez: Any fast, flying bird. light to medium green. Li: Tall, one who is large. Shil: Rain. Garr: Of or belonging to the squirrel Lil: Small, one who is tiny. Shin, shiny: Water (highly reflective and family. Lin: A mobile plant, a plant that can move pure). Gel: Plate (armor), plated. by itself. Sho, shoo: Moonlight. Ghit, ght: Cloud, air. Lop, lope: Of or belonging to the deer Sith: Nest. Gon, gen (or a prefix of -n): Dragon, family. Sky: Of or belonging to the ant family. dragonlike. Lou: A large aquatic plant. Sled, sledd: Tunnel, tunneling. Goth: Of or belonging to the elephant Ma, maa: Slasher, one who slashes. Slee: Seers, prophets. family. Man: Render, one who rends. Slith, slithe: Of or belonging to the snake Gre: Wooded, one who belongs in the Mar: Warrior, one who fights. families. woods. Mel: Ruins. Smok: Flames, flaming. Gum: Flat. Men: Troublemaker, one who bedevils Smov, smove: Iron. Har: Powdery snow. others. Soul: Blood-drinker, vampire.

DRAGON 65 Spir: Tall and thin, spiral-like. Sprot: Growing, to grow, growth. Squeek: One who emits sonic attacks. S’Re: Dependable, reliable. Sre, srea: Invisibility, invisible. Sree: Home. Ssi, ssis: A gathering of snakes. Steed: An animal that serves as a mount, usually an equine creature. Suc, suck: Suction cup, covered with suckers. Sut: Giant. T: When used at the beginning of a word and followed by an apostrophe, or at the end of a word and preceded by an apos- trophe, it means “she who.” Ta, tat: Dark green. Tel, teld: Fire, fiery. Ter: Tree-dweller, tree-dwelling. Tes, -ets, -ts: Stone, stonelike. Then: Ripper, shredder. Thlai: Strange, bizarre. Tis: Emerald green. Tith: Garden. Tog: Day, a 24-hour period measured from dawn to dawn. Tor: Of or belonging to the reptile family in general., Torrn: Of or belonging to the grasshopper family. Tos: Cactus, cactuslike. Tosh: Of or belonging to the amphibian family in general. Torz: Walker, one who walks. Tsor: Of or belonging to the bat family. Tsurp: A batlike humanoid. Tyen: Nameless, unclaimed. Uns, unus: Of or belonging to the spider family, spiderlike. Ur, urr: Spike, spiked. Vath: Hideous. Ven, vene: Villain, villainous. Ver, verz: Guardian. Vilch: Jump, jumping. Ward: Small beast, usually used to refer to a smaller than man-sized mammal. Wed: Red. Win: Vines. Wolk: Week, seven togs. Xan: Mildew. Xen: Mushrooms, toadstools, and other large fungi. Xil: One who eats with incredible speed; to eat like a beast. Xon: Mold, moldy. Y: When used at the beginning of a word and followed by an apostrophe, or at the end of a word and preceded by an apos- trophe, means “he who.” Yak: To talk, chatter. Yama: City. Ye: Orange-yellow, golden. Yuk: Spores. Zar: To drill, bore. Ze, zee: Purple. Zeta: Rocky, mountainous. Zorr: To fight, to combat. Zu: Scamper, to climb small heights very rapidly. Apostrophe (‘): When placed between two syllables that stand alone, it means “of the,” “which has,” or “which is.”

66 DECEMBER 1987 D RAGON 67

The Island in Your Computer

©1987 by Cheryl Peterson

A Moment in Kesmai

After weeks of preparation, your group of adventurers is ready to launch an assault on the dragon hiding deep within the dungeon maze on the Island of Kes- mai. As you wait in the Kesmai conference room, people you know and people you’ve never met before wander in and out. While you do your share of the talking, your mind is preoccupied with the battle to come. As one of two thaumaturges in the band, it will be your job to fight when necessary and to reinforce the strength of your comrades. You feel lucky to be part of such a good group. At first they wondered whether a woman of Mu would be any help on their quest. Your strong right arm soon convinced them that women were nothing to scoff at, and your healing powers have come in handy for them more than once. Then you overhear one of the new- comers — a common thief — bragging. “Yeah, I left old Shelman for dead down in the lower levels. He said something about waiting for companions, but that was probably just a trick. I snuck up on him and got in a few good licks before he could even raise his defenses. When a group of hobgoblins appeared and started in on him, I slipped away.” “Shelman?” you ask suddenly. “Where did you leave him?” Knowing that Shelman was to lead the raid this afternoon, you are seriously worried about his condition. “I don’t know. Somewhere down in the lower levels. He wasn’t much of a fighter — hee hee hee!” You wish you had this clown down in the dungeon instead of in the conference hall, but you realize you must go look for Shelman. “Anyone gonna be around for the next five minutes?” you ask, hoping against hope that someone else is waiting The CompuServe® for a friend. A wizard in the back silently motions for you to approach. As you do, he says, “I on-line fantasy universe came in early to pick up on the gossip. I’ll be here a while. What can I do to help?” Though this man seems familiar, you

D RAGON 69 can’t quite place his name: Kesrom. “I’m sure glad you came along when you did.” distance, the screen shows the names, meeting my companions – Harold, James, Kesrom quietly absorbs the tales. He weaponry, and armor of these characters Shanarra, Alfie, and Koor. They were asks about your band and your plans. or monsters. Another section is devoted to supposed to be here at 10 o’clock, but it Hesitant at first, you finally give him all the commands you type and any messages looks like they’re a bit late. Shelman must the details of your plan and invite him to that the game must give you. For instance: have gotten tired of waiting. I have to go join you. Though he concedes that it after him. Will you tell the others to wait sounds like a good idea that may not have NW here until we get back?” been tried before, he declines the invita- FIGHT ORC Kesrom nods his head and looks about tion, wishes you luck, and departs. You hit the orc with great force. The gravely. “Go for your friend. I’ll await your Jason asks whether you can use another orc is dead. return and hold your comrades here. hand; after a short discussion, he joins the SEARCH CORPSE When you return, though, I wish to hear group. Figuring that the time has come, On the ground, you see a dagger, two more about your group.” your gallant band steps back into the scrolls, a gold ring, and an oaken You nod and disappear in a flash, reap- world of Kesmai to pursue the quest for staff. pearing in the dungeon corridor down- the dragon. . . . You hear from the SE “I got two wind from and one level above the kobolds. I’ll be there in a second. dragon. Looking around, you see no sign An island in your computer Good fighting.” of Shelman – but what you do see doesn’t Island of Kesmai is an interactive role- please you at all. A large party of hobgob- playing game on the CompuServe® Infor- Cooperation between players in Kesmai lins is closing in fast. A fighter named mation Service. This popular on-line is very common. After all, the monsters Jason is standing next to you. telecommunications network can be used can attack in packs; why shouldn’t the Hoping that Jason will take no action by almost anyone with a personal com- players be able to do likewise? against you, you throw your staff at the puter and a modem. With local phone The command structure is easy to learn. nearest hobgoblin and warm up a create numbers in all major cities (and many In most cases, English language commands fear spell. Jason, who seems to have decid- smaller ones), CompuServe lets players log are used. These can frequently be abbrevi- ed you are not a threat, nocks an arrow in on from all over the country. You can play ated to just the first two letters of a key his bow and fires at the hobgoblins, hitting solo anytime, team up with some of those word. Up to three commands can be one in the throat. As they come closer, you who are already playing, or agree to meet entered at once. First letters are used to cast your spell and most of them flee, other players at a specific time and place. indicate direction. For example, typing N leaving only two to deal with. Your com- You can walk randomly about or create a N EN would take you north one space, bined efforts as two skilled fighters prove detailed plan of action. northeast one, then north again. Running too much for the hobgoblins, and they are According to Kelton Flinn and John into walls is a “stunning” experience and is soon defeated. Taylor of the Kesmai Corporation, the not recommended, so care should be used Fearing for your friend Shelman, you developers of the game, Island of Kesmai when entering moves. look around and wonder in what direction is evolving even now. “We’re working on it he lies. You yell Shelman’s name and hear all the time,” says Flinn. “Island of Kesmai History of the realm nothing, but Jason says, “Follow me.” Not is not a simple game. It’s an environment The world of Kesmai has a definite histo- wanting to waste time talking, you follow where the players set the objectives. Many ry. If you buy the manual that Compu- him several rooms east – where you find different objectives are possible. Killing Serve sells, you’ll have all the information the ghost of Shelman, hovering over his the dragon is a goal, but players can create on the world at your fingertips. If you body. You hastily decide to save your raise their own goals.” can’t wait to get started, the information is dead spell and try to carry Shelman back As with other fantasy role-playing also available in the on-line instructions to the temple to be revived. Picking up the games, there is no real winner in any that you can read before you start playing. corpse, you thank Jason and use a ring of session. The point is for players to enjoy Briefly, a group of evil sorcerers threat- recall to teleport to the temple. Once themselves and have fun. “Winning” is ening to take over the world were fought Shelman is revived and rested, the two of subjective – a part of the player’s own by a group of thaumaturges. The thauma- you return to the conference room to seek concept of the game. Island of Kesmai turges weren’t strong enough to prevail, your missing companions. keeps track of the strongest characters, so they used a dragon to help defeat their There, you find your friends and the but this is no indication of winning. opponents – but the dragon, finding that wizard Kesrom. Shelman recounts his Part of Island of Kesmai’s uniqueness is he liked the hoard of treasure collected by harrowing tale of trying to fend off the the interaction between players. While the sorcerers, set up a permanent home hobgoblins after being attacked by the nonplayer characters are used to populate on the island and settled in for a comfort- thief. Though it was a long battle, he was the town and countryside, and to create able stay in the dungeon. eventually overcome and had to wait havoc in the dungeon, many characters This is where you come in. The thauma- helplessly as a ghost, hoping that someone you meet in the game are players like turges offer a reward to anyone who can would come by and move his corpse yourself. When you speak with NPCs, they get rid of the dragon. Of course, the before decay set in. Luckily, you reached are dull and have limited speech patterns. dungeon is also filled with gold and trea- him in time. “You’re fortunate that the Other players, however, speak just as they sure to lure those who want a quick thief was such a loudmouth and came in would in real life. Any movement or activi- profit. here to brag,” you remind Shelman. “Oth- ty command can be followed with a mes- As with most role-playing games, you set erwise, I wouldn’t have known to come sage in quotation marks. Anyone nearby up a character for adventuring; unlike after you.” will hear this message, which appears on other role-playing games, the computer Jason pops in and tells his part in the the computer screen. If you need to com- helps you do this. It asks you a few ques- adventure. He had come upon Shelman municate with someone farther away, you tions, then generates the strength, intelli- too late to help, and was forced to flee can yell by adding an exclamation point to gence, wisdom, dexterity, constitution, and before the hobgoblins did him in as well. your message. charisma statistics for your character. You He then ran into a couple of skeletons, While in the game system, your com- then choose one of the six character class- which were quickly dispatched. Then you puter screen shows a graphic representa- es or occupations: fighter, martial artist, found him in the room with the hobgob- tion of your character’s immediate thaumaturge (cleric), thief, wizard, or lins, and together you defeated them. “I surroundings. A text section on the screen sorcerer. had hoped to be able to double back down describes the other characters in your The Kesmai universe is populated by a side corridor and save Shelman. I was area. If other beings are within striking people from seven different civilizations:

70 DECEMBER 1987

Illyria, Lemuria, Mu, Leng, Draznia, Hov- for other members, go to the real-time beginners and intermediate classes in the ath, and Mnar. There are also various conference area and look for someone to conference area. Classes can be arranged bands of barbarians. You must choose talk with; or go to the data library area by appointment or players can just show which of these bands or civilizations your and read files about the game. up for the regularly scheduled classes. character is from. The bulletin-board system is easy to use. These classes usually include a short All characters in Kesmai have a limited The manual that comes with subscriptions question-and-answer period, followed by a lifetime determined by the Fates. This to CompuServe explains how to use the field trip into the game. According to John adds an incentive to accomplishment and forums. Basically, you can leave a message Taylor, “It’s strange but true that a body helps keep the game balanced. Life is for a specific member if you know his ID count is used to measure success of a field measured in number of turns as opposed number, or you can leave messages that trip. If they only lose a few players, it’s to real time. Experience points determine everyone who reads the board can see. To considered a good trip.” your character’s level; everyone starts at read only the messages related to Kesmai, level three. you use the SET SECTION command ss 6,7. Bigger and better Character abilities are earned in many Reading the board is as easy as typing RTN Improvement plans are in the works and ways. With proper training, you can - an abbreviation for “Read Thread New.” will be finished before you read this. The increase your skill level in any of 10 availa- This will show all the messages that you dungeon is growing, and new player areas ble weapon classes. To obtain training, you haven’t read. The messages that relate to are being added. The programmers are must pay for it in gold. Magical enhance- each other are shown in sequence, so you designing new scenarios to increase the ments are available through special weap- can see the answers that are left for each complexity of the game. ons, armor, rings, and other items. Magic message. Again, a help feature can be used To subscribe to CompuServe and to play wielders can enhance their characteristics to explain how to leave or read messages if Island of Kesmai, contact CompuServe: by using certain spells, but these have you don’t have your user manual handy. their price. Successful combat in the Help with using the data libraries and CompuServe dungeon also helps improve your charac- conference area is also available. 5000 Arlington Centre Blvd. ter’s attributes. While the data libraries contain help Columbus OH 43220 Kesmai has five types of magic wielders: files submitted by other players, there are (800) 848-8199 thaumaturges, wizards, sorcerers, thieves, also maps of the island and dungeon levels (In Ohio or Canada call, (614) 457-0802.) and knights. Each has its own list of spells, that can be read into your computer and with a few overlapping powers. A spells printed out if you have the right equip- A CompuServe Subscription Kit costs effectiveness depends on many factors, ment. A special on-line newsletter, The $39.95, and includes $25 worth of on-line from the person throwing it to the condi- Electronic Gamer™, is also available by time, a guide to CompuServe, a user ID, a tions in the dungeon at the time. typing GO TEG. user password, and telephone access There are two basic character align- For those who want to learn more about numbers. ments: Lawful and Neutral. Monsters are the game, the MPGAMES forum sponsors usually Chaotic. A fourth alignment, Evil, is usually reserved for sorcerers and demons. Alignment is not just a convenient way to identify players on the island. Some abilities and options require that a player use a lawful character who has committed no crime that would change his alignment. Attacking and killing a lawful character who has done you no damage will change your alignment to neutral, forever barring you from becoming a knight. Though forgiveness can be obtained, changing your alignment back to good, you can never be truly good again.

Finding help The variations on game play on the island are too numerous to describe here, but there are as many scenario differences as can be found in a noncomputerized role-playing game. Because of this com- plexity, though, players need all the help they can get. Island of Kesmai denizens can be very helpful. In fact, I found most players were both friendly and generous. The on-line help feature is wonderful. If you can’t remember how to use a com- mand, you can type HELP, and the com- mand name and a message will appear, telling you about that com- mand and its possible uses. A great place to find help before you even start playing is the Multi-Player Game Forum. Type GO MPGAMES from any com- mand prompt on CompuServe; you join the forum by answering a few questions. Once you join, you can read the messages left by other members, leave a message

D RAGON 73

After years of loyal and heroic duty, the defense of the ideals of freedom, justice, by Jon D. Martin original Captain America, Steve Rogers, and liberty, becoming a living legend in the had a falling out with the U.S. govern- process. Having a walking, talking symbol ment. The disagreement stemmed from of the ideals upon which the nation was Deadline doom and the need to further his refusal to cooperate with the Commis- founded had become a public-relations research his massive article on the victims sion to Coordinate Super-Human Activities asset that the government found itself of Scourge has led Jeff Grubb to step and his discovery of U.S. Army involve- unwilling to do without. With Rogers down for one more month from “The ment with a known criminal named Cur- gone, someone had to be found who could Marvel-Phile” – but he’ll be back soon tiss Jackson, better known as the Power put forth the proper image for both the with the largest roster of Marvel Super Broker. Heated words were exchanged nation and the office of Captain America. Villains yet published in these pages. between Rogers and members of the Com- Finding a replacement for Rogers was Meanwhile, Jon Martin (who wrote up the mittee. The result of the confrontation made even more difficult by the fact that original Warlock and friends in DRAGON® was that Rogers left his post as Captain any such person would have to be physi- issue #118) presents the current players in America, leaving the government with a cally able to perform like the original the life of Captain America, both friends shield and an empty costume. Captain America. Fortunately, such a man and foes. For decades, Rogers wore his costume in was available at the time!

CAPTAIN AMERICA® John Walker, former member of able blunt or edged damage, as the user as well as to serve his country as an “all- the U.S. Armed Forces, formerly desires. American hero like my brother.” known as the Super-Patriot Following his time in the armed forces, Body Armor: Thanks to the augmentation Walker became involved with the F IN (40) Health: 140 process he underwent prior to becoming California-based criminal organization A EX (20) Super-Patriot, Walker possesses a dense known as Power Broker, Inc. Through the S IN (40) Karma: 22* muscle and bone structure which provides physiological augmentation process per- E IN (40) him with Typical protection from physical fected by Dr. Karl Malus (see below) dur- R TY (6) Resources: EX* * attacks (bullets, knives, fists, and any ing his work for the Power Broker, John I GD (10) parked cars he might be thrown through). Walker gained his superhuman abilities. P TY (6) Popularity: 100 * * * His costume, which includes the original Donning a red, white, and blue costume, Cap’s chain-mail shirt, is Excellent Body Walker began traveling the country under * Reduced to zero following killing of Armor, also lending Typical protection the management of Ethan Thurm. John Anthony Power (see below). against heat, cold, and electricity. took the name of Super-Patriot, using the * * The new Captain America is supported name and his abilities to espouse his own by the U.S. government. TALENTS: Walker has Martial Arts A, B, radical views of patriotism. Part of his * * * People still believe him to be the origi- and E, as well as Acrobatics, Sharp Weap- activities as Super-Patriot included backing nal Captain America, since the fact that he ons, and Thrown Weapons skills. As a gang of augmented thugs called the Bold isn’t has yet to be disclosed to the public. Super-Patriot, he used a short torch sword Urban Commandos – Buckies for short. with an energy blade (Remarkable materi- One of the Buckies was Lemar Hoskins, KNOWN POWERS: al strength and damage) and five-pointed who would go on to serve as Bucky to Unique Weapon: Walker uses the same shuriken (Excellent damage; thrown three John’s rendition of Captain America. shield that Rogers used during his career at a time). He has a + 1 CS (as noted above) John’s career as Super-Patriot ironically as Captain America, though he is not as with his shield. brought him into conflict with the living proficient in its use as Rogers was. The symbol of the values he espoused – the shield is made of a unique adamantium- CONTACTS: As Super-Patriot, John Walk- original Captain America. The two fought vibranium alloy. Its composition renders it er had contacts with the organization on different occasions, with neither claim- immune to harm from all forms of energy called Power Broker, Inc., and (to a lesser ing a decisive victory. During this time, save the psionic or magical. The material extent) the Unlimited Class Wrestling Walker’s attitude toward the original Cap rank of the shield is Class 1000. Federation (UCWF). Since becoming Cap- was one of open contempt, as he believed Used defensively, the shield can absorb tain America, he has gained contacts with Cap was out of touch with the times. up to 90 points of damage in one round, the Commission to Coordinate Super- When Steve Rogers gave up his career as but when the wielder employs it in such Human Activities, most notably with its Captain America, the government went fashion, no attacks are possible during director, Valerie Cooper. The only contacts looking for suitable replacements and that round. If charging and attacking, that he retains from his days as Super- found Walker to be a made-to-order candi- Walker may use his shield to deflect up to Patriot are with his former manager, date for the job. He accepted the offer and Remarkable (30 points) damage. Even Ethan Thurm, and his friend and fellow began a long stretch of intense training when using the shield, Cap is subject to augment Lemar Hoskins, the new Bucky. designed to match his fighting style with specific battle effects such as Slam or that of Rogers as closely as possible. On Stun. Used offensively, the shield can be HISTORY: John Walker grew up on a his first field mission, Walker was sent to hurled in boomerang fashion to make farm near the small town of Custer’s his hometown to infiltrate a radical group multiple attacks, to then return to the Grove, Georgia. Little is known of his early of men who called themselves the Watch- thrower’s hand (an Agility Power Stunt). life, though it seems likely that he was an dogs, who were responsible for various When using the shield in this manner, accomplished athlete in his high-school terrorist acts in Georgia. Once Walker and Walker has Remarkable Agility, thanks to years. After his older brother Mike was Hoskins (as Bucky) dealt with the Watch- training which he received from the killed in Vietnam, Walker joined the dogs, it was revealed that the entire mis- imprisoned Taskmaster, as part of a Armed Forces in his late teens or early sion had been a test of Walker’s fighting sentence-reduction deal made with the twenties, where he met Lemar Hoskins. prowess and his dedication to duty; fight- government. The shield causes Remark- Walker hoped to make a name for himself ing the Watchdogs had meant fighting old

D RAGON 75 friends. The incident set Walker to ques- he is attending classes to obtain a GED CONTACTS: Malus is a well-known figure tioning the ethics of the U.S. government (Graduation Equivalency Diploma), having in the Los Angeles underworld, where his and the ethics of his own past activities. dropped out of high school. services are much sought after. When Though he is somewhat egotistical, John Power Broker, Inc., was in operation, Walker is a man of integrity. He is honest CONTACTS: Not surprisingly, Lemar Malus had close ties with that group, and and has made a vow to himself to live up shares the same contacts as his partner. any members of the organization are to the highest personal standards of moral- likely to remember Malus as a valuable ity and honor in his post as Captain Ameri- HISTORY: Little is known of Hoskins’s employee. In particular, Malus is known to ca. His heart is in the right place, but only past. It is known that he grew up in an Curtiss Jackson, the man behind both time will tell if he lives up to those stand- economically disadvantaged area of a large ards. John Walker is patriotic to the point American city, and he is apparently a high- of fanaticism, a factor in his personality school dropout who served in the Armed which has served as his motivation as both Forces, where he met John Walker. Super-Patriot and Captain America. He Hoskins and Walker have been close also has strong fundamentalist beliefs. His friends for quite some time, Lemar having recent killing of the criminal Anthony worked with John as one of the Buckies (Professor) Power greatly strained his during John’s brief career as Super- sense of morality; he does not wish to be a Patriot. The two men look out for each government executioner, and the strain of other and share many of the same atti- his role is telling on him. Still, he is a fero- tudes, though Hoskins doesn’t seem quite cious and unforgiving fighter. as driven as his partner. He is quick- tempered but possesses enough self- control to keep from getting too far out of BUCKY™ line. Lemar Hoskins; former member of Hoskins’s major motivation at this time is the Armed Forces and of the Bold serving his country, though he doesn’t Urban Commandos (Buckies) mind the media attention he expects to receive or the steady income he is already F RM (30) Health: 130 receiving. He is somewhat unsure of him- A EX (20) self but hopes that he can make good in S IN (40) Karma: 46 his new role. Though prone to act impetu- E IN (40) ously, he is able to deal with any situation R TY (6) Resources: EX* that arises from his actions. He has a more I EX (20) casual attitude about the “fair use” of his P EX (20) Popularity: 50 * * augmented strength against unpowered opponents than does John Walker. * The new Bucky is supported by the U.S. government. * * Again, this is largely due to name asso- ciation, and it will likely change after he DR. KARL MALUS™ receives more public exposure. Karl Malus; creator of super- villains KNOWN POWERS: F PR (4) Health: 24 Shield: The new Bucky was given an A GD (10) Incredible-strength shield by the govern- S TY (6) Karma: 70 ment. This shield, which resembles the E PR (4) one originally used by Captain America R RM (30) Resources: FE/RM* during World War II, cannot be hurled. I EX (20) However, it can be used defensively in the P EX (20) Popularity: – 10 usual manner and also as a smashing weapon ( + 1 CS to Lemar’s Fighting ability * Feeble at present; Remarkable when when using it; Incredible damage). When employed by Power Broker, Inc. not in use, the shield may be slung over Bucky’s back. KNOWN POWERS: None.

Body Armor: Lemar Hoskins underwent TALENTS: Dr. Malus has a doctorate-level the same physiological augmentation proc- degree in biology and has Incredible Rea- ess as John Walker, and as a result was son in that field. He has great knowledge Power Broker, Inc., and the long-defunct granted the same sort of dense bone and in the fields of chemistry and radiology as Corporation. In addition, Malus apparently muscle structure. He has Typical protec- well, and these talents give him Amazing knows at least one good lawyer and a bail- tion from physical attacks, and his cos- Reason when applied to the study of bondsman or two. tume extends that protection to apply superhuman physiology and genetic against heat, cold, and electricity. manipulation techniques, such as those he HISTORY: From the time that he first used to create the augmentation process read of the Fantastic Four in the newspa- TALENTS: Lemar has received combat undergone by Walker, Hoskins, D-Man (see per, Dr. Malus was fascinated by the sub- training which grants him Martial Arts A, below), and many others [see DRAGON ject of superhuman powers. Upon his B, and E, and Acrobatics skill. At present, issue #121, “The Marvel®-Phile”]. graduation from UCLA, Dr. Malus applied to several institutions for funds to finance subsequent attempt to use the Armadillo investigation of that organization, cannot an in-depth study of supernormal capaci- to free Goliath for the purpose of forming be said to have friendly contacts within ties. Failing to achieve his goal through a team of superhuman henchmen led to the company’s personnel. He is on good legal means, Malus turned to the Los his arrest and his second prison term. terms with several of his former fellow Angeles underworld in search of potential While serving time, Malus was contacted UCWF wrestlers, most notably the Thing. investors. In short order, he was set up by Power Broker, Inc., and he agreed to Dennis has become a close friend of Steve with adequate laboratory facilities with work for the company in return for his Rogers as a result of their brief partner- the understanding that his “investors” freedom. While employed by Power Bro- ship during his investigation of the Power would be allowed to exploit the results of ker, Inc., Malus performed the same physi- Broker and, as a result of this association, his work. Those same investors provided ological augmentation process he had used recently met the Falcon, Nomad, and Malus with human test subjects. on Goliath, now augmenting many men, Nomads female companion, Vagabond. None of Malus’s early test subjects sur- most of them members of the UCWF or vived, though his research did lead him to employees of Power Broker, Inc. It should LIMITATION: Dennis Dunphy has had creating a number of chemical-based be noted that Malus still hasn’t perfected severe heart trouble and may reinjure weapons which he sold to Los Angeles his augmentation process, and that rough- himself if strained to his limits. Any criminals such as the Enforcer. His first ly half of those who undergo the treat- attempt at a Red Strength or Endurance major break came when the criminal ment end up brain-damaged or disfigured FEAT causes him to make a second Endur- called the Fly approached him seeking a [as noted in DRAGON issue #121). ance FEAT immediately afterward. Any way to bolster his waning powers. His Malus’s current stay in prison resulted result other than a Red or Yellow result encounter with the Fly led him to a run-in from an investigation by Captain America allows him to perform normally; a Yellow with the original Spider-Woman, which in into the source of Super-Patriot’s superhu- result causes him to rest for 1-10 rounds, turn led Malus to jail following a brief stay man abilities. With the help of Demolition with some chest pain and shortness of in the hospital. Man, a UCWF wrestler who had been breath. A Red result is treated as a Kill Following his short stay in prison, Malus augmented by Malus, Cap located and result with an edged (sharp) weapon, worked free-lance for a time, renewing exposed Malus’s illegal lab. Exactly how requiring immediate hospitalization from a the powers of the original Power Man and long Malus will remain incarcerated is a major heart attack. See the Advanced Set giving him a new name (Goliath) and cos- question for the courts to decide. Players’ Book for the MARVEL SUPER tume. His creation of the Armadillo and HEROES® game, page 29.

HISTORY: Dennis Dunphy is a former DEMOLITION MAN™ professional wrestler who took advantage Dennis “Demolition” Dunphy, alias of the strength-enhancing process offered D-Man; former pro wrestler, now by Power Broker, Inc., to be able to com- crimefighting adventurer pete in the UCWF. Calling himself Demoli- tion Dunphy, he soon became one of the F IN (40) Health: 136 UCWF’s top wrestlers. He enjoyed life as a A TY (6) wrestler and amassed a small fortune in S IN (40) Karma: 36 winnings, building an estate in the Santa E AM (50) Monica Mountains near Los Angeles. R GD (10) Resources: RM The Demolition Man identity was cre- I EX (20) ated by Dunphy to provide him with a P TY (6) Popularity: 20/6 * cover while he aided Captain America in his investigation into the activities of * 20 as Demolition Dunphy, 6 as D-Man (he Power Broker, Inc. In the course of their has yet to make public his identity as an investigation, D-Man was captured by adventurer). several strength-augmented men who worked for the Power Broker. As a captive KNOWN POWERS: of the organization, he was subjected to augmentation to a point that nearly Body Armor: Prior to entering the UCWF, destroyed his muscles; he was then inject- Dunphy underwent the physiological ed with a drug which caused him to go augmentation process employed by Dr. berserk and attack Captain America, who Malus under the auspices of Power Bro- had been locked in an augmentation cham- ker, Inc. The treatment gave him Excellent ber with him. Eventually, Dunphy col- protection from physical attacks and Typi- lapsed from heart failure but was saved by cal resistance to heat and cold. the quick action of Cap and subsequently returned to a stable physiological condi- TALENTS: As a member of the UCWF, tion by Dr. Malus. Dennis trained enough to gain Wrestling Following his recovery and Roger’s talent as well as Martial Arts A and C. He retirement from his post as Captain Ameri- also possesses a fair degree of knowledge ca, Dunphy opted to quit the UCWF and in the area of professional wrestling orga- become a full-time masked adventurer. He nization and management. Dunphy rides a handled the major calls from Cap’s hot line motorcycle as do Nomad and Steve Rogers. service until he, Nomad, Falcon, and Vaga- bond joined forces with Steve Rogers to CONTACTS: Dunphy has had dealings fight crime. Steve Rogers uses a black, with Power Broker, Inc., but because of white, and red uniform designed by Dun- his role in aiding Captain America in his phy, and calls himself simply “Cap.” TM FLAG-SMASHER damage for 1-10 rounds afterward unless es: French, German, Italian, Russian, Real name known to the authori- the flames are extinguished). English, Japanese, and Esperanto. ties hut not publicly revealed; Tear gas gun: This weapon has the fol- former student, now terrorist lowing combat statistics: Good range; one CONTACTS: Flag-Smasher is currently shot per turn; eight-shot magazine; and, affiliated with the terrorist organization F RM (30) Health: 80 fires Remarkable-strength tear gas requir- called ULTIMATUM and can gain any A GD (10) ing an Endurance FEAT to resist its effects manpower that he might need through his S EX (20) Karma: 46 (which last for 1-10 rounds after victims ties to ULTIMATUM. It is apparent that he E EX (20) are removed from exposure to the gas). has access to at least one black-market R GD (10) Resources: FE/IN* Mace: Flag-Smasher’s trademark weapon weapons dealer, and he may have further I RM (30) is a spiked mace made of Incredible- ties in the international underworld. P TY (6) Popularity: – 20 strength steel. He may employ it to inflict either blunt or edged damage, but in HISTORY: The father of the young man * Feeble at present; Incredible with back- either case it inflicts Remarkable damage. who eventually became the Flag-Smasher ing of ULTIMATUM (see below). Flag-Smasher’s Fighting is Incredible when was a wealthy Swiss banker and diplomat. using the mace. He allowed his son to accompany him on KNOWN POWERS: None. Hovercraft: When he first appeared, many of his missions to foreign companies,

Flag-Smasher drove a rocket-propelled, which proved to be a sort of mixed bless- WEAPONS: In the past, Flag-Smasher has ATV-like hovercraft which was severely ing in terms of its influence on the boy’s employed the following weapons and damaged during his first battle with Cap- social development. While he did learn a devices: tain America. The vehicle was equipped lot about foreign cultures and the need to Costume: His costume is made of highly with a remote control (Excellent range) promote international understanding, the resilient fibrous materials, providing him and, when in working order, had the boy often encountered prejudice, which with Good protection from physical following statistics: Excellent control; made him grow introverted and angry. attacks and Typical protection from heat Incredible speed; Incredible body; and, While living in Tokyo, he learned to chan- and cold. The lenses in the mask of his Good armor protection. nel his anger into the practice of the mar- costume give him Excellent resistance to tial arts – shotokan karate-do in light-based blinding attacks. TALENTS: Flag-Smasher is a gifted hand- particular. At the age of 15, he achieved a Flamethrower pistol: Flag-Smasher uses to-hand combatant, with Martial Arts A black belt. At the age of 19, his father was a cut-down version of a standard military and E tucked firmly under his black belt. trampled to death in a protest outside of flamethrower which conforms to the As noted above, he is skilled in the use of the Latverian embassy in New York City. statistics given for such weapons (as per the mace and has Remarkable Agility It was the death of his father which the Advanced Set Players’Book, page 43), when using handguns. Furthermore, he prompted Flag-Smasher to begin his career but with Typical range and Excellent was once a student of international diplo- of terrorism. He felt that his father had damage on the first round (and Typical macy and as such learned several languag- pursued the goals of world peace and unity too passively, so he decided to airline passengers, thus violating one of F EX (20) Health: 50 spread the word using the universal lan- Cap’s most cherished points of honor – A GD (10) guage of violence. He started off by attack- the preservation of human life. Cap has S GD (10) Karma: 22 ing national embassies and symbols of suffered serious repercussions from unfa- E GD (10) nations, decrying nationalism and patriot- vorable media attention as a result (as R TY (6) Resources: TY/IN* ism as dangerous concepts which pro- would be expected with a complete loss of I GD (10) moted world disorder. His first major Karma in game terms); his situation could P TY (6) Popularity: 0/-10* * press coverage came when he attacked be compared in some ways with John Captain America at a press conference in Walker’s following the latter’s killing of * Typical Resources as individuals; Incredi- which Cap was announcing the creation of Professor Power, though in the latter case, ble Resources if backed by ULTIMATUM. his nationwide hot line. Flag-Smasher used Walker lost his temper and could have * * The former statistic applies to individ- the opportunity to present his view of avoided killing his foe. uals normally; the latter applies to those world politics to a captive audience, but acting while wearing ULTIMATUM suits. found his regularly scheduled program ULTIMATUM™ interrupted by a police SWAT team. He Terrorist organization EQUIPMENT: Members of ULTIMATUM was subsequently apprehended by Captain wear black and white uniforms which are America. ULTIMATUM is an acronym which made of ballistic cloth and provide Typical In his second attempt to enlighten the stands for Underground Liberated Totally protection from physical attacks. The world, Flag-Smasher faired no better, in Integrated Mobile Army To Unite Man- goggles of their uniforms grant them Good spite of the aid of several dozen operatives kind. The organization is ideologically protection from light-based blinding of ULTIMATUM. The second attempt opposed to the concepts of nationalism attacks. All soldiers of ULTIMATUM are began with the skyjacking of an American and countries, and its activities are equipped with submachine guns and airliner from London and ended with Cap designed to subvert the governments and knives, the statistics for which can be and the European branch of SHIELD safe- political structures of all nations. The full found respectively on pages 43 and 45 of ly freeing the passengers of the airliner, origins of ULTIMATUM have yet to be the Advanced Set Players' Book. They also capturing Flag-Smasher and his forces. At disclosed, but it is known that the bulk of carry at least one spare clip of ammo for present, Flag-Smasher and a sizable por- its membership is culled from the ranks of the submachine guns. tion of the membership of ULTIMATUM experienced agents of HYDRA who sud- are in SHIELD custody. Steve Rogers is denly found themselves unemployed in TALENTS: Standard-issue ULTIMATUM especially irritated with Flag-Smasher and the wake of the demise of that long-extant troops are trained in Guns and Martial company as Rogers was forced to kill an terrorist group. Agents of ULTIMATUM Arts B talents. Of course, Judges are free ULTIMATUM operative while rescuing the have the following game statistics: to create nonstandard, agents as well.

D RAGON 79 Night falls on Washington, DC. – Just admiring the local Mindscape perhaps for the very last time. You’ve got one chance to save it (and the The Role of world) in Mindscape’s S.D.I. Computers

ture runs on the Apple Macintosh and mend that game-saves be initiated twice ©1987 by Hartley, Patricia, offers superb three-dimensional graphics, for each room: once when you first enter, and Kirk Lesser the ability to pick up and move objects, then again just before you leave. and some of the finest digitized sound Your Macintosh screen contains several effects ever used in a Macintosh game. windows. The Command Window located Our column this month deals with three There are many opportunities to prove at the top center of your screen allows games from a company called Mindscape, one’s mettle, as adversaries are frequently you to control your destiny within the whose fantasy adventure and strategy/ encountered and are more than just cold- once-magnificent Shadowgate castle. To arcade game offerings are certainly worth or warm-blooded beasties. There are traps the immediate left is the Inventory Win- investigating as additions to your game and puzzles galore, many of which depend dow, within which are graphic representa- library. upon your memory of previously explored tions of those items you are carrying. regions and your retained treasures for Center screen is the actual viewing win- Mindscape, Inc. their solutions. dow, revealing all that you can see in your 3444 Dundee Road Shadowgate was developed by ICOM present position. The screen shown here Northbrook IL 60062 Simulations, the designer of Uninvited and reveals one of the deadliest dangers in the Deja Vu. Shadowgate uses the Macintosh Tomb Room: a rotter of a banshee who graphic-user interface. Of premium note is exits from the leftmost upright tomb and Feature review the fact that you can save and recall spe- does you in! The large window at the Shadowgate ***** cific game-saves throughout your adven- bottom of the screen is the Message Win- Heroism is required to play Shadowgate, ture at any time. This is great, because dow, where details regarding your activi- a fantastic, graphically oriented, heroic- characters are terminated repeatedly ties and surroundings are revealed to you fantasy game from Mindscape. The adven- throughout your quest. We highly recom- as the game progresses. On the right side

80 DECEMBER 1987 of the screen and above the Message Win- of the doors (without that particular key, attack fighters. Second, the United States dow is the Exits Window which reveals all the adventure would end). We strongly must be protected from Soviet missiles. known or visible exits from your current suggest you study the opening scene very Third, the SDI satellites must be repaired location. carefully and try double-clicking on when hit; otherwise your defensive pos- The final onscreen window is the Thy- objects surrounding the door. Early in the ture against the incoming missiles is weak- self Window, which not only informs you game, you will also locate a book that ened-as each satellite is destroyed. Fourth, as to your current health, but enables you possesses a valuable object for use in your you must rescue Natalya Kazarian, the to initially open the Inventory Window. explorations. Here, you must not forget commander of a Soviet space station that Thyself is also used when you wish to that to examine a book, it isn’t necessary hasn’t yet fallen to the KGB-led rebels. operate something in a personal manner. to move it. Some items you’ll want to find Fifth, after you successfully rescue Kazari- For example, there is a torch in one of the right away are three gems, a shield, and an, you must finish off all remaining ene- early rooms that reveals a secret door if more keys. my fighters. pulled. In order to accomplish this action, If you continually die because of some These are no easy tasks to complete! You you move the mouse cursor to Thyself, action, and are bound and determined to must learn how to fly your starfighter, click once, then move to the Command figure out a solution to this problem, remem- how to dock with either the American or Window and click on Operate, and finally ber that there are some activities within Soviet space station, how to use the orbital move to the object to be moved. In this Shadowgate that were designed simply to scanners in the U.S. space station, and case, you move the mouse cursor into the cause death There’s no other reason for how to command the missile defense actual viewing window and click on the their existence. The fact that such traps are system. This latter activity requires that torch, hold down the mouse button, and there doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s a you not only select the primary satellite pull the mouse down. The torch then reward for trying to figure out their mean- for sequencing against incoming hostile moves onscreen, and the door is suddenly ing. When you locate two bridges, there is a missiles, but also the secondary satellite, in revealed. reason why one of the bridges has stan- the event that the primary satellite is How do you know if an object you see chions mounted with human skulls; don’t damaged. You must determine whether a has some bearing on your adventure? ignore obvious warnings. full beam (full power in a single burst) or Simple: You click on the object in the view- Instead of writing to us for hints, we pulse mode (multiple shots) is to be uti- ing window. If that object has some game recommend that you write to Mindscape lized by each primary and secondary influence, it becomes highlighted. You can and order the Shadowgate Hint Book. The satellite. then manipulate the object in a manner company has cleverly designed the Hint Although the game’s feel can become you feel is appropriate. For example, soon- Book so that the clues are coded. An “A” routine after several rounds of play, the er or later you’ll find a sling. The neces- code continues to shroud the true answer Amiga computer’s graphics and sound sary complement to a sling are small rocks in mystery, hinting at a possible solution to effects continue to add heightened arcade or pebbles to be flung at targets. Once the a specific dilemma. A “B” code offers more excitement to S.D.I. These do not wear rocks are found, you move the mouse of a hint than the “A” code, but won’t give thin, even after several games. cursor onto them and click once. The you the complete answer. The “C” code is rocks are now highlighted. You then drag the answer to your problem, and should Mini-Review the rocks to the Inventory Window, and only be utilized as a last resort to preserve In to The Eagle’s Nest **** they leave the viewing window. There is a the game’s excitement and problem solving Into the Eagle’s Nest concerns three limit as to how much wealth, weaponry, environment. Allied saboteurs who are being held in a and torches you can carry, so you’ll find it Shadowgate is a great adventure game in top-secret Nazi fortress called the Eagle’s necessary throughout the adventure to that you must continually be aware of Nest. Your orders are to infiltrate the constantly evaluate what you are carrying what’s already been accomplished to com- Eagle’s Nest, rescue the captives, and as to its specific worth. Most objects you plete subsequent puzzles. The graphics destroy the Nest with explosives, while at find have some fairly specific value; once are truly superb, and the digitized sound the same time saving art treasures the that particular use has been completed, –ranging from the squeaking of doors to Nazis have stolen. Think you’re up to the the object involved should be discarded. the laughter of the evil one – heightens assignment? With help from Mindscape, The castle is very dark, requiring you to the sense of adventure. We highly recom- you’ll be in the Nazi nest rescuing Allied carry torches; these are located in sconces mend this offering to anyone with access comrades and artwork before you can say throughout the old fortress and should be to a Macintosh. Should you complete your “Eisenhower.” seized whenever possible. You are warned quest, the game will honor you. If you You play the role of an Allied soldier if your current torch is about to give out; don’t complete the quest, the only reason who has just entered the Eagle’s Nest. Your a message indicating that the flame is for such failure is that you’re simply dead mission involves infiltrating the four cas- flickering is received in the Message Win- on your feet! tles that comprise the Eagle’s Nest com- dow. At this point, you should click on the plex. Once inside the complex, you must active torch in your inventory, then click Mini-Review rescue one hostage from each of the first on Operate in the Command Window, and S.D.I. *** three castles, then destroy the fourth finally click on an unlit torch in your Also from Mindscape for the Amiga is an castle with explosives. You carry a inventory. The new torch bursts into arcade game with excellent graphics, machine gun and enough ammunition for flames, and you can discard the old torch. called S.D.I., which stands for Strategic 99 shots. The good news is that you’re in We certainly have no desire to give this Defense Initiative. This game is a member such good physical shape that you can game away to those who wish to enter the of the company’s extraordinary Cinema- sustain 50 shots from enemy soldiers exciting realms of Shadowgate. The real ware family, in which the offerings tend yourself. key to the adventure is to click on every- more toward the feel of an interactive A joystick is required for control, and thing in the viewing window to see what movie rather than static software. Other the firing button is depressed when you can possibly be of use to you. For example, offerings in the Cinemaware group wish to fire your machine gun. Nazis in the opening view, you’re confronted include Defender of the Crown and King swarm around the castles like bees to with a front entrance that opens for you of Chicago. honey, and each requires two well-placed when double-clicked upon the door itself. In S.D.I., the Soviets, led by KGB- shots to eliminate. Nazis who are sitting at However, once inside, you’re confronted commanded revolutionaries, have initiated a table are far easier to do away with, with two doors, both of which are locked. a missile strike against American SDI requiring but one well-placed shot apiece. There is a key somewhere in the immedi- forces. You have five objectives. First, you While inside the castles, you find crates ate area with which to unlock at least one must totally negate the threat of the KGB which are either open or closed. Shooting

D RAGON 81 at closed crates can be very dangerous, for find a prisoner and leave, the program to get Pat, a friend who is hooked on some of them hold explosives. Also, many saves the game position so you won’t have drugs, out of a seedy hotel. While wander- art objects are in some of the crates, and to start over at that castle ever again. ing through the hotels dank corridors, you can retrieve these for extra points if Into the Eagle’s Nest is a nicely pro- students come face to face with the reali- they are undamaged. grammed adventure and strategy game ties of drug addiction. They must figure Ammunition is not unlimited, and if you from Mindscape, and is definitely worth out how to get out of the hotel by answer- are not careful, your machine gun can run the purchase price. The graphics are ing questions about drugs, by destroying out of rounds. There are ammunition excellent on the Commodore 64, and even drugs stashed away on each floor, and by dumps throughout the castles where you though the sound effects were minimal at finding and identifying the drug on which can reload your machine gun. Many closed best, those that the program does employ Pat is hooked. Designed by Methods & and locked doors inside the castles can sound realistic. We thoroughly enjoyed Solutions, this program gives elementary also be opened with a burst or two from this game and hope that Mindscape con- and high-school students the basic facts of your gun, while other doors can only be tinues to develop games of this caliber. drug abuse through a responsible and opened by using keys found in the castles. entertaining computer program. During First-aid kits and food are also essential to Also of importance is a new educational the game, students consult the Drug Alert! the maintenance of life, as they heal lost software offering from Mindscape called on-line handbook. Drug Alert! is available hit points. A nice feature is that once you Drug Alert!, in which students are asked for the Apple II computer family ($39.95).

News and new products simulation, Hardball, is now available in Electronic Arts formats for both the Apple IIGS and Com- 1820 Gateway Drive Accolade, Inc. modore Amiga computers. The realistic San Mateo CA 94404 20813 Stevens Creek Boulevard animation, natural playability, and ultra- (415) 571-7171 Cupertino CA 95014 large characters featured in the game (408) 446-5757 utilize the enhanced graphics and sound Electronic Arts has added two new capabilities of both of these computers to additions to its Amazing Software line of Killed Until Dead is a new murder- their fullest. The game features 3-D field action-oriented software programs. The mystery game from Accolade for the perspectives, and as many as six different first is Delta Patrol, in which you com- Apple II family of computers. Killed Until pitches may be thrown by either a right. mand a battle cruiser in the Delta Sector Dead is an interactive text-and-graphics or left-handed pitcher ($33.95). of space. Described as a junkyard of lost murder mystery. It features sophisticated ships, alien bandits, and unknown forces animation with over 20 different plots. of destruction, the Delta Sector is the The game presents the player with a Activision, Inc. toughest neighborhood in space – and, as unique challenge: trying to prevent a 2350 Bayshore Parkway a member of an elite police squadron murder rather than solving a murder. The Mountain View CA 94043 called Delta Patrol, Delta Sector is your player becomes Hercule Holmes, a master (415) 960-0410 beat. Your assignment is to penetrate its sleuth who must solve the mystery before boundaries and terminate the enemy the murder hour at midnight. The game Users of the Atari 2600 game machine: forces that hide within them. Accompa- ends at midnight – approximately 24 Don’t give up hope for new game offer- nied by a symphonic sound track, the minutes in actual playing time. Killed Until ings! Activision has signed an agreement game action whisks you into battle with Dead simulates the options a real detective with Absolute Entertainment to sell and more than 200 alien attack waves in over would choose from to collect data and distribute two new cartridges: Title Match 30 levels of colorfully animated regions of investigate suspects. Operating from his Pro Wrestling and Skateboardin’. In the space. As for our official review... desk, Hercule Holmes can access informa- first game, players select one of four wres- tion from character profiles, a video- tlers for slammin’ at mat-time. The second Mini-Review telephone, and a surveillance machine. game finds players challenged with mazes Delta Patrol **** Killed Until Dead is available for $34.95. of streets and obstacles for the fastest Delta Patrol is the worst duty anyone Accolade has announced that its baseball skateboarding times. could be assigned, but someone has to

82 DECEMBER 1987

manage this operation. You look rather each, you will be promoted to Sanxion sequences, with Ground, Sky Targets, and stupi–er, I mean, brave enough to take on Class 1 and be transferred to the Dark Ground Targets. You can use either the the Delta Sector. But watch out for galactic Side to challenge a secondary attack force. joystick/mouse or the keyboard. We found pirates, alien fighter ships, rampaging Sanxion is available for the Commodore this offering highly appealing; it puts you creatures, and deadly scenery. Don’t just 64/128 ($19.95). Watch for a review of on the edge of your seat ($39.95). sit there – load that disk and get moving! Sanxion in our next column. This arcade game is another of Electron- New World Computing, Inc. ic Arts’ Amazing Software line. In this Firebird Licensees, Inc. 14922 Calvert Street offering, you must patrol a sector and P.O. Box 49 Van Nuys CA 91411 blow away anything that moves. The one Ramsey NY 07446 (818) 785-0519 (Tech support) feature that makes this game extremely Firebird Licensees has released The addictive is that whenever you destroy an Guild of Thieves, the long-awaited sequel Good news for Might and Magic players entire wave of attacking aliens, you to The Pawn, in Commodore 64/128 for- and would-be players! New World Com- receive credit for your actions. You may mat. This is an engrossing, illustrated puting is currently producing a much- use these credits to buy weapons and ship adventure that takes place in the mythical needed and highly desired hint book for modifications that may make your addi- kingdom of Kerovnia. Magnetic Scrolls, the its mammoth fantasy-adventure role- tional missions somewhat easier. Be fore- company responsible for both of these playing game (distributed by Activision). warned: You’ll encounter opposing ships titles, has added witty dialogue, outstand- According to president Jon Van that are not supposed to be shot at. If you ing graphics, wry humor, and challenging Ganeghem, the hint book should be availa- hit one of these ships, credits are subtract- puzzles in perfect measure. Included is a ble by the time this column is published. ed from your total. humorous 40-page novella, a Bank of At the time of this writing, Jon was unsure This game brings in a new type of Kerovnia credit card, an Indenture and how the hints would be treated – wheth- arcade action, in which players can select Contract of Service Certificate, dice, play er they would be coded (similar to the what they wish to use to help them defeat guide, and other goodies ($39.95). Mindscape hint books) or directly related the evil forces that lurk in space. The to specific puzzles found within the game weapons you can buy include: Infocom, Inc. itself. If you haven’t played Might and Extra Speed: increases the speed of your 125 Cambridge Park Drive Magic yet, hang on – versions for the attack craft; Cambridge MA 02140 most popular computer systems (IBM, Rate of Fire: provides additional fire (617) 492-6000 Macintosh, and Commodore) are due for power to your ship; release before Christmas! Multiple Fire: allows you to fire from the Infocom has introduced Plundered rear, port, or starboard sides; Hearts, a software adventure-game specifi- The Clue Corner Fish Weapon: allows you to go after the cally aimed at women. Through gripping Our hint this month comes from Douglas really tough enemies; prose, challenging predicaments, and Pickell of Medford, Ore. Doug writes that, Protector: repels the enemy ships; scenes of derring-do, author Amy Briggs as an enthusiastic player of The Bard’s Tale Warper: slows enemy vessels down, has managed to create a software title that II (Electronic Arts), he finally figured out making them easier targets; and, is equally appealing to men. Prerelease one particular problem that faces all Supa Shield: provides the ultimate in testers and reviewers, the majority of adventurers, and wanted to share his protection from enemy blasts. whom are male, have had an overwhelm- findings: The price for each weapon increases ingly favorable response to Plundered “In Colosee, there is a wizard known as with each modification, ranging from one Hearts. As the heroine of this game, you the Strange Mage who is located in the credit for Extra Speed to a whopping find adventure at every turn as you sail to center of town. When your party ‘bumps’ seven credits for the Supa Shield. The the Caribbean to aid your ailing father. into him, he will ask for an answer to a modifications are well worth the price, This sultry romance is the first Infocom question. He wants two words that will however, for there are many different story in which the main character is a split the rock which is referred to in the kinds of aliens that each modification is woman. Infocom provides the salt air, Tombs. Just answer ‘Freeze’ for the first especially designed to handle. Some of the steamy tropical nights, and treacherous word and ‘Please’ for the second word to aliens prefer attacking in a spiral wave, characters essential to heart-pounding enter the final dungeon in The Bard's Tale making them very hard to hit. Other aliens adventure on the high seas. Although it’s II.” resemble “Space Donuts” and have a whip- rough sailing, you maintain control of Don’t forget to mail in your hints and lash maneuver that tries to smash your your fate. Plundered Hearts is available tips for recognition of your hard work and ship. Other aliens are immune to a single for IBM micros and compatibles, Apple II game play! offensive blast, and can only be destroyed series, Macintosh, Atari ST and S-bit sys- by firing on one region of the ship. tems, and Commodore 64/128 and Amiga In conclusion The three-dimensional graphics for the ($34.95 for S-bit systems and $39.95 for all Reviews to come: The Ancient Art of Commodore 64/128 are stunning and other computers). War At Sea from Broderbund Software alone are worth the price of the software. (San Rafael, Calif.); The Tower of Myraglen This is an arcade shoot-‘em-up that any Miles Computing from PBI Software (Foster City, Calif.); and C64/128 user will wish to own; the price 7741 Alabama Avenue, Suite 2 The Eternal Dagger from Strategic Simula- only makes the game more attractive Canoga Park CA 91304 tions (Mountain View, Calif.). ($19.95). (818) 341-1411 Don’t forget – we need your vote for the best gaming software you’ve played in The second offering from Electronic When the Macintosh computer first the last year. We’ll separate the vote tallies Arts is Sanxion, in which you and your made its entry into the world of users, few into groups for each computer system, high-speed attack craft are the lone companies developed games for that then make the DRAGON® Magazine com- defenders of a world under siege. Alien machine. One of the first was Miles Com- puter game awards, known as the The drones are attacking the cities of your puting, which developed and marketed a Beasties, early next year. Please mail your planet, and your ability to align your ship’s fine arcade-style space shoot-‘em-up enti- vote to: superior firepower with enemy targets is tled MacWars. The company has now all that you have to defend yourself. If you released a fine version for the Atari ST Hartley and Patricia Lesser can defeat a line of attacks in 10 sectors and has called it Atari STWars. There is 179 Pebble Place and complete the training course following true 3-D flight through 10 separate San Ramon CA 94583

84 DECEMBER 1987 D RAGON 85 by Lawrence R. Raimonda U 2 KAN ERN Times are hard, and adventures promis- ing wealth and fame are few and far between. How can you make sure that you are right for the adventurer’s life? How? It’s easy! Here at the Greyhawk Institute for Adventurous Neophyte Train- ing, we have come up with the sure-fire solution: the Superior Personality Under Development course. That’s right! Person- ality is the key to conquest! It’s the real reason one fighter is chosen over the other when adventuring groups are formed. Are you too sophisticated for hack-n-slash? Do friends call you “stupid” as a compliment? Do rabid orcish maraud- ers think of you as being too aggressive? No problem! At the Greyhawk Institute for Adventur- ous Neophyte Training, we’ll put you through an intense program of classroom instruction and on-the-job training. Also, at no extra cost, you will receive our Superi- or Personality Under Development study guide. Just take a few minutes and fill out the following application. You can’t afford Take this exam and join the to pass this opportunity by! adventuring horde! 1. You’ve just arrived in a new town. You immediately: a. sigh in relief. b. find the nearest tavern. c. strip down to your underwear. d. do all of the above, to start with.

2. Wizards are: a. snappy dressers. b. valuable allies. c. awful darn smart. d. cute on the end of a spear.

3. What’s the best way to test for trap- doors? a. With eyes shut. b. Make the half-ogre go first. c. Jump up and down a lot. d. Burn the place to the ground.

4. It’s late at night, the moon is full, and you notice that your partner is turning hairy. What do you do? a. Compliment him on his coiffure. b. Whip out the scissors and wolves- bane. c. Check your pack for doggie chow. d. Join him.

5. A portable hole: a. a day keeps the ogre away. b. comes in handy in the king’s treasury. c. What? d. holds a lot of beer, 6. Given the choice, you’d rather have: a. lint-free chain mail. b. l,000,000 gold pieces. c. a chocolate-chip cookie. Illustrations by Roger Raupp d. a sword and a major land war.

86 DECEMBER 1987 7. Describe a hill giant. 17. Your favorite choice for a pet 27. What’s the most important thing a. A large, smelly Muppet. would be: about making camp? b. Big, hairy, ugly, and strong. a. a gerbil. a. Keep the marshmallows in a clean, c. Your last blind date. b. a war dog. dry place. d. All of the above. c. a dung beetle. b. Keep the fire low and post guards. d. a mammoth. c. Have appropriate party games. 8. You are in a cave when your torch d. Have the others do all the work. goes out. You: 18. How can you detect for evil align- a. scream. ment among your henchmen? 28. The best kind of partner is one b. cannot see. a. Look for bad penmanship. with: c. hit your head. b. Cast a spell. a. a warm personality. d. throw the torch away and continue c. Flip a coin. b. a good sword-arm. on ahead. d. Use torture. c. a game of checkers. d. a keg of ale. 9. Your deity tells you to walk on hot 19. What is the first thing you should coals. You promptly: say when you spot a bugbear? 29. If you had to choose one of four a. practice shouting “Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!” a. “So, how does my leg taste?” doors before you, which would it be? b. get a new deity. b. “Don’t come any closer! I’ve got a a. The door out. c. invite your friends to a cook-out. sword!” b. The treasure-room door. d. attack him. c. “Nice ears.” c. That one. d. “Yo! Ugly! Let’s party!” d. The booby-trapped door. 10. You find out that the ship you are on is manned by vicious, savage buc- 20. If there’s anything you hate, it’s: 30. In matters of life and death, you caneers. You: a. mismatched armor. should: a. double-check the travel brochure. b. being drawn and quartered. a. choose life. b. swim for shore. c. the letter “c” b. avoid death. c. taunt them. d. not got long to live. c. dress warmly. d. join them. d. loot and kill and pillage and burn. 21. Witches: 11. What makes your mouth. water? a. make great gingerbread. 31. You find the thief who stole your a. Vichyssoise. b. aren’t allowed in my DM’s campaign, horse, money bag, and provisions. You b. A leg of mutton and a jug of mead. either. then: c. A burger and fries. c. Where? a. count from 1 to 10 before speaking. d. A dead brontosaurus. d. don’t wear underwear. b. demand your belongings back, or else. c. give him the rest of your things. 12. What is a bard? d. turn him into lasagne. 22. There’s nothing more exciting a. A sophisticated, wandering musician. than: b. My DM doesn’t allow them. a. the full moon at midnight. c. A piece of lumber. 32. Before you’d ever abandon your b. the thrill of victory. d. The hair on your face. friends, you’d rather: c. answering this question. a. kiss a goat. d. hand-to-hand combat with a thousand b. slap a sunburned frost giant on the 13. What scares you the most? cannibals. back. a. Gross, icky, crawly things. c. get permission first. b. A tribe of bloodthirsty primitives on d. get all of their money first. your doorstep. 23. What heals all wounds? c. An umber hulk in leotards. a. Thyme. d. Mom. b. Time. 33. “Halt!” means: c. Tyme. a. “Surrender!” d. A week in a harem. b. “Stop!” 14. Which would you take as your c. “Hello!” share of the loot? 24. Select a title for yourself. d. “Attack!” a. Gems and jewelry. a. Gerard the Thoughtful. b. A treasure map. b. Lars the Mighty. c. A wooden nickel. c. Fred. 34. If asked what your price is for a d. The loot. d. The Terror of Morovia. dirty adventuring job, what do you say? a. “Lunch at the Bulette Cafe.” 15. Someone in your party is a thief. 25. Keep an eye on your fellow trav- b. “The going rate,” It’s probably: eler. He might be: c. “I’ll pay anything!” a. that mysterious, cloaked stranger. a. a barbarian. d. “How much have you got? Your fami- b. the dwarf with his hand in your pocket. b. a thief. ly, then – how much have they got? c. your horse. c. a Democrat. Mmm. Got any sisters?” d. all of the above. d. Demogorgon.

16. You are trapped by a cave-in. You 35. You find yourself alone and unarm- immediately: 26. A princess is trapped in a dragon’s ed in a cave with 100 hungry carnivo- a. scream again. cave. You should: rous apes. What is your next move? b. try to dig your way out. a. ask someone to help her out. a. Hide. c. choose the best position to be found in. b. rescue the princess. b. Hide. d. kill the fool who knocked over the c. rescue the dragon. c. Hide. support beam. d. rob them both. d. Fight.

D RAGON 87 36. You must never forget: 41. Your castle has been overrun by 46. If you were told that a treasure lay a. to clean up afterward. hobgoblins. You’ve been fighting and in a hole in the wall, would you stick b. your spells. running from them all day, and have your hand inside? c. the. . . the, uh . . . uh . . . finally managed to hide from them. a. No. d. to check for treasure. Then, your henchman knocks over a b. Maybe. vase. You then: c. Inside what? a. soil your pants. d. Yes. 37. The best way to handle a poison- b. grit your teeth and ready your weapon. ous spider is: c. fix the vase. 47. How strong are you? a. from afar. d. throw the henchman out into the hall. a. Not very. b. with a glove. b. Above average. c. by blackmail. 42. You are trapped in a 10’ × 10’ c. Not very; just had a bath. d. with a hammer of thunderbolts. room, and the walls are closing in. d. Damn strong. What do you do? a. Yell for help. 38. An ogre invites you to dinner. You b. Use a dagger to jam a wall. 48. Do you think there should be should: c. Leave. rights for orcs? a. check his references. d. Wait for the hangover to pass. a. Yes. b. decline. b. No. c. accept. 43. What’s the best way to catch a c. Maybe. d. show up wearing your best ogre- golem? d. Sure: rights, lefts, right crosses, left slayer. a. Set out a saucer of milk. jabs, right uppercuts, etc. b. Dig a humongously deep pit. c. Is that a disease? 39. You find a dwarf chained in a cell. d. Wrestle him down and hog-tie him. 49. Describe a daring deed. He says that he’ll lead you to lots of a. Inviting a goblin to a Tupperware treasure if you release him. You 44. What’s a good sign that you’ve had party. should: too much to drink? b. Facing a tribal chieftain in single a. think about it. a. The room is spinning. combat. b. insist that he reveal the whereabouts b. A wench is leaving the room with c. Housebreaking a hell hound. of the treasure first. your money and your clothes, and d. Leaping off a burning battlement into c. attack. you are smiling. a crocodile-infested moat in front of d. release him. c. You’re out of milk. an army of orcish archers. d. Your boots are covered with your dinner. 40. There is a disguised dragon in the 50. What is the best thing you can say room. It must be: 45. What’s a druid good for? about skeletons? a. the terrier in love with your leg. a. Flower arrangments. a. They make great tap dancers. b. the cow breathing fire. b. Nature spells. b. They don’t have many hit points. c. disguised. c. Beats me. c. They don’t eat much. d. ready to die. d. Calling forest creatures for target d. Some of my best friends are skeletons practice. – now.

“In just seven days, I can make a man out Rogar of Mooria of you, unless of course you’re a woman, GIANT faculty member which might make this all rather problematic?

Evaluation tiring, but take a few minutes to rest and If you answered 30 or more questions relax. When you’re feeling better, take out with the same letter, then it is likely that all of your money and mail it to us, right you fall into a particular category of away. That’s right: every copper piece. adventuring types. These are listed below: Good, good. We’re proud of you. Type A: You’re perhaps a little too Type D: Well, it appears that you have civilized for most adventuring groups, but probably done more than your share of not beyond hope. You are certainly in need adventuring, and there’s not much more of personality development before being we can add to your training. In fact, if you considered ready for any serious under- have some free time, we’d like you to join taking. Practice going without bathing for our teaching staff. Sure, others may call short periods of time, grimacing in a mir- you a bloodthirsty maniac, but hey, who ror, and not fainting at the sight of blood. cares? We’ll give you a portable hole full of Type B: You’re probably referred to as beer and a major land war. Where can you “dependable,” “practical,” “an OK guy,” etc. beat that? You’re darn right. There is not much wrong with you, and you should do well in the adventuring life. Remember: Time is limited! Join the We recommend that you take our acceler- ranks of the G.I.A.N.T. graduates, and ated S.P.U.D. program. stand tall! Get out your crystal ball and call Type C: My, my. We are having a rough today for your first class! Sorcerers are day, aren’t we? This exam was probably standing by.

88 DECEMBER 1987

90 DECEMBER 1987 D RAGON 91 (continued from page 32) D&D® game box says (which also applies to the who, without so much as touching another, can AD&D game), the mage will have at least one transport valuables to his hand (the present other character with him. If the DM is not cantrip), then make them invisible or change bloodthirsty, they should be able to survive to their appearance (the hide or mute cantrips) high level. while disappearing into the crowd. Likewise, Next, I would like to say something about SD. the fighter/magic-user presents a formidable foe Anderson’s letter on experience for finding with both weapons and wizardry, while the treasure. The experience is supposed to reflect cleric/magic-user is still effective in combat but the fact that the characters found the treasure can now cast the spells of two professions through tough fighting, and should not be instead of just one. The list goes on, and possi- awarded otherwise. In my campaign, it also bilities would seem endless. reflects how the characters figure out what Thus, I must maintain that the magic-user, if magical items do. The experience is a reward played with a little imagination, can hold his for the daring character who picks up the own with any party. I must, however, agree that sword suspected of being cursed and ends up removing the rule of memorization, thereby with a +2 blade. DMs who just say: “You found allowing magic-users to cast spells “on the fly,” a sword +2” are destroying a lot of role-playing seems to be more reasonable. Since when has possibilities, not to mention some fun for the any spell-worker in popular fantasy forgotten a characters trying to figure out what it is. Also, spell just because he put forth the power to cast magic that is purchased should not gain experi- it? It just doesn’t happen! Certainly, they grow ence for the PC. Money should work the same tired and can no longer cast a spell, but they way. I reward PCs with one experience point for don’t totally forget spells which they can cast! every 5 gp they find. The key word is “find: Steve Shewchuk The [characters1 must go through some ordeal Cranbrook, B.C. to gain the gold. Some of the most powerful monsters only raise higher-level characters about 1% of a level. Treasure experience helps I would like to respond to the letter in issue this a little and balances the game. Rules don’t #122 concerning magic-users, from W. Brian have to be followed rigidly, but the creator of Barnes. I feel that if a gamer is not able to the game usually had a reason for creating what understand the reason for the rules, he should he did. just make up his own, ignore the ones he can’t K.B. LaBaw handle, or not use magic-users. If the game is Ridgecrest CA played with three or more players like the basic

Index to Advertisers Alternate Dimensions Enterprises ...... 26 Armory, The ...... 54-55 Bard Games ...... 32 Britton Designs ...... 24 Chaosium Inc...... 5 Columbia Games Inc...... 17 Dragon Light Enterprises ...... 28 DRAGON® Adventures ...... 43, insert cards DUNGEON™ Adventures ...... 21, insert card FASA Corporation ...... 25, inside back cover Friedland Games, Inc...... 32 Game Designers’ Workshop ...... 31, 83 Game Systems, Inc...... 58 Game Workshop ...... Inside front cover, 27, 35, 89 Greenfield Hobby Distributors ...... 44-45 Iron Crown Enterprises, Inc...... 1, back cover Leading Edge Games ...... 79 Mayfair Games ...... 68 Milton Bradley Company ...... 7 New Infinities Productions, Inc...... 72 New World Computing, Inc...... 33 Palladium Books ...... 13, 67, 85 R. Talsorian Games, Inc...... 30 Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc...... 20 SkyRealms Publishing, Inc...... 63 STARDATE™ Magazine ...... 59 Steve Jackson Games ...... 42, 66 Tor Books ...... 53 TSR, Inc...... 10, 29, 56, 66, 95, 96 21st Century Games ...... 73 Victory Games, Inc...... 15 West End Games ...... 71

92 DECEMBER 1987 games. Open gaming will be available, along with a Swap Meet for those wishing to buy, sell, or trade old games or gaming material (table space required). Preregistration is $3 before January 10, or $5 thereafter. Tables for the Swap Meet are $10 for an entire table and $6.50 for half a table. Write to: PATCO, c/o Phil Pittz, 5415 E. Washington, Fresno CA 93727; or call: (209) 255-4682.

NEW ORLEANS SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY FESTIVAL, January 22-24 TROPICON VI, December 4-6 This science-fiction and fantasy event will take Convention Calendar Policies This science-fiction convention will be held at place at the Pallas Suite Hotel, Canal Boulevard, the Holiday Inn Oceanside in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. in New Orleans, La. George R.R. Martin, George This column is offered as a service to Guests of honor include George R.R. Martin and Alec Effinger, and others are guests of honor. our readers around the world. Anyone Gail Bennett. Panels, movies, trivia, videos, Registration is $15 at the door. Write to: NEW may place a free listing for a game filksinging, and gaming are featured. Registra- ORLEANS SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY convention here, but the following tion is $15 after November 1. Tickets for the FESTIVAL, P.O. Box 791089, New Orleans LA guidelines must be observed. banquet are $19 before November 30. Write to: 70179-1089; or call: (504) 482-0908. In order to ensure that all convention SFSFS Secretary, PO. Box 70143, Ft. Lauderdale listings contain accurate and timely FL 33307. PANDEMONIUM 5, January 23-24 * information, all material should be This two-day gaming convention will be held either typed double-spaced or printed THE LONGVIEW GAMING SHOW at the Hub Cafeteria of the Ryerson Polytechni- legibly on 8½” × 11” paper. The con- December 21 cal Institute at 350 Victoria Street in Toronto, tents of each listing should be short, Sponsored by Alan’s Comics, Cards, and Ont., Canada. Events include a wide variety of succinct, and under 150 words long. Games, this one-day gaming show will be held in FRPG tournaments, board games, miniatures The information given in the listing the Pine Room of the Contessa Inn in Longview, contests and competitions, auctions, dealers, must include the following information, Tex., from noon until 10 PM. Events include and more. Preregistration fees are $10 for in the following order: BATTLETECH® and AD&D® game tournaments, Saturday, $8 for Sunday, or $15 for both days; 1. Convention title and dates held; and a host of open games. Registration is $4 in fees must be received before January 7. At-the- 2. Site and location; advance, or $5 at the door. For details, send an door fees are $12 for Saturday, $10 for Sunday, 3. Guests of honor (if applicable); SASE to: Alan’s Comics, Cards, and Games, PO. and $20 for both days. There are no tourna- 4. Special events offered; Box 1301, Longview TX 75606; or call: (214) 753- ment fees. For details, write to: The General

5. Registration fees or attendance 0493 between noon and 6 P.M. CST on any day. Staff, PO. Box 425, Station A, Downsview, requirements; and, Ontario, CANADA M3M 3A8; or call: Doug 6. Address(es) and telephone num- Richards at (416) 598-1693, or Dave Simpson at ber(s) where additional information and 1988 Convention Schedule (416) 597-1934. confirmation can be obtained. Convention flyers, brochures, news- EVECON 5, January 1-3 CHIMERACON V, January 29-31 letters, and other mass-mailed The “first and friendliest convention” of the This science-fiction and fantasy convention announcements run the risk of not New Year will be held at the Stouffers Con- will be held at the University of North Carolina being considered for use in this column; course Hotel on Route One in Crystal City, Va., campus in Chapel Hill, N.C. Guests of honor we prefer to see a cover letter with the across the Potomac River from Washington, include Nancy Springer, Hugo and Nebula announcement as well. No call-in list- D.C. Guests include D. Allen Murphy, Nancy Awards winner Orson Scott Card, Colleen ings are accepted. Domestic and for- Janda, and Hal Clement. EVECON 5 features a Doran, Allen Wold, Lisa Cantrell, and Mark van eign conventions are welcome. solid mix of science-fact, science-fiction, and Name. Events include a costume workshop and WARNING: We are not responsible fantasy events, including a costume party, a contest (costumed guests receive $1 off admis- for incorrect information sent to us by computer room, and open gaming. Preregistra- sion for Saturday registration), an Outer Limits convention staff members. Please tion is $15 until Dec. 1; thereafter, registration is Cantina Variety Show, filksinging, gaming, check your convention listing carefully! $20. For details, send an SASE to: FANTEK- panels, and more. Admission prices are $6 per Our wide circulation ensures that over a EVECON, Box 128, Aberdeen MD 21001. day, $11 for two days, or $15 for all three days. quarter of a million readers see each Preregistration for all three days is $12.50. issue. Accurate information is your UNIVERSE 88, January 1-3 Write to: 15-A University Gardens, Chapel Hill responsibility! This game convention will be held at the NC 27514; or call: (919) 933-3003. Convention listings should be mailed Airport Hilton and Towers in Los Angeles, Calif. by the copy deadline date to Conven- Featured events include over 150 assorted game REDCON 88, February 6-7 * tion Calendar, DRAGON® Magazine, tournaments, an exhibition room, films, semi- The Royal Military College of Canada will hold PO. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI 53147. nars, and many science-fiction and fantasy its second annual Wargames Conference at the Copy deadline dates are the last Mon- events. Admission is $19.50 until December 5, Cadet Recreation Centre on the campus grounds day of each month, two months prior to or $25 at the door. Write to: UNIVERSE 88, in Kingston, Ont., Canada. Scheduled events the on-sale date of an issue. For exam- Dept. D, PO. Box 2577, Anaheim CA 92804; or include SQUAD LEADER®, BATTLETECH®, ple, the copy deadline for the July issue call: (213) 867-4140. microarmor, AD&D®, and BATTLESYSTEM™ is the last Monday of May. Plan ahead; game tournaments, along with plenty of open early listings pay off! CONFUSION, January 15-17 gaming. Retail vendors and board-game compa- If a convention listing must be This science-fiction convention will be held at ny representatives will be present to introduce, changed because the convention has the Southfield Hilton in Southfield, Mich. Room promote, and sell their products. Registration is been cancelled, the dates have prices are $55 per night. Guests of honor only $5 (Canadian) for the entire conference. changed, or incorrect information has include Joe Haldeman, Larry Tucker, Marta For details, send an SASE to: RMC Wargames been printed, please contact us imme- Randall, and David Cherry. Membership fees are Club, c/o OCdt. Dray, 1 Sqn., Royal Military diately! For any questions or changes $15 until November 25, and $20 at the door. College, Kingston, Ontario, CANADA K7K 5L0. related to this column, please call either Write to: AASFA/CONFUSION, P.O. Box 8284, Registrations must be filed before January 15. Robin Jenkins or Roger E. Moore at Ann Arbor MI 48107. TSR, Inc., at (414) 248-3625. WARCON ‘88, February 5-7 PROJECT...GENESIS II, January 17 Texas’ oldest gaming convention will be held This PATCO protoriginal convention celebrates at Texas A&M University in College Station, its second incarnation at Chiminello’s Hall, 2221 Texas. The featured event is an RPGA™ Network N. Weber in Fresno, Calif. Featured tourna- AD&D® Open Team Tournament. Other events indicates a Canadian convention. ments include AD&D®, BATTLETECH®, CALL include board games, miniatures events, and indicates a European convention. OF CTHULHU®, CHAMPIONS™, and other role-playing game tournaments, a dealers’ room,

D RAGON 93 and 24-hour open gaming. Preregistration is $8, weaving, and pottery demonstrations, an art numerous tournaments, movies, door prizes, or $11 at the door. The guest of honor is Larry show and auction, a masquerade party, an SCA and much more. Registration is $12 before Bond (coauthor of the thriller Red Storm Rising demonstration, and much more. Membership December 15, 1987, and $18 at the door. Deal- and designer of GDW’s HARPOON® naval war- rates are $20 for the entire weekend. Interested ers should write to: JAXCON SOUTH 12, Dept. fare game). Write to: MSC NOVA, Box J-1, Memo- gamers may send their checks, money orders, D., P.O. Box 4423, Jacksonville FL 32201. Write rial Student Center, Texas A&M University, or information requests to: FAL*CON, P.O. Box to: JAXCON SOUTH, Dept. A., PO. Box 4423, College Station TX 77840; or call: (409) 845-1515. 4707, Meridian MS 39304. Jacksonville FL 32201; or call: (904) 772-9040 between 7 and 9 PM. only. THE EGYPTIAN CAMPAIGN, February 6 NOT-A-CON, February 20-21 CALCON III, March 11-13 Sponsored by the Southern Illinois University This mini-convention will be held at the Pal- * This role-playing, board, and miniatures- Strategic Games Society, the EGYPTIAN CAM- metto Ball Room on the Clemson University gaming convention will be held at the Glenmore PAIGN will be held at the Student Center on the campus in Clemson, S.C. Activities will include Inn in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Sponsored an AD&D® game tournament, a CHAMPIONS™ Southern Illinois University Campus in Carbon- events include a major AD&D® tournament dale, Ill. Events run from 9 to midnight. game tournament, and a miniatures-painting A.M. ($250 first-place prize offered), TUNNELS & Scheduled programs include an AD&D® game contest. Registration fees are $3, with $2 fees TROLLS™ games, a Monty Hall Bake-off Extrava- tournament, a Diplomacy tournament, MARVEL for tournament play. There is a $1 fee for up to ganza, CALL OF CTHULHU® games, and a host SUPER HEROES®, BATTLETECH®, CAR WARS®, four entries in the miniatures-painting contest, of minor tournaments. Other events include an with each additional entry over four costing and other game tournaments, open gaming, and auction, miniatures competitions, a miniatures- a fantasy-miniatures painting contest. Preregis- $0.50. All preregistration fees must be post- painting contest, LAZER TAG® games, intros and tration is $3 for the day, or $5 the day of the marked no later than January 15. For details, demos of many RPG systems, and much more. event. For details, write to: SIU-SGS, Office of send an SASE to: Clemson University Adventur- Registration is $5 until January 1; $7 until Student Development, 3rd Floor, Student Center, ers’ Guild, Box 9962, University Station, Clemson March 1; or $10 thereafter. For details, write to: Carbondale IL 62901-4425; or call: David T. SC 29631; or call: (803) 656-6650. CALCON III, PO. Box 204, Station “M,” 2204 Blustein at (618) 457-6416. Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta, CANADA, T2P 2H6. CONTEMPLATION 88, February 26-28 DUNDRACON XII FANTASY This science-fiction, fantasy, and gaming TOTAL CONFUSION 2, March 11-13 ROLE-PLAYING AND PLAY-BY-MAIL convention will be held at the Ramada Inn in The second-annual TOTAL CONFUSION game GAME CONVENTION, February 12-15 Columbia, MO. Guests of honor include Jerry convention will be held at Clark University in Held at the Oakland Airport Hilton Hotel in and Roberta Pournelle, and Larry Niven. J.R. Worcester, Mass. RPGA™ Network events will be Oakland, Calif., this gaming convention will Daniels is the artist guest of honor, and Keith held for AD&D® and CALL OF CTHULHU® feature a variety of events including tourna- Berdak is fan guest of honor. Events include an games. Regular events include 10 “unlimited” ment and open gaming, a miniatures-painting art show and auction, panels, a masquerade, a AD&D game events, and CHAMPIONS™, DC™ contest, SCA demonstrations, a flea market, and video room, a hucksters’ room, and games. HEROES, CAR WARS®, and numerous other a dealers’ room. This year’s events will also Membership fees are $10 until December 16, or board and role-playing game features. A include a play-by-mail Mini-Con featuring a $14 thereafter. Write to: CONTEMPLATION, P.O. miniatures-painting event, a dealers’ room, number of guests and live versions of favorite Box 7242, Columbia MO 65205. seminars, 24-hour open gaming, and much more PBM games. Registration fees are $20 until are also offered. Preregistration for all three February 1, and $25 thereafter (or $10 per day). CREATURECON 88, February 26-28 days is $15, or $6 for each individual day. Regis- For details, write to: DUNDRACON, 386 Alca- Sponsored by The Creature Shop, this gaming tration after March 1 is $7 per day. Write to: traz, Oakland CA 94618. convention will be held at the Ice House Ball TOTAL CONFUSION, 151 Chandler Street, Room at the corner of W. Eldorado and Van Worcester MA 01609; or call: (617) 793-0853, GENGHIS CON IX, February 12-14 Dyke in Decatur, Ill. Featured events include (617) 562-2554, or (617) 755-4207. Join the Horde as GENGHIS CON IX moves to two miniatures-painting contests, RPGA™ Net- UMF-CON, March 13 winter quarters at the Airport Hilton in Denver, work tournaments (including AD&D®, MARVEL This science-fiction, fantasy, and gaming Colo. This convention is sponsored by the Den- SUPER HEROES®, and TRAVELLER® games), convention takes place at the Student Center of ver Gamers Association and the Colorado Mili- open gaming, fantasy drawing contests, science- the University of Maine in Farmington, Maine. tary Historians. Events include all varieties of fiction games, a dealers’ room, an art show, an Barry B. Longyear, the nationally known auction, lectures on fantasy gaming concepts board, miniatures, computer, and role-playing science-fiction writer, will be attending. UMF- games. The ever-popular game auction will and on writing fantasy adventures, and a num- CON features AD&D®, TOP SECRET®, RISK®, make another appearance this year. Special ber of guest authors and lecturers. Registration and BATTLESYSTEM™ game events, along with gaming events include competitions in VICTORY is $15 through February 20, and $20 at the door. numerous other board and role-playing games. IN THE PACIFIC, TITAN, CIVILIZATION, KING- Preregistration fees must be paid in advance by Registration is $5; each game requires a $2 MAKER, and ADVANCED SQUAD LEADER. The check or money order, made payable to entry fee. Write to: Table Gaming Club, c/o Colorado Military Historians will also sponsor CREATURECON 88. For tickets or details, send Student Life Office, Student Center, South one of the first qualifying rounds for the WRG an SASE to: CREATURECON, PO. Box 2875, Street, Farmingtion ME 04938. Ancients National Championships. Registration Decatur IL 62526; or call: (217) 875-1316. is $12 until January 31, and $15 thereafter. DRACONIS, March 18-20 BASHCON ‘88, March 4-6 Write to: Denver Gamers Association, P.O. Box This science-fiction and fantasy convention Sponsored by the University of Toledo Benevo- 2945, Littleton CO 80161. will be held at the Galt House in Louisville, Ky. lent Adventurers’ Strategic Headquarters, this Anne McCaffrey will be the guest of honor, and sixth annual event will be held on the third Julia Ecklar will be fan guest. Featured events ORCCON 11, February 12-15 floor of the University of Toledo Main Campus Brought to you by STRATEGICON, the people will include the Dragon Bazaar, open gaming, Student Union in Toledo, Ohio. This convention who also brought you ORIGINS ‘86, this gaming filksinging, a masquerade contest, an art show will feature a host of events, including a games convention will be held at the Los Angeles and auction, panels, workshops, a LAZER TAG™ auction, a miniatures-painting contest, a game Airport Hyatt Hotel. Role-playing, wargame, area, and a child-care center. Registration fees exhibitors’ and dealers’ room, an RPGA™ Net- computer game, and family board game tourna- are $17.50 until February 17, and $20 thereaf- work AD&D® game tournament, an AADA CAR ments are offered, as well as various seminars ter. Children ages 6-12 may be registered for WARS® tournament, a schedule of movies, as and demonstrations, a flea market, a game half price. For details, write to: DRACONIS, P.O. well as more than 120 other role-playing, board, Box 162, Concord MA 01742. auction, and an exhibitors’ area. Write to: ORC- and miniatures gaming features. Steve Jackson CON 11, c/o DTI, P.O. Box 8399, Long Beach CA will be this year’s guest of honor. Send an SASE 90808; or call: (213) 420-3675. to: Student Activities Office, UT-BASH, SIMCON X, March 18-20 This convention will be held in the Wilson BASHCON, 2801 W. Bancroft Street, Toledo OH Commons on the University of Rochester’s River FAL*CON I, February 19-21 43606; or call: (419) 537-4654. This gaming convention will be held at the Campus in Rochester, N.Y. Events include role- Howard Johnson Convention Center in Meridi- JAXCON SOUTH 12, March 4-6 playing game tournaments, wargames, minia- an, Miss. Guests of honor will include Steve This 12th annual gaming convention will be tures competitions, movies, demonstrations, and Jackson, Dave Miller, Phil Foglio, and Robert held at the Jacksonville Hotel on the Riverwalk a dealers’ room. Registration is $5 before March Asprin. Scheduled events will include an RPGA™ in Jacksonville, Fla. Numerous miniatures, board 1, and $10 thereafter. For details, write to: Network AD&D® game tournament, open game, and role-playing game events will be held, SIMCON X, P.O. Box 29142, River Station, Roch- gaming, a video room, blacksmithing, cloth- as well as a large dealers’ room, a flea market, ester NY 14627; or by calling: (716) 275-9379.

94 DECEMBER 1987

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102 DECEMBER 1987 D RAGON 103 104 D ECEMBER 1987