Special Horror &~e .. Ah . $A , . 4 -I_- -- - LFACX THhL9 $b,ennce~~iction Gaming us $3.50 Just Uke Magic Attack of th Mud Men $:,>a .;,,*A,, j:' [' $fm- " .- PI P. ,. ., ,tg TV.'ii:&..;x-.& SHADOWRUN "#gg Sayonari Sample file . ~ 1 - TORG , .. - - .. Sample file Sample file ---------------b%----------------------- r $1 1 I I want to subscribe to Challenge! I , -- S! I ! Address ----- I 1 I City, State ---- zip - I I I complete coupon, or send name, address, and subscription request to GDW, PO Box 1646, Bloomington, IL 61702-1 646 USAJ -------_____----__.--___------__-______--____--__ Managing Editor Michelle Sturgeon Associate Editors Loren K. Wiseman Julia Martin The Magazine of Science-Fiction Gaming Graphic Design and Production Steve Bryant Amy Doubet interior Artists 6 Attack. of the Mud Men The PCs are in for more than they bargained for when they take shelter Janet Aulisio in an old, abandoned house. Tim Bradstreet Paul Daly Loren K. Wiseman Liz Danforth Dell Harris Rick Harris Phil Morrissey 14 Just Like Magic Allen Nunis Magic doesn't exist in MegaTraveller, right? These seemingly unex- Kirk Wescom plained phenomena and eerie settings might make you wonder About the Cover whether science is the only explanation. Charles E. Gannon This issue's cover features artist Nick Smith, who wanted to write his 22 IE-I.P,P.E. own cover description: More than a few surprises may be in store when the players attempt to Our fashion-conscious merc, salvage a "haunted" scout ship. Randy, is sporting the latest or- Robert J. Cosgrave and Michael 13. Cosgrave ganically grown body armor* from the fine folks at Gigewear Ltd. 26 Fated Voyage BIO PLATE@comes in a variety Travellers from Lanth to D'Ganzio dream of the Loreans Ecliptic, a of decorator colors-black, flat subsidized liner mysteriously lost in 1085. Some report hearing its radio black, glossy black, blue black, dark beacon while in jump space, while others insist they've gone aboard. black, light black, not-quite-so-dark Michael R. Mikesh black (medium black), black with black highlights and fuchsia. Sur- faces include the popular textures Sample file Slime CoatTMand Liquid FurTM. 36 The Tree of Souls *Muscle tissue not included. When the Church of Torisna is threatened, the only thing that can save Challenge, the magazine of science-fiction it is the curse of The Tree of Souls. gaming, is published bimonthly. Twilight: 2000, MegaTraveller, 2300 AD, Eric W. Haddock and Space: 1889 are all trademarks of GDW. Most game names are trademarks of the companies publishing those games. Use of a trademark to identify aproduct commented upon in this magazine should not be construed as im- plying the sponsorship of the trademark holder, 47 Contagion nor, conversely, should use of the name of any The official message boiled down to the following: "Something hap- product without mention of trademark status be construed as a challenge to such status. pened. We don't know what. Go find out and do something about it. Challenge01990 GDW, Inc. Printed in the Don't overreact without orders, but do whatever you have to do." U.S.A. All rights reserved. ISSN 0894-5535. All editorial and general mail should be sent to What are we in for now? Challenge, P.O. Box 1646, Bloomington, IL Richard S. McEnroe 61702-1646 U.S.A. The issue price is $3.50.One-year subscrip- tions (six issues) are $15 in the U.S. and Can- ada. Foreign subscriptions (outside the U.S. and Canada, but not to APO or FPO addresses) by surface mail are $30 per year. Please make all From the Management ............4 Feedback Results ................. 75 payments in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank. Submissions: We welcome articles and il- Letters from our Readers ....... .4 Reviews ............................... .92 lustrations for Challenge. Please inquire before Briefs .....................................12 Classifieds ............................. 94 submitting manuscripts, enclosing a stamped, self-addressed envelope. We will send manu- Traveller News Service ......... 21 Feedback Request ................ 96 script guideline and format sheets. Art portfolios Cartoon ................................. 35 Next Issue ............................. 96 should be addressed to the art director, c/o Challenge. Foreign inquiries (exceptAPOIFP0) Conventions .......................... 45 In My Opinion ........................ 96 please include an International Reply Coupon. Product Distribution .............. .57 2 Challenge 46 October-November 1990 58 Deadmme A series of bizarre murders in Night City terrorizes residents and sparks copycat attacks. Only you can solve the mystery. Michael LaBossiere 62 Quicksilver Sayonara (Fiction) Homicidal maniacs to the east of me and sociopathic Grunges straight ahead.... I looked over at Stealth. "Anytime you want to tell me this is all Page 6 a dream and wake me up,. ao- ahead." Michael A. Stackpole 70 The Quick and the Undead The quick and deadly vampire, with its legendary cunning and suavity, almost begs to be played as a PC. Lester W. Smith 74 The House on the Hill A young vampire has left the Gaunt Man's realm, seeking a private hunting ground. Lester W. Smith Sample file 76 The Space-Eaters Page 14 The Space-Eaters are a cunning and evil race, filled with a vast hunger for the minds and souls of other beings. Frederick Paul Kiesche 111 80 The Horror out of Partridgeville Three Space-Eaters have broken free of their dimension. Frederick Paul Kiesche 111 85 It Came from Beyond the Stars Bartleby's comet is a spacecraft launched milennia ago from Atlantis. But what secrets does it hide? Lester W. Smith 90 Imperial Research Station 13 The PCs find themselves aboard an experimental laboratory ship in this deadly mystery adventure. Lester W. Smith I Challenge 46 3 IGHT practice (one might say the creativity) to I think you are doing a great job. Since I make noncombat interesting. MEMO I subscribed to the magazine mainly for the But such games can exist. Look at Call Twilight articles, I was wondering if it was of Cthulhu; although destroying monsters possible to have at least oneTwilight article is an important part of the game, research in each issue, with a new Twilight weapon (gads!) is almost equally necessary and in each issue as well. I was also wondering can be morefun. Further, Cthulhuamazes if you could have more Battletech articles. me because it cultivates an environment Brent Williams where combat is feared by the players. Northville. MI Iwill not go sofar asto say that roleplay- ing combat is not fun; I merely wish to COMPUTER suggest that other options exist-science the I let my subscription run out, but I think I'll fiction gaming need not involve chaos. Management renew it since your magazine's on the rightfoot In light of this, Ifound the Star Trek: The again. I was very impressed when I skimmed Next Generation parody from Challenge I hope this special horror issue of thraugh issue43. It seems very hard to get a 42 to be almost offensive. Parts of it were challeLge adds'afew thrills and chills to group together and have a decent session really quite funny, but I think the article's your Halloween season. of ~ega~raveller.I don't have much time premises about the new series are incor- Theme issues aren't new with Chal- since I have two jobs. As a result, playing on rectly founded. Its criticisms of the show lenge--~~~might remember our equip- computer would be great (I don't have to be are satirical, but also contradictory. For ment issue (40) from last year. But our the referee, which just gets me stressed out example, it claims that the new series is way of looking at special issues has and depressed). I'm really anxious to get quite sexist. But then it goes on to say that changed dramatically over the past year. a hold of a copy of The Zhodani Conspiracy men aren't "real men" because they avoid The first school of thought was that a game for the Macintosh Plus. fights and bursts of anger. Now who is Allen Hopkins perpetuating stereotypes here? special issue must arduously stick to the British Columbia, Canada lssue43wasquite enjoyable. You seem topic at hand. With that idea in mind, the interested in the effect of your cover art; I equipment issue listed piece after piece WOLENGE (PVERMT3ED would Iiketo suggestthat your Space: 1889 (after piece, after piece) of equipment. I discovered your magazine while travel- covers have a fascinating visual effect. Our aim now is flexibility. We want a ling down under and thought I would drop Issue 43 is a good example--one's mind special issue to have an exciting govern- you a line telling you what I thought of it. does flip-flops trying to reconcilethe Victo- ing theme, but with no limits imposed Basically, I think it's a great magazine. I rian architecture with the science fiction within that particulartheme. For example, buy it principally forthe Star Trekarticles, but motifs. Really striking. if we ever do another equipment issue, I've been adapting a number of 2300 AD The "Secret of the Ancients" article was I'd like to see new pieces of equipment, adventuresforSample use in my StarTrekcampaign. file nicely thought out and catered to a very I realize that you have great difficulty real need. I have been in the position of plus adventures bringing the characters making all of your readers happy, but please having to think on my toes more than I intocontactwith equipment they've never don't cut back your coverage of Star Trek cared for, but by adapting this article and seen before, plus variant rules for creat- and 2300 AD (in particular, cyberpunk).