Issue Number 15 June 2009 Contents % In Lair.............................................................................................................1 Historically Resonant Coinage for AD&D by Joe Maccarone.....................2 Haunted Inn of the Little Bear by Brian Wells.................................................6 The Shaman NPC by David Mohr.................................................................19 Wandering Monsters:.....................................................................................44 Bat, Vampire by John Turcotte...........................................................44 Powrie by Rachel Drummond............................................................46 Gifts in Early and Late AD&D by Len Lakofka..............................................48 Ruminations of an Aging DM or Over Half a Lifetime..................................51 with my Friend AD&D by Brian Wells Random Phantom Generator by Michael Martin........................................57 Give Your Cities Some Character by Mike Hensley...................................59 The Staff Publisher Steve Yates Chief Editor John A. Turcotte Associate Editors Bill Barsh, Ronald Redmond, and Dana Shea Cover Art Brian “Glad” Thomas Title Graphics Jim Lassiter Interior Art Rachel Drummond and Andy “ATOM” Taylor Layout Chris Gonnerman Footprints is published three times a year by dragonsfoot.org. It is available at the Dragonsfoot website for download; visit http://www.dragonsfoot.org/fp/ to download other issues. To be kept up the date with Footprints news, go to http://www.dragonsfoot.org/newsletter/ and sign up for the Footprints newsletter. The rights to all material published herein revert to the author(s) of said work upon release of this issue. Articles may be submitted by email to [email protected] (please, don't submit articles by Private Message in the forums). Don't forget to include your “byline,” i.e. how you wish to be credited. Dungeons & Dragons, Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, D&D and AD&D are owned by Wizards of the Coast and their use here is not intended as a challenge to their ownership of that copyright. All materials are used here without their permission. All other material copyrighted to the listed author or artist, and used by permission. % in Lair Well met and welcome to the fifteenth issue of Footprints! You are receiving this, our Fifth Anniversary issue, in June rather than April. Looking back, you’ll see that we’ve struggled to maintain our April/August/December schedule for some time. The main reason for this is that all of us here at Footprints, and at Dragonsfoot, are committed to publishing OOP D&D material as a labor of love. All of the writers, artists, cartographers, editors and, yes, even our publisher, donate their valuable and limited time to keep our game systems alive. The OOP gaming community has changed so much since 2004, when Michael Stewart (Sieg on our forums) proposed a “Best of Dragonsfoot” e-zine. Indeed, the entire geography of old school gaming has been altered. Once alone in publishing OOP D&D support, Dragonsfoot has been joined by Troll Lord’s Castles & Crusades, the gaming community caught the first glimpse of Castle Zagyg, and OSRIC was unveiled, opening up a whole new vista of publishing opportunities to keep OOP D&D in print. Joining the field are the very worthy BFRPG, Labyrinth Lord and Swords & Wizardry. New periodicals have appeared to support the “Old School Renaissance,” Fight On! and Knockspell, and we’re seeing the emergence of a new wave of homegrown e-zines. Right now, at this point in time, there is more support for OOP D&D than at any time in history. If this isn’t the Silver Age of gaming, it’s hard to foresee what will be. In this issue, we have a treasure trove of material for your games, a new adventure by Brian Wells, the Shaman NPC Class, new monsters from yours truly and Rachel Drummond, more material from Len Lakofka’s game and so much more. We couldn’t do it without you and hope to see you five years from now. Game on! Footprints -- Page 1 -- Number 15 “Historically Resonant” Coinage for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons By Joe Maccarrone In the PLAYERS HANDBOOK, Gary Gygax described the "boom town" economic system used in AD&D: the supply of coins is high while adventuring equipment is in great demand, thus greatly deflating the value of gold. In recent years, as I read a good deal of medieval history, I began to crave a system of coinage with more historical resonance. Gold in all editions of D&D is devalued far beyond pouch –which is, in my opinion, as it should be. any historical standard, to the point of Most importantly, the ubiquitous silver penny of absurdity. medieval Europe became the standard coin in the game world, as well. The overall system Gary himself recognized this, and regretted does not strive for perfect historical realism –for the "boom town" system he'd initially chosen; example, copper coins were not used in he advocated a change to a silver standard Western Europe – but it is plausible and evokes as early as the mid-1980s, when his Gord the the 'feel' I was looking for. Rogue novels described the system he preferred in his Greyhawk setting. In recent This system lacks a coin equating to 1:1 to an years, his Castle Zagyg supplements contain a experience point. However, the ratio of system similar to that in the Gord novels: a 50:1 "buying power" to experience points –5 'new' ratio of silver to gold coins, with gold silver pieces to 1 'old' AD&D gold piece– becoming far more rare and exciting than it is remains the same. Notably, the coin system in in most published D&D materials. I liked the the Castle Zagyg materials also lacks a coin feel of this, and set out to create a system for equating to 1 XP; Gary was apparently an upcoming AD&D Greyhawk campaign confronted with the same problem. based on the 50:1 coin ratio and a silver standard for most transactions. I must extend thanks to Gary Gygax, who urged me to adopt a silver standard and While researching 12th-14th century discussed the finer points of his own Greyhawk economics in Western Europe, I discovered system, and to Matthew, who assisted me with that the buying power of 1 AD&D gold piece research. roughly equated to 5 historical silver pennies. Thus, about .25 ounces of silver, in medieval AD&D/Greyhawk Monetary System Europe, bought as much as 1.6 ounces of The basic unit of exchange is the silver piece. AD&D gold! Fortunately, other than precious There are 250 silver pieces, known as denarii metals not being very 'precious' in AD&D, the (abbreviated “d”) or pennies, to the Aerdy value of items on the PLAYERS HANDBOOK Pound (abbreviated '£' for Librum). One Aerdy price lists –relative to each other– were Pound represents approximately 13 ounces of roughly accurate. silver. Gary's 50:1 coin ratio quickly took its place One gold piece is equal in value to 50 silver within the framework of a system based on pieces; thus, there are 5 gold pieces to the Pounds ('£') and pennies ('d'), with the 'Aerdy' Aerdy Pound. Copper pieces (2500 to the pound replacing the Troy pound as a unit of Aerdy Pound) are used for the smallest measure. I placed a gold piece at triple the transactions, and it is also common to use weight and fifty times the value of a silver barter, or small gems of various sorts, in place piece, converted the price lists to the new of coin. system, and the whole fell together smoothly. The sizes of coins are realistic; it is now possible Items are typically valued in denarii, and to carry a substantial fortune in a large belt payment made with the appropriate number Footprints -- Page 2 -- Number 15 of silver or gold coins. Expensive items are *The g.p. value of published treasures valued in Pounds, or a combination thereof; equate 1:1 to experience points, although for example, a mail shirt costing 375 d. would the literal number of new g.p. is found by typically be written as £1 125d. dividing by 10. The sizes and relative values of gold, silver, and copper pieces are nearly ubiquitous within the BASIC EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES COSTS Flanaess. In addition, some of the wealthier Armor nations issue even larger gold coins, with values up to £1. Regardless of size, gold coins Banded & Mail £2 are worth approximately £20 per pound of Helmet, great 75d weight (16 ounces). Helmet, small 50d 10 copper pieces (cp) = 1 silver piece (1 d.) Leather 100d 50 silver pieces (sp) = 1 gold piece Mail, shirt £1 125d 5 gold pieces (gp) = £1 Mail, full £3 Padded 50d Thus: Plate & Mail £8 2500 c.p. = 250 s.p. = 5 g.p. = £1 Plates, coat of £1 and: Scale 225d 500 c.p. = 50 s.p. = 1 g.p. Shield, buckler 15d Approximate number of coins per (16 oz.) Shield, large 50d pound: Shield, small 35d copper pieces 300 Studded 150d silver pieces 300 gold pieces 100 Arms Arrow, single 5cp Published values convert as follows (old to new): Arrow, score 5d 10 g.p. = 1 g.p. Arrow, silver, one 5d 1 p.p. = .5 g.p. Axe, Battle 25d 1 g.p. = 5 s.p. = .1 g.p. Axe, Hand 15d 1 e.p. = 2.5 s.p. = .05 g.p. Axe, Great 35d 1 s.p. = .25 s.p. 1 c.p. = .25 c.p. Axe, Sparth 40d Bardiche 35d Player Character starting money: Bill 30d Cleric 180–900d (3d6 x 50) Bow, long 75d Fighter 250–1000d (5d4 x 50) Bow, short 60d Magic-user 100–400d (2d4 x 50) Crossbow, heavy 100d Crossbow, light 60d Thief 100–600d (2d6 x 50) Cudgel 3d Experience Point values: Dagger 10d 50 c.p.