Sample file 100 years have passed since mankind revolted and slew the Sorcerer Kings. Now, the survivors of five ancient empires begin to rebuild, placing new lives and hopes on the ashes of old. However, even as life continues an ancient and forgotten evil stirs awaiting its moment to strike against mankind. Explore a war-torn land where the struggle for survival continues as new kingdoms arise to impose their will upon the masses. Vicious warlords fight to control territories carved out of the Fallen Empires. Imposing magicians emerge claiming the legacy of the Sorcerer Kings. High Priests of long forgotten gods and goddesses amass wealth in the name of divine right while warrior-monks, devoted to a banished god, patrol the lands bringing justice to people abandoned by their rulers. Tales of the Fallen Empire is a classic Swords and Sorcery setting compatible with the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game. Within these pages is a detailed post-apocalyptic fantasySample setting file taking you through an ancient realm that is fighting for its survival and its humanity. Seek your fortune or meet your fate in the burning deserts of the once lush and vibrant land of Vuul, or travel to the humid jungles of Najambi to face the tribes of the Man-Apes and their brutal sacrificial rituals. Within this campaign setting you will find: D 6 new classes: Barbarian, Witch, Draki, Sentinel, Man-Ape, & Marauder D Revised Wizard Class (The Sorcerer) D New Spells D New Creatures D Seafaring and Ritual Magic Rules D A detailed setting inspired by the works of Fritz Lieber, Robert E. Howard, Lynn Carter, H. P. Lovecraft, Michael Moorcock, and Roger Corman Tighten the straps on your sandals, grab your weapon, and head forth into a land of trouble and turmoil. Adventure awaits those COMPATIBLE WITH foolhardy to enter the wastelands or for those who fear not the DCC unknown. RPG © 2014 Chapter 13 Press. Dungeon Crawl Classics isis ©© GoodmanGoodman Games.Games. CONTENTS Issue #5 FEATURES Volume II, No. I 4 Trader kits - S. Matthew Fowler ILLUSTRATED BY MICHAEL WILSON Winter 2014-15 Expand the role of traders in any fantasy role-playing system 16 Leomund’s Secure - Lenard Lakofka ILLUSTRATED BY CHUCK LUKACS What should you really do with a natural 20? Publishers Editor-in-chief Jayson Elliot 19 MUNCHKIN tips and tricks - Andrew Hackard ILLUSTRATED BY JOHN KOVALIC Jayson Elliot Ernest Gary Gygax Jr New ways to play, straight from the MUNCHKIN czar Luke Gygax Community director 22 Bottom of the Pile - Timothy Kask ILLUSTRATED BY ANDREW RODGERS Susan Silver Contributing editor A look at the board games you might have missed Timothy Kask Editors 25 The Island of the Lizard God - Will Doyle, commentary by Jayson Elliot Mary Lindholm Art director The winner of this year’s One Page Dungeon contest Hanae Ko R. Scott Taylor 28 Walworth archives - Jon Peterson ILLUSTRATED BY ANDREW RODGERS Lead designer Games editor The search for the earliest version of Dungeons & Dragons Andrew Rodgers James Carpio 31 By the gods! - Steve Kenson ILLUSTRATED BY MICHAEL WILSON Operations manager Kobold editor Deities and mythic figures for superheroes Michelle Weidman Wolfgang Baur 34 Disinformation - Merle M. Rasmussen “The Administrator” ILLUSTRATED BY MICHAEL WILSON Contributing writers Contributing artists A few notes on last issue’s Top Secret adventure “Operation: Rendezvous Oasis” Michael Betancourt Simon Adams Clinton J. Boomer Josh Godin 36 Senses for RPGs - Michael Betancourt ILLUSTRATED BY BRADLEY K MCDEVITT Jayson Elliot Jim Holloway What to do when your players ask “can I smell anything in the rooom?” S. Matthew Fowler John Kovalic Sample file Andrew Hackard Chuck Lukacs 40 Zen and the art of game mastery - Michael E. Shea ILLUSTRATED BY JIM HOLLOWAY Shane Ivey Bradley K McDevitt How to let go and have a good game Timothy Kask Andrew Rodgers Steve Kenson Michael Wilson Lenard Lakofka Jon Peterson SPECIAL ATTRACTION Merle M. Rasmussen Michael E. Shea 45 Fox Hunt - Shane Ivey ILLUSTRATED BY ANDREW RODGERS James Thomas A ready-to-play Godlike adventure THE KOBOLD’S CAVERN 56 Antipaladian - Clinton J. Boomer ILLUSTRATED BY JOSH GODIN A wretched embodiment of villany for Pathfinder 64 Spell mastery - James Thomas ILLUSTRATED BY SIMON ADAMS New progressions for the Pathfinder spell mastery feat COMICS 66 Full Frontal Nerdity - Aaron Williams 68 The Order of the Stick - Rich Burlew COVER ‘Lyssa goes to Klah’ by Walter Velez From the editor JOIN THE NEXT GREAT GAMING COMMUNITY AND BECOME A Here we are at last, issue five in hand. This represents a milestone for us, as we enter the FOUNDING MEMBER! second volume of Gygax Magazine’s publication history. Technically, our second volume should also mark our second year, but as our infinitely patient and sainted subscribers are aware, it has taken us a bit longer than a year to get to number five. Of course, the fact that you’re reading this means that there’s a decent possibility that you may be one of the people who joined us with issue #1 and has renewed for a second tour of duty, and for that we all thank you. Saying complimentary things to readers and pouring on the gratitude might be a bit of a shopworn way to start out an editorial, but believe me, it’s from the heart. It’s becoming a happy tradition to welcome new staf members to TSR in this part of the magazine, and I’m pleased to carry that on by welcoming Michelle Weidman and Andrew Rodgers. Michelle is the operations manager for Gygax Magazine and TSR, and is here in part to make sure the quarterly schedule we profess lives up to its name, so that the year 2015 close with our eighth issue. This year will also see a number of other products coming from TSR, meaning that it’s more important than ever that we stay organized and productive. Which leads nicely to Andrew Rodgers, our new designer. This is the second issue of Gygax Magazine that Andrew has designed, and if you don’t mind my saying so, I think it looks a peach. Andrew’s first work with us was just before Gary Con 2014, when he designed the limited edition standalone Top Secret module, Operation: Rendevous Oasis. Anyone who was fortunate enough to play at “The Administrator” Merle Rasmussen’s table at Gary Con this year went home with a copy, and was among the first to see Andrew’s great photocollage work, as well as the maps that he collaborated with Diesel on, giving them that gritty desert-worn look. We’re proud to have both Michelle and Andrew with us, and I’m personally thankful for DON’T GO IT ALONE! JOIN AN the chance to work with them. ADVENTURE NEAR YOU! I mentioned new products in the coming year, so let me say a brief word about those. We’re beginning with a series of adventure modules, the first of which will be from Luke Gygax. • Moving or recently moved? Find Issue two of this magazine gave a taste of the lands of Okkorim, with the players getting their new players in your new area! first exposure to the Blighted Lands. The world Luke has created is a rich game environment, • Fill empty spots at your gaming and a harsh and unforgiving land for the characters that brave it. The first module will be table with gamers that play the BL1: The Search for Darwah’s Temple, to be followed later in the year by BL2: The Tower of Akbaba. way you do! Also in 2015, we’ve got products on deck from Frank Mentzer, James Carpio, and a team of • Find a clan or guild for your very special original TSR employees that we’re proud to be working with, but keeping under favorite online games! wraps until we have a little more to reveal. “Under-promise and over-deliver,” isn’t that the saying? For the moment, let me make sure that I’m following the first part of that rule. • Recruit for your own online clan, guild, or team! Back to this issue that’s in your hands. There are two new columns,Sample both from regularsfile within these pages. We’ve just decided that their stuf was so good that it ought to be • Search by location, game title, something you could count on every time. Our contributing editor Tim Kask is debuting a play styles, and much, much new section called “Bottom of the Pile.” It’s a look at the board games that many of us have more! sitting in our game closets, sometimes overlooked, or that merit a look from gamers who may have missed them the first time around. Our second new regular feature comes from Jon Peterson, author of Playing at the World and consistent contributor to Gygax Magazine since issue #2. We’ve convinced him to hang his hat, pick out some curtains, and settle in to stay, and starting with this issue, his regular column is called the “Walworth Archives.” 4 DETAILED PROFILES! The cover of this issue comes from one of my favorite artists of all time, Walter Velez. His work has appeared in myriad places, including many TSR products, but I will always think of • Table Top Gamer him first as the artist who brought Robert Asprin’s worlds to life in Myth Adventures and Thieves’ • Table Top Game Host World. I hope you’ll enjoy it. • Online Gamer Jayson Elliot • Online Clan/Guild/Team Editor-in-Chief Join NOW and enjoy the benefits GYGAX Magazine is published quarterly by TSR, Inc.