Issue #182Vol. XVII, No. 1

June 1992

PublisherJames M. Ward

EditorRoger E. Moore

Associate editorDale A. Donovan

Fiction editorBarbara G. Young

Editorial assistantWolfgang H. Baur

Art directorLarry W. Smith

Production staffGaye O'Keefe Angelika LokotzTracey Zamagne Mary Roath

Subscriptions\tJanet L. Winters

U.S. advertisingRoseann Schnering

U.K. correspondentand U.K. advertisingBronwen Livermore

SPECIAL ATTRACTIONSD r a g o n s : t h e l o r d s o f f a n t a s y

910172 5

8 4

5 59 6

1 1 2

3 44 14 54 86 26 76 87 28 1

unhea l thy branches o f the dragon fami ly t ree .

Our annual tribute to our namesakes�long may they live!

Not Cheaper by the Dozen � Spike Y. JonesTwelve of the DRAGONLANCE® saga�s most egg-citing creations.

The Vikings' Dragons � Jean RabeLinnorms: the first of a two-part series on the Norse dragons.

The Dragons Bestiary � Gregory Detwiler

F I C T I O N

The Dragonbone Flute � fiction by Lois TiltonHe was a shepherd who loved music�but he loved his audience more.

The Role of Computers � Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk LesserFrom Mars to the stars: two high-powered science-fiction games.

R E V I E W S

Role-playing Reviews � Lester SmithNow you can be the smallest of creatures or the most powerful.

Through the Looking Glass � Robert BigelowA collection of draconic wonders, for gaming or display.

OT H E R F E A T U R E S

Novel Ideas � James LowderTwo new horrific novels, spawned in the mists of Ravenloft.

The Voyage of the Princess Ark � Bruce A. HeardThis month, the readers� questions take center stage.

The Wild, Wild World of Dice � Michael J. D�AlfonsiOkay, so how many six-sided dice do you own?

Kings of the Caravans � Ed GreenwoodA land like the Forgotten Realms requires tough merchants!

Dragonslayers on the Screen � Dorothy SlamaSome handy guidelines for letting your computer be your DM.

Pen Power II � the DRAGON® Magazine staffOur second survey in the quest for a Better Magazine.

�Ready! Aim! Fire!� � Donald D. MillerWhat�s so good about a crossbow? An on-target article for all fighters.

Psionics�In Living Color! � Jan Berrien BerendsAdd new richness to your AD&D® game with these DM tips.

The MARVEL®-Phile � Steven E. SchendWhat little surprises might Dr. Doom have in store for you?

D E P A R T M E N T S

5 Letters 37 Convention Calendar 102 Dragonmirth6 Editorial 78 TSR Previews 104 Twilight Empire

29 Sage Advice 91 Forum 108 Gamers Guide

COVERIf the two children in this month�s cover painting seem very lifelike, that�sbecause they�re modelled on artist Paul Jaquays�s own offspring. We assume the dragon ispurely imaginary, but one never knows with artists.

4 JUNE 1992

First things first?

Timothy WoodsLaGrange KY

If you need to purchase good-quality copies ofAD&D 1st Edition game products, you haveseveral options. One, check all of your local toyand hobby shops for those copies (check thegames sections of B. Dalton�s and Waldenbooks,tool. Some of these places might still have theolder volumes and modules on their shelves orin �bargain bins� with other out-of-print materi-als. Two, read the advertisements in DRAGONMagazine, including the �Gamers Guide�; someadvertisers sell these older materials. Three, ifyou are a member of the RPGA� Network, placean advertisement in the POLYHEDRON�Newszine asking for someone to sell an unwant-ed copy to you. Four, if there is a classifiedssection of your local newspaper, place an ad inthe �Wanted� section asking for those volumes.Five, investigate any used-game auctions at localgame or fantasy/SF conventions. Six, let all ofyour friends know. which specific materials youare looking for, so they can check with theirfriends in other areas. If you have a pen pal orgaming friends in other states, write to them tosee if they can turn up what you need.

TSR cannot continue to produce those olderproducts that you are seeking, but there are stilllots of options left to you. If you want newmaterial for your AD&D 1st Edition game, youcouldn�t do better than to simply use the materi-al for the AD&D 2nd Edition game. It will nottake you long to make the necessary changesfrom one edition to the other, and you mighteven find new things to add to your campaignon a permanent basis.

Are we a dying minority? I am referring tothose of us who enjoy and prefer the AD&D®1st Edition materials and accessories. It seemsmore and more that it is becoming impossible tofind resource materials for the 1st Edition.Personally, I have all of the original resources,but as time goes by I find myself needing newcopies of books, modules, etc. Unfortunately,you no longer print any of the stuff. How canthose of us who so love the original game obtainout-of-print materials? I have played and sup-ported TSR products since the early 1980s. Iempathize with your company�s need to grow,but let�s not forget about those of us who helpedmake TSR what it is today.

Dear Dragon,

What did you think of this issue? Do you havea question about an article or have an idea for anew feature you�d like to see? In the UnitedStates and Canada, write to: Letters, DRAGON®Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147,U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Letters, DRAGONMagazine, TSR Ltd., 120 Church End, CherryHinton, Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom.

Continued on page 7

There are lots of people who are genuinelyconcerned about what they�ve heard or read orseen about role-playing games, and they wantsome answers. I understand their concern (I�m aparent, tool, and there are answers for them.But there are also people out there who aremaking irresponsible claims about these games,offering everything except the facts to support

Editorials dealing with the negative publicityand accusations made against role-playinggames have appeared in the following issues:issue #125, ��Myths�; issue #134, �Equal time�;issue #151, �Laying the blame�; issue #158,�Mica Antelope�; issue #171, �Role-playing andthe real world� (by Michael A. Stackpole); and inthis very issue. Furthermore, numerous �Fo-rum� letters on this topic appeared in issues#160-162 and #181 (and, again, in this issue).

I�ve become more interested myself in readingthe books that attack role-playing games, be-cause some of those who accuse role-playing ofbeing a dangerous hobby appear to have farmore dangerous ideas themselves�ideas thatare dangerous to things like the Constitution,the Bill of Rights, and our religious and politicalfreedoms, including the freedom to read andthink what you want and to accept responsibili-ty for being a free person. I have found moreoutright bigotry and intolerance in material thatopposes gaming than I�ve ever seen in any role-playing rule book, and their works are intendedfor use in real life, not in a game of make-believe! (See the editorial for the facts on oneparticular case.)

Greg HandletonCincinnati OH

Having changed residences recently, all of myissues of DRAGON Magazine were lost in themoving process, and I can no longer lookthrough my own issues for these editorials. Ihope that asking this favor will help all peopleinvolved with role-playing games to present anintelligent and informed defense of them, and ofthe AD&D game in particular, if and when theneed arises. For myself, I�d like to actually readsome of the books that were mentioned as beingantagonistic towards role-playing, and I wouldalso like to keep a running file of all futureeditorials dealing with the subject. With a B.A.in psychology, I hope to someday put this infor-mation to use in helping parents and teens alikein making sense of �myth vs. fact� concerningrole-playing games.

I was wondering if you might be able toprovide a list of all the editorials, either byRoger Moore or by guest writers, that discussthe issue of role-playing games under attack bythe press, religious groups, or individual au-thors.

Myth vs. fact

Dear Dragon,

DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is published monthlyby TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 756 (201 Sheridan Springs Road), LakeGeneva WI 53147, United States of America. The postaladdress for all materials from the United States of America andCanada except subscription orders is: DRAGON® Magazine,P.O. Box 111, (201 Sheridan Springs Road), Lake Geneva WI53147, U.S.A.; telephone (414) 248-3625, fax (414) 248-0389.The postal address for all materials from Europe is: DRAGONMagazine, TSR Ltd., 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cam-bridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom; telephone: (0223) 212517U.K.), 44-223-212517 (international); telex: 818761; fax (0223)248066 (U.K.), 44-223-248066 (international)

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DRAGON 5

about a word of warningA word of warning

Many of you out there have probablyseen the little Dark Dungeons pamphletpictured below. It�s been around since1984, and many copies of it have circu- to cast a real-life spell even if you tried alllated through our offices here at TSR. At day, because those spells are all make-best, the creative staff here has found it

Glenn Palmer, whoever you are, I owe our own dialog. At worst, we have foundyou my thanks. I�m not sure why you had it to be full of lies.Chick Publications send its general samplepack and retail catalog to DRAGON® Maga-

The booklet claims that playing fantasy

zine, but the material inside it sure openedrole-playing games will grant you genuineoccult powers, so that you can impress

my eyes. your friends, join covens, cast mind-But it opened my eyes to things you

might not have thought it would.bondage spells on your parents so thatthey buy more gaming materials for you,and so forth. Young people who haveplayed fantasy role-playing games knowfor a fact that, alas, there are no mind-bondage spells, and you can�t use the rules

highly amusing particularly when wepainted out the word balloons and added

1991 retail catalog for Chick Publications,the company that has been bringing youDark Dungeons all these years. I�ve foundit to be very informative, particularly in

believe. It isn�t worth impressing yourfriends with the fact that you role-play,either, as games are meant for mutual funand entertainment, not impressing people.

Okay, so much for that. Now for a fewwords about other products from thecompany that publishes that little booklet.

As I write this, I have before me the Fall

showing the wide assortment of �educa-tional� materials that this company offers.

The most unintentionally amusing book-let it offers is Who, Me?, which is a sort ofprimer on how to litter. Actually, it tellshow to distribute the little booklets thatChick Publications makes, offering hintslike, �Could you leave a little booklet in aphone booth?� It then expands the rangeof places to leave booklets to include restaurants, restrooms, mailboxes, newspa-per dispensers, public benches, laundro-mats, taxis, other people�s coat pockets,rented cars, retaining walls, and bleacherseats.

But that�s about the only funny bookletin the catalog, because the others tend toget right down to serious business, andbashing role-playing games is far from thetop of the list of this company�s publishingpriorities.

For example, we have The Curse ofBaphomet and Masonry: Beyond the Light,both of which claim to reveal the linksbetween Masonry and Satan.

There�s The Devil�s Disciples and Danc-ing with Demons: The Music�s Real Master,which detail how �Satan�s handiwork� isseen in rock, rap, and �Christian rock�music.

There�s Big Daddy and The Collapse ofEvolution, which offer �the scientific factsthat your teacher won�t tell you� aboutevolution that are claimed to disprove it.(Note: I�ve read Big Daddy, and it has someholes in its logic that you could drive atruck full of Piltdown Men through.)

And Chick Publications offers some veryinteresting books and tracts that directlyattack other religions (�Satan is big in thereligion business,� notes the retail catalogon page 8). The Traitor seeks to prove the�falsehood� of Hinduism. The Deceivedgoes after Moslems. The Trap, Satan�sMaster, and Wicca: Satan�s Little White Lieattack New Age and modern pagangroups. As you would guess, there�s even a

text against Judaism, only this one�s acomic book (Chaos). And . . . Chick Publi-cations offers materials with which youcan even attack Christians.

Yes, indeed. From the point of view ofChick Publications, being Christian isn�tenough. Mormons and Jehovah�s Witness-es each get a booklet or two apiece (TheVisitors, Witnessing Effectively to Mor-mons, and The Crisis). But the religiousgroup that comes in for the greatest shareof Chick Publications� attacks�seeminglyeven more so than satanism itself�isRoman Catholicism.

You bet. According to The Secret Historyof the Jesuits, sold through the retail cata-log, Jesuits started both World Wars(�They are the pope�s [sic] �shock troops.���retail catalog, page 27). Smokescreensdescribes �the Vatican�s intent to stamp outreligious freedom and rule the world�(retail catalog, page 26). There�s lots more,but I think you have the idea pretty wellby now.

In case you wonder if I took thesequotes out of context, feel free to write foryour own retail catalog from Chick Publi-cations. It�s free for the asking (I just nowcalled and checked to make sure). Writeto: Chick Publications, P.O. Box 662, ChinoCA 91708-0662, U.S.A. Read it and see ifI�m making all this up. This is America,and you have the freedom to think foryourself and find out the truth.

Okay, now let�s evaluate.Undoubtedly, some of you have had

people shove little copies of DarkDungeons under your nose, telling youthat you�d better read it because you playthose evil role-playing games. Well, nowyou know something about that littlebooklet and its publishing company thatyou might not have known before. If youdon�t like Shriners, Elvis, science, or nuns,and you believe in the value of good, old-fashioned religious bigotry, maybe ChickPublications has got the material you�relooking for.

On the other hand, maybe you�ll havesome serious doubts about trusting any�educational� material coming from acompany that offers a booklet about theCatholic Communion wafer entitled TheDeath Cookie.

The moral of this editorial is: Alwaysconsider your sources.

And if you ever come across one ofthose little Chick Publications bookletslying around in a phone booth, supermar-ket, or restroom, and you�re seized withthe urge to toss it into a garbage can�well, I�ll never tell.

LettersContinued from page 5

their statements. We need to do some seriousthinking about exactly what sorts of people aremaking these claims and what sorts of otherthings these people might have on their minds.Can we really take their antigaming concernsseriously? Or should we perhaps be seriouslyconcerned about their other goals?

People who oppose role-playing have as muchright as those who support it to air their views.We should see to it, however, that our views areintelligent and well informed, and that weexpress them in a responsible manner. The bestadvice I can give on this is for each of us to takea look at our own experience with gaming anddevelop a sense of what it means to us; that willform a solid groundwork on which everythingelse can be built. If someone expresses someconcerns about gaming, see if you can answerthose concerns to that persons satisfaction. Ifyou meet someone whose opinion is firmly setagainst gaming, respect that persons right tothat opinion�but ask that your own opinion berespected as well. Be open to facts, but don�t bebulldozed.

DRAGON 7

10 JUNE 1992

12 egg-citing magicks from the DRAGONLANCE® setting

by the Dozen!by Spike Y. Jones

Artwork by Robert Lessl

Not Cheaper

Many magical items and spells are spe-cific to the world of Krynn, though thebest-known items (e.g., dragonlances) arethose related to the Dragon Wars. Few ofKrynn�s unique items were devised afterthe Cataclysm, mainly because of theKingpriest�s declaration of Manifest Virtue(defining magic as a source of evil) in theyear 118 PC and the disfavor into whichmagic fell during the Age of Darkness. Theorigins of and procedures to reproducemany items of past Ages are still on recordin the Towers of High Sorcery, however,and with magic waxing popular onceagain, many more constructs are waitingto be invented. Here follow a dozen won-ders of magic from Krynn, with two sim-ple themes: �eggs� and �dragons.�

Incubalum3,100 PC�Age of Light

Numerous strange things came intoexistence in the wake of the Graystone ofGargath�s travels across skies of Krynn,one of which was the Incubalum, an egg-like object almost a foot in length andmade of a hard, gray substance reminis-cent of the Graystone itself. The Incuba-lum is AC 2 and is immune to all effectsexcept physical force; it saves as rock +2(against crushing blows and falls only) onTable 29, on page 39 in the Player�s Hand-book. If its shell is ever cracked, it willburst open, and a full-grown adult speci-men of an egg-laying, land-dwelling animalwill spring forth.

The hatched creature can be of any sort,from a normal bird or reptile up to a

dragon (but not a draconian; such thingsdid not exist when the Incubalum cameinto existence). The more common thecreature is in the world, the more likely itis to emerge from the Incubalum (seeTable 1). It will not have memories of its�childhood,� as it did not exist before themoment of hatching, nor will it have anypreexisting loyalties besides those provid-ed by instincts such as hunger and align-ment. (The DM should determine the exactnature of the creature that appears, giventhe guidelines of Table 1; it might be goodto create this being before the device isplaced in the campaign, with a few noteson the being�s reactions upon hatching.)This device has at times opened to reveal acreature of a type not known to be nativeto Krynn, though whether such odditiesare from other worlds or merely fromunexplored areas of Krynn is not known.

When the creature eventually dies, theshards of its egg come together (fromwherever their location or condition) toform the Incubalum once more. It thenteleports to a random location on theplanet to await another hatching.

As an artifact, no one receives any expe-rience points for making the Incubalum.

Egg of dragon breath2,672 PC�Age of Light

During the Second Dragon War ofSilvanesti, many magical weapons andspells were developed to use against therampaging dragons. One was developedthat was considered too horrible to beemployed by the honorable warriors ofthat age. The knowledge of how to createthis weapon was never lost, however, andpeople with fewer scruples eventually didemploy eggs of dragon breath to a smallextent during the War of the Lance, over3,000 years later.

An egg of dragon breath is an actualdragon�s egg, shrunken and hardened bypowerful magicks (this perversion of theegg is the reason why good-aligned wiz-ards are hesitant to make them). The eggbecomes a device that shatters whenhurled against a hard surface, releasingthe effects of the breath weapon appropri-ate to that egg�s dragon-type in a 20� radi-us around the impact site.

The damage done is dependent on theamount of effort the creating mage usedin its manufacture. First, 1,000 steel piecesand one week of time must be put into themage�s creation efforts to produce a�hatchling�s egg.� Doubling this amountwill raise by one dragon�s age group thedamage done by the egg (a �very youngdragon�s egg�). This doubling processcontinues until the enormous sum of2,048,000 stl and 40 years is reached,which would be needed to make an egg ofgreat wyrm�s breath. The maker of suchan item gains experience points equal to

Artwork by John Stanko DRAGON 11

01-16 Amphibian, normal (frog, toad)17-23 Amphibian, giant (giant frog, giant toad, killer frog)24-25 Amphibian, special (bullywug, fire toad)26-37 Bird, normal (eagle, raven, owl)38-43 Bird, giant (giant eagle, giant raven, giant owl)44-45 Bird, special (roc, aarakocra)46-63 Insect/Arachnid, normal (ant, beetle, spider)64-71 Insect/Arachnid, giant (skrit, giant scorpion, giant beetle)72-75 Insect/Arachnid, special (phase spider, ankheg, carrion crawler)76-91 Reptile, normal (snake, turtle, lizard)92-98 Reptile, giant (giant snake, giant lizard)99-00 Reptile, special (hydra, dragon, dinosaur)

1d100 Creature hatched (examples)

Table 1Incubalum Random Hatching Table

one-tenth of its manufacturing cost.There is nothing to stop a rich mage

from festooning himself with powerfuleggs of dragon�s breath. However, there isa danger in this, besides the hazards en-tailed in procuring the dragon eggs them-selves. An egg of dragon breath isnecessarily rather brittle, and if an egg-carrier falls down or otherwise takes aphysical blow, and if there is no adequateprotection for the egg (which makes itemsaving throws vs. all effects as if it weremade of glass), the egg�s effects are re-leased around the bearer. Some magicalweapons are best used in moderation.

shell of protection2,660 PC�Age of Light

This item, a silvered chicken�s egg inappearance, was created by Magius of theRed Robes during the Second Dragon Warand given to one of the war�s heroes be-cause of a stricture preventing magesfrom using weapons of war. Thus it wasnot with him when he was captured bythe Dark Queen, a captivity Magius did notsurvive. Since that time, the shell haspassed through the hands of many anadventurer or nobleman.

To operate this steel-hard egglike device,one places it on a level surface and spins iton its wide end. From the egg�s surface, atranslucent shell of light springs forth inall directions to form a shimmering egg-shaped shell of protection, 10� in diameterhorizontally and 15� vertically (althoughfive of those vertical feet are under thesurface the egg is spinning on, making thevisible portion of the shell cone-shaped).

The device grants full protection fromnormal missiles within its boundaries.Additionally, any beings that attempt toenter its field are usually turned asidewithout injury, in any random directionthat does not allow for penetration of thefield. The percent chance of making itthrough the field equals the creature�s hitdice multiplied by five, with bonus hitpoints added as percentage points. Forexample, a wyvern of 7 + 7 HD has a( 7 × 5 ) + 7 = 3 5 + 7= 42% chance of mak-

12 JUNE 1992

Command Dragon spell2,650 PC�Age of Light(Enchantment/Charm)Level: 5 Wiz Comp.: V,S,MRange: 10 mi./lvl. CT: 3 turnsDuration: 4 hrs./lvl. Save: NoneArea of Effect: One dragon

This spell was created by an elf magetoo near the close of the Second DragonWar to be used to major effect in thatconflict. When cast, the dragon affected isforced to obey all commands of the sortlisted in the suggestion spells description(page 153, Player�s Handbook). The casterand the dragon can communicate by wayof a telepathic link as long as they staywithin the spells range. As the mage usestelepathy to �speak� to the dragon, heneed not know the dragon�s language to beunderstood. The mind-link does not allowhim to see, hear, or smell what the dragoncan, but he can ask the dragon to describewhat it senses, and it is compelled to an-swer his questions truthfully. The dragoncannot knowingly cause harm to the cast-er while the spell is in effect. Acts or sug-

ing it through the field to attack the de-vice�s user, and a 12th-level fighter (with9 + 9 ten-sided hit dice) has a 54% chance.One attempt to enter the field may bemade per round. Magic resistance must bechecked before a creature possessing thischaracteristic (such as a dragon or fiend)makes its �turn away� roll; if the resist-ance check succeeds, the creature mayenter the field easily.

The shells effects last as long as the eggis kept spinning, an activity a spinner cankeep up for one turn per point of hisconstitution, after which he will have torest for as long as he spun the shell. Thespinner suffers an armor-class penalty oftwo steps while concentrating on keepingthe shell in motion by spinning it with hisfingers.

The maker of a shell of protection gains1,000 XP from the creation process. Varia-tions of this item have been seen thatprotect specifically against certain types ofcreatures, such as undead, dragons, etc.

gestions by the caster that violate theguidelines of the suggestion spell allow thedragon victim to make a saving throw vs.spells in order to throw off the spell en-tirely, though it need not obey �illegal�commands in any event.

Wonderful though this spell is, it has twodrawbacks. The first is that the dragon, ifit saves against the spell or is releasedfrom the spell�s grip, will quite likely wantto teach the caster a brief and fatal lessonabout the consequences of controllingdragons. The second is that the spell mustbe cast on the complete and unadulteratedset of shards of the egg from which theparticular dragon involved was hatched; ifeven one shard is missing, the spell willhave no effect. The egg�s shards are de-stroyed in the casting, so that the spell canbe used only once per dragon. Magesplanning to make use of this spell oftencollect entire clutches of dragon eggs inanticipation of their future needs, thenattempt to track their future �clients.�

Dreamhold/The Promise2,645 PC�Age of Light

The majority of magical items found onKrynn were created by elves or humans,but there are exceptions, such as thedwarven-made Hammer of Kharas. Therarest are items constructed by dragons.

Dragons have little use for magicalweapons. The magical items they do makecater to different needs. Dreamhold, agigantic quartz crystal carved into theshape of a multifaceted dragon�s egg about1� long, is such an item.

Gazing into the various facets ofDreamhold, one can see vignettes includ-ing scenes of sculpted caverns, great eggshatching, the first flight of dragon-young,gleaming piles of treasure, and, as anunpleasant climax, the banishment of thedragons at the end of the Second DragonWar. Those who know the proper com-mand words can even project these mov-ing images into any space within 30� ofDreamhold itself.

During the exile of the Queen of Dark-ness, what had once been an entertainingtoy became an object of veneration. It wasused by Takhisis to incite the evil dragonsin their return to Krynn at the onset of theWar of the Lance. Thus, while this baublewas once valuable only for the material ofits construction, it was renamed by Takhi-sis as The Promise, eventually becoming areligious icon an evil dragon might die topossess or protect. Good dragons are notcaught up in this fanaticism and still viewthe Dreamhold as a device for entertain-ment, not veneration.

As a unique artifact, none but its originalcrafter gained experience points for itscreation. Its sale value has never beencalculated, but to the right buyer-such asa desperate dragon�it could fetch a colos-sal price.

Mishakal�s token1,902 PC�Age of Might

This beautiful translucent egg, the sizeof a chicken�s egg, is smooth to the touch.Constellations of gems are visible beneathits ivory surface. This was a gift from thegoddess, Mishakal, to the people of Krynn,celebrating the peace after the Kinslayerand Ergoth/Thorbardin wars that toreapart the world in earlier centuries.

It has no martial applications, but whenplaced overnight beneath the pillow of awoman who truly desires pregnancy, itwill grant the woman�s desire, withoutneed for the participation of any man(although most women requesting the useof the token have a partner anyway). Oncethe token�s part in conception is played,the pregnancy progresses normally and incomplete health. Any child born shows anormal resemblance to its parent(s), not toMishakal or any other. There is a 5%chance of a multiple birth of 2-5 children.

The token was freely loaned on a nightlybasis to women of any race who cameseeking the gift of Mishakal. When anyarea was no longer in need of the token�sservices, it was moved to another of Mis-hakal�s temples. Following the Cataclysm,there is no record of the token�s where-abouts, but it could conceivably still be inuse somewhere in Krynn.

As with other artifacts, no mortal couldmake a copy of it, so it has no experience-point value. Those of the Temple of Misha-kal would not offer money for its returnshould it be found, expecting those inpossession of it to return it of their ownaccord. If some other person or institutionwishes to hold the token, no one can pre-dict what price they would pay for it. It isrumored that at least one good dragonthat lost its eggs during the War of theLance is searching for this item, in hopesof starting a new family.

Apprentice�s egg1,600 PC�Age of Might

When a wizard of Krynn declares hisalignment and passes his Test of HighSorcery, he is apprenticed to a greaterwizard to learn the secrets of their craft.One such secret is the manufacture ofmagical items, and the apprentice�s egg is aminor part of this training, usuallyforgotten later by more accomplishedmages.

The apprentice�s egg is an inch-longmagical construct used to hold the ener-gies of a single cantrip spell in place, to bereleased when the egg is destroyed. Theexact effects of each cantrip depends onthe creator�s wishes (subject to the DM�sapproval; the cantrips in the AD&D 1stEdition volume Unearthed Arcana areuseful as spell guidelines). Apprentice�seggs each cost 10 stl and take one day toproduce. The maker gains 1 XP per egg.

The egg can be thrown up to 30�, andthe spell it contains will be released at thepoint of impact if the egg fails an itemsaving throw as glass (see �Grenade-Like

The egg of distraction was the firstattempt at a device eventually perfected asthe egg of fascination. It was made by awizard of the White Robes whose namehas been lost to time. Still, both devicesare useful, and a number of copies of eachhave been crafted since. In making an eggof distraction, the creator gains 300 XP

When inactive, the egg of distractionlooks like a normal-sized egg made of hardstone, with lustrous highlights gleaming init. When spun on its wide end, these glintsof color intensify, though not enough toprovide any useful light in darkness. Any-one within 20� of the egg who is in a posi-

Egg of distraction1,340 PC�Age of Might

Some dragons are said to have learnedthe methods for creating these items,using them for their own amusementthough they would never admit it to anybut their own kind.

Missiles� on pages 62-63 of the DMG fortargeting information). As apprentice�seggs are made without use of enchant anitem or permanency spells, they are some-what unreliable, having a percentagechance of failing to work (rolled when theegg impacts) equal to the maker�s intelli-gence subtracted from 25. A wizard with a9 intelligence could make eggs with a 16%failure chance, and one with an 18 intelli-gence could make eggs with a 7% failurechance.

tion to see it, even in a mirror, must savevs. spells or be momentarily distracted byit. If distracted, the victim forgets what hewas about to say (including spells he wasabout to cast) and suffers a -2 penalty onattack rolls and armor class for one round,because his eyes keep being drawn backto the spinning egg.

While this would seem to be a particu-larly effective weapon, its shortcomingsare that it is indiscriminate, distractingfriend and foe alike, and that the view ofthe egg is easily obstructed in a melee. It isuseful, however, is as a protection againstmind-affecting spells like hypnotism orillusions, because the mind and eyes ofsomeone distracted will always be drawnto the egg and away from the effects ofany such spell being used against him.This allows anyone it affects a bonus of+2 on saving throws vs. �mind-magic�(spells against which a wisdom bonuswould be applicable).

Keeping the egg spinning is no easy task,requiring a spin every round and penaliz-ing the armor class of the spinner by -2while so engaged. In addition, the spinnermust make his own saving throw eachround or become distracted himself, for-getting to continue spinning the egg. Aspinner can keep an egg of distraction inmotion for one turn per point of his con-stitution, after which time he must rest foran equal period.

Interestingly, dragons are immune to the

hypnotic effects of this device. At least onesmall dragon was known to have used thisitem in the defense of its lair.

Egg of fascination1,335 PC�Age of Might

Created five years after the perfection ofthe egg of distraction, the egg of fascina-tion is a considerable improvement overthat device. It appears much the same asthe former�as a speckled stone egg-andit operates in roughly the same way, beingspun on its wide end by someone whosuffers a two-step penalty to his armorclass every round he is engaged in spin-ning, but its effects are more powerful.This egg is also more difficult to spin thanits predecessor, and a spinner can keep itin motion for only five rounds per point ofhis constitution, eventually resting fortwice the duration he kept it in motion.

When spun, the highlights of the eggseem to spring off its surface and straightinto the eyes of everyone within 30' whocan see it (except the spinner), forcingeach victim to make a saving throw vs.spells or be affected as if by a hypnoticpattern spell, standing fascinated until tworounds after the spinning stops. If some-thing blocks the view of the egg, a fasci-nated viewer remains transfixed for twomore rounds; if his view of the egg isrestored before this time runs out, he willonce again be under its sway withoutbenefit of an additional saving throw.

Because the glints of light from the eggof fascination actually project from itssurface when in use, its effects are moreexceptional in a darkened area than innormal light. Thus, saving throws againstthe egg are made at -2 if the egg is usedin darkness. Magical darkness, on theother hand, overwhelms the power of theegg, making it useless. Dragons are notimmune to the effects of this device asthey are with the previous one.

The maker of an egg of fascination goesthrough almost the same work as a makerof an egg of distraction, and thus gainsabout the same benefit from it: 350 XP.

The enlarged egg is porous enough toallow a relaxed and calm being to breatheasily within it, but a struggling personwill fall unconscious from lack of air afteras many rounds as he has constitutionpoints (though he can�t suffocate). Theshell is immune to internal attack, andthere isn�t enough room for a man-sizedvictim to cast spells or accidentally hurthimself trying to escape. On the outside,the egg is more fragile, being AC 7 andable to take 16 hp damage. If the egg isbroken open by comrades of the victim, ifit is voluntarily opened by someone know-ing the proper command word, or if 24hours elapse, the victim is released withno harm done to him. The egg cannot bemoved, and it makes item saving throws asglass, with any failed saving throw de-stroying the egg; destructive spells such asfireball can destroy it if more than 16 hpdamage is done, even if the saving throwis made (the victim inside takes either halfor full damage, depending on the egg�ssuccess at its own saving throw). Eggsopened violently are destroyed in theprocess, but those that either �hatch� atthe end of their one-day duration or areopened using the correct command wordwill revert to their normal form, ready forreuse.

This item was created by an Abanasinianmage, Shishushkiri, to capture his foes forlater questioning. It takes the form of afeatureless, fist-sized black egg. To work,the caster throws the egg at a victim,making an attack roll against AC 10 minusany dexterity, shield, or magical bonusesthe victim possesses. If the egg misses itstarget, it falls to the ground without harm.If it strikes the target, it expands into adark, 7'-tall, �semi-egg� conelike shape thatis 6� wide at its base (part of the egg�sbottom is below floor level, 2� deep, an-choring the egg in an upright position). Ifthe victim then fails a saving throw vs.paralyzation, the egg of imprisonment willhave imprisoned him inside its mass;otherwise, the victim escapes from theegg, which then returns to its small form.

Egg of imprisonment640 PC�Age of Might

Although an egg of imprisonment ex-pands to a size large enough to encompasseight tiny-sized creatures or four small-sized creatures, this can only occur if thecreatures to be imprisoned are alreadywithin such a small volume of space. Twoman-sized creature may be caught ifstanding very close to each other. Crea-tures larger than man-size cannot betrapped by the egg; if it is thrown at one,the egg will attempt to encompass it and,upon failing, will contract back to normalform to fall to the ground. This item hasproven popular with at least one dragon inthe years after the War of the Lance, as itstops attackers quite effectively for laterdisposal.

The experience-point value of an egg ofimprisonment is 500 XP.

Ridiculator550 PC�Age of Might

Like many a tinker-gnome invention, theRidiculator started as a simple thoughimpractical device. In this case, the devicewas meant to extend the range at which arotten egg could be thrown as a prank.The machine is now a state-of-the-art (asfar as the gnomes are concerned) mon-strosity consisting of a spring-loaded,catapult-like device to hurl �shells� (so-called even though they are complete eggs)at its quarry. The victim is designated by acomplicated mechanical targeting systemrun by a trained operator from the Hurl-er�s Seat in front. Behind the shell-arm,usually shaped like a dragon�s head andneck (the egg goes in the dragon�s openmouth) is a delivery system to automati-cally reload the arm with fresh shells fromthe Portable Production Module (�chickencoop�) in the rear: a fully soundproofedcabin containing up to 10 contented andshell-laying Automatic Munitions Plants(the �hens�). The Portable ProductionModule is balanced on a delicate suspen-sion system that prevents the AutomaticMunitions Plants from being disturbedwhen the Ridiculator enters TransportMode (�Hey, Telsa, hitch up the ponies!�).

Under normal conditions, the Ridicula-tor can fire 2d10 eggs daily, at targets up

Table 2Ridiculator Operations Data

Type Effect Complexity Modifier TotalMove horizontal (throwing) 45 ' 6 - 6Move horizontal (self) 24 ' 3 - 3Soundproof Against yelling 6 - 6Vibrationproof Against jostling 3 - 3

Final modifiers Number Size ComplexityHighest complexity 6 6 6Additional effects 3 - + 3Resizing - + 4 - 4Totals 9 9 5

For details, see the AD&D® 1st Edition volume, DRAGONLANCE® Adventures, pages 22-25 and 118.

14 JUNE 1992

to 45� away, one egg per round (more eggsmay be fired if they are available). TheRidiculator makes attack rolls as a 4-HDcreature, with normal medium- and long-range penalties for missile weapons (16’-30’, -2 to hit; 31�-45�, -5 to hit). Shellsthat hit do no damage to victims beyondthe embarrassment of being �egged� andincidental damage to clothing, porouspapers, and other stainable objects. Thepresence of this one-ton device is immedi-ately evident to any prospective victims,however, who may choose to avoid itsattentions in any number of obvious ways.All of this may be had for only 1,150 stl(plus operating expenses to keep the Auto-matic Munitions Plants well fed). Detailsare given in Table 2.

Remove Disease spell120 AC�Age of Darkness(Necromantic)Level: 2 Wiz Comp.: V,S,MRange: Touch CT: 1 turnDuration: Perm. Save: NoneArea of Effect: One person

During the Age of Darkness, true clericswere not to be found on Krynn, but false�clerics� took their place. Some renegadewizards used �miracles� to convince peo-ple of their authenticity as messengers ofthe gods; one such �miracle� was the dan-gerous remove disease spell, still seen on

rare occasions in isolated areas of Ansalon.The remove disease spell has a mislead-

ing name; it merely removes a patient�s

the physical symptoms of the plague but

symptoms, an effect that the practitionertries to pass off as a full cure. Sometimes

without the plague germs themselves,

this leads to an incidental cure, if thepatient�s symptoms had prevented himfrom resting or eating well, but almost asoften the patient�s condition secretly wors-ens. All game effects dealing with thevictim�s physical appearance and perception of pain and discomfort vanish, butlosses of hit points or ability scores con-tinue, as do system-shock checks andsaving throws. Because he can feel nosymptoms, the victim usually takes nofurther steps to deal with his illness andeventually dies from a disease he mightotherwise have survived (as an example, apneumonia sufferer with his symptomsremoved might go out into the cold anddamp to do a day�s work, suffering doublepneumonia as a result without realizing it).

When this spell is performed, the symp-toms of the patient are transferred to thematerial component�a freshly laid, fertileegg from any avian or reptile, including adragon. Depending on the severity of thesymptoms, the creature developing withinthe egg is likely to be disfigured but,strangely, not ill (such as a chick with all of

which still covertly attack the patient).If, unfortunately, the patient should

happen to die from the disease before thefalse cleric can get out of town, the eggcan be brought forth and broken, with thepitiful creature inside being blamed forthe miscasting of the spell (�If the egg youvillagers had provided me was truly fresh,this would not have happened.� [crack!]�See? The evidence of your mistake is tobe seen in the contents of the egg.�)

The false clerics wisely attempted tokeep the nature of this spell secret, buteven where the truth was known somepeople were willing to play the �cleric�s�price in order to get relief from aches andpains they suffered, even knowing that thedisease itself might still affect them. Givena choice between pain, nausea, fever, andthe like while waiting for a possible recov-ery (or at least feeling comfortable duringthe wait), many sufferers during this agewere willing to pay the price, which waswildly variable, and take the gamble.

Unfortunately, if someone in a later ageacquired a scroll inscribed with this spell,he would likely have no quick way ofknowing the spell�s true nature (use anintelligence check on 1d20 after threehours of study to discover the spell�s actu-al effects).

l

DRAGON 15

An overview of the Norse lands� great serpents, part 1

Artwork by Jim Holloway

by Jean Rabe

Among the most feared creatures in theNorse lands are dragons, there calledlinnorms, as noted in the AD&D® 2ndEdition HR1 Vikings Campaign Sourcebook(VCS). These great wingless and leglessserpents are among the fiercest of theNorse countries� denizens, in some caseseven dwarfing the power of the viciousgiants. Fortunately for the Vikings andother peoples, linnorms are also very rare.

Linnorms, like dragons in traditionalAD&D 2nd Edition campaigns, have 12 agecategories. Linnorms never stop growing,and the older a linnorm becomes, themore awesome and frightening it gets,gaining more abilities, a thicker hide, andthe capability to mete out ever-increasingamounts of damage. Sages speculate thatthe oldest linnorms are insane; centuriesof solitude and a fixation on power andwealth take a toll on their intellects. Thishas not been proven, however, as the onlyrecorded survivor of a battle with a greatwyrm linnorm was the hero, Sigurd, whoslew the legendary Fafnir.

All linnorms are evil and seek to betterthemselves and increase their riches at allother creatures� expenses. While some ofthe craftier linnorms have been known tostrike up temporary alliances, they turnon their partners after the great feat theyallied to achieve is accomplished. Mostlinnorms are solitary because of theirselfish natures and because they do nottrust their peers, much less other races.Further, they have no desire to share theirmounds of treasure with anyone. Thereare a few exceptions, although family-

Linnorms and dragonsLinnorms use the same age-related modi-

fiers as do traditional dragons (see Table 1in the Monstrous Compendium,GREYHAWK® appendix, �Dragons�). Lin-norms of each age category use the samehit-die, combat, and fear-save modifiers asdo other dragons. However, linnorms donot generate a fear radius until they reachthe venerable age category. At the venera-ble stage, a linnorm has a fear radius of 20yards; at the wyrm stage, 50 yards; and atgreat wyrm, 80 yards.

Another marked difference betweenlinnorms and traditional dragons is theirage categories. Linnorms are left on theirown at much earlier ages than other drag-

oriented linnorms are not the most power-ful of the Norse dragons.

This article and one appearing nextmonth offer a creative expansion of thetypes of linnorms that can appear in aViking-style AD&D campaign. These mon-sters can appear in any other sort ofAD&D campaign as well, though theirnumbers should be extremely rare at best.

ons, sometimes being abandoned as soonas they hatch. Because of this, a linnormgrows up fast or dies very young, a victimof hungry relatives, hostile monsters, orhuman adventurers. Use the new tablehere for linnorm age categories.

Sages believe some linnorms can live4,000 years or more, especially the dreadlinnorms, frost linnorms, and the MidgardSerpent. Some speculate that Corpse-Tearer, an infamous linnorm that tormentsthe dead, and the well-known MidgardSerpent attained godlike immortality, andonly their avatars rumble over earth andsea, respectively.

Combat with linnormsEach type of linnorm employs a differ-

ent strategy when dealing with foes. Someprefer to fight their targets physically, sotheir awesome breath weapons and magi-cal abilities do not damage any potentialadditions to their treasure hoard currentlyon the persons of their foes. Others keep adistance between them and their foes,using only breath weapons and long-rangemagical attacks to keep the linnorms safe.No matter the strategy, linnorms use theirattacks to their best advantage, oftenplaying on their foes� weaknesses andfears. There are rarely any survivors ofwell-thought-out attacks by linnorms ofthe adult age or older.

Linnorms use the biting and tail-slaptactics of traditional dragons, with thecombat modifier for age added to eachattack. Breath weapons of any sort areusable three times per day, once every

DRAGON 17

three rounds, unless otherwise noted.Being serpentlike, nearly all linnorms lackclaws and wings, though some that cancast mage spells can use fly spells uponthemselves. Spell-casting linnorms casttheir spells as do dragons, needing neitherprayer nor study; they need only useverbal components to use them (castingtime: 1). Like traditional dragons, linnormsmake saving throws as fighters of levelsequal to their hit dice, and those of at leastold age are immune to normal missiles.

Like traditional dragons, linnorms havesuperior senses of sight, hearing, andsmell. However, because the linnorms areleft on their own at birth in most cases,their senses are even more acute. Alllinnorms are able to detect invisible crea-tures and objects within a 20� radius perage category, and they have a naturalclairaudience ability within the samerange. Linnorms have no telepathic orpsionic abilities.

Linnorm loreTales and legends involving linnorms are

prevalent among humans, nokk, nisse,sjora, huldre, dverge, maahiset, and otherintelligent races of the Norse lands, alldetailed in the VCS. The most commonlyheard stories involve the Midgardsormr�the world-girdling Midgard Serpent, childof Loki�and Nidhoggr, Corpse-Tearer.

Nearly all Norse children are also taughtthe tale of Fafnir, the dragon slain bySigurd. Many believe that humans canmagically become dragons, as Fafnir wasonce a man. Other legends hint thatdwarves or giants may also become lin-norms. Noble-minded parents teach theirchildren that excessive greed could causethem to become linnorms later in life.

Sages believe these legends have somebasis in fact, although they admit the talesare filled with much embellishment andstretched truths. Clever sages use the talesto pinpoint where they believe linnormsroam. In the fantasy version of medievalEurope displayed in the VCS, many of thestories indicate linnorm sightings in Gar-dariki, Tafestaland, Permia, Karelia, Swe-den, and Norway. Only a few stories hintthat linnorms can be found in England, theDanelaw, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, andWendland, and among the Volga Bulgars. Avery few stories imply that the linnormsavoid France, Burgundy, Byzantium, Ara-by, and northern Africa. Adventurers havebeen known to use these tales in this wayin their search for linnorms. Stories ofsuch adventurers succeeding are rare andincomplete, perhaps because the adventur-ers do not want their treasure-takeknown, or perhaps because their planswere cut short by linnorm teeth.

Linnorm Age Categories Table

Age0-2 years3-7 years8-19 years20-49 years50-249 years250-499 years500-749 years750-1,199 years1,200-1,699 years1,700-2,199 years2,200-2,799 years2,800+years

CategoryHatchlingVery youngYoungJuvenileYoung adultAdultMature adultOldVery oldVenerableWyrmGreat wyrm

No such encounter should be easy, aslinnorms are fierce, deadly, and possessacute cunning. Further, if the PCs seri-ously harm a linnorm, it is more likely toescape to fight another day than to fight tothe death. The killing of a linnorm is alsosure to attract the unfavorable attention ofother linnorms and equally powerfulmonsters, as the linnorm-slayer will beregarded as another potential rival.

Linnorms should be used sparingly. Onlya clever and highly experienced band ofadventurers should confront a linnorm ofthe adult age or higher. Prior to encoun-tering a linnorm, the player charactersshould hear tales of the feared creature,stories that greatly exaggerate its abilitiesand destructive accomplishments. How-ever, these stories should be tinged withpartial truths and should lead the PCs inthe right direction.

Linnorms in campaigns

18 JUNE 1992

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:FREQUENCY:ORGANIZATION:ACTIVITY CYCLE:DIET:INTELLIGENCE:TREASURE:ALIGNMENT:NO. APPEARING:

Any non-arctic forestVery rareSolitary

AnySpecialAverage (8-10)SpecialChaotic evil1 (5% of 2)

ARMOR CLASS: 1 (base)MOVEMENT: 24, SW 12HIT DICE: 11 (base)THAC0: 9 (at 11 HD)NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 bite + specialDAMAGE/ATTACK: 2d8SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spells, breath weapon, surpriseSPECIAL DEFENSES: SpellsMAGIC RESISTANCE: Variable

H (21� base)Champion (15-16)Variable

SIZE:MORALE:XP VALUE:

A forest linnorm is repugnant, more resembling a huge, grotesquesnake than a dragon. Its slender, serpentine body is a mottled green andbrown that masks its form amid the undergrowth and fallen trees of theforest. This linnorm, though not as smart as other Norse dragons, pos-sesses a great ego, a natural cunning, and an unending cruelty. It con-siders no creature above it and hates all creatures possessing above ananimal intelligence, especially beautiful creatures.

At birth, a forest linnorm could be easily confused with a large greenlizard, as it has four legs and a thin, whiplike tail. As the creature ma-tures, the weak legs atrophy, disappearing by the time the linnorm hasreached the young adult stage. Brown splotches begin to appear on itsnow snakelike body. Its scales become larger and thicker, offering itgreater protection, and its head widens. Forest linnorms speak the lan-guage of all animals in addition to their own language, but they are notable to converse with humans and demihumans.

Combat: Forest linnorms usually trap their victims, mimicking thesounds of injured animals to draw humans and demihumans close totheir hiding places (they hide well enough to gain a +2 bonus to sur-prise rolls). Older specimens use illusions to further deceive their vic-tims, springing when the victims draw near. Their prized targets arehumans, as they view humans as beautiful�and therefore objects to beinjured, punished, and slain. Forest linnorms often choose to use theirbreath weapon to weaken powerful opponents before physically attack-ing or using additional illusions. They tend to fight to the death, viewingno opponents as too strong and no threat as too dangerous.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: A forest linnorm�s breath weap-on is a 1�-wide gout of heavy liquid that extends in a straight line 6� foreach age category the dragon has attained. For example, a juvenile�sbreath weapon extends 24�. The liquid is very acidic in nature, causingdamage and acting as a wither spell to a randomly selected limb of avictim (the victim is not allowed a saving throw). Forest linnorms cast

Linnorm, Forest

Age Body Lgt.(')1 l-42 5-103 10-184 18-265 26-346 34-427 42-508 50-589 58-64

10 64-7211 72-8012 80-88

©1992 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Tail Lgt.(�)4-1414-2424-4040-5656-7070-8686-100100-114114-128128-152152-166166-180

Breath Weapon1d4+12d4+23d4+34d4+45d4+56d4+67d4+78d4+89d4+910d4 + 1010d4 +1112d4 + 12

AC43210

- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7

Wizard SpellsNilNilNil12344 14 24 34 44 4 1

MRNilNilNil15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%55%

Treasure TypeNilNilNil½EEEEE ×2E ×2E ×2E ×3E ×3

XP Value1,4002,0005,0009,000

11,00014,00017,00018,00019,00021,00022,00023,000

spells and use their magical abilities-the details of which follow�at alevel of ability equal to five plus their combat modifier. They are limitedto learning only illusion/phantasm spells.

Forest linnorms are born with a constant invisibility to animals power.At the young stage, they are able to warp wood, and at the young adultstage, they can cause plant growth. Upon reaching the mature adultstage they are able to cause spikegrowth, and at the very old stage, theycan use sticks to snakes. Wyrms and great wyrms are able to pass plant.Except for invisibility to animals, each of these abilities is usable threetimes a day.

Habitat/Society: Forest linnorms are found in wooded areas through-out the Norse lands. No more than one such linnorm will be discoveredwithin a 100-square-mile area, as they are territorial and will not willing-ly permit another of their kind within their designated home. The onlyexception to this is when these linnorms mate.

Forest linnorms are poor parents. When offspring are born, the malereturns to its own territory. The mother forces the young dragons toleave her territory when they pass from the hatchling stage.

These monsters make their lairs in densely overgrown sections of for-est, wrapping their serpentine bodies about the bases of trees and bush-es to become virtually undistinguishable from the roots and trunks.They prefer temperate weather but are able to stand great extremes ofheat and cold. They usually store their treasure in hollow tree trunks.These linnorms prize gems and jewelry, but only so they can break themlater. It is rare to find intact objects in a linnorm�s cache, although thereis usually plenty of gold and silver.

Ecology: While forest linnorms are omnivorous, they prefer the fleshof what they consider attractive creatures, such as stags, eagles, swans,humans, and demihumans.

Forest linnorms� natural enemies are thursir and kalevanpojat, giantswho live in the wilderness and hunt the dragons for food and for theirhides. Human heroes are also the bane of forest linnorms, out of theneed to preserve civilization from the dragons� ravages.

DRAGON 19

Linnorm, Land

Any non-arctic landVery rareSolitary

AnyOmnivoreExceptional (15-16)SpecialChaotic evil1 (5% of 2)

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:FREQUENCY:ORGANIZATION:ACTIVITY CYCLE:DIET:INTELLIGENCE:TREASURE:ALIGNMENT:NO. APPEARING:

ARMOR CLASS: -1 (base)MOVEMENT: 18, SW 12, Br 12HIT DICE: 13 (base)THAC0: 7 (at 13 HD)NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 claws/1 bite/1 tail strike + specialDAMAGE/ATTACKS: 1d10/1d10/3d10/2d10SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spells, breath weaponSPECIAL DEFENSES: SpellsMAGIC RESISTANCE: VariableSIZE: G (48� base)MORALE: Fanatic (17-18)XP VALUE: Variable

Land linnorms are driven solely by greed, and they enjoy twisting bothhumans and the land to their own corrupt desires.

Unlike many other linnorms, land linnorms have four legs, the fore-limbs being useful for combat. The scales of hatchling land linnorms aresmall, green, and glisten like gems. As the linnorms age, the scales en-large, lose their luster, and begin to change at the individual linnorm�swhim from various shades of greens to browns to grays.

Land linnorms speak their own tongue as well as the languages of allNorse dragons. Land linnorms learn languages quickly. There is a 10%chance that a hatchling will be able to magically speak with all intelligentcreatures. The chance to possess this ability increases 10% per age cate-gory of the linnorm.

Combat: Land linnorms are cautious, sizing up their intended victimsbefore engaging them in combat. Land linnorms will sometimes follow atarget for days-in a human or animal form if the linnorm is old enoughto polymorph �before feeling it knows all the target�s strengths andweaknesses and is ready to attack. Land linnorms carefully plot theirevery move before striking, usually beginning an assault with breathand spells before closing to attack with claws and bite. Land linnormsuse their physical attacks only if they are certain they can best theirvictims. They opt to abandon targets that seem too dangerous. Theselinnorms prefer to attack small groups of humans and demihumans,avoiding large groups that might pose a threat.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: A land linnorm�s breath weaponis a blast of heat 120� long, 5� wide at the lirmorm�s mouth, and 40� wideat the base. All those caught within the cone must save vs. breath weap-on for half damage. The searing heat instantly fatigues all those struckby it, whether or not they successfully save. Fatigued beings have theirstrength scores reduced by half (round down). Land linnorms� runes,selected at random or by the DM from the VCS, are always successfullycast.

Ecology: While land linnorms are capable of eating virtually anything,including stones, they prefer the flesh of maahisets and dverge. Landlinnorms have no natural enemies.

Land linnorms loathe humans and demihumans and go out of theirway to kill them, as the linnorms are intensely jealous of the lesser crea-tures� ability to garner wealth. However, a few linnorms have beenknown to set aside their hatred, capturing humans with magical skillsand forcing them to instruct the linnorms in new magic runes or to re-veal treasures. In a few such cases, the linnorms have formed long-termpartnerships with humans, with the linnorms receiving magical knowl-edge and material wealth while the humans are allowed to live as long asthey serve their masters. Land linnorms are fond of wealth of anykind-�old, silver, gems, and especially magic.

However, some land linnorms have been reported to join forces withothers of their kind to attack a strong human or demihuman establish-ment or a group of humans too large for a single linnorm to considertaking on. Such alliances are usually brief, ending after the division ofthe spoils.

Land linnorms typically join with others of their kind only to mate, thepair separating after the offspring have passed beyond the hatchlingstage. The abandoned young linnorms are preyed upon by human anddemihuman adventurers, giants, and other monsters of the land.

Habitat/Society: Land linnorms are found in any non-arctic terrain,although they prefer hills near human communities. High perches allowthem to watch the humans, noting any wealth leaving or entering thecommunity. They make their lairs in caves; older linnorms use theirstone shape ability to fashion their own homes, complete with traps andobstacles to kill trespassers.

Land linnorms are born able to cast transmute rock to mud and mudto rock each once a day. In addition, they gain other powers as they age,each usable three times a day: young� invisibility; young adult�dig; ma-ture adult�polymorph self; very old� stone shape; wyrm �conjureearth elemental; great wyrm �earthquake.

Age123456789

101112

Body Lgt.(�) Tail Lgt.(�) AC Breath Weapon1-12 3-12 2 1d12 + 112-23 12-21 1 3d12 + 223-42 21-30 0 5d12 + 342-61 30-49 - 1 7d12 +461-80 49-68 - 2 9d12 + 580-99 68-87 - 3 11d12+699-118 87-106 - 4 13d12 + 7118-137 106-125 - 5 15d12 + 8137-156 125-144 - 6 17d12+9156-165 144-153 - 7 19d12 + 10165-174 153-162 - 8 21d12 + 11174-183 162-171 - 9 23d12 + 12

RunesNil1234567891011

MR10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%55%60%65%

Treasure TypeNilAAA,BA,BA,B×2A,B×2A,B×3A,B×3A,B,C × 3A,B,C × 3A,B,C × 3

XP Value8,000

12,00017,00018,00019,00021,00022,00023,00024,00025,00028,00031,000

20 JUNE 1992©1992 TSR, inc. All Rights Reserved.

Linnorm, Sea

Sea linnorms are coldly vicious, hating all humans and demihumans.They constantly plot to destroy human shipping, constructions, andsettlements. Sea linnorms view humans and demihumans as a threat toall marine life,

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:FREQUENCY:ORGANIZATION:ACTIVITY CYCLE:DIET:INTELLIGENCE:TREASURE:ALIGNMENT:NO. APPEARING:

Any fresh or salt waterVery rareSolitary

AnyHerbivoreExceptional (15-16)SpecialLawful evil1 (5% of 2)

-2 (base)9, SW 2413 (base)7 (at 13 HD)1 bite/1 tail slash + special3d10/2d10Spells, breath weapon, capsize ships, sur-prise

ARMOR CLASS:MOVEMENT:HIT DICE:THAC0:NO. OF ATTACKS:DAMAGE/ATTACKS:SPECIAL ATTACKS:

SPECIAL DEFENSES: SpellsMAGIC RESISTANCE: VariableSIZE: G (48' base)MORALE: Fanatic (17-18)XP VALUE: Variable

A hatchling sea linnorm is nearly translucent. As the linnorm ages, itsscales become pearly and thick, and they shift color based on the lin-norm�s will. From the young age and on, the linnorm is able to make itsscales shift to whatever color desired, as if it were a chameleon. All sealinnorms have long barbed tails that they employ in combat.

Sea linnorms speak their own language, can communicate with all sealife, and have a 5% chance per age category of learning how to speakany human or demihuman language. They can breathe air or water atwill.

Combat: At sea, these linnorms� favorite form of attack is to come upbeneath ships to capsize them. Only sea linnorms of young age or olderwill do this. The attacked ship must make a seaworthiness roll as per theDungeon Master�s Guide, page 126. A modifier for the linnorm�s size issubtracted from the roll, the modifier equalling the linnorm�s combatmodifier multiplied by five. Thus, a Viking longship attacked by an oldsea linnorm has a [60 - (8 × 5)= ] 20% chance to avoid capsizing. Sea lin-norms use breath weapons, spells, and special abilities to kill any surviv-ing humans, attacking physically only if necessary.

To attack humans along the coast, the linnorms slither out of the sea atnight, then let loose with spells, magical abilities, and breath weapons atstructures and ships. They then attack any survivors, using breathweapons, bites, and tail strikes. If seriously wounded, they will retreatto the sea again-but will plot vengeance all the time.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: The breath of sea linnorms is acloud of caustic acid droplets that is 60� long, 60� wide, and 30� high. Allthose caught within the cloud must save vs. breath weapon for half

Age123456789

101112

Body Lgt.(')1-1212-2323-4242-6161-8080-9999-118118-137137-156156-165165-174174-183

Tail Lgt.(')12-3232-4343-6262-8181-100100-119119-138138-157157-176176-185185-194194-203

AC10

- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9

- 1 0

2 d 1 0 + l 4dl0+26d10+38d10+410dl0+512d10 + 614d10 + 716d10 + 818d10+920d10+1021d10+1123d10 + 12

Breath Weapon Priest SpellsNil122 12 1 12 2 12 2 2 12 2 2 23 2 2 23 3 2 23 3 3 23 3 3 3

MR15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%55%60%65%70%

Treasure TypeNil½D½DDD,AD,A,BD,A,B × 2D,A,B×2D,A,B × 2D,A,B × 3D,A,B × 3D,A,B × 4

XP Value5,000

11,00015,00016,00018,00019,00020,00021,00022,00023,00024,00025,000

damage. This breath weapon cannot be employed underwater. A sealinnorm casts its spells at a level equal to eight plus its combat modifier.Spells they acquire must come from only the Animal, Elemental, andWeather priest spheres.

Sea linnorms gain the following abilities as they age, each usable twicea day: very young�wall of fog; young� fog cloud; juvenile� gust ofwind; young adult� solid fog; adult� airy water; mature adult �deathfog; old� raise water; very old� part water; venerable� transmute dustto water; wyrm� reverse gravity; great wyrm� shape change.

The linnorm�s ability to change the color of its scales also aids it. Thesea linnorm has a chance equal to its magic resistance to be unseenwhen attempting to blend in with its surroundings, allowing a +4 to theroll to surprise foes.

Habitat/Society: Sea linnorms are found in the waters surroundingScandinavia and in waters near Permia, Greenland, Scotland, and Ire-land. It is rumored they can be found as far south as north Africa.

While they can maneuver equally well above or below the waves, theyspend most of their days underwater, surfacing to attack humans anddemihumans. The lair of a sea linnorm is always found far underwater,usually in multichambered sea-floor caves. Sea linnorms of mature adultand older stages frequently have 1-4 giant squid, 2-4 giant sea turtles, ora kraken guarding their lairs. The linnorms hide treasure in the recessesof these caves, hoarding gold, silver, and especially gems, jewelry, andobjects of art. Such lairs likely also contain �prizes� from battle: anchors,sails, and other parts of boats or docks.

Ecology: Despite their great size, sea linnorms require little food. Beingherbivores, they eat primarily sea plants and are especially fond of driedseaweed, gathering it and placing it on rocky shores, then waiting for itto become its tastiest in the afternoon sun.

©1992 TSR, Inc. All Rights Resewed.

DRAGON 21

Linnorm, Frost

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:FREQUENCY:O R G A N I Z A T I O N :

ACTIVITY CYCLE:

Any arctic or subarcticVery rareFamilyAny

DIET: SpecialINTELLIGENCE:

TREASURE:ALIGNMENT:

Genius (17-18)SpecialNeutral evil

NO. APPEARING: l-8

ARMOR CLASS: -4 (base)MOVEMENT: 12, Sw 18HIT DICE: 15 (base)

nents off-balance. Frost linnorms arethemselves incapable of losing theirbalance, timing, or orientation due toslippery terrain.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: The frost linnorm�s breath weap-on is a cloud of ice particles 80� long, 60� wide, and 40� high. All crea-tures caught in this cloud must save vs. breath weapon for half damage.

THAC0:NO. OF ATTACKS:DAMAGE/ATTACKS:

SPECIAL ATTACKS:

5 (at 15 HD)1 bite/l tail slap + special3d10/14dl0Spells, breath weapon

Frost linnorms are immune to all forms of natural and magical cold. Inaddition, they gain the following abilities as they age, each usable at willthree times a day: young adult�audible glamer, meld into ice; adult�phantasmal force, ice shape; mature adult� improved phantasmal force,control temperature 40� radius; old� spectral force, transmute rock toice; very old� heal; venerable� advanced illusion, transport via ice;wyrm� transmute wood to ice; great wyrm� programmed illusion,transmute metal to ice. The frost linnorms� special abilities approximatesimilarly named spells from the Player’s Handbook. Frost linnorms usetheir spells and magical abilities at a level equal to seven plus their com-bat modifier. They are always successful in casting rune spells.

SPECIAL DEFENSES: SpellsMAGIC RESISTANCE: VariableSIZE: G (48� base)MORALE: Elite (13-14)XP VALUE: Variable

Frost linnorms are perhaps the most territorial of all Norse dragons,never resting until all other intelligent creatures within their domainsare destroyed. They are greedy, covetous, and consider all life�besidesothers of their own kind�beneath them.

At birth, frost linnorms appear to have fur rather than scales, but bythe time they have passed through the hatchling stage, small, white,pearl-like scales appear. As the linnorms age, the scales become thicker(although not larger) and sharp like jagged ice. The scales are ever-shifting in color, changing from white to pale blue to transparent toblend in with the frigid environment. Unlike many other linnorms, frostlinnorms have small forelegs with manipulative claws, though the fore-legs are too weak to be used for combat.

All frost linnorms speak their own language and the languages of oth-er Norse dragons. In addition, hatchling frost linnorms have a 25%chance to magically communicate with any intelligent creature. Thechance to possess this ability increases 15% per age category. By thetime frost linnorms have reached the age category of adult, they cancommunicate with any creature with an intelligence of 2 or better.

Habitat/Society: Frost linnorms are found in frigid climes, movingsouth in the winter months to devastate and plunder small human settle-ments. The older linnorms use their magical abilities to transform theirterritory into ice and shape it into elaborate, strikingly beautiful lairs.Walls and floors within the lairs contain large sections of mirrorlike icethat the linnorms often sit in front of so they can admire themselves.Frost linnorms are familial, and the larger a family, the larger the lairwill be. Frost linnorms are perhaps the only Norse dragons that cherishthe company of their own kind, valuing offspring and keeping themclose until the offspring are adults. All offspring are included in the elab-orate battle plans the eldest in the family develops.

The smaller the number of frost linnorms encountered, the older theywill be. Single linnorms encountered will always be of the venerable cat-egory or older, as only the oldest of linnorms are without family�theirmates dead and their offspring long since left to start their own families.

Frost linnorms bury their treasure within their lairs, usually beneathsheets of ice that would be difficult for trespassers to locate or move.They value gems, jewelry, and coins. However, they especially prizeworks of art. Some objects they consider too beautiful to hide with theirtreasure hoard, and these they place carefully about their lair so theycan be admired.

Combat: More intelligent than most other linnorms, the frost linnormsspend months scheming and plotting against human settlements theydiscover, playing out the battles in their minds until all the strategies areworked out. Then the linnorms attack in the winter when the weather ison their side. Unless somehow taken by surprise, frost linnorms willavoid fighting without such plans. DMs should take such planning intoaccount and should work out details of an attack to make it as efficientand deadly as possible.

Frost linnorms play upon their victims� weaknesses, and always usebreath weapons, runes, and magical abilities before physically fighting.Further, they will employ any magical items they can use from their lairsagainst their chosen foes. Frost linnorms prefer to attack from any loca-tion that will put their foes at a disadvantage. They also attempt to keeptheir foes fighting on ice, increasing their chances of keeping the oppo-

Ecology: Frost linnorms require little sustenance and do not eat thecreatures they kill. Sages believe these linnorms gain nourishment frominhaling frigid winds. They seem especially fond of early morning snowfalls, lying on their backs with their mouths open to catch the most suc-culent flakes.

Age123456789

101112

Body Lgt.(�)1-1212-2323-4242-6161-8080-9999-118118-137137-156156-165165-174174-183

Tail Lgt.(�)3-1212-2121-3030-4949-6868-8787-106106-125125-144144-153153-162162-171

AC- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8

Breath Weaponldl0 + 13d10 + 25dl0 + 37dl0 +49dl0 + 511dl0 + 613dl0 + 715dl0 + 817dl0 + 919dl0 + l021dl0 + 1123dl0 + 12

RunesNilNilNil1122334

MR10%15%20%25%3O%35%40%45%50%55%

Treasure TypeZZ x 2Z x 3Z x 4Z x 5Z x 6Z x 7Z x 8Z x 9Z x 1 0Z x l lZ x 1 2

XP Value6,0008,0009,000

11,00012,00013,00014,00016,00017,00018,00019,00021,000

- 9- 1 0- 1 1 4 60%

5 65%- 1 2

©1992 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.22 JUNE 1992

Linnorm, Dread

Dread linnorms, the only known two-headed Norse dragons, bear anever-ending hatred for humanity. Their ability to wreak havoc on hu-man settlements is legend. These rarest of linnorms can inhabit anyclime—the most frigid wastes, the warmest of lands, or the deepest offjords. While they respect other linnorms and stay clear of their territo-ries, dread linnorms have no qualms about laying low human communi-ties and making their lairs in the ravaged countryside. These horribleraids have been few and many years between only because of the scarci-ty of these beasts.

AnyVery rareSolitary

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:FREQUENCY:ORGANIZATION:

AnySpecialHighly (13-14)

ACTIVITY CYCLE:DIET:INTELLIGENCE:TREASURE:ALIGNMENT:NO. APPEARING:

SpecialChaotic evil1 (5% of 2)

-4 (base)18, SW 1220 (base)

ARMOR CLASS:MOVEMENT:HIT DICE:THAC0: 1 (at 20 HD)NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 bites/l tail slap + specialDAMAGE/ATTACKS: 5d10/5dl0/6d10SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spells, breath weaponsSPECIAL DEFENSES: Spells, + 1 or better weapon to hit, immu-

nity to certain spellsMAGIC RESISTANCE: VariableSIZE: G (68’ base)MORALE: Fanatic (17-18)XP VALUE: Variable

While these great linnorms accumulate vast hoards of wealth over thecourse of their long lives, they do not covet gems, precious metals, andmagic as other Norse dragons do. To them, such wealth is merely theincidental leavings of their conquests, and they never bother to invento-ry it. They keep treasure only out of instinct.

When dread linnorms hatch, their small, glossy scales are as black asmidnight. As these linnorms age and shed their skins, however, thescales become duller and larger, shifting from black to gray at the lin-norms’ whim. Dread linnorms speak their own tongue and communi-cate with all other Norse dragons, but they have not been known tocommunicate with humans or demihumans.

Combat: Dread linnorms attack with little provocation but considera-ble forethought. Without exception, each dread linnorm first attackswith any spells that might injure its foes, then with its twin breath weap-ons, the left head breathing one round before the right (the heads alter-nate their attacks every round thereafter until each head has breathedthree times). The few opponents who survive the initial onslaught areattacked with further spells and breath weapons before the great lin-norm decides whether to slither closer to use its twin bites. Some dreadlinnorms will continue long-range assaults from the air using the wizardspell fly (should they possess that spell) until they believe the target isweak enough to be attacked physically or until the fly spell expires.

Age123456789

1011 90%12

Body Lgt.(')3-2425-4243-5758-7677-9697-107108-129130-156157-186187-217218-237238-265

Tail Lgt.(‘)3-2425-4243-5758-7677-9697-107108-129130-156157-186187-217218-237238-265

AC- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9

- 1 0- 1 1- 1 2

Breath Weapon2d8+14d8+26d8+38d8+410d8 + 512d8 + 614d8 + 716d8+818d8 + 920d8 + 1022d8 + 1124d8 + 12

Wizard Spells1233 13 2 14 3 25 3 3 15 4 3 26 4 4 36 4 4 4 17 5 4 4 27 5 5 4 3

MR40%45%50%55%60%65%70%75%80%85%

Treasure Type XP Value½H, S 13,000H,S 14,000H,S 15,000H,S 17,000H,S×2 18,000H,S×2 20,000H,S×2 21,000H,S×3 23,000H,S×3 24,000H,S×3 26,000H,S×4 27,000

95% H,S×4 28,000

©1992 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.DRAGON 23

Dread linnorms of the juvenile stage and older have no known preda-tors, except perhaps brave giant bands. However, hatchlings and youngare stalked by giants for food and as trophies, and by human heroes tolimit the monsters’ population.

Ecology: Dread linnorms, like other races of Norse dragons, seem torequire little sustenance. However, these great linnorms have acquired ataste for wood seasoned by salt water and will attack ships to acquirethat treat.

Dread linnorms’ treasure is usually scattered throughout their lairs invarious mounds upon which the lirmorms sometimes lie. The treasure isill cared for and may include damaged and destroyed goods. Slaves andprisoners are never taken.

Habitat/Society: Dread linnorms live in desolate places far from thelairs of other linnorms and the communities of men. They prefer deep,twisting caverns in which they set up elaborate traps to confuse and killtrespassers. A dread linnorm shares its lair only when it mates, onceevery 40-50 years. The parents stay together until the eggs hatch, thengo their separate ways, leaving the hatchlings to fend for themselves.The dread linnorm’s lack of regard for its offspring is undoubtedly whythere are so few of them.

tion, dread linnorms gain the following abilities as they age: juvenile—telekinesis at will, once per round; adult— move earth four times perday; old— power word, stun three times per day; venerable— energydrain at will (must make a successful bite attack); great wyrm—antipathy-sympathy twice per day. They can also learn wizard spells (se-lect specific spells at random from the spell lists in the Player’sHandbook). All spells and magical abilities are used at a level equal toeight plus the linnorm’s combat modifier.

Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: The right head of a dread lin-norm breathes a magical cone of chilling wind that is 3’ wide at the lin-norm’s mouth, 120’ long, and 60’ wide at its terminus. In addition tocausing damage, this breath knocks free-moving victims back 2’ for eve-ry point of damage suffered from the breath. The left head of the dreadlinnorm breaths a cloud of hot dust 80’ long, 50’ wide, and 30’ high.Creatures caught in either breath must save vs. breath weapon for halfdamage.

Dread linnorms are immune to all enchantment/charm spells. In addi-

by Gregory W. DetwilerArtwork by James Holloway

Some of the uglier branches of the dragons� family treeSwamp Wyrm

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Subarctic/Lakes(guivre); Temperate and Subtropical/Swamp (knucker)

FREQUENCY RareORGANIZATION: SolitaryACTIVITY CYCLE: AnyDIET: CarnivoreINTELLIGENCE: Low (5-7)TREASURE: GALIGNMENT: Neutral evilNO. APPEARING: 1 (10% of 2)ARMOR CLASS: 4MOVEMENT: 9, Sw 15HIT DICE: 8THAC0: 13NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 or 2DAMAGE/ATTACK: 4-16 or 4-16/2-16

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapon, con-striction, surprise

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Half damage fromfire-based (guivre) or frost-based(knucker) attacks

MAGIC RESISTANCE: NilSIZE: G (30’-40’ long)MORALE: Steady (12)XP VALUE: 5,000

Swamp wyrms are huge legless reptilesthat are distantly related to dragons; theyalso appear to be related to constrictorsnakes. Their bodies are serpentine, buttheir heads are quite draconic. Swampwyrms come in two distinct though similarspecies: the knucker and the guivre (giv�-ray), names given them before it wasrealized that they were so closely related.The olive-hued knucker prefers warmclimates, while the pale-green guivre lovescold ones. They can breathe water or airwith equal ease.

Combat: The swamp wyrm�s favoredhunting method is to lie barely submergedin murky water (it can see perfectly

DRAGON 25

through it), then grab anything that comesdown to drink. This tactic gives it a +2bonus to surprise. A swamp wyrm fightsusing a bite-constriction combination. If itcan successfully bite an opponent, it thenattempts to wrap its body around the foe(requiring another attack roll). A success-ful hit means the victim has been caughtin the swamp wyrm�s coils and can becrushed starting on the following round;the victim can also be bitten with a +4 tothe swamp wyrm�s attack roll, the victimgaining no dexterity or shield bonuses,once per round thereafter. Each wyrmalso has a breath weapon: a 30� cone, 5�wide at the base and 15� at its terminus.The breath weapon does 4-40 hp damage(half with a saving throw vs. breath weap-ons). The guivre (surprisingly) breathesfire, and the knucker breathes frost. Ingeneral, the breath weapon will be savedfor emergencies or obviously dangerousopponents, as it can be used only threetimes a day. A swamp wyrm will also takeonly half damage from attack forms simi-lar to its breath weapon (i.e., fire and heatfor the guivre, and frost and cold for theknucker).

Habitat/Society: Swamp wyrms maketheir homes in remote wilderness areas, insmall, still lakes called either �knuckerholes� or �guivre pools,� depending on theoccupant. The water temperature isstrongly affected by a magical secretionfrom the swamp wyrms� scales. Guivrepools are always steaming hot, meltingsnow and ice around them like hot

26 JUNE 1992

Like dragons, swamp wyrms prefer tolive alone, coming together only in thespring for mating though they rarely ifever fight with one another. Male andfemale swamp wyrms of either speciescollect treasure hoards, which they displayto all other visiting wyrms. The wyrmswith the most treasure in their hoardshave first pick of the available members ofthe opposite sex for purposes of mating,leading many sages to suppose that dragons gather treasure for similar reasons(although this isn�t particularly true). Thisseems to be the only reason they bother tocollect treasure, as they never use it tobargain, either to gain allies or to savetheir own lives. Swamp wyrms give birthto 1-4 young three months after mating.

Swamp wyrms speak only a very crudelanguage (dubbed Wyrmic), reserving theirbrain power for discovering clever waysto capture prey. They will eagerly fight allother large creatures besides themselves,including dragons, in order to gain moretreasure.

springs, while knucker holes are chill, fog-shrouded, and sometimes iced over, killingall vegetation around them. Stagnant wa-ters from these lakes are poisonous to allexcept swamp wyrms and other reptiles,thanks to the secretion; those drinking thewater must save vs. poison or suffer 1-4hp damage per round for 1-6 rounds.

Ecology: Swamp wyrms are fierce carni-vores, living on any creatures that cometoo near their pools. They often slitherinto nearby bodies of water, even oceans,

INTELLIGENCE: Low (5-7)TREASURE: B

to hunt food (most animals soon learn toavoid the poisonous lakes these creaturesinhabit). A few prefer to live near weaklydefended civilized areas, or at least onesnear major rivers that lead to these places,to assure plenty of human or humanoidprey and the domestic animals associatedwith them. Unlike dragons, swamp wyrmseat frequently, destroying all wildlife, andthey are sometimes considered more of aproblem than certain dragons are.

Swamp wyrms rest at the top of theirlocal food chain, but they actively destroythe local ecology around their lakes andravage the wildlife nearby. Adventurersand large monsters are their only trueenemies, but most swamp wyrms livewhere neither foe is in great supply. Nu-merous uses have been rumored for theirbody parts, particularly the many glandsunder their scales that give off the water-affecting secretion.

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Variable (see text)FREQUENCY: Very rareORGANIZATION: SolitaryACTIVITY CYCLE: AnyDIET: Carnivore

Lindworm

ALIGNMENT: Variable, but always evilNO. APPEARING: 1 (20% of 2)ARMOR CLASS: Variable (see text)MOVEMENT: 12HIT DICE: 5THAC0: 15NO. OF ATTACKS: 3DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8/1-6/2-12SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weaponSPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to attacks

similar to those of breath weaponMAGIC RESISTANCE: NilSIZE: H (20� long)MORALE: Steady (11)XP VALUE: 650

The lindworm is a deficient form of evildragon, one that may be born to a black,blue, green, red, or white dragon. Thismay be due to a curse of the gods or sim-ply nature�s way of insuring that the popu-lation of true dragons doesn�t grow toolarge. Either way, the lindworm, whileformidable, is not nearly as dangerous as aregular dragon. It looks like a two-leggeddragon, rather like a wyvern, but withoutwings or the wyvern�s poison stinger. Thelindworm has a typically draconic headand long neck, but the creature�s body isbuilt like that of a huge scaly bird. Itscolor and other details of its appearanceare similar to those of its parents.

Combat: The lindworm has three physi-cal attacks: a bite (1-8 hp), a clawing attack(1-6 hp; only one clawing attack can bemade, since the lindworm must have oneleg to stand on), and a tail lash (1-12 hp).No lindworm can cast spells, but they do

inherit their parents� breath weapon,which has only half the physical dimen-sions of the usual form and does 5d8 hpdamage (half if a successful save vs. breathweapons is made). The breath attack maybe used three times a day. All lindwormsare also immune to attack forms similar tothose of their breath weapons (e.g., fireand heat for the lindworm spawn of reddragons). As a final defense, the lind-worm�s armor class is equal to the parentdragon�s base armor class.

Habitat/Society: Lindworms are theresult of a dragon couple�s breeding fail-ures (one appearing every 100 births), andas such they are quickly driven forth fromthe den. Eighty percent of the time, onlyone lindworm is encountered; otherwise,there are twins. Because they are effec-tively banished from draconic society,lindworms are extremely vicious, selfish,bitter creatures seeking revenge on theworld. Twins are quite loyal to each other,as each is the only creature in the worldthat provides companionship for the other.If one is killed or injured, the other attackswith no thought for its own life (Morale20). They speak their parents� naturaltongue only, but rarely speak before orinstead of attacking. Lindworms have notrue society, despising even each otherunless they are twins.

Continued on page 32

DRAGON 27

by Skip Williams

If you have any questions on the gamesproduced by TSR, Inc., �Sage Advice� willanswer them. In the United States and Can-ada, write to: Sage Advice, DRAGON® Maga-zine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147,U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Sage Advice,DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 ChurchEnd, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LB,United Kingdom.

This month, our sage addresses moreAD&D® DARK SUN� campaign questions,then �re-sages� two past questions.

Were templars, gladiators, rangers,bards, and psionicists deliberatelyleft off the multiclassed charactertable? If a multiclassed demihumanwere a gladiator/ranger, would headd the extra weapon attacks hegets from his gladiator level andweapon specialization to the twoattacks he gets each round as aranger?

Take a closer look at the rules and tableon pages 38-39 of the DARK SUN RulesBook. Several psionicist combinations arelisted there. If you check the notes imme-diately following the multiclassed table onpage 39, you�ll see that the templar, ranger,and bard can be substituted for the cleric,fighter, and thief, respectively, in mostcases. Gladiators cannot be part of a multi-class combination. No fighter/fighter com-binations exist; no combinations list amajor class more than once, because nocharacter in any AD&D game setting canuse subclasses of the same class in a multi-or dual-classed combination.

If you have a taste for really far-outvariants, fine, but don�t bring the prob-lems they create to �Sage Advice.� How-ever, since you�ve gotten me started, notethat rangers don�t get two attacks a round.What rangers get is the ability to use asecondary weapon without penalty. Asecondary weapon gives a character exact-ly one extra attack each round. Multipleattacks from level or specialization applyonly to the primary weapon. Of course, ahaste spell and similar magicks do grantdouble the normal number of attacks. Inthis case, the character gets two attackswith the secondary weapon and twice hisnormal allotment of attacks with the pri-mary weapon.

The Racial Ability Requirementstable (Rules Book, page 3) allows noscores lower than 5 or higher than20. However, the Racial Ability Ad-justments section (same page) says

Why can�t thri-kreen wear magicalrings and cloaks? Can they wearmagical boots and gauntlets?

Thri-kreen can wear rings, cloaks, boots,and gauntlets, but only if the items aremade to fit thri-kreen; see the Rules Book,page 16. Items made for humans or demi-humans just don�t fit thri-kreen, as suchitems either are too small or are entirelythe wrong shape.

No. Nor can psionicists on any otherAD&D game world. Psionicists enjoy thefull range of their profession�s psychicpowers instead of having wild talents.

Can Athasian psionicists have wildtalents?

What do priests on Athas use forholy symbols?

This is up to the DM. Templars probablyuse their badge of office or their sorcerer-king�s seal. Elemental priests might use theAthasian symbol for their element; TimBrown, one of the designers of the DARKSUN boxed set, points out that the rulesfor turning undead on Athas (Rules Book,page 70) seem to suggest that a small quan-tity of the priest�s element might suffice asa holy symbol. Druids might use pieces offoliage, chunks of stone, or handfuls ofdirt from their guarded lands.

Can templars cast quest spells?Can defilers and preservers opt tobecome wild mages? How are thenew clerical spheres from the Tomeof Magic used on Athas?

Under the right circumstances, tem-plars, druids, and elemental priests can getquest spells. The section on quest spells inthe Tome of Magic (pages 10-13) givesguidelines for helping the DM decide whatthe right circumstances are.

Both preservers and defilers can becomewild mages.

The newly released Dragon Kings hard-bound book for the DARK SUN campaigncontains complete information on integrat-ing the Tome of Magic's new spheres intoDARK SUN campaigns.

no adjusted score can be lower than3 or higher than 24. Can racial ad-justments alter the initial limits?

The �limits� on Athas are a minimum of3 and a maximum of 24. The Racial AbilityRequirements table does not denote limits.A new character must have scores that fallwithin the listed range of the Racial AbilityRequirements table before any racialadjustments are applied (Rules Book, page3, last line under the heading �Minimumand Maximum Ability Scores� and note theword �before� in boldface type).

What are the per-round movementrates for the various Athasian races?The Rules Book only gives overlandmovement rates.

The rates are as follows: human, 12;dwarf, 6; elf 12, half-elf, 12, half-giant 15,halfling, 6; mul, 12; thri-kreen, 18.

How far can a mul or thri-kreenmove in a 20-hour marching day?

These races get double movement pointsif they go the full 20 hours (for muls, 48 or60 on a forced march; for thri-kreen, 72 or90 on a forced march). Check out theoverland movement rules in the RulesBook, pages 87-88, for details.

Do Athasian elves automaticallyreceive the Running proficiency?

No, but they can add their constitutionscores to their daily overland movementrates. It is this ability, not a universal run-ning proficiency, that accounts for theirlegendary overland speed. Note that thisability is generally safer and more reliablethan the Running proficiency because itdoes not require a proficiency check orimpose a combat penalty (Player�s Hand-book, page 63).

Do Athasian dwarves have infra-vision? I can�t find a reference to itanywhere in the DARK SUN rules.

I can�t find it either. This was an over-sight due to some lost text. Athasian elvesdo have infravision (Rules Book, page 6). Isuggest giving 60� infravision to Athasiandwarves, half-elves, and halflings.

When you first build a charactertree, are all the characters thirdlevel?

DRAGON 29

Yes. At the start of play, all single-classedPCs are 3rd level and multiclassed PCs are2nd level in the most �expensive� class.However, inactive characters added to atree to replace slain characters alwaysstart at 1st level. Note that any inactivecharacter on a tree can gain levels accord-ing to the rules on page 41 of the RulesBook. The point of having a character treeis to give the player a stable of replace-ment characters who are better than 1stlevel, not to take all the sting out of char-acter death. Smart players will managetheir character trees so their inactivecharacters reach 3rd level as quickly aspossible.

I have a player who�s constantlyafter me to allow his character toacquire a chemistry or alchemyproficiency. This seems pretty high-brow to me, especially on a planetwhere a magnifying glass is regard-ed as a mysterious type of magic.What would a chemistry or alchemyproficiency do on an AD&D gameworld, anyway?

Generally, Athasians are a pretty sharplot. While the introductory tale �A LittleKnowledge� (by Jerry Oltion) includes acharacter who is mystified by a chunk ofglass, this is far from the norm. As TimBrown (Lake Geneva�s DARK SUN worldmartinet) points out, most Athasians, withtheir exposure to elemental priestly magicand their survival skills, have more knowl-edge about the way their world worksthan common folk in most places.

Still, exact sciences such as chemistryare all but unknown in the magical worldsof the AD&D game. Chemistry is replacedby alchemy, which is a complex and eso-teric art that is much better suited to sages(Dungeon Master�s Guide, pages 106-108)than to adventurers who spend their timeand intellectual energy learning character-class abilities. In any case, alchemy is toocomplex to be covered in a single profi-ciency. I suppose a true alchemist mighthave nonweapon proficiencies in Brewing,Astrology, Herbalism, Mineralogy, Spell-craft, Engineering, and, optionally, Potteryor Glassblowing (a previously undescribedproficiency). The character would have touse his combined knowledge of all thesesubjects to tackle any particular problem.

Does the Water Find proficiencyallow a half-giant to locate four gal-lons of water? Can a thri-kreen givethe water he finds with the WaterFind proficiency to other characters?

No character who successfully uses theWater Find proficiency suffers a constitu-tion loss due to dehydration (Rules Book,page 46). This does not necessarily meanthat the character actually finds his fulldaily requirement of water, which variesaccording to the character�s race, armor,and level of activity. In fact, since WaterFind does not allow a character to rehy-drate, it�s pretty clear that the character

30 JUNE 1992

usually finds something less than a fullday�s supply. As for giving away any waterfound, there�s no reason to assume thecharacter actually finds drinkable water;the proficiency might yield just a trickle ofliquid water and several mouthfuls ofsoggy cactus pulp. While half-giants andthri-kreen might be able to choke downmany different forms of nonliquid water,not every character can. I suggest that youplace some limit on the amount of wateractually available for sharing, say 1d4 + 1pints. Note also that thri-kreen usuallyhave better things to do with their non-weapon proficiency slots that spend themon Water Find, since they need so littlewater (DARK SUN Rules Book, page 86).

Do merchant houses do any buying or selling at their headquarters?Are goods and coins the only formsof payment accepted at merchantemporiums?

Only members or agents of a merchanthouse are allowed to enter a house�s head-quarters; this precludes normal transac-tions between the house and ordinarycustomers. I suppose that very specialdeals with other houses or special cus-tomers might be negotiated inside theheadquarters, but only if extra security isnecessary to keep rival merchant housesfrom getting wind of the deal and only ifno city laws are being broken (no mer-chant house would ever run the risk ofhaving its headquarters raided by the localtemplars).

As far as methods of payment go, noth-ing beats cash or bartered goods in thehand, especially on Athas, where it is veryeasy to go into the desert and either delib-erately disappear to avoid a debt or acci-dentally fall victim to the planet�s manydangers. Either way, the merchant is outhis goods and probably will become alaughing stock to boot. Some merchantsmight be willing to grant credit or acceptservices in lieu of cash or goods on thespot, but only if the terms are very favor-able to the merchant and the buyer iseither extremely famous or a trusted,long-time customer.

I don�t understand the weaponschart on page 53 of the Rules Book.It looks like the column headingsshould be moved over one space,but if you do that, where does the�Damage� heading go?

This is the kind of typo that gives ruleseditors ulcers. Most of the column headersare one column too far left and should beshifted one column to the right. The �Dam-age� heading actually goes above the lasttwo columns, which are �S-M� and �L� forthe damage done by weapons to beings ofdifferent sizes. The columns should read:Weapon name [no heading actually used],Cost, Wt [weight in pounds], Size, Type,Speed [for modifying initiative rolls; see PH,page 94], [Damage] S-M, and [Damage] L.

Generally, the AD&D game divides mis-sile ranges into thirds, so short range forthe chatkcha (with a maximum range of 90yards) should be 30 yards or less, medium31-60 yards, and long 61-90 yards. I sug-gest the rate of fire be one each round,the same as a hand axe.

What are the range categories andrate of fire for the chatkcha?

I pretty much understand how tocalculate how many PsionicStrength Points a character with awild talent gets. But how many PSPsdoes a character with more than onewild psionic talent have? And whatdo you do with talents where thePSP cost to establish or maintain thepower varies?

To assign PSPs to a character with a wildpsionic talent, use the procedure de-scribed on page 20 of The Complete Psi-onics Handbook. When a power has avariable PSP cost, the character gets PSPsequal to the minimum cost to establish andmaintain the power. For example, a char-acter with the wild talent of Dominationgets 27 PSPs for that power (3 PSPs is theminimum cost to use the power once, plusthe minimum maintenance cost of 6 PSPs,times four). If the character has more thanone power, he gets the full allotment ofPSPs for each power. That is, determinehow many PSPs the character would getfor each power, then add them together toget the character�s actual PSP total. Notethat a character with multiple wild talentsstill gets only four extra PSPs for eachexperience level gained.

What do you do with talents thathave prerequisites? Are these likecollege courses in that you musthave all the prerequisites beforeyou can have the talent in question?

To get a power with prerequisites, acharacter must have all the prerequisitesbefore gaining the power. In college, yousometimes can get the prerequisiteswaived; that never happens for PCs. How-ever, characters frequently can be grantedall a power�s prerequisites along with thepower. This is always the case with newlygained wild talents. For instance, the char-acter with Domination in the previousexample automatically would have bothMindlink and Contact (the character alsowould get extra PSPs for those prerequi-site powers).

What happens when a DARK SUNcharacter has ability scores so highthat the character�s psionic powerscores are 20 or higher�for exam-ple, a character with a wisdom of 22using the contact power (where thepower score is equal to the charac-ter�s wisdom score)?

A roll of 20 is always a failure whenusing a psionic power (TCPH, page 11),and it might also carry other penalties. Intheory, a character with a power score of

more than 20 cannot take advantage of the�skill score� optional rule (TCPH, page 11,and page 28, �Optional Results�) since youcan�t roll an unmodified 21 or higher on1d20. Kind referees might allow suchcharacters to have an effective score of 19for purposes of using the �skill score� rule.

Some of the animals listed on thechart for the Animal Affinity psionicpower (TCPH, page 50) don�t fit theDARK SUN setting. How manysharks, barracuda, or crocodiles arethere on Athas? How about an alter-nate table?

There are no sharks, barracuda, orcrocodiles on Athas. (According to TimBrown, there never were any on Athas;the planet�s flora and fauna are vastlydifferent from what is found on otherAD&D game worlds.) Still, there probablywere creatures like them on Athas at onetime or another, and I don�t see any realproblem with using the table just as it is. Ifyou want to give this power a true Atha-sian flavor, get out your Wanderer�s Jour-nal and your Monstrous CompendiumDARK SUN Appendix and make a fewsubstitutions. Here�s an unofficial list:rasclinn for barracuda, kank or wild kanksoldier for crocodile, athasian sloth forelephant, jozhal for percheron (drafthorse), and megapede for shark. I�ll stopthere and assume the other animals haveAthasian equivalents.

Since thri-kreen don�t sleep, howdo they regain PSPs or spells?

In pretty much the same way othercharacters do. To regain spells, a thri-kreen must be at rest, as inactive as asleeping character would be, and mustmaintain this state for as long as any otherspell-caster would have to sleep. Thri-kreen regain PSPs at the rates given in theTCPH, page 14, Table 6. To regain PSPs atthe sleeping rate, a thri-kreen must becompletely inactive as described above.Note that the psionicist�s Rejuvenationproficiency isn�t particularly useful to thri-kreen.

Since defiler magic is easier to usethan preserver magic, can a pre-server opt to use it in appropriatecircumstances, such as while stand-ing in a sorcerer-king�s garden?Since defiler magic is a simpler,cruder form of magic, is alignmentthe only thing that keeps a pre-server from using it?

Defiler magic is not available to pre-servers under any circumstances. A pre-server learns to craft spells so the energythey require is replaced rather than sim-ply being drained from the land. Thiselement of balance is integral to all a pre-server�s spells and cannot be deliberatelyomitted. I suppose a preserver couldswitch to defiler magic; in such cases,however, the character would have toeffectively switch classes so that all subse-

quent spells would be of the defiler type.How such a switch might be accom-plished� if it is possible at all�is entirelyup to the DM.

The rules describe the preserverand defiler classes in just aboutevery detail except one: spell pro-gression. The rules say that defilersget spells more quickly that pre-servers, but nowhere do the rulesgive a spell progression table foreither class!

Both classes use the spell progressiontable for wizards in the Players Handbook,page 30. The rules do not say that defilersget spells faster than preservers, but page26 of the Rules Book does point out thatdefilers advance through the levels veryquickly. A comparison of the defilerexperience table from page 27 of the RulesBook with the standard wizard experiencetable (PH, page 30), which preservers use,will bear this out.

If an Athasian wizard has his spellbooks destroyed or taken away, canhe get new ones?

Yes. The minimum cost of doing this islisted in the spell books section of theDMG (page 42). The DM might also assignadditional costs and time requirements.Check out the following sections of theDMG for guidelines: spell research (pages

43-44), scroll research (page 41), and scrollcreation (pages 85-87). Note that allsorcerer-kings consider magic treasonous,which makes recreating spell books insidecities pretty dangerous. Being a memberof a veiled alliance would be a great boonto a wizard attempting to recreate lostspell books.

When, exactly, does a half-giantchange alignment? The section onhalf-giants on pages 9-11 of theRules Book says a half-giant mustchoose an alignment each morning(page 10). The section on half-giantsand alignment on page 42 also startsout saying half-giants must choosean alignment each morning, but inthe same paragraph it also says ahalf -giant may change alignmenteach morning, but change isn'tmandatory.

I�ll admit that there�s a bit of a semantictrap in the rules governing the shiftingalignments of half-giants. While half-giantstruly must choose an alignment eachmorning, they are free to �choose� thesame alignment they have been following.A change in alignment is optional andoccurs only when the DM and the playeragree that the prevailing circumstancesmake it possible. In other words, a playerwith a half-giant character should considerwhat has happened to the character each

DRAGON 31

day and decide if the character�s alignmentshould shift. If, for example, the predomi-nately good party the character has beenadventuring with falls into a squabble overwater or treasure, the DM and the playermight decide it�s time to shift the half-giant�s alignment toward the chaotic orevil end of the spectrum. Remember, half-giants are inveterate imitators; they followwhere their companions and neighborslead, but their alignments don�t shift with-out reason.

Exactly how long does a piece ofland remain barren after a defilerturns it to ash?

Nothing will grow in the area for at leastone full year, but it usually takes muchmore time than that, perhaps decades, forthe area to fully recover; some areas neverrecover (Rules Book, page 61). Exact recov-ery time is up to the DM.

On the experience table (RulesBook, page 63), do fighters get 10 XPper level, per hit die, per creature,per battle, or per their own level foropponents defeated? What dothieves get?

All characters get experience for defeat-ing opponents according to the rules inthe DMG, pages 46-47. When a fightersingle-handedly defeats an opponent, theDM might decide to award extra experi-ence under the Individual ExperienceAwards optional rule (DMG, page 48). Theaward for fighters is 10 XP times the de-feated opponent�s level or hit dice, timesthe fighter�s level. The award for bards isonly 5 XP times the defeated opponent�slevel or hit dice.

This depends on the individual roadsconstruction and present condition. Isuggest you use the terrain modifier forthe prevailing terrain × ½, with a mini-mum cost of 1. For example, using a roadto traverse stony barrens is 1; using a roadto cross salt flats also is 1, as the surfaceon any road on Athas isn�t going to bemuch smoother than a salt flat. Note thatyou can�t get lost while traveling on a road(even if you aren�t exactly sure whereyou�re going).

What is the terrain cost for roadson Athas?

How many globs of honey will akank produce each day?

This is up to the DM, but I recommendthat a well-fed, food-producing, domestickank secrete no more than one glob eachday. Note that not all kanks are food pro-ducers. The rules don�t give ratios, but Isuggest that only half of any group ofkanks be food producers. Of the remain-der, one will be the brood queen and therest will be soldiers, none of which pro-duce honey. Note also that brooding kanksproduce honey for their offspring, and theyoung kanks will eat a substantial portionof the honey, say 20%-60%, before charac-

32 JUNE 1992

ters can harvest it. Characters who try tokeep the young kanks from the honey arelikely to have a fight on their hands, thedomestic kank�s reputation for docilitynotwithstanding.

I am formulating plans to have myspelljamming group touch down onAthas. How would Athasians reactto the appearance of a spelljammer?Would �normal� wizards cast pre-server or defiler magic?

As �Sage Advice� pointed out in issue#178, spelljammers cannot reach Athas.Exactly why this is so is unrevealed, butthe prevailing theory is that Athas is notlocated inside a crystal sphere but on analternate Prime Material plane wherespelljamming devices don�t work.

I suspect that wildspacefaring characterswould not find Athas a welcoming place atany rate. While common folk might not beany more suspicious of spacefarers thanthey are of any other strangers, sorcerer-kings are a different matter. Once thesetyrants realize what spelljamming is andwhat it can do, they�re going to ruthlesslyattack, not giving up until the spacefarersflee the planet or are killed or enslaved.(Of course, such an attack could begindisguised as a friendly overture.) A singlespelljamming ship, even at atmosphericspeeds, would be an invaluable fightingand exploration platform on Athas. Nosorcerer-king would allow one to existunless it was firmly under his control.

Since preserver magic uses the samerules as �normal� magic, I think it�s safe toassume that a plane-hopping wizard whofinds himself on Athas would have pre-server spells. I suppose such a wizardcould learn the local �shortcuts� and be-come a defiler, but that�s up to the DM.

Re-saging: I have received severalletters about an answer that appeared inissue #175. AD&D® 2nd. Edition gamecharacters gain bonus proficiency slots ifthey have high intelligence scores, and areader asked if these bonus slots could beassigned to both weapon and nonweaponproficiencies. I said I believed the extraslots can be assigned only to nonweaponproficiencies.

A number of readers have correctlypointed out that The Complete Fighter�sHandbook contains a passage that clearlystates the extra slots can be assigned toboth types of proficiencies (page 58). How-ever, when I answered the question, Iassumed the reader who asked it didn�thave The Complete Fighter�s Handbook.Note that everything in the various Com-plete Handbooks is strictly optional; gener-ally speaking, I recommend that you donot allow bonus proficiency slots to beused for weapon proficiencies. On theother hand, if you have The CompleteFighter�s Handbook and want to make fulluse of all the goodies therein, you proba-bly do want to let warriors use their bo-nus slots on weapon proficiencies. I

strongly recommend that you limit thisability to warriors only, unless you�reprepared to deal with 1st-level wizardswho want proficiency in eight weapons (ormore than eight if you�ve got a campaignset in the DARK SUN world).

I have also recently received a letterregarding this column in issue #167, inwhich I flatly said all spells of the Divina-tion school were off-limits to conjurers(wizards specializing in the Conjuration/Summoning school). I goofed. The sectionon spell schools in the Player�s Handbook(page 31, top of the third column) makes itclear that first- through fourth-level Divi-nations are available to all wizards. Thisgives conjurers access to such vital spellsas read magic.

Dragon�s BestiaryContinued from page 27

Ecology: The lindworm has no ingrainedhunting technique, having to learnthrough trial and error. (Even if dragonsknew how to kill through instinct insteadof being taught by their parents, thelindworm�s lack of wings and forelimbswould make this knowledge useless.) Alllindworm hunting methods are essentiallyvariants on the ambush: hiding in thickbrush or woods, waiting behind boulders,sitting submerged in murky water, orburying itself in sand or snow (dependingon the lindworm�s parentage andenvironment). Lindworms eat anythingthey can catch and are almost alwayshungry, a state that only adds to theirgenerally bad dispositions. They don�tvalue treasure for its own sake as theirparents do, but often leave the spoils of aprevious hunt as bait for intelligent prey.

Though dangerous, lindworms are oftendeposed from the top of the local foodchain by even more dangerous predators.Dragons who were not their birth parentswill willingly slay them out of hand,without eating the bodies; other powerfulmonsters find them to be interesting prey,and adventurers regularly reduce theirranks. Wizards have yet to find a use forlindworm parts.

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stories set in the domains of Souragne andKartakass.

Dance of the Dead, available in July,reveals some of the fantastic secrets ofSouragne, the island realm of zombie lord,Anton Misroi. RAVENLOFT novel veteranChristie Golden�of Vampire of the Mists

fame�spins the tale of Larissa Snowmane,a dancer aboard a magical riverboat.When the boat arrives at the undead-plagued island of Souragne, she findsherself dancing to chilling music indeed.to save her won soul, she must confrontSouragne's evil master and learn the dark-ly powerful Dance of the Dead.

Golden, whose first novel was confinedto the well-detailed domain of Barovia, washappy to explore a new part of theRAVENLOFT world. Its wide range ofsettings and characters is especially ap-

TSR's fearless authors will be returningto the gothic fantasy RAVENLOFT� cam-paign setting for two novels in 1992. BothDance of the Dead and Heart of Midnightbreak new ground for the book line, with34 JUNE 1992

�Ravenloft is a dream come true forfantasy and horror writers. These are twoof my favorite genres, and I really enjoyworking on tales that combine them. It�s aplace of staggering variety�of characters,geography, and cultures. Look at whatkind of beings it�s �peopled� with: high-bornwererats in a French-influenced realm,gothic heroes and monsters inspired byBritish literature, riverboating were-wolves, poisoners, liches, and gypsy sor-ceresses. This sort of thing is a gold minefor writers. There�s plenty in theRAVENLOFT setting to fuel many morenovels full of richly developed charactersand terrifying events.�

Golden drew upon her own backgroundas a dancer for her depiction of Larissa�sartistic skills. Other inspirations for Danceof the Dead include such wildly variedelements as musical theater, Southernfolklore, voodoo tales, Creole cooking,Peter Pan, and Watership Down. Theresulting novel, though, is true to theRAVENLOFT setting�s vision�equal help-ings of fantasy and gothic horror.

Keeping a suitably grim tone for Danceof the Dead proved difficult for Golden,even though she�s written in the seriesbefore. The hardest thing for Golden wasto remember the constraints of theRAVENLOFT setting. �[T]hat means rottenthings happen to the characters you like.The urge for an unequivocally happyending was difficult to curb sometimes.�

J. Robert King, author of Heart of Mid-night, agrees that the dark, gloomy natureof the RAVENLOFT world presents a seri-ous challenge to the series� writers, whomust spend hours upon hours thinkingabout the land and its unfortunate inhabit-ants. �When I finished writing and mywife finished reading Heart of Midnight,we both felt a desperate need for light andair and levity.�

King is quick to note, however, that thevery thing that makes RAVENLOFT novelsdifficult to write is also their greateststrength.

�The RAVENLOFT world is TSR�s beststage for tragedy,� King points out. �In theother shared worlds�the FORGOTTENREALMS® and DRAGONLANCE® settings,especially�good usually triumphs, andthat victory provides the emotional satis-faction you feel when you finish the book.In the RAVENLOFT setting, that catharsiscomes from experiencing the tragic fatethat most often befalls the main character.�

Heart of Midnight, on sale in December,certainly provides a story of a tragicdoom. The story centers on Casimir, whoinherits his fathers lycanthropic curseeven before he�s born. Though he fightsagainst the curse of the werewolf, he musteventually embrace his dark powers toward off a murderer and gain revengeupon his monstrous father. Yet any tri-umph Casimir achieves may well lead tohis destruction; in Kartakass, no powerfulcreature long escapes the notice of the

pealing to her.

�Heart of Midnight draws its inspirationfrom stories of temptation and corruption.Paradise Lost and Faust provided tem-plates for Harkon Lukas�s character, espe-cially as it relates to the seduction ofCasimir. Also, I drew upon dramas of fatalindecision, like Hamlet, for Casimir�sfriend, Thoris. The tragic and tormentedmonster from Frankenstein surely influ-enced the character of Casimir himself, asdid the novel Grendel.�

When pressed, King admits with a laughthat all the sources for Heart of Midnightare not so high-brow. �Well, to be com-pletely honest, the soul of the book owesjust as much to old black-and-white horrorfilms, such as The Invisible Man, The

villainous darklord, Harkon Lukas.Like Dance of the Dead, King�s novel has

its roots in a wide variety of sources, someclassical and some not.

Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Dracula.�After Heart of Midnight, King will

plunge right back into the domains of theRAVENLOFT world. His next book, Carni-val of Fear, will be released in the summerof 1993. Spring 1993 will see the release ofTapestry of Dark Souls, by Elaine Berg-strom, author of the excellent vampirenovels Blood Rites, Shattered Glass, andBlood Alone for Berkley. Finally, 1993 alsopromises the start of the Ebonacht Trilogy;the first book in the series, The ScreamingTower, ships at the end of the year. It�swritten by some guy named Jim Lowder,the same one who penned Knight of theBlack Rose.

So close the shutters and bar the door,get out your wolfsbane and garlic, thengather around so these intrepid story-tellers can share their visions of the DarkDomains with you.

DRAGON 35

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Copy deadlines are the last Monday ofeach month, two months prior to the on-sale date of an issue. Thus, the copy dead-line for the December issue is the lastMonday of October. Announcements forNorth American and Pacific conventionsmust be mailed to: Convention Calendar,DRAGON® Magazine, P.O. Box 111, LakeGeneva WI 53147, U.S.A. Announcementsfor Europe must be posted an additionalmonth before the deadline to: ConventionCalendar, DRAGON® Magazine, TSRLimited, 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton,Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom.

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ATLANTA FANTASY FAIR, June 19-21 GAThis convention will be held at the Hyatt

Atlanta Airport and the Georgia Convention &Trade Center. Guests include Peter Bromley,Ann Goetz, Beverly Hale, and Mike Moe. Writeto: Atlanta Fantasy Fair, 4175 Eliza Ct., LithoniaGA 30058; or call: (404) 985-1230.

MADISON GAMES DAY IV, June 14 WIThis gaming convention will be held at the

Quality Inn South in Madison, Wis. Eventsinclude RPGs, war games, miniatures battles,and a games auction. Other activities include adealers� area. Dealers are welcome. Registration:$5, with no game fees. Write to: Pegasus Games,6640 Odana Rd., Madison WI 53719; or call:(608) 833-GAME.

CONFIGURATION HI, June 13-14 OKThis convention will be held at the Days Inn in

Tulsa, Okla. Events include AD&D®, D&D®,BATTLETECH*, CHAMPIONS*, VAMPIRE*,SHADOWRUN*, and STAR TREK* tournaments,with board-game tournaments, historical minia-tures games, open gaming, and a video room.Registration: $4/weekend preregistered; $7/weekend at the door. Write to: CONFIGURA-TION, 3617 E. 24th St., Tulsa OK 74115; or callMike at: (918) 836-8008.

campus in South Bend, Ind. Events include anRPGA� tournament and role-playing, board, andhistorical- and fantasy-miniatures games. Otheractivities include demo games, a flea market, adealers� area, raffles, contests, and door prizes.For more information and costs, send an SASEto: St. Joseph Valley gamers, 121 W. Colfax,South Bend IN 46601.

ST. JOSEPH VALLEY GAMERS CON �92June 12-13 IN

This convention will be held at the IUSB

MOBI-CON �92, June 12-14 ALThis SF&F/gaming convention will be held at

the Days Inn in Mobile, Ala. Proceeds will bene-fit the Penelope House shelter for abused wom-en and children. Guests include Margaret Weisand comics artists. Activities include writingworkshops, an art show and auction, miniaturespainting, a dealers� room, a costume contest,seminars, videos, and gaming. Registration:$13.50/weekend before June 1; $16/weekend atthe door. Single-day rates vary. Write to: MOBI-CON INC., P.O. Box 161257, Mobile AL 36616.

Inc. Most product names are trademarks owned by thecompanies publishing those products. The use of the name ofany product without mention of its trademark status should notbe construed as a challenge to such status.

GLASSCON �92, June 20-21 NJNote: This convention was previously listed

as taking place on May 30-31. The conventiondates have since been changed to those listedabove. This convention will be held on thecampus of Glassboro State College in Glassboro,N.J. Events include RPGA� Network AD&D®tournaments, plus AD&D®, BATTLETECH*,KINGMAKER*, DIPLOMACY*, and GURPS*games. Other activities include board and wargames and a dealers� area. Registration: $10/weekend preregistered, or $7/Sat. and $5/Sun.Preregistered (fees at the door will be higher).Events costs are $l/time slot. Write to: GLASS-CON, P.O. Box 58, Wind Gap PA 18091-0058.Proceeds will go to the Center for ExceptionalChildren at Glassboro State College.

ORGANIZED KHAN-FUSION IVJune 20-21 PA

This convention will be held at the Embers inCarlisle, Pa. Activities include AD&D® games, arailroad tournament, dealers, a miniatures-paintingcontest, and over 50 gaming events. Registrationfees vary from $6-10. Write to: M. Foner�s GamesOnly Emporium, 200 Third St., New CumberlandPA 17070; or talk (717) 774-6676.

ARCON 8, June 26-28This convention will be held in the Vilhelm

Bjerknes building of the University of Oslo inOslo, Norway. Events include AD&D® champion-ship tournaments, with CALL OF CTHULHU*,MERP*, PARANOIA*, ROLEMASTER*, RUNE-QUEST*, SHADOWRUN*, TORG*, and WAR-HAMMER FANTASY ROLEPLAY* games. Otheractivities include board-game tournaments, aminiatures-painting competition, WWII minia-tures games, and movies. Registration: NOK 125by IMO until June 13; NOK 175 at the door.Write to: ARCON, P.O. Box 46, Blindem, N-0314Oslo, NORWAY; or call Geir Aalberg at: +47-2-56-39-45.

LEGACY �92, June 26-28 TXThis convention will be held at the Comfort

Inn Convention Center in Arlington, Tex. Eventsinclude the MechForce Southwest RegionalBATTLETECH* tournament, gaming, speakers,miniatures-painting contests, a movie room, adealers� area, and an auction. Special hotel ratesare available. Registration: $10/weekend prere-gistered. Write to: LEGACY �92, 1604 CanfieldNo. 1107, Ft. Worth TX 76120; or call our 24-hour hotline: (214)601-9032 and enter 6552#.

POLYCON X, June 26-28 CAThis gaming convention will be held at the

Embassy Suites hotel, in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

DRAGON 37

CAPITAL CON VIII, June 27-28 ILThis convention will be held at the Prairie

Capital Convention Center in Springfield, Ill.Activities include RPGA� Network tournaments;role-playing, board, computer, and miniaturesgames; a miniatures-painting contest; and agame auction. Registration: $10/weekend, in-cluding game costs. Write to: CAPITAL CON VIII,c/o Tom Lawrence, 2557 Somerton Rd.,Springfield IL 62702.

Guests include Loyd Blankenship, Tom Dowd,Scott Haring, and Mike Stackpole. Activitiesinclude game showcases, seminars, games, awriters� workshop, an art gallery, an auction,and a miniatures-painting contest. For moreinformation and costs, write to: P.O. Box 4526,San Luis Obispo CA 93403.

GALAXY FAIR �92/ARTCON IVJuly 2-5 TX

This convention will be held at the SheratonPark Central hotel in Dallas, Tex. Guests includeDiane Duane, Alan Gutierrez, Kristine KathrynRusch, David Cherry, P. N. Elrod, Bill Fawcett,Jody Lynn Nye, and Robert Asprin. Activitiesinclude a short-story contest, a masquerade, anart show, writers� and artists� workshops, semi-nars, and exhibits. Registration: $25 preregis-tered, or $30 at the door. Write to: GALAXYFAIR, P.O. Box 150471, Arlington TX 76015-6471;or call: (817) 467-0681.

ATLANTICON �92, July 3-5 MDThis gaming convention, presented by ADF,

Inc., will be held on the University of Marylandcampus in College Park, Md. Events includerole-playing, board, and miniatures games.Registration: $16/weekend preregistered; $22/weekend or $10/day at the door. Write to: ADFInc., P.O. Box 91, Beltsville MD 20704-0091; orcall: (301) 345-1858.

KINGCON �92, July 3-5 OHHosted by the Royal Gaming Society of Day-

ton, this convention will be held at the Univer-sity of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio. Events includeRPGA� tournaments, with AD&D®, GURPS*,PENDRAGON*, CALL OF CTHULHU*, RUNE-QUEST*, PARANOIA*, and ROLEMASTER*games. Other activities include DIPLOMACY*,STRATEGO*, TALISMAN*, AXIS & ALLIES*, andBATTLETECH* games, plus historical, fantasy,and SF miniatures games. Registration: $10preregistered, $15 at the door. Write to: P.O. Box31174, Dayton OH 45431; or call: (513) 223-8973.

NANCON XIV, July 3-5 TXThis convention will be held at the Ramada

Hotel Northwest in Houston, Tex. Events includeD&D®, WARHAMMER 40,000*, BATTLETECH*,BLOOD BOWL*, and AXIS & ALLIES* games,with historical miniatures games, a dealers�room, fan-club rooms, seminars, Japanimation,and open gaming. Registration: $15/weekend,single-day rates are available. Send an SASE to:Nan�s Games & Comics, Too!, 2011 SouthwestFreeway (U.S. 59), Houston TX 77098-4805; orcall: (713) 520-8700 from noon to 9 P.M. CST.

ALOHACON �92, July 4 HIThis convention will be held at Webster Hall on

the campus of the University of Hawaii. Eventsinclude role-playing and war games. For moreinformation and costs, send an SASE to: Jim Hay-nes, 720 Morton Dr. #117, Honolulu HI 96819.

III-KHAN, July 10-12 COThis convention will be held at the Holiday Inn

North in Colorado Springs, Colo. The guest of

38 JUNE 1992

CONGENIAL IV, July 24-26 WIThis convention will be held at the Quality Inn

South in Madison, Wis. Guests include Michael

QUINCON VII, July 17-19 ILThis gaming convention will be held at the

Days Inn in Quincy, Ill. Events include fantasyand historical miniatures games, RPGs, boardgames, and RPGA� tournaments. Guests includeJean Rabe and Lester Smith. Registration: $5/day or $12/weekend. Special room rates areavailable. Send an SASE to: QUINCON VII, c/oQuincy Hobby Center, 3632 Maine St., Quincy IL62301.

MEMPHIS FANTASY CON �92July 17-19 TN

This convention will be held at the downtownRadisson hotel in Memphis, Tenn. Guests includeWalter Jon Williams, Steven Brust, and BartSears. Activities include an art room, a dealers�room, an art auction, a costume contest, andgaming. For more information and costs, writeto: MEMPHIS FANTASY CON, 4730 Poplar #2,Memphis TN 38117; or call direct, days: (901)683-7171; nights: (901) 385-0088.

ECONOMYCON VI, July 17-19 AZThis convention will be held at the Campus

Village West Shopping Center in Phoenix, Ariz.GMs: Come and run your board, miniatures, orrole-playing game. Prizes will be awarded to thebest GMs. Other activities include a miniatures-painting contest and door prizes. Registration:Free. Call the Roaming Panther Game Companyat: (602) 820-2083 or (602) 547-0239.

DRAGON CON �92, July 17-19 GAThis convention will be held at the Atlanta

Hilton and Towers in Atlanta, Georgia. Guestsinclude Raymond E. Feist, George R. R. Martin,Forrest J. Ackerman, L. Sprague de Camp,Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Phil Foglio,Ralph Bakshi, Denis Beauvais, Robert AntonWilson, Dr. Timothy Leary, John Byrne, ChrisClaremont, Lynn Abbey, Richard Garriott, andErick Wujcik. Activities include every sort ofgaming, with panels, seminars, a writers� work-shop, an art show and print shop, anime, vid-eos, dances, robot battles, demos, costumes, ahospitality suite, and consignment game auc-tions. Registration: $30/weekend before June 15;$35/weekend at the door (RPGA� Networkdiscounts available). Send a long SASE to: DRAG-ON CON �92, P.O. Box 47696, Atlanta GA 30362-0696; or call our 24-hour information line at:(404) 925-2813.

DOVERCON VIII, July 11- 12 NHThis convention will be held at the University

of New Hampshire�s Memorial Union Building inDurham, N.H. The special guest is Steve Jack-son. Activities include RPGA� Network tourna-ments, RPGs, war games, seminars, miniaturesand art competitions, and a dealers� room.Registration: $15/weekend preregistered, $20/weekend at the door; $12 Saturday only, $8Sunday only. Write to: DOVERCON VIII, P.O. Box753, Dover NH 03820.

honor is Christopher Stasheff. Events includeAD&D®, SPACE HULK*, CAR WARS*, SKY GALLEONS OF MARS*, BATTLECH*, and STARFLEET BATTLES* tournaments, with a movieroom, a dealers� room, a miniatures-paintingcontest, an art show, and open gaming. Registra-tion: $15 before June 30; $20 thereafter. There willbe a $1/game fee. Write to: Miniatures Wargamers�Guild, 7040 S. Hwy 85-87, Fountain CO 80817; orcall Perry at: (719) 391-8318.

Kube-McDowell and Jeanne Mealy. Activitiesinclude hucksters, an art show, videos, filking, afan lounge, child care, and a con suite. Registra-tion: $20 before July 4; $25 at the door. Writeto: CONGENIAL IV, P.O. Box 44146, Madison WI53744-4146.

CUBICON �92, July 24-26 MIThis convention, hosted by SF³ and HFCC, will be

held at the University of Michigan-Dearborncampus� Recreation and Organizations Center.Events include D&D®, AD&D®, BATTLETECH*,STAR FLEET BATTLES*, PALLADIUM*, CARWARS*, and CHAMPIONS* games. Registration: $4/day or $7/weekend at the door. For preregistrationand GMing information, write to: CUBICON, c/oSF³, 4901 Evergreen, ROC Building, Rm. 210,Dearborn MI 48128; or talk (313)593-5390.

This gaming convention will be held at theWorthington Hotel in Ft. Worth, Tex. Eventsinclude AD&D®, BATTLETECH*, SUPREMACY*,and AXIS & ALLIES* tournaments. Other activi-ties include an auction, a painting contest,movies, and a dealers� room. For more informa-tion and costs, write to: DALLASCON �92, P.O.Box 867623, Plano TX 75086.

IMPACT 2, July 24-26 NEThis SF&F/gaming convention will be held at

the Holiday Inn Old Mill in Omaha, Nebr. Guestsinclude Barbara Hambly, Tom Prusa, RickHarris, and J. R. Daniels. Other activities include24-hour gaming, video rooms, a hospitalityroom, an art show and auction, panels, a deal-ers� room, and a masquerade. Also: �Alien Prom2,� a fund raiser for Project Literacy U.S. (costs$1 or used fantasy/SF book in good condition).Registration: $13/weekend for a game/hospitality pass, or $25/weekend for a full pass;single-day passes are available. Write to: IM-PACT, P.O. Box 4486, Omaha NE 68104.

VEGASCON �92, July 25-26 NVThis gaming/comics convention will be held at

the Palace Station hotel in Las Vegas, Nev. Eventsinclude AD&D®, STAR WARS*, and DC HEROES*games. Guests include Greg Gorden, Mike Grell,and Mike Nystull. Convention proceeds will benefitthe Special Olympics. Registration: $18. Write to:VEGASCON, 4210 Chatham Cr. #1, Las Vegas NV89119; or call (702) 733-7470.

CANGAMES �92, July 31-August 3 *This convention will be held at the Skyline

hotel in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Eventsinclude a wide variety of role-playing, minia-tures, and board games. Other activities includean auction, dealers, movies, and 24-hour gam-ing. Family discounts are available. For moreinformation and costs, write to: CANGAMES,P.O. Box 3358, Station D, Ottawa, Ontario,CANADA K1P 6H8.

TACHY4CON, August 1-2 FLThis convention will be held at the Deland

Hilton in Deland, Fla. Guests include Wendy andRichard Pini. Activities include Starfleet�s 3rdAnnual Region 2 Competitions. Registration:$14/weekend. Write to: TACHY4CON, 426 S.Lakemont Ave., Winter Park FL 32792; or call:(407) 628-5047.

KUBLA KHAN III, August 7-9 UTThis gaming/comics convention, presented by

Comics Utah and Terrain Specialties, will beheld at the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City,

Continued on page 76

DALLASCON �92, July 24-26 TX

this Alphatian monopoly upset the cam-paign balance? What�s stopping Alphatiafrom using its deadly, modern fleet against

Airships are extraordinarily expensive toproduce, and wizards are extraordinarilyuninterested in wars. Alphatia indeedpossesses many of these wonders, butthey required centuries of magic-use tobuild. Wizard-princes such as Haldemarown these vessels, and they would rathersave them to keep rival wizards at baythan risk them alongside the imperial fleetin a foreign war that may not return muchother than mundane gold. Sure, Alphatiacould easily overrun many nations, but isthat wise? If a powerful state with thelatest war technology decided to go on arampage just for the sake of using itsweapons, what would happen to the globaleconomy? Perhaps Alphatian wizardsfigured that their empire is big and richenough as it is. On the other hand, anykingdom would think twice before raidingAlphatian coasts.

other realms?

I've noticed that your article series in-cludes a developed cast of characters of

different creatures and races. These well-rounded personalities serve as the crew ofan almost fully automated flying ship thatcan shoot magical energy weapons. Theship�s mission is to explore and seek outnew civilizations, while occasionally get-ting into air-to-air battles with the evilKlingo�er, Heldanners. You�ve eventhrown in little details like chief engineers,away teams, and cloaking devices. Is itreasonable to assume that the inspirationfor this series come from a certain famousTV show?

Although that was not the original in-tent, the magic-heavy background in Mys-tara certainly contributed to that set-up.

by Bruce A. Heard

This series chronicles the adventures ofan Alphatian explorer and his crew.but you know all that. This month, how-ever, Bruce Heard takes a vacation, the

Princess Ark rests in port, and you get toread your own mail on the D&D® game!

LettersHow about a CREATURE CRUCIBLE�

product featuring creatures like chame-leon men, gator men, hutaakan, lupins,pachydermions, rakasta, snappers, tortles(all from AC9 Creature Catalogue), andgood old lizard men?

We could handle these guys (especiallylupins, rakastas, tortles, and snappers) ineither a new CREATURE CRUCIBLEproduct or an occasional chapter in futureGazetteers covering this region of theSavage Coast. Any preferences?

Why don�t Glantri, Karameikos, Alfheim,or other countries have airships? Doesn�t

Live long and prosper!

DRAGON 41

Table 1Nithian Armor

ArmorArmlet, pairAnklet, pairBracelet, pairTextile armorLeather harnessBreast plateBreast plateLeather helmBattle helmNithian shieldNithian scale armorNithian plate mall

Cost Enc.(gp) (cn)

55 55 5

15 5015 2015 10030 11010 5020 10010 5020 20040 400

AC*

*+1+1+1+2+1+2+1

75

Partial Armor (as per Skill)Partial Armor (as per Skill)Partial Armor (as per Skill)Partial ArmorPartial ArmorPartial Armor, without harnessPartial Armor, with harnessPartial ArmorPartial ArmorSee belowCan use with helm and shieldCan use with helm and shield

Notes5 *

*

Table 2Nithian Weapons Equivalents

WeaponShort khopeshNormal Khopesh,

used one-handedNormal Khopesh,

used two-handedHeavy eye axeMace-axeStaff-bowShort spear

Price15 gp25 gp

25 gp

4gp 30 cn- 40 cn

15 gp 60 cn2 gp 20 cn

Throwing stick 1gP

Sword-staff 100 cn

10 cn

Mace or hand axeShort bow or staffUse normal spear statistics but with athrowing dagger�s base damageUse pole axe statistics but with a normalsword�s base damageSpecial (see below)

Enc. Combat equivalent80 cn Bastard sword, one-handed

100 cn Bastard sword, two-handed

100 cn Great two-handed sword

Hand axe

AC/#: Number of times the AC bonus can be used each roundNote: Don�t forget to apply the Hit Roll bonuses from the table on page 76 of the Rules

Cyclopedia. Stun effects are explained on page 81 of the same book. The throwingstick cannot be used in melee; it is a missile weapon. Druids, wizards, and clericsmay also use the throwing stick.

[P = M]: Primary target is either a monster using natural attacks (claws, bites for exam-ple) or an opponents caught with a missile weapon in his hands

P: Primary targetS: Secondary target (opponents with hand-held weapons like swords and daggers)H: Armor-class bonus to the throwing sticks user against attacks from or opponents

using hand-held or thrown weapons

Defense Special- -

H:+1AC/1 Stun (s)H: + 2AC/2 Stun (s)H:+3AC/3 Stun (s)

H: + 4AC/4 Stun (s)

Ranges Damage10/20/30 d215/30/45 d420/40/60 d625/50/75 P: 2d4+ 1

S: d830/60/90 P: 2d6 + 1

S: d10

MasteryBasic

SkilledExpertMaster

Gd Master

[P=M]

Table 3Nithian Weapon Mastery

You described an ironwood spell in anearlier episode of this column, but youdon�t specify what armor class the spell iscapable of producing.

Right. The spell transforms wood tometal. This means you have to carve a suitof armor out of wood, then have it trans-formed. Of course, chain mail would beimpossible to carve out of wood, but platearmor might work. You get the armorclass corresponding to the type of armorproduced.

I am happy to hear that Gazetteers onWendar, Sind, and the Heldann Freeholdsare in the works. Your stories about theHeldannic Knights makes the Freeholdsmore interesting. Is there a possibility fora separate Gazetteer on Norwold? Eventhough it is included in Dawn of the Em-perors, many modules take place thereand Norwold deserves better treatment.

Norwold has always been an �800-lb.gorilla.� Many people would like to see itcovered, but it is so big that it hardly fitsthe Gazetteer format. Norwold is obvious-ly interesting, and it has lots of wildernessfor characters in search of dominions toestablish, but we�ll have to use a 24-miles-or-more hex scale in order to fit that terri-tory on a map.

Are there rules for determining hullpoints for ships? I would like to createairships of my own and need an accurateestimate of such a ship�s strength.

Unfortunately there are no such rules. Iguess you need to compare ship sizes andprices with the ones described in the RulesCyclopedia. Also check GAZ9 The MinrothadGuilds, if you have it (Book 1, page 25).

Are there any plans to bring firearmsinto the D&D game?

No. It�s up to you to decide whether tohave them or not.

Exactly what is Haldemar prince of?Haldemar is related to the King of Float-

ing Ar. Because of this, he is allowed tobear the title of prince. His estate consistsof the lower of Haaken on a floating rockand, down on the surface, a vast farmingcommunity, a few villages, and the familymansion. These are private lands, not anactual principality like Glantri.

While studying the continental-drifttheory in my science class, I came upon anexact copy of the D&D world�s planetarymap. It was a map of the Earth 135 millionyears ago. I would like to know whetherwhoever created the D&,D planetary mapused the Earth map as a guide?

He did. The original designer of theD&D Masters� Set started with a map ofour Earth millions of years ago. The like-ness stops there, however. Over the years,the development of Mystara took thatworld further away from the original idea(a hollow planet, two moons, magic, etc.).

42 JUNE 1992

After reading the otherwise excellentHWR2 Kingdom of Nithia, I noticed twoirritating omissions. The promised armorand shield statistics do not appear on thecover, as stated. Secondly, contrary to thestatement on page 39 of the DM�s Tome, nodetails about statues are provided in the�Mystical Structures� section. As I men-tioned above, other than these two snafus,the supplement is an interesting read andcertainly valuable for the money.

You�re right. This complaint has becomequite common these last few months. Herea solution I hope will be satisfactory:

Kingdom of Nithia mentioned severaltypes of armor, including the great Nithianshield, partial armor, and full armorAmong these were the armlet, anklet,bracelet, breast plate, leather harness,leather helm, battle helm, textile armor,scale/textile armor, and plate mail.

The use of the armlets, anklets, andbracelets is explained in the section onpage 26 of the Player�s Tome that dealswith Bracers� Skills. They can be used inconjunction with a leather harness orbreast plate. They do not affect armorclass for armor or combinations of partialarmor providing AC 6 or better The use o fa shield precludes the use of the Bracers�Skill, and the skills total bonus on armorclass should be limited to +4 in any case.See the Nithian Armor table for details.

Nithian shields, because of their lightbuild, can easily be destroyed, whichhappens in any combat round duringwhich the character sustains five points ofdamage from a single attack, or 10 pointsor more from a combination of attacks.

Thieves can use any of the partial armorexcept the battle helm and the breastplate. Textile armor comes with a textilehelm. In game terms, the latter providesprotection against the sun only (no armor-class bonus).

As far as the statement on page 39 isconcerned, regarding the statues, checkpage 42, on the power that pyramids haveover statues. That was the intended use ofstatues in Kingdom of Nithia. The mentionof the �three� mystical structures is mis-leading in that respect�sorry

On page 19 in the Heavyman section ofHWR2 Kingdom of Nithia, there is mentionof Shield Back and Nithian Armor skillsthat aren�t described in the skills section.Is there a weapon mastery chart forNithian weapons? GAZ12 has two otherweapons, the lasso and the Ethengarlance.

The Shield Back skill is pretty straight-forward. If your character acquires thisDexterity skill, your character benefitsfrom a +1 armor-class bonus againstmissile weapons shot from behind. Thismeans the character wears his shield(medium size or larger) on his back. Theshield has no effect against hand-heldweapon attacks (like a, thief�s backstab, forexample). The Nithian Armor skill should

have been removed from the final text;please ignore that mention.

on. Both the mace and hand axe skills have

The author did not originally design

to be acquired at the same time because

Nithian weapons to be used with the full

this is a single weapon. Then freely use

Weapon Mastery rules. The weapon chart

one set of weapon statistics or the other

inside the product�s cover should be treat-

for the desired effect. The same logic

ed as a simpler alternative to the Weapon

applies to the staff-bow: it is a staff when

Mastery rules. If you intend to use the

used in melee, or a short bow when used

Weapon Mastery rules, ignore the chartgiven in Kingdom of Nithia.

Several weapons listed inside theproduct�s cover can be taken straight fromthe Weapon Mastery chart with little or nomodification (e.g., battle axes, pole axes,clubs, maces, normal and short swords,halberds, pikes, staves, and all missileweapons other than the heavy eye axe, thethrowing stick, the short spear, and thestaff-bow). For the former, use the priceand encumbrance of their Weapon Mas-tery chart equivalent. For the latter andother yet unmentioned weapons, I wouldrecommend the equivalents in Table 2.

The mace-axe is a weapon mounted withboth mace and axe heads. Your charactermust expend two skill slots for each levelof weapon mastery with this special weap-

for missile fire. For the perfectionistsamong you, limit the staff-bow�s range tothat of a sling.

This leaves us with the throwing stick.We�ll have to make up its own WeaponMastery chart, as per Table 3.

There were several glitches in theNithian Weapons section, especially alongthe lines of textual descriptions not match-ing the game data in the cover charts. Theabove should solve most of these prob-lems. And finally, there are the Ethengar-ian lasso and lance: for the sake ofsimplicity, use the net skills for the lasso,and the spear for the lance.

Will there be any kind of MonstrousCompendium for the D&D game?

Yes. We are considering a completerevamping of the old AC9 Creature Cata-logue. The new version will be bigger andbetter reflect approaches begun in theRules Cyclopedia. Some of the more ques-tionable monsters may get dropped andothers added from previous D&Dproducts, while expanding and clarifyingthe monster descriptions.

DRAGON 43

You can�t live with �em,but you can�t gamewithout �em

Dice are the heart and soul of role-playing games. They are also the cause ofmore arguments and hurt feelings than anarmy of rules lawyers. What is it aboutthese lumps of plastic that arouses suchpassions? Could it be the strange habits oftheir owners, or is it some curse placedupon them by a long-dead archmage?

Whatever the reason, dice play such anintegral part in most role-playing gamesthat we often find ourselves confronted byand dealing with all sorts of exotic andbizarre behaviors. What follows is some-thing of an anecdotal history of my experi-ences with dice owners and their quirks. Iwill say now that I am no less guilty thanmost, maybe even crazier than some. I willalso offer some hints as to how you canminimize the dice-related anxiety of yourgaming group.

1. Superstitions. We�re all superstitiousto a degree, but dice seem to inspire near-ly medieval beliefs among their users. Oneof the strangest guys I ever gamed with

DRAGON 45

by Michael J. D'Alfonsi

had his brother, a lay minister, bless hisdice before every gaming session. Anotherlongtime comrade of mine used to changedice every hour on the hour. He had eightcomplete sets of dice, though only hecould tell which dice belonged to whichset (the dice in each set were not sorted bycolor). My first Dungeon Master had a trayin which he rolled his dice. Any die thatjumped out of this tray was immediatelydisposed of because it was under a �cha-otic influence.� I never did ask him howmuch he spent on dice, but I�m sure he�dbe rich today if he never followed thishabit.

to gamers is that if you must hold to yoursuperstitions, keep them to yourself. Mak-ing a big production out of your beliefswill only get you into trouble with yourfriends.

You can see from the above examplesthat superstitions can be bothersome,weird, or downright irritating. My advice

2. Specific dice. Have you ever hadsomeone insist that a certain twenty-sideddie always rolled high, while anotheralways rolled low? He has a different diefor everything, and his insistence on this-or-that die�s properties drives everyonecrazy. My first DM (the guy who liked tothrow out dice) was an orc fanatic. Hespent hours drawing them or creatingnew ways of making them more lethal.Last I heard, he was even trying to createan orcish language. Anyway, he had a setof red dice with black numbers just for hisbeloved orcs. Goblins, giants, and otherNPCs all used the dice pool, but the orcskilled, maimed, and saved using their ownspecial dice.

Another specific-dice quirk is the ongo-ing opaque-vs.-crystal argument. Propo-nents of gem dice say they are beautiful,while opaque-dice users prefer the easy-to-read solid dice. I have to agree with thesolid-dice side of the argument. They areeasier to read and do seem to hold upbetter.

3. Strange habits. One player in my grouphas seen too many Las Vegas movies. Heblows on his dice before throwing them, andif there is a female nearby he asks her to�kiss the cubes.� More often than not he willalso shout, �Baby needs a new pair of shoes!�as he is rolling. You can see how this stuffcan blow an evening.

A girl who was in my high-school gam-ing group was also a tarot enthusiast.After reading in a book that many tarotreaders put their cards under their pillowsat night, she started putting her dice bagunder her pillow at night. I don�t knowabout you, but I think that would give youone heck of a headache in the morning.She claimed that sleeping with her dice gotthem �in tune with her personal biorhy-thmic vibrations.� Is it any wonder that shealso sported a mood ring and wore sandalseverywhere?

These folks are strange, but the crowngoes to my best friend from junior highschool. This guy had 12 dice, two of each

46 JUNE 1992

sort, all of them purple. This isn�t thatweird, except for the fact that he gaveeach and every one of those dice its ownname. They were named for the first 12emperors of the Roman empire: Caesar,Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula (a wickedlittle 1d12 used for long-sword blows vs.large monsters in AD&D® games),Claudius, Nero, Vitellius, Galba, Otho,Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian. Not onlythat, but he talked to them! He would tryto coax Claudius (a 1d20) not to stumblebut to roll high. He claimed that Augustus(the other 1d20) could roll high numbers�as quick as boiled asparagus� (the emper-or�s favorite phrase). Believe it or not, thisguy is now the manager of a classical-music radio station.

The most irritating and unnecessary ofall such strange habits is undoubtedlytoying with dice. Some players like to graband drop their dice constantly during agaming session, creating a horrible soundguaranteed to grate anyone�s nerves. Oth-ers put their dice between their hands,then rub them together over and over.

4. Dice bags. No dice collection would becomplete without something to keep themin. Though there are many fine dice bagsavailable on the market, the ingeniousdevices people come up with in which tostore their dice never cease to amaze me.The competition is fierce. Leather seemsto be the most popular choice, because itis chic and looks nice. When I was in highschool, the felt bags from bottles of CrownRoyal whiskey were very popular, andanyone who�s father drank the stuff be-came very popular. This gave way to vel-vet jewel pouches, carved boxes offragrant wood, and crystal jars. The twobest dice containers I�ve ever seen were adried deer�s stomach and a banks curren-cy bag.

5. Too many dice. There�s one in everygroup: the guy who has 200 dice. No meredice bag for this guy; he�s got to have awhole backpack for his collection. Whenhe spreads out his stuff, it takes up halfthe table. His dice get into everything, likesand at the beach.

I contacted several of my fellow role-players in the area and asked them for therecord for most dice owned by a singleplayer. Of the 72 players we know be-tween us, 10 have over 100 dice. Therecord for my circle of players and DMs is382: 100d6s, 30d4s, 89d8s, 89d10s, 22d12s,and 52d20s. When asked why he neededso many dice, he said: �For years I justkept losing dice and buying new ones. Oneday I found all the dice I�d lost, and herethey all are.�

6. Cheater, cheater! The plague of manya craps game is the dice mechanic, or dicecheater. This guy cheats only for money.In role-playing, it�s for his character�s lifeand death!

While few players go to the lengths ofusing crooked dice, you should be awarethat they exist. You can go into any noveltyshop and get a pair of weighted dice. Some

of these dice are quite ingeniously dis-guised, while others can be spotted easily.Anyone with an AD&D game characterthat has straight-18 stats probably didn�tget them by luck.

Most cheats are far more resourceful.Take the guy who rolls percentiles butnever specifies which die is for tens. Iconfess that I am a recovering offender inthis department. Once I decided to quit, Ibought an odd-colored 1d10 and told mygroup that this die was always the tensdie.

Another irritating player is the one whojust drops the dice, rather than actuallyrolling them. Amazing how they alwaysseem to get the good rolls, huh? One girl Iknew had this down to a science. Shecould roll anything she wanted at will.Two years ago she tried this in Lake Tahoe.She�ll never shoot craps at Caesar�s again.

7. A few last thoughts. Dice should notcause problems; they should make thegame better. Sometimes, through our dice,we unleash the full brunt of our personali-ties on our gaming group. Can you blamepeople for getting upset?

The first thing to do is only keep a rea-sonable number of dice. Collect all youwant, but bring only what you need to thegame. Only one of each die (with 2d10s forpercentile rolls) are needed. If you don�tlike to reroll a die several times, I suggestthe following: 5d4 (for AD&D game magicmissiles), 10d6 (for fireballs and charactercreation), 2d8 (sword damage), 2d10 (per-centiles), 1d12 (whoever uses them much,anyway?), and 1d20 (it�s all you reallyneed). You don�t need 30-sided or 100-sided dice, or any of the other bizarreshapes.

Above all else, show some courtesy andcommon sense. Make your rolls whereeveryone can see them (DMs excluded, ofcourse, but DMs are on their honor). Rollyour dice gently; don�t drop them orthrow them across the room. Keep yourdice in good working order-that is, fairlynew with clearly visible numbers. If theedges become worn, replace the die. Ifsomebody forgets his dice, lend him some.He�d do the same thing for you.

Don�t forget the most important thing ofall: have lots of fun.

Resubscribe!Check your mailing label. If it’s time toresubscribe, fill out the reply cardinside this magazine, or write yourname and address on a sheet of pa-per, then send it along with your pay-ment to:

DRAGON® MagazineP.O. Box 5695

Boston MA 02206DRAGON is a registered trademark of TSR, Inc.

©1991 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

D R A G O N 4 7

Artwork by Scott Rosema

Kings of theMerchants who make life

48 JUNE 1992

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Immune to normalmissiles (see text)

Powerful inhabitants of the AD&D®FORGOTTEN REALMS® setting who makea living from commerce are many. Themost adventurous (or greedy) of thesetravel the wilderlands in caravans. Hereare a few of the most famous merchantsactive from Amn to Mirabar, fromAglarond to the Vilhon Reach, and allpoints between. Brigands beware!

by Ed Greenwood

Llachior BlackthornMale human11th-level fighter

ARMOR CLASS: 1 (chain mail +4)MOVE: 12HIT POINTS: 72THAC0: 10NO. OF ATTACKS: 3/2ATTACK BONUSES: +1 (strength)DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +3

(strength)

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil (see possessions)ALIGNMENT: Chaotic goodPSIONIC ABILITY: NilPROFICIENCIES: Weapon --Battle axe,

bastard sword, club, dagger, sling,spear, war hammer; Nonweapon-Animal Handling, Blind-Fighting, Boat-ing, Riding (Land-Based), Swimming

S 18/36 I 18 w 15D 12 c 14 CH 15AGE: 38 SIZE: MHT: 6� WT: 184 lbs.HAIR: Brown EYES: Gray

POSSESSIONS: Chain mail +4, battle axe+2, ring of spell turning, wand ofmagic missiles, helm of underwateraction, 1-6 potions of healing

TREASURE: 1-20 cp, 1-20 sp, 2-20 ep, 10-100 gp, 5-40 pp; 20% chance of 2-20gems (DM'S choice of types and sizes);in train, 1-100 silver �trade bars� (eachworth 25 gp)

Llachior Blackthorn is a merchant of thecity of Velen, in Tethyr. He wanders thenorthern lands frequently, arranging theaffairs of Velen�s trading enterprises andconstantly seeking new markets and con-tacts. Velen must continually battle thepirates of the isles and ceaselessly replen-ish its strength, both in men and money.Llachior will try to persuade any unattach-ed fighters or adventurers to join the townwatch of �beautiful� Velen, part of �the

interesting in the Realms

strong arm that smashes pirates.�Llachior is well loved in Velen; its citi-

zens will leap to his defense if he is imper-iled. He is seldom in Velen, however,preferring to travel elsewhere by land.Unusual for a Velaen (i.e., an inhabitant ofVelen), he has little love for the sea.

Those of the Blackthorn family wereminor nobles of Tethyr, based in Velen.Long before the overthrow of Tethyr�smonarchy, disease and misfortune haddecimated the family�s ranks and coffers;Llachior is the last of his line. Every babeborn to the Blackthorn family had a per-manent protective spell cast upon him orher at naming, an expensive custom in-deed. Llachior�s permanent aid is protec-tion from normal missiles, which hassaved him from many brigands� arrows.

Over the years, Llachior has been almosteverywhere in Faerun north of Calimshan,making a comfortable living by tradingwhat is in short supply here for largequantities of what is rare and highly de-sired there. He travels everywhere regard-less of danger to unload his goods. Such alife has often led him into conflict withbrigands, and Llachior has developed ahearty hatred for such parasites. He de-lights in acting like a terrified merchantuntil brigands have shown themselves,whereupon he and his comrade Ondul(described hereafter) go on the attack,seeking to slay or cripple as many foes aspossible.

Llachior is always looking for someoneto settle down with, but he has had littlesuccess in finding a partner thus far, per-haps because of his high standards. He�slooking for someone beautiful, intelligent,good-natured, and, above all, honest. Shemust enjoy and engage in swordplay andtraveling, and be willing to make herresidence in Velen. Personal wealth wouldbe helpful as well.

Llachior is himself a kind but sternstraight-shooter, always open in his deal-ings and on the lookout for new placesand faces, trade goods, and jokes to sharealong the trail. He wears rich robes oforange silk and a brown fur cloak over hischain mail, all of which makes him lookgrossly fat (he�s not). He always travelswith his friend, Ondul, and with five hunt-ing dogs that he has trained until they canwork together with an ease and organiza-tion that seems almost telepathic. The dogswear light studded leather armor andspiked collars. In combat, treat them aswar dogs (Monstrous Compendium,

DRAGON 49

(strength)

�Dogs�) of 16 hp each. They always knowLlachior�s scent and voice, and never at-tack him.

Ondul JarduthMale human8th-level cleric of Helm

ARMOR CLASS: 4MOVE: 12HIT POINTS: 62THAC0: 16NO. OF ATTACKS: 1ATTACK BONUSES: + 1 (strength)DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +1

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Cast spellsMAGIC RESISTANCE: NilALIGNMENT: Lawful neutralPSIONIC ABILITY: NilSPELLS: 5,5,4,3PROFICIENCIES: Weapon� Flail, mace, war

hammer; Nonweapon� Alertness, Di-rection Sense, Endurance, Tracking

S 17 I 16 W 18D 14 C 16 CH 14AGE: 32 SIZE: MHT: 6�4� WT: 236 lbs.HAIR: Blond EYES: Hazel

POSSESSIONS: Chain mail +1, war ham-mer +4 (if thrown, it returns automati-cally to the thrower�s hand; uponcommand it can glow with an amberfaerie fire radiance), 1-8 scrolls of vari-ous curative spells, and 1-6 dispel magicscrolls.

TREASURE: 1-6 cp, 1-10 sp, l-6 ep, 2-40gp, 1-10 pp

Llachior Blackthorn�s constant compan-ion, Ondul �Warhammer� Jarduth, is aquiet, good-natured giant of a man whoguards Llachior because he sees Llachior�ssurvival as a good thing for folk generally(Llachior gets goods to places where theyare needed) and for Ondul�s hometown ofVelen in particular. Llachior is also Ondul�slongtime friend, and their travels giveOndul plenty of opportunities to guard theweak or law-abiding against brigands andworse.

Helm and the priesthood of �the Guard-ian� both approve of Ondul�s actions. Mostpriests of Helm are forced to remain inone place (to guard a stationary object,location, or person). It is good to have atraveling cleric of some power to carrymessages, supplies, and items of valuefrom priest to priest about the Realms.Ondul loves to travel and delights in Lla-chior�s wit and many jokes along the way.

Ondul himself tends to be close-mouthedand shy. He enjoys a good wrestle or afeast, but he generally keeps quiet and outof the way. He doesn�t know what he�ll doif Llachior ever marries and settles down,but he doesn�t openly hamper his friend�ssearch for a mate. Perhaps, he imagines,he could found a fortified abbey of Helmnear Velen, and make the countryside

50 JUNE 1992

strong and safe again.Ondul was born in Velen but was or-

phaned in a sea battle. He was too sick toserve on the crew of the merchant vesselthat limped into the harbor of Baldur�sGate after fighting off pirates (and buryingboth of Ondul�s parents at sea). The ship�scaptain left him as a ward of the temple ofHelm, where Ondul flourished, growingquickly in bulk and in his devotional stud-ies, until upon attaining the rank of Adepthe was sent to Velen, to aid the small andstruggling shrine of Helm there.

The canon of the shrine, Orm Talath,soon told the boy that he needed a servantlike he needed an attack of the boils�theservice of Helm was to be furthered �outthere� in the wide world. So Ondul askeda tirelessly traveling merchant of Velen,Llachior Blackthorn, if he would mind acompanion. Llachior said he�d try it ratherwarily, but the two soon became firmfriends and comrades-in-arms.

Ondul has a great memory for land-marks, trails, and the look of the landwherever he�s been. As a consequence, hecan readily find caches of goods or trea-sure that he and Llachoir buried some-where in the wilderness years before, or ahouse in Waterdeep he visited briefly 10years ago.

Sharest TanthalarFemale human9th-level fighter

ARMOR CLASS: 5 (dexterity bonus andleather armor)

MOVE: 12HIT POINTS: 72THAC0: 12NO. OF ATTACKS: 4/1 with daggers (spe-

cialization), 3/2 with other melee weap-ons

ATTACK BONUSES: +1 attack (strength),+1 with thrown daggers (specializa-tion)

DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +1(strength); +2 with thrown daggers(specialization)

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Psionic wild talentMAGIC RESISTANCE: NilALIGNMENT: Chaotic goodPSIONIC ABILITY: Wild talent�telepathic

devotion: Conceal Thoughts; PSPs: 49PROFICIENCIES: Weapon� Dagger (special-

ization), long sword, hand axe, handcrossbow; Nonweapon�Alertness,Blind-Fighting, Survival (Cold), Swim-ming

S 17 I 17 W 15D 17 C 16 CH 18AGE: 29 SIZE: MHT: 5'11" WT: 168 lbs.HAIR: Black EYES: Blue

POSSESSIONS: All weapons of proficiency(including six silver-bladed throwingdaggers sheathed on forearms, upsleeves, in boots, and at back of neck,concealed by long hair), 1-4 potions

(random types), ring of spell storingcontaining two dispel magic and twocure critical wounds spells, long sword+4 (Silverkiss: IN 14, EGO 7, CG,speaks Common, can detect invisibleobjects in a 10� radius, detect secretdoors in a 6� radius)

100 gp, 1-20 pp; 70% chance of 1-100gems (DM's choice of types and sizes)

TREASURE: 1-10 cp, l-20 sp, 2-16 ep, 10-

Sharest is a breathtakingly beautiful andvery astute caravan master. Clad in blackarmor and fully armed at all times whenshe appears in public, Sharest is neverwithout at least 12 loyal zero-level men-at-arms, her senior caravan-riders (theirnames are Bedarn, Bron, Chase, Helmar,Lhiorst, Libarr, Nim, Obbar, Resparr,Rhaal, Shuld, and Vhelt).

Sharest seldom uses her beauty to domore than sway difficult business deals.She never leads on would-be suitors, butalways declines them with gracious regret;in fact, she often finds the love-struckbehavior of men who see her somewhatirritating. One of her best friends is themage Nain Keenwhistler of Waterdeep.(This 13th-level NG wizard is detailed inFR1 Waterdeep and the North.) Nain tendsto be shy and retiring at all times, andtreated Sharest as a friend and equalwhen they met at a party at the mansionof Mirt �the Moneylender.� Sharest valueshis friendship; if ill befalls her and Nainhears of it, he will come looking for thebeings responsible.

Sharest is merry, graceful, and husky-voiced, and she wears her black hair long.Her use of hand-held crossbows and hercurrent practice with whips (her nextweapon of proficiency will be the whip)betray her occasional dealings with beingsof the Lands Below, the subterraneanrealms beneath Faerun, but she is current-ly active in the Sword Coast North and theDragonreach. She leads caravans throughthe most dangerous regions, such as theStonelands north of Cormyr, and the HighMoor near Dragonspear Castle, and shehas often found herself at swords� pointswith forces of the Zhentarim.

Sharest is currently on the lookout formagical powers or items that will enableher to stand and fight the more powerfulmages of the Zhentarim, such as a ring ofspell turning or a greenstone amulet. TheZhentarim have sent several parties towaylay and slay her; she plans to returnthe favor.

Sharest is either a Harper or an ally ofthe Harpers. Her true aims and goalsremain secret beyond her known opposi-tion to slavery, the Zhentarim, and brig-ands in general. If she has a husband orlover, she keeps him a secret, too (hewould likely be a Harper). If she can besaid to have a home, it would be the cityof Silverymoon, but she also enjoys visitingHillsfar, Suzail, Everlund, and Waterdeep,and she maintains rooms or houses inthose cities.

Sharest is famous for her single-handeddefeat of a pair of mind flayers nearYulash, apparently resisting their powersof mental attacks. She followed this bykilling the drow who had accompaniedthem. According to her, the band of darkcreatures was on its way to Zhentil Keep,to trade with the Zhentarim�a commonpractice, she fears. Sharest has otherwiseavoided public speaking and a high profile,preferring to be left alone and to go her

own way. One of the most experienced ofcurrent caravan masters operating in theNorth, she has been trading almost cease-lessly for the last 12 years.

52 JUNE 1992

Emrock UerngulMale human11th-level thief

ARMOR CLASS: 6 (dexterity bonus; exceptfor a helm and gauntlets, no armor isworn)

MOVE: 12HIT POINTS: 61THAC0: 15NO. OF ATTACKS: 1ATTACK BONUSES: NilDAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type + 1

(strength)SPECIAL ABILITIES: Telepathic link with

Vleem (see text); thief abilities: 95%pick pockets, 87% open locks, 75%find/remove traps, 95% move silently,80% hide in shadows, 35% hear noise,95% climb walls, 55% read languages

MAGIC RESISTANCE: NilALIGNMENT Chaotic neutral (good

tendencies)PSIONIC ABILITY: NilPROFICIENCIES: Weapon—Short sword,

dagger, dart, garotte; Nonweapon—Alertness, Animal Handling, Blind-Fighting, Riding (Airborne), Rope Use

S 16 I 15 W 16D 18 C l6 CH 15AGE:52 SIZE: MHT: 5�8� WT: 194 lbs.HAIR: Steel-gray EYES: Hazel

POSSESSIONS: Vampiric ring of regenera-tion, ring of spell turning, dagger +2,1-6 random potions plus potion ofextra-healing (see text)

TREASURE: Many riches carried (see text),plus 2-20 cp, 5-50 sp, 2-20 ep, 10-100gp, 1-100 pp; 90% chance of 1-12 gems(DM’s choice of types and sizes)

Emrock is known as �the Mad Merchant�in the Inner Sea lands of the Realms. (Inthe South, he renders his name as �Im-rock.�) Formerly a thief, then a caravanguard and later caravan master, Emrock isa more honest man these days. He makes agood living as a messenger and deliveryservice across the North, having a secretlair somewhere in the Vast and another inthe North near Sundabar. Emrock dealsonly in relatively small items of high value,such as gems, unique or magical items,documents, sigils, letters, and odd parcels.He encourages clients to protect theirprecious cargos with seals, magical glyphs,or mechanical traps; he won�t try to openthem. Emrock prefers to travel in badweather or darkness, and he seems toenjoy a good fight. Such tendencies, plushis droll, prankish humor, have earnedhim his �Mad Merchant� nickname.

Emrock is known for his steed and com-panion: a gigantic, intelligent mantari (seethe AD&D 1st Edition FIEND FOLIO®tome, page 62, or the MC14 MonstrousCompendium, FIEND FOLIO Appendix)known as Vleem. Emrock and Vleem arepartners and friends rather than man andservile beast. They usually communicate

telepathically (100� range), though Vleemunderstands Common speech. Emrock hasalso learned to interpret the �veep� warn-ing cry that Vleem emits, as well as his�chuckering� angry sound and his droningcroon of pleasure or amusement.

Other giant mantari, or giant air-rays,are known in the Realms, particularly inthe jungles of Chult, but they are veryrare. Vleem is of an even rarer variety, thegiant snow ray, a cold-blooded northernvariety. Summer in the human-inhabitedlands of the North is too warm for Vleem�sliking, and the ray sleeps much of its timein deep, cold caverns. In winter, the ray isoften the only creature that can travelthrough blizzards and sleet-storms, oracross icy wastes of water and leagues ofdeep snow. The high fees Emrock cancommand for safe delivery of valuables atsuch times keep him well-fed, indeed.

Vleem eats organic matter of all types,living or dead. Often it munches on treetopgreenery or rock lichens of the high peaks,or wallows in battlefield carrion. Vleem islarge (12�-long body, with a 10� tail and 26�wingspan) and is a mottled green, gray, anddun in color. His game statistics are: INTsemi; AL N; AC 5; MV 1, Fl 18 (A); HD 12; hp92; THAC0 9; #ATT 1; Dmg 2-8 (bite), 2-8(wing or tail slap), or 2-12 (ram); SA rammedvictim must save vs. spells or be stunned for1-2 rounds; SZ L; ML 13. Vleem has bonybrow ridges that protect his eyes, a smallfanged mouth on his underbelly, and astingless prehensile tail that can wield allweapons (including those of giants) with a+6 damage bonus due to his great strength.Still, Vleem is largely unaggressive; his kindrarely fights. Vleem glides, rippling or beat-ing his body edges and tail when necessaryfor steering and propulsion. Buoyant inter-nal gas cavities are believed to aid such raysin flight.

Emrock rides Vleem from a high-cantlesaddle, to which are strapped long leather�streamers� of pouches. For large cargos,Vleem has been known to tow a boat orsled from just above ground or waterlevel.

Emrock was born in Mirabar and spenthis youth exploring the North with hisparents, who were prospectors. Orphanedin an orc raid, Emrock wandered southand took to the saddle, adopting the pro-fession of caravan guard as a means ofgetting fed and paid to travel (finding newvictims). Prudence often forced him tocurtail his thieving, but Emrock kept hiseyes open and learned the ways and thelay of many lands, from Calimshan to theborders of Thay, north to barbarian landsand endless ice from the steppes to theSword Coast.

In time, he found himself the leader of asurviving remnant of a badly mauledcaravan, and decided to become a caravan-master in earnest. His thefts became moreastute and his loot more valuable, and atlength Emrock was forced to flee fromsome angry acquaintances who had moremagic than he�d reckoned, even after he�d

stolen much of it from them. They pur-sued him a long way, employing summon-ed monsters and hired mercenaries, untilEmrock climbed some remote peaks toescape. There the pursuit ended, for hispursuers were certain that the orcs wouldsoon slay him.

But there were no orcs in those moun-tains, because snow rays love orc flesh.Emrock met and somehow befriendedVleem. Perhaps the telepathy between

them is natural, or perhaps the giant rayshave magical powers of their own unsus-pected by most. Whatever its origins, thisteamwork between man and ray has last-ed a good 26 seasons now, and Emrockhas cached much gold indeed (and not afew magical items, with which he willpursue any who rob or injure him andthen escape).

Continued on page 60

DRAGON 53

Searching the cosmos for a great computer game?

Hang on to your PCs, folks�we�ve justpreviewed the VGA remake of Quest forGlory I (QFGI) from Sierra, and it�s now amuch better adventure! We again visitedSierra in California�s �gold country� andtalked with the game developers abouttheir new product offerings. QFGI feelslike an entirely new game instead of onethat you�ve already played. Sierra hasmodeled the main characters from clay,which they then digitize into the game (seethe photos with this article). With shadow-ing and animation, these characters reallycome alive. You haven�t lived until you�veentered combat with these beasties! Addin scintillating color and a graphic-iconuser interface controlled by your I/O de-vice, and you have an adventure worthrevisiting. Sierra is going to make theupgrade affordable for owners of the EGAgame, and we advise you don�t pass up the

KnightLine opportunity to obtain the upgraded ver-sion. If you�ve never played Quest forGlory I, now is definitely the time to pur-chase your copy and prepare yourself forsome exciting adventuring!

It won�t come as any surprise then,when we tell you about our look at Questfor Glory III (QFGIII). The artwork is trulyawesome, and the adventure is unique,with an African flavor to it. With tech-niques developed for the remake of QFGI,

Not recommendedPoorFair

GoodExcellent

Computer games� ratings

X*********** * * * * Superb

QFGIII continues the adventure with morecharacterization and excitement. The endscene is one you won�t soon forget. Also,The Sierra Network (TSN), the company�snew information system, is going to offerRed Baron from Dynamix as yet anotherof its multiplayer games. This could propelTSN into a leading information service.We�ll have a full review of TSN in a futureissue of our column.

Speaking of Sierra, the company hasreleased two new bundled packages thatare bound to please those readers who arejust starting to enjoy computer gaming�pleasing both in the software offered andthe price. The first new package is theAdventure Starter Kit, which containsSpace Quest I: The Sarien Encounter,King�s Quest I: Quest for the Crown, andLeisure Suit Larry in the Land of theLounge Lizards. The second package hasthe Space Quest Trilogy, which contains

DRAGON 55

the aforementioned Space Quest I, plus itstwo sequels, Space Quest II and III. Theprice of each bundle is $69.95, a reason-able value for the smash-hit games thatpropelled Sierra to the top of the enter-tainment software industry. All of theseare for PC/MS-DOS machines.

Inner Circle Software has announcedthe new Digital Dreams Network, an on-line entertainment service said to providethe most advanced multiplayer interactive-fiction game for modem gamers. Theservice will support as many as 128 play-ers simultaneously in its game, Legends ofFuture Past. You create your own charac-ters in this fantasy, then can travel ingroups and socially interact. This is apurely text-based game with a huge data-base of probabilities and formulas fordetermining the result of your action. Thisproject was created by Jon Radoff, bestknown for his Space Empire and the Para-gon Software BBS.

SSI has a new help line. The phone num-ber is (900) 737-4468. The cost is $0.95 forthe first minute and $0.75 for each addi-tional minute. This number is for gamehints only, not for technical support. Ifyou are under 18 years of age, pleasecheck with your parents before making acall to this number!

H.E.L.P.The first request for assistance concerns

Interplay�s The Lord of the Rings, VolumeI. �I have reached the house of Tom Bom-badil, and Goldberry has asked me tobring her some lilies, which I can�t find. Ihave the Gold Token, Rose�s Token, GhostRuby, and the Signet Ring, but I don�tknow how to use them. The words ofpower I have learned are !Bombadil and!Angmar, but I don�t know how to usethem, either. Please help!� writes JasonMejia of Los Angeles, Calif.

In response to David Crowe�s plea inissue #180 for help with BattleTech: TheCrescent Hawk�s Inception, Daniel Devineof Springfield, Mass. has the followingwords of advice. �In the map room, youneed to touch the planets in the shadedarea of your map. These are Pesht, Ben-jamin, Skye, Ryerson, Kathil, and Achenar.Ignore the other planet near them, be-cause it isn�t on the map. Invest all but 250C-Bills in Bethynes stock and save thegame outside the arena. Then, fight withthe rented �Mech. If you win, invest themoney and repeat this step. Also, if youhelp stop a robbery you are richly reward-ed. The cache is hidden on a small island.�

Jake Haney of Lawrence, Kans., comesto the aid of Kyel Erickson who neededhelp in issue #179 with Beyond Zork. �Thebubble mirrors come in handy near theend of the game, when you enter theunderground maze. Don�t light your lan-tern. Instead, blow a bubble. When itturns into a mirror, turn it so that it re-flects light in the direction you want to go.For example, let�s say the light is enteringthe room from an opening to the south-

56 JUNE 1992

From clay to computerization on Quest for Glory I (Sierra On-Line)

west, and you want to go southeast. Blowthe bubble and point it south. When thelight hits the mirror, the beam is reflectedinto the southeast changer.

�Secondly, you don�t use the Fountain ofYouth on the butterfly, but on the choco-late truffle instead. To make the butterflyturn into a caterpillar, take it to the GrayGrotto, an area within the gray fields ofFrotzan. Put the butterfly into the monkeygrinder�s organ, close the lid, turn theorgan�s dial to the clock, and turn thecrank backwards. When you open theorgan, the butterfly is transformed into acaterpillar.

�Finally, it is essential that you get thejewel. Without the cash you get from itssale, you cannot finish the game. You needto find something heavy enough to holdthe idols maw still while you climb it toget the jewel. None of your possessionsare heavy enough, but the mother hungusis. Instead of saving the baby hungus fromthe quicksand, attack it. This infuriates themother so much that she chases you allover the jungle. Simply go to the idol andclimb up its maw. The mother hungus,standing at the bottom of the maw, pro-vides the weight necessary to steady themaw�s seesaw action, enabling you to getthe jewel. Don�t worry if you are unable tohang on to the jewel. You can always get itfrom the mother later.�

BUCK ROGERS® Matrix Cubed * * * *Strategic Simulations, Inc.PC/MS-DOS version $49.95

Even if you didn�t know which company

Reviews

published this game before you played it,you�d know the minute you started to play.The same game engine used in SSI�s gold-

box series is at work in Matrix Cubed.Whether you�re adventuring in an AD&D®game world or worlds of the future, SSIpresents the same interface, graphics, andmode of play. Thankfully, the same excite-ment permeates their adventure games!

Is �sameness� bad? Not in our opinion; itensures that gamers who already knowSSI games can readily and easily becomeinvolved in their latest offering. This isespecially true for those who played theprecursor to this game, the BUCK ROGERSCountdown to Doomsday adventure. For ascience-fiction role-playing game, this onehas more combat than we would havethought possible. The combat rules fromthe earlier game apply.

The game starts with Earth under thecontrol of NEO (New Earth Organization),but the planet remains pretty beaten up.RAM (Russo-American Mercantile) is still aforce to be reckoned with, even though itwas beaten in the previous adventure, andit continues to have designs on Earth. It�sup to you to follow Buck Rogers� ordersand search for the scientists who can buildthe Matrix Device. This machine trans-forms any substance into pure energy. Asthe last hope for Earth, you must succeed.

You may create your own characters, oryou can import your characters from thefirst game in this series. If you decide tocreate your characters, keep in mind thateach character should possess high skill inManeuver in Zero-G and First Aid. With-out the latter, you�ll never be able to patchup characters wounded in combat. And, asmuch of the combat occurs in zero gravity,you�ve got to be able to move about.

Other requirements include having atleast one of your characters develop highBattle Tactic, Pilot Rocket, and all Medicand Repair skills (protect the medic at allcosts!). You need to fix not only your rock-

BUCK ROGERS® Matrix Cubed (SSI)

et ship but its electrical systems and yourweapons, should they break down.

We found the best weapons to packinclude any type of needle gun, as theyhave six shots per round. As your charac-ters become better with their weaponskills, these guns become quite effective.The rocket pistol and rocket rifle are alsohighly effective, as they cause a lot ofdamage. Keep a large supply of explosive,chaff, and aerosol grenades. If the enemyfires projectile weapons such as rockets orrifles, chaff grenades protect your charac-ters. Aerosols protect against lasers. Forhigh-strength characters, a mono sword orsome form of polearm can really inflictdamage on opponents, as these weaponsare as effective close up as a weapon thatcan fire over larger distances. Close com-bat also prevents the enemy from throw-ing grenades at your characters.

Aboard your rocket ship, the pilotshould be the character with the highestPilot Rocket skill. Always keep your mis-siles and K-cannons fully loaded. Makecertain you have a character aboard witha high Jury Rig skill; as your ship takesdamage in combat, he can try to fix theproblem area to maintain your fightingcapabilities.

Actual selections of character race arenot as important as in other role-playingadventures. It makes sense, however, toselect Desert Runners for your Warriorclass (if you elect to have any), as theyhave bonuses to Strength, Dexterity, andConstitution. Just don�t expect them to becharismatic!

You must decide which locations to visitfirst, such as the Caloris Space Port, whereattending the coronation of the Sun King isan absolute must. In fact, the interactivepart of the adventure starts here, as youtry to save His Majesty.

You should also stop General Mavroudisat the Asteroid Base from building theDoomsday Laser. Perhaps you could usethe weapon to destroy something else thatis very important to the enemy forces.

The Venusian Lowlands offer someexciting moments, such as an interestingtwo-level laboratory. Watch out for theLowlanders themselves, Prevention ofUnwanted Research and Genetic Engineer-ing (PURGE) attack squads, Mercurians,and Ursadders. We strongly urge that youassist the Lowlanders, especially if theyare about to be eliminated by the forcesfrom PURGE.

You want to find Professor Chade whenyou get to Losangelorg Overland. In thecity�s Sprawls, a hologram disrupter ishidden. This might help you find the his-torical museum itself, even though Chadeand his daughter are long gone. You aredefinitely going to need to possess thegargoyle�s key to go through the secretdoor that led to the captives� room. Thehistorical museum, in the desert, is whereyou will have the opportunity to rescuesomeone near and dear to the professor.But watch out for robots and RAMtroops�they seem to be everywhere.

Other specific areas on interest includethe KRUN radio station, an ambush by awarren gang, the chance to perform arescue in the Ratwurst Den, the Tower Isleresidential building where the team�spasscard can be altered, Copernicus�sLuna Base where your assistance to a Lt.Jenner will give you the wherewithal torescue another scientist, a weaponry labwhere you must halt the spread of a nastyplant mutation as well as complete a res-cue, the Fungus Asteroid where you mustdecide how to approach the Stormriders(cooperation seems best), and the adven-ture�s finale on Jupiter.

This is an extensive adventure withseveral complex subplots that you mustresolve in order to succeed. What�s enter-taining is the fact that you make selectionsbased on what you know, and these selec-tions can play havoc with the final out-come. Record everything that seemsimportant-�t usually is. Make maps likecrazy. (One area we think that SSI muststart to consider is including automappingin its future game releases. It just takes toolong to map each and every location. Youwant to move along in the game, not stopjust before every significant encounter tomap the area.)

Matrix Cubed is another good adventurefrom SSI. With characters that can attainhigh levels, a broad variety of conflicts,interesting puzzles to ponder, and morecombat than you can shake a Martianneedle gun at, this science-fiction role-playing game proves that SSI continues toproduce games that sell well. If you wantan adventure that provides new ways togame, new graphics, or new game engines,this isn�t it; it relies heavily upon past SSIofferings. However, it is highly playableand enjoyable. Matrix Cubed uses VGAgraphics, with either AdLib, Sound Blaster,or minimal Roland sound support. If youenjoyed Countdown to Doomsday, you�llreally like Matrix Cubed.

Planet�s Edge * * * *

New World ComputingPC/MS-DOS version $59.95

An ETS (extraterrestrial ship) orbitsearth on June 23, 2045. After no responseto communications issued by the U.N., theETS initiates an overwhelming roar ofwhite noise. Every band of the electromag-netic spectrum is jammed. Data links fromthe Moonbase lose all communicationswith Earth. Ten minutes later, the U.N.F.A.Moonbase commander tells everyone thatEarth is gone. After study, it is determinedthat Earth has been trapped in a space-time warp.

An investigation team boards the ETSand locates alien artifacts and information.It is decided that a team must be sent outinto the galaxy to find the parts necessaryto rebuild the machine on the ETS respon-sible for the planet�s disappearance. Indi-cations are that the drive for the ETScame from Alpha Centauri, and that�swhere it is recommended you start yourinvestigation.

So begins an enormous science-fictionrole-playing game. Planet�s Edge offersbattles in deep space and on variousworlds. You must communicate with aliensnever contacted before; some you shouldhelp, others you destroy. A total of 36different adventures are offered, notcounting the interaction necessary withspacefaring races. By retrieving technolo-gy and elements from other planets, youcan build new weapons and ships atMoonbase to help you conquer more tech-nologically advanced problems as thegame progresses.

DRAGON 57

Seven sectors are in the galaxy, and eachpossesses dozens of systems. Within eachsystem are planets, asteroids, and spaceplatforms that you can investigate. Find aplanet with usable resources so you canretrieve them. Most worlds are uninhabit-able and contain no needed elements, butfinding and cataloging these planets can betime consuming.

You do not build your own characters inthis game. They are predetermined, al-though you can clone each character andcome away with a slight variation in thevalues of its skill sets.

Your adventure starts in Moonbase; youmove around by clicking on locations suchas the shipyards, where you build yourship from the parts supplied at the ware-house. As you put your ship together, youare advised as to how much �space� is leftfor various items you wish to place on thevessel. Definitely take a turreted weapon.The old saying of running away to live andfight another day is quite appropriatewhen you start the game. The crew quar-ters enable you to clone your character,which is quite handy if the original set ofteam members is destroyed by any num-ber of alien encounters. Also in Moonbaseis the Research Lab, where scientists andengineers attempt to recreate any deviceyou bring to them.

It is going to take you a long time to geteverything needed to save Earth. In themeantime, you might as well have fundoing what you can to advance your ad-venture. Your first stop must be AlphaCentauri�try to avoid conflicts en route!Once you are aboard your ship, clickingon the characters produces a commandwindow. You want to start out by clickingon the pilot and requesting �Engage Auto-Pilot.� When you do, a second menu ap-pears listing the systems you may visit; itstarts out with just Sol and Alpha Cen-tauri, but as the game progresses thismenu will pack hundreds of destinations.

Five planets are in the Alpha Centaurisystem. A small informational outpost hasbeen established on a dead moon. The ETSrecords indicate that this moon is a con-tact point for observers assisting with thefailed Centauri Drive experiment. Afteryou request a scan of the target planet,your science officer informs you that lifemay still be here. You can beam down�and be confronted by your first enemies.Make certain every character is usingarmor and weapons.

Once you defeat the robot guardians,you can enter the base. There you en-counter an android who is quite surprisedthat you are not among the aggressorswho attacked his base, hunting for tacticaldata about the sectors. You learn that youare inside the Omegan Forward Observa-tional Station. Taped narrowcasts from allthe local sector news services are availa-ble. To access a narrowcast, simply step infront of the monitor (your scanner takescare of all your translation needs).

After completing your hunt through the

58 JUNE 1992

Planet’s Edge (New World Computing)

base, you�ll learn that you must visit theAlgieban sector, as a critical part of theETS's machine is located there. You willalso learn vital facts concerning othersystems; make certain you have a penciland paper ready when you wanderthrough this base.

During the adventure, you�ll find uniqueand helpful equipment. One method ofacquiring better weaponry is to Look atthe weapons left by those you have slain.Many weapons and armors can be locatedand used. Some armors work best againstprojectile weapons, others against laserweapons.

Planet�s Edge does have a few problems.When you orbit any Prime planet, youmay find your command to leave orbitsimply does not work�you continue toorbit the planet. We recommend you ac-cess the auto-pilot, select any system, andthen, when your ship leaves orbit, manu-ally take over the controls and select yourdestination. Also, if you note that theLeader of your group cannot complete acommand, or the wrong command isimplemented, choose another character asa temporary leader. Try the commandagain�it should work correctly.

This is a fine science-fiction game, com-bining space and ground adventuring plusthe opportunity to solve interesting puz-zles in your search for Earth. The graphicsare clean and the animation smooth, al-though certainly not breaking any newground in that regard. The sound effectsand music through our Roland soundsystem are composed well, although someof the music will remind you of a certainfantasy role-playing game from the samecompany.

This game offers numerous hours ofenjoyment. The excellent manuals and thestar map are quite handy. Be certain you

Planet’s Edge (New World Computing)

read all of the included material to helpyou through the early stages of the quest.With a large number of unusual and excit-ing quests, as well as the opportunity tobetter your characters as they progressthrough the different systems, this game iswell worth its cost. We highly recommendPlanet�s Edge for all gamers intrigued withscience-fiction role-playing adventures. Ituses VGA/MCGA/EGA or Tandy graphics,with Roland, AdLib, Sound Blaster, orTandy DAC sound.

Clue corner

Planet�s Edge (New World Computing,PC/MS-DOS)

1. Don�t bother searching the Vega sys-tem and its seven planets for materials.Waypoint Nine deserves attention, butonly after you either have cargo to tradefor entry to the world or are powerfulenough to defeat the orbiting protection.

2. Archird is not worth the effort; it�s adesert world with no life.

3. Caph system�s planets are devoid ofanything interesting.

4. Talitha has nothing of interest.5. On Talitha II, at Avia Castle, perhaps it

is wise not to trust the queen�s advisor.6. Burning the flags on Talitha II can

keep the guards busy. Perhaps this is a

good way to obtain a more powerfulweapon.

7. To recover the banner on Talitha II, asthe queen requests, enter the northeastdoor-inside the arena. You might even beable to grab the banner without firing ashot! Then, run for the exit. Armed socio-paths will follow you, but only for a while.If you have to attack them, don�t hesitateto do so.

8. The path through the flower gardento obtain the levitator is as follows (start inthe southwest corner): 2N, 2E, 1S, 2E, 2N,1W, 1N, 1W, 2N, 1W, 1N, 1W, 2N, 4E, 2S,2E, 1N.

9. When you enter the far northernhallway, make sure your lead charactercan sustain a 30 hit-point bomb blast.

10. Your next adventure is to Subra II,where you must give He Who Speaks theitem left by the princess in the first adven-ture.

11. Until you find an Imastyl, you can�tcommunicate on Subra II. Look in thesecond tree to the south.

12. Slay a blood beast and take alienmeat to the creature at the bridge. It�s the

MORE GAMERS?

You may think you�d have to tra-vel to another planet to find agame convention. Finding friendswho are also gamers can be aproblem, too. Put your scoutsuitaway and turn to the ConventionCalendar in this magazine. Theremay be a game convention closerto your home than you�d think �and conventions are a great placeto find friends who share your in-terests. Whether you like board-games, role-playing games,miniature wargames, or justbrowsing around, a game conven-tion can be all you�ve hoped for.Plan to attend one soon.

only way you�ll be able to cross.13. He Who Speaks is the son of She

Whose Steps Are Wise. She is also known asthe Magin. You must obtain the Talking Stickfrom him, but you don�t have to kill him.

14. Once you take out the bladderclaw,look in a western corridor for the TalkingStick. Take it to the Magin.

15. When you return the Walking Stickto the Magin, make certain the one whoreturns it to her also possesses an Imystal.She gives you an invitation.

16. If you don�t have any cargo on Al-gieba 7, you must defeat the space plat-form and its associated spacecraft beforeyou can beam down for the �festivities.�

17. Search the animal cages in thekitchen. Don�t trust the Geal A�nai.

18. After you�ve been transportedaboard the Attagi and have your Choassqacards, you need to win your gravity bar.Try the cards in the slots in the northernwall in this order: 3, 5, 2, 1, 4.

19. Engine Two requires a card sequenceof 1, 5, 4, 3, 2.

The Lessers

2. Do not pay the toll in Zhentil Keep.Bluff, and the drow let you pass.

3. Have your mage memorize PowerWord Blind to get past the gelt in Man-shoon�s Tower.

Pools of Darkness (SSI, PC/MS-DOS)1. It is easier to win the final encounter

against the Vaasan troops if you enter thecombat area from either the left or right,not the center.

4. Try to keep Shal alive, as she gives youa vorpal sword that can survive passagethrough Limbo.

5. Just move on when encounteringhostile soldiers upon first enteringMulmaster.

7. Do not use melee attacks on blue Baneminions, or you will get zapped.

8. Sasha is disgustingly arrogant and atotal fluffhead, but save her from weddingCadorna because you will get lots of expe-rience points.

9. After entering the Inner Palace ofGothmenes, fight Elminster when he firstappears to you, as it is a rakshasa in dis-guise. Any other course gives Gothmenesmore clues to finding Elminster and lesstime for you to find the Crystal of Bane.

6. Kill Arcam before going to the Senti-nel Halls, or he will send out harassingforces.

Ching SannRepublic of Singapore

That�s it for this month. Please continueto help your fellow gamers! Send yourhints and tips to: The Clue Corner, c/o TheLessers, 521 Czerny Street, Tracy CA95376, U.S.A. Again, we would appreciateit if you wouldn�t call or fax lengthy mis-sives containing hints. Our column-writinghours start at the end of our normal workdays, and having the telephone ring at4:30 in the morning is not our idea of agood time! Thanks for your consideration.

Keep those letters coming. Until nextmonth, game on!

* indicates a product produced by a company otherthan TSR, Inc. Most product names are trademarksowned by the companies publishing those products.The use of the name of any product without mentionof its trademark status should not be construed as achallenge to such status.

BUCK ROGERS is a trademark used under licensefrom The Dille Family Trust.

King of the CaravansContinued from page 53

Emrock is a shrewd trader, an excellentgambler (a master at spotting all knownforms of cheating) and bluffer, and isexperienced in battle. Cool, dispassionate,yet entertained by a good contest, be itmental, physical, or political, Emrockenjoys his career.

Gray-bearded and paunchy, with whitestreaks now appearing in his wavy gray hair,Emrock is calm and genial. He wears a beltwith a large round brass plate as a buckle:set into the body-side surface of the brass isa concealed lockpick and a flat metal vialcontaining a potion of extra-healing. Emrockhas friends and contacts across the North,and he has at least one lover: the widowedJhaele Silvermane, innkeeper of the OldSkull Inn in Shadowdale.

60 JUNE 1992

62 JUNE 1992

�No! Turn the undead!� another voicecalled. The pizza delivery man cast an

�Cure me, I�m poisoned!� cried an insis-tent voice.

The pizza was late, as usual. I answeredthe door, ignoring the voices coming fromthe den.

by Dorothy Slama

anxious glance into the rooms behind me.

Computer games work best with more than one plaver

�Do anything, just hurry up,� came acalmer voice. �If I get hit again, I�m dead.�

The pizza man didn�t wait for his tip.The excited voices in the next room

were those of people enjoying a computerfantasy role-playing game�with a twist.Computer-game enthusiasts are quick topoint out the advantages computer-generated RPGs hold over conventionalfantasy games. The computer versionscontribute consistency, graphics, sound,the element of surprise and well-developed plots. Yet there are some areasin which computer games are lacking. Thecamaraderie and competition of regularRPGs are diminished, and there is a hollowfeeling when live gamers are not presentto celebrate great triumphs or mourncruel deaths.

Fortunately, there is a way to enjoy thebest of both worlds. Start with a goodcomputer fantasy adventure. The �Role ofComputers� column in this magazine is anexcellent guide to worthwhile choices.Then, before you turn on the computer,gather an adventuring party. I don�t meana party of computerized characters; Imean a party of live gamers. We�re nottalking about an audience to sit idly byand watch your progress as you play. Eachgamer will role-play a game character�sidentity as in a regular game. Having sev-eral players adds a new dimension to thecomputerized fantasy.

Playing computer games with friendshas many advantages over playing alone.You retain all the benefits of the computer-generated fantasy and gain the benefits ofgroup interaction as well. The excitementof the game is enhanced by the enthusi-asm of the other gamers. Each playerhopes to prove his character the mostfierce in battle or the most skilled in mag-ic, so the competition isn�t limited to whatthe game can dish out. There�s a second-ary competition between players. Friendlyrivalry as the characters in the party viefor the best weapons and armor addsinterest to the mundane chore of dividingthe spoils of battle. Battles are more inter-esting, as players focus on their charac-ters� performances rather than just theoutcome. With a properly formed party,the characters will perform better too.

When playing a computer fantasy alone,gamers play favorites. Someone who pre-fers the action of battle will focus on a

DRAGON 63

particular warrior, and equip him with thebest weapons, armor, and magical charmsso his might far exceeds his companions�.Perhaps it�s a particularly powerful sorcer-ess who receives special attention, so hercharms and spells can be relied on torescue the party from the most deviousfoe. When a group plays a game together,the party is better balanced. Each playerfocuses attention on one particular charac-ter, so the characters develop more quick-ly and evenly.

Each gamer scrutinizes choices of weap-ons and armor, searching for the bestcombination for his character. Fightersseek combat to increase experience pointsquickly. Sorcerers and priests are quick tosuggest the spells with the greatest chanceof success for every situation. Placing theburden of battle on any one characterquickly induces screams of protest fromneglected players. Every player works toprove his character is indispensable. Thebalanced development of characters great-ly increases the entire party�s potential forsuccess in battle.

More important, playing with friends isfun. The group of players provides moralsupport when the game becomes difficult.There is always someone to talk to aboutthe game�s progress. When the solution tothat difficult puzzle pops into your head atmidnight, you can call up someone whocares! Winning battles, exploring newterritory, completing quests, and even badevents are more exciting with a group ofempathetic partners.

As wonderful as it sounds, playing com-puter games with a group does have draw-backs. Here are a few guidelines to keepthe problems to a minimum.

Choosing playersPlayer 1: �My wizard attacks with the

dagger!�Player 2: �Hey, you�re playing a mage!

Find a spell to cast.�Player 1: �I hate reading spell books. Just

have my wizard attack!�

Any serious role-playing gamer knowscreating a good party is crucial to success.The time you spend creating ground rulesfor your party will assure a successfulgame. Once you are fully prepared to startyour party, consider the particular friendsyou will invite to join your group. Therules for creating a human party are quitesimilar to the rules for creating fantasycharacters.

While intelligence and experience are adefinite plus, they aren�t essential charac-teristics. Your party of human players cangain experience and insight as the gameprogresses. Do try to match the gamecharacters� personalities to their players�and achieve a balanced mix. A party filledwith reckless warriors may advance quick-ly in levels of experience, but it may nevercomplete the quests necessary to win thegame. Conversely, a party filled with studi-ous and cautious mages may quickly dis-

cover the secret of winning the game, butit won�t have the prowess in battle toachieve those goals. The ideal party pro-vides a balance of battle-hungry comradesand scholarly chums.

Once you have gathered your group ofgamers, you�ll need to create your charac-ters. Before you begin, read the gamemanual and determine the ideal mix ofraces, classes, alignments, and other op-tions. It�s more fun to allow each player togenerate his own character than to assigncharacters arbitrarily, but everyoneshould choose from the list of ideal charac-ters; you don�t want a party of four cler-ics. If you have novice gamers in yourparty, you can help them choose suitablecharacters. Players who choose magic-using characters should be ready to mem-orize spell numbers and ingredients, andstudy the effects of each spell to gaugewhich is appropriate in each situation.Ideal fighters are willing to risk life andlimb while searching for difficult battles toadvance more quickly. Fighters must alsotake an active interest in armor and weap-onry, since their characters� performancedepends heavily on their equipment.

Be flexible about allowing new charac-ters to join a game. You may start withfewer players than characters, then allowa latecomer to take an unclaimed charac-ter. Sometimes players drop out beforecompleting long games, so you�ll needreplacements. Even better, you could dragout that game you stashed behind thebookcase when you got stuck trying tosolve it last year. Your new players mayhave a new perspective to get you rollingagain.

Choosing leadersLeader: �Let�s go to town so my barbari-

an can train and move up a level.�Player 2: �Good idea. We need to save

the experience points.�Player 3: �Forget it. I�m at the keyboard,

and I want to keep going.�

The designated party leader should bethe player operating the keyboard. Thiseliminates any potential for a renegadekeyboard operator ignoring the group�swishes in pursuit of his own goals. Agreeon a leader well before the computer isturned on. Some groups are very success-ful with rotating the leadership position;this way, everyone has a chance to exer-cise control. Don�t try switching leaders inthe middle of a gaming session. It soundseasy enough to trade positions every hour,but the keyboard driver will inevitably askfor five more minutes�to finish this bat-tle, reach that castle, or get out of adungeon. Plan on following your leaderfor a full game session.

Some games don�t adapt well to turn-taking. In games like Eye of the Beholder(SSI�s licensed AD&D® game saga), reactiontime counts in battle. A player who can�ttype or reacts slowly won�t do well incombat. If your group has patience, you

can hope the slow typists gain speed asthey become familiar with the game. Morelikely, you�ll want to choose a fast typist aspermanent keyboard operator.

Controlling charactersPlayer 1: �Let me cast Finger of Death.�Leader: �No, Dancing Sword is better.�Player 2: �I�ll shoot the crossbow at the

stone golem.�Leader: �No, you need to kill the guards-

men. I�ll get the golem on my turn.�

It�s pointless to assign characters to yourplayers if they don�t have the freedom todictate their characters� actions. Playerswill soon become frustrated and bored ifthe keyboard operator/party leader ig-nores them, inputting his own ideas ofwhat the characters should do.

Each player is responsible for decidinghis character�s moves. The keyboard oper-ator must follow the player�s instructions.The exceptions to this rule are few. If aplayer insists on an action that will harmthe party, he can be overruled. Performingpoorly in battle doesn�t count as harmingthe party; refusing to heal fellow adven-turers does.

Players do have the right to harm theirown characters by recklessness, as long asother characters aren�t affected. For in-stance, a player can have his hero drinkfrom a well that temporarily adds hitpoints, but ages his character. It doesn�tmatter if other players believe the action isin poor judgment. However, if the player�shero dies continually and needs resurrec-tion, he is interfering with the enjoymentof other players, since resurrection isusually expensive and might affect apriest�s character�s statistics. Usually, itisn�t necessary to arbitrarily overrule aplayer. Explain the problem, apply a bit ofpeer pressure, and he�ll see the error ofhis ways.

More often, the problem is with thekeyboard operator/party leader. Experi-enced gamers know the best strategies. It�seasy to become impatient with a novicewho continually tries strategies you knowwon�t work. The leader must rememberhe was once a novice, too. He wouldn�tknow the best strategies if he hadn�t madea few mistakes himself. Allowing a playerto make a choice against your advice canonly prove that you were right! The novi-ce will learn the strategies and learn tolisten to your sage advice.

A more subtle form of interference isexcessive advice. More experiencedgamers should definitely guide the noviceplayers in the party, but don�t let the newplayers rely entirely on your advice. Thereis no satisfaction in parroting someoneelse�s suggestions for the whole game. Giveeach player plenty of opportunity to makehis own decisions, even if the decision isonly which monster to fight. You learnbest from your own mistakes.

64 JUNE 1992

Distributing treasureKnight: �I found the Protection Ring + 2,

so I�m keeping it.�Cleric: �You have plate mail, and I�m

wearing leather armor. I need it. Give it tome, or I won�t cure your deafness.�

Since characters must travel as a party,friendly rivalry over weapons and trea-sure must be kept to a dim roar, so itdoesn�t diminish the spirit of team work.Each character�s success is inextricablylinked to the survival of the party. A dis-gruntled cleric who chooses not to heal anarrogant knight will soon die an ignobledeath in a zone where his magic is ne-gated. Generic treasure, such as money,torches, and gold, should be divided inequal shares, regardless of each player�scontribution to winning it. Dividing specialweapons and magical items can be trickier.

Often, weapons and items are designedfor a particular class of character. A magi-cal Crossbow + 3 naturally belongs to thearcher, even if the knight is still fightingwith a club. Of course, the archer shouldbe willing to offer or trade his outmodedCrossbow + 1 to another deserving char-acter. Some items work equally well withseveral characters.

There are a couple of possible rules tochoose from in dividing these items. The�Finders Keepers� rule works best if thecomputer automatically divides treasure,but there are two major drawbacks to�Finders Keepers.� First, some games auto-matically award treasure to the characterwho is first in the marching order. Sincerotating marching order might place vul-nerable characters in the heart of combat,forget this rule unless the treasure israndomly divided. The second problemwith �Finders Keepers� is that items aren�talways used to their best advantage by thepeople who own them. Can a wizard use amagical broad sword?

A better alternative, if the group ofplayers is capable of reasonable discus-sion, is to distribute prizes on the basis ofneed. A protective ring would belong tothe character with the worst armor class.Magical items capable of duplicating com-bat spells should be used by characterswith the least fighting ability. This methodkeeps the party balanced and increaseseveryone�s chance of success. When allelse fails, the designated leader decideswho gets what. It�s best not to resort to aleader�s decision too often, since arbitraryassignment of treasure takes the fun outof the game.

Distributing laborPlayer 1: �Hurry up! Let�s go through the

trapdoor!�Leader: �Wait a minute. I have to map

this room.�Player 2: �All right, it�s mapped, let�s go.�Leader: �Hold on, I have to look up the

Levitation spell, in case there�s a pit.�

The other group members shouldn�t sit

idly watching the leader operate the key-board. There are other jobs to be dividedamong the players. Someone else shouldbe in charge of mapping new territory.Again, this position requires some apti-tude. Mapping can be difficult, especiallywhen the mapper isn�t at the keyboard.Use care in choosing the navigator so themaps will be accurate. Many experiencedgamers rely on memory rather than mapswhen they play, but this is a bad idea forgroup play. The idea is to keep everyoneinvolved in the game, and other playerscan�t use a map you keep in your head.Recording and interpreting clues are an-other player�s responsibilities.

Remember that the game can�t be wonwithout completing the quests. The scribeshould record clues accurately, noting thelocation and source of the information.Choose someone who writes legibly andmakes clear notes other players can un-derstand in his absence. He should offerhis interpretations of the clues withouthoarding the information or insistingeveryone follow his suggestions. The finalduty on the job roster is holding and usingthe game instructions and clues manuals.

Everyone should read the instructionsmanual to familiarize himself with all rulesand objectives. During the game, oneplayer keeps the manual for reference.The game manual often contains clues,and it always lists spells. Choose a playerwho will actually read the entire manualso he�ll know where to look when youneed information. You can�t wait while hesearches for a spell in the heat of combat.Of course, if you rotate keyboard opera-tors, you�ll need more than one player tobe familiar with each position.

As you play, you�ll find that some playersare naturally more suited to some posi-tions. To start, divide the positions accord-ing to character class. Knights, fighters,paladins, and archers make good keyboardoperators and navigators. Sorcerers,mages, and clerics are well suited to re-cording clues and will naturally want thegame�s spell book (you might have to makecopies of it for your group�s use only). Thegeneral categories of game duties can becombined or divided to suit the number ofplayers in your group. Try not to leave anyplayers without a duty, or they�re likely tobecome chaotic with boredom.

What�s next?Player 1: �There�s the wizard�s cave! Let�s

go in!�Player 2; �No way. We�re on a quest to

find the Ring of Fire.�Player 3: �The map shows a dragon�s lair.

Let�s go get some experience points.�

Once you�ve created characters anddistributed game duties, you�re ready toplay. Since you�ve discussed your groundrules and designated a leader, progressshould be smooth in the beginning. Asyour characters gain experience and yourexplorations uncover more opportunities

for adventure, you may encounter a fewminor conflicts. While many adventuresmust be completed in a specific order,some games are quite flexible. Adventur-ers may have trouble agreeing about whatto do first�or second, or third.

The easiest solution is to let the leaderdecide. If you�re rotating leaders, make it arule that you always finish one questbefore embarking on another. Otherwise,you�ll make no progress as the focuschanges from session to session. If you usea permanent leader, he must be flexibleenough to try the other players� sugges-tions some of the time, or everyone willlose interest. The reckless adventurer mayfind himself at odds with his more cau-tious counterparts about game strategy.Always remember the purpose of thegroup effort is to better balance the party.Each player�s ideas are worthy of consider-ation. If everyone sticks to the groundrules, your game-playing should be troublefree.

Time to playPlayer 1: �I can�t make it tonight. We�ll

have to play tomorrow.�Player 2: �Everyone else is here. We�ll fill

you in tomorrow.�Player 1: �You can�t play without me. I�ll

miss everything!�

Unfortunately, even the most harmoni-ous of parties occasionally runs into trou-ble with schedules. Devoted adventurersare often prone to spending gruelinghours at a stretch exploring a game.Though the members of your party maywant to spend as many hours working ona game as you do, the grim realities ofeveryday life may prevent them. Playersmay object mightily when you continuethe adventure in their absence. On theother end of the scale, you may find somemembers of your party are more enthusi-astic than you. Once you have involvedthem in your game, you may inherit per-manent house guests for the duration ofthe game.

Decide by mutual agreement on timelimits for gaming. Demanding that every-one be present whenever you play candraw the game out interminably. A bettersolution is to agree that experience pointsand treasure will be divided equally withthe heroes of absent players.

Now that you have gathered a party andestablished a few ground rules, you areready to begin. Your party of players willadd a new dimension to fantasy role-playing games. Not only will you have anenthusiastic audience when you relatetales of battle, you�ll have a team of strate-gists. Each member will strive to make hischaracter the strongest or most powerful,so your party of adventurers will live upto its full potential. Have fun�and don�tstay up too late.

DRAGON 65

Tell us more�and still win!by the DRAGON® Magazine staff

Once again, we are asking you, the loyal readers of DRAGON® Maga-zine, to give us some insight about you and how you feel about this maga-zine. We will use this information to tailor this magazine to your gamingneeds. In addition, we are going to award prizes to 10 randomly selectedrespondents, and you�ll be able to choose your own prize should you win!

Photocopy this page, check one and only one box or space per num-bered entry, drop the form into an envelope, and mail it to: DRAGONMagazine Survey #2, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.

Complete this survey and mail in this form, and you could win anyproduct listed in this months �TSR Previews� column (be sure to correctlynote the product number of the TSR product you want, which is listed atthe bottom of each �TSR Previews� entry). Incorrect or unreadableproduct numbers, names, or addresses will forfeit your prize. Only oneresponse per address, please. Not only will multiple responses from oneperson skew the results of this survey, they will also cause you to forfeitany prize you might have otherwise won. All response forms must bepostmarked by July 30, 1992 to be eligible for the prize drawing.

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DRAGON 67

“Ready!New crossbows for old in the AD&D® game

by Donald D. MillerArtwork by L. A. Williams

In the AD&D® game, the crossbow is amuch maligned and underrated weapon. Ithas only slightly better range than thelong bow, but with a notably lower dam-age potential and a much slower rate offire. It is normally chosen only by low-level or destitute characters who cannotafford a bow, or by novice players who donot yet understand what a poor weaponthis is within the game. This is hardly arealistic representation of the medievalcrossbow.

Crossbows were used in China as early as1200 B.C. and as hunting weapons in centralEurope by 400 B.C. The historian Vegetiustells of Roman legions being armed withcrossbows in A.D. 385. It was consideredsuch a dangerous weapon that in 1139 PopeInnocent II banned its use by all Christians.This ban was later lifted for knights going onthe Crusades, allowing them to use cross-bows against the Saracens.

At 7 lbs. for a light crossbow and 14 lbs.for a heavy one, the crossbow is muchharder to carry than a simple bow, at 2-3lbs. It cannot fire nearly as fast, with ratesof fire of 1/1 or 1/2 for light and heavycrossbows, respectively, against 2/l forany bow. The crossbow is also more sus-ceptible to water damage than a bow;immersion in water or exposure to rainlasting longer than five rounds requiresthat a bowstring be aired out in the sunfor a full day and checked for rot, but thisprocess takes 2-4 days for a whole cross-bow. Because of its greater weight, acrossbow is not nearly as useful againstmoving objects and ought to suffer a -1penalty on attack rolls against fast-movingtargets (DMs must decide exactly whatconstitutes a fast-moving target; a manwalking down a road is not such a target,while someone running for cover is). Notethere is no �fast-moving� penalty if thetarget is moving directly toward or awayfrom the crossbowman.

However, crossbows can be producedmore cheaply than bows (an importantpoint for a lord fielding an army), theyrequire less training to use (DMs whorequire characters to spend time training

with weapons might allow proficiencywith the crossbow in half the time re-quired for the long bow), and they havegreater range and penetrating power (i.e.,do more damage). The crossbow can becocked and loaded in advance, then keptat the ready. Because of its sturdy con-struction, this weapon might not be seri-ously damaged if used to parry an attackfrom an enemy�s weapon. Also, a cross-bowman can use the stock of his weaponas a club (-1 to hit for clumsiness, but ahit doesn�t harm the weapon).

The crossbow consists of a small metalor wooden bow mounted horizontally on awooden stock. A release nut is set in thecenter of the stock, and the bowstring ispulled back to catch on this nut. When theleverlike trigger is pressed, the nut shifts,releasing the string and firing the quarrel.Some crossbows have a groove carved inthe center of the stock from the nut to thebow, to better control the quarrels flight.

Crossbows fire ammunition called quar-rels or bolts. These look like small arrows,ranging from 1� to 2’ long. Quarrels have

68 JUNE 1992Hand crossbow

only two vanes (feathers) set on oppositesides of the shaft, whereas arrows havethree vanes set equally around the shaft.Arrows and throwing darts cannot befired from crossbows, nor can a crossbowfire bolts of different sizes (light cross-bows fire only light quarrels, heavy cross-bows fire only heavy quarrels, etc.).

For those DMs who would like to in-crease the lore of crossbows and expandthe options available to those who usethem in the campaign world, I present thefollowing information and examples. More

material is given in DMGR3 Arms andEquipment Guide, pages 63-67, and youmay also wish to include the doubledcrossbow and disk crossbow from �NewWeapons for Old,� in DRAGON® issue#169.

Hand crossbow: From the 13th to15th centuries, Italy produced crossbowsthat were only 14" long with a bow 10�across. These weapons were easily con-cealed under cloaks or in the folds ofrobes; they were often used by assassinsand were therefore outlawed in many

areas. Each is cocked by holding the stockor bow with one hand and pulling thestring back with the other. Due to its lightweight, the hand crossbow does not suffera -1 penalty for attacking moving targets.The high price of this item (300 gp, as perthe Player�s Handbook, page 68) reflects itsbeing sold only on the black market inmost areas. If allowed to be sold openly, itsprice would fall to only 30 gp.

Hand-crossbow quarrels can be used asthrowing darts in emergencies. Theysuffer a -2 on attack rolls and have onlyhalf the normal range of darts whenthrown by hand.

Light crossbow: This was the earliestform of crossbow developed. It has awooden bow and a draw of about 50 lbs.This weapon is cocked by bracing the bowand pulling the string back until it catchesbehind the release nut. This was the cross-bow used by the Roman legions and theMpangwe of Africa. If your characters arein a primitive area or if your campaign isset in an early time period, this will be theonly crossbow available. The light cross-bow can be held and fired using only onehand (-1 on attack rolls). If one is used ineach hand, the attack penalty is cumula-tive with the penalties for attacking withtwo weapons (Player�s Handbook, page 96).

Medium crossbow: The mediumcrossbow was introduced in the 13thcentury and had a composite bow of horn,sinew, and wood. It had a draw weight of100 to 150 lbs. and was cocked by placingone foot in the stirrup at the crossbow�sfront and using both hands to pull backthe bowstring. This was a common hunt-ing weapon of medieval Europe.

Heavy crossbow: The heavy crossbowhas a steel bow and first appeared in the14th century. This weapons often had adraw weight of 500 lbs. or more and wascocked using a windlass (a miniature blockand tackle). The windlass was attached tothe weapon�s stock, a hook was put overthe bowstring, and the string was crankedback. The windlass was then removed andthe crossbow was loaded with a quarrel.All of this contributed to the weapon�s

Medium crossbowDRAGON 69

CostWeapon (gp)Hand crossbow 300 gpHand quarrel 1 gpLight crossbow 35 gpLight quarrel 1 spMedium crossbow 40 gpMedium quarrel 2 spHeavy crossbow 50 gpHeavy quarrel 3 spSiege crossbow 100 gpSiege quarrel 5 sp

* These items weigh one-tenth of a pound each.

Table 1Revised Crossbow Statistics

Weight (lbs.)

3*7*8*

14*

25½

SizeSSSS

MS

MSLM

Type-P-P-P-P-P

Speedfactor

5

7-8-10-12-

Damage(S-M/L)

1d3/1d2

1d4/1d4

1d6/1ds

1ds/1d10

1d10/1d12

Table 2Revised Crossbow Ranges

WeaponHand crossbowLight crossbowMedium crossbowHeavy crossbowSiege crossbow

Rate

of fire11

1/21/31/3

Ranges

M412141618

L6

18212427

slow rate of fire. The heavy crossbow wasused as a military weapon throughoutmost of medieval Europe.

Siege crossbow: The siege crossbow

was a stronger version of the heavy cross-bow with an improved steel bow and wasfirst seen in the 15th century. This weap-on had a draw weight often reaching

1,200 lbs. and was cocked using a windlasslike the heavy crossbow. The siege cross-bow was normally used by soldiers whowould rest the weapon on a castle walland fire at the attacking army. Any charac-ter not bracing a siege crossbow on a solidobject (castle wall, boulder, fence post,etc.) will suffer a -1 attack penalty perrange level (-1 at short, -2 at medium,and -3 at long) in addition to all normalrange penalties. The siege crossbow was avery late development and should existonly in Renaissance-period campaigns. Theimprovements in metalworking that al-lowed its production also produced superi-or firearms, which soon rendered thisweapon obsolete.

Example: Lord Oswerd spots an orcacross an open field and breaks out hissiege crossbow. After spending tworounds attaching the windlass, crankingback the bowstring, detaching thewindlass, and loading the weapon, he isready to fire. Since the orc is 200 yardsaway, he is at long range (-5 on his attackroll). Being in an open field, Lord Oswerdhas nothing to rest his weapon on (-3).Seeing what�s coming, the orc starts run-ning for his life (-1). So, Lord Oswerd hasa -9 penalty on his attack roll. If he hits,the orc will suffer 1d10 hp damage�likelyenough to kill him.

Among demihumans, dwarves andgnomes are known to favor the crossbow.Dwarves prefer medium crossbows. Theyfind the heavier ones too slow and thelighter ones lack high damage potential.Gnomes favor the light crossbow, findinganything heavier too bulky. Elves andhalflings shun crossbows, finding them toocumbersome; considering their bonuseswith other missile weapons, they areprobably better off that way.

[�Forum� letters pertaining to crossbowsmay be found in DRAGON issues #167(page 74), #175 (page 70), and #179 (pages53-54). Crossbow- type weapons largerthan siege crossbows are ballistae, whichare well detailed in the SPELLJAMMER�boxed set�s Concordance of Arcane Space,page 41.]

70 JUNE 1992Siege crossbow

Giving three dimensions to psionicsin the AD&D®2nd Edition gameby Jan Berrien Berends

Psionics in the AD&D® 2nd Edition gameis an exciting element that adds color and vitality to any campaign. The rules in TheComplete Psionics Handbook are fullyfunctional. However, the rules alone arenot sufficient to bring the full potential ofpsionics to life in a campaign. The trueexcitement of psionics is only realizedwhen the DM uses all his power to de-scribe psionics in vivid detail.

Just as combat in AD&D games is muchmore exciting if the DM describes whathappens, so too are psionics more satisfy-ing if the DM creates a detailed picture forthe players. For example, when a playercharacter wishes to establish contact withanother creature, the DM can simply allowthe player to make the power check and,if successful, tell the player that her PChas made contact. This system works fine, and in some situations it is the best to use.However, it often falls flat.

Wanda: (playing Grekor the psionicist): Iwant to make contact with thebiggest ogre.

DM: Okay, roll your power check.Wanda: I made it. Now I want to use

ESP.DM: Roll your power check.Wanda: I made it.DM: The ogre is thinking that it wants

to smash you with its club.

Artwork by Bob Giadrosich

Not very exciting, is it? The same se-quence, however, can become much moreintense with a little description on the DM's part.

Wanda: I want to make contact withthe biggest ogre.

DM: Okay, you place your hands onyour temples and send out an armof your consciousness. To yourpsionic senses, the ogre's mind ap-pears rather small and open, almostinviting you to enter. Make yourpower check.

Wanda: I make it. Now I want to useESP.

DM: You are surprised at how easilyyour consciousness slips into theogre's mind. Make your powercheck. [Wanda succeeds.] You get thefeeling that there is not much in theogre's mind beyond what you read."Brabo crush! Brabo crush Grekorhard!" he thinks over and over tohimself, gripping his club as helooks at you. His mind seems to bejust barely able to cope with thethought, but he's eager for what hethinks will be an easy victory.

D R A G O N 7 3

Clearly, this is a little more interesting.Of course, there are times when the sim-ple method of declaring what power isbeing used and checking for success ispreferable. In the heat of an exciting andimportant battle, a simple description (likethe first one) is probably adequate. Atother times, however, an even more de-tailed description is best. In this article,each discipline is examined for the bestways to enliven and enhance its use in acampaign.

Clairsentient powers allow characters tosense things they would otherwise beunable to detect. They should always begiven detailed descriptions. When a PCuses Clairvoyance or Clairaudience, de-scribe the feeling she has as she sends hersenses outward from herself. Perhapsthere is a sound of rushing wind in herears as she starts to use Clairaudience.And when her senses arrive at the desiredsite, describe incidental sensations first, toset the mood. For example:

Clairsentience

Birds chirp cheerfully, and you hearthe sounds of a soft breeze. �I love you,�a young man�s voice whispers. Gigglesare the response.

The same applies to Clairvoyance:

Your first impression is that everything isdark. After a few seconds, your eyesadjust and you see a wall of wet stones.Your attention is drawn by a shadowymovement. Someone is walking,crouched and quietly, along the passage.

The same attention to detail should beused with all clairsentient powers. Here,Aura Sight is used on an 8th-level chaotic-good fighter by a 4th-level psionicist:

The warrior�s aura is a fiery red, flamingglow. The intensity of the light revealsthat he is quite powerful, having abouttwice your personal power. This particu-lar shade of red is characteristic of afierce, noble individualism; he is gener-ous and sincere, if not disciplined.

PsychokinesisBecause psychokinesis tends to have

primarily physical effects, description isusually taken care of by describing theaction. However, it is always good to de-scribe how the psionicist himself feels.

The stone is quite heavy. You feel analmost physical strain in your mind asyou lift it, as if your muscles are tens-ing. It seems that you can move it onlyever so slowly, lifting it out of the wayof the narrow pass. At times, you feel

like you just might drop it, but at thelast second, you always manage tocatch it.

Also, it is important to remember toappeal to all the senses when you describethe effects of the power, such as withControl Wind:

The wind whips up, wrapping yourclothing tightly around your body.There is a great sound as the airaround you moves faster and faster,chilling you and slightly upsetting yourbalance.

Here, someone uses Levitation:

You feel a refreshing lightness as yourise off the ground. The orderly gardentakes on an interesting perspective asyou look down upon the riot of colorwithin it. As the castle grounds fallaway below you, you feel the air cool abit. The scent of pollen from nearbymaple trees tickles your nose on abreeze that rushes past.

PsychometabolismThe obvious sense to which this disci-

pline appeals is touch, as the psionicistfeels the changes that happen to his body.However, you can enhance the descriptionby lending detail to the processes thatmust happen in the psionicist�s mind. WithAnimal Affinity, for example, the psionicisthas to allow his psyche to get in touchwith the animal part of his nature.

You bend your mind inward, searchingfor the eagle within you. Images of soar-ing and hunting flood your mind. You feelyour arms change into wings, your bonesstretching and becoming thinner, and thechange feels right. Wings are so muchmore practical and real, you think. Youstretch out your wings, admiring thereach of your wing tips and the perfec-tion of your feathers.

In order to use psychometabolic powers,the psionicist must cease to view his bodyas a physical reality and see it as a psychicentity. Thus, when a psionicist uses GraftWeapon, the psionicist must feel himselfand the weapon as two malleable elementsof psychic reality:

You heft the rapier in your hand. Itfeels sharp, true, and sturdy, perfectlybalanced. It ceases to be merely a pieceof metal and comes alive as you hold it.It feels warm and accepting. You closeyour eyes and see the blade as a beamof light. Your hand and arm, too, be-

comes a curving beam of light. After abit of concentration, you feel that thetwo beams of light are now just onelong beam, extending forward fromyour arm. Opening your eyes andlooking down, you see that the blade isnow a real part of you.

PsychoportationLike clairsentient powers, many psycho-

portive powers become more vivid if theentire scene is described. If a characterteleports, she will naturally spend a fewmoments acclimating herself to her newsurroundings. Even if the surroundingsare familiar, the minor shock of having allsensory input change suddenly is slightlydisorienting.

You blink your eyes and glance aboutyou. The bright light hurts your eyes,and you stagger, expecting the floor tobe rough and tilted, but your footing isfirm now. You are overcome with reliefto be out of the dismal, perpetual twi-light of the Keep of Maror. The warmthof the sun feels wonderful, and thesounds of the familiar, nearby brookbring to mind the early years of yourlife, when all your adventures tookplace in a broad meadow outside yourparents� house.

If the psionicist has traveled a greatdistance, her head might reel and her legsmight be shaky for a few seconds. Thisneed not be enough to cause her any realproblem, but they still add to the effect inthe player�s mind.

Powers that teleport other beings, suchas Banishment and Teleport Other, cangive the psionicist a glimpse into the localeto which the other being is sent. SummonPlanar Creature can show the psionicist animage of the plane from which the crea-ture arrives. Such glimpses can be quiteexciting, and the DM can even use them tofurther plots or introduce interestingadventures. Alternatively, they can just beused to touch up the description of thepower.

This is where a DM�s description canreally make or break the excitement ofpsionics. Exploring other beings� mindscan be one of the most entertaining thingsa PC will ever do. Even if the PC is justcontacting a mind to use Psionic Blast orPsychic Crush, a description of the mind isin order. Ask yourself what the mindwould look like. What substance is it madeof? Does it look like some kind of land-scape? What are its features?

Suppose a PC tries to contact a zombie.The PC would, of course, have nothing togain, because a zombie is mindless. How-

Telepathy

74 JUNE 1992

ever, this is an opportunity that a DMshould not resist. Describe the mind as,say, a gray bowl of cold oatmeal in a darkkitchen. As the PC tries to contact themind, he must mentally dive into the oat-meal. If he does so, he flounders about fora few seconds, soon discovering that thereis no mind as such to contact. No one ishome! What could have been a humdrumresponse of �You can�t use your power ona zombie� has become an interestingevent.

Successful contacts are, of course, muchmore exciting. Perhaps the psionicist willfind her consciousness walking through atwisted maze, with dark, repressed secretslurking behind every corner. Perhaps shesees herself flying high above a miniatureplanet on which the continents and geo-graphical features are the memories andthoughts of the individual.

One interesting technique is to ask thepsionicist what form she wants her con-sciousness to take as it tries to contact andexplore another being�s mind. She woulddo well to shape her mind into eithersomething that the being would fear orsomething it would trust. For example, ifshe were trying to contact an elderlywizard, she might shape her mind into anembodied apparition of Death, from whichthe aging wizard would shy away. On theother hand, if she were trying to contact aranger, she might shape herself into a

handsome, sturdy horse and trot into hismind. Animal forms are a good way toexpress the shape the psionicist�s mindtakes.

Another way to approach it is to ask thePC to describe how he intends to get in tothe subject�s mind. Against a sturdy dwarf,the psionicist might try to barge into thestronghold of the dwarfs psyche. Againstan experienced diplomat, the psionicistmight mentally bow and wait to be �in-vited� in.

This is not, of course, to say that thebeing who is being contacted will neces-sarily perceive the images that the psioni-cist has, but presumably on some level theconsciousness of the subject will interactwith the consciousness of the psionicist.Particularly creative PCs might, at theDM�s discretion, be given bonuses to theirpower check rolls for intelligent and ap-propriate responses.

When a character uses a psionic defensemode, it is a good idea to describe a physi-cal appearance that is appropriate. ForTower of Iron Will, obviously, a descrip-tion of a tall, strong tower would be inorder. Intellect Fortress would be a broad,sturdy stronghold. A psionicist up againstMind Blank would wander through abarren landscape, aware that there werehidden features surrounding him but onlyable to see the wide, empty expanse ofdesolate plains.

When a psionicist uses a power to alterany creature�s mind in some way, describehow it is done. With Telempathic Projec-tion, the psionicist might have to adjustemotional levers. With Aversion, thepsionicist might have to erect a mentalstatue of the object of Aversion, surroundit with barbed wire, and set angry mentalguard dogs about it.

ConclusionVivid descriptions mean the difference

between another bunch of statistics tolook after and an entirely new and excit-ing dimension added to a campaign. Theeffort to enhance the descriptions is notnecessarily small, but the depth that sucheffort can bring is well worth the trouble.

Literature can be a great source of ideasfor enhancing the descriptions of psionics.There are many science-fiction and fanta-sy books available that present psionics inan entertaining way. TSR�s new DARKSUN� book, The Verdant Passage by TroyDenning, offers excellent descriptions ofpsionics based on the AD&D 2nd Editionrules. Another good book is Queen ofAngels, by Greg Bear. Although the �psi-onic� interaction in this book is basedentirely on �science,� the book is a greatsource for descriptions of living minds aslandscapes or worlds.

Convention CalendarContinued from page 38

Utah. Events include role-playing, SF&F andhistorical miniatures games. Other activitiesinclude guests, a painting contest, and dealers.Registration: $20/weekend before July 31; $24 atthe door. Dealers are welcome. Write to: ComicsUtah, 258 E. 100 S., Salt Lake City UT 84111; orcall: (801) 328-3300.

BUBONICON 24, August 14-16 NMThis convention will be held at the Ramada

Inn East in Albuquerque, N.M. Guests includeThorarinn Gunnarson, Dell Harris, and WalterJon Williams. Activities include panels, readings,movies, a play, parties, an auction, filking, andthe Green Slime awards (Saturday is Toga Day).Registration: $20/weekend before July 31; $23 atthe door. Write to: NMSF Conference, P.O. Box37257, Albuquerque NM 87176; or call: (505)266-8905 10 A.M.-10 P.M. local time. No collectcalls, please.

1992 GEN CON®/ORIGINS� GAME FAIRAugust 20-23 WI

This gigantic gaming convention will beheld at the MECCA Convention Center inMilwaukee, Wis. Events include hundreds ofrole-playing, board, miniatures, war, andcomputer games. Other activities includepanels, seminars, workshops, the ExhibitHall, an art show, and a games auction, withRPGA� Network activities. Registration: $35/weekend preregistered; $40/weekend at thedoor. Write to: 1992 GEN CON®/ORIGINS�Game Fair, P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI53147, U.S.A.

76 JUNE 1992

ORIGINS is a trademark owned by the GameManufacturers Assoc.

DRAKCON �92, August 22-23This fund-raising convention for famine relief

will be held at the Northern College of Educa-tion in Aberdeen, Scotland. Events includeRPGA� Network AD&D® tournament, and afigure-painting contest. Registration: £4 before

July 1; or £5.50 thereafter. Single-day ticketswill be available at the door. Write to: SandyDouglas, 13 Springbank Terrace, Aberdeen AB12LS SCOTLAND. All checks should be madepayable to Dragon Aid.

CON-SPIRACY �92, August 28-30 NCThis convention will be held at the Omni

Durham Convention Center in Durham, N.C.Guests include Greg Porter and Allen Wold.Activities include RPGA� Network tournaments,workshops, Japanimation, speakers, an SFmovie room, miniatures and open gaming.Registration: $25/weekend or $15/day. Write to:NAARP, P.O. Box 2752, Chapel Hill NC 27515-2752. Make checks and money orders payableto NAARP

PACIFICON �92, August 28-31 CAThis gaming convention will be held at the

Dunfey Hotel in San Mateo, Calif. Ask aboutspecial room rates. Activities include role-playing and board-game tournaments, a fleamarket, seminars, movies, painting contests,dealers, auctions, and miniatures and opengaming. Write to: PACIFICON, P.O. Box 2625,Fremont CA 94536.

How effective was your convention listing?

“Convention Calendar” served your needs.Your comments are always welcome.

If you are a convention organizer, pleasewrite to our editors and let us know if our

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XXVC� game accessoryby Dale �Slade� HensonThis 64-page book is a catalog of never-before-

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® designates registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.™ designates trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.©1992 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise noted:

MARVEL SUPER HEROES™ and all Marvel characters andthe distinctive names and likenesses thereof are trademarksof Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. and are used withpermission.

XXVc is a trademark owned by The Dille Family Trust andused with permission.

SUPPORT YOUR LOCALGAME CONVENTION!

A game convention is the perfectplace to make new friends who en-joy the same hobbies you do �whether you like board games,role-playing games, miniature wargames, or just shopping around. Ifyou�ve never attended a game con-vention before, please check outthe Convention Calendar feature inthis issue for the game conventionnearest you. Take some of your owngaming friends along, too � andmake it an experience to remember.

DRAGON 79

T by Steven E. Schend

HE MARVEL®-PHILEFrom within the lands of Doom

By now, the Lands of DR. DOOM� boxedset for the MARVEL SUPER HEROES�game should be out on the shelves at yourlocal game and comic-book stores. As withmany of our projects, there is not alwaysroom for every last little detail that we�dlike to put into our products; there�s onlyso much we can fit into a box! This month,I�ve compiled material I had to edit out ofthis boxed set for space considerations�afew random bits of technology thatwouldn�t fit into the catalog of Doom�sgadgets�and now present it to you, thereaders of DRAGON® Magazine.

Even though Dr. Doom made these gad-gets, and the �Availability� section witheach item tells you where the item can befound and in what quantities, there is noreason you can�t pick up these items anduse them for your own high-tech villains.Even better, perhaps the villains in yourcampaign gained the items by stealingthem from Dr. Doom himself. This couldlead to interesting encounters if yourmaster villains come to the players� heroesfor protection from the Lord of Latveria.

Anesthetic nose plugsThese small devices are very basic in

design and equally so in effect. Wheninserted in the nasal passages of a humanor other oxygen-breathing creature, theplugs allow air to pass through them butintroduce a strong knock-out gas into theair flow, keeping the victim unconscious.

Powers: Knock-Out Gas. The nose plugsrelease an Incredible (40) Intensity knock-out drug into the nasal passages of thevictim. When first inserted, a consciousvictim can make an Endurance FEAT rollagainst the intensity of the gas to resist itseffects, continuing the Endurance FEATrolls each round until failure indicatesunconsciousness. The victim will awaken1-3 rounds after the plugs are removed.

First appearance: FANTASTIC FOUR #352.Material strength: Poor (4).Tech rank: Incredible (40).Availability: It is very likely that Doctor

Doom has at least 10 functional sets ofthese nose plugs within Castle Doom.

TM Color by Stephen D. SullivanDRAGON 81

Powers: Force Absorption/Deflection.The staff is designed to absorb up to anUnearthly (100) amount of physical orForce damage directed against it, deflect-ing such damage away from the wielder ofthe staff. If the wielder can succeed at anAgility FEAT roll (Yellow or Red resultneeded), he can also successfully deflect adistance Force attack. The staff itself ispowerless, fueling its circuitry by absorb-ing the kinetic energy directed against it.

Limitation: Due to the kinetic energyabsorbing properties of its circuitry andmakeup, the deflection staff is useless asan offensive weapon. It absorbs any dam-age it might do to an opponent, dealingonly Feeble (2) Blunt damage regardless ofthe strength of the wielder.

First appearance: FANTASTIC FOUR #352.Material strength: Incredible (40).Tech rank: Monstrous (75).Availability: The only working model of

this item exists in Dr. Doom�s personalarmory in Castle Doom. There are rumorsthat Doom is adapting the design of thestaff, allowing it to absorb force and redi-rect it on contact with a target, thoughthis is idle speculation.

This 6�-long metal quarterstaff is filledwith circuitry allowing it to absorb themost punishing blow without breaking. Ithas never been used by Dr. Doom, thoughits capabilities as a defensive weapon aretremendous.

Deflection staff

Entropic inducerDeveloped recently during Dr. Doom�s

exile, this bulky pistol resembles the stand-ard blaster Doom carries in his belt hol-ster. Its ability to scramble nervous-systemimpulses is effective against nearly anyliving creature, though its most lethal usesare saved for the hated Reed Richards�elastic form (�My entropic inducer willrearrange your body structure to a stateof maximum disorganization!�).

Powers: Nerve Scramble Effect. With arange of four areas, the entropic inducershoots a blast that effectively overloadsthe victim�s nervous system. The highlyspecialized energy beam acts as anAmazing (50) Energy attack in terms ofbody armor or energy resistances, and itcannot be absorbed by artificial or naturalpowers without taking effect (e.g., IronMan cannot absorb this energy to powerhis armor without scrambling his armor�scircuits.).

The energy causes the victim to sufferIncredible (40) Energy damage and to losecontrol over all voluntary muscles, makinghim fall and be effectively immobilized.Due to the nerve scrambling, the victim�smuscles are overloaded with stimuli anddo not respond to normal control for 2-20rounds. Victims with any Elongation orSize Manipulation powers find their bodies

82 JUNE 1992

rapidly fluctuating in size or shape as theirpowers are scrambled for 4-40 rounds.Endurance FEAT rolls can be made againstthe Amazing Intensity of the energy, andsuccess allows the player to reduce thetime of the effect by 1d10 rounds (mini-mum of one round of effect).

First appearance: FANTASTIC FOUR #352.Material strength: Excellent (20).Tech rank: Monstrous (75).Availability: Doom has tried to use this

item on only one occasion, but he hasconstructed three working models. Onemodel of the entropic inducer is kept ineach of his castles (Castle Doom in Doom-stadt, the capital of Latveria; the Citadel ofDoom in southeastern Latveria; and theFortress of Doom in New York state).

Though Dr. Doom has developed hisown methods and mechanisms for timetravel, the null-time sequencer is the de-sign of some other inventor from outsidethe known universe. During Dr. Doom�sundocumented jaunts through other di-mensions and times, he �acquired� thesemechanisms to study. Used for a shortlength of time in a duel against MisterFantastic, the null-time sequencersbrought Doom to the attention of the TimeVariance Authority (TVA).

Powers: Time Travel. A null-time se-quencer allows the wearer to shiftthrough time and temporarily inhabitspace �outside� of time. The sequencersoperate at Amazing (50) efficiency, allow-ing the wearer up to five rounds of activi-ty outside of the current flow of time. Thelongest jump through time allowable witha null-time sequencer is a little over onehour into the past or the future. Note thatthe null-time sequencers do not move thewearer through space, only time; wieldersseem to teleport by shifting outside timeand moving to the desired location (seem-ingly instantaneously).

First appearance: FANTASTIC FOUR #352.Material strength: Excellent (20).Tech rank: Shift Y (200).Availability: Doom used a pair of null-

time sequencers in his duel against ReedRichards, though Doom�s was worn at theend of the battle by a disguised Kristoff.The sequencer worn by Mister Fantasticwas impounded by the TVA. Doom de-stroyed the only remaining time sequencerto avoid detection and interference by theTVA. It is highly probable that Doom atleast created a set of blueprints or plans togain knowledge of alternate time-traveltechnology.

Null-time sequencer

Quark instability condenserTouted by Doom as his promethium

armor�s most powerful weapon, the quarkinstability condenser was developed afterDoom left Otherplace with his magic-based

armor. Extremely effective against cyborgsand robots, the condenser (incorporatedinto one of Doom�s gauntlets) uses metaland electrical systems against its victims,causing extreme pain and disruption.

Powers: Quark Destabilizing Pulse. Bysomehow harnessing a fraction of thebinding energies of atomic nuclei and anyfree energies around or in the target, thisweapon causes variable damage to itstargets. Against normal, nonpoweredbeings, this beam causes Amazing (50)Energy damage. Any targets with innatephysical (but not mental) powers must addtheir highest power rank to the Amazingdamage. For example, the pulse adds Un-earthly damage to this amount (Shift X(150) total) when used against the Hulk byharnessing some of the energy from theHulks strength. For any armored, robotic,or cybernetic target, add the highestpower rank to the damage as above, but aRed Endurance FEAT roll is needed toprevent paralysis of the mechanical sys-tems for 2-20 rounds (White or Greenresults on this FEAT roll signify permanentdysfunction or destruction of specificsystem; Yellow or Red results equal suc-cess). Iron Man�s armor would take Shift X(150) damage from the pulse, and hewould need to make the Endurance FEATroll to save his armor from destruction.

First appearance: FANTASTIC FOUR #352.Material strength: Incredible (40).Tech rank: Shift Y (300).Availability: There was only one working

model of the condenser, and it was placedin the mock-up promethium armor wornby Kristoff at the end of Doom�s time-duel.Planning to sacrifice Kristoff and the ar-mor to the TVA, Doom certainly has blue-prints for the construction of another(though whether this is one of his owndesigns or something stolen from anothertime or place is unknown) hidden in hislibrary or lab in Castle Doom.

Next month, I�ll cover yet another cornerof the MARVEL UNIVERSE�, but I�ll con-tinue to add in bits and pieces of Dr.Doom�s technology and other sundries tospice up everyone�s game campaigns. Keepsending your comments to: The MARVEL-Phile, DRAGON Magazine, P.O. Box 111,Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. We�d like toknow your thoughts on the current direc-tion of the column and the MARVELSUPER HEROES game line in general.

The MARVEL-Phile's Marvel characters and the distinctivenames and likenesses thereof are trademarks of MarvelEntertainment Group, Inc. and are used with permission.Copyright ©1992 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All RightsReserved.

DRAGON 83

Summer ended, and when the sky turned gray and thecold wind began to blow down from the peak, the shep-herd gathered his animals and went down into the valley.Within days the trails were blocked by snow, and now wasthe time to sit by the fire in the company of other men.From time to time, when the tavern in the village was fullof laughter and dancing, the shepherd would take out hisflute and join in with the viol and recorder while the vil-lagers skipped and rollicked to the well-known countrytunes. It was a good way to pass the winter evenings andearn a tankard or two of thick brown ale.

But when the snow melted and the new grass camegreen on the mountain, he gathered up his newly shornflock to drive it back up to the summer pasture. Now,once again, his songs were of dragons and flight. Theyseemed to come from the heart of the flute itself, as if thehollow bone retained an echo of the dragon�s own voice.

So he sat and played on the mountainside one day whensuddenly a black shadow seemed to blot out the sun. Ashis sheep ran bleating in mindless panic, he looked up tosee the vast shape of a dragon plunging down at him,talons extended, tail lashing the sky in a frenzy of rage.Then he heard its voice in his mind, even as he droppedto the ground in a futile effort to evade those claws: Mlaka-zar! My mate! Death! Death! Who killed him? Who has hisbones?

The shepherd in his desperate terror cried aloud,�No!� and felt the wind of the dragon�s passage engulfinghim in its hot, sulphurous scent as he awaited the piercingagony of the talons seizing his flesh. But instead he rolledfree, cowering on the ground as the dragon hovered di-rectly overhead, the beating of its wings battering him likea gale. My mate! I heard the voice of his bones!

The shepherd in his fear got to his knees, stammering,� I . . . found the bones in a cave. I took only one�thisone�to make a flute. I never killed . . . never . . .�

Slowly the dragon lowered itself to the ground, transfix-ing the trembling man with its gaze, red tongue licking inand out of its mouth. Yes, this is his, this is his voice. Showme. Show me the rest of the bones.

He led, the dragon followed, claws scoring the earth ofthe mountainside to bare stone. The cave was above thegrass line, a place the shepherd had found the year before

It had been made from a dragon�shollow wingbone, found one day by ashepherd in a mountainside cave. Thebones had lain gleaming in the dark-ness, the high-arched ribs, the skull

he flute was white as ivory, white asbone.

with its deep hollow sockets, the razor-edged teeth. Yet itwas only one delicate wingtip that he took home to thesod-roofed hut where he lived on the mountain, to spendthe long summer evenings patiently boring thefingerholes.

When it was finished he took it outside and blew thefirst tentative note. The sound was thrillingly clear, highand light. Soon, if he shut his eyes while he played, italmost seemed that he could see dragons soaring, theireyes like jewels, vast wings extended to catch the updraftfrom the sunwarmed valleys far below.

DragonboneFlute

The

by Lois Tilton

Illustrations by Bob Walters

DRAGON 85

86

The shepherd glanced nervously up into the empty sky,then shook his head. �No, Sir. No dragon up here, Sir.�As the knight scowled, he added, �I couldn�t stay up here

�The dragon, lout! I�ve had word there�s a dragon beenspotted up in these mountains. Prime trophy! Looking forhis lair. Well?�

But as the summer days grew longer, the presence of thedragon had other consequences. One day an armed manrode up to the high pasture. A squire rode with him, lead-ing a much larger stallion bearing weapons and armor,most conspicuously a lance fully twelve feet long.

The shepherd pulled off his cap as the knight beckonedhim over. �Herdsman! Here! What do you know of thedrake?�

�Sir?�

It took three days to gather in the flock, scattered asthey had been. And for days after that he did not daretouch the flute for fear of the dragon, that it might returnand devour them. Yet from time to time he could see herfar-off shape wheeling above him in the sky, bringing backmemories of the song of flight, and finally he realized thatnothing he did could endanger his sheep or protect them ifthe dragon wished him harm. So he let the dead dragon�svoice live again, and he was no longer alone on themountain.

The shepherd immediately put down the flute and be-gan to search the mountainside anxiously for his flock,hoping they had not all plunged to their deaths in theirpanicked rush from descending death. He glanced ner-vously up at the dragon, soaring about a distant peak,well aware that she could easily swallow a sheep with asingle snap of her jaws.

His voice lives again, she said at last.�I meant no harm,� the shepherd said again, uncertain-

ly. �I was alone up here on the mountain. I thought, alittle music, a song or two . . .�

Yes, said the dragon. I know what it is to be alone. Andafter a moment she spread her wings and beat her wayinto the sky.

So the shepherd took his flute from his belt and withshaking hands began to play. He played the song of flight,the song of freedom in the air, glorying in the strength ofhis wings. He played from the flute�s heart, not knowinghow he did, and beside him the dragon wept huge goldentears.

The dragon was only barely able to squeeze its bulkthrough the opening of the cave. The bones lay as theshepherd had found them, as they must have lain for tensof years to be stripped and worn so white. The shepherdfelt the cry of the dragon�s grief: Mlakazar!

He began to plead for his life, �You can see how longago it must have been. I swear! I meant no harm! I nevertouched�never took but the one bone. Oh, forgive!�

The dragon lowered its head in sorrow. The shepherdcould see now that it was old and a female, her blue-greenhide and scales worn. Her eyes were pallid opals, red-veined with age. Let me hear, she said at last. Let me hear thevoice of my mate.

while climbing up to retrieve a strayed lamb. It was thenhe had spotted the break in the rock and the dim gleam offleshless bone inside.

JUNE 1992

�He was your only mate?� he asked her once.The dragon shook her scarred, blue-scaled head. A mate

is for life.

with my sheep if there was a dragon on the mountain, Sir.Not with my sheep.�

The horseman cursed and turned his glare onto hissquire, dismounting. �It�s getting late. I�ll stay here thenight. Go fetch one of those lambs.�

The shepherd protested in vain as his lamb was slaugh-tered and spitted over his own fire. The knight only threwhim a coin and ordered him to stop his complaints. In themorning the unwelcome visitors rode on, but the shepherdknew they would not be the last.

That winter, when he led his flock down from themountain, the villagers pressed him with questions of theirown, for they had seen the far-off shape of the dragonsoaring high among the peaks. But the shepherd wouldadmit nothing. Only, at last, that nothing had been at thesheep, no dragon, no eagle, no stray pack of wolves. Andas they could see for themselves that the flock had notnoticeably diminished, the villagers could only shake theirheads.

But the shepherd kept mostly to himself throughout thatwinter, nursing a solitary ale at the side of the fire, andwhen the patrons of the tavern called for a song from hisflute, he shook his head, saying he had lost it on themountain.

In the spring, he drove his flock out almost before thesnow had cleared the trails. Never had the mountain airseemed so fresh and clean, the sunshine so bright. And inthe far, far-off distance, a speck of dark flew against theglistening snowcaps, a dragon soaring on outspreadwings. His heart lifted at the sight.

She descended almost as soon as he had reached hispasture, with a stiff rustle of leathery wings. Play, shepherd,play. Let me hear his voice again. And the shepherd put theflute of bone to his mouth and let the song of flight spillout.

�For life,� the shepherd said sadly, thinking of thechurchyard where he had buried his wife so many yearsago, before he went up onto the mountain. �Yes, it is thesame with some of us.�

The dragon was ancient, even for one of her kind. Herleathery wings were scarred, her scales broken andcracked. The shepherd was concerned, for all her im-mense size, thinking of errant knights and the cruel steelheads of their lances. �This place is dangerous for you,�he urged her, but again and again the dragon would re-turn. Play, shepherd. Let his voice live again.

Then one spring the sky was empty when the shepherd

Then indeed rumors spread that a dragon had returnedto the mountains. Knights and other adventurers wouldmake their way to the high pasture in search of the greathead for a trophy, the fabled gold of the hoard. Always theshepherd would show them the flock grazing placidly andunmolested on the tender grass. �I�ve been grazing thisflock up here for half a man�s lifetime. Think you that I�dbring my sheep to a dragon�s lair?�

So the season passed, and the one after. Each spring theshepherd climbed the mountain trails more slowly. Thedragon�s eyes grew more dim.

arrived at the high pasture with his flock. He went to bedthat night with a heavy heart, and his flute was silent. Butin the morning when he opened the door of his hut shewas waiting for him, steaming in the mists. The hugehead hung low, and her wings were tattered. Play, shepherd.Let me hear him one last time.

He played, and the music of the flute soared higher andlighter than ever. He played until his breath was exhaust-ed, while the dragon�s golden tears ran silently from thefaded veined opal of her eyes.

When he was finished, she began to creep away withpainful slowness, dragging her ruined wings. The shep-herd knew her destination. He followed until she came tothe cave where her mate�s bones lay. Before she crawledinside, squeezing her bulk through the narrow opening,she turned one last time to face the shepherd. He was black!Bright black! Mlakazar!

He waited until sunset colored the mountaintops, butshe never emerged again.

Then one day in late summer he felt a strange stirringin his heart. He put the flute to his mouth and played theold song of flight, the song of the dragon in his youth andpower, soaring on the highest currents of the wind.

The shepherd returned to his solitary existence on themountain, to his sheep and their new lambs. From time totime he would take out the dragonbone flute and play afew notes, but the sky remained empty.

At first the shepherd thought he must be dreaming. Thesky was full of dragons, wings outstretched, their jewel-tone scales glinting in the sunlight. He blinked, and theflute almost fell from his hands, but the dragons were stillthere and he could hear their voices in his mind, crying,Flight! Flight!

Then, as they dove closer, he saw that these dragonswere each no larger than a swan, and he realized theymust be newly hatched. Flight! they called. Flight! Flight!And he played for them again, watching with renewed joyas they swooped and plunged and tumbled in the air.Though he spoke to them, they made no answer, onlyrepeating the same cry.

The next morning, the shepherd once again made theclimb to the cave near the mountain�s peak. His stepswere slower than they had been when he first made thisascent and found a cave full of dry white bones. But thistime dragons played above his head.

The immense bulk of a dragon does not decay quickly,even in the summer heat, and the shepherd had to tie ascarf over his face before he could enter the dark, narrowspace of the cave. But as soon as his eyes grew accustomedto the light, he was able to make out what he hadsought-the precious broken, gold-veined shards of thedragons� eggs, incubated long months in the decomposingwarmth of their mother�s remains. His heart raced at thefirst sight of so much wealth, but at last he left the cave asempty-handed as he had come. How could he sell them,even downriver in the marketplace? How could he let theworld know of their existence?

Dragons flew over his head as he climbed slowly backdown the mountain.

There were twelve of them�gold and green and russet

and blue and a solitary jet-brilliant black. Their eyes werebright, their wings supple and unscarred. They grew rap-idly in the waning summer days, preying on the smallerbeasts of the mountainside. As their wings became strong-er they went farther and farther from the cave, until theywere flying from peak to peak, higher and higher, untilthey soared above the most lofty snowcaps.

Yet always they returned to the mountain where theyhad been born, to the sound of the shepherd�s dragonboneflute.

But there came a day in autumn, when the grass wasturning coarse and yellow, when the shepherd came uponthe carcass of one of his yearling lambs on an outcrop ofrock, torn open and half-devoured. The marks of a drag-on�s talons were clearly visible on the remains.

Despite the shepherd�s increased vigilance, several dayslater another lamb was missing. He grieved, knowing thatby the next spring the dragons would be grown strongenough to carry off a mature ram. Now at last he felt thebitter truth of the answer he had always made to thequesting knights, that he would not be able to pasture hisflock on the mountain if there were dragons laired nearby.

That fall he drove his sheep down to the valley beforethe first snowflakes flew in the sky. Some of the villagersshook their heads and wondered aloud how many moreyears the old shepherd would be able to spend all alone upon the mountainside. A few of them suggested that heought to hire a boy to run after the sheep. To all of themthe shepherd made scant response. He sat alone throughthe winter evenings by the fireside of the tavern, andwhen people spoke of dancing, none of them seemed toremember the sweet, lively music of the bone flute, lost somany years ago.

Then one evening, as night was coming on, there was acommotion outside the tavern: the stamping of horses andthe ring of steel. The innkeeper bustled, shouting for hissons to tend the beasts, his maids to look lively in thekitchen and make up the best bed for the noble knight andhis servant.

The customers nearest the door hurried outside, followedquickly by the rest. The shepherd left his seat last of all,dread in his heart. The crowd had gathered thickly aroundthe horses, hindering the tavern�s boy in his efforts to leadthem into the stable. It was only at the last moment that theshepherd caught a glimpse of what was tied across the largestmount�s back, a dragon as large as the horse itself, wingstrussed up so they would not drag on the ground, the jewel-tones of its eyes gone dull and its scales still lustrous, gleam-ing black, the rarest of dragon-colors.

Never again would his wings bear him up into the sky,never again would he experience the pure joy of flight orever know the long, loyal happiness of a mate.

Soon the knight came into the tavern, followed by theadmiring company, where the landlord himself served himhis ale. He was a young fellow, fair and flushed withpride, not at all reluctant to boast of his deed in slayingthe drake.

�He flew at me with his claws all extended, mouth wideopen, hissing��

�Breathing fire?� one of the serving maids asked ea-gerly.

DRAGON

�Well,� the knight admitted, reluctantly compelled tohonesty, �not exactly.� He took a deep swallow of his ale.�I couched my lance. The drake came at me, and I spit-ted him like a charging boar. The point of my lance ran inbelow his ribs and out between his wings. The force drovemy mount to his knees.� The knight was on his feet withthe excitement of his own tale. �I jumped clear, pulled mysword��

The crowd exclaimed at the bright ring of steel, step-ping back as he pulled his blade free, reenacting the epicbattle. �But the drake was already dead. Killed with oneblow!�

The shepherd at the back of the room shook his head insorrow. �Young and foolish, young and foolish,� hethought. What had the black dragon known in his shortlife of knights or lances or swords?

He realized suddenly that a question was being ad-dressed to him. �You, shepherd! You graze your flock onthe mountains, is that right?� the knight was asking. �Didyou ever see any dragonsign up there? Any sign of alair?�

The shepherd shook his head again. �Knights camehere before, asking me. No, no dragonsign on my moun-tain. Couldn�t bring my sheep up there if there was drag-ons, now, could I?�

As always, the crowd nodded in acknowledgment of thisobvious truth. The shepherd added, �Now, that one I sawtied on the horse. I don�t think that one looked the size totake a sheep. Lamb, maybe. Young lamb. Not a sheep,though.�

The young knight scowled at this belittling of his deedand shouted loudly to the innkeeper for more ale. In themorning he would be gone with his trophy, but others ofhis kind would come when they heard of his deed, eagerfor dragonslaying. One by one the dragons would fall tothe lance, the gold and green and russet and blue.

It was a harsh winter that came to the valley that year,filling the passes with snow, so that the village was cut offfor weeks from the rest of the world. By the time the snowbegan to melt, the shepherd had sold his flock, telling thebuyer, �Getting too much for me, climbing up the moun-tain every year. Slowing down. Ache in my joints thesedays.�

He pocketed the gold, little as there was. He might havegotten a better price at the spring fair downriver at themarket town, but there wasn�t time for that.

He made one last stop before he left the village, at thegraveside of his wife. He knelt for a moment on the damp,cold ground, but after so long he hardly knew what to say.�Not like a dragon,� he thought, getting stiffly back to hisfeet. �We forget.�

Without his flock, he was only three days climbing upto the hidden cave, even with the half-melted banks ofsnow blocking his way. From time to time he glanced up,and at last he saw them, the faraway specks that weredragons circling overhead.

At the very back of the fissure in the rock, beyond thecarcass of the blue-green dragon, the precious gold-veinedbroken shells were still untouched. Carefully, he pickedthem up, the green, the red, the jet, and put them away in

And when several days had passed and he was sure, hetook both flutes and snapped them in half and laid them inthe cave with the rest of the dragons� bones.

The path he took down from the mountain led not tothe village of his birth but farther downriver to the markettown and its spring fair. And beyond to the cities of theplains, where no man could see the snowcapped moun-tains and the glint of dragons flying against the sun.

Alone, he waited on the mountain, but the dragons didnot return.

And constantly as a counterpoint to the song, repeatedagain and again: Flee! Far away! Far away!

The shepherd played until his lips could not shape an-other note, until his fingers, with their aching joints, couldbarely move. When he put down the flute at last, the skywas empty.

Dragons died. Their blood poured out onto the greengrass, singeing it brown. Their sightless skulls were im-paled on spears as trophies. Their mates circled in the sky,bereft, keening their grief, while their bones slowlybleached bare and white, to crumble at last into powderand dust.

The shepherd put down his tools and stepped outsidehis hut. Lifting his head to the sky, he put the flute to hismouth and began to play. It was a song of peril and death.Dragons writhed on sharp lances tearing through theirvitals. Swords hacked at broken scales, at the delicatebones of their wings, breaking, crippling. No longer ableto fly, the dragons twisted, turning in vain on their tor-mentors, helpless against the steel of their weapons.

It was different working this half-raw bone, scrapingaway the adhering hide, carving out the holes for hismouth and fingers. When it was finished, the flute had ashrill, harsh tone, with a melancholy pitch that hinted ofpain and bereavement.

his pack. Then, using his knife, he began to cut away asingle hollow wingtip bone from the dried and leatheryremains.

88 JUNE 1992

“Forum” welcomes your comments and opin-ions on role-playing games. In the United Statesand Canada, write to: Forum, DRAGON® Maga-zine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147 U.S.A.In Europe, write to: Forum, DRAGON Magazine,TSR Ltd, 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton,Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom. We askthat material submitted to “(Forum” be eitherneatly written by hand or typed with a freshribbon and clean keys so we can read andunderstand your comments.

Two years ago, we presented a three-partseries in “Forum” on the attacks being madeupon role-playing games and our readers reac-tions to the situation (issues #160-162). Wecontinued our look at the problem with thiscolumn in issue #181. Interested readers mayalso consult the editorials in issues #125, 134,151, 158, and 171 for further commentary.

I was extremely concerned to read about allthe bad publicity RPGs are receiving in the U.S.While I recognize that letters written to �Fo-rum� are usually from victims of the worstpossible circumstances, I had no idea that theproblem was so serious. I was also upset byMichael Natale�s letter [regarding the use of evilcharacters in role-playing games] in issue #152.He seems to think the readers of DRAGONMagazine know nothing about role-playing andfeels compelled to inform us that �it is fantasy. Itis not reality . . .� I believe that most of us knowthat, and all the letters I have read complainingabout playing evil characters were from peoplewho objected for fear of bad publicity, ratherthan any personal reservation.

For example, I was talking to an RPG shopowner who had to talk an overenthusiasticfriend out of holding a session of Chaosium�sCALL OF CTHULHU* horror game whiledressed in black robes, by candlelight, at mid-night, with pentagrams all over the walls! Whilethe shop owner had no objection to the idea(which would certainly have been either terrify-

ing or comical), he didn�t want to take the riskof anybody finding out about it, especially sincehis friend also played in a club with fairly youngchildren. This is the sort of silly behavior role-players are trying to stop. Nobody is accusingyou of being a satanist, Mr. Natale; they aremerely trying to stop the general public fromcalling you one. It doesn�t matter how confidentyou are of keeping yourself separate from yourcharacter (a fairly simple exercise, I agree),because if RPGs are made socially unacceptable,you won�t be given the chance to role-play anytype of character.

Over here, thank goodness, the media doesn�thave quite as much influence as in the U.S., andit isn�t very interested in RPGs at the moment.The vast number of TV channels in Americameans that news stations are always looking fornew �crusades� about subjects previously ofinterest to a minority, whereas in the U.K. RPGsenjoy a relatively pleasant obscurity.

Nevertheless, I have encountered certain fearsand prejudices concerning my beloved hobby.Prompted by my anger at this, I recently wrotean essay on the subject. My English teacher wasimpressed; indeed, he was impressed enough toshow it to my French teacher, who had beencriticized in the essay. My initial panic at thisnews was replaced by a determination to getsome issues sorted out. I arranged an appoint-ment to discuss the matter.

On the day before I was due to have thisdiscussion with my French teacher, I foundmyself very nervous. My words seemed rash,my criticisms overly harsh. I brought along afriend (the two of us can talk our way out ofanything) for moral support. Four days later,after several more hastily arranged discussionswith both teachers (both, incidentally, areChristians), we decided that we had exhaustedthe topic and parted on good terms.

I was astounded. I had expected floods ofaccusations over devil worship and strangerituals, but that sort of nonsense was dismissedin the first minutes of discussion. We spent therest of the time talking about fears I had neverconsidered to exist. Was role-playing an addic-tive game? Might it not take up valuable study

time? Did it destroy a person�s social life? Was ittoo expensive for young, impressionable enthu-siasts? Was it right to �play� with morals byplaying characters of different personalitytypes? (There was no question of actually per-manently adopting a character�s role, as in theinfamous film, Mazes and Monsters). Have werole-players ever been altered by playing acharacter? If so, was the change for better orworse?

My friend and I could answer some of thesequestions, whether curious or concerned, justby explaining some part of the game that hadnot been known to our teachers. Other ques-tions made me think very hard about role-playing and how I might or might not bechanged by it.

The whole affair was very satisfying, and Iwent away feeling that I had managed to illumi-nate some concerned observers and clear myown thinking at the same time. My friendagreed. The moral of this little story is: Find outwhat people are worried about, then talk tothem! Many of the worries of those who are notrole-players are incomprehensible to us. Someof the concerns are reasonable and deservereasonable answers. . . . The fact that [role-playing games] are safer than parties, football,driving, fishing, crossing the road, or gettingdrunk is one that should be pointed out to�normal� people. Not everyone who thinks role-players are mad is mad himself; some are mere-ly a little misguided.

Tim HarfordAylesbury, Bucks, U.K.

Some years ago I met a guy, and we soonbecame friends. We had both been role-playingfor a number of years, and we were part of agroup that met regularly at my house. In fact,we became such good friends that the friend-ship extended outside of the role-playing meet-ings. This went on for three or four years.

Then, one summer, he joined the BaptistChurch and became a born-again Christian. Heimmediately denounced role-playing as beinglinked with satanism and came of the opinionthat role-playing was evil. Now, this was from a

DRAGON 91

player and GM of six or seven years� experience.Needless to say, there was no satanism involvedin our regular game meets, just clean fun for afew friends who liked to role-play.

That was two and a half years ago now. Sincethen, he has occasionally returned to our groupto role-play but has always denounced it againafterward. Our role-playing group has grown insize and still meets on a regular basis. None ofus have ever been satanists. Although I am asubjective observer, I would not say that any ofus are evil. My friendship with this guy hasbeen on an on-and-off basis as I have doneeverything in my power to keep him as a friend.

However, things came to a head recently. Heshowed up at my house for the sole purpose ofcalling our friendship to an end, his reasonsbeing my liking for horror films, the fact that Irole-play, and the fact that I have just begun toturn my enjoyment of role-playing into a money-maker with my first project for a professionalgame company. I�m fully sympathetic to myChristian friend; I have not enticed him tocontinue role-playing with us and have tried tosmooth over the waters wherever I could. Irefused to accept that I could not role-play andkeep a Christian friend at the same time when Iam doing no harm to anybody.

My friend had a great many role-playinggames, novels, and miniature figures in hispossession when he joined the church. Not all ofthem belonged to him; some were on loan. Allof these items were destroyed! In no way what-soever can I see any logical reason behind thedestruction of the printed word, in any form. Iam against all forms of censorship, and I recallthat during World War II the Nazis burned agreat many books. I leave you all to draw yourown conclusions.

I am a role-player. I will stand up for role-playing wherever there is a need for suchsupport. I will not be persuaded by the churchor anyone else to �give up my evil ways� as Iharm no one. My role-playing group provides itsmembers with enjoyment, camaraderie, andsupport without detriment to anyone.

I have, however, lost my first friend over thismatter. I sympathize with role-players every-where who have experienced this type of prob-lem, and worse ones, too, especially the youngerrole-players who cannot invoke their own rightsof independence yet. My advice to all role-players who are called to give up their ways isto stay cool. Don�t get angry, and don�t do any-thing that proves their point. If somebodymakes a claim against role-players, make surethey�ve got their facts right. Check them out.Don�t get upset and shout; instead, you want toresearch your own argument. It will pay off,because we are not in the wrong. Many thingsin this world are not right. Role-playing bearsthe brunt of many lies and false accusations,and it is a subject that causes paranoia and fearamong the ignorant.

What first began in the U.S. has come toEngland. Many religious denominations havesubscribed to a point of view that classifies role-playing as evil. Newspapers and magazines arebeginning to latch onto this, and TV now hostsregular chat shows, on both sides of the Atlan-tic, where the witch hunt has begun againstrole-players. These shows are generally under-represented by the role-playing community, anda sinister light is always cast over those role-playing supporters who do appear. The futuredoes not bode well.

There is a storm coming that is going toattempt to wash away role-playing and leave notrace. Before that happens, all role-players,game companies, and others involved must arm

themselves�not with weapons, threats, oranger, but with facts, honesty, and calm. Let usnot become the witches of the 20th century.

Geoff PassFrimley, Surrey, U.K.

Issue #161 gave me some food for thought onthe (old but new) issue of satanism and the D&Dgame. Here are a couple of notes I�d like to add:

Michael Shigetani points out that there is noorganization �that represents gamers as awhole.� While he might not be aware of anysuch organizations, I wish to point out thatseveral exist, and to find one, you simply needto flip a few pages in DRAGON Magazine.

The ROLE-PLAYING GAME ASSOCIATION�(RPGA�) Network is an international organiza-tion of gamers, headquartered in Lake Geneva,Wis. In addition to providing a newszine andother benefits for its members, it provides anavenue of communication that Mr. Shigetanimay feel is lacking. Through the RPGA Network,I have met many gamers both locally andthroughout the United States. It provides anavenue of communication that other forumscan�t. �Forum,� for instance, is not the place tofind gamers in your local area (though a coupleof people have found me that way). But theclassified-ad section in the RPGA Network�sPOLYHEDRON® Newszine is just such a place; tofind someone in your area, and call or write.

I point out the RPGA Network only because itis the one with which I am most familiar. It isnot my intention to �brag up� the network,though I normally don�t hesitate. My purpose issimply to point out that organizations of gamersdo exist, and they are many. For information ona local game club, check with local libraries,schools, or gamers.

Craig Barrett�s point about creating a risk-freeworld is excellent. I long ago came to the conclu-sion that some day someone would come outwith a study proving breathing is dangerous toour health. When that happens, we�ll all have towalk around wearing signs saying, �The Sur-geon General has determined that breathing canbe dangerous to your health.� A humorous pointbut a true one, in my view.

Finally, I turn to the fundamentalist Christianpoint of view. I can express only sympathy atsome of the things I hear. I know a number offundamentalists, born-agains, and others, andthey are nice people on the whole�just likegamers, right? But some of them are decidedlyshort-sighted and narrow-minded in their views.People who cannot allow for any variation inthe beliefs of people trouble me, and I don�tknow what to do about them. This has been alarge problem for me in the area of RPGs. I haveseen these people have RPGs removed fromschools and electronic bulletin boards (andother media) all in the name of what is right andgood.

It makes me wonder. They go on about theirright to get the world to believe what they want, which is okay with me. But they, in doingso, trample on my right to do the same. I won�tpoint out any people because. we can find them

anywhere we live.Aaron Goldblatt

Fort Worth TX

I am a freshman at UW-Madison, majoring inpsychology and drama. Once I get my degrees, Iplan to enter the seminary and become a Lu-theran minister. I�ve played role-playing gamessince I was in the fifth grade, and I�ve been aChristian for much longer.

I�ve played most RPGs out on the market, butmore often the AD&D game than anything. I�m

currently involved in two campaigns, one goodand one evil. I personally enjoy the good cam-paign much more, but I�ve learned importantlessons in the evil campaign. Evil charactersdon�t usually live very long, because someoneelse in the party usually wants that vorpalsword more than an extra character in theparty. You can�t trust anyone, and what gooddoes it do you to have 5,000,000 gold pieces?You end up wasting it on guards (whom youcan�t trust), traps, and protection spells withexpensive material components. Also, demonlords are worth more experience than devas, sowhy not be good?

There is nothing inherently evil about theD&D game! The �evil� symbols on page 42 of theAD&D 1st Edition DMG are not satanic. On thecontrary, the pentagram is a Christian symbolrepresenting a Christian with arms out-stretched, feet firmly planted in the ground, andface turned to Heaven. The satanists (beingunoriginal) reversed it in irreverence. Theequilateral (thaumaturgic) triangle is a symbol ofthe Divine Trinity, and the circle is a symbol ofthe Eternal God. As far as the Greek letters inthe magic circle, I used half of them in my lastcalculus test. Are math and most sciences evil?

There is nothing wrong with a choice of goodand evil. We all face that choice daily, and to say�You aren�t allowed to be evil� is a bit naive.

Lastly, I would like to point out the sectionmarked �THE GAME� on page 9 of the AD&D1st Edition DMG. A touch of realism is necessaryfor continuity, but it is still a game, just as onecan play Brutus in Shakespeare�s Julius Caesarand still be a good person. A play has that namefor a reason, just as RPG stands for role-playinggame.

Dale CritchleyMadison WI

I am writing to you about the last two termpapers I have written. I am a sophomore atUNH, majoring in electrical engineering, but Ihave had two English courses that requiredresearch papers. One is about the vocabulary ofRPGs, which I have just finished. This oneprompted this letter, since I used articles fromDRAGON Magazine as sources for my paper. Iwas surprised that I could use the techniquesfrom linguistics to study the word usage inRPGs. The games have generated lots of vocabu-lary that I commonly use now.

The first paper was on the possible psycholog-ical effects of RPGs on players. I used articlesfrom psychology journals. The conclusion of mypaper was that there are no definite connec-tions between RPGs and suicide cases of players.In fact, there was an article I found in which theD&D game was used to help children developcooperation skills. This research was in supportof what I believed, but I tried to find sourcesthat contradicted that view. None of thosearticles were published in journals because suchideas have no basis. Conclusion, RPGs do nothave harmful psychological effects.

I would just like to thank all the people whowork so hard to create DRAGON Magazine,since I have benefitted from the magazine notonly in gaming aspects but in academic aspectsas well. Keep up the good work!

Michael NeveuNashua NH

I�ve been an AD&D player for 10 years now.All this time I�ve been hearing all sorts of groupsputting down RPGs. I don�t know about myfellow gamers, but I�m not going to continue totake this. I suggest a course of action to TSR andmy fellow gamers.

92 JUNE 1992

First, go to civic and church leaders. Explainto them and show them what RPGs are really allabout. Second, stand up for your rights. This isabout more than just RPGs and gamers; it’sabout us being denied our civil rights. I don’tthink we should allow people who don’t under-stand what gaming is all about to deny us ameans of entertainment that we enjoy. Besides,I’m not going to let a bunch of sanctimonioushypocrites dictate to me. If we don’t stop themright now, they will eventually outlaw RPGs. Idon’t presume to speak for anyone else, but I’mnot going to just stand by and let this happen.Therefore, I urge and ask everyone connectedwith RPGs to speak out and make your voiceheard. Most importantly, we have to make thegeneral public aware of the crime being com-mitted against us: censorship.

If we don’t make our point of view known,how can we expect anyone to begin to under-stand? We should not allow the myth to con-tinue that RPGs or gamers are evil or satanic.The poor confused souls who think so should beshown how wrong they are. Informing thesepeople is the first step to gaining acceptance forRPGs and gamers alike. I’m writing this letter toyou, the gamers, but realize it’s the nongamerswho have to be reached. We can’t do this bywriting letters to gaming publications. Instead,write to newspapers and congressmen. Talk tothe people who need to hear us.

Richard DoyleUnion MO

Recent “Forum,, letters often start out likethis, “I am a Christian and an AD&D gameplayer . . .”It’s as if these writers feel it is neces-sary to lend a sense of ‘Christian goodness,, tothe “onerous” AD&D game. This is truly prepos-terous. One does not have to excuse his role-playing to anyone. When someone tells you thathe plays the MONOPOLY* or TRIVIAL PUR-SUIT* games, he doesn’t preface it with anexplanation of his religious beliefs. To do so heredemeans the game.

Having been a player for 13 years and thehead of a school gaming group, I have seen allkinds of role-players. Most of these playersnever had their religious beliefs compromised,and all were welcome to participate in ourshared world. A few players over the yearshave been Muslim and one player was a Hindu,but for the most part they were undoubtedlyChristian since Christianity is the most preva-lent religion in this area.

If any players voiced objections with thegame, it would be explained to them that notplaying is an option that is always open to them.None of my players have ever asked if theAD&D game fits into any sense of “Christianmorality,” and absolutely no one has ever beenforced to play. In fact, in the few times that ourgroup has been disrupted by difficult players, ithas been because of their attitudes and theirinability to separate their characters fromthemselves. These players would object to anyactions by other characters (PC and NPC) if itdid not meet with their personal moral stand-ards and rules. They lacked the ability to fanta-size and let themselves be swept away to adifferent world. After all, that is the greatnessthat the AD&D and all other role-playing gamesoffer.

In deference to Mr. Bartmess (issue #162),good does not always win in our world, and theplayers are consistently not evil but not neces-sarily lawful good or neutral good. It wouldseem that in Mr. Bartmess’s campaigns, itdoesn’t really matter what actions the playerstake, since good will always defeat evil. Prede-

termination of the outcome of an AD&D adven-ture removes the “adventure” and robs theplayers of the uncertainty of victory. Mr.Bartmess’s players must surely lose battles, butthey know that eventually the war will be won.The adventurers in our AD&D game worldoften unwittingly unleash more evil than theyinitially set out to destroy. The players affect theoutcome of the game through their actions, andthey often “screw up!” However, these momentsare often the most memorable and open uprole-playing possibilities for months to come.

Mr. Bartmess makes the comment that “thereis elemental evil in the real world,” and thatmessing around with Ouija boards, tarot cards,and the like will break down the barriers be-tween ourselves and Satan. This is the samekind of thinking that has so disparaged theAD&D game. To believe that using entertain-ment objects such as fortune-telling devices willsomehow bring Satan into your life is as ludi-crous as claiming that the AD&D game is thetool of the devil.

Our game club often uses tarot cards and thelike as props in our CALL OF CTHULHU* ad-ventures. Narrow thinking not only destroysrole-playing opportunities but limits one’s abilityto encompass all of the richness of this alternateworld. It is a short step from Mr. Bartmess’spoint of view to criticism of the Buddhists,Hindus, Daoists and other religions for theirrituals and beliefs.

Jeffrey S. KennedyLansing MI

I was very interested to see a sampling inissue #161 and 162 of the letters you’ve accumu-lated that either defend D&D and AD&D gamesor comment on the attacks being made againstthese games. Thank you for including my letteramong them. I consider myself to be in verygood company.

But isn’t it about time we went over fromdefense to “attack”? I’d like to comment on someof the good things about AD&D games—good,not merely from a fan’s point of view, but froma societal point of view, (Yes, Virginia, there aregenerally beneficial aspects of D&D and AD&.Dgames, if only people would take time to lookfor them.) I’m going to talk just about the AD&Dgame, which is the game I know, but I haveevery reason to believe that my comments coverall role-playing games.

First, the AD&D game is not an adversarialgame. In a properly run campaign, the playersdo not consider the DM to be an opponent, andyou don’t have to defeat another player in orderto win. In fact, defeating another player isn’tgoing to do you any good. The games simplyaren’t oriented in that direction.

This leads me to my second point: the AD&Dgame teaches the sovereign virtue of coopera-tion! With the exception of the exceedingly raresolitaire game, you have to cooperate with theother players in order to succeed at an AD&Dgame. As TSR incessantly points out, the game isdesigned so that, when properly run, no oneplayer character can survive on his own, Ittakes the combined and effectively intermixedpowers of all the player characters to win anAD&D game.

Is anyone out there listening? In a world thathas become so small, thanks to the moderntechnological miracles of travel and communica-tions, we can no longer afford the luxury ofdeterminedly going our own way, independentof everyone else and immune to everyone else’sinterests. The days of isolationism are over.Cooperation is now the name of the real gamein the real world. We have become a world of

neighbors, and unless we can learn to regardother people as potential partners, we are allgoing to be in a great deal of trouble. TheAD&D game teaches that! If there were noother value to AD&D games, this single factwould deserve enormous consideration.

But there are other values. Do you worry thatyour children aren’t learning to read? My moth-er was a high-school English teacher here inColorado. Some of her students didn’t want toread, either. Shakespeare and company, theusual fare offered in high-school English classes,was not only beyond their capacity, it was alsocompletely without interest to them. But a lot ofher students were “stompers” —sons and daugh-ters of local ranchers, She thought that if shecould start them reading something they liked,even if it was “low tech,” the growing interest inreading would bleed over into other areas. Doyou know what she started them on? Westernnovels. Louis L’Amour. Zane Grey. Max Brand. Itgot so that the high-school library couldn’t keepthese books in stock. And, yes, the growinginterest in reading did expand into other areas.

Now, while the AD&D game isn’t classicalliterature, neither is it easy reading. It requiresconcentration and a degree of dedication, vir-tues that educators claim is lacking in modernstudents. But the AD&D game obviously inter-ests a wide variety of people, and in order toplay AD&D games you have to be able to read!Not only that, you have to be able to read well.You have to study the rules. You have to knowwhat’s going on. So let your children read! Letthem read what interests them. Get involved inwhat your children are doing. Find out whatkind of AD&D campaign they want to play in.Guide them to the right kind of world, and theirinterests are going to expand. You will soondiscover that they have discovered that thereare other worlds to explore. The library is fullof those worlds, and all your child needs is astarting point. If the AD&D game is what he’sinterested in, make the game that starting point.

Did I mention concentration, dedication, andstudy? They go hand-in-hand with any kind ofrole-playing game. You can’t get into the game ifyou don’t have those attributes, and interest inthe game will quickly build those attributes—through the example of other players, if in noother way.

How about initiative and imagination? TheAD&D game breeds these attributes, too. Noone “coasts” through a game: The other playerswon’t allow it, and the whole environment ofthe game encourages every player to take part.Sure, in the beginning a new player has theluxury of just going along, watching what theother players do. Very soon, however, he’s goingto be encouraged to get involved in the actionand start taking the initiative, especially if hischaracter has skills or abilities that the otherplayer characters lack. This means using hisimagination, to image himself in a totally differ-ent environment Exercising the skills of initia-tive and imagination in one area means he’llstart using them in other areas—like the realworld—as well. Isn’t that what we want?

I’ll add self-control to the list. The AD&Dgame isn’t easy on the ego: You have to takerisks in order to succeed, and you run theparticular risk of failure. Player characters getkilled off. This is something you have to learn totake in stride. I won’t tell you how many of myPCs have met an ill-deserved demise, or howmany temper tantrums I threw before I learnedthat the same thing has happened to a lot ofother players. But I learned, and that’s the point.You learn to accept disappointment and momen-tary defeat in order to come back from them,

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and you keep on playing until you discover theway to victory. Do you know of anyone in thereal world who can�t use that particular lesson?

The there�s ambition and leadership. To tam-per with real literature, let me paraphrase:�Breathes there a player with soul so dead, henever to himself has said, �I want to be aDungeon Master?�� The DM is the ultimateleader of the group. You have to work hard tobe a DM. You have to know the game at least aswell as the best of your players. You have totake time by yourself to create your own world.In other words, in addition to being ambitiousand a leader, you have to be a self-starter, will-ing to work on your own, and you have to becreative. You have to know how to communicatewith your players. You have to be even-handedin settling disputes, and you have to be fair. Noteveryone succeeds at this, but the challenge isopen to all.

I could go on, but what�s the point? If thesevirtues aren�t enough to persuade educators andparents that AD&D games (and all role-playinggames) deserve a closer look, those educatorsand parents had better look to themselves. Letthem examine their own motives and values. Dothey want to raise and train young people whowill take over the leadership of this nation? Ordo they want sheep and robots who won�t causetrouble or rock the boat?

Read through your history. The people weconsider to be great men and women were,above all else, boat rockers. They were unwill-ing to accept the world as they found it. Theywanted something better, and they had thecourage to reshape the world to fit their person-al vision of what it should be.

The AD&D game is one tool that can helpbuild such people. Emphasis: One tool that canhelp. It�s a game, and there�s no better way toteach than through fun. The game deserves tobe viewed in that light. I just hope it won�t ruinthe fun for players to find out how good thegame is for them.

Craig H. BarrettCanon City CO

Attention, gamers! I have been playing variousrole-playing games since I was nine. I have had asteady subscription to DRAGON Magazine forthe past two years and have kept a close eye on�Forum.� For the 16 years I�ve been alive, noth-ing has irked me more than finding out aboutorganizations such as BADD and reading aboutthe various talk shows and what-not that havethrown the game in the mud and stepped on it.Well, for once in my life I�m not going to take it!Most of the people I know have, at one time oranother, played a role-playing game and enjoyedit. What�s the problem? I don�t think anyone outthere can say he fully knows. I do know, how-ever, that it is not right.

Well, what can we do about it? Just us, theaverage gamers? I�ll tell you. Write your con-gressmen. That�s what they are there for! Writeto some of those talk shows like 60 Minutes, andwhen you�re done writing, get your friends towrite and tell them to get their friends to write.Get your parents to write. How about holding agaming session open to the public? Let them seewhat it really means to play the AD&D game.There are countless other things we can do tostop this atrocity. We as a whole need to let ourthoughts be known. Don�t be afraid to voiceyour opinions or thoughts. If everyone tooksome kind of nonviolent action, which is whatwe need, we would rock the boat, but it wouldmake one hell of a wave that would be hard toignore.

If you print this, would you please print my

94 JUNE 1992

full address? I�d like to find out other ideas onthis subject (and, of course, maybe some newideas for the game itself).

Nathan NiemanPSC Box 2204APO SF 96293

I just finished reading �Forum� in issue #160and was once again dismayed to see that thereare still advocates of the �AD&D game is anoutlet for satanism� school of ignorance. I haveavoided being exposed to the TV episodes ofSally Jessie Raphael and Shirley by simplyrefusing to own a television for the past 10years. I prefer to spend my leisure in less pas-sive but more stimulating and educationalpursuits.

I was first introduced to the AD&D gamewhile in graduate school in 1981. A friendrelated episodes of her game to me, which Imust admit sounded rather bizarre. (�I see,� Isaid. �You say that last night you built a crashpad outside a city wall for your friends to landon because they were catapulted out of the city,then you ran off into the woods where youdefeated a band of orcs? Uh-huh. What�s anorc?�) However, after I actually observed andparticipated in a gaming session where I wasable to make a few intelligent moves, I realizedthat one could become far more imaginativelyand creatively involved in role-playing gamesthan in any sort of board game. The strategyand risk-taking thrills can only be compared, Isuppose, to the experiences of dedicated bridgeand chess players.

Our DM was thorough, intelligent, and fair.His ability to develop a challenging and stimulat-ing world was a model for those of us who laterattempted the DM�s role. During the five or sixyears that I�ve played the game, both as a playerand a DM, we never simulated anything thateven remotely approached satanism, devilworship, or deviance. The only things rituallysacrificed were a few pizzas and many softdrinks. Regarding religion, we never �wor-shiped� anything, nor did we discredit or com-promise the beliefs of any players in the group.We also had one of the few groups around thathad fairly equal representation of male andfemale players.

I find that games like the AD&D game pro-duce an equivalent of what the old practice ofstorytelling used to do�i.e., weave a storygripping to the imagination and perhaps evencontributing to the oral tradition of a culture.Today, L.A. Law, The Simpsons, and last night�sball game determine our fun and culture. Whileperhaps entertaining, network programming ispassive and exists only as a vehicle for advertis-ing. In role-playing games such as the AD&Dgame, people actively create their own enter-tainment and learn in the process.

As a final note, none of the players in mygroup have become satanists, nor have theycommitted suicide, animal (or human) sacrifice,child molestation, or murder. We haven�t runaround in sewers, terrorized picnickers in theparks, or vandalized the property of people wehaven�t liked. We have gone our separate waysbut are all making positive contributions tosociety. Rachel now has a Masters in theologyand is working among the poor in Brazil withthe Mennonite Central Committee (an organiza-tion not known for devil worship). Peter is anM.D. in the United States specializing in familymedicine. Alex is a sales manager for a companyin Toronto. Shanley is finishing her Ph.D. inlinguistics on the native peoples of northernCanada. Joycelyn (the last I heard) is a co-director of a community drop-in youth center in

New Brunswick. Steven has started his owncomputer consulting company as he studieselectrical engineering at McGill University, and Ihave a Masters degree in counseling psychologyand am the director of the Student CounsellingService at a small Canadian university.

I cannot say that participation in the AD&Dgame directly contributed to our various accom-plishments and successes, but it did providediversion and entertainment, developed friend-ships, offered decision-making and leadershipopportunities, and promoted �fair play� and aunique situation in which to practice judgmentand teamwork. I can definitely say that partici-pating in the game did not take anything awayfrom us.

Don JamiesonFleurimont, Quebec

I am sick to death of narrow-minded individ-uals who think they can dictate what is anacceptable pastime and what is not.

My hobby doesn�t hurt anyone. It can beenjoyed anywhere. This hobby�s expense is upto the individual who starts it. My hobby is noone�s business but my own and that of its otherenthusiasts. My hobby is playing theADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game.

I can�t tell just anyone this without him run-ning off at the mouth about satanists, lunatics,or some kid committing suicide. �You play thatevil game?� they say, and they give you thatremind-me-not-to-let-you-baby-sit-my-kids look.

Why are there still people out there who insistthey know more about a game they have neverplayed than a person who plays it? I don�t claimto know more about golf than a golfer or pro-fess knowledge superior to a doctor concerningtypes of medicine. I have gamed for over eightyears; I think I would know by now if I werepraying to a demon or devil, sacrificing smallchildren, or going out of my mind. Are thesepeople so ignorant that they actually believethat a book can take over somebody�s mind andmake him commit suicide?

If the schools that ban the use of role-playinggames on campus did any research whatsoever,they would realize that they are making a bigmistake. They should be using the popularity ofthe games to implement education. By forbid-ding them, they are making the games populardue to notoriety and are creating the kind ofnegative publicity that responsible gamers aretrying to avoid. Why can�t schools use role-playing games to spark creativity, develop socialand reading skills, and teach problem-solvingskills? What�s that, a constructive way to use arole-playing game? Nah, couldn�t be.

We, as gamers, have rights. We are beingunfairly discriminated against in a society thatinsures life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi-ness. Why should it make a difference if myidea of happiness is rolling a natural 20 and notrolling a crust for an apple pie?

I am no monster. I�m the mother of two won-derful children, I�m in love with my husband, Ihave a professional career, and I am tired of theaccusations. I am tired of the innuendos. I amtired of the dirty looks. Can�t they just worryabout the next moral dilemma and let us play inpeace?

S. Lynne MannCincinnati OH

* indicates a product produced by a company otherthan TSR, Inc. Most product names are trademarksowned by the companies publishing those products.The use of the name of any product without mentionof its trademark status should not be construed as achallenge to such status.

©1992 by Lester Smith

From tiny to titanic (or is that Titania?)

In this, my second review of small-presspublications, you�ll find a rather disparatepair of games. The PIXIE* game is a verysmall, modestly produced product typicalof hobbyists who had an idea they wantedto share with other gamers. The AMBERDICELESS ROLE-PLAYING* game, on theother hand, is a very large, professionallyproduced product created by a fellowwith considerable design credits under hisbelt. Both share a distinction besides theirsmall-press status: Each is unusual in itsvision, as is revealed in the descriptionsthat follow.

You�ll notice that this months columnalso contains a second, guest review of theAMBER game by Allen Varney. When thereview copies of this game were received,there was a very Amber-like struggleamong the reviewers to determine whowould cover it. For reasons I do not un-derstand (and would rather not speculateupon), the others eventually consented toallow me to do it. But Allen asked to writea sidebar, and I thought a second opinionmight be helpful to readers, especiallygiven the game�s unusual nature and popu-lar topic. Neither Allen nor I saw eachother�s reviews until after both were writ-ten. Our opinions were independentlyformed and expressed.

PIXIE* game20-page rule bookNew WorldDesign: Geoff Tuffli

Price n/a

How many times have you wanted toplay a role-playing game but were tootired to put the effort into your usualgame? What you wanted was somethingthat would be loads of fun but also easy onyour head. Or, how often have you foundyourself feeling too silly to take a normalRPG seriously? These times are exactlyright for a game like the PIXIE game.

Concept: In the PIXIE game, you playthe part of an mischievous little (3½� -tall)fairy creature intent on breaking into ahuman home and making it your own. Theowners and any pets they may have are

96 JUNE 1992

just so many vermin to be chased out ifthey get too difficult to live with. Unfortu-nately, that�s how the �vermin� perceiveyou as well. For some mystical reason,humans literally see pixies as mice, bats,etc. To your advantage, that means thatthey do not recognize the threat you poseas an intelligent creature. However, it alsomeans that even if you try to talk to them,they�re liable to smash you with a broom.

So why are you trying to invade theirhomes? According to the game back-ground, 25 years ago Oberon and Titania(from Shakespeare�s A Midsummer Night�sDream) had a major falling out. In a tizzy,Titania abolished the government of theland of Faerry and banished half the royalcourt. Sensing trouble, a major portion ofFaerry�s population lit out for otherparts-i.e., the mundane world. Whenthey got here, the fairies found all sorts ofwonderful buildings standing about wait-ing to be inhabited�if only the currentresidents could be driven out. Your char-acter is such a pixie: a mischievous, amoralcreature who considers cooperation andcompromise to be socially frowned upon.

Mechanics: Character creation in thegame is extremely simple. First, you roll1d6 + 1 for each of five attributes:Strength, Dexterity, Agility, Intelligence,and Luck. If you like, you can switch onepair of rolled numbers to emphasize anattribute you�d prefer to be higher. (Inter-estingly enough, this mere 20-page bookhas an errata sheet that states that thecharacter example is correct in this re-gard, rather than the written rule, whichsays that you can reroll one attribute ifyou like.) Next, roll 1d6 +4 for the numberof skill points you can spend. Dexterityskills are Melee, Bow, Throw, and Craft(making stuff); Agility skills are Climb,Stealth, and Acrobatics; Intelligence skillsare Electronics and Mechanics; and thereis a Special Skill, Fireball, which is treatedas an Intelligence skill to create and aDexterity skill to throw. (I'm not about toexplain why pixies have Electronics orFireball skills, but they do help make play-ing the game fun.)

To attempt an action, 2d6 are rolledagainst the sum of the appropriate skilllevel and its related attribute (a roll of 2always succeeds, and a 12 always fails).For instance, to hit a cat with a pebble, apixie would need to roll less than or equalto the sum of its Throw rating and Dexter-ity attribute. (Strangely, the book instructsthe referee, not the players, to alwaysmake the rolls.) Next comes the recordingof possessions: Characters begin the gamewith nothing but the clothes on theirbacks. Finally, players are instructed toload their characters down with aplethora of background peculiarities andquirks, even insanities. Now you�re readyto play.

Combat�the �Hitting People� section�forms a very important part of this game.To quote the book: �Occasionally, onereaches the point where nothing seems to

work in convincing another character,creature, or thing to do what you want itto do. When communications break downto this degree, only one option is left�hitit.� If it hits back, combat begins. Combatrounds are roughly three seconds long,and attacks occur in descending Agilityorder. To hit, you test the appropriate skill.Damage is equal to the weapon�s base, plusthe attacker�s Strength, minus the de-fender�s Strength (Fireball damage substi-tutes attacker�s Luck for attacker�sStrength�the second piece of errata).Each creature in the game, regardless ofsize, can take five points (levels) of damagebefore dying. Obviously, a pixie�s Strengthis nowhere near a human�s, which meansthat a human hit by a pixie will often feelnothing at all, while a pixie hit by a humanwill usually be squashed flat. Most of thepixies� opponents will be house pets,neighborhood birds, etc., rather thanhumans, which makes for a slightly moreeven fight. Attributes and damage ratingsfor various creatures and their naturalweapons are provided in a pair of tables.

If things are really going against you,you might try testing your Luck. If yousucceed, something really good happens; ifyou fail (which is most likely, given thatthe highest Luck rating is only 6), some-thing really horrible and probably evenfatal happens.

Because pixies have to climb around alot in our oversized world, they tend tofall quite a bit, so rules are included forfalling damage. Fortunately, they onlysuffer one level of damage per full yardfallen, or per full two feet over a hardsurface.

Experience points are given directly asskill levels, with a typical award being onlyone or two points.

The rules described thus far take uproughly eight pages of the game. An exam-ple of character creation fills anotherpage, followed by roughly four pages ofsample dialogue between players and areferee. Finally, there are two pages ofsample adventure text�an entertaininglampoon of a modern American home�with another two pages of floor plans.Finally, there�s a photocopiable charactersheet (the third item of errata is the per-mission to copy this for personal use only).

Evaluation: Overall, the game is quitean enjoyable read. Playing it is fun as well,though somewhat flawed. The main com-plaints I have are that: 1) Beginning thegame with absolutely no equipment makesit extremely difficult for characters tosurvive; and 2) There are no sample skilllevels listed for the non-pixie creatures.Rolling against the creatures� attributelevels makes them seem terribly inept, butadding skill points makes them deadly.Fireballs are fairly easy to lose control of,and they are deadly to the caster whenthat happens. Also, Luck is entirely toodifficult to save against. The end result ofall of this is that player characters tend todie rapidly and frequently. Fortunately, it

is also incredibly easy to create a new PC,but this is of little consolation to playerswho have become attached to particularPCs, especially if those PCs have earnedexperience points.

Those complaints aside, however, thegame can be surprisingly enjoyable. Thereis a real charm to playing such tiny char-acters in a modern world. My players, forinstance, spent their first session involvedin a life-and-death battle against a commonhouse cat, among the undercarriage andsuspension of a BMW automobile. It isworth noting that despite the pixies� noteddisdain for cooperation, they found them-selves working together to defeat thatthreat. Of course, they also spent quite abit of time laughing at each other whenone would fall from the axle and have toscramble back up a tire, etc.

Admittedly, the PIXIE game is just toosimple to bear up as a long-term campaign.On the other hand, it works well as anoccasional diversion or short campaign(five or six adventures, perhaps). I�ll cer-tainly play it again.

If you cannot find this game at yourlocal game store (which is entirely likely),you can write to: New World, 1070 SixthAve., Suite #300, Belmont CA 94002, U.S.A.

AMBER DICELESS ROLE-PLAYING* game

256-page rule bookPhage PressDesign: Erick WujcikCover: Stephen HickmanIllustrations: Michael Kucharski

$22.95

Background: Since its inception 22years ago, Roger Zelazny�s Amber novelseries has been extremely popular. Tenbooks have been published in the seriesthus far. The first five are sometimescalled the �Corwin Cycle� and the secondthe �Merlin Cycle� (not Arthur�s Merlin,but rather Corwin�s son), after their re-spective protagonists. Parts of those workswere also serialized in Galaxy magazine.Also available is a work called Roger Ze-lazny�s Visual Guide to Castle Amber. Andnow there is the AMBER DICELESS ROLE-PLAYING game.

For those who are not familiar with theseries of books, let me take a moment todescribe the central premises. First, imag-ine that there is one primal world ofwhich all others are but shadows. Now,populate this primal world with a familyof individuals who possess the power totravel among those shadows to any placethey desire, to find anything they wish.Give them incredible strength and stam-ina, and make them immortal (barringviolent death). Among the �Shadows,� then,they are as gods. Now imagine that theyare perpetually squabbling over the cen-tral reality�s throne in the most Machiavel-lian manner. That, in a nutshell, is Amber.Throw in the Courts of Chaos�a secret,collective enemy nearly as powerful as the

DRAGON 97

Amberites; mix in multitudinous imagina-tive and mystical elements; write it all as amystery in a Dashiell Hammett-style, first-person narrative that lapses on occasioninto archaic, formal English; and you�vegot a hit novel series on your hands.

Now, design a game that lets people playmembers of that larger-than-life family,make the system diceless to emphasizerole-playing (and to pique people�s inter-est), and you�ve got the makings of a hitrole-playing game on your hands.

Presentation: Physically, the AMBERgame is impressive. Its 256 pages are per-fect bound, but rather than the usualbinding for perfect-bound game products,the AMBER game is �Smith sewn� in 32-page signatures. If that sounds like Greekto you, suffice it to say that the result isthat the book easily lies open to prettymuch any page you choose, making it veryeasy to access. The spine also remains flatregardless, which makes the book longlived even through continual use. Thecover�s glossy coating stands up to wear.

Visually, the game is a mixed bag. Thecover painting is intriguing and evocative(though I�ve heard repeated, albeit minor,complaints from fans of the novels, con-cerning the �cyber� look of the most prom-inent inset). The title on the cover appearsa bit bland by comparison, as does theback and spine. While such things won�tturn a dedicated Amber fan away, theymake the game less likely to draw a neo-phyte�s eye. Inside is page after page ofdouble-column text, typeset in a less-than-inspired manner and broken rather infre-quently by illustrations, all black andwhite but typically quite good. The hierar-chy of headings is confusing, especiallywhen compared with the table of con-tents; it�s often difficult to know what�ssubordinate to what else, based on head-ing size, etc. The result of all of this is amore difficult read than it ought to be,especially given the nature of the text.This is to say that while the text itself isengagingly written, it is of necessity long(as I�ll explain in a moment), and the physi-cal presentation makes it seem that muchlonger.

Mechanics: One of the primaryattention-getters of this RPG is that it isdiceless. Many role-playing gamers cannothelp but scoff at such a notion, but thisgame�s diceless nature is definitely morethat just a gimmick. Wujcik has developeda remarkable system that both suits theAmber novels well and encourages role-playing in a manner second to none andfar better than most. In this system, play-ers are each given 100 points with whichto buy a player character�s four primaryattributes (Strength, Warfare, Psyche, andEndurance), but each player must also bidagainst the other players for those attrib-utes in an auction. Whoever bids higheston an attribute gains the best PC among allothers in that attribute. For example, acharacter whose player bid highest inStrength will be the strongest of the PCs

98 JUNE 1992

and will always win a �straight-up� contestof Strength among them. Second place willalways beat third place and below, and soon. Interestingly, this bidding processtends to set up rivalries among the playersvery much like those of the Amberites inthe novels.

Of course, the first question that occursto the uninitiated is �Why even bother toplay if you know ahead of time who isgoing to win in a contest?� There areseveral answers.

First, the trick is to avoid a �stand-up�contest in an attribute in which yourcharacter is weak. An example from thenovels is given concerning Corwin facingan obviously superior swordsman (in gameterms, having a higher Warfare attribute)and tricking his opponent into steppinginto an unusual patch of plant life thatimmobilized him by pinning his legs, thusgiving Corwin the advantage.

Second, a character�s �stance� can affectthe final outcome, especially between twoclosely matched foes. In an example frommy own gaming, a dazed characterrefused to give ground before a slightlyless-adept swordsman who was bothfresher and attacking very forcefully. As aresult, the first character took some slightwounds. The attacking character won thatencounter.

Third, even if someone is more highlyranked than you are in a particular attrib-ute, you always have the option of gettingother people to help you gang up on thatperson.

Fourth, if your character faces someoneother than another PC, there is no way ofknowing just how good or poor that per-son�s abilities are. An excellent example ofthis is given from the novels. Corwin isfacing another swordsman, someone hethinks is slightly better than him. But hemanages to make the other fellow begin todoubt his own abilities, and the tide of thebattle turns. In fact, once PCs begin togain experience, there is no way of beingcertain how good anyone�s abilities are,including those of your own character(more about this in a moment).

I should mention that the characters youplay are not the Amberites from the nov-els. Rather, your PCs are the nextgeneration-the sons and daughters ofCorwin, Gerard, et al. This means that youcan feel free to design whatever type ofcharacter you�d like�within the limits ofthe 100 points, of course. If, after theauction, you have points left over (andyou�d be smart to save at least a few), theycan be spent on secondary abilities.

Highest on the list are Pattern Imprintand Logrus Mastery, which those familiarwith the novels will recognize as the es-sential patterns of the multiverse and arewhat make Amberites and Lords of Chaosable to manipulate Shadow. Also availableare Trump Artistry (Trump are tarotlikecards that allow Amberites to �call� oneanother across the multiverse), ShapeShifting (a necessary ability for surviving

the continual chaos of the Courts), PowerWords (sort of one-word spells, more flashthan substance), Sorcery (the ability toweave stronger spells, at the cost of moretime), and Conjuration (which allows forthe summoning or creation of items andcreatures, and the imbuing of items withpowers). Pattern Imprint, Logrus Mastery,Trump Artistry, and Shape Shifting allhave advanced versions into which charac-ters can grow. Finally, you can spendpoints on personal artifacts and creatures,personal shadow worlds, and allies (sometypes of allies serve also as �place holders�;having them means your character is ofroyal blood and can eventually try to walkthe Pattern or Logrus, or maybe both).

Don�t have enough points? You can gaina few extra by committing yourself to aspecial contribution to the campaign:keeping a diary for your character, draw-ing Trumps for campaign use, keeping agame log, or whatever else you can talkyour game master into approving. (Theseoptions are collectively another good ex-ample of how the game enhances playerinvolvement in the campaign story.) Or,you can simply spend the extra you need,then log it as �Bad Stuff,� sort of a batteryof bad luck. On the other hand, if youhave any points left over, you can declarethem as �Good Stuff,� meaning that lifetends to smile on your character. It is alsopossible to have �Zero Stuff� and neithersuffer bad nor enjoy particularly goodluck. This �Stuff� serves the GM as ameans of deciding an outcome that wouldseem random, or as a tie breaker when allelse seems even. For example, a characterwho asks �Is the door locked?� mightreceive different answers, depending uponhis Stuff (and assuming that the GM hasnot previously determined the state of thatdoor).

Character growth through experience isunusual, too, in this game. When a storyhas been completed (not merely one ses-sion, but the conclusion of a major plot),the GM assigns a number of experiencepoints and divides them evenly among thegroup. But the players are not told howmany experience points they have gained.Rather, they each will have previouslyprovided the GM with a list of what abili-ties they want to improve, in what order,and how much Bad Stuff they would bewilling to take to receive them. The GMthen updates their character sheets appro-priately, again without telling the playerswhat their characters have gained. Conse-quently, the only way of finding out howyour character has grown is by contin-ually testing his limits. Interestinglyenough, that�s the only way of finding outjust what the powers you already possessare capable of doing. Again, this duplicatesthe feeling of the novels nicely (and simu-lates real life, I�d argue).

Evaluation: By now, it should be obvi-ous to you that the AMBER game concen-trates on playing a role and telling a story,while making game mechanics as unobtru-

sive as possible. It isn�t a game for �ruleslawyers�; event resolution is set firmly inthe GM�s hands. Nor will it suit casualplayers; the back copy emphasizes that itis a �mature, demanding, and time-consuming system.� The game requires alot of its participants. It takes a long timejust to read: The back copy advertises overa hundred pages of tips on role-playingstyle and technique, and even the rulesaren�t so much defined as illustrated withexample after example. As a GM, then, youdon�t learn the rules; you absorb them andmake them your own. (Consequently,when AMBER game GMs get together, theytend to debate their respective visions andeven those of Wujcik and Zelazny.) Eventhe stats for the Elder Amberites, thevarious characters from the novels, aregiven in multiple different formats, so thatGMs can choose those they prefer fortheir campaign.

The result is an intensive role-playingexperience. Without numbers in front ofthem, players have nothing to do but playthe parts of their characters. Withoutrules to cite and dice to roll, they must beable to trust the GM�s judgment. And theGM has to react specifically to the PCs inthe guise of the world he has created. Itbecomes entirely obvious that the GM cando nothing until the players begin to inter-act with that world.

The AMBER game is absorbing. The veryfirst time I ran it was magical, despite thefact that I was using the �Throne War�scenario (the first of three included in thebook), a rather simplistic set-up that allowsplayers to try out the system for the firsttime. Surprisingly, while I typically thinkof a group of six or more gamers to be fitonly for a dungeon crawl, and three to bethe optimum number for real role-playing,the AMBER game seems to cry out forlarge groups�to enrich the stew of storyinput, I suppose. Also, the game has beensufficiently engaging to maintain playerinterest even though I�m able to run it onlyonce a month at present. That I find sur-prising for any role-playing game.

Of course, there is another consequenceof that �absorbingness.� GMs have to spendquite a bit of time and creative effortcoming up with wide-reaching plots fortheir players to work through. Canned,linear adventures just won�t serve. Sec-ondly, to really give the players a fairshake, the GM has to be thoroughly famil-iar with all the statistics for each andevery PC. Besides absorbing the rule book,they�ll need to be fairly expert with theAmber novels. I�ve found myself rereadingand studying them all carefully beforefeeling really comfortable in running acampaign. Wujcik himself purports to haveread them over 30 times in the six yearshe spent working on the game.

As for criticisms of the AMBER game, Ihave very few. I�ve already mentioned mycomplaints concerning the typography.Some GMs have complained that the sor-cery rules seem sort of thin and don�t

reproduce very well what Merlin is capa-ble of in the novels, but I don�t think theanswer is more specific rules. Rather, amore in-depth treatment of spell examplesfrom the novels would be nice, followingthe pattern of the rest of the book. OtherGMs have complained that, despite thePCs� superhuman abilities, these charac-ters are small potatoes compared to theElder Amberites and can�t hope to standup to them. But the second and thirdsample adventures in the book demon-strate ways to avoid that problem. In thesecond adventure, while the PCs are onhand to battle the menace, the Elder Am-berites are not. (I should mention, how-ever, that the �shrinking universe� idea inthis scenario doesn�t really thrill me-itstrikes me as a bit silly, though othersmight find it less so.) In the third adven-ture, the PCs are used somewhat as pawnsby some of the Elder Amberites, but it is ina way very much in keeping with thenovels, and the PCs are still participantsrather mere spectators. (I am less thanthrilled at the idea that in it Caine kills adouble of himself once again, and certainpersons who I thought dead are still alive,but it�s only a suggested adventure, not theone and only �official� line.) These arevery minor complaints.

As impressed as I am with the game, do Ithink it is the �end-all� of role-playinggames, or that diceless systems are thewave of the future? I�ll give a firm �No� onboth counts. First, the AMBER game ispretty much Amber-specific. While theAmber novel series theoretically allows itscharacters to move through Shadow fromhigh-tech SF worlds to magical worlds oflegend, all such worlds still possess Am-ber�s flavor. In fact, Zelazny�s novels neverreally include interstellar travel withinShadow, and I doubt that many Ambergaming groups will, either. Second, as funas the AMBER game can be, there arecertainly times when I�m not up to suchintense role-playing and would rather takepart in a dungeon crawl. Finally, there is athrill in making an incredibly good or badroll of the dice, so I sincerely doubt thatgamers everywhere are likely to pitch out

However, I certainly do think that theAMBER DICELESS ROLE-PLAYING game isdestined for great popularity and a nicheamong the most respected of role-playinggame designs.

The AMBER game is available from:Phage Press, P.O. Box 519, Detroit MI48231-0519, U.S.A.

their dice collections and-their most trea-sured tables of random results.

Random thoughts ona nonrandom game©1992 by Allen Varney

My friend, John Brunkhart, tells about a1989 game session at Iron Crown Enter-prises (ICE). John, who had recently joinedCustomer Service at ICE, had played HEROSYSTEM* games for years but had nevertried ICE�s SPACE MASTER* science-fictionRPG. An ICE hanger-on who ran a cam-paign invited John to sit in. He spent twohours generating a character and joinedthe veteran players (mostly fellow ICEemployees) as a new adventure began.

For starters, the characters embarkedon a space journey to the world wherethey would receive their mission. Enroute, their ship entered a dangerousasteroid belt. John rolled his character�sPiloting skill and achieved a critical suc-cess. Like Han Solo, he sent the ship bar-reling flawlessly through the field. Exceptthat . . .

As I understand it, in the SPACE MAS-TER game there is an unmodified percent-age chance that a ship in an asteroid fieldwill hit something. The GM rolled thischance, right out where everyone couldsee the dice: collision! Then he rolled thesize of the surprise asteroid: about as bigas the Moon, the way John tells it. Then herolled for location: the drives. Then herolled damage: maximum. Before thescenario had properly begun, the shipexploded, killing all aboard.

The GM apologized but didn�t retract the

DRAGON 99

results. He wanted to keep the players�respect by respecting the dice. It worked,mostly. These guys played ICE games,after all, and they obeyed dice slavishly.�Yeah,� they told each other, �that�s proba-bly what would really happen�asteroidfields are dangerous.� But John, who hadexpected to take part in an adventurestory, was baffled and apoplectic by turns.

Narration or (putative) simulation? Die-roll fudging or relentless justice? Here in anutshell�or better, in a dice bag�we haveone of the great religious schisms of ourhobby, ranking with �realism vs. playabili-ty.� I strongly favor story and role-playingvalues. If you want dice to rule your desti-ny, you could play the SPACE MASTERgame, but why not go to Las Vegas andshoot craps instead? You�ll probably have abetter story to tell afterward.

Recalling John�s horror story and manylike it, I salute the courage and integrity ofErick Wujcik�s AMBER game. I have some(pardon the term) random musings:

The �attribute auction� in charactergeneration is brilliant and elegant. Thisfun system produces several nice effectsapparent only after close study. At first itseems that canny (and cooperative) playerscould fix attribute prices at artificially lowlevels, but this oligopoly backfires as soonas the PCs receive their first advancementpoints, when everyone can easily buy upto every top rank!

The auction system could easily work withother point-based RPGs. It does need a largeplayer group to work best. In my experi-ence, the specified 100 points cannot createa well-rounded Amberite. I offer morepoints and free Pattern Imprint.

Another AMBER game breakthrough,the idea of gaining extra points to improveyour character through extra-campaignactivity (character diaries, artwork, cam-paign logs, etc.), depends on the honor ofthe players�but then, so does much elsein this game. (I wonder how long beforesome penurious GM starts offering extrapoints to players in a cash auction.)

Advancement comes slowly, perhaps tooslowly. Players have little idea how theirown characters improve, let alone otherplayers� characters. Still, this effect mimicsZelazny�s novels. There, our hero Corwindoesn�t know whether (for instance) hecan defeat his brother Eric in fencing untilthey actually go at it. This game systemcultivates suspicion, caution, and evenparanoia-all survival traits in Amber.

Likewise, I believe the game�s nonran-dom approach suits Amber well. Othersdisagree, yet in the novels, Corwin seldomsays, �If it hadn�t been for [the wind/thesun in my opponent�s eyes/the phase of themoon], I�d never have scraped by. Thesituation could have gone either way.� No,when Corwin achieves something, heovercomes random circumstances. Story

Experienced GMs can accommodate allthis, and the AMBER game clearly targetsthe most experienced GMs (and players!).But it�s tough work. Proceed with caution.

logic, not some lucky break, usually moti-vates the occasional last-minute rescue. Asin the novels, so it works in the game, andb r a v o .

An AMBER game should be nonrandom,but that doesn�t mean the Amber milieuworks well for role-playing. The settingselects for loners, because an individualcharacter: 1) is vastly capable, and; 2) hasreason to mistrust other PCs. Playersroutinely go off in their own directions.They form factions and retreat from thegame room to plot. The characters haveTrumps that can negate traps or blowopen mysteries. They can mess with timeor find anything they want for free ininfinite parallel universes.

On the same note, I�d be reluctant to runthis game for players who aren�t familiarwith the first five Amber novels, NinePrinces in Amber through The Courts ofChaos. (Regrettably, the second Ambersequence is only a Shadow of the first�sreality.)

�Diceless� does not necessarily imply�ruleless.� But the AMBER game dispenseswith most rules as righteously as it throwsout dice. At every point, Wujcik asserts theprimacy of story values over systems.Notably, the Combat chapter describestactics and their likely success, differentwound levels, and so on, all in plain wordswith few rules and no numbers. It�s rathercurious reading.

To be honest, this bold approach unset-tles me. Politically, I must applaud thedominance of story values over rules. Thetext offers copious advice, includingscripts that advise GMs how to stage afight at varying levels of detail. But I be-tray my upbringing. I keep looking for away to sequence combat, hit points, andall those training wheels I grew up with.

I once heard a second-hand remarkattributed to E. Gary Gygax, designer ofthe AD&D® game, that went, �The secretwe should never let the game mastersknow is that they don�t need any rules.�Now the AMBER game has exposed thetruth. Soon, I hope, we can safely enter anasteroid field.

Yet the intensity of the AMBER gameindicates Wujcik is on to something. Whensuccess in every action depends on therole and not the roll, players develop asense of both control and urgency, alongwith creativity that borders on mania.

l indicates a product produced by a company otherthan TSR, Inc. Most product names are trademarksowned by the companies publishing those products.The use of the name of any product without mentionof its trademark status should not be construed as achallenge to such status.

100 JUNE 1992

102 JUNE 1992 By Joseph T. Pillsbury

By Barbara Manui & Chris Adams DRAGON 103

104 JUNE 1992

DRAGON 105

108 JUNE 1992

DRAGON 109

110 JUNE 1992

DRAGON 111

©1992 by Robert BigelowPhotos by Mike Bethke

Welcome to DRAGON® Magazine�s 16thanniversary issue and our special galleryof dragon miniatures. With careful paint-ing, these will look equally good standingin dioramas or spreading panic amongyour player characters. Many of thesefigures don�t fit our normal image of drag-ons, however.

I want to extend credit and a heartythanks to the crew who assisted me in thisfull-color gallery. Painters include EricPeterson, with credit for the gold dragonfrom Thunderbolt Mountain and the icedragon from Ral Partha; Chris Osbourne,for the cold drake, ice, and fire dragons,all from RAFM; Sam White, for the blackdragon from Ral Partha and the hugeblack dragon from Grenadier; and MikeBethke, for the �bellicose blue� dragonfrom Thunderbolt Mountain and thewyvern from Ral Partha. These fine folksalso helped with the assembly of thesefigures.

I also want to thank all the people who

112 JUNE 1992

A gallery of draconic beautyhave called me at the store. It was good tohear from you, and on most occasionseveryone got the help they needed. I don�talways have the answers at my fingertips,and I may not be able to find them with-out time-consuming digging and research.My position as a retailer and a reviewerallows me access to a number of sourcesnot available to regular hobbyists, buteven these sources may not be enough. Asmore molding technology reaches thehobby level, more people are getting intofigure manufacturing and sales. Frequent-ly, these companies have only local distri-bution and leave no paper trails outside of

PoorBelow average

AverageAbove average

Miniatures� product ratings

**** * ** * * ** * * * * Excellent

their own geographic areas. If you see afigure and want me to help track it down,I need as much information about thefigure as possible. I won�t guarantee re-sults. This also applies to everyone whomakes, sells, or imports figures. If I don�thave your sales literature and some sam-ples, there is no way I can send you busi-ness or review your products.

If you do call with a question, pleasemake it clear and concise and have itready to ask. Write the question down

I also want to remind everyone that myaddress appears in all my review columns.Some companies may have moved by thetime the article reviewing their productsappears in this column, and I don�t mindforwarding some messages to those com-panies. I am not an answering service,however, nor am I responsible for the timeit takes the companies to respond. I passalong all questions and constructive com-ments, along with return addresses, to thecompany concerned within 48 hours.

beforehand, and keep a recorder or paperand pen handy for the answer. Remember,you pay for the call. Be aware also that Ihave a business to run, and there might beinterruptions while I wait on customers,who obviously have first priority. Thismay cause me to lose my train of thought,so keep track of what I�m saying. If youwant to call just to talk, call after 8 P.M.CST, as it is cheaper and there are usuallyfewer customers.

My last comments are directed only tothe people who put on conventions. Whenyou plan your conventions, remember togive your prospective �special guests�more than 90 days notice and let themknow what will be expected of them.While I and all other prospective guestsfeel honored by an invitation, we needtime to prepare, especially if we are togive lectures or run demo games. Callingtwo weeks before a convention frequentlyforces a guest to decline and sometimescauses bad feelings that everyone wants toavoid. Plan ahead.

These are good guidelines to followwhen calling anyone in the hobby indus-try. We often forget that these people haveother obligations and businesses to run.Now, let�s get on with our bevy of dracon-ic beauties.

Reviews

RAFM20 Parkhill Road ECambridge, OntarioCANADA N1R 1P2

The cold drake is not a recognizedAD&D® 2nd Edition game dragon. Itcomes as a three-piece lead kit scaled foruse with 25-mm figures (it�s a large dragonwith 15-mm figures). The figure is on aroughly circular base, 20 mm across andabout 4 mm thick. The top of the base iscut to represent a stony surface but isenough to cover with hobby grass. Thefigure is neatly set on the base and doesnot wobble or fall easily.

RAFM 3501 Small Cold Drake **** ½

The drake is over 90 mm from tail tonose, but it�s hunched in so it appearsmuch smaller. The posture of the bodyindicates a defensive position, with four-clawed front feet curved almost into fistsand the back feet dug in. The body isthickest at the rear legs, measuring 10 mmhigh by 5 mm thick, and tapers in the rearto a short tail. The skin has a pebbly,scaled texture that extends to all top sur-faces except the head. The chest and un-derside are covered by a line ofoverlapping plates; a line of triangularspines extends down the back to the tail,and two horns extend upward from thehead. The head has very good detail, witheasily discernable eyes and well-donenostrils and lower fangs. The head iscovered by a bony carapace.

The wings look stubby in comparison tothe body. They are folded and measureonly 30 mm × 10 mm, being roughly tex-tured with clearly visible spines and ashort hook on the front half point. Thewings fit their holes well, with only a smallspot of filler needed to complete the fit.The only failing for the wings is that theyappear to be overly thick, but this is prob-ably due to the caster�s artistic license andan attempt to improve the figure�s longev-ity and sturdiness.

The only other faults of this miniaturewere a slightly offset nose and a mold line;both of these, however, can add character

to the face. This figure is recommended at$6 each.

but it would be equally at home as ayoung red dragon. The miniature in thisblister pack consists of four separate leadparts. The body is seated on a T-shapedbase sculpted to resemble a mound oflarge rocks, the rear of which helps formthe joint for the tail. With the tail attached,the dragon is just over 190 mm from tailto nose. The length is hidden by the drag-on�s posture, which closely resembles a

RAFM 3720 Young Fire Dragon * * * *This miniature is called a fire dragon,

DRAGON 113

dog begging for a morsel. The front legsare drawn up to the chest with clawspointing down. The head is turned to theleft, its open mouth exhibiting many sharpteeth. The carapace-covered head, withsunken eyes and slitted nostrils, radiatesevil. Two long horns are present, and aridge of fanned spines is at the top of thehead, wing joints, along the tail, and at theend of the tail. Belly plates are clearlydefined. The body is covered by pebblyscales. This dragon has a slight pot belly;this and the raised tail detract slightlyfrom the model.

The wings are identical, so you don�tneed to worry about mixing them up.Each wing is slightly folded and addsabout 9 cm to the dragon�s length. There islittle texture to the wings, and only thesupporting bones protrude from the flatsurface. Each wing also has a medium holein its upper part. This can be filled withputty or left as is.

This dragon is not as neat or easy toassemble as the cold drake. Both wingjoints required cleaning, both in socketsand wing stubs. Even with cleaning, thewings did not fit correctly and we neededto fill in around the joints. We also hadproblems with the tail assembly. The jointon our tail was poorly defined and hadflash, as did the body joint. After cleaningboth and putting the two together, the tailitself was about 15% smaller than thebody. This required the use of putty, witha subsequent loss of detail in that area.This model is also slightly wobbly on sur-faces that are not perfectly flat.

Even with the work involved, this minia-ture is recommended. You can�t alwaysrun into a fully grown dragon, and thereis a decided lack of figures between thefledglings and the large dragons on themarket. For a young red dragon, thisfigure will be hard to beat. This figure listsat $6 each.

RAFM 3721 Young Ice Dragon * * * *This miniature cannot be used as easily

for a young dragon as the others, due toits unusual features and configuration.The miniature is a four-piece kit and isblister-packed, as are the rest of RAFM�sfigures reviewed here. The body isperched as if taking off. The tail lies coiledand, with the legs, provides the supportfor the casting. The body is done indiamond-shaped, overlapping scales thatcover all but the underside of the dragonand its smooth lower leg. Body parts areringed with a mane of fine hair thatstretches from the head to the upper legsand the end of the tail. A high, thick dorsalridge topped with pointed spines risesfrom the back and ends at the tail. The leftfront leg hangs straight down, while theright is folded and looks almost like thedragon is preparing to throw a spell.

The wings are identical, with smoothsurfaces and missing panels on the leadingedges. The wings are slightly pitted on ourminiature, and the surface is rough. These

114 JUNE 1992

problems could be remedied by the use offiller, but remember not to obscure thebones supporting the wing. You will alsohave to use some filler on the wing joints,as some gaps are evident after assembly.

The final part of the miniature is thehead-and-neck assembly. Square platesprotect the dragon�s breast, neck, and rearside. The joint fits well after cleaning, andthe mane hides the gap. The head hashorns that face backward and visible earsthat pierce the bony carapace. The mouthis open to reveal well-done teeth. Theexpression on this beast is pure evil.

This figure needs some work. In addi-tion to the things mentioned above, you�llneed to add a larger base to the figure soit does not wobble. This figure is stillrecommended at $6 each.

Grenadier Models Inc.P.O. Box 305Springfield PA 19064

Grenadier Models19 Babbage RoadDeeside, Clwyd, WalesUNITED KINGDOM CH5 2QB

Gren 2534 Huge BlackDragon * * * * ½

This is a truly huge black dragon, defin-itely scaled for use with 25-mm minia-tures. The figure comes in a box thatseems to weigh a ton and contains 13large, lead pieces. This kit took time andpatience to assemble.

The main torso of the dragon consistedof three pieces. There was no flash onthem, and they went together easily. Werecommend you rubber-band or tape thepieces while you wait for the glue to dry,or you can just hold them together. Afterthe body is done, the four legs should beassembled next. Some light flash is in thecrooks of the legs, but this is easily fixed.The legs must be done at the same time toensure that they mesh with the largerocky base. Wait until this much of themodel dries securely before going anyfurther.

The head joins to the neck and showssome signs of light flash on the neck andunder the horns. Next comes the tail, thenthe wings, which are heavily textured witha leathery feel. The tail needs light cleaning, and the wing nubs may need to betrimmed slightly. The fit is very good,though.

When finally finished, this dragon istruly impressive. From tail to nose, thisminiature measures just under 280 mmwith a wingspan of just over 270 mm. Thebody stands 63 mm from its rocky base tothe top of its back. The underside is pro-tected by square breastplates, and its backis protected by overlapping plates. Its skinhas a roughly textured, pebbly surfacewith appropriate skin sags and muscles.Huge three-toed feet grip the base, while alarge pair of horns point skyward. This

figure dwarfs even the other dragons.If this dragon has a weak spot, it is the

head. Detail is good, including very goodeyes, nostrils, and exposed teeth, but itjust isn�t ferocious. The expression is al-most benevolent and definitely doesn�tbelong on an evil dragon. Some of thecrew here have started calling the figureOdie (after the dog in the Garfield comics).It�s recommended highly even at $29.95.

Thunderbolt MountainMiniatures656 East McMillanCincinnati OH 45206-1991

Thunderbolt MountainMiniatures70 Harcourt StreetNewark, NottinghamUNITED KINGDOM NG 241 R4

1015 Gargantuan GoldDragon * * * * ½

Thunderbolt has been releasing its newdragons on a regular basis, with impres-sive results. The gold dragon here is onesuch miniature kit, consisting of 12 partsthat collectively create a miniature with acoiled length of over 120 mm and a wingspan of just over 270 mm. Being a lead kit,

support. Place this foot carefully, or theflat face covered with overlapping scales.The eyes are set to the side of high-bridged sockets. A long tongue snakes outfrom a mouth lined with sharp teeth,except in the front. The neck is arched,and the scales get larger lower on thebody. The chest and front legs are heavilymuscled. In fact, this dragon appears to bea graduate of a body-building course; thecorded muscles do not look overdone andbring forth visions of the upgraded AD&D2nd Edition game dragons.

Two of the feet are separate castings.,The right front leg is up as if striking,

The head is triangular, with an almostdragon will not stand firmly. The back legsare cocked as if the dragon is poised torun forward, and the tail is coiled as if tostrike. All of the areas except a small spotin the lower rear have excellent scaledetail, and only in that one place does thedetail fade. Large, powerful wings extendfrom the shoulders; with their slightlyconcave shape, they give the illusion thatthe dragon could fly.

The pieces of this kit fit together very wyvern leaping into the air. It is scaled forwell with only minimal gaps that can be 25 mm and is a soft lead casting. Thefilled with the same superglue used to coiled body would measure roughly 158assemble the miniature. The directions mm long if the coils were straightened

were clear, but you should note that manyof the parts will go in at slightly differentangles than shown, so you have to keeptrack of how the pieces are lined up. Theonly sore spots were the wing joints,which didn�t fit quite right and neededsupport throughout the drying stage.

Assembled, this model can be a strongforce for the good guys in a game. It�shighly recommended at $27.95 each.

separate parts. The dragon measures justabout 230 mm from tongue to stingerliketail. The wings are slightly folded back,but straightened out they would eachmeasure about 180 mm across. The drag-on is set low to the ground, being onlyabout 30 mm at the highest point of itsbody, not including tail or wings.

1019 Bellicose Blue Dragon * * * * ½

This is a 25-mm scale kit containing 11

The dragon has an elongated triangularhead similar to the gold dragon figure.The head is covered with deep-scoredscales, with slitted eyes and horns on thesides. A tongue extends from a tooth-filledmouth. The dragon�s expression appearsalmost depressed. Long and thin the bodyends in a long tail with a hooked spike.The large square body scales appear to bespiked, but the tail has flat scales. Thewavy, leathery wings have a well-definedbone structure visible more from thebottom than the top. The wings are rippled slightly as if the membrane werecaught by the wind.

The bent legs are covered with smoothscales. When you attach the legs to thebody, you must constantly check to makesure the model stands flat. If the model isassembled correctly, the jaw rests veryclose to the ground, though not actuallytouching it. I built mine differently, so itcould be either depressed or stalkingsomeone, especially with the evil look inits eyes.

The model goes together well, with gapsvisible only at the feet. One problem jointis that between the body and the tail,where the body is slightly larger than thetail and requires some work with puttyand a knife to look right. There was noflash on the miniature, and mold lines arewell hidden. This dragon is highly recom-mended at $29.95.

Ral Partha Enterprises5938 Carthage CourtCincinnati OH 45212

Ral Partha Enterprisesc/o Minifigs1/5 Graham Rd, SouthamptonUNITED KINGDOM S02 0AX

RP 11-447 Wyvern * * * * ½

This is a four-piece kit that depicts a

116 JUNE 1992

out. The base for this creature is an oval,10 mm × 28 mm, with a surface texturemade to resemble rocks. The base on ourminiature had a slight warp that made theminiature unsteady. Even after straighten-ing the base (to which the main body isattached), the figure is still top heavy andprone to falling over.

The head is a separate casting and in-cludes the upper jaw, skull, ears, a malevo-lent pair of eyes, and shallow nostrils. Thispiece joins to a square block on the mainbody piece, set on the end of the neckwhere you find the lower part of the jaw.The assembly looks too square and blockywhen seen closely from the side, but it fitswell. A ridge of sharp spines runs downthe spine, from behind the head to half-way down the tail. The body has wrinkledskin with a pebblelike finish; overlappingscales are on the stomach, throat, and�bottom� of the tail. The wings fit well intothe body, but there is a rather large gaparound the joint for both wings that re-quires some filling. The wings are texturedand have good bone detail, including spurson the wing tips and ends.

The figure is well done except for thesmall faults noted. It is recommend at$7.50 each.

RP 10-460 Black Dragon of Fire andDarkness * * * *

Ral Partha has launched a new line ofdragons drawn from the imaginations ofits sculptors. This series is called Sculptors�Row, and the black dragon is the first inthe series.

This lead miniature comes in a 12-piecekit, scaled to 25 mm. The body measuresjust over 300 mm from nose to tail spikeand has a wingspan of just over 170 mmtip to tip, even with the wings partiallyretracted. The stocky, smooth body setsjust over 30 mm above the ground, whilethe neck and tail are skinny and elongated.The long, thin head has small nostrils, eyesset far back in the head, and an upper jawthat includes two large tusks that jut outsideways.

Several problems may be encounteredwith this miniature. The tail and neckjoints are smooth notches that do not quiteline up and require cleaning. Neither jointgives much structural strength, and bothhave broken off with handling despite theuse of epoxy. We intend to soon perform aprocedure (that we highly recommend) inwhich we pin and glue the pieces together,using model railroad nails placed in holesdrilled with a pin vise. Much of the prob-lem could have been avoided by addingholes and pegs, or other such joints, to thepieces. The legs fit well but still have gaps.The only pieces that fit together well werethe wings, which have pegs and holes.Even the legs must be bent slightly tomake the model stand level. You will alsohave to file and clean mold lines andmarks on the wings and some joints. Youmay have to bend the actual figure to getit to stand straight.

The miniature looks a little like a geckolizard when done, but it is an interestingpiece. I cannot recommend it to anyonewho uses his miniatures frequently, unlesshe is willing to strengthen the figure. Ifthe miniature is used for display only, thiswill be an interesting addition to a collec-tion as is. Its list price is $15.95 each.

RP 10-461 Fearless FrostDragon * * * *

This is the second in the Sculptors� Rowseries. This 25-mm scale kit comes boxedand consists of nine soft-lead pieces. Thelong, slender body would be about 250mm long if straightened out. The wing-

span is just over 160 mm tip to tip.The figure has a long skinny head with

an elongated jaw. Joined, flexible bonyplates protect most of the body; the entireset-up resembles the carapace of a lobster.Two long horns rest on top of its head, andspurs on the wing ends could be used todefend itself. A tail coils back upon itself,long enough to strike at enemies in front.The legs are smooth and jointed in a man-ner reminding one more of a horse than adragon. The wings are relatively smoothon the surface, but have a number ofholes in them. These holes could be filledand smoothed over with putty to restorethe smooth surface.

DRAGON 117

We had a number of problems with thisdragon. The head requires work to get it to fit on the neck. None of the holes in thebase line up with the corresponding pegsin the legs and tail; it looks like the basemay have shrunk slightly in casting. This

miniature also has more flash than I�veseen on a Ral Partha miniature for a longtime, and mold lines are extremely visibleand require massive cleaning. Again, thewing fit is very good, but the holes detractfrom the wings� appearance.

118 JUNE 1992

We checked other kits to see whetherwe got a set that was an exception to therule, but both this particular one and theblack dragon reviewed earlier were thesame as other kits of their kind. This is aprime example of why we should havesome kind of an industry standard for kitdifficulty. If you are willing to work andexpect assembling the kit to be hard, youwould get a good deal with these kits. Ifyou expect a quick, easy kit, you�re in for ashock. This kit retails for $16.95.

I imagine I�ll hear shouts of outrage fromsculptors and companies alike, but thereseems to be a breakdown in communica-tion between the sculptors� ideas and thecasting necessities. All of the dragonsreviewed here had some problems, butmany of those problems could have beenfixed before the figures left the factory.Quality control seems to be slipping slight-ly, and the figures (and customers) aresuffering.

If you need to contact me, you can do soat Friend�s Hobby, 1411 Washington St.,Waukegan IL 60085; or call (708) 336-0790MWThF 2-10 P.M CST or 10 A.M.- 5 P.M.Saturdays.