SPECIAL ATTRACTIONSIssue #205

Vol. XVIII, No. 12May 1994

PublisherTSR, Inc.

Associate PublisherBrian Thomsen

Editor-in-ChiefKim Mohan

Associate editorDale A. Donovan

Fiction editorBarbara G. Young

Editorial assistantWolfgang H. Baur

Art directorLarry W. Smith

Production staffTracey Isler

SubscriptionsJanet L. Winters

U.S. advertisingCindy Rick

Printed in the U.S.A.

2 MAY 1994

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Secrets abound in the wildernessUncover hidden lore as we spend some time in thegreat outdoors.

The People � David HoweryExplore a fantasy America-complete with NativeAmericans.

Getting Back to Nature � Jon PickensImprove the distinctive flavor of the druid with thesere-aligned spell spheres.

Arcane Lore � Jon PickensAdd these new (& old) spells to the druid�s repertoire.

FICTIONCap Renvoort�s Luck � Daniel HoodMaking your own luck is a risky proposition.

REVIEWSThe Role of Books � John C. BunnellRead this column before Nightfall.

DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is publishedmonthly by TSR, Inc., PO. Box 756 (201 SheridanSprings Road), Lake Geneva WI 53147, United Statesof America. The postal address for all materials fromthe United States of America and Canada exceptsubscription orders is: DRAGON® Magazine, PO. Box111, (201 Sheridan Springs Road), Lake Geneva WI53147, U.S.A.; telephone (414) 248-3625; fax (414)248-0389. The postal address for all materials fromEurope is: DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 ChurchEnd, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LB, UnitedKingdom; telephone: (0223) 212517 (U.K.), 44-223-212517 (international); telex: 818761; fax (0223)248066 (U.K.), 44-223-248066 (international).

Distribution: DRAGON Magazine is available fromgame and hobby shops throughout the United States,Canada, the United Kingdom, and through a limitednumber of other overseas outlets. Distribution to thebook trade in the United States is by Random House,Inc., and in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd.Distribution to the book trade in the United Kingdom isby TSR Ltd. Send orders to: Random House, Inc.,Order Entry Department, Westminster MD 21157,U.S.A.; telephone: (800) 733-3000. Newsstand distribu-

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Eye of the Monitor � Sandy PetersenHack your way through dungeons to the world of Athas.

Role-playing Reviews � Rick SwanA terrific selection of horrific supplements.

Through the Looking Glass � Bob BigelowLearn the latest on the lead controversy.

FEATURESThe Plane Truth, Part Three � David �Zeb� CookIn this finale, Fallendor and Ambran meet�sort of.

It�s Never Too Early � The staffStart planning for the GEN CON® Game Fair now.

12 Secrets of Survival � Spike Y. JonesSurvive in the harshest wilderness with magical help.

The Game Wizards � Dori HeinGet the lowdown on the revised and expandedRAVENLOFT® campaign setting.

92 Dragon Slayers � Bill SlavicsekGet a first look at the Council of Wyrms setting and anexpanded version of the dragon-slayer kit.

DEPARTMENTS4 Letters 64 Libram X6 Editorial 71 Sage Advice8 First Quest 104 Dragonmirth

41 Convention Calendar 106 Twilight Empire4 8 Rumblings 110 Gamers Guide54 Forum 124 TSR Previews

Our cover this month requiressome explaining. The wonderfulwork that graces this magazine is byTSR�s own Fred Fields. This sameartwork will appear as the new coverto the revised FORGOTTEN REALMS®campaign setting, originally pub-lished in 1993. The contents of saidboxed set are not changing, just thecover. We are able to explain the factthat the FR boxed set is going to lookdifferent, but the interior materialwill remain the same, and at thesame time, run a way-cool Fred Fieldspiece on our cover. Quite a bonus, eh?

each subscription is printed on the mailing label ofeach subscriber’s copy of the magazine. Changes ofaddress for the delivery of subscription copies must bereceived at least six weeks prior to the effective date ofthe change in order to assure uninterrupted delivery.

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DRAGON is a registered trademark of TSR, Inc.

Registration applied for in the United Kingdom. Allrights to the contents of this publication are reserved,and nothing may be reproduced from it in whole or inpart without first obtaining permission in writing fromthe publisher. Material published in DRAGON® Maga-zine does not necessarily reflect the opinions of TSR,Inc. Therefore. TSR will not be held accountable foropinions or mis-information contained in such material.

® designates registered trademarks owned by TSR.Inc. ™ designates trademarks owned by TSR. Inc. Mostother product names are trademarks owned by thecompanies publishing those products Use of the nameof any product without mention of trademark statusshould not be construed as a challenge to such status.

©1994 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All TSR char-acters, character names, and the distinctive likenessesthereof are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.

Second-class postage paid at Lake Geneva. Wis.,U.S.A., and additional mailing offices Postmaster:Send address changes to DRAGON Magazine. TSR.Inc., P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.USPS 318-790. ISSN 1062-2101.

DRAGON 3

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.

Africa #1

Dear Dragon,The various articles on Africa have been

great! Although my campaign is not set in Africaor Egypt, my world has an Africa-like area that Iuse the materials in. How about more articleson other neglected areas? What about NativeAmericans?

Liam AstleyOxfordshire, U.K.

We’re glad you’ve been enjoying the articlesdetailing aspects of African mythology in gam-ing terms, and we’ve got a few more comingdown the pike. If readers are unfamiliar withthe African articles we’ve published, they can befound in DRAGON issues #189, 191, 195, 200,and 202.

Articles on other real-world cultures or areasare certainly possible, but I don’t want to prom-ise anything prematurely. One promise that iseasy to keep is the article, “The People” in thisvery issue, which gives a Native-Americancampaign setting for use in fantasy games. Theauthor of “The People,” David Howery, is thesame man responsible for “The Dark Continent”African campaign setting in issue #189.

All readers are encouraged to let us knowtheir opinions on “culture” pieces like “ThePeople” and “The Dark Continent.” Do you likethem? Do you use the settings (or elementsthereof) in your campaigns? Do you want to seemore of these articles? DRAGON Magazine canpublish what you want to read only if you tellus what you enjoy seeing in these pages.

Africa #2

Dear Dragon,I have noticed many articles regarding an

African campaign setting in the magazine�spages. Why are these articles being published ifthe material probably will be published in ahardcover later? Since I would buy the hard-cover if it were published, as would many otherreaders of DRAGON Magazine, I feel like I ampaying twice for the same material. I further-more feel that if a hardcover is published, theprecious space in DRAGON Magazine is beingwasted So, why do you print African settingarticles?

Jean-Philippe SuterRandolph NJ

To the best of my knowledge, there are nocurrent plans to publish an African HistoricalReference sourcebook, etc., for the AD&D®game. As it stands now, DRAGON Magazine isthe only source for African material for theAD&D or D&D® games. I hope that allays yourconcerns.

Learning canbe fun

Dear Dragon,I head the working group on education for

the Game Manufacturers� Association (GAMA).We are a group of teachers who are usinggames in our classrooms. I edit the group�snewsletter, �Gaming & Education� about the useof games in schools. It is sponsored by GAMAand is for teachers, students, parents, pub-lishers, writers, editors, artists, and anyone elsewho is interested Subscriptions are free. Con-tact me at the address below if you�d like to beinvolved. Thank you for your consideration.

David MilliansPaideia School

1509 Ponce de Leon Ave.Atlanta GA 30307

U.S.A.

I’ve already commented in these pages thatgaming positively affected me, from increasingmy interest in history and mythology to tremen-dously expanding my vocabulary and even todoing simple math in my head. I wish you thebest in your endeavor, David.

4 MAY 1994

One heck of acommute

Dear Dragon,If TSR, Inc., (and DRAGON Magazine) is based

in Lake Geneva, Wis., and all submissions mustbe sent there, why are subscriptions sent toBoston, Mass.?

Conrad R. GeistFt. Morgan CO

Ahh, a simple question—the kind I can answereven with a deadline breathing down on me.TSR is indeed in Lake Geneva, Wis., but thebank that processes all your magazine subscrip-tion checks is located in Boston.

Hypnotizinghologram

Dear Dragon,I awaited the arrival of DRAGON issue #200

with teeth clenched and the nervousness usu-ally associated with Christmas Eve. The maga-zine was my one gift for me this year, so myexcitement was understandable.

When the issue finally arrived, I gave a great�Yahoo!� which startled my two-month-old son,Joshua. Needless to say, I had to put off lookingat the magazine until the demanding munchkinwas soothed. He was still fussing when I turnedback to the magazine, exasperated. I soonbecame immersed in the contents of the issuewhen I realized my son was finally quiet. Iglanced at him to find him staring at the coverof my magazine. Joshua had fun with the holo-gram for hours.

P.S. We�ll miss you, Roger!Nicole Brokaw

Maitland FL

We’re glad to be of service, Nicole. (Maybe wecould market “The Amazing Infant HypnotizingHologram Babysitter” Yeah, that’s the ticket. . . ) Seriously, issue #200 is something the wholestaff is very proud of, and we hope Joshuagrows into a healthy happy gamer

From time to time over the past fewyears I�ve offered to write the editorial forDRAGON® Magazine. This generous offercontinually fell on deaf ears. �Til now. Idon�t flatter myself with the belief that theeditor feels I�ve suddenly gained somevaluable insight that demands an audi-ence. No, he�s abandoned this lofty pagebecause of pressing obligations elsewhere.It sounds unbelievable, but it�s true.

Every day we are confronted with ob-servations and information that we mustcategorize as being believable or unbeliev-able. As children, we have a seeminglyendless capacity to believe. We believe inghosts and goblins, Santa Claus and theEaster Bunny. We believe our parents arealways right and that the world is basicallya good place. We believe in that creaturefrom our own imagination that�s livingunder our bed. But as we get older, some-thing changes.

We begin to doubt, to distrust our be-liefs. The world appears more chaotic, lesswelcoming, and we become unsure ofourselves and our place in it. We arrive atadolescence being angry and self-absorbed, yet painfully shy. We learn todisbelieve.

If believing is a natural state of mind anddisbelieving is a learned response, then it�seasy to see how the entertainment indus-try has grown to be the powerful influ-ence it is today. We need to believe that aninfant can fall from space, grow up tobecome a mild-mannered reporter, andleap tall buildings in a single bound. Weneed to believe that mutant turtles can livein the sewers, where they eat pizzas andrelax after performing heroic deeds forthe creatures that dwell on the surface. Orthat elegant and complex civilizationsexisted beneath the sea, and societies ofintelligent apes could rule the planet. It isin the act of believing, if only for a littlewhile, that we gain a sense of control overour world and ourselves.

To see further evidence of this theory,just watch a few commercials on televi-sion. The guy uses the right mouthwashand gets the girl, the junior executivedrives the right car and gets the promo-tion, the Mom serves the right macaroni

6 MAY 1994

Life, Art, and theSuspension of Disbelief

and cheese and gets a happy family. And,if the advertiser can persuade us to sus-pend our disbelief, we�ll probably remem-ber the brand name when we�re outshopping. In truth, the �slice of life� com-mercial is offering us a little fantasy.

What does all of this have to do withart? Well. . .

Judging from the approach taken bymany people in submitting art portfolios tothis magazine, it seems that few of themrealize the volume of work that we re-view. I examine between 40 and 75 sub-missions every month, a task that�s usuallyrelegated to an intense two or three days�worth of work between deadlines. Theaverage submission consists of about tenpieces, which means I�ll look at about 500images in three days, or about 175 imagesa day, which is more than 20 an hour, orone image every two or three minutes.That�s not a lot of time to determine thevalue of a piece of art. One of the firstjudgments I must make in those few criti-cal minutes is, �Does this art (or artist)contribute to the suspension of disbelief?�

Anyone who is a fan of special effects infilm, or graphics in computer games, orposters and illustrations in game materialsknows how important such material is inenhancing the believability of the experi-ence. Far too often, the artists submittingportfolios seem to be overlooking this fact.It is obvious, and frequently commentedupon, that this publication presents a widerange of illustrations, both in terms ofquality and of style. Some of that range ispurposeful, and some of it is just plainnecessary due to the rigors of productionin a deadline situation. But all of it, wehope, contributes to the suspension ofdisbelief. When an artist starts a coverletter with �My work is at least of the levelof Artist X in your last issue,� she is oftenright. Yet I�ll publish �Artist X� and not theother person. Why?

I try to respond in a positive and con-structive way to each submission, men-tioning what I feel to be the artist�sstrengths and elaborating on what I thinkare the weaknesses of the art. But still,something is lacking in that type of cri-tique. Why will I publish �Artist X� but not

this other artist? I�ve never tried to put theanswer to that question into words before.

If the sum total of the weaknesses of theart becomes the focal point of the piece,then those weaknesses get in the way ofthe suspension of disbelief. If you paintdragons that look like Jeff Easley�s andyour dwarves are just like Larry Elmore�s,all set against an elaborate backgroundthat emulates Fred Fields, but the light iscoming from everywhere and the shadowsall seem out of whack, then the screwylighting will dominate the viewer�s experi-ence and destroy the believability of theimage. The image is only as strong as itsweakest part. Another artist can present asimple line drawing of the same scene�without demonstrating outstanding com-petence in the technical areas, but alsowithout displaying any weaknesses�andget it published, all because the pieceworks as a cohesive unit and believabilityis maintained.

In our games, we get a chance to stepout of ourselves for a little while andexamine our actions and our beliefsthrough the eyes of someone else. Whilefew of us ever will get the chance to out-wit the Nazi army and preserve an historicrelic, or singlehandedly win the battle toright an ancient wrong, there are lots ofopportunities every day for us to showour stuff to the world, and prove to our-selves that we can make a difference. Inthe overall scheme of things, every sub-mission we receive has an effect on theillustrations we publish�and for thatreason, I applaud all the artists who pickup their pens and brushes, summon theircourage, and send in their works forevaluation.

�Bork! Bork!�

by Karen S. Boomgarden

�So, you like that game, huh?�I was sitting before the Wang word

processor across the hall from my office,mesmerized by the game of ADVENTURE*unfolding before me. The plover with theemerald was making me crazy. The speak-er was an older gentleman, a member ofthe quality-control department of mycompany. We produced instructional vide-otapes and manuals for data processing. Itwas natural, then, that part of our un-winding was done on a computer.

�If you like that, I bet you�d like theD&D® game.� I�d heard of that game, butnever knew anyone who played it. �Ourwhole family plays, every Friday night.Why don�t you and David come by thisweek and try it?� We jumped at thechance.

Friday night found us sitting at a cardtable in the family�s basement, rolling upcharacters. We proceeded to storm theisland of Pak, inhabited by far more lizardmen than should have been allowed bynatural law. For the next several hours, infact, we battled lizard men. Dawn�s pro-verbial rosy fingers touched the windowsof the basement, and we were still battlinglizard men.

It�s a wonder I ever played again.I did play again though, and kept playing

for several years. Why? Because it was funplaying pretend with little metal figures,and with weird-looking dice, and withfriends who were willing to drive 70 milesfor a one-day marathon. (Hey, we were allemployed full-time. One day a week was amarathon.) My first character is still myfavorite, although she retired years ago.

Her name is Brunhilda. She�s a dwarf(surprise surprise), and she was a mightywarrior in her time. She lucked into a ringof gaxx and the axe of the dwarven lordsbecause the thief who had found themdidn�t know what they were. (Such a deal.)At one time she became Brunharold, butonly for a short while; he thought theextra �pockets� on his chain mail weregreat for carrying extra water skins.Brunhilda was proud to be among the

8 MAY 1994

party that found the Clockwork Dragon ofMai Faddah, and prouder still to be one ofthe few among that party who figured outhow to make it go.

More important than any of these washer beloved war dog, Sigurd. He had beenhers since he was a pup; she had trainedhim herself, and they were never apart.Until that fateful day. . .

Brun and her friends were whackingtheir way through a hedge maze filledwith yellow musk creepers and theirattendant zombies. Sigurd had run onahead, scouting for a way out. That wouldhave been fine, except for the impatienceof the party. Everyone was getting tired ofthe creepers and the zombies, and tired ofbeing able to see the tower on top of thehill (the ultimate goal) but not getting anynearer. Brun finally got fed up with every-thing and everyone, and in her angerneglected to look for Sigurd before firingoff a fireball with her ring of gaxx. Therewas a muffled �yip� within the �Fwoomp!�of burning bushes, and all that remainedof her beloved partner was a little pile ofcharred bones.

She quietly gathered the remains into asack, slung it over her shoulder, andwalked away from her friends. She neverlooked back.

(We always were kind of melodramatic.)Enough of the �Can I tell you about my

character?� part of my story. Having readthe installments preceding this one, I havean idea of some other things to tell you all.

I learned that there are many differentkinds of intelligence. There�s the kind thatallows someone to calculate impossiblylarge numbers in her head (not me, notthe Kid, uh-uh, no way!). There�s the kindthat warns someone when not to ring thathuge brass bell hanging in the villagesquare. (Don�t you think there�s probably ar-e-a-l good reason for the square to becompletely empty at high noon?) There�salso the kind that helps the characters(and their players) figure out that if theycast enough web spells on the sleeping evilfighter whose right hand is now a de-

monblade, and give the dwarf (who�swearing magical plate armor) two vials ofholy water, one for each fist, and fill twomore while she�s �tanking� her way up tothe sleeping, webbed nasty fellow, let herdouse the evil, nasty form with the holywater, and then refill the empties whileshe takes the replacements up and dumpsthem, and keep doing this, and the DMdoesn�t figure out a way to stop them fromdoing this, eventually the evil fighter willevaporate into nasty-smelling mist and thedemonblade will become a plain old reallymagical sword and they can take the trea-sure. (Hey, it worked. I didn�t ask why, Ijust took the treasure and ran.)

I learned that there are as many kinds ofplayers as there are characters. There areplayers who would rather sleep on thecouch during a fight since their mage isstanding in the back not doing anythinganyway; there are players who questioneverything everyone is doing, whetherthey have the right to or not; there areplayers who have to run everything, evenwhen their characters aren�t in the room;and there are players who are just in it forthe fun, who don�t care if everything isn�tjust exactly by the book, as long as theyand everyone else at the game are havinga good time.

I learned that sometimes, misreading aclue can make an adventure as much fun forthe DM as for the players. Honest, we reallythought the scrap of vellum read �Whenwall is wet, with no way through. . ." Whyelse would we be flinging water at this wallwith no door in it? The DM thought wewere all nuts, until we showed him thescrap of paper he�d passed us, and read theclue aloud. He hadn�t realized his �m� lookedlike a �w," which was why we were con-vinced that the wall had to be wet before wecould fling the shrunken squirrels head at it.(Good thing there was a well nearby, or we�dhave been using up all our drinking waterjust because the old coot who gave us theclue couldn�t write worth a darn.)

Continued on page 62

Add fantasy Americans to your campaign

by David Howery

Artwork by Clyde Caldwell & Stephen Fabian

Cartography by John Knecht

he cultures of the Native-American peo-ples are diverse and interesting. Their reli-gion includes numerous deities and spirits.

Their folklore includes tales of warriors,sorcerers, monsters, and magic. Their his-tory is filled with great leaders: Red Cloud,Crazy Horse, Tecumseh, Chief Joseph, Co-chise, etc. All these factors (heroes, mon-sters, magic) were used to develop theAD&D® game, although from a Europeanviewpoint. Since the Native-American cul-tures have the same features, they also canbe adapted to an AD&D setting.

This article presents three simplifiedNative-American cultures in AD&D gameterms: the eastern woodlands peoples, thegreat plains tribes, and the desert-southwest peoples. A generic continent, afantasy version of pre-Columbian America,is given to be dropped into the DM�s cam-paign world. By no means is this article acomplete discussion of Native-Americancultures; the DM is encouraged to readmore on his own.

While a fantasy America is suitable formost �normal� AD&D worlds, the moreunusual settings may not be appropriate,such as the DARK SUN®, DRAGONLANCE®or RAVENLOFT® campaigns. Two othergame worlds are discussed below.

The WORLD OF GREYHAWK®setting: In the northern Flanaess was aland called the Barrens, with a peoplecalled the Rovers. In my old GREYHAWK®campaign, I made the Rovers into a fierceSioux-like tribe. They were savage andfree, and had a brief moment of glory in�Ghost Dance� published in DUNGEON®Adventures issue #32. With the recentwars in the Flanaess (see the From theAshes set), the Rovers were destroyed byIuz. However, my campaign also included acontinent far to the east across the Solnor

Ocean. This was a fantasy America withmany cultures inspired by the NativeAmericans. This continent is the basis ofthis article.

The FORGOTTEN REALMS® setting:This world contains an ideal setting forplacing Native-American cultures: the landsnorth of the Maztican nations. Obviously, ifMaztica is the fantasy counterpart of thepre-Columbian Central America, then thelands to the north are the fantasy versionof North America.

The landThe heart of the People�s lives is the land

and the life that grows there. The Peoplelive at nature�s mercy. When it is kind, thePeople have plenty, but when nature isharsh, they suffer. None of the People actu-ally own land, as it is understood in feudallands. Instead, they are more like care-takers, making use of the land but notowning it; they do not buy or sell land. It isnecessary for each tribe to defend its vil-lages and hunting territories as a practicalmatter, but tribal boundaries are notmarked out with signs or fences.

The continent is varied in terrain andclimate. Two mountain ranges divide theland. The smaller range near the east coastis older, smaller, and much more weath-ered. The great ranges in the west stretchthe entire length of the continent. Thereare numerous hills and plateaus. The riv-ers in the southwest cut many canyons inthe hills, including a legendary one hun-dreds of miles long. Forests cover much ofthe continent, including the mountains.Most of the east has dense forests of pineand broadleaf trees. The taiga, a belt ofpine forest, stretches across the continentin the north. The land between the forestsof the mountains is a vast sea of grass: the

great plains, home to vast game herds andhorse-riding natives. The western moun-tains have several interior basins that areharsh deserts. The natives here are skilledat finding water. The basins also havemany salt flats and a few lakes that haveextremely high salt levels, since there areno outlets. In the southeast, the lowlandbasins and heavy runoffs combine to formvast tracts of swamp. The west coast isblessed with abundant rainfall, and forestsgrow lush. Giant sequoias and redwoodsare found here.

WildlifeThe lands of the People are filled with

animal life. The people know them well,and live among them in harmony. Theytake what they need for food or religioususe, but never to excess.

Hoofed animals abound on the conti-nent. Most valuable to the people is thebison, a walking mountain of meat andhide. There are many types of deer:moose, white tail, mule deer, and wapiti.Forest caribou sometimes can be found inthe taiga. Bighorn sheep and mountaingoats roam the western mountains. Thepiglike peccary roams the southwest. Thefleet pronghorn antelope lives on theprairie in large herds. The wild horse is afairly new resident of the plains.

Of course, where there are herbivores,there are carnivores to prey upon them.Wolves and cougars are abundant acrossthe continent. Coyotes are the wily ca-nines of the desert. Foxes, ranging fromthe red to gray to kit, are found in allterrain. Jaguars sometimes are found inthe far south, as they wander up from thetropics. Weasels, martens, fishers, otters,and wolverines are abundant furbearinghunters. Black bears inhabit forests andmountains across the land. The aggressivegrizzly lives in the western mountains,from the taiga to the desert, and a particu-larly large and fierce subspecies lives onthe prairie. Polar bears visit the far north-ern coast in spring.

Vast flocks of birds darken the skiesduring migration, including ducks, geese,cranes, trumpeter swans, and passengerpigeons. Sacred eagles, hawks, and falconssoar in the sky. Enclaves of huge condorsare found on the west coast, while vul-tures are common over much of the west.Owls are common, from the tiny burrow-ing owl to the barn owl and great hornedowl. There are numerous edible birds,such as grouse, sage hens, quail, ptarmi-gan, heath hens, and turkeys. Less usefulbirds include the crow, parakeet, heron,and magpie.

Reptiles are common across the conti-nent, but are of small size compared toother continents. The exception is thealligator of the southern swamps, whichcan reach lengths up to 19 feet. Poisonoussnakes are abundant; cottonmouths andwater moccasins of the south, coral snakesin the west, and rattlesnakes from coast tocoast. Two odd lizards of the southwest,

14 MAY 1994

the gila and beaded lizards, are the onlyknown poisonous lizards.

The coastal areas are rich in wildlife.Seals, ranging from the giant elephant sealto sea lions and fur seals, are abundant onthe west coast. Manatees are found alongthe southeast coast, while colonies of seaotters live along the northwest shores.Walruses live only in the far north.

The continent is well watered, withnumerous lakes and rivers. This provideshomes for hundreds of species of fish:trout, salmon, pike, bass, gar, sturgeon,etc. In the seas are literally thousands ofspecies, from sharks and barracudas totuna and cod. The great whales are abun-dant, including killer whales, spermwhales, and gray whales. Porpoises anddolphins can be seen in the bays.

Of course, there are many mundanecreatures: opossums, beavers, bobcats,rabbits, etc. While not all animals are usedby the People, all are part of the web oflife across the land that the People livewithin, and all are honored in religion orfolklore. There is no creature so small orunimportant as to receive no respect.

At the DM�s option, some prehistoriccreatures may be found on the continent.This is not totally farfetched. Some Native-American tales include creatures thatsound much like ground sloths and mam-moths. Do these tales stretch back to theStone Age, or did these creatures die outlater than is commonly thought? In anycase, in a fantasy America, prehistoriccreatures could be found in the lands vastmountains and forests. Dire wolves arerare predators of the southwest coastalplain. The sabertooth cat, smilodon, alsolives there. Mammoths are scarce resi-dents of the taiga; they are fast dying outas the natives hunt them for their meatand hides. Ground sloths live in hilly re-gions that have thick shrubs and trees.The giant lion (spotted lion) lives in thewestern mountains; unlike normal lions,the males have no manes, and both sexesare colored much like cougars. This leadsto confusion among outsiders traveling inthe mountains. Other Stone Age creaturescould include the mastodon, giant camel,and giant bison.

MonstersThere is little in common between the

monsters of America and those of Europe.The usual monsters of Europe, adapted tothe AD&D game, are solid physical mon-sters, such as the griffon and dragon.Many monsters of Native-American loreare partly or completely spiritual or ele-mental in nature, rather than physical.The gahongas from the Legends & Lorebook are an example of this. However,there are several monsters that are solidand physical creatures, such as the big-heads and ohdowas from Legends & Lore.Others are detailed below.

The ohmah is a giant wild man who livesin the high mountain forests of the west.He is also called hoquiam, ahtik, and toki-

mussi. The ohmah stands up to 10� tall,weighs over 600 lbs., and is incrediblystrong. They are covered with long blackhair, and their skin is dark. They live insmall family groups, and are generally shyand peaceful. However, the ohmahs willattack anyone who tries to settle on theirforaging grounds. The ohmah looks veryhuman, except for their long hair, bullet-shaped head, and heavy brows. They alsohave a powerful stench noticeable up to10� away. Treat the ohmah as the sas-qualaminoi in the Monstrous Compendium®#4 (DRAGONLANCE setting), but withoutimmunity to magical cold.

There are huge monsters in the north-ern lakes. They are long-necked, flipperedcreatures that attack any whoacross their waters. Treat lake

try to swimmonsters as

plesiosaurs (MC3, �Dinosaur�).Coastal tribes believe that there are

counterparts of land animals in the seas.Thus, there are sea bison, sea bears, etc.Treat these animals as their land counter-parts, except that they have flippers andgills, swim at a speed of 18, and move onbeaches at a speed of 3. These tribes alsotell tales of whales that live in landlockedlakes. Treat these as killer whales andnarwhals; only the largest lakes couldsupport larger species.

The hunting snake is a giant constrictor(MC1) that befriends exceptional warriorsor shamans. It will go hunting when the

tribe is starving, and bring back game.Rarely, snakes of the spirit world takehuman form and mate with humans, pro-ducing monstrous halfbreeds. Treat theseas yuan-ti, but of varying alignments; notall are evil. Giant sea snakes (MC1) areseen near the southwest coasts. A fear-some foe is the two-headed rattlesnake;treat it as a giant poisonous snake (MC1)but with two bite attacks.

O t h e r r a c e s The People are not necessarily the only

intelligent race in this setting, versions ofdemihumans and nonhuman races arepresent. They are rare, but they exist forDMs and players who desire a strongerfantasy element to the campaign. None ofthese races should possess technology(forged metal weapons, armor, etc.) muchbeyond that of the People. DMs shouldchoose a level of technology they and theirplayers are comfortable with, and enforcethat level throughout the campaign.

Faerie creatures can, at the DM�s option,exist in this setting. Dryads could inhabitsome of the forests� trees, various types ofsprites could exist all over the continent inappropriate locales, and sylphs could ridethe winds above the plains or mountains.

Dwarves live in some hilly regions, butthese are not the gruff bearded folk of OldWorld folklore. These dwarves look anddress like the People, but they are evil

cannibals. Treat these dwarves as theduergar (Monstrous Manual), except thatthey have no metal and are unaffected bysunlight.

Giants also live in the hills and moun-tains. All are evil and monstrous, but lookand dress like the People, and use thesame weapons. Treat these as hill giants orverbeeg.

The creatures from the MonstrousCompendium volumes allowable in a fantasyAmerica campaign are listed below:

Vol. 1-3: herd animal (buffalo, antelope,sheep), ant (swarm), ant lion, badger, bar-racuda, bat (all), bear (all), beetle (water),boar, great cat (jaguar, mountain lion, giantlynx), centipede, crocodile, crustacean (all),crimson death, wild dog, dolphin, eagle,eel (all), elemental (all), firestar, fish (all),frog (all), fungus (all), galeb duhr, ghost,hawk (all), hornet, horse (pony, wild, rid-ing), lamprey (all), leech (all), lycanthrope(werebear, werewolf), small mammal (allbut cats and pigs), octopus, owl (all), car-nivorous plant (all), poltergeist, porcupine,rat, ray (all), scorpion (all), sea horse,shadow, shark, skeleton, skunk, snake(poisonous), spectre, spider (all), squid,swanmay, toad (all), urchin, vulture (all),water weird, weasel, whale (all), wolf,wolverine, wraith.

Vol. 5�GREYHAWK appendix: iguana,vampiric mist, carnivorous plant (all),camp rat, raven (all), sea snail, turtle (all),mist wolf.

Vol. 6�Kara-Tur appendix: flame spirit,ikiryo, nature spirit.

Vol. 12�FORGOTTEN REALMS appen-dix: wild cat, carnivorous plant (blackwillow), skuz, tempest.

Vol. 14�FIEND FOLIO® appendix: appa-rition, thunder children.

Many of these monsters are not NativeAmerican in origin, but they fit in wellwith their concepts of ghosts and spirits.The elemental, spirit, and undead crea-tures given in the lists provide variety inthe campaign. The People invariably sim-ply call all of them �spirits� or �ghosts,�which is confusing to outsiders.

The unique monsters of the Mazticaboxed set exist only in the tropical regions,but could be encountered if the PCs go tothe south.

Other PC races: Elves seem to be anatural addition to this milieu. Any of theland-based, nonevil races of elf can inhabitthe land�s forests. Sea elves can live in thecoastal waters. Gray elves are very rare inmost AD&D campaigns; perhaps they aremore common in this setting. This conti-nent could even be their home. Maybethey live high in the western mountains.[Editor’s Note: For those readers withaccess to DRAGON® Magazine issue #155,the article “In the Frost and the Snow”detailed the snow elves. This subspecieslives in cold climes, and could reside inalpine valleys high in the mountains or inthe cold regions to the north of the landsdisplayed on the map that accompaniesthis article.] There could be tribes of

gnomes living in the eastern mountains,and tribes of wild or wood elves in thenorthern forests. Halflings could live asmembers of any of the three culturesdiscussed in this article, but their smallsize would serve them well (with conceal-ment, etc.) in the rocky badlands of thedesert southwest.

For those interested in role-playingnonhuman characters, the Complete Bookof Humanoids (CBH) expands the list ofpotential PC races (and kits) considerably.The alaghi race, creatures quite similar tothe ohmah described above, are availablefor use as player characters. Further,aarakocra could live high in the moun-tains, tribes of centaurs could roam thegreat plains, and swanmays (mentioned inthe monster list above) can live by lakes insecluded woodlands. DMs are left to deter-mine the People�s relationships to theseraces and how they would interact.

The PeopleThe three cultures described here are

the most populous ones, but there aremany smaller cultures, such as the adobe-brick builders of the southwest, the whalehunters of the northwest, and the farmingvillages of the south. In spite of this varie-ty, there are some similarities between thecultures� peoples.

Appearance: All the People have black orbrown hair and dark eyes, although a fewhave lighter brown hair. Their skin colorranges from reddish to bronze or brown.Nearly all the people have distinctive highcheekbones and aquiline noses. Most arelean and muscular, due to constant hardwork and lean diets.

Alignment: The people are strong indi-vidualists. While there are laws and mor-als to be obeyed, the natives insist onpersonal liberty. Even chiefs are obeyedonly as long as they give good advice. Ingame terms, the majority of the People areneutral. Of course, PCs may be any align-ment they choose.

Languages: There are innumerablelanguages and dialects among the people.Even natives within a certain culturecannot always speak with each other; thetribes of the northern plains cannot speakwith those of the southern plains. How-ever, there is a common language usedfrom coast to coast, for trading and negoti-ating: sign language. Through the use ofhand gestures, the People can communi-cate basic ideas or trade offers. The signlanguage relates to their pictography; forexample, lightning is drawn as a jaggedline, and signed by zigzagging the hand.Sign language is graceful and expressive. Itis assumed that all PCs of the People knowtwo languages, their tribal tongue and signlanguage; other dialects may be learned asnormal.

Trade: The tribes do not exist in isola-tion. Like cultures everywhere, the tribestrade excess items they produce for itemsthey cannot obtain themselves. For exam-ple, mountain tribes trade the hides of

DRAGON 15

bighorn sheep for vegetables from theeast. Trading is done at neutral villages,where even blood enemies can meet inpeace. New ideas and inventions spreadquickly along the many trails that criss-cross the continent. The trails are so im-portant that those who travel on themwith only the intention to trade are notbothered by even their enemies.

Demeanor: With friends and family, thePeople are boisterous, happy, mischievous,and talkative. They enjoy stories, songs,and jokes. However, pride and dignity areimportant qualities. When outsiders aremet, the people present the most stoic anddignified bearing they can muster; this canchange once the strangers are befriended.

Law: The people do not have laws en-graved in stone, but do have a system ofrules and punishment. Theft is a rarecrime, since the People have no posses-sions that cannot be made by many others;a tribesman always can obtain what heneeds without stealing it. The only penaltyfor theft is the return of the item, orsomething in trade for it. The exception iswhen taking something from anothertribe; this is not only allowed, it is encour-aged. Treachery is punishable by death onsight. Many crimes are punished by publichumiliation, a hard blow to those whoselives are based on personal honor.

Technology: The People are skilledcraftsmen, but none have any metal. Theywork with native materials only: stone,bone, wood, and sinew. Even with thislimitation, the people produce colorful andfunctional items. Their possessions are allportable, as the tribes are nomadic.

—Weapons and armor: The preferredweapons of the people are the short bow,war club, spear, hand axe, and knife. Bowsare either simple short bows or compositeshort bows. Arrows are tipped with flintor bone, and are color coded to identifythe owner and his tribe. Spears rangefrom the short ones of the eastern tribesto the lances of the plains� inhabitants.Clubs range from the simple cudgel to thespiked, ball-headed war club and slingclub. The latter has a stone in a flexibleleather strap, operating much like a flail.Knives are carried by everyone, mainly astools. In game terms, only the followingweapons are available to the people: bow(short, short composite), flight arrow,club, horseman�s flail (sling club), morningstar (war club), hand axe, knife, lighthorse lance, sling and stone, spear.

There are no class restriction on weap-ons; any class can use any native weapon.Thus, clerics can use knives, and magescan use spears. Armor is limited to theshield. Body armor is not worn, sincemobility is preferred over weight. Shieldsare usually painted with many symbols.They are round wooden frames coveredwith smoked hide; bison is preferred.

Note: DMs who want detailed informa-tion on nonmetal weapons should checkout the DARK SUN boxed set, which hasrules for stone and bone weapons, includ-

16 MAY 1994

ing chances for breakage.Warfare: While different tactics are used

by the tribes, depending upon the localterrain, there are points in common. Alltake advantage of mobility and maneuver-ing in battle. Open warfare on a largescale is rare. Most conflict is a matter ofraid and counter-raid.

Warfare in the east is dominated by thedense forests. The tribes there have nohorses, and could not use them easily inthe forests anyway. The warriors fight onfoot, using the trees for cover. Melee is arather disorganized affair, since the treesbreak up formations. The tribes are adeptat hiding and ambushing foes. Flinthatchets are preferred melee weapons,once bows have reduced the numbers ofthe enemy.

The plains tribes go to war mounted onfast horses. Tactics are dominated by thelevel terrain and mounted archers. Bowsare used from horseback at first, buteventually, all the warriors resort to meleewith clubs and hatchets. Battles canchange direction quickly, as the warriorsare skilled at leaping off of and onto theirhorses.

War is uncommon in the southwestdesert, since mere survival is so time con-suming. Most conflicts are over watersources and arable ground. The desertwarriors are superb guerilla fighters.They excel at ambushes and have a knackfor concealment. They use the cliffs andmountains in their lands to hit their ene-mies from an unexpected direction, or tohide from stronger foes. The desert tribeshave no horses, and would be hardpressed to feed them if they did.

If a warrior has fought bravely, it is noshame to retreat from a lost battle. Ifcornered, warriors fight to the death. Thisis done partly to avoid the shame of cap-ture, and partly because of the treatmentof captives. The People have cruel policiestoward captured warriors, who are put todeath in horrible ways. With this fate inmind, it is no wonder that warriors prefera clean death in battle.

Outsiders often use the terms �warrior�and �brave� as if they are the same. Actu-ally, a brave is a man who has not yetkilled an enemy, while a warrior has madeat least one kill.

The year The people have a pattern of life dic-

tated by the seasons. The People muststore up food in the spring and summer tosurvive the winter.

Spring is the season of preparation.Weapons are repaired or made. Hides aretreated and prepared for processing intoclothes and shelter. Soon, the tribes movefrom winter camps to summer camps. Thefarming tribes plant their seeds as soon asthe frosts are gone. Little hunting is done,but the women do much foraging.

Summer is the season of ceremonies andhunting. The women tend gardens andforage, and the men go to the hunt or to

war. The plains tribes capture and trainwild horses. This is also when they holdtheir dangerous bison hunts. There aremany ceremonies held at tribal gatherings.

Autumn is the season of harvesting.Food is gathered, dried, and stored inunderground caches. Before the firstsnowfall, the tribes move to their wintercamps.

Winter forces the People to be less ac-tive, although the eastern tribes stay busytrapping small game. The others relax, tellstories, and teach their history to thechildren. Most of the winter food comesfrom their caches. When spring approach-es, the people prepare to move, and thecycle begins anew.

ReligionRather than create an entirely new

pantheon, use the Native-American deitiesgiven in the Legends and Lore volume;these have been given excellent descrip-tions. The new monsters and spells arealso appropriate. The DM can change thenames of the deities, if desired.

The people have a great variety of be-liefs, with many points in common. Theysee the world as filled with spiritual powerthat must be honored. Success can begained only through the favor of the spir-its, so sacrifices are made to them; sacri-fices are things like food or materials,never anything living. Success required anoffering of thanks, such as part of themeat gained from hunting.

Since the Great Spirit made them all,animals are brothers to the People. Ani-mals possess abilities that the People canemulate, and they represent several quali-ties. The bison represents life itself, thebear is wisdom, the wolf is craftiness inwar, and the butterfly is the bringer ofdreams. One of the most important is theeagle, who symbolizes courage.

With hardship and danger a constantpart of their lives, the People have manysmall rituals of thanksgiving for survival.Short prayers are said at dawn and sunset,before battles, and before hunting. Suc-cess in war or hunting is followed by aprayer of thanks.

Death is a mystery to the People. Whilethey have the concept of an afterlife andheaven, it is abstract. When one of thePeople dies, her spirit usually rises to aplane to reside in eternal happiness. Thisheaven is a wilderness where the spiritswill hunt, fight enemies, and feast foreternity. It is a mixture of Valhalla and theHappy Hunting Grounds (see the Manualof the Planes). The DM either can create aspecial Outer Plane for the people�s reli-gion, or modify a layer of the Happy Hunt-ing Grounds.

A spirit will rise to the heavens only ifthe corpse is given a proper burial by hisfellow tribesmen. A man who was scalped,strangled, or not given the proper burialhas a 10% chance to arise as a type ofundead spirit; roll 1d6 to see what hebecomes: 1-3 shadow; 4 wraith; 5 ghost; 6

spectre. The undead will prey upon itsformer tribesmen. This rarely happens,but when it does, the tribe must muster allits clerics and magical weapons to combatthe creature.

Note: This is a greatly simplified versionof Native-American religions. Their truefaiths are much more complex. The DM isencouraged to read further on his own fora true understanding of this subject.

WomenOutsiders describe the People as a male-

dominated culture. Appearances seem tosupport this conclusion, since women areseen doing all the planting, foraging, etc.But this is not a matter of male dominance;it is a loose agreement for division oflabor. It is true that women do all the�domestic� work, but they also producethe clothing, tack, and other items neededfor daily life. They prepare meat andmeals, forage for berries and roots, andcollect wood and water. In turn, men areexpected to hunt and defend their camp,families, and tribe. Women refuse offersfrom men to help with their work; theyare not drudges. They take part in danceceremonies, sit on counsels, give advice,and berate their men in public, if de-served. If necessary, women fight to pro-tect their children. Women are respectedfor their crafts, advice, labor, and thereasons that men value women all over

the world.Still, women have an unexciting role in a

gaming sense. This can be dealt with intwo ways. First, the PCs can all be male.Second, and better, the above customs areloosely kept in place, but exceptional wom-en can become adventurers. In general, ifa player wants to run a female PC, thereshould be no obstacles.

The tribeThe word �tribe� is used casually when

dealing with the People, and is not alwaysclear. In general, a tribe is a group ofpeople who are allied by a common cul-ture and language. Tribes are often splin-tered into smaller groups, and thesegroups are divided into numerous campsand villages. Only by dispersal can thePeople get enough to eat. Only in times ofgreat crisis or festival does the entire tribegather in one place. Like all cultures, thePeople have wars and feuds betweendifferent tribes. In addition, there areoften internal feuds within a tribe, al-though rarely within a village.

GovernmentNo culture can survive without leader-

ship, and the People are no exception.Unlike most medieval cultures, the chiefsof the People are not a hereditary line.The chiefs have little authority, comparedto feudal kings or oriental emperors.

Chiefs are elected, not born. Most tribeshave a head chief and lesser camp chiefsin charge of the villages. The chiefs meetin counsel to discuss matters of impor-tance, such as when to move camps andwhen to make war. In times of war, tempo-rary war chiefs are chosen to lead the warparties.

To be elected, a camp chief must beknown for charity and courage. Giving tothose in need is the highest virtue. A war-rior may become a war chief throughextraordinary deeds of bravery. A PCwarrior may become a war chief, if he isof a higher level than any other warrior inhis tribe. However, camp chiefs cannot bewar chiefs.

Above all, a chief must be successful.Those who fail are either forced intoretirement or killed. Thus, dictators arerare among the People. A few evil sha-mans and mystery men have maneuveredtheir way to camp-chief status, and provedto be the worst leaders; but fear of theirmagic keeps them in power for life. On theother hand, spell-casters are sometimesgreat war chiefs, since war strategy can beused by anyone. (A historical example isGeronimo, who was a holy man not achief.)

While the chief counsel works well forthe people, it discourages the developmentof large nations. Long distances preventfrequent meetings. Tribes with boats or

horses have the largest nations, since theyallow for rapid travel.

NamesEach of the People may have several

names in his lifetime. While women usu-ally have only one name (one exceptioncould be female PCs), men have one nameas a child, and another as an adult. Namesare usually based on nature, animals, orsome feature of the person. Historicalexamples include Red Cloud, Spotted Ea-gle, Touch the Clouds (a very tall man),and Standing Bear. Chiefs who retire takea third name. Men who turn traitor or aredisgraced are called a different name thantheir given adult name.

ClothingThe people wear clothing that is both

colorful and functional. Men in the hotterlands may wear only a breechcloth andmoccasins, while those in the north wearheavy furs. Much of their clothing isfringed, to help shed water. Women wearlong dresses and leggings.

In addition to being functional, clothingcan be very decorative. Fringes, tassels,beads, and painted quills are used as deco-rations. Everyday clothing is less decora-tive, as the decorations wear out quickly.

ShelterThe People use native materials to create

dwellings. The woodlands� tribes buildbark-covered lodges over a frame ofwoven branches. The plains tribes buildtepees, a hide cover over a framework offour main poles and 11 smaller poles. Thedesert tribes build small wickiups, a brushcovering over a frame of branches. Alltribes prefer to base villages at sites wherethere is plentiful water and shelter fromthe wind. Scouts must be able to see ene-mies approaching in time to give a warn-ing. Farming tribes need to have arableland, while the desert tribes like to benear stands of mescal, a plant that pro-vides much of their forage.

The horseHorses evolved in America, but died out

in prehistoric times. Europeans re-introduced them, and some soon escapedto go wild on the plains. The Native Ameri-cans quickly learned to ride them andbecame some of the finest horsemen inthe world. Obviously, this line of historydoesn�t work for a fantasy America, sinceit is assumed that the European cultureshave not established colonies here yet; thecontinent still belongs to the People. It canbe assumed that horses never died outhere, and the plains tribes learned to ridethem. Or, the horses can be brought in byoutsiders; assume that an expedition froman European or Oriental civilization cameto the People�s continent, and was wiped

out by the natives. Some of the invadershappened to have been mounted, andthese horses escaped to run wild on theplains. In any case, the plains tribes havebeen mounted for a few hundred years,and it has drastically changed their lives.Horses are now vital to their way of life.Since they require large ranges of grass,horses live only on the plains. None arefound on the desert or in the forests, andnone have passed into the tropics; horsesfare badly in tropical regions, due to dis-ease and poor fodder. Those horses thatdo wander into the forests and deserts areusually eaten by the natives, who can�treally care for horses, and don�t have theconcept of riding them anyway.

The horses of the plains are small (aver-aging 14 hands and 700 lbs.), but amaz-ingly hardy. It survives on grazing alone,requiring no grain. They come in a varietyof colors: pinto, piebald, appaloosa, gray,white, and many mixed colors. The headlooks overlarge for the body. The People�shorses are very calm animals, able togallop into war or among stampedingbison. In many ways, a warrior�s favoritehorse is also his best friend.

The bisonThis wild relative of the cow is an impor-

tant source of food and leather to many ofthe people. To the plains tribes, it is liter-ally the source of life. The bison is regard-

ed as tangible proof of the favor of thespirits who created the world.

Bison have shaggy coats and small curvedhorns. There are three races: the largewood bison of the east and north, the smallmountain bison of the western mountains,and the numerous plains bison. Bulls maystand six feet at the shoulder and weighover a ton. Two distinguishing features arethe hump on the shoulders and the bulls�beard." Most are dark tawny brown toblack, but others are blue, gray, yellow, ormouse. Rarest of all is the white bison, asacred animal.

Bison are usually calm animals, exceptfor bulls in rut. Calves are born in thespring and mature in six years. Bison areconstant grazers, moving as grass is de-pleted in one area to another where it hasrecovered. Bison can be panicked byhunters or thunder, causing them to stam-pede. Nothing is more feared than to be inthe path of hundreds of running bison.

Bison are difficult to hunt on the plains,due to the level terrain and vast areas torun away in. The easiest way to hunt is tobog them down in snow drifts, but this islimited to winter months. The tribes alsomay run the bison over cliffs or cornerthem in box canyons.

The most dangerous hunt is the chaseon horseback. The chase requires bravemen and trained horses. The bow is usedat short range (ideally one bow length) to

maximize its power. However, this re-quired riding among the running bison,where a single misstep or fall leads toinstant death under bison hooves. A horsetrained for the chase or war is the war-rior�s most useful mount.

The products garnered from the bisonsuch varied items as meat, clothing andshields from the skins, cups or spoonsfrom horns, bow strings and thread fromthe sinews, and fuel for their fires fromthe dung.

In addition to food and possessions, thebison is a source of religious inspiration tothe plains tribes. The bison skull is used inmany ceremonies and prayers; some areenchanted to hold great powers.

CharactersThe People�s culture does not allow

certain classes. The paladin, with his un-bending devotion to law, fits in poorlywith the independent People, and does notexist here. Psionicists are ill-suited for thissetting. Bards are strongly Celtic in nature,and unfit for a fantasy America. The roleof druids is filled in this setting by theShaman priest kit detailed below.

prowess. Those high enough in level to

The most common class by far is thefighter, which exists in every tribe; thegoal of nearly every man is to be a war-rior. Rangers also are common, and areappreciated for their tracking and hunting

cast spells are also regarded with someawe. Priests are not common, but one ortwo are found in every village. Mages arethe rarest class, found only in the largestvillages. Thieves also are rare, but one ortwo live in every village, serving as scoutsand spies rather than burglars. None ofthe unique classes from the DARK SUN,DRAGONLANCE, Kara-Tur, or AL-QADIM®settings are present. The unique classesfrom the Maztica boxed set are found onlyin the Aztec lands in the tropics. Note thatnone of the men are 0-level charactersamong the People, all are 1st-level war-riors, at least. Most women and childrenare 0-level, except for a few exceptionalwomen. Kits from the CBH are available toraces from that book, if such are usedwith this setting.

Proficiencies: For the full flavor of aNative-American campaign, the DM shouldhave a copy of the Wilderness SurvivalGuide (WSG); after all, the whole continentis wilderness. Many of the proficienciesgiven in the Player�s Handbook (PH) areinappropriate for this culture, due toculture or technology. All proficienciesdealing with metal, reading/writing, gems,or advanced sciences are absent. Wilder-ness proficiencies are not only allowed,they are vital.

when created. Those marked with an

All characters of the People, regardlessof class, have the following proficiencies

asterisk are found in the WSG: directionsense, fire building, weather sense, animallore, endurance, hunting, running, track-ing, alertness*, plant lore.*

Other proficiencies are given to begin-ning characters of all classes of a particu-lar culture:

Eastern Woodlands: boating (canoes)*,swimming, fishing.

Great plains: animal training (horse),land-based riding (horse), survival (plains).

Southwest desert: mountaineering,survival (desert).

Mage and priest characters also beginwith the following proficiencies: dancing(ceremonial), singing (ceremonial), ancienthistory (oral), healing, herbalism, localhistory (oral), religion.

Thief characters start out also with theanimal noise proficiency from the Com-plete Thief’s Handbook (CTH).

Due to the many nonweapon proficien-cies that PCs start out with at 1st level,they receive no nonweapon proficienciesat this time. However, they will gain slotsat higher levels as per normal (PH, p. 50).The following proficiencies can be boughtby PCs, as they earn enough slots to buythem: artistic ability (pictographs), fishing,land based riding (horse), gaming, ropeuse, swimming, blind fighting, jumping,survival, animal noise, set snares, foraging.Note that some of these are given to par-ticular cultures automatically.

20 MAY 1994

Weapon proficiencies are given andgained as per normal, and only fightersmay specialize and with only one weapon.Note again that there are no class restric-tions on weapons; a PC of any class mayuse any native weapon.

In all villages, there are those who knowthe following craft proficiencies. PCs alsomay learn these if they wish: leatherwork-ing, weaving, bowyer/fletcher, weapons-mithing (but remember, no metal).

Equipment: The People do not have asystem of money, so new characters donot have starting currency. New charac-ters can have any normal items desired, solong as it is found in their culture. The PCis assumed to have had years to make ortrade for any needed items. So long asthey are in good standing with their tribe,PCs will be given the items they need; thePeople provide for their needy. PCs canmake much of what they need, with theproper proficiencies. PCs of the plainsstart out with one horse and tack; it iscustomary to give a child a horse to carefor and learn to ride.

The following items are available to allcultures and all PCs: leggings, sheath,shirt, vest, moccasins, backpack, beltpouch, bucket, quiver, blanket, needle,awl, torch, waterskin, dog, shield.

A few items are available only to PCs ofcertain cultures. The eastern woodlandtribes have dugout canoes and the shortbow. The plains tribes have horses, tack,and composite short bows. The deserttribes have short composite bows also.

Magic: While mages and priests castspells as per the normal rules, there arelimits to the spells available to them. Anyspells affecting metal, jewels, or otheritems foreign to their culture are prohib-ited. Spells that don�t affect these items,but have material components that are notavailable in this culture, are allowed; sim-ply change the material component to anative material.

KitsThe Character Handbook series intro-

duced the idea of kits, a special back-ground for the basic classes which givescertain benefits, penalties, and goals. Fivekits for PCs of the People are presentedhere, along with suggestions for usingexisting kits from the Handbooks. Notethat proficiencies and equipment havebeen discussed earlier, and are not repeat-ed here. There are no wealth options (nomoney), and all the People are human(unless the DM decides otherwise). Noneof these kits can be abandoned. The onlyrequirements are those for the basic class(fighter, mage, etc.).

FightersIf desired, warriors of the People can be

of the savage kit from the Complete Fight-er’s Handbook (CFH), or the beast-rider kitfor plains tribes. Three new kits, one fromeach culture, are presented here.

Eastern woodland warriorDescription: The eastern forests are

ruled by nations of nomadic tribes. This isthe most populous region on the conti-nent. The warriors are superb woodsmenwho use the tree cover to great advantagein battle. Like all the People, these war-riors place high value on pride and dignity.The warriors are soldiers, hunters, hus-bands, and fathers.

Role: Warriors are the providers for thetribes. They bring in game, plunder othervillages, and protect their own camps.They strive to be brave and honorable,and to keep the respect of peers.

Special benefits: Woodland warriorshave the same combat bonuses as elveswhen fighting in the forests. As such, theyhave a -4 bonus to surprise enemies.They also are able to move their full move-ment rate and fire a bow once (one arrow)in one round.

Special hindrances: Woodland war-riors have no real hindrances. However,they have no knowledge of survival on theplains or deserts, and are at a disadvan-tage in those lands.

Great plains warriorDescription: The life of the plains

warrior revolves around the horse and thebison. The warrior�s only wealth is thenumber of horses he owns. He revels incombat, not necessarily to the death, butto gain glory, honor, and respect.

Role: The plains warrior is a brave anddignified horseman. His life is punctuatedby swift raids, dangerous bison hunts, andharsh winters. Defenders, hunters, andraiders, the warrior is the base of everytribe.

Special benefits: The plains warrior isan excellent mounted archer. He is able tofire a bow from a moving horse at the fullrate of fire (two shots per round) with nopenalties to hit.

Special hindrances: Plains warriorsare at a disadvantage when in the easternforests or southern deserts, since theirhorses are hard to feed and less useful inbattle.

Southwest desert warriorDescription: The desert tribes always

are on the verge of famine. This causesthem to be fiercely protective of theirsparse resources. Simple survival is a dailystruggle.

Role: The desert warrior is a master ofambush and concealment. Honor is lessimportant than winning and surviving.Trickery, ambush, and massacre are ac-ceptable. Warriors have detailed knowl-edge of every source of water in theirterritory, and can live off the land. Theyhave great endurance, and can jog forhours at a time.

Special benefits: Desert warriorsexcel at concealment. In one full round,the PC can conceal himself in his nativeterrain so completely, he has a -4 bonusto surprise enemies. Of course, this

doesn�t work if the PC is observed in the priest kit from the Complete Priest�s Hand- Role: The shaman is a unique man inprocess. book (CPH) may be used, or the special kit his village, as there is rarely more than

Special hindrances: Desert warriors presented below. one per town. People look to him to bringare brutal to captured enemies, and are good luck by speaking to the spirits onhated and feared by outsiders. When away S h a m a n their behalf. He is an interpreter of omens,from their own lands, they suffer a -3 Description: The shaman is a priest of an advisor, healer, ceremony leader, andreaction-roll adjustment from outsiders. nature. He is closely attuned to the spirits historian. A shaman is not dedicated to

of the wilderness. His powers are used to one deity, but appeals to them all.Priests intercede on behalf of his tribe, to keep The shaman can cast spells from these

The priests of the People are highly respected by all their tribe. The savage

them healthy and fed. He is a connection spheres: Major access to all, animal, ele-between the deities and men. mental, healing, plant, protection, sun,

weather; Minor access to charm, combat,divination, necromantic, summoning.

Special benefits: At higher levels, theshaman is able to enchant magical items(see below). He has a good knowledge ofcelestial cycles, and can predict the ap-pearances of comets and eclipses. In timesof hardship, the shaman can summongame animals (bison, wapiti, etc.). He cansummon 5HD of animals for each of hislevels. The animals will move within onemile of the village, but they must be hunt-ed in normal ways.

Special hindrances: Shamans have nospecial hindrances.

MagesWizards are rare among the People. It

takes a lot of mental skill to learn magicwithout the aid of spellbooks. As for kits,the savage wizard from the CompleteWizard’s Handbook (CWH) can be used, orthe special kit given below.

Mystery manDescription: The mystery man is so

called because he deals with mysteriouspowers. Clerical magic is understood sinceit comes from the deities, but wizardlymagic is feared. The mystery man is anadvisor and source of power.

Role: The mystery man is a shadowyfigure in his village, somewhat feared by

the others. He is sought out as the sourceof amulets, bundles, and potions. They notonly deal with the unusual, mystery menlook unusual in some way; odd coloredskin or hair, strange dress, etc. It is thisuniqueness that allows them to take upmagic; in the minds of theis found in the unusual.

People, power

Special benefits: The mystery manwill always be provided food and water;he is not expected to hunt. He is able tocreate some(see below).

magical items at higher levels

Special hindrances: Mysterycannot be specialized mages.

men

ThievesThe classic AD&D thief does not exist

among the People. With no system ofmoney, no houses, no chests, and nothingthat can�t be made at home, there is noneed for burglars. However, there is aneed for another type of thief, the tribalscout, who is a spy and observer. This kit,described below, is similar to but not thesame as the Scout kit in the CompleteThief’s Handbook.

Tribal scoutDescription: The scout is a loner,

continually spying on his tribe�s enemies.His skills are tilted toward stealth andobservation.

Role: The tribal scout is a brave manwho lives on the edge of his tribal territo-ry. His job is to find and report any ene-mies or other dangers to his village. Skilledin survival and woodlore, the scout is arugged individualist. In war, the scoutrides ahead of the war party to spy outambushes.

Special benefits: The thief�s find trapsskill is replaced by a new skill, detectambush. The percentages are the same.This skill allows the scout to see an am-bush prepared by an enemy; the DMshould roll this secretly. If successful, thescout has found each body of warriorstaking part in the ambush. Beginningscouts do not have the limit of 30 pointsper skill. At higher levels, scouts do nothave the limit of 15 points per skill thatcan be added per level.

Special hindrances: Scouts do nothave these skills: pick pockets, open locks,find/remove traps, read languages.

Magical itemsMagical items of the People are made by

shamans and mystery men in ceremonies.Some items are found only in certaincultures (EW = eastern woodlands,GP = great plains, SD = southwest desert).

Permanent itemsThese are magical items that have a

permanent enchantment, and can be usedby anyone of the proper class who pos-sesses them. However, all these items willfunction only in the hands of the People; aperson of any other culture will find theseitems to be inert.

Snake beltThis item is made from the skin of a

rattlesnake and enchanted by a mage of atleast 15th level. The bearer may changehimself into a giant rattlesnake (giantpoisonous snake, MC1) once per day, forup to one hour.

Calling stoneThese are magical stones that call game

animals. They were once just rocks thatwere naturally formed into the shape ofan animal (deer, bison, etc.). When en-chanted by a shaman of at least 15th level,the rock can be used to summon 1-6 ani-mals of the type that the rock resembles;

they will move to within one mile of thePC's village. The animals must still behunted in normal ways. The stone isusable once per week.

Medicine fire (EW)This is a medallion-like object of feathers

and beads sculpted into the shape offlames. It is an item made by shamans ofat least 20th level. In the hands of a sha-man, the medallion grants the followingpowers: protection as per ring of fireresistance; burning hands (2/day, samelevel as bearer); fire shield (1/day); flamestrike (1/day).

22 MAY 1994

Tribal lance (GP)These are ancient lances that belong to

the plains tribes, one per tribe. In thehands of a warrior of the tribe who ownsit, the lance does damage as a heavy horselance +3, but is as light and handy as aspear. Any opponent who faces the wield-er of the lance must save vs. spells or bestricken with a special type of fear; thecharacter will be unable to attack thelance bearer in any way, and cannot evenbear to look at him. This does not affectthe character�s ability to fight otheropponents.

Pipe tomahawkThis hand axe has a hollow handle and a

tobacco bowl opposite the axe head. Odd-ly, it is an item of both war and peace. Thepipe is used at council meetings, and itspowers depend on whether war or peaceis the issue. In peace councils, the pipe ispassed from person to person in the circlearound the fire. All who smoke from thepipe fall under its spell, from which thereis no save. Those who smoke must tell theabsolute truth so long as the council lasts;no lies, evasions, or omissions are possible.The pipe cannot force peace, but it createsan atmosphere of honesty for discussion.In war councils, the pipe bestows a bonuson every chief who smokes it. The chief isimmune to all types of fear, and all war-riors within 100 yards need not makemorale checks. The pipe is made by ashaman of at least 20th level.

Bison skull totem (GP)This very rare item is made from the

skull of an albino bull bison, by a shamanof at least 20th level. The skull is coveredwith mystical symbols. The totem may beeither wielded in the bearer�s hands, orhung on a pole in the village. When hungon a pole, all villagers within one mile of itreceive these benefits: +1 on all savingthrows and protection from evil spell.

In the hands of a spell-caster, the bearerreceives these benefits: +2 on all savingthrows, immunity to fear, protection fromfear 10’ radius, protection from normalmissiles.

The totem has several greater powers,usable once per day each, which are in-voked by holding the skull over his headand chanting the command phrase: fear(as wand of fear), insect plague, flamestrike, sunray

If the skull is in danger of being cap-tured by an enemy, it can teleport itself tothe nearest friendly shaman of the sametribe.

In DRAGON issue #189, the �Bazaar of theBizarre� featured a collection of magicalitems for the Savage kits detailed in theComplete Handbook series. These items, likethose kits, can be used with this setting.

Personal itemsThese items function only in the hands

of the specific person they were made for.They are inert in anyone else�s hands, and

become nonmagical upon the owner�sdeath. Personal magical items are createdby spell-casters of at least 15th level. If theowner ever turns traitor, or uses the itemagainst his own tribe, the spell-caster maycall for the item�s return. The item willvanish from the owner, and is lost to himforever.

Horn bonnet (GP)This headdress is made from the scalp of

a bison. It is decorated with feathers andquills. Once per day, the bonnet will giveits owner strength of 18/00, for one hour.

War bonnet (GP)This magnificent headdress is a head

band of feathers, with two long trailers ofeagle feathers to the sides. The bonnetgives its bearer very sharp vision andhearing, meaning he is surprised only on a1 in 10, when the bonnet is worn.

Medicine bowThis is either a short bow or short com-

posite bow. In addition to being a bow +1,it has no penalties for medium or longranges.

Sacred bundlesThese items are described in the Leg-

ends & Lore tome.

Pronghorn cap (SD)This magical headdress is made from the

scalp of a pronghorn antelope, horns andall. Once per day, the owner may move ata speed of 24, for up to one hour.

Medicine shieldThis light round shield is made of hide

stretched over a wooden frame, and paint-ed with many symbols. It gives no ACbonus beyond the normal bonus, but thebearer has the benefit of a protectionfrom normal missiles spell.

War shirtThis is a vestlike garment that grants

magical protection to a warrior. The shirtgrants a base armor class of 1-6 (roll ran-domly) and immunity to all types of fear,magical or otherwise.

AdventuresThe information given in this article is

sufficient to start a campaign set amongthe People, or to use the continent as anexpansion area for an existing campaign.The continent is also a natural expansionarea for the Maztica boxed set.

An adventuring group of the People havefar different goals than their counterpartsacross the ocean. There is no gold to col-lect, and magical items must be earnedfrom the tribe by brave deeds, not plun-

dered from enemies. Mere survival plays amuch larger role; there are no farmersproviding food for all, and no inns to buyfood and provide shelter. PCs will have tohunt for their own food, and for theirvillage. A warrior�s first priority is to keephis people safe and fed; not an easy task ina world of wilderness. Warfare is never faraway, as enemy raids could happen at anytime. Raiding predators or monsters areconstant dangers.

A PC�s goal is honor and glory, notwealth. Prowess in battle is a valued trait.Most adventures involve threats to thehome village, in the form of famine,drought, kidnapings, or enemy raiders.The PCs will often be called upon to solveproblems.

In time, the PCs likely will wish to ex-plore the continent. The first step is totravel to the lands of another culture,which requires some adjustments. Aplainsman will find his horse less useful inthe dense forests of the east, while awoodsman will find the desert a terribleplace. It is possible to explore even furtherafield; the tundra, the tropics, or the equa-tor. It is possible to run a typical�dungeon� adventure; assume the ruinsare the remains of an Aztec-like culture,or even a prehuman culture.

The ultimate adventure is the clash ofcultures, as expeditions from beyond the

continent come to the People�s lands. Theinvaders could be from the Old World, theOrient, or even Maztica. Invasion too cancome from the depths of the earth, as theraces of the Underdark find tunnels to thecontinent. The People suddenly could findthemselves facing orcs, drow, duergar, orworse.

ConclusionAgain, I�d like to point out that this arti-

cle presents a very simplified look atNative-American cultures. The DM isencouraged to read on her own to learnmore. The rules given here are not histori-cally appropriate for all cultures, but agood cross-section has been given to makea cohesive set of rules.

TSR has two supplements that discussNative Americans in game terms. The firstis GAZ14; The Atruaghin Clans. ThisD&D® product has several new spells thatare excellent for the culture, and can beconverted to the AD&D game easily. Theinformation inside is fairly good, althoughthere are some quirks. (The plains tribesdisdain to use bows!) FR14 The GreatGlacier presents AD&D rules that excel-lently describe an Eskimo culture for theFORGOTTEN REALMS setting. Bothproducts are a little odd in that they placea Native-American culture in the middle ofa Europe-like continent. At the moment,

there are no other supplements on thesecultures available.

There are literally hundreds of booksavailable on Native-American cultures,from the Inuit people of Canada to thenatives of Patagonia. Any large bookstorehas a section for Native-American studies,as do most public libraries. The bibliogra-phy below gives some of the better bookson the three cultures discussed in thisarticle. Read, learn, play and enjoy!

BibliographyMystic Warriors of the Plains, Thomas E.Mails, 1972.American Indian Warrior Chiefs, JasonHook, 1989.North American Indian Mvthology, CottieBurland, 1965.The Indians’ Secret World, Robert Hof-sinde, 1955.Indian Lore, Wendell E. Lamb and La-wrence W. Schultz, 1964.Shawnee! J. H. Howard, 1981.Life Among the Apaches, J. C. Cremony,1868.

24 MAY 1994

Re-aligning the druid�s spell repertoire

by Jon Pickens

Artwork by Paul Jaquays

The case for changeOne effect of the 2nd Edition game�s cler-

ical spell-sphere lists is that some spellscentral to the play of a cleric have becomemuch less available. For example, the good/evil split has always been a core concept ofthe cleric class. In the Complete Priest�sHandbook, fewer than half of the samplepriesthoods even have access to the lightspell, including some obviously good-aligned ones (such as Guardian, Good, Jus-tice, Peace, and Redemption priesthoods).Likewise, some evil-aligned priesthoodsshould have darkness, the reverse of light(notably the Disease and Evil samples).

A second problem is that some spells,once the sole province of the druid, havebecome available to most clerics. This haserased a certain amount of flavor from thedruid character. In particular, spells likeheat metal, protection from fire, and pro-tection from lightning, all once druid spe-cialties, have gone into almost every cleric�sgrab-bag.

Third, by lumping all Protection spellsinto a single sphere, a priest either has allsuch spells, or none. This grouping ofspells by function limits the DM�s freedomto imbue her own special priests with dif-erent, yet equivalent, abilities.

Finally, certain oddities have crept in. Forexample, reflecting pool and magic font doalmost exactly the same thing.

What can be done? The 2nd Editiongame is far and away superior to the pre-vious edition, not to mention much moreaccepted and widespread among the play-ers. However, the following changes to thespell lists can return to the druid much ofthe flavor that was lost.

What�s in a class?The AD&D 2nd Edition game�s Player�s

Handbook states that a standard cleric has

access to 12 spheres (All, Astral, Charm,Combat, Creation, Divination, Guardian,Healing, Necromancy, Protection, Summon-ing, and Sun), plus minor access to the Ele-mental sphere.

Since major access to 12 spheres out of atotal of 16 is a lot, reducing this number isdesirable. The 12-sphere access reallylooks excessive once you start spinning offspecialty priests with major access fromjust three to six spheres. We�ll keep this inmind as we work through the spell lists(eliminating the Astral sphere, and gettingready to retire Summoning to specialty-priest status).

The spheres available to the druid in 2ndEdition are All, Animal, Elemental, Healing,Plant, Weather, plus minor access to Divi-nation. Not only does this net us a fewspells druids shouldn�t have, but we havelost cure disease, dispel magic, removecurse, and sunray.

Using the current sphere lists as a start-ing point, it should be possible to duplicatethe balance and feel of the original druid.This article features a combined chart thatputs everything together.

A matter of principleOne thing to watch for in this process is

the idea of the �specialty� spell. In otherwords, instead of placing a spell like re-flecting pool into the Divination spheresimply because it is a divination, we re-spect the higher principle of clerical spe-cialization.

In this case, reflecting pool is taken offthe Divination list, and added to the Weath-er list. At one stroke, this eliminates theoddity of having two spells that do virtu-ally the same thing at two different spelllevels in the same sphere.

Furthermore, by limiting clerical accessto the Elemental spheres to Earth and

Water (no access to Air or Fire), we caneliminate many of the druid�s specialtyspells from the cleric�s list.

All for allFirst, we must make sure that all clerics

can do their jobs; that is, perform theirbasic class functions of protection andsupport. The most obvious way to do thisis to expand the All sphere.

Move detect good/evil from this list toboth the Divination and Guardian lists.Replace this spell with detect magic, whichall priests should have access to, be theycleric, druid, shaman, etc.

Expand the revised All sphere to includethe following spells: chant, dispel magic,remove curse, glyph of warding, tongues,commune, planeshift, quest, true seeing,speak with monsters, astral spell, gate,symbol.

The reason for the addition of dispelmagic, remove curse, tongues, commune,and quest is that they are basic class func-tions for the cleric. Planeshift and theastral spell are added here to balance high-level mage spells and to avoid the oddity ofa two-spell sphere with no possible minoraccess. Gate and symbol match high-levelmage abilities, and they are part of thebalance between the classes. True seeing isalso a necessary counter to the class abilityof the mage to employ invisibility andother illusion spells. Glyph of warding isstrictly a judgment call; it reasonably couldbe placed here, or in the Guardian orProtection spheres. I suggest putting ithere, as the spell can be endlessly mutatedto adapt it to nearly any cleric variationthat the DM desires. Speak with monstersshould be on this list also. The ability tocommunicate where others cannot is a keyclass ability. Chant should be here be-cause, in 1st Edition game, this spell wasone of the few allowed to the nonhumanshamans. Primitive cultures should nothave as effective a selection of clericalcombat spells as more advanced cultures,and chant gives them a basic spell withoutgiving them access to the whole range ofcombat spells. (Also, chant is appropriatefor some situations involving the morebarbaric cultures, such as a trigger for theappearance of nasty DM specials, forexample.)

Party animalsMoving to the Animal sphere, add com-

mune with nature from the Divinationsphere. An Animal sphere cleric shouldhave access to this, while a standard clericshould not. Likewise, add detect snares &pits from the same sphere for the samereason. Add reincarnate to this list fromthe Necromantic sphere. This spell is thedruid�s equivalent of the raise dead spell,so it should be where the druid specialtypriest can get at it�and where, in turn,the druid can�t get the raise dead spell.

Astral bluesAs stated above, we can get rid of the

28 MAY 1994

Revised Clerical Sphere ListAll (C,D)Bless (1st)Combine (1st)Detect Magic (1st)Purify Food & Drink (1st)Chant (2nd)Dispel Magic (3rd)Remove Curse (3rd)Glyph of Warding (3rd)Tongues (4th)Atonement (5th)Commune (5th)Planeshift (5th)Quest (5th)True Seeing (5th)Speak With Monsters (6th)Astral Spell (7th)Gate (7th)Symbol (7th)

Animal (D)Animal Friendship (1st)Charm Person or Mammal (1st)Detect Snares & Pits (1st)Invisibility to Animals (1st)Locate Animals or Plants (1st)Messenger (2nd)Snake Charm (2nd)Speak with Animals (2nd)Hold Animal (3rd)Summon Insects (3rd)Animal Summoning I (4th)Call Woodland Beings (4th)Giant Insect (4th)Repel Insects (4th)Animal Growth (5th)Animal Summoning II (5th)Commune with Nature (5th)Animal Summoning III (6th)Anti-Animal Shell (6th)Creeping Doom (7th)Reincarnate (7th)

Charm (c)Command (1st)Sanctuary (1st)Detect Charm (2nd)Enthrall (2nd)Snake Charm (2nd)Hold Person (2nd)Sticks to Snakes (4th)Free Action (4th)Imbue with Spell Ability (4th)Dispel Evil (5th)Confusion (7th)Exaction (7th)

Combat (c)Command (1st)Magical Stone (1st)Remove Fear (1st)Aid (2nd)Spiritual Hammer (2nd)Prayer (3rd)Cloak of Bravery (4th)Flame Strike (5th)Heroes-Feast (6th)Word of Recall (6th)Holy Word (7th)

Creation (c)Light (1st)Magical Stone (1st)Aid (2nd)Continual Light (3rd)Create Food & Water (3rd)Negative Plane Protection (3rd)Sticks to Snakes (4th)Raise Dead (5th)Animate ObjectBlade Barrier (6th)Heroes Feast (6th)Chariot of Sustarre (7th)Restoration (7th)Holy Word (7th)

Divination (c)Detect Evil (1st)Detect Poison (1st)Augury (2nd)Detect Charm (2nd)Find Traps (2nd)Speak with Animals (2nd)Locate Object (3rd)Speak with Dead (3rd)Detect Lie (4th)Divination (4th)Magic Font (5th)Find the Path (6th)Stone Tell (6th)

ElementalAir (D)

Faerie Fire (1st)Dust Devil (2nd)Call Lightning (3rd)Air Walk (5th)Control Winds (5th)Chariot of Sustarre (6th)Wind Walk (7th)

Earth (C,D)Dust Devil (2nd)Meld into Stone (3rd)Stone Shape (3rd)Spike Stones (5th)Transmute Rock to Mud (5th)Stone Tell (6th)Transmute Water to Dust (6th)Animate Rock (7th)Conjure Earth Elemental (7th)Earthquake (7th)Transmute Metal to Wood (7th)

Fire (D)Fire Trap (2nd)Flame Blade (2nd)Heat Metal (2nd)Produce Flame (2nd)Flame WalkProtection from Fire (3rd)Pyrotechnics (3rd)Produce Fire (4th)Wall of Fire (5th)Conjure Fire Elemental (6th)Fire Seeds (6th)Chariot of Sustarre (6th)Fire Storm (7th)Sunray (7th)

Water (C,D)Create Water (1st)Water Breathing (3rd)Water Walk (3rd)Lower Water (4th)Reflecting Pool (4th)Part Water (6th)Transmute Water to Dust (6th)

Guardian (c)Detect Evil (1st)Light (1st)Protection from Evil (1st)Remove Fear (1st)Continual Light (3rd)Abjure (4th)Cloak of Bravery (4th)Protection from Evil, 10� radius (4th)Dispel Evil (5th)Blade Barrier (6th)Forbiddance (6th)Holy Word (7th)

Healing (C,D)Cure Light Wounds (1st)Cure Blindness or Deafness (2nd)Slow Poison (2nd)Cure Disease (3rd)Cure Serious Wounds (4th)Neutralize Poison (4th)Cure Critical Wounds (5th)Dispel Evil (5th)Heal (6th)Regenerate (7th)

Necromantic (c)Invisibility to Undead (1st)Aid (2nd)Cure Blindness or Deafness (2nd)Slow Poison (2nd)Animate Dead (3rd)Cure Disease (3rd)Feign Death (3rd)Negative Plane Protection (3rd)Remove Paralysis (3rd)Speak with Dead (3rd)Neutralize Poison (4th)Dispel Evil (5th)Raise Dead (5th)Regenerate (7th)Restoration (7th)Resurrection (7th)

Plant (D)Entangle (1st)Locate Animals or Plants (1st)Pass Without Trace (1st)Shillelagh (1st)Barkskin (2nd)Detect Snares & Pits (2nd)Goodberry (2nd)Trip (2nd)Warp Wood (2nd)Plant Growth (3rd)Snare (3rd)Spike Growth (3rd)Tree (3rd)

Hallucinatory Forest (4th)Hold Plant (4th)Plant Door (4th)Speak with Plants (4th)Sticks to Snakes (4th)Anti-Plant Shell (5th)Commune with Nature (5th)Pass Plant (5th)Liveoak (6th)Transport via Plants (6th)Turn Wood (6th)Wall of Thorns (6th)Changestaff (7th)

Protection (c)Endure Cold/Endure Heat (1st)Protection from Evil (1st)Sanctuary (1st)Silence 15� rad. (2nd)Resist Fire/Cold (2nd)Withdraw (2nd)Magical Vestment (3rd)Negative Plane Protection (3rd)Remove Paralysis (3rd)Water Breathing (3rd)Protection from Evil, 10� radius (4th)Spell Immunity (4th)Anti-Plant Shell (5th)Anti-Animal Shell (6th)

Summoning (S)Protection from Evil (1st)Dust Devil (2nd)Messenger (2nd)Detect Charm (2nd)Wyvern Watch (2nd)Abjure (4th)Protection from Evil, 10� radius (4th)Dispel Evil (5th)Aerial Servant (6th)Animate Object (6th)Conjure Animals (6th)Weather Summoning (6th)Word of Recall (6th)Creeping Doom (7th)Exaction (7th)Succor (7th)

Sun (D)Light (1st)Continual Light (3rd)Starshine (3rd)Moonbeam (5th)Rainbow (5th)Sunray (7th)

Weather (D)Faerie Fire (1st)Obscurement (1st)Call Lightning (3rd)Control Temp., 10� radius (4th)Protection from Lightning (4th)Reflecting Pool (4th)Control Winds (5th)Rainbow (5th)Weather Summoning (6th)Control Weather (7th)

small Astral sphere. It is true that in theTome of Magic book, one low-level spellwas added, detect ethereal/astral being.We�ll make this spell a specialty divinationin the Summoning sphere. The reason?This spell is esoteric enough that a generalcleric probably wouldn�t have it (so wedon�t put it in Divination). On the otherhand, it is exactly the type of spell that aSummoning specialist is likely to have.

Charmed, I�m sureThe revised Charm sphere contains

spells that emphasize the qualities of sub-tlety and finesse. We�ve moved quest tothe All sphere, so we don�t need it here.

Add sanctuary to this list. This can be aconsidered a mind-effecting spell in that thecleric is altering the perceptions of thesubject. This is close enough to a charmfunction to be included here. Add detectcharm in case some variant cleric is givenaccess to Charm, but not Divination. Addsnake charm. This spell always was availa-ble to the 1st Edition cleric, and was neveravailable to the 1st Edition druid. It makessense that it be on a list to which clericshave access. Add sticks to snakes. This is astretch, but snakes and charming are con-nected in the popular imagination, so weneedn�t be too uncomfortable about includ-ing it here. It also provides a reasonablefollow-up to the snake charm spell. Adddispel evil since this is automatically suc-cessful at breaking evil charms and en-chantments. A cleric specializing in charmmagic should have access to this. Deleteboth remove fear and cloak of bravery.Fear effects are not quite the same ascharm effects, and these are better off ascore spells available to war priests.

�Attack!�The revision of the Combat sphere will

produce a list that emphasizes a fairlydirect and unsubtle approach. The sphereneeds to be beefed up, since chant is mov-ing to the All sphere. Add command. Thisis the only clerical spell that a cleric reallyhas a chance to cast quickly in a show-down with a mage, in spite of its shortrange. Add remove fear which is a directsupport for friendly warriors. Add aid,another support spell that gives the war-riors these clerics hang out with a quickboost. Add cloak of bravery, which is likeremove fear.

Add heroes' feast which plays right intothe theme of the heroic warrior-cleric.Add word of recall. This might be some-thing of a stretch. However, being able toretreat and regroup is an important partof battle tactics, and front-line fightingclerics are going to need this occasionally.(Also, we are planning to convert Sum-moning to more of a specialty discipline,and we don�t want to strip word of recallfrom all the standard clerics in the mean-time). Delete shillelagh. This specialty spellis appropriate only to druids (although youcould make a case for its being a granted

DRAGON 29

power of the WORLD OF GREYHAWK®clerics of Cuthbert). The druids pick it upin the Plant sphere, so there�s no reason tokeep it on this list.

Art of creativityThe Creation sphere needs to be expand-

ed, for there is little here. Add light. Re-member that few specialty clerics actuallyget this staple spell. Putting it here allowsspecialty priests better access to it. Also,the creation of light is traditionally sym-bolic of creation. Of course, if we addlight, we also must include continual light.Add magical stones. Their effect againstundead suggests the presence of rawpositive material energy, which is the stuffof creation. Add negative plane protectionfor the same reason. Add sticks to snakes.Although this might be stretching, thistraditional power of the standard clericclass fits in well with a creationist theme,as this was a power commonly attributedto priests with this background in tradi-tion and myth. Also add aid, raise dead,and restoration. Since creation gods theo-retically created everything, includingpeople, it is reasonable to assume that theycan imbue others with some of their owncreative force. The last addition is holyword. Its inclusion is based on the assump-tion that the ability to create includes theability to preserve the essence of the crea-tion from outside intruders. It is somehowfitting to give the powers of creation notonly the first word, but the last one as

30 MAY 1994

well. Of course, we dump the druid spe-cialty spells changestaff and wall ofthorns. They are specific to the druid andavailable through the Plant sphere.

DivinationsAs noted in comments on the All list,

detect good/evil is moved to this list. Withtongues, commune, and true seeing goingto the All sphere, and reflecting pool andcommune with nature being specialtyspells, the upper levels of the sphere ofDivination look quite thin. No matter, whatis left is pretty potent, and the standardcleric will keep major access, anyway. Inpart two of this article (see �Arcane Lore�in this issue), we shall take a closer look atupper-level divinations.

The stone tell spell should be addedfrom the Elemental list. It is both a divina-tion spell and has traditionally been availa-ble to clerics of sufficient level. Finally,delete the druid specialty spells detectsnares & pits and locate animals or plants.These go to the Animal and Plant spheres.Move reflecting pool to the Weathersphere, and commune with nature to boththe Animal and Plant spheres.

Elementally, my dear druidStandard clerics should have their minor

access to this sphere limited to the Earth andWater elements. This gives them a goodselection of spells, while keeping them awayfrom the druid specialties. Standard clericsshould remain limited to minor access.

If you are splitting the Elemental sphereby element, the Air elemental list is tooshort to be viable (even if you include dustdevil). In this case, borrow from theWeather sphere, including faerie fire, calllightning, and control winds. (As an aside,an air cleric might be augmented from thewizard spell list, possibly including: feath-er fall, whispering wind, and gust ofwind.)

The sunray spell should be on this list.Its original use was to give druids a spellto use against undead and oozes, slimes,and jellies. On a clerical list, it is little morethan a poor man�s flamestrike. In short, itis useful for a druid, for a cleric it is mere-ly redundant.

Guardians of natureCurrently, this sphere just needs devel-

opment. A fair number of people haven�tcaught the difference between this sphereand Protection. The primary difference isthat this sphere wards areas, whereasProtection spells are personal. Both sufferfrom the same problem, the cleric eitherhas all spells of the type, or no spells ofthe type.

It has been suggested to just let thissphere be absorbed into the others. (Thecomment was that splitting spells betweenthis sphere and Protection is a lot likesplitting Comeliness off from Charisma; aninteresting experiment, but ultimately,why bother?) I disagree with this view; theaddition of the sacred sentinel and holy

guardian spells from the Tome of Magicadd enough to this sphere to keep it. Theglyph and symbol spells go to the Allsphere. Also move silence, 15' radius tothe Protection sphere (for use againstsound-based attacks), and move wyvernwatch to the Summoning sphere. Added tothis sphere from the Summoning sphereare abjure and dispel evil. It makes sensethat a guardian priest should be able to getrid of otherplanar or evil entities or ef-fects. Also, the light spell should be addedhere. Its ability to reveal (as light) or con-ceal (as darkness) within the area of effect,plus the alignment slant it would intro-duce to this sphere strongly argue for itsinclusion (and where light goes, continuallight follows, so we add that spell to thislist, too). To reinforce the alignment slant-ing of the Guardian sphere, add protectionfrom evil, protection from evil, 10’ radius,and holy word to this sphere also.

One last note: In the Player’s Handbook,the forbiddance spell was left off the spherelists in the back of the book. It should belisted as a Guardian sphere spell.

Priest, heal thyselfCurrently, half the spells a healer needs

are in the Necromantic sphere. Add thefollowing spells to the Healing sphere:cure blindness or deafness, cure disease,dispel evil, regenerate.

Note dispel evil. With the disappearanceof the exorcism spell, dispel evil has be-come the counter spell to a hostile crea-ture taking over a character or object.Thus this spell needs to be on this list tolet a Healer address this problem.

Necromantic needsClosely related to the Healing sphere,

because it deals with life-force manipula-tion, the Necromantic sphere needs a fewspells added: slow poison, remove paraly-sis, neutralize poison, dispel evil. Thereason these need to be together is thatevil necromancer NPCs need their re-versed forms.

The speak with dead spell should beadded to the list. The only other keychange here is to move reincarnate to theAnimal sphere. The availability of raisedead, resurrection, and so on make rein-carnate here superfluous. The spell origi-nally was the druid counter to characterdeath, and putting it into the Animalsphere restores it to its proper niche inthe game system.

Note that the previous sphere, Healing,does not have access to raise dead andsimilar spells. This is to allow the moreprimitive priests (and others, like druids)to have healing beyond minor access with-out allowing them the capacity to bringback dead characters on a regular basis.

tainly recommend that, as a general rule,clerics and priests have at least minoraccess to the Divination sphere), this en-

sures that clerics with this specialty canuse these spells.

To serve and protectMoving on to the Protection sphere,

dispel magic needs to be moved to the Allsphere. A cleric who can�t dispel magic isblocked from one of his basic game func-tions. The most important spell to addspell here is water breathing. This is animportant clerical spell and the cleric (whomay not have Elemental access) can getaccess to it here. Finally, all the druidspecialty spells should be deleted from thislist: barkskin, protection from fire, andprotection from lightning. The latter two,especially, are unbalancing power adds forthe general cleric; the first totally outper-forms the standard clerical resist fire, andthe latter gives a party too much protec-tion against lightning-based attacks, whichwere specifically designed to be hard onparty magic. These specific advantages ofthe druid were supposed to make thedruid a viable alternative choice on a partylevel; if every cleric can use these, thenwhy go with the specialist druid?

Summon knocking onmy door

The Summoning sphere list is a littleshort. In particular, it is impossible to haveminor access to this sphere, as all thespells in it are 4th level or higher. Add tothe list: dust devil, messenger, and wyvernwatch. Also add protection from evil andprotection from evil, 10’ radius. Theseadditions are based on the principle that asummoning specialist also would haveaccess to the spells that would protect himfrom summoned creatures. The last addi-tion is detect charm, since this allows thesummoner to determine if an extraplanarcreature is controlling an item or creature.Again, the druid specialty spells should beremoved: animal summoning I, II, III;summon woodland beings; and wall ofthorns. Also, remember to add detectastral/ethereal beings here if you have theTome of Magic book.

Here comes the sunAside from noting that the Sun spell list is

a little light (ouch!), I have no major recom-mendations for changes. The list can bebolstered by adding sunburst from theGREYHAWK® Adventures book. A version ofthe spell is reproduced in the �Arcane Lore�column that accompanies this article.

Weather or notAll the Weather sphere spells are fine

for druids and for weather or sea specialtypriests.

A green thumbAdd locate animals and plants, detect Druids: The final frontier

snares & pits, and commune with nature The changes noted above should returnto the Plant sphere. While some may con- the original �feel� to the druid character.sider these listings redundant (and I cer- As a bonus, by moving the various special

32 MAY 1994

druid divination spells into the Animal andPlant lists, we eliminate the need to givethe druid minor access to divinations. (Iknow I recommended that all priests haveat least minor access to Divinations, butthe druid specialty is the infamous excep-tion that proves the rule).

Three small adjustments also should bemade to the list of the druids grantedpowers (this includes all specialty priestsof a nature deity):

1. Druids receive speak with animals asa first-level spell instead of a second-levelspell.

2. Druids receive cure light wounds as asecond-level spell rather than a first-levelspell.

3. Druids receive neutralize poison as athird-level spell instead of a fourth-levelspell.

The reason for the first is to allow evenstarting druids the ability to communicatewith animals directly; a key characterability.

The reason for the second is that the curelight wounds spell is so useful that in mostcampaigns it nearly always drives out otherfirst-level spells. This important modificationof the druids granted powers brings backinto play the first-level druid specialty spells,such as entangle and faerie fire. It also cre-ates a very different sense of pacing forthose playing druid characters.

Likewise, another key druid ability wasthe early access to the neutralize poisonspell. In low/mid-level groups, one of theprimary reasons to seek out druid charac-ters was their ability to save poisonedadventurers.

Odds & endsOne curious question that came up was

how to add new clerical spells to the game,since, theoretically, every cleric knows everyspell on the standard list. How, exactly, doesclerical spell research work if all clericalspells are divinely given?

One solution that works is to assume thatthe spells are available if the cleric knowshow to ask for them. Thus, the basis forclerical spell research is the cleric�s discoveryof how to ask a patron for the appropriatespell. The key factors in the attempt: adven-turing time lost, monetary expenditures, andchance of failure are, of course, equal tothose of a wizard researching a magicalspell. Once a spell is discovered, it eithermay be made available to others of the samereligion or perhaps left as a spell unique tothe PC cleric. This is the DM�s decision,perhaps to be transmitted in the DM�s role ofthe PC�s patron.

Clerical spheres: All, Charm, Combat,Creation, Divination, Guardian, Healing,Necromancy, Protection; Elemental (Minoraccess limited to Earth/Water spells).

Druid spheres: All, Animal, Elemental,Healing, Plant, Sun, Weather.

C = Cleric sphere, D = Druid sphere,S = Specialty priest only.

the result, whatever it is. This protectionlasts for up to a full month, but any benefitnot used within that time is lost. The spellitself may be cast only once per month, lestan unspecified doom strike the caster.

Elemental Air spells

Windbearer (Invocation/Evocation)Level: 3 Comp.: V,MRange: 10 yds./level CT: 6Dur.: 1 turn + 1 rd./lvl. Save: SpecialArea of Effect: Special

This spell creates an pillar of air 5� indiameter and up to 5� tall per level of thecaster. The vertical dimension is decided atthe time of casting. The pillar of air exertsan upward force of 40 pounds per level ofthe caster. If this is sufficient to counterthe weight of an object or creature enter-ing the area, the latter will rise vertically tothe top of the column in a single round.Unwilling creatures are allowed a savingthrow vs. spell to avoid the effect. Thecaster can vary the height of the pillarfrom the possible maximum to a minimumof 5� by concentrating for one round.

Calm winds (Invocation/Evocation)Level: 4 Comp.: V,MRange: 0 CT: 7Dur.: 1 turn + 1 rd./lvl. Save: SpecialArea of Effect: 20� radius globe

This spell creates an area in which the airremains perfectly calm. This will negate theeffects of whirlwinds and spells such as dustdevil and gust of winds within the protectedarea, although the spell itself will not be end-ed. Creatures from the plane of elementalAir, and wind-based creatures such as vorti-ces and windwalkers, will shun and seek toleave the area at the earliest opportunity.This area is mobile with the caster, and lastsas long as the caster concentrates undis-turbed (up to half movement allowed, but noother strenuous actions).

Divination sphere spells

Seal of destiny (Abjuration)Level: 6 Comp.: V,MRange: 30� CT: 1 turnDur.: Permanent Save: NoneArea of Effect: 1 creature or object

This spell seals a creature or objectagainst divinations that would reveal itsdestiny, fortune, fate, or role in epicevents. This includes all casting of auguryspells with respect to the subject, and thegeneral failure of any other divinationsthat would reveal such information. It pre-vents any forecasting of the subject�s influ-ence on greater campaign events, makinggeneral campaign-level divinations moredifficult. Any caster whose divination isblocked by this spell will realize that block-ing magic of some type is involved, and anypriest with major access to divination spellshas a 5% chance per level of knowing theexact cause. The seal can be removed onlyby a dispel magic spell cast expressly forthat purpose by a caster of higher levelthan the one who placed the seal. The cast-er ages one year with each casting of theseal of destiny.

Alter luck (Abjuration/Divination)Level: 6 Comp.: V,MRange: Touch CT: 1 turnDur.: Special Save: NoneArea of Effect: 1 creature

This spell alters the luck of the recipient,allowing three chances to avoid bad luck.At any time within the next month of cam-paign time, the character�s player can re-roll a total three failed dice rolls, in effectgetting a second chance at success. (Typicalrolls include: attack rolls, saving throws,system shock or resurrection survival rolls,damage rolls that inflict less than maxi-mum damage, treasure distribution rolls,and the like). Only one reroll per event isallowed, and the character must abide by

Clear air (Invocation/Evocation)Level: 4 Comp.: V,MRange: Touch CT: 7Dur.: 1 turn + 1 rd./lvl. Save: SpecialArea of Effect: 20� radius globe

This spell creates an area in which theair remains perfectly clear. It banishessmoke, gas, fog, and instantly settles parti-cles such as blowing sand, soot, or grit.Creatures in gaseous form are immedi-ately expelled from its confines and theycannot enter the area while the spell is ineffect. The spell will affect the area sur-rounding the creature touched, and it ismobile with it.

Conjure air elemental(Invocation/Evocation)Level: 7 Comp.: V,MRange: 30 yds. + 10/lvl. CT: 7Dur.: Instant. Save: SpecialArea of Effect: 40� radius globe

A caster who performs this spell sum-mons an air elemental to do his bidding.The elemental is 60% likely to have 12 HitDice, 35% likely to have 16 Hit Dice, and5% likely to have 21 to 24 Hit Dice(20 + ld4). Furthermore, the caster needsbut to command it, and it does as he de-sires, for the elemental regards the casteras a friend to be obeyed. The elementalremains until destroyed, dispelled, sentaway by a dismissal or holy word spell (seethe conjure fire elemental spell), or thespell duration expires.

Whirlwind (Invocation/Evocation)Level: 7 Comp.: V,MRange: 120 yards CT: 1 turnDur.: 3 + 1d4 rds. Save: SpecialArea of Effect: cone 30� x 270� high

This spell creates damaging, gale-forcewinds, capable of destroying structures ofless than the sturdiest stone construction.On land, the whirlwind will appear as atornado, at sea, it will appear as a hurri-cane. The whirlwind can be created onlywhere there is room for it to fully form,and its formation requires a full turn. Itautomatically scatters unprotected crea-tures with up to three hit dice (save vs.death or be killed), and grounds all flyingcreatures (save vs. death or crash). Unpro-tected creatures with four or more hitdice will take 3d6 points of damage perround of exposure (from buffeting, flyingdebris, etc.) and cannot move into thewind (i.e., toward the caster). The whirl-wind has the same effect as an earthquake(Player’s Handbook, page 233) on all struc-tures except those made of solidly con-structed stone.

The whirlwind moves at a rate of 30 to60 yards per round, according to thedesire of the caster, and the caster canvary its direction by up to 60 degrees perround. The caster must concentrate on thewhirlwind for a full round to change itsspeed or direction.

36 MAY 1994

Elemental Water spells

Precipitation (Alteration)Level: 1 Comp.: V,S,MRange: 10 yds/level CT: 4Dur.: 1 round Save: NoneArea of Effect: 30� diameter cylinder up to

60� high

This spell precipitates a light rain out ofthe air, drizzling on everything in the areaof effect. Small flames (candles) will beextinguished. Small fires (torches andcampfires) will gutter and smoke for around after the drizzling stops. Bonfiresand most magical fires will be unaffected.Large magical fire effects (fireball, wall offire, flamestrike) cast into the area duringthe rain will create a warm fog that ob-scures vision in an area 60� in diameter.This lasts 2-5 rounds, half that in a breeze,and but one round in a strong wind.

The precipitation spell has doubledeffect in humid climes, causes only slightdampness in arid climes, produces lightsleet at temperatures near freezing, andcreates snow if the temperature is belowfreezing.

Note: This spell also is added to theelemental Air and Weather lists.

Cloudburst (Invocation/Evocation)Level: 3 Comp.: V,S,MRange: 10 yds/level CT: 6Dur.: 1 round Save: NoneArea of Effect: 30� diameter cylinder up to

60� high

This spell precipitates a rush of waterout of the air, instantly drenching every-thing in the area of effect. Normal fireswill be extinguished. Permanent magicalfires will go out, but will re-light in 1-2rounds (weapons in 1 round). Fire-basedspells of first or second level are negatedimmediately.

Fire-based spells of third level or higherare also negated, but will create a steamcloud with a 120� diameter. Those withinthe steam cloud are scalded for 1-3 pointsof damage per round (twice this for cold-based creatures). The steam cloud lasts 2-5rounds, half that in a breeze, and but oneround in a strong wind.

This spell has doubled effect in humidclimes, causes a heavy dampness in aridclimes, produces slush and sleet at temper-atures near freezing, and creates up to10� of snow if the temperature is belowfreezing.

Note: This spell also is added to theelemental Air and Weather lists.

Tsunami (Invocation/Evocation)Level: 7 Comp.: V,MRange: 240 yards CT: 1 turnDur.: 1d4 rounds Save: SpecialArea of Effect: Variable

This spell creates a huge, racing wall ofwater that will destroy structures of lessthan the sturdiest stone construction. The

size and destructive power of the wavedepends on the amount of water present,and can be up to 10� high per level of thecaster. An average river can wash away afarmstead, an ocean can inundate anentire town. The tsunami washes awayand scatters unprotected creatures withup to three hit dice (save vs. death ordrown). Unprotected creatures with fouror more hit dice will take 3d6 points ofdamage per round of exposure. The tsu-nami has the same effect as an earthquakeon all structures except those made ofsolidly constructed stone.

Guardian sphere spells

Animate statue (Invocation/Evocation)Level: 4 Comp.: V,MRange: Touch CT: 7Dur.: 3 rds. + 1 rd./lvl. Save: SpecialArea of Effect: 20� radius globe

This spell allows the caster to animate anormal statue and have it fight for him.The statue can be from 3-12� tall and canbe made of wood, stone, or crystal. Whenanimated, the statue has AC 5, 4d8 hitpoints, attacks as a 4-HD monster, and canbe damaged only by magical weapons. Thestatue has one attack per round, either byweapon or a blow for 1-8 points of dam-age. The statue can be deactivated by asuccessful dispel magic spell.

If the spell is cast on a statue that isalready magical, the statue will animateand attack the caster, pursuing until thecaster successfully escapes it or is slain.

Lesser guardian seal(Invocation/Evocation)Level: 4 Comp.: V,MRange: Touch CT: 7Dur.: Special Save: SpecialArea of Effect: One portal

This spell allows the caster to magicallyseal a door, window, box, etc. against onetype of creature (ghouls, bears, elves, etc).The seal is effective against any such crea-tures whose hit dice are equal to or lessthan the caster. More powerful creatureswill shatter the seal.

In addition all magical and enchantedcreatures cannot pass the sealed portal,nor are their magical abilities effectiveagainst it. Other creatures can try to phys-ically destroy the door, box lid, etc. Thewarding magic will inflict one-quarterdamage (round up) caused to the closureback upon the creature trying to breakthrough.

The seal lasts until the portal is opened.

Greater guardian seal(Invocation/Evocation)Level: 6 Comp.: V,MRange: Touch CT: 9Dur.: Special Save: SpecialArea of Effect: One portal

This spell is the same as the lesser

DRAGON 37

38 MAY 1994

guardian seal, except that whole classes ofcreatures are warded out: lycanthropes,undead, faeries, giants, etc.

Imbue purpose (Enchantment)Level: 6 Comp.: V,MRange: Touch CT: 1 hourDur.: Special Save: SpecialArea of Effect: 1 weapon

This spell allows the cleric to give aweapon the purpose to slay a particulartype of creature (ghouls, bears, elves, etc.)for a period of 24 hours. If the cleric isgood, the creature type must be evil. Theweapon is treated as a +3 weapon forattack and damage unless it is a magicalweapon that has greater bonuses.

Any subject creature hit by the weaponmust make a saving throw vs. death or beslain instantly. If a creature with 8 ormore hit dice is slain by the weapon, thespell ends immediately. Any subject crea-ture that is hit by the weapon and survivesmust make an immediate saving throw vs.spell or flee as if affected by the fear spell.

A cleric cannot imbue purpose to morethan one weapon at a time. The materialcomponent is powdered diamond dustworth 1,000 gp.

Inner sanctum (Enchantment)Level: 7 Comp.: V,MRange: Touch CT: 1 turnDur.: 30 min./level Save: SpecialArea of Effect: 20� diameter sphere

This spell seals a 20� sphere or a singleroom of like size against scrying, psionics,and magical entry (teleport, dimensiondoor, etc). It allows no access to or fromother planes or dimensions. If not cast inan enclosed area, the sanctum area notonly blends into the surroundings, butsubtly affects the senses of creaturesaround it so that not only will its presencenot be detected, but creatures will subcon-sciously avoid entering the warded area.The caster may, at will, allow others to seeand enter his sanctum. The caster can seehis own sanctum. The spell boundaries arenot solid and do not prevent the entry ofphysical material, such as rain.

Ancient curse (Abjuration)Level: 7 Comp.: VRange: Special CT: 1 roundDur.: Special Save: NoneArea of Effect: Special

This spell allows the cleric to call downthe wrath of the patron power in the formof a terrible and lasting curse on thosewho commit acts of great wickednessagainst that power. Typical acts includethe desecration of a major temple or bur-ial place, the massacre of a congregation,the theft of an important relic or artifact,and the like. In all cases, the principle ofretribution is central to successful castingof the spell. The use of the spell is adjudi-cated by the DM, and misuse or overuse

may result in its failure, or even visit theeffect upon the caster. The ancient cursemust be spoken in the presence of themalefactor and its conditions clearly an-nounced. Thereafter, it is in effect.

The caster decides what form the cursewill take (subject to the approval of theDM). The effects will be long-term, devel-oping over months and years, extendingfor centuries, affecting not only the origi-nal recipient, but his descendants as well.Typical ancient curses include poverty, ill-luck, a haunting, the onset of a degenera-tive disease, the periodic devastation ofone�s household or property, and so on.

The spell is not necessarily permanent.An atonement spell or divine interventionin conjunction with a quest involvingdeeds of a magnitude equal to those forwhich the ancient curse was invoked cancounter it.

Protection sphere spells

Shield of the archons (Abjuration)Level: 7 Comp.: VRange: 0 CT: 1Dur.: 1 rd./2 lvls. Save: NoneArea of Effect: 120° arc

This spell creates a mystic shield ofbeneficent energies that interposes itselfbetween the caster and incoming attacksby spell, innate spell-like ability, or magicaldevice (wand, stave, etc.). Attacks thecaster that are within the arc protected bythe shield hit the shield instead, and mayshatter it. Roll 1d20 for every spell it inter-cepts. The shield shatters if the roll is lessthan or equal to the spell level of the inter-cepted spell. A shield that shatters pro-vides protection from the spell thatshattered it.

If an area-effect spell would include thecaster, but is not directly targeted on him,then the shield provides a +4 savingthrow bonus and reduces damage by -2points per die. This protection also isafforded against breath-weapon attacksthat would cause physical damage.

If attacks are launched at the casterfrom different directions, the shield inter-poses itself between the caster and themost dangerous threat, as determined bythe DM.

The shield provides no protectionagainst attacks other than those specified.A caster can create a shield of the archonsbut once per day.

Its reverse, shield of the tanar�ri, is simi-lar, but uses baneful energies. This form ofthe spell is used by evil priests.

Sun sphere spells

Warmth (Invocation/Evocation)Level: 3 Comp.: V,MRange: Touch CT: 5Dur.: 4 hours + 1 hr/lvl. Save: NoneArea of Effect: Creature touched

Continued on page 96

DRAGON 39

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* indicates a product produced by a company other than TSR,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.

Important: DRAGON® Magazine nolonger publishes phone numbers for conven-tions. Publishing incorrect numbers is al-ways possible and is a nuisance to both thecaller and those receiving the misdirectedcall. Be certain that any address given iscomplete and correct.

To ensure that your convention listingmakes it into our files, enclose a self-addressed stamped postcard with your firstconvention notice; we will return the card toshow that your notice was received. You alsomight send a second notice one week aftermailing the first. Mail your listing as early aspossible, and always keep us informed ofany changes. Please avoid sending conven-tion notices by fax, as this method has notproved to be reliable.

MARCON 29, May 13-15 OHThis convention will be held at the Hyatt

Regency in Columbus, Ohio. Events include role-playing, board, and miniatures games. Guestsinclude Philip Jose Farmer, Barbara Hambly,Boris Vallejo, and Forrest J. Ackerman. Registra-tion: $30 on site. Write to: MARCON 29, P.O. Box211101, Columbus OH 43321.

NORTHWEST GAMEFEST II, May 13-15 ORThis convention will be held at the Monarch

Hotel in Clackamas, Ore..Events include role-playing, board, and miniatures games. Otheractivities include dealers and Wizards of theCoast staff members. Registration: $15 preregis-tered; $18/weekend or $10/day on site. Write to:NRMR, P.O. Box 6068, Salem OR 97304.

OASIS 7, May 13-15 FLThis convention will be held at the Orlando

North Hilton in Altamonte Springs, Fla. Eventsinclude role-playing, board, and miniaturesgames, plus dealers, an auction, videos, andpanels. Guest of honor is Raymond E. Feist.Write to: OASFIS, P.O. Box 940992, Maitland FL32794-0902.

GAMERS� CON �94, May 14-15 NJThis convention will be held at the Hightstown

American Legion hall in Hightstown, N.J. Eventsinclude role-playing, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities include dealers and on-site refreshments. Registration: $8 preregis-tered; $10 on site. Single-day rates vary. Writeto: Shorecon, Inc., 142 South St., Unit 9C, Redbank NJ 07701-2216.

MADISON GAMES CON �94, May 14-15 WIThis convention will be held at the Edgewood

High School in Madison, Wis. Events includerole-playing, board, and miniatures games.Other activities include a game auction. Judges

and dealers are welcome. Write to: PegasusGames, 6640 Odana Rd., Madison WI 53719.

ORGANIZED KAHN-FUSION XIIMay 14-15 PA

This convention will be held at the West EnolaFire Hall in Enola, Pa. Events include role-playing, board, and miniatures games. Otheractivities include open gaming, dealers, food,and a miniatures-painting contest. Registrationfees vary. Write to: M. Foners� Games OnlyEmporium, 200 3rd St., New Cumberland PA 17070.

CONFIGURATION V, May 21-22 OKThis convention will be held at the Days Inn in

Tulsa, Okla. Events include role-playing, board,and miniatures games. Other activities includevideos and a used-game auction. Registration: $9on site. Write to: WARP, Configuration V, Room215A, OMU, 900 Asp Ave., Norman OK 73019.

PARADOXICON II, May 21-23This convention will be held at Carleton

University�s Tory Building in Ottawa, Ontario.Events include role-playing, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities include aminiatures-painting competition and a gameauction. Registration: $25 (Canadian) preregis-tered; $35 on site. Write to: PARADOXICON II,CUSC, c/o Students� ASSOC., 1125 Colonel ByDrive, Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA K1S 5B6.

II ENCONTRO INTERNACIONAL DE RPGMay 27-29

This convention will be held at the Parque deIbirapuera in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Guests includeMark Rein-Hagen. Events include role-playing,board, and miniatures games. Write to: DouglasQuinta Reis, Rua Augusto de Toledo, 83, SaoPaulo-SP 01542-020 BRAZIL.

GAMESCAUCUS II, May 27-30 CAThis convention will be held at the Airport

Hilton in Oakland, Calif. Events include role-playing, board, and miniatures games. Otheractivities include dealers, two painting contests,a flea market, and movies. Registration: $30 onsite. Write to: Trigaming Assoc., P.O. Box 4867Walnut Creek CA 94596-0867.

GAMEX �94, May 27-30 CAThis convention will be held at the Airport

Hyatt in Los Angeles, Calif. All types of family,strategy, and adventure board, role-playing,miniatures, and computer gaming are featured.Other activities include dealers, flea markets,seminar, and demonstrations. Registration: $25preregistered; $30/on site. Write to: STRATEGI-CON, P.O. Box 3849, Torrance CA 90510-3849.

MIGSCON XV, May 27-30This historical gaming convention will be held

at the Holiday Inn in Hamilton, Ontario. Eventsinclude board and miniatures games. Otheractivities include dealers. Write to: MIGSCONXV, P.O. Box 37013, Barton Postal Outlet, Hamil-ton, Ontario, CANADA L8L 8E9.

DRAGON 41

NASHCON �94, May 27-29 TNThis convention will be held at the Days Inn-

Airport in Nashville, Tenn. Events include role-playing, board, and miniatures games. Otheractivities include guests, dealers, and a gameauction. Registration: $18 ($15 for HMGS andNASAMW members). Write to: NASHCON �94,c/o Games Extraordinaire, 2713 Lebanon Pike,Nashville TN 37214.

SILI*CON �94, May 27-30 VAThis SF&F convention will be held at the

Howard Johnson in Norfolk, Va. Guests includeDean Stockwell and Armin Shimerman. Activi-ties include SF&F movies, Japanimation, com-puter software demos, a writers� workshop, anart show, dealers, and gaming. Registration:$35/weekend; daily rates vary. Write to: SILI-CON, 44 N. Armistead St. Suite 103, AlexandriaVA 22312.

3-RIVERS GAMEFEST �94, May 27-30 PAThis convention will be held at the Airport

Marriott in Pittsburgh, Pa. Events include role-playing, board, and miniatures games. Registra-tion: $18. Daily and visitor passes are available.Write to: Andon Unltd., 3-Rivers Gamefest �94,P.O. Box 3100, Kent OH 44240.

WAR!ZONE WEST, �94, May 27-30 FLThis convention will be held at the Holiday

Inn Crowne Plaza in Tampa, Fla. Events includerole-playing, board, and miniatures games.Other activities include dealers, a flea market,an auction, and open gaming. Registration: $19/weekend or $7/day on site. Write to: WAR!ZONEWEST,c/o Wolf Ent., P.O. Box 1256, DeLand FL32721-1256.

CONWEST VI, June 3-5 NMThis convention will be held at the Howard

Johnson Plaza in Albuquerque, N.M. Eventsinclude role-playing, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities include tournaments, agames auction, a storytelling contest, and aminiatures-painting contest. Registration: $10.Registration doesn�t include game fees. Write to:Weregamers Guild, SAC Box 48, SUB, UNM87131.

ILLINICON �94, June 3-5 ILThis convention will be held at the Hendrick

House dorm on the University of Illinois campusin Urbana, Ill. Events include role-playing,board, and miniatures games. Other activitiesinclude open gaming, free movies, a gameauction, prizes, and dealers. Registration: $5.GMs are welcome. Send an SASE to: UrbanaGaming House, 904 West Green, Box 1801,Urbana IL 61801.

D-DAY �94, June 4-12 CAThis convention will be held at Game Towne

in Carlsbad, Ca. Events include board-gametournaments. Other activities include miniaturesgames, a miniatures-painting contest, andprizes. Write to: D-DAY, Game Towne, 2933Roosevelt, Carlsbad CA 92008.

FANFAIRE �94, June 9-12 SCThis convention will be held at the Holiday

Inn in Greenville S.C. Guests include ArdathMayhar, Holly Lisle, and Ruth Thompson. Eventsinclude role-playing, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities include an art show andauction, prizes, contests, and a charity auction.Registration: $20 before April 30; $25 there-after. Single-day rates $10 on site. Write to:Fanfaire Prod., P.O. Box 1801 Greenville SC29602-1801.

42 MAY 1994

CAMELOT VI, June 10-12 ALThis convention will be held at the Radisson

Suite Hotel in Huntsville, Ala. Guests includeClyde Caldwell and R. A. Salvatore. Eventsinclude role-playing, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities include a banquet.Registration: $25. Write to: CAMELOT VI, P.O.Box 14223, Huntsville AL 35815.

RECONN �94, June 11-12 CTThis convention will be held at the Ramada

Plaza Hotel in Stamford, Conn. Events includerole-playing, board, and miniatures games.Other activities include dealers and a videoroom. Write to: Gaming Guild, c/o Jim Wiley,100 Hoyt St. 2C, Stamford CT 06905.

SAGA �94, June 11-13This convention will be held at Glebe high

school in Sydney. Guests include Ed Greenwood.Events include role-playing, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities include freeforms.Write to: SAGA, c/o Dennis, P.O. Box 881 Bur-wood, NSW 2134 AUSTRALIA.

CON*TRETEMPS 8, June 17-19 NEThis convention will be held at the Ramada

Inn in Omaha, Nebr. Guests include RobinBailey, Nick Smith, and Roger Tener. Eventsinclude role-playing, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities include panels, videos,filking, dealers, and gaming. Registration: $20before May 31; $25 thereafter, Write to: CON-TRETEMPS 8, P.O. Box 4071, Omaha NE 68104-9998.

WYVERCON �94, June 17-19 WAThis convention will be held at the Skagit

County Fairgrounds in Mt. Vernon, Wa. Eventsinclude role-playing, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities include a costume con-test, dealers, and a miniatures contest. Registra-tion: $15 before May 31; $20 on site. Daily ratesavailable. Make checks payable to SVGA. Writeto: WYVERCON �94, P.O. Box 2325, Mt. VernonWA 98273.

CAPITALCON X, June 18-19 ILThis convention will be held at the Prairie

Capital Convention Center in Springfield, Ill.Events include role-playing, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities include aminiatures-painting contest, an auction, anddoor prizes. Registration: $10. Write to: JohnHoltz, 400 E. Jefferson St., Springfield IL 62701.

ARCHON 18, June 24-26 ILThis convention will be held at the Gateway

Center in Collinsville, Ill. Guests include JackChalker and Martha Soukup. Events includerole-playing, board, and miniatures games.Other activities include dealers, masquerades,videos, and gaming. Registration: $19 beforeMay 31; $22 on site. Write to: ARCHON 18, P.O.Box 483, Chesterfield MO 63006-0483.

DALLAS GAME EXPO �94, June 24-26 TXThis convention will be held at the LeBaron

Hotel in Dallas, Tex. Events include role-playing,board, and miniatures games. Other activitiesinclude dealers. Registration: $10 preregistered;$15/weekend or $5/day on site. Write to: DAL-LAS GAME EXPO, P.O. Box 824662, Dallas TX75382.

NEW ORLEANS SF&F FESTIVALJune 24-26 LA

This SF&F convention will be held at the NewOrleans Airport Hilton in Kenner, La. Guestsinclude C. J. Cherryh, George Alec Effinger, and

John Steakley. Other activities include panels,movies and videos, dealers, and 24-hour gaming.Registration: $25 on site. Write to: NEW OR-LEANS SF&F FESTIVAL, P.O. Box 791089, NewOrleans LA 70179-1089.

PAXCON �94, June 26-26 MDThis convention will be held at the Best West-

ern Maryland Inn in Laurel, Md. Events includerole-playing, board, and miniatures games.Other activities include RPGA� tournamentsand dealers. Registration: $12 preregistered; $15on site. Write to: Chesapeake Games, P.O. Box13607, Silver Spring MD 20911-3607.

PHENOMENON �94June 25-27

This convention will be held at Karabar highschool in Queanbeyan. Guests include Ed Green-wood. Events include role-playing, board, andminiatures games. Other activities includefreeforms. Write to: PHENOMENON, P.O. Box308, Belconnen ACT 2616 AUSTRALIA.

WAR!ZONE SOUTH �94, July 1-4 FLThis convention will be held at the Sheraton

I.T.T. in Ft. Myers, Fla. Events include role-playing, board, and miniatures games. Otheractivities include dealers, a flea market, anauction, and open gaming. Registration: $15/weekend preregistered before June 17; $19/weekend or $7/day on site. Write to: WAR!ZONESOUTH, c/o Wolf Entertainment, P.O. Box 1256,DeLand FL 32721-1256.

ARCANACON XII, July 7-10This convention will be held at the Col-

lingwood Education Centre in Melbourne.Guests include Ed Greenwood. Events includerole-playing, board, and miniatures games.Other activities include freeforms. Write to:ARCANACON, P.O. Box 125, Parkville, Vic, 3052AUSTRALIA.

ORIGINS �94, July 7-10 CAThis convention will be held at the McEnery

Convention Center in San Jose, Calif. Guestsinclude Larry Niven and Steven Barnes. Eventsinclude scores of role-playing, board, and minia-tures games. Write to: ORIGINS �94, P.O. Box3100, Kent OH 44240.

NONCON �94, July 15-17This convention will be held at the Queens-

land University of Technology in Brisbane.Guests include Ed Greenwood. Events includerole-playing, board, and miniatures games.Other activities include freeforms. Write to:NONCON, P.O. Box 328, Carina, Qld, 4152 AUS-TRALIA.

POLARISCON 3, July 8-10 MNThis convention will be held at the Thunder-

bird Hotel and Convention Center in Minneapo-lis, Minn. Events include role-playing, board,and miniatures games. Other activities includeseminars, demos, videos, dealers, an art show,and a masquerade. Registration: $20 beforeJune 1; $25 on site. Write to: POLARISCON 3, c/o Time, Space, &, Fantasy, Inc., P.O. Box 8908,Lake St. Station, Minneapolis MN 55408.

V-KHAN, July 8-10 COThis convention will be held at the Holiday

Inn North in Colorado Springs, Colo. Guestsinclude Andrew J. Offutt. Events include role-playing, board, and miniatures games. Otheractivities include dealers, a miniatures-painting

Continued on page 122

©1994 by John C. Bunnell

Photography by Charles Kohl

The fall of night and of heroes

44 MAY 1994

THE LEGEND OF NIGHTFALLMickey Zucker Reichert

DAW 0-88677-587-6 $5.99Given the imposing thickness of this

novel, and its publisher�s penchant forworld-spanning multi-volume epics, it�squite a surprise to learn that The Legendof Nightfall is a mild-mannered and entire-ly self-contained yarn whose title charac-ter is much less extraordinary than thesongs about him would indicate. The sur-prise, though, is altogether pleasant, andthere�s still enough adventure and sorceryafoot to make the reading lively.

Legend and rhyme call Nightfall a de-mon incarnate, but the truth is that he�smerely a superb self-trained thief andassassin. He does, however, have oneinborn magical gift: the power to alter hisbody�s mass at will, from feather-lightnessto rock-hard immobility. Thus when he�sfinally taken as the book begins, his cap-tors have two different reasons for hold-ing him. King Rikard wants him bound bya sorcerous oath to act as bodyguard andteacher-by-example to his younger son,whose high-minded crusades are idealistic

but hopelessly impractical. His chancellorGilleran would much prefer Nightfalldead�for by ritually slaying a man with amage-gift, a sorcerer can absorb the abilityfor himself.

Initially, Gilleran must obey his king, andso the novel quickly finds Nightfall andPrince Edward headed out of Rikard�ssmall kingdom by royal decree. The pairare an awkward but beguiling match asNightfall�s cynicism and experience runhead-on into Edwards naive faith in pureprinciple. The catch is that by the terms ofGilleran�s spell, Nightfall can�t reveal histrue identity or his obligation to seeEdward achieve landed status.

In Reichert�s hands, neither character isa cardboard cutout. We learn enoughabout Nightfall�s street-born backgroundto understand his native caution and suspi-cion, and Edward, though often inept,gradually proves to be much more than ahalf-brained fanatic. When an old flame ofNightfalls is added to the equation, theresulting triangle is portrayed with aconvincing blend of bitterness and be-mused wit.

The plot likewise proves to be bothstraightforward and rambling, with a fewneatly executed twists. Not surprisingly,Gilleran�s ambitions prove to reach wellbeyond one man�s mage-gift, but morethan one opponent must be removedbefore the sorcerer�s plans can be fulfilled.Reichert juggles the assortment of alliesand adversaries with polished smoothness,unveiling the overall pattern at a leisurelypace without sacrificing suspense. In addi-tion, Nightfalls magical ability is thought-fully and thoroughly worked out, provingremarkably versatile for all its limitednature. Reichert gives enough detail aboutthe overall nature of sorcery and mage-gifts that interested gamers could workout a plausible adaptation of the system

with little difficulty.The Legend of Nightfall is a strikingly

quick read considering the book�s impos-ing size, which is a tribute to Reichert�snarrative ability. Light, deft storytelling isa valuable commodity in the ranks ofsword-and-sorcery novelists, and it�s onethat Reichert possesses in notablemeasure.

THE IMPERIUM GAMEK. D. Wentworth

Del Rey 0-345-38729-5 $4.50The good news about K.D. Wentworth�s

novel about a high-tech role-playing gamegone mysteriously haywire is that theImperium Game itself is an intriguingconstruct�a replica of ancient Romewhere the challenge is to rise from plebei-an to Emperor. The bad news is that it�s aconstruct with no visible means of sup-port. The future in which Wentworthplaces her Game is too important to theplot to be ignored entirely, yet too thinlydeveloped to make the Game�s continuedexistence remotely believable.

Playing the Game is, by implication,mostly a pastime of the very rich, where acampaign for the Imperial throne can takeyears and an Emperor�s daughter canreach her teens almost without having setfoot outside the Imperium. (There arereduced rates for artisans, who can offsetthe cost by selling their wares, but that�sdescribed as the exception rather than therule.) What�s not explained is how playerscan lead full lives inside the Game withouttotally depleting their personal fortunes.Overworked programmer Arvid Kericksonruns through most of his salary paying hisex-wife�s Game fees, so one wonders howprospective Emperors find time to manageoutside business interests while piling upauthenticity points.

The parallel puzzle is that all this reve-nue doesn�t seem to go anywhere. Kerick-son and his coworkers aren�t getting rich,and apparently neither is HabiTek, thecorporation that owns and operates theGame. In fact, on the slim detailsWentworth provides, the Game�s profitmargin is so thin it�s a wonder it hasn�tbeen shut down long ago.

The novel�s third mystery isn�t actuallythe murder of the Games current Emper-or, for which Kerickson quickly becomesthe chief suspect�although Wentworth�splotting is suitably convoluted. It�s that thecomputerized, cybernetically augmentedlaw-enforcement team sent to investigatethe killing is utterly ineffective at trackingeither the real murderer or the conspiracybehind the crime. That task goes toKerickson, aided and hindered in equalmeasure by a pantheon of software-drivenRoman gods who are running badly out ofcontrol.

The inconsistent background isn�tenough to make The Imperium Gameunreadable; appealing characters andcarefully worked out game design arepartial compensations. But the lack of

consistent supporting detail is a constantsource of low-level frustration. Wentworthhas built a provocative Game, but theNiven-Barnes Dream Park series still re-flects a better balance of game elementswith real-world logic.

FALLEN HEROESDafydd ab Hugh

Pocket 0-671-88459-X $5.50You know you�ve got an unusual Star

Trek novel on your hands when the backcover copy could have read �EVERYBODYDIES!��and been essentially accurate.

What�s even more unusual is that Da-fydd ab Hugh has managed to kill off mostof the familiar Deep Space Nine crewwithout writing an overly depressingstory. Though there�s plenty of grim, dra-matic heroism to go around, there�s alsoan upbeat quality to the tale that neatlyoffsets the carnage and destruction.

It doesn�t hurt that the two longest-livedcharacters in the book are Odo and Quark,who escape the assault of a mysteriousband of deadly invaders by being inadver-tently bumped three days forward in time.Author ab Hugh perfectly captures thepair�s laconically barbed relationship,which serves as an effective counterpointto the fact that in this near-future future,everyone else on the station is dead ormissing in action.

But the constable and the Ferengi are farfrom the only players in ab Hugh�s drama.The narrative flips smoothly back andforth between times, and in the �normal�time-frame, the rest of the crew is desper-ately trying to stop the invasion force.Their efforts are ingenious, thoughtful,and well-executed, but the aliens are re-lentless, well-armed, and utterly single-minded. The result is that nothing Sisko orO�Brien or Kira does is quite enough, andab Hugh chronicles each sacrifice with asensitive hand. These are not deaths with-out reason, nor do they evoke the comicbook sense of death as something designedto create a jump in the sales curve.Though no punches are pulled whereviolence is concerned, neither does abHugh indulge in mayhem and gore fortheir own sake.

Of course, because this is after all a StarTrek novel, it�s not giving away much toreveal that ab Hugh manages to restoreDS9 to its original condition before theadventure is over. But even the eventualrescue is handled cleverly and with a goodeye for character. The final tag in particu-lar is an impish bit of poetic justice asskillfully delivered as any closing momentof a DS9 television episode.

Perhaps what�s striking about FallenHeroes is that it�s an extremely good en-semble story, playing to the strengths andfoibles of every member of its cast withremarkable even-handedness. Writers ofthe original-series Star Trek books haveoccasionally managed this, but it has beennoticeably rarer in the TNG line. The factthat ab Hugh has achieved it with only the

DRAGON 45

fourth entry in the DS9 canon�and withless than two seasons of the TV show fromwhich to draw source material�is littleshort of remarkable. If future DS9 novelscan hold to this standard, readers will bewell served indeed.

INDIANA JONES AND THE WHITEWITCH

Martin CaidinBantam 0-553-56194-4 $ 4 . 9 9

You�d think a novel with the IndianaJones name in its title would be chock-fullof action, adventure, narrow escapes, andsuspense. But flip open Martin Caidin�snewest addition to this series at random,and in at least two out of three cases,you�ll hit a history lecture, an internalmonologue, or a strategy session.

The lectures are especially frustratingon two counts. First, both Indy and fellowarchaeologist Gale Parker are billed asexperts on ancient mystical beliefs andartifacts, but whenever Caidin needs to fillin some historical background, one of thetwo suddenly loses all memory and rea-soning ability so that the other can deliverseveral pages of scholarly-sounding detailson the subject at hand. The practice iswildly out of character for Indy, and thelectures occupy an alarming percentage ofthe novel.

The second historical problem is one ofcredibility. Caidin strongly asserts in anAfterword to that all of the Wiccan andArthurian lore mentioned in the story isgenuine. While his aeronautic and militarymaterial is easily verifiable, he cites nosources for his interpretation of the Ar-thurian cycle (failing even to name whichaccounts he consulted), and claims person-al experience as the foundation for his useof Wiccan tradition. In both cases, hisassessments are intriguing but hardly asconclusive as he suggests�a cavalier dis-missal of the academic that seems out ofcharacter in connection with Jones.

One might forgive the maverick mysti-cism if it had been accompanied by a solid,compelling adventure plot. Such is em-phatically not the case, however. Thevillain is an utter nonentity who getsscarcely more than a walk-on at the end ofthe story; those who�ve read Caidin�s priorIndy Jones novel will recall the character,but will find him less than a shadow of hisformer self. Even Indy seems like he�sbarely paying attention to his surround-ings, to the extent that traveling with twohighly attractive women fails to arouseeven the faintest hints of romance.

There�s one impressive bit of plot leger-demain near the climax, when Indy pulls aclever if rather cold-blooded rabbit out ofhis own bag of tricks. But it doesn�t re-deem the novel as a whole. Readers areadvised to stay well clear of Indiana Jonesand the White Witch; it�s a sharp disap-pointment and much weaker than Caidin�searlier entry in the series. One hopes it�snot a sign of things to come, but that maybe a vain wish, as the ending virtually

46 MAY 1994

promises a follow-up volume.

A COLLEGE OF MAGICSCaroline Stevermer

Tor 0-312-85689-X $22.95One usually associates Regency fantasy

with airy swashbuckling and witty ro-mance, the sort of story that�s deftly con-structed and vastly entertaining butdoesn�t carry a lot of literary baggage.Caroline Stevermer has written or co-written that sort of book (and very well,too), but A College of Magics takes theform further. While it�s still very much afantasy of manners, with all the stylish-ness that category implies, it�s also a novelof depth and wisdom.

It should first be noted that �Regency�describes the books tone but not its set-ting, at least not strictly. There are severalnew, small principalities on Stevermer�smap of Europe unknown to real-worldcartographers, and technology is farenough along for trains and steam powerto be well-established. At the same time,however, magic is an advanced if largelytheoretical discipline, and the Church amore muted influence in Stevermer�sworld than in ours.

The reader�s guide to this landscape is ayoung woman named Faris who has beensent off to boarding school to get her outof the way at home. Faris, her school, andher classmates are far from ordinary. Farisis in line to be duchess of one small coun-try and perhaps queen of another, depend-ing on how the other heirs and claimantssort themselves out. Greenlaw�s is themost highly regarded college of magic onthe Continent. And among Faris class-mates, in time, are a ranking diplomat anda would-be rival for at least one of herthrones.

Instead of a leisurely romance, then, weget a tense political thriller, complete withspies, bombs, assassins, terrorists, and hair-trigger chases. We get it with all the courtlystyle and wit characteristic of the setting�sRegency heritage. Then there�s the magic.Something in the fabric of the supernaturalis badly out of alignment, and if Faris doesn�tfind the inner strength to confront andcorrect the imbalance, all the political machi-nations may prove irrelevant.

What comes through all of this, as thescene shifts between Greenlaw�s and Parisand a peasant farmhouse and assortedcastles, is a sense of moral dimension thatthe average swashbuckler takes for grant-ed. Where the Musketeers or the Ruritani-an nobility serve the cause of right almostautomatically, Faris comes to her ownsense of justice the hard way, throughexperience and shared peril. Stevermerdoes a sparkling job of mixing wry humorand heart-wrenching sacrifice, particularlylate in the book when it turns out that shehasn�t left out the romance after all.

That makes A College of Magics a defin-itely satisfying novel, and a rarity amongfantasies of manners�a book in which asecond reading is likely to chart new terri-

tory of the imagination, rather than mere-ly passing pleasantly through the old.

CROWN OF FIREEd Greenwood

TSR 1-56076-839-8 $5.95As the co-creator of the FORGOTTEN

REALMS® setting, Ed Greenwood is almostby definition one of the premier DungeonMasters in the business. That�s the chiefdifficulty with Crown of Fire; it�s a first-rate adventure campaign, but its pluses onthat score don�t always translate well intothe novel form.

One of these difficulties is the slightlyarchaic speech characteristic of Green-woods alter-ego, the wizard Elminster.The dialect works well enough in thecontext of short articles in DRAGON®Magazine and framing material in assortedadventure modules, but it begins to wearthin after a few chapters of a novel inwhich the Old Mage is a major supportingcharacter. Elminster usually functions as astoryteller and sage rather than an activeparticipant in Realms-tales, and the voicethat works for the former role eventuallygrates in the latter.

Since this is a sequel to�or more accu-rately, a continuation of�Greenwood�searlier novel Spellfire, its protagonists areShandril Shessair, the much-sought wield-er of spellfire�s power, and her husband,the far more ordinary mage Narm. YetShandril is not so much the subject of thepresent story as she is its object, whatwith a host of Zhentarim mages and dark-er creatures out to seize spellfire for theirown purposes.

Greenwood knows the Realms wellenough to keep all the assorted players inline so that readers don�t need a scorecardto keep track of them. But he�s not quitesmooth enough to make the inverted plotand his choice of heroine interlock com-fortably. Instead, what we get is somethingof a MacGuffin hunt from the viewpoint ofthe MacGuffin, and while it�s an interest-ing concept, the execution is slightly offkilter.

On the plus side of the equation, devotedRealms� enthusiasts will get about as thor-ough an insight into Zhentarim politics asyou�re likely to find anywhere, and the listof Shandril�s allies reads like a roster ofthe Realms� best-known adventurers.Greenwood includes a healthy dose ofmagical pyrotechnics, though the spell-craft tends to focus on mass destructionand subtle camouflage, with little moder-ate wizardry between the two extremes.

On balance, Crown of Fire is neitherwildly successful nor strikingly inferior.Perhaps it�s best described as something ofa throwback, because what it tends todemonstrate is that Ed Greenwood�s con-siderable storytelling skills are most deftwhen he�s playing Dungeon Master or sagerather than novelist.

Continued on page 102

News of people and events in the gaming industry

You can send us news, press releases,and announcements using the Internet atTSR.mags@genie.geis.com. We welcomeyour comments at Rumblings, DRAGON®Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI53147 U.S.A.

Lead story:TSR acquires DANGEROUSJOURNEYS� game system

A two-year lawsuit involving the rightsto the DANGEROUS JOURNEYS� multi-genre role-playing game recently came toa conclusion. On March 18, TSR, Inc.,Game Designers Workshop (GDW), OmegaHelios, Trigee Corporation, and Gary Gy-gax jointly announced all rights to thegame system were acquired by TSR.

The specific terms of the settlement areundisclosed, but all parties are satisfiedwith the amicable agreement. Accordingto the parties, GDW will cease distributionof DANGEROUS JOURNEYS game productsas of April 1, and TSR will receive remain-ing inventories.

The parties said the tremendousamounts of time, money, and energy ex-pended on this lawsuit have left the gam-ing industry measurably poorer than itmight have been otherwise. However, theability of the parties to negotiate a mutu-ally acceptable settlement allows the par-ties and the industry to coalesce and moveforward in positive and constructive direc-tions with all parties working together.

InteractInter*Action, the first serious and schol-

arly magazine of role-playing, waslaunched on April 30th. It covers the the-ory of role-playing in education, training,psychotherapy, and entertainment. We arepromised that �It won�t be as pompous asit sounds," and the cost is $10 per issue.For more information, contact Inter*Ac-tion at 29a Abbeville Road, London SW49LA, GREAT BRITAIN or e-mailjournal@wonder.demon.co.uk.

New wizardsWizards of the Coast, flush with success

from its MAGIC: THE GATHERING* cardgame, has hired on even more full-timedesigners including Prof. Richard Garfield,

48 MAY 1994

designer of the MAGIC game, and JohnTynes, president of Pagan Publishing.WotC also has secured a line of miniaturesfor the MAGIC game due out soon fromHeartbreaker Miniatures.

Habla espanolDRAGON Magazine has had a French

edition for more than two years now, butour Spanish edition is brand, spankingnew. Congratulations to Luis Vigil, Francis-co Jose Campos, and the entire Spanishstaff. Teutonophiles should note that workalso has begun on a German edition. TSR,Inc., also publishes books and games inDanish, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew,Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portu-gese, Russian, and Spanish.

Raiders of the lost licensesWest End Games, justly famous for their

STAR WARS* game, has signed with Lucas-film to produce The World of IndianaJones* boxed set this August, using WestEnds new MasterBook* system. The de-signer of the 144-page world book will beBrian Sean Perry, and the game will in-clude stills from the movies. A campaignpack will be released in September, and aRaiders of the Lost Ark* supplement willfollow in November.

Bloody book dealWhite Wolf Games Studio has signed a

deal with Harper Collins to publish novelsin their World of Darkness* setting: NeilGaiman and Michael Moorcock havesigned for early novels, though no detailshave been released.

From dragons to the starsMargaret Weis is beginning work on a

Star Wars hardcover novel for BantamBooks. She will be working closely withLucasfilm. The wait for this one isn�t quiteas long as the wait for the next movie(rumored to be scheduled for a 1997 re-lease): the novel will be released in May ofnext year.

Del Rey has just released The Guide tothe STAR WARS Universe, Second Edition,an encyclopedia of the creatures, places,and gear from over 80 movies, books,

radio plays, games, comics, and animatedseries. Written by TSR designer Bill Slavic-sek, the Guide also includes all the races,places, and gear from the recent TimothyZahn novel trilogy.

Return of a swashbucklerNightshift Games has acquired the rights

to the LACE & STEEL* role-playing gameby Paul Kidd, originally published by TheAustralian Games Group and discussed inRoger Moore�s �Kinky games� editorial inDRAGON Magazine issue #177. This is agame of swashbuckling adventure, har-pies, centaurs, and a Reformation-eramagic and dueling. The release this fallwill be a single book.

AppearancesAffable Ed Greenwood will be signing

his new novel, Crown of Fire, at TheWorldhouse in Toronto on Sunday, May1st, from 1-3 P.M. He also will sign at theSilver Snail Comic Shop in Toronto on May15th from 3-5 P.M. In June, Greenwood isoff to Australia to attend three conven-tions: Phenomenon in Canberra from the25th to the 27th, Arcanacon in Melbournefrom the 7th of July to the l0th, and Non-con in Brisbane from the 15th to the 17th.See the �Convention Calendar� for conven-tion dates and locations.

Books into printRoy V. Young�s first novel, Captains Out-

rageous, is one that TSR�s Brian Thomsenhas wanted to publish for some time.Roger Zelazny calls it �a light, unpreten-tious fantasy romp by an author worthwatching." Roy Young will be signing hisbook at Bretano�s Bookstore in Rolling HillsEstates, Cal., from 1-3 P.M. on Saturday,May 28. Also, he�ll be signing from 1-3 PM.

at Waldenbooks in Torrance, Cal., on Sat-urday, June 4.

CorrectionThough caffeine may play a large part in

Sandy Petersen�s new position at id Soft-ware, he does no coding.

* indicates a product produced by a company otherthan TSR, Inc.

by David �Zeb� Cook

Artwork by Tony DiTerlizzi & Dana Knutson

From the final journal of Ambran theSeeker, former paladin, who forsook hisgod, name, and country to remain on theOuter Planes. May Oghma forgive him ofhis errors; may King Azoun not judge himtoo hastily

hird day in the

Mausoleum: I have lost all trackof days and nights. The marchsun across the sky, the falling

grains of the hourglass�what is the use ofthese things in Chronepsis� realm? Thespan of days is his to rule, within theMausoleum�s shattered boundaries. Per-haps I have aged here, perhaps I have not.Glin greeted me this morning, his faceunlined and horns just budding. By after-

noon he was aged again. Could the samebe happening to me? Sometimes my hands

are hard and worn with care, then freshwith youth. There is no way to tell.Chronepsis banishes all reflections, so thateven the smoothest water does not sharewhat it sees.

Glin is impatient to leave. He worriesthat Chronepsis, sole inhabitant of thisrealm, will change his humor. I am reluc-tant to leave. I have never been in thepresence of a god before, even a scaledone like Chronepsis. Still I have becomeused to the presence of petitionersthroughout the land, so it is strange tofind none here. What becomes of thosedestined for Chronepsis� land? Perhapsthey are the grains within his hourglasses.

Glin is right. It is time (if there is timehere) to leave.

First day outside the Mausoleum:Glin�s fears seemed unfounded. Indeed Iwonder if Chronepsis truly knew we werethere. Perhaps we are still there in theshuffled randomness of the dragon lords

DRAGON 51

hours, arriving with our heads bowedduring its breakfast, leaving quietly againat lunch, only to reappear during dinnercounting the hourglasses in their niches.

Outside the limits of the Mausoleum, theland has changed. It is no longer green,but has the sere look of fall. It reminds meof Cormyr. Since the Mausoleum I can nolonger count the days from Sigil.

Five days after the Mausoleum: Theland grows worse�more rugged than Iexpected. This morning Glin asked his firstquestion of me, beyond the usual queriesof every day. He was curious about mydreams, if I had any recently. I have notand told him so.

Seven days after the Mausoleum:Glin asked again about my dreams. Hisinterest is more than curiosity.

Glin says we should pass over Ilsensine�srealm soon. Although he did not add anymore to that statement, he clearly does notwant to linger there like we did at theMausoleum.

Eleven days after the Mausoleum: Iunderstand now why the bariaur wishesto hurry. The air here is filled with a sub-tle pain that, were it stronger, would driveme mad. It began this morning with abuzzing burn at the back of my thoughts,a verminous fly lodged behind my eyes.All day the drone has grown stronger. Bythis afternoon there was the distinct sen-sation of thoughts�images and whisper-ings that were not mine. Hands withoutskin, whimpers from the room of a dark-ened inn, the ranting of a fevered fiend,and scraps of other thoughts I could notidentify�these things have filled my mind.Even focusing on my writing is hard.

Glin solicitously asked about my dreams.I think he only pretends concern�there ismore in his eyes than care. It is like heexpects an answer, casting his net to col-lect my dreams. Perhaps he�s not a FreeLeaguer as he claimed. Is he a follower ofthe Fated, those who seek to understandthe planes by taking it from others? If I tellhim what I dreamt, do I lose my visions sothat they can become his?

Thirteen days after the Mausole-um: Glin�s question persists and thismorning I lied. I can no longer trust hismotives.

I told him no, but I did dream. It was apersistent buzzing that skirled behind myeyes. It was not my dream, but the dreamof another that slipped away in the tangleof other preoccupations. I can even imag-ine a man, a shadow at the back of theburn. Perhaps because of Glin�s curiosity Ifeel compelled to write down thesethoughts, or is this some effect of theillithid-lord�s realm? Glin says Ilsensine�sdomain is in caverns beneath our feet,tunnels lined with the pulsing veins ofIlsensine�s mind. Perhaps the mind-flayergods knowledge is too great for it to con-tain. Whose dream is this�mine, an-other�s, or the secrets gathered by thething beneath the ground?

Dream One: I dream about the book. Icurse it in my dreams. Each night pagescome to me and press themselves againstmy flesh, carving their images into myskin. The chapters construct places that Iwill go. They build themselves word byword, slowly tattooing their knowledgeonto me. When they are finished they willtake me to these places, these places I donot want to go.

There is a man I see who travels towardme, sometimes straight, but more often withthe path of the lost. There is a page in thebook my dreams are writing for him. Whenit is done he will stand before me.

When I awoke, my arm stung anditched. Rolling back my sleeve, I was horri-fied to find a band of writing freshly tat-tooed there. A single word girdled myforearm� Fallendor.

For the first time since I left Faerun, Iam truly afraid. The terrors of Baator Iglimpsed in Ribcage cannot compare tothis. They were real, at least. I could havefought them if it had come to that. Gro-tesque as they were, they at least had fleshand substance.

What have I done in leaving the safety ofToril? What a fool I was to feel safe in aworld where my dreams turn against me.

Seventeen days after the Mausole-um: Glin has stopped asking, although Istill think he covets the images in mymind. I know what he is after now, andwill not fall for his traps. I�m not a fool�ifhe can�t trick me into giving him what hewants, he may try violence. Let the bashertry�I�ll be ready for him.

Worse still, the dreams have not stoppedand we have left Ilsensine�s realm. Eachnight they become stronger and moreinsistent. My left arm is almost completelycovered by tattoos. Why does this nolonger concern me?

Dream Two: Slowly moves the tattooinghand, carefully inking the script on skinlike the whorls of a finger. With eachtouch of the needle, another syllable iswhispered. I shape the sounds carefullyadding a little more of myself to the ink.Carefully I inject the memories into theflesh, layering a new skin over the old.Ambran becomes no more. He is the can-vas, the escape from the prison the Codexhas built for me.

Nineteen days after the Mausole-um: This morning the tattoos advancedbeyond the collar of my jacket to coilaround my neck. Glin has seen them forthe first time and I can see his fear. He nolonger hungers for my dreams. Perhapsnow he knows what they are. The bariaurcan no longer be trusted.

Twenty-three days after the Mauso-leum: We have reached Bedlam, gate-town to Pandemonium. After all mywandering through the Outlands, now Itravel with a purpose�to reach Pandemo-nium. I have forced my journey upon my

52 MAY 1994

guide. I lead and he follows, increasinglyapprehensive over the paths I choose. Pikeit, I tell him when whines.

Dream Three: By day I serve as a slaveto the Codex of the Infinite Planes, copyingthe pages. Today’s entry was on the Grottoof Bones at the heart of Hruggekolohh’srealm. With fearful patience, I describedthe cluster of skulls that ring his throne,how those heads whisper of their liveswhen the winds of Pandemonium blowthrough their moldering sockets.

I know that when the words are done Iwill go there, but I cannot stop the dreamsfrom flowing out of me. The best I canmanage is to tarry over the arch of a let-ter, the flourish at the end of a line. Thepages of Tzunk’s work that I have foundshow the same touches, the same devotionto artistry, as he too came to understandhis fate.

At night the Codex visits me, filling meas its receptacle. Even as it does so, I shapemy dreams and send them to Ambran.Each night I tattoo a little more, paintinghim while he sleeps. Each night I sensethat he is a little closer to me. I am amazedthat the Codex does not suspect me, evenas my escape nears its finish!

Twenty-seven days: Where I havebeen is meaningless. Where I am going isthe only thing that matters. Today I dis-missed Glin and he was glad for it. He isuseless as a guide. I know where my jour-ney will end.

Still, I fight my fate. I have tarried nowfor four days in Bedlam, staying to thehigh ground of the Citadel. The inhabit-ants are saner here than on the lowerslopes, so close to Pandemonium�s gate.Every moment I struggle to resist the urgeto descend and pass through the iron archto Pandemonium.

The tattoos continue to appear. Thememory of a past love is written in thecurve behind my ear. I cannot see it, but Ialready know what feelings the wordscarry. I am less of myself and more ofsomeone else.

What is happening to me?Twenty-nine: Today I almost suc-

cumbed. I was searching for a sage, amember of a group called the Sarex. I hada hope he would explain these tattoos(what would Trandleer say?) when I real-ized my steps were carrying me from thesafe haven of the Citadel and into thetangle of the lower slopes. I could barelyremember the prayers to Oghma tostrengthen me!

My distress did not go unnoticed. Evenas I fought for strength, a voice addressedme from the shadows. At first I thought itwas another part of the madness that hastaken me.

�You are in great danger," it whispered.�The Slave of the Codex has written uponyou.�

I nodded to the eyes I could dimly see.�To exist and to grow, the book becomes

the dreams of a prime. The slave writeswhat he dreams and goes where the pagestake him, until eventually the slave is auseless husk. When he finally writes hisown page in the dead book, the book waitsfor another and continues its pages."

�I�ve been captured by the book?��No, you berk, you�ve been snagged by

the slave." The darkness gave a dry,throaty chuckle to my plight. �Sometimesthe slave learns from the Codex even as it�susing him. He learns how to ball up hisdreams and send them to some poor sodlike you.�

�And?��And you become him. And he escapes

the Codex’s grip�even if he does havewear his memories on his skin for the restof his life�makes for an interesting life."

I started to shiver. �What happens tome?�

The shadows swirled around me and thevoice whispered in my ear. �Maybe you�redestroyed. Maybe you�re trapped insideyour own body. What does it matter?�

I was sick with fear then. �Why are youtelling me this? What do I owe you?�

The laughter came again, fading into thedarkness, �Owe? Nothing. I�m Hrava, theshadow-fiend, what you�d call a thing fromthe pits of the Abyss. I told you because itamuses me. But I�m a fiend�am I lying ortelling the truth?� With that he left me inthe darkness.

I have given up looking for answers inBedlam.

Pandemonium: Now I have even givenup counting days. My body carries meforward as if it knows where to go. Thewind cuts and screeches in my ears, tryingto drive me insane. It can�t�what morecan madness do to me now? I (or someoneelse?) still harbors the hope that I canescape this fate.

that now covered nearly all my face. �Youknow about this?�

�I am Hrava�leader of the Sarex. Comeinto the shadows if you want to hear thechant."

It was foolish, but I followed the voice. Ineeded to know. �What is happening tome?�

There was a soft caress of shadowacross the bridge of my nose, tracing thepatterns of words etched in tiny letteringthere. �You�re being replaced. Word byword, memory by memory. Each sentenceon your skin�s the thought of another,every syllable a moment of their life."

�Impossible!� That was ridiculous to say,but I did.

�And yet it happens."�Who���Who is doing it? A prisoner and a slave.

There is an ancient book�the Codex ofthe Infinite Planes. Perhaps you haveheard of it?�

I was dumb-founded. Until this point, no Dream Four: He is here! My needlesone in Bedlam had even noticed the tattoos have pricked the last letters. My hands

have wiped away the blood and ink. WhenI wake he will be before me. He nears thedoor to my cave. I when I wake, I, Fallen-dor, will reach out my hand and pull. I willdraw him out, trap him within this shell. Iwill be free!

I feel his footsteps through the earth. Myeyelids tremble . . .

Procampur: I still struggle with thetransformation. There are parts of Am-bran left behind that press me to actagainst my will. I wonder how his incom-plete spirit feels in that cave in Pandemo-nium? I wonder if he too is a slave of theCodex?

I thought I was free of the Codex, buteven now I realize this too was a lie. I nolonger see it in my dreams, but its wordsstill bind me. These notes, for one. I can-not resist the urge to write my experi-ences, even though I always burn themlater. My passions are printed on this face;these hands describe the childhood ofanother body. All the things that Fallendorwas are written for everyone to see�hishopes and his final treachery. People seethis tattooed face and shun me. Words stillenslave me.

DRAGON 53

“Forum” welcomes your comments andopinions on role-playing games. In theUnited States and Canada, write to: Fo-rum, DRAGON® Magazine, P.O. Box 111,Lake Geneva WI 53147 U.S.A. In Europe,write to: Forum, DRAGON Magazine, TSRLtd, 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton,Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom. Weask that material submitted to "Forum” beeither neatly written by hand or typedwith a fresh ribbon and clean keys so wecan read and understand your comments.We will print your complete address if yourequest it.

DRAGON® Magazine issue #187 includeda letter from Mr. Nicholas Abruzzo askingfor advice on how his paladin shouldbehave. As a Catholic priest who has spentthe last five years in the U.S. Army an-swering those kinds of questions for realpaladins (my soldiers) and having been agame player since 1979 (when my parentsbought me the game right after ordina-tion), I affirm that his paladin�s actions arecorrect, true, and normal.

A paladin is called by her deity to en-hance goodness and eliminate evil. This isnot just the �greatest good for the greatestnumber� but includes as well not violatingthe rights of the innocent even for somevery great good.

The reason the actions of Mr. Abruzzo�spaladin are �good� requires some distinc-tions and use of logical analysis, whichmost of us do instinctively. Allow me todistinguish between reformable and non-reformable creatures, and between bene-fit and threat.

1. If a creature does not have free will(animals, insects) and if it is doing evil (adog attacking a child, mosquitoes carryinga disease, etc.), then killing that creature isa �good� act. Some players claim that�orcs� and similar creatures are not capa-ble of acting altruistically, incapable ofdoing a free, good act. These creaturesthus would never be innocent, and wouldalways be a threat that any paladin wouldseek to destroy, much as we would rid ahouse of termites or roaches.

54 MAY 1994

2. In a parallel way, some schools ofthought claim that an evil person in theprocess of doing evil actions and whointends to continue to do evil actions (hasnot repented and shows no signs of doingso), is a legitimate threat and should beeliminated at once. This protects the inno-cents and stops the �evil one� from havingto answer for subsequent evil actions.

3. However, from a military standpoint,prisoners are never killed; and woundedprisoners are healed. As long as someoneis no longer a threat (has surrendered, isno longer attacking, etc.), he deservesprotection from the rigors of battle, and issent to the �rear area� for questioning andsafety. The information that the intelli-gence officer can get from prisoners (bytreating them well, not by torture) oftencan save many lives. The prisoners be-come a benefit rather than a threat.

4. Yet, prisoners are sent back to therear defenseless. They are not sent therearmed in any way. One can argue that anevil cleric or sorcerer or assassin wouldalways be a threat because of the spells orother special skills that couldn�t be re-moved from them without torture ormaiming. Even if the paladin had a hugearmy with him to take these woundedprisoners back for healing and question-ing, he would not be obliged to do so�though ESP spells might recover somevery useful info for the cause of good.Moreover, if the evil clerics or assassinsare still in any way functional (not coma-tose or at negative hit points) they are stilla threat because of their spells, concealeddevices, etc. Until they are dead (andburnt in the case of trolls) they can still beconsidered a threat. Furthermore, fighters(including paladins) may sneak up on asentry in an evil area and kill the sentry aspart of the attack on the evil fortress. Thissense of �cleansing away evil" and �remov-ing threat� is probably in the paladin�scommissioning oath and training. In reali-ty, only clerics are the ones who convert.Paladins protect the clerics and the inno-cent bystanders while that is happening.

5. If one does have legitimate prisoners,

however, they do have to be safeguarded�even at the risk of the party. Suppose oneof the evil clerics had surrendered andasked to be protected from the others inthe temple so he could escape their syndi-cate. To aid this, I suggest that whoevercommissions a paladin and his group to gointo an evil temple should at least givethem a few diminution potions and a�pouch of holding� to bring out prisonerswithout compromising the mission.

In short, it is okay for a paladin to allowto die or even help kill evil creatures thatstill pose some kind of threat to the com-munity he is under oath to protect.Though killing them might question hismercy, not killing them would question hisdedication. I recommend he work this outwith his DM (as the head religious author-ity of his religion), or if in a tight spot, letthe other members of the party �distract�the paladin by having him heal someone,etc., while they kill the still-threateningevil prisoners.

Hope this can be of some help to Mr.Abruzzo and any others.

Patrick J. DolanChaplain (CPT)

Kentucky National Guard

I am writing in response to NicholasAbruzzo�s letter in DRAGON issue #187,where he states his confusion concerningthe lawful-good alignment in the AD&D®game.

I must agree with him in the situation hestates. I do not believe it is the paladin�sresponsibility to incarcerate evil priestsand assassins, no matter what level he is.

I believe the paladin class to be, in manyways, like the Knight of Solamnia in theDRAGONLANCE® setting. The Knights arededicated to the lawful-good god Paladine,and are defenders of justice, just like thepaladins.

If you have read the DRAGONLANCEnovels, characters such as Huma andSturm Brightblade are good examples ofSolamnic Knights, their primary concernbeing honor and virtue, as well as combat-ing evil.

Did Huma fall out of Paladine�s favorafter having slain scores of evil minions ofthe Queen of Darkness? Or did SturmBrightblade, when he ran the evil LordVerminaard through? Certainly not. Thesewere justifiable killings, the key wordbeing justifiable. I think lawful-good char-acters must have a reason for killing mon-sters, other than because �They�re evil."

For example: Sturm Brightblade is wan-dering in the wild country and he happensupon a nomadic band of goblins. Sturmruns into their midst and slays every lastone, because they are, by nature, evil. Thisis unacceptable behavior for a lawful-goodcharacter.

Now, if Sturm hears a woman�s screamand races to the scene to find the goblinstorturing an innocent girl, he would havejust cause for killing them.

Those of you have read the Dark Elftrilogy (set in the FORGOTTEN REALMS®campaign world) may recall Drizzt DoUr-den�s inner conflict following his slaying ofa group of bugbears, feeling that perhapsthe creatures did not deserve death.

DMs must be careful not to punishlawful-good characters (such as paladins)for simply following the wishes of theirgods. However, it is the player�s responsi-bility to know when killing an opponent isan acceptable solution to a problem.

Dan CuomoVerona PA

Reading Nicholas Abruzzo�s letter inDRAGON issue #187, I note that alignmentcontinues to be a hindrance rather than ahelp for many gamers. The good align-ments, and lawful good in particular, causethe problems. To some extent this is rea-sonable, since being true to these align-ments places the most restrictions onbehavior, but there�s a lot of confusionover what such an alignment demands.

It seems to me that a lawful alignmentmeans believing that the desires of individ-uals should be subordinate to the laws ofsociety, and good alignment means placinghigh value on the needs, goals, and lives ofothers. Alas, it�s not always easy to trans-late such general guidelines into specificmorals.

In an attempt to make things simpler forplayers of paladins, I�ve worked out apaladin�s code for my own campaigns. I�dlike to offer a piece of it here. The code�smain points, in no particular order, arevalor, mercy, honesty, piety, and modera-tion. PCs run into trouble on all thesepoints, but the issue raised by Mr. Abruz-zo deals with mercy. Here, the code says:

�Paladins must show mercy to vanquishedfoes�within limits. Genuinely evil beings canbe spared only if they will embrace thepaladin�s faith, and be consecrated to it afterritual purification. Others may be dealt withas the situation permits. It is most unchival-rous to slay nonevil prisoners without offer-ing some alternative.

�Whenever possible, prisoners should behanded over to the authorities for judg-

ment; paladins must not substitute privatejustice for the law if there is any choice."

The second and last sentences cover thesituation described. I understand the DM�spoint of view; the most desirable outcomefor a paladin dealing with evil enemies istheir conversion to good, and if there issome reasonable way to achieve this Iwould expect that an attempt be made.Perhaps the DM believed that prisonerscould have been brought back withoutundue difficulty. To the players, however,the circumstances appeared to make mucha course of action foolish. Slaying helplessfoes is a harsh, unpleasant measure, butleaving them to die slowly is cruel andcowardly, while healing them and leavingthem to recover allows them to commitfurther evil. A quick, clean swordstrokewas the best available solution.

Alan ClarkKingston RI

I am writing in response to the plea forhelp from Nicholas Abruzzo. I offer somethoughts on role-playing paladins, fromthe DM�s point of view. For quite a fewyears I have been collecting articles onalignment within the AD&D game; thesubject is seemingly inexhaustible, and thepaladin is the clearest and commonestexample of how alignment play and align-ment enforcement can clash.

In my opinion, what Mr. Abruzzo�s DMdid in the example cited in his letter istantamount to saying: �You must play bythe rules. You may not know the rulesuntil after you have played, when youshall be judged." If a paladin is bound by acode, she will know what that code is.There may (indeed, should) be gray areasnot covered by the code, or there may becontradictory elements within the code (asthere was within the medieval code ofchivalry), but it is unfair to have paladinsconstantly guessing what their deity (asplayed by the DM) expects of them. Beloware several areas of concern.

1. If, as a DM, you wish to include pala-dins in your campaign, you must put themin a context. Are they members of a cultresponsible to that cult? If so, their codewill be taught to them just as a priestlearns the tenets of his church. Or arethey inspired individuals marked out fromeven the most pious of normal folk bytheir potential for good? If so, how do theyreceive guidance on what is expected ofthem? It seems to me that only a basicallymischievous and chaotic deity would sendits special disciple into action without anyclear guidance on a whole range of possi-ble dilemmas.

2. Define �lawful" in terms of your owncampaign. One interpretation is that oflaw enforcement. Paladins who are expect-ed to uphold the law must know what thelaw is and how it is to be upheld. Arepaladins merely jumped-up police officers,or do they have the powers of a justiciar?By divine right or through the worldlyorganization they represent? Are they pro-

human? What are their duties toward thesociety they grew up in? How should theybehave toward the laws of other lands andpeoples? Toward laws that do not seemgood or popular?

3. If the DM defines everything tooexactly, there will be no fun left in role-playing the paladin. Leave nuances andgray areas for the player to explore, dilem-mas to taunt and possibly haunt the pala-din. Try to ensure that such gray areas arean inherent part of the trials and tribula-tions of being a paladin, rather than acci-dental oversights caused by the DM�sfailure to tailor the AD&D system�s paladinclass to the specific campaign in which theindividual PC is involved.

4. Give the paladin the benefit of thedoubt. Some DMs seem to follow everystep the paladin takes just waiting for aslip, then Wham!�massive XP penalty, lossof special powers or whatever. If a DM isso reluctant to see PCs with the kind ofpowers that paladins possess, then whynot just ban the class? It�s the DM�s world.The challenge in playing a paladin shouldnot be to avoid the DM�s �divine� wrath,but to turn a rounded character, withoutstraying from the straight and narrow.

In my own campaign there are threepaladins (in different groups): one is arather boring cardboard cut-out, one is aneminently plausible, low-key warrior forGood, and the third is an equally plausiblecharacter worn down by doubt and indanger of angering his deity. Before I takeany action to punish the �Doubting Thom-as� paladin, I will discuss his actions andoutlook with the player and try to agreeon a role-playing solution: for example, theplayer could agree that the paladin isgradually losing the necessary degree ofconviction, and come up with a responsewithin character (atonement, despair, etc.).Alternatively, I might gain an insight intothe paladin�s reasons for wavering, anddecide to wait before making any decision.

5. As with the game as a whole, thedefinition of a paladin belongs just asmuch to the players as to the DM. As longas players do not merely abuse the paladinas a fighter-with-frills, collaborationshould produce a variety of paladin per-sonalities to spice up even the most jadedquests.

Craig HiltonLondon, England

This addresses issues in issue #187.Regarding Nicholas Abruzzo�s problem

about alignment, I�m inclined to find nei-ther himself nor his game master blame-less. He considered the matter to be aboutunderstanding the lawful-good alignment,especially as applied to paladins. The casehe was arguing was that it was a lawful-good act for a paladin to execute van-quished (and almost certainly evil)opponents. The game master thought thatthe only acceptable action for a paladinwas to take the vanquished opponents asprisoners and cart them home for conver-

DRAGON 55

sion. Logistical difficulties with this proce-dure were no reason not to attempt it, thegame master ruled.

My opinion is that a paladin�s alignmentis less important than the preferences ofthe god that presumably called the paladinto go clean out the evil temple in Mr.Abruzzo�s example. Does the god take afairly harsh line regarding opposition? Isthe god pro-life? What does the god haveto say about what happens to people (goodor evil) after they die? The paladin�s under-standing of the answers to questions likethese will necessarily be lawful good andshould guide the paladin in decidingwhether summary execution is acceptablefor him (and his deity).

As for the game master, he still has theoption of just saying no to whatever thepaladin decides. In the final analysis, it�shis universe. However, the way this gamemaster chose to pass judgment was notgood for the game. If the cosmic forcesthat maintain the universe (i.e., the gamemaster) were offended by the way thepaladin was behaving, then it was theirresponsibility to advise the paladin (not theplayer) of their displeasure. Crudely, thismight be an attention-getting lightning boltand a voice from the heavens. Betterwould be media appropriate to the pala-din�s god. If the game master had workedwithin the system (as it were) to declarehis understanding of appropriate morality,the player of the paladin would have hadno basis for argument and the paladinwould have gained a new and possiblyunsatisfying understanding of the god thatrecruited him.

It all comes back to role-playing. Nakedgame mechanics (�You can�t do that!��Where�s it say I can�t?�) are inherentlyugly in the middle of a role-playing game.The AD&D game�s alignment descriptions,left as they are, are little more than gamemechanics. They are such an incredibleover-simplification of morals, philosophies,and belief systems that hanging the actionsof your game on them is only asking fortrouble. Some people may not care to fleshout the personalities of the charactersthey play and may want simply to take themost appropriate alignment label andpaste it on the character while they devotetheir attention and limited time to someother aspect of the character that reallyinterests them. That�s fine, but there maybe problematic reality checks in the role-playing later. If a player wants to create acharacter with a playable personality, thensome thought has to be given to the char-acter�s philosophy (and history). After that,an alignment label may be distilled fromthat thinking.

Which, in a way, brings us to LaurenceDavison�s question about party formation.Suppose you have one of those ideallybalanced parties (one of everything andduplication of little except muscle) that arealways being called for in adventures. Ifthe dwarven cleric doesn�t trust the half-ling thief and the elven ranger misses her

56 MAY 1994

forest and the human mage is contemptu-ous of everyone who is thaumaturgicallyilliterate, how the heck did these guys gettogether in the first place?

It�s a tough question and one that is,unfortunately, entirely up to the gamemaster to answer. Individual players cancreate their characters and also do thebulk of defining their characters� personal-ities (likes, dislikes, and prejudices). But it�sgoing to be the game master�s job to takethe individuals and make up the wildlyunlikely story that glued the gang togeth-er. (The gathering isn�t necessarily role-played, but the game master does need todetermine what the story was.) The play-ers and their characters can have theirown feelings about the events of the story,but the fiction is the game master�s torecount. The only suggestion I can makeabout the story, is that it doesn�t have tohave a single cosmic coincidence thatbrought everyone together at once. Thedwarven cleric and halfling thief may havebeen forced into an uneasy alliance againstthe overgrown races of the world whilethe ranger may be hanging around a magewhose wooden personality reminds her ofhome. The outrageous coincidence thatbrings these two pairs together and teach-es them to depend on each other is left asan exercise for the cagey game master.

Instead, let�s move along to a pair ofletters from Dorian Loeffler and AndyShockney that continue to explore thetension between rules and role-playing.Dorian�s letter asked how to role-playknowing the rules of the game. Specifi-cally, it is suggested that ignorance of therules may lead to better role-playing. Loeffler contrasts this with a position thatthere should always be a good role-playingexplication of the rules.

Loeffler should read Andy�s letterclosely, because the contrast proposeddoesn�t go far enough. Andy�s letter isfrom a game-playing world where therules are the thing and could well be theonly thing. There is no sense of role-playing coherence to the assemblages ofequipment and capabilities that are calledcharacters. (If Albert the dwarf is a clericof Moradin and Bernard the dwarf is afighter/cleric of Clanggedin, would you beable to tell them apart after a couple ofblind interviews?) In Andy�s game, theplayers look at one each character�s arrayof potential abilities and complain, de-manding some sort of perfect balanceamong all the character classes and sub-classes that TSR contemplates for itsAD&D game.

Andy�s mistake is in wanting to �fix� thecharacter classes his players are complain-ing about. What he should do�as masterof the universe in which his players� char-acters live�is show the characters thereasons why it isn�t always good to bemulticlassed. A fighter/cleric ought toencounter a lot of ethical quandaries, andethical quandaries can be made very con-crete by the simple introduction of power-

ful beings (i.e., gods) to whom those ethicalissues matter a lot. If multiclassed charac-ters keep getting into trouble because ofthe number of pies they have fingers in,they may be comparatively powerful butyou won�t have other players envyingthem.

There is some logic in the rules-ignorance that Loeffler proposes for goodrole-playing. Nonwizard characters don�tusually know the details of magic spells. IfBob the Barbarian sees someone in funnyclothes waving his hands in a strangemanner, he won�t know what the guy isdoing or to whom. He will have no ideawhere it�s safe to stand or, even after thebright lights have gone off, whether all theeffects that might have resulted haveoccurred. Wizards, no matter whose sidethey�re on, can be expected to make Bobnervous.

On the other hand, Bob should knowhow far he can expect to be able to jumpwithout repeatedly finding out the hardway. If Bob routinely uses swords anddaggers, Bob should know what eachweapon is good for and when it makessense to switch from one to the other. (i.e.,the player running Bob can read and useeven the most detailed rules about thoseweapons and it would be appropriate role-playing.)

The rules are only a codification of whatis generally understood to work best. Mostfolks will tell you that a two-handed swordwill work better than a dagger at prevent-ing a hill giant from mauling you. But ifBob the Barbarian believes in his luckydagger (because it�s worked so well beforeand the player running Bob had decidedthat Bob puts a lot of stock in fortune)then Bob may choose to flout conventionalwisdom and go after the giant with adagger. (The sword still would haveworked better but never try to stop alucky barbarian.)

If Loeffler is counting ballots, my vote isthat there is a place for the rules in therole-playing.

Alan LauderdaleEnglewood NJ

In issue #187, the issues of alignmentand of PC background were raised. La-wrence Davison was looking for input onhow to determine plausible reasons forsuch a disparate group of beings, such ascompose most adventuring parties, shouldteam up. Nicholas Abruzzo had a disagree-ment with his DM on how a paladinshould behave in a certain situation. Bothof these problems could be dealt with byinvolving the players more closely in thecampaign before role-playing begins.

About a month before play begins I getall the players together to roll up charac-ters. At that meeting I brief the players oncampaign background, i.e., social struc-ture, religious philosophies, economicrealities, and other common knowledgethat characters would have that players donot. I then give the players their home-

work assignments. First I ask each playerto define, in writing, her PC�s alignment.She should do at least one paragraph onlaw, on good, and on lawful good (or what-ever her alignment may be) this should beas specific as possible. Then I ask each towrite her own background, including howthe character got to place �X� at time �Y�where all the other PCs just happened tobe. Finally, if I have any experienced orwould-be DMs I ask them to design anaspect of the campaign. I might ask a thiefto lay out the thieves� guild that he belongsto or a cleric to describe the traditions ofhis sect. All this needs to be done withintwo weeks so that I can make any adjust-ments, discuss any disagreements, andmake any necessary changes to either theworld or to the opening scenario.

If Nicholas and his DM had done thisbefore their campaign they would havediscovered, as is often the case, that theplayer has a much more pragmatic view ofhis alignment than the DM does and theycould have worked this out. Nicholas�dispute with his DM arose when Nicholas�paladin euthanized some wounded ene-mies (evil clerics and assassins) rather thanbinding their wounds and taking themback as prisoners to be converted. In thiscase I tend to agree with Nicholas and Ibelieve that the DM is trying to apply 20th-century morality to a medieval situation. Iwould remind Nicholas, however, of thewords of the immortal Rocket J. Squirrelthat �Sometimes when you�re a hero youhave to do stupid things, Bullwinkle.� Thequestion of the treatment of prisoners isone of the most important things thatshould be dealt with in the player�s defini-tion of his PC�s alignment.

It also should be noted that two playerswhose characters have the same alignmentdo not necessarily have to agree with eachother on their definitions. Players andDMs also should know that fantasy morali-ty must be more black and white than inthe real world. Evil is evil and it is the dutyof the good heroes to destroy it. Nicholas�DM would not expect his PCs to extendsuch �humane� treatment to orcs or anevil dragon, I hope. By dealing in advanceand in writing with questions of align-ment, DMs and players can avoid disputeslike the one above. The player in the proc-ess of describing his character�s alignmentin writing is likely to have to give thequestion more thought than he otherwisewould have, and to internalize his charac-ter�s beliefs more thoroughly. Further, theDM may find some interesting adventure�hooks� in the players� written descrip-tions of their character�s moral beliefs.

In the descriptions of the players� back-grounds, the DM should ask for a descrip-tion of the character�s personality, hismotivation (especially why he wants or isforced to be an adventurer), where he isfrom, and a brief description of how hegot to where he is. The DM should telleach of the players that his character is inthe common room at the Yawning Portal

Inn in Waterdeep at 2 A. M., or in thedungeon (jail type) beneath the keep ofDuplicitous the Untrustworthy, or wher-ever and ask the player to say how he gotthere and why. The players obviouslyknow that they will be playing together,but I like the characters to decide to bandtogether after their first adventure. Thisway the DMs job is only to find a plausiblereason for these strangers to need eachother�s help to accomplish some immediatetask and then let the players role-playtheir joining together. Lawrence asks�how, for example, is the GM supposed toexplain how a Sindar elf, a dwarf, a Dune-dain, a half-orc, and a corsair managed tostart adventuring together?� My answer isthat while he could do this, he probablyshouldn�t. Let the players do it. They prob-ably will do a better job, the five of them,than the overworked DM will, and theywill remember and know it better than ifthey simply read their background off of asheet and stuck it in the back of their filefolder. The DM should have this informa-tion, including character background andpersonality information, early enough thathe can design an, initial scenario withhooks for each character.

The third assignment, designing a partof the world, is not for all players. Playerswho have been or are DMs should bewilling to help and players who would liketo learn to be a DM will find that designing

a limited part of a world or campaign is auseful experience. In addition to easing theload on the DM, having the players partici-pate in designing the campaign has an-other advantage. If the player who isrunning the party�s cleric has helped de-sign his PC�s religion, then religious ques-tions from PCs can be directed to thecleric to answer (subject to DM approval).Keeping the players in character is veryhelpful when it comes to running asmooth, successful, believable campaign.

Getting the players involved in the de-sign process early is extremely helpful,both in the design of their characters andtheir characters� alignments and, if possi-ble, in the design of pertinent parts of theworld. The more the DM knows about thecharacters, the� easier it is for her to de-sign interesting adventures and also to�hook� her players into those adventures.The more the players know about thegame world, especially in areas of theircharacters� expertise, the easier it is forthem to role play effectively.

Paul PetersonNorth Las Vegas NV

[Editor’s Note: Gamers who are inter-ested in further discussion on the topic ofpaladins’ ethics and behaviors are encour-aged to seek out PHBR12 The CompletePaladin�s Handbook, TSR Product #2147,on sale in June.]

DRAGON 57

Can you save your Homeworld?

Reviews

GATEWAY II: HOMEWORLD * *

VGA IBM Legend Entertainment Co.Design: Mike Verdu, Glen Dahlgren, Bob

BatesArt: Kinetic Arts, �Lil Gangster StudiosAnimation: Mark Poesch, Anne Marie CoxSystem programming: Duane Beck, Mark

Poesch, Glen Dahlgren

Homeworld is a text adventure, bol-stered by graphics. If you�ve ever playedthe old Infocom games, Homeworld�s stylewill be quite familiar to you. It does notrequire particular speed to run, sincealmost all the graphics are still pictures. Ittakes up around nine megabytes on yourhard disk.

Legend has been doing a number ofthese types of games. Some of you mayremember last issue�s review of Compan-ions of Xanth, or the old game Sorcery101, published by MicroProse Software,but designed and implemented by Legend.In a brief conversation I had with BobBates, he said that they were happy toinherit the Infocom mantle, and that wecan expect more games in this style. I hopethat they will be more in the style of Xanththan Homeworld.

Homeworld is closely based on the seriesof science-fiction novels by FrederikPohl�the so-called �Heechee saga.� Thebasic idea is that humanity has discovereda number of artifacts left behind by themysterious Heechee super-race, as well astheir ancient foes, the Assassins, who areknown to wipe out other intelligent spe-cies as a sort of hobby. At the start of thegame, Earth has discovered a giganticspaceship out around the orbit of Pluto. Itmight be Heechee, and you are sent tofind out if this is so. Of course, heavenforbid that it is an Assassin probe!

The game�s interface is older than that ofXanth, and it shows. Each �room� youenter presents you with a static image.Also on the screen is a scrolling menushowing all the objects available to you inthis room (with no distinguishing betweenitems you�re carrying and objects sitting inthe room itself). In addition, there is anextremely lengthy menu showing all the

Computer games� ratings

X Not recommended* Poor** Fair* * * Good* * * * Excellent* * * * * Superb

©1993 by Sandy Petersen

GATEWAY II: HOMEWORLD (Legend)

verbs that the game can handle. Thisincludes useful terms such as �save� and�load,� meaning �save the game� or �loadthe game.� I found it a little strange toinclude such disk-access functions in thesame list with �jump," �fire," and �investi-gate,� but it didn�t require any real effortto get used to it. The most-used verbs aregrouped together at the very start of thelist, which then goes on to list all the verbsin alphabetic order.

In theory, you can write sentences to thegame�s parser by clicking on a verb, thenon a noun, and so forth�once you�ve

selected a verb, a list of appropriate parti-ciples also appears for you to chooseamong. However, it turns out that theeasiest way to play the game is to simplytype in your sentences. I only rarely usedthe fancy interface, because it was toomuch trouble to scroll way down themenu, looking for verbs, then clicking onthe correct noun then, if I had selected thewrong one, to discard my sentence andstart over. . . you get the idea. The inter-face was not simple, and I disliked it quitea bit. If you think it would pose little trou-ble to you, you�d like this game more than

DRAGON 59

I did. Go buy it.The graphics are unimpressive. As previ-

ously mentioned, they are mostly staticshots filling up only about a fourth of thescreen.

In Homeworld, you must solve deadlypuzzles at every stage to continue. Some-times the answers to the puzzles are obvi-ous, but usually they�re quite obscure. Afew times I felt the answers were unfair,i.e., I didn�t think the game had providedme with enough clues to figure out theanswer. The game includes a hint book, soat least you won�t be stuck forever if youget to a hard part. The story is quite lin-ear. If you can�t get through a particularnode, you usually can�t go do somethingelse and come back to it later�you�ve gotto solve it or be stuck forever.

The SF story that the game tells is prettyinteresting. I got interested in it, and thealiens you encounter also are quite fine.The game doesn�t keep notes for you(unlike some other games I�ve tried), soyou�ll have to write down informationfrom time to time.

The best way to learn this game is tostart playing it. If you get stuck, look atthe hint manual, which is cunningly di-vided into three categories of clues, so youcan pick just how obvious an answer youreceive, from �vague� to explicit.

There are plenty of other graphic adven-tures on the market nowadays, and mostof them have interfaces light-years aheadof Homeworld. Unless you really likeFrederik Pohl�s work, or think back long-ingly to the good old days of Infocom, Iadvise you to try one of the others.

60 MAY 1994

THE HAND OF FATE * * * *

VGA IBM Westwood StudiosWritten and directed by: Rick GushProgrammed by: Michael LeggLead artist: Rick ParksProducer: Brett W. Sperry

The Hand of Fate is, as far as I know,Westwood Studio�s first foray into theworld of graphic adventures. It�s prettydarn impressive. It takes place in the fan-tasy land of Kyrandia, which is a lot morelike Xanth or Oz rather than Middle Earthor Hyboria. The land teems with bizarrecharacters such as human-sized rats andtalking trees. It fills 17.5 megabytes ofyour hard drive.

Westwood has done good games in thepast, and, unlike some companies, theirgames have been improving with time.Certainly their Lands of Lore game ex-ceeded either of their previous Eye of theBeholder products (completed for SSI).Now with The Hand of Fate they�veproven they can do things beyond role-playing games.

The interface for The Hand of Fate ispretty simple. At the bottom of the screenare little icons (some animated) for all theobjects that your character, Zanthia, ishauling around with her. To accomplishany task, either click on an on-screenobject or location, or click on one of theobjects in your inventory (which, in thetime-honored fashion, transforms yourcursor into that object) and then clickagain on either another object in yourinventory or something else on the screen.

To move Zanthia around the screen,click on locations, and she�ll walk there.This technique is not yet perfected, unfor-tunately. If you click a second time, she�ll

stop where she stands, and if she happensto have stopped right at the edge of themap, you can�t get her to walk off untilyou first have her walk a little way awayfrom the edge, then have her go back.Also, if you�re used to double-clicking andoccasionally misfire, you�ll find yourselffrequently frustrated by Zanthia�s unwill-ingness to obey.

Most of the time the interface is fine. Ihad the game hang on me one time, whichis less than perfect, but it could have beenworse. Also, the characters� reactions arewrong sometimes. For instance, onceyou�ve purchased a voucher from themustard salesman (don�t ask), if you returnwith more gold coins for him, he tells youthat he only accepts gold coins for thevouchers. It�s just a loose end that thedesigners forgot to tie up, but I wish theyhad done it. There are other examples inthe game.

Like other graphic adventures, the pointof this game is to solve puzzles. The puz-zles are moderately easy, I felt, which wasokay, because every game needs to seek itsown level of difficulty. This game is cer-tainly suitable for newcomers or occasion-al dilettantes in the field of adventuregames. It�s possible, I suppose, that a realhardcore adventure gamer might find ittoo trivial. A number of puzzles can besolved more than one way, for instance.

The game has plenty of humor, not onlyvisually, but also in the fine dialogue andcomments made to the viewer by his alter-ego, Zanthia. She is an alchemist, and doesall her magic by means of mixing objectsinto a big cauldron. At game start, she haslost her recipe book, and is relegated tousing an old school notebook, with suchtrivial potions as �Snowman� and �Lunch."

Naturally, these prove sufficient to savethe day.

With one exception, it is impossible totake actions that block all possibility offinishing the game. That exception isdeath. Unlike many new graphic adven-tures, you can die in The Hand of Fate.However, whenever a possible death sceneis coming up, the game warns you aheadof time, so that if you are killed, you knowfull well you walked into trouble. Some-times it warns you a couple of times be-fore it lets you die. This gives you anexcellent chance to save your game beforetaking that last step toward doom. Dying isnot common, and the death scenes are notparticularly spectacular, so they are clear-ly not intended to be dwelled on (unlikethe amazing deaths in Rex Nebular forinstance).

The game isn�t particularly fast-moving�you have no way to speed up Zanthia�smotion across the screen, and this can bea bit frustrating, especially when youknow exactly where you�re going.

All in all, I rate this one of the bestgraphic adventures I�ve played, exceededonly by products of LucasArts Entertain-ment. However, I�m torn�if Westwood isgoing to do more of these adventuregames, does this mean it�s going to skimpon its also-excellent role-playing games? Ihope not.

DUNGEON HACK * * *IBM DreamForge Intertainment

produced for SSIProducer: James NamestkaProgramming: Thomas HolmesDesign: Thomas Holmes, Chris StrakaArt: Jane Yeager, Jon Grayson, Frank

Schurter, Robert C. Taylor, Lynn Helf-ferich

Dungeon Hack is a role-playing game ofa rather unusual, almost experimental,type. It runs fine on a 386 machine, anduses rather old-fashioned technology andgraphics (using a bit-mapped view ratherthan true 3-D, for instance). It takes uparound nine megabytes on the hard drive.

Many years ago, before there were goodPCs, there was a primitive role-playinggame called alternately Rogue or Hack. Itconsisted of a top-down view of adungeon, usually composed of ASCII char-acters. The character was displayed as asmiley face, while the monsters werevarious letters. �E� stood for �Emu,� forinstance. You had to quest through thedungeon finding vast quantities of magicalitems to recover the amulet that would letyou escape. The game was primitive, butits appeal held, because the dungeonscreated were random, and hence infinite.

Dungeon Hack is a sort of remake of thisold idea. It�s taken the concept of an infi-nitely variable random dungeon, andupgraded it to late 1980s technology.When you first load it up, Dungeon Hacklooks a lot like Dungeonmaster, Eye of theBeholder, Might & Magic, Wizardry, etc.

The animation is a little cruder and themonsters don�t move, as much as theyteleport from tile to tile. On the otherhand, you can play Dungeon Hack foreverwithout finishing it. Not that you can�tbeat the game�it�s just that you can startanother game immediately thereafter, withan entirely different dungeon to solve!Therein lies the appeal of this game.

You start out by creating your character,following the AD&D® game rules. Wizardsget to be 5th level at the start, while fight-ers are only 3rd level. You only get onecharacter in your �party,� which may seemworrisome, because only clerics can heal,for instance. Don�t worry, the game pro-vides for this. You can choose whateverstatistics you want for your character, upto and including straight 18s across theboard (with 18/00 strength if you�re afighter). The designers didn�t mind, be-cause the game can be played again andagain. If you want to challenge yourself,choose low stats. It�s up to you.

You also can customize the dungeonyou�re about to enter. You can decide howcommon food is, for instance, or whetheror not undead are present (that bane ofAD&D players since time immemorial).You can select the number of levels to thedungeon, from 10 to 25, how tough themonsters are, how frequently they appear,the frequency of pits, and so on. You canjust pick Easy, Medium, or Hard. The onlyobjectionable selection provided is the�Character Real Death� option, which Ithought was absurd. With this optionselected, if your character is killed in thedungeon, all your saved games includinghim also go away! What�s the point? Youcan always simulate this �option� by choos-ing not to replay a guy who�s died! All itdoes is make a certain choice irrevocable(if you start playing with this option turn-ed on, then you can�t change your mindlater on, of course). No one has to select it,so I suppose it�s a minor point.

The dungeon walls vary greatly fromlevel to level, but have a rather appallingsameness on the same level, evidently tosave memory. A given level only boaststwo main types of monsters tops, thoughnear the level�s exit, there�s generally asingle example of third type, usually some-what tougher. I suppose it�s an attempt tosimulate a �boss� monster. The so-called�boss� isn�t too great a problem, becauseusually the very next level you enter hasthese very same monsters as one of thestandard encounters.

Magical items are strewn around thedungeon, along with food and useful ob-jects such as keys, armor weapons, etc.The magical items are preselected suchthat they are always useful to the charac-ter you�re running. Well, not exactly use-ful, but at least usable. Frequently they�recrocked magical items�cursed weapons,potions of poison, and similar gifts that arejust plain bad. So it�s good to inspect anitem carefully before using it. All the ringslook a little different, for instance. Once

you learn what the Ring of Powerlessnesslooks like, you can discard all similar ringsyou pick up. However, the objects dochange in appearance in different games,so just because the avocado wand pro-duced a Haste Monster effect in your lastdungeon doesn�t mean it will do so in thisone. So you must learn anew which ob-jects have which effects in every dungeon.Still, experience has its virtues, becauseyou do learn what the possibilities arewhen you pick up an object.

On each level of the dungeon there�susually a blue orb that you can insertcoins into. A silver coin heals you, a goldcoin not only heals you, but also curespoison. (This is handy if you have no anti-poison magic of your own).

As you progress through the dungeon,you earn experience points, and will fre-quently advance in level. At the very bot-tom of the affair is a reasonably dreadfulmonster that will tax you, so you maywant to go back upstairs and get a fewmore experience points before tackling it.In an appalling case of mismatch, forexample, my wizardling�s end-of-gamemonster was a Balor, seething with magicresistance, so my spells were worthless,yet it was able to deliver plenty of damage,so I dared not engage it in hand-to-handcombat (not a very good idea anyway, witha mage). Sigh. I still haven�t beaten thedang thing.

The puzzles in the dungeons are notparticularly difficult, but I guess it�s hardto �randomize� puzzles. They�re mostly acase of �get through this door to get KeyA, then use Key A to open the door guard-ing Key B, so you can finally open door Bto continue onward,� or simple things like�The bull�s horn must fit on the sculptureof the bull�s head." Alas, because of therandomization, sometimes you�ll solve oneof the puzzles, or fight your way througha particularly dense batch of nasties, onlyto find out that your reward is a single bagof food or, worse, nothing at all.

The dungeons themselves are quitevaried, better than I�d expected. One levelmight just be a maze of hallways, with norooms whatsoever, while another might bea series of areas connected only by tele-porters. Each area is completely filled withhalls, rooms, or walls, so by looking at theautomap you can tell exactly which re-gions you haven�t explored.

Speaking of the automap, it�s a work ofart. As you explore you see a small view ofthe area around you to one side. Whenyou need to see the entire map, just clickon a scroll bar, and the entire screen isfilled with whatever portion of thedungeon you�ve explored to date. Mysteri-ously, all the monsters in areas you�ve seenare made visible on this map. It�s handy tosee the monsters, though. The only cavil Ihave about this otherwise fine map is thatDreamForge did not provide any methodof marking on the map. Hence, you�ll haveto remember just where the healing orb is,or which teleporter leads to which area.

DRAGON 61

In summary, Dungeon Hack has all theadvantages and disadvantages you�d expectin a set of randomized dungeons. I feared itwould turn out to be a sad collection ofbarely-acceptable maps, and it turned outmuch better than my expectations. Despiteits drawbacks, it deserves a place in everycomputer role-players� repertoire, if only sothat you always have a place to play in whilewaiting for the next blockbuster from someother company.

Game tips1. If a monster�s right on your heels, you

can�t stop to rest (obviously). However, youdon�t have to be all that far away to rest�run away from a bad monster and down ahall. You only need to be a few tiles offbefore the game lets you stop and rest foras many hours as you need, restoring yourhealth, your spells, etc. Then, all beefedup, you can return to the monster and nailhim. Or, if he starts getting the upperhand again, run off to heal again.

2. All the mazes I�ve tried so far respondto the old system of �keep to the right."

DARK SUN�: THE SHATTEREDLANDS * * *

IBM & compatibles SSIProducer: Bret BerryLead programmer: Rus BrownTools programming: John MilesLead artist: Maurie Manning

Dark Sun: Shattered Lands is a grim andgritty sort of game that takes up almost 16megabytes on the hard drive.

I recommend a fairly fast computer torun this thing, as it was quite slow andclumsy on a 386/33, and was only barelyreasonable on a 486/33. The game systemused resembles Paragon�s Challenge of theFive Realms or, to a lesser extent, Micro-Prose�s late lamented Darklands.

You begin as a group of four trained gladi-ators, destined to fight and die in Athas�grim coliseum for the entertainment of thebloodthirsty populace. Soon enough, youfind out how to escape from the coliseum,and make your way into the barren country-side, where you find lost villages of otherescapees, and band them together into aforce to challenge the villainous sorcerer-priest who rules the local city.

The view provided is a sort of three-quarters view, and your characters arefully animated. Enemy and friendly indi-viduals also are animated, and you can seethem wandering around the view. Youhave three different potential cursors,each used for a different purpose. Thedefault cursor, a simple triangle, is used toselect the area you want your group towalk toward next. Then there is a swordor, if used to point at a foe far distant, anarrow. This second cursor is, of course,used to begin combat. Then there is aneyeball, which is used to talk to people,

62 MAY 1994

inspect objects, open doors, and performall the myriad of other tasks not alreadycovered by �walk to� or �fight�.

If you cannot walk to a place, attacksomething, or look at something, a �not�symbol (the classic red circle with a diago-nal line through it) covers your cursor.Annoyingly, if you try to attack or look atsomething that is out of your line of sight,you can still click on it, and you receive amessage saying that you can�t see it. Thiswould be less annoying if it were alwaysobvious if something is in your line ofsight or not.

In combat, you take turns moving yourcharacters in an order chosen by the game(though you can modify it with a minimumof effort), while the opponents move at thesame time. The screen jumps to followeach character or opponent, no matterhow distant they are from one another, sothe screen spends a lot bopping aroundthe battle arena, another mild source ofannoyance.

Spell-casting is taken care of by symbols.When you select �cast spell or use psi-onics� for a character, you get a bizarreassortment of colored icons instead of amenu. By passing your cursor over thevarious spells, you can figure out which iswhich, but it is still a difficult system toget used to. Once you cast a spell, if it hasan area of effect, you get to shape thesphere, cone, or other shape on thescreen, a little like using an art program.

The game is difficult, no doubt about it.You have to engage in many lengthy and (Ifelt) rather tedious combats. You mustwalk each of your characters around thescreen each turn, select the opponentsthey bash on, fire their missiles, cast theirspells, etc. Then, you wait for the oppo-nents to do the same right back to you.

It�s rather interesting to solve the game�spuzzles, talk to the various characters, andexplore the world around you. I thought itwas rather a pity that the game�s designers

First QuestContinued from page 8

I also learned that when someone in theparty yells �Bork! Bork!� it means �Hit thedirt because I�m about to do somethingthat�s either really stupid or really brilliantand either way you�d best not be in theline of fire when I do it.�

And, casting a fireball in a small hallwayto kill the giant wasp that�s heading for thedoorway you�re all standing in can be agood thing, provided you remember to tellthe wizard to close the door immediatelyafter casting the spell! It�s much safer forall of you, and besides�charred waspsmells really, really bad.

Perhaps the ultimate thing I learned wasthat sending your party�s mage up on aflying carpet, both having been madeinvisible, with jugs of holy water is aneffective way to stop the lich who�s justwaked from his sound sleep and burst upthrough the lid of his casket and is aboutto blast your party into oblivion. (Hey, likeI said earlier, we didn�t ask questions. TheDM couldn�t figure out how to stop us,and he allowed it to happen. We rejoicedand made merry for days.)

So, the next time someone challengesyou to tell them what�s so great about role-playing, forget all about learning to coop-erate, building lasting friendships, gainingsocial skills, polishing problem-solvingabilities, and the rest. Tell them it�s theonly place where you can vicariously takesomeone who�s really, really been bother-ing you, turn them into a goat, find outthey�ve failed their system-shock roll, andfeed them to a table. (Let them stew for awhile, and if they still don�t get it, reveal tothem that the table was really a mimic.) Ifthat doesn�t sway them to your view,nothing will.

were so fixated on combat and death, whichproved to be the dullest part of the game. * indicates a product produced by a company other

than TSR, Inc.

64 MAY 1994

DRAGON 65

66 MAY 1994

Plan to attend the GEN CON® Game Fair now

It’s Never Too EarlyThe GEN CON® Game Fair just keeps

getting bigger�and the bigger it gets, thebetter it gets.

This year�s extravaganza runs fromAugust 18-21, once again at the enormousMECCA Convention Center in downtownMilwaukee, Wis. Every square inch of theconvention complex will be filled withrole-playing tournaments and other gam-ing of all types; exhibits and sales boothssponsored by hundreds of companies;seminars, special events, and more celebri-ties than there are pages in the averageautograph book.

High on the list of special attractions is

an encore presentation of Science FictionSaturday, which was a massive hit whenthis �mini-convention� was staged for thefirst time at the 1993 Game Fair. The orga-nizer of 1993�s extravaganza, Sue Wein-lein, is on the job again. This year�sextra-special guests for Science FictionSaturday will be two of the stars of StarTrek: The Next Generation, Majel BarrettRoddenberry ("Lwaxana Troi�) and Johnde Lancie ("Q�).

New to the Game Fair lineup this year isSuper Hero Sunday, orchestrated by TSR�sown comics guru, Steven Schend. TheGuest of Honor is Peter David, one of the

most accomplished comic-book andscience-fiction writers in the field. Many ofthe comic world�s most popular illustratorswill be in residence in the Artists� Alley,and the schedule for all four days of theGame Fair includes several exhibits anddemonstrations designed to appeal special-ly to comic and super hero fans.

Of course, the heart and soul of everyGEN CON Game Fair is the gaming. Tour-naments and seminars devoted to role-playing games make up the biggest part ofthe convention schedule, but every otherkind of game activity�from popular boardgames and card games to historical/military simulations to miniatures to com-puter games�will be going on constantlythroughout the long weekend.

TournamentsMost of the hundreds of gaming compe-

titions are set up as tournaments thataward prizes to the winners and highestfinishers. More than $10,000 worth ofprizes will be handed out, and some of themajor prizes are gifts that really keep ongiving. For instance, the high scorer in theRPGA® Network AD&D® Game Feature,�Rustymane�s Flight,� will receive one copyof every TSR product for a year, worthseveral hundred dollars. TSR, Inc., RalPartha Enterprises, and FASA Corp., areamong the companies offering gift-certificate prizes of as much as $100 or$200 to the winners of some of the majorrole-playing game events. Among thespecial tournaments known as PinnacleEvents are the AD&D Game Open, theBATTLETECH* Open, the ADVANCEDSQUAD LEADER* Challenge, and theGames Magazine Triathlon, to name a few.

Over 950 different gaming events, rang-ing from single-session competitions tomultiple-round tournaments, are listed inthe Game Fair Pre-Registration Book,which is available free of charge fromTSR, Inc. (See the end of this article forinformation on how to request a book andhow to pre-register for the convention.)

Board gamesIn this broad category, most of the activi-

ty centers on historical and military simu-lations and other types of strategy games.Noteworthy events will include the GameFair�s ninth annual DIPLOMACY* tourna-ment, the sixth annual UP FRONT* compe-tition, a 100-player NUCLEAR WAR*tournament, an enormous EUROPA* dem-

68 MAY 1994

onstration, and an AXIS & ALLIES* mega-event. The Avalon Hill Game Company isonce again staging its Classics Open tour-nament, including competition in FOR-TRESS EUROPE*, PANZER LEADER*,PANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN*, RUSSIANCAMPAIGN*, VICTORY IN THE PACIFIC*,

The War College Lecture Series, one partof the Game Fair�s extensive schedule of

and WAR AT SEA* games. All the most

seminars and workshops, gives strategy-game hobbyists a chance to learn more

popular games from the early days of

about their favorite subjects from profes-sional military experts. Special guests for

board and war gaming will be played at

the lecture series this year are Lt. Cmdrs.Dan and Mark McDonagh from the Naval

the convention, as well as many of the

War College. Other speakers include MajorDavid Wesley and Captain Louis Zocchi,

newer titles.

both of whom participated in last year�sprogram.

Open gaming librarySponsored by Games Magazine, the open

gaming library will have more than 100different popular favorites that Game Fairattendees can check out for a quick pick-up game or to fill a few spare moments oftime. The library is the headquarters forthe Games Magazine Triathlon, which willfeature competition in OTHELLO*,CLUE*, and SCRABBLE in a marathon six-hour session on Friday.

MiniaturesThe Game Fair will offer nearly 200

tournaments and single-session events forminiatures enthusiasts, including an exten-sive lineup of events for the BATTLE-TECH*, CAR WARS*, and SILENT DEATH*games, plus dozens of other games rang-ing from 15-mm ancients to World War IInaval scenarios to STAR WARS* battlesand everything in between. Premierevents include the BATTLETECH* Open,the official CAR WARS* AADA WorldRacing Championship, and a three-roundBATTLESYSTEM® tournament.

Also in the realm of miniatures is theGame Fair�s 14th annual Miniatures Paint-ing Competition, with prizes to be award-ed to the most attractive figures anddioramas in several different categories.New this year is the Historical MiniaturesGaming Society Masterpiece Competition,cosponsored by HMGS and the Game Fair,which will present the prizes to the bestminiatures displays at the convention.

RPGA® Network eventsIn addition to the AD&D Game Feature

Tournament �Rustymane�s Flight� (men-

tioned above), the RPGA Network is stag-ing nearly 20 other game events that willaward rich prize packages to the top fin-ishers, as well as more than a dozen semi-nars of special interest to Networkmembers. If you�re planning to come to

The Networks Guests of Honor this year

the Game Fair and you�re not a Network

are David �Zeb� Cook, veteran TSR gamedesigner, and Tom Dowd, the developer of

member, you should be aware that only

the SHADOWRUN* game from FASA.

Network members can preregister forRPGA game events�but you can apply fora membership on the same form that�sused to register for the convention itself.

. . . And there�s moreIn next month�s DRAGON® Magazine,

you�ll find out more about Science FictionSaturday, Super Hero Sunday, the celebri-ty guest list, and other features of thisyear�s Game Fair. However, you don�t haveto wait that long to receive a Pre-Registration Book and start making yourown plans.

The deadline for pre-registration is June

30th, but it�s a good idea to get your namein as soon as possible because events thathave a limited number of participants arefilled on a first-come, first-served basis.You can get a Pre-Registration Book byreturn mail by sending your name andaddress to Pre-Registration Dept., 1994GEN CON Game Fair, P.O. Box 756, LakeGeneva WI 53147. Requests for the bookalso can be made by fax at (414) 248-0389.The book is 116 pages long and containsdetails about every feature of the GameFair, plus information on hotels in theMilwaukee area that are offering discountrates for people attending the convention.Get one soon, and you�ll be glad you did.

* indicates a product produced by a company otherthan TSR, Inc.

DRAGON 69

If you have any questions on the gamesproduced by TSR, Inc., �Sage Advice� willanswer them. In the United States andCanada, write to: Sage Advice, DRAGON®Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI53147, U.S.A. In Europe, write to: SageAdvice, DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120Church End, Cherry Hinton, CambridgeCBl 3LB, United Kingdom. We are nolonger able to make personal replies;please send no SASEs with your questions(SASEs are being returned with writer�sguidelines for the magazine).

This month, the sage answers a fewquestions about The Complete Book ofHumanoids (CBH). (The answers givenhere are official.) The sage also considers afew magical particulars, revisits psionics,corrects an error, and provides somemissing maps.

The CBH text on bugbears saysbugbear shamans and witch doctorshave a level limit of 7, but the tableon page 21 says the limit is level 5.Which is correct?

The advancement limit is 7th level forboth shamans and witch doctors.

The CBH says some voadkyn aredruids, but there is no level limit forvoadkyn druids listed in the tableon page 29.

Voadkyn druids are very rare, but thereare a few. Their advancement limit is 5thlevel.

Table 8 in the CBH says aarakocra,voadkyn, flinds, and satyrs can bebards, but the tables for these racescontain no bard advancement limits.

Aarakocra, voadkyn, and flinds cannotbecome bards. The advancement limit forsatyr bards is 7th level.

Table 13 in the CBH says alaghi canbe fighter/shamans, but the alaghirace table lists no shaman advance-ment limit.

The advancement limit for alaghi sha-mans is 6th level.

If a wizard used a wildfire spell(from the Tome of Magic) to create amagical sword +2, could a perma-nency spell be used to make thesword last forever?

No. At least, not if you�re asking whether

by Skip Williams

a character using a wildfire spell creates asword +2 out of nothing and then castpermanency to make the sword last longerthan the 1d4 + 6 hours that wildfire ob-jects usually last. There are two problemswith this: First, wildfire objects cannot bemade permanent. Second, wildfire objectshave no special properties beyond theirstrength (stronger than steel), weight(almost no weight at all), and virtual inde-structibility (immune to everything exceptdispel magic and wish). The caster hasgreat latitude in shaping the wildfire en-ergy, but the energy does not include anymagical bonuses. Note that the wildfiredescription (TOM, page 48) says the spellcan be used to create magical items, butthis refers to using wildfire in conjunctionwith an enchant an item spell.

The Player�s Handbook (PH) liststhe range of the speak with deadspell as �1," but does not give a unitof distance.

Officially, speak with dead has a range ofone yard, and this is the way the spell willbe listed in the upcoming Priest PlayerScreen and in future printings of the PH.Note that this is an error picked up fromthe original PH, where the range probablywas one scale inch. That is, the spell had arange of 10 feet indoors and 10 yardsoutdoors. While most spell ranges in thecurrent game convert scale inches intotens of yards, my colleagues here at TSRfelt that 10 yards was too great a distancefor conversations, even with the dead.

Can you use the item spell toshrink a living creature? How aboutan undead creature? The descrip-tion (PH, page 150) says the spellworks on fires. Will a fire subjectedto this spell continue to consume itsfuel?

The item spell has no effect on crea-tures, living or dead.

A fire that is simply reduced to 1/12thsize continues burning merrily along,consuming fuel and oxygen. It still is hot,and can burn anything that is susceptibleto normal fire. If, however, the fire isreduced and turned to cloth it becomesinert (and harmless) for the duration ofthe spell.

I�m having a real problem with afew players and their wizard char-

acters. First, I explained that a lot ofiron or steel next to the skin dis-rupts magic. Things were fine forawhile, but now they carry platearmor with them and insist onwearing it after they have used upall their spells.

This is what comes from asking toomany questions about a fantasy game.Fantasy, by its very nature, deals with theinexplicable and concerns itself with thewhat; the why is left to philosophers,science-fiction authors, and your everhelpful �Sage Advice� columnist. My firstsuggestion to you is to consider the obvi-ous: If you�re assuming that large massesof metal in close proximity to a wizardsbody foils spells, then it is relevant to askjust how your armor-toting wizards arecarrying all that armor. If they�ve bundledit up in a pack, guess what? It�s still tooclose.

Actually, the situation is a little morecomplex than that. Character-class armorand weapon restrictions are among thefew basic and unalterable rules in theAD&D® game. As always, the rule is neces-sary because of game balance and gamelogic. It�s been awhile since I repeated oneof my little exercises in game balance andgame logic, so let�s go through the gamelogic first:

Armor is heavy, hot, and confining.Fighters gain their various combat abilitiesonly after undergoing long and rigorousphysical training that begins in theiryouth. (A medieval knight�s training beganat age six.) This explains why they can dothings like slay 30 giants using swords lessthan four feet long, and keep on fightingeven when peppered with arrows. Wear-ing armor is an impressive physical feat.The stuff is hot, heavy, and generallyuncomfortable. It takes a long time beforea person can even bear to wear it for anylength of time, much less fight or explorea dungeon while encased in it. Fighters,however, develop the ability to resist phys-ical hardships of various kinds and cansoldier on through conditions that can killother characters.

On the other hand, wizards spend theiryouth and all their spare time sitting andreading. This sharpens their minds, but itdoes not build the kind of physical skillsthat fighters enjoy, even in wizards whohave naturally high Strength and Constitu-tion scores. All that sitting around and

DRAGON 71

studying turns wizards into sedentarybookworms who do not have enoughstamina to walk around in armor. Theyprobably can�t even walk a straight linewhile wearing armor�a wizard in armorprobably would stagger about like a littlekid carrying a sack of potatoes. Further, allthat studying gives wizards an entirelydifferent mindset than fighters have. Theyprefer to use their brains to attack theirproblems; they come to regard accoutre-ments such as swords and armor as crudeand beneath their dignity. It�s not so muchthat wizards can’t wear armor, but thatthey won’t armor. It�s too hot, too uncom-fortable, too noisy, and just downrightunfashionable.

Now, on to game balance: Wizards arepotentially the most powerful characterclass in the game. They have access to aconsiderable array of offensive and defen-sive magic and can literally lay waste towhole city blocks. The price they pay forthis power is an almost complete lack ofphysical power. In the beginning, they areso weak that they must depend on thecharacters around them for support andprotection. Fighters, on the other hand,don�t have access to a mighty arsenal ofmagic. All they have is their wits, theirweapons, and their equipment. As the onlyclass with unrestricted access to bothweapons and armor, they are playable, butthey remain so only as long as the DMdoes not allow other characters to poachon their territory. Otherwise, everyone in

your campaign is going to be playing anarmor-clad wizard.

I suggest you sock your armor-lovingwizards with any or all of the followingpenalties:

Encumbrance: Even if the characters inquestion have high enough Strengthscores to carry the weight of the armor,knock their movement rate down to onehalf (two-thirds if you�re feeling generous).They also should make a Dexterity checkevery turn or fall down and go boom. Iteasy to lose one�s equilibrium when one iscarrying an unaccustomed weight, and awizard might easily trip. The encumberedwizard also should check Dexterity everytime he tries anything that even remotelyrequires ability: running, jumping, usingstairs (in either direction), getting on amount, etc.

Fatigue: Single-classed wizards whowear armor or carry shields should make a Constitution check every turn (moreoften if its very cold or very hot). Failureindicates fatigue. The character mustremove the armor and rest awhile. If theweather is bad, the character also must dosomething to cool off or warm up.

Uncertainty: All this reliance on physicalthings undermines the mental disciplinethe wizard needs to command his magic.There is a 25% chance that any spell hecasts during the next 24 hours will failoutright. (Of course, if the character iswearing prohibited armor at the time ofcasting, the spell fails 100% of the time.)

Further, the character gains no experiencefor the adventure in which he dons armorto protect himself. If he makes a habit ofwearing armor, he might even lose a levelor two.

Is it my imagination or are theresome maps missing from FRS1 TheDalelands?

Yes, maps of two towns, Archendale andEssembra, are missing. They appear in thisissue courtesy of Dalelands author, RichBaker and DUNGEON® Adventures� cartog-rapher, Diesel.

The description for gauntlets ofogre power in the DMG (page 169)suggests that their combat bonusesare cumulative with a girdle of giantstrength only when the wearer ishurling a war hammer. Is this cor-rect? What is the strength score of acharacter wearing gauntlets of ogrepower and a girdle of giantstrength?

As a general rule, an AD&D game char-acter using two similar types of magic getsthe benefit of only the strongest item. Acharacter using both gauntlets of ogrepower and any giant strength item (girdleor potion) get only the benefit of giantstrength for purposes of encumbrance,bending bars and lifting gates, openingdoors, and most attacks.

There is an important exception to thegeneral rule in this case, however. A char-

72 MAY 1994

DRAGON 73

acter wearing gauntlets of ogre power anda girdle of giant strength can combineboth items� combat bonuses (and anynormal strength and specialization bonus)anytime he uses a magical war hammer�in both melee and missile combat. This is aspecial property of magical war hammersin the AD&D game; though the rule itselfappears in the girdle of giant strengthdescription (DMG, page 170).

Does a psionic attack mode�s one-two punch apply to both closed(psionicist) and open (nonpsionicist)minds? If so, what happens to thecontacted mind if the power worksboth times?

Yes, the one-two punch applies to alltypes of opponents. When a psionicistpays the initial PSP cost for the psychiccrush science, or the ego whip, id insinua-tion, mind thrust, or psionic blast devo-tions, she gets to use the power twice,provided both attacks occur in the sameround and are directed against the sameopponent. Note that the psionicist mustmake a power check for each use.

Remember that the psionicist must takethe time to establish full contact (threetangents) with the opponent, even whenthe opponent is not using defense modes.If the psionicist uses the one-two punchagainst a fully contacted mind, the resultsvary according to the power. If the powerallows a saving throw, such as psychiccrush or psionic blast, the victim mustsave each vs. each successful use of thepower and suffers accordingly if the savefails. If the power does not allow a savingthrow, two successes in the same roundare not cumulative; however, the psionicistgets to use the best of the two results. Forexample, if the one-two punch deliverstwo successful uses of the id insinuationdevotion, the psionicist would roll twice tosee how long the opponent would remainin a moral uproar and only the highest rollwould count (though the DM might let thepsionicist might let the psionicist choosewhich roll to take).

Can magical spells or items andpsionics work together? For in-stance, can a contingency or chaincontingency spell he used to triggerpsionic powers? Can a psionic char-acter wearing a ring of telekinesisuse the telekinesis science to boostthe effect?

Contingency and chain contingency spellstrigger other spells. Psionics are not spellsand cannot be part of a magical contingency.Likewise, contingency cannot be used totrigger magical items, breath weapons, gazeattacks, or spell-like abilities.

Under some conditions, it might bepossible to use a ring of telekinesis andpsionic telekinesis together, but thiswouldn�t happen very often. If faced withan object too big to lift with the telekinesispower, a psionicist wouldn�t benefit from aring of telekinesis because he couldn�t

initiate the power and concentrate onusing the ring at the same time. If, how-ever, the psionicist were already movingan object and was merely maintaining thetelekinesis power, he could use the ring�slifting capacity to reduce the maintenancecost. Likewise, if the object were a tableand an opponent grabbed it or jumped onit, the ring could be brought into play tohandle the additional weight. I supposethat a lenient DM might allow a psionicistto establish a partial �pull� on a large ob-ject, for example, spending 80 PSPs to tugat a 100-pound object, and then use a ringof telekinesis during the next round toprovide the extra power. (In this case, thetotal PSP cost would be 120 PSPs, 80 toinitiate the power, and 40 more to main-tain the power on the second round vs.150 PSPs to move the object with thetelekinesis power alone).

It seems to me that the eighth-levelwizard spell mind blank shouldprotect against all forms of psionicattack. Why isn�t this the case?

Actually, mind blank offers considerableprotection against many types of psionicattacks; see the spell description (PH, page190) for the list. The protection is magical,however, and psionics are not magical.This allows an attacking psionicist a savingthrow vs. spells to overcome the defense.Because mind blank is an eighth-level spell,I suggest that you require a save each timea psionic uses a power against a protectedcharacter�the spell presents a formidablebarrier that does not weaken even if thepsionicist already has breached a fewtimes. Note that bonuses from defensiveitems, such as rings of protection, do notmodify this save. Wisdom bonuses canapply if the DM allows them to.

Back in DRAGON issue #191 yousaid spells cast from scrolls in theDARK SUN® setting could have defil-ing effects, but page 62 of the DARKSUN Rules Book says the act of set-ting a spell to a scroll strips it of itsdefiler characteristics.That�s correct; no spell cast from a scrollon Athas has defiling effects. My error.

Pantheon of the MonthThese are unofficial suggestions for

using the optional spheres of priest spellsfrom the Tome of Magic with the deities ofthe Nehwon pantheon in the Legends &Lore book:

Gods of Lankhmar: These deities donot have priests and do not grant spells.

Issek of the Jug: Major: Wards; Minor:None.

Gods of Trouble: Major: Chaos; Minor:None.

Hate: Major: Chaos; Minor: None.Death: This deity does not have priests

and does not grant spells.Kos: Major: Law; Minor: None.Tyaa: Major: Time; Minor: None.Red God: Major: War; Minor: Wards.

ail in the north,� cried the lookout,and Liam Rhenford winced on thequarterdeck. It was not necessarily thepirate, but he feared it was, and hecould tell from the worried looks ex-changed by the mate and the OldMan that they feared it, too.

�Masthead there,� he called. �Any pennant?��It�s on the horizon, Cap,� the lookout shouted back.

�Just the sail as yet.�Liam caught the Old Man and the mate in another

look.�Probably a fishing smack,� he said, as calmly as he

could. �I�m going below. Call me if you make out a pen-nant.�

Forcing himself to go slowly, he went down the ladderto the waist of the ship and then into his own cabin. Oncethere he bunched his fists and indulged in a silent curse.

There were no fishing smacks abroad in Rushcutter�sBay that season, no vessels of any kind except his and thepirate�s. Only he had been foolish enough to make sail,and now he was caught.

He gave himself a full quarter-hour of despair, beratinghimself for his stupidity, then began making plans. Hepulled out charts, established his position, gauged windand current. His ship, the Pride of Dordrecht, was no fastsailer, but after a long set of calculations he figured tomake the port he was headed for in three days. If he couldstay out of the pirate�s hands that long he would be safe.

Not that a port was necessarily so safe, given the pi-rate�s reputation. In addition to the huge number of shipshe had taken and sunk in his extraordinary three-monthcampaign, he had sacked three cities. Still, poor hope wasbetter than no hope, and if the Pride of Dordrecht wascaught on the sea, its destruction was certain.

There was a knock on his cabin door, and by the confi-dent sound of the knuckles he knew who it was.

�Come,� he called.The Old Man entered, touching his forehead casually.

The other crewmembers treated him with considerablymore respect, but Liam accepted the informality. If theancient sailor hadn�t volunteered to sail with him, none ofthe younger ones would have come.

�Well, Cap Renvoort, our luck�s out.�He frowned grimly. It certainly seemed that way.�We can make Ushant in three days. We only have to

stay clear until then.� Ushant was the Freeporter colonythey were headed for, with a cargo of lamp oil and wool.

The Old Man smiled. �The Pride�ll never outrun �im.Den Huys�ll have us for sure.�

Liam�s frown deepened. The Dordrechters seemedunable to separate myth from reality. The present piratehad taken the name of a long-dead sea rover, a nightmarewho had ruled Rushcutter�s Bay almost a century before,but they refused to see the difference. Liam had not grownup in the Freeports; the infamous name had never beenused to frighten him as a child, and he could not under-stand the atavistic fear they associated with it.

�It�s not Den Huys, you know. It�s just a clever man,who�s taken the name.�

The Old Man gave him a knowing look. �Sure, Cap.

CapRenvoort�sLuck

by Daniel Hood

Illustrations by Martin Cannon

DRAGON 77

But he�ll have us anyway.��I mean, it�s impossible. Den Huys has been dead for

eighty years.�He would have gone on, but the Old Man�s smile

stopped him. He should have known better than to try toargue the Dordrechter out of his prejudices. He couldn�teven make them pronounce his name properly.

�In any case, we�ve got a chance. It�s only three days,and the Pride runs well.�

�Not well enough,� the Old Man said, his smile deep-ening as the frustration showed on Liam�s face. Liam wasaware suddenly of the difference in their ages. He wasonly twenty-eight, while the man he commanded waseasily twice, if not three times, as old. That he was captainat all was the result of a fluke, the fact that he alone of allthose capable of running a ship had dared the pirate�slake. And he was also aware that he had a crew only be-cause the Old Man had volunteered, and his reputationwas such that other sailors had followed.

The sailors had trusted the Old Man, the Old Man hadtrusted him, and he had trusted his luck to make the jour-ney without encountering the pirate who called himselfDen Huys. Now his luck had deserted him.

�Regrets?�Liam started, surprised at the way the Old Man had

read his thoughts.�No,� he said at last, and firmly. �It�s not over yet.�He went up on deck. The Old Man, an approving ex-

pression on his lined face, followed in his wake.

It was several hours before the lookout confirmed theirfears. The sail on the horizon had grown, the hull gradu-ally appearing, until the sharpest set of eyes on the shipcalled out.

�There�s a pennant, Cap!�On the quarterdeck, Liam frowned again and paused

before answering.�What sign?��Skull and cross bones,� was the reply, and the phrase

was repeated in a fearful whisper by the off-watch seamenwho had gathered in the ship�s waist.

�Belay that,� Liam growled. As if no one but the ancientpirate of dark legend could fly that pennant, he thought. Thesailors spoke no more, but milled restlessly in the waistuntil the Old Man dispersed them with quiet words. Liamwas grateful for the support and turned his attention to thenorthern horizon.

It was a clear, hot day, and he could just barely make outthe sail at the extremity of vision, miles away. It was just asmudge, but a bar of black outlined it against the sky.

�Mate,� he asked, �what do you think of the sky there?�The mate shook his head, as if to clear it of the vision of

the pursuing ship, and examined the thin line where thesea met the sky.

�Storm,� he said suddenly, a smile breaking on his face.�A storm out of the north.�

Liam smiled too, slightly relieved. If the storm caughtup with them before the pirate did, they might escape inthe murk. He called out a volley of commands, and thesailors jumped eagerly to work.

78 MAY 1994

The afternoon passed in a flurry of tasks. The barrels ofoil and bales of wool had to be secured, storm canvasfitted out, a hundred small things attended to. Both thepirate ship and the storm line grew closer, but by nightfallthere was still a considerable gap between them and thePride of Dordrecht. Liam retired to his cabin when the firststars showed in the sky, and was offering prayers to theStorm King when the Old Man rapped on the door withhis confident knuckles.

�Come,� Liam said.�Well, Cap, seems I spoke too early.��About my luck?��Aye,� the Old Man said, tapping lightly on one of the

cabin�s beams. Liam copied the gesture, touching thewood of the bulkhead behind him.

�We may yet get away. If the storm hits before the pi-rate, we might lose him. The bay is big.�

�We�ll want to make port when we can, Cap. Even ifwe lose him, Den Huys�ll smell us out wheresoever weare, unless it�s a port.�

Liam shook his head and risked a confident laugh. �Iknow there�s no point, but I�m going to tell you again. It�snot Den Huys. He�s been dead a hundred years, and thisis just a clever impostor.�

�Not dead, Cap Renvoort, just marooned. He�s a wiz-ard, after all. What�s a hundred years to him?�

Catching at the statement, Liam raised a finger.�That�s a good point. But if he is a wizard, how come noone�s seen him work any magic? There�s been no reportsof demons summoned, or magic winds, or anything of thesort. If he�s a wizard, how come no one he�s attacked hasmentioned the use of magic?� He smiled, sure he hadmade a telling argument.

�No one he�s attacked has lived to mention anything,�the Old Man answered softly. �We�ll just have to hope forUshant.�

With that he left Liam to his cabin.

The next morning dawned fair and clear like the last.The pirate ship was much closer, but so was the stormline, and Liam went up to the quarterdeck in good spirits.They were now only two days from Ushant, and it seemedlike the storm would hit before the pirate. He checked thepositions, smiled, and called over the Old Man, who wasteaching knots to a group of younger seamen. The sailorscrambled nimbly up the ladder to the quarterdeck, wear-ing nothing but a pair of salt-stained breeches. His skinwas leathery, his eyes perpetually squinting. Liam consid-ered his own pale skin and the linen trousers and shirt hewas wearing, and wondered once again what mad impulsehad made him volunteer to captain the Pride.

Gods, give me luck, he prayed, and greeted the Old Man.�That storm line is closer.��Aye,� the Old Man said, squinting back over the rail

at the horizon, letting his gaze rest pointedly on the pi-rate. �But so�s Den Huys.�

�Yes,� Liam agreed reluctantly.�He�s making near a mile an hour on us.��That much? How long for the storm, do you think?�The Old Man paused, sniffed. �They�re neck and

neck, I�d say. It�s a toss-up which�ll have us first.�

Liam realized the sailor was being deliberately obscure. Atsea, he knew, it was bad luck to predict, to try to pin fatedown. He gave up asking and began a tour of the ship.

The hours crept on. At the mate�s suggestion Liamordered the ballast shifted, and they saw a slight gain inspeed as the Pride rode the waves better. The pirate,though, still gained, and by noon the sharp-eyed lookoutcould count all her sails.

Liam stood at the rail, staring back at the distant shipand the even more distant storm line. He was not un-aware, however, of the murmuring in the crew, or thelittle knots of sailors that the Old Man broke up from timeto time. They thought it was the old Den Huys afterthem, a black mage with demons and thunderbolts at hiscommand. Liam could not blame them for being afraid,and was glad he had the Old Man to keep them in line. Ifthey could only stay ahead long enough for the storm tobreak, they might well escape.

In the midafternoon, with the pirate�s hull easily dis-cernible from the quarterdeck, and the solid bar of thestorm dissolving into individual black thunderheads, Liamwent down to his cabin and ate.

He had just finished his meal when he heard the OldMan�s knock and called him in.

�Which is closer?��Den Huys, a-course. She�s a devil of a ship he�s got.

The boy at the masthead says it�s old Cobber Waakzam�sship, the Bright Feather, lost last season. A sweet sailer.He�ll be on us by dusk.�

Liam frowned and dropped his eyes to the floor. �Wecould cut for the coast, but with the wind so strong forsouth we�d lose time going east. We�ll have to hope for thestorm. There�s nothing else.�

�Aye,� the Old Man said. �Nothing else.�Liam stood and stretched, self-reproach and frustration

hidden. �Have the mate break out the weapons. We canat least fight.�

The Old Man laughed harshly. �Against magic? CapRenvoort, we�ll stand a better chance with your luck thanwith swords! Den Huys is gonna burn us to the waterlinebefore he�s even in hailing distance!�

Liam was not normally impatient nor intolerant, and heknew he was a much less experienced sailor than the OldMan. But he had spent enough of the night berating him-self for leading the ship into danger to have it, as hethought, thrown in his face.

�Look you, get those weapons out and distributed! I�mstill captain here, at least until your precious dead pirateblasts us into pieces.� He paused, and when the Old Mandid not move but only stood regarding him coolly, Ren-voort shouted, �Hop, you bastard! Move!�

Almost the moment the Old Man was out of the cabin,Liam regretted his outburst. There was nothing he could doabout it, though. He was captain, and the custom onFreeport ships was for the captain to remain aloof. He hadviolated enough of that spirit by his frequent consultationswith the Old Man; he could not stoop lower and apologize tohim.

Liam remained alone with his thoughts for the nexthour, brooding in his cabin. There was a gallery window

that provided him a view of the sea behind; the Pride�sfurrow-straight wake cut the clear turquoise of Rushcut-ter�s Bay in a line that ran directly to the distant pirate. Itwas like a lifeline, tethering the two together across theexpanse of water. Liam stared heavily at the other ship,noting its rapid approach.

Sitting in a tavern in Dordrecht, it had not seemed sodifficult a task to captain a ship across the bay. He had notimagined that the pirate would find him, and had thoughtthat the older captains who refused to sail were, if notcowards, at least old maidish. Now he thought they werefar wiser than he; he had not realized that volunteeringimplicated not just himself but the crew that followed himand the ship he captained. He had reckoned it a purelypersonal venture, a gesture of courage, not responsibility.And the responsibility weighed on him. It had made himsnap at the Old Man, who was his staunchest supporterwith the crew, and it was clouding his thinking.

He knew there must be a way to escape the pirate, alogical plan that would have made itself apparent to amore seasoned captain, but he could not discover it. Hecould only trust to his luck, and to the storm line behindthe pirate.

On deck late in the afternoon, Liam could see that boththe storm line and the pirate were far closer. Standingalone by the stern rail, he could make out both individualsails and individual thunderheads. In an hour, maybe less,both storm and pirate would be in hailing distance. Hesquinted sourly across the water, frustrated and unwillingto show it to the crew, which had again gathered in littleknots in the ship�s waist. Occasionally one of the knotswould send an envoy to the Old Man, ensconced on amass of cordage in the forepeak.

Liam furtively watched these approaches, noting the waythe Old Man sent each away with their questions unanswer-ed, and wondering what was being asked. Now more thanever he regretted having blown up at the ancient sailor. Adead hush had fallen over the ship, despite the song of windin the rigging and the creak of the hull. The leadsman hadstopped throwing the log; the Pride�s speed was insignificantcompared to the speed of the ship behind.

They won�t mutiny, Liam thought. What good would it dothem?

He allowed himself a grim laugh at the idea, and turnedback to his study of their pursuers.

Dusk brought many things. The sun was westering on thehorizon; the pirate was almost within hailing distance. Liamcould see that she was big-far bigger than the Pride, withhigh sides and four masts crammed with sail. The growingdistinctness of the pirate�s ship, which many of the crewrecognized, sent a murmur of dismay among them andsparked an intense round of discussion in the waist. Liamwas aware of it and was very little surprised when a sailorcame up on the quarterdeck, an obvious deputy.

�Cap Renvoort,� he said, coughing respectfully andknuckling his forehead.

Liam swung around to face him and the sailor quailed.It was not Freeport custom to question the captain, and heobviously did not relish his charge.

DRAGON 79

80 MAY 1994

�Cap Renvoort,� he stammered, �we in the crew�vebeen thinking.�

�It�s Rhenford,� Liam said softly. In the hours since theknots had formed in the crew, he had been preparinghimself for such as this. �You�re mispronouncing it.�

�Cap?��My name. You�re mispronouncing it. It�s Rhenford.��Yes, Cap,� the sailor said, confused by Liam�s com-

ment, then hurried on. �As I said, we�ve been thinking,and we wonder if we oughtn�t turn to and give up. MaybeDen Huys�ll let us go and just take the ship. At least,that�s what we�ve been thinking. Cap.�

Liam frowned, appearing to consider the proposal, thenraised his head and looked out over the crew. He noticedthat the weapons�bows, axes, a few rusty swords andspears�had been handed out, but that the sailors heldthem carelessly and with a certain distrust. They stared upat him, awaiting his response. He also saw that the OldMan was still on his rope seat in the forepeak, watchingthe proceedings with apparent indifference.

�Look you,� Liam said, raising his voice to address thecrew directly, �we could turn to and give in, if this wereany normal pirate. Gods, if this were any normal pirate,we could even fight. But it�s not. It�s Den Huys, as youwell know, and he�s a black magician who takes no pris-oners. If we turn to, we�re dead. But if we keep on, andthat squall hits us before he does, we may keep out of his

hands. It�s a small chance, but with luck we may get away.I give you the choice� turn to and die at Den Huys�hands, or keep on and maybe get away.�

There was a profound hush, and Liam looked to the OldMan, who nodded once in approval. The sailors in the waistbegan to mutter among themselves, considering the choicethe captain had offered. Liam remained aloof, looking up atthe rigging, as if he were considering the set of the sails. Amillion thoughts raced through his head, not the least ofwhich was to ask whether he really believed now that thepirate chasing them was the Den Huys of legend. In theminutes while he waited for the crew to decide, a strangepremonition stole over him that it really was the wizardpirate, risen from his grave to harry the Pride�and Liam�to the ends of Rushcutter�s Bay. He shivered as the sun sankinto the water, though the night was warm.

Gods, what if it really is the old Den Huys? What if he blowsus out of the water before that storm hits?

It seemed like hours before the crew decided, but it wasonly minutes. In those minutes, however, two things hap-pened: the pirate closed to within a mile of the Pride, andthe storm line visibly picked up speed.

The crew had recalled its deputy and given him theirmessage; he walked back to the quarterdeck, again obviouslyunhappy, and prepared to tell Liam the crew�s decision.

He never had the chance. As he set foot on the quarter-deck, a booming roar of thunder shook the sea, momen-tarily tearing the wind out of the Pride�s sails and settingthem flapping. Then a voice shouted out of the clear sky.

�Ahoy, Pride of Dordrecht! Turn to and prepare to beboarded! This is the Death, Den Huys master, and wemean to have your souls and your ship! Turn to!�

The hail came from all around, in a whistle of wind and

punctuated by cracks of thunder. Many of the crew fell totheir knees in fear, including the deputy, but Liam only spunaround to face the pursuing ship. He was glad that he hadtold the men it was the Den Huys of old who followed; it wasclear that only a wizard could send such a hail, and besides,there was no way short of sorcery for the other ship to haveseen their name, painted as it was in the bow.

Still, the sight of the pirate so close made him clutch therail and set his heart beating fast; if Den Huys could send hisvoice a mile across the open sea, what else could he send?

A second later the answer came: a brilliant flash of lightthat struck the mainmast and rent a topsail in two, reduc-ing the ship�s way. The Pride shuddered, sending more ofthe crew tumbling to the deck.

Liam stared in awe at the sail, the torn edges sproutingfingers of flame that began to spread across the canvas.The immensity of the magic struck him speechless, and itwas the Old Man who answered the danger.

�Get up there, you monkeys,� he shouted, leaping fromthe pile of cordage to slap two sailors into action. �Up,and cut it free! We�ll burn to the waterline!� The sailorshe hit came to their sense and scrambled up the ratlines; afew others followed their example, pulling knives to cutfree the burning topsail. Liam, though, and most of thecrew, simply stared at their efforts.

The Old Man trotted across the deck to where Liamstood and placed himself squarely before the captain.

�Well,� Liam said thickly, �it looks like you were right.��They�re neck and neck,� the Old Man said, pointing

over Liam�s shoulder. Liam turned and saw at first only theDeath, all sail crowded on, bearing down on them like a de-mon; but then he tore his eyes away from it and saw that thestorm was just beyond it and rapidly gaining. In a momentthe black clouds had swept over the Death, and for the firsttime Liam could accurately gauge its rate of approach.

�Gods,� he whispered, �it�s a real blow.� Then he turn-ed to the Old Man. �We�ve got to get braced.�

The sailor nodded again and dashed off into the waist torouse the still-dazed majority of the crew.

�Into the lines,� Liam shouted. �It�s a real blow!�By the time the burning topsail had been cut away and

the stunned crew brought to their senses, the Death wascompletely obscured by the approaching storm, but an-other hail came nonetheless.

�Ahoy the Pride! I�ll have your damned souls, storm orno!�

The crew paid this no mind, their attention riveted onthe black squall that rushed across the ocean to engulfthem. Piracy and black magic they could not counter, butpreparing for a storm, no matter how monstrous it ap-peared, was something they knew. In a matter of minutesthey had the Pride battened down, storm canvas fullyrigged and all but the most crucial sails hoisted in.

There was a full minute of waiting, with everythingprepared, before the storm hit them with full force. Alleyes focused on the raging clouds and the vicious, hissingcurtain of rain, the pirate hidden in its depths forgottenfor the moment.

It hit them like a snarling tiger, a palpable darkness with athousand lashing whips, an angry wall of water and windthat seemed bent on overwhelming them all at once. Two

sails split immediately and Liam, desperately clutching therail to avoid being swept away, was completely blinded in thefirst minutes. It was all anyone could do simply to stay withthe ship, and a man was torn out of the rigging by thestorm�s prying fingers without anyone noticing.

The first angry blow of the storm was its greatest, andwhen the front of the storm had passed them, its angerwas spent, though not its strength. After long minutes ofblind clutching at the rail and feverish praying, Liamfound he could open his eyes and stand, though water stillpoured down from the sky and the wind howled, gustingstrongly through the rags of the sails. Stumbling throughthe rivers that gushed along the deck, he made sure of themate at the wheel and sent sailors along the deck, shoutingorders directly into men�s ears and ensuring that the shipwould still sail.

The force of the storm was amazing; he had never seenone so strong, and from the look on the Old Man�s facewhen he came to the quarterdeck, he was impressed as well.

�It�s hell�s own blow,� Liam shouted into the ancientsailor�s ear.

�Doesn�t seem to�ve stopped him,� the Old Man shout-ed back, jerking a thumb over the rail. Liam followed hisgesture and dimly made out the Death, cresting a giantwave behind them. He swore to himself and then shookhis head. It could not matter. If the storm hung on longenough, they would have to lose the pirate�unless theybroached to beneath the towering waves, or shipped somuch water they sank. Liam briefly wondered if the stormwasn�t the worse of their two enemies.

A single bolt of light lancing from the Death convincedhim it was not. The magic shot out and crashed into thecrest of a wave as the Pride rode up it, flames momentarilyplaying along the surging water and then dying out.

At least he can miss, Liam thought.

The Pride rode the storm all through the night, rising andfalling on the mountainous waves, struggling to keep canvason the masts and the sea out of the hold. Great sheets of coldwater crashed across the decks, rendering fingers numb andlifelines slick and treacherous. Three more men went over-board as the ship raced on before the blow.

Liam kept his post on the quarterdeck, scarcely awareof the line by which the Old Man had secured him to therail or the thick cloak the sailor had brought him. Somecaptains might have gone below�there was little he couldorder of which the mate or the Old Man wouldn�t havealready thought. But he had never mastered the art ofsleeping in a storm at sea, and the idea of huddling belowin the cold, wet darkness of his cabin did not appeal tohim. So he struggled for footing against the waves and therain and kept his position behind the two men now re-quired to hold the wheel, watching as best he could thePride�s progress, and that of their pursuer.

The Death kept pace with them. It could be seen occa-sionally, three or four wavecrests behind, rising highabove them for a moment to disappear down into atrough. At each descent, Liam offered a prayer that DenHuys� ship would not rise, but each time it did, crestingthe peaks like an avenging demon, all sails set in a gesture

that defied the power of the storm�s winds.Bolts of lightning, more brilliant and fearsome by far than

the natural ones of the storm, shot from the Death toward thePride. Most fell unheeded into the angry sea, coruscating onthe black water, but a number struck home, setting riggingand yards blazing with fire despite the downpour. Sailorsscrambled out to cut away the ropes and wood hit by themagic, dropping them into the sea. One bolt struck the railto Liam�s left, and he snatched up an axe to help hew awaythe afflicted wood. As the last piece fell, another bolt streakedoverhead and, turning, he watched it catch a sailor high inthe rigging full in the chest. With a cry heard over the full-throated roar of the storm, the man fell like a flaming starinto the sea. He sank, but the magic fire continued to burnaround him, and long moments passed before it disappearedinto the depths.

Throughout the night the storm wore on. Liam was com-pletely numb, his drenched cloak like a lead weight on hisshoulders. Toward dawn he became aware of a cloudiness ofmind. He sensed that the gale�s power was diminishing, buthe could not bring himself to consider what that meant. TheDeath was still close behind them; running out of the stormmeant facing the pirate as before, with the ship in far worsecondition. The rigging and yards were a shambles, the sailsmere rags. They could not hope to do more than run a fewmiles before they were caught.

By insensible stages the storm wore itself out. The howl- ing slowly dropped in pitch, and the sea flattened itself in

a process so gradual it could not be perceived until it wasdone. The lashing rain resolved into a steady downpour,which slowed to a drizzle.

Liam watched all this apathetically. The long run beforethe storm and the sense that his luck had run out op-pressed him, driving all conscious thought away and re-ducing him to a bystander in the ship�s progress.

The sailors at first took the calming of the storm as a goodsign, but they quickly realized that the Death was with them,and set grimly to prolonging the chase as long as possible.The Old Man circulated among them, giving the ordersLiam should have, keeping them at the necessary tasks longafter their exhausted bodies should have given out.

It was not an issue of seamanship that roused Liamfrom his torpor, but a question of money. Dawn had comebehind the clouds, diffusing a dull grey glow over the sea;the rain slackened. The positions of the day before wereresumed�the Pride still in front, the Death ever closer. TheOld Man had set all possible sail, but it was clear that theycould not stay out of the pirate�s hands for more than anhour. With a glum expression, the sailor trudged up to thequarterdeck and approached Liam.

�Well, Cap, it looks like we�ve almost reached the endof our run.�

Liam only grunted, sunk in his own dark thoughts.�We can get a few more miles out of her,� the Old Man

went on, �if we could start the wool over the side. It�sshipped a mess of water and�s weighing heavy in the hold.�

Slowly the idea penetrated Liam�s mind, and his firstreflection on it was that, even faced with a deadly pirateand a vicious storm, the Freeporters� respect for propertymade throwing away cargo an important issue. Then, bydegrees, he made himself consider the situation, and at

82 MAY 1994

last brought himself to agree.�Very well. Toss it over the side.�The Old Man allowed himself a brief, querying look at

Liam, wondering at the leaden tone of the captain�s voice,then set the crew to pitching the heavy, sodden bundles ofprickly wool over the side. It took the better part of anhour, and when it was done the Pride had gained apprecia-bly in speed, enough to maintain an even distance fromthe Death. The Old Man went back up to the quarterdeck.

�Cap Renvoort, if we could toss the oil as well, wecould gain a little more speed.�

�It�s Rhenford,� Liam said, a small smile playing overhis lips. �And no, we�ll need the oil. Have the men set topreparing the boats.�

The Old Man was as much surprised by the captain�snew expression of purpose as by his earlier dullness, buthe obeyed.

Liam had been set thinking by the jettisoning of thewool, and by the nearness of the Death. Since the stormhad stopped, no more bolts had come from the pirate, andLiam imagined that the other ship bore an even grimmerappearance as it came on beneath the lowering clouds. Animaginative leap suggested something to him: Den Huysdid not mean just to sink Pride or burn it with magic froma distance. He now wanted to punish them for the longchase in the storm. And that suggested something further.

Dropping his heavy cloak to the deck, Liam strodequickly off the quarterdeck and went below.

When Liam came back on deck an hour later, all wasclearly lost. The Death was less than half a mile behind,though no more hails had come. The rain had stoppedand the clouds were breaking up, offering long glimpses ofthe surface of Rushcutter�s Bay littered with storm wrack.To the east, pieces of coastline could be made out. Liamwent to the rail and considered these for a moment. TheOld Man joined him.

�The storm�s brought us in close. Shore�s only a fewmiles away,� he observed.

�Yes,� Liam said, his earlier smile still on his face. Helooked tired and dirty, smudged by the filth of the lowestholds. �Are the boats ready?�

�Aye, Cap. What�s the plan?��We�ll pull in as close to the coast as we can, then dis-

embark. We�ll lower the boats on the far side, so theycan�t see us, then pull like madmen for land.�

The Old Man shook his head. �Den Huys�ll blow ourlittle boats out of the water. It�s best maybe to stay andfight it out.�

To his surprise, Liam laughed and clapped him on theback. �Don�t worry about that. He�ll be so busy with thePride he won�t notice our boats. Now make sure they�reready to be dropped.�

With that, he jogged up to the man at the wheel andhad him set the ship in toward land.

They did not get much closer, just enough to make out thelow dunes and marshes in more detail. The pirate was stillseveral cable lengths away, a full fifteen minutes� of sailing,when Liam gave the order to turn to. Shrugging, the matecomplied, spinning the wheel and turning the ship in a tight

Continued on page 109

by Spike Y. JonesArtwork by Terry Dykstra

In the average AD&D® or D&D® cam-paign, one thinks of magic to en-hance survival, one usually is referring to+1 long swords, giant-strength potions,and fireball spells; the ability to kill mon-sters before they can kill you. Beyond theobvious challenges to survival that mon-sters present, there are a number of otherforces that easily can kill an unpreparedadventurer; hazards like hunger, heat, andsimply getting lost. While item-craftingmages seem to expend most of their ef-forts on the magicks of combat, presentedbelow are a number of magical items andspells that have the primary purpose ofprotecting people not from monsters, butfrom the mundane dangers of life.

84 MAY 1994

Amulet of cat-napsWearing this tiger-eye agate amulet

removes the burden of having to take aneight-hour stretch of time for sleep fromthe wearer. Instead, it allows him to takesleep in momentary snatches throughoutthe day. As these naps are extremely shortand the sleep is light, the sleeper suffersno penalties on his actions, initiative, orsurprise; the net effect is of apparentlybeing able to stay up 24 hours per day.

Unfortunately, the lack of deep sleep iseventually harmful to the wearer. Forevery two days that the amulet is worn, asaving throw versus paralyzation must bemade or the wearer loses a point of Con-stitution. (Lost Constitution is regained at arate of one point per night of unassistedsleep.)XP value: 500

Armor of restful sleepThis armor can be of any type, from

leather to full plate, and only a small per-centage of these suits provide pluses onAC. (Use Table 105 on DMG page 139 todetermine the type of armor found, with a�special� result meaning a reroll for typeand a roll on Table 106 to determine thepluses of the suit.) The only special effectsof this magical armor is that it has noencumbrance and can be worn whilesleeping with no discomfort. Thus, thewearer can be fully armored whenevershe awakes, even in the middle of thenight.

XP Value: 1,000 (More if AC bonuses aregranted; see Table 106.)

Exposure salveThe purpose of this magical ointment is

to protect exposed skin from the effects ofthe elements such as sun, wind, and rain.Any skin coated with the salve will beimmune to injury from normal cold andheat, wind burns, and in sand storms, theabrasion of airborne particles. Someoneprotected by the salve won�t suffer even asunburn from spending days in a desert,nor would she have to worry about frost-bite on exposed parts in arctic climes.Unfortunately, exposure salve has noeffect against any magical attack form,even if it is an exact duplicate of a naturaleffect that the salve is sovereign against.

The salve is found in small jars thattypically contain enough to cover thehands and face of ten people, or the entirebody of a single person. A single applica-tion will last for one week and while it canbe deliberately scrubbed off the skin,incidental exposure to water (such as rain)will not reduce its effects.XP value: 250

Eye of the condorUnlike other magical eyes, this is a single

fine crystal lens to be held up to the eyemomentarily, not to be fitted over the eyesfor long-term usage. The view from withinthe jewel is equivalent to that a high-soaring condor or eagle would have of the

user�s location. The user can see for adistance of some five miles in all directionsaround his position, giving him a good ideaof large-scale terrain features such asrivers, hills, roads, and forests, but little orno information about minute details suchas people or individual animals below theviewpoint. While the eye cannot be usedto spy in the activities of a person on theother side of a nearby obstruction, it canbe used to take note of large-scale activi-ties, such as the movement of a large partyof adventurers or of an army within itsarea of effect.

Because of the strange point-of-view theeye grants, attempting to perform anynormal functions (such as walking orfighting) while employing the eye resultsin severe disorientation and vertigo; theuser will have to save against paralyzationor be stunned for a period of 1d4 roundsafter misusing an eye of the condor.XP value: 2,000

Otiluke�s survival sphere This powerful magic bauble (which

might be named after the mage Otilukeonly as a tradition) takes the form of asmall glass sphere the size of a billiard ballwhen not being used. At need, the spherecan be broken against any hard surface; atthat point a crystalline sphere with a 10�diameter will spring into existence aroundthe caster (and anything else within thatdiameter).

The activated survival sphere is trans-

DRAGON 85

parent, but is otherwise invulnerable tomost outside forces. The interior is main-tained at a comfortable temperature,breathable air is produced by the sphere,it acts as a protection from normal missilesspell, and the caster can command the useof a create food & water spell (creatingthree cubic feet of food and water) onceper day while within the sphere. It will notprevent the entry of any magical forces,but neither will these forces shatter thesphere; a control temperature, 10� radiusspell can be used to change the tempera-ture within the sphere, but once the spell�sduration ceases, the interior temperaturewill automatically revert to comfortablelevels. The sphere floats, and it can bemoved slowly on land by the occupantsshifting their weight to roll it about.

The survival sphere can be occupiedindefinitely, allowing its inhabitants toweather any storm or hazardous situationin reasonable comfort. Most importantly,when the survival sphere is deactivated bythe proper command word (from withinor without), the original glass bauble re-forms, and it is fully reusable after oneweek�s time no matter how long thesphere was in use.XP value: 4,000

Pavilion of plenty This extremely rare magical item (only

three are known to have been created)provides for one�s dietary needs at some-thing more than the basic survival level. Inform, it is a cumbersome full-size tent thattakes up half a mule-load or a man�s fullpack, even with its collapsible tent poles. Ittakes 30 minutes for a single man to set up

86 MAY 1994

the colorful pavilion (with the time re-duced proportionately for every personwho helps, up to a maximum of ten per-sons raising the tent in three minutes), butwhen this mundane task is finished, theinterior of the tent will be found to con-tain a long trestle table, benches and a fewchairs, along with a living butler.

The butler is an elf with no significantcombat or magical abilities who lives in-side the pavilion at all times. When thetent is folded, he goes into a magical stasis,and does not age a moment until the tentis next unfolded. He can remember all thesegments of his life that occurred whilethe tent was unfolded, and his life goesback to a time before the item was evencreated. He will not willing travel morethan 50� from the tent, and if he is killed,the pavilion loses all its magic.

The butler controls a permanent unseenservant spell, and is able magically toproduce food enough to provide 36 mealsper day (in any combination, such as threemeals for 12 people, or a single meal for alarge party). The food served will be ofaverage quality, but it can be improved toluxurious quality by doubling the numberof meals used per serving (e.g., it canproduce only 18 luxury meals per day).

The daily food limit is absolute, but thetent can be folded and unfolded any num-ber of times without affecting food pro-duction. Any items besides food that areremoved from the tent (such as chairs, orthe butler) are not reproduced if the tentis collapsed and later erected. Any extraitems left in tent during folding (such asthe party�s packs and other equipment) arenot converted; they will retain their

weight and size, which may make it impos-sible to close the tent or to carry it.XP value: 5,000

Potion of camel thirst Imbibing a potion of camel thirst ren-

ders the drinker immune to the effects ofthirst for a week. Unfortunately, when thepotion�s effects wear off, the potion�s useris voraciously thirsty, having to make upfor a week without drinking in a singleday. If the drinker has arrived at an oasisor in civilization by that time, he shouldhave no trouble quenching his thirst, butif he is still in the desert, he can drinkmore potions of camel thirst, with the endeffect being an even more intense thirst atthe end of the new potion�s duration.Moreover, each additional potion is lesseffective than the one before, delayingthirst by one day less. (The second potiondrunk will work for six days only, provid-ing a combined 13 days of thirst-protection, and the third would only workfor five for a total of 18 days, etc.)XP value: 200

Stone cloak This simple gray cloak is the ultimate in

survival clothing. Under most circum-stances it operates as a normal cloak, butwhen it is pulled tight around the wearerand the command phrase is spoken, thewearer is instantly transformed into aweirdly-shaped mound of gray rock. Therock won�t resemble a human body to anyexcept the most imaginative of onlookers,and any physical tests of the rock willshow it to be normal in all respects (al-though detect magic will reveal an indeci-pherable magical aura around the rock).

While in rock form, the cloak�s wearerhas no need of food or water, nor will heator cold affect him unless these conditionsare so extreme that they cause normalrocks to crack, in which case he will sufferminor damage (1d4 or 1d6). As a rock, hecannot move, nor can he think anythingbut the most basic thoughts. He can seehis surroundings, but only vaguely, as ifseen through a many-layered veil.

Deactivating the cloak requires thewearer to think the appropriate commandphrase, but the longer he has been in rockform, the harder it will become to thinklike a living person. In order to rememberthe command phrase, the wearer mustmake an Intelligence ability check on1d20, with a penalty of -1 on the roll forevery week (or part of a week) he hasbeen in rock form. A stone cloak also canbe deactivated from the outside by some-one who knows the correct commandphrase, and who touches the correct boul-der while reciting the phrase; if the cloak�swearer chose a jumbled field of stones toactivate his cloak in, it may be some timebefore a rescuer finds him.XP value: 2,500

Straw of breathingThis hollow metal tube (about the size of

a finger) protects the user from suffoca-tion by most normal means. The usermerely places one end of the straw in hismouth and breathes through it as he nor-mally would. The far end of the tube isconnected by a dimensional portal to theElemental Plane of Air, allowing him todraw clean, fresh air through the tube nomatter what his surrounding conditionsare; whether he is in the midst of a stink-ing cloud spell, is underwater, or even inthe vacuum of Wildspace. Straws ofbreathing are not common, but they aremost often found amongst mariners whoply the seas or the stars.XP value: 800

Sun cloakThis stylish item of clothing is reversible

to show two different color schemes (usu-ally pure white and black), and providesthe wearer complete protection fromextremes of solar heat and sunless cold.When worn with the white (or light) sideout, a sun cloak keeps the wearer cool andcomfortable even in blistering desertsunlight, and when worn with the black(or dark) side out, it keeps the wearerwarm (but not hot) even against the chillof an arctic night. It gives no protectionwhatsoever against heat or cold fromother sources (such as fires or magic), nordoes it help one withstand the painfulbrilliance of the sun.

If worn incorrectly, the effects of thesun cloak can be deadly. Wearing the cloakinside-out during the day will cause thewearer to suffer the effects of sun expo-sure (dehydration, exhaustion, etc.) attwice the normal rate, while wearing itinside-out at night will cause the victim tofreeze as if stranded in a raging blizzard.XP value: 1,000

Mage spellsSustain fire (Alteration)Level: 1 Components: V,SRange: 5 yds./lvl. CT: 2Duration: Special Save: NoneArea of Effect: 5� radius

When this spell is cast on a nonmagicalfire, the fire is made to consume its fuel atonly one-tenth its normal rate, while giv-ing off its full amount of light and heat; aboon in areas where firewood is scarce. Afire so affected will radiate magic is suchis detected for, but is treated like a normalflame for all other purposes; it can beextinguished normally, and it does notcount as a magical attack form when usedagainst creatures that are harmed only bymagic weapons.

Sustain fire can be cast on any numberof fires, as long as they are all entirelywithin the area of effect at the time ofcasting, so that a bundle of lit torchescould be magicked and then separated forfull effect, but if one of those enchantedtorches was used to light another fire, the

new fire would have only a normal dura-tion. Multiple sustain fire spells cast on asingle target have no additional effects,and any extra fuel added to the fire afterthe casting will burn at their normal rates,not at the enchanted rate. If the enchantedfire is extinguished, the spell�s effects end,no matter how much time was left to thefuel. If the fire is relit, the remaining fuelwill burn at its normal rate.

Rainfire (Conjuration)Level: 2 Components: V,S,MRange: 10 yds. CT: 5Dur.: 1 turn/lvl. Save: SpecialArea of Effect: 1� radius

The effects of this spell are both limitedand impressive. When cast on a small pileof flammable material, that material burstsinto flames and burns as a normal fire fora period of one turn per level of the caster.Aside from being a handy way to light afire at a short distance, the spectacularcomponent of this magic is that the firecreated will burn even in a driving rain ora howling wind. It will burn even under-water for one-tenth the normal duration!

The material component of the spell is asmall pile of brush or other material tofuel the fire. The material doesn�t have tobe dry in order to be lit (although it mustbe a material that would be flammable ifdry), but no other fires can be lightedfrom the magical one, as the flames willnot spread past the 1� radius of the spell�seffects.

Rainfire can be used as an attack form,lighting the clothing or hair of a victim onfire if he fails a save vs. spells if the caster

hits the target in combat. Damage done bythe burning clothing will be 1d4 points perround, and if the clothing is removed, nofurther damage will be done (as the flamesdo not spread).

Priest spellRainshield (Conjuration)Level: 1 Components: V,SRange: 0 CT: 2Duration: 2 turns/lvl. Save: SpecialArea of Effect: 2� radius

This spell causes an invisible barrier tocome into existence five feet above thehead of the caster. Unlike a wizard�s shieldspell, the rainshield doesn�t prevent weap-ons from striking the caster, but it doesshelter him from rain or other liquidsfalling from above. Normal water is auto-matically stopped, but if the liquid is otherthan water, and if the caster is unaware ofthis fact, he must make a saving vs. spellsto prevent that liquid�s entry.

With conscious effort, the caster canmove the rainshield from its position di-rectly above him to a better angle forstopping wind-blown rain, or even to aposition directly in front of him to impedeliquid-based attacks on his person. Becauseof the limited area of effect, a horizontally-held rainshield may allow splashes ofwater or other liquids to strike the caster�slegs even if the major portion of an attackis diverted. If other persons stand near thecaster, they also can share the benefits ofthe rainshield, but the caster cannot movethe barrier in order to better share thespell�s effects.

DRAGON 87

Visit the revised RAVENLOFT® setting�if you dare

by Dori Hein

Artwork by Robh Ruppel

The tale of the vampire Strahd and theorigin of the Demiplane of Dread is afamiliar one to RAVENLOFT players, butfor those of you who are new to the line,let me give you a brief introduction toStrahd. He is an integral part of theRAVENLOFT world, and the game line(which was developed from the module, I6Ravenloft, by Tracy and Laura Hickman)

literally arose around this core figure.Strahd was the elder son of a ruling

family and devoted much of his life to thesafety of his people�so much so that heentered his middle years with no wife tocomfort him. Then, as the Fates wouldhave it, Strahd�s younger brother Sergeibrought home his betrothed, the beautifulTatyana. The result is obvious, but

tragic nonetheless.I happen to think Strahd�s love for Ta-

tyana was genuine, at least in the begin-ning, though because Strahd is thoroughlyevil, it�s hard to justify this statement.Many believe Strahd felt no noble emotionfor Tatyana, and perhaps this is true.However, I�m sure the impulse of a morenoble desire existed in Strahd while hewas yet mortal. That spark, which couldhave been ignited and flamed into theembers of goodness, was quelled by thecapricious Tatyana. Tatyana, you see, hadno interest in this man she called �oldman� and �elder brother," and she spurnedhis advances. I like to think Strahd�s fallfrom grace rests squarely on this youngwoman�s shoulders, and that she is thetrue reason for the Demiplane�s existence.Of course, that�s merely my opinion, andthe history of Ravenloft squarely points itsfinger at Strahd as the culprit.

I always thought Strahd at that point in hislife was far more interesting than Sergei,and I think Tatyana was a fool to have pre-ferred the younger brother over the elder.After all, the elder was mentally and emo-tionally more compelling�much more excit-ing than the younger with his sweet naivete.Besides, there was the inheritance to con-sider. What young woman would give upmoney and the throne in favor of a more-than-likely penniless second son?

While that�s a cynical assessment, it�s prob-ably a more accurate one if the situationbetween Strahd and Sergei and Tatyanawere in real life. However, this eternal trian-gle isn�t real life�it�s Gothic drama at its best.The seeds of tragedy were sown the mo-ment Strahd cast his eyes upon Tatyana andcoveted her. She fled from him, and hesought other methods to appease his lust, torid himself of the obstacle presented in theform of Sergei. Strahd made a pact withdeath that, while it would undo his ownmortality, would ensure his immortality inthe annals of role-playing history. With thislast corruption of Strahd�s soul, the domainof Barovia was wrenched from the land, andthe Demiplane of Dread was born in theEthereal Plane. Its first, though perhaps notmightiest, darklord took the shape of thevampire von Zarovich.

DRAGON 89

Strahd�s a romantic antihero of the firstmagnitude, a complex and intelligent fig-ure. He�s integral to the core philosophybehind the RAVENLOFT game line, but heis, after all, only one character. There areothers whose stories burn as bright, thosewho have developed in the last few yearsthrough game accessories, adventures,and novels. They, too, deserve to be asthoroughly explored as is Strahd, andthat�s what the new edition of theRAVENLOFT setting accomplishes.

Hyskosa�s hexadThere are other reasons, too, for the

revision of the RAVENLOFT setting, theforemost of which is that the land itselfchanges over time. Ravenloft is a world influx; it is not meant to be a static environ-ment. Boundaries change, as do the do-mains and their inhabitants. Darklordswax and wane in power, gaining or losingterritory. New land may come from theborder ethereal, the fluctuating force thatsurrounds the Demiplane of Dread, or itmay envelop a smaller domain.

On rare occasions of major import, aconjunction occurs between Ravenloft andlands within the Prime Material plane. Onsuch instances, some of the domains ofRavenloft physically replace land foundelsewhere. It is at such times that thedarklords have their only opportunity toescape their prisons within the Demiplaneof Dread.

The Grand Conjunction, the greatest ofthese occasions and the only one knownand detailed thus far in the history ofRavenloft, was foretold by Hyskosa, aVistani seer, in the following verse:

In the house of Daegon the sorcerer born,though life, unlife, unliving shall scorn.

The lifeless child of stern mother foundheralds a time, night of evil unbound.

Seventh time the son of suns doth riseto send the knave to an eternity of cries.

The light of the sky shining over the deadshall gutter and fail, turning all to red.

The bodiless shall journey to the timebefore where happiness to hate createsland and more.

Inajira will make his fortunes reversedooming all to live with the dreadedcurse.

Know thee now that the circle is complete,what lust hath made, history shallrepeat.

These events were carried out in a se-ries of adventures (Feast of Goblyns, Shipof Horror, Touch of Death, Night of theWalking Dead, From the Shadows, andRoots of Evil, respectively).

Fortunately for our gamers in the prime-material worlds (most notably Toril,Krynn, Oerth, and Athas), the Grand Con-junction did not come about. Azalin thelich so desired to free himself from theconfines of the Demiplane that in his hasteto hurry along the conjunction he side-stepped some of the events. Needless to

90 MAY 1994

say, he still calls the continent of discon-tent his home.

The Grand Conjunction did have ramifica-tions upon Ravenloft, however�ramifications that have reverberatedthroughout the Demiplane. Boundariesbetween domains, ever frail, faded andlapsed. Some inhabitants escaped to newdomains, even a few to the Prime Materialplane. The core domains and the islands ofterror were shaken from their prior stability.

Vechor, Farelle, and Sanguinia, islandsall, exist no more. In their place fell Bluet-spur, G�Henna, and the Nightmare Lands�wrenched from the core they becameislands instead, struggling to retain theirexistence within the Demiplane and onlyjust succeeding. Remarkably the domainsthat remained in the core did not fill thisvoid; rather, a bottomless chasm called theShadow Rift now fills the area. The do-mains of Markovia and Valachan weretransposed to the Sea of Sorrows. Borcaand Dorvinia, on the other hand, mergedto become a new domain . . . yet at thenew lands heart there wrestles two lords.Arkandale was absorbed by Verbrek,however, and lost its lord altogether.Lastly, the drow dwelling in the under-ground dominion of Arak disappeared,relinquishing the domain to Darkon.

Other changes beyond the warping ofthe lands were wrought by the GrandConjunction, including the advent of a fewnew domains. Rokushima, a cluster of tinyoriental islands, has appeared in the Demi-plane. The lord of Gundarak was assassi-nated by a Dr. Dominiani, but the domaindisappeared without accepting Dominiani�srule. For his efforts, however, the darkpowers granted Dominiani a tiny islanddomain, not much larger than the asylumhe calls his home. Someone has claimedthe Sea of Sorrows as his domain, a cap-tain of a ghostly ship.

Ravenloft is, above all, an unstable place.It is not a rigid plane where lords andlands are constant, immutable forces. It isa place of shifting dimensions and do-mains, where even the breadth of timefluctuates. Its lands expand, coalesce, ordisappear; new ones appear, shaped by thenature of a fresh evil to be entrapped inRavenloft�s snare. This new edition detailsthese changes, bringing players up-to-datewith Ravenloft�s latest transformation.

The revisionThe Grand Conjunction has reshaped

the Demiplane of Dread, and what wascontained within the original Realm ofTerror boxed set is now reshaped into aland at once familiar yet distorted. Do-mains destroyed in the Grand Conjunctionhave been deleted, new domains haveemerged from the Mists, and key personal-ities have undergone harsh changes in thewarping of the Demiplane.

Due in hobby and book stores this June,the new edition combines the originalboxed set with elements from the Forbid-den Lore set, an expansion product that

explored the Vistani, fortunetelling, secretsocieties, and psionics. The revision in-cludes the following items:

Realm of Terror— a 160-page rule book.This volume details the reshaping of char-acter classes in Ravenloft, expounds ontechniques to add terror to a campaign,and describes both new and old spells andmagical items and how they have beentwisted by the Demiplane. Also included inthis book are fear, horror, madness, andRavenloft powers checks; these have beenupdated and expanded for players. Lastly,curses and psionics round out this manual.

Domains and Denizens- a 128-pagebackground book. This primer describesthe dark lands of the core, the islands ofterror, and how these domains have sur-vived the Grand Conjunction. The bookalso discusses the many nefarious charac-ters populating these domains as well asthose few of goodness, most notably Dr.Rudolph van Richten. Details of the myste-rious Vistani, who have the ability to readthe future, round out this book.

Two maps, which depict the new coredomains and the islands of terror.

A tarokka deck of beautifully illustratedcards for role-playing fortune telling.These cards were originally included inthe Forbidden Lore boxed set. They makean excellent playing aid for Dungeon Mas-ters who want to add a bit of Vistani ambi-ance to their role-playing sessions. (To allof you who have asked for this at GENCON® Game Fair: Yes, we have plans toproduce a Van Richten’s Guide to the Vis-tani in the near future!)

A four-panel Dungeon Master screen,specially designed for RAVENLOFT cam-paigns. This screen includes all tablespertinent to the RAVENLOFT setting aswell as all major AD&D® game tables.

An attractive poster featuring a paintingby artist Robh Ruppel. Robh has brought anew vision to Ravenloft that can only bedescribed as exciting.

Some of you may recall that ForbiddenLore also included dikesha�dice withspecial symbols that were also used as afortune-telling variant. These dice are notincluded in this new boxed set, because ofprohibitive production costs. They are stillavailable in any existing copies of Forbid-den Lore, however. For those of you whoare collectors, TSR isn�t reprinting thatproduct, and you may want to find itsimply for the dikesha. For those of youwho are new to the RAVENLOFT cam-paign and simply want to play the game,Forbidden Lore isn�t necessary as all thepertinent rules have been added to thenew boxed set.

For all players, whether you are longfamiliar with the terrors of the night orare new to the genre of Gothic horror, weat TSR extend a special invitation to stepinto the night and be enter the Mists ofRavenloft. Enjoy!

by Bill Slavicsek

Concept & pencils by Arnie Swekel

Inks by Glen Angus

New character options from the COUNCIL OF WYRMS boxed setImagine player characters of such fierce

form and unstoppable power that onlyone setting can hold them. Imagine anisolated island chain where a dragon civili-zation rules supreme and demihumansexist only as servants. Imagine armoredflesh, taut wings, claws like long swords,teeth like daggers, and breath weapons ofmass destruction. Imagine dragon playercharacters (PCs), then create them withthe rules provided in the new AD&D®game COUNCIL OF WYRMS boxed set.

Dragons, however, aren�t the only new PCtypes introduced in the product. A new kitfor humans�the dragon slayer�is presentedas a nonplayer character (NPC) foe for thedragon PCs. In this article, we�ll promote thedragon slayer to PC status for use in otherAD&D campaign settings, provide a newslayer mage kit, and give both types addi-tional attack forms to employ against theirmortal enemies. Much of this informationcan also be used to beef up a DM�s slayerNPCs in a dragon-PC campaign. Finally, you�llfind a new Monstrous Manual page describ-ing the undead dragon slayers that stillhaunt the dragon isles.

The dragon slayersIn the setting detailed in the COUNCIL

OF WYRMS boxed set, the dragons of theIo�s Blood island chain were once constant-ly at war with each other. The greater godIo, the Concordant Dragon, sent his avatarto bring a message of peace and harmonyto the dragon clans. The clans refused tolisten, and the wars continued. Io decidedthat the only way to end the wars was tosend a greater threat against the dragons.It would be a threat so deadly that thedragons would have to put aside their ownconflicts and work together to turn it

back. Otherwise, the dragon clans wouldcontinue to stand alone, and alone eachwould be destroyed.

Io's avatar searched far and wide acrossthe rest of the world, looking for some foeworthy and powerful enough to threatenthe dragon clans. It found a thriving hu-man civilization in the lands far from thedragon islands. The avatar appeared be-fore these humans in all its glory as agreat wyrm, playing upon their fears andhatreds concerning dragons, and upontheir willingness to appease a god. For thehumans saw the avatar as a god, and werenot at all bothered that their god shouldappear to them in the form of their mosthated enemy. In fact, they saw this as atrue sign of their calling.

The avatar harnessed the natural hatredthe humans felt, focused it, and manipu-lated the humans into becoming the in-strument of Io's will in the world. Theavatar taught them how to fight dragons,how to forge weapons to kill dragons, howto craft armor to protect themselves fromclaws and teeth, and how to build ships totravel across the seas to the dragon isles.The humans, meanwhile, listened to everyword as though it was a divine command.To them, this was a call to wage holywar�a call direct from their god.

The avatar turned the humans intodragon slayers.

A single human can�t match the size orpower of a single dragon, but humans aremore prolific than dragons, and they areas numerous as the drops of water in theBlood Sea. With the added knowledge andskills provided by the avatar, the dragonslayers were turned into formidable oppo-nents for Io's wayward children.

The dragon slayers invaded the Io�s

Blood isles and laid waste to the unpre-pared clans. It took the near extinction forthe dragons to realize their only chance ofsurvival was to work together. They did,and the invaders were wiped out. Thehumans� ships were sunk, their weaponsand armor destroyed, and their numbersreduced from many thousands to a scat-tered few. This was many ages past, butthe dragons still remember the war withthe humans. The few slayers who sur-vived had no way to return to their ownlands, and within a generation they de-volved into harmless savages roaming thewilderness between the dragons� cities.Back in the human lands, with their popu-lation decimated and their faith in thedragon god broken, the once mighty drag-on slayers almost disappeared. A small,devoted sect is all that remains, and itdoesn�t have the power or the strength ofnumbers to contemplate launching an-other holy war.

Dragon-slayer PCs The dragon-slayer kit included in Book

Two: Campaign of the COUNCIL OFWYRMS boxed set works fine as a PC kitwith one major change. As humans areextremely rare in the Io's Blood isles, andany encountered wearing the trappings ofa slayer would be instantly attacked, theycan�t be used as PCs in this setting. Byremoving much of the background andreligious overtones, however, a dragonslayer can easily pop up in a more tradi-tional AD&D campaign world.

In other worlds, dragon slayers still canconsider themselves holy warriors, butsuch a background isn�t necessary. How-ever, it is up to DMs and players to deter-mine a reason for why the warrior

DRAGON 93

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:FREQUENCY:ORGANIZATION:ACTIVITY CYCLE:DIET:INTELLIGENCE:TREASURE:ALIGNMENT:NO. APPEARING:ARMOR CLASS:MOVEMENT:HIT DICE:THAC0:NO. OF ATTACKS:DAMAGE/ATTACK:SPECIAL ATTACKS:SPECIAL DEFENSES:MAGIC RESISTANCE:SIZE:MORALE:XP VALUE:

Any Io�S BloodVery rare SolitaryAnyNilHigh to genius (13-18)NilVaries1 or 1-40 (-l, -2 or -3 vs. dragons)129, 10, or 11 (10-sided dice)11, 10, or 93/2By weaponSee belowSee below60%M (6�-7� tall)Fearless (19)7,000

An undead dragon slayer is a horrifying creature who returnsfrom the dead to continue the pursuits it dedicated its formerlife to�namely, destroying dragons. Some dragon slayers re-turn as the result of necromantic magic, others due to theirown indomitable strength of will.

An undead dragon slayer looks much the same as it did in life,though with a skeletal visage, rotted flesh, and dead, holloweyes. On average, an undead dragon slayer stands between sixand seven feet tall, and weighs around 250 pounds in its armor.It wears the specially crafted suit of plate-mail armor it wore inlife, armor with a dragon-scale design and dragon-shaped helm.The armor looks battered and beaten, but it glows with super-natural color�color inspired by the dragon type the slayerhates the most�perhaps the type of dragon that slew the drag-on slayer.

With a voice as cold as the dead and as deep as a grave, anundead dragon slayer speaks its native tongue, as well as thelanguages of dragons.

Combat: An undead dragon slayer retains the fighting skillsand special benefits it had in life, as well as a few new ones dueto its undead nature. All of these creatures have Armor Class 0because of their plate mail. When facing dragons, the enchant-ment of the armor increase the armor class to -1, -2, or -3,depending on the Hit Dice of the undead dragon slayer. TheTHAC0 also improves from 11 at 9HD to 10 at 10HD and to 9 at11HD.

Undead dragon slayers use long swords (80% of the time) ortwo-handed swords (20% of the time). These weapons alwaysfunction as +2 dragon slayer swords in their hands. With theseweapons, undead dragon slayers get to make three attacks eve-ry two combat rounds. Due to their unnaturally high strength,they have an attack bonus of +3 against nondragon opponentsand a damage bonus of +6 against nondragons. The attack bo-nus increases to +5 against dragons. Against dragons, the dam-age bonus increases according to their Hit Dice, becoming +15,+16, or +17.

Undead dragon slayers know five of the following special at-tack forms: breath stun, breach attack, dodge attack, doubledamage, great blow, weapon throw, wing attack. These are de-scribed in this article or in the COUNCIL OF WYRMS boxed set.

Undead dragon slayers are immune to the effects of dragonfear, and take either half or no damage if they make successfulsaving throws versus breath weapons. They can�t be turned byclerics, but will be driven away by the holy word spell.

94 MAY 1994

Undead Dragon Slayer DRAGON® issue #205

©1994 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Artwork by Jeff Butler

Habitat/Society: In the COUNCIL OF WYRMS setting, undeaddragon slayers were members of the vast army of human war-riors who invaded the Io's Blood isles in ages past. Any slayer of9th level or greater who died before his holy task was finishedcan rise as an undead warrior. Most are called back from thegrave by necromantic magic. Though these summoned slayersretain their own minds and agendas, they also have to obey thecommands of their summoners�at least until their task is com-plete or they somehow win their freedom. A small number ofdragon slayers will themselves back from the dead. These indi-viduals have the utmost faith in their cause, an undying hatredof dragons, and a supernatural strength of will. No matterwhich type of undead dragon slayer is encountered, all seek todestroy dragons and those who would offer aid to them. Theyusually remain close to the place they met death, such as theWeeping Plains of Exaurdon Island. Undead dragon slayers canbe of neutral or evil alignment.

Ecology: Undead dragon slayers have no physiological func-tions. They can sometimes be found in the company of skeletonwarriors or dracoliches. While they do not need to eat, theymust slay dragons to replenish the energy that keeps them ani-mated. Killing a dragon provides an undead dragon slayer withenough energy to last one month for every Hit Die the dragonhad. If it does not replenish its energy within one week of themoment its last meal fades, it loses strength and must return tothe sleep of the dead.

dedicated himself to battling dragons. Therequirements, weapon and nonweaponproficiencies, equipment, special benefits,special hindrances, and wealth optionsremain the same as those in the boxed setwith the following modifications.

The list of special attacks available todragon slayers has been expanded in thisarticle. Using the rules listed in the kitdescription, any of the new attack formsmay be substituted for those in the boxedset. An additional option also exists if aslayer PC takes the new attack-form spe-cialization. It costs one weapon proficiencyslot to specialize in slayer attack forms,and it must be purchased by the time theslayer reaches 3rd level. (The PC can usethe new slots gained upon reaching 3rdlevel to purchase the specialization.) Notethe character�s Intelligence score can beused only to gain additional nonweaponproficiency slots, not weapon proficiencyslots.

With the slayer attack-form specializa-tion, a dragon-slayer PC increases thenumber of special attacks he can learn, aswell as the rate at which he can learnthem. Instead of learning three specialattacks over the course of a career at 1st,4th and 7th level, a specialized slayer canlearn five�one each at 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7thand 9th level respectively.

Special attack formsIn the dragon-slayer kit description in

the boxed set, three special attack formsare described. These are wing attack,breath stun, and great blow. Other slayerattack forms include weapon throw,breach attack, double damage, dazzle, anddodge attack.

All special attacks must be declaredbefore any attack rolls are made by eitherside in a combat round. A dragon slayercan�t use special attacks two combatrounds in a row. For example, if Daressthe dragon slayer uses a wing attack in thefirst round of combat, she can make nospecial attacks in the second round. If aslayer fails to hit after the attack form isdeclared, the special attack form is stillconsidered to have been used in that com-bat round. In a round in which a slayergets to make more than one attack, onlycertain forms can be used more than once.These are wing attack, breath stun, anddouble damage. All special attacks areeffective only against dragons. They donot work against nondragon foes.

Weapon throw allows a dragon slayerto toss his primary weapon at a flyingdragon. A primary weapon is any weaponlisted in the dragon-slayer kit descriptionunder weapon proficiencies that the slayerhas spent slots on. Short range for thrownweapons is up to 15�, medium is up to 30�,and long range is up to 45�. Attack rollsare made with a -2, -4, and -6 penaltyat short, medium, and long range respec-tively, since this is an unusual use of aheavy weapon. Damage is determinednormally, and all Strength and damage

bonuses are applied. No other specialattack form can be used in combinationwith a weapon-throw attack.

Breach attack allows a slayer to searchfor a vulnerable spot in a dragon�s armor.The slayer must spend a full combatround without making any attacks as hesearches for an opening. He must be fac-ing a dragon�s underbelly, from the neckunder its maw to its lower abdomenwhere its rear legs meet its body. Theattack must be aimed at this region. In theround of searching, the slayer makes anIntelligence check to find the breach. Asuccessful check gives the slayer a clearlook at the spot, and the attack roll in thenext round is made with a +6 bonus. Ifthe check fails, the bonus is only +2.Attacks may be made against the slayerduring the round of searching, and theslayer takes damage normally. Damage,however, will not hinder his breach attackunless he is knocked unconscious or killed.Slayers with the double damage attackform can use it in combination with abreach attack.

Double damage allows a slayer to callon his knowledge of dragon physiology toinflict greater damage with a single attack.This attack form can be used alone or incombination with breach attack. Whenused with a successful attack roll, theslayer�s weapon inflicts double damage. Nodamage bonuses are doubled, just the basedamage of the weapon type. However,damage bonuses are applied normally. Forexample, a slayer with a long sword wouldcause 2dl2 (instead of 1dl2) plus anydamage bonuses.

Dazzle is an attack form designed toconfuse a dragon and hinder its ability tocast spells or use its innate powers. Theslayer twirls his weapon in such a way asto captivate and disorient his dragon foe.The twirling weapon disrupts the dragon�sconcentration for the round, making itimpossible to gather the merest thoughtsnecessary to activate a spell or innatepower.

Dodge attack is a combination defenseand attack form that a slayer can use toavoid damage and deliver his own deadlyblow in the same round. A dodge attackrequires a successful Dexterity check,otherwise none of the following benefitsapply. If successful, the slayer�s armorclass is improved by +4 for the roundagainst a dragon�s physical attacks, andsaving throws versus breath weaponsreceive a +2 bonus. In addition, aftermaking the dodge the slayer puts himselfin a better position to deliver his ownattack. In the round, a slayer�s attack rollsreceive a +2 bonus.

Slayer-mage kit The slayer mage is a wizard trained to

battle dragons. A slayer mage often worksin conjunction with a dragon slayer. In theCOUNCIL OF WYRMS setting, these holywizards share the same beliefs as theirwarrior counterparts. In other campaign

worlds, they share a similar type of train-ing and a desire to defend humanity fromevil dragons.

Requirements: To use this kit, a hu-man wizard needs the following minimumability scores: Strength 11, Dexterity 12,and Intelligence 14.

Role: Slayer mages wear cloaks of drag-on scales with hoods crafted from dragonskulls. They carry spell components de-rived from dragon parts. They wieldstaves of dragon bone and daggers withblades of sharpened dragon teeth. Theylearn to use their magic to best effectagainst dragons, and obsessively studytheir foes so that they know them as wellas they know themselves.

Slayer mages are dedicated to destroyingdragonkind, though they also have a pow-erful fascination for these creatures. Innondragon PC settings, the slayer mage�scause focuses on evil (or oppositelyaligned) dragons. In these settings, slayermages may actually join forces with drag-ons of their own alignment. They do thisbecause they have great respect and admi-ration for these creatures. They wish tolearn more about the dragons, and aboutthe way they view and use arcane energy.

No one knows more about dragonkindthan slayer mages. Even dragon slayersonly know those things necessary to battlethe wyrms. Slayer mages seek to under-stand the whole picture of dragonkind, forthey use this knowledge not only to castspells, but to find better ways to live theirown lives through the examples of drag-ons. To the slayer mage, dragonkind is theultimate level of existence. However, drag-ons themselves have squandered theirgifts and used them poorly (as the magessee it). It is the hope of a slayer mage todiscover how to gain these gifts for hu-manity through natural and arcane means.

Weapon proficiencies: The tradition-al weapons of a slayer mage are the quar-terstaff, dagger, and staff sling. Theseweapons are usually constructed in partor completely from the remains of a drag-on. If a slayer mage chooses a dragonattack form at 3rd level, he can purchaseattack-form specialization at 6th level(using up the weapon proficiency slotgained with the advancement). This allowsa slayer mage to learn one additional at-tack form at 6th level.

Nonweapon proficiencies: Theproficiencies suggested for slayer magesare as follows.

* Bonus proficiencies: Dragon lore,spellcraft.

* Required proficiencies: Reading/writing.

* Recommended proficiencies, General:Any.

* Recommended proficiencies, Wizard:Ancient history, gem cutting.

* Recommended proficiencies, Warrior:Survival, tracking.

* Recommended proficiencies, Rogue:Appraising, gaming.

* Recommended proficiencies, Priest: None.

DRAGON 95

Equipment: Slayer mages can use anyweapons and equipment normally availa-ble to wizard characters, though theyprefer items that have some connection todragons: weapons made in whole or inpart from dragon remains, clothing andboots of dragon hide, etc.

Slayer mages start play with a spellbookof dragon-skin parchment pages bound incured dragon hide, and enough spell com-ponents made from dragon remains tocast each of their first-level spells 12 times.

The cloak of dragon scales presented toevery newly created slayer mage providesa +1 armor class bonus due to its excel-lent crafting and impervious material.When the slayer mage reaches 3rd level,this cloak becomes enchanted due to along-standing pact made with Io's avatar(or whatever agency exists in the DM�scampaign setting). It endows an additional+1 armor class bonus against attacksfrom dragons. Slayer mages can performspecial quests every level to increase theenchantment of the dragon cloaks. In nocase will the enchantment increase bymore than +1 during a level, and it willnever increase beyond a cumulative +5bonus against dragons.

At some point during his career, a slayermage seeks to own the precious metal orgem found in the egg of every hatchlingdragon. This item, more fully described in

Book Two: Campaign from the COUNCILOF WYRMS boxed set, is believed to havemagical properties that the slayer magecan draw upon. See �Special Benefits�below for more information.

Special benefits:Control dragon: If a slayer mage possess-

es the piece of precious metal or the gem

If the metal or gem is lost, or if the slay-er mage comes to possess a second such

from a dragon�s egg, the PC has the ability

item, this ability cease to function entirely.For this ability to work, the slayer mage

to control any dragon of the type that

can hold only one such item. Note thatacquiring the metal or gem from a new-born dragon�s egg is no small feat; both

corresponds to the metal or gem in his

the slayer mage�s player and the DM

possession, as per the potion of dragon

should approach the acquisition of such anitem as a major quest.

control (DMG, page 142). This ability can

Dragon languages: A slayer mage canspeak and understand one dragon family

be used once per week.

language (either metallic, gem, or chromatic).Fear immunity: A slayer mage is immune

to the effects of dragon fear.Breath weapon defense: As slayer mages

learn to avoid breath weapons, they receivehalf or no damage when they make savingthrows (instead of full or half damage).

Special attacks: Slayer mages can learnany of the special attacks available todragon slayers. They may select one ofthese attack forms at 3rd level. If a slayermage takes the attack-form specialization,he can select a second special attack at 6thlevel.

Anti-magic resistance: If a slayer mageuses spell components made with dragonremains, spells cast at dragons receive abonus against the target dragon�s naturalmagic resistance. For every level of theslayer mage, the dragon�s magic-resistancerating is reduced by 5%.

Special hindrances: Slayer magessuffer a -4 penalty on all encounter reac-tions against dragons�even those theyseek to befriend.

As slayer mages come to depend ondragon remains as ingredients in theirspell components, after 3rd level theysuffer penalties when using componentsnot made with these special ingredients.These penalties translate as bonuses forthe targets of their castings: a +2 to allsaving throws for spells that normallyreceive saving throws, and a saving throwwith a -3 penalty for all spells that nor-mally receive no saving throws.

Wealth options: Slayer mages startplay with 1d6 x 10 gold pieces with whichto purchase supplies not provided under�Equipment� above.

Arcane Lore Continued from page 38

This spell maintains a creature�s bodyheat against cold for four hours, plus oneadditional hour per level of the caster.Also, any cold-based damage is restored atthe rate of one hit point per turn. Whenexposed to magical cold or specialcold-based attack, the protected creaturereceives a +2 bonus to saving throws, andcold-based damage is reduced by 1 pointper die. This spell is not cumulative withany other magical protections against cold.

Sunburst (Invocation/Evocation)Level: 4 Comp.: V,MRange: 30 yds. + 10/lvl. CT: 7Dur.: Instant. Save: SpecialArea of Effect: 40� radius globe

This spell creates a brilliant flash ofgreenish-white light with blazing goldenrays. Undead within the area of effect take6d6 points of damage (no save). Othercreatures in the area, or outside the areaand looking at the sunburst, are blindedfor one round if they fail a saving throwvs. spells. Those without eyes, and thosenot sensitive to visible light, are notaffected. The sunburst instantly destroysdarkness created by those of a level equal

96 MAY 1994

to or less than the caster. The materialcomponent is the cleric�s holy symbol anda crystal bead.

Crown of brilliance(Invocation/Evocation)Level: 6Range: TouchDur.: 1 rd./2 lvls.Area of Effect: Special

Comp.: V,S,MCT: 9Save: None

This spell turns a piece of headgear intoa blazing source of golden light as soon asthe wearer engages in hand-to-handcombat. All opponents in hand-to-handcombat with the caster must save vs. spellsor be blinded for 1d4 rounds ( -4 to attackrolls). If not blinded, the opponent suffersa -2 penalty to attack rolls against thewearer due to the dazzling brilliance ofthe headgear.

Creatures with an aversion to sunlightor a penalty when fighting in bright lightare affected more severely (drow, derro,duergar, goblins, many undead, etc.).Those within a 30� radius must save vs.spells or flee. Those who do not flee willsuffer their usual penalty for fighting inbright light. Undead other than skeletonsor zombies take an additional 1d6 pointsof damage each round they stay within theaffected area.

The spell must be cast on some piece ofheadgear (hat, crown, helm, tiara, circlet,etc.). The headgear must be properlyworn or the spell will not function. Thespell effect is triggered as soon as thewearer strikes a blow in melee. The effectlasts one round for every two levels of thecaster (round up).

The material component of this spell isan opal worth at least 100 gp, carried onthe caster�s person. It shatters upon thecompletion of the spell (if shatteredprematurely, the spell ends).

Horror: It�s the little things©1994 by Rick Swan

Photography by Charles Kohl

Games ratings

Not recommended

Poor, but may be useful

Fair

Good

Excellent

The best

When I�m evaluating a role-playingproduct, the quality of the descriptionscounts for a lot. Indiscriminate use ofadjectives and adverbs tells me that thedesigner doesn�t know what he�s talkingabout and hopes I�ll figure it out for him.Describing a king�s dining room as a mag-nificent hall of breathtaking luxury andspectacularly opulent beauty says next tonothing. Describing the king eating with aplatinum spoon says it all.

Nowhere do designers struggle more

98 MAY 1994

with description than in horror games,where words like hideous, horrifying, andmonstrous are tossed around like base-balls on the first day of spring training. I�mnot sure why. Maybe they lack faith intheir own images, unsure that a knife-wielding fiend popping out of the shadowswon�t yield the desired reaction unlesswe�re told how horrible and terrifying andderanged he is. Maybe it�s the influence ofH.P. Lovecraft, whose flowery phrasing iseasier to mimic than his artistry. Maybe it's

just a failure of imagination. Compare �anunearthly monster who eats everything inits path" to �a creature with eyes as blackas bowling balls who swallows schoolbuses and spits out the tires.� If these weredescriptions from two different source-books, which would you rather read?

In horror, a fine-tuned detail is usuallymore memorable than an over-stuffedparagraph. It doesn�t always take a night-marish, malicious, inhumanly powerfulmonstrosity to elicit a scare. Suppose I toldyou that a pin-sized serpent is loose inyour house, waiting for you to fall asleepso it can wriggle up your nose?

See? It�s the little things.

GURPS Vampire: TheMasquerade* gameGURPS* game supplement192-page softcover bookSteve Jackson Games $20Design: Jeff Koke (based on the original

game by Mark Rein-Hagen)Additional material: Chris W. McCubbinEditing: Steve JacksonIllustrations: Tim Bradstreet, Doug Gre-

gory, Robert MacNeil, Ken Meyer, DanSmith, John Cobb, Felipe Echevarria,Laura Eisenhour, Max Fellwalker, LarryMcDougal, Rich Thomas, and JoshTimbrook

Cover: Mark Pace

Now here�s a great idea. The genre-hopping GURPS system has proven itselfadaptable to everything from cyberpunkto the wild west. White Wolf�s VAMPIRE:THE MASQUERADE* game has a strongsetting and enough narrative muscle tocrack tombstones, but not everyone iscomfortable with the hazy rules. So SteveJackson Games (SJG) contributes the sys-tem, and White Wolf kicks in the gameworld. Toss �em in the cauldron, let SJGstalwarts Jeff Koke and Chris McCubbinhandle the brewing, and what bubbles tothe surface is the most successful hybridin role-playing history.

With its slick pages and crisp graphics,GURPS Vampire is the handsomest volumein the GURPS line and makes the WhiteWolf version seem lackluster. A set ofrealistic documents�letters, computerprint-outs, diary entries�introduces thereader to, in the words of the scholarlyChristophorus, �a world that I know youmust find surprising." Lucid writing, neverWhite Wolfs strong suit but a hallmark ofthe GURPS line, makes the tricky mechan-ics easy to digest. Concepts that aren�tcritical to the game, such as vampirictraditions and the role of ghouls, are con-fined to sidebars. The illustrations areamong the best I�ve ever seen in an RPGproduct, particularly those by Tim Brad-street. His depiction of a vampire feastingon the wrist of a fellow burn-out (on page22) evokes both the horrors of addictionand the intimacy of a shared secret. WhiteWolf, Steve Jackson, or Bradstreet himselfought to market it as a poster.

The original background survives thetransition to the GURPS system more orless intact. And that�s good news, becauseVAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE boasted themost compelling premise since Chaosium�sCALL OF CTHULHU* game. DesignerMark Rein-Hagen cast his vampires as anindependent race called the Kindred, whotrace their ancestry from the beginning oftime. Nasty and neurotic, the modern-dayKindred have as much in common withJohnny Rotten as with Bela Lugosi. Strug-gling to survive in a decaying society,they�re shunned as outcasts and hunted asmonsters. A typical adventure finds theplayer characters (PCs) fighting for theblood of a rat pack, plotting to regain theirhumanity by killing their sires, or pursu-ing Golconda, a nirvana-like state resultingfrom plumbing the inner mind. This isrole-playing at its most subversive, andabout as far away from elves and dragonsas you can get.

The history is so vividly imagined that Ithought I was reading a textbook. Vam-pires follow a rigid social hierarchy, begin-ning with the low-level Caitiff feeders, andclimaxing with the ancient Antediluvians,arguably the worlds most powerful crea-tures. They also observe a code of lawscalled the Six Traditions, including theFirst Tradition, Masquerade (�Thou shaltnot reveal thy true nature to those not ofthe Blood."), the Fifth Tradition, Hospitality(�When thou comest to a foreign city, thoushalt present thyself to the one who ruleththere."), and the Sixth Tradition, Destruc-tion (�The right of destruction belongethonly to thine Elder.�) Violation of a tradi-tion may result in Lexatalionis, where thelawbreaker is attacked by all who hear thecall of the Blood Hunt. The Primogen, acircle of elders, advises their Prince whento establish violence-free zones calledElysium and how to deal with the Incon-nu, mysterious outsiders who live withanimals and sleep inside the earth. TheKindred may secure servants with BloodBonds, acquire new powers through theprocess of diablerie, and create new Kin-dred by engaging in the Embrace.

The GURPS-izing of the rules makes fora smoother game, particularly for refereeswho prefer die-rolls to improvisation.Players follow the same character-creationprocedure as in standard GURPS products,assigning points to attributes, skills,quirks, and advantages. Beginning vam-pires, typically 200 to 300-point charac-ters, may be Punks, Dilettantes, Drifters,or (my favorite) Politicians. Magic-likeabilities called Disciplines are grouped intolevels of Power, with each level costingtwo character points. For instance, a char-acter with the Power 1 level of the AuspexDiscipline (two points) can only use Height-ened Senses. A character with Power 3level (six points) can use Heightened Sens-es, Aura Perception, and Spirit�s Touch.Compared to the White Wolf system,GURPS is more sensible (White WolfsDodge ability is handled in GURPS as a

function of Move and Encumbrance),more precise, (White Wolf ratings rangefrom 1-5; GURPS goes to 18), and betterdefined (White Wolf�s vague Wits attributetranslates into GURPS�s Common Senseand Intuition advantages).

Evaluation: Because of its grim toneand complex mechanics, VAMPIRE is bestsuited for mature players. The maze ofjargon, rules, and historical notes takestime to navigate, and casual players maynot find it worth the effort. If the idea ofvampire PCs appeals to you at all though,and you�re willing to do your homework,VAMPIRE is a terrific buy. Which version?If you�re familiar with other Storytellerproducts (such the WEREWOLF: THEAPOCALYPSE* game or the MAGE: THEASCENSION* game), stick with WhiteWolf; the GURPS book doesn�t add enoughmaterial to justify learning a new set ofrules. If you�re a GURPS player, go for theGURPS version; it�s better written andeasier to understand. If you�re not familiarwith either rules set, it�s a tough call. I leantoward the GURPS book, even thoughyou�ll also have to invest in the GURPSBasic Set. Not only has GURPS withstoodthe test of time, it opens the door to alibrary of possibilities. Aren�t you curioushow GURPS: Vampire interfaces withGURPS: Old West*?

Dark Alliance: VancouverWEREWOLF: THE APOCALYPSE game andVAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE gamesupplement128-page softcover bookWhite Wolf Game Studio $15Design: Nigel Findley and Geoff McMartinDevelopment: Bill BridgesEditing: Brian CampbellIllustrations: Jeff Rebner, Dan Smith, and

Joshua Gabriel TimbrookCover: Tony Harris

Caerns: Places of PowerWEREWOLF: THE APOCALYPSE gamesupplement160-page softcover book, one 11� x 16�mapsheetWhite Wolf Game Studio $15Design: Emrey Barnes, Steven C. Brown,

Phil Brucato, Alan Bryden, Sam Chupp,John Gavigan, Harry Heckel,Christopher Howard, Sam Inabinet,Izumi Hideo, David Key, Kenneth Mey-er, James A. Moore, George Neal, Ro-derick Robertson, Ryk Strong, andTeeuwynn

Development: Bill BridgesEditing: Brian CampbellIllustrations: John Bridges, Sam Inabinet,

Scar Studios, Dan Smith, Ron Spencer,Joshua Gabriel Timbrook, and BryonWackwitz

Cover: Scott Hampton

Umbra: The Velvet ShadowWEREWOLF: THE APOCALYPSE gamesupplement152-page softcover book, one 16� x 22�

DRAGON 99

mapsheetWhite Wolf Game Studio $15Design: Daniel Greenberg and Harry Hec-

kel, with Heather Curatola, Alan M.Fisher, Robert Kaminsky, and JonathanSill

Development: Bill BridgesEditing: Brian CampbellIllustrations: Steve Carter & Antoinette

Rydyr, Bryon Wackwitz, Jeff Rebner,Dan Smith, Lawrence Allen Williams,and James J. Holt

Cover: George Pratt

WEREWOLF: THE APOCALYPSE (re-viewed in DRAGON® issue #192) hadeverything: a fascinating premise, greatcharacters, thorough mechanics, plenty ofstaging tips. Everything, that is, but asetting. The Central Park material, tuckedaway in the appendix, was too skimpy tobe of much use, and manufacturing asetting from scratch was more than Icould manage.

Which is why I was looking forward tothese sourcebooks. Drawing on influencesfrom National Geographic to The TwilightZone, these books present a smorgasbordof locales that should keep the Garouoccupied until the Apocalypse actually getshere. They�re loaded with good ideas. Ofcourse, good ideas don�t guarantee goodproducts.

Take, for instance, Dark Alliance: Van-couver, which recasts the Canadian city asa battleground for rival factions of theGarou and the Kindred (hence, it�s suitabil-ity for a VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADEcampaign). A lengthy history describes theconflict between the immigrant were-wolves and Siegfried, Prince of the Van-couver vampires, resulting in an uneasytreaty called the Vancouver Covenant. Asection on Garou Protectorates, the book�sbest feature, details the philosophies andpolicies of the area�s active tribes. Theconservative Children of Gaia, for exam-ple, specialize in political lobbying. TheBlack Furies resist the Covenant and advo-cate revolution.

Too much of the book, however, lookslike it was cranked out by the Departmentof Tourism, a dreary run-down of hotels,nightclubs, and landmarks whose descrip-tions rarely rise above the superficial. TheGreat Library is �a staggering collection ofknowledge.� The Pan-Pacific Hotel givesdiners "a perfect view of the harbor, theSeaBus terminal, Stanley Park, and per-haps a cruise chip approaching or leavingits berth.� Little of this is told from a Gar-ou�s perspective, and most of it�s availablein any good reference book, so what�s thepoint? �War and Peace,� an 11-page sce-nario that�s long on investigation and shorton conflict, sets up a civil war between theGarou and the Kindred. The designersuggests that two groups of players handlethe opposing factions, but doesn�t ade-quately explain how the groups interact(what�s Group A supposed to do while thereferee is busy with Group B?)

100 MAY 1994

Far better is Caerns: Places of Power,which catalogs the sites of spiritual powerheld sacred by the Garou. The 14 entriesspan the globe, from the Shigalu Monas-tery in the mountains of Tibet to the Meadel Lobo Navajo Indian Reservation in theArizona desert. Each entry includes juicyhistorical notes, intriguing points of inter-est, and a host of engaging personalties.Cracked Teeth, an opinionated Bone Gnaw-er from the Washington D.C. caern, likesto quote Thomas Jefferson and is dying ofAIDS. The central chamber of the BrughNa Boinne caern in Ireland looks like ashamrock, each niche holding the ashes ofTuatha De Danann nobles. The Garou ofHong Kong visit the Hall of Heads to com-mune with the skulls of their relatives.Non-sentient spirits called Moon Bridges,shaped like elastic tubes, whisk the Garoufrom caern to caern in the blink of an eye.

In many cases however, the designersseem blind to their best material. Thehistory of the Greek caern hints at a linkbetween the Garou and Nazi Germany, butit�s left undeveloped. A similar link be-tween the werewolves of Washington D.C.and the U.S. government also gets theshort shrift. A cannibal who operates acorner grocery store in Alaska�a greatidea for a character if I ever heard one�isintroduced then tossed away. The storyhooks, many only a sentence or two, don�tamount to much. �Get the charactersinvolved with smuggling or smugglers.��[The] intrigue that is present around thecaern will give you opportunities to tellstories about the city and the caern itself."Try to do something with those.

Umbra: The Velvet Shadow, on the otherhand, is a triumph. Reminiscent of TSR�sexcellent Manual of the Planes tome, Um-bra describes 13 alternate planes wherephysical laws don�t apply and mundanereality gives way to outrageous spectacle.The striking descriptions border on thepoetic: �[The Aetherial Realm] is a vastcosmic vault stretching out to the Mem-brane, filled with Anchorheads and pow-erful spirits of the air and the stars.� I�d behard pressed to pick my favorite entry,but I�m partial to the Atrocity Realm, anightmare land of larvae pits, mass graves,and serial killers, where the Garou wearMemory Ribbons on their wrists to remindthem of the brutality they strive to resist.Over in the Cyber Realm, Cyber Wolvesroam the byways of Spider City, perform-ing bizarre surgery on hapless visitors. Inthe CTHULHU-esque Aetherial Realm, thesurfaces of a metallic structure called thespirit-orrery give access to the mysteriesof the cosmos. What does all this have todo with werewolves? Beats me, but withsettings this exciting, who�s complaining?

Evaluation: Unlike their VAMPIREbrethren, who thrive in an urban environ-ment, the animalistic Garou belong in thewilderness, the further from civilization�

the further from the planet�the better.Leave Vancouver to the Kindred, and startwith Caerns; despite its flaws, the sheervolume of ideas makes this a great re-source for new campaigns. Experiencedreferees should waist no time in tacklingUmbra, which contains an avalanche ofconcepts screaming for development. And,hey, White Wolf, how about an Umbra II?Maybe The Atrocity Realm: Adventures inthe Larvae Pits?

House of StrahdADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®game supplement for the RAVENLOFT®settingOne 64-page book, one 32� x 21" mapsheetTSR, Inc. $11Original design: Tracy and Laura HickmanRevised design: Bruce NesmithEditing: Richard W. BrownIllustrations: Clyde Caldwell and James

CrabtreeCover: Dana M. Knutson

Castles ForlornADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®game supplement for the RAVENLOFT®settingTSR, Inc. $20One 96-page book, two 32-page books, one

double-sided 32� x 21" map sheet, onesingle-sided 32� x 21" map sheet, one32� x 21" poster, boxed

Design: Lisa SmedmanEditing: David WiseIllustrations: Stephen Fabian, Arnie Swe-

kel, and Robert KlasnichCover: Dana M. Knutson

When it first came out, I didn�t think theRAVENLOFT setting had a chance, whichis another reason why I�ll never make it asa game publisher. It wasn�t bad, exactly. Itjust didn�t seem special, a FORGOTTENREALMS® variant with a few more bats.But thanks to quality supplements likeForbidden Lore, The Created, and the VanRichten’s series (especially Van Richten’sGuide to Ghosts), the RAVENLOFT cam-paign has proven to be a credible alterna-tive for players interested in the dark sideof the AD&D game. Though it lacks theflamboyance of CALL OF CTHULHU andthe, er, bite of VAMPIRE, the RAVENLOFTsetting remains the hobby�s most enduringfusion of horror and fantasy.

The best thing to come flapping out forthis setting in many a moon is House ofStrahd, the revised version of 1983�s clas-sic I6 Ravenloft module. Ravenloft standsas one of TSR�s finest adventures�makethat one of the finest adventures fromanybody�and the re-issue improves onthe original. The premise can be summa-rized in a sentence: Stranded in Barovia,the PCs must breech a haunted castle anddestroy its master, the vampire-wizardStrahd Von Zarovich. What a castle! Con-sisting of almost 100 rooms, it�s an archi-tectural masterpiece, as opulent as it is

creepy. What a villain! A high-level necro-mancer of incomparable cunning, Strahdholds his own with Count Dracula as oneof horror�s most memorable bloodsuckers.

The elements that made the original somuch fun�Madame Eva, the mysteriousgypsy fortuneteller; Strahd�s variableobjectives (determined randomly, so theadventure can be replayed); the deadlycatacombs with the moving black ceiling�are still here. It�s the updating that pushesthe revised version over the top. Nesmithintroduces some new creatures (meldmonsters, gargoyle golems), developsStrahd�s tactics (with sections labeled�Strahd�s Opportunities� that suggest at-tack routines triggered by the party�sactions), and adds a Time-Track Table (sothe referee can anticipate the sunset). He�salso touched up the descriptions, clippingthe clutter and beefing up the sensorydetails. Here, for instance, is the originaldescription of the Observation Balcony:

There are two large thrones on thisbalcony. Behind the throne is a large redvelvet curtain running 30 feet from theeast wall to the west wall. The ceiling hereis 10 feet high.

Here�s Nesmith�s revision:

Two large thrones stand on this balcony.Behind the thrones is a wide, red velvetcurtain running from wall to wall. Theroom is oppressively silent, as quiet as atomb. Dampness and mildew fill yournostrils.

In fairness, I should mention that Houseof Strahd may be impossible to beat. I�veplayed it three times (twice in its originalversion) and haven�t come close. But, aswith the best CALL OF CTHULHU adven-tures, winning is incidental to the sceneryand the scares. Your party may bite thedust, but they�ll be smiling when they do.

Castles Forlorn features another terrificcastle, this one with a twist. The eight-level Tristenoria mansion exists simultane-ously in three time periods, though allthree incarnations occupy the same physi-cal space. Castle A, the first incarnation,exists (in 1939 on the Forfar calendar)when the mortar is still fresh, the candela-bras still gleam, and the view out thewindow shows green hills and brightskies. A century later, Castle B exists in atime where supernatural disasters havecracked the plaster, shattered the glass,and blackened the skies. In 2122, Castle Clies in ruin; cobwebs choke the corridors,the walls have collapsed, and the viewfrom the windows reveals a ravaged land-scape and scavenging monsters.

While exploring the castle, the PCs acti-vate temporal shifts that spin the castleinto different eras. The results are star-tling, to say the least. A door appears, thendisappears. A dark passage fills with light,then goes dark again. A plush bedroom

with expensive furniture becomes a mustychamber piled with debris, with bloodyhand prints smeared on the walls. Byassigning colors to the various incarna-tions (red for Castle A, blue for Castle B,green for Castle C), the poster map showswhich rooms and doors exist in each peri-od. The text offers sensible suggestions forhandling paradoxes (such as when differ-ent PCs occupy the same room in differenttime periods) and measuring time. (Timemay pass independently in each incarna-tion.) In fact, the text includes everythingbut a developed adventure; instead, we�regiven an assortment of hazards and en-couraged to �build tension gradually bysaving the nastiest surprises for last."That�s easier said than done, especially fornovice referees who require a lot morestructure than this to get a campaign offthe ground.

The rest of the package, focusing on thedomain of Forlorn and its minions, mixesthe clever with the ordinary. TristenApBlanc, the lord of Forlorn who�s partvampire and part ghost, could teach CountStrahd a thing or two about ghastliness.An informative section on druidism re-veals the spell-casting secrets of redheadedhumans. Noteworthy landmarks include agranite cliff that weeps blood and a half-mile fissure that spews yellow vapor toenshroud the domain. A lot of this seemslike filler. The Sacred Groves and theCaverns of the Dead aren�t much moreinteresting than their names. IsoltApBlanc, Rual, and the other ghostly NPCswork better as obstacles than personalities.Also, Aggie, a clone of the Loch Ness Mon-ster, doesn�t have much to do other thanpose for the cover.

Evaluation: In the hands of a creativereferee, Castles Forlorn can be a source ofendless surprise. If, for instance, the partysteals a book from a room in Castle C, thenlater tosses a fireball into the Castle Aincarnation of the same room, the stolenbook may turn to ash in their hands.Think of the Forlorn material as a bonus;get this for the castle.

Flawlessly staged and breathtakinglysuspenseful, House of Strahd should be apart of every RAVENLOFT campaign, evenif it means the demise of beloved PCs(which it well might). If you�ve resisted theRAVENLOFT setting so far, here�s all theexcuse you need to get on board.

Short and sweetBarsaive, by Christopher Kubasik, with

Rob Cruz, Torn Dowd, Sam Lewis, MikeMulvihill, Diane Piron-Gelman, and LouisJ. Prosperi. FASA Corporation, $25. TheEARTHDAWN* game (reviewed inDRAGON® issue #202) struck me as awarmed-over version of the AD&D game.But with the boxed Barsaive set, thegame�s first major supplement, FASAmakes a mid-course correction, nudgingthe EARTHDAWN game away from lightfantasy and toward the sophisticated

setting-based approach pioneered by theAvalon Hills RUNEQUEST* game. Barsaivecontains enough geographic, social, andpolitical detail to launch a lifetime of ad-ventures. In the Explorer’s Guide, Merroxfrom the Great Library of Throal leads usthrough 100-plus pages of fascinatingmaterial, from the construction of t�skrangriverboats to a discourse on ork scorchercavalry. The Gamemaster Book presents atreatise on the Barsavian economy (thet�skrang deal in trikella, an exotic spicethat fetches 20 silver pieces per ounce),the history of the Hand of Corruption (aloathsome secret society), and a gallery ofnotable personalities (such as ChorakBonecracker, a tree-sized troll whodrenches himself in red paint). The gener-ous package also includes a colorful postermap, 36 new monster and treasure cards,and a cardboard sextant, used to measuredistances by the position of the stars. Withthe RUNEQUEST game on the ropes, theEARTHDAWN system may be poised totake its place, especially if continues withsupplements as strong as this.

Rifts Dimension Book One: Wormwood,by Kevin Siembieda. Palladium Books, $16.Conan the Barbarian meets FreddieKrueger in this wacky sourcebook for theRIFTS* game. Based on the comic strip byTimothy Truman and Flint Henry, Worm-wood takes place on a sentient planet; thatis, the world itself is alive�every hill,every building, every speck of dirt. Foun-tains and sculptures are �pulled from theplanet like taffy and molded into the vari-ous shapes desired.� Mountain rangesexpand and contract. Homeowners furnishtheir dining rooms by teasing new tablesand chairs from the floor. The inhabitantsare as warped as the terrain. Sword-slinging Knights of the Cathedral take onthieving rum-rats and drooling morph-worms. Priests of Light employ yecchyspells like create worm zombies and ridegiant parasites. It�s as silly as it sounds, andplayers who take their games seriouslymay balk at a setting this cartoonish. How-ever, Wormwood demonstrates the elastici-ty of the RIFTS system without sacrificinga whit of playability.

The Glory of Rome, by David Pulver.TSR, Inc., $18. GURPS Vehicles, by DavidPulver. Steve Jackson Games, $20. So whatdo an historical sourcebook and a vehicu-lar design kit have in common? Only someof the year�s most literate writing andmeticulous research, courtesy of ace de-signer David Pulver. In The Glory of Rome,Pulver lays out clear guidelines for movingthe AD&D game to the Roman Empire. Headdresses character classes (mages andpsionicists aren�t available; fighters canbecome legionaries, gladiators, and chario-teers), equipment (a short sword from theFORGOTTEN REALMS® setting becomes agladius in ancient Rome) and magic (adiviner may foretell the future if he spotsa woodpecker). The unstable political

DRAGON 101

climate�which may be inflamed by sena-torial PCs�makes Rome an ideal settingfor military campaigns. The Roman godsget a cold shoulder, and the gazetteershould�ve been ditched in favor of a fewadventure outlines; otherwise, this is themost satisfying entry in TSR�s HistoricalReference series. GURPS Vehicles explainshow to build and operate a mind-bogglingarray of conveyances. From sailboats tostarships to witches� brooms, if it moves,it�s here. Step-by-step instructions showhow to select the structural frame, propul-sion system, and thrust factor for thenuclear-powered tilt-rotor mini-copter ofyour dreams. Though presented inGURPS-speak, a referee with a calculatorshould be able to reconfigure the statisticsfor other games. Pulver, who cut his teethon GURPS Psionics* and TSR�s 1992 Up-date for the MARVEL SUPER HEROES�game, seems comfortable with any genrethat wanders his way. He�s a name towatch.

The Complete Book of Humanoids, byBill Slavicsek. TSR, Inc., $15. I don�t knowwhy TSR didn�t ring the bells and soundthe horns about this one, as it introduces amajor shake-up in the AD&D rules. ThePlayers Handbook allows players tochoose from six races for their PCs. TheComplete Book of Humanoids expands thenumber of options by 20, adding (amongothers) beastmen, centaurs, goblins, and

pixies. In the interest of play balance,restrictions abound; PCs can�t be undead,nor can they be monsters taller than 12feet. Centaur wizards can�t go beyond12th level; goblins can�t be wizards at all.Even with the helpful suggestions in therole-playing chapter, campaign problemsare inevitable. How, for instance, does anogre PC function in a lawful good society?How can a giant-kin PC navigate a low-ceilinged dungeon? Even with all the po-tential headaches, adventurous playersought to welcome this with open arms.Who could pass up the chance to play apixie?

Maps Book 1: Cities, by Debora Wykle,Mike Keller, William Kerr, Eric Dinehart,James Bear Peters, James Walker, DayneChastant, Steven S. Crompton, and AnitaMartinez. Flying Buffalo, $12. This first-rate play-aid, suitable for any fantasy RPG,contains close to two dozen city maps,complete with terrain symbols, area de-scriptions, and scenario hooks. EditorDebora Wykle encouraged her designersto stretch their imaginations, and theycame through with an inspired collection.Phantom Hollow is an underground cavityconcealed by a gigantic tree, its variouslevels accessible by platforms and ropes.Magewar exists in four different dimen-sions linked by magical gates. The islandof Roos Havanos floats among the clouds,energized by a magical jewel. There�s also

a circus, a leper colony, a fairy village, anda smuggler�s prison. Consider them instantadventures�just add statistics, and they�reready to plug into your favorite world.

EdgeWork, edited by Peter Hentges.Atlas Games, $6 single issue, $20 four-issuesubscription. I�m a sucker for fanzines.What they lack in polish, they usuallymake up in spunk, and EdgeWork, devotedto the eccentric OVER THE EDGE* game,is no exception. The premier issue fea-tures a look at Alto-Ubica (also known asThe Country That Isn�t There), a readinglist for conspiracy buffs, and an analysis offringe powers by OTE designer JonathanTweet. EdgeWork may have the editorialbudget of a school newspaper, but for OTEenthusiasts, it�s more essential than theNew York Times. (For information: AtlasGames, P.O Box 406, Northfield MN 55057.)

Rick Swan has designed and edited morethan 40 role-playing products. His recentprojects include The Complete Ranger�sHandbook and The Complete Paladin�sHandbook, both published by TSR. Youcan write to him at 2620 30th St., DesMoines IA 50310. Enclose a self-addressedstamped envelope if you’d like a response.

* indicates a product produced by a company otherthan TSR, Inc.

The Role of BooksContinued from page 46

Recurring RolesAn especially long-awaited sequel arrives

this month: The Oak Above the Kings (Roc,$18.00) the latest installment of the Kel-tiad. The new novel is bylined PatriciaKennealy-Morrison (as the author adds herlate husbands name to her own), but therefreshing, vibrant approach to Keltic andArthurian lore is as crisply narrated asever. Indeed, this second volume in thecurrent trilogy wraps up virtually all theloose ends left from the first, and sets upan entirely new set of conflicts to be ad-dressed in the next installment.

Barbara Hambly also has a new novelout, this one a free-standing tale set in theworld lately vacated by dog-wizard AntrygWindrose. Stranger at the Wedding (Del

Rey $5.99) is at once typical of Hambly�sintricate supernatural mysteries and dis-tinctive in its approach. Kyra Peldyrin isan unusual protagonist for Hambly, awould-be wizard not yet secure in herpowers, but forced to master them inorder to prevent a disaster in connectionwith her sister�s imminent marriage. Onlythe shape of the disaster is unknown, andin finding it, Kyra sends the romancespinning off in unexpected directions.

Space war is as dangerous as usual inDavid Weber�s third Honor Harrington

102 MAY 1994

adventure, The Short Victorious War(Baen, $5.99). The story feels like half abook though, leaving both Honor and heradversaries from Haven hanging in themiddle of a war that promises to be nei-ther short nor easily won. History buffsshould have fun, however, picking out theinspirations for Weber�s star empires.

It�s also a better-than-average season forhorror, as Christie Golden returns to theRAVENLOFT® milieu with The EnemyWithin (TSR, $4.95), a clever twist on aclassic scenario that can be best appreci-ated by those who carefully avoid theback-cover copy before reading the novel.The tension here comes from watching allvestiges of control, political and personalalike, slip out of Sir Tristan Hiregaard�sgrasp as an evil cult seeks power in thecapital city of his native Nova Vaasa.

The Hunter (Pocket Archway, $3.50),meanwhile, finds L.J. Smith slightly belowtop form in the opening installment of�The Forbidden Game." While the conceptand character work are effectively craft-ed, the obligatory teen-romance elementsare a touch overplayed and some of theindividual set pieces seem rushed. (Itshould be noted that the game referred tois not a fantasy RPG, but a magicallybooby-trapped house party game. Smithscores extra points for avoiding the obvi-ous game-gone-wrong premise.)

The Star Trek people have been busy as

well, but A.C. Crispin�s Sarek (Pocket,$22.00) is the only unqualified success ofthe three books under examination here.Unexpected romance shares center stagewith dark intrigue here, and everyonefrom young Peter Kirk to a rapidly failingAmanda is very well portrayed.

That�s less true of Sins of Commission(Pocket, $5.50), in which newcomer SusanWright weaves a complex TNG tale inwhich entirely too many characters un-dergo too much emotional stress for noparticular reason (and in which Guinan isdemonstrably wrong for the first time Ican remember). Likewise, Simon Hawkestretches telepathic powers to peculiarlimits in The Patrian Transgression (Pock-et, $5.50), raising a complicated ethicalissue and then discarding it in favor of atraditional action yarn involving the usualwould-be alien dictators facing off againstCaptain Kirk and company.

Sacred Ground (Tor, $22.95) is the latestnovel from the prolific Mercedes Lackey,and it puts her solidly back on track witha skilled, free-standing mystical thriller inwhich Tulsa P.I. and shaman JenniferTalldeer must investigate a construction-site bombing that may be a great dealmore than it seems. The Osage Indian lorelooks well-researched and politically even-handed, and this novel is less glib about itsmagic than Lackey�s similar series aboutDiana Begarde.

104 MAY 1994 By Barbara Manui & Chris Adams

DRAGON 105

106 MAY 1994

DRAGON 107

Continued from page 80

arc at right angles to present her port side to the ap-proaching Death, her bow pointed at the land. Seamen inthe rigging dropped the sails, slowing the Pride�s way.

�Over the side,� Liam called, smiling slightly at theeagerness with which the crew scrambled to get down intothe boats that were dropped over the starboard side. Hetook the wheel himself, keeping the ship steady as sheslowed. When most of the men were disembarked, he letthe wheel go and paused, watching the Death. It camedown fast now, all sail crowded on, its broad bow aimedstraight at the waist of the Pride. An eery silence descendedon the scene, and for a moment Liam wondered what hewas doing. Then, with a shake of his head and a harshlaugh, he ran below to secure his luck.

When he came back on deck with an unlit torch, all theboats but one were away, pulling hard for the coast. In thelast, the Old Man stood and called up to him. �Cap Renvoort, we�d best be off!�

�Go on,� Liam replied from the rail, grinning. �I�mstaying with the ship.�

�Cap, you can�t!��Go!� Liam shouted angrily. �That�s an order!� The

sailors at the oars exchanged questioning looks, but he didnot wait to see them off. With an impatient gesture heturned from the rail.

Just fore of the mainmast was a hatch that opened onthe main hold. He went to it and began tugging at theheavy wooden top, sliding and pushing it open. Lookingup between heaves, he saw the Death closing the final gap,still racing like an arrow directly at the Pride�s middle.

The hatch proved obstinate. The wood, thick to beginwith and now thoroughly soaked, refused to budge nomatter how he tugged at it. With increasing desperationhe threw himself at it, tearing his fingers along its edges,wrenching his muscles. A look showed him the Death im-possibly close; he could make out the individual faces ofpirates gathered in the bow, glaring angrily over at thePride. Still the hatch would not open.

Then suddenly the Old Man was at his side, pullingwith him. Between the two of them they managed to forceopen the hatch, tossing it aside as the Death suddenlyveered hard, only yards from the Pride, and the two shipsswung parallel to each other.

Liam and the Old Man straightened from the hatch andlooked at each other for a moment.

�Is this your luck?��Yes,� Liam replied, nodding gratefully down through

the hatch. �I�ve been keeping it in the hold.�Then the Death came alongside with a grating crash of wood

grinding on wood. The pirate�s sides were far higher than thePride�s, and the two men stared up at the collection of grimprivateers ranged along the rail above them. Their handsrested on skulls nailed to the wood of the rail, a row ofbleached, denuded bone that marked their conquests. Therewas no sound but the flap of slack sails and the crack of theskull-and-crossbones pennant snapping in the wind.

Den Huys stood out among his crew not by hisfeatures�he looked like any Freeport trader, short anddark with broad, plain features�but by the angry fire inhis eyes and the fearful space his crew granted him as hestrode to the rail. He uttered a short, scornful laugh.

�So this is the Pride of Dordrecht,� he said. Then,placing his hands on two skulls, he vaulted over the railand dropped down onto the lower deck. He landedsmoothly, with catlike grace, and stood up to face Liamand the Old Man. Wearing an immaculate tunic of blackvelvet and a long, silver-embroidered cloak, he made astrange contrast to the other two men, whose clothes weretorn and salt-stained. He eyed them disdainfully fromacross the hatch.

�Which is captain?��I am,� Liam said, bending down to pick up the torch

he had dropped to open the hatch.�You�ve angered me,� Den Huys said simply, and then

gestured four times with his finger. Each gesture called out abolt of lightning. The first struck the Pride�s colors, incinerat-ing them, and the other three struck the deck around Liam,setting a small circle of wood ablaze. �Now I�ll have to huntdown your boats one by one to get my trophies.�

�Sorry,� Liam said, gripping his torch tighter. The OldMan stood silently at his shoulder.

Den Huys smiled warily. �No apologies are necessary,Captain. I�m going to honor you. After you die�whichwill take a long time, I assure you�I�ll have your skullnailed to my mainmast. You�ve led me the longest andbest chase I�ve had in quite some time.�

�It was my pleasure, I assure you,� Liam repliedsmoothly, letting the torch dip down to the circle of magicfire around him. It caught quickly, smoking. The scent ofburning pine resin filled the air, and Den Huys suddenlystarted, catching another smell.

�You bastard, what�s your cargo?��Lamp oil,� Liam said, and threw the burning torch

into the hold. As one, he and the Old Man turned andsprinted for the rail, throwing themselves over.

Liam had broken open as many casks as he could in histime below, and most of the hold was awash with oil. Thefirst explosion shattered the Pride�s deck, flinging sharp splin-ters and hunks of wood into the massed crew of the Deathand engulfing Den Huys in a sheet of flame. Before Liamand the Old Man had surfaced, flames were running up theside of the pirate ship from the ruined hull of the Pride, andthe sea was littered with burning scraps of wood.

A flying piece of rail had caught Liam in the side, and hefound he could barely tread water. The Old Man threw anarm around his shoulders and starting dragging him throughthe sea toward the Pride�s boats. From that position, on hisback facing the two ships, he watched the flames coveringthem, fueled by the oil in the Pride, licking hungrily at still-wet rigging and canvas, crackling along the Death�s yardsand masts. Suddenly a brilliant explosion blotted out thesight, a white-hot burst from what remained of the deck ofthe Pride. It flared like the sun for a long moment, then sub-sided, leaving spots in Liam�s vision. When his sight cleared,there was little left of either ship.

The Old Man paused in his swimming and looked backat the nearly empty sea.

�That�s my luck,� Liam said weakly, and gasped at thepain of his bruised ribs where the wood had struck him.

�If that�s luck,� the Old Man said, resuming his swimtoward the coast, �I want no part of it.�

DRAGON 109

110 MAY 1994

DRAGON 111

112 MAY 1994

©1994 by Robert Bigelow

Photographs by Mike Bethke

A reversal on leadNew York State has retreated from its

position that lead gaming figures are haz-ardous to consumers� health when used asintended. The bill that the governor signedoverturned the ban on lead figures andadmits that their evidence and researchprocedures were flawed. This was a view-point expressed by a coalition of peopleincluding industry miniatures makers,societies such as Historical MiniatureGaming Society, and a number of shopsand individuals such as the readers of thiscolumn. Several hundred calls, letters andintense lobbying by the industry haveproved that democracy and good sensecan prevail. The first result of this rulingis that there should no longer be a prob-lem in the production of lead figures.Several people have told me that otherstates were using the New York lead find-ings and bill as the keystone for bills of

their own. These states also have retreatedfrom their previous positions. The secondshould be a lowering of prices for minia-tures that can now be manufactured inthe less expensive lead.

The irony is that there is little chance wewill see a lowering of prices. The sameindustry that fought so hard for the right tosell lead has pretty much decided that it isnot in their best interest to produce leadfigures any longer. A poll of companies byphone show that most companies are going

114 MAY 1994

to continue to produce in pewter only. Theonly exceptions to this seem to be largefigures or overseas customers. The higherprices for pewter reflect not only the cost ofmetal, but also the cost for new molds plusthe defense fund used to fight the lead ban.Most companies admit that there has been adrop-off in sales of miniatures, especially in�unit� type purchases, but are reluctant toaddress this loss.

The ball in now in the court of the con-sumer. As a store owner, I have heardseveral hundred complaints about the costof figures in pewter, the difficulty in thefinishing and joining, and the brittleness ofthe figures. Write letters to the companiesand express your opinion. Talk to yourhobby shop owner. There may not be anychange, but at least the industry will knowwhere its consumers stand.

We owe a large debt of thanks to thoseindividuals and companies who fought toprotect our rights to free choice and com-merce. That does not mean that we have toagree with their decisions. If you are a retail-er, these same questions are asked on page120 of the February 1994 Model Retailermagazine. Gamers will have to rely on theirfeelings and wallets to direct them.

This month we want to welcome a newfigure painter aboard. Christopher Fosterhas been a long-time customer at the shopand recently brought in some examples ofpainting techniques, and I asked him to dothe DRAGON LORDS* figures. I also wantto thank Eric Petersen for his work on theAPC and some Space Rangers and KevinBerwick for the last Ranger. We also wantto welcome Reaper Miniatures aboard asthe newest company to come under scru-tiny. Now on to the reviews.

Reviews

Leading Edge GamesP.O. Box 70669Pasadena CA 91117

LE 20307 Colonial Marine APC * * * *This kit is made of lead and scaled for

use with 25-mm figures. The finishedvehicle is 109 mm long and 55 mm wide at

the rear fender. The top deck is completewith running lights and a spotlight andgrill. The wheels are included in the twoside-piece moldings as is a nonfunctionalhatch on the left side and engine grillworkon the right side. The front of the vehicleis in two pieces, a driver�s viewport andthe nose piece that supports a turret. Thepieces didn�t match perfectly and requiredsome filing and filling. The front turret sitson a hole-and-peg assembly so the turretswivels. The rear piece has the enginegrillwork and connects to the upper deck.This piece also needs some filling. Thereare noticeable gaps in the rear of thevehicle that allows you to see into thehollow shell. These spaces can be blockedand fixed using small pieces of thin card-board cut in an "L" shape and fitted to to thewheel well. The last piece is a large laserturret with twin guns that fit in a holemount on the top deck.

The amount of flash and the fit is betterthan expected for such a large piece. Themold line on the tires is difficult to removewithout harming the detail, but is worththe effort. This model could be used as asecurity vehicle in CYBERPUNK*,SHADOWRUN*, or ALIENS* games. Theset lists for $27.95 and includes a figure ofHarris in a firing mode. The figure hasoveremphasized muscles, but the rest ofthe figure is not bad. As a whole, this set isworth the price plus you get a nifty figurecase.

#64107 Deadite Band Pack * * * * ½

This three-figure set is scaled for 25 mmand is made of lead. The figures are allmounted on thick circular bases withtextured tops.

Figure #1 has cloth-wrapped feet withthe remains of boots, the remains of a pairof trousers, and a tattered fur cloak. Thefigure has an angry set to its face, andbones are visible everywhere. He is play-ing a flute made of a femur with a flaredend where the joint would be. There is noflash on the figure. A nice touch is thefringe of hair at the back of the skull.

Figure #2 is dressed in rotting boots, thetattered remains of a kilt, and a cape. Hisheadgear hints of a Scottish backgroundand the presence of an off-beat bagpipeconfirms it. As the bony hands squeeze, abearded and mustached skeletal headprovides the air. There is no flash on thefigure except for the vent pieces.

Figure #3 is dressed similarly to the firstskeleton, but his clothes are in much bet-ter condition. His heavily bearded skullshow signs of damage as it stares straightahead. Criss-crossing straps support adrum set made of joined human skulls,while the sticks are bones. The five drumskulls vary in size and condition, appar-ently giving tone to the drums. There is noflash on these pieces.

These figures are a must for Army ofDarkness fans or people who play wargames with musician rules. The varietyallows you to customize figures and the

number allows you to support severalunits. These figures are a good deal.

Global Games1666 St. Clair Ave. W.Toronto, OntarioCANADA M6N 1H8

1540 Une Assault Troopers * * * * ½

These troops stand at 41 mm in theirslightly slouched position. The figures aremade of lead and are positioned on aslightly textured oval base. The figuresconsist of a basic torso and two arms thatmay be glued at whatever forward anglethe owner desires. The figures representcombat troops in flexible, fully armoredcombat suits. The helmets have full-visiongear built into their wedge shape. Theyare armed with a laser rifle with under-mounted plasma grenade launcher, fourwrist rockets, and shells stored on theirbelt. Their boots are magnetic and theyhave full communications and environ-mental packs built into their suits. This sethas a number of small details and should

be fun to paint.The only flash on these figures was on

the bottom of the base, and it came offeasily. Mold lines are well hidden and thearms fit on without having to do extracleaning on the figure. This piece wasdesigned for the LEGIONS OF STEEL*game and their slightly larger scale, butcould easily be used for other games. Theprice of $8.95 is for a package of two kits.

Reaper Miniatures1660 S. StemmonsSuite 220, LB11Lewisville TX 75067

1214 Earth Elemental * * * *½

This is a 44-mm lead casting mounted ona roughly oval base. The figure is an earthelemental that appears to be forming as itstrides forward. The shape is humanoidwith grimacing features. Fists are visiblebut closed and solid. There was no flashon the figure and the mold line at the topof the head is easily removed.

My only complaint about this figure is

DRAGON 117

the base. It is molded slightly off centerand needs to be leveled. The figure is 1262 Dracula * * *otherwise what I visualize as the end of an This is a 25-mm lead figure of everyone�selemental-summoning spell. This figure is favorite vampire (next to Strahd). Thedefinitely worth the $2.50 cost in lead or figure is mounted on a square, texturedthe $3.75 pewter cost. Painting of this base. He is wearing a waistcoat, tie, andfigure was done by Ed Pugh. coat. The face is scowling and the teeth

118 MAY 1994

are visible. He has his arms stretched outand his cape is grasped in his hands.

The figure that I received for reviewwas very rough. The cape was extra thickat the bottom and had some pitting. Thelimbs had a square shape that gives theillusion of four creases. The wrinkles inthe clothing are consistent but seem to beexaggerated in the sleeves, while the shirtis too smooth. The right leg appears to besomewhat disjointed slightly below theknee. The detail is there but it is not cleanand crisp, and the figure is not up to to-day�s standards. The figure is worth $.90only if you are willing to spend the timeand effort to fix it.

1264 Werewolf * * * *

This is a 25-mm scale lead figure mount-ed on a slightly textured square base. Thefigure is dressed in torn and tattered pantsthat end at mid-shin. The figure is coveredin coarse fur. The legs end in paws whilethe arms end in hands. The muscle struc-ture is exaggerated in the back. The were-wolf growls out from beneath furry browsand the face is formed in a grimace.

The figure has little flash but a smallnub on the end of the elbows. The figureis classically posed and would make a goodgaming piece. The figure is worth the $.90price tag for lead or the $1.35 price forpewter.

Grenadier Models, Inc.P.O. Box 305Springfield PA 19064

Grenadier Models, U.K., Ltd.25 Babbage RoadDeeside, ClwydWALES CH5 2QB

5915 Dragon onTreasure Hoard * * * * ½

This is a 5-mm scale dragon dioramadone in pewter. The package containsthree separate castings, an elaborate baseand a dragon.

The base is a 45-mm rough oval with avariety of details molded onto it. Thebackground consists of a fallen rock idolwith features that benefit from dry brush-ing, and a small hill with a sun carving. Onthe same hill, a wizard lies curled up rest-ing on a chest and is buried partially bytreasure. His cape and gown are fairlydetailed and a tired expression is on hisface. Even the beard is evident. The rest ofthe base is covered by piles of gold andsilver, piles of ingots, cups, vases, andchests. This is definitely a dragon�s hoardand a challenge to paint.

The dragon is partially curled up inslumber, but still manages to be over 30mm in length. Scale detail is good, andthere are only two spots that did not moldclearly. Spinal ridges and a crest are visibleand well detailed. Teeth, eye sockets, nos-trils, and ears are all visible and easy toreach and paint. Even the wing detail isclear with well-done bones and leathery

wings. The dragon fits into several smallindentations in the hoard.

This could make a nice present or dis-play under glass. The miniature costs$5.50 and is well worth the price. Theonly detractions were some light flash onthe base and on the dragon�s front legs.

5714 Diamond Dragons * * * *½

This package contains inflight dragonsfor the DRAGONLORDS game. The pack-age contains two multi-piece dragons andtwo clear plastic stands made to fit thegame hex board. The stands are genericand could be used for several games.

The dragon wings are just over 53 mmtip to tip. The bones are consistent andwell spaced with leathery skin and foldsvisible. The body is just over 60 mm inlength with a partially curled tail. Largespinal plates start just behind the head andrun to the beginning of the tail. Scaledetail is clear and well defined. The feetare curled up into fists.

This is a nice set of combatants for thegame, but you will need a set of riders sincethere are none included. The set is priced at$5.50 for a package of two dragons.

Gren 87003 Space Rangers * * * * *

This box contains 50 plastic troopsscaled to 31 mm and mounted on sprues.

DRAGON 119

There are two types of troops, a sergeantand a trooper. The trooper is dressed inheavy power armor and a visored helmet.Large shoulderpads support the jetpackand rocket launcher that are strapped tohis back. This is a separate piece that fitsinto a hole in the back. A belt supports thecommunication gear. Ribbed gloves end atthe wrist. The hands are molded onto

120 MAY 1994

individual rail guns that fit into a chest slotand appear to be part of the arms. Thereare a total of 40 troopers.

There are ten sergeants, one each forfour troopers. The sergeant has the samejetpack as the trooper, but is armed with aplasma pistol in the firing position. Apower sword is attached by a peg to theleft arm. The head is exposed and the eyes

are covered by a visor, while the helmet isattached to the belt on the left side. Powerboxes and communication devices areattached to the belt in the back. He is inthe same suit as the trooper but with a bitof extra glitz.

The ten sprues of extra weapons, andinclude smart cannons, chain guns, andorganic disrupters. These weapons havehands molded onto the weapons and areinterchangeable with the squad weapons.This gives you the ability to make the unitmission-specific in its weapon load. Youcan use the weapons for fortifications oreven with other games.

This is an excellent set that could easilybe adapted for a number of different rulesets. We use the set as a �lost chapter� toprovide competition to our other Imperiallovers. With the large number of figuresand low price of $39.95 it is an excellentbuy.

#408 Fantasy Warriors Flags,Standards * * * *

The standards set contains twelve bannersin one of six different styles. The bannersare scaled for the 28-mm scale of GamesWorkshop figures and are made of Luminite.They range in complexity from a trophypole to a full-scale army standard.

There are two trophy poles that areidentical and measure 35 mm to their tops.The poles have three heads in varyingstages of decay, and all have long hair thatsecures each to the pole. There is flash onthe pole and obvious mold lines. The spacebehind the skull also must have flashremoved. This �standard" is probably froma nonhuman race.

The second set of standards are �L"-shaped poles with the flag face laced at thetop and sides. The pole is smooth, 45-mmtall, and has an 8-mm crosspole. The flag isrough and worn. The sharp end of thepole holds a skull that is split at the crown.

There are two back banners that consistof a pole supporting a crescent. Hairdrapes across the front and there is anedge to the crescent. These are morepronounced on orc champions. There wassome light flash on the edges and the pole.

One of the two sets of human markers issimply a larger version of the �L" standardsabove. The face is larger, the pole longer,and the top has no skull mounted on thepoint. It is 47-mm tall. There is little flashon this piece. There are three banners inthis group.

The other human standard is more anarmy or regiment standard. It is 55-mmtall and has a basic �T� construction. A setof horns tops the pole and is secured tothe pole by a riveted block that also sup-ports the crosspiece. This is a heavy-dutypole that is designed for long campaigns.

The last standard is a 66-mm tall polesupports cross trees and three crescentblades. The flag face is slightly ragged andvarious skulls and sashes provide extradecoration.

There are no statistics with this set, only

suggestions on how to use them and apromise of more to come. The sheet thatcomes with the set shows different facesand designs, but is done in black andwhite only.

This is a good set, but would have beenbetter with more original banners alongwith a separate set of banners for evil andgood troops. The set is worth the $7.00price tag.

RAFM Company, Inc.20 Parkhill Rd. E.Cambridge, OntarioCANADA N1R 1P2

#5803 Close Escort * * * ½

The close escort is designed for use withthe BRILLIANT LANCES* space-combatgame from GDW. Though these ships haveno scale listed on the package, they mea-sure 38 mm versus their listed size of 48.5meters. The vessels are multi-piece kits ofpewter, with a two-piece, clear, hexagonalbase per ship.

The miniatures closely matches theillustration on page 23 of the game�s Tech-nical Manual. Our miniature has severalproblems that are not evident on the otherminiatures I have in the store. The sidecargo vents are misaligned as if there wasa mold shift, but the nose and tail show noledges. There is a slight dimpling by thecockpit and the port engine pod that did

not fill totally on both miniatures. Andeven careful removal of the sprue dam-aged the engine nozzles. Glue-on detailsappear to be a set of torpedo tubes, but notubes are included in stats. I thereforeassume these are the extra fuel tanks, and

they fit into the only holes on the side ofthe ship. Surface detail includes turretsthat are molded onto the body, bridgeblisters, engine nozzles, and some shallowplate grooves.

If you enjoy space miniatures games and

DRAGON 121

play GDW�s TRAVELLER* RPG or collectstarships, these are nice but not heavilydetailed pieces. I recommend that you care-fully check the ships before purchasing. Ifthe ship is clear of defects, the $5.25 priceper pack of two ships is not unreasonable.

#3699 Female Rangers * * * *

This three-figure set is made of pewterand scaled to the 28-mm scale. All figureshave plain rectangular bases and are allfemale.

Ranger #1 one is holding a spear in herleft hand. Her right hand clutches asheathed sword in a metal-tipped scab-bard. The figure is wearing tights, knee-high laced boots, a short studded-leatherdress that doubles as armor, and leftshoulder armor. Secured to this armor bya clasp is a long, hooded cape. A belt se-cures a provision canister, and bare armsend in huge leather gauntlets. The face issimple but has a slight flaw on the chinfrom a mold mark. Detail is easy to paintand elven ears stretch through the hairthat falls straight under the hood. Thefigure has a large amount of flash on theright side at the junction between handsword and leg, and will require carefulwork with a knife and file. The figuregives the appearance of being too slim andneeds mold lines removed and squarecorners rounded.

Ranger #2 is wearing folded-top mocca-sins, tights, a shirt, and gloves. Her torso iscovered by padded or quilted armor. Herright hand is on a sword with no sheathlashed to her right side and her left handholds a bow. A belt secures a bag with adrawstring. A quiver with arrows lays onthe right side of her back. She is definitelyelven with twin pony tails falling to mid-back. There are mold lines on the legs

Convention Calendar Continued from page 42contest, plus an art show and auction. Registra-tion: $15 before June 30; $20 thereafter. Writeto: V-KHAN, 695 South 8th St. #55, ColoradoSprings CO 80905.

THOMAS COLLEGE MICRO-CONJuly 9 GA

This convention will be held on the ThomasCollege campus in Thomasville, Ga. Eventsinclude role-playing, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities include dealers, videos,and open gaming. Write to: MICRO-CON, c/oMichael Taylor, 123 Greenleaf Lane, ThomasvilleGA 31792.

DRAGON CON �94, July 15-17 GAThis convention will be held at the Westin

Peachtree Plaza Hotel in Atlanta, Ga. Guestsinclude Barbara G. Young, Harlan Ellison, Kris-tine Kathryn Rusch, and Clyde Caldwell. Eventsinclude role-playing, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities include panels, seminars,demos, computer games, movies, and comicsprogramming. Registration: $40 before June 15;$45 on site. Write to: DRAGON CON �94, P.O. Box47696, Atlanta GA 30362-0696.

with flash at the leg junction. Once againeverything is very angular and you maywant to round some surfaces. You alsomay want to separate the sword from theleg so the sword does not look bent.

Ranger #3 is presenting a sword tosomeone with her left hand while theright holds a very square sheath. Her feetare extraordinarily thin, especially the leftwhich looks unfinished. Boots have foldedtops secured by clasps with gems. A shirtand pants are covered by a leather vestextending to mid-thigh. A thin belt securesa bag. The face looks human or half-elvenand the hair looks almost styled. There isminimal flash and my only complaint isthe figure�s sharp angles.

These figures are more realisticallydressed than the chain-mail bikini types,and should fill the bill for people lookingfor �outdoorsy� female figures. The pricefor a pack is $5.75 and worth it, eventhough work is needed to make the fig-ures perfect.

* indicates a product produced by a company otherthan TSR, Inc.

Only a game? You bet!Want only the best for your gaming dol-lars? See “Role-playing Reviews” inthis issue for expert advice on the bestrole-playing games you can find!

L O O K I N G F O RMORE 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 jus tbrowsing around, a game conven-tion can be all you�ve hoped for.Plan to attend one soon.

122 MAY 1994

QUINCON IX, July 15-17 ILThis convention will be held at the Signature

Room at Franklin Square in Quincy, Ill. Eventsinclude role-playing, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities include RPGA� eventsand special guests. Registration: $12/weekend or$5/day. Send an SASE: QUINCON IX, c/o MarkHoskins, 1181 Pratt St., Barry IL 62312.

GRAND GAME CON �94, July 16-17 MIThis convention will be held at American

Legion Post #179 in Grand Rapids, Mich. Eventsinclude role-playing, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities include RPGA� events.Registration: $12/weekend or $6/day preregis-tered; $7/day on site. Write to: John Edelman,31 Carlton SE, Grand Rapids MI 49506.

CON-DOME �94, July 29-31This convention will be held at the Danish

Technical University Lyngby. Events includerole-playing, board, and miniatures games.Other activities include a painting workshop.Registration: 80 Danish kroner. Write to: CON-DOME, c/o Mark Denninger, Kollegiebakken 1-C212, DK-2800 Lyngby, DENMARK.

GEN CON® Game Fair 1994Join over 20,000 gamers in Mil-

waukee, Wis., Aug. 18-21, 1994.This is the world�s largest multi-media game fair featuring four daysof games and events. The game fairincludes computer, military, role-playing, strategy, miniatures, virtualreality, video, arcade, and boardgames�over 1,000 events in all.

The GEN CON® Game Fair alsofeatures a million-dollar art show,dozens of celebrities, a costumecontest, Star Trek guests John DeLancie and Majel Barrett, comic-book/SF writer Peter David, Japani-mation, a 200-booth exhibit hall, and$10,000 in prize giveaways.

For information, send an SASE to:GEN CON® Game Fair, P.O. Box 756,Lake Geneya WI 53147 U.S.A.

GEN CON is registered trademark owned by TSR,Inc. ©1994 TSR, Inc. All rights Reserved.

the attention they deserve with this valuableaccessory.$18.00/$23.00 CAN./£10.99 U.K.

Revised RAVENLOFT® settingAn AD&D® RAVENLOFT boxed setby TSR staffA complete revision and expansion of the

original Realm of Terror box, this set includeselements of the Forbidden Lola set as well. Thisnew set is the definitive RAVENLOFT® product,and includes background, adventure ideas,Tarokka cards, and new domains.$30.00 U.S./$42.00 CAN.£21.50 U.K. including VATTSR Product No.: 1108

TSR Product No.: 2147

The Eternal BoundaryAn AD&D® PLANESCAPE� adventureby L. Richard Baker IIIWelcome to the Cage, berk. There�s trouble in

Sigil�s Hive, and your PLANESCAPE PCs are justthe cutters to handle it. This 32-page adventureis the first to support the PLANESCAPE setting.Just buy it, berk.$9.95 U.S./$11.95 CAN./£5.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 2601

Cities of Bone

$18.00 U.S./$23.OO CAN./£10.99 U.K.

An AD&D® AL-QADIM® sourceboxby Steve Kurtz

TSR Product No.: 9467

In this collection of adventures, your PCs candiscover an ancient city where the dead stillcarry out their daily routines as if unaware oftheir demises, or behold the desert tombswhere vengeful spirits raise their scimitars highand eagerly await the passing nomad. Thisadventure anthology contains 64-, 32-, and 8-page books.

Metamorphosis Alpha to OmegaAn AMAZING ENGINE® game bookby Dale �Slade� HensonSearch the generational colony ship floating

through space. Explore the origins of theGAMMA WORLD® game�featuring a mix ofscience fiction and high fantasy�in this Uni-verse Book that comes complete with the sys-tem�s core rules.$12.95 U.S./$16.95 CAN./£7.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 2708

Temple, Tower, & TombAn AD&D® adventure anthologyby Laura Craig and Steve WinterThis 32-page book sends PCs into three small,

but very nasty dungeons that can be playedalone, or strung together to form a campaign (ifthe characters live long enough, that is).$6.95 U.S./$8.95 CAN./£4.50 U.K.TSR Product No.: 9448

�Marco� Volo: DepartureAn AD&D® FORGOTTEN REALMS®

adventureby TSR staffThis 32-page adventure is perfect for intro-

NEW PRODUCTS FOR MAY

FIRST QUEST� Audio CD gameIntroduction to the AD&D® gameby Bruce Nesmith with Rich BakerIn one box, you�ll find everything you need to

learn to play the AD&D® game! An audio CDfeatures an introduction to role-playing conceptsand multipath audio adventures with soundeffects, five booklets, a DM screen, dice, maps,plastic miniatures, and more are included!$30.00 U.S./$42.00 CAN.£21.50 U.K. including VATTSR Product No.: 1105

DMGR6 The Complete Book of VillainsAn AD&D® game accessoryby Kirk BotuiaThis 128-page book is an indispensable guide

to creating and running memorable, challengingNPC foes. For DMs who need a few NPC ideas�from the common thug to the ultimateadversary�this book is an immensely helpfulresource.$18.00 U.S./$23.00 CAN./£10.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 2144

NEW PRODUCTS FOR JUNE

The Classic DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®game

by TSR staffThe ever-popular best-seller returns�

updated, streamlined, and repackaged in aconvenient size that will fit on any shelf. Theideal entry into fantasy role-playing, this gamehas simple rules and exciting adventures!$2O.0O U.S./$28.00 CAN.£14.99 U.K. including VATTSR Product No.: 1106

Council of Wyrms settingAn AD&D® game boxed setby Bill SlavicsekFor the first time in the history of the AD&D

game, dragons are available as player charac-ters. This boxed set details a complete campaignsetting where dragon PCs rule the roost. Includ-ed are: three 64-page books, 12 cards, and threeposter maps.$25.OO U.S./$32.00 CAN.£17.99 U.K. including VATTSR Product No.: 1107

PHBR12 The Complete Paladin�sHandbook

An AD&D® game accessoryby Rick SwanThis 128-page books details paladin proficien-

cies, personalities, combat rules, equipment, andseveral paladin kits. Give the ultimate warriors

124 MAY 1994

ducing the FORGOTTEN REALMS setting to newplayers. This light-hearted adventure, the firstin a series, features �Marco� Volo, an imposterwho insists that he�s the author of the famousVolo�s Guide books.$6.95 U.S./$8.95 CAN./£4.50 U.K.TSR Product No.: 9444

MordenheimA RAVENLOFT® novelby Chet WilliamsonTwo young necromancers accept an invitation

to aid Dr. Victor Mordenheim in his research.Mordenheim wishes to revive his dead wife andplace her spirit in the body of a young girlkidnaped by Adam, the doctor�s monstrouscreation.$4.95 U.S./$5.95 CAN./£4.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 8064

Secret of the DjinnAn ENDLESS QUEST® bookby Jean RabeJamil, a young pearl diver, is plunged into a

deadly adventure when he unwittingly frees agenie. The plucky youth must then use all hiswits and courage to battle evil as he tries torescue the king of the genies.$3.95 U.S./$4.95 CAN./£3.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 8090

Captains OutrageousA TSR® BOOKS novelby Roy V. YoungIn this wild and wacky tale, three captains of

$4.95 U.S./$5.95 CAN./£4.99 U.K.

the king�s guard are dispatched to find an errantcourt wizard whose feelings have been hurt bythe court jester. The wizard is out to avenge the

TSR Product No.: 8233

slight by ringing the Bell of Doom and destroy-ing the world.

Coming next month . . .DRAGON® Magazine #206

Cover art by Jeff EasleyThis 18th anniversary issue�s theme is

Dragons and includes:* A �Dragon Project� by Sandy Petersen.* The second Council of Wyrms piece by

Bill Slavicsek.* An article discussing dragons as long-

term campaign foes.Plus all our regular columns and features

such as �Sage Advice,� �Forum," and �Conven-tion Calendar," and a �Role-playing Reviews�column by Rick Swan on magical supple-ments and accessories.$3.95 U.S./$4.95 CAN./£1.95 U.K.TSR Product No.: 8111-06

Unless otherwise noted:® designates registered trademarks owned by TSR,Inc.™ designates trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.©1994 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.