I ssue #224Vol. XX, No. 7

December 1995

PublisherTSR, Inc.

Associate PublisherBrian Thomsen

Editor-in-ChiefPierce Watters

EditorAnthony J. Bryant

Associate editorsDave Gross

Michelle Vuckovich

Fiction editorBarbara Young

Art directorLarry W. Smith

Production staffTracey Isler

SubscriptionsJanet L. Winters

U.S. advertisingCindy Rick

U.K. correspondentand U.K. advertising

Carolyn Wildma

SPECIALATTRACTIONS

10 The Castle Designer�s Guide toCoping with Magic and theSupernatural�Jeffrey Allen PaulMedieval architects never had to worryabout attackers riding dragons, orwith wands of fireballs. How can afantasy castle designer cope?

18 Elven Cities & Settlements�Steve MillerThis random generator provides a quick solution to designingcustomized elven cities.

26 Sleep of Ages�Steven SchendExplore dwarven tombs built by master architects, and learnthe secrets of their deadly traps.

FICTION

86 The Third Law of Power �Richard ParksMarta sought wisdom, and thereby power; but would theBasilisk Oracle grant her request?

REVIEWS

34 Role-Playing Reviews � Rick SwanRick looks at WotC’s Everway and TSR’s BIRTHRIGHT™

56 From the Forge�Ken CarpenterA double feature this month: Horrific holdovers fromHalloween, and a year-end look at the best in the business.

Dragon® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is publishedmonthly by TSR, Inc., 201 Sheridan Springs Road,Lake Geneva, WI 53147, United States of America.The postal address for all materials from the UnitedStates of America and Canada except subscriptionorders is: DRAGON® Magazine, 201 Sheridan SpringsRoad, Lake Geneva, WI 53147, U.S.A.; telephone(414) 248-3625; fax (414) 248-0389. The postaladdress for all materials from Europe is: DRAGONMagazine, TSR Ltd., 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton,Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom; telephone:(0223) 212517 (U.K.), 44-223-212517 (International);telex: 818761; fax (0223) 248066 (U.K.), 414-223.238066 (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 UnitedKingdom is by TSR Ltd. Send orders to: RandomHouse, Inc., Order Entry Department, WestminsterMD 21157, U.S.A.; telephone: (800) 733-3000.Newsstand distribution throughout the United

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Subscription: Subscription rates via second-classmail are as follows: $30 in U.S. funds for 12 issuessent to an address in the U.S.; $38 in U.S. funds for12 issues sent to an address in Canada; £21 for 12issues sent to an address within the United Kingdom;£30 for 12 issues sent to an address in Europe; $50in U.S. funds for 12 issues sent by surface mail toany other address, or $90 in U.S. funds for 12 issuessent air mail to any other address. Payment in fullmust accompany all subscription orders. Methods ofpayment include checks or money orders madepayable to TSR, In., or charges to valid Mastercardor VISA credit cards; send subscription orders withpayments to TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 5695, Boston MA02206, U.S.A. In the United Kingdom, methods ofpayment include cheques or money orders madepayable to TSR Ltd., or charges to a valid ACCESSor VISA credit card; send subscription orders withpayments to TSR Ltd., as per that address above.Prices are subject to change without prior notice. Theissue expiration of each subscription is printed on themailing label of each subscriber’s copy of the

2 DECEMBER 1995

FEATURES

8 FIRST QuEST��Steve JacksonFond memories of brigand-bashing and puzzle-pondering.

23 DESCENT TO UNDERMOUNTAIN� : The Flame Sword ofLloth�M.D. McConnohieTake an early look at Interplay’s soon-to-be-released3-D computer game, in which you can battle Lloth’s minions.

42 A Thousand and One Words�Mike ShemaDon’t just say “I hit the orc”. . .it’s dull. Being colorful in yourdescriptions can add a whole new dimension to your game.

53 Bazaar of the Bizarre: Natural Endowments�Steve BermanMagical items for the more nature-oriented or primitive sets.

66 The History of the Rod of Seven Parts�Skip WilliamsHere’s the inside story of the AD&D® game’s best-knownartifact, from the man who may—or may not—have createdit in the first place.

72 The Chronology of Krynn�Harold Johnson andSue WeinleinEver wonder about which of those DRAGONLANCE® stories camefirst, and what happened when?

100 Sage Advice�Skip WilliamsThis month, the sage tackles questions on the DRAGONLANCE®

campaign, and on gaming and Real Life.

114 The Ecology of the Lammasu�Belinda G. AshleyThese lion-men, powerful protectors of law and good, standwatch over those who need protecting.

DEPARTMENTS4 Letters 9 5 Floyd6 Editorial 106 DragonMirth

42 Forum 108 Yamara76 Rumblings 110 Gamers� Guide83 Convention Calendar 119 TSR Previews

magazine. Changes of address for the delivery ofsubscription copies must be received at least sixweeks prior to the effective date of the change inorder to assure uninterrupted delivery.

Back issues: A limited quantity of back issues isavailable from either the TSR Mail Order Hobby Shop(201 Sheridan Springs Road, Lake Geneva, WI53147 U.S.A.) or from TSR Ltd. For a free copy of thecurrent catalog that lists available back issues, writeto either of the above addresses.

Submissions: All material published in DRAGONMagazine becomes the exclusive property of thepublisher, unless special arrangements to the con-trary are made prior to publication. DRAGON Magazinewelcomes unsolicited submissions of written materialand artwork; however, no responsibility for such sub-missions can be assumed by the publisher in anyevent. Any submission accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size willbe returned if it can not be published. We strongly rec-ommend that prospective authors write for our writ-ers’ guidelines before sending an article to us. In theUnited States and Canada, send a self-addressed,stamped envelope (9½” long preferred) to Writers’Guidelines, c/o DRAGON Magazine, as per the above

address; include sufficient American postage orInternation Reply Coupons with the return envelope.In Europe, write to: Writers’ Guidelines, c/o DRAGONMagazine, TSR Ltd., include sufficient InternationalReply Coupons with your SASE.

Advertising: For information on placing advertise-ments in DRAGON Magazine, ask for our rate card. Allads are subject to approval by TSR, Inc. TSRreserves the right to reject any ad for any reason. Inthe United States and Canada, contact: AdvertisingCoordinator, TSR, Inc., 201 Sheridan Springs Road,Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. In Europe, contact:Advertising Coordinators, TSR Ltd.

Advertisers and/or agencies of advertisers agreeto hold TSR, Inc. harmless from and against any lossor expense from any alleged wrongdoing that mayarise out of the publication of such advertisements.TSR, Inc. has the right to reject or cancel any adver-tising contract for which the advertiser and/or agencyof advertiser fails to comply with the business ethicsset forth in such contract.

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 in

COVER

This painting was hanging in the art showat the GEN CON

® Game Fair last year. Asimpressive as it is on our cover, it wascompletely overwhelming hanging on awall in all of its glory. I was never able toconnect with Florida artist Alan Priorduring my 4 days in Milwaukee but wasfortunate to run across someone who hadfound one of his business cards. The rest,as they say, is history.

part without first obtaining permission in writing fromthe publisher. Material published in DRAGONSMagazine does not necessarily reflect the opinions ofTSR, Inc. Therefore, TSR will not be held accountablefor opinions or mis-information contained in suchmaterial.

® designated registered trademarks owned byTSR, Inc. ™ designates trademarks owned by TSR,Inc. Most other product names are trademarks ownedby the companies publishing those products. Use ofthe name of any product without mention of trade-mark status should not be construed as a challengeto such status.

©1995 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All TSRcharacters, character names, and the distinctive like-nesses thereof are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.ORIGINS is a trademark owned by the GamesManufacturers Association.

Second-class postage paid at Lake Geneva,Wisconsin, U.S.A., and additional mailing offices.Postmaster: Send address changes to DRAGONMagazine, TSR, Inc., 201 Sheridan Springs Road,Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. USPS 318-790, ISSN0279-6848.

DRAGON 3

averse to putting small games in DRAGON®Magazine. We�ve done it before, and we�llbe doing it again. Make sure, though, thatany game article include the TSR disclo-sure form that accompanies our writer�sguidelines.

Game Designing 101Dear Dragon.

Dear Dragon,My name is Ryan Haskins, and I am a 17-year-old high school student. For the pastcouple of years I have been designingcomputer games. After contacting severalcompanies about these games, I was dis-couraged by their remarks and attitudetoward my amateur status. Recently afterseeing an article in the December issue ofInquest magazine entitled �How to BreakInto Gaming,� I decided to get back into it.Not computer games, but card games.The latest rage in these games has gottenmy attention. Two friends and I, all inhigh school, have been fans of TSR andADVANCED D UNGEONS & D RAGONS® for years,and realized that if we wanted to do this,we had better do it right by contacting thebest company in the business.

Ryan HaskinsLake Mary, FL

Well, Ryan, you�ve picked the hard topic.It�s generally hard for anyone young to getsomeone to listen to him, but when youconsider the demographics of the gamingindustry, that doesn�t make sense. The bestsuggestion I can come up with is toaddress any correspondence to "GameDesign Department� at whatever companyyou�re targeting. (We know where youshould send first, though, right?) Forstarters, don�t tell people your age. Don�tlie; just don�t give them a reason right offto disregard your letter. Say you�re an ama-teur game designer who has come up withthis spiff game idea, you�ve playtested it(you have playtested this stuff right?) exten-sively and it looks like it might fly. Give avery brief synopsis of the game (what it is,basic rules, mechanics, whatever). Ask ifanyone would be interested in more infor-mation, and ask what hoops you need tojump through. There is probably going tobe a disclosure form you�ll be asked to fillout, just in case.

If on the other hand, it�s a simple fun lit-tle game, you could send it here. We�re not

Some Ideas

My friends and I have been thinking upideas for DRAGON magazine. Why not havea Sage Advice Hotline (Wizards of theCoast has one, why not you guys?) and list-ings of gamers? For the listings, peoplecan send in their name, age, address,game played, etc.

Oh�how do I submit drawings forDragonMirth?

Corey SmithMontgomery, PA

You have some good ideas in your letter,some of which are�surprise-underdevelopment or consideration already.

As for your suggestions for DRAGON

Magazine, there are things that need to betaken into account. We can�t do a SageHotline because we like to be able toresearch the answer to give the right one.Q&A hotlines tend to promote the quickanswer rather than the correct or bestthought-out one. Resides: answering ques-tions in the magazine like this allows morepeople to see the answers, thereby helpingmore gamers and allowing us to answerthe question only once.

Gamer listings would be more troublethan you can imagine. Do you know howmany people play these games? It�s far eas-ier to get your local gaming store to put upa sign-up bulletin board. A couple of signsposted around your campus could work,too, if you want to start a gaming club atschool.

Submitting to DragonMirth is easy: sendin your art with a disclosure form to us,attention Larry Smith. That�s it. Note thatwe expect professional material: cleancopies for spec or originals on heavy stock.

If you�re interested in doing art forDRAGON Magazine, you can write Larry andrequest artist�s guidelines (but don�t forgetthat SASE!).

Thanks. And oops.

Dear Dragon,It has been a while since you�ve revisedyour great magazine, but when I openedissue #222, I found some good changes.

First, I want to congratulate the neweditor. I hope he stays longer than hispredecessor.

I have some questions: What happenedto Yamara and the Forum Section? Didyou take them out? Did you notice thatyou misspelled the name of Paul F. Culottain the Contents section?

I read in the editorial that Mr. Bryantwas going to work for the DRAGONLANCE®

section. Now that Margaret Weis andTracy Hickman have written the fourthchronicle for DRAGONLANCE, is there anyplan for a fifth? Are you going to publish,for example, a new boxed set or newaccessories for DRAGONLANCE?

Luis Ernesto CorderoP.O. Box 09-01-9145

Guayaquil, Ecuador

Thanks for the good thoughts. I hope tostay here a while, too. Yamara and Forumwere not removed so much as displaced;with all the running around taking chargeof the magazine, a few things slippedthrough my fingers. Forum is back in force.Yamara, however, will make its finalappearance in DRAGON Magazine nextmonth.

As for misspelling Paul�s name, you�reright. My apologies, Paul. Mental note tomyself don�t do the table of contents lastor late at night.

There will be no more Weis andHickman novels in DRAGONLANCE�or so ismy understanding�but there will be aFifth Age on Krynn. Next August TSR isreleasing an entirely new game calledDRAGONLANCE: The Fifth Age. It is a newdiceless role-playing game with a veryclever design; but I can�t tell you moreabout it now or DRAGON would needanother editor again.

Aak Oops!Pages 28 and 29 in issue #219 were

inadvertently transposed; those of youwho couldn�t figure out why the chartsweren�t making sense now know why.

4 DECEMBER 1995

As 1995 draws to a close, DRAGON®

Magazine� the �old� DRAGON�also comesto an end. With the January issue, #225,you will see the �new� DRAGON. The long-promised relaunch is coming.

Actually, an old formula for a successfulwedding seems the most appropriatedescription. �Something old, somethingnew, something borrowed and somethingblue.�

Let�s start with the something blue. As ofJanuary 1996, DRAGON Magazine will have acover price of $4.95. Try as we might tohold the line on price increases, outsidefactors have forced this change upon us.

In the last year, paper prices have goneup by 80%. Predictions for 1996 forecastan additional increase of, at least, another20%, and 12% more in 1997. The era ofcomputers and the �paperless office� isupon us. Paper use is skyrocketing anddemand from the European and PacificRim markets are driving prices to newheights.

Recycle, folks, it�s our only hope.Currently, however, recycled paper is still

much more expensive than virgin paper.Computer use is generating so muchwaste paper that recyclers are referring toareas like Washington D.C. as �urbanforests.� As more paper is recycled, priceswill drop. At least, they will drop relativeto virgin paper costs. A team effort is theonly way to curb upward spiraling prices.

Then there are postal rates. New, rec-ommended rates, due to take effect nextspring, will reduce postage for the �bigboys,� the large periodical publishers, upto 14%, while penalizing us �little guys� byas much as 17%. Raising our price was anagonizing decision, but an inevitablenecessity.

Well, enough singing the blues. Thesomething borrowed is you, our readers.Although I said �our� readers, you are onlyours as long as we listen to you and pro-vide for your needs. That�s a major reasonfor the relaunch. You let us know whatyou wanted in your DRAGON Magazine andwe are responding.

Now, as to the new, there�s plenty. I�mnot going to spoil the surprise with

specifics, but, a brief overview is in order:1. More color�Full four-color capabi-

lity, will give you a new, livelierDRAGON without sacrificing readabili-ty.

2. More articles�We�re tightening ourarticles, removing fluff and leavingthe meat, thus room for moreinformation.

3. New features�Features intended tobe more directly useful at the gamingtable.

4. New attitude�Definitely a dragon�sattitude. Feisty and opinionated.

Finally, we come to the old. Although weare putting forth a mighty effort to giveyou a new DRAGON, we cannot ignore yourfavorites. DragonMirth, Forum, Lettersand popular features will remain. Also,the classic style for which DRAGON

Magazine is known will not change.Welcome in the New Year with the new

DRAGON, and welcome to the wedding, or,rather a renewal of vows between usand you.

Editor-In-Chief

DECEMBER 1995

FIRST QUEST is the title of TSR, Inc.'s Audio CDIntroduction to Role-Playing Game. This series is a fea-

ture where veterans of role-playing describe their firstexperiences in the hobby.

Roll-Playing Vs. Role-Playing

by Steve Jackson

I remember the very first time I encoun-tered D&D®. I�m not sure exactly when itwas.. either when I was in college, or justafterward. The DM was my old friendForrest Johnson, who some of you willremember as the editor of The SpaceGamer back in the early 1980s.

Forrest had been talking about this greatnew game he�d learned. It sounded likefun, so one day he ran a couple of usthrough a wilderness adventure. I don�tthink he was using all the rules. In fact, I�mnot sure he was using anything but therandom encounter and treasure tables.There must have been some charactergeneration in there someplace, but I don�trecall it. In fact, I don�t recall anythingabout my character. Not that it mattered.

The play was fairly simple. Forrest hadthe books and the charts. He rolled thedice a lot. Occasionally, someone else gotto roll. We�d wander through a forest untilwe had a random encounter (which, as Iremember, was always a group of ban-dits). We would sneak up on them fromupwind. Then our wizard would castcloudkill. After that, we�d loot the bodiesand Forrest would roll a lot of dice as hetotaled up our take. Then we did it again.And again, and again, and again. Thatmust have been one truly bandit-freewilderness by the time we were done.

I do remember asking if there was anychance our prey would fight back. Forrestassured me that there were combat rules,but that they were awfully complicated.

No character development. No role-playing of any kind, in fact. Not a hint ofangst. But what do you expect? This wasthe mid-�70s.

If we ever played a second game, I don�tremember it. But it was fun, in a perversesort of way, and it did leave me with avague idea of what D&D was about. Slaythe foe, loot the bodies. Cool. I could dealwith that.

The next time I played was some years

8 DECEMBER 1995

later. I was freelancing for Metagaming:game development, article editing, gamedesign, advertising, typesetting, a bit of artdirection, you name it. Metagaming isancient history now, but in the late �70s itwas a busy little upstart of a companyhalfway between D&D fandom and �realbusiness.� Around 1977 or �78, RobertTayler started a D&D campaign for theMetagaming crew. We all talked abouthow it ought to be possible to design abetter game, but back then, when weplayed, we played D&D. And we liked it.Howard Thompson, Ben Ostrander and Iwere the regular players; others joined thegame occasionally. We talked about busi-ness and how someday we�d take over thegaming world, and we rolled those poly-hedra as we wandered through Robert�sdungeon.

Robert was truly a world-class GM. Ididn�t know it at the time, of course, but asI look back on all the GMs I�ve ever playedwith, only Aaron �Play Champions* Till YouDrop� Allston put on a better show. Andthis was pre-1980. Robert hadn�t the bene-fit of years of experience, let alone years of�How to be a better GM, get whiter teeth,and lose 20 pounds� articles. He was just anatural.

You didn�t need to know a lot of rules toplay with Robert. He took care of all thatstuff. But you did need to know about theworld in which you were playing.

Specifically, you needed to know whatthe standard monsters and magic itemswere like, because Robert loved puzzlesand surprises. He was always fair about it,but those magic items were importantparts of his puzzles, and ignorance was acapital crime. I remember one tragicdeath that could have been avoided if theplayer had remembered exactly how a bagof holding worked.

Robert�s dungeon featured a museum,complete with curator, on the first level.Every adventure, the museum would have

different exhibits, clues to what we�d face.Sometimes the curator would give us spe-cific hints or even powerful magic. Likethe spray can that turned out to be deathon giant scorpions. That one saved ourbacon once we�d finally figured it out. Ofcourse, Robert never used the words�spray can� when he described it to us.Good thing the arrow on the top waspointing the right direction when some-one finally got desperate enough to pushthe button.

It was during Robert�s campaign that Ihad the single most exciting bit of charac-ter development that I�d ever experienced.My fighter, Ragnar the Impetuous, cameout of the dungeon with some gold.Enough to buy chain mail! Now that wasexciting. No longer was Ragnar taking hislife in his hands every time he faced anorc. Now there was a good chance thathe�d live through a fair fight.

In the years since then, I�ve had charac-ters win fortunes, develop super-powers,and conquer empires. But there�s neverbeen a vicarious thrill like that of Ragnargetting his chain mail.

Ragnar made it to fourth level before hedied, foolishly trying to rescue a friend(one of the disgusting dwarves HowardThompson loved to play) from the mind-controlling clutches of an ogre mage. Thedwarf, obedient to his evil master, skew-ered Ragnar with a crossbow bolt. Robertjust shook his head. �You should haveknown you couldn�t rescue him withoutmagic.� True. I knew that. Even Ragnarknew that. But he didn�t care. He wasgoing to die trying. He did, too.

It was a great campaign. Hmmm... Youknow, Robert�s still in town. I wonderwhether he�s running any games thesedays.

* indicates a productthan TSR, Inc.

produced by a company

by Jeffrey Allen Paul

Artwork by David Horne

Castles are as integral to the AD&D® gameas the wyrms that buzz their battlementsand the dungeons that lie deep beneaththeir stony keeps. Castles are sancti sanc-tora for the powers who move and shakeour imaginary worlds, and they oftenserve as focal points for an entire cam-paign. Gamers rely on these buildings tosafeguard their favorite nobles and PC�sfrom the forces and terrors that seek todepose them. But how many castles with-out magical gimmickry are really secureenough?

This exposes a fundamental problemwith castles in an AD&D setting. Whengamers adopt castles into their cam-paigns, they are asking their fortresses todefend against far more than real castleswere ever equipped to handle: medievalarchitects did not have dragons, invisiblefighters, or fireballs in mind when theydesigned their defenses, Witness the caseof Hector, the hapless DM:

Newly outfitted with the loot from their lastadventure, the Stirling Party set out againstthe castle of the evil Baron Boneleaux. Theassault has been meticulously prepared byHector to be a very tough adventure. The

DM�s upper lip curls in an expectant leeras he describes Stirling�s final approach tothe Baron�s gray, crenellated abode. But,hold on, what�s that? In a quick two-pronged attack, half of the party chargesthe front gate and fireball two towertopsfullof guards, stone shape an arrowslit into aservice entrance, jump to the top of thegatehouse, and open the doors for theirretainers, while their companions seepgaseously into the treasury, steal the bestloot, stamp out some feeble resistance, andraise their ensign on the roof of the keep,all before the evil baron can finish hisbreakfast or poor Hector can close hismouth. Imagine what would have hap-pened if the party had access to a scroll ofcloudkill or a couple of griffons.

Hector�s case illustrates three main castleweaknesses in AD&D. First, low-levelmagic can subvert a castle�s defenses inways a medieval architect never dreamed.Second, a party of supernaturally heroiccharacters unafraid of the puny weaponryof a normal castle guard will not be heldat bay by standard high walls, woodendoors, or crossbow bolts. Finally, the all-too-common scenario of air-based (in this

case gaseous) commandos means that thecastle�s flat, open towertops and sprawl-ing, concentric walls often prove more ofa liability than a defense.

Despite their shortcomings, castles arenot going to disappear from our campaignworlds any time soon, nor do we wantthem to. Castles are too close to the beat-ing heart of fantasy role-playing; they canbe foreboding, romantic, and adventurousall at the same time, and no noblemanworth his coat of arms would settle foranything less. A fantasy castle doesn�t needto be defended by outrageous creatures ormagic to retain an awe-striking eminencein your campaigns, however. It just needsa little help.

With this in mind, here are some sug-gestions for �beefing up� an AD&D castle�sdefenses against the most common fan-tasy attacks. The following countermea-sures are grouped into three sections:measures against magic spells, measuresagainst supernatural attackers, andmeasures against aerial attacks. Manysuggestions are simple, showing how�homespun� wisdom can cope withdestructive magic.

DRAGON 11

Measures AgainstMagical SpellsIf earth- and stone-affecting spells werethe only magic a fantasy castle comman-der had to cope with, he could take a lotmore coffee breaks. Most spells of thistype are Greek to any mage of less than9th level, so are correspondingly uncom-mon; and all of them have a limited rangeand area of effect. Unfortunately for ourheroic commanders, even the simplestspells and spell effects can wreak havocupon a castle�s defences.

Wet Hides and Iron PlatesSoaked animal hides were regularly usedin medieval sieges to protect woodenstructures from fire. They appear here asa reminder that wooden doors, hoardings,and artillery need not be as vulnerable toPCs� fiery antics as they seem.

Consider a wet cowhide hung over awooden door or palisade to be a sort ofanti-fire armour. A burning hands or low-level fireball might not destroy a woodenobject unless the leather covering firstfails its saving throw vs. fire or magicalfire, as appropriate. Well-watered hidescould receive a bonus of up to +4 the firsttime they are attacked.

The ancient Greeks took fire protectionone step further, facing their woodensiege towers and artillery platforms withiron plating. Structures protected in thisway are almost impervious to fire unlessthe iron plates can be somehow removed.

Arrow Loop ShuttersThese simple devices are especially aimedat lessening the threat from that mostdestructive of castle wrecking spells, thefireball. One party�s favorite tactic was torush up beside an arrow loop, insert awand of fireballs and boom!� more oftenthan not, an entire level of tower guardswas instantly fried. Fitting a simple(preferably �leaded,� q.v.) shutter on yourarrow slits gives guards the fightingchance they deserve.

In a similar vein, a shutter can preventmost other attack spells, including stinkingcloud, lightning bolt, etc.

Felt and FurPCs may have access to a potion ofgaseous form, the spell wraithform, or themagic to commmand insubstantial min-ions such as shadows to do their bidding.How can a stronghold commander defendagainst the air itself? A vaporous PC orminion can enter a stronghold unde-tected, and while there has a free reign tocarry out whatever treachery he maydevise.

Landowners grow paranoid at thethought of such an unstoppable attack.Gaseous visitations can be curtailed simplyby placing glass in some of a stronghold�sportals, but this measure won�t work forany portals that must remainunobstructed for use as arrowslits.

As medieval people knew, fur and hum-ble felt together create a virtually airtightseal. Thus a door frame, including thefloor, or an arrow loop shutter, might belined with short fur and the door-edgelined with felt, to the detriment of free-spirited gaseous infiltrators everywhere.

(depending upon the race of the spotter,)these spotters generally live a life of luxuryand honor. During a battle they becomeassets of the first rank, for they reveal thewhereabouts of any would-be comman-dos. Armed with this intelligence, thecommander can effectively counteract anotherwise unstoppable enemy.

Frequent PartitionsEven arrow loop shutters aren�t foolproof.Frequent partitions are damage controldevices that minimize the destructionwrought by fireballs, gas, and all sorts ofarea-affecting commonly employed magic.With the addition of frequent partitions, aspell that might have taken out 10 meninside an open section of castle wall orroom might now immobilize only two orthree. The partitions are essentially sec-tions of wall with doors that are closedonly when the threat of magical attackoccurs. They can be located along anypassage or room in the castle and aremade of wood, iron-faced wood, or stone.Often they are pierced with small coveredhatches to allow the defenders to coordi-nate their efforts. Think of frequent parti-tions as a kind of water-tight compart-mentalization for castles.

Canine GuardsDogs have been residents of every strong-hold since the time of Gilgamesh, but theyhave seldom been employed as actualfortress guards. The reasons for thisprobably aren�t hard to guess: they havetrouble seeing over the battlements forone, and they also have a tendency tobark at phantom intruders. The lattercharacteristic might have disqualifiedcanines from historical guard duty, but itmakes them all the more valuable inAD&D where, as often as not, the intrud-ers are phantoms.

It is still advisable that dogs be accom-panied by human guards who can quicklyjudge for themselves whether their part-ners are barking at a moth or a potentialthreat. Invisible, gaseous, silent, and simi-lar creatures that can evade a humanwatch�s senses might be easily detected byhis more acute canine companion.

ScrollsThe problem with using priests andmages, from a castle defender�s point ofview, is their very limited natural spell-casting ability. A large battle can drainthem of the most useful magic very quick-ly. One accepted, yet often neglected, wayaround this is the casting of spells from amagical scroll. It seems logical then, if notquite fair, for any prudent lord with toincrease his own magic supply by �stock-piling� scrolls between battles.

According to the rulebooks there is nolimit to the number of scrolls a lord mayown as long as he can pay for them andget someone to scribe them for him. Awell-balanced DM, however, will want tofind some practical limit to the number ofscrolls owned by a given lord. It does fol-low that more powerful and more ancientlordships will have had plenty of time (atleast since the last big battle) to hoardtheir favorite spells. Dispel magic is infi-nitely useful for deflating enlarged, flying,invisible, gaseous, and otherwiseenhanced enemies. The new spell invisi-bility purge is similarly very helpful insome situations. Lords with a more offen-sive flair might stockpile ice storms, magicmissiles, and other nastiness for use bytheir court wizards.

Leaded MortarThis innovation, perhaps the most revolu-tionary and useful anti-magical defensesuggested here, was invented a thousandyears ago by the ingenous Paranomianarchitects. It is well known that a little bitof lead goes a long way to prevent scrying,dimension doors, and many otherattempts at wall subversion. Leaded mor-tar effectively places the equivalent thick-ness of 2�-5� of lead inside a castle wallwithout compromising its strength, by the

Court Spotter following method:One of the more annoying (and potentially A cross section of a castle wall can bedeadly) challenges faced by the defenders likened to a sandwich stood on edge. Theof a fantasy castle is the prospect of an outside layers (the bread) are usually ofinvisible attacker. A lone spellcaster with cut mortared stones, while the inside isaccess to the spells fly and improved invisi- filled with a �rubble� of irregular stonesbility can quickly put an end to a castle�s and mortar. It is into the �rubble� mortaractive resistance. Fortunately, there are that leaded mortar masons pour theirmany creatures in fantasy nature whose stuff, which is a mixture of a specialsenses are not fooled by this magical mortar and lead.stunt. To brownies, imps, pixies, lepre- Of course, the elite clique of craftsmenchauns, etc., an invisible spellcaster is no who know the composition of leaded mor-unstoppable menace, but a very exposed tar will jealously guard their secret for-(albeit still powerful) target. mula, and �leading� one�s castle is sure to

To benefit from the natural abilities of cost an exhorbitant amount of money.such creatures, many lords have created Others may try to secure their strongholdsthe office of �court spotter.� Sometimes by placing sheets of lead inside their walls,combined with the office of court jester but this may prove impractical and sub-

12 DECEMBER 1995

ject to sabotage. (Leaded bricks would beabetter alternative; see below.)

Once lead mortar is in place in a castleor portion thereof, it is maintenance-freeand provides unfailing proof against allsorts of nasty magic. Therein lies itsappeal, and the rationale behind its bur-densome price tag. Note: this stuff can bevery potent if the DM desires; for example,even an earth elemental that has batteredits way through a castle wall might movebetween a standing section and its sum-moner once it�s inside, thus cancellingcontrol and causing it to turn on itssummoner.

Leaded BricksLeaded bricks are formed of a secret clayand lead admixture. These are not veryuseful in the exterior or supporting wallsof a castle which must bear great weightor the brunt of an artillery assault, butthey are perfect if one wishes to build aninterior wall impervious to scrying, tele-portation, or other magical subversion.Lords who cannot afford leaded mortarwill certainly wish to safeguard theirpersonal chambers with leaded bricks.

Leaded Slits and PortalsIn our introductory example, the StirlingParty used the 3rd-level priest�s spell stoneshape to mold an arrow loop into a tunnelthrough the curtain wall. The thin stonearound an arrow loop makes it a naturalplace for magical subversion to beattempted, just like the small size of castleportals makes them natural targets forreduce and warp wood spells. If the DM sorules, all of these common magical trickscan be hindered by the placement of athin layer of lead around the doors, shut-ters, and lining the arrow loops of a castle.

Mage ShotWe�ve all heard the one about the bestdefense being a good offense. The ideabehind mage shot is to turn ballistae andcatapults into area-affecting artillery.Instead of the standard stone or bolt,defenders load cannister shot (a missile oflittle stones or bullets wrapped in leather).The missiles scatter in flight, to the effectof saturating a cone of 15� diameter forevery 50� to a maximum effective range of200�, with tiny, projectiles that individuallycause little damage, but are much to thedetriment of creatures flying or trying tocast spells in the area. The space coveredby these missiles might negate penaltiesfor shooting at flying targets and perhapseven give a bonus of up to +4 for artilleryfiring at stationary targets. Besides wreck-ing spells and flight, mage shot is espe-cially effective against invisible creatureswhose general location is often known butwho are hard to hit with direct fire.Because mage shot saturates an area withmissiles, the standard -4 penalty to hitinvisible creatures is reduced according torange and size of the cone, although

THAC0 is otherwise calculated as per anormal ballista shot.

Suggested to hit invisible creaturespenalty and damage is: 0�-50�, -3, 3-12 hp;51'-l00', -2, 2-5 hp; 101'-150', -1, 1-2 hp;151�-200�, no penalty, 1 hp.

Note: To the best of my knowledge, thisidea might not be scientifically workable,but it makes a lot of sense and is an effec-tive weapon besides. As always, discretionis left to individual DMs. This suggestion isalso effective against supernatural andaerial attacks, as discussed below.

Dispe l Magic Porta l sThe creation of dispel magic portals�per-haps as useful as the famed leaded mor-tar�is nothing short of a revolution infortification. Combining dispel magic andpermanency affects a portal of not greaterthan 24 square feet. Any effective magicthat goes or is brought through the portalis subject to the effects of a dispel magicspell at the level of the caster who cast theoriginal spells.

Up to three �layers� of this defensivemeasure may be cast on the same portal,causing multiple checks to be made. Ofcourse, this can affect the lord�s andcourtier�s items and cause problems withpotion transportation (potions are treatedas 5th-level magic as per the Player�sHandbook), but these inconveniences areminor when compared with the potentialbenefits. A single portal (which one isknown only to the castle lord) may be leftundefended in this way to allow his magicto pass unharmed.

Any attempts by infiltrators to enterwarded areas of the castle invisible,reduced, polymorphed, gaseous, or thelike, may be foiled. A similar combinationof the clerical spell protection from eviland permanency produces portalsthrough which summoned creatures maynot pass.

The most arcane and powerful lordslive in towers warded with anti-magic por-tals, which, in theory, would unfailinglyprevent any magical or summoned effectsfrom entering.

Measures AgainstSupernatural Abilities

One common, but often unrecognized,threat to an AD&D castle is the�juggernaut factor.�

Many beings can dispatch a dozen or socommon swordsmen without getting ascratch. Castle designers in the middleages could count on crossbowmen behindarrowslits to drive attackers from thewalls, and could use walls to channel andexpose enemy infiltrators to the deadlyattacks of several defenders at once; butheroic fighters and powerful monstersscoff at crossbow bolts and count theusual castle guards at nothing. How can acastellan hope to keep a troop of powerfulcreatures or characters who are bent on

really ruining his evening outside the wallswhere they belong? What can a defendinglord do when several multi-Hit Die crea-tures decide to storm his fortress?

In a toe-to-toe struggle, his men arenext to useless, but he has to stop theinvaders somewhere. Let us look at theproblem safeguarding the castle againstsupernatural beings (including quasi-magical thieves).

Multi-Arrow ballistaeThough artillery was not terribly commonon medieval towertops, the Greeks andRomans designed towertops and fenestra-tion to accomodate effective ballistae, cat-apults, and other siege engines. Multi-arrow ballistae make an ideal basis for anyanti-adventurer arsenal.

Ordinary castle guards are little morethan catapult fodder when faced by well-equipped, high-level adventurers. Giventhe right tools, however, any man-at-armscan do his job. Multi-arrow ballistaelaunch all of their large arrows (usuallythree) along a parallel path. Dependingupon DM deviousness, multi-arrow ballis-tae could give low-level guards the fire-power they need to counter a powerfulbut exposed assault.

Imagine a fighter�s unpleasant surpriseas he is slammed backward by the forceof two very heavy (2d6) ballista arrows.

A separate attack roll should be madefor each bolt, as they will not fly complete-ly true or necessarily all strike the sametarget, although a strength bonus equiva-lent to a hill giant�s boulder (+4, +7)could be applied to each missile to simu-late the power of the weapon.

Glass-Capped BattlementsPointed stones were fitted to the tops ofthe crenels on some medieval battlementsas decorations. Defenders who must copewith the magical and semi-magical climb-ing abilities of AD&D game�s mages andthieves might wish to employ a nastieralternative: setting shards of broken glassor pottery into the masonry along thesides of their battlements. This medievalalternative to barbed wire may rendergrappling hooks useless, and definitelymakes climbing parapets tricky businessindeed for spider-climbing mages andscaling thieves (who may lose concentra-tion and fall.)

Lords might employ iron spikes andscraps of metal to the same effect.Depending on the ferocity of the glass oriron impedimenta, a thief who tries toscale encrusted battlements should beforced to make a climb walls check at-30% to -50% or suffer 1-4 hp damage andfall. Spider climbers must make a singlesaving throw vs. paralyzation or suffer 2-5(2-7 for iron spikes) points of damage per4� of warded surface scaled.

Iron Drop-DoorsWhen a powerful foe infiltrates your cas-

D R A G O N 1 3

tle, seal him off and call for reinforce-ments. Iron drop-doors provide a defend-ing force that is out-leveled and out-magicked vital time to regroup, and theycan greatly hinder intruders. These heavydevices consist of a sheet of iron or iron-faced wood fitted portcullis-style into apassage or doorway ceiling. Normally thedoor slabs are held out of the way by ironcrossbars. When needed, a lever is pulled,and down they fall, cutting access fromoverrun areas of a stronghold. If they fallinto a shallow (1�) groove in the floor, theyare virtually impossible to move duringthe chaos of an attack.

Iron drop-doors may be placed any-where in a castle, but they are at theirmost useful inside the top level of a tower,where they can help defend against aerialattack (q.v.). An enclosed stone staircase isbuilt to access the tower roof in place ofthe usual hatch, and the bottom doorwayto the staircase provides a fine place for adrop door. If things on the roof get tooheated, soldiers may prevent enemiesfrom entering their tower by simplypulling a lever. (Don�t forget to �lead-line�your doors.)

Sealing BlocksThese are a feature of powerful dwarvenstrongholds (such as the gates of PaxTharkas on Krynn) and are essentiallygiant, stone versions of the iron drop-

doors mentioned above. Sealing stones arebuilt to keep enemies from passingthrough a certain corridor by turning itinto an unbreathable wall, so they are onlyused as a last resort. The room requiredfor placement of a sealing stone is consid-erable. To block a 5� wide, 7� high corri-dor, a stone of at least 5� x 7� x 4� thickmust be suspended in an alcove in thecorridor ceiling by chains of monstrousthickness. Space must also be left abovethe alcove for the suspension mechanisms.

The stone itself is often faced with solidstone caps followed by a layer of lead orlead mortar (q.v.) to make them proofagainst any of the standard stonebypassing spells.

Most sealing blocks drop from the ceil-ing as described above, but an extremelyclever architect can create a sealing blockthat slides sideways across a corridor.

The obvious problem with these devicesis their indestructibility. They are one-shotdevices, their suspension mechanismsbeing ruined in the sudden release of ten-sion at their fall. Whoever holds the castlewhen the dust of battle has settled hasquite a task ahead of them if they everwish to see the view from the top of theirkeep.

Glyph PassagesThe 3rd-level priest/4th-level mage spellglyph of warding is invaluable to castle

commanders. Lords recognize the valueof this spell and commonly use it to wardthe inner recesses of their strongholds;but a given stronghold only has so manyplaces where placement of a glyph ispractical.

One may wish to create a series ofdoors (a reasonable number would bethree to six) leading to a given room orpassage, each of which may be wardedwith a glyph. (This is most practical inplaces used only infrequently, such as amain treasury or a secret escape passage,and where there is a long stretch of hall-way available for placement of the doors.)Even the most foolhardy adventurerbecomes discouraged by the fourth orfifth door that explodes in his face. Lordswho use the passageway on occasionalbusiness can set the wards to disregardcreatures of their own alignment orspecies as per the PHB.

Glyph passages are great ways to safe-guard escape tunnels under a castle.

Concentration RoomThe concentration room gives low-leveland outnumbered castle guards a positionfrom which to defend against invaders. Inthis room every possible advantagebelongs to the defender.

This is a circular or polygonal room atthe end of a fortified entryway. The roomis lined with arrowslits. From the enemy�sperspective it looks like a room in a roundcastle tower, except that the arrowslits arefacing inward, toward would-be intruders.The other essential features of this roomare one or two false doors located on thewalls, and a secret door. In times of peace,the secret door is left open to allow nor-mal access.

Behind the arrowslits is a guardroomgarrisoned by crack crossbowmen andspearmen who fire and stab mercilessly atintruders at point blank range. Well-pre-pared lords keep a stock of Greek fire andoil on hand to set the room ablaze. Thebest designs incorporate arrow loop shut-ters, felt and fur, and frequent partitions(q.q.v.) to thwart magical attacks. Ofcourse, any number of pits, portculisses,murder holes, and other nasty devices canand should be added here, as this iswhere a garrison will want to make its laststand.

Wizard StakeThough most civilized folk frown uponpoison, tucked away in a corner or lockedroom in some castle chambers is a longthin barrel with a stake protruding fromthe top (looking rather like an emaciatedbutter churn). Soldiers of the tower are topluck the stake from the barrel only if theyface �nightmarish odds.�

A wizard stake is a javelin whose head isstored in a small pot of fast-acting poison.The spear head makes an airtight lid forthe poison pot, allowing the deadly liquidto stay potent for some time.

14 DECEMBER 1995

Measures Against Aerial AssaultA sad consequence of building strong-holds with no provision against aerialassault is that castles as we know themhave concentric rings of isolated, flattopped towers. These are useless for anti-aerial fortresses. If medieval people atsome point had suddenly been faced withthe possibility of airborne attack, they nodoubt they would have taken precautionssimilar to those suggested below.

Keep-Centric DesignMany medieval cast consisted of astraggling, unkempt series of outlyingearthworks, walls, and towers whichsprawled all over several acres of land andwere physically unconnected to any cen-tral building. In some castles there was nocentral building per se, and a ring of tow-ers joined by curtain walls served inits stead.

Both of these designs are very vulnera-ble to airborne attackers. In the first case,a castellan must sprinkle his men aroundthe outlying walls and towers where theycan be taken, after which these areas pro-vide perfect cover and hiding spots forenemy troops. No castle commander candefend such a vast area during an aerialassault, as remote ramparts and towerssuccumb one by one to swarmingenemies.

In a tower-ring design, defenders haveliterally nowhere to run when, say, a gag-gle of harpies decides to swoop in for avisit. With little shelter and no centralhaven to retreat toward, each tower is leftto defend itself. (Certainly not a morale-boosting arrangement.)

A castle commander who is faced byaerial invaders is in a much better posi-tion if he can keep most of his men in acentralized location, where they can fightas a strong and unified force and have aroof over their heads and a wall to leanagainst if the going gets tough. The com-mander will also want to see most of hisfortress at once without concerning him-self with what may be happening in sometower 200 yards away.

A strong, keep-centric design has a fewthick supporting towers linked by in-wallpassageways (all carefully guarded andequipped with drop doors or sealingstones, [q.q.v.]) and outer bailey walls builtto be abandoned in the event of aerialattack. Classic Scottish castles are somegood examples of this type. When underattack from every side, the presence of astrong central bastion to steady thedefenders can often turn the tide of battle.

Reinforced Towertop Doors Only the stupidest invaders enter throughthe front door�especially if it is open.While medieval architects enjoyed the lux-ury of leaving their towertop entrancesopen to the air, fantasy architects have tocope with the fact that their tower-topdoors are almost as vulnerable as their

front doors. An economical solutionwould be to reinforce the hatches by forg-ing them of iron and securing them withbars. This might just give guards the timethey need to call in reinforcements andprepare themselves for aerial attack.

Elevated BallistaeMulti-arrow or mage-shooting (q.q.v.) bal-listae make excellent anti-aerial assaultweapons when provided with an elevatingand swiveling mount, especially whenprovided with some cover. (See improvedtower tops, below.)

Improved Towertops This countermeasure might prove a bitradical for a few castle purists, but somekind of towertop improvement is essentialif a castle commander wants to get seri-ous about anti-aerial defense. Troops on aflat, open towertop (wonderful targets forbreath weapons and fireballs) might aswell be standing in the middle of a fieldduring an aerial attack Troops who man-age to escape down into the tower havelittle choice but to hunker down with noeffective offense, and are little more thanprisoners in their own castle.

The obvious place for a castle garrisonto fend off airborne attackers is from thetowertops. A new towertop structure mustprovide ample cover for soldiers forattacks from any direction while allowingthem to fight back effectively, and bearchitecturally sound while remainingaesthetically pleasing with regards tooverall castle design.

In smaller towers, where placement ofmore than one ballista is impractical, astone dome-top can be suggested. Thesetops are vaguely reminiscent of HenryVIII�s 16th century shore-fort architecture,and they are pierced by a number of small(2� x 3�) arched windows. The windowsoccur in two rows around the sides,where the first row provide a view of the

surrounding land, and the second rowopens just above head height to provide aview of the sky. The windows are largeand frequent enough for archers to aimand shoot at a flying target, while remain-ing small and few enough to provide alarge degree of cover. The Romans effec-tively fired ballistae at ground targets fromsimilar portals. (Firing at aerial targetsthrough such a portal might, at the DM�sdiscretion, incur a �2 penalty to hit, butremember that mage shot [q.v.] can negatethis disadvantage.)

The dome-top need not be very thickbecause its angle will serve to deflectdropped or ground-based missiles. Ofcourse, the windows should have strongshutters (preferably leaded [q.v.]) to pro-tect against magical attack and enemiesseeking entrance. The designs leave nobattlements outside the main level forlanding on. The top of the dome can beflattened and crenellated to provide asmall watch tower above this room. If thedome-top is infiltrated, the staircase intothe tower can be fitted with an iron dropdoor (q.v.).

Larger tower and citadel roofs present abit more of a problem if they are to do allof the above as well as provide a platformfor multi-arrow ballistae (q.v.) and/or tor-sion catapults. Much more open space isrequired here than is provided by a dome-top tower. This problem can be solved bybuilding a cross-shaped wall dividing theold flat towertop into four equal areas,and enclosing each quadrant with anoverarching roof. Each quadrant will be arounded cave-like area, looking much likea modern amphitheater, leaving enoughroom and arc to fire a catapult. The roofis shaped so as to provide direct overheadcoverage but with plenty of room for aballista to be fired with up to 50° elevation.The center area where the four quadrantsmeet is enclosed to contain a small circu-lar room and staircase into the tower (or

D R A G O N 1 5

upward into a complete dome-toppedtower above.) The quadrant walls neednot be extended to the battlements, so anunbroken circuit may run round the out-side of the tower. Small windows can becreated in each quadrant wall to furthercommunication between the quadrantsduring battle, or iron-faced doors maypierce each quadrant wall to facilitate themovement of ballistas.

This design affords towertop defenderscover from above and on three sides at alltimes, while allowing them freedom to firetheir artillery in a wide arc. Division of the

towertop into quadrants does hinder visi-bility on the main level, but providesinsurance that at any given time only one-fourth of the towertop is vulnerable froma single attack. Flying creatures attackingone quadrant must expose their flank andrear to another quadrant while theyreposition themselves.

An additional dome-top above the quad-rant roof forces attackers to deal with firefrom more than one level. This designprovides the cover, firepower, and con-centration of forces that make a castletower defensible.

16 DECEMBER 1995

by Steve Miller

Artwork by Brian Durfee

The Complete Book of Elves provided use-ful suggestions for how the basic subracesof elves might be approached when a DMor player is considering what an elven cityis like. It divided elves along racial lines:gray elves live in mighty fortified stonecities; high elves live in elegant treehouses; and sylvan elves lead nomadicexistences, only occasionally buildingsemi-permanent structures.

One would think that elves, much likehumans, have different architecturedepending on their culture, circum-stances, and the world in which they exist.The various TSR settings seem to bear thisout. For example, two of the elven nationsin the DRAGONLANCE® setting build impres-sive walled cities of airy courtyards andmighty stone palaces with spires that twistinto the sky, with the wild forests aroundthem being one of the primary defenses ofthe cities. The third culture, on the otherhand, leads a more nomadic existence,moving from area to area of the islandupon which they dwell as dictated by theseasons. By contrast, the elven nationsdetailed in the WORLD OF G REYHAWK®

and FORGOTTEN R EALMS® settings almostuniversally live in fixed settlements thatblend with the environment aroundthem�most frequently magically shapedtrees�so that the elven homes areliterally living, growing things.

This article provides DMs with a ready-made elven city that both uses and breaksthe conventions that have come to be con-sidered �traditional� in AD&D®. It also pro-vides tables that can be used to randomlygenerate an elven city or settlement.(These tables can, of course, also be usedas a checklist by the DM who has an elvencity in mind, but who wants to make surehe has everything covered.)

The City of Arimar

Arimar is isolated from human communi-ties because it is located deep within ahigh plateau, shared with goblins, gnolls,and nature spirits such as dryads,nymphs, sylphs, sandlings, and neriads.The Arimarians have generally friendlyrelations with the humanoids, and live inperfect harmony with the nature spirits.Occasionally, the goblins and gnolls willget tired of raiding each other, and willturn toward Arimar. Then they arereminded why they stick to raiding eachother. Well-traveled Arimarians have methumans, and consider them a few stepsabove the goblins, but saw little of worthin opening relations with peoples so farremoved. To most Arimarian elves,humans are just another humanoid racewith whom they share the world, a racethat is neither friend nor foe.

To the north of Arimar, the land risesinto rocky foothills where the elves oper-ate a heavily guarded mithril mine. To thewest and south are marshes claimed bythe gnolls and goblins. A river windsthrough the forest, terminating in whatthe elves consider the heart of Arimar, thecenter of the ancient, virgin forest inwhich their city is built.

Arimar is a city of 3,500 inhabitants, andis built over an area of four square miles.Should humans ever discover the city, it isvery likely that they will merely observepart of the sprawling settlement and viewit as a small elven community, or they willcome upon several of them and concludethat it is cluster of villages isolated fromeach other, despite the fact they may onlybe a mile or two apart. To the elves, how-ever, Arimar is about as compact andcrowded as necessity dictates and theycan tolerate and still maintain their sanity.

At the heart of Arimar is the Grove. Thispark-like area holds both the seat of thecity�s government, the High Council, andthe forges and smithies where master-craftsmen shape mithril into elven chainmail and potent weapons. Both arehoused in an elaborate stone buildingconstructed to resemble an immense, nat-ural boulder. In addition, the Grove ishome to several beings who are tightlytied to the natural world. There is a pond

D R A G O N 1 9

which serves as the home for a nymph. Asylph lives high in the top of an ancienttree to which a dryad has bound herself.An area of open sand is the dwelling placeof a sandling. The ever-burning forges ofthe community is home to a fire mephit.The elves of Arimar surround their site ofgovernment with these other beingsbecause they believe they sprang from aunion of the four elements, earth, wind,fire, and air. They do not believe they werecreated by gods, although they can hardlydeny the existence of such beings, butinstead believe they embody the best ofwhat the natural world offers.

The High CouncilThe High Council is a semi-democraticbody. Those who sit on it must be resi-dents of Arimar for at least 75 summers.When a council member steps down, hemust nominate a successor, and this suc-cessor must be accepted by a majority ofthe council before taking the seat. Any citi-zen of Arimar may call a council mem-ber�s right to sit on the council into ques-tion, and 100 or more citizens may evennominate an individual to sit on the coun-cil. Of course, they must also point to thecouncil member they want their nomineeto replace. In both cases of citizen involve-ment, the council accepts or rejects theirmotion, but the councilors are known toadhere to the will of the citizens in mostcases.

There are four seated members of thecouncil, one for each of the elements. Afifth member heads the council, and he isalways chosen by the citizens of Arimar atelections that are held once every decade.Generally, the head of the council is ahunter or warrior who has performedsome invaluable service for the commu-nity and has made himself a hero to thepeople. The elves have very long memo-ries, so unless a deed is truly remarkable,or the head of the council steps down vol-untarily (which many do, as adventurersoften find that life as a politician does notagree with them), the head of the councilgenerally rules for life.

The High Council is responsible forestablishing law in the city, and it main-tains a small welfare program for childrenwho have been orphaned.

The Defenses of ArimarThe elves of Arimar co-exist relativelypeacefully with the gnolls who dwell in anearby marsh, so the need for a standingarmy does not exist. All adults (those overthe age of 40), however, are required bylaw to be able to use a bow, as each adultmust serve as a hunter for the communityfor one month out of every year.

Additionally, in time of dire threats, it isthese archers who are called upon todefend the city. This last occurred when agreen dragon attempted to establish a lairand dominance over the area. The dragonwas so obnoxious about it that it managed

to bring the gnolls and elves from existingin a state of uneasy peace to a united frontas allies. Once the dragon was driven off,the two races drifted from each otheragain.

The Citizens of ArimarArimar consists primarily of single familydwellings constructed around the base oftrees, with additional levels built in thecrown of the tree. The rooms on theground are where Arimarians receiveguests, conduct business, and generallyinteract with those who are not familymembers. These structures are generallymade from stone, with floors made ofpacked earth. Some feature small springs.Again, the elves are reminding themselvesfrom whence they sprang. The structuresbuilt in the tree are intended strictly forthe family, and as the tree grows, the lad-ders leading to these other levels areextended. How extensive these are is con-sidered a sign of wealth amongArimarians, but it is considered the ulti-mate shame to overbuild a tree to thepoint of either killing it or breaking it.

As young elves leave home to establish ahousehold of their own, they choose atree close to the home of a close relativeand connect the upper levels of theirhome to the upper levels of the relativesdwelling with rope bridges. Because ofthis tradition, the city has more or lessbecome divided into districts dominatedby the five clans that form the majoritypopulation of the city. (Clan lineage isdetermined by the female�s background,and it is not uncommon for Arimarianwomen to go on adventures in search of asuitable husband in the lands beyondArimar.) Since the clans tend to havecrafts they specialize in, the city is alsodivided into various trade districts,although there is no central marketplaceper se; natives know where to go to getwhat wares, and will happily directvisitors to the correct locations.

Random Elven CityGeneration Tables

Elf type1�3 High elf4 Gray elf5�6 Sylvan elf

Settlement Size (divide results by 10 ifElf Type was �Sylvan Elf�)

1 10�602�3 70�2004 300�1,0005 1,100�5,0006 5,100�10,000

Dominant Architectural Feature1�2 Homes built in trees3 Stone buildings4 Temporary dwellings, except for

temples and government halls5�6 Homes built in trees and under-

ground, blending perfectlynatural environment

with

Government Type1�3 Hereditary monarchy4 Hagiarchy5 Democracy6 No set government, except in

times of crises; then a �king� isappointed by elves of hereditarynoble status; the �king� rules untilthe crisis has past

Seat of Government1�2 Central palace or council hall3�5 An open grove somewhere within

the city�s territory6 No set place for government to

meet.

Army1�2 Standing army.3�5 Volunteer army, assembled only in

times of crisis.6 Hunters double as army

Defenses1 Wall or hedges (magically

enhanced plants)2�3 Border forts4�5 Combination of wall or hedges

and border forts6 No defensive structures

Faith/Religion1�2 Worships elven deities as estab-

lished in AD&D supplements3 Worships deity normally associat-

ed with another race4�5 Worships unspecified �forces of

nature� or the elements6 Does not recognize divine powers

as holding sway over them

Temples (skip if non-applicable)1�3 Does not build temples, but wor-

ships in groves that are untouchedby civilization

4 Has one temple central for thewhole community

5�6 Each home has its own shrine

Main crafts and trade items (roll twice)1�2 Stone masonry/statuary3 Woodcarvings4�5 Weapons and armor-smithing.6 Wines and produce

Family Structure1�4 Nuclear5 Extended6 Communal

Homes1 No private homes; entire settle-

ment one big commune2�4 Single, nuclear family dwellings5�6 Extended family/clan lives in com-

pound

20 DECEMBER 1995

b y M . D . M c C o n n o h i e

Does a drow chant sound more like Celtic ormore like Arabic?

What does a resist magic spell actually look like?These are a few of the endless questions that need to be

answered when trying to bring the FORGOTTEN REALMS® to lifein Interplay�s �DESCENT To UNDERMOUNTAIN�: The FlameSword of Lloth.�

This, the first fully 3-D action/character-building game, isbased on the 3-D engine of the hugely successful DESCENT*.(Descent continues to cut into work hours everywhere asemployees network together to blast each other to pieces �an unmistakable mark of success.) Descent 2* will be comingout this winter, and space jockeys everywhere will be liningup to plot strategies and assaults in whole new robot-infested mines.

But how to translate this gravity-less 3-D universe to amore terrestrial form and make it fun?

DRAGON 23

Interplay Productionshad recently signed a

licensing agreement withTSR, Inc. for theirFORGOTTEN REALMS line, totranslate their boxed setsinto computer games. Thisopened a whole new divi-sion at Interplay, devotedstrictly to TSR games.Upcoming will be close to adozen brand-new titlesover the next year or two,including DRAGON DICE�,BLOOD AND MAGIC�, andPLANESCAPES®. Also in thelineup is DESCENT TO

UNDERMOUNTAIN.DESCENT TO

UNDERMOUNTAIN is set in thestone belly ofUndermountain belowWaterdeep, an area of darkmagic, terrible monsters,and an endless stream ofadventures (and adventur-ers). It�s a limitless reach ofdark caverns, corridorsand rooms, the privateplayground of the madwizard Halaster.

Halaster likes to makethings interesting, soadventureres could easily

find themselves falling intoa water pit trap. Of course,there could be electric eelsin there: just because awizard�s crazy doesn�tmean he�s not

There�s much more toUndermountain than this.In a land already ancient,this is an incredibly oldplace. Even before thedrow made their descent,there were nameless andterrible things there. Theystretch back to a timewhen gods walked the landand wrestled with the pri-mal energies ofcreation, and each other.

The Underdark is so vast,so all-encompassing, thateven the gods don�t knowwhat all is in there. That�sat the very heart of thisparticular adventure, �TheFlame Sword of Lloth.�

The Flame Sword is ahitherto-unknown powerobject specific to the SpiderQueen, the goddess Lloth.

Legend has it that longago, with her minions the drow, Llothwrought devastation on the land. Half-for-gotten tales tell of how �Lloth herself ledher dark children against the bright elves,and with each strike of her flaming sword,a horror from the Abyss was unleashed

24 DECEMBER 1995

power: it could rend thevery fabric of reality,opening two-way gates to

any plane of existence�including the PLANESCAPES

and Chaos.

absolutely natural progression fromDescent,� says Mark O�Green, head ofInterplay�s TSR Division. �We couldalready see the end of action-only games,everyone jumping on the Doom*-me-toowagon, and it all looked the same�

The Flame Sword wasnot created by Lloth, butinstead by a much olderand deeper power thatforged four mightyblades, each representingone of the extreme alignments (chaotic evil, law-ful evil, chaotic good, andlawful good). Early in herexistence Lloth cameacross the chaotic evilblade, and bent it to herwill using deep magics,and investing a part ofher own self in the blade.

The world would havefallen entirely into thehands of Lloth and herarmies but for a loneelven hero. This now-forgotten warrior madehis way into the veryheart of the SpiderQueen�s encampmentand stole the blade. Atthe cost of his own life hetook it deep into theUnderdark, where it washidden from even thesight of the gods. Llothhas searched for herblade ever since.

Somewhere, deep inthe heart of Under-mountain, waits thissword. Its power is undi-rected, and portals toother planes open unex-pectedly, allowing...things.. into our reality.Whoever finds it willeither find a way to suc-cessfully cloak its ener-gies, or be destroyed byit. There is no middleground with an object ofthis power.

DESCENT TO

UNDERMOUNTAIN: TheFlame Sword of Lloth isno casual undertaking.

Just how did Interplaydecide to take a laser-blazing space opera androot it in fantasy?

�DESCENT TO

UNDERMOUNTAIN was anupon the world.�

The few historians who studied theseancient events assumed the blade wasliterally a flaming weapon the goddesswielded on behalf of her dark children.None realized the dark blade�s true

the same actions, the samere-actions, the same flat-artapproach. We wanted totake the next step forward.We needed something thatwasn�t just another hack-�em-up, that had somecharacter development,and that happened in aliving 3-D world.�

The game itself is pri-marily an action game, withmany aspects of the moreconventional TSR papergames; there are charactergrowth and accomplish-ment, level gains, experi-ence, and treasure.

Like the space gameDescent, DESCENT TO

UNDERMOUNTAIN will bemulti-player, both on-lineand in local networks, aswell as a standalone gamefor the solitary gamer. Inon-line mode, an adventur-ing party could consist of afighter from San Francisco,a mage from New Mexico,and a thief inSaskatchewan.

UNDERMOUNTAIN is fullythree-dimensional. Youcan walk around a tem-ple column, sneak upbehind a monster andstab it in the back (if itdoesn�t hear you coming,which it probably will) orfall into deep pits. If youjump a chasm, you�d bet-ter jump hard, because ifyou fall, it�s going to hurt.

Players will encounterhumans, dwarves, orcs,goblins, halflings, zom-bies, skeletons, elves,drow, gnomes, kobolds,mind flayers, trolls,piercers, beholders, gar-goyles, spiders, a greendragon, and other thingsthat don�t even bearthinking about.

In all, DESCENT TO

UNDERMOUNTAIN: TheFlame Sword of Llothlooks to change the faceof computer adventuregaming in the same wayDescent changed com-puter space gaming.

D R A G O N

b y S t e v e n S c h e n d

Artwork by William O'Connor & Terry Dykstra

Dwarven Tomb Architecture

It must be remembered that much of theinformation herein is based on historicalstudy, examination of artifacts and sites,and interviews of various Northern dwarveswith long memories. As I have endeavoredto uncover the dwarven history of theNorth, I have found that few dwarves (andeven fewer dwarven landmarks) yield theirsecrets easily.

Origins and DevelopmentThe origins of dwarven tomb-building arelost to the ages, but modern dwarvesagree that they had simple motivations tosuch practices, just as humans and otherraces do. The dead were interred belowground, preferably within deep rock, toprotect the remains from scavengers andcarrion-feeders.

As with nearly everything built bydwarves, the tombs began simply butbecame more and more impressive. Theygraduated from simple rock shaft massgraves to individual shaft graves to mau-soleums for individuals or entire clans.While dwarven civilizations rose and fell

over the millennia, their natural craft withstone progressed, creating more secureareas for dwarves to live in and even moresecure ones to dwell in after death.

Dwarven tombs of the past centuries allshare these common details, regardless ofthe status of those interred therein. Someof these features appear on the tomb of anindividual if the deceased had been a heroor craftsman of note, but they are commononly on clan or large dynastic familytombs.

� The first entrance to the tombs properis succeeded by at least three rooms: anantechamber (with a mark�obvious onlyto dwarves, of course�indicating this as aplace of dwarven rest), a clan chamber(with various decorations noting the clanname, deeds, and primary purposes), anda chamber dedicated to Dumathoin (notofficially his temple, but a layperson�splace of worship).

The place of actual burial�the cham-ber with the corpse�is always at least 50�below the outermost tomb portal.

� A series of rooms exists either insideand directly attached to the tomb or with-in 100 yards of the entrance. These roomsare either the mortuary, attendant priests�quarters (for a clan tomb with a long-termexpectation of service for clan burials), orquite possibly both.

D R A G O N 2 7

28 DECEMBER 1995

� Dwarven corpses are always interredwith at least one item related to their for-mer life. For example, miners may beburied with their picks, warriors havetheir armor and weapons, and priests arewith their holy symbols.

While one might expect differences instructure and details to vary from era toera, major dwarven tombs have not alterednotably in structure in over 14 centuries.Also, clan differences have not changedtomb layouts or structure as much asmight be expected due to one unifying fac-tor: The priesthood of Dumathoin overseesthe building, interring, and protection ofany and all dwarven tombs.

Dumathoin�s Priesthood

Dumathoin is the patron god of the ShieldDwarves of the North. As Keeper ofSecrets Under the Mountain, he is unoffi-cially their protector in death. While itmay have been otherwise in the early daysof dwarven civilization, Dumathoin�spriests have been the primary morticiansand tomb protectors since the latter daysof Ammarindar, the lost dwarven realmthat existed as a contemporary of ancientNetheril. In fact, they do their god justiceas �Keeper of Secrets,� for it is incrediblydifficult to find the tombs at all, let aloneplumb their mysteries.

Among the various burial practices usedby priests of Dumathoin, there are onlythree set precepts that must be met. Thebody must be washed and three or more

stone burial tokens�the corpse�s person-al mark, the clan�s mark, andDumathoin�s mark�must be braided intothe corpse�s beard. The corpse is thenclothed in either the deceased�s ownarmor or a light suit of mail burial armor;for no matter what trade a dwarf plied inlife, none enters the afterlife unarmoredand unreadied. Finally, the priest presid-ing over the burial must create a songhonoring the dead dwarf�s life and deeds;the song is carved into the lid of the coffinor sarcophagus (or, when in a large clantomb with numerous niches for the fallendwarves, onto the back of a mausoleumseal, a plaque or marker covering therecess where the deceased is buried).

The song is never sung out loud inhonor of the ever-silent Dumathoin. Ifsomeone finds it and speaks or sings theburial chant out loud, it is believed that acurse will settle on the offender. (Somesuggest that the corpse itself mightreanimate and smite the offender.)

Burial practices may change slightly tosuit particular clans, but a number ofchanges in burial practices occur uponthe passing of a dwarf deserving of specialstatus. In general, there are simply moreceremonies and more attention is paid tothe construction of the tomb. The follow-ing are some specific variations that mightbe found in burying important dwarves:

� The burial of a priest is a more convo-luted and lengthy process, incorporatingaspects of Dumathoin�s worship and thatof the god the priest served. Priests there-

fore tend to be buried within a well-guarded tomb, and their sarcophagi aresurrounded by (if not buried under)tokens and offerings by the priest�s friendsand faithful. Priests of Clangeddin orMoradin are often interred with theremains of their greatest conquered adver-sary, ensuring a grand afterlife of battleagainst dwarf-foes. Unlike many otherdwarven tombs, priests� spells are usedheavily in the interment of a priest to pro-tect the remains and offerings (and, somehint, to prevent the gods from calling ontheir servants after their time has passed).

� Clan allies of any race can be interredwithin dwarven tombs, but only if they fellin battle defending the allied clan, thetomb, or a place sacred to Dumathoin.

� While all others are buried with stan-dard ceremony and accouterments, wizardsare always clad in robes made of wovensilver and sealed in solid silver sarcophagi(or a burial creche lined with silver); thisis due to a superstition born of an olddwarven myth that Dumathoin paidMystra his weight in silver to garner hisfaithful protection from the magics thatdisturb the sleep of the dead. While weknow there is little truth in such a legend,the custom still prevails.

� Clan outcasts (assuming they can evenfind a priest of Dumathoin willing to offi-ciate over their burial) are buried withouta clan mark within their beards, and theircoffins or burial place markers oftendepict a broken or marred symbol of theirformer clan.

D R A G O N 2 9

The Entrance to a Prince�s Rest

In my studies, it has proven essential to know the dwarven craftsmen behind the mas-terful constructs I studied. One friend gave me a written description of the finalentrance to a particular tomb; he allegedly found it within the records in the tomb ofRaglar Stonecutter, a dwarven architect and tomb-maker who died at the time ofDelzoun�s height. While my friend kept the location of the tomb and the identity of thetomb�s inhabitant secret, he swears all the mechanical traps are quite genuine andshould serve to deter foolhardy adventurers from attempting to rob the dwarven dead."After all,� he reminded me, �there are precious few who can claim to have plunderedthe tombs of the dwarves. High time you tall folk were reminded as to why that is.�

�The walls glitter with gold, gems, and bright mosaics that glisten in torchlightdespite the centuries of dust that should have accumulated on them. The bas-reliefon the wall of the antechamber seems so lifelike, you�d swear the hallway was filledwith a horde of trolls! Three dwarves stand heroically atop a pile of troll bodies, fight-ing on against overwhelming odds. The prince, another dwarven warrior, and a stan-dard-bearer appear to be directly in your path, though they are carved on the facingwall as you walk into the hallway.

Though the tomb�s guardian bypassed the traps and triggers to the secret doorwith some special magics, he explained the traps and their working. There are fivedifferent mechanical triggers within the 30� high mural to open the secret door to thecrypt. Like the door itself, the triggers are next to impossible to find for non-dwarves.

�The correct combination to open the secret door is to activate all five triggerssimultaneously; the triggers must then be released in this order: four, five, three, one,and two. Once done, the wall opens to expose the entrance room that sinks down tothe crypt. If any trigger is activated out of the sequence above (such as one trigger at atime to start it), the trap connected to that particular trigger is set off.

�The first trigger is the short sword of the prince�s warrior-companion. It shiftsslightly to the left, along with the pommel. The trap linked with this trigger opens theceiling 40� above. Then, hundreds of short swords fall from above the ceiling into theroom, all point down.1

�The second trigger is the prince�s crown. To activate it, the tear-shaped gem at thefront of his crown must be turned point-down over his brow. If the trap is usedwrong, the floor rises at incredible speed to smash all persons within the roomagainst the ceiling.2

�The troll engaging the standard-bearer hides the third trigger: its movable jaw andmouth. The trap slams the door out of this room shut, and a pump dumps grease allover the floor and walls. The floor tilts, opening into a steep chute under the easternwall. The chute slides for 600� and comes to an end at the bottom of a 10� x 10� shaft.Once the victims hit the floor of the shaft, it sinks slightly and the slippery chuterotates back up, the grease preventing any hold on the edge.3 The shaft�s ceiling is lostin darkness far above any light source the victims have. There is a pile of rotted ropein the center of the floor and two shattered skeletons lying on it.4

�The fourth trigger is the prince�s ring: Dumathoin�s symbol of a gem inside amountain is reversed. To initiate the lock, the ring�s emblem must be twisted aroundso the mountain peak points at the king�s knuckle. If the trap is activated, the persontouching the prince�s ring is doused in acid.5

�The fifth trigger is the money bag on the standard-bearer�s belt; shifting the drawstring from one side to the other (and activating the trap) causes a loud click and theentrance to the room slams shut and locks. Holes 2� wide appear in the ceiling and ajingling of coins is quickly heard. A rain of copper and silver coins and gold duststarts falling through the ceiling onto the invaders, invading the nose and mouth ofany breathing beings.6"

1. Actually 1d20 swords fall on each character within the room, and the blades all fall at such a speedand number that each has a THAC0 of 7. If any people are still alive after the onslaught, they must moveno quicker than MV 1 or automatically suffer 1d4 hp damage from walking on or against blade edges.2. The effects are equal to the grease spell on every surface, negating any chance of grabbing holdof anything.3. This crushing floor trap deals 4d8 hp damage to all within the room and then recedes back to its nor-mal floor level.4. DMs are encouraged to make the shaft at least 5,000—10,000’ high; this mine shaft was abandoned bythe dwarves over 15 centuries ago, but there’s no telling what it connects to these days.5. The effects of this acid are identical to the effects of green slime; the PC will be dissolved within tworounds if the saving throw is failed.6. No matter what the room’s occupants do, the outpouring of money and dust keeps coming until theentire room is filled. Anyone in the room is either crushed under the weight of millions of coins orchoked on gold dust.

30 DECEMBER 1995

Standard Tombs

A dwarven tomb typically conforms to thefollowing pattern, be it a solitary tomb inthe wilderness for a fallen hero or one fora family of miners who still mine the rich-es beneath Mirabar.

Dwarven tombs and mausoleums arenever placed or marked above ground;such practices are only for elves andhumans, and a dwarf buried less than 10'beneath the surface allegedly spends theafterlife in discomfort and might even riseagain as undead.

One of the main reasons dwarventombs are difficult to locate is a simplemethod of wilderness camouflage: Oncethe body is interred and the tomb is com-pleted and sealed, the burial priest and atleast two members of the deceased�s fami-ly (or friends) cover the stone entrancewith earth and smaller rocks, taking careto blend the earthwork in with the sur-rounding terrain. Lichens and smallplants are allowed to grow over theentrance, making the tomb part of theterrain again.

The basic floor plan of a standard tombruns in two directions: straight back fromthe entrance and down to the tomb.There are, of course, many alterations toallow for the local topography and geolo-gy, but entrants into a tomb find them-selves always moving deeper within therock.

As stated above, the first room is alwaysan antechamber; its walls are oftenunadorned, and the room has one ormore statues of a dwarf (either the patrondeity of the dwarf buried within, or thedeceased himself) in the center orcorners.

Beyond the antechamber is the clanchamber, often the most heavily decorat-ed room in the tomb. Its walls areadorned with many carvings, bas-reliefs,mosaics, statues, and other decorations.At the very least, the walls are painted ordrawn with clan motifs and heroic deedsof the deceased.

The chamber beyond the clan room isalways dedicated to Dumathoin. With astatue of Dumathoin and an altar for offer-ings, the uninitiated and non-dwarves willconsider this a temple, but Dumathoin�stemples are always in natural caverns; thisroom is simply for offerings for thedeceased in Dumathoin�s honor. Thechamber to Dumathoin is often called theProtector�s Chamber. It usually contains anumber of traps and difficult doors intoand out of it to discourage crypt robbers.

Beyond that chamber is an entranceleading deeper into the ground. Oldertombs or those short on space open into ashaft with a carved ladder or a spiral stairleading down, while others have a stan-dard set of stairs leading down to thecrypt level.

Elaborate tombs contain a mortuary anda few additional ceremonial rooms to

honor the clan or the dwarf buried there; ifso, these are on a level still above the actualcrypt of the primary crypt inhabitant.

The final burial crypt is oftenunadorned and empty of everythingexcept the coffin or sarcophagus of thedeceased, though there are exceptions. Ifa dwarf was particularly rich, he mighthave some treasure within his burialcrypt; artisans� crypts often contain eithertheir finest or final works�some artistseven take pains to commission their bur-ial crypts early and carve or paint a finalmemorium on the crypt walls themselves.One dwarf of note�the swordsmithDargoth �Steelbeard� of the clanTrueforger�created two magical axes ofsuch power that they were rumored to fellgiants with one blow; he had his cryptbuilt within the Spine of the World andfilled it with traps to deter any intruders.Dargoth�s final words have led many adwarf and human alike to their deaths:�Only the strong and crafty soul who canfind and breach my tomb shall gain themighty Axes of Foesdeath. The tests withinmy tomb shall prove that he is of themettle to wield them.�

Doors within a dwarven tomb are dis-tinguishable from the surrounding wallsonly by a marked lack of runic carvings,mosaics, or other decorations. Their locksand mechanisms are either beneath thebase of a statue within the adjoining roomor recessed under a secret floor panel.The recessed locks are most often a set ofthree handles that must be twisted in cer-tain series of motions to unlock and openthe doors. Other door activators include aset of five buttons�keyholes that fit onlyspecific holy symbols as their keys, oreven recesses that must be filled with

offerings of gold or precious gems so theirweight may open the door.

Tomb markers themselves are simpleplaques placed near the burial plot orrunes carved into the sarcophagus. Themarkers identify the deceased by nameand list famous relatives of the deceased,the clan name, and place of death.Dwarves do not use dates on their tomb-stones, and it is assumed that any dwarfshould know of a battle or location whereanother dwarf died. For example, a femalehealer-priestess of Sharindlar (the dwar-ven goddess of life and dancing) might beidentified as such: �Gaena Aurilstone, daulof Immar Drakeslayer, blood ofMinemaster Mith One-Thumb, honoredservant and healer of Sharindlar, clanIronstar. Her lifedance ended at the Clashof Fireskies, purifying the Realms of threetanar�ri with her passing.�

Secret doors within dwarven tombsoften hide the final burial chamber or�ifthe deceased was particularly wealthy orwas a priest of Abbathor, the god ofgreed�any separate treasure chambers.While some operate similarly to standardsecret doors, they are craftily made andare more difficult for non-dwarves to find.Also, a standard for all but the smallesttombs is a two-way secret door set on apivot. The easier-to-find secret door(known to the dwarves as a �Death�s Door�)leads only to a chamber or hallway riddledwith traps; the more difficult-to-find secretdoor trigger (opening the �Entry True�)that causes the door to pivot the oppositeway leads to either an adjoining hall or thecrypt itself.

Nearly any door or surface or containerwithin a dwarf�s tomb could contain atrap. Dwarves are second to none with

their paranoia and fears about disturbingthe rest of the dead, and they prefer togear their traps toward killing invaders intombs outright and with little mercy. Iftraps are not meant for immediate execu-tion, they simply trap the raider within thetomb and let him starve to death. Eitherway, the secret of the tomb is protected.

Tombs of Royalty

The tombs of dwarven royalty and dwar-ven heroes are, of course, much moreelaborate and opulent than a standardtomb. While the layout and purpose of therooms is the same, the scale in which theyare built is much grander. Rooms arethree times dwarven size at the very least(rooms no less than 12� square), and noexpense is spared in ceremonial decora-tion. Statues are of gold and mithril, andthe finest other metals and preciousstones adorn many surfaces. Other thanthese cosmetic differences, royal or grandtombs often share these details:

� Torches rest in magical sconcesallowing them to burn indefinitely when adwarf stands within the room they light.These features are found in tombs of theFallen Kingdom or in tombs built with theaid of elven allies, as the principalenchantments are elven in nature, A fewdwarven tombs are similarly lit, but thetorches are carved stone and are attachedto natural gas jets.

� Portcullises often are used in door-ways if a grand tomb has a large numberof chambers or supplementary rooms.The locks and opening mechanisms forthe portcullises are identical to those onthe doors within the tomb.

� In the final antechamber before the

DRAGON 31

actual burial crypt, there are one or twoadditional two-way secret doors (the�Death�s Door� and �Entry True� doors)leading to burial crypts identical to theactual crypt. These false tombs are emptyof dwarven remains and treasure, buteach and every room beyond the secretdoor has a lethal trap.

l The final approach to the crypt forgrand tombs is often deeper than the per-ceived final level. Beyond the �Entry True�secret door to the crypt is an antecham-ber with a hidden trigger; activating thistrigger causes the floor to sink down tothe actual crypt. Ceilings will drop intoplace above the sinking floor, blockingdirect access from above. Traps can beplaced all along the descending length ofthe dropping corridor to deter robbers.

The floor will stop when it is even withthe recessed doorway leading into thecrypt. A lamp enchanted with some varia-tion of a continual light spell often hangsabove the sarcophagus in a small vaultedburial chamber. If this final crypt is that ofa clan ruler, his immediate family is eitherinterred in a sub-chamber beyond withmultiple lesser sarcophagi on daises orplaced in recessed burial creches in thewalls of this room.

� One secret door within the tomb com-plex leads to a natural cavern beneath thetomb attendants� quarters; all grand tombsare permanently staffed with guardianpriests, and this cavern is the official tem-ple to Dumathoin used by the priests.

Standard Dwarven Tomb Traps

I have found a number of repeating trapsthat tomb-builders of Delzoun and itscontemporaries have used in a number oftombs. They are all lethal and quite blood-

thirsty, though anyonelegacy tends to be so.

protecting their

The following paragraphs are trapstranslated into �game-speak� for DMs, whoshould feel free to insert any of these trapswithin any dwarven tombs, specificallyplaced near or around the final burialplace for a single figure. If the tomb isattended by priests (either as an activelyused clan tomb or guarded by undead),they must have ways to mechanically ormagically disable the traps to allow entry.All dwarven tomb traps are hidden in unex-pected areas, reducing their chance ofdetection by 30%.

Corridor Trap: Balancing BlocksThe floor of the hallway is made of small-er 4� square blocks. The floor blocks areset to pivot and roll when weight is placedon them, crushing a foot or leg betweenblocks or between a block and the wall.Once the block has shifted, its directioncannot be reversed to allow the person topull his foot free. DMs are encouraged toalter the pattern of where to step to avoidcrushing one�s feet. This trap encompass-es the entire hallway leading to or aroundthe final crypt.

The victim must save vs. paralyzation (ata �2 penalty) to pull his foot free before itis trapped. If successful, the stone simplyrolls one way; if the save is failed, the vic-tim suffers 1d12 points of damage and ispinned to that spot with a crushed foot orleg.

Antechamber/Room Trap: AscendingFloorThe 20�-high and 20�-square ceiling withinthis room is peppered with hundreds of2�-diameter holes. A large stone chest

rests against the far wall. It appears lockedand hard to move, but there are scrapeson the floor that look like it should beopened by shoving it toward the right cor-ner. Moving the chest triggers the trapand releases the springs beneath the floor.The ceiling rises up quickly along with thefloor, and bloodied, barbed spears projectthrough the holes.

The spears strike victims at a THAC0 of5 and deliver 1d6 hp damage per hit; amedium-sized character can be only behit by a maximum of 10 spears, and asmall character is targeted by only sixspears. After an hour, the mechanismsretract, withdrawing the spears and doingan additional 2 hp damage per spear hitdue to the retracting barbs.

Door Trap: Slamming DoorOnce this room is entered, a tomb-robbercan easily find this secret door ostensiblyleading into the crypt. This �secret door�actually turns the wall into a falling slab,and once it is found and �opened,� it fallson all invaders within the room, crushingthem with 4d10 hp crushing damage.Anyone standing just outside the room issafe and sees this entry room and the�crypt� as one combined room now.

Crypt Trap: Emerald TreasuresA stone sarcophagus lies on a raised stonedais. The top of the sarcophagus is carvedlike a dwarven king lying in state. There isan easily defined lid that can be slid offthe base. Once the lid is moved more thana few inches, a stone block falls to cut offthe only exit from the room. The sides ofthe sarcophagus fall away, and greenslime flows out onto the legs of the perpe-trators. Due to their close range and theirsize, the slimes flow onto victims manipu-lating the lid with a THAC0 of 9.

32 DECEMBER 1995

D e l i c i o u s n e w r e l e a s e s

fo r game-hungry ve te ransRole-playing games' rating

Not recommended

May be useful

F a i r

To you, perhaps, GENCON® Game Fair �95was a warm bubble bath of a weekendthat continues to conjure blissful memo-ries. But to me, it was an ice water dunktank, and I�m still shivering. Sure, Ienjoyed the spectacle, the crowds, the $2soda pop. But where were the new role-playing games? There were card games,sourcebooks, and novels galore. And thesmall press served up more than theusual number of quirky little RPGs (someof which we�ll be dissecting in the nextmonth or so). But what happened to themajors? Usually, you can look forward tosplashy GENCON debuts from big guns like

Chaosium, FASA, Steve Jackson, and WestEnd. Not this time. Maybe GENCON was outof synch with the product cycle. Or maybethe majors had chosen to squander, er,invest their resources in the collectiblecard fad, er, hobby.

In any case, I was tickled to see that TSR,Inc. and Wizards of the Coast, the indus-try�s King Kongs, came through with ter-rific new products. Maybe their enthusias-tic reception will inspire other companiesto redouble their commitment to role-playing. Or maybe we�re going to have tosteel ourselves for a drought. A loooooogdrought.

By the way, I had more than the usualamount of trouble coming up with thismonth�s ratings. The featured games aregreat for veterans (earning them five pips)but not so great for beginners (droppingthem to three pips). So I went for an aver-age, and gave them four pips each. How�sthat for a hedge?

Everway* game

162-page Playing Guide,64-page Gamemastering Guide, 14-pageGuide to the Fortune Deck, 90 VisionCards, 36 Fortune Cards, four SourceCards, six Quest Cards, 24 charactersheets, one 16� x 11� map sheet,one 8� x 11� map sheet, boxed

Wizards of the Coast $35Design: Jonathan Tweet, with Jenny Scott,

Aron Anderson, Scott Hungerford, KathyIce, Bob Kruger, and John Tynes

Editing: Jenny ScottIllustrations: Doug Alexander, Rick Berry,

Daniel Gelon, Janine Johnston, HannibalKing, Scott Kirschner, Ed Lee, JohnMatson, Martin McKenna, Ian Miller,Jeff Miracola, Roger Raupp, AndrewRobinson, Christopher Rush, and AmyWeber

Cover: Susan Harris

I wasn�t surprised to hear that Wizards ofthe Coast was publishing an original role-playing game. That was about as unex-pected as the sun rising in the east. Afterconquering the world with the Magic: theGathering* game, and dabbling in boardgames (like the Roborally* game) andreprints (the underappreciated Talislanta*game), an original RPG was just a matterof time.

More surprising was Wizards of theCoast�s choice of helmsman: JonathanTweet. It�s not that Tweet lacks experi-ence. Having published everything fromAD&D® supplements (such as Black Spinefor the DARK S UN® setting) to card games(the wonderful On the Edge* game), he�saccomplished more in a decade that mostdesigners manage in a lifetime. Nor doeshe lack talent; his rejects (like the StoneAge project he has hidden away in hiscloset) sound more interesting than mostof the stuff that turns up the stores. But asevidenced by his previous RPGs, like the

G o o d

Excellent

T h e B E S T !

34 DECEMBER 1995

Ars Magica* game (which stood fantasy onits head) and the Over the Edge* game(role-playing in the Twilight Zone), Tweet�snot a mainstream kind of guy. And if Iwere president of Wizards of the Coast,investing truckloads of hard-earned Magicmoney, I�d have wanted a mainstreamkind of product. (This, perhaps, is why I�mnot president of Wizards of the Coast.)

In fact, Everway is so far out of the main-stream, it�s barely recognizable as an RPG.For starters, it has no dice. It has no tablesor charts. A deck of cards directs the flowof the game. Monster bashing, treasurehunting, dungeon crawling�bye-bye;Everway is pure narrative. We�ve seenthese elements before: the Amber* gamepioneered diceless role-playing, WhiteWolf�s Vampire: the Masquerade gamechampioned storytelling over combatencounters, and TSR�s 1988 BULLWINKLE

AND R OCKY game used cards to help playersimprovise adventures. But they�ve neverbeen integrated so faultlessly or presentedso imaginatively. Everway will have veter-an players and critics (like me, who tendto overreact to anything off the beatenpath that�s even halfway well-done) doinghandsprings. Novices, however, shouldproceed with caution. This ishazardous territory.

Thanks to Wizards of the Coast�s deeppockets, Everway receives a first-class pro-duction. We get over a hundred state-of-the-art playing cards, as heavy-duty andaesthetically appealing as their Magicbrethren. We get plastic trays to hold thecards. We get full-color, suitable-for-fram-ing character sheets. We get three rule-books that look like art catalogs, so elegantthat I was afraid to bend the pages.Despite an occasional syntactic tangle(�Lacking animals can have a big effect onthe human cultures that live there�), theconcise, conversational writing makes thegame a snap to learn; it�s as if Tweet him-self were sprawled on your couch,explaining the rules. Poetic flourishes�walking through a teleportation gate is�like falling through the air on a starless,silent night�-evoke the ambiance of abedtime story. The only clinkers in thebox are the lifeless maps. The city mapconsists of a bunch of buildings ploppedinside a circular stone wall, devoid ofstreets and without a scale of miles. TheBonekeep map, basically a river and a bigditch, has exactly four locations labeled.The maps appear to be the work of artists,not cartographers�believe me, you cantell the difference.

Everway gives players remarkable lati-tude in designing their characters, thoughthey�re nudged toward fantasy archetypeslike spell-casters and warriors. Tweet laysdown the ground rules: no modern age orscience fiction PCs (high tech doesn�t fit),no villainous PCs (too disruptive), no PCsfrom history or mythology (you�re sup-posed to use your own imagination, notsomeone else�s), no non-humanoid PCs

(uh... well, you just can�t have them).Sound restrictive? Not really. It�s a plea forsanity. With a system this tricky, the refer-ee already has his hands full; he doesn�tneed to be dealing with dinosaur PCs orCaptain Kirk.

After determining a general premise forhis character, the player selects five VisionCards. Each Vision Card features anambiguous image on one side, a list ofopen-ended questions on the other. Theplayer interprets the images and answersthe questions any way he likes, using hisreactions to flesh out his PC�s backgroundand personality. For instance, one of theVision Cards shows a woman in a bluerobe pouring liquid over the head of acomatose man; the questions include�What is happening in this scene?� and�How are the man and woman in blueconnected?� The player might decide thathis character (the comatose man) was res-cued by a witch (the woman in blue), andhe now owes her a debt of servitude.Another card depicts a building carved inthe side of a cliff; the questions: �What isthe building?� and �Who built it?� Theplayer might decide that the building is atemple; therefore, his character is a priest.The architect is the blue woman whorevived him; she�s a priestess, whorewards him with new spells whenever hecompletes a mission on her behalf.

A second set of cards, the Fortune Deck,adds more refinements. Like the Vision

Cards, the Fortune Cards have ambiguousimages: a man tossing pebbles in a field, awarrior struggling to swim in an ocean.Unlike the Vision Cards, they also havetitles: the man with the pebbles representsSowing Stones, the warrior representsDrowning in Armor. Also, each carddepicts two traits, one printed at the topand another, the �reversed� trait, at thebottom. Sowing Stones shows �FruitlessLabor� and �Ceasing Fruitless Labor.�Drowning in Armor has �ProtectiveMeasures Turn Dangerous� and �TruePrudence.� With guidance from thereferee, the player uses the images, titles,and traits to determine his PC�s Virtue,Fault, and Fate. He might decide �CeasingFruitless Labor� means his PC is sensible(that�s his Virtue), and �ProtectiveMeasures Turn Dangerous� means he�simpulsive (his Fault). As for his Fate, that�sessentially the province of the referee;Drowning in Armor might mean thatsooner or later, the PC will face a life anddeath threat that.. uh, I�m not sure. Inever quite figured out the Fates, and therulebook wasn�t much help.

In what looks to me like a concession totraditional RPGs, players receive 20 ele-mental points to spend on powers (read:spells) and elements (read: attributes). Thepoint cost of a power depends on itspotency; fast healing costs one point,invulnerable costs three. Points not spenton powers can be invested in elements,

D R A G O N 3 5

including Fire (sort of like AD&D game�sStrength), Earth (sort of like Constitution),Air (sort of like Intelligence), and Water(sort of like Charisma). The higher thescore, the more competent the character;a Fire 2 PC will lose most bar brawls, aFire 7 PC can hold his own against a drag-on. To round out his character, the playeradds a motive (wander the world, elimi-nate evil, seek beauty), a name, and a fewpossessions.

Thanks to the generous number ofexamples, character generation is easyand fast�it took my players less than halfan hour to get their PCs off the ground.And it�s fun, especially for those of us whoenjoy a respite from die-rolling now andthen. But the system requires a lot ofsecond-guessing; more so, I imagine, thanTweet intended. The powers, for instance,are frustratingly vague; here in its entirety,is the description of Shadow Whispers:�The hero can speak to the dead (thoughsome ghosts are in no shape to hold aconversation, and some simply don�t wantto talk.� But how do you know which onescan talk? How long will they hang around?How much do they know? Tweet�sresponses, I assume, would be somethingalong the line of: �It�s your game. Youdecide.� That�s fine for guys like me, whohave a feel for what works and whatdoesn�t in an RPG. But this is the kind ofapproach that drives novices nuts; a first-timer might not be sophisticated enoughto realize that a ghost who knows every-thing virtually guarantees an unplayableadventure. A Weak Mage (level 2) is �capa-ble of a decent spell or two.� So what�s�decent?� And which is it�one or two? Iguessed�not inferred, but guessed�whyit was necessary for characters to haveVirtues, Faults, and Fates, since they didn�thave much effect on play (at least not inmy game).

Likewise, resolving game actionsrequires a keen story sense and a fairamount of guesswork. Tweet offers threemethods�he calls them laws�which canbe used interchangeably. According to theLaw of Karma, the highest rating comesout on top; if a Fire 2 character and a Fire4 character get into a fight, the Fire 4character wins. If he likes, the referee canfudge the numbers to account for unusualcircumstances; if the Fire 4 character hastwo broken arms, he fights as a Fire 1character and loses. The Law of Dramaallows the referee to do anything, withinreason, so long as it makes for an interest-ing story; the Fire 2 character wins with alucky punch, because his long lost love isabout to walk through the door. The Lawof Fortune relies on the Fortune Deck; toresolve an action, the referee draws a cardand interprets the result based on theimage, the title, the trait, anything�he canbase his decision on the color of the let-tering if he likes. If I draw the SowingStones card with the �Fruitless Labor�phrase face-up, I might decide that Fire 2is too inept to hold his own against Fire 4.

Or I might decide that Fire 2 pops hisopponent with a rock (sowing stones�getit?). How much damage does he suffer?It�s the ref�s call. (�Determining the exactway that any given wound or other prob-lem hampers a hero is up to thegamemaster...�)

On page 141, Tweet refers to the FortuneDeck and asks rhetorically, �Isn�t that likeflipping a coin to see whether he suc-ceeds?� His answer: �Not at all.� Myanswer: Sure it is. But who cares? Itdoesn�t matter�it shouldn�t matter�whether you use coins, cards, or randomwhims. In the world according toEverway, rules never subvert the storyline, a bad draw never interferes with aninteresting subplot. Depending on the par-ticipants� experience, this approach canbe liberating, or it can be maddening.

The proceedings take place in aPLANESCAPE™ -like multiverse, the variousworlds (called spheres) linked with tele-portation gates. Everway, the city servesas home base. With its kings, wizards, andunicorns, Everway doesn�t stray too farfrom conventional fantasy; it�s a bit lighterthan the Earthdawn* game, a bit darkerthan AD&D. The setting is sketchy butpromising; provocative details�ahumanoid dragon that gives languagelessons in the public library, mournerscarrying a shrouded corpse to the Houseof Dusk�hint at good things to come. Thefirst-rate adventure, Journey to

Stonedeep, gets the campaign off to aroaring start.Evaluation: In my regular AD&D ses-

sions, I never use dice or charts, nor do Iallow my players to use them. The samegoes at my convention appearances�nodice at my tables. In 10 years, I�ve yet tohave a single player abandon ship.

Everway codifies the freeform stylefavored by me and (I suspect) thousands ofother referees. It makes for a brisk game,and Everway, to its credit, plays at blindingspeed. But to an unprecedented extent, thesuccess of an Everway adventure dependson the improvisational skills of the referee,his ability to come up with interesting plottwists, characters, and scenic details onthe spur of the moment. And players mustrespond in kind, relying on their imagina-tions instead of die-rolls to forge theircharacters� destinies. I�ve spent many apainful afternoon watching would-be ref-erees struggle to stage elementary AD&Dencounters and exasper-ated novices try-ing to translate lists of numbers into three-dimensional personalities. It isn�t easy,even with detailed rules and funny-sideddice to use as crutches.

I suspect Tweet has underestimated theaverage gamer�s aptitude for improvisa-tion. But I could be wrong. In 1987, Ithought Ars Magica would last maybe ayear or two. It�s about to enter its fourthedition. It�d be just like Tweet to surpriseme again.

D R A G O N 3 7

Birthright�

Campaign setting for theADVANCED DUNGEONS &DRAGONS® game

96-page rulebook, 64-page Ruins ofEmpire book, 32-page Atlas of Cerilia, 12reference cards, 112 War Cards, card-board treasure chest, four-panel refereescreen, three 21� x 32� map sheets,boxed

TSR, Inc. $30Design: Rich Baker and Colin McCombEditing: Anne Brown and Sue WeinleinIllustrations: Ben Otero, Doug Chaffee,

Walter Velez, Tony Szczudlo, Eric Hotz,Stephan Peregrine, Jeff Easley, andWilliam O�Conner

Cover: Tony Szczudlo

Blood Enemies:Abominations of Cerilia

Supplement for the BIRTHRIGHT campaignsetting

128-page book, 56 War CardsTSR, Inc.Design: sladeEditing and development: Steven E.

Schend

$18

Illustrations: Denis Beauvais, CharlesLang, William O�Conner, Arnie Swekel,Randy Asplund-Faith, Adrian Bourne,Alyce Bucker Cosart, John Dollar, DavidMacKay, Tony Szczudlo, Susan VanCamp, Douglas Chaffee, Dee Barnett,and Les Dorscheid

Cover: Jeff Easley

Player�s Secrets ofRoesone

Supplement for the BIRTHRIGHT campaignsetting 32-page book, four-panel screen

TSR, Inc. $7Design: Rich BakerEditing: Michele CarterIllustrations: Ellisa MitchellCover: Tony Szczudlo and Dana Knutson

Player�s Secrets ofEndier

Supplement for the BIRTHRIGHT

campaign setting32-page book, four-panel screenTSR, Inc. $7Design: Colin McCombEditing: Doug StewartIllustrations: Ellisa MitchellCover: Tony Szczudlo and Dana Knutson

Let�s face it�we�re power mad. In 1981,the basic DUNGEONS & D RAGONS® gameboxed set took player characters to level 3,but that wasn�t far enough. By 1984, theD&D® Companion Set had upped the anteto level 25. That still wasn�t enough. So inset number five, the Immortal Rules, PCsbecame gods. Dragon Kings, 1992�s AD&Dexpansion for the DARK SUN® gave us 30th-level characters. In 1994, the Council of

Wyrms expansion gave us player charac-ter dragons. Now comes BIRTHRIGHT, inwhich PCs become surrogates for entirenations. That�s right�we�re talking playercharacter countries.

The idea isn�t new. The Aria* game(enthusiastically reviewed in DRAGON®Magazine issue #214) covered much ofthe same ground. But BIRTHRIGHT avoidsthe clutter than made Aria such aheadache, despite its innovations.Combining the best elements of Aria withbits of the Civilization* computer game,BIRTHRIGHT allows AD&D players to exer-cise their power fantasies in a compellingnew format.

It�s a beautiful package, boasting colorart on nearly every page and one of TSR�sbest-ever sets of poster maps (the Everwaydesign team would do well to look themover). The data-packed rulebooks includeeverything but an index, a necessity for aproject this ambitious (try to find, forinstance, the rules for rebellion). Theattractive playing cards are the low-tech,punch-out kind, as collectible as lastweek�s newspaper (and thankfully, forcost-conscious gamers, about as cheap toproduce). If you like, you can store yourcards in the cheesy little treasure chestthat comes with the game; but if you do, itwon�t close; I prefer rubber bands.

BIRTHRIGHT player characters resembletheir standard AD&D counterparts, aug-mented with bloodlines, regency points,and domains. A PC�s bloodline representshis noble heritage. Additionally, it gives thePC special magical powers, regardless ofhis character class; in a sense, bloodlinesserve the same function in BIRTHRIGHT asthe Red Curse does in the RED S TEEL® cam-paign. As part of the character creationprocess, each player rolls on the BloodlineStrength Table to determine a bloodlinescore. Bloodline derivation, obtained fromanother table, links the score to a particu-lar deity. Most of the powers�calledbloodline abilities�duplicate familiarspells, such as healing and protectionfrom evil. But there are a few oddballs,too, like touch of decay (the ability todestroy inanimate objects) and divine aura(a reaction check bonus). My playerssquawked about the system�s inequity�powers are distributed more or less atrandom�but over the course of a longcampaign, I don�t think it matters much ifone guy starts with divine aura and hisneighbor doesn�t.

Regency points represent the strength ofa PC�s mystic bond with his domain, theregion he rules. The domain, which func-tions as an extension of the PC, consists ofhis home province (a county or township)and a variable number of holdings (guilds,temples, sources of magic) and assets(roads, castles, armies). As the domaingrows, so does the PC�s pool of regencypoints. A PC spends regency points toboost his bloodline score and performdomain actions (which we�ll get to in aminute).

38 DECEMBER 1995

In addition to standard AD&D turns, rep-resenting the activities of individuals,BIRTHRIGHT PCs also execute domain turns,representing the activities of kingdoms. Adomain turn begins with a random event,which introduces an obstacle (a traderoute closes) or an opportunity (a rivalkingdom considers a treaty). After resolv-ing the event, the PC tallies his regencypoints (based on the size of his holdings),collects taxes, and pays maintenance fees.He then carries out as many free actionsas he can afford (most �free� actions cost agold bar or two, the BIRTHRIGHT equivalentof 2,000 gold pieces). For instance, hemight build a road, spy on his enemies,and beef up the public treasury with a fewgems from his personal hoard. During theaction round phase, the heart of thedomain turn, he performs up to threedomain actions, most of which requirethe expenditure of regency points andgold bars. Domain actions includeResearch (allows spell-casters to createmagical items), Trade Route (generatesgold bars), and Realm Spells (unleashesenchantments like death plague and blessarmy that affect an entire province).Success is not automatic; some actionsrequire success rolls, others can bethwarted by enemy actions. If a playeropts for the Declare War action, the gameshifts to a separate battle map; the role-playing game transforms into a militarysimulation, where playing cards substitutefor miniatures.

Considering the system�s scope, it�s sur-prisingly smooth. I wasn�t crazy about themilitary game; the rules are okay, butwhat are the non-participants supposed todo while the antagonists fight it out, go tothe movies? (The designers allow the DMto simply declare a victor in lieu of playingout a battle, so most of the time, I kept thewar cards in their rubber bands.) Somesections, the random events in particular,are too vague; the Magical Event entryconsists of a few sketchy examples andthis definition: �Some bizarre event takesplace.� I�m still not sure how the tax rateswork; what happens if I tax the peasantsinto the poor house? But overall, the rulesare clear and clever. Diligent managersare rewarded, incompetents are beateninto the ground. And as its policiesdevelop, each domain acquires a uniquepersonality; mine might be avariciousand unpredictable, yours might beconservative and dependable.

BIRTHRIGHT takes place in a self-containedcampaign world called Cerilia which,except for the bloodlines and mobs ofbickering rulers, is basically your stan-dard fantasy setting. The Atlas of Ceriliaprovides a succinct history and anoverview of the terrain. Ruins of Empirecatalogs the various domains, describingtheir holdings and aristocracies. To usethe domains as player surrogates, how-ever, you�ll need the correspondingsourcebooks. Roesone and Endier, thefirst two volumes of a theoretically endless

series, contain regional maps, strongholdblueprints, background notes, resourcelists, and strategy tips�think of them asthe most detailed character sheets you�veever seen. Blood Enemies offers stats andbiographies for about two dozen NPCrulers, most of them monsters; an inter-esting effort, but non-essential.Evaluation: I don�t claim to understand

every nuance of BIRTHRIGHT. I haven�t hadenough time. According to the rulebook,as many as two or three standard AD&Dadventures are supposed to occurbetween domain turns; only one domainturn transpires over the course of theintroductory Family Matters adventure(which, by the way, is pretty good). At thisrate, I�ll still be shaking down the systemwhen I�m in the old folks� home.

Some preliminary conclusions:1. This isn�t for the inexperienced.

BIRTHRIGHT adds another layer ofcomplexity to a game that�s pretty toughalready.

2. BIRTHRIGHT rewards military strengthand aggressive expansion. Not only doesthis tend to pit player against player (incontrast to the cooperative efforts encour-aged by traditional RPGs), it downplaysscientific, cultural, and social develop-ments. Significantly, there�s no domainaction for Technological Breakthrough orArtistic Achievement.

3. Somewhere in BIRTHRIGHT lurks astand-alone political simulation, some-

thing along the lines of the Diplomacy*game. I�d love to see the TSR game wiz-ards dig it out. As presented here, theBIRTHRIGHT rules are so much frosting;they deserve to be the cake.

That said, BIRTHRIGHT remains an engag-ing, high-IQ expansion for AD&D. Not onlydid I have to deal with fire-spewing mon-sters and booby-trapped treasure chests, Ialso had to manage an economy, com-mand an army, and squelch a peasantuprising�it was a great way to spend theweekend. I never felt like a god (like I doin Civilization) but I sure felt like a king.So what�s next, player character planets?

Short and sweet

Labyrinth of Madness, by Monte Cook.TSR, Inc., $10.

Need to teach your AD&D characters alittle humility? Send �em through theLabyrinth of Madness, a merciless dun-geon crawl for PCs of level 15 and up. Anetwork of subterranean temples is dis-charging muck like a backed up toilet, andsomebody�s gotta clean it up. Snobs mightcall this approach old-fashioned (or justplain old); there�s not much of a story, andlogic rarely lifts its ugly head. But if youridea of a good time is navigating an obsta-cle course of convoluted traps and foul-tempered monsters, this way to thestairs�going down, of course.

D R A G O N 3 9

Aztlan, by Nigel D. Findley. FASACorporation, $18.

This Shadowrun* game sourcebook deft-ly blends Aztec mythology with cyberpunksleaze. Topics range from corporate secu-rity policies (the Aztechnology companyuses cockatrices and basilisks as watch-dogs) to fashion tips (buy the expensivesynthleather; the cheap stuff makes yousweat). The religion chapter is especiallygood, with essays on prayer ceremonies,blood magic, and clerical computer mod-eling. And it�s funny. In the middle of aninterminable historical summary, a com-mentator interjects, �Is anyone else gettingas bored of this drek as I am?� One of thelate Nigel Findley�s best and�sadly�oneof his last.

The Ultimate Mentalist, by Steven S.Long. Iron Crown Enterprises, $18.

A supplement for the Hero* game univer-sal system, The Ultimate Mentalist is aone-stop resource for psionicists of allpersuasions. Unless you�re a rules lawyer,skip the jargon-heavy introduction (�Acharacter under the effects of injuriousMental Illusions will only take damage onphases indicated by the attacker�s SPD�)and dive into the campaign material thatcomprises the bulk of the book. You�ll finda smorgasbord of nifty villains (likeBrainchylde and Psychophant), gadgets(mindblades, psychic sifters) and stagingtips (how to deal with the Mentalist SniperSyndrome). The appendix shows how toconvert it all to the GURPS*, Shadowrun*,and Mage: the Ascension* games.

Impressive.

Chilling Tales, by Lisa Smedman. TSR,Inc., $10.Those interested in the RAVENLOFT® setting

but not sure where to begin should pickup Chilling Tales, an anthology of seveneasy-to-play, fun-as-a-pillow-fight adven-tures. Though based on the exploits ofRudolph Van Richten (the alleged authorof TSR�s Van Richten�s Guide series), thereal stars are the monsters, a menagerieof vampires, ghosts, and mummiesstraight from the late, late show. Copiousstaging tips ease the transition forAD&D-ers interested in seasoning theirfantasy campaigns with lightweight scares.

Rifts Underseas, by Kevin Siembieda andC.J. Carella. Palladium Books, $20.

Even if you�re not a fan of the Rifts*game, you should still be reading thesourcebooks. With the possible exceptionof the Call of Cthulhu* game, no RPG fea-tures a nastier, more outrageous cast ofcharacters. Silicon sea snakes, also knownas zomba, flop onto ship decks to slurp upsailors. Spiny-headed stidjron eat spermwhales for lunch. The Naut�Yll humanoidhas three bulging eyes, the feet of a frog,and a mouthful of wriggling tentacles. Ifcreeps like these don�t make your skincrawl, they ought to least raise your eye-brows.

The T.W.E.R.P.S. Files, by Niels Erickson.Gamescience, $3.50.Who�d have thought that the TWERPS*game, the world�s easiest�make that theworld�s goofiest�8RPG would survive foralmost a decade? And who would�vedreamed it�d spin off 12 (!) supplements?This parody of everybody�s favorite para-normal TV show serves up a few pages ofskeletal rules and a bundle of cheaplaughs; the bad guys, for instance, belongto a group called P.O.O.P. (People Opposedto Other People). It�s dumb. It�s fun. It�sthree and a half bucks.

Miskatonic University, by Sandy Antunes.Chaosium, Inc., $11.

Talk about overdue. Call of Cthulhu*fanatics have been waiting for a guide toH.P. Lovecraft�s academic madhouse for15 years. It�s a feast for trivia hounds, withcomprehensive lists of library holdings,faculty appointments, and financial aidopportunities (Deep Ones might considerapplying for the Fisheries Scholarship).But it�s also burdened with blah maps,stretches of dull text, and useless hand-outs (what am I supposed to do with an adfor an ice cream shop?). There�s notmuch history, and the Mythos takes aback seat to the routines of college life. Icould go for a second volume with a littleless minutiae and a little more meat.

Ice Age* game, by Skaff Elias, Jim Lin,Chris Page, and Dave Pettey (based on theMagic: the Gathering game by RichardGarfield). Wizards of the Coast, $8 (60-cardstarter deck).

Cool!

Rick Swan has designed and edited morethan 50 role-playing products, includingthe Complete Wizard�s, Ranger�s, Paladin�sand Barbarian�s Handbooks for TSR, Inc.You can write to him at 2620 30th Street,Des Moines, LA 50310; enclose a self-addressed envelope if you�d like a reply.

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

DRAGON 41

�Forum� welcomes your comments andopinions on role-playing games. In theUnited States and Canada, write to: Forum,DRAGON® Magazine, 201 Sheridan SpringsRd., Lake Geneva, WI 53147, U.S.A. InEurope, write to Forum, DRAGON Magazine,120 Church End, Cherry Hinton,Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom. Weask that material submitted to Forum beeither neatly written by hand or typed witha fresh ribbon and clean keys so we canread and understand your comments. Youmust give us your name and full mailingaddress if you expect your letter to beprinted (we will not consider a letter sub-mitted anonymously), but we will withholdyour name if you ask us to do so. We willprint your complete address if yourequest it.

I have developed a recurring problemwith a DM friend of mine, and am curiousabout how common this problem is and ifanyone has any advice. This friend is oneof the finest DMs and role-players I know;his only problem seems to be in his treat-ment of new PCs. Recently he stronglyurged some mutual friends and me to joina campaign of his that has been runningfor several years. Despite my arguments,he started the new characters out atroughly half the level of the charactersalready in the campaign. This is not thefirst time he has done this and it consis-tently galls me. It appears that he doesn�twant to overshadow the players who haveearned their levels, magic items, holdings,etc., but he is definitely ruining the fun forthe new players. It wouldn�t be so bad ifthere were more that we could con-tribute, but there are no apparent prob-lems that cunning or role-playing canresolve that the raw power of the veteranplayers cannot; to make matters worse, heis constantly humiliating or off-handedlyendangering the new players as if toamuse the older players or present themwith a challenge of rescuing their �wet-behind-the-ears� colleagues. In all fair-ness, I didn�t stay with this group longenough to witness any problem solving orrole-playing. His adventures are good, butcould easily entail hours of humiliationand boredom before I was even asked foran opinion, let alone a chance to enter thethick of the action.

I have argued with this DM before, andstill do not see the logic in his actionsGranted, new players should not be given

earned, but starting them grosslyunderpowered is unfair and sure to ruinany chance of their playing a pivotal role,not to mention ruining their fun.

Geordie Keefe167 Concord St.

Gloucester, MA 01930

Michiel van Veen�s letter in DRAGON®

Magazine issue #220 begs rebuttal.Joan of Arc was an inspired woman

who did much for France, but howevermuch she may have deserved it, she wasnever appointed to be a general of France,let alone being knighted. Knighthood andmarshalling were �males only� institu-tions; from the Dark Ages through theRenaissance, very few women wereknighted.

To agree with Michiel, a black knightwas not typecast as an evil knight; butthere we part paths. To say a black knightwas �simply black-skinned� is pure fantasy.Reality is not so politically correct. Edward�the Black Prince� of the Hundred Years�War was the son and heir of England�sEdward III, not a visiting African poten-tate. He earned this sobriquet by dint ofhis black armour. Various red knightshave come to light in history; this hadnothing to do with suntans or politicalaffiliation. Like so many other nobles, theywere known for a predominate color intheir wardrobe.

Unmarried women in Medieval andRenaissance times certainly could not datewhomever they chose. This has been trueup to modern times. Romeo and Julietdeals squarely with this topic, and therebellion of youth against parental wishes.

To believe that there were �actually lessprejudices� in the Middle Ages than todayis to hide one�s head in the sand. Peoplein one place would sneer at others fromthe next county and be downright hostiletowards foreigners. Prejudices in theMedieval world ran deep.

Prejudices should exist in your fantasyworld. They add depth and excuses formuch of society�s ills, real and imagined.Nothing, even laws and societal beliefs, isguaranteed to be fair. This should be trueeven in a fantasy world.

Allen Mixson711 S. Stillwater Ln.Anaheim, CA 92807

My letter is in response to Mr. Adulhaqq�splea for help in issue #221.

Your problem is one that seems toplague many beginning DMs who haveplayers who refuse to conform to adesired behavior. First, you have to under-stand your role as Dungeon Master beforeyou can mend the problem. In basicterms, your are the omnipotent being inyour world. You have the power to shapekingdoms and ruin heroes. The players fitinto this scheme in that they are thebeings to whom you are paying mostattention. It is your job to challenge andamuse them with adventure and excite-ment. Never should you play an adversaryto your players. How could such a contestbe fair? You could destroy them with apowerful beastie or bizarre calamity.While this may punish offending players, itdoes not earn respect for you or yourworld. If the overt does not work, rely onsubtle methods.

Let�s study the case where a shopkeeperis killed for a few experience points. Inany city, a shop owner may have ties to thethieves� guild. He pays a monthly fee tokeep his shop and his person free fromharm. When errant rogues (i.e., your play-ers) kill him, this makes the guild lookbad. If they do not punish the party theywill lose funds from other shopkeepers.The guild will resort to any means neces-sary to harm the party and save face.

By encounters, show your party thatthey aren�t the biggest fish in the pond.There must be mages and swordsmenmuch more powerful than they. Certainlyit is possible for one such NPC to witnessthe party behaving in an evil manner. Amage of power could subdue the partyeasily with web, blindness, or charm per-son spells. You are the DM. Use any trickto coerce the players, but remember: styleis everything.

C. Joseph Walker3210 Costa Alta #75La Costa, CA 92009

I am writing in response to HussainAdulhaqq in issue #221. I see two possiblesolutions: traps, and the lord whose mer-chants are being robbed and murdered.

I can�t believe a weapons dealer wouldn�thave something rigged so people couldn�tuse his wares against him.

Say you are a 57th-level knight who hasspent 25 years adventuring and fightingevil. You have retired, but still like to keepyour skills (not to mention your sword)

D R A G O N 4 3

44 DECEMBER 1995

sharp. Now you hear about a band of out-laws slaying shopkeepers in your lands.Time to get a warband together and goafter the scoundrels. This should solveyour problem as the PCs should be keptrunning from a high-level warband. Theknight�s men can show up repeatedly asthey track the PCs, and they can be usedas a prod to get a storyline going.

Karen Remick1360 Airport Way #1134

Fairbanks, AK 99701

Few things inspire me to write letters, butH. Adulhaqq�s letter in issue #221 has.

The main reason you are experiencingthese problems is, you aren�t making yourPCs face the consequences of theiractions. Whatever a character does hasconsequences. For example, you men-tioned you had a problem with charactersstealing the equipment they need insteadof purchasing it. The consequence of thisaction could be that the PCs are known asthieves. Because of this, innkeepers putout �no vacancy� signs, tavern ownerswon�t serve them drinks, the city guardharasses them every chance they get, cler-ics won�t heal them, and any of a dozenother logical consequences. Try havingthe shopkeeper hire a new security spe-cialist with a seedy background, one profi-cient in �elimination of problems.� Havehim catch one of the PCs stealing.Describe to the PC that a very sharp bladehas just been put to his throat. Give himthe option of leaving and never comingback, or floating face down in the localriver. I don�t care what the rules say: ifyou slice a man�s throat, he will diewithout immediate attention.

You�re giving experience points forkilling a shopkeep and his help or a townguardsman? If anything, you should bepenalizing your players for this. But,again, if you�ll just think of the conse-quences of their actions you should beable to stop this. First of all, killing theshopkeep and his help is murder, plainand simple. If there are any paladins inthe group, immediately strip them of theirpaladinhood. Second, the penalty for mur-der in most places is death. If PCs arecaught, have them executed in a graphicway. Do not reward stupidity or cruelty. Ifthey murder a guardsman, have the otherguardsmen hunt them down ruthlessly,pulling out all the stops. This is what copsdo to cop-killers.

Roy Penrod305 W. Martin St.

Grayville, IL 62844

In Peter C. Zelinski�s otherwise first-ratearticle �Class Action� (issue #217), he saysthat it is �difficult to imagine an adventur-ing party consisting solely of bards.� I begto differ. One of the most enjoyable cam-paigns I have ever played in features justsuch a party.

What could be more natural than a

troupe of entertainers wandering fromplace to place in search of fun and profit?

Our traveling theater company performsdramas written by the Loremaster, direct-ed by and starring the Thespian, with therest of the party playing supporting roles.Each has his own schtick to ensure a fairshare of the limelight for all; thus, seriousclowning is the domain of the Jester, whoalso draws crowds with his tumbling; theBlade shows off his weapon-skill in solodisplays and also choreographs the fightscenes; the Meistersinger is the chiefmusician. Lately we have recruited aGallant; she and the Blade have yet toappear together, but if they do, it willsurely be so that the Gallant can die hero-ically and heart-rendingly, foully slain bythe villainous Blade.

Off stage and looking for trouble, themembers of the troupe complement eachother just as happily. Experience point forexperience point, none matches a fighter,for they cannot have exceptional strengthnor weapon specialization, and their baseTHAC0 is rather worse. On the otherhand, no one is an arrant incompetent,either, not even the Loremaster, andbetween the Blade�s or the Gallant�s usefulkit benefits, the Jester�s surprising 18Strength, the Thespian�s happy knack forpicking up any weapon and trying it out(including an ogre�s club, to date), and theelven Meistersinger�s bowmanship, wehave no shortage of both melee andmissile capability.

Assuming, that is, the need to resort toviolence in the first place. Our Meistersinger has often been able to persuadedangerous animals to leave us alone. Norare the rest of us socially inept, and thishas a wide variety of applications.Consider the humble dungeon door as atest case. Fighters or priests might batterit down the druid might warp it, and wiz-ards could blast it open or knock, andthieves might pick the lock. Bards havemost of these options, but they could alsochoose the lateral approach of finding outwho has the key and wheedling it out ofhim. Many other cases may arise whenbrute force or a waste of spell power canbe avoided by judicious knowledge ofwhom to daunt and whom to humor.

It can readily be seen that so far frombeing the least likely choice for a one-classcampaign, the bar is one of the mostappropriate choices imaginable. This isfacilitated by the kits introduced in TheComplete Bard�s Handbook, and five �plainvanilla� bards would be less differentiatedand less exciting.

Parenthetically, I�d like to observe thatnone of us gave much consideration toplaying a multi-classed bard�one of thefew bad ideas in The Complete Bard�sHandbook. It�s hard to know how to role-play a jack of all trades who also happens tobe master of one; it�s equally hard to under-stand how this person had time to learn allof the many and varied skills of the bard

and still manage to achieve excellence as afighter, mage, or whatever.

Douglas Porter21 Reepham Rd., Bawdeswell,Dereham, Norfolk, NR20 4RU

England, U.K.

I�ve a problem with DMs who aren�t willingto let me into any group. The first strikeagainst me is that I�m a girl in what seemsto be a predominantly guy-played game.The second strike against me seems to bethat my character is too strong for their lik-ing. She�s a 50[th-level?] drow, and due to avery clumsy DM�s slip-up, very powerful.Nor will they let me start with a 1st-levelcharacter, as they claim they�re tooadvanced in their game. I�ve tried gatheringmy own AD&D® group together, but downhere in Georgia, no one seems interested.

Linda Edwards114 E. Stanfill St.

Hahira, GA 31632

This is in response to Eric Shearer�s letterin DRAGON Magazine #217. It is sometimesdifficult to determine what the PCs of yourcampaign should know or be able to figureout. The easiest way I know is this: if thePCs are native to that world, they shouldknow the surroundings of their birth, andhave generalized knowledge of other areasthey have heard of or seen as they travel. Ifit is already known to them, your detailscan be general. If the area is unknown, givegood details with a hint of vagueness so asto give the PCs a clue that this is unfamiliarterritory. In essence, they already knowthey are in a strange place and want toknow what they see around them.

Remember that as DM, you are partstoryteller, among other things. Enhanceyour storytelling. Reading books that givegood descriptions may give you insights asto how to better your storytelling and fleshout your descriptions. Using your twoexamples (�You are in a dark forest...� and�You are 50 miles west of Corvia...�), thefirst could be said, �The forest you are in isa bit strange. Some of the vegetation yousee you recognize, but the trees with theroots in the air and the branches under-ground, and the bush off to your left eatingthat deer is like nothing you�ve ever seen.�The second could be, �You are in a mead-ow. Off to your left you see a river meander-ing through and into the forest. You knowthis place. You are near Corvia.� If they askhow far, you can tell them, �About 50 milesor so.�

As the GM, you are the master of allknowledge; you control the information,and what is given out. If your PCs shouldalready know, tell them. If not, give themonly as much as they see, or how muchyou want them to know; but describe itrichly enough so they can picture it intheir minds.

Anton J. UselmannP.O. Box 492

Gold Beach, OR 97444

I have noticed a trend lately concerningthe role of women, and especially thenumber of women in role-playing. Themain focus seems to be that there are notenough women in the hobby.

My opinion is that the hobby is doing justfine with the amount of female playersthere are now.

No, I am not �threatened by womenplayers and DMs� as heather Darling(issue #219) suggests in a gross overstate-ment of how �most� men react to womenin game sessions. I also recognize the con-tributions some women have made to theindustry, such as Margaret Weis ofDRAGONLANCE® fame. But I believe suchwomen show a rare interest in a game inwhich men are more likely to participate.

My main concern is what I believe to bea false notion that women must be involvedin the game for diversity�s sake.

Males and females have a number ofinterests for which the opposite sex has lit-tle care. While there are women who enjoytraditionally male activities such as fishing,football, and yes, role-playing, they are aminority. I would welcome women into myrole-playing session, but if they don�t comeI�m sure the hobby would not suffer.

Jason G. WardEnglewood, CO

I am writing in response to Joe Walker�sletter in issue #218, concerning the invin-cible characters in his campaign, includ-

ing a mage slinging wish spells around likethey were cantrips. I found my own way ofdealing with wishes early on in my gamingcareer.

At first I had banned them, but the play-ers started to complain and I realized thatit was subtracting from my game. I thenhit upon the idea that if I didn�t want toomany wishes being slung around wreakinghavoc in my campaign, I had to make theplayers more hesitant to use them. I didthis by interpreting any wish completelyliterally. For instance, I had my playersengage in a fight on dragonback, and oneof them was getting slaughtered, so evenknowing that I would somehow warp hiswish, he felt it was his last chance, so heused his ring of wishes. His wish in thehaste of battle was for 50 more dragons athis back to help him beat his opponent. Heneglected to specify alignment, so 50 reddragons appeared and after killing hisopponent killed him as well.

Because of my method of interpretingwishes, my players have become hesitantabout using them. This has led to someinteresting situations when they were indire peril, and I would have allowed thema correctly interpreted wish, and they didnot use one. They instead came up withsome exiting and unique methods toescape certain doom.

Jeremy PradaOrland, ME

D R A G O N 4 5

by Mike ShemaArtwork by Michael Mott

It�s Not What YouDo, It�s How You

Say ItA picture is worth athousand words, or inAD&D® game terms, awell-rolled 50d20. Sinceattack rolls only use only one d20, youcan imagine the difficulty in visualiz-ing combat by only rolling dice anddeclaring hits and misses. Detailedrules for realistic combat would be amonstrous undertaking in terms ofgame mechanics; but in the realm ofimagination the venture becomessimple.

Hack-and-slash campaigns are anotorious manifestation of combatrelying on endless die-rolls withouttrue role-playing. When the campaignmoves away from simple statementsof �I hit� and �I miss� to more descrip-tive terms, the encounter�s becomemore exciting to visualize and theyoffer a higher level of role-playing.This demands more of the playersand the DM, but results in heroicbattles.

In its most basic form, combatinvolves the PCs and their opponentsattacking in turn. Die rolls determinewhat, if any, damage is taken.Ironically, this is a very passivemethod of play. �lb improve on thisone must describe how the opponentsare attacking and what they are doingto defend themselves.

DRAGON 47

Attacking

Describe the method of attack in terms ofwhat it does rather than its type.Bludgeoning weapons such as maces andstaves crush, smash, flatten, and pound.Piercing weapons thrust, pierce, andskewer. Slashing weapon slice, chop, andcut. Natural weapons accomplish theirtasks with the same descriptions, but canalso bite, rip, claw, tear, and shred.

The difference between �you skewer themind flayer� and "you use your sword onthe mind flayer� should be obvious. Thereis no difficulty in using either phrase, butthe first gives a truer sense of battle. A the-saurus contains many words to substitute.These examples are to get you thinking.

An attack has one of two possible out-comes; either it succeeds or it fails.Successful attacks might be small nicksthat bit through armor or slipped inside aparry. A character may have feinted adownward strike only to spin the bladeinto a sweep to catch his opponent in theside. Most attacks strike the torso, but oneshould feel free to choose other parts ofthe body to target. (Keep in mind that thecombat rules are not affected by thesechanges; called shots must still be called.)

All players know that their charactersmiss quite a bit more than they hit, so youneed to create a pool of �miss� descrip-tions to draw from. Decide on reasons forthe miss. Attack rolls only decide that themiss occurred; did the attack swing wideor did the monster duck out of the way?Was the opponent�s armor too tough? Wasthe attack parried? The sword may haveslid off the armor or the character mayhave misjudged an opponent�s movementand swung his sword too early.

If the opponent suffers damage, thendescribe it. The key is how something hap-pens, not what happens. Where is thewound? What does it look like? Did thefighter�s sword slice across his opponent�schest, or did a priest�s mace crush anarm? Blood and gore do not have to spurteverywhere, but swords can still slice tothe bone and rip into armor.

Defending

There are two kinds of defense: weaponor armor interference (blocking) andusing Dexterity (dodging). Virtually anyweapon can be used to block or parry.(This is not the parry defined in thePlayer�s Handbook or The CompleteFighter�s Handbook; it is a term to replacethe DM�s pronouncement that �he miss-es.�) An attack that misses may have beenblocked by a well-placed weapon ordeflected by a shield. In other cases it mayhave simply been weak and bounced offthe armor. Describe what blocked theattack and what direction the block took(e.g., �The drow recovers and raises hissword, barely parrying Grenyen�s bladebefore it hit.�).

48 DECEMBER 1995

In dodging, the attack was so poor thatit missed altogether or the character evad-ed the attack by moving out of the rangeor the path of the weapon. This can beaccomplished by leaps, ducks, dodges,and feints. Some players may wish to capi-talize on PC class or abilities. Mages willwant to rely on quick feet to stay out of therange of swords, a thief may simply dodgebetween attacks, and a fighter may chooseto deflect blows with a shield or parry.

The following example illustrates descrip-tions applied in combat. Note that thenumbers play a role in gauging how wellthe attack was and the strength of thedamage.

Bill: Wolfe will punch his spear into thegnoll�s chest. [Rolls a 13 to hit, for 6 hpdamage.]

DM; Wolfe slams his spear through thegnoll�s chest, crushing a rib and rockingthe beast on its heels.-The gnoll swings itsbattle axe down toward Wolfe. [Rolls a 10to hit.] The force of your attack punchesthe gnoll back enough to knock-his attackoff-balance. His sword slices through theair a few inches away from Wolfe�s leftarm.

Dave: Kitt tries to slam her mace intothe gnoll�s right flank. [Rolls a 5 to hit.]

DM: Kitt�s attack comes too late andswings harmlessly through the air.

Bill: Wolfe attacks again. He�ll try tospin the spear-shaft into the gnoll�s kid-ney. [Rolls a 14 to hit for 1 hp damage.]

DM: While Kitt�s attack occupies thegnoll, Wolfe swings the shaft in to hit thegnoll�s broken rib. The gnoll howls inanger and for a moment looks dazed, butits armor seems to have taken the brunt ofthe blow. [An initiative role is made.]Before Kitt moves, the gnoll drops itsfeigned daze and attacks Wolfe off guard.[Rolls a 14 to hit.] It traps Wolfe�s spearshaft against its body with its left arm,pulling Wolfe closer and [rolls 7 hp dam-age] opens a gash across Wolfe�s chestwith its axe.

Dave: Kitt steps to the side and swingsat the gnoll�s right arm. [Rolls a 16 to hitfor 3 hp damage.]

DM: The gnoll howls again and involun-tarily drops its axe. It spins and lashes outat Kitt�s face with its good arm, [rolls a 3 tohit] but the crushed rib slows it and Kitteasily dodges the blow.

Dave: Kitt pulls a dagger out of her bootand brings it up in an arc toward thegnoll�s gut. [Rolls an 18 to hit for 3 hpdamage.]

DM: Kitt dodges under the gnoll�s armand neatly plants her dagger in the beast�sstomach. The gnoll grunts and goes down.

When to Use Detail

Players are less reckless with their charac-ters when they have a clear picture intheir mind of what is going on.

Describing battles blow by blow addsmore excitement, but it also adds to play-time. You may not find it necessary todescribe every battle in this manner, butthe DM could adjust the number ofencounters to take this into account. Ifyour current gaming style tends to relymostly on hack-and-slash, then the battleswill become more exciting than just, �Oh,we attack and slay the creature� by addinga sense of role-playing within the battle.

Getting used to playing out combatsequences takes a while, but when playersfeel comfortable with it, they will do morethan just hit and miss. Consider theexample above. When the gnoll lockedWolfe�s spear against his side, Wolfe couldhave attempted to push the spear shaftinto the gnoll and knock the beast down,or pull the gnoll off-balance so it couldnot attack.

It is up to the DM to decide the difficultyof the action and whether its effect on thebattle will be more than just rhetorical. Inthe example, the gnoll�s locking the speardown did not affect any rolls; it merelyserved as an explanation of the gnoll�sattack that flowed with Wolfe�s actions.

This can especially increase the atmos-phere of a RAVENLOFT® campaign. Considera use that will lead to horror checks: apriest fighting a mummy inflicts the maxi-mum amount of damage possible with hisflail. A wound opens up revealing a rottedbody oozing with worms and smelling dis-turbingly like a ghast. The sight of thewound coupled with the suggestion of aghast�s incapacitating smell is enough toscare the player as well. Try to scareanother player by describing a wraithreaching into his character�s chest andclawing his heart.

When their characters swap stories atan inn, players can reflect on some greatfeat of swordsmanship or exceptionallyclever action rather than simply statingthat they killed something. The gameexists on in

Your Fantasy Comes True

If you�ve always fantasized about a convention that catersto game masters, game club presidents, and conventioncoordinators, WINTER F ANTASY™ is for you. Expect interest-ing and useful seminars, workshops, demonstrations, andfree prize give-aways from several major companies.Whether you�re looking to learn to judge and play better,enhance your convention�s gaming with company support,or just have fun, WINTER F ANTASY provides the opportunityfor you to talk to the best role-playing game companies inthe world.

World Builder Company Seminars

World Builder Seminars are great ways to learn about thenewest and best games on the market! After you areintroduced to these great products, many companies willsupply you with a free sample of their game so you can goback home and represent this product line at stores, con-ventions and to other GMs. Exhibitors will also be per-forming many other seminars, game demonstrations,gaming events, and tournaments to promote theirproducts.

Exhibitor Profile

The primary exhibitors at WINTER F ANTASY will be manufac-turers who participate in the RPGA® Network tournamentprogram. These companies will be showcasing their par-ticular games and game settings to game masters andplayers alike. From demo games to full-scale scenariosand everything in-between, it�s all here! Tournament pro-gram companies include: TSR, Inc., West End Games,GDW, 54°40� Orphyte, FASA Corp., Mayfair Games, HeroGames, Flying Buffalo, Inc., Wizards of the Coast,R. Talsorian Games, Storm Press, Chaosium, Tri-TacSystem, Atlas Games, TOMB, Hogshead Press, OmniGaming Products, and Phage Press.

The RPGAThe WINTER F ANTASY Convention is hosted by the RPGANetwork, the largest game club in the world. It promotesexcellence in the role playing hobby, and provides a widerange of programs for its nearly 10,000 members. TheNetworks tournament program provides member-writtenscenarios for over 200 conventions each year, and in 1995helped Network members raise over $100,000 for local andnational charities.

Test Drive Network EventsThis year at the WINTER F ANTASY game convention you canplay in RPGA Network tournaments even if you are not amember. If you like what you see, then you can sign upon the spot and receive all the tournament points youearned at the convention.

l New Events: Seventeen first-run and first-rate eventsshow you just how great Network events can be!

l LiVING DEATH� Campaign Premier: The newest LivingCampaign, the LIVING D EATH™, takes place in the GothicEarth setting described in Masque of the Red Death, thepopular expansion for the RAVENLOFT® campaign setting.Come try this new setting for sophisticated audiences.Any L IVING D EATH event can be made a benefit event bycontributing $5 at the table.

l Network Judge Invitational: The Network JudgeInvitational tournament is a two-round elimination todetermine the best game masters at the convention.Test yourself against other judges to see how you reallyrate.

l LIVING CITY�: The plate is full for LC players and judges.Two new events plus the Interactive, which runsSunday from 8 AM to 1 PM. Look for some surprises!Plus, the competition for the position of Lord Speaker ofthe Advisory Council concludes with an official appoint-ment at the Awards Ceremony. Applicants must playboth LIVING CITY events.

l Awards Luncheon: The traditional RPGA Networkbreakfast is becoming an awards luncheon for all atten-dees. Come socialize after the last gaming slot and stayfor the Awards Ceremony. Those who are not eating canjoin us for the ceremony afterward.

l Demos Galore: Look for demonstrations of the hottestgames in our huge Demo Hall! All demos will offer RPGANetwork Player points for participants.

Hotel RatesReserve your rooms today by calling one of the follow-ing hotels in the Milwaukee area. All are within walk-ing distance of the MECCA Center.

Holiday Inn $56 per night 414-273-2950Hotel Wisconsin $30 per night 414-271-4900Hyatt Regency $69 per night 414-276-1234Milwaukee Hilton $60 per night 414-271-7250

™ and ® designate trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. © 1995 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

WINTER FANTASY� GameConvention Company Attendees

Special Tournaments Include

RPGA STAFFScott Douglas l RPGA Network CoordinatorDuane Maxwell l Editor of POLYHEDRON® NewszineRobert Wiese l Tournament CoordinatorJudy Mueller l RPGA Network Clerk

FASALou Prosperi l Designer of Earthdawn

FLYING BUFFALO

DRAGON DICE: TSR�s new expandable dice gameSPELLFIRE: TSR�s quick and simple card game about the

AD&D worlds.BLOOD WARS: TSR�s card game based on PLANESCAPE™.

Magic: The Gathering: Need we say more?Sim City: Mayfair�s collectable city building card game.Highlander: Thunder Castle Games ultimate one-on-one

collectible card game.

Rick Loomis l Creator of too many games to mention

Middle Earth: ICE�s new collectible card game based onTolkiens Middle Earth World.

l *. Plus more to come ***

MAG FORCE 7Margaret Weis l Co-creator of Star of the GuardianDon Perrin l Co-creator of Star of the Guardian & Wing

Commander

Convention Location

The MECCA Center is located at 510 West Kilbourn Avenuein downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Jeff Grubb l Co-creator of Wing Commander

MAYFAIR Dates & TimesDoug Tabb l Editor of UndergroundTrella Wilhite l Director of Cosmic EncountersTom Smith l Designer of Fantasy Adventures

THUNDER CASTLE GAMESMike Sager l Designer of Highlander: The Card GameBill Littlepage l Designer of Highlander: The role-

playing game

Convention February 9, 1996 8 A.M. to 12 A.M.February 10, 1996 8 A.M. to 12 A.M.February 11, 1996 8 A.M. to 4 P.M.

Exhibit Hall February 9, 1996 10 A.M. to 6 P.M.February 10, 1996 10 A.M. to 6 P.M.February 11, 1996 10 A.M. to 4 P.M.

TSRAdmission Policy

Jim Ward l Creator of SPELLFIRE®

Lester Smith l Creator of DRAGON D ICE™

Colin McComb l Designer of BIRTHRIGHT™

Steve Winter l Creative Director of AD&D® core booksSteven Schend l Creator of BLOOD WARS™

lll PLUS MANY OTHER TSR DESIGNERS & ARTISTS l **

WINTER F ANTASY is open to all consumers. Admission at thedoor will be $30 for the weekend or $15 a day. Discountswill be given to individuals who pre-register with the RPGAheadquarters before December 31, 1995.

WotCBooking Flights

Steve Bishop l Writer Designer/Ars MagicaWade Racine l Creative Director of Ars Magica

CONVENTION COORDINATORSEd Kramer l Dragon ConGary Smith l GAMMA Trade Show & OriginsVinnie Salzillo l Dex Con & DreamationKen Whitman l GEN C ON® & WINTER F ANTASY Game Fairs

To get the best rates on flights to Milwaukee, call AmericanExpress Travel Services, the convention�s official travelagency. With more than 1,700 offices around the world,they can help you with all your travel needs and emergen-cies.

In addition to arranging special discount rates onMidwest Express, our official airline. The agency can helpyou with all your travel needs. Call 1 (800) 325-6157,ext. 1 and ask Chris for details.

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� and ® designate trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. ©1995 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

by Steve Berman

Artwork by Stephen Schwartz

The problem all started when a playerwanted a character who would be adevoted priestess to a nature god. Muchlike a druid, the character was protectiveof the wild and its denizens. The religionwas rather fanatical in its observances,however, and would use no tools nothand-crafted.

It seemed simple enough at the start.Adventures were specially designed sothat all our players would be interested,with extended forays into both the wilder-ness and cities. One day I discovered aglitch. As the campaign progressed andthe other characters gained in experienceand acquired magic items in their travels,the nature priestess seemed to only have afew potions to her name.

I discovered that the majority of themagical items found in the DUNGEON

MASTER® Guide and most DRAGON®

Magazine articles are produced by urban

craftsmen and then enchanted by wizardsor fashioned by lost races and sects. Thispriestess turned her back on a magicalcenser (it had been fashioned by a silver-smith), and even snubbed a polished goldring of three wishes. So while the othercharacters had possessions of suitablepower, hers was in sore need of some-thing to bring her up to the level of theothers. An enchanted wooden staff to giveher a better chance in combat was only aso-so idea. I needed to create somethingnatural and yet magical, something shecould use often and be proud of.

Many of the magic items in the AD&D®game imply civilization. Though one couldeasily describe a ring of three wishes as atwisted band of gilded leaves rather than acirclet of gold and gems, it is hard tochange the image in the players� minds.

Logically, a more primitive sort of magichad to precede that of the towns and

D R A G O N 5 3

cities. Shamans and priests and druidsand hedge wizards would still have arcaneobjects at their disposal. This, then, is adiscussion of magical objects not ofrefined products crafted by tradesmen,but of raw resources hand-crafted in tentsor caves.

All such natural magic items would becrafted from materials one could find outin the wilderness. That is not to say thatthe craftsmanship will be slighted, asskilled hands can still work bone andwood, antler and stone to form beautifuland impressive objects. As nature isneutral in alignment, so will most suchobjects are unaligned or of neutral tem-perament. The more powerful may evenpossess an aura of magic undetectable tolow-level wizards who need a true sightspell for their dweomer to be revealed.

The DM must consider first what pur-pose the new magical item serves, in whatform it appears, and whether certainclasses should be barred from its use.With natural magic items, however,appearance is almost always directlyrelated to function. The rural craftsmanhas the three basic things to work with:animal, vegetable, mineral. Simpleenough. Or is it?

First off, the type of animal will greatlyreflect on the nature of the dweomer. Is itthe skin from a deer or a mountain lion?Surely one is different than the other:speed and agility versus might and fierce-ness. The inherent traits of the animalcould well be bestowed upon the weareror bearer. One should also consider that

the animal might be the totem spirit of atribe or symbol of a god. In the latter case,would not the shaman fashion a cloak ofprotection from such a creature? And thepelt of animal is not all that may be used;the skull, the horns, the hooves, even thetail, might be considered to hold somemagic or be added as decoration.

Just as animals have different traits, sodo plants. Consider the mighty oak, ashtrees that survive being struck by light-ning, and the weeping willow. What wouldbe different about a staff fashioned frombirch rather than pine? What of a flower-ing plant, a shrub, even a weed? A rose isa rose, but a thistle also has uses. Petals orcarved roots or even seeds might possesssome special properties and be used inmore than mere decoration.

Minerals could range from simple rocksto colored stones to lumps of unworkedprecious metals and gemstones. All werechosen either for their location (this rockwas found in the Sacred Valley of Mugli),appearance (the sky�s hood is reflected inthe blue of this stone), or their shapewhich might resemble something.Primitive artisans did carve stone, buttheir techniques were different than citydwellers� and dwarves�.

Basically, anything that ancient mancould use as the basis for myths and leg-ends can be utilized by a creative DM.

Here are a few samples of natural magicitems. I have included how and why eachitem was fashioned. All were originallyintended with druid and nature priests inmind, but anyone with some connection

with the wildernesstheir powers.

could make use of

Claws of the Great Bear

Description: Several druids and naturepriests of a more martial disposition haveacquired these charms. The claws appearas a necklace of fur and sinew, decoratedwith a hanging pair of large black bearclaws.

Powers: The claws of the great bearmust be worn for its magic to be activated.Once per day, the bearer can increase hisStrength to 19, this effect only lasting forone full turn. During this time he gains allof the benefits of such high might, exceptthat the bonuses to hit probability (+3)and the damage adjustment (+7) are onlyincluded when the character is attackingwith his bare hands (no cesti or hand gearof any sort are permitted).

After the additional vigor has abated,the character quickly grows fatigued, suf-fering a -2 on all rolls, until he has achance to sleep. Then he enters a hiber-nation-like state, deeply resting for anumber of hours double to the amountby which his Strength was raised (forexample, a druid with a Strength of 13would sleep for 12 hours straight). Duringthis time, the character may have penal-ties to wake prematurely, dependent uponthe DM�s judgment.

While worn, the claws also offer a +2on all Constitution and Wisdom saves andcomplete immunity to fear spells oreffects.

Silver Branch

Description: The wood elves were the firstones to be seen using silver branches intheir nighttime ceremonies to preserveand defend their forest glens. Each suchbranch appears to be made of pure sil-ver�not of wood�with the heft and feelof the metal. No leaves or fruit cling tothese branches. How some humans man-aged to acquire such items from the feyfolk is unknown. It is perhaps better offthat way.

Powers: When grasping a silver branch,all plant sphere spells cast on a night withsome lunar activity (no new moon) havetheir duration increased by 50%. Should afull moon be presiding that night, thespell�s duration is doubled.

The branch sheds a pale, cool light in a50� radius, only after dusk, and any fairyfolk (such as brownies or pixies) who useany sort of natural invisibility power canbe seen faintly in this light. The penalty forstriking at such a dim target is reducedfrom -4 to -2.

Some of these items need a commandword spoke in elvish to make use of theincreased duration for spells.

54 DECEMBER 1995

Pouch of TrailsDescription: Bounty hunters and pilgrimsoften prize these items above their ownsafety. Pouches of trails range in size fromsmall to very large, but are always fash-ioned from simple, tanned leather with lit-tle or no ornamentation. A simple stoneon a thong acts as a clasp. Each pouchfeels full, but inside looks empty. Onlywhen a person reaches inside will he findsomething: a gritty substance that feelsmuch like common road dirt.

Powers: When a handful of this dirt istossed onto a person�s feet, he then canwalk without leaving any tracks in theroad, the effect lasting for six hours.Enough dirt may be pulled forth to coverup to five people (or two average-sizedhorses) in a day.

When the dirt from the pouch of trailsis spread over a patch of road, the pouch�sowner gets a furtive vision of the path�sfinal destination in the direction hestands, along with the whispered name ofthe end site in his ear. This affect can onlybe done once, in each direction, to anyroad. Thus, anyone bearing such a pouchcan said to be never truly lost.

Finally, when the dirt is spread on ananimal track, the pouch owner will hearfaintly the sounds of that creature�s pass-ing. This can only be done once per set oftracks.

Eyes of the Frentlin

Description: The small mask called theeyes of the frentlin is among the oldest dis-covered natural magic items. It is fash-ioned from sinew and delicate feathersand covers only the area around the eyesand nose.

Frentlin were priests of an ancient cultwho worshipped a goddess of wind andcreatures that soared through the air.Legends say the frentlin died out cen-turies ago, but these masks sometimes arefound as part of lost hoards and treasures.

Powers: The magic of the mask needs acarrier: any bird will do. (A familiar maybe used at the game master�s discretion.)The wearer stares into its eyes, and a con-nection is made. The animal receives nosave for the contact to be made.

From then on, the wearer can at anytime view the world from the bird�s eyes.As this change of vision can sometimes bequite severe, the character should be con-sidered stunned for the round he placesthe eyes over his face. When desired, thewearer can change carriers, but first hemust find a new bird before detachingfrom the old.

The wearer has no innate control overthe avian, nor can he speak their lan-guage. However, the eyes work as a chan-nel between the two, and any animalsphere spells cast upon the carrier areeasier to complete, lowering the bird�ssave by �2.

There is a danger to the mask: should

the bird be somehow blinded while thewearer is viewing through its eyes, hemust make an immediate save vs. spell orbe similarly blinded (thus permanentblindness might even ensue).

Bane Toadstool

Description: This item is all too prevalentin wooded areas that have been corrupt-ed. Rumors also place bane toadstoolsamid underground forests of toweringfungi. Wherever they are found, mostsages agree that they are to be avoided.They possess an evil, almost sentientmagic that soon perverts the user, sobeware of any small black mushroom thatseems to have a vaguely sinister face uponits mottled cap.

Powers: The magic inherent in eachtoadstool requires that the user grasp it inhis bare hands. A person can wear glovesor gauntlets and use its magic. Whenbrandished, all fungoid creatures(myconids, purple fungi, shriekers) willreact docilely to the bearer unlessattacked. The individual can touch harm-ful fungi without fear of poison or spores.

In addition, with the toadstool one canputrefy food at will with only a touch, anddetect poison in a 20� radius at will. Thebearer is offered a +5 on all saves versuspoison. The bearer gains a poison touch,causing 3�18 hp damage and a possible 1hp loss on each round following the touchuntil a full 18 hp are finally lost. The tar-

get�s bare skin/hide must be touched, andit receives a save. If successful only 1—6points of damage are inflicted. This powercan only be used once per day.

Every time a bane toadstool is held andused, roll a secret save for the characterto see if he becomes infected by the evilmagic of the item. Each failed roll leads toa disease, which can be followed by aworse state. All the suffering is cumulativein effects.

The diseases progress thus: Stage one:Bearer begins to shun bright light, tem-porarily losing 1 point of Dexterity andCharisma while exposed. Stage two:Bearer turns neutral evil. Stage three:Bearer takes damage from daylight, suffer-ing 1 hp per turn of exposure and losinghalf all Dexterity. Stage four: Plant spherespells cast by the character cannot affectany non-fungoid life. Stage five: Bearerbegins to grow thread-like mold aboutperson, lowering Charisma by 4 as heturns deathly pale, hair falls out, skinturns pasty, etc. Stage six: Bearer finallyturns into a fungoid entity much like amyconid.

A bane toadstool will always register asevilly aligned and poisonous to divinationmagic.

DRAGON 55

Yes, it�s December, but this is being put has to offer. We invited the miniaturestogether at the end of October, so in manufacturers to select a favorite fromhonor of Halloween, the focus of the first among their currently available figures.half of this month�s column will be Those figures appear as a sort of �Besthorror. of" miniatures overview.

It is appropriate that this belatedHalloween column present the night-marish issue of frightening (and justdownright wierd) miniatures.

The second half of the column is aspecial Christmas present: an end-of theyear look at some of the best the market

The second half isn�t a review columnper se and there isn�t a Best of Showselection. This is just a way to displaysome figures of rare quality, remindingyou why we became modelers andpainters in the first place.

Have a good holiday.

56 DECEMBER 1995

Reviews

Games Workshop/Citadel3431-C Benson AvenueBaltimore, MD 21227-1072Voice: (410) 644-5699 Fax: (410) 242-1839Mail Order: Yes Catalog: Free

#0001 Warhammer Quest*Author: Andy JonesScale: 28mm cost: $59.99Presentation: 9 Playability: 9 Value: 9

There has always been something irre-sistible about staggering hither and thitherin an unknown dungeon environment,hacking at monsters as they leap from theshadows, and discovering long-forgottentreasures. Warhammer Quest serves asboth a reminder to those of us who havebeen participating in such excursions formany years, and as an initiation to thosewho are not so lucky as we.

Warhammer Quest allows you to exploremysterious dungeons, randomly designedand populated, or to pre-design the mapand influence the population. Each char-acter has special skills that are uniquelyhis, with equipment to help him along. Ahefty role-playing book allows charactersto experience life outside the catacomb,spending the gold they find and expandingtheir knowledge. When played as a board-game, there is no character advancement,but with the role-playing material, charac-ters can become deadlier and deadlier,taking on more difficult tasks.

The game can be deadly, so the adven-turers need to work together well, or theymight find themselves looking at theinside of a minotaur�s belly. A single gamecan run from half an hour, not includingset-up time, to over three hours, depend-ing on the size and nature of the scenario.

Warhammer Quest comes with dozensand dozens of plastic figures, as well asportals to connect rooms to hall sections.Everything you need to play, from dice tomap pieces to figures, is included. In addi-tion, there are many new materials sup-porting the game, from characters tomore scenarios, so it will be a whilebefore you run out of things to do.

#9201 Krell, Lord of the Undead#9185 LichmasterWarhammer Fantasy* lineSculptor: Gary MorleyScale: 28mm Cost: $8.50 eachTechnical: 8 Artistic: 9 Value: 4

These two deadly characters for yourundead Warhammer army are incrediblydetailed. A few minor parting lines are vis-ible, but they�re not significant. Take a fewmoments with your needle files and they�llhe ready to prime.

Krell is ready to leap into battle, hishuge axe poised to send his foes to theafterlife. Layered armor, consisting ofchain and plate, protects all of his vital...

organs�? His stance is dramatic, with excel-lent features and accessories. As a DarkLord of Nagash, he is an ominous sight onthe battlefield.

The Lichmaster, Heinrich Kemmlerfrom the undead army list, is a very pow-erful necromancer character. He wears anapron of sewn flesh, held by disembodiedhands, and a number of skulls adorn hisclothing. There is a great deal of detail,including a knotted, gnarled old staff anda skull-shaped lantern, and his cloak islined with small skull shapes. Either orboth will make your fearsome undeadarmy even more terrible.

Rafm Company20 Parkhill Road, E.Cambridge, Ontario, Canada N1R 1P2Voice: (519) 623-4832 Fax: (519) 623-2795Mail Order: Yes Catalog: $4

#2010 Skeleton War WagonSculptor: Bob Murch & Bill SchwarzScale: 25mm Cost: $25Technical: 6 Artistic: 7 Value: 6

As long as we�re discussing undeadarmies, Rafm�s war wagon is a nice addi-tion. You can treat it as a chariot or createworkable house rules for the figure.

The wagon pieces have the expectedflash along the edges, which will requiresome time to fix but shouldn�t have anyimpact on the detail. Getting a tight fit willalso require a bit of work, but is wellworth it. The skeletons and horses, exceptfor the usual minor parting lines, are veryclean.

Two nicely-detailed, decomposedhorses pull this wagon of battle-hardened(perhaps fossilized?) skeletons. The woodgrain and wagon embellishments (shields,skulls, etc.) are very good. The battle stan-dard itself is a number of shorter polesstrapped together.

The wagon design is ingenious, andnicely illustrated instructions makeassembly easy to follow. A good paint jobwill make this a great display piece orcenterpiece for your army.

Ral Partha Enterprises, Inc.5938 Carthage CourtCincinnati, OH 45212-1197Voice: (800) 543-0272 Fax: (513) 631-0028Mail Order: Yes Catalog: $4

#01-505 DracolichADVANCED D UNGEONS & DRAGONS® lineSculptor: Jeffrey P. WilhelmScale: 25mm cost: $49.95Technical: 8 Artistic: 9 Value: 10

A limited edition release, like Takhisis andthe Great Red Dragon before it, theDracolich is an incredible piece of superbdesign and sculpting.

Casting is very good, with parting linesvisible only on a couple of the 18 pieces.

Despite the number of pieces, assembly

is surprisingly simple, as the pieces fitvery well and require little additionaleffort. As with any piece of this size, pin-ning and epoxy is recommended to rein-force the joints and fill any minor gaps.

This impressive figure is based on art-work by Clyde Caldwell. It has an ominouspresence. Whether used as a gaming aidor strictly as a display piece, the Dracolichwill generate a satisfying reaction fromyour friends. The wings, with deteriorat-ing tissue clinging to their bony frame-

work, are wonderful. Another highlight ofthe undead dragon is the spine andattached ribcage, which has excellentdetail and near-perfect fit.

I don�t often recommend a figure, sincegamers and modelers have such varyingtastes, but this is a great challenge for anymodeler. In addition, the Ral Parthalimited editions have a history of sellingout quickly and appreciating as col-lectibles (albeit to a small group ofcollectors).

D R A G O N 5 7

Harlequin MiniaturesP.O. Box 50081Amarillo, TX 79159Voice: (806) 372-1268 Fax: (806) 372-1361Mail Order: Yes Catalog: Free

#7101 Greater Daemon#1005 Skeleton WarriorsFantasy lineSculptors: Kev White/Chaz Elliot & RoyEastlandScale: 25mm cost: $10.95/$5.50Technical: 7 Artistic: 7 Value: 7

Not your typical daemon, this horrificabomination from the bowels of... actually,being from the bowels of anything soundspretty distasteful. The quartet of skeletonsis pretty imaginative as well.

The skeletons are very clean, with littleflash or parting line to speak of. They arewell sculpted, with good proportions and

The daemon needs a little file work toget its four pieces cleanly joined and thereare a few visible parting lines. It is highly

realistic structure. Some have comical

detailed with scales and tough, wrinkledhide. Its head is a bulbous gourd, some-

stances while others take themselves

what similar to the creature�s head in thefilm Alien. Its stance is lively, with a

more seriously. The skulls are especially

creative curve to the spine.

well proportioned and detailed.

#11-064 Lord Soth#11-500 Crypt ThingAD&D® 2nd Edition lineSculptor: Dennis Mize/Robert OlleyScale: 25mm cost: $5.95/2.15Technical: 7 Artistic: 8 Value: 7

Here�re a couple of guys who don�t knowwhen to quit; death, apparently, doesn�tstop everyone. The infamous Lord Soth,and a less famous cousin, the crypt thing,make a great contrast; with Lord Soth inregal attire and an air of authority and thecrypt thing in simple clothing and humblepose.

A few minor parting lines are the onlyvisible casting flaws, and those will cleanup easily. One parting line runs through abit of detail on the mounted Soth�s legs, soyou need extra care there.

From his heavily embellished armorand helm to the folds of his cape, Soth hasa great deal of detail. His horse is alsohighly de tailed, but the proportions areoff. The neck is too long and the legs aretoo short. Once Soth is mounted, though,the neck isn�t quite as noticeable.

The crypt thing is a simpler fellow,happy with a headstone and some adven-turers to deal with. Ragged clothing and adetailed skull are this figure�s claim tofame. The huge headstone will look greatafter painting, as will both figures. Using aweathered sandstone paint-scheme on theheadstone should counter the traditionallydrab coloring of the crypt thing.

Grenadier ModelsP.O. Box 305Springfield, PA 19064Voice: (800) 843-2015 Fax: (610) 623-5980Mail Order: Yes Catalog: $3

#1458 Ultimate Skeletons#1459 Skeletons with Hand WeaponsFantasy Warriors* lineSculptor: Mark CopplestoneScale: 2Smm Cost: $6.95 eachTechnical: 7 Artistic: 7 Value: 8

Here are two blisters of four skeletons each.These figures are great for any fantasymilieu, from role-playing to miniaturesgaming.

The Ultimate skeletons are creativelyposed, with very nice accessories, like a warhorn, battle standard, and really toothygrins. These are the perfect commandgroup. The Skeletons with hand weaponsstill have some shreds of clothing or piecesof armor, as well as animated poses.

Minor mold lines run along the sides ofthe figures, but the detail of the legs andribcage are easy enough to maintain whenyou file away the lines. The sword-wieldingskeleton from the Ultimate pack looks as ifthe sculptor took a hobby knife and cut theclosed mouth open. Still, a good paint jobwill remove any trace. A point of confu-sion, however, is that one set has roundbases and the other set has square.

58 DECEMBER 1995

Grim Reaper CastingClifton Industrial CenterMill Rd. & N. Sycamore Ave.Clifton Heights, PA 19018Voice: (610) 626-8031 Fax: (610) 626-8064Mail Order: Yes Catalog: Free

#1096 Dragonman WarriorNasteez* lineSculptor: Cliff LintonScale: 28mm Cost: $3.00Technical: 8 Artistic: 7 Value: 6

The Nasteez line has grown rapidly the lastcouple of years. Because the sculptors areyoung and rather new to the industry, theyhave yet to face the dangerous beasts thatall artists eventually fight: redundancy andthe mainstream. The Nasteez line is filledwith original work and a lot of character.

Minor parting lines are visible in a fewlocations along the edge of the figure.Other than the edge of the shield, no detailis endangered, so clean up is a snap.

The stance and texture of the creatureare very good, and the shield will paint upexcellently; but the single most impressivefeature is the inside of the wings. The tex-ture is wonderful and totally unique.

Heartbreaker Hobbies & Games1260 E. Woodland Ave.Springfield, PA 19064Voice/Fax: (610) 544-9052Mail Order: Yes Catalog: Free

#322 Shadowmant#331 DespairthoughtEarthdawn* lineSculptor: Phil LewisScale: 25mm Cost: $4.95/$3.95Technical: 9 Artistic: 8 Value: 5

Earthdawn provides an excellent sourceof strange creatures as yet unknown togamers, and Heartbreaker didn�t wastetheir opportunity to release some original,intriguing monsters from FASA�s RPG.There are only faint traces of parting lineson these figures, so clean-up should takemere moments and you�re ready to primeand paint.

The design of the Shadowmant is won-derful, with stinging tail curved over itsback like a scorpion and the illusion offlight supported by a rock formation. Thepieces fit together very well. A little epoxywill blend over the joint easily.

I don�t know what a Despairthought is,but this is a very interesting and creativesculpture.

Painting these figures will be simple andenjoyable, with all that texture workingwith you.

Best of Show

Modelers� BOS is Ral Partha�s Dracolich, aphenomenal piece that presents such achallenge to modelers that they are bound

to step up to the task, push-ing the limit of their skills.

Gamer�s BOS is GW�sLichmaster, winning by anose (and a few other bodyparts.) The level of detailshows their designers are adedicated band of gamefiends with a love for theirwork. A close second arethe Heartbreaker pair; verydifferent and interesting.

Continued on page 62

D R A G O N 5 9

The Year�s Best Miniatures

Now that we�ve looked at some horrificundead, let�s try something lighter.

A number of miniatures manufacturer�swere kind enough to select one of theirfavorite releases. Since this is a Best Of ofsorts, the figures aren�t reviewed, just pre-sented for your appreciation. Figures likethese exist to remind us why we becamepainters and modelers in the first place.

#1021 Hippogryffe RescueThunderbolt Mountain Miniatures656 E. McMillanCincinnati, OH 45206 (800) 235-3908Sculptor: Tom Meier 25mm scale$13.95

Hippogryffe Rescue depicts the rescue ofAngelica by Roggerio from Aristo�s epicpoem Orlando Furioso. In the miniaturescene, Roggerio and his hippogryffe havestruck from the skies to snatch Angelicafrom the choppy waters, just as she wasto become lunch for a foul denizen of itsdepth.

This is one of Tom Meier�s favoritesbecause it exemplifies several features heconsiders important in miniature models:dynamic action, characterization, andtechnical precision in representation.

#02007 Domur �Hunter�s Moon�Reaper MiniaturesP.O. Box 293553Lewisville, TX 75029 (214) 434-3088Sculptor: Julie Guthrie 25mm scale$1.65

Through methods unknown, Reaper hasdragged Julie Guthrie, kicking andscreaming no doubt, out of her retirementfrom 25mm sculpting. Possibly the lure ofsculpting for their new Dark Heaven linewas too much to resist.

62 DECEMBER 1995

#2014 Necro DrakeRafm Company20 Parkhill Rd EastCambridge, ONT N1R 1P2 (519) 623-4832Sculptor: Bob Murch 25mm scale$34.95

Bob Murch�s dragon-lich is an impressivepresence.

Tattered wings and bleached bones, theNecro Drake crawls across the landscape,bones rattling a warning to all withinearshot. It seeks the life-force necessary tosustain itself... or the means by which toend its existence.

In any case, Domur is an excellentpiece. He stands concentrating on hisspell book while a conjuration of flamegrows from his palm. The mischievousfaces in the conflagration apparently don�tknow who�s boss here... or do they?

#5108 Kreegah the SpoilerGrim Reaper CastingMill Rd & N. Sycamore Ave.Clifton Heights, PA 19018 (610) 626-8031Sculptor: Cliff Linton 25mm scale$7.25

Summoned from a distant plane,Kreegah�s strange appearance�heavilyribbed torso, dimly glowing eyes, and hor-ribly twisted set of teeth�shook the confi-dence of, and inspired fear in, the mostpowerful of summoners. It was rumoredthat whenever Kreegah was summoned,he destroyed his captor and returnedhome.

# A X 0 0 2 A X X EMythic Proportions, Ltd.P.O. Box 1903Shelton, WA 98584 (360) 426-0104Sculptors: Erik Pollard and PhillipSchiefer 25mm scale $89.95

Perched on the ridge of a rocky mountain,AXXE stood supreme over his domain.Nothing could challenge him: he wasdeath incarnate for his opponents. Onlythrough the gaining of his favor could alesser creature hope to survive in hisrealm. So said the stories.

AXXE stands about 16� tall, not includ-ing the mountainous base that comes withhim. He requires a great deal of assemblyand finish work, so he is not for the begin-ner, but he�s well worth the effort, as youcan see. AXXE is available by mail orderonly.

#8599-B TyrionGames Workshop/Citadel Miniatures3431-C Benson Ave.Baltimore, MD 21227Sculptor: Jes Goodwin$8.50

(401) 644-140028mm scale

An aura of elegance and regal statureradiate about the high elf prince, Tyrion.Ladies and lords alike had long admiredthe presence and power of the prince.Attired for battle, even his armor andweapon were beyond human ken. Hissteed was a powerful beast, equipped tomatch his master. The dragon emblem ofhis birthland, together with the heart sym-bol of his family, represented power andmercy. Such a combination could rule aland... or a world.

#2015 Orc ShamanHeartbreaker Hobbies & Games1260 E. Woodland Ave.Springfield, PA 19064 (610) 544-9052Sculptor: Kev Adams 28mm scale$2.50

Having poor vision, this sharp-witted orcshaman apparently found himself aseeing-eye-goblin to help him target hispowerful magics on enemy units. Possiblyan accident in the previous battle taught

him not to hit his general�s unit with nastymagic, or perhaps he just liked having oneof the squealing little creatures around.

Kev Adams has done hundreds of orcsin his sculpting career, and we can stillsee why.

#3303 Giant Grim ReaperGrenadier ModelsP.O. Box 305Springfield, PA 19064 (610) 623-5780Sculptor: Andrew Chernak 54mm scale$19.95

A symbol of mortality, no man need fearhim until fate decrees an end to his mor-tal existence. The sundial at the Reaper�sfeet shows him the mortal time, indicatingthose who�s time has run out. With a greatslash of his scythe, souls separate fromtheir bodies and gather to him. Withanother, their journey begins toward afinal reward. Emotionless, his task isrepeated, day by day, hour by hour,moment by moment...

Andrew Chernak doesn�t often get anopportunity to sculpt nowadays. Pity.

D R A G O N 6 3

#RF1786 KlingonRawcliffe155 Public StreetProvidence, RI 02903 (401) 331-1645Sculptor: Julie Guthrie 2½� tall$17.50

The quality of these Star Trek pieces willraise some eyebrows.

At least we can take solace in the factthat the sculptor is �one of us,� as JulieGuthrie�s work has appeared in our hobbysince I can remember.

#1810 Archfiend ColossusGlobal GamesSculptor: Dave Summers 28mm scale$39.95

Designed for its psychological impact asmuch as its battlefield capacity, one canunderstand the tales told by troops whohave fled before the terror of the

Archfiend�s presence. Those troops whostayed to fight it are unable to tell tales�they forever lay silent in the monster�swake. Carbon and steel, tungsten andiron, the beast may be the menace to give

the self-directed machines, the Legions ofSteel, the final advantage.

Between Tom Frank�s design and DaveSummers� sculpting, this line just keepsgetting better.

#01-081 Armored BalrogRal Partha Enterprises5938 Carthage Ct.Cincinnati, OH 45212 (800) 543-0272Sculptor: Tom Meier 25mm scale$5.95

Armored with partial plate and chainmail,the Balrog wields both a flaming swordand cat-o-nine-tails. Leaning its powerfulform forward into the fray, what foe canstand before the strongest soldier theAbyss can offer?

The decision-making process to select abest of figure seems to have taken its tollon Joe DeCambra at Ral Partha. Cansomeone in Cincinnati stop by withsmelling salts?

#FAN150 Legion of the Damned set 1Stone Mountain MiniaturesP.O. Box 675Brighton, CO 80601 (303) 654-7989Sculptor: Chub Pearson 25mm scale$8.95

Each of the seven shapes was uniquelyoutfitted and armed, from longsword totwo-handed flail. Tales tell of such a unitof skeletal troops serving a powerfulnecromancer. Who would lead livingtroops against such a horde? The destruc-tion of the Legion of the Damned couldonly be won with blood and death.

Chub Pearson has done some greatwork for Stone Mountain, and this is afine example.

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

64 DECEMBER 1995

The Rod�s Early AppearancesBack in the mid-1970s fantasy role-playinggames (FPRGs) were new; big, thick booksfull of new magical items and artifacts hadnot yet appeared on the scene. Heck, pub-lished modules hadn�t even appeared yet.Dungeon Masters were on their ownwhen it came to filling their worlds withrare and wondrous magical items; it was atime when DMs really had to be inventive.

I don�t know who first dreamed up anadventure featuring a multi-part itemwhose individual pieces could lead thebearer to the other pieces, but one of myearly dungeons featured a four-piece staffhidden inside a labyrinthine tangle oftwisting passages, deathtraps, and tele-porters. Players in my campaign nevermanaged to collect more than three seg-ments of the staff. In any case, I sharedthe idea with the gaming crowd in LakeGeneva, and the actual Rod appearedshortly thereafter. For all I know, Iinvented the basic concept.

At the time, a few penciled notes scrib-bled on index cards contained all theinformation on the original staff. Here�s amore complete version, written especiallyfor readers of DRAGON® Magazine:

The Staff of CynniusAnyone with a desire to rule, from abenign monarch to the worst despot, cov-ets this unique item, which was craftedages ago by a mysterious wizard. The staffconsists of four ivory rods that join to-gether to form a shaft 6� long. The individ-ual segments are about 18" long and asthick as a thumb. Each segment is cappedat both ends with a platinum flange about2� wide. All the flanges are inscribed withmagical glyphs.

The segments radiate strong enchant-ment/charm and alteration magic. Any

character grasping a segment and utteringthe proper command word can commandother creatures as the 1st level priest spellcommand. Each use of this power drainsone charge; the segments have 1d20+50charges when found, but actually canhold 100 charges. It can be recharged.

A second command word causes thesegment to show the direction to its near-est companion. If allowed to rotate freely(balanced in the bearer�s finger or openpalm or left on a smooth surface), the seg-ment points steadily toward its nearestcompanion, and will continue to so pointfor a full turn. The glyph on the end point-ing toward the next segment glows; if thebearer moves the segment so the glyph nolonger points toward the next segment, itstops glowing. Each use of this power con-sumes two charges. If the bearer graspsthe segment so that it cannot turn freely,or uses it to cast a command effect, thesegment stops pointing, though it can becommand to point again.

If the bearer has two or more segments,a third command word allows him to jointhem together. Joining two segmentsdrains no charges, but the combined itemhas only as many charges as the individualsegment with the fewest charges. Eachtime a segment is added, the staff gainsnew powers:

Two segments: beguiling as a rod ofbeguiling. Each use drains one charge.

Three segments: suggestion, as the 3rd-level wizard spell.

Four segments: the bearer gains acharisma of 18 (there is no effect if thecharacter already has a charisma score of18 or better) and can use the staff to cre-ate a mass charm effect as the 8th-levelwizard spell. The bearer also can controlanimals as a potion of animal control (alltypes of animal are affected). The mass

charm and animal control powers draintwo charges when used. The Charismaimprovement drains no charges and oper-ates continuously while the bearer holdsthe staff.

All powers are cumulative; a characterwielding all four segments joined togethercould command, beguile, mass charm,and control animals, and would have aCharisma of 18. Effects created by a singlesegment function as though cast by a 6th-level character. As the wielder adds moresegments, the casting level goes up for allthe staff�s powers; two segments functionat 8th level, three segments function at10th level, and four segments function at12th level. The staff can be recharged nomatter what stage of assembly it is in.

XP Value:�GP Value: 15,000 per segment

Further Developments

The Eldritch Wizardry supplement for theoriginal D&D® game gave the Rod of SevenParts its first official appearance in a TSRproduct. Eldritch Wizardry was a pamphlet-sized softback released in 1976; it wassomething of a milestone for TSR. Thebooklet introduced artifacts, denizens ofthe lower planes, and psionic powers intothe game. It also featured a color covershowing a nude woman lying on an altar. Italso marked the first time retailers objectedto a TSR product. �Send me 12 copies of allyour D&D products�except the one withthe nude on the cover,� one letter read.

The Rod not only had more parts thanThe Staff of Cynnius, you also had to putthem together in the right order or all theparts would teleport away. Also, onceassembled, there was a 5% chance thatRod would break apart and the pieceswould teleport away. Any of the Rod�s

D R A G O N 6 7

pieces, however, could lead a characterholding it to other pieces of the Rod. Aswith all the artifacts from EldritchWizardry, the Rod had no specific powersassigned to it. Instead the DM was direct-ed to a set of tables at the back of thebook. So, no player could buy the bookand find out exactly what the Rod did.

When the original DUNGEON MASTER®

Guide arrived in 1979, the Rod developeda history. Here, it was first revealed thatthe Rod is an artifact of Law built by theWind Dukes of Aaqa to aid them in a waragainst Chaos, where the Rod was shat-tered. The book also contained moredetailed rules for assembling the Rod,including just how far the pieces tele-ported away if improperly assembled(100�1,000 miles in random directions).The Rod�s exact powers were still deter-mined secretly by the Dungeon Master.

When the AD&D 2nd Edition gamecame along in 1989, the Rod came rightalong with it. The revised DUNGEON MASTER

Guide revealed still more about the Rod.In the book, we learn that the Wind Dukesused the Rod in the battle of Pesh againstthe Queen of Chaos and her consort,Miska the Wolf-Spider. Supposedly, theRod shattered when it was used to slayMiska. A specific list of suggested powerswas given for the first time, but they wereonly suggestions; DMs were encouragedto change the powers of all artifacts tokeep players guessing.

In 1993, The Book of Artifacts fleshed outthe legend of the Rod in some detail. Herewe learn that the fully assembled Rod isexactly 5� long, and that it becomes morepowerful as pieces are added. Somedetails of the battle of Pesh are included,along with a few notes about how the Rodmight be destroyed. We also learn thatMiska the Wolf-Spider wasn�t killed in thebattle, just sent through a planar rift. Now,the Queen of Chaos seeks the Rod so shecan find Miska and have him by her sideonce again.

The Quest for the Rod

Next August, TSR, Inc. will ship the Rod ofSeven Parts boxed adventure, which con-sists of four booklets totaling 208 pages,three full-color poster maps, and sixplayer reference cards. A companionnovel will ship a couple of months earlier.I had the pleasure of writing the adven-ture and working with Doug Niles, theman who wrote the companion novel. Thebox and the novel, however, are only themost recent installments on a tale that isolder than the AD&D game itself

The Rod of Seven Parts boxed adventureand novel pick up where The Book ofArtifacts left off, pitting the Queen ofChaos against a band of mortal heroes ina race to locate and assemble the Rod.

In preparing the novel and the adven-ture, Doug Niles and I decided that wewould work from a common source, but

68 DECEMBER 1995

we wouldn�t necessarily tell the samestory. Both products therefore featureessentially the same cast of characters, butthe book relates the story of Kip Kayle, anone-too-honest halfling who finds thefirst segment of the Rod and becomesenmeshed in the never-ending strugglebetween Law and Chaos. The adventure,on the other hand, is all about what hap-pens when the Rod surfaces one yourfavorite game world. Both tales, of course,feature the Rod, which has been slightlyredefined. Game players beware! The Roditself holds surprises even for diehardswho�ve read all the previously publishedgame material on it.

The Wind Dukes of Aaqa, or Vaati, asthey call themselves, have a presence inboth products. They are a proud andnoble race of immortals, though theirstruggles against Chaos have weakenedthem. The are masters of the element ofair. They are androgynous and seldomfind need for clothes. A prudish mortalbrazen enough to chide them for theirlack of attire is likely to get a lecture onthe myriad ways clothing creates chaos.

The Queen of Chaos looms in the back-ground during both searches for the Rod,though she plays a greater role in theadventure than in the novel. She directshordes of her tanar�ri servants to harassthe heroes. The queen is a titanic lord ofthe Abyss, standing about 24 feet tall. Shehas a corpulent humanoid torso that sitsatop a mass of squid like lower body thatsports a mass of powerful tentacles. Directconfrontations with the queen tend to beshort and painful for lesser creatures(such as PCs) who displease her.

Miska the Wolf Spider, the queen�sgrotesque consort, broods inside a hiddencitadel, where a cocoon of pure law holdshim prisoner. He is a three-headed mon-strosity who yearns to spread chaosthrough the multiverse once again. Miskais an opponent best avoided, if possible.

The spyder-fiends are a hithertounknown breed of tanar�ri who serve thequeen. The weakest of them are about assmart as a wolf and as large as a pony.The worst of them are geniuses as big aselephants and with a host of magical abili-ties to soften the opposition before closingin for the kill. The spyder-fiends revereMiska and would like nothing better thanto follow him to war once again.

Vaati (Wind Dukes)

CLIMATE/T ERRAIN: W YFREQUENCY: Very RareORGANIZATION: Collective or SolitaryACTIVITY C YCLE: AnyDIET : OmnivoreI NTELLIGENCE: Exceptional to Genius

(15-18)TREASURE: A (A,W)ALIGNMENT: Lawful NeutralNo. A PPEARING: 1d4

ARMOR CLASS:MOVEMENT:HIT D ICE:THAC0:No. OF A TTACKS:DAMAGE/ATTACK:

SPECIAL ATTACKS:SPECIAL DEFENSES:

MAGIC R ESISTANCE:SIZE:MORALE:XP V ALUE:

5 (per caste and level)12, FI 12 (A)4 (per caste and level)17 (per caste and level)1 (per caste and level)by weapon + StrengthbonusSee belowResistant to air attacksand magical agingNilM (7� tall)Elite to fearless (13�20)2,000 + 1,000 per levelbeyond 4th

The Vaati (VAH�tee), or Wind Dukes, are arace of immortals dedicated to Law. Vaatilook like statuesque humans. They are tall,muscular, and androgynous. As a rule,they wear no clothing, but usually wearbelts or harnesses to carry weapons andequipment. Vaati have smooth, ebony skin,brilliantly white eyes that sparkle withinner light, and velvety black hair (whichusually is kept closely shaved).

Vaati speak their own language, which isvery rhythmic and melodic. It also con-tains many complex whistling sounds. Agroup of vaati talking produce somethingthat sounds more like chanting or windwhispering through the trees than conver-sation. Vaati adventurers also speak com-mon. When surprised or exited, however,a vaati tends to let out a whistle ratherthan use an exclamation peculiar to itsadopted language.

Aeons ago, the vaati ruled a vast empirespread over several worlds on the PrimeMaterial Plane, with footholds throughoutthe planes. When war between Law andChaos erupted, the vaati were nearly anni-hilated. They survived only by creating theRod of Seven Parts and using it to end thewar.

Combat: Vaati are peaceful and prefer tonegotiate rather than fight. If pressed intoaction, or faced with chaotic foes, they dis-play considerable strength and ingenuityin combat.

All vaati have the following spell-likepowers usable at will: control temperature10� radius, dust devil, gust of wind, andfeather fall. They can fly at a speed of 12(some vaati fly even faster), althoughstrong head winds reduce their move-ment by half. They can use their gust ofwind ability to double their flying move-ment for one round. Their spell-likepowers function at 4th level or at theircharacter level, whichever is higher.

Vaati are immune to all forms of agingand are resistant to attacks based on theelement of air. No air elemental creaturewill attack a vaati or even approach within5� unless the vaati attacks first. Even then,vaati receive a +2 bonus to all savingthrows, Armor Class, and ability checksinvolving air-based attacks of any kind, andany damage suffered is reduced by �2 die

(minimum of one point of damage per die).Vaati have infravision with a 90� range

and can see though fog, dust, and similarair-based impediments to vision,

If they cannot avoid a fight, vaati usuallytry to gain a height advantage over theirfoes. They bombard the enemy with spellsand missiles; they also use their featherfall ability to foil incoming missile attacks.

More powerful vaati have additionalclass and spell-like abilities based on theircastes, as detailed below. The level rangesgiven are only typical values, and higheror lower level vaati are possible.

A vaati�s flesh is resistant to blows andprovides an excellent Armor Class. Morepowerful vaati have even better ArmorClasses. If a vaati wears armor, he receiveseither the Armor Class bestowed by thearmor or his own Armor Class, whicheveris better. Bracers of defense and otherprotective items that bestow a fixed ArmorClass work the same way. An unarmoredvaati wearing a ring of protection or a sim-ilar item gets the full benefit from theitem.

Vaati have a base morale of 13, whichimproves by one for each level beyond 4thfor a maximum of 20 at 11th level.

Habitat/Society: Most of the remainingvaati live in the Valley of Aaqa, a secludedvale ringed with protective mountains.The valley is completely sealed to allmeans of transit except flight.

Teleportation is ineffective, though thereare several gates to the Astral plane. Thevalley�s exact location is a well-kept secret.

The Valley of Aaqa is a well-regulatedparadise with a constant temperature of72 degrees, manicured fields and gardens,and stately pavilions surrounded byexquisite rock gardens. In the entire vale,there is not single blade of grass or leafout of place. The valley could easily sup-port 10 times more vaati than currentlyreside there, and most of the pavilionsstand empty. Even this last stronghold ofthe race was depopulated during the waragainst Chaos.

Vaati society is divided into seven castes.The exact criteria the vaati use to assigncastes is unclear to outsiders. All vaati areborn into the wergadeam (worker) caste.Sometime after adolescence, a young vaatieither joins another caste or remains awergadeam. In times of need, some mem-bers of the wergadeam join other casteswhere they can be more useful. The othersix castes are the houdeam (civil and mili-tary leaders, guards, and soldiers), thehaikjadeam (teachers, investigators, andlorekeepers), the trygrideam (farmers, ani-mal keepers, and judges), the kheirdeam(physicians and counselors), the vindeam(philosophers, guardians, and advisors),and the bledrudeam (also philosophers,guardians, and advisors).

There is an another, unofficial, caste aswell: the wendeam, who are wanderersthat keep watch over the Rod of Seven

Parts and the Queen of Chaos. The wen-deam are independent beings andessentially outcasts.

The wergadeam never leave the Valley ofAaqa. The other castes, except for thewendeam, tend to remain in the valleyunless sent away to handle some matter ofvital interest to the race. The wendeamwander the Prime Material Plane andalmost never set foot in the Valley of Aaqa.

The vaati employ no badges or markingsto indicate caste. To a vaati, another vaati�scaste is immediately obvious.

To most observers, even the most open-minded, vaati seem stuffy and overcon-cerned with formal rules. They are excru-ciatingly regular in their personal habitsand they have rules governing everything.They are quick to criticize any lapse in eti-quette. Very lawful creatures usually areimpressed by their behavior, but othersfind it tiresome.

Ecology: Though fairly large and power-ful, vaati eat very little. They seem to existprimarily on air. The Valley of Aaqa, how-ever, produces a wide variety of foods, andthe vaati can offer the occasional visitor asumptuous repast.

Although they can be slain or laid low bydisease, vaati are immortal. Most vaati areat least 3,000 years old, and many aremuch older than that. Vaati birth rates arevery low; there are no more than one ortwo vaati children born in a century. Therace probably never will recover from thelosses it suffered during the war againstChaos.

WergadeamMost vaati belong to this caste. They haveStrength scores of 17, giving them a +1bonus to attack and damage. They are typ-ically armed with staves and knives. If pre-pared for war, they carry long swords andlong bows. They have no special powersbeyond those common to all vaati.

HoudeamThe houdeam conduct the vaati�s civil andmilitary affairs. They are primarilycharged with guarding the Valley of Aaqaand keeping a wary eye on visitors to thevalley. During the war against Chaos, theHoudeam formed an elite corps manythousands strong. These were theCaptains of Law mentioned in the historyof the Rod of Seven Parts.

Houdeam are fighters of 5th�14th level(1d10+4). They have Strength scores of18/77, giving them a +2 attack bonus anda +4 bonus to damage. Their base armorclass is 3, and it improves by 2 for everythree levels the houdeam has gainedbeyond 4th. A houdeam is usually armedwith a two-handed sword, a long bow, andseveral daggers. The sword and bow havea +1 enchantment when used by a vaati,and the enchantment improves by one forevery three levels the houdeam gainsbeyond 4th, to a maximum of +4. In the

hands of a non-vaati, the weapons notonly lose their enchantment, but also cor-rode, falling to pieces in 2d6 months. Allhoudeam are two-handed sword special-ists. Even if unarmed, houdeam can makeopen handed attacks at the standard ratefor their fighter levels. These can beresolved as pummeling attacks or as lethalattacks that inflict 1d4+4 points of dam-age. When making a lethal open handattack, a houdeam is considered armed(see Chapter 9 of the PHB). If the martialarts and weapon mastery rules from thePLAYER’ S O PTION™: Combat and Tacticsbook are in play, houdeam are consideredspecialists in martial arts style C and mas-ters with the two-handed sword. Theyhave one step of mastery for every threelevels they have gained beyond 4th.

Houdeam have the spell-like powerscommon to all vaati, and can make theirtwo-handed swords dance (as swords ofdancing) three times a day. A houdeamtypically makes open handed attacks whilehis sword dances.

HaikjadeamThe haikjadeam serve as record keepers,police, and teachers. During the waragainst Chaos, the Captains of Law includ-ed companies of haikjadeam for useagainst undead troops. The haikjadeamalso were responsible for security andkept a lookout for spies.

Haikjadeam are paladins of 4th�13thlevel (1d10+3). They have Strength scoresof 18/97, giving them a +2 attack bonusand a +5 bonus to damage. Haikjadeam�spaladin abilities are skewed toward Lawand Chaos, rather than Good and Evil. Forexample, they have the ability to detectChaos and their aura of protection iseffective against chaotic creatures. Theycan command or turn undead, dependingwhat action they deem most lawful underthe circumstances. Haikjadeam of 9thlevel and higher can cast spells from thecombat, healing, charm, divination andlaw (from the Tome of Magic) spheres.

Haikjadeam have a base Armor Class of3, which improves by 1 for every two lev-els the haikjadeam has gained beyond 3rd.Haikjadeam are armed just as thehoudeam are, though they do not haveweapon mastery, open hand attacks, orthe ability to make their swords dance.

In addition to the spell-like abilities avail-able to all vaati, haikjadeam can revealtruth and calm air three times a day. Revealtruth functions as a dispel magic spell, butis effective only against illusions and otherforms of magical deception. The spell candestroy illusion magic of all kinds, forcepolymorphed or shape changed creaturesback into their true forms, reveal invisiblebeings, and so on. If cast directly on a crea-ture, the target must attempt a savingthrow vs. spells or be forced to speak onlythe complete truth for 2d4 rounds, The tar-get can refuse to speak, but evasions of thetruth are not possible.

D R A G O N 6 9

Calm air quiets all forms of wind in a 30�radius around the haikjadeam. All winds,magical or natural, are reduced to gentlebreezes. Creatures from the elementalplane of air cannot enter the radius � thecircle of calm collapses if deliberatelyforced against a creature that normallywould be hedged out, just as a protectionfrom evil spell does. All sound-basedattacks are negated within the radius. Theeffect lasts three rounds per level of thehaikjadeam.

TrygrideamThe trygrideam are charged with tendingall the plants and animals in the Valley ofAaqa. It is they, and teams of wergadeamworking under their direction, who main-tain the valley�s park-like appearance. Thetrygrideam also mediate any disputes thatmight arise between vaati, and passjudgment on visitors who break vaati law.

Trygrideam also secretly keep contactwith the wendeam. They are keenly inter-ested in the Rod of Seven Parts and theQueen of Chaos, and they stand ready tointervene to keep the Rod out of thequeen�s hands if necessary.

Trygrideam are druids of 4th-13th level(1d10 +3). They have Strength scores of 16,giving them a +l bonus to damage.Trygrideam have full druid abilities andcan cast spells from the sphere of Law inaddition to the spheres normally allowedto druids. Trygrideam have a base ArmorClass of 3, which improves by 1 for everytwo levels the trygrideam has gainedbeyond 3rd. They carry druidicalweapons, but favor staves.

Despite their lawful alignment, try-grideam follow the druidical ethos asexplained in the Player�s Handbook. Theydiffer from other druids in that they viewnature and see proof of a universal order,not a cyclical reality. To them, order is thenatural state of the universe and Chaosupsets that order, bringing destruction.

In addition to their druidical abilitiesand the spell-like abilities common to allvaati, trygrideam can use the followingpowers three times a day: solid fog, cloud-kill, and calm air (see above). Once perhour, a Trygrideam can summon a vortexblade. A vortex blade is similar to the magi-cal weapon created by the 2nd level priestspell flame blade except that it is a blast ofhigh-pressure air that inflicts 1d4+6 pointsof damage. It has no effect on air elemen-tal creatures, and inflicts double damage(2d4+12) on earth-based creatures.

Once a day, a trygrideam of 8th level orhigher can summon one to seven power-ful whirlwinds. Each whirlwind is sevenfeet tall and three feet wide at the top.They fly at a speed of 21 (MC A), have aTHAC0 of 10, 30 hit points, and their cre-ator�s armor class. They attack once around for 4d4 points of damage. The cre-ator can direct the whirlwinds at any dis-tance as long as he keeps them in sight.Controlling the whirlwinds requires mini-

70 DECEMBER 1995

mal concentration. Damage to the creatordoes not dispel the whirlwinds, but thecreator can take no action other thanmovement while controlling them. If thecreator is killed or loses consciousness,the whirlwinds dissipate. A whirlwind canfreely attack gaseous creatures; it can alsodisperse magical clouds. Magical cloudswith instantaneous durations, such asgreen dragon breath, are unaffected.Permanent clouds are dispersed only aslong as the whirlwind remains in theirareas of effect. If skimming along theground in an area covered with fine dirt,sand, dust, ash, or the like, a whirlwindpicks up the loose material, creating anopaque cloud with a 15� radius. Creaturescaught in the cloud are blinded while theyremain inside and for one round afterthey leave.

KheirdeamThe kheirdeam are the vaati�s physiciansand spiritual counselors. They tend othervaati the way the trygrideam tend the ani-mals and plants in the Valley of Aaqa.During the war against Chaos, the kheir-deam formed a medical corps that caredfor the wounded and acted as reservetroops.

Kheirdeam are clerics of 5th�14th level(1d10+4). They have Strength scores of 16,giving them a +1 bonus to damage.Kheirdeam can cast spells from thesphere of Law and all spells in the ele-mental sphere that involve air (air walk,cloud of purification, conjure air elemen-tal, dismiss air elemental, and wind walk)in addition to the spheres normallyallowed to clerics. Kheirdeam have a baseArmor Class of 3, which improves by 1 forevery two levels the trygrideam has gainedbeyond 3rd. They carry clerical weapons,but favor staves.

In addition to their clerical abilities andthe spell-like abilities common to all vaati,kheirdeam can reveal truth and calm airthree times a day as the haikjadeam do.They can command or turn undead,depending what action they deem mostlawful under the circumstances.

Vindeam and BledrudeamThese two castes are the vaati�s wizards.When not busy casting spells, they func-tion as scholars, philosophers, and advi-sors. In the war against Chaos they servedas support troops and magical artillery.Today, they stand ready to defend theValley of Aaqa. They also conduct most ofthe vaati�s business outside the valley, serv-ing as ambassadors and troubleshooters.

Vindeam and bledrudeam are wizardsof 4th�13th level (1d10+3). They haveStrength scores of 15.

Vindeam specialize in spells involving theelement air or gas. If the optional elemen-tal schools from the Tome of Magic are inplay, Vindeam have all the benefits andrestrictions of air elemental specialists.

Bledrudeam are abjuration specialists,

as described in the Player�s Handbook.Vindeam and bledrudeam are Armor

Class 4; their armor does not improve asthey increase in level. They carry wizardweapons, but favor staves.

In addition to the spell-like abilitiescommon to all vaati, vindeam can castsolid fog and cloudkill once a day and cansummon whirlwinds three times a day astrygrideam can.

Bledrudeam have the spell-like powerscommon to all vaati and can cast spellturning once a day. They can also castreveal truth and calm air three times a dayas haikjadeam can.

WendeamThe wendeam are a handful of wanderingvaati descended from the Captain of Lawwho scattered the pieces of Rod of SevenParts at the battle of Pesh and pursuedMiska the Wolf-spider through the planarrift, as described in the history of the Rod.

Because they devote all their energies totracking the Rod as it moves from worldto world, other vaati see the wendeam asrenegades and outcasts; only the try-grideam truly understand how valuablethe wendeam�s efforts are.

Wendeam are rangers of 4th�13th level(1d10+3). They have Strength scores of18/97, giving them a +2 attack bonus anda +5 bonus to damage. The wendearn�slong struggle against the Queen of Chaoshas made them lawful good (which doesnothing to improve their reputationamong other vaati). They have the normalranger abilities, and their species enemy isspyder-fiends.

Wendeam have a base Armor Class of 3,which improves by 1 for every two levelsthe wendeam has gained beyond 3rd.Wendeam prefer lightweight weapons.Most carry long bows, darts, a dagger, andtwo short swords. They take full advantageof their ranger abilities and use a meleeweapon in each hand when unarmored.Wendeam usually have at least oneenchanted melee weapon of +1 orgreater. Wendeam of 6th level or higherhave a +1 weapon of some type and a 60%chance for another weapon of +2 or bet-ter. Wendeam of 10th level or higher haveone or two +1 weapons and a 60% chancefor another weapon of +3 or better.Wendeam weapons are standard magicalitems that do not become nonmagical orcorrode if separated from their owners.

Wendeam have all the spell-like powerscommon to all vaati. In addition, they canfollow any teleporting creature if they canfind its tracks, just as a hound of law can.When following a teleporting creature, awendeam can carry 250 pounds of addi-tional weight, plus an extra 150 poundsfor each level the wendeam has attainedbeyond 10th.

A Timely look at the Dragonlance® Saga by Harold Johnson and Sue Wieinlein

Title Author Product* Date**

The Irda Linda P. Baker Novel 6320-5980 PC

The Kagonesti Douglas Niles Novel 3811 PC-79 AC

Covenant of the Forge Dan Parkinson Novel 2689 PC

Hammer and Axe Dan Parkinson Novel 2596 PC

Firstborn Paul B. Thompson Novel 2308-2192 PC

& Tonya R. Carter

The Kinslayer War Douglas Niles Novel 2192�2140 PC

�The Best� Margaret Weis Story (Dragons) 2132 PC

The Swordsheath Scroll Dan Parkinson Novel 2111�2068 PC

The Qualinesti Paul B. Thompson Novel 2000�1892 PC

& Tonya R. Carter

The Dargonesti Paul B. Thompson Novel 1793 PC

& Tonya Cook

�Night of Falling Stars� Nancy Varian Story (Dragons) 1435 PC

Title�Easy Pickings�

The Legend of Huma�Silver and Steel�

�Kaz and the

Dragon�s Children�

Kaz the MinotaurKnights of the CrownKnights of the Sword�The Three Lives

of Horgan Oxthrall�

�The Goblin�s Wish�

�Filling the

Empty Places�

�Kender Stew�

�Colors of Belief�

�Six Songs for the

Temple of Istar�

The Dark Queen�Off Day�

�The Silken

Threads�

�True Knight�

�Ogre Unaware�

�The Voyage of

the Sunchaser�

�Into Shadow,

Into Light�

�No Gods, No Heroes

�Seekers�

�The Word and

the Silence�

�A Good Knight�s Tale

�The Cobbler�s Son�

War of the Twins

�Mark of the Flame,

Mark of the Word�

�The Night Wolf�

�The Bargain Driver�

�The High Priest

of Halcyon�

�The Wizard�s

Spectacles�

�Seven Hymns of

the Dragon�

�Dragon Breath�

�A Painter�s Vision�

Weasel�s LuckGalen BeknightedKindred Spirits

Hederick theTheocrat

Before the Mask

�Harvests�

Night of the EyeDark HeartThe Black WingThe Medusa Plague�A Stone�s Throw

Away�

The Seventh SentinelWanderlust

Emperor of Ansalon

Tina Daniell

Dan Parkinson

Margaret Weis

& Tracy Hickman

Margaret Weis

& Tracy Hickman

Dan Parkinson

Paul B. Thompson

& Tonya R. Carter

Richard A. Knaak

AuthorDouglas Niles

Richard A. Knaak

Kevin Stein

Richard A. Knaak

Richard A. Knaak

Roland Green

Roland Green

Douglas Niles

Roger E. Moore

Nancy Varian

Berberick

Nick O�Donohoe

Richard A. Knaak

Michael Williams

Nick O�Donohoe

Todd Fahnestock

Michael Williams

Harold Bakst

Roger E. Moore

Margaret Weis

& Tracy Hickman

Michael and

Teri Williams

Nancy Varian

Berberick

Mark Anthony

Douglas Niles

Morris Simon

Michael Williams

Nick O�Donohoe

Barbara and

Scott Siegel

Michael Williams

Michael Williams

Mark Anthony

& Ellen Porath

Ellen Dodge

Severson

Michael and

Teri Williams

Nancy Varian

Berberick

Mary Kirchoff

Tina Daniell

Mary Kirchoff

Mary Kirchoff

Roger E. Moore

Mary Kirchoff

Mary Kirchoff

& Steve Winter

Douglas Niles

Product* Date**Story (Dragons) 1021 PC

Novel 1020�1018 PC

Story (Tales 3) 1018 PC

Story (Dragons) 1015 PC

Novel 1014 PC

Novel 891 PC

Novel 881 PC

Story (II Tales 1) 117�7 PC

Story (II Tales 1) 92 PC

Story (II Tales 1) 89 PC

Story (II Tales 1) 18 PC

Story (II Tales 1) 13 PC

Poems (11 Tales 1) 6PC

Novel 3 PC�97 AC

Story (II Tales 1) 1 PC

Story (II Tales 1) 1 PC

Story (II Tales 2) 1 PC�0

Story (II Tales 2) 0

Story (II Tales 2) 0

Story (II Tales 2) 0�1 AC

Story (II Tales 2) 2AC

Story (II Tales 2) 3AC

Story (II Tales 2) 17�18 AC

Story (Tales 3) 19 AC

Story (II Tales 2) 22 AC

Novel 39 AC / 357 AC

Story (II Tales 2) 44 AC

Story (II Tales 3) 50 AC

Story (II Tales 2) 56 AC

Story (II Tales 2) 100 AC

Story (Tales 2) 127 AC

Poems (Dragons) 143 AC

Story (Dragons) 148 AC

Story (Tales 3) 172 AC/

2800 PC

Novel 228 AC

Novel 230 AC

Novel 258�308 AC

Novel 292�349 AC

Novel 313�342 AC

Story (Tales 1) 323 AC

Novel 323 AC

Novel 323�342 AC

Novel 325�351 AC

Novel 326 AC

Story (Tales 1) 329 / 342 AC

Novel 330 AC

Novel 331 AC

Novel 332�340 AC

D R A G O N 7 3

Title Author Product* Date**Night

�Finding the Faith�

Dragons of Light

& Tracy Hickman

Mary Kirchoff

Jeff Grubb

Story (Tales 1)Winter 352 AC

Adventure Spring 352 AC

(DL7)Adventure Spring 352 AC

(DL10)

Novel Spring 352 AC

Dragons of Dreams Tracy Hickman

Dragons of SpringDawning

�The Blood Sea

Monster�

�Dreams of Darkness,

Dreams of Light�

�The Storyteller�

Margaret Weis

& Tracy Hickman

Barbara and

Scott Siegel

Warren B. Smith

Story (Tales 1)Spring 352 AC

Story (Tales 1)Spring 352 AC

Barbara and

Scott Siegel

Harold Johnson

& Bruce Heard

Tracy and

Laura Hickman

Douglas Niles

Story (Tales 2)Spring 352 AC

Dragons of Faith Adventure Spring/Sum.

(DL12) 352 AC

Adventure Summer 352 AC

(DL8)Adventure Summer 352 AC

(DL9)Adventure (DL13)Fall 352 AC

Adventure (DL14)Fall 352 AC

Story (Tales 1) 352 AC

Story (Tales 2) 352 AC

Dragons of War

Dragons of Deceit

Dragons of Truth Tracy Hickman

Dragons of Triumph Douglas Niles

�Wayward Children� Richard A. Knaak

�Lord Toede�s Harold Bakst

Disastrous Hunt�

�Lorac� Michael Williams

�The Vingaard Douglas Niles

Campaign�

Time of the Dragon David �Zeb� Cook

�The Middle of Dan Harnden

Nowhere�

�From the Yearning for Michael Williams

War and War�s Ending�

�The Potion Sellers� Mark Anthony

Tree Lords John Terra

Lord Toede Jeff Grubb

Otherlands Scott Bennie,

Scott Haring, and

John Terra

New Tales: John Terra

The Land RebornThe World of Krynn Douglas Niles,

Michael Gray, and

Harold Johnson

Time of the Twins Margaret Weis

& Tracy Hickman

�Definitions of Honor� Richard A. Knaak

�Dead on Target� Roger E. Moore

�The Final Touch� Michael and

Teri Williams

�Fool�s Gold� Jeff Grubb

�Into the Heart Michael Williams

of the Story�

Test of the Twins Margaret Weis

& Tracy Hickman

Dwarven Kingdoms Douglas Niles

of KryrnnDR A G O N L A N C E Tracy Hickman

Adventures & Margaret Weis

In Search of Dragons Rick Swan

Dragon Magic Rick Swan

Dragon Keep Rick Swan

Taladas: The Minotaurs

(DLR2) 358 AC

�And Baby Makes Amy stout

Three�

�Honor is All� Mickey Zucker

Reichert

�Scourge of the Wicked Janet Pack

Kendragon�

Atlas of the Karen Wynn Fonsta

Poem (II Tales 3)

Story (II Tales 3)

352 AC

352 AC

Accessory 352 AC

Story (Dragons) 352�370 AC

Story (Tales 3) 353 AC

Story (II Tales 3) 353 AC

Adventure (DLS2) 353 AC

Novel 353�356 AC

Adventure (DLR1) 354 AC

Adventure

(DLT1)

Adventure

(DL16)

354�358 AC

354�358 AC

355 PC/l PC

Story (Tales 2)

Story (II Tales 3)

Story (Dragons)

355 AC

355 AC

355 AC

Story (Dragons)

Story (Tales 2)

355 AC

357 AC

Novel 357 AC

Accessory 357 AC

Rules 358 AC

Adventure (DLE1) 358 AC

Adventure (DLE2) 358 AC

Adventure (DLE3) 358 AC

Colin McComb Adventure

Story (Dragons) 358 AC

Story (Dragons) 359 AC

Story (Dragons) 359 AC

d Accessory 359 AC

Title�Hide and Go Seek�

AuthorNancy Varian

Berberick

Dan Parkinson

Product*Story (Tales 3)

Date**337 AC

The Gates ofThorbardin

�The Exiles�

Novel 339 AC

Story (Tales 3) 339 ACPaul B. Thompson

& Tonya R. Carter

Michael WilliamsThe Oath and theMeasure

Book of Lairs

Novel 339 AC

Skip Williams and

Nicky D. Rea

Ellen Porath

Tina Daniell

Nancy Varian

Berberick

Nancy Varian

Berberick

Tina Daniell

Barbara and

Scott Siegel

Margaret Weis

Adventure 342 AC

Steel and StoneMaquesta Kar-Thon�Snowsong�

Novel 343�345 AC

Novel 344 AC

Story (Tales 2) 344 AC

�Hearth Cat and

Winter Wren�

The CompanionsTanis, the Shadow

Years�The Test of the

Twins�

�Raistlin and the

Knight of Solamnia�

Darkness and Light

�Raistlin�s Daughter�

Brothers MajereKendermoreFlint the King

�Love and Ale�

�Riverwind and

the Crystal Staff�

�War Machines�

New BeginningsDragon DawnStormblade

Mists of Krynn�Heart of

Goldmoon�

Dragon KnightDragon Rest�Clockwork Hero�

�The Hand that Feeds�

Riverwind thePlainsman

�A Shaggy Dog�s Tail�

�By the Measure�

�The Promised

Place�

�The First Dragonarmy

Bridging Company�

�Into the Light�

�Dagger-Flight�

�Hunting Destiny�

Dragons of AutumnTwilight

Dragons of DespairDragons of FlameDragons of MysteryDragons of Glory

Story (Tales 2) 344 AC

Novel

Novel

345�346 AC

346 AC

Story (Tales 1) 346 AC

Margaret Weis Story (II Tales 3) 346 AC

Paul B. Thompson

& Tonya R. Carter

Margaret Weis

& Tracy Hickman

Kevin Stein

Mary Kirchoff

Mary Kirchoff

& Douglas Niles

Nick O�Donohoe

Michael Williams

Novel 346�347 AC

Novella (Tales 3)346�347 AC

Novel

Novel

Novel

346�347 AC

346�347 AC

346�349 AC

Story (Tales 1)Spring 348 AC

Poem (Tales 1) 348 AC

Nick O�Donohoe

Mark Acres

Deborah Christian

Nancy Varian

Berberick

Various

Laura Hickman

& Kate Novak

Rick Swan

Rick Swan

Jeff Grubb

Richard A. Knaak

Paul B. Thompson

& Tonya R. Carter

Danny Peary

Richard A. Knaak

Dan Parkinson

Story (II Tales 3) 348 AC

Adventure (DLS1) 348 AC

Adventure (DLAl) 348 AC

Novel 348�352 AC

Adventure (DL15)348�354 AC

Story (Tales 3) 349 AC

Adventure (DLA2) 349 AC

Adventure (DLA3) 349 AC

Story (II Tales 3) 350 AC

Story (II Tales 3)

Novel

350 AC

350�351 AC

Story (Tales 2)

Story (Tales 3)

Story (II Tales 3)

351 AC

351 AC

351 AC

Story (Dragons) 351 ACDon Perrin

Linda P. Baker

Nick O�Donohoe

Nick O�Donohoe

Margaret Weis

& Tracy Hickman

Tracy Hickman

Douglas Niles

Michael Dobson

Douglas Niles

& Tracy Hickman

Tracy Hickman

Story (Dragons) 351 AC

Story (Tales 2) Fall 351 AC

Story (Tales 3) Fall 351 AC

Novel Fall 351 AC

Adventure (DL1) Fall 351 AC

Adventure (DL2) Fall 351 AC

Adventure (DL5)351�352 AC

Adventure 351�353 AC

(DL11)

Adventure Winter 352 AC

(DL3)Adventure Winter 352 AC

(DL4)Adventure Winter 352 AC

(DL6)

Novel Winter 352 AC

Dragons of Hope

Dragons of Desolation Tracy Hickman

& Michael Dobson

Dragons of Ice Douglas Niles

Dragons of Winter Margaret Weis

74 DECEMBER 1995

Title AuthorDRAGONLANCE World

Wild Elves Scott Bennie

Oak Lords Blake Mobley

Knight�s Sword Colin McComb with

Thomas M. Reid

�The Story that Margaret Weis

Tasslehoff & Tracy Hickman

Promised He Would

Never, Ever, Ever Tell�

Flint�s Axe Tim Beach

�A Dragon to the Core� Roger E. Moore

The History of Ed. Margaret Weis

DR A G O N L A N C E

�The Hunt� Kevin Stein

Tales of the Lance Various

Player�s Guide to the Various

DRAGONLANCE CampaignUnsung Heroes Various

Leaves from the Inn Ed. Margaret Weis

of the Last Home�Kitiara�s Son� Margaret Weis

�The Legacy� Margaret Weis

& Tracy Hickman

Product* Date**

Adventure (DLS4)

Adventure (DLS3)

Adventure (DLQ1)

359 AC

362 AC

362 AC

Story (II Tales 3) 363 AC

Adventure (DLQ2)

Story (Dragons)

Compilation

365 AC

368 AC

372 AC

Story (Dragons)

Adventure

Adventure

372 AC

372 AC

372 AC

Adventure (DLR3)

Compilation

375 AC

375 AC

Novella (2nd Gen.)

Novella (Tales 1)

378 AC

382 AC

You can send us news, press releases,announcements, and gossip using theInternet at TSR.mags@genie.geis.com. Wewelcome your comments at Rumblings,DRAGON® Magazine, 201 Sheridan SpringsRoad, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.

TSR is restructuring the WINTER

FANTASY � Game Convention to targetgame masters, con organizers, and clubpresidents, as well as players. �This newangle on conventions should help breathenew life into convention attendees, as wellas those who run them,� states KenWhitman, TSR�s convention coordinator.�This will be the first chance for the mostinfluential people in the industry to reallytalk about the future of gaming.� WINTER

FANTASY 1996 will be held at the MECCAConvention Center in Milwaukee, WI, onFebruary 9-11, 1996.

76 DECEMBER 1995

Title Author Product* Date**�Wanna Bet?� Margaret Weis Novella (Tales 2) 382 AC

& Tracy Hickman

�The Sacrifice� Margaret Weis Novella (2nd Gen.) 382 AC

Dragons of Summer Margaret Weis Novel 383 AC

Flame & Tracy Hickman

* �Dragons� indicates a story from The Dragons of Krynn.�Tales 1� indicates a story from The Magic of Krynn.�Tales 2� indicates a story from Kender, Gully Dwarves, and Gnomes.�Tales 3� indicates a story from Love and War.�II Tales 1� indicates a story from The Reign of Istar.�II Tales 2� indicates a story from The Cataclysm.�II Tales 3� indicates a story from The War of the Lance.�2nd Gen.� indicates a novella that first appeared in The SecondGeneration.Other abbreviations in this column represent game product reference

codes.

**PC stands for pre-Cataclius, or �pre-Cataclysm.� AC stands for alt-

Cataclius, or �after the Cataclysm,� according to the dating system Astinus

of Palanthas employed in his Iconochronos, or �River of Time.�

And speaking of conventions... The 1996GEN CON® Game Fair will once again beheld at the MECCA auditorium inMilwaukee, WI from August 8�11. Thisyear�s special guest is Robert Picardo,the holographic doctor on Star Trek:Voyager. And of course, all of yourfavorite TSR writers and artists will bethere also.

Columbia Games, the makers of theDixie* collectible card game will release anew game called Eagles: Waterloo* thismonth. The game plays just like Dixie,with changes to reflect Napoleonic war-fare. The cards depict French, British,Dutch, Belgian, Brunswick, and Prussianregiments present during the Waterloocampaign of 1815. There will be three ver-sions of the cards to allow gamers toobtain a complete set while collectors canhunt for the rare cards.

TSR is delighted to present a totallynew licensed product from SunsOut, Inc.The new offering is a set of five phonecards featuring TSR�s famous fantasy art.The set is limited to 2500 numbered cardsand bonus cards are also available. Eachcard carries 20 minutes and can be usedwith any type of phone. A complete set of5 cards costs $60.

G a m e s M a g a z i n e h a s n a m e d T S R � sDRAGON DICE� the adventure game of theyear.

* indicates a product produced by acompany other than TSR, Inc.

Convention Calendar Policies

This column is a service to our readersworldwide. Anyone may place a free listingor a game convention here, but the followingguidelines must be observed.

In order to ensure that all convention list-ings contain accurate and timely information,aII material should be either typed double-spaced or printed legibly on standard manu-script paper. The contents of each listingmust be short and succinct.

The information given in the listing mustinclude the following, in this order:

1. Convention title and dates held;2. Site and location3. Guests of honor (if applicable)4. Special events offered5. Registration fees or attendance require-

ments; and,6. Address where additional informa-

ion and confirmation can be obtained.Convention flyers, newsletters, and other

mass-mailed announcements will not beconsidered for use in this column; we preferto see a cover letter with the announcementas well. No call-in listings are accepted.Unless stated otherwise, all dollar valuesgiven for U.S. and Canadian conventions arein U.S. currency.

WARNING: We are not responsible forincorrect information sent to us by conven-ion staff members. Please check your con-vention listing carefully! Our wide circulationensures that over a quarter of a million read-ers worldwide see each issue. Accurateinformation is your responsibility.

Copy deadlines are the first Monday ofeach month, three months prior to the onsaledate of an issue. Thus, the copy deadline forhe December issue is the first Monday ofOctober. Announcements for North Americanand Pacific conventions must be mailed to:Convention Calendar, DRAGON® Magazine,201 Sheridan Springs Rd., Lake Geneva WI53147, U.S.A. Announcements for Europemust be posted an additional month beforehe deadline to: Convention Calendar,DRAGON Magazine, TSR Limited, 120 ChurchEnd, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LB,United Kingdom.

If a convention listing must be changedbecause the convention has been cancelled,he dates have changed, or incorrect infor-nation has been printed, please contact usimmediately. Most questions or changesshould be directed to the magazine editorsat TSR, Inc., (414) 248-3625 (U.S.A.).Questions or changes concerning Europeanconventions should be directed to TSRLimited, (0223) 212517 (U.K.).

Important: DRAGON® Magazine does not publishPhone numbers for conventions. Publishing incor-rect numbers is always possible and is a nuisance toboth the caller and those receiving the misdirectedcall. Be certain that any address given is completeand correct.

To ensure that your convention listing makes itinto our files, enclose a self-addressed stampedpostcard with your first convention notice; we willreturn the card to show that your notice wasreceived. You also might send a second notice oneweek after mailing the first. Mail your listing as earlyas possible, and always keep us informed of anychanges. Please avoid sending convention notices byfax, as this method has not proved to be reliable.

indicates an Australian convention indicates a Canadian conventionindicates a European convention

* indicates a product produced by a company other thanTSR, Inc. Most product names are trademarks owned bythe companies publishing those products. The use of thename of any product without mention of its trademark statusshould not be construed as a challenge to such status.

WARP�DCON V, Dec. 2 NJThis convention will be held at Drew Universityin Madison, New Jersey. Events includerole-playing, card, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities include an auction andcontests. Registration: $5. Write to: WARP�D-CON, c/o Richar DiTullio, P.O. Box 802, C.M. Box1405, Madison, NJ 07940, or e-mail:rditulli@daniel.drew.edu.

EVENT HORIZON �95, Dec. 29-31 MDThis convention will be held at the ColumbiaInn Hotel in Columbia Maryl. Guests includeHal Clement and Sandy Peterson. Eventsinclude role-playing, card, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities include an auc-tion, a blood drive, and a masquerade ball.Registration: $25 preregistered. Write to:EVENT HORIZON �95, Attn. Registration, P.O.Box 1438, Sterling, VA 20164.

GAMES UNIVERSITY, Jan. 5�7 CAThis convention will be held at the Red LionHotel in Ontario, Calif. Events include role-play-ing, card, board, and miniatures games. Otheractivities include a sanctioned Magic: theGathering tournament. Registration: $20 pre-registered before Dec. 31, $25 on site. Write to:Ultraviolet Productions, P.O. Box 668, Upland,CA 91785.NECRONCON 10, Jan. 5-7 OHThis convention will be held at the Harley Hotelin Columbus, Ohio. Special guest is KailenMitchell Events include role-playing, card,board, and miniatures games. Other activitiesinclude demos, workshops, dealers, tourna-ments, a costume contest, and a con suite.Registration: $12 preregistered, $15 on site.Write to: Ravenstone Games, 6825 Flags CenterDrive, Columbus, OH 43229.

SUNQUEST �96, Jan. 5�7 FLThis convention will be held at the SheratonPlaza at The Florida Mall in Orlando, Fla. Guestsinclude Jean Rabe, Tom Prusa, Jackie Cassada,Nicky Rea, Darwin, Peter Bromley, and RuthThompson. Events include role-playing, card,board, and miniatures games. Other activitiesinclude RPGA® Network events, tournaments, anart show and auction, and charity events.Registration: $20 preregistered before 11/30/95,$30 on site. Write to: SUNQUEST �96, P.O. Box677069, Orlando, FL 32867-7069, or e-mail: onGEnie [T.REED10], CompuServe [72337,234],AOL [RFarnsl

AGOG 9, Jan. 12�14 AZThis convention will be held at the TucsonConvention Center in Tucson, Ariz. Eventsinclude role-playing, card, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities include a raffle, anauction, and a miniature painting contest.Registration: $10 preregistered before 12/15/95,$14 on site. Write to: AGOG 9 c/o GamersHaven, 2241 East Broadway, Tucson, AZ 85719.

CRUSADES �96, Jan. 12�14 CTThis convention will be held at the Comfort Innof Darien in Darien, Conn. Events include role-playing, card, board, and miniatures games.Other activities include an auction, dealers, apainting contest, and sculpting and paintingseminars. Write to: CGC P.O.Box 403, Fairfield,CT 06430 or e-mail: quillup@aol.com.

WRIGHT STATE GAME FAIR, Jan. 13 OHThis convention will be held at the Wright StateUniversity Student Union in Dayton, Ohio.Events include role-playing, card, board, andminiatures games. Other activities include tour-naments, miniatures painting contests, dealers,artists, movies, and a charity auction.Registration: $15 on site. Write to: WSUAdventurers Guild, W033 Student Union,Dayton, OH 45435.

LEGENDS & LEGIONS �96, Jan. 13�14 FLThis convention will be held at CollegiateVillage Inn in Tallahassee, Fla. Events includerole-playing, card, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities include tournaments,dealers, and a painting contest. Registration:$10/day and $15/weekend preregistered before12/l/95, $l2/day and $20/weekend thereafter.Write to: nfga-con, 931 Kendall Dr., Tallahassee,FL 32301.

CONSTITUTION IV, Jan. 19�21 MDThis convention will be held at the BestWestern Maryland Inn in Laurel, Maryl. Eventsinclude role-playing, card, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities include dealersand tournaments. Write to: CONSTITUTION IV,P.O. Box 13607, Silver Spring, MD 20911.

PANDEMONIUM XIII, Jan. 20�21This convention will be held at the RyersonPolytechnic University/Ryerson Hub Cafeteria inToronto, Ontario, Canada. Events include role-playing, card, board, and miniatures games.

D R A G O N 8 3

Registration: $20 preregistered before 1/5/96,$25 on site. Write to: Peter Fund, 34-118Roncesvalles Ave., Toronto, Ontario M6R 2K8,Canada.

ATCON �96, Jan. 26�28 TXThis convention will be held at the Ramada Innin Austin, Texas. Special guest is Jean Rabe.Events include role-playing, card, board, andminiatures games. Other activities includeRPGA® Network events, and a charity auction.Registration: $15 preregistered for RPGA mem-bers, $12 for GOAT members. Write to: GOAT3816 South Lamar #2019, Austin, TX 78704.

CREMECON 2, Feb. 2�4 WIThis convention will be held at the ManchesterEast Hotel & Suites in Glendale, Wisc. Guestsinclude Lawrence Watt-Evans, Sue Wienlein,C.H. Burnett, and Richard Russell. Eventsinclude role-playing, card, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities include dealers, anart show, a masquerade ball, and workshops.Registration: $20 preregistered before Jan. 6,$30 on site, single day rates available. Write to:CREMECON 2, P.O. Box 37986, Milwaukee, WI53237, or e-mail: cremecon@aol.com.

HURRICON, Feb. 2-4 FLThis convention will be held at the Holiday InnBeach Resort in Ft. Walton, Fla. Guests includeClive Barker, Philip José Farmer, Peter S.Beagle, and Brian LeBlanc. Events include role-playing, card, board, and miniatures games.Other activities include tournaments, and acharity auction to benefit the Red CrossHurricane Relief Fund. Registration: $30 pre-registered before Jan. 15, $35 thereafter. Writeto: HURRICON, 328 N. Eglin Pkwy., Ft. WaltonBeach, FL 32547.

WINTER WAR XXIII, Feb. 2-4 ILThis convention will be held at the ChancellorHotel in Champaign, Ill. Events include role-playing, card, board, and miniatures games.Other activities include dealers, an auction, anda miniatures painting contest. Registration: $6preregistered, $8 on site. Write to: DonaldMcKinney, 986 Pomona Drive, Champaign, IL61821.

MAGNUM OPUS CON-10A, Feb. 15�18 GAThis convention will be held at the Adam�sMark Hotel in Charlotte, N. Carolina. Eventsinclude role-playing, card, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities include dealers,panels, an auction, a lip sync contest, a psychichot line, and much much more. Write to: MOC-10A P.O. Box 6585, Athens, GA 30604, or e-mail:moc@ix.netcom.com.

PREZCON, Feb. 15-18 VAThis convention will be held at the BestWestern Mount Vernon Hotel in Charlottesville,Va. Events include role-playing, card, board,and miniatures games. Other activities includetournaments. Registration: $15 preregisteredbefore Jan. 15, $20 on site. Write to: JustinThompson, P.O. Box 4661, Charlottesville, VA22905.

WAR �96, Feb. 15�18 NCThis convention will be held at the Adam�sMark Hotel in Charlotte, N. Carolina. Eventsinclude role-playing, card, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities include tourna-ments and prizes. Registration: $25 for the conand $50 per game entered. Write to: NationalAssociation for Professional Gamers, P.O. Box6585, Athens, GA 30604, or e-mail: moc@ix.net-com.com.

DUNDRACON XX, Feb. 16�19 CAThis convention will be held at the San RamonMarriott Hotel in San Ramon, Calif. Eventsinclude role-playing, card, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities include tourna-ments, dealers, and a flea market. Registration:$20 preregistered before Dec. 31, $35 on site.Write to: DUNDRACON, 1145 Talbot St., Albany,CA 94706.

ORCCON 19, Feb. 16�19 CAThis convention will be held at the LA AirportWyndham Hotel in Los Angeles, Calif. Eventsinclude role-playing, card, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities include a flea mar-ket, dealers, and an auction. Registration: $25preregistered, $30 on site. Write to: STRATEGI-CON 333 N. San Fernando Blvd., Los Angeles,CA 91502.

TOTAL CONFUSION X �96, Feb. 22�25 MAThis convention will be held at the BestWestern Royal Plaza Hotel in Marlboro, Mass.Events include role-playing, card, board, andminiatures games. Other activities include adinner theater production and a miniaturespainting contest. Registration: $12/day on site.Write to: TOTAL CONFUSION, P.O. Box 604,North Oxford, MA 01537.

84 DECEMBER 1995

86 DECEMBER 1995

one Tapper was a surly soul, evenfor a raven. He had once been aman, but, for some odd reason, theprospect that he might be oneagain one day did little to improvehis disposition. He perched on hiscompanion�s thin shoulder and

peered down the valley at the place they had traveledfifty leagues past the Longbone River to reach. Heshook his head to clear a red-gold strand from his eyeswhen a sudden gust caught Marta�s unbound hair.

�That is not a temple to Astonei or any otherImmortal Power,� he said. �That is a hole in theground.�

�Are you forgetting our agreement?� Marta asked.Her tone was deceptively mild.

The raven was quick to demure. �I serve you in allthings, as my debt to your late mother and thus to yourequires. I try to be as pleasant a servant and compan-ion as you could wish. But fear has a way of smotheringthat, I am afraid.�

Marta nodded. �Me, too. But every portent I canread says that the secret to the Third Law of Power ishere. I have only to find it.�

�My confidence in you knows no bounds,� BoneTapper said, but Marta ignored him.

They stood beside Marta�s cart, just within the shadeof the forest, looking out over large grassy valley andacross to where a line of cliffs thrust up abruptly fromthe grassland. At this distance, the temple was just adarker patch near the base of the cliffs, and if Marta didnot see as well as the raven, she certainly noticed more.For instance, the broad, beaten path that ran across thevalley floor and up to the cave and the small figuretrudging along toward the entrance. The faint linesacross the top of the cave mouth were recognizable asWestan glyphs even at that distance.

Marta couldn�t actually read the glyphs from thatfar away, but she didn�t need to. Astonei was theImmortal Power to which Black Kath�s line owed its tal-ent. Knowing the placement of most of her majorshrines was simple necessity to those who owed Astoneisoul-debt, especially Black Kath�s only child.

We�d best be going,� was all Marta said. Sheunhitched the dappled mare from the wagon and pre-pared a barrel of water and a good measure of oats forthe animal, then hobbled it so it could graze on thegrass at the forest�s edge without wandering too far.

Bone Tapper ruffled his feathers. �Why leave thewagon here unguarded? Why not just drive to thetemple?�

Mart shook her head. �All this valley is holy ground.We walk. Or at least I do. Most of the wards motherplaced on her wagon are still there; it�s safe enough.The talisman I braided into the horse�s mane shouldkeeps wolves and such away. If someone decides tosteal it�� she looked grim ��they won�t keep it long.

�Black Kath�s wards might be fading now. I couldstay and watch the cart.�

�And do what, if it came to doing? Besides, I mayneed you. Come on.�

by Richard Parks

Artwork by Deran Wright

DRAGON 87

88

Bone Tapper obediently perched on Marta�s shoul-der, and together they started down toward the pilgrimtrail. By the time they reached the path, the figureMarta had seen from the ridge was well past them. Itwas easily identified now as a vigorous old womankeeping a smart pace along the trail, her staff preced-ing each step like a herald. Marta quickened her stepjust enough to close the distance without appearing tohurry.

�Blessings of the day to you, Good Mother.�The woman turned back to look at them. Her face

was lined by the wear of life and more than a little sun.She pulled off her hood to reveal gray hair still carry-ing a memory of black. She wore her hair long, andtied back with a red cord. She ventured a faint smile.�And to you, child, though in truth it has been manyyears since anyone called me mother.�

�Have you come to visit the shrine?��Most certainly, there being precious little else to

draw a body�s attention hereabouts.�Marta bowed slightly. �Well struck, well deserved. I

had assumed as much and was hoping you could tell mesomething about the shrine. This is not my country.�

The woman smiled at her. �I had assumed as much.Folk from as far away as the Longbone come to worshiphere, but I think you come from farther still.�

�Just a bit,� Marta said with great understatement.Torsa was a good six weeks� journey east of theLongbone, though she didn�t think of it so much ashome now as simply the place where she had beenborn. Her home would probably be the place whereshe accumulated enough of the Laws of Power tobegin practicing her craft. The same had been true ofher mother Black Kath and her mother before that.But right now Marta knew only two of the many Lawsof Power, and to attempt to serve Astonei with so littlewas worse than futile�it was suicide.

�What do you want to know?� the old woman asked.�Does this shrine contain the Oracle of the Basilisk,

as I�ve heard? I come seeking the divination dream.�The old woman wasn�t smiling now. �I would speak

that name softly if I were you, child. The Oracle is onlyconsulted at great need, and the price for a basiliskdream is high.�

�My need is great,� Marta said. �And I will paywhatever I am asked.�

�The price will be a steep one, I assure you. Thepriestess of Astonei will take great pains to dissuadethe curious and the foolish. You might be asked formore than you can give for the privilege of the oracle.�

�I see I was fortunate to meet you today, GoodMother. Your knowledge of the priestess� whims seemsvery intimate. Even more than intimate, I dare say.�Marta waited.

The old woman nodded evident satisfaction. �I can�tspeak for the quality of your curiosity, but you are cer-tainly no fool. Yes, child. My name is Lornis. For thepast forty years I have been Priestess of Astonei,Mistress of the Basilisk Oracle.

DECEMBER 1995

Lornis� quarters were in a room off the main entranceto the cave. It looked like a natural opening that hadbeen refined by a mason�s hand into a very comfort-able space. There was even a serviceable fireplacecarved into the stone of one wall, with a working draft.Lornis brewed tea while Marta sat on one of the priest-ess� chairs, watching her. Bone Tapper had been givenfree rein of the quarters with Lornis� permission. Heflitted from table to chair to mantel to bed, looking ateverything with his cold black eyes. He finally lit onMarta�s shoulder.

�I trust your friend is satisfied for your safety?�Lornis asked, not looking up from her preparations.�What is his name?�

�Bone Tapper,� Marta said.Lornis did glance back at her this time. �I mean his

real name. He had one before he was changed.�Marta didn�t speak. It was Bone Tapper who broke

the silence. �Dryas,� he said. �As best I can remember.�Bone Tapper looked at Marta and shrugged, clearlyindicating that he thought denial pointless.

Marta had to agree, but her heart sank a little. Shefelt no animosity from the woman, but it was never agood idea to reveal too much at first meeting, evenamong those who might be friends. Lornis hadpierced her mask a little too easily, a little too casually,and with apparent unconcern for what it revealedabout herself.

�You�re an adept, I see,� Marta said.�The tea is ready.� Lornis said. It wasn�t an answer,

but then Marta hadn�t really asked a question. Lornisserved the tea in stoneware mugs. She placed one cupand a bit of cake on the mantle for Bone Tapper, thentook her place on a willow-work chair across fromMarta. �So tell me, Marta, why have you traveled so farto seek the Basilisk Oracle?�

Marta thought of her options, and decided on thetruth. �I�m seeking a Law of Power.�

Lornis nodded. �I suspected as much. Which one?�It wasn�t idle curiosity, Marta knew. She�d stated the

truth, and clearly Lornis wanted all of it. But it wentagainst every instinct Marta had to surrender everythingwithout at least token resistance.

�Why, the next one,� she said. Her face wasinnocence itself.

Lornis smiled. �So be it, child. Just be aware thatthere is an order to Laws, and learning one out of turncan be worse than not learning it at all.�

�My mother said the Laws come in their own timeand their own choosing. I think that part is out of myhands at least.�

�Most likely,� Lornis said. �Your mother is a verywise woman.�

Marta looked away. �She was. She died a year ago.�She hadn�t meant to say it; a sudden painful memorypushed it out. Marta knew it was a mistake, but it wastoo late.

�Then young as you are, she could not have hadenough time to teach you more that fraction of whatyou need to know,� Lornis said, looking thoughtful.�One Law of Power, perhaps two... yes, your eyes

betray you, child. You seek the Third Law.�Marta nodded, beaten. �Yes.�The priestess smiled. �You know so little. For one

who owes soul-debt to one of the Immortal Powers,that is a serious matter. So. What have you brought forthe offering?�

Marta had wondered how long it would be beforethey came down to talking terms. She was almostrelieved. �What is customary?�

Lornis shrugged. �I decide what is customary, and asI said before, the price is always high�by proportion.A copper or two for the local villagers and the hum-bler pilgrims. Silver for a scholar, gold for a noble;though both are rare in these parts. You are none ofthose,� she said. �Show me the sign.�

Marta looked blank for a moment, then remem-bered. She reached down the front of her blouse andpulled out a small bronze pendant hanging from aleather thong. It was cast in the shape of a drawn bow.�My mother game me this when I was a little girl.�

�You�re little more than that now,� Lornis said primly.Marta kept her tongue with an effort. She was being

challenged again, she knew, but she didn�t dare respond.Lornis nodded in evident satisfaction and leaned for-ward. She took the pendant in her hands, examining itcarefully. �Novitiate of the Arrow Path, servant ofAstonei,� she said. �For such there is a special price.�

�Which is?��Lornis dropped the pendant and sat back, taking a

sip of the bitter tea. �Everything,� she said.

Marta followed Lornis down a long tunnel. Thepriestess wore long, black robes that would have madeher nearly invisible except for the stars embroideredon the cloth in silver thread. The uneven floor slopeddownward. Lornis moved with serene confidence whileMarta had to concentrate on her footing, which washard to do with Bone Tapper riding nervously on hershoulder. Even harder when he leaned toward her earevery few minutes to whisper, �Have you taken leave ofyour mind?�Marta bit her lip and kept silent. In a moment, BoneTapper was distracted by the sight of a large boneembedded in the walls of the tunnel. The marks of achisel were clearly visible around it as someone hadclearly worked to expose as much of it as possible.

�Upper leg bone. And of a very large animal.� SinceBone Tapper�s ravenhood began, he had become quitethe expert on bones, and the sweet bits of carcass stillattached to them. A little farther they spied another,then another. Bone Tapper identified each with profes-sional interest. �Lower leg. Right shoulder. Right frontpaw... oh, consider the length of that claw.� BoneTapper shuddered delicately.

�Were these all from the same animal?� Marta asked.Bone Tapper shook his head. �At least three. Probably

more. And before you ask, no. I don�t know what sort ofcreatures they were. Nothing I�ve seen living, that�s forcertain.�

The tunnel ended abruptly in a large round roomthat seemed part cave and part charnel house. The

floor was littered with bones. Bones protruded fromthe walls. Bones were have sealed in stalagmites orcovered with delicate lacework crystals, clear as ice.

�Oh,� Marta managed to say.�These were the Companions of the Basilisk,�

Lornis said. �Like the few in the tunnel, their nature isunknown. So is the basilisk�s, for that matter. Truth totell, it�s called a basilisk, but we don�t really know thatfor certain. on this point, Astonei is silent.�

Astonei is silent on many things, Marta thought, thenquickly suppressed the blasphemy.

Lornis stopped in the center of the chamber, paus-ing to light two torches mounted on tall stalagmites.�As all things are measured, so are all things givenvalue. The value I give the Oracle is this: Marta, if theOracle gives you your answer and you have the wisdomto see it, you depart here with what you sought. If youdo not, you will remain here as my novitiate. You willsurrender the Path of the Arrow for the Path ofSolitude and take your place in time as Priestess ofAstonei. Swear to this now or depart as you came, withneither honor nor blame.�

Not what I came for. Marta took a deep breath. �Iswear it,� she said. Even as she did so, Marta had thefeeling that something was missing from the oath, buther mind was racing ahead to what lay down the fartunnel, and it left mere vague doubts behind quickly.

Bone Tapper shook his head. �I�ve said thisbefore��

Marta reached up and pressed Bone Tapper�s beakfirmly shut.

Lornis left Marta and Bone Tapper along among theCompanions of the Basilisk. Marta found a smooth bitof stone and sat down, facing a circle of greater dark-ness on the far wall. it was the mouth of a tunnel, andthe end of it was the basilisk�s skull. She looked at itfor a moment, then closed her eyes.

�Are you praying?� Bone Tapper asked.�In a way. I�m thinking.��About what?��About how to recognize a Law of Power.�Bone Tapper shrugged. �You�re better off praying.

Are you not a follower of Astonei?��It�s not as simple as that. While the ways of any

goddess are a mystery to me, there is one thing I know:Astonei wants the soul-debt paid. Why would it matterto her if I develop my talent on the Arrow Path or qui-etly serve the Path of Solitude? Both are aspects of herwill. It does, however, matter to me how the debt ispaid. A great deal. If I pray to know her will, would shehave an answer? How can I ask Astonei�s help in thiswithout increasing the soul-debt? I�m on my own.�

�I see your point,� Bone Tapper said dryly.�Frightening thought though it is.�

Marta smiled a grim sort of smile. �As it should be.If I fail, your debt to me is transferred to the Templealong with the cart and the horse and everything elsethat is mine. In you harbor the illusion that Lorniswould be a gentler mistress than I, I think you�remistaken.�

DRAGON 89

90

�I think you�re right. And, since there�s nothing Ican do about it either way...� Bone Tapper yawnedand hopped to the top of a stalagmite. He put hishead under his wing.

�You could come with me, you know,� she said. �Theprice serves for two.�

Bone Tapper glanced at the tunnel and shuddered.�This is too close to being entombed as it is, so I�ll stayhere in the relative open if it�s all the same to you. Idoubt the basilisk has anything to tell me that I�d wantto know.�

Marta didn�t say anything, and in a moment she wascertain the raven was asleep. She envied him that skill,often demonstrated, of a quick slumber. She didn�teven know if she could sleep now, and sleep was theone thing she had to do.

Marta rose and started down the tunnel. Shethought of taking one of the torches with her, but theway was too narrow, and a strong draft blowingthrough the tunnel was likely to push the flames intoher face as not. She moved, half bent-over, feeling herway as she went, using the weak light from the cham-ber behind her as much as possible. The way grewdimmer until Marta was moving almost completely onfeel, when she came to the edge of the tunnel.

Or not quite the end.Marta�s fingers touched smooth stone. The tunnel

opened abruptly so that now she could stand to herfull height again. There was an opening in the stone,and a faint light from above. Marta glanced up andsaw stars.

That explains the breeze.The tunnel was open to the sky where the shaft

ended. The starlight was faint but it was enough to sethe pale, ghostly outline surrounding the hole in thewall. It wasn�t a new tunnel�it was the basilisk�s skull,embedded in solid rock. Marta traced an outline of ahorned beak and crest of bone. The opening was itsleft eye-socket.

�Now what?� she asked. �Do I meditate on a skulllocked in stone?�

There was no answer but the soft moan of the wind.Marta shuddered, hugging herself against the chill.She certainly couldn�t sleep here�she�d freeze. Shereached out to the eye again, feeling the bone of theupper rim, hard and rough now as the stone it hadbecome. Lower down, the rough texture smoothedout, became almost glassy. She smiled.

�Marta, you are a silly bit of fluff, aren�t you?� shesaid ruefully.

Marta crawled inside the basilisk�s eye. There wasplenty of room, and once inside she found herselfpassing through a smaller hole where the inner bonehad fractured. Now Marta was in true darkness, feelingher way through a space larger than she expected butstill fairly close. It felt more like being shut in a boxthan being in an open room. Marta felt the walls clos-ing in on her in a way she had not felt any time beforewithin the temple. She mastered an attack of panicthrough sheer will and forced herself to breathe slowlyand deeply until the feeling abated. She stretched out

DECEMBER 1995

her hands again, taking the true measure of the insideof the basilisk�s skull.

The interior measured about seven feet long,almost as much wide, and about four feet high. Therewas no draft in it; the air was mostly still, and slightlywarmer than in the fissure outside. The surface whereshe rested was slightly curved, like the bottom of abowl. It was almost comfortable.

Marta nestled down into the curve of the skull likesomeone settling into a hammock. She didn�t get tosleep quickly�her mind was too noisy a place to allowthat�but she managed it at last.

�Hurry up! She�s waiting!�Bone Tapper pecked Marta back to awareness. She

was not in the basilisk�s skull now. She sat with herback to one of the stalagmites in the Hall ofCompanions, with Bone Tapper perched on her shoul-der and pecking her none-too-gently on the head. Itdidn�t seem such a strange thing for him to be doing.What was strange was why she was there in the firstplace.

�How did I get here?��I assume your mother had carnal relations. It�s the

usual way. No time for this nonsense.� Bone Tapperleft her shoulder as she struggled to her feet. �She�swaiting for you,� he repeated.

�Who is? Lornis?�But Bone Tapper was already gone. Marta heard his

croaking call echo from the tunnel leading back to themain hall of the temple. �Hurry!�

Marta didn�t understand what all the rush wasabout. If she�d returned from the Basilisk�s skull, shehad done it without any oracle or dream that shecould recall, never mind that she couldn�t rememberreturning to the hall, either. She had failed�that waswhat mattered. Marta followed Bone Tapper up thetunnel.

This time the tunnel opened on Lornis� privatequarters.

This isn‘t right. . .Marta knew the tunnel from the Hall of

Companions didn�t lead to Lornis� chambers, but thistime it did. Marta was certain it was the same room,but now it was very different, quite changed. Thechairs Marta remembered were not present; the crys-tals on the mantle had been replaced by dried herbs inbundles; and even the bed covering and fireplace toolswere different.

Bone Tapper perched on a peg by the doorway.�Will you hurry? You have no time to waste!� Then hewas gone again, flying out the door and toward themain audience chamber. Marta started to followbecause she didn�t know what else to do, but she wascertainly in no hurry to admit defeat. She paused toglance into a mirror hanging on the near wall, one ofthe few furnishings that hadn�t changed.

I must look a fright.Marta stopped. She didn�t look a fright; she looked

like someone else. A woman maybe a year or two olderthan she, no more than that. A woman with long dark

hair and rich clothes, and a face of casual authority.There was something familiar about the face, butMarta couldn�t place it. She examined the clothes inthe mirror, then looked down and saw the same finerobes in place of her own blouse and breeches, andsoft cloth shoes instead of her own sturdy leatherboots.

�Who are you?� she asked aloud; then she felttalons on her shoulders, impossibly strong. BoneTapper perched on her shoulder, grinning. Martaknew that a raven couldn�t grin, but Bone Tapper wasdoing it anyway.

�You will come to the audience hall. Now.�Marta was too stunned and confused to protest, or

do much of anything except move as the raven direct-ed her. She went out the door and followed the tunnelto the audience hall. Lornis was already there. Except,of course, it was not Lornis.

The woman was very old. The ceremonial robes of apriestess of Astonei hung off her body like clothes onstorage pegs. Bone Tapper didn�t release hisgrip until Marta marched herself before thebowed to the seated priestess.

�Have youwoman asked

found what you were searching for?� the

painfuldais and

�No, priestess, I have not.� It was true enough, butwhy did the words feel so empty, as if she were speak-ing lines from some unknown play? And why did hervoice sound so strange? With a little thought, Marta tothe answer to that part, at least.

Because here, now, I am not Marta. But who am I?�Then by your own word and the goddess� price, you

now belong to the Basilisk Oracle. Have you anything tosay?�

�Just that I will serve, as my word has bound me.May it please Astonei.�

"So. . . �Marta shivered, and the words seemed to fall away

from her like echoes across an impossible gulf.�...be...�Not impossible. She was there. Had been there...

. . .it.�Marta shivered again, and the stone against her

back felt as if it were set with a thousand needles. In amoment, she was fully awake and back in the darknessof the basilisk�s skull. The dream was over.

Marta did not go back to Lornis� quarters this time,but she did find a mirror along one of the tunnelsnear the baths. She looked into it for a good, longtime, but all she saw was herself.

�Vanity doesn�t suit you. Where have you been?�Bone Tapper lit on her shoulder. Marta winced instinc-tively, but the raven�s grip was no worse than usual.

�I could ask the same of you. You weren�t in theHall of Companions when I returned.�

�A hole in the ground is no place for a raven. I wentout to get some air. Come along, Lornis is waiting foryou in the audience chamber.�

�Aren�t you going to tell me to hurry?� Marta asked,but the raven just blinked at her, uncomprehending.

Marta sighed. �Let�s not keep her waiting.��What did you find?� Bone Tapper asked, trying to

sound unconcerned and not quite managing.�I�m not sure yet. But I can�t wait to find out.�Bone Tapper had no reply. He rode her shoulder

into the audience chamber, as vast and grand as Martaremembered it, only now it was Lornis who was sittingin the high priestess� chair on the dais. Marta stoppedsuddenly as the shock of recognition hit her.

It had been Lornis in the mirror. Much younger,but it was her. Of course! I should have known.

�Have you found what you sought?� Lornis asked.Her voice seemed to fill the chamber.

Marta looked at her for several long moments. �Youcame to the temple for an oracle dream many yearsago,� she said. �You took the place of the high priestess.�

�Yes,� Lornis said, frowning. �You haven�t answeredmy question.�

�You�re not an adept,� Marta said, as if she hadn�theard. �You recognized Bone Tapper by simple intu-ition. The signs are there for anyone with wit to readthem. I�m so used to Bone Tapper as what he is that Ino longer see them.�

Lornis� smile was all teeth. �I never said I was anadept, child. You did.�

Marta nodded. �I did. I went beyond the respectthat is your due. I gave you power you did not have.�

�The Second Law, child: �What cannot be taken,cannot be given.��

Marta shook her head slowly. �A misinterpretationof the Second Law, which really has more to do withthe limits of pure force. Force had nothing to do withthis.�

Lornis� face was as a dark cloud considering astorm. �Did you find what you sought?�

�Yes,� Marta said. �I did.�Lornis looked skeptical. �Then, what is the Third

Law of Power?��I can�t tell you.�

"You mean you don�t know.��I mean,� Marta replied firmly, that you don�t. I

can�t tell you because it would mean nothing to you. Ican�t tell you because many years ago, you came heresearching for the Third Law as I did and you didn�tfind it.�

Lornis was silent for several long moments. �You�rewrong.�

There was a seed of doubt in Marta�s mind, but itdidn�t grow. �I don�t think so,� she said.

Lornis looked weary beyond her years, but she man-aged a smile. �Well, about part of it anyway. I did findthe Third Law. And when I came to stand beforeDelaset, my old mistress, as you stand before me now, Itold her I had not.�

Marta blinked. She struck down the denial formingon her lips; she had only to look at the old woman toknow she spoke the truth. �But... why?�

�The Arrow Path may be all to you, child, but forme it was a mistake. I was weary of the traveling, of thesearching, long before I came to the Basilisk Temple.And here I found a very weary, very ancient priestess

DRAGON 91

with a settled life and a high office, and both lookedvery good to me. All I had to do to make it mine wasone little lie. So that�s my soul-debt to Astonei. It�ll bepaid soon enough. I have a better offer for you, Marta.Stay with me. You won�t even need to lie. It could beyour choice.�

Marta shook her head. �You are a fine servant ofAstonei. I think your choice to stay served a greatertruth than the lie you hid to preserve that choice. Butif I tried to stay, that would be the lie, and would notserve Astonei at all. Or you. Or me.�

�If I had been as wise at your age,� Lornis said, �Iwould have come to the Temple straight-away andsaved poor Delaset a great deal of aggravation. I�msure she knew it all along.�

Marta bowed. �Shall I tell you the Third Law?�Lornis shook her head. �No need. Go in peace.�

�That was quick thinking,� Bone Tapper said, and itwas the first thing he�d said since they had taken theirleave of the temple.

�What was?� Marta asked, brushing the mare inpreparation to hitching it up again.

�That story about finding the Third Law, of course.You were convincing, I must say. So was she. I�d swearLornis actually had found her Law and just chose tostay, as she said.�

�She did. And she did.�Bone Tapper blinked owlishly. �She could have

been pretending, just as you could have... and Ithought you were. How could you know otherwise?�

�If I had actually failed, I would have stayed. I wouldhave had to. Lornis knew that.�

�I repeat: How?��If I still believed that Lornis was an adept at the

end of the oracle, it would mean that I had not foundthe Third Law. And if I believed that about her, sub-terfuge would have been out of the question. I wouldhave obeyed, and it would be no more that my ownperception of Lornis� power that kept me in line. Theoath I took in the Hall of Companions was not to

Astonei.��What about your honesty?�Marta almost laughed. �Now you talk out of the

other side of your beak, Bone Tapper. First youassumed we were both lying.�

Bone Tapper ruffled his feathers. �Fine. I give youthat one. But what did finding or not finding theThird Law have to do with knowing that Lornis wasn�tan adept?�

�My oracle let me live a piece of Lornis� life,enough to suspect. I had assumed that Lornis was anadept because I didn�t consider the other option.Which is, that she merely appeared to be. That herexperience and natural intuition allowed her to seemmore than she was. But if you always accept what yousee. at face value, how can you distinguish between itand the truth?�

Bone Tapper thought. �I don�t think you can.��And at that point it no longer matters. �The

appearance of power, once accepted, is power itself.���The Third Law,� Bone Tapper said, musingly.�Assume what you will,� Marta said sweetly. �I�ll say

no more on the matter.�Bone Tapper took his place on Marta�s shoulder

and she steered the wagon back the way they hadcome. �And how has this knowledge increased yourabilities?�

�It allowed me to escape from the temple, didn�t it?��There was nothing holding you there.��I believe that was the point,� Marta replied dryly,

then she smiled. �After our time in the earth, I fancy abit of sun. Have you ever been to Lyrksa on the coast?�

The raven shrugged. �No, but then, most destina-tions are the same to me.�

�Not to me. I hope my destinations will always bedifferent than one another. It�s the path I won�tchange.�

Marta knew the hunt for the Fourth Law hadalready begun, but for now she was in no hurry. She letthe cart horse set its own pace toward magic.

by Skip Williams

This month the sage pays a brief visit toKrynn, explores optional material for theAD&D® game, and stops to offer advice toa player who�s encountered the worstmonsters of all.

You can now submit questions to theSage through e-mail. Send your questionsto: tsrsage@aol.com; we regret that per-sonal replies to questions are not possible.

Are bards on Krynn (the DRAGONLANCE®

world) required to take the test of highsorcery? If a the test is required and abard decides not to take it, how longwill it be before the character is con-sidered a renegade? Do bards have tochoose an order of high sorcery?Krynn has no native bards at all, so thequestion of a test is moot. Bards fromother worlds need not take a test, butonce the native wizards discover that avisiting bard can cast wizard spells theywill offer the bard membership in one ofthe orders. If the bard refuses, hebecomes a renegade immediately. A bardwho joins an order recives no bonuses orpenalties from Krynn�s moons, but mustabide by his order�s spell limitations.

The shield proficiency table on page72 of the PLAYER'S O PTION™: Combat &Tactics book shows the bonuses for anormal shield user and a proficientuser. However, page 115 of the PLAYER�SOPTION: Skills & Powers book says theproficiency bonus is added to the nor-mal bonus. Which is correct? Forexample, if a character with shieldproficiency is wearing chain mail andcarrying a small shield, is his ArmorClass 1 or 2?No matter which set of rules you use, youapply the proficiency bonus to the charac-ter�s normal (unshielded) Armor Class.The character in your example wouldhave an Armor Class of 3 (AC 5 chain mailand an additional +2 for proficient use ofa small shield). Note that a bonus from asmall shield can be used against only twoopponents at a time. If the character facesthree opponents, one of them gets toattack AC 5. Of course, opponents attack-ing from the character�s rear orunshielded flank always ignore the shield.

100 DECEMBER 1995

Exactly when are the sprinting checksdescribed on page 13 of the Skills &Powers book required?Whenever a character tries to sprint, ofcourse. The reference on page 13 refers tothe Jogging and Running optional rule inChapter 14 of the Player�s Handbook. If acharacter has a Stamina score, you checkthat rather than making Strength checkswhen a character tries to move faster thannormal.

Although both the Combat & Tacticsand Skills & Powers books have rulesfor weapon mastery, C&T has twoextra levels, high mastery and grandmastery. What are the character pointcosts for these two levels of mastery.What are the costs for martial arts highmastery and grand mastery?A level of weapon mastery costs the samenumber of character points. For example,each level of mastery costs a single-classed fighter 2 character points. That is,once a fighter is a specialist, it costs 2character points to become a master, 2more to become a high master, andanother 2 to become a grand master. Notethat mastery isn�t something that just hap-pens, the character has to make a specialeffort in addition to spending the points.Unarmed and martial arts mastery worksthe same way. If you�re using the optionalrule from the Skills & Powers book thatallows multi-classed fighters, paladins,and rangers to become weapon special-ists, these characters have to spend 8character points on each level of mastery.

Page 21 of the Skills & Powers bookallows wizards to purchase a combatbonus for 10 character points; how-ever, a mage only gets to use a rogue�sTHAC0. On the very next page, special-ist wizards can gain a priest�s THAC0for the same measly 10 points. Is thisis mistake?Yes it is a mistake. Any wizard who pur-chases a combat bonus gains a priest�sTHAC0.

Just how does a polymorph other spelltake effect? Does the change in formtake place in a puff of smoke? Or doesthe subject change more gradually,sprouting wings or scales or what-ever? If the latter case is true, will adispel magic cast before the change is

complete strand the subject in someintermediate form?The answer to this one is entirely up tothe DM. There could be a puff of smoke, atwinkle, or the subject could simply begingrowing new body parts, as you suggest.In any case, the change is complete by theend of the round in which the spell is cast.Once the spell takes effect, the subjectcannot do anything that isn�t possible inthe assumed form. That is, a griffon thatfails its saving throw and is turned into agoldfish loses its ability to fly the instantthe spell strikes. A successful dispel magicthat takes effect before the change is fin-ished instantly returns the subject back toits original form.

Isn�t the long spear a little too potent?The Complete Fighter�s Handbook, TheArms and Equipment Guide, andCombat & Tactics all make this weaponbetter against man-sized opponents(2d6 points of damage) than the two-handed sword or any pole arm.I�m inclined to agree that the long spear isa little over rated. I suggest you treat thisweapon as just a longer version of thetwo-handed spear: damage 1d6 + 1/2d6,type p, speed 8 (slow). That�s still a littlebetter than an awl pike, but in the Combat& Tactics system the awl pike has a reachof 3 and the long spear has a reach of only2. Pole arms don�t inflict much moredamage than the revised long spear, but ifyou�re using the Combat & Tactics rulesmost polearms either have better speedfactors or better knockdown dice.

What happens when a wand or staffbreaks? In our group, we had alwaysassume that these items went boom.Not long ago, one of our characterssnapped a wand of lightning an NPCwas holding. As the rest of the partycowered, the DM frantically turnedpages in the rulebook, looking for thesection on exploding wands. Wecouldn�t find any such rule.When a wand, staff, or rod breaks, youhave a broken and useless magical item;that�s all. Your group probably was think-ing of the retributive strike power of thestaff of the magi, and staff of power. A wiz-ard using either of these two staffs canproduce a blast of energy by breaking thestaff. This is a special power that must bedeliberately invoked. If the staff is brokennormally there is no special effect.

If a character is fighting a monster thathas poison, paralyzation, or a similarspecial attack, does the character haveto attempt a saving throw each timethe monster hits, or just the first time?If a monster has a special attack thatworks automatically when the monsterscores a hit in combat, the opponent mustroll a saving throw each time he is hit. Forexample, a character fighting a ghast mustroll a saving throw vs. paralyzation eachtime the ghast hits. Every time the ghast

gets its teeth or claws into the character,there is a chance the graveyard filth onthem will get into the wound and affect thecharacter. Note that the character only hasto save once against the ghast�s stench.

In the new psionics system presentedin the Skills & Powers book, what hap-pens if a character involved in psioniccombat chooses not to defend? Forinstance, suppose the attacker usesmind thrust. The defender might inad-vertently give the attacker a +5 attackbonus if he chooses the wrongdefense. If, however, the defender optsfor no defense at all he forces theattacker to roll against the defender�sbase Mental Armor Class, right? Whathappens if the attacker rolls and suc-ceeds? Is the defender�s mind auto-matically forced open? Or would hejust lose PSPs as in normal psioniccombat?Technically, a psionicist or wild talentdoesn�t have the option to present nodefense if he has PSPs remaining. Thecharacter must choose a defense from thelist of from the list of defenses he knowsand he must spend the PSPs required tomount that defense. If the character�s PSPtotal is so low that there aren�t enoughPSPs available to power the defensedesired, I recommend allowing the char-acter to choose a defense normally; justgive the attacker a +2 attack bonus toreflect the feeble defense.

If a psionicist really doesn�t want tomount a defense, you might decide to lethim so chose. In that case, give the attack-er a +2 attack bonus. If the attack is suc-cessful, the defender�s mind is forcedopen and remains open for 1d4 + 1rounds.

What, exactly, happens when a charac-ter with a high Intelligence scoreencounters an illusion? The section onIntelligence in the Player�s Handbooksays the character notices some incon-sistency in the illusion that automati-cally allows the character to make hissaving throw. Does this mean the char-acter always makes his saving throwwhen there is one? Or does it meanthat the character automatically disbe-lieves the illusion?If you follow the rules to the letter, crea-

tures with Intelligence scores of 19 orhigher automatically make successful sav-ing throws against low-level illusions, asshown on Table 4 in the PHB. If the illu-sion in question does not allow a savingthrow, then the character is still affected.For example, a character with anIntelligence score of 20 is automaticallyunaffected by any illusion/phantasm spellsof 1st or 2nd level, provided they allowsaving throws. The character could ignorean improved phantasmal force spell,which allows a saving throw, but is affect-ed normally by a mirror image spell,which does not allow a saving throw.

When in doubt, check the spell descrip-tion. If the saving throw entry at thebeginning of the spell says �None� thespell has no saving throw. Note that forclassic illusions such as phantasmal force,improved phantasmal force, spectral force,and the like, a saving throw and disbeliefare one in the same. That�s why thesespells have saving throws listed as�Special.� Normally, characters have to dosomething (state disbelief) before they rollsaving throws against these spells.Creatures with very high Intelligencescores get to disbelieve land save) auto-matically.

All of the foregoing aside, the originalAD&D game gave creatures with very highIntelligence scores complete immunity toall illusion/phantasm spells of a certainlevel or below. (as shown in the currentPHB). Using this approach is completelywithin the spirit of the rules, it won�t affectgame balance in your game very much,and it keeps arguments to a minimum.

A rakshasa is immune to spells lowerthan 8th level. Does this apply to priestspells? Is a rakshasa also immune tospell-like effects from wands, staves,and rods? What about other magicali t ems?Yes, rakshasas are immune to priest spellsof level 7 or less, which is all priest spellsexcept quest spells (from the Tome ofMagic) and true dweomers (from PLAYER’ S

OPTION: High-Level Campaigns). Generally,

DRAGON 101

any immunity or limitation based on aspell�s level applies equally to priest andwizard spells.

Level-based spell immunity protectsagainst spell-like effects from magicalitems if the spells they mimic are of levelslow enough to be defeated themselves. Arakshasa, for example, is unaffected byfireballs or lightning bolts from anysource, be they spells, wands, staffs, orother magical items. A character with anIntelligence score of 20 is immune audibleglamer and phantasmal force effects froma wand of illusion.

If a character who is unconscious�not dead�receives a resurrection orraise dead spell, does the characterstill have to attempt a resurrectionsurvival roll to stay alive?Neither of these spells have any effect onliving creatures (though their reversedforms do). No living creature, uncon-scious or otherwise, has to make a resur-rection survival check when subjected toone of these spells.

A character using the psionic devotiontime shift cannot affect anything whileshifted. But what happens if the char-acter positions himself for an instantkill? Say the character throws an armaround an enemy�s neck and puts thepoint of a knife at the base of theenemy�s skull and applies a little pres-

sure so that the minute time catchesup to the time-shifted character thepoint goes right in? The powerdescription says the user gets a +4attack bonus, but I�m having a hardtime coming up with a logical reasonwhy that kind of maneuver won�twork.The absolute best offensive advantage timeshift can provide is a +4 attack bonus;instant kills are beyond the power�s capa-bilities. The reason the time shifter can�tachieve an instant kill is that the powershunts the character into an alternatereality all his own. The character can viewfuture events in the main time line, butwhat he sees isn�t exactly what happens.He can grab an opponent by the neck andstick a knife in a vital spot, but when hereturns to the main time line neither henor his opponent are exactly where thetime shifter saw them while in the alter-nate reality.

A little less than a year ago, myboyfriend introduced me to the AD&Dgame, and I enjoy it very much. I�malso pretty good at it, and the localplayers quickly dropped their reserva-tions about having a newbie in thegroup and invited me into the cam-paign. I have several characters whohave become important in the cam-paign, and I�ve kept a detailed journalof all my character�s adventures. Not

long ago, my boyfriend and I had a pri-vate (not game related) disagreement,and the gaming group decided to takehis side. Now, I�m barred from thecampaign, and the DM says I can�t playmy characters anywhere else. (One ofmy characters started out as an NPCthat the DM gave me to play.) Someonein the group even walked into myhouse while I was away and took mycharacters and my dice. It was proba-bly the DM; he often uses the game toget his own way. If a player doesn�t dowhat he wants, the player�s charactergets killed in the next game. I�m reallymad because the DM won�t give mycharacters back. My boyfriend and Iaren�t playing anymore, but I still wantmy characters back. Can a DM tell aplayer not to use a character any-more? As a capable female player Iused to be pretty hot commodity, butnow I�m barred from the game. Whatshould I do? The only thing I can thinkof now is to sock the DM in the gutuntil he gives me my stuff (and believeme, I have some friends who would bedelighted to do just that). I just want toplay AD&D.The first thing you should do is step backand take a few deep breaths. If you�reinvolved in a campaign where peoplecarry grudges from real life into the game,and also take them back to real life again,it�s high time you found a new campaign.

102 DECEMBER 1995

If you can walk away from it after losingonly a few characters and a bag of dice,you should feel lucky. Take a little timeaway from the game; judging from the fulltext of your letter (six pages), I�d say yourgaming has put you under entirely toomuch emotional stress. Gaming is sup-posed to be fun.

To answer your rules question, no,there�s nothing in the books that says DMscan tell their players what characters touse in other campaigns. If you�ve got acharacter you like�even a dead charac-ter�from an old campaign and you thinkit would be fun to play it somewhere else,go right ahead. You should explain to thenew DM, however, that you�ve played thecharacter before. Some DMs don�t like toaccept recycled characters.

As far as your future involvement in thecampaign and any further attempts to getyour property (dice and characters) back,here are my suggestions:

First, find another campaign to play in.There are literally millions of AD&D play-ers out there, so your entire AD&D gameexperience does not depend on this onegroup. Better yet, start a campaign of yourown. Stop being flattered that a group ofveterans took you in and start showing agroup of newbies how to play the gameright�you�ve certainly got plenty of expe-rience with a game that is played wrong.Your journal should give you plenty ofideas for a campaign of your own.

Second, give up on the NPC you adopted.It�s churlish of the DM who gave you thecharacter to ask you not to play it any-more, but the character is not worth thestruggle, no matter how much you love it.If you�re as good at the game as you sayyou are, you�ll have no trouble creatinganother great character on your own.Besides, if the DM is on a power trip you�lldeny him the satisfaction he gets fromwithholding the character from you. Ifyou�re really fond of the character, createa new character based on the one youlost. Perhaps the new character is theoriginal character�s twin, who has goneout adventuring to find out why the origi-nal character mysteriously disappeared.

Third, either take legal action to get yourstolen property back or let it go. Do notunder any circumstance �sock� the DM inthe gut or send your friends to snatchyour property back. If your former gam-ing comrades took your property withoutyour permission they�re guilty of theft,pure and simple. That is a matter for thepolice, not for you or for your friends. Onthe other hand, you can always createnew characters and buy new dice. Doingso probably will take less time, effort andanguish than wresting with the legal sys-tem, especially since your case probablyisn�t going to enjoy a very high prioritywith the local police and district attorney.It�s up to you.

DRAGON 103

A VisitWith PowerfulProtectors of Lawand Good

e were known as theCompany of SingingSoldiers. We had traveled a

great distance to reach the foothills of theRoaring Mountains, wherein lay the tem-ple of my forefathers, an ancient strong-hold against evil but one long forgotten tosong and tale. At first, our journey wenteasily, but as we climbed higher into themountains, the way became more diffi-cult, With each step our muscles achedand our backs strained under our load.

On the 15th day of our journey, we spot-ted orc tracks, As fate would have it, theweather grew foul we were pelted by windand rain.

On the 21st night, before dawn, we wereattacked. After a fierce battle, those thatremained of us made for the heights. Halfway up, our path was suddenly blocked byboulders and felled trees. An ambush. Theorcs flew over them with mad glee, out-numbering us ten to one. We ran, fightingas we fled, but were lost; our strength waswaning, and the last of our arrows wasspent. No amount of valor could hold offso numerous an enemy for long. One byone we fell; there were just the three of usnow, the other four unmoving at our feet.I, too, finally began to give in to the pain,to the exhaustion.

As I fell, a crack of light slammed into theorcs. They cried in sudden shock andpanic. Another bolt of light flashed beforeme; the scent of sulfur and burnt fleshfilled my nostrils. Again and again light-ning exploded in the orcish ranks, andthey fell back. In the sky appeared wingedlion-beasts who dove at the orcs withflames and lightning leaping from theirmassive paws.1 My head throbbed horribly,and as my thoughts faded into darkness, inmy delerium, I could have sworn that Iwas flying over the battlefield, watchingorcs squirm in the grasps of trees.2

w e awoke to find ourselves lying on pilesof fresh rushes in a bare room with nowindows and only one heavy woodendoor, We were in the temple. My limbsached and my mouth felt parched, but Iwas otherwise in good health; though westill wore our tattered and stained garb,our wounds were healed, and our handsand faces were clean of blood.

�What were those beasts?� I asked. �Whatdo they want from us?�

�They�re manticores,� said Lorien.�They�ve brought us here to eat us at theirleisure.�

by Belinda G. Ashley

Artwork by Tom Baxa

�I don�t think so,� Sharyllon said. �I�venever seen a manticore cast a light-ning bolt.�

�Manticores wouldn�t bother healing usjust to turn around and eat us,� Bromaradded. �Maybe we can reason with them.�

As we slowly, painfully, rose to our feet,the bolt on the door pull back. The door-way was at once filled with the body of oneof the winged lion-beasts. Though its maneand eyes were that of a lion, the face washuman and wore an amused expression.

�Well, warriors,� it said, humor in thebariton voice, �I�m glad to see that you�reawake. My name is Raliendar of theKrondak Pride and I am to be youradvisor.�3

I introduced our company and�withmore than a bit of apprehension�askedwhat he planned to do with us.

He gave a deep chuckle. �What do youthink? Eat you?� Then he laughed a greatlaugh that made our chests rumble withthe sound. �Are the songs so old and for-gotten that none know of the Rewarrien,Harwei nak Grwellin? In your languagewe are called lammasu.� When we didn�tanswer, he shook his shaggy head andsighed. �You have much to learn. Well, Iwould imagine you are all hungry. Dinneris waiting, if you�ll follow me please.�

We followed Raliendar through ancientmarble halls, occasionally catchingglimpses inside the rooms. In several, thelion-beasts�lammasu, did he say?�laysprawled across the stone floor, leisurelycleaning their tawny coats and featheredwings. In others, adults supervised playfulcubs as they swatted each other with their

paws. Many of the rooms, however, wereempty. Raliendar told us that most of thepride had gone to the war council.

�The Defenders and Enlightened aremaking battle plans to rout the enemy.�Raliendar explained.4 �We were aware ofthe orc�s army but were waiting for thegathering of Whitemoon to hear from theelders and the Pride Lords.� All the prideshave now gathered here in preparationof war.�

I asked him how many prides therewere.

�There are six within the area you callthe Wilderlands. Each one is responsiblefor keeping a lookout for such evils as this.Come, let me show you something.� Hestopped in front of two ornately carveddoors and opened them for us to see with-in. On the floor of the room, drawn inchalk, was a detailed map of the area. Adozen or more stern faced lammasu benttheir heads over the map, speaking intense tones.

�They look different from you somehow,�I whispered.

�These arc the Pride Lords; they are thegreater lammasu.� See the tall one to thefar right? That is Krondak, our Lord,� saidRaliendar proudly.

Raliendar told us that each pride�sDefenders, Enlightened, and Pride Lordswere here discussing tactics for theupcoming battle. �The Enlightened areinformers and surveyors. They give theDefenders the needed information to laybattle plans. The Defenders are our pro-tectors; they use strategy and spells todrive back and defeat our enemies.�

DRAGON 115

He turned and motioned us to follow.We passed from the war room into abrightly lit hall. In the center of the roomstood a large table with heavy oak chairs.Arranged on the table was an assortmentof fresh vegetables and melons. �Ah! Yourmeals are ready,� said Raliendar. �I amsorry that we do not have utensils for you;we have little need of such items.�

Bromar looked at the food hesitantly,�Will you be serving any meat by chance?�

Raliendar frowned, �We do not eat theflesh of animals with whom we share ourhomes. We are not the only ones to liveunder the sanctuary of the Temple. Thereare many here who help us in our causeand deserve protection.�

�Of whom else do you speak?� I asked.�I�ve seen no one here but you lammasu.�

�Well, there are the forest creatures thathelp us keep an eye on things. And then,of course, there are the brownies.�7

�Brownies!� we said in unison.Dalisyn looked shocked. �Brownies up

here? In this rocky area?�Raliendar chuckled softly. �Of course!

They help us tend the gardens. Beyondthe ridge is a green valley in which wegrow our food. It is not cultivated like thegardens of man, and to the uneducatedeye it looks like an overgrown meadow.But with the brownies� help we�ve morethan enough food to keep everyone happy.Enough questions. Eat! I must see how thecouncil fares. Wander around as youplease; I shall join you later.�

After eating, we strolled around thebuildings and headed for the temple. Wehad not actually seen it as yet; we had onlywandered through the outlying halls andliving quarters. Climbing the well-wornsteps, we came to a level courtyard, andthere, across the uneven stones, it stood.

I trembled with excitement. The buildingglowed with the setting rays of sunlightand from within floated the beautifulsound of voices. We entered solemnly.Before us stood dozens of lammasusinging before a golden altar. Amber lightpoured through stained glass windows,bathing their tawny bodies in a holy radi-ance. Though their words were unknownto me, the purity of the song overwhelmedmy heart with peace.

Raliendar later joined us and asked if wewould come with him. We passed fromthe temple through a tiled foyer andentered a small chapel called the Tomb ofSouls. �Beneath these marble stones,� hesaid, �Lie your forefathers. We have keptthese tombs sacred for many an ageagainst the dark rulers who would defilethis holy place.�

He spent most of the night telling usabout his kind. We discovered he was aHealer and one of those who had rescuedus from the orcs. Healers, he told us,weren�t just for healing wounds of thebody but for healing the soul as well. Theydedicate their lives to teach the pride thesacred songs of the First Elders. �Song

116 DECEMBER 1995

worship is how we keep our history andfaith in our gods.�8

�First Elders?��The Illuminated Ones. The first pair to

have walked upon the world and breathedlife into our kind. Rhamaldrig the Father,Lord Protector, and Chareah the Mother,Queen of Knowledge.�9

After our wounds healed, our companylent a hand in the great battle against theorcs for which our hosts had been plan-ning. We were amazed at the organizationof the lammasu. Every member, exceptthe cubs and den mothers, helped in theconflict against the orcs.10 An entire pridewould make themselves invisible, split intothree units, and set up an attack. Wejoined them on the second day of battle aspart of the second line of attackers.

The morning sun had not yet risen, andthe sky was still a misty grey. Rain fell onleaves with a soft pitter-patter, mufflingour footsteps through the woods. Thelammasu had spotted a small group oforcs that had become separated from themain army; this was our target. TheEnlightened positioned themselves on theorc�s left and right flanks as we positionedourselves in the center. Silently we drewour swords and bows and tensedourselves for the moment of battle.

Without warning, the Enlightenedhurled their first attack. Bushes and smallpines grasped the enemy in leafy boughs.Orcs yelped in surprise, struggling withtheir woody opponents. Lightning leaptinto their ranks and sent those not yetentangled running for their lives.

The Lords and Defenders descendedfrom the air, sending bursts of flamesamong the orcs. We rushed forward,keeping clear of the entangling plants, andset upon the retreating enemy. TheHealers, who were hidden at the rear ofthe orc army, cast a wall of spiked plantsto prevent escape. No orc escaped theirwrath. After a week, the orc army dis-persed and scattered across the greatWilderlands.

Months went by; heavy rains held uswithin the mountain�s grasp. Yet theTemple was dry and comfortable, and sowe spent a peaceful season within itshalls. But alas, with the coming of sum-mer our spirits once more yearned foradventure, and we readied ourselves forthe long march ahead. We gave heartfeltfarewells to our new friends and setourselves on the path homeward.

Several years have passed, and I can stillrecall the beauty and splendor of the lam-masu and their great love of song. Most ofall I remember their cunning and courageagainst their enemies. And now, on everyFallfest, I raise a toast: To the lammasu,for bravery, wisdom, and justice, I saluteyou. May the gods� breath be alwaysunder your wings.

1. Common spells that the lammasu use incombat are, lightning bolt, produce flame,

entangle, plant growth, and spike growth.2. Lammasu will seldom allow any to rideupon their backs except in dire need, andthe being carried must be small-sized orsmaller. They can, however, carry largeitems grasped in their great forelimbs forshort distances. Their maneuverabilityclass in this case would be two levelslower than normal.3. A pride consists of 10�35 members andtakes the name of its lord. All members ofthe pride are responsible for foraging forfood, raising the young, and keeping theirdens clean and orderly.4. The lammasu have a strict hierarchy.Each member of a pride belongs to one ofthree groups: Defenders, Enlightened, orHealers. Each of the three groups is com-manded by an elder. Though all lammasucan cast spells, each group memorizesspells that benefit his group. For example,the Enlightened would take detect spells,endure cold/heat, pass without trace, knowalignment, and messenger as typical spellsto have for surveillance.5. The Pride Lord is not of any one groupbut is representative of all groups. Theelder of each group chooses the PrideLord; these four, elders and lord, willalways be greater lammasu unless thereare none available for these positions. ThePride Lord is always a male.6. Greater lammasu have black tippedmanes, tails, and wing feathers.7. Lammasu get along well with most syl-van creatures, but they are especially fond(and protective) of brownies, who are alsolawful good. Brownies will always showup when lammasu are near, no matter thearea, and will offer their help in tendingthe gardens and doing any occasionalwriting needing to be done (as lammasucan not hold pens with their massivepaws).8. The lammasu keep no written recordsof their histories; however, they haveexcellent memories and use song and sto-ries to pass on the knowledge of one gen-eration to another.9. Rhamaldrig and Chareah are celestiallammasu. (See MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM®

tome 8.)10. �Den mother� is a term used to denotethose responsible for the young and doesnot refer to gender.

Other NotesThe lammasu do not have infravision but

have eyesight as keen as a cat and can seewell even on a moonless night. They alsohave sensitive hearing.

Lammasu mate for life and live to beapproximately 150 years old. Greater lam-masu can live to be as old as 200. Duringtheir life they will only have two or threebreeding periods, giving birth to one totwo cubs per period.

Of the three groups, the Enlightened arethe most likely to run into PCs, as they areoften out scouting their terrain fortrouble.

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DRAGON 119