Dragon Magazine #117 - Annarchive

Magazine

Issue #117Vol. XI, No. 8January 1987

PublisherMike Cook

EditorRoger E. Moore

Assistant editorRobin Jenkins

Fiction editorPatrick Lucien

Price

Editorial assistantsMarilyn Favaro Georgia Moore

Eileen Lucas Debbie Poutsch

Art directorRoger Raupp

Production staffLinda Bakk Gloria Habriga

Betty Elmore Kim LindauCarolyn Vanderbilt

Advertising SubscriptionsMary Parkinson Pat Schulz

Ed GreenwoodCreative editors

Jeff Grubb

Contributing artistsJim Holloway DieselLarry Elmore Brian Maynard

Robert Maurus Joseph PillsburyRoger Raupp Mark Saunders

Bruce Simpson Richard TomasicDavid Trampier Marvel Bullpen

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REGULAR FEATURESThe Elements of Mystery � Robert PlamondonPlayers don�t need to know everything!

What are the Odds? � Arthur J. Hedge IIIWhat are your chances of rolling an 18? They�re all here.Feuds and Feudalism � John-David DormanOne answer to four old gaming problems

Condensed Combat � Travis CorcoranStreamlining the �to-hit� tables in the AD&D® gameDungeoneer�s Shopping Guide � Robert A. NelsonMore supplies (and costs and weights) for adventurers

Adventure Trivia! � Tom ArmstrongTorment your AD&D® game players with these tidbits

A Touch of Genius � Vince GarciaPutting intelligence to work for player characters

Sage Advice � Penny Petticord

The Ecology of the Anhkheg � Mark FeilAn interesting species for your bug collectionHounds of Space and Darkness � Stephen InnissA githyanki�s, githzerai�s, and drow�s best friends

Fun Without Fighting � Scott BennieCreative adventures in which you never draw your sword

The Forgotten Characters � Thomas M. KaneHenchmen, hirelings, and followers in the AD&D® game

By Magic Masked � Ed GreenwoodNine magical masks from the Forgotten Realms

Bazaar of the Bizarre � The Readers

More Power to You � Leonard CarpenterMore skills, more powers, more CHAMPIONS� gaming powerTanks for the Memories � Dirck de LintFlattening your CAR WARS® game opponents the easy way

Roughing It � Thomas M. KaneTaking TOP SECRET® agents into the wild country

The Marvel®-Phile � Jeff GrubbA Marauder� a day keeps the Morlocks� away

Even the Bad Get Better � Stewart WieckImproving criminals in VILLAINS & VIGILANTES� gamesGamma III � James M. Ward and Harold JohnsonConverting your GAMMA WORLD® campaigns to the third edition

The Role of Books � John C. BunnellThe Game Wizards � TSR Games Division

DEPARTMENTS3 Letters 86 TSR Previews 97 Snarfquest4 World Gamers Guide 94 Gamers� Guide 100 Dragonmirth6 Forum 96 Convention Calendar 102 Wormy

84 TSR Profiles

COVERIt was difficult to get Jim Holloway to volunteer information on his cover painting � the

fifth one he�s done for us. What can you say about the picture? �Uh . . . um . . . � Werethere any amusing stories behind this picture? (Yes, but we couldn�t print them.) Is thereanything else you�d like to add? �Gimme a lotta money.� There he is, Jim Holloway.

2 JANUARY 1986

LETTERSDeities disappearDear Dragon:

This letter is a public petition of sorts, con-cerning the Cthulhu mythos. The original edi-tion of the DEITIES & DEMIGODS� Cyclopediaincluded this group of deities and associatedcreatures. In the second edition, however, andin Legends & Lore, it was absent. I imagine thatthe rationale behind this change (if not made forfinancial or other mundane reasons) was that nocharacter would choose to worship a 600�-tallheap of slime.

I, however, have found this assumption to bedecidedly untrue � at least in the case of agroup of characters that I both DM and adven-ture with. Some of the most exciting characters(and campaigns) that I have encountered dealwith the eerie spirits and situations invoked bythe use or worship of the beings in this mythos.For instance, one group of witches, controlledby a friend of mine, are the consorts and shape-shifted spawn of Yog-Sothoth, and they areslowly corrupting and taking over an entirenation.

Our actual petition is that you have a featurein an upcoming magazine about the Old Onesand their cohorts. If possible, you might includenew material, such as Brown Jenkin from �TheDreams in the Witch-House.� Ultimately, per-haps, TSR, Inc., might bring the mythos back tomainstream AD&D® gaming, but a feature inyour magazine would make a fine start.

Marc SpraragenSchenectady, NY

Many readers have asked that TSR, Inc., addboth the Cthulhu and Melnibonean mythoi tothe new editions of the Legends & Lore vol-umes, but this is not possible. TSR, Inc., was notlicensed to use this material when the firstedition of DEITIES & DEMIGODS Cyclopediawas printed, so these mythoi have been re-moved from later editions. At the present time,Chaosium, Inc., has the gaming license for thesemythoi, and has produced two excellent gamesfrom them (the CALL OF CTHULHU® game andthe STORMBRINGER game). TSR, Inc., has thegaming license for the Lankhmar stories of FritzLeiber, so the Nehwon mythos has beenretained in Legends & Lore. — RM

DQ in LimboDear Dragon:

I am a very big fan of theDRAGONQUEST® game, as are many of myfriends, and we believe it to be an excellentsystem. I know you may have addressed theof many SPI games and products in earlierissues of DRAGON Magazine, but as I am aninfrequent reader of the publication, I havemissed this information. Specifically, I wouldlike to know the fate of the DRAGONQUESTgame. Will it continue to be published and

fate

distributed, and will any further supplementwork continue to be done for the game?

A final question: To my knowledge, only onearticle on the DRAGONQUEST game appearedin DRAGON® Magazine; was there a reason forthis?

James ComingoreBloomington, IN

It is possible that TSR, Inc., will produce anoccasional DRAGONQUEST game module,printed with dual statistics allowing its use withthe AD&D® game. This project is still in theplanning stages, however. Presently, there areno plans to re-release the DQ game.

An editorial decision was made to discontinueprinting DRAGONQUEST game material in themagazine, since the reader interest level in suchmaterial was quite low. We have printed mate-rial on this game in issues #49, 57, 78, 82, 86,89, 92, 96, and 97. The last DRAGONQUESTgame material left in our files is the College ofLesser Summonings, which dates from the SPIdays of the game. This may appear in a futuremodule as an added bonus. — RM

Multiple targetsDear Dragon:

I am writing about an article that you pub-lished in your magazine entitled, �One roll, togo� (#113). The system has a slight flaw. Forexample, suppose two opposing armies arefacing each other, each with 100 men and thefollowing breakdown:

25 men with plate mail, shields, andlong swords;

25 men with leather armor and longbows;

25 men with ring mail and crossbows;and,

25 men with padded armor and largeshields (serving as shield bearers).

The 50 archers from one side fire into themass of the other. If the one army is mixedtogether, what armor class would I use to lookup the �to hit� number on the table? Don�t getme wrong, though; the article was work ofbrilliance, if you were firing into 100 orcs.

Elliott JacksonSeattle, WA

Take the total number of missile attacks firedby a particular group of archers and divide it upamong the various groups of targets, resolvingeach attack separately. In the above example,the 25 crossbow bolts fired in one round aredivided into the four groups in the enemy army,with the extra bolt going to a random group. Sixbolt attacks are then resolved (using a single rolland the 5-roll binomial table) against eachgroup, save for the one group getting sevenbolts. The archers’ arrows are handled in thesame manner. — RM

(Continued on page 91)

More and MooreOnce in a while, I receive a letter

from a reader who asks that I writemore articles like the ones I used towrite for DRAGON® Magazine. It�salways nice to inflate the old egowith things like that (I have thoseletters bronzed and placed over mycomputer terminal), but thingsaren�t that easy now.

I like to write articles, and I�m gladsome of you like them. However,one cannot edit two magazines andwrite much at the same time. It isalso much more important to getmore of you, the readers, into printthan it is to get more of me, theeditor, into print. It�s been a longtime since I wrote those articles onthe demi-humans and their deities,and it�s probably better to close thebook on that. The more authors wehave writing for DRAGON Magazine,the better the magazine.

This issue is a case in point. Wehave no particular theme for thismonth, but we have more varietyand more articles on gaming thanwe�ve had for some time. You havethe chance to read material fromsome of the best people we havewriting for us.

If you have a list of favorite topicsyou would like to see covered in thismagazine, by all means, send it tous. We can commission articles fromour better writers on occasion. Wecan also list the most-wanted topics,letting everyone get in on the act.

There are a few things we cannotcover, however. We have no way toevaluate computer programs forgaming use, so we ask that you notsend any of them to us. We gener-ally avoid board games, but wemight cover certain particularlypopular ones if they are of interestto fantasy or science-fiction gamers.We�ve also dropped our coverage ofmany of the less-popular role-play-ing games, even those made by TSR,Inc. If few people play them, whyrun them? Our license on somegames has expired as well (i.e., nomore Indy Jones stuff).

Otherwise, the sky is the limit. Tellus what you want, and we�ll seewhat we can do about it. This isyour magazine, after all.

As Arnold Schwarzennegger �and Bubba � say, �Let�s party.�

D R A G O N 3

The World Gamers GuideIf you live outside the continental SF = STAR FRONTIERS® game; ST =

United States and Canada, you can be STAR TREK®: The Role-Playing Game;other game-players who would be

included in the World Gamers Guide byinterested in corresponding about the

MSH = MARVEL SUPER HEROES�sending your name and full address,

activities that they enjoy. Unfortunately,game; TS = TOP SECRET® game; T =

plus your gaming preferences, to World TRAVELLER® game; RQ = RUNE-we cannot extend this service to per-sons who live in remote areas of the

Gamers Guide, DRAGON® Magazine, QUEST® game; VV = VILLAINS &P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI 53147.

U.S. or Canada, or to U.S. militaryVIGILANTES�. personnel with APO or FPO addresses.

Abbreviations in parentheses after a The World Gamers Guide is intended Each eligible name and address that wereceive will be published in three con-secutive issues of DRAGON® Magazine;to be listed for more than three issues,you must send in another postcard orletter.

name indicate games in which that for the benefit of gamers who liveperson is especially interested: AD = outside the continental United StatesAD&D® game; DD = D&D® game; CC= CALL OF CTHULHU® game; GW =

and Canada, in areas where nearbygamers are small in number or nonex-

GAMMA WORLD® game; istent, as a way for them to contact

Daniel Folatelli (DD,AD)Casilla de Correo 1816600 MercedesProvincia Buenos AiresArgentina

Luigi Sbaffi (AD)Via E. Bocci, 1660044 Fabriano (AN)Italy

Jeff JohnsonSPDC Ext. NordB.P. 31MarouaL'Extreme-NordCameroun

Troy Christensen& Glory)

(AD,VV,Swords

International Christian University2nd Men�s Dormitory10-2 Osawa, 3-ChomeMitaka-shi, TokyoJapan 181

Avi Ifergan (AD,DD,GW)1 Plowman St.North BondiSydneyAustralia

Alberto Halphen (AD,TS,SF)Lomas de ChapultepecM. Chimborazo 520/701Mexico DF C/P 11000

Marney McDiarmidOvre Bastad vei 261370 AskerNorway

Wayne George (AD)17 Colonial St.Campbelltown2560 N.S.W.Australia

Talin Orodruin (DD)Manttoalitie 14 J 8090650 Ouln 65Finland

Agarwaen Amon (DD)Manttoalitie 13 A 690650 Ouln 65Finland

The Gamers Guild (AD,T)Unit 2/1 Fitzgerald St.Northbridge, 6000WA Australia

Eugene Yeung (AD,SF)6, St. Stephen�s Lane4th FloorHong Kong

Chris Darland (AD,T)c/o the SesinasJordanovac 115Zagreb, Yugoslavia 41000

William Megill (AD,TS,SF)2 Frederick CloseStanhope PlaceLondon W2 24DEngland

Lachlan Bull (AD,DD,SF,T)1 Arthur StreetKensingtonWhangareiNew Zealand

Gary & Sharon Webb (AD)A.U.R.A. Inc.Casilla 603La Serena, Chile

Dan Mayshar (DD,AD,SF)31 Even Sh�muelRamot 02Jerusalem, Israel

Marcello Missiroli (AD,SO)Via Andreoli 1241100 ModenaItaly

Leonardo Flores (AD,TS)P.O. Box 3947 Ma. Sta.Mayaguez, Puerto Rico00709

DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is published monthly by TSR, Inc. The mailing address for all material except subscription orders is DRAGON Magazine, P.O.Box 110, Lake Geneva WI 53147; the business telephone number is (414) 248-3625. DRAGON Magazine is available at hobby stores and bookstores throughout theUnited States and Canada, and through a limited number of overseas outlets. Subscription rates via second-class mail are as follows: $30 in U.S. funds for 1 year (12issues) sent to an address in the U.S. or Canada, $55 for 12 issues sent by surface mail to any other address, and $95 for 12 issues sent airmail to any other address.Payment in full must accompany all subscription orders. Methods of payment include checks or money orders made payable to TSR, Inc., or charges to validMastercard or VISA credit cards. Send subscription orders with payments to: TSR, Inc. P.O. Box 72089, Chicago IL 60690. A limited quantity of back issues areavailable from the TSR mail order department, P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147. For a copy of the current catalog listing available back issues, write to the mailorder department at the above address. The issue of expiration of each subscription is printed on the mailing label for each subscriber’s copy of the magazine.Changes of address for the delivery of subscription copies must be received at least six weeks prior to the effective date of the change in order to assure uninterrupteddelivery. All material published in DRAGON Magazine becomes the exclusive property of the publisher, unless special arrangements to the contrary are made prior topublication. DRAGON Magazine welcomes unsolicited submissions of written material and artwork; however, no responsibility for such submissions can be assumed bythe publisher in any event. Any submission accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size will be returned if it cannot be published.

DRAGON is a registered trademark for the monthly adventure role-playing aid published by TSR, Inc. All rights to the contents of this publication are reserved, andnothing may be reproduced from it in whole or in part without first obtaining permission in writing from the publisher. Copyright ©1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

AD&D, ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, DRAGONLANCE, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, FIEND FOLIO, GAMMA WORLD, TOP SECRET, STARFRONTIERS, and TSR are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. GEN CON is a service mark owned by TSR, Inc. ARES, BATTLESYSTEM, DEITIES &DEMIGODS, DUNGEON, and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. ©1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All Marvel characters and the distinctivelikenesses thereof are trademarks of the Marvel Comics Group. MARVEL SUPER HEROES and the MARVEL UNIVERSE are trademarks of the Marvel Comics Group.Copyright ©1987 Marvel Comics Group, a division of Cadence Industries Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

CHEERS ® and © of Paramount Pictures Corp. STAR TREK is a trademark of Paramount Pictures Corp. VILLAIN & VIGILANTES is a trademark of Fantasy GamesUnlimited. CAR WARS, AUTODUEL, and TRUCK STOP are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games. RUNEQUEST and CALL OF CTHULHU are registeredtrademarks of Chaosium Inc. TRAVELLER is a registered trademark of Game Designers’ Workshop. CHAMPIONS is a trademark of Hero Games.

Second-class postage paid at Lake Geneva, WI, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI53147. USPS 318-790, ISSN 0279-6848.

4 JANUARY 1986

these genres more, the male-oriented view willshift more towards equal representation, de-pending on what the demand is. But, for now,why shouldn�t it be male-oriented? The writersknow their audience. The focus should shift outof a need, not out of a sense of obligation.

Dan TejesAurora, OH

I�d like to address John Maxstadt�s letter inForum, issue #115 of DRAGON Magazine. I, too,

A word from the editor am glad that DRAGON Magazine comes in a

The previous guidelines established inrecognizable and characteristic posture or state brown wrapper � not that my postman would

DRAGON® Magazine issue #113 (page 6)of action with a minimum of delineation, and (2) care if it didn�t. However, I am glad for twoto portray something that is beautiful, consid- different reasons. First, they keep the maga-

for this column are still in effect, with a ered as form, for aesthetic reasons. Classes infew minor changes. We prefer that Forum

zines in good condition when traveling through�life drawing� are not orgies. the hands and machines of the U.S. mail service,

letters be kept fairly short and to the It seems a shame that most of us are so imma- and secondly, I�m one of those fifteen-year-oldspoint, but longer letters are still acceptable ture and obsessed that we cannot look at an Mr. Maxstadt mentioned, and I am glad that theif well written. Be reasonable in making unclothed or partially unclothed human being wrapper keeps my mother from seeing the

your points and respect another person�s of the opposite sex, in art or in reality, and say, sometimes explicit cover paintings.

opinions even if you disagree with them,�How beautiful!� or, in the case of art, �How well Don�t get me wrong. I�m certainly not object-

Name-calling letters are dropped in therendered! See how the artist has captured thus ing to the covers. I also certainly do not want toand so. . . .� Instead, we always say, �How sexy!�

trash can, as are those that ramble, or aresee half-naked men on the covers. The only

. . . . The flip side of this coin is that such repre- thing in the whole �nakedness� issue I do objectso incoherent or illegible that the staff sentations cannot be seen by some as anything to is Mr. Maxstadt�s stereotypical portrayal ofcannot make out what is said. Please write other than prurient and depraved. fourteen- and fifteen-year olds as �guys whoclearly. In other words, Botticelli�s Birth of Venus has cannot get their hands on the Monster Manual

The Forum gives you the chance to never appeared as a centerfold in Playboy, and without sniggering over those pictures. . . .�express your feelings, opinions, observa- no photograph from a skin magazine has ap- However, I am certainly not going to make an

tions, and ideas on gaming. Though this peared in the Louvre. Pornography is not art issue over that � I would start to sound like theand art is not pornography. Their aims and

column usually runs without editorial [readers] who have been pervading the pages ofpurposes are entirely different.

comment, an exception is being made forDRAGON Magazine lately protesting strength

And the cover of DRAGON Magazine is thethis particular issue. We now plunge into

differences between the male and female ver-

the maelstrom:not the cover of Penthouse or Playboy. sions of mythical three-foot-tall gnomes and

David F. Godwin halflings. After all, it�s just a game!Dallas, TX Marc Andreessen

I am writing in response to John Maxstadt�s New Lisbon, WIletter in DRAGON Magazine, issue #115. I have I just finished reading John Maxstadt�s letternever written in before, but I thought that my in DRAGON Magazine, issue #115. . . . Granted,opinion must be heard after I read this month�s the woman on the cover of issue #114 is scantily After reading John Maxstadt�s letter in issueForum. There are two topics that I would like to clad; she is not exactly �for all practical pur- #115 of DRAGON Magazine, I felt I had todiscuss. . . . poses naked.� And, I honestly can�t imagine respond. First of all, let me say that Scott

I am fourteen years old, but I am not one of anyone being embarrassed to buy it in a book- Devine�s letter (issue #111) was a legitimatethe people who �could not get their hands on store or hobby store. complaint. It was a well-stated opinion, but itthe Monster Manual without sniggering.� As a Why worry about intolerant and ignorant should have been left at that.gamer and a person, I took great insult to that people objecting to the game merely by looking The cover of issue #114 is far from pornogra-comment, having been to many conventions and at a magazine�s cover? If we, the well-informedhaving placed in many events. Some people may

phy. When I see covers like �Lady Valshea�people that play the game, know that the game (issue #106), I truthfully see beauty. Beauty in

act this way, but I do not think all gamers do, is neither harmful nor pornographic, then we what is depicted, beauty (talent) in who depictedregardless of their age. have nothing to fear. If we simply stick to telling it. In the case of the cover on issue #114, there�s

On the subject of too much exposed female the truth, then the forces of ignorance areflesh on the covers, I agree with John�s opinion.

also somewhat of a chilling effect, but it is stillharmless to us. an excellent painting. . . . The human body is

On the other hand, I do not think a cover with a The �fine art� argument is really too subjec- very beautiful; there is no need to be ashamedsexy female on it will make a gamer who hasn�t tive to argue about, but I would imagine that of it (male or female). Of course, though, twobought DRAGON Magazine for the last few the reason that men aren�t shown in similar people making love should not be put on themonths suddenly buy it again. Also, having lived degrees of undress is probably because the TSR cover; nor should a naked girl about to sacri-through some of the picketing and protesting of art department is deluged with said art. ficed. That would be carrying it way too far.the stores, I noticed the main focus of their I will concede that the woman on the cover of But, when a scantily clad woman is used toprotests was on the idea of the game, not the issue #108 wasn�t exactly dressed to kill, but enhance the beauty of a painting, it is (at theartwork. We must consider that many fantasy quite honestly that is the only cover that comes very least) acceptable.writers do not give females equality, but notice- to mind when trying to think of women under- I must admit that there are more women onable exceptions have begun to crop up recently. dressed for a particular occasion. Women in- the covers of DRAGON Magazine than men. Mr.To state my overall opinion, I think there is a volved in combat on previous covers have been Maxstadt is right in saying that there should belittle too much �skin� on the cover, but that is dressed in attire suitable for the situation. . . . more of a balance. However, that doesn�t meanthe artist�s choice and the artwork has been Swords and sorcery and fantasy role-playing that future covers have to (though they might)superb, even on the covers without so much games both, for whatever reason, appeal almost have men with less clothes and women withflesh. exclusively to males. This isn�t good or bad, it's more. Men look good in anything, from a loin-

Mark W. McClennan just a fact. Stories will be written by males, for cloth and boots to full-plate mail armor, at leastHolliston, MA males, and usually about males. How would you as far as paintings go. But when was the last

like to see women portrayed on the covers? time you saw a magnificent painting of aThe nude human figure, male and female, has There are almost no traditional female swords

been the subject of artistic representation sincewoman dressed up in a tin can? There are some,

and sorcery characters. Thieves are weasel-like, but generally speaking, women look better inthe earliest times. For the most part, the object greasy-males. Great wizards have equally great outfits that enhance or emphasize their beauty.has not been to excite erotic interest, but rather white beards (a trait not usually given to fe- I�m not saying they have to be scantily clad; I am(1) to meet the challenge of realistically depict- males). So, when an artist thinks swords and saying they should not look like men. . . .ing the subtleties of anatomy, involving an sorcery, he usually thinks male. That�s why And as far as the Monster Manual pictures areunderstanding of bone and muscle, and the males are shown as so many different personali-human form in various postures and in various

concerned, if that�s how they typically look,ties and in so many different situations, while then that�s how they should be shown. To avoid

states of action, or to capture an immediately women aren�t. If women start to get involved in difficulties, though, I have found it easier to give

6 JANUARY 1986

them at least a little clothing. In fact, that�s thewhole point of creating your own campaigns �if you don�t like it, change it!

Carl ForhanSaint Genevieve, MO

The editor returnsThe above is a sampling of the mail we

received on the issue of DRAGON Maga-zine�s cover art. It would be unfair for menot to give my own opinions at this point,since I�ve given so much space to thistopic, and I would also like to resolve thesituation as far as the magazine is con-cerned.

The idea of using nudity in cover paint-ings for DRAGON Magazine does NOTappeal to me, though some paintings mayshow men and women in slightly revealingdress. The cover of issue #114 crossed theline on how much should be shown in ourartwork; it wasn�t that bad, but the line will be watched more closely in the future.Aside from that, the painting was quitegood, and a lot of readers liked it.

DMs seem to believe that unless their playerscooperate with each other fully, they are notgoing to survive very long. In my campaign, thisis impossible! Let me explain.

You see, I am the DM of a campaign that hasfive players. I allow everyone to play what theywant, so I ended up with a barbarian, a fighter, an elven fighter/thief, an elven fighter/magic-user/thief-acrobat, and a half-elf fighter/magic-user. This is not a very balanced combination ofcharacters, to say the least. Role-played cor-rectly, these characters are destined to havemany, many arguments. The number one exam-ple is the barbarian and the two magic-users.Because the barbarian is not allowed to associ-ate with magic-users until he is mid-high level,the magic-users have to hide their magic. Whenthe fighter/magic-user had to use his levitatespell to save the barbarian, the barbarian almostkilled him for it! He changed his mind, though,and now only the acrobat/MU has to worryabout him. To solve this problem, the acrobat'splayer is now plotting to kill the barbarian. Isthis cooperation?

Another thing that causes problems is the

Having devoted as much space as wehave to this topic, I�m not greatly inclined

party�s marching order. Every character wantsto be in front where the action is. They evenmake the� ranger, the only NPC, walk in back! Noone wants either of the two thieves. to scoutahead because they don�t trust them. The

to continue running letters on cover art, marching order has started a small argumentnudity, and points between. For the time every time we�ve played.

being, then (unless you don�t like the coverart in the next few months), the issue isclosed. On to other things. . . .

Despite all of this, this team seems to cometogether in a life or death situation. In combat,everyone works together like a well-oiled ma-chine. When most of the characters were 3rd-level, they fought and defeated a fire giant thathad over 100 hit points. Don�t get me wrong,though � this group has also solved any prob-lem I�ve given them that required some thought.Hard to believe, isn�t it?

All this just goes to show you thatcooperation can be helpful, but is notabsolutely necessary.

Jeff NeelyNew Roads, LA

magic (speaking in AD&D game terms) is our,great distance from the planes of the gods andthe Positive and Negative Material Planes � thesources of magic.

As for your question about why spells areforgotten once cast, this occurs because, asexplained by Gary Gygax in the DMG, energy isstored up by memorizing the spell, and is re-leased when cast, providing part of the energyused to power the spell and open the gate to thePositive and/or Negative Material Planes. Unfor-tunately, this process of energy release alsoerases the memory of the casting procedurefrom your mind.

Russell TaylorKwajalein, Marshall Islands

I would like to comment on a subject that I�msure has been discussed before. What I�m talk-ing about is player-character cooperation. Many

8 JANUARY 1986

In response to Andy Price�s letter in DRAGONMagazine #111, your argument against isolatedplanes is a good one, except for one minor flaw:infinity mathematics. This field is easily repre-sented by the question, �If you took an objectwith infinite area and broke it into two pieces,which of the three infinite areas in the problemwould be the largest?� The original one wouldbe, because of the law of greater than and lessthan. The two parts would still be infinite be-cause of other laws in mathematics. Thus origi-nated the concept of different-sized infinities.The gods home plane would still be infinite, butnot infinite enough to easily contact the modernworld�s plane of existence.

Also, this world would not simply be in a timeother than the one the AD&D® adventure worldoccupies. Quoting page 113 of DIETIES &DEMIGODS� Cyclopedia: �There exists aninfinite number of parallel universes and planes. . . in the �multiverse�. . . . All of these �worlds�co-exist. . . � The true reason our world lacks

I recently read a letter in your magazine inwhich someone complained about the �newlook� � the gray pages and the typeface. I havea similar complaint. I have no problem with thetypeface, but the gray pages are another matter.I have a problem with my vision which makes itdifficult for me to distinguish the words fromthe background on the grey pages.

I have only been able to read some of thearticles by making xerox copies (with the ma-chine set on lighter copy) of them; this is, how-ever, very expensive (it costs up to 25 cents perpage to make copies). Also, I don�t like to do thisas a rule because of copyright laws.

When you only used the gray pages in theARES� Section, it didn�t matter to me because Ididn�t read those articles.

Mae TannerJuneau, AK

I would like to share with your readers arecent experience of mine that could add somerealism to a much neglected and much abusedaspect of the AD&D-style games � the re-sources and capabilities of a large party trek-king through difficult terrain.

I recently completed a nine-day trek in thePeruvian Andes with an organized group. Wecompleted eight to ten hours of moderate to

strenuous hiking each day at altitudes rangingfrom 11,000 to 17,000 feet and covered 10 to 11miles each day. Our group consisted of nineAmerican hikers, five Peruvians for campchores, and five more Peruvians to handle thepack animals. To ensure that all the hikers needonly carry a small day-pack, it was necessary toemploy 18 horses and three mules!

I believe that although the trekkers of todaymay not be as tough as the medieval-style char-acters found in game worlds, the net require-ments for a trek like the one described here areabout the same. First, given the ridiculousamount of weaponry and treasure that manycharacters seem to carry on their person andthe need to be refreshed and battle-ready at amoment�s notice while on the trail, I believe thateach character would need at least one animalfor his supplies (but not as a riding animal).Secondly, quite a few hirelfngs would be neces-sary to not only care for these animals at theend of the day, but also to protect them whenthe adventurers go running off into the woodsafter the enemy.

I believe that a DM should work these ele-ments into his campaign. I also agree with Ms.Kerr�s article on outdoor adventures (DRAGONMagazine #88) in dealing with the effects ofexhaustion � this should be used to deal withplayers on long treks (so called �between adven-tures traveling�) who want to really rough itand �save money.�

Stephen LicataStratford, CT

As a DM, I found Mike Albers� article onstirrups (DRAGON Magazine #113) interesting;as an advanced riding instructor with 16 yearsexperience in English, Western, bareback, andjumping equitation, I was perplexed.

The stirrup is indeed a key invention inmounted warfare, but it was never intended tobear much of the riders� weight. This task fallsto the rider�s calf muscles. The stirrup as it firstdeveloped was nothing more than a simple ring.Its function, then as now, was to drive the heelsdown and thus force more of the riders� calfagainst the horse�s side. Examine medievalEuropean tapestries, and you will see mountedknights appearing with their legs thrust stifflystraight before them and slightly away fromtheir seats. If their weight was in the stirrup,their legs would be bent at the knees and theirheels would be down � not up. In medieval warsaddles, it was not the stirrup that absorbed theshock of a lance or a sword striking home � itwas the saddle itself. War saddles were con-structed with high pommel (front) and cantle(back) to keep the rider mounted while stillleaving both hands free to fight. Cruppers andbreastbands helped distribute the force of asuccessful blow.

I find some of the article�s statements aboutmounted combat rather odd. �No shield can beused.� � what about small, light round shields,like those used by the Mongols and the PlainsIndians of North America? And �that hand isneeded to hold on to the horse. . .� � not if therider is competent. A fundamental part oftraining young riders today is making them usetheir seat and legs to stay mounted, using suchexercises as trotting without stirrups and jumping with the arms held out to the sides. A knightwith only one hand to defend himself won�t lastlong.

Stirrups cannot make good riders out of poorones. The greatest mounted warriors the worldhas known were the American Plains Indians,

who scorned stirrups and did not use them; infact, they got on quite well without saddles. Isuggest that stirrups not be the determinant ofa rider�s stability, in AD&D games or real life.

David Sisk Chapel Hill, NC

I find myself in some disagreement with AlexCurylo�s �It�s a hit �but where?� article inDRAGON Magazine, issue #114; His systemmakes the assumption that every hit does bodilydamage. The fact is that hit points, particularlyfor higher-level characters, consist of many things besides a body�s ability to withstanddamage.

Technically, a 10th-level fighter should be ableto dodge a feint that would hit a 1st-level fighter. who has the same AC. Improving AC by charac-ter level complicates the game, so this ability isreflected as higher hit points.

In addition, not all body damage of a sort that can be considered damage to organs. Bloodloss from an otherwise superficial wound comesto mind, as does fatigue (see dispel exhaustion)and a host of other items.

Another problem is that using a hit-locationchart for every hit made is a time-consumingdrag. �I did four points of damage to him there.Do I get any bonus damage?� Even without suchdiscussions, a good deal of playing time will bewasted.

A third problem is that his system drasticallyalters the tactical make-up of the game. Take anelf fighter with a racial maximum (19) dexterityand a type V demon. Suppose that after thevarious to-hit calculations for strength, magic,and AC are made, we find that either foe hitsthe other on a roll of 12 or better, and each doesan identical range of damage with their weapontypes and damage bonuses.

Using the standard system, the demon�shigher hit points pretty well assure it of victory.Using Curylo�s system, either opponent has a45% chance of hitting a vital area such as thehead or torso. With a 19 dexterity, the elf willusually get initiative. While it�s not guaranteedthat the elf will manage to strike an instantlykilling blow or even an incapacitating one, hischances of victory are considerably better.

There are a number of advantages to such asystem, but I�m personally against letting acharacter who barely manages to hit his foe getan instant kill. Making a called shot and strikingwith a penalty to hit is permissible, but freebiesjust spoil the spirit of the game.

One obvious way to get around the timedelays of using a hit-location chart is to only useit when a critical hit has been made or when acalled shot is made. Normal hits are consideredto do general damage.

The problem with called shots is that they arebased on hit-location charts that are builtaround randomly incurred damage, Curylo�ssystem included. The result is that a characterwho takes specific aim at a part of his target�sanatomy ends up with the same overall chanceof hitting it as does the character who swingsrandomly. The character who swings randomlyhits his foe somewhere else if he doesn�t hit thatarea. The guy who makes a called shot anddoesn�t hit that area misses. The possibility of ashoulder taking a neck strike doesn�t exist.

S.D. AndersonWhittier, CA

As far as the AD&D game is concerned, Igot fed up with realism in fantasy gaming a longtime ago. I�ve been playing role-playing games


D R A G O N 9

The Elementsof

MysteryLimited-information campaigns in role-playing games

by Robert Plamondon

Remember the first time you played aD&D® or AD&D® game? You were con-fused, you were nervous, and you didn�thave any idea what was going on. It wasglorious.

Now, after months or years of play, thethrill is gone. You and your friends remi-nisce about the �good old days� wheneverything was new and exciting. Thenthe final blow lands: You realize that yourcampaign is just as dull as the others.

Is there still hope?You hear a lot about a �sense of wonder�

in role-playing games. For example, youmarveled at the realism and depth of thegame when you first began to play �that�s the sense of wonder. For experi-enced players, this is a goal more elusivethan the Holy Grail. Therefore, let us statea simple rule about this sense of wonder:The less you know, the more you wonder.

Mystery is the key to creating and main-taining a sense of wonder. Ignorance is thekey to the sense of mystery. If a DM wantshis players to believe in his campaign, hemustn�t tell them too much. To illustratethe point, let�s examine a bad example:

Fred is putting together an AD&D gamecampaign. He and his friends have beenplaying the AD&D game for years. Theyknow all the volumes by heart. Fred ispleased by this; if he forgets a statistic, aplayer is often able to help him out.

The campaign starts out in a village(there�s a white signboard outside townthat says �Village� in black-stenciled let-ters. The first scene is in the generic bar;herein, the players� characters form ageneric party to loot a generic dungeon.Whenever a monster is met, there�s littleor no excitement. Why should there be?The players have killed this same sort ofmonster 500 times before. They use theirgeneric tactics, kill the generic monster,and come home with some generic trea-sure. The high point of the adventure isthe fight over who gets to keepthe generic magic item.

10 JANUARY 1986

The problem here is that the playersknow as much about the campaign as doesthe DM. It is virtually impossible toexcite them; they�ve seen everything ahundred times before. If the players knowwhat�s going to happen and they knowthey�re going to win, why should theybother doing so? Lots of campaigns havedied because the DM ran out of surprises.The basic solutions are to hide informationfrom the players and always keep a sur-prise up your sleeve � i.e., create alimited-information campaign.

A limited-information campaign is one inwhich the players have to find out mostthings for themselves. Memorizing therulebooks doesn�t work, because theplayers don�t know what the rules are.

A limited-information campaign is easyto set up:

1. Start the campaign with 1st-levelcharacters; 2. Tell the players that they aren�t sup-posed to use any information that theircharacters don�t know, and that theircharacters are inexperienced and knowvery little about monsters, traps, potions,and so on;

3. Keep your players honest by makingtheir memorized information useless,varying elements of the game to keepthem on their toes; and,

4. Make the players role-play theirsearch for information, forcing them tovisit nonplayer characters to discoverthings. Sometimes the NPCs know, some-times they don�t. Sometimes NPCs lie. Mostof the time, they don�t have the wholetruth.

Campaign backgroundTo make this work, the DM must firsthave some information to hide. There areplenty of campaigns with no secrets be-sides the dungeon contents; everythingelse is either well-known or completelyundefined. A DM needs to add a lot ofbackground material to his campaign, thentell the players only a small fraction of it.

These items are generally not laid out indetail until they�re needed in play. Forexample, deciding that the Duke of Froz-bozz is secretly a werewolf is all the DMneeds to know at first.

Some of the things that should be set upfollow:

1. The social and governmental struc-tures in the campaign. People in highplaces make a lot of the news, and youneed to have names and titles ready.

2. The important magicians, their spe-cialties, and their ambitions. Some of themagicians might be in hiding, some mighthave secret ambitions, and groups of themmay form secret societies. They sometimeskill each other, too, or are killed by theirown experiments.

3. Major monsters. Every campaignneeds some really nasty monsters that areall but impossible to kill. These should berelatively well-known to the PCs, so theywon�t blunder into them unless the char-acters are really stupid. These monstersare used in rumors (�Did you hear aboutSmaug? He burned Dale to the ground lastmonth!�), in major events, and as plothooks.

4. Powerful heroes and villains. Like themonsters, these guys should be extremelytough (12th level and up). They aren�tthere to be cut down by the PCs; they�rethere to create interesting happenings inthe campaign.

5. �Accidents waiting to happen.� De-mons bound by spells that are giving out,magicians dabbling in extremely danger-ous magic, kings who disband their hugeorc armies because they can no longer paythem, etc.: all are potential sources ofadventure (and disaster).

6. Legends, lost kingdoms, vanishedmagic items, and bits of history. All ofthese contribute to the flavor of the cam-paign and add to its mystery as well.

Whispers and rumorsNews often reaches the PCs by way of

rumors. They hear about local events

quickly, but news from distant placescomes slowly and gets more distorted as itpasses from person to person. This makesit important to find someone who wasactually near the event when it occured toget accurate reports.

Rumors should be a major way of start-ing adventures. Always present the play-ers with alternatives; they should alwaysknow of several possible adventures.Rather than forcing them to pick the oneyou think is best for them, let them makethe decisions. While this means that theDM has to have several scenarios ready, italso means that he doesn�t have to worryabout balanced adventures. If the playershear a rumor about a gigantic dragonhoard and don�t realize there�s no waythey can kill that dragon, that�s their prob-lem; they should have investigated thesituation more thoroughly. The only wordof caution is that there should be clues tothe strength of the opposition, so theplayers can bail out before committingtheir characters to battle. If they ignorethe signs, it�s their tough luck, not yours.

On the brighter side, players should beable to find any number of low-risk, low-gain adventures � ones that are easy tolive through but provide little loot: collect-ing taxes from kobolds, for instance. Thereal trick � the thing that should drive theplayers nuts � is identifying the few reallylucrative adventures that their characterscan survive. This is crucial to a limited-information campaign. If the PCs get theirfacts screwed up or if they�re overconfi-dent, they�re going to get burned. If theDM warns the players about this possibil-ity, they won�t resent it when they dis-cover that an adventure is more than theycan handle. By that time, they�ll be soparanoid that they�ll expect it to be achallenge.

Towns and troubleTowns are almost entirely ignored in the

game books, except in random-encountertables. The charm of towns, though, isthat they aren�t like dungeons; the charac-ters� problems usually can�t be solved byswinging a sword. Player characters liketo gain the advantages of living in townwhile avoiding the headaches, so they�reusually happy � assuming town life isserene and trouble-free. This trouble-freelife, however, leads to complacency, andwe can�t have that! Some interestingevents and situations that occur in townsinclude:

1. Tax time. Don�t just hand characters atax assessment; have a nasty little mancome to their door and demand payment.

2. Crime and punishment. If they don�tpay the nasty little man, the characterswill be arrested and fined. If they kill thenasty little tax man, they will be arrestedand executed. Scenarios in which the PCsare hunted by the town militia can beremarkably exciting.

3. Bank failures and bank robberies.

4. Protection rackets.5. Corrupt government.6. Theft of valuables.7. Epidemics.8. Famine.9. War.

10. Pogroms (sudden fear and persecu-tion of foreigners). These can triggered bysome nasty event, like PCs pretending tobe royalty from another realm and creat-ing havoc as a result.

11. Scandal. The baron�s daughter ispregnant and claims a certain PC isresponsible!

12. Market fluctuations. �Oh, gee, we�dlike to buy your magic weapons, but abunch of dwarves came through last weekand sold us all we could use at incrediblylow prices.�

13. Rumors.If you want to make your players really

paranoid, have some of the towns enactthe equivalent of gun control � no weap-ons or armor are allowed inside the town.These items must be then left in the careof the local officials.

These same principles can be applied todifferent situations, though the actualproblems may be different. Living in theforest protects the PCs from tax collectors,but instead gives them trouble with mon-sters and raiders, and forces them toprotect their home at all times.

Nonplayer charactersThere are all kinds of people in the

campaign world, and lumping them allinto a single category tends to obscurethings. Still, there are some basic factsabout NPCs that are often overlooked. Onesuch oversight is that NPCs are individ-uals. Although they�re only on stage whenthey encounter the players, NPCs shouldlive out full lives in the campaign. Theylove and hate, have virtues and vices, andare unique. The DM has to think of hisNPCs as individuals to pull off a limited-information campaign. One way to do thisis to have some friends who don�t play inyour campaign run major NPCs as charac-ters. Give a friend a list of the local duke�sincome, assets, enemies, and so on, andhave him decide what to do with theseresources. These players will do thingsyou would never have dreamed of.

When players don�t understand whyNPCs do the things they do, or if the play-ers are too trusting, weird things canhappen. A silly example of this instancefollows:

The local magician is related to a manwho wants to become mayor. The magi-cian wants the current mayor to look bad,so he tries to get the PCs to play a trick onhim. The magician won�t tell the PCs hisreasons (it would make him look bad ifword got out), so he lies: �The Mayor ispossessed by Demogorgon�s brother-in-law, and the only way to save him is tograb him at midnight, strip him, paint himpink, and tie him to the slave block in the

square. Do this, get out of town, and I�llpay you each 30 gold pieces.�

The possibilities are endless. The PCsmay be dumb enough to believe the wiz-ard: �Come on, Mr. Mayor, this is for yourown good. You don�t want to be possessedby Demogorgon�s brother-in-law, do you?�On the other hand, they may decide thatthe wizard is lying, but that the job is suchfun that they don�t care. Or, they may goto the mayor and tell him the story, hopingthat his reward will be larger than themagician�s offer.

If the PCs pull off the job, the mayor willbe their enemy for life. If the wizard hassecond thoughts after he sobers up, hemay be too embarrassed to want anythingmore to do with them. The mayor may putout a warrant for their arrest, and sendout a posse to bring them in for trial. Allsorts of fun things might (and rightlyshould) happen.

Illicit happenings aren�t the only reasonfor hiding motives, however. An NPC mayhide altruistic motives because he thinksthe PCs are too crass to appreciate them.Others will lie to hide their sources ofinformation.

Withholding information should be evenmore prevalent than lying. Information isvaluable, after all, so NPCs aren�t going tobe free with it. Don�t think this means thatall NPCs need to be liars or cheats. A hard-working group of PCs may find severalNPCs who tell them useful bits of informa-tion on a regular basis. Don�t forget thatthere are zillions of people in the cam-paign world who know nothing of interestbut want to talk anyway. The bars are fullof gossips and bores.

Your NPCs shouldn�t sit around waitingfor the player characters to blunder intothem, either; they should be doing thingsall the time. Every few game weeks, theDM should decide what all the NPCs aredoing, and what the effects of their actionsare. If a hero kills one of the biggestdragons in the world and hauls the trea-sure into a city, magical-item prices maybe depressed for years, and inflation mayshoot up by 10% or more. On the otherhand, if a war cuts off the major sourcesof magical items, the prices will skyrocket.

Variable monstersGeneric monsters are boring. Everyone

has the Monster Manual memorized, sonothing therein is likely to surprise any-one. The other sources for monsters (theFIEND FOLIO® Tome, Monster Manual II,and DRAGON® Magazine) have the samelimitations, since players can memorizethem, too. The solution is variation. Sowhat if orcs are supposed to have one hitdie? Those are natural orcs � your orcsare different! They have a better diet, sothey�re tougher. Maybe they�re different inother ways, too � they learned stealthfrom a thief or were converted to Mithra-ism by a demented priest.

This idea applies to all kinds of mon-sters. Go through the Monster Manual and

DR A G O N 11

pencil in changes for each kind of monsteryou expect to use. Change their statistics,their appearance, and their habits, andmake up some little piece of history toexplain these �abnormalities.�

But don�t tell the players the details. Tellthem only what their characters wouldknow: what the more common monsterslook like, vague descriptions of some ofthe rare ones, and rough estimates of theirfighting ability. Let the players use theirMonster Manuals, if they want; it will notsave them. Some examples follow.

Dragons: You can drive the players intoconvulsions of paranoia by making dragoncolors inconsistent. You could decide thatthe color associated with a dragon is onlythe most common color, so 75% of allchlorine-breathing dragons are green, but10% are red, 10% are black, and 5% areyellow with pink spots.

Armor classes: The Monster Manual liststypical armor classes for creatures. Youcan certainly change this for your cam-paign. There�s nothing to keep an orc fromstealing plate mail from a dead fighter, forinstance, and people who hire merce-naries often give them new gear. It�s un-nerving to run into an ogre in field plate.

Frequency: Most of the monsters yousee listed are rare or very rare, and shouldseldom be seen in your campaign. As amatter of fact, many of the very raremonsters should be completely unknownin your campaign (none of the NPCs haveever heard of them), and many othersshould be �known to be extinct.� �Knownto be extinct� means that the local expertsthink these creatures are extinct. Theexperts should be wrong on occasion. It�svery pleasant to hear a once-jaded playerscream in horror, �It can�t be a dragon!Dragons have been extinct for a hundredyears!� There�s also a chance that mon-sters will cross the hills or leave theswamps, repopulating an area that hasn�tseen them for many a year.

On the flip side of the coin, the MonsterManual puts encounters with commonmonsters at 65% of the total. This wouldwork fine if anybody paid attention to it.The problem is that everyone overusesexotic monsters. Most encounters shouldbe with common �monsters,� such aswolves, orcs, beggars, and peasants. Thisprovides contrast when a really nastymonster shows up. It can also drive theplayers nuts. Orcs and wolves can cause alot of trouble, even in the case of �nui-sance� encounters. But, even if often seenand fought, common monster types canprove quite uncommon in their equip-ment, their tactics, their motivations, theirpersonalities, etc.

A DM should spend some time fleshingout the human and humanoid societies inhis campaign. Orcs are an especially inter-esting example, since they have so littlegoing for them. Some of the characteris-tics that can be attributed to orcs are:

1. They can�t compete effectively withhumans, because they�re not creative and

12 JANUARY 1986

they fight too much among themselves. Inmy campaign, orcs live in abject poverty inrotten parts of the country � eating tur-nips, acorns, and fish, for the most part. Isit any wonder they�re obnoxious?

2. Orcs love to fight, but only if they�reassured of victory. They prefer raids andambushes to fair fights, and run away theinstant they start to lose. There are twoexceptions to this rule. Orcs fight to thedeath to protect their women and young,and they can be whipped into a berserkfrenzy by those who know how. Somehuman wizards might know the secret.

3. Most orc tribes have some contactwith humans, which show up in theirdaily activities. Many have picked up bitsand pieces of human customs and fightingtechniques.

4. Some orc tribes have human chief-tains. These are usually the most danger-ous tribes of all.

None of this information contradicts theMonster Manual, but my orcs have a lot ofsurprises for players who are used togeneric orcs. The changes keep the play-ers interested and the campaign going.

The uses of magicThe simplest way to create a sense of

wonder about magic is to make magicspells hard to get. The AD&D game rulesalready support this. Follow the rules inthe Dungeon Masters Guide about acquir-ing spells (page 39). The DM may want tomake some of the higher-level spells se-cret; the characters may know the spellsexist, but no NPC admits to knowing them.

For example, the fireball spell is power-ful enough to kill any mage. No mage inhis right mind will give this spell to anyonehe doesn�t trust, and adventurers don�tappear trustworthy (�They say they gotthat loot from a monster, but how do weknow they didn�t rob a monastery?�)

Magical research makes it possible toadd new spells to the lists. The DM shouldmake a secret list of new spells that existin the campaign world, and keep track ofwho knows them. Many of these �new�spells should be variants of old spells. Afireball with greater range would be veryvaluable, and one with a smaller blastradius would be safer to use in dungeonand corridor fights. Most common spellscould have two or three variants thatwould be favored by different groups ofmagicians.

Having new and variant spells keeps theplayers on their toes and adds lots of newspells to collect without greatly alteringgame balance. Before creating these vari-ants, read the DMG, pages 115-116, re-garding spell research. The simplestvariants are ones that trade an advantagefor a disadvantage. A safe assumption isthat the �normal� spell is optimal, and thedisadvantages of any variant outweigh itsadvantages. For example, to double therange of a fireball, more than half ofsomething else would have to be given up,

such as doubling range at one-third dam-age, or doubling range with both damageand blast radius reduced by half. Such aspell would still be effective in some cir-cumstances, such as one-on-one magicalduels.

Mages from different regions, factions,or ethnic groups should have differentspell lists. Elven mages might favor long-range fireballs, while Nordic mages mightprefer double-damage fireballs with suchshort ranges that their whiskers getsinged. Variants should extend throughoutthe spell levels, with a certain preferencefor variations of first-level spells, such as:

Find familiar with different animals asfamiliars.

Cure light wounds with a high minimumhealing rate, such as d6 + 1 or d4 + 2.Both these variants have the same averagehealing of the normal (d8) spell, but theminimum healing is better, and the maxi-mum healing is worse. With d6 + 1, aplayer character is guaranteed 2 hphealed; with d4 + 2, he�s guaranteed 3 hp.Another variant is a second- or third-levelspell with 1½ dice of healing (d8 + 4,d6 + 3, or d4 + 2 points).

Magic missile with greater range butlessened damage, or vice versa.

Tenser�s floating disk in a variety ofsizes, shapes, and colors. Ones that looklike monsters would be particularly useful,although one can always drape a monstercostume over a regular floating disk.

Oral historiesPlayers tend to forget things fairly

quickly or get mixed up about time andplace. (DMs do, too, but they�re supposedto be keeping notes.) The players canbecome quite confused, going on longadventures to the wrong dungeon becausethey misconstrued a cue, or blaming thewrong NPC for something because theplayers forgot how it really happened.This is a good thing. Don�t correct playerswhen they make wildly inaccurate state-ments; it�s their own fault, and it can leadto a whole series of wild adventures. Play-ers can avoid this trouble by keeping notes� but if they don�t, why complain?

ConclusionsPutting these ideas into action is simple.

A few changed statistics, bits of local his-tory, and a few well-characterized NPCsare all that is necessary to start. Unlikeother prescriptions for long-lived cam-paigns, it isn�t necessary to design thou-sands of towns and NPCs before starting.It�s enough to stay one jump ahead of theplayers. Improvisation works in limited-information games, so long as the DMwrites these tangent thoughts down tomake certain they�ll be there next time.

Running a limited-information campaigngives players a new set of challenges,allowing the sense of wonder to rush backinto an ailing campaign. Create somemysteries today and see.

What arethe

Odds?

Unearthed Arcana’s “Method V”analyzed

by Arthur J. Hedge III

With the introduction of UnearthedArcana, AD&D® game players were pre-sented with a new way to generate playercharacters. One now selects the class ofthe character first and then rolls a num-ber of six-sided dice for each ability, asindicated by the chart accompanyingMethod V on page 74. The probability ofrolling a given number is no longer givenby a standard bell curve and is not simpleto calculate. The Dungeon Master needs tohave a better idea of what he is giving theplayers by allowing this system to be used.This article presents a set of tables listingthe various probabilities involved with thisnew method of character generation.

A new notation is given here for rollinga group of dice. When a number between3 and 18 is generated using nine six-sideddice, I suggest using the notation �9d6s3�instead of �9d6.� The first digit representsthe number of dice to be rolled, the sec-ond digit represents the type of die to beused, and the third digit represents thenumber of dice to be added together byselecting the highest rolled numbers. Inthe tables given here, the �Total� figurerefers to the number of different possible

Table 3: 5d6s3 (Total 7,776)

Number Times Probability3 1 0.000128604 5 0.000643005 15 0.001929016 41 0.005272637 90 0.011574078 170 0.021862149 296 0.0380658410 470 0.0604423911 665 0.0855195412 881 0.1132973313 1055 0.1356738714 1155 0.1485339615 1111 0.1428755116 935 0.1202417717 610 0.0784465018 276 0.03549383


Number3456789101112131415161718

Times Probability1 0.000021436 0.0001286021 0.0004501078 0.00167181207 0.00443673447 0.00958076914 0.019590191677 0.035943932706 0.057998974135 0.088627505646 0.121013377056 0.151234577770 0.166538067551 0.161844135535 0.118634262906 0.06228567

Table 1: 3d6s3 (Total 216) Table 2: 4d6s3 (Total 1,296)

Number Times3 14 35 66 107 158 219 2510 2711 2712 2513 2114 1515 1016 617 318 1

14 JANUARY 1986

Probability Number Times Probability0.00462963 3 1 0.000771600.01388889 4 4 0.003086420.02777778 5 10 0.007716050.04629629 6 21 0.016203700.06944445 7 38 0.029320990.09722222 8 62 0.047839510.11574074 9 91 0.070216050.12500000 10 122 0.094135810.12500000 11 148 0.114197530.11574074 12 167 0.128858030.09722222 13 172 0.132716040.06944445 14 160 0.123456790.04629629 15 131 0.101080250.02777778 16 94 0.072530870.01388889 17 54 0.041666670.00462963 18 21 0.01620370

rolls; the �Times� column refers to thenumber of times that particular number isgenerated; and, the �Probability� columnrefers to the probability of generating thatparticular number, given that a 100%chance equals a probability figure of 1.

These tables were generated on a DECVAX computer system using a programwritten in C. Good luck rolling those 18s!



Table 6: 8d6s3 (Total 1,679,616)


Table 7: 9d6s3 (Total 10,077,696)


D R A G O N 1 5

Feuds andFeudalism

One answer to four old gaming problems

by John-David Dorman

Four problems present themselvessooner or later to nearly every DungeonMaster:

1. What can be done with all of thosemid-level characters who want to establisha permanent base or small stronghold?

2. To whom are all those cavalierssupposed to have sworn allegiance?

3. How does one introduce variety andstimulate player involvement in the gov-erning of the countries in your campaignsetting?

4. Where and when can one take theirplayers to experience new vistas ofadventure?

The answers to all four of these prob-lems may lie in an area that the �official�rules have generally neglected to develop:the feudal system.

An in-depth study of the feudal form ofgovernment would consist of an article initself. The feudal system, in basic terms,was a form of government based on amilitary pyramid with a powerful warrior(such as a king) at the top, a network ofgreater and lesser warriors (the nobles)beneath him, and, at the very bottom ofthe ruling structure, tenants and vassals.In this system, the less powerful weresubservient to those above them; theyswore oaths of allegiance and fealty totheir rulers and provided military servicein return for a portion of land and militaryprotection from the lesser warriors� ene-mies. Each person in the chain of com-mand might himself be a vassal of a morepowerful lord, holding land deeded him bythat ruler. This system was in wide use inEurope during the Middle Ages.

Mid-level strongholdsThe question of what to do with those

mid-level player characters (4th-8th level)who want to set up shop, but have not yetattained the normal minimum level limit todo so, can be easily solved by manipulatingthe feudal system to meet their personal

16 JANUARY 1986

needs. Have the ambitious PCs visit one ofthe lords with whom they happen to be ongood terms and arrange a deal with thatparticular lord for territory on which aminor fort or stronghold may be built. Forthis article�s purpose, a lord is any high-level character with an established free-hold or stronghold; optionally, he is onewho is just setting up such a territory. A�standard deal� for land might consist ofan agreement to receive the land on termsthat the PC must present himself and abody of soldiers (the number varies withthe size of the territory received, normallyat least five men per level of the PC) formilitary duty for a certain number of daysa year, as specified by the lord � perhaps20 days a year � plus emergency servicein times of war. The deal usually alsoallows the PC to keep a percentage of thetax collected by the PC from his territoryeach month (usually 2 sp out of theamount collected per person, per month).

If the PC agrees to these terms and thenproceeds to violate the terms of the agree-ment, the former owner of the land iswithin his rights to regain the landthrough any means at his disposal, and hemay not be a very forgiving fellow. Thesize of the territory �given� to the PC isanother matter altogether and usuallydepends on the PC�s personal wealth andpower, the wealth and power of the lordbeing petitioned, the location of the lord�sterritories, the location of the lord�s ene-mies, the relationship between the lordand the PC, and the extent and specifica-tions of the PC�s requests. The results ofthese negotiations should be determinedon an individual basis by the DM. Justbecause one PC is turned down does notmean another will also be turned down.Use your own personal discretion whendetermining the size of the territory, butat no time should a mid-level character�sterritory exceed that which can be gainednormally by the character�s class at namelevel (i.e., under a 20-mile radius for fight-ers). If the territory is gained in the above

manner, no extra followers are attracted,although they can still be hired and a smallsettlement and castle established.

Those crazy cavaliersIn finding a haven for all those budding

adventurers, we have also dealt with thequestion of to whom all those cavaliers areloyal. Instead of serving one�s own family,a religion, or some powerful lord, a begin-ning cavalier may be sworn to a mid-levellord or, if he comes from a distinguishedfamily, a high-level lord. This arrangementmay have been set up by the cavalier�sfamily for political, economic, or religiousreasons. The starting cavalier does notreceive a land grant, but he does receivethe convenience of his lord�s hospitality atany time, within reason of course (the lordwill not stand for being taken advantage ofin any manner). The young cavalier muststill provide military service to his lord asper the first section of this article.

An established cavalier may still servehis former lord and retain his privilegedhospitality, or he may seek a new lord butstill retain ties to his old lord. In either

case, he will likely receive some sort ofterritory in return for his services. A high-level cavalier may not wish to maintain alord at all, and may go off to establish hisown territory or seek an even more pow-erful liege. What�s good for the goose isgood for the gander, so the cavalier maywish to gain vassals of his own as he risesin power. If cavaliers can do so, why notfighters and rangers as well? (Paladins arenot mentioned, since they serve thechurch, but something similar could stillbe worked out for them.) The DM shoulddiscuss his ideas on these topics with theplayers involved and work out a system tosuit their own needs.

Revitalizing governmentsAre your players tired of the same over-

used, stereotyped government day after

day? If so, then introduce a little feudalisminto their lives. The feudal system of gov-ernment offers an enormous opportunityto expand the role that governments playin a campaign. When PCs ally themselveswith one lord, they may also gain severalother allied and enemy lords at the sametime. Just because two lords are part ofthe same country does not mean they arelife-long friends. What happens to theclever adventurer who has gained landgrants from two neighboring lords whenthey go to war with one another? Internaland external conflicts and politics bringsparkle to many an adventurers� eye, andeven the most powerful lords are loyal tosome greater power. Most of the feudalholdings are on the outer edges of coun-tries, especially on the borders whereenemy territories meet.

Vistas of adventureThe system presented in this article

creates more involvement for PCs in themacroscopic events of their own particu-lar world at a much lower than normallevel, and also unites the small lord withthe mighty king in the political chain ofcommand. See if your characters havetime for goofing off when they must nego-tiate with their lords, keep tabs on theirvassals, and deal with political and militarystruggles every week. (�Sire, there�s anarmy of 10,000 men approaching. . . .�)

The feudal system presented here is asimplified version of feudalistic Europe,and all are welcome to adjust the systemto their own tastes. Use some cunning,ingenuity, and common sense when creat-ing adventures for newly landed playercharacters, and have fun.

D R A G O N 1 7

CondensedCombat

Streamlining the attack tables in AD&D® gamesby Travis Corcoran

The combat system for the AD&D®game gives realistic results dealing with anumber of variables. There is only oneflaw: the system is slow and bulky. To findthe result of an attack, one must refer to atable in the Players Handbook comparingarmor-class type to weapon type, applythis result to one of five tables in the DMG,then modify the result for attack and

defense bonuses. In this article, two tablesare presented which are easier andquicker to use, yet give the same result asthe old system.

To use them, one concession must bemade � all armor classes are listed asfollows: AC type/AC bonuses. Using thissystem, chain mail +2 is AC 5/+ 2 (AC 5being the armor class of nonmagical chainmail). A suit of leather +3 is thus AC 8/+3. Finally, normal plate mail with a

shield +1 is AC 2/+ 1. All other defensivebonuses are included to the right of theslash, including those from dexterity,magical devices, etc.

To find the to-hit roll needed, you com-pare the attacking weapon to the de-fender�s armor-class type on Table I.Noting this number, you go to Table II.Here you find the attacker�s class, then godown to find his level or hit dice. To the

Table I: Weapons vs. armor class

Weapon 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8Aklys - 7 - 5 - 3 - 1 1 3 5 6 8Atlatl 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8Axe, Battle - 5 - 3 - 1 1 3 4 6 7 9Axe, Hand - 5 - 3 - 1 1 2 4 6 7 9Bardiche - 3 - 1 0 2 4 5 7 8 10Bec de Corbin 2 3 4 5 6 5 6 7 8Bill-Guisarme 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8Blowgun 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8Bo Stick - 1 3 - 1 0 - 7 - 4 - 1 2 5 7 9Caltrop - 8 - 6 - 4 - 2 0 2 4 6 8Club - 7 - 5 - 3 - 1 1 3 5 6 8Dagger - 4 - 3 - 1 0 2 3 6 7 9Fauchard - 3 - 2 0 1 3 4 6 7 8Fauchard-Fork - 2 - 1 1 2 3 5 6 7 9Fist/Open Hand - 9 - 7 - 5 - 2 1 4 6 7 10Flail, Footman�s 3 4 4 5 �

47 7 8 9

Flail, Horseman�s 0 1 2 3 5 6 8 9Fork, Military - 3 - 2 0 1 3 5 6 8 9

999

101011

9999

109

10899

1010

9

101110121113

91010131211139

1114

91011

GarrotGlaiveGlaive-GuisarmeGuisarmeGuisarme-VoulgeHalberdHarpoonHammer, LucernHammerHook FauchardJo StickKnife

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10- 2 - 1 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10- 2 - 1 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10- 3 - 2 0 1 3 4 6 7 8 8 9- 2 - 1 1 2 4 6 7 8 8 9 10

0 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 9 10 10- 3 - 1 0 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10

0 2 3 4 6 7 8 8 9 9 100 1 2 4 4 6 6 7 8 9 10

- 3 - 2 0 1 3 4 6 7 8 9 9- 1 0 - 8 - 6 - 3 0 3 5 7 9 9 12

- 6 - 4 - 3 - 1 1 3 5 7 9 10 13

18 JANUARY 1986

Missile weapons

Aklys (hurled)Atlatl (javelin)Axe, HandBlowgun NeedleBow, Composite, LongBow, Composite, ShortBow, LongBow, ShortClubCrossbow, HandCrossbow, HeavyCrossbow, LightDaggerDartHammerHarpoonJavelinKnifeLassoSling (bullet)Sling (stone)SpearStaff Sling (bullet)Staff Sling (stone)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10- 8 - 6 - 4 - 2 0 2 4 6 8 9 10- 6 - 4 - 2 0 2 4 6 7 9 10 12- 6 - 4 - 2 0 2 4 5 7 8 9 11

- 1 4 - 1 1 - 8 - 5 - 2 1 4 6 7 10 12- 4 - 2 0 2 4 5 7 9 10 12 13- 4 - 3 - 1 0 3 5 7 9 10 11 13- 2 0 1 3 4 6 8 10 11 12 13- 7 - 5 - 3 - 1 3 5 6 8 10 11 12- 9 - 7 - 5 - 2 1 3 5 6 7 9 10- 6 - 3 0 2 4 5 6 8 10 11 13- 2 0 1 3 5 7 9 10 12 13 14- 3 - 1 0 7 4 5 7 9 11 12 13- 7 - 5 - 3 - 1 1 3 5 6 8 9 11- 7 - 5 - 3 - 1 1 3 5 7 9 9 11- 4 - 2 0 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 11- 6 - 4 - 2 0 2 4 6 7 8 9 11- 7 - 5 - 3 - 1 1 3 5 7 9 9 11- 8 - 6 - 4 - 2 0 2 4 6 8 9 11

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9- 3 - 2 0 1 3 5 6 7 10 10 13- 7 - 5 - 3 - 1 2 4 6 7 10 10 13- 4 - 3 - 1 0 2 3 5 7 8 9 10- 5 - 3 - 1 1 3 5 6 7 8 9 10- 6 - 4 - 7 0 2 4 6 7 8 9 10

WeaponLance (light)Lance (medium) 7Lance (heavy)LassoMace, Footman�sMace, Horseman�s 2Man CatcherMorning StarPartisanPick, Footman�s 5 7Pick, Horseman�s 7Pike, AwlRanseur 7SapScimitarSpearSpetum 7Spiked Buckler 7Staff, QuarterStaff SlingSword, BastardSword, Broad 1Sword, FalchionSword, KhopeshSword, LongSword, ShortSword, Two-HandedTrident 1 7Voulge 7Whip

0-3-1402

00032

-1-3

-14-4-2-2-7-900

-5-3-7-4-52

-4-2

-14

1- 2

15133111430

- 2-12-2

- 1- 1- 5- 7

11

- 3- 1- 5- 2- 3

3- 2- 1

- 1 1

20252332224310

-10-100

-3-5

22

-10

-30

-14

-11

-8

3146344343

432

-7122

- 1- 2

33

2- 1

215

2- 5

4 53 55 66 74 54 54 54 55 64 55 65 64 53 5

-4 -12 43 44 51 31 44 55 63 54 62 44 53 56 72 44 6

- 2 1

66786666766666

66656676766696

77

8777787677

377

77888777

10

84 6

8889888798

885988898999989

11989

9 109 109 109 109 10

10 99 107 7

11 129 108 88 98 89 117 10

10 139 10

10 129 12

10 119 10

10 1010 12

9 1010 1210 12

9 1210 10

9 119 109 13

D R A G O N 1 9

left of this is the base number to hit. Youthen move down a number of spaces equalto the result of Table I, then move up anumber of spaces equal to the armor-classbonus of the victim. The final numberfound is the needed to-hit number. Thismay seem very confusing, but it works.Some examples follow.

Example 1: A 1st-level fighter with abattle axe attacks a cleric in chain mail +2(AC 5/ + 2). Checking Table I, one finds theresult of matching battle axe with AC 5 tobe +4. On Table II, one finds that a 1st-level fighter has a base number of 20.Moving four numbers down (for the resultfrom Table I) gives the number 16; movingtwo spaces up (for the AC bonus of thecleric�s chain mail) produces 18. This is thefighter�s needed to-hit roll. Check thisfigure against the usual system, remem-bering to include the armor-class adjust-ments in the Players Handbook, page 38.

Example 2: A 6th-level magic-user usesa dagger to attack a thief wearing studded-leather armor (AC 7/0). A dagger vs. AC 7gives a + 7; a 6th-level magic-user has abase number of 19. We move down sevenspaces to get 12, and, as no armor bonusexists, the to-hit roll is 12.

Example 3: A 14th-level cleric with ahorseman�s mace attacks a magic-user instreet clothes who wears a ring of protec-tion +2 (AC 10/+2). A horseman�s macevs. clothes (AC 10) is + 10. The base num-ber for the 14th-level cleric is 12. Moving10 spaces down, we get 2; the magical ringmakes this a 4, the final to-hit roll.

Example 4: A 23rd-level thief with ashort sword +4 attacks a robed merchantwith a 17 dexterity (AC 10/+ 3). A shortsword against clothes is + 12. The thief�sbase number is 10 (21 + level). Moving 12down gives a -2; the merchant�s dexteritychanges this to a 1. The magical weaponallows an attack bonus of +4, which issubtracted from the result, leaving -3 asthe final to-hit result.

This process can be broken down intothe following steps:

1. Find weapon vs. AC on Table I;2. Find base number on Table II;3. Move down a number of spaces equal

to the result found on Table I;4. Move up a number of spaces equal to

defense/armor bonuses: and,5. Account for any other attack modi-

fiers for strength, magical bonuses, cover,and so forth.

This system, besides being quicker, iseasier to understand and modify. A classcan be handicapped in combat by rewrit-ing part of Table II. A weapon can bemodified or added by changing a part ofTable I. Use this system and modify it tosuit yourself.

Any new system or game seems complexand slow until it has been used and under-stood for a period of time. This combatsystem is no exception. The going is slowuntil you are used to it; then, it shows itsadvantages.

Table II: Base numbers for classes and monsters

Basenumber

2020191817161514131211 � —

109876 �54 �321

Cleric�1-3�

4-6�7-9�

10-12�

13-15�

16-18�

19 +��

��

Attacker�s class and level/hit diceFighter Magic-user Thief

0 1-5 1-41-2 � �� 6-10 5-83-4 � �� 11-15 �

5-6 � 9-12� 16-20 �7-8 � 13-16� 21+ �

9-10 � 17-20� �

11-12 21+� � �

13-14 � ��

15-16 ��

17+ ��

Monster1-11-1

11+�

2-3 +4-5 +

�6-7 +8-9 +

10-11 +12-13 +14-15 +

16 +��

The base-number column may be expanded upwards by repeating the number 20 a totalof six times before continuing with 21, 22, etc. The base numbers may be expandeddownward as necessary.

DR A G O N 21

Dungeoneer�sShopping Guide

by Rober t A. Nelson

Price lists

Alchemical supplies

Alembic 4 gpBalance & weights 10 gpBeaker 3 gpBellows 1 gpBrazier 15 gpCauldron 6 gpCrucible 7 spFunnel 4 spFurnace 35 gpHourglass 4 gpLens, concave or convex 5 gp Mortar & pestle 2 gpTongs 4 spTube, glass (container or piping) 3 spTweezers 5 spWater clock 3 gp

Armored gauntlets (per pair)

Gauntlets, leather (AC 8) 1 epGauntlets, chain link (AC 5) 4 gpGauntlets, plate on chain (AC 3) 3 gpGauntlets, plate (AC 2) 2 gp

Clothing and furniture

Cape 3 spCloth, cotton 1 sp/sq. yd.Cloth, linen 5 cp/sq. yd.Cloth, satin 4 gp/sq. yd.Cloth, silk 3 gp/sq. yd.Cloth, velvet 4 gp/sq. yd.Cloth, wool 8 cp/sq. yd.Dress 9 sp+Gloves, cloth 1-2 spGloves, leather 5-10 gpNeedle, sewing l-2 epScissors 5 spShirt/blouse 4 sp+Thread, 1 spool 5-10 cpTrousers/skirt 3 sp+

22 JANUARY 1986

How many times has a player asked foran item not found in the Players Hand-book? For any player worth his salt, theanswer is most likely �often.� The PlayersHandbook does not list everything adven-turers may want or need; in some cases,such as musical instruments, the book listsnothing at all. Sure, a DM can alwaysestimate a price on the spot � but is itreasonable, and will he remember it?

The price lists compiled in this articleshould solve these problems. They includeitems for dungeoneers, everyday itemssuch as furnishings and toiletries, andeven torture devices for the evil ones in

Furnishings

Armchair, padded 3 gpArmchair, wooden 1 gpBed, double 8 gpBed, single 5 gpBench, padded 4 gpBench, wooden 2 gpBookcase, 4� x 5� x 1� 5 gpBowl, pewter 2 spBowl, pottery 5 cpBowl, silver 2 gpBuffet 7 gpCabinet 3-8 gpCarpet, 1 sq. yd. 1-10 spChair, padded 2 gpChair, wooden 1 epChandelier 10 gp+Chest of drawers 5-7 gpCup, pewter 2 spCup, pottery 4 cpCup, silver 2 gpCurtains/drapes, 1 sq. yd. 1-4 spCushion 1-3 spCutlery*, copper 1 sp/pieceCutlery * , pewter 2 sp/pieceCutlery *, silver 1 ep/pieceDecanter, crystal 10 gpDecanter, pottery 6 cpDecanter, silver 4 gpDesk 15 gpGoblet, crystal 4 gpGoblet, pewter 4 spGoblet, silver 2 gpHamper 7-15 spKettle, iron, various sizes 2-12 gpLoom 3-7 gpMat 15 sp

the campaign. While these lists are not ascomplete as they could be, they shouldsatisfy most needs. Note that all items areassumed to be of the most mundane sort.If greater quality and craftsmanship aredesired, increase the price accordingly. Itshould also be noted that additional itemsof various sorts are listed in the DMG onpage 27.

Thanks go to my hapless players, whoinspired me to write this and suggested afew items listed herein, and special thanksto Roger E. Moore for his help andsuggestions.

Mattress, feather, double 4 gpMattress, feather, single 2 gpMattress, straw, double 3 epMattress, straw, single 1 epMirror, 1 sq. foot 10-15 gpPillow, feather 1-2 spPlate, pewter 2 spPlate, pottery 3 cpPlate, silver 2 gpRug 1-2 gpSconce, wall 5 cpSofa or couch 30 gpStool 3 epTable 1 sp + 2 sp/sq. ft.Tub 2-5 gpWardrobe, plainWardrobe, with mirror(s)

15 gp25 gp+

* Includes ladles, serving spoons, etc.

Musical instruments

BandoreHornChimeLuteDrumLyreFifeMandolinFlutePipesGongRebec & bowHarpRecorder

15 gp6 gp2 gp+25 gp4 gp27 gp5 gp28 gp16 gp2 gp5 gp30 gp50 gp6 gp

Provisions Torture devices Thumb screw 1 gpU - r a c k 25 gp

Beer, heavy, pint 1 sp Branding iron 2 gp Vice 7 gpBrandy, pint 1 ep Cage 15-20 gpBread, loaf 5-7 cp Chair with straps 3 gpFlour, 10 lb. sack 3-5 sp Clamp 1-3 gpGrog, pint 3 sp Iron boots

Transport5 gp

Rum, pint 5 sp Iron maiden 50-70 gpStocks 3-5 gp

Buckboard 75 gpCoach, royal 200 gp +

Miscellaneous items Keg 15 sp Vial, crystal 1-4 gpLadder, 12� 3 sp Vial, metal 2-4 gp

Bag 7-15 cp Lamp, oil 2 gp Whetstone 1 gpBarrel 1 gp Manacles, pair, & key 5 gp Whistle 1 gpBell 1-5 gp + Metal file 2 gpBird cage 2-5 gp Nails, iron, 100 1 epBlanket 5-8 sp Padlock & key 6 gpBook, blank, 100 pages, papyrus 160 gp Padlock with poison reservoirBook (as above), parchment 220 gp & key 10 gp * A 2 oz. pot of ink lasts for 52-70 hand-Book (as above), vellum 400 gp Pail 7-10 sp written pages or 182-200 maps, written onBottle or flask 3 sp Paint, 1 gallon 1-2 gp paper of less than 1 square foot per sheet.Bracers, leather 8 sp Paint brush, fine 1 gp * * Page size is less than 1 square foot perBracers, metal 1-6 ep Paint brush, medium 2 sp sheet. Note that this is scroll-quality paper.Bucket 3-8 sp Paint brush, large 5 sp Lesser quality paper is less expensive.Candle snuffer 1 sp Papyrus* *, 1 sheet 2 gp * * * At the DM�s discretion, the effects ofCask 5 sp Parchment* *, 1 sheet 4 gp wear and tear on armor may be deter-Chain, iron, 1', heavy. 1 gp Pen, fine, wood or metal 3 sp mined as follows: For each month of useChain (as above), medium 18 sp Pen, quill 2 cpChain (as above), light 15 sp Pick axe, mining 3-6 gp

during which a suit of armor is notcleaned and cared for, it loses one AC

Chain (as above), fine, small 2 gp Pipe, smoking 1 cp+ value. Once it has dropped one or moreCharcoal, 10 lb. bag 1-2 gp Pipeweed/tobacco, 8 oz. pouch 1 gp+ AC values, only an armorer can restore itCoal, 10 lb. bag 10 gp Pliers 1 gp to prime condition. When a suit of armorCologne/perfume, 1 oz. 1 gp+ Quilt 1-2 ep has its AC fall to 10, it falls apart. For eachComb 1 sp Razor 1 gp drop in AC value, the armor suffers aCrowbar 1-2 gp Repair & cleaning kit (weapons/ penalty of -1 on all saving throws. ArmorDice/knucklebones, 1 pair l-2 ep armor) * * * 5-10 gp suffers no penalties from sitting in stor-Dice/knucklebones, 1 pair, loaded 4 gp Scabbard, sword, bastard 2 gp age, unless it has not been cleaned.Earspoon 2 sp Scabbard, broad 1 gp Any weapon that has not been cleanedGlue, 2 oz. pot 2 gp Scabbard, long 1 gp and cared for after one month�s use suf-Grapnel 7 gp Scabbard, short 15 sp fers a penalty of -1 on its saving throwsGrindstone 5 gp Sheath, dagger or knife 7-10 sp and �to hit� scores. After two months, theHacksaw 2 gp Soap, 8 oz. bar 1-2 sp save and attack scores are at -2, etc.Hairbrush 7 sp Spade/shovel 2-4 gp Magical armor or weapons lose none ofInk*, 2 oz. pot 1 gp String, 50� 1 sp their pluses when they have not beenJar 5 sp Vellum* *, 1 sheet 8 gp cared for. A sword +2 remains magicalJug 1 ep Vial, ceramic 1 gp even after years of poor care.

Encumbrance valuesI have listed the encumbrance values for

only those items which reasonably wouldbe carried often or possibly found astreasure in some dungeon. Listings canalso be found in the DMG, on page 225.Items previously listed in the DMG encum-brance tables are not listed again.

All encumbrance values are in goldpieces (gp). It is assumed that items ofarmor and clothing are not worn whenfactoring encumbrance.

Armored gauntlets (per pair)

Gauntlets, leather 20Gauntlets, chain link 25Gauntlets, plate on chain 35Gauntlets, plate 25

Furnishings

Bowl 8Cup 5Cutlery 5/pieceDecanter 60Goblet 10Plate 7

Miscellaneous items

BagBellBirdcageBlanketBracers, leatherBracers, metalChainCrowbarHacksawManacles, pairMapping gear *Metal filePick axe, miningRepair & cleaning kit

(weapons/armor)Spade/shovelWhetstone

5-155 +50-10050153020/l'6020351010175

11018010

* Not including the map case.

24 JANUARY 1986

AdventureTrivia!

What is the airspeed of an unladen carpet of flying?

by Tom Armstrong

With the current craze of trivia games, Ithought it might be interesting to see howfolks would do in such a game if the ques-tions all related to the AD&D® game. Tothat end, I have compiled the followingquestions and answers. All answers weredetermined strictly by the rules in theDungeon Masters Guide, Players Hand-book, Unearthed Arcana, Legends & Lore,Monster Manual I, Monster Manual II, theDEITIES & DEMIGODS� Cyclopedia, theFIEND FOLIO® Tome, and a few adventuremodules � with a DRAGON® Magazine ortwo thrown in besides. The above refer-ences are abbreviated in the answerssection.

The questions may be used for quizzes,or written on 3� x 5� index cards, withthe answers on the back, for use in yourfavorite trivia game. It�s all in fun, sodon�t feel bad if you don�t know all theanswers. In fact, many of the questionsare pretty obscure � but potentiallyimportant.

Questions

1. What is the fastest normal ship, sailedor oared, listed in the DMG?

2. The clerics of which Greek deity arepermitted to ride horses?

3. Which pantheons from the originaledition of the DEITIES & DEMIGODSCyclopedia were dropped in later editions?

4. A 12th-level human bard with anintelligence of 15 may know how manylanguages, besides common and hisalignment tongue?

5. What is the maximum number ofpsionic disciplines possible for a characterto use at 1st level?

6. A character with 1 gp can buy thelargest number of which of the followingitems?

(a) chickens

26 JANUARY 1986

(b) wax candles(c) songbirds(d) caps

7. If initiative is simultaneous and allother factors are equal, which of the fol-lowing weapons strikes first in combat?

(a) 5� spear(b) hammer

(c) scimitar(d) short sword

8. What is the percentage chance of a4th-level half-orc thief with a 15 dexteritysuccessfully reading languages?

9. What is the level title of an 11th-levelassassin?

10. What is the maximum possible dam-age inflicted by a 6th-level thief (with astrength of 15) when striking from behindwith a broad sword against a hill giantwearing chain mail armor?

11. How many spells (total) may a 10th-level illusionist with an 18 intelligence castper day, without the use of scrolls or otherdevices?

12. What is the normal maximum possi-ble strength of a female tallfellow halflingfighter?

13. A cavalier with a constitution of 17 iskilled for the 17th time. Can she bebrought back to life?

14. When may a 1st-level magic-userstrike more than once per round with anormal weapon in melee combat, withoutthe use of magic or hurled weapons?

15. Must the victim of a lamia�s charm beable to understand the lamia�s language inorder for there to be effective communica-tion between them?

16. What is the in-flight maneuverabilityclass of a ki-rin?

17. In which hardbound book, module,game accessory, or magazine did coosheesfirst appear?

18. How many hit points of magic missiledamage can be absorbed by a brooch ofshielding?

19. How many successful hits would benecessary for a giant lizard to kill a fighterwho has 57 hp, assuming the giant lizardalways hits and does the maximum possi-ble damage each time?

20. Can an illusionist utilize a magicalstaff?

21. At what level may a character ignorethe fear aura of a small adult blue dragon?

22. Would a nonmagical blunt silverweapon be harmful to a Type IV demon?

23. What is the maximum possible hit-point total for a half-orc fighter/assassin,levels 6/6, with maximum normalconstitution?

24. The breath weapon of which of thefollowing creatures causes the most hitpoints of damage?

(a) small, adult dragon turtle(b) average, adult white dragon(c) chimera of maximum hit points(d) small, old lung wang(e) large, adult mist dragon

25. What is the strength-point cost of thepsionic discipline telekinesis if used by agithyanki?

26. A character using the psionic disci-pline of hypnosis may affect 15 levels/hitdice of creatures at which level ofmastery?

27. What is the greatest number ofcreatures which can be affected by aprismatic spray spell?

28. How many wights could be affectedby a mass charm spell cast by a 16th-levelmagic-user?

29. What material component is re-quired for the casting of the first applica-tion of the Otiluke�s freezing sphere spell(a globe of matter at absolute zero)?

30. What maximum distance may adruid travel using a transport via plantsspell?

31. Can a Great Druid cast an anti-animal shell spell that will keep outmountain dwarves?

32. What is the range of the raise deadspell?

33. What is the saving-throw bonusagainst cold for a cleric under the protec-tion of a resist cold spell?

34. What is the material component forthe casting of a destroy water spell?

35. Does a two-handed sword have abetter chance to hit a man with no armorthan it would a man with padded armor?

36. What are the damage ranges for abec de corbin against small and largecreatures?

37. What character classes are possiblefor a female deep gnome character withmaximum abilities?

38. What is the minimum possible intelli-gence for a valley elf character, asnormally rolled?

39. Who wrote the original DEITIES &DEMIGODS Cyclopedia?

40. Will the deity Druaga ever grant aresurrection spell to one of his faithfulclerics? Why?

41. Which deity do stone giantsworship?

42. Which knight found the Holy Grail?(a) King Arthur(b) Sir Galahad(c) Sir Gawain(d) Sir Lancelot du Lake

43. The clerics of which mythos mustshave all of their body hair?

44. How many planes of alignment arelisted in the Legends & Lore volume?

45. What is the effect of drawing thestar from a deck of many things?

46. What is the airspeed, in inches, of a5� x 7� carpet of flying?

47. Which magical wand, rod, or staffemits a green beam when activated?

48. What would be the ego score of thefollowing device: long sword, +3, lawfulgood, with an intelligence of 16, able todetect magic, locate objects, and heal, andalso able to speak common, orcish, andgold dragon?

49. What sort of damage can an enragedstorm giant do against an earthen ram-part, using only its fists?

50. What is the weight of the largest-sized bag of holding when full?

51. What is the rarest type of potion thatcan be found?

52. Which alignment has the best loyaltyadjustments?

(a) chaotic good(b) true neutral(c) lawful evil(d) neutral evil

53. How many magic scarabs are listedin Unearthed Arcana?

54. Of which monster type wasAcererak the very first examplementioned?

55. In the White Plume Mountain AD&Dmodule (S2), what was Wave?

56. What is the name of the only swordon the list of artifacts in the DMG, andwhat type of sword was it?

57. What is the minimum intelligencescore for a magic sword with the power ofspeech?

58. Can an 11th-level magic-user cast aguards and wards spell?

59. What is the range of a drow elf�sinfravision?

60. In what year was the DMG firstpublished?

61. In which issue of DRAGON Magazinewas Kim Mohan first listed as Editor-in-Chief?

62. How many different dragon typesare listed in the two Monster Manuals andthe FIEND FOLIO® Tome, excluding Tiamatand Bahamut?

63. In which AD&D game adventure canone journey to the dwarven fortress ofKandelspire?

64. What is the greatest amount of goldpieces possible for a 1st-level fighter togain at the start of the game?

65. In which adventure do player char-acters get a chance to meet Blibdoolpoolp,face to lobster face?

66. With which other demon lord is thepatron demon of gnolls at war?

67. The casting of which spell may causethe loss of a point of the caster�sconstitution?

68. At which level may a barbarian use aprotection scroll?

69. What is the effect of an amethystchromatic orb if the target fails its savingthrow?

70. What is the base movement rate of ahuman fighter wearing bronze plate mail?

71. What is the cost of the materialsneeded to make a travelling spell book?

72. What is the effect of a black egg ofdesire?

73. How many different cantrips areavailable to a magic-user?

74. How much does a blowgun and 20needles cost?

75. What is another name for theduergar?

76. What is the weight of a suit ofhuman-sized field plate?

77. What is the movement rate of amedium warhorse wearing leatherbarding?

78. What is the maximum number ofcantrips a 1st-level magic-user of 18 intelli-gence may know?

79. How many spells (maximum) can a1st-level illusionist know?

80. What saving throw bonus is gainedby the recipient of Serten�s spell immunityagainst the spell, command?

81. What is the armor class of studdedleather with a large shield against slingbullets?

82. List three of the four primaryfunctions of a thief-acrobat.

83. Does a ranger get bonuses to damagewhen attacking tasloi?

84. Is a cleric permitted to use a whip?85. What is the chance that the casting

of a spell directly from a spell book willdestroy the book?

86. What type of magic sword might benamed �Replier?�

87. Dumathoin is a deity to which race?88. A lochaber axe is a member of the:

(a) spear family(b) pole cleaver family(c) axe family(d) none of the above

89. Which deva is described as havingmilky white skin, with silvery hair andcolorless eyes?

90. Is Hutijin a pit fiend?91. Is a tanystropheus carnivorous,

herbivorous, or omnivorous?92. How many hit dice does an African

elephant have?93. In which module were svirfneblin

first encountered?94. Can one summon a lacedon with a

monster summoning III spell?95. According to the charts in the DMG,

at what dungeon level could one firstencounter a carrion crawler?

96. What befalls a scarab of protectionafter it absorbs 12 life-energy drainingattacks?

97. What is the maximum number ofmissiles to be found on a necklace ofmissiles?

98. Which instrument of the bards enti-tles a 14h-level bard to add 30% to hischarming ability, as well as cast controlwinds, transmute rock to mud, and wall offire?

99. What percentage of eyes of petrifica-tion work as the gaze of a basilisk?

100. Name the only monster whosealignment is listed as �Lawful good�in the FIEND FOLIO Tome.

The answers to these questions are onpage 88 of this issue.

D R A G O N 2 7

A Touch ofGenius

Putting intelligence to work in AD&D® gaming

by Vince Garcia

Of all the characteristics possessed byAD&D® game characters, intelligencestands out as being of minimal value to allclasses (magic-users excepted). The advan-tages of superior strength, dexterity, con-stitution, and wisdom are frequently andreadily apparent. Even mundane and�peaceful� characteristics such as charismaand comeliness can be of great benefit toplayer characters fortunate enough tohave high scores in these categories. In thecase of a high intelligence, though, fewbonuses accrue to the character.

Certainly, some bonuses for high intelli-gence may be noted, such as an increasedchance for being psionic or for detectingotherwise invisible creatures. But, caseswhere these factors come into play arerather rare. This writer knows of fewcampaigns that make use of psionics. Inthe past six years, I have only seen thedetection of invisibility table used twice.There are, of course, a few other circum-stances in which the intelligence of thecharacter does become a factor, such as inthe case of a character�s will vs. an intelli-gent swords will, or in noting a scryingattempt, but examples such as these areinfrequent, relegating a vital characteristicto the status of an all but useless statisticfor non-magic-users, a characteristicwhich should play a much more importantrole in a character�s existence. What fol-lows, then, are a few suggestions for beef-ing up the use of intelligence and craftingit into a more desirable characteristic.

Working smarterIt can be argued that intelligence should

play a major role in both the amount oftime spent in actual training and in theexpense entailed when reaching a newlevel. It makes sense that Ragnor, a fighterwith an intelligence of 3, would have amore difficult time understanding andlearning the various nuances and tech-niques of better swordplay than wouldGwydion, a fighter with an intelligence of18. Likewise, Redfern the Bland, with an

28 JANUARY 1986

intelligence of 12, is probably not going tobe as adept in learning the magical arts asAthanasius the Brilliant, who has an 18 inthe same category. Both Gwydion andAthanasius should expect a reduction inthe amount of time necessary to advancein levels and less expense in doing so.

The present level-advancement systembases training costs and time factors indirect proportion to how well the charac-ter acts according to his alignment andhow well the functions of class are dis-played. This is fine as far as it goes, butthe consideration of character intelligencein this article would do much to make agood score in that characteristic a highlydesirable thing. A proposed variant whichtakes the intelligence of the characterdirectly into consideration is presentedbelow.

First, assign a factor based on how well�or how poorly � the character dis-played the functions of his class(es):

Excellent: Fighters used proper weaponsin given situations and chose the besttargets for attacks; spellcasters used themost useful spells based on knowledge ofthe area without errors in range, area ofeffect, or spell function; thieves checkedfor traps in likely spots, chose targetswisely, attacked in the most efficient man-ner for the situation, and acquired extratreasure intelligently and efficiently � 0.

Good: Character was played intelligentlywith minimal errors. The character mayhave been too cautious or reckless, but didnot place himself or group in great danger.Spellcasters did not expose party to need-less danger from ineptitude � ½.

Fair: Character was played tolerably,though inefficiently, and constantly mademinor errors or was careless. Spellcastersbroke the flow of game continually, inter-rupting game time to check on spelldetails �1.

Poor: Character made inefficient use ofskills, gross errors in spellcasting, failed topull own weight, refused to cooperatewith party, or player repeatedly ques-tioned or argued with DM � 2.

Next, assign a second factor based on

how well the character followed his align-ment, based on the following:

Excellent: No deviations from professedalignment except as necessary for honor-able self-preservation (i.e., evil PC acting�good� around party ranger; good thiefacting �evil� around waterfront NPCswhile gathering information, etc.) � 0.

Good: Character made few unnecessarydeviations from professed alignment � ½.

Poor: Character made repeated devia-tions from professed alignment withoutjustification (note: double these penaltiesfor rangers, paladins, and clerics, as align-ment plays a much more important role inthese classes) �1.

Take the two factors and add them to-gether, then add an additional value of 1 toget the multiplier penalty for trainingtime. We now refer to the following infor-mation to note the normal training time,depending on class:

Fighter classes: 7 days plus 1 day/leveltraining.

Thief classes: 9 days plus 1 day/leveltraining.

Cleric classes: 8 days plus 1 day/leveltraining.

Magic-user classes: 10 days plus 1 day/level training.

Multiply the total training time above bythe penalty sum. For example, a fightertraining for 4th level has a base trainingperiod of 11 days, but the fighter wasassessed a penalty of ½ for only good classplay and another ½ for following align-ment at the good rating, for a total of 1.We therefore multiply the base training

Character�s Penalty or bonusintelligence percentage3 +60%4 +40%5-7 +25%8-12 013-14 -25%15-16 -40%17 -45%18 -50%19 or better -60%

Base days Character intelligenceof training 3 4 5 - 7 8 - 1 2 1 3 - 1 4 1 5 - 1 6 1 7 l 8 1 9 +

9 14 13 11 9 8 6 5 5 4

10 16 14 13 10 8 6 6 5 411 18 15 14 11 9 7 6 6 412 19 17 15 12 9 7 7 6 513 21 18 16 13 10 8 7 7 514 22 20 18 14 11 8 8 7 615 24 21 19 15 11 9 8 8 616 26 22 20 16 12 10 9 8 617 27 24 21 17 13 11 9 9 718 29 25 22 18 14 11 10 9 719 30 27 24 19 14 11 10 10 820 32 28 26 20 16 12 11 10 821 34 30 26 21 16 13 12 11 822 35 31 27 22 17 13 12 11 923 37 32 29 23 17 14 13 12 924 38 34 30 24 18 14 13 12 1025 40 35 30 25 19 15 14 13 1026 41 36 33 26 20 16 14 13 1027 43 38 34 27 20 16 14 14 1128 45 39 35 28 21 17 15 14 1129 46 41 36 29 22 17 16 15 1230 48 42 38 30 23 18 17 15 1231 50 43 39 31 23 19 17 16 1232 51 45 40 32 24 19 18 16 1333 53 46 41 33 25 20 18 17 1334 54 48 43 34 26 20 19 17 1435 56 49 44 35 26 21 19 18 1436 58 50 45 36 27 22 20 18 1437 59 52 46 37 28 22 20 19 1538 61 53 48 38 29 23 21 19 1539 62 55 49 39 29 23 21 20 1640 64 56 50 40 30 24 22 20 1641 66 57 51 41 31 25 23 21 1642 67 59 53 42 32 25 23 21 1743 69 60 54 43 32 26 24 22 1744 70 62 55 44 33 26 24 22 1845 72 63 56 45 34 27 25 23 1846 74 64 58 46 35 28 25 23 1847 76 66 59 47 35 28 26 24 1948 77 67 60 48 36 29 26 24 1949 78 69 61 49 37 29 27 25 2050 80 70 63 50 38 30 28 25 2051 82 71 64 51 38 31 28 26 2052 83 73 65 52 39 31 29 26 2153 85 74 66 53 40 32 29 27 2154 86 76 68 54 41 32 30 27 2255 88 77 69 55 41 33 30 28 2256 90 78 70 56 42 34 31 28 2257 91 80 71 57 43 34 31 29 2358 93 81 73 58 44 35 32 29 2359 94 83 74 59 44 35 32 30 2460 96 84 75 60 45 36 33 30 24

period by 2, finding that the fighter must When cross-referenced with the tablespend 22 days in training, assuming he provided, we see that his base trainingreceives no additional training time for period of 22 days is reduced to 17 days.having poor intelligence or a lessening of Checking that with the cost data, we findtraining time for being bright. Use the that the daily cost to the fighter is 200 gptable below to find the intelligence multi- per day, for a total cost of 3,400 gp for 17plier to lengthen or shorten training. days of training.

For simplicity, a table is provided belowwhich shows at a glance the total required

Fighter Barbarian Cavalier Paladin Ranger Daily cost1-6 1-5 1-7 1-6 1-7 200 gp7-12 6-10 8-10 7-12 8-14 400 gp13+ 11+ 11-15 13-18 15+ 800 gp

16+ 19+

training time.

Referring back to our fighter in trainingfor 4th-level, we decide he is a bit brighterthan average, with an intelligence of 14.

Having now determined how, many daysthe character must spend in actual train-ing, note the data below to find the sug-gested daily cost for training, dependingon class and level.

1200 gp

DR A G O N 29

Intelligence and saving throws table

Level/ClassMagic-userI. Nystul�s magic auraII. Leomund's trapIII. Phantasmal force

Character intelligence3 4 5 - 7 8 - 1 4 15 1 6 1 7

- 3 - 2 - 1 0 + 1 + 2 + 3N/A N/A - 5 % 0 + 5 % + 1 0 % +15%- 3 - 2 - 1 0 + 1 + 2 + 3

Illusionist spellsI. Phantasmal forceII. FascinateII. Improved phantasmal forceIII. Spectral forceIV. Rainbow patternIV. Shadow monstersV. Advanced illusionV. Demi-shadow monstersVI. Demi-shadow magicVI. PhantasmagoriaVI. Programmed illusionVI. ShadesVI. VeilVII. Weird

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

- 4 - 3 - 2

As 3rd-level magic-user spell0 + 1 + 2 + 30 0 + 1 + 20 0 0 + 10 + 1 + 1 + 20 + 1 + 2 + 30 0 + 1 + 20 0 + 1 + 20 0 0 + 10 + 1 + 2 + 30 0 0 00 0 + 1 + 2

0 0 + 1 + 2

1 8 1 9

+ 4 immunity+ 20% + 30%

+ 4 immunity

+ 4+ 3+ 2+ 3+ 4+ 3+ 3+ 1+ 4+ 1+ 2

+ 3

+ 5+ 4+ 3+ 4+ 5+ 4+ 4+ 2

immunity+ 2+ 3

straight saving throw+ 3

Cleric Druid1-5 1-11

6-9 12-1410 + 15 +

Daily cost300 gp600 gp1200 gp

Magic-user Illusionist Cost1-5 1-6 300 gp

6-10 7-9 600 gp1 1 + 1 0 + 1200 gp

Thief andThief/Acrobat

1-45-1011+

Assassin1-34-8

9-131 4 +

Monk1-34-59 +

Cost150 gp300 gp600 gp1000 gp

Smart saving throwsJust as a high wisdom score allots a

bonus to the saving throw vs. spells whichinvolve a question of will force (charm,rulership, suggestion, etc.), a bonus to

one’s saving throw vs. some illusion/phantasm spells, given that the individualencountering these spells possesses supe-rior intelligence, would not be inappro-priate. Legends & Lore clearly states that

If you’re interested in contributing anarticle to DRAGON® Magazine, thefirst thing you need is a copy of ourguidelines for writers. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to“Writer’s guidelines,” c/o DRAGONM a g a z i n e , P . O . B o x 1 1 0 , L a k eGeneva WI 53147; and we’l l sendyou back a sheet with all the basicinformation you need to make sureyour manuscript has the best possi-ble chance of being accepted.

beings with extremely high intelligencestatistics actually gain immunity to variouslevels of illusion/phantasm spells. Thisclearly illustrates a direct correlationbetween intelligence and the successfulwarding off of these spells. Perhaps con-sideration should be made for allowingsaving-throw bonuses or penalties basedon intelligence.

A list of illusion/phantasm spells is of-fered above, with suggested saving-throwmodifiers based on the intelligence score.

Certainly, a strong argument can bemade against some of the premises sug-gested in this article, such as immunity toa phantasmagoria spell or a saving throwfor a veil spell, even with a 19 intelligence.Any readers considering adapting sectionsof this article into their campaigns shouldcarefully review all data and adjust anyfigures according to their own tastes,keeping game balance in mind.

30 JANUARY 1986

by Penny Petticord

This edition of the �Sage Advice� columnaddresses some questions and problemsconcerning the Unearthed Arcana volume.Many questions on this book were ad-dressed in DRAGON® Magazine issue #103;this column is effectively �Arcana update,part II.� Other aspects of the UnearthedArcana volume are addressed in DRAGONissues #100 (page 9, on ranger-druids) andissue #113 (page 3, assassin and thiefalignments).

If you have any questions on the gamesproduced by TSR, Inc., write to:

Sage Advicec/o Penny PetticordTSR, Inc.P.O. Box 756Lake Geneva, WI 53147

Please do not expect a personal reply, aswe no longer have the time to make them.However, we will do our best to answer asmany questions in this column as possible.�RM

Can a cavalier of name level orhigher build a castle or otherstronghold, then collect revenuefrom the inhabitants? No rules aregiven in the class description forhandling the situation.

Like fighters, cavaliers are permitted tobuild strongholds when they reach namelevel. Given the cavalier�s social standing,such a stronghold would have to be grandand stylish, with a large staff. A cavalierwho was born into a noble family mightreceive a castle and grounds as part of aninheritance, though for game purposes thecharacter should be name level beforeassuming full control of the estate. Or, ifyou are using a full medieval Europeanmotif for your campaign world, land for astronghold might be granted by the cava-lier�s liege lord as a reward for good andsufficient service upon reaching namelevel. The latter method is especially suit-able for second sons of noble houses whoare not in line for inheritance, and forcharacters who have worked their way upto cavalier status from common back-grounds. [See also �Feuds and Feudalism,�by John David Dorman, in this issue.]

Revenue collected is a matter for theindividual DM to decide, based on thecampaign economics and the relativewealth of the region. Colonists in a previ-ously unsettled wilderness area cannotproduce as much revenue as would be

32 JANUARY 1986

expected from a civilized realm. The struc-ture and economy of the cavalier�s realmshould be worked out in detail for anextended campaign, but � for occasionalgaming � assume that the cavalier collectsdouble the revenue that a fighter�s free-hold would produce.

If the fifth-level cleric spell rain-bow is used to produce a �flagon,�and the draughts are poured off intoseparate containers and stoppered,will they retain their dweomer afterthe flagon and any remainingunpoured draughts disappear?

No. All draughts not actually consumedbefore the spell duration expires willdisappear, regardless of whether or notthey have been poured off. They cannotbe saved for later use.

The second-level cleric spell with-draw can be negated by certain usesof other spells while it is in effect. Isthe withdraw negated as soon as thecaster begins reciting the unauthor-ized spell, or as soon as it is com-plete? Also, does this ruin theunauthorized spell or not?

According to the spell description, thecaster is unable to perform any actionsexcept those specified while a withdraw isin effect. The restriction applies to castingone of the spells normally permitted onsomeone other than the caster. The exam-ple given is cure light wounds, a touch-delivered spell. The cleric is permitted tocast this spell while the withdraw is ineffect. But, if he then chooses to deliverthe curing to anyone save himself, thewithdraw effect ends. It is the use of theindicated spells which is restricted, not theactual casting; therefore, the withdrawends after the casting is complete in anycase, and sometimes still later, in the caseof a touch-delivered spell. The spell whichcaused the withdraw to end takes effectnormally, and is not ruined.

Can the illusionist cantrip rain-bow be used as a material compo-nent for the 5th-level cleric spellrainbow?

Yes. The cantrip creates a shimmeringband of light which exactly duplicates arainbow, and the cleric spell specifies onlythat the caster must be within sight of arainbow of any sort. There is no reasonwhy the two dweomers should not be ableto work in conjunction.

Should the first-level druidic spellceremony read in part, �druidicceremonies include the following,which can be cast by a druid of theindicated or lower level,� as it actu-ally does on page 41, or should itread as the description for the cleri-cal ceremony? It doesn�t make senseto restrict casting to levels lowerthan that specified.

The druidic ceremony description isincorrect. The specific ceremonies notedcan be cast by druids of the indicated levelor higher, as with the clerical spell of thesame name.

The illusionist spell phantomsteed is listed as having a materialcomponent, but the component isnot identified in the spell descrip-tion. What should it be?

The material component for phantomsteed is a small silver horseshoe.

The Dungeon Masters Guide statesthat there is no magical elfin chainmail, but sets of +1 and greaterenchantment are listed in theUnearthed Arcana treasure section.Is this a mistake?

No. Due to popular demand, magicalelfin chain mail has been officially addedto the system. However, elfin chain mail,especially the magical types, should bekept suitably rare. It is made by remoteelven communities, and should not becommonly available. Indeed, it is logical toassume that each suit of magical elfinchain mail was made for a specific individ-ual, so some suits might actually be trace-able to an original owner.

What is the availability and cost ofa suit of elfin chain mail to an elf orhalf-elf?

That depends upon whether the charac-ter wants to have one custom-made orsimply wants to find one to purchase. Anelf could probably locate one or moreelven artisans in a large elven communitywho would be willing to produce acustom-made suit for a hefty price, butthere would certainly be a waiting list.The character would certainly be requiredto pay in advance or leave a large deposit,and it could be a decade or more beforethe work is even started. The total costwould depend upon the campaign eco-nomics, but should run at least five timesthe book price, including fitting and ad-justment. Finding an elven craftsmancapable of making such armor might be achore, however � the DM must decidehow difficult to make the job. An entireadventure could be built around findingcraftsmen!

Elfin chain mail which is found duringan adventure might or might not be sizedcorrectly, but would almost certainly needadjustment, as would pre-made elfin chainmail found in a magic shop. Elfin chain


The Ecology of the

AnhkhegHunting down the farmers’ bane

�We�re ruined, your wizardship!�shouted a farmer, his voice echoing fromthe smoke-stained rafters. �Our lands areinfested, and it�s not even safe to go nearthe fields, let alone grow crops on them!�The angry, frightened crowd echoed hissentiments as a roar of shouting broke outacross the meeting hall. It was a sea ofchaos.

I closed my eyes and prayed for internalpeace. Why me? I thought. Baron vanKirwak IV owned these lands; he shouldbe here, taking command and solving thisproblem. I was a mere sage tied to a pettynobleman in the baron�s service � hardlythe wizard everyone took me for. Now Iregretted putting �experience with exoticanimals� down on my resume. All I hadactually done at the academy was changethe papers in the cages of the alchemicallaboratory animals.

My eyes opened and patience fled. �I willhave order!� I shouted as I stood up at the

desk that had been set up for me at thefront of the village hall. �Silence here! Let�shave but one speaker at a time!�

I wished that I had a spell or two to cast,just to impress the crowd, but I had none,of course. Nonetheless, my voice seemedto do the job well enough.

�Alright, your wizardship!� screeched awithered, old man as he stepped forward.�There�s something in our fields, and if wedon�t have a harvest to show the baron,he�s going to kick us off our lands. Thenwhere will we go?� The crowd murmuredits concern over the question.

�I was sent here by the baron to find outwhat sort of beast has been plaguing you,�I told him. �Then, perhaps, we can dealwith the beast. Now, this thing ��

�It�s a big thing! Looks like some sort ofgiant insect, it does,� interrupted an oldwoman from the side of the room. �Wesaw it spring up out of the ground and fallupon one of our dogs, out for a run. Bitthe poor thing in two!�

�Yes, but what did it look like? The

monster, I mean.��It was brown on top and pink on its

underbelly,� said a farmer leaning on acrutch. �I saw it the night we tried to killit. We looked for its tunnels, like agiant mole�s, near the edge of one of thefields. There were about fifteen of us, andwe weren�t thinking about being too quiet,as everybody with sense knows bugs don�thear, Suddenly, the ground shook a littlebit, and right ahead of us, the earthopened up! The monster had us! It lookedbigger than a horse, easy, and it caught usoff guard. The only thing I could thinkabout was running, and I ain�t ashamed tosay it, either! I dove to the side, towardsthe woods, and I heard the thing make ahorrible hissing sound. Then somethingwet hit my leg, and it felt like fire! Icrawled away. I could see some of theothers were still on their feet, and werethrowing pitchforks and the like at it.Bounced off, every one of them. Then themonster killed two of our dogs and scaredthe rest of �em across the country, and the

rest of us took off for home.�I looked at the man�s leg wound. From

what little I could see of the wound, Ijudged it to be a burn. A light dawnedupon me. �This monster,� I asked suddenly.�Did it look like a praying mantis?�

�Nope,� said the farmer. �Looked like ahorn-headed devil!�

�Did not!� cried another farmer. �It waslike a praying mantis, only a hundredtimes bigger!�

�You were too far away to see it!�shouted the injured farmer. The hall wasinstantly filled with heated abuse.

In the turmoil, I picked up enough con-versation to confirm what I had first sus-pected. I got to my feet and waved myarms. �Silence! SILENCE, IN THE BARONSNAME! I have the answer! I know whatmonster has been bothering you!�

You could have heard a needle drop. Ilowered my arms. �What you have in yourfields is a beast called an anhkheg." I re-membered when such a monster had beencaptured and brought in for study at theacademy. It was big, ugly, and powerful,but stupid; we had eyed it nervously as itslammed itself against the sides of itsforce-walled cage. My hands grew clammyat the memory.

�They look like and are related to thepraying mantis,� I continued, �but they areof monstrous size and dig tunnels throughthe soil. They use the substances found inthe earth as their food. But, when one ofthem is greatly disturbed, it can vomit anacid from its stomach that can dissolverock.� I looked at the farmer with thebandaged leg. �You are already aware ofthis weapon, of course. Though they feedupon soil, anhkhegs would prefer to getlive meat � your cattle, your dogs, or yourchildren and yourselves.�

That got a rise out of them. I continuedwhen the cries of alarm died down. �Youwere wrong in thinking that the anhkhegcould not sense your coming. Anhkhegssense all vibrations in the earth aroundthem. They can detect a footfall from afield away. The lot of you going to track itdown would have been easy for it todetect.

�As for killing it � an anhkheg has atough shell, and it takes enormous force tobreak through it. It�s as thick as platearmor. If you can kill one, you could evenmake a strong shield from the chitin. You�dhave to treat it in chemicals and preserva-tives, of course. The point is that ananhkheg was built to take what it wants,from whomever it wants.

�But,� � I raised a finger as I spoke � �itdoes have a few weaknesses. All insectshate smoke, and anhkhegs are no excep-tion. If you had a large cage trap; youcould put it near one of the openings ofthe monster�s tunnels. After blocking theother exits, you could start huge, smokyfires in several of the exits themselves. Toavoid the smoke, the monster would movedown the tunnel leading right into yourtrap. Once captured, you could put the

34 JANUARY 1986

anhkheg to sleep by pouring a volatileliquid, such as turpentine, onto or nearthe beast.� The anhkheg we had studied atthe academy was captured in much thesame way.

The farmers looked glum at that, how-ever. �We don�t have any turpentine, yourwizardship,� one called. �We could buildthe trap, but what would we do if it brokefree? What if we missed a tunnel exit, andthe monster came back for us?�

�We can�t even wound the ankee-thing,�another farmer shouted. �You said your-self that we couldn�t break its skin!�

�And what if it spit at us again?� shoutedthe farmer with the wounded leg. �It couldkill the lot of us!�

�I ain�t a-gonna look for no ankee�s tun-nels!� shouted someone else. �Why donchajust burn the thing with your magic, yourwizardship?�

It took half a minute to still the crowdagain. �The baron believes that you candeal with this crisis on your own,� I lied,not saying that the baron was too busycounting his loot from his recent adven-turing, and cared little for concerns athome. �I was ordered to save my powers,and I must obey. But, there are otheroptions which you might try.� I was re-membering more and more of that partic-ular lecture in the academy, so long ago,when the anhkheg was brought in. �Theydepend upon what condition the beast isin. To take up these options, however, youmust be willing to part with some of yourcattle or goats, to feed the monster for afew days or weeks. This is ��

The immediate uproar revealed thetown�s opinion. �And what good wouldthat do?� shouted the man with thewounded leg.

�It would keep the creature where it is,so that it doesn�t roam the area! With theanhkheg satisfied for a short time, you canbring about its destruction � which yousurely must, if the anhkheg is a female.�The crowd began to fall quiet. �You see,there�s but one anhkheg out there, now.Would you care to deal with a dozen?�

Silence fell like a rock. �You mean itmight breed?� asked the brawny youth,his face pale.

�If you have a female, indeed it might,� Itold him. �In the late fall of each year, eachanhkheg seeks out a partner and mates.Soon after, the female kills the male andstarts preparing a nest, usually a wideneddead-end of a tunnel. But the female�sattacks on creatures passing nearby be-come more intense, because she isn�tgathering food just for herself. The food isfor her brood.� The audience shivered. I

young feed on the rotting food that hasbeen stored over the winter by themother. The mother cares nothing for heryoung once they�ve passed that first sea-son, and as soon as she can, the motherchases them from the nest.

�In short, if that is a female, you mustkeep the mother from roaming and wreak-ing even greater havoc on the country-side!�

The crowd was silent and white-faced.They waited for me to continue.

�You cannot take chances with the mon-ster now. There are two alternatives open.The first one is to stay away from the fieldwhere it is, but occasionally send herdanimals out onto the pasture, to keep themonster fed so that it doesn�t wander.Then, about a month after the first snow-fall, when the ground is frozen deep, youlocate one of its tunnels. The anhkheg willbe hibernating until spring, so you can godown into the tunnels and dispatch thebeast and any eggs at your leisure. In hiber-nation, an anhkheg is helpless and hard toawaken, even if attacked. It will be hard tochop through the anhkheg�s shell or carveoff its legs and head, though picks andshovels might chop into it well enough.Long knives would be slow, but ��

�What about lumber saws?� asked theyouth suddenly. He was uncommonlyquick.

�Yes! Any lumber saws you have will dothe job,� I said, recalling some bit of lorefrom a ranger who visited the academy.�You�ll have to work fast, and saw at itwith all your might. When the anhkheg isbereft of most of its important body parts,cover it with any flammable liquid, like oilor alcohol, and light it up. Get away fromit, as the heat of the fire will awaken theanhkheg if it�s not totally cut into littlepieces. But, provided you soaked the beastin fluid, the fire should finish off what youstarted.�

�Why can�t we just cut it up and notworry about the fire?� asked the farmerwith the leg bandage.

I glanced knowingly in his direction.�There usually isn�t enough room in thehibernation chamber to get all the wayaround the anhkheg. Never leave amonster�s fate to chance.�

�Mister wizard!� started the old womanwho had spoken up earlier; �The wintersaround here aren�t really cold at all, andthe ground only freezes down to about ahands span. Is that gonna be enough toput that thing out there to sleep, huh?�

Oh, the best-laid plans of mice and men

had them, now, and I enjoyed it.�When the female lays her grey, melon-

sized eggs in the body of the male, sheburrows into the side of the nesting lair tosecure a place for the winter. The eggshatch shortly after they�re laid, and theyoung mature rapidly. The newbornanhkhegs feed upon the male for theduration of the snows; in the spring, the ing buzz. �You have one final option!�

. . . I questioned the old woman about theweather, then sighed. �From what you say,I fear that it would be hard to predictwhen or if the anhkheg would hibernate. I

have heard that some do not if the snowsare light.� Everyone�s face fell at that.Arguments broke out across the room asthe farmers tried to decide what to donext,

�Listen to me!� I shouted above the ris-

Immediately, to my relief, the noise beganto subside. This was indeed their lastoption � aside from hiring adventurers todestroy the anhkheg, which would costevery last copper piece these wretchedpeople had.

�Before it settles in for a coming winter,whether it is male or female, and whetherit hibernates or not, an anhkheg mustshed its old skin, in order to grow largerfor the next season. This period is whenit�s most vulnerable. As soon as it has shedits old shell, the anhkheg secretes a smelldistasteful to predatory monsters andother anhkhegs. It does this so that itsnatural enemies stay away from it whileits shell is soft.� I could see questions form-ing on several lips, and I wanted to answerthem before the onlookers couldinterrupt.

�Having fed itself upon live meat for atime, the anhkheg must rest, lose its oldshell, and strictly avoid any activity whichcould deform or damage the impression-able new armor. For nearly a full weekafter it sheds, the shell has the toughnessof a freshly tanned side of pigskin. In anunderground environment, the shell driesmuch more slowly than it would in the air.Furthermore, the animal is sluggish as itsbody struggles to rebuild itself. Most of itsenergy is used up in the process of hard-ening its shell, making it slow to react. Itcannot use its acidic spit, as its stomachcontents are being digested to give it itsneeded energy.

�You must set up a watch on the field tokeep track of the beast�s activities, andregularly give it some sort of animal tokeep it happy. When it doesn�t show for acouple days, even after animals are re-leased on the field, see if you can detectthe smell it gives off to keep others like itaway.�

One old woman cocked her head, eyeingme thoughtfully. �Sire, a question. Thissmell it makes � you can smell it throughthe soil itself?�

I nodded. �Yes. It is quite strong.�She squinted her eyes. �And what does it

smell like?�I remembered the odor from school and

wrinkled my nose. �It�s very pungent,rather like rotting fruit.�

The old woman broke into a toothlessgrin. �I was down by the field this morn-ing, and I smelled rotting fruit real strong,but I didn�t know where it was comingfrom. And we ain�t seen that ankee forthree or four days now!�

You could feel the atmosphere change asshe spoke. �That may be the sign,� I said.�If so, you�re in luck. All you need is thecourage to enter its tunnels and slay thevermin. It is in your hands!�

My voice was drowned out by a largecheer, then by loud, excited planning andtalking. Within minutes, the hall wasempty as the heartened crowd evaporatedto go anhkheg-hunting � save for myself.

I reflected that I had accomplished mymission, but at a price the baron would

not be pleased to pay. If they conqueredthe anhkheg, his subjects would see lessuse for a baron who refused to deal withmonsters personally. If this kept up . . . Ithought of the brawny youth with thequick mind and outspoken manner. WouldI someday serve him, instead?

I collected my things. It was then that Inoticed one other person in the hall withme- a girl about eight years old.

�Aren�t you going to kill the anhkheg,too?� I asked her jokingly.

�Nope!� she said, her disgust obvious, �Ihate bugs!�

Notes1. In basic appearance, the anhkheg

resembles a large praying mantis. Thisgiant insect has a hard chitinous shellwhich covers the top portion of its bodyfor AC 2, and a soft underside with AC 4.The hardened shell of the anhkheg ap-pears in a variety of colors, ranging fromyellow to brown to gray; the soft under-side appears in various shades betweenred and pink. Like the praying mantis, theanhkheg has two sets of two legs each,and one set of forelegs which it uses fordigging and in combat. The anhkheg alsouses its forelegs to hold small prey whileattacking with its mandibles.

As the anhkheg grows each year, itsheds its hard shell for another, largershell. It is at this time of year � usually inthe fall � that the anhkheg is most vulner-able. The anhkheg sheds the shell in a dayor two; thereafter, it takes 1-2 weeks forthe new shell to reach the hardened con-sistency of the former. During the firstweek, the anhkheg�s armor class is dimin-ished to 5 for the topside and 7 for theunderside. One week after this, the shellhas hardened to its normal consistency.

During this molting period, the anhkhegis very sluggish as its body struggles tocope with and adapt to the rebuilding ofits exoskeleton. During this two-weekperiod, the anhkheg�s movement is half itsnormal rate (6� above ground). Likewise,the damage doled out by its mandibles isroughly half the normal figure (1-10 asopposed to 3-18). The anhkheg cannot useits acidic spit at this time as well. In theprocess of revitalizing its exoskeleton, theanhkheg refrains from digging, as thismay cause damage to or otherwise deformits impressionable armor. As a result, nofigure is given for underground movementduring this period. To protect itself frompredators or other anhkhegs (who mayattempt to evict the shedding creaturefrom its lair, or feed upon it in its weak-ened state), the anhkheg secretes an odorwhich is repulsive to these possible preda-tors. This odor (which is the result of theanhkheg�s shell-hardening enzyme) smellsvaguely like rotting fruit to humans. Be-cause of this aroma, most other creatures(except for some mammals and the mostdesperate predatory insects) avoid theanhkheg during this period.

The size of the anhkheg varies with age

and health, and is directly related to thenumber of hit dice the individual creaturepossesses. For instance, a 3-HD anhkheg isroughly 10� in length, whereas a 4-HDspecimen is roughly 12�. This length in-creases in 2� increments with each addi-tional hit die, with an 8-HD anhkheg beingapproximately 20� in length. Generallyspeaking, an anhkheg is half as tall as it islong; thus, a 16� long creature is 8� inheight. As an additional note, theanhkheg�s hit dice are almost directlyproportionate to the creature�s age. Forthe first six months following birth, theanhkheg has 1 HD; in the second sixmonths, the creature has 2 HD. For everyyear of age following, the anhkheg gainsanother hit die until it reaches 8 HD, atwhich point the creature no longer grows.Anhkhegs usually do not live any longerthan 10 to 12 years; these giant insectsgrow quickly and, as a result, live arelatively short time.

In climates where winters are particu-larly severe, the anhkheg hibernatesthrough the cold season. Within a monthafter the first snowfall, the anhkheg en-ters its lair to hibernate. During this time,the anhkheg does not need to eat or bur-row; instead, it lives off the supply ofprotein and nutrition it has built up in itssystem over the fall (part of the reasonthat the anhkheg is most active in its pre-dation in the autumn). In this stage ofexistence, the creature can remain under-

D R A G O N 3 5

ground without detection for the entire

A favorite tactic employed by the

cold season, returning to the surface once

anhkheg involves burrowing 5-10� under

more when the first signs of springpresent themselves. In climates where

the earth�s surface and lying in wait until

winter is not a serious factor, the anhkhegremains active throughout the year.

it detects a potential victim passing over-

2. In addition to activity in preparationfor hibernation, autumn is also the mating

head. Usually, the anhkheg burrows close

season for the anhkheg. In the late fall ofeach year, the male anhkheg seeks out a

enough to the surface to allow its anten-

female partner. This search is facilitatedby the female�s secretion of an odor which

nae to poke up through the softened soil.

attracts the male anhkheg, drugging theinsect with its aroma. In its dazed and

The anhkheg�s antennae are extremely

sluggish state, the male fertilizes the eggs

sensitive to vibration, a sense that fully

�and is immediately slain by the female.Dragging the male into a widened, dead-

replaces hearing (the anhkheg is otherwise

end tunnel, the female cracks the male�sunderside with its sharp ovipositor and

deaf). So sensitive is this sense that the

plants the eggs in its body.The female anhkheg lays 2-12 eggs in

anhkheg is capable of detecting the ap-

one laying, 75% of which are fertile andwill hatch successfully. These eggs, whichare gray in color and about 2� across,hatch within one month � usually beforethe female adult begins hibernation. Dur-ing the winter months, the newbornanhkheg (known as �nymphs�) feed off thecorpse of the male and grow as describedearlier. Within the first three to fourmonths of life, the newborn anhkhegstake on the appearance and abilities of theadult. Within the first year, younganhkheg are able to bite for 1-4 hp dam-age, with an additional 1-4 hp damage perturn from digestive enzymes. They canalso spit, and their digestive acid does 2-16hp, damage, with adult ranges- In addition,the adolescent anhkheg�s AC is 4 overalland 6 for the underside for the first year;thereafter, AC is as stated in the MonsterManual.

3. Although the anhkheg is generally anunintelligent creature, it does have somephysical advantages and a few instinctivebits of cunning that aid it in its predation.As stated in the Monster Manual, theanhkheg burrows through the earth,preferring soil rich in minerals and or-ganic material. For the most part, this dietof mineral and vegetation provides thebulk of the anhkheg�s nutrition. Still, theinsect supplements its diet with regularhelpings of fresh meat (usually livestock,though sometimes humans and otheraccessible beings). Although the anhkheg�smandibles are not capable of tearing meat,the anhkheg is able to break down itsmeals with the aid of a strong digestivefluid -a fluid which it also uses in combat.

36 JANUARY 1986

proach of a man-sized creature from asfar away as 300�; it can detect smaller-

Anhkheg tunnels resemble a maze in

than-man-sized creatures from as far as

their random design; although these corri-

100�, and creatures larger than man-sizedfrom as far away as 500�.

dors wind in relatively straight paths, they

As an added advantage, the anhkheg hassuperior eyesight due to its compound eye

change depth, intersect with other tun-

structure � though such vision is quitenearsighted. The hundreds of small, black

nels, and often end abruptly. There are

lenses in its eyes allow the creature to seewith great clarity in gloom or at night with

usually only one or two entrances into the

6� ultravision (this sense is lost whenunderground, however). Above ground, in

tunnels, though others sometimes appear

full daylight, the anhkheg�s eyesight allowsit a visual range of only 12�.

when the anhkheg bursts up from be-

In burrowing, the anhkheg utilizes itsmandibles for digging, breaking down

neath the surface to surprise its prey. The

larger minerals with its digestive enzymesand moving the earth with its forelegs.

tunnels are generally only as wide and tall

The anhkheg eats as it digs, disposing ofthe minerals by digesting them. For the

as the anhkheg itself, about 3-6� wide and

most part, an anhkheg burrows contin-ually; the creature seldom stays in one

4-10� high. Because of the terrain in which

place, unless hibernating, nesting, or wait-ing for prey. At all other times, theanhkheg digs through an entire area at avariety of depths and angles before mov-ing on to another place. As a result, it isnot uncommon for an anhkheg to take uptemporary residence in a farmer�s field orin a forest bed until it has cleaned the areaof most of its nutrient-enriched soil. Ananhkheg seldom burrows below a depth of40�; below this level, it starts to meet withhard-packed soil that is both difficult tomove through and distasteful to the crea-ture; furthermore, below this point, thewater table of the land makes movementdifficult, if not impossible.

4. Because of the anhkheg�s nomadicnature, the creature�s lair usually consistsof no more than a series of labyrinthinetunnels � some of which may have col-lapsed, others of which are still in use. Forthe most part, the anhkheg does not lair inany one particular habitat, except whennesting or going into hibernation. In thesecases, the anhkheg usually converts adead-end tunnel into a small lair by widen-ing the corridor to accommodate its pur-pose. Nesting lairs are fairly largeconstructs, being 10-12� in height, 20-25�wide, and 60-80� in length (room must beallotted for the male anhkheg�s body inaddition to the female and her young). Ahibernation lair is usually much smaller,being roughly the same size as theanhkheg itself (this allows the anhkheginsulation against the cold by providingthe earth as a buffer).

they are built, these tunnels are often veryunstable and are prone to collapse. Conse-quently, characters investigating thesepassages should be cautious; one wrongturn, and they could wind up with anearly burial.

Treasure in the anhkheg lair is usuallyincidental, being left behind by theanhkheg�s victims and generally ignoredby the insect which, because of its animalintelligence, has no desire or use for trea-sure. As a result, there is no such thing asan anhkheg�s �hoard.� Monies and magicleft behind by victims usually remain withthe victim�s remains � that is, those itemswhich have managed to survive the effectof the anhkheg�s digestive enzymes. Allbelongings on a victim�s body must savevs. acid in order to survive the anhkheg�sacidic secretion; those that do not aresimply devoured along with the victim.Any surviving accoutrements or treasuresare discarded by the anhkheg; these willoften be found at various points in theanhkheg tunnels. Items found are usuallyat the point at which the victim wasconsumed.

5. Because of its unique composition, theanhkheg�s body provides a number of�natural treasures.� For example, the hard,chitinous shell of the creature makesextremely good armor. If cured and pre-served properly (otherwise, the shell with-ers and dissolves with time), the shellmaintains an AC of 2 or 4, depending onwhich area of its body is used. This armoris equal to scale mail in weight and encum-brance, though it offers protection equalto that of plate mail.

The anhkheg�s eyes (and the fluidtherein) are useful to alchemists andmagic-users in the creation of sight-relatedmagic potions and items. Likewise, theanhkheg�s digestive acid can be salvagedand utilized as a regular acid. This chemi-cal maintains its properties for up to sixmonths after the anhkheg�s death, deliver-ing 1-4 hp damage and limited as listed inthe rules regarding acid in the DMG,pages 64-65 and 80-81. This chemical canonly be carried in a glass container and ishighly susceptible to breakage as a result.

There is a secondary enzyme sac locatedin the creature�s head, very similar to asmall, acid-resistant bladder. Recoveringthis fluid from the anhkheg requires veryadept hands, as it is very easy to break thissac accidentally. Failure to successfullyremove the sac without breakage resultsin damage to the handler.

Aside from this, the anhkheg�s mandiblesmake reasonably good axe-heads, and itslegs (if cured and preserved) may be usedas maces and other concussive weaponry.By removing out the meat inside and re-placing it with some substance to provideweight (sand, metal, etc.), these append-ages can be formed into weapons deliver-ing the same damage as theircounterparts.

Gaming notes by Robin Jenkins.

Hounds of Spaceand DarknessThree unusual dogs for the AD&D® game

by Stephen Inniss

The Monster Manuals and FIENDFOLIO® Tome offer a number of doglikecreatures, but the range of possibilities isby no means exhausted. Each of the dogsdescribed below fills a heretofore unoccu-pied niche in the AD&D® game world, andcan provide a dimension of interest in thegame beyond that of yet another monsterto be hacked into small bits.

Gith dogsIn the years immediately following their

emancipation from the illithids, ormindflayers, the followers of Gith (thegithyanki and githzerai) acquired dogsfrom the Prime Material Plane and beganto apply to them the same breeding tech-niques that they had so painfully learnedfrom their former masters. The object ofthis project was to produce a breed of dogthat would serve in a war of exterminationon the illithid race. Great importance wasattached to the production of these dogs,so much so that when the githyanki/githzerai split came, some called it the Warof Dogs. The two factions had alreadydiverged to the extent that they had sepa-rate breeding programs, and each sideadopted the line it had bred as a symbol.After the series of conflicts that sunderedthe two races forever, the githyanki andgithzerai clans continued their breedingprograms, each claiming to follow theprecepts laid down by Gith, and eachreviling the other�s perversion of doctrine.

Despite their long years of divergence,the two kinds of dogs have a number offeatures on common. Both have the sensesof their canine ancestors, so that a githdog gains a 20% bonus to its chances ofdetecting otherwise hidden creatures byscent, and a 20% bonus for its keen hear-ing (see page 60 of the DMG). Thesebonuses are cumulative where they areapplicable, and either may be halved ordoubled as conditions warrant. Gith dogscan also track as an onyx dog can (DMG,page 144). They gain a 50% bonus to theirchances of detecting or tracking illithidsby smell. In addition to this, gith dogs cansee invisible, astral, and ethereal creatures

and objects. Alert and silent, they surpriseopponents on a 1-4 and are themselvessurprised only on a 1.

Each gith dog has a latent degree ofpsionic power which can be tapped undercertain conditions. The githyanki andgithzerai magic-users have a spell similarto find familiar which they may cast eitherfor themselves or for other individuals. Adog that is bound to a psionically endowedmaster by this spell may serve as a store-house of psionic energy, holding up to 20psionic strength points in the manner ofan ioun stone (DMG, page 147). These areadded to the master�s strength total andmay be released to him or her so long asthe dog remains within 12�.

The bond has several other effects aswell within the 12� range. It allows tele-pathic communication between hound andmaster, including the transfer of sensoryinformation. The canine member of theteam is immune to mental attacks, includ-ing charm, confusion, sleep, and holdspells, as well as the effects of a psionicblast. If the master succumbs to psionicattack, though, the dog is also affected.The two travel at the master�s rate on theAstral Plane, and the dog is included if itsmaster so desires when the psionic disci-plines of astral projection or psionic travelare exercised, or when the master projectsonto the Prime Material Plane.

Beyond this 12� range, either memberof the team is aware of the direction (butnot the distance) of the other, regardless ofthe separation between the two, as long asthey are on the same plane. However, thestored ability points are not available tothe master in this case. If the dog is killed,its master loses 40 psionic ability pointsimmediately; if the score is reduced to anegative number, the master becomescomatose until a positive total is reached(strength points are regained in thenormal ways).

When they encounter illithids or otherpsionically endowed foes, githyanki andgithzerai send their dogs into physicalcombat while they batter down the psionicdefenses of the foe. Gith dogs are particu-larly effective against illithids becausetheir heads are not so positioned that an

illithid can comfortably attack with itstentacles (-4 on to-hit scores). Themindflayers hate and fear these beasts,and always retreat from them unless theillithids have servants of their own whocan occupy the dogs.

Both kaoulgrim and szarkel (see below)are taught to grasp their enemies and holdon if so commanded. A hold is inflicted ona successful attack roll of 4 or more overthe number needed to hit, and the victimis thereafter considered to be held by oneleg, with combat penalties as given onpage 67 of the DMG. The dog inflicts halfits normal biting damage on each roundthereafter, with no �to hit� roll requiredfor the attack.

Gith dogs are relatively rare even amongthe githyanki and gifhzerai, each of whichis only 1% likely per level of experience tohave acquired one.

KaoulgrimThe ultimate development of the gith-

yanki breeding pens was the kaoulgrim, amassive, bearish dog with a shaggy coat,powerful jaws, and a compact build. Pre-cisely what went into the making of thebreed is unknown, but it is strongly sus-pected that the blood of creatures fromthe Lower Planes flows in its veins. Itstands about 3� tall at the shoulder andweighs 200-300 pounds. Kaoulgrim areusually black, though golden-colored speci-mens are not unknown. The heavy furforms a lionlike mane about the shoulders,and it is often clipped in some decorativepattern. The tongue and lips are black,and the small black eyes reflect a reddishlight. The powerful voice is audible overdistances of more than a mile. Kaoulgrimhave a strong, musky, salty odor. Thesedogs may be outfitted with ornamentalspiked collars if they have served well, orwith plate armor in the ornate githyankistyle. This armor confers AC 2 but limitsthe movement rate to 12�.

Kaoulgrim are raised in githyanki colo-nies on the Prime Material Plane, since thenature of the Astral Plane does not allowconception or growth. Weak or otherwiseunsatisfactory members of the litter arekilled as soon as their deficiencies become

D R A G O N 3 7

apparent, and the remainder are pitted long body and tail, and long legs. Theagainst various creatures in savage public teeth are unnaturally sharp. A szarkel�s

ters� dwellings or encampments, awaiting

contests at the end of their first year. The eyes are large and yellow, the pupil aa call to action or the approach of in-

survivors are matched to githyanki war-riors, and, after the bonding ceremony,

vertical slit. The normal coat is short and.truders. With their unpredictable andincessant movements and their keen

receive rigorous training over the coursegray, but these dogs have a limited poly-morph ability that allows them to alter the

senses, they make it extremely difficult for

of the next two years, by which time they color, length, and quality of the fur to suitstrangers to approach any large group of

are mature. They then project with theirgithzerai unnoticed.

local conditions: long and thick in coldmasters onto the Astral Plane, where they

Szarkel are sometimes equipped with

serve indefinitely as guard and war dogs,weather, short in hot weather, waterproof light leathery armor made of a clear sub-in swampy territory, and so on, while its

aging only when they project with theirstance that the githzerai find or harvest on

color may be any shade or combination ofmasters onto some other plane. Unbonded

the planes of Limbo. This improves the

dogs may serve as guards and breedingwhite, brown, red, black, or gray. Coat dog�s armor class by one place, but re-

stricts its movement rate to 21�. A szarkelstock in the� githyanki colonies.

alteration takes one turn. The smell of

Adult kaoulgrim are without exceptionszarkel is pleasant, rather like scentedwood. Unlike normal dogs, szarkel can

is usually equipped with a simple collar

vicious and mistrustful of strangers,identifying its master.

though among themselves they are gregar-close their nostrils and swim comfortably

ious. They are tormented as pups by non-under water, remaining active beneath the

Szarkel are aloof and reserved, and donot seem to care much for each other�s

surface for up to three rounds at a time.githyanki slaves as part of a program to Szarkel are raised on the plane ofinstill this behavior. Githyanki warriorshave boasted that their kaoulgrim are fedon the flesh of illithids as well as on that ofvarious humans and demi-human races,and there is reason to believe that thelatter claim at least is true. What one ofthese dogs would be like if it were broughtup away from githyanki influence is un-known, since no thief has succeeded instealing a pup and lived to carry out theexperiment.

Limbo, and are only found as adults onother planes where they join their mastersin battle or in the hunt. During their firstyear, pups are given the run of the settle-ment, and the githzerai take no active partin their rearing. At the end of that time,juvenile szarkel choose and are chosen bycandidate githzerai in a simple ceremony.Unbonded dogs are ejected from the com-munity, and presumably do not survivethe hazards of the Planes of Limbo bythemselves. Once bonded, a szarkel is aloyal if sometimes willful follower, andobeys no one but its own master. Szarkelsometimes show an astounding degree ofindependent thought and initiative, buteven the githzerai find them difficult totrain. Though they are occasionally set toguard an area or item, szarkel are notreliable in this capacity. They are restlesscreatures and seldom remain in one spotfor long. They constantly roam their mas-

company. No more than three dogs can behoused in the same kennel; even then,there is sometimes fighting. The pups arecared for by both parents. Would-bethieves have found that the adults arevigilant, and that the githzerai are greatlydisturbed if a litter is taken despite theirotherwise indifferent attitude toward thepups.

SzarkelThe antecedents of the szarkel breed are

not known, though the blood of variousdoglike creatures from the chaotic planeswas undoubtedly added to the line.Szarkel are certainly well adapted to theunpredictable planes of Limbo.

A szarkel stands 3� high at the shoulderand may weigh 150 pounds or more. It isof slender build, with a long muzzle, a

XOTZCOYOTL (Caniss p e l u n c a e )

FREQUENCY: CommonNO. APPEARING: 2-16ARMOR CLASS: 7MOVE: 18�HIT DICE: 1% IN LAIR: 5%NO. OF ATTACKS: 1DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3SPECIAL ATTACKS: NilSPECIAL DEFENSES: See belowMAGIC RESISTANCE: StandardINTELLIGENCE: Semi- (at best)ALIGNMENT: NeutralSIZE: S (2� tall at shoulder)PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

GITH DOG (Canis astri, Canis chaosi)

Kaoulgrim SzarkelFREQUENCY Very rare Very rareNO. APPEARING: Varies with mastersARMOR CLASS: 4 4MOVE: 15�//9� 24�//12�HIT DICE: 5 + 5 4 + 1% IN LAIR: Varies with mastersTREASURE TYPE: Nil NilNO. OF ATTACKS: 1 1DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12 2-8SPECIAL ATTACKS: Hold HoldSPECIAL DEFENSES: See text See textMAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard 10%INTELLIGENCE: Semi- Semi-ALIGNMENT! Neutral NeutralSIZE: M MPSIONIC ABILITY: See text See text

Attack/Defense Modes: See text See textLEVEL/X.P. VALUE: IV/225 + 6 per hp IV/205 + 5 per hp

Attack/Defense Modes: NilLEVEL/X.P. VALUE: I/14 + 1 per hp

Xotzcoyotli, also known as cavedogs orbat-faced dogs, are natives of the DeepPassages, coexisting with the drow, theillithids, and the svirfneblin. Though theyare related to surface dogs, they havebeen molded by countless generations ofexposure to the deep parts of the earth. Inthe constant temperatures of these re-gions, they have lost their fur but gainedtough, velvet-smooth black hides instead.They have large, upright, pointed ears,and leaflike projections, on their snoutslike those of bats, for they find their wayby sound � echolocation. A xotzcoyotl�sonly hair is its long and sensitive set ofwhiskers, which it uses for close explora-tions. A xotzcoyotl has small dark eyes anda slender, graceful build. Its lips curve upat the end of the mouth, giving it a look ofsly amusement.

The xotzcoyotl has an exquisite sense ofsmell, comparable to that of a prize blood-hound. It can track as an onyx dog (DMG,page 144) but with a 30% bonus, and is

38 JANUARY 1986

30% likely to detect otherwise hiddenthings by scent, as applicable. The depthsof the earth are not entirely lightless, sincethey contain luminescent creatures andfungi as well as spellcasting sentient be-ings, so xotzcoyotl have highly sensitive ifsomewhat nearsighted eyes. They canmake out details in what would be pitchdarkness to a human, Xotzcoyotl eyes areso sensitive that they are useless in anyillumination brighter than that of a torch,however.

As useful as its other senses are, thecavedog�s primary sense is hearing. Notonly can it pick up faint and distantsounds, but it also emits noises in thehigher frequencies and interprets theechoes. This allows it to detect anythingwithin a 60� radius, even fine thread, andto make rough determinations as to theextent of a cavern and the general natureof its contents within a much larger ra-dius. Though sound has its limitations, ithas unexpected advantages as well, Forinstance, a xotzcoyotl can tell the differ-ence between a full container and an

empty one by the way the container reso- Half the time when cavedogs are en-nates. This sense also allows the dog to countered in the lair, there is a litter of 2-8locate invisible creatures and objects auto- pups present, the offspring of the domi-matically (indeed, it may not know that nant male and female in the pack. Otherthey are supposed to be invisible), as well pack members help build and guard theas creatures that are otherwise hidden carefully hidden nest and feed the young.from sight. A silence spell is not proof If the lair is threatened, the adults silentlyagainst this ability unless it is cast on the pick up the pups and carry them away todog itself: a silent area is the auditory a safer spot.equivalent of impenetrable darkness and is Xotzcoyotl communicate both sonicallyquite conspicuous, especially when it and supersonically. Their howls, barks,moves. Cavedogs are immune to phantas- and clicks echo eerily down the corridorsmal force and its derivatives because of of the underworld, though it is surpris-their reliance on echolocation. ingly difficult to locate an individual by the

Xotzcoyotl are as odorless as they are noises it makes, or even to be sure howhairless, and can move quietly with 60% many dogs there are.success even at a run. They surprise oth- If captured as pups, xotzcoyotl can beers on a 1-4 and are themselves surprised raised as domestic dogs. They are charm-only on a 1. ing as they are ugly, and are easy to train.

Cavedogs forage cooperatively in small However, they are not well adapted togroups, and eat nearly anything: bats surface life. They are as vulnerable tosnatched from the air, insects, lizards, rats, seasonal and daily temperature changes asfish scooped from the underground unclothed humans are, and they sunburnstreams, carrion, the leavings of other easily despite their color. These disadvan-subterranean creatures, and various edi- tages are not evident underground,ble fungi. They haunt underground cities, though, and some of the subterraneanwhere they are sometimes tolerated as races have bred new sizes and shapesscavengers. Though they are cautious, from the original stock, just as humansthey are not above finishing off the have with domestic dogs of the surfacewounded or weakened, and occasionally world. The svirfnebli have a stocky breedrisk attacks on man-sized prey. They are with wrinkled gray skin, for instance, andwary of traps and have intimate knowl- the drow nobility have swift coursingedge of each crevice, cranny, and bolt-hole dogs. The dark creepers and dark stalkersin their home range, so that they are particularly favor this dog, and havenearly impossible to catch. developed several varieties.

D R A G O N 3 9

FunwithoutFighting

Unique adventuresfor fantasy role-playing games

by Scott Bennie

The AD&D® game is a combat-orientedgame; most of the emphasis of the systemis devoted to fighting monsters and grab-bing treasure. Thus, we have many man-uals detailing combat and plunder-orientedinformation such as new monsters andtreasures. There is nothing morally wrongwith combat and looting in AD&D gaming;it is a game, after all. But there are manymore possibilities for fun and adventurethan bash-and-cash missions; to rely solelyon combative scenarios in a campaign is todeny the players and the DM somewonderful adventures.

Several noncombative adventure themesare given here. It should be noted thateach of these adventure themes may in-volve combat at some point; however,combat is not the focus of theseadventures.

RomanceRomance is for wimps, right? Well, just

ask the heroes of medieval romances, whowent through fire, flood, and worse to getto the altar with their true loves.

How should a DM handle romance?Through role-playing, that�s how. A playercharacter who is a smooth talker may beable to turn a fair maiden�s (or powerfullord�s) fancy for a time, but unless a wed-ding follows a quick courtship, smoothtalking won�t be enough; philosophicaldifferences might get in the way. (�Butshe�s tried to kill you twice, Rupe. You�vegotta get over her.� �I know that. But eventhough Jallis is an evil high priestess forDemogorgon, I just can�t get her out of mymind. Thoth knows I�ve tried!�)

40 JANUARY 1986

That�s when a DM can make thingsinteresting. There are two factors whichcan complicate matters: rival suitors andparents. The rivals have the same inten-tions toward the desired NPC as yourplayer character has; they want the NPC�shand in marriage. Now, rivals are (usually)people, too. They can be handsome,strong, noble, talented, mean-spirited,jealous, or violent, and they may havepowerful friends to counter any help thatthe PC may receive from fellow partymembers. Anything can happen.

Parents are a different matter. They maynot like the idea of having their �baby�marry someone who slays dragons for aliving. Where�s the security in that? Andall those strange creatures that they meet� how can parents expect their son-in-lawto be a good husband when he keepsrunning into succubi all the time? All theywanted for their daughter was that hand-some chirurgeon down the street.

Actually, this is a rather anachronisticaccount. In medieval times, parents didn�thave the concern for their offspring that isexpected from parents in today�s society.In those days, children were viewed aslittle adults; as such, they were subject tothe same expectations from society. Par-ents often made marital arrangements fortheir children long before the childrenreached marrying age. A PC seeking the

Ideally, a romance is initiated by a PC;that is, when the character sees an NPC(or even a PC) of the opposite sex, the PC(not the DM) decides that this personmight become a one true love. Then, thecharacter must devise ways of getting theloved one�s attention, making certain thatthe NPC returns the affection.

hand of an NPC in marriage may have todeal with such prearrangements. Money,of course, might change a parent�s mind.

Marrying into a higher social bracket isanother problem. A king whose daughteris being courted may demand that the PCcomplete a quest to prove himself worthyof the princess�s hand. For example, in,Tolkien�s Silmarillion, Beren was com-manded to bring to King Thingol a Silmarilfrom the crown of Morgoth � who inAD&D game terms would have to be con-sidered a greater god. In any fantasy role-playing game, there may be harder tasksthan stealing a greater god�s most cher-ished possession, but nothing comes tomind at present.

Players often overlook the possibilitythat their characters might fall in lovewith an NPC. If this is the case, then theDM is forced to do the hard work andcreate an NPC who falls in love with thecharacter. The PC may then reject the love(and the Lower Planes hath no fury like alover scorned) or accept the NPC as adestined spouse. Truly sadistic DMs candevise interesting complications fromromance; love triangles can be lots of fun(remember the DRAGONLANCE® saga?).

When a DM develops an NPC to fall inlove with a PC, the NPC should be a wor-thy match for the character. A paladin�sbride need not be a vacuous twit, but awoman of courage and substance, even ifshe isn�t of medium or high level. A cleric�swife, if the religion permits the cleric towed, should be more than just buxom andwealthy (if that), but should be a characterfor whom the PC will be willing to sacri-fice his safety.

Romance, aside from providing theimpetus for adventures, can lead to thatmarvelous, if tempestuous, time in a PC�slife: raising children (future PCs). Imaginethis conversation: �You are not, under anycircumstances, to touch the Eye of Vecna.I�m trying to get rid of it, son!� �Aw, dad, itsaid I could have it. I heard it say that.�

There is one more element to considerabout romance, and that is its climax �the wedding. A wedding should be some-thing special, an event that the playerremembers for years afterwards. Youdon�t have to kidnap the bride before theceremony to make it a memorable occa-sion, but events such as a bachelor party,the choice of the cleric who will performthe marriage, inviting honored guests, andwheeling and dealing with NPCs at thereception can make it an interesting timefor all. The DM can use the PC romance asa springboard for some interesting adven-tures, many of which may involve excitingconflicts. But the process of courting one�strue love can be exciting without having tolay a hand or a sword on anyone.

BusinessSuppose your character is now wealthy

� filthy rich, in fact. What does he dowith his money?

One answer that we�ve developed in ourcampaign is that a character can go intobusiness. Business, particularly risky ven-tures into uncharted areas, can be hazard-ous, but such adventures can usually beresolved with only a minimum of violence.More often, business ventures involve ahealthy dose of cerebral game play and afair amount of intrigue, if played correctly.

How should a DM handle business? Asexamples, take the two businesses that PCsstarted in our campaign. There are twotypes of ventures: non-profit services andenterprises meant to be profitable. In anyof these businesses, there are some basiclaws to follow: There must be enoughneed for the goods or services to ensurethat the business will exist; likewise, theremust be sufficient goods and manpower tosupply these services.

Using our nonprofit example, one high-level cleric in our campaign is starting upa food bank in a major city. This venturedoes not turn a profit; in fact, even bol-stered by such spells as create food andwater and heroes� feast, it still costs quitea bit of gold to feed the people in the poorsection of the city. There is a reason forthis action, of course, and that is to per-suade the poor that the cleric�s deity is theone who cares most about them, wholoves them, and who is most worthy oftheir fealty. The other good clerics of thecity are rather miffed about this, consider-ing their preachings are often about thedangers of winding up in the LowerPlanes. The cleric hopes to persuade citybusinesses, high-level paladins who arerequired to make donations, and so on toprovide financial backing to the cause. Ahungry city populace, after all, is moresickly, less capable in defense, and morelikely to revolt.

Our high-level thief, on the other hand,wants to make money. Looking for a busi-ness that might turn a profit, he discov-ered that most of the major naval powersof the world are about to go to war. Inaddition, piracy has been on the increase.Seeing a strong demand for new warshipsand merchant ships, as well as desiring toshaft a particular naval power that hedoesn�t like, the thief has set up a ship-building company.

How does a business prosper? There arethree stages to the establishment of abusiness, which are as follows:

1. Set-up: In order to begin operation, abusiness must have several things: a baseof operations, manpower, investmentmoney, equipment, a market willing to buygoods and services, a transportation sys-tem that can safely carry goods, and soforth.

Using the shipbuilding business as anexample, the thief must find a place wherea lumber company can be started with aminimum amount of difficulty, and whichhas the right variety of wood to build hisships. He will certainly need money tofinance his scheme; the thief may borrowmoney or issue shares in the venture

which pay off a proportion of the profits(the dividends). He not only needs a laborforce for felling timber, but needs a spe-cialized laboring force as well � profes-sional shipbuilders. A market for his shipsis required, and a route to transport theships to this market is a necessity. In thecase of our thief, he encountered specialproblems because he wanted to keep hisoperations a secret until he had becomefirmly established (so it would be difficultfor his enemies to sabotage his plans).

2. Short term: Once the business hasgotten off the ground, then the secondphase has begun. Ideally, the businessshould pay off the investments of thosewho backed it. If not, then the business-man may be in debt; given a large enoughinvestment, this may result in undesirableconsequences (i.e., assassins may be hiredto kill off the debtor). Rival businesses maywant to stymie the progress of the upstart.Businesses founded to take advantage ofshort-term booms may go bust (businessesin the Canadian Gold Rush town of Barkerville were founded and folded within afive-year period). Wars and other eco-nomic upheavals may have a major effecton the prosperity of the business.

In the case of our shipbuilding thief, hemust deal with finances; fortunately, he iswell off and not indebted to anyone. Rivalbusinesses, on the other hand, provide areal threat, particularly since the thief isinviting the wrath of a particularly power-ful nation. Also, because he is felling treeswithout regard for the environment, hemay incur the wrath of druids, treants,and other �environmentalists.� There arelikely to be contracts enough for manyshipbuilders to share for the time being,so other shipbuilders are likely to leavehim alone unless he gets too ambitious. Anend to the war would be a catastrophe forthe thief�s business, so it is in his bestinterests to keep the war going (he�s pow-erful enough to see to that, however).Current economic conditions are good, butangry druids, orc invasions at the timberyard, and so forth could crop up. To dealwith these encounters, the DM uses thesecurity system set up by the thief toprotect the business when determininghow much damage is sustained in suchattacks.

3. Long term: In the long term, otherproblems occur when the business is well-established. More options are available toa successful business: expansions, mergerswith other businesses, and the establish-ment of new businesses, among otherthings. For example, once Rogue Ship-building and Timber, Inc., becomes suc-cessful, the thief may elect to start up ashipping company or a trading companyexploring new frontiers. At this point,rivals definitely become a problem, and alot of role-playing is necessary to fullyrepresent the business while cultivatingcontacts, making deals, etc. Supplies mayalso become a problem, if timber is usedup faster than it is replaced. A business-

man must also worry about upstarts whodare to tread on the company�s territory. Itis necessary to maintain good public rela-tions with the host nation; otherwise, itmay impound the company�s wealth andsend troops to destroy any �traitors� (i.e.,anyone richer than the impoverishedgovernment).

There are many more businesses thatcan be established. How about a profes-sional castle-building company? A tradingcompany with a royal charter? A univer-sity? A fighter�s academy? An explorer�sgroup that maps extraplanar features for asociety of sages? Use your imagination;there are a lot of possibilities!

Certainly, as demonstrated above, theobstacles are formidable � which begs thequestion: Why should anyone found abusiness, given the obstacles which areinvolved? The same might be said of pro-fessional adventuring: Who in their rightmind goes into dank, dismal caves andfaces angry dragons? Setting up a businesscan be a lot of fun, particularly if you�rebored with dungeon adventuring. It pro-vides variety, and variety is the spice thatkeeps an old campaign fresh.

OrganizationsConsider the ambitions of your cam-

paign�s primary characters. What are thecharacters� goals in life? Do they want tobecome powerful servants of the gods?Knights of the most esteemed order? Thepower behind the throne of a powerfulkingdom? The power on the throne of apowerful kingdom? There should be moreto a character�s ambitions than to merelygain levels.

One of the most moving scenes I wit-nessed in a campaign occurred when acleric returned to his homeland aftermany years of service, a hero to his peo-ple. As he saw the faces of those whobeheld him with obvious admiration, hefelt great sadness that they were just facesto him. He had spent his entire life killing,looting, and dodging traps; he had neverhad the joy of knowing people, and hadnot experienced the joys that come withsocial interaction. Most campaigns do notemphasize such characterization ortheme, which is a pity, but the point is thatoften a character�s goals are simply tocollect magic, wealth, and levels. There isno humanity in these killing machines.

Goal setting and interaction with NPCs isone way in which players may bringgreater depth to their characters. Thisdepth can be stimulated by having PCs joinan organization and try to earn honors.

These goals are more �realistic� thantrying to go up levels. It is doubtful thatConan, Aragorn, or Galahad would haveknown what a level was if a level had hitthem in the face. �Level� is a game con-struct; it is something that players worryabout, not characters. Characters (at least,those in literature) are chiefly concernedwith achieving their goals, becoming rich,

DR A G O N 41

gaining fame, or doing good deeds (in thecase of good-aligned characters). The keyto attaining these goals is to find an organi-zation that is suited to them.

One of the most famous organizations inliterature was the Knights of the RoundTable. To be a member of this order wasthe supreme achievement in chivalry; asthe Legends & Lore tome and Chaosium�sPENDRAGON game indicate, membershipwasn�t open to anyone. Not only were itsmembers required to be effective in battle,they were also required to be paragons ofchivalry, to prove their honor and valorunder difficult circumstances, and toperform difficult tasks. They gained pow-erful enemies just by being members ofthe Knights of the Round Table. But, fortrue adventurers, the esteem associatedwith the Round Table made it such anattractive goal that many knights riskedtheir lives to attain it.

Honor should be a principle motive forjoining an organization. An 8th-levelKnight of the Round Table would likelyhave more prestige than a 13th-levelfighter who was not a member. Likewise,belonging to an esteemed organizationoften permits the character to have moreinfluence in the decision-making processesof his nation, and provides an easier wayof acquiring needed resources. For in-stance, Grath Janisk, adventurer-at-large,cannot go into a city and demand 200infantry and 50 cavalry (plus a ballista)needed to assault an orc fortress. LordGrath, Knight-Captain of the Order ofSwords, however, can make such a de-mand and have a hope of seeing it ful-filled. This power can be quite useful.

Fighter organizations aren�t the onlyorganizations, of course. A group ofmagic-users may unite to pool their knowl-edge and resources against an enemy, aswell as to fight against ignorance, as in theDRAGONLANCE® campaign setting. Ifalignments are rigid in your campaign,then each alignment may have its ownsecret society (in which members conversein alignment tongue, of course). Then,there are always organizations commonlyseen in campaigns, but not always consid-ered � religions and thieves� guilds.

Each of these establishments has its ownhierarchy and a route by which its mem-bers may advance, depending on theircompetency. These organizations usuallyaward individuals with high ability levels;thus, the Guildmaster is a high-level thief,and the high priests are at least 9th-levelclerics. But need this be so? Could a low-level but charismatic thief overthrow theguildmaster and take his place? Could achurch award a low-level (but extraordi-narily charismatic and popular) cleric thetitle �High Priest,� if not the powersthereof? Anything is possible.

An organization has goals and rules bywhich it achieves its goals. An ambitiouscharacter might desire to become theleader of an organization. Suppose that aHigh Father, the supreme cleric of a reli-

42 JANUARY 1986

gion, is about to step down and retire forthe rest of his days. This means that theposition of High Father will be open tothose clerics who desire it � including oneor more PCs.

How does a PC become High Father?Deity selection is one route, but, to makethings interesting, we�ll suppose that thedeity is bored by mortal politics and iswilling to accept whoever is chosen. Thus,the PC must prove himself to those select-ing the position of High Father (a councilof clerics, perhaps?) as the most worthycandidate.

What are the criteria for this position?There are a number of factors that mayfigure into the selection process. Abilitylevel � that is, proven combat skill and theability to cast powerful spells � is oneimportant factor; so is having a good pub-lic reputation, and the ability to communi-cate with the average worshiper and movehim emotionally. Leadership ability is alsoa factor; the candidate must be able toearn the respect of the priesthood. Thepiety of the cleric must be without ques-tion. Then, there are the political factors.An older cleric may be seen as more expe-rienced and will often be more of a senti-mental choice than a younger cleric. If theHigh Father came from a particular re-gion, then the priests may decide that it issomeone else�s turn to hold the office,unless that region has an extremely tightgrip on that office.

Such contests cannot be fought withswords, maces, and spells; they must berole-played. These are exercises in prob-lem solving. The problem faced by thecharacter is how to attain his goal. Thecharacter must analyze approaches andchoose what he feels is the best method ofattaining the goal. To properly run thisscenario, the DM should write down sev-eral methods by which the goal can beattained. If the character chooses thecorrect method or does incredibly wellwith a related method, then he is likely toattain his goal.

Another aspect of organizations con-cerns disputes. What happens if a charac-ter disagrees with the policy of hisorganization? Suppose he believes that hisreligion emphasizes the wrong things.How does he change it? What happens ifthose in charge won�t change?

Again, this is a conflict that is not usuallyresolved by combat. Sometimes, theycannot be resolved, and the cleric may beforced to break from the religious estab-lishment to form a new church whichinterprets doctrine differently. Of course,the old religion will not approve. As forthe patron deity � well, the gods work inmysterious ways; sometimes they may bewilling to tolerate rival factions, to a point.

To involve a character in an organizationinvolves the following process. First, thecharacter must select an appropriateorganization, one worthy of his allegiance.Second, the character must meet the entryrequirements of the organization. Third,

the character must earn the respect of hisfellow members of the organization andshow that he is worthy of executive abili-ties, if he wants to hold a leadership posi-tion. Finally, he must fulfill any specialrequirements if he wants to earn theleadership.

Running an organization is similar torunning a business; a leader must worryabout finances, membership, and rivals.The combination of these worries canprovide quite a challenge.

Judging noncombative gamesIf you�re a beginning DM and your play-

ers are enjoying crawling throughdungeons, then you may want to waitbefore adding noncombative adventures toyour campaign. I have found that �DMing�is an evolutionary process. As the DMbecomes more experienced, his campaignbecomes more sophisticated. Too muchsophistication too soon can smother adeveloping DM.

Many campaigns feature a DM leadinghis players by the nose. The DM draws upthe area, the players adventure in thedesignated area, kill monsters, grab loot,find a map to the next adventuring area,and move onwards. What these campaignslack is player initiative. Players eventuallywant to have some control over theircharacters� destinies.

There are several approaches to referee-ing a role-playing game. Some campaignsdeal solely with the acquisition of power,magic, and levels. Others feature the DM�sability to describe a story or a conflict.This is a role-playing approach, and itworks best if you are capable of handlingindividuals or very small groups; it doesnot work well with large groups. Playersmay have to spend hours waiting for a DMto handle other players� problems first,leading to massive player boredom.

To DM to the best of your ability, haveyour obstacles planned out and gather theknowledge a player will likely requestbefore beginning play. Things then gomore quickly. Encourage individuals to goto their party for advice, so that the otherplayers get involved. Encourage groupventures that involve the abilities of allcharacters. If players show an interest inrunning a business, delegate some of theplanning to a player. Finally, provide mys-teries that will be solved by adventuring,to satisfy those players who enjoy goingout with sword in hand. Some players donot want to involve themselves in gamingif the entire evening goes without combat.In that case, provide an equal share ofcombative and noncombative scenarios,and invite these players to only thecombat sessions.

There are other noncombative scenariosthat can be created as well, such as ath-letic competitions. How this is handled isup to the individual DM; a good DM isinventive, after all. Keep in mind thatadventures need not always lead tobloodshed.

TheForgottenCharacters

A look at henchmen,hirelings, and followers

by Thomas M. Kane

One of the best things about being aDungeon Master is role-playing the non-player characters (NPCs) with which par-ties deal. Unfortunately, the number ofthese NPCs is so great that many DMs areoverwhelmed by the task of creating abacklog of these characters. Often, DMsfall into the trap of having one genericNPC personality and using it for all en-counters. While it is impossible to have aset of motives for every person in a fan-tasy world, a DM should have a goodgrasp of the personality of major NPCs.The characters who serve PCs are veryimportant, affecting every level of thegame. Henchmen, hirelings, and followersshould be more than just extensions of theplayer character.

In an ideal world, each henchman, hire-ling, or follower would be played as lov-ingly as a PC. Every one would have acomplete background, with notes on whathe, she, or it likes and dislikes, and howthe NPC acts in public. Most DMs do nothave enough time to do this and run therest of the milieu, too. An attempt to as-sume the persona of five or six charactersat once would be virtually impossible. Forthis reason, the personality tables in theDMG are helpful. A mixture of randomlyrolled traits and leanings chosen by theDM can create very believable characters.

But, even with this system, a harried DMmay have to gloss over many facets of theinteraction between PCs and NPCs. Thereare just too many secondary characters.What one needs is a table for determininghow a retainer accepts decisions and sug-gestions from the PCs. Such a methodexists: the morale check, as described inthe DMG. The loyalty system can apply tomore than combat or great temptation.

With a little modification, morale canresolve many crises between PCs andNPCs. A morale check can determine thebehavior of an NPC, whether he is askedto scout the possible dragon�s den, orderedto carry the party�s water, or allowed toget drunk with the PCs� opponents. If amorale check is successful, the NPC acts asthe PC desires; otherwise, he or she istroublesome.

If this method is used, careful trackshould be kept of how the NPC is treated,and how the PC�s personality would makethe NPC react. In this situation, most PCswork hard to keep loyalty high. This can-not help but improve game balance. Onpages 36-37 of the DMG, typical loyaltymodifiers are shown. On pages 100-102,there are descriptions of NPC personali-ties. What is needed is a link between thetwo, and a description of the needs anddesires of typical NPC �helpers.�

PC helpers are usually one of threesorts. First, there are henchmen, who arehired by an individual character as moreor less permanent assistants or body-guards. Next, there are hirelings: profes-sionals taken on for an agreed time andfee. Finally, there are followers. TheseNPCs are attracted by respect for a high-level character. Followers are lifetimeemployees who maintain a stronghold andgo adventuring from time to time. Eachform of NPC is subject to certain tasks andabuses. These types are described below,along with tables showing morale modifi-cations for given situations.

HenchmenHenchmen are among the most impor-

tant factors in determining the success ofa PC, particularly at high levels. As sup-port for the PC, both in combat and in

adventure, henchmen are irreplaceable.Therefore, role-playing henchmen well isan important task. To role-play the behav-ior of a henchman, the first thing thatmust be understood is why this skilledNPC serves the character in the first place.

The DMG states that henchmen havelittle equipment and that poverty oftenleads them to seek employment with PCs.Very probably, many henchmen are failedadventurers who see service with a moresuccessful adventurer as a way to revivetheir own �profession.� These henchmentend to be cynical, cautious, and prag-matic. Because they have already seentheir own exploits collapse, they do notwish to be involved in other failures. Thismakes them resent being victims of poorplanning. A disorganized party reducesmorale in the same manner as an undisci-plined one. On the other hand, any hench-man- like the rest of us � is likely to begrateful and devoted to the character thatsupports him. NPCs who are given thestatus of henchman have an automaticbonus to morale (as per the DMG). Hench-men want to go adventuring, and they liketo lead exciting lives; otherwise, whywould they accept such a job in the firstplace? Long inactivity reduces morale; thisis incentive enough for most would-behenchmen.

Of course, there are many other reasonsto be a henchman. But, regardless of whythey enlisted, most henchmen must besomewhat proud of their own skills. Fur-thermore, henchmen who were failedadventurers want to avoid repeating theexperience. A henchman would probablylike to be consulted in planning out expedi-tions; failure to consult such an NPC af-fects morale as if the liege used laxdiscipline with the henchman.

Treasure is a prime consideration formost characters. As the helpers of a pow-erful adventurer, henchmen must hope tobecome rich and famous, to live well andeat expensive foods, to stay in nice inns,and so forth. If the PCs do not provide thissort of life, morale is lowered as if the NPCwere poorly paid. If the NPC�s employerenjoys a higher form of living than theservitors, there is an additional 20% pen-alty. Furthermore, henchmen are oftensomewhat jealous of their employer�sother retainers. Some PCs play favorites,giving preferential treatment to powerfulservitors or special attention to attempt tobuild up weak ones. This infuriates hench-men. Unfair division of treasure is asdetrimental to morale as stingy pay.

HirelingsHirelings, on the other hand, usually

have no particular aspirations to explore;actually, they are more likely to avoiddanger. They merely wish to do the re-quired job and collect their pay. Whenthese agreements are breached, a hirelingceases to serve the PC, unless reparationsare made. Even then, morale is lowered asif the NPC were treated cruelly. The mo-

D R A G O N 4 3

�Gads!There goes

what�s-his-name.�

rale of a hireling forced to adventureequals that of a captured and enlistedcharacter.

Linkboys, bearers, porters, some cartog-raphers, ship crews, and mercenaries arehired to adventure. The main mistake thatmost PCs make with these characters istreating them as if they were henchmen.Most of these folk are normal mortals andcannot be substituted for adventurers,willing or not. If PCs give these employeestasks beyond their ability, their moraleshould be adjusted as if they were peasanttroops.

Ship crews and mercenaries engage incombat on behalf of their employer. Thus,they are subject to the most abuse by PCs

44 JANUARY 1986

wishing to use them as a buffer for mon-sters. Hired soldiers are not typically de-voted to a PC: they fight for pay. If largenumbers are sent into a dungeon andkilled by monsters therein, the chances ofgetting fresh troops is uncertain. Moralepenalties for unsuccessful combat aredoubled.

Whether a mercenary undertakes a Obviously, all NPCs are not the same.position in a small unit such as an adven- The personality tables in the DMG de-turing party is strictly a matter of individ- scribe variations in NPC traits. Of course,ual taste. It should not be impossible for these variations affect morale. A lazy NPCplayer characters to take a group of mer- won�t mind if he is never disciplined, and acenary bodyguards on expeditions, al- proud NPC will be extremely upset bythough rates many times higher than cruel treatment. This list integrates thethose listed in the DMG can be expected. personality of an NPC with the loyalty thatFurthermore, these bodyguards are likely he or she shows the PCs. Listed below are

to expect to be well-supported throughoutthe journey and given reasonable sharesof the loot (possibly one quarter the shareof a PC). PCs may recruit adventurers forvarious adventures. These characters areusually available for only one adventureand may be treated as special henchmen.

The DMG and Unearthed Arcana haveprices for spells and magic items. It isimportant to remember that magic is rareand powerful. PCs may not shop for itemsas if at a dweomer supermarket. NPCclerics do not cast spells merely formoney; this could defile most religions.Characters have to use flattery, prove thatthe spell use benefits the cleric�s religion �and pay dearly for clerical assistance.Magic-users, too, expect great rewardsand respect in return for spells. After all,the use of magic is a difficult, arcane art.The listed prices are probably theminimum available rates.

FollowersThe followers that a character attracts

at high levels are likely to be the mosttrouble-free sort of retainer. Followershave usually been successful in life andare probably sincerely devoted to a PC �otherwise, they would not have chosen toserve that character. Followers naturallyexpect their leader to treat them well andvalue their service. Unlike henchmen, theydo not expect major bonuses from PCs.Assign followers a morale bonus as if theywere expert hirelings to reflect their loy-alty. Feel free to revoke this bonus if thePCs are ungrateful to these servitors!

Followers usually expect to serve thecharacter as guards or agents in majoraffairs, and only rarely accompany the PCon expeditions. A few especially bravefollowers, however, may decide to goadventuring. They would probably haveno greater morale than levied troops insuch an unfamiliar setting.

What PCs must remember is that fol-lowers are not motivated by blind faith.Despite their devotion to a PC, their deci-sion to become a follower must be due inpart to hopes of being rewarded. PCsshould allow followers to share in thebenefits of serving a powerful adventurer.Naturally, followers resent being taken forgranted or denied reasonable recompense.Give them full morale penalties for any ofthe above abuses. Followers should berole-played as more than just rewards forattaining experience points.

Personality and morale

the typical modifiers to morale and noteson how personality affects them.

Unsuccessful combat: Optimistic + 5%,Altruistic + 5%, Violent/Warlike + 5%,Pessimistic - 10%, Cowardly -20%,Fanatical +10%, Craven -30%. Brave+10%, Fearless +20%, Foolhardy +40%(but requires an unadjusted morale checkto see if the NPC retreats under orders).

Successful combat: Violent/Warlike+ 10%, Barbaric +5%, Egotistical +5%,Compassionate - 5% Foolhardy + 5%.

Short term of enlistment: Optimistic+ 5%, Pessimistic - 5%.

Enlisted by other character: Altruistic+ 5%, Aloof -10%, Hostile - 5%,Diplomatic + 2%, Jealous - 15%, Fanatical-5%.

Little training: optimistic + 5, Studious- 5% Egotistical + 5%.

Low status in party: Proud/Haughty-20%, Hot-Tempered -10%, Humble+ 5%, Egotistical - 15%.

High status in party: Egotistical + 5%.Captured and enlisted/slave: Trusting

+ 2%, Suspicious -10%, Contrary -5%,Servile +5%, Fanatical -20%, Hostile-15%, Proud/Haughty -30%, Vengeful-15%, Optimistic +5%, Egotistical -5%.

No/little/unfair pay or division of trea-sure: Hedonistic -5%, Altruistic +3%,Easy-going +4%, Miserly -20%, Hot-tempered -5%, Greedy -25%, Avaricious-40%, Nonmaterialistic +10% (there is noDMG characteristic of �non-materialistic,�but a DM may well assign this trait to acharacter), Egotistical -10%.

Extra/bonus pay: Greedy +5%, Miserly+5%, Egotistical +5%.

Little or no discipline/activity: Hedonistic+10%, Servile -5%, Lazy/Slothful +10%.

Inhuman/cruel/uncaring liege: Hot-tempered -20% Proud/Haughty -20%,Unforgiving -10%, Hedonistic -5%,Egotistical -10%.

Alignment/racial conflict: Jealous -5%,Forgiving +5%, Hot-Tempered -10%,Opinionated -10%, Antagonistic -5%,Fanatical -10%, Egotistical -5%.

Note that the personality adjustmentalters the loyalty modifier first, then theNPC�s morale. Thus, an optimist who hasbeen a henchman for a short time has notime-of-service adjustment to morale ( -5%+5% = 0%), not +5% as suggested inthe rules. A greedy person who has beenoffered choice shares of treasure has a+10% bonus to loyalty. This list by nomeans covers all situations in which mo-rale should be affected by personality.Many personality traits may be assigned toNPCs that are not covered in the DMG(one, �non-materialistic,� has been usedherein). Furthermore, there is a virtuallyinfinite number of possible conflicts thatcan occur between a PC and an NPC. Thisgrouping should be used as a guide, not asa cure-all.

Previous livesThe DM should remember that NPCs do

not exist in a vacuum. They know of ru-mors and people unfamiliar to PCs, andhave past lives which may affect play. Thismay prove quite valuable at times. How-ever, such past lives might prove problem-atic. An NPC could be under a curse thatmanifests itself in certain situations, orhave a powerful enemy with which the PCmust contend. Past troubles may well bethe NPC's motive for accepting a sub-servient status.

Most servitors have mundane appoint-ments crop up from time to time. Religionand relatives, for example, demand atten-tion. Retainers may be unavailable forroughly 1-8 days per month. The playercharacters must learn that NPC retainersare not available at all times. Trying toforce an NPC to ignore these other com-mitments has the same effect on morale ascruel treatment.

The DM should keep track of the natureof NPCs. The tables here and in the DMGare helpful for filling out behavior, andallow NPCs to develop over time, just asPCs do. DMs should remember that thecharacters they play have a profoundeffect on the color and nature of thegame. Playing NPCs can be as rewardingand entertaining as running a playercharacter.

D R A G O N 4 5

by Ed Greenwood

From the now-ruined city of Myth Dran-nor, Elminster the Sage told me, camemuch of the magic of the Realms. From itslore, Elminster revealed mighty spells anditems of power � swords and shields,harps and rings, and more. But, upon anight not long ago, Elminster and I sat inmy study watching the cats asleep at ourfeet, and Elminster stopped in his ram-blings of kings long dead and battles longfought, and said, �I would tell you of somegentler magic.�

I voiced my eagerness, and he nodded inapproval. �Well-loved among the mages ofthe City of Song was the Lady Shandalee.Of her I speak,� he began, and wove a talethat whole night through (save for a glassof wine here and there) until dawn, tellingof the deeds and grace of the LadyShandalee.

I�ve set down no part of that tale here,but I pass on details of Shandalee�s onlylegacy � her marvelous masks, items ofmagical power whose means of fashioningare unknown in the Realms, having passedaway with the Lady of the Stars. Manysuch masks are found in the Realms, forthey were often buried on corpses of goodand noble persons. The masks are usableby all creatures able to wear them aboutthe eyes, regardless of class or race. Theyare of nine sorts, being distinguished onefrom another only by shape of outline andornamentation. All are of some unknown,silky-gray fabric that cannot be physicallyharmed; weapons pass through suchmasks as though they do not exist.

The masks cannot be burned, stiffened,or adversely affected by freezing cold,deep water, acid, or claws, but they arevulnerable to electrical energies (20 +1d12 hp electrical damage must be suf-fered by any particular mask before it is

destroyed). A mask�s powers may be ne-gated for 1-6 rounds by the casting of adispel magic (against 18th-level magic) orfor 2-12 rounds by a wand of negation,but are never altered in power by othermagics or by physical circumstances. Amask never loses only part of its powers;these magical facial coverings work fullyor not at all.

Placing such a mask on the face causesthe mask to shift in size, to cover the facefrom nostrils to brow and from ear to ear,with eyes uncovered. The mask clingswithout need of ties or adjustment, untilpulled away; it readily peels off at thetouch of bare flesh grasping it (against AC10), regardless of the wearer�s wishes.Such masks radiate a faint dweomer if adetect magic is cast. DMs must determinethe monetary and experience point valueof such items in accordance with the situa-tions of their own campaigns. Shandalee�smasks are as follows.

Horned maskSo-called because it sports two horns

curving up from its upper edges, this maskallows the wearer augmented vision: 9�infravision, 7� ultravision, the ability toclearly see ethereal creatures, shadows(q.v., Monster Manual I) and all creatureswhich can hide in shadows (includingthieves), and the ability to see throughflames, mist, fog, smoke, and other opaquevapors or conflagrations (these obstruc-tions appear only as faint outlines or dis-turbances). The wearer is also protectedagainst blindness, however caused, whilewearing the mask, and cannot be dazzled,charmed, hypnotized, or stunned by lightdisplays, even if these are very intense ormagical. The mask-wearer cannot conferany of the mask�s powers to anyone else,and the mask does not enable its wearer

to detect illusions or disguises, nor to seeinvisible creatures. The wearer of themask can track as a 1st-level ranger (un-less such tracking abilities are alreadypossessed, in which case the mask in-creases them by one level of ranger-tracking ability while worn).

Veil maskNamed for both its appearance and

function, this mask completely covers allof the wearer�s face in an impassive ex-panse; only the wearer�s eyes can commu-nicate any expression. While worn, itcompletely hides and protects the wearerfrom any mind-reading or mind-influencing spells (charm, sleep, ESP, etc.)and any divination or similar spells involv-ing the wearer (including detect lie,alignment-aura reading, and the like). Italso causes offensive attacks of these sorts� i.e., psionics and enchantment/charmspells � to be reflected back upon thecaster. If reflection is impossible due to thenature of the attack, the spell is merelynegated. The mask does not confer actualor psionic invisibility upon the wearer.

Winged maskThe edges of this mask are cut so as to

resemble rows of feathers. The wearercan fly at will, without tiring, as often asdesired and for as long as is desired, butmay not carry any other living creaturewhile doing so. Nonliving material (such asthe wearer�s clothing, not including theweight of the mask itself) up to a weightlimit of 500 gp may also be carried; this isnot much, and any material in excess ofthe weight limit negates the mask�s flyingabilities.

While flying, the wearer of a wingedmask has a maneuverability class rating ofA, can remain upright if desired, and hasgreat stability, allowing the user to castspells, write, and perform other intricatetasks. Movement is at any speed up to 26�/round as desired, and the wearer canhover or fly backwards without turning.While the mask�s powers of flight areactivated, the wearer glows with a soft,white faerie fire radiance, regardless ofthe wearer�s wishes. If another livingcreature touches, grapples with, or iscarried by the wearer of a winged maskwhile the latter is flying, the wearer falls;the mask confers the protection of afeather fall spell on the mask wearer, butnot upon the other contacting creature(s).

Skull maskThis mask always gives the wearer�s face

a skull-like appearance, with dark socketsabout the eyes and nose, and bared teeth.While worn, it confers immunity to fear ofany sort and to the life-level draining,strength draining, or aging attacks of allundead or other creatures. Diseases andparalysis of all sorts are also prevented, asis chilling damage from undead attacks �but the mask gives the wearer no controlor influence over undead, and no protec-

46 JANUARY 1986

tion against the physical attacks of undead(or any poisonous aspects of such attacks).Undead are drawn towards the maskwearer, attacking him or her in preferenceto other creatures. The wearer of thismask can instantly recognize any beingsseen as dead, living (including beings petri-fied or in suspended animation), undead,or never living (i.e., a stone statue).

Mask of magicThis mask always appears perfectly

circular. The wearer can see magicaldweomers and auras (including those ofsurfaces or areas bearing symbols, glyphs,inscriptions, and the like), although suchthings cannot be read or closely examined.Only location, outline, and relative inten-sity of magical power can be discerned.This magical sight is continuous and invol-untary while the mask is worn.

Fanged maskThe bottom of this mask is cut in the

shape of downward-pointing fangs, likethose of some great cat. When worn, thewearer can bite in combat for 1-4 hp dam-age. If the wearer�s bite already does ap-preciable damage � e.g., the wearer is acreature like a norker � 1d4 hp damage isadded to existing bite damage. The biteaffects even targets that are astral, ethe-real, or from the Lower Planes (such asthose that can normally be hit only bymagical weapons). The bite stuns a victimfor the round following its striking homeif a save vs. spells is failed, but it does notaugment any blood-draining abilities thewearer may already possess. Such attacksmust be delivered normally; the wearermust come into close contact with oppo-nents and is not protected from theirattacks or abilities by the mask.

Mirror maskThis mask appears as a circle with dark

lines radiating outwards from a centralfocus around the wearer�s nose. Anyonegazing at the wearer does not see themask, instead seeing the viewer�s ownhead perfectly depicted. Creatures notlooking directly at the mask see the maskinstead. The mask reflects all gaze attacksback upon the gazer, and the wearercan meet the gaze of any being withoutbeing affected by awe, fear, horror, hyp-notic gaze effects, charms, suggestions,etc.

Mask of silenceThis mask covers the area around the

eyes of the wearer, and has a trailing veilthat flows down to cover the wearer�smouth, moving always to cover the lips(the mask must be removed to eat ordrink). At will, the wearer can magicallysilence one creature within 5� range perround. The victim gets a save vs. breathweapon to avoid these effects. Such si-lence lasts one round and is usable everyfourth round. If a target successfully savesagainst a silence attempt, the masks

power has still been used, and the wearercannot attempt to affect another targetuntil three intervening rounds haveelapsed. If successful, such silence pre-vents all noise from the victim, not justvocal sounds, and can be used by themask-wearer on himself (although themask-wearer gets a saving throw to avoidthe masks effects, too, regardless of hisown wishes). This silence preventsspellcasting, shouted warnings, death-cries, and the like.

Mask of windsAppearing as a vertical bellows-shape,

point downwards, this mask allows thewearer to influence the movements of

(Continued from page 32)

mail which is not specifically made for thecharacter could probably be purchasedfor three to four times book price in alarge city, but again, it would be hard tofind. It would be logical to assume that theelven community would immediately tryto buy back any such suits rumored to beon the general market for historical valuealone, thus further reducing the supply.

Elfin chain mail should almost never befound sized for humans or demi-humansother than elves. It is a safe bet to assumethat each such suit in existence was madefor a specific individual, probably as a giftfor some great service to the elven com-munity. Thus, such items should not beplaced at random, and each should have aspecific history. If an artisan willing tomake a new suit for a non-elven charactercould be found, the price should be atleast 10 times book value, due to unfamil-iar sizing and extra materials.

My group allows only neutralcharacters. One of the players nowwants to run an assassin, since non-evil assassins are now permittedaccording to the official update pub-lished in DRAGON® Magazine #103.How would I go about introducingsuch a character into an existingcampaign?

Neutral and even good-aligned assassinsare now possible according to the update.However, assassins must begin their ca-reers as evil characters, presumably be-cause to be interested in learning how tokill for money is deemed an evil outlook.Once started, however, they can changealignment to neutral, or even good.

Despite the rules expansion, however,non-evil assassins are not recommended.Neutral assassins could certainly be han-dled with a mature group of players, butgood assassins are too contradictory a

gases and vapors within a 6�-radiussphere at will. Thus, the wearer can ne-gate or turn aside gale-force winds (includ-ing magical gusts of wind), turn backconvection currents, smoke, gaseous-formcreatures, poison gas, and even scent-carrying breezes. The wearer can robfires of fresh oxygen by stilling air move-ments (large fires, such as those of burn-ing structures, are not easily extinguishedsolely by use of such a mask), but he can-not cause a vacuum nor asphyxiate oppo-nents. The wearer can create gusts ofwind or wind walls, as in the spells, onceeach every six rounds. Heat or cold effectsfrom air movements (for example, hypo-thermia from arctic winds) can be less-ened or negated.

concept for general use. Such a charactermight make an interesting NPC, champion-ing a king�s cause from the shadows, but itwould be a difficult thing to rationalize.Like the example of James Bond used inthe update article (DRAGON issue #103), agood assassin might be the sort of charac-ter who doesn�t set off to kill, but may endup having to do so for the greater good.

Note, however, that the vast majority ofassassins are evil, and their guilds aremost often likewise dedicated to the evilcause. Therefore, good-aligned assassinsare frequently individuals who take theroute of self-training, as guild training maybe difficult to obtain. Likewise, even neu-tral characters might have difficulty deal-ing with an assassins� guild for training.

Do strength bonuses count forhurled weapons such as daggers,spears, clubs, javelins, etc.?

Yes, though the DM may limit the appli-cation of full strength bonuses for small,light weapons such as daggers.

Page 188 of the Players Handbookclearly states that �the bard gainsdruidic powers as a druid of thesame level, with the exception ofdruidic spells. . . .� What about thenew druidic hierophant powersdescribed in Unearthed Arcana? Asthe bard class stands now, bardswould get poison immunity, longev-ity, health, and shape-shifting at16th level. At higher levels theywould gain the ability to travelplanes and summon elementals.This does not seem to go along withthe spirit of the rules, since it takesless experience points for a bard toprogress from 15th to 16th levelthan it does for a druid.

Bards are not druids; therefore, theyare not eligible for the hierophant disci-plines. Remember, a character can onlyprogress to Hierophant from the positionof Grand Druid, which is not a station thatshould be open to bards, or to any charac-


D R A G O N 4 7

A selection of magical rings leads off ournew series of reader-submitted magicalitems. Dungeon Masters may wish toadjust the gold-piece and experience-pointvalues for these rings to better fit theirown campaigns.

Ring of Range ExtensionThis item allows any spellcaster (includ-

ing rangers, paladins, and the like) tovoluntarily extend the range of any spellcast, save those spells with ranges of 0� ortouch. Each such ring contains 2-40charges and cannot be recharged. Eachcharge used increases the range of anyspell cast by the amount listed as the nor-mal range. Thus, if one charge is used, therange is doubled; two charges triple therange, three quadruple it, and so on. Aring of range extension may be success-fully used on spells cast from scrolls orother magical devices, but cannot be usedto cast a spell into a plane other than thatwhich the user currently occupies.

XP Value: 2,000GP Value: 10,000Created by: Mark Nemeth

Ring of ClairaudienceThis ring�s gem is a small amethyst with

a normal value of 100 gp. The amethyst iseasily separated from the ring; it can thenbe placed in a location on which theowner wishes to eavesdrop. A pick pock-ets roll allows a thief to secretly slip theamethyst into the clothes of another char-acter. Any character can hide the gem inan empty room, barring extraordinarycircumstances.

Whatever is said within 60� of the ame-thyst is magically transmitted to the ringitself, and the words are then heard by thering-wearer alone. The gem-ring connec-tion has a range of 48�, but only transmitssounds that could be heard by a normalhuman in the same location as theamethyst.

XP Value: 1,000GP Value: 7,500Created by: Marc Andreessen

Ring of TeleportationThis enchanted ring commonly has 3-30

charges when found. The ring�s gem is adeep blue spinel worth 500 gp if sold as anordinary gem. The gem is easily separatedfrom the ring and placed anywhere towhich the ring�s user wishes to be trans-ported at a later time. By expending onecharge, the wearer of the ring is tele-

48 JANUARY 1986

ported without error to a safe locationwithin 5� of the spinel. The gem can beretrieved and reused as long as the ringretains at least one charge. If no safe loca-tion exists near the location of the gem(say, if it is buried under 10� of earth or isinside a burning building), the ring ex-pends four charges and nothing happens.The gem must be obtained in order for thering to work again.


Ring of CommandA ring of command commonly has 3-30

charges when found. The ring has thefollowing abilities, only one of which canbe used at any one time:

1. Command: This ability duplicates thefirst-level clerical spell with the samename. Creatures with an intelligence of 13or better (highly intelligent and abovemonsters) or with more than 5 HD orlevels are entitled to a saving throw versusspells. A command uses up one charge forevery round the command is in effect. Forinstance, an orc could be told to �die!� andwould stay �dead� (unconscious) for fiverounds if five charges were spent.

2. Charm person: This power is the sameas the first-level magic-user spell. Twocharges must be spent to charm a charac-ter, and an additional charge per day mustbe expended to continue the spell eachday thereafter. The victim is allowed asaving throw vs. spells to negate thecharm. A character using a ring of com-mand can expend another two charges totry again, of course, in the event of spellfailure.

3. Suggestion: This ability is similar to,the third-level magic-user spell. The targetof a suggestion is allowed a saving throwvs. spells, as with charm person above. Asuggestion costs two charges and lasts forone hour. More charges can be spent foradditional hours, at a rate of one per hour,as desired.

All of these powers only work on thehumanoids listed in the Players Handbookunder charm person, and their counter-parts in the FIEND FOLIO® Tome andMonster Manual II.


Ring of Phantom FormThe user of this ring can disperse his

body�s molecules at will, so as to become

totally intangible. This ring does not allowthe user to become invisible, as he willappear to be translucent in form. (Rings ofinvisibility and phantom form cannot beused together at the same time. The spellinvisibility can be successfully cast uponthe user of a ring of phantom form,however.)

An intangible character cannot be hit bynormal weapons, but is affected normallyby weapons with a +1 or better magicalbonus. An intangible character cannotphysically attack, but may cast spells.Heat, cold, and electrical attacks (lightningbolt, fireball, etc.) affect an intangiblecharacter normally. The user of a ring ofphantom form can move through screens,pipes, and other narrow apertures at a12� movement rate. All items carried by acharacter in phantom form are likewiserendered intangible. If a character fails asaving throw against any magical attackform which can harm him, all carrieditems must likewise save vs. that attackform or else be destroyed.


Ring of Shape ChangingThis ring commonly possesses 3-30

charges when found. Each of the chargesexpended allows the wearer to shapechange as per the ninth-level magic-userspell shape change. The wearer of thisring may change back to his original format will, without expending a ring charge.However, there is a 2% chance per shapeassumed that the wearer permanentlyassumes the form of the thing into whichhe changes. In this event, the characterassumes all mental and personality-relatedcharacteristics of this new form 2-16 daysafter taking the form. A character stuck inan unfamiliar form can only regain hisformer shape by having dispel magic, alterreality, limited wish, or wish cast uponhim.


Ring of TonguesThe wearer of this magical ring can

understand, read, write, and speak anylanguage known by any creature within30� of the ring, as long as that creaturestays within the area of effect. Two ringsof this sort within 30� of each other auto-matically cancel each other out. Addition-ally, it is possible for a character wearingthis ring to learn a language (where thislearning is warranted, as by an increase inintelligence or similar circumstance) fromanother character as expressed in therules regarding language learning; half thenormal time for this is required. (Forfurther information on this, see page 34 ofthe Players Handbook.)


Ring of the DrowThis item is made of eight strands of

different unique metals entwined to forma ring. The drow found it troublesomewhen their magical items deterioratedupon leaving their underground homelandfor long periods of time; to combat this,they created this ring. The ring of thedrow is only made in the drow homelandsby clerics of Lolth. Its purpose is to keepdrow-made items the wearer possessesfrom deteriorating. To do so, the ringradiates an aura of magical energy thatduplicates the radiations deep in the drowhomelands. This aura only affects thewearer and the wearer�s possessions.

As a side effect of the ring�s magicalaura, a detect magic spell reveals thewearer to radiate magic strongly. In addi-tion, a detect evil shows the wearer of oneof these rings as evil, and a know align-ment indicates that the wearer is chaoticevil, regardless of the wearer�s true align-ment. If the wearer uses the psionicpower of aura alteration to try to changethe aura, the wearer must save vs. spellsor else change alignment to chaotic evil. Ifthe wearer saves, or if the wearer fails thesave but is already chaotic evil, the psionicpower functions normally, and the ring�saura is temporarily changed.

To possess one of these rings is consid-ered an honor among the drow, because itsignifies that the wearer has traveled farfrom the homeland, and that he or shewas aided by a cleric favored by Lolth.Drow will kill any creature other than adrow who possesses one of these rings.

XP Value: 1,000 (to drow); nil to othersGP Value: 5,000 (to drow); 1,000 to

othersCreated by: Mark A. Deforest

Ring of Fire StartingThe beauty of this ring is obvious under

even the most casual inspection. Its bandis forged from a bright, silvery metal andhas an intricate bas-relief of an ancientfire-tending ceremony carved into itssurface. The stone is a 5,000 gp diamondand glows with a faint inner light. When itis worn, a slight sensation of warmth canbe felt emanating from it.

If the wearer touches the stone to anycombustible substance and speaks a com-mand word, the material must save vs.magical fire or else burst into flame. Thematerial need not be entirely dry or pure,and the conditions do not have to be tem-perate in order for the ring to function.

This ring has an unlimited number ofuses. It is itself immune to all fire- andheat-based effects, magical or otherwise.

XP Value: 1,000GP Value: 3,500Created by: George Steenrod

Ring of Quick ActionA ring of quick action enables a fighter,

cavalier, barbarian, ranger, or paladin togain the initiative at the start of melee,

regardless of any other factors, includingthe condition of the opposition. The ringcan be used 2-20 times in this mannerbefore it runs out of charges and becomesuseless. Expending a charge is an auto-matic action requiring a mental commandat the start of a melee round.

XP Value: 1,000GP Value: 5,000Created by: C. Borland

Ring of Animal MagnetismOnce placed on a character�s finger, this

ring allows communication with all ani-mals as if the wearer had an 18 charisma.The wearer may speak with animals for aslong as the ring is worn, though the ringdoes not allow the wearer to charm ani-mals in any manner. Only true animals(mammals, birds, fishes, reptiles, etc.) maybe spoken to in this manner; magical�monsters� are not affected. For the pur-poses of this ring, assume that any crea-ture capable of using magical spells is a�monster.� Thus, a pegasus is an animal,but a unicorn is a monster; an owlbear orworg is an animal, but a bugbear (sinceclerical bugbears exist) or a winter wolf isa monster. The wearer may try to con-vince animals to work or fight for him,and reaction is checked as if the animalswere randomly encountered humans.Animals will not attack the wearer of thering unless attacked first, even if they arehungry.

However, 10% of these rings are cursedto draw any and all animals within onemile toward the wearer. The animals thensurround the wearer and refuse to move,blocking the wearer�s path in all direc-tions. If the wearer or his party attacksany animal, all the animals attack thewearer at once. If the ring is removed(requiring a remove curse spell), the ani-mals revert to normal, and either attack(1-2 on d6) or flee (3-6 on d6).

XP Value: 1,000 (Nil for cursed version)GP Value: 5,000 (1,000 for cursed

version)Created by: Eric Bachman

Ring of NeutralizatonThis magical ring can be employed by

any character class. Its sole function is toprotect the wearer from the effects of apredetermined offensive magic-user spell.Each ring has the ability to totally negateany damage or ill effects from a givenspecific spell, as noted in an inscription onthe ring itself. A ring of fireball neutraliza-tion, for example, allows a character tostand in the center of a fireball blast andbe totally unharmed. A ring of neutraliza-tion uses a charge every time a spell�seffects are nullified. A typical ring of thissort, when found, has 4-16 charges. It canonly be recharged by a 12th-level magic-user or higher, to a maximum of 20charges, but this requires a prolonged andcostly ritual (1 day and 1,000 gp percharge). A charge is lost from the ring for

each predesignated attack made on anindividual wearing it. A magic missile orMelf's minute meteor spell forces ringsmatched for those spells to use a chargefor each separate missile stopped. Forexample, if four magic missiles are ne-gated by a ring of magic-missile negation,then four charges are used.

A ring of neutralization only nullifiesone type of spell. For example, if a charac-ter is wearing a ring of cone-of-cold neu-tralization and is the target of an ice stormspell, he takes normal damage from theattack. Spells with similar effects are none-theless considered different for purposesof using this spell-dedicated ring; a delayedblast fireball does normal damage if acharacter is wearing a ring of fireballneutralization. Similarly, a character wish-ing protection from both lightning boltsand a chain lightning spell would requiretwo different rings.

Only the person wearing the ring ofneutralization is immune to that spell�seffects. Anyone else caught in the area ofeffect takes normal damage or suffers theeffects of that particular spell.

XP Value: 1,500GP Value: 7,500Created by: Simon Parkinson

Ring of the BardsThis rare magical ring, when worn by a

character other than a bard, acts as a ringof protection, +2. It can be recognized bythe engraved golden vines encircling theband. When placed on the finger of abard, it retains its protection properties,but with a bonus. The ring then serves asa ring of protection +2, +4 savingthrows. It also raised the bards charmpercentage by 10%. This magic item isusually found in a wilderness or forestarea.

XP Value: 3,000GP Value: 15,000Created by: Simon Parkinson

Ring of Limited TelepathyThese rare magic rings appear only in

pairs, each ring matching the other per-fectly in appearance. This ring combina-tion allows the wearer to communicatetelepathically with the wearer of the otherring only, though there are restrictions onthis. These rings have a telepathic range of2,000 miles, but function only when bothrings and their wearers are on the sameplane of existence.

These rings are normally made andenchanted for a specific pair of users �for example, for a husband and wife, apair of allied adventurers, or a brotherand sister. Notice that in each case, onepartner must be male and the other fe-male. This is a function of the enchanting,which enhances sympathetic feelingsbetween such pairs, capitalizing on genderattraction as well. Also, because the ringsare enchanted for a specific pair of wear-ers, the chance that two persons randomly

D R A G O N 4 9

finding such rings and being able to usethem is almost nil.

A remote chance exists that two personsof the same gender who are very closelyallied or related (e.g., twins, friends orlovers who have been together for at least10 years, a parent and child, etc.) canmake use of these rings, but the effectiverange is reduced to 500 miles, and there isa 20% chance per day that the rings donot function for that day.

Successful use of these rings allows eachwearer a +4 saving throw against anysort of psionic attack, psionic discipline, ormagical effect which affects the mind andwill of the wearer. This includes allcharms, dominations, possessions, sugges-tions, and holds, as well as fear, quest,confusion, etc. The use of ESP or telepathyby another person against the wearer ofsuch a ring will immediately reveal the useof such rings to the skrying character.However, if the saving throw against theattacks mentioned above is failed, the ring-wearer�s partner (who might not bepresent during the attack) must save vs.spells at +2 or else suffer the same spellor psionic effects. Thus, if a ring-wearerwas subjected to a scare spell, the otherring-wearer must save vs. spells at +2 orelse be scared as well. Use the WisdomSpell Immunities table in Legends & Loreto determine which spells are applicable inthese cases.

In the event of dire need, such as whenone ring-wearer is unconscious, dying, orin great pain, a strong feeling of distress isfelt by the partner. By complete concentra-tion, the partner can determine the dis-tressed ring-wearer�s location. This takes afull turn to complete. If one ring-wearer isslain, the partner must save vs. spells (withwill-force bonuses) or else pass into acoma for 2-20 hours.

XP Value: 1,000GP Value: 5,000Created by: David Newland

Ring of FashionThe ring of fashion, when commanded

with the proper key word, immediatelydresses the user in any sort of clothing thecharacter can dream of, short of truearmor of any sort (all costumes are AC 10).One out of 10 of all such rings allow thewearer to create heavy clothing that canbe counted as padded armor (AC 8). Un-fortunately, there is also a 1% chance thatthe ring will create a completely randomset of clothing that lasts for 1-6 turnsbefore fading. Such clothing appears inplace of any other sort of clothing wornwhen the ring is activated. No metallic ormetal-studded armor can be worn by theuser when the ring is activated, or else thering will not function. Magical metallicitems of small size, such as rings, bracers,or jewelry, do not affect the function ofthis device. However, magical and normalsuits of leather or cloth armor will vanishonce this ring is activated, returning only

50 JANUARY 1986

when the ring�s effects are dispelled ornegated. All magical girdles, boots, cloaks,and the like will likewise vanish andreturn later.

XP Value: 1,000GP Value: 3,000Created by: David Newland

Ring of AnnulmentWhile this ring is worn, magic controlled

by the character has no effect. This in-cludes magical items, spells, and innatemagical powers. Spells cast at the charac-ter from an outside source, however, actas normal. Thus, heal or fireball affect thewearer normally, but the ring-wearercannot cure his own wounds using magic.

A remove curse must be cast upon thering in order to allow the wearer to re-move it. A dispel magic spell has a 1%chance per level of the caster of negatingthe ring�s powers for one round, allowingthe wearer to remove it.

XP Value: NilGP Value: 2,000Created by: John Annable

Ring of DistractionThis ring appears to be a normal ring of

any other sort. In combat, this ring iscapable of generating a sudden burst oflight and sound that is perceived only byone opponent in melee with the ring-wearer (including those firing or hurlingmissile weapons within a 60� range). Theburst of light and sound is heard by noone else, and the target victim is desig-nated by the ring-wearer�s mental com-mands. This distraction causes theattacker to gain a -4 penalty on all at-tacks for the current round. If the oppo-nent saves vs. spells, the penalty isreduced to a -2 �to hit� result. This attackis made at the start of a melee round,regardless of all other circumstances, as itis a mental command. The ring may beused in this fashion up to five times perday. Once placed on a finger, the ringreveals its powers to its wearer.

One out of five (20%) of these rings donot operate on a conscious mental com-mand, however. These rings simply gener-ate their flash and sound burst for thefirst five melee rounds in which thewearer is involved in combat in a day. As aresult, the wearer might not immediatelybe aware that the ring is having any effectat all, though the ring-wearer�s opponentsmay appear to act strangely. Another 5%of these rings are cursed (and cannot beremoved without a remove curse spell) tocause the flash and noise-burst to affectthe wearer himself and no one else.

XP Value: 1,000 (nil for cursed version)GP Value: 5,000 (1,000 for cursed

version)Created by: John Annable

Ring of VaporsThe origin of this unique ring is greatly

disputed, but most mages agree that a

powerful figure among the air elementalshad a hand in its creation. The ring ap-pears as a small circlet of misty vaporsthat continually shift and change; the ring,however, is solid. Any character wearingthe ring gains the following abilities:

At will Fly (12�)Once per day Stinking cloudOnce per day ObscurementThrice per week Wind walkThrice per week Wind wallTwice per week Aerial servantOnce per week CloudkillOnce per month Summon aid from Ele-

mental Plane of Air** Wearer�s alignment good � djinni: wear-er�s alignment neutral � 8 HD air elemen-tal; and wearer�s alignment evil � mihstu.

All spell effects are at the 16th level ofability. Summoned monsters will remainwith the summoner for only 4-16 rounds,after which they depart. Summoned mon-sters will not attack the summoner unlessattacked first, and they act in a friendlyand helpful manner during the time theyare present.

The wearer also receives a penalty onsaving throws versus fire, against whichhe saves at - 2 and takes +1 damage perdie. It is possible that the maker of thisring is still hunting for it.

XP Value: 4,000GP Value: 35,000Created by: Harold R. Powell

Ring of LolthOn an unknown layer of the Abyss,

Lolth, the Demon Queen of Spiders, fash-ioned this unique ring and bestowed itupon her most powerful priestess for thelatter�s faithful service during the Age ofDespair, when the drow were driven intothe underworld. Using the powers of thering, the high priestess ruled a vast under-ground empire with an iron hand forhundreds of years, sacrificing thousandson the altar of her goddess. This reign ofterror was ended by a massive assaultagainst the subterranean Spider Temple bymercenary adventurers, at which time thisring was lost. It has reappeared from timeto time, however, in the service of evilcharacters � particularly drow, of course.

At first glance, the Ring of Lolth appearsto be a miniature figure of a black spiderwith curled legs and glowing red eyes. Thelegs curved down and around to form thering shape. Any character sliding a fingerthrough the legs, thus properly wearingthe ring, is pricked by a hidden needle andmust save vs. poison at -4 or die in-stantly. This save is instantly made for allpure-blooded drow. If the save is success-ful, the ring gives the wearer the followingpowers/abilities:

1. Immunity to all spider venoms;2. Spider climb at will;3. Cast a double-sized web (as per the

spell) once per turn;

4. Cast stones to spiders once per day(this spell is identical to the clerical spellsticks to snakes in most respects, changingsix stones into large spiders, as per theMonster Manual, for 12 rounds; all spidersso created are venomous);

5. Ability to sense enemies as per a wandof enemy detection;

6. Ability to charm and control all arach-nids within 120� (no saving throw allowedif ring is worn by a drow; otherwise, anormal save vs. spells is given to themonsters); and,

7. Ability to shift out of phase as a phasespider, allowing wearer to attack oppo-nents with a +3 to die rolls for surprise.

The drow will fight to the death to re-cover this ring if it falls into the hands ofthose who are not drow. In addition, thereis a 2% chance per day (noncumulative)that Lolth�s personal attention is drawn toany owner who is not a drow.

XP Value: 4,000GP Value: 30,000Created by: Harold R. Powell

Ring of LanguagesThis ring is basically a limited version of

the ring of tongues (listed above). Insteadof gaining the ability to fully understandany language known by any creaturewithin 30�, the wearer gains a number oflanguages conferred by the ring while thering is worn. The wearer not only under-stands these languages � he is also able tospeak, read, and write the languages as ifthey wear his native tongue. Note thatonce the ring is removed from the finger,the wearer loses the ability to understandthe languages the ring possesses.

It is possible, however, for a characterwhose intelligence has increased (therebyallowing the learning of one or more addi-tional languages), or for a character withthe ability to learn another language, tolearn a language possessed by the ringmerely by wearing it. This process re-quires the wearer to wear the ring consec-utively for one month, after which time(due to the magically accelerated ability tolearn) the character understands the lan-guage entirely, without the ring�s furtherassistance. Only one language may be solearned at a time.

The number of languages possessed by aring is determined by rolling 2d4; thelanguages are picked from the table listedon page 102 of the Dungeon MastersGuide or from a language table of the DM�sown devising. A roll of 86-00 on this tableindicates either a common tongue, analignment language, the thieves� cant, orthe druidic tongue, as determined by thefollowing table. Duplications on this tableare merely rerolled.

d100 Language01-60 Human (common, foreign, or other)61-70 Lawful*71-80 Neutral*81-90 Chaotic*

91-95 Thieves� cant96-00 Druidic tongue

jects within this area areimmobilized. If a save vs.spells is made, creatures

* Roll d6: 1-2, Good; 3-4, Neutral; 5-6, Evil. are still affected as if undera slow spell.

XP Value: 1,000GP Value: 5,000 A select group of clerics of Zeus haveCreated by: Robin Jenkins been chosen to search for and destroy the

Ring of Crius. This brotherhood will go toRing of Crius any length to carry out their quest, for the

Crius is the greater titan of density and ring is thought to be linked to a possiblegravity, and was one of those thrown rebellion of the titans against the Greekdown from power by his descendents (see g o d s .Legends & Lore, page 62). Being jealous of XP Value: 3,500the new (Olympian) gods that the mortals GP Value: 25,000worship, and having a desire to control Created by: Harold R. Powellthe fate of those on the Prime MaterialPlane, Crius placed a portion of his powers Ring of Magic Resistancein a ring and cast it into the world. The As their name describes, these ringsring is of plain copper with the name impart magic resistance upon their wear-�Crius� engraved on the inside, and per- ers. These rings do not increase the natu-forms simply as a ring of feather falling ral magic resistance a wearer may have �until it is immersed in the blood of a cleric they do not provide a cumulative figure(of at least 5th level) of one of the Greek for magic resistance. For example, a beinggods, at which time its true powers with a natural magic resistance of 50%become known. wearing a ring of magic resistance, 45%

At will Decrease body density asdoes not gain a magic resistance of 95%;rather, the wearer gains the higher magic

per the psionic ability body resistance of the two (in this case, theequilibrium (the wearer innate figure of 50%). Consequently, the

ring is ineffective in respect to this wearertakes double damage from

At willall attacks at this time). as a result. The effective magic resistanceCreate a gravity field of the ring is obtained by rolling percentilearound the wearer which dice and checking the table below:causes all launched missiles(arrows, spears, etc.) to fall d100 roll Magic resistanceshort and miss, if they fail 01-15 5%to save vs. disintegration. 16-30 10%

Once per day Increase body density to 31-45 15%act as a triple strength 46-60 20%stone skin spell (three 61-75 25%attacks or attack sequences 76-85 30%affected; the wearer is at 86-92 35%half movement at this 93-97 40%time). 98-99 45%

Once per day Reverse gravity as a 10th- 00 50%level magic-user. XP Value: 500 per 5% of MR (1,000

Once per day Increase gravity in a 4� x xp for 5%, however)4� area to such a degree GP Value: 2,000 per 5% of MRthat all creatures and ob- Created by: Bill Birdsall

Ring of HealthWearing the ring of health brings many

benefits. The wearer is allotted the ring�sset constitution, in as far as it pertains tohealth, recovery of hit points, ability toconsume amounts of liquor, and systemshock and resurrection percentages; thisdoes not, however, pertain to hit pointsconferred by a high constitution whenevera new level is attained. For example, wear-ing the ring of health (constitution 16)would allot a 96% chance of successful

revival if the wearer is killed, while a ringof health (constitution 19) would give a + 1on saving throws versus poison, Neitherring gives the wearer any additional hitpoints. The ring must be worn for at leasta week before the wearer gains its bene-fits. No benefits are realized by placingsuch a ring on a dead person in an attemptto revive him.

The type of ring is determined by rollingpercentile dice and consulting the tablebelow:

d100 roll Effective constitution XP Value GP Value01-45 Ring of health (15) 1,000 5,00046-90 Ring of health (16) 2,000 6,00091-95 Ring of health (17) 3,000 7,00096-99 Ring of health (18) 4,000 8,00000 Ring of health (19) 5,000 9,000

Created by: Bill Birdsall

D R A G O N 5 1

MoreP o w e rto You

New skills and powers forthe Champions™ game

©1986 by Leonard Carpenter

Hero Games�s CHAMPIONS� game de-scribes a broad range of impressive skillsand powers, yet the game can alwaysbenefit from new ideas for characterabilities. To this end, a selection of newcharacter skills and powers is presentedhere, along with a new power limitation toreflect the lack of control over a powersometimes suffered by a hero or villain,especially a novice one. The Game Mastermay experiment with the following skillsand powers to add new thrills andchallenges to the CHAMPIONS game.

The costs of all skills and powers arelisted in the descriptions of the new abili-ties. The END costs for all new powers areas defined by the official rules. The twonew Enhanced Senses cost no END pointsto use, of course. Some powers are varia-tions of existing powers in the game, withdifferent limitations or advantages appliedto create new and unusual powers for thegame.

The new power limitation Lack ofControl is quite unusual in CHAMPIONSgames, and perhaps may be best reservedfor odd or incompetent NPCs in the game.The inability to fully control a power mayprove too limiting for most player charac-ters; but, if properly employed, the limita-tion may provide for NPCs who can bothconfuse and amuse the players.

New skillsForgery: This skill enables a character

to forge, falsify, or alter passports, IDcards, security passes, or any other identi-

52 JANUARY 1986

fication papers or official documents. Theskill costs 3 points. The chance for anothercharacter to detect a forgery depends onthe intelligence of the one examining theforged document. The chance of detectionis 6 + (INT/5), -1 for every additional 2points spent by the forger- Fractions arerounded up.

For example, a character with 7 pointsinvested in Forgery is using a forged secu-rity pass to get past a watchman with a 13intelligence. The chance for the watchmanto detect the forgery is 6 + (13/5) -2 = 7,meaning a chance of 7 or less.

Cost: 3 points, -1 on the opponent�sdetection roll per 2 points.

Navigation: This skill confers differentlevels of navigation ability to a character.For a cost of 2 points, a character maynavigate long distances across land or sea,navigate by the stars, and use navigationaltools such as sextants, compasses, navalcharts, and all manner of maps. For 3points, a character may navigate greatdistances through a worlds atmosphere, atany altitude flown by normal aircraft. Acharacter may navigate an internationalairplane flight, for instance: A charactermay also use highly sophisticated naviga-tional equipment, including navigationalcomputers aboard aircraft or sea vessels.For 5 points, a character has the skill ofastrogation, and may navigate a spacecraftthrough a planetary system or interstellarspace.

Navigation skill does not automaticallyconfer pilot skill in any vehicle. Pilot skill

must be bought separately. A pilot mayneed a skilled navigator to fly across inter-continental distances or through interstel-lar space. The skill requires a successfulroll of 9 + (INT/5) or less,

Cost: Minimum of 2 points, +1 per 2points.

Sleight of Hand: This skill allows acharacter to manipulate and conceal smallobjects. For a cost of 3 points, the charac-ter may perform minor magic tricks, palmsmall objects, distract a viewer with fanci-ful gestures, and manipulate a deck ofcards to cheat at gambling. For 5 points,the character may also pick pockets andremove small objects from another�s per-son. The base roll is 9 + (DEX/5) or less.

Cost: Minimum 3 points, +1 per 2 points.

Survival: This skill gives a characterthe ability to survive in a hostile environ-ment. A character with survival skill maylive off the land, find shelter, make warmclothes, build a fire, hunt, fish, and foragefor natural foods and medicinal herbs. Thebase roll is 9 + (INT/5) or less,

Cost: 5 points, +1 per 2 points.

Throwing Master: This skill benefits acharacter in throwing objects and projec-tiles at a foe. A character may throw an�unbalanced object� as if it were a �bal-anced or aerodynamic� object, and hurl a�balanced or aerodynamic� object as if itwere a �balanced, aerodynamic� object(see the throwing chart on page 9 of thesecond-edition CHAMPIONS rules). Forinstance, a character may hurl a hand gun(unbalanced) as easily as a round stone(balanced), and toss a trash can cover(balanced) as far as a javelin (balanced andaerodynamic).

More importantly, this skill allows athrower to do killing damage with com-mon, everyday objects. Such objects musthave an edge, point, or sharp corner to dodamage, such as pens, playing cards,darts, or car keys. The object may dominor killing damage when thrown, typi-cally ½d6 killing damage on a successfulhit. This skill is often combined with theFind Weakness skill and several skill levelsin throwing objects. A normal attack roll isused with this skill.

Cost: 5 points.

New powers: enhanced sensesClairaudience: This power is the audi-

tory version of N-ray Vision. A characterwith Clairaudience may hear throughsubstances into other rooms or areas on asuccessful hearing perception roll. Clairau-dience is blocked by a specific substanceor defense defined by the player, such asan ego-powered force wall, mystic ele-ment, magical force field, or high-techalloy. The GM may place other limits onthe use or effectiveness of this power. Thispower may be enhanced by the ParabolicHearing Sense, usually with the limitation

that Parabolic Hearing is used with Clair-audience only ( + ½ limitation bonus).

Cost: 30 points.

Hypersensitive Touch: A characterpossessing this power may detect micro-scopic variations in the surface of an ob-ject by touch alone. A character may feeltiny bumps, indentations, cracks, flaws, orminor fractures in a surface. For instance,a character may notice a secret or con-cealed door by the narrow lines in a sur-face. A character may also read the ink ona page by touch.

A successful perception roll must bemade in any situation in which a charactertries to detect or learn something by theuse of Hypersensitive Touch. A roll of 9 +(INT/5) or less must be made if a charactertries to find a trap door or discover if alock has been tampered with by using thistouch sense. This sense may compensatefor blindness by allowing a blind characterto read normal print.

Cost: 20 points.

Gaseous Form: This power is similarto Desolidification, but with certain limita-tions on a character�s abilities. A gaseouscharacter may not pass through truly solidmatter as a desolidified character may, butis able to pass through small cracks andopenings, such as keyholes, mail slots, orgaps under doors. A gaseous charactermay not speak, attack, or affect the physi-cal world in any way. A gaseous characteris immune to most physical and energyattacks, but with certain exceptions. Sincea gaseous character does have a particularphysical form, the character may beharmed by attacks that could conceivablyaffect a gas or vapor, such as powerfulwinds or the suction of a strong vacuum.A gaseous character is immune to normalmental attacks.

Since a gaseous character is heavier thanair, the character must move along theground as if walking or running. Flightpower must be purchased separately inorder for a gaseous character to floatacross a chasm or soar upward.

The GM must decide on any other limita-tions of the capabilities of a gaseous char-acter, and on any other characteristics ofthe Gaseous Form. The GM is the finalauthority on what can affect a gaseouscharacter.

Cost: 25 points.

Pliability: This power, as well, is basedon Desolidification. A pliable charactermay alter his physical form to becomesupple and flexible enough to passthrough tiny openings, cracks, and crev-ices, much like a gaseous character. Unlikea desolidified or gaseous character, a plia-ble character retains his original physicalbody, and may attack and be attackednormally. Because of the flexibility of apliable character�s body, a pliable charac-ter gains a DCV bonus of + 5 when per-

forming a Dodge maneuver, or a + 7 DCVbonus for a Martial Dodge.

A pliable character may not alter his sizeor volume to a great extent, but mustpurchase Shrinking or Growth separatelyto achieve a radical change in size. Pliabil-ity is often combined with Stretching orDamage Reduction to create a characterwho is truly pliable and rubbery.

Cost: 30 points.

Precipitation: This power allows acharacter to create rain, sleet, or snow inan area at range or around the character.The intensity of the Precipitation dependson how many points per hex are spent increating the weather effect. 1 point perhex results in light Precipitation, 3 pointsper hex in moderate, and 5 points per hexin heavy. Spending 10 points or more perhex creates very heavy Precipitation equalin power to monsoon rain or blizzardsnow. Very heavy rain or snow concen-trated in one hex is capable of a Precipita-tion attack For every 10 points ofPrecipitation attack that pours into onehex, 1d6 of damage is inflicted on eachtarget in the hex, treating the attack as an�Area Effect (One Hex)� attack (see theCHAMPIONS III supplement, page 36).

When spread over a broad area, Precipi-tation of moderate intensity or greatercauses problems for any characters caughtin the rain or snow. Movement is cur-tailed, and both offensive and defensivecombat skills are hindered by strong Pre-cipitation. Because so many factors areinvolved in how Precipitation affects com-bat � reduced visibility, distracting noise,slippery ground, soaked or snow-crustedclothing and equipment � the effects ofdifferent forms of Precipitation must begreatly simplified. Moderate Precipitationreduces running or walking movement byone quarter and reduces OCV and DCV by-1. Heavy Precipitation reduces groundmovement by one half, flying movementby one quarter, and OCV and DCV by -2.Very heavy Precipitation of monsoon orblizzard strength cuts ground movementby three quarters, flying movement byone half, and reduces OCV and DCV by-4. A Precipitation attack cannot be madeat the same time as Precipitation is used tocover a broad area; the two are separateweather effects.

Precipitation created by a character fallsfrom a height of 2 hexes (4 meters). Ex-panding the height of the Precipitationincreases the point cost in proportion tothe greater height. For example, fallingrain from a height of 4 hexes doubles thepoint cost, 6 hexes triples the cost, and soon. Precipitation that falls from a greatheight would only be useful in affectingcharacters who fly at an altitude aboveground level.

A character must continue to spend ENDpoints to maintain Precipitation in an area.Once the power is turned off, the Precipi-tation stops falling. An area that has beenhit by falling rain or snow might remain

slippery for a time after the Precipitationstops. How long a spot stays slippery isbest left up to the GM. A character whoattempts a difficult maneuver on or fastmove across a slick surface may be re-quired to make a DEX roll to avoid slippingand falling.

Cost: 10 points per 1d6 of Precipitationattack in one hex. Precipitation in an area:1 point per hex for light, 3 points per hexfor moderate, 5 points per hex for heavy,and 10 points per hex for very heavy.Minimum cost: 10 points.

Temperature Change: This powerallows a character to dramatically increaseor decrease the temperature in an area atrange. For every 10 points of this powerpoured into a hex, the temperature mayrise or fall by 50° F in the hex. If a charac-ter has 40 points invested in this power,the temperature may be made to rise by200° in 1 hex, or to fall by 50° in 4 hexes,for example. The temperature may risewithout limit, but cannot fall belowabsolute zero (about -460° F).

END points must be expended to causethe temperature to continue rising orfalling each phase. The temperature maybe held at a constant temperature extremefor a ½ END cost. For example, it takes 4END per phase to make the temperaturefall 100° in a hex. After 2 phases, thetemperature has fallen by 200°, goingfrom room temperature (about 50° F) to atemperature extreme of -150° F. Thetemperature may be held at this extremefor a cost of 2 END per phase.

When END points are no longer spent,the temperature gradually returns tonormal, at a rate of 25° per segment, or300° per turn. If a character makes thetemperature rise by 200° in segment 3,the temperature returns to normal bysegment 11, taking 8 segments to fall backto room temperature.

An instant temperature change causes ashock to the body, similar to a heat- orcold-based Energy Blast. A TemperatureChange attack inflicts 1d6 of damage forevery 10 points of attack poured into ahex. For instance, a 40 point TemperatureChange attack 1 hex would do 4d6 damageto all targets in the hex. 40 points dividedamong 4 hexes would inflict 1d6 damageto all targets in the area attacked. A Tem-perature Change attack is considered anarea of effect attack.

Constant exposure to a temperatureextreme also causes damage. For everyturn a character is exposed to a constanttemperature extreme that varies fromroom temperature (50° F) by 100°, 1d6damage is suffered. A temperature of-50° F inflicts 1d6 damage per turn,

while heat of 450° F inflicts 4d6 damageper turn.

A number of different defenses mayprotect a character from the effects of atemperature extreme. Force Field, ForceWall, or 30 points of Life Support mayprotect a character from nearly any con-

D R A G O N 5 3

stant temperature extreme. Insulatedclothing such as a fur parka or an asbestossuit may provide protection from a lesserextreme of cold or heat. Since many differ-ent types of lesser protection may beavailable in a campaign, the effectivenessof any such protection must be defined bythe GM. An instant Temperature Changeattack may still affect a protected charac-ter, just as an Energy Blast of great heat orcold may affect such a character.

Cost: 10 points per 1d6 of area of effectattack. Minimum cost 10 points.

New Power LimitationLack of Control: This limitation gives

much of the control a character has over apower into the hands of the GM. When acharacter uses a power with this limita-tion, the power cannot be entirely con-

(From page 47)

ter except a full druid. Therefore, bardsmay never gain hierophant powers.

Can a cavalier use a crossbow?In general, cavaliers shun the use of

missile weapons, with the exception ofelven and half-elven cavaliers who oftenuse short composite bows. Cavaliers tendto see missile weapons as ignoble becausethey deal out damage at a distance, whichcalls the cavalier�s personal bravery intoquestion. This does not mean that a cava-lier cannot take proficiency in crossbow athigher levels, but the character risks los-ing status in the knightly community fordoing so, depending upon the circum-stances and whether or not the characteris dependent upon the undesirableweapon. Historically, the crossbow wassometimes used by normal soldiers, so itwould probably offend the cavalier, who issupposed to be superior.

In the description of elfin chainmail, it is described as being so lightand fine that it can be worn underclothing without anyone noticingthat it is there. If it is that light andfine, why would it hinder somethieving abilities?

Elfin chain mail is not as light as normalclothing, so nonencumbrance bonuses donot apply for thieving skills while it isworn. Also, it is not silent, so a thief can-not effectively move silently while wearingit. The same applies to backstabbing,which depends upon surprise. Other abili-ties which do not depend upon silencemay be performed normally while in elfinchain mail at the DM�s discretion.

54 JANUARY 1986

trolled by the character, and the results ofthe use of such power are, instead, de-cided by the GM. For instance, if this limi-tation is applied to a character�sTransformation attack, the charactercannot predict what the target may beturned into. If a character has a Lack ofControl over her Ego powers, she cannotcontrol whose mind may be affected. Ateleporter cannot predict where he mayarrive. A hero with Multiform cannotcontrol which of her four animal formsshe may assume.

The GM decides the final result when anuncontrolled power is used by a character.The GM could easily roll a random resultfrom a prepared list of results, such aswhich of the four animal forms aMultiform-using character may use. Theresult may also be decided on the spur of

Concerning disarming, UnearthedArcana says that if a successful hit ismade, the defender must make asaving throw vs. petrification orlose the weapon. What determinesthe armor class of the weapon? Ob-viously dexterity bonuses could be afactor, but what use would physicalarmor be?

The attacker must make a successful �tohit� roll vs. the character holding theweapon, not vs. the weapon itself. Thecharacter�s armor and dexterity bonusesare applied normally. The weapon itself isnot being hit per se, and no armor classneed be specified for it. This is an exten-sion of the fact that the AD&D® game doesnot use hit location; instead, generic hitsvs. the opponent and saving throws areused to determine results.

If a fighter wearing a hat of differ-ence chose to be a magic-user andmemorized spells, would he loseany spells carried if he removed thehat to engage in combat?

Yes. Once the hat is removed, thewearer ceases to be anything except hisnormal profession. The character remem-bers none of the functions of the assumedclass. When the hat is put back on, thecharacter must memorize spells all overagain, subject to the normal restrictions onrest and daily spell loads.

Does the hat of difference alsogive the wearer the power to be-come more than one class? For ex-ample, suppose a fighter puts on thehat and becomes a magic-user. Heruns out of spells, then comes to awall and becomes a thief to climb it.He escapes, only to find that he is infront of a pit, so and becomes a bar-barian to jump it. Is there no limiton the number of uses?

Assuming that the character meets therequirements of all those classes, the us-age you describe is perfectly correct.

the moment, and depends on the situation,such as who is within range of a hero�suncontrolled Ego powers.

This limitation is worth a + ½ to +1 limitation bonus, depending on how littlecontrol a character has over the power,how unpredictable the results of thepower�s use are, and how greatly therandom results affect the character�sability to perform. A teleporter who can-not predict his destination is severelylimited, while a hero with Multiform whodoes not know whether she may turn intoa bear or a tiger does not suffer a greatpower limitation.

The Lack of Control limitation could beused with a hapless villain for comic ef-fect, or with a novice hero who has yet tolearn how to control his powers.

There is no limit to the number of times acharacter can change class. Experience isaccumulated in each of the classes foractivities performed while using the hat,so bookkeeping can become a bit of achore for a character with several �per-sonas.� Remember that all restrictions foreach class apply normally, so your fightermust have the time to memorize spellsfrom a spell book carried with him inorder to make proper use of a spellcasterpersona. Therefore, setting up the adven-ture to use the spellcasting persona first isa good plan, unless the character also hasa magic item that only mages can use.

Unearthed Arcana states that grayelves are to receive an addition totheir initially generated intelligencescores. Should they also receive theaddition to dexterity and the sub-traction to constitution that nor-mally apply to elves, as per thePlayers Handbook? Does this applyto all the elven sub-races?

Yes, the ability score adjustments foreach race given in the Players Handbookalso apply to all the new sub-races intro-duced in Unearthed Arcana. This also goesfor sub-races of dwarves, elves, andgnomes. Any new adjustments given inUnearthed Arcana are specific only for thecase noted.

Can a monster or NPC trappedwithin an Otiluke's resilient sphereor an Otiluke's telekinetic spherecast any spells? If so, can a dispelmagic cast from inside the spherebring down the spell?

Yes, spellcasting is possible while insidethe sphere. Though the spell effect willnot penetrate the sphere, the effect willtake place normally inside it. Therefore,dispel magic cast from inside a sphere willdestroy it, assuming that the sphere�sdiameter does not exceed the area ofeffect of the dispel magic.

D R A G O N 5 5

Tanksfor the Memories

The u l t ima te road wa r r i o r stanks in the Car Wars® game

Suddenly, Midville wasn�t fun anymore.

The tank with which many autoduellistsare familiar is the XM-6 Dempsey, whichappeared in The Space Gamer issue #58.After talking to a few autoduellists who�vefought the Dempsey, my general opinion isthat the Dempsey is relatively weak andineffective, so far as tanks go. Any tank

©1986 by Dirck de Lint

The Crusaders were looking to partyBlack Jesse red-lined the tachometer onhis Shogun 200 as he ripped down thehighway toward Midville. The Crusaders,in all their frothing, vicious glory, followedclose behind. It had been a long time sincethey�d last fought in Midville. Black Jesse�sold wounds throbbed as he thought aboutthe last visit: all the lost bikers, brokenbikes, wasted ammunition. . . .

No time for bad memories, he thought.Time for revenge. Time to party BlackJesse smiled as he rocketed past the green-and-white sign that marked Midville�s citylimits. A little mayhem, a little destruction,and afterwards, a little rubble. . . . BlackJesse grinned as he wound the enginedown and rounded the corner from Pineto Second. Back to the basics, he mused.Back to Mid�

Black Jesse�s thoughts scattered like aflock of pigeons as he slammed on hisbrakes, sliding sideways in a desperateattempt to avoid the steel behemoth strad-dling the road in front of him. Bikersbehind him slid into each other whileothers fishtailed against brick walls andrebounded back into traffic. Black Jesse�sbike squealed to a halt only inches shy ofthe dirty-green paint job on the mainbattle tank�s hull.

As bikers shouted and screamed, thetank�s engines thundered, drowning out allother sounds. Wide tracks spun as thetank lurched forward, smashing two cy-cles and their riders into the asphalt. Theturret hummed and rotated, the massivegun barrel lowering to aim into the centerof the massed biker pack.

Black Jesse scrambled free of his mountjust before it was ground into scrap. Wild-eyed, he threw himself out of the way ofthe treads � and escaped the ear-blastingshock wave as the tank barrel fired, thesound so loud that windows shattered,bones rattled, and the road itself jumped.

56 JANUARY 1986

Roadway, cycles, and flame fountainedin to the air only a block away. Gas tanksexploded. Metal and rock shrapnel whinedas it flashed through the air. Panting interror, Black Jesse dodged into an alley-way, running faster than he�d ever run,faster than the wind, as behind him thetank�s machine guns opened up and bulletsricocheted from stone and steel.

affected by small arms (SMGs, rifles, etc.)can�t truly be taken seriously. So, let�s seewhat can be done to make the tank reallyscary.

As a preface, one point should be madeclear: No tank should become a routinepart of a CAR WARS® game campaign.Doing so unbalances any campaign, mak-ing life too difficult for the average Joe onthe street (and making Gold Cross far toorich).

The bodyUnlike automobiles, tanks have armor

separate from regular body armor (whichis described elsewhere). There are fivetypes of tank bodies:

Personnel Carrier � $3,000, 3,500 lbs.,50 spaces, maximum load 10,000 lbs., 33�long. Up to four small arms firing ports onleft and right sides, with two at the rear.

Reconnaissance Tank � $3,500, 3,500lbs., 30 spaces, maximum load 11,000 lbs.,16� long. No small arms ports.

Light Tank � $4,000, 3,700 lbs., 40spaces, maximum load 14,000 lbs., 20�long. One port per side.

Medium Tank � $4,500, 4,000 lbs., 45spaces, maximum load 16,000 lbs., 22�long. Two firing ports left and right, onefront and rear.

Heavy Tank � $5,500, 4,500 lbs., 55spaces, maximum load 20,000 lbs., 25�

long. Two small arms ports per side (frontand rear included).

Super-Heavy Tank � $6,500, 5,500 lbs.,65 spaces, maximum load 28,000 lbs., 30�long. Two ports per side (front and rearincluded).

The chassisA few options are available in regard to

the tanks chassis. Those options are asfollow:

Light Chassis � costs 300% of body,adds 10% to weight carried.

Standard Chassis � costs 500% of body,adds 70% to weight carried.

Heavy Chassis � costs 700% of body,adds 150% to weight carried.

Extra-Heavy Chassis � costs 1,000% ofbody, adds 220% to weight carried.

The power plantTo begin with, there is no chance of

putting a supercharger on a tank plant. Itsimply can�t be done. Regular automotiveplants have 200 power units. All tankplants have 500 units, so they give thetank a greater range. Why, then, don�tautoduellists make use of these tankpower plants? Department of Defenseinflation is to blame. The government paidbig bucks for the improvement to basicplant technology; it sells the power plantto civilians, but tries hard to recoup theinvestment. Defense-inflated prices follow:

Small Plant � $20,000, 4,000 lbs., 15spaces, DP 17, 10,000 power factors. Maxi-mum speed 70 MPH if the tank weighs lessthan 25,000 lbs.; otherwise, maximumspeed 55 MPH.

D R A G O N 5 7

Medium Plant � $30,000, 4,500 lbs., 17spaces, DP 28, 12,000 power factors. Maxi-mum speed 65 MPH if the tank weighs lessthan 28,500 lbs.; otherwise, maximumspeed 50 MPH.

Large Plant � $35,500, 4,800 lbs, 20spaces, DP 40, 15,000 power factors. Maxi-mum speed 60 MPH.

Super Plant � $40,000, 5,000 lbs., 24spaces, DP 52, 17,000 power factors. Maxi-mum speed 50 MPH.

Figure acceleration as per regular cars,but if the tank�s power factor total is onequarter of its weight (but less than onethird), it accelerates at 2.5 MPH.

The suspensionDepending on what role a tank plays

determines the suspension used. Of thesesuspensions, there are many differentsorts:

Light Reconnaissance Suspension �100% body cost, Handling Class 1, requiresfour tank tires (see below).

Heavy Reconnaissance Suspension �150% body cost, Handling Class 2, requiressix tank tires.

Extra-Heavy Reconnaissance Suspension�200% body cost, Handling Class 3,requires eight tank tires.

Standard Tank Suspension � 150% bodycost, Handling Class 0, requires treads (seebelow).

Improved Tank Suspension � 250%body cost, Handling Class 1, requirestreads.

Heavy Tank Suspension � 350% bodycost, Handling Class 2, requires treads.

All reconnaissance suspensions increasetop speed by 5 MPH. For handling, dierolls with �tank� suspensions are made ata speed 20 MPH less than the actual speedof the tank. If the roll is failed, there is a-1 modifier to the crash table roll.

All tank and reconnaissance suspensionsare effectively of the off-road variety andare very high off the ground. Thus, if apedestrian is lucky and viscerally fortified,he can allow a tank to roll over him withno damage at all (as long as the tankdoesn�t turn). This can be handy in theplacement of limpet mines and other suchcomic-book heroics. On the other hand,with its high suspension, a tank can quiteeasily steamroller vehicles smaller than apick-up. A Luxury automobile or StationWagon being steamrollered is only a D1hazard to the tank. Otherwise, use theTRUCK STOP® supplement�s steamrollerrules.

The turretAlthough this part of the tank is not

essential, it is of use in combat. Any auto-motive turret can be placed on a tankbody, but these are of limited use becauseof their size. Consequently, we have thefollowing:

Small Turret � $7,000, 15 spaces, 600lbs., requires 3 spaces for rotatingmechanism.

58 JANUARY 1986

Standard Turret � $8,000, 20 spaces,800 lbs., requires 4 spaces for rotatingmechanism.

Large Turret � $9,000, 25 spaces, 1,000lbs., requires 5 spaces for rotating mecha-nism.

Extra-Large Turret � $10,000, 30 spaces,1,200 lbs., requires 7 spaces for rotatingmechanism.

Anti-Aircraft Turret � $8,000, 15 spaces,600 lbs., can be can be fitted with a cupola(or two), but requires 5 spaces each foreach rotating mechanism. Universalmounting.

All tank turrets (except the anti-aircraftturret) move at the same rate, changingtheir facing by 45° each turn (one suchfacing per second) in either lateral direc-tion. (As with the CAR WARS Deluxe Edi-tion rules, regular tank turrets cannot firehigher than a 45° angle.) At the end of aturn (Phase 10), after all automaticallyfired weapons have been fired, the turretmay change its facing. For ease of position-ing, the tank turret has been separatedfrom the tank body counter and planningsheet. As with Chris Smiths originalDempsey design, it is advised that theplayer add the turret�s required spaces tothe body design sheet and use a separatesheet to track turret design notes, viewingthe turret as an independent entity thatdoesn�t require armor underneath (exceptfor the anti-aircraft turret, which is smallenough to act as a car turret in this re-spect, and is thus subject to the restric-tions thereof). All turrets exceptanti-aircraft turrets have one firing portper side, front and back included. Therotating mechanism for the three largerturrets is run by the main body powerplant; thus, if the power plant is knockedout, the turret is stuck at its last facing. Itis possible for a turret to have a smallerturret atop it; these should occupy spaceno larger than a 3-space cupola. Pop-upsare not allowed.

The anti-aircraft turret is different fromthe regular tank turret in many ways.First, the guns on the anti-aircraft turretare different; not only do they performarticulated maneuvers that normal tankguns cannot (they have a 90° range upand down in addition to the regular lateralmovement), they are also smaller andfaster. The anti-aircraft turret operatesmuch more quickly than the regular tur-ret, changing its facing in any lateral direc-tion at a rate of 90° per turn. Likewise,the anti-aircraft turret can change itsvertical angle up to 90° per turn (and inconjunction with lateral movement in thesame turn). Thus, if an anti-aircraft turretchanged position on the 4th Phase ofmovement, it would not be allowed anyfurther movement until the 4th Phase ofthe next turn. Like the regular tank turret,the anti-aircraft turret�s movement iscontrolled by the power plant; if thepower plant is destroyed, the anti-aircraftturret not only maintains its last facing,but also its last vertical angle.

The gunsThere are two different types of guns

available in the design of armament forCAR WARS tanks: regular and anti-aircraftguns. The statistics for damage, weight,cost, etc., for the regular tank gun arelisted on page 15 in the CAR WARS DeluxeEdition game manual. The anti-aircraftguns vary depending on the type ofmounting they have. There are two meth-ods for mounting the guns: as separatecupolas (set on the turret sides) or asregular guns (set on the turret front). Notethat anti-aircraft guns set in separatecupolas may fire and aim independently ifthis is desired; front-mounted guns mustfire at the same target. The figures for allguns are listed below:

Tank Main Gun (105 mm) � $10,000,1,200 lbs., requires 10 spaces. �To hit� 7, 6dice damage, DP 10. Holds 10 shots, costper shot $100, weight per shot 20 lbs. Anextra magazine for this gun holds 10 shots;one magazine occupies two spaces. Bursteffect of 2� radius.

Anti-Aircraft Gun (front-mounted 20mm) � $1,500, 300 lbs., requires 2 spaceseach. �To hit� 7, 2 dice damage, DP 4.Holds 10 shots, cost per shot $35, weightper shot 5 lbs. An extra magazine holds 10shots; one magazine occupies one space.Burst effect of 2� radius.

Cupola Anti-Aircraft Gun (side-mounted,external 35 mm) � $2,000, 600 lbs., re-quires 3 spaces each. �To hit� 8, 3 dicedamage, DP 5. Holds 10 shots, cost pershot 50, weight per shot 10 lbs. An extramagazine for this gun holds 10 shots; onemagazine occupies one space.

For basic reference, the guns listed inthis article are the same as the followingguns in the CAR WARS Deluxe Edition: themain tank gun is a tank gun (TG), the anti-aircraft gun is a recoilless rifle (RR), andthe cupola anti-aircraft gun is similar(except in size) to the anti-tank gun (AT).All guns perform and are restricted astheir counterparts in the CAR WARSDeluxe Edition rules.

The running gearThe kind of suspension the tank has

determines whether it needs treads ortires. Tank tires are very large solid tires(figures per tire: $2,000, 200 lbs., DP 26).These tires are similar to ten-wheeler solidtires in many respects, being totally im-mune to spike and debris damage, but stillaffected by obstacles as normal. Treadsare somewhat different; they have particu-lar benefits that tires lack. Obviously,tanks require two treads in order to workefficiently.

Light Treads � $3,000, 400 lbs., DP 35, 3points to damage.

Medium Treads � $4,000, 450 lbs., DP40, 4 points to damage.

Heavy Treads � $5,000, 550 lbs., DP 50,5 points to damage.

�Points to damage� is explained in thesection on shooting at a tank (see below).

Armor side skirts are available (and aresimilar to wheelguards) at the followingfigures: $30/15 lbs. per point, 20 pointsmaximum, only one per side. If the skirt islost, the whole side is exposed. This is theonly armor on the tank that works like cararmor (described below). Skirts can onlybe put over treads; tires on tanks takeregular wheelguards.

The armorThe only design point remaining is ar-

mor. This, too, is determined by the tank�spurpose. If a land-based destroyer thatthat can spew tons of firepower per sec-ond is desired, you can leave off somearmor. If you�d rather have a tank that

lasts, though, get heavier armor andsacrifice the massive firepower.

Light (personnel carrier) Armor � $50/40 lbs. per point. Requires 3 points todamage (see below).

Medium Armor � $60/30 lbs. per point.Requires 5 points to damage.

Heavy Armor � $70/40 lbs. per point.Requires 7 points to damage.

Dreadnaught Armor � $80/55 lbs. perpoint. Requires 10 points to damage.

Turret armor costs and weighs 50% lessthan the above figures.

The armor for these tanks is a derivativeof today�s tank armor. It is covered by alight titanium alloy, with standard automo-bile armor layered between them. This iswhy these tanks are so much lighter than

D R A G O N 5 9

their 1980s counterparts. Tank armorcannot be reflective nor fireproof, and itonly catches fire on a roll of 1 in 6 (rolledevery turn where applicable). The variousweights of armor can be mixed on a tankbody, so light armor can be put on thebelly of a tank with dreadnaught armor onall other sides to save weight.

Driving a tankWell, now you�ve got a tank. All you

need to know now is how to drive it. First,a driver must have tank driving ability, inthe same way a trucker needs truckingability. Next, there are some unusual han-dling characteristics that only trackedvehicles have, such as the pivot. This ismuch like the pivot that cars do at 5 MPH,but with certain differences. At 5 MPH, atank can turn up to 360° without anyforward motion. At 2.5 MPH, it can turn180°. At 10 MPH, a pivot can be used for aquick reverse. On its move, it turns 180°and moves ½� in the direction it wasoriginally facing. On the next turn, thetank does 10 MPH in reverse. A tank can-not perform a bootlegger maneuver; iftried, it only works like a tight bend. Atank of any sort only takes one-third dam-age from ramming. A ram plate can befitted for truly ridiculous weight and cost.

Tracked vehicles have their own crashtable (see below), which is concerned withtrack slippage. If a track slips, the tankbegins to swerve to the side on which thetread has slipped and decelerates at 5MPH per turn (or more, if the driver likes).The handling class goes down by threeand the other tread has a chance of slip-ping. Once the tank comes to a stop, it canchange its facing 90° every movementphase up to 30 MPH, with the missingtread side used as the pivot point. Tracked

60 JANUARY 1986

vehicles don�t experience road hazardsfrom being fired on because of the tanksweight, the amount of friction betweenthe treads and the ground, the center ofgravity of the tank, and various otherfactors.

When a tank is off-road, it is capable ofperforming the same flying stunts thatother off-roaders indulge in; the onlydifference is that the tank must be movingat least 30 MPH. The front armor of a tankacts as a brushcutter and does not have tobe replaced after every off-road run.

In regard to roll-over damage, a tankdoes 3 dice damage upon crushing a vehi-cle (or pedestrian). Each turn thereafterthat the tank remains atop the vehicle, thevehicle takes an additional 4 more dicedamage. As indicated in Chris Smithsarticle, this damage can be treated as shotdamage from the direction in which thetank approached. Naturally, no vehiclemay move with a tank on top of it.

Shooting at a tankShooting at a tank is a lot like shooting at

a barn. The modifiers are as follows: for areconnaissance tank, no modifier front orrear, +1 at the sides or above; for a lighttank, add 1 to those modifiers; for a me-dium tank, add 2; and, for a heavy tank ora personnel carrier, add 3. The turrets areat no modification from any side, exceptfor the extra-large one, which is +1 fromall sides. A regular tank turret acts as thetop armor for a tank body (rememberingto treat an anti-aircraft turret as anautomotive-sized turret) and must havethree sides removed and one-third of theinternal components taken out beforedamage can get through to the hullinterior.

The �points to damage� for treads andarmor reflects how much damage must bedone to affect the part in question. Forexample, an autocannon hits the front of atank with heavy armor for 15 points. Thetank player records 8 points of damage onhis record sheet. If a machine gun or asmaller weapon hits any part of a tank,damage is only taken into account if thereis a critical hit (see page 18, CAR WARSDeluxe Edition), regardless of what kind ofarmor is in use. In this case, an MG hits alight tread for 5 points. If it scores a criti-cal hit, the tread takes 2 points. If not, theshot was wasted.

Luckily, there are exceptions to this�points to damage� rule. All flame-basedweapons, including the portable flame-thrower, do a flat three-quarters damageto any part of a tank. This means that allflamethrowers do at least 1 point of dam-age to a tank. Also, if a tank takes a hitfrom a laser-linked rocket, the rocket andthe laser are counted as one weapon fordamage purposes. For example, a turretwith dreadnought armor takes a hit froma light laser with a rocket link. The laserdoes 6 points, which is normally ignored.The rocket does 8, which is also usuallydismissed. But, since the rocket hits so

Crash Table 4 (track slippage due tomaneuver)

Use this table by rolling one die and add-ing or subtracting Modifiers from the CARWARS Control Table in the rules.

-1 to 2 Minor skid, as on Table 1 (CAR

3-4WARS rules).Major skid, as on Table 1, but rollagain and ignore a result lessthan 5.

5 Jam at drive wheel; 45° turnaway from direction of maneu-ver, immediate 10 MPH decelera-tion. Roll again, ignoring lessthan 6, track takes one full die ofdamage.Track Slip; no more tread onoutside of turn. 90° turn, no lossof speed.

6-9

close to where the laser hits, they combinefor a 14-point hit, which actually does 4points to the tank.

Shooting from a tankIn order to spice up tank armament, a

new round of ammunition is included: theHigh Density Discarding Sabot round(HDDS, or �hideous�). This round is com-posed of the same material as high-densityammo for MGs and is much smaller thanthe bore of the gun�s barrel. A light-weightbore-sizer is attached to the projectilewhile it is in the barrel; this attachmentseparates within 3� after leaving the bar-rel. The projectile has a much highervelocity than a regular tank gun roundand hits a lot harder than the regularexplosive round. The weight is the same asnormal rounds, but the cost is $1,500 ashot. A HDDS round does 7 dice + 5 dam-age. There is a 1� burst area, with a1 die fragmentation. A HDDS round for ananti-tank gun costs $500, weighs as anormal AT gun round, and does 4 dice +2damage. An extra magazine holds 10 shotsand occupies one space. (This round canbe used in the cupola anti-aircraft gunlisted earlier.)

A tank can also mount a howitzer, asillustrated in the TRUCK STOP supple-ment. This is known as a Self-PropelledGun. A SP gun can use computers but nota cyberlink. It does receive spotter bo-nuses. A SP gun can be depressed enoughto fire at close in targets, but it loses itsspotter bonus if it does. The gun can beput in a turret, but it can only fire straightahead. If an attempt is made to fire to theside, the tank may tip onto its side on aroll of 3 or better (1d6). Firing in motion isa D3 hazard and gives a -1 �to hit� penalty.

Tank extrasAll turrets have a gun-tracking spotlight,

at no extra cost or weight. All tank plantscome with a built-in fire extinguisher andcan have an improved one put in for only

$200 and 50 lbs. more. All tank bodiesinclude a loaded smoke screen. Personnelcarriers have an assault ramp. Any of theother weapons or defensive equipmentlisted in CAR WARS rules may be added asoptions. Some advised items are targetingcomputers, flamethrowers, machine guns,mine layers, and so forth.

Having done all this, let�s rebuild theDempsey:

Dempsey XM6A1 � Heavy tank, extra-heavy chassis, large tank plant, heavy tanksuspension, 2 heavy treads, 2 recoillessrifles (front) with a spare magazine each,driver, 3 gunners, 4 high-resolution com-puters, communication system, and a king-size turret. Armor: 100 points left, right,and front; 75 points rear; 59 points underbody; all heavy armor. $318,730. Weight52,985 lbs. (including turret). HC 2,acceleration 5 MPH.

XM6A1 Turret � Extra-large turret andtank gun with 50 HDDS rounds, recoillessrifle and MG with a spare magazine each,2-space turret (for MG), 2 high-resolutioncomputers, 2 gunners. Armor: 100 pointsfront, rear, and sides; 75 points top; allheavy. $142,700. Weight 23,725 lbs.

Now the Dempsey costs a mere 50%more, but is much more of a challenge forthe �Massacre at Midville� scenario in TheSpace Gamer, issue #58. The ARFs aremuch more likely to win, and it should putthe skills of the defending players to agood test.

D R A G O N 6 1

RoughingIt

Wilderness and survival in theTOP SECRET® game

by Thomas M. KaneA revolution in a steamy jungle? An

airplane downed in towering mountains?A mysterious radar station in the freezingtundra? Secret agents do not always get towork in the comfort of civilization. Greattracts of uninhabited land abound, andsurvival in the wilderness can be every bitas challenging as defeating a human en-emy. Characters may attempt to performmissions in the wilderness, or they may bestranded there struggling for survival.Whatever the goal, outdoor existenceentails many unique considerations andmakes for an exciting adventure.

The wilderness can challenge many ofan agent�s skills and abilities. To simulatethis in game terms, an �ability check� maybe employed. This simply entails rollingpercentile dice. If the result is equal to theappropriate character trait or lower, themore desirable possibility occurs. If theroll is higher, the agent has failed. Thissystem is used for the various featsdescribed in this article.

Arctic and subarcticThe Arctic is of special interest to super-

power strategy. Its geographic locationmakes it ideal for the tracking of ICBMsand any air or space vehicle launched bythe U.S.A. or U.S.S.R. The North and SouthPoles are also among the few truly remoteareas left. Maverick individuals, bent onescaping society, may take up residence onan icecap. Merle Rasmussen has alreadydescribed Antarctica in �Operation: White-out,� a module which appeared inDRAGON® Magazine issue #87. His data onfrigid climates has been recounted here.

62 JANUARY 1986

Under normal polar canditions, darkobjects are visible as far away as one mile.Large objects, such as mountains, can beseen up to 50 miles away. Small whiteobjects, on the other hand, may not beseen if farther than 80�. Sun glare reducesvision by half unless the viewer�s cheeksare blackened or goggles are worn. If anagent wanders in the snow without gog-gles, he becomes snowblind in 1-10 days.This condition causes pain and blindnessfor 1-5 (1d10/2, rounded up) days.

Weather conditions should be checkedevery six game hours. Two ten-sided diceare rolled; the first is used to find a num-ber on the left-hand side of the weatherconditions and damage table, either on acoastal or interior column (any landscapewithin 50 miles of the ocean is coastal).This roll determines wind velocity. If theagents are more than 50 miles from shore,add four to the second die roll. Cross-indexing then reveals the number ofInjury Points an agent receives every 10minutes due to cold.

Any boldfaced result on the weathertable indicates a whiteout arrives withinsix hours (30 + (3d10 x 10) minutes). Thiscondition of wind-blown snow obscuresalmost all vision for 1-100 minutes. Smallcrevasses are always hidden from viewduring a whiteout, Any aircraft whichattempt to land or take off in a whiteoutmust check on the Explosive Use AgainstVehicles Chart (TOP SECRET rule book,page 37). Travelers who do not use com-passes become lost (at the Administrator�sdiscretion).

Damage is modified by factors given inthe weather damage modifier table. Par-

kas are assumed to include pants, a pull-over coat with hood, face masks, andgoggles. The padding reduces any combatdamage by half. A vehicle with brokenwindows is considered open.

Arctic landscapes contain pitfalls otherthan the cold. Hilly, rough areas reducemovement to half, Crevasses � cracks inthe ice � are often easily avoided, butsome are hidden. A Coordination checkmust be made to detect and avoid a con-cealed crevasse. To determine thedetection/avoidance rate for vehicles, thedriver�s Coordination must be checked.Vehicles which fall into medium crevassesare stuck for 1-10 minutes. All characterson board take 1 point of damage. If avehicle falls into a large crevasse, everyone on the vehicle takes 2 points of dam-age, and the vehicle is trapped. Characterswho step into small crevasses take 1 pointof damage from twisted ankles; in othercases, the damage from falling rules (page33, TOP SECRET rule book) are consulted.If agents are in single file, only the leadcharacter risks damage. Roping the grouptogether reduces the damage taken by theleader from falling by half.

Rough terrain, as shown on the terraintable given here, is crossed at half normalmovement speed, regardless of the meansof travel used. Small crevasses are 1-10 cmwide and 10-100 cm long and deep. Me-dium crevasses are 10-100 cm wide by1-10 m long and deep. Large crevasses are1-10 m wide by 10-100 m long and deep.Small, open crevasses encountered duringwhiteouts are treated as hidden. This tableapplies to both the Arctic and Antarcticenvironments. Check the arctic terraintable every hour of game movement, orevery three miles traveled, as desired.

Arctic terrain table

Roll Terrain Crevasses01-40 Smooth None41-58 Rough None59-66 Smooth Small and open67-74 Rough Small and open75-78 Smooth Small and hidden79-82 Rough Small and hidden83-86 Smooth Medium and open87-90 Rough Medium and open91-92 Smooth Medium and hidden93-94 Rough Medium and hidden95-96 Smooth Large and open97-98 Rough Large and open99 Smooth Large and hidden00 Rough Large and hidden

The trigger guards of firearms should beremoved to allow use in mittened hands,Because of the cold, most guns misfire ona roll of 96 and jam on a roll of 97-00 in hitdetermination. Revolvers misfire on a rollof 99-00 but do not jam.

Many animals live on the icecaps. Thearctic animals table determines animalencounters in the arctic. In Antarctica,only seals (30%) and large birds like pen-

guins (70%) are encountered. Polar bearsattack if threatened or hungry (60%chance). If not molested, wolves are gener-ally harmless. However, a hungry pack ofwolves may attack a lone traveler. Wal-ruses are hot-tempered as a rule. There isa 10% chance per day of encountering anarctic animal.

ForestsTemperate woods are pleasant compared

to the other terrains discussed in thisarticle. The weather is agreeable, and thescenery is aesthetically pleasing. Rainforests, however, are hot, filled with dan-gerous animals, and practically impenetra-ble. Woods cover uninhabited portions ofmost nations and often surround urbanareas. Jungles are found in Central andSouth America, Africa, India, and Asia.The undeveloped, troubled nations inthese areas are a hotbed of superpowermachinations, as each side attempts todominate local governments � meaningthat agents can expect to visit these placesquite often.

There is a 20% chance per day of ananimal encounter in temperate forests.Although grizzly bears are fierce, they andblack bears usually attack only if molested.If hungry, a wolf or wildcat may attack aweak-looking human. The other animals inthe table attack only if severely provoked.Big cats include wildcats and pumas; smallcanines includes coyotes and wild dogs.

Terrain in wooded areas provides excel-lent cover and hinders movement, vision,and gunfire. Military units find excellentcover in forests, as the concealment of-fered gives bonuses to chances of successwith sneak attacks. Camouflage clothingimproves concealment by 2%. If the leaveshave fallen from trees (due to autumn ordefoliants), reduce the density of the for-est by one step: dense to medium, mediumto scrub, scrub to thin. In jungles or rainforests, add 25 to the initial percentile rollon the forest terrain table. Check theforest terrain table every mile traveled.

In rain forests, there is a 40% chanceper day of an animal encounter. Note that

Weather damage modifier table

Character is: Damage modifier is:Standing, lying, inactive +3Walking, moderately active +0Running, extremely active - 3Immersed in water, wearing wet clothes +5Missing mittens or boots +2Missing mittens AND boots +4Protected from wind - 2Moving less than 20 MPH in an open unheated vehicle +1Moving at 20-60 MPH in an open unheated vehicle +2Moving at 60 + MPH in an open unheated vehicle +3Wearing inexpensive parka (up to $100) - 1Wearing average parka (up to $350) - 2Wearing expensive parka (up to $1,000) - 3Wearing custom parka (up to $3,000) - 4Wearing space suit (approx. $9,000) - 5Endomorphic somatotype*Within 5� of a fire

* See the TOP SECRET Companion, page 5

- 1- 3

tigers and elephants won�t be found in the they may be wildebeests, in India theyAmericas; likewise, giant constrictor could be water buffalos, etc.snakes do not appear in Africa or Asia. Big cats (tigers, leopards, jaguars, etc.)Roll again if these animals are encoun- attack weak-looking prey 30% of the time.tered in the wrong hemisphere. Herd Most poison snakes attack only if startledanimals vary depending on area; in Africa or handled. The bushmaster of South

Transportation table

Mode ofmovementSnowshoes/skis**Dogsled**Open snowmobileSnowmobile with cabSno-cat ***Sno-cat w/detector

Speed(MPH)

34 (25)

6555 3015

Velocity Range* Seating(ft/turn) (miles) capacity

25 � �30 (185) 1,000 3

480 144 3405 126 2220 370 8110 370 6

* A vehicle with an engine may carry extra fuel, doubling its maximum range.* * To ski, an agent must have at least an AOK of 40 in Physical Education. A dogsled maybe driven at 25 MPH for 1-10 minutes. Dogsledding requires a week of training. If agentsmust walk in the snow without snowshoes or skis, movement is halved (and halved againin rough terrain to .75 MPH). Normal walking speed is 3 MPH.* * * A Sno-cat is a large, heated vehicle with skis on the front and treads on the rear. Sno-cats may be equipped with a framework detector which reveals crevasses, but only atspeed of 15 MPH or less.

Weather conditions and damage table

Wind tableFirst die:

Temperature table (oF)Second die: (may be modified)

Speed 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 11 12 13- 2 0 ° - 3 0 °

6- 5 0 ° - 6 0 ° - 7 0 °

10- 9 0 °

14Coast Inter. Conditions (MPH) + 1 0 ° 0 ° - 1 0 ° - 4 0 ° - 8 0 ° -100° -110° -120°

1 1 Calm 0-1 0 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7� 2 Light air 2-3 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 72 3 Light breeze 4-7 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 73 4 Breeze 8-12 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 84 5 Moderate breeze 13-18 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 85 6 Strong breeze 19-31 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 86 7 Fresh gale 32-46 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 87 8 Whole gale 47-63 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 98 9 Hurricane 64-96 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 99 10 Hurricane 97-138 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 910 � Hurricane 139-208 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9

D R A G O N 6 3

Jungle animals table

Roll01-3031-3536-5556-7071-7576-80818283-00

Type and number Life Level DamageSmall animals (1d100) 1 1d10 - 9Monkeys or apes (1d10) 1d10 - 3 1d10 - 4Spider, poisonous (1) *�Snake, poisonous (1) 1d10 - 3 1d10 - 5*Snake, constrictor (1) 1d10 **Leeches (1d10) � 1***Big cat (1) 1d10 + 8 1d10 + 5Elephants (1d10) 4d10 1d10 + 4Stinging insects (lots!) ****�

* See the TOP SECRET rule book (page 47) on methods of extermination for theeffects of the poison. Immediate treatment with a first aid kit (by a trained char-acter or one with a medicine AOK above 80) has a 30% chance of preventingharm. Antidotes (see the TOP SECRET rules on antidotes) are available at medicalfacilities.* * Only 1 point of damage every three minutes is done by this creature. How-ever, after the initial hit, the snake causes damage until killed. The snake may betreated as having a HTH value of 100. These snakes may attempt sneak attacksfrom trees.* * * The victim loses one Life Level of blood.* * * * Insect attacks subtract 10% of Coordination for 1-10 minutes. There also isa 20% chance that the victim contracts a disease which reduces PhysicalStrength by 10% permanently.

Arctic animals table

Roll01-4041-7071-7576-8081-8586-9091-00

Type and numberCaribou (1d10)Seal (4d10)Polar bear (1)Arctic wolves (2d10)Large birds (1d10)Walruses (1d10)Small animals (1d100)

Life Level Damage1d10 + 2 1d10 - 11d10 1d10 - 6(1d10 + 9) 1d10 + 51d10 + 4 1d10 + 11d10 - 5 (1 min.) �1d10 + 4 1d101 1d10 - 9

Cool/temperate forest animals table

Roll01-6061-757677-8081-8283-9091-9697-00

Type and number Life Level DamageSmall animals (1-100) 1 1d10 - 9Deer (1-10) 1d10 1d10 - 5Wolves (2-20) 1d10 + 3 1d10Small canines (3-30) 1d10 + 1 1d10 - 2Big cat (1) 1d10 + 3 1d10Moose/elks (1d10) 1d10 + 3 1d10Bears, black (1d10 - 6) 1d10 + 5 1d10 + 2Bears, grizzly (1d10 - 6) 1d10 + 8 1d10 + 4

America has a 60% chance of attackingany available victim. Constrictor snakesattack 10% of the time. Spider bites occurwhen the arachnids slip into clothingremoved for the night; proper precautions(shaking of shoes, inspection of clothing)prevent their attacks.

MountainsMountains are majestic, dramatic, and

beautiful, but they are also deadly. Fugi-

64 JANUARY 1986

tives may seek refuge in inaccessible highground, and guerilla fighters usually pre-fer mountain strongholds. As West Virgin-ians say, �Mountaineers are always free.�

Flying through mountains is dangerous.An agent�s airplane crashes 10% of thetime when 1,000� above a mountain, andthis chance goes up 1% for every 50�closer the agent flies. Marginal pilots orpoor weather conditions add 20% to thechance of a crash; radar devices makeflying 20% safer.

Agents may not ascend sheer sections ofrock over 100� high without the properclimbing gear. When using this gear, move-ment is at one-tenth the normal rate. ACoordination check must be made every100�; if failed, the climber falls. Multipleclimbers who are roped together do notrequire this check.

Rockslides and avalanches should bechecked for after heavy snowfall, or whenagents are actively climbing away fromestablished trails. Slides do 3-30 pointsdamage, and an area 1-100� wide and 10-1,000� downslope is affected. The chancefor agents to start an intentional slideequals the natural chance for a slide tooccur per hour. Explosives add 1% perstick of dynamite or ounce of plastiqueused to this chance. If such a slide is cre-ated, the characters who triggered theslide have a chance equal to their Evasionscores to escape damage. The mountainterrain table is checked every 300 yardstraveled.

Above two miles, the air contains lowamounts of oxygen. Agents who are activein rarified air lose 1-100 hp PhysicalStrength and 1-10 of Knowledge. Thisoccurs once only and lasts only until moreoxygen can be obtained. If any score isreduced to zero due to rarified air, oneLife Level per minute is lost until the agentdies or is supplied with oxygen. Use ofoxygen restores all damage and lost abili-ties within ten seconds to living agents.Agents may become acclimated to moun-tain air; for every day spent in rarified air,an agent checks Willpower; success meansthat the agent has developed a tolerancefor low oxygen levels. No ability loss thenoccurs, as if treated with oxygen. After 1-10 days at low altitudes, this immunitywears off.

SwampsWetlands occur where water is spread

over fairly level ground. In river deltas,rain forests, and seacoasts, swamps cancover many square miles. Swamps are wetand uncomfortable, but fortresses andsecret projects may be hidden in marsh-land to literally bog down invaders. TheAdministrator should keep track of any-thing which water would damage; detailsfor such damage are found on page 58 ofthe TOP SECRET Companion.

Agents who are searching for quicksandmay avoid it with a successful Observationroll (see the TOP SECRET Companion). Acharacter who steps in quicksand sinks ata rate of 1� per minute. When an agent�shead is covered, drowning occurs in oneminute. An agent who is equipped with apole may rescue himself, if a successfulStrength check is made. After the victim is5� under quicksand, he is immobile. Notethat an agent sinks only if greatlyweighted down or if struggling; motionlessagents may float on their backs and swimto shore with care.

Animal life usually conforms to localtables. However, in tropical swamps, there

is a 5% chance per day of having a specialswamp encounter. On a roll of 01-69, theencounter is with stinging insects (seesection on jungles). Scores of 70-89 indi-cate an encounter with leeches, whichdrain one Life Level of blood. Crocodilesappear on rolls of 90-00, which oftenattack creatures in the water. The statis-tics of these animals are listed in the TOPSECRET rule book, on page 46.

GrasslandsFlat prairies make good farmland when

irrigated, and are often inhabited. Mostnations have significant grasslands exceptfor very cold or humid areas. Like temper-ate forests, the proliferation of plains

Grassland animals table

Roll Type and number01-60 Herd animal (1d100)61-79 Small animal (1d100)80 Big cat (1)81-85 Poisonous snake (1)86-8788-98

Large bird (1d10)Small canines (1d10)

99-00 Wolves (2d10)

Life Level Damage1d10 to 3d10 1d10 and up1 1d10 - 91d10 + 3 1d101d10 - 3 1d10 - 51d10 - 5 11d10 + 1 1d10 - 21d10 + 3 1d10

Forest terrain table

Roll01-1011-1516-2526-3536-4950-5657-6768-7879-8788-9091-00

TypeThin forestThin forest, hillsBrush/scrubBrush/scrub, hillsMedium woodMedium wood, hillsDense woodWood & brushClearingLakeSwamp

Movementmodifier

Normal1/21/41/21/21/41/41/8

Normal��

PWV Sneakmodifier attack bonus

Normal NormalNormal +5%Normal + 10%

- 5 % +15%- 1 0 % +15%- 1 5 % +20%-20% +40%-30% +50%

Normal Normal

Vision80'80'

NormalNormal

40°'40°'20'10�

NormalNormalVariable

� ��

Brush may be hacked through at half the normal rate, but this leaves an obvious trail. Seethe section on swamps for more information on them. Clearings are generally 10-1,000square feet in size; lake are 1-10 square miles in size.

Mountain terrain table

Roll01-2021-4041-4546-5556-6061-7576-8081-9596-00

TypeShallow slopeSteep slopeSheer slopeShallow slope, brushSteep slope, brushShallow slope, bouldersSteep slope, bouldersGlacierPeak/cliff

VisionMovement Sneak downslope Slidemodifier attack bonus bonus chance

1/2 +5% Normal 1%/day1/4 +7% 1.5 miles 5%/day� +15% 1 mile 10%/hour

1/4 +15% Normal �1/8 +20% 1.5 miles �1/8 +20% Normal 1%/hour1/8 +30% Normal 5%/hour

(see arctic terrain and weather)Normal � 50 miles �

Swamp terrain table

Roll Condition01-1011-2526-3536-4041-5152-7273-8384-9596-00

DryVegetationPoolsWater (1-10� deep)Water and reedsTreesMudDeep mud (2-20� deep)Quicksand (2-20� deep)

Movement Sneakmodifier attack bonus

Normal Normal1/2 + 10%1/2 Normal1/4 Normal1/8 +15%(see section on forests)

1/2 Normal1/4 Normal� �

makes it likely that agents may be em-ployed in this terrain. The importance ofplains to agriculture also insures theinterest of warring nations.

For every 10 miles of grassland travel,there is a 35% chance of entering 2-20square miles of tall grass, which allows a10% bonus on sneak attacks. A 5% chanceexists for a light forest covering 1-10square miles. Animal population is quitedense in prairies; there is a 15% chanceper day of an animal encounter there. Seethe jungle section for descriptions of poi-sonous snakes. Bushmasters are found inSouth American grasslands. Wolves andcoyotes are described under temperateforests. Herd animals vary according toarea; in the U.S., they may be elk or longhorn cattle; in Africa they could be gi-raffes, gazelles, wildebeests, elephants,etc. Big cats vary in the same manneraccording to location.

DesertsThe troubled Middle East contains large

expanses of desert, as do North Africa,South America, Australia, Central Asia,Mexico, and the United States. A greatpart of the worlds oil comes from theMiddle East or North Africa; the turmoilthere virtually insures that secret agentswill be used to protect this resource.Countless mines are located in desertareas; of particular interest are the ura-nium lodes in western Africa and theUnited States. Around sources of water,encounters and terrain are similar to thosefound in grasslands, and towns are oftenbuilt in these areas. The sun limits visionto half a mile (50 miles for large objects).Distance is very hard to judge in the des-ert because of the lack of reference points.Distant hills may appear to be only a fewmiles away and of small size.

Desert survival centers on two objec-tives: finding water and escaping heat. Inhot weather, active characters must checkShock Resistance every hour (see TOPSECRET Companion, page 2: (Courage +Willpower)/2 = Shock Resistance). Loose,light-colored clothing (including parachutematerial) allows a bonus of 10% on thischeck. If the check is failed, the agentsuffers heat prostration. Characters suf-fering from heat prostration lose 1-10Physical Strength points and one LifeLevel per hour. Rest for 1-10 hours, withcopious amounts of water and salt,restores health.

Agents may also be sunburned. Expo-sure of limbs reduces Coordination 3-30points. These conditions last until the sun

D R A G O N 6 5

Wind speed on ocean surfaces table

Roll Condition01-07 Calm08-36 Light breeze37-59 Moderate breeze60-77 Strong breeze78-85 Gale *86-92 Storm * *93-00 Hurricane/cyclone * * *

* Crewmen on deck have a 10%chance of being blown overboard.Craft under 20� long must check onthe Explosive Use Against Vehiclestable (TOP SECRET rule book, page37).* * Crew on decks have a 50%chance of being blown overboard.Craft under 100� must check on theExplosive Use Against Vehicles table(TOP SECRET rule book, page 37).

Wind speed (MPH)0-12-7

8-1819-3132-5455-7273+

* * * Crew on decks have a 70%chance of being blown overboard.All craft must check on the Explo-sive Use Against Vehicles table. Ingale winds or more, swimmers mustcheck Willpower to avoid drowning.There is a penalty of -1 on this rollfor every MPH of wind over 50.

exposure stops and 1-10 days pass. Ifagents must travel unclothed in the opensun, 1-10 Life Levels per day are lost fromburns and exposure.

Each day in a desert, there is a 10%chance of a sandstorm. This conditionlasts 1-10 hours and limits vision to 10�.Exposed agents suffer one injury point forevery two hours of exposure to wind.

There is a 10% chance per day of ananimal encounter in deserts. Roll percen-tile dice to determine the exact animal: 01-42, small animal; 43-52, herd animal (seegrasslands); 53-63, poisonous snake (seejungles); 64-68, scorpion (see TOP SECRETrule book page 47); 69-70, coyote/jackal(see cool/temperate forest animals table,small canines). On a roll of 71-00, a mirage(usually of trees or water) is visible in arandom direction (01-25, north; 26-50,south; 51-75, east; 76-00, west). Scorpions,like spiders, are dangerous only if they areallowed to infest clothing.

For every 10 miles traveled, there is a20% chance that agents encounter dunes

stretching 2-20 miles. Dunes reduce move-ment by half movement and allow a 5%bonus on sneak attacks. The lee side of adune is likely to collapse under travelers.Vehicle drivers with an AOK under 70 inGeology must check Coordination eachhour; if this check is failed, the vehicleplunges over a dune, doing 1 point damageto all inside and ruining the vehicle.

Some desert dwellers travel by camel.Able to carry half a ton and travel at 4MPH, a camel can go for 2-5 (1d10/2 + 1)days without drinking, although substan-tial food and water are required after-wards to restore it to normal health. TheLife Level of a camel is 1d10 + 2, and itmay cause 1 point damage by biting (or1d10 by kicking). Camels attack theirowners if given the opportunity, and somehave a bad habit of spitting whenannoyed.

Oceanic environmentsOceans are vital to world transport.

Certain wars (such as the Iran-Iraq war, by

Undersea animals table

Roll01-6566-707172-7374-7778-838485-9091-9394-00

Type and numberNormal fish (1d100)Stingray (1)Puffer fish (1)Moray eel (1)Sharks (1d10 - 4)Barracuda (1d10)Sea snake (1)Jellyfish (1)Whale (1d10)Dolphin (4d10)

Life Level1d101d10 - 311d101d10 + 91d10 + 71d10 - 11d10 - 210d101d10 + 1

Damage—1d10See below1d101d10 + 51d10 + 4Poison1d10 - 3� (2d10)1d10 (nose ram)

Puffer fish are dangerous only if touched. This causes 1 point of damage and poisons thecharacter for 1d10 - 4 points of damage. Many whales cannot bite; toothed whales causethe listed damage if they attack (however, few whales have ever been known to attackhumans).

66 JANUARY 1986

the Persian Gulf) and events (such as theblocking of the Suez Canal) may be investi-gated by espionage agents. Suspect ship-ments, acts of piracy, or naval activitiesmay also involve the use of espionage.Luxury cruises are wonderful settings forcontacting the rich or powerful. Underseaexploration has revealed many naturalresources there which may need protect-ing. Oil rigs, sunken ships, scientific opera-tions, and atomic submarines may becomeadventure settings.

The rules for sunburn (see deserts)apply for prolonged surface exposure.Some items may be damaged by water (seeswamps). The wind-speed table isconsulted every six game hours.

Excellent details for scuba diving aregiven in the TOP SECRET rule book (pages35-36). Under the sea are hills, coral reefs,and great forests of seaweed that canentangle divers 10% of the time. Terrainshould be indicated on the map by theAdministrator, rather than randomlyrolled. Every two hours, there is a 50%chance that agents have an encounterundersea. Sharks are dangerous and un-predictable; there is a 70% chance of anattack on agents. Barracuda attack 10% ofthe time, but only if visibility is poor (theydislike prey larger than they are). Morayeels and jellyfish attack 80% of the time.Sea snakes and rays attack only if dis-turbed. Stingrays hide in the silt on the seafloor, and an Observation check allowsagents to avoid attack. Sea snakes may betreated as poisonous snakes (see thesection on jungles).

RiversRivers and streams should be indicated

on maps by the Administrator, not byrandom roll. Rivers are typically 10-100�deep and 10-1,000� wide. Agents maypaddle canoes at 1 MPH upstream and 10MPH downstream. Electric eels (1d10 LifeLevel, 1d10 damage/jolt by touch) troubleswimmers 1% of the time in certain warmSouth American rivers; 1-100 piranha (seethe TOP SECRET rule book, page 46) mayattack in these same rivers if disturbed orvery hungry, appearing 20% of the time(80% of the time if blood is in the water).Details concerning wet equipment arefound on page 58 of the TOP SECRETCompanion.

River features table

Roll Condition01-40 Normal water flow41-67 Rapids/short falls (1d10� high)68-95 Shallows (1d10� deep)96-00 Waterfall (10d10� high)

Rapids double the characters� speeddownstream and reduce it by half up-

stream. In rapids, canoeists must checkCoordination or else roll on the ExplosiveUse Against Vehicles table (TOP SECRETrule book, page 37). Shallow sectionsmight require portage for 10-1,000 yards.Agents may check Observation with a+30% bonus to notice a waterfall in timeto portage around it; failure indicates thatthe boat plunges over the waterfall, and allon board take damage from falling (boatsare destroyed).

WeatherThe Administrator may wish to generate

weather results for several days of playahead of time, if the agents have access toweather predictions. A weather report hasa 10% chance of being wrong for everyday in advance it is made. One weathercheck every six hours may be made. Tworolls are made: a 1d10 and a 2d10 (duringwinter, the arctic/antarctic weather systemmay be used, but damage from the coldshould be reduced by half). In rain forests,add 4 to the first roll and 2 to the second.Grasslands are drier, so subtract 1 fromthe second roll. In deserts, 5 is added tothe first roll and 4 may be subtracted fromthe second. At night, the first roll is madeat -1, in any terrain. During cold seasons,rain may be treated as snow.

FoodIn the wilderness, agents may exhaust

their food supplies. A starving agent maylive a number of weeks without food equalto his Willpower divided by 15. Eachweek, 2-20 Physical Strength points andseven pounds are lost. Strength is regainedafter one week of normal eating; weight isrecovered at a rate of one pound per day.

Hungry agents may wish to hunt animalsfor food. Building simple traps may beperformed by anyone; complex traps(Administrator�s discretion advised) mayrequire a significant AOK level in Con-struction Engineering. The tables andchances for animal encounters are used todetermine if an animal is caught and theexact animal type captured. A trappedanimal may attack the trap to escape it; asa rule of thumb, if 10 or more points of

Chance of discovering water (per day)

TerrainForestJungleMountainGrasslandDesert

Chance of water Chance of contamination30% (1-100 gallons) 30%30% (1-100 gallons) 60%50% (10-100 gallons) 20%20% (5-50 gallons) 35%5% (1-100 gallons) 40%

damage are done at once, the animal es-capes; ruining the trap (weaker trapsrequire less damage to be broken). Snakesusually can�t be trapped.

Small animals feed one agent for oneday; animals from the size of a pig to ahorse contain 1-10 person/days worth offood, and elephant-sized animals feed 10-100 people for one day. Meat becomesinedible in 1d10/2 days unless preserved.A hunter may multiply the daily chance ofanimal encounter by two for every 25points of Observation he has. A characterwith an AOK above 65 in Botany mayscavenge for edible plants. On each daythat an Observation check is successful,enough herbs are found for one person inone day. Hunting, scavenging, and trap-ping may occur simultaneously. Nearbodies of water, an agent may fish, if gearis available or improvised. There is a 10%chance per hour of catching one agent/day�s worth of fish.

WaterWater is the most important factor in

wilderness survival. The environmentalsurvival limit for fasting in the TOPSECRET Companion is based upon lack ofboth food and water. If, by some chance,an agent has food but little water is availa-ble, the survival time is doubled due to thewater content in food. At least one-halfgallon of water is required each day by anagent engaged in nonstrenuous work. Inhot weather with much exertion, twogallons per day are consumed. Failure tomeet these needs reduces the agent�sPhysical Strength and Coordination by 10points per day, to be regained with the

Weather table

First roll (1d10)(temperature)

1-23-45-78-9

10+

Second roll (2d10)(sky conditions)

5 or less 6-14Sun CloudsChill ColdMild MildMild MildHot WarmHot Hot

15-18 19 or moreLight rain* Heavy rain

Cold ColdChill ColdMild ChillMild Mild

Warm Mild

* Near the ocean or in jungles, light rain has a 30% chance of including fog; this reducesvision by half. Light rain reduces the chance to hit with a projectile weapon by 5%; heavyrain reduces it by 10%. Rain also reduces movement to one-quarter normal. See swampsfor details on wetting equipment. If the temperature is mild, chill, or warm, no effects arefelt. Temperatures of hot or cold reduce movement by half, and may require appropriateclothing and preparation.

proper consumption of water at a latertime. Any source of water may be infestedwith parasites or bacteria; agents whodrink contaminated water lose 10 pointsof Physical Strength and Coordination for1-100 days. Boiling or chemical treatmentrenders water safe.

Agents with an AOK over 70 in Botanymay check Observation each day to findwater-bearing plants. These plants provideenough water for one person for one day.

Getting lostThere is a chance each day that charac-

ters in the wild may become lost. Lostagents proceed in a circle 1-10 miles inradius. If agents have a compass or anobvious trail to follow, this won�t occur.Agents with an AOK above 70 inAstronomy/Space Science may finddirections in clear weather.

Chance of getting lost

ForestJungleGrasslandMarshDesertMountain

30%70%10%60%40%50%

Survival trainingMost agencies offer training in outdoor

survival. The course costs $10,000 andlasts eight weeks, four of which are spenton expeditions to the actual environmentscovered. An agent who takes this coursemust begin with scores above 70 in Will-power, Physical Strength, and Courage.The agency credits agents who completethis course with 80 experience points. Agraduate is able to use any tactic describedin this article which requires a specificAOK score, and gains a 5% bonus on wil-derness Observation checks and attemptsto find water. This course raises an agent�sAnthropology, Astronomy/Space Science,Botany and Ecology/Earth Science AOKscores 1-10 points each.

Wilderness scenarios may be combinedwith civilization-based adventures and viceversa. Agents or their opponents may fleeto uninhabited areas when necessary, but,in modern times, few places are com-pletely remote. Often agents may travelfrom uninhabited wilderness directly intoa town. Wilderness scenarios are morelikely to feature action than other adven-tures, but any job our agents perform mayrequire work outdoors. Happy trails!

D R A G O N 6 7

The Marvel®-Phile

by Jeff Grubb

They are murderers, stone-cold killerswith powers beyond those of normalhumans. Gathered together by a mysteri-ous master, they were turned loose in thetunnels beneath New York City, where themisshapen mutants called the Morlocks�made their homes. The result was thedeath of nearly all the Morlocks, as thesekillers cut through them like wolvesamong sheep. Heroes like the X-Men�,X-Factor�, and Thor� battled these in-vaders, and casualties were high on allsides. Most of these killers are still at large.They are the Marauders�.

SCALPHUNTER�Real name unrevealed

F IN (40) Health: 120A RM (30)S EX (20) Karma: 60E RM (30)R GD (10) Resources: Good (10)I EX (20)P RM (30) Popularity: -10

KNOWN POWERS:

Body armor/weapons: The true nature ofScalphunter�s mutant abilities has yet to befully revealed, but may be connected insome way with the uniform he wears.This body suit is laced with holsters, clips,and pockets which hold all sorts of gunparts and ammunition. Using this suit,Scalphunter gains the following powers:* Good protection from physical andenergy attacks;* Camouflage, (all attempts to detect himvisually are at -2CS to the die roll);* The ability to assemble the pieces of hisguns into a variety of firearms with anumber of uses (in effect, Scalphuntermay create any one-handed and two-handed shooting weapon from pages 42-43of the Advanced Set Players Book, exceptbows. He may fire two-handed weaponsusing one hand without penalty); and,* The ability to use any of the ammunitiontypes listed on page 44 of the AdvancedSet Players Book, regardless of the weaponfor which that type of shot was designed(Scalphunter prefers armor-piercing (AP)and explosive shot over mercy and rubbershot, as the latter two have a distressinghabit of leaving the victim alive).

Scalphunter�s uniform also contains aback-mounted sheath for his sword.

68 JANUARY 1986

Day of the Marauders™!TALENTS: Scalphunter is a WeaponsSpecialist with weapons he has createdfrom his uniform, giving him a +2CS tohit and increasing his initiative when usingthese weapons by 1. He is also skilled inedged weapons and has Leadership Skill.

CONTACTS: Scalphunter is leader of theMarauders, a band of mutant outlawsworking for the mysterious MisterSinister�. Other contacts he has areunrevealed.

BACKGROUND: Little has been revealedabout Scalphunter�s origins or back-ground. What is obvious through his lead-ership of the Marauders is thatScalphunter is a cold-blooded murderingmachine who kills his victims only becausehe does not know how NOT to kill in com-bat. Using his weapons, he always choosesa weapon and ammo of sufficient force toguarantee a kill against his target(s). Therestrictions placed upon him by the limitsof his weapons, plus the fact that he mustbreak down and rebuild his guns to han-dle more powerful opponents, puts himalongside his fellow Marauders in combat,as opposed to working on his own.

ARCLIGHT�Phillipa Sontag

F RM (30) Health: 120A EX (20)S RM (30) Karma: 46E IN (40)R TY (6) Resources: Good (10)I EX (20)P EX (20) Popularity: -10

KNOWN POWERS:

Shockwave attack: Arclight�s mutantpower allows her to direct a concentratedblast of kinetic energy at will by striking avictim with either her hands or her feet.This has the effect of a Shockwave attackat all targets up to three areas away, doingAmazing damage. All targets (and she maybe selective among those targets as apower stunt) are affected as if by a blast ofAmazing intensity. No damage is done perse, but targets may be slammed orstunned by the attack. Arclight may directher attacks against living and nonlivingtargets. Against living targets, she inflictsIncredible Blunt damage; against nonlivingtargets, she inflicts destruction of Amazingintensity.

Body armor: The silver suit that Arclightwears provides Good protection fromphysical and energy attacks.

TALENTS: Arclight has military skill.Other skills and talents have yet to berevealed.

CONTACTS: Phillipa Sontag might retainher military contacts. She is a member ofthe Marauders.

BACKGROUND: Phillipa Sontag servedwith the American ground forces in Viet-nam, and the memories of those days stillhaunt her. She has redirected her angerand rage into body building, which sheuses to supplement her mutant ability. Sheuses her military background in her mis-sions with the Marauders, and the clearingof the Morlock tunnels is little different inher mind from the pacification of aninsurgent-harboring village. She prefers achallenge in combat, and would ratherduke it out with an established hero thandestroy less powerful creatures.

HARPOON�Real name unrevealed

F EX (20) Health: 110A IN (40)S EX (20) Karma: 22E RM (30)R TY (6) Resources: Good (10)I TY (6)P GD (10) Popularity: -10

KNOWN POWERS:

Imbue energy: Harpoon may charge ob-jects with energy so that they release thatenergy on contact for additional damage.To date, this ability has been limited to hisharpoons as his main weapon, and to thefollowing energies: electricity, concussiveforce, or stunning force. Other objects andother energies may be so imbued, with thefollowing effects:* An object may be imbued with energy ofup to Remarkable intensity if Harpoonfocuses on it for a single round. For eachadditional turn spent charging an object, aone-level increase in energy is imbued.The limitation of the energy imbued varieswith the size of the missile. Doubling themass of the missile over harpoon sizeincreases the maximum energy limit byone positive shift. Reducing the mass byhalf would reduce it by one column shift

for each time it is so reduced. (If Harpooncould imbue a telephone pole with energyand use it as a weapon, it would have ShiftZ Intensity � about the same as a tacticalnuclear weapon.) Imbuing items otherthan his harpoons is a power stunt.* Harpoon may imbue items with othertypes of energy (such as light, radiation, orexotic substances such as the Darkforce)as a power stunt. Harpoon�s ability toendow items with this energy is Remark-able in intensity.

Slayspears: Harpoon�s weapon of choice incombat is his namesake harpoon, a 5�-longweapon with a barbed head and weight of20 pounds. He may imbue these weaponswith Incredible intensity energy, in addi-tion inflicting Good edged attack or edgedthrowing damage. He carries these har-poons in a back-mounted quiver whichholds up to 20 such projectiles.

Body armor: Harpoon�s body uniformprovides Good protection from physicaland energy attacks.

TALENTS: Harpoon is a Weapon Specialistwith the harpoon.

CONTACTS: Harpoon is a member of theMarauders.

BACKGROUND: Harpoon�s full back-ground has yet to be revealed. He is appar-ently an Inuit Eskimo in his mid-20s and isgreatly impressed by the lights and fasttimes of Manhattan. This does not preventhim from being a cold-blooded murdererlike the rest of the Marauders.

SCRAMBLER�Kim Il Sung

F GD (10) Health: 46A GD (10)S TY (6) Karma: 40E EX (20)R GD (10) Resources: Good (10)I GD (10)P EX (20) Popularity: -10

KNOWN POWERS:

Disruption: Kim has the power to disruptat will other systems on touch, includingelectrical and mechanical systems, as wellas human physiological and mutant abili-ties. He does this with Monstrous ability,though he must touch flesh against fleshfor the disruption to function. Scramblercan use his ability to stun or kill an oppo-nent on touch (target must make an En-durance FEAT against Monstrousintensity). If used to disrupt mutant abili-ties, the target must make a Power FEATagainst the Monstrous intensity attackusing the strongest mutant power rank.(Scrambler may also selectively disruptparticular powers, leaving others unaf-fected.) Scrambler�s disruption, if success-

ful, shuts that power off, removing itsbenefits.

Body armor: Scrambler disdains the stand-ard body armor of the Marauders for alighter version worn under his streetclothes. This armor provides Typical pro-tection from energy and physical attack.

TALENTS: None of Scrambler�s talents orskills have been revealed.

CONTACTS: Scrambler is a member ofthe Marauders.

BACKGROUND: Little has been revealedof Scrambler�s background, save that he isof Korean heritage and the youngest ofthe Marauders. Scrambler is a bit of afashion plate, following each new trend as

it appears, and wishes to look �cool� (andpresumably normal). Scrambler worksbest alongside the other Marauders, re-ducing opponents� protective abilities andattack capabilities so they are easy preyfor his teammates.

RIPTIDE�Janos Quested (deceased)

F GD (10) Health: 70A IN (40)S GD (10) Karma: 26E GD (10)R TY (6) Resources: Good (10)I GD (10)P GD (10) Popularity: -10

D R A G O N 6 9

KNOWN POWERS:

Tornado spin: Riptide�s power was similarin nature to another mutant, Whirlwind�,in his ability to spin his body at super-human speeds. Unlike Whirlwind, Riptidenever learned true flight from his abilities,but the young Greek developed his owndeadly attack form using his powers,owing to his fascination with sharpobjects.

Riptide carried a number of sharpblades and throwing stars (shurikens) onhim at all times. In his tornado state,Riptide attacked in melee combat for Re-markable edged attack damage, though hecould power stunt up to Incredible dam-age for brief periods (1-4 turns). In addi-tion, he could throw his shurikens at highvelocity; each inflicted Typical damage,but struck body armor as if from anAmazing-Strength attack. Riptide couldcast up to 10 of these in a turn at up to 10different targets.

TALENTS: Riptide had no revealedtalents.

CONTACTS: Riptide was a member of theMarauders.

BACKGROUND: Janos Quested�s back-ground has yet to be revealed. The silver-haired man whirled with a graceunmatched by great dancers, but wasdevoted to his own evil ends. Riptide wasone of the members of the Marauderswho invaded the Morlock tunnels, and hisattacks were responsible for the death ofmany. In the end, he was killed byColossus� of the X-Men.

VERTIGO�Real name unrevealed

F GD (10) Health: 46A GD (10)S TY (6) Karma: 56E EX (20)R TY (6) Resources: Good (10)I GD (10)P IN (40) Popularity: -10

KNOWN POWERS:

Equilibrium distortion: Vertigo has thepower to psionically disrupt a target�ssense of equilibrium, rendering him (orthem) nearly helpless. She does this withUnearthly ability to a single target orAmazing ability to a group of victims inthe same area, up to three areas away.Targets must make a Psyche FEAT rollagainst this ability or be knocked to theground, unable to move or attack. Contin-ued exposure results in unconsciousnessfor 1-10 rounds. Her distortion powers arenegated if she is knocked out.

TALENTS: Vertigo has no revealedtalents.

70 JANUARY 1986

CONTACTS: Veritgo is a current memberof the Marauders, and was a former mem-ber of the Savage Land Mutates�.Whether this group survived the destruc-tion of the Savage Land� by Terminus� iscurrently unknown.

BACKGROUND: Vertigo is not a mutant,like the other Marauders, but rather amutate � a human endowed with super-human powers through induced mutationor modification. Vertigo was one of theprimitive Swamp People of the SavageLand, an Atlantean-created jungle locatedin the cold wastes of Antarctica. Vertigowas given her superhuman powers byanother Mutate, Brainchild�, who in turnhad been mutated by Magneto�. Thoughdefeated by Ka-Zar�, Spider-Man�, andthe X-Men, and reduced to their brutishorigins, Vertigo and possibly her fellowtribesmen returned to their superhumanstates over time.

Following her return to intelligence andsuperhuman ability, Vertigo left the SavageLand. Whether any of the other SavageLand Mutates left with her is as yet unre-vealed, though any that remained in thathidden land would have perished whenthe Savage Land was destroyed byTerminus (see DRAGON® Magazine issue#115 for details).

Vertigo came to America and joined theMarauders. No longer a jungle waif follow-ing the instructions of a villain such asBrainchild, Vertigo is fluent in west-coastAmerican slang and grammar, andmatches her fellow Marauders in theircruelty and love of making others suffer.

SABERTOOTH�Real name unrevealed

F IN (40) Health: 120A RM (30)S EX (20) Karma: 32E RM (30)R TY (6) Resources: Good (10)I EX (20)P TY (6) Popularity: -10

KNOWN POWERS:

Senses: Sabertooth�s senses of smell, taste,and hearing have been raised to theAmazing level, with the following effects:* Sabertooth only sees the world in blackand white (having no color sight, similar toa cat�s vision);* Sabertooth has Remarkable infravision;* Sabertooth can track with Amazingability; and,* Sabertooth can use his sensory abilitiesto identify poisons, illusions, and hiddenor invisible creatures one area away (therange of his senses at their highest).

Claws and teeth: Sabertooth�s claws are apart of his body (unlike the adamantiumset of Wolverine�), and have Incredible

material strength. Using these claws,Sabertooth may inflict up to Remarkableedged attack damage. If grappling anopponent for one round, Sabertooth mayalso bite for Remarkable damage.

Healing factor: Sabertooth may regain 2points of Health per turn, and may re-cover one lost Endurance rank per day.Sabertooth may negate the effects of

drugs or poisons by making a successfulEndurance FEAT Roll.

TALENTS: Sabertooth has Martial Arts A,B, C, D, and E, as well as Espionage skill.

CONTACTS: Sabertooth is a borderlinemember of the Marauders. He also hascontacts in the normal criminal commu-nity, owing to his reputation as a one-mankilling machine.

BACKGROUND: Sabertooth�s origins areunknown, but he has developed an exten-sive reputation as an assassin, and was atone time a pupil of a master killer named

MALICE�Real name unrevealed

F FE (2) Health: 106A FE (2)S FE (2) Karma: 170E UN (100)R EX (20) Resources: Not applicableI MN (75)P MN (75) Popularity: 0

KNOWN POWERS:

Energy being: Malice is an energy con-struct without physical form. In energyform, Malice cannot be hurt by physicalattacks, nor by energy other than the typeof which Malice is composed (discovery ofthe energy type of Malice�s body would bea power stunt of Monstrous intensity foran energy manipulator such as CaptainMarvel� or a scientist such as ReedRichards�). Malice may walk throughphysical objects, and has no need to eat,breath, or sleep. Malice cannot pick upphysical objects nor make physical attacks,except by possessing another individual.Malice may be attacked by mental means,and this form of attack may drive theconstruct out of a host body.

so that the target may doubt his or hersanity, or come to think of Malice as thebad side of his or her consciousness.

Should the target fall prey to the desiresMalice offers as bait, the mental attack isconsidered a blindsiding attack, and noKarma may be added to the Intuition FEATto avoid it. Malice is telepathic at theRemarkable rank, and uses the knowledgepicked up in this fashion to temptpotential victims.

Malice�s targets are physically un-changed by the possession, though allwear a choker-style collar (Malice�s �signa-ture�). Malice may use the possessed tar-get�s memories, abilities, and superhumanpowers as desired. Malice feeds (gaining inHealth and Karma) by having the hostbody perform evil actions. Malice gains anequal number of points of Health orKarma as are lost by the character�sactions for performing evil actions. Malicedoes not kill unless in danger of losing thehost body, as such a great gain in Karmawould not be assimilated by the energybody. Malice remains with the host bodyuntil that body is drained of Karma (andusually exhausted), then departs.

TALENTS: Malice has no revealed talents.Having access to the knowledge of the

Foreigner�. In his known career, Saber-tooth has fought Power Man�, Iron First�,Spider-Man, the Black Cat�, Daredevil�,and Wolverine, and is considered by somethe latter�s equal � his size, strength, andberserker fury offsetting the X-Man�sadamantium claws. The two are familiarwith each other, and they have fought oneanother savagely in the past.

Sabertooth has always mixed his workassignments as an assassin with the plea-sure of the hunt and kill. In this way,Sabertooth is very catlike, given over tounreasoning animal behavior. As a mem-ber of the Marauders in their recent at-tack on the Morlock tunnels, Sabertoothworked alone, eventually tangling withWolverine. Sabertooth�s bloodlust got thebetter of him; the villain attacked theX-Men Mansion, overpowering most of theteam before being defeated by Wolverine.Sabertooth escaped from that defeat andhas not been seen since.

This version of Sabertooth has beenupdated from the version that appeared inmodule MH-4, Lone Wolves.

Possession: Malice has the ability to pos- host body, Malice may use any of thesess the body of a human victim, forcing host�s talents.that victim�s original persona into uncon-scious submission. Malice does this with a CONTACTS: Malice is a member of themental attack of Monstrous intensity, and Marauders.the target must make an Intuition (notPsyche) FEAT to avoid the assault. Malice�s BACKGROUND: Malice�s true name,usual habit is to appear to the target (in background, and even sex are unknown,mirrors, reflections, etc.) and offer a bet- as he/she/it is an energy construct withoutter life to the victim through evil or selfish physical form. Malice�s first appearanceends. Malice appears to the target alone, was as a member of the Marauders, but,

DR A G O N 71

unlike the others of that team, Malice hada particular target: the mutant AlisonBlaire, better known as the Dazzler�.Tempting Dazzler with her possible life asa star, Malice possessed her mind and usedthe knowledge gained to infiltrate theX-Men. Malice was defeated after captur-ing several more minds in succession. Herpresent whereabouts are unknown.

BLOCKBUSTER�Michael Baer (deceased)

F IN (40) Health: 175A GD (10)S AM (50) Karma: 26E MN (75)R GD (10) Resources: Good (10)I TY (6)P GD (10) Popularity: -10

KNOWN POWERS:

Body armor: Blockbuster�s thick hide pro-vided him with Excellent protectionagainst physical and energy attacks.

TALENTS: Blockbuster had Martial Arts Aand wrestling skill.

CONTACTS: Blockbuster was a memberof the Marauders and a former member ofa West German terrorist group known asthe Fist of Victory.

BACKGROUND: Michael Baer chose lifeas an expatriate American in Europe asopposed to testifying against a fellowcriminal in his teens. Baer�s mutant abili-ties surfaced while the young man was inEurope, and the American soaked up agreat deal of philosophy and radical ideal-ism while working as a bouncer in Berlinbars and as the muscle for street gangs inParis. His idealism, temperament, andpower found him a temporary position asthe sole mutant member of the Fist ofVictory. This small and fanatical organiza-tion was destroyed in a shoot-out withpolice, leaving Baer the sole survivor.

Wanted in Europe, Baer returned toAmerica, where he was contacted byagents of Mister Sinister and recruitedinto the Marauders as the residentstrongman of the team. Baer�s fightingfury paled compared to that of his team-members Arclight, Sabertooth, andHarpoon, and he was often regarded bythe others as slow, plodding, and stupid.He sought to prove himself to his team bytaking on the Avenger� Thor. Blockbuster

attacked Thor by surprise as the ThunderGod was escorting the wounded heroAngel� out of the tunnels, and brokeThor�s arm in the attack � but the en-raged Thor struck Blockbuster in the facewith Mjolnir, apparently killing themutant.

TALENTS: Prism had no revealed talents.

CONTACTS: Prism had no known

PRISM�Real name unrevealed (deceased)

F GD (10) Health: 40A GD (10)S GD (10) Karma: 22E GD (10)R TY (6) Resources: Good (10)I GD (10)P TY (6) Popularity: -10

KNOWN POWERS:

Glass body: Prism�s body was made ofbrittle glasslike material that gave himseveral powers and disadvantages:* Prism had Unearthly protection fromlight-based, radiation, and other energyattacks;* Prism could reflect energy attacks atvictims up to three areas away, increasingthe damage inflicted by one rank (maxi-mum of Shift X damage). In this reflection,Prism could compress the wavelengths ofthe energy, allowing his reflected energiesto affect individuals normally invulnerableto such energies (for example, the opticblasts of Cyclops�).* Prism, as a power stunt, could reflectthe ambient light into a blinding flash ofup to Monstrous intensity over a range ofthree areas (he could direct this flash inany direction);* Prism could hold the light reflected up tofive turns before releasing it, and couldcontain up to 200 points of such energy (incombined intensity) before releasing it;and,* Prism�s crystalline form was extremelysusceptible to physical damage, so that allphysical damage was doubled (if Prismreached 0 Health through physical damageand failed an Endurance FEAT, heshattered).

contacts outside of the Marauders.

BACKGROUND: Little is known ofPrism�s background before joining theMarauders, but he did join shortly beforethe Marauders� assault on the Morlocktunnels. In battle with X-Factor, Prismreflected Cyclops�s optic blasts back athim, severely injuring him. Marvel Girl�witnessed Prism�s attack and used hertelekinetic powers to slam Prism into ansteel pylon, shattering him. If the force ofthe blow did not kill Prism, the laterplasma-firing of the tunnels by Thor mostlikely did so.

72 JANUARY 1986

©1986 by Stewart Wieck two; otherwise, the accumulated experi-ence might become so much that the vil-

How do villains in Fantasy Games Unlim-lain would gain an inordinate amount.After all, the game master is controlling

ited�s VILLAINS & VIGILANTES� game the bad guys.gain experience? Surely they improve in 2. Killing heroes. There are certainability just as heroes do, but how can this villains who are so very evil and vile thatimprovement be measured or calculated? they make the killing of heroes a habit.

In the two years I have played V&V, Such villains should receive the fullcertain villains have appeared which my amount of experience for any hero slain inplayers� characters expect to fight every so combat with the villains. If the villain slaysoften. If these villains never became more an incapacitated hero, he should onlyskilled or talented, then the point would receive half the experience value due him.come when the heroes would become too Be careful not to use too many killer vil-much of a match for them. What is to be lains, as this may disrupt the campaign bydone? Must the villains retire or move to driving out players.another city where they can try their 3. Killing citizens. Villains should alsonefarious acts against those citizens de- receive experience for killing normalfended by less-experienced heroes? The people � pedestrians, bus drivers, secre-answer is no. taries, etc. If the experience gained from

Heroes receive experience in basically such actions were calculated with thethree ways. First, they gain experience by normal formula, it would be an outra-defeating super-powered villains and their geous amount. If we assume 40 Power (10henchmen. Experience points are awarded each in strength, endurance, intelligenceto them in this manner based upon the and agility) and the resulting 4 hit pointsfollowing formula: (villain�s hit points + to represent the average man on thevillain�s Power score) x (villain�s level x 2) street, then think about how much experi-= XP. Second, heroes have the option ofdonating the reward money they earn to

ence a villain could gain by destroying acommercial airplane with 200 people on

shouldn�t villains gain experience pointsfor the money that they steal? But, again,the number of experience points gainedcould become outrageous. Therefore, 1 XPwill be gained for each $100 stolen, ex-torted, etc., to keep the figure down. Ifyou find that this still creates a larger thanreasonable chunk of experience for theNPC villain, then you may opt to giveexperience points only for the moneywhich is is stolen and invested in criminalactivities.

5. Destroying landmarks. Whatabout the villain who threatens the WhiteHouse or the Eiffel Tower? Villains whodestroy landmarks that are cherished andbeloved by humanity are certainly deserv-ing of experience for their actions. Inorder to facilitate the calculation of thegained experience points, the term �Land-mark Point� (LP) is created. One LP isworth 100 XP. If a villain destroys a build-ing or landmark worth 3 LPs, he receives300 XPs. With any new rating, a ratingsystem must be provided; in this case, thegame referee is the arbiter on how manyLPs a particular landmark is worth. As-sume that a home is worth 1 LP or less; anelaborate mansion is equal to 2 LPs; acollege campus, 3 LPs; Chicago�s Museumof Science and Industry, 7 LPs (nationalmuseums may be worth more); the St.Louis Arch, 11 LPs; Hoover Dam, 16 LPs;and, the Eiffel Tower, 20 LPs. This is not tosay that there are no structures worthmore than 20 LPs, but the LP value shouldbe in proportion to the popularity of themonument. Therefore, a certain baseballstadium might be worth more after itshome team wins the World Series than itwould in the off-season.

Hopefully, these guidelines will helpkeep villains up to the challenge posed bythe active player-character heroes. Theseguidelines only cover the experience that avillain gains while in contact with theheroes. The villain may receive experiencepoints for actions granted to him by thereferee at times when heroes were notaround. Therefore, experience gainedbetween conflicts is still largely based onthe discretion of the GM.

gain experience points. Experience pointsare then calculated based upon theamount of money given to charity (1 XP/$10 donated). Finally, the game mastermay award specific amounts of experiencepoints to heroes on a case-by-case basis ifthey perform extraordinary deeds. Of thefive ways this article presents in whichvillains may gain experience, the first twoways mentioned are the basis for three ofthe new methods.

The five methods by which villains(NPCs or PCs) can gain experience aredescribed below.

1. Catching heroes. Sometimes avillain may capture a solo hero or a groupof heroes. This is certainly a feat andseems deserving of experience. Whenexperience points are awarded to villainsfor this action, use the same formula usedfor heroes who capture villains, as de-scribed above. The only difference is thatthe experience total should be divided by

74 JANUARY 1986

board! Even if this figure were divided inhalf, as done above, the experience-pointaward would still be outrageous. This isenough experience to progress a begin-ning villain several levels at once. It issuggested that only 5 XP be established asthe experience award per normal citizendeath. This is more within the realm ofreason.

By placing an experience-point value onthe regular man, villains gain the incentiveto cause the harm and havoc for whichthey are justly notorious. It also causes allconcerned heroes to keep a more watchfuleye out for their foes. Game refereesshould use this method of gaining experi-ence with care, too; heroes should usuallyget a chance to prevent the havoc thatvillains want so badly to unleash.

4. Stealing money. Then, of course,there are the traditional bank robberies. Ifheroes gain experience points for themoney that they donate to charity,

by James M. Wardand Harold Johnson

At last, the GAMMA WORLD® science-fantasy role-playing game is back by popu-lar demand. Not only is this granddaddy ofscience-fiction role-playing games back,but (like the creatures and characters inthe game) it has mutated. It is now leaner,meaner, sleeker, and deadlier than ever.

Why the change? When we were giventhe opportunity to revise and update theGAMMA WORLD game for the third edi-tion, we seized the chance to improve thegame to meet the current state of the artof role-playing. After all, the originalGAMMA WORLD game is eight years old,created when role-playing games were in

76 JANUARY 1986

their infancy. There have been a lot ofadvancements in game design since then.This was the opportunity to make therules more accessible and easier to use bygame master (GM) and player alike, and toremove any inconsistencies still existing.

Our goals for the revision of the originalGAMMA WORLD game were many, butthey centered on our desire to remaincompatible with the prototype which hadwon such loyal fans, while making thegame better. The first major goal was tointroduce an epic scope of adventure tothe game, providing player characterswith a grand purpose, and bringing aweand wonder to what had become a grimworld. The second goal was to create abetter response system for swifter playwhile improving consistency throughout.

We specifically sought to streamline com-bat and character-action resolution, usingeasily expanded game systems that weredesigned to handle and encourage GM-created rules and situations. Last, but notleast, we wanted to create a good advance-ment system to allow for charactergrowth and game playability at all levels ofexperience. In short, we tried to provideyou with as much information as possibleto make the game complete.

Some errors occurred in the rush to getthe third edition to the printers. In aneffort to be thorough, we greatly over-wrote the game. At the last minute, in aneffort to meet deadlines, much of thismaterial was withheld. This situation hasbeen corrected with the release and distri-bution of the GAMMA WORLD RulesSupplement book for free. (If you don�thave your copy, see the note at the end ofthis article.)

This article shows how easy it is to con-vert characters from the second editionfor use with the third-edition rules. Infact, earlier adventures designed for usewith the first and second editions can stillbe used with the third-edition rules. Rulesare discussed in the same order as theyappear in the third edition.

The Action Control TableAt the heart of the new GAMMA

WORLD game is a completely revampedresolution system, the Action ControlTable (the ACT). The original rules usedmany different tables to resolve combat,encounters with hazardous substances,and special actions. Now, the success orfailure of any action, danger, or challengeconfronting a character can be resolvedusing this one multipurpose chart.

The game has become score-driven, andevery action undertaken either relates to aspecific ability score or is assigned a spe-cial danger-intensity score of its own.Scores typically range from 1 to 21, butthe ACT also possesses three groups ofsemi-logarithmic negative and positivenumbers beyond this range. Thesecolumns make it possible to use any scorehigher or lower than the typical ranges.

A score is found on its correspondingcolumn on the ACT, and percentile diceare rolled to determine degree of successor failure. If a GM wants to create a situa-tion not fully detailed in the rules, he needonly assign it a comparative score to deter-mine the chances of success.

The ACT fulfills many functions and hasmore variability than is first apparent, asexplained in more detail in the rules. Inaddition, it offers the advantage of limitingchances of success and failure in the gameto ranges that have been determined to bethe most fun for all. In general, even thelowest score allows a 26% chance of mini-mal success. With the highest score, thereremains a 12% chance for failure (includ-ing a 1% chance for really screwing up).Of course, a GM may introduce difficulty

factors that can reduce or increase humans are now subject to temporarychances, but there always remains a 1% mutational effects from biogenetic agents,chance for failure or success. whereas originally they had been immune.

In addition, some scores may modifyother scores� chances of success. Themodifier value of a score is determined byits placement on the ACT Divided intogroups of three, and treating each �plus�or �minus� semi-log column as a singlegroup, modifiers range from 0 to 6 aspenalties or bonuses. These modifiers arethen added or subtracted from the modi-fied score to determine which column isused. This system allows interaction be-tween related forces and counterforces inthe game.

This new resolution system provides anavenue for rule changes while maintaininghigh compatibility with the original rules�characters and adventures. Original scoreranges and (in most cases) the types ofability and equipment scores remain thesame; they are merely processed by onesystem instead of several different ones.

Converting charactersThe differences between second-edition

and third-edition characters are few butimportant. The changes were made toimprove game balance, to permit bettermeshing with a single system approach,and to provide avenues for developing aworking character advancement system.Changes are divided into seven categories:Ability scores, Character Types, Muta-tions, Senses, Poison and Radiation resist-ance, Tech Levels, and CharacterAdvancement.

Ability scores: The six basic characterability scores have not changed, but theways in which they may be used havebeen expanded. No longer do the sixscores only define chances for certainactions; these scores may also modifyrelated subability scores, as well as imposelimits on actions. Examples of such effectsmay be noted under the sections on char-acter classes and mutations.

Ability Checks have become more impor-tant than ever to determine the chances ofsuccess when performing uncertainactions. But, instead of using an awkwardmultiplier rule, now you only need to turnto the ACT to define the chances ofsuccess.

Character types: The three originalcategories of characters have undergoneminor changes. We also added two newcharacter categories that were originallylimited to NPC status: Intelligent Plantsand Symbiotic Plants. Brief overviews ofeach of the other character types follow.

Pure Strain Humans: This has remainedfairly unchanged. Though the method forcreating higher ability scores and hitpoints have altered slightly, you should nothave to make any adjustments to yourhuman characters when converting themto third-edition rules. Note, however, that

Humanoids: Again, you do not need tochange the ability scores of your second-edition rules humanoids. However, thiscategory has been expanded to includeany mutated creature possessing a human-oid shape and the capability of using tools.Humanoids are no longer subject tomutation from biogenetic agents.

Mutated animals: Here, too, there hasbeen only one minor change, and charac-ters generated using second-edition rulesneed not be changed. Mutated animals areno longer mutated by biogenetic agents,

Mutations: This section has beengreatly changed, but the conversion iseasily managed. Mutations now possessindividual scores where they originallyused the same scores as Physical Strengthor Dexterity (for all physical mutations), orMental Strength (for all mental mutations).

To utilize any mutation in an uncertainaction or attack, now requires that anaction roll using the mutation score mustbe made. A mutation score is determinedby rolling 3d6, discarding the lowest die,and adding the modifier for PhysicalStrength or Mental Strength (dependingon whether the mutation is a physical ormental one) to the remaining total. Noscore can ever exceed the corresponding,modified basic Ability score. To determinescores for each mutation for existingsecond-edition characters, roll 1d6 andsubtract the result from the correspond-ing basic Ability score.

Mutation definitions have been reorgan-ized by subcategory � physical, mental,plant, and defects � to make them easierto find. Available mutation options havebeen increased or expanded in the game.Because mutations have been rewritten todefine when a mutation check must bemade, you should review the new defini-tions of all mutations appropriate to yourmutant character.

Some of the mutation names have beenaltered, as shown below:

Second-edition Third-editionmutation mutation

Actual Metamorphosis MetamorphosisBacterial Susceptibility Body WeaknessBodily Control Body ControlBody Structure Change Body WeaknessDark Dependency NocturnalDaylight Stasis NocturnalEnergy Negation Spore CloudEnergy Sensitivity VulnerabilityFear Impulse PhobiaHeat Reaction Temperature

SensitivityMental Defenselessness Mental WeaknessNo Nerve Endings No PainOver-sized Body Parts Modified Body PartsPlanar Travel Planar OpeningPoison Susceptibility VulnerabilitySeizures (Special Attacks

Section)

Size Increase/DecreaseSkin Structure ChangeSpeed IncreaseTexture ChangeThrowing ThornsVision DefectWater Dependency

Taller or ShorterBody WeaknessHeightened SpeedBark/SpinesThorns/SpikesDiminished SensesAmphibious

In addition, the following mutations anddefects have been dropped from the gamesystem:

Anti-Charisma Arterial WeaknessAttack Reversal Doubled PainFat Cell Accumulation Low FertilityMultiple Damage Poor Dual BrainPoor Respiration Time SuspensionUnconscious Summoning Weight Decrease

Senses: New rules have been intro-duced for using a character�s differentsenses. These rules establish new sensoryranges and should be used in place ofprevious rules. The new specialized sensescan be equated to one of these three basicforms: sight, hearing, and feeling (touch ortactile).

Senses are used to identify objectswithin examination range. For each rangefactor greater than the base examinationrange, an action roll one color higher thanBlue on the ACT is needed to succeed inidentifying an object.

A character�s sight range is a number ofmeters equal to two times his Intelligencescore. A character�s hearing range equalshis Intelligence score in meters, but thissense is not as acute as sight. A character�sfeeling range equals half his Intelligencescore in meters, or must work by touch ifthe character is not highly sensitive tovibrations. This latter sense can only beused to examine one item at a time.

Poison and radiation: In the originalrules, separate tables were used to deter-mine the effect of these hazards versus acharacter�s Constitution score. In the thirdedition, this mechanic is replaced with anew single system for all hazards. Eachhazard is assigned an Intensity score, as inthe original rules. This score is used tomake an attack against any appropriatevictim. If the attack achieves any result ofBlue through Red, the attack inflicts a basedamage equal to half the Intensity score.

A character successfully attacked in thismanner must make a Constitution Save vs.the color of the hazard attack. If the resultis less than the color of the hazard�s at-tack, the character suffers from the spe-cial effect of the attack. Poison mightparalyze or knockout, depending on thecategory of poison. Radiation and bioge-netic agents would cause mutations.

Tech Levels: The new GAMMAWORLD game expands and redefines theavailable Tech Levels. Tech Level I is stillprimitive technology, while Tech Level IIremains medieval. Tech Level III is nowdefined as the age of gunpowder to the

D R A G O N 7 7

20th century. Tech Level IV is futuristictechnology featuring lasers, robots, andsupercomputers. Tech Level V representsan unknown, alien technology centeringaround matter/energy conversion.

Pure Strain Humans begin the game atTech Level III; Humanoids at Tech Level II,and Mutated Animals at Tech Level I. Eachcharacter type may readily use any arti-fact of its technology level. However, theuse of unfamiliar technology is penalizedby treating any colored result as the nextlower color (but never less than a Blueresult) for every level of difference of theuser.

Character advancement: The origi-nal rules did not provide much in the wayof a rewarding Character Advancementsystem. In order to create such a system,certain mechanics were stripped away andreplaced. Most markedly different is themethod of determining the chance to hitin combat. Originally, this was a functionof the category of weapon used. Now, thechance to hit is based on the character�sexperience Rank.

To convert existing characters to thethird-edition rules, give your characterone Rank for every six months of real timethat he has been played. A character�sRank score is also used to define thechance of success when using learnedtalents. A list of available talents and how

they work is provided in the third edition.Characters may not possess more talentsthan their Intelligence scores. Convertedcharacters should possess a number oftalents equal to their Tech Level, plus oneper two Ranks.

A character�s Rank also increases thenumber of hit points a character pos-sesses. The number of additional pointsgained at each level depends on the Rankattained. A converted character adds 5 hitpoints for every Rank attained from 2 to 5;4 hit points for every Rank from 6 to 10; 3hit points for every Rank from 11 to 15;and, 2 hit points for Rank 16.

BeastsGAMMA WORLD game beasts have only

changed slightly in the new edition, usu-ally in the way statistics were presented.Instead of presenting statistics in the formof a dice range, they have been listed as anaverage score with general instructionsthat they may vary, give or take threepoints. In some cases, we have intention-ally made a creature tougher or weaker.However, the original statistics can beeasily converted to the new format withlittle difficulty. This method may also beused to convert your own original beastiesto the third edition rules.

Number: This score is no longer given asa dice roll, but has remained in the samerange.

Morale: The average range had been 2to 12. This has been raised to a numberfrom 5 to 15. Take the average of thecurrent range and add three to it to getthe new morale score.

Hit dice: This score was originally usedto determine a creature�s attack rank. It isstill used this way, but it now uses the newACT This score may be used in place of aConstitution score if the GM so desires.This score represents the average rank ofeach beast encountered. The GM is free tocreate higher-ranked leaders and lower-ranked peons by adjusting the Hit Dicescore.

Armor: Armor originally reduced a foe�schance to hit. In the third edition, armornow reduces the amount of damage suf-fered each turn. The armor system wasalso inverted. Originally, no armor indi-cated an Armor Class of 10; now it is anAC of 0. Subtract 10 from the original ACscore to find the new AC used. The num-ber of points of damage subtracted fromthe total of all damage suffered during oneturn is equal to the new AC value times 5.

Speed: Instead of having three differentmovement rates for each creature, thishas been simplified to a single speed indexscore. This score was determined by tak-ing the old Action Turn speed and increas-ing it by one-third its original value.

Abilities: For ease of play, you may use acreature�s Physical Strength and MentalStrength scores in place of individualmutation scores.

Attacks: The amount of damage causedby an attack is now determined by multi-plying the base damage of the attack timesthe degree of success indicated by theattack roll. In this case, all attack damagescores were reduced to base damage. Todetermine the base damage of an attack,take one-fourth the maximum damage thatmay be inflicted.

RobotsGAMMA WORLD game robots can be

adapted using the same method as forbeasts, above. The Intelligence score hasbeen renamed Programming. Furthermore,available sensors and power sourceshave been expanded, and gamers maywish to consider adding new options. If arobot possesses a force field, the fieldshould be listed as a -1 RF force field forevery 100 points of damage the old fieldcould absorb. We also took the liberty ofintroducing several new types of robotsand borgs, and the GM may want to re-view these as a guideline for creatingbalanced new robots.

Overview of game changesNow, let�s take a look at the major

changes in the game rules themselves. Thecategories that are most important toconsider when converting old adventuresto the new GAMMA WORLD game areTime, Movement, Surprise, NPC Responsesand Morale, and Combat.

78 JANUARY 1986

Time: There were no real changes inthe segments of time used; only the termi-

combat. The sequence of events is as attack Rank, and therefore start a game atfollows.

nology changed. Instead of calling all timea more powerful level than the use of

At the beginning of an encounter, check most weapons. On the other hand, fewincrements �turns,� now only the 10- to see if either side is surprised. Then: mutations give ranged attacks.second Action turn is referred to as a 1. Both sides declare intended actions Defenses: As noted earlier in theturn. After turns, minutes and hours are and targets. section on beasts, defenses have under-used instead of other game terms. We do 2. Determine who wins the initiative. gone a change in the new GAMMAnote that four hours is the duration of a Choosing to respond to an opponent�s WORLD edition. Defenses now fall intomarch or rest period, but this is most actions instead of moving first permits three categories. Armor no longer reducesfrequently referred to as four hours. Ten the chance to be hit, but it does reduce theminutes is also referred to as a search

changes in declared actions and targets.3. First side moves. total amount of damage that may be suf-

cycle for reference purposes. 4. Resolve all mental attacks in initiative fered in one turn of combat. Shields, onorder. the other hand, do not reduce damage

Movement: Detailed new rules are 5. First side resolves missile fire and suffered, but do penalize a limited numberprovided for movement speed, burdens, thrown weapons.

6. First side resolves melee and unarmedof foes� chances to hit. Finally, force fields

leaping, and special movement rates, such reduce the result factor multiplier of eachas climbing and swimming. All characters attacks. attack against the wearer. The reductionmove at a base rate of 24, though muta- 7. Second movement, phase; both sides averages -1RF (result factor) per 100tions may increase this rate. A character move. points of reduction of the original rules.can move at half speed or double speed, 8. Second side resolves missile fire and This reduction does not necessarily negateresulting in a change in his chance to thrown weapons. special effects, and the target must stillobserve things. A burdened character isslowed to two-thirds speed, while a heav-

9. Second side resolves melee and make Ability Saves at the actual color ofunarmed attacks. the attack to avoid many special effects.

ily burdened character is slowed to one- 10. Both sides resolve remaining actions, All defenses may be permanently damagedthird speed. Dexterity Checks are needed to exceed normal rates for a turn and to

by red attack results against their wearer.movements, and reactions to opponents.11. Grenades and bombs detonate. Special damage: Special effects of certain

perform difficult movement feats. types of attacks, such as burns and

Surprise: Surprise is no longer deter-How to attack: To attack in the new bruises, have been added to the rules. This

GAMMA WORLD game, the attacker or provides a degree of interesting detail, butmined by the roll of a six-sided dice. In-stead, the character most likely to first

attacking hazard makes an action roll a if a GM does not want to worry about theusing either his attack Rank, Mutation special bookkeeping such special damages

notice a startling situation (or the party score, or Intensity score. Generally, any require, he may omit these effects frommember with the highest Dexterity score) colored result that is Blue or higher his game.must make an Intelligence Check vs. the indicates that the foe has been struck. Special attacks: Furthermore, we in-GM-assigned difficulty of discovering the Attacks may be modified by movement, cluded numerous special attack forms andhidden item and reacting in time. cover, defenses and opponent actions. effects to provide the most comprehensive

These modifications are made to the at-NPC responses and morale: Since

listing of possible special effects and theirtack Rank before the dice are rolled. A

role-playing and character interaction aregame mechanics. Again, here is a plethora

complete list of combat modifiers may be of detail, and the new GM should feel freethe name of the game, a more comprehen- found on the GM�s screen. to use those that interest him, and ignoresive NPC response tool was devised. Sug-gested responses to a variety of situations

Damage: We eliminated a second dice or replace others with his own rules.roll for damage by making the result of

have been provided on the GM�s screen the attack roll determine the degree of In closingincluded in the new edition. success, called the attack result factor. The response to the new GAMMA

An NPC�s morale score (or his Intelli- Every form of attack is given a base dam- WORLD game has been overwhelminglygence score, if a solitary creature) is usedto determine the response to major negoti-

age score (equal to one-fourth the maxi- positive; thanks for all the support. Itsmum damage possible, or equal to half the vocal fans spell the real success of any

ations. The higher the score, the more Intensity or mutation score). This number game. The new GAMMA WORLD game islikely the creature will prove hostile andattempt to take control of the situation.

is then multiplied by the result factor to designed for all gamers with a passion fordetermine how much damage is inflicted. science fiction and wild adventure. Even if

White and black results are the most A Blue result inflicts one times base dam- you just play fantasy games, give the newfavorable, while red and orange results age; a green result inflicts two times; yel-prove the most negative or hostile. This

GAMMA WORLD game a try; it weaveslow inflicts three times; orange inflicts adventures of wonder and presents

response system may also be used to de- four times; and, red inflicts five times the challenges such as you have never seen.termine the morale response of foes or base damage score. For example, a swordretainers during combat, as outlined in the that causes a base damage of 5 hit points isnew rules. used to attack. The attack result is yellow,

so the amount of damage inflicted equals15 points.

Combat: This combat rules section was Weapons: All weapons found in thecompletely rewritten in an effort to original rules are listed on the new GM�sstreamline the system and to open it up to screen with all their abilities. If a GM hashandle any special types of attacks or created a new weapon he wants to con-situations which might arise. vert to the new system, he should draw a

Combat sequence: The sequence ofevents was reworked to provide for both

comparison between his invention andexisting weapons.

initiative importance, logical sequencing of Weapons no longer determine the attackactivities, and response to a foe�s actions.The side that wins the initiative in combat

score as they did in the original rules. This

may now choose to act first, or it mayis now a function of a character's Experi-ence Rank.

choose to wait and respond to an oppo- Mutations: You will probably note thatmutations do not attack using a character�snent�s actions during each phase of the

If you possess the third-editionGAMMA WORLD game with a RedDeath Rider mounted on a robobeaston the cover, make sure your setincludes a copy of the GAMMA WORLDRules Supplement. If not, you can get acopy of the GAMMA WORLD RulesSupplement for free. Send a postcardwith your name and address to:

GAMMA WORLD Game SupplementThe TSR® Mail Order Hobby Shop

P.O. Box 756Lake Geneva, WI 53147

80 JANUARY 1986

The Role of Books

by John C. Bunnel l

WINDMASTER�S BANETom Deitz

Avon 0-380-75029-5 $3 .50Once this column is typed, Windmaster�s

Bane will move from my desk to join some600 other science-fiction and fantasy nov-els on the bookshelves behind me. Moresignificantly, though, it will become one ofperhaps a dozen of those books that areplucked from the shelves regularly, to beread over and over with familiar pleasure.

Tom Deitz�s first novel carries a depth ofrealism rarely found in fantasy. The set-ting is rural Georgia, and the writing iskeenly observant. Deitz knows the lookand texture of the land, knows what occu-pies a farmer�s time in August, and knowsthe restlessness of young people caught inthat daily routine. As a result, his charac-ters are more than simply believable; theyare close enough to being real to makereaders think of them as friends ratherthan figments of the author�s imagination.

That achievement makes David Sullivan�sexperiences all the more unsettling. Davidis unusual for a teenaged Georgia farmboy, a bit shy and fiercely interested inCeltic mythology. So he is more than alittle worried when he develops whatseems to be second sight, and sees thingsthat probably belong an ocean away inIreland. Then he finds himself playing ariddle game with Ailill Windmaster, a lordof the Sidhe bent on dominating all theworlds he can touch.

What follows is a test of both David�sstrength of will and his ability to trustthose he loves. Before the novel is over,David must confront an authentic Irishbanshee, deal with a changeling left inplace of his five-year-old brother, andendure a ritual Trial of Heroes. Andamong the decisions he must make iswhether he will face the Sidhe alone or doit with the aid of friends who are them-selves struggling to understand what ishappening.

There is enough solid Celtic lore inWindmaster�s Bane � the banshee, thetrial, the matter-of-fact treatment of the

Sidhe character � to give DMs runningCeltic campaigns a host of excellent sug-gestions. But the reasons for readingDeitz�s novel go beyond game advice. If theSidhe really do hide along the edges of ourmodern world, this is almost certainlywhat it would be like to meet them.

THE ARCHITECT OF SLEEPSteven R. Boyett

Ace 0-441-02905-1 $2 .95The fine print on the cover describes

The Architect of Sleep as fantasy, butscience fiction is probably a more appro-priate designation. As inherently bizarreas the premise sounds, Steven Boyett hasworked out the whys and wherefores ofan America populated by giant telepathicraccoons with careful attention to anthro-pological and cultural details. The effect isto give his novel a gritty, low-key texturethat forces readers to take the situationvery much at face value.

The only factor lacking a thorough ex-planation is Jim Bentley�s unexpected shiftfrom the familiar Earth of 7-Elevens anddrive-in movies to the considerably fiercerrealm of the raccoons, which has a flavorthat is partly classical Greece and partlyCivil War. (The Civil War atmosphere iscreated largely by the names Bentley givesto people and places in this unusual setting�the raccoons� own names are mostlyuntranslatable � but the political environ-ment, involving a host of more or lessindependent city-states, recalls Athens andSparta as much as it does the AmericanSouth.)

Most of the book concerns Bentley�s slowadjustment to raccoon society, as he learnsthe language and gradually begins to dis-cover the identity of the reclusive Truck,who befriends Bentley and takes him on asa traveling companion. As such, it�s some-thing of a primer for a game master whowants to create his or her own race ofalien beings, whether for a fantasy orscience-fiction setting. While there is agreat deal of work involved (and while theraccoons themselves are probably a touchtoo difficult to render in a game situation),the rewards can be striking.

Boyett�s own execution is intelligent,often cynically humorous, and surpris-ingly fast-paced for a novel in which muchof the plot consists of lessons in historyand current events. It�s only at the book�send that one realizes the real action andadventure are yet to come � and thoughthat prompts a certain amount of irrita-tion, the next story in the saga of TheArchitect of Sleep is likely to be wellworth the wait.

THE LAST KNIGHT OF ALBIONPeter Hanratty

Bluejay 0-312-94281-8 $8.95No one should accuse The Last Knight of

Albion of presenting a tired theme � noother Arthurian novel has taken quitePeter Hanratty�s approach. What remainsunclear, however, is the direction in whichthe author intended to go.

Strictly speaking, Hanratty�s novel is apost-Arthurian tale. Its protagonist isPercevale, an earnest last-minute knight ofthe Round Table who has been trackingthe traitorous Sir Mordred ever since thebattle in which Arthur fell, and its story isboth of that quest and of the slow rebuild-ing of England after Arthur�s passing.

Yet, there are a host of distractions andseeming anachronisms. Mordred, now ahermit in an isolated marsh, is busy writ-ing his autobiography and interpretingArthur�s reign in light of classical Greekphilosophy. Hanratty�s Camelot has print-ing presses, and Percevale�s travels leadhim to a village where some of the houseshave real glass windows. The village lead-ers seem to be establishing a democraticsystem long before its time. And strangestof all, the Druids of this Albion have man-aged to build a kind of nuclear devicewhose first use sealed Arthur�s downfall.A passing reference credits Merlin withnever-completed plans to invent germwarfare.

The distant quality of Hanratty�s writingsuggests that any explanations are unim-portant, yet also conveys a vaguely schol-arly intent. Unfortunately, there isnowhere near enough support for thespeculation that The Last Knight of Albion

DR A G O N 81

is really an anti-nuclear political tract indisguise � an answer which would de-mystify matters considerably. But withoutthe obscure social criticism, the storybecomes rather thin relying too much ona slowly building romance between Per-cevale and the mysterious Elaine, fosterdaughter of the village physician.

As pure reference material, the bookmay possibly benefit players of Pendragonor others involved in Arthurian cam-paigns. For the most part, though, thenovel must be viewed as a literary experi-ment about which too little is known forthe results to be understood.

A MULTITUDE OF MONSTERSCraig Shaw Gardner

Ace 0 - 4 4 1 - 5 4 5 2 3 - 8 $ 2 . 9 5DMs who are serious about always giv-

ing the monsters an even break will bedelighted with Craig Shaw Gardner�s sec-ond book. Players, meanwhile, will doeverything possible to keep the novel outof reach so that they can giggle andguffaw over it themselves.

The central gag in this thoroughly ridic-ulous adventure is the Association for theAdvancement of Mythical and ImaginaryBeasts and Creatures, or AFTAOMAIBACfor short. AFTAOMAIBAC is essentially alabor union for monsters of all shapes andsizes � or will be, as soon as it gets orga-nized and finds a wizard to serve as itspublic-relations agent.

Unfortunately, the only wizard in itsimmediate vicinity is one Ebenezum, whohas other problems. Guxx Unfufadoo, thedreaded rhyming demon who has designson controlling the world, is one of them.Another problem is Ebenezum�s peculiarmagically inflicted allergy, which causeshim to sneeze violently in the presence ofmagic. (Not surprisingly, this makes itexceedingly difficult for the wizard to castspells.) This causes the monsters to singleout Wuntvor, Ebenezum�s highly inexperi-enced apprentice, as their candidate, butthis turns out to have its own liabilities.

The framework of Gardner�s series is acombination of melodrama and literallyhowling farce, as Ebenezum and Wuntvorjourney toward the city of Vushta insearch of a cure for the wizard�s allergyand help in fighting the truly vile poetry ofGuxx. Comparisons with Robert Asprin�sMyth series are valid, but there are differ-ences in approach and flavor. Gardnerrelies less on puns and wordplay, andthere is perhaps more straightforwardplot structure in his sequence as well,though by no means at the expense ofpreposterous situations and hilariouscombat scenes.

There are also lots of places where DMswill grin deviously and scribble notes forfuture reference � if they aren�t havingtoo much fun at the time. (Someoneshould definitely develop statistics for theBog Wombler.) A Multitude of Monsters isas funny a swashbuckler as anyone islikely to write, at least until Gardner fin-

82 JANUARY 1986

ishes the next book in the series. Andgiven that this one ends with a pronounce-ment of disaster straight out of the movieserials, another book is clearly forthcom-ing. Rarely has impending doom been suchgood news.

THE TROLL�S GRINDSTONEElizabeth Boyer

Del Rey 0 - 3 4 5 - 3 2 1 8 2 - 0 $3 .50Though Elizabeth Boyer has written

four previous novels set in the same gen-eral Scandinavian milieu, The Troll�s Grind-stone marks a step forward in her literarycareer, For the first time, plotting andcharacterization are as well crafted as therealm itself, and the result is a readable,thoughtful tale of deception and darkmagic.

There are several levels of deception atwork in the story. Most of them revolvearound Fridmarr, the long-vanished son ofan important Alfar whom many holdresponsible for the rise of Sorkvir, a de-crepit but powerful sorcerer whose cursestill plagues those he rules. Now Frid-marr�s father is dying, and Leifr, an ordi-nary mortal caught in a dangerouspredicament, is recruited to impersonatethe missing Alfar and attempt to lift thecurse.

From here, most of the elements aretraditional. There is a sword to be stolen, amissing grindstone on which the blademust be sharpened, and a quest whichmust be undertaken in order to lift thecurse. In addition, Leifr finds himselffalling in love with Ljosa, Fridmarr�s oldflame, which further complicates hismasquerade.

What is truly remarkable about thebook, however, is Boyer�s handling of the

supporting character Gotiskolker, a veryold Alfar who suffers from an addiction toone of Sorkvir�s magical preparations. In agame setting, Gotiskolker would be anNPC, but it would be a talented DM whocould capture the nuances of the part aswell as Boyer has in her narration.

The novels conclusion suggests moreadventures, but is also reasonably self-contained. Those seeking mythologicalmaterial will find the Scandinavian back-ground rather vague, providing moreflavor than substance. But though TheTroll�s Grindstone is decidedly average inmany respects, Boyer�s maturation as anovelist has enabled her to give it at leastone mark of unusual distinction.

HER MAJESTY�S WIZARDChristopher Stasheff

Del Rey 0 - 3 4 5 - 2 7 4 5 6 - 3THE WARLOCK IS MISSING

Christopher StasheffA c e 0 - 4 4 1 - 8 4 9 2 6 - 5 $ 2 . 9 5

It isn�t often that a popular fantasywriter has two new novels out in thespace of a month: one is a new episode ina long-established series; the other, anentirely new tale. While both of Chris-topher Stasheff�s latest books are wellworth reading, though, one is simply awell-crafted adventure yarn, whereas theother manages to be just a bit more.

The Warlock is Missing overlaps withStasheff�s previous entry in the Warlockseries, following the exploits of Rod Gal-lowglass�s children while Rod himself istrapped in another time. The four are apotent magical attack squadron, combin-ing various forms of telekinesis and tele-portation to devastating effect, and theyhave the grudging aid of Robin Goodfel-low, leader of elves and sometimebabysitter.

Their adversaries, as is usual in thisseries, are a variety of witting and unwit-ting agents of forces out to control theplanet Gramarye and its population ofnatural telepaths. The encounters aresatisfyingly frequent and creatively chore-ographed � all wizards should work thiswell together � but Stasheff is telling astory he has woven several times before,and it is beginning to get tired.

That isn�t to say that the basic plot ofHer Majesty�s Wizard is original; there aresome very loud echoes of the classicHarold Shea stories by L. Sprague deCamp and Fletcher Pratt. Like Harold,Matthew Mantrell conjures himself intoanother world by reading the secret for-mula off a scrap of paper, and he findshimself able to work magic through bor-rowed poetry once he arrives. Also likeHarold, Matthew rapidly picks up travel-ing companions, including a princess, adragon, a mysterious knight, and a witchand a priest of dubious morals.

There are also several points of similar-ity with Stasheff�s other books, eventhough Matthew�s newfound world isn�t

$ 3 . 5 0

the Warlocks. Like Gramarye, the newrealm is a �composite medieval� world,drawing its culture from a span severalcenturies wide in historical terms. Thegovernment is unabashedly feudal, andmagic � at the start of the adventure � islooked on with suspicion.

But Her Majesty�s Wizard is altogethermore mature than the Warlock books, ifonly in rather subtle ways. Matthew�sconflicts are personal, whereas the themesof the Gramarye series are mostly political.The magic Matthew wields is real ratherthan a technological construct, and thereis a quality of legend about the finale. Thenovel may still be a traditional quest story,but Stasheff has given it more attentionand care, and it shows in the characters.Even the humor is more sophisticated.

To date, Christopher Stasheff has shownhimself to be a smooth purveyor of solidlightweight tales featuring rapid-firemagic. Now there are signs that he isgrowing into a writer of greater depth andwisdom. Though Her Majesty�s Wizardisn�t a work of major literary importance,it is an adventure that shows thought aswell as craftsmanship. For that, Stasheffdeserves congratulations.

THE GAME OF FOX AND LIONRobert R. Chase

Del Rey 0-345-33384-5 $2 .95The description on the front of the page

proofs of Robert Chase�s first novel calls ita �rare mix of well-rounded characters,gripping intrigue, and believable spacebattle.� That�s not a bad summary, if ashade generous to Chase�s characteriza-tion. What it doesn�t suggest is that TheGame of Fox and Lion also has just theatmosphere to make a science-fiction RPGcampaign more sophisticated than theusual round of gunfights and pursuits.

That setting is the world of interstellareconomics � or more specifically, ofChiang Biosynthetics and its competitors.As the novel opens, John Lei Chiang�scorporation is fighting hostile firms fromelsewhere in the Centauran business com-munity, in conflicts more serious than amere price war. Then there are the Bes-tials, genetic constructs bent on conquer-ing the humans who created them.Political intrigue also threatens Chiang�sposition in the Centauran Council, itselfcontrolled by powerful business interests.

Chiang�s solution is to co-opt the servicesof Paul Niccolo Renard, a long-lost Multi-Neural Capacitant, to plan his strategy forhim. Multi-Neural Capacitants, like theBestials, are products of genetic engineer-ing, but the tinkering is with the brainrather than the body, thus producingvastly increased intellectual ability. Thereis, of course, a catch: MNCs (of whichRenard is the last) have been known toadopt a Hitler-like attitude of superioritytoward normal humans, and they aretherefore almost universally distrusted.

The novel swiftly turns into a study inMachiavellian plotting, with much uncer-

tainty as to who is manipulating whom. Atthe same time, Renard proves that histalents are adaptable to space warfare aswell as to back-room intrigue, in a seriesof battles with enough fireworks to satisfya Hollywood producer seeking a special-effects film.

Chase displays a sure hand with theoften intricate plot and gives his protago-nists more dimension than is often foundin yarns of this sort. Chiang�s verbal fenc-ing matches with Renard are written withan experienced ear. Still, The Game of Foxand Lion is best read for the larger inter-play between competing businesses, gov-ernments, and races � and in thatcontext, it�s an entirely satisfying tale withstyle and sharply logical suspense.

SILVERGLASSJ. F. Rivkin

Ace 0-441-76600-5 $2.95There are times when J. F. Rivkin seems to

have something subtle and vaguely unset-tling on her literary mind in Silverglass.Mostly, though, her mind is on telling therousing tale of two very different womenwho are thrown together in a dangerousseries of adventures.

The pair are Corson, freewheeling mer-cenary and sometime assassin, and LadyNyctasia, a noblewoman forced by temper-ament and politics to flee her city for thelife of a wanderer. They meet when twoseparate clients hire Corson to eliminateNyctasia, but Nyctasia beats both offersand takes Corson on as a bodyguard. Thetwo soon leave the dangerous city ofRhostshyl, but pursuers bent on variouskinds of revenge keep the chase goingthrough city, forest, and sea until a climac-tic confrontation ends the threat.

There is a great deal to like aboutSilverglass. Its heroines are spirited andengaging, yet not militantly feminist, soreaders can appreciate them as individualsrather than as political symbols. Nyctasia�ssorcery, which causes Corson no end ofconcern, is well conceived and intriguing,and the two women make excellent foilsfor one another. And there is just enoughdepth to the novel�s central conflicts tomake it more than one-dimensionalreading.

Yet there is just enough of a mysteriousundercurrent to arouse a touch of worry.As Phyllis Ann Karr observes in a testimo-nial, there is �plenty of bed-hopping� inSilverglass, some of which prompts raisedeyebrows and musings about Rivkin�spossible literary intent. Any such specula-tion, though, must stretch the books textnearly to the breaking point. None of thesex is even mildly graphic; its presence isan element slightly out of step with themain thread of the novel.

On balance, Rivkin has woven a lively,entertaining tale with much to recom-mend it to players of female characters innearly any fantasy game � and one whichshould appeal to both male and femalereaders. That�s a respectable achievement,

but it would be even more remarkable ifthere weren�t that tiny hint of odditylingering just below the surface.

RECURRING ROLESNo less than four different series have

concluding volumes finally available, allwith generally satisfying results. In partic-ular, Forever Begins Tomorrow (SignetVista, $2.95) brings the A.I. Gang sequenceto an unexpectedly thoughtful close whilemaintaining a lively pace. Test of the Twins(TSR, $3.95) does the same for theDRAGONLANCE® Legends trilogy, andMargaret Weis and Tracy Hickman havemanaged to work in a walk-on appearancefrom everyone�s favorite forgetful mage.

The wait for The Mountains of Channa-dran (Del Rey, $3.50) has been longer butjust as worthwhile. Susan Dexter�s se-quence includes a very well drawn sup-porting character in the wizard Reynaud,and the leisurely yet suspenseful pace is asassured as in earlier books. By contrast,The Quest for Saint Camber (Del Rey,$16.95) seems almost rushed, as KatherineKurtz tries to pack a brand-new villain andthe title quest into the same novel. ThoughKurtz�s Deryni remain absorbing, hersense of pace is becoming inconsistent,and this latest novel does not resolveenough loose ends to be effective as theclimax of its trilogy.

The Unicorn Gambit (Signet, $2.95) isharder to evaluate. For one thing, thoughit finishes a trilogy, two more books maybe yet to come. More seriously, this latestin David Bischoff�s saga of the GamingMagi wanders uncertainly back and forthbetween very broad comedy and a moreeven-handed tone. At least it�s finally possi-ble to see why the sequence is badlyflawed.

Much better news is the arrival of R. A.MacAvoy�s Twisting the Rope (BantamSpectra, $3.50), a sequel to the ingeniouslyquiet Tea With the Black Dragon. Thoughgamers� direct interest may be limited(how do dragons behave when they shape-change into human form � and get sick?),the writing is up to MacAvoy�s usual highstandard.

Esther Friesner is perhaps less polished,but New York by Knight (Signet, $2.95) isat least as unusual, involving a devilishlycunning dragon and an earnestly persist-ent knight whose final battle takes place inNew York City under the eyes of the crewfrom 60 Minutes. This one is less smooththan some of Friesner�s earlier novels, butthe novelty of the idea counts for a bit.

Finally, Garden of Evil (Random House/Find Your Fate, $2.50) resolves at leastsome of the questions about the series ofDoctor Who tales of which it is the third.David Martin returns with a solid storythat again transcends the multiple-plotform to compete favorably with the full-length novels. Doctor Who gamers shouldbe even more pleased with this than withMartin�s previous entry.

D R A G O N 8 3

CLYDECALDWELL

February 20, 1948: ClydeCaldwell, of Gastonia, North Caro-

February 20, 1950: Clyde is able tohold a pencil to draw. He looks upbriefly to blow out the two candleson his birthday cake. He thenresumes drawing.

November 20, 1986: Clyde is now

lina, is born. Unable to hold a pen-cil in his hand, he is forced tomentally plan his life’s work.

working for TSR, Inc., in Lake Geneva,Wisconsin. Clyde is still drawing . . .and painting and drawing and paint-ing and drawing.

Some artists accidentally discover theirlatent talents for art at an early age. Clyde isno exception, but it was not an accident.This single-minded artist grew up to be ex-actly what he had planned to be. “Actually,I became an artist sort of by default,” hesays drawing out his words with the ves-tiges of his southern accent still apparent.“I couldn’t do anything else! I was into mu-sic for awhile. I played the guitar for a localband. I also enjoyed writing both storiesand songs. But drawing and painting werethe easiest for me.”

Clyde became interested in painting fan-tasy and science-fiction art in junior highschool. “My biggest influences back thenwere the covers of the Edgar Rice Bur-roughs books. I wanted to paint pictureslike those covers. My parents had alwaysencouraged me in my artwork, but theydidn’t understand why I was painting sci-ence fiction. They wanted me to paint land-scapes and still lifes.” Nevertheless, Clydepersisted.

Clyde persisted through Gaston Commu-nity College, where he started his formal arteducation. He persisted through a fine-arts

degree from the University of North Caro-lina in Charlotte. And he persisted througha Masters of Fine Arts degree from the Uni-versity of North Carolina at Greensboro. “Ithought I might become a teacher, so I fig-ured the masters degree was a good idea.When I started doing some fanzine work,that idea was shot.”

After college, Clyde worked for a news-paper, the Charlotte Observer, as an illus-trator. After that, he worked in an advertis-ing agency as an illustrator and art director.He then decided to become a freelance art-ist. For seven years, Clyde worked on vari-ous freelance projects. One he is partic-ularly proud of is a series of paintingsbased on the Barsoom novels, which he didfor Heavy Metal Magazine.

During this time, Clyde did frequent workfor DRAGON® Magazine, mostly in theform of covers for the publication. “I wasoffered a job three different times by TSR,Inc., when I was freelancing. Finally, thethird time, I decided to come up to Wiscon-sin to meet the people I was working withlong distance, whom I might eventually beworking with face-to-face if I accepted theposition. I really liked the company and thepeople, so I agreed that day to work forthem.” Back in North Carolina, preparingfor his move, Clyde was teased by his fam-ily. “My going to Wisconsin was a joke. Myparents thought it was funny that I wasmoving to a climate that was cold andsnowy. After all, I had lived in North Caro-lina my whole life. I had no idea what I wasin for in Wisconsin”

So, not surprisingly, we find Clyde onceagain painting and illustrating to earn hisliving. Clyde even does painting and illus-trating in his free time. “OK, I also like toread, listen to music, and catch an occa-

ings for the 1986 AMAZING® Stories Calen-dar, plus the cover and three interiorpaintings for the newly-released 1987DRAGONLANCE Legends Calendar. Healso takes great pride in hisDRAGONLANCE module covers. Rapidlybecoming one of the top fantasy artists inthe country, Clyde has also won numerousawards at several top conventions.

When asked if he had any advice foryoung artists, Clyde sat back and thoughtfor a minute. “I hesitate to really encouragepeople to go into painting or illustrating asa profession. There’s a lot of competitionand hard work involved. I do get a lot of sat-isfaction from my work, though.”

Exactly how he had planned it.

sional movie, but I really doenjoy doing my artwork.”

Clyde’s most recent workincludes the covers for the

three paintings for the 1985GREYHAWK™ Adventures novels,

DRAGONLANCE® Calendar, three paint-

pursuits of childhood. Grade school was asnap for her, “so I skipped second grade. Idecided to finish off my high school careerin three years, and graduated when I was15 years old.” Her next stop was the Univer-sity of Akron, where she majored in bothchemistry and Russian, receiving a bache-lor’s degree in both subjects.

As busy as she was, however, Penny didfind time for other activities besides study-ing. Enter the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®game. “In college, I was introduced to thegame by a boyfriend who met with a regu-lar group. I was immediately intrigued bythe game, but I just watched and knitted atfirst instead of playing. Then, without tell-ing anyone, I went out and bought all theDUNGEONS & DRAGONS game books Icould find and studied them. The next timethe gaming group met, I was ready forthem. They were amazed at how much Iknew about the game already! From thenon, I was hooked. I quickly became a prefer-red Dungeon Master among the players. Ithink it’s because I liked to have control ofthe gamebeing a player.”

— I can’t stand the suspense of

This involvement with the gameled her to start working with

PENNYPETTICORD

With a grin of amusement, Penny Petti-cord began the task of getting through thisinterview. “I’m doing this under protest. Ihad to be ambushed and hog-tied. Will youlet me go before it hurts too much?” Afterbeing assured that the interview was pain-less, despite being dragged from her office,Penny finally consented to reveal somefacts about her life that have remained un-known even to those who work with her.

On July 2, 1958, Akron, Ohio received anew resident. Essentially an only child (herbrother and sister are much older), Pennydid not waste much time with the trivial

game conventionswhile she was still in college.Starting with the smaller conventions, sheworked her way up to the larger ones. In1982, TSR, Inc., was given the responsibil-ity for the GEN CON® East II convention.Penny was there in an administrative posi-tion, helping to create a successful gameconvention. There, she also became ac-quainted with several people from TSR,Inc., and decided to apply for the positionof RPGA™ Network coordinator. At the time,the person in charge of hiring didn’t thinkshe was the best candidate for the job. “Ididn’t get it,” she says with a smile.

After college, Penny had trouble findingwork in her field. Industry in Ohio at thetime was depressed, so she accepted a po-sition at the University of Akron as a stu-dent assistant. Her job was to helpsynthesize a potential new rocket fuel forcruise missiles. During this time, Pennycontinued to work with conventions. And,because of suggestions by friends fromTSR, Inc., “I applied again at TSR for a posi-tion that I did get — as a games questionsexpert.”

Part of Penny’s duties when she arrivedhere were to write a column called “DispelConfusion” for POLYHEDRON™ Newszine.Now, she edits the whole magazine, in ad-dition to her duties as the administrator ofthe RPGA Network. Penny also has tackledtournament programing, revamping it to bemore useful for conventions requesting atournament sanctioned by the RPGA Net-work. She also introduced a new experi-ence-point system which establishes apermanent record of how well players per-form in tournaments. With enough points,players can participate in the RPGA MastersTournament.

With this all-consuming schedule ofwork, Penny still has time for other activi-ties. “I love birds. Right now I have a red-faced parrot named Shame.” She enjoysknitting and needlework, and occasionallylikes to swim. “Because of the conventionsI’ve attended, I’ve been able to swim in theAtlantic and Pacific oceans, and the Gulf ofMexico — all in one year!”

It seems that Lake Geneva is no longeradequate for this convention-goer. Pennyplans to attend several conventions in thecoming year, and hopes to meet and talkwith many more avid fans of the game.

NEW PRODUCTS FOR FEBRUARY1987

LAZER TAG� Official Live Action GameHandbook

by James M. WardThe hottest new toy item for 1986 and

1987 now has its own special book ofgames! Because of the incredible demandand interest in the unique new game that issweeping America, TSR, Inc., has createdwhole new games and activities to use withthe LAZER TAG™ equipment. The bookincludes games, safety rules and tips, andofficial club information.

Suggested Retail Price: $7.95Product No.: 8050

Lazer Tag is a trademark of Worlds of Wonder, Inc.

©1986 World of Wonder, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

X12 Skarda�s MirrorD&D® Game Adventureby Aaron AllstonMarauding bandits have repeatedly

raided the countryside, and a mage isg a l l a n t l y p u r s u i n g t h e m , o n l y t oaccidentally stumble upon their hideoutand a strange mirror the bandits havestashed there. An investigation is in orderwhen both the bandit leader and the magedisappear into the mirror’s unknownrealms!


OA3 Ochimo, The Spirit WarriorAn AD&D® Oriental Adventures

Moduleby Jeff GrubbAn unearthly spirit haunts a colony in Far

Eastern lands. The heroes must find thespirit and defeat this dangerous warriorfrom battles past.


CHEERS® GameFamily GameBased on the Emmy Award-winning

CHEERS® television show! The famousBoston bar “where everybody knows yourname” provides the setting for fans andwould-be fans to play their favoriteCHEERS® character and to engage in agame of zany notes and quotes. Can youmee t t he cha l l enge o f “No rm ie ’ sOlympics?”


CHEERS ® and ©1987 Paramount Pictures Corp.

GW7 Beta PrincipleGAMMA WORLD® Game Adventure

by Bruce NesmithA vis i t to the remains of an o ld

amusement park sets the stage for anexciting adventure to the legendaryskywalking city of the ancients. Thismodule continues the campaign seriesintroduced in GW6 Alpha Factor.


AMAZING® Science-Fiction StoriesThe Wonder Years: 1926-1935Edited by Martin H. GreenbergThis illustrated collection of classic

science fiction is the best from the1926-1935 issues of AMAZING Stories andi n c l u d e s b i z a r r e t a l e s f r o m s u c hscience-fiction greats as H.P. Lovecraft,John W. Campbell, Julian Huxley, andEdmond Hamilton.


SNARFQUEST: The BookDRAGON® Magazine Specialby Larry ElmoreA comic quest for wealth, power, and all

that good stuff, this special magazinegathers three years of the popular fantasycartoon strip which has appeared in thepages of DRAGON® Magazine. Created byone of the most noted fantasy artists inAmerica.


NEW PRODUCTS FOR MARCH 1987

IM2 The Wrath of OlympusD&D® Immortals Game Adventureby Bob BlakeThe lords of Olympus are back! Deep in

the mountains of the Broken Lands, theseImmortals claim their power over humans.This unthinkable act has broken theunspoken law of the Immortals to noti n t e r f e r e w i t h h u m a n i t y . W h o i sresponsible? Who can rid the world of thisImmortal menace?


I11 NeedleAD&D® Game Adventureby Frank MentzerDeep in the depths of a dark and

dangerous jungle, there stands a magicalobelisk that the adventurers must retrieve.As if that wasn’t enough, now they must gothrough the portal that has opened in theobelisk, and they find themselves in astrange, new world. . . .


C6 The Official RPGA� TournamentHandbook

AD&D® Game AdventureEdited by Penny PetticordPenny Petticord, RPGA™ Network

coordinator, and TSR, Inc., bring you thisspecial product that includes two of theofficial RPGA™ Network tournaments andoffers the official guidelines for writingtournaments and adventures. Scoringsheets are also included, so the players cancreate all the thrills and competition oftournament adventure.


MA3 The Ultimate Powers BookMARVEL SUPER HEROES� Game

Accessoryby David MartinSo, you want to liven up your game with a

few new powers for your super-poweredheroes? How about almost 300 new superpowers? This collection of new powers, aresult of years of intensive comic-bookresearch, can be used by all players. WHATIF™ . . . Aunt May™ became an EnergyVampire with Serial Immortality? WouldGalactus™ EVER be safe again?


MARVEL SUPER HEROES and the Marvel Universe

are trademarks of the Marvel Comics Group.

©1986 Marvel Comics Group. All Rights Reserved.

CHASE� GameFamily Board GameAn award-winning game played with

multiple dice, the CHASE™ game provideshours of fun for young and old alike. Aprivately printed edition of CHASE™ waslisted in the OMNI™ TOP 10 GAMES andthe GAMES 100 in GAMES™ magazine.Destined to become a classic!


CHASE� & ©1987 Blue Dolphin Games. All Rights

Reserved.

Curse of the WerewolfAD&D® Adventure Gamebook #12by Chris MartindaleUnder the spell of a powerful wizard, the

young warrior Ferral seems doomed tospend the rest of his days as a wolf, unlessa way can be found to reverse the terribletransformation that makes his body growmore and more wolflike.


DueltrackCAR WARS® Gamebook #3by Scott HaringAgainst the glamorous background of

Indianapolis high-speed racing, you mustbattle your way to victory. The competitorsyou can handle, the saboteurs you expect,but your experimental robot may turn out tobe your worst enemy yet!


CAR WARS® & ©1987 Steve Jackson Games. AR

Rights Reserved.

Leaves from the Inn of the Last HomeThe Complete DRAGONLANCE®

Sourcebookby Tika and Caramon Majere,

Proprietorsedited by Margaret Weis and Tracy

HickmanThis delightful sourcebook includes

songs, recipes, timelines, scholarly essayson race and philosophy, and quotablequotes from the characters of Krynn. Withspecial commentary by Tika and Caramon

Majere, proprietors of the inn. Welcome tothe Inn of the Last Home!

Suggested Retail Price: $12.95Product No. 8446

Once Upon a MurderA WINDWALKER� BookIn this bizarre novel, a Chicago detective

is gunned down in an alley, but wakes upwith an arrow in his chest, in the midst of amedieval mystery plot! He must find whoshot the arrow, or he may never be able toreturn to his own body, but be caughtforever in a time filled with new dangers.

Suggested Retail Price: $2.95Product No. 8720

Bimbos of the Death SunA WINDWALKER� Bookby Sharyn McCrumbThis murder mystery is set at a fantasy

convention peopled by fanatic fans, wherea br i l l iant but egot is t ica l author ismurdered. Discover how the killer isrevealed by a novice game master in theultimate role-playing finale!


Unless otherwise noted:

®denotes registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.

� denotes other trademarks owned by TSR. Inc.

©1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Adventure Trivia: The Answers

The trivia questions themselves ark onpage 26 of this issue.

1. The small galley, though the largegalley equals its speed when oared (DMG,page 54)

2. Poseidon (LL, page 58)3. Cthulhu and Melnibonéan pantheons4. 10 (PH, pages 10 and 118)5. One minor discipline (PH, page 111)6. (a) chickens (PH, pages 35-36)7. (d) short sword (PH, page 38)8. 10% (PH, page 28)9. Senior Assassin (PH, page 30)

10. 21 (7 x 3) hit points (PH, pages 21and 37)

11. 15 (PH, page 26)12. 14 (PH, page 15)13. Yes, with a wish (PH, page 12)14. This may occur in certain special

surprise and weapon speed factor situa-tions (DMG, pages 62 and 66)

15. No (DMG, page 65)16. MC: B (DMG, page 51)17. AD&D game module S4, The Lost

Caverns of Tsojcanth18. 101 (DMG, page 140)19. Four; a giant lizard can bite for dou-

ble damage (2-16) on a roll of 20 (MMI,page 61)

20. Yes, but only a staff of striking (PH,page 26)

21. 6th level (MMI, page 30)22. No (MMI, pages 16 and 19)23. 78: 8 hp/level for hit dice, and 5/level

for constitution (PH, pages 15, 22 and 30,and LL, page 7)

24. (e) small, old lung wang (FF, page 28)25. 3 points/round, as for everyone else

(PH, page 116)26. 5th (PH, page 113)27. Seven (PH, page 100)28. None; charms do not affect wights

(MMI, page 100)29. A thin sheet of crystal, approxi-

mately 1� x 1� in size (PH, page 85)30. 100 miles (PH, page 62)31. Yes (PH, page 61)

32. 3� game scale, or 30� (PH, page 50)33. +3 (PH, page 44)34. A pinch of dust (PH, page 43)35. No; it is easier to hit the man with

padded armor (PH, page 38)36. 1-8/1-6 hp damage (PH, page 37)37. None, as there are no female deep

gnome characters (UA, page 11)38. 9 (UA, page 10, and PH, page 15)39. James Ward and Robert Kuntz40. No; Druaga is a lesser god (LL, pages

9 and 23)41. Skoraeus Stonebones (LL, pages

9 3 - 9 4 )42. (b) Sir Galahad (LL, page 19)43. Sumerian (LL, page 110)44. 17 (LL, page 116)45. Immediately gain 2 points on your

major ability (DMG, page 142)46. 30� (DMG, page 140)47. The wand of polymorphing (DMG,

page 136)48. 10 (DMG, pages 166-167)49. None at all (DMG, page 109)50. 60 lbs. (DMG, page 138)51. Potion of undead control (DMG, page

121, and UA, page 84)52. (c) lawful evil (DMG, page 37)53. Five (UA, pages 87-88)54. Demi-lich (AD&D module S1, Tomb

of Horrors)55. A powerful (and intelligent) magical

trident56. The (short, +6 defender) Sword of

Kas57. 14 (DMG, page 166)58. No (PH, pages 26 and 42)59.12" (UA, page 11)60. 1979 (August)61. DRAGON® Magazine issue #49 (May,

1981)62. 20; this also excludes monsters simi-

lar to dragons, such as dragonnes, dragonturtles, chimeras, dracolisks, fire lizards,etc.

63. Q1, Queen of the Demonweb Pits,recently re-released in GDQ 1-7, Queen ofthe Spiders

64. 200 (PH, page 35)65. D2, The Shrine of the Kuo-Toans,

recently re-released in GDQ 1-7, Queen ofthe Spiders

66. Yeenoghu and Baphomet are cur-rently at war (MMII, page 36)

67. Permanency (PH, page 91, and DMG,page 46)

68. 9th (UA, page 20)69. The victim becomes petrified (UA,

page 67)70. 6� (UA, page 75)71. 500 gp (UA, page 79)72. The viewer is held permanently and

may die (UA, page 99)73. 66 (UA, page 30)74. 21 gp (UA, page 26)75. Gray dwarves (UA, page 10)76. 55 lbs. (UA, page 75)77. 17� (UA, page 76)78. 52 (UA, page 79)79. Five (UA, page 80)80. +7 (PH, page 91)81. AC 6 (PH, page 36), but optionally

AC 5 (DMG, page 28)82. Tightrope walking, pole vaulting,

jumping, and tumbling (UA, page 23)83. Yes (UA, page 22)84. No (UA, page 13)85. 1% (UA, page 80)86. A broad sword, �final word� type

(UA, page 105)87. Dwarves (UA, page 111, and LL, page

91)88. (b) pole cleaver family (UA, pages

125-126)89. Monadic (MMII, page 43)90. No (MMII, page 44)91. Carnivorous (MMII, page 55)92. 11 (MMII, page 38)93. D1, Descent into the Depths of the

Earth, re-released in GDQ 1-7, Queen ofthe Spiders

94. Yes (DMG, page 177, and MMI, page4 4 )

95. 4th (DMG, pages 174 and 178)96. It turns to powder (DMG, page 154)97. Nine (DMG, page 150)98. Cli Lyre (DMG, page 148)99. 25% (DMG, page 144)100. The flumph (FF, page 39)

88 JANUARY 1986

The address of DRAGON® Magazineis P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI53147, and that�s all you need tomake sure your letter gets here. Butyou can help us serve you morequickly by adding a line at the top ofthe address to tell us what depart-ment should receive your letter orpackage. Call it a �manuscript sub-mission,� �cartoon submission,��query letter,� or any other shortphrase that tells us what�s inside, andit�ll get exactly where it�s supposedto go.

ing relations with our licensers, and lotsmore. I don�t know how he gets it alldown; maybe it's that huge sword thatdangle s over his desk, held only by a thinstring.

Finally, Harold Johnson, previously headof R&D Games, has taken on new chal-lenges as Director of Consumer Services,which encompasses a number of areasmentioned above. He�s working hard onthe 1988 GEN CON/ORIGINS games con-vention, the new On-Line Hobby Shop onCompuServe, and a lot of special projects.

Michael DobsonA new column fromthe game designers The plane truth

As I write this (early November), I�mabout three-quarters of the way throughthe rough draft of the Manual of the

News from Lake Genevabegone letters we get, because we�re usually too Planes, the premier AD&D® hardback

It�s been a quiet week in Lake Geneva, busy getting the games and modules writ- release for 1987, due out in May. It should

my home town. . . . be finished by this Thanksgiving, if all goes

Actually, there�s always a lot going on inten and edited. But we take the letters weget very seriously, and we read them well and the computer doesn�t crash. That

the twisting corridors and catacombs of carefully. If you like something one of us may seem like a long time between com-

the TSR, Inc., building in sunny Lake has done (or if you don�t), write and tell pletion and publication, but during Decem-

Geneva, Wisconsin, and it�s high time we us. We listen. ber a group of friends(?) and fellow AD&D

started letting you in on some of it. game enthusiasts will take the manuscript

This semi-regular column will be written What goes around, comes around apart, and I�ll be rewriting in January by

by members of the Games Department at We�ll start off the �hard news� with a the time most folk read this.

TSR, Inc. The Games Department is one of few personnel announcements. The Manual of the Planes began as a

the three �product-originating� depart- Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis, who simplification and codification of 10 years

ments in the Research & Development left TSR, Inc., earlier this year to work of planar material by a variety of talented

Division (the other two are Books and with a computer games company, have and diverse hands. It has evolved into

Magazines). These three departments, as returned to the fold! They rejoined the something more: a guidebook for survival

well as Graphic Arts, Purchasing, Manu- company in October, and are splitting and adventuring in the Ethereal, Astral,

facturing, and Consumer Services (which their work between the Games and Books and Inner and Outer Planes, using much

consists of the RPGA� Network, GEN Departments. They will be working on of the material that had been previously

CON® convention staff, and the TSR® Mail 1987�s DRAGONLANCE® products, which published in magazines, modules, source-

Order Hobby Shop), are headed by TSR include editing a proposed anthology of books, and hardbacks.

Vice-President Mike Cook (who is also short stories (with a novella by Margaret I�ve also been trying to maintain the

Publisher of this magazine). and Tracy), a proposed hardbound book, �sense of wonder� that the planes should

The �TSR Profiles� feature that has been an art book of the DRAGONLANCE world, have and not to explain them to death. All

running for the past 15 months or so has an atlas of Krynn, and lots more. They of the various planes, with the exceptions

introduced many of the leading lights of commandeered a double office, installed of the demi-planes, are infinite, and there

the R&D division � and there are more to their Macintosh Plusses, and started to should be room for all manner of DM-

come! We�ve been working hard to let you work immediately. In addition to their created monsters, outposts of magical

know who we are and what we do, so that DRAGONLANCE work, Margaret and nations, and any pantheon the DM feels

if there�s something you don�t like (or Tracy have started creating a new world; useful in his campaign. I feel that I am

better yet, something you do like), you can all details are currently classified; but it setting the stage for bigger things to come.

sound off to the right person. will be out in early 1988. Everyone was Here�s a question. Would people out

The Games Department is responsible glad to see them back (what do you mean, there be interested in a series of planar

for creating all game products, including you didn�t even know they were gone?), articles talking more about specific new

modules, new game systems, board games, and we�re looking forward to great things. monsters, spells, and magical items in the

accessories, and the like. There are three Warren Spector, for many years Editor- planes? This stuff would NOT appear in

game designers (David �Zeb� Cook, Doug in-Chief of Steve Jackson Games (also the the Manual of the Planes, but would sup-

Niles, and Jeff Grubb), three game editor/ developer of the TOON role-playing game) plement it, appearing in DRAGON®

developers (Steve Winter, Anne McCready, has accepted a job with us as a games Magazine. Let me know.

and Mike Breault), a game acquisitions editor. He�ll be starting in January, and his Jeff Grubb

coordinator (Bruce Heard, who buys first project will be editing the new TOPgames and modules from freelancers), anda freelance editing coordinator (KarenMartin, who supervises freelance editing,development, and reviews). The depart-ment head is Michael Dobson (that�s me). Iyell about deadlines, coordinate schedul-ing and new product planning, and doother management stuff.

In this column, various people in thedepartment take turns telling you abouttheir projects and plans, and ask you forfeedback. We can�t always answer the

90 JANUARY 1986

SECRET® game, which will be out for1987. Welcome aboard, Warren!

Jaunty Jim Ward, designer of theGAMMA WORLD® game, who has alsobeen doing freelance work for the TSRBook Department for the past few years,has rejoined our staff. Jim is wearingmany different hats, working simultane-ously for the Games Division on a super-secret licensed product (we�ll tell youabout it next month), writing and consult-ing for the Books Department, coordinat-

Second sightOkay, there is undoubtedly at least one

person out there who is wondering: �Whyis he called Zeb?� Well, you know some-thing � I�m not going to tell you. Just whyI am called Zeb is a mystery I prefer tokeep. So there.

To kick the first installment of thiscolumn off, I suppose I�d best tell youwhat I�m doing. Actually, I�ve got a reallyminor project, hardly anything at all. It�sjust this little thing called �ADVANCED

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® Game: TheSecond Edition.� It�s not like it�s a lot ofwork or anything. Oh, no. It�s only thefirst major reorganization, clean-up, anddevelopment of the AD&D game since itwas introduced. It�s time to make sure thatthe AD&D game stays up-to-date andfresh.

What I�m doing is coordinating most ofthe design efforts on the game. Just whatdoes this mean? You�ll have a chance tofind out in this column in the monthsahead, as soon as I figure it out myself. Icould say that we are scrapping all thecharacter classes, totally changing thecombat system, creating a new magicsystem, eliminating experience points, andall sorts of other lies. But I wouldn�t dothat, would I? I don�t know . . . and youwon�t know, unless you take the time andtrouble to write to me and tell me youropinions! I�m probably not going to writeback to you (if I answered all my letters,I�d never get the work done), but I amgoing to read my mail carefully. I�m justbeginning the project that is going to bring

(From page 9)

for about seven and a half years, mostly AD&Dgames until about five years ago. I got fed upwith realism articles a long time ago as well.Fantasy role-playing is not a simulation of reallife; it is a simulation of fantasy books andmotion pictures. Reality and fantasy role-playingare, in my eyes at least, mutually exclusiveconcepts. Any game (or book or film or whathave you) that operates on the postulate thatmagic actually works and that dragons are onthe move, having a halfling or three for a mid-morning snack, should have no truck withreality. I play AD&D games and the other dozenor so role-playing games I own to get away fromreality. I don�t need my DM throwing a weatherforecast at me and saying, �But, Pat, that�s howit works in real life!� when I�m playing a half-orcassassin out to get a high-ranking elvish noble-woman. Anybody who has actually seen adragon munching on halflings or a half-orcassassin after an elvish noblewoman should bereferred to a competent psychiatrist.

On the fabled Second Edition AD&D gameworks: please hurry. The AD&D game, in itscurrent form, is strangling itself; there arecurrently nine, soon to be ten [twelve — Editor]hardback rule books and literally hundreds ofmodules and accessories. As an article in issue#114 points out, character generation materialalone is scattered to heck and gone betweeneight or nine places between three or fourbooks (the author, Robert Kelk, insists fiveplaces in two books). So are the DM�s informa-tion, the various pantheons of deities, andhundreds of monsters. Nobody really asked mefor these, but here are my recommendations asto how the Second Edition books should bedone. E. Gary Gygax put forth the plan onwhich this is modeled.

the AD&D game up to the state-of-the-art should see the last word in state-of-the-artin adventure role-playing, and I need your role-playing in the modern world.h e l p . Doug Niles

Besides working on the AD&D gamerevision, I�ve just finished an SPI� war-game and have started work on a newOriental Adventures module, due out nextsummer. And, there�s the inevitable SecretProject or two, but I�ll tell you about themjust as soon as Michael will let me.

David �Zeb� Cook

Classified reportAgent Niles reporting: The new TOP

SECRET game project is keeping me busyand entertained. The game system, whileretaining the detail and accuracy of theoriginal, is a new and fast-playing ap-proach to espionage role-playing. Althoughthose players who enjoy commando opera-tions and other wahoo missions will not bedisappointed, the new TOP SECRET gamewill offer a little more meat to the detec-tive and investigative types of players. Thegame�s environment is being expanded inall directions, and next summer you

Secrets revealed!Jim Ward here. TSR, Inc., has asked me

to tell you a bit about the new Official Handbook we areproducing in January. Everyone knows is sweeping the nation as thehottest new since Now, we are bringing to and an handbook of and that will want to buy and use foryears. are expected to be well over and with a any game player canafford . This isjust the beginning in a long line of

that is guaran-teed to be hasbecome with the people who own .Hope you like it!

Jim Ward

First, there should be a completely revamped for the demons and devils). There should bePlayer�s Handbook. All the player information revised encounter tables and an occasionalfrom the original Players Handbook, Unearthed new illustration. This would also be a likelyArcana, Oriental Adventures, Dungeoneer�s place for the more popular of the many NPCSurvival Guide, and Wilderness Survival Guide classes.should be taken out, reorganized, cleaned up, Finally, the new Legends and Lore: it shouldrewritten and re-edited where necessary, and have all the deity information from any and allthen bound into a single volume. There should of the above sources in a recompiled and up-be height, weight, age, social class, order of dated format. There are new pantheons you canbirth, and circumstance of birth tables included add as well � for instance, the Suel pantheon.herein. Similarly, there should be alternate Expanded non-human deity coverage could helpsystems for hand-to-hand combat. It should also as well.have a lot of illustrations, since a lot of people Patrick Goodmanwho play the game have never seen what the Webster, TXdeuce a ranseur looks like.

Similarly, the Dungeon Masters Guide shouldbe reworked. Dungeon Master informationfound in all of the above volumes, as well as theDMG, should have similar work done to it. Thecharacter generation information should berepresented here in a concise format, such asfound in the cover sheet to REF1, the DM�sscreen (which, by the way, was outdated theday Unearthed Arcana came out). Some of theinteresting NPC classes should be presented

(From page 3)

here or in the revised Monster Manual (more onthat momentarily). Among these are the senti-nel, the mariner, and my favorite, the witch.

PC profilesAlternate character generation methods, revisedexperience value tables (to include all new

Dear Dragon:

monsters), revised treasure listings, and revisedI have just finished reading most of the latest

combat matrices should be included in a nice,issue (#115) and would like to congratulate bothyou and Kim Mohan.

neat, organized fashion. Psionics, in my opinion, In your editorial, you said that if anyone hadought to be ditched. This discipline doesn�t fitwell within a fantasy setting. Put psionics in an

any new ideas that this would be the time topresent them. Well, as I was reading the special

SF game and you�re okay. Psionics tends to makecharacters who are potentially powerful magic-

section on thieves, I came up with an idea for anew section similar to �The Role of Books� and

users into potentially deadly walking tanks.The new Monster Manual should have all the

creatures found in the Monster Manual, Mon-ster Manual II, FIEND FOLIO* Tome, and Orien-tal Adventures, placing them in a revised,consistent, updated format. Everything andeverybody should be reshuffled to propercategories again (all of the dragons should betogether in alphabetical order, regardless ofOccidental or Oriental origin; the same goes

the �The Role of Computers� columns. It wouldfeature one character a month, supplied by thereaders. The reader would write down basicstats and general information about the charac-ter, who could conceivably be from any role-playing game. It would take up approximatelyone page or more. The player could send alonga brief review of the events of a favorite adven-ture or the weirdest thing ever to happen to thecharacter.

DR A G O N 91

This would give DMs a chance to see newitems and some NPCs for future use in a cam-paign. Perhaps to accompany this you couldhave the player send along a description for anartist�s rendering or, if they already have apicture, the picture itself.

I sort of like this idea and I hope you use it. Iknow you can�t use all of the ideas you receive,but please give this one some consideration.

Pat LiebergRogers, MN

This idea is a good one, but POLYHEDRON™Newszine is currently running a similar feature(“The New Rogues Gallery”). We would rather

Got a question about an article? Asubject you�d like us to cover � ornot cover? What do you think of themagazine you�re reading? Drop us aline at �Letters,� P.O. Box 110, LakeGeneva WI 53147. We�ll read everyletter we get, and we�ll select certainletters of general interest for publica-tion � maybe even yours!

not have our subject matter overlap that of thenewszine. Interested writers should contact thePOLYHEDRON Newszine, P.O. Box 509, LakeGeneva, WI 53147 for more information on thiscolumn. — RM

Canadianc u s t o m e r s

Dear Dragon:My question concerns the ad on page 33 of

issue #114, from Tharla Enterprises. They areoffering five posters on AD&D® gaming themes,but at the bottom of the ad, it says, �Offer goodonly in U.S.� Is there any way to order them ifyou live in Canada? If not, is there any companythat offers AD&D game posters to Canadiancustomers?

About Thomas Kane�s article, �Guilty asCharged,� I found one thing that is wrong. Idon�t know too much about U.S. law, but I doknow that in Canada a life sentence is only 25years. Therefore, it is better to commit a felonywith a rating of 10 then one of 7 or 9.

Randolph N. L. MitsonSimcoe, Ontario

Mary Parkinson contacted Tharla Enterprises,which is licensed by TSR, Inc., to produce theseposters. The company will accept orders for theposters from Canada, so long as the orders areaccompanied by a check or money order inAmerican funds. The posters will soon be madeavailable in many other countries as well. — RM

92 JANUARY 1986

94 JANUARY 1986

I n d e x t oA d v e r t i s e r s

Adventure Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Holoubek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Bard Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Iron Crown Enterprises, Inc. . . . . 1,Britton Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 back coverChaosium Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 K Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45, 78Compleat Strategist, The . . . . . . . . . . 35 Larry Elmore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92Direct Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Leading Edge Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Doubleday SF Book Club . . . . . . . . . 7 Mayfair Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93DRAGON® Magazine . . . . . . . . . . 20 Palladium Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Fantasy Games Unlimited . . . . . . . 9, 15 R. Talsorian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21FASA Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Steve Jackson Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Game Designers' Workshop . . . . . . 13 TSR., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79, 89Game Systems Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 TU-E Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Games Workshop . . . . . 75, inside front West End Games . . . . inside back cover

cover

D R A G O N 9 5

PANDEMONIUM IV, Jan. 17This gaming convention will be located in the

Hub Cafeteria, Ryerson Polytechnical Institute,350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario. Eventsinclude fantasy role-playing tournaments, boardgames, miniature contests, auctions, dealers,and more. Registration is $7 before the conven-tion and $8 at the door. For more information,write to: The General Staff, P.O. Box 425, StationA, Downsview, Ontario, CANADA, M3M 3A8.

GRIFO CON, Jan. 23-25Sponsored by �I Giochi dei Grandi� game shop

in Verona, this convention will be held at theHotel Mediterraneo in Marina di Grosseto,Grosseto, Italy. Featured events include a 3-round AD&D® tournament, BATTLESYSTEM�and Warhammer game miniatures battles, andother role-playing and fantasy board games. Formore details, contact: Robert Di Meglio, ViaMameli 50, CAP 58100, Grosseto, ITALY.

CALCON II, Jan. 30-Feb. 1This gaming convention will be held at the

University of Calgary in Alberta. W. Backhaus(co-creator of Chivalry and Sorcery) is the Guestof Honor. Special events include an AD&Dtournament with a guaranteed first prize of50% of the tournament fee (tournament entryfees are $5 per person). Other events include avariety of role-playing, board, and miniaturesgames. Registration is $3 until Dec. 1, 1986, $5until January 15, 1987, and $6 at the door. Forfurther information, write to: Calcon II, P.O. Box762K, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary,Alberta, CANADA T2N 1N4.

CABIN FEVER CON, Jan. 31The Kobold Gaming Society will host this

convention from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday,January 31. This gaming convention will be heldat the Northern Hills U. M. Church at 6700Winton Road in Cincinnati, OH. Admission forthe entire day is $2.50 at the door. Events in-clude role-playing games, miniatures competi-tions, board games, and a miniature paintingcontest. For more information, send a SASE to:Kobold Gaming Society, 2490 Queen City Avenue#6, Cincinnati OH 45238 or call Tusk Stevens at(513) 661-3319.

WARCON 87, Feb. 6-8WARCON 87 will be held at the Texas A&M

University. Events include role-playing camps,boardgames, a miniatures contest, guest speak-ers, and a schedule of movies, Interested per-sons are invited to contact: WARCON 87, c/o

96 JANUARY 1986

MSC NOVA, Texas A&M University, CollegeStation TX 77841, or call (409) 845-1515.

DUNDRACON XI, Feb. 13-16The oldest gaming convention on the West

coast, DunDraCon XI will be held at the OaklandAirport Hyatt Hotel. Events will include opengaming, con-sponsored games, a dealers� room,seminars, SCA demonstrations, a flea market,and a figure painting contest. Memberships are$15 through Feb. 1, $20 at the door, and $10 forone-day registrations. For more details, write:DunDraCon XI, 386 Alcatraz Ave., Oakland CA94618.

ORCCON �87, Feb. 13-16The 10th running of this gaming convention

will take place at the LAX Hyatt Hotel. Featuredevents will include role-playing, wargaming,miniatures, computer, and family game tourna-ments. Other events will include seminars,demonstrations, auctions, flea markets, and anexhibitor�s area. Registration is $16 in advanceand $20 at the door. For more information,contact: ORCCON �87, c/o DTI, P.O. Box 8399,Long Beach CA 90808, or call (213) 420-3675.

FOLIE-CON �87, Feb. 27-March 1This bilingual gaming convention will be held

at the Ramada Inn in Montreal, Quebec. Fea-tured events will include AD&D tournaments, avariety of role-playing games, micro-armor andminiature events, 24 hour videos, wargames,and BASTON. There will be lots of prizesawarded to tournament winners. Registrationfees for the weekend are $10. For more details,contact: Folie-Con �7, 4651 Berri, Montreal,Quebec, CANADA H2J 2R6, or call (514) 526-1174.

UN-CON �87, Feb 28-March 1Sponsored by Wargames Unlimited, this

gaming convention will be held in the KeeneJohnson Building on the Eastern KentuckyUniversity in Richmond, KY. The convention willfeature an AD&D® tournament, an open CHAM-PIONS� tournament, and a RISK® tournament.AD&D Tournament players must pre-register;other tournament players are also encouragedto do so. A dealers� room will be made available,and open gaming is encouraged. The conventionwill open at 9 a.m. each day, with most eventsbeginning at 10 a.m. Pre-registration is $4 perday or $5.50 for the weekend; at-the-doorregistrations are slightly higher. For moreinformation, contact: Wargames Unlimited, c/oRobert McCool, 135 Brockton, EKU, RichmondKY 40475 or phone (606) 622-2467.

NOVAG II, March 7-8The Northern Virginia Adventure Gamers

announce their second annual adventure gam-ing convention. This event will be held at theTyson�s Westpark Hotel in McLean, Va. Spon-sored activities include AD&D®, TRAVELLER®,I.C.E., and other role-playing adventures, board-games, miniatures, and historical competitions.For further details, contact: NOVAG, 101 EastHolly Avenue, Suite 16, Sterling VA 22170.

KING KON 7, March 13-15Celebrating its seventh year of success, King

Kon 7 will be held this year at the EmbassySuites at 7290 Commerce Center Drive in Colo-rado Springs, CO. Robert Vardeman will be theGuest of Honor, along with Somtow Sucharitkelas Toastmaster and Don C. Thompson as FanGuest of Honor. This science fiction conventionwill feature author�s readings, panel discussions,lectures, an art show and auction movies, a 22hour con suite, a masquerade contest, and muchmore. Memberships are $15 until January 1,1987, $17 until Feb. 1st and $20 at the door. Formore details, send a SASE to: King Kon 7, P.O.Box 16597, Colorado Springs CO 80935, or call(303) 520-1241.

TOTAL CONFUSION, March 13-15This first run role-playing and wargaming

convention will be held at the Yankee DrummerInn in Auburn, Mass., and will be sponsored byThat�s Entertainment of Worcester, Mass. Eventswill include AD&D®, TWILIGHT 2000�, CALLOF CTHULHU®, Star Fleet Battles, and CHAM-PIONS� tournaments, in addition to manyothers. There will be a dealers� room availableas well. Pre-registration is $5 per day if paidbefore Feb. 20; after that, all registrations are$6 per day. For further information, contact:That�s Entertainment, 151 Chandler Street,Worcester MA 01609; telephone (617) 755-4207Gamemasters interested in running events willreceive part of the table fees as well as a dis-count on registration. Interested parties shouldinquire no later than Jan. 1, 1987.

HOUSTON FANTASY FAIR, March 20-22Sponsored by Bulldog Productions, this comic

book, science fiction, and film supershow willtake place at the Houston Marriott Astrodome,2100 S. Bracewood. This event will includeappearances by dozens of comic book artists,writers editors, and publishers, as well as anumber of film personalities. Other featuresinclude a huge dealers room, a professional artshow, an art contest, an art auction, videorooms, a masquerade, numerous workshops,previews of upcoming motion pictures, and avariety of gaming events and open gamingcompetition. Tickets for this three-day event are$20 through March 1 and $25 thereafter. Formore information contact: Bulldog Productions,PO. Box 820488, Dallas TX 75382 or call (214)349-3367.

SIMCON IX, March 20-22This convention will once again be held at the

University of Rochester�s River Campus. Eventswill include role-playing tournaments, Star FleetBattles, miniatures events, demonstrations,movies, and a dealers� room. There will also be acostume party. Registration fees are $7 beforeMarch 5, 1987, and $10 at the door. For moreinformation, write to: SimCon IX, P.O. Box29142, River Station, Rochester NY 14627.

UMF-CON, March 21This one-day convention will take place at the

Student Center of the University of Maine inFarmington. Offered events include AD&D®,TOP SECRET®, RISK®, and MONOPOLY® compe-titions, as well as a variety of other role-playingand board games. Registration for the conven-tion is $5; each game has a $2 entry fee. Formore information, write to: Becky Parker,Secretary Table Gaming Club, c/o Student LifeOffice, Student Center, South Street, FarmingtonME 04938.

D R A G O N 9 7

98 JANUARY 1986

D R A G O N 9 9

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DRAGON 101

104 JANUARY 1986

Documents

Dragon Magazine #117 - Annarchive