Tough TimesIt’s the year of a presidential election, and things are tough

all over.No, this is not the beginning of some great contemporary

fictive opus that I am writing. It is merely my assessment of theway things are.

I’m not going to say that things would be better if we hadmore Democrats in Congress or a Republican in the WhiteHouse or a quick demolition of the two-party system. I havemy own opinions on these matters, but this is not the place forthem... but still, things are tough all over, and that affectsDRAGON® Magazine.

Paper costs keep rising, mom & pop game shops close, andyou, the gentle consumer, have fewer dollars to spend thanyour parents did when they were your age.

Nobody said life was fair, and there is not much we can doabout it — except for DRAGON Magazine, that is. If you have lessmoney to spend, then it is up to us to make the magazine evenmore worthwhile. We can’t control the costs of production orthe selling price in the market. The only thing that we can con-trol is the value of the magazine itself, and that is our objective.

We want every issue of DRAGON Magazine to sing withplayable materials that you can’t wait to bring to your nextSaturday night dungeon crawl. We want you to be wowed bycolor and black and white art the likes of which you can’t findelsewhere. These are the direct responsibilities of Editor DaveGross and Art Director Larry Smith, and both of them areexceptional at their jobs.

We want DRAGON Magazine to be as important to you as TheWall Street Journal is to a businessman. We owe it to you, andin tough times, that’s the least we can do.

But the buck doesn’t stop there. It’s atwo-way street. You have to tell uswhat you want, and I don’t mean“lower the price” or “more hot

babes” or “why don’t you just give it away for free.” In the bestof all possible worlds we would accommodate all of yourdesires, but unfortunately we are neither Aladdin’s genie norBill Clinton, and times are tough.

If there is something we can do to make DRAGON Magazinebetter for you, let us know. More GREYHAWK® setting, more art,more fiction, more really ugly NPCs — none of it is out of thequestion.

Unlike Congress, we are not deadlocked... and we care.

(I would also like to take this opportunity to apologize forany inconvenience you might have experienced in obtainingcopies of the past few issues of DRAGON Magazine at your localhobby shop or book store. The distributors/chain retailers withwhom we do business have embraced what I consider to be anunfortunate and ill-advised buying system philosophy called“just-in-time,” whereby they order as few copies up front as pos-sible on all titles, expecting to be able to re-order more inven-tory instantaneously when they sell out. Magazine print runsare based on initial orders, and since a new issue appears eachmonth, reorders are usually non-existent.

We will always try to estimate the print runs with enoughmargin to cover your demands, but it is very hard when ourdistributors/chain retailers are being short-sighted and conser-vative. In the long run you, the consumer, are the one beingmost inconvenienced, and of this I am sorry. Once again, Inever said that life was fair.)

Brian ThomsenAssociate Publisher &

Ogre

PublisherTSR, Inc.

Associate editorAnthony J. Bryant

Associate PublisherBrian Thomsen

Associate editorMichelle Vuckovich

Editor-in-ChiefPierce Watters

SubscriptionsJanet L. Winters

Printed in the USA

Editor Art directorDave Gross Larry W. Smith

U.S. advertising U.K. correspondent/advertisingCindy Rick Carolyn Wildman

DRAGON #230 3

June 1996Volume XXI, No. 1Issue #230

Page 8

The Orbs of DragonkindRoger E. Moore

Eight powerful artifacts from the world of Oerth,each as dangerous to the wielder as to the dragons

they were designed to control.

DragonslayersWolfgang Baur

You’ll need every possible edge to jointhe ranks of the dragonslayers.

Page 18

From Fafnir to Smaug, the dragonsof fantasy literature range fromto the absurd.

the fearsome

Dragons of LegendJohn D. Rateliff

Page 24

Two of the terrible wyrms of Cerilia are nearlylost to legend. One of them is even moredangerous dead than alive.

Fire on the Five PeaksEd Stark

Page 30

4 JUNE 1996

Wyrms of the NorthEd GreenwoodThe premier installment of a new seriesdetailing the most powerful dragonsof the FORGOTTEN REALMS® setting.Page 36

Arcane Lore: Dragon DweomersRobert S. Mullin

Terrible new enchantments and powerfulmagical items to make the bravest

dragonslayer tremble.

Columns3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Wyrm’s Turn

Tough times and good values.

6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-MailWhat’s on your mind.

50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cons& ProsThis summer, the hottest gaming is at a con-vention near you.

53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Role of BooksJohn C. Bunnell gives us a tip on the best newfantasy novels.

60 . . . . . . . . . RPGA® Network NewsElminster’s Everwinking Eye rests in the Network’s own POLYHEDRON® Newszine

89 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ForumElves, optional rules, and the benefit of role-playing at an early age.

93 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sage AdviceSkip Williams dispels confusion about spells,magical items, and optional rules.

111 . . . . . . . . . . Role-playing ReviewsRick Swan takes a look at the newest SF role-playing games.

120 . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Current ClackAllen Varney keeps us up to date on the mostrecent industry news and gossip.

Page 42

Rogue’s Gallery:Heroes o f the H igh landsCarrie A. Bebris & Duane MaxwellFour heroes from the BIRTHRIGHT® setting’snewest campaign expansion.Page 75

DRAGON DICE™ GAME:Rise of the Undead

Dori Hein & Bill OlmesdahlThe first in a new department! Introducing

the undead, a powerful new force in thebattle for control of Esfah.

Page 86

Other Material100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DragonMirth

102 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gamer’s Guide

103 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Knights of the Dinner Table

104 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hellbound

108 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Floyd

116 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TSR Previews

6 2 M i r t a ’ s G o d(DRAGONLANCE ®: Tales of the Fifth Age)Mark AnthonyWith the passing of the gods of Krynn, whatpowers might take their place?

DRAGON #230 5

Back to BasicsDear DRAGON® Magazine,

Since I have been a subscriber forover 13 years, it should be apparent thatI have always enjoyed and gotten mymoney’s worth out of your fine publica-tion. When you announced that youwere changing the format, I’ll admit thatmy first thoughts were ones of alarmand doubt; however, being a fair-mind-ed person, I thought the least I could dowas give you a chance. I am happy toreport that the new format meets withmy complete approval. In fact, this is thefirst time since I began subscribing that Ifelt the need to write to you, applaudyour efforts, and make a few comments.

There are many areas I like in thenew format. Still, I feel the main reason Iwelcome it so much is what I perceive asan overall return to AD&D® game basics.It seems to me that for the last severalyears, the focus and direction of themagazine has been somewhat ambigu-ous, kind of plodding along, so to speak.This is just my opinion, of course. I’vealways been able to get something ben-eficial out of almost every issue, but thelatest three issues — the new format —have been incredibly useful.

One of the articles I found to be themost useful was in issue #225,“Campaign Classics: Three GreyhawkGrimoires.” I immediately added these tomy own campaign. This brings me toone of he main reasons I wrote this let-ter. I was extremely disappointed when

Cor rec t ionIn issue #228, the byline for the

article “All in the Family” should beBrian Hudson, not Bryan Hudson. Ourapologies to Brian for the misspelling.

DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is published monthly by TSR, Inc.,201 Sheridan Springs Road, Lake Geneva, WI 53147. United States ofAmerica. The postal address for all materials from the United States ofAmerica and Canada except subscription orders is: DRAGON® Magazine,201 Sheridan Springs Road, Lake Geneva, WI 53147. U.S.A.; telephone(414) 248-3625. fax (414) 248-0389. The postal address for materialsfrom Europe is: DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 Church End, CherryHinton, Cambridge CB1 3LB. United Kingdom; telephone: (0223) 212517(U.K.), 44-223-212517 (international); telex: 818761; fax (0223) 248066(U.K.), 414-223-238066 (international).

Distribution: DRAGON Magazine is available from game and hobbyshoos throughout the United States. Canada. the United Kingdom. andthrough a limited number of other overseas outlets. Distribution to thebook trade in the United States is by Random House, Inc., and in Canada

TSR decided to stop producing cam-paigns for this, the original AD&D world.I’m willing to wager there are many old-timers out there like me who are look-ing for more articles and more modulesdealing with this great campaign world.

Being a veteran of the game since1976 (I still have my original white boxset), I can proudly say that I’ve run thewhole gamut of the D&D® and AD&Dgames. I’ve tried my best to keep upwith the game worlds, but I haven’tbeen entirely successful. Unfortunately,there are many modules and acces-sories that, due to some reason or other,are now out of print. Note that this hasnot in any way detracted from myenjoyment of the game. I’ve come to therealization that I simply cannot keep upwith all the latest releases from TSR, soI’ll limit myself to the ones that I can getthe most use out of. Two of these will beDRAGON® Magazine and DUNGEON®Adventures (the latter of which I havesubscribed to since issue #1).

I’d like to finish this letter by listingmy personal favorite departments in themagazine. “Bazaar of the Bizarre” hasalways been very helpful. The “Ecology”series has also been a real “flesherouter” for my campaign. “RoguesGallery” has saved me several times byproviding me with an interesting NPC Ican toss to the players on short notice.The “Dragon’s Bestiary” is nice, but I sim-ply can’t seem to find the time neces-sary to detail my campaign settingenough to find places for all the newcritters. Maybe someday!

Finally, let me close by saying that, bynature, people are resistant to change.You can’t please everybody, so don’t try.If you keep the majority of your regularreaders happy, that should be consid-ered a job well done. I’m sure you getyour full share of negative input and“sour grapes” letters. I thought you mightlike to get a letter from someone whofeels like he’s getting his money’s worthand who will continue to subscribe.

John H. Major17521 N. 85th Lane

Peoria, AZ 85382

The “back to basics” theme is importantto us, and we’ll continue to cover both thenewest game settings and the old classics.Our readership includes both long-time play-ers and newcomers to the game, and we’lldo our best to provide something for everyone. We haven’t forgotten the veterans!

Worth their weight in goldDear DRAGON Magazine,

I’d like to give a huge “Well done!” toGregory Detwiler, Ed Greenwood, JeanRabe, Ed Stark, and Roger E. Moore fortheir parts in making issue #228 ofDRAGON Magazine. I really like their articles.Another huge well done to everyone elseat DRAGON Magazine.

I also have an opinion. I think DRAGON

Magazine should have a spell of themonth in each issue, because everyonelike spells (except barbarians, of course).If DRAGON Magazine thinks the spell iscool, most everyone else will, too!

Oh, and I would like to know how Ican purchase a solid gold d20. (I’veenclosed a SASE in case of a positiveresponse!)

Yours truly,Kevin Wayne JonesGamer for 11 Years!

We’re lucky to have such talented con-tributors. Two of those you name — Ed andRoger — are featured in this very issue (Edwith the first in a continuing series). Let usknow what you think of these latest articles.

We feature new spells very often in ourArcane Lore department Check out thismonth’s installment for plenty of “spells ofthe month,” which also includes powerfulnew magical items for dragons. We thinkthey’re very cool indeed,

A solid gold d20? Now some of us dohave quite a collection of dice, but none soprecious as that. If you find some, we wantdibs on borrowing them!

by Random House of Canada, Ltd. Distribution to the book trade in theUnited Kingdom is by TSR Ltd. Send orders to. Random House, Inc., OrderEntry Department, Westminster MD 21157, U.S.A.; telephone (800) 733-3000. Newsstand distribution throughout the United Kingdom is byComag Magazine Marketing, Tavistock Road, West Drayton, MiddlesexUB7 7QE. United Kingdom, telephone 0895-444055.

Subscription: Subscription rates via second-class mail are as follows.$42 in U.S. funds for 12 issues sent to an address in the U.S., $49 in U.S.funds for 12 issues sent to an address in Canada; £36 for 12 issues sentto an address within the United Kingdom; £49 for 12 issues sent to anaddress in Europe; $65 in U.S. funds for 12 issues sent by surface mail toany other address. or $119 in U.S. funds for 12 issues sent air mail to anyother 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 valid MasterCard or VISA credit cards; sendsubscription orders with payments to TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 5695, Boston MA02206, U.S.A. In the United Kingdom, methods of payment includecheques or money orders made payable to TSR Ltd., or charges to a validACCESS or VISA credit card; send subscription orders with payments toTSR Ltd., as per that address above. Prices are subject to change withoutprior notice. The issue expiration of each subscription is printed on themailing label of each subscriber’s copy of the magazine. Changes ofaddress for the delivery of subscription copies must be received at leastsix weeks prior to the effective date of the change in order to assureuninterrupted delivery.

Submissions: All material published in DRAGON Magazine becomes theexclusive property of the publisher, unless special arrangements to thecontrary are made prior to publication. DRAGON Magazine welcomes unso-

6 JUNE 1996

Like the B IRTHRIGHT® setting?Dear DRAGON Magazine,

Congratulations! I think your newlook is very striking. Furthermore, theadditions to your interior are superb, tosay the least. I think all of your new fea-tures make for an even better magazine.

Now that all my lavish praise is out ofthe way, I have a few questions. Is thisBIRTHRIGHT setting going to be as good asit looks? Will there be one of those excel-lent domain sourcebooks for each realmon Cerilia? They’re indispensible as a toolfor me as DM. They are so good that Idon’t even let my players have them. Atleast not yet.

Keep up the good work!Semper fi!

LCPL Guzman Acha12th Marines

Okinawa, Japan

Since you asked, yes, we think BIRTHRIGHT

is every bit as good as it looks. In fact, two ofus (Tony and Dave) are planning to start aBIRTHRIGHT campaign soon.

There are no plans for covering everydomain on Cerilia with a Player’s Secretssourcebook, but there will be plenty for eachof the five sections of Cerilia as the cam-paign unfolds. They’re meant for the playersas much as the DM, so share them!

Keep an eye on these pages for moreinformation on the campaign setting,including this issue’s “Fire on the Five Peaks”and “Rogue’s Gallery.”

New PlayerDear DRAGON Magazine,

My name is Deanna. I just started role-playing, and I also occasionally play theSPELLFIRE™ CARD game.

I really like the DRAGONLANCE® settingand have read many of the books. Ihave really been enjoying your maga-zine, and I love the humorous stuff, like“101 Uses for a Wet Blanket.” I’m enjoy-ing the DRAGONLANCE story and can’t waitto hear more of what’s happening onKrynn. I was wondering if you could putsome more DRAGONLANCE stuff in themagazine (like further backgrounds orinfo on the characters). If possible, addmy address to the letters column so peo-ple can write to me with tips on playingor with any information about theDRAGONLANCE world that might be inter-esting. I would really appreciate it.

Deanna BoyntonGeneral Delivery

Moonstone, OntarioCanada

L0K 1N0

Your wish is our command, Deanna. Inaddition to the DRAGONLANCE®: FIFTH AGE™story arc this year, look for a preview of thenew FIFTH AGE game next issue. Once thegame is released in August you can counton more articles featuring the new heroesand adventures of the DRAGONLANCE setting.We hope that some of those articles willcome from readers like you.

On the Cover

This month we are pleased topresent the first appearance of theart of R.K. Post on our covers. (It’sbeen some time since we offeredup a new talent on our cover; ourcontributing artists have kept myfiles full of great images.)

There’s a kind of offbeat sym-bolism in assigning a new artist toour 20th Anniversary cover. R.K., arelative newcomer to the field,represents what we feel is a direc-tion that many young illustratorsare moving toward – a return tothe goal of presenting high qualityconcepts through the use of excel-lent technique and style.

That’s a philosophy that worksfor R.K. Post, and it works forDRAGON® Magazine.

Write to us!

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send a self-addressed, stamped envelope (9 ½” long preferred) to Writers’ Inc. has the right to reject or cancel any advertising contract for which theGuidelines, c/o DRAGON Magazine, at the above address; include sufficient advertiser and/or agency of advertiser fails to comply with the businessAmerican postage or International Reply Coupons (IRC) with the return ethics set forth in such contract.envelope. In Europe, write to: Writers’ Guidelines, do DRAGON Magazine, DRAGON is a registered trademark of TSR, Inc. Registration applied forTSR Ltd., include sufficient International Reply Coupons with your SASE. in the United Kingdom. All rights to the contents of this publication are

Advertising: For information on placing advertisements in DRAGON reserved, and nothing may be reproduced from it in whole or in partMagazine, ask for our rate card. All ads are subject to approval by TSR, without first obtaining permission in writing from the publisher. MaterialInc. TSR reserves the right to reject any ad for any reason. In the United published in DRAGON® Magazine does not necessarily reflect the opinions

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DRAGON #230 7

The equalizersby Roger E. Mooreillustrated by Larry Smith

his article can be handed to players in an AD&D® gameCREYHAWK� campaign as an adventure starter. The time isearly spring, in the year 585 CY, at the close of the

Greyhawk Wars. The DM should have access to the From theAshes boxed set, which sets up the background to the following.

This material takes the form of a letter written upon expen-sive pages of fine paper and secured in an ivory scroll tube, hur-riedly buried under a flat rock in a shallow cave only 12 mileseast of the ruins of Chathold, in Almor (a kingdom recentlydestroyed during the Greyhawk Wars). The cave floor and wallsshow evidence of a magical struggle involving fiery androck-deforming spells, with large, inhuman footprints all around — footprints more fiendish than draconic, however.

Obviously, the PCs must somehow discover the letter. It issuggested that the renowned wizard Mordenkainen contactsthe PCs to search for a missing member of the Circle of Five,portly Otto, who is believed to have gone to Almor to searchfor his henchman, the priestess Johanna. Both Otto andJohanna hailed from Almor’s capital, Chathold, before its totaldestruction. Mordenkainen makes no mention of the orbs ofdragonkind, as he is not yet aware of the problem detailed inthe letter.

Once the PCs arrive in the vicinity of Chathold, they shouldbe able to find (with some effort) a few cowering and brutal-ized peasants who recall seeing someone fitting Johanna’sdescription several weeks ago. She lived in a cave, one personreports. If the PCs explore that cave, they might discover thescroll case, and their real adventure — such as the DM designsit from here — has at last begun.

The portly wizard Otto is described in WGA4 Vecna Lives!,pages 86 and 87, and in The City of Greyhawk boxed set,Greyhawk: Folk, Feuds, and Factions booklet, page 23. His hench-man, the priestess Johanna, appears in WGA4 Vecna Lives!,pages 91 and 92. The sad fate of Almor is outlinedin the From the Ashes boxed set, Atlas of theFlanaess booklet, page 27.

Sunset, 8th of Coldeven

My dearest friend and ally, Johanna,Your letter of the 5th arrived here in my residence on the

same night, as no doubt you hoped it would, but I fear I wasdining out alone that evening in a vain attempt to calm myanxieties over your safety; I did not enter my study until lastnight. I regret I was not here to read your words and share inyour grief, as I do now. Please accept my apologies and knowthat I wept long when I read of your poor family’s fate. Iremember your two brothers as if they were my own. I cursethe beasts who delivered them and all in Chathold to suchunspeakable evil. There will be vengeance for this from me, Iswear this night by Boccob’s brow, a vengeance that will burneven the heart of a fiend.

I must also tell you that I was profoundly distressed to readof the rumors you have heard regarding a white orb said tohave been seen in the claws of the Great Murderer of Almor,Duke Szeffrin. This was news of the worst sort, and your reportregarding the powers that the orb is said to possess has onlyfed my nightmare that a true artifact has fallen into the pos-session of our hated enemies. That this orb is held by anundead wretch such as Szeffrin is ghastly news; between thisand word of your brothers, I have been robbed of my appetite,and I have scarcely eaten for a day now. I have sent urgentword to Mordenkainen through Jallarzi to meet with him, sincehe has resources that I lack, but she returned and said he was“out,” likely swapping tales with that vile goat of a spell-hurlerfrom Faerun — rot him for delaying Mord in this hour of need!But I have been tardy as well, and we must as a consequencehandle this matter on our own.

The “white sphere” that you described as “engraved withmyriad serpents or dragons” is very likely one of our world'sOrbs of Dragonkind. You have heard of these, assuredly, but inthe event that you have made no further study of these arti-facts, I am attaching a copy of a short paper I wrote on this

subject, which I read before the Eight only fouryears past on Midsummer’s Night, 581 CY. At

the time, this information was little more

8 JUNE 1996

than a part of a pet project to catalogthe three or four dozen families of arti-facts of this great continent of Oerik, butnow the matter lies at the center of myworst dreads.

The information that I impart to youmust be kept only to yourself for now.Thanks to my many private connectionsamong the nobility of the centralFlanaess, I have had access to records inarchives and libraries where no outsiderwould normally be welcome, much lessleft alive once discovered. The generalrelease of this information would, first,endanger my treasured connections and,second, threaten our whole, bloodiedworld, as it might motivate any numberof individuals and forces, from greed-ridden half-heroes down to suchAbyss-spawned nightmares as sit uponthe thrones of Dorakaa and Rauxes togo in search of these orbs and the greatpowers they possess. You and I would bein the very snake pit of danger ourselves,since some of my research drew uponmaterials secured in ruins beneath theSea of Dust, guarded by intolerant fiendswho would not appreciate knowing Ihad been there among their treasures.

Read, then, and understand my fears.

DM’s InformationThe following information on the

orbs of dragonkind is only suggested. AnyDungeon Master who uses this materialin a campaign is strongly urged to alterthe particulars to prevent any playersfrom knowing the actual powers of anydevice in play. For example, suggestionor hold could be substituted for charm insome orbs, or different curses couldcome into play. The Intelligence and Egoscores may also be adjusted to makethe orbs more or less powerful; as theyare very old, the magic empoweringthem may have waxed or waned overthe millennia, or could even havebecome variable and unpredictable.Lastly, it is possible that one or moreorbs have lost their powers entirely; thiswould not affect the functioning of anyother orb, however.

An orb of dragonkind can be operatedonly by physically picking it up, and onlyintelligent beings, living or undead — notgolems or nonliving constructs — canoperate them. If the sum of the user’sIntelligence and Wisdom scores isgreater than the sum of the orb’sIntelligence and Ego, the user gains con-

The Orbs of DragonkindMagical creations are sometimes

developed in parallel to a surprisingdegree of similarity. One of the mostfamous cases of such independent con-vergence of thought concerns the Orbsof Dragonkind, examples of which havebeen recorded on no fess than six differ-ent worlds. While the specifics of eachcase vary considerably, with such orbscovering a wide range in size, composi-tion, power, number, and purpose, allsuch items were created with the intentof bestowing upon the user a measureof mastery over dragons. Doubtless,some such devices have inspired thecreation of others, but certain dragon-affecting orbs seem to have had noantecedent in their lands — the DragonOrbs of Ansalon, for example, or theOrbs of Draconic Influence of Faerun.

Why this consistent combination oforbs and dragon control? What is con-fusing to the commoner is obvious toanyone who has long studied the mat-ter. The orb represents an eye, and eyecontact is crucial among all dragonsin establishing communication, domi-nance, and intent. No other geometricshape has the power so quickly to arrest

a dragon’s attention and make it prey towhatever powers the user would workon the creature’s mind and will.

Oerth, it is well known, has its ownOrbs of Dragonkind, but their oral andwritten history is poorly known even tothe learned. Sages have long suspecteda connection between these orbs andthe long-lost Suel Imperium (SuloiseEmpire, Empire of the Suel, whatever),dead just over ten centuries. I haverecently finished my own investigationinto this topic, and I now offer you theresults, sparing you my bibliographyand the harrowing tale of my researchuntil later this evening, after the fine din-ner that I have prepared for your diges-tive education. Attend my words:

In the ancient days of the maturingSuloise Empire, starting about -2400 CY,a great series of wars was foughtbetween the emperor’s forces and thevarious monsters that populated thesouthern Crystalmist Mountains, whatwe now call the Hellfurnaces. Theemperor, Inzhilem II of the House ofNeheli-Arztin, was a surpassing wizard,the fifth such among the Suloise to beknown as a Mage of Power. Inzhilemwished to establish mines deep withinthe Crystalmists to harvest rare minerals

trol of the orb. If the two sums are equal,the user is paralyzed for 2-5 rounds bythe struggle for control of his body, andhe can take no other action. After this,he can drop the orb and move freely.

If the user’s Intelligence and Wisdomsum is less than the orb’s Intelligenceand Ego sum, the user is immediatelypossessed by a malign intelligence in theorb. The user is quickly ordered to slayhimself using the most rapid and effec-

tive means possible; this commandoverrides all normal urges towardself-preservation. The user does not putdown the orb but carries out this com-mand one-handed, if possible, or elseseeks destruction by means such asjumping off a cliff, offering himself to anoncoming dragon without any attemptat self-defense, injuring himself in a vitalspot with a dagger or axe, etc.Self-inflicted injuries inflict double maxi-mum possible damage and cause theuser to save vs. system shock (accordingto his Constitution score) to avoid dyingimmediately. Feebleminded persons areinstantly subjected to this curse. Insanepersons are assumed to have anIntelligence of 50% normal (drop frac-tions); charmed persons are assumed tohave a Wisdom of 50% normal (dropfractions). This power should be playedout forcefully to encourage cautionamong PCs in dealing with the orbs.

If a nonhuman creature seizes anorb, randomly generate the creature’sIntelligence and double it to get theequivalent of a combined Intelligenceand Wisdom. Compare the result to theorb’s combined Intelligence and Ego,

DRAGON #230 9

and crystals for his personal research,though he also had a niggling interest inthrowing back some of the humanoidand draconic monsters that periodicallyraided the eastern provinces of hisempire and reduced their taxableresources.

Imperial armies, even supported bymilitary wizardry, found themselves hardpressed by their opposition. The greatfamilies of red dragons throughout thesouthern Crystalmists had enslaved Iimit-less numbers of brutish humanoids foruse as sword-fodder, originally to attackone another’s territories or bring in addi-tional treasures. These armies of orcsand goblinkind were now turned uponthe empire’s soldiers, hurling themselvesinto battle with great ferocity and innumbers that well made up for their lackof skill or foresight.

In addition, these dragons wereexceedingly skilled at magic; banefulextraplanar powers supplied them withsecret knowledge of spellcasting inreturn for great sacrifices of wealth.Worse yet, certain of those red dragonshad undergone sorcerous rituals thatinfused their living bodies with shadow-stuff from the Demiplane of Shadow,granting them new and devastating

powers. These were the first of theaccursed shadow dragons, and they andtheir servants built a vast network of cav-erns, halls, and tunnels beneath theCrystalmists that exists even to this day.Even the great Vault of the Drow is saidby some sources once to have been thecavern-hall of an elder shadow dragonof this bygone age, some treasures ofwhich may still lie hidden thereabouts.(The gods grant us that these treasuresyet remain undiscovered by the drow!)

Facing such evil strength, the armycommanders sent word to lnzhilem thatthe issue was in doubt, and they askedfor his personal intervention. Angered atfirst that his armies could do no morethan hold their own against mere drag-ons and orcs, lnzhilem quickly becameintrigued by the difficult problem posedby the Fiery Kings, as the troublesomedragons were known in the easternlands. He returned to the capital to rem-edy the situation.

Historical references to Inzhilem’sstudies are sparse and contradictory. Hewas not in the habit of recording histhoughts and deeds for posterity’s sake.It is recorded in several places, however,that Inzhilem called upon and gainedthe direct assistance of the Suel deity

Wee Jas herself, who in those early dayswas of greater aspect and power thanshe is now, and less concerned withmatters of death than of pure sorcery.Legend has it that other gods favoringhumanity were involved as well, thoughtheir names are lost; indeed, some ofthem may now be dead and forgotten.Myth and legend claim that all thesegods were benevolent, but I have gravereservations about this. Whateversources he used, lnzhilem gained suffi-cient knowledge to produce a solution.

The emperor elected to construct alimited number of identical artifacts thatwould give his forces the ability to con-front and destroy the Fiery Kings.Knowing the great importance that drag-ons attach to direct eye contact, whichamong the most paranoid and wicked ofthem is regarded as a challenge resultingin an immediate fight to the death,lnzhilem set upon the orb as the idealform for these surpassing devices. Eachorb would be carried into battle by awar-trained wizard and used to subdue,assault, or defend against all dragonspresent, while a group of elite soldiersand battle-priests who accompanied thewizard would move swiftly to finish offthe draconic foes; this group would

then carry out the results. This applies to

has heard of the orbs of dragonkind —

dragons as well, who are themselvessubject to self-destruction if they fall vic-

and about 85% of them have — imme-

tim to an orb. A dragon of Oerik who

diately attempts to destroy anyone

pace at half the normal movement rate

Monsters that can be considered

(e.g., MV 6 if the user is a human or elf)

dragonlike or part-dragon (wyverns, fire

while using any orb.

lizards, chimeras, dragon turtles, drag-

prey to it. The user may walk at steady

using an orb and also tries to hide theorb without directly touching it.

Anyone who picks up an orb and is be affected by orb powers normallyable to control it as noted above ismade immediately aware of all theorb’s powers, but not its curses, if suchexist. The powers of an orb can be usedonly while it is held; powers that requireconcentration are broken if the orb isno longer held (not charm, for instance).The level of all orb-generated spells,where applicable, is the 25th. Only onepower may be used at a time, unlessthe power is listed as “at will” — e.g., forinfravision or speaking with dragons — or unless the power provides a con-tinual bonus to saving throws or adjuststhe user’s Armor Class. The user cannotengage in any physical, magical, orpsionic attacks or defenses while hold-ing the orb, due to the constant con-centration necessary to resist falling

onnes, undead dragons like dracoliches,pseudodragons, half-dragons, etc.) can

affecting only true dragons, but thesepowers have a 50% chance of failingcompletely before any saving throwsare checked, as if dragonlike monstershad a 50% magic resistance to thosepowers. Divine draconic beings alsohave a 50% chance of being unaffectedby the powers of these artifacts, but theyalso gain their true magic resistance rolland saving throws afterward — and theywill be very, very angry with the orb user.

All orbs of dragonkind radiate greatevil, specifically neutral evil, and certainPCs such as paladins should be wary oftheir use. Their alignment was maskedearly in the existence of these orbs, butthe long centuries have worn away allsuch “cloaking” spells now.

The speak with dragons power is asper the speak with monsters spell, onlylimited to dragons and useable at will.

The charm power may be cast onceper turn, up to three times per day,against any dragon of no more than theage level given (see MONSTROUS MANUAL™tome, page 64). The charm has a rangeof 60’, and the subject must be awakeand aware of the orb user; the subjectwill certainly attack the orb user if the

10 JUNE 1996

accompany a regular army, which wouldcarry the battle to the dragon’shumanoid supporters. This use of an orbwith combined forces is important, as asingle orb was not meant to be carriedout alone against a many-talented foelike a dragon, much less the countlessunderlings who would soon overwhelma lone orb-bearer. This misconception ofthe powers and uses of these orbs haslikely undone more than one championwho was fortunate enough to gain anorb yet unfortunate enough to use itunwisely and alone, perishing as a con-sequence.

Furthermore, lnzhilem planned thateach orb would be useful against everysort of evil dragon known, not merelyagainst the red and shadow varieties. Toaccomplish this, lnzhilem was forced tohave his entire collection of caged andcharmed dragons in the capital gardensslain by sorcerous means. A portion ofthe blood, bone, brain, and spirit of eachdragon was captured and imprisoned ineach orb, though the orbs themselveswere not meant to contain true intelli-gence as such. So strong were theenchantments with which lnzhilemhoped to fill the orbs that rumors flewthat every cruel dragon on Oerth would

fall prey to them, and the evil races ofdragonkind would be wholly extermi-nated and cast into myth.

It was calculated that eight orbswould be enough to deal with matters inthe east. According to one record Iexamined, lnzhilem secretly directed theImperial Congress about the year -2360CY to produce such wizards as would benecessary to assist him in the mightyenchantments that would have to becast. Again, history fails to reveal all thatfollowed, but one major event in the fol-lowing years has survived for the telling.A smoldering feud within the House ofNeheli-Arztin flared into violence in-2354 CY, and lnzhilem II was slain anddestroyed beyond recovery before thestruggle had ended. The partial house ofArztin ceased to exist as a result of retal-iation, and the victorious partial houseof Neheli kept the throne. UbrondThrideen (“Third-Eye”) became emperor.

but it was after -2350 CY), but the orbswere now of differing sizes and powers,each oriented toward the control ofdragons of differing ages. The reason forthis alteration has never been madeclear, as it certainly reduced the effec-tiveness of these orbs when used in bat-tle against dragons of ages older thanallowed for by any one orb.

This alteration was not the only onemade, and certainly some of these alter-ations were performed without theknowledge or approval of the emperoror his staff. I conjecture that the FieryKings were able to insinuate agentsamong the wizards involved in the pro-ject, and without Inzhilem’s ability tograsp the full scope of the work andoversee the critical details, errors andeven curses were worked into many ofthe final products. It is clearly known, forinstance, that each Orb of Dragonkindpossesses a malign, innate intelligencethat attempts to overwhelm and destroyany user. Furthermore, each orb wasgiven the power to affect good and neu-tral dragons as well as evil ones — anobvious addition by the fiery kings.

A devoted but unremarkable ruler,Ubrond apparently continued the pro-ject to produce the orbs and saw itthrough to its finish, but considerableinterference took place and the originalplan for the project went inexplicablyawry. Eight orbs were still made (thedate of their completion has been lost,

Once finished, the eight orbs weregiven names corresponding to the agelevel of the dragons they were meant to

charm fails to “take.” Evil dragons gainno saving throw, neutral dragons saveat -4, and good dragons save at -2. Thecharm has a normal duration based onthe subject’s Intelligence, and the powermay be broken in any of the usual ways,as per the spell charm person.

If two orbs are brought within onemile of each other, they function nor-mally, but each sends out a magical sum-mons that attracts all dragons and drag-onlike beings within a radius of 100 milesaround each orb. The dragons do notknow what is “calling” to them, but theyfeel impelled to arrive in the vicinity ofthe orbs by the quickest means possible.This effect is unknown to all in the pre-sent day.

Worse, if two orbs are touchedtogether, they cease functioning entirelyfor a full day, except to send out a mag-ical pulse that enrages all dragons anddragonlike beings within 10 miles if suchfail to save vs. spells at -4. Charmeddragons are freed of their charms atonce. An enraged dragon gains a +2bonus to all attack and damage rolls,and a +4 bonus to save against allmind-affecting spells (charm, hold, fear,

suggestion, hypnotism, etc.). The enrageddragons converge on the spot where theorbs touched, fighting one another ifthey do not see creatures of any otherrace they can fight first. This state lastsfor 10-40 rounds per dragon.

No one knows what would happen ifthree or more orbs were brought to-gether or touched together. It is certainto be a bad thing, however.

Orb of the HatchlingIntelligence 9, Ego 9; Diameter 3”.Powers: Speak with dragons at will (as

above); charm (as above) vs. any dragonof very young age (15 years) or less; +1 toall saving throws and Armor Class ofuser, continuously; clairvoyance eighttimes per day; infravision, 120’ range, atwill.

Curses: Possession (as above).Disposition: This orb is — or was,

rather — in Rauxes, but it is constantlybeing stolen and recovered by jealous,greedy fiends, liches, wizards, priests,vampires, animuses, and such, each ofwhom believes the orb will somehowdirect him, her, or it to all the other miss-ing orbs. Though little word of the orbhas leaked to the outside world, posses-sion of it is continually but secretlysought in the total chaos that fills thiswretched city. Almost no real use of theorb is actually being made, and no oneyet realizes they are on a (fantasticallydeadly) wild goose chase.

The orb that Duke Szeffrin possessesis this one; his agents stole it. Tales of itssize and powers were exaggerations,but they were close enough to the

DRAGON #230 11

fight. In order from the smallest orb up,they were the Orb of the Hatchling, theOrb of the Wyrmkin, the Orb of theDragonette, the Orb of the Dragon, theOrb of the Great Serpent, the Orb of theFiredrake, the Orb of the Elder Wyrm,and the Orb of the Eternal GrandDragon. When not activated, each orbwas a light, solid sphere of purestwhite jade, completely and elaboratelycarved with the entwined figures ofdragons in battle with one another.None of these orbs could be damaged inthe least by mundane forces, nor couldany beast or animated construct bringthem harm. If there were any meansdeveloped for their destruction, theyhave long been lost.

It may be presumed that these orbswere delivered to the Suloise armies andbrought into combat with the Fiery Kings,but there is a break in the historicalrecord here. A curious fragment existsthat appears to be a message from aprovincial lord to the emperor — whosename is not given — asking for the latter’sintervention to “deliver us from thosewho hold the stolen Globe.” Considerablestrife between army commanders is alsonoted in some dispatches from the east-em provinces, with several references to

a renegade officer, apparently mad, whocalled himself the King of the Fire Kings.It is apparent that one or more of theorbs either fell into enemy hands, wasseized as part of a coup, or possessed apower or curse that led its user into insan-ity or rebellion.

As best as can be told, only five of theorbs remained in the hands of the Sueluntil the time just before the Rain ofColorless Fire. I managed to secure sev-eral authoritative accounts — from asource I cannot discuss openly, so I mustbeg your forgiveness — that list these fiveas the Orb of the Hatchling, the Orb ofthe Dragonette, the Orb of the Dragon,the Great Firedrake’s Orb, and the Orb ofthe Elder Worm. Some of you are surelyaware of the contrary legends that five,not eight, orbs exist on our world, and Ibelieve that this discrepancy resultedbecause three had been lost or falleninto the hands of the enemies of the Suelin the empire’s last days. I think that theBaklunish held at least one orb, but Ihave as yet found no evidence of this;perhaps our resident Kettite, Rary, willinvestigate and enlighten us! Despite theslight renaming of some of the orbs inlate-empire records, I believe the missingoriginal orbs to have been the Orb of the

Wyrmkin, the Orb of the Great Serpent,and the most powerful of them all, theOrb of the Eternal Grand Dragon.

After the Rain of Colorless Fire, thehistorical record is dotted with appear-ances of these orbs, but very rarely isthe exact identity of each orb known forcertain. Obviously, most or all of theorbs were transported out of the empirebefore it was burnt into ashes. One orb,a small one said to be the size of aman’s fist, was held in Rauxes by theOverkings in the youthful days of Aerdy,until it was stolen after two centuries byunknown thieves. Another, a larger one,was discovered and lost in 311 CY byexplorers in the Hellfurnaces, thoughthis report is confusing in details.Everyone in the Flanaess must know thetale of the mad Zagig Yragerne, who issaid to have taken a large white crystalball with him when he left this city onespring day in 361 CY and returned thefollowing week with a hoard of treasuresuch as only a succession of kings wouldknow, using some of these riches ofcourse to build Castle Greyhawk. Hereturned here without the white ball,however, and never spoke of it nor evenacknowledged its existence before orafterward.

description of the orb of the great ser-pent to cause Otto reasonable distress.Otto and Johanna, however, have runafoul of several of the factions murder-ously competing for the orb, and PCssent in to rescue them will have theirhands full, risking constant and brutalattack and treachery. The chances arevery great of making at least threepowerful, life-long enemies of the DM’sdesign from this adventure.

Orb of the WyrmkinIntelligence 10, Ego 10; Diameter 4”.Powers: Speak with dragons at will (as

above); charm (as above) vs. any dragonof young age (25 years) or less; dispelmagic three times per day; detect magicthree times per day; +3 bonus to savingthrows vs. fire and heat, continuously.

Curses: Possession (as above). After sixcontinuous hours of use, the user alsodevelops a permanent body odor thatrepels all mammalian life within a 30’radius. This odor causes mild nausea inhumans, demihumans, and humanoids,but it does not affect their combat ordefensive abilities. Significant reaction,

morale, and loyalty penalties (-4 is sug-gested) should be assessed against anyNPCs who work for the user, with all butthe most devoted henchmen eventuallyleaving the user for good. This bodyodor can be undone only by using awish.

Disposition: Stolen by Suloise officersduring an attempted coup in an easternprovince of the old empire, this orb was

taken out of the empire by survivors ofthe rebellion and eventually lost in ashipwreck in Jeklea Bay, just south ofPort Toli. The wreck has disintegrated,but the orb is now in the treasure pile ofan old kraken known locally as SlashEye, which preys now and then on SeaBarons and Scarlet Brotherhood ships.The kraken knows the orb is magicaland evil, but nothing else of it.

Orb of the DragonetteIntelligence 11, Ego 11; Diameter 5”.Powers: Speak with dragons at will (as

above); charm (as above) vs. any dragonof juvenile age (50 years) or less; slowonce per day; +2 bonus to all savingthrows and Armor Class, continuously;user is immune to fear of any sort, con-tinuously; user can fly twice per day.

Curses: Possession, as above. This itemwas created with a defect that causes theorb to drain living energy from the user’sown body when it is held, making thisartifact a parasite. One hit point per turnis drained away in this manner, thoughthe user does not notice this loss until50% of his hit points are gone, at which

12 JUNE 1996

I have counted about two dozen otherconfirmed or probable appearances ofthe orbs between the fall of the SuloiseEmpire and the present day. The locationof only one orb is known for certain toour cozy group of the Eight: The Orb ofthe Hatchling is unquestionably held inRauxes, as Mordenkainen himself wasable to demonstrate to our satisfactionlast year. It is almost certainly the sameorb held by Aerdy’s early overkings, butwe do not know yet where the orb wasfound, how it was recovered, the uses towhich it is being put, or the identity of itstrue owner or master.

Unlike the sections of the fabled Rodof Seven Parts, the various Orbs ofDragonkind have never been reportedto indicate the presence of any of theirfellow orbs, for which I am sure we canall be thankful. No spell, not even aWish, and some say not even a god, willreveal the location of an orb; you simplyhave to be lucky enough to find one andknow it for what it is. They seem to func-tion independently of one another,though tales circulate that unexpectedabilities become manifest when twoorbs are brought into proximity of oneanother. I believe most of these storiesare exaggerations and falsehoods, but I

cannot discount the possibility. Time,perhaps, will tell.

What do the dragons think of theOrbs of Dragonkind? The dragons hatethem, of course, as they would hate any-thing that would give mastery overthem to some other race. There is onlyone tale of a dragon gaining an orb, butit is quite fanciful and its information issubject to grave doubt. The dragon inthe tale slays a wicked knight who stolea magical white ball and attempted tocontrol the beast. The dragon then tookthe ball into its lair and hid it away fromhumans forever. I cannot say whatwould happen if an orb was collected bya dragon, whether good or ill wouldresult from this. Surely, I think, this hashappened at least once in the past, butwe do not know the truth.

You have all been most patient withme, and I now arrive at the core of mylecture. My research has also disclosednew information on the actual powersof these spheres. I will, as I mentionedearlier, cover my sources later. For now,here are those powers whose existencehas been proven beyond doubt, as wellas the most reliable information onother potential powers.

Orb of the HatchlingThis, the least of the eight orbs, is

three inches across and easily fits into apouch or pocket. As this orb was used inpublic by the early Aerdy Overkingsupon small captive dragons, its powersare clearly established for anyone whoresearches the matter.

This orb, like ail of its kind, confersupon the one who holds it the ability toconverse openly with any dragons with-in hearing, both understanding thedragons and being understood by them.Further, the orb upon command casts acharm that affects a single young drag-on aged five years or less, of any type orscale color, the spell being so potentthat the beast finds it difficult, if notimpossible, to resist. Thus the dragonmay be led into captivity or slain fromsurprise, if action is swift.

This orb has a mind of its own whosethoughts are devoted to wickedness andrevenge. This is the weakest of all theorbs, and its mind is weak as well. Still,the user must have above-average intel-ligence and insight to maintain controlover the globe, or else disaster results.This was sufficiently and tragicallyproven when Overking Erhart I allowed his eldest son to handle the Orb of the

point he feels very tired and looks weakand pale. Each round spent doing noth-ing but eating and drinking restores onehit point. The DM should keep track offood and water supplies, which shouldbe depleted at an extraordinary rate.

Disposition: A Suloise archmage flee-ing the destruction of her homeland tele-ported herself and the orb she wasassigned to guard and use to a secretisland hideout in the Solnor Ocean. Shewaited there for other wizards from hermilitary group to join her, but they hadall perished in the Rain of Colorless Fire.The archmage further secured the smallisland, set up a home in a series of seacaves, and eventually died peacefullythere, the orb hidden away. The islandwas later surrounded by sahuagin andused as a waypoint for transoceanicflights by bronze dragons. The orb wasfound by the sahuagin, who currentlyuse it to charm young dragons to per-form evil deeds, like destroying ships.

Orb of the DragonIntelligence 12, Ego 12; Diameter 6”.Powers: Speak with dragons at will (as

above); charm (as above) vs. any dragon

of adult age (200 years) or less; magicmissile three times per day; teleport with-out error twice per day; detect invisibility atwill; +2 bonus to all saving throws andArmor Class, continuously; user isimmune to fear or charm of any sort,continuously.

Curses: Possession, as above. A flaw inthe production and enchanting of thisorb causes it to build up a static charge

inside that is discharged unpredictably.Every time that certain powers of thisorb are activated (e.g., charm, magic mis-sile, teleport without error, or detect invisi-bility), there is a 10% chance that theuser is shocked for 6d6 hp electricaldamage (no saving throw possible);beings within 10’ of the user are struckfor 3d6 hp damage (save for half). Theuser gains no advance warning of animminent discharge.

Disposition: This orb was not takenout of the Empire of the Suel before theRain of Colorless Fire. It remained forcenturies buried in the ruins of the capi-tal, now referred to as the ForgottenCity, until it was found by a group ofadventurers from the Hold of the SeaPrinces. The orb managed to destroyseveral in the group by possession orshock; it was left in a ruined city on theeastern edge of the Sea of Dust by thesurvivors, who never made it back tothe Hold. The orb was recovered byanother group from the Yeomanry, whorecognized it as an orb of dragonkind andsecretly brought it to a town nearLoftwick for their own use.

The orb’s dangers limited its useful-

DRAGON #230 13

Hatchling in 98 CY; the orb proved toomuch for the youth, who evaded hisfather and threw himself over a parapet,dying of his injuries that evening. Theorb was recovered in an undamagedstate, of course, though it had falleneighty feet to a stone-paved courtyard.After this, the orb was locked awaybeneath the castle until its theft only fif-teen years later.

Beyond its ability to charm youngdragons, this orb appears to confer a lowdegree of magical protection on the oneusing it. It also grants the user the abilityto see heat sources in darkness out toforty yards, and it bestows the spell clair-voyance at least six times a day, at theuser’s will. It is thus useful, but hardly agrand artifact.

Orb of the WyrmkinThis remains one of the least known

of the eight artifacts of its family. It likelyconfers the same communication pow-ers of the next smaller orb but can charmdragons of slightly older ages. I wouldguess that it is four inches across. One ofmy sources refers to this orb as cursedbut does not say in what way; the Suelhated to give away any secrets that anenemy might use against them, and they

hated to admit to failure. We must passthis one by for now and move on.

Orb of the Dragonetteinterestingly, this orb is unmistakably

mentioned several times in ancientSuloise literature. One wizard was saidto have used the orb to fly over thecountryside and scout for monsters andother enemies of the Suel Imperium,which the orb was capable of stunning.This five-inch orb vanished after theRain of Colorless Fire and may still liebeneath the ash of the Sea of Dust.

Orb of the DragonThis, like the previous orb, vanished

without a trace after the fall of the SuelImperium and probably still lies buriedthere. I discovered little about It, exceptthat it was rarely used thanks to a flawin its construction that killed one com-mander who used it. It is six inches indiameter.

Orb of the Great SerpentAh! This might have been the orb

that Zagig himself used in that great bat-tle in which he won his own dragon’shoard. Several legends and tales aboutthe Orbs of Dragonkind refer to one the

size of a man’s head (this one would beseven inches, so its about right) thatcould blast enemies with waves of coldand ice, or turn aside the largest reddragon’s breath. A useful item to theSuloise long ago, no doubt! This orb isprobably still at large somewhere in theFlanaess, but where, I cannot say.

Orb of the FiredrakeAll the comments I made about the

previous orb apply to this one, too. Thisone would be eight inches across, but Ihave found no records to distinguish itfrom the other. I assume from the titlethat it is effective against red dragons,but who can say?

Orb of the Elder WyrmNine inches across, this orb was the

largest one in the Suel Imperium at thetime of its fall, and it had a black reputa-tion. Though it had great powers by allaccounts, and could kill any beast withbut a word from the user, tales have fil-tered down that the orb was alive insome way and demanded blood for itsfavors. This is very possible, as I haveseen notes that convicted criminals wereattached to the army unit to which thisorb was assigned, but no provisions

ness during the giant and humanoid wizards in the employ of the Fiery Kingsincursions in Sterich and Geoff, but it is of the southern Crystalmists also man-still being held in a secret place known aged to introduce a “minor” magical flaw.only to the survivors of the expedition. Any use of the speak with dragons power(They did not tell the government of causes the speaker’s words to change totheir discovery, believing they know vile insults in draconic tongues. There is abest how to use it.) Soon this orb will be 50% chance after each such use that anybrought out of hiding and used to repela minor invasion of giants from theJotens — but what will happen then, noone can say.

Orb of the Great SerpentIntelligence 13, Ego 13; Diameter 7”.Powers: Speak with dragons at will (as

above, but see “Curses”); charm (asabove) vs. any dragon of mature adultage (400 years) or less; cone of cold(12d4+12 hp damage) three times perday; true seeing once per day; user isimmune to all fire and heat attacks, con-tinuously; user gains +1 Intelligence,continuously; protection vs. normal mis-siles, continuously (originally used asprotection against humanoid archers).

Curses: Possession, as above. Evil

dragon listening immediately attacks theorb user with intent to kill, using breathweapons or spells first.

A second and more serious flaw existsin this orb, in that anyone using it mustsave vs. spell (all Wisdom bonuses areapplicable) once per round to avoidcharming any dragon or dragonlikebeing he sees and forcing that creatureto become his servant. This powerfulcompulsion extends to charming goodand neutral dragons as well as evil ones.To make matters worse, each use of thecharm power of this artifact permanentlydrains one hit point from the user, andthese lost hit points cannot be replacedexcept by the use of wishes (one hit pointreturned per wish used).

Disposition: Taken out of the SuloiseEmpire by Baklunish thieves long beforethe Rain of Colorless Fire, this orbpassed through many hands over thefollowing centuries, generating many ofthe tales now heard of the orbs of drag-onkind across the Flanaess. After it wasused by Zagig Yragerne in 361 CY, he

14 JUNE 1996

were sent along for the prisoners beyondfood for a few days. Were they executedby the orb or its user? It is possible. Eventhe commanders were loathe to use thisdevice in the face of attacks by dragons,so its evil nature must have been great.

Orb of the Eternal Grand DragonI would love to say that I know some-

thing about this orb, but oddly even theSuloise records are sparse about it, andthe Suloise loved to brag when they hadsomething worth bragging about. Thereis a note or two to the effect that thislargest of all orbs, ten inches across, waskept securely locked away most of thetime, but this is understandable if it wasterribly powerful. It is curious, however,that there is no mention of its use duringany battle.

❖ ❖ ❖

This concludes my little look at theOrbs of Dragonkind, and not a momenttoo soon, as I believe our dinners shouldbe ready at last. We will take this topicup again, but first — let us eat!

dropped it off at a secret location far tothe north, in the Land of Black Ice, just tomake sure no one else would get it inthe near future. (He never used it againstany dragons; he wagered it in a fero-cious poker game on another plane andwon big.) The arctic location was one ofZagig’s special creations, on a level withthe “Alice in Wonderland” partial planedescribed in modules EX1 Dungeonlandand EX2 The Land Beyond the MagicMirror. The Dungeon Master is encour-aged to design an area about 30 milesin diameter with a climate completelydifferent from its arctic surroundings.Possible themes for this setting include adinosaur-filled “Jurassic Park,” PeterPan’s Never Land, or Frank Baum’s Oz.Pull out all the stops!

Orb of the FiredrakeIntelligence 14, Ego 14; Diameter 8”.Powers: Speak with dragons at will (as

above); charm (as above) vs. any dragonof old age (600 years) or less; stone toflesh (or reverse) twice per day; dispelmagic four times per day; user isimmune to charm, hold, suggestion, and

Johanna, I have little more to add tothis missive; the hour is late, and I havemuch to do. I hope to join you in Almorby the morrow at dusk. Should you bediscovered by unwholesome forces, youmust destroy this letter at once and, dareI add, speak to no one of its contents. Wemust immediately seek out our commonenemy, the murderous duke, and wemust take from him that which he can-not be allowed to have. If the orb isindeed the size of the duke’s skull, as youhave heard, then it is surely one of themore powerful of the orbs, and with it hecould likely break the stalemate that haskept poor, crippled Nyrond from totalcollapse and ruin. I will warn the rest ofthe Five of my intentions, but we cannotwait for them to act. Let us pray thatBoccob has given us such insight andknowledge as we need to bring this crisisto a satisfactory close.

And if, as a consequence of ouractions, grief should befall the GreatMurderer of Almor, Szeffrin, then wemay take home with us the cold cer-tainty that your brothers — indeed, ourwhole ruined nation — have in somesmall way been avenged.

I remain ever faithfully yours, dearJohanna,

Otto

fear, continuously; +2 bonus to all sav-ing throws and Armor Class for every-one within 10’ of the orb while it is inuse; detect magic at will; protection vs.normal missiles, continuously (originallyused as protection against humanoidarchers).

Curses: Possession, as above. Like sev-eral other orbs of this type, this one has

a flaw in that it drains power from theuser. In this case, the user ages 10d4years each time that the charm, stone toflesh, or dispel magic powers are used;there is no saving throw against thisflaw. This may cause the user’s hair toturn white, skin to wrinkle, etc. The DMshould determine the normal age towhich the user would live and keepcareful track of “used up” years. If theuser ages beyond his allotted yearsthanks to this artifact, he dies and imme-diately becomes a nonplayer-characterwraith (as per the MONSTROUS MANUAL™tome, page 365). The DM controls thiswraith, who never attacks a dragon butalways attacks anyone attempting toseize the orb.

Disposition: This orb was discoveredcenturies ago by a shadow dragon intunnels beneath the Hellfurnaces, wherea Suloise wizard brought it just beforethe destruction of the empire. The wiz-ard became a lich in time but came intoconflict with the shadow dragon andlost. The shadow dragon is of great ageand size, with its own personal army ofunique undead beings (most createdfrom the bodies of careless drow), and ithas hidden the orb near its lair in alava-filled crevasse. It fully anticipatesthat someone will come looking for theorb, and it is prepared for this eventual-ity. At the moment, the orb has nowraith “followers.”

Orb of the Elder WyrmIntelligence 16, Ego 16; Diameter 9”.Powers: Speak with dragons at will (as

above); charm (as above) vs. any dragonof very old age (800 years) or less; fingerof death twice per day (no saving throwfor dragons); teleport without error twiceper day; minor globe of invulnerabilitytwice per day; remove curse by touchonce per day; user immune to all will-force spells, as if he had a Wisdom of 22(see Player’s Handbook); +2 bonus to allsaving throws and Armor Class for every-one within 10’ of the orb while it is inuse; detect magic and detect traps at will.

Curses: Possession, as above. This orbhas some of the worst curses associatedwith this family of artifacts. To start with,the user must sacrifice a living, sentientbeing to the spirit in the orb each night inorder for the orb to function on the fol-lowing day. This difficulty came aboutwithout the “help” of the agents of theFiery Kings, as the draconic spirit boundto this orb was so powerful that itadjusted the orb’s abilities to suit its darknature. (Suloise commanders often used

DRAGON #230 15

civilian criminals or captured spies asfodder for this orb.) Further, the user hasa 10% chance each time that its finger ofdeath power is used of being slain —irrevocably — along with his victim.

Finally, this orb forms a long-distancemagical link to each new user, and itpermanently drains one hit point perday from the last being who made useof any of its powers. This hit-point losscontinues even if the orb is not used forthat day, and the loss cannot bereplaced even with the use of wishes.The only way to prevent this loss iseither to get someone else to becomethe orbs new user (who will then bedrained from that point on) or to takethe orb back to its resting place in theSea of Dust. This resting place is anantimagical room in a buried militarybuilding over a half-mile below the sur-face of this wasteland; it can be reachedeither by teleporting into the air-filleddungeon below the building or by fol-lowing a dangerous series of tunnelsdown to the building. The tunnels areinhabited by many of the worst mon-sters who call the Sea of Dust theirhome. The spirit in the orb makes thisinformation available if the user asks, asthe spirit would prefer to be left alone inits resting place to sleep.

Disposition: The most powerful orbleft on Oerth itself, this object has beentaken out of the Sea of Dust andreturned to it 19 times in 3,000 years,thanks to its curse. Currently, the orb isdeep within a natural tunnel complexdug out by monsters who inhabit theSea of Dust. (The user who was trying totake it back to its resting place was killedon the way.) As powerful as it is, this orbis not at all impossible to obtain — but

it will not. Instead, attempting to use thisorb to charm such a dragon will causethe user to be automatically charmed by

once found, it is literally murder to keep.This orb and those of the hatchling andgreat serpent are the ones most oftenseen in the history of the Flanaess.

Orb of the Eternal Grand DragonIntelligence 18, Ego 18; Diameter 10”.Powers: Speak with dragons at will (as

above); charm (as above) vs. any dragonof venerable age (1,000 years) or less;limited omniscience once per day (playermay ask DM any question related to thecampaign; DM may answer fully or inpart, but must answer truthfully); timestop once per day; heal once per day; dis-integrate once per day; major globe ofinvulnerability twice per day; userimmune to all will-force spells, as if hehad a Wisdom of 25 (see Player’sHandbook; true seeing four times per day.

Curses: Possession (but as a perma-nent and complete slave of the spirit ofthe orb, whether the orb is held or not).This effect can be removed only byusing a wish. Even merely touching thisorb causes this possession check, makingit extremely dangerous.

This orb sustains its powers in partby draining magical potential from theuser. Touching this orb causes the userto suffer a -2 penalty on all savingthrows. Worse, all other magical itemsthe user has on his person when usingthis orb must make immediate, individ-ual saving throws vs. disintegrationwhen any power of the orb is used(except for the immunity to will-forcespells); failure to save causes the itemsto lose all magical power, forever. As aminor side effect, the user’s skin slowlyturns to a bright red over a period ofseveral weeks of using the orb, until heactually glows red in a 5’ radius.

It might be assumed that this orb willcharm dragons older than 1,000 years(wyrm or great wyrm age categories), but

the ancient dragon instead, who willunderstand what is happening and willuse the situation to best advantage.

Anyone who uses this orb must makea saving throw vs. spells (with allWisdom bonuses applicable) at the endof each six hours of cumulative use.Failure to make the save causes the userto change alignment permanently toneutral evil. If the user is already neutraleviI, he is struck with a form of insanityakin to megalomania, in which the userthinks he is a deity and attempts to

behave in all ways as one. (This hap-pened to the Suloise commander whocalled himself the King of the FieryKings.)

Disposition: This great orb is nolonger even on Oerth. Once meant foruse against the Fiery Kings themselves, itbecame highly unpopular for its devas-tating curses and was quickly relegatedto a heavily guarded storeroom, whereno one disturbed it. Agents of Tiamat,the queen of evil dragonkind, managedto remove the orb from the SuloiseEmpire long before the Rain of ColorlessFire; though warned of the impendingtheft, Suloise commanders made noattempt to prevent it or to get the orbback.

Tiamat figured that even she mightbe vulnerable in some way to an artifactthis powerful, and this would never do.This orb now rests in a secret region onthe first layer of Baator, A.K.A. the NineHells, deep in a dark fortress guarded bya small army of red, green, and blueabishai, undead dragon wizard-priests,poisonous reptiles, and killing traps.Tiamat is not particularly concerned thatmortal heroes will get the orb, but she isdeathly afraid that a tanar’ri prince willdo so, and many have already tried.Unknown to Tiamat, the orb has alreadypossessed the abishai commander ofthe fortress, and he is laying terrible,plane-spanning plans against her.

ReferencesThe information in this article is

based in part on early descriptions ofthe orbs of dragonkind from D&D®Supplement III, Eldritch Wizardry (GaryGygax and Brian Blume, 1976), page 50,and the original Edition AD&D DMG(Gary Cygax, 1979), pages 159 and 160.Several artifacts mentioned in theseworks were given strong connections tothe WORLD OF GREYHAWK® setting, so theconnection was kept for the orbs of drug-onkind as well. This material is, of course,easily adaptable to any campaign withbut a few name changes. Similar magi-cal devices are named and described inENCYCLOPEDIA MAGICA™ Volume 2, under“Orb.”

Roger E. Moore is a creative analyst atTSR, Inc. Currently working on a variety ofprojects, he is tickled to have an article inDRAGON Magazine. He also wishes to thankErik Mona for his sharp eye and quickresponse time in checking over this article.

16 JUNE 1996

The mostdangerous gameby Wolfgang Baurillustrated by Stephen G. Walsh

ost adventurers know that there’s more than one wayto kill a dragon. This article isn’t about any of the dis-honorable methods, such as stealth, ambush, poison,

and treacherous sorcery. Instead, this survey is about trueheroes: those with the courage to stand toe-to-toe with a rep-tilian nightmare and strike it down. We’ll get to the dragon-slayer kits in a moment: first, a quick look at the art of dragon-slaying itself.

The art of dragonslayingMany heroes think killing a dragon is the quick and easy

road to fame and fortune. With the dragons revamped for theAD&D® 2nd Edition game, this isn’t the case: dragons aretougher, smarter, and more dangerous than any other mon-sters (excluding evil adventurers). The best advice for thewould-be dragonslayer is simple: keep your shield ready, pro-tect yourself from its breath as best you can, and if you bringa lot of friends, be prepared to lose some of them.

If you feel compelled to throw a perfectly good hero away,at least use the right tools. The two greatest challenges to thedragonslayer are bringing the beast to ground (a dragon in theair is nigh-unstoppable, especially if it is a spellcasting dragon)and getting through its lair’s defenses, which may include ser-vant creatures, traps, and magical wards.

Not everyone tries amateur dragonslaying, or

killing the greatest monsters in exchange for large fees, land,expenses, or even simple glory. Among the mythic heroes weall know, Saint George falls into the lone warrior category, asdo Siegfried, Beowulf, and many others. Sometimes profes-sional dragonslayers take on a cause to gain a royal bride orsimply to keep their skills honed. Isolated and dangerous astheir lives are, few approach the prowess of these most finely-honed of warriors.

What are the tricks of the trade? Few dragonslayers sharethe secrets of their success, but most feel compelled to pass ontheir knowledge to an apprentice or successor of some kind,someone they trust to carry on the tradition with this knowl-edge. Even so, a few basic tactics are widely known. Forinstance, most dragonslayers prefer to fight their foes duringpoor weather, preferably storms, to minimize the advantage offlight. In addition, dragonslayers never enter a dragon’s lair ifthey can avoid it; fighting on a wyrm’s home ground is alwaysmore dangerous. Lastly, dragonslayers use weapons and armorespecially suited to bringing down large monsters: two-handedswords, great spears, and lances.

The dragonslayer kits presented here come in four varieties:traditional dragonslayers (Fighters), Black Arrows (Rangers),Georgians (Paladins) and Dragon Lords (Wizards and Priests).Thieves are not eligible for any of these kits for the simple rea-

son that they are not concerned with the sort ofdragonslaying as a group activity. A few hardysouls ride across the land, Quixote-like,

honorable combat required of the dragon-slayer.

DRAGON #230 19

Knightly ordersMembers of the Order of the Falling

Star in the wizard’s kingdom of Bemmeaare dedicated to the eradication of mon-strous wyrms both within and withoutthe borders of the magocracy, and theyhave been given the tools to carry it out.In my campaign, only members of theorder are eligible to take any of thedragonslayer kits; you must decidewhat’s best for your campaign.

The Order of the Rising Serpent is theFalling Star’s great antithesis. It is aknightly and priestly order dedicated tothe worship of Ouroboros, the serpent-god. These black knights seek to pre-vent the death of dragons, consideringthe wyrms to be avatars of their deity.The Serpent Knights make good sec-ondary villains for dragonslayers, sincenot every adventure can reasonablyinvolve dragon-slaying. Though thedetails of the Order are kept well-hid-den, in some ways the Order of theRising Serpent resembles the Cult of theDragon in the FORGOTTEN REALMS® setting.The details of these villains are bestdeveloped by the DM.

The Serpents have earned a specialplace of loathing and contempt in thehearts of the Stars. Members of the Starorder who discover a Serpent hidingplace are commanded to ride to the near-est stronghold of the Order to raise anarmy to scourge the Serpents back intothe darkness whence they came.

Code of the dragonslayersThe Order of the Falling Star and sim-

ilar institutions have special codes ofbehavior governing the manner in whichdragons are to be slain. While the partic-ulars may vary, the following four pointsare central to all such codes.

Challenge your foe to honorablecombat. Dragonslayers don’t skulkaround hoping to backstab a dragon.

rituals rouse the dragon’s natural curios-ity about what manner of creature couldpossibly be stupid enough to make itspresence known to a dragon.)

Allow no innocent to suffer foryour glory. Never use sentient creatures(or even livestock, in some versions ofthe code) as bait for dragons — the risk tothe innocent is too great. Glory wonthrough the death or suffering of othersis no glory at all. Only a clean kill is wor-thy of immortality in song and story. Theaspect of the code distinguishes honor-able dragon-slayers from barbarians andscoundrels out for quick glory.

Accept no quarter. Dragons arewily, clever talkers; never be drawn intoconversation with them. In particular,never believe their stories of beingenchanted princes, their claims abouttheir enslavement by evil wizards, orother obvious lies. Even if a dragon begsfor mercy or offers years of faithful ser-vice, keep fighting. Would a dragonextend you mercy if you asked for it? Ifso, then it is only to toy with you, as a cattoys with a wounded sparrow.

Dragons that refuse to put up a fightare beneath the notice of a true dragon-slayer, who must kill them out of hand.Remember that no dragon is a true paci-fist; they are voracious carnivores andoften kill merely for sport. Showingmercy to a dragon condemns innocenthumans to death. Never forget thatdragons will promise anything to savethemselves, and then they break theiroaths as quickly as they make them.

Treat a fallen foe with dignity.Never hack up a dragon’s body for meator trophies. Take a token to prove itsdeath, but don’t stoop to its level anddesecrate the body. Any foe worth chal-lenging to a death match is worthy ofrespect once it is slain.

This nicety does not apply to dragoneggs, which most dragonslayers crush

New Nonweapon Proficiency: Dragon LoreWisdom –4

Dragon lore is the body of knowledge required to make hunting dragons alonemore than just a suicidal endeavor. With a successful proficiency check, dragon loreallows a PC tp evaluate a dragon’s tracks, spoor, and shed scales to learn thedragon’s age category (plus or minus one category). It also automatically teaches adragon hunter the basic dragon types, how to distinguish similar-looking subtypes,and the ways to avoid the most common lair traps.

They shout out their defiance for all tohear and thus summon the dragon tocombat on the ground. (More cynicalminds may believe that these calling-out

out of hand, preventing the creation ofanother generation of draconic horrors.Ironically, most dragonslayers sincerelyhope to work themselves out of a job.

DragonslayerCome not between the dragon and hiswrath.

— William ShakespeareKing Lear

Dragonslayers are fanatical enemiesof all dragonkind, often as the result ofsome tragic incident in their past.

Role: The dragonslayer is often aknight errant or a specialized merce-nary; he is excellent as a lone NPC whomay seek PC help for “the big one.”

Secondary Skills: Riding.Weapon Proficiencies: Recommended:

Lance, crossbow, two-handed sword,pike.

Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus:Dragon lore.

Nonweapon Proficiencies: Recom-mended: Animal trainer, blacksmith,armorer, riding, land-based.

Equipment: Field plate armor, bodyshield, jousting shield, large warhorse.

Distinctive Appearance: Charred,scarred, and marred.

Special Benefits: Dragonslayersknow their foe and gain benefits accord-ingly. Whenever attacking a dragon witha melee weapon, the dragonslayer’sStrength and magical bonuses are dou-bled for both attack and damage rolls.These benefits apply only to dragons intheir true form, not to those who haveassumed human or other shape.

Furthermore, their fanaticism makesit possible for dragonslayers to fighttheir foe on even terms. Dragonslayerscan issue a mortal challenge to anydragon simply by bellowing their threatsto the sky; the dragonslayer must fightalone for the challenge to work. Magicresistance provides the dragon with noprotection; if it fails a saving throw vs.death magic, it must land and engagethe dragonslayer on the ground.However, cowardly dragons may stillchoose to fight their foes on home ter-rain; a dragon that fails its saving throwagainst a mortal challenge may stillretreat to fight in its lair.

Finally, dragonslayers suffer lessdamage from dragon’s breath weapons,both because they can anticipate themoment when a dragon chooses to useone and because they know the bestcountermeasures to avoid harm fromeach one (grounding, wetting clothes,holding one’s breath, and so on). On asuccessful saving throw vs. dragonbreath, dragonslayers suffer only onequarter damage. Even a failed result

20 JUNE 1996

means only one half damage to thesewarriors.

Special Hindrances: Dragonslayerstend to have short lives, since they areoften hunted by dragons whose eggs oryoung they destroyed. They are some-times considered soldiers of ill omen,since when they fail, a dragon’s wrathoften falls on the nearest village ortown. They suffer a -2 modifier to allreaction checks because of the air ofgloomy, unbending fanaticism that sur-rounds them.

Saint GeorgeBesides being the patron saint of England, St. George as a historical figure is

murky: he may have lived around AD 315 and served as a Cappadocian officer inthe Roman army. He became very popular among soldiers during the Middle Ages,though the dragon wasn’t added to his story until the 13th century, when the leg-end of St. George was retold yet again, almost a thousand years after his death. Inthe early 16th century, Pope Clement VII removed the dragon from the church his-tory, but it lives on in the popular mind.

In addition, a dragonslayers’ squiresand companions are magically affectedby the dragonslayer’s aura. If they entercombat with a dragon at the dragon-slayer’s side, they suffer a -2 penalty toAC for the duration of the combat, as thedragon furiously seeks to knock themaside to concentrate on its primary foe —the dragonslayer. For this reason, mostdragonslayers work alone.

A dragonslayer may never attack tosubdue nor work with those who do. Heis obliged to meet any attempt to do sowith force. Showing mercy to a dragonunder any circumstances results in theloss of all kit bonuses and makes theformer dragonslayer an ordinary fighteragain. Good-aligned dragons are noexception to this rule.

Wealth Options: Dragonslayers beginthe game with 4d6 (×10) gp, as they areusually supported by a town or patronfor their first dragonslaying efforts. Theyare expected to spend all their moneyand effort hunting dragons, and anyfunds not spent on equipment are lost.

Black arrow“Arrow!” said the bowman. “Black arrow!I have saved you to the last. You havenever failed me, and always I have recov-ered you.”

J.R.R. TolkienThe Hobbit

The black arrow believes that the bestway to kill a dragon is from a distance.He is a master marksman, able to bringa dragon down with a well-placed shot.

Role: These archers wait for a dragonto come within bow-range, then shootat its most vulnerable point.

Secondary Skills: Bowyer/fletcher.Weapon Proficiencies: Bonus: One

additional slot in any bow. Recommended:Specialization in a bow, plus normal pro-ficiency in the Dragonslayer kit’s meleeweapons.

Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus:Bowyer.

Nonweapon Proficiencies: Recom- Wealth Options: Black arrows startmended: Dragon lore, tracking. with 3d6 (×10) gp but automatically

Equipment: Long bow or heavy begin the game with a special bow ofcrossbow. their choice, which allows them to add

Distinctive Appearance: Like all their Strength bonus to damage torangers, black arrows travel light, typi- attack rolls.

cally wearing studded leather armor, anopen-faced helm, carrying a a bow.

Special Benefits: A black arrow canmake a called shot against a flying drag-on’s wing joints, forcing the dragon toglide and land, usually within a mile ortwo of the battlefield, upon a successfulattack. The attack roll is made normally,without the usual called shot penalties,because of the black arrow’s knowledgeof dragon anatomy and his ability totrack the wing during a glide or dive,rather than when the wing is moving.Sometimes, of course, injuring a wingbrings an enraged dragon down in asharp dive directly at the attacker.

Once per day, a black arrow maysearch for weakness while observing adragon. If the black arrow passes anIntelligence ability check with a -3penalty, he finds a weakness in thedragon’s armor, some little crack ormissing scale where an arrow or cross-bow bolt can have maximum effect. Ifhe finds one, all successful hits inflictdouble damage, including a doubling ofhis Strength bonus (magical and special-ization bonuses are not doubled).

At 9th level, a black arrow can craftone arrow or bolt of dragon-slaying. Eachtime he gains a level thereafter, he cancraft one more such arrow or bolt.

Special Hindrances: Black arrowsspend so much time training with missileweapons that they suffer a -1 penalty toall attack rolls with hurled or meleeweapons. Also, like most rangers, theyrarely wear armor heavier than chainmail, as these interfere with their aim.

In addition, not every dragon has aweak spot. Some elder wyrms are platedliterally inches deep in scales, gems, andmetal. If the Intelligence check fails, theblack arrow must attack normally.

Finally, a black arrow may neverattack to subdue a dragon.

GeorgiansSt. George he was for England,And before he killed the dragonHe drunk a pint of English aleOut of an English flagon.

— G.K. ChestertonThe Englishman

This paladin kit is for those few whofeel called upon to smite the greatestsymbols of evil, the chromatic dragons.

Role: To be a shining example of thepower of faith over darkness.

Secondary Skills: Groom, armorer.Weapon Proficiencies: Recommended:

Lance, two-handed sword.Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus:

Riding, land-based, religion.Nonweapon Proficiencies: Recom-

mended: Dragon lore, weather sense,tracking.

Equipment: Lance, heavy warhorse,barding, and the best armor he canafford.

Distinctive Appearance: Georgiansare primed for mounted combat. Greenleather cloak, metal body shield, halo(optional).

Special Benefits: The most powerfulprotection that Georgians gain is theirdouble-strength protection from drag-ons, 10’ radius. Dragons suffer a -2 toall attack rolls against the knight andthose within the area of effect. In addi-tion, Georgians suffer no damage fromthe breath weapon of evil dragons.

Furthermore, Georgians can use adragon call once per month, summoninga dragon to battle. Unless the dragonmakes a successful morale check, it mustleave its lair and fight the knight. Unlikethe effects of a dragonslayer kits mortalchallenge, however, this battle need notbe fought on the ground.

A Georgians’ special paladin’swarhorse is utterly unaffected by dragon

DRAGON #230 21

New SpellDragon Mastery(Enchantment/Charm)Level: Wizard 4, Priest 3Range: 100 yds.Components V, MDuration: SpecialCasting Time: 4Area of Effect: One creatureSaving Throw: Special

A more powerful and specific ver-sion of a charm monster spell, dragonmastery allows a wizard or priest toenter a magical battle of wills with theaffected dragon. The outcome is any-thing but certain, but the more pow-erful and charismatic of the two gainspower over the lesser.

Dragon mastery affects all true drag-ons, false dragons, wyrms, linnorms,Oriental dragons, wyverns, drakes,and draconians. The spell requires asingle dragon scale (of an age at leastequal to the target dragon’s) and a sil-ver crucible to burn the scale in. Thespell has no effect on non-draconicmonsters.

When the spell is cast, both casterand target must make an immediateCharisma check. The caster subtractshis level as a spellcaster from the roll,and the dragon subtracts its age cate-gory (half its hit dice for lesser drag-ons). If the caster rolls lower, he hasmastered the dragon and can com-mand it to undertake whateveractions he likes. (Suicidal actions oractions requiring the dragon to dis-close the location of its hoard immedi-ately cancel the spell’s effect.) If thedragon rolls lower, it has dominatedthe caster, and can likewise commandhim.

In both cases, the spell lasts as longas an equivalent charm person spellwould last, according to the loser’sIntelligence and saving throws. See thedescription of the charm person spell inthe Player’s Handbook for more guide-lines on saving throws for this spell.

Intelligence Check Every3 or less 3 months

4-6 2 months7-9 1 month

10-12 3 weeks13-14 2 weeks15-16 1 week

17 3 days18 2 days

19 or more 1 day

fear of any kind. In addition, it is usuallyshielded by its master’s protection fromdragons ability.

Special Hindrances: Because of theirnarrow focus, George characters losethe paladin’s protection from evil, pro-tection from disease, and detection ofevil intent abilities, as well as the abilityto turn undead. They are protected onlyagainst dragons.

They must abide by all other paladinrestrictions, such as tithing and keepingno more than 10 magical items. Becauseof their special skills, they are rarely askedto undertake missions for their order.

Wealth Options: Like other paladins,the Georgian starts the game with 5d4(x10) gp.

Dragon lord“No dragon can resist the fascination ofriddling talk, and of wasting time tryingto understand it.”

— J.R.R. TolkienThe Hobbit

A little like Saint Francis, a little likeGed from Ursula LeGuin’s A Wizard ofEarthsea, these magic-using tricksters arethe pied pipers of the dragon-slayingworld. In fact, though they master drag-ons, they are more like beastmastersthan monster killers; they tame dragonsrather than slay them. They are oftenmasters of riddling or rhetoric, able tomatch a dragon’s ability to twist wordsand hypnotize listeners.

Successful dragon lords often use adragon they have already tamed to sub-due other dragons.

Role: To learn all they can of the artof taming dragons and to find the toolsto do it with.

Secondary Skills: None.Weapon Proficiencies: Normal. No

particular weapon is common to the kit.Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus:

Dragon tongue, animal training (drag-ons). Recommended: Dragon lore, riding,airborne, animal handling, language,ancient (Auld Wyrmish), language, mod-ern (Dragontongue).

Equipment: Staff, prod, or bridle,extra-large cinch strap.

Distinctive Appearance: Dragon lordsnever wear any part of a dragon (claws,hide, and so on), but they often decoratesome of their equipment (such as stavesor maces) with a draconic theme.

Special Benefits: Dragon lords aresmooth talkers, usually with a highCharisma and a golden voice. If they canengage a dragon in conversation for

more than a single round, they gain areaction check with a bonus equal totheir level. If the check is “Cautious” orbetter, the dragon is “Indifferent” instead,attacking only to defend itself. If thecheck is “Indifferent” or better, the drag-on is “Friendly” instead; in some cases, ayoung dragon may even do a smallfavor for the dragon lord. Some DMsmay prefer to role-play this interactioninstead, but keep in mind that dragonlords know how to appeal to a listeningdragon. (Give the player a break if he ishaving trouble getting into the role.)

When fighting to subdue a dragon,dragon lords can use spells to subdue,something not normally possible withoffensive magics. They do this by care-ful, intimidating placement of damagingspells; this form of magical intimidationis not possible for mages who don’t ded-icate themselves to it.

If the path magic system is used inthe campaign (see “Paths of Power,”issue #216), dragon lords automaticallyhave access to the Path of the Dragon. Ifnot, their spell selection is typically fromthe Enchantment/Charm and Illusion/Phantasm schools. Most dragon lordslearn dragon mastery when they reachan appropriate level (see sidebar).

Special Hindrances: Despite their skillat taming dragons, a dragon lord cannever have more than one tame dragon,unless he has tamed a mated pair(dragons are much too territorial ever toshare close proximity with a competitoror a member of another draconic sub-race). Attempting to keep two dragonssoon results in a death match, often withplenty of collateral damage. Such drag-ons deliberately kept from fighting eachother soon waste away, frustrated andenraged by the lack of opportunity todestroy a hated rival.

Dragon lords cannot and do not taketreasure from the hoards of those drag-ons they tame. If they do so, they imme-diately lose any control they might haveestablished over that beast.

Wealth Options: Like beastmasters,dragon lords are generally poor. Theybegin with 1d4 (x10) gp.

Wolfgang Baur has finally accepted thesad fact that he’s doomed to live the life ofEurotrash. In fact, he revels in it by drinkingtoo much coffee, listening to too muchEuropop, and complaining too much aboutthe weather in Seattle.

22 JUNE 1996

by John D. Rateliffillustrated by Albrect Dürer

here he lay, a vast red-golden dragon, fast asleep; athrumming came from his jaws and nostrils, and wisps ofsmoke, but his fires were low in slumber. Beneath him,

under all his limbs and his huge coiled tail, and about him on allsides stretching away across the unseen floors, lay countless piles ofprecious things, gold wrought and unwrought, gems and jewels,and silver red-stained in the ruddy light.

—J.R.R. TolkienThe Hobbit

No creature is so representative of fantasy as the dragon.The dragon is to fantasy as the vampire is to horror, as therocket ship is to science fiction, and as the quick-draw sheriff isto the western. There’s a reason why the world’s most popularfantasy role-playing game has the word “Dragons” in its name.Not the elf, the griffon, the giant, nor the unicorn has suchdeep resonance in our culture.

Dragons feature prominently in many of the world’s greatmyths: the Sumerian creation goddess Tiamat; the “great reddragon” of Revelations, a seven-headed beast whose comingsignals the end of the world; the guardian of the Golden Fleece;the Midgard Serpent encircling the world who rises to helpdestroy the Norse gods on the day of Ragnarok; or the greatserpent Apep, eternal foe of all the Egyptian gods, who seeks todevour the sun. According to legend, the Greek hero Cadmusslew a dragon and sowed its teeth into a field, where they grewinto men who helped him found the great city ofThebes. Perseus, another Greek hero, found theprincess Andromeda chained to a rock as

riors. Even the greatest warrior, according toNorse and Anglo-Saxon legend, could not

expect to face a dragon and survive.

25

tribute to a great sea-monster and rescued her, setting a trendthat the heroes, dragons, and captive maidens of a thousandstories have followed ever since.

Belief in dragons was widespread in the Middle Ages.Christendom had Saint George the dragonslayer, a storyimported from Asia Minor. The Welsh took the red dragon astheir national symbol (hence Merlin’s prophecy of the reddragon of the British defeating the white dragon of theSaxons). The Norse had the story of Sigurd Fafnir’s-bane, out-standing both for the distinct personality of the wyrm — thefirst speaking dragon I know of — and the ambush tactics thehero is forced to employ to slay it. Fafnir, a giant who hadtaken on dragon form (the better to guard his great treasure-hoard), was killed when young Sigurd dug a pit in a path fre-quented by the dragon and lay in wait for him. The next timethe dragon passed that way, Sigurd stabbed him without warn-ing from below, showing that courage and shrewdness rankedhigher than fair-play when dealing with such an overwhelmingfoe. For their part, the English, who took St. George as theirpatron once they’d settled in Britain and sent the Britons pack-ing, had the legend of Beowulf — a hero so brave and fool-hardy that he insisted on taking on the dragon that was rav-aging his kingdom in single combat. The importance and sheerferocity of dragons is shown in that Beowulf, who had handilyslain Grendel and Grendel’s mother single-handedly, died in hisbattle with the dragon and would have failed to slay the crea-ture in turn had he not received timely aid from one of his war-

DRAGON #230

“Historical” dragonsHow much did the people of the time

actually believe in their own stories? Themodern fantasy author writes aboutthings he or she does not believe couldexist (that’s what makes it a fantasy), butdetermining whether Shakespearebelieved in his witches or Dante in thenine circles of Hell is a far murkier mat-ter. Leslie Kordecki, in her dissertation,Tradition & Development of the MedievalEnglish Dragon (University of Toronto,1980), noted that early medieval storiesconcerning dragons tended to portraythem as living, breathing creatures,whereas later stories often reducedthem to mere symbols that vanished ina puff of smoke when banished by asaint. The overall impression garneredfrom reading the legends — or what sur-vives of them, after centuries of attrition— is that yes, people did believe in them.Or, to put it another way, there wasnothing to prove that dragons didn’texist, and a good deal of evidence thatthey did or once had.

As C. S. Lewis noted in his wonderfuloverview of the medieval world view,The Discarded Image (1964), medievalpeople had a great regard for ancientauthorities. Much of their culture — sci-ence, medicine, theology, philosophy,literature, etc. — was inherited directlyfrom the ancients, the Romans and theGreeks (and, later, the Arabs). Thoseauthorities were unanimous in theirbelief that dragons had once walked theearth. If there were any doubters, theyhad only to look in the greatest of allauthorities: the Bible itself.

The verse describing the first livingcreatures in Genesis is translated in mod-ern Bibles as “great sea monsters,”“whales,” or something similar. TheHebrew word in question, tannin, can betranslated in several ways. The one cho-sen by St. Jerome, translator of theVulgate or Latin Bible, was draco: dragon.Modern Bibles from the King James ver-

sion onward have shied away from themythical and have substituted “whale,”“leviathan,” or even “jackal,” but themedieval Latin Bible in use from thefourth century had perhaps a dozenclear references to dragons haunting thewilderness, lurking in the great sea, andgenerally laying in wait for the unwarylike the serpent in the Garden (who him-self became a dragon in some popularretellings of the Eden story).1 Many fan-tasy authors have made the dragons thefirst sentient race on his or her world(influenced consciously or unconsciouslyby the historical fact on our world ofdinosaurs, no doubt), little realizing thatthe most famous creation story agreedwith them.

It’s important to note, however, thatwhile the average medieval person cer-tainly believed in the existence of drag-ons, he also probably thought they haddied out long ago. Dragons belonged tothe legendary past, the age of wonders,not the cold hard light of their “modernday.” The occasional discovery of dino-saur bones2 only provided additionalproof, if any were needed beyond thewell-attested stories of legendary heroesand saints’ lives, that giants and dragonshad once roamed the lands in ancientdays.3 Whether any still survived wasopen to debate: who knew what mightlurk in unexplored, far-off corners? InTolkien’s words, dragons were “comfort-ably far-off, and therefore legendary,”but he goes on to note that the dragonsfor their part would hold much the sameview of knights:

“So knights are mythical!” said theyounger and less experienced dragons.“We always thought so.”

“At least they may be getting rare,”thought the older and wiser worms; ‘farand few and no longer to be feared.”

— J. R. R. TolkienFarmer Giles of Ham

Dragons,Reluctant and Otherwise

When modern fantasy began toappear in the mid-19th century, therewere plenty of examples in myth, leg-end, and medieval literature for fanta-sists to draw from. Considering thewealth of fantasy produced in the last130 years or so, dragons are actuallyrather rare, and good (i.e., impressive)dragons even more so. Endless retellingsof the legend of St. George need notconcern us here; instead, let’s concen-trate on some of the more importantinnovators.

One of the most important stories,widely imitated right down to the pre-sent, was Kenneth Grahame’s “TheReluctant Dragon” (1898).4 In this simplestory of a dragon who prefers the quietlife to all that nasty rampaging, kidnap-ping-of-princesses, and fighting-with-knights business, Grahame broke thecliche of dragons as mindless, raveningbeasts. His dragon prefers to writepoetry, and when St. George appears onthe scene the dragon staunchly refusesto fight him. The saint, for his part, isspurred on by the townspeople’s luridfibs of dragon-depravation. “All thisevening I’ve been listening . . . to tales ofmurder, theft, and wrong; rather toohighly colored, perhaps, not always quiteconvincing, but forming in the main amost serious roll of crime.” George issadly disappointed to learn that thetownspeople are betting six-to-four inthe dragon’s favor. Eventually the two ofthem decide on a sham-fight in whichGeorge pokes the dragon in a non-vitalspot, then the “reformed” monster makesa speech at the victory banquet — thefirst “subdued” dragon on record. Thatlatter-day imitators of Grahame’s workwho preferred sentimentality to adven-ture eventually created the cliche of “Puffthe Magic Dragon” — the dragon as cuteand cuddly — is no fault of his. The ideaof dragons as intelligent, cultured

1. One of those who does so is Edmund neither of which they’d encountered back in 4. Originally a chapter in Grahame’s bookSpenser, in Book I of The Faerie Queene. Despite the Angle or Saxony, as orthanc enta geweorc: Dream Days (1898), which along with Thethe daunting spelling, the climactic battle the cunning work of giants — now long gone Golden Age (1895) seriously attempted to pre-between George and the dragon at the end of but leaving obvious signs behind them. sent childhood as it actually appeared to chil-Book I is well worth a DM’s time as probably Interestingly enough, the great 12th-century dren; The Golden Age in particular is a directthe best retelling of a classic story. Welsh author Geoffrey of Monmouth, who ancestor of Bill Waterson’s Calvin & Hobbes.

spun an amazing web of entertaining stories Crahame is best known today as the author of2. A not-unusual occurrence among the into his own highly entertaining version of The Wind in the Willows.

crumbling cliffs of southern England even to British history (apparently inventing most ofthis day. As a child, Tolkien found a fossil jaw the story of King Arthur as he went along), 5. Roger Zelazny wrote a very good shortwhich he kept as a petrified piece of dragon also held that the isle of Britain was occupied story, “The George Business,” which, as withbone. by giants before the coming of humans. Both Grahame’s story, retells the St. George and the

of these might derive from the well-known Dragon story with an amusingly jaded modern3. Thus the Anglo-Saxons ascribed won- Biblical reference: “There were giants in the perspective.

ders such as paved roads and stone buildings, earth in those days” (Genesis 6:4 [KJv]).

26 JUNE 1996

creatures with whom one could bargainfor mutual gain was a gift well worth theprice.5

The next great dragon-story is LordDunsany’s “The Fortress Unvan-quishable, Save for Sacnoth” (1908) —one of the great epic fantasy adventuresof all time. In one 20-page short story,Dunsany launched the “sword and sor-cery” genre, sending his hero, Leothric,on a quest against an evil sorcerer andall his minions: giant spiders, vampires,succubi, hordes of armed guards, thesword-wielding sorcerer himself, and notone, not two, but three guardian dragons.Best of all, however, is the preliminaryadventure young Leothric undertakes togain the sword whereby the sorcerer’sdefenses can be defeated. Unfortunately,the unhappy hero learns that the swordcurrently forms the spine of the greatdragon-crocodile Tharagaverug, and thatTharagavergug is invulnerable except forone weakness: the only way in which hecan die is of starvation. Leothric mustfight the dragon for three days andnights until the beast finally starves todeath, keeping out of reach of its greatmaw the whole time. Once he has thesword, the rest is easy — merely a matterof resisting temptation and using his wits— but imagine the average PC’s reactionat being told he must fight a near-invul-nerable dragon one-on-one until itstarves!

Dunsany also wrote of other drag-ons, usually lampooning old cliches, asin “Miss Cubbidge and the Dragon ofRomance” (1912), where he substituted apolitician’s daughter for the traditionalprincess and suggested that beingabducted did her some good. “TheHoard of the Gibbelins” (also 1912), oneof his best stories, offers a fine exampleof how he plays on the cliches at thesame time that he subverts them, con-stantly playing with readers’ expecta-tions regarding wicked dragons andnoble fairy-tale knights:

[T]here was a dragon . . . who if peasants’prayers are heeded deserved to die, notalone because of the number of maidenshe cruelly slew, but because he was badfor the crops; he ravaged the very landand was the bane of a dukedom. . . . So[Alderic] took horse and spear andpricked till he met the dragon, and thedragon came out against him breathing

bitter smoke. And to him Alderic shouted,“Hath foul dragon ever slain trueknight?” And well the dragon knew thatthis had never been, and he hung hishead and was silent, for he was gluttedwith blood. “Then,” said the knight, “ifthou would’st ever taste maidens bloodagain thou shalt be my trusty steed, andif not, by this spear there shall befall theeall that the troubadours tell of the doomsof thy breed.

And the dragon did not open hisravening mouth, nor rush upon theknight, breathing out fire; for well heknew the fate of those that did thesethings, but he consented to the termsimposed, and swore to the knight tobecome his trusty steed.

— Lord Dunsany“The Hoard of the Gibbelins”

from The Book of Wonder

Tolkien’s dragonsJ.R.R. Tolkien’s contributions to fan-

tasy in general and dragon-lore in par-ticular are so great as to place him in aleague of his own. The whole concept ofthe PC party (specialists of differentbackgrounds working together toward acommon goal) derives from Tolkien’s“Fellowship of the Rings,” while his ownparticular “take” on all the major fantasyraces — elves, dwarves, goblins, etc. —have become the common currency fora whole generation of successors. He isthe most imitated fantasist of all time,and his masterly portrayal of Smaug,“the chiefest and greatest of all calami-ties,” is the standard by which all otherfantasy dragons should be judged.

Whereas after Grahame the tendencyhad been to treat dragons as witty andcute, Tolkien restored the sense of themas deadly predators. All of Tolkien’s drag-ons — Smaug from The Hobbit, Glorundfrom The Silmarillion, the wily but notover-bold Chrystophlax Dives fromFarmer Giles of Ham — are clever,unscrupulous, greedy, and exceedinglydangerous. They can be bargained with,but each is capable of wiping out a smallarmy or good-sized town all by himself.Anyone who dares to talk with one ofTolkien’s dragons had better have anescape route planned if he does not wantto become the creature’s next meal.

Furthermore, Tolkien’s dragonsdelight in mischief: rather than kill Turin,a brave but rash and not overly clever

hero, Glorund convinces him to abandonthe people who rely upon him and sendshim on a fool’s errand, while Smaugsows the seeds of doubt in Bilbo’s mindthat shortly afterward help wreck hisfriendship with the dwarves. People wholisten to dragons are apt to fall undertheir enchantment (“Smaug had ratheran overwhelming personality”), and anyspark of greed inside them usually faresinto full life. Sometimes this dragon-greed is even contagious, transmitted bycontact with treasure “over whom adragon has long brooded” — as shown inthe fate of Thorin Oakenshield and to alesser extent that of Bilbo himself (whosesecret theft of the Arkenstone was a tho-roughly uncharacteristic act). Similarly,Fafnir’s treasure, the hoard of theNiebelungs, seems to bring disaster to allwho possess or even lay claim to it,while Beowulf’s grieving countrymenwisely decline to take any of the drag-on’s hoard after his death, instead plac-ing it all on his pyre and burying whatremains in his barrow.

Finally, Tolkien’s dragons are hard tokill. Smaug destroys Dale and theKingdom Under the Mountain, sweepingaside all resistance, and that was whenhe was, in his own words, “young andtender.” Later in the book we’re given avivid description of his attack on themountainside and burning of Lake-Town.Had he not been slain by Bard’s expertshot with a special arrow to his onesecret vulnerable spot, Tolkien speculat-ed that Sauron might have later manipu-lated him into destroying Rivendell.6

Likewise, Glorund destroys the elven cityof Nargothrond, effortlessly scatteringand destroying its battle-tried elven war-riors, while other dragons help plunderthe great hidden city of Gondolin. For hispart, Chrystophlax shows great reluc-tance to melee with anyone armed witha sword of dragon-slaying like Giles’Claudimorax (and no wonder), but whenfaced with the possibility of losing hiswhole hoard handily massacres the LittleKingdom’s assembled knighthood, thenlater effortlessly puts a second army toflight. It’s possible to slay one of theGreat Worms, but only by careful plan-ning and good luck.

Modern dragonsAfter Tolkien, dragons once again

became part-and-parcel of mainstream

6. Unfinished Tales (1980), “The Quest of Candalf’s point of view, telling us how the contrast to Bilbo’s narrative, this bit of “alter-Erebor,” contains a behind-the-scenes look at events appeared to the wizard and the nate Hobbit” lets us learn more aboutthe opening chapter of The Hobbit from dwarves. In addition to offering an amusing Gandalf’s motives and plans.

DRAGON #230 27

fantasy. Anne McCaffrey used them togive a fantasy flavor to what are essen-tially science fiction romance novels.Ursula Le Guin broke with the Tolkientradition by basing Earthsea’s dragonson Oriental rather than European myth.Hickman and Weis’s DRAGONLANCE®

Chronicles picked up on various hints ofthe massive destructiveness of solitaryindividual dragons and showed howdragons en masse could ravage an entirecontinent. Patricia Wrede’s Talking toDragons (1985) updated fairy-tale motifsto offer an amusing account of theextreme importance of good mannersand a firm grasp of dragon etiquettewhen dealing with such powerfulbeings. Gordon R. Dickson made thehero of his novel The Dragon and theGeorge (1976) a human whose mind istransferred into a dragon’s body whothen has to come to terms with his newbody’s powers and limitations. The listcould go on and on. The permutationsin today’s fantasy are endless: from vastinhuman engines of destruction to cud-dly little cat-sized pets, dragons areeverywhere.

Three particularly interesting drag-ons, all from fantasies published in thelast 25 years, deserve closer attention.Gyld the Dragon, from Patricia A.McKillip’s The Forgotten Beast of Eld(1974), is an old, old dragon who desiresonly to sleep on his hoard; his gold liter-ally means more than his life to him, yetwhen roused this ancient creature scat-ters armies, sinks ships, and keeps anarmed garrison cowering behind theircity walls in terror. The extreme old ageof the very powerful wyrm has rarely, ifever been more vividly portrayed. Thelesson from Beowulf, The Hobbit, and TheForgotten Beast of Eld all agree: Let sleep-ing dragons lie.

At the opposite extreme, Wrede’sTalking to Dragons (the first, and muchthe best, of a four-book series) featuresa baby dragon, so young that it has notchosen a name or even its sex yet.Wrede also offers us a glimpse of drag-on politics, the young dragon’s grand-mother being the King of Dragons (thetitle being invariable no matter who’scurrently doing the job). Any DM whosePCs have acquired a dragon egg andwant to raise their hatchling as pet,familiar, or companion, would findWrede’s book a valuable resource aswell as a good read. Perhaps even moreintriguing is Wrede’s revelation of whydragons want princesses in the firstplace (a subject dealt with in more detail

in the later books in the series, whichare actually prequels to the first book):

Just at that moment, the Princess openedher eyes. She gave a small scream, andthe dragon frowned.

“You don’t have to be frightened,” ifsaid. “Really. You’re my Princess now,and I’m going to fake proper cure of you,and you can clean my scales and cookfor me. I believe that’s the standardarrangement.”

— Patricia C. WredeTalking to Dragons

Not all dragons appear in dragon-form, and by far the best anthropomor-phic dragon in modern fantasy appearsin R.A. MacAvoy’s Tea with the BlackDragon (1983). When we first meet him,Mayland Long is permanently stuck inhuman form, and his slow integrationinto the modern human world and cop-ing with his new, unfamiliar body makefascinating reading. Mr. Long mayappear human, but his mind remainsthat of a thousand-year-old dragon, giv-ing him a unique outlook. Better yet, hereappears in dragon form in one ofMacAvoy’s other novels, Raphael (1984)— set some five or six centuries earlier —giving MacAvoy a chance to describe hisnatural form, with all its elegance, intelli-gence, and ferocity. The dragons of thesethree writers, each so different in theirstyles, all have so much personality thatthey give an idea of what a creative DMcan do in the way of characterization.

Dragonslayers“[T]hey all began discussing dragon-slay-ings historical, dubious, and mythical, andthe various sorts of stabs and jabs andundercuts, and the dlfferent arts devicesand stratagems by which they had beenaccomplished. The general opinion wasthat catching a dragon napping was notas easy as it sounded, and the attempt tostick one or prod one asleep was morelikely to end in disaster than a bold frontalattack.”

— J. R. R. TolkienThe Hobbit

For those of a practical turn of mindwho expect that their next encounterwith a dragon is likely to be in a role-playing game, with said dragon charg-ing down upon their characters bent ondeath and destruction, a final wordabout dragon-slaying. Fantasy fiction isfull of epic battles between hero or hero-ine and dragon, but there’s considerable

disagreement over how best to goabout it. The classic “St. George”approach is to get the beast so mad thatit rushes blindly at you, obliginglyexposing its only vulnerable part, theinside of the throat, and letting you stickyour lance down it. Tolkien maintainedthat it wasn’t as easy as all that, and thatkilling a dragon required learning itsmost vulnerable spot (usually under-neath): Glorund, like Fafnir, was slain bya hero lying in ambush who stabbed thedragon from below as it passed over hishiding place. Kenneth Morris, in thewonderful Welsh fantasy The Book ofThree Dragons (1930), includes a scenewhere the hero and a dragon go at itwith such gusto that they rip up boul-ders and whale on each other withthem, tossing them back and forth. LeGuin’s Ged simply cast a spell thatcaused the dragons to drop helpless intothe sea and drown — an effectivemethod, but one lacking drama and acertain sense of fair-play. We’vealready discussed Dunsany’s ingeniousapproach (starve the creature, if onlyyou can stay alive long enough). Theless scrupulous will find a foolproofscheme in Will Shetterly’s Cats Have NoLord (1985), but one that requires anexpendable fool to implement (can yousay “NPC”?) Perhaps the best approachof all is that followed by Tolkien’s com-mon-sense Farmer Giles: don’t fight ifyou can possibly avoid it, and break offto negotiate at the first reasonableopportunity.

After all, with a lifespan of severalcenturies, why shouldn’t a dragon bewilling to give up its treasure now andhunt down the thief a half-century or solater?

John D. Ratcliff earned his doctoraldegree with a dissertation on the works ofLord Dunsany. He leads a fantasy readinggroup known as the Burrahobbits and playsa mean halfling in AD&D® game sessions.

Trivia Question:Other than the infamous Lord

Soth of Sithicus, what dark lordof the RAVENLOFT® setting cameoriginally from Krynn, world ofthe DRAGONLANCE® campaign?

28 JUNE 1996

by Ed Starkillustrated by David O. Miller

ew and far between are the dragons of Cerilia, the set-ting of the AD&D® BIRTHRIGHT® campaign. Solitary andimmensely powerful, they still hide from the younger

races of the continent. (No more than six exist in the fabledDrachenaur Mountains, the legendary home of dragons.) Eventhe life of the youngest of these dragons spans millennia. Nodwarf, halfling, or human remembers when one of these crea-tures cracked its shell, and the immortal elves heard the lastrumors of hatchlings over 500 years ago.

The youngest known dragon of Cerilia made a name forhimself in northern Anuire. His is called Zakhur, which means“Guardian” in the old tongue. By far the youngest and mostvibrant of the known dragons, his birth predates the AnuireanEmpire itself, and he survived its fall.

But even Zakhur did not hatch into this world before theBattle of Mount Deismaar, some 1,500 years ago. His mother,Weyrzak, laid his egg in the Stonecrown Mountains nearly 17centuries ago. (Dragon eggs rest long before they hatch,though some magic must have kept Zakhur in his shell for cen-turies beyond his time.)

Those who remember the tales of Weyrzak remember hermost for her part in the legendary Battle of Mount Deismaar.Azrai, god of evil and darkness, fooled the elves, ignored thedwarves, and corrupted the Vos, but he bargained with thedragons. None know now what the god of Shadow offeredthose creatures in return for their aid, but few flocked to hisbanner. Those that did, however, wreaked havoc on Azrai’senemies. They protected his undead legions and shadow war-riors from the priestly magic of the armies of light, and theythrice drove back the vanguard of Haelyn and Anduiras.

The land quaked with the dragons’ tread, and the very aircaught flame in their passing. The armies of Anduiras, the greattower ships of Brenna, and the hunters of Reynir withered beforetheir breath. The dragons’ leader, a great stone-drake of Adurianamed Nargest (“Iceblood” in ancient Anuirean),

against the undead for nearly two days.Some say Weyrzak the Thunderer felt the destruction of the

mountain, while others believe Ruornil, Vorynn’s champion,summoned her with a powerful binding spell. Whatever thetruth, Weyrzak furiously swept out of the north and engagedNargest in a battle that lives in legend today.

When Nargest fell, his flesh burned away from his bones,and the flaming skeleton disappeared into a great crevicebeyond the battlefield. Mount Deismaar trembled, and moreearthquakes shook the region as the gods prepared to unleashtheir full might against Azrai.

The death of the old gods and the creation of the new is stilla tale told many times from countless perspectives. Theblooded survived somehow, and the new gods guided themback to their homes. But nothing protected Weyrzak from thecataclysm, and she found herself caught in the waves ofdestruction that obliterated the land-bridge between Aduriaand Cerilia.

Wounded and dying, Weyrzak made her way toward theStonecrown Mountains and her solitary egg. Her body swelledwith the power of the gods but could not contain it. Like a can-cer, the power devoured her from the inside. When she crash-landed deep in the Aelvinnwode, she felt her life ebbing.

The pitiable yet terrifying cry of Weyrzak to her infant sonstill echoes through the forest of the Aelvinnwode. Some nameit the Call of Weyrzak, while others call it the Lament of Zakhur,and great songs have been sung about it. In answer to thedreadful wail, Zakhur, imprisoned for too long in his egg, burstforth. The power of the cataclysm streamed from his mother’scall, infusing the infant with great energy and causing him togrow at amazing speed.

Still only a hatchling, Zakhur could not fly. He crawled,nearly blind, toward the anguished call. The first sound he everheard was the death-scream of his mother, and some say it

aged his heart far beyond his infant body. Whatpersonally destroyed a small mountain whereSera’s White Knights had held the line

terrors were instilled in his mind then, nonecan know.

DRAGON #230 31

Zakhur eventually found his mother,but her body had been transformed.Legend tells that the goddess Nesirie,newly brought to divinity, heardWeyrzak’s scream and tried to help thewyrm, remembering her deeds at thegreat battle. Nesirie could not heal thedragon, so she asked Ruornil and Erik toease Weyrzak’s pain — and so they did,transforming her into the Five Peaks ofthe Aelvinnwode.

When Zakhur found his mother, herpain was gone, but her body waschanged. The northeasternmost of theFive Peaks grew over her head, and thelast of the pinnacles, set alone in thewest, covers the tip of her tail, thrustupward in the pain of death.

The young dragon took his namethen, when he vowed to guard theresting-place of his mother. Slowly andpainstakingly, he moved Weyrzak’sgreat hoard to the bosom of the FivePeaks, hid it, and rested upon it. Whenhe hunted, he watched ever from afar,driving away the elves, orogs, or menwho came too close to the treasury.

Over the centuries, Zakhur theGuardian — also known as Lifesbane, forthe number of inquisitive creatures hehas sent to their screaming deaths — hasjealously guarded the Five Peaks. Manycreatures live within the shadows of hismountains, and some even dwell withinthe Peaks themselves — but none daretrespass on the interior of the moun-tains, and the Hoard of Weyrzakremains legendary.

Little is known of Zakhur in the inter-vening years, since he keeps to hishome and allows few dwellers within.Many peoples and creatures inhabit theFive Peaks realm now, particularly theEyeless One, said to control all the meb-haighl (magical energy) of the realm. Ifthis is true, the wizard might be miningthe source magic of Weyrzak herself.

It has been speculated that Zakhurallows the wizard, as well as the tribes ofgoblins and orogs, flights of griffons,and solitary trolls to dwell in and aroundthe Five Peaks because they, too,remain territorial. They keep the Rjurikand Anuirean peoples from civilizing thearea, and they discourage elves fromdelving into the mysteries surroundingZakhur and Weyrzak too deeply. Somesay Zakhur actually controls several ofthese creatures using strange magicsand powers he learned from the spirit ofhis mother.

The spirit of WeyrzakMost bards and storytellers agree

that Weyrzak, aided by the gods, did notreally die but entered a sleep of deathfrom which there can be no awakening.However, in her dreams she can be con-tacted by her son, whom she linked toherself psychically when she imbuedhim with her last life-energy.

Zakhur learned much magical knowl-edge from the spirit of his mother, andeven as he protects her resting place,Weyrzak guides and protects Zakhurfrom harm. She taught him not to beenraged or manipulated by mortal pow-ers, and she advises him on matters hemight otherwise not understand. Zakhurhas grown wise from her teachings,though he has learned little from out-side sources.

The Heart of the MountainMany adventurers believe Zakhur

Lifesbane guards more than just ancienttreasure and his mother’s bones. Theyclaim he guards a greater prize. Theycall it the Heart of Weyrzak, the Soul ofthe Dragon, and the Heart of theMountain.

Rumored to be a gem the size of aman’s head, the Heart of the Mountainholds the ancient soul of Weyrzak. Lyingsomewhere in the middle three of theFive Peaks, it rests apart from thedragon’s hoard, in a great cavern linedwith white and brown stone — perhapsthe bones and body of Weyrzak herself,or maybe just a mineral phenomenon.

Zakhur watches over the Heart, asdoes the spirit of Weyrzak herself. Butboth might be caught sleeping. The spir-it of Weyrzak awakens less and less fre-quently as the centuries go on, andZakhur sleeps for years on the bed oftreasure that lies elsewhere in the moun-tains. Still, his link to his mother wouldwarn him if any were to disturb the gem— or so legend tells — and few adventur-ers could survive his wrath if he caughtthem violating his mother’s heart.

Should a miracle occur and a personcome into contact with the gem, hemight gain the following abilities:

Knowledge of all wizard spells.Weyrzak was a mighty spellcaster.Before the magic changed, she knewevery wizard spell ever created. Herknowledge has changed with the times— perhaps as the Eyeless One mines hermebhaighl, she mines his knowledgeright back. A wizard holding the Heart

has no need of a spellbook, though hemust still spend time memorizing thespells Weyrzak teaches him.

Accumulated knowledge. Weyrzakwas old and wise when she died, and hermemories lie within the gem. Using herlink with Zakhur, she has learned muchmore over the years. When holding theHeart, one may ask her questions — nomore than three times a day, unless thesubject is something that might interestWeyrzak — and receive answers. Theanswers are usually truthful and helpful;Weyrzak has been at peace for centuriesand does not begrudge a mortal herknowledge.

Magic resistance. The Heart pro-tected Zakhur from magical harm beforehe could do so himself. Now, it passes itsmagical resistance on to a wielder. IfWeyrzak is contacted, she might be per-suaded to protect the bearer of the Heartwith a portion of her magic resistance.Too much energy would kill a mortal,however, so the Heart provides only a5% magic resistance per level of thewielder to a maximum of 50%.

Monster control. Three times perday, the bearer can cast charm monster attwice his normal level of ability, regard-less of whether he could normally castthe spell. Weyrzak’s mental and magicalpower, channeled through a host, allowsthis power to take effect.

The Heart of the Mountain may haveother powers as well. It cannot bedestroyed by any known means, and itsvalue simply as a gemstone is utterlyincalculable.

Weyrzak’s Heart bears at least onecurse, however, and perhaps two. Thefirst should be obvious. ZakhurLifesbane will demonstrate the truth toboth his names if anyone steals the gemor even touches it. The dragon will goon a rampage, burning and killing any-one in his way until he retrieves the gemor is destroyed. His link to his mother’sspirit guides him in the direction of theHeart unerringly, and he will not restuntil it is returned to him.

The second curse may or may not belegendary. Once Weyrzak’s Heart leavesthe Five Peaks, the spirit within mightgrow restless. It could desire a body of itsown again, and it might settle for a mor-tal form. Every time the wielder of theHeart of the Mountain uses it outside theFive Peaks realm, check to see ifWeyrzak’s spirit attempts to take over hisbody. There is a cumulative 1% chance

32 JUNE 1996

of this happening per use of any of theHeart’s powers. If Zakhur Lifesbane hassomehow been killed, add a base 30%chance to the takeover happening.

Should the DM roll the necessary per-centage for Weyrzak to take over a mor-tal body, she does so automatically —nothing can save a human, dwarf,halfling, or other creature from its pos-session. Even the “immortal” elves sub-mit immediately to Weyrzak’s control.True awnsheghlien or ehrsheghlienmight survive. They can make savingthrows vs. paralyzation (at -8) to resistpossession, but Weyrzak never gives upafter the first attempt. Every time theHeart is used thereafter, the same sav-ing throw must be made, or theThunderer possesses the wielder.

If Weyrzak possesses a body, itbegins to age quickly — at a rate of oneyear per week. Unless the dragon cansomehow be expelled or convinced toleave, the mortal shell burns out (evenelves won’t be able to stand this wither-ing forever; most would die after abouta year) and Weyrzak’s spirit returns tothe gem. Some say this has already hap-

pened a few times over the centuries,but no one knows for certain exceptWeyrzak and Zakhur.

Using Zakhur Lifesbane in aBIRTHRIGHT campaign

Engaging a wyrm such as ZakhurLifesbane in battle would be probablythe most foolish thing an adventuringparty could do — but it could happen.Exploring the Five Peaks in search of theHoard of Weyrzak or the Heart of theMountain would certainly be nearly asfoolish — but, again, stranger thingshave happened. While Zakhur’s powerand influence within the Peaks are leg-endary, they cannot be as complete astales say, or no word of the creaturewould ever leak out to the rest of theworld.

Some say the Hoard of Weyrzak doesnot lie in one cavern. Small hoards reststashed among the Five Peaks, andsome have been found by the goblinsand orogs that dwell there. True, mosthave paid the ultimate price for theirfoolishness (along with their tribes andtheir neighbors), but some ancient

magic and coins have slipped out to theworld. After all, Zakhur cannot be inevery cavern at once.

Every so often, Zakhur Lifesbane goeson a rampage. Many tales tell of heroesadventurous enough to quest forWeyrzak’s Hoard and succeeding, caus-ing the Guardian to fly out for ven-geance. If this is true, then a regent mightfind his domain beset by the great wyrm— all because of a hero too greedy for hisown good, who plundered the hoardand passed through the kingdom.Preventing Zakhur from laying waste toan entire realm could prove a mightycampaign motivator, and finding thetreasure to return it to the beast’s hoardwould be the most logical solution.

A TSR staff designer, Ed Stark designsproducts for the BIRTHRIGHT line and writesoccasionally for DRAGON® Magazine. Hefinds himself easily distracted by newgames, chat about baseball, and bright,shiny objects.

DRAGON #230 33

Zakhur Lifesbane, the Guardian

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:FREQUENCY:ORGANIZATION:ACTIVITY CYCLE:DIET:INTELLIGENCE:TREASURE:ALIGNMENT:

The Five PeaksUniqueSolitaryAnySpecialGenius (17)H x 5Lawful Neutral

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

MAGIC RESISTANCE:SIZE:MORALE:

XP VALUE:

1-59, Fly 30 (B)20 (142 hp)13 or special1d12+10/1d12+10/2d12+10Breath weapon, spells, diveFear aura, gaze, spells,invulnerability50% or specialG (90’ long)Fearless (20) at home;Champion (15) away28,000

S: 25 D: 14 C: 21 I: 17 W: 15 Ch: 16Gray with gold flecks, smooth scales cover Zakhur Lifesbane’s

serpentine body. Protected by sharp layers of decorative hide,his face and belly resist the puny attacks of mere mortals. Fullygrown, this dragon would make a match for the hardiest ofCerilia’s dying breed. Zakhur attacks using his foreclaws andbite, or he can execute any of the special attacks described inthe “Dragon” entry of the MONSTROUS MANUAL™ tome.

Combat: Zakhur’s breath weapon may be the basis for theflaming death that fills the stories of so many dragon-tales.Lifesbane’s fiery breath can still be seen on occasion, lighting upthe deep passages between the mountains when thedragon hunts. Zakhur can use his fiery breath once every sixrounds, immolating anything within a 50’ long cone thatextends at its widest point to 30’. It inflicts 20d6+20 hp damageon anything in the cone, though victims may attempt to save for he will not forgo his personal mission just to acquire more.

Ecology: More lively than most dragons, Zakhur seldomsleeps for more than a dozen years at a time, and then onlylightly. He sees his entire purpose in life as protecting the FivePeaks (the mountains, not the realm) and subjugating ordestroying intruders. Zakhur may be approached by stoutheroes seeking wisdom — though he must be contacted care-fully. Actually seeking out his lair could be disastrous. Like mostdragons, Zakhur loves treasure (and has accumulated quite abit to add to his mother’s legendary hoard over the years), but

half damage. Nonmagical and magical objects alike must savevs. magical fire or be burned, melted, or disintegrated.

When hunting, Zakhur uses his gaze attack to freeze oppo-nents (save vs. paralyzation at -4 or be paralyzed with terrorfor 1d3 turns), then he kills and consumes them at his leisure.lust like other great wyrms, however, Zakhur can spend anentire round exerting his will against a victim caught in hisgaze and use the powers of geas, suggestion, or feeblemind onhis foe with no saving throw allowed.

If Zakhur engages in combat, all enemies within 50’ mustsave vs. a fear spell (as described in the MONSTROUS MANUAL tome,with a -4 to the roll). Zakhur has learned to mask this ability,however, on those rare occasions that he does not want to killhis opponents — though even the bravest hero may feel hisknees knock at the sight of the great wyrm.

Because of his great scales and the energies imbued uponhim by his mother, Zakhur Lifesbane can ignore a portion ofthe damage he suffers. Any damage die that rolls a natural “1”against him is ignored, regardless of modifiers or spell effects.

Zakhur shares another great ability with his Cerilian cousins.He can cast wizard spells at the 16th level of ability (or 18thwhen he actually holds the Heart of the Mountain and uses hismother’s energies). Zakhur, however, uses this power only onrare occasions — his mother has taught him to be discrete withhis magical energies, lest he anger the gods that have blessedher with peace. Victims of Zakhur’s magic suffer -2 modifiers totheir saving throws (or -4 if he holds the Heart). Zakhur knowsmany spells unknown to human or other spellcasters of Cerilia.

34 JUNE 1996

36 JUNE 1996

know him, is clearlymore intelligent

than mostwhite drag-ons. He uses

traps andspells to

to render itinto English (repair-

ing its execrable gram-mar along the way), append

some AD&D® game-specific infor-mation, and remove certain statements

�OldWhite Death�

by Ed Greenwoodillustrated by Storn Cook

hrough the efforts of the intrepidexplorer Volothamp Geddarm(more widely known across

Faerûn, perhaps, as “that serpent-spittingrogue Volo!”), an incomplete butnonetheless useful survey of currentlyactive dragon rulers in the Sword CoastNorth region has been compiled, printed,and energetically sold in chapbook formon the streets of Waterdeep, Never-winter, and Silverymoon. One copy fellinto the hands of Elminster ofShadowdale, and after many a snort andhead-shaking over it, he was persuaded

(“to give the wyrmkin a fighting chance,”the Old Mage was overheard to say) soas to arrive at the words you’ll read here-after.

Adventurers take note: Volo’s workdidn’t list all active dragons of the North,only those who’ve risen to hold a terri-tory known and respected by other drag-ons. Dracoliches and dead wyrms, how-ever famous, were omitted. Otherwise,Volo would’ve been old indeed beforehis wagon-sized chapbook saw print —and any issue of DRAGON® Magazinereprinting a respectable portion of itwould fill a man-length bookshelf all byitself!

Alphabetically, the first great dragonof the present-day North is Arauthator,“the icy claws that wait at the cold endof the world.”1

This old white dragon is famous forhis great size and savagery. For almost acentury he has defended his dominionagainst many ambitious dragons,slaughtering over a score of his own off-spring in the process. “Old White Death,”as the miners and foresters of the North

hamperfoes in battle and to strike intrudingdragons from a superior position, ratherthan employing the more prevalent“rush-headlong-into-revenge-whatever-the-cost” behavior of his kind.

Arauthator is larger than most whitedragons but adept at silent gliding andstealthy movement. He has been knownto cause rockfalls and even to tear upand drop boulders — not just on theheads of intruding orcs or humans, butalso to create barriers to seal up rothéand other large alpine beasts insidemountain valleys, so that he can dineupon them at leisure.

Old White Death is known to patrolhis domain tirelessly, keeping carefulwatch over even the most minorchanges. He adjusts his own habits toavoid both the traps of foes and thecareless overfeeding that might lead tothe disappearance of a species on whichhe likes to dine. In the process, he hassmashed at least one community of frostgiants (Bulindiful, a cavern-catacombfortress set in the heart of MountHalaragh, just west of the mines ofMirabar in the Spine of the World moun-tain range), and torn apart a mountainpeak (Sardin’s Sword, once a lookoutover the upper Surbrin) to destroy thebugbear hold inside it.

1. As he was described by the sage Myrindas of Port Kir, in Dragons Ye Should Know (1354 DR).

DRAGON #230 37

Arauthator is far more cunning andpatient than most white dragons. “Thespark of revenge still kindles the fire thatwarms his heart to carry him on throughthe centuries,” wrote the sage Amorthasof Ruathym,2 “but he lets it smolderunder dampers of patience and cold cal-culation, where other whitewings [whitedragons] “would leap to the attack.” Noone knows why Arauthator is this way,but it’s clear that the old dragon usesthis patience to anticipate and preparefor attacks from rival dragons, rising orchordes, and the remorhaz who roam theEndless Ice Sea. He also bides his time todevelop new personal-warning spellsthat alert him of approaching dragonsand magic items.

Arauthator is a skilled mimic and canspeak the common tongue well enoughto pose as a lost miner or injuredprospector. He has long practice in con-cealing himself under snow by flappinghis wings as he burrows into drifts so asto lift the snow, which then falls overhim again in a pristine blanket.Arauthator often dozes when sleeping insnow, but he never sleeps through theapproach of danger (he can smell mostbeasts, including humans, for a mile ormore downwind) He has mastered thepatience needed to remain still for dayson end, perched on a mountainside orlying in the snow of a bowl-shapedmountain valley. Prey and foes oftendon’t notice him until far too late.

Old White Death holds his own sur-vival as his highest goal, but he is farless lazy than most dragons in pursuingit. He regards the maintenance of hisdominion as crucial to his own strength,though he has chosen not to strike atthe creatures of lcewind Dale. This absti-nence may be born of habit; the regionwas formerly part of the territory of thedragon known to humans as Icingdeath,and the two dragons came to an uneasytruce, ignoring each other and leavingeach other’s territories alone, ratherthan destroying each other in a battlefor rule over the Reghed Glacier. Instead,Arauthator concentrates on carvingever-deeper tunnels into the Endless IceSea and the rock beneath, devouring allsubterranean creatures he finds (chieflygnomes) to unearth his own gem andmineral treasure and protect his realmagainst attack from below by extermi-

nating all possible attackers. These for-ays seem to attract remorhaz from thevast glacial areas that lie north of theSpine of the World, and Arauthatorfights an ongoing battle against the ice-worms, devouring all of the remorhazhe defeats.

Northern giants and gnomes refer tothese delvings as the Dragonholes andreport that they consist of at least sixseparate tunnel complexes spread overa wide area north of the dragon’s lair.Several observers have also mentionedthat the dragon takes pleasure in slay-ing remorhaz, often hurling the mon-sters around like rag dolls before killingthem, or folding his wings and wrigglingacross the ice to meet and fight themworm to worm.

Arauthator’s lairArauthator lairs in the Lonefang, a

prow-shaped mountain that rises out ofthe Endless Ice Sea several hundredmiles due north of Mithril Hall. Intrepidadventurers report that it can be seenon the horizon by those who reach thefrigid, wind-clawed northern faces of theSpine of the World mountains. AlthoughArauthator’s home is thought to have asubterranean back entrance throughglacial rifts many miles to the northwest(near the row of rock pinnacles knownas the Worldwyrm’s Teeth), the moun-tain itself has only one visible entrance:a vast shaft that cuts into the descend-ing northern slope from above andplunges down to a cavern filled by afrozen lake. Here Arauthator hurls mostof his spells at intruders seeking to reachthe network of caverns at the far end ofthe lake, where he dwells.

The lair proper is known to include abonepit; a cavern crammed with chunksof metallic ores; a cluttered central feed-ing and working cave that is home tosome captured magical items; and anancient iron structure that Old WhiteDeath uses as a prison for humans andsmaller creatures he intends to devourlater. This cage, a curious cylindricalenclosure divided into several internalchambers, is said by one escapedprisoner to look very much like some ofthe gnomish craft built to sail the skiesfrom crystal sphere to sphere. A rising,trap-lined tunnel leads to a descendingseries of ice-walled storage caverns, each

opening into the next in a frozen water-fall of gems that Arauthator occasionallyrolls around in, purring in catlike bliss.

Lying on his accustomed bed of dia-monds in the last, lowest cavern, thedragon can look up through all of thehoard-caverns. He customarily reachesthat bed by slithering down the river ofgems, chuckling in contentment. A verti-cal shaft large enough to permit properflight allows the old dragon fast ascentfrom the bottom of this cavern to aledge overhanging the trap-linedapproach tunnel. To leave, Arauthatorcustomarily takes wing from the ledgeand glides down the tunnel and out overthe frozen lake before beating his wingsin a mighty rush, to soar up the entranceshaft. No servants are known to serveArauthator in his lair.

Arauthator’s domainFrom the Lonefang, Arauthator holds

sway over a dominion that stretches fromthe Cold Run in the west (although hedoesn’t feed on the inhabitants of lcewindDale, he has several times slain dragonswho tried to raid or settle there) to MountCaumarath in the east (the huge peak atthe northern end of the Ice Mountains,northwest of Citadel Adbar). The northernboundary of this dragon’s domain isunknown to men, but the southern extentof Arauthator’s rule is marked by theSpine of the World range as far east as theFell Pass, where the boundary swingssouth and east in a great arc to take in allthe land north of Mithril Hall and theCitadel of Many Arrows.

All creatures in this vast, rocky wilder-land (the headwaters of the RiverSurbrin) exist at Arauthator’s pleasure,unless they keep to the Moonwood orthe Coldwood for the white dragonnever hunts prey in the trees. With therise of civilization centered at Silvery-moon, the supremacy of Arauthator’srule over this more southerly area maysoon be tested.

The deeds of ArauthatorThe favorite prey of Old White Death

is full-grown frost giants (rarely availablethese days), closely followed by remor-haz and northern deer. Rothé and vari-ous bear species are next on the menu,and other dragons are also favored fare.Arauthator is less fond of the flesh of

2. In Famous Legends(published in 1344 DR).

and Lore of the North 3. Detailed in the accessory sourcebookFOR1 Draconomicon, page 76.

4. Ibid, page 75.

38 JUNE 1996

orcs, bugbears, and other goblinkin, butsuch creatures make up much of his sta-ple diet; without the dragon’s presence,the frequency and numbers of orchordes sweeping down through theSword Coast North would no doubt bemuch greater.

Arauthator is known to use an icemeltspell both in his glacial delvings and totransform frozen lakes into temporarywatering holes. He is careful never tofeed or drink in a pattern that foes couldobserve and exploit. The dragon usuallymakes one long patrol of a part of hisdomain every day, plus a shorter, similarforay, and he usually feeds at least oncea day, upon sighting suitable prey dur-ing the longer patrol. He may sleep atopa rocky height if tiring when far afield(once, boldly, atop Berun’s Hill, inthe territory of the green dragonClaugiyliamatar), but he prefers to sleepon his bed of gems in the Lonefang. Onrare occasions he keeps to his lair forthree days or more, perfecting a newspell. Arauthator employs a wide arrayof detection and trap spells (most of thelatter being cold-based) and is reportedby several witnesses to wield spellseffective against other dragons (such aswingbind3), and to enjoy freewheelingaerial clawing and raking battles ratherthan dodging among mountain peaksand sniping with his spells.

Arauthator is famous for tearingapart the venerable red dragonRathalylaug high above the rooftops ofNeverwinter in the Year of the Grimoire(1324 DR), in a spectacular battle at sun-set. The white dragon dove down tosmash apart a tower in triumph. He hap-pened to choose the tower of the sor-ceress Shareera, who was smashedamid the toppling stones, even as theblood of the dying Rathalylaug — andhis last, vain firetrail spell4 — rained downon the city.

Wizards also remember Arauthatorfor freezing the mage Phaurothlin of theArcane Brotherhood5 solid, then shatter-ing the helpless sorcerer against amountainside. It seems that the haughtymage made the mistake of challengingthe white dragon for ownership of aspellbook unearthed from the ice-cov-ered grave of a Netherese wizard duringmining north of Mirabar. Arauthator isthought to have a dozen or more gri-

moires hidden in his lair and also to beworking away patiently at mastering allthe spells in them. He has obviouslytranscended the traditional spell-han-dling limitations of white dragons thatkeep their verbal-only adaptations towizard spells of the first level — but hispersonal limits are as yet unknown.

Old White Death also impressedwatching wizards at the MageFair heldon the western verges of Var the Goldenseveral decades ago, by the ease withwhich he shouldered the blue wyrmEltagrathuuloor into the side of MountGundar (the source of the River Gundar).The blow was powerful enough to causea rockfall that brought most of the topof that peak down on his rival, buryingEltagrathuuloor alive.

Arauthator regards the white dragonArveiaturace as an acceptable matewhen he feels inclined. He employs asending spell to call her to his lair for dal-liance, giving her gems from his hoardafter each mating but firmly escortingher out of his domain to rear any hatch-lings that may result on her own. In thepast, he is known to have mated withthe gigantic white dragon Ghaulantatra,the “Old Mother Wyrm” worshiped bysome orc tribes as a goddess. Arauthatorexhibited no remorse when the beholderThaluul destroyed Ghaulantatra andclaimed her lair (somewhere in themountains north of High Gap, betweenthe Delimbiyr and the Fallen Lands).

Arauthator’s love of a good fight hasmade him respected — and avoided — byother dragons. Only ambitious, overcon-fident younglings seek to defeat him,finding instead their own deaths.Arauthator makes no alliances andignores the overtures of other dragons.He lusts after treasure of his own findingand magic of his own creation, and hecan’t be lured out of his domain bypromises of gems or magic. The prospectof a good fight with another dragonalways interests him, but he’s too wise toleave the lands he knows so well just todo battle, since true foes always come tohim eventually. He’s too patient and cal-culating to be governed by hatreds, andhe even seems to admire capable or wilyfoes. Old White Death has salutedadventuring bands he could easily haveslain, after witnessing a clever ruse orbold stratagem on their part.

Arauthator seems especially busythese days developing new magics andseeking wizards’ tombs within hisdomain to increase his personal magicalmight. He also seems wary of intrusionsinto his territory. Elminster is of the opin-ion that the old dragon may have wit-nessed the opening of a gate fromanother plane and been horrified at therealization of how easily unknown foeswith powerful magic can penetrate hislair without warning.

Arauthator’s magicOld White Death commands a

respectable roster of detection, entrap-ment, and combat spells, many of themvariants of well-known wizard spells. Hehas also demonstrably developed magi-cal means of triggering captured wandsfrom afar, so that he can fire them atintruders in his lair without touchingthem directly. It must be stressed thathuman knowledge of Arauthator’smagic is dangerously incomplete.Thanks to long and diligent observa-tions by Felandaert the Farscrying ofCandlekeep, however, we now havespecifics of two of the dragon’s spells:

Icemelt(Alteration)Level: 2Range: 90 yds.Components: VDuration: 2 roundsCasting Time: 2 (1 for Arauthator)Area of Effect: SpecialSaving Throw: None

This spell causes solid ice to vaporize,dissipating into the surrounding atmos-phere without fog, water runoff, or heat.A cylindrical area 20’ across and 10’deep is affected for each round of thespell’s existence (the path of vaporiza-tion can’t change direction from oneround to the other), and natural or mag-ical ice is prevented from forming withinthat area for 2d4 hours thereafter. Themagic ends whenever there is no moreice to affect. Ice within an organic mass(such as a frozen body) is unaffected bythis spell, even if the body is fully withinthe spell’s area of effect. The casterchooses the site of initial ice vaporiza-tion (that is, where the cylinder of empti-ness begins to form) by vision and act ofwill; it must be visible during casting.

5. This band of evil wizards, based in Luskan, is described in Vole’s Guide to the North, pages 121-125.

DRAGON #230 39

Arauthator uses this magic primarilyto dig tunnels through glacial ice in hissearch for treasure, but at least onceused it to flood orcs out of subterraneantunnels by tapping a meltwater riverunder a glacier. (The spell temporarilyprevented the exposed water fromfreezing by its prohibition on the forma-tion of ice.)

Frost Vortex(Evocation)Level: 4Range: 60 yds.Components: VDuration: SpecialCasting Time: 8 (1 for Arauthator)Area of Effect: 20’-radius sphereSaving Throw: ½

This spell creates a tiny dustflake thateither races toward a target creature orhangs motionless in a chosen spot, asan indefinitely-waiting trap (dependingon the wording used during casting).The moving dustflake requires a suc-cessful attack roll (using the dragon’sunmodified base THAC0) to hit itsintended target, but either form of the

spell is triggered whenever any livingcreature larger than the caster’s eyeballcomes into contact with the dustflake.

When this occurs, the frost vortextakes effect. The air in a sphere centeredon the dustmote whirls violently aboutwith a harsh hissing noise, then growsvery cold, coating all solid objects withinit with thick frost, forcing item savingthrows vs. cold. Living creatures withinthe vortex suffer 6d6 hp damage andmust make a Strength check and aConstitution check. If one check fails, thecreature is slowed to half movementrate for 1d4 rounds; if both checks fail,the creature falls (if on foot) or crashes (ifflying) due to the spell’s icy coating, suf-fering an additional 1d4 hp damage (nosaving throw), forcing saving throws vs.fall on all fragile items. Once activated, afrost vortex is gone within a round, leav-ing no moisture, ice, nor rushing of airbehind.

Arauthator uses this spell both incombat and as a trap, leaving its waitingmotes in tempting alcoves and blindpassages in the walls of its lair.

Arauthator’s fateIt’s likely Old White Death will die vio-

lently, but he’s begun to seem ageless,and certainly too wily to be slain easilyby any rival dragon. It’s rumored he’staken to hiring certain adventurers, viasendings, to retrieve the hoards of drag-ons he has slain, rather than leaving hisdomain to seize them himself. This seem-ingly prudent practice may offer a foethe chance to introduce harmful (per-haps explosive) magic into the treasuretaken to Arauthator — and certainlytreacherous adventurers could use theirmission to get closer to Old White Deaththan most humans could ever hope todo, before launching an attack.

Ed Greenwood is the creator of theFORGOTTEN REALMS campaign, as well as theauthor of several bestselling fantasy novels.Many fans may recognize him more readilyas Elminster the Sage.

40 JUNE 1996

The original “Dragon Dweomers” articleappeared in DRAGON® Magazine issue #218.Like those in the earlier work, the spells pre-sented here fall in the category of dragonmagic. In short, dragon magic is the termgiven to spells and magical effects devised bydragons, for dragons; other creatures simplycannot use dragon magic or, at best, sufferstrange and dangerous side effects when cast-ing such spells. Readers interested in a thor-ough examination of the subject should referto The Draconomicon (FOR1).

In addition to the new spells, an index ofdraconic spells compiled from DRAGONMagazine and other AD&D® game accessorieshas been included at the end of the article.

Dragon magical itemsThe creation of dragon magical items is a

facet of dragon magic that is generally over-looked and, to put it mildly, usually misunder-stood. We all know about the magical itemsthat are intended to be used against dragons(e.g., swords of dragon slaying, potions of dragoncontrol, scrolls of protection against dragonbreath weapons, etc.). We also know that cer-tain dragon parts can be used to create magi-cal items (such as dragon hide for magicalarmor and shields). But throughout the AD&Dgame, few magical items are assumed to havebeen created by dragons, and fewer still thatonly dragons can use. The Draconomicon pro-vides a handful of such items, but considering

Wizardry forwyrms

by Robert S. Mullinillustrated by Bob Klasnich

items around. This section attempts fill thatvoid, at least in part.

Note: The XP values for these magicalitems were included for the sake of complete-ness. They are particularly useful in a Councilof Wyrms campaign, however, as dragon char-acters in that setting must accumulate experi-ence points in order to advance in level. Inother settings, the XP values can be ignored.

Amulet of SupremacyOnly a handful of these potent devices are

believed to exist, for the ability to createthem is limited to the most powerful dragons,both in age and magical ability. Any dragonis capable of using these devices, however.

An amulet of supremacy is nothing short ofa masterpiece, for it is constructed of thepurest metals, the finest jewels and gem-stones, and the artistry of a master crafts-man. In fact, the jewelry value alone for sucha device approaches 100,000 gp. To dragons,an amulet of supremacy is priceless.

When worn, an amulet of supremacycauses a dragon’s breath weapon, spells, andnatural spell-like powers to operate at theirmaximum potential (i.e., maximum damage,duration, area of effect, etc.). Saving throwsagainst these effects still apply, however.

An amulet of supremacy is strictly a dra-conic device; if worn by any other species,death is immediate, usually taking the formof instantaneous immolation or disintegra-

that dragons are prolific spell-users, it seems oddthat there aren’t more draconic magical

ion, with no saving throw allowed.XP Value: 10,000

42 JUNE 1996

Dragon FangsThis device is a hinged mouthpiece to

which are attached several metal fangcaps. By placing the device in its mouthand sliding its fangs into the hollowcaps, the dragon can use the magic ofthe dragon fangs.

Dragon fangs come in two varieties.The weaker variety bears a permanentsharptooth dweomer, the other a perma-nent razorfangs enchantment. Both ver-sions duplicate the effects of the spellsthey carry (see DRAGON Magazine #218for details of both spells), but as long asthe dragon wears them, the dragon fangscontinue to function; they are notrestricted by casting time, duration, andso forth.

Dragon fangs are difficult to manufac-ture, as they can be used only by thedragon for whom they were created.They adjust in size in order to fit thedragon’s teeth as it grows older, butunless the dragon has an identical twin,clone, simulacrum, or the like, no otherdragon can use the set of dragon fangs.

XP Value: 500 (sharptooth variety)XP Value: 1,000 (razorfangs variety)

Focus ObjectOne of the more serious dilemmas a

dragon must face when defending itslair from invaders is how to go aboutdispatching such opponents withoutdestroying its hoard. Many dragons relyon the hoardguard spell (see DRAGONMagazine #218) to solve the problem,but most don’t have access to that spellTherefore, such dragons must resort toother methods, like a focus object.

Focus objects take many forms butmost often appear as a piece of jewelrythat the dragon can wear, as the dragonmust be in contact with the device inorder to use its powers.

A focus object allows the dragon toreduce the effective area of its breathweapon so that only a single target suf-fers damage from a direct attack. Thus,cloud- or cone-shaped breath weaponsbecome narrow shafts. Breath weaponsthat already take such a form (e.g., acid,lightning, etc.) cannot be reduced by thedevice. Despite its altered dimensions,the breath weapon’s damage is notdiminished, and saving throws against itare not modified for the reduced area.

Obviously, focus objects have limiteduse among dragons, as such devices arerestricted to dragons whose breathweapons have a large area of effect.There are rumors, however, that similardevices have been constructed for useby other creatures who possess breathweapons, such as gorgons, certaingolems, etc.

XP Value: 1,000

HoardstoneA dragon’s status among its peers is

determined by several factors. Thedragon’s personal might is the mostobvious one, but its species, age, experi-ence, and intellect are important as well.Perhaps the least considered element,however, is the value of a dragon’shoard. Often, the value of a dragon’shoard is just as important to its status asany of the other factors. A hoardstonefacilitates a dragon’s status in this

regard by temporarily increasing thequality and value of items in close prox-imity to it (i.e., the dragon’s hoard).

A hoardstone always takes the form ofa flawless gemstone of any type, but itmust have a value of at least 5,000 gp. Itfunctions in a manner quite similar to ajewel of flawlessness, but where the jewelaffects only gemstones, a hoardstoneaffects all items within its area of effect (a50’-radius sphere around the hoardstone),including seemingly worthless items.

All objects within the area increase invalue by 25%. In the case of monetarytreasure, this is an immediate and obvi-ous increase. For example, flaws in jew-els and gemstones disappear or dimin-ish, precious metals become purer, worksof art become more intricate or vibrant,and so forth. Magical items, however, donot grow in power, but the materialsfrom which they are made increase inquality and value. For example, a carvedand gem-studded staff becomes morevaluable monetarily (i.e., the gems rise invalue, the wood is of greater quality, thecarvings more intricate, etc.), but it doesnot gain additional charges nor do itseffects become more powerful. Itemsthat have no monetary value (e.g., a nor-mal stone or piece of wood) do not sud-denly become so endowed. Instead, thehoardstone’s influence causes the qualityand value of such objects to increase incomparison to similar items. For exam-ple, a worthless chunk of wood remainsa worthless chunk of wood, but thehoardstone’s influence makes it moredurable by tightening its grain, strength-ening and hardening the wood, and so

DRAGON #230 43

on. The piece of wood might be valuableif sculpted thereafter, but until then, itremains an ordinary piece of wood.

Items that are separated from theinfluence of the hoardstone retain theirincreased value for a period of timeequal to that they spent in the presenceof the hoardstone. For example, a gem-stone that spent a year under the influ-ence of a hoardstone retains its valueincrease for one year after being sepa-rated from that influence. Once thatyear has passed, the gemstone returnsto its normal value.

Although a hoardstone radiatesmagic, the items it influences do not,unless such items are normally magical,of course. (If the dragon’s entire hoardradiated a dweomer, any visiting drag-ons the hoardstone’s owner wasattempting to impress would likely real-ize that the hoard’s value was magicallyenhanced, which would, no doubt,cause the dragon actually to lose status.)Furthermore, multiple hoardstonesplaced in the same hoard do not causethe hoard’s value to increase any morethan if only a single hoardstone werepresent.

Hoardstones, or any facsimile thereof,can be created only by dragons. Thereason for this has something to do withthe unique relationship between adragon and its hoard. Dragons, morethan any other species, are driven by anirresistible need to accumulate treasure,an inherited urge they cannot escape.Thus, only they truly understand the“spirit” of valuable objects, an under-standing that is necessary to manufac-ture a hoardstone. Other creatures mayutilize a captured hoardstone, however.(Dwarves, in particular, love them.)

XP Value: 5,000

Wing ArmorWhen dragons fight, they usually

fight for keeps. Against weaker foes,they are merciless, rarely allowing theirenemies to escape. When faced withsuperior opposition, however, they arenot quite so fearless, but if pushed into acorner, they pull out all the stops inorder to ensure their continued exis-tence. These things are particularly truewhen dragons fight one another, forwhen two dragons engage in battle, thewounds they inflict upon each other canbe terrible. (After all, who recognizes adragon’s weaknesses more quickly thananother dragon?) And what is adragon’s greatest physical weakness?The answer is simple: its wings.

When compared to the rest of itsbody, a dragon’s wings are especially sus-ceptible to grievous, even crippling dam-age. The relatively thin flesh of a dragon’swings is easily ripped by the teeth andclaws of another dragon. Such canreduce its effectiveness in flight, force it toland, or — worse yet — cause the dragonto plummet uncontrollably to the earth.

Because of this potential danger,more and more dragons are making useof wing armor, a pair of “sleeves” com-posed of an extremely fine, fibrous,metallic fabric (elven chain mail hasnothing on this stuff) that is slipped overthe wings for added protection. Wingarmor is virtually weightless and magi-cally adjusts to fit the dragon’s wings,but it does not hinder the dragon’smovements or flying ability in any way.In fact, the “sleeves” are so formfittingthat straps and harnesses are unneces-sary to hold them in place.

Wing armor does not provide anybonuses to the dragon’s AC, but it doesrender the dragon’s wings immune topuncturing and shredding by piercingand slashing weapons, as well by clawsand teeth. Note, however, that a wingcan still be injured from the concussiveforce of such attacks; wing armor simplyprevents the actual piercing or tearing ofa dragon’s wings.

The origin of wing armor is uncertain,but dragons have the credit for devisingit, as they are one of the few wingedcreatures who possess the necessarymagical abilities.

XP Value: 1,000

Dragon Spells

Hoard Servant(Conjuration/Summoning)Level: 1Range: 10 yds.Components: VDuration: 1 hour per levelCasting Time: 1Area of Effect: SpecialSaving Throw: None

This spell is the draconic version ofthe standard unseen servant spell. Sincethe needs of a dragon are far greaterthan those of lesser races (according todragons), a common unseen servant justdoesn’t possess the physical strength tofulfill its required tasks.

Unlike an unseen servant, a hoard ser-vant’s sole purpose is to tend the hoardof the casting dragon. In fact, the spell iscast on the hoard itself, binding thehoard servant to it for the duration of the

spell; it may never move more than 10yards away from the hoard withoutnegating the spell. (Note that a dragon’shoard must be in a single location for thepurposes of this spell, not secreted in anumber of separate lairs.) Once the spellis cast, the hoard servant polishes jewelsand gems, separates and stacks coins,organizes chests and boxes, etc. It isstronger than a standard unseen ser-vant, able to carry 50 Ibs. or push or pull100 Ibs. over smooth surfaces. It can alsowithstand more damage than an unseenservant, possessing 15 hit points insteadof the usual 6. A hoard servant is identicalto an unseen servant with regards to itslimitations and means of destruction.

This spell is particularly favored bymetallic and gem dragons, both ofwhom seem more interested in theappearance of their hoards than doother dragons.

Scale Shift(Alteration)Level: 1Range: 0Components: VDuration: 1 turn per levelCasting Time: 1Area of Effect: SpecialSaving Throw: None

With this spell, a dragon can changethe color of its scales to that of anothertype of dragon. Note, however, that thecolor change must be within the drag-on’s related group (i.e., chromatic drag-ons can change their color only to that ofother chromatic dragons). Thus, a reddragon can change the color of its scalesto green, blue, and so forth, but not togold, silver, emerald, sapphire, etc.

This spell changes only the dragon’scolor, not its physical form. Therefore, ifa white dragon changes the color of itsscales to black, it retains the form of awhite dragon. The color change is usu-ally enough to fool most observers,however, for there are few beings whocan recognize a dragon by its anatomy..Notable exceptions to this rule are otherdragons and those with the dragon loreproficiency (described on page 20, inthis issue’s “Dragonslayers” article).

While the spell lasts, the dragon maychange colors as it desires, but doing soin view of others may ruin the deception,and returning to the dragon’s actualcolor ends the spell immediately. A suc-cessful dispel magic ends the spell prema-turely as well.

Since the majority of dragons empha-size the superiority of their own particu-

44 JUNE 1996

lar subspecies, this spell is not as popu-lar among dragonkind as one mightthink. Often, the spell is used by dragonswho must rely on guile to assure theircontinued survival. Weak or crippleddragons are the usual practitioners, asdeception is a matter of survival and,therefore, a necessity. Older dragons ofthis sort often use the spell in conjunc-tion with the alter breath weapon spell tomake the ruse even more convincing.

Dragonbane(Divination)Level: 2Range: 10 yds. per levelComponents: VDuration: 1 turn +1 round per levelCasting Time: 2Area of Effect: 10-yd. wide pathSaving Throw: None

This highly specialized spell com-bines detect magic and identify spells insuch a way that the dragon caster candetermine whether any object withinthe spell’s area of effect carries adweomer specifically related to dragonsand dragon magic. Thus, any magicalitem capable of discharging dragon

magic spells (or that were created withdragon magic), weapons of dragonslaying, potions of dragon control, even anOrb of Dragonkind, are noted by thedragon. Likewise, dragonbane detectsactive spells (including dragon magicspells) that produce such effects.

The dragon does not learn the exactproperties or power of any enchantmentso noted. For example, a simple sword+1, +2 vs. dragons appears no more orless dangerous to the dragon than anintelligent sword +5, dragon slayer withthe special purpose power enabling it toslay dragons with a single stroke. Theonly thing the caster knows is that bothweapons are more powerful againstdragons than against other creatures.

In any case, this spell is not a replace-ment for detect magic or identify. Its pri-mary function, and the reason for whichit was created, is to use during battle, asit allows the dragon to determinewhether its foes are using magical itemsand spells that are especially dangerousto dragonkind. This way, the dragonknows whom to concentrate its attacksagainst or whom to avoid if things getsticky.

It is rumored that the spell-using racesamong giantkind have developed a spellsimilar to dragonbane. If this is the case,other races may have done so as well.The spell-using undead seem likely can-didates to have done the same, as manyspells and magical devices have beencreated to use against undead creatures.

Scalespray(Alteration)Level: 3Range: 0Components: VDuration: InstantaneousCasting Time: 3Area of Effect: 50-yard radiusSaving Throw: ½

Sleeping on a cold stone floor orrolling around on a pile of treasure isrough on the hide. The frequent pokesand prods from weapons, stalagmites,and the remains of yesterday’s armoredlunch often cause a dragon’s layeredscales to become loose and fall off inplaces. And that says nothing for thecoins, gems, and the occasional halflingthief mashed up in there! Scalespraytakes advantage of this condition by

DRAGON #230 45

hurling the loosened scales, gems, coins,bones, and so forth, away from thedragon’s body as missile weapons.When the spell is cast, all creatures inthe area of effect are showered withthese projectiles, suffering 1d6 hp dam-age per age category of the dragon. Asaving throw vs. breath weapon reducesthe damage by half.

This spell does not see as much useas might be expected, since many drag-ons like the idea of having bits of trea-sure stuck to their hides — it makes themlook more impressive. Thus, the spell’susefulness is often outweighed by thedragon’s own vanity.

Clutch Ward(Alteration)Level: 4Range: TouchComponents: VDuration: SpecialCasting Time: SpecialArea of Effect: SpecialSaving Throw: None

This simple yet highly useful spell uti-lizes teleportation magic to protect theunhatched eggs of the dragon. Duringcasting, the dragon handles each egg inthe clutch, the entire process requiring 1round of casting time per egg.Thereafter, the spell lies dormant untilactivated.

Upon completion of the spell, nocreature other than the casting dragonmay so much as touch a single egg with-in the clutch without triggering its magic.When the spell is activated, all of theeggs immediately teleport without error(as the spell) to another location knownto the dragon, which is determined dur-ing the spell’s casting. If each egg is sub-jected to a separate casting of the spell,however, an individual egg can have itsown destination point (though this israrely done).

In addition, the casting dragon isimmediately aware that the spell hasbeen triggered, regardless of distancebetween the dragon and the eggs(including planar boundaries). If thedragon was asleep at the time, it isinstantly awakened and alert.

The duration of the spell is indefinite,lying dormant until activated. Once acti-vated, the spell must be cast anew if theeggs are to remain protected. Otherwise,nothing short of a limited wish cannegate the spell. If an egg hatches priorto the spell’s activation, the newborndragon does not trigger the magic,though the hatchling itself is no longer

protected by the clutch ward and is leftbehind if the spell is later activated.

It is uncertain whether nondragonversions of this spell exist, but it seemslikely that other egg-laying, spell-castingraces would have such a variant.

Alter Breath Weapon(Alteration)Level: 6 Range: 0Components: VDuration: 1 round/levelCasting Time: 1 roundArea of Effect: SpecialSaving Throw: None

With this spell, a dragon causes itsbreath weapon to take on the appear-ance and properties of the breath ofanother type of dragon. For dragonswho possess multiple breath weaponforms, only one is changed by the spell.In any case, the spell causes an actualchange, not an illusion. Furthermore, theamount of damage caused by thealtered breath weapon is the same asthat of the dragon’s true breath weapon;only the type, not the power, of breathweapon is changed.

For example, a red dragon can usethis spell to change its fiery breathweapon into a cloud of chlorine gas (asused by green dragons), but with a dam-age potential equal to its usual flamebreath weapon. By using this spell, thedragon is able to harm creatures thatare normally immune or resistant to itsfiery breath (e.g., another red dragon).Of course, a creature immune to chlo-rine gas or to dragon breath weapons ingeneral is still unharmed by the attack.

Alter breath weapon can be ended pre-maturely with a successful dispel magicor similar effect, or by silent will of thedragon. However, the spell does not per-mit the dragon to shift through multipletypes of breath weapons; once a partic-ular type of breath weapon is chosen, itcannot be changed, save to revert backto the dragon’s true breath weapon,ending the spell. Likewise, multiple alterbreath weapon spells cannot be in effectat the same time. If a second alter breathweapon is attempted before the firstexpires, both spells are immediatelynegated.

Except that this spell is purely dra-conic, its origins are unknown, evenamong dragons. It does see widespreaduse, however, suggesting that it is quiteold, perhaps even one of the first dra-conic enchantments of its level. In addi-tion, there have been scattered reports

of “touch” versions of this spell thatallow the dragon caster to alter thebreath weapons of non-draconic crea-tures (like gorgons), as well as those ofother dragons.

Death Matrix(Evocation, Necromancy)Level: 8Range: 0Components: VDuration: PermanentCasting Time: 1 turnArea Of Effect: SpecialSaving Throw: ½

All dragons know that, eventually,they will die. Many dragons, however,believe that death will come in battle.Because of this, death matrix was devel-oped to serve as the ultimate contin-gency against would-be dragon slayers.

When this spell is cast, an extremelypowerful and complex pattern of magi-cal energy is woven into the dragon’slifeforce, and it cannot be negated (oreven detected) by any means short of afull wish. Thereafter, the magic lies dor-mant until activated, but it grows instrength as the dragon ages, due to itsconnection with the dragon’s lifeforce.

Upon the dragon’s demise, the deathmatrix is triggered, causing the dragon’scorpse to blow apart in an enormousexplosion that showers a 50-yard radiussphere with gem-encrusted scales, mus-cle and sinew, bones, claws, fangs,innards, and blood — and the raw, unre-strained might of the dragon’s breathweapon. All creatures within the radiusmust immediately save vs. breathweapon. If the save is successful, thedamage caused by the explosion isreduced by half. Otherwise, the explo-sion inflicts an amount of damage equalto the breath weapon of the dragon.Worse still, any damage die result of a 1or 2 is regarded as a 3; thus, the trig-gered death matrix of a great red wyrminflicts an astounding 84-252 hp dam-age (24d10+12, counting all rolls of 1 or2 as 3).

Note, however, that since the explo-sion includes the hurled body parts ofthe dragon and basic concussive force inaddition to the dragon’s breath weapon,immunity to that breath weapon doesnot necessarily provide immunity todamage. Roughly 1/3 of the total damageis caused by the breath weapon energy,so immunities to that breath weaponapply only to to 2/3 of the damage.Finally, objects exposed to the blastmust save vs. disintegration or be

46 JUNE 1996

destroyed. Any creatures or objectskilled or destroyed by the explosion arecompletely obliterated.

As noted, only a full wish can removea death matrix. Beyond that, there is onlyone method to avoid triggering a deathmatrix, and that is the instantaneousannihilation of the dragon. If even somuch as a scale remains of the dragon,the death matrix is triggered upon itsdeath. (The damage inflicted is consid-erably lessened if only a fraction of thedragon’s body remains. DMs must usetheir own judgment in modifying thedamage in such cases). Therefore, aspell like disintegrate or a magical itemsuch as a sphere of annihilation is neces-sary to obliterate the dragon instantlyand completely. Without the dragon’scorpse (or a fraction thereof), the deathmatrix cannot cause an explosion andsimply dissipates in a wave of magicalenergy noticeable by creatures in theradius as a tingling sensation. It is other-wise harmless and cannot be absorbedor harnessed in any way.

Obviously, the level of this spell putsit out of reach for use by most dragons,regardless of age or species. Therefore,some dragons must rely on scrolls bear-ing the spell in order to set up a deathmatrix. Fortunately for the dragons, theyrarely need a second application of thespell, for the use of a wish to remove it iseven more unlikely than slaying thedragon in the first place. Nevertheless,as their numbers diminish, more andmore dragons are using this spell as adeterrent.

Dragon magicspell compilation

As noted above, several draconicspells have appeared in previous issuesof DRAGON Magazine, as well as in variousAD&D® accessories. The following listingis a compilation of those spells, cross-indexed with the references in whichthey can be found, arranged accordingto spell level. This listing is almost cer-tainly incomplete, so readers may haveto do some research if they wish toexpand on what is presented here.Readers must remember, however, thatthese are dragon magic spells, not stan-dard wizard spells, so they may beemployed only by draconic spellcasters.But on the other hand, one must be cer-tain not confuse a standard wizard spellwith a dragon magic spell. Just becausea spell may involve dragons does notnecessarily make it a dragon magicspell.

Spell Name (Level)Calm (1)Hoard servant (1)Pretty — oops! (1)Scale shift (1)Shadow scry (1)Sharptooth (1)Aerial acceleration (2)Aura of terror (2)Dragonbane (2)Hand (2)Slither — hiss! (2)Blast jewel* (3)Dragon fall (3)Find humanoid familiar (3)Pretty — boom!* (3)Pseudodragon (3)Scalespray (3)Venomdust (3)Clutch ward (4)Firetrail (4)Focus fear (4)Hoardguard (4)Wingbind (4)Breathblock (5)Razorfangs (5)Alter breath weapon (6)Shadow dragon** (6)Contact archetype (7)

LocationFOR1

DM 230DM 146DM 230DM 218DM 218DM 218DM 218DM 230

FOR1DM 146DM 218

DLA2FOR1

DM 146DM 218DM 230

FOR1DM 230

FOR1DM 218DM 218

FOR1FOR1

DM 218DM 230DM 218

FOR1

Cold curtain (8)Death matrix (8)

FOR1DM 230

DLA2DM (#)FOR1

Dragon Knight moduleDRAGON Magazine (issue)

The Draconomicon

* Readers will note distinct similaritiesbetween both spells that bear this mark,though any such likenesses are purelycoincidental. Further, the description ofblast jewel clearly states that there surelyare variations of the spell, so one of thespells can be regarded simply as a dif-ferent version of the other. In any case,both spells were included for the sake ofcompleteness.

** This spell was mistakenly listed asa fifth-level spell in the original “DragonDweomers” article. It should have beenlisted as a sixth-level spell.

When Robert wrote the original “DragonDweomers” article for DRAGON Magazine#218, he knew there was more to tell. Whilehe has no current plans for a third install-

Death door (7) FOR1 ment, reader response could prompt one.

DRAGON #230 47

Convention CalendarPolicies

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June Conventions

Card-ConJune 1-2 IL

Prair ie Capi ta l Convent ionCen te r , Sp r ing f i e ld . Even ts :role-playing, card, board,and miniatures games. Otheractivities: Tournaments, deal-ers, and artist guests. Regis-tration: $20. Lamont E. Gary,209 Spr ingcreek Dr . ,Springfield IL, 62702.

Blue Water ConJune 8 MI

Charles Schoor VFW, PortHuron. Events: role-playing,card, board, and miniaturesgames. Heidi King, 1522 10thAve. #5, Port Huron, Ml48060.

Magnum Opus Con/WarJune 13-16 GA

Radisson Hotel, Atlanta.Special guests: Vernon Wells,Charlie Dierkop, and RobertZubrin. Events: role-playing,card, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities: tour-naments and computergames. MOC-11, P.O. Box6585, Athens, GA 30604, ore-mail: moc@ix.netcom.com.

Con GamesJune 15-16 FL

Camberly Inn Hotel,Tampa. Events: role-playing,

Australian conventionCanadian conventionEuropean convention

* indicates a product produced by a com-pany other than TSR. Inc. Most productnames are trademarks owned by the com-panies publishing those products. The useof the name of any product without men-tion of its trademark status should not beconstrued as a challenge to such status

card, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities: deal-ers, a charity raffle, and tour-naments. Registration: varies.Necronomicon Inc., P.O. Box2076, Riverview, FL 33569.

D-DayJune 20-23 CA

Game Towne, Carlsbad.Annual San Diego Countyboard game championships,miniatures gaming, and apainting contest. Write to:D-Day, Game Towne, 2933Roosevelt, Carlsbad, CA92008.

Dragon Con 1996June 20-23 GA

Atlanta Hilton and Towers,Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel,and the Atlanta Civic Centerin Atlanta. Guests: Kevin J.Anderson, William Gibson,James O’Barr, R.A. Salvatore,Larry Elmore, and BruceSterling. Events: role-playing,card, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities: deal-ers, films, anime, tournaments,and workshops. Registration:$50 preregistered. DragonCon, P.O. Box 47696, Atlanta,GA 30362, or e-mail: drag-oncon@dragoncon.org, orcheck out the web site:http: / /www.dscga.com\~dragoncon.

ManaFestJune 21-23 CA

Cathedral Hill Hotel, SanFrancisco. Events: over 25 dif-ferent Magic: the Gathering*and other trading card tour-naments. Registration: $20preregistered, $30 thereafter.ManaFest, Khalsa BrainGames, P.O. Box 170436, SanFrancisco, CA 94117, or visitthe web site: http://www.ibar.com/manafest.

Mobi-ConJune 21-23 AL

Howard Johnson, Mobile.Events: role-playing, card,board, and miniatures games.Greg Musslewhite, 7631Penny Lane, Irvington, AL36544.

ATCon IIJune 27-30 TX

Ramada Inn, Austin.Events: role-playing, card,board, and miniatures games.Other activities: RPGA® tour-naments, an auction, and acostume contest. Registration:$25 on site. G.O.A.T., P.O. Box3116, Austin, TX, 78764.

ClathriconJune 28-30 IN

Holiday Inn Airport ,Evansville. Events: role-play-ing, card, board, and minia-tures games. Toni Cobb, 2600

Important:DRAGON® Magazine does not publish phone numbers for conventions. Be cer-tain that any address you send us is complete and correct.

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50 JUNE 1996

Hillcrest Terrace, Evansville, In47712.

Michicon ’96June 28-30 MI

Van Dyke Park Hotel andConference Center, Warren.Events: role-playing, card,board, and miniatures games.Other activities: dealers andan auction. Registration: $18preregistered, $20 on site.Metro Detroit Gamers, P.O.Box 656, Wyandotte, Ml48192 or e-mail: dolphin2@oeonline.com.

PolyCon XIVJune 28-30 CA

California Polytechnic, SanLuis Obispo. Events: role-play-ing, card, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities:tournaments Registration:$25 on-site. PolyCon Com-mittee, University Union Box168, Cal Poly State University,San Luis Obispo, CA 93407,or e-mail: polycon@polycon.punk.net.

July Conventions

OriginsJuly 4-7 OH

Greater Columbus Conven-tion Center, Columbus. Specialguests: Phil Foglio, DougNiles, Jeff Grubb, and KateNovak. Events: role-playing,card, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities: tour-naments, the Magic: theGathering national champi-onship, and an auction.Registration: $34.95 preregis-

tered. Andon Unlimited, P.O.Box 1740, Renton, WA98057-1740, or e-mail:Andon@aol.com.

CamefestJuly 6 IL

Holy Innocents Church,Chicago. Events: role-playing,card, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities: tour-naments. Registration: $5.John Kavain, 857 NorthHermitage, Chicago, IL 60622

Dexcon 5July 10-14 NJ

Atrium Park, Somerset.Guests: Scott Douglas, RobertWiese, Dori Hein, and BillOlmesdahl. Events: role-play-ing, card, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities:tournaments. Registration:varies. Vinny Salzillo, DoubleExposure, Inc., P.O. Box3594, Grand Central Station,New York, NY 10163.

HexaconJuly 12-14 AZ

Arizona State UniversityMemorial Union, Tempe.Events: role-playing, card,board, and miniatures games.Other activities: dealers, tour-naments, an auction, a minia-tures painting contest, and acomputer room. Registration:$15 preregistered, $20 on site.Hexacon 6, P.O. Box 62613,Phoenix, AZ 85082-2613.

Skirmishes ’96July 12-14 MO

Holiday Inn South, Kansas

City. Events: role-playing,card, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities: deal-ers and a miniatures paintingcontest. Registration: $20preregistered, $25 on site.Skirmishes, 812 N.E. 100Terrace, Kansas City, MO64155.

VII-KhanJuly 12-14 CO

H o l i d a y I n n N o r t h ,Colorado Springs. Guests: WilMcCarthy. Events: role-play-ing, card, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities:an art show, dealers, panels,and a miniatures paintingcontest. Registration: $15preregistered. VII-Khan, 1025Garner St. 10B, ColoradoSprings, CO 80905, http://www.uccs.edu/~dafauson.

Dark Con IllJuly 19-21 OK

Central Plaza Hotel,Oklahoma City. Events: role-playing, card, board, andminiatures games. Otheractivities: tournaments, com-puter gaming, and RPGANetwork events. DarkmoreInc., 624 SW 24th, Moore, OK73160.

Quincon XlJuly 19-21 IL

The Signature Room in theFranklin Square, Quincy.Events: role-playing, card,board, miniatures games,RPGA events, demos, and anauction. Registration: $15/weekend, $5/day. QuinconXl, P.O. Box 3892, Quincy, IL62305-3892.

GEN CON® Game FairAugust 8-11 WI

The Wisconsin Center (MECCA), Milwaukee. Experiencethe biggest and best game fair in the Western Hemisphere.GEN CON offers over 1200 gaming events, more than 200exhibitors, celebrity guests including Garret Wang, StephenR. Donaldson, Walter Koenig, the cast of Mystery ScienceTheatre 3000, and more! Other activities include an art show,games auction, a vast dealers hall, Starbase 1, anime, work-shopsm and seminars. Registration: $45/4 day pass preregis-tered, $50 on site, daily rates available. Contact: SandyKinney, GEN CON Game Fair, TSR Inc., 201 Sheridan SpringsRoad, Lake Geneva, WI 53147.

Action 2July 20 IA

Plaza Lanes, Des Moines.Events: role-playing, card,board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities: RPGAtournaments. Registration:$4. Tammy Jones, 1304 BoydSt., Des Moines, IA 50316.

Conline XXIIJuly 27-28 GEnie

TSR online roundtable,GEnie. RPGA tournaments,

DRAGON #230

LIVING CITY™ and LIVING JUNGLE™tournaments, Virtual Seattle,and guest speakers. E-mail:the.minstrel@genie.com.

August Conventions

Gamefest XVIIAugust 6-10 CA

Old Towne, San Diego.Events: role-playing, card,board, and miniaturesgames. Registration: $20 pre-registered, $30 on site.Gamefest, 3954 Harney St.,San Diego, CA 92110.

Migscon XVIIAugust 23-25

The Royal ConnaughtHoward Johnson Plaza Hotel,Hamilton, Ontario. Events:miniature gaming, dealers,and a miniatures paintingcontest. Registration: varies.MIGS, P.O. Box 37013, BartonPostal Outlet, Hamilton, ONL8L 8E9, Canada.

Bubonicon 28August 23-25 NM

Howard Johnson East,Albuquerque. Guests: DennisMcKiernan, Gordan Garb, andLisa Scott. Events: role-play-ing, card, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities:dealers, panels, an art show,a costume contest, movies,and more. Registration: $25on site. NMSF Conference,P.O. Box 37257, Albuquerque,NM 87178.

DragonflightAugust 23-25 WA

Bellarmine Hall on theSeattle University Campus,Seattle. Events: role-playing,card, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities: semi-nars, an auction, and dealers.Registration: varies. Dragon-flight, P.O. Box 417, Seattle,WA 98111-0417.

LA Con IllAugust 29-Sept. 3 CA

Anaheim Convention cen-ter, Anaheim. Guests: JamesWhite, Roger Corman, and

Continued on page 58

51

© 1996 John C. Bunnell

The Fantasy Role-PlayingGamer’s BibleSean Patrick FannonPrima $19.95

“The very word is intimidating,” saysSean Patrick Fannon as he discusses thenature of bibles in this books introduc-tion. But that hasn’t stopped him fromwriting a wide-ranging and thoroughlycogent volume that provides more infor-mation and advice on gaming than anyother single reference book publishedon the subject to date.

The virtues of Fannon’s tome arethreefold: it’s comprehensive, it’s acces-sible, and it’s entertaining. The first ofthese is in some respects the most sig-nificant. Like prior encyclopedistsLawrence Schick and Rick Swan (whoseworks he cheerfully acknowledges),Fannon devotes considerable attentionto a survey of available game products.But The Fantasy Role-Playing Gamer’sBible is much more than a compilationof reviews. Before he discusses or rec-ommends specific products, Fannonspends almost two-thirds of the bookdiscussing the concept of role-playing ingeneral, the ins and outs of creating andrunning a gaming campaign, and thehistory of the gaming industry. Thus thebook is as much a how-to manual as aguide to game systems. It’s a uniquecombination, and a valuable one.

As a result, Fannon is writing morefor novice gamers and those unfamiliarwith the hobby than for veteran players.While the book is by no means free ofjargon, Fannon deliberately targets hisexplanations at people who don’t neces-sarily know a d20 from a hood orna-ment and those who’ve never darkenedthe doors of a gaming convention. Anextensive glossary supplements themain text, and the book is also liberallypeppered with mini-essays on a varietyof specific subjects. Although he’s notshy about offering opinions, Fannondoesn’t present himself as an UltimateAuthority. Instead, he readily gives creditfor ideas and examples where credit isdue, both in the text and in an extensivelist of acknowledgements.

If all this makes the Bible sound like adull, scholarly volume, think again. Onthe contrary, Fannon’s writing style isdeliberately amusing and self-referential,with a good deal of the humor at his ownexpense. At the same time, he doesn’t letthe comedy get in the way of the con-tent; the gaming-history material, for

instance, is straightforward and shtick-free. Those who glance into the booklooking for some specific bit of informa-tion are likely to find themselves stillreading 20 minutes and 15 pages later.

If there’s a substantial nit to bepicked, it’s in Fannon’s treatment ofgaming history. On the plus side,Fannon’s survey is knowledgeable andbalanced, demonstrating that the rootsof role-playing’s go back considerablyfarther than Gary Gygax’s living room.But once he reaches the D&D® era, hisfocus narrows too much; he concen-trates on game companies and designtrends while giving only sparse atten-tion to evolution on the players’ side ofthe cash register. Even within his chosenniche, there’s room to quibble overemphasis. Arguably, for instance, thenetwork of talent fostered by FlyingBuffalo, Inc. gets less mention than itshould, and Mark Rein Hagen’s andJonathan Tweet’s Ars Magica* is passedover too quickly. Additionally, gamersinterested in the industry’s corporateand legal wrangles won’t be enlight-ened here; Fannon doesn’t even men-tion the famous government raid onSteve Jackson Games.

Still, Fannon correctly notes that a fullhistory of the gaming industry is beyondthe scope of his Bible, and the materialincluded is more than adequate as anintroductory sketch. The bottom line isthat The Fantasy Role-Playing Gamer’sBible, for practical purposes, lives up toits title. Sean Patrick Fannon’s guide-book gives readers new to gaming asolid introduction to the hobby, andeven experienced gamers will find use-ful advice, entertaining anecdotes, andintelligent reviews within its pages.There’s room left on the reference shelffor more detailed books on specificaspects of gaming, but as a general sur-vey of the field, this volume can’t bematched.

DRAGON #230 53

Remnant PopulationElizabeth MoonBaen $22.00

In certain respects, RemnantPopulation is about as subtle as a herdof stampeding elephants. But althoughElizabeth Moon’s first hardcover novelwears its social agenda on its sleeve, it’salso an intriguing first-contact yarn withdimensions that aren’t at all obvious atfirst glance. The conventional logic offirst contact says that it’s a job best leftto experts. The protagonists of A. C.Crispin’s StarBridge books, for instance,may be young, but they’re trainedextensively in various scientific anddiplomatic disciplines before being sentinto the field.

Elizabeth Moon, however, suggestsotherwise. As her story opens, an inter-stellar corporation is evacuating one ofits colony worlds because they’re losingtoo much money trying to maintain thesettlement there. Elderly OfeliaFalfurrias, however, would just as soonstay behind, and when the rest of thecolonists (including her son and his wife)depart, she hides and is left all alone inthe remains of the colony’s small village.But what seems at first to be peacefulsolitude quickly becomes complicatedand unsettling. First, Ofelia overhearsthe destruction of a new set of would-becolonists on the village’s abandonedcommunications gear, and then thenatives responsible for the deaths turnup on her own doorstep.

This is where the meat of the novelbegins, as Ofelia —who is neither highlyeducated nor physically imposing —gradually comes to terms with the

aliens. It’s an utterly fascinating process,made oddly intense by the fact that formuch of the book, Ofelia is the onlyhuman character onstage, among aspecies that doesn’t communicate wellin human language. Thus we watch asboth Ofelia and the People learn abouteach other by example, conveying byaction and behavior what they’re notable to explain in words.

In many hands, such a narrativecould have been impressively dull.Moon, however, manages to keep thestory interesting within its self-imposedlimits. There’s a predictable quality tothe final part of the novel, once a tradi-tional survey team arrives to look thealiens over, but it doesn’t come at theexpense of the characters Moon hasalready developed. The tale’s moral ismade clear at once: the younger, moreintellectual scientists initially dismissOfelia and her experiences as valueless,but they rapidly discover that the Peoplethink otherwise. Moon delivers the“respect your elders” and “don’t judge byappearance” messages with all the tactof a teacher rapping her students’knuckles with a ruler — yet she stopsshort of actually preaching.

Remnant Population is a sharply exe-cuted first-contact novel, the interactionbetween Ofelia and the People may inter-est gamers for another reason. WhatMoon presents, often in intricate detail, isalso in many ways a classic role-playingsituation; the difference between Ofelia’sapproach and that of the so-called“experts” parallels the difference betweena rich character-driven RPG campaignand a lively but un-challenging hack-and-slash session. That makes Moon’s novel avaluable study guide for those interestedin sharpening their role-playing skills, aswell as a sophisticated SF tale for moregeneral readers.

Eye of the DaemonCamille Bacon-SmithDAW $5.50

From the packaging, you’d expectCamille Bacon-Smith’s first professionallypublished novel to be a chilling occultthriller. In fact, Eye of the Daemon isturned in a different direction; Bacon-Smith instead attempts to present astrongly character-driven tale of choicesand sacrifices on a cosmic scale.Unfortunately, the characters driving herstory appear to be stuck in a traffic circleduring rush hour.

Part of the difficulty is that it takesawhile to establish just who is Bacon-

Smith’s lead character. “Kevin Bradley,”whose real name is Badad, appears tohave the role at first. Seemingly anurbane private investigator specializingin supernatural cases, he’s actually anagent of a larger occult entity fromanother plane, in residence on Earth tocheck an extraplanar rival’s efforts toenslave humanity. As the novel opens,Badad is accepting a case involving ayoung man whose disappearance isconnected to that rivalry.

Before long, the focus has shifted toBadad’s half-human son, Evan, and themystery plot has stalled while we detourinto a long explanation of Evan’s pecu-liar and often painful history. We’re bet-ter than halfway into the book beforeevents start moving properly again —and by that time, they’re not the sameevents. The original kidnapping casehas been disposed of, and Evan himselfis a target. But just as that plot line startsgaining momentum, a minor earliermystery suddenly resurrects itself, onlyto give way to a complicated series ofhostage-takings. Eventually, it turns outthat virtually the entire plot has been aseries of diversions and distractions —and that not even Badad’s and rivalOmage’s masters control all of theforces in play.

While Bacon-Smith’s character devel-opment is more coherent than this madcaucus race of a plot, it’s not enough tosave the novel all by itself. Badad andhis “cousin,” Lirion, don’t get enoughonstage time to be well-drawn, andmuch too little of that shows the extra-planar duo interacting with ordinaryhumanity. And while Evan gets more

54 JUNE 1996

narrative attention, most of his time isspent either in personal reflection or indealing with supernatural folk of onesort or another. There are almost nohuman characters in the book whoaren’t pawns of one occult faction oranother, and all the exceptions save oneare either walk-on players or cannonfodder.

The result is that the reader has verylittle context in which to place Bacon-Smith’s characters, Though the setting isnominally present-day Earth, little thathappens in the novel has anything to dowith Earth’s mortal inhabitants. And thatmakes it very hard to be comfortablewith any of the books cast, heroes andvillains alike.

Eye of the Daemon’s sole redeemingfeature is its intriguing cosmology.According to Bacon-Smith, thoughBadad and Lirion maintain an indepen-dent existence, they’re also componentsof a collective entity known as Ariton.Likewise, their rival Omage is part of thehost of Azmod, and there are otherhosts and other minion-daemons activeon the non-Earthly plane. Daemons inthis cosmos are inherently neither goodnor evil; their allegiances tend to shiftalong with those of their hosts. Andthere are other powers as well, thoughthese are little-known and even less wellunderstood.

If Bacon-Smith had been writing agaming supplement, this fascinatingmilieu might be enough to warrant a rec-ommendation. But as part of a novel, itisn’t sufficient to counterbalance theunsuccessful plotting and self-referentialcharacterization. Despite the authors bestefforts, Eye of the Daemon just doesn’t liveup to the promise of its riveting cover art.

Vision QuestsDawn Albright andSandra J. Hutchinson, eds.Angelus Press $9.95

Indian legends were an interest ofmine long before it became politicallycorrect to say “Native Americans.” Whenword came of an SF/fantasy anthologydevoted to Indian lore, the combinationwas too intriguing not to investigate. Forthe most part, Vision Quests proves tobe worth the seeking. Though it’s a slimvolume, containing just seven storiesand a short poem, editors DawnAlbright and Sandra J. Hutchinson haveassembled a challenging and diversegroup of tales focusing on the powersand perils of native shamans.

Two of the stories have been previ-

ously published: Susan J. Kroupa’s “TheHealer” and “The Year of Storms” fromJudith Berman. Kroupa’s tale welldeserves the Writers of the Future awardit received; it’s a compelling near-futureaccount of two individuals whose pow-ers are both alike and different, andKroupa captures the Southwesternatmosphere convincingly. Berman’s is along, odd story that crosses NorthwestCoast tribal motifs with a plot reminis-cent of the grimmer Grimm’s folktales.“The Year of Storms” is skillfully told, andBerman has strong academic credentialsin Northwest Coast studies, but culturallyit comes across as a crossbreed ratherthan a purely Indian tale.

The books original entries rangeacross the American West andSouthwest for source material. K.D.Wentworth’s “The Turquoise Horse” pre-sents a straightforward yet vivid mythicstory drawn from Southwestern tradi-tions, although a present-day elementframes the tale. David Niall Wilson, writ-ing in a darker vein, dips into historywith a story woven around part of thefamous Little Bighorn military disaster.The specific setting of Dianne de Avalle-Arce’s “Range Wars” is less clear (oneclue suggests rural California), but thestory is a sly, sharply realized account ofmodern reservation politics counteredby an inspired bit of supernatural trick-ery. Avalle-Arce’s tone is down-to-earthyet playful, neatly echoing that of manyauthentic legends; hers is possibly thebooks most successful contribution.

The remaining two stories are harderto like. Vol Ranger’s “Blood Brotherhood”is the one non-American tale in thebook, focusing instead on the nomads ofthe Mongolian steppes, and though itscrisply told, its unrelievedly stark mood isa bit overpowering. And Charlee Jacobs“A Quantum Shaman for Her Time” isout-and-out weird. The science-fictionalpremise is clever enough, but Jacob’shandling of the idea seems uneven anda trifle forced.

For the most part, though, VisionQuests is an intelligent and well-chosencompilation of shamanic tales. It’s also asolid debut volume from new small pub-lisher Angelus Press, and it bodes wellfor the quality of future titles. Gamerswhose campaigns make use of tribalcultures and shamanic magic shouldfind the volume well worth acquiring.(Those who can’t persuade their localbooksellers to order the book may con-tact Angelus Press at 7 St. Luke’s Road,Allston, MA 02134.)

LadylordSasha MillerTor $24.95

It isn’t exactly Oriental fantasy, as therealm of Monserria does not preciselyduplicate either medieval Japan orimperial China. But Sasha Miller’sLadylord has the tone and culture of themysterious East in its bones, and thosewho’ve been waiting too long for a newnovel from Barry Hughart should bemore than satisfied with Miller’s tale ofhigh adventure mixed with a host ofsensual and political intrigues.

There are five provinces in Monserria,with five lords to rule them in a stricthierarchy of rank and tradition. But thedying Third Lord Qai has a problem: hehas no male heir to succeed him. Hedoes, however, have a talented daughter— but in order to pass the reins of powerto her, he must declare Javerri his “son,”as women cannot normally inherit titles.Even with her father’s blessing, however,Javerri finds law, custom, and a host ofeager rivals arrayed against her as sheattempts to claim her legacy.

For all that Monserria is an inventedmilieu, Miller capably invests it with thecombination of ornate grace and infi-nitely complex bureaucracy characteris-tic of the Orient. There are shadow-eyedcourtesans, wily military tacticians, ambi-tious barons, and inscrutable sorcerers,

56 JUNE 1996

all seeking to secure their places inMonserrian society in the wake ofJaverri’s disruption of the old order. Atthe same time, Miller offers a brisklypaced tale of high adventure, as Javerri’squest takes her beyond Monserria’s bor-ders in search of a dragon’s egg. Herethe novel departs from Oriental tradition,as Miller’s dragons are smaller and morereptilian than most, though no less fierceand dangerous. Treachery and violencegrow more direct in the dragons’ desertterritory, though there are allies to befound there as well. One strong distinc-tion between Ladylord and most otherrecent Oriental fantasy tales is its treat-ment of spiritual matters. Unlike BarryHughart, for example, Miller doesn’textend her narrative to include godly vis-itations or travels to heavenly lands.That gives Miller’s story a different, moreintimate sense of scale — not a weaknessby any means, but a quality that sets thebook apart. The book is also quitemature in certain respects; though theirlanguage is mostly oblique, Miller’s char-acters are remarkably frank on mattersof sex.

With its diverse catalogue of virtues,a generalization about Ladylord mightseem difficult to reach — but in fact,that’s not the case. What Sasha Millerdelivers throughout the novel is highlyskilled and meticulous craftsmanship.Just as Oriental art is often exemplifiedby fine detail work, Miller’s story con-sists of many small elements carefullyarranged into an elegant whole.

Recurring RolesThe Silver Gryphon (DAW, $21.95) con-

tinues a trend in Mercedes Lackey’s andLarry Dixon’s “Mage Wars” series; it’s asmaller, more compact story than eitherof its predecessors. Second-generationprotagonists Silverblade and Tadrith areon their way to a remote sentry outpostwhen a magical disruption causes themliterally to fall out of the sky, strandingthem in a dangerous and unexplored jun-gle. Lackey and Dixon tell the tale

smoothly and well, butthose used to world-

threatening crises from this team may bedisappointed by the relatively mundanemenace of this book.

Also from the Mercedes Lackey braintrust comes Lammas Night (Baen, $5.99),an anthology edited by JosephaSherman whose stories are all spun offfrom one of Lackey’s many song lyricswith a lady-or-the-tiger ending. Most ofthe tales are competently told, and afew (notably from Sherman herself,Susan Shwartz, Diana Paxson, andElisabeth Waters) are more than that.But too many simply reprise the ballad’splot by rote, giving the collection arepetitive quality.

A generally friendlier anthology isDistant Planes (HarperPrism, $12.00), thesecond collection of short stories fromthe realms of Magic: the Gathering*. Aswith the novels, this volume generallyimproves on its predecessor; especiallynoteworthy are the comic tales fromJane M. Lindskold and Sonia Orin Lyris.(Now I need to find a Granite Gargoylecard in order to read the flavor text...)

While David Weber’s fans wait for thenext Honor Harrington novel, they’ll dowell to pick up Heirs of Empire (Baen,$5.99). Though nominally third in a sepa-rate sequence, the book stands alonequite well as a two-pronged tale, half aspy thriller and half a lively martialadventure wherein a group of strandedinterstellar warriors must conquer anentire continent in order to call for rescue.

On the flip side, The Cup of MorningShadows (DAW, $5.99) shouldn’t be tack-led by readers unfamiliar with RosemaryEdghill’s previous book in her “TwelveTreasures” cycle — and even those read-ers should be warned that this secondbook in the sequence ends with all man-ner of plot threads hanging in mid-air.Edghill’s blend of high fantasy and stark,often bleak characterization is still com-pelling, but this is clearly a segment of alarger tapestry, and its true scope isn’tyet firmly established.

FutureConventions

ATSea ’97 *CruiseApril 5-12

ATSea sails from New Orleans onthe Commodore Cruise Line and stopsin Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, GrandCayman, and Montego Bay. Events:role-playing, card, board, and minia-tures games. Other activities: tourna-ments, guest speakers, seminars, a cos-tume party, an auction, and more.Package prices vary. A deposit of $250is due by 11/1/96. There is a 20% dis-count off the deposit amount if it isreceived before 7/1/96. Contact G.O.A.T. (Gamers of Austin Texas), P.O.Box 3116, Austin, TX 78764.

Always enclose a self-addressed, stamped

envelope (SASE)when requestingguidelines or send-ing us any corre-spondence thatrequires a reply.

John C. Bunnell lives in an apartmentwhere the books outnumber the dust-bunnies fifty-to-one. Correspondenceregarding “The Role of Books” may beaddressed to him at 6663 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy. #326, Portland, OR 97225-1403.

Having a convention?Send your information to us at:

Cons & Prosc/o DRAGON® Magazine201 Sheridan Springs RoadLake Geneva, W, 53147.

Please do not sendconvention notices via e-mail.

* indicates a product produced by a companyother than TSR, Inc.

ConsContinued from page 51

Connie Willis. Events: role- playing, card,board, and miniatures games. Otheractivities: exhibits and a charity raffle. LACon III, 4557 Rueda Drive, San Diego, CA92124.

Gateway 16August 30-Sept. 2 CA

LA Airport Wyndham Hotel, LosAngels. Events: role-playing card, board,and miniatures games. Other activities:dealers, seminars, and an auction.Registration: $25 preregistered, $30 onsite. Strategicon, 333 N. San FernandoBlvd., Burbank, CA 91502.

Mage Con South XIAugust 31 -Sept. 2 IA

Sioux City Hilton, Sioux City. Events:role-playing, card, board, and miniaturesgames. Other activities: tournamentsand an art show. Registration: varies.M.A.G.E., P.O. 114, Sioux City, IA 51250.

* indicates a product produced by a companyother than TSR, Inc.

58 JUNE 1996

by Scott Douglas

ne of the best benefits of RPGA®Network membership is POLYHEDRON®Newszine. The Newszine is a unique

periodical — since its first issue, ithas been written entirely by Networkmembers.

Many members like to write; somehave developed a reputation for writingwell. Ed Greenwood — a 1981 chartermember — has been contributing one ofthe Newszine’s most popular featuresfor over 10 years. His monthly“Elminster’s Everwinking Eye” describesthe travels of a certain Sage ofShadowdale. Newszine readers havejoined Elminster on trips discovering thewonders of places like Turmish,Mulmaster, the Vast, and Maskyr’s Eye.Elminster’ is even now writing about hisadventures through the BorderKingdoms, the region north of the Shanin the FORGOTTEN REALMS® setting.

Roger Moore, who joined theNetwork in 1987, provides helpful hintsto those who have designed their owncampaign in his “World of Your Own” col-umn. A game designer of long experi-ence and former DRAGON® Magazine edi-tor, Roger is currently discussing forNewszine readers the possibilities andchallenges of developing an Elizabethan-

age based AD&D® game. He has recentlydiscussed Underdark campaigns, as wellas a magi-technical contemporary Earthgame setting.

FASA designer Lou Prosperi is anothermember contributor (class of 1990). A pri-mary developer of FASA’s Earthdawn*game line, Lou has written articles aboutthe Networks Threads of Legend cam-paign for Earthdawn. This month, how-ever, Lou gives Network readers insideinformation about the presidential elec-tion campaign — in the America of 2056

– a presidential campaign featured inFASA’s new Super Tuesday accessory forthe Shadowrun* game. Lou is also one ofthe Networks guests of honor at thisyear’s GEN CON® Game Fair.

Eric Boyd, another member whojoined in 1990, has been writing a col-umn for the Newszine since 1994.“Forgotten Deities” details divine powersin the FORGOTTEN REALMS campaign. Eric’sattention to detail caught the eye ofTSR’s resident Realms guru, Julia Martin.As a result, many of Eric’s descriptionsappear as part of the popular Faiths andAvatars accessory for the AD&D game.

Many other members have writtenarticles for the Newszine as well. Andsince Network members tend to have

disparate tastes, we receive a wide vari-ety of submission topics. In just the lastyear, the Newszine has published arti-cles on Earthdawn, Torg*, Everway: StarWars: AMAZING ENGINE®, and Shadowrun.Members have been treated to featureson the RAVENLOFT® campaign setting, theDRAGON DICE™ game, the BIRTHRIGHT®campaign accessories, and a specialsneak preview of the forthcomingDRAGONLANCE®: FIFTH AGE™ role-playinggame.

One favorite subject for members isthe Networks exclusive LIVING CITY™campaign. For almost 10 years, membershave written articles describing locationsin the city of Ravens Bluff. Now the mostthoroughly detailed fantasy city everdeveloped, the LIVING CITY is the world’slargest on-going AD&D game. Smithiesand stables, bakeries and breweries, tav-erns, temples, and tattoo parlors, eachmapped and keyed, including literallyhundreds of well-detailed non-playercharacters. Such a wealth of materiallends itself well to use in tournamentplay, or in your home game.

The Networks other tournament set-tings also provide diverse writing (andreading) opportunities. Based on theMasque of the Red Death expansion forthe RAVENLOFT setting, the LIVING DEATH™campaign is across a backdrop of gothicmystery, a place where intelligence andstreet-savvy are far more penetratingweapons than are stilettos or sabres. TheLIVING JUNGLE™ campaign, set in theFORGOTTEN REALMS plateau of Malatra, is alow-magic, high adventure setting,where characters battle for survivalagainst the forces of nature, fearsomewarrior tribes, ferocious jungle predators,and terrible thunder lizards, or garuda.

Over the years, hundreds of Networkmembers have contributed adventures,non-player characters, magical itemsand spells, convention announcements,classifieds, art, and photos to theirPOLYHEDRON Newszine. It’s a periodicalthat has truly grown up with its reader-ship. Every time a new member joins,the Network gains a potential newauthor. Could that next new contributorbe you?

The ROLE PLAYING GAMES ASSOCIATION NetworkThe RPGA® Network is a 9,500-member group whose common interest is the

advancement of the role-playing hobby. Members write, play, and gamemasterevents at conventions and hobby stores across North America and aroundthe world.

While originally founded in 1981 as the AD&D® game fan club, the Networkembraces tournament games in over 30 game systems, There’s still a pretty fairinterest in the AD&D game, too.

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e N e t w o r k , 2 0 1 S h e r i d a n

Springs Road, Lake Geneva, WI 53147, or e-mail rpgahq@aol.com.

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

Scott Douglas hasn’t made cappuccinofor anyone in the periodicals department forvery nearly a year, so we have nothinggood to write about him this month.

60 JUNE 1996

62 JUNE 1996

DRAGON #230 63

The old cleric was dead.Mirta watched as two of the village men lowered

his body — still and frail as a sleeping bird — into theshallow grave. The furrow was barely deep enoughfor its purpose, but the men had been able to digno further into the hard, sun-baked soil with theirwooden shovels. Dull silver waves of heat rose fromthe barren plain. The villagers wiped sweatingbrows with rough, homespun sleeves. Summer hadonly just come to northern Solamnia, but alreadythe weather had grown oppressive. Of them all,only Mirta did not notice the stifling air. Inside shefelt cold as winter. Tanar had been her only friend.She had no one now.

Silence hung heavily over the plain. No one weptfor the old priest. No one except for Mirta. She kneltbeside the grave, smoothing white robes, whitebeard, white hair. One last time she gazed on theface of the man who had been her father, in spirit ifnot in blood, trying to memorize the gentle features.Behind her, the villagers stared with blank expres-sions. There were no prayers to speak, no cere-monies to perform, no holy rites to observe. Suchthings had died with Tanar.

It had been nine years since the flames of Chaoshad swept across the face of Krynn. Nine years sincethe gods had abandoned the world they created.

Just as the first did three centuries ago, theSecond Cataclysm had struck without warning. Theland cracked. The sea boiled. Fire and ash rainedfrom the sky. The stars burned to black cinders, andthe heavens went dark — only to brighten again asstrange constellations appeared, taking the place ofthe old. When a new day finally dawned, those whohad somehow survived crept from their hidingplaces and gazed upon a world that was. . . different.

For a time the humans of Krynn wandered, dazedand wounded. They called out to their gods, but thecalls went unanswered. Perhaps, some thought, thegods had been driven back by the fires of the Chaos.But if so, then surely they would soon return. In time,the people began to piece their broken lives backtogether. They built anew their temples. Yet still thegods were silent. Prayers were dust on the tonguesof the clerics. The power of healing had fled theirhands. A few whispered that the gods had sacrificedthemselves to save Krynn from the fire and shadowsthat had threatened to consume it. But most simplybelieved that the gods had forsaken them. Theyshook their fists at the sky, cursing Paladine andGilean and Takhisis. Some even began to claim thatthere never had been any gods at all.

Mirta remembered little of the Chaos. What shedid were fragments: flame, smoke, fear. Lost andstumbling through burnt ruins, she had cried out for

her parents, but they never answered. They hadabandoned her as surely as the gods had Krynn.Then the smoke had swirled. A tall form in whiterobes had appeared before her. Strong arms hadencircled her, and a gentle voice had soothed herterror. She had lived with Tanar from that day.

Until now.A hot, gritty wind sprang out of nowhere, whip-

ping across the plain, stinging eyes and scouringflesh. Mirta staggered away from the grave, cover-ing her face. The two men flung hurried shovelfulsof dirt into the pit, concealing the white robes forev-er. The villagers turned away and started backacross the plain. They muttered as they went, mak-ing no effort to keep Mirta from hearing theirwords.

“It’s good riddance, I say. Him and all his prattlingabout gods.”

“The old man was mad. Or a fool. Or both.”“Aye, look what all his prayers have gotten us.

There is no rain. The crops wither in the fields. Fevertakes our children. Death and dust: those are theonly gods left. . .”

The villagers moved out of earshot, returning tothe distant cluster of stone hovels. Mirta sighed. Shedid not know what to think about the gods. But shedid know that Tanar had never stopped believing inthem.

“Where are the gods, Mirta?”The old cleric always asked her the question

when she least expected it, his faded blue eyessparkling. Each time she just shook her head. Shethought it a joke of his. Until one day he answeredthe question for her. He thrust a crooked finger ather chest, his bearded mien solemn. “They are hereMirta. This is where the gods live now. Do youunderstand me?”

But she did not. Everyone knew that if therereally were gods, they would live in the sky. Still, ithad been enough for her that Tanar had believed.Only now he had abandoned her, just like her par-ents, just like the gods. Without his faith, she feltutterly empty. What did she believe in? Anything?Mirta did not know. She hung her head. The windtangled her brown hair and snatched at the plain,ash-gray shift she wore. She wished it could justblow her away.

“What’s this? Nowhere to go, Mirta?”She jerked her head up at the sound of the sneer-

ing voice. He had watched from a distance as theyburied the cleric. Now he stood before her, a short,brutish man with a pock-marked face. He was cladin rusty, ill-fitting armor, but whatever he styled him-self, he was no knight.

Mirta gazed past him. She tried to keep the trem-

64 JUNE 1996

picture on the medallion. Long ago, she had seen asimilar drawing in one of Tanar’s books. It was asymbol of one of the lost gods. Which of them, shedid not know. It did not matter. For as she stared atthe medallion, a thrill surged through her. Mirtaknew what she had to do.

She would search for Tanar’s gods.They could help her. They had to. And maybe,

just maybe, she could bring back proof that theyexisted. Then the villagers would have no choicebut to believe. They wouldn’t mock Tanar — or her— any longer.

Resolved, Mirta stood and wiped away her tears.She slipped the medallion around her neck. Now anew problem cut through her exhilaration. No onehad seen any signs of the gods since the SecondCataclysm. Where was she to look for them? Hergaze rose to the jagged, purple shapes that hoveredon the horizon. The mountains. Of course. Had notthe gods dwelled in the heavens? Certainly the closershe got to the sky, the more chance she had of find-ing them.

Without another thought, Mirta set out across thewindswept plains to find Tanar’s gods.

bling from her voice. “What do you want, Darthis?”He scratched a black, scraggly beard. His beady

eyes gleamed with dull interest. “I think you knowexactly what I want.”

Darthis took a rattling step forward. The armorwas mismatched, pilfered from a dozen differentcorpses. A crown marked each of the bracers, whilea death lily was emblazoned upon the dentedbreastplate. The first was a symbol of the legendaryKnights of Solamnia, the other an emblem of theevil Knights of Takhisis. Tanar had told Mirta tales ofhow the knights light and dark — once mortal ene-mies — had banded together in the Chaos War tofight for Krynn. However, she knew Darthis carednothing for the fallen knights whose armor he wore.He thought the armor made him look dangerous.And in so thinking, he became dangerous indeed.

Darthis loomed over her. “There’s no one to takecare of you now, Mirta. You’ve made no friends foryourself by remaining loyal to that idiot cleric. Thevillagers think you’re as mad as he was. Right nowthey’re off to burn his house. They’re fools, ofcourse. A lot of bleating sheep. I’m going to masterthem all.” A leering grin cut across his face. “But alord needs a wife. . .”

Mirta shivered despite the heat. She turned herback, started to walk away.

A rough, dirty hand clamped around her throatfrom behind, stopping her. His breath stank. “Walkaway now, Mirta,” he hissed in her ear. “But you’llcome begging back to me. And you won’t find meso gentle when you do.”

With a cry she broke free of his grip and ranacross the dusty field. His mocking laughterfollowed her.

“Don’t hold your breath waiting for his preciousgods to save you, girl. They’re as dead as he is!”

Mirta ran on, blinded by tears.At last she left the laughter behind. She came to a

halt, and only then did she realize where she hadrun. The old shrine on the edge of the village. Tanarhad done what he could to keep up the once holyplace. But the stone walls had been cracked by fire,and the roof was in dire need of thatching. Once aclear spring had bubbled up in a small pool beforethe open door, but it had gone dry long ago. All thatremained were rocks and stinging nettles. Mirta saton the front step of the shrine and hugged her knees.What was she to do? Much as she loathed him,Darthis was right. She had no one to help her now.

A silvery glint among the nettles caught her eye.Mirta reached down, careful not to scratch herself,and drew out the object. It was a medallionattached to a fine silver chain. She rubbed away dirtand tarnish with the hem of her shift. There was a

She was thirsty. So thirsty.For hours Mirta walked across the arid plain, but

the knife-edged peaks grew no larger. They shim-mered and danced on the horizon, until she won-dered if they were simply a trick of light and heat. Ithad been foolish to leave in such haste, withoutfood or water. Still, driven by her need to proveTanar right, she struggled on. At last, as the sunsank behind her, she reached the jumbled feet ofthe mountains. Following a faint trickling sound, shediscovered a thin thread of moisture seeping out ofa crack in the rocks. The water was warm and oily,but she drank as much as she could. Then shecurled up in a crevice and fell asleep as strange,cold stars appeared in the onyx sky.

She awoke at dawn, limbs stiff, tongue parchedand swollen. Craning her neck, she gazed up at thedark slopes that rose before her. She drank a fewmouthfuls of the bitter springwater. Then, with adeep breath, she began climbing. She had thought itwould be cooler in the mountains. It was not.Sunlight glanced relentlessly off black stone. Gorgesthat had once carried rushing torrents were nowchoked with dust and thorns. Again and again sheslipped, slicing shins and palms on razor-sharpedges. Soon she hardly remembered her reason forcoming here. Still she climbed, drawn by the beck-oning spires that soared above her, until she slipped

DRAGON #230 65

into a hazy world of pain, and heat, and terrible, ter-rible thirst.

Mirta blinked. For a long moment she stareduncomprehending, then all at once she returned toher senses. She stood on a narrow shoulder ofstone. Above her rose one final horn of blastedrock. Beyond that was only hard blue sky. Turningaround, she gazed the way she had come. A gaspescaped her. The plains were a dull brown sea farbelow. She turned back and gazed again at the finalsummit. It was like a dark tower, its near verticalsides a jumble of obsidian shards as sharp as glass.She could climb no higher. Yet it seemed that shestood in the heart of the sky. Surely the gods couldsee her here.

Mirta thrust her arms toward the heavens. Shecalled out those few names she knew. The soundswere strange on her blistered lips.

“Gilean! Kiri-Jolith! Sirrion!”She closed her eyes, waiting. The wind snatched

at her brown hair and ashen shift. That was all.Again she called out the names, and again. Shechanted the words. Sang them. Shouted andwhispered them in turn. Her voice grew ragged. Themetallic taste of blood spread across her tongue. Stillshe called out. However, just as when she was achild lost in the smoking ruins, there was no answer.

At last she lowered her aching arms. Bleak despairdescended upon her heart. Of course there was noanswer. The villagers were right. All these years,Tanar had believed in a lie. There were no gods.

Mirta thought she would weep, but instead bitterlaughter escaped her. She felt weak, dizzy. The airwas thin so high in the mountains. The blazing suncrisped her skin. She noticed then a dark hollow inthe side of the mountain. The mouth of a cave.Stumbling over loose rocks, she reached theshadowed opening and huddled just inside. At leasthere she could sit out of the sun while she decidedwhat to do next. Except that, as she sat knees tochin, she could think of nothing. Her heart felt ashard as the stones around her. There was nothingleft for her.

Suddenly a thought struck Mirta. At first it wasdreadful, but then a strange, almost comforting res-ignation spread over her. Yes, there was only onething left for her. She would return to the village.She would marry Darthis. Much as she hated him,he was all she had.

She almost stood then, almost started back downthe mountain, to journey back across the burntplains and tell Darthis he could have her hand.Almost.

That was when she felt it.

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Mirta froze. It radiated from the blackness of thecave behind her. Fear. Fear so thick it pulsated onthe dark air like something alive. The reek of it filledher lungs and paralyzed her mind. A slithering noisehissed against stone. Somehow she turned her headand gazed deeper into the cave. There. Somethingstirred amid the blackness. A single point of crimsonlight appeared in the dark.

“Come closer,” rasped a deep, hideous voice.Mirta’s jaw dropped, but only a low, strangled

sound escaped her. She could not move. Fear turnedher muscles to water. Again came the slitheringnoise. The crimson spark lurched nearer. She caughtthe dim outlines of something in the cave.Something dark. And sinuous. And large.

“Now this is queer sight,” hissed the voice. “Ahuman child, sitting on my doorstep. But fortunesmiles today. So young she is, so sweet.” The voicebecame a chalky croon. “Come, my child. You haveclimbed so far, and in such heat. Come, step intothe coolness of the dark. . .”

Before she knew what she was doing, Mirtafound herself standing. She nearly took a step intothe cave. However, just then her hand brushed themedallion that rested against her throat. Her fingersclosed around the cool metal. The dread compul-sion receded a fraction, and she halted on thethreshold.

“What... what are you?” she croaked.An edge of annoyance crept into the vast voice.

“What do you think I am?”Mirta started to shake her head. Then an idea

occurred to her. A great, terrible, wondrous idea.She licked her cracked lips. “Are you...are you agod? I’ve come looking for them, you see, to bringback proof to my village.”

The thing in the cave seemed to hesitate. “Ah, nowI understand why you shouted those names,” itmocked then. “Fool child. You will not find them here.”

Mirta bowed her head in dejection. “Then I havefailed.”

The crimson spark brightened, narrowing to athin, blood-red slit. “No, human child,” the voicethrummed through her. “You have not failed. For Iam a god!”

A wave of dread and awe washed over Mirta.The power of those words drove her to her knees.She dared not doubt them. Nor did she. At last, aftera long pause, Mirta found the bravery to speakagain. “The others . . . ,” she gasped, “the others in thevillage said that the gods had abandoned us.”

The voice curled out of the cave, almost gentlenow, enfolding her. “I will never abandon you, child.”

The words pierced her heart like arrows. Shebowed her head. How could the voice have known?

Ah, but it was a god, was it not?“What is your name, child?” the voice asked.“Mirta,” she somehow managed to say.“Listen to me, Mirta. I am a generous god. I will

give you that which you crave.” There was a wet,tearing sound. Then something flew out of the dark-ness. It landed with a clink on the stones at Mirta’sfeet. She gazed down. It was nearly as long as herforearm, curved like a sickle, and as black as obsidi-an. A talon.

“Here is your proof, Mirta. I give it to you — apiece of my own body. When others gaze upon it,they will know something of that awe you feel nowin my presence. And they will believe. Power will beyours.”

Mirta stared at the talon, then started to bend topick it up.

“Wait!” the voice commanded. “There is one thingI require of you in exchange for this gift. You mustserve me and no other. Take off that foul medallionyou wear. It is a symbol of another god. One of thecruel and evil gods who abandoned you.”

Mirta started to remove the medallion, then halted.The villagers had set fire to Tanar’s house. She hadnothing to remind her of him, of his love. Only this.Her fingers tightened around the cool metal.

Anger edged into the voice in the cave. “I am agenerous god, Mirta. But I am a jealous one as well.Take it off!”

Mirta hesitated a moment more. Then she toreoff the medallion and flung it away. Tanar hadabandoned her. Why should she not do the same?

She sighed. Now that she had removed themedallion, she did not know why she had struggledwith it so. A few last doubts echoed dimly in hermind — Had Tanar known of this god? He had neverspoken of a deity with claws — but they quickly fellsilent. Darkness seemed to flow out of the cave andcoil around her. It was cool and smooth as silk, pro-tecting her from the blistering heat of the sun.

“Now, Mirta, your god hungers,” hissed the voice.“Bring him an offering. A rabbit or a lizard will do.For a start...”

Mirta bowed her head. It was so easy to speakthe words, and it gave her pleasure to do so.

“Yes, my lord.”

The creature in the cave laughed softly to itself.Jade was its name. Dark, saurian, broken yet alive,and seething with evil.

“Your god hungers. . .”

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Jade repeated the words with a rumbling chuckle,then crunched the last bones of the small animalsthe foolish human had brought to him. The greendragon grinned in the deep blackness of the cave,his one remaining eye glowing with wicked delight.He was pleased with the cleverness of his plan. Itwould have been simple to compel the human girlto walk into the cave, within easy reach of his jaws.The dragonfear he radiated had made her will hisown. However, she would have made but one meal.Instead, his prudence in sparing her would gain himfood for many years to come.

Like many other green dragons, Jade had notfought in the Chaos War. The Dark Queen, Takhisis,had favored the blues as mounts for her army ofdark knights. A hiss of hatred escaped Jade’s maw.He had not forgotten the arrogant blue dragons hehad been forced to serve under during the War ofthe Lance long years ago. But the Dark Queen’sprecious blues had done her little good. The Knightsof Takhisis were smashed in the Chaos War. Jadehad laughed when he heard the news, flying highabove the land, gloating at the destruction of hisloathsome kin.

His joy had been short lived. For just then theSecond Cataclysm had struck. A gout of fire andmolten rock had surged up from the ground below.He had been too slow to avoid it. Searing pain hadengulfed him. Fire had blinded one of his beautifuleyes. Gobs of burning stone had torn through hisglorious wings, rending them to shreds. He hadplummeted downward, striking the top of this moun-tain with bone-crushing force. Yet, somehow, he hadlived. He had crawled into the safe, cool dark of thiscave. And here he had dwelled ever since.

Jade’s wounds had healed now. But they hadhealed badly. He would never fly again, and hecould barely hobble more than a few steps on hiscrippled legs. These last years he had survived byeating damp moss that grew on stones deep in thecave, and by clumsily pouncing on and devouringwhatever small animals — rats, snakes, birds — hap-pened into his lair. It was a meager, ignoble exis-tence for so great a creature as he.

But all that was going to change.“I am a god now,” the green chortled.The human girl believed him utterly. She would

do whatever he asked. Offerings she would bringhim, delicious meat to make him strong. The smallcreatures she had caught were a beginning. Butonly a beginning. After all, Jade thought, a greatgod deserves great sacrifices. . .

The god in the dark did not lie.Power will be yours.Mirta reached the village just as the fires of dawn

broke over the horizon. She had made the trekacross the blasted plains during the cool of night.Before the Second Cataclysm, two moons — onesilver, one crimson — would have lit the way for her.Instead, she had journeyed under the wan light of asingle, pale orb.

She strode into the cluster of stone hovels. Thewords of the god in the cave still thrummed in herears, and a strange heat surged in her veins when-ever she gripped the talisman he had given her.Before she left the mountain, she had used thetalon to hunt offerings for the god. It had been easy.Strange power radiated from the onyx claw. Oncethey saw it in her hand, the animals — rabbits,foxes, a small antelope — had not run from her.Rather, they had stood wide-eyed, quivering, untilshe used the serrated edge to take their lives. Shehad cut off one of the antelope’s horns and hadbound the talon to it with sinews. Now it rested ather hip like a dark, curved knife.

The villagers were stirring, leaving their ram-shackle houses to begin the day’s hard labor. Theylooked up in shock to see Mirta. No doubt theythought she had fled the village after the death of...she searched her mind for the name, could notquite grasp it... after the death of the old man.More likely than not they had hoped she wouldnever return. An orphan, she had always been amisfit: mocked, disdained, ignored. But she wasback. A sharp smile twisted Mirta’s lips. Things weregoing to be different now.

Had she been able to see herself, she might haveknown better why the villagers stared so at her. Feylight blazed in her eyes, and she carried herself witha haughty, regal bearing, more like a queen in agolden gown than a village girl in a rent and dirtysmock. Filled with curiosity and a compulsion theycould not name, the villagers laid down their toolsand followed after her. Mirta did not look back asshe walked, but she heard their footsteps behindher, and the smile on her lips deepened.

She came to a halt before a small, crack-crazedstone structure. The old shrine. Yes, this was theplace where she would show them. As she gazed atthe shrine, she had the feeling that she was forget-ting something — someone? — but whatever it wasescaped her. Nor did it matter. There were moreimportant things to concern herself with. She haltedbefore the door of the shrine. At her feet was thedry, weed-choked font. Turning, she found herselfgazing at fifty dusty, wondering faces. The entirevillage had come.

68 JUNE 1996

There was a potent moment of silence. At last aman with iron-gray hair cleared his throat. It wasTragert, one of the village elders. He squinted at herwith suspicious eyes. “What do you want, Mirta?”

She laughed. The sound of it shocked them. “Whynot ask the question of yourselves, Tragert? Afterall, it is you who have followed me here.”

Grumbles of displeasure rose from the crowd. “Itold you she meant trouble,” someone muttered.“She’s as crazy as the old cleric,” said another.

Mirta waited for the murmurs to die down. Aftera moment they did, and all eyes were again on her.She found she rather liked it.

“For years, we believed that the gods abandonedus,” she spoke in a ringing voice. “Some of you evensaid that the gods were a lie, that they never existed.But you were wrong. We were all wrong. There is agod after all — a great, wondrous god — and he hasnot abandoned us.”

For a moment everything was quiet. Then, all atonce, peals of mocking laughter rang out. The vil-lagers shook their heads and waved dismissivehands at her. Mirta felt her cheeks burning.

“I have been to the mountain!” she tried to speakover the raucous din. “I have seen him!”

The villagers only laughed more loudly. It was justlike before. The scorn, the ridicule, the cruel mirth.But this time she would not stand for it. Mirtagripped the talon-knife and raised it above her head.

“Silence!”The effect of that one word was like that of a

spell, back when there had been mages on Krynn,before the Chaos, before the moons of magic hadvanished from the sky, and the wizards with them.The villagers gaped in mute fear at the dark talon inher hand, awe written across their simple faces.Mirta could feel the power radiating from the talon.She did not waste it.

“I spoke with the god on the mountain,” she said,her voice low now, yet heard by all. “I felt hismajesty. And he gave me this talisman, that I mightbring it back to show you that he — and his power— are true.”

Now the others gazed at her raptly, expectantly.Mirta had the feeling that she should do something— something symbolic to crystallize this moment.But what? Before she thought of an answer, instincttook over. Kneeling, she plunged the talon into thedusty bottom of the spring.

Water welled forth.Mirta stared in surprise. A gasp rose from the

crowd. The flow grew from a trickle to a gush.Water, thick and red with silt, filled the small fontand spilled over the edge like blood, moistening theparched soil.

“It’s a miracle!” a woman cried. Others picked upthe cry, echoing it. One of the villagers fell to hisknees, then another, and another. In moments theyall knelt before the old shrine, bowing their heads inreverence.

Mirta pulled the talon from the ground andstood, staring at the talisman in amazement. Shehad not expected this. Dimly, a part of her won-dered if someone she had known once might havequestioned this miracle, if he might have suggestedthat the spring would have flowed for anyone whohad bothered to clean it out and dig through thehard crust of sun-baked clay. Then a voice calledout, driving the disturbing thoughts from her mind.

“Mirta!” It was Tragert, the village elder. A mixtureof fear and ecstasy twisted his wizened visage.“Mirta, you speak for the god on the mountain! Tellus — tell us what we are to do!”

Mirta’s puzzled look became a smile of satisfac-tion. She raised her arms, as if casting a benedictionon the people. Her people. They gathered closearound her. All except for one man, clad in darkarmor, who stood apart from the others. Hewatched for a moment, a look of disgust on hispock-marked face, then turned and walked away.

Enraptured as she was by the glory of themoment, Mirta did not notice.

Two days later she returned to the mountain, totell the god of his new followers, and of the powerof his gift. With her she brought offerings: a braceof geese, a joint of mutton, and a small cask of thinwine. It was all far more than the villagers couldspare in these harsh times. But Mirta had said thatthey must favor their new deity, and as she was theprophet of the mountain god — the god who hadmade the spring flow once more — the villagersagreed. They gave, and gladly. As Mirta had learnedthat day in front of the old shrine, everyone wasready to believe again.

The bundle of offerings was heavy. By the timeshe reached the windswept ledge beneath theobsidian spire, her shoulders throbbed with fire.However, as she approached the cave, once moreshe felt the majesty flowing thickly out of the dark-ness, and her discomfort was forgotten.

“What have you brought me, Mirta?” spoke thevoice from the blackness.

Mirta forced herself not to tremble as sheapproached. She was the prophet of the god, afterall. “I’ve brought you offerings, my lord.”

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“Set them down. Deeper in the shadows. There.Now step away.”

Mirta did as she was bade. She bowed her head,so as not to dishonor the god with her gaze.Something dry rasped against stone, and out of thecorner of her eye she saw the shadows stir. Therewas a hideous rending sound, followed once moreby the rasping noise. Then the darkness was emptyagain. Tentatively, Mirta took a step into the cave.The offerings were gone. Not a scrap or featherremained.

She peered into the gloom. “My lord. . . my lord ispleased?”

There was a pause. Then a single, reverberatingword emanated from the abyss.

“More.”Every three days Mirta made the long, grueling

trek between village and peak. She would journeythere in the coolness of night, then drowse the nextday in the shadows of the cave’s mouth beforestarting back down the mountain as twilight driftedlike ash from the sky. Sometimes as she walked shethought she would drop from weariness. But thenshe would grip the talon-knife at her belt, and shewould find the strength to go on.

In all her visits to the mountain, she never sawthe god. He did not leave the cave, and she herselfcould not venture more than a dozen paces into thedark, even when she gripped the talon-knife. Anyfurther, and the awe become fear — thick, choking,maddening — and she would be forced to flee intothe light of day outside.

Back in the village, her life was much changed.No longer was she scorned and mocked. Now shewas the leader of the village, and the others did asshe bade them. Under her direction, they clearedthe weeds away from around the shrine andrepaired the cracked walls. She created a system forrationing the gritty water of the spring, so thateveryone in the village had their share to drink, andsome was even left over to water the parched fields.There might be a harvest this year, if only a scantone. Things seemed brighter, if just a bit, and thevillagers thanked the new god for his blessings.

Still, not all was well. And as the days passed, themiracle at the spring dimmed in the minds of thepeople. They wanted more.

“My lord,” Mirta said one day as she stood in themouth of the cave. She drew a deep breath, steelingher will. “My lord, my people are frightened. A feverrises from the ground at night, It takes the lives ofthe young and the old. My people wonder whatthey are to do.”

There was a long moment of silence. Then thespark of crimson in the dark — which Mirta knew

now to be the eye of the god — flashed brightly.“Tell them,” hissed the great voice, “that the feverstrikes the families of those who displease me. Tellthem that to escape the fever, they must makemore offerings unto me.”

Mirta stared into the dark. This answer troubledher. The god sounded almost greedy. It seemed toher that this was not how the gods had acted in thestories told to her by. . . but she could not rememberwho had told her the stories, or exactly what theyhad been about. Mirta rebuked herself. Who wasshe to question the will of the god? She returned tothe village and told them his words.

Two days later, Tragert was dead. His family hadbeen hardest hit by the fever. He must have donesomething to anger the god, the villagers had rea-soned. Ignoring his sobs and protests, they tied arope around his neck and hanged him from a tree.Certainly his death would appease the god.

As she stared at the swinging body, doubts rose inMirta’s chest. This was not what she had intendedwhen she went searching for the gods. But surely itwas for the greater good, she told herself. And it didseem that, over the next days, fewer people werestruck with fever than before. Her faith renewed,Mirta continued on.

Yet still the doubts nagged her. During the hotdays high on the mountain, she would sit on the lipof the cave, gazing at the world far below.Sometimes as she did, the troubling half-memorieswould surface in her mind. She remembered a dif-ferent voice, one that was gentler than the voice inthe dark. And a white robe. But then she would feelthe darkness stir behind her, reaching out, enfoldingher. Warm, bitter breath caressed her neck, fillingher nostrils, her lungs, her mind, and she forgotagain what troubled her.

“More, Mirta,” he whispered to her. “I require agreater sacrifice.”

At last she asked the trembling question, eventhough she knew and dreaded the answer.

“What sort of sacrifice, my lord?”A man, Mirta. Bring me a man.”

Darthis skulked in the shadow of a building,watching Mirta with small, envious eyes.

Why, unlike the others, he did not feel the drag-onfear radiated by the talon-knife, even the wizardsof old might not have been able to say. Perhaps itwas due to some power in the stolen armor he wore— armor that had once belonged to dragon-riding

70 JUNE 1996

knights. Perhaps it was simply a factor of his dulland evil mind. Whatever the reason, Darthis felt onlyone emotion when he gazed on Mirta. Hate.

Even as he watched, she gave a command to agroup of villagers who scurried off like frightenedmice.

“Mine!” he growled under his breath. “The villageis supposed to be mine!”

A new emotion crept alongside his jealousy. Lust.It burned in his blood. She should be his as well. Sheshould be the one obeying his commands. And shewould be, if it wasn’t for that blasted god of hers. Ifthere even really was a god. Darthis wouldn’t put itpast the wench to have made the whole thing up forher gain. . .

A thought unfurled in his small mind. He strokedhis oily beard. What if he were to journey to thismountain of hers? What if he were to discover thatthis supposed god was a fraud? He could tell theothers. Then they would make him their leader. Andsurely they would give him the deceitful Mirta to dowith what he pleased.

It was not in Darthis’s nature to think somethingthrough twice. He knew which mountain Mirtaclaimed the god lived on — she had pointed to thedistant peak often enough. She was to set out forthe mountain at twilight. That gave him a head startof several hours. Wearing a nasty grin, Darthisslinked out of the village.

He had thought the journey would be easy. Mirtawas just a girl, after all, and she made the trekevery third day. He soon found he was wrong. Thewestering sun beat down on him with brutal force.His armor was like a steel oven. Sweat soaked hisbody and ran stingingly into his eyes. Soon his skinblistered, and his tongue swelled in his mouth. Fliesbuzzed around him in dark swarms, crawlingthrough chinks in his armor to bite him. He thoughtnight would bring relief, but he was wrong again.The heat of the day rose up from the sun-bakedground to strike him again.

By the time he reached the foot of the mountain,Darthis was staggering, dizzy from heat and thirst.He was lucky, though, for he found the place wherebitter water oozed from a crack in the stones anddrank greedily. Necessity finally won out over pride,and he cast off the mismatched armor, strippingdown to his grimy breeches. Cooler now, andrefreshed by the water, his hatred for Mirta seizedhim once more. Darthis started up the side of themountain.

He reached the summit at dawn.At first he peered around with trepidation.

Quickly, his courage grew. There was nothing here.Just bare stone and an old cave with a big pile of

loose rocks sitting above it. A grin split hispock-marked face. Mirta could fool the villagers, butnot him. He picked up a handful of stones and start-ed tossing them into the cave. Laughing wickedly,Darthis began to plan all the things he would dowhen the village — and Mirta — were his.

His laughter fell short as something burst out ofthe shadows of the cave. Fear strangled him,pierced his heart. The stones slipped from loose fin-gers. He stared upward in awe. One last thoughtsurfaced in his dull, small mind. You’ve wet yourself,Darthis.

Then the massive jaws closed, ending thethought in an explosion of crimson.

Mirta ignored the burning in her lungs and keptclimbing. She had found the armor scattered at thebase of the mountain. It had to be Darthis’s. What itportended she did not know. But it could only be ill.She forced herself on, toward the jagged summit. Atlast, gasping, she began to pull herself up over thefinal ledge.

Mirta froze, staring in horror at the grisly scenenot twenty feet away.

It had crawled from the cave to feast upon Darthis.Emerald scales glistened in the sunlight, though inpatches they were missing, revealing livid gray fleshbeneath. The wings were hideously twisted, trailingleathery shreds of scarred skin. One side of its great,saurian head was a melted ruin. The other wassmeared with blood. It grinned, an evil, lopsidedexpression, as it plunged its snout deeper into thecorpse before it.

This was no god. This was a monster.Mirta clamped a hand to her mouth to keep from

screaming. She turned and fled, half-running,half-sliding down the steep slope. Her mind reeled.Everything she had believed was a lie. Everything.With a moan, she collapsed, falling to the sharpstones. It felt as if the thing had ripped out her heartwith its bloody claws, not Darthis’s. There were nogods. She was alone. Utterly alone. Mirta thoughtthe pain of it would kill her.

Then, through her tears, she saw it. A glint ofbright metal against dark stone. Reaching out atrembling hand, her fingers closed around some-thing cool and smooth. She drew it back, openedher hand, stared. It was the medallion she hadfound by the old shrine, the medallion she had castoff at the dark thing’s bidding. At last, as she gazedat it, the memories came flooding back, filling the

DRAGON #230 71

emptiness inside her with their sweet, achingwarmth.

“Oh, Tanar,” she whispered. “Forgive me.”A shudder passed through her thin body. Then

her trembling ceased. In that moment, Mirta realizedthe truth. Just because someone leaves you doesn’tmean they don’t love you. Like her parents. Like thegods. Like Tanar. The gentle old cleric had not aban-doned her. She had abandoned him. Tanar hadbeen with her all along — his words, his love, hisfaith. All she had to do was remember.

Where are the gods, Mirta? His words echoed inher mind. Now, finally, she understood the answer.She gained her feet, slipping the medallion backaround her neck. Then she started back up themountain.

Nothing was left of Darthis save a few smears ofblood on the rocks. The dragon had retreated backinto the refuge of its cave. But she could feel itthere—bloated, evil, gloating in the dark.

“You brought me a fine sacrifice, Mirta,” raspedthe chalky voice.

She spoke the words without emotion. “I broughtyou no sacrifice.”

There was a confused pause. “But of course youdid,” the voice went on. “Who else sent the man tome? Do not fear, Mirta. Your god is pleased with theoffering.”

Mirta gripped the talon-knife in her hand. ‘I amnot afraid,” she said solemnly. “And you are not mygod.”

“What?” the voice hissed, incredulous.“You are a shadow,” Mirta answered. “Nothing

Now the voice seethed with fury. “Foolish human!No one dares insult me so.” The words rose to ashriek. “I will have another sacrifice. And it shall beyou!”

The darkness stirred. Hobbling on mangled legs,the dragon lurched from the cave, evil blazing in itsone crimson eye. Dark spittle ran from its jaws. Terrorradiated from the creature in smothering waves.Mirta started to reel backward. Then her fingersbrushed the medallion at her throat, and the dragon-fear ran over her like water. With grim calm, she lift-ed the talon-knife and threw.

Few weapons have the power to pierce a dragon’sflesh. This one did, for it was of the creature’s ownbody. The talon-knife plunged into the dragon’sbreast, wounding it deeply. The creature threw backits head and let out a shrill, trumpeting cry of agony.It stumbled back, spreading its twisted wings, strikingthe roof of the cave. The mountain shuddered.Countless tons of loose rock slid down from the spireabove, falling across the mouth of the cave, sealing

it tightly forever. The scream of the dragon was cutshort. Silence descended on the summit.

The god was dead.At last Mirta turned away from the destruction.

She gazed out across the wide plain. A peace filledher.

“I understand now, Tanar,” she murmured, grip-ping the medallion.

Everything that had happened in the village — thespring, the crops, the fever, Tragert’s death — thegod hadn’t done those things. She and the villagershad. The power to make good and evil was theirown, and no one else’s, It did not matter that thegods had left Krynn. Mirta knew that now. Thegods, both light and dark, had served simply toremind mortals of the thing they had, of the thingsthey would always have inside them. Love. Hatred.Life. Death. And hope. Above all, there was alwayshope.

For one more silent moment, Mirta gazed at theworld below. Her world. Then she started down themountain, to bring a new message to her people.

Mark Anthony has written a number of novels for TSR,including his latest title, Escape from Undermountain,and his l i terary journeys have taken him to theDRAGONLANCE®, FORGOTTEN REALMS®: and RAVENLOFT®settings. With all this world-hopping, Mark recentlydecided to take up tai chi, in hopes of always knowingwhere his center is no matter what world he’s in.

“Who ordered his rare?

7 2 June 1996

by Carrie A. Bebris6th-level Rjurik Bard

STRENGTH: 12DEXTERITY: 17C O N S T I T U T I O N : 12INTELLIGENCE: 13WISDOM: 14CHARISMA: 16AC 6THAC0 18HIT POINTS: 28ALIGNMENT: LNDamage/Attack 1d6 (short sword) or 1d4 (dagger)

Bloodline: Anduiras, minor, 16.

Blood Ability: Resistance (major). Jerryl’s blood ability grantsher 50% immunity to wizard spells of the enchantment/charmschool, priest spells of the charm sphere, and similar spell-likeeffects.

Weapon Proficiencies: Dagger, short sword, throwing knife.

Nonweapon Proficiencies: Ancient history (12), etiquette(16), local history (16), musical instruments — bagpipes and lute(16), reading/writing Rjuven (14), singing (16).

Equipment: Padded leather armor, ring of protection +2, fursin winter, short sword, dagger, throwing knives, bagpipes, lute,scroll cases, books.

Spells (3/2): Charm person, phantasmal force, read magic; invis-ibility, whispering wind.

Bard Abilities: Climb Walls 60%, Detect Noise 40%, PickPockets 10%, Read Languages 55%.

Description/History: As a bard (or skald, as the Rjurik calltheir bards), Jerryl serves an important function in Rjurik society.Jerryl is at once an entertainer, historian, herald, and negotiator.With equal talent, she can sing ballads of epic wars or speakwords that bring lasting peace. Though short (she stands only5’6” tall) and sleight in build, this young woman commandsgreat respect and wields considerable influence.

A gifted musician, Jerryl exhibits talent on both the bag-pipes and the lute. Her finest instrument, however, is her ownvoice: Whether singing or merely speaking, Jerryl’s voice cre-ates music that all around her crowd nearer to hear.

Jerryl spends the seasons roaming the Rjurik countryside,generally wintering in one of the Taelshore domains. Herarrival in a village or town draws smiles from the faces ofregent and commoner alike, for they know she brings the lat-est news, tales, and songs from abroad. Jerryl can discuss withequal authority the increased military training of Stjordvik’s

many clans or the new weaving method developed by thewomen of Halskapa. Jerryl receives warm welcomes any timeof year, but especially during winter months, when Rjurik’sfrigid weather drives its clans into their longhouses to spendtheir time in handiwork, storytelling, and planning for the com-ing year.

Jerryl has earned the trust of many Rjurik jarls and regentsbut — having taken an oath of neutrality — gives allegiance tonone. Though her gentle and sometimes flirtatious manner hasled to speculations linking her romantically with several jarlsand other eligible bachelors, Jerryl has given her heart to hermusic alone. She believes that romantic entanglements pose athreat to both her diplomatic and artistic integrity.

At 27, Jerryl has had few years in which to build a reputa-tion, yet she has earned one distinction that has eluded allother skalds: Jerryl alone has garnered the favorable regard ofthe Siren, one of the awnsheghlien cursed with the essence ofthe evil god Azrai. Formerly a bard herself, the Siren has livedin virtual seclusion since shortly after becoming an awnshegh.It is said that she refused all skalds who sought entry into herdomain because she could not bear to hear other voices cre-ating music, when hers brought only pain and destruction to itslisteners. Yet somehow Jerryl gained an audience with her. Noone knows just what the young woman said or sang, but sheis now the one skald whose song can charm the Siren.

It is also said that Jerryl is the only human on Cerilia whocan listen to the Siren’s song without ill effect. Folks speculateas to whether this alleged immunity derives from natural,divine, or magical means. Jerryl herself, however, has neverconfirmed the rumor.

The Siren respects Jerryl’s neutrality and allows her to comeand go as other obligations — or her wanderlust — dictate.Jerryl readily delivers any greetings or messages the Siren maysend to other regents, but she reveals nothing else of the timeshe spends in that mysterious domain.

DRAGON #230 75

by Carrie A. Bebris9th-level Rjurik Magician

STRENGTH: 11DEXTERITY: 12C O N S T I T U T I O N : 11INTELLIGENCE: 16WISDOM: 13CHARISMA: 8AC 10THAC0 18HIT POINTS: 22ALIGNMENT: CGDamage/Attack 1d6 (staff)

Bloodline: None.

Weapon Proficiencies: Dagger, staff.

Nonweapon Proficiencies: Ancient history (16), astrology(15), fire-building (12), herbalism (14) read/write Rjuven (17),read/write/speak ancient Rjuven (17), read/write/speakAnuirean (17), spellcraft (14).

Equipment: Cloak, furs in winter, dagger, staff, crystal ball,scrying bowl, rune stones, divining rod, other divinationdevices.

Spells (4/3/3/2/1): Change self, detect magic, know bloodlinestrength (Book of Magecraft), know Cerilian origin (BoM); Calder’sstarry sky (BoM), ESP, improved phantasmal force; clairaudience,clairvoyance, invisibility 10’ radius; Shaefpaete’s shadowy distinction(BoM), minor creation; contact other plane.

Description/History: Keldric lives alone in a cottage at theedge of a small village in Jankaping. Strange divinitory appara-tus, bundles of dried herbs hanging from the ceilings, and manybooks crowd the cottage. It is a dwelling few enter without trep-idation; indeed, children of the village dare each other merelyto walk past it.

The cottage receives few visitors. The Rjurik people harborgreat superstition about wizards (commanders of true magic)and seers (practitioners of lesser magic). While they accept asnatural their druids’ priestly magic, they consider sorcerers to beservants of the evil god Azrai. Thus, those who seek help fromKeldric generally do so only in times of stress or crisis.

and dreams were not prophetic but simply coincidental. his visitors. His ordinary conversation is sometimes as cryptic asmidteens he hoped that if he ignored the visions they his divinations. And he seems exceptionally nervous wheneventually go away. Finally, at the age of 19, he went to shadows cross his path.

JUNE 1996

Keldric received his training from Jorvald, the village’s previ-ous seer. Jorvald recognized Keldric’s talent when the youngerseer was just a boy, telling Keldric’s parents that their child hadthe doom (a Rjurik term akin to “curse”) of second sight.Keldric’s parents rejected Jorvald’s words and went to greatlengths to shield their son from the old mans influence.

As Keldric grew, he too rejected Jorvald’s words as the mut-terings of a madman. As a boy, he told himself that his premo-nitionsBy hiswould

This self-enforced code of silence taxes Keldric’s spirit andmind. Foreseeing tragedies that he is powerless to prevent inthe lives of his fellow villagers fills him with frustration and hasmade him reluctant to cultivate close friendships. And so helives alone — physically and emotionally isolated from the com-munity his gift commands him to serve. Those who have seenhim recently say that the solitude is beginning to wear on hissanity. Keldric has become increasingly gruff and impatient with

76

Jorvald for guidance and began his training. Keldric studiedwith his mentor until Jorvald’s death 14 years ago, by whichtime the student had become a master in his own right. Thatwas 17 years ago. Keldric is now 50.

Among Keldric’s rare visitors is the province ruler himself,who comes in secret during the cover of night. The jarl believeshe can’t afford not to hear Keldric’s words — whatever powermight grant the seer’s divinations, they are accurate more oftenthan not. Keldric keeps the jarl’s confidence, as he does that ofall his visitors. The villagers would likely be very surprised tolearn that nearly every one of them has visited Keldric at onetime or another, seeking to learn anything from the gender ofan unborn child to the results of a contemplated raid.

Though Keldric sometimes inadvertently divines informationnot requested, he keeps it to himself. He does so in part out ofcompassion (why tell the parents of a newborn that their childwill live only a year?) and in part out of self-preservation:Keldric has been blamed more than once for causing an eventmerely by prophesying it.

by Duane Maxwell7th-level Rjurik Fighter

STRENGTH: 12DEXTERITY: 15C O N S T I T U T I O N : 12INTELLIGENCE: 14WISDOM: 14CHARISMA: 15AC 8 (7 when using single weapon)THAC0 14 (12 with saber +1)HIT POINTS: 44ALIGNMENT: LNDamage/Attack 1d6+4 (sabre + 1)

Bloodline: Masela, major, 29.

Blood Abilities: Enhanced sense (major), blood history,unreadable thoughts.

Weapon Proficiencies: Saber (specialist), long sword, dagger,longbow, one-handed weapon style (specialist).

Non-weapon Proficiencies: Rjuven (14), swimming (13), sea-manship (17), rope use (16), strategy (12), intrigue (16), speakAnuirean (14), read/write (15), Basarji (14).

Equipment: Maija rarely carries much more than herweapons and some simple outdoor survival gear, as she prefersnot to burden herself. She also owns a magical saber +1, whichshe calls Retribution, given to her by the Khinasi merchant lordel-Hadid.

Description/History: Maija is a slender Rjurik woman ofaverage height. She wears her blond hair very short, for in heryounger days she masqueraded as a young male Rjuvik war-rior. Her cornflower blue eyes mirror her every mood. Maija’sface shows the effects of years of hard living, both as an adven-turer in southern lands and in the harsh climate of the north.An unfortunate encounter with the edge of a table in Harry’stavern in Haes left her with a small scar on her chin. Althoughshe is not an especially beautiful woman, she possesses a self-assurance and lightness of spirit that have drawn the amorousattentions of more than one southern nobleman. She donsarmor only in the most dangerous of circumstances, preferringinstead to rely on her natural grace and skill with a blade tokeep herself out of harm’s way. She is as comfortable in thestyle of clothing worn in Anuire as she is in Rjurik garb.

Maija is the daughter of Lars Bodenson, a chieftain of theThajarr, a tribe that roams the northern reaches of Svinik. Hermother, Lida, is the daughter of Jarl Ulfgrim of Innsmark. Shetraces her rather rare bloodline through her mother, whoderived it in turn from her mother. Ever a willful child, shefought continually with her father. By the time she was oldenough to decide her own fate, their relationship had deterio-rated enough to cause her to seek her fortunes as far awayfrom Svinik as she could get; she left for the south at 17. Maija

spent the next 16 years as a wandering sellsword in Anuireanlands. She was a caravan guard, a soldier in the Mhor’s army,and a ship’s captain for the merchant lord el-Hadid. She studiedsaber under the swordmaster Maruf al-Saad, and she honed hertactical abilities under Wilfred Raenard, lord marshal of thePrince of Avanil. Although she will not discuss it, she was evenmarried once, for a brief time. She returned to her ancestrallands a year ago, when messengers from her father’s clan toldher that her father was dying and wished to have her comehome to her people. They made a sort of peace, and he passedon to her the leadership of the clan. Since her return, she hasreaffirmed her ties to the ways of her people. Already one ofthe orog tribes of the Blood Skull Barony has learned to theircost that she is every bit her father’s daughter.

Despite — or perhaps because of — her years in the south,Maija has a strong connection both to the people of the Thajarrand the lands they roam. In the short year that she has beenchief, she has won her people’s respect. They look to her forleadership and the defense of their ancient ways. She has suc-cessfully fought off orog raids from the Blood Skull Barony andsent packing an envoy from King Fulgar of Rjuvik, who soughtto make her his bride. Although she seems enigmatic and aloofto those who do not know her, she is a true friend to those sheis sworn to protect. As chief of a fairly small clan, she is verywell aware of how tenuous her people’s existence is, so sheprefers to avoid open warfare if possible. She has shown, how-ever, that she can be a dangerous opponent when crossed. Thefew travelers from other lands whom she and her tribeencounter might expect to find some hulking brute acting asthe chief of the tribe. Instead, they discover that the chief of theThajarr is a good deal more wily and erudite than expected.Maija does not hesitate to use the confusion caused by that dis-covery to her advantage and to the benefit of her people.

DRAGON #230 79

by Duane Maxwell6th-level Rjurik Priest (Druid) of Erik

STRENGTH: 18DEXTERITY: 10CONSTITUTION: 15INTELLIGENCE: 11WISDOM: 15CHARISMA: 11AC 4 (studded leather, wooden shield +2)THAC0 17HIT POINTS: 33ALIGNMENT: CGDamage/Attack 1d6+2 (spear)

Bloodline: None

Special Abilities: As druid, plus the following ranger abilities:Move Silently (70%), Hide in Shadows (56%), and animal empa-thy (save at -3); when enraged, he gains +1 to hit, +3 damage,and +5 hit points, but may not use a shield and may attack onlywith melee weapons.

Weapon Proficiencies: Club, spear, hand axe.

Non-weapon Proficiencies: Rjuven (11), survival-forests (11),direction sense (16), hunting (14), weather sense (14) fire-build-ing (14)

Equipment: Ulfig carries his magical boar spear, a club, andwhatever spell components and survival equipment he needs.The boar spear is a spear +2, called Witch-slayer, which he inher-ited from his mentor.

Description/History: Ulfig is considered large even amongthe Rjurik. Standing six and a half feet tall, he weighs just over300 pounds. Strangers among the superstitious Rjurik give hima wide berth as much for his long, shaggy black hair as for hissize because they fear the dark rages commonly associatedwith black-haired people. His dark complexion shows the strainof his daily existence, and his blue eyes have a haunted look.He wears dark, stained leather and hide armor decorated withbronze banding. In winter, he often wears a great bearskin.

Ulfig was born 28 years ago in northern Rjuvik. His blackhair was considered an ill omen by the clan’s seers and mid-wives, but he did little to cause them any concern until he was16. He and the jarl’s son were hunting with some other of theclan’s younger warriors. The jarl’s son, Toorvald, began to tauntUlfig about his black hair. The other boys joined in. Ulfig triedto laugh at first, but as the others escalated the taunts, hebecame angry. When Toorvald poked him with a boarspearand drew blood, something inside Ulfig snapped. He wrenchedthe spear out of Toorvald’s hand and began to lay about himwith great swings. By the time he mastered himself, his handswere badly lacerated from grasping the blade end of the spear,and young Toorvald had been beaten to death. The others,some of them injured by Ulfig’s attack, fled back to the clan’s

camp. Ulfig knew that the jarl would order him killed, so he ran.Ulfig fled to the Realm of the White Witch, enemy of Rjurik,

where he hoped his people would not dare to go to exact theirvengeance. There, he was taken in by a small tribe living in fearand defiance of the White Witch’s forces. The tribe’s druidguessed the truth of his violent nature and began to teach himhow to control it. He told Ulfig that he was blessed with the spir-it of the bear. The bear, he explained, is normally a peacableanimal, but when stung to anger, it can cause terrible destruc-tion. He learned more from the druid about the animals of thenorth. When the man died, he took up his responsibilities. Hegave himself the surname Bjornsson to honor both the druid’steachings and to remind himself of his nature.

Ulfig is a simple man who bears an unfortunate curse: He isprone to berserker rages when injured or when defendingsomething important to him (such as one of his clan members).He cares a great deal for the people he has come to regard ashis own, and he works hard to help them survive against thecombined forces of their harsh natural environment and thedepredations of the White Witch. Despite this concern, he doesnot become close to anyone, for he still bears the guilt of thedeath of Toorvald. He is steadfast and loyal, and he shows greatcourage in the face of any danger. He remains unmarried, forhe fears that he will pass on his curse to his children.

80 JUNE 1996

COMMONTROOPS

UNCOMMONTROOPS

WightZombie

by Dori Hein & Bill Olmesdahl

Starting this issue, DRAGON® Magazinewill examine the new races, and thesecrets and strategies behind the armiesbattling for control of Esfah, the mythicalworld of the DRAGON DICE™ game.

Populating this setting are races com-posed of the elements: dwarves of earthand fire, coral elves of air and water, andfirewalkers of air and fire. But there arealso other races, those that have beencorrupted by death: evil lava elves, com-posed of fire and death, and goblins,corruptions of earth and death.

Kicker Pack #3: Undead Legions intro-duces a new race spawned by death: thevile undead. With their unique powersand special abilities, the undead may bethe most powerful race yet introducedto the struggle for Esfah. This articleexplores the undead’s special abilities,their new spells, and tactics you can useto add them to your existing armies.

Melee machinesUndead follow the same basic rules

as do the other races in the DRAGON DICE

game, but they have a special abilitythat makes them unique and powerful.This racial ability is stepped damage.Because they are not truly alive, undeadcan often suffer great damage beforebeing destroyed. When an undead unitis “killed,” instead of being sent to thedead unit area, it can be traded in for anundead unit of one health less. (Thereplacement unit must come from thedead unit area; if there are no undeadunits there, the die is actually killed.)

This ability works especially well withanother of the undead’s abilities: undeadunits are notoriously fierce hand-to-handcombatants. Unlike other races in theDRAGON DICE game, the undead have nomissile icons or cavalry units. Instead, theundead have three types of melee unitsand two types of magical units.

Zombies, wights, and mummiesmake up the heavy melee troops; skele-tons, revenants, and death knights arethe light melee troops; and wraiths,spectres, and ghosts are the skirmishers.Their combat skills, combined with sev-eral new special action icons, makethem the ideal race to recruit if you liketo bring the fight to your opponent.

Deadly spellcastersNot only are the undead formidable

fighters, they’re also mighty magicians.Even though they can cast only blackmagic, having two levels of magicians intheir ranks easily compensates. Lightmagic troops consist of ghouls, ghasts,and vampires, while heavy magic troopsare composed of apparitions, heucuvas,and the fearsome liches. The light magi-cians combine melee and magic skills,and the heavy magicians are everythinga DRAGON DICE player dreams of: lots ofmagical power in a dangerous and com-pact package. To counter an opponentusing that strategy, the undead evenhave the fenhound, a monster ally thatcan dispel magic.

The undead also have a forbiddingspellbook. Five new spells are available

Skeleton Revenant

Wraith Spectre

Ghoul Ghast

Apparition Heucuva

86 JUNE 1996

Vampire

RARETROOPS

Mummy Death Knight Ghost

only to the undead, and these are someof the most powerful yet to be intro-duced in the game. The Evil Eye spell, forexample, subtracts one from each saveroll of the target army. Multiple castingsaffect multiple armies or increase thepenalty. And Fade lets you choose anundead unit to become incorporeal.While that unit cannot make meleeattacks, it also cannot be attacked bymissile or melee. This spell can be high-ly useful in an underdog situation.

The most powerful spell the undeadhave available is Haunt If you can rollenough points of black magic, your deadunits (regardless of race or number) canimmediately rise up and attack any armyon the table! You bury any dead unitskilled by that army’s counter-attack; anyof your units not killed in the counter-attack return to the dead unit area.

Undeadly new powersThe undead have several new (and

potentially lethal) special action icons,unique to their race. The new icons areas follows:

Convert: Found on the vampire unit,the convert icon allows you to choose atarget of less health than the number ofconvert icons rolled. Unless the targetsaves, it is killed, and an undead ofequal or less health is added to the vam-pire’s army from its dead unit area.

Scare: Found only on the deathknight, if the scare icon is rolled duringmelee, an equal health value of targetunits (chosen by you) must roll a non-IDsave or immediately flee to their owner’sreserves. Targets that roll an ID face arekilled — that is, they die of fright!

Vanish: Appropriately enough, thisicon is found only on the ghost. When

rolling for saves, each vanish iconcounts as a save, and that unit mayimmediately move to any other terrainor its reserves — vanishing into thin air.

Wither: The last special icon is foundonly on the mummy. When this icon isrolled during melee, choose a targetunit. Until the beginning of your nextturn, the target suffers a penalty of -1 toall its rolls for each wither icon rolled. Onan adjusted result of 0 or lower, it dies.

The 10-sided monsters allied with theundead also have some unique anddeadly abilities. The minor death, forinstance, can instantly slay an opponentof your choice unless it rolls its ID face(and only its ID face). This dreaded crea-ture also carries the plague, sending atarget unit back to its army to spread thedeadly disease.

Tactics of the undeadWith all the horrific powers at the dis-

posal of the undead, they do have aweakness: they are slow movers com-pared to the other races. In fact, theycan’t even make charges; furthermore,multiracial armies containing undeadcannot charge. Keeping this weaknessin mind, here are some strategies forusing the undead to best advantage.

Concentrate on your home terrain:Pick one that you think won’t help anyone else, since your special abilitiesaren’t tied to a terrain. Move it quicklyinto either melee or magic. Missile rangedoes you virtually no good.

Make them come to you: Move yourhome terrain to the eighth face, then gostomping. With your magic and meleemight (not to mention the stepped dam-age), you can take anything your oppo-nents can dish out, but only if you force

Lich

them to fight on your terms.It’s no fun without dice: Bury your

opponent’s dead whenever possible.Your troops are extremely difficult to kill,and if you bury dead whenever possible,soon you’ll have a vast numerical supe-riority. Never, never bury your own dice.

Strength in diversity: For an all-undead army to succeed, you must bringto the table as many different types ofdice as possible. If you have no two-health dice, your three-health dice can’ttake advantage of the stepped damagespecial ability. You must also keep some-thing in your dead unit area for thispower to be effective.

Fight your fight: Each race has itsown strengths and weaknesses. Youhave no missile capacity and almost nomovement. In exchange you have pow-erful new spells and a melee strengthsecond to none. At the start of thegame, move your spellcasters to yourreserve area and the rest of your dice toyour home terrain. Use magic generatedin the reserve area to cast protectivespells on your home army while theymove the terrain to the eighth face.Once they’ve done that, move the spell-casters to your home terrain and sendthe rest of your army to the highest ter-rain on the board. Use spells to softenup any defenders, and melee them outof the terrain. In no time you’ll have thesecond eighth face and the win.

Dori Hein is the Creative Director for theDRAGON DICE game line and can be reachedat tsrdori@aol.com. Bill Olmesdahl is both adesigner and editor involved with TSR‘scollectible dice game.

DRAGON #230 87

Forum welcomes your comments andopinions on role-playing games.

In the United States and Canada, sendany correspondence to Forum, DRAGON®Magazine, 201 Sheridan Springs Road,Lake Geneva, WI 53147 U.S.A. In Europe,send mail to Forum, DRAGON Magazine,TSR Ltd., 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton,Cambridge CB1 3LB, U.K. You can also sende-mail to tsrdragon@aol.com or totsr.mags@genie.com.

All letters should be neatly typed or hand-written. You must give us your full name andmailing address if you expect your letter tobe printed, but we will withhold your name ifyou ask us to do so, and we will not printyour full address unless you request it.

obias Hill makes a very interestingcomment on thief THAC0s in issue#227. He points out a problem that

nobody else seems to have noticed:namely that low-level rogues have sur-prisingly good THAC0s, especially at 3rdlevel, when their fighting ability is sec-ond only to a fighter’s (Player’s Handbook,page 91).

What happened here? The originalPHB specifically describes the lightlyarmed and armored thief as fighting“only slightly more effectively than domagic-users” (page 27). The originalDUNGEON MASTER® Guide attack matrices(page 74) bear this out: a 4th-level clericand a 3rd-level fighter are combat equals(THAC0 18) while a 4th-level thief is on apar with a 1st-level magic-user (THAC020). Uneven progression at higher levelsresults in an identical THAC0 for 9thlevel thieves and clerics, but the clericspermanently regain a two-point advan-tage immediately thereafter.

The 2nd Edition intent to simplify andsmooth the progression probably hassomething to do with the current prob-lem, but there is another reason. Lookagain at the original attack matrices, andyou will find that magic-users andthieves start their careers with the equiv-

alent of what would be a 21 THAC0under the 2nd Ed. rules (compared to 20for the cleric and fighter). It is this myste-rious “+1” bonus (a vestige of the thank-fully extinct repeating 20s on the originalgame matrices) that is confoundingTobias’ game.

If it bothers you that a 1st-level wizardor thief can fight as effectively as a 1st-level warrior (and it bothers me), the eas-iest way to rectify the situation is to add+1 to the rogue and wizard THAC0S upto and including the 9th level of ability.That will give a fair approximation of theoriginal combat abilities and return acombat edge to the clerics and fighters.To be fair to the PCs, the same reasoningshould be applied to monsters with lessthan 1-1 Hit Dice (see page 75).

Jamie NossalHouston, TX

When I was a young child (I’m now22), I loved to play games. “Let’s Pretend”was my favorite. I have an older brother(now 30) who, when I was eight, intro-duced me to the joys of role-playinggames. I was fascinated by the way youplayed this game. It was like none other.At first I was allowed just to roll the dicefor my brother, who was always the DM;but I listened to what they were doingand realized they were playing myfavorite game (“Let’s Pretend”), but theyhad a set of rules to go by. What I alsosoon realized was that the playersworked together, not against each other,to reach a common goal. I was almostinstantly hooked to my brother’s dice.

About a year went by, and soon mybrother let me read the rule book (fromthe Basic D&D® game), saying, “You prob-ably won’t understand most of it, but

In light of the alarming statistics ofadult illiteracy, I can’t help but wonder —if those adults were introduced to role-playing games as children, would theybe readers now?

I’d like to ask people who think chil-dren shouldn’t be introduced to gamingat young ages whether they’ve seen thevideo games and toys and TV program-ming that are daily bombarding ourkids. Frankly, it scares me. I’d rather mynephews get involved in role-playinggames than any other activity (savesports). What’s wrong with wanting ourchildren to learn to play togetherinstead of against each other?

Andy FarrellOmaha, NE

Five years ago, I was introduced tothe AD&D® game and was instantlyhooked. Six months later I was DMingmy own campaign, which crashed andburned, by the way. I picked myself upand now I run multiple successful cam-paigns in the PLANESCAPE™ setting (myfavorite) and home realms. I’ve alsoplayed GURPS* and a futuristic gamingsystem, but I’ve always come back to theAD&D game.

Even though TSR has the best systemI’ve seen, there is room for improve-ment and I’d like to cover a couple ofthose areas.

The COUNCIL OF WYRMS™ campaign set-ting appealed to me in the worst waybecause I love dragons. One of mybiggest beefs with the set is the flightproficiency, which you have to spendproficiency slots to acquire. If you don’t,you can’t fly. Now, let me get thisstraight: I’m a hatchling dragon who isbeing raised by all these venerable drag-

. . .if [they] were introduced to role-playing games aschildren, would they be readers now?

here you go.” I took that as a challengeand dived right into it. I got stumpedabout two paragraphs into the first page,but I got out a dictionary and looked upthe problem words and went from there.

Anyway, I know that because I wasintroduced the D&D game so early, Ihave this game and my brother to thankfor my love of reading and writing. Hadit not been for the many hours of read-ing those and many other rulebooks, Idon’t think I would have learned to readas well as I do today.

ons, yet they never taught me how tofly? That’s like saying a human was bornbut never learned to walk. Having tospend slots on combat flight I can under-stand; knowing how to walk and know-ing how to fight as well as a martialartist, for example, are two entirely dif-ferent things. Still, flight, for a wingedcreature who is around hundreds ofbeings just like him who can fly, shouldcome naturally. No slots should be spent.

Another problem with CoW is thatyou need three books to create a

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character. The information is so spreadout that you’re bound to miss some-thing vitally important. This data is verydisorganized and looks as though it wasjust slapped together to meet a quota.

Chronomancer is a cool idea, but therules on doubling a timeline make nosense and are incomplete. They statethat one month before a chronomanceris going to double his time line, a TimeStorm begins. What DM (or PC, for thatmatter) is going to know a month aheadof time that they’re going to do that?None! If a character is going to doublehis line, it’s probably going to be a split-second decision made in the heat ofgame-play. Then what happens? Does aStorm just appear out of nowhere? Andso this Storm pulls the time wizard intoTemporal Prime — then what happens?That’s where he needed to go anyway,to double his line, right? What’s to stophim from doing so now?

These rules are incomplete, and eventhough a DM worth his merit will beable to adjust them to work and answerall the questions, doing so now makesthe book not worth the money paid forit. I pay for a set of rules that I have toalter little, if any.

Jeff CrowellAddress Withheld

A source of great confusion andannoyance for me is the AD&D defini-tions and classification for the elvensub-races. More specifically, the problemis with the two main sub-races, greyelves and high elves.

The Complete book of Elves describesgrey elves as “the most noble and mostreclusive of the elves. . . withdrawn fromthe world... supercilious and conde-scending, full of their own importance. . .haughty, disdaining contact with oth-ers. . . least tolerant of other races” (pages16-17).

High elves are described in theseterms: “the most open and friendly. . .[they] have the most contact with thenon-elven world. . . are very pale. . . theirskin is less a corpse-like pallor than thecolor of new cream” (page 18).

It struck me as odd that the charac-teristics and attributes which describethe grey and high elves would be bettersuited if they described the other sub-race. I looked up the definition of “high”in three dictionaries, and this is some ofwhat I found: “advanced, arrogant, ele-vated, exalted, haughty, lofty, noble,pompous” (Webster’s Dictionary, 1986,page 190).

After comparing the definitions of ofthe grey elf in the Complete Book of Elvesand the definitions of the term “high,”I’m sure that anyone would come to thesame conclusion and ask the question,“Why is a grey elf not called a high elfand vice versa?”

The term “grey” means “ash colored,between light and dark, dull” (Webster’s,178). It seems the switch could be com-plete.

Ed Greenwood, the creator of theFORGOTTEN REALMS® setting, discoveredthe same inconsistency. He switched theterms “high” and “grey” when describingthe elven sub-races: “Gold elves are alsocalled. . . high elves. [They] tend to berecognized as the most civilized of theelven subraces and the most aloof fromhumankind. . . .”

“Moon elves are also called silver orgrey elves, and are much paler than goldelves... they tend to tolerate humankindthe most of the elven subraces. . . .” (AGrand Tour of the Realms, page 9, from theFORGOTTEN REALMS boxed set).

The question I have for anyone read-ing this column is this: Should the mainelven sub-races, the grey and high elves,have their labels switched, making greyelves high elves, and vice versa?

Peter HeyckOttowa, Ontario

I’ve been gaming a long time. Unlikemost people who seem to think this isimportant, I can’t really remember whenI started, and I’m sorry that I can’t quitepeg it down to one memorable eveningin the wilderness of Washington. But ifthere is one thing I’ve learned throughall of it, it’s that we all make mistakes inthe game. DM and player alike, there’salways rules discrepancies.

I have a problem with all the lettersthat keep appearing in Forum about thePLAYER’S OPTION™ rules. For those illithidsamong you who don’t seem to get it: It’soptional! If you don’t like it, don’t use it!Get it?

(Probably not.)Anyway, the whole concept behind

this, if any of you whiners read the fore-word to each book, is that you are sup-posed to take the parts you like andkeep them. You’re supposed to toss therules you don’t like. That’s the onepower of the DM. It’s his choice whichrules are to be used.

Granted, it is always good to listen tothe players and talk about the rules.Consider what the players want, whatyou want, evaluate what is left, and use

it. Yes, this does take time, and you prob-ably will spend an entire game session, ifnot more, trying to nail this down.

In response to Rick Maffei’s letter inissue #228, I agree about Skills & Powers,save for the argument about Muscle.Firstly, the book states that these are stillstats and that no statistic may be raisedabove racial maximums. Therefore, theonly way a warrior can have a Strengthhigher than 18/00 is if he is from theDARK SUN®, DRAGONLANCE®, or BIRTHRIGHT®settings.

As to the comment about the warriorwith a Strength of 16, I ran into that littlequirk, too. There’s nothing in the rulesabout that problem, so I’ve instituted thefollowing convention. Consult your PHBconcerning the spell strength. Note that awarrior who has the spell cast on himand who winds up gaining percentileStrength may advance only one scorebracket on the chart for each “point” thespell gives him. Take that conventionand apply it to your dilemma.

If a warrior has a 16 Strength, he canadvance only to 18 (no percentile). Now,say that warrior has a Strength of 17. Hismaximum Muscle score is 18/01. (Look atthe chart: one step to 18, another to18/01.) I suggest that for purposes of theactual score, DMs use the lowest allow-able number in the bracket.

Example: a paladin I presently playwound up with a strength of 18/61. Byour house rules, he could advance hismuscle score only to 18/90 until I use awish spell to raise his Strength.

Also, I suggest that when a playerdoes this his Muscle or Stamina rise abracket only if the Strength score itselfrises. Remember, the subability can beno more than 2 points away from the“parent” score.

Tim NuttingAddress Withheld

Trivia Question:

In the PLANESCAPE® setting, what rareplanar creatures have the uniqueproperty of acting as portals to otherrealms?

90 JUNE 1996

by Skip Williams

lf you have any questions on the gamesproduced by TSR, Inc., “Sage Advice” willanswer them. In the United States andCanada, write to: Sage Advice, DRAGON®Magazine, 201 Sheridan Springs Road,Lake Geneva, WI 51347, U.S.A. In Europe,write to: Sage Advice, Dragon Magazine,TSR Ltd., 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton,Cambridge, CB1 3LB, U.K. You can also e-mail questions to tsrsage@aol.com.

We are no longer able to make personalreplies. Please send no SASEs with yourquestion. SASEs are being returned withcopies of the writer’s guidelines.

This month, the Sage looks at spells,magical items, and optional rules for theAD&D® game. The sage also pauses toexplain some of his own recent advice.

Please give me a clarification on the5th-level wizard spell contact otherplane. The optional rule box aboutaligned planes mentions a correlationbetween the caster’s level and the max-imum intelligence that he may contact,though the main spell description men-tions nothing about caster level otherthan the number of questions that maybe asked. Are there actually such limitson the contactable intelligence or maythe wizard choose to contact whicheverintelligence he wishes from the outset?

No matter which rule you use, themind contacted is determined randomly,usually by roiling 1d10. If you use theoptional rule, the spell caster picks theplane he contacts. If the caster choosesan outer plane, roll 1d8 instead of 1d10.A roll of 1 indicates that caster has con-tacted the equivalent of an Astral intelli-gence. A roll of 8 indicates the caster hascontacted a being with an Intelligencescore of 25. However, any difference inalignment between the caster and theprevailing alignment on the plane con-tacted (see the PLANESCAPE™ boxed set)reduces the intelligence the caster actu-ally contacts by reducing the die roll(which is always at least “1”). The reduc-

tion works as explained in the optionalrule box. The reference to the caster’slevel in the optional rule box is superflu-ous because caster level has no bearingon the intelligence contacted.

When developing new characters forthe AD&D game, do the initial scoresrolled for Ability Scores include the racialbonuses? Or is the bonus given after aroll meets the minimum? For example, aminotaur needs a Constitution of 12 as aminimum requirement. Minotaurs alsoreceive a +2 bonus to their Constitution.If the player rolls a 10, can he add thebonus to meet the minimum require-

ment? Or must the player roll a score of12 on the dice first, then apply thebonus?

In most cases, a new character has tomeet the ability score requirements forhis race before making any racial adjust-ments to Ability Scores. For example, if aplayer rolls a 10 for a character’sConstitution score and an 18 for thesame character’s Charisma score, thatcharacter cannot be a dwarf becauseTable 7 in the PHB lists a minimumConstitution of 11 for dwarves and limitsdwarves to 17 in Charisma. The charac-ter can’t be a dwarf even thoughdwarves get a +1 Constitution bonusand a -1 Charisma penalty because theplayer must consult the table beforemaking any adjustments. The samecharacter could become a gnome, how-ever, and would apply the ability adjust-ments for gnomes from Table 8. Notethat at the beginning of play, a dwarf’smaximum Constitution score is 19(18+1) and a dwarf’s maximumCharisma score is 16 (17-1).

Unfortunately, not all the expansionsto the AD&D game follow the PHB’sexample. For instance, the Complete

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Book of Humanoids lists adjusted scoresin its racial ability score tables. (Thisexplains why Table 12 includes so manynumbers lower than three and higherthan 18.) In this case, the player mustmake the racial adjustments to the char-acter’s ability scores and consult thetable. If the character doesn’t meet therequirements after the adjustments, thecharacter’s Ability Scores revert to theirunadjusted values and the player has tochoose a different race for the character.

My question pertains to the psioni-cist power ectoplasmic form. One of theplayers in our group is rather fond ofturning into ectoplasmic form, pickingup objects, sticking them into people,and letting go. He claims this is aninstant kill. Is this valid? Is it an evil act?Are there any special saving throwsapplicable? Also, what are the effects ofsticking objects into objects?

No, what you describe isn’t a validuse of the ectoplasmic form power. No,it’s not necessarily evil. No, there are nospecial saves.

A character assuming ectoplasmicform can take along clothing, armor, andup to 15 Ibs. of equipment he’s carrying.Weapons, backpacks, magical items, andthe like don’t automatically come along;they count toward the 15-lb. limit. Thecharacter has to leave any excess equip-ment behind. Anything the character isn’tholding or carrying when he assumesectoplasmic form doesn’t go along. Sothe character cannot assume ectoplasmicform, walk across a room, pick up a rock,and make that ectoplasmic too.

Anything the character converts intoectoplasmic form stays in that form untilthe character resumes his own normalform, even if the character drops theobject. Resuming normal form inside asolid object or inside another creaturecan be harmful, but only to the ecto-plasmic creature. The solid object orcreature has dibs on the space it occu-pies. At best, the ectoplasmic creature orobject is displaced a sufficient distanceso it can materialize without harm. I sug-gest, however, that the ectoplasmiccharacter is violently forced through adimensional rift to the Ethereal plane,suffering 3d10 hp damage — with nochance for a saving throw. Sticking anectoplasmic object into something elseand materializing is just as nasty assticking part of the character’s body intosomething; the person responsible formaking the rift is drawn inside of it andsuffers damage.

Would you please clarify the use ofthe feign death spell, particularly withregard to its casting time of ½? Does thismean that the caster uses it just prior toan opponents’ attack? Is it so quick thatthe attacker does not realize that thespell was cast? If the spell is cast prior toan attack does the attack now hit auto-matically? Won’t the attacker becomesuspicious if the caster “drops dead”after a missed attack?

Technically, a spell’s casting time isadded to the caster’s initiative roll todetermine exactly when the spell takeseffect. Since the initiative system usesonly whole numbers, the casting time of½ is problematical. In this case, I thinkthe intent is to allow the caster to castthe spell pretty much instantaneously. Irecommend treating feign death like aninnate ability, but with no initiative mod-ifier. An opponent can beat the caster tothe punch, but he can’t disrupt the spell.The caster can time the spell so that ittakes effect right after an opponentsattack if he wishes.

The spell has a verbal component, soan alert opponent might notice the cast-ing. An opponent successfully using thespellcraft proficiency while watching thespellcaster would know the caster useda necromantic spell. Other witnessesmight be allowed a slim chance — nobetter than a check vs. one halfIntelligence — and then only if they hadsome reason to suspect a spell. (Feigndeath has no somatic or material com-ponent, so its not easy to catch.) In anycase, combat in the AD&D game alwaysworks in the abstract; “misses” mightvery well actually strike the target (albeitineffectually), and some “hits” might notmake contact at all. (Maybe the targetpulled a hamstring while avoiding theblow.) Any attack that causes the targetto drop dead is likely to be interpretedas a hit. If a PC made the attack, simplynote the attack roll’s result andannounce that the blow connected andslew the target. Let the player puzzle outwhat happened. If an NPC made theattack, consider how alert the charactermight be to tricks. Someone very sure ofhimself might very well believe he madea killing blow, while someone familiarwith the caster’s reputation mightbecome suspicious if a famous charactergoes down too easily. Some monstrousfoes might try to drag the “slain” charac-ter back to their lairs for snacks.

According to the P LANESCAPE rules,the farther a priest is from her power,

the lower level she effectively becomes.If a priest casts a defensive spell on aplane near to her power, then goes toanother plane farther from her power,would the spell still be active eventhough she effectively dropped severallevels in ability? For instance, a 7th-level priest in my party cast magicalvestment on herself in the Beastlandsjust prior to entering a portal to theGrey Waste, where she “lost” six levelsof ability. Would the spell still be activefor its duration even though the castercould no longer cast it?

When plane hopping, a spell func-tions according to the conditions thatprevailed when the spell was cast, unlessthe local condition is an absolute. Aflame blade, for example, goes out if car-ried onto the elemental plane of water,where no fire spell works. In your exam-ple, magical vestment keeps working atfull power, because the character wasfunctioning at full power when she castthe spell. See the upcoming Planewalker’sHandbook for more information.

How many volumes will the upcom-ing Wizard’s Spell Compendium have?Will there be similar volumes for priestspells?

The current plan is for three volumesof the Wizard’s Spell Compendium, fol-lowed by one or two volumes of priestspells. I’m sorry I can’t be more exact,but there’s just no way to tell exactly howmany spells there really are until some-body actually finishes compiling them all.

Page 123 of the Complete Druid‘sHandbook lists several spells I havenever heard of and that aren’t listed inthe book. Where can I get informationon spells such as ceremony and precipi-tation? Also, why are some of the spells’levels changed, like cure light woundsas 2nd-level spell and finger of death asa 7th-level spell?

Pages 122 and 123 of the CompleteDruid’s Handbook describe druids as theyappeared in the original AD&D game.That’s why some of the spell levels aredifferent. The spells you’re asking aboutcame from the Unearthed Arcana tome,now long out of print. Current plans callfor both spells to be included in theupcoming Priest’s Spell Compendium, butthat’s subject to change.

A sword of sharpness has a +1 bonusfor attack rolls and damage and it sev-ers a limb on a modified roll of 19-21. Ifa sword of sharpness had a +3 magical

94 JUNE 1996

bonus (such as the one carried byPrince Melf Brightflame in the From theAshes boxed set), how likely is it tosever a limb? What about a vorpalweapon? Would a vorpal sword +5sever necks on rolls of 20-25?

The DM has two options. First, he canassume that the sword severs a limb onany attack roll that totals 19 or more,considering only the sword’s +3 bonus;that is, on an attack roll of 16 or more.(Bonuses from Strength specialization,race, combat conditions, and so onnever apply to the score to sever.)Alternatively, he can assume the swordsevers a limb on an attack roll of 18 orhigher, just as a normal sword of sharp-ness does. I prefer this option.

It doesn’t matter which option youchoose, so long as you apply it consis-tently. In either case, the attack mustsucceed to sever a limb. If the swordwielder rolls a 19 and still manages tomiss, the sword severs nothing. Notethat the actual number required to severvaries with the type of opponent. Thebase number to sever for a regularsword of sharpness is 18 for a normalopponent, 19 for an opponent largerthan man size, and 20 for solid metal orstone opponents. If you choose the firstoption, the numbers would fall to 16, 17,and 18.

Non-standard vorpal swords can workthe same way. The normal vorpal swordssevers the neck on a roll of 17 for a nor-mal opponent, 18 for an opponent larg-er than man size, and 22 for solid metalor stone opponents. If you choose thefirst option, the numbers for a vorpalsword +5 would fall to 15, 16, and 17.

How do you handle initiative for apriests attempt to turn undead? Therules say a turning attempt counts as anaction for the character and takes oneround. It also says that the turning effectoccurs during the priests turn in the ini-tiative order and that any opposingundead might get to attack the priestbefore he can make the attempt. Inotice that Table 56: Optional Modifiersto Initiative does not include an entryfor undead turning. Does this mean thepriest always goes last if he attemptsundead turning? That could be prettyrough on a lone priest facing a group ofundead.

A turning attempt counts as thepriest’s sole action for the round; thepriest cannot move, attack, cast a spell,use a magical item, or take any othersignificant actions during the same

round as a turning attempt. (In thePLAYER’S OPTION™ combat system, a turn-ing attempt is a no-move action.) Thepriest rolls for initiative normally, andthe attempt is resolved during thepriest’s normal place in the initiativeorder. There is no entry for turningattempts on Table 56 because undeadturning is neither particularly slow norparticularly fast � the priest makes anunmodified initiative roll unless someother factor also applies (see Table 55:Standard Modifiers to Initiative).

Do gauntlets of ogre power affect thewearers maximum encumbrance orability to open doors?

Gauntlets of ogre power grant thewearer 18/00 Strength in the hands,arms, and shoulders. The wearer enjoysthe benefits of the increased Strength incombat and most “bend/bars” lift gatesrolls. The bonus doesn’t apply to feats ofstrength that involve the whole body,which generally includes carrying loadsand opening doors. If you’re using thesubabilities from the Skills & Powersbook, the gauntlets increase the wearer’smuscle score only, and then only foractions the character performs with his

hands, arms, and shoulders.

The Skills & Powers book allowspriests to spend character points topurchase a school of wizard spells anduse them as priest spells. Does thismean the priest can cast these spellswhile wearing armor? Can the priest fillhis bonus spell slots from high Wisdomwith these spells? Can the priest spendextra character points and gain morethan one school of wizard spells?

The selected school of wizard spellsworks just like a sphere of priest spells inall respects. The character can memo-rize and cast them freely without sacri-ficing any priest abilities (and the spellscan fill bonus spell slots from highWisdom). The DM should feel free tolimit which schools might be available.(A deity of truth might balk at granting acleric or priest illusion spells.) I stronglyrecommend that you do not allow any-one to purchase more than one schoolof wizard spells for a priest character.

In issue #228, you mentioned thespells that could remove an antimagicshell. What about the spell spellstrikefrom the F ORGOTTEN REALMS® setting? As

DRAGON #230 95

it is, in a sense, a “retroactive” dispelmagic could it remove an antimagicshell?

Yes, but remember that spellstrikenegates only spells and effects created(cast) during the round in which thespellstrike is cast or during the previousround.

I enjoyed your response in issue #228to the reader who objected to youranswer about the frisky chest spell backin issue #225. But you didn’t quite han-dle all his objections. Do you really advo-cate changing the rules in the middle ofthe game to restrict player innovation? Ifnot, when should a DM introduce aweight limit for frisky chest as you sug-gested? By the way, is it really impossi-ble to stack one’s slain or paralyzedcomrades on a Tenser’s floating disk?

Of course you shouldn’t change therules during the game; that’s just com-mon courtesy. The proper time to intro-duce rules changes is sometime after thegame ends and before the next gamebegins. It’s often helpful to write yourrules changes down and keep themhandy for future reference. By the way,the frisky chest spell is due for a majoroverhaul. In addition to a weight limit(100 Ibs. per caster level), an area ofeffect reduction also is officially in theworks, most likely 10 cubic feet (about2’ x 2’ x 2½’) instead of a 10’ cube. Theupcoming Priest’s Spell Compendium willcontain the revised spell.

Yeah, you can carry bodies on aTenser’s floating disk, or just about anyother objects or creatures you can heaponto the disk (keeping them there mightbe a separate problem). On the otherhand, you can’t use the disk as aweapon or a battering ram. It’s a loadcarrier, period. You can’t use a disk tobowl over opponents or smash things. Adisk just floats around like a blimp, giv-ing no more than a gentle bump when itstrikes a creature or object.

In any case, I certainly hope everyonewho reads this column realizes that theDM’s task is keeping the game undercontrol without being a spoilsport.

The reason you ought not to let PCsuse frisky chest spells to make their trea-sure walk out of the dungeon is becausethat kind of thinking eventually leads toall kinds of other “innovations” thatcould make the DM consider morerewarding games — like solitaire. Forinstance, let’s say the party discussed inissue #225 took some of the proceedsfrom their 10’ golden statue and

invested in two or three 10’ granite stat-ues. Then, they cast frisky chest on astatue (which weighs in the neighbor-hood of 3,000 Ibs.), and the party’s leadfighter herds it along. Now the party hasa statue leading the way wherever itgoes. (They also cast a continual light spellon the statue’s upraised hand so that itdoubles as a torch bearer.) With the stat-ue in the lead, the party no longer has tofear traps, because the statue will tripthem as it walks 3-10’ ahead of thegroup. If the statue falls into a pit, nomatter. Someone just hops in after it andthe statue flies right out again (assumingthe DM isn’t going to do anything to sti-fle player innovation, like require an itemsave when the statue falls into the pit orput something in the pit that the PCsdon’t want to jump into).

While the party chases its friskystatue through the dungeon, anythingfoolish enough to stand in the party’sway finds a ton and half of crushingstone plowing through as the partycharges right in. The party might runtheir ton-and-a-half juggernaut into anydoor they find, smashing it to flinders. Ofcourse, the spell description says the stat-ue avoids getting with 10’ of anyone but

the caster, so it couldn’t be used to crushopponents, and the frisky item movesonly through open space, so it won’tsmash through barriers. On the otherhand, a group that can talk the DM intoletting them get away with using friskychest as a permanent animate object prob-ably needn’t worry about little things likewhat the rules say.

If the party took along an extra friskychest spell, they’d have no need forspells like Tenser’s floating disk; they needonly take any old dungeon door off itshinges and apply frisky chest. The doorwill galumph along carrying anythingthe PCs strap or nail onto it.

Even if the party only used frisky chestto turn a statue into a trap springer, theystill would be getting more mileage outof this 2nd-level spell that they could getout of the 6th-level priest spell animateobject (which has a shorter duration andproduces considerable slower movementrates for large objects) or the 5th-levelwizard spell avoidance (which affects onlyobjects with volumes of 27 cubic feet orless). That alone should set alarm bellsringing in any sensible DM’s head.

D R A G O N # 2 3 0 97

Magic and technology are different,you said in issue #228. However, anysufficiently advanced technology isindistinguishable from magic. What doyou say to that?

I’d say you’ve stumbled across anexcellent illustration of my point.“Sufficiently advanced” technologybecomes indistinguishable from magicbecause its effects appear so miraculousthat an observer can find no rationalexplanation for them.

Any 20th-century person with agrade-school education knows some-thing about how a laser works, but if aperson from a medieval culture finds alaser and discovers that he can toastbread with it, he’s apt to think of it as amagical bread toaster. He has no ideathe laser emits a coherent beam of lightthrough the stimulated emission of radi-ation, and, lacking that knowledge, he’snot going to discover laser surgery. Ifsomeone else comes along and demon-strates other uses for the laser, themedieval fellow is going to think of thetechnician as some sort of wizard.

The difference between technologyand magic is this: technology depends onan understanding of reality. Technologyworks the way it does because someonehas thought through a chain of causeand effect that gives a predictable result.For example, a light bulb lights a roombecause somebody with an understand-ing of electricity and metallurgy created asituation in which the light bulb mustglow brightly when somebody throwsthe switch.

Magic, by contrast, does not takeadvantage of some clever person’sknowledge of reality, it literally changesreality to suit the user’s taste. In theAD&D game, each spell’s ability tochange reality is narrowly defined in thespell description. It’s helpful to think ofany magical spell as a minor wish with apredetermined effect. If your characterwants light, he casts a light spell, and hegets light — but that’s all he gets. Ofcourse, the character can do someclever things with that light, such asblind somebody by making the lightappear on the end of his nose, but nocharacter will ever bake a cake or incu-bate an egg with the waste heat fromthe light spell as one can with an incan-descent light bulb, because there isn’tany waste heat.

Spells often prove to have some curi-ous limitations (at least to 20th-centuryminds). A magic missile won’t affectobjects, only creatures. A magic missile

doesn’t “know” a crea-ture from an object,but the terms of thespell, just like the termsof a wish, allow it toaffect only creatures.

It’s important tokeep the foregoing inmind when decidinghow a spell functions inan unusual situation.Unlike technology, aspell acts in a mannersuited to its purpose orit does nothing at all.Consider the frisky chestspell that started thisdiscussion. The spell issupposed to keepintruders’ hands off the caster’s stuff.Knowing that, it’s no great leap of logicto realize that frisky object is going tomove in a contrary fashion when some-body starts chasing it around a dungeon.

not like a person living in the techno-logical world of the late 20th centurywould think.

In any case, it’s incumbent on playersto put themselves in a frame of mindsuited to the fantasy worlds where theircharacters live. When playing the AD&Dgame, you need to think like a personliving in a magical world would think,

Skip Williams is a game designer andeditor at TSR, Inc. He also grows fiery Thaipeppers at home. Questions can beaddressed to him at tsrsage@aol.com.

DRAGON #230 99

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Would you hand me another tissue?Sometimes I get on these crying jags,and I just can’t stop. You gotta under-stand, the Traveller* game was morethan just another science-fiction RPG tome. And it was more than just the bestscience-fiction RPG. It was my first RPG.It’s true. I was playing Traveller beforethe AD&D® game even, and now that’sgone well, I guess you never get overthe first one.

What’s that? Traveller’s comingback? Don’t toy with me! When? Whatdo you mean, you don’t know! You can’t

Role-playing games’ rating

Not recommended

May be useful

FairGood

ExcellentThe BEST!

just lay something like that on meand, hey. . . I’m trying to stay calm, allright?

Okay, okay, I’m fine. Really. I canwait. I got some other games to keepme busy.

Uh, sorry about the tear stains onyour dice bag.

The DarkStryder CampaignStar Wars* game supplement

Two 96-page softcover books, 52character and ship cards, one 22’ x 34’double-sided poster map, boxed

West End Games $30Design: Peter Schweighofer, Doug

Shuler, Bill Smith, Eric Trautmann, andTimothy Zahn with Daniel Scott Palter,Richard Hawran, Stephen Crane, PaulSudlow, Pablo Hidalgo, and MirandaHorner

Editing: Bill Smith and Paul Sudlow withMiranda Horner, Peter Schweighofer, andEric Trautmann

Illustrations: Tim Bobko, David Day,Terry Pavlet, Brian Schomburg, PhilipTan, David Deltrick, Christopher Moeller,Doug Shuler, and Mike Vilardi

Cover: Christopher Moeller

In 1983 — the year of Return of the Jedi— Ronald Reagan was in the third year ofhis presidency, Michael Jackson was onhis second nose, and George Lucas hadjust begun to fiddle with future install-ments of the Star Wars series. In 1996, BillClinton is wrapping up his first term,Michael Jackson is on nose number nine,and George Lucas is still fiddling withfuture installments of the Star Wars series.Lucas may be a genius but when itcomes to cranking out product — well,the Force ain’t exactly been with him.

Meanwhile, over at West End Games,the design team of the Star Wars RPGhas been understandably anxious.During the game’s impressive 10-yearrun, they’d produced dozens of qualitysupplements. But how long could theykeep it up? How many times could theygo to the well — in this case, about sixand a half hours of film — before theystarted coming up with sand? Theycouldn’t just sit on their hands, waitingfor Lucas to deliver another movie. Norcould they expand the mythos in anysignificant way, because, according toLucasfilm, that’s a no-no.

So they opted for a new approach.The result, Darkstryder Campaign,marks one of the most dramatic turningpoints in the game’s history. For starters,this is the game’s first boxed set (exclud-ing the recent Miniatures Battles box),making it a big deal by definition. Ratherthan invent their own alter egos, playersare encouraged to assume the roles ofpregenerated characters. Further, eachplayer is encouraged to play severalcharacters, all at the same time.

DRAGON #230 111

But the real departure for Dark-Stryder is in its tone. Forget your cuddlyEwoks, your bumbling droids, your kid-die show aliens. DarkStryder conjures aharsher, drearier universe, a Star Warsfor grown-ups. The premise: despicablebad guy Moff Sarne, an Imperial warlordwith unlimited power, has fled the Kaholsector capital Kal-Shebbol to wreakhavoc on a sizable chunk of the galaxy.With few resources and virtually noinformation about Sarne’s whereaboutsor plans, the PCs board a second-ratestarship and attempt to track him down.The campaign features villains whomurder, allies who backstab, and heroeswho die. A haze of despair hangs overDarkStryder, which is both intriguingand disturbing. It’s like visiting Oz andfinding alcoholic Munchkins.

The Campaign Book covers the back-ground material, opening with a terrificTimothy Zahn short story that sets up thesituation and establishes a gloomymood. Much of the book is devoted tothe FarStar, the converted Corellian mili-tary ship that serves as the PCs’ trans-portation. It is, to put it succinctly, a pieceof junk. Lights flicker on and off for noapparent reason. The sensors suck uptoo much power. The ceilings leak. Asabotaged computer system ensures asteady stream of misfiring weapons, nav-igational glitches, and malfunctioningdroids. FarStar is a high-tech obstaclecourse; a party could engage in a mem-orable campaign just wandering the cor-ridors. The Locations section, describingthe FarStar’s every nook and cranny,manages to be comprehensive withoutoverdosing on statistics; conceivably, theship could be used in other RPGs withonly a few modifications.

The crew, a source of endless tormentfor the PCs (and endless possibility for thegamemaster), is as undependable as theship. The cramped conditions and lousyaccommodations make them surly,obnoxious, and inclined to beat the crapout of each other at the slightest provo-cation. Memorable crewfolk includeSecurity Officer Gorak Khzam, a formerslave trader; Lieutenant Jessa Davjus, anImperial turncoat plagued by dreams ofblack spiders; and Lieutenant “Wing-Ripper” (love that name!) Gorjaye, a red-haired beauty with the charm of a rabiddog. All key personnel have their owncharacter cards, featuring evocative colorportraits and handy statistical summaries.The cards are a nice touch, useful to play-ers and gamemasters alike. In the goodold days, TSR routinely included cards

112

like these in their supplements. I’d like tosee them do it again. As a matter of fact,I’d like to see all publishers include them,as they’re great time-savers for lazy guyslike yours truly.

The background material spills overinto the Adventure Book, which beginswith an informative overview of theKathol Sector, complete with star maps,planet profiles, and a gallery of villains.The heart of the book, however, is the setof six adventures, linked to form one longcampaign. “Omens,” the opener, sendsthe party to the devastated Kolatil systemwhere they’re confronted with evidenceof Sarne’s ruthlessness. “Artifact of Aaris”involves a dangerous archeological expe-dition, which triggers more than the usualamount of chaos aboard the FarStar.Overall, they’re well-staged and easy-to-run adventures, offering a satisfyingblend of action, problem-solving, androle-playing. There’s not much in the wayof logical technology, however; of all thescience-fiction RPGs, Star Wars remainsthe most science-less. And don’t expectSarne to show up; he may be a majorplayer in some future supplement, butnot here. Most troubling, the campaigndoesn’t really go anywhere; its all set-upand no climax; think how you felt at theend of The Empire Strikes Back.

Evaluation: This set looks to be thefirst in a long line of DarkStryder prod-ucts. As such, with its unresolved plotlines and unanswered questions, it feelsincomplete. The designers still seem tobe groping for a style, as if they’re notquite sure how far they can go.Consequently, DarkStryder doesn’tplunge Star Wars into darkness; it mere-ly draws the shades a bit. Next time, Ihope they throw caution to the windand really go for the grit. For now,DarkStryder stands as a promisingbeginning, a rich, involving expansionthat opens up an RPG on the verge ofrusting shut. Let Lucas dawdle. West Endis delivering the goods.

Don’t Look Back* game(Second Edition)

208-page softcover bookMind Ventures Games

$22Design: Chuck McGrew with Richard

Van Ingram and Jay ColemanEditing: Jay Coleman, Richard Van

Ingram, and Scott DillinIllustrations: Paul Carrick, Tim

Gerstmar, and Richard Van IngramCover: Doug Shuler and Paul Carrick

Giant Psychic Insectsfrom Outer Space

Don’t Look Back game supplement96-page softcover bookMind Ventures Games $15Design: Jay Coleman and David

KosakEditing: Jay Coleman and Richard Van

IngramIllustrations: Paul Carrick and Tim

GerstmarCover: Paul Carrick

Giant Psychic Insects From OuterSpace — that’s the second-best title for arole-playing supplement I’ve ever heard.(First-best: Bat-Winged Bimbos From Hell,for the underappreciated Macho Womenwith Guns* game.) But before you startswatting psychic insects, first you have tolearn a new set of rules — which isn’t asdaunting as it seems. For Don’t LookBack is not only pretty good, it’s alsopretty easy.

And pretty funny. Remember the Chill*and Teenagers From Outer Space* games?Put ‘em together, and you’ve got thegeneral idea. The modern world hasbecome a repository for every whacked-out faction of the paranormal that evergraced the pages of a supermarkettabloid. Flying saucers roam the sky-ways. Vampires stalk the streets. Mad sci-entists use innocent citizens for depravedexperiments funded by the U.S. govern-ment. And though Elvis hasn’t shown upyet, it’s just a matter of time.

The only folks standing between civi-lization and anarchy are, of course, thePCs. For the most part, they’re ordinaryhumans: College Students, Private Eyes,

JUNE 1996

and — my favorite — Slackers (who “takegreat pride in their ability to do nothingfor months, even years, at a time”).Designing a character couldn’t be simpler.Each player chooses his favorite arche-type, then assigns ratings from -4 to +4to Fitness, Intelligence, Perception, andfour other Basic Abilities. A character alsobegins with several Acquired Abilities,depending on his archetype; CollegeStudents receive Biology and ComputerAbilities, Private Eyes receive Stealth andSurveillance. Additionally, a playerreceives a fixed number of points he canspend on additional abilities or toimprove abilities his PC already has.Finally, the player can invest inAdvantages (Photographic Memory,Ambidexterity) by spending “positive”points, and Disadvantages (Gullible,Tragically Hip) by spending “negative”points. He acquires as many of these ashe likes, as long as the total expenditureequals zero. Advanced players can exper-iment with supernatural Advantages(Heat Vision, Mental Shield) andDisadvantages (Grotesque Appearance,Weakness to Sunlight). Despite some bal-ance problems — a Hidden Past, forinstance, is considered more of a handi-cap than a Missing Limb — the rules gen-erate versatile, appealing PCs. They’re notparticularly durable, but that’s okay. Likegoldfish, they tend to die off before youbecome attached to them. And its a snapto find replacements.

The resolution system relies exclu-sively on six-sided dice and requires fivesteps:

1. The gamemaster decides which ofthe character’s abilities is relevant to theattempted action, then notes the abilityrating.

2. The gamemaster determines aDifficulty Factor, anywhere from -5 to+5.

3. The ability score is added to theDifficulty Factor, along with any modi-fiers for Advantages, Disadvantages,and equipment. The total — which we’llcall the Base Total — equals the numberof dice to be rolled.

4. The player rolls the dice. If the BaseTotal was positive, he selects the threehighest dice. If the Base Total was nega-tive, he selects the three lowest dice.

5. The gamemaster compares thethree-dice total to the Quality Table,which gives a resolution ranging fromHorrible Failure to Incredible Success.

Convoluted? Sort of. But since allactions are resolved in the same way,the system becomes second nature

faster than you’d think. And for the mostpart, the results make sense. But be fore-warned: it takes a seasoned gamemasterto adjudicate the Quality Table. Whatdoes it mean, say, when you get anIncredibly Successful Perception roll?You’ll have to figure that out yourself.

Combat employs a similar system,but it goes overboard on formulas, mak-ing it kind of a pain. For example, to cal-culate the amount of damage from aweapon, you determine the action’sQuality Rating, locate the relevant factorfrom the Damage Scale, multiply themtogether, round the result down, multi-ply this result by the relevant DefenseScale factor, round the new result down,then apply the damage. Though it gen-erates acceptable results, a less math-heavy system would’ve been a better fitwith a game this goofy.

Which brings us, finally, to GiantPsychic Insects, one of the nuttiest andmost entertaining SF adventures I’ve everplayed. Seven-foot praying mantises fromanother planet are using the citizens ofErie, Pennsylvania as lab animals. It maybe an isolated crisis or — gulp — the pre-lude to a full-scale alien invasion. Andtalk about an opening: the PCs awakenin a spaceship, strapped to operatingtables, with the praying mantises prepar-ing to turn their skulls into pin cushions.The action never lets up, nor does theflood of engaging nonsense: telepathswith a mental range of 10,000 miles,microscopic robots that eat electricity,even a reference to Frank Zappa (by wayof Suzy Creamcheese). Laughs abound,typified by the organization of renegadescientists called the New EnglandResearch and Development Company —that’s NERDCo to you. True, chunks ofPsychic Insects could’ve used more devel-opment; many important locationsreceive no more than a few sentences ofskimpy description. And true, the climaxcould’ve been stronger; instead of theroutine horror film finale, this would havebeen a good place for a surprise. Elvis,maybe?

Evaluation: Don’t Look Back may notbe a groundbreaker, but it’s fast-paced,clever, and loaded with goodies. TheEncounters Chapter details enoughcybernetic assassins and brain-suckingaliens to support a year’s worth of sce-narios. The gamemaster section is socomplete, it even tells you how toensure the comfort of your players(“access to refreshments and rest roomsis essential”). If you own the first editionof Don’t Look Back you can skip the

second and go straight to Giant PsychicInsects, which includes a summary ofthe changes in edition number two(there aren’t many). As for Insects itself, Ihaven’t had so much fun since MTV’slast Beavis and Butt-head Moron-a-thon —consider that a hint of what you’re in for.

(Information: Mind Ventures Games,PO Box 1032, Starkville, MS 39759.)

Star WarsCustomizableCard* game

Starter deck: 60 cards, rules bookletBooster pack: 15 cardsDecipher, Inc. $9.50 (starter)

$3 (booster)Design: Tom Braunlich, Rollie Tesh,

Ross Campbell, Dan Burns, and RichardBorg

Alternate Universe

Star Trek: The Next GenerationCustomizable Card Game* expansion

Booster pack: 15 cardsDecipher, Inc.Design: uncredited $3

Yeah, I know the Star Trek card gamehas its problems. Yeah, I know it’s toughputting together a usable deck withoutinvesting a fortune. And yeah, I knowthat finding an Enterprise card is about aslikely as finding a diamond in a box ofCracker Jacks. But I like it anyway. I likethe streamlined rules, the nifty missions,

DRAGON #230 113

the clever way it simulates all the ele-ments of a good SF adventure (seeDRAGON® Magazine issue #218 for more).So naturally, I had high hopes for theStar Wars card game (no connection, by

It even looks the same. In fact, thebest thing about Star Wars is the first-

the way, to the Star Wars role-playing

rate presentation, making it one of thefew card games worth buying just forthe graphics. The cards boast clutter-free

tame). And why not? Same company.

layouts, engaging text, and vivid colors.The crisp photographs cover every

Same genre. Same designers.

memorable image from the films, nomatter how obscure. I, for one, could’velived without a close-up of the dicehanging in the cockpit of the MillenniumFalcon. Nor did I need individual cardsdepicting the backs — that’s right, thebacks — of Obi, Leia, and the Jawas. Andin the tradition of the Star Trek cardgame, the main characters are conspicu-ously absent; you can open boosters tillyour fingers go numb without finding asingle Han Solo or Chewbacca. Still, Ihad a blast savoring my favorite scenesand characters, especially the great can-tina aliens like the hammer-headedMomaw Nadon.

If only Star Wars played as good as itlooked. But alas, its merely okay. Eachplayer begins with a 30-card deck — theLight Side player using gray cards, theDark Side using black — which representshis total Life Force. Location cards arearranged in a row, representing, inessence, the game board. Playersattempt to control Locations by deploy-ing Character cards; if you wipe out allenemy personnel from a contestedLocation, the Location is yours.Controlled Locations generate Forcepoints; the more Force points you gener-ate, the more cards you can bring intoplay. Force points are expended to initi-ate battles, necessary to clear out enemyLocations. When a battle is declared, thecombatants activate their Equipmentcards and fire their Weapon cards. Eachplayer draws the top card from his deck,then checks the upper corner for theDestiny Number. The Destiny Number —equivalent to a random die-roll — isadded to the combatants’ Power Valuesalong with other pertinent modifiers.Destroyed cards are discarded. Addition-ally, each player suffers an attrition loss,sacrificing a number of cards equal invalue to his opponents Destiny draw.After the battle ends, players move theircharacters with Vehicle cards (Land-

speeder, Lift Tube), tinker with Devicecards (Vaporator, Tatooine Utility Belt),and play Interrupt cards (Radar Scanner,Hyper Escape) to screw up the opposi-tion. The first player to deplete the

Granted, it’s as action-packed as ademolition derby. But its also a bit

enemy’s Force — which occurs when the

clunky. The Force rules, for example,involve a rather convoluted “flow” cycle,where cards begin in a Force Pile, then

enemy has no cards left in his deck —

move to a Used Pile, then to a ReserveDeck, then back to the Force Pile. The

wins the game.

attrition rules seem arbitrary and unnec-essarily harsh. A typical game losessteam toward the end, when the out-come becomes all but inevitable. Andthough its possible for two to play withthe 60 cards in a single starter deck, Iwouldn’t count on having much fun.You’ll need a much larger pool — I’dguess at least 100 Dark Side cards and100 Light Siders — to make Star Warscome alive.

Dark Side, and vice versa; the UtinniEffect, which compels characters to relo-cate to specific sites — make it a chal-lenge to master. And the artwork oughtto attract collectors like bloodmobilesattract vampires. If it’d hit the stores afew years ago, we’d have been doinghandsprings. In today’s deck-drenchedmarket, however, its just another cardgame, eminently playable but nothing tosquander the rent money on. Star Trek,on the other hand, remains a delight.Alternate Universe doesn’t do much toexpand the rules, but it serves as a goodexcuse to revisit a terrific product.

(Information: Decipher, Inc., PO Box56, Norfolk, VA 23501.)

Short and sweetWhile we’re on a roll, let’s look at

some more SF.

Much better is Alternate Universe, a122-card Star Trek expansion that intro-duces a new category of cards calledDoorways. When a Doorway is played, itopens the Star Trek universe to all sorts ofalternate realities, parallel timelines, andillusory experiences. In game terms, itallows players to deploy speciallymarked Alternate Universe (AU) cards,such as Royale Casino (opponents play agame of blackjack, using Cunning num-bers) and Samuel Clemens’ Pocket Watch(an action scheduled to occur in the nextturn occurs instead in the current turn).Trouble is, Doorway cards seem to befew and far between; I found them inonly three of eight of my booster packs.Rather than fuss with the Doorways, wethrew them out and used an alarm clock.(We set the clock to go off in a randomnumber of minutes. AU cards could beplayed until the alarm rang.) But evenwithout the Doorways — for that matter,even without the AU cards — the boost-ers contain enough bizarre StandardUniverse cards to justify their purchase.How bizarre, you ask? How about theHumuhumunukunukuapua’a, an exoticfish that modifies Cunning and Strength?Or Mot’s Advice, which bestows the skillof Barbering?

Star Fleet Battles* game (Captain’sEdition Basic Set), by Stephen V. Colewith a cast of thousands. Task ForceGames, $30. Battleships Module R5, byStephen V. Cole. Task Force Games, $19.Captain’s Log 16, edited by Stephen V.Cole. Task Force Games, $15.

As far as I’m concerned, you can’t callyourself a science-fiction gamer unlessyou’re familiar with the Big Three: theStar Wars role-playing game, Traveller,and Star Fleet Battles. Now in its fourthedition and 17th (!) year, Star FleetBattles stands as the definitive starshipcombat simulation, a board game sointricate, so all-consuming that youcould spend another 17 years just get-ting to know it. Though not officially apart of the Star Trek universe — thisdespite the presence of the Federation,Klingons, and Romulans — SFB does aremarkable job of turning guys like youand me into guys like James T. Kirk andJean-Luc Picard. The 256-page Basic Setrulebook covers a plethora of options,from photon torpedoes and cloakingdevices to ballistic targeting and shuttle-craft evacuations. The generous selec-tion of goodies — a huge hex map, 216counters, a thick packet of player aids —allows you to stage a mind-bogglingarray of interstellar dogfights and star-base assaults, with a few space mon-sters thrown in for good measure.Emphasizing resource allocation andlong-range planning, SFB requires tacti-cal insight and a knack for bluffing — it’slike playing three games of chess and ahand of poker at the same time. A gamethis complex is not for the faint of heart.But if you do your homework and hangin there, you’ll find Star Fleet Battles to

Evaluation: Star Wars has a lot goingfor it. The interplay between Locationsand Vehicles imparts an appealing senseof movement. The imaginative flourishes— the Steal option, which allows playersto move cards from the Light Side to the

114 JUNE 1996

be an experience without parallel, onethat can easily become an obsession..

Over its lengthy existence, Star FleetBattles has generated a shelf-full of sup-plements. Where do you start if you’re anovice? Try Module 5 Starships, TaskForce’s biggest seller, which featuresbackground notes and statistics for suchformidable battlecruisers as the KlingonB11 and the Romulan King Condor. Asheet of 108 counters, a 64-page displaysheet booklet, and 15 scenarios com-plete the package. After that, take a lookat the Captain’s Log, a long-running pub-lication that’s half magazine, half expan-sion set. Issue 16 includes nine intriguingscenarios, a discussion of emergencydeceleration, and tips for putting togeth-er your own SFB newsletter. MasterModule 5 and study a couple ofCaptain’s Logs, and you’ll be an expertbefore you know it.

(Information: Task Force Games, POBox 50145, Amarillo, TX 79159-0145.)

Galaxy Guide 2: Yavin and Bespin, byJonatha Caspian, Christopher Kubasik,Bill Slavicsek, and C.J. Tramontana. WestEnd Games, $15. Galaxy Guide 12:Aliens, by C. Robert Carey, Harry L.Heckel, Pablo Hidalgo, Jean Rabe, andLisa Smedman, with Douglas S. Carey,Peter Schweighofer, and Trevor. J.Wilson. West End Games, $15.

So you’re a fan of the Star Wars RPGwho’s not up to the rigors of theDarkStryder Campaign? Then considerthese outstanding entries from WestEnd’s popular Galaxy Guide series. Yavinand Bespin, revised for Second EditionStar Wars, details two classic settingsfrom the movies. The Yavin system, fea-tured in Star Wars IV: A New Hope,includes the tropical moon that servedas a Rebel Alliance base. The planetBespin, introduced in Star Wars V: TheEmpire Strikes Buck, is home to Cloud City,

where Han Solo reunited with LandoCalrissian. Packed with blueprints, anec-dotes, and campaign ideas, the books abanquet for gamemasters and playersalike.

Aliens, also compatible with the sec-ond edition, catalogs more than 30extraterrestrial species, complete withecology notes, cultural analyses, andpersonality profiles. Forgoing the usualmilitary and scientific types, it focusesinstead on the galaxy’s oddballs andmisfits. Thus, we have the primitiveAmanin (who roll along the ground likebeach balls), the three-headedCha’wen’he (nervous, indecisive chatter-boxes), and the belligerent Noehons(gun-toting grasshoppers). It’s a greatread and a good resource, though itcould’ve been better if they hadn’t —ahem — left out the adventure hooks.

Webs Basic System game*, by KeithBailey. Web Games, $15. Web of Stars,by Keith Bailey. Web Games, $26.

This ambitious RPG, a universal sys-tem stressing broad generalities over set-ting-specific details, resembles a stripped-down GURPS* game. The Basic Systemrulebook presents the fundamentals inclear prose. Players pick races for theirPCs, randomly determine the PrimeAttributes (Strength, Agility, Intelligence,Wisdom, Charm, Constitution, and,oddly, Voice), then calculate a bunch ofSecondary Attributes (like Perception andEndurance) based on the Prime ratings. Avariable number of Buy Points are usedto purchase skills, advantages, andspells. Though derivative — in addition toGURPS, I detect bits of the AD&D® game(Armor Classes) and the Call of Cthulhu*game (percentile dice for skill resolution)— its a credible introduction to a promis-ing series. Web of Stars, world book num-ber one, is set in the 22nd Century, a bru-tal future where hoards of ruthless cor-

porations compete for interstellar riches.Adding to the mix are a mysterious alienrace known as the T’sali and a groupspace-traveling spell-casters calledTechnomancers. The skimpy scenario, allof three pages long, doesn’t give thegame much of a workout. But I had aball with the chapter on planet creation,which explains how to create your ownsolar system, right down to the last bio-zone and axial tilt.

(Information: Web Games, 240Spicewood Lane, Hendersonville, NC28791-1343.)

BattleTech Record Sheets: 3055 &3058. FASA Corporation, $18.

This massive collection of recordsheets for the Battletech* game coversall of the robotic monstrositiesfrom Technical Readout: 3055 andTechnical Readout: 3058. If you pair offthe ’Mechs in every possible combina-tion, you can stage — let me get my cal-culator — 21,740 different battles. Throwin all the tanks, hovercrafts, and VTOLs,also included here, and the total increas-es to... well, it increases a whole lot.Hey, this may be the best value in thehistory of the hobby!

Rick Swan, the author of The CompleteGuide to Role-Playing Games (St. Martin’sPress), has designed and edited nearly 50role-playing products. He is dying to knowthe title of the episode of the Lost in SpaceTV show about the talking vegetables. Youcan write to him at 2620 30th Street, DesMoines, IA 50310. Enclose a self-addressed,stamped envelope if you’d like a reply.

* indicates a product produced by a companyother than TSR, Inc. Most product names are trade-marks owned by the companies publishing thoseproducts. The use of the name of any product with-out mention of its trademark status should not beconstrued as a challenge to such status.

DRAGON #230 115

The Rjurik HighlandsA BIRTHRIGHT® campaign

Expansionby Anthony PryorIn the frigid land of Rjurik,

subterranean orogs andmarauding goblins wage con-stant war against human farmsand towns. It’s the perfectplace for princes and kings ofthe BIRTHRIGHT campaign.

$20.00 U.S./$28.00CAN./£14.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 3121ISBN: 0-7869-03953

NEW FOR JUNEPLAYER’S OPTION™:

Spells & MagicAn AD&D® rule bookby Rich Bakerincluded in this 192-page addition to

the core rule books are new schools ofmagic and new spells for both priest andwizard players. A must for serious role-players!

$22.00 U.S./$28.00 CAN./£12.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 2163ISBN: 0-7869-03945

Halskapa Domain SourcebookA BIRTHRIGHT accessoryby Dan WengerThis is the first Rjurik sourcebook for

ruling a domain in the lands of theseadvanced Viking-like people. Included isdetailed information of the geography,political structure, and adventure hooks.

$7.95 U.S./$10.00 CAN./£4.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 3122ISBN: 0-7869-03961

Baruk-Azhik Domain SourcebookA BIRTHRIGHT accessoryby Anne BrownBaruk-Azhik is a mountain land ruled

by dwarves, and no one enters thisdomain without fear of their power. Thissourcebook is packed with details andoffers new insight on Cerilia’s dwarvesand their unique culture.

$7.95 U.S./$10.00 CAN./£4.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 3120ISBN: 0-7869-03767

Undermountain Trilogy I:The Lost Level

A FORGOTTEN REALMS®DUNGEON CRAWL™ adventure

by Steven SchendAnother deadly complex has

been discovered in the ruins ofUndermountain. The only entranceto this stone fortress is guarded bybeholders. Are your players braveenough and crazy enough to takethem on?$7.95 U.S./$10.00 CAN./£4.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 9519ISBN: 0-7869-03996

116

Vilhon ReachA FORGOTTEN REALMS accessoryby Jim ButlerA long bay surrounded by feuding

city-states, the Vilhon Reach containstribes of Amazons and a waking dragonlurking in the shadows. It’s a wild andlawless land, ripe for conquering bythose who have the strength to keepwhat they take!

Murder in TarsisA DRAGONLANCE® hardcover novelby John Maddox RobertsA military consul in the army of

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8656ISBN:

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DRAGON DICE™Kicker Pack #3: Undead

Armies of undead make perfect addi-tions to the DRAGON DICE game, andthese horrifying creatures will foreverchange the structure of power.

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Silver ShadowsHarpers #13by Elaine CunninghamArilyn Moonblade embarks on a mis-

sion to save a band of forest elves andfinds that her quest endangers those sheloves. Will she risk everything to winfreedom for the forest elves?

$5.99 U.S./$6.99 CAN./£4.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 8566ISBN: 0-7869-04984

The Gully DwarvesDRAGONLANCE Lost Histories, Vol. 5by Dan ParkinsonWhen the gully dwarves get mixed

up in the worst sort of trouble, theyemerge victorious over the slimiest ofvillains!

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TSR Product No.: 8373ISBN: 0-7869-04976

The Hag’s ContractA BIRTHRIGHT novel

by John BettancourtThis is the story of the

legendary pirate king Ulrich,who made an unholy pact with

The Hag, to free his kingdomfrom the savage orog and goblin

Abyssal WarriorsBLOOD WARS™ Trilogy #2by J. Robert KingAereas rescued his uncle but lost

Nina. Now they struggle on oppositesides of an escalating conflict in whichNina heads an army of evil!

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DRAGON® Magazine #231Thieves and Spies

Cover by Don Punchatz

The Spying Game by MichaelT. Kuciak

The Master Thief by KarlGarrison

Why Spy? by Larry Granato

Scions of the Desert by JimParks

A free preview disc for theAD&D® Game CD-ROM!

Plus “Sage Advice,” “The Role ofB o o k s , ” “ K n i g h t s o f t h eDinner Table,” and much!

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TSR AnnouncesNew Customer Service Lines

TSR, Inc., proudly announces itsnew Consumer Services and StoreLocator phone lines. If you have a brief question about TSR’s products,call: 1(414) 248-2902. To find thestore nearest you that carries TSRproducts, call: 1 (800) 384-4TSR

DUNGEON ADVENTURES #60Cover by Jim Holloway

Shards of the Day by RandyMaxwell (AD&D Adventure)

Nemesis by ChristopherPerkins (PLANESCAPE™ Adventure)

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DRAGON #230 117

NEW FOR JULY

SPELLFIRE®: Master the Magic CardGame 4th Edition

This 500-card edition combines thebest of previous editions, including out-of-print boosters. This edition also pre-sents new and more challenging rulesdesigned for both tournament andfamily play.

$9.95 U.S./$14.95 CAN./£6.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 1127ISBN: 0-7869-02108

I, TyrantAn AD&D MONSTROUS ARCANA™

accessoryby Aaron AllstonBeholders wield tremendous magical

power and hate even their own kind. I,Tyrant explores the realms of these mon-sters and covers their culture and thetwisted goals and motivations thatmake them the scourge of civilization.

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Trivia Questions:

In the land of Cerilia, the setting ofthe BIRTHRIGHT™ campaign, which ofthe dreadful awnsheghlien wields thesword known as Knighstopper?

In the SAVAGE COAST™ campaign,what are the opposite of PanachePoints?

What is the last wizard spel ldescribed in the spell appendix to thePlayer’s Handbook?

Eye of PainAn AD&D MONSTROUS ARCANA

adventureby Thomas ReidThe heroes must venture into an

uncharted, subterranean realm in searchof a legendary “eye tyrant,” with only ahandful of clues and the testimony of acorpse to guide them. The first of abeholder trilogy.

$7.95 U.S./$10.00 CAN./£4.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 9522ISBN: 0-7869-04054

Defilers and Preservers: TheWizards of Athas

A DARK SUN® accessoryby Nicky ReaThis accessory provides new profi-

ciencies, character kits, spells, and vitalinformation on these two unique wiz-ards of Athas. Also included is the newstorm mage class of wizards.

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Volo’s Guide to the DalelandsA FORGOTTEN REALMS accessoryby Ed GreenwoodThe Dalelands are home to such

notables as Shadowdale, Elminster, theRuins of Myth Drannor, and theZhentarim. Volo takes us on one of hischatty and amusing tours of the area byproviding bits of gossip and informationas only Volo knows how!

$14.95 U.S./$18.95 CAN./£9.50 U.K.TSR Product No.: 9524ISBN: 0-7869-04062

Hellbound: The Blood WarA PLANESCAPE™ accessory & adventureby Colin McComb & Monte CookThis boxed set contains an adventure

that plunges the heroes into the BloodWar and reveals shocking informationabout the fiends, their origins, and theirstruggle to reign over all things. It alsoincludes a Blood War comic lavishlyillustrated by Tony Diterlizzi and RobhRuppel.

$25.00 U.S./$32.00 CAN./£15.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 2621ISBN: 0-7869-04070

Death UnchainedA RAVENLOFT® adventureby Lisa SmedmanIn this, the first part of an adventure

trilogy, mysterious deaths of famouschampions of light, and powerful min-ions of dark in the lands of Dementlieuhave reached epidemic scales. The EbonFold is behind this grim harvest thatmay change the realm forever.

$12.95 U.S./$16.95 CAN./£7.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 9523ISBN: 0-7869-04089

Knights of the RoseA DRAGONLANCE novelby Roland Green

The third quest of Sir Pirvan theWayward culminates in his rise to thestatus of Knight of the Rose. As moreKnights of Solamnia become corrupt, SirPirvan once again walks the fine linebetween his personal codes of honorand duty.

$5.99 U.S./$6.99 CAN,/£4.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 8370ISBN: 0-7869-05026

Cormyr: A NovelA FORGOTTEN REALMS hardcoverby Ed Greenwood & Jeff GrubbWhen King Azoun IV falls prey to

assassins, the past holds the clues toevents to come in this sweeping histori-cal novel about the land of Cormyr andits generations of mighty wizards andkings.

$23.99 U.S./$30.99 CAN./£13.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 8572ISBN: 0-7869-05034

Runes of AutumnA TSR novelby Larry & Robert ElmoreFrom the creative mind of fantasy

artist Larry Elmore comes this tale of oldand new magic working together tofight an ancient evil.

$5.99 U.S./$6.99 CAN./£4.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 8256ISBN: 0-7869-05042

Unless otherwise noted:® designates registered trademarks

owned by TSR, Inc.™ designates trademarks owned by

TSR, Inc.©1995 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

118 JUNE 1996

Clack continued from page 120

positions at the company. At its hugeheadquarters, said to have over 600square feet of space per employee,Wizards of the Coast (WotC) recentlyopened a tournament center and gameclub. At the April 13 opening the compa-ny held one of 45 qualifying tourna-ments for WotC’s Magic* game Pro Tourcircuit, six professional tournaments withprizes totalling over a million dollars.(Contact: question@wizards.com)

1994, entered the job straight out ofYale, where she took a degree inLiterature.

TSR’s Barbara Young, longtime editorof DUNGEON® Adventures and managingeditor of TSR Books for the last year, has

Call of Cthulhu* (Pagan Publishing);Giovanni Chronicle: The last Supper, forVampire* (White Wolf); Strange Aeons, forCal/ of Cthulhu (Chaosium)

Best Supplement: Aztlan, forShadowrun (FASA); BIRTHRIGHT ®, for the

left the company to study aikido in AD&D game (TSR); Faeries, for ArsJapan. “Think of it as a strange sort of Magica* (Wizards of the Coast); GURPSmid-life crisis,” she says. She plans to stay Cthulhupunk, for GURPS* and (sort of)at least six months; her visa lasts a year. Call of Cthulhu (Steve Jackson Games);Barb has studied aikido for six years and Houses of Hermes, for Ars Magica (Wizardsis preparing for her black belt test. of the Coast)On the same subject, the publisher of

the trading-card game magazine Scrye isstarting a companion magazine, Mastyr,devoted to professional play of theMagic game and other trading cardgames. (Contact: mastyrmag@aol.com)

The Duelist, WotC’s magazine devotedto the Magic game, plans to go monthlyin June. The Duelist recently got a newart director and, at this writing, is seek-ing to replace outgoing editor KathrynHaines. Haines, who has edited the

1995 Origins Award role-playing nominees

Best Role-playing Rules: Changeling*:The Dreaming (White Wolf); Cyber-generation* (R. Talsorian); Everway*(Wizards of the Coast); Mage*: TheAscension* 2nd Edition (White Wolf);Species* (West End Games)

Best Adventure: Beyond the Wall, forPendragon* (Chaosium); Blades, forEarthdawn* (FASA); Coming Full Circle, for

Allen Varney’s credits include threeboard games, 15 role-playing supplements,and four pick-a-path children’s books. HisHorizon: Stronghold of Hope, a MAGE*game supplement (written with Beth Fischi),appears in June. Send your news totsrdragon@aol.com.magazine since its inception in February

DRAGON #230 119

Interplay finds Utter EastInterplay Productions (Irvine, CA) is

setting its first licensed AD&D® computergame, BLOOD & MAGIC™, in a “previouslyunexplored area” of the ForgottenRealms called the Utter East.

Nestled between Ulgarth andZakhara, the Utter East brings new mag-ics to the Realms. According to a pressrelease, “The greatest of these are theBlood Forges, mighty artifacts that con-jure entire armies.”

Developed by Tachyon Studios(Oakhurst, CA), BLOOD & MAGIC is the firstreal-time strategy game set in theRealms. It debuts this summer for boththe PC and Macintosh. Curiously, thegame includes exclusive DRAGON MASTER®dice for TSR’s DRAGON DICE™ game,though BLOOD & MAGIC has nothing to dowith either the tabletop dice game orInterplay’s upcoming computer version.(Web: www.interplay.com)

FASA/Playmates decisionIn April of 1993, FASA Corporation

(Chicago) and a spinoff company, VirtualWorld Entertainment, sued PlaymatesToys Inc. (La Mirada, CA) for copyrightand “trade dress” infringement, interfer-ence, and unfair competition afterPlaymates’ introduction of the ExoSquadtoy line prompted a FASA licensee to putthe development of a Battletech toy lineon hold. (Earlier, Playmates had consid-ered and rejected a Battletech license.)On January 22, 1996, in a 109-pageopinion, Reuben Castillo, US DistrictJudge for the Northern District of Illinois,ruled in Playmates’ favor on all eightclaims that had not already been dis-missed on summary judgement.

FASA started circa 1981 as theFreedonian Air & Space Administration,named for the fictitious country in theMarx Brothers movie “Duck Soup.”FASA’s first releases were ship plans forthe Traveller* RPG, then a licensed Star

Trek game designed by the now-defunctFantasimulations design studio. In 1984FASA released the Battledroids* boardgame, quickly retitled after a protectfrom Lucasfilm, which claims rights tothe term “droid” (introduced in the StarWars films). The game became a majorhit, spawning role-playing and computerversions and even virtual-reality arcadeinstallations.

In other FASA news, the company ispromoting three related supplements tothe Shadowrun* game that concern thepresidential election of 2057. In theory,players can fill out ballots and elect thecandidate of their choice. But because ofthe long lead times that supplementsrequire, FASA has in fact already decid-ed the election’s winner. No, they’re nottelling. (Contact: fasamike@aol.com)

New licensesThis fall Chameleon Eclectic

(Blacksburg, VA), publisher of theMillennium’s End* and Psychosis* RPGs,releases The Babylon Project* game, anRPG based on the Warner science-fic-tion TV series Babylon 5. Set in the yearsbefore and during the first season, thegame is being designed by the startupcompany that holds the license,WireFrame Productions. A press releasesays, “Players take the roles of humansor aliens in the tense period followingthe Earth-Minbari war leading up to theemergence of the Shadows and theNarn-Centauri war.” Series creator J.Michael Straczynski will have creativeapproval of the game and support line,which includes The Earthforce Sourcebookin late fall and an Earth ColoniesSourcebook and Game Resource Kit byyear’s end. (Contact: cee@bev.net; Web:skynet.bevc.blacksburg.va.us/cee/)

Steve Jackson Games (Austin, TX) hasacquired gaming rights to the popular“Discworld” series of funny-fantasy nov-els by British writer Terry Pratchett. Thegame book, a supplement for SJG’s

© 1996 Allen Varney

Generic Universal RolePlaying System, willbe co-written by Pratchett and John M.Ford, himself a noted science-fiction andfantasy writer (The Dragon Waiting,Growing Up Weightless), humorist, andavid gamer. Look for GURPS Discworldnext year. (Contact: sjgames@io.com;Web: io.com/sjgames/)

In July SJC releases the KnightmareChess* game, a licensed edition of thedecade-old French game Tempete surI’Exchequier (Storm on the Chessboard).It’s a set of 80 cards, to be used with atraditional chess game, that affect therules of chess in different ways. Onecard might make your knight move likea bishop for one turn; another builds apermanent wall to stop enemy pieces,and so on. (Wizards of the Coast hadplanned a similar game, but don’t holdyour breath waiting.)

Gold Rush Games (Elk Grove, CA) hasput out one product (a licensedChampions* game adventure) and a bliz-zard of press releases. GRG has boughtrights to Fantasy Games Unlimited’s oldBushido* RPG and plans a new edition —GRG expanded its license from HeroGames to do supplements and source-books for the Hero System* game line(see last issue) — GRG delays the newBushido* game edition — GRG is doing alicensed RPG based on the excellentAmerican comic-book series UsagiYojimbo, about a samurai rabbit in a feu-dal funny-animal Japan. Will we see thegame by this year’s GEN CON® Game Fairin August? Maybe if GRG can find timein its busy press-release schedule. . . .(Contact: goldrushg@aol.com)

Notes from the fieldWizards of the Coast (Seattle, WA) has

put on indefinite hold the long-plannedrole-playing game based on its Magic:The Gathering* trading card game. Thedesign team (Wolfgang Baur, TeeuwynnWoodruff, Mike Selinker) may find other

Continued on page 119

120 JUNE 1996