Issue #158Vol. XV, No. 1

June 1990

PublisherJames M. Ward

EditorRoger E. Moore

Fiction editorBarbara G. Young

Assistant editorDale A. Donovan

Art directorLarry W. Smith

Production staffGaye O�Keefe Angelika Lokotz

SubscriptionsJanet L. Winters

U.S. advertisingSheila Gailloreto Tammy Volp

U.K. correspondentand U.K. advertising

Sue Lilley

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1 82 02 4

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SP E C I A L A T T R A C T I O N S

We�ve waited for you: DRAGONS!A collection of lore about our most favorite monster.

The Mightiest of Dragons � George ZietsIn the D&D® game, no one fools with the dragon rulers and lives forlong.

A Spell of Conversation � Ed FriedlanderIf you�d rather talk with a dragon than fight it, use this spell.

The Dragon�s Bestiary � The readersThe gorynych (very gory) and the (uncommon) common dragonet.

That�s Not in the Monstrous Compendium! � Aaron McGruderRemember those neutral dragons with gemstone names? They�re 2ndEdition now!

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

The Game Wizards � James M. WardShould we ban the demon? The readers respond�and how!

Also Known As... the Orc � Ethan HamRenaming a monster has more of an effect than you think.

The Rules of the Game � Thomas M. KaneIf you really want more gamers, then create them!

The Voyage of the Princess Ark � Bruce A. HeardSometimes it�s better not to know what you are eating.

A Role-player�s Best Friend � Michael J. D�AlfonsiGive your computer the job of assistant Dungeon Master.

The Role of Computers � Hartley, Patricia and Kirk LesserThe world of warfare, from the past to the future.

Ivory in the Blood � fiction by Brian A. HopkinsThey were the last of their kinds: dragon and dragonslayer.

Novel Ideas � Will LarsonNew titles are arriving for the world of the DRAGONLANCE® saga.

Role-playing Reviews � Jim BambraAn exercise in terror: Chaosium�s CALL OF CTHULHU® game revised.

Through the Looking Glass � Robert BigelowA miniatures campaign can be wonderful, but it�s never easy.

D E P A R T M E N T S

5 Letters 68 Gamers Guide 86 TSR Previews6 Forum 71 Sage Advice 95 Dragonmirth

56 Editorial 78 Convention Calendar 96 Twilight Empire

COVER

In the nick of time, Gerald Brom (a recent full-time addition to the artists� staff ofTSR, Inc.) produced a painting for our cover, a portrait that he just had sittingaround. �Dragon�s Nest� reveals the primary hazard of acquiring a dragon�s egg:dealing with the mother dragon.

4 JUNE 1990

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

�Best of� feverDear Dragon:

I�ve been an avid reader of this magazine forseven years now. I love all of the articles andinput from the many who read and researchwith it. I have collected a lot of the issues from#100 on, but I�ve been waiting for The Best ofDRAGON Magazine anthology, volume VI. . . .Can you tell me when I can expect it, or if thereis ever going to be one?

We have been discussing the possibility ofanother �Best of� anthology, but we have notbeen able to get it approved for our productschedule. However, it�s still being kicked around.If you would like to see volume VI, then by allmeans write to us and tell us what you wouldlike for it to contain: Monsters? Magical items?New spells? Special articles for DMs? Some ofyour own favorite articles? Be specific when youwrite. The more letters we get, the better thechances are that a new �Best of� will appear!

Eco-diskettes?Dear Dragon:

I am writing in response to the letter asking ifyou would put the magazine on diskettes in-stead of on paper [in issue #153]. Your responseto this question was typical. Sure, it may beeasier to continue to ship the magazine as it isnot so much because, as you put it, �you don�thave to plug in your computer to read eachissue,� but because the cost of doing it would bemore than you would be willing to spend. Thisis the attitude that makes the rain forest what itis today�that being depleted. For if you wouldstart putting the magazine on disk, this wouldhelp to save this planet we are on. It goes thatwe can�t go out and build another one. And justthink of how many trees would be saved ifother magazines would do the same. I know ifwe recycled, this too would help. But what I amsaying is that the less paper we use in the firstplace, the better. I sure would like to go to atotally paperless workplace.

Ronnie CookColumbus GA

I noticed that you sent your letter to me onpaper, which indicates that you haven�t fullythought out the implications of what you aresaying. Briefly, paper is a more durable mediumthan the computer diskette; magnetic fields andcomputer crashes will not harm your reading

enjoyment of a paper magazine, which can beshared with the public at large. We haven�tinvestigated the cost involved in producing adiskette magazine simply because we have nointerest in limiting our audience to those whouse computers. For which computer systemsshould we program those diskettes? And howcould advertisers (who do help pay our bills) usethe diskette for advertising? I, too, would like togo to a paperless workplace, but paper is easilymade, easily used, and easily disposed of�and,unlike a computer diskette, paper is biodegrad-able. Finally, you must know that in order toproduce the massive amounts of power re-quired to construct and operate computersystems (among other modern appliances), youmust have power companies and all the ecologi-cal problems that go with them, not to mentionthe production processes involved in makingboth computers and their little diskettes. Youcan plant trees to make more paper You cannotplant petroleum or ores to make more diskettes.

I completely missed your connection betweenthe rain forests (which are being destroyed toprovide farmland) and producing the magazineon diskette, or how this would save the planet,but what the heck. Your enthusiasm for ecologyis good, but a little more research would help.

How do umberhulks smell?*

Dear Dragon:I was just rereading �The Ecology of the

Umber Hulk,� by Tony Jones in issue #152. Thearticle was very good and quite informative, butI noticed something that I believe may havebeen a mistake. Early in the article, Mr. Jonesstates that the �creature lacks a nose butbreathes through gill-like structures on itsalmost nonexistent neck.� However, later in thearticle, he claims that like �most undergroundcreatures, umber hulks have more highly devel-oped senses of smell . . . than eyesight.� How isthis possible? And if they do have some way of�smelling,� what is the range of this sense?

Niv GoldbergLexington VA

Hmm. We hadn�t thought about that while wewere editing the article, but there is really noreason why a creature could not have olfactoryreceptors around its gill openings. The range ofany olfactory sense, however, is your immediatearea. If you can smell chlorine gas, for example,you�re standing in it. The source of an odor youdetect can be at any range so long as the odor ispotent enough to be detected or your nose issensitive enough to find it. Wind velocity, yourhealth, and the presence of other odors willaffect your ability to detect odors as well.

* They smell terrible! (an old gnomish joke)

DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is publishedmonthly by TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 756 (201 SheridanSprings Road), Lake Geneva WI 53147, United States ofAmerica. The postal address for all materials from theUnited States and Canada except subscription orders is:DRAGON Magazine, P.O. Box 111 (201 Sheridan SpringsRoad), Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.; telephone: (414)248-3625. The postal address for all materials fromEurope is: DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd, 120 ChurchEnd, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LD, UnitedKingdom; telephone: (0223) 212517 (U.K.), 44-223-212517 (international); telex: 818761; fax: (0223) 248066(U.K.), 44-223-248066 (international).

Distribution: DRAGON Magazine is available fromgame and hobby shops throughout the United States,Canada, the United Kingdom, and through a limitednumber of other overseas outlets. Distribution to the booktrade in the United States is by Random House, Inc., andin Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd. Sendorders to: Random House, Inc., Order Entry Department,Westminster MD 21157, U.S.A.; telephone: (800) 638-6460 toll-free except Alaska (call (800) 492-0782 toll-freein Maryland). Newsstand distribution throughout theUnited Kingdom is by Seymour Press Ltd., 334 BrixtonRoad, London SW9 7AG, United Kingdom; telephone:01-733-4444.

Subscriptions: Subscription rates via second-classmail are as follows: $30 in US. funds for 12 issues sentto an address in the U.S. or Canada; £16 for 12 issuessent to an address within the United Kingdom; £24 for 12issues sent to an address in Europe; $50 in U.S. fundsfor 12 issues sent by surface mail to any other address;or $90 in U.S. funds for 12 issues sent airmail to anyother address. Payment in full must accompany allsubscription orders. In the U.S. and Canada, methods ofpayment include checks or money orders made payableto TSR, Inc., or charges to valid MasterCard or VISAcredit cards: send subscription orders with payments to:TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 72089, Chicago IL 60678, U.S.A. Inthe United Kingdom, methods of payment includecheques and money orders made payable to TSR Ltd, orcharges to a valid ACCESS or VISA credit card; sendsubscription orders with payments to TSR Ltd, as per thataddress above. Prices are subject to change without priornotice. The issue of expiration of each subscription isprinted on the mailing label of each subscriber’s copy ofthe magazine. Changes of address for the delivery ofsubscription copies must be received at least six weeksprior to the effective date of the change in order to assureuninterrupted delivery.

Back issues: A limited quantity of back issues isavailable from either the TSR Mail Order Hobby Shop(P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.) or fromTSR Ltd. For a free copy of the current catalog that listsavailable back issues, write to either of the aboveaddresses.

Submissions: All material published in DRAGONMagazine becomes the exclusive property of the pub-lisher unless special arrangements to the contrary aremade prior to publication. DRAGON Magazine welcomesunsolicited submissions of written material and artwork;however, no responsibility for such submissions can beassumed by the publisher in any event. Any submissionaccompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope ofsufficient size will be returned if it cannot be published.We strongly recommend that prospective authors writefor our writers’ guidelines before sending an article to us.In the United States and Canada, send a self-addressed,stamped envelope (9½” long preferred) to: Writers‘Guidelines, c/o DRAGON Magazine, as per the aboveaddress; include sufficient American postage or Interna-tional Reply Coupons with the return envelope. InEurope, write to: Writers’ Guidelines, c/o DRAGONMagazine, TSR Ltd; include sufficient return postage orIRCs with your SASE.

Advertising: For information on placing advertise-ments in DRAGON Magazine, ask for our rate card. Inthe United States and Canada, contact: AdvertisingCoordinator, TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 756, 201 SheridanSprings Road, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. In Europe,contact: Advertising Coordinators, TSR Ltd.

DRAGON is a registered trademark of TSR, Inc.Registration applied for in the United Kingdom. All rightsto the contents of this publication are reserved, andnothing may be reproduced from it in whole or in partwithout first obtaining permission in writing from thepublisher.

® designates registered trademarks owned by TSR,Inc. ™ designates trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Mostother product names are trademarks owned by thecompanies publishing those products. Use of the name ofany product without mention of trademark status shouldnot be construed as a challenge to such status.

©1990 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.Second-class postage paid at Lake Geneva, Wis.,

U.S.A.. and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Sendaddress changes to DRAGON Magazine, TSR, Inc., P.O.Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. USPS 318-790,ISSN 0279-6848.

DRAGON 5

�Forum� welcomes your comments and opinionson role-playing games. In the United States andCanada, write to: Forum, DRAGON® Magazine,PO. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. InEurope, write to: Forum, DRAGON Magazine,TSR Ltd, 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton,Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom. We askthat material submitted to �Forum� be eitherneatly written by hand or typed with a freshribbon and clean keys so we can read andunderstand your comments.

I confess I�m completely baffled by MichaelGriffith�s letter in issue #154. I can�t see any-thing at all evil about the tactic he describes. Infootball, it�s known as �looking off� your receiv-ers: A quarterback will look at one receiver,hoping the defensive backs will read his eyesand not worry so much about the other receiv-ers; then the quarterback suddenly turns andthrows to someone else. Joe Montana gave anexcellent demonstration of the tactic in thisyear�s Super Bowl. Are all great quarterbackswho do this necessarily evil? Another similarsituation is when a prisoner pretends to beasleep, hoping the guard bringing his supperwill get careless. What�s evil about that? Ifpeople who play good characters in Mr. Grif-fith�s game are forced to renounce all suchmisdirection tactics, they must be real push-overs in a fight.

Ralph SizerProvidence RI

I am writing in response to Eric Oppen�sarticle, �The Making of a Paladin,� in issue #154.I agreed with and enjoyed reading his views ofthe training and lives of paladins, except for oneparagraph. Personally, I cannot believe a lawful-good cleric would animate corpses in order tobetter instruct paladins or even clerics on thestrengths and weaknesses of such monsters,regardless of whose permission the cleric ob-tains. Wouldn�t it be better to take the studentson a field trip to a haunted house? At least thisway the cleric will not be looked upon withdisfavor from his deity for not letting those whohave passed away rest in peace. The third-levelcleric spell, animate dead, from the 1st EditionPlayers Handbook, states, �The act of animatingdead is not basically a good one, and it must beused with careful consideration and good rea-son by clerics of good alignment.� But the 2ndEdition Players Handbook clearly points out,�Casting this spell is not a good act, and only evilpriests use it frequently.� Let the students ad-venture. There�s no better way than to let themget �hands-on� experience in the real fantasyworld!

Brian SmarkerKansas City MO

I�m writing this letter in response to severalarticles in �The Art of Making War� section ofissue #154. The articles I wish to comment onare those by Dan Salas entitled �For King andCountry,� and by Thomas M. Kane entitled �Howto Win Wars and Influence People.�

Mr. Salas claimed to base his article on theRoman Army, but I am sure that no Romanwould have recognized it as such. For example,he says: �Marching troops travel in defensiveformations, usually in a column no more than

20 men wide . . .� Twenty men wide? Such acolumn would need a roadway 20 yards wide atthe minimum, and any attempt to make a turnwould be very difficult. If anyone has evermarched in a company front formation used bymodern armies for formal parades or haswatched marching bands will know just howhard it is to turn a wide column. Given thecondition of roads in a medieval society, acolumn front of two or three men is all that waspossible. The entire military art of movingtroops up until the invention of breach-loadingfirearms consisted of deploying from such acolumn to a line of battle as quickly as possible.Usually this was done by having the column doa right or left turn into line. Marching in stepmakes this much easier, of course, which is whythe Greeks learned to do this back before thebattle of Marathon (490 B.C.). No, Mr. Kane,Frederick the Great did not develop cadencestep. The Greeks, the Romans, the Persians, theMedieval Swiss, the Swedes, and the English(just to name a few) were all using cadence stepbefore Frederick the Great was born.

Another flaw in both articles is each author�sattempt to fix certain attitudes or formationswithout understanding the historical base. Forexample, Mr. Salas sets (using some Romanterms) the size of a squad at 10 men, a half-century at 50, and a century at 100. Now it istrue that the Latin word centuria, from which�century� comes, means 100; but in my dictio-nary it is defined, in its military usage, only as asubdivision of a legion. By the late republicanperiod of Rome, the century had become asubdivision of a maniple, which consisted of 120men. Given the way in which infantry armieshad to form for battle and the problems ofcontrolling troops on the march, a formation of60 men in a century makes more sense than oneof 50, because you can divide 60 by 4, 3, or 2,and still get an even number. This makes it easyto set up a march column with a front of eithertwo or three men and keep the entire unittogether either in column or line. I should notethat the Romans used an infantry block with afront of 10 men in six ranks. I should not be toohard on Mr. Salas in this respect. Almost everyarticle I have seen in DRAGON Magazine onmilitary organization overlooks the battle for-mations used by the troops and the reasons whythose formations were used, and thus missesthe reasons behind the formation of units abovesquad size. In armies fighting with hand-heldweapons, corporals commanded squads andwere part of the rank and file; their numbershould, when divided by four, come out with aneven number. This arrangement simplifies thedeployment from column into line as an armymoves into battle. Any other system of forma-tion leaves the commander with the problem ofwhat to do with unit remainders while main-taining tactical cohesion.

There are also attitudes in the articles by Mr.Salas and Mr. Kane I have to comment on. Ithink Mr. Salas should have read Julius Caesar�sGallic War before he said that �the recruits areput through several weeks of basic training.� Inhis book, Caesar at one point remarks of certainsoldiers, while discussing a battle, �they beingrecruits of less than five years� training, I leftthem to guard the baggage.� It takes a long, longtime to train soldiers. When I was in the U.S.

service, basic infantry training took 16 weeksand was followed by some sort of advancedtraining lasting from 8 to 24 weeks more beforethe soldier was considered ready for duty in atactical unit. As recently as the start of thiscentury, the U.S. Army figured it took about 9months to train a soldier. In the Civil War it tooktwo years to train men without prior experiencein horsemanship for cavalry service. This figuredid, however, include unit training.

I would also like to know where Mr. Salas gothis ideas about punishments and rewards. Atone point he talks about dragging as inflicting1-4 hp damage per hour. As for rewards, medalswere not given to officers until the 19th cen-tury, and enlisted men didn�t start getting themuntil the 20th century. With respect to looting, itwas the prerogative of the soldier in Europeanarmies, and was often considered a basic part ofhis pay until after the time of Gustavus II (1594-1632); it continued in the form of prize moneyin the U.S. Naval services until 1898.

Mr. Kane is long on theory but in error onsome facts. He says: �a king�s noble vassalswould never . . . dishonor themselves by fight-ing on foot.� I suggest that Mr. Kane needs toadd Henry Dwight Sedgwick�s The Black Prince,a biography of Edward, Prince of Wales, to hisbibliography. The French knights had troublefighting on foot at times, but this certainly didnot apply to the English. Also, in speaking aboutinfantry, he overlooked the talents in this kindof warfare displayed by the Swiss, the Scots, theWelsh, the Germans, and the Spanish during themedieval period. Another book to read is B. H.Liddell Hart�s Strategy.

James S. WatsonMadison WI

I would like to add to the bibliography ofThomas Kane�s �All in the Family� (issue #153),especially as some of these works are easier tolocate than those referenced in the article�ittook a specialist in used books six months tolocate a copy of Shield and Crest, whereas mostof the books in the list that follows were ob-tained via Barnes & Noble or similar clearancecatalogs during the past few years.

Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles. A Complete Guideto Heraldry London: Orbis Publishing Lim-ited, 1985 (original copyright 1909).

Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles. The Art ofHeraldry London: Bloomsbury Books, 1986(original copyright 1904).

Friar, Stephen. A Dictionary of Heraldry. NewYork: Harmony Books (a division of CrownPublishers, Inc.), 1987.

von Volborth, Carl-Alexander. The Art of Her-aldry Poole, Dorset, England: BlandfordPress, 1987.

Woodcock, Thomas, and John Martin Robinson.The Oxford Guide to Heraldry. Oxford:Oxford University Press, 1988.

Either of Fox-Davies�s works would serve as areference to the art. The �revision� of the Com-plete Guide consists of footnotes pointing outerrors or differences from current practice. TheDictionary, while quite complete, is not suitable asa text. The Art of Heraldry (von Volborth�s) and theOxford Guide offer historical perspectives on the

Continued on page 28

6 JUNE 1990

The Game WizardsAngry Mothers, part 2: Revenge of the readers

by James M. Ward

From the American Heritage Dictionary,we have the following:

flood v. 1. To cover or submergewith ...; inundate. 2. To fill with an abun-dance or an excess.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I don�tknow if you can call 91 + letters a flood,but I think the definition fits in this case.These letters all came in response to �TheGame Wizards� column on angry mothersin DRAGON® issue #154 (and they are stillcoming in at the rate of four letters a day).Before I get into the meat of this column, Iwould like to share a few of the commentsmade by DRAGON Magazine readers.

A. Van Valin writes, �When I have chil-dren and they are old enough, I�ll startthem on AD&D [games]. I hope it will be arich experience for them, unfettered bythe visions of somebody else�s mother.�

Jim Laubacker writes, �[Could TSR pub-lish] an �Outer Planes� Monstrous Compen-dium, including demons and devils? . . . [orinvent] new other-plane monsters withdesigns on the Prime Material? . . . Don�tcall them demons and devils, and don�tmake them sound like demons and devils.�

Paul Astle writes, �I cannot help but feelthat there is a degree of loyalty thatshould be shown to the players of thegame who have stood by TSR and, onoccasion, have had to face down, in a veryliteral way, these same demon-bashing,evangelistic, close-minded boors. . . .�

David E. Cates writes, �In bending overbackwards to the wishes of people whoknow nothing about the game, [Jim Ward]showed a total lack of consideration to thecustomer. Another triumph for a small butrabid minority group.�

John McCash writes, �You might as wellhave reduced the entire column to threewords: �We Cave In!!!� There, that feelsmuch better.�

William A. Nolan writes, �By the way, Iwould not have objected if you had said,�We did not put demons and devils into the2nd Edition [Monstrous Compendium]because we find them to be objectionable.�That isn�t censorship. It only becomescensorship when an outside group dictatesto you (successfully, in this case) what youshould print.�

Maurice Stratton writes, �Never in my lifehas any of my friends brought his mommywith him to check a module to see if anydemons or devils were mentioned.�

Jim O�Brien writes, �It is not that we, thegamers, cannot pick and choose what bits

8 JUNE 1990

Artwork by David Trampier

of the first edition we still like and incor-porate them into our second-edition game.It is not that we even have to use thesecond edition. It is (pardon the cliché) theprinciple�

Lastly, I received a wonderful statementfrom the following people: E. R. Buzzard,B.A.; J. G. Harrison, M.D.; D. Lindsay, U.S.Army; B. M. Muncher, U.S. Navy; J. B.White, Ph.D. (almost); and A. M. Velotas,B.A.: �[Jim Ward] notes the transition from�hack and slash to �save the princess� ad-ventures. The addition of demons anddevils provides an excellent backdrop tosave not just a princess, but a world.�

So, where does that leave us? It leavesme very impressed with DRAGON Maga-zine�s readers. All of the letters were verywell written and to the point. About 95%of them covered the same topic, the cen-soring of demons and devils in the game.Many of these letters offered the samesolution to this situation�a plan that TSRhas already put into effect. In January1991, TSR will print an interplaner Mon-strous Compendium. It will be a binderwith 96 pages of interplaner beings withunusual powers, most of those creaturesbeing evil or chaotic in nature. I am fairlysure that they will solve the problem thatalmost all of the letter writers have takenthe time to address.

The bottom line on the topic of �angrymothers� is that TSR can uphold the con-cepts of goodness winning over evil andthe cause of right versus might, just aslong as we don�t take the fun and interestout of the game. And we won�t.

Since I am on the topic of things in thefuture, I thought I would name a fewproducts that TSR would come out with in1991. Doug Niles has written a wonderfulseries of FORGOTTEN REALMS� books setin an Aztec world, and we are going to lethim write a Maztica boxed rules set. JeffGrubb, the lead designer of the SPELL-JAMMER� game series, will be creatinganother boxed set for that campaignworld. Bruce Nesmith, the lead designer ofthe RAVENLOFT� series, will help create aseries of products including a RAVENLOFTMonstrous Compendium filled with crea-tures that do more than go bump in thenight. Steve Winter is going to redevelopthe psionics rules for the AD&D 2nd Edi-tion game and help create The CompletePsionics Handbook. TSR is also coming outwith an entirely new AD&D campaignworld, but I don�t want to deal with thatjust yet except to say that I am very im-pressed with the concept.

The D&D® game will soon have its newHollow Earth campaign set, and work willbe started on several other importantD&D rules sets. The BUCK ROGERS®XXVc� game will have several fascinatingnew products, including a hardboundbook, novels, and more information on theinner worlds of the solar system. TheMARVEL SUPER HEROES� game will get afacelift and have its Basic Set redone. Inthe SPI� line, TSR will print a Pacific Warboard game. The book department willput out its usual number of fine selectionsin the FORGOTTEN REALMS andDRAGONLANCE® saga areas; there willalso be SPELLJAMMER� novels for thefirst time.

The year 1991 promises to be an excit-ing and entertaining one for the designersand editors of TSR as well as the playersof TSR�s role-playing games. As time goeson, I will give you more detail on theschedule, but this gives you a taste of whatTSR is putting together.

BUCK ROGERS and XXVc are trademarks used underlicense from The Dille Family Trust. ©1990 The Dille FamilyTrust. All Rights Reserved.

MARVEL SUPER HEROES is a trademark of the MarvelEntertainment Group, Inc. All Marvel characters, names, andthe distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of theMarvel Entertainment Group, Inc. ©1990 Marvel Entertain-ment Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

10 JUNE 1990

D&D® game dragons have their own rulers, too

by George Ziets

From the very start of a player�s D&D®game experience, his ultimate foe is thedragon. Dragons have the greatest num-ber of hit points, the most powerful com-bat abilities, and most important, thebiggest treasure hoards.

Then there comes a time, as charactersreach 20th level or so, when whomping a160-hp huge red dragon in just five com-bat rounds isn�t what it used to be. So theheroes go on to the next best thing: thedragon rulers. Using whatever methodsare available to them, characters travel tothe home plane of a dragon ruler andchallenge it. Of course, they find them-selves hopelessly outclassed. But no mat-ter, think the players. Some of the heroesare bound to escape, and escape they do,especially since players like to take out theLawful ruler, Diamond the Star Dragon,first. Not only is it the most powerful, itdoesn�t send 4,000 red dragons in pursuitof the fleeing party.

So the characters rest, recover, go onsome more adventures, and maybe eventake a side trip to the home of their favor-ite Immortal, who gets them started on aquest for Immortality. But inevitably, thegreedy players look back toward their oldnemesis, the dragon ruler. For if there isone creature less forgetful than the ele-phant, it is the D&D game player.

The characters will find some craftyway of luring the dragon ruler out of itshome plane to an ambush point where asmall army of compatriots await, alongwith several hundred magical items andwhatever else the party can get its handson. Needless to say, the dragon ruler willgive them quite a fight anyway, and if thecharacters win, they will be a whole lotpoorer (and angrier, when they discoverthat dragon rulers do not carry theirtreasure hoards with them when theytravel).

The question remains: Why do playerseven bother to go through with this? Prob-ably it is because they see something morepowerful than themselves and so have thatirrepressible urge to destroy it. And whatdoes it accomplish? Nothing, other than toturn these interesting creatures into listsof statistics. But what if you told thosesame players that the dragon rulers couldbe allies as well as enemies?

�What?!� they would probably exclaim.�Dragons as allies? I�d sooner play strippoker with a kobold!� In doing so, they are

falling right into the ancient trap that role-players always fall for. They have lost theold thrill of role-playing and only wanttreasure and experience out of adventures.

So how can these dragon rulers, theultimate challenges but also excellent role-playing opportunities for players and DMs,be revived? First, something more must beknown about these noble beasts and theirhome planes, known as the DraconianCluster. The statistics for the dragonrulers are given in the Master DM’s Book,pages 28-29, and in the DM’s Guide toImmortals, page 39. The Draconian Clus-ter is detailed herein.

The Draconian ClusterThe home planes of the Dragons are

part of the Outer Planes. They are four-dimensional Standard Planes. All haveguardians near their edges so as to keepout all nondragons. However, each is verydifferent from the others.

Pearl: The Moon Dragon�s plane is anightmarish place�twisted, black, andevil, with no specific form. Gray towersrise up from the tops of craggy ebonymountains or lie in cold dark seas. Thereis no individualism, and a dragon spirit�sdesire to sacrifice itself for its leader isgreater than ever here. Of all the rulers,Pearl could be termed the most evil,though even it yields to the Great One.

As the weakest of the dragon rulers, theMoon Dragon finds it necessary to sur-round itself with inhospitable conditions,ever suspicious�as is its nature�of theother dragon rulers. Characters on thisChaotic plane find their worst nightmaresconfronting them, for the plane feeds offof the minds of those who enter it. Awarrior who lacks a magical weapon willfind himself challenged by some beast thatcan be harmed by only such a weapon. Agroup whose cleric has died will be at-tacked by swarms of undead. The planepreys on party members� fears and acts onthose fears. Many a brave adventurer hasbeen reduced to a blubbering madman bythe horrors encountered here. Only drag-ons are immune to these effects. Specificsof such encounters are left up to the DM,but as a general rule the guardians con-jured up in the Moon Dragon�s planeshould not be impossible to defeat, asPearl prefers to personally challenge espe-cially formidable enemies (those able tosurvive the many perils of his plane). In

any event, it should be a significantlydifficult trek to the Moon Dragon�s lair.

The Moon Dragon lives in a huge blacktower at the center of the Plane. Pearlusually does not receive guests and isguarded by thousands of dragon spirits.The spirits of this plane are more likely toattack all nondragon or nondraeden visi-tors than those of any other plane.

Opal: It is never day or night on theplane of Opal, lord of the neutral dragons.This plane is a dark cave network stretch-ing through tunnel after tunnel, and onlythe Sun Dragon knows all the secret waysof this home. Here independence isstressed, but all dragons obey the mightywill of Opal.

In the cave networks of the Sun Drag-on�s home plane, characters quickly be-come lost unless they have a dragon guideor some magical means of finding theirway. Dragon spirits met will be on busi-ness of their own and will usually have nointerest in attacking or even speaking tointruders. The Sun Dragon passes the timein the center of this maze of caverns andtunnels, pondering mysteries and speakingwith subordinates about the ever-important Balance. Should charactersinterrupt Opal, there is a 50% chance hewill respond favorably to his visitors (butif he doesn�t . . .). Even if the Sun Dragonagrees to speak with adventurers, there isno guarantee he will help them or speak tothem again, for Opal has an extremelychangeable personality.

Diamond: In the vast palace of Dia-mond, the Star Dragon, pure order andgood hold sway, with every dragon spirithaving a job to do. There are alwaysguests in Diamonds shining palace, bethey powerful Immortals or Archons. TheStar Dragon itself sits on a huge throne ofplatinum and receives all visitors civilly,though Chaos is not tolerated and thosewho oppose Law are kindly, but forcefully,made to leave.

The Star Dragon�s plane is the mostwelcoming to visitors. Dragon spirits hereexist to serve the guests of Diamond.When characters arrive, they will inevita-bly be discovered by one of the manydragon spirit guards in the citadel andobserved to determine their dispositions.Should the visitors prove hostile, hundredsof Lawful dragon spirits descend on them,more to drive them out than to kill them.However, if trespassers do nothing to

DRAGON 11

arouse suspicion, the spirits greet themand provide an escort to the throne roomof Diamond, where they are asked theirbusiness. Though the Star Dragon rarelygrants requests personally, he is glad tosend a servant to aid in the forwarding ofa Lawful cause, should it prove to besignificant. Outside the palace are vastgolden fields where other dragon spiritslive when they are awaiting their turns toserve Diamond in his palace.

The Great Dragon: None dare opposethe Great One in its seemingly infinitehome, a boundless waste that can formitself into any arrangement according tothe whims of its ruler. The Great Dragon�sservants are the most noble of all dragons,the mightiest and the most feared. It is anunparalleled honor to be called to servethis being. None may enter this planewithout the Great One�s bidding, and nonemay find the Great One unless it wishes tobe found.

It is nearly impossible to gain access tothe home plane of the Great Dragon. Un-like most Outer Planes, entrance into it isonly possible through one of the otherthree planes of the Draconian Cluster. Ofcourse, the Great One itself may enter itsrealm wherever and whenever it wishes.The plane is a strange gray land, withrelatively few encounters with dragonspirits. Those that are met are the mostpowerful of their kind, however, and theyattack those who are not expected by theGreat Dragon. Draedens (DM’s Guide toImmortals, pages 38-39) may also be en-countered here, coming or going fromaudiences with the Great One. Such anaudience for a mortal creature is a greathonor, given only to the most powerfuladventurers. The description given of theGreat One by those who have seen it var-ies greatly. It seems that it can change itsappearance at will, becoming any type ofdragon as well as a human, demihuman,or any other creature.

The Cluster: The Draconian Cluster isarranged so that the three lesser planessurround the Great One�s home plane,making it inaccessible from the AstralPlane. In order to reach the Great Drag-on�s plane, one must simply continue totravel in one specific direction throughone of the lesser planes until the landscapeinevitably changes into dull waste. This isdifficult to do from the Sun Dragon�s planeof evertwisting tunnels, but on Pearl�s orDiamonds planes it is marginally easier.There is no set border between the lesserplanes and the greater one.

Magic (both clerical and magic-user)functions strangely in the Draconian Clus-ter. On the lesser planes, magic of the firstlevel does not function at all, probablybecause these planes are so ancient thatthey repel such weak enchantments. Thesame is true for second- and third-levelclerical spells and second-, third-, andfourth-level magic-user spells on the GreatOne�s plane. Also, any magic that changesthe nature of an area, such as earthquake

12 JUNE 1990

or summon weather simply will not workin the Cluster, as the enchantments thatcreated these planes are too powerful tobe so altered.

All of the dragon rulers have treasure,of course. These vast hoards of gold andmagical items are kept in extremely safelocations, guarded almost as carefully asthe rulers themselves by traps and dragonspirits. Should greedy adventurers some-how steal this treasure, they will findthemselves pursued to the ends of theMultiverse, especially if the treasure wasstolen from the covetous Moon Dragon.

But even dragons dieIn their might and glory, even the

mighty dragon rulers sometimes fall victimto some party of adventurers or Immor-tals. In such a rare occasion, some sageshave compiled what they know to form atheory about what the dragons do whentheir leaders die. Of course, much of thistheory is based on speculation, but someare beginning to believe that the rulers arenot offspring of the Great One, but wereonce average dragons themselves!

From what has been seen and heardfollowing the alleged death of the SunDragon several centuries ago, it is saidthat thousands of neutral dragons foughtin the presence of the Great One for Opal�sposition. Supposedly these battles lastedfor an entire year, but they were subduingbattles, so that no candidate was killed. Itis true that the sightings of neutral drag-ons were decreased that year, but thiscould well be luck or coincidence. Afterthis time, sages believe a new Sun Dragonwas chosen, though nothing is knownabout how the winner of the contests wasgiven the power of his predecessor.

A similar circumstance was recorded inancient scrolls of nearly 2,000 years ago.This time, however, it was the Moon Drag-on�s position that was fought for. Thescrolls say that the former Moon Dragonhad not died, but had lost favor with theGreat One or had somehow forfeited itsposition, which seems to suggest that theGreat One has something to do with thevesting of power in prospective dragonrulers.

In an even more unclear story, handeddown for centuries by certain Alphatiansages and hinted at in the writings of thedracologists of Glantri, the Great Dragonhimself was killed in some sort of disputewith Immortals of Entropy. It is said thatthe three dragon rulers competed for theGreat One�s position during this time.While there was no Great Dragon, therewas no order on the planes of the drag-ons; open war raged across the DraconianCluster for a century, with the only rulebeing that the survivor would win. In theend, no one knows which of the dragonsactually became the new Great One, butsome of the most ancient Immortals saythat there was a ceremony near the Di-mensional Vortex for the winner. In thislittle-known meeting, draedens were also

said to have attended. However, even theImmortals know nothing more of thisceremony, except that the Great Dragonnever showed any alignment tendenciesafter coming to power, so that whatevergoes on during the ceremony must some-how affect the dragon ruler�s mind.

Campaign involvementEntire campaigns may be created using

the information given here. It is up to theindividual DM to flesh out the specifics ofeach dragon ruler�s culture and personal-ity, as well as its plans and goals (and howthe characters fit in).

The best way to get a group of playersinterested in a campaign is to involve themin a large-scale struggle from the game�sbeginning. A 1st-level party may stumbleinto a dragon ruler�s plans in their firstadventure, unwittingly committing them-selves to an action-filled campaign inwhich they could easily remain embroileduntil they reach Immortality.

The dragon rulers themselves rarely goforth from their planes, as it is generallyagainst their code of ethics. The MoonDragon is the most likely ruler to involveitself in world affairs. But the rulers mayleave their planes on occasion, sometimesto seek help from powerful characters orImmortals against some enemy to dragon-kind. Conflict is not permitted againstanother dragon ruler, for the Great Oneprohibits open fighting among them (un-less, of course, the Great One dies). TheGreat Dragon himself has never beenknown to leave his plane or seek helpfrom any being, but depending on thenature of the threat, this could change.

The dragon rulers are especially inter-ested in extraordinarily powerful charac-ters. Those seeking Immortality for the first (or second) time may find the atten-tion of powerful beings focused on them.The rulers may have any reason for this,but the most likely one is that since drag-ons existed at the beginning of the Multi-verse, they are curious about what the�great experiment� will yield. Curiosity is,after all, at the heart of dragons� natures.

Adventurers may also stumble upon a secret ceremony conducted by a dragonruler. Should the adventurers be so indis-crete and also be discovered, you can beassured that some dragons will not restuntil the characters are silenced. As forwhat a curious party may discover, theinventive DM could think of any numberof secrets that dragons believe sacred (andfar too important, in the dragons� eyes, forinsignificant humans to know about). Forexample, perhaps the power that thedragons receive when they are elevated toruler status comes not from the Great Onebut from the magic and wealth that thedragon itself has accumulated over theyears (hence the dragons� desire for trea-sure). If the dragons sprang from theoriginal matter of the Multiverse, theymight gain power from earthly materialssuch as gold and gems. Such information,

14 JUNE 1990

leaked out to a party of loud and boister-ous humans, could be disastrous, to themysterious and awe-inspiring image thatdragons project. Everyone knows thatdragons keep treasure, but to think thatsuch treasure could make one a god isanother matter entirely. It would spell theend to any kind of privacy dragons mightenjoy, as anyone who could pick up asword races off to slay the mighty beastsand get a share of the dragons� hard-earned wealth, ignorantly hoping forgodhood.

Draedens, too, may appear in campaignsinvolving dragons. Draedens, the ancientkin of the dragons, appeared at the sametime as dragons (and probably from thesame source). Their constant ties with thedragons have bewildered sages for centu-ries. If indeed these stories of the originsof the dragon rulers are true, where dothe draedens fit in? Are they, as some wisemen suspect, the descendants of the be-ings that created the entire Multiverse?Perhaps the dracologists of Glantri arecloser to the truth with their theory thatthe draedens, having been created alongwith dragons and having changed verylittle if at all since then, are the eyes andears of their creators, observing the prog-ress and development of the dragons. Ifthis is true, it would seem to indicate thatthe focus of the creators� �great experi-ment� concerns not only humans anddemihumans, but dragons as well!

Characters may work for or againstdragons in any campaign, but working fordragons may prove to be the most profit-able and longest-lived system. Dragons, asthe infamous hoarders of treasure, couldoffer rewards greater than any king�andwould offer it without fighting the party,too! Of course, the characters must under-take dangerous missions of the dragon�schoosing to gain such riches. Missionhooks involving dragons are present inmany of the Gazetteers, such as GAZ3 ThePrincipalities of Glantri (see the notes onPrince Jagger on page 24, the school ofdracology on page 71, and the adventure�Apocalypse Then� on pages 88-89).

Dragon rulers should not be statistics.They should be vibrant parts of a challeng-ing D&D game campaign for characters ofevery level.

Dragon Spirit

Armor Class: -2 or as original formHit Dice: 10* *Move: 100’ (40’)

Flying: 260’ (100’)Attacks: 2 claws and 1 biteDamage: See textNo. Appearing: 1-4Save As: Fighter 10Morale: 12Treasure Type: NilAlignment: As per plane of residenceXP Value: 2,500

Dragon spirits are the souls of deaddragons that have gone to the DraconianCluster after their demise. They are themost common inhabitants of the planes ofthe dragons and serve their rulers faith-fully. Once every 10,000 years, they arereincarnated into dragon form on one ofthe Inner or Outer Planes. Usually, thisreincarnation will be into the same formthey once used (a white dragon will re-main a white dragon). However, if a lesserdragon was especially prominent in itspast life, it may be elevated to a mightierform of the same alignment (blue to jade,gold to ruby, etc.).

Like most Outer Planar creatures,dragon spirits can be killed permanentlyonly if they are killed on their appropriatehome plane. If they are killed outside theDraconian Cluster, they reform on theirrespective planes in one to four weeks.These spirits are fanatically loyal to theirrulers and never surrender in the serviceof those rulers.

Dragon spirits are not truly undead andso cannot be turned by clerics. However,like undead, they are immune to sleep,charm, and other mind-affecting spells.

These beings have transparent, incor-poreal forms that can be harmed by onlymagical weapons or spells. However, onceevery 20 hours while on the Outer Planes,a dragon spirit can assume its originalmortal form for one turn (see the DM’sGuide to Immortals, page 39). At othertimes, a dragon spirit may attack using itsclaws and bite, draining 1-4 strengthpoints for each hit. When a character�sstrength reaches zero, he dies without anytransformation to undead status. In theirghostly forms, dragon spirits all have thesame breath weapon ability: an 80� X 40�cone of a hazy material that has the effectof a fear spell on all those in range.Dragon spirits cannot be subdued, as theyconsider their duty to their ruler moreimportant than personal honor.

After death, dragon spirits retain theirintelligence, but their memories of pre-vious lives tend to be hazy . . . hazy, thatis, until those memories are jarred back tolife by the arrival of beings known in theirpast, such as the group of adventurersthat killed them! A dragon spirit may bequite surprised to see its former enemies,but it holds no grudges for past misdeeds.Indeed, a dragon that was friendly withthe characters may offer them extra infor-mation or aid. Dragon spirits are able tospeak in any tongue, a power grantedthem by their rulers as necessary. Becauseof their loss of memory after death, spellsthey knew in life are not available to them,so dragon spirits cannot cast spells unless specifically enabled by their ruler. TheGreat One often gives his personal body-guards major, spell-casting powers, but theother rulers do not do so unless absolutelynecessary, for doing so drains their magi-cal energies.

The VoyageContinued from page 44

centuries of fruitless wars, a great shamanrose from the ogrish ranks. Utaba theShaman claimed Immortals had spoken tohim and had given him the Altar of theStars�a powerful relic that was to be thesalvation of the holy land. According tothe Immortals� directives, he made theprophecy that Nunjarese and Hatwa mustone day all become blood kindred on theAltar of the Stars. Though his philosophywas quite unpopular, Utaba went onpreaching for peace. A shower of Hatwaarrows and Nunjarese boulders eventuallyended Utaba�s bright but ever-so-briefvocation.

Soon thereafter, pestilence and, deathswept the hallowed land. Losses becameso horrendous that it was painfully obvi-ous both races were doomed. Finally, anelven hero reminded his people of theshaman�s fateful prediction, and in totaldesperation all attempted to follow Utaba�sprecepts. Each elf and each ogre made acut on his or her hand, mixing their bloodtogether on the holy altar. So was theblood alliance of Nunjar and Hatwa for-ever sealed. Racial intermarriage wasenforced, and generations later, Nunjareseand Hatwa were no more. Their children,the N�djatwa, flourished and eventuallyreached the Green Bay. The Altar of theStars remained at the site at which theraces merged, sheltered by an impressivetemple at the center of the N�djatwa capi-tal of M�banyika.

The N�djatwa race is similar to othersused in the D&D game. To be a N�djatwa,one needs a Strength and Intelligence of12 minimum. Hit points are rolled oneight-sided hit dice, according to the N�d-jatwa Experience Advancement table,

N�djatwa save as elves of the same level(young and teens save as El). They haveinfravision and the ability to detect secretpassages. They are not, however, immuneto ghoul paralysis, nor can they climbtrees. N�djatwa are Neutral or Chaotic, andthey can cast magic-user spells. Neutralindividuals with a Wisdom of 13 or morecan cast druidic spells in lieu of magic-userspells (no clerical spells beyond the firstlevel are allowed for these druids); thisdecision is irreversible and must be takenwhen the character is created. Typicaladult statistics are as follows: AC 5; HD 3*;MV 120�(40�); #AT 1 fist or weapon; Dmg1d6 per fist or by weapon; #AP 1d12 (any);Save E3: ML 10; AL N or C; XP 115.

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Would you rather fight a dragonor chat with it? Good choice!A dragon should be as powerful and

fascinating as a high-level character, andmore intriguing than any other monster ofthe Prime Material plane. Each dragon hasits own particular interests, and the pres-ence of a dragon has a dramatic impactfor good or ill on a region�s defense, econ-omy, and politics. In a well-run AD&D®campaign, no dragon is just a fightingmachine, but all dragons should bedangerous.

When a dragon appears, many adventur-ers see their only choices as being be-tween fighting it or running from it. But indistant Kara-Tur, a shukenja named Li POworked to develop a new alternative. Apacifist who emphasized the value ofcommunication as a means of preventingor resolving conflict, Li PO carefully intro-duced a holy spell to allow dragons andhumankind to understand one anotherunder all circumstances�even if the drag-ons being conversed with do not normallyspeak. Furthermore, the spell would benegated if it were used as a means tostrike at the dragon with which one istalking. When used properly, this spellshould introduce a new light on role-playing.

Speak With Dragonkind (Alteration)Level: 6 (priest) Comp.: V,SRange: 0 CT: 7Duration: 1 turn/lvl. ST: NoneArea of effect: All within 30� of the casterExplanation/Description: When thisspell is cast, the shukenja (or sohei orcleric) is given a special aura that can bedetected and read by only a dragon ordragonlike creature such as a chimera,pseudo-dragon, firedrake, dragonne, Ori-ental dragon, etc. The aura allows thedragon to determine that the caster is nothostile and is interested only in conversa-tion. Any number of dragons may viewthe caster, and the chance that any suffi-ciently motivated dragon will feel impelledto attack the caster while the spell is ineffect is only 2% per hit die of the dragon.Even if this check is passed, the dragonwill have no wish to attack the spell-casterif no real reason for such an attack exists.

In all other cases, the dragon may decideto speak for one of two reasons. First, thedragon might genuinely desire conversa-tion. Second, any dragon who slays a spell-caster while this spell is in effect willbecome known to the deity of the spell-caster; that deity will always make a pointafterward of arranging for vengeance to

be dispensed byvarious adventurers,though the success of these attempts mustbe played out or determined randomly bythe DM. The knowledge of this vengeanceis made known to the dragon upon sight-ing the spell-caster while this spell is ineffect, and few dragons are willing to riska gods displeasure. The worst that adragon will do to the spell-caster in mostcases is merely ignore him or makevaguely threatening gestures.

The shukenja, too, is bound by certainconsiderations. This spell will not begranted to a someone who secretly plansto harm any dragon being addressed bythis spell. If the spell-caster or one of hiscompanions within the area of effectshows hostile intent toward a dragonwhile this spell is in effect, the spell iscancelled immediately and the dragon towhom the characters are speaking will (ifit chooses to attack) gain a +2 bonus onall to-hit and damage rolls in combat withthose characters. The dragon will gaininitiative on its first attack even if thecharacters make the first moves, as thespell invokes a curse that gives the dragonthe upper hand for the first round ofmelee. The phrase �hostile intent� includesany action that would harm or immobilizethe dragon, as well as any attempt to spyon the dragon�s lair prior to an attack ortheft. Wise spell-casters will avoid enteringa dragon�s lair, as the temptation of seeingthe dragon�s treasure hoard might movethe caster to contemplate a �hostile�action�and thus invite doom.

Since this spell is actually cast uponcharacters, no saving throw or magic-resistance check is necessary for dragonsviewing them. The dragon operates underits own free will and may decide to attackthe characters once the spell�s durationexpires. Dragons that speak with charac-ters using this spell are not obliged to betruthful or helpful, nor are they compelledto reveal their secrets. However, even evildragons are more inclined to bend orshade the truth rather than to lie, as thismay prove to be far more effective a tacticin certain situations (e.g., if asked forinformation on a nearby orc tribe, a reddragon might disguise the fact that theorcs give him treasure and sacrifices, andmight offer misleading information as toits location and the composition of itsforces). Divination spells can be used inconjunction with this spell to strengthenone�s bargaining position.

DRAGON 19

Two almost-but-not-quite dragons

Gorynychby Spike Y. Jones

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Temperature mountains,any subterranean area

FREQUENCY: Very rareORGANIZATION: SolitaryACTIVITY CYCLE: AnyDIET: CarnivorousINTELLIGENCE: AverageTREASURE: HALIGNMENT: Chaotic evilNO. APPEARING: 1ARMOR CLASS: 4MOVEMENT: 9, 18 fly (E)HIT DICE: 9THAC0: 11NO. OF ATTACKS: 5DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8/1-8/1-12/1-12/1-12SPECIAL ATTACKS: Tail capture,

“wishboning”SPECIAL DEFENSES: Difficult to surpriseMAGIC RESISTANCE: NilSIZE: G (50’ including tails)XP VALUE: 6,000

While it has all the hallmarks of dragon-kind, the gorynych is unlikely to ever bemistaken for a true dragon if seen in goodlight; it is more likely to be seen as adragon gone to extremes of evolution anddiversification. The gorynych has a longand supple body covered with tiny blue-green scales, and giant dragonlike wingswith scales so fine they almost make afeathered pattern on the leathery sur-faces. �Iwo other features differentiatethem from true dragons: They have threewolfish heads, each on its own serpentineneck, and a multitude of tails, starting asthree thick ones at the base of the spinebut eventually dividing out to as many as12 whip-thin tails.

Combat: Although gorynyches have nobreath weapon, they are fearsome fightersnonetheless. Whether in flight or on theground, their attack methods are thesame. Each first whips its flexible tails

about in an attempt to entangle its oppo-nents, each tail striking as a separate at-tack. Then it uses normal clawing andbiting attacks on the entrapped foes. Thetail strikes do no damage in themselves,but for every tail that holds a man-sizevictim (smaller creatures are usually ig-nored, as they would be so engulfed byeven a single tail that the gorynych couldnot bite them without fear of biting itself),the gorynych gets a cumulative + 1 to hiton all attacks made against that victim.Thus, if it wraps two tails around a fighterin the first round of combat, the gorynychcan claw and bite at + 2 to hit that round,and�if the fighter does not manage toeliminate or escape the two tails holdinghim�it can wrap more tails around him at+2 to hit in the next round. Each tailtakes 2-12 hp damage before being sev-ered, with none of these hit points beingcounted in the monster�s hit-point total;even if rendered tail-less, there is a goodchance that a gorynych will continue tofight if victory appears close. When firstcaught in one of these tail coils, the victimhas a 10% chance of being held in such anawkward position that he won�t be able toattack the gorynych (and this increases to25% on the rare occasions when a smaller-than-man-size creature is attacked).

Another attack form unique to the gory-nych is called �wishboning� by those whowitness it from a distance. If the beastscores hits on a single opponent with atleast two of its heads in a round, it will tryto rip the victim in half between them,scoring an automatic 2-12 hp damage onthat round. It does not do this automati-cally in every round after this first, as itmust release its bites each round to get anew grip (and make a new series of attackrolls), but this doesn�t present much diffi-culty if the victim is still held by its tails.

Unlike some monsters with multipleheads, the gorynych cannot be defeatedby setting up arguments between thedifferent brains of its body. It has only one

personality divided between its threebrains, and each of these brains is fullycapable of handling the operations of theentire body on its own. Thus, cutting offtwo of the heads will not disable its think-ing or the control of its movements in anyway. Because of this single mind in multi-ple heads, it cannot �take turns restingheads, leaving one alert at all times; whenit sleeps, all heads sleep. But with sixdragon-sharp ears to hear with, the gory-nych is difficult to surprise, even whenasleep, and gets + 2 on all surprise rolls. Inaddition, while it has more than one head,it cannot be attacked from behind, as itpeers in all directions, even when the onlyapparent threats are to the front.

Habitat/Society: The gorynych is amountain-dwelling creature, preferringwindy and desolate regions to the morethickly populated tracts of true dragons.They live in deep caverns within therocks; the long, winding tunnels to theirlairs are full of evidence of theirpresence�scales scrapped off on therocks, claw marks on all surfaces, theoccasional coin or gem dropped from theirmouths when stocking their hoards, andthe rare bone that misses the periodiccleaning of the refuse in their homes.While they avoid areas where humanincursions are frequent, they are intelli-gent enough to take note of any roadways,caravan paths and isolated settlementswithin a few hours flight of their caves sothat they have little trouble finding foodand treasure. They reproduce by layingeggs, but the young are forced out into theworld as quickly as possible after hatch-ing. The young grow rapidly, attaining fullgrowth in nine years and living for about400 years total.

The gorynych is not well versed inspeech and has no language of its own. Ifthere is a race that is dominant in theregions around its lair, it will have a slightunderstanding of this race�s tongue, nomatter what it is, but that is the extent of

DRAGON 21

the beast�s linguistic knowledge. If its lairis in an empty tract of land, it will have nolanguage at all, as there would be no crea-tures to converse with and it doesn�t talkto itself.

Ecology: Gorynyches are usually themost powerful carnivores in their localfood chain. They rarely interact with anyother species, intelligent or not. However,they are often attacked by other highlycompetitive and magically powerful mon-sters such as dragons and beholders.

Common dragonetby Steve Fetsch

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Temperate wildernessFREQUENCY: RareORGANIZATION: GroupACTIVITY CYCLE: AnyDIET: CarnivorousINTELLIGENCE: AnimalTREASURE: CALIGNMENT: NeutralNO. APPEARING: 2-20ARMOR CLASS: 4MOVEMENT: 22, 24 fly (C)HIT DICE: 3 +3THAC0: 17NO. OF ATTACKS: 3DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4/1-4/1-6SPECIAL ATTACKS: Limited breath

weapon

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to acidMAGIC RESISTANCE: NilSIZE: M (6’ long)MORALE: Average (9)XP VALUE: 420

Those who reject the notion that Tiamatoriginally spawned evil dragonkind usuallyregard the common dragonet as the ances-tral species of all dragons�good, evil,Oriental, and so on. The common dragonetonce roamed the skies in vast flocks (theywere truly common then), but huntersand more aggressive creatures have madethem scarce. The female of the species isdull green in color, whereas the male isreddish brown, frequently with orangepatches. Common dragonets have thesame body form as regular dragons: a longneck and tail, two wings, four legs, and aserpentine body.

Combat: Common dragonets are fairlyaggressive but rarely attack creatureslarger than man size. However, they fightfiercely if they or their nests are threat-ened. Their preferred mode of attack is tospit a corrosive and flammable saliva�anevolutionary prelude to the better-knownbreath weapons. They may spit in combatfor two rounds in a row, then once everyfour rounds thereafter for a total of 5-8attacks each per day. Only one victim at atime may be so attacked.

To determine the effectiveness of a com-

22 JUNE 1990

mon dragonet�s spitting attack, make a to-hit roll for it as for a normal attack (out toa 30� range). Note whether or not theattack roll would have hit the victim if thevictim had not been using a shield bychecking against the shield-using andshieldless armor-class values of the victim.If the shield deflected the attack, theshield must then make a saving throw vs.acid or else be destroyed (magical bonusesapply). If no shield deflects an attack thathits a victim, the victim�s armor and equip-ment must save vs. acid or be destroyed(magical bonuses apply); the victim himselftakes 2-20 hp damage. The victim mustmake a saving throw vs. dragon breath toavoid permanent blindness from the at-tack. The saliva is also flammable, and anycharacter who is carrying a flame sourceand is struck by the saliva has a 50%chance of having the flame ignite thesaliva, which explodes for 1-8 hp damageto all within a 5� radius of the flame.

The saliva may be neutralized by usingeither a scroll of protection from acid orprotection from dragon breath. Use of agreat helm offers a +4 on saving throwsto prevent blindness. Equipment carried ina container must save vs. acid only if thecontainer itself fails its saving throw (atwhich point it falls apart).

Habitat/Society: Common dragonetsseem to be at ease in many sorts of tem-perate environments, including hills,swamps, forests, and plains. They live tobe 200 years at most, reproducing bylaying eggs. Egg laying occurs once everydecade for female dragonets, with 2-5 eggsbeing laid. Few of these eggs hatch, how-ever (see �Ecology�). A group of dragonetswill fiercely defend their lairs and will aidother dragonets, but they are not capableof elaborate planning.

Ecology: The hide of the commondragonet can be made into corrosion-resistant leather armor. This leather isdifficult to work, so the leatherworkermust make a proficiency check with a -3modifier. The hides of two common dra-gonets must be used to make enougharmor for a adult human (the hide fromone is enough for a being of 4� height orless). This armor gives the wearer a +4saving throw vs. all acidic attacks, and itcan be dyed in any color or pattern.

It is possible but difficult to gather thecommon dragonet�s saliva. The amount ofsaliva from one spitting attack is enough tofill four half-pint vials. A direct hit fromone of these vials does 1-6 hp acidic dam-age; the application of flame will cause anexplosion for 1-4 hp damage to all within a3� radius.

Common dragonets are no longer com-mon, as their eggs are preyed upon soheavily by assorted creatures of the wild.The parents are easily distracted fromtheir nests to chase off intruders, leavingthe nests open to birds, rodents, and otherassorted beasts.

More neutral dragons for your AD&D® campaign

by Aaron McGruder

Arthur Collins has the credit for theoriginal concept of neutral dragons, whichfirst appeared in issue #37 of DRAGON®Magazine. His article opened our eyes to awhole new family of dragons and itsworld. Since there are more gems left fordragon names and since AD&D® gameplayers love dragons of every sort, thisarticle presents three new neutral dragonsto supplement the original article (whichcan also be found in �That�s not in theMonster Manual!� in the Best of DRAGONMagazine anthology vol. III).

Neutral dragons are basically reclusivecreatures, preferring remote lairs, and arenot very hospitable to unexpected visitors.Like all dragons, they have a passion fortreasure, especially the precious and semi-precious stones for which they are named.They are generally smaller and slowerthan other dragons but compensate forthis with their superior spell-casting capa-bilities and overwhelming personalities.

A neutral dragon�s charisma can have apowerful effect on those who can hear hisvoice. Using riddling talk and his personalcharm, the neutral dragon can actuallyentrance those not engaged in combat orsimilar actions. Anyone who listens tosuch a dragon�s voice has a 10% cumula-

24 JUNE 1990

tive chance per round of being entrancedto the point where he is under the effectof a suggestion spell. The victim is alloweda saving throw vs. spells, success indica-ting that the trance has been broken for atleast six rounds, after which the dragoncan try again, this time with only a 5%cumulative chance per round of success. Ifthe dragon fails the second attempt, hecannot try again on the same victim. Thedragon can affect as many people as hewishes at one time within a 90� range.

Because of its small size, the fear aura ofa neutral dragon is saved against at +4 forall opponents. Neutral dragons cannotpolymorph themselves unless they havethat spell. They do, however, have theinnate ability to blink six times per day, asthe spell, plus the ability to communicatetelepathically with any other telepathiccreature or being with an 18 + intelli-gence. Spell-casting neutral dragons canuse both wizard and priest spells.

If psionics are used in the campaign,each neutral dragon has a 50% chance ofbeing psionic. Using the AD&D 1st EditionPlayers Handbook system, the followingscores should be used for the dragons inthis article: pearl dragons have a psionicability of 110 with attack/defense modes

A,D/F,H; jade dragons have a psionic abilityof 190 with attack/defense modes A,C/F,I;and jacinth dragons have a psionic abilityof 225 with attack/defense modes A,C,D/F,I. Pearl dragons have three minor disci-plines; jade dragons have two minors andone major; and jacinth dragons have threeminors and two majors.

Because their powers vary according to-age level, experience-point values for eachtype of dragon also vary according to agelevel. Relevant factors for determining theexperience-point values (according to the2nd Edition Dungeon Master�s Guide)include: armor class 0 or lower ( + 1 hit-diemodifier); breath weapon ( +2); flight ( + 1);four or more attacks per round ( + 1); highintelligence ( + 1); low-level spell use ( + 1);high-level spell use ( + 2); magic resistance( +2); multiple attacks causing 30 + hpdamage ( + 2); single attack causing 20 +hp damage ( + 2); special magical attackforms, including the fear aura and psi-onics, if used ( + 2 each); and special magi-cal defense forms, including immunity tonormal missiles and saving-throw adjust-ments equating hit dice to fighters� levels( + 1 each).

Artwork by Thomas Baxa

Pearl dragons

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Rocky coastlines,cliffs

FREQUENCY: Very rareORGANIZATION: Solitary or clanACTIVITY CYCLE: AnyDIET: CarnivoreINTELLIGENCE: Exceptional (16)TREASURE: See Table 1ALIGNMENT: NeutralNO. APPEARING: 1-3ARMOR CLASS: 2 (base)MOVEMENT: 9, Fl 18 (C), SW 12HIT DICE: 6 (base)THAC0: 15 (base)NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 + specialDAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-5/2-5/3-18

SPECIAL ATTACKS: SpecialSPECIAL DEFENSES: SpecialMAGIC RESISTANCE: VariableSIZE: H (14� base)MORALE: Fanatic (16 base)XP VALUE: Variable

Pearl dragons tend to reside either onsteep, rocky coastlines or along sandybeaches, as long as they are near the wa-ter. They have a deep love of the salt airand the open expanse of the sea. As aresult of their location, their diet consistsmainly of sharks and fish, with an occa-sional hundred lobsters or a small whaleas a treat.

Because pearls are the most abundantform of treasure in the sea, it is not sur-prising that pearl dragons, when notsearching for food, spend most of the daypearl hunting. Over the centuries, thisspecies has developed powerful lungsexclusively for this purpose, and a pearldragon can stay under water for up to anhour without surfacing for air For thisreason, a pearl dragon hoard can containup to 5,000 gp in pearls for every age levelthe dragon has (these pearls are in addi-tion to his normal treasure type) Pearldragons are somewhat nomadic, leavingone place for another once the food orpearl supply has run low The movingprocess is very slow, because the dragonwill refuse to leave a single object behindin his previous lair, making many journeysback and forth

Like all neutral dragons, pearl dragonsremain at a safe distance from human civili-zation. They rarely attack sailing vessels,though they have been known to attackbothersome pirate ships and take whatevertreasure they can find from them,

Pearl dragons can breathe a cloud ofscalding steam once every three rounds,measuring 90� long by 30� wide by 20� high.Pearl dragons are attacked by dragon turtleswhenever possible The hide of a pearldragon is extremely beautiful and can besold for as much as 60,000 gp.

Jade dragons

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Sylvan forests inKara-Tur

FREQUENCY: Very rareORGANIZATION: Solitary or clanACTIVITY CYCLE: AnyDIET: OmnivoreINTELLIGENCE: Genius (17)TREASURE: See Table 2ALIGNMENT: NeutralNO APPEARING: 1-3ARMOR CLASS: 0 (base)MOVEMENT: 9, Fl 24 (B)HIT DICE: 7 (base)THAC0: 13 (base)NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 + specialDAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6/1-6/5-20SPECIAL ATTACKS: Special

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Special

DRAGON 25

MAGIC RESISTANCE: VariableSIZE: H (18’ base)MORALE: Fanatic (16 base)XP VALUE: Variable

The jade dragon is the Oriental cousin tothe emerald dragon of the western world.This dragon is usually considered mythicalby humans and is sought after by only afew adventurous thrill seekers. Slightlymore powerful than its western cousinthis creature looks the same as other

Oriental dragons except that it does havewings with which to fly. Jade dragonsmake their lairs in the dense, remoteforests of Kara-Tur and are avid collectorsof rare woods. They live entirely on forestvegetation and animal life, and will not eathumans.

A jade dragon is able to breathe a pow-erful sonic wail. All those within a 90�radius take damage and must save vs.breath weapons or be deafened for 10-60rounds. Even if the save is successful, the

victim is deafened for 2-12 rounds. Inaddition, all victims must make a system-shock check in order to avoid beingknocked unconscious for 5-20 rounds.

The hide of a jade dragon is made up ofseveral different shades of green, swirledabout in a random pattern. No jade dragonhide has ever been sold, so its value isunknown. The few jade dragons that havebeen seen were reported to be exquisitelybeautiful, and there are many who wouldpay great sums to acquire such a hide.

Jacinth dragons

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: DesertsFREQUENCY: Very rareORGANIZATION: SolitaryACTIVITY CYCLE: AnyDIET: SpecialINTELLIGENCE: Genius (18)TREASURE: See Table 3ALIGNMENT: NeutralNO. APPEARING: 1ARMOR CLASS: 1 (base)MOVEMENT: 9, FL 27 (B)

26 JUNE 1990

HIT DICE: 9 (base)THAC0: 13 (base)NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 + specialDAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-7/2-7/4-24SPECIAL ATTACKS: SpecialSPECIAL DEFENSES: SpecialMAGIC RESISTANCE: VariableSIZE: H (16� base)MORALE: Fanatic (16 base)XP VALUE: Variable

Jacinth dragons are the rarest of anynonunique dragon species. On the aver-age, only a dozen jacinth dragons at mostexist on any given world. Jacinth dragonsmake their homes in the centers of largedeserts, enjoying the hot, dry climate.Over the years, this species has developedthe ability to go for weeks without wateror food. They shun all other forms of lifeand enjoy their solitude, though they canat times be overly curious of visitors. Theydo venture out now and then to obtainwhat little treasure they do have, and it isby these excursions that their existence isknown to humans.

A jacinth dragon can breathe a cone ofscalding air raising the temperature in thearea of affect (a 50� long cone with a 20�base) to the point where easily combust-able materials (paper, oil, and cloth) must save vs. normal fire or burst into flame. Asuccessful save vs. breath weapons indi-cates, as with all such dragons, that onlyhalf damage is taken.

The hide of a jacinth dragon sparklesand shifts in the light, with its manyshades of flame-bright orange in seeminglyconstant motion. The jacinth dragon hasthe innate ability to interplay these shadesso as to have a hypnotic effect on theviewer, Thus, after three rounds of apeaceful encounter, the dragon can attackwith a + 3 bonus to surprise if necessaryIn addition, the hide reflects sunlight sobrightly that any creature who gazes uponthe dragon on a particularly sunny day formore than two rounds will be blinded for5-30 rounds if the victim fails a save vs.spells. No jacinth dragon hides have everbeen taken or sold.

Table 1Pearl Dragon Statistics

Age123456789101112

Body lgt.(ft.) Tail lgt.(ft.) AC Breath weapon Spells (wizard/priest) MR Treasure type1-4 1-3 5 1d4+1 nil nil nil4-8 3-6 4 2d4+2 nil nil nil8-12 6-9 3 3d4+3 nil nil nil12-16 9-12 2 4d4+4 2/1 5% E16-20 12-15 1 5d4+5 2 2/2 1 10% H20-24 15-18 0 6d4+6 2 2 2/2 2 15% H, U*24-28 18-21 - 1 7d4+7 2 2 2 2/2 2 1 20% H, U x 2*28-32 21-24 - 2 8d4+8 2 2 2 2 2 / 2 2 2 25% H, U x 2*32-36 24-28 - 3 9d4+9 2 2 2 2 2 2 / 2 2 2 1 30% H, U x 2*36-40 28-31 - 4 10d4+10 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 / 2 2 2 2 35% H, U x 3*40-44 31-34 - 5 11d4+11 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 / 2 2 2 2 1 40% H,Ux4*44-48 34-38 - 6 12d4+12 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 / 2 2 2 2 2 45% H,Ux4*

* All gems in treasure type U are actually pearls.

Table 2Jade Dragon Statistics

Age Body lgt.(ft.) Tail lgt.(ft.) AC Breath weapon Spells (wizard/priest)1 2-5 1-4 3 1d6+1 nil2 5-10 4-8 2 2d6+2 nil3 10-15 8-12 1 3d6+3 2/14 15-20 12-16 0 4d6+4 2 2/25 20-25 16-20 - 1 5d6+5 2 2 2/2 16 25-30 20-24 - 2 6d6+6 2 2 2 2/2 27 30-35 24-28 - 3 7d6+7 2 2 2 2 2 / 2 2 18 35-40 28-32 - 4 8d6+8 2 2 2 2 2 2 / 2 2 29 40-45 32-36 - 4 9d6+9 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 / 2 2 2 110 45-50 36-40 - 5 10d6+10 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 / 2 2 2 211 50-55 40-44 - 6 11d6+11 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 / 2 2 2 2 112 55-60 44-48 - 7 12d6+12 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 / 2 2 2 2 2

MRnilnilnil5%10%15%20%25%30%35%45%55%

Treasure typenilnilDEHH, IH, IH,Ix2H,Ix2H, I x 2, RH, I x 2, RH, I x 2, R, U

Table 3Jacinth Dragon Statistics

Age123456789101112

Body lgt.(ft.) Tail lgt.(ft.) AC Breath weapon Spells (wizard/priest) MR Treasure type1-4 1-4 4 2d4 nil nil nil4-8 4-7 3 3d4 2/1 nil nil8-14 7-10 2 4d4 2 2/2 nil nil14-18 10-13 1 5d4 2 2 2/2 1 nil E, T18-20 13-16 0 6d4 2 2 2 2/2 2 15% H, R, T20-22 16-19 - 1 7d4 2 2 2 2 2 / 2 2 1 20% H, R, T x 222-26 19-22 - 2 8d4 2 2 2 2 2 2 / 2 2 2 25% H, R, T x 226-28 22-25 - 3 9d4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 / 2 2 2 1 30% H,I,R,Tx328-30 25-28 - 4 10d4 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 / 2 2 2 2 35% H, I, R, Tx430-32 28-31 - 5 11d4 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 / 2 2 2 2 1 40% H,Ix2,R,Tx432-34 31-34 - 6 12d4 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 / 2 2 2 2 2 45% H, I x 2, R, T X 434-36 34-37 - 7 13d4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 / 3 3 3 2 2 50% H, I X 3, R, T X 5

DRAGON 27

ForumContinued from page 6

art, but without the details and rules availablefrom Fox-Davies; von Volborth, in fact, emphasized�art� over �heraldry.�

In a way, I was surprised at not finding Fox-Davies listed in the original article. I was underthe impression that his Complete Guide waspractically the textbook for heraldry.

Table 2 of the article requires some clarifica-tion. While the metals argent and or do trans-late to silver and gold, they are commonlyrendered as white and yellow! The furs arebetter described in the text, the table beinghighly misleading. Ermine, to be properly de-scribed, consists of black ermine tails on a whitefield (the shape of the tail spots varies withperiod and artistic taste; also, the field is white,not silver). Vair consists of alternating patches ofblue and white. To the tinctures I would addproper, which is the term used to indicatenatural coloration�and about the only way toget the color brown into a device (a bearproper. . .).

Mr. Kane�s article leaves the impression thatonly nobles were authorized to use arms. Itshould be pointed out that heraldic devices (asopposed to grants-of-arms) were used in otherareas. Inn and guildhall signs were quite oftenheraldic devices; when few can read, picturesare often useful identification marks. A shoveland pickax crossed in saltire could easily repre-sent the local mining guild, while a loaf of breadwould identify a baker. (I do wonder, though,how the blazon for the Vulgar Unicorn [of theSanctuary fantasy series] would read.) A furthersource of heraldic devices would be the church.Clerics might be granted arms by the upperhierarchy of their church.

This last possibility brings up the subject ofheraldic jurisdictions. For purposes of example,let us visualize a medium-size island kingdom, akingdom located on a continent with coastalaccess to the island, and a religious hierarchycommon to both. It is possible, though perhapsunlikely, that the same device could be grantedto a noble of the island (by that kingdom�scollege of arms), a knight of the continentalkingdom (again, by a local college of arms), andto a high priest of the church (by the church�scollege of arms). All three bear legally grantedarms! Yet a conflict could ensue should all threemeet on a battlefield or at a tournament.

More likely, the church would examine thebooks of the two kingdoms in an attempt toavoid a conflict before granting a device. Better,the church may actually attempt to register thedevice with the colleges of both kingdoms,avoiding the possibility of a conflict should thepriest be reassigned.

Dennis Lee BieberSunnyvale CA

When I wrote �The Goals of the Gods� (issue#153) I hadn�t yet been exposed to the AD&Dgame and its alignment system. Since then. I�velearned that the AD&D system is intelligent andattractive, and it offers a good basis for role-playing.

Unfortunately, the system isn�t always playedas well as it was designed. This is why an articlesuch as Tom Littles �Your Place in the GrandScheme� (issue #153) is so valuable. With theplay of alignments in a campaign too oftenmisunderstood, extended guidelines such asTom�s are vital.

This is why I�d like to plead for more extendedguidelines on alignment�an article or column�sworth. No, I�m not offering myself as the author

28 JUNE 1990

of the piece. This will require someone who hasmore experience in AD&D games than I do. ButI will tell you what I�d like to see: Specific exam-ples of what the alignments mean in a practicalsense. Specific, because ethics (which is whatwe mean when we say �alignment�) are no useto role-players on a theoretical level. We need toknow exactly what�s expected of a given align-ment in a typical situation. Not long ago, in aback issue of DRAGON Magazine [issue #51], Iread Roger Moore�s account of an adventure inwhich a paladin first saved a dryad, thenpunched her in the nose when she tried toensnare one of his companions. The DM penal-ized him for such a seemingly chaotic act, thenlater decided that he shouldn�t have, and gave avery well-reasoned account of why. This is thesort of thing I�m talking about: specific instancesin ancedotal form of how different alignmentsshould and should not act, and the reasonsbehind the judgments.

After all, a lot of us, particularly those whoare just coming into gaming, tend to be con-fused about how alignment affects play�forgood reason, I think. Let�s face it, in most cir-cumstances an RPG campaign requires a mod-ern person (with all the baggage of modernethics and morality, such as it may or may notbe understood) to pretend to be a premodernperson (with a different load of ethics andmorality). The two can easily conflict.

For example, in the modern world we abhorthe institution of slavery�and rightly so. In thebest of circumstances, it�s an evil thing. Underthe worst of circumstances, it�s evil squared andcubed. But in this you hear a modern persontalking, a person brought up on a tradition ofpersonal freedom and ethical responsibility. Ican look back on ancient and medieval historyand say that some people, free men and citizens,were �ahead of their time� when they preachedthat every man should be free. But even in thatstatement, it�s a modern man talking. For in thecontext of time, most men believed in slavery,believed it was a necessary institution, believedthat it was sanctioned by the gods, and indeed,in some cases, believed that the gods had cre-ated certain people to be slaves! Often, the menwho believed these things were considered notonly to be lawful, but good�while a slave whorebelled against the system was considered tobe both chaotic and evil. (To mix metaphors, wemake a hero of Spartacus, but any medievalpaladin who refused to destroy him would havebeen roundly condemned.)

A peripheral issue? Perhaps, since slavery �isn�tprominent in most RPGs. But it serves to illus-trate the point. (And didn�t the Monster ManualI explain how to subdue and enslave dragons�beings often having greater intelligence andwisdom than humans? But, of course, the evildragons deserve to be enslaved. . . .)

More specifically, what about the Crusades?While I consider them interesting from a mili-tary standpoint, and great fun to read about asa student of history, from a moral viewpoint thewaste of life was tragic and the unwarrantedintrusion into Middle Eastern affairs was legallyindefensible. But, again, that�s a modern mantalking. From a medieval Christian viewpoint,the crusades were a vital element of Christianity(just as the Moslems considered the jihads to bea vital part of Islam), and the loss of life wasirrelevant since it served a higher purpose. Inan age of predators, might was expected tomake right, and any Frankish knight who ar-gued that he has no �right� to attack Moslemswould have been branded a coward. A lawful-good paladin would not only be categoricallyabsolved for taking part in a crusade, it would

be considered his duty to do so! The Templarsand Hospitalers, sworn to religious virtues,were heroes of Christendom, whatever we maythink of them in the modern world.

The Moslems held similar attitudes, and theirsaints actively preached religious war (as didSaint Bernard in Europe, badgering and hound-ing secular rulers until they took the oath to�win back the holy land�). It�s only when aSaladin or a Francis of Assisi appears that webegin to see an injection of modern ethics�andSaladin fought and clawed his way to the top inthe most approved feudal style. Did Richard theLionhearted slaughter 2,500 Moslem prisonersbefore the walls of captured Acre, just becausetheir ransom was overdue? Saladin massacred aregiment of black Africans in Cairo�with theirwomen and children�to prevent them fromjeopardizing his control of Egypt. Contempo-raries didn�t bat an eye over either action. Eventoday, Saladin is spoken of in the Moslem worldas a gentlemen. If asked, the average Westernerwould probably class Richard I Plantagenet(who nearly taxed his kingdom into ruin inorder to make his crusading adventure moresplendid, and callously left his wicked brotherPrince John in control of England while he wentcrusading) as something approximate to theAD&D game�s �lawful good.�

To cap it all, St. Louis (King Louis IX of France)took part in not one but two crusades, dying inthe second. His government was just and gener-ous; he made an excellent revision of judicialstandards within his realm, considered the royalauthority (bestowed upon him by God) to bebeyond infringement, sent 10,000 livres to hiserstwhile Moslem captors when they accepted adeficient ransom payment, and treated the Jewsof France abominably (a fault any contemporaryChristian would happily have forgiven). A�lawful good� man? I doubt you�ll find anysecular ruler in all premodern history whomore deserves the title. I also doubt you�ll findany modern liberal who would grant it to him.

I hope I�m not being too wordy in getting mypoint across: Modern ethics are different frompremodern ethics; premoderns expected differ-ent things from lawfulness and goodness (andfrom chaos and evil) than we do. If we�re goingto dress up modern role-players in premodernclothes without expecting them to adopt pre-modern attitudes (which I personally wouldstrenuously oppose), we have to give themspecific examples of alignment from which tooperate.

I�m rather disappointed that the �neutral�alignment is so consistently portrayed as sort of,,�wishy washy.� In my opinion, the neutral-goodcharacter�recognizing as he does that some-times law is the enemy of justice and sometimesits friend�is the most admirable of all. I couldhope that you�ll give some attention to the ideaof neutrality being �flexibility� rather than�indecisiveness.�

Craig H. BarrettCanon City CO

It seems as if this war between good and evilis never going to end. I�m sick of other peopletelling DMs how to run their campaigns. If a DMwants to have an all-evil, all-good, or even all-neutral campaign, then so be it! If a DM wantsto have a mixed campaign, that�s even better! Itis a DM�s choice if he wants to use evil charac-ters. DMs shouldn�t be told how to run theircampaign, what to allow and what not to allow.This is what makes a campaign unique. Cam-paigns should be unique, not universal.

Sure, evil characters can be disruptive, butthat�s not the way it has to be. Occasional squab-

bles can even enhance game play and role-

However, if dissention is chronic, an alignmentchange is in order. There are several ways to go

playing (provided they are not hindering the

about this. You may plant a helm of oppositealignment for the offending character to find.

enjoyment of others). Who lets whom ride off

Or you may lure the character into a situationwhere his actions would change his alignment

on his high horse? Sometimes giving evil charac-

(e.g., a lawful-evil PC helping other peopleinstead of himself would make his alignment

ters what they want will keep them satisfied.

lawful-good if done often enough). A chaotic-evilPC could perhaps have some genetic �kindstreaks,� making the PC chaotic good. Or youmay simply force the player into changing hischaracter�s alignment.

Encourage players to use any alignment theywant. Players also resent being told what theycan or can�t have. Alignment is payable as longas it is used correctly and this use doesn�t ruinplay for others. There is no right or wrongalignment; no one alignment is more enjoyablethan another.

In issue #151, a letter from Toby Myers ap-peared in �Forum.� This letter stated that neu-tral good is totally good, more so than lawfulgood, because it doesn�t care about law orchaos, only good. He stated the same for neutralevil. This is not so. A neutral character main-tains the balance between law and chaos. If, asMr. Myers implies, a neutral character doesn�tcare about one or the other, he couldn�t main-tain that delicate balance. A neutral characterwill side with a lawful force if a chaotic force isbecoming too powerful, and vice versa. Theonly reason a neutral-good character is good isbecause he believes that �since the universe isvast and contains many creatures . . . a deter-mined pursuit of good will not upset the bal-ance� [2nd Edition Player�s Handbook, page 47].This is not �not caring!� A neutral-evil charactercares only about himself and doesn�t botherwith others. A chaotic-evil character will abuselesser folk until they follow him. The sameneutral-evil character would have left them inpeace. Now, who�s more evil?

Toby C. JenningsKing City CA

In respect to campaign creation: Like so manyother things, the best way is to prey off of thegenius of others, tie the mix-and-match jumbletogether with a few ideas of your own, and setthe players on it.

In clearer terms, the first step is to examinethe party thoroughly, making sure you have acomplete update on all of their statistics, posses-sions, personalities, backgrounds, etc. You thenscour what magazines and modules you haveaccumulated, and pick the minds of any of yourDM friends. You gather up the absolute bestadventure or series of adventures�with respectto the party�and begin a figurative process ofmodifying, cutting, and pasting. Find the modulewith the best introduction and fastest-pacedbeginning, and start with that. Take encountersfrom other modules in appropriate settings, andlay them in different places all around. Forexample, if you have a very good and interest-ing encounter that takes place in a forest adven-ture, and the module that you have picked for astarter is a forest adventure, weave it in. Lookat your wandering monster list; then find ad-ventures centered on those monsters, whereverpossible (most wandering monsters are socommon that this shouldn�t be difficult). Decideon how simply meeting the monster wandering,or in a small setup, could lead into this other

adventure�if the PCs take the bait. Don�t letyour mind be closed to modules from othersystems; they can usually be adapted with much

For example: A 10th-level party is enteringyour new AD&D 2nd Edition campaign. Start

less trouble than many people think, and can be

off with WG5 Mordenkainen�s Fantastic Adven-

a good deal of fun.

ture, a fast-paced, quick-to-start adventure.Beyond the �unopenable� doors place the �Trea-

sure Vault of Kasil,� a DUNGEON® Adventuresmodule [from issue 13], in place of some of yourfirst adventure. Decide that one of the pits inthe Vault is the pit that leads to EX1 Dungeon-land. The escape from Dungeonland by the littleboat at the end of the module could lead to anynumber of waterborne adventures, includingsome of your own. And the characters are stilljust trying to get back to their homes afterdeparting for Castle Maure in WG5.

Or say you have a wonderful module, but it isa couple of levels too high for the PCs to sur-vive. Send them through it anyway, so thatthey�ll get enough out of it to enjoy it, and whenthey die, have them wake up 130 years later,raised by a priest who wants to find out moreabout the past, but who dies a minute laterfrom an unknown cause. They then see a greenlight in the distance, head for it, you send them

through the skeleton lair from The Book ofLairs (just weird enough to be from the future),and follow it up by having them see a flyingship crash-land in �Jammin,� a SPELLJAMMER�adventure by Jim Ward in DUNGEON issue #21.Decide that SPELLJAMMER game ships arecommon in the future and, depending on theoutcome of that adventure, send them throughX2 Castle Amber a D&D module by Tom Mold-vay, but make the sudden appearance of thecastle-be normal for this time, and theinhabitants�the Amber family�typical noblesof the future. If the PCs take off in the SPELL-JAMMER game ship, let them find the ForgottenRealms�in the time presented in the boxedset�or Greyhawk, or Krynn, or Pluto for thatmatter. The fact is, you�ll probably find goodadventures everywhere, for almost any situa-tion, without tapping your own resources�untilyou really feel a malicious streak coming on.

My own world contains renamed versions ofthe Lands of Lanewt, the Hill, Mechica, theKnown World, R�lyeh, Thay, the Isle of the Apes,and Barovia; any of them sound familiar? Whenit comes to DMing, adapting and modifying arethe keys.

Toby MyersHamilton NY

DRAGON 29

An orc is a norke, of course, of course�

by Ethan Ham

When players begin to memorize themonsters� abilities, the game loses much ofits mystery. The encounters become noth-ing more than target practice, and thecampaign takes its first steps toward be-coming a Monty Haul dungeon instead of asuspenseful adventure into the unknown.The problem is: How does a DM maintain an air of mystery in a game where mon-ster statistics and game rules are available

Mr. Greenwood suggests giving the playersonly a vague idea of their characters�abilities. The AKA (Also Known As) systemdescribed in this article is complimentaryto this idea. Instead of focusing on thecharacters, however, the AKA system uses�mystery monster� encounters.

DMs often forbid players to discussmonster attributes while in the dungeon.This doesn�t solve the basic problem, how-

The AKA system gives the official mon-sters alternative names. This method canbe used in the AD&D® game withoutdifficulty. The AKA system is based on thefact that each different society has differ-ent names for the same monsters. Wecould, of course, just start calling an ogrea �refrigerator,� but much of the fun inrole-playing games is in confronting leg-ends hand-to-hand. The AKA system usesthe many authentic regional names bywhich AD&D game monsters were knownthroughout history. For example, theleprechaun has various names in differentareas of Ireland: lurican in Kerry, cluri-caune in Cork, lurikeen in Kildare, etc.

to every player of the game? ever, since the players still know the infor-The approach described by Ed Green-

wood in the article �Keep �em Guessing� (inmation. Another technique is to constantly

the Best of DRAGON® Magazine Anthology,use new monsters in the dungeon. Whilethis works, creating these new monsters is

volume V) is a good way to maintain the a real challenge and can strain the creativ-suspense and mystery of the campaign. ity of any DM.

The AKA Thesaurus

A n n i sAquatic ogre(merrow)BerserkerBoggleBrownie

BuckawnBugbear

SubraceCentaur

SubraceCockatriceCooshee

SubraceCyclopskinDoppleganger

Dragon, generalDragon, brassDragon, greenDragon turtleDryad

DuergarDwarf

Elf

Elf, drow

Elf, sylvanElfin cat

Gentle Annie9

Moruand41, murduac41, soetrolde41, skrimst44

Furors29, vadember19, wut16

Bogy9, bug9, kankas19, koko19

Bodachan sabhaill42, bwbachod43, bwca43,dobie9, domovik31, fenoderee43, grogan42,kaukas24, kobito21, niagruisar44, nisse44,para13, pukys24

Bwca43, bwciod43

Bogy9, bodach41, bugan43, bull-beggar9,busbus19, mormo1ux17, mumus19

Bug-a-boo9

Apotharni17, gandharva18, kentauroi17,kinnara18, kimpurusha18, phere17

Callicantzari17

Calcatris14, calcatrix29, icheumon17

Ce sith42, cir sith42

Hound-of-the-hill9

Arimaspi34, kuklops17

Brag9, co-walker9, fetch42, fylgja44, vardogr44,waff9

Gwiber43, vipera29, wurm16

Moko28

Linnorm44

Payshitha44

Aloustinai17 (may also be oread), hulder44,jashtesme1, rusalka31 (may also be nereid)Jugenderinnerugen40

Abac41, arndt40, avanc43, corrigan42,

dvergar44, dverge44, dvorgurin41, fain41,guerrionet42, hairdmandle37 (plural:hairmandlene), hosegueannet42, marchen40,nain42, oennerbanske15, poulpiquet42, tusse44,vui28, wui28, zwerge16

Alfar44, ellyllon43, esprit follet42, fadet14,follet42, hidfolk44, hulder44, huldrafolf44

huldukona44(female), liosalfar44, lutin14,ouph9, vaettir44, vattar12

Daimones epichthonioi17, dock-alfar44,henkie42, trow42

Dames vertes14

Cait sith41

Faeries, generic

Genie

Ghost

Giant, generalGiant, hillGiant, stoneGiant, stormGnome

Goblin

GorgonGriffon

GrippaGroaning spirit(banshee)

Guardian familiarHalfling

HarpyHell hound

SubraceH o b g o b l i n Hound of ill omen

Succubus (female),incubus (male)

Kobold

Korred

Leprechaun

Daoine maithe41, denee shee41, sheehogue41,shingawn41, tylwyth teg42, wichthln16

Genius29 (singular form of genni), juno38

(female), lares29, stoicheia17

Bhut18, gangferd44, hantu25, kasa21, kuei5,maneen41, mora31, nair44, onyudu21, siabrae41,taidhbhse41, tais41

Athach42, jatte44, orchi20, stalo23

Fanggen37

Foawr43, fomorian42

Fankenmannikin37, fomor41, jotun44, orculli23

Berg-monche16, coblynau43,heinzelmannchen16, husse44, genemos17,

gommes14

Bakemono21, bogy9, coblyn43 (plural:coblynnau), fossegrim44, fuath42, ghello17,

grim44, kirkegrimm44

Catoblepas29

Grup17, gryphus29, karga39, kirni21,senmurv31, sumargh31

Kappi21

Aine41, baobhan sith42, bean chaointe41,bean-nighe42, bean-tighe41, caoineag42,caoteach42, cwn mamau41, gwrach y rhibyn43

Mikanko21

Banakil45, holbytla45, kud-dukan45, kuduk45,periannath45

Arpuiai17

Cwn mamau43,Cwn wybr43

devil�s dandy dog9

Bwgan43, dobby9, lob9, puki41

Cwn annwfn43, gabriel hound9, ratchet9,yellhound9

Alp23(female), mara35, mare9, mora19,painajainen23 (female)Alraune16, biersal16, galgenmannchen16,oarauncle16

Corriquets14, crion14, guerrionets14, hommescornus14, korriks14

Clurican41, leith brog41, luchorpain41,luchryman41, lurican41, lurikeen41

using the AKA system

The AKA system campaignWhen using the AKA system, you must

be careful to prevent the players fromthinking you are taking unfair advantageof your power as a DM. The method ofintroducing an alternative name is crucialand must be well thought out.

The most effective way is by means ofan NPC encounter. If the characters arebeing hired by villagers, have the NPCsdescribe the monster that has been plagu-ing them as a �fetch� rather than a dopple-ganger. Then, instead of searching for thedoppleganger, the party will look for anew and unusual monster that just hap-pens to have shape-changing abilities.

The second, more difficult method isdone without any NPCs. For example,when the party is confronted by orcs, saysomething like, �Several large humanoidswith piglike faces are attacking you! Yourecognize them from stories you haveheard. They are norkes!� The main draw-back to the second method is that onceyou have established a particular alternatename for a monster, you must continue touse it. As a result, it is very likely theplayers will soon catch on to that alias.One solution to this problem is to have adifferent alternative name for the samemonster for each different player. (Per-haps each of them learned the name of the

Artwork by Jim Holloway and Daniel Horne

monster from a different source.) You pickthe alternate name based on who is view-ing the monster at the time. Once youestablish an alternative name, you muststick with it.Note that some of the alternate names

for certain monsters in this AKA systemare also the names of separate and some-times unrelated monsters in the AD&Dgame (e.g., the gorgon is called the catoble-pas in Roman folklore, and the stone giantand storm giant might be confused withthe fomorian giant). Indeed, some peoplein fantasy countries might lump all largereptilian monsters together as �dragons:or all humanoids as �orcs.�

Subrace

Subrace

Merman

NereidNighthag

SubraceNixie

NymphSubrace

Ogre

Ogre magiOrc

SubracePegasusPenanggalan

Far darrig41 (also called fear deara41 andredman41)Geanncanac41 and red caps41 (also calledbloody caps33, dunters33, powries33, and redcombs33)Ben-varrey43, ceasg42, daoine mara42,dinny-merra43, gorgona17, hakenmann44,havfrue16, havmand44, maigndean-mhara42,maigndean-mhara42, maighdean na tuinne42,maremind44, meerfran16, meerweiber16,morgan42, murughach41, watermome16,wut-ian uder4

Naiad17

Cailleach bheur42, calill eaca41, haetes9 (theae is a ligature), hexe16, krisky31, nocnitsa31,plaksy31

Makva3 (also called a wood hag)Dracae14, fenetten14, fossegrim44, fuath42,hakelmanner16, kallraden44, nacken44,

nakineiu10, nakk10, nakki13, nickelmanner16,nikkisen43, seemannlein16, stromkarl44,vough42

-Oread17 (also called anemikais17andanemogadzoudes17)Drakos17, drakaena17(female), lamid17

(female), malbrou14, tengu21, yamauba21

Oni21

�Norke37

Arion17

Azeman36

PixiePhoenixRocSatyrTroll

Subrace

UnicornVampire

SubraceWerewolf

SubraceWightWill-o-the-wisp

SubraceWyvernYeth-houndZombie

Meryon9, duine sith42, pobel vean6, tylwyth43

Bennu8, feng5, ho21, hwang5, o21

Angka2, bar yachre22, pyong5

Callitrice11, fauni20, pane17, urisk42, silvani20

Elfor44, ellefolk44, foddenskkmaend12 (the aeis a ligature), fulde12, huldre44, maanvaki13,pysslinger44, thusser44

Bjerg-trolde44, skovtrolde23 (also calledskogsra23), ragnhildur44

Biasd na srogaig41, ch�i-lin5, monokeros17

Bampuras17, sukuyan38, tumpaniaios17,upior27, upir31, vrykolakas17 (plural:vrykolakes)Lidevic19

Borbolakas17, kuldottfarkas19, legarou38,loup-garou14

Prikolics30

Haug-bui41, tuath de danaar41, vitr44

Annequins14, chandelas32, chere dansante14,culards14, eclaireux14, elf fire9, ellylldan43,fioles14, fuochi fatui20, heerwische16,huckepoten16, ignis fatuus42, irrbloss44,irrichter16, jack o� lanthorn9,joan-in-the-wad9, loumerottes14,

luctenmaneken16, lygteman44, lyktgubbe44,merry dancers42, nimbleman42, rusalky31,spunkies9, swetylko7, tan noz14

Saint Elmo�s fire26

Wivre14

Wish hounds9

Draugr44, rawga23

Endnotesl�Albanian; 2�Arabic; 3�Bulgarian; 4�Cheremissian; 5�Chinese; 6�Cornish; 7�Czechoslovakian; 8�Egyptian; 9�English;10�Estonian; 11�Ethiopian; 12�Faroese; 13�Finnish; 14�French; 15�Friesian; 16�German; 17�Greek; 18�Hindu;19�Hungaria,n; 20�Italian; 21�Japanese; 22�Jewish; 23�Lapp; 24�Lithuanian; 25�Malayan; 26�Mediterranean; 27�Polish;28�Polynesian; 29�Roman; 30�Rumanian; 31�Russian; 32�Sardinian; 33�Scottish, Lowland; 34�Scythian; 35�Slavic;36�Surinam; 37�Swiss; 38�Trindadian; 39�Tukish; 40�Vendish; 41�Celtic, Irish, and Goidelic; 42�Brittany, Brythonic, andHighland Scottish; 43�Insular Brythonic, Manx, and Welsh; 44�Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Swedish; 45 � The Lord of theRings, Tolkien.

DRAGON 31

How to use the AKA listListed alphabetically by official

AD&D game names is a thesaurus ofalternative monster names. Under theofficial name of each monster are twogroups of entries. The first group is theAKA list. These names can be inter-changed as equivalents of that mon-ster�s name. Below this is a second setof entries: the subraces of each mon-ster type. These subraces are closelyrelated to, but not the same as, theofficial monster; descriptions of sub-races follow. All AKA names for thesubraces are listed in the AKA Thesau-rus.

All alternative names are endnoted todescribe the cultural origin of the mon-ster. For the names that come fromtrue folklore, the country of origin isshown. Several names, however, arefrom J. R. R. Tolkien�s The Lord of theRings, and these are so noted. A morecomplete description of the source isgiven in the bibliography.

Bjerg-troldeThe bjerg-trolde�s abilities are identical

to those of an ordinary troll. However, itlives in desert and hilly regions, and itshide is brown to tan.

Bug-a-boo

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any subterraneanFREQUENCY: RareORGANIZATION: TribalACTIVITY CYCLE: AnyDIET: CarnivorousINTELLIGENCE: Low (5-7)TREASURE: Individuals J (C)ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evilNO. APPEARING: 4-24ARMOR CLASS: 7 (10)MOVEMENT: 12HIT DICE: 1 + 1THAC0: 19NO. OF ATTACKS: 1DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon typeSPECIAL ATTACKS: Opponents have -2

on surpriseSPECIAL DEFENSES: NilMAGIC RESISTANCE: NilSIZE: M (5’ tall)MORALE: Steady (11-12)XP VALUE: 65

Bug-a-boos look like small and frail bug-bears, and they are often mistaken fortheir larger kin, especially since they canoften be found on the outskirts of bugbearterritory. The �boos live off whatever theyare able to scavenge from bugbear activi-ties. If seven or more �boos are encoun-tered, it is 30% likely that they have abugbear leader close by. Occasionally,�boos may be taken in by a bugbear tribeand used as expendable front-line troops.

�Boos use whatever weapons are availa-ble, usually ones of inferior craftsmanship.�Boos speak their own dialect of the bug-bear tongue, which anyone who knowsthe latter language can understand. Theyget along well with other humanoids.

CallicantzariCallicantzari (singular: callicantzaros) is a

name most often used to describe cen-taurs, but it may also be used in namingforlarren, hybsil, korreds, satyrs, lamia,and wemics. See �The Ungrateful Dead� inDRAGON issue #138 for a description ofthis creature as an undead, ghoul-likemonster.

Cwn wybrThe cwn wybr are simply hell hounds

with wings (MV 12, 24 fly (D); XP + 1 HDmodifier). Although too small to makegood mounts, cwn wybr make formidableopponents in the sky. Cwn wybr will huntdown any flying creature they can catch,and they are sometimes tamed by firegiants. They interbreed with normal hellhounds to produce either winged or nor-mal offspring.

Far darrigThese larger than usual leprechauns (HD

1 - 1; SZ S (3� tall); XP 420) travel in groupsof 1-4 and dress in red�but, unlike redcaps, they don�t use blood for a dye. Fardarrig possess a mildly dangerous sense ofhumor; their favorite pastime consists ofplaying practical jokes on lawful beings(e.g., putting a beehive in a paladins ar-mor). In addition to the usual leprechaunpowers, a far darrig can cast one cantripspell per round. It can also cast magespells from scrolls and, if a spell book isavailable, can memorize one-first-levelspell per day.

GeanncanacThe geanncanac are closely related to

the far darrig. The only noticeable differ-ence between the two subraces is that thegeanncanac are more malicious, having analignment of chaotic evil. They will playcruel and often deadly tricks on all whofall into their clutches.

Hound-of-the-hillThe hounds-of-the-hill are large dogs

with white coats and red ears. They sharethe statistics for war dogs (see the Mon-strous Compendium, �Dog�) except forhaving 3 HD, THAC0 17, a bite doing 3-9hp damage, and the ability to run at 15when following prey in a straight line (XP65). The hounds-of-the-hill are close cous-ins of the cooshee (Monster Manual II),and they may even be a cooshee/common-dog crossbreed. Though the hounds havebeen known to run with the cooshee, thecooshee seem to regard the hounds-of-the-hill as inferiors. Because of their poorcamouflage, the hounds-of-the-hill are nothighly valued by the sylvan elves. Thesehounds are most commonly seen in thecompany of half-elves, who feel somekinship to these animals. Once dally, ahound-of-the-hill can bark loudly, causingall within 120� to make saving throws vs.spells or be confused for 2-8 rounds.

LidevicThe lidevic is a vampire without the

ability to shape change into bat form (so itcannot travel aerially except into gaseousform), and it cannot summon animals toassist it. However, the lidevic can poly-morph itself three times a day (for anunlimited duration) into the image of avictim�s absent or dead loved one; thelidevic has continuous ESP and can searcha potential victim�s mind while the lidevicdrifts nearby in gaseous form. This tacticis especially effective at night when themoon is full. The lidevic can be destroyedin the same ways as can a vampire, and ithas all other traits that vampires share(XP 3,000).

MakvaMakva are basically identical in game

statistics to night hags, except that theycannot travel into the Ethereal or Astralplanes. Thus they cannot �ride� sleepingvictims, nor do they need or make specialperiapts. They cannot cast gates to sum-mon evil creatures, either. Because of thisdeficiency and their chaotic-evil alignment,makva are banished from night hag �soci-ety� and are usually found on the edges ofwild forests. Like night hags, makva areable to employ magic missile and ray ofenfeeblement three times a day, at theeighth level of ability. They are also able tocast know alignment, sleep, and poly-morph self at will (the sleep power is ofthe normal sort). Additionally, they havethe ability of advanced illusion, this beingthe source of many gingerbread housesthat lost wayfarers report; they can castthis spell four times per day.

Makva are invulnerable to charm; sleep,fear, and fire- and cold-based attacks.Silver or or +3 (or better) magical weap-ons are required to harm a makva. Makvahave olive-green skin and coarse blackhair (XP 4,000).

NorkeNorkes are closely related to orcs (per-

haps with a little hobgoblin in their veins)and look very much like their kin, sharingthe same game statistics except as follows:AC 4 (10); MV 9 (12 w/o armor); HD 1 (5-8hp); Dmg by weapon type, + 1 forstrength; XP 35 and up; chain mail usuallyused. Norkes live only in mountainousareas, where they attack unwary trav-elers. They look down on orcs and smallerhumanoids, enslaving them if possible.

OreadOreads are a subrace of nymphs found

in mountainous regions. Their abilities andattributes are the same as nymphs, withthe addition of the ability to cast controlwinds as 12th-level druids; they may do sothree times per day.

Prikolic

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: AnyFREQUENCY: Very rareORGANIZATION: NilACTIVITY CYCLE: NightDIET: NilINTELLIGENCE: Non-TREASURE: NilALIGNMENT: NeutralNO. APPEARING: 1-6ARMOR CLASS: 7MOVEMENT: 6 (9 in werewolf form)HIT DICE: 4THAC0: 17NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 weapon (1 bite in

werewolf form)DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8 (3-8 in werewolf

form)SPECIAL ATTACKS: NilSPECIAL DEFENSES: See belowMAGIC RESISTANCE: NilSIZE: MMORALE: SpecialXP VALUE: 270

The prikolics are dead werewolves thathave been animated as zombies. Prikolicsinitially appear to be normal zombies, butthere is a 25% chance each time one takesdamage that it will change into an undead�wolf-man� form, dropping its weapons

DRAGON 33

and biting savagely. In werewolf form,only + 1 or better or silver weapons willhit them. Cold-based, sleep, hold, charm,and all mind-affecting and death-magicspells have no effect on the prikolics,although they may be turned by a cleric asshadows. Holy water does 2-8 hp damageto these creatures.

Ragnhilder

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Rocky or mountain-ous terrain

FREQUENCY: Very rareORGANIZATION: GroupACTIVITY CYCLE: AnyDIET: CarnivoreINTELLIGENCE: LowTREASURE: Q (C)ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evilNO. APPEARING: 1-8ARMOR CLASS: 7MOVEMENT: 15HIT DICE: 4THAC0: 17NO. OF ATTACKS: 3DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6/1-6/1-8 or by

weapon typeSPECIAL ATTACKS: Hurl rocksSPECIAL DEFENSES: Regeneration,

camouflageMAGIC RESISTANCE: NilSIZE: L (9’ tall)MORALE: Elite (14)XP VALUE: 420

The ragnhilder are as large as normaltrolls but are weaker (18 strength, +2damage) and sometimes use hand-to-handweapons. Their favorite form of attack isto hurl 5-10 lb. rocks out to 60�, doing 1-6hp damage. The ragnhilder have stone-gray hides that conceal them 60% of thetime in rocky terrain.

Red cap

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Temperate forests andruins

FREQUENCY: Very rareORGANIZATION: SolitaryACTIVITY CYCLE: AnyDIET: OmnivoreINTELLIGENCE: ExceptionalTREASURE: G (reduce coinage by 90%)ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evilNO. APPEARING: 1ARMOR CLASS: 4 MOVEMENT: 15HIT DICE: 5THAC0: 15NO. OF ATTACKS: 3DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6/1-6/1-3 or by

weapon typeSPECIAL ATTACKS: Hurl rocksSPECIAL DEFENSES: See belowMAGIC RESISTANCE: NilSIZE: S (4’ tall)MORALE: Steady (12)XP VALUE: 420

34 JUNE 1990

Believed by some authorities to be asubrace of leprechauns, the red caps areclosely related to the far darrig and gean-ncanac. Red caps are remarkably strong,having strengths of 18 ( + 2 to weaponsdamage). Red caps occupy abandonedcastles and towers, from which they droprocks onto passersby for 1-4 hp damageper 10� fallen. The red caps use the vic-tim�s blood to dye their hair and caps.Though they aren�t undead, the red capsmay be turned by a cleric as shadowsbecause of their innate terror of priests.Only swords (magical or not) of all weap-ons will do damage to these creatures;spells have normal effects, however. Redcaps have long claws and sharp teethwhich they use in combat. Red caps often(70%) carry staves, of which 10% aremagical.

Saint Elmo�s fireSaint Elmo�s fire are will-o�-wisps that

live over water. They usually appear be-fore a violent storm, during which theyfeed off the life-force of the dying sailors.

SkovtroldeThe skovtrolde are neutral-evil wood

trolls found in dark forests. Their statisticsare the same as for normal trolls, exceptfor these changes: #AP 1-20; HD 8; THAC013; SZ L (8� tall). They have low to averageintelligence and often make their lairs intrees. Some skovtrolde (30%) carry crudelong bows; their arrows are -2 to hit anddo 1-4 points damage. These wood trollshave skin that is dark-green and coveredwith brown blotches. It is 85% likely thatthe skovtrolde will not be seen in a vege-tated environment. If 15 or more trolls arepresent, theysure type E.

Holbytla

are 70% likely to have trea-

BibliographyAsbjornsen and Moe. Norwegian Folktales.

New York: Pantheon Books, 1960.Barber and Riches. A Dictionary of Fabu-

lous Beasts. London: W & J MacKay &Co., Ltd., 1971.

Briggs, Katherine M. An Encyclopedia ofFairies. New York: Pantheon Books,1977.

Briggs, Katherine M. Folktales of England.Chicago: University of Chicago Press,1965.

Christiansen, Reidar. Folktales of NorwayChicago: University of Chicago Press,1964.

Degh, Linda. Folktales of Hungary Chi-cago: University of Chicago Press, 1965.

Domotor, Tekla. Hungarian Folk Reliefs.Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana UniversityPress, 1981.

Evans-Wentz, W.Y. The Fairy-Faith in CelticCountries. Secaucus, N.J.: UniversityBooks, Inc., 1966.

Finlason, Jay. Hack. USENET, publicdomain.

Haginmayer, Fanny. Ancient Tales in Mod-ern Japan. Bloomington, Ind.: IndianaUniversity Press.

Herm, Gerhard. The Celts. New York: St.Martin�s Press, Inc., 1977.

Jones, T. Welsh Folklore and Folk Custom.London: Reedwood Burn, Ltd., 1930.

Keightley, Thomas. Gnomes, Fairies, Elves,and Other Little People. Avenel Books,1978.

Lawson, John Cuthbert. Modern GreekFolklore and Ancient Greek Religion.Secaucus, N.J.: University Books, 1967.

Leach, Maria. Dictionary of Folklore, My-thology and Legend, Vol. I and II. NewYork: Funk & Wagnalls Co., 1949.

Massignon, Genevieve. Folktales of France.Chicago: University of Chicago Press,1963.

Megas, Georgios A. Folktales of Greece.Chicago: University of Chicago Press,1970.

Mythology of All Races. Vol. I. Edited byJohn A. MacCulloch, et al. 13 vols. NewYork: Cooper Square, 1932.

Reed, A. W. Myths and Legends of Polyne-sia. London: A. H. & A. W. Reed, Ltd.,1974.

Scandinavian Folk and Fairy Tales. NewYork: Crown Publications, Inc., 1984.

Seki, Keigo. Folktales of Japan. Chicago:University of Chicago Press, 1963.

Tolkien, J. R. R. The Return of the King.New York: Ballantine Books, 1983.

Weekley, Ernest. An Etymological Dictio-nary of Modern English, vol. I and II.New York: Dover Publications, Inc.,1967.

Yeats, William. Irish Folk Stories and FairyTales. New York: Grosset & Dunlap,1959.

DRAGON 35

The Rules of the Game

How can you teach someone to role-play? Here�s one system

by Thomas M. Kane

Have you ever tried to teach someonehow to role-play? The rule books make nosense to a beginner; they contain reams ofdata but almost never actually explain howone plays. The game master (GM) andplayers must teach new players the rules,clearly and entertainingly. Although everynew player learns in a different way, thereare certain processes that you, as the GM,will always need to explain.

Before the gameA new player has to have some desire to

role-play before he will listen to yourexplanations. Tell him about exciting ad-ventures-you have had (but don�t overdo

it). Explain the setting of your campaignand suggest inspirational reading, such asmythology or fantasy novels. These early�lessons� need not be dissertations�deliver them long before the game, innormal conversation.

Beginners want to start playing immedi-ately. Unfortunately, most role-playinggames consist of an unstructured crossfireof ideas, questions, and jargon, all ofwhich quickly bewilder a new player. Givethe new player a short introduction beforehis first game. Make it both. direct andsimple�never ramble about �escapinginward� or �exploring the realms of yourimagination.� Explain that each personpretends to be a character in a story andsimply tells the group what he or shewants to do. And since the player charac-ters (PCs) might not be able to do every-thing their players want, dice are used todecide if they succeed or fail.

The concept of telling the GM whichactions your character is taking; thenreceiving the results, is the core of all role-playing games. Make sure that the newplayer understands how role-playingworks. Many new players can barelyconceive of a game without cards, gameboards, or other equipment. When a newplayer finally understands the

sequence of

play, he often worries that role-playingrules are too simple�that all players do istalk. Assure him that the GM plans adven-tures in advance, and that role-playing isas challenging as any game.

After outlining the sequence of play,describe your functions as the game�s GM.Explain that you are both an author and areferee�whatever you say is true, even ifplayers disagree. The GM maintains andcontrols the game environments for thePCs. You might have to steer the newplayer between two opposing misconcep-tions. Some new players feel limited tomaking prescribed moves. My firstfantasy-game character carried a sparesuit of plate mail throughout his firstadventure because there were no rules forthrowing it away. Other new players mustbe reminded that they are playing a gamewith definite rules. They must abide bythe dice rolls and cannot �fudge.�

Finally, make sure that your studentknows that he does not need to kill theother PCs to �win� (and that such actionsmay, in fact, cause trouble in the game).Explain that the party shares the samefate, be it happy, tragic, or neither. Newplayers should know that adventures donot always end in either a gain or a loss.Victories may later seem Pyhrric, whiledefeats can prove to be �blessings in dis-guise.� Once a new player understands the general process of the game, let him startplaying. Answer further questions onlywhen he asks them.

Continued on page 70

36 JUNE 1990

Part 6: A culture with a differentsense of taste

by Bruce A. Heard Hastmir 4, 1965: Last night, LadyAbovombe and I had a fine dinner in my

This series chronicles the adventures ofan Alphatian explorer and his crew asthey journey across the D&D® KnownWorld in their skyship. The informationherein may be used to expand D&D cam-paigns using the Gazetteer series.

quarters. We spoke at length of the poten-tial for enhanced cultural exchanges be-tween our nations. I am convinced she isperceiving a certain charm in my Alpha-tian manners�or perhaps it is my grayhair. I got very close to a more personalapproach to the subject but was inter-rupted by my little bat companion�s sud-den tantrum in its cage. Lady Abovombetook pity on the furry thing, pamperedand petted it. then returned to her cabin.

The bat stared at me all along. I couldhave sworn I have seen that look before.

The air is much cooler now that we havereached the Wyrms Strait, on the southerncoast of the Vulture Peninsula. The crewhas switched to winter uniforms. Many ofthe Cestian squires are in sick bay withchills; they are not used to colder weather.We are proceeding due west.

Hastmir 6, 1965: The water here isdark green, thus the name of the bay�Green Bay. I ordered the ship to wait untilsundown before reaching the coast. Highmountains rise to the west, and I wouldlike to examine them. There has to besome civilization in this region. Most of thecoast is covered with forests of oaks, andgame seems plentiful.

Hastmir 7, 1965: Aha! We have flownover several villages already. I was expect-ing human population, perhaps luckierpeople than the Varellyans of the VulturePeninsula. Instead, we found very tallpeople, closer to the size of ogres but notquite as muscular. Detail were difficult todetermine in the dark, so I ordered Xer-don and few boltmen to join me in anground expedition to observe the natives.The ship is to go offshore to avoid fright-ening the local population and is returntomorrow night at the same place andtime to pick us up.

Hastmir 8, 1965: This was a rathersurprising expedition. As planned, we leftthe Princess Ark and approached a nativesettlement. There must have been nomore than 500 people there, with childrenand cattle. These people are indeed as tallas ogres, strong but not as massive. Theirskins are red, and most favor a style inwhich their black hair is tied back in long,single tassels. They wore elegant and verycolorful garments made of felt and wool,including hats and boots. The most sur-

DRAGON 41

their obvious elven physical features�delicate facial lines and pointed ears.Wood was a material commonly used inthe construction of their houses. The logswere ornately carved and painted. At thecenter of the village stood a stone totem,with many sculptures of various animalheads.

I ordered Xerdon to remain at his post,then turned invisible to continue my ob-servations. I visited a few houses, whichlooked very clean and quite comfortable.It was late and many of the natives weresound asleep, although two woke up as Ientered their houses. They must have thekeen hearing of the elves.

I saw a house curiously built on top of ahigh menhir stone. Despite the precariouslook of the house, it was very solidlybuilt�as it should for people of that size. Ilevitated up to the door since I could notfind a stairway. Fortunately the massivedoor was ajar, so I peeked in. An old fe-male was sitting on a rocking chair, read-ing a leatherbound book and smoking apipe. A large cauldron was puffing steamin the fireplace, releasing the pleasantsmell of stew.

This is when I noticed the female hadlowered her. book and was quietly watch-ing me. She cleared her throat and pointedat another chair, near the table�a ratherlarge chair, of course. It was all ratherembarrassing.

After a final puff on her pipe, she pulledout what looked like dried lizard tonguesfrom a nearby jar, then tossed them intothe fire, muttering some incantation. Idecided not to intervene. She turned back,and said, in perfect Alphatian, �Well, visi-tor, why were you sneaking around ourvillage?�

After a number of probing questions,she was apparently satisfied of my inten-tions. She called herself Ngezitwa in herdialect, and said her people were theN�djatwa (pronounced: un DJA twa). Theyseemed to be a crossbreed of elves andeither ogres or giants�and a very success-ful mixture at that, offering the strengthof giant humanoids with reasonable spell-casting abilities. It seems that they keptthe best of both worlds.

The N�djatwa have lived on the shores ofthe Green Bay for centuries, even beforethe Varellyans reached their golden age. Infact, the N�djatwa had regular trade withthe latter until the culture of the VulturePeninsula was obliterated. This did nothurt the N�djatwa, since they could nolonger rely on the shipment of goods fromVarellya nor on any wealth created bycommerce.

The N�djatwa did travel north in searchof other people and met the bellicoseAndrokians on the Isle of Cestia. Thatproved disastrous to the expedition, ofwhich only a handful returned. The N�d-jatwa shun the uninhabited desert, theSavannah, and the jungle. To the west liesa very large mountain range, and to theeast a land of horrible monsters. The

latter is mostly surrounded with moun-tains, but occasionally monsters wanderinto their lands, near the Green River. TheN�djatwa built fortified walls in severalmountain passes to prevent these destruc-tive incursions.

Most surprising was the old female�smention of the lands that lie farther to theeast. Ngezitwa said that it was the realm ofthe titans, huge creatures that seem tospend their time fighting and destroyingeach other. Most intriguing, she pointedout that she had seen another flying ship�like the Princess�in that region!

Ngezitwa casually explained with a smilethat village hunters had seen the Princessand had followed her moves until myarrival at the village. She added, �It reallyis a nice ship you have, but personally Iprefer riding our giant pelicans. They arequite friendly, they do not rely on power-ful magic, and they have no equal when itcomes to bringing a load of fresh fish tothe village.� Well, I certainly felt I had beenput in my place!

We spent a few hours talking aboutN�djatwaland and Alphatia. Ngezitwa didn�tthink the N�djatwa would mind establish-ing ties with Alphatia. She seemed veryinterested in the prospect of acquiringbooks and anything related to magic�definitely an elven attitude. As druidess ofthe village, she could speak for the vil-lagers, but a more official approach forthe whole nation would be to meet thehead of the clan in the city of M�banyika.The druidess would not reveal where thecity was, however, and she wanted it toremain hidden. I accepted her invitation toride with her to M�banyika.

The next morning I discovered Xerdonand his boltmen standing toe to toe with agroup of N�djatwa hunters, defiantly gaug-ing each other. Xerdon had come to thevillage looking for me. Fortunately, myintervention and Ngezitwa�s prevented theworst. Xerdon will dispatch a messengerto the ship and remain at the village untilmy return.

Hastmir 16, 1965: The flight to M�ba-nyika was pleasant, albeit too slow for mytaste. The giant pelicans are comfortablebirds, but they require constant care andtime to rest. Halfway to the city, Ngezitwarequested that I wear a blindfold�which Idid. This however did not prevent mefrom seeing the path to the city, at leastpartially; wizard eye spells are still fairlyuseful in this condition.

The forest of oaks gave way to the pinesthat grow on the mountain foothills. M�ba-nyika lies 300-400 miles southwest ofNgezitwa�s village, at about 3,000� altitude.It is a very nice city, with white fortifiedwalls, slender towers, small water canals,and elegant bridges. It lies halfway up atall mountain peak, facing south. A water-fall drops several hundred feet to the city,where the water forms a lake. The cityseems to have underground sewers (whichalone proves to me that the N�djatwa aregood architects). The streets are rather

narrow, and most residences have two tothree stories. I would estimate the popula-tion at 35,000 souls. Evidently, it would bedifficult to see the city from the mountainpass down below. Finding the city throughthe jumble of mountain peaks and ridgesis an impossible feat without a guide.

I was adequately greeted at the palaceand given a comfortable room to recoverfrom the journey. Unfortunately, I had thedistinct feeling the palace guard would notallow me to wander the city unescorted. Idid, however, encounter little trouble inleaving my room at night without beingseen. All is not as nice as it would seem.The N�djatwa are slavers. Several marketswere still open, where N�djatwa boughtand sold their captives�mostly gnomesand humanoids. I saw one human slave,too�a Heldanner, judging from his faircomplexion and a black lion tattooed onhis chest. One group of slaves was takento what I would say was a slaughterhouse,while warriors entered the city gates,pulling several hundred captives in chainsbehind their lizard mounts. Apparentlythese N�djatwa haven�t completely shedtheir ogrish attributes, either. It seems agreat part of the food required for a largecity such as M�banyika comes from theseslaves; I saw almost no fields, cattle, orpastures near the city. I did not have timeto investigate further.

Hastmir 17, 1965: I met His HighnessKitakanga, the Clanmaster of the N�djatwa,early in the morning. He was just as eagerto learn from the empire as was Ngezitwa.There was genuine interest on his part inthe establishment of some commercial anddiplomatic link with the empire. However,some tension grew when I brought up theslavery issue. If the N�djatwa wish to main-tain any kind of relationship with the empire, I said, it is imperative that allAlphatian subjects must be absolutelyimmune to any law or situation in whichN�djatwa could enslave or eat them.

N�djatwa laws are quite clear about theirown attitudes: Non-N�djatwa are fair game,unless noted by proclamation from HisHighness Kitakanga. Even then, any law-breaker could be enslaved (and devoured).After much discussion, His Highnessagreed to concede such a proclamationtoward Alphatian citizens, provided Impe-rial Authorities would acknowledge (if notapprove of) N�djatwa civil laws. Kitakangawould not negotiate that point. I had nochoice but to agree to his terms and sign aprovisional treaty. The Heldann slave Iobserved earlier was offered to me as asign of goodwill. Fine�I did wish to ques-tion the fellow, after all.

It was time to return. The Heldannerwas tied up quite literally in the manner ofa sausage�no allusion intended�andgiven over to my custody. Ngezitwa washappy that we had come to an agreement.The return to the village was uneventful.

Hastmir 25, 1965: Ngezitwa and Itraded gifts. I received a pair of exquisitefelt quilts bearing pelican emblems, sev-

DRAGON 43

N�djatwa Experience Advancement

Experience Spells per level

Level Hit dice needed 1 2 3 4Young 1 -4,800 - - - -

Teen 2 -2,400 - - - -

Adult 3 0 1 - - -

2 4 4,800 2 - - -

3 5 14,400 2 1 - -

4 6 33,600 2 2 - -

5 7 72,000 2 2 1 -

6 8 148,000 3 2 2 -

7 9 300,000 3 3 2 -

8 10 600,000 3 3 2 19 11 900,000 3 3 3 1

10* 11+2 1,200,000 4 3 3 2

* +2 hit point per level thereafter; Constitution adjustments no longer apply. No other spells are gained beyond level 10.

eral scrolls of N�djatwa poems, and astuffed bread�no doubt a N�djatwa deli-cacy. I can only conjecture about the na-ture of the stuffing in that bread. It doessmell good, though. Perhaps a small tasteof it wouldn�t hurt.

To be continued. . . .

If you have already designed the areascovered by the flight of the Princess Ark,simply ignore the information given here(the skyship simply went by, assuming thatthese areas were already well known tothe Alphatians). If you have any comments

regarding this column or the D&D game�sKnown World as designed in the Gazet-teers, please send your inquiries to: BruceHeard, D&D Column, TSR, Inc., PO. Box756, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. Wecannot guarantee that all letters will getanswers, but they will certainly have ourattention. Your input into the developmentof the D&D Known World is welcome.

The N�djatwa

Many centuries ago lived two large rivalclans. One was the Nunjar, a horde ofogres; the other was the Hatwa, a tribe ofmountain elves. Survival was very difficultin this land of frigid glaciers and eternalsnows. Wood was scarce, and wildlife wasequally rare. Relations between the Nunjarand the Hatwa teetered between all out-wars and precarious truces. None wouldleave the mountains, the land of theirancestors and their sacred ground. After

Continued on page 15

44 JUNE 1990

�User-friendly� can mean �game-friendly,� too

©1990 by Michael J. D�Alfonsi

A role-player�s worst enemy is disorgani-zation. Misplacing a vital chart or spillingsoda on your character sheet can put a

monkey wrench in the most exciting cam-paign and can ruin the enjoyment of all

concerned.

In my years as a referee and player, Ihave seen my share of clutter. I still havethe binder that I used to store the notesfrom my first campaign. It is stuffed withloose sheets of paper that detail the his-tory and inhabitants of the world of Zeno-bia. Too bad that posterity will not be ableto enjoy this material due to pizza stains,smeared ink, and items that are illegiblebecause they were written in the middleof the night.

Does any of this sound familiar to you?When I first got my computer, it was to bea study aid in college, but like many stu-dents I spent almost as much time playinggames as I did studying. It was about thistime that I was starting up my second role-playing campaign. I had never thoughtabout doing any of my campaign work ona personal computer, but it all started witha player handout of history and characterbackgrounds. After seeing how easy thatwas, I slowly started to use the computerin more and more ways. Since then, al-most all of my campaign material has beendone on my computer.

What follows is a list of specific ways inwhich your computer can make role-playing much more enjoyable. Referees

and players alike will havemore time to role-play and will

spend less time with recordkeeping. Groups will be able

to set loftier goals, with morefun for all.

DRAGON 45

To employ my advice, you can use anytype of personal computer and will need,at the very least, basic word-processingsoftware. Some of my tips call for a data-base or a spreadsheet program. Even ifyou don�t own a computer, you probablyknow someone who does, and mostschools and colleges have them availablefor your use. Remember to always keepbackups of all computer disks, to insureagainst power surges, magnetic storms,and careless roommates.

1. Store character notes. One of thebiggest problems I have had, both as aplayer and as a referee, involves keepingtrack of what characters have seen anddone. Handwritten notes are particularlybad for this purpose because you oftenneed to find information fast. If it takes aplayer five minutes to answer a questionasked by the Grand Wizard of Zod, hischaracter may end up forever lost in analternate dimension. If players and ref-erees keep notes during a game sessionand later write them into computer files, itwill not only save time but will also greatlyincrease the value of such notes.

2. Store monsters, NPCs, and spe-cial creations. If you are a �mad jotter�like myself, you have ideas scribbled onevery scrap of paper within reach. Thepossessions of Cyrus Shadowstar may bewritten on the back of your algebra home-work, while his abilities and history are ona piece of paper stuffed between the pagesof the latest gaming magazine. That is noway to run a universe! With a computer,just create a file called �Shadowstar� andupdate it every time you have a new idea.The same goes for those nasty, slimythings you transpose from your night-mares to your dungeons. Magical items,artifacts, and new spells can all have aplace on your campaign disk.

3. Create charts and tables. Myfavorite aspect of being a referee involvesthe creation of new charts and tables.Aside from having my own versions of theusual random dungeon and treasure ta-bles, I also make encounter tables for eachmajor section of my world. Tables andcharts are also a hot trade item amongreferees, both for their ideas and for theactual charts. By using a word processoror a database, you can make your tablesand charts crisp and readable, and yourfellow referees will envy you. It is alsoeasier to print out a new chart when theold one wears out or when it is revisedthan it is to retype the whole thing.

4. Create character sheets andother gaming forms. There are asmany versions of the character sheet asthere are players. As a referee, you knowwhat information you want your playersto have ready. Aside from the standardstatistics, possessions, and capabilities,some referees are fanatics for height,weight, and age; others feel that encum-brance needs to be accurate to the nearestmilligram. Whatever your preferences are,you can tailor a sheet to suit them.

46 JUNE 1990

Depending on your campaign and gam-ing style, you can also create forms forstrongholds, land and property holdings,spell research details, governmental poli-cies, or expedition plans. The possibilitiesare endless! You can use a word processorto make all your forms. If you want fan-cier forms, use a desktop publisher.

5. Write adventures and campaignnotes. The greatest volume of paperworkyou will produce and keep track of con-sists of adventures and campaign notes.Just like character notes, the facts andfigures that make up a world tend to bescribbled on odd scraps of paper. If youhave gone into the depth that a well-developed campaign requires, you couldeasily be talking about a desk full of paperscraps. The thought of wading throughthat much paper to find out the price ofrice in Xansaw should send shivers downyour spine. To help facilitate better organi-zation (if not a cleaner room!), keep sepa-rate files on commerce, gods, armies,navies, spell locations, bandit groups,governments, guilds, secret societies,customs, festivals, holidays, travel times,laws, events . . . well, you get the picture.

A computer is especially helpful whenwriting adventures. Adventure locales(e.g., dungeons, secret laboratories, andspace stations) are not static entities. Adungeon�s inhabitants may be wiped outby a group of more powerful monsters; alab may get a new top-secret project andhave its security forces doubled; the spacestation may have a reactor failure and beabandoned. These places may also changedue to player activity, and adventure keysshould reflect their new status.

Let�s face it. Rewriting an entire locationkey because your players wreaked havoclast time they visited it is a real hassle. Ifyour guide is handwritten or typed, thenyou face this tedious task, unless you wantto clutter your pages with scribbled notes.If your adventure is on a disk, you canrevise those areas that require it, keepthose areas that are unchanged the waythey were, and print a new copy. Whenyour players return, you (and the deni-zens) will be ready.

6. Make newsletters and flyers.About 10 years ago, I was in a gaminggroup at my local game store. We wereinvolved in a war game in which eachplayer controlled a small portion of theworld and was out to conquer his neigh-bors. The game moderator wrote a weekly�newspaper� that detailed the actions ofeach player for the preceeding week�saction. The same can be done for yourrole-playing campaign, especially if it is aplay-by-mail group or if you have differentgroups of players in the same world. Ifyou run a contemporary or futuristiccampaign, this can also be an entertainingway to give your players miscellaneousdetails about your game setting. Areanewsletters can help you share tips, suc-cesses, problems, and ideas with otherplayers and referees.

You can also make flyers on the com-puter. If you need new members for yourgroup, if you have something to sell ortrade, or if you just want to meet otherpeople who share your gaming hobby,flyers are an effective and low-costmethod of advertising. Like charactersheets, you can use a word processor foryour flyers or a desktop publisher if youwant them to look more professional.

7. Catalog magazine articles. Some-where in the recesses of my garage lies abox filled with gaming magazines. When-ever I want to find a specific article, I haveto spend the better part of an afternoonpulling them all out to sift, sort, andsearch for the item I want. One of thesedays I�m going to sit down and go throughall of those magazine, and use my data-base to catalog them.

Databases are generally very simple touse. You set up the categories in whichyou want to store information, then youenter your data. The initial time you�llspend setting up the database is considera-ble, but once you�re done you simply enterthe appropriate information when you getthe newest issue of whatever magazineyou read regularly.

And there you have it. Your computerwon�t make you a better referee or makeyour campaign more exciting, but it willmake your job a little easier and allow youto have a little more fun in the process.Anyone who has the fortitude andimagination to create a game world can surely take these hints, adapt them to hisown needs, and create his own uses for apersonal computer. Role-playing games arebuilt on creativity, ingenuity, and humaninteraction. Let your computer help youconcentrate on those things instead ofrecord-keeping. Paperwork is a job; role-,playing is an adventure.

T h e H o u n d o f S h a d o w(Electronic Arts)

Down in flames or up in flames: air-war and space-war games

©1990 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser

Although it seems we concentrate on 16-and 32-bit entertainments, it doesn�t meanwe�ve given up on 8-bit games. The prob-lem is that once you�ve become accus-tomed to the sharper graphics, outstand-ing sound, and faster game play of themore advanced computer systems, 8-bitgames seem somewhat antiquated. How-ever, we will still review games for theCommodore 64/128 and the Apple II com-puter family. Indeed, we present a fewC64/128 game reviews in this column.

Reviews Inline Design5 West Mountain RoadSharon CT 06069(203) 364-0063Computer games ratings

X Not recommended* P o o r** Fair* * * Good* * * * Excellent* * * * * S u p e r b

Bomber * * * *

Macintosh IIx (B&W) version $49.95When Apple�s HyperCard appeared a

couple of years ago, it was seen as a mar-velous device for information processing.Many freeware HyperCard games areavailable in the Macintosh forums found in

DRAGON 47

online information services, but few are ofcommercial quality. Inline Design provesthat HyperCard is can be used as a soft-ware environment for commercially viableentertainment.

Bomber places you in command of aB-17 crew during World War II, assignedbombing missions over Europe. Successfulmissions garner advancements in rank andrating. However, you must avoid Germanfighter attacks, flak, and the rigors ofoxygen or heat depletion at high altitudes.

Combining digitized sound with realisticgraphics, Bomber has the look and feel ofreal bomber missions. You start the gameby responding to the Base Commander�sHeadquarters, where you are assigned abombing run. You are the pilot, co-pilot,bombardier, navigator, and gunners foryour plane, so you should listen to theassignment and the suggested route to thetarget. By using the game�s Photo Reconbooklet (don�t lose it like I did�this is thegame�s copy protection!), you become thebombardier and aim your bombsight overthe landscape, trying to find the targetidentified in the photo. This is not as easyas you might believe. When you locate thetarget, you press the salvo button and avoice cries out �Bombs away!� You see theexplosions below through your bombsight. Then it�s time to fly home.

When attacked by fighters, you operateas a gunner and track enemy fightersthrough one of six gun positions on theB-17. You use twin 50-caliber machine-guns that carry 2,000 rounds each. Thecloser you allow a fighter to approach, thebetter your-odds of a kill. However, yourpersonnel can also be killed. Other direcircumstances include: engine, heater,oxygen, and landing-gear hits; gun jams;cockpit fires; and even a runaway prop. Inthe latter case, if you don�t �feather� thatprop within a second or so, you�re out ofcontrol. Thank heavens there is a bail-outoption for the crew!

Bomber is extremely enjoyable and isrecommended for all Macintosh gamers.

Breach 2 (Omnitrend)

Omnitrend SoftwareP.O. Box 733West Simsbury CT 06092(203) 658-6917

Breach 2 $49.95PC/MS-DOS version ****Commodore Amiga version * * * * ½

The Breach scenarios have always beenpopular, especially with gamers who enjoy

48 JUNE 1990

Breach 2 (Omnitrend)

squad-level combat. Breach 2 has im- Tandy 16-color graphics boards. The gameproved the game�s interface and graphics, requires 512K of RAM to run and DOSand it fully supports CGA, EGA, VGA, and version 3.0 or higher. Both the AdLib and

the CMS music cards are supported, al-though the only music we heard was theopening theme when the game is booted.A mouse is supported but is not necessaryto play the game.

To play the game, you first create asquad leader. The squad leader is a soldierof the interstellar Federated Worlds Spe-cial Forces. The squad leader�s goal is toutilize his squad of marines effectively inwinning different scenarios. If your squadleader is killed, you lose the scenario andare bumped out of your mission back tothe main menu.

We played Breach 2 with an EGA cardand found the graphics to be quite pleas-ing except for once instance. Should oneof your Marines use a grenade, the explo-sion usually paints the ground a pinkishcolor. Your Marine characters tend to getlost in this color mix. We also lost a Marinein the deep green of the forest and couldonly spot him when we cycled throughour personnel and found the white squareoutlining him in the forest.

The Commodore Amiga version does notpossess this difficulty. The graphics arecrisp and extremely well-defined on-screen. In fact, the addition of digitizedsound�especially when an enemy soldieris hit�makes the game just a little bitbetter than the PC/MS-DOS version. Theonly drawback to the Amiga format is thatthe game is approximately half as fast asthe PC/MS-DOS version. However, we didprefer the overall feel and look of theAmiga version of Breach 2.

You control every action of each Marine,including your all-important squad leader.To start, the main menu is divided intothree windows. The window on the farleft of the screen displays the availablescenarios. (Once you are familiar with thegame, you can create any number of yourown scenarios�a very nice feature!) Theupper right window displays any squadleaders you have already created or allowsyou to Make a new squad leader. By high-lighting a scenario and a squad leader�sname, you can then Play a sequence afteryou name it.

Once your game is ready, you hit the �P�key and the scenario starts. Each Marineenters through an entry square. As theMarine appears, you are informed of hisstatistics. Icons allow you to get, drop, oruse items your soldier is carrying. Makecertain as your Marines appear that youarm them with an appropriate weapon!

There are usually objects that can beretrieved around the entry square, ranging from weapons to medical kits. Keep an

War of the Lance (SSI)

eye on the attributes of each Marine andequip him appropriately.

You move from point to point by deter-mining the Marine�s route. For example, ifyou are using the mouse, you point thecursor in the center of the Marine�s on-screen figure, hold down the mouse but-ton, and then drag to the location youwish him to occupy. When you release themouse button, the Marine moves to thatspot. Depending upon the number ofmovement points used in that move, youcan now have the Marine complete an-other action. Perhaps there is an adver-sary two squares away. You move theon-screen cursor onto the enemy figure,then hold the mouse button down. Thiscauses your active Marine to fire at theenemy. Misses and hits are indicatedon-screen.

By clicking on the �Next� icon or bypressing the �N� key, you move on to thenext Marine. Should your current Marineexhaust his movement points, you will beautomatically cycled to the next soldier.When you have moved all of your men,you can select the �Next� icon, whichcycles the game forward. It�s now time foryour enemies to make their moves andattacks.

This procedure continues until eitheryou meet the victory conditions or youand your men are killed. It takes a greatdeal of strategy to win even the simplestof the scenarios! You must remember that,although on the offensive, you shouldconsider a defensive posture at times todefeat your enemies. Just as you canthrow grenades and use rocket launchers,so can the enemy! There�s nothing moredisheartening than seeing a group of yourMarines be disintegrated by a grenadeattack from the hostiles. Also, make cer-tain that none of your men is in the way ofyour own fire.

We really enjoy Breach 2 and are lookingforward to any number of coming sce-narios for this game system. It, utilizes theInterlocking Game System, meaning thatcharacters created and nurtured throughBreach 2 will be usable in other gamesdeveloped by Omnitrend. The PC/MS-DOSversion offers a lot of entertainment for itsdollar value, especially as you can createyour own scenarios. We recommend youlook at Breach 2 as a �must try� at yoursoftware retailers for addition to yourgame library.

DRAGON 49

Strategic Simulations, Inc.675 Almanor AvenueSunnyvale CA 94086-2901(408) 737-6800

War of the Lance * * * *

C64/128 version $39.95If you enjoy tactical combat war games,

War of the Lance is certainly one of thebest new offerings in this genre. SSI al-most founded the war-game genre over adecade ago and continues to produce high-quality strategy games. War of the Lancetakes a different tack than other strategywar games�this time you�re dealing withfantastic armies and navies in the environ-ment of TSR�s AD&D® game. Skill at com-manding your armies is not lessened, butheightened. Try commanding elven infan-try as they go up against red dragons. Orattempt the siege of a fortified city withhuman infantry and mages.

War of the Lance is set in theDRAGONLANCE® saga world created byTSR. Dragons have been banished for overa millennium, but now the Queen of Dark-ness, Takhisis, has brought the evil drag-ons back from exile. In concert with theHighlord alliance of Neraka, the dragonsattempt to completely control Ansalon.Their armies literally pour out of theKhalkist Mountains.

On the side of good, you move yourunits into positions to oppose the evilhordes, and you also endeavor, throughdiplomacy, to awaken the neutral coun-tries and bring them into action againstthe Highlord and his minions. Each sidealso possesses champions who are con-stantly on quests seeking out those specialitems that could turn the tide of battle. Forexample, champions on the side of goodmust hunt for Solamnic Knight Armor, theMedallion of Faith, or Dragonlances. Thesuccessful quests for the Highlord (evil)side include the hunt for the Dragon LordArmor and Minotaur banners. You caneven designate units from your armies toattempt to subvert these quests. However,don�t forget that the enemy is also at-tempting to subvert your quests as well.

War of the Lance is a very time-consuming war game. The only drawbackthat we found to play is that each �round�takes a long time to complete. This, per-haps, is because it runs on a C64/128,which requires a number of disk accessesand takes a lot of time to �think� abouteach move due to its limited memory. Thegraphics are certainly not earth-shaking.Icons represent all troops. We recommend

50 JUNE 1990

Time Bandit (Microdeal)

Gunboat: River Combat (Accolade)

you not bother with the graphic depictionof battles as this only slows down playeven more.

This strategic fantasy war game is goingto be difficult for novice gamers to be-come accustomed to playing. The battleswill seem heavily weighted against you ifyou are playing the good forces. The sce-nario gives the early advantage to theHighlord and his forces of evil. However,through careful execution of troop move-ment, battle planning, and diplomacy, youcan pull Ansalon through this ordeal. Thegame is playable by one or two players.We hope to see this fantasy war gamereleased for other systems as well, systemsthat might increase the speed of play.

Microdeal576 South TelegraphPontiac MI 48053(313) 377-8998

Time Bandit * * * * ½

Commodore Amiga version $39.95The ancient saying that you can�t tell a

book by its cover certainly holds true withTime Bandit. The packaging could not becalled an artistic masterpiece�but a greatarcade-adventure game awaits you inside!The programmers not only offer youcolorful, exciting arcade tests of skill, butthey have also blended in a smattering oftext adventure scenarios. As the bandit,you�ll answer riddles while decipheringthe clues to unlock the mystery.

As a time traveler, you select the landyou wish to enter by moving throughTimegates. Each Timegate takes you to adifferent land, such as the Ghost Town orthe Omega Complex. You can fire missilesat onrushing evil guardians and, when youdestroy them, receive points called cubits.Earn 1,000 cubits and you earn an extralife�well worth the effort, believe us.You�ll soon find that the dangers will haveused up your starting 10 lives.

What makes Time Bandit even moreentertaining is its two-player mode. Eachplayer has a bandit, one dressed in lightblue with a playing screen in the upperright corner, and the other dressed inyellow with a playing screen in the upperleft corner. If one Bandit dies, he mighteven return to the game as a Shadow toeither plague or assist the other player.

Look for scrolls in the playing field.When �touched,� they reveal clues aboutthe reasons for your adventure and offertips. Surrounded? Have your bandit standstill and press your fire button while rotat-ing your joystick handle. He�ll spray thearea with missiles while turning com-pletely about.

We have been hammering away at TimeBandit for nearly 30 hours. We are still along way away from defeating the 16thlevel and continue to seek all of the GreatArtifacts. This is a great game with above-average Amiga graphics and good soundeffects. Time Bandits has everything anarcade gamer demands in a superiorgame�and more!

Strategic Studies Group(distributed by Electronic Arts)1747 Orleans CourtWalnut Creek CA 94589(EA: 415-571-7171)

orP.O. Box 261Drummoyne 2047 AUSTRALIA

Fire King * * * *½

Commodore 64/128 version Price n/aIf you own a C64/128, you should also

own this fantasy action-adventure game. Itis amazing to realize that this, is an 8-bitgame and that the C64/128�s graphics inthis well-crafted and well-coded gamestand up against several games running onmore advanced systems. The game is notcopy protected, so you can make copies ofthe disks using any sector utility copyprogram.

Arriving on two disks, Fire King featuresan astoundingly smooth interface using

the joystick. You become one of six charac-ters and soon find yourself in your roomabove the town square of the town inStormhaven Bay. (By the way, the pub-lishers included an extremely informativemap of both the town and the surround-ing lands inside the fold-out game pack-age!) The harmony of the land iscontrolled by the great elemental forces ofEarth, Air, Fire, and Water. Of the fourmages controlling these elements, the FireMage was king until he was gruesomelyslain by a magical beast of superhumanstrength and size. A battle reportedly waswaged for hours until this horrid monsterwas finally slain. During the Fire Mage�sfuneral in the catacombs, another magicalbeast appeared and slaughtered themourners. Now the beast saunters forthfrom the catacombs whenever it likes todine on villagers. Food supplies are becom-ing exhausted. New enemies, includingslimes, now roam the countryside. Some-one must confront the beast in the cata-combs and end the terror. Guess what�that someone is you!

As with any good adventure game, thejoystick moves you in any one of eightdirections and fires the crossbow that youare carrying. But don�t expect to hit crea-tures too far away.

The screen displays everything you�llneed during your adventure. The mainwindow features your character, thosethat oppose him or her, and the �goodies�lying around to be picked up. Get as manykeys as you can�there are more doorsthan you can shake a crossbow at. Youmight also find Boots of Water or Boots ofFire Walking, Rings of Invisibility, and themuch-needed and highly admired gold,with which you can purchase new weap-ons and other items. The Thieves� Guildhas many useful items to purchase, includ-ing information critical to the success ofyour quest.

Below the main window are your sevenpockets. Within each pocket you can se-crete as many as nine items. Always keepan eye on the pockets to make certain youhave exactly what you need for the stageof the adventure you are currently experi-encing. For example, Boots of Water Walk-ing will be mighty handy when youdescend into the sewers.

Included with the game is an in-depthwalk-through for the first adventure thatruns nearly four pages. We recommendyou try the game without resorting tothese clues, although even after readingthem, there is still much more you�ll needto do before you can win the game.

Fire King doesn�t advance the state ofadventure gaming, but it does offer fastarcade action in a fantasy adventure thatis quite exciting. Certainly, C64/128 gamerswill want to check this one out.

MicroIllusions17408 Chatsworth StreetGranada Hills CA 91344(818) 360-3715

Laser Squad * * * *½

Commodore Amiga version $39.95This offering is as impressive as Breach

2 and constitutes an alternative softwareadventure for squad-level combat. Al-though Laser Squad does not offer yourcharacters the possibility of advancing intoas-yet-unreleased scenarios, it does offersome of the finest graphics and sound yetreviewed in any Amiga game we�ve seen.

One or two may play. After the initialdeployment of your troops, it�s hunt anddestroy. Included with Laser Squad arefive scenarios that may be played at vary-ing levels of difficulty�but the easiestlevel was certainly no snap! After youhave selected the scenario you wish toplay, your squad appears on-screen. Youmust then assign each of your squad mem-bers armor and weapons. As you won�treally have a feel for the scenario untilyou�ve tried it a few times, initial equip-ment purchases may be incorrect for themission.

Every weapon needs ammunition, too.Although the weapons you purchase comefully loaded, we guarantee you�ll need toreload at some point within your mission.In fact, a couple of extra clips might not bea bad idea.

Beware of where you shoot! For exam-ple, in mission two (�Moonbase Assault�),the objective of the squad is to destroy asmany databanks and analysers as possible.You can take aim or use automatic fire ontargets; we recommend the former, manyother objects are lying around�such asgas cylinders. Strike a gas cylinder withinaccurate automatic fire, and your squadmembers might soon pick shrapnel out oftheir teeth.

Each member of your platoon has vari-ous capabilities, so try to take advantage oftheir skills. Also remember you cannot fireupon any target unless it is in your line ofsight. Your scanner will only reveal enemyunits you�ve already spotted.

All control is performed by using thejoystick and command menus. When youSelect a squad member, you see his name,

DRAGON 51

the number of movement (action) pointshe can use this round, the object used bythis member, the terrain your soldier isstanding on, and the protective value ofthat terrain. Also revealed are the mini-mum number of points needed for oppor-tunity fire�keep these in mind if youthink the enemy is close, and don�t use allof your action points in a headlong rush todestroy a target. Position your squadmembers so that any enemy unit comingthrough a door or down a hallway can betargeted for opportunity fire.

Laser Squad is really another excep-tional purchase for the Commodore Amigagamer. A version is also available for theAtari ST computer. We highly recommendyou include this exciting strategy squad-level battle game in your software library.

Mastertronic18001 Cowan, Suite AIrvine CA 92714(714) 833-8710

MEGA Pack ***C64/128 version $34.99

This offering is a group of 10 gamespreviously released in Europe, all bundledtogether in one package. Considering thatthe games carry creation dates of 1986 or1987, you�re getting a good dose of C64/128 games that were popular several yearsago. The technology in the games isn�tstate of the art, although some of thegames fare better than others. The pack-age includes:

Rebounder�Contains unusual perspec-tives as you bounce through obstacles: * * *

Monty on the Run—It crashed everytime we tried to play it: X

Jack the Nipper II�A rather cute arcadegame that has the on-screen characterrunning around in Africa: * * *½

Bulldog — The music and the action areamong the best of this group: * * * * Krakout�One of our favorites, this isBreakout with a different flavor: * * * *

Future Knight � You�re inside a spaceshiptrying to find a princess in distress; areally dumb game: *

(The following games required that thejoystick be moved from port #2 to port #1.No instructions are given regarding thisnecessity.)

Cosmic Causeway — It has 24 �roads� totravel; quite interesting: * * *

Trailblazer — Our favorite on this disk;racing on Cosmic Causeway roads againstthe clock or against a robot. This one wasreally fun: * * * * *

5 2 J U N E 1 9 9 0

Northstar � Accidentally run into theopposition and it�s over; hard to control: *

THING Bounces Back � Stop an evil com-puter from producing evil toys; this offer-ing features more originality than theothers but is hard to control: * *

Overall, Mega Pack offers at least threeworthwhile games at a reasonable cost.

News and new productsAccolade (408-985-1700) has introduced

Gun boat: River Combat. Simulationgamers will experience tight-quarters rivercombat and the dread of a possible am-bush around the next bend. You�re incommand of a high-speed Patrol BoatRiverine as it embarks on more than 20realistic missions along the uncertainjungle rivers of modern day Vietnam,Colombia, and Panama. Gunboat is sched-uled for release for PC/MS-DOS computersat $49.95.

Activision (408-329-0800) has releasedthe action-arcade version of the smash hitmovie, Die Hard. You assume the role ofJohn McLane, an off-duty New York policeofficer who is suddenly thrown into arescue mission. He must race against theclock, utilizing his strength and cunning torescue his wife and other hostages. Theprice is $39.95 for PC/MS-DOS computers.

The Avalon Hill Game Company (301-254-9200) has released Legends of the LostRealm for Macintosh computers. Playersmay be fighters, magicians, shamans, orthieves in pursuit of a magical staff hiddendeep with the walls of Taris-Cirinik, afallen fortress. The game introduces asmartial arts, weapon making, and alchemy.The price is $39.95.

Dynamix (503-343-0772) has announcedthe release of Simulation Module #1 for itsA-10: Tank Killer flight simulator. This is aone-disk add-on that increases to seven thenew missions that can be played individu-ally or back-to-back in the campaign. Theprice is $12.95.

Electronic Arts (415-571-7171) is prep-ping everyone for the arrival of LHX At-tack Chopper. Although this experimentallight helicopter is years away from actualcompletion, EA is bringing the flying vehi-cle to your computer right away. Gamerswill command the skies with smooth 3-Dgraphics, 12 external views, and unheard-of maneuverability. The simulation is forPC/MS-DOS computers for $59.95.

A third new game from EA is TheHound of Shadow, for the CommodoreAmiga and the Atari ST computer. Pricedat $39.95, the game features a new system

called Timeline. You start by creating aTimeline character and his skills. As youplay the game, the character�s attributesaffect the events and perhaps even theoutcome of the game. The offering isinspired by the works of H. P Lovecraftand represents an original contribution tothe Cthulhu Mythos. The adventure is setin England in the 1920s; you must unravelthe secrets of arcane lore and discover thehorrors and supernatural doings that lurkbeneath the surface of London.

Another EA offering is Centurion: De-fender of Rome for PC/MS-DOS com-puters. This game offers strategy,role-playing, great graphics, and cinematicanimation to recreate the battles, diplo-macy, and glamorous games of ImperialRome. You start the game as a young offi-cer in control of a Roman legion. Withyour skills as a diplomat and soldier, youmust defend Rome while bringing theprovinces around you under Roman rule.The price is $49.95.

Also distributed by EA is the new UBIoffering, Iron Lord. This epic adventure/arcade game is available for the Atari ST,Commodore Amiga, and C64/128 com-puter. In Iron Lord, you are a noble knightwhose uncle has seized the throne andkilled your father, the king. It�s up to youto overthrow him and recover your birth-right. The price is $39.95.

From Cinemaware, distributed by Elec-tronic Arts, comes Federation, a strategicspace and combat game that features oneof the largest universes ever created�overeight million planets to explore! There are15 increasingly difficult missions involvinginvestigations, evacuations, interceptions,and destruction of the enemy. Each suc-cessful mission brings the player closer toearning a coveted promotion or the moneyessential to upgrade the effectiveness ofhis spaceship. The price is $49.95 forCommodore Amiga, C64/128, and Atari STsystems.

Interstel, also distributed by ElectronicArts, has introduced D.R.A.G.O.N. Force.This individual-level combat simulationputs you in command of an elite anti-terrorist strike force assigned to a seriesof top-secret missions around the world. Itis for Commodore Amiga for $49.95.

Kyodai (415-492-3590) has releasedCurse of Babylon, a Nintendo-style actiongame for the C64/128. You must save theworld of Babylon and conquer zombies,rock creatures, and giant blue lizards thatterrorize this once-peaceful land. Stock upon arms, magic, and healing potions. Theprice is $24.95.

Medalist International (301-771-1151) hasintroduced X-Men: Madness in Murder-world, a multilevel strategy super-heroadventure from Paragon Software andMedalist International, a division of Micro-Prose Software. This Marvel Comics ad-venture is released for PC/MS-DOScomputers for $39.95. A C64/128 versioncosts $34.95.

Also from Medalist is Weird Dreams.Imported from England, this computergame has a soccer ball that devours knife-wielding girls, a giant killer bee that wantsyour cotton candy, a grandfather clockthat points the way, and a lawn mowerthat grinds you to a pulp. The bizarrescenes, puzzles, and arcade-style chal-lenges in Weird Dreams are available for$39.95 for Atari ST and CommodoreAmiga versions, with PC/MS-DOS and C64/128 version due soon.

Clue corner

Curse of the Azure Bonds (SSI)The battle with Dracandros in the Red

Tower is perhaps more a tactical issuethan a test of fighting or magical prowess(this cannot be said about the final show-down with Tyranthraxus!). After you getrid of the final batch of wyverns, you canEncamp, Rest to replenish spells, and Fixthe group�s hit points. Then you get out toa big courtyard, and there is Dracandros,with a retinue of six dark elf warriors andsix efreets (10 HD, AC 2). The trick here isspeed, because you appear at one end ofthe courtyard and they appear at theother end. There are about 18 spacesbetween the two groups.

Since both the efreets and the dark elveshave more movement allowance than you,they will bottle your group near the en-trance while Dracandros fries your peoplewith lightning bolts. The good tactic is tocast a Haste spell before you enter (as wellas other usual protective spells) and runlike blazes toward Dracandros. You shouldaim to put your best fighter in front ofhim (blocking his movements), flanked bya couple of others to keep the efreets atbay, and with the spell-casters one spacebehind to be in range for casting StinkingClouds (that affect the efreets very nicely).

However, first things first: At the start, amage must throw a Dispel Magic spell atDracandros in order to lower his armorclass. A cleric must cast a Silence 10� Ra-dius spell on one of the efreets next toDracandros, which will prevent him fromusing spells. After that, you have to hack

and slash until the opposition is down,which is no mean feat. By the way, Curseand Bestow Curse spells, as well as MagicMissiles, work well against the efreets.

The battle against Tyranthraxus at theend of the adventure is particularly hardbecause, once you�ve entered the temple,you cannot rest anywhere. You have tocarefully select your spells and use themsparingly against the hordes of evil min-ions that will confront you before the finalbattle.

Before entering, cast a Haste spell, aProtection From Evil spell for each charac-ter, and Enlarge or Strength spells on yourbest fighters. You should also have ac-quired the Girdle of Giant Strength inrakshasa country, so use it! Also cast Blessand Prayer.

You appear at one end of a big hall, withTyranthraxus (as a storm giant, 19 HD, AC0) and eight high priests at the other end.But this time the middle space is filledwith margoyles (6 HD, AC 2). Your groupbegins combat deployed in two lines, thefirst line already in contact with the mar-goyles. Beware�the margoyles� THAC0 isrigged, since they normally have THAC015. Against AC - 6, they should hit only ona 21�that is, a natural 20. But they hit oneof my fighters at AC -2 every otherround!

This means you must carefully set upyour party order before entering. Thefollowing chart shows the character place-ments that I�ll describe:5 4 6

2 1 3Send your two best fighters in at posi-

tions 5 and 6, protected by Invisibilityspells or by avoiding contact with theenemy, and have them go around themargoyles (there is space between themand the wall to allow passage withoutcontact) to end up with one fighter justbehind Tyranthraxus and the other be-hind him and to the right. If your fighters

are of high-enough level, you should re-ceive from four to six attacks, whichshould be enough to put Tyranthraxusdown.

Your mages (their best positions are 4and 6, and they should definitely eachhave a Minor Globe of Invulnerability)should, at first, throw Fireballs and try tohit as many priests and margoyles as possi-ble. If the fight with Tyranthraxus is notgoing well, they can perhaps assist thecause with an Ice Storm or Cone of Cold.The clerics should concentrate on the highpriests and then the margoyles. Concen-trate on immobilizing the enemy, as youcan kill those helpless beasties later. Tar-gets for any Hold spells should be themargoyles unaffected by the Fireballspells. A final piece of advice: If you winbut some members of the group are killed,don�t despair. They�ll get resurrected at nocost in constitution!

Jordi ZamarrenoBarcelona, Spain

Neuromancer (Interplay)Deposit your money in Bank Berne or

Gemeinshaft. That way, if you go to court,you won�t lose any money; if you die, youwill only lose what you were holding. Also,the following databases contain AIs whenyou penetrate their ICE: Psychology, WorldChess, NASA, Musaborind, and Free Matrix.

The following chips you can use like ICEbreakers to fight AIs: sophistry, pheno-menatology, and logic. Zen can be used torestore your strength during combat withan AI.

The cyberjacks for some of the zonesare: 0 Cheap Hotel; 1 Gentleman Loser;and 2 Hosaka, Fuji, or Musaborind.

Here are some link and password codes:[see table].

Ben VenzkeDouglasville PA

Neuromancer Link & Password Codes

B a s e L i n k Access/Level H ighes t l eve lRegular Fellows REGFELLOW VISITOR/1 2Consumer Review CONSUMEREV REVIEW/1 2World Chess WORLDCHESS MEMBER/2 2Freematrix FREEMATRIX CFM/1 2Hitachi HITACHIBIO GENESPLICE/1 2Psychology P S Y C H O BABYLON/2 3Asano ASANOCOMP VENDORS/2 3Musabrind MUSABORIND SUBURU/1 3Bank Berne BOZOBANK use sequencer 1-0 —

DRAGON 53

Curse of the Azure Bonds (SSI)and Pool of Radiance (SSI)

1. Always REST and FIX facing a wall,preferably at the end of a hallway. Thislimits the number of monsters the partywill have to face by at least one-third thenumber. In CAB, this is particularly effec-tive in Zhentil Keep where you must faceDexam�s minions after the Zhentil bond isremoved.

2. To find out what magical bonus mis-sile weapons have without having to Iden-tify them, take the following steps (thissystem can be used only on objects thatcan be joined, such as arrows and darts):Take a magical weapon whose magicalbonus is already known and displayed onthe equipment screen, then join that withthe missile weapon, with the highlightedarea on the displayed magical weapon.

3. Use the Dust of Disappearance beforeyou enter the council chamber containingthe Mulmaster Beholder Corps in Dagger

Falls. If you use it in combat, the wholeparty is not likely to become invisible.Also, the Behold Corps and the companywill probably kill a couple of party mem-bers before the character holding the dustgets to make his move.

4. Don�t waste any attack spells on be-holders, as those spells have no effect onthose creatures.

5. Just for fun, cast a Feeblemind spellon a rakshasa. If it works, you will obtainthe creature�s spell list and see what spellsit can cast. But with the Feeblemind spellin effect, the rakshasa can�t cast the spellsanyway.

David S. ZacharyShreveport LA

Wizardry V (Sir-Tech)To enter the motor room, you must buy

the Brass Key from good ol� Ironnose, wholoiters about in the area past the VampireRiddle near 25N,20E. And if you thinkthere�s something in the pool at 12S,16W,think again!

For those who figured out that theyneed the blue candle to move past the bluelight at 25S,12E, but don�t know where thecandle is, try this: Get the Jeweled Scepterfrom the chest you�ll find on Level 2. (Re-member? You used the Spirit-Away potionat 0N,2E to obtain the chest in the firstplace!) Then get to the Temple of KamaKazi at 5N,12E where you�ll run into LordHienmighty. Whatever you do, do nottrade away your Jeweled Scepter. Just killthe dude and use the Jeweled Scepter onthe door you�ll find in front of you. Thiswill allow you into the Temple; once in-side, you�ll find that Blue Candle.

Don�t forget to mail your hints and tipsto: The Lessers, 179 Pebble Place, SanRamon CA 94583. The adventuring partyyou save because of your knowledge maysave your group someday. Until nextmonth, game on!

54 JUNE 1990

decided to emulate in every way, even tobriefly adopting the name.

This new interest has a few negativeside effects. For one, he won�t stop singingthe theme song from the show, and hedoesn�t know many of the words exceptfor the oft-shouted refrain: �Turtlesonna-halfshell! Turtlepower! Turtlepower!� Hewill sing this with no provocation whatso-ever, day and night, but usually whenwe�re in heavy traffic.

Another problem is the language that hehas acquired from the show (�Hey, toots!Wanna split a pizza? Cowabunga, dudes!�),which he often uses when company ispresent.

The only behavior that I had to put astop to was his habit of making swords outof rolled-up paper and flailing around withthem in the kitchen while I was trying tomake supper. That was right out. I eventu-ally banned any other sort of martial-artsflailing around in the house because Ideveloped that prehistoric parental fearthat he would poke himself in the eye withone of his paper katanas.

Nonetheless, I enjoy watching him playwith his turtle toys and other unfamiliarmedia-spawned delights. He has a healthyand active play life, one shared by many ofhis friends. �Tidja Midja Nidja Turtles�won�t teach him a lot about life, but I don�tbelieve that recreation has to be educa-tional at all; it just has to be fun. And as aparent, I like to encourage the good recre-ation and weed out the bad. Mica Antelope& company are fine with me.

Some parents are less enthusiastic than Iam about the �Turtle Power� phenomenon.I�ve even seen an article or two in the localpaper in which the cartoon�s use of vio-lence to solve problems is knockedaround, and a woman interviewed on aradio program said she wished there had

56 JUNE 1990

Mica AntelopeAn editorial for parents

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES is a ® & © byMirage Studios. Art ©1990 Palladium Books. Artworkby Kevin Long.

It was tragic but inevitable. John, myfour-year-old son, acquired a taste for�Tidja Midja Nidja Turtles� from watchingtheir show at his day-care center. Shortlythereafter, he also acquired a taste for amutant turtle T-shirt, sneakers, night light,breakfast cereal, plastic toys, home videos,and movie (twice). John�s favorite charac-ter is �Mica Antelope,� whom John has

been female turtle characters with whichyoung girls could have identified. A recentletter to a newspaper even criticized theappearance of radioactive sludge on theshow (the source of the TMNTs� powers)as glorifying pollution.

Well, I�ve seen the TMNT videos (I reallyhad little choice), but I can�t see that thecartoon violence on them is harmful; anyunwanted reaction to it was fixed with alittle discipline. As for the second point,I�m less sure and will just withhold judg-ment. But glorifying pollution? Well, wecan�t all be on the same wavelength.

But I can see now, firsthand, how daunt-ing it is to a parent to have your childrenbring home an unfamiliar recreation�likea role-playing game, for example�andhave this item take over your kids� brainslike a space parasite. Just as the world of�Turtle Power!� is fairly alien to me, theworlds of role-playing must seem equallyconfusing, if not more so, to many par-ents. What are �hit dice�? What�s a �savingthrow�? How much gaming is healthy formy kid? The problem is made all theworse by the media. Is this news report onrole-playing games really honest and in-sightful, or is it some ungodly mixture ofhype, rumor, innuendo, and paranoia?

What�s a parent to do? The easiest thingto do would be to ban all gaming without

addressing the issue further, but this is thelazy parent�s way out, and it just spawnsrebellion. Why not sit down and look overthe game books for a while? I agree thatthe books can be confusing (some of themconfuse me, and I work for a companythat makes them), but the time can beinstructive. See if your children will ex-plain how the game is played; ask themquestions until you get the basic idea ofwhat it�s about. (I mean, I watched turtlevideos until I would have confessed to anycrime that an interrogator would havesuggested, and I was satisfied that theywere acceptable viewing�not JonnyQuest, maybe, but acceptable.)

You might even want to take a big stepand ask to listen in on a game that youroffspring are playing, which is the bestway to learn what they�re up to. We�vereceived several letters at DRAGON® Mag-azine from readers who actually encour-aged their parents to sit in on theirrole-playing sessions, and they reportgreat success in easing their parents� fearsabout role-playing itself. In fact, someparents even joined the group.

We do receive letters now and then fromparents who role-play with their children.I played in an AD&D® game in West Ger-many with a group that included onewhole family, and met another family that

role-played together just after arriving inWisconsin to work for TSR, Inc. The latterfamily was that of Margaret Weis, one ofthe original linchpins of TSR�s highly popu-lar DRAGONLANCE® saga.

It is heartening to see some of the lettersfrom parents who support their children�sinterest in role-playing. The father of oneyoung author for DRAGON Magazine toldme that publication of his son�s work wasa major family event. Alan D. Long, aparent in Aurora, Ill., wrote to us concern-ing the need �to point out the good thingsabout [D&D® game]. . . . It is a good gamesystem, a good family game; it�s a vehicleto spend much time with our children, toteach them decision making, problemsolving, and courageous behavior.� Mr.Long, who noted that he was an activeworker in the Christian church as well asa Cub Scout leader, went so far as to de-fend the D&D game from remarks madein The Beacon-News, a newspaper that ranan article expressing some anti-D&D gameopinions. And Judy Dietz, a mother of twofrom Hawaii, said: �I don�t particularly likethe [AD&D] game myself, but my sonsdo�so I don�t forbid them to play or buythe books, games, or manuals.�

Maybe what the role-playing industryneeds is what Konami, Inc., a computer-game company, has done. Konami hasstarted Konami Mom, a program in whichfamily issues related to computer gamingare addressed. �So many parents areafraid of computers and other high-techequipment, it�s easy to feel out-of-syncwith our kids,� says Konami Mom Char-lyne Robinson, a Chicago parent and edu-cational psychologist. �This [the KonamiMom program] gives us the opportunity toget up to speed with our kids and relateon their level.� A press release fromKonami reveals that the Robinson familyplays a lot of computer games together. So,in fact, do the Lessers of San Ramon,

Calif.�the people who have been writing�The Role of Computers� column for thismagazine.

My son John is too young to be involvedin role-playing games, but it�s very possiblethat one of these days he will badger meto bring home a copy of one of TSR�s role-playing rules so that he and his friendscan start a campaign. And after a fewmarathon sessions of whining and griping(on my part), I�ll do it. I�ve played role-playing games for over a decade and haveworked at TSR, Inc. for seven years now; Ithink I can tell if TSR�s games are good orbad for kids. And I think that they aregood enough for my kid.

First, of course, we have to make itthrough the �Turtle Power� phase, andJohn has shown an uncomfortable interestin getting a � �Tendo� (Nintendo) computergame for his birthday since he was three.Thank God he still likes his Dino Riders.Having loved dinosaurs since I was his age,I can still relate to those.

Note: Konami, Inc. offers a free pamphletcalled, �Answers to Parents� Most Com-monly Asked Questions About Video-games,� which has a great amount of infor-mation that is applicable to many otherentertainments like role-playing games.For your copy, write to: Konami Mom, c/oKonami, Inc., 900 Deerfield Parkway,Buffalo Grove IL 60089, U.S.A. Also ask forany press releases on the Konami Momprogram. It�s worth it!

erek heard their approach. The tran-quil morning air distinctively carriedthe sounds of warharness and armor,yet he rose and went to the yard un-armed. Though he had lifted noweapon in more than eight years, itstill felt uncomfortable to greet any

visitor thus. More so with visitors such as these whowere obviously not interested in good fellowship and ale.

The riders drew to a halt, destroying much of the yardhe had worked so hard to cultivate. One horse sidesteppedinto the flower bed, trampling the flowers Aelfraeda hadplanted years ago. The rider forced the horse back to theyard, doing more damage than if he�d held his ground.Once they were stopped, the nearest just short of tram-pling Gerek where he stood, there was an eerie silencesoon broken by the lead rider. His voice was powerful,stern, and direct. Even the horses stood fast while hisbreath smoked in the morning mist.

�If Gerek ap Aodhan be your name, then I have busi-ness with you in the name of Owein Skaga, Lord of CaerGlas.�

Gerek braced himself, knowing full well the type of manhe baited. �I speak with no man through helm, nor withwhom I know not.�

The mounted warrior�s hand went immediately to thelong sword at his side; habit, that much Gerek could tell.This was not a man accustomed to being greeted withbelligerence. For but a moment mail gauntlet rested onhilt, then he seemed to retreat somewhat in the saddle.The hand left the sword and went to the visor.

The faceplate lifted with no sound at all. A man whocared for his armor, or one who could afford new when hechose, or one whose armor had never seen the outdoors.Gerek ruled out all save the first when he saw the steel-gray eyes of his visitor. This was a man of war. Moreover,this was a man who had seen war. And perhaps somethingelse as well; there was a weariness back of those gray orbsthat went beyond mere bloodshed on the battlefield.

�I am Rhys, Commander of Lord Owein�s armies. I�vebeen sent from Caer Glas to find ap Aodhan, the one theycall the Dragonslayer.�

�If it�s the slaying of dragons you�re after, then you�vecome to the wrong place.�

Leather creaked and the warhorse snorted as Rhysswung down from the saddle. �Are you, or are you not,Gerek ap Aodhan?�

�I am he.�Riders shifted in the yard, nigh twenty men flanking

left and right as if they thought he would attempt some-thing. Gerek was both amused and annoyed to learn thathis reputation was animate even after an eight-year lapse.Rhys reached up with both hands and completely re-moved his helm. Bracing it under his right arm, hecrossed the short distance separating them and offered hisleft hand in greeting.

The left hand, leaving the right free to draw sword orlong knife. These thoughts passed through Gerek�s mindlike recollections of old friends. Gerek chose to ignore theoffered hand, both to bait the man and because a hand-shake through the mail gauntlet irritated him as much astalking through the helm. Rhys withdrew his hand andretreated a step. Sword’s reach, Gerek thought to himself.

Ivory inthe Blood

by Brian A. Hopkins

Illustrations by Paul Jaquays

DRAGON 59

60

�It would appear that legends leave out details such asrudeness,� Rhys remarked sourly.

�You�ve not come for my hospitality,� Gerek fired back.�You bring men of war. Men who have obviously failed atsomething you hope I will succeed at.�

Rhys frowned. �Direct then?��No other way.��We have a problem at Caer Glas���Obviously.���for which we require your unique talents.��Have the peasants finally risen against your tyrannical

lord?� Though Gerek had never met Lord Owein, he hadample experience in dealing with feudal lords. There wereexceptions to the rule, but most were pompous and un-just, supported by the peasants unlucky enough to fallwithin their domain.

There was a shuffling of weapons and several cursesfrom the warriors in their semi-circle of steel. Tyrant ornot, they were loyal to this man Owein. Perhaps Gerek�sarrow had flown off target with that remark.

Rhys surprised him completely by laughing. �You don�tleave many outs for yourself, do you, Dragonslayer? Onceyou�ve done with insulting us and our lord, we�ll be readyto kill you if you refuse to help. As it stood before, youmight have had some chance of refusing us and keepingyour head on your shoulders.�

Gerek swallowed that and realized eight years of peace-ful solitude had yielded an appreciation for life. �Ask,then.�

�No,� Rhys responded. �Lord Owein requests yourpresence. Whatever aid is asked of you, he will ask it. Getwhat you need.�

Gerek shrugged. �I need only the clothes on my back.��I think not, Dragonslayer.��What then?��Whatever weapons and armor you�ll need.�Though he knew, and had known since the sound of

their approach had echoed up through the canyons, Gerekasked anyway. �What weapons?�

Rhys smiled. �Why, whatever weapons you use to slaya dragon.�

It loomed dark in the distance, a towering, malignantstructure. Gray Castle. Caer Glas in the Celtic tongue. Itwas visible for an hour before they actually reached itsgates of black iron.

�Don�t see how a dragon could bother you much inthere,� Gerek remarked to his companions.

�It�s not us it�s bothering,� Rhys answered. �It�s thepeasants.�

Score another one for this Lord Owein, Gerek thoughtto himself. He cares about his serfs. Aelfraeda, my love,how have I become so cynical over the years? Of coursethere was no answer; she�d been dead nearly two yearsnow. Sometimes he still caught himself talking to her.

Behind him, the wagon creaked as it hauled his weap-ons and armor. Rhys had insisted that the gear be hauledin a wagon they had brought and left waiting below theascent to Gerek�s cottage. Armor, sword, and lance had allbeen retrieved from their resting place beneath the floor ofthe house. Rhys� men had been adamant that Gerek nothave the opportunity to touch anything. Despite theircuriosity, Rhys had seen to it that none of his own men

JUNE 1990

had opened the oilskin-wrapped items.At the castle, Rhys was hailed from above and, once he

was identified, the gates swung open and an iron portculliswas hauled up. Gerek remarked on the castle�s defenses.

�There was a time when we saw many wars in thesevalleys, Dragonslayer. There�s been peace for the last fiveyears, but we don�t lessen our vigilance.� Gerek made nocomment and Rhys continued. �Caer Glas has withstoodfour different sieges since it was built.�

�And one dragon has you at a loss?��It�s hard to light something that moves only at night

and lives beneath the ground.��Then you know of its lair?�Rhys drew his horse to a halt in a courtyard, ignoring the

question. Stablemen rushed forward to take both theirhorses. Gerek noticed the soldiers took care of their ownmounts. He awarded them some small measure of respectfor that.

Dismounting, Gerek patted the horse�s neck. It was agood strong warhorse; no Riagan, but a good horse all thesame. He longed for the companionship of his old friendnearly as much as he longed for Aelfraeda. However,Riagan wouldn�t be needed this time since Rhys obviouslyknew of the dragon�s lair. This would be no mountedcharge in the open. It would be your typical cave encoun-ter: Go down, find dragon, irritate it enough to get it tocharge, brace lance, and let it do the rest, while you hopedand prayed your armor withstood the heat. Later, burntand blistered, he�d take the head up for the people.

It took a minute before Gerek realized he was suddenlythinking in terms of actually fighting this dragon. Whywas he doing this? Years ago, he�d laid his weapons be-neath the floorboards of his cottage and retired. Keepyour wits about you, old son, he told himself. You’re tooold and much too soft for this kind of work.

�This way,� Rhys interrupted Gerek�s thoughts.Gerek followed him through an archway, across a

smaller courtyard, and from there up a series of stonesteps leading to Lord Owein�s audience chamber. Oweinhad evidently been told of their arrival, for he was wait-ing. He rose and extended his hand to Gerek. Gerek sur-prised himself by taking it. Owein was a strong,amicable-looking fellow, not at all the tyrant Gerek hadenvisioned Caer Glas would produce.

Gerek decided it was time to make amends. �M�lordSkaga, I am Gerek ap Aodhan. How may I be of service?�

�Please sit over here and I�ll have wine brought in. Youmust be thirsty after the ride.� Owein led him to a largetable to one side, away from the formal audience area.�Rhys, send the wine in on your way out.�

Rhys frowned at the dismissal but left all the same.Gerek and Lord Owein seated themselves at the table. �Aloyal man, Rhys Breandan, but he has failed to deliver inthis matter. Oh, not for want of trying, mind you; I haveno complaints.�

The wine was brought in by an older woman dressed insimple but sturdy clothing. She poured for them both,serving Gerek first. He waited until she had left beforerepeating his question to Owein. �M�lord, I was broughthere under some duress. I must insist that you explain.�

Owein took one long drink of his wine, leaned back inhis chair and began. �Three months ago there was atremor in the foothills east of here. That tremor unearthed

something. Perhaps it had been waiting there for manyyears, or perhaps the avalanches that followed the quakesimply awoke it. I�ve heard tales about them hibernatingfor centuries.� He looked Gerek dead in the eyes. �We arespeaking, of course, of a dragon.�

�Eight years ago,� Gerek replied, �I scoured the land insearch of dragons. Your own father was one of the half dozenor so men who funded the search. I found nothing. At thetime we were convinced there were no dragons left.�

�And you retired, the last of the dragonslayers.��By that time, the only dragonslayer who had lived to

retirement.��The evening following the quake, several farmers

reported missing cattle. We assumed it to be thieves. Thethefts went on. A week later, a young peasant womandisappeared. Days later, a shepherd and half his flockvanished. It continued, with Rhys and his men investigat-ing every step of the way. In time they laid traps andeventually one paid off; it came.�

Gerek saw it in his mind, not Rhys and his men specifi-cally, but others who had set traps for something theydidn�t understand. They staked out cattle or sheep, withthe men trying to remain hidden, but oh so visible to anairborne beast with hawk-like vision. They would bebored, for this would not be the first night they hadwatched the trap. Nor would it be the first night thedragon had watched them. It would know the trap on firstsight and it would wait, knowing the nature of man fromeons of watching him evolve. In the dark mist of earlymorning, the dragon would strike from the air, killingthose who didn�t flee quickly enough. Sure, they wouldfight, but with weapons they used on other men: cross-bows with quarrels that would bounce from reptilianscales, and swords whose edges were meant to turn otherblades. Better to fight it with a skinning knife that wouldat least scratch the hide than bludgeon it with a blademeant to pound armor. The dragon would feed that nighton human flesh, ignoring the tethered bait. How manytimes had he heard such tales? Had his fee ever been exor-bitant enough that they need try it on their own?

Owein seemed to sense that Gerek knew what had hap-pened and didn�t go into the details of their failure withthe trap. �Less than half escaped that night. Rhys� ownbrother was among those slaughtered. For him, it�s been apersonal battle ever since. A vendetta that has paid off, forRhys followed it back to its lair.�

�Forgive me if I seem skeptical, Lord Owein, but thatis not an easy thing to do. No horse I�ve ever seen cankeep up with a dragon in flight.�

�This dragon doesn�t fly. It is old, so old that the wingshave atrophied. I�ve never seen anything so huge�yes, Iwas there that night and I saw it. Nor would I have everthought something that big could move so fast.�

�They will surprise you,� Gerek patronized.�No, I�ve seen others. I even saw you slay one about

sixteen years ago. You hunted it for Lord Daren of Cor-nwall. I was among those who watched from a distancewhen you ran it down. The Dragon of Cornwall couldhave sat with ease upon our dragon�s knee.�

Gerek wanted to laugh, but couldn�t. �Surely you jest,m�lord. I recall the encounter, unique in the fact thedragon chose to fight in daylight, thus providing theaterfor hundreds, yourself among them. But that was a ma-

ture dragon. Hell, the beast was so big and brown hewould have been mistaken for a fair-sized hill had he goneto ground somewhere. That was no small green I slew inCornwall that day.�

Owein swallowed the last of his wine. �I know. Corn-wall�s dragon must have gone�what, three rods? Ourdragon is nearly twice that long.�

Gerek said nothing, setting his empty goblet aside.Owein continued. �Rhys and thirty men tracked it to itslair. Rhys and twenty of them went down after it. Hourslater Rhys came out, dragging two wounded. The restperished. It was then we sought you.�

�I can tell you what I know of slaying such beasts, LordOwein.�

Owein seemed not to hear him. �I want you to kill it.We have checked; you are the last man alive who knowstheir weaknesses. You are the last with the skill to meet itand succeed.�

�M�lord, for more than eight years the battles I havefought have been in my garden. I am an old man. Dozensof old wounds prevent me from moving freely before mid-day. I cannot go in there after your dragon.�

�Then we are lost. We have encountered the lastdragon, but there is no last dragonslayer after all.� Oweinhalf rose from his seat. �Must I show you what�s left ofthose who�ve fallen to this nightmare? Is it the money?Name your price, man! I�ll pay anything for the safety ofmy hold and my people!�

Gerek ran his finger idly around the rim of his emptywine goblet. His mind drifted again and he saw othermeetings, meetings where fees had been discussed longbefore anyone cared where the dragon was or what thedragon had done. Meetings where princes and baronsseeking adventure had hired him to simply hunt down adragon. Never mind whether the dragon had ever doneanything. It was game, like a deer or fox, and Gerek hadserved as huntsman more often than he cared to recall.

But here was a man struggling to protect his people.Here was a dragon rumored to be nearly twice the size ofany Gerek had ever encountered. Here was a dragon thathad gone from slaughtering cattle and sheep for food tokilling peasants.

Here was the last dragon.And here was the last man alive who had ever slain one.

The wagon creaked to a halt, and Rhys pointed up to acrumbled ridge. �There,� he said. �Look to the right ofthat fallen spire. See it?�

Gerek forced back an involuntary shudder. Dragons likethe entrances to their lairs to be tight fitting. He�d seendozens of them that had piled rocks around the entrancesuntil they could just barely squeeze through. He hypothe-sized that they did this to make their lairs easier to defend.If this one followed suit, then it was one hell of a bigdragon, easily twice the size of the Dragon of Cornwall, asOwein had said.

�I see it.�Rhys jumped down from the wagon. �Let�s get started.�Gerek looked back at him and frowned. �One thing

needs to be made clear now or I stay in this wagon. I�mgoing in there after that ugly brown bastard. Alone.�

Without answering, Rhys dropped the tailgate on thewagon.

DRAGON 61

�Do we have an understanding?��Yes,� Rhys mumbled. �But one thing you should

know. He�s gold, not brown.�Gerek swallowed that with everything else he�d heard

about this extraordinary last dragon. Everyone knewyoung dragons were green. What they looked like at birthwas anyone�s guess since no one had ever managed totrack down a lair with young. It was assumed from studiesmade on the reproductive organs of dead dragons thatthey were egg layers. Gerek had always dreamed of find-ing a cache of dragon eggs. It had never happened. As thedragon matures, the green eventually darkens and be-comes a rusty brown. The brown eventually reaches thecolor of rich mud in the mature dragons of about three tofour rods in length. Or at least in what Gerek had alwaysassumed was a mature dragon. Perhaps with age, thebrown faded to gold. Perhaps adolescent dragons were allmankind had encountered. Until now.

The dragonslayer swung down and joined Rhys at therear of the wagon. Rhys handed him the longest of theoilskin-wrapped packages which had been hauled fromGerek�s home in the mountains. Gerek unwrapped it.

The lance was longer than any Rhys had ever seenbefore, measuring a half rod or more. The package hadbeen deceptive, since the lance was wrapped as two pieces,shaft and blade. The blade itself was eight hands long.Rhys watched as Gerek mounted the head over the shaftand then inserted pins to hold it in place. The pins tooksome hammering, for which they used Rhys� dagger.When the lance was assembled, Gerek extended it to Rhysand the Caer Glas warlord took it in reverent hands.

�Not the sort of weapon one would carry into battle,�Rhys commented as he felt the slender blade. �Any heavyweapon would shatter this blade. Why is it so thin?�

�Feel the edge.�Rhys ran his finger carefully over the edge and yelped.

�Sharper than anything I�ve ever seen before. Can�t eventouch it without cutting myself.�

�A dragon�s hide is scales, tougher than your own ar-mor. This blade is razor sharp and thin enough to slide through those scales and find its heart. You get onechance, one thrust. If the blade turns, or shatters, ormisses its heart, you�re a dead man. With one claw, it�llcrush you like a bug, or those mighty jaws will lockaround your body and bite you in half. Or, if it�s feelingparticularly playful, it might just roast you alive. Mostdragonslayers died because they missed with the lance.�

�This is long enough to reach its heart?� Rhys asked,indicating the eight-hand blade.

Gerek frowned. �It�s long enough to kill any normalsize dragon. As for our overgrown friend in there . . .�

Next, the dragonslayer unwrapped his sword and with-drew it from its plain leather sheath. Like the lance, it wasdifferent from anything Rhys had ever seen. The blade waswider than that of even the stoutest broadsword. Very thickand heavy in the center, the blade then tapered down to thethinnest, sharpest edge imaginable. Gerek slid it back intothe sheath. �Your own weapon would shatter the edges ofthis blade if I were to attack you with it. It was ridiculous ofyou to keep me from them when we left my home.�

�I had no way of knowing.��No matter. I like a man who takes every precaution

when confronting the unknown.� Gerek handed the sword

62 JUNE 1990

to Rhys. �Careful if you unsheath it. That blade is madefor cutting a dragon�s neck.�

Gerek continued to unwrap the rest of the packages.They proved to be armor not much different from Rhys�own, albeit heavier by about 40 pounds. There were othersubtle differences: like the double visor, the inside oneslotted for vision while the outer was solid to protect theeyes. Or the hooks on the inside of the greaves, whichGerek explained were used to cling to a dragon in battle.As he suited up, the dragonslayer explained other differ-ences to Rhys Breandan. Rhys didn�t realize it, but whathe was watching, no one would ever see again.

Armored, Gerek ap Aodhan belted the sword about hiswaist. Though he was a tall man, the tip of the bladenearly reached the ground. He took the lance from Rhys,collected a torch from a pile of them in the wagon, andlooked up the hill. �Do not follow me in, Breandan, nomatter what you hear. Understand?�

Rhys nodded. With the hilt of his dagger, he struck aspark from a piece of flint, lighting Gerek�s torch.

�If I don�t come out, either we have slain each other or ithas won. Probably the latter. Your best bet then is to try andseal the cave.� With that, Gerek ap Aodhan turned andbegan the short ascent to the entrance of the dragon�s lair.

He remembered the first time he had stood thus beforea dark cavern�s entrance. He had been nine years old andwith Aodhan, his father.

�Son, what I do now, I do for the sake of those towns-folk back there. Never think there is any glory in thisprofession. I don�t do it for fame; and, as you well know,I only charge enough that you and your mother may livecomfortably. There�s an evil on this Earth, son, and we�vebeen given the power to remove it.� The tall Celt hadlooked down at the youth that just barely topped his waist-line. �I know you don�t understand, son. But that crea-ture down there is one of the devil�s minions. It�s my dutyto destroy it.�

Aodhan had emerged from that lair, dragging behindhim the severed head of a rather small brown dragon.He�d rolled it down the hill to the waiting townsmen,who�d stared at it in terror as if it still had some powerover them. Then their stares had gone from terror to aweas they looked up the hill to their deliverer.

Gerek tried to recall how many times he had stood be-fore the entrance to a dragon�s lair since that first time.He couldn�t. This time was only marginally different. Thedragonlance was clutched in his left fist and the dra-gonsword hung at his side. The differences? There was noRiagan waiting below to carry him home. And there wasno Aelfraeda to dress his wounds when he got there.

Both visors were up, and he felt the wind on his face.He smelled flowers nearby. What was it that his father hadonce told him?

�Son, every time I go down into one of those holes, Ithink what a fine day it is to die.�

He had never been sure what his father meant by thatuntil the first time he had gone down alone. Before hewent down he had stood, tasting the windborne smells oflife, and understanding had come in a rush. It was indeeda good day to pass from this world to the next.

Lance and sputtering torch held out before him, Gerekap Aodhan entered the lair of the last dragon. There had

been times when he had to take the lance down in parts,but not this time. There was plenty of room, even for thelance. This was an immense opening.

The damp dark of the lair enveloped him.

The great head rises from its resting place on the stonefloor. Golden eyelids go up, revealing emerald orbs. Thedragon�s eyes scintillate in the glow from the cavern�snatural skylight. The tail thrashes in irritation, then isabruptly still. Nostrils flare, emanating wisps of sulfuroussmoke that curl languidly in the still cave air.

He has come.Though it has felt fear before, the dragon feels none

now. This is destiny. The dragon has been awaiting thismoment for a decade.

Minutes later, the dragon can hear him as well as smellhim. For a human, he moves with incredible stealth; yethe is only a man, and an armored one at that.

A long forked tongue lashes out, and a few drops of liquidflame bespatter the nearby rock. The dragon rises on silentfeet and turns to face the cavern�s southern entrance. Herethe cavern meets a natural tunnel. The walls are coveredwith dried blood, and the cave is littered with the dentedmetal remains of those who came hunting before.

This man is different.He is not the first. Others of his calling have met this

dragon on a variety of battlegrounds. All those are dead.This man is the last. Fate has brought them together atthis point in time. A predestination set in motion whenfirst their races met and exchanged blows.

The final confrontation has come.

Warm air rose to meet him. After a few moments ofdescent, he lowered the first of the helm�s visors. The airwas moist. Perhaps a natural spring lay somewhere deepbeneath the surface, kept warm by that which swam in it.

It waited.Somehow he knew it was aware of him, even when he

was sure the sounds of his approach had not yet reachedit. There was a sensation within him that he had never feltbefore. As he was sure the dragon was aware of him, hewas just as aware of it.

The dark tunnel twisted and weaved, yet he had notrouble navigating it in the dark. He felt as if he couldeasily toss aside the torch. It was as if he had passed thisway before.

With a shudder, he realized it was somehow calling him.The dragon, not he, had passed this way many times, knewevery turn in the �dim passageway. But was it guiding him, orwas he somehow one with the beast that waited?

There was a sound from below, something reptiliansliding across rock and the click of claws. It had turned toface him.

How did he know this?A gust of hot air against his face and he knew it wasn�t far

away. A few more turns and he would meet the maw fromwhich that foul breath issued. His foot rocked somethingmetal, and he looked down to find a battered breastplate.Beneath it lay a halberd, the shaft broken. The halberd wasunbloodied; the same could not be said of the breastplate.

The next turn in the passageway brought him to whatwas a small alcove to the lair and the scene of a massacre.Strewn about the cavern were the battered remains of

armor and the blackened bones of a score of warriors.Now visible was the last turn. Around that, he knew, the

dragon lay in wait. He could feel its breath wafting aroundthe bend. The walls ahead reflected lambent fire that did notoriginate from his torch. He knew it was laughing.

Laughing? Why?Gerek dropped the torch and gripped the lance firmly in

both hands: Did the dragon know something about thispredestined encounter that he did not? For a moment hehad the strangest feeling that he had been here before.This was a cavern he had walked more than once, maybenot in this life, but in a myriad of others. He had turnedthat corner before and it had always been the same.

He would turn the corner . . .Move forward, just place one foot ahead of the other.. . . with the lance extended and ready . . .One hand ready to drop the second visor to shield his

eyes if need be.. . . coming face to face with the dragon, golden nostrils

flaring and emerald eyes penetrating to the core of himand. . .

Turn the corner.. . . the dragon would say:�And so, he has arrived.�Gerek braced the butt of the lance. The sense of deja vu

had left him and he was now in his element. Charge, hebid the golden monstrosity before him. But the dragonrested casually, tail curled around and over its forelegs,content to see what the intruder would do. This was un-like any lair encounter he had experienced before. Typi-cally, dragons attack upon invasion of their domain. It wasthis characteristic which all dragonslayers used to theiradvantage: the charge, the braced lance, the impaleddragon, and then the hacking with the sword.

This dragon followed none of the norms. And what�smore, it had talked to him!

�Welcome, Gerek ap Aodhan.�He lowered the lance and raised the helm�s visor. �You

know my name,� he stammered.�The last dragonslayer. How could I, the last dragon,

not know of you?��You knew I was coming.��Before you did, human,� the dragon replied.�And you know why I�ve come?��Better than you do, human.�Gerek ignored the cryptic answers and chose instead to

examine both the dragon and the cavern in which itrested. Both were huge, but there the similarities stopped.The cavern was dark, black igneous rock born of fire. Thedragon was gold, aureate brilliance born of sunlight.

The worm was indeed bigger than any he had everseen, easily measuring the six rods attested to by LordOwein. As Owein had said, its wings were atrophied. Ifthis dragon could fly at all, it would be for short distancesonly. The head was a broad triangle, horns of silver, eyesof emerald, and fangs of ivory that dripped a liquid con-flagration. The dragon�s pupils were pools of tenebrousgloom. Its claws were penumbrous ebony, worn little bythe rocky cavern floor.

The cavern itself had two points of access: the tunnel atGerek�s back and another, similar opening that lay beyondthe dragon. Roughly circular, the cavern measured ap-proximately 20 rods in diameter. Room for several more

DRAGON 63

dragons�even ones this size. Gerek, however, had hishands full with just one.

He realized he�d been gawking for several minuteswhile the dragon waited patiently. Where was the demonhe had come to slay? Where the beast his father had raisedhim to fear and hate? �I . . . don�t understand,� was allhe found to say.

�You�ve come to slay me,� the dragon respondedbluntly. �What don�t you understand about it?�

Sweat trickled down his back. It was hot in the lair, andthe armor was becoming damn uncomfortable. He decidedto be more assertive and took a firm grip on the lance.�You�ve overstepped your bounds, worm! Cattle and sheepare one thing, but the peasants are something else.�

�Ah, the farmer�s daughter that disappeared.��And the young shepherd���Who can tell you more about her whereabouts than

I�ll ever be able to.��What do you mean?�The dragon sighed, causing Gerek to jump as flames

gouted forth. They splashed harmlessly to his left, though,and he was somewhat embarrassed for his reaction. Lancelowered again, he listened to the dragon�s answer.

�Why was it so easy to steal sheep from that youngshepherd?� The dragon did its best impression of a hu-man�s grin. The attempt, however, was wasted on Gerek.�Because he was busy sneaking off from his flock everynight to see the farmer�s daughter. The two of them gottired of bedding in the farmer�s barn and finally ran offtogether. Hence their disappearance.�

Gerek surprised himself. �Why do I believe you?�More flame, this time a laugh which even Gerek recog-

nized. �Perhaps before this night is through, you cananswer that question yourself.�

The dragonslayer looked down at his lance andfrowned. What am I doing here,? He moved to the cavernwall and leaned the lance there, the dragon following hisevery move. Sweat ran into Gerek�s eyes and he againcursed the armor.

�Take it off,� prompted the dragon.�That�d certainly make it easy,� he replied sarcastically.Again the strange sound of a dragon�s laughter. �If I

wanted you dead, ap Aodhan, dead you�d be.�That sunk in. This beast was nearly twice the size of the

largest dragon Gerek had ever killed, the Dragon ofBranwyne. The lance hadn�t been long enough to reachthat dragon�s heart. How could he expect it to reach thisone�s? There was the dragonsword at his side, but it hadbarely triumphed over Branwyne�s dragon.

Time to decide, he told himself. Do I hurl myself at thisdragon and try to take him with me to hell? Or do I seewhere all this is leading?

What would Father have done?And then, fast on the heels of that last thought: Father’s

long dead.He removed the helmet, eyes on the dragon at all times.

This laid aside, he unbuckled the belt holding the swordabout his waist. The sword he unsheathed, pleased assomething he judged as nervousness passed through thoseemerald eyes before he leaned it beside the lance. He satdown then and began the job of removing 120 pounds ofarmor alone. The dragon laid its head across its forelegsand seemed content to watch for a moment, then abruptly

64 JUNE 1990

it asked, �How many of my kind have you slain?�Gerek looked up from the greave he was unbuckling.

Why the hell was he removing his armor in front of thismonstrosity �Thirty-seven. The last more than eight?years ago in the hills of Northaven.� Why did it feel like aconfession?

�And your father before you?�.�Some say he slew over a hundred dragons in his life-

time. I think the actual figure was around seventy. Henever would say.� Then, accusingly: �A dragon friend ofyours ripped him limb from limb when I was only fif-teen.� Both greaves off, Gerek laid them aside and startedon the buckles above his knees.

�There were more of us in those days,� the dragonreminisced. �You humans breed like vermin. A dragontakes hundreds of years before he reaches maturity andseeks out a mate. Time was on your side, human.�

�We had to protect ourselves,� Gerek countered.�And we had to eat,� was the quick reply.�It didn�t have to start as it did. Somewhere, hundreds

of years ago, when man and dragon met for the first time,the dragon could have spoken up.�

�Was he given the chance?��But thirty-seven times I�ve confronted one of you and

not once did a dragon say �I think there�s been some mis-take.� �

�Maybe there was no mistake,� the dragon said.�Maybe our two races were destined to war, mine to lose,and the two of us to meet here, where I guard a treasurebeyond belief.�

Gerek�s eyes darted to the opening behind the dragon.Treasure? It was a myth, a peasant�s daydream. Neverhad he found anything of value in a dragon�s lair.

The look did not escape the dragon. �In due time,human.�

Armor set aside, Gerek sat back against the cavern wall,both more and less at ease without the 120 pounds of steelweighing on his body. If the dragon made its move now,he was a dead man. But had he ever been otherwise? Forwhatever good it would do him, his sword was withinreach, as was the now-useless lance.

�You leave today with no weapons, Gerek ap Aodhan,�the dragon hissed, reading either his mind or his inten-tions. �You walk out of here more than a warrior today.More than the slayer of dragons that you were.�

�Explain.�Flames of irritation. �When�no, if�you leave these

caverns, you leave without that armor, without thoseweapons, without my head.�

�All this in exchange for . . . ?��The treasure behind me.�Gerek rose to his feet. �Seems I should take a look at

this treasure.�The dragon also rose, more movement than Gerek had

yet seen from the beast. It didn�t move to block his path tothe lair�s second exit; rather, it seemed to be moving to avantage point from which it could watch Gerek enter thetreasure room.

Gerek realized as he approached the dark entrance thathe was now out of reach of his weapons. Small concern,however, since the dragon�s movement had effectively cuthim off.

He was forced to duck to enter the dark antechamber.As he crossed the threshold, the dragon extended oneforelimb and rested a claw the size of Gerek�s forearm onhis shoulder. �Harm her and you�ll not die a quick death,ap Aodhan. That I promise you.�

He entered. It was a small cave, lit only with light fromthe larger chamber reflected by the golden dragon. Shadowsconcealed everything and he was about to turn about whenthe dragon moved and with it moved the reflected light. Ashaft of that golden light fell across the floor and there shelay, purest white on a cloth of velvet black.

�She�s real?� Gerek managed to get out.At the sound of his voice, she raised her head, dispelling

all doubts. Dark eyes met his and he read some small mea-sure of fear there. He showed her empty hands, glad to berid of both weapons and armor for this meeting. �Does shehave a name?� he asked, eyes locked with hers.

�She hasn�t said,� the dragon answered from behindhim.

�She�s beautiful.��Magic. Stuff of legends, like myself. The three of us

are the last of our kinds. You, the warrior of old, born ofhonor and courage. Life wagered time and time again forthe peace and quiet of farm folk and overfed lords. I, lastof a race born ten thousand years before man. Destined inthe end to perish at their hands because we are not asprolific. And she, last of a race nearly as old as my own.Cursed by human mythology to be something she�s notand to die for it. The last��

�Unicorn.� Gerek scarcely breathed the word, mindstill refusing to accept what his eyes saw. They had beenlegend all his life. He had never believed they existed.Until now.

The foal got to her feet. Coat of purest white, matchinghooves, mane and tail the same, long and full, looking justbrushed a thousand strokes. Eyes that echoed impenetra-ble depths, matching black nose testing the air, and a hornthat should not, by all the laws of nature, be there. Thiswas the treasure that confronted him. She was so small,couldn�t be more than a few weeks old.

�Where did you���A story that�ll never be told, ap Aodhan. Suffice to say

she was entrusted to me. She is the last.��What will you do with her?��Give her to you.�He turned then, full about to confront the golden face

that peered in at him and the unicorn. �Give her to me?��That�s what I said.��In exchange for armor, weapons, and your life?�The dragon laughed, some of the resulting flames com-

ing dangerously close to Gerek�s feet. He did not, how-ever, back up for fear of startling the fragile creaturebehind him.

�I�m changing your life, human. Take this frail crea-ture and do what I cannot. Raise her. Perhaps in yearsahead, you�ll find a way to curtail her species� extinction.For all I know, she�ll breed true with your own horses.�The dragon paused. �My life, however, was never part ofthe bargain. Mine will continue to its own predestinedend. Yours, on the other hand, will change. That changeprecludes the need for those items you�ve left in my lair.�

Gerek turned back to face the spindly legged apparitionon the velvet spread. He extended a hand and she first

sniffed carefully, then nuzzled it. Her muzzle was soft andnew; it brought unwelcome memories of himself as a childand Riagan, this size, given as a present from his father.

�I�m offering you a chance, ap Aodhan, to right someof the wrongs you have done in your life. Help this crea-ture. Show me that your race is more than butchers.�

He knelt, and the unicorn moved against him. Secondslater she melted into his arms.

�You�ll take her?�In answer, he enfolded the unicorn in his arms and got

back to his feet. �What will you do?� he asked. �CaerGlas is bound to hunt you and��

A warrior�s scream of attack, the dragon turning onclaws that tore loose hunks of solid rock, the foal squirm-ing loose to run for the shadows of her small alcove, andthe bright flicker of flame in the lair, all seemingly at once.Gerek whirled about so fast he turned an ankle on looserock and went sprawling. As he scrambled to his feet, heheard the voice of Rhys Breandan and the roar of thedragon as one.

�Die, worm from hell!�Rhys had the dragonlance clutched in his hands. Nearby,

a discarded torch sputtered hungrily on the rocky ground.He dived at the dragon, not knowing the technique was toset the lance and let the dragon come to you. His aim wastrue, and the lance met the dragon behind the left shoulderblade where one might hope to reach its heart. However,Breandan hadn�t counted on the aureate scales of gold.Tougher than any armor, they turned the blow. Rhys, witheighty pounds of armor, crashed into the side of the dragonamidst the flying shards of both blade and shaft.

The dragon whirled, and one great foreclaw swept theCaer Glas warrior aside. Rhys flew across the cavern andslammed against solid granite. He hung there against thewall for a second, one gauntlet dropping to clatter to theground along with several small clasps that had torn freeof his armor; then he sprawled forward and was still.

Gerek reached the dragon�s side, limping on the turnedankle. Dragon blood ran to form a pool at his feet. Thelance had penetrated before it shattered. From the amountof broken blade on the ground, Gerek estimated half itslength must be in the dragon�s side. The dragon turned tolook at him, and there was fire in those emerald eyes.

A moan from across the room and Rhys was on his feet.As Rhys drew his broadsword, Gerek saw blood runningfrom mouth, nostrils, and both ears. His helm was dented asif it had been hit with a poleaxe. His visor hung to one side,twisted. Drawing back the broadsword, he lunged at thedragon.

�No!� Gerek screamed, but it was too late. Rhys wasin motion and the dragon�s mouth gaped, flames smoul-dering hotter than any hell. �With no choice, Gerek alsomoved, rolling under the dragon�s belly to reach thedragonsword.

Rhys struck. The blow caught the dragon squarelyacross the snout. Sparks and blood flew. The dragonroared and Rhys was enveloped in flame. The force of theblast lifted the warrior and hurled him back a full rod,where he somehow landed on his feet. His screams, as fireconsumed those areas not covered by armor, jarred loosestalagmites that had hung for thousands of years.

Even as the flames erupted from the dragon�s mouth,Gerek struck. The dragonsword bit with a solid thunk into

DRAGON 65

the beast�s neck and held there. The dragon spun about,snapping the blade, and slamming its head full intoGerek. He saw the shattered sword hilt spinning away justbefore he struck the cavern wall.

Everything went black.

Sometime later�hours or days he couldn�t have said�he felt something nuzzling against his side and he camearound. He opened his eyes to gaze into those of the uni-corn. The side of her white muzzle was streaked with redblood. Shattered innocence, Gerek thought to himself.

He rolled to a sitting position, crying out as broken ribsgrated together. His head spun, and for a moment healmost went back under; then the cavern quit spinningand he was able to stay up by leaning on the foal. Visioncleared, he looked upon the carnage.

The mess against the far wall had been Rhys Breandan.A few flames still licked hungrily at the remains. Nearerlay the dragon. Its head was stretched full upon the cavefloor, the emerald eyes watching him intently. From thewound in its neck pumped a river of blood. Gerek discov-ered he was sitting in the continuously spreading pool ofdragon blood. The unicorn�s hooves were red with it.

The dragon spoke first. It was no longer the powerfulvoice Gerek had grown accustomed to. �Not what I hadexpected from a dragonslayer of your reputation, apAodhan.�

Gerek crawled closer, aware of the fact that he�d alreadybe dead had that been the dragon�s intentions. In moving,he discovered one leg was broken. He moaned with pain butcrawled anyway. The same leg had been broken before

He reached the dragon�s head and surveyed the damagethere. The dragon would raid no more flocks. �I��

��moved to protect the other man,� the dragon said itfor him. �Instinct. Even as when I torched him. We areboth driven by those instincts. It�s the only way both of ushave survived to become what we are. The last.�

The emerald eyes shifted to the unicorn that waited,uncertain of her own fate in this haven turned slaughter-house. �Take her, Gerek ap Aodhan. She has none of thewarrior instincts that have allowed both of us to survive.�

�Is there nothing I can do for you?��Nothing, human. Asking that shows me I�ve at least

changed you from the man who came in here for myblood. Leave me now while I have the strength to sealthese caverns behind you. I�ll not have the peasants downhere after my head when I�m gone.�

Dragging his bad leg, Gerek found the largest piece ofthe spear�s shaft and used it for a crutch. Slowly, in greatpain, he got to his feet and made his way toward the lair�sexit. At the tunnel, he turned back and called for the uni-corn. The fragile creature looked to the dragon, and someunspoken communication seemed to pass between them.Then the unicorn trotted through the blood to join Gerek.

Gerek turned to leave, but the dragon called him back.�Do me one favor,� it bade him.�Name it.��The others will forget. Humans have never wanted to

believe in things of magic�dragons, unicorns, faerieelves�but you know different. Remember me as I was,ap Aodhan.�

�I will.�

66 JUNE 1990

The RulesContinued from page 36

Fitting inOn page 111 of the AD&D® 1st Edition

Dungeon Masters Guide, Gary Gygax sug-

gested that novices play their first role-playing games alone, without interferencefrom experienced players. However, mostGMs have no time to run separate cam-paigns for beginners, and most new play-ers resent being segregated. Let new-

comers play an introductory adventure inyour regular campaign. Before the newplayer arrives, make sure that the experi-enced players will be polite. Never letanyone ridicule a newcomer. Both the GMand the party must listen to the newplayer and encourage him to play, reactingenthusiastically to good suggestions andsetting aside terrible ideas with reasonedbut respectful comment. Established play-ers can nurture the new party memberwhile role-playing. In fantasy games, toughfighters may give terse and cynical warn-ings about the adventure to come, whileintellectual wizards might recall their ownapprenticeships and take a special interestin the newcomer.

Every new player needs a character, butmany new players become bored whilerolling one up. Be sure that the new playerunderstands that generating a character ispart of preparing to play, not the gameitself. Briefly explain that in role-playinggames you pretend to be another person,and randomly generated statistics (createdby dice rolls) show how strong, smart,dextrous, etc., the imaginary character is.Point out that as characters gain adventur-ing experience, they generally (if the gameallows for it) become more powerful. Youmight compare rolling up a character todealing out cards in a poker game. Yourcharacter�s statistics�like a poker hand�determine how you will play. Then let thenew player choose between playing aprerolled character and generating a newone. If a game�s PC-generation system isprolonged, a pregenerated PC would bebest; offer a choice between two or three.

If the new player wants to, roll up hisown character, do not complicate theprocess with unnecessary detail. Height,weight, and other details seldom matter ina first adventure. Explain what each im-portant statistic means and how it is deter-mined. Let the new player participate, butdo not flood your student with data. Whenthe new player gets to choose something,such as race, class, or alignment, mentiononly the most attractive possible choices.In most fantasy games, fighters andthieves probably make the most satisfac-tory beginning PCs. Clerics require espe-cially sensitive role-playing to avoidseeming effete. Magic-users die easily, andthe rules for spells are complex. If yournew player wants to play a magic-user,you should probably wait until later toexplain the difference between memorizedspells, known spells, and spells written inthe spell book.

In games with an alignment system, newplayers might not understand conceptssuch as �lawful� and �chaotic.� Most newplayers become even more confused whenthey are given a list of which alignmentsbelieve in individual rights and whichmight condone murder. You can describealignments by pairing fictional characterswith their ethos. For example, if the new-

Continued on page 100

70 JUNE 1990

by Skip Williams

If you have any questions on the gamesproduced by TSR, Inc., �Sage Advice� willanswer them. In the United States andCanada, write to: Sage Advice, DRAGON®Magazine, PO. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI53147, U.S.A. In Europe, write to: SageAdvice, DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120Church End, Cherry Hinton, CambridgeCB1 3LD, United Kingdom. We are nolonger able to make personal replies;please send no SASEs with your questions.

This month, the sage continues his tourof the AD&D® 2nd Edition game. DMG isthe 2nd Edition Dungeon Master’s Guide,and PHB is the 2nd Edition Player’s Hand-book (PHB).

Dungeon Master�s Guide

What are-the size, speed factor,and other statistics for the scythewielded by the minor death pro-duced by a deck of many things (seethe DMG, page 166- 167)?

Speed factor is irrelevant in the case ofthe minor death; it always strikes first. Ina character�s hands, a scythe makes acumbersome weapon at best. I suggest thefollowing statistics: cost 5 gp; weight 7lbs.; size L; type P/S (the blade has both acurved cutting edge and a sharp point);speed factor 10; damage 2d4 (S-M)/1dG (L).

Where is the table for determiningwhat kind of coins can be found in aBucknard�s everful purse? How longcan the purse be empty before itbecomes nonmagical? I know thebook says �a few minutes,� but whatdoes that really mean?

The table was accidentally printed onpage 160 of the DMG, under the heading“BAG OF TRANSMUTING.” Individual DMsare free to define �a few minutes,� but Isuppose 2-5 minutes is a good base value.The real intent behind the �few minutes�comment is to say that a character is freeto empty the purse and get his daily cropof coins, but must put at least one coinback in before he goes off and does any-thing else. Most DMs rule that a coin ofeach type must be present to get the fulleffect; for example, if a purse could pro-duce silver, electrum, and gold, then leav-ing just one silver piece inside would keepit functioning�but the next day it wouldproduce only silver pieces.

How come chain mail costs lessthan armor that doesn�t protect asthe wearer well? Chain mail, forinstance, costs 75 gp, vs. 120 gp for

scale mail. This is a misprint, right?No misprint. Scale mail costs more to

make than chain mail, but its older, lessefficient design makes it inferior to chainmail. The same goes for ring mail (cost 100gp). People who know how to make chainmail needn�t bother with scale or ringmail. What kind of armor is available inany given campaign depends on the timeperiod in which the game is set (see theDMG, page 35).

Can a ring of spell storing contain-ing a find familiar spell enable anonwizard character to summon afamiliar? How long would it take tocast find familiar from a ring ofspell storing? How does the �oneattempt per year� rule apply to char-acters using a ring of spell storing?

It is perfectly reasonable to say that onlywizards have the mental training to main-tain the empathic link between master andfamiliar. It also is perfectly reasonable tosay that a ring of spell storing is powerfulenough to make any spell stored within itwork for the ring�s owner. Individual DMsmust decide on their own which is thecase. Any spell cast from a ring of spellstoring has a casting time of five. Thecharacter who puts the spell into the ring,however, must go through the spell�s nor-mal casting procedure. In this case, thewizard must fire up the brazier full ofincense and spend up to 24 hours casting.Note that this makes it very unlikely thatfind familiar will be found in a ring ofspell storing and. even more unlikely thatNPC spell-casters can be hired to restore itto the ring. The �one attempt per year�limit applies to both the ring and theowner; that is, only one attempt can bemade each year with any given ring, and acharacter who has two rings cannot try tosummon a familiar twice in the same yearby using each ring once.

My wife and I have a continuingargument over the properties of thevorpal blade. She insists thatstrength bonuses are consideredwhen determining whether theweapon severs a victim�s neck. Ipoint out that the footnote on page186 of the DMG says only thesword�s +3 bonus affects the scorerequired to sever.

This is probably the first time I�ve beenasked to settle a domestic argument. Bo-nuses for strength, specialization, spells(such as bless or prayer), situation (oppo-nent surprised, prone, etc.), or the like donot affect the score needed to sever. Thus,it is quite possible to solidly hit an oppo-

nent, due to a good roll and high bonuses,but not sever his neck. In fact, the tablecould�and probably should�read asfollows (the same table can be used for thesword of sharpness):

Unmodifiedto-hit roll

needed to severOpponent head/neckNormal/armored 17-20Larger than man-size 18-20Solid metal or stone 19-20

The PHB says that rogues can havea maximum score of 95% in each oftheir special abilities, but the DMGhas a table on page 23 that showsscores of 99%. However, the sametable in the Dungeon Master�sScreen shows no score above 95%.

The maximum score is 95%. The table inthe Dungeon Master’s Screen correctsTable 19 in the DMG.

Will a girdle of dwarvenkind allowa nondwarf to get full benefits froma hammer, +3 dwarven thrower?

No; nor will the wearer suffer magicalitem malfunctions as dwarves do (see thePHB, page 21).

What is the correct formula for afighter�s individual experienceawards, as listed in the DMG, page48? Does the fighter�s level changethe award? Is the award given forevery monster the party defeats?

The formula is the monster�s hit dicemultiplied by 10. The word �level� is amisprint. All individual awards are justthat; they are awarded to characters whodo things without help from other charac-ters. For fighters, the individual award fordefeating a monster is made after a one-on-one contest.

Monstrous Compendium

How come red dragons in the Mon-strous Compendium have fewer hitdice than blue dragons and no morehit dice than green dragons? Whatdoes the red dragon�s THAC0 entry,�7 (at 9 HD),� mean? Also, the exam-ple in the general information sec-tion says that a black dragon�s basehit dice is 10, but the black dragon�sdescription says the base is 12 HD.

There is a typo in the red dragon�s statis-tics. A red dragon�s base hit dice is 15; a

Continued on page 74

DRAGON 71

S a g eContinued from page 71

black dragon�s base hit dice is 12 (theexample is wrong). All dragons� THAC0sare determined by their adjusted hit dice,so a hatchling red dragon (9 HD) has aTHAC0 of 11.

Is there some mistake in the horselisting in the Monstrous Compen-dium? I mean, simple riding horseshave more hit dice and a betterTHAC0 than light or medium warhorses, and they move a lot fasterthan medium war horses.

There sure seems to be an error. If youwant to cut riding horses down to size,just treat them as light war horses withone attack (a bite) for 1-2 hp damage.Regardless of statistics, non-war horsesare nervous creatures that are more likelyto flee than to fight.

What do the �juvenile� entries inthe Monstrous Compendium�s giantexperience-point value entriesmean? Why are young giants treatedlike adult giants of different spe-cies? Shouldn�t young giants haveabilities that reflect those of adultsof their own race? If young giantsare treated as adult members ofother races, shouldn�t you use thoseraces� experience values? Just howtall are young giants?

Those mysterious experience-pointvalues are part of an aborted attempt todo just what you suggest�extrapolatejuvenile abilities from adult abilities. How-ever, this was dropped during the editingprocess to keep things simple and to keepthe revised giants more compatible withthe ones in the AD&D 1st Edition game.The juvenile experience-point values wereprinted in error and should be ignored;use the experience values from the appro-priate race when making experienceawards for juvenile giants.

If you want to derive young giants� abili-ties from adult members of the race,

here�s the discarded system: To determinean immature giant�s age randomly, roll1d4 A roll of 4 indicates an infant with nocombat abilities and -4 hit points per die(minimum 1 hp/HD). Other rolls indicatejuveniles with penalties to hit points, at-tack rolls, and damage done equal to thedie roll. Juveniles in the - 3 category alsodo one less die of damage per blow. Forexample, a - 1 hill giant juvenile wouldhave - 1 hp/HD (with a minimum of 1 hp/HD) and a THAC0 of 10, and would do1d6 - 1 hp damage with its fists or 2d6 + 6with a club. A -3 hill giant has -3 hp/HD,a THAC0 of 12, does 1d6 -3 hp damagewith its fist or 1d6 +4 with a club. Juve-niles can hurl rocks; their minimum rangeis the same as an adult�s, and the maxi-mum range is equal to the adult maximumminus a value equal to 10 yards times thejuvenile�s combat penalty; the combatpenalty also is subtracted from each die ofdamage that the rock does (minimum of 1hp/damage die). For example, a - 1 juve-nile hill giant can hurl a rock from threeto 190 yards for 2d8 -2 hp damage.

Infant giants are less than one-quarterthe height of an adult, but are usually notless than one-sixth adult height. Juvenilesare anywhere from one-quarter adultheight to full adult height; a -3 juvenilewould be from one-quarter to one-halfadult height, a -2 juvenile would be fromone-half to three-quarters adult height,and so on.

Miscellaneous

Can you play the FRE-series Avatarmodules alter reading the books?

According to Avatar project coordinatorJim Lowder, the story as told in the three,Avatar books�Shadow&e, Tantras, andWaterdeep � does not compromise play ofthe modules at all. The books tell the storyof a group of fallen deities struggling toregain their powers. The modules dealwith the mortals who help them.

74 JUNE 1990

ADVENTURERS� INN, June 9-10This gaming convention will be held in the

Mother Load Fairground in Sonora, Calif. Fan-tasy gaming will be highlighted. Other activitiesinclude a large open gaming area, seminars, and

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WARNING: We are not responsible forincorrect information sent to us by conven-tion staff members. Please check yourconvention listing carefully! Our widecirculation ensures that over a quarter of amillion readers worldwide see each issue.Accurate information is your responsibility.

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

If a convention listing must be changedbecause the convention has been can-celled, the dates have changed, or incor-rect information has been printed, pleasecontact us immediately. Most questions orchanges should be directed to the maga-zine editors at TSR, Inc., (414) 248-3625(U.S.A.). Questions or changes concerningEuropean conventions should be directedto TSR Limited, (0223) 212517 (U.K.).

indicates an African convention,indicates an Australian conventionindicates a Canadian convention.indicates a European convention.

78 JUNE 1990

SCA demonstrations. Registration: $13/day or$20 for the weekend at the door. Plus, a $3refund for anyone in a medieval/fantasy cos-tume. Write to: ADVENTURERS� INN, P.O. Box576, Sonora CA 95370.

ARTYCON II, June 9-10

companies publishing those products The use of the name of

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

any product without mention of its trademark status should not

Inc. Most product names are trademarks owned by the

be construed as a challenge to such status.

NOTE: Be aware that there are now at leastfour SF/fantasy/gaming conventions with verysimilar names: ICON, held in Iowa; I-CON, inLong Island, N.Y.; I-KHAN, in Colorado Springs,Colo.; and I-CON, in British Columbia. Otherduplicated convention names have been noted(e.g., DEMICON in Des Moines, Iowa, and Aber-deen, Md.). Plan carefully!

Events include AD&D®, CALL OF CTHULHU*,CHAMPIONS*, MARVEL SUPER HEROESTM,

This convention will held at the Community

ROLEMASTER*, SHADOWRUN*, STAR TREK*,

Activity Center, 3281 Sheridan Rd., Fort Sill OK.

and STAR WARS* games, with a miniatures-painting contest and Japanimation. Registration:$5 in advance, $7 at the door for both days, or$4 for one day. Write to: ARTYCON II, ITROffice, 1721 Gruber Rd., Ft. Sill OK 73503.

DEEPSOUTHCON XXVIII, June 7-10�XXVIII� will be held at the Quality Inn-East

SAGA �90, June 9-11This year, SAGA is moving to Globe High

School in Sydney, Australia. Events includeAD&D®, CALL OF CTHULHU*, and other role-playing, board, miniatures, and freeform games.Write to: SAGA, P.O. Box 71, Kingsway NSW:AUSTRALIA 2208.

Ridge in Chattanooga, Tenn. Scheduled guestsinclude Bob Shaw, Raymond Feist, DarrellSweet, Forrest Ackerman, and Bryan Webb.Registration: $25. Write to: DEEPSOUTHCON,Box 23908, Chattanooga TN 37422; or call: (404)578-8461 (no collect calls, please).

GLATHRICON �90, June 8-10Sponsored by the Evansville Gaming Guild,

this 7th annual convention will be held in Evans-ville, Ind. Steve Jackson will be the guest ofhonor; Skip Williams will be the DM guest ofhonor; and Jean Rabe, the RPGATM NetworkCoordinator, will represent the Network. Theartist guest of honor will be Lucy Synk. RPGA�tournaments include AD&D® Feature, Masters,Grandmasters and Joe Martin Benefit games,with GURPS*, MARVEL SUPER HEROES� Fea-ture and Masters, JAMES BOND*, PARANOIA*,PARANOIA* Masters, CHILL*, DC HEROES*,CHAMPIONS*, and STAR TREK* games. Otheractivities include a dealers� room, a large artshow and print shop, an art auction, a masquer-ade, a miniatures-painting contest, seminars,and panels. Registration: $20. Write to: Evans-ville Gaming Guild, P.O. Box 15414, Evansville IN47716; or call: (812) 477-9508.

MADISON GAME DAY �90, June 10This convention will be held at the Ramada

Inn, 3841 E. Washington Ave., Madison, Wis.Events include role-playing, historical, minia-tures, and board games. Registration: $5, nogame fees. Judges are welcome. Write to: MADI-SON GAME DAY, c/o Nick Klapper, 1909 HeathAve., Madison WI 53704; or call (608) 249-3264.

NEW ORLEANS SF/FANTASY FESTIVALJune 15-17

The �Festival� will be held at the Bayou Plaza,in New Orleans, La. The guest of honor is RogerZelazny, and the artist guest of honor is DellHarris. Other guests include George R. R.Martin, George Alec Effinger, Greg Costikyan,Denny O�Neil, and many more. Other activitiesinclude programming, an art show and auction,a hospitality suite, a dance, a meet-the-guestparty, movies and videos, a dealers� room, and acharity event for the Battered Womens� Centerand the Chinchuba Institute. Registration: $20until June 1, or $25 at the door. No preregistra-tion after June 1. Write to: NEW ORLEANS SF/FANTASY FESTIVAL, P.O. Box 791089, NewOrleans LA 70179-1089.

ORGANIZED KAHN-FUSION II, June 16-17This gaming convention will be held at the

Central Penn Business School in Summerdale,Pa. Activities include a dealers� area, aminiatures-painting contest, videos, and over 60role-playing, war, miniatures, science-fiction,and other games. The guest of honor is TomWham. Registration: $4-6/day and $8-12 forboth days; depending on the date of registra-tion. Membership is limited. Write to: M. Foner�sGames Only Emporium, 200 Third St., NewCumberland PA 17070; or call: (717) 774-6676.

PHANCON �90, June 16-17Sponsored by the Gilde der Fantasyrollen-

spieler, Fantasywelt, Fantasy Productions, andSpiel und Fantasy, this convention will be heldat the Stadhalle (Municipal Hall) in Ratingen,West Germany, and features a wide variety ofgames. Registration: DM 6/day or DM 10/weekend in advance, or DM 7/day and DM 12/weekend at the door. Write to: GTR, c/o BerndStreckman, Bruchstr. 48, 4030 Ratingen 1,WEST GERMANY

MICHICON GAMEFEST �90, June 22-24This convention will be held in the Southfield

Civic Center in Southfield, a suburb of Detroit,Mich. Events include 50 RPG, 60 board, and 60miniatures games. Other activities include threeused-games auctions, and open gaming. Regis-tration: $12 for the weekend, or $7/day prere-gistered. Write to: Metro Detroit Gamers, Box656, Wyandotte MI 48192; or call (days) BarryJensen at: (313) 591-2300 ext. 325; or call (eve-nings) Mike Bartnikowski at (313) 928-7744.

POLYCON VIII, June 22-24The Simulation and Adventure Gaming Assoc.

of CalPoly is sponsoring �VIII.� Events includestories and illustrations, movies, Liventures,speakers, games, and a dealers� area. Registra-tion: $22 for weekend passes or $12 for one-daypasses at the door (GMs have special prices).Write to: POLYCON VIII, c/o SAGA, ActivitiesPlanning Center, Box 168, San Luis Obispo CA93401, and ask about special room rates; or callStacey Fetters at: (805) 545-9858.

WORLD DIPCON �90, June 22-24The 1990 International DIPLOMACY* Champi-

onships will be held at the University of NorthCarolina in Chapel Hill, N.C. The tournamentwill consist of four rounds of DIPLOMACY*games, with a DIPLOMACY* team competitionand tournaments in CIVILIZATION*, TITAN*,and RAILWAY RIVALS* games. The tournamentwinner will be named the 1990 InternationalDIPLOMACY* Champion. Registration: $20,with tournament housing for $15/night doubleor $30/night single. Write to: David Hood, 15-FEstes Park, Carrboro NC 27510.

DEMICON II, June 23-25The Harford Adventure Society presents �II,�

to be held at the Holiday Inn-Aberdeen House,in Aberdeen, Md. Events include AD&D®,BATTLETECH*, PARANOIA*, CHAMPIONS*,SHADOWRUN*, CAR WARS*, and WAR-HAMMER 40,000* games. Registration: $17.50before May 31, or $20 at the door. Write to:DEMICON II, c/o Harford Adventure Society,PO. Box 1063, Aberdeen MD 21001.

ORIGINS/DRAGON CON �SO, June 28-July 1The 1990 National Gaming Exposition and

Trade Show will be held at the Atlanta Hiltonand Towers, Atlanta, Ga. Guests of honor areTom Clancy and Doug Niles, with more guests to

be announced. Role-playing, strategic, minia-tures, and computer game tournaments will beheld around the clock. Other activities includepanels and workshops, game and consignmentauctions, a masquerade, an art show and printshop, and video rooms! Write to: ORIGINS �90,Box 47696, Atlanta GA 30362.

IMAGINATION �90, June 30This convention will be held at the Crawley

College of Technology in Crawley, West Sussex,England. Events include AD&D®, BLOOD-BOWL*, STAR TREK*, and STAR WARS* games.Other activities include war games, miniatures,board games, and films. Registration: £3 untilJune 29; £3.50 thereafter. £1 discount for chil-dren under 14. Send an SASE to: Graham Todd,36 Deerswood Rd., West Green, Crawley, WestSussex, UNITED KINGDOM RH11 7JN.

ECONOMYCON III, July 6-8This convention will be held at Alma School in

Mesa, Ariz. Events include AD&D®, BATTLE-TECH*, BATTLE FOR MOSCOW*, CIVILIZA-TION*, and SUPREMACY* games, with opengaming, Japanimation, World War II micro-armor, and the LOST WORLDS* fantasy-bookgame. Write to: ECONOMYCON, 2740 S. AlmaSchool, Mesa AZ 85202.

ARCANACON VIII, July 12-15Random Incorporated is again holding this

nonprofit convention, at the Collingwood Educa-tion Center in Melbourne, Australia. Eventsinclude AD&D®, CALL OF CTHULHU*, RUNE-QUEST*, WARHAMMER 40,000*, and HUNTERPLANET* games. Write to: ARCANACON VIII,Random Inc., PO. Box 125, Parkville 3052, NSW,AUSTRALIA.

ATLANTICON �90, July 13-15This convention will be held at the Baltimore

Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel and the BaltimoreConvention Center. Activities include gamingand free game demonstrations, game auctions, aflea market, 24-hour open gaming areas, anddiscount coupons for all preregistrants. Regis-tration: $14 for the weekend prepaid, or $18 atthe door (one-day passes also available at thedoor). Write to: ATLANTICON, PO. Box 15405,Baltimore MD 21220; or call: (301) 574-5066.

COSCON �90, July 13-15Sponsored by the Circle of Swords, this gam-

ing convention will be held at Slippery RockUniversity in Slippery Rock, Pa. Events includefirst-run RPGA� tournaments and events, boardgames, a dealers� area, a flea market, and aminiatures-painting contest. On-site housing isavailable. Registration: $10 until June 30, or $15thereafter. Write to: Circle of Swords, P.O. Box2126, Butler PA 16003; or call Dave Schnur at:(412) 283-1159.

QUIN CON V, July 13-15This three-day event will offer RPGs, fantasy

and historical miniatures, board and card games, and RPGA� events. A special tourna-ment for the Hemophilia Fund will also takeplace. The guest of honor will be game andmodule designer, Lester Smith. This event willbe held at the Roadway Inn in Quincy, Ill. Askabout special rates for convention attendees.Registration: $5/day or $12 for the weekend,preregistered. Write to: QUIN CON V, 3632Maine St., Quincy IL 62301 (include an SASE); orcall (217) 223-8498.

DOVERCON VI, July 14-15It will be held this year at the University of

New Hampshire�s Memorial Union Building(MUB) in Durham, NH. Activities include anRPGA� AD&D® tournament and many othergaming events, a film festival, and miniaturesand art competitions. Registration: $15 at thedoor, or $10 for one day. Dealers and judges arewelcome. Write to: DOVERCON VI, P.O. Box 753,Dover NH 03820.

CASTLECON III, July 20-22This convention will be held at the Holiday

Inn Bethesda, in Bethesda, Md. Events includeSE fantasy, gaming, music, costumes, com-puters, science, and friendship. Registration:$18 until June 30; $25 at the door. Write to:FanTek, 1607 Thomas Rd., Fort Washington MD20744.

CHIMERA, July 20-22This convention will be held in the Hyatt

Regency Woodfield in Schaumburg, Ill. Guests ofhonor are Connie Willis, Howard Waldrop, andGardner Dozois. Other guests include RichardKnaak, Fred Pohl, and Barbara G. Young. Theseminars are all designed to make the reader ofSF more than just a consumer. Registration: $40;childrens� rate is $30 with babysitting if youregister before June 1. Write to: CHIMERA,1016 Columbian, Oak Park IL 60302.

Continued on page 94

DRAGON 79

Return trips to Krynn

by Will Larson

Despite acquiring a possibly terminal Besides his projects for TSR, Paul iscase of Telephone Ear from interviewing currently circulating two novels to poten-the�count �em�nine authors of 1990�s tial publishers. Readers may run across hislineup of DRAGONLANCE® saga titles from fantasy Sundipper, published several yearsTSR�s book department, this writer is ago by St. Martin�s Press. Tonya has re-nevertheless eager to spread the news cently been concentrating on short storiesabout what�s in store for all you fans of and is contemplating a mystery set in herthis series. Six new titles (three are co- native North Carolina, even though shewritten) will make their appearance this and her husband will soon be moving toyear. New York State.

The Preludes II TrilogyThree of the six titles make up the Prel-

udes II Trilogy, which consists of the ad-ventures of the original DRAGONLANCEsaga companions during the five-yearperiod prior to their reunion at Solace.

Riverwind, the Plainsman (March) issuesfrom the same writing team that gave uslast year�s Darkness and Light and 1988�sRed Sands: Paul B. Thompson and TonyaR. Carter. The story relates the courtingquest of Riverwind for the hand of hisbeloved, Goldmoon. Out of favor withGoldmoon�s father, chief of the Que-Shutribe, because of his belief in the old gods,Riverwind is given a seemingly impossibletask: to discover proof of the existence ofhis gods and return with irrefutable evi-dence. Accompanied by a fellow tribalheretic, the soothsayer Catchflea, River-wind encounters draconians, a blackdragon, and unspeakably evil alchemists.

Getting to know Riverwind presented anintriguing challenge to the authors. �Un-like some of the characters,� Paul relates,�Riverwind wasn�t fully developed in theearlier books. We essentially had a charac-ter and had to make up a lot of back-ground for him,� which the young writersfound �both a drawback and a plus.�

�We tried to make Riverwind more hu-man and not just a one-note hero,� addsTonya. �He has doubts and troubles.�

Flint, the King (July) represents a mile-stone for authors Mary Kirchoff and DougNiles in that it was the first collaborativewriting effort for each of them. �It doesn�tmean that you do only half the work;Doug points out. �Each of us did morethan write half a book, but I think wecame up with a better story because of it.�

�Going into this project,� Mary joins in,�we assumed that our strengths and weak-nesses would offset each other. Doug doesgreat battles and magic, and my strengthstend to be characters and dialogue, andthat�s worked out very nicely.�

Flint, the King brings Flint Fireforge, thegruff but lovable dwarf favorite, �back tohis old hometown, Hillhome, which is nowdoing trade with mountain dwarves, thetraditional enemies of his people,� relatesDoug. �Once there, he uncovers a murdermystery that involves a member of hisown family, which leads him to the dwar-ven kingdom of Thorbardin.� In the courseof his investigation in that undergroundkingdom, �he tumbles into a crevasse andlands amongst a colony of gully dwarves,who proclaim him king against his will. Hediscovers that the derro dwarves are up toa very, very nasty plot, and yet he can�t doanything because he�s a virtual prisoner ofthe gully dwarves.�

Doug�s fondness for Flint is hardly new.For several years at GEN CON® game fairs,he was the voice of the irascible dwarf in

80 JUNE 1990

the popular �readers� theater� sessions.Mary relates an eerie experience. �The

first time I tried to make Flint talk, he justsat there with his lips moving. I pacedaround the house and drank another cupof coffee, but I just couldn�t make wordscome out of his mouth.� Fortunately, hereditor came to her rescue with a favoritetrick of Mary�s own by suggesting sheassign some famous personality the role ofFlint. Since no one voice seemed adequate,she ended up choosing Wilfred Brimleyand Yosemite Sam. �It was just as if theclouds had opened up,� confides Mary.�From that point on, I never had a prob-lem trying to think of what Flint wouldsay, although his romantic lines to his loveinterest still give me pause!�

Doug is the author of the best-sellingMoonshae Trilogy. He is currently en-meshed in developing the Maztica Trilogy,also set in the Forgotten Realms. (Ironhelmwas released in April; Viperhand is sched-uled for September.) For 1991, he plans todevelop two massive games commemorat-ing the 50th anniversary of World War II,one set in the European Theater of Opera-tions and the other in the Pacific Theater.Mary�s most recent book was the popularKendermore, featuring Tasslehoff Burr-foot. According to Mary, �That means thatnow I�ve covered the Abbott and Costelloof Dragonlance� in Tas and Flint.

Winding up the Preludes II Trilogy inNovember is Tanis, the Shadow Years, byyet another mixed-gender writing team,the multitalented duo of Barbara and ScottSiegel. The books premise hinges on anintriguing plot twist. At the request of anold, dying mage, Tanis travels into themage�s memory in search of the old man�slong-lost love. When the mage dies, hismemory of his love of her will also die. He,however, desperately wants her to live on

after him. �Tanis has to find her and re-turn to the present before the old magebreathes his last,� explains Scott. �If hefails, the girl�as the mage remembersher�will disappear, completely forgotten,and Tanis could find himself lost in a placewhere only the dead can go.�

Barbara elaborates. �Memory travel, aswe created it, is different from time travel.In time travel, Tanis would simply go backinto the past the way that it had occurred.But in our book, Tanis goes back into apast that�s entirely subjective. Within themage�s memory, events can occur whetherthey happened before or not. The key iswhether the wizard believed that they hadhappened. Memory has gaps, and thingscan change much as they do in a dream,because reality is only as sturdy as themind that remembers it.�

Here the plot takes yet another twist.When Tanis finally meets the woman, hecan�t help but fall in love with her. Barbaraexplains the new complication. �His pur-pose in finding this woman has to do withanother man�s love of her, so he�s falling inlove with this other man�s woman insidethe mind of the man who loves her. Talkabout mind games! What�s a half-elf todo?�

The prolific husband-and-wife team haswritten 37 books to date, both individuallyand in collaboration. Besides Tanis, theShadow Years, other recent or soon-to-be-published titles are The Encyclopedia ofHollywood (Facts on File), Cat Tricks: 29Silly Stunts You and Your Cat Can Do To-gether (Congdon and Weed), and TheCelebrity Phone Book (Plume). They�vedone all of this in addition to their careersas literary agents. Their agency, Seigel &Siegel Ltd., represents a full range ofnonfiction and fiction authors, includingsome familiar to TSR readers. such as R.

A. Salvatore (Icewind Dale and Dark ElfTrilogies), M. S. Murdock (Martian WarsTrilogy), Michael Williams, and DanParkinson (see the following section).

The Heroes II TrilogyUnlike the Preludes II titles, the Heroes

II stories are not fixed so specifically intime, and the main characters may bepreviously less-developed figures fromearlier books or even original characters.

June marks the release of Kaz, the Mino-taur, author Richard Knaak�s sequel to hisearlier The Legend of Huma. Rick de-scribes his story as �a strange plot involv-ing the Knights of Solamnia and someartifacts left behind by a renegade mage,Galan Dracos. Along the way, Kaz meetssome old and some new friends and facesthreats from every direction, includingsomething that may or may not be adragon.�

Asked what it�s like to write a book fromthe viewpoint of a minotaur, Rick laughsand replies: �I had fun with Kaz, who wasa character of my own creation, especiallywhen I put him up against a kender[Delbin, Kaz�s companion in this adven-ture]. A kender isn�t a character I wouldnormally touch, but I thought with thesetwo it would be nice to offset them. Ienjoyed that. I found out as I was writingthat Kaz had both good sides and badsides. He changed a bit as I wrote, espe-cially when dealing with his own peoplenear the end. I got to see how he wasdifferent from the other minotaurs, sothat kind of surprised me.�

Rick is currently working on ShadowSteed, the fourth title in a continuingfantasy series for Warner. The third titlein the series, Wolfhelm, is due out soon.

The Gates of Thorbardin, by Dan Parkin-son, hits the shelves in September. Dan, a

Texan with a rich baritone voice, evenmade the sacrifice of declining lunch witha lady friend to keep his telephone inter-view appointment.

A newcomer to the DRAGONLANCEsaga, Dan found he had to make someadjustments in order to write about non-human characters (particularly ChaneFeldstone and Jillian Firestoke, his dwar-ven protagonists). The challenge was, inhis words, �to bring these people, who areof a different race than I am, very much tolife to make them as much as possiblethree-dimensional people and show themas being the best of what they are, and notnecessarily the best of what they would beif they were human.� The book is essen-tially, says Dan, �the story of Chane, aThorbardin dwarf, and his quest to findthe Helm of Grallen and to seal the secretentrance of Thorbardin against incursionby magic.�

The author has assembled an array of truly wild and wonderful characters. Forexample, Jillian is armed with a borrowed,point-heavy sword, which has disastrous�though also sometimes effective�consequences when she tries to stop thesword�s swing. Chestal Thicketsway, akender from Hylo, is accompanied againsthis will by an unexploded spell namedZap, which even seems to talk to him.Unfortunately for him, Chestal has no clueof the deadly origins and nature of thespell. Bobbin is a gnome who has beenbanished forever from his colony becauseof incurable insanity. �When Bobbin in-vents something,� quips Dan, �not only is itnot oversized nor overly complicated, butit also actually works!�

Parkinson is no stranger to the bookworld, having written 21 books so far

Continued on page 85

DRAGON 8 1

A losing war against the forces of darkness

©1990 by Jim Bambra

Chaosium�s CALL OF CTHULHU® role-playing game appeared in 1981. It creptout of the darkness to take an unsuspect-ing gaming world by surprise, offering awhole new approach to role-playing. Gonewere the mighty monster stompers of thefantasy role-playing genre and the fearlesstravelers of the space lanes. Instead, theCALL OF CTHULHU game (herein calledCOC) offered player characters the dubi-ous delights of insanity and death.

Like many at the time, I was skeptical ofthe virtues of a game in which playercharacters deteriorated rapidly instead ofsteadily gaining in power and experience.Who wants to play a game in which youknow that your character is either goingto die or become incarcerated in a darkand dismal asylum for the insane? Not me,I thought. But I was wrong. One game ofCOC and I was hooked. No, more thanhooked�I was a fan who eagerly lookedforward to each new release fromChaosium, Inc.

Since then, COC has continued to grow.New editions of the rules appeared, andadditional supplements expanded theoptions available to the Keepers of ArcaneLore (as Game Masters in COC are called).The fourth edition of COC was released

82 JUNE 1990

last year. Many of the older supplementshave recently been reformatted and re-released. COC is strongly supported andboasts some of the finest role-playingsupplements ever published.

This month we take a look at some ofthe COC recent releases and re-releases.But before moving on, mention must bemade of some of the excellent productsnot covered in this review. In DRAGON®issue #124, Ken Rolston reviewed theTerror Australis supplement which pro-vides background on Australia with threeadventures. Check it out; you won�t bedisappointed. In DRAGON issue #138, Kengave an excellent overview of COC andcontrasted it with other styles of role-playing. He covered the COC supplementsCthulhu Now and S. Petersen�s Field Guideto Cthulhu Monsters, and gave them su-perb ratings.

CALL OF CTHULHU® game, fourthedition

192-page perfect-bound book, eight pagesof color plates, large fold-out size-comparisons chart

Chaosium, Inc. $19.95Design: Sandy PetersenAdditional text: Glenn Rahman, Lynn

Willis, John Sullivan, Alan K. Crandall,

William Hamblin, Keith Herber, MorganConrad, Larry DiTillio, Harry Hender-sen, H. P. Lovecraft, Steve Perrin, Char-lie Krank, Richard Fichera, JoanCarruth, Larry Press, and TadashiEhara

Editing: Lynn WillisCover illustration: Tom SullivanColor plates: Les Edwards, Lee Gibbons,

Tom Sullivan, and Chris Marrinan

The fourth-edition COC book is aweighty tome crammed full of rules, back-ground information, adventures, and colorplates depicting Lovecraftian horrors invivid color. The plates are atmospheric andevocatively convey the sanity-destroyingentities of H. P Lovecraft�s imagination.The book also contains the bulk of theCthulhu Companion and Fragments ofFear supplements. Few changes have beenmade to the earlier editions or to theaforementioned products. Instead, theyhave been edited and integrated together.New rules have been added to handle carchases and knocking characters uncon-scious with one blow. Like the rest of theCOC system, the new rules are simple andeminently playable. Also of interest are thereproductions of cartoons that originallyappeared in The Space Gamer magazine.These take a humorous look at COC andalso neatly summarize why COC is differ-

ent from other role-playing games.The size comparisons fold-out from

Fragments of Fear is reproduced in theback of the book. It shows at a glance thesheer immensity of Cthulhu, Nyarlathotep,Ithaqua, and the awesome dimensions of alarge dhole. The sizes of the smaller mon-sters are also readily apparent from thehuman figures on the fold-out. The inclu-sion of Fragments of Fear also makesavailable in one place all of the new spellsthat have appeared in COC supplementsover the years.

Background: The fourth edition gamepresents H. P. Lovecraft�s dark and maca-bre vision in a most satisfying way. Itplaces COC firmly in the 1920s, the periodwhen Lovecraft was writing. This not onlymakes Lovecraft�s stories readily accessibleto Keepers and players, but also providessome period charm. The world is recog-nizably our own, but its distance in timeadds to its appeal; this is the era of Prohi-bition and post-war reconstruction. Lay-ered over the historical setting are themonsters of Lovecraft�s somber vision.

There are things that man was notmeant to know, but in COC the brave (orfoolhardy) Investigators are constantlybrought into unequal conflict with thosethings. Beings that defy the imaginationtower over small, inconsequential humans,squashing them underfoot. Others horrorsare smaller in stature but no less danger-ous. Ghouls, ghasts, daemons from beyondspace and time, and Elder Gods threatento destroy the earth. Between the mon-sters and the destruction of human lifestands only determined Investigators.

Mechanics: COC uses Chaosium�s BasicRoleplay System. These elegant rules areeasy to use and allow for play to proceedwith a minimum of game-rule intrusion.The system allows well-rounded charac-ters to be created with a minimum of fuss(an important feature considering that anInvestigator may last for only one gamesession).

While the game system is simple andelegant, its main strength and much of itsflavor lie in the sanity rules. It is taken forgranted that humanity is unable to fullycomprehend or deal with the myriadhorrors of the universe. COC brings thereality of facing armies of slime-covered,tentacle-waving monsters home, as in thefollowing:

Keeper: �It�s alive. It moves toward you.Tentacles erupt from its surface.� (Charac-ters in other games would be unleashingtheir combined firepower at this point,but not in COC.) �SAN checks, please!�Frenzied dice rolling results as playerscheck their SAN (sanity) scores. Thosewho make it are able to act. The ones whofail find their sanity reduced, possiblydriving them insane as the shock hasproved too much for their fragile minds.Two of the Investigators lie squirming onthe floor screaming for their mommies.

As the sane Investigators open fire at theapproaching monster, the Keeper chuckles

Continued on page 88DRAGON 83

NOVELContinued from page 81

including 1988�s popular Starsong, fromTSR. Perhaps best known as a Westernwriter, his Calamity Trail, Jubilation Gap,Ride the Devil’s Trail, and A Man CalledWolf, all from Zebra, have been acclaimedby critics as �humorous classics.� He hasalso ventured into historical fiction in hisTall Ships Trilogy (Fox and the Faith, Foxand the Fury, Fox and the Flag) from Pin-nacle, seafaring novels of the AmericanRevolution.

seriously, or they think that he�s up to his

Michael Williams, �the Bard of Krynn,�reprises his character of Galen �Weasel�Pathwarden, the reluctant hero of his

old tricks.� Amidst this general scenario,

best-selling Weasel’s Luck, in Galen Be-knighted, due out in December.

Sir Weasel�s favorite brother, Brithelm,

�One of the first things that happens inthe book,� according to Michael, �is thatGalen does indeed become a knight. Thatmay be surprising to readers of Weasel’sLuck, in that Galen had never been veryfavorably disposed to the Solamnic Knight-hood to begin with. And yet he�s changedin the two to three years since the end ofhis first adventure. The poor guy reallydoes want to turn over a new leaf, and yetat the same time people don�t take him

vanishes, and it�s up to the fledgling knightto rescue him.

Rather than growing tired of his self-created, ne�er-do-well hero, Michael found

but also wraps up this column. Watch this

the experience quite exhilarating. �I think Ilike the Weasel even better than I did

space in the August issue, #160, when we

before. I was always kind of ambivalenttoward Solamnic Knights anyway, because

blast off for the 25th century.

I thought there was a dimension of themthat was almost too goody-two-shoes. Herein Galen Beknighted, while Galen reallywants to embrace those values, it�s thesame streak of self-righteousness heencounters that really frustrates him.�

Michael�s advice to young writers:�Marry well,� he says emphatically. �Mywife Teri has been extraordinarily helpfulto me. She�s probably the best and mostsympathetic critic I have, and my strong-est work comes when I listen to her.�

Besides chronicling Galen�s latest misad-ventures for TSR, Michael has been devel-oping his own trilogy, From Thief to King,for Warner, the first title of which is toappear late this year.

And that not only wraps up the slate forDRAGONLANCE saga books for this year

DRAGON 85

NOTE: The dates in this column have beenchanged to reflect the on-sale (not shipping)dates for these products.

NEW PRODUCTS FOR JUNE

XXVc�: The Role-Playing GameBoxed setby Mike PondsmithThe 25th century comes alive in this exciting

role-playing game from TSR! Players take theircharacters on missions throughout the solarsystem, helping Buck Rogers and his comradesbattle the forces of evil. Whether you�re new tothe hobby or a veteran role-player, the XXVc�game will provide you with opportunities forfun that you�ve never experienced before.Suggested Retail Price: $24.95/£15.95Product No.: 3562

SJA2 Skull and CrossbowsAD&D® SPELLJAMMERTM moduleby Nigel FindleyShip-crushing monsters, ghostly galleons

carrying loads of undead pirates, lich-drivenships with hordes of alien parasites�all theseand more can be found in this, the secondmodule for the SPELLJAMMERTM campaignsetting. This book is a collection of short adven-tures and encounters for your PCs adventuringin the SPELLJAMMERTM universe.Suggested Retail Price: $8.95/£5.95Product No.: 9286

PHBR3 Complete Priest�s HandbookAD&D® 2nd Edition supplementby Aaron AllstonNow get new, useful information to enliven

your PC priests! Included are over 60 priest kitsfor worshipers of sun gods, gods of magic, godsof law, and more. Plus, there are rules fordesigning a mythos and tailoring the cleric classto fit any mythos you select.Suggested Retail Price: $15.00/£9.95Product No.: 2113

Kaz, the MinotaurDRAGONLANCE® saga Heroes II Trilogy,

Volume Oneby Richard A. KnaakAfter the defeat of the Dark Queen and the

death of Huma Dragonbane, Kaz hears rumorsof evil incidents. He returns to warn the Knightsof Solamnia�and is plunged into a dark night-mare of magic, danger, and deja-vu.Suggested Retail Price: $4.95Product No.: 8334

Night WatchTSRTM Booksby Robin Wayne Bailey

Suggested Retail Price: $3.95

All the fabled Seers of Greyhawk have beenkilled on the same night, each by his own item

Product No.: 8213

of divination, as a huge flock of ominous blackbirds patrols the skies. All of this is dumped inthe lap of Garett Starlen, commander of thenight shift of Greyhawk�s City Watch, whodiscovers that a web of evil is being drawntightly around the city.

NEW PRODUCTS FOR JULY

PHBR4 The Complete Wizard�s HandbookAD&D® 2nd Edition supplementby Rick SwanIf you thought you had the wizard class

figured out, think again! This invaluable refer-ence book expands the realms of the wizardclass, with new character kits, ingenious usesfor common spells, and a vast array of newinformation opening wide the doors for wizardseverywhere. Your wizard won�t be the sameagain!Suggested Retail Price: $15.00/£9.95Product No.: 2115

RAVENLOFT� campaign setAD&D® 2nd Edition boxed setby Bruce NesmithEnter the world of gothic horror and super-

natural suspense with this set, which introducesan entire line of horror products to delight andterrify your PCs and their players! The

RAVENLOFT� game world has rules all its own;once your character enters it, he may neverleave�alive. Spice up your campaign with alittle horror!Suggested Retail Price: $18.00/£11.95Product No.: 1053

MC5 Monstrous Compendium, Vol. 6:Kara-Tur appendix

AD&D® FORGOTTEN REALMS�accessory

by Lots O�FolksThe strangest and deadliest monsters of the

Oriental realms of the FORGOTTEN REALMS�campaign are brought together in this onevolume, ready to be unleashed into your cam-paign! This appendix fits into the second MCbinder (Vol. 4, DRAGONLANCE® saga monsters)and describes the creatures of Kara-Tur down tothe last talon and fang, all in AD&D® 2nd Edi-tion format.Suggested Retail Price: $9.95/£6.50Product No.: 2107

WGA2 FalconmasterAD&D® GREYHAWK® moduleby Richard and Anne BrownIn this sequel to WGA1 Falcon’s Revenge, the

city of Greyhawk is in danger as the Falcon isloose within the walls. The PCs must try tolocate the Falcon�s lair as they search for themenace, and they must be prepared for theFalcon�s declaration of war�against the cityitself!Suggested Retail Price: $8.95/£5.95Product No.: 9289

25CA1 Buck Rogers in the 25th CenturyBUCK ROGERS® moduleby Doug NilesThis, the first adventure for the XXVc� game,

takes your characters to the solar system�s mostwild, savage world�Earth! The arcologies ofsouthern California, with Newporg at theirhead, have thrown off the shackles of RAMinfluence. Or have they? Track down a traitorthrough the LosAngelesorg sprawls to a deep-sea genetics lab, then on to the orbital market-place known as the New Frontier Bazaar.Suggested Retail Price: $9.95/£6.50Product No.: 3563

MU6 Gamer�s Handbook of the MARVELUNIVERSETM, Volume 6

MARVEL SUPER HEROES� accessoryby Lots O�FolksThe newest and the best heroes and villains of

the MARVEL UNIVERSE� are now ready towreak havoc in your campaign. This accessoryupdates information from the ever-changingworld of the MARVEL SUPER HEROES� game.Find the stats for your favorite new hero, vil-lain, or team in these pages. Don�t fall out oftouch with the best and the baddest!Suggested Retail Price: $15.95/£9.95Product No.: 6894

TSA2 The Final WeaponTOP SECRET/S.I.TM moduleby Ray WinningerIn this module, the Web has managed to

86 JUNE 1990

create several weapons, but only one can suc-cessfully aid their plans to take over the world.This adventure allows the PCs to utilize a vastarsenal of weapons to combat the deadly Webmenace. If there�s nothing you like better than ablazing gun-battle, then this is for you!Suggested Retail Price: $8.95/£5.95Product No.: 7640

WORLD WAR II: European Theater ofOperations game

SPI� gameby Doug NilesThis re-release of the most popular SPI� game

has more counters and scenarios, and it sports anew easy-to-learn rules format to recreate thewar in Europe and North Africa. Detailed rulesfor air and naval combat, production, andeconomics make this one of the best strategicgames available on the subject.Suggested Retail Price: $39.95/£29.95 + VATProduct No.: 3029

Flint, the KingDRAGONLANCE® saga Preludes II

Trilogy, Volume Twoby Mary Kirchoff and Doug NilesIn this, the second book of the Preludes II

Trilogy, Flint returns to his boyhood village andfinds it a thriving boom town. But when helearns the prosperity is a result of a false alli-ance between the hill dwarves and their ene-mies, Flint is captured. He is pushed into theBeast Pit but is saved by the gully dwarves.Having been made their king, Flint must mobi-lize them into an army to stop a fiendish plot.Suggested Retail Price: $4.95Product No.: 8332

MAGE STONES� gameTSR strategy gameby Tom KruszewskiSaid to have been a favorite of the wizard

Raistlin of DRAGONLANCE® saga fame, thisbrand-new game of strategy is filled with fastaction and fun. You place and move your stonesin a clever attempt to force the other players�stones off the board. This game is easy to readand quick to learn�even Caramon plays it!Suggested Retail Price: $12.95/£9.95 + VATProduct No.: 1058

Unless otherwise noted:® and ™ denote trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.©1990 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

MARVEL SUPER HEROES and MARVEL UNIVERSE aretrademarks of the Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. AllMarvel characters, names, and the distinctive likenessesthereof are trademarks of the Marvel Entertainment Group,Inc. ©1990 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All RightsReserved.

BUCK ROGERS and XXVc are trademarks used underlicense from The Dille Family Trust. ©1990 The Dille FamilyTrust. All Rights Reserved.

Role-playing ReviewsContinued from page 82

evilly as the bullets hit the horror withdull thuds�and no effect. It flicks out a tentacle; an Investigator is crushed. ThoseInvestigators still able to run now do so.Another COC adventure has ended indisaster for the Investigators.

The insanity or death of your charactermay not seem like much of a reward forparticipating in a role-playing game, butCOC is more about finding ways to over-come the dark horrors than about directlyconfronting them. Well-written COC ad-ventures allow Investigators to carefullyuncover clues and discover means ofoffsetting some of the powers of the mon-sters. It is the detective work and theaccompanying role-playing which makeCOC intriguing and fun. Sooner or lateryou�re going to have face the dark thing inthe woods, but having some idea of whatit is may increase your chances of sur-vival. Then again, it might not.

Magical spells and items can be discov-ered. Books containing ancient rituals aninformation on the creatures of the My-thos crop up every now and then. Readingthem, may drive you insane, and many ofthe spells have adverse side effects.

Make no mistake: COC captures thehorror flavor excellently. Player charac-ters are often the victims but not alwaysso. Good play and luck can circumventmany of the horrors and allow Investiga-tors to triumph over the greatest evil the

world has ever known. The path to suc-cess is littered with dead and insane com-rades, but the challenge and the need toknow draws the Investigators on. COCprovides big challenges and big thrills, andit offers some of the finest role-playingexperiences available.

Adventures: The fourth edition con-tains enough adventures to keep anygroup happily entertained and sanityblasted. �The Haunted House,� the firstadventure, is simply written and fairlyshort. It serves as an excellent introduc-tion to the COC setting, featuring detectivework, the exploration of an old house, andsufficient horrors to give the characters ataste of things to come. I�ve run this ad-venture on numerous occasions as anintroduction to COC for new players.Some have died horribly; others havesolved its secrets successfully. None havefailed to be hooked into playing more COCgames.

The other six adventures vary in lengthand range from average to very good.They are either drawn from a variety ofpreviously published supplements or elseappeared in earlier editions of the rules.For groups that meet infrequently, theseadventures are an ideal length; some areplayable in an evening, and others takeseveral sessions to complete. After playinga few of these, groups with more time willbe ready to tackle an extended campaign

such as Masks of Nyarlathotep.Evaluation: If you don�t already play

COC, all I can do is urge you to give it atry. I enjoy heroic games just as much asanyone else, but I also like variety. Achange of approach and emphasis neverdid anyone any harm. Try COC and dis-cover for yourself why it has made somany converts since its release.

Players already involved in COC will findless in the fourth edition to recommend it.If you own a second- or third-editiongame, the Cthulhu Companion (also incor-porated in the third edition), and Frag-ments of Fear, you lack only the car-chaserules and the improved layout of the threebooks in one. The rest of the material hasreceived minor editing but no substantialchanges.

The fourth edition presents excellentvalue for its cost. Don�t be put off by itssheer. size; the bulk of the rules are cov-ered in only 25 pages; the rest is back-ground, monsters, spells, adventures, andsource material.

Masks of NyarlathotepCALL OF CTHULHU supplement160-page perfect-bound book, with eight

pages of color platesChaosium, Inc. $18.95Design: Larry DiTillio and Lynn WillisEdit ing: Lynn Wil l is

Cover illustration: Lee GibbonsColor plates: Nick Smith, Keith Berdak,Tom Sullivan, and Mark Roland

In this extended campaign, the Investiga-tors are drawn into a titanic struggleagainst Nyarlathotep, the Crawling Chaosand Outer God. Following skillfully layeredclues, the Investigators are led from NewYork across the globe to London, Cairo,Kenya, or Shanghai. Along the way, theyare faced with some of the most powerfuland deadly adventures ever written. Deathand insanity stalk the Investigators atevery turn, but the superb narrative andthe tantalizing clues carry the Investiga-tors along at a cracking pace. Sure, Investi-gators could cut and run at any time, butas the clues and information build in in-tensity Investigators become driven to findout more. The body count of Investigatorspromises to be quite high by the end ofthe adventure, but players are rewardedby participating in a campaign that is anacknowledged role-playing classic. Thebulk of material in Masks of Nyarlathotepwill keep gaming groups thrilled and hor-rified for months of playing time.

Masks of Nyarlathotep was originallyreleased as-a boxed set in 1984. The newedition has been enhanced by the additionof the eight pages of color plates and thecolor cover. These depict scenes from theadventure that greatly add to its impact.

The illustration of the Chakota, one of themost repulsive creatures ever to appear ina COC supplement, is nothing less thansuperb—horrible, but superb.

Masks of Nyarlathotep contains first-rateplayer character handouts. These arerendered as newspaper clippings, hand-written letters, business cards, and even amatchbox that can be folded into a facsim-ile of the real thing. The information theycontain both entice and inform Investiga-tors of the forces and events with whichthey must contend.

Evaluation: Masks of Nyarlathotep isthe epitome of COC adventures. It containsdetective work, action, and indescribablehorrors in all the right quantities. Thewriting and editing are first class; theadventures perfectly capture what COC isall about. No one should be without a copyof Masks of Nyarlathotep. Make sure youput it at the top of your shopping list.

Cthulhu ClassicsCALL OF CTHULHU supplement152-page perfect-bound bookChaosium, Inc. $18.95Design: Sandy Petersen, Scott Aniolowski,

John Carnahan, John Scott Clegg, EdGore, David A. Hargrave, Marc Hut-chinson, Doug Lyons, Randy McCall,Mark Pettigrew, and Michael Szy-manski

Editing: William Dunn, Lynn Willis, Sher-man Kahn, Yurek Chodak, Sandy Peter-sen, and John B. Monroe

Cover illustration: Lee GibbonsColor plates: Nick Smith and Tom Sullivan

Cthulhu Classics contains five previouslypublished adventures and the Shadows ofYog-Sothoth campaign.

Shadows of Yog-Sothoth was the firstCOC adventure published by Chaosium,appearing in 1982 to a warm welcome. Itconsists of seven adventures linked by theactivities of the Hermetic Order of theSilver Twilight, whose ultimate aim is toraise the sunken city of R’yleh from thedepths of the Pacific Ocean, thereby un-leashing dread Cthulhu upon the world.

Shadows of Yog-Sothoth is a good cam-paign, but it is not as slickly written orplotted as Masks of Nyarlathotep. Thelinks between the individual adventuresare much more forced than in Masks; theadventures are Keeper controlled and ledinstead of being layered into one another.Having said that, the individual adventurescontain excellent scenes and can easily berun as one-off adventures if the Keeperdoesn’t want to link them together. Thehorror elements are well presented, andthe adventures span a wide variety oflocations and investigative approaches.Opportunities for role-playing, investiga-tion, and combat abound with nameless

DRAGON 89

horrors and the depraved cultists whoworship the creatures of darkness.

Adventures: The five adventures aredrawn from a variety of previously pub-lished sources. �The Warren� was a bonusadventure in the original Shadows of Yog-Sothoth. �The Pits of Bendal-Dolum� and�The Temple of the Moon� were featuredin Terror From the Stars. �Dark Carnival�appeared in Curse of the Chthonians, and�The Secret of Castrenegro� was in theCthulhu Companion.

The adventures range from average togood; �The Secret of Castrenegro� is thebest of the five, being set in a town in NewMexico under the influence of a sinisterforce. �Dark Carnival� and �The Warren�are serviceable and contain some goodscenes, but as with most short COC adven-tures lack the deep layers of plot andmotivation found in Masks of Nyarlathotepand Shadows of Yog-Sothoth. �The Pits ofBendal-Dolum� and �The Temple of theMoon� feature jungle expeditions; they aretoo short on library research and investi-gation, and too high on unavoidable sanity-blasting horrors for my taste. Thoughsolidly written, they fail to fire me withthe enthusiasm to actually play them. Evenso, they provide, a change of pace andallow characters to step into IndianaJones-type adventures as they search forlost ruins in the jungles of South America.

Evaluation: Cthulhu Classics offers agood value. The color plates and cover areexcellent. While I have reservations aboutsome of the adventures, the inclusion ofShadows of Yog-Sothoth makes it worthbuying. For those groups that don�t havetime to undertake larger campaigns, thefive short adventures will come in veryhandy. And just in case you missed it ear-lier, Masks of Nyarlathotep is the one tobuy and play first. It may spoil you, butwe all deserve to be pampered.

The Great Old OnesCALL OF CTHULHU supplement176-page perfect-bound bookChaosium, Inc. $17.95Design: Marcus L. Rowland, Kevin A. Ross,

Harry Cleaver, Doug Lyons, L. N. Isyn-will, and E. C. Fallworth

Additional material: Lynn Willis, WilliamDunn, and John B. Monroe

Editing: Lynn WillisCover illustration: Tom Sullivan

The Great Old Ones is a collection of sixnew adventures. Five of the adventuresdeal with the activities of a particularGreat Old One; the sixth features an avatarof an Outer God who is intent on enteringthe earth. The adventures may be linkedtogether to form a loose campaign, but thelinkages are very basic and only providerationales on how they can be best used insequence. No plot threads continue fromadventure to adventure, making themsuitable for use as independentadventures-both a strength and a weak-ness. While having a Cthulhoid monsterlurking in every adventure in epic cam-

paigns such as Masks of Nyarlathotep andShadows of Yog-Sothoth is eminently feasi-ble, it is less plausible to have them cropup every time the Investigators look intophenomena in the United States. Thestrength of this book comes from thevariety of adventures available.

The Great Old Ones count great Cthulhuwithin their number, as well as entitiessuch as Glaaki, Hastur, Tsathoggua, andYig. These beings are worshiped by theirfollowers on earth and possess almostgodlike powers. Apart from that, they arevary greatly from one another. The bookopens with a pseudo-scientific essay onwhat is known about the Great Old Onesand how they differ from the more power-ful Outer Gods of the Mythos. Researchhas lamentably stagnated since H. P. Love-craft�s pioneering work; only August Der-leth continued Lovecraft�s researches, buteven today we know little about the GreatOld Ones� motivations and powers. Thissection sets the scene for the rest of thebook by maintaining the mystery of Love-craft�s creations.

The first adventure, �The Spawn,� takesplace in New Mexico and draws the adven-turers into the mysterious disappearanceof an organizer for the �Wobblies,� orInternational Workers of the World, asthey were formally known. The adventuremixes detective work and role-playingwith subterranean exploration in a con-vincing and entertaining manner. The fearof harassment by human agents and the�underground� status of the Wobblies atthis time requires the Investigators to keepa low profile if they are to avoid beingdriven out of town. It�s a good adventurethat mixes politics with Cthulhoid horror.

The second adventure, �Still Waters,� isless successful. Spooky houses have longbeen a staple of COC adventures. Myenthusiasm for �The Haunted House� inthe COC rules does not extend to everyscenario set in and around a house. Onceyou�ve played one spooky house, you�veplayed them all, unless they are integral to

a more extended adventure.�Tell Me Have You Seen The Yellow

Sign?� is larger in scope and makes use ofa wide variety of locations. Set in NewOrleans during Mardi Gras, it containsplenty of color and detective work. It alsomakes good use of Lovecraft�s �The Call ofCthulhu� short story as a source of set-tings and background.

Gangsters and unknowable horrorsprovide the basis of �One In Darkness.�The adventure is neatly executed and, asin �The Spawn,� it�s refreshing to see theintroduction of non-Mythos elements intothe story structure.

�The Pale God� draws on Ramsey Camp-bell�s story �Before the Storm� for its inspi-ration and setting. Players who have readthe story may find their enjoyment of theadventure marred as a result. Nonetheless,the adventure has enough unsettling inci-dents and mystery to keep Investigatorsentertained.

�Bad Moon Rising,� the last adventure, is

the star of the show. Like a full moon itshines brightly, and it includes some of thefinest plot twists ever to appear in ashorter COC adventure. Set in England, itstarts off simply enough but rapidly esca-lates into an adventure of wondrous pro-portions. To find out just what happens,you�ll have to play it. I promise you won�tbe disappointed.

Evaluation: The Great Old Ones is auseful addition to the COC range. Theinclusion of �Bad Moon Rising� is reasonenough to purchase this book. With theexception of �Still Waters,� the other ad-ventures stand up well, making The GreatOld Ones a good source of adventures forKeepers.

GaslightCALL OF CTHULHU supplement128-page perfect-bound book, with six

pages of color plates and a two-colorfold-out map

Chaosium, Inc. $18.95Design: William A. BartonEditing: Sandy Petersen and Lynn WillisCover illustration: Tom SullivanColor plates: Lee Gibbons, Chris Marrinan,

Dean Morrisey, Nick Smith, and TomSullivan

There is something enticing about thestreets of Victorian London. Maybe it�s thegaslights. Maybe it�s the fog. Or maybe it�sthe way the great wealth of the middleand upper classes contrasts starkly withthe crushing poverty of London�s workingclasses. Whatever it is, the Victorian eramakes an ideal setting for COC adventur-ing. Through its streets stalked Jack theRipper, Count Dracula, Sweeny Todd, Mr.Hyde, and Professor Moriarty.

Gaslight perfectly captures the flavor and mood of the times, taking COC into aprevious age. This supplement was origi-nally published in 1986 as a boxed set. Allthe material in the boxed set has beenretained, and some new information hasbeen added, including an essay on worldpolitics, a guide to London stores, and alisting of Cockney underworld slang forKeepers to slip into the mouths of criminalNPCs. New maps show the British Mu-seum, the Tower of London, WestminsterAbbey, and Sherlock Holmes�s residence at221B Baker Street.

Gaslight gives an excellent overview ofthe period and new character creationrules for Victorian adventurers. Includedare essays on social class, occupations,crime, cost of living, the government, themonarchy, and the occult. London is de-scribed and is �depicted on the fold-outmap at the back of the book.

Ways of transporting Investigators fromlater eras are neatly detailed, along withthe kind of problems they are likely toencounter in Victorian London. The worldof Sherlock Holmes, including a list of hismost famous cases, is described, and pro-vision is made for those Keepers whowant to include the works of H. G. Wells intheir adventures.

�The Yorkshire Horrors,� a 46-page ad-venture included in the book, lets Investi-gators join forces with Sherlock Holmes tolook into the murder accusation hangingover Sherlock�s brother. Information isprovided for Keepers who have no desireto include Sherlock Holmes in the adven-ture; it�s just a case of changing the names.The adventure takes the Investigators toYorkshire where they slowly uncover thetruth. �The Yorkshire Horrors� is a goodperiod piece for COC. It�s lengthy anddevelops well as the clues pile up, andthere are plenty of opportunities for play-ers to exercise their role-playing skills inVictorian society.

Evaluation: Gaslight is another excel-lent COC product. However, the 1920sremains Chaosium�s preferred setting forCOC adventures. �The Yorkshire Horrors�is the only adventure available for Gas-light. Fortunately, standard 1920s adven-tures can be easily converted to the earliersetting with only a bit of work. After all,it�s only 30 years earlier. With this slightreservation, Gaslight comes with my high-est recommendation. Anyone interested inadventuring in the Age of Victoria shouldsnap up a copy.

H. P. Lovecraft�s Dreamlands

pages of color plates and a large two-

CALL OF CTHULHU supplement136-page perfect-bound book, with three

color fold-out mapChaosium, Inc. $18.95Design: Sandy Petersen, Keith Herber, K.

L. Campbell-Robson, Scott Clegg,Richard T. Launius, Mark Morrison,Phil Frances, Lynn Willis, SusanHutchinson, Jacqueline Clegg, and JeffOkamoto

Editing: Sandy Petersen and Lynn WillisCover illustration: Raymond BaylessColor plates: Tom Sullivan and Mark

Roland

From the Victorian era to the world ofdreams is only one short step. H. P Love-

Investigators. The first, �To Sleep, Per-

craft’s Dreamlands recreates the dreamreality of stories such as �The Dreamquestof Unknown Kadath,� �Celephais,� and�The Cats Of Ulthar.� Investigators canenter into a wondrous world, but thatworld is also populated by its fair share ofdark horrors. Dreamlands first appearedas a boxed set in 1986; this book editionreplaces the boxed set and has beengraced with color plates. Dreamlandspresents two new skills for use in theDreamlands and describes the lands vari-ous areas. New spells for use only in theDreamlands are extensively described,along with the creatures that inhabit thisfabulous world.

The meat of this book is dedicated toproviding high-quality adventures for COC

chance To Dream,� introduces Investiga-tors to the possibilities of the Dreamlands.It leads them into the Enchanted Woodand beyond to the city of Ulthar. Here theycan marvel at its wonders and use theirnew skills.

�Captives Of Two Worlds� is an adven-ture that spans the real world and theDreamlands. Investigators discover thatthe Dreamlands can also be of use as asource of information in the course oftheir normal adventures.

The third adventure, �Pickman�s Stu-dent� again takes the adventurers into theDreamlands. It�s an excellent blending ofhorror and the Dreamlands.

�Season Of The Witch� involves a witchwho was executed centuries before, andnow bides her time in the Dreamlandswaiting for a chance to strike back at thereal world. As the time draws near, theInvestigators enter the scene to stop her.

The three previous adventures span thewaking and the dreaming world; �LemonSails� takes place entirely in the Dream-lands. It takes the Investigators on a questto aid a resident of the Dreamlands.

The final adventure, �The Land of LostDreams,� neatly blends horror with dreamreality and the Investigators� deepest fearsand past failings. It requires players whoreally get into role-playing their charac-ters, but it promises to be a very specialadventure for those that do.

Evaluation: H. P. Lovecraft’s Dream-lands greatly expands the options availableto Keepers. Its resemblance to a fantasyworld allows Keepers to let their Investiga-tors enjoy a change of pace and emphasis.Rather than merely dwell on its fantasticaspect, the adventure authors have ex-pertly integrated the horror of COC withthe strange dream reality. Dreamlands isyet another great COC supplement.

64-page perfect-bound book, with 30 pagesof color platesChaosium, Inc. $15.95Design: Sandy PetersenEditing and additional design: Lynn WillisIllustrations: Mark J. Ferrari

This book is slickly produced and beauti-fully illustrated. Written by COC gamedesigner Sandy Petersen, it takes apseudo-academic look at the creatures that

S. Petersen�s Field Guide to Crea- inhabit the Dreamlands. You�ll find notures of the Dreamlands gaming stats within its pages�just short

CALL OF CTHULHU supplement descriptions of the creatures as though

written by a student of medieval metaphy-sics. But these are fun to read. Best of allare the illustrations by Mark J. Ferrari,which are nothing short of excellent.

Evaluation: S. Petersen�s Field Guide toCreatures of the Dreamlands is a bookthat anyone who likes excellent artworkshould have in their collection. The full-page plates are superb. They are alsouseful for showing to players as theirInvestigators encounter these creatures.

CALL OF CTHULHU game products areavailable from Chaosium, Inc., 950A 56thSt., Oakland CA 94608, U.S.A.

SUPPORT YOUR LOCALGAME CONVENTION!

A game convention is the perfectplace to make new friends who en-joy the same hobbies you do �whether you like board games,role-playing games, miniature wargames, or just shopping around. Ifyou�ve never attended a game con-vention before, please check outthe Convention Calendar feature inthis issue for the game conventionnearest you. Take some of your owngaming friends along, too � andmake it an experience to remember.

Convention CalendarContinued from page 79

I-KHAN, July 20-22This convention will be held at the Holiday

Inn North in Colorado Springs, Colo. Specialguest of honor will be Andrew J. Offutt. Tourna-ments include AD&D®, WARHAMMER 40,000*,CAR WARS*, SKY GALLEONS OF MARS*, andBATTLETECH* games. Other activities includeopen gaming, a movie room, a pre-1960s movietheme costume contest, a dealers� room, aminiatures-painting contest, and our own ver-sion of Highlander: Registration: $10 beforeJune 20; $15 thereafter, plus a $1 fee per event.Write to: Miniatures Wargamers Guild, 2354 S.Academy Blvd., Colorado Springs CO 80916; orcall Perry Rogers at (719) 392-2656.

CONJUNCTION, July 27-29This convention will take place at New Hall

College, Cambridge, England. The guest ofhonor will be Gregory Stafford. Events includeno game tournaments, but there will be panels,a masquerade, films, and a dealers� area. Therewill also be combat demonstrations, live-actionrole-playing, PBMs, workshops, and a real alebar. Membership is £12 for those over 18. Writeto: CONJUNCTION, 27 Terront Road, LondonN15 3AA, UNITED KINGDOM; or call JohnDallman at: 01-802-8723.

OKON �90, July 27-29The region�s largest SF convention will be held

at the Camelot Hotel in Tulsa, Okla. Guests ofhonor include Hal Clement, Tom Kidd, MarkSimmons, David Lee Anderson, and Brad Sinor.

Events include AD&D®, CHAMPIONS*, WAR-HAMMER 40,000*, STAR FLEET BATTLES*, andCAR WARS* games. Write to: OKON, PO. Box4229, Tulsa OK.

DARCON I, July 28Sponsored by Darkstar Fantasy Concepts, this

convention will be held at the Hillbrow Recrea-tion Center in Johannesburg, South Africa.Events include AD&D® and SF games, varioustournaments, and a dealers� room. Registration:R5 per player. Write to: DFC DARCON I, EvanDempsky, 24 Vincent Rd., Rosettenville-ext,Johannesburg(Tvl), R.S.A., 2197.

GFR ROLEPLAYER DAYS �90, July 28-29The Gilde der Fantasyrollenspieler proudly

presents this convention at the Burgerschaf-thaus, Gorlinger Zentrum 15, Cologne (Koln),West Germany. Many games will be featured.Registration: DM 6/day or DM 10/weekend.Write to: GTR, c/o Bernd Streckman, Bruchstr.48, 4030 Ratingen 1, West Germany.

DALLASCON �90, August 3-5The southwest�s largest gaming convention

will be held at the Le Baron Hotel on Regal Rowin Dallas, Tex. Tournaments include AD&D® andBATTLETECH* games. Other activities includeWARHAMMER*, SHADOWRUN*, CHAMPIONS*,AXIS & ALLIES*, and ROLEMASTER* games, aswell as seminars, an auction, a painting contest,and a dealers� room. Send an SASE to: DALLAS-CON �90, P.O. Box 867623, Plano TX 75086.

FAMILYCON I, August 3-5This family-oriented convention will be held at

the Holiday Inn in Timomium, Md. Activitiesinclude a dealers� room, hands-on science pro-gramming, and SF and fantasy panels for allages. Write to: FAMILYCON, 3309 Taney Rd.,Baltimore MD 21215.

I-CON I, August 3-5Victoria�s first SF convention will be held at

the Ramada Inn in Victoria, B.C., Canada. Guestsof honor include Michael G. Coney, Donna Barr,and Nichelle Nichols. Events include panels, anart show-and auction, videos, gaming, a writers�workshop, art and costuming demonstrations, adiplomatic reception, a masquerade, twodances, a dealers� room, and live theatre. Regis-tration: $25 Canadian ($23 U.S.) until June 15;and $30 Canadian ($28 U.S.) thereafter. Dealersare welcome. Write to: I-CON, PO. Box 30004,104-3995 Quadra St., Victoria, B.C., CANADAV8X 5E1; or call: (604) 389-1123.

OMACON X, August 3-5This pro-space, gaming, and comic convention

will be held at the Holiday Inn Central inOmaha, Neb., and is sponsored by Nebraskansfor the Advancement of Space Development.Guests of honor include Rick Sternbach, JohnFord, Bjo Trimble, and Art Bozlee. Write to:OMACON, PO. Box 37851, Omaha NE 68137.

CAPITOL-CON VI, August 4-5This event will be held at the Sacred Heart-

Griffin High School in Springfield, Ill. Featuredevents include board and miniatures war gam-ing, FRPGs, vendors, and a used-game auction.Write to: Bill Wilson, 99 Cottonwood Dr., Cha-tham IL 62623; or call (217) 483-5797 or (217)523-0916.

1990 GEN CON® Game Fair, August 9-12Make your plans ROW to attend the biggest

and best game convention of them all, at theMECCA Convention Center, Milwaukee, Wis.We�ve pulled in over 10,000 people for twoyears running! Write to: 1990 GEN CON® GameFair, P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147.

BATTLETECH*: OPERATION GREENFLAG, August 11-12

This mid-Atlantic regional BATTLETECH*convention is the first official FASA-sanctionedtournament to be held at the Central PennBusiness School in Summerdale, Pa. Featuredwill be a vigorous round-robin and four-personlance competitions. Open gaming will also beavailable both days. Registration: $8-12, depend-ing on the date of registration. Attendance islimited. Write to: M. Foner�s Games Only Empo-rium, 200 Third St., New Cumberland PA 17070;or call: (717) 774-6676.

GAME-FEST XI, August 15-19This 11th-annual convention will be held in

historic Old Town in San Diego, Calif. The over50 gaming events include AD&D®, D&D®,AVALON HILL CLASSICS*, BATTLETECH*, CARWARS*, TMN TURTLES*, WARHAMMER40,000*, MONOPOLY*, and AXIS & ALLIES* games, with painting shows and more. Registra-tion: $20 before August 10 (includes couponbook for on-site purchases), or $30 at the door.Write to: GAME-FEST XI, 3954 Harney St., SanDiego CA 92110; or call (619) 291-1666.

94 JUNE 1990

96 JUNE 1990

DRAGON 97

The RulesContinued from page 70

comer to an AD&D game has read Tolkien,you could say that that Aragorn was law-ful good, Frodo was neutral good, and TomBombadil and Galadriel exemplify twodifferent views of chaotic goodness. Simi-lar archetypes appear in most fantasyliterature.

New characters should always be goodaligned. Only a skillful role-player canportray a villain without behaving like apsychopath, and new players usually feeluncomfortable about willfully choosing tobe �evil.� Do not make lawful or goodalignments sound prudish. Almost allfictional heroes, even dashing scoundrels,would have been good guys in fantasygames. Use Robin Hood as an example.

New players should not buy equipmentbefore the adventure; they seldom knowwhat a mace is, much less a bec-de-corbin.Instead, let each character buy what hewants after the game begins. The PCsshould probably begin in a small town,where they can buy equipment withoutthe distraction a city offers. This not onlystarts the game faster, it lets new playersdiscover for themselves what they willneed. It also lets them experiment withrole-playing without endangering theentire party. If the new PC teases a shop-keeper, he may have to borrow somebodyelse�s iron spikes. If the new PC insults adragon, everybody in the party might getroasted.

When the player has a character, eithernewly rolled or pregenerated, analyze itsstrengths and weaknesses aloud. For ex-ample, �You�re strong and clever, butsomewhat unattractive. This charactermight make a good warrior? Usually, oneor two sentences is enough. However, ifthe new player seems interested in yourdescription, you might add some back-ground from your campaign, such as: �Youwere born in the Barbarous Plains. Thatmakes you an unsurpassed horseman�and a fierce-warrior.�

On with the game!Try to start the game within 20 minutes.

If the new player still seems confused, justsay, �Tell me what your character wants todo.� As the new player watches moreexperienced players role-play, he willprobably begin to understand the game.New players often try to wheedle hintsfrom the GM. If this occurs, keep himfrom becoming frustrated, but make itclear that PCs have to solve their ownproblems. When the new PC is in a partywith experienced adventurers, get them togive advice to the new guy. If nobody inthe party can help, try to have an NPCprovide the answer or at least make upsome reason to offer information. Maybethe new PC heard a bards song about asimilar situation or was warned about it asan apprentice. Most people learn board

100 JUNE 1990

games by making random moves when-ever it is their turn, thus gradually findingout what the rules allow. In role-playinggames, this �turn� may never come. When-ever a new player seems ignored, the GMshould ask the newcomer what action hischaracter wants to take. If possible, forcethe new PC to do something heroic�alone.

During the game, a new player will facemost typical game processes, such as com-bat tables, �plusses to hit,� and terms suchas �PC,� �NPC,� �player,� and �GM� or �DM.�Keep the game going, but give a shortexplanation of each such concept. Usuallya sentence is enough, such as: �This is theeight-sided die.� Explain dice mechanics asearly as possible, including percentile rollsand abbreviations (like �3d6�).

New players learn best by playing,whether they completely understand therules or not. Once the new player feelscomfortable role-playing, you may intro-duce more complex rules. You can start byshowing the entire party the module theyjust explored (assuming you aren�t going touse it again). All players, new and old,enjoy hearing about things that mighthave happened and how clever they wereto evade the many enemies who opposedthem. This also gives you an excuse to talkabout spells, treasure, maps, monsters,game balance, and all other features of atypical adventure. However, avoid talkingtoo much or giving more answers than thenew player wants. Keep the new playerinterested!

After the first adventure, new playersneed personalized characters. They knowenough to use one properly now andshould start accumulating memories andexperience points. If you used a prerolledcharacter, take it back and help your stu-dent roll up a new one if he wants (or lethim keep the prerolled one and play that ifhe likes it). Even when the new player hasalready rolled up a character, he will needstatistics for height, weight, and anythingelse you ignored before. Let the newplayer know that a PC leads an imaginarylife in your campaign world and existseven when not adventuring. Give a newPC a history, friends, enemies, and livingexpenses.

A new player becomes an expert byglancing through the rule books, turningrules and ideas into a vision of the game. Ifyou dare, lend new players your rulebooks. Otherwise, let them skim rulesduring slow parts of the game or arrangea trip to some bookstore that allowsbrowsing. You can also recommend fictionthat represents your campaign. Be readyto suggest which books the new playershould buy, but remember that new-comers are usually not ready to spendmuch money. New players will probablynot use anything more than the rule booksallowed for players to use. Of course, abeginner can play with nothing but dice.

Special warning: Be aware that theAD&D game is not an �advanced� versionof the D&D® game. Some people recom-

mend that novice AD&D game playerslearn the D&D Basic Set rules first. How-ever, these are two entirely differentgames, each quite complex but not usingthe same rules system. Either one is fine initself, but confusing them will only lead toserious frustration later! Similar problemsmight exist with other game systems thatwere revised in later editions�e.g., GameDesigners� Workshop�s TRAVELLER®,MEGATRAVELLER®, and the since-renamed TRAVELLER: 2300� games (thelatter now being the 2300 AD� game).Know your rules!

When you introduce the rules, avoidscaring beginners with gargantuan piles ofbooks. Newcomers should respect therules but not feel compelled to memorizethem. You can compare role-playing rulesto the Chance and Community Chest cardsin Parker Brothers� MONOPOLY® game;players must obey them but do not have tostudy each one in advance. New playersshould know that role-playing games con-stantly change and expand. Explain thatsince players want rules for anything thatmight ever happen, new guidelines willalways be possible. You might even en-courage beginners to design optional rulesof their own. This can mollify players whoenvy the GM�s license to �cheat.�

There are certain mistakes that almostall beginners make, and GMs should watchfor and correct these. For example: In theAD&D and D&D game systems, remindnewcomers that lower armor classes aremore protective; therefore, a suit of platemail + 1 actually subtracts one point fromthe wearer�s armor class. Also, emphasizethat shields improve a character�s armorclass by one�not reduce it to - 1. Newplayers need to know that �monster� oftenmeans nothing more than �NPC� �anynonplayer character.

When a game uses foreign currencies orimaginary money, watch moneychangingclosely. Most new players have a very hardtime converting gold pieces to silver ordollars to francs. Some GMs just call goldpieces �dollars,� but if you let new playersdevelop a habit of this, they will probablynever stop, and that makes the game seemslightly less realistic.

The novice adventureA new player forms countless prejudices

and expectations during the first game.You should use this opportunity to shapethe new player into the sort of gamer youwant in your campaign. Use a wide varietyof challenges and settings. If the entireadventure takes place underground, anewcomer might not understand that anysurface world exists.

The first adventure must accomplishthree things. First, it should demonstratethe game. This is why you need a variedassortment of encounters. Second, itshould summarize your campaign world.Let the new PCs meet important NPCs andexpose them to the stories, geographicalfeatures, etc., of your milieu. Third, it

should build expectations for the nextgame. The new players should face someexciting challenge and overcome it. Do notlet the new player PCs fail, because in thefirst game it is more important for newplayers to feel triumphant than to enforceevery rule of game balance. Have thebeginners find a small reward; even a fewsilver coins will excite them. Then makethem anticipate even better successes. Letthem learn about magical items to lust forand expensive luxuries that they wouldbuy if only they were rich. PCs will pursuethese things for lifetimes.

The first adventure should have a simpleplot. Since the new players do not under-stand the rules yet, they should not haveto concentrate on understanding yourstoryline. This innocence lets you use allthe fun tricks that experienced playersmight consider hackneyed. New playersfeel proud to be hired by the village chief-tain, and animated skeletons still terrifythem. Fantasy-game GMs could also seethe introductory D&D modules B11 King�sFestival and B12 Queen’s Harvest for othernovice-level adventure ideas.

The GM cannot tell a new player everything, and new players remember thingsmuch more completely when they teachthemselves. Unfortunately, most rulebooks assume that their readers can role-play. Therefore, this article includes ashort introduction to role-playing in thefollowing section. Have the new playerread this section, and if he becomes inter-ested in a game, so much the better!

How to playMost games simulate something people

want to do. Perhaps they recreate emo-tions, like triumph. Maybe they demandcertain skills, like military strategy. Chess,for example, is almost exactly like war.And there is a type of game, called a role-playing game, which tries to simulate all oflife. The players assume the parts of char-acters in a story, and all of their experi-ences are played out in conversation.Playing a role-playing game is like creatinga fantasy, science-fiction, or adventurestory from the players� imaginations. Thecharacters that the players control have atask or conflict to resolve during eachgame session. The game, like life, does notalways end with a winner or a loser. Somegame sessions end well, with the playersgetting what they want, but others proveto be more difficult.

The setting and plot of an RPG sessionare invented by one player�the gamemaster, or GM. The GM prepares longbefore the game by making up the plotand goals of the story. Work like this ismuch like writing fiction�but the GMdoes not decide how it will end. The GMdraws a map of the imaginary area wherethe game is supposed to take place andwrites a description of various locationson the map, as if for an encyclopedia. Oneplace might be a tomb guarded by evilspirits, while another might be a peaceful

farm. The GM will reuse this map in manygames. In this way, a campaign develops�a continuing plot with a consistent theme,like a long novel.

As mentioned, the other players take theroles of characters in the story. It is impor-tant to distinguish between �players� and�characters.� A player is a real person whoplays the game. A character is one of thepeople in the story. The characters thatthe players control are called player char-acters, or PCs. Everybody else in the storyis invented and controlled by the GM.These people are called non-player charac-ters, or NPCs.

You play an RPG by talking. The GMdescribes the background for the storyand what each PC sees and hears. Afterconsidering this, the players tell the GMwhat they want their characters to do;these actions can be anything that a realperson might do. The GM then describesthe results. By using the map, the rulebooks, and common sense, the GM tellsthe players where their PCs are and whathappens to them.

At some point, a character will want todo something that he might not be able todo. For example, if a PC shoots an arrow ata target, he might �hit or miss. Dice rolls areused to simulate these chances. The resultsare compared with tables that show howdifficult these feats are. Ideally, there wouldbe tables for everything a PC might ever doin a game. Some game systems have anincredible number of rule books and gam-ing materials. Many beginning playerscomplain that this is too much to read. Thetruth is, almost nobody knows all the rules.Players have their PCs do whatever theywant and look up rules when they areneeded. Creating a believable, exciting taleis more important than following thebooks. Often, a GM is forced to invent newrules to cover unique situations.

Different sorts of dice appear in variousrole-playing games. These dice often do nothave pips�dots showing what number youhave rolled. Rather, each die face has anArabic digit, such as 2 or 19. The mostcommonly used dice have four, six, eight,ten, twelve, and twenty sides. (Ten-sideddice are sometimes numbered zero (10)through nine.) In descriptions of role-playing, dice rolls are often abbreviatedwith the letters �D� or �d.� Notations on dicerolls usually involve two parts. First is anumber showing the number of rolls to bemade, then a number showing how manysides that the dice to be rolled must have.Rolling 3d6 means rolling three six-sideddice and adding the results from each dieinto a total score. Dice rolls can also beabbreviated by giving the range of theappropriate die; for example, a roll of 1d6is often abbreviated 1-6, and 2d12 is 2-24.

There are also references to d100 orpercentile dice, which are used to gener-ate a number between one and 100. Twoten-sided dice are usually used, of twodifferent colors. One color is the tens die.and the other is the ones die. The same die

can also be rolled twice, first for the tensdigit, then for the ones digit. Thus, if thefirst roll is a 3 and the next roll is a 2, thenumber generated is 32. If the first num-ber was 0 and the second was 3, the resultis 3. Rolls of 0 and 0 represent 100. Per-centile rolls are useful when a chance isexpressed as a percent. If a PC has a 60%chance of swimming, 1d100 is rolled. Ifthe number is above 60, the charactercannot swim; if the roll is 60 or below, thecharacter can. Percentile dice are alsoused to roll large random numbers.

Before the game, players fill out charac-ter sheets which describe their PCs. Thereare many things to know about a charac-ter. Is he strong, weak, clever, or stupid?What sort of skills does the characterhave? Some of these things are determinedby rolling dice, and others are selected bythe player.

Basic attributes like strength, intelli-gence, and dexterity are called abilityscores, and one generates them by rollingdice. A PC is trained for a certain profes-sion, such as fighter, thief, or magic-userin fantasy games. The player may choosewhat sort of job his character is trainedfor. In many games, PCs might not behuman, so a player may also get to choosehis PC�s race, such as elf, dwarf, or gnome.As a PC plays the game, he will gain expe-rience and become more skilled at what-ever he does. Experience is measured inexperience points, which are awarded forcompleting successful adventures. When acharacter has enough experience points,he may gain levels, increasing his personalpowers. High-level characters often gainnew skills and can improve their old ones.The same character can be reused inmany adventures. Eventually, charactersdevelop complete histories, as if they werereal people.

Dice, rule books, and paper are the onlyequipment needed for playing RPGs. Someplayers collect tiny lead figurines whichresemble their characters. These areprops and can be moved around to simu-late what is happening in an adventure.However, you do not need figures to play.

Although fantasy games are used mostoften here in examples, role-playing gameshave been written to recreate adventuresof all sorts, including stories involvingmedieval fantasy and ancient mythology,modern espionage, postnuclear ruins,science-fiction starships, Vietnam warpatrols, 1920s gangsters, and cartooncomedies. The rules for different gameswill vary, and few will use the same terms,rules, and equipment. But if you can playone RPG, you can play any of them.

The most important rule for learninghow to play an RPG is this: If you don�tknow, ask. You can learn any RPG bywatching how the other players act in thegame, but always feel free to ask ques-tions. The more you know about a game,the better you can play it and the morefun you�ll have.

And the fun is worth it, too.

102 JUNE 1990

How not to run a miniatures campaign

©1990 by Robert Bigelow

I have received many letters asking whatbecame of the campaign for FASA�sBATTLETECH® game that we featured inDRAGON® issue #144. Many asked forrules sets and guidelines so the writerscould launch campaigns of their own.Regretfully, the campaign no longer existsin the form presented last year. When weset up the game, everything was gearedtoward C-bills, using the guidelines thatFASA had published. The game went alongvery well for a while, then hit the prover-bial stone wall. By the time everyone hadfinished their first six contracts, the pa-perwork and math was enough to ruinanyone�s day. At that point, we stopped thecampaign and are now about to get asimpler version running.

The best possible game using miniaturesis often a campaign game. This forcesplayers to use strategy instead of banzaitactics. A player who wins battles bythrowing sheer numbers into the fightusually will not be able to win the long-term game because his army is guttedearly on. Even though campaign gameslook easy, successful campaigns depend onsound rules and planning to succeed. Thefollowing are the simplest rules:

Rule #1: The most important rule of anyminiatures campaign is to be as completelyfamiliar with the material as possible, aswell as the history, rules, time period, andideas behind the campaign. As the judge,you should always have as much generalknowledge as any of the players. Youprobably will get stumped on some spe-cific questions as nobody can know every-thing about a specific period or game. Butif you try to buffalo people, your cam-paign is doomed before it begins. Alsoknow your players and how they act be-fore starting. This will allow you to antici-pate problems and avoid them.

Rule #2: Also important is the use of theKIS principle, a handy rule of thumb thatmeans �keep it simple.� The harder youmake the game, the faster it will come to ascreeching halt. Complexity often leads tomore interesting and accurate games, butthe more complex it is, the more time

someone has to spend on paperwork andstats, and the less time he gets to play.Unless you can hire a general staff foreveryone, don�t make a campaign thatrequires one.

Rule #3: Have more than one judgewhenever possible. Campaigns can dievery quickly with only one judge. If thatjudge is sick or has other commitments, itcan mean long-term or frequent gameinterruptions. After this happens a fewtimes, gamers might quit out of frustra-tion, and you will either have to start thecampaign over or find new people whomust be brought up to speed. To avoidthis, never start a campaign unless thereare either multiple judges or a backupsystem. In our new BATTLETECH ram-paign, there are two judges, both of whomcan play, and army additions must beapproved by the judges or two membersof opposing houses. The builder does nothave to report where he is putting hisadditions; he just tells what he wishes tobuild. This system forces the individual topay more attention to what he is creating,and the houses pay closer attention to thegame as they might one day have to fightthe unit being created. Very few mistakesare made or missed with this set-up.

Rule #4: Make sure that any forms thatare needed for the campaign are availablein abundance. As a rule of thumb, youshould have enough forms on hand forset-up and six months use. This also leadshandily into the next item.

Rule #5: Figure out a budget for thecampaign and get the money needed forany printing, scenery, buildings, etc. be-fore you start. It has been my experiencethat everyone wants to play and promisesto pay�until it is time to �ante up� afterthe game has started. Failure to have thesefunds can be the death of your game.

Rule #6: Make sure that the sides areeven. This is one of the most importantparts of any campaign. Pick some form ofpoint system or means of evaluating unitsand make sure that everyone starts withequal forces. In BATTLETECH games, youcan use tonnage. In historical war games,you can use the point system found inmost sets of rules. Unless you are gaming

in a specific time period or unusual situa-tion that demands unequal distribution offorces, there is no faster way to end acampaign than to have it unevenly dividedat the start.

Rule #7: Make sure everyone agrees onthe rules to be used in the game (or atleast that everyone will abide by thejudge�s rulings). This seems like a strangestatement, but you�ll always have at leastone person who interprets the rules dif-ferently. Have several meetings to discussthe rules and listen carefully to your play-ers� comments and questions. If everyoneappears confused, maybe the rules aren�tclear enough. If everyone wants off-the-wall conversions or units, maybe yourstandards need to be tightened and adifferent approach taken. Learn fromyour players; your game is a partnershipwith them, and if either partner fails, thegame will fail.

Rule #8: Don�t build unattainable objec-tives into your campaign. Conquering acountry is nice, but if it completely gutssomeone�s army it isn�t going to appeal toanyone. Work out different levels of vic-tory and have them available to each sidewhen you start, so everyone can planstrategy.

Rule #9: Arrange your campaign to haveflexibility. It is helpful for you as the judgeto arrange one night or day per week as�turn hand-in� or mapping time, but it alsohelps to allow the players to set up meet-ing times for battles at their own conven-ience. If there are many conflicts to beresolved, allow adequate time betweenmapping or �turn hand-in� nights to makesure everything for that turn is finishedup. Be sure that you have penalties formissing a turn, as there are always pro-crastinators who can ruin your game bynot doing their turns or fighting theirbattles. Such things as �die roll� battleswith huge negative modifiers applied tothe missing side are possible solutions.

Rule #10: Lastly, arrange the campaignwith one of its objectives being �fun.�While campaigns are always more intensethan single games, keep the amount ofwork involved down as much as possible.If it�s not fun, why do it?

I don�t think I�ve ever seen a campaignthat neatly follows all of these guidelines,Even I am guilty of slaughtering one orseveral of these very general rules. But Iguarantee that the more rules you follow,the easier and smoother your campaignwill run, and the more your players willenjoy it.

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104 JUNE 1990

West End GamesRD 3, Box 2345Honesdale PA 18431

WEG 40302�ImperialForces set * * * * ½

West End Games� STAR WARS® universecontinues to expand. The Imperial Forcesset submitted for review represents agroup of �bad guys� for use with the role-playing game or for collecting. Theseminiatures are sculpted and molded forWest End by Grenadier Models. The setpresents a group of 10 figures from thecrew of the Imperial Death Star. The setcan be broken up into four categories:

Group #1: Stormtroopers�What would STAR WARS® Imperial Forces set (West End Games)a STAR WARS game be without a goodbattle? This group of three ImperialStormtroopers is ready to provide one.Each soldier wears the characteristicjointed armor from the movies. OneStormtrooper is moving semi-crouched,easing forward to scout and avoid gettinghit. The second �trooper is walking for-ward with his blaster obviously ready tofire. The third is standing with his blasterin a ready position. All three figures werewithout flash, and the details held up wellfor painting.

Group #2: This group consists of a pilotteam: one fighter pilot and one Imperial�droid. The fighter pilot wears a helmetwith communications gear by his ear anda respirator unit strapped to his chest withair hoses going to his mouthpiece. Thepilot�s faceplate obscures �much of hisfacial detail. He carries a blaster in hislowered right hand and wears coverallssecured by a belt at the waist and tuckedinto his boots. The Imperial �droid hasvisible power connections and flex joints.Its face narrows down to a nosepiecewhich looks like a funnel, though other-wise it looks like C3P0. The robot shouldbe either black or white. Some instrumentpanels are on its front and back, but Icouldn�t discern much of the detail. Therewas no flash on either figure, and moldingis crisp.

Group #3: This group consists of oneofficer and two enlisted types from theDeath Star�s crew. The officer is eitherinstructing someone on a task or elsepointing something out. The officer wearsa forage cap that extends to his ear andhas a very small brim. The figure�s facialdetail is not as good as the other figuresreviewed in this group. He has a wrap-around jacket secured by a belt at thewaist; a medal appears on his chest.

The Death Star trooper wears a longhalf-teardrop helmet with a chin strap butno faceplate. His face protector is raised,and his face is well detailed. He wearsgauntlets and has a gun ready to fire in hisright hand. His long-sleeved tunic extendsbelow his waist, and his pants are tuckedinto his boots.

The Death Star gunner is dressed likethe �trooper, though he wears padded

Photography by Michael Bethkearmor and his faceplate is down. A gun isheld in his left hand. Many pockets appearon his armor.

The remaining two figures are the highcommanders of the Empire. One is GrandMoff Tarkin. Tarkin has his hands behindhis back in a parade-rest pose. His head isbare, and his hair is short; a serious lookappears on his face. He too wears a wrap-around jacket secured at the waist with abelt and buttons on the front. A row ofdecorations is on the upper left side of hisjacket. He wears a simple pair of pants andboots. There was some flash between hisarms and body.

Last, but not least, is Darth Vader him-self. Vader is nearly identical to his appear-ance the movies, except for his helmet,which does not flare out nearly as much atthe bottom. His lightsaber came out well,as did his arms. The only problems withthe figure were a mold line that ran diago-nally on both front and back and a slightleg defect that was easily fixed.

I highly recommend these figures toanyone who is either a Star Wars fan or aplayer of the role-playing game. Thesefigures will help certain gaming scenariosbut are of more limited use on a long-termbasis. They are good for dioramas as well.This set sells for $12.

In Service MiniaturesP.O. Box 510Lakewood CA 90714-0510

6039�SA-12 Gladiator half batterywith control * * * *

One of the most important goals of anymodern army is to gain control of theskies. In BATTLETECH games, aerospacefighters duke it out to prevent raids. Onthe modern battlefield, control is gainedand held by an interlocking antiaircraftchain of guns, planes, and surface-to-airmissiles (SAMs).

The models submitted for review arescale copies of a system now being exten-sively introduced in the USSR. The SA-12system has been billed as a replacement forthe old SA-4, which is over 20 years old.These missiles are designed to knockaircraft out from low to very high altitudesand have a reputed range of 175 miles with

a fair degree of accuracy, depending onwhat source-of military information youread. These missiles are not offensive weap-ons, but they can reputedly destroy suchweapons as cruise missiles or high-flyingbombers. The missile batteries are usuallydeployed 10-20 km behind the lines.

The miniatures presented for reviewmake up one-half of the organization listedin several unclassified Department ofDefense reports for this weapon. Thepackage contains six vehicles, of whichtwo are search and target-acquisitionradar units, two are actual missilelaunchers, one is a reload vehicle, and oneis a command vehicle. In addition to thebasic vehicles, add-on equipment is alsopresent. All vehicles are based on the sameSoviet vehicle, which has six road wheelsand four return rollers to keep the truckstable and running smoothly. Each vehicleis different but uses this basic chassis-and-cab design.

The launching units require the mostassembly. The launchers can be built in.either the launching or the carrying �posi-tion. The launching position has the two�tubes� and the radar pointing straight up,while the carrying position has the �tubes�and radar down on the truck. The radarvehicles give you the same choice but haveguide holes on the model to show youwhere the radar goes. If you want theunits to be in a �moving� position, youmust clip off part of each radar unit�s basepeg. If you want them in the ready posi-tion, you will have to fill two of the deckholes on each model with putty.

The reload vehicle carries four reloadsand a crane. Both it and the command unitcome in one piece and require no assembly.

This is a good set of vehicles with virtu-ally no flash. Mold pitting appears on thedecks of some of the vehicles, but many ofthe tool boxes show through well. In addi-tion to the set�s use on a modern battle-field, you could use it for BATTLETECHgames as a mobile AC 30 team or a PPCteam. With the radar and sensing arrays,they could even be cruise-missile or LRMlaunchers. I highly recommend thesevehicles, which sell for $4.75 per pack.

DRAGON 105

Game Designer�s WorkshopP.O. Box 1646Bloomington IL 61702-1646

GDW 1821�VictorianAdventurers * * * * *

The SPACE: 1889� game continues to bea bridge between historical and fantasyrole-playing. With the addition of theVictorian Adventurers set, you can nowadd town and village conflicts to battlesotherwise fought only between rebellioustribes and soldiers of the British Empire.Many of the military actions taken duringthe real-worlds Colonial period werejustified as being relief or safety columnsfor civilians, missionaries, or traderscaught in the middle of a hostile area.Using this justification, many of the colo-nial powers extended their influences overvast territories.

The set submitted for review consists of10 unpainted metal figures, created byRAFM for GDW. The bases are a littlesmall for the figures but will hold them upas long as there isn�t a role-playing earth-quake. A description of each figurefollows:

1. Army officer with revolver�This 25mm figure has calf-length boots withgrooves where the bootlaces ought to be.His pants have a slightly raised seam forthe necessary stripe. The jacket has thetypical narrow officer�s shoulder boardsand prominent buttons. From his narrowbelt hangs a holster and a sword in itsscabbard; the officer grasps the swordhilt. His cross strap is visible, as is thecartridge or map case, decorations, andother details. His garrison-type hat hasclean detail on its insignia and strap. Theface is clean shaven, and there is somepitting on the right side of the face as iffrom an old case of acne. The pistol in thefigure�s right hand is too thick.

2. Army officer with sword�This officer

Victorian Adventurers

(Game Designer’s Workshop)

1 0 6 J U N E 1 9 9 0

is much like the first one, though he hassmooth boots, a holstered pistol, and anaggressive stance with his sword out in achallenging position. His helmet has screenwrapping and an insignia. A moustacheflares out near the corners of his mouth.The facial features on this figure are verygood. The only problem with this figure isthe sword, which is too thick�a verycommon problem on miniatures.

3. Naval officer�This officer representsa typical sea-going officer. He wears adouble-breasted waistcoat held by a beltwith an engraved buckle. The buttonsstand out well against the coat and areeasy to paint. The top of the coat shows ashirt with a flared collar and bow tie. Hisbaggy pants have the typical seam stripe,and he wears low-top boots. His righthand clutches a spy glass. His sleeves bearthe three rings and loop of the old navalcaptain. The cap is the pillbox type withwide brim and bill. His face is serene, witha bushy moustache and sideburns. Hissword hangs in its scabbard on the left.

4. Inventor with pistol�This civilianfigure wears regular trousers, low shoes,and an open suit coat. Revealed under thecoat is a button-down shirt and a stringtie. In his left hand the inventor holds afour-shot derringer in the manner of astarting gun, and in his right he holds adevice that looks like a detector of somesort. On his head is a hat of the type madefamous by Sherlock Holmes. His mouth isset in a grim expression; he has good facialcharacter and long sideburns.

5. Thug�This �gentleman� is obviouslylooking for trouble and intends to find it.He has a muscular build covered by anopen shirt front that shows a muscle-molded T-shirt beneath. His long wrinkledpants are slightly bunched on the tops ofhis shoes and are held up by not only abelt but by suspenders as well. A raghangs from his rear pocket. His right handis made into a fist, and with his left handhe is rolling up his right sleeve. He wearsan ugly scowl.

6. Missionary�This fellow is workinghard at bringing Christianity to the na-tives. He is dressed in a single-breastedsuit jacket that shows a regular shirt andtie beneath it. In his left hand he holds anopen Bible, and in his right he holds across aloft. His face is partially hidden by aVan Dyke beard and moustache, but a lookof happiness is evident. He also wears apith helmet with a wide sash.

7. Lady with revolver�This is one no-nonsense female. Her hair is pulled backinto the bun that was common in the late19th century, with one or two curls fallingonto her forehead. Small earrings are visi-ble on both ears. The facial detail is excel-lent, giving a very vivid impression of awoman who has had too many bad experi-ences, hence her grim appearance. Shewears a long dress with puffed sleeves anda handkerchief around her neck. The dressstretches down to her high-topped shoes.She holds her revolver with both hands.

8. Lady in traveling clothes�This is a gal

in a hurry. The figure is posed as if mov-ing quickly and glancing to the side. Shewears a long formal dress that stretchesfrom her shoulders down to the ground,leaving just enough room for one sharp-toed shoe to poke out. The dress has shortsleeves and frills. A handbag is held in herright hand, and her left hand is reachingout. Her short hair is covered by a hatwith a wide brim. Earrings are visible onboth ears, and her face looks vaguely likea young Queen Elizabeth. With the dresspulled tight in the right places as if shewere running, it is clear that the sculptortook a great deal of time and effort withthis figure.

9. Gentleman in top hat�This fellow wastypecast as an arch-villain, a perfect repre-sentation of the landlord shown in the oldsilent pictures. He poses regally, facingforward with a mirthless demeanor, and amonocle covers his right eye. His shortbeard, without sideburns or moustache,gives him an odd look. His curly hair iscovered mostly by a stovepipe hat. His suitcoat is open at the front, exposing a vestcomplete with several buttons and a watchchain. His trousers hang straight, with nocreases, down to his formal shoes. In hisright hand he holds a walking stick withhead and tip, and in his right hand heholds the lapel on his coat as if posing.

10. Hill Martian nomad�This figure isimmense compared to the others in theset. His build is stocky with sharp, angularmusculature on all four limbs and chest.His arms are bare from shoulders to fore-arms, where engraved bracers begin. Inhis right hand he holds a halberd-typeweapon, and in his left hand is a swordwith a hooked end. His chest and back arecovered by armor plates that extend downto knee level but leave his legs free. Thefront and back plates of the armor areheld together by a belt that also holdsanother sword, a pouch, and the scabbardfor the large sword. His feet are clad insandals with fringed tops, and his hair isblown back as though in a wind. His ex-pression is grim and foreboding.

Also included in this set is a detailedpainting guide. This guide suggests differ:ent color schemes for the figures and alsohas a full set of directions on how to paintthese figures using the stain method. Thisis a method which takes some practice, soread the instructions carefully and prac-tice on another figure using water-basedpaints first.

With the exception of the nomad, thesefigures are excellent reproductions ofpeople from our past. The work is verywell done and matches many of my booksperfectly for the colonial period. These arepremium figures that can be painted up topresent an unending series as possiblescenarios in either real-world colonialsettings or the fantasy colonial period ofSPACE: 1889 games. If nothing else, I rec-ommend that you pick up these figures fordisplaying for their wealth of detail. Youcan be proud of them. They are only soldas a set for $10.95.