Issue #188Vol. XVII, No. 7December 1992

PubilsherJames M. Ward

EditorRoger E. Moore

Associate editorDale A. Donovan

Fiction editorBarbara G. Young

Editorial assistantWolfgang H. Baur

Art directorLarry W. Smith

Production staffGaye O'Keefe Tracey Zamagne

Dawn K. Murin

SubscriptionsJanet L. Winters

U.S. advertisingCindy Rick

U.K. correspondentand U.K. advertising

Wendy Mottaz

SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS99

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Need Some Good Advice?Words of wit and wisdom for role-players�for any gamesystem.

That�s �Role,� Not �Roll�! � George T. YoungThoughts on how the game master can help the players.

Be Nice to Your Referee � Stewart RobertsonThere�s more to being a good gamer than rolling dice andpainting miniatures.

Roles For Role-Players � David WilderNew ways to help your game master and keep theexcitement high.

FICTIONSomething Familiar � Eliza ErskineOnly a fool would steal from a master thief�especially thismaster thief!

REVIEWSThe Role of Computers � Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk LesserFlight simulators, from World War I to tomorrow.

Role-playing Reviews � Rick SwanGreat board games for people who hate board games.

Through the Looking Glass � Robert BigelowPresenting part two of the annual holiday shopping guide.

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

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

tion throughout the United Kingdom is by ComagMagazine Marketing, Tavistock Road, West Drayton,Middlesex UB7 7QE, United Kingdom; telephone:0895-444055.

Subscriptions: Subscription rates via second-classmail are as follows: $30 in U.S. funds for 12 issuessent to an address in the U.S.; $36 in U.S. funds for 12issues sent to an address in Canada; £21 for 12 issuessent to an address within the United Kingdom; £30 for12 issues sent to an address in Europe; $50 in U.S.funds for 12 issues sent by surface mail to any otheraddress, or $90 in U.S. funds for 12 issues sent airmail to any other address. Payment in full must accom-pany all payment include checks or money ordersmade payable to TSR, Inc., or charges to validMasterCard or VISA credit cards; send subscriptionorders with payments to: TSR, Inc., PO. Box 5695,Boston MA 02206, U.S.A. In the United Kingdom,methods of payment include cheques or money ordersmade payable to TSR Ltd., or charges to a validACCESS or VISA credit card; send subscription orderswith payments to TSR Ltd., as per that address above.Prices are subject to change without prior notice. Theissue of expiration of each subscription is printed on

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OTHER FEATURESThe Wizards Three � Ed GreenwoodA pleasant meeting between three worlds� most powerfulspell-casters.

The Voyage of the Princess Ark � Bruce A. HeardWith the world on the brink of war, the Princess Ark heads forhome.

Bazaar of the Bizarre � Nathaniel S. DownesTen swords now lost (and up for grabs) in the FORGOTTENREALMS® setting.

Novel Ideas � Sue WeinleinR. A. Salvatore reveals how a hero and his �legacy� were almostnever born.

The MARVEL®-Phile � Steven E. SchendNot your normal undercover types: SHIELD�s Super-Agents!

The Game Wizards � Jean RabeMeet the new RPGA� Network�and join the fun!

Mind Over Matter � L. Richard Baker IIIWhich AD&D® game character class is best? The psionicist, saysthis writer.

DEPARTMENTS4 Letters 102 Dragonmirth6 Editorial 104 Twilight Empire

36 Forum 108 Garners Guide83 Convention Calendar 120 TSR Previews92 Sage Advice

C O V E RLarry Elmore�s cover painting is

actually the second in a series ofworks that began with the coverpainting of issue #163. That issue wasfor autumn; this one, of course, is forwinter. The lady�s a d v i c e t oadventurers? �Don�t bother me.�

the mailing label of each subscriber’s copy of themagazine Changes of address for the delivery ofsubscription copies must be received at least sixweeks prior to the effective date of the change in orderto assure uninterrupted delivery

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

Submissions: All material published in DRAGONMagazine becomes the exclusive property of thepublisher, unless special arrangements to the contraryare made prior to publication. DRAGON Magazinewelcomes unsolicited submissions of written materialand artwork; however, no responsibility for such sub-missions can be assumed by the publisher in anyevent. Any submission accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size will bereturned if it cannot be published. We strongly recom-mend that prospective authors write for our writers’guidelines before sending an article to us. In theUnited States and Canada, send a self-addressed,

stamped envelope (9½” long preferred) to: WritersGuidelines, c/o DRAGON Magazine, as per the aboveaddress; include sufficient American postage orinternational Reply Coupons with the return envelope.In Europe, write to: Writers’ Guidelines, c/o DRAGONMagazine, TSR Ltd; include sufficient return postageor IRCs with your SASE.

Advertising: For information on placing advertise-ments in DRAGON Magazine, ask for our rate card Allads are subject to approval by TSR, Inc. TSR reservesthe right to reject any ad for any reason. In the UnitedStates and Canada, contact: Advertising Coordinator,TSR, Inc., PO Box 756, 201 Sheridan Springs Road,Lake Geneva WI 53147. U.S.A. In Europe, contactAdvertising Coordinators, TSR Ltd.

Advertisers and/or agencies of advertisers agree tohold TSR, Inc. harmless from and against any loss orexpense from any alleged wrongdoing that may ariseout of the publication of such advertisements. TSR,Inc. has the right to reject or cancel any advertisingcontract for which the advertiser and/or agency ofadvertiser fails to comply with the business ethics setforth in such contract.

DRAGON is a registered trademark of TSR, Inc.

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

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

© 1992 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All TSR char-acters, character names, and the distinctive likenessesthereof are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.

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

DRAGON 3

What did you think of this issue? Do you havea question about an article or have an idea for anew feature you�d like to see? In the UnitedStates and Canada, write to: Letters, DRAGON®

Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147,U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Letters, DRAGONMagazine, TSR Ltd., 120 Church End, CherryHinton, Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom.

Fritz Leiber�weremember himwellDear Dragon,

With sadness, I noted the passing of FritzLeiber [on September 5, 1992]. Fritz Leiber�sfantasy adventure characters, Fafhrd and theGray Mouser, brought entertainment to readersand inspiration to gamers everywhere. I askthat some small tribute appear to him in thepages of DRAGON Magazine.

Perhaps a fitting tribute would be to examinethe gaming products and DRAGON articlesbased on Leiber�s work. With a little research, Ifound several: TSR�s boxed LANKHMAR� game,the articles on that game by Dr. MacKnight inearly DRAGON Magazine issues, the NPC de-scriptions of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser inDRAGON issue #27, Leiber�s entry in AppendixN (�inspirational reading�) in the 1st EditionDungeon Masters Guide, the Nehwon mythos inthe old Deities & Demigods and Legends &Lore, and the AD&D® game products based onLeiber�s works. I hope you are able to use mysuggestion.

Rex V. SettleOkemos MI

We at TSR were also sad to hear of the deathof Fritz R. Leiber, Jr, at age 81. He was a mas-terful writer of science fiction, horror; andfantasy who won over 30 awards, includingfour Nebulas and seven Hugos. Fritz Leibercreated the popular term �sword and sorcery�in the 1960s to describe the swordsmen vs.wizards brand of fantasy tales. His impact onmodern fiction was very great, and the ripplesof his work have been felt across every medi-um, from role-playing games to television (theTV show Bewitched was loosely based upon his1943 novel Conjure Wife, which Locus maga-zine states was �the cornerstone of the modernhorror novel.�).

Fritz Leiber was a great guy, and he will bedeeply missed. Without him, we probablywouldn�t be here, either.

Spies� demiseDear Dragon,

I love your magazine, and I am an avid TOPSECRET/S.I.� game player and administrator. Doyou know if TSR, Inc. plans on releasing any-

4 DECEMBER 1992

thing new for the TOP SECRET/S.I. game? If so,could you give me a preview? Also, how about afew more articles on this game? It is an excel-lent espionage game!

Todd DerbyPreston MN

Although espionage role-playing games havetheir atom-hearted fans, the results of thesurvey we ran in the April issue of DRAGONMagazine (#180) indicated that few readerswant to see material on these games in ourpages. In fact, they were the least-liked of allrole-playing games. TSR has discontinued sup-port for the TOP SECRET/S.I. game, and nofurther articles on that game are planned in thismagazine. We might sorneday see an espionage-game article that we love too much to turnaway; we�ve had some outstanding articles onthis genre in the past. Still, we won�t haveanything in the works until reader support forthese games returns

Old fogeys withdiceDear Dragon,

By making the highest age group in yoursurveys �23 +� [in �Pen Power II,� in issue #182],you make us thirty-somethings and forty-somethings feel unwelcome.

I know there are a lot of older players outthere; you see us at conventions and in gamingstores everywhere, and since about every thirdplayer you meet says he or she started playingin the 1970s with TSR�s CHAINMAIL supple-ment, a little math will prove we couldn�t all betoo old. I think if you really surveyed for age(instead of limiting your interest to 23 andunder), you�d find you have a much broaderaudience than you�re assuming.

We old fogeys fully intend to take our diceand Monster Manuals to the nursing home withus, and be slaying dragons when we�re 90.

23 +, forsooth!Rebekah McClureSalt Lake City UT

I, your editor, am 37 myself, so I am probablyevery bit as much of an old fogey as you are (ifnot more so). If you knew the ages of some ofthe other editors, writers, and designers here atTSR, you�d probably be shocked (we ain�t allkids). However, the questionnaire was beingused for a special marketing survey on design-ing games for young people; it was in no waydesigned to show disrespect for those withmore life experience. We aim to get gamers intothe hobby when they�re young as well as whenthey're older; the marketing department needsthe information to make it work.

As a side note, the idea of an Old Gamers�Home has been tossed around at TSR for years.We�re still deciding how to set it up; we�ll proba-bly just move our belongings into the TSRbuilding and turn it into a commune or some-thing. We�ll let you know.

Thendar huntDear Dragon,

I have been playing DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®

games for about 13 years now, and in all thattime I have never experienced a situation likethis before: total and complete memory loss.

My problem is this: I remember (vaguely) arace of beings called the Thendar. At one pointin time, I knew enough about them to create anonplayer character who was a Thendar. Now, Ican�t even find where the heck I got all thisinformation on them. I know that it was not arace I created. I�ve spent tireless hours search-ing through every book and old module I haveever owned, but have come up empty.

I would greatly appreciate it if you couldassist my search for this well-hidden race, andsend me a note telling where I can find it.Thank you very much.

Brian WilsonEvanston IL

You�ve stumped the Game Lizards. Afterracking our brains, we�ve not been able to comeup with anything like a Thendar, though we didfind a Thundar (it's the name of a D&D gamesea dragon�see DRAGON issue #171, page 11).We also found the Traldar, who are humantribesmen found on the D&D game�s KnownWorld (see AC9 Creature Catalogue, page 41). Ifanyone else has an idea, we�ll let you know!

Bewildered in thewilderness?

Got a question about one of TSR’s role-playing games? Turn to “Sage Advice”to find out the answers!

Even as I write this, the staff ofDRAGON® Magazine is revising and refor-matting our submission guidelines. Theyare being re-organized to include all ourcurrent guidelines�for articles, fiction,artwork, and cartoons- plus a standarddisclosure form. This will speed the proc-ess of getting our guidelines out to pro-spective authors (and will make my lifeeasier). The revised guidelines will beavailable after the first of the year.

There will not be any major changesmade to the content of the guidelines, soaspiring authors need not request the newversion if you already have a copy of ourold guidelines. The only changes of noteare: a) We now request that an authorsend us a query letter for every article heor she intends to submit before submittingthe piece. If we�re not interested, we cantell you so when you query us. This willsave time both for the author and for us(and will make my life easier); b) After weaccept an article, we will ask the author ifthe piece is available on computer disk.The types of disks we can now accept are5¼� and 3½� IBM or IBM-compatibledisks, and 3½� Macintosh disks,

If you don�t have our guidelines, send abusiness-sized, self-addressed, stampedenvelope (SASE) to: Writer�s Guidelines,DRAGON Magazine, PO. Box 111, LakeGeneva WI 53147, U.S.A. Get your handson a copy of our guidelines before yousend us anything. If you don�t, you�re onlywasting your postage and time.

Our guidelines answer most of the basicquestions and concerns of aspiring writ-ers, but apparently some things need to berestated. I know this because I�m the per-son who first sees the articles submitted toDRAGON Magazine. I�m the person whohas to deal with the authors who don�tfollow our guidelines. The following sug-gestions should clear up the confusion oncertain points and will provide hints andtips that aren�t in our guidelines. Followingthese suggestions and tips will improveyour article�s chances for acceptance (andwill make my life easier),

Included in our guidelines package is aTSR Standard Disclosure Form, A com-pleted, signed copy of this form mustaccompany each article you submit. Pro-spective authors may make as many copiesof this form as necessary. If you submit anarticle without one of these forms, yourpiece will be returned to you unread�provided you included an SASE large

6 DECEMBER 1992

Make my life easierenough to return your submission.

SASEs are very important. Without one,I cannot respond to you regarding yoursubmission. A good rule to remember is toinclude an SASE no smaller than the enve-lope in which you mailed your submissionto us. That will ensure I can return yourentire submission to you if I need to (thiswill make my life easier). Those of youinterested in saving postage who state youdon�t want your article back if it�s notaccepted should remember that we occa-sionally ask for a revision of an article.When that happens, notes for the authorare written in the margins of the piece.How can I return your article for revisionif you include an SASE that�s too small foryour article?

I know postage is expensive, but youmust include sufficient postage (stamps forU.S. authors, and International ReplyCoupons, or I.R.C.s, for foreign submit-ters) with your SASE. Do not send money,especially foreign coins or currency. Pro-spective authors who live outside the U.S.should know that foreign stamps will notget your submission back to you. Anysubmissions you send to TSR�s U.K. officeare forwarded to me here in Wisconsinfor evaluation. So, if you�re submittingfrom any country other than the U.S.A.,include 1.R.C.s with your submissions. Ifyou�re submitting more than one article ata time, be sure to include an SASE foreach article, as they may get separatedduring the evaluation process. If you areinterested in checking the status of yourarticle or are concerned about its arrivalhere, please don�t call. That interrupts ourwork and only slows the evaluation proc-ess even more. Instead, include a self-addressed, stamped postcard with yoursubmission and ask for it to be returned toyou when your article is received.

Don�t ask us to assign an article topic toyou. The collective brain power of you, ourprospective authors, far exceeds that of themagazine�s staff (especially on Mondays).

Now that I�ve talked about how to sub-mit articles, it�s time to talk about whatand what not to submit. It�s easier to talkabout what not to do, so I�ll start there.The following is a list of topics we are notinterested in seeing now. Why we aren�tinterested varies with the topic, andthere�s no room here to discuss them all.Just take my word for it. We are not inter-ested in publishing computer programs,generic NPCs; �new� monk or paladin

variants; hit-location or critical-hit systemsor charts; articles aimed specifically at theAD&D® original edition game; single magi-cal items, spells, or monsters; magicalitems that duplicate spells or vice versa;articles on the theory of magic or otherfantasy elements; or adventure modules(these should go to our sister publication,DUNGEON® Adventures, after you get thatmagazine�s guidelines). Also, do not sendus school research papers that have nodirect gaming applications, and don�t sendus anything that is currently being consid-ered by any other publisher. Avoidingthese topics will save you time and money(and will make my life easier).

Now, what do we want to see? We wantto see: query letters before you send usyour articles; articles that accentuate orheighten the role-playing aspects of gam-ing, rather than the roll-playing (dice-oriented) aspects; articles on wholegaming genres (SF, fantasy, horror, etc.);articles on non-TSR games (see my editori-al in issue #166 for possibilities); newcharacter kits for the AD&D 2nd Editiongame (like campaign-specific kits for theRAVENLOFT® setting, etc.); more �Ecology�articles; articles on new interrelated magi-cal items, spells, and monsters in Mon-strous Compendium format; articles onhow to be a better Dungeon Master orplayer; articles on how to set up cam-paigns or adventures; and articles on allthe ideas and topics that aren�t covered inthe �don�t do� list above. Also, read theeditorial in issue #184 pertaining to oursurvey�s results. There you�ll learn whatthe readers of this magazine want.

Another way you can improve thechances of your article being accepted isto browse our back issues. There�s nobetter way to learn what articles we ac-cept than by studying the articles we�veaccepted. Find as many back issues as youcan and study them to see what kinds ofarticles we publish, then ask yourself ifyour article is of one of those types,

Always take some time away from yourwriting before sending in a submission,Finish your article, then set it aside fortwo or three days. Then, go back and readit; mistakes will leap off the page. Alsohave someone else proofread yourwriting. Two or three sets of eyes cancatch many mistakes your own eyes willmiss. (As an example, Roger, Wolfgang,

Continued on page 119

That�s “Role,”Not “Roll”!

Put more �oomph� in your role-playing�and have more funby George T. Young

Artwork by Lissane Lake

TSR�s D&D® and AD&D® systems arerole-playing games. Unfortunately, nodictionary gives �role-playing� the defini-tion that garners expect of it: It�s an activi-ty designed to be fun, with the partici-pants thinking creatively and using theirimagination. There are numerous articlesabout new nonplayer characters, magicalitems, and so on, but few guidelines havebeen presented on how to become betterrole-players. This article, though by nomeans exhaustive, provides a few ideasabout how to get more out of your gamingthrough more effective role-playing.

Put the stress on roleI once asked a player in one of my cam-

paigns, �Why do you think they call it�role-playing,� anyway?� His answer was:�Because of the dice.� I regret to say thathe was serious. Gaming, as he knew it (andas too many of us know it), is the jugglingof statistics and scores for the purpose ofmaking a powerful character. Most of usbegin playing this way, and for a while it isentertaining. But, as one horde of despica-ble monsters after another falls to theheroes� swinging swords, the excitementwears off. Soon no one is interested inhow many 20s you roll or even how manyorcs you killed that day. This is the pointwhere most casual players quit the game,leaving only the hard-core players deter-mined to enjoy themselves.

Around this time, the remaining groupbegins to develop the art of role-playinguntil everyone participates in it to somedegree. Role-playing is fundamental to theAD&D and D&D games; no one playsbecause he or she likes keeping recordsand memorizing charts. The idea behind

role-playing is very clear: It is pure esca-pism, pretending to be a person you clear-ly are not. How, exactly, do we go aboutthis? What tables are there for it in theDungeon Master�s Guide? There are norules for role-playing; there are, however,certain guidelines that will help you be-come better �role-ers.�

The obvious question that comes tomind then is also the most important one:Why should we attempt to be better role-players anyway? For one thing, role-playing is a skill that can be developed andimproved; as with any other skill, thebetter you are at it, the more fun it be-comes. The whole idea of role-playing isbeing someone else, playing out someone�sdangerous and exciting (if not alwaysglamorous) life. Role-playing allows you allthe fun of being someone who lives closeto the edge without any of the risks. Thegame is, above all, completely safe. Yourcharacter can take 17 hp damage from ablow, fall into a pit of acid, or get swallow-ed whole, but none of it affects you. We allgrow to value our characters over time,and we don�t like to see them killed, butwe don�t actually lose anything.

There is a flip side to role-playing: Likemost things, you get out of it only whatyou put in. If you play a shallow, card-boardlike character, you are far less likelyto enjoy yourself as much as you wouldplaying a character with a personality and�reality� about him. Whether you�re play-ing an 800-year-old elven wizard or an 80-year-old human beggar, your charactershould be believable. Actors on stage �getinto character� and play their parts; theystep away from who they are and becomewho they are not.

In the same way, garners need to developpersonas for their characters. Once youknow what your character is like, itshould be easier to assume the mind-framethat allows you to imagine yourself in hisshoes. Perhaps your character is com-pletely unlike you, so much so that youwould act quite differently than your PC,given a change in circumstances. Thereare many things you can do to encouragerole-playing. It is always more fun to role-play if the whole group is participating; it�shard to get into character when everyoneelse is interested only in getting the mosttreasure and being the best rules lawyersthey can.

A certain mood also needs to be set forgood playing as well, for the mood in

DRAGON 11

gaming is comparable to the setting intheater. Above anything else, creativity isabsolutely necessary. That�s okay, though,because role-playing gamers are all crea-tive; if they weren�t, they wouldn�t begaming. When a group of people role-playwell, their imaginations are in high gear,and the whole group has fun. That is thegoal of role-playing, after all: having fun.

Participation

DM: �In our last game, when we leftoff, you were just about to fightSerpentyne, the ancient red dragonthat you have been stalking formonths, and��

Player 1: �What? Where are we?�Player 2: �Did we kill it? Where�s my

share of the treasure?�Player 3: �Which character was I play-

ing?�

In the example above, the players haveno idea what is going on. The time spentbetween gaming sessions has dulled theirappetite for role-playing; they are notinvolved in the situation. At the end of thelast session, the group was tense andready for the encounter. Now, they are soremoved from the scenario that they willunthinkingly go through the motions ofplaying for the next 45 minutes to get backinto the mood: imagining what they aredoing, planning, and slowly starting tohave fun again.

The best way to avoid this problem andthe wasted time that goes with it is to getthe players (and the DM) ready to playbefore you begin. The way people getwarmed up for role-playing is the sameway people ready themselves for sports:with warm-up exercises. These exercisesshould be fun and should help get theplayers back into the role-playing frame ofmind. To start, ask a player to tell youwhat color the local tavern is painted. Askanother player how his character cele-brates his birthdays, and whether or nothe kissed anyone on his last birthday (ifthe PC did, ask who it was and have himexplain the circumstances). When theplayer comes up with a suitably creativeanswer, move on to the next person, ask-ing more off the wall and unexpectedquestions to force him to be imaginative.Don�t ask him any questions to which healready knows the answers�make himthink. The best way to get everyonewarmed up is to fire as many questions atthe players as you can; when they get thehang of it, they are ready. It�s as simple asthat. From the warm-ups, you can movedirectly into the adventure, knowing thatthe group is well prepared to play.

Go with the flow

DM: �The bugbears have, uh, thirtygold pieces on them.�

12 DECEMBER 1992

Player 1: �Gee, that�s a lot. I wonderwhy they�re carrying so much.�

Player 2: �And we never encounteredbugbears this far south before.�

Player 3: �That jerk the baron has a lotof money, so . . .�

Player 2: �My friends, I smell a conspir-acy. I think we should pay the goodbaron a little visit�unannounced, ofcourse.�

What you as the DM meant to say wasthirty silver pieces. Do you correct your-self, or let the players get the wrong idea?If you have any sense at all as a DM, youleave the players in the dark. The more aDM allows the party to choose their ownpaths in an adventure, the more the groupwill participate as a whole. If the partyoverestimates the importance or role of anNPC, as in the example, work with theirmistake. Obviously the idea is intriguing tothem, so follow their lead. They will askyou later in the adventure if you thoughtthey would catch on to the baron�sschemes so quickly. This is a good thing!The players will feel that they have accom-plished something with their clever deduc-tions, and if you alter the plot so that theirsuspicions turn out to be true, they will berewarded for the good role-playing theyhave done. In the future, they will be evenmore interested in thinking through theiractions.

Planned scenarios are fine as long as theplanning that went into them does notmake them restrictive. The players need tofeel that they are interacting with thecampaign world, not just following a set oftracks carved in stone. Perhaps, in thecourse of an adventure, the major NPCvillain that you wanted to use is left outentirely. It doesn�t matter in the end, be-cause the NPC can always be used later. Ifyou introduce a variety of different vil-lains to the PCs over the course of a fewadventures, you can watch the players�reactions to their enemies. Whichever NPCis the one the party hates the most or isthe most interested in should become theirarch-nemesis. In this way, you don�t saddlethe PCs with an enemy they are boredwith.

The game is designed to be free-form,and co-managing your campaign with yourplayers is an excellent way to bring theminto the fun. Too often, DMs fall into thetrap of assuming that they create theircampaigns by themselves and the playershave no input. This type of thinking needsto be avoided at all costs, for it is the DM�sgaming with the players that shapes hisworld and gives it a unique flavor. A goodDM should pay as much attention to thethings his group likes about the campaignworld as the things they dislike. When theplayers feel that they have some controlover their own destinies, they take part inthe game more often and use more crea-tivity in play as they try to carve a place

for themselves in the milieu. Use theirimaginations to spark your own; the re-sults will be astounding.

The impossible situation

DM: �The room heats up as the rest ofthe house catches fire. Smoke isbillowing up the staircase.�

Player 1: �Whoa, somebody get a ropeand�who�s got rope?�

Player 2: �We left it behind when weused it to climb that cliff. What dowe do?�

DM: �You begin to understand themeaning of the phrase �smoke inha-lation.��

The Impossible Situation occurs whenthere is no easy solution to a problem thatthe party has to deal with: monsters thatcannot be fought head-to-head, deathtraps, clever NPCs, and colossally poorplanning prior to a disaster (as in theexample). These situations are not neces-sarily bad ones; on the contrary, theyprovide the best gaming opportunitiesbecause the players must work togetherand use clever thinking to escape. A trulyimpossible situation cannot be solvedthrough the use of brute force or magicalitems; only inspiration and downrightcraftiness can save the party. It is a mea-sure of a group�s mettle as well; a goodgroup of players will work to find a solu-tion, while poor role-players generallybegin complaining or consulting the rulesfor technicalities with which to prove thatthe DM �can�t do that.�

It is in these tense moments, when theplayers are racking their brains for ideas,that the most memorable and fun playingtime is to be had. The time the partybluffed its way into an orcish strongholdand attacked the tribe�s leader, a large trollwith an unpleasant temper, will always beone of the players� favorite stories to tell.The players felt challenged by the situa-tion; afterward, they feel rightfully proudto have succeeded against unthinkableodds. Player characters are adventurersfirst and foremost, and they have everyright to accomplish daring and unusualfeats as long as they have found ways topull them off.

This is not to say, however, that the DMshould come up with insanely difficultpuzzles that require hours to solve, chal-lenges that have only one solution, andfutile battles. The key to using the Impos-sible Situation is using it sparingly andrefereeing it effectively. How realistic is itwhen the PCs escape certain death fourtimes a day? Even Indiana Jones wouldfeel hard-pressed to do that.

To referee these scenarios properly, theDM must give the PCs the sense that theirhard-won victory is real, and the dangersthey faced could have killed them. Thegame is more exciting when everyoneknows that something is at stake besides a

few more hit points. One word of caution:Sometimes, Impossible Situations backfire.The party comes up with a good plan anduses it well, but for reasons unknown tothem, the plan must fail. Perhaps the giantwears a ring of spell absorption, the doorto the armory opens the wrong way, orwhatever. In these cases, where the partyis going to be slaughtered because of someminor detail that has no significant affecton the adventure, the DM must use hisfinal and most powerful option: He mustcheat.

The DM is a referee, but he is impartialfor the sole purpose of providing an enter-taining milieu to adventure in, not to causebad feelings in the group. The DM shouldnot bow to party members� wishes merelybecause they argue loudly; only in direcircumstances should the DM alter theoutcome. Change a statistic, eliminate anextra trap, cancel the wandering monsterthat was rolled up. The point is, the partyshouldn�t be wiped out by one bad die rollor overplanned death-trap. If you let thePCs live (with low hit points or after usingup most of their magical items), they willfeel that they have accomplished some-thing wonderful�they survived and beatthe unbeatable.

One last word on cheating: If you mustcheat for some reason, never let the play-ers know. After the first time they catchyou cheating, they will always suspect thatthe tasks they achieved had a built-insafety net, and much of the fun of playingwill be spoiled. Use the Impossible Situa-tion with caution. Cheat if you have to, butmake sure that the whole group�s needsare served when you do. Remember thatbeing creative is as fun for players as it isfor the DM; encourage your group�simaginations, and you will open up newpossibilities for adventure.

Creativity and uniqueness

DM: �A short, grubby halfling wearingleather armor approaches you,and��

Player: �I bash him in the face with myaxe, take his pouch, and go directlyto the nearest jeweller. How muchgold do I get?�

Creativity is the most necessary elementfor players and DMs in a role-playinggame, since the game is played almostentirely in the imagination. However, toofew players use their imagination as wellas they might. In the example, the playerbelieves that he is faced with a thief andno actual interaction is necessary, sincethe player is looking only for a little trea-sure. The DM is also at fault, for he haspresented an encounter with a cliched,uninteresting NPC, and the player is onlyresponding to what he has been given.

For players and DMs both, the use ofstereotypical characters is a serious mis-take. How many times have players run

into jolly tavern-keepers, pretentious elves,and obnoxious barbarians? People expectthat all dwarves are dour and taciturnbecause it says so in the rule books.Garners all too often choose characterclasses and races because of the statisticaladvantages each type exhibits, instead ofpicking a profession because it wouldoffer a lot of role-playing possibilities.

DMs should always give personalities tothe NPCs the party meets, realistic identi-ties that the players can relate to. No onefeels tempted to have a conversation withanother generic character. The playersrecognize the dwarf who always speakswith an Arnold Schwarzenegger accentand who plays practical jokes on everyone,but they seem to forget the dwarf who isgreedy, likes only other dwarves, and whomakes friends very slowly (if you�re lucky,by the time everyone reaches 10th level).

Throw out the stereotypes! Consideringthe fact that everyone in the real world isunique, it follows that the campaign worldshould have individuals as well. Playersespecially should beware of creating �no-personality� characters. The PC who re-fers to himself as �the cleric� is probablynot role-playing. If the DM were to askwhat �the cleric�s� name was, the playerwould doubtless have to look on his char-acter sheet. As a rule, when creating anew character, players should think ofsomething unique about the PC, some trait

or piece of his past that sets him apartfrom other characters. By doing this, thecharacter will have a more realistic qualityand be more fun to play. Don�t let yourmagical items and strength scores makeyour character!

Good role-players will also think of somebit of personal information concerning thecharacter�s past that allows for plot tie-ins;they provide information that the DM canuse to make the adventure more personal.Perhaps your mage character carries asword that is the only clue to his master�sdisappearance. Small tidbits such as thisnot only make the character more distinc-tive, they also make him easier to play.Maybe the adventure�s villain recognizesthe sword. Does the PC attack with specialfervor, assuming that the villain must beresponsible for the foul play involving hismentor? Does the PC attempt to bargainwith him, trying to get more information?The possibilities are endless.

Another good example of this type of tie-in is demonstrated well by Tanis, from theDRAGONLANCE® saga. When he faced theDragonlord Kitiara, he had to deal withthe woman he loved, not some namelessfoe! Leave openings for your DM to workwith. Once you know a little bit aboutyour character, go on to create a personalhistory. Where is your PC from, and whydid he start adventuring? Detail his familyand personality quirks, and get some idea

DRAGON 13

of how he thinks. It is vital to know wherea character is coming from if you want toknow where he is going. To use the exam-ple of Tanis again, think about what madehim different from the other heroes. Hewas a man torn between two worlds andtwo loves: knowing both, belonging toneither. He had a developed backgroundand real motivations that caused him toact the way he did. Above all, he had arecognizable personality. These are thethings that make some characters betterthan others. Take as much care makingthe PCs as you do in keeping them alive!

Suspension of disbelief

DMs should make intelligent decisions forthe NPCs and monsters they run; no onewould argue that the party should playdumb when faced with a nasty situation.Yet most DMs fail to run their charactersas well as they could, for they know thatthe players will complain (and with muchfeeling) if they do. The only reason theplayers do this, however, is because theyhave not learned how to suspend disbelief.In most entertainment-oriented experi-ences, the audience willingly suspendsdisbelief in order to participate. No onestands up in the middle of Hamlet andyells at the actors because they are just�pretending� to be Danish nobility.

When someone does this, it brings thewhole group out of the role-playing moodand the fun of gaming. The way good role-players handle these situations is to directtheir frustrations at the NPC or monstercausing the trouble instead of the referee.If an enemy sorcerer casts a magic missilespell at your thief, blame the sorcerer, notthe DM. Always react to the DM as a ref-eree; that is his role in the game. The DMhandles disputes and makes rulings; hedoes not cause the party harm out of illwill. It may sound silly, but the truth isthat DMs are the best friends playershave; without them, there wouldn�t be anygaming.

DM: �Since you do not react when thekobolds pour three barrels of oil onyou from their high vantage point,their leader chuckles ominously ashe drops the torch he is holding.�

Players (in unison): �That�s not fair! Youcan�t do that! I can�t believe you�redoing this to us!�

Whenever a DM does something fiend-ishly clever or uses a carefully worked-outplan, the players inevitably scream bloodymurder. The worst possible tactic a DMcan have NPCs use against the party is thesame tactic they use against every singlemonster they encounter: thinking. But

Role-playing is very much the same, inthat the players need to accept the DM�spremises for the whole thing to work. If arules dispute arises, it is perfectly reason-able for the players and DM to discuss theproblem and work for a solution. Whenthe players attempt to second-guess theDM, real problems occur. A good playertries to work within the situation givenhim, while a poor player generally tries toargue his way out (�I don�t think he�dshoot at me, I�m only a cleric� or �Thoseorcs aren�t smart enough to do that. Theyonly have �low� intelligence.�). The playerswho stop the game to argue over suchthings are being immature by refusing toaccept the DM�s storytelling and refereeingbecause things are not going their way.

A final wordRole-playing, like anything else, can be

overdone. When your party insists onrole-playing the purchasing of torches, theidea has probably gone too far. Use com-mon sense. If the adventure is gettingbogged down by too much dilly-dallyingon the part of the players, simply trim therole-playing back until it is at an accept-able level. Not everything has to be role-played, after all.

Player: �You know, Mr. Blacksmith, Ithink that this is perhaps the besthorseshoe I have ever seen.�

14 DECEMBER 1992

D R A G O N 1 5

Be to Your Referee

Why fightthe onewho�s runningthe game?

by Stewart RobertsonArtwork by David Zenz

16 DECEMBER 1992

There have been several articles andletters in DRAGON® Magazine on how aDungeon Master can make his AD&D® orD&D® campaign more entertaining for hisplayers, but how many players considerwhat they can do to make the game morefun and easier to run for the DM? Afterall, the DM has to do a fair amount ofwork before every game to insure theenjoyment of the players It�s only right forthe players to take part of the responsibili-ty as well. Good manners and a little con-sideration before, during, and after thegame can make the experience more en-joyable for everyone in the group andmake the role of DM much more reward-ing. Here are some tips for the thoughtfulplayer.

An experienced DM tries to create anadventure that suits the abilities and inter-ests of the player characters. Part of anadventure might revolve around a certainitem a character wishes to obtain, or atrap might be designed knowing one ofthe characters has a skill or magical itemthat will free the group. An important partof a game session could be left out if thewrong person is missing. In one game Iwas running, the characters spent weeksfighting their way to the lowest planes ofHades. The last night of the adventure, thefinal �Do or Die,� was shot to pieces whentwo PCs, one wielding a sword of fiendslaying and the other wearing an amuletof protection from evil, decided not toshow up.

A lesser disruption to the balance of thegame is the player who only shows upoccasionally. The DM who has carefullylaid out the monsters, puzzles, magic, andtreasures of a night�s game can have all hiswork waylaid when this occasional playerunexpectedly shows up for one night.

If you are a regular in someone�s gameand you have to miss a session, let the DMknow as soon as possible. You could sug-gest what your character is doing to keephim away from the rest of the party forthat time. You should also phone ahead ifyou plan to show up for a game you infre-quently attend. Give the DM some advancewarning so he can work any changes intothe game and keep the game enjoyable foreverybody.

Arrive on timeThis is simple manners. If you are an

hour late for a game, one of two things

happens Either the other players wait foryou, which cuts down the amount of timethey have to play, or they start withoutyou, so when you do show up they muststop playing to let you catch up with them.If you absolutely can�t avoid being tardy,call the DM and let him know how lateyou�ll be Then he can decide whether todelay the start of the game or let your PCcatch up when you arrive. Some DMsmight even find a way to work the charac-ter�s absence into the game. (�As you enterthe dungeon, Grunt the Warlord is sud-denly encased in a trap�an impenetrableglobe of magic!�)

Know the rulesMost players of D&D and AD&D games

don�t buy the rule books until after theirfirst game Instead, they have their friendsand the DM explain the rules as they goalong. It�s expected that a first-time playerwon�t have a full working knowledge ofthe game.

Still, it�s a good idea if the player doeseverything he can to learn the rules assoon as possible�not just the rules in thebook, but exactly which rules the DM usesfrom the book plus his own house rules.When playing for the first time or joininga game with a different DM, ask if you canmeet with him before the game to gener-ate your character and discuss how heprefers to run his game. Find out whatrules he uses and any particulars of hisgame. If you�ve never gamed before, thenbuy a rule book as soon as possible or atleast try to borrow a copy. Now the otherplayers won�t need to wait until the DMexplains everything to you and you can getright into the fun.

Offer to helpRunning a game is a lot of work, espe-

cially if the DM is running it in her ownhome. Before a game, someone has toclean the room, sweep the floors, clear thetables, and all the other chores your par-ents always want you to do. After thegame, a house can be a nightmare of noteslips, scrap paper, soda bottles, pizza car-tons, and the cheese balls Russell threw atthe miniatures to represent his character�sfireball spells. I�m sure nobody likes to dohousework, but it wouldn�t hurt to volun-teer to show up early or stay after to helpclean up. A half-hour of �hard labor� islittle enough to give up for your fun, andit may keep the DM�s parents from closingthe game down because of the mess.

Help create the worldIn addition to the more mundane chores

of housekeeping, there are other jobs aplayer can do to ease the DM�s burden. Inany large campaign world, there are amultitude of tasks to be done. Castles needto be created, cities laid out, NPCs puttogether, areas mapped, pictures drawn,and dozens of things photocopied. Offer totake some of this work upon yourself.Freed from these details, the DM will have

more time to put his adventures togetherand give you more of a feeling that this isyour game world.

If your DM doesn�t wish to share thework of creating the next adventure, ask ifyou can create the village or city yourcharacter came from. After all, the charac-ter had to come from somewhere, andsomeday he and the party might visitthere. With the DM�s approval, you canmap out the village and write up somebrief descriptions of a dozen or so peoplewho would be important to the character.The DM can then put �your� village some-where on his map for all the world to see.He might even decide to run an adventurethere some day.

Food & munchiesIt never fails. You�ve got your dice and

notes laid out and you�re ready for someserious role playing, when suddenly some-one on the other side of the table an-nounces that she wants some soda, chips,pizza, or whatever. Now everybody has towait while she goes to the store.

People enjoy their munchies, and duringa long game they can be a necessity of life.But let�s make sure they don�t subtractfrom game time. There are several waysto handle this. Everyone could simplybring their own, or the players could allagree to take turns buying the food. In mycurrent game, the first person who showsup is sent out to buy pop and chips, payingfor them with money from a common pot

that everyone chips into each week. Nomatter how it is done, the food should beready before the game starts. Don�t ignorethe healthy snacks�carrots and celerytaste great with a little chip dip.

Less gab, more playEven the most serious players interrupt

the game now and then. Jokes and sidestories are a common happening in anyfriendly group and help to make the gamemore enjoyable Still, constantly interrupt-ing the game with jokes or stories aboutprevious adventures can be a source ofaggravation for other players. I�ve knownplayers who would give a complete de-scription of an entire campaign at the leastopportunity. Equally annoying are thepeople who constantly make jokes aboutthe game at hand. I find it distracting tohave someone poking fun at everythingthe DM or other players say and do. Feelfree to make jokes or comments whenthey are appropriate, but don�t stray toofar from the game you�re playing. Most ofall, know when to quit.

Pay attentionNot everyone�s characters are going to

be directly involved at all times. Some PCsmight be split away from the main groupfor a while, have a sleep spell thrown onthem, or fall in a trap everyone elsemissed. Whatever the case, you should tryto pay attention to what is happening.Eventually your �absent� character will be

DRAGON 17

back into the action.Some players don�t have the patience to

sit quietly and listen. They start talking towhomever is sitting next to them or begingoing through any gaming books sittingnearby. I�ve even seen players leave thegame table to turn on the television orplay games on the computer. When theirPCs were finally back into the action, thegame had to stop while they were broughtup to date. It�s better to pay attention sothings won�t need repeating.

Wait your turnDuring the game, especially in combat,

there will be times when all players wanttheir characters to react But, it everyonetalks at the same time, no one can clearlyhear what is going on Some DMs goaround the table and ask each person inturn what their characters are doing,while others have the players roll dice forinitiative. Either way, wait until you�recalled upon before speaking out What-ever you do, don�t interrupt someone else

Another type of interruption is note-passing. Notes can be very important in agame, but if they aren�t used sparinglythey can be another form of �talking� outof turn Unless what you are doing issupposed to be a secret from the otherPCs. leave the note paper alone

Listen to the DM�This is another case of speaking out of

turn: The DM is trying to describe some-thing, but the players interrupt with ques-tions before she is finished. I�ve run gamesin which I would be giving the players thedimensions to a room their charactershave entered when someone interruptedto ask if there were any monsters present,My description of the monsters was theninterrupted by someone asking aboutwhat kind of treasures there are in theroom. By now I�m having trouble remem-bering what I�ve already told the players,while the person doing the mapping is stillwaiting to find out the size of the room.Let the DM finish talking before you startasking questions.

Plan aheadPlayers can really get into combat. You�d

think some people were actually fightingthese imaginary battles. Unfortunately,nothing destroys the excitement fasterthan a break in the momentum. Someonewho can�t make up his mind on what hisPC is doing or who asks a dozen questionsbefore declaring his actions destroys theillusion the DM has created. If you need toask a question, keep it short. Otherwise,just announce your PC�s actions and rollthe dice as needed. Since I feel my playersare trustworthy, I prefer to have themmake their die rolls at the beginning of theturn, then call their names and have them

tell me just tell me how much damage thecharacters did. The important thing is tokeep combat moving swiftly.

Stay organizedEvery new PC begins �life� with a fresh

character sheet that contains the name,statistics, and starting possessions of theplayer�s persona. Soon it will be detailedwith his experience totals, new hit points,and lists of abilities and magical items,After a short time, this clean charactersheet is a mess of altered statistics, partytreasure, new magical items, and erasedinformation.

Troubles can arise when a player or DMneeds specific information about the char-acter. Nobody likes to wait for someone toread through her notes, looking for onesmall piece of knowledge buried in themess. At the same time, one particularpossession or magical item can mean thedifference between succeeding, failing, ordying for your band of brave adventurers.

In one game I played in our characterswere in the middle of a dungeon whenthey were attacked by a medusa with sixtroglodyte henchmen. She petrified onewizard, then began using her serpents�bites while her troglodytes hacked away atthe party. After five minutes of melee, theplayer of the �stoned� mage noticed on hischaracter sheet a medallion of gaze reflec-tion he had completely forgotten about (itwas listed on his sheet under �CampingSupplies�). The DM then had to make adifficult choice: He could ignore theforgotten medallion and continue thecombat, or he could pull the game back tothe beginning of the battle and hope eve-rybody could remember how many hitpoints they had already lost and howmany charges they had used from theirmagical items. As it was, nobody waspleased with the player of the mage.

When you add information to yourcharacter sheet, try to keep everything asorganized as possible. Write down thecharacter�s magical items on one side ofthe page and the party treasure lists onthe other. Write everything in pencil. Ifthere�s something that you need to re-move, erase it instead of crossing it out. Ifthe paper starts to get worn out or disor-ganized, get a fresh character sheet andrecopy the current information. Above allelse, keep your character organized.

Character stabilityLong-time role-players enjoy creating a

new character every now and then. Itallows them to play different roles and canadd a little life to the game. But take iteasy! I have seen players who want to playnew characters or different classes everyother game session. Experimentation iswell and good, but how can the DM buildany consistency into his world if the play-ers insist upon popping different PCs inand out without any warning? It alsodoesn�t make much sense for one personto disappear and someone new to show up

18 DECEMBER 1992

DRAGON 19

without reason in the middle of adungeon. Finally, what happens if theplayer of a key character suddenly decidesto run someone new at a critical point ofthe planned adventure?

If you wish to create a new character,discuss it with your DM. He can then finda good point to retire one character andintroduce another into the game.

The style of playThere are as many ways to play D&D or

AD&D games as there are DMs. While oneDM likes a little thought-provoking mys-tery, another prefers nothing but hack-and-slash fighting, and a third uses little orno combat at all. Many enjoy running theinteraction of the characters while othersconsider such things boring. One has nomagic in his game, and another has magicaround every turn.

There�s nothing wrong with any of thesestyles of play, but different people preferdifferent kinds of role playing. If your DMdoesn�t run the type of game you like, youshould find a DM who does. It may take abit of looking, but somewhere out there isa game to fit your preference. If you can�tfind one, consider running your owngame. Whatever you do, don�t try to forcethe present group to play the way youwant them to.

Don�t ignore the obviousDespite rumors, DMs are not gods. No

matter how hard they try, they cannotcreate an exciting adventure for everydirection a party of adventurers mightwant to take. Nor is it their job to herd thePCs into their next adventure as if theywere cattle. Instead, a good DM will putsome obvious signposts in her games tosuggest one of several possible adventures.She might tell the players about a legendof lost treasure, present a person or groupwho needs help, or just land the charac-ters at the front door of the nearestdungeon.

Pay attention to these subtle and not-so-subtle hints. While the DM isn�t trying tolead the characters by the hand, she stillneeds to inform them where the nextpossible adventure will take place. Whenthe players insist on ignoring everythingthe DM has planned, then she has nochoice but to run random encounters,create something on the spot, or resort toforcing the characters into their nextadventure.

It is your choice as a player whether ornot you wish to have your character go onany particular quest. This makes youultimately responsible for how muchaction your character sees. If the DM givesyou three possible directions, don�t go the

disappointed if nothing exciting happensto your character that night. It�s difficultto run a good campaign, but it�s impossibleto have any enjoyable gaming if the play-ers constantly try to go the wrong way.

Future directionsA good DM likes to run adventures the

players are interested in, so he wants tohear the opinions and suggestions of theplayers. This is important when a majorexpedition has ended and the next gamestarts a new adventure. Are there someloose ends from a previous adventure thecharacters would like to explore? Is theresome great task they wish to set for them-selves? Is there some city or unknowncountry they�d like to visit? Tell the DM!The characters� interests could wind upbeing the focal point of the next game.Telling the DM the characters� plans forthe next game session also cures the�wrong way� syndrome mentioned in thelast section, since he now knows whichway the characters are planning to go andis able to concentrate on those directions.

Making life easier doesn�t require a lot ofeffort. All it takes is a little forethoughtand consideration. By removing the dis-tractions and bothersome holdups fromthe game, role-playing games will be far

fourth way. If you do choose to run awayfrom the planned adventure, don�t be

more enjoyable experiences for the otherplayers as well as the DM.

20 DECEMBER 1992

Take some of the referee’s burden and speed up your game

22 DECEMBER 1992

When playing a role-playing system likethe D&D® or AD&D® game, there are sev-eral roles the players can perform duringthe playing session that can make the gamemore exciting. These roles help playabilityby taking some tasks from the DungeonMaster and letting players assist in runningthe game. Using the abilities of the players tohelp create the world in which their charac-ters live can make gaming sessions moreexciting for everyone. Here are somesuggestions.

Where are we?The Map Keeper is in charge of creating

visual aides from descriptions given by theDM. If a player character is actually map-ping, the map and any other drawings maybe kept by the players and noted or refer-enced in the chronicle (see later). If no PC ismapping, then any written descriptionsshould be given to the DM when the PCsleave that area.

The player performing this mapping roleneed not be an artist, though he should havegraph paper and several pencils with gooderasers. This person primarily does themapping for the group and creates the floorplans in important areas, such as areaswhere melee takes place. The setting-up ofany other visual aides, such as PC and mon-ster miniatures and 3-D displays of walls,doors, and other terrain features, are anoptional responsibility of the Map Keeper(with appropriate help from the DM).

When was that?During melee, a chase, or other time-

sensitive situations, the Timekeeper helpsthe DM and the players ensure that allactions are timed properly. At the end ofeach round, the Timekeeper records thepassage of time, working with the DM andother players to see that attacks, spells,etc. are timed correctly. The Timekeeperalso keeps track of the current date, assiststhe Chronicler (see later) in calendar keep-ing, and announces PC hit points regainedthrough rest. The Timekeeper also keepstrack of when the characters have eaten,how much food and drink are still available,whether food has gone bad or not, and anyother time-activated concerns of the party.This role is especially important in timedadventures and encounters.

by David WilderArtwork by David Zenz

Who�s in charge?The Speaker designates the marching

order and coordinates the strategy of thegroup with the input of the other players.This player is the main speaker for thegroup to the DM, and it is recommendedthat his character be the main speaker forthe party to all nonplayer characters (thismakes it much easier to determine who isspeaking within the game context). Ofcourse other characters should feel free tointeract, but the Speaker should be theplayer in charge of the verbal communica-tion for the group. This role is best handledby the player who controls the PC with thehighest Charisma rating, though a well-spoken and clever player may take the roleif her character has a reasonable Charisma.The Speaker must be very familiar with thenames, classes, and personalities of all thecharacters in the group.

What went on?The Chronicler keeps track of the story,

the goals of the PCs, major NPCs encoun-tered, important actions taken by the partyas well as by individual characters, andother pertinent information. This is an im-portant role for solving puzzles and is oftencritical for survival; thus, everyone shouldkeep appraised of what is in the chroniclebeing kept, checking for corrections asnecessary. If a module takes several gamingsessions, the Chronicler begins each sessionby reading the important events from thechronicle. Between gaming sessions, thenotes taken for the chronicle should beorganized, and the actions and events listedwith their time and date. The DM shouldconsider using the chronicle to assist inexperience-point determination and in creat-ing spin-off adventures.

The player-NPCSituations frequently arise in which play-

ers could run alternate characters. Perhapsthe party gets split up, a character becomesparalyzed or unconscious, or a PC is killed.Few things are more distracting to gameplay than a DM and a player trying to rollup a character on the side while the game isgoing on. Rather than leaving the player outof the game, allowing him to play an NPCcan keep everyone interested and involvedin the adventure.

For example, Tom (a player) is running amage who suffered a feeblemind attackduring investigations into the properties of anewly acquired magical item. In order tohelp the mage, the remainder of the partywent on a quest. Instead of sending Tomaway, the DM can brief Tom on a group oforc guards in the passages that the charac-ters will need to explore. When the partyencounters these orc guards, Tom helpsbring the battle to life by giving the orcsnames and personalities, adding tactics, andmaking the appropriate dice rolls. No matterhow good a DM�s repertoire of battle criesand death yells, it can be a pleasant changefor everyone to hear a different voice. Thisgives the DM much-needed time to preparefor future events or simply enjoy watchingthe players run the game, and it also helpsdevelop the players� ability to role-play.

Obviously, a player can throw the gameout of balance by treating such privilegeswithout respect. Referees should ensure thatplayers do not take advantage of situationsby making life too easy or hard for the PCs.Nevertheless, a game referee is just that: areferee. He need not control the entiregame. Generally, the more freedom playershave, the more they enjoy playing, but gamebalance must be maintained by the DM.

DRAGON 23

One important note on the player-NPC: Itis not a good idea to allow players to runmajor NPCs (the master villain, the good highpriest who sent the party, etc.). Not onlydoes this make it much too easy for playersto destroy game balance, but it is essentiallyplaying with two DMs. While the �team DM�concept can work, it takes a lot of planningand practice.

Players can also assist the DM by runningcombat procedures and giving ideas towardoverall campaign development. The idea is toincrease the interaction of the players withinthe game and to allow players to use theirimaginative talents to further create thefantasy world in which their characters live.Of course, the DM must act as a campaigneditor to modify or eliminate suggesteddevelopments that would destroy playability.Still, increased interaction of the playerswith the DM makes AD&D and D&D gamescome alive, adding creative angles thatwould otherwise be lost. Remember that ifyou are a DM, these roles train your playersto be DMs so that you can play, too!

24 DECEMBER 1992

of Black Robes, one of

s Elminster helped me into thearmor, I was even more excited

than last time. If all wentwell this evening, I�d lay eyes

on the Head of the Order

the most powerful sorcerers on allKrynn�the Fell One, Dalamar the Dark.

I swallowed my fear and decided to askone last time. �Are you sure I should�Imean, isn�t this too . . . dangerous?�

Elminster regarded me levelly. �He whodares not, lives not,� he said, lowering thehelm over my head. �And think of thyprivileged vantage point,� he added placid-ly, as he sat down and puffed on his pipe.�Many mages, on three worlds at least,would give much to be here tonight, hear-ing what you will.�

Smoke curled up around his head. �Nowbelt up,� he added tartly, ��tis time.�

And it was. An instant later, the crack-ling fire rose into roaring flames and spatout eight tiny balls of flame. They formedan upright circle in midair, spun briefly,then sank down into the flames again. Asthe fire returned to its lazy snapping and

by Ed Greenwood

Artwork by Dan Burr

smoldering, Mordenkainen, Lord Mage ofGreyhawk, appeared in his accustomedseat, across the table from Elminster ofShadowdale.

More than before, Mordenkainen�sfrowning face resembled that of a hawk,waiting for the proper moment to strike.Something had happened, and its awful-ness was reflected in his dark expression. Iswallowed in the close darkness.

Elminster nodded as if nothing wasamiss. A large drinking-jack driftedsmoothly over to Mordenkainen. He tookit without a word, sniffed, sipped�thendrained it in a single long quaff, sighingand letting it fall when he was done.

The jack halted an inch above the table.�Another?� Elminster murmured. Mor-denkainen nodded, sharply. As the jacksailed past me, I smelled hot leek andchicken soup.

Mordenkainen stared across the table.�You know what has befallen.� It was astatement, not a question.

Elminster nodded. �Will the Circle formagain, in years to come?�

Mordenkainen shrugged and said grimly,

�They all had clones in preparation, I haveheard. They wisely confided little to any-one, though perhaps a little more in me.Ask me in years to come, I suppose.�

�Vecna is no more?�Mordenkainen sighed�then sighed

again, gratefully, as the refilled jack ofsoup warmed his hands. �I believe so.Even with all my magic, I cannot be entire-ly sure . . . but whether the lich-lord isgone or not, the cost!�

He stared unseeing at the far wall for amoment, then said slowly, �They were myoldest, dearest friends, El. Fellows inmagic�comrade-mages I could trust, andyou know how rare those are.� Mor-denkainen took a deep drink, then raisedhis eyes almost accusingly. �This has morethan soup in it.�

Elminster spread his hand. �Ye seemedto need it,� he said softly.

Mordenkainen stared at him for a darkinstant, then nodded. �Yes,? he said slowly.�Yes, I did. My thanks. I fear I am poorcompany, this night.�

Elminster nodded. �Ye must grieve, aye,�he said. �Yet ye must put it behind ye,

DRAGON 27

when the time is right, or be twisted for-ever. The time to let it go is not yet, and asye say, the Circle may yet appear again . . .but see if ye can set it aside for a time;ye�11 be the better for it. Besides�tonight,the lad has agreed to come.�

Mordenkainen sighed again. �I just wishmore of these young, ambitious magelingscould see how close death lurks, and howyears of lore and learning and good workscan be lost, swept away in an instant. I tireof their yapping and posturing.�

Elminster nodded, through spreadingrings of smoke. �They speak and act sobecause they think none can touch them.The good ones, when young, still get ex-cited about saving the world, before theydiscover it�s a task they must work atevery day, and do right at every turn, withno room for mistakes at all.�

Mordenkainen nodded again, seeingpainful memories. Then he stirred andsaid, �Yes�and so our tutors said, andtheir tutors before them, before we wereborn, yet alone cast our first spells.Enough�I�ll talk no more of such thingstonight. I live still. The worlds unfold asbefore. Tell me of lighter deeds and��

He fell silent, suddenly. Elminster wascalmly pointing, with the stem of his pipe,at the empty chair between them. A dark-ness had gathered above it, a gloom thatwas darkening swiftly and steadily. It wasa listening darkness that had grown eyes.

Dark and lively with intelligence werethose brown eyes. Very suddenly, theirowner was present. Dalamar of Krynnwas in my study, sitting lightly at thetable. He wore a simple, unadorned blackrobe. At his back the fire danced, reflect-ing off his hair, his pointed ears, and hisslim lips. He looked very cool and verydangerous.

�Greetings,� he said in a soft voice. �Ihave come, at your calling. What news?�

Elminster smiled slightly. �Beyond whatye�ve heard already, in all the time ere yebothered to show thyself?�

Dalamar shot him a cold glare. �Have acare, old man. I�m not one to be laughed at.�

�I�ve many cares already, thanks, youngelf,� Elminster replied mildly. �If ye cannotlaugh and take joy in thy Art, why wield it?�

Dalamar�s eyes widened. �Why?� heasked, amused. �Why, for power, ofcourse. Why ask me, Mage of Shadow-dale? You may be almost as many things asI have heard said of you, but I doubt �sim-ple� is one of them.�

Mordenkainen sighed again, eyes turn-ing away in disgust. �Power. Of course.How many times have I heard that answer,and from how many apprentices, downthe years?� He waved a hand. His emptyjack set off for the kitchen.

Elminster waggled a finger. A heavygoblet that I�d never seen around mystudy before settled out of nowhere, infront of Dalamar.

The elf regarded it as one might a coilingserpent. �You both obviously think mesimple�by your words, and by offering

28 DECEMBER 1992

me drink I�d be very foolish to trust youenough to touch.�

Mordenkainen�s face reddened withanger as he turned slowly to lock gazeswith the newcomer. �If you think to lastlong in the world of magic by insultingeveryone you meet with, you are simple.�

�And, if ye cannot learn trust of others,�Elminster added mildly, �ye are indeed afool as well.�

Dalamar snarled and rose. I cringed inthe armor. �I can go elsewhere to hearclever words tossed about by those whothink themselves mighty in true power!�

Elminster�s eyebrows rose, eyes sharp.�Do ye think,� he said to Mordenkainen,�our guest thought on all these barbedphrases beforehand�or fall they naturallyfrom his lips?�

Mordenkainen gratefully intercepted hisreturning jack, and drank. �I fear I�m notin the best of humor to hear such words,whate�er his motives,� he said shortly.

Dalamar snorted. �Downcast, becausethe weak have fallen? So the famous Circleof Eight is no more. What is the loss inthat?�

Mordenkainen caught his breath. Hishand tightened around the jack. Metalsquealed in sudden protest as it crumpledin his fingers like paper. After a moment,Mordenkainen released his grip and staredat its ruin in cold silence.

Elminster addressed the ceiling, in a soft,considering voice. �Few of us have somany true friends, in any world, that wecan afford to lose several at one time andnot count any cost.�

He brought his eyes down suddenly tomeet Dalamar�s. I swear Elminster�s eyesflamed. �Fewer still,� he added in that soft,gentle voice, �are the archmages of anyage who appreciate an attempt by anyoneto establish superiority over-them. Better,by far, to come as an equal.�

Dalamar�s eyes met his for a long moment,then the elf nodded. �As equals, then,� hesaid. He looked to Mordenkainen, his facenow calm. �My apologies. I . . . see thingsdifferently than you, and am not accus-tomed to gentle words in the Conclave:

Mordenkainen sat unmoving for a longmoment. Very slowly, he turned his headand looked at Dalamar the Dark. His voice,when it came, was calm but deeper thanI�d ever heard it. �I�ll forgive you�as manyan apprentice is forgiven his ignorance,once or twice. Let it, please, be just once.This once.�

Dalamar�s brown eyes flashed. �Don�tpatronize me. I have bound liches to myservice and lead the Black Robes of Krynn.I am among the most powerful of all sor-cerers of my world.�

�Yes,� Mordenkainen agreed, soundingboth old and tired. �I know. Well, it�sdoubtful that I�m the most powerful mageof Oerth, highly doubtful�yet if it came toa test of magic between us, I know whowould prevail.� He paused, then added, �Ifyou set aside your pride long enough tothink about it, so do you.�

Dalamar�s eyes burned into his, as I heldmy breath. After an eternity passed, Dala-mar nodded�once-but he did not lookaway. I wondered whom he saw as thevictor.

Elminster�s voice was almost teasing. �Ifye�re not thirsty, lad, I�ll drain that gobletof thine. Will you eat, perhaps?�

Dalamar�s slim fingers went out smooth-ly and closed around the goblet. �Yourmessage,� he said calmly, �promised talk ofmagic. I will drink and dine, but speak:Why have you invited me?�

Mordenkainen shifted in his chair, thenspoke as though no hard words had beensaid. �Elminster and I came to agree thatsharing lore about the magic we wield,and the doings of all who work it in ourvarious worlds, would be of commonbenefit�and even entertainment. Afterwhat has befallen the Circle, I see the needfor the former more, and feel a strongpresent need for the latter.�

Dalamar leaned forward, his mannerprecise. �Yes?�

Mordenkainen looked to Elminster. TheOld Mage gestured for him to continue.�The rules,� said Mordenkainen, �such asthey are, run as follows: We take turnstrading news of magic, intrigues, andbeings who travel from world to world.All of us can hold back what we deem bestkept secret. We speak of light things andmighty, as we feel moved.�

Dalamar nodded. �Begin, then. I am hereand will give you both lore in my turn.�

Mordenkainen inclined his head. �Well,then�from our last meeting, I owe Elmin-ster rather more information than he doesme. So I�ll begin.�

He watched as his drinking-jack slowlyunfolded with a squeaking of metal,stretching back into its proper shape, thennodded thanks to Elminster. I saw Dalamarraise his hand, just for a moment, but helet it fall again without comment.

The Mage of Greyhawk cleared histhroat. �There is a certain wizard whomastered the ways between the worlds,and the art of shape-shifting, while I wasstill an apprentice. He walks both Oerthand Toril, and perhaps Krynn as well.These days, he goes by the name ofDaunskul, though I knew him long ago asIliphar Firemaster, and before that asIlighar of Teflamm. He is� �the magehesitated a fraction of a second, glancingat Dalamar� �not principled.�

�What I would call a Black Robe?� Dala-mar�s voice was carefully neutral. �Or is hemerely . . . disordered?�

Mordenkainen shrugged. �He is evil, andhe does as his magical might allows him. Iknow not if he would accept the conceptof order that you do, in Krynn. A rene-gade wizard, �tis best to call him.�

Dalamar raised a many-ringed hand. Abottle rose from a shelf nearby, driftedunder his gaze for a moment, then movedover to Mordenkainen�s battered drinking-jack and tipped to pour. The Lord Mage ofGreyhawk thanked him with a nod and

continued.�This Daunskul, whatever his nature,

has in recent days taken to calling himselfthe Lord High Necromancer. He�s masteredmost of the more useful and dramaticundead-related spells of Faerun� �imbueundead with spell ability� and the like, tomake false liches�and I�ve recently heardof a few wrinkles he�s come up with thatyou might find entertaining.�

Elminster and Dalamar looked on withinterest. Mordenkainen traced a crackedmetal seam on the drinking-jack with afinger, then watched it melt togetheragain, now whole, with some satisfaction.�One thing he�s done is to animate skele-tons that are a little more the usual walk-ing bones.�

�Like baneguards?� Elminster and Dala-mar spoke together�then traded sur-prised looks. Then, the younger one moreslowly than the other, they smiled.

�Not so magical in powers,� Mor-denkainen replied. �He calls them champi-ons, I believe. They reflect back all spellscast at them, and when destroyed theyrise up and re-form to fight again, a setnumber of times.�

�Nasty to common folk and simplesword-swingers,� said Elminster.

Mordenkainen nodded. �There�s more.He�s come up with something called a�double spell� that creates two zombiesfrom the remains of one you�ve just felled.�

Elminster nodded. �A very old trick; theZhentarim still use it from time to time.I�ve never heard of it working on anythingmore powerful than the minor mage-madeundead, the skeletons and zombies. I amsurprised it hasn�t faded from use.�

Dalamar seemed thoughtful. �Smallmagic, yet I can see where it would beuseful to some, soon to be discarded formore . . . efficient magic. It could proveamusing at the right time.�

The Old Mage continued. �My turn�andI�ve something even smaller in Art. TheZhentarim, again, are the source.�

Mordenkainen grinned. �Of course.�Elminster set down his glass to reach for

the pipe floating beside his nose. �Picture awarehouse,� he said lightly, �or a strong-cellar, or the vestibule of a lowly wizard�stower. In it stands a guard�a zombie.�

Dalamar nodded, his interest sparked.�I�ve seen such.�

Mordenkainen also nodded. �A trap?��Aye. The zombie fights and is so placed

as to block passage onward�it must befought and bested. It is too confined to beturned, for it cannot move away. Yet if it isstruck of harm, or dispelled by a priest ofmight, the trap is sprung: The zombie�storso explodes, and a keg-worth of nailswithin is hurled all about.�

Dalamar attempted to suppress a darksmile. �No doubt, when the survivors getthrough the door it was guarding, or intothe next area, they�ll see another zombie . . .�

Elminster grinned back, nodding. �And,trapped or not, it makes them think twice.The lazy-cudgels and the sneak-thieves

usually depart about then, in search ofeasier loot.�

Dalamar looked thoughtful. �I�ve seensomething along that road,� he said. �Manywizards among the Black Robes animateskeletal hands�crawling claws, you callthem in the Realms�to guard a chest orvault.� He sipped from the goblet, sighedwith approval, and sipped again. �There�seven a mage of Krynn whose skeletalhands fly about, swarming to the attack asstinging insects do.�

He stopped; both Elminster and Mor-denkainen were nodding. �Not news?� Hisvoice betrayed mild surprise.

Mordenkainen chuckled and pointed atElminster. �You�re looking at one suchmage whose guardian claws can fly about.�

Elminster wiggled a finger at a far cor-ner of the room. In response, a slipper�one of my slippers!�moved slightly, thenwas borne across the floor by a scuttling,bony thing half-hidden beneath it. A mo-ment later, it glided aloft�and out of viewbehind a chair.

�That was one of mine,� the Old Mage ofShadowdale announced, �ere I gave it to theyoung lad whose dwelling this is�as a pet,of course. Most of its powers I removed, toavoid giving him nasty surprises.�

A pet, eh? In the darkness of the armor Ibegan to sweat, as I could only wonderwhat other surprises Elminster hadthoughtfully bestowed upon me�surprises I hadn�t found as yet!

Mordenkainen picked up the discourse.�A rather hostile mage who raised histower in the Pomarj�his greatest mistake;it�s gone now, of course�had his clawsfire �magic missiles� at intruders. �Flyingfingers,� he called them, and I�ve also heardthe term in Faerun, in Waterdeep; I be-lieve the mages I overheard were speakingof their appearance in Undermountain.�

Dalamar cocked his head. �Would youcall one that passed on a �chill touch� spella �frost fingers,� then?�

Elminster winced and looked pained;Mordenkainen groaned. �That�s a spell byitself,� the Lord Mage of Greyhawk said. �Iwonder if a claw could be enspelled totake a �finger of death� spell?�

Dalamar betrayed no expression at this,though his mind seemed aflame. �I have,�he said carefully, �heard of mages whotipped the finger bones of claws�onesthey were sealing up in chests or tombs asguardians, away from the air�with con-tact poison?

Elminster grunted. �A simple thing,though rarely considered. While we�re onthe subject of magical hands, I hearManshoon�or an apprentice now beyondhis reach�has released the secrets of aspell that he devised some years ago.Many of the Zhentarim now use it. Itcauses xornlike, clutching hands to riseout of a stone floor after ye�ve stepped onit, as a surprise.�

�Manshoon,� Dalamar said thoughtfully.�He can�t be such a fool as the few talesI�ve heard hint, or he�d not rule the Zhen-

tarim still. Getting that spell, though,might not be hard, if half the buffoons inZhentil Keep command it.� He raised hiseyes challengingly. �Would you try to stopme if I came to Toril in search of it?�

Elminster shrugged. �No need. I�ll give yethe spell this evening, before ye leave.�

Dalamar�s eyes widened. �You would��he started to say, but his voice faded out.

�Trust you that much?� Elminster�s voicewas quiet. �Yes. That�s what this meeting isall about, isn�t it?�

Mordenkainen nodded silently�thenlooked sharply up as something large anddark sailed over his shoulder.

It was my cookie jar from the kitchen, alarge ceramic thing I�d bought because itlooked like some sort of haunted medievalcastle. I didn�t keep cookies in it, despitethe scrolled legend across its double doors,because it didn�t keep the air out andeverything would go stale. As far as Iknew, it contained only a little dust�but Ihad a strong feeling I was about to besurprised again.

The jar stopped over the table, tiltedover, and its lid spun away through the airto orbit the room. Two rolled parchmentsslid out and offered themselves to Mor-denkainen and Dalamar.

�Please accept my apologies for thepottery,� Elminster said dryly. �I hid thesein it because of a saying in this world,something about bad boys often gettingcaught with their hands in the cookie jar.�

Dalamar looked at Elminster sharply�then began to laugh easily. Mordenkainen�sdeep, rolling chuckles joined in.

Abruptly, bottles, trays, and fridge-shelves of food flew toward the table fromall directions. There was a brief flurry ofgood-natured jockeying for air-space con-trol, a chaos of cutting cheese, spearingpickles, and opening containers, and, inthe end, a trio of satisfied sighs and chew-ing sounds.

After a time, Dalamar murmured appre-ciation of my mustard and said, �My turn.I�ve word of a spell brought to Krynn, onlya few days past, by a sorceress whoclaimed to have been given it by a wizardof Faerun, in trade for a wand. EstelRaghara, her name is.� He looked at Elmin-ster, but the Old Mage shook his head.�The �whip of pain,� she calls it.�

Elminster nodded, slowly. �There is apriesthood in the Realms�it originated onthis world, I believe, interestinglyenough�that worships Loviatar, Maiden ofPain. They have such a spell. For a longtime, the Zhentarim have been trying todevise a similar magick.�

�Them again?� Mordenkainen said,around a cheese-and-turkey sandwich asthick as my forearm. �Busy folk.�

Dalamar looked interested. �You thinkthey mastered it�and she got it from aZhentarim in need of a wand.�

�It sounds that way, indeed.� Elminstersmiled and shook his head. �Consideringour backgrounds,� he added, �magicalethics is a topic perhaps reserved for a

DRAGON 29

later gathering, when hearts are lighterand we are all more at ease. Yet considerthat Brotherhood�for so they style them-selves, and few women seem to rise far intheir ranks, though I know of no formalimpediment to female advancement�consider it as an influence in the Realms,armed with open and brutally wieldedmagic. A good case, I hold, for the viewthat those who wield Art in earnest aretoo dangerous to rule or act in concertwithout the fetters of restrictive rules andother powers set against their might, inbalance.�

�Yes,� said Dalamar, eyeing the ceiling,�that is a topic best left until we knoweach other better. Yet I confess I wouldlike to learn more of this band of wizards,if only to understand how they can besuch dolts and still hold power.�

�The short answer, I think, is a talent forenthusiastic and ruthless persistence,�Mordenkainen said, �but I�ll bow to Elmin-ster�s local expertise.�

�And I�ll tell ye both that the short an-swer we�ve just heard is correct, so far asit goes�and we�d best leave a full dismem-berment of those unsavory sorcerers foranother evening.� The Old Mage ofShadowdale waved his hands. Obediently,water ran in the kitchen, and a floatingline of dirty plates and emptied wrappingsrose from the table and started back downthe hall.

Mordenkainen raised his head, sniffed,and bellowed suddenly, �Coffee!�

Dalamar raised his eyebrows. �Is that adrink? It sounds like an interesting sub-ject, to be sure, but more so than theZhentarim? They must be dull fellows.�

Both the older archmages chortled�thensighed, one after the other.

�I can see,� Elminster observed, as threesteaming mugs came serenely down thehall, past the floating line of dirty dishesheading the other way, �that these eve-nings won�t have to be dull.� He looked toDalamar. �I take it that you�ve not gainedthis whip spell, yet?�

The Black Robe wizard snorted gently.�No. I laid plans to acquire it�and any-thing else of note that Estel bore�but she,alas, outwitted me.�

�It happens to us all, lad,� Mordenkainensaid gruffly. �So long as the experience isnot fatal, escaping it�s a matter for thanks,not regret.�

There was a silence. �You miss yourCircle of Eight,� Dalamar said softly. Mor-denkainen nodded once after a pause, hisgaze drifting away.

Dalamar kept his thoughts to himself. Hesniffed his coffee, frowned, then mur-mured a word. The steam vanished as itrose from the mug, and the mug as well;now a crystal wineglass, frosted with cold,was lifted in his narrow fingers.

Elminster leaned back unconcernedly inhis chair. �D�ye like ice cream, to finish upwith?�

�You mean, to finish the food,� Mor-denkainen said reprovingly, warming his

30 DECEMBER 1992

hands on his mug. �There�s plenty still todrink.�

�Aye, of course. They do wonderfulthings in this place with chocolate sweets,too.�

Dalamar relaxed as he sipped his wine.�I can wait for dessert. I seem to owe ameasure of lore to you both. I�ve not toldyou anything new to your ears, yet.�

Two silent hands waved at him to con-tinue, as the other mages slurped coffee inunison.

�This concerns an item of magic, not aspell,� said Dalamar. �It may have found itsway to the Realms by now. The priestRalamar Istrann, an Elder of Paladine, isone who wields it. He is a keen explorer ofworlds other than my own, though I amnot sure his fellows well appreciate hishobby. Several faiths in Krynn use suchweapons now, and I suspect the godssometimes bestow them on devout com-moners, to further their ends.�

Mordenkainen set down his coffee. �Thiswouldn�t be a flail that sounds bells, wouldit?�

�Ah, it would.� Dalamar gave a faint,rueful smile.

�Good ideas make the rounds, youknow,� the Lord Mage of Greyhawk said.�They�re never plentiful enough to besafely ignored, in matters of true magic.�

�Say on, Dalamar,� Elminster put in. �I�veheard news from Impiltur about some-thing like this, but no details. Say on.�

Dalamar nodded. �It�s called a �fleetingflail� in Krynn. It strikes four times, eachtime with less of a magical assist, andthereafter shows no magic until newhands wield it.�

�Useful for temporary aid to thy wor-shipers,� Elminster said, nodding.

�Four peals of a bell are heard at its firstand best magical blow,� Mordenkainen putin. �Then three, then two�marking byhow much it is aiding the wielder�s attack.�

Dalamar nodded. �That�s it.� He hesi-tated, then added, �You�re no doubt bothfamiliar with rings that allow one to readthe thoughts of those around.�

�The �ring of ESP�?� Mordenkainen raiseda finger to show a light patch. �I wear onemyself�except when meeting wizards,when it might be considered impolite.�

Dalamar�s eyebrows rose, but his expres-sion betrayed nothing. It was Elminsterwho chuckled.

�I�ve a simple little magical item to laybefore ye both,� the Old Mage said. �It�s a�cloak of healing,� used by many faiths inFaerun�just a normal cloak, but whendonned it heals an injured mammal of anysort. Many of the larger temples and mon-asteries have some. A given cloak worksonly once for each being, and not manytimes in any event. I�ve been dragged backfrom near the grave a time or two bywhat looked like little more than a tatteredold wrap discarded by a merchant in favorof a newer and better shoulder-rag.�

�Handy, Mordenkainen said. �Get meone.� His chuckle turned to a yawn, part

way through, and he added, �Forgive me.I�ve been through a lot these last fewdays.�

�It grows late,� Dalamar observed qui-etly, though he didn�t appear the slightestbit tired. �I�ve enjoyed our conversationand meal together. My thanks to you both.�

�Our thanks to you for taking the risk ofcoming,� Mordenkainen rumbled, andyawned again. �Sorry,� he added, when hewas done.

Elminster yawned in turn. �A catchinghabit, I fear.� His warning eye turned myway, just for an instant�and the yawnbuilding inside me died a quick, colddeath.

Dalamar pushed back his chair andmade as if to stand, then hesitated.�There�s one more thing I�m curiousabout.�

Two right-hand eyebrows rose, as one.�It concerns the Realms,� he went on. �ABlack Robe of minor consequence recentlyreturned from Undermountain, more orless intact but merely wiser rather thanricher. My colleague encountered therewhat he thought was a beholder. Itcharged at his band of companions with-out using magic at all. The foremost war-rior was white with fear, the Black Robetold me, but swung his blade nonetheless.At the blade�s touch, the thing split like asliced grape. A swarm of tiny flying rep-licas came out and pounced on all there,drinking blood like stirges. He has thesucking wounds to prove it. Have you anyidea what the thing was?�

�Ah.� Elminster looked old and wise. �Itwas a death kiss, a creature found innorthern Faerun that looks like a behold-er, but has no magic. Its eyestalks areactually sucking tentacles. It drinks blood;some folk even call it a �bleeder.� Thy col-league met with one about to spawn. I�ve apaper, somewhere, written by an eminentmember of the guild of naturalists, aboutdeath kiss spawn; I�ll bring it for ye, nexttime.�

�And that time will be�?� Dalamar askedsmoothly.

In answer, Elminster�s fingers circled inthe air, leaving trails of flames in theirwake. Mordenkainen joined in, and Dala-mar looked startled for an instant, thenfrowned a little and moved his own fin-gers. From what I could see, the threearchmages appeared to be engaged in abrief flurry of silent signing that lookedrather like children playing Scissors, Pa-per, Stone. Suddenly they all nodded,together. �Until next, then,� said Dalamar.

A moment later, the study was empty�leaving me trapped in the armor, hangingon the wall from at least two stout hooksthat I couldn�t reach. I let out my breathafter a few seconds in a very long sigh. Iwas exhausted and felt giddy. Sweatdripped from the end of my nose.

�Elminster,� I said pleasantly to the emp-ty air. �About this armor . . .�

A chuckle answered me. �Etiquette, dearboy,� came a voice from the empty air

nearby. �We must all leave together, yesee.�

As he lifted off the helm, I raised myright eyebrow, just as I�d seen it done. Hechuckled again and asked, �Hungry?�

For your campaignReaders familiar with events in Oerth

will note that this evening occurs shortlyafter the events of module WGA4 VecnaLives, and well after the War of the Lanceand the subsequent disappearance ofRaistlin, in Krynn.

As usual, I have since wormed informa-tion enough out of Elminster to presentthe AD&D game rules covering the spells,magical items, and monsters mentioned inthe mages� conversation.

Wizard spells

Blastbones(Evocation, Necromancy)Level: 2 Range: 40 yds.Comp.: V,S,M Dur.: SpecialCT: 2 ST. SpecialAE: Bones, up to 3 cu. ft. total volume

This spell allows the caster to shatterbony material in a violent explosion. Thesebones may be either part of a simple un-dead skeleton or zombie, or inanimateskeletal remains, which can be any num-ber of small, disconnected pieces. Thespell can be cast to take effect immedi-ately, or set to be triggered at any latertime, at conditions governed by a verbalsummary identical to that used in a magicmouth spell.

If acting immediately, the spell causes askeleton, pile of bones, or the like to ex-plode in a blast&hat affects a 20�-diameterspherical blast area. Beings in the area areallowed a saving throw vs. spells for halfdamage; if it fails, they take 2d4 hp dam-age from bone shards. If the skeleton isundead, it is destroyed in the explosion.Animated skeletons and zombies of hu-mans, demihumans, humanoids, and ani-mals are affected, but not those of giantsor nonhuman monsters, or those that arepart of more powerful magical beings likeliches or mummies.

If set as a trap, the spell causes an identi-cal blast, but the damage may be aug-mented by other material placeddeliberately to serve as shrapnel. A favor-ite trap use for this spell involves a zom-bie, set as a guardian. When it is attackedfor a total of 6 hp or more damage, itexplodes in shards of rotting flesh, bones,and nails (placed inside it before anima-tion). Any beings within 30� are hit by1d20 nails (no saving throw); each naildoes 1 hp damage. Characters 31� to 45�distant must make two successful Dexteri-ty checks to escape all damage; if onecheck succeeds, only 1d4 nails strike; ifboth checks fail, 2d8 nails strike.

In all cases, undead receive a savingthrow against a blastbones spell; if the

32 DECEMBER 1992

save is successful, the spell works only as of force, emanating from the fingertips ofa small explosive puff, doing 1d4 + 1hp the caster�s hand (or, for a caster lacking adamage. If a delayed blastbones spell is hand, from the end of whatever is left ofcast on remains before they are animated the caster�s arm). This crackling, coilingas undead, no saving throw is granted, line of purple sparks can be wielded as aand the animation does not impair the lash in battle and strikes opponents up tofuture operation of the blastbones. 10� distant.

The material components for this spellare a drop of water, a fleck of dust, apinch of ash, and the bones to be affected.

Double spell(Necromancy)Level: 3Comp.: V,S,MCT: 1 rnd.AE: Special

Range: TouchDur.: SpecialST None

This rare spell affects only simple un-dead (basic zombies and skeletons fromhumans, demihumans, humanoids, andanimals, but not the variants based onthese body forms, such as crawling claws,ju-ju zombies, and baneguards). To takeeffect, this spell must be cast on newlycreated undead or remains that are to beimmediately animated, within threerounds before or after the casting of theanimate dead spell that creates the un-dead. It operates only if triggered, and thetriggering can be one of two sorts, ofwhich one must be chosen during casting.

The most commonly chosen trigger ismagic. If any magic (including a dispelmagic spell!) is cast on the undead or castto include the undead in its area of effect,the undead vanishes, and two full-hit-pointreplacements appear in its place. Replace-ments appear at the beginning of theround after the one in which the originalvanished. This is a one-time-only occur-rence; multiple double spells won�t workon the same undead, so �doubling� can�t bemade an ongoing process.

A separate double spell is required foreach undead to be affected. This spell onlycreates duplicates of the targeted undead,not other sorts of undead. Any equipmentcarried by the original undead vanishes,consumed by the activated spell, and is notduplicated for either of the replacements(magical items are teleported away to arandom location� not destroyed).

The second trigger is clerical turning ordisruption. When these are used againstthe guarded undead, it vanishes and isreplaced by two full-hit-point, identicalreplacements that are immune to turningor disruption! (The same restrictions onundead type, occurrence, and equipmentapply as for the spell�s other triggering.)

The material components of this spellare a drop of blood, a small glass prism,two hairs (from any source) and the un-dead or remains to be affected.

Whip of pain(Evocation)Level: 3 Range: 0Comp.: V,S,M Dur.: 1 rnd./lvl.CT: 3 ST! SpecialAE: Special

This spell creates a whiplike, flexible line

The whip of pain functions as a +2magical weapon. If the wielder successful-ly strikes a target, there is a loud snappingsound, and the target must make a savingthrow vs. spells and a Constitution check.If the save fails, 4d4 hp damage are suf-fered; if it succeeds, the target takes onlyhalf damage. If the check succeeds, thetarget feels only enough pain to suffer a-1 penalty to his very next attack roll. Ifit fails, the target is wracked by pain onthat and the next round, which lowers hisarmor class by one, places a -2 penaltyon attack rolls, and makes it impossible forhim to concentrate enough to cast anyspells.

Further spell-casting by the whip-wielder, the successful application of dis-pel magic, or the unconsciousness of thewielder will cause the whip of pain todisappear, ending the spell. (The wieldercan trigger magical items like wands withhis other hand without ending this spell.)

The material components of this spellare a drop of the caster�s blood and one ofthe caster�s hairs.

Manshoon�s xorn talons(Conjuration/Summoning)Level: 5 Range: 10�-70�Comp.: V,S,M AE: SpecialCT: 5 ST: NoneDuration: 1 trn. + 1 rnd./lvl.

This spell, also known as �stony hands��creates an invisible half-moon arc in frontof the caster, set from 10� to 70� distant. Tofunction at all, the spell must be cast on asolid, level surface, such as a floor, lawn,clearing, or flat roof (the surface can becovered by water, but it must be no morethan a foot deep). The arc is 12� across atits center, and its curving �horns� are 20�apart; if solid, nonliving objects (such aswalls, furniture, or stalagmites) are in thearea of casting, or if the space is too smallto permit the half-moon to fully form, thespell does not take effect and is wasted.

Any living being except the caster whoenters any part of the crescent-shapedarea of effect is instantly attacked by 2d4stony taloned arms. These nonliving, unin-telligent magical constructs resemble theupper limbs of living xorn. They eruptfrom the ground and grasp at any targetsfor 1-2 hp crushing damage each (THAC06); a successful hit means the clawed armis holding its victim fast, inflicting no fur-ther damage on it. (Talons rise only wherean intruder steps, not all across the half-moon, so the area of effect can be deter-mined only by trial and error.)

Once they�ve grabbed victims, the armssimply hold on until the spell expires.Trapped victims cannot move beyond thestretch of their limbs. They suffer -2

penalties to all attack, damage, and saving-throw rolls, and lose all dexterity-relatedarmor-class bonuses. The talons do nomore damage, but a trapped victim whotries to tear free must make a successfulopen-doors roll; and each failed attemptdoes 1 hp damage to the victim.

The talons are AC 0, and each must bedealt 55 hp damage to shatter it. Spellsthat affect stone can be used against thetalons (stone to flesh and rock to mud bothaffect the talons for 1d4 +2 rounds, lower-ing their effective AC to 7, and makingthem suffer double damage from all at-tacks), and a passwall spell destroys thetalons in a pathway equal in extent to itsusual area of effect. Spells such as moveearth, which physically affect terrain, donot work against the talons. Dispel magicspells shorten the duration of talons byone round per spell, but have no apparentimmediate effect�they do not cause talonsto open, pause, or fade away. A dispelmagic cast in an area cannot prevent thisspell from functioning if the latter has notyet been cast, or if it has been cast but notalons have yet manifested. It does shortenthe spell duration as noted if cast withinnine turns of the casting of Manshoon�sxorn talons.

The material component of this spell is apiece of xorn flesh; bone, talon, or hide.

Magical items�XP Value� shows the experience points

gained by a being who makes (enchants)such an item, not by one who merelycomes to possess it. �GP Value� is the typi-cal market price for the item in theFORGOTTEN REALMS® setting, to a buyerwho does not sense the seller is desperatefor cash. PCs do not normally know the�going market rate� for any magical item.

Ring of ESPThis plain brass ring is a magical item

that enables an intelligent wearer of anyclass or race to use ESP as per the wizardspell, up to three times per day, and up toone turn duration per time; it can be end-ed earlier by the mental command of theuser. The wearer of such a ring gains a+ 1 bonus to all saving throws againstenchantment/charm spells, whether or notthe ring is active when the spell strikes.XP Value: 2,000 GP Value: 16,500

Cloak of healingThis magical item can appear as any sort

of ordinary cloak: leather, hide, blackcotton, or tattered sheepskin. Placing acloak of healing on any living mammalcauses the cloak to pulse with a sudden,bright, rosy light. When the light fades,one round later, the being who donned itis instantly cured of any diseases, poison-ings, lycanthropy, or curses (not includinggeas or quest spell effects), and all currenthit-point damage.

Such cloaks function 2d4 + 1 times; attheir last functioning, they fade into noth-

34 DECEMBER 1992

ingness. They function only on nonmagicalmammals of any sort (including humans,demihumans, and humanoids of up toogre size, and even including Pleistocenemammals such as mastodons, but exclud-ing such magical, �unnatural� beasts asunicorns, pegasi, griffons). The cloak doesnot work on undead or already-dead per-sons, and it cannot regenerate lost limbsor organs.XP Value: 400 GP Value: 6,000

Fleeting flail + 4This weapon bears a special, limited-use

enchantment. In any round in which asuccessful attack roll is made with it, theflail strikes before all other weapons anddoes its full possible damage. The firsttime it strikes, four rolling peals of anunseen bell will be heard; the second timeit hits, three peals are audible; the thirdtime the flail strikes, two peals are heard;and the fourth time it strikes, a bell tollsonce. Thereafter, the weapon exhibits nomagical properties until it is wielded by anew being, whereupon the cycle of fourmagically assisted strikes occurs again. Nobeing�even if regaining a particular fleet-ing flail many years after first wielding it�can ever gain a second four-strike cycle. Awielder who loses possession of the flailbefore exhausting its magic, but laterregains use of the same weapon, picks upat the point he had reached earlier in theflail�s descending cycle of magic.XP Value: 500 GP Value: 7,000

Monster notes

Flying fingersThese flying hands are specially en-

chanted crawling claws (from MC3, thefirst FORGOTTEN REALMS supplement tothe Monstrous Compendium) that havebeen imbued with the power of flight.They are almost always (90%) encounteredas guardians of a specific area or object,but their orders may allow them to pursueintruders or be freed to wander, usuallyattacking all living creatures they encount-er. Their goal is invariably to attack who-ever causes the removal or destruction ofwhatever the flying fingers guarded (ifthe wording of their orders during theircreation was careful enough). They typi-cally swoop to the attack, fighting untildestroyed.

Flying fingers: INT non-; AL N; AC 7;MV 9, Fl 14 (A); HD ½; 4 hp each; THAC020; #AT 1; Dmg 1d4 (targets with AC 8 orbetter) or 1d6 (targets with AC 9 or 10); SDimmune to turning and holy water, edgedweapons do them only half damage (magi-cal weapons do only �normal,� nonmagicaldamage to them, though attack bonusesstill apply); MR 100% (they will turn backall spells cast at them as a ring of spellturning does); SZ T (6� long or less); ML20; XP 270; appear in the Ruins of Under-mountain boxed set�s adventures booklet(�Monster Guide� section).

Skeleton, championThese rare undead are simply normal

undead skeletons treated with secretnecromantic spells so as to have extrapowers. When �killed,� champion skeletonscollapse just as normal skeletons do�butunless a dispel magic is cast on their re-mains, or all of the bone shards are im-mersed in holy water, they will re-formand animate (�rise�) 2d4 rounds later attheir full hit points, then attack all livingcreatures (except their creator) in thevicinity. This rising up is accompanied by apale-white, flickering burst of faerie fireradiance known as �coldfire,� which lastsfor one round. Any living thing that touch-es or attacks an undead emanating cold-fire suffers cold-based damage of 2d4 hp(this damage is not gained as hit points bythe undead). Champion skeletons areenchanted to rise up three times each.

Champion skeleton: INT non-; AL N;AC 7; MV 12; HD 4; 25 hp each; THAC0 17;#AT 1; Dmg: by weapon type or 1-2 hpwhen fighting unarmed; SA coldfire; SDimmune to all cold-based attacks, all spellsare turned 100% (as a ring of spell turn-ing), edged or piercing weapons do onlyhalf damage; SZ M (6� tall); ML 20; XP1,400; MC1. Holy water does 2d4 hp dam-age per vial to them.

Spawn, death kissIn some cases, death kisses (see the

Ruins of Undermountain boxed set,�Beholder-kin/Death Kiss�) meet and matewithout battling to the death. If such a�love match� occurs (one time in six), thetwo death kisses involved soon part tohunt again in solitary fashion. Inside theirbodies, however, 5d10 buds develop, feed-ing on the bodies and blood of theparents�and driving the pregnant deathkisses into a reckless feeding frenzy.

A month after mating, each parent hasbecome a manic husk, hollowed out fromwithin by its offspring. It continues feed-ing and fighting until it becomes so fragilethat a single blow causes it to burst open,and its hungry, mobile young spill out,darting immediately to attack any livingcreatures they can find. These spawn,starved for blood, form a voraciousswarm. Given spherical area of open air atleast 10� in diameter around the target, upto 14 spawn can attack a single human-size target in a round.

next? Turn to “TSR Previews” in this

Death kiss spawn: INT average; ALNE; AC 8; MV Fl 9 (C); HD 1; 5 hp each;THAC0 19; #AT 10; Dmg 1 ( X 10); SA blooddrain (automatic 1d4/round, beginning onthe round after 1 hp damage attachment);SZ T (8� diameter, tentacles to 2� long); ML19; XP 120.

Here it comes!

Wondering what TSR is about to do

issue and find out!

“Forum” welcomes your comments and opin-ions on role-playing games. In the United Statesand Canada, write to: Forum, DRAGON® Maga-zine, PO. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147 U.S.A.In Europe, 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, under-stand, and input your comments. We will printthe complete address of a contributor if thewriter requests it.

I am writing in response to Victor Paraschiv�sletter (issue #180) about the role of the fighterclass in the AD&D® 2nd Edition game. In thisletter, Mr. Paraschiv expressed the opinion thatthe fighter class is inferior and in danger ofextinction. I could not disagree more.

First of all, I would like to refer Mr. Paraschivto The Complete Fighter�s Handbook. The use ofthese optional rules greatly enhances both thestrength of the fighter class and its playability.

Since the publication of the 2nd Edition rules,I have participated in three separate campaigns.In these campaigns, I played a dwarven myrmi-don, a human berserker, and a human gladiator.All of these characters were among the mostpowerful in their respective parties.

Fighters have a distinct advantage at lowlevels. First, they have more hit points andbetter armor classes, thus making them superi-or to other classes in survivability. Second, theyare capable of doing far more damage than anyother class. For example, a first-level mage iscapable of casting one magic missile in combat,doing 1d4 + 1 hp damage. Compare this to a 1st-level berserker, who can do 2d4 + 11 hp damagethree times every two rounds (assuming 18/00Strength and specialization with the two-handedbastard sword). Clearly, fighters are essential toa low-level party.

At higher levels, with magical weapons, fight-ers retain their value by representing a reliablesource of damage, each and every round. Nochance of spell failure and no memorizationlimits�just a constant source of major damageto foes.

As to the issue of whether the ranger andpaladin classes eclipse the need for fighters,take the example of my previously mentionedthree characters. None of those characterscould have held the ranger or paladin class, yetthey were all viable and enjoyable characters.

Thus, I feel that Mr. Paraschiv was prematurein his judgment. The AD&D 2nd Edition game�s

fighter class is definitely worth a second look.Steve De Young

Redlands CA

In issue #180, Mr. Paraschiv identified thefighter class as being �in danger of extinction.� Iwould like to address this issue and to highlighttwo or three important points.

I have been playing fantasy role-playing gamesfor six years now and have been playing AD&D2nd Edition games for a considerable time. Thecampaign I am currently DMing has only servedto emphasize Mr. Paraschiv�s view. I strive tomake magic a rarity; it is both enchanting anddeadly when encountered. For this reason,there are not many player-character mages inthe adventuring parties, so one should expect agreat many fighters in the group. Sadly, this isnot the case. Of the 24 different PCs that havedared to challenge my most nefarious adven-tures, three have been fighters and not one ofthese has managed to advance beyond 5th level.It is not just my campaign that is plagued in thisway; many of the adventuring parties that Ireferee have the same lack of fighters. Thoughthis is not a symptom of bad DMing, it is theDM�s problem.

Naturally, I have tried to combat this byencouraging players to take up the fighter�srole, yet it seems preferable to play rangers,paladins, or even thieves instead! The AD&D2nd Edition game�s fighter is sadly lacking in allimportant special abilities that players hungerfor. Despite a fighter�s freedom to choose anyalignment, weapon, and armor, players arereluctant to play them. Even the advent ofweapon specialization does not compensate forthe fighter�s ability deficiency. Let�s face it, a + 1bonus to attack and a +2 to damage are notgreatly appreciated when, for similar attributescores and experience points, one can be blow-ing the hell out of the enemy with Melf�s minutemeteors and fireball as a mage�a much moreexciting alternative. And why bother playing afighter when one can play a cleric and castspells, turn undead, and get priestly benefits, allfor fewer experience points per level?

Once the fighter has struggled through thelower levels to arrive at name-level status, hefinds his friends have greater powers. Perhapshe is daunted by the prospect of adventuringwith these people or feels inferior to his cous-ins, the ranger and paladin.

Sadly, players don�t realize the joys of role-playing the simple fighter�and make no mis-take, fighters provide the best opportunities forgood PCs. From the most valiant knight to thelowliest outlaw, from the simplest tribesman tothe daring swashbuckler, from savage tonobleman�all are rewarding characters. Willthe character fighter, whomever he may be,

continue to exist only as an inferior nonplayercharacter?

As to what can be done to make players pickup the challenge of being a fighter, I have inde-pendently arrived at three conclusions. As Ihave already mentioned, players need incentivesto play characters, and each of my proposalsdeals with this aspect of player psychology.

First, I propose that the amount of experiencepoints needed to achieve new levels be reducedby 20% per level for the fighter, making itnecessary for a fighter to accumulate only 1,600XP to reach 2nd level.

Second, instead of awarding fighters 1d10 hpper level, they should be awarded 1d12 or even1d10 + 2.

Finally, if one or both of the above measuresfail to make the fighter class more attractive toyour players, simply increase or improve thefollowers that the 9th-level fighter receives. Youcould even do this to suit your campaign, havingknights or Arabian camel-riders appear. Givefighters exciting followers, have them enter theservice of a noble, or grant them noble titles.Fighters can be exciting with a little imagina-tion�not every warrior comes from the localtown! With a little creativity, the simple fighterwill live on as a PC in the AD&D 2nd Editiongame.

M. J. SimpsonSutton Coldfield, West Midlands, U.K.

Victor Paraschiv brought up a good point inhis letter to �Forum� in issue #180. Mr. Paras-chiv stated that the fighter class in the AD&D2nd Edition rules is still inferior to other classes,even though it has weapon specialization.

Even this is lost to them with the introductionof other classes in various campaigns, such asknights of Solamnia (in the DRAGONLANCE®campaign) and gladiators (in the DARK SUN�campaign). Both of these classes are able tospecialize and gain even more abilities. Whenmy group played in the DARK SUN campaign, itconsisted of over 50% gladiators, and we allagreed that with these rules, no one in his rightmind would play a fighter.

One way to make fighters at least a littlebetter is to allow only fighters to have an excep-tional strength rating and also allow only fight-ers to have a constitution bonus of + 3 orgreater. This still doesn�t make fighters thatmuch better, but it is a start. If anyone else hasany more ideas, I would like to hear them.

Selman HalabiToronto, Ontario

I�d like to comment on Mr. Paraschiv�s view ofthe fighter class. According to Mr. Paraschiv,fighters, especially humans, are the weakest ofall classes.

However, if we compare the fighters with theother classes, it is obvious that the fighter issecond to none when it comes to defeating theevil monsters attacking all those frail mages andthieves. Warriors do have a higher bonus forhigh constitution scores, have possible excep-tional strength, have more attacks per round,and generally have more hit points than otherclasses. Only priests can hope to equal thefighter in a fair fight and they sometimes workunder severe limitations imposed by their faith(unless you�re a follower of Tempus).

Now, let�s consider the other warrior classesthe paladin and the ranger. True, a paladin haslots of benefits, but he has several limitations(no followers, only lawful-good henchmen, nofollowers at 9th level). The ranger does attractfollowers and can fight two-handed withoutrestriction; still, he�s more at ease in the woods,

36 DECEMBER 1992

and his benefits diminish in cities or dungeons.Rangers and paladins also have limited spell use,which gives them some advantage over normalfighters. Mr. Paraschiv states that even withweapon specialization, the fighter is still inferiorto the paladin and the ranger. A beginningspecialist fighter has the same number of at-tacks as a 7th- to 12th-level paladin or ranger,while those classes have no bonus on theirattack ( + 1) and damage ( + 2) roll. A fighterspecialized with a bow can fire before initiativeis rolled if he has an arrow nocked and drawn,something I consider to be a great advantage.

Another point is the supposed advantage ofmulticlassed PCs. Multiclassed fighters cannotspecialize and are limited in their choice ofweapons and armor if they want to use theirother classes effectively (there are also consider-able level limitations).

One last remark: A couple of issues back,someone wrote about the weakness of the mageclass in the AD&D game; now the fighter is aweakling, and next month the thief will be awimp. Properly played, every PC, regardless ofclass, can become a powerful character�someone you wouldn�t dare anger. If someonehas any comments on this, please write to me.

William De PretreWeimanstraat 25

8377 Zuienkerke, Belgium

I think that Mr. Paraschiv (issue #180) iscorrect in stating that the fighter is weaker thanthe other character classes. However, I do notfeel that this weakness in any way detracts fromthe attractiveness of the class.

By definition, a fighter is a hack-n�-slashbattler�the most basic of any of the characterclasses. This is the source of both its weaknessand its appeal. The role-playing options for apaladin are restricted�each one must adhere tostrict rules in order to remain a paladin. Rang-ers are likewise limited in scope; their back-grounds and, to some extent, their personalities,are mapped out for the player. Both classesmust be good-aligned and have inextricable tiesto an outside force, either nature or religion.

It is not my purpose to put down either ofthese classes. Actually, I consider the challengeof role-playing a realistic paladin an exciting andformidable one�the paladin is one of my favor-ite characters. Instead, I would point out thatfighters can be built from the ground up.

A fighter can be given depth by a good player;alignment, background, and code of living areall open for creation. The personality of thecharacter is not limited by some set of guide-lines. A fighter can be a barbarian plainsman, aswashbuckling pirate, or a shining knight. Oryou can break away from the stereotypes andcreate a really unique character. The opportuni-ties are just not as expansive for other charac-ters. The mage is always in search of knowl-edge. The thief seeks either glory or wealth.The priest follows the edicts of religion.

In the fighter�s simplicity lies both his baneand his fortune. It all depends on whetheryou�re in the game to get somewhere or tochallenge yourself.

John DuffinCalgary, Alberta

I am writing in response to Mr. Paraschiv�sletter in issue #180 in regard to the imminentextinction of the fighter class. I believe thatstatement to be very untrue.

The fighter, regardless of which edition of theAD&D game you�re using, has always and everwill be one of the most versatile, exciting, andpowerful character classes that the game has to

offer. I have been playing AD&D and other role-playing games now for close to seven years andhave played every character class at least twice.I have been the DM for three different cam-paigns and have read all the worthy novels putout by TSR, and I still regard the fighter classwith nobility because of its usefulness.

For starters, the fighter class is very versatile,meaning it can have any alignment, any weap-on, and literally hundreds of different magicalitems. It does not have a restricting code ofhonor or some deity to follow and appease(unlike the ranger and paladin). A fighter can beof any origin, come from countless differentbackgrounds and societies, and have whateverfaith he or she chooses.

Secondly, the fighter class is exciting. Histori-cal heroes show that fighters were the generalsand emperors. Sir Lancelot was a fighter, not apaladin; El Cid was a fighter with wise values,and Robin Hood was a fighter who knew how touse a bow and get around a forest withoutgetting lost. Other examples in our very ownAD&D universe could be the Heroes of theLance, specifically Caramon and Sturm. Sturm,who everyone thought so diligently a knight,was really a fighter with etiquette and thelonging to be a knight. Caramon, one of themost famous fighters, was not made because ofa need for a kick-ass character, but because of aneed to contrast Raistlin without killing him outof religious or ethical qualms (that is why apaladin was not chosen).

Lastly, a fighter is powerful. He can reachlimitless levels and attain great superiority overmost classes. Paladins and rangers can attainthese levels, but who cares? So now you have a

30th-level paladin, yeah. A fighter can alwayshave another quest in store for him, rule acountry, or travel the dimensions and Astralplane with the help of magic and his wizardbuddies. A paladin becomes boring when heachieves high levels and has no zest or appeal�by this time, all crusades are incredibly easy,and his magical and innate powers make himinvincible. He cannot take the perilous trek intothe lair of the drow to loot their treasure be-cause: 1) it�s unethical; and 2) he probably hastoo many magical items (and who needs goldnow?).

To sum up, I have to say that the fighter willnever be weak, boring, or pointless. He willalways symbolize the epitome of AD&D gamesand the history behind them, and I�m prettysure he won�t die out.

Remember: Conan was a fighter.Andre Costantini

St. Catharines, Ontario

It was with great sadness that I read your [theeditor�s] reply to Mr. Danielson�s letter (issue#178), finalizing once and for all the question ofweapon specialization. The problem caused isquite simply this: goodbye swashbuckler, good-bye to the truest of AD&D game combatants.

The swashbuckler kit (The Complete Fighter�sHandbook, pages 34-35) specifies that a fightercharacter inclined toward the use of a light,rapid weapon and the wearing of brightlycolored silk clothes (i.e., a swashbuckler) must�devote half of his weapon proficiency slots tothose four weapons [from the fencing bladesgroup: stiletto, main-gauche, rapier, and sabre].Once he has achieved specialization in all four

®, TM & © 1992 - TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved

DRAGON 37

of those weapons, he may freely choose wherethe rest of his weapon proficiency slots go.�

As the initial number of weapon proficienciesfor a swashbuckler is six, the most outrageouscharacter is created by spending these as fol-lows: two for proficiency in the fencing bladesgroup, one for specialization in a weapon fromsaid group, and two more for two-weapon styleand ambidexterity, leaving one slot free forvariety�s sake [see pages 58-60 of the CFH].Using this system, the swashbuckler runs intotrouble immediately upon reaching 3rd level, atwhich time his new slot must be spent on an-other specialization.

If the one-weapon specialization limit were tobe enforced, we could say goodbye to swash-bucklers higher than 2nd level. There is, ofcourse, a simple modification that could makethe required specialization possible withoutallowing other fighters too great an advantage.My proposition is that all single-class fightersalone should be allowed to specialize in as manyweapons as they wish, with the limitation thatall such weapons must be in same tight weaponsgroup.

On the question of ranger/paladin weaponspecialization, though, I can see the point in disal-lowing this. I do, however, have an alternative.After all, rangers are fabled masters of the bowand long sword, and paladins of the lance and longsword, yet (with the exception of elven rangers)they gain no advantage over normal fighters.Characters of these two classes could, if the DMagrees, be allowed to specialize in a single weapononly, but at the cost of two and three proficiencyslots, respectively; bow specialization would costthree and five slots, respectively.

With that out of the way, there is still anotheroptional use for weapon proficiency slots that Ihave devised primarily for swashbucklers:specialization in called shots (CFH, pages 65-69).These normally require a - 1 penalty to initia-tive and a -4 to hit. Specialization in a specificmaneuver, however, would cancel the initiativepenalty and reduce the attack penalty to some-where in the range of 0 to -2, at the DM�sdiscretion. Note that specialization in ExpertDisarm should not be possible, though Disarmspecialization would allow the expert maneuverwith - 1 and -4/6 penalties. (Even if this kindof specialization is allowed and it cancels normalattack penalties, a - 6 on the Expert Disarmwould be advisable, given the sheer difficulty ofthe trick.)

Lastly, one final proficiency-related questionremains. The level-related gains in proficienciesseems somewhat arbitrary and illogical. Wouldit not be more realistic to have proficiency gainsrelated to the time a character spends specifi-cally studying a given subject�this time beingclass-dependent, of course? After all, where dothe normal people in the world (e.g., black-smiths) get the levels to increase their non-weapon proficiency scores?

Any advice or comments on these subjectswould be greatly appreciated.

Rick TazzleLondon, U.K.

I have a great deal of trouble with the wayAD&D 2nd Edition game fighter subclasses arepresented. If you are choosing a fighter sub-class, there is no reason to take a ranger.Though the ranger is a popular class, the gamemechanics as described clearly favor the pala-din. The reasons are described below:

1. Rangers must be any good alignment,whereas paladins must be lawful good. In agroup of good role-players, such restrictions donot have a terribly great impact; there are as

38 DECEMBER 1992

many interpretations of lawful good as thereare lawful-good gods with paladins.

2. If a paladin ever performs a chaotic act, hemust atone. If a paladin performs an evil act, heloses his character class, but so what. Most role-players are not going to foul up, and a good DMdoes not force no-win situations upon his play-ers. If a ranger performs an evil act, he mustatone but doesn�t have to seek out a cleric.Again, so what. The only difference here is thatif the paladin does something chaotic, he con-tinues to gain experience. Rangers, on the otherhand, stop advancement immediately. While thepaladin does not gain experience while atoning,he can still gain experience while getting there.

3. The paladin has 10 special abilities; theranger has five. What is listed as a special abilityfor the ranger is considered a disadvantage forthe other. The paladin does not attract fol-lowers, but can build keeps. The ranger attractsfollowers and can build a keep, but cannotmaintain the money necessary to build one, norare more than 50% of their followers appropri-ate to staffing a keep. This is not an advantage,because people will flock to a paladin anywaybecause of his high charisma.

4. A paladin has unique special abilities thatalways work; only two of his abilities are in anyway conditional (a paladin requires a specialweapon to gain a circle-of power, and turningundead requires a die roll). By contrast, a rang-er�s thieving abilities, his tracking, and hisanimal empathy require a die roll of some kind.Furthermore, his armor restriction gives him anaverage AC 6 (studded leather + Dex 15). Thepaladin has an average AC 4 (banded mail). Ifthe ranger wears banded mail, both the rangerand the paladin need to spend the same numberof proficiency slots to buy off the off-handweapon penalty.

5. Rangers gain priest spells up to third leveland get two spheres (plant and animal). Paladinsgain priest spells up to fourth level and get fourspheres (combat, divination, healing, and protec-tion). Rangers do get spells one level earlier, butwhen you�re dealing with this many experiencepoints, it�s pretty much irrelevant.

6. Rangers cannot have hirelings, henchmen,or any servants until they reach 8th level.Paladins can hire as many as they want, butthose must be lawful good. When a ranger canget hirelings, isn�t he going to make sure thatthey are good as he is? (Remember, the mini-mum wisdom for this class is 14.)

7. Rangers require three statistics above 16 togain a 10% XP bonus. Paladins require only two,and one of these they always have (charisma). Istrongly believe, in my heart of hearts, that thisis a typographical error and that the score youmeant it to be was wisdom [It wasn�t.�TheEditor]. However, whether this is so or not, theranger still loses.

8. A paladin must tithe 10% of all the treasurehe gets to his religious institution. A ranger can�teven carry, in a great many cases, the 10% thepaladin must tithe. The ranger can convert it toa portable form, but this is not always possibleand usually costs more than the 10% a paladinhas to give away. However, paladins can keepungodly sums, in excess of 500,000 gp, to builda structure of reasonable size using the Castle Guide.

9. A paladin may not possess more than 10magical items. So what? Five out of 10 DMs donot consider potions to be full-fledged magicalitems. The other five don�t give out much magicanyway.

10. These two classes take the same amount ofexperience to rise in levels. This is a majorinjustice.

11. It is more difficult to become a rangerthan it is to become a paladin, because as theranger you need a set of scores that are higherin average overall. The law of averages supportsa wide range of scores, making it easier tosupport a paladin character in the first place.

There are several more discrepancies, thatwould make this letter altogether too long. Ihave been a DM for 12 years, and I can bepretty sure that this is a game balance foul-up.However, I have several ideas that might bal-ance this out:

1. In the FORGOTTEN REALMS® setting, somerangers are specialty priests of Mielikki. If so,does this mean that they can use clerical magi-cal items and scrolls? This would help to solvethe problem, especially considering that, incertain areas of the Realms, a ranger�s word inthe wilderness is not just important, it�s the law!Declare all rangers to be functioning priests,whether or not they can actually cast spells, andthe problem is partially solved.

2. Give rangers the ability of weapon speciali-zation. The only thing that compensates for alower average armor class other than magicalitems is the ability to do more damage whenyou actually hit, not just the ability to swingmore often. The fighting-with-two-weaponsability is just so much hokey.

3. Give rangers more dangerous followers.Twenty percent of all of a ranger�s followers willbe bears�how blase (or unbearable). Roll 2d4for follower level; this gives a ranger a chanceto gain followers who will truly make some kindof difference, and maybe even make construct-ing a keep a worthwhile enterprise.

4. Give the ranger a damage bonus of + 1 forevery two levels against his species enemy. Thatway, when the ranger meets it (and trust me,this will not happen every few weeks unless theranger picks an insignificant creature that hedoesn�t need the bonus to kill anyway), he willbe able to do some serious damage to the crea-ture. After all, he has spent a great deal of hislife learning how to fight it.

5. Make the species enemy more general.Instead of a specific creature, make the speciesenemy based on general types. Instead of greendragon, dragons should be the character�sspecies enemy; instead of drow, races of theunderdark (including drow, driders, mindflayers, aboleth, and kuo-toa).

6. Give the rangers more clerical spells, up tofourth level, and the elemental and weatherspheres.

I am certainly not suggesting that you do all ofthese, though it might be a good idea to seewhat works and what doesn�t. Something mustbe done. The ranger is falling by the wayside ina great many campaigns because the AD&D 2ndEdition rules have paralyzed the character class.

Let it be noted that I have run a ranger in myown campaign for close to three years, and if itweren�t for the fact that her statistics are posi-tively miraculous, I would have had a corpseseveral times over. I also would like to say thatI�ve run a paladin and observed its problemsfirsthand. These discrepancies are real, theyhurt the AD&D 2nd Edition game, and theyprevent people from playing the time-honoredranger class that many people associate with theessentials of fantasy gaming. If anyone has anysolutions to this problem, please mail them tome so I can playtest and implement them.

Michael Satran11 Ernst Place

Tenafly NJ 07670

39DRAGON

by Bruce A. HeardArtwork by Terry Dykstra

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.

Amphimir 25, AY 2001�Haldemar:After the strange discoveries of the pastweeks, I decided to return to Alphatia andwarn Her Imperial Majesty. I couldn�t takethe time to fly the Princess Ark all the wayback, nor did I want to take the risk ofbreaching the skyshield for a faster jour-ney. The ship still needed repair anyway.So, despite Her Majesty�s orders to stayaway from the empire, I took along LadyAbovombe and faithful Myojo when I casta travel spell, Talasar would take the Prin-cess out of the land of Wallara and seekanother repair site.

I had to find a short cut through the

outer planes. Soon after leaving the Astralplane, we reached the plane of Draesten, acluster-universe of raw energy in theouter planes. There, we appeared to bestanding on a high mountain peak Rain-bows of magical might shimmered acrossthe sky all around us. We flew for sometime among Draesten�s dizzying flashesand bursts of hue and energy when Inoticed a flickering silhouette followingus. It was so faint I had missed it earlier,but it was there, and it was alive. Thesilhouette, possibly 20� long, seemed tofollow our flight, occasionally coming upto our side.

I spoke to it, but it did not respond. Itried sign language, with the same ineffec-tual result. At last, I gambled a read magic.Success! The flickering light was sentientand friendly She stated she�d be willing tocarry us to the site we sought, in exchangefor a burst of magical energy�mere foodfor this creature. I suspected curiosity tobe her motivation, for this place was filledwith all sorts of energy.

As the deal was struck, the three of usfound ourselves within the multicoloredentity and shot across the sky, hurtlingthrough Draesten like comets in Mystara�sfirmament. It took little time to reach theend of our journey in this strange world.The creature�I called her a flicker�stopped among a cluster of floating rocks.Floating above one, it created a gate ofblue, crackling light.

I cast a minor spell as payment, then webid the flicker farewell and entered thegate. Alas, I soon discovered it led not tothe place we had sought. I had expected tosee the Hardball arena in Sundsvall. In-stead, we stood in the Ethereal plane,observing through the wisps of ether avery large and unknown cavern some-where on the Prime plane.

The gate faded away behind us.Trapped! The flicker had tricked us. But

DRAGON 41

why? I had no travel spells left. So, while Icould rest and meditate for new spells,Myojo and Abovombe would watch forany activity in the cavern and around usin the Ethereal plane.

Amphimir 26�Talasar, from alater account: Not far from the lands ofWallara, we found a patch of very talltrees towering over the forest. We couldsee no activity below, save for some un-usually large raccoon-faced monkeyscasually jumping from branch to branch�nothing to worry about. They�ll make agood stew for the crew.

I had the Princess Ark hover above aclearing, and sent the crew down to pre-pare for the ship�s landing. Once theywere down, I ordered the ship to becomevisible to ease repair. Work was proceed-ing at a good pace. Several trees withperfectly straight trunks were soon cutdown. Raman and Leo were doing won-ders directing operations.

Suddenly, a volley of stings, stones,sticks, spears, and arrows came pouringdown on the crew. Sentries were the firstto fall, most of them without a word. I sawRamissur pull a sting out of his arm, take afew steps, and fall flat on his face. Poison!Our attackers were hiding in the bushesand the trees. I could not see them. Feelinga burning sensation on the back of myneck, I turned around and barely had thetime to notice a strange, raccoon-facedmonkey staring back at me from underthe shadow of a large fern. It held a longblowgun. The scene blurred and all wentdark.

Amphimir 26�Haldemar: It ap-peared the cavern was made of blackstone fused by great heat. Approximately500� in diameter, it had the shape of asphere except for the flattened floor. Adull-gray structure, almost 200� long,occupied the center. Nearby stood a largestatue with an inscription at the bottom:�Alexander Glantri�Still He Protects.�

Glantri? Perhaps we had entered a se-cret crypt somewhere in Glantri. TheDraesten flicker clearly had something inmind when it lead us here. There musthave been someone else behind itsactions�someone powerful. Who?

I studied the gray structure and foundno way to enter it. The whole object wasmagical and impervious to my influence,even from the Ethereal plane. I tried dis-pelling its fields of magic and casting amagical door; but these attempts and sev-eral others proved futile. The mysteriousstructure either exuded powerful anti-magic or it was an artifact. Consideringthe size of the structure, either possibilityseemed mind-boggling. Even Alphatiacould not produce something like this! Tothink Glantrians concealed such a devicesent a chill down my spine.

I had guessed I�d have to deal with somesort of mystery here and had studied myspell of lore last evening. The spell re-vealed the structure was called the �Nucle-us of the Spheres.� It also unveiled its

function: to enhance one�s magical prow-ess while forever draining magic from theworld of Mystara.

I felt a ghastly hand clutch my heart.How could they? The Glantrians wereusing some sort of evil magical device todestroy the most precious element of ourworld. Life without magic? Inconceivable!

All I had learned in the past weeks nowmade sense. The clues about Glantri, Al-phatia, and magic being drained werepulling together. Somehow, I was linked toall this. Perhaps my destiny had alreadybeen woven, and it led me to this obscureplace. Else, someone wanted me to comehere, despite my journeys away from theKnown World.

I had to do something about this Glantr-ian scheme, whatever it was. If there wassomething like forbidden magic, this wasit. If I warned Her Majesty, it would meanwar. Surely, the empire would not ignorethis fiendish magical device and wouldhave to march against Glantri sooner orlater. Thyatis would, of course, inevitablyrise against Alphatia, given my country�sactions. Knowing Thyatians, they justwould never allow an Alphatian presencein what they�ve always considered as theirbackyard.

What was I to do? I had fought beforeand knew all too well the savagery andsorrow of war. Many would suffer anddie. Should men die for magic to exist?How right was this cause?

My dilemma was eating at me. If I didnothing, magic and all that is wondrouswould disappear forever from our world.If I exposed the Glantrian scheme, empireswould clash in perhaps the greatest of allwars, bringing misery and darkness tomany. What if Alphatia lost the war?

No. I wasn�t brought here merely to donothing. If so, they should have chosensomeone else instead. I just was not thatkind. Perhaps without magic there wouldbe neither man nor world�indeed, it wastime to leave this forsaken place. I hadseen enough.

Amphimir 27�Talasar, from alater account: I awoke to find myselftied to a tree trunk. Next to me was Ra-man. The remainder of the crew wasslowly waking up as well. The entire crewwas similarly tied, dangling from branchesor tied to masts on the Princess Ark. Withhorror, I realized our assailants had takenover the ship.

They were halfling-sized creatures,more or less like monkeys. They wereintelligent. Two of their war-party leaderswere arguing, perhaps about what to donext. I asked Raman, �Are you hurt, man?�

�I don�t think so. I�ve been listening tothem for some time. I can understandsome of their words. If only I could move,I might be able to communicate withthem.� Raman tried to twist out of hisropes.

I could move one hand. I managed toloosen some of Raman�s ropes and theybegan to give way. The natives began

playing drums and a distant echo respond.ed. Good, that kept their attention awayfrom us. Raman eventually freed himselfand untied me. Before anything else, Iprayed for Razud to bestow upon mycompanion a blessing to neutralize poison.He would need it to approach thenatives�soon-as my voice attracted thenatives� attention.

Raman stepped forward, cleared histhroat, said, �Gentlemen, would youplease�� and went on chirping at thenatives in their strange speech, makinggestures. After a moment of silence, awave of rage overtook the natives. Ramanhad perhaps insulted one of the leaders. Acloud of poisoned stings came flying in hisdirection. A moment later, Raman was stillstanding there, trying to protect himselfwhile removing the prickly stings. Thenatives became suddenly quiet.

In apparent awe, they all dropped totheir knees and bowed before Raman.�Oh, by the Brow of Smaarad!� said Ra-man. �They think I�m some sort of forestspirit!� His ability to resist their sleepingpoison had truly impressed the natives.They were ready to obey him, up to apoint. Raman convinced his followers tountie me, but they refused to free anyoneelse. Soon afterward, the natives carriedus toward their village.

Amphimir 27�Haldemar: With thehelp of a travel spell, we returned to thelocation in Draesten where we had lastseen the flicker. She was gone, and so wasthe magical gate. As I suspected, furtherattempts to return to the Glantrian devicethrough the outer planes failed completely.Without the gate, I was unable to retraceour path to the cavern.

Our journey led us to the Hardball arenain the Imperial capital. It was a game day.The place was crowded and no one no-ticed our arrival. We entered the palacegrounds thanks to my family seal. Sealsare magical items that Alphatian nobilityoften use to enter or exit the Imperialpalace. It gives the Lord of the Guard aconvenient way of locking out unwantedfamilies and checking on who visits thepalace. I was relieved to see that theHaaken seal was still acceptable. The magi-cal door opened after I removed my sealfrom the recess. We entered.

Palace halberdiers came to attention aswe walked down the cavernous mainhallway. Noblemen and palace officialspolitely nodded as we went by, largelyminding their business. So far, things weregoing fine.

At regular intervals stood pedestals withthe busts of past rulers and legendarystate figures. Unfortunately, they werefitted with magic mouths that emphaticallyannounced our arrival, according to theseal I had presented at the entrance. Muchto our discomfort, their calls echoed downthe long hallway. We would�ve preferredinconspicuousness to pomp and circum-stance just then. After some time, noblesbegan giving us furtive looks, while people

DRAGON 43

whispered behind our backs.The Imperial Herald walked up to us

and discreetly slipped a note into myhand. It said that Her Majesty wished tosee us at once. At least she had found outquickly enough about my return. Unusu-ally, we met in her quarters in a ratherinformal way. It appeared that she wasmore concerned about avoiding publicattention than displaying any outgoingfriendliness. Fortunately, Empress Eriadnadid not bring up the topic of my obligationto stay out of Alphatia.

Empress Eriadna nevertheless enjoyedthe presence of Lady Abovombe and evenshowed some curiosity toward Myojo. Shehad never seen a rakasta before. Thencame the more serious business. I in-formed her of all that had happened lately,and of the Glantrian device, She consid-ered the information at length.

�I do trust you, Admiral, but I doubt thatthe Council of Wizards will. You have notangible proof of these incredible thingsyou just told me. It will take time before Iam in a position to back your discovery.Even then, there is dissention among thecouncil. A faction secretly works to splitthe council, perhaps conspiring to seizethe throne. I haven�t yet identified who isbehind the treachery. I am convinced thatthis faction would push the council todiscredit you and your discoveries inorder to get to me.

�Unbeknownst to the council, I havepursued a quest to unveil that hollowworld of yours. I have now received proofof its existence beneath our world, andstarted establishing a way to reach it morequickly. Some day, that new world will beAlphatian. Should anything happen to theempire as a result of the Glantrianscheme, look toward the hollow world.You might very well find me there.

�You find my words rather gloomy, but Ihave been suspecting some great evil atwork. I have known for some time nowthat magic is slowly waning from Mystara.The temple priests have spoken of frictionamong the Immortals, and it seems to havesomething to do with magic. If this is true,Admiral, someone far greater than evenkings and emperors of Mystara has guidedyour path ever since you left the empire,If so, even the whole of mighty Alphatiamay not make a difference at the end.

�I will speak to the Glantrian wizard-princes. I will pray that they listen to thevoice of reason. Should I fail, a great warwill follow. I am not certain we�ll win, butthis empire will fight like never before.The world will not be the same again.

�Admiral, it is time for you to returnhome. I want you to stay at your ancestraldomain in Floating Ar. You will be safethere. Be patient. I may need your helpand the service of your loyal crew in thedifficult times to come. You have done welland shall not be forgotten.�

Amphimir 28�Talasar, from alater account: Some time before arrivingat their village, the war party halted the

44 DECEMBER 1992

march. Everyone rested from the long,difficult journey through the woods.

Sometime after our meal, both Ramanand I began suffering from severe cramps.A shaman had made us drink a magicalpotion of his making. As a result, we bothshrunk to the natives� size. The shamanwatched us and laughed, �You not spirit!Not spirit!� That was bad luck.

We eventually reached the village�aplace named Cafua�if Raman got thename right. The village sat up in thebranches of the tallest trees. Precarious,hanging bridges linked a multitude ofplatforms on top of which sat the natives�huts. They had to haul us up with ropes,since we couldn�t climb the tall trees at all.We were allowed some rest in the sha-man�s hut�a detestable place with all sortsof dried insects pinned to the walls, allmanner of snakes and arachnids hangingfrom the roof, and, worst of all, an impres-sive collection of mummified skulls, mostof which looked like shrunken humanheads,

The shaman showed up with a sly grin.After a rudimentary conversation withRaman, we learned that these were thephanaton people of Jibaru, forest huntersand tree dwellers. It took some doing toconvince the shaman that we weren�tfrom Herath�apparently people theydidn�t like. He still seemed suspicious. Aphanaton warrior entered the hut andmotioned us to follow him. The villagechief wanted to see us.

He, too, was very suspicious. Then, theshaman told Raman to enter a large cagethat sat on one of the tree platforms. Itwas filled with large spiders. I quicklybestowed upon him the same magicalprotection against poison, but that did notreassure him one bit. He hated spiders. Atthe sight of what lay in the cage, so did I.There was little choice there. Dozens ofwarriors aimed their bows at Raman andI. The chief then said �You enter cage, orIxu make trophy of your head.�

Raman entered. The spiders all leapedon top of him. I could barely see his handsand feet sticking out from under thecrawling mass, as he screamed in abjectterror. The village chief raised his handand a volley of blowgun stings neutralizedthe spiders.

Moments later, the phanatons pulledRaman from under the dozing arachnids.It seemed the spiders did not react asexpected. The shaman then said, �He notman from Herath; spiders attack him.� Thephanatons quickly applied herbal concoc-tions to Raman�s wounds.

The rest of the day went more peaceful-ly, thank Razud. We learned that thephanatons of Jibaru were spider-hunters,and not surprisingly, had gotten in troublewith the neighboring Herathians over theyears. Not having seen many humans, theythought we too were from Herath. Hadthe spiders not attacked Raman, by nowour heads would be adorning the chief�shut, soon to be followed by those of the

entire crew,Finally, the Jibaru released us and the

crew. They brought food (baked spiderlegs), fruits, nuts, and other forest goods,while the crew worked on the ship. Aftera night of feasting, drum-beating, anddancing around a large campfire, we tookour leave and returned to the PrincessArk. It turned out these phanatons weregood fellows after all.

Amphimir 29�Haldemar: Afteranother travel spell, we were back aboardthe Princess. I was pleased to see repairswere on schedule and that everything hadgone well. At least they had an easy time!

I announced the news of what had hap-pened to the crew. Everyone was stunnedand overjoyed. At last, we were goinghome for good. I couldn�t help thinkingabout what was to come, though. Whatdid the future hold for the Princess andher loyal crew? It seemed that the adven-ture was over for now. But does adven-ture ever really end on Mystara?

The End

PhanatonsLand of Jibaru�Capital: Itucua (pop.:

1,250 phanatons); ruler: Queen Barana-Ui�Orchid-Soul,� daughter of Queen Ujiri-Xuu�Forest-Whisper�; Immortal patron: Ui.

Phanatons are halfling-size mammalsthat look like a cross between raccoonsand monkeys. A membrane stretchesbetween their limbs that allows them toglide from branch to branch (and to fly athigher levels). They have long, prehensiletails that can easily support their weight.These tree-dwellers were originally de-scribed in AC9 Creature Catalog, page 43.

Relative to the ancient araneas ofHerath, phanatons are newcomers amongthe civilized races. In their early years,phanatons were forest predators that fedon large insects, lizards, and small mam-mals. Immortals gave them a natural agili-ty that made the phanatons well suited tohunting dangerous creatures like poison-ous snakes, scorpions, and spiders. Amongthese, the latter were by far the mostcommon prey in the region.

At first, phanatons were viewed as anuisance by other races. In their earlyyears, phanatons hunted common spidersand occasionally giant ones�araneas usedthe latter as servants, thus the spider-folks annoyance (see episode #30,DRAGON® issue #183). It was fashionablethen for affluent araneas to capture andtame young phanatons as pets. No araneasin their right minds would otherwise everventure deep into the northwestern end ofthe Orc�s Head Peninsula since the regionwas notorious for being infested withthese pesky creatures.

Over the centuries, phanatons grewsmarter. They had been a race on thebrink of becoming fully sentient. Perhapsthe habit of those captured phanatons tomimic their aranean masters precipitatedthe natural process of their evolution. At

the heart of Jibaru, there rose a newbreed of phanatons who organized a socie-ty and eventually took over the region.

They got better at hunting spiders,thanks to their natural agility, but also dueto new hunting methods involving bait,nets, and missile weapons. They alsolearned to make blowguns to shoot nee-dles dipped in a paralyzing poison madefrom giant-spider venom. Although manyspiders still dwell in the region, there arefar fewer of them today. Phanatons thenbegan raising giant spiders in captivity, ascattle, but in order to renew their stock,phanatons performed occasional foraysinto Herath, whose forests were reputedfor their plump, juicy giant spiders.

Some unwitting araneas were caught intheir natural form and taken back to Ji-baru. Amazed phanatons later discovered�humans� among their catch, and notknowing what to do with them�certainly,they would not eat them!�the phanatonsreleased them. Phanatons came to believethese spiders to be the souls of very evilbeings. They were a bad omen. Since then,a prevailing suspicion among the phana-tons is that the people of Herath harboredevil spirits among them.

Survivors of the phanaton hunts re-turned to Herath, bringing tales of �fero-cious and intelligent phanaton hordes benton devouring the nation!� Herath dis-patched a heavily armed force to probethe region beyond the Forbidden High-lands. Soon they ran into a large phanatonwar band. Surrounded by what they pri-marily viewed as dangerous predators,Herathian officers (araneasl panicked andordered an immediate attack. TheHerathians were slaughtered almost to thelast, mostly because of the phanatons�blowguns. Several more Herathian �cru-sades� took place over the following dec-ades with the same horrifying results.

After what had happened with the cha-meleon men of Wallara (see episode #33,DRAGON issue #186), Herathian wizardswere reluctant to use overwhelming magicto destroy the phanaton clans. Their expe-ditionary armies being systematicallyeradicated, they finally decided to rein-force their defenses along the ForbiddenHighlands. Meanwhile, occasional raids byphanatons into Herath still took place,mostly to acquire venom for their blow-guns. Some hunting parties were wipedout. Others got through, but now with thenew habit of beheading capturedhumans�especially officers or nobles, andthus araneas�and shrinking their headsas war trophies. Despite the fact phana-tons developed a taste for fruit, vegetable,nuts, and even fish since their primitiveorigins, the two races have maintained avirulent hatred of each other.

The phanatons have gotten along fairlywell with the chameleon men of Wallara,especially since they discovered theircommon fear of the Herathians. Today,phanatons trade with the Wallarans, bar-tering whatever goods they can manufac-

46 DECEMBER 1992

ture. Garish piranha-bird feathers, wovenspider silk, and phanaton pottery are inparticular demand by the chameleon men.Emu eggs, giant termite larvae, and croco-dile skins are a favorite among phanatons.Also traded are occasional human-madeobjects, either stolen from Herath or trad-ed from a Texeiran outpost lying at theedge of The Horn, a sandy peninsula northof Jibaru, near the Trident Isles. It is apenal colony, with a fortified prison at thetip of The Horn.

Phanatons have sensed the differencebetween Herathians and the colonists ofThe Horn, but a relative distrust still pre-vails. Trade with Texeiran colonists takesplace occasionally when the latter sail upthe Jururu and Xinga rivers. Sometimes ahandful of escaped convicts will seekrefuge among the Jibaru. If anything goeswrong during such encounters, thesehuman visitors are likely to end up withshrunken heads as well. Rare tree resins,cocoa beans, vanilla, healing mosses, andsilver are what attracts the colonists to sailup the dangerous, piranha-infested rivers.

Soon after they had organized their firstsociety, Jibaru phanatons multiplied rap-idly. They established many more �clans,�usually centered around single villages ofno more than 300 individuals. Rivalriesand frictions grew among the clans untiltheir first clan war took place. The deathtoll was heavy. Fearing an attack fromHerath, shamans arranged a truce duringwhich the clan chiefs chose the greatestwar-chief as their king. The monarch hasusually little to do on a day-to-day basis,but when the nation is endangered, theking can summon the Council of Clans athis capital, the City of Itucua. The clanchiefs usually votes on major issues�theking counting for a full third of the totalvotes at the council. If the king has morethan half the votes, his wishes will berespected, or else the clan chiefs will go ondeliberating until a solution is found. If awar takes place, the king commands to allwar hordes of the Jibaru. Monarchyamong the Jibaru is hereditary. Within thepast decades, a small group of �nobility,� asmedieval humans would conceive it, has

grown from the ranks of shamans, clanchiefs, and minor war chiefs. There is nosocial difference between males and fe-males among the Jibaru, age alone beingthe way of sorting out who in a familyinherits a king�s or clan leader�s position.

Immortal patrons of thePhanatons

Ui�(alias Ordana) Head of the panthe-on. She commands the forces of nature.Patroness of the forest and protector of itspeople, Ui is the one who gave the phana-tons the spark of intelligence so they couldavoid total subjugation by Herath. Al-though an ally of Korotiku in the mainte-nance of the Hollow World, Ui despises hisspider folk, and loathes what they did toneighboring chameleon men followers ofher friend, Calitha Starbrow.

Mother-Earth (Marau-Ixui)�(aliasTerra) Patroness of birth, life, and death;the cycle of years and seasons; earth andfertility. She is the one who created theprimitive phanatons as natural predatorsto balance the aranean threat on the Sav-age Coast. Mother Earth is a friend of theStar Dragon and sympathizes with neigh-boring chameleon men. Shamans of Ui orMother Earth usually support good rela-tions with the Wallara tribes.

The Huntsman (Uatuma)�(aliasZirchev) Patron of the hunt, but also ofbravery, charm, and success among theclan. The Huntsman is a friend of Ui. He isthe one who guides the hunting partiesand the war bands during times of crisis.

P h a n a t o n s a s P C sAs an option, phanatons could be run as

player characters (or NPCs with levels).Here is a way they could be added to yourgame. It is suggested that PCs� game statis-tics be rolled with the standard 3d6 dicemethod.

Gliding: Phanatons can glide, usuallyfrom branch to branch, due to loose skinbetween its limbs. The distance a phana-ton can glide is equal to three times thestarting height. So, for example, if aphanaton jumped from a height of 30�, itcould glide over a horizontal distance of

PhanatonsSpecial Shaman�s Spell levels

Level XP HD abilities XP HD 1 2 3 41 0 1d8-1 Glide 0 1d8-1 - - - -2 1,800 2d8-2 � 3,000 2d8-2 1 - - -3 3,600 3d8-3 � 6,000 3d8-3 2 - - -4 7,200 — Fly 12,000 — 2 1 - -5 14,400 4d8 - 4 � 24,000 4d8-4 2 2 - -6 28,800 5d8-5 � 48,000 5d8-5 2 2 1 -7 56,600 — Pass plant 96,000 � 2 2 2 -8 112,200 6d8-5 � 200,000 6d8-5 3 2 2 19 225,000 +2hp** � 400,000 +2hp* 3 3 2 2

* + 300,000 XP per level thereafter.* * +2 hit point per level, Constitution bonus no longer applies.

Constitution bonuses should be added only when the PC is created and every time itgains a new level, up to 8th level.

48 DECEMBER 1992

90� maximum tat the rate of 50�/round).When gliding, a phanaton must spread itsarms and legs to catch the air, and there-fore cannot fight, cast spells, or do any-thing requiring two hands. For every 100cn of weight they carry, phanatons reducetheir horizontal gliding range by 20� forthe same loss of altitude as an unencum-bered phanaton.

Flying: At 4th level, phanatons can fly�that is, maintain level flight or gain alti-tude, but only if updrafts or normal windsare present. The phanaton can gain 10� ofaltitude for every 60� of horizontal dis-tance covered with normal winds (see theRules Cyclopedia, page 90). A strongbreeze will reduce the horizontal distanceto 30�. Phanatons do not fly in high orextreme winds.

Pass plant: Phanatons gain the magicalability to pass plant, as per the druidsfifth-level spell. They can use this abilityonce per day.

Shamans: Also called the �wise-ones,�they are chosen at birth and begin learn-ing the way of the shaman from a veryyoung age. They are entrusted with the

knowledge of reading and writing.They can only cast spells from the druid-

ic spell list (see the Rules Cyclopedia, page33). Shamans should have both a Wisdomand Charisma of 12 or better. If the Wrathof the Immortals accessory is used, sha-mans of Ui gain the ability to move silentlyand hide in shadows as thieves of the sameexperience level so long as they remain intrees. Mother Earths shamans gain themystic�s ability to speak with animals.Shamans of the Huntsman receive thegeneral skills of �Tracking� and �Alertness�plus any other general skills they mighthave.

Jibaru shamans must use up one skillslot in order to read and write their ownlanguage. Common Jibaru don�t have thatknowledge. Shamans must then chooselanguage skills to speak treant, dryad, andelven (if any such creatures exist in thephanatons home), before any other skills.Non-shamans may acquire Jibaru writingskills, but with an initial penalty of - 3 totheir Intelligence scores. Monarchs andother Jibaru leaders usually have that skill.

Miscellaneous: Phanatons are poor

swimmers, preferring their arboreal habi-tat. Phanatons do not have infravision.The more common, primitive (nonsentient)breeds of phanatons are normally clumsywith their hands. When fighting, they arelikely to drop objects (coconuts, branches)on their attackers, or bite them (1d6 pointsof damage), or use simple weapons(branches, stone maces, or other bluntobjects). Phanatons of Jibaru have learnedto use small spears, short bows, and blow-guns with needles dipped in a paralyzingpoison (save vs. poison or remain para-lyzed for 1d6 turns). Shields and armorare rarely used since they negate thephanaton�s ability to glide. All phanatonsare otherwise naturally agile (PC phana-tons must have a Dexterity of 16 or betterto qualify). Their natural AC is 9, with a+2 bonus to their AC and to all saving

throws due to their small size and agility.They have the following racial modifiersto their game statistics:

Abilities St In Wi Dx Co ChRace Max. 16 15 15 18 18 18*

Phanatons -2 -1 - +2 - -Shamans -2 -1 +1 +1 - -

* Natural Charisma applies only betweenphanatons, elves, treants, and dryads;otherwise, penalize Charisma - 1 whendealing with other humanoids, - 2 when

dealing with humans and demihumansother than elves. Phanatons and araneashave a relative Charisma of 3 when deal-ing with each other.

Names & language: Tapuru, Urua,Maragu, Araca, Ixaituba, Tuaca, Uapagu,Cacui, Jarapua, Gujari, Ixugu, Garanui,Axaua, Purucui, Palama, Tapaju, Uruxu,Itupaxingu, Macapui, Irigi. The Jibarulanguage does not have �e� and �o� sounds.The �x� is pronounced �sh,� and the lastvowel in the name is accented. Doublenames are usually a sign of nobility, asshown for the two queens mentionedearlier in this article.

The spoken language is still primitive asfar as grammar and syntax go, requiringmany gestures. The written languageotherwise requires an extensive library ofsymbols representing animals whosesounds come close to the desired syllables.Ideograms conveying ideas complementother written symbols available to Jibarushamans. The rest is left to the readers�interpretations.

Phanatons: AC 7, HD l-l, MV 90� (30�)or 150� (50�) gliding, AT 1 bite or weapon, D1d6 or by weapon, Save as F1 ( +2), ML 7,AL Lawful (any for PCs), XPV 5. Size: 4�tall.

If you write

Label t o u s a tD R A G O N ®

Your M a g a z i n e ,please labelthe outside of

Letter! y o u r e n v e -lope to show

what your letter contains � aletter to the editor, �Forum� sub-mission, request for guidelines,gaming article, short story, art-work, cartoons, or subscriptioncorrespondence. This ensuresthat the letter you send gets tothe right person. In the UnitedStates or Canada, write to:DRAGON Magazine, P.O. Box111, Lake Geneva WI 53147,U.S.A. In Europe, write to:DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd,120 Church End, Cherry Hin-ton, Cambridge CB1, 3LB,United Kingdom.

DRAGON is a trademark of TSR, Inc.©1990 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

DRAGON 49

A set of special swords from the AD&D® game�sFORGOTTEN REALMS® campaign

by Nathaniel S. Downes

Artwork by L. A. Williams

Calathangas(�The Rat Blade,� �The Sting of Xerastos�)

This unique sword first appeared over80 winters ago during a plague that sweptthe Dalelands. It was used by a warrior ofBattledale named Rathinor, who eventuallyfell fighting a band of thieves in the wood,killing and wounding several of thembefore he himself died. The rogues werenever seen openly again and presumablydisbanded.

The blade disappeared for 15 years,until a young and ruthless soldier namedXerastos bought it from a peasant for theprice of six sheep. He grew quickly toinfamy as captain of a small but powerfulgroup of adventurers. His enemies fearedhim no less because of rumors of an awfulcurse upon his sword than for his prowesswith the weapon.

Xerastos met his fate a decade later atthe hands of an eager paladin who soughtto destroy the blade. The paladin killed thewicked man and intended to return Cala-thangas to his church, but took ill beforecompleting his quest and disappeared. Theweapon has not been seen since.

50 DECEMBER 1992

Description: Calathangas is a shortsword with a very sharp steel blade and aplain hilt set with a white moonstone(worth 250 gp). It is + 1 to hit and + 3 ondamage. Although it is not intelligent, it isevil and inflicts lycanthropy (wererat)upon anyone who so much as holds theblade without passing a saving throw vs.spells; this check must be repeated eachweek the weapon is used.

In combat, anyone injured by the bladebut not actually killed by it has a 20%chance of contracting wererat lycanthro-py. The sword glows only when rats arewithin 50� of it; if the wielder so desires,he can summon and control 2d12 giantrats (30%) or 6d12 normal rats (70%).They arrive in 1-4 rounds if any are near-by. Should the wielder compete with avampire or other creature for control ofthe rats, Calathangas succeeds 70% of thetime.XP Value: 800

Dyerwaen(�Forester�s Friend�)

This unique weapon was forged by thegray elves of old Myth Drannor as the firstmen began to fill the Dalelands. It wasgiven to Torek Graybeard, the leader ofthe new human settlement, as a token offriendship between the two races. WhenTorek died childless, he gave Dyerwaen tohis nephew Tireen, who bore it proudlyuntil his disappearance six winters lateron a hunting trip.

The sword surfaced briefly 12 wintersago in the hands of a goblin raiding party.The goblins clashed with a passing groupof adventurers and were defeated; Dyer-waen was taken to Cormyr to be sold atauction, but was stolen by thieves enroute. It has not been seen since.

Description: Dyerwaen is a fine steelbroad sword with a rose etched along thelength of the blade; its hilt is tightlywound with green velvet. It is +2 to hitbut has no bonuses on damage. The weap-on sheds light (up to a 10� radius) when itswielder desires, glowing at no other time.

In a forest setting, Dyerwaen�s bearer is

camouflaged so as to be 90% invisiblewhen motionless, nor will he leave anytrace when traveling through such anenvironment. In addition, if the sword issuspended from a rope, the blade alwayspoints to true north. The wielder is enti-tled to use the Tracking and WeatherSense nonweapon proficiencies at a +2bonus on ability checks.

A few spell effects can be used by thewielder of Dyerwaen as well. He can in-voke invisibility to animals (P1) at will, orspeak with plants (P4) as a 7th-level priestonce per day. These powers require only acommand word and have an initiativemodifier of + 3.

Finally, elves and woodland creatures ofgood alignment regard the sword beareras though his charisma were one pointhigher, to a maximum of 18. Dyerwaen isitself chaotic good, although it has neverdisplayed any sign of intelligence.XP Value: 1,200

Elquillar(�The Sword of Many Faces�)

This unique blade has been difficult totrace but is at least 700 winters old. Al-though some scholars maintain that it wasforged by the elves to spy upon the activi-ties of young and rising races, it is proba-bly the work of a Calimshite illusionistnamed Akhir Ahad, who was forced toexcel in his sorcery by the power of hispolitical enemies. Legend has it that heconstructed the weapon to help him es-cape numerous assassins. Eventually, thenight rogues caught him, but not beforehe had passed the blade on to his mosttrusted bodyguard, whose name escapedthe record books. The latter used it tosuch effect that it is impossible to locate itwith certainty until some 300 winterslater, when it appeared at an auction inWaterdeep. A number of murders ensued,and the sword was again lost.

Its most recent wielder is said to be anassassin who calls himself �The Rider inWhite.� He is a well-educated individualwith an excellent reputation, workingartfully rather than with cruelty. Many ofthe little governments surrounding theInner Sea have at one time or anotherhired him to remove undesirables, thevictims often (though by no means always)being of evil alignment.

Description: Elquillar can change itsshape to become any type of sword, scimi-tar or dagger, though it�s always only + 1on attack and damage rolls. Such a trans-formation occurs whenever the wielderdesires another weapon to appear, and ittakes less than a round to complete. Multi-colored runes spelling out its name appearon the blade regardless of its currentshape or any efforts to conceal them.

Elquillar�s master may alter his ownshape as though wearing a hat of disguise(Dungeon Master�s Guide, page 170); thisrequires that the sword be kept on hisperson, though it needn�t actually be held(e.g., it can be in its scabbard). Further-

more, the bearer is protected as though bya ring of mind shielding (DMG, page 148),although in this case Elquillar must befirmly grasped in hand. Finally, wheneverthis weapon touches (or strikes in combat)a creature in other than its natural form,Elquillar returns the target to its trueshape. There is no saving throw againstthis effect. Thus a gold dragon, a shapechanged wizard, a vampire, a poly-

morphed griffon, or a doppleganger mightall be induced to assume their normalappearances at a touch.XP Value: 2,000

Evithyan�s BladeEvithyan was a high elven hero of old,

no less a skilled wizard than a warrior. Itis widely held that he fashioned this swordhimself, nearly 1,000 years ago in ancient

DRAGON 51

Myth Drannor, then used it to fight thedrow in the Underdark. When his timecame to pass over the sea to Evermeet, hegave the weapon to his apprentice, Caltha-lyon. In turn, the young elf used it to greateffect and eventually handed it to another.This changing of the guard lasted forseveral hundred winters, until one elf meta premature fate and the blade was lost.

It reappeared in Hillsfar 70 years ago inthe possession of a novice thief, who hadsomehow stumbled upon the weapon. Hewas poisoned in less than a week; al-though he survived, the sword was takenand has not been seen in the years since.

Description: This long sword has a well-balanced steel blade, the haft being ofmithril and set with a small emerald. Thesword is normally of + 3 enchantment.When used against the drow, however, itbecomes +5. On a natural 20, the bladedrains 2-8 Constitution points in additionfrom the dark elf, unless a saving throwvs. spells is made. The lost points can beregained at a rate of one point per day ofcomplete rest. Any elf who loses all Consti-tution points to the blade will die. Thedrow are aware of this and fear the weap-on accordingly; they must make a moralecheck whenever confronted by Evithyan�sBlade.XP Value: 2,200

52 DECEMBER 1992

Heart of Stone(�Gorgon�s Breath�)

Description: This short sword has anintricate silver blade with runes that spell�Heart� on one face and �Stone� on theother. Both the scabbard and the ratherspartan pommel are made of black ada-mantite.

The sword is + 3, though it cannot dam-age creatures from the elemental plane ofEarth. Such elementals will not normallyharm the bearer, however, unless pro-voked. On a natural 20, the target mustsave vs. petrification or be turned to stone;the bearer saves vs. petrification at +4.

The wielder may cast the followingspells once per day: meld into stone (P3,double weight capacity), passwall (W5),and stone tell (P6). In addition, any ofthese spells may be cast once each perweek: contact other plane (W5, elementalplane of Earth only), stone to flesh (W6),and stoneskin (W4). All spells are cast atthe 12th level of ability.XP Value: 5,000

Ice ClawThis sword was forged by the dwarves

of Citadel Adbar (see FR5 The SavageFrontier) centuries ago to stem theonslaught of dragons in the Ice Mountains.Their high king maintained the weapon inhis personal armory and bestowed it on aselect group of champions for specific

quests; it had no exclusive wielder andwas only seldom used. Dwarven traditionholds that Ice Claw has slain at least onedragon and three fiends during its colorfulhistory, as well as many lesser foes.

One hero failed in his appointed taskand lost Ice Claw to treachery; he shavedhis beard in shame, then left in exile torecover the blade. He died without success116 winters ago.

The sword remained lost for the betterpart of four decades before it eventuallyfound its way into the hands of one Cap-tain Farzahd of an obscure mercenarycompany. When he later tried to forcehimself on an elven maiden named Ulsha-nya, she slew him with her sorcery andtook the sword for herself. She is still anactive adventurer and travels across theRealms with the weapon.

Description: Ice Claw is a unique shortsword with a polished off-white blade thatis cool to the touch. The pommel is silver,twined with black adamantite thread andset with a large diamond (worth 5,000 gp).It is of lawful-neutral alignment (Intelli-gence 17, Ego 20), communicates byspeech (in Common or Dwarvish) or telep-athy, and can read writings of either mun-dane or magical nature when touched tothe open script.

This sword acts as a frost brand +3(DMG, page 185) with the special purposeof defeating dragons of any alignment.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Forgotten Realms and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by TSR Inc.

The wielder gains a +2 to all savingthrows and takes - 1 hp per die of dam-age sustained in combat against dragons(to a minimum of 1 hp per die). Ice Claw�sbearer is also immune to the aura of fearsurrounding some dragons.XP Value: 2,600

Neekar(�The Sword of Tongues,� �The Water-dhavian Diplomat�)

This unique blade first appeared centu-ries ago in the treasury of a noble house ofWaterdeep. It was lost in a duel with arival family, who in turn sold it a genera-tion later when the family briefly fell fromfortune. Both houses would doubtlesslypay a handsome sum for its recovery.

Description: Neekar is a steel broadsword with a plain silver pommel and anivory scabbard. Unlike most magicalswords, it sheds no light and has no com-bat bonuses. If a detect magic spell is castupon it, it proves to radiate an aura ofdivination. It is of lawful-neutral alignment(Intelligence 16, Ego 10), communicates byspeech, and can read nonmagical writings.

Neekar�s primary ability is its power tospeak in any language native to the PrimeMaterial plane, a function derived fromthe complicated use of a tongues spell inits creation. This is even applicable toarchaic or regional dialects. By the sametoken, it lets its wielder read any text

written in such languages merely bytouching the blade to the work (the swordunderstands such texts, too, reading what-ever is exposed to the blade�s �sight�). Nomouth or eyes appear on the weapon; itssensory abilities are purely magical innature, so it can see in every directionfrom its blade, and hear all that�s saidwithin a 60� radius. It cannot use telepa-thy, even with its wielder.

The weapon was meant to be an incon-spicuous aide in politics and is indeed ashrewd negotiator. It has a history ofparticipation in delicate treaties that it isquite proud of, and the sword is oftenwilling to parley on behalf of its wielderfor even trivial matters.XP Value: 1,000

NightwatcherThis unique blade first appeared on the

Sword Coast nearly 200 years ago in thepossession of a grizzled old adventurerwho claimed to have found it in an ancientruin deep within the Great Desert,Anauroch (see the FORGOTTEN REALMSCyclopedia of the Realms, page 23). Theold man gave it as a wedding present tohis eldest daughter�s fiance, and it thence-forth passed from father to son for fourmore generations until one used it to payoff his gambling debts.

Nightwatcher changed hands with bewil-dering frequency over the next 50 or 60

winters, showing up all across the Realms.It was finally purchased by an eccentricadventurer who met disaster in battlewith trolls 30 years ago. It has not beenseen since.

Description: Nightwatcher is a longsword with a very sharp, black-adamantiteblade and a silver-and-ivory pommel setwith a large black pearl (worth 500 gp). Itis a + 3 weapon that radiates no light.

The sword�s bearer can see at nightunder an open sky as well as if it weredaylight. All magical darkness within 30�of the blade is dispersed, though darknessof natural origin is unaffected, except asnoted above.

When planted firmly into the ground,Nightwatcher hums loudly if anyone withintent to harm its wielder approacheswithin 60�. This functions even if theindividuals are concealed or invisible,though Astral and Ethereal creaturescannot be sensed by the sword.XP Value: 2,400

Sword +2, shock bladeDescription: There are perhaps a score

or more of these magical weaponsthroughout the Realms. While of manysizes, the swords are often identified bythe large hilt-fitted opals used in theirconstruction.

Continued on page 119

54 DECEMBER 1992

DRAGON 55

Pi lo t you r c h o i c e o f f l i g h t - s i m u l a t o r s

KnightLineIn the interest of space, we�re trying to

write briefer reviews for most of thesoftware we discuss. Also, your letters andfaxes are of high priority to us, so pleasewrite to us when you have questions orhints for us. Please remember we live onthe West Coast, and our fax hours arefrom 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 PM Pacific time

Sierra (of King�s Quest and Quest forGlory fame) has acquired Bright Star Tech-nology. This is a clue that Sierra is plan-ning to enter the Macintosh softwaremarket more strongly. Bright Star is wellknown for its HyperAnimation technology,especially speech synthesis.

Sega has established the Sega YouthEducation and Health Foundation Charita-ble Trust. Initially funded with $3 millionfrom Sega of America and Sega Enter-prises, funding will continue through Segadonating a part of its cartridge sales in the

U.S.A. to the Trust. The first charity toreceive funding from the Trust is TheGeorge Lucas Educational Foundation, anorganization that seeks to improve educa-tion by creating new ways to integrateinteractive multimedia technologies withteaching and learning.

Electronic Arts has just signed a new,multiyear licensing agreement. Not onlywill Electronic Arts continue to publishSega cartridges, but you can expect thegame company to start producing games

Computer games� ratings

Aces of thePacific (Dynamix)

for the new Sega CD unit.Spectrum HoloByte is moving to larger

offices at 2490 Mariner Square Loop,Alameda CA 94501. It�s new telephonenumber is (510) 522-3584. You can lookforward to several new releases fromSpectrum during the next 18 months,including Operation: Fighting Tiger, A- 10Warthog, and Star Trek: The Next Genera-tion.

The Legends of Future Past (LOFP) gamehas debuted. This fantasy role-playinggame (FRPG) game resides on the DigitalDreams Network (DDN) operated by InnerCircle Software in Worcester, Mass. Accessis through your local TYMNET node. Char-ter membership is $49.95, which includesthe player�s manual, six hours of on-linecredit, free conversion of your characterfor play in LOFP, and no monthly member-fees during the first year. Regularmembership, which includes the player�s

DRAGON 57

* * * Good* * * * Excellent

X Not recommended* Poor** Fair

* * * * * Superb

manual and a $2 per month membershipfee, is $19.95.

The adventure takes place in Andor,Land of the Shattered Realms, starting inthe City-State of Fayd. With six main reli-gions, a Hall of Justice, guilds and shops,various skills, and eight races, there arebroad gaming possibilities ahead for mem-bers. Although we haven�t yet playedLOFP the environment as described in theplayer�s manual is quite intriguing. Forreaders of our column, a free copy of thequarterly DDN newsletter entitled Zephyris offered to you. Call (508) 757-5737 torequest it, or write to DDN at 1415 MainSt., Suite 760, Worcester MA 01603. Theinformation we received certainly attract-ed our attention!

H.E.L.P.From Sam Hernañdez and family of

Puerto Rico comes the following requests.�I�m stuck on level 11 of Eye of the Behold-er because I don�t know what to do in theRoom of the Key, so I can�t open the door.What do I do? Also, in Les Manley�s Searchfor the King, how can I get Helmut Bean togo with me? What do I spill on the hotelcarpet?�

David Endler of Naples, Fla., asks, �Ihave the game Beyond Zork and I�ve cometo a complete standstill. I read the hints inDRAGON issue #182 by Jake Haney, but Iam still stumped. How do you get past themonkey grinder? How do you get thehelmet out of the trench when the horse iscovering it? How do you fly the pterodac-tyl?�

Michael Lavoie of Nashua, NH., epito-mizes the character of most DRAGONreaders. Not only does he decide to help afellow gamer, but he assisted by answeringtwo queries posed by garners in ourcolumn in DRAGON issue #183:

�I have answers to two of the questionsposed in issue #183. First, Charles Linqueried about Eye of the Beholder II. If hehas gotten as far as he said, he must haveacquired all three parts of �Talon.� Simplyplace the Eye, Hilt, and Tongue of Taloninto the sword imprint (the sequencedoesn�t matter). This brings down thebarrier, leaving behind a useful item.�

If you don�t have the three parts, readthis hint from Allen Reaves of Ingleside,Tex.: �The Tongue of Talon was droppedby the frost giant who turns to dust afterhe finishes talking. The Hilt of Talon is onthe fourth level of the Azure Tower (thelevel that is infested with medusas andaerial servants). It is found under a pile ofbones in the two-by-two room where asecret door is opened to the west by press-ing a stone in the north wall (this is shortlybefore Dran traps the party and dropsthem into the frost giant prison). The Eyeof Talon is the gem used to open the dooron the second level of the Azure Tower(the level filled with basilisks and bulettes)past the pressure plate that moved a sec-tion of wall in front of the party. It is possi-ble you might have left the Eye of Talon in

58 DECEMBER 1992

Aces of the Pacific (Dynamix)

the wall (it can be removed without thedoor closing).�

Michael Lavoie continues:�The next query came from Sean Larson

regarding Spellcasting 101. If you do haveall the spells, then you must go to theHousemaster�s Suite in Frogkisser Houseand take the surfboard from the wall, Youneed the Dispar spell to get it (if you lackthis spell, have you negotiated the MaizeMaze yet?). Examine the dials on the boardand compare them to the map that camein the game box; their use should be obvi-ous. Take the surfboard to the boat dock,put it in the water, get on it, set the dials,and push the red button. A final note: Besure that you have the Kabbul spell (you�llhave to �bust� your way into the upperstacks) and the popular book, both in thelibrary. You absolutely cannot win thegame without them,�

There have been several requests fromgarners involved in FTL�s Dungeon Master.Ian Richmond from Michigan answers aquestion from Bruce Stevens from Colum-bus, Ohio. �The Neta and Ros paths domeet under the Demon Director, but re-quire two different solutions. To open thedoor through Neta, you force a skeletoninto the alcove. When this is one, �God�strikes it down with lightning. The ninjaway is to lead a skeleton into the teleport-er. When it is behind the door, pelt it withmissile weapons. That is why the rocks arein this room.�

If anyone wishes some exacting clues forthe Sega Genesis version of The Immortal,please send us an SASE and a note re-questing this information and we�ll sendyou a listing of hints and tips. This compi-lation was kindly completed by RobertaRizza and D. Urbano of Wallingford, Conn.Their list is far too extensive to print inthis column, but with their permission wecan send the material to anyone who

needs it.Yi-Zhon Liu of Palo Alto, Calif., has tack-

led both Bruce Kumsteen�s Secret of theSilver Blades questions, and Charles Roseand Inoo Labion�s Dragon Wars questionsposed in issue #183.

�In Secret of the Silver Blades, aftergetting the Staff of Oswulf, head north,then west, then north again to find a mal-functioning teleporter. Before steppingthrough, memorize all spells and heal theparty, as stepping through the teleporterinflicts about 30 hit points of damage onall members. You�ll face many umber hulksupon your arrival. You are now on levelnine of the mines. Journey south to themine shaft and kill the gargoyle guards tolift the wall of force blocking the shaft,Next, head down to the tenth level andinto the dungeon to find the three keysused in the Dreadlord�s Castle.

�In Dragon Wars, head to Nisir to findNamtar. Collect the treasure and DragonEyes near the stairway from the Under-world. Now, you can fight your waythrough a guard room or use a climbingskill to bypass it. Either way, you shouldfind yourself at the edge of a gap, withNamtar�s lair on the other side. Use theGolden Boots to get there. While you�re inSalvation, you should also show the Swordof Freedom to the Universal God (by usingit) to have it blessed, which enables it tocast an Inferno spell when used. The rockon the Faerie Bridge shows where the pitNamtar sprang from is located. To killNamtar once and for all, you need to bringhis body here and dump it in. I haven�tfound the Black Sickle yet, but the RustyAxes are more powerful than the Battle orWar Axes, although they do subtract threefrom your AV. To get to Namtar belowNisir, first get out of the starting rooms byusing Soften Stone spells, then head to thebig pit and cast an Air Summon spell.

Now, go through the doors, turn right,and cast a Soften Stone on the next wall.Proceed inward and then cast anotherSoften Stone spell to get into yet anotherroom, which leads you to Namtar�s lair.When facing Namtar�s army, you shouldcall the Dragon Queen with the DragonGem to skip the fight, saving your resourc-es for the fight with Namtar. Use the Free-dom Sword, Spiked Flail, Dragon Sword,Crush Mace, Gatlin Bow, and Magic Quiv-er, in addition to casting Rage of Mithras,Mithra�s Bless, Zak�s Speed, Cloak Arcane,Kill Ray, and other powerful spells. Keepyour magic potent by using the DragonEyes.�

Reviews

Aces of the Pacific (Dynamix)

Aces of the Pacific * * * *

Dynamix, PC/MS-DOSDarkseed (Cyberdreams)

For World War II Pacific Theater com-bat, nothing beats Aces of the Pacific(AOP). Whether taking off from an airstripor from an aircraft carrier, you will soonfind yourself in the thick of action againsttalented enemy pilots. Utilizing an inter-face similar to that of the Red Baron game,you have total flexibility in not only learn-ing how to fly your WWII fighters, butalso in starting your career and in choos-ing combat missions.

As is common with Dynamix games, theplayer�s manual is one of the most com-plete, thorough, and enjoyable publica-tions to accompany any game. Included isa quick run-through of how to pilot youraircraft and enter combat. The historicaloverview is thorough and interesting, butas we are all aware, garners want to diveinto the simulation and worry about read-ing later.

AOP is one of the easiest flight simula-tions to learn. Within five to ten minutes,you should be up engaging enemy Zeros.Read the section on proper flight andcombat practices, and you should becomequite successful. The only drawbacks wefound to this game are the rather static,motionless screen views if you fly onpatrol. Additionally, when we were divingat an enemy plane, the foe would on occa-sion stutter and shift positions as though amagic hand had propelled it forward or

Darkseed (Cyberdreams)

backward on the screen. This can ruinyour shot, so be aware of this.

All menu controls are point and click.Nothing could be simpler. With missionrecorders and realism panels that you canadjust, AOP is a great addition to yourflight simulation library.

This WWII flight/combat simulationrequires: DOS 5.0, 2MB of RAM, 20MHzCPU (80386 or better), a VGA graphicsboard, and a hard disk drive. You shouldalso have 610K of free conventional mem-ory and 311K of expanded memory (EMS).Joy stick, mouse, and Thrustmaster I/Odevices are supported. AdLib, Roland,ThunderBoard, and SoundBlaster soundcards are also supported.

DarkseedCyberdreams, PC/MS-DOS

* * *

Cyberdreams is on the right track, butthe implementation of its first offeringneeds some fine tuning. Yes, the H.R. Gigergraphics are absolutely awesome�you�dthink this adventure jumped right of theAlien soundstage! The graphic interfaceallows you to click your mouse button toactivate a specific command icon thatappears on your screen. You can click tocheck things out, pick them up, use them,and so on.

Darkseed offers excellent voice digitiza-tion, especially when coming from aninternal PC speaker. We imagine with aSoundBlaster, the digitization is even bet-ter. You can save games at any point andreplay them when you want. As the leadcharacter, Mike Dawson, you�ve escaped tothe new home you�ve purchased in Wood-land Hills in order to do some writing.Seclusion is what you wanted�horror iswhat you get, especially the kind of horrorin knowing that you must never lose disk#1 in the set because Darkseed uses thekey disk form of copy protection. Thismeans you must have disk #1 in your A or

B drive in order to play the game. We donot believe this form of copy protection isviable and recommend that Cyberdreamscome up with some other form of securityfor its games.

The documentation is poor, as it doesn�talert you that many �accomplishments�are required within certain periods oftime. You�ll figure out what you didn�tcomplete, and you then have to restartyour game from the beginning in order tocomplete the necessary activity. By thetime you�ve done this eight or nine times,it becomes extremely frustrating! Add thatsome of the items you need to retrieve areso small and so well hidden in the graphicsthat you could spend quite some timemoving your icon around the screen justtrying to find these important relics.

This adventure is a graphics delight,containing puzzles galore and great playa-bility. Cyberdreams is able to producegames that will excite consumers, but onlyif it listens to some of the complaints andworks them out before its next release.

This graphic adventure game requires atleast a 12MHz 80286 computer, 640KRAM, a VGA graphics board, and a harddisk. It supports AdLib and SoundBlastercards, mouse, and joy stick.

DRAGON 59

those with Macintosh systems, talk is thata new version is just around the corner,We hope so, for one of the outstandingfeatures of this flight simulator is the

cially when your friends are flying fromability to play opponents via modem, espe-

different systems.Spectrum HoloByte continues their

success with Falcon 3.0 for PC/MS-DOScomputers. With a wealth of material

rate maps and a troubleshooting card forthose who may not have enough systemmemory to run the game, this flight simu-lator continues to reign as one of the best,This flight/combat simulation requires:DOS 5.0. Recommended systems are: 2MBof RAM, 20MHz CPU, a VGA graphics

mouse optional.board, and a hard disk drive. Joy stick or

included in the game box including accu-

IFalcon 3.0 (Spectrum HoloByte)

with the game�s voice feature. The musicsoundtrack, when played through a Ro-land sound card, is outstanding.

Your Training starts with teaching youhow to take off and the basics of flyingthrough air-to-air and air-to-ground en-

them rather complex, Spectrum HoloBytewas thoughtful enough to include a realescape�the Escape key backs you up tothe previous screen.

gagements. You start by learning about thedifferent screens in the War Room and byselecting your flight squadron. Then youmove through pilot assignments and weap-ons loadings. You can even jump directlyinto battle with an Instant Action order!As there are a number of options, some ofFalcon 3.0 (Spectrum HoloByte)

Falcon 3.0 * * * * *

Spectrum HoloByte, PC/MS-DOSIf you want to know what it�s like to fly

and fight in an F-16 Fighting Falcon, Falcon3.0 is the flight simulator for you. Theprogram treats you as though you havesome intelligence. It not only offers asmooth, user-interface for maneuveringthrough the different selection screensthat offer exciting missions, but also awell-written manual that doesn�t talkdown to even a novice flyer. In fact, theireight-lesson Red Flag tutorial is the bestflight simulator tutorial we�ve used by far.One complaint though, and it�s a commonone when a software publishing companyreleases a thick manual, is that there isabsolutely no way to keep the page opento your tutorial when you�re in the thickof controlling your aircraft, We would liketo see more publishers using wire-ringspines when they know their manuals aregoing to be heavily referenced.

Falcon 3.0 has wonderful animation andtheir sound drivers are quite good. Due toIBM or clones� cheap quality, the voicefeature is rather tinny when playedthrough your internal speaker. We recom-mend that if you don�t have a SoundBlas-ter or similar sound card, don�t bother

60 DECEMBER 1992

The Autopilot feature is a great way tolearn about the F-16. During your tutori-als, it�ll even land the aircraft for you. Andif you decide to go into combat and arehaving some difficulty maneuvering toattack position, Autopilot will do its best tobring you in behind the enemy for someclear shots. You can even accelerate theAutopilot mode to bring you into combatmore quickly.

There are various views, so you�re notstuck just viewing the heads-up display.You get a chase-plane view, satellite view,and tracking view, all of which are rotat-able not only horizontally and vertically,but left and right as well. Watching your-self take off or land in the tracking view isa definite help in learning how to fly the F-16 correctly. You can even zoom in or outon your plane, or watch yourself from thevantage point of your wingman.

With an enormous variety of missionsfrom which to select, you are guaranteednever to be bored while piloting your F-16.The danger from enemy ground and airforces is immense. Falcon 3.0 is one flightsimulator every gamer should acquire. For

MinotaurBungie Software, Macintosh

* * * *

Imagine trying to develop an excitingmultiplayer adventure game not knowingwhat model of Macintosh computer any ofthe players possess. Add the requirementthat the game be played by modem or anAppleTalk network, and you have a predic-ament

Bungie has succeeded in this ratherdaunting task. The Minotaur fantasy ad-venture game not only meets all minimalexpectations�it exceeds them! However,an up-front warning! This is a tough game.We rarely lasted beyond the first 15-20minutes. Granted, the graphics are a littleless than what one might expect on aMacintosh game. For those playing inblack-and-white, any icons must be readilyidentifiable from others. This means largeicons to represent those 80-odd items to bepicked up) such as weapons, objects,spells, and armor. You�ll note that theseicons occupy a full �hex� on-screen. So, ifyou find a spell that normally comes in asmall bottle, it�ll look as big as your charac-ter.

To test this game�s playability, we en-gaged in a two-character duel using aMacintosh IIx with S-bit color and a Po-werBook 170 over both an AppleTalknetwork and by modem. The game slowswhen movement operations are beingprocessed for both characters simultane-ously, but there was no problem identify-ing who was who and so on. The key tothis game is not in moving your characterthrough the maze to find spells and weap-ons, but in learning how to counteractwhat your opponent(s) might have to useagainst you.

Via AppleTalk, you can participate in agame involving seven players. Movementis handled through your numeric keypad,your cursor arrow keys, or the followingkeyboard combination: �p� for up, �l� forleft, semicolon for down, and apostrophefor right. We found the lack of mousesupport quite annoying. In a multiplayergame, your target�s name and icon appearsto the left of the on-screen maze. If pulsat-

ing crosshairs appears over this icon, thatis your current target. You can press yourTab key to cycle through all your oppo-nents to select whichever target you wish.You can also designate other players as�friendly� using your plus key�however,rest assured many alliances dissolve in theheat of battle.

Attacking in a two-player game requiressome practice, so the publisher has includ-ed a single-player exploration mode thatallows you to explore the labyrinth tolearn what the icons represent and how touse them. In this mode you can�t die, butneither can you kill. Two disks come withthe package as well as two commandcards.

Minotaur would, we believe, do well onan on-line service such as America On-line,GEnie, or CompuServe. We don�t know ifsuch discussions have taken place there,but they should be considered. Minotaur isa terrific game for telecommunicationgarners but could withstand a new versionthat fully supports the Macintosh mousefor character movement.

This adventure game for at least twomodem players requires System 6.0.5 orgreater (and is System 7 compatible), 1MBof RAM for black-and-white play, an 8-bitvideo card and 2MB for color.

Prince of Persia * * * * *

Broderbund Software, MacintoshIf you aren�t an arcade game junkie yet,

get your hands on this excellent offeringfrom Broderbund. We ran Prince of Persia(POP) under System 7 on both our Macin-tosh IIx and our PowerBook 170 and weredelighted with its playability. Withthoughtful consistency in the use of theMacintosh human interface guidelines,POP will leave you wondering where allthe hours went! Once you start, addictionis the result of your having to ponderpuzzles while under a time limit that addsto the game�s enjoyment. You will getfrustrated, as you�ll forget some of thepaths taken earlier to avoid traps or getthrough obstacles. If you fail to complete alevel by getting killed, you have to startthat level over again. There is no saving agame in the middle of a level. Fortunately,you can save your game as you succeed atgaining the upper hand over levels.

For our taste, there is too much copyprotection. Each time you wish to restartyour game from a saved level or progressto a new level, you must enter the firstletter of a word designated in your usermanual. Granted, the way you enter thatletter is unique�your character must findthe potion with the correct letter assignedto it and drink it�before the next leveldoor will open. When you consider thenumber of times your character is goingto die, this becomes disruptive as youponder how to better yourself on yournext level attempt. You can simply restartthe level, but whatever time you used onyour previous attempt is no longeravailable�you�re off and running again

Red Baron (Dynamix)

with less time than before. That�s why wepreferred to open a saved game, so thatthe remaining time factor was in ourfavor.

It�ll take you three or four starts to getthe hang of the numeric keyboard assign-ments for your on-screen persona, whomust rescue the Sultan�s daughter and thethrone from the evil mitts of the GrandVizier Jaffar. As he has tossed you into thedungeons with nary a possession, it takesquick action and quicker wit to masterthese 12 complex levels. When death doescome to you, either from a fall from agreat height, snapping metallic jaws, ornasty spikes, the gruesome result is seenon-screen. Learn from your mistakes!

POP offers some of the most fluid anima-tion ever offered and 250 rooms packedwith action. POP is the best arcade/actiongame we�ve played on the Macintosh, andwe highly recommend it to all garners!

This arcade/adventure game, a newconversion to System 7, requires 2.5MB ofRAM for black and white game and 4MBof RAM for color game. For System 6.0.2to 6.0.7, it requires 2MB of RAM for eitherblack-and-white or color game. A harddrive is required.

Red BaronDynamix, Macintosh

* * * * *

This is a great offering from Dynamix.While Hellcats Over The Pacific fromGraphic Simulations proves polygonalgraphics offer superior screen animation,Red Baron (RB) shows what can be accom-plished by a publisher who takes the timeto convert a PC/MS-DOS game to the Mac-intosh environment. Featuring smooth-frame animation, good sound effects, andexciting missions, RB is as much a �must-buy� for Mac garners as Hellcats. Heck,

Red Baron (Dynamix)

you can never have enough good flightsimulations in your library!

We found flying using the keyboardcommands to be the most effective. Allmenu selections are point-and-click, ena-bling you to dive right in and battle afamous ace, fly a single mission, or godirectly to the career menu. If you try thelatter, you select either a career in theRoyal Flying Corps or the German AirService in December of 1915. Your missionassignments are quite varied and includeattacking Zeppelins, dogfighting enemyplanes, and protecting recon missions.Should you survive and find promotion toFirst Lieutenant or Oberleutnant, you nowbecome the flight leader and are responsi-ble for one other pilot�s actions. Make it tocaptain and you command four planesplus your own, which you can paint toyour own specifications. Try for the Victo-ria Cross or the Red Eagle Order medals.The ultimate achievement is to earn morevictories than Frenchman Rene Fonck (75)or Rittmestier Manfred von Richthofen(80) and become the ace of aces.

Various views are available that allowyou to scan the sky or ground for targets,You can compress time if you are in a

DRAGON 61

record your mission for later playback.Maps are included to help you with yourvarious missions, and you get one of themost exhaustive manuals published. Itcontains not only the control documenta-tion you need to learn to fly the plane, butalso a wealth of information in its histori-cal overview sections. RB is an excitingflight/combat simulator, and for color Macgarners it�s a great addition to your soft-ware game library.

hurry to meet some objective and you can

This WWI flight/combat simulationrequires: a hard disk, SuperDrive, 8-bitvideo card, 2MB RAM for System 6.x or3.5MB for System 7. The simulation alsosupports the Gravis joy stick.

Clue corner

Dungeon Master (FTL Games)1. In the starting room, put the torch in

the sconce to open a jumping hallway. Animaginary wall opposite the sconce has afull suit of chain mail behind it. Be sure toopen the teleporter using the Ful bombsand Ven potions, so you�ll have a returnroute from Ros.

2. Instead of going to the FulYa pit, justreturn to the starting room. To do this,just fall down a pit in the Corbum BombPillar room. Each return trip to the Sup-plies for the Quick room grants new trea-sures. Also, check for secret walls here.

Might and Magic III (New World Com-puting, Amiga version)

1. Inside the pyramid on the Isle of Fire,you can obtain an Interspatial Transport Boxthat can teleport your party just about any-where. It seems to have unlimited uses.

2. The following locations have one ofthe hologram sequence cards: Fortress ofFear, Halls of Insanity, Dark WarriorsKeep, Cathedral of Carn, Tomb of Terror,Maze from Hell.

3. These locations cannot be teleportedto, but can be teleported from: CastleWhiteshield, Castle Bloodreign, CastleDragontooth, Whiteshield Dungeon, Bloo-dreign Dungeon Dragontooth Dungeon,and Central Control.

4. For those who do not wish to spend alot of time in the Maze from Hell, here arethe coordinates for the Hologram card andthe Ultimate Adventurer Fountain. Youcan use a series of teleports to get to thelocations and, with luck, not run into anyencounters:

Water Mane Fountain: X14, Y19.Hologram sequence six: X27, Y23.5. You need to be an Ultimate Adventur-

er and possess the Blue Priority AccessCard to get to the end of the game. Thecard can be obtained by bringing 11 orbsto any of the kings. In an earlier issue ofthe column it was said that you onlyobtain one million experience, no matterhow many orbs you present. I found that

62 DECEMBER 1992

the kings give you one million experiencefor each orb you bring them

6. For 100,000 gold each, your charac-ters gain every skill in the game (includingThievery) inside the Halls of Insanity.

Eric R. SmithClovis NM

Prophecy of the Shadow (SSI)1. Berrin has the white key to Larkin�s

workshop that is northwest of Larkin�shouse.

2. Search the doormat at Larkin�s houseto find the iron key, which opens thehouse.

3. The bandit camp is north of town.The password is �Znfandel.� Kill the MageHunter to get the Death Warrant, whichyou should give to Berrin.

4. The wizards tower is northeast onthe island. You need to use a rope to enter.Kill the zombie.

5. The glasses are useless, but the sev-ered head and the platinum catalyst areuseful.

6. Use Larf�s staff to activate the tele-porters to leave the island. To find them,look for pair of conical stones placed nextto one another. Stand between the stonesand use the staff.

7. You need to show the scroll Berringave you to both guilds� masters. Garen�shouse is northeast of Silverdale andGerald�s house is due west.

8. The Torlok cave is in the center of theGreat Forest (inside, you must get theChieftain�s tongue). The library is a littleeast of the cave area in the Great Forest

9. Use the Teleporter southwest of With-ering Lands to get to the last High Gazer.Find the Eternal Lamp there.

10. Enter the ruins in the WitheringLands�you can find the Earthen staff bysearching the corpses.

11. Once the guild masters have beenkilled by Mage Hunters, you can use theDeath Warrant to gain entrance to GraniteKeep. Find the Everful Flask. Fiona themaid will give you a key to Cam Tethe�sroom. Kill Tethe to get the key to theDungeon, where you can free the Prin-cess. If Tethe is too tough, engage him inmelee for only one or two rounds, thenexit. He doesn�t follow. Heal yourself andfight him again. Repeat, if necessary�hehas about 100 hit points.

12. Free the Princess and she gives youthe key to the torture chamber. Use thekey to enter and get the evil adornments.

13. Wear the evil costume to enter thetemple in the Town of Malice. Get themagic fan that can turn you invisible.

14. Walk on the plants to enter FellSwamp. Talk to the witch Esme on theisland. Give her the severed head. The acidcan be purchased in many places. Thespider venom can be obtained by killingspiders in the Mage Tower that the Last

High Gazer sends you to. The Pango fruitis on a bush in the SW corner of the With-ering Lands, near an abandoned house.

15. The Shadow Sword can be found atthe bottom of the silver mine, locatednorth of Silverdale near the coast.

16. Use the teleporter just above thetemple in Malice to get to Abruxus� castle.Place the four �elemental� objects on thecorrect pedestals: Fan (air), Flask (water),Eternal Flame (fire), Earth Staff (earth).Take the appearing door to Abraxus. Castthe spell that the witch gave you onAbruxus and then kill him with theShadow Sword. Use the same techniqueyou used against Cam Tethe becauseAbraxus has about 200 hit points.

17. Also, drink any strength potions youcan obtain. Train with the Guy in Gladeand drink Gazer Icor. These all raise yourstats.

18. There is an Orb of Sight that a MageHunter possesses in the library. There is aPack of Holding that can be found in thesewer system below Granite�it allows youto hold over 50 additional items.

Scott FerrignoColumbia CT

We want to thank everyone who hasgraciously responded to reader queriesafter the answers have been published.The time they take is much appreciated,even if their names aren�t published. Keep

up the good work by sending your com-ments, hints and tips to: The Lessers, 521Czerny Street, Tracy CA 95376. Until nexttime, game on!

Moving Away?

If you have a subscription and planto move soon, please let us know atleast six weeks beforehand. If youlive in the United States or Canada,send your old address, your newaddress, and your most recent mail-ing label to: Subscriptions Depart-ment, DRAGON® Magazine, P.O.Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147,U.S.A. If you live in the United King-dom, send the above informationt o : S u b s c r i p t i o n s D e p a r t m e n t ,DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cam-bridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom.The more quickly you let us knowabout your move, the easier it is forus to keep your subscription going.We might not be able to replace cop-ies of the magazine that you miss!

DRAGON is a trademark of TSR, Inc.©1990 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved

64 DECEMBER 1992Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by TSR Inc.

66 DECEMBER 1992

he city of Dartmor sprawled untidilyalong the shores of the riverFoamfleck. It was neither the largestcity in the region nor the most beauti-ful. In fact, its only distinguishingfeature was the excellence of itsthieves� guild, a distinction that the

city council preferred not to advertise. Despite the coun-cil�s best efforts, however, �as slick as a Dartmor thief�had become something of a byword in the area.

The Thieves� Guild of Dartmor was located in a largeand ostentatious stone mansion in the nicer quarter of thecity. Not that everybody knew this, of course, but theobservant had noticed that, despite the apparent affluenceof the mansion�s owners, nobody knew precisely who theywere or how they managed to pay for the upkeep of theproperty. Moreover, there was the undeniable fact thatTenebre Place had never had so much as a windowbroken �much less been robbed�in the century that ithad been standing. Until very recently, that is.

The current head of the Thieves� Guild went by thesobriquet of Nightshadow. She had straight raven-blackhair, emerald-green eyes, and a temper that was uncertainat the best of times. She was just over five feet tall andappeared to be a descendant of the elusive elven race,except that her distinctly pointed ears were matched by aset of equally pointed teeth. Just at the moment, thoseunnerving teeth were bared in a grimace that was mostdefinitely not a smile.

The master thief was furious. She was both a lightsleeper and cautious to a fault, but sometime in the earlymorning, while she had been sleeping following a particu-larly successful cat burglary, somebody had stolen a veryprecious object from her and escaped entirely unnoticed.Only the single item had been stolen: a silver chain bear-ing an onyx pendant in the shape of a leaping cat. Whatmade matters worse was that the chain had been aroundher neck at the time of the theft, for she never removed itfrom her person.

The entire guild was in an uproar. It was not consideredgood form to steal from another guildmember, let alonethe guildmistress herself. There were a great number ofanxious faces in the stately halls of Tenebre Place, andmore than a few knocking knees, for Nightshadow wasdeterminedly interviewing every guildmember she couldfind.

The master thief�s office was on the top floor of thebuilding, in the northwest corner. It was expensively fur-nished in dark woods and heavy brocades, and the floorwas covered by a plush, wine-red carpet that glinted withgold thread. Nightshadow�s unadorned, black-clad formappeared almost out of place in the midst of such luxury.She was sitting behind a massive oak desk, with a hastilyprocured list of the current guild membership in one handand a writing stylus in the other. A tall man with darkeyes and closely cropped brown hair stood slightly behindand to her left. A pale scar ran from his right temple tothe corner of his mouth, giving him a twisted, enigmaticsmile that was as chilling in its own way as Nightshadow�sunusually pointed teeth. His long, slender hands wereclasped under his chin, and the silent, impassive stare with

SomethingFamiliar

by Eliza Erskine

Illustrations by Jeff Menges

DRAGON 67

which he fixed each testifying guildmember was calculatedto unnerve even the most hardy and cold blooded amongthem.

This was Perik Quinn, a diviner by trade, a mage ofconsiderable skill who had been cast from his own guildmany years before for reasons that he did not speak of andnone dared ask. In the Thieves� Guild, one did not pryinto such matters. Quinn was Nightshadow�s partner inbusiness, and they had been an exceptionally successfulteam for the past decade, a diviner�s skills being of greatvalue to the enterprising master thief. The mage wasamong the very few to know the true significance ofNightshadow�s missing pendant, but he was not one toshare secrets.

It was many hours later when a tired and frustratedNightshadow rose from her chair and wearily shut theheavy office door behind the last of the available guild-members. There were still a number of people to trackdown and question, but for the moment she had hadenough. She turned to face Quinn, her features suddenlyimpassive. They looked at each other for several mo-ments, each assessing the other�s thoughts.

Abruptly, Nightshadow spoke, her voice harsh.�You know that there must have been magic, powerful

magic, involved in this theft.�Quinn nodded. He knew what she was going to ask

next, and his shoulders tensed involuntarily. He moved afew steps toward her but halted reflexively as she laid ahand on the hilt of her dagger.

�Perik, I must know. Did you have any hand in thisoutrage? You are the most obvious suspect, for not only doyou have access to my rooms, but you know how losingmy talisman affects me.�

Keeping his eyes on hers, the mage sank slowly to oneknee.

�Terilanelon Eiwonythwyn,� he said quietly, using hertrue name, �I swear to you in the name of the Lady ofMagic that I was not party to this deed in any way, man-ner, or form.�

The master thief considered this for what seemed toQuinn a very long time, her face utterly devoid of emo-tion. Then she relaxed-her stance, and the tension in theroom eased perceptibly.

�Very well, Perik, I believe you,� she said, her tone nolonger harsh, but full of steel. �I will have my spies� re-ports by tomorrow morning, but I do not wish to remainidle until then. What do you suggest we do next?�

Quinn stood gracefully and bowed slightly to her.�Next, O Guildmistress, I suggest that I try to discover

some information by magical means. It is a risky endeav-or and time consuming, but well worth it if it works.�

Nightshadow assented silently. She went to a corner ofthe room and pulled aside a tapestry. The wall behind itlooked perfectly solid, but at a touch from the master thiefit slid into a recess, leaving a narrow opening into thepassageway beyond.

�I will watch over you as you work,� she said to themage, motioning him into the passage. �I fear that who-ever took my talisman may realize that you are my besthope for recovering it and try some mischief upon yourperson while you are lost in a trance.�

68 DECEMBER 1992

Perik Quinn decided not to question her motives. It wasprobable that they were entirely centered on the speedyrecovery of her pendant, but part of him wished to believethat she was also concerned about his well-being. He ledthe way to his ritual chamber in silence.

The room was a large one, but this was not immedi-ately obvious as it was cluttered with the accumulatedapparatus of many years. There were two windows, butboth were heavily shrouded in velvet, and the room wasnearly dark. Quinn lit a half-dozen candles and set themabout the room. Inlaid in silver into the floor, in the cen-ter of the room, was a large pentagram inside which layan ornate mirror perhaps three feet in diameter. As Night-shadow watched, Quinn gathered up the necessary com-ponents and arcane items he needed for his spells. Hispreparations completed, the diviner stepped into the pen-tagram, laid the items he carried on the floor, and seatedhimself crosslegged on a small cushion in front of the mir-ror. He then made a complicated gesture in the air withhis hands and spoke a sharp word of command.

The mirror began to glow brightly, then it rose off thefloor to hover in front of Quinn, just at head height. Witha glance over his shoulder at Nightshadow, he set to work,occasionally staring for long periods of time into the mir-ror. Seeing that the mage was wholly engrossed in hisspells, Nightshadow stationed herself near the door, anearly invisible figure in the wavering light of the candles.

The sun had set completely by the time the diviner satback from his scrying mirror and looked around blearilyfor Nightshadow. He blinked, unable to find her, thenjumped as she spoke from just beyond the wardingpentagram.

�Well, magus, what have you found?�Quinn rose unsteadily and sought out his most comfort-

able chair. Nightshadow handed him a glass of red wineand a thickly buttered slice of bread, and looked hopefullyat him. The room was now lit solely by the light of themirror, which Quinn had not yet dismissed.

Sipping thirstily at the wine, the mage tried to gatherhis thoughts.

�Well,� he said at length, swallowing the last of thebread, �I have discovered that your talisman is currentlyin the possession of an old acquaintance of mine, a manby the name of Pal Revin. He is currently examining it inhis laboratory, and he is very pleased with himself.�

Nightshadow hissed under her breath and fingered thewell-worn hilt of her favorite longsword.

�There is more,� Quinn continued, frowning. �Al-though I was very cautious, I believe that Revin was alert-ed to my presence by magical means. Shortly after Ibegan observing him, some kind of ward sprang up andprevented any further scrying. I then tried to determinewhether he had accomplices within the guild, but withoutsuccess. I do not think that he does. Revin is more thancapable of committing such a crime without aid, and he istoo cautious to bring in witnesses unnecessarily.�

Nightshadow raised a slanted eyebrow.�You seem to know this Pal Revin well, Perik. Was he a

man of power in your old guild?�Quinn met her gaze with a curiously twisted expression

on his face.

�Revin was my teacher. All that I know of the Art heknows and more. He is the man whose accusations weresufficient to have me expelled from the guild. He is a verydangerous person to cross.�

Nightshadow bared pointed teeth. One almost had theimpression of a tail lashing angrily behind her.

�And I am a very dangerous person to steal from,Perik. Tonight, I think that I will pay a visit to this slimysoul-stealer, to reclaim what is mine and perhaps a bitmore into the bargain.�

Quinn sighed as deeply as she had earlier that day.�I will accompany you, Shadow. Somehow I feel that I

should. But be warned that Revin is neither a fool nordefenseless.�

Nightshadow opened the door into the main corridor ofthe upper story of the mansion. She blinked in the yellowglare of flickering torches. Suddenly a thought struck her,and she turned back toward Quinn, who was slumpedover in his chair with his face in his hands.

�Perik?�He looked up, squinting against the light.�Yes?�Nightshadow looked around cautiously. Nobody was in

sight.�How would Revin know of my talisman, and why

would he want it?�The mage looked at her somberly.�Pal Revin studies cat-lore. He has spent decades re-

searching the various myths about cats, and he is obsessedwith finding and collecting artifacts associated with felines,most especially those created by the Cat Lord himself,whom Revin knows well to be no myth.�

Nightshadow felt a cold fear settle in the pit of her stom-ach. A man who knew of the Cat Lord, the powerful andmysterious Felis Rex, could be a grave threat to her. Herlife was inextricably linked to that of the Cat Lord and hisminions. She turned sharply on one heel and shut thedoor to Perik�s workroom. Once in her own rooms, shechanged into her working attire: tight-fitting black hose, ablack silk tunic, and supple black boots. She was just ex-amining her rope for thin or frayed portions, when therewas a tap at her door.

A key scraped in the lock and Quinn stepped into theroom, garbed much as she was. He had not made a badthief, Nightshadow reflected to herself, although it wasrare that he actually left the guild on assignment. Shepaused for a moment to admire the slender, muscled fig-ure framed in the doorway, before slinging her swordacross her back (for ease in climbing) and hooking herrope onto her belt.

They made their way silently through the lower levels ofthe guild, which were far below the supposed basement ofTenebre Place. These levels gave access to the sewer sys-tem, and to the secret tunnels known to members of theThieves� Guild as the Underway. The passages of the Un-derway were damp and chill, and dimly lit by irregularlyspaced torches. Quinn was glad when, after somewhat lessthan ten minutes of walking, they exited the Underway intoa narrow alley between two large buildings.

Quinn peered around the corner of one building andpointed to a stone towerlike structure standing alone in

the center of a large, cobbled courtyard. Nightshadowpursed her lips in a silent whistle. Of course! She hadalways known that the mage who inhabited the tower wasfond of cats, but she had never bothered to find out whohe was, as one of her basic tenets of thieving was not tomeddle with mages. Except Perik, of course, but he was adifferent case, though now and then even he could be asaloof and frightening as any guild magus�which, afterall, he had once been.

Slowly and silently, the master thief and the mage madetheir way to the tower. Nightshadow regarded the rough-hewn stonework with professional contempt, for it wouldbe an easy climb even without rope. With a last look atQuinn, who shrugged, she started to make her way up-ward to a dark window some twenty feet above the court-yard. Quinn watched her for a few seconds beforeconcentrating his gaze on the surrounding area. Thestreets were deserted in this residential area, well awayfrom the inns and taverns of the riverside. The only trafficthat Quinn saw pass was a handsome coach, which spedby with a great clatter just as a long rope came snakingdown the side of the tower to dangle a few inches fromQuinn�s head.

Waiting only until the noise of the. coach�s passage haddied away, Quinn muttered a brief but heartfelt prayer tothe Lady of Magic and began to ascend the tower wall. Itwas with great relief that he swung his leg over the win-dow ledge and dropped lightly to the floor inside. Hisrelief was short-lived.

Even as Nightshadow began to pull up her rope, therewas a sudden glare of light, and Quinn realized, too late,which room they had broken into. Dropping her rope andtrying desperately to adjust her eyes to the sudden light,Nightshadow whirled around, drawing her weapons.Quinn, who in the last ten years had learned much ofthieving but little of swordcraft, did not even bother topull out his dagger.

Pal Revin, Quinn�s former mentor, was a man of aver-age height, with a slight paunch and graying hair. He wasstanding in the doorway of his laboratory leaning on aniron-bound staff, the tip of which shone with bright light.A large tabby sat attentively at his feet, apparently muchinterested in the proceedings. Revin scrutinized his in-truders carefully before permitting himself a broad grin.Quinn realized, without much surprise, that they hadbeen expected.

�Good evening, Perik! I did so hope that the puzzlingNightshadow would bring you along with her this evening.�

Quinn, his face set in an unreadable mask, caughtNightshadow�s arm as she began to make her way aroundthe heavy marble table that separated them from Revin.She snarled at him, but he didn�t let go. He spoke quietly.

�Shadow, he�s protected by a number of peculiar andunpleasant wards. I wouldn�t get too close if I were you.�

Nightshadow swore but stopped advancing. Quinnslowly released his grip.

Revin leaned his staff against the wall beside him andremoved a familiar pendant from about his neck. He dan-gled it provocatively from his right hand so that the leap-ing cat-form showed clearly against the light from hisstaff.

DRAGON 69

70 DECEMBER 1992

Despite herself, Nightshadow hissed and lunged for-ward, her green eyes glowing with murderous rage.

�Give that back to me, wretch!�Her sword sliced through a variety of intricate and very

expensive glassware, which crashed to the floor, utterlydestroyed. Revin looked annoyed as the master thiefleaped to the tabletop and sprang at him with amazingagility, There was a crackle of fire, and Nightshadow washurled backward, badly burned, her sword spinning fromher grasp.

Quinn winced in sympathetic pain from his vantagepoint near the window, Revin cleared his throat.

�Now that you have had your chance at a little unprovok-ed mayhem,� he said in an unpleasant, almost venomoustone, �perhaps you will be more inclined to listen to me.�

Nightshadow, rising painfully from the floor, said noth-ing, Her eyes flicked toward her sword, but, she made nomove to reach for it.

�This pendant,� Revin continued, keeping a close eyeon the thief, �interests me greatly. I can divine that itgrants you some sort of shapechanging ability, but thereare unusually strong magics in it that I do not compre-hend. What I would like to know is more about Nightsha-dow, to whom it is closely attuned,�

Nightshadow glowered at him unhelpfully.Revin did not seem to be upset by this. His expression

was smug as he started to chant the words of a magicalritual, gesturing rapidly with the hand that held the me-dallion, Nightshadow backed quickly away toward thewindow and Perik Quinn, who looked furious and wasshouting something about illegal magics. Suddenly, Night-shadow felt her gaze caught and held by Pal Revin, andshe was unable to move.

�If you try to cast a spell, Quinn,� she heard Revin sayto the younger mage, �I will deal with you in ways thatwill make your expulsion from the guild look pleasant.�

For just a moment, Quinn�s impassive features regis-tered an expression of sheer hatred, Then he shruggedand clasped his hands tightly in front of him, tacitly bow-ing to Revin�s order.

�Now, little one,� Revin said, turning his full attentionon Nightshadow, �tell me truthfully, from whom did yousteal this trinket?�

�I did not steal it,� Nightshadow heard herself reply.Revin�s eyes gleamed intently.�Then where did you obtain such a thing, little thief?�Nightshadaw struggled not to answer, fought the urge

to tell her secret to this pitiless questioner, but in vain.�My father gave it to me when I was born,� she said, in

a strangled voice.At least, Quinn thought sourly, Pal Revin has the grace to

look surprised. After all, it isn�t often that you meet the only livingchild of the Cat Lord.

Revin was almost trembling with excitement.�Prove that this talisman is your birthright,� he com-

manded the ensorcelled thief.Quinn breathed in sharply, Revin was tampering with

something that he did not understand, and his formerstudent hoped fervently that he would pay for it in blood,

Nightshadow blinked once, and in her place was a hugeblack cat with brilliant green eyes and whitely gleaming

fangs. The cat favored Revin with a pointed grin but didnot move. Mere mortal magic could not hold the CatLord�s daughter when she was in her true form, but Revinstill had her pendant. Still, at least her thoughts were freeof the mage�s obscene control. And he will pay for the theft,she promised herself, and for every humiliation. Bloodlustrose within her, but she quelled it with an effort. No, shethought, blood is not enough. The punishment must fit the crime.

Her eyes alighted on the overfed tabby at Revin�s feet,and all at once she knew how to hurt this proud, stupid,mortal,

Good evening little brother, she thought to the tabby.The tabby stiffened, its tail twitching nervously.Good evening, my Lady, it replied, knowing the voice,

though it had never heard it before.You serve one who seeks to hurt me, Nightshadow told it in

menacing tones.The tabby cowered, terrified by the power of the Lady.And the giant black cat grinned just a little wider. Re-

venge was going to be sweet. Perik Quinn had not really noticed Revin�s familiar

earlier, as he had been preoccupied with other things. Henoticed it now, however, as it leaped suddenly from thefloor and slashed its former master across the face beforedarting from the room. Revin screamed, an agonizing,heart-rending howl of pain. Then he collapsed to the floorand lay still, his features deathly pale.

For a moment, Quinn was utterly stunned. Beyondneed for explanation he knew the cause of that anguishedscream and felt an echo of the pain in himself. He thoughtof Petryl, and of the pride he had felt in the friendship andcompanionship of the young kestrel until she had beentorn from him, ripped apart by magical energies no merebird could survive. For that more than anything else PerikQuinn hated Pal Revin. Harder to bear than any of thehumiliations Revin had heaped on his too-capable appren-tice, the murder of his familiar had left a scar that twentyyears had not healed. And now, it seemed, vengeance hadindeed been taken, and justice served.

Quinn was recalled from his bleak memories by a gentlenudge on his leg. The black cat was glaring expectantly athim, as though he were supposed to know what to donext. Oh yes, Quinn thought, still fighting the shock ofwhat had transpired, and the lingering pain that it hadevoked. She needs the pendant.

For the truth of the matter was that, contrary to popu-lar belief, Terilanelon did not need her pendant to assumethe shape of a cat, but rather to assume the humanoidshape in which she was more frequently seen.-She was notan elf who could become a cat, but a cat who could, withthe help of the pendant, become an elf. She preferred thebipedal form because, when she remained long in catform, she found herself becoming more instinctive andless rational.

Quinn muttered a few words and walked slowly over topeer at the unconscious form of Pal Revin. Unfortunately,the older wizard was still guarded by protective magic.Tensing his shoulders, Quinn forced himself to reach forthe pendant, still clutched in Revin�s grasp. You�ve been hurtbefore, he told himself, and you survived it then. Quickly, be-fore he could think better of it, he snatched at the pen-

dant. Fire lanced through him, but he was ready for it anddid not drop the precious talisman. Gasping, he fell to thefloor, his strong hands burned and blistered and oozingblood. He closed his eyes, fighting back tears. Suddenlyhe felt a wet coolness across his injured hands. With unac-customed gentleness and none of the roughness that onewould associate with a cat�s tongue, the black cat wascleaning his wounds and more, actually healing them.When she had done all she could, she padded slowly back-ward and peered down at him anxiously.

shock did not kill him.�Quinn shivered at the malice in her tone and did not

reply. He drew a deep breath and slowly let it out again.Nightshadow was hauling in her rope.�I think that we may as well leave by the front door,�

she remarked.Quinn, whose hands were still very sore, agreed.�I wish we had had time to explore his library,� he re-

marked sadly, as they quietly let themselves out into thenight.

Quinn sat up slowly and placed the silver chain aroundthe cat�s neck. The form before him shimmered, and thenNightshadow was kneeling in front of him, her featurespale. She smiled wanly at him.

�I�ve never been in cat form without my pendant be-fore,� she explained hesitantly. �My thoughts seemed togrow more like those of a cat every instant. It is not asensation I enjoy.�

Quinn stood up, still shaking with reaction.�What you did to Revin was cruel, Lady Nightshadow.�Nightshadow gave him an odd look, surprised that he

was so shaken by the business. Perik Quinn had nerves ofsteel and a streak of ruthlessness that had cost more thanone person�s life.

�He has been punished in a manner fitting his crime,�she said finally, fingering her pendant. �I dissolved thelink that bound him to his familiar, who was a cat andtherefore subject to my power. I am only sorry that the

Nightshadow grinned toothily.�Ah. . . I am glad that you are recovering your fine

sense of larceny, Perik. Still, I must reluctantly concurwith your assessment that robbing a mage�s tower is court-ing death. Alas for the treasures lost!�

They walked slowly toward the Underway.�Perhaps we ought to give some thought to leaving the

fine city of Dartmor,� Perik said hesitantly, stopping tolook back at Revin�s tower.

Nightshadow turned as well and slipped her armthrough his. They stood together in silence for a moment,two black shadows under the pale light of the stars, ThenNightshadow nodded decisively.

�You are quite right, of course. I only hope that Revintakes a long time to recover.�

Perik Quinn looked away.�He will . . .� he murmured softly. �Oh, he will.�

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATIONTitle of publication: DRAGON® MagazinePublication no.: 0279-6848

Date of filing: 30 September 1992

Frequency of issue: MonthlyNo. of issues published annually: 12

Annual subscription price: $30.00Complete mailing address of known office of publication: DRAGON Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147Complete mailing address of the headquarters of general business offices of the publisher: TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI

53147Publisher: James M. Ward, P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147Editor: Roger E. Moore, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147 Owner: TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147

Lorraine D. Williams, P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147Willard D. Martens, P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147

Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds,mortgages or other securities: None

Extent and nature of circulation

Average no. copies eachissue during preceding

12 months

Actual no. copies of singleissue published nearest

to filing date

Total no. copies (net press run)Paid circulation

Sales through dealers and carriersMail subscriptions

Total paid circulationFree distributionTotal distributionCopies not distributed

Office use, left over, etc.Return from news agents

TOTAL

93,371 93,545

67,142 66,30025,276 23,68592,418 89,985

143 13492,561 90,119

DRAGON 71

204606

93,371

I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. James M. Ward, Publisher

3,426-

93,545

©1992 by Rick Swan

Try something new in the board-game field

The 1992 GEN CON®/ORIGINS™ gamefair was so thick with garners that Iwouldn’t have been surprised to hear diceclattering in the bathroom stalls. Not onlywere the scheduled events packed, playersseemed intent on filling every square footof the convention center with impromptugames. If you didn’t watch where youwere going, you risked bumping intosomebody’s dungeon or squashing animperial army.

It was quite a spectacle, and I spent a lot

74 DECEMBER 1992

Role-playing games� ratings

X Not recommended* Poor, but may be useful* * Fair* * * Good* * * * Excellent* * * * * The best

of time roaming the halls to check outwhat people were playing. Role-playinggames, naturally, were the main course,ranging from elaborate AD&D® campaignsto a homemade oddity where the playercharacters looked like anthropomorphicgarden tools. Board games seemed espe-cially popular this year, judging from thenumber of open boxes I almost stepped in.The AXIS AND ALLIES* and SPACEHULK* games were among the favorites,as were the CIVILIZATION* game and the

eternally popular MONOPOLY* game.However, though science-fiction, war, andfamily board games saw plenty of action,fantasy board games were as scarce ascheap food. Considering the dozens offantasy board games published in the lastdecade or so, it�s surprising they don�tdraw the crowds.

But maybe it�s not so surprising. Withfew exceptions, fantasy board games seemto have the life-spans of tsetse flies. Appar-ently, garners play the new releases a fewtimes, then stick them on the shelf andnever come back.

After looking over my own game library,I�ve concluded that most fantasy boardgames deserve their second-class status.Over and over again, designers return tothe same two tired approaches, neither ofwhich have worked all that well.

Transplanting role-playing concepts isthe first and most obvious approach. InRPG-derived board games, players controlthe actions of one or more colorful charac-ters, struggling to complete a quest bybattling monsters and snatching treasure.Examples include Games Workshop�s TAL-ISMAN* game, Iron Crown�s FELLOWSHIPOF THE RING* game, and West End�sTALES OF THE ARABIAN NIGHTS* game.While such games can be entertaining,they�re ultimately hollow experiencesbecause they�re only superficial renditionsof the real thing. In RPGs, players cantheoretically go anywhere and do any-thing; board-game players are limited to anarrow selection of actions. RPG charac-ters resemble real people; board-gamecharacters are collections of numbers.RPG players interact with a living, breath-ing referee; board-game players interactwith a rule book. It�s possible to maintaininterest by adding new encounters andoptions�the TALISMAN supplements dothis quite well�but if it�s role-playing youwant, why settle for a board game?

The second approach uses war games asa template, substituting magic wands anddragons for machine guns and Marines. Inthese games, two armies comprised ofvariously powered units clash on a battle-field, fighting for terrain objectives andhigh body counts. The Avalon Hill GameCompany has tried this approach a num-ber of times (the DRAGONHUNT* game,the DRAGON PASS* game, and the DARKEMPEROR* game, for example), employinghex maps and die-cut counters thatweren�t all that different from its SQUADLEADER* game and other historicalproducts. TSR�s DRAGONLANCE® boardgame (from 1988) boiled down to a tacticalair game, using flying dragons instead ofMesserschmitts, Though well-designedwar games of any type can be fun, fantasyboard games invariably lack the sophisti-cated mechanics and historical resonanceof military simulations, which makes melose interest fast.

For fantasy board games to come intotheir own, designers need to quit leaningon war games and RPGs for ideas and take

a few chances. How about a fantasy boardgame that seriously explores the ramifica-tions of magical research? Or a fantasygame that combines exploration and eco-nomics along the lines of Avalon Hill�sSTELLAR CONQUEST* game? Or a fantasyCIVILIZATION game, with the playerstaking the roles of gods creating their ownuniverses?

Well, maybe some day. While therearen�t any ground-breakers among theproducts we�re examining this month, allof them boast intriguing design features orunusual twists that make them worth alook, even from those who�ve given up onboard games as dull and predicable, Arethere any classics? Check the hallways atnext year�s GEN CON game fair.

dealt randomly at the beginning of thegame, describe each player�s mission,which may involve escorting anotherChair Actor to a particular destination ortraveling to a series of locations as anenvoy of the king.

After the players acquire Chair Actorsand missions, each receives fiveEncounter/Event cards, used to bolster thefortunes of their own Chair Actors orserve as obstacles for opponents. Each E/Ecard contains two different encounters:the owning player can use either one hewants. Encounters include hazards (mostlymonsters, such as the Kraken Weed andAbominable Snowman), objects (like theHealing Draught, which restores a ChairActor back to health), and events (the�Edit� card, for instance, cancels a previ-

XANTH* gameously played hazard).

* * * A player completes his movement phaseBoxed game with 16-page rulebook,

27� X 15� mounted game board, 162playing cards, 15 six-sided dice, sixpawns, 12 chits

Mayfair Games, Inc. $25Design: Mike NystulDevelopment: David N. SearleEditing: Jim MusserArt director: Ike ScottGame art: Jael

In Piers Anthony�s pun-ridden Xanthnovels, characters such as Chester Cen-taur and Stanley Steamer visit places likeDeer Abbey and the Isle of View, encoun-tering deafening blossoms called Hell�sBells and tough canines named RockHounds. The XANTH board game dutifullyfollows Anthony�s lead, wallowing in wordplay and drawing as much inspirationfrom Alfred E. Neumann as J. R. R.Tolkien. Whether this approach strikesyou as playfully subversive or cringe-inducing kid�s stuff depends on your toler-ance for whimsy�and I mean whimsy bythe megadose.

Since I�ve suffered through enoughponderous fantasy to last me a lifetime,I�ve found the occasional Xanth book to beas refreshing as lemonade in July. Thesame goes for the board game, whichcombines the breezy appeal of the novelswith a set of easy-on-the-mind mechanics,The result is a charming diversion forplayers who don�t take their games tooseriously.

Neither the premise nor the rules holdmany surprises, as RPG conventions arepretty much followed to the letter. Playersassume the roles of familiar Xanth per-sonalties (such as Bink and Dora Zombie),wander around a map of Xanth, pick upmagical goodies, and attempt to completesimple missions. Each personality, called aChair Actor, is profiled on a playing cardfeaturing a color portrait, numerical rat-ings for Strength and Cunning, and a briefdescription of his special talent (e.g., Binkcan cause a reroll of any die, and ZoraZombie can absorb damage more efficient+ly than other Chair Actors). Quest cards,

by moving the pawn representing hisChair Actor to adjacent regions, There�s atwo-region limit on land movement, whilea dice-roll determines the amount of avail-able sea movement. After the Chair Actorfinishes moving, opposing players makehis life difficult by slapping down E/Ecards. Usually, the active Chair Actor mustface a monster, The Chair Actor can avoidthe monster by rolling less than or equalto his Cunning rating. Otherwise, combatensues, which requires the combatants toroll less than or equal to their Strengthratings to inflict damage on the other guy.Combat continues until one opponent isXonked Out (suffering damage equal to hisStrength) or the Chair Actor retreats (thisgives the monster a bonus attack). If aChair Actor ends up in a region that cor-responds to the location on an object cardhe holds in his hand, his Chair Actor ac-quires that object; the object card is thenplaced with the Chair Actor card. Theplayer replenishes his hand to five cards,his turn ends, then it�s on to the next ChairActor. The cycle continues until somebodycompletes his mission.

It sounds routine, and to a certain de-gree it is. Completing the quests doesn�trequire a lot of thought or planning, asthere�s usually an obvious route to eachdestination, The hazard cards function asa series of random events over which therecipient has no control and few options;unless you happen to have an event cardthat delivers you from evil, you eitherleave or stay put to engage in a tediousdie-rolling contest to resolve combat,Worse, the difficulty of the missions iswildly uneven; a player who must journeyall the way across the board doesn�t standa chance against an opponent whose desti-nation lies just a few regions away. Therulebook dismisses this inequity by claim-ing that the game duplicates �life�s inher-ent unfairness.� That�s cute but notparticularly satisfying. An optional rulerequiring players to complete two or moremissions minimizes the balance problembut doesn�t eliminate it.

Still, the sheer number of variables kept

D R A G O N 7 5

me coming back for more. With twodozen Chair Actors, 26 different missions,and more than 200 encounters, theXANTH game invites replays, if only to tryout the various combinations. The colorfulboard is a pleasure to explore. Disastercards, which pop up intermittently in theE/E deck, wrench the game in unexpecteddirections; the �Deja Vu� disaster, for in-stance, sends all pawns back to the start-ing gate, regardless of their current status.And the barrage of puns makes for anengagingly goofy atmosphere.

Evaluation: Mayfair has had mixedsuccess adapting fantasy literature intoboard games. The MYTH FORTUNES* andDRAGONRIDERS OF PERN* games, toname two, were nice tries but didn�t do awhole lot with the concepts in the RobertAspirin and Anne McCaffrey books. TheXANTH game, however, is not only enjoy-able but also captures the spirit of thesource material in all its cockeyed splen-dor. Anthony fans should get a kick out ofriding the Holey Cow to the Conversation-al Plateau and the Rumor Mill, while casu-al players should be in for some laughsproviding they can withstand the Pun-ishment. Now where�s the Xanth role-playing game?

MINION HUNTER * game * * * l/2Boxed game with eight-page rulebook,

20� X 17�mounted map board, 72 PlotCards, 40 Equipment Cards, 10 pawns,character sheet pad, one lo-sided die,one six-sided die, play money sheets,advanced rules sheet

GDW, Inc. $25Design: Lester SmithDevelopment: Loren WisemanEditing: Stephen OlleArt director: Amy DoubetIllustrations: Janet Aulisio, Liz Danforth,

Dell Harris, Rick Harris, Dave Martin,and Thomas Darrell Midgette

In GDW�s DARK CONSPIRACY* role-playing game, nasty alien creatures haveinfiltrated the world of the future, preyingon the innocent and worming their wayinto our social institutions for their ownfiendish purposes. Stopping them won�t beeasy; I suspect it�ll take at least a coupledozen supplements, and maybe even anexpansion set or two.

The MINION HUNTER game gives usstruggling humans our best shot at strik-ing back at the bad guys, as the aliensdon�t seem quite so formidable in thisclassy board game as they do in the RPG.Only four minions pose a genuine threat�the Nukids, Morlocks, ETs, and Fey Folk�and all it takes is a favorable die-roll tosend them back where they came from.Best of all, the good guys don�t die; theyjust go the hospital.

Players represent characters with fourattributes: Empathy (psychic strength),Stalking (sneakiness), Combat (weaponexpertise), and Contacts (access to friends

76 DECEMBER 1992

and allies). All characters begin with asingle point in each of the four attributes.They spend the early turns of the gamemoving around the MONOPOLY-like perim-eter of the board (called the Career Track),hoping to land on spaces that will beef uptheir attribute totals. Landing on the �Em-pathic Training� space, for example, givesthe character two extra Empathy pointsand one bonus Contact point. Attributelevels don�t shape a character�s personalty(personality isn�t really a factor in thisgame) but instead serve to improve hischances when battling minions.

Meanwhile, the minions are busy hatch-ing devious schemes to take over the coun-try. A deck of Plot Cards represents theminions� activities. The back of each cardindicates a particular city in Dark America(the name given to what�s left of the Unit-ed States after a few decades of corporateabuse). The front of the card, concealedfrom the players, names a specific minionand gives its relevant statistical informa-tion. The Plot Card on the top of the deckbegins the game on the first space of thePlot Card Track. After every player turn,the active Plot Card moves another spacedown the Card Track. If the card moves allthe way to the end of the track withoutbeing intercepted by a character, the cardis flipped to reveal the secret minion. Thecard is discarded, and if the minion is oneof the four primary threats (such as aMorlock or Fey Folk), the correspondingminion pawn moves an indicated numberof spaces along the Plot Point Track. If anyminion pawn moves to the last space ofthe Plot Point Track, the minions win thegame and all of the players lose.

To stop the minions, the characters mustintercept the active Plot Cards by bouncingbetween the Career Track and the map ofDark America. If a character lands in theright space on the Career Track, he�s allowedto move to the Dark America city of hischoice. If a character occupies a city that�sshown on the back of an active Plot Card,the card is flipped, and the character con-fronts the minion. The character may battlethe minion by making an Attribute Test;essentially, the character must roll less thanor equal to the attribute listed on the minioncard. For instance, to beat the Fey Folk, hemay have to roll less than or equal to hisEmpathy score. Tougher minions mightrequire the character to roll less than orequal to half of a particular attribute,

If the Attribute Test fails, the characteris sent to the Intensive Care space of theHospital Track and spends a few turnsrecovering; the minion continues movingalong the Plot Card Track. If the test suc-ceeds, the character beats the minion, thecard is removed from the Plot Card Track,and the player collects the number ofFame Points indicated on the Plot Card. Ifno minion has made it to the end of thePlot Point Track after all of the Plot Cardshave been played, the player with themost Fame Points wins the game.

Despite its RPG roots, the role-playing

features aren�t the game�s strong suit.There�s no meaningful distinction betweenthe attributes, and building them up de-pends more on lucky rolls than playerdecisions. The Plot Cards should moreappropriately be called Monster Cards, asthey have few narrative elements; theminions exist merely to attack the charac-ters. The game discourages player interac-tion, as everybody operates more or lessindependently against the system-controlled minions.

As with the XANTH game, what makesthe MINION HUNTER game fun are theimaginative encounters and clever details.Spaces on the Career Track give charac-ters the opportunity to boost their attrib-ute tallies by staging corporate raids andbrushfire wars. Other spaces send charac-ters spinning into the Proto-Dimension,where they may be able to take advantageof a dimensional shortcut to send themanywhere on the board. Demongroundspaces may force the characters to face offagainst the evil spongies or the ET deathray. Not even the hospital is safe. A badroll on the Hospital Encounters table maysubject a recovering character to aMorlock attack or blood raid. Equipmentcards, acquired by landing on the rightspaces or making successful AttributeChecks, supply characters with everythingfrom zip guns to palmtop computers.Interestingly, the equipment not onlyboosts a character�s attributes (a zip gunadds + 1 to the Combat score), it alsoserves as a medium of exchange; a hospi-talized character may be required to payhis bill by forking over a weapon.

Evaluation: Serious role-players, par-ticularly those caught up in the complex-ities of the beguiling DARK CONSPIRACYgame, may find the MINION HUNTERgame too slight. Those demanding anintellectual challenge may find it too easy;assuming the characters don�t waste a lotof time wandering around the CareerTrack, the minions are usually doomed.(The advanced rules, which accelerate theminions� movement along the Plot Track,make the game more of a contest and arehighly recommended.) However, if you�dlike to get a taste of the DARK CONSPIR-ACY universe, or if you�re fond of blowingaway monsters, the stylish MINIONHUNTER game won�t disappoint.

GREYHAWK® WARSgame * * * ½

Boxed game with eight-page rulebook, 32-page Adventurer�s Book, two 21" X 32"map sheets, 153 playing cards, 416 die-cut counters, two 10-sided dice

TSR, Inc. $20Design: David CookEditing: J. Robert KingCover: Roger RauppInterior art: Ken Frank and Charles FrankCounter and card art: Robin Raab and Karl

WallerGraphic design: Dee Barnett

A lot of garners dismiss military simula-tions as too slow, too hard, and too boring.In some respects, they�re right, especiallyabout the boring part. Many war gamestake forever and a day to play, and thevolumes of fussy rules often pursue real-ism at the expense of playability. Make nomistake: the GREYHAWK WARS game,based on the popular AD&D setting, hasmore in common with the SQUAD LEAD-ER system than the MINION HUNTERgame. But Dave Cook has bent over back-ward to make the mechanics as painless aspossible without sacrificing the sophisti-cated interplay that makes the best mili-tary simulations so appealing.

As in conventional war games, the play-ers command opposing armies strugglingto kill enemies and control territory. Thegame begins with players selecting a sce-nario and receiving cards representingtheir countries. In the �Furyondy Frontier�scenario, for example, one side receivesthe Furyondy and Shield Lands CountryCards, and the other side gets the Iuz andHorned Society cards. Each Country Cardlists the available troops; the Horned Socie-ty troops consist of two orcs, three hob-goblins, and one goblin, while the ShieldLands army comprises two medium infan-try units and two heavy cavalry units.Players deploy the counters for theirarmies on the map, a detailed rendering ofOerth divided into dozens of discreteregions. Each region can hold a stack of upto five friendly troop counters. Playersalso receive a fixed number of herocounters, which function as super soldierscapable of a variety of special actions.Heroes may be deployed in any countrycontrolled by a friendly player, one heroper region.

A die-roll determines which player goesfirst. After making sure his heroes areproperly positioned, the active playerbegins his turn by drawing an Event Cardand following the instructions. Someevents, such as the �Rains Flood River�card (which prevents movement acrossrivers for the current turn), are playedimmediately. Others, like the �BuccaneersAttack� card (which gives a free attackagainst a ship), are held and played at theowner�s discretion. The active player thencompletes an action for each of his troopstacks and heroes. Troops may move (upto three regions for infantry and four forcavalry, with forests and other roughterrain impeding normal movement rates),fortify (by constructing a castle to increasethe defensive capacity of the region), ordisband (the player removes a stack fromthe map, making the troops available fordeployment elsewhere).

Heroes, naturally, aren�t as constrainedas ordinary troops. They may accompanytroop stacks or split off on their own,moving up to six regions per turn. If ahero moves to an uncommitted country,he may engage in diplomacy by rolling adie and comparing the result to his homecountry�s diplomacy rating. On a suffi-

ciently high roll, the uncommitted countrybecomes an ally. Heroes can also recruitmercenaries by moving to a special merce-nary recruitment area, then drawing aMercenary Card. If the Mercenary Card�salignment is compatible with the hero, theplayer acquires the card and may use it toimprove his chances in combat. Finally,heroes may search for treasure in regionsdesignated as magic areas. Before he snagsa treasure, the hero must draw a TreasureCard and battle the indicated guardianmonster. A single die-toss resolves thebattle. A high roll means the hero tri-umphs, and the player adds one or moreTreasure Cards to his hand.

Heroes and troops may engage in com-bat when occupying the same region asenemy forces. Both sides remove theircounters from the map and arrange themin parallel lines so that every friendlycounter faces at least one enemy. Theattacker makes an assault against an op-posing piece by rolling 1d10 and compar-ing the result to the attacking unit�sstrength, printed on the counter., If the rollis equal to or less than its strength, modi-fied by any applicable Mercenary or Trea-sure Cards, the enemy suffers a hit.Strong units suffer two hits before dying,while weaker units bite the dust after asingle hit. Combat lasts for three roundsonly, though if a hero is present the battlemay be extended to four rounds. A heromay also increase any unit�s strength byone. Regardless of the outcome of combat,a hero never suffers damage. At the endof a player�s turn, any damaged units thathaven�t taken any actions may be healed totheir full strength. One new army mayalso be raised in any unoccupied homecountry.

Though fast and easy, combat is the leastsatisfying aspect of the game. The three-round limit seems arbitrary, serving noclear purpose other than to minimize thenumber of casualties. Because the strengthof an opponent isn�t considered whenresolving combat, an attack against atough infantryman can be as effective asan attack against a puny goblin. And whymust heroes be invulnerable? I don�t carehow tough he is, I don�t think that anycharacter ought to be able to survive anindefinite number of assaults.

Evaluation: Combat aside, theGREYHAWK WARS game features sensible,easily mastered rules that make the gamefluid and intense. The variety of units,ranging from ships to treants, encouragesplayers to experiment with different strat-egies. The Mercenary and Treasure Cardsincrease the tactical choices, while theEvent Cards keep things interesting byintroducing a steady stream of variables.To put it all in context, the 32-page Adven-turer�s Book provides a detailed historicalbackground, enabling ambitious players toincorporate the results of the board gameinto a GREYHAWK campaign. An intelli-gent design, well-executed and handsome-ly presented, the GREYHAWK WARS game

is a war game for people who hate wargames.

BATTLEMASTERS* game * * 1/2Boxed game with 28-page rulebook, one

54� X 60� vinyl battle mat, 103 minia-ture figures, 25 bases, 25 flag poles,three label sheets, four plastic hedges,one plastic castle, four terrain tiles, 10cannon tiles, 100 tokens, 65 playingcards, six combat dice

Milton Bradley Company $50No design/art credits listed

Were you ever infatuated with a gor-geous classmate, only to discover thatbehind that appealing face were the brainsof a plastic doll? Did you ever buy a novelfor its spectacular cover, then find out thestory was as interesting as the tax code?Do you see where I�m going with this?

That the contents of the BATTLEMAS-TERS box are impressive, stunningly so, isself-evident. The dozens of plastic pieces,detailed down to the bolts on the warhammers and scowls on the goblins, are aminiaturist�s dream. The enormous vinylbattle map, with nearly 25 square feet ofgreen fields and azure rivers, may be thebiggest playing area ever included in aboard game. Throw in a 5� plastic castle, ahandful of skull dice, and enough oddsand ends to bury the family dog, and it�slike a visit from Santa Claus.

But while Santa may have been responsi-ble for the components, it must have beenEbenezer Scrooge who came up with therules. The systems are so stripped of com-plications, it�s as if the designers wereafraid that excessive decision-makingmight cause the players� heads to explode.After positioning their pieces on oppositesides of the battlefield, players draw cardsfrom the Battle Deck, each of which de-picts one or more Chaos or Imperial armyunits. Whichever units are depicted areallowed to move one hex in any direction.If a unit moves adjacent to an enemy unit(or, in the case of an archer or crossbow-man, two or three hexes away), it mayattack by rolling a number of skull diceequal to its combat value. The defenderalso rolls its combat value worth of dice.The number of shields on the defender�sdice are subtracted from the-number ofskulls on the attacker�s dice. The defendersuffers the difference in skull tokens. Aunit that accumulates three skull tokens isremoved from the map. When all of theopposing units have been �skulled,� youwin.

Is that it? Just about. The Chaos playerhas a special ogre unit that can move andattack up to three times when his cardcomes up in the Battle Deck. The Imperialplayer employs a Mighty Cannon tobounce a cannon ball up to eight hexesdistant, flattening anything it hits. Someminor terrain rules affect movement (nomoving over rivers or past plastic hedges),while the castle grants combat bonuses to

DRAGON 77

any occupying unit. A few simple sce-narios are provided for variety, most ofthem having to do with alternate methodsof deploying the armies.

Too much of the BATTLEMASTERSgame, however, is just plain silly. There�sno meaningful difference between thevarious units, as just about all of themmove and attack the same way. The rigidmechanics guarantee that strategic optionsare kept to a dead minimum. Units don�tmove any faster when traveling by road.Archers can shoot through friendly units,terrain features, and even the castle to hitenemy targets. And where�s the magic?There�s not a spell-caster in the bunch, astriking omission in a fantasy game.

Evaluation: So, if the game�s nothing toget excited about, why the relatively highrating? Three reasons:

1. I played this several times with somegrade-school kids, and unlike us grumpyperfectionists, every one of them adoredit. They didn�t care about the inflexiblemovement rules; they just liked the idea ofa game big enough to fill the living-roomfloor. Players willing to overlook the con-ceptual problems may have a good time inspite of themselves. It�s fast, surprisinglybalanced, and a snap to learn�and there�san undeniable pleasure to be had fromfondling all those pieces.

2. You want to be a game designer?Here�s your chance! The BATTLEMASTERS

game is made to order for tinkerers, as itscomponents are generic enough to accom-modate just about any simple war-gamingsystem. Get started by assigning somespells to the beastmen and a movementbonus to the roads.

3. It�s cheap. I found the BATTLEMAS-TERS game on sale for under $30 at ashopping mall; considering the sheer vol-ume of components, that�s an unparalleledbargain. Even if you never get around toplaying the game, you can get yourmoney�s worth by assembling the minia-tures and painting them up, or using thebattle map as a tablecloth. At this price,you might even consider buying an extracopy to store in the attic. Your grandchil-dren will love you.

Short and sweetSun County: RUNEQUEST* Adventures

in the Lands of the Sun, by MichaelO�Brien, Greg Stafford, and Ken Rolston.The Avalon Hill Game Company, $19. Thisfirst-rate supplement, describing a Gloran-than farming settlement permeated bystrange Sun Dome cults, reaffirms theRUNEQUEST game as the RPG of choicefor grad schoolers. The quality of writingand precision of detail rivals that of ahistory text, bringing to life even the mostmundane aspects of Sun Country culture.Particularly outstanding are the richlyimagined scenarios, including a series of

tricky competitions to test the HarvestBride�s would-be suitors, and an investiga-tion of the mysterious Rabbit Hat Farm,protected by a bizarre character calledPumpkinhead the Jack-o-Bear. Novices maybe overwhelmed by all this; there areseveral references to previous RUNE-QUEST supplements, and even a sugges-tion that an NPC improvise a story alongthe lines of The Decameron (do you haveyour copy handy?). However, old-timerswho�ve mastered the nuances of theRUNEQUEST game should jump for joy atanother chance to visit one of the hobby�smost fascinating worlds.

Tales of the Lance, by Harold Johnson,John Terra, J. Robert King, Wolfgang Baur,Colin McComb, Jean Rabe, and NormRitchie. TSR, Inc., $20. Like any multiple-author setting, Krynn has acquired someexcess baggage over the years. The Talesof the Lance boxed set sets theDRAGONLANCE® saga straight, addressingthe discrepancies, summarizing the histo-ry, and detailing key locales in a thickvolume that stands as the definitive Ansa-lon resource. A generous set of charactercards provides comprehensive statisticsfor Flint Fireforge, Theros Ironfeld, andother DRAGONLANCE icons, while a four-panel Dungeon Master�s screen includestables for everything from terrain obsta-cles to animal movement rates. Sincemuch of this material is recycled,DRAGONLANCE saga fans who�ve beenwith the project since the beginning maynot find enough to spark their interest(though if they pass, they�ll miss the mostlavish product in the series). But if you�rethoroughly confused, or if you�ve beenwondering what all the fuss is about, Talesof the Lance answers your questions andfurnishes all the information you need tobegin your own adventures.

Rick Swan has been a full-time free-lancerfor five years. In that time, he has workedfor TSR Inc., West End Games, and SteveJackson Games. He is also the author ofThe Complete Guide to Role-playingGames, published by St. Martin�s Press. Hehas been writing reviews for DRAGON®

Magazine for about one year.

ORIGINS is a trademark owned by the Game Manu-facturers Association.

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

78 DECEMBER 1992

by Sue Weinlein

Creating a LegacyWhat exactly is the FORGOTTEN

REALMS® campaign setting?We can imagine people asking this ques-

tion as they stop to look at a display of thefirst FORGOTTEN REALMS hardcovernovel, The Legacy, in their local bookstores. Surely this question could neverhave come from the lips of R. A. Salvatore,author of The Legacy and creator ofDrizzt Do�Urden, one of the most popularheroes in the Realms.

It did. Five years ago, Mary Kirchoff,then managing editor of TSR�s book de-partment, called Salvatore to say she likedthe manuscript he had sent her, but couldhe rewrite it to take place in theFORGOTTEN REALMS setting?

Rather than try to explain the scope of

the shared fantasy world to the first-timeauthor over the phone, Kirchoff sent himthe only Realms product published at thetime: Douglas Niles� novel, Darkwalker onMoonshae. Figuring the Realms consistedentirely of the Moonshae Isles, Salvatoreimmediately put together a proposal for anovel involving Niles� characters Daryth,Canthus the moorhound, and a new hero:a young barbarian named Wulfgar.

He was surprised when Kirchoff senthim a vast map of the entire Realms andexplained that she did not want him towrite a sequel to Niles� book. Instead, shewanted to see a whole new story set in acompletely different part of the world ofToril.

�It took us two weeks on the phone to

find a place on the map that wasn�t al-ready occupied by someone else doing aproject,� the author recalled. �After weeksof frustrating calls, I located a tiny bit ofland�it must have been a typo. �Is anyonethere?� I asked. When they said no, I said,�Good, that�s where Icewind Dale is goingto be.� �

It seems incredible to think that only afew years later, Salvatore, 33, has becomeone of the most-read authors ofFORGOTTEN REALMS novels. The popu-larity of his dark-elf hero, Drizzt Do�Ur-den, a masterful fighter who longs for aplace to belong, virtually assured theauthor of a best-seller with his latest ef-fort, The Legacy. This novel, the Massa-chusetts author�s first hardcover, involvescharacters from both his Icewind Dale andDark Elf trilogies and spent four weeks onthe New York Times best-seller list.

As the story opens, Drizzt�s life hasnever been better�until he uncovers thepowerful Spider Queen�s vengeful plot todestroy his life. With his loyal friends, thedark elf struggles to shake off the drowpursuers who have ventured to the sur-face in search of him. A human assassin,Artemis Entreri, seeks a duel to the deathwith Drizzt and conspires with the drow�ssister, Vierna, who wishes to sacrifice thebeleaguered dark elf to the goddess Lloth.

Salvatore completed The Legacy in arecord two months to satisfy TSR�s requestfor a new book about the dark elf. �Thatreally wasn�t a problem, because this is thebook I�ve been wanting to write since TheHalfling�s Gem.� He finished writing thatnovel, the final installment to the IcewindDale Trilogy, in 1989. From there, he wenton to write the Dark Elf Trilogy, detailingDrizzt�s early life, and left the IcewindDale companions� story until now to becontinued.

Drizzt�s birthReaders of the Icewind Dale Trilogy

know that Drizzt didn�t start out as themain figure. When Wulfgar traveled fromthe Moonshae Isles across the Sea ofSwords and north along the coast ofFaerun to Icewind Dale five years ago,Salvatore had yet to conceive his mostpopular hero. The character was bornduring another phone conversation withKirchoff, who asked the new author,�What are you going to do for [Wulfgar�s]sidekick?� Although the author had nevergiven the matter a moment�s thought, hefound himself saying, �I�ll do a dark-elfranger.�

DRAGON 79

There was a long pause as Kirchoffconsidered. �A drow? What�s his name?�Again, inspiration seized the writer, andhe blurted out, �Drizzt Do�Urden.� Heknew he had stumbled upon somethinggood when Kirchoff told him, �Okay, writeit up.�

�And that�s where he was born, just likethat,� Salvatore said, adding that manyreaders assume the dark elf originated inone of the author�s role-playing campaigns.Although the author has played fantasyrole-playing games like the ADVANCEDDUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game for more

The CompleteWorks of R. A.Salvatore

The Icewind Dale TrilogyThe Crystal ShardStreams of SilverThe Halfling�s Gem

The Legacy (Hardcover and audiotapesequel to the Icewind Dale Trilogy)

Starless Night (Hardcover follow-up toThe Legacy, coming in October1993)

The Dark Elf TrilogyHomelandExileSojourn

The Cleric QuintetCanticleIn Sylvan ShadowsNight MasksThe Fallen For-tress (June 1993)The Chaos Curse (Summer 1994)

Echoes of the Fourth Magic (Roc)The Witch�s Daughter (Roc)

The Woods Out BackTir na n�Og (coming from ACE/

Berkeley)Pot o� Gold (coming from ACE/Berkeley)The Haggis Hunter (coming from ACE/

Berkeley)Forthcoming epic fantasy series (Warn-

er Books, December 1993)

Game design creditsMenzoberranzan (boxed set)FR7 Hall of HeroesFR9 The Bloodstone Lands

Short stories�The First Notch,� DRAGON® Magazine

issue #152�A Sparkle for Homer,� Halflings, Hob-

bits, Warrows, and Weefolk, WarnerBooks, 1992

�The Dark Mirror,� Realms of Valor;TSR, Inc., 1993.

than 10 years, �I have to tell you, the gamehad very little influence on my writing,� hesaid. Instead, his main influences includedclassical literature and the landmark fanta-sy works of J. R. R. Tolkien. �I like to thinkof Drizzt as a cross between Daryth fromDoug�s book and Aragorn from The Lordof the Rings.�

Drizzt (pronounced �Drist�) has certainlyoutgrown his �sidekick� status. The drowhas been featured in seven novels to date,and he will reappear in a short story inthe FORGOTTEN REALMS anthologyRealms of Valor, due out in February, 1993.However, Salvatore also is working on theCleric Quintet for TSR, featuring a younghero named Cadderly. Can this characterand others to come possibly measure up tothe drow�s fame?

�They�re not intended to,� Salvatore saidfirmly. �Cadderly is a very different herofrom Drizzt. As far as a hero goes, a fight-ing hero, I don�t know that I�ll top Drizzt,and I don�t know that I want to. He hasbecome the character I most like to writeabout.�

The author said he finds the beliefs heshares with his creation give him a voicein his novels. �He�s got the ideals I wish Ihad,� Salvatore said. He hesitated. �Well,maybe I have them, but I think he adheresto them better than I do.� He admires thefact Drizzt can tell right from wrong andchoose the correct action, even whenanother choice might have been easier.�Drizzt doesn�t cut corners. He doesn�tstray from the course in the face of in-credible hardship. I�d hope I could be likethat.�

Many readers admire Drizzt as well, butthe author worries that the drow�s reputa-tion may get a little out of control. Hedoesn�t want the character to lose his

vulnerability and become �Fonzie-ized.��Remember back on the first season of

Happy Days, the Fonz was a well-writtencharacter,� Salvatore said. �He was thecoolest of the cool. Then, as the seriesprogressed, here�s a guy from Milwaukee,right? Suddenly he�s going out to the WestCoast and winning surfing contests, he�sjumping his bike farther than anyone�sever done before. He became invincible.Under his leather jacket there appeared abig S�Superman. That�s not going to hap-pen to Drizzt.�

A new chapterHas the success of this, Salvatore�s tenth

novel for TSR Inc., proved to be a turningpoint in his writing career? �I�ve been toldit is by editors and several authors who�vebeen there. They�ve all assured me thatmy life will change.� He paused. �Certainly,now I�ll be able to find work!�

�It was a turning point in my careerbecause it was a hardcover. When you getinto a hardcover novel, a lot of places startlooking at you that never looked at youbefore. There are a lot of things thatwould�ve taken a lot longer without thesuccess of the hardcover. The Legacy hasgiven me exposure beyond the people whogo back and look in the science fiction andfantasy section. Since The Legacy cameout, many people in my hometown havecome up to me and said, �Oh, I see you�vehad a book published.� �

With that increased exposure cameincreased fan reaction. Salvatore has beeninvited to numerous gaming and literaryconventions, and receives nearly 50 piecesof mail each month; that�s double what hecould expect in the pre -Legacy days. Hisfans range quite a bit in age, he said; mail

Continued on page 84

80 DECEMBER 1992

Convention Calendar Policies

This column is a service to our readersworldwide. Anyone may place a free listingfor a game convention here, but the follow-ing guidelines must be observed.

In order to ensure that all conventionlistings contain accurate and timely infor-mation, all material should be either typeddouble-spaced or printed legibly on stand-ard manuscript paper. The contents ofeach listing must be short and succinct.

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

1. Convention title and dates held;2. Site and location;3. Guests of honor (if applicable);4. Special events offered;5. Registration fees or attendance re-

quirements; and,6. Address(es) and telephone number(s)

where additional information and confirma-tion can be obtained.

Convention flyers, newsletters, and othermass-mailed announcements will not beconsidered for use in this column; weprefer to see a cover letter with the an-nouncement as well. No call-in listings areaccepted. Unless stated otherwise, alldollar values given for U.S. and Canadianconventions are in U.S. currency.

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.).

* lndicates a product produced by a company other than TSR,Inc. Most product names are trademarks owned by thecompanies publishing those products The use of the name ofany product without mention of its trademark status should notbe construed as a challenge to such status

PALACON �92, Dec. 28-30 KYThis convention will be held at the Laser Chase

in Louisville, Ky. Events include role-playing, board,and miniatures games, with prizes, vendors, andopen gaming. Registration: $20. Write to: ThePaladin Group, 721 N. Hite Ave. #3, Louisville KY40206; or call: (502) 893-8953.

1992 WINTER FANTASY� Convention,Jan. 8-10 WI

This gaming convention, sponsored by theRPGA� Network, will be held at the MECCAConvention Center in Milwaukee, Wis. Eventsinclude role-playing, board, and miniaturesgames, with a benefit tournament for the Mil-waukee Zoo. Registration: $16 ($10 for Networkmembers). Write to: WINTER FANTASY� Con-vention, RPGA� Network, P.O. Box 515, LakeGeneva WI 53147.

CONSTITUTION �93, Jan. 29-31 VAThis convention will be held at the Quality

hotel in Arlington, Va. Guests include Jay Tum-melson. Activities include RPGA� Networkevents and role-playing games. Registration:$10/preregistered or $15/at the door. Preregis-tration is strongly recommended. Write to:CONSTITUTION, 1737 Seaton St. NW, Washing-ton DC 20009; or call James at: (202) 986-7904.

GAMICON GAMMA, Jan. 29-31 IAThis convention will be held at the Wesley

Foundation in Iowa City, Iowa. Guests includeErick Wujcik. Activities include role-playing andminiatures games with RPGA� Network events.Registration: $12 until Jan. 1; $15 thereafter.Write to: Legends, 2054 8th St., Coralville IA52241; or call: (319) 339-8701.

PANDEMONIUM 10, Jan. 30-31This convention will be held at the Ryerson

Hub Cafeteria in Toronto, Ontario. Activitiesinclude over 100 events, two auctions, dealers,five AD&D® events, plus RPGA� Networkgames. Prizes will be awarded to tournamentwinners. Write to: PANDEMONIUM, c/o 17bWales Ave., Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M5T152; or call: (416) 597-1934.

CYBERCON IV, Feb. 5-7 COThis convention will be held at the Lory

Student Center on the Colorado State Universitycampus in Fort Collins, Colo. Guests includeBruce Sterling. Activities include role-playinggames, a costume contest, two video rooms, andopen gaming. Registration: $3/day or $5/week-end before Jan. 30; $5/day or $7/weekendthereafter. Write to: Bill Keyes, Box 412 LSC,Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO80523; or call: (303) 493-3652.

indicates an Australian convention.indicates a Canadian convention.indicates a European convention.

VISIONCON �93, Feb. 5-7 MOThis convention will be held at the Quality Inn

North in Springfield, MO. Activities includeRPGA� Network events, war games, miniatures-painting contests, an art show, a dealers� room,and a costume contest. Registration: $10 untilJan. 15; $15 at the door. Send an SASE to: VI-SIONCON �93, 1375 S. National, Springfield MO65804; or call: (417) 863-1155 Monday throughSaturday 3-8 P.M.

WARCON �93, Feb. 5-7 TXThis convention will be held at the Memorial

Student Center, Texas A&M University in Col-lege Station, Tex. Events include role-playing,board, and miniatures games, with a dealers�room, Japanimation, 24-hour open gaming, anda games auction. Registration: $12 preregis-tered, $15 at the door. Write to: MSC NOVA, BoxJ-1, Memorial Student Center, Texas A&M,College Station TX 77844.

DUNDRACON XVII, Feb. 12-15 CAThis convention will be held at the San Ramon

Marriott in San Ramon, Calif. Events includeover 120 game events, seminars, a dealers�room, a painting contest, computer gaming, anda flea market. Registration: $25 until Feb. 1; $30/weekend or $15/day at the door. Write to:DUNDRACON, 1125 Nielson St., Albany CA94706.

GENGHIS CON XIV, Feb. 12-14 c oThis convention will be held at the Marriott

Southeast in Denver, Colo. Activities include gam-ing of all kinds, RPGA� Network tournaments,auctions, a figure-painting contest, and miniaturesevents. Registration: $15/weekend. Write to: Den-ver Garners Assoc., P.O. Box 440058, Aurora CO80044; or call: (303) 665-7062.

ORCCON 16, Feb. 12-15This convention will be held at the Los

CA

Angeles Airport Hyatt. All types of family,strategy, board, role-playing, miniatures, andcomputer gaming are featured. Find bargains atthe flea markets, auction, and dealers� area.Attend seminars, demos, and meet specialguests. Write to: STRATEGICON, PO. Box 3849,Torrance CA 90510-3849; or call: (213) 326-9440.

HURRICON �93, Feb. 26-28 FLThis convention will be held at the Okaloosa

Island Holiday Inn in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.Guests include George Alec Effinger, MargaretWeis, Douglas Niles, David Dorman, and LarryElmore. Activities include game tournaments, anart show, video rooms, lectures, panels, filking,open gaming, an auction, a dance, a concert, aUSAF Space Command demo, and a �Winterfest�for Beauty and the Beast TV fans. Registration:$25 until Jan. 31; $30 at the door. Write to:Bard�s Tales Bookshop, 109D Race Track Rd., Ft.Walton Beach FL 32547; or call: (904) 863-7323.

JAXCON �93, Feb. 26-28 FLThis convention will be held at the Radisson

Inn at the Jacksonville International Airport inJacksonville, Fla. Events include all types ofgames, a miniatures-painting contest, a fleamarket, a dealers� area, a snack bar, and doorprizes. Registration: $12/weekend until Jan. 12;$18/weekend thereafter. Single-day rates vary.Write to: JAXCON, P.O. Box 4423, JacksonvilleFL 32201; or call: (904) 778-1730.

DRAGON 83

TOTAL CONFUSION VII, Feb. 26-28 MAThis convention will be held a the Best West-

ern Plaza hotel in Marlborough, Mass. Eventsinclude role-playing, board, and miniaturesgames, with RPGA� Network events, aminiatures-painting contest, and the annualcostume competition. Registration: $23/weekendor $9/day preregistered; $10/day at the door.Club rates are available. Write to: TOTAL CON-FUSION, PO. Box 1463, Worcester MA 01607; orcall: (508) 987-1530.

MINIATURES PAINTING CONTEST &GAME DAY �93Feb. 27 IN

This convention will be held Metalcraft Minia-tures and More in Elwood, Ind. Activities in-clude role-playing and war games. There is noentry fee. Fifteen categories of miniatures willbe judged; get the list before entering. Write to:Metalcraft Miniatures and More, 926 N. 9th St.,Elwood IN 46036.

CON OF THE NORTH �93, Feb. 27-28 MNThis convention will be held at the Landmark

Center in St. Paul, Minn. Events include fantasy,war, miniatures, and adventure games, with anRPGA� Network tournament. Registration: $15/weekend or $10/day. Write to: CON OF THENORTH, P.O. Box 18096, Minneapolis MN 55418.

How effective was your convention listing?If you are a convention organizer, pleasewrite to the editors and let us know if our�Convention Calendar� served your needs.Your comments are always welcome.

Novel IdeasContinued from page 80comes from fifth-graders, who pass hisbooks among their friends at school, aswell as military personnel, who swap hisbooks around their bases.

[Anyone wishing to write to R. A. Salva-tore can do so by sending letters ad-dressed to the author, c/o TSR, Inc., P.O.Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147 U.S.A.]

�Fantasy fans are wonderful. They�restrong readers, they�re hungry readers.They are people who seem to want a littlemore out of the world than what they�vebeen seeing. Many of them are incredibleidealists.�

And many of them are also willing tostand in line for hours to get an autographfrom the man who created Drizzt andWulfgar. To promote The Legacy, Salvatorehas done more than 30 book signing ses-sions in two months, including a nation-wide tour. In addition, he signed books formore than eight hours during TheLegacy’s premiere weekend at the 1992GEN CON®/ORIGINS� game fair last Au-gust in Milwaukee, Wis. �It�s been exhaust-ing!� he said.

When he first began doing such auto-graph signings, Salvatore said he playedThe Author to the hilt, complete with suitand tie. He noticed that he was �not con-necting with the garners, many of whomhave better stories to tell than I do.� So, hechanged his signing wardrobe to jeans and

84 DECEMBER 1992

polo shirts, and now just; enjoys �funkingout and having fun with the readers. A lotof my fans are surprised when they firstsee me. I think I look more like an aginghigh-school football player than a writer.�

T h e w r i t e r Being the author of a New York Times

best-selling hardcover novel may havechanged a lot of things in his life, butSalvatore said it hasn�t changed the way hewrites. �I don�t think much is going tochange as far as the writing goes,� he said,although he pointed out that he will beable to take more time with his next hard-covers, including Starless Night, The Leg-acy’s follow-up and Salvatore�s sixteenthnovel.

After sixteen books, has writing gottenany easier? �No. It�s gotten easier to putthe words down on the page. I don�t laborover the words as much any more, and Ihave got the confidence now. But, thereare other mistakes that can creep up andbite you. I�m grateful that I have a goodeditor in Eric Severson. It�s easy some-times, to forget the scope of the individualbook and fall into the trap of monster-bashing. There are pitfalls that are stillthere, and that will always be there.�

Salvatore pointed out that he had beenwriting novels for six years before his firstbook was published. While The CrystalShard, which began back with that pro-posal to Mary Kirchoff in 1987, was his first

published book, he actually completed hisfirst novel in 1982. He spent the next fiveyears revising this modern fantasy, titledEchoes of the Fourth Magic (later publishedby Roc). His submission of Echoes to TSRbrought him to Kirchoff�s attention.

He still calls his discovery a �luckybreak� and warns hopeful novelists toprepare themselves for their own bigbreak. College gives a writer the necessaryliterary and historical background, hesaid. Revising and starting over give awriter discipline. Rejection and frustrationgive a writer drive. Most importantly, lifegives a writer insight.

�It�s the rare person indeed who canwrite a book of publishable quality beforethe age of twenty,� he said. �There are notage requirements, but certainly there arelife experience requirements.�

Salvatore has had a couple new lifeexperiences himself, thanks to the successof The Legacy �Someone once told me thefirst step to being an author is to be pub-lished. The second step is to be publishedin hardcover.� What the third step is, he�snot quite sure. But, if he can land aFORGOTTEN REALMS novel on the NewYork Times hardcover best-seller list onlyfive years after first venturing into theRealms, there�s no doubt he�ll soon findout.

ORIGINS is a trademark of the Game ManufacturersAssociation.

by Steven E. Schend

Super-Agents for super-campaigns

A few months ago, Dale came into mycubicle with an odd look in his eye.�Steven,� he said, �I�ve got a bunch of greatcharacters for you to work into the�MARVEL-Phile�! Do the SHIELD Super-Agents for this month.� Now, even thoughhis Nick Fury disguise was impressive, Icouldn�t simply write up the agents imme-diately. Little did Dale know that therewas almost no information on these char-acters, and it took six months of waitingfor more comic appearances before Ibegan this month�s column. Thanks toBarry Dutter of Marvel Comics and ScottLobdell, the creator of the new Super-Agents, for providing the necessary infor-mation to allow us to present the SHIELDagents for the 1990s.

IVORY�

F EX(20) Health: 56A EX(20)S TY(6) Karma: 30E GD(10)R GD(10) Resources: EX(20)I GD(10)P GD(10) Popularity: 0

KNOWN POWERS:Kinetic energy control: Ivory has the

Unearthly (100) ability to absorb, project,and redirect kinetic energy due to herVibranium-saturated body. Within a rangeof five areas, Ivory can manipulate kineticenergy in a variety of ways, and she maybe able to expand her powers in yourgame world (flight, enhanced hearing,silence field, body armor, etc., are all possi-ble). Her current powers are:

�Absorption: Ivory can absorb up toUnearthly (100) Force attacks, reduce thespeed of missiles and projectiles by Un-earthly rank, and reduce sound and othervibratory attacks with Unearthly skill. Shecan retain the absorbed energy for 10rounds, using it to fuel her Force andshattering attacks, and it is harmlesslydissipated by her Vibranium body struc-ture.

�Feedback: Ivory can wrap her oppo-nents in an invisible vibratory field thatcauses immediate feedback of any Force-,vibratory-, or sonic-based attacks, subject-ing the wielder of said attacks to his ownpowers. Ivory can cause power feedbacks

Color by Steve Sullivan

of up to Monstrous (75) intensity.�Force blast: Ivory can release absorbed

kinetic energy as a Force blast (range offive areas) of Incredible (40) rank.

�Force field: Ivory is able to project afield of fluctuating kinetic energy thatprovides Unearthly (100) protection fromphysical and Force attacks and Amazing(50) protection from Energy attacks.

�Shatter bolts: Ivory can induce Re-markable (30) rank vibrations within themolecular structure of materials, causinglesser material strength items to shatterunder the strain, and those of greatermaterial strength begin to vibrate, possibly

shattering lesser rank materials aroundthem. Constructed items, like weapons,tend to shake themselves into their compo-nents whereas whole items like steel doorsbreak along stress fractures; vehicles mustmake a Body roll to stay in one piece.Other items must roll their materialstrength versus Ivory�s Remarkable (30)attack or suffer Remarkable (30) damage.Ivory can apply her power in this waywithin a range of three areas.

TALENTS: Electronics, Physics, Language(Wakandan), Martial Arts B and D.

DRAGON 87

ROLE-PLAYING NOTES:Ivory is a mulatto native of Wakanda,

the African nation ruled by the BlackPanther and home to the rare substancecalled Vibranium. Throughout her forma-tive years, she was called Ivory as a sluragainst her mixed parentage and she wasoften considered an outsider. This treat-ment fostered a deep resentment againsther fellow Wakandans, but she grew into astable, compassionate young woman de-spite such treatment. As a college researchassistant, Ivory was on hand during anexperiment using Vibranium. Somethingwent wrong, and Ivory�s body becamepermeated with Vibranium. While she wasrecovering in the hospital, she was ap-proached by Angar the Screamer, whoused her resentment against the prejudiceshe felt in Wakanda to recruit her for hiscadre of super-terrorists. Feeling just asout-of-place in their ranks, her good na-ture surfaced when faced with Timothy�Dum-Dum� Dugan�s bravery and NickFury�s heroics (see �Group History�); shehelped them defeat Angar and was induct-ed into the Super-Agents program underthe tutelage of Fury.

Ivory is a young woman of deep emotionand empathy capable of much compassionand goodness. She exhibits very properspeech patterns and is highly educated inthe scientific research of her native Wa-kanda. Despite her beginnings withAngar�s super-terrorists, Ivory is theSuper-Agent most dedicated to the idealsof SHIELD. She has a low tolerance forprejudice, having been subject to muchdiscrimination in her native Wakanda.Having been treated as an outsider foryears, she has taken to the Super-Agentsand Nick Fury as her extended family,relying on them for companionship andsupport.

In MARVEL SUPER HEROES� (MSH)game campaigns, Ivory can expand on herpowers and become one of the best, andcertainly one of the most powerful,SHIELD agents in history. Ivory�s power issomething that SHIELD technologistswould love to study; it is up to the GMwhether Wakanda will allow such infor-mation of national security to be revealed(T�Challa might even request that shereturn home to the defense of her home-land.). Unhampered by psychologicaldifficulties or drawbacks due to herpowers, Ivory has the most potential ofthese Agents to graduate beyond herstatus with SHIELD and join the ranks ofindependent superhumans such as theAvengers. If she goes solo, Wakandanagents, with advanced native technology attheir disposal, might be dispatched tosecure her return, unless she joined theAvengers with T�Challa�s blessing.

88 DECEMBER 1992

KNOCKABOUT�

F RM(30) Health: 120A GD (10)S IN(40) Karma: 46E IN(40)R TY(6) Resources: EX(20)I GD(10)P RM(30) Popularity: 0

KNOWN POWERS:Dreamtime energy absorpt ion: Knock-

about gains his powers and abilities bytelling stories and weaving tales, using theenergy of his storytelling (and, subliminal-ly, the psionic energy of those who listento and even partially believe his story) totap into the Dreamtime and use the en-ergy there to enhance his physical struc-ture. He must tell at least one tall tale aday to maintain his power levels If he issomehow prevented from doing so, hispowers are each reduced by one rank perday until reaching Shift 0, reducing him toa normal human tone tale restores a rankof any one power at a time if reduced toless than Good (10) ranks).

Knockabout can manipulate his ab-sorbed dream energy with the followingeffects:

�Body armor: Knockabout�s skin andmusculature are hardened, providingIncredible (40) rank physical and Forceprotection and Remarkable (30) rank En-ergy protection.

�Enhanced abilities: Knockabout�sStrength and Endurance are both en-hanced to Incredible (40) levels; if de-prived of this power, his Strength andEndurance both slip to Excellent (20)

�Growth: When powered up, Knock-about can increase his size with Feebleability, allowing him to reach up to eightfeet in height with no marked increase inStrength. His normal height is 6� 6�.

�Leapmg: Knockabout�s great strengthallows him to leap with Monstrous ability,clearing 75 feet or live areas with a jump.

�Regeneration: Knockabout�s amplifiedphysical structure heals more efficientlythan a normal human�s, operating atAmazing (50) rank. At this rank, he re-stores 50 Health points per minute of rest.

TALENTS: Wilderness survival (Austra-lian outback), Martial Arts B and D.

ROLE-PLAYING NOTES:Nothing is known about Knockabout�s

true background and it is doubtful anyfacts will be forthcoming. Knockabout is apathological liar, though few know it sincethey are taken in by his seeming naiveteAn Australian native, Knockabout is jovial,very friendly and outgoing, and boisterousto an extreme (this is all part and parcel ofhis power, allowing his loquaciousness tofuel his enhanced abilities, but he has been

telling so many stories for so long even heis not-perfectly sure where the lies endand the truth begins). Though he passeshimself off as simple and naive, he iscrafty enough to weave complex storiesand tales without getting caught in a lie; ifalone, he might tell someone his origin,but give someone else another story.

Knockabout revels in combat, alwaystreating a fight like a game He doesn�tsuccumb to berserk rages or fury whenbattling, but he often barrels into a fightwith no coordination or strategy He is abrawler with an effective �bull-in-a-chinashop� method If he uses any strategicthinking at all, he works with what imple-ments are at hand, using cars or machin-ery as bludgeons or throwing people overcrevasses His fighting generates a lot ofdamage and noise, the more the better asit will eventually be turned into a tale ofever-increasing magnitudes

In MSH campaigns, Knockabout�s playershould generate a number of stories tokeep on hand, ready to toss them outwhenever there�s a lull in conversation,role-playing, or action. Knockabout shouldalways be quick with a joke or story, pref-erably ones tied to the Australian outback.No matter what the situation, Knockaboutwill never reveal his true name or thesource of his powers for fear of losingthem. He most often tells the truth onfacts that cannot be disputed, but thentangles them in half-truths that can con-fuse the listener into doubting the facts.Knockabout is most effective either as aSHIELD agent assigned to work with otherPC superheroes, or he could be encoun-tered as a free agent wandering the out-back. As always, he will not tell the detailsof his power, allowing people to assumehe�s a mutant or an altered human.

PSI-BORG�

F EX(20) Health: 76A RM(30)S TY(6) Karma: 60E EX(20)R EX(20) Resources: EX(20)I EX(20)P EX(20) Popularity: 0

KNOWN POWERS:� P s i b e r n e t l c C i r c u i t r y � : P s i - b o r g h a s

extensive cybernetic implants within herarms, skull, and all along her spinalcolumn The microcircuitry is made ofcomplex polymers of Arnim Zola�s designthat act as metals and standard circuitrybut do not register on metal detectors orrun a risk of implant rejection. Only X-raymachines and other scanners of Amazing(50) rank or greater can detect the im-plants due to their size, widespread orga-nization, and unique construction.Psi-borg�s artificially-induced powers

include:�Air control: Psi-borg can psionically

manipulate gasses with Incredible (40)effect. Her power stunts include maintain-ing a localized atmospheric pressure re-gardless of external air pressures (similarto pressurizing airplane cabins) and con-densing and containing expanding gases toa limited area (�bottling� harmful gasesbefore they affect others).

�Flight: Psi-borg has a Poor (4) rankFlight power, allowing her an aerial move-ment speed of four areas per round.

�Invisibility: Psi-borg can psionicallymask her presence from the eyes of senti-ent beings with Amazing (50) ability, ren-dering herself invisible to organic visualsensors. She can expand the influence ofher masking field up to one full area,making a number of persons invisible aswell; this stunt reduces the power rank toIncredible (40) but accomplishes the sameeffect.

� Mental bolts: Psi-borg projects mentalbolts through artificial circuits in herhands at a single target. The target mustmake a Psyche FEAT roll against an In-credible (40) intensity mental bolt or beknocked unconscious for 1-10 rounds.

�Telepathy: Psi-borg has a low-leveltelepathic ability; she cannot initiate mind-to-mind contact or communicate mentally,but she uses this power to locate a per-son�s brain patterns like telepathic homingsignals. If she knows a person and haslearned to recognize his brain pattern, Psi-borg can locate him with Remarkable (30)ability. For unknown persons, she candetect brain patterns and psionic activitywith Excellent (20) ability. Her range forthis power is Shift Z (500) (i.e., 400 areasor 10 miles).

TALENTS: Language (Latverian), MartialArts B and D.

ROLE-PLAYING NOTES:A native of Latveria, Psi-borg spent her

life in the idyllic Balkan country trying tolead a simple life but finding her driveleading her to callings beyond those of amere peasant girl. As did all the natives of

Latveria, Psi-borg made sure either toplease the Master (Dr. Victor Von Doom) orto avoid his anger. In an attempt to gainhis favor and attentions, she somehowescaped Latveria and approached ArnimZola, the Swiss biochemist famed for ge-netic reconstruction. He grafted uniquecircuitry into her body to grant her psi-onic powers. The details of her attempt tobecome Doom�s most-favored agent areunknown, though she is one of the fewLatverians who seems to be allowed freereign and apparently has no allegiance toDoom.

Psi-borg is a relatively unemotionalyoung woman who yields very little infor-

mation unless absolutely necessary She isvery secretive and protective of her pri-vacy, a learned response from havinggrown up in Latveria under the ever-present eyes of Doom. She IS deadly seri-ous in combat and acquits herself equallywell in the use of her powers and in hand-to-hand combat Given her propensity forsecrets and her sometimes extreme emo-tional responses, many people wonderhow much of her behavior is dictated byher and how much is controlled by hercybernetic implants.

In MSH game campaigns, Psi-borg can beboth heroine and villainess; her freedomcould easily be an illusion; either Zola orDr. Doom (using Zola as an ally/agent)could be manipulating her from afar, usingher to test the implants� effectivenessAssuming some hidden mechanisms arewithin her body, Psi-borg could be a molefor the master villains, recording or relay-ing (without her knowledge) SHIELD andworld government secrets. If the heroeschoose to have her as an ally, there ismuch adventure potential in freeing Psi-borg from the overriding influence of herimplants, perhaps even uncovering a total-ly different personality. Psi-borg is a ci-pher for the Judge to use to his purpose:Psi-borg�s memory could be implanted(look at Wolverine for another example) soshe could be molded into the ultimatepsionic warrior for good or ill

VIOLENCE�

F EX(20) Health: 66A RM(30)S TY(6) Karma: 30E GD(10)R GD(10) Resources: EX(20)I GD(10)P GD(10) Popularity: 0

KNOWN POWERS:None; all of Violence�s abilities are a

result of physical training or equipment.

EQUIPMENT?As a SHIELD operative, Violence has

access to the following SHIELD equipmentand weaponry:

Plasma beam handgun: With a range ofthree areas, the handgun can shoot In-credible (40) rank energy. Its battery packsgive it a capacity of six shots before thepack needs replacing. These handguns canbe reduced in intensity for stunning oppo-nents rather than killing them If a targetis hit by this weapon, he must roll oneither the Energy or Stun tables, depend-ing on the weapon�s setting.

Machine pistol: This gun shoots .30-caliber armor-piercing shells at variablerates of fire and damage: single shot (1shot/round; Good (10) Shooting damage),burst (3 shots/round; Excellent (20) dam-

DRAGON 89

age), and auto-fire (10 shots/round; Re-markable (30) damage). The range of themachine pistol is six areas, and each am-munition clip holds 60 rounds.

Uniform: The SHIELD Kevlar-lined jump-suit Violence wears provides Good (10)protection against physical and Forceattacks and Poor (4) protection againstEnergy attacks.

SHIELD experimental equipment: De-spite her access to standard SHIELD weap-onry, Violence tends to use equipmentbeyond the range of standard equipmentnormally issued to SHIELD agents. Givenher status as a Super-Agent and her fear-lessness, she is one of the few agents otherthan Nick Fury who tests new technologyfor SHIELD. Her standard weaponry incurrent use is as follows:

Combination handgun: Violence�s largepistol combines a plasma beam handgunwith a flame-thrower and a projectilepistol. The statistics for each of the set-tings are below:

�Flame-thrower: The gun can shootExcellent (20) intensity flames up to arange of one area; it has enough fuel for10 blasts or a constant medium flame ofGood (10) intensity of three minutes� dura-tion.

�Pistol: The gun can fire explosiveprojectiles to a range of six areas. Theprojectiles explode on contact with Re-markable (30) Force. The gun containsfour explosive rounds before needing toreload.

�Plasma beam: This gun has a numberof improvements over the SHIELDstandard-issue plasma gun. Its range isincreased to four areas and it conservesenergy, allowing 10 shots before needed anew battery. It still fires an Incredible (40)rank Energy charge.

Reinforced uniform: Violence�s uniformis an experimental weave of Kevlar andmetallic fibers that still maintain the flexi-bility of cloth. It provides Excellent (20)protection from physical and Force attacksand Good (10) protection against energy.

SHIELD flying motorcycle: Violence ridesthe prototype SHIELD flying motorcycle. Ithas the same electronic intelligence, com-munications, and reconnaissance equip-ment as the SHIELD flying cars andperforms with Incredible (40) Control (dueto its smaller size and reduced weight). Itprovides Poor (4) Body protection to itsrider (or maximum of two riders). Its topland and air speeds are Remarkable (sixareas per round on land, 15 areas perround in the air). Violence�s motorcyclealso has rear-mounted machine guns thatfires armor-piercing bullets at a combinedrate of 20 shots/round for Incredible (40)Shooting damage (use Violence�s Agility forthe guns). The guns� clips are contained inthe cycle seat and contain 200 roundseach.

90 DECEMBER 1992

TALENTS: Pilot�Air and Land craft,Marksman, Martial Arts B and D.

ROLE-PLAYING NOTES:Violence, also known as Violet Pinker-

ton, is a emotionally troubled woman fromEngland. She holds a personal grudgeagainst Nick Fury. Her grandfather, Per-cival �Pinky� Pinkerton, was tried yearsago for alleged war crimes while a mem-ber of Nick Fury�s Howling Commandoes;though he did not blame Nick for this,Violet holds him responsible for this blotagainst her grandfather. Initially rejectedfor entrance into SHIELD due to psycho-logical problems (labelled as suicidal, shewas declared unfit for duty due to disre-gard for her own safety and that of oth-ers), Violet was accepted by G.W. Bridgeinto the Super-Agents program. Bridge�sinitiative was to provide the best and mostpowerful SHIELD agents; though Violet,now aptly code-named Violence, was adanger to those around her, she would bean extremely able (though undisciplined)agent and would do the least harm tosuperhuman teammates. It was alsodeemed necessary, by Bridge�s initiative, tokeep her in SHIELD simply so shewouldn�t join HYDRA.

Violence is one of the angriest peopleyour player characters could ever meet ina MSH game campaign. A member ofBritain�s growing numbers of disaffectedyouths, Violet is excessively violent indealing with obstacles and problems; heroutlook is borderline suicidal and she istotally fearless due to her instability. She isfurious at Nick and at the world, and allher negative emotions are focused in herfighting. She charges into combat situa-tions with little regard for her safety andthat of her allies. Her casual disregard forauthority, especially Nick�s, could easilycause more trouble than it�s worth foranyone working with her. Used as either ahero or a villain, Violence is the epitome ofa �battle-happy� personality; she is onlyhappy when she is in combat and givesevery battle her all. Her only redeemingquality is her noble quest (of sorts) to clearher grandfather�s name by serving withFury and getting him to pay for Pinky�sshame. No matter what side of the law she

misunderstanding and scuffle with Nick,the Super-Agents, Bridge, and Fury man-aged to release the HeliCarrier from theclutches of Angar the Screamer and hissuperhuman terrorists. One of the terror-ists, a Wakandan named Ivory, chose tobetray her employer and side withSHIELD after witnessing Nick�s and Dum-Dum�s willingness to throw down theirlives for the ideals of SHIELD; she passedthe needed security clearances and joinedthe team.

After their initial mission, Nick Furyresigned as Director of SHIELD to takeover the training of this quartet of undisci-plined agents. Their powers and skillsmake them a valuable combat unit, buttheir inability to follow procedure andtheir recklessness could be tamed only byColonel Fury. Their enthusiasm and afore-mentioned qualities reminded many peo-ple, especially Nick, of the old HowlingCommandoes of World War II Given theiractions in reclaiming the HeliCarrier andon subsequent missions, the SHIELDSuper-Agents could certainly become theHowlers for the �90s.

The MARVEL-Phile’s Marvel characters and the distinctivenames and likenesses thereof are trademarks of MarvelEntertainment Group, Inc. and are used with permission.Copyright ©1992 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All RightsReserved.

works on, Violence will always work withthe most destructive and lethal weaponsavailable, regardless of personal risk.

GROUP HISTORY:The SHIELD Super-Agents program was

founded by G. W. Bridge after the restruc-turing of SHIELD following the DeltiteAffair. Working independently of NickFury�s cadre of agents, Bridge recruitedthree promising candidates in KnockaboutPsi-Borg, and Violence. Their first missionwas to rescue the SHIELD HeliCarrierfrom the hands of terrorists. After a minor

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, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI53147, U.S.A. In Europe, write to: SageAdvice, DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120Church End, Cherry Hinton, CambridgeCB1 3LB, United Kingdom. We are nolonger able to make personal replies;please send no SASEs with your questions(SASEs are being returned with writer�sguidelines for the magazine).

The sage temporarily concludes hisexploration of psychic mysteries thismonth. Unless otherwise stated, all pagereferences refer to The Complete PsionicsHandbook.

Is the armor class gained throughthe Flesh Armor devotion cumula-tive with the armor class gainedfrom normal armor or magicalprotections?

Generally, Flesh Armor is not cumulativewith actual armor�except that an ar-mored character who has no shield canuse the �shield� created if the power checkresult is a 1. Treat Flesh Armor as non-magical armor when determining how itworks with various magical protectionitems. Generally, this means that FleshArmor is cumulative with rings of protec-tion, but not with cloaks of protection.Flesh Armor also is not cumulative withbracers of defense or with other itemsthat provide a fixed armor class, such asrobes of the archmagi.

Can the Prolong devotion make aBallistic Attack more powerful?

No. The Ballistic Attack devotion is a�single item� effect, which cannot be Pro-longed (see Prolong power description,page 100).

How does the Phobia Amplifica-tion devotion work on playercharacters?

The same way it works on NPCs ormonsters. Well-developed player charac-ters probably will have a trait or personali-ty quirk that can be turned into afull-blown phobia. If not, the DungeonMaster or player will have to supply oneon the spot. If the power works and thevictim�s save fails, it is up to the player todecide what the PC will do. The DM

92 DECEMBER 1992

should be on guard against reticent play-ers who refuse to have their PCs act upontheir fears. The instant the player declaresan action that the DM feels is inappro-priate for a person caught in the throes ofabject terror, the DM should disallow theaction and suggest another one. If theplayer is stubborn and holds up the gameby not playing along, the DM should tem-porarily take control of the character.

The initial cost for the Teleportscience is listed as �10 + .� However,there is no �10� cost on the teleporttable.

The first �20� in the table is a typo; Tele-ports of 10 yards or less cost 10 PSPs. Notethat this change also applies to the Tele-port Other science, whose initial costshould be listed as �10 +� as well.

Can the Molecular Manipulationdevotion be used against a characterusing the Body Weaponry devotion?If so, what happens to a characterwho has a Body Weapon broken?

Molecular Manipulation can weaken orbreak a Body Weapon (see the question onthe Soften devotion vs. Body Weaponry inlast month�s column). If the MolecularManipulation power check succeeds, theBody Weaponry user can feel the weak-ness in his arm. If the Body Weaponryuser stops maintaining the power andallows the Body Weapon to change backinto an arm, the weakness disappearsbecause the arm is part of a creature�nolonger an object and no longer subject toMolecular Manipulation. If a Body Weaponbreaks�because of Molecular Manipula-tion or any other cause�the Body Weap-onry user loses that chunk of body mass,as though the affected limb were severed.The broken piece immediately changesback to flesh (it is cut off from the flow ofpsychic power that kept it in weaponform), and the DM might rule that theBody Weaponry user must immediatelydrop the power, although there is nogame-logic reason that he couldn�t go onspending PSPs to maintain the brokenstump. In any case, I don�t recommendany spectacular or gory effects when theBody Weaponry user does drop thepower�he should just have a healed-overstump. Any means that can restore asevered limb, such as a regeneration spellor magical items, can restore the lost limb.

When using the Control Body de-votion, exactly how do you hold apsychic contest between the attack-er�s power score and the victim�sstrength score? Does the psioniccharacter make a regular powerscore check at all?

Yes, the psionic character makes a stand-ard power check when using Control Body.

If the power check fails, the characterpays four PSPs (see page 11) and he doesnot gain control of the victim�s body.

If the campaign uses the optional �skillscore� rule (see page 11) and the attacker�sroll equals his power score, then he auto-matically gains control (although he canlose control by forcing the victim into asuicidal action and losing the resultingpsychic contest).

If the power check roll is lower than thepower score, there is a psychic contest.You hold this contest in exactly the sameway you hold any other psychic contest(see page 22), except that the victim useshis strength score and the attacker useshis power score. This is because ControlBody is psychokinetic; the attacker actu-ally generates a physical force that canseize control of a victim�s body. The victimhowever, can overcome this force by sheerphysical strength.

Does a weapon moved by the Tele-kinesis science or Ballistic Attackdevotion inflict normal damage?

Ballistic Attack can only move objectsthat weigh one pound or less; this ex-cludes just about anything larger than adagger. Any item used in a Ballistic Attackinflicts 1d6 points of damage regardless ofits �normal� damage rating; this is due tothe tremendous velocity the devotiongenerates. I suppose a sheaf arrow used ina Ballistic Attack could do 1d8 points ofdamage if the DM so desires, but there�sno guarantee the arrow will hit the targetpoint first, so I suggest sticking with thestandard 1d6. Using Telekinesis to wield aweapon is more like normal melee, and ahit inflicts the weapon�s normal damagerating. Unless you allow items such asarrows and quarrels to be used as stab-bing weapons in melee, I don�t recommendyou allow them to be used Telekineticallyeither. (I know some campaigns allowcharacters to make stabbing attacks witharrows when there�s no other weaponavailable. A typical �house rule� governingsuch attacks sets the damage at 1d2 andthe arrow usually breaks when it hits.)

Does the errata on psionics sup-plied with the DARK SUN� boxed setapply to all campaigns or just toDARK SUN games?

The errata sheet supplied with theDARK SUN boxed set is a general set ofcorrections that applies to psionics ingeneral, not just to DARK SUN campaigns.If you don�t have a DARK SUN boxed set,you can get the errata free by sending an

SASE to: TSR Inc., c/o Steve Winter, PO.Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147 U.S.A.Write a note saying that you�d like theerrata for The Complete Psionics Hand-book, TSR product #2117. Feel free toinclude any comments you may have.

If a psionic character uses theAnimal Affinity science to gain thehit points of the creature he is at-tuned to, does any damage sufferedcarry over to the character�s trueform when the character drops thepower? Do such hit points alwaysstart at the maximum when thepower is first activated?

Any ability bestowed onto the characterby Animal Affinity is strictly temporary,and it completely disappears when thepower is dropped or when the characterchooses to assume a different animalattribute. If the character chooses to as-sume an animal�s hit points, he in effectgets a whole new set of hit points thathave nothing whatsoever to do with thehit points he has as a character. When hedrops the power, his hit points immedi-ately revert to whatever total the charac-ter had when he activated the power. Ifthe character uses the power to assumeanimal hit points again, he immediatelyhas whatever total his animalistic alter-egohad when he last used the power.

Adjudicating hit-point recovery for char-acters with this power can be tricky. Forplayability, I suggest that �artificial� heal-ing from first aid, magical items, healingspells, or psionics apply only to the hit-point total the character is presently us-ing. That is, a cure light wounds spell caston a character who is using an animal�s hitpoints improves only the animal�s hit pointtotal. Since the unused hit point totalcannot be damaged, it cannot be healedeither. However, �natural� healing fromrest should apply to both totals. In effect,both aspects of the character�s hit pointscan be assumed to be at rest whenever thecharacter is completely inactive.

Does the Reduction devotion affecta character�s equipment and cloth-ing? What happens to equipmentand clothing if the character rolls a20 on the power check and doublesin size?

According to the power description,Reduction is the opposite of Expansion.Since Expansion does not affect clothingor equipment (see page 60), it�s clear to methat Reduction doesn�t affect clothing orequipment either. If a Reduction user rollsa 20 on a power check, he should �pop�right out of his clothes. A DM might rulethat the character suffers some damage inthe process, say 1d4 to 1d8 points of dam-age. A strict DM will make the characterroll item saving throws for anything thecharacter was wearing; the magical firecategory (see the item saving throw tablein the DMG, page 39) seems to offer themost reasonable set of numbers for mak-

ing such saving throws.

Does the Dream Travel devotioninduce sleep in willing subjects?That is, can it work if the subjectsaren�t sleepy?

The power description plainly requiresthat the psionic character fashioning thedreamscape where travel will take placemust be asleep and so must any passen-gers he takes with him. If the DM rulesthat sleep isn�t possible because the sur-roundings are too noisy or too uncomfor-table, then no Dream Travel can takeplace. On the other hand, there is no rea-son to assume that characters who canmake themselves somewhat comfortableand relaxed can�t will themselves to driftoff far enough to allow the power towork. Generally, if the characters involvedare reasonably warm and dry, can sit orlie down without discomfort, and have noovert reason to feel anxious, they can besleepy enough for Dream Travel. An un-willing victim who can force himself tostay awake cannot be compelled to DreamTravel.

Are the effects of the PsychicDrain devotion permanent? Can thispower be used on nonhumanoids?

Ability score losses from Psychic Draincan be permanent only if the character

employing the Psychic Drain siphons awaymore than half of the host�s psychic poten-tial, and even then the exact effect de-pends on the degree of depletion (seepower description, page 102). Hosts whoare not depleted regain �lost� ability pointswhen they awaken from the trance. (It�sfine to assume that hosts who are prema-turely awakened suffer from reducedability scores, if any, until their hour ofgrogginess passes.)

The power description specifically statesthat �people� must serve as hosts. In thiscase, it is entirely within the spirit andintent of the rules to define �people� ascreatures of greater than animal intelli-gence. However, the DM is on his ownwhen it comes to determining the psychicpotential of a nonhumanoid creaturewithout defined ability scores.

If the Wrench devotion is success-fully used on a creature that can behit only by + 1 or better weapons,does the creature become vulnera-ble to normal weapons?

Yes, it does. Wrenching completely stripsthe creature of its weapon immunity foras long as the power remains in effect.Note, however, that Wrench does notwork on every creature that is immune tonormal weapons. Lycanthropes, for exam-ple, don�t have a dual, extraplanar exist-ence and cannot be Wrenched.

DRAGON 93

POLYHEDRON and the RPGA logo are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. RPGA is a trademark owned by TSR, Inc. ©1992 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

encounters for the Networks portion ofthe GAMMA WORLD® campaign; creategame aids; design villains for the AD&D®

game; concoct still more monsters; andcome up with the most wondrous andpreposterous of gnomish inventions�andthat�s just to name a few. The best entriesappear in POLYHEDRON Newszine or ingame supplements produced by the RPGANetwork.The RPGA� Network gets a facelift!

by Jean Rabe

Next month marks the 12th anniversaryof the founding of the ROLE-PLAYINGGAME ASSOCIATION� Network, the larg-est international organization of role-playing fans. It also heralds some changesin the Network sure to delight garnerseverywhere. The changes start withPOLYHEDRON® Newszine, the monthlymagazine available only to Networkmembers.

POLYHEDRON® NewszineWhen the Network began more than a

decade ago, the Newszine was 16 pageslong and was published quarterly.Through the years, it increased in size andimproved in quality, and, in 1991, it be-came a monthly publication with 32 two-color pages and no advertisements.

In 1993, the magazine will feature occa-sional four-color covers and two gamesthat can�t be purchased anywhere else.The Network staff has been reviewinggames and has settled on a couple that arecertain to be winners.

The Newszine also will continue its popu-lar columns, �The Everwinking Eye,� by EdGreenwood and �The Living Galaxy� byDRAGON® Magazine editor Roger E. Moore.All the articles in the Newszine are writtenby Network members, and all members areinvited to submit manuscripts.

Other regular features include lettersfrom Network members; �Notes From HQ,�where the Network staff keeps membersinformed about what�s happening in theNetwork; �With Great Power,� by DRAGON

Magazine editor Dale A. Donovan; and�Into the Dark,� by novelist James Lowder.�With Great Power� contains a wealth ofhints and ideas for running super-herogame campaigns. �Into the Dark� is avideo-review column featuring tapesgarners might find interesting and useful,Lowder�s wit has earned this nongamingfeature a strong following. Continuingfeatures include �The New Rogues� Gal-lery,� which features NPCs for a variety ofrole-playing games, and �The Bards Cor-ner,� which has featured short stories,poetry, and other entertaining tidbits.

A new feature will be �Club News,�where Network members can learn howto form clubs, join existing clubs, andorganize their own conventions. �ClubNews� will be penned by veteran clubmembers from across the globe.

Computer-game fans will be pleasedwith �Take A Byte,� which highlights newgames from SSI, offers hints about currentgames�before clue books are available�and presents interviews with computer-game designers.

Everyone likes to win prizes, and theRPGA Network offers garners many oppor-tunities to enter contests and do just that.There have been contests to create mon-sters, magical items, spells, science-fictionweapons, and more.

POLYHEDRON Newszine will continue tofeature fantastic contests open only toNetwork members. Some of the prizesinclude specially autographed games andsupplements, original artwork, and more.During the next several months, memberswill have a chance to devise creatures and

The Newszine is not available in hobbyshops. However, all Network membersreceive 12 issues a year as part of theirmembership benefits.

TournamentsFor more than a decade, the Network

has offered fast-paced, fun adventures forvariety of role-playing games. Membersenjoy top-quality Network tournaments atconventions and game days across theworld.

In 1993, there will be more Networktournaments open only to clubs. Theseclever team events feature problem-solving, role-playing challenges, tricks, andtraps to challenge veterans. Clubs acrossthe world will be compete for top honorsand trophies. The Network is planningspecial competitions featuring theDUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game, as 1993marks the 20th birthday of that role-playing game.

The Network is also constantly addingnew games systems to its library of tour-nament scenarios. The AMAZINGENGINE� game system, coming soon fromTSR, Inc., is one of the newest additions.

The prizes are getting better, too. At the1993 GEN CON® game fair, top prizes willbe available for Network tournaments.Some of them include: one copy of everyproduct TSR, Inc. produces during a year;one copy of every game SSI producesduring a year; a $100 gift certificate fromRal Partha; $100 gift certificates from TSR;and multiyear subscriptions to DRAGONMagazine, DUNGEON® Adventures,AMAZING® Stories, and POLYHEDRONNewszine.

There even will be a tournament wherea lucky member�s character will win aposition in the government of aFORGOTTEN REALMS® campaign city.

Most Network tournaments feature theAD&D game and its many worlds. How-ever, there are also tournaments for theGAMMA WORLD game, TOP SECRET/S.I.�game, BOOT HILL® game, and othersproduced by TSR, Inc. Network tourna-ments also feature games by manufactur-ers from throughout the industry. WestEnd Games� STAR WARS*: The RPG, PARA-NOIA*, and TORG* games are also popularsettings for Network tournaments.

Network members who participate inthe tournaments receive points that helpthem rise in levels as players and judges.It�s sort of like being a fighter in theAD&D game. The more the characteraccomplishes and the more battles hewins, the more points the PC�s player adds

DRAGON 95

to his level. When Network members gainlevels, they can compete in special, moredifficult competitions. There are Feature,Masters, Grand Masters, and Paragonlevels. The competition gets more difficultthe higher a player progresses.

Garners who can�t make it to conven-tions still can participate in Network tour-naments through computer bulletin-boardservices. For example, the GEnie systemand America On-Line regularly offer Net-work tournaments.

Network tournaments are written by themembers, and those authors also receivepoints in this international ranking ofplayers and judges. Network tournamentsare some of the best adventures aroundbecause they are balanced, offer a varietyof challenges, and are well-written. Thebest Network tournaments are publishedin POLYHEDRON Newszine.

Network clubsClubs provide places to game, a chance

to socialize with friends, and opportunitiesto try new systems. The Network has beencommitted to assisting local clubs for thepast several years. Now, the RPGA Net-work is putting an even greater emphasison clubs.

In the pages of POLYHEDRON Newszine,garners can learn of the clubs nearestthem, how to form their own clubs, andhow to do things such as incorporate clubs

for nonprofit status.Clubs will have more tournaments and

activities open just to them. For example,at next month�s WINTER FANTASY� con-vention in Milwaukee, there will be anevent only for Network clubs, and at the1993 GEN CON game fair, there will betwo such events. The tournaments focuson teamwork and strategy, and the tro-phies and prizes are terrific. Groups ofgarners can form their own Network clubsand can enter the competitions.

Each year, the Network has a specialyear-long contest called the Gaming De-cathlon. In it, Network clubs select 10events that they will compete in duringthe course of the year. The Decathlonincludes tournament competitions, writingcontests, and more. The more events aclub wins, the more points it garners. Atthe end of the year, the winning clubs arepresented awards and prizes. The Decath-lon is open to clubs throughout the world.

Network clubs also get to playtest up-coming releases from TSR. The AD&D 2ndEdition game was playtested by more thana dozen clubs. The BOOT HILL game andthe GAMMA WORLD game, as well asseveral AD&D game modules, were play-tested by members, too. Playtesting helpsguarantee better products, and it affordsgarners an opportunity to offer input onsystems and supplements before they hitthe hobby shop stands.

The Living CityThe RPGA Network has developed a

portion of the FORGOTTEN REALMS®

campaign world. It�s RAVENS BLUFF�, TheLiving City, and its environs. It can befound near the Dragon Reach. Networkmembers contribute adventures, charac-ters, rumors, and much more, whichmakes this part of the FORGOTTENREALMS world ever changing and grow-ing. Each month, features on The LivingCity appear in POLYHEDRON Newszine.These are all written by members.

There are tournaments set in The LivingCity, too. Members play their own charac-ters, taking them from event to eventacross the world and gaining experience,fame, and fortune. Some characters arelucky enough to win government posts.One such post will be awarded at theWINTER FANTASY convention.

Other membership benefitsWant to find new people to game with?

The Network can help. All an RPGA Net-work member has to do is to write to Net-work HQ with a list of up to five zip codescovering where fellow garners are sought(and send a $3 processing fee). The memberwill receive the names and addresses ofNetwork members in those zip codes.

The Network also can provide memberswith free lists of official clubs and theiraddresses. Each issue of the Newszine alsoincludes convention listings. Game conven-tions are great places to meet new people.Further, each Network member is entitledto place free Classified ads in theNewszine. These short, personal noticescan help you find new garners, locatehard-to-find gaming materials, or sell usedgaming materials. A special section withinthe Classifieds is devoted to trading cards.

RPGA Network members often spendless on the latest game releases becausethey get a 10% discount to TSR�s MailOrder Hobby Shop. Many game shopsthroughout the world offer discounts togarners who display their Network mem-bership cards.

Only Network members have an oppor-tunity to purchase fantastic Networkmerchandise. There are T-shirts, sweat-shirts, embroidered jackets, embroidereddice bags, tote bags, mugs and more. Theapparel proudly proclaims the wearer�saffiliation with the Network.

Joining the NetworkThe Network is changing and growing,

and 1993 promises to be an exciting year.If you want to join, fill out the member-ship card inside this issue, or write: RPGANetwork, P.O. Box 515, Lake Geneva WI53147 U.S.A.

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

96 DECEMBER 1992

DRAGON 97

The role of the psionicist, the best AD&D® game character of all!

Which character can fight as well as awarrior, sneak better than a thief, curediseases and injuries like a cleric, charmand control enemies with the best of wiz-ards, and beats a bard for versatility?

If you guessed the psionicist, you�reright! The psionicist of the Complete Psi-onics Handbook is the single most flexibleand self-reliant character class of theAD&D® 2nd Edition game system. Thepsionicist is also the most difficult charac-ter type to play. The player has to makehard decisions with each and every levelabout what his character�s capabilities willbe. He has to master a complicated gamesubsystem�namely, psionics. And last, butcertainly not least, the player with apsionicist character has to carve out his�own adventuring and campaign role.Where does he fit in?

At first glance, the psionicist seems like ajack of all trades. With Adrenalin Control,Flesh Armor, and Displacement, he turnsinto a formidable fighting machine. Invisi-bility and Shadow-form seem perfect forthieflike stealth. Cell Adjustment andAbsorb Disease even give the psionicistaccess to clericlike powers. With all theseoptions open to the player, it�s importantto remember the character�s limitations. Itis very easy to get yourself into deep trou-ble by forgetting the difference betweenwhat your character does well and whatyour character has to use a pile of psionicstrength points to do well.

Creating a psionicistWhen a psionicist character is created,

the first and most important decision ofhis career has to be made right away:What discipline will he select as his pri-mary discipline. Think carefully aboutwhat you want your character�s capabili-ties to be at low and middle levels. Withtime, the psionicist gains access to anypowers that please him�but for the firstfew levels of his career, the psionicist isgoing to be very restricted by the limitednumber of disciplines allowed him.

Out of the six psionic disciplines, twocan be dropped from consideration imme-diately. The psychoportive sphere has anumber of useful and necessary powers,but there are far too few sciences anddevotions to allow the psionicist to ad-vance past low levels. Similarly, the disci-pline of metapsionics is very useful for ahigh-level character, but many of thepowers within the discipline have prereq-uisites that are difficult for a low-levelcharacter to meet.

Of the remaining disciplines, clairsen-tience is the least useful to the adventur-ing psionicist. While clairsentient powersare perfect for nonplayer-character sagesor information-seekers, a player characterneeds more punch and flexibility. Telepa-

thy, psychometabolism, and psychokinesisall afford the combination of offensive anddefensive skills the psionicist needs to be aviable character. Take a look at your PC�sability scores before you decide; somedisciplines have a number of powers withpower scores based on the same ability.For example, most psychometabolic sci-ences and devotions are based on Consti-tution; if your PC has a Constitution of 8,he is probably going to have a miserablecareer as a psychometabolist.

The single-classed psionicist shouldstrongly consider telepathy as his primarydiscipline, especially if the campaign has alot of psionics in it. No other psionicist isgoing to defeat a telepathist in mentalcombat, and the direct manipulation ofmind and thought is what a psionicist is allabout. Multiclassed characters can affordto specialize in the other disciplines. Psy-chometabolism is perfect for warrior/psionicists and thief/psionicists.

The next battery of decisions come asyou select your initial devotions and sci-ences. Telepaths and psychokineticistsabsolutely must take Mindlink and Contactor else Telekinesis at 1st level, since somany of the powers within their disci-plines require these sciences as prerequi-sites. It is a very good idea to come upwith an advancement strategy when yourcharacter is first created. Early on, decidewhich sciences and devotions you willwant to have at higher levels, then makesure your PC selects the prerequisitepowers.

It is a good idea to vary your PC�spowers. Choose a good mix of offensive,defensive, and generally useful abilities. Ifyour PC already possesses an offensivepower capable of damaging an enemy,picking up Ballistic Attack or ChemicalSimulation for their combat uses may notbe as wise as selecting Dimensional Dooror Body Equilibrium, powers that can getyou out of trouble quickly. Mages andclerics can decide at the beginning of anadventure if they need an offensive ordefensive posture, but the psionicist isstuck with his chosen abilities until hereaches the next level.

There are a number of different viewsabout selecting the particular devotionsand sciences for a psionicist, but here aremy humble opinions:

Ten really great psionic powers: Adrena-lin Control, Body Equilibrium, Reduction,Mindlink, ESP, Post-Hypnotic Suggestion,Truthear, Dimensional Door, Metamorpho-sis, Levitation.

Ten just awful devotions: Feel Sound,Feel Light, Hear Light, Ballistic Attack,Biofeedback, Graft Weapon, Immovability,Time/Space Anchor, Incarnation Aware-ness, and especially Taste Link.

The adventuring psionicistWhile psionicists can temporarily fill

other roles in an adventuring group, thatis not what they are meant to do. In awell-balanced party of adventurers, it mayseem that the psionicist is nothing morethan a backup character. Players whoallow themselves to fall into that role missout on the psionicist�s true mission�dominating the spectrum of psionic abilityfor the benefit of his comrades.

What does this mean? Briefly, the idea isto exploit psionics for your advantagewhile preventing your enemies from doingthe same. If your psionicist character isthe only one for miles around, this meansshe has the freedom to launch psionicattacks, reconnaissance, and support forthe party. But, in psionics-heavy games,your character should stand ready todefend her group to prevent enemypsionicists from turning your fighters intoturnips. The idea is the same as tacticalarchery: If there are no other archersaround, shoot at the infantry; otherwise,your first job is to keep the enemy archersfrom hassling your own infantry. Psionicsupremacy is the most important duty ofthe psionicist PC.

The second role of the psionicist is theinformation-gatherer. Psionicists have thepotential to be the supreme informationsources in an AD&D campaign. Clairsen-tient devotions can be used to scout outthe terrain with even more stealth than athief can achieve�after all, the psionicistis not even there. Want to know enemystrengths and plans? Just ESP that sentryyou saw in your mind�s eye. Your psioni-cist character can be a hundred milesaway, planning the upcoming mission in acomfortable tavern, while he comes upwith detailed plans of the camp and guardschedules. Psionicists should regularlycheck up on known enemies to see whatthey are plotting next; there�s no excusefor a psionicist who gets surprised byongoing events.

Lastly, a psionicist is exceptionally capa-ble as a party�s utility man. Remember thatthis is a tertiary role, but in psionics-poorcampaigns do not hesitate for a moment toexploit your PC�s advantages over non-psionic characters. Unlike wizards, bards,and clerics, who must try to anticipate anadventure�s spell requirements, the psioni-cist can access any of his powers at anytime. If the adventure turns out to beoverland travel rather than the expecteddungeon crawl, the psionicist won�t becaught flatfooted like the mage with knock-and wizard eye spells occupying thatprecious memory space. The ability toimprovise is one of the single greatestadvantages that psionicists enjoy.

DRAGON 99

The fighting psionicistDespite a number of powers that can

increase armor class or Strength, youshould remember that your PC fights onlyas well as a rogue. With six-sided hit diceand a rogue�s THAC0, physical combat isnot the psionicist�s forte. In melee, hisconcentration can be ruined just like awizard�s. While a psionicist can alwaysmaintain powers initiated earlier, he mayfind himself in a combat situation wherehe needs to initiate new powers and can�tbecause he is in the thick of the fight.Don�t get caught in melee unless you arecertain your PC can handle all foes with-out his psionic advantage!

However, never be afraid to fight whenyou can stack the odds in your PC�s favorby powering up those big psychometabolicdevotions. A psionicist�s natural placeshould be back with the spell-casters ofthe party, but she can serve as an ade-quate rear guard to handle any enemiesthat slip through the front line of fighters.A combat position away from the meleewill also ensure that she can launch psy-chokinetic and telepathic attacks in com-parative peace.

During a combat situation, what shouldthe psionicist do? Generally, he is best offlooking to attack individual enemies. Un-like a mage, the psionicist will never knockdown a roomful of orcs with one mightyspell of destruction. Like a thief, he needsto carefully select his targets for maximum

effect. Enemy leaders should be subjectedto Domination, Post-Hypnotic Suggestions,and miscellaneous telepathic attacks. Heshould keep an eye open for comrades introuble and toss attacks at the enemieswho are pressing them. Id Insinuation andEgo Whip are excellent for briefly incapac-itating enemies. Targeting enemy archerswith the suggestion that they are out ofarrows could help the party as a whole bysuppressing missile fire.

Running a psionics campaignIntroducing psionics into a campaign can

be a painful and surprising experience. Ifyou are heading this way with your game,make sure you understand the rules asclearly as possible on advancement, com-bat, and using psionic powers. You candeal with individual sciences and devo-tions as they come up, but you must un-derstand how the system works as awhole.

As the DM, you must make a couple ofjudgment calls on the effects of some ofthe more ambiguous powers. Does PsionicContact alert the target to a mental intru-sion, or is Contact unnoticed until a sec-ond ability is used? Can a psionicist tellhow far away a target is by the difficultyinvolved in contacting him? Should thepsionicist player be allowed to know theapproximate level of his target by keepingan accurate count of Contact or Domina-tion costs? There are good arguments for

100 DECEMBER 1992

and against each of these interpretations,and you should be prepared to lay downthe law in your own campaign.

A psionic PC with Mindlink will be ableto communicate with anyone in yourcampaign at any time. Given time, thepsionicist can call up sages for instantadvice, clarify orders or ask for instruc-tions, or even check on the activities ofany person she has ever seen. Mindlink isbetter than a cellular telephone for stayingin touch, and clever players are going touse that ability. Just like real life, effectivecommunications in a fantasy campaign canspell the difference between success orfailure. Why ride three horses to exhaus-tion to reach a frontier fort when thepsionicist can send a mental warninginstantaneously? If you�re the DM, beprepared to see your most nefarious plotsfoiled by instant communication and per-fect counterintelligence.

On the bright side, there is nothingwrong with a NPC psionicist using thesesame tactics on your players� characters.Assume that the great evil villain of yourcampaign, Lord Morgg the Dark, has agrand vizier who is in reality a competentpsionicist. When the PCs torch Morgg�sarmory, he tells the grand vizier to findout who did it and where they are. Thevizier (possibly from hundreds of milesaway, courtesy of Mindlink) interrogates asurviving guard who saw the PCs, and hegets a mental picture of the party. A fewpower-score rolls and PSPs later, he estab-lishes Contact with one of the PCs. Now,using ESP, he determines their locationand listens in on their plans. AnotherContact and Mindlink notifies the nearestof Lord Morgg�s legion commanders. With-in minutes, the forces of evil are on theirway to attack the hapless PCs.

If the vizier is especially evil and power-ful, he requests the use of a few dozenslaves from Lord Morgg and uses PsychicDrain on the poor wretches to power amassive series of Teleportations. LordMorgg�s personal guard of chaotic-evil badguys is on its way to the PCs� campsitewithin minutes of the beginning of thegrand vizier�s search. Evil psionicists areunbeatable assistants to the chief adver-saries of any campaign.

SummaryPsionics adds a new dimension to any

AD&D campaign. Before you allow whole-sale psionics use in your campaign, youmay want to try a pilot run with onepsionicist PC and an occasional psionic foe.The psionicist character is a thinkingplayer�s character (no pun intended) whoenjoys greater flexibility and self-reliancethan any other class in the AD&D system.If you�re ready for an extra challenge anda new twist on the old favorite, you�reready to play a psionicist.

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DRAGON 109

110 DECEMBER 1992

©1992 by Robert BigelowPhotos by Mike Bethke

It�s that holiday shopping time again (part 2)Welcome to part two of our holiday-

shopping product reviews. In keeping withthe spirit of the season, we�re including anumber of gift items as well as playingpieces. Remember to order early fromyour local hobby shop if it does not havewhat you want. Deliveries are slow at thistime of year because of the volume, andstock is frequently depleted on fast-sellingitems. Shop owners are happy to help youfind and procure what you want, but theymay need more than one attempt to getthe product. Each attempt may take up tofive days or more, depending on how far

to arrive, and hope that it was not out ofstock. This is not fun for either of you.Please don�t wait till the last minute.

Short of a major disaster, I will be at theWINTER FANTASY� game convention inMilwaukee and may run some games. Ifyou want to speak to me there, I will beglad to chat provided it doesn�t disrupt agame.

I here wish to thank my many loyal

Miniatures� product ratings

* Poorthe distributor is from the store andwhether the distributor has a computer to

* ** * *

Below average

tell the shop owner instantly if theAverage

* * * * Above averageproduct is in stock. Without the computer,you�ll have to order, wait for the shipment

112 DECEMBER 1992

readers; I enjoy hearing from you and takeyour comments to heart. To everyone whoreads this column, I send the joy of theseason, peace, and good fortune.

[Editor�s note: The Medium Omni �Mechsplanned for the last issue were droppedfor reasons of space (this explains thecurious painting credit from last issue�sfirst paragraph). They are presented hereinstead.]

Now, on to the reviews:

Ral Partha Enterprises5938 Carthage Ct.Cincinnati OH 45212-1197

Ral Partha Enterprisesc/o Minifigs1/5 Graham Rd., SouthamptonUNITED KINGDOM S02 0AX

10-841 Medium Omni �Mechs * * * * ½Medium Clan �Mechs for FASA�s BATTLE-

TECH* game are now available from RalPartha. All these �Mechs are used by morethan one Clan, but each type is used heavi-ly by only one Clan. Each �Mech is a kitcontaining a number of different pieces,including a hex base. Please remember tocarefully read and follow all kit instruc-tions if you get this item.

Dragonfly: The main user for this �Mechis the Ghostbear Clan. The miniaturestands 30 mm tall and is 25 mm across.The miniature is very similar to its linedrawing in the game reference books,differing only in the position and place-ment of the gun on the left arm; the gunshould be much lower than the fist. Thesecond difference lies the upper super-structure and cockpit. The picture has thefront around the head area being round-ed; the miniature has the area flat. Includ-ing the hex base, this item is made up ofseven pieces, all of which had some flashbut went together with only minor diffi-culty. Use superglue sparingly on the smallpeg holes.

***** Excellent

Fenris: This is the most standard-looking�Mech in the Clan units and is used mostlyby the Wolf Clan. The figure is an excel-

lent match with its line drawing in Techni-cal Readout 3055. It stands 40 mm tall andconsists of six separate pieces, all of whichgo together and fit well, though there areobvious mold lines on the outside of bothlegs (the lines came off with a minimum ofdifficulty except in the lower areas).

Black Hawk: This is almost a nonspecificClan �Mech, used only marginally but mostoften by the Wolf Clan. This �Mech is shortand squat, being only 28 mm high and 32mm wide. The miniature is made up ofseven different parts. The two inside legsdo not match up with their holes and mustbe bent to fit. There was a large amount offlash on the pieces, but it was removedwith some work. The line drawing and theminiature match perfectly except for thechin weapon units. I admit that the �Mechin the photo here is facing the wrong wayon its feet; this resulted from an emer-gency repair when I looked at the picturebut unknowingly did the opposite. The�Mech holds together well now.

Ryoken: This is primarily used by theSmoke Jaguars. This miniature stands 38mm tall and matches the drawing in Tech-nical Readout 3055 exactly. This unit con-sists of eight different pieces, all of whichhad flash or mold lines that needed clean-ing. The pieces fit together well, exceptthat the arms did not quite clear the legsand the figure had to be put slightly askewto allow the arms to be deployed.

These models require work but areworth it when finished. If you are buildingspecific �Mechs, these are highly recom-mended. The cost is $18 per box.

RAFM Co. Inc.20 Park Hill Rd. EastCambridge, OntarioCANADA N1R 1P2

2008 Dream Warriors * * * * ½

The Dream Warrior set contains 16 leadfigures allegedly scaled to 25 mm, butactually standing 30-32 mm high. Thefigures are of beings rising in ghostlyvapors from differently shaped bases. Thedesigns make it difficult to tell whetherthere is any flash or not, as any flashwould look like vapors. Mold lines arevisible on the nightmare steed and some ofthe foot troops, but all are easily removedand do not impair or detract from thedetailing.

The troops included seem to be eitherhuman or bestial �chaos� types. The six�chaos� troops are armed with a variety ofweapons and are of different species.Chaos figure #1 has a bovine skull, a parti-ally formed body, overlapping armorplates, and shoulder plates with spikes. Heis armed with a long pole and flail, and hishelmet has elongated steer�s horns.

Chaos figures #2 and #3 are armed withglaive-type polearms. Both figures arearmored and carry decorated circularshields (#2 has a skull and #3 has whatseems to be a Mercedes emblem); spikes

ancestry, while #3 looks like a tentacleddemon with a fin. Figure #4 carries apoleax on a wooden pole but is otherwisevery similar to #1 and #2. His circularshield has a spider-web design; he, too, hasplate armor. His face is almost goblinlike,and his mouth is open as if screaming.

rise out of their backplate protection.Figure #2 has a head that points to canine

Figure #5 has only vapors for a bodyfrom mid-chest down; like the others, hehas overlapping plate armor. His left armends in an ax and his right arm ends in awicked long sword. His face and headappear sharklike (he has a thick fin overhis head), and he wears a predator�s grin.The standard bearer for this unit, figure#6, has exaggerated facial features thatbring a frog to mind. His standard is askull flanked by thick wings on an ornatepole. He also carries a shield.

None of the human figures has fullyformed legs or lower torsos, and evensome equipment is partially formed. Fig-ure #1 has a polearm and shield at theready; his helmet has its visor down with aswordlike blade on top. Plate protects hischest and shoulders, but his back has littlearmor. Figures #2, #3, and #4 have variouspolearms held in the guard position. Fig-ure #2 has the deep-set plate armor of #1,but his shoulder protectors look more likepads. His shield has a pattern like #l�s,only with a skull grinning from under ahood. Figure #3 has scale mail and a roundshield boasting a skull and crossbones. Hishelmet has tusklike features on the bottomwith a spike on top, and a skull face on hisbreastplate. Figure #4 has heavy plate anda closed helmet with a skull and a set offins that make the helmet appear to be anaerial bomb. He carries a rectangularshield on his left arm

includes massive shoulder protection. Heholds a many-pointed sword-club in bothhands. A skull appears on his right shoul-der armor, His skin-covered skull is open-mouthed, with a tongue sticking out indefiance. Figure #6 has a skinless skullsupported by high-backed plate and highcollar. He clutches a simple long sword inarmored hands with his arms crossed.Shoulder plates with rivets are evident.The figure appears to be waiting patiently.

Human figures #5 and #6 are armedwith hand weapons. Figure #5 has chainmail with an elaborate breastplate that

Figure #7 is a scale-mailed championprotected by a huge kite shield with askull crowned in knives and lines, carriedon his armored left arm. His right handholds a bastard sword with a skull on thehilt; another skull adorns his armor. Apointed ridge runs up his spine, capped bya closed helmet that comes to a point. Thestandard bearer for the humans has atrident-shaped totem braced on an ornatepole. Runes cover the outer two tines,while the center tine is sharp. The head iscovered by a teardrop-shaped helmet; thespine is exposed. His left arm supports ashield with a burst pattern with a largespike at the center of the burst.

Last but not least is a wraithlike leaderriding what could very well be a bardednightmare from TSR�s AD&D® game. Thehorse has a small saddle, scale barding,and plate protection on its head, chest andfront legs. Tack detail is very good; theteeth and baleful eyes stand out well. Theminiature is mounted on a slightly round-ed base that gives it a rocking-chair ap-pearance but also suggests the mist risingaround it. All hair streams out behind as ifthe horse were at full gallop. The rider iscovered in plate mail from foot to neck.

DRAGON 113

Both his hands are armored; the leftclutches a knife while the right has a longsword. A long cape flows back from hisshoulders, with the top half of the rider�sskull glaring out between its folds.

This set could be used for anything froma dream army sent to kill characters intheir sleep to a ghostly army rising from abattlefield to protect their possessions.With the use of individual figures, thisarmy could be a welcome addition to theranks of your undead. It is highly recom-mended at $18 per set.

Epicast USA1495 Quail Valley RunOakley CA 94561-3425

Falcon Grav Tank * * * *

Eldar players�attention! You now haveequipment to rival the APCs of ImperialTroops or the equipment of the space orksin Games Workshop�s WARHAMMER40,000* system. This Falcon tank gives youthe ability to move troops over obstaclesand provide fire support.

The Falcon Grav Tank kit is scaled for25-mm figure use and made of a heavyepoxy substance that accepts paint readily.It comes in three pieces: a flash suppres-sor, the main tank body, and the grav unitfor mounting underneath. The body iswedge-shaped, starting at 1%� wide andexpanding to 4� wide at the enginemounts and nozzles. The main body is 7�long, with the gun adding another ¾� tothe front. The vehicle is just over 2%�high at its highest point.

The flash suppressor must be trimmedto fit correctly onto the barrel; some fillingmight be needed. The grav unit has to beplaced in such a way that the rear hatchaligns with the upper edge of the hatch onthe main body. While the grav part has a

114 DECEMBER 1992

great deal of detail, the bottom of the mainbody has no detail and even has a copy-right message on a visible place in therear. You will want to fill this message withputty in order to get a quality displaypiece. You must also fill the exhaust noz-zles, and you must also note that the noz-zles are not symmetrical. The tank�s upperpart has a number of details molded on,but they are slightly exaggerated androunded as are most epoxy castings. Fewbubbles or pits were noted.

This piece is useful not only for GW�sWARHAMMER 40,000 system but othergames using grav vehicles. It is well rec-ommended even with the work needed,and it is worth its $20 price tag.

Black Dragon Pewter2700 Range Rd.North Bellmore NY 11710

Trick or Treat Dragon * * * * *

Gift pewter is always popular at Christ-mas, and this year we have a good selec-tion for you. This first piece arrived toolate for the October issue, but it was cuteenough to be worth a shot. The Trick orTreat Dragon stands 40 mm tall, his young,scaly body hunched in anticipation oftreats and treasures. His head is coveredby a mask, and two red gem eyes starefixedly ahead. His hands hold open a sackof treasure open. A pearl sits in plainsight. To his left sits a jack-o-lantern withtwo red eyes and a lopsided, wavy grin.Enthusiasm such as you see from kidsevery year leaps out at you. This is truly aneat little treasure at only $15.

1043 Relaxin� Wizard * * * * *

This 36-mm wizard sits back in a tallwooden slat chair with cushions, dressedin a comfortable robe that drops to the

floor to join a fallen conical hat adornedwith wizards symbols. His chair back iscovered by a bat with its wings spread andtwo skulls with red jewels for eyes. His lefthand holds a pipe with a red-jeweled bowlwhile his right hand fingers an oldspellbook with runes. He has a slightlypuzzled expression and looks as if he isgoing to say something. Both crossed legsrest on a footstool of large books. Thewizard is the picture of peace and content-ment during a wild season. This figure iswell worth its $15 price tag.

HG 517 Guardian AngelHologram * * * ½

This angel stands on a base of waves andsand, with ivy curling around the edgesand encircling the form of the angel. Theangel is female and extremely thin, almostangular. There are some molding defectson her stomach and buttocks. Her hairstreams out behind as she is getting readyto blow a ribbon-wrapped trumpet whileshe holds a long sword (the arm support-ing the sword is overly squared and thin,detracting from the image). The wings areexcellent and also form part of the supportfor the well-done hologram of Earth, com-plete with visible mountain ranges,

Seen from a distance, this is a nice fig-ure, but it doesn�t bear up well under veryclose scrutiny. Its price is $40.

Soldiers and Swords25 Fayette St.Binghamton NY 13901

T002 Barkeep * * * * ½

Townspeople are always in demand assources of rumors or background informa-tion. The local barkeep hears everythingand is usually ready to impart a piece ofwisdom for a small fee. This barkeep is a

true 25-mm figure, as measured from baseto eyes, and is-made of lead. He is slightlystout at the waistline and wears a shirtwith rolled-up sleeves, simple pants, andplain shoes. His left hand holds a bar rag;his right presents a bottle for consump-tion. An apron pocket bulges with theevening�s take.

The face is interesting. A bushy mous-tache and eyebrows and mutton-chopsideburns frame a head bare except for afringe of hair in the back. His expression issolemn, There are no flash spots or moldlines. At $1.25 each, this figure is a verygood value.

E006 Luna * * * *

This is another true 25-mm scale figurethat adds a female fighter to the non-bikinibrigade. Luna looks like a female thiefarmed with a long sword and dagger. Thesword has a defect at mid-blade that needsto be fixed. Luna wears long gloves, a tightblouse open at the neck, tight pants, highboots, and shin guards. Crossed beltssupport scabbards for both sword andknife. Shoulder guards and a scarf com-plete the detail on the body.

The face is plain with concentrationevident, Facial detail is good; care shouldbe taken when removing the slight moldline from the face. Her hair falls slightlylower than shoulder length. There wasflash between her left arm and body and

some between her legs. This is a goodfemale figure that is intelligently dressed;it is recommended even with the workneeded at $1.25 each.

R004 Man-at-arms * * * * ½

This figure is suited in armor of a stylefitting the period from 1360-1410. Thefigure wears a bascinet helmet with acamail (chain-mail neck guard) that coversa mail hauberk and a jupon (under-armorpadding). Shoulder guards and arm pro-tectors are well done. Both hands havegauntlets, and the right hand clutches along sword. A shield can be attached tothe left arm after painting. Both legs areprotected by leg and knee plates and kneeguards. The feet are covered by sollerets.The face is that of a middle-aged man withhis mouth open as if shouting. Unfortu-nately, his face also looks as if it is missingpart of the jaw.

This piece would be equally at home ineither an AD&D game world or in histori-cal miniatures games. For a completenaming of all the parts of the figure�sarmor, see page 119 of Palladium Books�Compendium of Weapons, Armour andCastles, which has an almost exact copy ofthe figure in a standing stance. This figureis highly recommended at $1.25 each.

Miniatures656 East McMillanCincinnati OH 43206-1991

Thunderbolt MountainMiniatures70 Harcourt St.Newark, NottinghamUNITED KINGDOM NG 241 R4

1023 Blood Tor * * * * *

This set is guaranteed to warm the heartof any barbarian lover on your gift list.The kit consists of four 25-mm lead figureswith peg supports and a detailed 25-mmscaled base that provides most of the textfor the diorama�s story.

The figures consist of a male and femalebarbarian and a pair of very unluckyhobgoblins. The male barbarian is true toclassic form, with mostly bare skin andgood muscle tone. He wears a pair of lacedsandals with shin protectors, a loincloth,and a helmet with nose guard and horns.A large knife hangs from a disk belt, buthe is busily putting his axe to use. Longhair falls from beneath his helmet, and atooth necklace adorns his neck. Both hiswrists have bracers that help the figuresupport the hobgoblin that is held by theneck in preparation for chopping. Thehobgoblin hangs mostly limp with hisfangs visible and eyes bulging slightly. Thehobgoblin is bare except for a loincloth,bracers, and shin protectors. A scimitarhangs limply in his right hand. His ears areheld straight up, as if he knows he is aboutto die.

The female barbarian is fighting a foewho is obviously just as doomed. Thishobgoblin is protected by a round shieldwith studs, a breastplate, bracers, and

DRAGON 115

metal shin protectors. He holds a scimitaras he gives his opponent a hateful gaze.The female barbarian is dressed in aFrench bikini bottom, steel breast cones,and shoulder protectors. Flexible leatherboots extend to her knees, which arecovered with metal protectors. Both wristshave bracers. A round shield with starsand a sword pattern graces her left arm.The visor-up helmet frames her expressionof concentration and disgust as she guidesa long sword through the neck of thehobgoblin in a death blow.

The base is the real jewel, and it shouldprovide a challenge to anyone who wishesto bring out all the detail with painting. It

is a 2� circle representing a group of rocksthat crown a hill. On these rocks are allthe hobgoblins who have died at the handsof the two barbarians. Over 20 bodies orparts of bodies litter this area, wearingplate armor, leather, clothing, or nothingat all. A variety of weapons, shields, andother items clutter the scene and add awealth of detail.

The diorama will probably not come outexactly as the picture here shows. We hadto bend some legs and arms to fit the holesas they were drilled. This is a minor prob-lem that must be fixed before painting.Still, this set is highly recommended at$13.95.

Viking Forge1727 Theresa Ln.Powhatan VA 23139

M-99 Centaur With Bow * *½Centaurs are good troops in fantasy

miniatures games, as they can double ascavalry and scouts, with weapon skills aswell. This centaur archer measures 21 mmto the top of his back and 33 mm to theeyes; he is shown after arrow release. Hewears a leather jerkin and has bracers onboth wrists. The horse part of his bodyhas squared legs on the insides; the legsare also spindly and not in scale. Thehorse part is flat, with no chest to speakof, and has flattened surfaces where mus-cle groups should be. The chest of thehorse is angular instead of rounded andbroad. The human part of the figure has aquiver of arrows; a cape covers his back,and his facial features are not very clear.Long hair falls to his shoulders. It lookslike his arms are covered by chain mail.

This figure is not recommended formost garners. The quality of my reviewpiece was extremely poor and even had acrack in the lead from the stomach of thehorse through the quiver. I have seenother centaurs from Viking Forge and theywere much better. This is at least one ofthe few male centaurs with a bow that Ihave seen. As the figure is, it is not worthits $3 price.

M-100 Centaur With Lance * * * ½

This figure also has problems with bothits horse and human parts. The horse legsare flattened on the inside, and the body ismuch too thin and almost looks like itdidn�t form completely underneath whencast. The human half is armed with alance and has a sword hanging on the lefton a wide belt. Arm muscle detail looksslightly flattened. He is dressed in a skincape, shirt, and neck protector. the facialdetail is slightly off. This miniature willneed work. I cannot recommend thisfigure at $3 each.

Grenadier Models Inc.P.O. Box 305Springfield PA 19064

Grenadier Models UK Ltd.25 Babage Rd.Deeside, Clwyd, WalesUNITED KINGDOM CH5 2QB

5001 FANTASY WARRIORS *Companion * * * * *

Last year, we reviewed the FANTASYWARRIORS* boxed game from Grenadier.This year, Grenadier has released a com-panion set that increases the original set�splayability considerably. The new compan-ion has rules for undead armies and equip-ment and the means to form new unitsfrom the dead. Mercenaries are now

116 DECEMBER 1992

brought into combat, and new army listsfor everything from Amazons to undeadallow you to set up campaigns that pit theraces against one another.

The set is well laid out, with rules in aneasily read and followed format. The fre-quent illustrations do not always seem to gowith the text, but usually support it. Themargins contain lots of examples and sug-gestions to aid the understanding of thetext. The undead rules integrate themselveswell into the system and cover each of theundead types in specific sections. Thisrules� companion also gives artillery rulesand introduces heavy weapons and gun-powder as well as weapon-equipped mon-sters. New rules and tips are clearly marked,and space is left for notes in some areas.New magic is included that allows combatbetween mages, and great magic is giventhat extends combat abilities of the units.

This 80-page book is done in black andwhite. There is a sheet of colored counterthat includes arrows, counters for cannonvol leys , dragon brea th , necromant i cand terrain markers. I highly recommendthis book for anyone who bought theFANTASY WARRIORS game; I still highlyrecommend the game itself, and evenmore so now, The cost for the book is$12.95.

5617 Barbarian Battle Leader * * * * ½This loincloth-wearing barbarian is 29

mm tall and made of lead. His legs arecovered by boots bound by thongs. Hischest and back are bare except for a shieldacross his back and a necklace. A beltsecures a knife and sheath and supportsthe loincloth. Both wrists have bracers,and a huge bastard sword leans across hisshoulder.

The barbarian points ahead; his faceshows concentration and aggravation alike.His lips are curled back and cheeks slightlysunken. His good eye squints (his left eye iscovered by a patch that stands out well).Muscle detail is very good on the entirefigure, but there was flash between the legsthat was easily cleaned. This figure is highlyrecommended, even at $1.75 each.

Mithril MiniaturesMacroom, Co. CorkIRELAND

Ed Wimble/Prince AugustMiniatures USAThe Byrne Building, Lincoln & Morgan

StreetsPhoenixville PA 19460

M248 Ghân-buri-Ghân and WoseSpearman * * * * ½

M249 Wose Warrior with Blowpipeand Wose Priestess * * * * ½

All these Woses (from J. R. R. Tolkien�sThe Lord of the Rings) can be handled inone quick review, as they share manycommon traits. They are true 25-mm scaleand range from 22 mm to 26 mm from

base to eyes. All bases are rectangularwith beveled edges and are covered withpebble-shaped rocks.

Both fighters wear only loincloths, andthey appear slightly pudgy, with visiblenavels. The spearman has his hair pulledback into a topknot, while the blowpipewarrior�s hair hangs straight down. Bothfigures have glue-on arms and weapons,but the arms didn�t quite match up, evenwith bracelets molded there. The priestesshas a fringed lei that covers her breastsand a fringed loincloth in front. Her righthand sweeps out as if blessing, and herleft hand clasps an ornate, tasseled totem.She looks middle-aged and gaunt, as if she

has suffered much.Ghân-buri-Ghân is a hero of the War of

the Rings for allowing an army of Good topass through his lands. He wears a tas-seled loincloth and a tooth necklace, withhis hair pulled back into a topknot. Astone axe is clenched in his right handwhile his left hand signals a stop.

None of these figures had any mold linesor flash, although each weapon arm wasunprimed; all will require work and care-ful handling. These sets are highly recom-mended to anyone who really loves TheHobbit and other Middle-earth books andgames. They are priced at $3.49 per packof two.

DRAGON 117

FantascenesBox PPine Plains NY 12567

1-12 Beds and Straw Pallets * * * * ½

If you lived in the Middle Ages and wentto an inn, chances are that you wouldhave slept on a straw pallet rather than abed. Beds were reserved for the mostexpensive rooms and were usually had bynobles or very rich people. This set con-tains two beds and two pallets, all scaledfor 25 mm and made of lead.

The straw pallets are 7/8� wide and 1¼�long. A wood frame contains the straw.The pillow is cloth-covered, and a wrin-kled sheet or blanket lies over straw. Each

118 DECEMBER 1992

pallet has rough spots that will requirecleaning of mold points at leg ends andboard junctions. The beds are sheet-covered and have blankets, turned down,and pillows, The beds are slightly smallerthan the pallets and require light cleaningat the bedposts. These items are highlyrecommended for dioramas or gaminguse. A package of these is $4.98.

1-07 The Armorer�s Workshop * * * * ½This is a seven-piece lead set in 25-mm

scale. Each of the tools shown is essential toeither a blacksmith or a weaponsmith. Thetool bench consists of two parts, the legs anda plank top. On the top rests a hammer, afile, pliers, part of a horseshoe, and some

nails. Next to the table sits a metal pot, parti-ally filled. There is also a deflated bellows.An anvil sits on a stone section. The moldlines on the anvil and table legs are easilycleaned up. The cooling tub is mounted on aplank-and-block stand that has a mold lineacross the top row of blocks (this can beeasily removed by scraping). The tub alsohas a line across the water surface, butagain this is easily removed.

This set easily lends itself to dioramas orcity adventures. The pieces should proba-bly be mounted on a card base so theystay together. This set, actually more typi-cal of a blacksmith�s shop than an armor-er�s, is highly recommended at $4.98.

Lance and Laser Model, Inc.P.O. Box 14491Columbus OH 43214

028 Dwarf Winged Hussars * * * *This 25-mm set could be used as a seri-

ous war-game unit or a tongue-in-cheekset. The set contains two dwarven soldiersand their mounts: two mules in full nor-mal tack (dwarf-sized at 22 mm high alongthe back and 32 mm long). The mules havefringed saddle blankets with tassels on thetack. A sabre in a scabbard hangs from theleft side of each, and a pair of pistols orclubs hang in holsters on both sides of theneck. Each mule stands still with its leftear cocked forward. Muscle detail is good;a mold line is barely visible after primingbut is easily cleaned. No other flash wasnoted. Each base is uneven and can bepainted like rough earth.

The riders are armored with light plate,including pot-bellied breastplates andoverlapping plates protecting their limbs.Hands are covered by riding gloves. Eachdwarfs face is visible, showing a well-keptbeard and moustache, although the nose iscovered by a protector and the ears byflaps. In their right hands, the dwarvesclutch lances with pennants; the left handshold the reins. The most interesting fea-ture is a wood frame (a peg-in-hole type)that attaches to each dwarfs back andsupports a large number of thick, well-detailed feathers�thus �winged� hussars.

I plan on picking up two more packs so Ihave a set of medium cavalry for mydwarves. I like the figures, which I recom-mend at $5 per pack of two.

Heartbreaker MiniaturesPaoli Tech. Ent. Center19 E. Central Ave.Paoli PA 19301

GamecraftA16 Gardeners RowBusiness Center Ltd., LiverpoolUNITED KINGDOM L3 6TJ

HB119 Magic Users * * * *½

This three-wizard set is made for theever-popular 28-mm scale and is not suit-

able for use with true 25 mm. The figuresare made of lead.

The first wizard is a flamboyant typewearing a long robe with fur trim. Thelong-sleeved robe reaches his fur-linedboots and is cinched by a wide belt with around buckle and a bag on the left side. Afurry cape covers his shoulders. His cap isfur-lined and crowns a bearded face withchubby cheeks and bushy eyebrows. Hisleft fist is clenched; his right clutches along totem with a skull mounted on a poleThe figure looks like a necromancer.

The second figure�s long robe is deco-rated with arcane symbols, front and rear.Voluminous sleeves hide most of the leftarm except for the hand, which clasps awooden staff with excellent detail. Hisright hand is up as if waving; the wrist hasa studded bracelet. A belt supports a bag,a jug, a wafer belt buckle, and a charm.His face, hair, and beard remind me ofCharlton Heston in the movie, The TenCommandments. A mold line in the sleeveswas not as easy to clean up as I thought itwould be, but there was no flash.

The third wizard wears a long robe witembroidered sleeves and hems. His beltsupports a variety of pouches and bottleson the left and a large bag on the right. Akey and lock hang from a chain on hisbelt. His hair falls to midback, and a capedrops to his knees. Though bald, he has along beard that falls to his waist. His righthand and forearm are clenched into a fist,while his left hand clutches a large oakstaff.

All the figures are well made; very littleneeded to be done to prepare them forpainting. The features seem to be exagger-ated and the heads oversized, but notenough to be cartoonish. These are recom-mended for people looking for new magesfor GW�s WARHAMMER FANTASY ROLE-PLAY * or other fantasy games, or as possi-ble leaders for miniatures� forces. Theyare nice at $4.95 per set of three.

I want to thank Sam White for the excel-lent painting job on Blood Tor and theFalcon, and Fred Hicks, Jr. for his job onthe Dream Warriors.

If you need to contact me, you can at:Friend�s Hobby Shop, 14112 WashingtonSt., Waukegan IL 60085; or call: (708) 336-0790 MWThF 2 P.M.-10 P.M. or S&S 10 A.M.-5 P.M.. See you next year!

* indicates a product produced by a company other thanTSR, Inc. Most product names are trademarks owned by thecompanies publishing those products The use of the name ofany product without mention of its trademark status shouldnot be construed as a challenge to such status.

What’s your opinion?

What is the future direction of role-playing games? What problems do youhave with your role-playing campaign?Turn to this issue’s “Forum” and seewhat others think—then tell us whatyou think!

EditorialContinued from page 96

Bazaar of the BizarreContinued from page 54

Such a blade inflicts a bonus of 2 hpelectrical damage (over and above itsnormal bonus) on every strike; metallicarmor and shields (even if magical) arediscounted for to-hit purposes, as the tinyarc of energy can hit its target eventhough the sword itself may have missed.In addition, the wielder is protected as ifby a ring of shock resistance ( + 3 on sav-ing throws vs. electricity, -2 hp per die ofdamage). Finally, the bearer may call light-ning (P3) twice daily if a storm is in thearea.XP Value: 1,200

Sword +2, vampiricregeneration

There are only seven of these magicalblades in the Realms, most of which arebroad swords.

Description: Half the damage this weap-on inflicts on opponents is immediatelybestowed on the wielder, with all hit-pointfractions rounded down (q.v., ring ofregeneration, DMG, page 149). If the tar-get of the blade is not a living creature Ianextraplanar being, golem, or undead, forexample), it functions only as a normalmagical sword. It cannot otherwise causeregeneration, nor will it restore life, limb,or organ. The wielder�s hit points cannotincrease beyond his normal maximum byvirtue of this blade�s powers.XP Value: 5,000

and Barbara all proofread this column atleast once before it went into the maga-zine.) Taking these suggestions will get youthat much closer to having an article ac-cepted (and will make my life easier).

If, after all this, your article is still reject-ed, don�t take it personally. We aren�trejecting you, just that particular article. Iwish I could write a personal letter to eachauthor who has an article rejected, but Ijust do not have time. Remember,DRAGON Magazine is not a writing school.We don�t have the time to critique yourarticle in detail. Do not resubmit a rejectedarticle to us, either. �No thanks� means justthat. If we want you to revise your piece,we�ll ask you to do it.

I apologize if this sounds harsh, but theharsh truth is that if you want us to pub-lish your article, you have to follow ourrules. It�s really not that tough to do. Getour guidelines and follow them. Query US

before you send in an article. Use commonsense.

Why should you want to make my lifeeasier? Because you want me to publishyour article, so don�t give me any reasonsnot to like your piece. Above all, be aprofessional. If you want to become aprofessional (being published and gettingpaid for it), act like a professional. Goodluck, and I hope to accept an article fromyou someday. It�s one of my favorite partsof this job, so write a good piece and makemy life easier.

DRAGON 119

NEW PRODUCTS FORDECEMBER

SJR6 GreyspaceAD&D® game SPELLJAMMER®

accessoryby TSR staffThis 96-page book links the innovative

SPELLJAMMER® line with the oldest AD&D®

game world, the WORLD OF GREYHAWK®

setting Now your spelljamming PCs can en-counter the Circle of Eight, battle Vecna, oreven fight in the wars that rage over the Fla-naess PCs can also explore the rest of Oerth�ssolar system�a system quite unlike that of anyother AD&D® game world�with the map that isincluded$10.95 U.S./$13.50 CAN./£6.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 9374

HR4 A Mighty Fortress CampaignSourcehook

AD&D® game accessoryby Steve WinterBuckle your swash like it�s never been buckled

before! This 96-page reference book brings theAD&D® game to the age of the Three Muske-teers. Included are new rules on duels andfencing, new character kits, new weapons(including many firearms), new monsters basedon the superstitions of the time, and rules onresolving large-scale battles. Also included is adetailed map depicting Europe in the 16thCentury Take your campaign to new heights ofswashbuckling adventure with this excitingaccessory.$15.00 U.S./$18.00 CAN./£8.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 9370

DSR4 Valley of Dust and FireAD&D® game DARK SUN� accessoryby L. Richard Baker IIIThere is one dragon on the world of Athas,

and he reigns supreme This 96-page bookdetails him and the magical valley he calls home.The valley is hard to find, as it seems to movefrom place to place Wherever it is, the valleyholds the deepest secrets and the greatestdangers on the planet of Athas. This productdraws both from the original DARK SUN�boxed set and the Dragon Kings hardbound$10.95 U.S./$13.50 CAN./£6.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 2413

RQ3 From the ShadowsAD&D® game RAVENLOFT® moduleby Bruce NesmithUnable to leave his domain on the Demiplane of

Dread, the lich-lord Azalin commands and sendsforth the PCs to do his evil bidding. The eventsthat occur in this 64-page adventure have beenhinted at in several past RAVENLOFT® productsThis adventure�complete with a map�expandson these to fulfill a dark prophecy$9.95 U.S./$11.95 CAN./£5.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 9375

120 DECEMBER 1992

NEW PRODUCTS FORJANUARY 1993

PHBR8 The Complete Elves HandbookAD&D® game accessoryby Colin McCombThe glorious world of elvenkind shines from

these pages! Detailed in this 128-page book areelven societies, rituals, and myths. Also includedare notes on elven physiology and psychology�descriptions of every kind of elf abound. Round-ing out this information are 11 new kits; newoptional rules and suggestions for running elvencampaigns; plus special elven equipment, spells,and magical items.$15.00 U.S./$18.00 CAN./£9.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 2131

Volo�s Guide to WaterdeepAD&D® game FORGOTTEN REALMS®

accessoryby Ed GreenwoodThis travel guide, the first of its kind for the

FORGOTTEN REALMS® campaign setting,details Waterdeep and environs. The floor plansand menus of popular inns, important NPCs,local hang-outs, tourist sights, and areas to avoidare all described in this handy, pocket-sizereference work. It even contains a foldout colormap of Waterdeep. Learn all about Waterdeepwith this Fodor�s-style guide book.$9.95 U.S./$11.50 CAN./£6.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 9379

MHR3 AVENGERS� ArchivesMARVEL SUPER HEROES� game

accessoryby Steven E. SchendThe Avengers are Earths mightiest heroes,

and they are the subject of the latest sourceboxfor the MARVEL SUPER HEROES� game. The32-page book contains the Avengers� U.N. Char-ter and By-Laws, plus excerpts from the Aveng-ers� computer files on their history and villains.The 64-page book includes game stats on over80 characters, information on Avengers� head-quarters, plus adventures and two teams of theMasters of Evil. Also included are characterfold-ups, Avengers I.D. cards, and a poster bySteve Lightle.$15.00 U.S./$18.00 CAN./£8.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 6908

DLR3 Unsung HeroesAD&D® game DRAGONLANCE®

accessoryby TSR staffThis 64-page book focuses on the new heroes

in the world of Krynn, some from previousnovels, others whose roles have never beforebeen revealed. This is the first timeDRAGONLANCE® setting characters have beendetailed in such complexity in one place. Thisreference book supports the Tales of the Lanceboxed set and contains rules additions andclarifications,$9.95 U.S./$11.95 CAN./£5.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 9383

REF6 Rogues� GalleryAD&D® game accessoryby TSR staffThis 96-page loose-leaf book is a Who�s Who of

unique and fascinating characters, both goodand evil Humans, demihumans, and nonhu-mans are all detailed. Wizards, priests, war-riors, and rogues are all there for use on amoment�s notice. Instantly expand your cam-paign with three-dimensional NPCs drawn fromthe 1992 Collector Card series.$12.95 U.S./$15.50 CAN./£7.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 9380

Character and Monster AssortmentD&D® game accessoryby TSR staffHave you ever run short of goblins? If so, then

this is for you. Each package contains sevensheets of character and monster stand-ups fromTSR�s previously published Adventure Packs,with over 120 stand-ups total, including new,double-sized monster stand-ups. Now players canexpand their collections of 3-D game pieces andhave enough stand-ups for large encounters,$8.95 U.S./$10.95 CAN.£6.99 U.K. including VATTSR Product No.: 9363

The CompanionsDRAGONLANCE® Meetings Sextet,

Volume Sixby Tina DaniellCaramon, Sturm, and Tasslehoff are blown

thousands of miles off course by a magicalwindstorm while on an innocent errand. Back inSolace, Raistlin convinces Flint and Tanis thatthey must make a perilous journey to Mithas,the kingdom of the minotaurs. Their task is notonly to rescue their friends, but to defeat theelusive Nightmaster.$4.95 U.S./$5.95 CAN./£3.99 U.K.TSR Product No.: 8345

Unless otherwise noted:®designates registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.™ designates trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.© 1992 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

MARVEL SUPER HEROES™ and all Marvel characters andthe distinctive names and likenesses thereof aretrademarks of Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. and areused with permission.

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