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Issue #159
Vol. XV, No.2
July 1990

Publisher
James M. Ward
Editor

Roger E. Moore

Fiction editor
Barbara G. Young

Assistant editor
Dale A. Donovan

Art director
Larry W. Smith

Production staff

Gaye O'Keefe Angelika Lokotz

Tracey Zamagne

Subscriptions
Janet L. Winters

U.S. advertising
Sheila Gailloreto
Jim Atkiss

U.K. correspondent
and U.K. advertising
Sue Lilley

Special attractions

9 Beyond the Sky Itself

Journey into the depths of space, astral and arcane.

Rough Times on Refuge — Ed Greenwood

U Strange things happen at the largest arcane shipyard among the
crystal spheres.

15

Bazaar of the Bizarre — Steven E. Schend

A glove that explodes, a ring that moves ships: new magic from

wildspace.

2 0
30
Voidjammers! — Randal S. Doering

Want to hitch a ride in the Astral plane? Here's how!

The Dragon’s Bestiary — the TSR staff

Three monstrous reasons why arcane space is a dangerous place.

40

4 7

5 8

6 5
71
74
80
90

103

Other features

To the Ends of the MARVEL UNIVERSE™ - David Edward Martin

Faster than a speeding photon: starships for super heroes.

The Role of Computers — Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser

Casting spells with music, and casting bombs with flair.

The Waiting Woman — fiction by Peni R. Griffin

She had stood guard for a thousand years. Lord Kettry felt that was

long enough.

Pulling a “Con” Job — Thomas M. Kane

Be a legend in your own time: Run your own game convention!

The MARVEL®-Phile — Dale A. Donovan

A minotaur can make a fine wizard's apprentice, and other surprises.

Rhythm Warriors — Joseph R. Ravitts

Martial arts can be a way of life: the battle dancer NPC class.

The Role of Books — John C. Bunnell

Meet Jack Fleming. He's been killed once. He won't let it happen again.

Down with the Titanic — Lawrence Schick

It's 1912, and you are there—thanks to live role-playing!

Through the Looking Glass — Robert Bigelow

What's better than plate mail +5? An 80-ton missile tank!

Departments

5 Letters 39 Sage Advice 86 TSR Previews

6 Editorial 42 Gamers Guide 94 Dragonmirth

36 Forum 84 Convention Calendar 96 Twilight Empire

COVER

It was just another crystal sphere until the half-elven captain saw the double
planet.
When he ordered his privateer to move in and investigate, another surprise
appeared—the Spelljammer itself was in orbit! What's a clever captain to do next?
Robin Wood presents this stunning scene, "The Privateer," for our July cover. For
information on prints, write to: Robin Wood, 15981 Woodland Drive, Dearborn MI
48120, U.S.A.

4 JULY 1990

What did you think of this issue? Do you have

a question about an article or have an idea for a
new feature you'd like to see? In the United
States and Canada, write to: Letters, DRAGON®
Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147,
U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Letters, DRAGON
Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 Church End, Cherry
Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LD, United Kingdom.

Live & in color!

Dear Dragon:

I've recently read a G.M. magazine article

about live role-playing in England. I was won¬
dering if you know about any LRPGs in the U.S.,
preferably near western Pennsylvania.

Steven T. Voigt
Pittsburg PA

Funny that you should write to us about

LPRGs just now. In this issue, we have “Down
With the Titanic!" by Lawrence Schick, which
gives many of the details on how LRPGs are
run. Details on contacting the Society for Inter¬
active Literature are given at the end of that
article. Another writer has sent us a pamphlet
on NERO, the New England Roleplaying Organi¬
zation; for information on this group, write to:
NERO, c/o the Gamemaster, 212A Massachusetts
Avenue, Arlington MA 02174, U.S.A. Convention
listings and notes in your local hobby shops
might give leads to other LRPG groups.

Recycle it?

Dear Dragon:

I have not been involved in environmental

issues until recently, when the Earth Day festivi¬
ties began. I began to consider the implications
of the discussions during the week of Earth Day,
and I began recycling all of my cans, bottles,
and newspapers.

Then one day soon afterward, my gaming

group got together for our weekly meeting.

After the adventure was completed, I noticed

that we had used 17 sheets of paper! That
equates to at least 900 sheets of paper every
year. I assume that this is the average for most
four- or five-person groups. Considering the
hundreds of thousands of gamers worldwide,
this creates cause for some concern.

If all the gamers reading this magazine began

recycling the paper used in their campaigns and
also began using recycled paper, we could put a
large dent in the amount of paper being used
every year. I also wonder if DRAGON Magazine
would consider using recycled paper in the
printing process.

I am not asking gamers to make any big

changes, just a few small ones that can make a
big difference.

David S. Morgan
Beatrice AZ

TSR did not do a lot of recycling (as far as I

know) until the last couple of years, when a Girl
Scout troop leader set up containers in the
building for aluminum cans. This year, a num¬
ber of other recycling projects are being dis¬
cussed, among them beings ways to recycle the
tremendous amount of paper that we go
through. As I write this, motion-detecting light
switches are being installed in some offices and
restrooms, which should save a lot of money on
electric bills (of course, if you lock yourself in a
restroom stall for a long time. . . click. “Hey!”).

Game referees and players can always bring

used paper (with one blank side) from their
schools or workplaces to game meetings, for use
as character notepads, message sheets, hastily
designed diagrams of monster-filled dungeon
rooms into which your group has just been
teleported, etc. I bring home large quantities of
used paper for my son to draw on and turn into
airplanes. If you’re going to throw paper out, it
might as well be thoroughly used!

And as for printing DRAGON Magazine on

recycled paper, we don’t because it simply isn’t
available at the moment. But well keep it in
mind.

A few concerns

Dear Dragon:

I have a few concerns that I hope you can

help me with:

1. What is the oldest undiscovered mistake in

the history of DRAGON Magazine? Kim Mohan
mentioned something about this in issue #102
(page 3) but refused to say anything else about
it. If you cannot tell me what it is, could you at
least give the readership a general hint if, in
fact, this mistake is still undiscovered?

2. Are there any plans for producing SSI

computer games that are based on a TSR game
besides the AD&D® game? For example, I think
that a GAMMA WORLD® computer game would
be very interesting.

3. How about a SPELLJAMMER™ computer

game from SSI?

4. Are there any foreseeable plans for a mass

compilation (perhaps a hardcover book) of all of
the variant classes and races published in
DRAGON Magazine?

5. Did Waldorf or Tharizdun destroy

Greyhawk? If so, how does Mika continue to
adventure in the so-called destroyed lands? Or
should I just disband all cohesion as I usually do?

6. Is there any such thing as a lawful-neutral

dwarven paladin? I seem to recall something in
a previous issue about just such a character. If
so, what are the rules for one?

Zach Howard
Crownsville MD

1. We don’t know the oldest un-discovered

mistake in the history of the magazine because
it is still undiscovered (nyuk, nyuk).

Continued on page 7

DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is published

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ISSN 0279-6848.

DRAGON 5

Editorial

Morals: Modern vs. Medieval

Craig H. Barrett's "Forum" letter in the

June issue (#158) brought up several good
points regarding alignment in the AD&D®
game. Briefly, he said that he'd like to see
practical examples of alignments in a
typical AD&D scenario. How differently
would a lawful-good being act from a
chaotic-good creature in a given situation?
And more important, why would he act
differently? Craig also states that all play¬
ers and DMs bring a lot of modern moral
and ethical "baggage" with them whenever
they play, and he reminds us that this
might be incongruous in a game that is
loosely based on the society of medieval
Europe.

He went on to point out that what we

find morally permissible today and what
the people in medieval Europe thought
was acceptable are, in many ways, vastly
different. Slavery, religious inquisitions,
the Crusades, and witch hunts didn't hap¬
pen by accident; they all were, at one time
or another, supported by various govern¬
ments and churches. Barrett's central
question was, do we adopt these historical
values into the modern game's systems,
and the alignments specifically?

Although the concept might make an

interesting experimental campaign, for the
game as a whole I must answer no. It's
obvious to me that, when reading through
the alignment descriptions in both the
AD&D 1st and 2nd Edition games, the align¬
ments are described from a modern moral
and ethical standpoint. This is a modern
game after all, designed by modern people-
with all their attendant "baggage."
Many of the basic freedoms we take for
granted now (freedom of speech, and even
the right to quit our jobs if we choose),
were unthinkable in medieval times. It's
hard for many of us to put ourselves in
the place of the medieval serf who could
not quit the tract of land that he farmed
for his feudal lord.

Also, applying artificial concepts like the

game's alignments to real life just doesn't
work (I tried to do just that in an early
draft of this editorial). Perhaps the main
reason why doing that is all but impossible
is because so many people have differing
opinions on the issues of today. A prime
example is the group of people that feel
that AD&D, and RPGs in general, are evil.

I don't agree with them, but they are

entitled to their opinions.

Even with nine alignments, the AD&D

game is basically still a game of black and

white. Good is always good, and evil is

always evil. Reality has no such absolutes.
Reality is all the varying shades of gray,
which makes sorting out the good from
the bad very difficult at times. I believe
that the AD&D game's relative simplicity is
one of its main attractions. You know that
big, red, fire-breathing lizard is evil, and
it's up to you to stop him. That certainty
isn't very common in real life.

Craig also took examples of rulers from

history (King Richard the Lionhearted,

King Louis XI of France, and others) and

asked if these men, who are now regarded
as "good" leaders, would be lawful good
within the game. He didn't think so, and I
agree with him. All alignments simulate
certain ideals in a form compatible for use
in the game, but they're not applicable to
real life.

Assigning alignments to real people is

terribly difficult, but it is possible to apply
many of the game's alignments to fictional
characters. Using media sources, here's
how I see the nine alignments:

Lawful good is epitomized by almost all

of John Wayne's early films, especially
those in the World War II genre. Also,
Three Hearts and Three Lions , a fantasy
novel by Poul Anderson, has for its hero
Holger Carlsen, a man who is not only
lawful good but also is the perfect example
of a paladin.

I agree with Craig that neutral good is

the "best" good. Unconcerned with law or
chaos, neutral-good beings are only inter¬
ested in goodness (e.g., the ends, not the
means). Numerous TV heroes, especially

on police/crime shows, qualify as neutral

good. They're willing to bend a law or two
in order to get the bad guy.

Chaotic good is exemplified by many of

Errol Flynn's movie roles. His Robin Hood
is the ultimate chaotic-good hero. Burt
Lancaster's early films also have a definite
chaotic-good theme, especially The Flame
and the Arrow and The Crimson Pirate.

Examples of lawful evil range from Sir

Guy of Gisbourne and the Sheriff of Not¬
tingham to the TV and movie versions of
organized-crime syndicates of today. For
comics' readers, both Lex Luthor and the
Kingpin of Crime are lawful evil.

As neutral good is the best of the best, so

neutral evil is the worst of the worst. A
neutral-evil character is out for only himself.
His methods of getting ahead don't matter, as
long as he gets there. He cares for nothing
and no one other than himself. Many TV
villains qualify, eliminating any obstacles to
their advancement as they arise.

Chaotic evil is the alignment of the terri¬

ble horrors that kept us up all those nights
when we were younger. From giant movie
monsters bent on the destruction of Japan
to the demons of the AD&D 1st Edition
game (they are the best examples), they de¬
stroy simply because they feel like it.

Lawful neutral is the domain of many of

the media's satirical ideas of government.
Huge, self-perpetuating bureaucracies
filled with self-important pencil-pushers
are wonderful examples of this alignment.
To lawful-neutral beings, rules exist for
their own sake.

Chaotic neutral can be demonstrated by

6 JULY 1990

one particular fictional character that is not

normally equated with gaming: Daffy
Duck. In some of his films, Daffy is the
hero; in others he plays the villain to Bugs
Bunny's good guy. And in all of his films he
is completely unrestrained; he lets his
emotions and temper get the best of him,
and he's never too concerned over the
consequences of his actions. Your chaotic-
neutral character need not act like Daffy
(your DM wouldn't appreciate your cack¬
ling and bouncing off the walls, I'm sure),
but keep him in mind when you get stuck
in an alignment dilemma.

To sum up, you can't apply alignments to

real life. The AD&D system is far too
simplistic to adequately represent the
intricacies of modern (and medieval) soci¬
eties. There are far too many differing
views on who and what is "good" or "bad"
to make any absolute decisions about real
life. Talk to your DM about how he sees
the various alignments, work out some
broad outlines, and don't let reality mess
up your enjoyment of the game.

1990 GEN CON® Game Fair errata:

The insert in issue #156 incorrectly re¬

ported that the Gamemasters Guild of
Waukegan was one of the organizers for
the miniatures and board gaming events at
this year's convention. The point of con¬
tact for this gaming area is Glenn Johnson,
who may be reached by phone at: (708)
356-5069.

ALL THE BEST RPG's

Games Workshop, all TSR
products, MERP, TMNT, etc.

THE LARGEST FANTASY

FIGURE SELECTION IN
LONDON

103A St John's Hill Clapham Junction ©71-73S-0617

Abo at Unit 22 Indoor Market Waterloo Road, Epsom

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--

Letters

Continued from page 5

2. Mention was made of a BUCK ROGERS™

computer game in “Buck is Back,” in issue #157.
The GAMMA WORLD game has been discontin¬
ued and we have stopped running articles on it
in this magazine, but just between us, I agree
that such a computer game would be very
entertaining. POLYHEDRON™ Newszine will
cover the GAMMA WORLD game.

3. Again, this is a neat idea, but we will have

to wait and see what comes up.

4. The chances are about nil for any hard¬

bound compilation of DRAGON Magazine mate¬
rial. However, we are still taking votes for
material for a future “Best of’ anthology (as per
the reply to a letter in issue #158). Write down
the articles and material you would most like to
see in such an anthology, and send your votes
to: DRAGON Magazine Anthology, PO. Box 111 ,
Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.

5. Waldorf claimed to have destroyed the

lands of Greyhawk (see DRAGON issue #137,
“Letters”), but this was fixed later on by an
assortment of characters (see issue #149, “Let¬
ters”). Tharizdun was himself destroyed or
imprisoned long before he or his followers
could destroy the world of Greyhawk (see WG4
The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun, now out of

print). Mika (of Rose Estes’ GREYHAWK ® novels)

would never notice anything different regard¬
less of what either of these two did. You can
disband all cohesion if you like, but I haven’t the
faintest idea of what you mean by that.

6. The reference to lawful-neutral dwarven

paladins came from an editorial comment I
added to a “Sage Advice” question in issue #118,
page 69. Basically, a poorly explained rule in an
extremely old set of rules for the D&D® game
(Supplement 1 , Greyhawk) produced some
confusion that allowed oddities like the above to
appear The glitch was fixed in later rule books,
but a few of the more unusual character types
continued to see play in various campaigns.

YOU BUILD IT.

YOU DRIVE II.

IT’S A

COMBO!!

COMBOT HISTORY

In 2020 Aliens landed and launched a

world-wide campaign of domination. They
came in armored machines that walked
and flew and we built our own machines
from scrap iron and spare parts. From
captured Combots, the ones that didn’t
blow up immediately—we learned more
about construction, materials and
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Beyond the sky itself

ftflwflfk t^ Jc+in Qlurien

"Come, then, if ye are so bold. See what

the deeps of wildspace have to offer," Elmin-
ster said, and he smiled at me, almost sadly.
"But mind: The Realms, now—they're home,
an' ye know enough to recognize trouble
when it raises blade or hand to smite ye. Ye
will have no such comfort in space. Some
places even the gods avoid!"

He gestured toward the Helm—dark, si¬

lent, and menacing. It waited patiently. "Sit,"
he said simply, "and take thy vessel to the
stars. Only remember this: When ye sail,
there's always one extra crew member at
thy elbow."

He paused. Silence stretched. I sighed and

asked, as expected, "And who might that
be?"

He smiled again. "Why, Death, of course."

Adventures in

the SPELLJAMMER™ campaign setting

by Ed Greenwood

Arcane space, the endless stellar cam¬

paign setting introduced to AD&D® game
players in the SPELLJAMMER™ boxed set,
has unexplored corners aplenty —so many,
in fact, that given the violent and danger¬
ous state of affairs that governs much of
known wildspace, any adventurers who
tried such wholesale exploration would
undoubtedly spend their lives in such an
effort—both cheaply and soon!

Many hidden delights and dangers of

arcane space will no doubt come to light in
the years to come. Here is one known to
many who venture into the unknown, a
destination that serves beleaguered space-
farers as a way-base. Here, aid and sup¬
plies can be had, pleasures await, and

intrigue and menace also lurk. Here is the

legendary spacehaven of Refuge.

Refuge is the name of both a moon and

the base thereon, found in a small crystal
sphere near Realmspace. Established and
controlled by the Arcane, it is the largest
off-world base known to spacefaring hu¬
mans where the Arcane build, repair, and
modify ships (for the usual high prices).
Safer and far more tightly controlled than
the famous Rock of Bral, Refuge is used by
many prudent and good-aligned adventur¬
ers in space as a "vacation destination"

Refuge's large sun has only one planet,

its single moon Refuge, and a small outer
planetoid.

10 JULY 1990

Artwork by Ge-akJ Bran

m -m m

Welcome

The outermost planetoid is known as

Welcome to spacers; sighting it assures
them that they're in the right sphere for
Refuge. Those who've visited before also
know that a strong defensive navy waits
on Welcome (which has hidden, inner-
cavern repair docks of its own), ready for
trouble. These spelljammer craft, of all
known designs (scorpion and turtle ships
are well represented, but the Arcane play
no favorites among races and designs of
spacecraft) are crewed by humans and
half lings loyal to the Arcane of Refuge.

At least 50 ships are based on and in

Welcome, many docked in covered craters
or tunnels. They serve to escort or tow
crippled ships into Refuge, to quarantine
suspected "plague ships" (carriers of dis¬
ease) or "bomb ships" (sent regularly by
the neogi and the eye tyrants, who would
like to seize Refuge), and to break up any
running battles that come into the sphere
from the flow outside.

A dozen or so sarphardin are always to

be found around Welcome, enjoying the
show. Welcome has its own radiance,
provided by the Glowmoss Gardens
tended on its surface. The properties of
this beneficial natural growth and the
abilities of the sarphardin are described in
the SJR1 Lost Ships accessory.

Below

The uninhabited world that Refuge

orbits provides visiting ships with free
fresh water and air, but the Arcane recom¬
mend that visitors not land there to ex¬
plore or attempt their own repairs
because the world (known as Below) is
very dangerous.

The reason that Below is dangerous is

because the Arcane have a sophisticated
base there that they don't want anyone to
find. They regularly stock Below with
nasty roaming monsters gleaned from
hundreds of worlds to discourage both
snooping and settlement (DM's note:
Everything from cartoon characters to
modern soldiers can confront PCs on
Below, which is covered with dense tropi¬
cal jungles and shallow seas.)

The Arcane run expensive, carefully

guided monster hunts on Below as plea¬
sure outings for space-weary adventurers.
These can serve as rest-and-recreation,
experience building, and warm-up outings,
but adventurers with "great hunter"
dreams are warned that assassins and
pirates view such outings as excellent
opportunities to take target practice, elimi¬
nate rivals or targets they've been hired to
kill, or pick up a few useful magic items or
good weapons by eliminating the owners.
The Guardian Ring

Refuge itself is protected by a ring of 24

stone golems floating around the base.
These guardians are a gnomish invention
known as "space golems." They can be
found elsewhere in space, usually guard¬
ing planetoid bases or gnomish cities on
worlds that gnomes share with threaten¬
ing neighbors.

Fitted with minor helms, each space

golem has these statistics: AR 1; Saves as:
stone; Weight: one ton; MC C. Its SR de¬
pends on the spelljammer aboard it (in this
case, all are priests of at least 5th level,
giving the golems SR 2). Each golem has 60
hp (6 hull points) and carries only enough
air for very short voyages (e.g., to Wel¬
come and back) or for close-range battles.
The slow power of each space golem has
been lost in its conversion to a ship (it
affected the operation of the helms and
was removed).

The captain (in all cases, a 4th-level

warrior) and the spelljammer work in a
chamber within the golem's head. The
eyes of a space golem emit continual light
beams when metal covers are slid back
from two wands nested in stone niches
just beneath the eyeballs. The eyes also
serve as viewports for the crew.

A large cabin on the golem's back con¬

tains four gunners (all lst-level warriors)
and two medium ballistas. The space go¬
lem can also ram (treat as a normal ram
attack) and use its fists to punch or grab.
The fists of the golem are controlled by
the captain and his second, operating
levers set around them in seats located in
front of the helm. Each fist may strike
once per round (at THACO 7 and strength
22) at a ship or target in the same hex
only, doing 2-12 hp damage. Every 10 hp
damage equals 1 hull point (round frac¬
tions down) if directed against a ship.
Attack rolls of 19 or 20 also mean a
critical-hit result against the ship. A blow
that strikes a character does 2-12 hp dam¬
age. Items on or held by struck characters
should save vs. crushing blow, and a suc¬
cessful strength check by the victim is
required to avoid falling once struck.

A "grab" attempt by the golem can grap¬

ple a ship or shear off its superstructure
(depending on what item the hands con¬
troller was grabbing at). A ship can be
grappled for up to two rounds before the
golem's hand slips free.

If a victim is grabbed, the grip does 3-24

hp crushing damage, takes the character
off his feet, and forces all items worn or
carried by the character to save vs. crush¬
ing blow at - 1. Grasped characters may
wriggle free in two rounds. If held on the
round after being grasped, a character
may automatically strike the hand with a
weapon but may not cast spells or per¬
form other intricate activities (such as
drinking potions, reading, picking locks,

getting items out of backpacks, and the

like). If the hand tries to grab another
being, the original victim automatically
escapes. If the hand strikes a blow at
another object while grasping a victim, the
victim receives ld8 hp further damage.

Each golem's hand is considered to have

10 hp (1 hull point) for purposes of break¬
ing it to render further grabbing attempts
impossible. The shoulder of a golem is also
considered to have 10 hp or 1 hull point
for the same purposes.

A golem can throw grasped beings or

rocks, doing 2-20 hp (or 1-2 hull point) dam¬
age to things struck by such missiles. The
missile itself suffers double that damage!

The golems are usually crewed by hired

human spacers. Each command cabin
contains the captain, the on-duty spell¬
jammer, and an off-duty spelljammer who
has full spells. The spelljammers are all
priests of not less than 5th level, so that
they can heal their fellow crewmembers.

The Arcane, who don't miss a trick, have

taken care to establish temples to all of
these priests' gods in Refuge, to give spac¬
ers a place to worship (a 5% tithe of all
offerings goes to the Arcane) and to per¬
mit the priests to gain spells in answer to
their prayers.

The Salvage Ring

The Arcane buy fragments of old space¬

ship hulks (no questions asked) for scrap-
reuse, salvage, and spare-parts purposes.
These are tethered together in a huge ring
orbiting Below, inside ("below") the orbit
of Refuge. Any ship limping into Refuge
minus its turret, mast, anchor, or the like
can find a replacement—for a price.

Pirates, scavvers, and other spacefaring

monsters have been known to lurk amid
the grinding, ever-changing chaos of the
Salvage Ring, but the Arcane use hired
Giff patrols to prevent all attempts to steal
from the ring or permanently settle in it.

Arcane trade

On Refuge, the Arcane sell a wide vari¬

ety of helms, weapons, and so on. For
those who can afford it (the term "Arcane
robbery" is used in arcane space in the
same way we speak of "highway rob¬
bery"), just about anything is available on
Refuge —in every size and in matched sets.

Special orders appear mysteriously on

Refuge by means of Arcane subterfuge.
Their most common trick is to release a
barge from a planetoid known only to the
Arcane, on the outer edges of the crystal
sphere, on a course that will bring it be¬
hind Below. The needed materials are
shuttled up to the barge from Below's base
by one of the spacecraft that the Arcane
keep hidden there. The barge then pro¬
ceeds grandly on to Refuge, appearing
"out of nowhere" and enhancing the repu-

DRAGON 11

tation of the Arcane for mystery and

power. Such barges are often towed by
sarphardin.

Link-hops

Various small flitters run regularly be¬

tween Below, the Salvage Ring, and vari¬
ous points of interest on Refuge, including
the banks, safe-storage area, dry docks,
hospitals, casino, and taverns. Flitters are
typically ships in the worst possible condi¬
tion (to discourage theft) and are always
unarmed. Their crews, however, are al¬
ways heavily armed with rare magical
items (sets of iron bands of Bilarro and
darts of paralyzation are favorites) as well
as conventional weaponry, and are trained
and positioned so as to protect the helm
and spelljammer from attacks.

Refuge—the surface

Refuge's surface appears to be a huge,

well-tended garden, studded with luxuri¬
ous homes (rental villas for spacefarers)
and occasional larger structures—the
banks, the Great Vault (a safe-storage
fortress), several large hotels, two dry
docks, some hospitals (perhaps the most
advanced medical treatment centers found
in known space), an elegant if sometimes
deadly high-stakes casino, and several
taverns. These larger features are widely
separated for safety's sake, in the event of
an attack from space. Refuge is not unde¬
fended, of course. Here and there amid
the plush gardens, heavy catapult and
heavy ballista turrets rise on stony towers,
their ammunition stored in caverns be¬
neath them.

Refuge has very seldom been attacked,

however. The Arcane are said to defend it
with a secret weapon—some sort of planar
vortex that sucks ships into a whirling
maelstrom in space, from which they
never emerge! (It is not known whether
such a weapon is in place on Refuge or
whether this is merely a clever rumor
started by the Arcane; few seem eager to
find out.)

Refuge—within

The interior of Refuge is honeycombed

with many secret tunnels. These lead to
alcoves and chambers crammed with
oxygen-producing plants, prison cells,
helm and locator storage vaults, etc. The
moon's atmosphere is artificially renewed
on a constant basis by several hidden
crowns of the void (detailed in SJR1 Lost
Ships), as well as by the plants, trees, and
mosses on the surface and in the tunnels.

A common (and true) legend among

visitors to Refuge holds that there is a
secret way or three into every building,
and that it is possible to travel between
any two places on Refuge without ever
emerging on the surface —if one knows
how. The Arcane do not encourage beings

of other races to roam the darkened,

muffled tunnels, but almost everyone who
visits Refuge takes at least one curious
look into the dark ways below, often while
visiting one of Refuge's taverns (such as
the rowdy Horn Sharr). Those who have
done so often report that strange crea¬
tures and even weirder animated metal
automata move through the tunnels from
time to time. Powerful wizards are often
seen enjoying a quiet pipe by the light of
some dancing lights as they stroll home
through the dark—and no one bothers
them. Beings of lesser power, however,
avoid using the tunnels except in despera¬
tion or in large groups; most regulars of
Refuge use one or two short, known un¬
derground routes and ignore other oppor¬
tunities to go below. The oldest
inhabitants of Refuge sometimes whisper
about the Watcher Below—a gigantic be¬
holder that drifts silently along the light¬
less ways, killing and eating those
creatures it catches, and taking any valu¬
ables they carried — including magical
items, which it uses against opponents.

These tales are true and yet not true.

For example, the Watcher Below exists,

but it is an undead beholder controlled by
the Arcane, used to capture, slay, or rob
specific creatures. It uses no magic except
that of its surviving eyestalks, but it al¬
ways cleans up after itself by taking bodies
and gear away to hidden caverns using its
mouth. The items are retained by the
Arcane; if they don't see a use for an in¬
tact body, it finds its way onto the fertil¬
izer shuttle to Below—or onto the plates of
daring eaters who sample special menus in
the casino.

Business on Refuge

Banks: The banks on Refuge guarantee

return of all monies. If they are robbed
(and no one can remember a successful
hold-up or theft from a bank on Refuge),
all deposits are covered. They also give out
information on accounts to nobody except
heirs in the event of the proven death of a
depositor. Several currencies are in use,
gold pieces being the standard for small
amounts, and gems or smoke-powder
charges seeing common use for larger
amounts. The Arcane are equipped to
handle all currencies except slaves, and
they often take ships or ship equipment
"in trade" for discounted values.
Admittance to an account is by presenta¬
tion of a secret symbol drawn by the
account holder in his own blood, matched
against a specimen left in the banks keep¬
ing. A pass phrase must be used simultane¬
ously, and this admits the account holder
to a heavily armored chamber. Inside are
several guardian golems whose weapons
and powers are well displayed (including
glowing rods that have no function at all
except to give would-be robbers a fear of

some unknown, vastly powerful weapon)

and an expressionless Arcane banker,
whose considerable weapons and powers
(as chosen by the DM) are hidden until
needed.

The Great Vault: One bank administers

the safe-storage area: a series of secure
caverns in which depositors can leave
their magically imprisoned friends, foes,
monsters, or artifacts for rainy-day use or
to meet a future debt. It is rumored that
this vault contains magical items of awe¬
some power, but that the Arcane contrive
to lose spheres of annihilation and the
orbs of world-rending developed by mad
illithids (a weapon whose making is now
thankfully a lost process).

Dry docks: The dry docks on Refuge are

vast. Each can handle 30 ships at a time
and is always full, except for the two
emergency bays the Arcane keep open to
accommodate those clients who barely
manage to limp (or crash) into Refuge.

There is no better repair facility in all of

space, when it comes to repairing a wide
variety of ships and replacing key compo¬
nents (such as helms, weapons, and armor
plating) in a short time. The rates are very
steep, but the work is very good. Ship
captains who nurse aging galleons and
venerable ships of even older designs
around the spaceways often take their
vessels to no other mechanics. This is the
reason for Refuge's constant dock waiting
list. "It's worth the sail to Refuge," as the
saying goes.

Hospitals: Refuge's hospitals are also

very good. High-level clerics of Ptah and
several gods of healing, succor, and mercy
are in constant attendance on the sick.
Notable among Refuge hospital staff are
expertise in the recognition and treatment
of all manner of poisons (bolstered by the
presence of a heavily guarded, lush, and
sprawling antidote garden), and represen¬
tation on staff of all major spacefaring
races, so that conditions and symptoms
peculiar to a race can be swiftly diagnosed
and treated.

Mercenaries and more: There are Giff

mercenaries for hire on Refuge (and one
can buy the smoke powder to hire them
here, too). It is true, as they say, that "you
can get anything you can afford" on Ref¬
uge, but the Arcane are interested in
keeping everyday conditions on Refuge
itself and in its crystal sphere very much
as they are now. An adventurer wishing to
purchase several thousand warships and
the ammunition, crews, and weaponry to
go with them would encounter delays,
quality control problems with the weap¬
ons, all sorts of beings who'd like to part
him from the money with which he'll pay
for all of this, and so on.

Trouble on Refuge

All is not well on Refuge (of course).

12 JULY 1990

Dopplegangers, mimics, and mind flayers

have begun to infiltrate the populace, and
there have been several nasty little strug¬
gles between various rival groups among
them and the Arcane. Smuggling cabals
and military brotherhoods have also
thought it a good tactic to take a hand or
two in how things are run on Refuge, and
are joined by individual thieves, fences,
and mercenaries.

Visitors to Refuge may be recruited by

one or more of the rival factions in this
ongoing covert power struggle. More
often, visitors are manipulated to serve as
unwitting tools in this or that plan. This
often involves the PCs attacking an "en¬
emy" who thinks them to be in the hire of
a rival, and whose forces may be killed or
weakened in the battle—while the "ene¬
my's" property is stolen or vandalized by
the manipulators. If this sounds compli¬
cated, be warned: This sort of intrigue is
the order of the day on Refuge!

The law

Justice on Refuge is administered by the

Arcane, who have a loose, unwritten, but
widely understood code of behavior
roughly equivalent to that of most toler¬
ant, merchant-dominated medieval cities
(such as Waterdeep in the FORGOTTEN
REALMS™ campaign). The Arcane serve as
on-the-spot, no-delay judges, and they
customarily consider appeals only upon
offers of astronomical bribes.

Most punishments involve confiscations

of goods and fines. The Arcane willingly
deal in mortgages and other forms of
credit, because survival as spacefaring
beings for debtors often depends on Ar¬
cane supplies, giving the Arcane a good
chance of collecting what is owed.

The Arcane have no regular police on

Refuge, only a sort of "dogcatcher" team
of Arcane that arrives to charm, hold,
drug, bind, or cage unruly beings of any
race, then cart them off to a "cooling
house" to simmer down, receive medical
treatment, or be quietly interrogated and
terminated. This force is used only as a
last resort, after hirelings have failed to
keep the peace. Its composition and weap¬
onry are left to the DM. Beings who really
anger the Arcane can expect to be strip¬
ped of all belongings and "accidentally"
introduced into the clutches of illithid or
neogi slavers, far from their homeworlds
or allies.

The Arcane themselves keep a low pro¬

file, except for a few ambassadors who
can always be reached for quiet negotia¬
tions, such as Nuath (usually to be found
at the third table on the right at the aptly
named The Low Dive tavern), and Maalu-
bryn (who frequents the benches, pools,
and bowers of The Sly Wink Dining and
Wining Gardens for Friendly Folk). There's
more money to be made in allowing the

other spacefaring races to continually

fight and scheme among themselves.
The Arcane keep law and order, how¬
ever, in a curious manner. Temporarily
hired hit teams of adventurers are often
assigned to guard visitors, control crowds
at entertainments, assassinate or guard
individuals, break up disturbances and
gatherings, foil expeditions into the under¬
tunnels, and so on. Adventurers who visit
Refuge may be called upon by a short,
impeccably polite human or two; these
urbane types represent the Arcane in less
important negotiations of all sorts. These
include the roly-poly, mustachioed man
known only as Harmond and an urbane,
witty, calculating lady (whose hair is al¬
ways swept into fantastic arrangements
involving filigreed crowns and gem¬
dangling tiaras) known as Vrentyna of the
Hundred Keys (to mens' rooms, tavern
regulars say, not joking). For 1,000 gp a
day, a little job like breaking up a tavern
brawl that's expected to erupt in the next
three days may seem attractive indeed.

But taking on such commissions, of

course, will win PCs the undying enmity
of those who are behind the troubles.

Such troublemakers tend to be agents of

the neogi, beholder, or illithid races, as
well as a few dangerous humans who
think themselves fit to rule all of wild-
space. The DM can spin many continuing
adventures out of such alliances and ha¬
treds, to bear out the rueful spacer saying
that "There's no safe place like Refuge."

Regulars of Refuge

The DM is encouraged to develop a

small cast of enigmatic regular NPCs to
people Refuge. A few suggested characters
are given here, though their true natures
and powers are left to the DM to foil those
players who Read All And Know Too
Much.

Halass "The Nimble": This cynical,

smooth-tongued little man is often seen in
the taverns of Refuge, his hands toying
with the curves of a flagon. The level of
the liquid within never seems to go down
much, and Halass never seems to do much
or go anywhere much—save perhaps on a
stroll through the park paths to the next
tavern. Yet he seems to know where any¬
thing or anyone can be found on Refuge —
for a price.
Questioners who reveal too much to
Halass may find out the hard way that he
got to a particular place or thing before
they did, and removed something (or
several things) that they were after.
Whether he is himself a master thief or
merely has very good connections remains
unknown. It is certain that three neogi
using magical disguises once assaulted him
in a tavern on Refuge —and wound up
very dead, without even managing to spill
the little man's drink.

Strantor "One-Eye": This 7'-tall, battered-

looking, laconic man sports an eyepatch

and some well-used blades at all times. He
can be seen in taverns and festive houses
on Refuge, watchfully guarding this or
that temporary employer. Strantor is said
to be one of the best bodyguards any¬
where, with several magical tricks hidden
about his person, including something
mysterious and terrible under his
eyepatch. He is quite callous and readily
cuts his losses and leaves if a client gets
killed or is taken by strong forces. But he
never switches employers in the middle of
a job nor takes bribes. One must have
some rules, after all, even on Refuge.

Asreena Chalorna : An agile dancer of

haunting beauty, Asreena came to Refuge
some years ago in the hold of a pirate ship
whose crew had almost entirely suc¬
cumbed to some strange malady. The
captain and his last hands soon perished in
the taverns of Refuge, presumably from
the same sickness (cynical observers
termed it "a surfeit of poison"), and
Asreena claimed the ship and its cargo as
her own. Selling it off to a desperate
buyer, Asreena became instantly wealthy.

Over the years since, a series of shrewd

deals, fast courtships, and timely maladies
among her husbands have made Asreena
very wealthy indeed. She still enjoys court¬
ing and marrying visitors to Refuge,
however—and has managed to avoid being
killed by the few who escaped her
clutches yet left most of the contents of
their purses and coffers behind.

Shaundan Thyritar, “The Mad One”: This

tall, gaunt, heavily muscled adventurer
was once a bold and proud pirate captain
but is now a mere shadow of his former
self. He met up with some strange beast in
the starry deeps and did not escape with
his sanity intact.

"The Mad One" spends much of his time

drinking alone in the taverns of Refuge,
watching those around him suspiciously
and loudly whispering, "I know the secret
of the Arcane!" If he ever did know this
secret, Shaundan's crazed mind cannot
recall it now, even with magical scrying,
curing, or other aid.

Shaundan whiles away his time in his

own little world, occasionally emerging
with glee and gusto to participate in a
tavern brawl, attacking indiscriminately
but with deadly intent. He also offer him¬
self to aid causes or needy PCs that he
overhears, and accepts hire-money as a
bodyguard, adventurer, or even cargo-
loader (all of which bring him coins
needed for his tavern visits). Occasionally
lucid and even noble and heroic, he is
unreliable and erratic —but PCs may find
his helping hand when they least expect it,
in the taverns, tunnels, and dark depths of
Refuge.

Belndorn “The Battleaxe This hearty,

hardened space veteran carries the scars
of a hundred space-combats and can

DRAGON 13

BLAST

INTO

THE

25TN

CENTURY

WITH

JUST OUT
IN PENGUIN
£3.99 each

BUCK ROGERS is a trademark

owned by The Dille Family Trust.
© 1989 by the Dille Family Trust.
All Rights Reserved.

The TSR logo is a trademark

owned by TSR, Inc.

gruffly tell you all about every one of

them, too. A dwarf of considerable battle
skill, Belndorn is never without at least
two throwing-axes (even when surprised
in bed!) and a lit, stinking cigar. He wears
an incongruous mixture of clothing from
several worlds, with odd pieces of armor
underneath (bolstered by magical bracers),
and disgusts the delicate of stomach by his
habit of chewing his cigars from one end
while smoking them from the other.

Belndorn is willing to pitch into a tavern

brawl for the fun of it all. For a price (or if
a beautiful human, elven, or dwarven
female catches his eye), he'll even accom¬
pany PCs on an adventure or an outing or
two on Refuge, but he'll never stop emit¬
ting gruff and salty advice from one
breath to the next. He regards all elven
males as spineless, silly dandies, and most
human male spacers as pitiful idiots —and
he tells them all so. His continued survival
is a testament to his speed, skill, and hid¬
den magical items that he's picked up over
the years. Like many spacegoing dwarves,
Belndorn seems to have less trouble work¬
ing with magic than the dwarves of
Krynn, Oerth, and Toril.

Helm-ho, the Faceless Void: This mysteri¬

ous being can often be found in tavern
back rooms and private parties of Refuge,
and he takes particular delight in sitting

Cult of

Personality.

Since its release in 1987, the

Talislanta game has gained
a cult following among
fantasy role players.

To find out why, send a stamped

self-addressed envelope to:

P.O. Box 7729

Greenwich, CT 06836
Available at finer hobby stores.

quietly in darkened bedchambers until the

occupants of said rooms are up to some¬
thing interesting (particularly plotting
adventuring deeds that skirt laws closely,
or involve secrecy)—whereupon Helm-ho
makes it clear that they're not alone.

When attacked, Helm-ho always laughs

and does nothing. He (or it—the voice is
deep and masculine, but that may not
mean anything) appears as a man-size suit
of full plate armor with an open-fronted
helm. There is nothing in the helm; it
seems to be worn by something eyeless
and invisible. If Helm-ho is attacked, the
suit of armor simply —and abruptly—falls
apart with a clatter, revealing nothing to
be within.

There will be no further trace of Helm-

ho for at least 2-12 rounds, even if the
armor is locked in a chest, scattered, or
destroyed. Then Helm-ho will reappear,
with new armor if necessary, and greet his
destroyers with the same deep, jovial voice
as before.

The true nature of this being remains a

mystery. Several adventurers have man¬
aged to assemble half a dozen useful suits
of armor on a visit to Refuge by judi¬
ciously destroying Helm-ho at the right
times. The greedy are warned that the
Arcane seem angered by attacks on Helm-
ho (who may serve them as a spy of sorts),
and they often send hired hit teams to deal
with those who attack the walking, talking
suit of armor.

Rescue is at hand

Every so often, the local adherents of

the Pragmatic Order of Thought (a mili¬
tary brotherhood described in the SPELL-
JAMMER boxed set) launch a raid against
what they see as lawless or shady ele¬
ments on Refuge. The Arcane find the
POTs forces useful as a "wild card" that
breaks up the budding plans of the various
cabals and factions that wish to seize
control of Refuge. The Arcane therefore
let this brotherhood operate freely.

PCs who wind up imprisoned or en¬

slaved may be rescued by a POTs raid.

The DM should stage a raid for local color

and entertainment soon after the PCs first
arrive on Refuge, then save the POTs
forces for later PC aid. In this case, POTs
members will attack whoever the PCs'
captors, are, in a noisy, breakneck, danger¬
ous assault. At least one rescuer will hold
a flaming torch high, to let everyone know
who's responsible. Injured PCs could well
wind up in a hostel or safehouse run by a
member of POT, listening to a lot of plans
and appeals for temporary PC aid in as¬
saulting this prison or that slaver.

The DM should use this helping hand

only if the PCs are unable to free them¬
selves. It should never occur so often that
PCs begin to rely upon it was a backup.
Remember the Sembian saying: "Adventur¬
ers dig their own graves." Q

14 JULY 1990

Bazaar
of the

Magic from
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Arlwark by Larry $*niHi

Personal items

Atmosphere cloak: Also known as a

cloak of air pockets, this appears to be an
average cloak and hood. When worn
outside any planetary atmospheres, the
cloak magically doubles the size of the
wearer's air envelope, which greatly in¬
creases a character's survival time away
from a ship or planetoid. A human-size air
envelope increases to hold enough fresh
air for 4-40 turns.

When the cloak is worn in the presence

of fouled or stale air, the cloak generates
fresh air around its wearer three times
daily. This envelope exists only within the
hood of the cloak, which must be pulled
around the wearer's head to be of use.

This pocket of fresh air stays in effect for

2-20 turns, after which there is a 1-4 hour
delay before it can generate another fresh
air pocket. Note that this does not confer
immunity to poisonous gases; the cloak
simply adds fresh air within the confines
of the hood but does not remove any
poisons from the air. However, the wearer
does gain a + 1 to his saves vs. poisonous
gases and vapors either in wildspace or
within planetary atmospheres. (Cost: 9,000
gp; XP value: 1,000)

Boots of star striding: These boots

are similar to all magical boots, shrinking
or expanding to fit any S-M size creature.
However, their usefulness is limited to
space adventurers. These boots allow a
wearer to walk along a gravity plane with¬
out drifting away from the ship. The boots
allow movement across any gravity planes,
though movement is half normal due to
the lack of a solid surface.

A character falling or jumping from a

ship toward a gravity plane will come to
rest on the plane with no oscillation
through the plane. Any character falling
prone on the plane will remain there;
when the character orients himself as to
which end is up and changes his position,
the boots interact with the gravity plane
and the wearer "bobs" up to the surface of
the gravity plane until he stands on it.

The boots allow for running and jump¬

ing to other gravity planes at the wearer's
regular movement rate. Due to the flexibil¬
ity of the gravity planes, the boots give the
wearer a Jumping proficiency when used
to leap onto other gravity planes (see page
61 of the 2nd Edition Players Handbook).
The wearer can also use the Jumping
proficiency when jumping from the grav¬
ity plane to the ship with no damage or
penalties. (Cost: 20,000 gp; XP value: 3,000)

Orbus ring: This rare ring appears to

be carved from ivory with strands of
platinum twining around the band. No
magical effects are noted by the wearer of
such a ring unless he sits in a spelljamming
helm. The ring, utilizing the remains of an
orbus and some of its residual magic,
increases a ship's SR by one rank. Thus, a

7th-level transmuter seated at a minor

helm would move the ship at SR 2; with an
orbus ring , the ship moves with SR 3.

These rings are highly prized by spell¬

jamming mages and have been touted as a
great increase in spelljamming technology.
Actually, the secret of making orbus rings
was lost for nearly a century until a hid¬
den cache was discovered on the Rock of
Bral. The original rings varied in intensity,
some even granting an SR bonus of + 3!
Gamalon Idogyr, an expert on magical
items and spelljamming magics, is cur¬
rently the only known distributor of the
new orbus rings. The methods of their
creation remain a closely guarded secret
(Cost: 18,000 gp; XP value: 2,000
Ship Items

Cabinet of air restoration: With the

recent flood of groundling adventurers
moving into space, the Arcane have intro¬
duced a new item needed on many heavily
laden ships: an air supply device. Many of
these are being included with helms to
new buyers (instead of offering helms
with portal locators), but they are also sold
to older customers at the given price.

The cabinet of air restoration works on

the same principle as a furnace helm, by
drawing magic from magical items. The
small cabinet stands 2' tall by 1' wide; two
small doors in its front open to reveal a
hollow area 10" square in size. The front
and sides of the cabinet are of dark hard¬
wood, but the base and repository within
the cabinet seem to be made of crystal—
the same crystal found in many minor
helms. When an item is placed inside the
cabinet, the crystal glows a deep green,
brightening when it is producing fresh air.
When a charged magical item is placed
within the cabinet, 1-3 charges are imme¬
diately drained away prior to any use.

With each subsequent use, the cabinet of

air restoration drains one charge from a
magical item and generates 50 cubic yards
of fresh air, enough to support up 12
people for one week before the air be¬
comes foul; one command word activates
this function.

A second command word activates the

full potential of the cabinet of air restora¬
tion, allowing it to regenerate the entire
air envelope of the ship. When com¬
manded, the cabinet drains 1-8 charges for
every 10 tons of the ship and restores the
atmosphere by one rank. For example, to
restore the atmosphere of a hammership
from fouled to fresh air, the cabinet would
drain 6d8 charges from the item. The
atmosphere is now completely fresh and
will support a crew of 60 for four to eight
months with its regenerated atmosphere.
(Cost: 6,000 gp)

Cloaking helm: Developed by a team

of Arcane and wizards of no small mea¬
sure, the cloaking helm has once again
expanded the levels of spelljamming tech¬

nology. Developed ostensibly for the Seek¬

ers to aid them in their surreptitious infor¬
mation gathering, the cloaking helm came
into high demand with militaristic move¬
ments across the stars. As word leaked out
of these new helms, assassins appeared
virtually overnight, slaying many of the
wizards involved in their creation. Those
few who survived are scattered about the
stars, reclusive as many wizards are. The
cloaking helms are sold through the Ar¬
cane now, but they are making space a
treacherous place to travel.

The cloaking helm allows the spelljam¬

ming mage to divert power from moving
the ship to wrapping an illusion of empty
space about the ship. This prevents the
ship from being seen from afar. The cloak
doesn't inhibit the spelljamming mage
from seeing the surroundings of the ship,
although those on deck can see only 300'
in any direction.

The only way to detect a cloaked ship,

without ESP ; detection, or scrying spells, is
by noticing a refractive effect the cloaked
ship has on bright light. If a cloaked ship
passes closer than 1,000 yards to another
ship, the space covered by the cloak ap¬
pears blurry, and light coming from be¬
hind and through the cloaked ship
changes colors, creating a slight rainbow
effect around the edges of the cloaked
ship. This is hard to see at a distance of
1,000 yards, but it can be spotted by look¬
outs expecting trouble (give a base 10%
chance to spot a cloak, and modify accord¬
ing to situations).

The cloak can be maintained for a maxi¬

mum of three turns a day and can be

16 JULY 1990
active only when the ship is below spell¬
jamming speed. Standard invisibility rules
apply; if the cloaked ship attacks by using
ramming or missiles, any contact with the
illusion causes it to dissipate. Thus, a
cloaked ship cannot attack while cloaked
(though it gains a + 4 on surprise rolls if
entering the battle cloaked, dispelling the
illusion with a ram to an enemy!). (Cost:
350,000 gp)

Ever full cask: These casks appear to

be the same as any water containers
found aboard ship. Each contains a special
enchantment that causes the cask to fill
with five gallons of fresh spring water
once a day. If the cask is damaged or its
cover is lost, no water is created. The
casks fill themselves and do not operate
using command words.

Created by a clerical order of Eldath,

ever full casks fulfill a multitude of pur¬
poses within Realmspace. Ships with the
casks need never worry about short water
supplies or foul water during long voy¬
ages. Planetary colonies with water short¬
ages are aided by reliable sources of
water. And the Eldathian priests who
create these wonderful items raise money
through the sale of the ever full casks to
finance temples to Eldath throughout
civilized space. This money also brings
more of Eldath's clerics into space, thus
leading to a spreading of her religion. It is
widely proclaimed by her priests that
Eldath's word will flow across the stars,
and the goddess of singing waters will be
found everywhere in her water and wor¬
ship. As of yet, Eldath's worship is still
limited to Realmspace, but her followers

are growing steadily, and her priests'

words may yet be proven true.

Note: These casks will not work effi¬

ciently if the ship carrying them leaves
Realmspace. Each cask then produces only
five gallons of water per week when out¬
side the crystal sphere of the Realms,
because of the limited influence of Eldath
beyond Realmspace. (Cost: 3,600 gp)
Figurehead of wondrous power:
This sort of carved statue, usually a simple
decoration on the prow of any seafaring
ship, has been magically endowed with a
variety of powers to benefit a spelljam¬
ming ship. The magic resides in the carv¬
ing process and the wood itself. Few
mages know woodcraft well enough to
make them alone, and even fewer wood-
carvers know the magecraft to power
these impressive items.

Each of the three known types of figure¬

heads is carved from a different wood and
bears a different gem. It taps into the
spelljamming energies of a ship, allowing
its powers to become activated. The fig¬
urehead operates only under the com¬
mand of a spelljamming mage of 10th level
or greater, and the ship must have a major
helm for the item to fully function.

The figurehead of attacks is carved from

ash wood and has a ruby embedded in its
brow. When used with a major helm, the
figurehead of attacks allows the spelljam¬
ming mage mobility while seated on the
helm. Usually a spelljamming mage
"senses" the ship around him, but this item
allows the mage to propel the ship and
simultaneously focus his senses through
the figurehead, as if his spirit inhabited its
body. The figurehead is also animated by
the mage, and as long as the mage main¬
tains his concentration, the figurehead
remains mobile. (Many owners of this item
simply place it on deck to fully use its
powers.) The figurehead of attacks even
allows the mage to engage in combat while
the mage is on the helm. The figurehead
attacks as a warrior with a level equal to
the ship's rating. Its hardwood fists each
do 1-4 hp bludgeoning damage. If the
mage's concentration is broken by a criti¬
cal hit on the ship, difficult maneuvering,
acceleration to spelljamming speed, etc.,
the figurehead becomes motionless and no
longer under the mage's control. The
figurehead of attacks can be animated for
up to 20 consecutive rounds once per
week. (Cost: 54,000 gp; XP value: 5,000 xp)

The figurehead of disguise is carved

from cherry wood and has a large black
onyx set in its forehead. Whereas the
other figureheads of wondrous power are
usually human in form, this figurehead is
usually carved to resemble a couatl, its tail
stretching beneath the prow and its wings
embracing the sides of the ship. When the
spelljamming mage activates this item's
power, the ship's image wavers for a
round until the illusion is set. Each figure¬

Artwork by Roger Raupp

head of this type is keyed for a different

but flawless illusion that alters the ship's
appearance. The figurehead can erect an
illusion of additional armaments, manned
and ready; it can project illusory top sails
or armor plating, making the ship appear
to be impregnable. The figurehead creates
only one specific illusion that lasts until
contact with the illusion dispels it. Many
pirates would hesitate to attack a ship
loaded to the gills with bombards and
crack crews manning the ropes! The illu¬
sions are not effective in battle, and they
last only until dispelled or until the mage
loses concentration on the illusion. These
illusions can be summoned no more than
once per day. (Cost: 27,000 gp)

As its name suggests, the figurehead of

speed boosts the ship's rating. Carved
from beech and granted emerald eyes, this
figurehead adds two effective levels to the
spelljamming mage for determining the
ship's rating. Thus, a 12th-level mage
seated on a major helm and utilizing a
figurehead of speed acts as a 14th-level
mage, effectively moving the ship at SR 7
instead of the normal SR 6.

This figurehead is active only at tactical

speeds. However, this additional speed
makes it more difficult to maneuver; the
ship loses one maneuverability rank due to
increased speed and abnormal control of
the ship. The speed does not affect true
travel times, since it doesn't operate at
spelljamming speed. The figurehead of
speed can be used for a cumulative dura¬
tion of one hour per week; after one hour
of enhanced speed in one week, the fig¬
urehead remains inoperable for 1-4 days,
recharging its magics. (Cost: 36,000. gp)
“Griffon’s claw” grappling hook:
This elaborately carved grappling hook
resembles a giant raptor's claw. When a
command word is spoken, the hook Levi¬
tates up and flies toward its target
(pointed out by the controlling character)
up to ZOO' away. The claw has a THAC0 of
12 and digs into the wood of their target
ship. The claw cannot be removed from
the wood, but the wood may be cut and
the claw will remain in it. Only a second
command word from the controlling char¬
acter releases the claw's grip. (Cost: 450 gp
per set of two; XP value: 50)

Mage Shot: Mage shot is a generic term

used for a number of magical weapons
found in Realmspace. The term refers to
ceramic catapult shot, either enchanted or
filled with some potions. All mage shot is
weighted for a light catapult, and only one
shot can be fired at a time.

Mage shot can be filled with any potion

that has external effects, such as oil of
impact or oil of fiery burning. Some mage
shot contents are new and do not conform
to any of the known magical oils. A few of
the more common missiles are described
as follows. The cost of mage shot depends
upon the potion it holds.

DRAGON 1 7

The light ceramic of the mage shot is

quite strong and will not shatter while in
storage or while rolling loose on deck.

Only high-speed impact with its target

causes the shot to break open, releasing its
magical contents. Note that giants, with
their missile-throwing abilities, are strong
enough to use mage shot effectively.

Shatter shot is a variant of mage shot

filled with a mixture that causes an explo¬
sion upon impact. The fluid expands rap¬
idly when it comes into contact with air,
and it essentially blows the stone apart
when it hits. Persons within 30' of the
impact area take ldl2 hp damage from
shrapnel. If a shatter shot hits a ship's hull,
it causes ld2 hull points damage. (Cost:

750 gp per shot; XP value: 80)

Skunk shut is a catapult stone filled with

a liquid that evaporates quickly in open
air; the thick green fluid combines with
the air in a ship's atmospheric envelope
and generates a greenish, billowing fog.

The fog expands to a 20'-radius cloud

centered on the point of impact, duplicat¬
ing the effects of a stinking cloud on crew¬
members within its confines, and obscures
normal vision within the cloud. This mal¬
odorous fog dissipates in 2-8 rounds, but
its stench lingers for an additional 2-12
rounds. If the optional morale rules are
used, the effects of skunk shot weakens
the morale and fighting spirit of the crew
by - 2. In addition, the cloud mingles with
the atmospheric envelope of the ship,
reducing the fresh air in the atmosphere
by one weeks worth and may possibly
causing premature fouling of the atmos¬
phere. Skunk shot will not deplete the
quality of air in an atmosphere envelope if
the envelope is already fouled. (Cost: 450
gp; XP value: 50)

Termite shot is a magical catapult stone

that releases a brown, molasseslike syrup
upon impact. The syrup immediately
bubbles and spreads out over a 5-10' diam¬
eter area, eating away at the wood of the
target ship. This substance dissolves and
weakens the wood, with each successful
hit causing ld4 hull points damage per
round for ld3 rounds. No known sub¬
stance will stop this effect, but dispel
magic halts its progress after one round. It
is rumored that mages are working on a
variant of termite shot that is equally
effective on the rock and ceramic ships of
the illithids and the neogi. The research
process goes slowly, as the blood of purple
worms and umber hulks cannot be com¬
monly found without great risk. (Cost: 630
gp; XP value: 70)

Oil of fire stilling: This magical oil is

purchased in five-gallon casks, and each
cask holds enough oil to treat a galleon's
main deck and masts. When applied to
wooden planks, the oil's magic permeates
the wood, giving it flame resistance.

Freshly treated wood gains a + 2 versus

fire for 5-50 days. If the wood comes in

contact with flame, it contains the flame,

not allowing it to spread. However, the oil
dries out the wood, reducing its effective¬
ness to 4-40 days on subsequent applica¬
tions. This oil has become quite popular
with ships that sail the Flow, lessening the
dangers of critically damaging a ship while
sailing the flammable sea of space, (Cost:

1,800 gp per five-gallon cask)

Unique devices

Blackjammer’s cutlass: Revered by

pirates and freebooters throughout wild-
space, Blackjammer's cutlass is notorious
as the ultimate freebooter's weapon. The
possessor of this weapon is usually held to
be a great captain as well as a fierce war¬
rior. If this cutlass is wielded in battle, the
morale of the associated pirate crew gains
a +3 bonus.

This weapon is a heavy cutlass of an¬

cient design, with an elaborate hilt depict¬
ing a sailor being keelhauled. The blade is
remarkably light compared to other cut¬
lasses, but the standard damage applies
(Id6/ld8). The blade does not resemble
metal except for the hilt, its cutting edge
being a nonreflective black substance
resembling onyx.

The cutlass's power resembles that of a

defender sword, but it allows for no
choice of defense and offense bonuses.

The sword grants a +2 to armor class and

a + 2 to hit and damage. In addition, the
cutlass is intelligent and can speak Com¬
mon and Elvish. Its knowledge of naviga¬
tion and seamanship is exemplary and
may account for the exceptional leader¬
ship abilities shown by its possessors. The
cutlass can also conjure darkness 15'
radius three times daily; its wielder is able
to see through this magical darkness.

The swords personality is quite strong,

and accounts tell of the cutlass singing
bawdy sea chanties and telling ribald jokes
that make even a sailor blush. It reinforces
piratical activity in its wielders, willing
them to attack shipping for plunder or for
mere entertainment. Over time, a person
who has wielded the cutlass will talk like
the sword itself, constantly muttering
obscenities and repeatedly saying "Arg!" to
himself.

Blackjammer’s cutlass is reputed to have

been forged in an old space colony within
the Tears of Selune. It was not long before
many shuddered in fear of the pirate
Blackjammer. This pirate, named more for
his weapon and its powers, raided early
space outposts until his death 95 years
past. Since parting from its initial owner,
Blackjammer’s cutlass has seen its share of
battle. Most recently wielded by one
Elsun, captain of the pirate ship Dragon
Claw, the cutlass has been missing since
Elsun's death at the hands of the Elven
Imperial Navy. Attacking a merchant cara¬
van enroute to Krynnspace, Elsun and the
cutlass were repulsed by an attendant

Man-o'-War and Elsun was killed. The

cutlass fell overboard in the melee and is
assumed to be adrift in the Flow between
Oerth and Krynn. (XP value: 3,000)

Gauntlet of Tamus: This heavy steel

gauntlet's origin is unknown, despite any
number of people who claim to know the
"truth of such matters." This device, made
of light chain mail and sheathed with
metal plate, has become a much-prized
tool for the giff—an item so great in power
and danger combined that it would suit no
other race. The gauntlet of Tamus re¬
ceived its name in an isolated skirmish
during the Unhuman Wars. A giff merce¬
nary found the gauntlet within a cave on
an asteroid in the Calotian system. Wear¬
ing it into battle against some very sur¬
prised elves, this giff found the gauntlet's
power of generating explosions of tremen¬
dous force much to his liking. Though he
soon succumbed to excessive damage in
battle (mostly caused by the gauntlet),

Tamus secured a place for himself in giff

folklore.

As any giff will tell you, the gauntlet's

correct name is The Mighty Gauntlet of
Colonel Tamus Ewdun, Field Commander
and Sub-Admiral of the Fleet. The gauntlet
can create an explosion three times per
day, not unlike a fireball but without
flames, that does 5-40 hp damage to any
opponent within 5' of it. The blast is cen¬
tered on the gauntlet, subjecting the
wearer to half damage. Nonetheless, this
fits the bill for the perfect giff weapon: It
looks impressive with one's uniform, it
does tremendous amounts of damage, and
the explosions are fantastic displays of
thunder and fury. It matters not at all that
the wearer is subject to damage as well;
any true giff would smile in the heart of
such an explosion—it is the mark of a
great warrior. The gauntlet's explosion
can, if used against ships, do ld4 hull
points damage.

One other drawback of this item, and

the main reason why the giff have re¬
tained it themselves, is that the gauntlet
shrinks to fit the hand it is placed on and
will not come off! Its magic seems tied to
the wearer's life force, since the gauntlet
comes loose upon the wearer's death.

There are many mysteries sages would

love to see answered about this item; quite
frankly, though, there are few that wish to
get close enough to its current wielder to
ask about it.

The gauntlet of Tamus is currently worn

by General Saerlg Tomojak, diplomatic
envoy for the giff to the Rock of Bral. His
violent temper, undimmed even after
years of military discipline, makes him a
poor diplomat; nevertheless, people con¬
sider what Saerlg's angry fist can do and
concede to his wishes. As such, the giff
have received many "favors" from Prince
Andru in return for keeping Bral's land¬
scape intact, (XP value: 1,000) Q

18 JULY 1990
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DRAGON 19
The Astral plane is a big place, empty
and lonely to those persons who dare to
travel it. It is also dangerous, home to the
marauding githyanki, and used by all sorts
of unpleasant travelers from the outer
planes as a halfway point in their jour¬
neys. Anyone who explores the Astral
plane is pretty much on his own and must
be ready at any time to be attacked, lost to
the psychic wind, or flung into another
plane by accidentally passing through the
invisible backside of a color pool, as de¬
tailed in the AD&D® Manual of the Planes.
There is, however, a safer way to travel
that forlorn plane of silver mists.

About a thousand years ago, an arch¬

mage by the name of Peregrin became
bored with adventuring on the Prime
Material plane. He had overcome the most
deadly foes of his world and had no inter¬
est in politics or a life of quiet research.
Forsaking his home plane forever, he
packed up his belongings and set off to
seek a life in other realities and planes. He
wandered dozens of planes, frequently
crossing the Astral as he did so, and even¬
tually it dawned on him that he could do
something greater than simply wander in
boredom. He decided to help travelers get
around in the Astral plane, making their
lives more interesting and exciting.

Drawing upon his extensive knowledge

of the planes, Peregrin traveled to a dozen
worlds to secure the materials and crafts¬
men for the vessels that would accomplish
his dream. He envisioned a fleet of mighty
ships that would sail the Astral plane,
picking up voyagers from thousands of
worlds and realities and taking them
wherever they wished to go. No being
would be discriminated against on the
basis of race or alignment, so long as each
obeyed ships' officers when on Peregrin's
vessels.

The obstacles were frightful. The githy¬

anki deeply resented the organized intru¬

tMJmimeFgi

An Astral taxi service for AD&D®

1st Edition games

by Randal S. Doering

sion into their realm and attacked Pere¬

grin many times, driving his vessels into
psychic windstorms to ruin them and kill
their crews. Outer-planar beings, thinking
the vessels would be easy pickings, rav¬
aged Peregrin's ships time and time again,
often before the ships could complete
their maiden voyages. Peregrin did not
give in. He sought alliances with mighty
beings of Neutrality and Good, and bound
evil creatures to his will. He single-
handedly blasted his way to a face-to-face

confrontation with the queen of the githy¬

anki (this was long ago, when she was
much less powerful than she is today) and
forced her to call her people off from
raiding his vessels. He negotiated docking
ports in a hundred realities and forced the
natives to accept his will when negotiation
failed. Over the past 500 years, he has
forged a mighty empire in the Astral
plane, dedicated to helping the travelers of
that plane get to their destinations quickly
and safely.

20 JULY 1990

Artwork by Bob Klasnich

The voidjammers

The instruments of Peregrin's will are

the voidjammers: 10 heavily armed,
lightning-fast ships that cruise the Astral
plane by means of a bizarre form of men¬
tal control. Each vessel is responsible for a
thousand stops along its line, making
about 10 stops a day and completing a
cycle every 100 true days. The vessels
never physically leave the Astral plane, for
they are not seaworthy; instead, they
cruise past various color pools and pick up
whoever is waiting for transport there.
Similarly, these vessels drop passengers off
when the appropriate pool comes up. The
voidjammers avoid wormholes at all costs,
for such disturbances can damage or even
destroy the ships.

Voidjammers are each roughly the size

of a large merchant ship. Each is crewed
by 30 sailors of many races and worlds, all
professionals at sailing the Astral void.
While their work in sailing the ship is
minimal (the navigator and engineer do
most of the actual work), these persons
are responsible for such tasks as ship
repairs, picking up and greeting passen¬
gers, making sure passengers are dis¬
charged at their proper destinations,
loading and unloading cargo, and manning
the ship's intrinsic weapons systems. Also
included in this category are such persons
as the chief cook and several assistants,
valets, maids, and other servants. Sailors
are all warriors of 2nd-5th level, though a
variety of other classes is represented
(DM's choice), all are able to defend their
ship in close combat if necessary.

Most of the fighting, however, is accom¬

plished by the ship's professional marines.
Every vessel has three warriors of 9th-
12th level. (There is a 15% chance for one
of these to be a ranger. No paladins will
sign on with Peregrin's rather neutral
outfit.) In addition are a priest of 8th-10th
level, a wizard of 12th-15th level (there is
a 10% chance that this individual is an
specialist, instead), and a thief of 10th-12th
level. Peregrin does not sign on druids, for
they have little use in this plane. The ma¬
rines have a full complement of magical
items, as appropriate for characters of
their levels, all created especially for use
in this plane. Details are given later in this
article.

Most of the time, these heroes do noth¬

ing except stand around and look impres¬
sive. But when the vessel is threatened,
whether by outside forces or unruly pas¬
sengers, the heroes take care of the prob¬
lem. They are ordered to use the
minimum amount of force necessary to
correct military problems, but outright
termination of hostile beings is not uncom¬
mon (especially when dealing with passen¬
gers from the lower planes). In a dire
emergency, where the encountered diffi¬
culty is almost certainly going to over¬

whelm the vessel, a cry for help will be

sent to Peregrin himself, This worthy will
arrive in 5-10 minutes, bringing with him
enough firepower to level several small
cities. For these reasons, most regular
passengers aboard the voidjammers are
careful not to antagonize the crew.

In addition to the sailors and the ma¬

rines, there are a host of officers whose
job it is to actually run the vessel. These
people are: the chief engineer and his
assistant, a navigator and his assistant, a
communications mage, a passenger direc¬
tor, a mate, and the captain. It is vital to
note that all of the crew members aboard
a voidjammer are at home on the Astral
plane, being physically there (not merely
astrally projected) and well used to its
conditions. Spell-casters aboard these
vessels are totally familiar with all Astral
spell changes. The DM should play these
NPCs as the dedicated people they are.

The most important person aboard a

voidjammer is the chief engineer. The vital
qualifier for this job is a powerful psionic
mind, followed by great willpower (wis¬
dom) and intelligence. In addition, the
chief engineer must have another vocation
as well, usually that of a spell-caster. He is
cross-trained to take the place of the com¬
munications mage if necessary. The chief
engineer's job is to operate, maintain, and
repair the ship's engines, as well as per¬
form maneuvers and avoiding obstacles.
These tasks require an understanding of
the standard engines for a voidjammer.

Due to the nature of the Astral plane,

conventional means of propulsion as sails
or oars are useless. Using crude kinetic
energy —that is, pushing off rocks—is
sometimes useful, but it is slow and im¬
practical for any serious movement about
the plane. Mental power, on the other
hand, is fast and simple. It also does not
apply to objects. Peregrin understood
these facts when he set out to design the
voidjammers, and he devised a propulsion
system that could overcome the inherent
hardships. He searched the planes until he
found a brilliant silver metal that conducts
mental energy like copper conducts elec¬
tricity. He named the metal mindex, and it
forms many of the struts and supports
within the voidjammer's frame. The metal
runs throughout the vessels length, stem
to stern, and can be likened to a great
web. The center of that web is the engine
room. Here several thick mindex cables
connect the strut-web to the engines,
which are two boxes each 2' in diameter
and attended by all sorts of magical de¬
vices. Within the boxes are brains taken
from freshly slain mind flayers. The brains
are kept in nutritive baths and transported
to their boxes, where magic sustains their
lives. The brains are operated upon to
remove the personality and will of the
individual mind flayer while preserving
the great psionic power and complex

psychic structures of the creature's mind.

In this state the brains are useless, lack¬

ing the will to make them do anything.

Here the chief engineer comes into the

picture. The chief engineer must psioni-
cally connect with the mind flayer brains,
through such disciplines as telepathic
projection, telepathy or telepathic projec¬
tion , giving them direction and purpose.
The mind flayer brains are used as ampli¬
fiers for the chief engineer's will, sending
power to the mindex struts and causing
the voidjammer to move as if it had a mind
of its own. Since there are two mind flayer
brains acting as one, a voidjammer has an
effective movement rate of 480' per min¬
ute, or 48". This makes the ship very fast
in relation to just about anything else in
Astral space (with the exception of the
githyanki), and it has given the voidjam¬
mers a reputation for fast service that
simply cannot be matched by any other
means of transport in that plane.

The brains used in each voidjammer can

vary as to exact psionic strength, but the
pair aboard each individual vessel must
match exactly; that is, if one mind flayer
brain-engine has an 18 Intelligence and
320 psionic ability points, its twin must
also have an 18 Intelligence and 320 psi¬
onic ability points. Otherwise the brains
will not operate in tandem and will end up
tearing the vessel apart.

Originally, Peregrin tried using five or

six mind flayer brains for engines, but he
found that creatures of lesser mental
ability than that of a mind flayer could
handle only two such brains at once. He
experimented with the brains of lesser
psionic creatures but found that they
were not able to survive outside their
bodies without more support than they
were worth. When he used brains from
nonpsionic creatures, he found that the
disciplines of telepathy and the like could
not properly motivate the "disabled"
brains into functioning. As a matter of
fact, the only brains that work better than
mind flayer brains are those of githyanki,
but Peregrin is already on touchy ground
with that race, and he did not think that
taking various powerful brains from that
race would help his relations with them.
Rumor, however, says that the flagship of
his fleet, the Voyager, runs with two githy¬
anki brains as engines. These brains are
able to move the huge vessel at a rate of
96", making it able to pace the fastest
known creatures on the Astral plane.

Since the Voyager never runs from a fight,

there is no confirmation on whether the
ship can actually move this quickly or not.

There are disadvantages to this unusual

movement system. The mind flayer brains
are not actually sentient, but they are alive
and psionically active. Unfortunately, the
personality-removal process injures the
brains' psionic attacks and defenses. If the
voidjammer is psionically attacked, the

DRAGON 21

chief engineer must psionically link with

the brain-engines and attack and defend
for them, as they will be destroyed by any
attack that tears through their defenses.
The brains initially have no attack
strengths and only half their normal de¬
fense strengths. For example, a mind
flayer brain with 300 psionic ability points
has only a defense strength of 75 points. A
chief engineer with a psionic ability of 200
would have 100 points of attack strength
and 100 points of defense strength, added
to the 75 defense points of each mind
flayer brain. If psionically attacking crea¬
tures can tear through the 250 defense
points of the mind flayer brains and the
chief engineer, they can destroy the en¬
gines and bring the voidjammer to a halt.
The mind flayer brains can take only one
point of psionic damage before burning
out, for they have no will of their own to
stave off psychic harm.

As noted earlier, the chief engineer is

responsible for maintaining the health of
the mind flayer engines, since they deteri¬
orate over a period of several centuries.

He is fully conversant with the methods

used to gather the brains (whether or not
he agrees with these methods), the func¬
tioning of the magical devices used to keep
the brains alive, and any symptoms of
mental deterioration in the brains. He is
familiar with the mindex web and must
constantly check it for damage and wear.
All of these activities take tremendous
energy and dedication. For this reason,
these men and women are paid 5,000 gp
per true month, a wage that most of them
proudly tell inquiring passengers.

The chief engineer's assistant must pos¬

sess the same qualities as the chief engi¬
neer but does not have nearly as much
experience with the engines as his supervi¬
sor. The assistant can operate the ship in
an emergency but otherwise does little.

Second in importance only to the chief

engineer is the navigator, the person re¬
sponsible for seeing that the ship keeps its
course and makes the proper stops along
its route. This task is extremely difficult,
for the Astral plane has no stars to steer
by and no magnetic poles to attract a
compass. Navigation is much like
engineering—accomplished by mental
ability. The navigator is expected to memo¬
rize the location of hundreds of color
pools and wormholes and be able to see
wandering color pools ahead of time in
order to warn the chief engineer of the
danger. Navigators need a minimum of 17
intelligence to handle their jobs, as well as
some training with scrying devices. Scry¬
ing is the most important part of the navi¬
gator's job. The navigator must constantly
scry ahead of the vessel, searching for
wandering color pools and newly formed
wormholes that could send the ship into
another plane or rip it apart. Special crys¬
tal balls in the navigation room allow the
navigator to scan for indefinite periods of
time, placing the strain of viewing on the
device rather than the viewer. These de¬
vices are created for Peregrin by residents
of the quasi-elemental plane of Minerals
and are unique to voidjammers. These
crystal balls are enchanted to shatter if
taken from their vessel, thus keeping their
secrets. It is not known if any spell-caster
can operate one of these devices or if
special training is required.

All navigators are illusionists. Their

levels vary greatly, but none are lower
than 5th level because the spectral force
spell is required of every navigator. Navi¬
gators restrict their spells to informative
and miscellaneous magics, leaving combat
spells to the marines. Navigators must be
illusionists in order to operate and update
the great three-dimensional maps that let
them travel through Astral space. Each
navigation room has permanent illusion-
based spells showing thousands of blink¬
ing lights of many colors (for color pools)
and twisting gray ropes of varying lengths
(for wormholes). There are also dozens of
tiny pictographic images, representing
hazards along the route of the voidjam¬
mer. During normal operation this map is
hidden, kept invisible by the navigation
room's magics. If the vessel comes upon a
new color pool, wormhole, or other fea¬
ture, the navigator causes the appropriate
section of the map to appear and adds the
new feature. Additions are created by
using a spectral force spell, using the
audio capability to make verbal notes that
automatically play when the navigator
wishes to hear them (the map is enchanted
so that these spells are made permanent in
the navigation room). Thus, if the voidjam¬
mer encountered a githyanki castle, the
navigator could open the section of the
map pertaining to the ship's current posi¬
tion and check it for information on the
castle. If the castle wanders and is not on
the map, the navigator waits and see what
happens, then enters its image onto the
map with a verbal tag, such as "Hostile
castle bearing red banners with six green
stars across the top, avoid at all costs." If
that ship comes upon such a castle again,
it will know to avoid the castle. Deletions
on the map are caused with a simple dis-
pel magic spell. Navigation room maps are
considered 20th-level magic for purposes
of dispelling. Maps are also useful for
times when the ship is off course, perhaps
as a consequence of being attacked or
after a psychic wind. In this case, the
navigator has to fix on some familiar ob¬
ject on the map, then seek to guide the
vessel back to that point. During these
times the navigator becomes the most
important person aboard the vessel, for it
is up to him to avoid the many hazards of
the Astral plane and save the ship.

The navigator's assistant is responsible

for running messages between the naviga¬

tor and the captain (such as, "There's a

castle about an hour ahead") and similar
legwork. He also receives tutoring in the
illusory arts and the use of the navigation
room maps. Learning the maps takes years
of careful study, and an attentive naviga¬
tor's assistant commands great respect in
his own right.

Next on the hierarchy of the voidjammer

is the communications mage, a mage of
llth-15th level who specializes in informa¬
tive divination spells (a diviner, in AD&D
2nd Edition terminology). This person's
task is to keep communications running
between parts of the ship (maintaining
mini - crystal balls set in each important
room) and between the individual voidjam¬
mers. He is required to have the following
spells memorized at all times: comprehend
languages, magic mirror, message, read
magic, teleport, and tongues. In addition,
the communications mage has in his office
a crystal ball with clairaudience, set for
communication with other such crystal
balls in the fleet. He is expected to make
daily checks with the Voyager to report
his vessel's condition and any special diffi¬
culties. If the communications mage fails
to check in, Peregrin shows up in within
1-3 turns, as noted earlier in this article.
The communications mage is also expected
to be the ship's chief diplomat, using his
language ability to talk with any beings
encountered in the course of the journey.
He is thus required to have a high cha¬
risma as well as an astute mind and a
penchant for communication spells. The
communication mage does not meet regu¬
lar passengers but instead deals with
unusually powerful creatures (such as
various outer planar beings) that might be
encountered.
The passenger director, like the com¬
munications mage, is required to have a
high charisma and must either be a mage
with comprehend languages and tongues
or possess items that confer those abilities
upon him. It is his job to greet passengers
and familiarize them with the vessel's
public and off-limits areas and with Pere¬
grin's policy of noninterference, as well as
to show passengers to their quarters and
see to their comforts. The passenger direc¬
tor is the crewmember with whom trav¬
elers interact the most, as it is his job is to
answer passengers' questions and keep
them entertained on their journey. Per¬
haps the most important qualification for
this job is being neutral in alignment, for
the passenger director must deal with
passengers of all alignments and beliefs
and must offend as few of them as possi¬
ble. The passenger director talks freely
with passengers but carefully avoids topics
that give away information about Pere¬
grin, the voidjammers, or the business of
those vessels. Thus the passenger director
could explain color pools and wormholes
to interested passengers, but he will never

22 JULY 1990

tell which planes are represented by what

color pools or what wormholes lead to
what planes. Doing this could lead trav¬
elers to try their own travel on the Astral
plane, depriving the voidjammers of cus¬
tomers and income. For the same reason,
these people will not describe spell distor¬
tions on the Astral plane; by keeping pas¬
sengers in ignorance, the passenger
directors increase the chance of having
the voidjammers used repeatedly. Simi¬
larly, passenger directors do not discuss
the layout of voidjammers, the make-up of
their crews, crew capabilities, etc. All such
a person will say about Peregrin is that he
is the wizard who owns the vessels. Topics
that are free for discussion include the
psychic wind, the two means of Astral
travel (physical and by astral projection),
descriptions of some of the common in¬
habitants of the plane, various tales and
legends (made up by the DM as needed),
and the personal travels of the passenger
director prior to taking his current post.
(This is a golden opportunity for DMs to
develop interesting and powerful NPCs
with whom the characters may interact
time and time again. After all, the voidjam-
mer that serves the PCs world will always
return, and passenger directors do not
change very often.)

The mate is a fighter of 9th-12th level

and is in charge of all the ship's minor
functions, including scheduling, inspection
of the marines, and communications

reck-ups. The mate is not required to be

a particularly dangerous foe in combat,

since this is not part of his job; the re¬
quirement of being a high-level fighter
insures that the person has had combat
experience and can command the respect
of his subordinates. A high charisma is
useful for this position, and most mates
have 15 + charisma scores. Passengers
have many opportunities to talk to the
mate, since he has duties all over the ves¬
sel. The mate is restricted from speaking
on the same topics as the passenger direc¬
tor but can otherwise chat with passen¬
gers as much as the DM likes.

The final officer detailed here is the

captain, who can be an adventurer of any
class and is 12th-15th level, thus being the
most experienced crewmember aboard.
The captain's prime requisites are three:
the ability to make clear, fast decisions; a
high (15 or higher) wisdom; and an ability
to work closely with people (charisma of
15 + and a strong lawful streak). His job is
to oversee the other crew members and
bear responsibility for everything that
happens aboard his voidjammer. The
captain keeps a strict log of everything
that happens, insures the smooth opera¬
tion of the vessel, and settles disputes
between passengers and crew. The cap¬
tain also makes decisions involving overall
ship's operations, such as whether the
vessel enters battle or flees and if the
vessel will divert from its course for any
reason. Although the captain's job is the
least physically demanding of any aboard

(even the communications mage has to

spend hours bent over crystal balls, men¬
tally straining to communicate with other
voidjammers), the captain is ultimately
responsible for the fate of the vessel and
must answer to Peregrin if things go
badly. Few crewmembers feel envious of
the captain's position.

Passengers have almost no opportunity

to talk with the captain, since his duties
keep him constantly busy. There is one
exception to this, however. If the travelers
appear to be particularly powerful (and
they would have to be very powerful to
draw attention on a voidjammer!), the
captain invites them to talk with him. He
displays discreet interest in the mission of
the travelers, particularly if they antici¬
pate serious trouble while on his ship. He
also explains that such powerful people
probably have powerful enemies and that
he would appreciate not having his ship
become a battleground for passengers and
their foes. The captain in return reveals
any interesting stories he has heard to the
travelers, possibly leading to rich adven¬
tures on the Astral plane. Captains are not
much for small talk as a rule, and when
they do decide to talk for a long time, they
are careful to avoid taboo subjects (those
noted with the passenger director). The
main purpose of a captain's talking with
such travelers is to gauge their intentions
and possibly take extraordinary precau¬
tions to safeguard the ship and its person¬
nel while those travelers are aboard. If

DRAGON 23

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high-level characters use the voidjammer
system frequently, they may become good
friends with the captain of their vessel,
and this could lead to some very interest¬
ing and exciting adventures. After all,
captains got all that experience some¬
where before they became captains of
voidjammers, and they now know many
people on many planes. Chances are that
they know quite a few sites suited for
high-level adventure, too.

Physical construction

Each of these great ships is the size of a

large merchant ship, 80' long and 25'
wide. Since these ships operate on mental
power, there are no oars or sails, and the
upper deck is clear of rigging and other
obstacles. The hull is made of hardwood
and is magically reinforced to possess 50
structural points (as per the 1st Edition
DMG, page 54). Spells and chemical treat¬
ments used upon the hull reduce fire
damage to one-quarter of what is rolled,
and lightning has no effect at all on a
voidjammer. In addition, a powerful anti¬
gravity spell of Peregrin's own devising (a
ninth-level spell) removes most of the
vessel's mass, allowing the brains that
drive the vessel to move its great bulk.

As noted under the chief engineer's

description, the entire hull is laced with
the rare metal mindex, culled from an
asteroid belt in an alternate Prime plane
known only to Peregrin and worked by
friends of his on the elemental plane of
Earth. This silvery metal lets the brain-
engines interact with the voidjammer as if
it were a living creature and adds no
strength to the hull itself (mindex is actu¬
ally very soft and offers poor support).
Voidjammers obey the laws of flight for
movement, as given on pages 50-53 of the
1st Edition DMG, and they are considered
maneuverability class B for turns and
maneuvers. A voidjammer can start and
stop instantly at full speed, due to the fact
that the motive power source is mental,
although this may be rough on personnel
if the sudden acceleration/deceleration is
not expected.

Voidjammers have three decks. The

upper deck is open and is used for obser¬
vation. Also, the Marines spend most of
their time up here, watching for trouble.
There is a scorpion mounted to the front
of the vessel along with its ammunition,
and a heavy catapult is mounted to the
rear of the upper deck. A small aft cabin
holds ammunition for the catapult, both
rocks and barrels of oil. The catapult sits
on a rotating platform that can be turned
to face in any direction. These siege weap¬
ons are useful against githyanki forts and
any other hostile fortifications that might
drift into the vessels way. At the prow is a
steel ram that can be used against huge
creatures and any vessels that the githy¬
anki might care to throw against the void¬
jammer. This weapon is detachable,
allowing for a fast retreat. Because the
special antigravity spell lessens the ship's

mass, rams do only half the damage stated

in the 1st Edition DMG.

The second deck is divided in half across

its middle by a heavy bulkhead and is
separated by a locked door. The forward
section is for crew use, and on this side
are the engine room, the communications
room, and the navigation room. The cap¬
tain's quarters are also on this level. At¬
tached to the captain's quarters is a special
chamber designed for use if the ship's
crystal ball is destroyed or malfunctioning.
This is the teleport room, designed so that
the captain can send himself to the Voy¬
ager itself if things are going badly. This
tiny room will teleport only the bearer of
the captain's ring (each captain has a
unique ring) and has only one setting, the
receiving room aboard the Voyager. This
chamber is used only in dire emergencies
and is locked most of the time.

The rear section of the second deck is

the passenger's quarters. No hatches link
the passenger quarters to the third deck,
and only one door leads to the crew's
section. This door is wizard locked (by a
20th-level magic-user), openable only by
special keys carried by each officer. It is
not to be used by passengers, and passen¬
gers who try to force it open are promptly
expelled from the vessel. Portholes line
this level, allowing crew and passengers to
launch missiles and cast spells at attackers.
The third deck comprises crew quarters,
marines' quarters, and supply areas for
the vessel. Huge cargo doors here are
connected to the holds, for use by trav¬
elers with large amounts of cargo. The
only other entrance into here is through
the crew workrooms, and passengers
caught here are thrown off the vessel,
preferably through a color pool to a hos¬
tile plane. This is made very clear to all
boarding passengers.

Fees and services

Passengers boarding a voidjammer can

expect a comfortable stay in plush rooms,
interesting company, and a speedy trip to
their destination plane. They will be pro¬
tected from the Astral's hazards by a com¬
petent crew and can conserve their own
energies for their destination. In addition,
passengers have the benefit of being
guided by experts, so they are guaranteed
of ending up where they wish without
having to put up with the nasty conse¬
quences of experimenting with various
color pools and such. But all of these serv¬
ices have a price. The standard fare for
using the voidjammer's services is 2,500
gp, one way, if the passenger is going to
another plane serviced by the voidjammer
in question; if a ship-to-ship transfer is
involved, the fee rises to 3,500 gp. If that
the vessel must veer totally out of its way
to deliver the passenger, the fee rises to
5,000 gp.

Why would anyone bother to stay

aboard a voidjammer for days when it
takes only a few hours for travelers on
their own to find color pools and be on

their way? Many travelers in the Astral do

not have a strong idea of where they are
going, other than "to an outer plane," or
perhaps "to another Prime plane." If they
go on their own, they can end up literally
anywhere in the multiverse. When they
take a voidjammer, passengers can say,

"We want to go to the Nine Hells," or "We

want to go to a Prime plane where magic
is stronger than it is in our plane," and
they will end up there, guaranteed. The
voyage takes longer, but that might well be
worth it to travelers with little or no expe¬
rience on the Astral plane. Also, as noted
above, passengers aboard a voidjammer
can talk with others who have traveled the
planes and may know of spell changes,
interesting adventuring areas, etc. With
the rules enforced aboard the voidjammer,
parties of good-aligned creatures can talk
to neutral and evil creatures without
fearing conflict stronger than harsh
words. The vessel affords an excellent
opportunity to increase the passengers'
knowledge of other planes and how to
travel there.

outposts

Peregrin's vessels do not rely upon ran¬

dom chance to pick up passengers. The
wizard has set up a system to promote his
method of travel and insure that word of
it circulates around the worlds he serves.
Every destination world served by the
voidjammers has a small outpost staffed
by Peregrin's people, dedicated to seeing
that important sages and others "in the
know" about the planes are informed that
the voidjammer service is available. These
stations are always located in hard-to-get-
to places far from civilization to weed out
the idly curious and those who violently
disapprove of other-planar travel. A typi¬
cal outpost consists of a single fortified
building with 10-15 personnel, all experi¬
enced adventurers from that world, with
one advisor who has been trained by
Peregrin's staff and knows how things
work on the other side of the planar cur¬
tain. These people talk with potential
travelers, advising them on the fees and
times involved in transit. They find out
where the travelers are trying to go in
order to give that information to the void¬
jammers ahead of time and allow a sched¬
ule to be set up in advance. For this, each
outpost has a crystal ball on hand, spe¬
cially set to communicate with the void¬
jammer that services that world (the
device is useless for any other function).
Most importantly, these people travel and
spread the word that the service is availa¬
ble. In game terms, this means that most
sages who specialize in other-planar travel
will have heard of the voidjammers, as will
leaders of religions that have favorable
views of planar travel and many powerful
mages. When characters go to find out
about travel to and through other planes,
they will be told that the voidjammer
service is available and can decide to ei¬
ther use it or try such travel on their own.

DRAGON 25

From there, the characters may travel to

the outpost and take ship with a voidjam-
mer. Outposts have one other vital pur¬
pose: they give secure places for the
voidjammer's crew and passengers to stop,
rest, and eat. Each outpost has cooks and
is heavily stocked for this purpose (see the
"Ship's routine" section for details).

Ship’s routine

A voidjammer's routine seems chaotic to

passengers but follows a basic pattern. At
the start of each business run, the com¬
munications mage takes transmissions
from the worlds served by that vessel and
sees who needs to be picked up from
where and what their destinations are. He
gives this information to the captain, who
then decides the route and gives the navi¬
gator directions for setting a course. The
chief engineer is given that course and
sets the vessel upon its way. As the vessel
starts picking up passengers, the passen¬
ger director greets and briefs them, col¬
lects their fares, and takes them to their
rooms. The ship goes on in this manner,
picking up as many passengers as it can in
a 12-hour "work day" and dropping pas¬
sengers at their destinations. At the end of
12 hours, the vessel stops at a color pool
with an outpost on its other side. Those
officers and crew who are tired from their
day's work (the chief engineer, navigator,
communications mage, and assistants) are
let off for sleep, as are spell-casting crew
members who need to rest and to relearn
spells. Passengers will not be let off unless
this is their destination world, for Peregrin
does not like passengers to see how differ¬
ent outposts are set up. Most of the crew
remains aboard the ship, making minor
repairs (the vessel constantly hits tiny
chunks of matter, and these take a toll as
the vessel journeys across the plane).

Those persons on shore leave return early

the next day, and the routine starts again.
As a note, the voidjammers set their time¬
pieces by a 24-hour clock, as this is the
system used on Peregrin's home world.

Peregrin

Male human 24th-level mage

ARMOR CLASS: 2 (bracers of defense, AC

2 )

MOVE: 22; 96 in the Astral, due to a ring

of his own devising
HIT POINTS: 45
NO. OF ATTACKS: Nil

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Spell immunities from

high intelligence and wisdom; unique
spells

MAGIC RESISTANCE: 5% (robe of the

archmage)

ALIGNMENT: Lawful neutral

PSIONIC ABILITY: 350
Attack/Defense modes: All/All
PSIONIC DISCIPLINES: Minor: cell adjust¬
ment; domination, empathy, molecular
agitation, precognition; major: energy
control, telepathic projection

SPELLS: As selected by the DM

S10 120 W19

D 4 C14 CH18

The master of this line of majestic ves¬

sels is included here for the DM to use as
an NPC with whom high-level PCs might
interact. Characters under 15th level
should have no opportunity to meet this
man, for he avoids guests and considers
people under this level to be small fish
who should be bettering themselves
rather than pestering him. It is recom¬
mended that PCs never battle Peregrin.
Rather, he can motivate characters to try
daring plans of their own and can serve as
an inspiration for high-level characters
who wish for something unusual to do.

Peregrin the Wanderer hails from a

magic-rich Prime Material plane where the
ability to think meant the ability to use
magic. His superior intellect and
imagination allowed him to rise to a posi¬
tion of great power, so that by the age of
15 he ruled an empire of hundreds of
thousands of inhabitants. He was chal¬
lenged countless times and always won,
and by age 20 he controlled a vast conti¬
nent. At this point he began to see what
his life held for him. Until now it had been
a game to overpowering the minds of his
rivals and see who could win the most in
the contests of magic and will. Now Pere¬
grin wanted to do something meaningful,
and he saw little hope for it. He could
continue at his current pace and rule his
entire world within a decade, but what
after that? Take over one world or many
more? The administrative life bored the
serious young man, and he did not fancy a
future of court sessions, legislative tasks,
and dictating the lives of millions. Instead,
he handed the reins of power to less tal¬
ented but more willing friends, then left
for the Astral plane and its gateways to
adventure.

The mage had a lot to learn. The rest of

the multiverse, he discovered, enforced
harsh limits on the use of magic, and he
lost most of the power that had before
been inborn talent. He wandered the
Astral for weeks, trying to figure out color
pools and seeking help in understanding
this strange new universe he had entered.
Unfortunately, the only creature that came
along was a mind flayer looking for a bit
of lunch. It instantly attacked, and Pere¬
grine barely managed to overpower the
monster (he has felt pure hatred for the
race ever since). Several days after this
incident, Peregrine chose a color pool
leading to the plane of Concordant Opposi¬
tion. He appeared in a tremendous library,
in the middle of which was an ancient
man who introduced himself as Thoth.
There, Peregrine's reeducation began.

Now Peregrine is perhaps the most

powerful human residing in the Astral
plane. He lives aboard his flagship, the
Voyager, a vessel over 150' long that boasts
five decks, enjoying the company of nearly

100 other adventurers recruited from

dozens of planes. The arch-mage has ma¬
tured and no longer roams other planes,
preferring to wander Astral space with his
friends. He investigates and charts new
color pools and unusual parts of the plane
itself, always eager to find new worlds
beyond the planar veils.

Peregrin is driven by a need to organize

everything that he encounters, to pull
order from chaos and tame that which is
wild. He set up the voidjammer line to
help travelers get from plane to plane with
greater ease, feeling that it would be
pointless and stupid to die on what is
basically a transit plane when what one
really wanted to do was get to a more
interesting place. He puts tremendous
energy into the navigation room of the
Voyager and has created the largest map
of the Astral plane now in existence (it is
said that he regularly updates Thoth's own
maps of that plane, returning the favor
that deity did for him). He sets up outposts
for his voidjammer line on almost every
new world he discovers, adding a new
ship to his line about once a century.

Peregrin does not fight with weapons,

which is why he has no listed attacks. He
never initiates combat, giving even the
most vile opponents the chance to leave in
peace. When he is forced to fight, how¬
ever, he uses his great magics to devastat¬
ing effect. His philosophy of combat is to
cause losses to his enemy in excess of 100
times what they have done to him, to
discourage future actions against him and
his vessels. He has devastated entire gith-
yanki fortresses for merely threatening his
ships and once brought down the ceilings
of several underground mind flayer cities
when that race dared to attack one of his
vessels.

To aid him in such instances, Peregrin

keeps three items. The first is his robe of
the archmage, created by him on gaining
18th level. The second is a ring of wiz¬
ardry that doubles first- through third-
level spells, which he took from the
githyanki queen the first time they battled
(rumors among the officers of his fleet say
that this is why the githyanki hate Pere¬
grin, but it is more likely that this is just
one of many reasons why that race would
like to see him destroyed). Finally, he has
his staff of the magi, a gift from Thoth to
help him on his quest for order. Peregrin
has dozens of minor magical items, but
these are the three that are with him
wherever he goes.

Peregrin is an elitist, believing that those

who really want to succeed will do so. He
has no pity for those who fail and has no
tolerance for anyone under 15th level,
preferring to deal with those closer to his
own caliber. He tends to be snobby toward
fighter-types, believing magic to be supe¬
rior to mere muscular might, but he tries
to be open-minded and can get over this if

Continued on page 101

26 JULY 1990

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The

Dragon’s

Bestiary

The call of the wildspace

by the Arcane (a.k.a. the TSR staff)

To start at the beginning, the SPELLJAMMER™ Appendix for the AD&D® 2nd Edition
Monstrous Compendium was written so that TSR's designers and editors could go nuts
and have a really massive party. The details of how this was worked out need not
concern
us here; it is sufficient to say that TSR's most dedicated party animals outdid
themselves
and produced a volume that contains some of the most outrageous fantasy creations
ever
seen in any AD&D game.

The staff also created too many monsters, and a number of the beasts wound up
appendix-less. We hereby present a few of the extra monsters from the darkest
depths of
wildspace for the amusement of all DMs and the horror of all players. Three more
wildspace monsters will appear in the POLYHEDRON™ Newszine (two of those monsters
by DRAGON® Magazine editors!). And if you get the SPELLJAMMER Appendix to the
Monstrous Compendium (TSR Product No. 2109, $9.95/£6.50), you'll get even more fun
and terror. It's a jam to remember.

Creators

Andeloid: Harold Johnson

Metagolem: Troy Denning
Infernite: Timothy B. Brown

Artwork by Thomas Baxa

Andeloid

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:

Any (as per hosts)

FREQUENCY:

Very rare
ORGANIZATION:

Solitary

ACTIVITY CYCLE:

Any (any; never sleeps)

DIET:

Parasite (as per hosts)

INTELLIGENCE:

Animal —1 (variable; as per

hosts)

TREASURE:

Nil (as carried by hosts)

ALIGNMENT:

Neutral (as per dominant host)

NO. APPEARING:

ARMOR CLASS:

10 (AC of individual hosts)

MOVEMENT:

1 (see text)

HIT DICE:

2-24 (plus sum of hosts' Hit Dice)

19 or better (as per hosts'
THACOs + 1)

THACO:

NO. OF ATTACKS:

1 (as per hosts)

DAMAGE/ATTACK:

Special (as per hosts)

SPECIAL ATTACKS:

Controls victims (as per hosts)

SPECIAL DEFENSES:
Immune to weapons, cold, and
most spells; saving-throw bo¬
nuses (as per hosts)

MAGIC RESISTANCE:

20%

SIZE:

Spore T; ooze S (variable)

MORALE:

Fearless—20 (fanatic—M)

XP VALUE:

As per andeloid's Hit Dice with

Hit Dice modifiers as appropri¬
ate (plus the XP value of each of
the hosts); spores have no XP
value

Initial statistics are for an active "ooze" (an andeloid without

hosts); values in parentheses are for a composite (an andeloid
with hosts).

The andeloid is a slimelike creature that forms a symbiotic link

between its victims ("hosts"), joining their flesh together to form a
single creature. In all the crystal spheres, few creatures are as bi¬
zarre or horrifying as these andeloid composites, chimerical
meldings of individual beings.

An andeloid may be encountered in its inert state as a round

crystalline spore about the size of a fist (3" across). This spore has
a shimmering, shifting color and waxy texture, often being mis¬
taken for an unusual gem (AC 0, hp 4). A spore becomes active,
assuming a flat, oozelike shape 2' in diameter, once it has been ex¬
posed to at least one point of damage from heat or flame, or once
it is left within 5' of a live potential host for 2d6 rounds. A spore
takes no damage from fire, though an active andeloid is not so im¬
mune (see "Combat").

An andeloid without hosts is nearly mindless and has only one

driving purpose —to take over a host. However, an andeloid
composite is a group personality based on its component parts,
directed by the most intelligent being in the composite and modi¬
fied by the strongest attitudes of the other hosts and by the needs
of the andeloid itself to survive and grow. A composite of several
intelligent beings acts as if governed by a committee.

Combat: An active andeloid without a host moves slowly and lies

in wait for a potential host. Anyone touched by the ooze must
make a save vs. poison to avoid infestation (unconscious victims
awaken if the save succeeds). A conscious victim can repel or kill
the andeloid with flame or with a few spells noted later (they are
immune to all other spells). Once the andeloid succeeds in infest¬
ing a victim, it bonds with the host's psyche and cannot be driven
off, though it can be slain by spells or fire. A host taken over by
an andeloid appears to have been covered with a Vi -thick trans¬
lucent slime; useful tools and weapons are retained, as is clothing
(though the latter becomes soaked).

When a victim is added to a composite, a limb or body part of

the host is stuck as if by glue to another host. Within a month, the
flesh of the two creatures merges, and the united creature (a com¬
posite) cannot be separated normally into component hosts. If the
andeloid is slain before a host merges with the composite, the vic¬
tim may make a System Shock roll once per round to pull free.
Creatures that have been fully melded into a composite will die
once the andeloid binding them dies; their bodies cannot be sepa¬
rated again except by using a wish or heal, but they may be raised
normally.

An andeloid composite combines many benefits of its hosts.

The number of Hit Dice and hit points of a composite equals the
total of those of the andeloid and its hosts (Hit Dice are used in
calculating saving throws only, not THACO scores). Any damage
suffered is subtracted from that total and is shared by all hosts of
the composite. (Note that though an andeloid is immune to many
things, this is not necessarily true of its hosts.) Special immuni¬
ties, resistances, and defenses of any one host are shared by all
other hosts. A composite gains +4 on saves vs. poison. All of the
hosts are simultaneously slain once the hit-point total of the ande¬
loid and its hosts reaches zero. However, the andeloid itself is not
slain if not attacked by fire or spells; it is instead rendered dor¬
mant for 2d8 turns, after which it re-forms into a 2 Hit Dice ooze
again and must hunt for new hosts.

A composite retains its hosts' attack forms. If a host can make

several attacks, it makes one less than normal if that limb has
melded to the composite, A host attacks with a +1 bonus to its
normal THACO. Damage done is as normally done by each host.
Special attacks must be directed by the host that possesses that
ability, but these are lost if the body part with those abilities is
melded with another creature in the composite. Conversely,
weaknesses of component hosts are shared by the entire compos¬
ite, though a natural ability or defense may cancel a weakness.

The following spells have special effects on the andeloid, in ad¬

dition to any beneficial effects to hosts: cure disease causes 3d6
points of damage to the andeloid; neutralize poison causes ld6

DRAGON 31
Andeloid

points of damage to the andeloid; regeneration causes 2dl0 points

of damage to the andeloid and forces it to save vs. death magic or
become dormant for 2d8 turns; restoration causes 3d6 points of
damage and forces the andeloid to save vs. death magic or be de¬
stroyed. In this way hosts may be rescued from a composite.

Composites cannot fly or swim. Their land movement rates

equal those of their slowest moving hosts.

An andeloid's overriding purpose is to survive and grow. An

intelligent composite always attempts to capture powerful be¬
ings, if it can do so safely, in order to add them to the composite.
The size of a composite is limited by the andeloid's Hit Dice.
Young andeloids have only 2 Hit Dice, but gain 1 Hit Dice per
three months of growth to a maximum of 24 Hit Dice. The total of
all hosts' Hit Dice and levels cannot exceed that of the andeloid
binding them. If a composite tries to "collect" a victim that has
too many Hit Dice to be controlled, all attempts to turn that being
into a host will fail.

In an effort to improve the composite, the andeloid may decide

to absorb an entire host as food to provide space for an addition.
This requires the decision of the controlling ego, and a period of
time equal to one week per Hit Die of the host (see "Ecology").
This intentional absorption results in the melding of the absorbed
personality's ego, altering the dominant ego accordingly.

Habitat/Society: Generally, intelligent races do not tolerate ande¬

loids, which are sought out and destroyed as quickly as possible
to prevent infestation. However, chaotic species may accept a sin¬
gle composite that has reached its current size limits. Some

chaotic-evil and insane races may view melding with an andeloid

as tantamount to becoming a hero of legend.

Since andeloids are driven by their dominant personalities,

they can be either good or evil in nature. However, because of the
loathing felt for andeloids by many races, there is a greater ten¬
dency for them to be savage monsters instead of benign, helpful
colonies. Due to this lack of acceptance, composites tend to in¬
habit remote regions or follow nomadic lives traveling wildspace
(if one host of a composite has spelljamming powers) and crystal
spheres, staying in no place for long. Any treasure found is con¬
verted to easily carried items or cached on remote asteroids or
moons.

Ecology: As long as its hosts are able to feed, the andeloid draws
sustenance from its hosts' feeding. An andeloid may survive with¬
out food for a week, converting its hosts' stores of fat into energy
to provide its hosts's needs. After a week of such deprivation, the
parasite must begin to convert its hosts' Hit Dice into food at the
rate of 1 Hit Dice per week, starting with the Hit Dice of its weak¬
est host. As the Hit Dice are absorbed, the body of the host losing
the Hit Dice is absorbed and eliminated from the composite.

After the andeloid is forced to consume all of its available

hosts' Hit Dice, it becomes dormant a week later, forming spores
that can survive for eons without air or sustenance. As many such
spores are created as the andeloid itself has Hit Dice.

Andeloids do not reproduce other than by creating spores. An

andeloid newly created from a spore has no memories of any pre¬
vious existence.

I nfernite

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:

FREQUENCY:
ORGANIZATION:
ACTIVITY CYCLE:
DIET:

INTELLIGENCE:

TREASURE:

ALIGNMENT:

Fire-based worlds, volcanic

vents, dim solid stars

Rare

Kiln or subject citizens

mable items

Average (8-10)

Y ( x 3), V (armor and weapons

only)

Lawful neutral

NO. APPEARING:
ARMOR CLASS:
MOVEMENT:

HIT DICE:

THACO:

NO. OF ATTACKS:
DAMAGE/ATTACK:

SPECIAL ATTACKS:

SPECIAL DEFENSES:
MAGIC RESISTANCE:
SIZE:

MORALE:

XP VALUE:

10-100

3
9

4 + 3
15

1 or2

By weapon type (see text), or

2 - 8 / 2-8

Bear-hug flame damage, magma

missiles, fireteam advantages,

spells possible

Regeneration

Nil

M (6' tall)

Elite (14)

650 (more for magicians and

leaders as appropriate)

Infernites are a race of intelligent humanoids inhabiting many

known fire-based worlds. They are fire-based themselves, and
some are proficient in the use of magic and spelljamming craft. In¬
fernites are the same size as humans, more powerful but of com¬
parable intelligence. Socially, they are more rigid, structured, and
single-minded of purpose than any humans.
Combat: To an earth-based creature, a single infernite is a formi¬
dable opponent. It is of great power and skill, and its hot, flaming
body can roast most creatures. If that were not bad enough, in¬
fernites rarely engage in combat in groups of less than five, all of
them being highly trained soldiers accustomed to close combat,
missile fire, and military discipline. Such a military group is
known as a kiln.

An infernite can also throw off chunks of molten rock and

metal from its own body, each missile causing 2d4 points of dam¬
age at a range equal to that of a thrown dagger (1/2/3); two such
missiles can be hurled per round. However, each time an infernite
throws a chunk of itself as a missile weapon, it loses 1 hit point.
"Magma throwers" will no longer use their inherent missile weap¬
ons once they fall to 10 hit points or below.

Infernite weapons are the same as those commonly found on

earth-based worlds (except that the metals won't melt). Most in¬
dividuals have swords that cause ld8 points of damage plus 2d6
points of additional flame damage. The members of a kiln are
armed with other weapons, as noted later.

Also, the intense heat of infernite bodies does 2d6 points of

damage per round to creatures in physical contact with them. Re¬
alizing this, infernites are known to engage in bear-hugs to kill
their foes (to-hit roll at +2 required, which can be broken by vic¬
tim if a roll to open doors is made, once per round).

Cold is especially effective against infernites, doing double the

normal damage. Even in temperatures that humans consider
comfortable (up to the boiling point of water), infernites suffer
ld3 points of damage per round. Water causes ldlO points of
damage per gallon poured onto an infernite.

One infernite in six is a magician, able to cast spells as a mage of

level 1-10, Ironically, infernite magicians are well versed in the

use of cold spells; until they reached wildspace, infernites fought
only each other. Typical spells include affect normal fires, chill
touch, chilling hands (the cold version of burning hands), ice
storm, wall of ice, and cone of cold. All infernite magicians have
an inherent ability to create improved phantasmal force once per
day (at their mage level of ability) in addition to all other powers.

A group of infernites, whether on the ground or in wildspace,

will be organized into kilns of five infernites each. Kilns are typi¬
cally organized in one of these four fashions:

Pike team: Four armed with pikes (ld6 +2d6 points of fire
damage) and one magma thrower.

Close combat team: Two armed with swords, two magma

throwers, and one magician.

Magical team: Three magicians, one magma thrower, and one

using a sword.
Missile team: Four magma throwers and one charged with re¬
supply.

The pike team is often used in large battles; a few hundred such
teams are organized into a phalanx. Close-combat teams and
magical teams are more frequently used in piracy and boarding
actions. The missile team is a support team designed to enhance
any combat situation, the resupplier carrying additional material
to replenish the other members (see "Ecology").

When in their formations, teams provide both a +1 to hit for

each member and a -1 to their Armor Classes. A team loses these
benefits if it is reduced to three or fewer members.

Infernites are able to manipulate their fluid bodies to flow

through cracks and around obstacles. They can pass through any
cracks or holes that are at least 6" across at their normal move¬
ment rate. Also, when body material such as hot coals or lava
presents itself, infernites have the ability to bond with it and re¬
generate 1 hit point every other round given no interruptions (see
"Ecology").

Habitai/Society: Fire-based worlds are difficult for earth-based

creatures to imagine. Physically, such a world offers many of the

DRAGON 33

Infernite

same challenges to its inhabitants. For instance, there is no need

for infernites to wear clothing or construct buildings to protect
them from the elements on their worlds, and they make no terri¬
torial claims because of the flowing of their molten lands.
Whereas human culture grew diverse in relatively static environ¬
ments, infernite cultures developed very unyielding structures on
turbulent, everchanging worlds.

Infernite communities contain 10-100 individuals. One leader

is in addition to this number and has maximum hit points, maxi¬
mum wizard abilities, and the ability to cast a plane shift spell
once per day, taking up to 50 infernites in physical contact with it.
Spelljammer crews have the normal number of crew, with the
ships' captains being leaders and all crew being organized into
kilns.

The individual infernite has very little freedom of choice, nor

does it expect any. The offspring of each parent take on that par¬
ent's role in society, be it soldier, leader, administrator, or worker.
Leaders enjoy the absolute confidence of those under them. Once
working for a particular leader, an infernite is bound to that
leader for life; when that leader dies, its subjects cease taking on
nourishment and quickly perish as well. Interestingly, infernite
leaders nearly always disagree on some point of policy, leading to
ferocious battles between their followers until one leader and all
his followers die —a frequent occurrence that limits their other¬
wise fast-growing population.

Infernite leaders and mages have spelljamming capabilities,

and leaders sometimes order large metallic spelljamming vessels
to be built. The metal of the hulls is forged to withstand the great
temperatures generated both within and without. To a human,
the outside of an infernite ship is as hot as a cookstove, and its in¬
terior like a volcano's core (ships in this state are hereafter re¬
ferred to as "hot," though infernite crews often complain because
their ships are kept too "cold"). A ship has a single leader; if that
leader is lost, the ship is left to cool in the icy cold of space. Origi¬
nally, infernite spelljammer ships used the same designs as were
used for ships that sailed their molten seas, but they have since
adopted common for their spelljamming vessels. Use
common ship statistics for their vessels; all statistics apply except
"save as" which should be thin metal. Infernite spelljamming
ships cause an additional ld3 points of hull damage when ram¬
ming, from their intense heat, and will automatically set ablaze
any wooden ship or rigging it comes in contact with. The q'nidar
(from MC7) are a race of creatures despised and hunted by the in¬
fernites.

When a leader divides (see "Ecology"), it divides its subjects be¬

tween its offspring. By whatever agreement, one leader then
leaves with its subjects, more often than not to travel to another
world by spelljamming ships or plane shift. Infernites have colo¬
nized many known fire-based worlds by traveling through inter-
planar gates opened by their leaders, since they cannot cross the
Phlogiston (see "Ecology"). They also enjoy such places as vol¬
canic vents, world cores, hot gaseous worlds, and dim red stars.

When encountered, infernites rarely do business with creatures

from earth-based worlds. Their pirates often raid in search of
hardened metals or magical items that can withstand the heat of
their bases. They defend what is theirs tenaciously.

Infernites do not venture into the Phlogiston, as the heat from

their ships is magnified and the infernites "burn out." A "hot" in¬
fernite ship that enters the Flow causes a 100'-radius explosion for
30d6 points of damage to non-fire-based beings (see page 10 of the
Concordance of Arcane Space in the SPELLJAMMER™ boxed
set). Infernites themselves must save vs. death magic at -4 each
round they are in the Flow, or die.

Ecology: Infernites are beings of molten metal and rock, some¬

what akin to fire elementals. Their bodies are rather fluid but
maintain a humanoid appearance virtually all the time. There is
only one sex; reproduction is accomplished through a long proc¬
ess of fission. Each infernite divides itself in a week-long ritual
once every four months. However, reproduction can be highly
accelerated when the community, be it a world, colony, or star-
ship crew, is either threatened or is preparing for war. In such an
instance, the community consciousness naturally takes over,
forcing individuals to seek out sources of body material and begin
reproducing once per day. Since leaders divide their power when
they divide, they will try to avoid reproduction indefinitely. Body
material is drawn from the surface of a dim star, the volcanoes of
an earth-based world, the surface of a fire-based world, or from
huge kilns stoked by the infernites themselves. The infernites lit¬
erally become one with the new body material and force them¬
selves to divide more often. This process can continue as long as
there is still a perceived threat to the community or until the body
material runs out. In a short time, the infernites can create whole
armies to perpetuate their race and their ambitions.

In a similar process, infernites can heal damage done to them¬

selves. If there is a source of body material at hand, they can heal
one point of damage every other round by bonding with it. For
instance, in a missile fire team, the missile users stick their hands
into a vat of molten material to gain back hit points and continue
firing. Fighting infernites on their own worlds is always a costly
venture.

On their own worlds, infernites tend to eat just about every¬

thing. On earth-based worlds they can eat anything that nor¬
mally burns: wood, coal, oil, etc., but eating "cold" food brings
their body temperatures down gradually —those that have been
forced to live on earth-based worlds for extended periods of time
eventually cool down and die. Water-based worlds are shunned
by infernites, and air-based worlds exhaust their fuel quickly,
burning them out.

34 JULY 1990

Metagolem

# —

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:

FREQUENCY:

ORGANIZATION:

ACTIVITY CYCLE:

DIET:

INTELLIGENCE:

TREASURE:

ALIGNMENT:

NO. APPEARING:
ARMOR CLASS:

MOVEMENT:

HIT DICE:

THACO:

NO. OF ATTACKS:

DAMAGE/ATTACK:

SPECIAL ATTACKS:

SPECIAL DEFENSES:

MAGIC RESISTANCE:

SIZE:

MORALE:

XP VALUE:

Metagolems are hollow metallic constructs that have been given

magical life; they resemble humanlike beings such as humans,
elves, dwarves, and gnomes. There are as many varieties of meta¬
golems as there are metals, ranging from those made of copper to
those made of platinum alloys. Like normal golems, metagolems
are animated by elemental spirits. However, they are also given
considerable intelligence and can speak. Metagolems have no free
will, though, and always strive to fulfill the wishes of their crea¬
tors. The methods of creating metagolems are not widely known,
but only wizards of 18th level and above can make them. A meta¬
golem has the alignment of its creator and an equivalent Strength
of 15 for purposes of carrying and lifting items.

Generally speaking, the more exotic the metal, the better the
metagolem's armor and speed. Statistics for metagolems made of
common metals are given below:

Any

Very rare

Solitary

Any

Electricity
Very (12)

Varies

Any
1 (5% of 2-5)

6 to -2
3 to 15

9 (40 hit points)

ldlO to 9dl0
Magical spells
Immune to electricity
Nil

S to M (3-6' tall)
Fearless (20)

12,000 to 16,000

Metal

AC

SJL *

Movement

Damage

Copper

ldlO

Tin

2dl0

Bronze

5
3dl0

Iron

4dl0

Steel

5dl0

Silver

6dl0

Electrum

7dl0

Gold

- 1

10

8dl0

Platinum

- 2

5
11

9dl0

* Spelljammer levels, for use with major or minor helms.

Combat: Metagolems are quite intelligent and employ sound tac¬

tics in battle. Aside from their limited selection of spells, they
never use weapons, preferring to rely on their fists instead. Al¬
though quite intelligent, they are completely emotionless and can
never be swayed from their goals.

Metagolems can cast magic missile; web, fly, flaming sphere,

fireball, and stinking cloud spells once each per day at the 10th
level of ability. They are immune to all Illusion/Phantasm,
i Enchantment/Charm, and Alteration wizards' spells, and to all
' spells in the Charm sphere of priest magic. They are not damaged
by any attack involving electricity (such as a lightning bolt spell),
instead gaining energy from such attacks (see "Ecology").

or flying a spelljammer ship, chasing down hated enemies, col¬

lecting treasure, and so forth. They have no society as such, but
they do seem to bear a strange fondness for others of their kind.
Occasionally, several metagolems can be found relaxing together
on worlds particularly prone to violent lightning storms.

Often, a metagolem will join a party of adventurers if it is clear

that doing so will prove beneficial to accomplishing its master's
goal. Although a metagolem makes a surprisingly amiable com¬
panion, it is usually mistrusted, for its companions never know
when the metagolem's true instructions will interfere with the
group's plans. There have even been reports of metagolems join¬
ing spelljammer crews, then leading mutinies for the purpose of
accomplishing their secret goals.

Ecology: As with other golems, metagolems can be created only

by powerful wizards. However, unlike regular golems, metago¬
lems occasionally require a supply of energy — in the form of
electricity —in order to continue functioning. Hungry metago¬
lems are known to insult powerful wizards for the sole purpose of
making the mages so angry that they cast lightning bolts at the
metagolems. Every hit point of damage from electricity powers a
metagolem for one week, to a maximum charge of 100 weeks of
continuous operation. Without this power, metagolems become
dormant until given a new charge.

Habitai/Society: Metagolems are magical automatons created by

powerful wizards to accomplish certain goals, such as protecting

DRAGON 35
"Forum" welcomes your comments and opinions
on role-playing games. In the United States and
Canada, write to: Forum, DRAGON® Magazine;
P.O. 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 ask
that material submitted to "Forum" be either
neatly written by hand or typed with a fresh
ribbon and clean keys so we can read and
understand your comments.

In issue #146, the editorial talked about com¬

puter RPGs. I personally agree with just about
all of the points hit by Roger Moore. However,
in issue #151, on page 66, Alan Grimes wrote a
letter that I did not agree with at all.

Mr. Grimes states that there is no role in¬

volved in a binary program. Of course there
isn't! The role involved is through characters
created by the binary program. Let me give an
example.

I have owned an IBM clone computer for

almost three years. The first program bought by
my family for me was The Bard's Tale. In The
Bard's Tale, I created a character, a paladin,
named Baxian. Baxian and his gang of other
characters have been my alternate personas, as
Mr. Grimes puts it. Baxian has been my number-
one character even through The Bard's Tale II.
He and I have been through countless battles,
just like some fighters in an AD&D campaign.
The interaction that Mr. Grimes fails to see is
there. The computer is just the channel that the
player uses to play the game, just as a DM is also
a channel for an AD&D game.

Mr. Grimes states that the essence of sponta¬

neity is not included in a computer RPG, that
everything the computer does is by a program
that is given and known. The program is given,
but not known (at least in the IBM version). The
programs are normally written in some assem¬
bly language that only someone who can read
that assembly language understands How can
you know how to solve the game or know what
the game will be like if you can't read the pro¬
gram language?

Next, Mr. Grimes mentions the fact that

gamers who really enjoy the game will find time
to play Where I have lived, few people will take
the time to play a good D&D® game I have been
interested in D&D and AD&D games for about
six years In all that time, I have played just a
few complete adventures. All I have to do is
turn to my computer, and I have something that
already has an adventure for me to play, or I
can continue an adventure that I stopped to eat
dinner, or whatever. You can't tell your gaming
friends to pack out to the porch and wait while
you and your family eat dinner can you?

Mr. Grimes says that he did some quick calcu¬

lating to figure out how many Ks of memory
would be needed to have just three books worth
of AD&D manuals on disk. This calculating may
be correct, but Mr. Grimes left out the element
of data compression. By compressing the data,
those 37 disks could be compressed into just
five or six disks An example: SSI's Pool of Radi¬
ance program needs at least 384K of RAM
memory to operate; the program would have
come on about 15 disks, but because of the
compression, it came on three. The then-

compressed five or six disks of manuals would

be easily used by any computer user.

Regarding the removal of the GM: In the

groups I've played in, most of the players didn't
want to be the GM, and a game wouldn't get
going. A computer will be the GM for you, and a
game can start right away without having to
wait for an adventure to be created.

In closing, computers are going to be part of

this world, whether you like it or not. Plenty of
imagination can be used while playing a good
computer RPG. Computers don't need imagin¬
ation, but the programs they interpret give it to
you in the face.

Dan Howarth

Holbrook AZ

According to the AD&D 2nd Edition Players

Handbook, any PC who becomes "undead is
automatically an NPC! His goals and ambitions
are utterly opposed to those he held before."

This statement disregards the character who,

because of a desire to further his magical
powers, chooses to become a lich. The Mon¬
strous Compendium says that liches "have cast
aside their places as living beings by choice."

One can't justify removing the PC status from a

character who chooses to become undead.

Liches are described as undead who "seek to

further their own power at all costs." From this,
one can conclude that liches, contrary to the
statement in the Player's Handbook, retain their
goals and ambitions after entering the state of
undeath. The lich's choice to become undead,
seclude himself from society, and search "for
power in strange planes unknown to even the
wisest of sages" can eliminate any fears of losing
the delicate balance of power in the game and
provide some adventures for the higher-level
characters.

Spectres, wights, and wraiths-all powerful

forms of undead—do have the power to drain
creatures' energy. If a character is killed by a
spectre, wight, or wraith using its energy drain,
then he is doomed to become one of the crea¬
tures that killed him. The new undead is now
under the control of the monster or its master.

If that was the end of the character, then one

could see why the PC would have to become an
NPC. But that is not the case. The Monstrous
Compendium explains that "once a character
becomes a spectre, recovery is nearly impos¬
sible, requiring a special quest." How can some¬
body complete a quest when he is an NPC? Is
the DM to say, "Okay, your character's master
was slain, and he has completed his special
quest, sustaining only minor injuries; he is now
back under your control"? That does not seem
to be in the spirit of the game.

While there are obvious cases where PCs who

become undead must be taken by the Dungeon
Master, not all cases should be treated as such.

Erik Martella
Salinas CA

Very often when playing RPGs, a player finds

himself in a situation where he has to choose
between playing his character as he believes the
character would act, or doing what the player's
own common sense tells him to do. The purist
school of thought would have the player role,
play no matter what the consequences. Most

players, though, would agree that there should

be limits.

Here's an example from a game I recently

played at a convention in my region. At one
point, one of the players reached a situation
where her character, who was rather impetu¬
ous, was likely to do something that she as a
player knew would be rather risky. She very
rightly did as her character would and had to
suffer the consequences Fortunately, all was
made right, and she was not eliminated from
the game because of her character's rash action.

As the game progressed, one of the players

suggested a way for my character to accomplish
our goal immediately. This could have accom¬
plished only one of two things. Either it would
have ended the game before any of the players
(including myself) wanted it to end, or it would
have put us into a bad situation for which we
were not yet prepared. Even though it would
have been something my character might have
done, I did not do it and I feel I made the cor¬
rect decision.

Perhaps the most ill-advised example that I

ever saw of someone role-playing his character
when he should not have happened several
years ago, when a player whose character was
an outlaw of evil alignment had his PC kill the
rest of the party and make off with all of the
loot. The tact that his character was an evil
outlaw was not an acceptable explanation, for
even an evil character will find that he must
cooperate with those around him in order to
survive. This character found a heavy bounty
had been placed on his head, and his player
found that the rest of the regular players re¬
sented his actions—including those of us who
were not playing that night-and he soon left
the group.

To sum it all up, a player should role-play his

character the best way that he can, except
when that role-playing acts to the deterrence of
the other players' completion of and enjoyment
of the game.

John Patrick Wall

Palatine IL

My own linguistic gripe with the AD&D game

is the incredible list of pole arms in the [1st
Edition] Players Handbook, most of which are
only to be distinguished by which way the hook
on the end points, while beer is given one entry
under "ale," Nowhere have I seen an article on
the rich variety of beers, wines, and spirits that
existed in medieval times. There isn't even a
difference between fish, flesh, and fruit in the
food listings. Weaponry, on the other hand, is
listed at encyclopedic length—hardly a situation
likely to discourage hack-and-grab playing! It
almost gives the impression that the AD&D
game is essentially for connoisseurs of obsolete
arms. The presumably "realistic" distinction
between bill, guisarme, bill-guisarme, halberd,
and holy water sprinkler, with no guidelines or
pictures given, only confuses simple folk like
myself.

A little effort to make players think about

what their characters are actually eating when
they open up their "standard rations" might add
more realism to the game (famous last words:
"Are you sure beef is supposed to be this
dark?") My point: Conan and King Arthur were

36 JULY 1990

bothered about the quality of their pint, as was

the legendary brewer-king Gambrinus.

Paul Arblaster
Leuven, Belgium

This letter is in response to Ahmed Amin's of

issue #155. I firmly believe that players should
be given the opportunity to have their charac¬
ter's raised from the dead. The key word is
opportunity. I am not saying that a character is
raised every time he dies. That mentality is
what's responsible for such horrors as 25th-level
PCs with armor classes of - 12 and + 10 luck
blades. What I am saying is this: Give your
players a chance. Dying can be a very valuable
lesson and often a spiritual experience, allowing
for more intense role-playing.

First of all, it is important that players (and

their characters) understand and accept the
PCs' own mortality. No PC is going to live for¬
ever. Just as in the real world, not everyone in a
game world believes death is permanent, and
near-death experiences can be quite common.
The "dead" have been brought back to "life" all
over the world today and while to us this is a
result of technology, it is a result of magic in the
fantasy realm. Raise dead and resurrection are
both high-level spells. Would you deny these
spells to your PCs when they reach the appro¬
priate level? If not, then doesn't it stand to
reason that there are NPC priests out there
capable of these spells?

The best way to handle it is to deal with each

case individually. When I am faced with it, I ask
myself a series of questions. For instance: Is the
character presently on a quest or mission of a
religious nature? This includes missions for
other deities or their temples, if it benefits a
fellow party member's religion. (This assumes
the word "voluntarily.") Has he completed any
such tasks for his church in the past? Is he a
devout follower? If he's a cleric, has he been a
good one-spreading the word, making neces¬
sary sacrifices, etc.? "Yes" answers to any of
these questions deserve special considerations
for the PC. In the case of fighters, consider this:
A fighter who did not die in battle or a paladin/
cavalier who did not die honorably may never
be "at rest" and could merit a second or even
third chance. Exactly how did the PC die? If it
was a truly stupid, foolhardy action on his part,
permanent death may be a far more valuable
lesson. If, however, he was tricked into drinking
poison by a cunning 8th-level assassin losing
that point of constitution may be lesson enough.

Now consider the dead PC's god. If he was a

worshiper of Athena, he may already be in
Hades, and if so, he probably won't be coming
back (just ask Persephone). A follower of Thor
who was above 4th level may already be in
Asgard training for Ragnarok. Still unsure? How
about a meeting:

Zeus: "Jared of Almar, I understand you wish

to return to your plane. Why?"

Jared: "I was having fun! Olympus is a drag."

Jared will be hailing Charon's cab any minute

now. However, if you replace Zeus with Diony¬
sus, Jared may be home in time for happy hour.

If you decide to allow the resurrection, make

sure it wasn't free. Require a sacrifice of money,
a magical item, or services. For high-level PCs,
how about donating a piece of land and financ¬
ing a new temple? Or how about finding a long-
lost religious artifact or defeating an evil cult?

Finally, as we all like to remind each other, the

ultimate decision is yours. After all, it may be
time for a new character, especially in the case
of alignment violators or players who just don't
understand their characters' classes fully. You
can always put limitations on your resurrecting

rules. A good friend of mine never raises PCs

who were below 5th level

When I asked my players how they'd feel if I

said there'd be no more raising from the dead—
well, let's just say I've DMed red dragons that
were less hostile Give it a try A wise DM knows
when resurrection is appropriate and will gain
his player's respect They may even (egad!)
thank you for it!

Maribeth Hass
Greenfield WI

Have you ever felt degraded by others for

playing the D&D game? Did you identify with
Shawn DeMers in issue #132 or Michael Drake
in issue #146? There seems to be a lot of people
who think that the D&D game is in some way
harmful. It also seems that the vast majority of
them have never played or have even seen a
gaming session and therefore will never know
the benefits of gaming.

Gamers and nongamers may not be aware of

the benefits of gaming. There is more than just
entertainment going on here. When you gather
for a gaming session, you find companionship
with fellow gamers. Even it you don't notice it,
you are being accepted and validated as a hu¬
man being. This may not seem like a big deal,
but think about it: What would it be like not to
be recognized as a human being? The gaming
session is, in its own way, related to support
groups. Gamers can talk to others about prob¬
lems and get feedback on their lives. It is an
escape, just like reading a romance or adven¬
ture novel, only while gaming you are creating
the adventure. Gaming also exercises your math
skills and your cognitive processes.

As a gamer (and human being), you are used

to facing difficult situations, be it passing an
important test or facing a war clan of ores.

Facing others who think of the D&D game as

some weird, childish game is a little different
but no less difficult. To be better armed against
these people, it is suggested that you research
the history of your game and ask those who
attack you to sit in and observe what really goes
on at a gaming session.

David Raymond Gawarecki

Winona MN

I am writing in response to Robert Morrison's

letter in issue #151's "Forum" concerning
weapon specialization. Mr. Morrison states that
weapon specialization unbalances play at higher
levels, and that characters naturally become
more proficient with weapons.

Weapon specialization is the exclusive use of

one weapon and the devotion of one's life to the
use of that weapon. The bonuses given to a
specialized character are a result of the charac¬
ter's intensive study and practice of that
weapon. He has achieved a greater understand¬
ing of that weapon than most other characters
ever could.

During that character's life, he is assumed to

practice daily with that weapon When a char¬
acter advances in level, all that practice and
training is assumed to have finally made a
change significant enough to warrant an in¬
crease in his bonuses.

Other classes can also become more proficient

with a weapon. Although they cannot become
as skilled with a weapon as a specialized fighter,
their advances are taken into account by lower¬
ing that character's THACO score.

I've looked at the D&D game's weapon-

mastery system and feel that it is grossly unbal¬
anced. It allows any character to become as
skilled in the use of a weapon as a fighter, which
makes the latter class lose much of its appeal. It

is ludicrous to assume that a mage or a thief can

become as proficient in a weapon as a class
whose very basis is fighting.

Brian Hicks

Redlands CA

Per the "Forum" letter of James R. Collier in

issue #152: My (now-defunct) campaign worlds
were set in various technological stages depend¬
ing on governmental pressures, availability of
magic to accomplish the same ends, and the
differing socio-religious viewpoints on inventive¬
ness. Areas such as Englene, with a repressive
empress and high population of state-backed
wizards, kept their technology at Middle Ages
level (c. A.D. 900-1200), though some oddly
anachronistic things would appear in the dock
areas. At the other end of the scale, the city of
Triask was positively Renaissance because of its
encouragement of invention. The rest of the
main world fell into various stages between.
Magic does not have to preclude technology, as
one imagines even powerful wizards may like
an alternative to going out to the garderobe on
a cold night.

My campaign also included high-level conjur¬

ers who were "dimension fishers," bringing in
odd items from other Prime Material planes in
search of riches or knowledge. You could have a
telephone appear in your wizard's conjuring
circle, but even if you know how to use it, you
wouldn't necessarily understand the principles
of its operation. Your wizard certainly isn't
going to be able to create a telecommunications
network with one phone. On the other hand,
the basic principles of the butane lighter might
be understandable to a patient wizard (some
primitive lamps had the same basic principle),
but that same wizard isn't going to be able to
manufacture those devices.

Finally, your mage may conjure a silk scarf out

of thin air—but did she create it? This is a
decision for DMs to make individually, but I've
always ruled that "created" items were taken
from elsewhere. There's always room for diver¬
sification. The use of bread-mold poultices in
the Middle Ages was based on superstition and
it lasted until Pasteur came along.

Guns are something any wizard group that

intends to survive is going to oppose; as the
saying goes, guns are the great equalizer. The
most noble paladin or practiced mage can be
shot down by a near-sighted granny. In fact, my
campaign worlds had crossover characters from
Earth who started an antigun movement be¬
cause guns lead to the sort of progression of
nastiness that results in nuclear weapons. The
thought of some drow terrorists with nuclear
weapons should be enough to derail that pro¬
gression. However, technological progression
isn't all interrelated and could go off in quite
different direchons in a world that has magic.

The above really doesn't matter too much in

any case. With the AD&D 2nd Edition and
SPELLJAMMER rules, such normally interre¬
lated fields as biochemistry and physics have
been repealed. It now becomes questionable if
your "human" character has cell differentiation,
so it would be entirely possible that steam
cannot be used to create pressure (no steam
engines, whistling tea kettles, or—since hot
gases don't expand—hot air balloons). Even
technology as simple as windmills may fail to
function, due to campaign variances in friction
and inertia. Technology and science involve
more decisions for the individual DM.

Gregg Sharp
Buckeye AZ
13

DRAGON 37

Earn Your Masters Degree

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Join us each day for our second Game Masters Workshop. Six experts will lead eight
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Choose to attend every morning from 8 am till Noon or each afternoon from Noon till
4 pm, and leave the rest of
your day free for gaming, shopping, and the games auction.

THURSDAY: I Love It When a Plan Comes Together SATURDAY: Fantasy Castles in the Air

ROLE Up a Character Castle Construction Crew

FRIDAY: Do You Trap YOUR Bedroom Door? SUNDAY: 40,000 Copper Pieces...That’s the
Treasure?

Mighty Swords & Magic Shields

The DM’s Bag of Tricks

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Sign Up for 400310 (Time Slots (01 or 02)

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one-day workshops cover¬
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receive written course outlines,
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THURSDAY, Campaigns (10am-8pm):

So You've Got a World.. Now What?
Practical Campaign Design
You Can't Get There From Here!
Designing Your Own World!

Having Your Cake & Eating It!

SATURDAY, Encounters (I0am-8pm):

How Many XPs is a Kobold Worth?
Encounters That Make Sweaty Palms
Potent Spells, Powerful Mages
Blessings & Curses
Good, Evil & the Outside World

FRIDAY, Adventures (8am-6pm): SUNDAY, GM Techniques (8am-6pm):

Urgent Adventuring! Storytelling for Game Masters

Designing With a Deadline The Dragon's Tale

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Your Instructors:

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GM seminars and workshops at over 40
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Add to this the talents of their staff of

leading game designers, and we have
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Mr. Wheeler teaches in Illinois, while

pursuing freelance work as a profes¬
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countless other games, including a series
of adventures set in his home campaign
of Islandia.

Mr. Rice has served for over 20 years

in the US Army, both on active and
reserve duty, and is now an independent
retailer selling role playing and strategic
battle games. He has conducted lectures
and demonstrations for schools and
colleges since 1981 on the topic of games
as a teaching tool.

GEN CON is a registered service mark owned by TSR, Inc. © 1990 TSR, Inc. All Rights
Reserved.

38 JULY 1990

j giAgE ADVICE

by Skip Williams

If you have any questions on the games

produced by TSR, Inc., "Sage Advice" will
answer them. In the United States and
Canada, write to: Sage Advice, DRAGON®
Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI
53147, U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Sage
Advice, DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120
Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge
CB1 3LD, United Kingdom. We are no
longer able to make personal replies;
please send no SASEs with your questions
(old SASEs are being returned with the
writers' guidelines for the magazine
enclosed).

Once again, the sage tours the AD&D®

2nd Edition game, with some scenic stops
in unusual areas. DMG is the 2nd Edition
Dungeon Master’s Guide.

The description of the troll in the

Monstrous Compendium says that
any hit with a “natural” 20 severs a
limb. Does this apply to attacks
against other creatures? If not, why
does the game have the seventh-
level priest spell regenerate?

Trolls are thin and rubbery, and are

prone to being hacked apart, although
hacking apart a troll doesn't do much
good. Unless the DM creates his own
critical-hit system, it's not possible to hack
limbs off other creatures in combat. How¬
ever, swords of sharpness, monsters such
as green slime, crude forms of medieval
justice, and many other hazards in the
game can lead to the loss of limbs—hence
the regenerate spell.

The Monstrous Compendium, Vol¬

ume One lists statistics for greater
rakshasas, but gives no experience-
point values for them.

Greater rakshasas are the Rhuks, Rajahs,

and Maharajahs.

One of my players wants to run an

ultimist character from POLYHE¬
DRON™ Newszine issue #23. This is a
powerful class. Is it intended for PC
use or just for NPCs?

Neither. The ultimist is a piece of satire.

In this case, the mockery is directed at
players who insist on having characters
who can do anything and everything. Try
not to laugh too hard if you player asks
about playing an ultimist again.

When can we expect to see rules

for psionics in the AD&D 2nd Edi¬
tion game?

A handbook on psionics is tentatively

scheduled for release in early 1991. Stay
tuned for further developments.

How much does it cost to build a

castle, tower, or other fortification?

I couldn’t find this information in

the DMG.

This information is presented in DMGR2

The Castle Guide (TSR Product #2114),
available now.

Can a spellfire wielder (from FR7

Hall of Heroes, pages 49-50) ever
return to his original class? Can a
spellfire wielder absorb clerical
spell energy? If so, is this voluntary
or involuntary? What happens to
spellfire wielders who absorb more
energy than their limit? How do you
determine if a character can have
spellfire ability?
A character with spellfire powers never
actually leaves his original class. However,
to gain experience in his original class, the
character must refrain from using any
spellfire abilities during an adventure. If
the character does use a spellfire ability,
all experience earned during that adven¬
ture goes toward the character's spellfire
level, except for individual experience
awards for the character's original class
(see the DMG, page 48), which are lost.

Spellfire wielders can absorb magical

energy from almost any source: spells of
all types, breath weapons, gaze attacks,
and just about anything else. At the 1st
level of spellfire ability, absorption is invol¬
untary; the character drains any magic
with which he comes in contact, including
useful magical items and healing spells
(only rest or nonmagical healing can heal
damage to the character). Absorption is
strictly voluntary at 2nd level and above.

Exactly what happens if the character

exceeds his limit is unrevealed. I suggest
that either the character becomes unable
to absorb more energy once he reaches
the limit and consequentially is affected
normally by any magic with which he
comes in contact while "full," or he ab¬
sorbs the excess and automatically re¬
leases one level of energy each segment
(10 times per round), suffering 1-6 hp
damage each time, until his total energy
falls back into the "10 x constitution"
category.

Spellfire is a variant type of magic cre¬

ated by Ed Greenwood in his novel of the
same name. Only the DM can decide if a
particular character can have the ability. It
seems likely that only one spellfire wielder
can be alive at a time on any given world,
and that the ability is hereditary.

Why can’t halflings be rangers?

Halflings can be clerics, and rangers
have a few clerical spells. Why can’t
gnomes be bards? Gnomes are
known for their sense of humor and
should have access to some kind of
jester-type abilities. Why can’t [my

favorite race] become [my favorite

class], since [several dozen good
reasons why this race/class combi¬
nation is justified exist]?

Game logic and game balance require

that demihumans have limited character-
class options. According to game logic,
halflings don't become rangers because
they aren't inclined to be. Halflings who
really like the outdoors and nature be¬
come druids. Halflings who are nimble and
good at hiding become thieves; that's just
the way halflings are. Gnomes who feel
roguish become thieves themselves. Those
who tend toward flashy expositions be¬
come illusionists. (Illusionists, by the way,
have an almost infinite capacity for vivid
storytelling and practical jokes, as even a
quick look at the spells in the illusion/
phantasm spell school will show.)

Only humans have the ability to become

any class they want to be (ability scores
permitting), and they can advance all the
way to level 20. That's what makes hu¬
mans unique. Demihumans have com¬
pletely different psychological, physical,
and spiritual makeups from humans; that's
what makes each demihuman race unique.
Overall, demihumans are not nearly so
versatile or adaptable as are humans,
because all have special skills and limita¬
tions derived from their heredity and
culture that simply close some doors to
them when they seek professions. Game
balance requires that each race in the
game be equally playable. If demi¬
humans—with their infra vision, special
resistances, and special abilities — could
freely choose from every character class
in the game, there wouldn't be much
reason to play a human character. As I've
said before, the D&D® and AD&D games
are games of choices; to get something,
you've got to give up something else. Good
players make the right choices most of the
time and know how to capitalize on their
characters' strengths while finding ways
to circumvent their weaknesses. While
changing the rules to eliminate character
weaknesses is one way to circumvent
them, it isn't a clever or heroic one.

DRAGON 39
To the Ends of the

Earth isn't the only world that needs heroes

by David Edward Martin

Role-playing in the MARVEL SUPER

HEROES™ game is not restricted to having
your heroes battle evil on Earth. Many of
the greatest triumphs of the Avengers, the
Fantastic Four, and the X-Men have oc¬
curred in outer space. Why not take your
campaign to the stars, too?

But before you can go adventuring into

the far-flung reaches of the universe, you
first need a way to get there. A variety of
means to reach the stars exists, from
personal flight using superpowers to the
use of external or mechanical means.

Some examples of spacefaring methods

include:

Slower Than Light (STL) drives: STL

ships can reach speeds up to that of light.
If such a ship is intended for interstellar
flight, it may be equipped with suspended
animation chambers or a life-support
system capable of sustaining passengers
for years or centuries.

Faster Than Light (FTL) drives: FTL

ships are capable of exceeding lightspeed,
but they still travel in "realspace."

Advanced FTL drives: Better engines

enable advanced FTL starships to attain
speeds 10 times faster that normal FTL
drives.

Warpdrive: Warpdrive ships are capable

of entering hyperspace and thus attaining
FTL speed. Warpdrive ships might be
limited to STL flight in normal space.

Advanced warpdrive: Better warp gener¬

ators enable a starship to travel at speeds
100 times faster than can be achieved by
normal warpdrives.

Teleportation: Instantaneous travel

across the universe for individuals or
small loads is possible with this power.
Stargate: A stargate uses a form of tele¬
portation. A fixed-location device (the gate)
instantaneously teleports an entire space¬
craft to another stargate. Stargates are
assumed to be rare, being so powerful.

The type of stardrive determines its

speed range. The power rank number
determines its basic speed value, which is
then multiplied by the standard modifier
for that class of travel. Table 1 shows the
basic starship types and their speed for
the MARVEL SUPER HEROES game.

In the wink of an eye

Stargates and teleportation systems and

powers enable travelers to instantaneously
cross long distances. Travel time is limited
by the amount of time it takes to make
each jump and the number of jumps nec¬
essary to cover the desired distance. Most

Table 2

Starship Flight Category

IdlOO

Category

01-10

STL

11-25

TRL

26-45

A-FTL

46-55

STL/Warp

56-75

FTL/Warp

76-85

A-FTL/Warp

86-90
STL/A-Warp

91-95

FTL/A-Warp

96-00

A-FTL/A-Warp

Table 1

Starship Types and Speeds

Speed (in multiples of lightspeed)

Rank

FTL

A-FTL

Warp

A-Warp

FE

20

200

20K

PR

4 0

400

4 0 K

TY

60

600

6 0 K

GD
10

100

IK

100K

EX

20

200

2K

200K

RM

30

300

3K

300K

I N

4 0

400

4 K

400K

AM

50

500

5K

500K

MN

75

750

7.5K

750K
UN

100

IK

10K

1M

150

1.5K

15K

1.5M

200

cnn

2K

20K

2 M

3 U U

5K

50K

5M

1000

IK

10K

100K

10M

3000

3 K

30K

300K
30M

5000

5K

50K

500K

50M

K = 1,000; M

= 1,000,000.

MARVEL UNIVERSE™

teleportation systems are designed to

handle individuals or small loads. They
may be placed on planetary surfaces or
built into spacecraft of any sort.

Stargates are immense portals capable of

handling entire starships; these devices
often appear to be titanic doors or hoops
miles across. Objects must be able to phys¬
ically pass through a stargate in order to
“se it. Starships can be moving at sublight
speed when they “se a stargate, although
the ship must be piloted very accurately.
The Shi’ar are the primary users of star-
gates; they maintain a network of them
through the universe, including one within
10 lightdays of Earth. At this time, the
gates are heavily guarded at the Shi’ar
ends.

A portable stargate was left in Manhat¬

tan by Shi’ar agent Davan Shakari. This
stargate is currently powerless and thus
can only receive travelers. However, it can
be made operational by a power source of
at least Shift-X intensity (for example,

Table 3

Starship Speed Ranks

1 d 100

Speed rank

01-08

09-16

PR

17-24

TY

25-32

GD

33-40

EX

41-48

RM

49-56

I N

57-64

AM
65-72

M N

73-79

UN

80-85

86-90

91-94

95-97

C1000

98-99

C3000

0 (J

C5000

Firelord’s cosmic power). ‘This stargate’s

existence is known to the X-Men, X-Factor,
Firelord, Filandra, Misty Knight, and Jean
Grey’s parents. Although it was last seen
on the roof of Misty Knight’s apartment,
the current location of the stargate is
unknown. Unless the stargate is repro¬
grammed, it will send any user to the
unnamed world within the Shi’ar Empire
that holds the M’Krann Crystal. This bar¬
ren world is normally uninhabited. This
stargate can be reprogrammed by an
Incredible Reason FEAT

Natural spacewarps

The structure of the Marvel Comics’

universe is riddled with spacewarps.

These function as interdimensional tun¬

nels that enable any ship capable of FTF
flight to swiftly cross enormous distances
in even less time than usual. Earth is near
one of the largest junctions of spacewarps
in the universe, a crossroads for half the
known starfaring races. This is one of the
reasons why Earth keeps attracting so
many space travelers. Known warps in¬
clude several linking Earth with various
points in the Andromeda galaxy and one
to the Kree Empire in the Greater Magel¬
lanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of our Milky
way galaxy.

Table 4

Starship Passenger Loads

Maximum

IdlOO

passenger load

01-20

21-60

1-10

61-90

1-100

91-99

^^Tooo

00

1-10,000

Your own starship

The MARVEL SUPER HEROES Advanced

Set contains the basic procedure for build¬
ing your own starship. If takes an
Amazing Reason FEAT to design a star-
drive capable of FTL flight. The Resource
FEAT is X rank for a basic FTL ship, higher
for a more advanced model.

Sometimes a powerful energy source can

be used to modify an STL ship to FTL
speeds. One such example was the “se of
Thor’s Mjolnir to propel a Quinjet between
the stars. Such an energy source must be of
at least Unearthly rank, and the ship to be so
modified must have at least an STL drive.
Starships can also be directly gained by
a variety of means, proper and improper.
Ships may be recovered if abandoned,
stolen from their owners, or rebuilt from
parts scavenged from damaged vessels.
Terrans kidnapped by aliens might over¬
throw their captors and seize the aliens’
ship for themselves. A starfaring race may
present a Terran with a starship as a gift
or reward, such as when Prince Dezan
gave a Skrull starship to the Fantastic
Four. If all else fails, travelers can always
try buying a starship, assuming your PCs
can find one for sale.

Tables 2-4 can also be used to quickly

generate a starship with a few rolls of the
dice. Table 4 determines the number of
typical humanoids that can be kept alive
by the life-support system, allowing at
least one chair or berth for each potential
passenger. If a cargo ship is desired, sub¬
tract 1-10 crew-beings and multiply the
remaining number of passengers by 200
lbs. to get the starship’s cargo limit. STi

MARVEL SUPER HEROES is a trademark of the

Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All Marvel charac¬
ters, names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof
are trademarks of the Marvel Entertainment group,
Inc. ©1990 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All
Rights Reserved.

AMERS GUIDE

► * a-,*»*.*.• *,.*,^ t * h *’

J// Or Festus
i Says Play

mmSk

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Combat is realistic and fast playing. The world intriguing. If you play any
of our other games then you’re already familiar with the game mechanics.
This is the original RPG system that all other Palladium role-playing games
grew out of.

274 pages, $19.95 plus $2.00 for postage and handling.

Fantasy Source Books

Book II: Old Ones is a giant book of cities, mapping and exploring 34 major
towns in and around the Timiro Kingdom . Plus, six adventures and the
dreaded Old Ones; 208 pages. $14.95 plus $1.50 postage.

Book III: Adventures on the High Seas, an adventure/source book that

explores the islands around the Palladium continent, including the Isle of
the Cyclops. Plus new skills, new character classes like the Gladiator and
Acrobat, new magic items, curses, faerie food, ship to ship combat, and
adventures; 208 pages. $14.95 plus $1.50 postage.

Monsters & Animals presents nearly a hundred new monsters from around
the world like the Bearman and Coyles of the North and Devil Diggers and
Ratlings of the West. This book also contains the most comprehensive
collection of real life animals ever compiled for role-playing. Compatible
with Beyond the Supernatural. $14.95 plus $1.50 postage.

The Compendium of Weapons, Armour, & Castles

The Compendium presents over 700 different types of ancient weapons,

scores of armour, and dozens of castles complete with floor plans.

Best of all, this data is adaptable to ALL game systems!

• Approximately 700 different weapons from around the world.

• Over 40 types of armour throughout the ages.

• Dozens of castles and floor plans. 224 pages.

• $19.95 plus $2.00 for postage and handling.

Check out the rest of the Palladium® Megaverse™

Flint, the King, Volume Two in the

DRAGONLANCE® saga Preludes II Trilogy
features three more beloved characters
from the Chronicles Trilogy.

Flint returns to his boyhood village and

finds it a boomtown. When he learns that
the prosperity comes from a false alliance
between the hill dwarves and their
enemies, Flint is captured and pushed
into the Beast Pit. Saved by gully dwarves
and made their reluctant monarch, Flint
unites them as an army to stop a fiendish
plot.

Flint,
the King

is on sale now at your local

book or hobby store. Pick up your copy

today!

Look for Volume One

in the Preludes II
lYilogv, Riverwind,
the Plainsman

also on sale at
your favorite
hobby shop or X_
book store, tsu,

DRAGONLANCE is a registered trademark owned by TSR, Inc.

The TSR logo is a trademark owned by TSR, Inc.

With these words, Dr. Destroyer — the

greatest and most evil mind ever —
announced his return. His most destructive
scheme is revealed in this new
Champions adventure.

Hidden in the underground depths are the

Subterrans, a hideous race of savage
humanoids. Their leader, King Earthwyrm,
plots the destruction of mankind.
Invaders from Below is a 64 page
organization book for Champions.

Stock No. 408

US $7.00
UK £4.49

Stock No. 409

US $10.00
UK £6.49

The Super Hero Role Playing System.

Play your favorite comic book hero, or

create your own! This 350 page hardcover
includes rules for character design, combat,
experience, and adventuring. Also included
are ready-to-use scenarios, villains, and
even a superhero team — everything
needed for instant heroics. So what are you
waiting for?

Go out there and BE A HERO!

Stock No. 400

US $32.00
UK £19.99

Write to ICE for a free Catalog.

Virgin Games Centres

100 Oxford Street LONDON • 18 Merchant Street BRISTOL • And in the Virgin
Megastores at: Virgin at Marble Arch. 527 Oxford Street
LONDON • 157-161 Western Road BRIGHTON • 98 Corporation Street BIRMINGHAM • 14-216
Aston Quay DUBLIN • 131 Princes Street
EDINBURGH • 28-32 Union Street & Lewis's Building Argyle Street GLASGOW • 94-96 The
Briggate LEEDS 6-8 Wheelergate

MOTT I MR HAM

Loom (Lucasfilm Games)

Magic, adventure, and the joys(?) of atomic war

©1990 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser

Before we delve into this month's re¬

views, we'd like to define the differences,
as we see them, among the games we
review. For software gamers, there are
four basic genres of entertainment: ani¬
mated adventures, role-playing simula¬
tions, arcade/action games, and strategy
games. At rare times, you might find a
single offering encompassing two of these
environments.

Animated adventures are graphically

rich, musically superior adventures
wherein you become the lead (and only
major) character on a quest. This game is
like a motion picture, an interactive movie
that is played out for your enjoyment
based upon your decisions at various
branches of the adventure.

DRAGON 47

A role-playing simulation differs in that

you must create a party of characters to
accomplish the quest. These simulations
are usually based upon a specific role-
playing system, such as TSR's AD&D®
game or GDW's MEGATRAVELLER™ game.
You control everything these characters do
and attempt to gain experience for them
so that the ultimate goal of the game can
be accomplished.

Success at an arcade/ action game de¬

pends upon your skills in manipulating a
joystick to control your character. These
games usually require face-to-face con¬
frontations with enemies, and your sword-
or magic-wielding accuracy depends upon
how well you manipulate the I/O device
(mouse, joystick, trackball, keyboard, and
so on).

The strategy game is designed for those

who are tacticians. These gamers follow
historical and futuristic confrontations
with fanatical attention to detail. Move¬
ment points, individual squad strengths,
choice of weaponry, terrain—all are im¬
portant in determining how a war is won.
Many offerings allow players to restruc¬
ture history itself and usually allow for
hundreds of hours of gaming because of
the product's intricacies.

Reviews

Computer games’ ratings

* *

***

* * * *

* * * * *

Not recommended
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
Superb

Lucasfilm Games

P.O. Box 10307

San Rafael CA 94912
(415) 662-1902

PC/MS-DOS version $59.95

Brian Moriarty, whose Infocom text

adventures are now classics, wrote Loom.
He wanted to create a fantasy adventure
that moved away from the stereotypical
characters found in the majority of fan¬
tasy worlds —ores, trolls, hobbits, and the
like —and he succeeded! One reason Loom
receives our five-star rating is that it has
an original plot and great craftsmanship.
Within Loom, you'll encounter a variety of
guilds whose followers specialize in spe¬
cific crafts, such as crystal-makers and
blacksmiths; there are even shepherds
who possess no mean skills.

Loom (Lucasfilm Games)

You can save games in progress, which is

highly recommended. As soon as you have
completed a scene to your satisfaction,
save it! You simply press the F5 key to
save, load, or continue play. You may also
select one of three modes of play: Stand¬
ard, for regular game play with a little
help from on-screen items; Practice, to
learn the mechanics of the game before
starting the adventure "for real"; and
Expert, which does away with some of the
visual assistance.

Accompanying the disks is a Dolby

stereo tape that helps you to enjoy the
adventure by leading you into the world
of Loom before you boot the software.

And you'll also find a red gel that is the

game's copy-protection device. You must
define certain portions of drafts (musical
spells) for specified guild icons, and the
only way these musical icons are readable
is through use of the red gel.

Loom follows the life and times of one

Bobbin Threadware. Bobbin is with the
Guild of Weavers and starts the adventure
totally inexperienced in the ways of magic.
Believe us, by the end of the game, he'll
know a great deal! In Loom, sound be¬
comes magic. A thread is a combination of
four musical notes ranging from c to c'.
Each series of threads produces a draft—a
spell. A correct draft produces an effect
upon its target.

To cast drafts, Bobbin uses the magic

staff of the Elders. You'll find this staff,
called the distaff, on-screen below the
animation window. Below the distaff is
musical staff notation, with the letters c, d,
e, f, g, a, b, and c in the seven sections of
the notation. Each note represents a sec¬
tion of the distaff.

You select the target for your magic by

clicking on it with the on-screen cursor.
The target becomes identified with both
its picture and its name appearing in the
lower-right corner of the screen. You then
activate your draft in one of three ways:
click on specific sections of the distaff that
correspond to the musical notes; click on
the notes found in the notation; or enter
the notes via the keyboard.

As you play the notes that make up the

draft, your distaff sounds each note while
illuminating that section of the distaff. If
you are successful, you see that your

target is illuminated in white, shining light.

If the draft was incorrect but still bona
fide magic, the target is illuminated with
reddish light. If you performed an incor¬
rect draft, nothing will happen except that
Bobbin will acknowledge that it probably
was not a draft in the first place.

If your draft is correct, its effect will

occur after the target is illuminated. For
example, one of the earliest drafts you
learn is that of dyeing. As this draft works
only on wool, you soon note that once the
white illumination has ceased, what was
once plain, white wool is now colored.
(Don't forget that wool can also be found
a-hoof!)

Little occurs within this engrossing

adventure that should not be taken note
of. Write down what is seen, heard, or
said. The most minuscule fact could easily
be overlooked, and that fact might affect
the adventure 20 scenes down the road.
One enjoyable aspect of Loom is that the
adventure was designed to be won. We
guarantee that anyone with a modicum of
common sense and delight in fantasy will
win this game. It won't sit on your soft¬
ware shelf gathering dust.

Yes, there is a great deal to learn and a

great deal to listen to, but the effort is
worth the outcome. Not only is Loom
delightful to run, but it is a visual treat as
well. As with all Lucasfilm Games
products, the programming that produces
the animation, graphics, and sound is all
first rate. The AdLib score is also top
notch, and we can only imagine how de¬
lightful the Roland MT32 MIDI sound
track must be.
The secret to the game's success is the
characterization of the hero, Bobbin. He is
an extremely likable individual, with a
sense of humor as well as a sense of re¬
sponsibility. The manner in which you, as
Bobbin, overcome the adventure's trials
requires logical thought.

The game also comes with a Book of

Patterns, your personal diary of spellweav¬
ing. Two drafts are already completed in
the book: Opening (e c e d) and Transcen¬
dence (c' f g c). However, the latter spell is
not draftable until the end of the game,
after you have acquired knowledge and
skill and have been awarded the 8th note.
Oh, we forgot—when you start the game,
all you know are the three notes c, d, and
e. You'll gain the other notes as you suc¬
cessfully complete various parts of the
adventure. As you learn various drafts,
write them down in the Book of Patterns —
in pencil, as you will probably make mis¬
takes in your assumptions. Also, should
you start a new game while having saved
an old game, the drafts will be different.
For example, Kirk and Hartley played
Loom separately. Hartley's draft for Emp¬
tying was: g e e d. Kirks draft was: g f f e.
As you can tell, cheating by looking at
someone else's drafts won't help!

Loom is so good that it retains its five-

star rating despite minor technical difficul¬
ties encountered early in the adventure.

48 JULY 1990

Three of the early animated scenes pro¬

duced butchered text on the screen. If two
lines of text were displayed and Bobbin
moved off the right side of the screen,
then half of the previous text remained
on-screen when the new screen appeared.
Incoming, new text was superimposed on
the old text, making it hard to read. This
was especially true during the first view¬
ings of the Loom itself. A minor point but
one that should be addressed in future
releases. We also experienced one game
crash that occurred early in the game,
when we double-clicked on a target and
struck a note key at the same time. How¬
ever, this crash was the exception, as it did
not occur again. Kirk managed to reach
the adventure's conclusion in six hours
and Hartley in eight hours, at the Standard
level of play.

The problem with Loom is that—well, it

ends! The adventure is engrossing and
exciting, especially as you uncover the
means to cast magic in scene after detailed
scene. It is extremely disappointing when
the story comes to its conclusion. Brian
and the creative folk at Lucasfilm Games
have managed to create truly memorable
characters and, like a good book or fine
film, you hate to leave them after spending
so many good hours with them close at
hand.

However, be of good cheer. For if you

analyze the last few scenes of Loom, you
realize there must be a sequel in the
works. After all, how many Lucas films
managed successful sequels? And believe
us, Loom plays far more as an interactive
movie on your computer monitor than as
a software game. We recall that Chaos has
an important feather in its possession, and
the Pattern can be repaired! All those who
were lost must be reunited with Bobbin
and the Elders.

This review boils down to the fact that

Loom is special. It is highly entertaining
and is so unusual that you must experi¬
ence it. We recommend its purchase.

This game was reviewed on a PC/MS-

DOS AT clone with an EGA board and EGA
monitor plus the AdLib sound board. It is
playable through use of the mouse, joy
stick, or the keyboard. The PC/MS-DOS
version requires an IBM microcomputer or
clone or a PS/2 with at least 512K of mem¬
ory. The game supports VGA, EGA, CGA,
MCGA, and Tandy 16-color video boards.
Also supported are AdLib and CMS sound
cards. For those fortunate (and wealthy
enough) to possess the Roland MT32
Sound Module or Roland's LAPC-1 Sound
Card, you'll need 640K of memory and a
hard-disk drive. Loom can be upgraded
for $10 to address these advanced MIDI-
compatible sound systems. Even though a
hard-disk drive is not required, we highly
recommend it as there are six 5.25" game
disks and the scene access is far faster
when read from the hard disk. An installa¬
tion program for transferring the files
from the floppy disks to your hard disk is
included.

in the Vietnam combat environment. Hav¬

ing served with the Mobile Riverine Force
in Vietnam in 1968, I know that hostile
encounters with the VC did not consist of
the enemy actually exposing themselves to
our fire by walking directly to the water's
edge from jungle concealment and open¬
ing fire on our PBRs with small arms. Most
of the time, incoming fire was directed
from concealed, fortified emplacements
packing heavy machine-gun and mortar
weaponry.

A second problem is that a code wheel is

needed to enter the actual simulation, and
we found one correct code entry was not
recognized by the program. When this
occurs, you are forced to practice your
gunnery. Fortunately, a hit of the TAB Key
brings you back to the codewheel copy
protection method, and you can try again.
Accolade doesn't dump you to DOS as
some games do, requiring that you reboot
the game.

Keep an eye on your damage reports,

keep your joystick powered forward, and
kick the enemy's butt. Gunboat is an excit¬
ing and better-than-average combat simu¬
lation. It is the first PBR simulation I've
seen, and it offers a constant challenge to
increase your grade through commanding
difficult missions. It is worth adding to
your software library.

The game requires an IBM PC, XT, AT,

PS/2 or compatible computer supporting
VGA/MCGA, EGA, CGA, Tandy 16-color, or
Hercules MGA graphics boards. It sup
ports Ad Lib, CMS, Roland MT32 sound
boards. The game requires 512K RAM.

Gunboat (Accolade)

Accolade

550 South Winchester Boulevard

San Jose CA 95128
(408) 985-1700

PC/MS-DOS version $49.95

Gunboat is a river combat simulator that

puts the gamer into the pilot's chair of a
Patrol Boat Riverine (PBR). These boats
were skillfully employed in Vietnam and
are likewise engaged in difficult missions
in this simulation. As you complete each
mission, you are promoted and earn
medals. You start out in Vietnam and,
when you earn your second lieutenant's
bar, move on to battle the drug kingpins of
Columbia. Make the grade of lieutenant
commander and you're patrolling the
Panama Canal Zone. Each mission is well
designed and certain to put you in the
heat of action.

Using the keyboard, the function keys,

and the (preferred) joystick, you move
through a number of stations aboard your
PBR, including those for the pilot, the
stern gunner, and the midship gunner.
After you have equipped your PBR, these
stations can be brought into play by sim¬
ply pressing their corresponding keyboard
keys. From the pilot station you can also
command your crew to Open or Cease
Fire (you don't have to man the gun em¬
placements unless you have a good feel for
how the simulation is commanded). You
control the spotlights and the ship's speed,
and can identify targets for your gunners.

Gunboat is a fine combat simulation. The

only historical area I found deficient was

DRAGON 49

UBI Soft Entertainment Software

(distributed by Electronic Arts)

1820 Gateway Drive

San Mateo CA 94404
(415) 571-7171
Commodore Amiga version $39.95

Originally developed in France, this

fantasy game sports some of the most
unusual graphics, animation, and sound
yet released in a computer entertainment.
Playing this game is like interacting with a
motion picture. The change of musical
theme and tempo matches your speed as
you gallop from town to town. No matter
how many times we played this game, the
music never interfered with play.

You are trying to rouse the inhabitants

around your ancestral castle in order to
battle the Army of Chaos. Your uncle,
Zolphar, usurped the throne from your
father in a bloody coup years ago. Now it's
up to you to get revenge and inherit your
crown.

You can visit seven locations in your

attempt to build an army. First is your
castle, which serves as your HQ. This is
the only area where you can save your
game, a point that can become a hin¬
drance. If you gain influence in an area,
you must ride back to your castle at once
in order to save the game; should you be
killed in the next sequence, you then won't
lose all of your time and effort in reboot¬
ing. You can declare war from your castle,
but only after you build your army.

Other areas you can visit 'include: the

Seer's Cottage (perhaps some magic is
available there!); the towns of Chatenay
Malabry, Lorando, and Torantek; the Tem¬
plar Abbey; and the Miller's Cottage. Some¬
times you'll be asked to intercede for
someone and right a wrong, such as col¬
lecting overdue payment for services. You
can also engage in a first-rate archery
contest, games of chance such as dice, and
an arm-wrestling competition to increase
your influence.

The final battle is awesome. You must

assemble your volunteers in an all-out
effort to defeat the Army of Chaos. Don't
even think of trying this unless you have
at least one regiment of soldiers at your
command. You must also keep in mind
your troop's morale. There are two stages
to the battle: troop movement and combat
itself. If you survive the onslaught, you've
still got to get through the Labyrinth and
its dangerous surprises before you can
battle your evil uncle. Swords and keys
can be found on each level. Should you get
through a Labyrinth level, you must still
succeed at an arcade phase that pits you
against monsters who enjoy throwing acid
at you!

Ah, but all is not so perfect. For exam¬

ple, the game requires that you use both a
mouse and a joystick. The former is re¬
quired for your character's activities, such
as selecting your destinations on the on¬
screen map, walking about, and selecting

Welltris (Spectrum HoloByte)

items from a menu (such as Discuss or

Buy). The latter is required for combat.
This means that you must drop the mouse
to take up the joystick to parry an attack
and to inflict damage on an assassin;
within three or four slices, you're mince¬
meat. The game does not simply restart;
you must reboot your Amiga with Iron
Lord's disk one in your dhl: drive. This
seems somewhat awkward, especially as
most action sequences in other entertain¬

ments do not require grabbing a different

I/O device for special sequences.

Iron Lord is a very good game. It could

have been a great game where it not for
the confusing I/O device requirements and
the fact that you can only save the game in
one location. Despite these drawbacks,

Iron Lord will remain in our active library

as we forge ahead and try to defeat the
Army of Chaos and that rotten uncle!

50 JULY 1990
Spectrum HoloByte

2061 Challenger Drive

Alameda CA 94501
(415) 522-1164

Macintosh IIx version $39.95

Once again, Alexey Pajitnov has coded a

truly marvelous arcade treat. He is known
for his first work, Tetris , that won major
software awards from magazines and
publishers alike. Now Welltris offers the
gamer an even more complex gaming
environment.

What a player notices immediately when

playing the Macintosh version of this game
are the striking colors in the authentic
Russian artwork and the strident Russian
music (written by the talented folk at Ed
Bogas Productions). Welltris is a step be¬
yond Tetris in that you are given three
difficulty levels and five speed settings.
Until you believe you have mastered the
game, start at the slowest speed, then,
watch and learn how this highly addictive
arcade game can drive you up the wall.

In Welltris , random blocky shapes tum¬

ble down a 3-D four-walled well. As the
shapes drift toward the bottom of the
well, you can turn them on their sides and
move them around the wall itself. You are
trying to position the pieces so all fit on
the first layer of the well. As other pieces
tumble downward, you fit the shapes
together in carefully fitted layers. You can
request that a shape be previewed by the
program before it drops down the well.
This helps you figure a fit for the shape
before it actually falls. If you can fit the
pieces so they form a line from one wall to
another wall, that line is removed and you
can fit more pieces on that level. YouTl
continue to fit pieces as long as there is
room at the bottom of the well. Each suc¬
cessful fit scores points. The higher the
speed at which you fit the pieces, the
more points are awarded. If you can clear
the entire well, youTl be rich with points!

This game's copy protection is quite

sensible. You are shown a flag of one of
the republics within the Soviet Union and
are asked either the republic's name, its
area in square miles, or the name of its
capital city. You leaf through the user's
guide, locate the flag, and type in the
answer.

A word of warning to Macintosh II play¬

ers: Remove the 32-Bit QuickDraw file
from your System Folder before you start
play. If you don't, your system will crash.
The alert is not found within the manual,
but a call to Spectrum HoloByte assured
me that the company is fixing this.

Welltris is certainly the finest arcade

game we've played so far this year. It will
take one heckuva program to top this one
as far as its total play-to-dollar ratio, and
we doubt whether many gamers will ever
grow tired of playing Welltris. The chal¬
lenge, sights, sounds, and constantly
changing facets make this game an experi¬
ence not to be missed.

New World Computing

P.O. Box 2068

Van Nuys CA 91404
(818) 999-0607

Nuclear War * * * * y 2

Commodore Amiga version $49.95

When Balance of Power fails, it's time

for Nuclear War. In this tongue-in-cheek
game, one player competes against four
world leaders. The object of the game is to
be the only surviving nation on Earth with
a population of at least one million people.
The other leaders are also trying to accom¬
plish this goal. However, the other leaders
each have a personality flaw that affects
his strategy. Personalities include a pacifist
(Jimmy Farm), a liar (If-icky Dick), and a
warmonger (Ronny Ray gun).

The game is divided into a series of

turns. A divided screen reveals your own
nation and the others in the current game.
The screen corners show the world lead¬
ers and their reactions to you. On each
turn, you can readily see how many peo¬
ple another leader has in his nation. You
can also tell how other world leaders are
reacting to that leader on a scale of 1-100.
These reactions are a major force in help¬
ing you determine your moves.

Each turn leaves many options available.

First, you can use propaganda against
another leader in hopes of turning several
million of his population to your corner.
Propaganda doesn't always work, and you
can actually lose folk instead of gaining
them. You can also have your population
build for a turn in hopes of making mis¬
siles, bombers, warheads, and strategic
defense systems. The numbers and kinds
of weapons created depends on how many
people are in your nation. Building for
more than one turn is called stockpiling,
and that hurts your relationships with
other countries.

A player can also prepare a missile or

bomber during a turn. During the follow¬
ing turn, you can load nuclear megatonage
up to the limit of the missile or bomber
payload. Missiles range from the 10-
megaton capacity Carnage missile to the
100-megaton capacity Pacifier missile. A
missile carries its payload to a target and is
then lost. The two bombers, the NP-1 (for
Nuclear Postman) and the GR-2 (for Grim
Reaper), have a 50- and 100-megaton ca¬
pacity respectively and can each attack
several different targets.

For defense, the player can set up a

Laser Net Defense System that destroys
incoming missiles during that turn. Or
there's the Peacekeeper MegaCannon,
which can be utilized to keep any missile
or bomber out of striking distance.

Once you've selected an option for the.

current turn, the screen changes to a
world overview and the moves ordered
for the turn are then carried out. Random
events—earthquakes, meltdowns, popula¬
tion explosions, 16-ton weights, flying
saucers, and mass defections—bring
cheers of hope or cries of anguish to any

country. If a country's people are com¬

pletely obliterated, that country uses its
final strike. This means the country fires
off its entire arsenal of missiles and
bombers at countries ranging in order
from the least favorite nation to the most
respected nation. If someone actually
becomes the victor, his name is etched into
the game's hall of fame.

Considering the dire nature of the

game's subject, some gamers will probably
not like its treatment of war. Then there
are others who enjoy games like Balance
of Power or Defcon 1, and they will think
this tongue-in-cheek nuclear-war game is a
real treat. Many gamers will find the hu¬
mor in the comic characterizations of
world leaders to be entertaining. The
game is certainly challenging.

My only criticism is that only one person

can play this game against four computer
opponents. I would much prefer having
the option of four human competitors
with the computer available to fill any
empty character slots. Otherwise, if a
comic treatment of nuclear war doesn't
offend you, go out and get Nuclear War
and irradiate someone.

News and new products

Accolade released Chris Crawford's

Balance of the Planet in time for Earth Day
on April 22nd. This game takes a complex
issue and, turns it into an engrossing, fun-
filled simulation with a high degree of
accuracy. You are appointed by the United
Nations to the post of High Commissioner
of the Environment. The powers of the
office involve levying taxes on industry
and granting subsidies to worthwhile
activities. Issues to be grappled with in¬
clude acid rain, water pollution, nuclear
accidents, global warming, consumer
goods, and starvation. Points are given for
industrial productivity and the absence of
toxic pollution. The simulation is available
for the Macintosh or PC/MS-DOS com¬
puters at $49.95.

Broderbund Software (415-492-3200) has

released Wolfpack , a detailed graphic
simulation of World War II naval combat
between German U-boat wolf packs and
Allied convoys. The simulation is for PC/
MS-DOS computers at $54.95. Each screen
features 256-color VGA graphics, and the
game fully supports AdLib, Sound Blaster,
and Tandy Sounds. You can choose sides,
and the simulation comes with 12 easy-to-
understand scenarios of various levels of
difficulty. There is also a detailed mission
construction set so players can create
their own scenarios.

A second offering from Broderbund is

Prince of Persia, for PC/MS-DOS and Apple
IlGS computers. This game has a suspense¬
ful plot with a romantic Arabian Nights
atmosphere. You combine exploration and
puzzle-solving as a young visitor with
whom the beautiful Princess, the daughter
of the Sultan, has fallen in love. The Grand

DRAGON 51

Vizier Jaffar, intent on seizing the throne

himself in her father's absence, plans to
marry the Princess. You are thrown into a
dungeon, and the Princess is given an
hour to choose between the Grand Vizier
or death. You escape from the cell and —
well, there are more than 250 screens in
this adventure. A continuation feature
allows you to stop playing and then re¬
sume at your current level.

Data East USA (408-286-7080) has re¬

leased North & South , a strategy game for
PC/ MS-DOS and Atari ST computers at
$39.95, and for Amiga computers at
$44.95. You use strategy and skill to guide
your troops through famous Civil War
skirmishes. With four stages of battle,
players are able to control different num¬
bers of armies and territories, launch
attacks, and travel from state to state as
they confront the challenges on their way
to victory. There are three levels of diffi¬
culty. You can start the conflict in any year
from 1861 to 1864. This game includes
Indian attacks, storms, and unexpected
reinforcements.

Another Electronic Arts-distributed label

is Strategic Simulations, which has re¬
leased Second Front and Waterloo. Second
Front is one of the most detailed war
games SSI has ever published. It is a
division-level strategic game that extends
from Berlin in the west to Stalingrad in the
east and covers the entire Russian Front.
One or two players command over 150
German divisions and over 200 Soviet
divisions, with data available down to
individual tank, plane, and infantry-squad
level. Pop-up menus and state-of-the-art
graphics are used to direct air operations
such as interdictions, airlifts, and strategic
bombings. You can control production
facilities or let the computer handle pro¬
duction. The price is $59.95 for PC/MS-
DOS and Amiga computers.

Waterloo enables you to recreate one of

the greatest military battles of all time.

Static 3-D scenes of the state of the battle

may be viewed from any position or in any
direction, and the battle is controlled by
giving orders to the generals in text form.
The generals interpret orders according to
their nature; an impetuous general will
charge in with everything, while a more
cautious general will shell the enemy for
hours. The price is $59.95 for Atari ST,
Amiga, and PC/MS-DOS machines.

Media Technology (301-926-8300) is now

shipping Dragon’s Lair: Escape From
Singe’s Castle. Based on the videodisc game
created by Don Bluth, this is the latest
sequel in the continuing adventures of
Dirk the Daring. Princess Daphne has
been captured by Singe the Dragon and
spirited away to the innnermost recesses
of the castle. As Dirk, you must save her
from the clutches of the Evil Shapeshifter
who lurks deep within the catacombs.

Only 512K of RAM is required, and the

game can be installed on any Amiga hard¬
disk drive for $69.95; versions are planned
for the Apple Macintosh and Atari ST

computers.

MicroProse Software (301-771-1151) is

now marketing Paragon Software's Mega-
Traveller 1: The Zhodani Conspiracy,
based on the role-playing game by Game
Designers' Workshop. Players assume
control of five unique characters as they
travel to the Spinward Marches on the
frontier of the shattered realm of the
Imperium. The character-generation sys¬
tem provides five military classes and
more than 70 talents and abilities. Each
character is controlled separately in real¬
time combat sequences on the ground and
in space, with more than 30 weapons and
weapons skills. MegaTraveller 1 will be
released for PC/MS-DOS computers.

Sierra On-Line (209-683-4468) has re¬

leased Codename: Iceman, a fictional but
all-too-real look at the espionage and poli¬
tics of a clash between the superpowers.
Released for PC/ MS-DOS computers, it
costs $59.95. Additional versions will be
released soon for the Commodore Amiga,
Apple Macintosh, Atari ST, and NEC 9801
computers. This Tom Clancy-style techno¬
thriller is set in the year 2000. Although it
is an animated adventure game, it offers a
full submarine simulator, and much of the
game takes place underwater. Using a
keyboard or an optional mouse, you can
work the gauges and steering wheel in the
sub. An improved parser provides a much
more life-like feel to the action.

Also from Sierra is Conquests of Came-

lot, a King Arthur adventure, for PC/MS-
DOS computers. You travel from Camelot
to the Holy Land in search of the Holy
Grail. The search will test your character's
will, faith, and physical prowess. Con¬
quests of Camelot features combat that
brings role-playing elements into this 3-D
animated adventure. The price is $59.95,
and a cluebook is coming for $9.95.

Taito (604-984-3344) is releasing several

new entertainments for the Nintendo
Entertainment System, including Target
Renegade, Wrath of the Black Manta,
Dungeon Magic, and Indiana Jones and the
Last Crusade. Coming for Game Boy are
Flipull and Space Invaders.

Clue corner

Autoduel (Origin)

In the final mission, head east when

coming back from Watertown. Don't stop
at truck stops if you can help it or else
you'll get shot.

Gavin Snyder
Ft. Lauderdale FL

The Bard’s Tale II (Interplay)

1. To gain a lot of experience points
quickly, take a party of two medium-level
characters out on their own and seek out
sorcerers. You will find that if you let
them call up 55 ninjas and you disbelieve
them BEFORE you kill the sorcerers, you
will receive 65,280 xp!

2. If you have a party of four characters,

you will have to double the number of

ninjas disbelieved to get the same amount
of experience.

3. When fighting conjurers with a two-

character party, 50 wolves called up by
the conjurers are worth 30,848 xp. With a
party of six characters, 50 wolves are
worth 10,602 xp.

Murray Weissman
Glenside PA

Battletech (Infocom)

1. The best 'Mech is a modified

Commando.

2. The spare parts are in the northeast

corner of the cache. The Phoenix Hawk
lab is in the southeast section of the cache.

Andy Ahnn
Anaheim CA

Mechwarrior (Infocom)

[C64/L28 version:] If you don't have a

'Mech, go to the arena and sign in. In the
arena, if you cycle through your targets,
you will find one called Enemy Spectator
in the west wall. Destroy it and go through
the hole in the wall. You'll have lost your
deposit, of course, but you will have
gained a 'Mech. Although it's a Locust, it's
better than no 'Mech at all.

After you find Dr. Tellhim, go exactly in

the direction he specifies to get to the Star
League cache.

Gavin Snyder
Fort Lauderdale FL

1. Shoot for the legs of an enemy 'Mech,

as your salvage profit will be higher.
2. Always leave one 'Mech (with your
crew) on guard at the mission objective.

3. Try to get missions like guard duty —

make the enemy come to you.

4. As the enemy approaches you, move

to the side. Most of the time you will be
ignored. Volley on the enemy as they pass.

5. As your reputation increases, better

pilots and gunners will appear. Drop your
weakest-skilled gunner/pilot before you
enter the bar.

6. Learn where the pause key is!

David Waters
APO NY

1. Traveling to the bar at Lands End will

put you on the path toward tracking down
your family's killers and recovering the
chalice. Accept the pirate Grig Griez's
mission but feel free to return later to pay
him back for any acts of treachery. Some¬
times the 'Mech complex will also have
visitors that can help you.

2. Remember that the clock is running

even as you try to gather the funds to
build your lance of 'Mechs. Select missions
that involve only short trips, unless you
believe the payoff is particularly high for a
longer trip.

3. A good way to obtain more credits is

to sell your Jennifer at Land's End, perform
Griez's mission, then go to a planet where
'Mechs are cheaper to purchase. If you are

52 JULY 1990

determined to find out the chalice's loca¬

tion right away, do not bother to buy a
new 'Mech. Once you have that informa¬
tion, you will have enough money to buy a
new 'Mech.

David Rakonitz
Menlo Park CA

Pool of Radiance (SSI)

In Sokal Keep, you don't need to fight

the undead! Translate the dead elf's words
with the translation wheel. Use the middle
word on the random undead patrols, the
top word on the groaning spirits, and the
bottom word on the pale spirits.

When you enter Podal Plaza, sneak

around. Head toward the center of the
plaza. When you get to the auction, listen
for comments. This will tell what kind of
object is for sale.

There is also a manual in Menthor's

library that you can sell for 25,000 gp.

Also, keep some Detect Magic spells handy

and cast them after a fixed battle; you
might get a surprise!

Christopher Ozols
Eden Prairie MN

(Want to "find" some interesting items?)

First, be certain that one of your charac¬

ters has at least 10 to 15 arrows. Next,
have your cleric or magic-user cast a De¬
tect Magic spell. Enter one of the weapon's
shops in the city. Choose the "View" option
and view the character with the arrows.
(The arrows should not be readied!) Now,
choose the "Half" option and continue to
split the arrows down into smaller units.
Even when your character's backpack can
hold no more items, continue to split the
arrows. Continue to watch your screen
display for a magic object. I have done this
many times, and each attempt has resulted
in a mysterious item that appears in the
character's list of items. The object may be
just about anything. Usually I received a
cursed bag, but on one occasion, a Long
Sword + 3 and a Broad Sword + 2 ap¬
peared. Be warned that sometimes, when
the object appears, it will take the place of
another object in your pack. But that's the
chance you take to obtain something
worthwhile!

A. J. Velez
Stonington CT

The captain of the Buccaneer's Camp is

worth fighting. Memorize a Detect Magic
spell for use after the fight!

Eliminating all the spectres in the grave¬

yard first will save a lot of trouble later.
It pays to help the Nomads.

Quicklings can be put to sleep.

There are fourteen 8th-level fighters

guarding the Boss. Be prepared!

The Baglione Brothers

Columbia MD

Once you have found the stairway en¬

trance to Tyranthraxus's lair, use the Dust
of Disappearance before you enter. En¬
camp outside the entrance, get ready, and

use the dust. This will render your entire

party invisible. Go down the stairway, and
you will be immediately confronted by a
number of guards. Spread your party out.
Have your magic-user cast as many Fire¬
ball spells as he or she can manage. Then
close in with the rest of the party and
clean up. Tyranthraxus will confront you
and ask you to make a choice. Vote to
attack. Then close in on him immediately
and hammer him with no mercy. Enjoy the
ensuing experience-point award!

I also have another suggestion; do this

each time you start Pool of Radiance. After
you load a saved game, and before starting
the adventure, remove all characters from
the party and then add them back. This
keeps the current statistics of your charac¬
ter in the character pool list. If a character
dies, drop him when encamped and save
the game. Restart the game and add the
dead character back to your party from
the character pool list. This is a great gift
from the Silicon God himself!

John Martin, Jr.

Skiatook OK

1. An easy way to conquer the slums is

to hire two heros, find and enter a com¬
bat, then accidentally (oops!) cast a spell
(either a Sleep or a Stinking Cloud) on
them—but don't target them!. Once down,
kill them; don't worry if you're good, the
heroes were evil. Their plate and two-
handed swords are both + 1. Use this
technique to get rid of the trolls and the
ogres in the slums as well. Put the heros in
front, let them take most of the damage,
then kill them near the end of the combat.
2. In the evil pyramid, to get to the pollu¬
tion's source, go to the first room to the
right of the entrance and enter (do not
throw a rock). The rock-throwing se¬
quence is as follows: 0 (as above), then go
to the opposite teleporter and throw three
rocks before entering, then throw three
again, and then one rock. . . .

3. A certain fighter in the maze has a

most interesting long sword.

Ted Yep
Calgary, Alberta

(Werner Hager of Boulder Creek, Calif.,

claims that he and his friends Josh Bendon
and Joe Brigham conquered the game in
two weeks flat! Here are his tips.)

If you find an item on your equipment

list called Of Displacement Fortress, go to
the nearest temple and get Remove Curse
cast on that character. Then sell that item
for a large amount of cash. You'll notice
that your character will start regenerating
any damage at 1 hp/round.

If you are also having a hard time with

the game, you really should purchase the
FORGOTTEN REALMS™ module, FRC1
Ruins of Adventure, from TSR. It is based
on this computer game and offers several
important clues. But don't trust everything
you read! [In reality, Pool of Radiance was
based upon FRC1, not vice versa. Jim
Ward, of TSR, Inc., points out that killing

the vampire in the graveyard isn f t quite

the same when you compare the module
version to the computer game, so watch
out!—The editors]

If you are having difficulty getting

through the mazes of Valjevo Castle, fol¬
low these directions:

1. Go through the west entrance to the

mazes. A map to the first maze may be
found under Journal Entry #41.

2. Go to the southeast corner of the

maze and save your game here.

3. Turn north and head straight through

the poisonous thorns. If one of your char¬
acters dies, restart and try again.
4. Once you are through the thorns, go
through the east door. Turn south and go
through what seems to be a wall. At the
top of the stairs is a secret door.

Abel Strong
Greenville MI

That's it for this month. Again, please

remain considerate of fellow gamers. Tips
and hints about games that can save them
from doom and devastation might be
returned in kind one day! Mail your game
clues to The Lessers, 179 Pebble Place, San
Ramon, CA 94583, U.S.A. Until next
month, game on! Q

& 5 & fii fii

"HA Bftp jPjP jfj

4 Axle says:
4 WHY NOT
4 VISIT ““

jfii

uStri

THE
GUARDROOM

FOR FANTASY ARMIES, *

iL. FIGURES AND GAMES. ^

£ SEND 2 X 20p STAMPS FOR CATALOGUE ft

USA SEND 2 INTERNATIONAL

REPLY COUPONS

ncrLi cuuruivs ^

“The Friendly 4
Games Shop ”4

4
4

DEPARTMENT 301
38 WEST ST., DUNSTABLE,
BEDS., ENGLAND. *

4 TEL: (0582) 606041 fi.

A a Mi Mi Mi Mi m4 Mi »
H* 5p Jp jV jUjVjp jo

DRAGON 53

ESDEVIUM GAMES

LOW COST MAIL-ORDER SPECIALISTS -

A whole shop for Miniatures, Family Games

and Jigsaw Puzzles at 17 Station Road, Aldershot

Torg (Weg)R £19.95

★ Living Land Sourcebook £11.95

★ Destiny Map (Adventure) £7.95

★ Storm Knights (Novel) pb £3.50

f Possibility Chalice £7.95

Paranoia 2nd Edition R

Soft Cover £7.95, Boxed £10.95

Acute Paranoia £6.95
DO A Sector Travelogue £8.95
Paranoia Excessory Pack £6.95
Form Pack £5.95

Double Paranoia (BB Blues/Vapours) £9.95

HIL Sector Blues £6.95
Vapours Don't Shoot Back £6.50
Yellow Clearance BB Blues £5.95
Alpha Complexities £6.95
The Computer Always Shoots Twice £6.95
Don't Take Your Laser to Town £6.50
People's Glorious Revolutionary Adv. £6.50
Iceman Returneth £6.50 ea.

More Songs About Food Vats £6.50

★ Crash Course £9.99

★ Alice Through the Mirror Shades £6.95

Gamma Lot £6.95

★ Twilight Cycle 2000 £6.95

★ Vulture Warriors of Dimension £9.95

2300 AD (GDW)R £14.95

Beanstalk £5.50
Energy Curves £6.50
Kafer Dawn £6.50
Mission Arcturus £6.50
Invasion £6.50
Bayern £7.50
Aurore £7,50
Ranger £7.50

Ships of the French Arm £7.50

Kafer Sourcebook £8.50
Nyotekundu Sourcebook £7.50
Colonial Atlas £7.50
2300 Vehicle G«ide £7.50
2300 Equipment Guide £7.50
Earth/Cybertech £7.50
Death Watch Program £5.95
Star Cruiser Combat Game £14.95
Operation Overlord (3W) £5.95

SF-BattleTech (FASA) £17.95

AeroTech £13.50, CityTech £17.95

BattleTech Map Set £12.95 , v

Mercenary's Handbook £8.95

Battletorce £21.95 *

Battletech Reinforcements £11.50

Battletroop £21.95

Black Widow. Fox's Teeth £5.50 ea.

The Kell Hounds £6.50

Mech Warrior R £8.95

Cranston Snord’s Irregulars £5.95

Black Magic Btn £6.50

Gray Death Legion £5.95

Battletech Technical Readouts 1,2 £8.95 ea.

* Tech Readout 2750 £9.50

Battletech Personnel Files
Decision at Thunder Rift £3.50
The Spider and the Wolf £5.30
Succession Wars Bdgame £21.95
4th Succession War Scenario Pack 1,11 £8.95 ea.
Kurita (Draconis Combine) £11.50
Steiner: The Lyran Commonwealth £11.50
Marik (Free Worlds League) £11.50
Davion (The Federated Suns) £11.50
Liao (The Capellan Confederation) £11.50
Battle Tech Manual £8.95
Camo-Specs £4.75
Dropships and Jumpships £11.50
Galtor Campaign £5.95
Sorenson's Sabres £6.50
Periphery £11.95
Black Magic Battalion £6.50
Wolf Dragoon s Sourcebook £8.95
Star League £11.95
20 Year Update £9.50
Rolling Thunder (Scenarios) £6.50
Plastic 'Mechs £8.50
Battle Technology Mag £3.60
Plas-Tech Mechs £9-95
War Book Part 1,2 £11.50
Battletech Patches: Davion, Kurita, Steiner, Marik,
Liao £4.50 ea.

O Special Offer
★ New Arrival
t Coming Soon
R Role Playing Rules
S Plays Solo
B Boardgame
M Miniature Rules

Fantasy Games

Arkham Horror (Ch) £16.95

Advanced Heroguest £21.99
Blood Bowl (GW) New Edn £21.99
Starplayers £10.99
Dungeon Bowl £13.99
Chaos Marauders (GW) £10.95
Dark Cults £6.95
Dungeon!® (TSR) £12.95
Dungeon Quest (Drak Borgen) (GW) £15.99
Heroes for DungeonQuest £10.50
DungeonQuest Catacombs £7.50
Warlock of Firetop Mountain £15.99
Sorcerer King (Wot) £15.95
Kings and Things (WEG) £14.95
Dark Emperor (AH) £16.95
Adventurer (Yaq) £6.95
Battle of the Halji (FG) £16.95
Battle of the Five Armies (ICE) £9.95
Bruce Lee Boardgame (HE) £15.95
Dark Blades (SGP) £11,95
Deathmaze £4.95

Dragonlance® Boardgame (TSR) £25.95

Dragon Riders of Pern (2nd Edn) £19.99
Dragon Riders of Pern Boardgame £12.95
Dragon Riders of Pern Action Bookgame £12.95
Excalibur (Wot) £17.96
Flux (Wol) £10.95

Historical Board Wargames

WWH —Pacific

Bloody Buna (WWW) £5.95

Battle Hymn (Vic) S £25.95
Leatherneck (Vic) S £16.50
Carrier Battles (RSS) £26.95 (Guadalcanal)
East Wind Rain (3W) £20.95
Flat Top (AH) £21.95
Incredible Victory (QD) £19.95
Midway (AH) £13.95
Pacific War (Vic) £38.95
Tokyo Express (Vic) £29.95
Victory in the Pacific (AH) £17.50
Yamato (QD) £24.95

WWII —Second Front

* Raid on St Nazaire S £21.50

World War II (SPI) £24.95
Aachen (PWG) £17.95
Command Decision (GDW) M £17.99

Bastogne Rules Module £6.95

Barbarossa 25 £5.50
D-Day (AH) £13.50
Fortress Europa (AH) £14.95
Longest Day (AH) £77.50

* 1944: Pas de Calais (Vang) £23.95

Normandy (SPI) £6.95

Omaha Beachhead (Vic) £15.95

* Pas de Calais (Van) £26.95

Panzerleader (AH) £21.50
SI. Lo (WEG) £13.50
Onslaught (SPI) £16.95
France 1944 (Vic) £13.50
Against the Reich (WEG) £18.95
Arnhem Bridge (Att) £9.95

Attack in the Ardennes (GDW) £9.95

Bastogne, Arnhem (SPI) £3.95 ea.

Battle of the Bulge (AH) £15.50

Bloody 110 (Gam) £29.95

Cobra (SPI) £16.50

Hell's Highway (Vic) £20.95

Hiller’s Last Gamble (3W) £33.95

One Page Bulge (SJG) £4.95

Patton's Best (AH) S £21.50

Road to the Rhine (GDW) £9.95

Open Fire (Vic) S £27.95

Storm over Arnhem (AH) £17.50

Western Front Tank Leader (WEG) £18.99

WWH — Europa Series

* Fire in the East (GRD) £49.95

Play Aid Kit £7.95

Scorched Earth £43.95
Play Aid Kit £5.50
Narvik (GDW)

Play Aid Kit £4.95

Spain Play Aid Kit £5.50
Desert Pack Play Aid £5.50
Europa-By-Mai! Play Aid £9.50
The Urals (GRD) £19.95
Europa News 5-9 £3.50 ea.

WWII —Strategic

Axis and Allies (MB) £29.95

Europe Aflame (SPITSR) £21.95
Europe at War (Jedko) £16.95
Hitler's War (AH) £17.50
Spies (SPI) £10.95
Twilight War (SPI) £10.95
Third Reich (AH) £21.50
Guide to Third Reich £3.95
Trial of Strength (Panth) £19.95
History of the Second World War (TF)

1 Hitler Turns Against Russia £10.95

2 Hiller's Counterstroke in France £4.95

Victory in Europe (Ome) £14.95

World in Flames (ADG) 5th Edn £36.95

Conversion Kit (3rd-4th) £18.95
5th Edn counters £17.95
Tomorrow the World (3W) £29.95

Korea to Vietnam

Korean War (Vic) £20.50

Suez '73 (GDW) £13.95
Defiance (SweG) £4.95
Platoon (AH) £13.95
Roiling Thunder (CS) £25.95
Test of Arms (GDW) £19.95
Vietnam 1965-75 (Vic) £20.95

GURPS (SJG)

GURPS Basic 3rd Edn (H back) £18.99

GURPS Basic 3rd Edn (S cover) £13.95
Update (2nd to 3rd Edns) £3.95
Players Book £6.50
Character Sheets £5.50
Tredroy £5.50
GURPS Magic £9.50
Harkwood £5.50
Conan at Thunder River £5.95
Tredroy £5.40
Autoduel GURPS £7.50
Duel Circuit (a I'outrance) £5.50
Autoduel America Maps £6.95
GURPS Horror £6.95
Zombie Town £5.95
GURPS Horseclans £7.95
GURPS Bestiary £9.50
GURPS Hi-Tech £10.95
GURPS Humanx £8.50
For Love of Mother Not £5.50
GURPS Ice-Age £5.40

★ GURPS Players Book £6.50

GURPS River World £11.95

★ GURPS The Prisoner £8.50

★ GURPS Space (2nd Edn) £10.95

Space Atlas I £4.75

Space Atlas II £5.25
Space Atlas IH £5.95
Unnight £4.95
Flight 1 ? £5.40

★ Space GMs Pack £4.95

Star Demon £4.50

GURPS Japan £8.95

GURPS Special Ops £10.95
GURPS Supers £10.99

School of Hard Knocks £4.95

Super Wildcards £11.50
Super Scum £6.50

★ Super Temps £6.50

Death Wish £4.95

GURPS Swashbucklers £9.50
★ GURPS Ultra Tech £10.95
GURPS Witchworld £10.95
GURPS Conan £10.95

— Queen of the Black Coast £4.95

— Moon of Blood £4.95

Conan the Wyrm Slayer £4.95
Battle Maps £4.50
GURPS Cliffhangers £8.50
Chaos in Kansas £4.95
Blank Maps £3.95
City Block II £4.75
Old Stone Fort £4.45
Car Warriors Character Book £4.95
Road Atlas 1 (East Coast) £5.95
Road Atlas 2 (Pacific Coast) £5.95
Road Atlas 3 (The South) £5.95
Road Atlas 4 (Australia) £5.95
Road Atlas 5 (Mid-West) £4.95 W
Road Alias 6 (Free Oil Stales) £5.50
Road Atlas 7 (Mountain West) £5.50

These are just some of our games. Our catalogue and price list cover virtually all
games available in the U.K.
Send 20p in stamps & 24p s.a.e. (overseas 4 i.r.c.) for a copy (or free with ofders
over £8.00)

MAIL ORDER CHARGES: UK/Under £16 - Add 60p. £16 and over - post free
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Sire & Overseas Surface Mail - Add 30% (Minimum £1.30). Europe Air Mail - Add 40%
(minimum £1.60).

Air mail elsewhere - add 55% minimum £2.00) except AH, HPG, MB & HT games - add
100%

Payment in Sterling please

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Other Role-Playing Games

Delta Force (TF) £11.95

Companion £6.95
Terror at Sea £5.95
Desert Sun £5.95

Desperadoes (Wild West) (Skye) £8.95

Dragonroar (SGP) £12.95
Zhevezh Gauntlet £9.95
The Ballad of Skiirn La Ana £2.95
Dragonquest (TSR) £12.95
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SULMARI

It happened one time that the wizard Hath was young and
took the wanderlust. He left the cities and wizards of the
north and went where his feet took him.

One day he stopped to lunch upon the broad flat rock in

the farthest meadow of the Kettry lands, where the first
offspring of the first mating of mountain ponies and low¬
land horses ran at the heels of their dams. Hath sat licking
his fingers and admiring the river valley below him, and a
vision seized him between one bite and the next.

Hath saw the southlands stretched below, altered in the

warp of time. He saw engines of war rolling up from be¬
yond the south. He saw valiant armies ride forth, to be
crushed and scattered by men of strange aspect with
strange weapons like no magic he knew. He saw the inva¬
sion thunder northward to his feet, and just as it would
engulf him, the flat rock beneath him opened up and a
hundred shining warriors rode forth. He saw a hundred
warriors, brave and skillful, with swords of might, keeping
all the lands north of Kettry free.

Worst of all, he saw himself at the head of these war¬

riors. When Hath woke and saw the horses peacefully
grazing around him, he trembled and he wept. With a
sore heart, he laid aside his wanderlust and set about the
task laid on him.

At the monster-guarded lake of Ralanan he built an

island from huge bones dredged out of the depths by
magic. He bargained with the dwarfs, detecting for them
lost hoards of dead dragons and glittering veins of un¬
touched ore. In exchange, they built his battlemented
keep and forged armor and weapons finer than any seen
before between the mountains and the sea. As they built
and labored, he went searching, bringing together the
sons of lords and farmers, kings and fishermen, to learn
the arts of war and sorcery.

All year they dwelt upon the Isle of Bone, learning

every art that it would be good to know when the terror
came from the south. No stranger set foot upon the isle,
but once a week a crofter rowed to the steps below the
gate, bringing fruit and bread and meat. For this he was
well paid. Hath was training the greatest warriors that the
land had seen, and not a king or a general but would
spend his asking price to train their sons with him.

Each Midsummer they embarked in silken-sailed ships

to gather on the crofter's field and tourney with all com¬
ers. It had been called the Low Field, but it became the
Field of Merry Battles. Those comers who acquitted them¬
selves well were admitted to the training, while those stu¬
dents who were beaten were turned away. So famous
became these tourneys that men came from the bleakest,
farthest northlands and bore strange swords out of the
desert south of Griffinvale to compete in them. Men
would leave their sweethearts, their wives, their children,
and their kings to train a year upon the Isle of Bone.

The crofter's eldest daughter, Sulmari, grew to her full

age, witnessing these tourneys and working hard to feed
the crowds that came. All women were forbidden to speak
to the warriors of the Isle, for Hath feared the soft edge of
a woman's voice against the hard edge of duty —but she
Waiting

Woman

By Peni R. Griffin

Illustrations by Martin Cannon

DRAGON 59

had eyes. A day came on which she noticed one man out
of all of them, one who seemed to her as much better than
his fellows as the moon is better than the stars —more
handsome, more graceful, kinder to his horse, quicker to
smile, sweeter to laugh, greater-hearted in victory. Her
eyes sought this Balan out wherever he might be, and
sometimes it seemed his eyes sought hers in return.

It was her dear despair and her unhappy pride that he

was as fine in the fray as any of his peers, and year by
year he returned to the Isle of Bone. Her father growing
old, Sulmari assumed the task of carrying provision to the
Isle. Never could she set foot on it or exchange a word
with any man there but Hath; but sometimes she heard
Balan's voice or saw him from afar. On those days she
rowed slowly home, to move silently about her work and
look carelessly upon the farmers, fishermen, herders—yes,
and warriors — who came to court her.

Year by year, the tournaments went forward. Year by

year, fewer and fewer new warriors were admitted, and
more and more contests ended in draws as there came to
be less and less to choose among the warriors of the Isle of
Bone.

At last, the summer Sulmari was thirty, came a great

fray in the Field of Merry Battles. Three days and three
nights it raged; in the end. Hath, drooping with weari¬
ness, called a halt, for it was clear that the hundred men
remaining were so evenly matched that not one could gain
advantage of another.

Hath clapped his hands. The field fell silent. Small boys
ran out with water for the warriors. Sulmari saw Balan
ruffle the hair of the boy who gave him drink, and smile,
and let the boy hold the sword the dwarfs had forged.

Hath was an old man now, his beard the color of

Death's eyes, but he spoke out fair and strong of his vision
and the terrible engines from the south and his shining
warriors. "Here before you now you see those warriors,"
he said, "and if they are not the greatest of the regions
between the mountains and the sea, it is because their
superiors are not yet born. Who the invader will be, or
when he will come, I know not; but these hundred will
await him beneath the flat rock, though they sleep a thou¬
sand years in readiness. We ride at daylight for Kettry.

Let none hinder us."

A hush fell over the Field of Merry Battle. Sulmari's

heart grew cold and still. As the warriors retreated to their
tents and the crowds murmured, she withdrew to her own
room and provisioned herself for a journey.

A great crowd surged after the hundred as they left

Lake Ralanan forever, and Sulmari was, but one among a
thousand. The hosts, fell away as the miles passed, and
only a handful rode onto Kettry lands to see the rock split
apart and the warriors file wordlessly in. With a wave of
his hand Hath closed the rock, and the people dispersed to
their own places —all save one.

Sulmari approached Hath as he sat upon the rock, gaz¬

ing out over the rolling country of his vision. He knew
her, and he bade her sit beside him. Together they gazed
southward, and she told him how her heart was set.

"He does not know you," said Hath.

"He may," said Sulmari. "Fifteen years have I waited,

and would wait a thousand more for that bright chance. I
have been patient with your rules. Hath. I have let hope

serve for action when I might any year have gone among
the tents and tried to steal him from you."

Hath moaned softly. "You know not what you ask!

Think of it —a thousand years or more, maybe! The

tongues and ways of men will change; we will be a hun¬
dred strangers, leaping from sleep to war; and maybe
your Balan will fall before you hear his voice. You are a
foolish woman. Go home."

"You are a foolish man," said Sulmari. "Will you re¬

main awake here, alone and old? On the day of waking,
would you be tired from centuries of care, or fresh from
sleep? Yet someone must stay awake, lest sword and ar¬
mor rust, and the hair of your shining warriors grow long
to bind them to their beds. Better me than you, surely, to
polish and clip and clean through the long years?"

Hath felt his age lying heavy on his bones and consid¬
ered the long, dull years to come. The more he would
persuade her, the less he wished to face those years him¬
self. At length, then, she won him over. And thus it is,
when we pass the Field of the Flat Rock at twilight, it is a
woman's form we see, looking southward for the war that
will end her waiting.

II

LORD KETTRY

He was three years old when he first heard the story of the
Waiting Woman. His nurse, Adi, liked to take the chil¬
dren to picnic on the flat rock, and it was a natural tale to
tell young Kettry of Kettry and his older sisters as they ate
cold chicken and gathered dandelions. He was seven years
old before he saw her, however, for the field was the far¬
thest from the house, and till then he was not allowed to
roam at evening. It was a warm summer night, and he
was thinking of other things entirely, urging his pony after
his sister Violet as they rode for home and supper.

She stood on the outward thrust of the rock, looking

down on the first faint lights of Rosetown on the river
below. Her clothes looked gray in the twilight — long, thin
clothes, not like the full skirts and lacy bodices women
usually wore. Kettry turned his head to look at her as he
rode behind her, and as he did a rabbit jumped and his
pony shied.

Kettry cried out once and then had control again. In

that time she had turned, her body arrested in midmotion
as if she had been about to leap off the rock to his assist¬
ance. He waved at her. She waved back. Her face was too
far away to see, but he felt her eyes follow him as he rode
after Violet.

"How long has the Waiting Woman been there?" he

asked that night as the children sat around the window,
fresh, clean, and ready for bed.

"Oh, a thousand years or so, maybe," said Adi, knit¬

ting beneath the lamp.

"Then it must be almost time for the invasion."

Violet shuddered. "I hope not!"

"Sit still," said Saffron, the oldest girl, who was braid¬
ing her little sister's hair. "It might come along any day
now, but that's always been true. Hath's vision didn't tell
him when the invasion would come."

"True enough," said Adi. "It might be another thou¬

sand years yet."

60 JULY 1990

"Poor lady," said Kettry. "What does she eat?"

"Magic," said Adi. "Don't you worry about her. She's
made her own bed, and it's her own doing if she don't lie
easy."

Kettry found he did worry, though, or at least think of

her. By day there was never any trace of her, though the
hands who rode the south pastures assured him she was
there without fail at sunset. "She comes out for air then,"
said Young Flandru. "I think the sunlight hurts her eyes."

"Is she nice?" asked Kettry.

"Oh, she's good, all right. We had a mare, couple years

ago—you're too little to remember —got loose to foal in
the last winter storm, and Sulmari brought her under the
rock to save her and the foal. You got no call to fear her."

"I don't!" said Kettry scornfully. "I mean —is she nice?
Is she friendly?"

Young Flandru laughed. "Now that's not a word I'd

ever think in the same thought with her! She never speaks
to me. She never speaks to anybody, unless she needs to."

Kettry thought about that. "That's rude."

"She can't afford to go around making friends, just to

watch them get old and die. It's hard enough on her with¬
out that."

"But —doesn't anybody ever talk to her?"

"My old man talked to her once. Long, long time ago."

Kettry rode down to the cottage where Old Flandru

spent his days in the sun and found him willing enough to
tell over a tale he had already told many times—yes, and
many others, too, which distracted Kettry from his inter¬
est only during their telling. "Y'see, boy," said Old Flan¬
dru, peering at him through milky eyes, "people'd hardly
begun to breed horses back in them days. It wasn't no
thousand years —six, seven hundred, maybe —but that's
long enough to breed finer horses than old Hath ever
dreamed of."

"Our horses," said Kettry proudly.

"Ours, aye. That Sulmari, she's got eyes in her head

and brains behind them. Every now and then she'll wake
one of the horses and lead it out to trade. I struck a deal
with her, back in your granddaddy's time, when he'd
given me charge of a string to trade for new blood stock."
Here he went off, tangentially, on a discussion of the finer
points of Kettry horses in general and these in his charge
particularly, what he was trading them for, and what was
lost or gained in the bloodline because of the deals he
struck. Kettry waited patiently for his subject to return.
"I had to go right past the flat rock at dawn, and she
was waiting for me. Only time I ever saw her come down
off the rock, or any time but evening. She had a bay geld¬
ing to trade for a dapple gray. Gray was too big and had a
mean streak; we'd trained him for a war horse. Bay was
nice —bit coarse —but I couldn't use the tackle. Would've
been laughed off the horse lot. She threw in a couple of
right pretty rings for boot. Your mama'll have those, I
reckon."

"But what was she like?"

"Oh —skinny. All those years of living on magic, most

like. She had a good set of hips; I noticed that. Put some
meat on her, she'd be fit to bear any number of kids, or
would've been if she'd started earlier. She talked funny,
but she had a good hand on a horse."

Kettry went about his life, learning his letters, his

sword, and his studbook with the thought of that slim,
lone figure under all his other thoughts. When there was a
great baking or he brought home game from river, wood,
or pasture, he would go round by the flat rock and leave
some choice bit there — a pheasant, or a mess of clams, or
a napkin of sweet rolls. The next day they would be gone,
but whether she had taken them or left them to the merry
skipping goblins who sometimes held their revels on the
rock, he could not tell.

He saw her more as he grew older, but could not gain

speech with her. When she saw him approach purpose¬
fully, she clambered down the rock and disappeared, leav¬
ing behind only a smell like lightning. This troubled him,
for whatever Young Flandru said, it could not be good for
her to dwell alone and friendless so long. When his moth¬
er's cat kindled, he chose a kitten from the litter and left it
on the rock with a ribbon round its neck, just as the sun
declined. He stayed to watch her find it, and the sight of
her bending to pick it up and hold it to her cheek struck
him with an unexpected blow of happiness. When his
father's prize bitch whelped, he chose a puppy for her, and
thereafter she did not appear alone upon the rock.

"I don't know why you think she needs your presents,"
protested Violet.

"Never rebuke a generous heart," smiled Saffron.

"But he'll be giving her a horse next!"

"She doesn't need a horse," said Kettry. "She never

goes anywhere."

Saffron, as the eldest, was to inherit the land, leaving

Violet and Kettry to pursue their interests. Kettry early
showed an aptitude in arms that led his father to seek for
him a position in the King's host. In his early youth, he
got a place in the capitol in Morenidor, where he found
interest enough and occupation enough that he did not
think of the Waiting Woman for weeks at a time. Only,
when the discontented junior officers spoke slightingly of
the chances of war being seen again between the moun¬
tains and the sea, he would remind them of Hath's vision.
Also, among his friends there numbered a young, studi¬
ous count possessed of lively sisters and a passion for the
form and history of language. From him he learned the
shape and accent of the tongue that would have been spo¬
ken when the Isle of Bone was a great war college and
Sulmari rowed upon Lake Ralanan.

It was a hot issue among the men of the garrison who

was the best at sword and shield, or upon horseback, or
with a bow. Many contests were held in fact to determine
the superiority of this one or that one; by candlelight,
many more were held in fancy, in which some champion
of the day was compared to some champion of times past.
"I would there were some way to try those old heroes!"
complained Seiko of Old Woman Creek, who had fought
his way out of the ranks and proved his might against all
comers, nor ever tired of so proving it. "There's no man
in the garrison hasn't yielded to me, and the game grows
stale."

"You could try yourself against the heroes under my flat

rock," suggested Kettry.

Seiko snorted. "Against any number of sleeping men,

even you could emerge victor."

DRAGON 61

"They may awake," said Kettry. "Sulmari can wake

horses and trade them for better ones. Why not so with
men? She wakes him, you fight, and if you win he re¬
mains awake, and you sleep till the invasion."

Seiko laughed. "No, let them rest and be on hand to

comfort each other when they wake in a strange time!"

He went home for Violet's wedding. With him he

brought gifts — silks and jewels and pictures, a horse of the
new strain developed in the high pastures of Titherland,
and a bright bird of the Western Isles that he had taught
to say his mother's name. One package he carried to the
Field of the Flat Rock in the dusk of his first day home.
Sulmari vanished as he came, but he left the package
where he had left so many things, and stole away.

Next evening he stayed late in Rosetown, among the

laughter and music of the wedding, but the night after he
rode out alone. She stood in her accustomed place, aged
dog and cat with her, and he flinched in disappointment at
the sight. She wore none of the fine clothes he had bought
for her. He rode closer.
She turned and saw him —as she always turned and saw
him —but did not vanish down the south face of the rock.
His pulse thudding in his throat, he rode till he was at the
edge of the rock. She stood still, the dog by her side, the
cat in pursuit of invisible things upon the stone. She
tossed him his package and he caught it. "You are a sweet
boy. Lord Kettry," she said in a voice that sounded to him
like water after drought, "but I can accept no more of
you."

Kettry's mouth was so dry he almost could not ask:

"Why not?"

"I think you know why. Are there not many women in
Rosetown and Morenidor who could accept your gifts?"

"Why should you alone of all womankind never know

the pleasure of a new dress?"

"It is my choice."

He recovered his wits then and answered her in the old

language the count had taught him. "You came late into
Hath's plans, and he perforce provided ill for you. It is no
shame if you accept my poor attempt to make it up to
you."

Sulmari was silent so long he feared he had chosen the

wrong tongue, but soon she spoke as he had, only more
easily, without groping or hesitation. "I am well provided.
Lord Kettry. Where did you learn that speech? It has been
dead these many hundred years."

"Not dead, but sleeping. How are you provided?"

Her eyes lay on him, and their touch was sweet. The
last of the sunset vanished, the dog scratched, and the cat
hurled itself upon a rustle in the grass. "Dismount and
enter, then, if you would see."

He dismounted. She made a short, sharp movement

with one hand. Silently, but with a smell like lightning, the
rock opened along its steep face. Sulmari descended by
means of steps upon the inner face of the rock. Kettry left
his horse to graze.

She led him into darkness. They pushed back an ob¬

struction like a tapestry and came into a low room. The
dog went at once to the hearthrug, the cat to a cushioned
chair. Here were a table, chairs, and a narrow bed, a tall
cupboard and an iron chest. The floor was made of earth.

the walls of stone. The fire burned low, without fuel, and
all the furnishings were heavy and old, of unfamiliar pat¬
tern and strange shape. There was a bright light in the
stone ceiling, of a nature Kettry could not fathom.
Sulmari raised the lid of the iron chest. "You see? If I
desired it, could I not walk as fine as your mother —Lady
Saffron —the queen, even?" The strange light glinted on a
host of precious stones, on coins, on rings and brooches,
armlets, necklaces, tiaras fine as any worn at court —yet
not one stone of it was faceted, and the shapes of the gold
were odd and solid. Some pieces resembled jewelry he had
seen in Morenidor: heirlooms of distant generations,
dwarf-work bought with sums that must be whispered of
for awe. The Waiting Woman shut the lid. "Will you be
content now and get about your life?"

"No," said Kettry. "How can I return to my home and

my garrison, telling this tale, and admitting that I came so
far and left without a sight of the sleepers?"

Sulmari smiled wanly. His heart swelled against his

breastbone. "Come, then. But having seen, you must go
home —and no more foolishness."

A second tapestry lay against one wall, so faded with

time he scarce could make out the subject, but it might
have been the building of the Isle of Bones. Beyond was a
long cavern, deathly cold, where one hundred beds of
stone stretched out of sight. Beside each bed stood a horse
in rich caparison of a sort Kettry had never seen before,
but he knew the types of horses from the oldest studbooks.

The wizard Hath lay on the first bed, in loose clothes of

strange cut with big, knuckly hands folded under his gray
beard. The others bore weaponed men in mail of glitter¬
ing dwarf work and surcoats of all colors. Weapons and
armor were as clean as if used yesterday. The sleepers'
hair and beards were neatly trimmed —in a style the court
would have found ugly —and nowhere was dust or cob¬
webs or any sign that these men had lain down centuries
before.

"Which is Balan?" asked Kettry, and wished that he

had not.

Sulmari drew a wavering breath and walked to a man

in a surcoat the color of flame. His hair and beard were
dark, his features plain, his hands those of a good work¬
man: large and square and broken nailed. His eyeballs
rolled beneath his lids, and his chest rose and fell evenly.
Kettry saw at a glance that the chestnut horse beside him
was the best of the hundred, good Kettry stock from the
time just after the light desert horses were introduced from
the south. Sulmari bent above Balan's face, pressed his
lips with hers, and covered his workworn hand with her
own before she said to Kettry gently, "Will you go now?"

So Kettry departed, but he did not sleep that night.

Back in Morenidor, he threw himself into his life. He

practiced till he defeated Seiko three times running, which
no man had done before. He attended balls and studied
tactics; he interested himself in the breeding of more intel¬
ligent cats. He had to tell the story of his visit to the Wait¬
ing Woman many times and flattered himself that he did
so with composure. His friends were all courting and mar¬
rying, but for him no woman roused any but the most
fleeting desire, and his dreams were haunted by sad eyes
in the dusk.

62 JULY 1990

His friend the count had a sister with whom Kettry rode
and walked and danced till the town grew expectant of
them. One night as they sat together, this Revliri kissed
him with a fervor that made him start, and shudder, and
draw back. The look upon her face made him remorseful.
"I never meant to mislead you," he stammered.

"I'm not the misled one!" she interrupted him in tones

half anger and half scorn. "Aren't you ashamed to pine
for one whose heart was lost to you before ever you were
born? Sulmari is a phantom and a mist behind your eyes."

"Sulmari is as real as you, and more!" protested

Kettry.

Revliri tossed her head. "When did things begin to be

real in more or less degree? I think you are afraid, Kettry.
If you want her so, why do you leave her there? No, you
want love's shadow and you fear its substance: the woman
who knows pain and jealousy and age, the woman with
whom you might really live and who might really hurt
you!"

"You are a jealous, spiteful woman, and your mouth is

full of lies."

"You are a feeble, 'fearful man, and your life is full of

lies!" She stalked away from him, and he never saw her
more.

That night and the next night. Lord Kettry did not
sleep. The third day he applied for leave and rode south¬
ward alone. He arrived at the Field of the Flat Rock in the
dusk and saw her upon the rock, dark and slim against the
glare of sunset. Spurring his horse, he called in a thunder¬
ous voice, "Sulmari.

She motioned with her arm as if to fend him off, but she
stayed. "It would be better if you had not come," she said.

"And why is that?" he demanded. "Do I turn your

heart from your long faith? Do you fear me?"

"No," she said, " but you are a good, a kind, a gener¬
ous man, and it hurts me that I have hurt you with my
faith."

"My pain is my own, as yours is yours," said Kettry,

"and why either should continue I cannot say. Wake
Balan."

"No! I gave my pledge — "

"Nor will you break it. Wake Balan. Tell him I chal¬
lenge him for his place among the warriors. If I win he
will be yours, and your children can tend the warriors as
they sleep."

"You will not win," declared Sulmari. "If you thought

you would, you would not challenge him."

"That's true enough!" He spoke as quickly as he could,

mixing old tongue and new. "Your whole life —your whole
love —is a snare and an illusion, and I will free you from
it! He will wake and not know you. If he loved as you
love, could he have gone to sleep, not knowing you would
be here when he wakes? Can his love, that might come to
be, compare to mine that is?"

"You don't know him!"

"Nor do you! But you will not believe it till you see the
stranger in his eyes, and then your heart will break! But
hearts are strong —your heart more than any —and once
freed from your long dream, you'll see the worth of mine,
and it will be our children who carry out your task."

Her mouth grew thin. "You presume much, my boy!"

"I risk much." But he could not remain hard with her,
and the cat aided him by rubbing on his leg. He held out
his hands. "What I gave you, I gave freely and never
asked return."

"Very well," she said, "but when Balan has defeated

you, you will learn the greatness of your error at such cost
I would weep to think of it —were I able." She did not take
his hands but turned her face southward. "Come rested
and breakfasted, about dawn. This is no time for
challenges."

Lord Kettry did not go home but stopped in with the

hands, who were much surprised and made him welcome.
He told none of them his plans but wrote a letter to Saf¬
fron and his father, sealed it, and gave it into Young Flan-
dru's keeping.

In the dawn he met Sulmari at the rock, the first time

he had seen her by daylight: as fair and pale as a candle in
the sun. She said not one word to him but led him be¬
neath the stone, and they stood one on either side of Ba-
lan's bed. "Are you sure you wish to do this?" she asked.

"Don't be afraid," said Lord Kettry. "This will be the

end of all your waiting."
Sulmari bent and laid her hand on Balan's face, saying
a word in a language even older than her own.

Balan stirred and blinked. Kettry saw his eyes focus on

her face, and at the joy that leaped behind them his heart
stopped.

"Sulmari," whispered Balan. "No. It's another dream."

"It is waking, Balan," she answered, "but only for a

little while."

He drew her face down and kissed it —once, twice,

thrice — breaking off the last kiss with a shudder and
thrusting her away as he sat up. "Business first, and all
our lives thereafter. How far is the enemy?"

"No enemy. Not yet. Only comes a foolish boy, with

dreams he doesn't understand, who would try his strength
with yours."

Balan looked at Kettry then for the first time. His face
was open and genial, reflecting back the light of Sulmari's
eyes. "Better leave it, son. That's no life for a young
man."

"That is for me to say," said Kettry.

Three days and three nights they fought, and men and
women gathered like dreams around the edges of the flat
rock. Many times Kettry longed to lay his sword down,
but he held the look that had passed between Sulmari and
Balan in that moment of waking, and grimly fought on.
Time and again he would have lost, but arts do not stand
still, and tricks had been trained into his arm that Balan
had no chance of knowing. Time and again these tricks
forestalled Balan and made him laugh. It was one of these
tricks at last, learned from Seiko, that sent the heavy an¬
cient sword clattering to the rock and brought Lord Ket¬
try' s point into the hollow of his rival's throat.

Balan blinked three times in surprise. "I yield me,

then, unto the better man!" He fell upon his knees, it
might be in weariness, or in respect. Lord Kettry did not
care, for the world roared in his ears, and his legs gave
out beneath him.

No lack of hands were by to help him up and carry food

and drink to his lips, but none of the hands was Sulmari's.

DRAGON 63

and he cared nothing for them. When he could walk, he

thrust Saffron aside and went to them. She nourished
Balan in little bites and sups on the edge of the flat rock.
The eyes she turned on Lord Kettry were not the eyes that
he had known, for all the sadness of her waiting had gone
out of them. Kettry knelt before her. She laid her cool
hand on his cheek. "This is not the end you looked for,
and I cannot even tell you I am sorry."

"I knew, when I saw him know you on his waking, that
that end could not be. He left me only one service I could
perform for you." He turned to Saffron. "Look after these
two."

"Of course I will," said Saffron. "Come home now."

Kettry shook his head. "I have a duty to perform, and

it were best to do it now before I shirk it."

Once more Sulmari led him below the rock, where he

was bathed and dressed and led to the bed where Balan
had lain. He took his place among the shining warriors,
wondering what they would think of him when they woke
and found him their companion.

"Bear greeting to my friends when they awake," said

Balan. "You are the fittest man I've seen to be among
them."

"You honor me too much," said Kettry, "but I thank

you."

Sulmari said nothing, but the last thing he knew before

he slept was the light touch of her mouth upon his mouth,
and this he carried into his long, long dream. Q

Pulling a “Con” Job

So, you really want to run a convention?

We wanted to share the thrills of adven¬

ture with new people. We wanted to help
gamers meet each other, and we wanted
to propagate the hobby. We also wanted a
project to justify taking money from the
Student Senate, so our Table Gaming Club
established its not-quite-annual UMF-CON.
Soon after that, the Maine War gamer's
Society invited us to co-sponsor its larger
MAINE-CON convention, and we gladly
worked on it, too. In the course of it all,
we cleaned up peanut shells, hosted a
"Smurf Kill," and managed business trans¬
actions with help from a Hindu economist
who spoke only a variant of English. If
your club can brave dangers like this, you
will find no project more exciting than
holding a small gaming convention.

by Thomas M. Kane

Square one

People go to game conventions to play

war games, and in some form of karmic
retribution, convention planning takes
these gamers and subjects them to the
chaos, boredom, frustration, and bureauc¬
racy of real war. You already know every¬
thing you need to have a convention—
games, a place to play those games, and
people to play them. The difficulty comes
in assembling all this in the right place at
the right time. Without some central orga¬
nization, convention organizers will argue
over trivial matters —and forget to secure
rest rooms.

You should probably name two or three

people convention chairpersons to direct
all activities. Decisions take too long when

more than three people try to wrangle

them out, but if there is only one chairper¬
son, he might vanish at a critical moment.
The primary role of convention chairpeo-
ple is to decide what needs to be done and
to make sure that somebody does it on
time. Each convention chairperson needs a
list of everything that has to be done and
when it must be accomplished. Although
these things all seem obvious, they really
can be forgotten. The Table Gaming Club
starts work on UMF-CON in September,
then holds the convention during early
spring. Our UMF-CON timetables run as
follows:

1. Choose a date: Set the date at least

six months in advance, and make sure it
doesn't overlap other important dates.
2. Locate a convention site and
hosts: You cannot hold a convention
without a building. Finding one is the most
important and often the most expensive
and difficult part of running a convention.
If you do not know of a good site, try
contacting public buildings like colleges,
technical schools, armories, high schools,
community centers, or—for the wealthy —
hotels. Perhaps you will find a completely
new sort of place to have a convention. If
a rich friend offers you a country man¬
sion, grab it. Find a building and be sure
you can have it before you advertise.

Obviously, it is far easier to run a con¬

vention if the staff already controls a site,
so look for co-sponsors who own a build¬
ing. The most helpful co-sponsors are
college student organizations. A gaming
club would be ideal, and bureaus in
charge of recreation or general entertain¬
ment might also help you. Official univer¬
sity groups can usually reserve college
buildings free of charge. College game
clubs also provide a staff of able assistants.
Furthermore, if the game club receives
college funding, it will not only have
money but the members may be eager to
spend it. Many organizations on a fixed
budget have to use everything they get,
because anything they do not spend will
be deducted from the next year's allot¬
ment. If you cannot find a university spon¬
sor, hobby shops or local chambers of
commerce may help you locate a conven¬
tion site.

You need more than a building, however.

Be sure that your gamers have places to

park and that rest rooms are available.

Find tables, chairs, and as much gaming

equipment as possible. In an overnight
convention, you might look for a place
where gamers can sleep. The owners of
your building may insist that the conven¬
tion carry insurance. Peter Irce, of
MAINE-CON, told us that he cannot insure
his convention because it is so safe. Since
there are no known life-threatening disas¬
ters at game conventions, insurance com¬
panies cannot compile risk statistics. Mr.
Rice avoids this problem by buying insur¬
ance in the name of his hobby shop.

3. Contact other sponsors: You may

want other services to be provided at your
convention, such as food. Some public
buildings have contracts with a certain
concessions company like the ARA con¬
glomerate. If your convention site has
such an arrangement, you need only con
tact the official food agency and discuss
the convention with them. Otherwise, you
may still be able to find local merchants
who would be glad to sell snack food at
the convention. Usually, local merchants
operate independently from the conven¬
tion staff—they do not pay you, and you
do not pay them. You can make similar
bargains with owners of hobby shops,
who can sell miniatures, books, and games
at the convention. Inviting a store to bring
its wares not only provides another attrac¬
tion for your gamers but also motivates
the store to promote your convention.

If you want guests of honor, you must

contact them quickly. Celebrities rarely
add much to a convention, so avoid paying

honoraria. However, some authors actively

seek chances to speak at conventions,
hoping to promote their books. Using a
well-known name makes your convention
sound bigger and might attract a few fans,
so if you think you can persuade a well-
known person to offer some sort of game-
related seminar, then try. You should make
arrangements to pay the hotel and travel
fees for your guests if at all possible, and
you should let them know far ahead of
time if their fees will be covered.

After making business arrangements,

you might look for people who are simply
helpful. Recruit as many gamers, game
clubs, and civic groups as you can. Gaming
groups may have special services for con¬
vention planners. Issue #4 7 of DIPLO¬
MACY® World mentions a DIPLOMACY
Hobby Events Coordinator who assists
with publicity and provides information
on nearby game fairs, to prevent competi¬
tive scheduling. If you are interested in
this service, write to: David Hood, 604
Tinkerbell Road, Chapel Hill NC 27514,
U.S.A. As word of your convention
spreads, game companies might ask you to
distribute advertising material for them.
You should cooperate, because association
with established companies not only pro¬
motes them but lends legitimacy to you.

4. Submit magazine announce¬

ments: Mail these the very day you know
that there will be a convention. Nearly all
of your guests will find your convention
through convention listings in magazines.
Most magazines take several months to
print convention notices, and you want

readers to see your ad in several issues.

Many periodicals, including DRAGON®

Magazine, announce conventions without
a charge, while others request a slight fee.

5. First mailing: After obtaining the

absolute necessities, most conventions
distribute their first advertising flyers. A
flyer should describe the convention as
completely as possible and give an address
where interested gamers can write to
preregister. Hobby shops will usually hand
out these flyers. Small numbers of leaflets
may be produced with a school ditto ma¬
chine, photocopier, or even computer
printer, but when you have a large num¬
ber of pamphlets, it is worth the money to
have them professionally printed. If you
can get a mailing list of gamers, perhaps
from another convention or hobby store,
sent a flyer to everyone on the list. The
post office offers bulk mailing rates to
anyone sending over 200 identical pieces,
if they are sorted by zip code. Ask for
rules and forms at your post office.

5. Precise planning: After the first

mailing, you should have about two
months to wait for responses. During this
time, pick GMs and schedule the conven¬
tion's games, choosing rooms for each
event. Two role-playing games can usually
co-exist in a classroom-size area. Try to
find a large room, like a cafeteria, for all
board games and miniatures events. Other
events, such as seminars or live role- playing
games, often need rooms of their own.

6. Second mailing: About one month

before the convention, distribute a second
leaflet. At the same time, write preregis¬
tration forms. If these are short, include
them with the second advertisement, but
if this costs too much postage, you can
reserve preregistration papers for people
who write to you for more information.

Each preregistration form should provide

a complete schedule of events and GMs,
mention all fees, and warn players how
much experience they will need to enjoy
each event. List any convention rules on
these forms and try to provide maps
showing the way to the convention from
some major highway. Do not ignore the
second mailing just because you have
already sent out a first one. Most adver¬
tisers find that one letter only piques the
audience's interest—it takes two to make
people respond.

As the convention draws closer, put up

posters about it in any available location.
Gamers may see them in pizza shops,
grocery stores, laundromats, or almost
anywhere else. Write to radio stations and
local television stations, too. They often
provide public service messages for free.
Sometimes a local-color story on your
convention might result. You can also try
to put articles into newspapers, but pur¬
chased newspaper ads seldom attract
enough people to be worth the expense.

7. At the convention: A convention

chairperson should be available through¬
out the convention. If possible, he should
have a number of assistants to run er¬

rands. Most of the problems at the conven¬

tion involve getting people to the right
rooms, so post floor plans of the conven¬
tion site and have each game display a sign
with its name and scenario. The conven¬
tion chairperson on duty should also keep
track of how many people register for
each event. Few GMs want more than
eight people in one game, so if an event is
too popular, some gamers will have to
make second choices. You will have a far
bigger problem with games which do not
attract enough players. The chairperson
should warn GMs quickly if their event
has too few players. This gives the un¬
lucky GM time to enter another event as a
player.

Conventions will never make anyone

rich, but they can boost a club's budget.
Both our tiny UMF-CON, in Farmington,
Maine, and the enormous TRI-STATE-CON,
in Cincinnati, Ohio, earn between $2-12
with each registration fee and authorize
sanctioned GMs to charge up to $2 per
game. You may charge a slightly higher fee
for gamers who fail to preregister. How¬
ever, only a tiny fraction of gamers will
preregister, so do not make the penalty
more than a few dollars. Visitors who do
not wish to play should be allowed in free.
This lets nongamers find their children,
spouses, or friends —and watch your
games. If you can get some novice in¬
trigued enough to start playing games, you
have not only helped your convention, but
gamers everywhere.

Your gamers can give you more than

money. Get names and addresses from
everybody at the convention. A mailing list
is not only useful for your own advertis¬
ing, but every game store and convention
organizer in your area will cover it. You
can sell the list, bargain with it, or give it
away to seal a friendship.

You will get more gamers, from more

distant places, if your convention lasts
several days, but complications multiply
many times on the first night. The gamers
need places to sleep and eat complete
meals. If they cannot do these things on
the convention site, they must find places
where they can, and then be guided back
once games begin again. Fortunately, after
the first night, a convention usually runs
smoothly again. If your gamers must find
their own motels and restaurants, be
careful not to schedule the convention at
the same time as another tourist event.

You can do nothing kinder for your

gamers than to provide cheap places to eat
and sleep. If your convention grows large
enough to promise hundreds of gamers,
some motels and restaurants may offer
you discounts. Until then, a dormitory
would be ideal, and a gymnasium is a good
place for gamers to lay out sleeping bags,
especially if it has rest rooms and showers.
In the summer, you might merely offer an
open field, where gamers can pitch tents.

If you do offer such facilities, be sure that

the gamers understand and will obey any
rules or mandatory "check out" times.

Games and game masters

The gamers care little or nothing for

schedules and convention chairpeople.

They come to play games, and they will

judge you by the quality of your game
masters. The best game masters can be
found by visiting other conventions and
playing in their games yourself. Most GMs
will be flattered if you invite them to your
convention. The convention's staff will
probably also include skilled GMs, and
they deserve the chance to run games.

Once you have picked these favorites,

weed out the rest ruthlessly. Myriads of
GMs will beg to run their games as soon as
they hear of the convention, and a few
may be worth inviting, but remember that
it is always easier to locate new GMs than
to find players for excess events.

Much of the convention's schedule will

be developed by individual game masters.

If you have any control over the games

they offer, try to fill roughly half your
slots with popular, tried-and-true games
such as TSR's AD&D® game. The other
half should be devoted to exotic events
and games that the gamers might never
get to play except at your convention.
Seminars, workshops, and videotapes can
be fascinating, but they often lose their
participants to games. Large conventions
sometimes offer an open gaming area
where any gamer may run an unsched¬
uled event. Unfortunately, this sometimes
drains too many people from official
games. Furthermore, open gaming attracts
all the people who never get to GM be¬
cause they are just not skilled enough.

A convention's games should not only be

fun to play, they should generate a festive,
carnival atmosphere. Encourage the use of
miniatures and spectacular play aids. For
example, the Maine War gamers Society,
which runs MAINE-CON, has redrawn the
Avalon Hill Game Company's DIPLOMACY®
board on a huge piece of poster paper,
decorated it with coats-of-arms for each
nation, and substituted realistic figurines
for the game's usual counters. There is
something stirring about tables of tanks,
hexagon grids, and colorful Napoleonic
cuirassiers. Furthermore, they give news¬
paper photographers something to
photograph—which will attract people to
your next convention.

Try to find some games that gamers may

join at any time, so that when characters
die in role-playing adventures, the players
can still have fun. TRI-STATE-CON, in
Cincinnati, holds a continual ACE OF
ACES® tournament (by Nova Games) that
players may enter and leave at will. At
UMF-CON, we have a room of board
games from which gamers may choose.
Players may register for the board game
room normally, but anyone who pays for
another event and loses a character is
allowed in free. One attendant watches
the whole area and occasionally serves as
an opponent.

Continued on page 70

DRAGON 67

Robotech
lives on
Robotech™ is alive

and well at Palladium Books®.

Palladium has been flooded with phone calls and letters all fearful that we
will not be doing any more Robotech supplements. Fear not! We have a lot
in store for you over the next few years. Yes, there will be more Macross,
more Invids,more Robotech II: The Sentinels, and some BIG surprises (if all
goes well). So hang in there and keep your eyes peeled.

Meanwhile, have you seen all the Robotech stuff we’ve already got out?

ROBOTECH™ The Role-Playing Game Book One: Macross: Bring to

life the wonder and adventure of the famous T.V. series. Book One: Macross
provides all the game rules for the entire series. A complete game in itself,
ROBOTECH™ offers a wealth of information on giant Mecha, equipment
and characters from the first segment of the trilogy. Never before has a
game captured the awesome power, super high-technology and fever pitch
action of ROBOTECH™. $11.95 plus $1.50 for postage.

ROBOTECH™ Book II: The RDF Manual. More combat vehicles, more
data, high-tech bandits, wastelands, character sheets, and floorplans for the
Prometheus II and the Daedalus II. Sourcebook : $7.95. Please add $1.00
for postage.

ROBOTECH™ Book III: The Zentraedi. An in depth look at the menacing

Zentraedi with more vehicles, characters and spacecraft, complete with
floorplans. Sourcebook: $7.95. Please add $1.00 for postage.

ROBOTECH™ Book IV: Southern Cross presents an army of new mecha,

high-powered personal battle armor, energy weapons, vehicles, and the
insidious Robotech Masters with their army of Bioroids! Much of this mat¬
erial is published here for the first time. A 112 page sourcebook. $11.95.
Please add $1.50 for postage.

ROBOTECH™ Book V: The Invid Invasion. Earth is decimated. Its

survivors enslaved by the conquering Invid. Only scattered groups of freedom
fighters, armed with the most advanced Mecha (the Cyclone and Mospeada
Battle-Bikes, Alpha and Beta Fighters) and raw courage, dare to strike at
the insidious Invid.

This lavishly illustrated book has it all; the Invid, Invid hives, new mecha,
new weapons and vehicles, new character classes, T.V. characters, random
encounter tables, adventure and more. $11.95. Please add $1.50 postage.

Robotech™ RPG Book Six: The Return of the Masters. Actually they never
left. A secret group of Robotech Masters survived the war and the invid’s
invasion. Over the last 30 years they’ve lived and worked quietly, building
an elite force of bioroid and zentraedi warriors. Now they are ready to make
their move and only you can stop them.

As if that weren’t enough, we present Moon Base, complete with floor

plans. Superfactory G-95, mecha martial arts, Thailand adventures, space
adventures, and well ... lots of adventure! $9.95 plus $1.50 for postage
and handling.
ROBOTECH™ Adventures: Lancer's Rockers is the latest and most hair
fraising adventure book yet. Forget what you read in the novels. The invid
are back and more insidious than ever.

The adventure takes characters through the ruins of New Detroit, to the
wild west to fight invid and a new threat, the evil Krugatch. Plus Lancer,
new mecha, new sonic weapons and a lot more! $7.95 plus $1.00 for
postage and handling.

ROBOTECH™ Adventures: Ghost Ship: Is it just a Ghost Ship ?

Or is it more? Suitable for all Macross and/or Southern Cross mecha.

Available now! $7.95, please add $1.00 for postage.

ROBOTECH™ Adventures: RDF Accelerated Training Program:

A super-whammy book of adventures (simulated and real), dozens of

encounter tables, scenario ideas and other data. $7.95, add $1.00 postage.

ROBOTECH II: The Sentinels™ Rick, Lisa, the

SDF III, and thousands of troops carry their struggle for freedom to the
home galaxy of the Robotech Masters.

Includes the famous Cyclone, Alpha, and Beta, plus new, more powerful
destroids, spacecraft, alien playing characters, new vehicles, the invid inor¬
ganics and a universe of adventure. A complete game in itself. $14.95.
Please add $1.50 for postage.

The REF Field Guide is a Robotech collector’s dream. Page after page of
never before seen artwork and diagrams printed from the original animation
model sheets! Cyclones, Alphas, mecha, space ships, uniforms, characters
and much, much more originally drawn for the New Generation/Invid/Mos-
peada and Robotech II: The Sentinels portions of the TV series.

Gamers will be delighted to find floor plans and descriptions for typical
REF military bases, a look inside a Robotech Factory (with floor plans and
robot drones), adventures, and adventure ideas. $14.95 plus $1.50 for
postage and handling.

Robotech II: The Sentinels™

video tape discontinued in August

All our video tape arrangements are for a limited time. Robotech II:
The Sentinels™ will not be available after mid-August. So if you haven’t
purchased your copy yet, order it before August!

Robotech II: The Sentinels™ presents the only existing footage of the
never completed television series. It features the Invid’s invasion of the
Robotech Master’s homeworld, the introduction of the Invid Regent, inorganics
in action, and major new characters, and ends with the marriage of Rick Hunter
and Lisa Hayes. Approximate running time: 76 minutes
VHS only! Sorry no Beta. Unrated Color
Available from Palladium Books®: $24.95 (postage included)

Palladium Books® Dept. D 5926 Lonyo Det, MI 48210

Copyright © 1990 Kevin Siembieda.

Palladium Books® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda. All other TMs
pending.
ROBOTECH and ROBOTECH II: THE SENTINELS: © 1985/1987 Harmony Gold U.S.A., Inc./Tat-
sunoko Production Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved. ROBOTECH is a registered trademark
owned and
licensed by Harmony Gold U.S.A. Inc.

68 JULY 1990

City officials and local super he¬

roes are mystified by what is hap¬
pening. The "Big Apple” is being
rocked by a series of unexplainable
thefts and acts of destruction and
now it’s up to you to find out who or
what is responsible for the unrest,
and bring them to justice.

Newcomers to the MARVEL SUPER

HEROES™ Role-playing Game will
enjoy this introductory level module.
Pick up your copy today at your local
toy, book or hobby store.

Mutating Mutants

by Bruce Nesmith
$5.95 Suggested Retail Price

MARVEL SUPER HEROES is a trademark of the Marvel Enter¬

tainment Group. Inc. All Marvel characters, character names and
the distinctive likenesses are trademarks of the Marvel Entertain¬
ment Group, Inc. ®1990 Marvel Entertainment Group. Inc. All
Rights Reserved.

In 1969 mankind struck out into space...

"This is one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind..."

Neil Armstrong, Astronaut

In 1992 space struck back...

1 ...(static) STS Atlantis...ave been fired upon. Repeat..,attacked...Attempting

to..."

Mike Overton, Astronaut

Role Playing in a Shattered World

From the blackness of space, alien armies descend on Earth. The forces of the
Kalotion Empire, sup¬
ported by HovArmor tanks and fighters, drive the combined forces of mankind back
like a plague of
locusts. Your characters are right in the action. As soldiers, war correspondents,
freedom
fighters, pilots or scientists. They are fighting the ultimate war for control of
the earth.

Domination features a simple character generation and combat system. Full

descriptions and detaNs of the alien races fighting against mankind are
provided, as well as a full listing of the alien technology and weapons.

J All for $9.95.

is designed as a set of micro armor (286:1)

miniature rules to simulate the combat of the
Kalotion invasion of Earth. Over 60 vehicles and
their statistics are provided with a full set of interface .rules
to the Domination role playing game to allow player characters
to take part In major battles. Just $7.95.

THIS IS THE WAR THAT MATTERS!

Available At Better Hobby, Game and Book Stores everywhere

Or to order direct, send check or money order for the price plus $1.50 for postage
and handling to:

StarChilde Publications
Dept D

o 44567 Pinetree Dr.

Plymouth, Ml 48170

And Watch for

Operation Phalanx & Dragonfly Down

New adventures • NewSenarios

Pulling a “Con” Job

Continued from page 67

Miniatures games can also be used as

"pick-up" events. Each side can have a set
of units of used by new arrivals. Unused
troops may be controlled by the Army
Commander or left as idle reserves. Crea¬
tive GMs might develop rationalizations
for this. Certain German generals in Stalin¬
grad and American commanders in Viet¬
nam were notorious for flying into a
battle, meddling with the strategy, then
being airlifted away at crucial (and danger¬
ous) moments.

A gamer who takes a prize home will

remember your convention fondly. If you
offer contests, game companies will often
provide gift certificates as awards for
winners of tournaments featuring their
games. Medium-size publishers, who need
your publicity but can afford to distribute
free products, are usually the most help¬
ful. Iron Crown Enterprises and Mayfair
Games are especially interested in small
conventions. When you give prizes, avoid
awarding money or doing anything else
which can be construed as gambling.
Always be sure to indicate which events
offer prizes in your program and to sched¬
ule plenty of noncompetitive role-playing
adventures. One of role-playing's biggest
attractions is that nobody "loses." Even in
something as bloodthirsty as a war game,
many gamers want the camaraderie of
opposing teams in which the members all
live or die together.

Live role-playing

No other game matches the Intensity of

live-action adventuring. This is role-
playing with a difference, in which the
players actually do what their characters
do and see what they see. Their mutual
will to believe crushes all self-conscious¬
ness; players act like adventurers, not
actors. Live role-playing requires extensive
planning, superb GMs, and the numbers of
participants which can only be found at
conventions.

Try to place live-action games in a cozy

area, with dim, flickering lights. In the
shadowy light, players imagine all the
vivid details that they cannot actually see.
The equipment for live role-playing will be
easy to find. Scraps of bright cloth can
easily become tapestries; figurines,
wooden ornaments, and many other items
can evoke ancient pageantry; and lighting
can be provided by flashlights hidden
inside paper lanterns. All players should
receive props to remind them that they
are performing as fictional characters.
Costumes work well to create this aura,
and they can be very simple. For example,
almost any piece of cloth or fur can be¬
come a cape. Note that capes make an
ideal handout for a medieval game, since
they are clearly archaic, can be worn by
either sex, and hide modem clothing worn
underneath. Do not schedule more than
one live game for a single convention.

Since live role-playing works by a sort of

mob psychology, you want to force every¬
one who might participate into the one
live event: But note that if even one partic¬
ipant becomes tired of live role-playing
and behaves disruptively, the whole event
may be ruined.

If you can find some archaic recipes and

a place to cook, a "medieval banquet"
provides gamers with something to eat
and a game at the same time. You can
certainly charge extra for this sort of
event. Health-food stores may sell primi¬
tive ingredients. A local chapter of the
Society for Creative Anachronism might
also give you some assistance.

It will be easier for live role-players to

remember who their characters are and
what they want if you pass out character
sheets, like those used in traditional role-
playing games. Although it may seem
unrealistic for people to carry documents
reminding them who they are, it is far
worse when they need to ask. The charac¬
ter sheets should give the players goals
and also list several potential allies or
enemies to help participants meet other
characters. It will take some time for the
players to recognize each other, so encour¬
age them to ask necessary questions —in
character. Instead of saying, "Are you on
my list of secret conspirators?", players
might say "Pardon me —do we share an
errand, perhaps?"

The most common mistake in live role-

playing is in the choice of scenarios. Live
games are weak where dice-and-paper
games are strong—live-action cannot sup¬
port swashbuckling quests. There is sel¬
dom enough space for long treks at
conventions, and no safe way to simulate
combat (though the Lazer Tag game may
have made live modern/science-fiction war
games more feasible). Instead, live games
should foster conniving and detective-
work. Choose a setting that makes vio¬
lence impossible. One of the best
scenarios, and certainly the most popular,
tells characters that they are witnesses to
a murder and must uncover the killer
before someone accuses them. Many pre¬
packaged scenarios with this theme are
available at hobby and toy shops.

One compromise between pure intrigue

and fighting might be to assume that the
players are all disarmed, but each com¬
mands henchmen or armies "offstage." For
example, they might take the roles of
diplomats and government ministers at¬
tending their leader as a coup d'etat goes
on outside. When players order their
forces to fight, they give their orders to a
game master who poses as some sort of
messenger. The GM resolves combat out¬
side the room, using standard war-game
rules. Perhaps he might fire a cap pistol or
create other sound effects. Later, the
"messenger" reports the outcome.

The game master of a live role-playing

game needs an extraordinary skill at ma¬
nipulating crowds. First, he has to intro¬
duce the scenario without a boring

speech. The players will enjoy the game

more if they get a chance to choose their
characters, but the GM must ensure that
they look like the people they are sup¬
posed to portray. Each character must
have an exciting role in the story —but the
role must be capable of being altered if no
suitable player can be found. It is almost
impossible to get exactly the right number
or type of participants you want.

During the game, if players do not turn

their conflicts into an exciting story or
cannot move toward any resolution within
the time allotted, the GM must subtly
intervene. He cannot even rely on unex¬
pected NPCs, since each character has to
be a real person. Usually, the only "NPC"
will be the GM himself. The GM must
sense when the conflict reaches its climax
and then end the game soon afterward.
After the game, the GM should conduct a
public debriefing. Everybody will want to
know what their companions were really
planning, and all players like to boast of
their cunning tricks.

Costume contests are often popular, but

have many drawbacks. There is a whole
subculture of gamers and nongamers who
specialize in costuming. Unfortunately,
costumes make most nongamers vaguely
nervous. The people who portray fantasy
role-playing as a sinister cult can only be
strengthened by pictures of bearded men
dressed as druids and brandishing
sculpted Indonesian daggers. It's best that
you ban weapons and military parapher¬
nalia. It is natural for gamers to try to
outdo each other's costumes, and if weap¬
ons are allowed, a sort of arms race will
cause real swords to drive out cardboard
replicas. If anyone is injured, you will get
disastrous publicity —and possibly law¬
suits.

After the convention

When the convention is over, make sure

that your sponsors will welcome another
one. Clean the convention site and replace
anything that has been damaged. Thank
the people who participated, and consider
presenting small gifts to anyone who was
particularly helpful. When you pick direc¬
tors for your next convention, try to keep
at least one of the old chairpeople and
select one new chair. This way, somebody
will always know what to expect, but you
can eventually train your entire staff to
run conventions on their own.

If your convention did not attract re¬

porters, write your own articles on it and
submit them to local papers. These are
more likely to be printed if you represent
yourself as an interested citizen, not as a
convention promoter. Editors especially
like stories with interesting black-and-
white photographs. When dealing with
reporters or writing news articles,, remem¬
ber that most newspaper readers are not
gamers. Therefore, describe the games as
simple adventures, easy to play.

Continued on page 78
70 JULY 1990

MARVEL

An empath and an apprentice

by Dale A. Donovan

I'm baaaack. The first thing I must do this month is to thank

everyone who wrote in with comments and suggestions for the
new " MARVEL-Phile." The amount of mail I received forced me to
roll on the Stun table, but I made my roll. Thank you all for your
input. You will be seeing some of your suggestions in upcoming
months.

There are two areas on which I received quite a few questions,

so I thought Td take the time to address them now. Several peo¬
ple asked why there was no "MARVEL-Phile" in issues #157 or
#158, and just how often would the column appear in the future?
In May, I decided to take the month off from doing the column,
and this column was originally slated to appear in the June issue,
but a lack of time on my part and space in the magazine pushed

HE MARVEL®-PHILE

the column back to this issue. I plan for the column to appear
bi-monthly, so you can look for another one in issue #161.

I also received quite a bit of mail from those who disagreed

with some of my ideas on attributes and Powers. The perfect
example of this is Captain Britain. The Official Handbook of the
MARVEL UNIVERSE®, Update '89, stated that Cap was able to
press 90 tons. In the game, that qualifies as Unearthly Strength,
so that is the rank I gave him. I do use the Handbook as well as
the comics themselves for my sources, so I have reasons for
assigning the ranks I do. But if you disagree with my decisions on
Cap or any character, that's okay. If you want Cap to only have
Incredible Strength in your campaign, go ahead. It is your game,
after all.

This month, Til discuss two of Doctor Strange's right-hand

beings: the empath Topaz, and Doc's current apprentice, Rintrah.

DRAGON 71
MARVEL

TOPAZ™

Bmpath

TY (6)

Health: 42

GD (10)

TY (6)

Karma: 90

EX (20)

GD (10)

Resources: TY (6)

IN (40)

IN (40)

Popularity: 3

POWERS: Topaz has numerous psychic

powers, the full extent of which are not
known at this time. She has the potential
to be one of the most powerful psychics
on Earth, and has demonstrated extraordi¬
nary abilities in times of crisis during her
life. As all of her abilities are psychic, they
utilize Topaz's Incredible Psyche as their
Power rank.

Telepathy: Topaz can perform the Men¬

tal Probe Power Stunt as well as normal
Telepathy.

Psionic Attack: Topaz possesses this

power at Incredible rank for range and
intensity.

Empathy: Topaz is also an empath, able

to read the emotions of others.

Emotion Control: Topaz can instill or

drain emotions from people. Although she
can influence multiple targets (in the same
area she is in), she can work with only one
emotion at a time.

Telekinesis: Topaz is also able to use this

power at Incredible range and intensity.

Healing: Topaz can heal damage to her¬

self and others, using her Psyche score to
replace the subject's Endurance. She can
heal any number of subjects once per day.
Her abilities are such that she can even
reunite a person's soul with his body, if the
two should become separated.

HISTORY: Topaz has no knowledge of

her parents or even if Topaz is her real
name. Her first memories are of growing
up as a street urchin in India. When war
broke out, she was placed in a prison
camp where she met the sorcerer, Taboo.

It was under Taboo's tutelage that Topaz

discovered her powers, and she subse¬
quently used them to help Taboo and
herself escape from the camp.

As Topaz grew to adulthood, she acted

as a familiar for Taboo and his sorcery.
They eventually moved to take up resi¬
dence in southern California. At one point,
Taboo tried to force Jack Russell (the
Werewolf; see DRAGON® issue #126, "A
MARVEL® Monster-Phile") to hand over to
Taboo a book of black magic known as the
Darkhold (see issue #126, "The MARVEL-
Phile"). Neither Russell nor his family
possessed the book, and Taboo ordered
Topaz to kill Jack Russell. Sensing the
goodness within Jack, Topaz refused.
Taboo then ordered Russell and Topaz out
of his home.

Topaz was soon attacked by Taboo, who

stole a portion of her soul for arcane
purposes. Taboo was killed soon there¬
after, and the missing portion of Topaz's
soul returned to her. She subsequently
moved in with Russell and his family, and
she and Jack fell in love, but neither ever
acknowledged the extent of their feelings.
It was not long thereafter that Topaz and
Russell traveled to Transylvania to visit
one of Russell's relatives, and they came
into conflict with the master vampire
himself, Dracula (see issue #126, "The
MARVEL-Phile").

Topaz's powers began to fade after this,

and she returned to India in an attempt to
restore them. There she encountered a
sorcerer, Doctor Glitternight, who put her

into a trance and removed the "dark side"

of her soul. Topaz fainted, but later recov¬
ered to the point where at least some of
her abilities returned. Glitternight took his
portion of Topaz's soul and infused it with
black magical energy from his own body,
then transformed the whole into a beast
that would do his bidding. Topaz returned
to California with Glitternight's monster
trailing her. Upon discovering it, Jack
Russell changed into his werewolf shape
to fight and destroy the beast.

Still later, Glitternight returned and

transformed Topaz into a winged harpy¬
like being under his control. Topaz's true
personality reasserted itself, though, and
she returned to her human form. Glit¬
ternight later vanished as a result of a
mystical battle with another being.

Many months later, the demon Mephisto

transported Topaz to his dimension and
informed her that on her upcoming 21st
birthday her powers would reach their
peak. She would be so powerful, he told
her, that she would even be able to de¬
stroy Mephisto himself. As Mephisto tried
to kill her, Topaz gained full control over
her powers and unleashed energy that
ripped Mephisto apart.

Mephisto eventually reformed himself

and sent his demonic minions after Topaz.
They overpowered her and cast a spell
upon her that would remove the portion
of her soul that contained her powers,
were she ever to escape. The demons then
placed her within bedrock to imprison her
physical body. It was here that she spent
her 21st birthday.

Later, Topaz's physical body was re¬

leased by an energy outburst from an¬
other of Mephisto's captives, Franklin
Richards. The now rock-encrusted form of
Topaz made its way to Earth, where it
battled Earth's Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor
Strange. Realizing that a human was
trapped within this form, Strange released
Topaz and brought her to his home in New
York City, but she was now missing the
empathic portion of her soul, as per the
demons' spell. Topaz had trouble control¬
ling her own emotions as well, and her
sanity suffered. (It is unclear whether the
missing portion of her soul was the same
portion that Glitternight stole. There is no
clear evidence that Topaz regained the
portion that Glitternight stole, even after
Jack Russell destroyed the beast that Glit¬
ternight created with it.)

The alien sorcerer, Urthona, captured

the missing portion of her soul and sought
to use it and Topaz as part of his scheme
to kill Doctor Strange and become the
Sorcerer Supreme himself. To this end, he
contacted Topaz, showed her what he
possessed, and offered to return her soul
to her if she betrayed Doctor Strange. In
her unstable frame of mind, Topaz agreed,

72 JULY 1990

MARVEL

allowing Urthona to transport Strange's

home and all his mystical talismans to
Urthona's home planet. There, Urthona
took both Topaz and Strange's servant,
Wong, prisoner.

Strange, who was wounded in one of

Urthona's attacks, now shared the body of
the being known as Rintrah (see below)
and journeyed to Urthona's planet. During
the ensuing mystical battle, the bottle
containing Topaz's lost soul was broken,
and Topaz's powers returned to her in full.
Urthona was defeated, and Strange, Rin¬
trah, Wong, and Topaz returned to Earth.

More recently, Topaz traveled to Britain

and became involved with the mystic
Sisters of Glastonbury Tor, the descen¬
dants of those women who had cared for
King Arthur after his final confrontation
with Modred. The Sisters tried to instruct
Topaz in the use of her great powers.
Topaz has subsequently returned to New
York, the outcome of her instruction un¬
known. Whole once more, Topaz con¬
tinues to be a staunch ally of Doctor
Strange, Wong, and Rintrah.

Role-playing Notes: In your campaign.

Topaz might appear when she is on an
errand or mission for Doctor Strange.
Despite her powers, Strange would not
send her on what he considered to be an
overly dangerous mission. Topaz is not a
hero in the typical sense; she does not put
on a costume and fight villains. She is a
background character, using her mental
abilities and her healing to help others
(heroes included). She could appear and
save a dying hero, then ask for his help
with her mission.

RINTRAH™

Apprentice

F GD (10)

A GD (10)

S RM (30)

E RM (30)

R GD (10)

I EX (20)

P RM (30)

Health: 80
Karma: 60
Resources: PR (4)
Popularity: 0

POWERS: At present, Rintrah has the

ability to perform only a handful of magi¬
cal feats. He does qualify as a Disciple of
the Order School of Magic, and he has the
potential to become a great sorcerer, espe¬
cially if he remains a student of the Sor¬
cerer Supreme, Doctor Strange.

As with Roma (issue #155), Rintrah's

magical powers are given in a format
compatible with MHAC9, Realms of Magic.
If you do not own this supplement, simply
treat each spell as a mystical Power oper¬
ating at the same rank.

Mastery Level: Disciple of the Order

School of Magic

Personal

Alteration—Appearance: Remarkable

(30).

Astral Projection: Good (10).

Shield—Individual: Excellent (20).

Universal

Eldritch Bolts (Bolt of Bedevilment):

Excellent (20).

Dimensional

Dimensional Aperture: Excellent (20).

HISTORY: Rintrah is a sentient, other¬

dimensional being who is sensitive to the
presence of magical forces and has the
potential to become a powerful sorcerer.
Through unknown circumstances, Rintrah
became the apprentice of the other dimen¬
sional sorcerer known as Enitharmon the
Weaver. It was during this time that Doc¬
tor Strange first encountered Rintrah.
Strange took his magical Cloak of Levita¬
tion, which had been damaged in battle, to
be repaired by Enitharmon. After the
repairs were made, Enitharmon bade
Rintrah to return Strange's cloak to him,
back on Earth.

Rintrah encountered Strange not long

after Strange's body had been gravely
wounded by a servant of the alien sor¬
cerer, Urthona. Rintrah returned the cloak
and gave his permission for Strange's
astral form (as per the spell) to enter his
body. The two consciousnesses now shar¬
ing Rintrah's body took Strange's own
healing body, borrowed a starship from
Reed Richards, and traveled to Urthona's
planet. Here, Rintrah/Strange battled and
defeated Urthona, thereby releasing his
captives, Wong and Topaz. They all then
returned to Earth.

Rintrah subsequently accompanied

Strange on a few of his exploits, then
returned to Enitharmon. Recently, how¬
ever, Rintrah has returned to Earth and
has asked Strange to take him on as an
apprentice. Strange agreed, and Rintrah
has taken up residence in Strange's home
in New York City.

Role-playing Notes: Rintrah would

most likely appear in a campaign accompa¬
nied by Doctor Strange or while on a
mission for his mentor. Rintrah is the type
of being who might well bite off more
than he could chew with regard to villains.
Somewhat headstrong, he could get him¬
self into a situation where he might need
help from the heroes. He's not afraid to
mix it up in melee; his Strength serves him
well in this instance.

One other item of interest is the fact that

The Gamer’s Handbook to the MARVEL
UNIVERSE, Vol. 6, should be in your stores
by the time you read this. Pick it up and
get lots of new characters and updates of
some of your old favorites.

That's it for now. If you have any com¬

ments or suggestions for this column, send
them to: The MARVEL-Phile, DRAGON
Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI
53147, U.S.A.

MARVEL SUPER HEROES is a trademark of the

Marvel Entertainment Group, inc. All Marvel charac¬
ters, names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof
are trademarks of the Marvel Entertainment Group,
Inc. ©1990 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All
Rights Reserved.

DRAGON 73
RHYTHM WARRIORS

Martial arts
beyond Kara-TUr:

the battle dancer

by Joseph M. Ravilti

- ^Tv-i
©LJIiaER-10

IM),

if'%

74 JULY 1990

Artwork by Ronald Wilber

Many players brought into an AD&D®

1st Edition Oriental Adventures campaign

will never again accept a game world
without martial arts. After playing a monk
or a kensai, players see combat without
consideration for sophisticated techniques
as stumble-bum affairs. As a result, some
DMs use all of the Oriental Adventures
character classes in every imagined world
and country, not merely the Kara-Tur
setting or its equivalent. However, there is
an alternative. Characters can go to a
wholly different continent having nothing
of an Oriental nature, yet still having
martial arts —but martial arts of a unique
nature. A study of real-world history
yields examples of systematized fighting
styles worthy of comparison to the Asian
methods yet completely independent in
origin. Perhaps the best example comes
out of Africa, by way of South America.
During the colonial era, many black
slaves escaped from Portuguese masters in
Brazil to form communities hidden in the
jungle. To defend themselves against white
pursuers or hostile Indians, the former
slaves developed a style of fighting based
on the combat methods of their African
ancestors. This came to be known as
capoeira (pronounced cop-WAY-rah), and
its practitioners are capoeiristas. A new
NPC class is offered here, based on the
capoeiristas (whose art is still practiced
today) but using the simpler name of bat-
tle dancer.

The most distinctive features of capoeira

are its highly acrobatic nature (including
handsprings and spinning like a top on
one's head) and the fact that all its tech¬
niques are learned and practiced to
music—music that has served to pass along
the oral traditions of the displaced Afri¬
cans who devised the system. Regardless
of whether or not battle dancers are con¬
ceived of as living anything like the
fugitive-slave existence of the original
capoeiristas, this cultural flavor and a
strong sense of community solidarity are
essential to the class.

To make a quasi-African zero-level NPC

into a battle dancer, there must be a ca¬
poeira circle for his training. This circle
consists of five or more battle dancers
standing in a ring, simultaneously demon¬
strating movements and singing capoeira
songs, while close at hand are two or
more other persons (who can; at need, be
noncombatant members of their commu¬
nity) playing musical instruments. The
capoeira circle not only provides training
but can (as will be described later) confer
on its participants a sort of collective
magical-clerical ability. This gives the
battle dancers' villages a fighting chance of
survival in a world that ruthlessly de¬
mands the use of spells to deal with some
perils, yet without having any of the famil¬
iar spell-casting types present. In this way,
normal PC types are just as strange to the
battle dancers as the battle dancers are to
the PCs. At the same time, though their
survival as a group is promoted, no single

battle-dancer character is outrageously

unbeatable.
When creating the tropical territory in
which far-traveling PCs can encounter
battle dancers, it is suggested that any one
battle-dancer village be part of a confeder¬
ation of three or more such villages, and
that there be several separate confedera¬
tions in the region. If there are cities in the
area, there could be some urbanized battle
dancers as well.

Note that battle dancers can serve both

as warriors and spell-casters, but they are
not as flexible as the specialized classes
can be. In a capoeira culture, almost no
other classes will be found. It is possible
that a capoeira culture having contact
with other parts of the world might find
its old ways eroding under the influence
of the outside world, with some hostility
between the generations that practice
either the battle-dancing ways or the
"new" and more specialized ways.

Battle dancer statistics

A battle dancer must have a strength of

not less than 14, a dexterity not less than
14, a constitution not less than 12, and a
combined intelligence and wisdom not less
than 17. Any charisma score is allowable,
but an individual with charisma lower
than 8 will never rise above 9th level. A
battle dancer gains no bonus for excep¬
tional ability scores, nor can he ever have
a second class. Table 1 shows most of the
relevant information on the class's abili¬
ties. This class is patterned after the monk
of the 1st Edition Players Handbook.

Battle dancers have six-sided hit dice,

with two dice at 1st level. Those of this
class must be human, and they use the
combat and saving-throw tables of fight¬
ers. Weapons usable by them are axes
(hand), blowguns, clubs, daggers, darts,
javelins, knives, spears, swords (one-
handed), and any sort of stick (bo or jo) or
staff. Oil and poison cannot be used as
weapons. One weapon is learned at 1st
level (with a new weapon gained every
two levels thereafter), and a nonprofi¬
ciency penalty of - 3 applies to the use of
unfamiliar weapons. Though they do not
use armor, they can use shields, but while
doing so they forfeit the use of their spe¬
cial unarmed attacks. Any magical weapon
or shield can be used by a battle dancer
within the above restrictions, as well as
any magical item that can be used by any
character class and (as is described later)
certain magical musical instruments.

Due to their wilderness life, these char¬

acters must choose their first four non¬
weapon proficiencies gained at 1st level
from the lists in either Oriental Adven¬
tures (page 15, under "jungle barbarians,"
excluding armorer, chanting, dancing, and
music) or the Wilderness Survival Guide
(page 12, excluding charioteering, moun¬
taineering, riding, and cold or desert sur¬
vival). All proficiencies chosen must be
appropriate to the campaign environment.
One new nonweapon proficiency is earned

for every two levels after the 1st.

The majority of battle dancers are of

neutral-good alignment: morally good
because the survival value of cooperation
has taught them to cherish love and loy¬
alty; philosophically neutral because, while
a hatred for slavery inclines them away
from excessive lawfulness, the discipline
of capoeira equally inclines them away
from chaos. No battle dancer can be of an
evil alignment, as slavery, woe, and treach¬
ery are opposed to all of a battle dancer's
beliefs.

Just as monks gain special abilities with

advances in rank, so do battle dancers
acquire abilities relating to the power of
music. They improve in movement speed
and inherent armor class much as monks
do, and they inflict increasing amounts of
damage (to human-size foes only) with
their fists and feet. Because capoeira dif¬
fers from any fighting method that most
characters will have ever seen, its practi¬
tioners have a chance to completely sur¬
prise opponents with their handspringing
kicks, flying takedowns, and other move¬
ments (see Table 2). Monks, ninja, and
sohei have less chance than others of
being thus surprised, and no such person
will be caught off-guard by battle dancers
more than once.

The surprise attack against a non-battle

dancer foe is rolled for at the start of
combat, regardless of which antagonist is
the aggressor—unless the combat began
with a successful surprise attack by the
non-battle dancer foe. In that case, the
battle dancer will get his chance at the
very start of the second round. A success¬
ful attack for the battle dancer means that
his opponent automatically suffers the
maximum damage that the battle dancer is
able to deliver by kick or punch (unless
the opponent's armor class is 4 or. better,
in which case a normal damage roll is
made). Thereafter, the battle dancer can
either break off and retreat, or else make
a regular attack at + 1 to hit probability
before the opponent can act again.

Battle dancers have many special abili¬

ties. These include the following:

They can perform the martial-arts spe¬

cial maneuver Instant Stand automatically,
a talent that takes up no special-maneuver
slot and can be performed at any level (see
Oriental Adventures, page 104).

They can each sing, dance, and play 1-2

musical instruments, as per the appropri¬
ate nonweapon proficiencies, well enough
to earn a modest living as an entertainer
in a city.

In brawls involving no weapons, a battle

dancer's adversary does not gain attack
initiative if he charges to attack. Also,
while brawling, the battle dancer gains a
+ 2 bonus to his armor class against un¬
armed combatants, thanks to acrobatics.

The traditional songs of the capoeira

culture, describing the exploits of gods,
goddesses, and heroes, have beneficial
effects on members of this class. Any
battle dancer hearing these songs sung by

DRAGON 75

a colleague of 6th level or higher will be

immune to all fear for the duration of the
singing.

The radius in which a battle dancer's

singing or instrument playing has a benefi¬
cial effect on others of this class equals 10'
per level of the singer or musician. The
battle dancer's voice will carry beyond this
radius, but special abilities such as those
listed here are more limited in effect.

A 2nd-level battle dancer (Handstander),

while hearing the singing of a 6th- or
higher-level colleague, gains a +2 on sav¬
ing throws against psionic blasts and all
enchantment/charm spells and those
powers involving mental control.

A 3rd-level Handwalker, hearing ca¬

poeira songs sung by a 6th-level battle
dancer, gains the same benefits he would
gain from a chant spell. The chant spell
can work cumulatively with the capoeira
song after a one-round delay in which the
battle dancer who is singing adapts his
song to blend with the cleric's chanting.

A 4th level Handspringer is immune to

harpy songs and the bards musical charm.
Also (due to their skills at team actions), if
two or more 4th- or higher-level battle
dancers fight side by side, each gets a + 1
bonus in armor class.

At 5th level, a Headspinner can move

silently, hide in shadows, and hear noises
as a lst-level thief; these abilities progress
with rank. Also, if two or three battle
dancers of this level or higher team up
against a single opponent (which battle
dancers of good alignment will not do
unless the necessity is great), one member
of this team per round (selected randomly)
gains an extra attack.

A 6th-level Rhythm Warrior is able to

benefit lower-level brethren by his sing¬
ing, as previously noted; however, he
cannot do so while personally engaged in
melee. It is also at 6th level that he be¬
comes able to give qualified zero-level
characters the instruction in music and
movement that will turn them into lst-
level battle dancers. Moreover, the
Rhythm Warrior can handle a magical
bardic instrument without suffering harm
and, given 2-7 days to study such an in¬
strument, has a 15% chance of being able
to use it as a bard might. (This chance goes
up another 15% with each level gained, so
that a 9th-level battle dancer is 60% likely
to master any musical magic item he ac¬
quires.) Finally, the Rhythm Warrior is
surprised only on a 1 in 6.

The Dancing Warrior, level 7, receives

chant spell benefits when he hears any
music not of a definitely hostile nature. If
his fellows are singing, regardless of their
levels, the Dancing Warrior gains double
the chant benefit from hearing them.

The Singing Warrior, level 8, is able to

sing with benefit to all colleagues while he
is fighting, and he can be heard even
through a magical silence spell or effect.

The 9th-level Music Warrior enjoys a

special importance in the capoeira hierar¬
chy. For a 5th-level battle dancer to make

the passage to 6th level, he must spend a

day having his musical skills examined by
a 9th- or higher-level battle dancer. There
is a 10% chance for every wisdom point of
the candidate less than 18 that the Music
Warrior will have to give an extra 1-8 days
of musical coaching before the candidate
is promoted.

The Contra-Master, level 10, acquires an

added point of charisma upon reaching
this rank. He cannot now be surprised
except by opponent using magical spells or
powers such as teleportation or ethereal¬
ness. Also, any 1st- or 2nd-level battle
dancer who observes a Contra-Master
serving as a practice sparring-partner for
a Master (lOth-level or above) will enjoy a
10% bonus on any experience points he
may earn in the following week.

The llth-level Master of Equilibrium is

immune to all mental attacks (including all
enchantment/charm spells, possessions,
and attempts at mind reading, mind con¬
trol, and psionic assault), as long as he or
another Master is singing. If another battle
dancer or a noncombatant member of
their community has been charmed, hyp¬
notized, etc., the Master's song will act as a
dispel magic against this influence. Fur¬
thermore, the Master can know alignment
of any being heard singing—regardless of
such disguising powers as misdirection or
aura alteration.

The 12th-level Uncle of Masters (a fe¬

male holding this rank would be called
Mother, not Aunt, since these titles derive
from the matrilineal system of many Afri¬
can cultures) is immune to all death magic
(including the monk's quivering palm) as
long as he or a colleague of Master rank is
singing. Also, the Uncle of Masters is able
to teach allied non-battle dancers to sing
capoeira songs well enough to confer
benefits on battle-dancer listeners. Such
teaching takes a number of weeks equal to
30 minus the student's wisdom score.
The Great-Uncle (or Grandmother) of
Masters, level 13, gains an overall 25%
magic resistance from sheer will-force as
long as any battle dancer can be heard
singing or playing a musical instrument.
Moreover, if any mortal character of evil
alignment uses ESP or telepathy on the
Great-Uncle of Masters, the innate grace¬
fulness and beauty of the mind being read
will require the mind-reader to save vs.
spells or change alignment to that of the
Great-Uncle. (Evil extraplanar creatures
reading a Great-Uncle's mind will not
change alignment, but they will temporar¬
ily forget their evil intentions, initiating no
hostilities for 2-5 rounds.)

Combat skills: When a battle dancer

ranks high enough to make more than one
attack per round, the number of attacks
made is the same whether he uses a
weapon or not. If a shield is also used, no
unarmed techniques can be used and the
battle dancer's number of attacks must be
referenced on the table at the top of the
next column:

Battle

dancer’s

level

1-5

6-10

11 + 11 +

Weapon
attacks per
melee round

1/1

3/2

2/1

When armed but shieldless, the character

can choose how many of his attacks will
employ his weapon and how many will
employ a foot, fist, or elbow. If an armed
but shieldless battle dancer is fighting
humanoid foes only, then once in any
combat, after two rounds of using only
unarmed attacks, the battle dancer can
make a feint with his weapon (causing no
damage), followed by an unarmed attack
that enjoys a +4 bonus to hit because of
the feint, If this sneak attack succeeds, it
does double normal damage and can be
followed up with a weapon attack at +2
to hit against the foe. Monks, ninja, and
sohei are less susceptible to this strategy,
so the unarmed portion of the above tactic
has a +2 to-hit bonus and does only nor¬
mal damage, while the armed follow-up
has but a + 1 bonus to hit.

Rising in rank: There is less exclusiv¬

ity and conflict involved in battle-dancer
level gains than in those for monks. Up
through level 9, there is no limit on how
many characters may hold each rank. The
only limit on the number of Contra-
Masters (level 10) is that, in any one ca¬
poeira culture, the number of Masters of
Equilibrium (level 11) cannot exceed the
number of Contra-Masters, lest a Master
be without a Contra-Master sparring part¬
ner to keep him in practice. This is impor¬
tant, because a major function of Contra-
Masters in the capoeira culture is to keep
Masters in mental and physical condition.
Any Master who fails to work out with a
Contra-Master at least one a week while
not adventuring will gain only one-half
normal experience credit for the next
adventure he undertakes. A Master who
passes a full year without working out or
adventuring—not counting the ordinary
hunting of common game —will drop a
level in rank.

Thus, if a community has Masters and

Contra-Masters in equal number, any
promotion-eligible Contra-Masters will just
have to wait until two or more Music
Warriors climb to Contra-Master rank,
unless there exists another capoeira com¬
munity of friendly alignment that has an
extra Contra-Master available for transfer.
For this reason, many Contra-Masters will
take Music Warriors out on frequent ad¬
ventures so that one Music Warrior, rising
to fill a Contra-Master's post, will free that
Contra-Master to seek his own promotion
to Master. In such a case, the former Mu¬
sic Warrior usually becomes the sparring
partner of the former Contra-Master who
helped him to rise in rank.

The promotion from Contra-Master to

Master involves combat, but no one is
demoted thereby. In fact, it is not against
the Master of Equilibrium that the Contra-

76 JULY 1990

Master fights, but against any of these

combinations of opponents, in order of
preference: two fellow Contra-Masters, in
immediate succession; one fellow Contra-
Master, followed by fighting two Singing
Warriors simultaneously after a brief rest;
or a Singing Warrior and two Dancing
Warriors simultaneously on one day, fol¬
lowed by fighting two Music Warriors in
immediate succession the next day. These
combats are fought unarmed and to the
accompaniment of capoeira music (per¬
formed by Masters where possible) from
which both sides draw benefit. Damage is
treated as subdual damage, not killing
damage. Once the would-be Master has
passed the trial by combat, he spends 2-5
days composing an original capoeira song
(a creative opportunity for any DM with
musical or poetic talent). Upon performing
this song for the community and teaching
it to enough people to use it in a capoeira
circle, the character is initiated as a Mas¬
ter of Equilibrium.

The promotion to Uncle/Mother of Mas¬

ters is conducted in a somewhat more
monklike fashion. There can be only one
active Uncle of Masters in any capoeira
community. The eligible Master fights the
reigning Uncle (as with monkish promo¬
tion, the challenger here temporarily
acquires powers equal to the incumbent).
If the challenger loses, he drops in experi¬
ence points to the minimum number for a
Master of Equilibrium. If the challenger
defeats the Uncle of Masters, the loser
does not drop in rank, but the defeated
Uncle of Master must do one of three
things, as decided by the victorious new
Uncle of Masters. First, he can go into
semi-retirement, occupied mainly with
noncombatant activities like song compos¬
ing. (In this case, the defeated Uncle's
fighting ability will drop one level after a
year, and another level every six months
thereafter; but if and when the successor
Uncle goes on to achieve the topmost rank
in capoeira, the ex-Uncle, if less than 60
years old, can resume normal activity and
work upward in level again). Second, he
can leave the community, accompanied
only by two or three high-level followers
and their families, to found a new settle¬
ment not less than two days' travel away.
Third, he can remain in the old settlement
with a similar handful of companions (plus
anyone unfit for travel), while the new
Uncle of Masters leads the majority of the
villagers away to found a new community
in some desirable location.

The Great-Uncle/Grandmother of Mas¬

ters is like the monkish Grand Master of
Flowers in that there can be only one
holder of this title per region. However,
the highly artistic and fraternal nature of
capoeira makes it feel inappropriate to
decide possession of the top rank merely
by the outcome of a slugfest. Two alter¬
nate methods of filling the position are
suggested, both operating on the assump¬
tion that the Great-Uncle holds lifetime
tenure and that a contest for this rank can

Table 1

Battle Dancer Experience and Skills

6-sided

Inherent

No. of

Unarmed

Experience

Level

Title

hit dice

AC

Move

attacks

damage

points
1

Tumbler

14"

1-3

0-2,500

Handstander

15"

1-4

2,501-4,750

Handwalker

16"

1-6

4,751-9,000

Handspringer

17"

5/4
2-8

9,001-17,500

Headspinner

18"

5/4

2-12

17,501-40,000

Rhythm Warrior

19"

4/3

2-16

40,001-80,000

Dancing Warrior

20"

4/3

4-16

80,001-160,000

Singing Warrior

9
6

21"

3/2

3-18

160,001-320,000

Music Warrior

10

22"

2-20

320,001-600,000

10

Contra-Master

11

24"

5/2

3-24

600,001-900,000

11

Master of

Equilibrium

12

25"

4-24

900,001-1,200,000
12

Uncle/Mother
of Masters

13

26"

3-20

1,200,001-2,000,000

13

Great-Uncle/

Grandmother of Masters

14

27"

9/2

4-32

2,000,001+

Table 2

Surprise Attack Success Probability

vs. non-martial-

vs. non-martial-

vs. ninja, sohei,

vs. ninja, sohei.

artist who never

artist who has

or monk of

or monk of
Level of

saw capoeira

seen capoeira

same or

of higher

battle dancer

combat before

once before

lower level

level

2 %

0%

0 %

0%

5 %

0%

0%

0 %

10%

1%

0 %

0 %

15%

5%

0 %
0%

25%

10%

1%

0%

35%

20%

5%

0%

45%

30%

10%

1%

55%

40%

15%

5%

65%

50%

20%

10%

10

80%

65%

25%
15%

11

90%

75%

30%

20%

12

95%

85%

35%

25%

13

99%

90%

40%

30%

DRAGON 77

occur only when he dies or retires:

1. All candidates are told by their gods in

a vision to undertake some quest benefi¬
cial to the order of battle dancers as a
whole. The one who best fulfills the mis¬
sion becomes the Great-Uncle/Grand¬
mother of Masters. As all battle dancers
are NPCs, the DM can decide the winner
of this contest with a single die roll. Sim¬
pler yet, just arbitrarily create a character
who is assumed to have accomplished the
quest or will meet the PCs as he is pursu¬
ing it.

2. All candidates must compose new

capoeira songs, to be judged by the old
Great-Uncle (if living) or by an assembly of
all Masters of Equilibrium; the best song
earns the promotion. This would be very
much in the capoeira spirit. Again, if com¬
pressing the process is desirable, one die
roll or DM's fiat would settle the contest.

The capoeira circle

What follows is a typical set of capoeira-

circle spell-like powers, which the DM
may modify from one confederation or
alignment to another:

If the leader of a capoeira circle is of

Rhythm Warrior level or above, the songs
of that circle can, once a day, render a
nonmagical weapon temporarily able to
damage weapon-resistant monsters. This
weapon will gain no to-hit or damage
bonuses, but it can hurt all monsters re¬

gardless of the magical bonuses usually

required to hit them. The duration of this
power in combat is a number of rounds
equal to the experience level of the circle's
leader, plus the number of other battle
dancers who joined in singing over the
weapon. If not used immediately, the
weapon will hold its special power for a
time equal to the circle leader's charisma
times 12 hours. A circle with a Master
leading can empower two weapons per
day; with an Uncle of Masters, a weapon
can remain empowered for twice as long
as usual; and a Great-Uncle of Masters can,
over his lifetime, permanently empower a
number of weapons equal to his wisdom
score. (The DM can decide whether the
song-enchanted weapons will work
equally well for all wielders or for only
battle dancers.)

With a Dancing Warrior or above as

leader, the circle can cast (once each per
day) a "half-strength" version of cure
disease and neutralize poison spells —that
is, the victim's life will be saved, but he
will need time to recuperate. With a
Contra-Master or above as leader, these
spell effects will be of full clerical quality.

With a Singing Warrior or above as

leader, the circle can cast remove curse
and control weather.

With a Music Warrior or above as leader,

dispel magic can be cast.

With a Contra-Master or above, strength

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Stockists of:

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can be cast on all in the circle.

With a Master leading, dispel evil, exor¬

cise , heal, and tongues spells can be cast.
Once a year, with an Uncle of Masters
leading, the circle can invoke the direct
aid of some powerful creature such as a
lammasu or baku. With a Great-Uncle of
Masters, the ceremony can be done twice
a year.

Battle dancers and nthers

If player characters of non-Oriental

types happen upon battle dancers, they
should not find these NPCs too terribly
astonishing—at least, not if they've ever
seen thief-acrobats before. But Oriental
Adventure types may be very taken aback
by them—not because of their surprise
attacks or techniques, but because —
realizing battle dancers to be a kind of
martial artist—Oriental-type characters
will expect battle dancers to act like deni¬
zens of Kara-Tur . . . and the battle
dancers will not do so.

Members of the capoeira culture, even

ones of lawful alignment, are cheerfully
indifferent to many of an Oriental charac¬
ter's concerns for honor and "face." In
particular, a samurai's readiness to commit
seppuku will strike battle dancers as ridicu¬
lous, since a man who throws away his
own life is depriving family and friends of
his help and protection. And an Oriental
character who tries to engage a battle
dancer in a psychic duel is likely to achieve
no greater result than having the battle
dancer ask him, "Are you feeling ill?"

Whether visited by "Eastern" or "West¬

ern" player characters, these "Third
World" martial artists should serve to lend
color to a far-ranging campaign—and force
adventuring parties to stay on their toes,
or else land on their backs. Cl

Pulling a “Con” Job

Continued from page 70

As a final note, naming conventions is

actually a form of poetry. Like the sonnet
and haiku, convention names are wonder¬
ful because of the information which can
be expressed within such strict limitations.
I personally admire names such as PELI-
CON, CON-FUSION, CON-TEMPLATION,
and especially GENGHIS-CON. Our Table
Gaming Club decided to flatter the Powers
That Be and name our convention UMF-
CON, for the University of Maine in Far¬
mington. Function triumphs over form
once more.

I want to thank Lori Buck, Michael Grif-

fen, Elizabeth Mauzy, Michael McDonald,
Randy Carsten, Martin Meader, Linda
White, Jeannine Petriel, and the rest of the
Table Gaming Club for figuring all this out,
and Peter Rice's Maine Wargamers Associ¬
ation for bringing MAINE-CON to UMF.
Thanks also to Lonnie Barnett of TRI-
STATE-CON and to Keith Polster of
BOARSHEAD MID-SUMMER REVEL for
outside advice. C2

78 J ULY 1990

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Also available from Rafm Company Inc.:

DRAGON 79

Sunrunners, Wolf walkers, and one-eyed rats

REDWALL

Brian Jacques

Avon 0-380-70827-2 $4.50

One of the two bookstores I visit most

often keeps Redwall in the science-fiction/
fantasy section; the other has it shelved
with the children's books. Either choice is
defensible. Author Brian Jacques has
written the sort of novel that can be read
either as a memorable bedtime story or as
a wise and adventurous epic with surpris¬
ing and understated maturity.

Redwall Abbey is a medieval country

gathering place, home, and cultural center
for those living for miles around. In Jac¬
ques' world, it's quite unremarkable that
its proprietors are mice, that a badger is
its chief security officer, or that a variety
of other small woodland creatures look to
Redwall for sanctuary and protection.

That protection is tested severely, how-

©1990 by John C. Bunnell

ever, when a fearsome troop of invaders

arrives under the leadership of Cluny the
Scourge, a huge one-eyed rat whose tail is
tipped with a poison-treated steel barb.
Only the restless young Matthias is able to
rouse Redwall to mount a defense, and
only Matthias may be able to track down a
legendary sword which may be instru¬
mental in Cluny's defeat.

Jacques successfully treads a razor-thin

balance in portraying his animal charac¬
ters, treating them all as people while not
losing the flavor of their animal natures.
Asmodeus the serpent, Basil the hare, and
white owl Captain Snow are especially
distinctive, and Jacques' frenzied charac¬
terization of a loft full of sparrows is
neatly contrasted with the relatively placid
abbey below. And unlike many writers of
animal literature, he has a sure grasp of
his characters' relative sizes, giving his
battles a startlingly authentic feel.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the one weak

point is the apparent connection between
Matthias and a long-ago mouse known as
Martin the Warrior whose tapestry por¬
trait hangs in Redwall. The link is vague at
best, and the riddle-poem that sends Mat¬
thias in search of the missing sword relies
on an implausible, forced anagram for
much of its impact. But this single tenuous
thread isn't significant enough to unravel
Jacques' otherwise extraordinary weaving.
Redwall offers one of the best animals-eye
views of a world I've seen in quite some
time, and it offers younger readers an
ideal bridge between Tolkien's The Hobbit
and the realms of so-called "adult" fantasy.

SUNRUNNER’S FIRE

Melanie Rawn

DAW 0-88677-403-9 $4.95

The third massive book in Melanie

Rawn's "Dragon Prince" series presents a
real problem. Others have noted, cor¬
rectly, that the Dragon Prince novels are
obsessed with complexity and are longer
on hand-wringing than they are on adven¬
ture. But Sunrunner’s Fire accomplishes
one feat that almost makes it required
reading: It transforms one of Rawn's major
characters from nominal protagonist to
full-fledged villain in completely believable
fashion.

The individual in question is the Sunrun-

ner lord Andry, who has spent most of the
first two novels firmly in the camp of High
Prince Rohan and his twice-mageborn son
Pol. Sunrunner’s Fire finds Andry becom¬
ing more and more involved in translating
a unique scroll of ancient magical lore, and
increasingly haunted by images of a war-
torn future that only he seems able to
perceive. Andry's passionate drive to pre¬
vent his visions from coming true leads
him to launch a campaign to wipe out his
sorcerous opposition—but zeal rises to
obscure his judgment, and the sweep
turns into a deadly pattern of persecution
that may bring about the very disaster
Andry originally sought to avoid.

The transformation would be more

compelling if it weren't buried among at
least two other major plots. Unfortunately,
Andry's fall is crowded to one side by
Prince Pol's assumption of real political
importance and by the intricate under-

80 JULY 1990

cover maneuvering of the Stoneburner

faction that is the Sunrunners' rival in
sorcery. While Andry is hardly the only
well-constructed character in the novel, he
is certainly the most distinctive, and it's
frustrating to watch him being upstaged
by events and authorial emphasis.

Thus the dilemma. Rawn's series can't be

effectively picked up in midstream, so it's
necessary to wade through some 1500
pages of lush but undistinguished narra¬
tive to get the full effect of Andry's meta¬
morphosis. (No, I am not exaggerating.)
That's entirely too much to ask of any but
the most voracious readers, which makes
it impossible to recommend Sunrunner's
Fire and its predecessors as a whole. But
Rawn's character-crafting ability is like¬
wise too good not to deserve notice in this
case. A DM who could pull the same trick
with an NPC would score a spectacular
coup for his campaign. Gamers are there¬
fore informed—and warned: Read Rawn at
your own risk.

WOLFWALKER
Tara K. Harper

Del Rey 0-345-36539-9 $3.95

I've now lost all opportunity to be first in

my high school graduating class to have a
novel published—Tara K. Harper has
beaten me to it with Wolfwalker. On bal¬
ance, though, I can't complain, not about a
book that smoothly combines familiar
premises with a convincing knowledge of
woodcraft and wilderness.

The clearest parallel is to the Elfquest

cycle, as both that series and Harper's
novel focus on intimate telepathic bonds
between their protagonists and powerful
wolves. But the wolf walkers of Asengar
are human and extremely rare, and the
wolves of Asengar feel a touch less hu¬
manized than their counterparts in

Elfquest lore. There's a vague resonance

with Anne McCaffrey's tales of Pern, since
Asengar also appears to be a lost or aban¬
doned colony world where humanity
coexists with peculiar predators (worlags
and badgerbears) and six-legged riding
beasts.

McCaffrey lends a testimonial quote to

the novels cover that accurately captures
the tone of the tale. Aside from a brief and
dangerous foray into a trading city, most
of the tale takes place along the route of a
desperate chase in which the roles of
pursuers and pursued regularly change
hands. There's a hair-raising whitewater
rapids sequence, a trek up a sheer cliff,
several captures and near-captures, and
the terrain ranges from broad plains to
thick forests to snowbound mountains.
And throughout, woodlore and outdoors-
manship are emphasized in a fashion that
projects authenticity without lecturing.
But if the novel maintains a solid sense
of adventure and pace, it leaves an occa¬
sionally unsettling puzzlement behind.
Harper's wide-ranging geography is some¬
times difficult to follow, especially without
an accompanying map, and stretches
credibility in a tale that limits its charac¬
ters to no better than mounted travel. Her
nomenclature occasionally defies logic;
most names seem entirely made up, with
two specific exceptions: a Pacific North¬
west Indian tribal reference (Celilo), and a
perfectly ordinary 20th-century name
(Gunther). And most peculiar is healer-
heroine Dion's abrupt comprehension of
cellular biology when she finally achieves
mastery of a long-lost psychic healing
technique.

The inconsistencies, however, aren't

enough to cost Wolfwalker its appeal.
Between the familiar-sounding nature lore
balanced against a faraway narrative lilt,
and an amiably drawn if slightly ragged
cast of adventurers, Tara Harper's novel is
a thoroughly intriguing effort—and a real
boon to referees looking for ways to spice
up a wilderness setting, whether in an
AD&D® game campaign or a low-tech SF
milieu.

INTO THE SHADOWS

Jordan K. Weisman, ed.

FASA 1-55560-118-9 $5.95

Two warnings going in: I have had only a

very brief look at FASA's SFiADOWRUN™
game on which this anthology is based;
also, the broadly (and increasingly
vaguely) defined realm of cyberpunk SF is
not one of my major interests. This anthol¬
ogy, though, caught my eye for two rea¬
sons. First, as a native Northwesterner, I'm
naturally interested in an RPG campaign
set in my own metaphorical backyard.
Second, the anthology is amazingly well
produced for its price, with 11 crisp full-
page illustrations and nine stories packed
into an attractive large-format paperback.

The limited biographical data included

says that one contributor lives in Virginia
and another on Long Island. That's appar¬

ently typical, because none of the stories

uses more than minimal local color from
the Pacific Northwest. As far as this vol¬
ume is concerned, the game might as well
be set in San Francisco or Los Angeles.
Geography and place names are ade¬
quately researched, but any sense of re¬
gional personality is missing. The
phenomenon extends to the art, which
(except for the stylized Indian-totem "S" of
the SHADOWRUN game's logo) highlights
the cyberpunk and fantasy aspects of the
narrative rather than drawing on North¬
west traditions and culture.

On their own merits, the stories range

from average to distinctive, with a reason¬
able balance between rapid-fire teamwork
action and lone-wolf suspense. On balance,
the better work is in the latter category,
with solid contributions from Nyx Smith
and Lorelei Shannon concerning a driven
shapechanger and an eccentric "decker"
(Shadowrun's word for mind-to-mind
computer hackers). Smiths "Striper" is
particularly absorbing, with value for
anyone looking for a tiger's-eye view of
lycanthropy, though its entirely appropri-,
ate use of Tolkien's "Uruk-hai" may have
been unwise. Best of the team-oriented
tales are Michael Stackpole's "It's All Done
With Mirrors," with solid character inter¬
play and a spectacular climax, and Ken St.
Andre's "Turtle in the Tower," which fea¬
tures a better-than-average treatment of
tarot-style fortunetelling.

The background information is well

presented, with enough to establish the
flavor yet not so much as to remove the
mystery and tension. Jargon is kept either
minimal or intuitive (I had no trouble
figuring out what "Mr. Johnson" meant,
for instance). But the book doesn't quite
work as the "braided anthology" described
on the cover copy. Robert Charrette's
opening story works on its own, but not as
a setup for what follows; thereafter, only
the Smith and Stackpole entries seem to
connect successfully.

DRAGON 81

Still, Into the Shadows is a smooth and

crisply executed introduction to the SHA-
DOWRUN universe. Gamers curious about
the system's flavor will be well satisfied,
and the production values make the collec¬
tion a striking value in its class.

CROMM

Kenneth C. Flint

Doubleday 0-385-26749-5 $19.95

(hardcover)

Doubleday 0-385-26750-9 $8.95

(trade paper)

I have letters in my files about Kenneth

Flint, whose work I hadn't read since one of
his early novels rubbed me the wrong way.
So when Cromm came along, it seemed only
fair to give him a chance to live up to my
correspondents' accolades. Unfortunately, it
didn't happen-but keep in mind that this
new novel is contemporary horror (or "dark
fantasy"), rather than the Irish mythic his¬
tory for which Flint is better known, so
Cromm’s problems may not be typical of
Flint's other work.

Not that the ground is entirely

unfamiliar —Flint draws on Irish lore for
the title character, an ancient, apparently
pre-Celtic creature whose cult practices
blood sacrifice and whose followers are
pursuing California-born Colin McMahon
for reasons that Colin himself doesn't
completely understand. It seems that Colin
is the reincarnation of a Celtic warrior
who dealt Cromm a crushing defeat many
centuries past, and Cromm's forces are out
to prevent a repeat performance.

Also caught up in the plot are Gilla De-

cair, an elusive, perhaps immortal wizard
who just may be one of the Tuatha de
Danann; Megan Conroy, the apparent
reincarnation of Colin's predecessor's one
true love; and St. Patrick, whose spiritual
power is essential to Cromm's ultimate
destruction. Propelled unpredictably by
Gilla, events skip back and forth between
waking dreams of Colin's earlier life and
his efforts to prevent Cromm from spread¬
ing his reborn cult beyond the bounds of a
remote Irish village.

Yet for all the time-jumping, the narra¬

tive feels inevitably linear, with no real
twists or unexpected incidents separating
point A from point B. At the same time,
the internal logic is hard to unravel com¬
pletely. Flint's tale has Cromm, Gilla, and
Patrick all wielding real mystic powers,
which makes for puzzling cosmology by
20th-century standards.

Most seriously, though, Cromm suffers

from a peculiar schizophrenic blandness.
The dream sequences are acceptable, if a
bit thin, as high fantasy, but not sufficient
to dominate the yarn. The present-day
material is darker but just as thin—it
doesn't induce the sort of tension or fear
needed to make the tale work as horror,
and it's focused too narrowly on Colin to
sustain the atmosphere required to make
it work as "dark fantasy." The various
elements cancel each other out to produce

a mood best described as forgettable.

Again, this isn't an indictment of Flint's

work as a whole; all indications from
Cromm support those who have enjoyed
his heroic fantasy. But I'd guess that those
fans may find this new tale something of a
disappointment, and horror devotees will
find better pickings elsewhere.

DRAGONDOOM

Dennis L. McKiernan
Bantam 0-553-28337-5 $4.50

This book surprised me—not by being

especially good, but by being noticeably
better than I expected. Longtime readers
may recall that Dennis McKiernan's Iron
Tower trilogy is near the top of the short
list of books I actively encourage people
not to read (mostly since anyone who's
read Tolkien has read them already). Dra-
gondoom is still set in McKiernan's highly
derivative world of Mithgar, but at last he's
developed a storyline of his own and has
populated it with a couple of the most
dangerous dragons this side of Tiamat.

Gamers will find the tale's focus familiar.

A troop of men has decided to seek out
and destroy one of the last remaining
dragons in Mithgar, thereby acquiring the
massive hoard assembled by Sleeth over
the decades. But success brings more
complications than riches, as three sepa.
rate difficulties arise. Sleeth's loot proves
far too massive to transport efficiently.
Black Kalgalath, who with Sleeth's death
becomes Mithgar's last living dragon, has
his own designs on the treasure as well as
an eye for revenge. And the dwarves from
whom much of Sleeth's hoard was stolen
quickly assert their own claim.

Into this arena of conflict come Elyn,

surviving sister of Sleeth's human de¬
stroyer, and Thork, sworn to avenge his
slain dwarven kin and destroy Kalgalath.
Though adversaries by heritage, the two
join forces against the deadly black dragon
and his minions, and the bulk of the novel
chronicles their joint quest to find and kill
their common foe. McKiernan sketches
the pair's uneasy relationship with pre¬
cisely understated effectiveness, a wel¬
come first in the Mithgarian cycle.

Kalgalath, meanwhile, is plotting and

watching in formidable fashion. Those
whose adventuring characters have
short work of AD&D game dragons are in
for a nasty where Kalgalath is con¬
cerned. McKiernan gives his fire-drake
diabolical intelligence, a host of minion
and magical aids, and a nearly impregna¬
ble fortress. Added to the creature's enor¬
mous physical might, these accoutrements
make Kalgalath nearly invincible. Only
supreme ingenuity and force of will —plus
a certain amount of magic —allows Elyn
and Thork any hope of success.

On the down side, McKiernan's prose

retains the air of artificial formality that
adds distance without quite setting a
mood, and Mithgar itself remains much
too close an analog to Middle-earth for

comfort. Dragondoom takes McKiernan

beyond his previous penchant for rewrit¬
ing Tolkien; now he's merely writing a
Tolkien pastiche, rather as numerous
authors have written post-canonical Sher¬
lock Holmes adventures.

That's a mixed recommendation at best.

But what McKiernan does right this time is
encouraging enough to be worth noting,
especially to gamers for whom the dra-
gonlore and the bond between Elyn and
Thork should provide a wealth of
campaign-adaptable material.
BLOODLIST

P. N. Elrod

Ace 0-441-06795-6 $3.50

Bloodlist may be a vampire novel, but it's

by no means a typical vampire novel. It is,
in fact, a certifiably weird vampire novel.
In part it's a gangster yarn set vaguely in
1930s Chicago. In part it's an apocryphal
Sherlock Holmes tale. And in part it's a
romantic mystery (first in a series, of
course), in which newly made vampire
Jack Fleming conducts an ongoing
personal-ad search for the woman who
transformed him into a member of the
undead.

The vagueness of the period is a product

of several factors. There are no specific
date references and only a few chronologi¬
cal cues, most of them subtle. But while
textual tags point to a date around 1936,
the cynical first-person narration feels 10
or 20 years ahead of its time, and the
Holmesian element pushes the atmosphere
two decades in the other direction. The
result is confusing and frustrating, rather
as if someone had slipped an early Three
Stooges short into a series of MTV music
videos.

It should be noted that Sherlock Holmes,

strictly speaking, doesn't appear (presum¬
ably Elrod ran into copyright difficulties),
but the intent is clear. Protagonist Flem¬
ing's sidekick calls himself Charles Escott,
emulating a well-known Holmes alias, and
exhibits numerous Holmesian mannerisms

MAPGAPET TRCK HJCKAMK

82 JULY 1990

including a penchant for ingenious dis¬

guises. Escott, in fact, nearly steals the
book from Fleming, whose partial amnesia
and lack of local contacts severely limit his
ability to investigate on his own.

But Elrod's sharp vampire's-eye view of

the powers of the undead goes a long way
to making up for her strange plot and
character structuring. We get excellent
treatment of such diverse problems as
maintaining a supply of native earth,
crossing water, and the advantages and
limits of an intangible mist form, along
with Fleming's adjustment to such vulnera¬
bilities as silver, sunlight, and the problems
of maintaining a respectable wardrobe
(the up-and-coming vampire is much more
durable than his suits, which don't regen¬
erate after being shot).

Bloodlist is ultimately more intriguing

than satisfying, especially when it's setting
up the series premise, which seems super¬
fluous to the self-contained organized-
crime puzzle around which the novel
revolves. When Elrod is busy with plot
and character rather than atmosphere,
her writing is tight and effective. Problem
is, that's only about two-thirds of the time.
On balance, though, the tale is intriguing
enough to be worth a look. (And that
conclusion has nothing to do with the fact
that Elrod includes DRAGON® Magazine
editors Roger Moore and Barbara Young
among those she acknowledges in her
dedication.)

Recurring roles

New novels from both Diane Duane and

Charles de Lint have made recent debuts,
which should be more than enough good
news for a reader's bookshelf. Duane's
High Wizardry (Delacorte, $14.95) con¬
tinues her lively series about teen spell-
casters Nita and Kit, shifting the focus to
Nita's sister Dairine. As usual, there are
ample quantities of high drama, high ad¬
venture, and impish wit ("What did she
do?" she said. "She went to Mars and left
the door open!'). Computer enthusiasts in
particular will enjoy this outing, involving
a laptop wizards manual and a race of
sentient silicon-based beings.

Drink Down the Moon (Ace, $3.50) finds

Charles de Lint back in the realms of
fantasy. Some of the cast returns from his
earlier Jack, the Giant Killer , but equally
prominent are two musicians: the human
Johnny Faw and the half-faerie Jemi Pook.
De Lint is as good as ever at drawing
characters and creating atmosphere, but
the plot suffers somewhat from a split in
focus and from its resemblance to Emma
Bull's War for the Oaks. The novel remains
highly readable, but it's not de Lint's best
work.
A number of series have new entries to
report, the most notable being Sunshaker’s
War (Avon, $3.95) from Tom Deitz. The
latest tale of David Sullivan, the MacTyrie
gang, and the intrusion of magical conflict
into everyday Georgia demonstrates De¬
itz's ongoing knack for blending the trials

of the real world with high-stakes tension

on a cosmic scale. This is one fantasy
series that has genuinely grown in scope
and thoughtfulness with each new vol¬
ume, rather than falling into an infinite
loop of recycled plots. Also in this above-
average camp are Revolution's Shore (Ban¬
tam, $3.95), second in Alis Rasmussen's
Highroad trilogy of intricate space adven¬
tures, and The Dark Hand of Magic (Del
Rey, $4.95), latest of Barbara Hambly's
chronicles of untrained wizard Sun Wolf
and his companion the Starhawk. Rasmus¬
sen continues to bring a refreshingly
literate style to her darkly operatic swash¬
bucklers, while Hambly's portrayal of
mercenary warfare remains convincingly
balanced against the twin enemies of
intrigue and magic.

For some reason, Craig Shaw Gardner's

second Cineverse book, Bride of the Slime
Monster (Ace, $3.95) doesn't grate on the
imagination as much as the first. Perhaps
it's because Gardner broadens his satiric
scope in this entry, attempting to skewer
everything from animated cuteness to
oversymbolic art films. But labeling the
novel satire is still being generous, and
those looking for more intelligent humor
won't find the search difficult.

"Wildly variable" is the only phrase that

covers a pair of recent Star Trek entries.
The Pandora Principle (Pocket, $4.50) is a
solid, occasionally sparkling book from
newcomer Carolyn Clowes, whose novel
ably fills in much of Saavik's mixed Vulcan-
Romulan background. If she can learn to
temper her enthusiasm for italicized dia¬
log, Clowes should become a first-class
storyteller before long. But Jean Lorrah's
experience can't save her "Next Genera¬
tion" novel, Metamorphosis, (Pocket,

$4.95) from a bad case of rampant confu¬

sion. Besides introducing yet another race
of unexplained godlike aliens, Lorrah
utterly undercuts her exploration of Data's
perennial quest for humanity with a cli¬
max stolen from prime-time TV soap op¬
eras. Appropriately, this is the only Star
Trek novel to date carrying a disclaimer
that says it doesn't necessarily reflect the
"official" Star Trek universe.

Last but not least, Dragon Wing (Ban¬

tam, $18.95) begins an ambitious new
cycle from Margaret Weis and Tracy Hick¬
man. This one is complicated, with com¬
peting schools of subtle magic at work far
beyond the knowledge of most of the
characters. Two Weis-and-Hickman hall¬
marks stand out: a distinctive, richly imag¬
ined setting, this time in a fragmented
world of floating asteroid-like lands and
aerial trading convoys (inspirations may
have included James Blaylock and Michael
Reaves); and a central theme concerned
with achieving flexibility within rigid
societal structures. Only a very occasional
lapse of idiom mars the narrative —
referring to the odd Prince Bane as a "kid"
just doesn't sound right in this carefully
constructed milieu. Nonetheless, the Death
Gate cycle is off to an imposing start. Q

Mansions of

Madness

House For Sale — Cheap!

Very Quiet Neighbors!
Large Basement!

Pets OK!

AVAILABLE JULY 15th

MANSIONS OF MADNESS is a collection of

brand new adventures for Cal! of Cthulhu which
all center about a central theme: the hauntings
of the abodes of man: Each adventure Is dis¬
crete, rather than part of a long connected cam¬
paign, and is playable in a few evenings.
Approximately 130 pages, perfect bound.

\ Item 02327 $17.95 retail\

Available from your local games retailer.

Chaosium Inc .

950-A 56TH ST., OAKLAND, CA 94608

Write or call 415-547-7681 for a free
catalog. M/C, VISA orders accepted.

DRAGON 83

CONVENTION

CALENDAR

Convention Calendar Policies

This column is a service to our readers

worldwide. Anyone may place a free listing
for a game convention here, but the follow¬
ing guidelines must be observed.

In order to ensure that all convention

listings contain accurate and timely infor¬
mation, all material should be either typed
double-spaced or printed legibly on stand¬
ard manuscript paper. The contents of
each listing must be short and succinct.

The information given in the listing must

include 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 other

mass-mailed announcements will not be
considered for use in this column; we
prefer to see a cover letter with the an¬
nouncement as well. No call-in listings are
accepted. Unless stated otherwise, all
dollar values given for U.S. and Canadian
conventions are in U.S. currency.

WARNING: We are not responsible for

incorrect information sent to us by conven¬
tion staff members. Please check your
convention listing carefully! Our wide
circulation ensures that over a quarter of a
million readers worldwide see each issue.
Accurate information is your responsibility.

Copy deadlines are the last Monday of

each month, two months prior to the on-
sale date of an issue. Thus, the copy dead¬
line for the December issue is the last
Monday of October. Announcements for
North American and Pacific conventions
must be mailed to: Convention Calendar,
DRAGON® Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake
Geneva Wl 53147, U.S.A. Announcements
for Europe must be posted an additional
month before the deadline to: Convention
Calendar, DRAGON® Magazine, TSR
Limited, 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton,
Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom.

If a convention listing must be changed

because the convention has been can¬
celled, the dates have changed, or incor¬
rect information has been printed, please
contact us immediately. Most questions or
changes should be directed to the maga¬
zine editors at TSR, Inc., (414) 248-3625
(U.S.A.). Questions or changes concerning
European conventions should be directed
to TSR Limited, (0223) 212517 (U.K.).

# indicates an African convention.

♦t* indicates an Australian convention

# indicates a Canadian convention.

# indicates a European convention.

* indicates a product produced by a company other than TSR

Inc. Most product names are trademarks owned by the
companies publishing those products The use of the name of
any product without mention of its trademark status should not
be construed as a challenge to such status

NOTE: Be aware that there are now at least

four SF/fantasy/gaming conventions with very
similar names: ICON, held in Iowa; I-CON, in
Long Island, N.Y.; I-KHAN, in Colorado Springs,
Colo.; and I-CON, in British Columbia. Other
duplicated convention names have been noted
(e.g., DEMICON in Des Moines, Iowa, and Aber¬
deen, Md.). Plan carefully!

ECONOMYCON III, July 6-8

This convention will be held at Alma School in

Mesa, Ariz. Events include AD&D®, BATTLE-
TECH*, BATTLE FOR MOSCOW*, CIVILIZA¬
TION*, and SUPREMACY* games, with open
gaming, Japanimation, World War II micro¬
armor, and the LOST WORLDS* fantasy-book
game. Write to: ECONOMYCON, 2740 S. Alma
School #16, Mesa AZ 85202.

ARCANACON VIII, July 12-15 ❖

Random Incorporated is again holding this

nonprofit convention, at the Collingwood Educa¬
tion Center in Melbourne, Australia. Events
include AD&D®, CALL OF CTHULHU*, RUNE-
QUEST*, WARHAMMER 40,000*, and HUNTER
PLANET* games. Write to: ARCANACON VIII,
Random Inc., P.O. Box 125, Parkville 3052, NSW,
AUSTRALIA.

ATLANTICON ‘90, July 13-15

This convention will be held at the Baltimore

Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel and the Baltimore
Convention Center. Activities include gaming
and free game demonstrations, game auctions, a
flea market, 24-hour open gaming areas, and
discount coupons for all preregistrants. Regis¬
tration: $14 for the weekend prepaid, or $18 at
the door (one-day passes also available at the
door). Write to: ATLANTICON, P.O. Box 15405,
Baltimore MD 21220; or call: (301) 574-5066.

COSCON ‘90, July 13-15

Sponsored by the Circle of Swords, this gam¬

ing convention will be held at Slippery Rock
University in Slippery Rock, Pa. Events include
first-run RPGA™ tournaments and events, board
games, a dealers' area, a flea market, and a
miniatures-painting contest. On-site housing is
available. Registration: $10 until June 30, or $15
thereafter. Write to: Circle of Swords, P.O. Box
2126, Butler PA 16003; or call: Dave Schnur at:
(412) 283-1159.

QUIN CON V, July 13-15

This three-day event will offer RPGs, fantasy

and historical miniatures, board and card
games, and RPGA™ events. A special tourna¬
ment for the Hemophilia Fund will also take
place. The guest of honor will be game and
module designer Lester Smith. This event will
be held at the Roadway Inn in (Quincy, Ill. Ask
about special rates for convention attendees.

Registration: $5/day or $12 for the weekend,

preregistered. Write to: QUIN CON V, 3632
Maine St., Quincy IL 62301 (include an SASE); or
call: (217) 223-8498.

DOVERCON VI, July 14-15

It will be held this year at the University of

New Hampshire's Memorial Union Building
(MUB) in Durham, N.H. Activities include an
RPGA™ AD&D® tournament and many other
gaming events, a film festival, and miniatures
and art competitions. Registration: $15 at the
door, or $10 for one day. Dealers and judges are
welcome. Write to: DOVERCON VI, P.O. Box 753,
Dover NH 03820.

CASTLECON III, July 20-22

This convention will be held at the Holiday Inn

Bethesda, in Bethesda, Md. Events include SF,
fantasy, gaming, music, costumes, computers,
science, and friendship. Registration: $18 until
June 30; $25 at the door. Write to: FanTek, 1607
Thomas Rd., Fort Washington MD 20744.

CHIMERA, July 20-22

This science-fiction convention will be held in

the Hyatt Regency Woodfield in Schaumburg, Ill.
Guests of honor are Connie Willis, Howard
Waldrop, and Gardner Dozois. Other guests
include Richard Knaak, Fred Pohl, and Barbara
G. Young. The seminars are all designed to make
the reader of SF more than just a consumer.
Registration: $40. Write to: CHIMERA, 1016
Columbian, Oak Park IL 60302.

I-KHAN, July 20-22

This convention will be held at the Holiday Inn

North in Colorado Springs, Colo. Special guest of
honor will be Andrew J. Offutt. Tournaments
include AD&D®, WARHAMMER 40,000*, CAR
WARS*, SKY GALLEONS OF MARS*, and
BATTLETECH* games. Other activities include
open gaming, a movie room, a pre-1960s movie
theme costume contest, a dealers' room, a
miniatures-painting contest, and our own version
of Highlander: Registration: $15, plus a $1 fee per
event. Write to: Miniatures War gamers Guild,
2354 S. Academy Blvd., Colorado Springs CO
80916; or call: Perry Rogers at: (719) 392-2656.

CON-TEST ‘90, July 21

Sponsored by the Lebanon Area Gamers'

Assoc., this convention will be held at Kaspar's
Ark, north of Lebanon, Pa. Events include
AD&D®, CHAMPIONS*, SHADOWRUN, and
AXIS AND ALLIES* games. There will also be
AD&D®, BATTLETECH*, and CAR WARS*
tournaments sponsored by the New England
Peddler. Other activities include a miniatures
painting contest, with a $2 entry fee per figure.
Registration: $5 before the convention, $7.50 at
the door. Write to: Lebanon Area Gamers'

Assoc., 806 Cumberland St., Lebanon PA 17042;

or call: (717) 274-8706.

CONJUNCTION, July 27-29 #

This convention will take place at New Hall

College, Cambridge, England. The guest of
honor will be Gregory Stafford. Events include
no game tournaments, but there will be panels,
a masquerade, films, and a dealers' area. There
will also be combat demonstrations, live-action
role-playing, PBMs, workshops, and a real ale
bar. Membership is £12 for those over 18. Write
to: CONJUNCTION, 27 Terront Road, London
N15 3AA, UNITED KINGDOM; or call: John
Dallman at: 01-802-8723.

OKON ‘90, July 27-29

The region's largest SF convention will be held

84 j ULY 1990

at the Camelot Hotel in Tulsa, Okla. Guests of

honor include Hal Clement, Tom Kidd, Mark
Simmons, David Lee Anderson, and Brad Sinor.
Events include AD&D®, CHAMPIONS*, WAR-
HAMMER 40,000*, STAR FLEET BATTLES*, and
CAR WARS* games. Write to: OKON, PO. Box
4229, Tulsa OK.

DARCON I, July 28 #

Sponsored by Darkstar Fantasy Concepts, this

convention will be held at the Hillbrow Recrea¬
tion Center in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Events include AD&D® and SF games, various
tournaments, and a dealers' room. Registration:
R5 per player. Write to: DFC DARCON I, Evan
Dempsky, 24 Vincent Rd., Rosettenville-ext,
Johannesburg (Tvl), R.S.A., 2197.

GFR ROLEPLAYER DAYS ‘90, July 28-29 Q

The Gilde der Fantasyrollenspieler proudly

presents this convention at the Burgerschaf-
thaus, Gorlinger Zentrum 15, Cologne (Koln),
West Germany. Many games will be featured.
Registration: DM 6/day or DM 10/weekend.
Write to: GTR, c/o Bernd Streckman, Bruchstr.

48, 4030 Ratingen 1, West Germany.

PROJECT GENESIS VII, July 29

PATCO presents this fantasy gaming convention

at the Ramada Inn in Fresno, Calif. Tournaments
and events include AD&D®, BATTLETECH*,

STAR FLEET BATTLES*, STAR WARS*, and

TOON* games, with computer gaming, Japanima-
tion, a miniatures contest, and a swap meet.
Registration: $3 before July 13; $5 thereafter.
Dealers and judges are welcome! Write to:

PATCO, c/o Philip S. Pittz, 5415 E. Washington,

Fresno CA 93727; or call: (209) 456-1668.

DALLASCON ‘90, August 3-5

The southwest's largest gaming convention

will be held at the Le Baron Hotel on Regal Row
in Dallas, Tex. Tournaments include AD&D® and
BATTLETECH* games. Other activities include
WARHAMMER*, SHADOWRUN*, CHAMPIONS*,
AXIS & ALLIES*, and ROLEMASTER* games, as
well as seminars, an auction, a painting contest,
and a dealers' room. Send an SASE to: DALLAS-
CON '90, P.O. Box 867623, Plano TX 75086.

FAMILYCON I, August 3-5

This family-oriented convention will be held at

the Holiday Inn in Timomium, Md. Activities
include a dealers' room, hands-on science pro¬
gramming, and SF and fantasy panels for all
ages. Write to: FAMILYCON, 3309 Taney Rd.,
Baltimore MD 21215.

I-CON I, August 3-5 *

Victoria's first SF convention will be held at

the Ramada Inn in Victoria, B.C., Canada. Guests
of honor include Michael G. Coney, Donna Barr,
and Nichelle Nichols. Events include panels, an
art show and auction, videos, gaming, a writers'
workshop, art and costuming demonstrations, a
diplomatic reception, a masquerade, two
dances, a dealers' room, and live theater. Regis¬
tration: $30 Canadian ($28 U.S.). Dealers are
welcome. Write to: I-CON, P.O. Box 30004, 104-
3995 Quadra St., Victoria, B.C., CANADA V8X
5E1; or call: (604) 383-1123.

OMACON X, August 3-5

This pro-space, gaming, and comic convention
will be held at the Holiday Inn Central in
Omaha, Neb., and is sponsored by Nebraskans
for the Advancement of Space Development.

Guests of honor include Rick Sternbach, John

Ford, Bjo nimble, and Art Bozlee. Write to:
OMACON, P.O. Box 37851, Omaha NE 68137.

CAPITOLCON VI, August 4-5

This event will be held at the Sacred Heart-

Griffin High School in Springfield, Ill. Featured
events include board and miniatures war gam¬
ing, FRPGs, vendors, and a used-game auction.
Write to: Bill Wilson, 99 Cottonwood Dr., Cha¬
tham IL 62623; or call: (217) 483-5797 or (217)
523-0916.

1990 GEN CON® Game Fair, August 9-12

Make your plans now to attend the biggest

and best game convention of them all, at the
MECCA Convention Center, Milwaukee, Wis.
We've brought in over 10,000 people for two
years running! Write to: 1990 GEN CON® Game
Fair, P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147.

BATTLETECH*: OPERATION GREEN

FLAG, August 11-12

This mid-Atlantic regional BATTLETECH*

convention is the first official FASA-sanctioned
tournament to be held at the Central Penn
Business School in Summerdale, Pa. Featured
will be a vigorous round-robin and four-person
lance competitions. Open gaming will also be
available both days. Registration: $8-12, depend¬
ing on the date of registration. Attendance is
limited. Write to: M. Foner's Games Only Empo¬
rium, 200 Third St., New Cumberland PA 17070;
or call: (717) 774-6676.

Continued on page 101

m U TABLETOP GAMES

53 MANSFIELD ROAD,
DAYBROOK,

m .m .mm NOTTINGHAM
ig%p&p

Min. 16p in U.K. 50p Surface Mail

Overseas:

Send SAE for 24-page catalogue Add 60% for Air Mail
TWO NEW FANTASY SETS

Set No 4 - THE HAREM

HR1

Sultan seated

£1.25

HR2

Harem Girl + fan

50p

HR3

Palace Guard

50p

HR4

Girl musician

50p

HR5

Slave Girl

50p

’HR6

Slave Trader

50p

HR7

Eunuch

50p

HR8

Dancing Girl

50p

HR17 Sultan on flying carpet £L25

Set No 5 - ORC ROCK BAND

ORB1

Drummer with full

drum kit

£1.50

ORB2

Female Human

lead singer

50p

ORB3

Femal Human

. backing singer

50p

ORB4

Ore Base Guitarist

75p

ORB5

Ore Lead Guitarist

75p

ORB6

Ore Rythm Guitarist

75p

ORB7

Accessaries

50p

ORB8

Drum Riser
£1.50

Complete Band Set

£6.50

NEW

CENTAURS

M98

With Sword

£1.00

M99

With Bow

£1.00

[ M100 With Spear

£1.00

TABLETOP FANTASY

A superb range of 25mm FANTASY

figures (formerly ASGARD) now
produced by Tabletop.

What we show here is only a very small

proportion of our vast range of 15 & 25
mm FANTASY AND SCI FI FIGURES
that we produce. Send for our free
CATALOGUE if you doubt us.

Please include S.A.E.

i„VT7c o C I MONSTERS

DWARVES 25mm
DW1 Adventurer 50p

DW2 with Axe 50p

DW3 with Hammer 50p

DW4 with Spear 50p

DW5 Hero 50p

DW6 Black Dwarf 50p

DW7 Scout 50p

DW8 Lord 50p

DW9 Shieldmaiden 50p

DW10 with Crossbow 50p

DW11 Arquebusier 50p

DW12 Mercenary 5Op

DW13 Pikeman 50p

DAC1 Mounted Hero 90p

DAC2 Mtd.+ Crossbow 90p

DAC3 Mtd. King 95p

LARGE SADISTIC DEMONS

LSD1 Warrior 5 Op

LSD2 Assault Warrior 75p

LSD3 Winged Noble £1.00

LSD4 Ripper 3Op

LSD5 Bio-Tank £1.50

LSD7 Brain Noble £1.50

Ml Troll £1.75

M2 Ogre £1.00

M2a Ogre + Std. £1.45

M3 Monster Rat 95p
M4 Were Rat 95p
M5 Young Dragon £5.00

THE DRAGON 150mm high, 200mm long,

250mm wingspan a giant
among Dragons £14.95
SEA DRAGON Sea Dragon holding Trident

_ £ 4.50

THE EMPEROR DRAGON

A real monster of a Dragon 230mm long.
140mm high, 180mm wing span and weighing
nearly 2 Kilograms. £29.95

M31 Vampire 50p

£1.75 M34 Death Demon 95p

£1.00 M37 Frankenstein Monster 75p

M6 Large Rat 3 Op
M7 Golem 50p

M8 Gargoyle 75p
M9 Harpy 75p

M10 Giant Bat 45p

Mil Salamander 40p
M12 Cockatrice 60p
M13 Owl Bear £1.25
M14 Spectre 50p

M15 Minotaur 95p

M16 Unicorn 75p

M17 Basilisk £1.00

M18 Secrom 50p

M20 Sacrificial Tree

+ Victim £1.25
M21 Centaur £1.50
M22 Oriental Ogre £1.25
M23 Giant Slug £2.00
M25 Giant Snake 40p
M27 Troll Chief £1.25
M29 Troll Archer 75p

£ 1.45 M38 Giant Lizardman £2.50

95p M40 Troll Champion £2.50

95p M43 Griffon £2.50

i £5.00 M *4 Djin £1.00

3 Op M45 Ogre Skull (2) 2 Op

50p M47 Wraith 50p

75 p M48 Baby Dragon 60p

75p M53 Balrog £3.50

45 p M55 Necromancer 50p

40p M57 Giant Wolf 75p

60p M58 Wyvern £2.25

£1.25 M59 Giant Ape . 95p

50p‘ M60 Weasel 50p

95p M61 Lizardman+Sword 50p

75 p M62 Giant Tick 45p

£1.00 M64 Land Dragon with

50p Lizardman rider £1.50

, e M65 Flying Reptile with
£1.25 Wraith rider £2.75

£1.50 M66 Troll with Club 95p

£1.25 M69 Trol+Morningstar £1.00

£2.00 Manticore £3.50

40p M86 Mounted Chaos Lord £2.25

£1.25 M92 Mounted Chaos Knight £2.25
75p M101 Dragon Newt £1.25

PLEASE NOTE - THERE ARE NO PRICE INCREASES ON OUR FIGURES

DRAGON 85

NOTE: The dates in this column have been

changed to reflect the on-sale (not shipping)
dates for these products.

NEW PRODUCTS FOR JULY

PHBR4 The Complete Wizard's Handbook

AD&D® 2nd Edition supplement
by Rick Swan

If you thought you had the wizard class

figured out, think again! This invaluable refer¬
ence book expands the realms of the wizard
class, with new character kits, ingenious uses
for common spells, and a vast array of new
information opening wide the doors for wizards
everywhere.

Suggested Retail Price: $15.00/£9.95

Product No.: 2115

RAVENLOFT™ campaign set

AD&D® 2nd Edition boxed set
by Bruce Nesmith and Andria Hayday

Enter the world of Gothic horror and super¬

natural suspense with this set, which introduces
an entire line of horror products to terrify your
PCs and their players! The RAVENLOFT™ game
world has rules all its own; once your character
enters it, he may never leave —alive. Spice up
your campaign with horror!

Suggested Retail Price: $18.00/£11.95

Product No.: 1053

MC6 Monstrous Compendium , Vol. 6:

Kara-Tur Appendix
AD&D® FORGOTTEN REALMS™
accessory

by Rick Swan

The strangest and deadliest monsters of the

Oriental realms are brought together in this
volume, ready to be unleashed into your cam¬
paign! Designed to be added to your MC binder,
this appendix describes the creatures of Kara-
Tur down to the last talon and fang, all in
AD&D® 2nd Edition game format.

Suggested Retail Price: $9.95/£6.50

Product No.: 2107

NEW PRODUCTS FOR

AUGUST

Legends and Lore

AD&D® 2nd Edition accessory

by Jim Ward and Troy Denning

Updated for the AD&D® 2nd Edition game,

this volume has the details on the deities of 11
different cultures. Each entry on a deity de¬
scribes his avatar, how he interacts with mor¬
tals, and ways in which that deity can be used in
a campaign. Both players and DMs will find this
volume invaluable for their campaigns.
Suggested Retail Price: $20.00/£12.50
Product No.: 2108

MC7 Monstrous Compendium , Vol. 7:

SPELLJAMMER™ Appendix
AD&D® SPELLJAMMER™ accessory
by TSR Staff

Virtually everyone at TSR had a hand in

producing this assortment of creatures, beast-
ies, and baddies that inhabit wildspace. Fill your

SR PREVIEWS

AD&D® campaign with beings the likes of which

have never been seen before! If you love the
SPELLJAMMER™ game, this one is for you!

Suggested Retail Price: $9.95/£6.50

Product No.: 2109

WGR1 Greyhawk Ruins

AD&D® GREYHAWK® accessory

by Blake Mobley and Timothy B.

Brown

The ruined towers of Castle Greyhawk are an

open challenge to adventurers (of all levels)
everywhere! But few who have entered the
complex of almost 1,000 rooms have returned!
You can take your PCs to their highest levels of
experience with just this 128-page dungeon.
Suggested Retail Price: $15.00/£9.95
Product No.: 9292

FRA2 The Black Courser

AD&D® FORGOTTEN REALMS™
accessory

by Troy Denning

This second adventure in the Horde Trilogy of

modules takes the PCs back to the lands be¬
tween the western Realms and Kara-Tur as the
Horde continues its march eastward!

Suggested Retail Price: $8.95/£5.95

Product No.: 9290

Hollow World Boxed Set

D&D® Boxed Set

by Aaron Allston

Unbeknownst to the inhabitants of the Known

World, their planet is hollow! The interior
surface is a wondrous realm of new races and
monsters and they are ready to try life on
the other side —the sunlit surface side! This
boxed set brings to life all the strange and
wonderful beings that exist in this new "world,"
as well as new adventures, methods to link the
inner and outer worlds, and maps of this bi¬
zarre new setting. Do not miss this one!
Suggested Retail Price: $18.00/£11.95
Product No.: 1054

The FORGOTTEN REALMS ™ Atlas

AD&D® FORGOTTEN REALMS™

accessory

by Karen Wynn Fonstad

The FORGOTTEN REALMS™ campaign setting
has never looked better. By the author of many
fantasy world atlases, this book contains all the
maps for the Realms, from the Sword Coast to
the farthest reaches of Kara-Tur. It includes all
the maps for 1990 Realms products and re¬
counts every novel published to date.
Suggested Retail Price: $15.95/£10.95
Product No.: 8442

25CR1 Mars in the 25th Century

XXVc™ game sourcebook
by Ray Winninger

The most powerful planet in the solar system

is vividly described in this accessory for the
XXVc™ game. Learn about the inhabitants of
Mars, human and otherwise, and discover the
full power of the organization known as RAM.
Suggested Retail Price: $9.95/£6.50
Product No.: 3563

Dragon wall

Empires Trilogy, Book Two

by Troy Denning

The Horde has breached the Dragonwall and

now threatens the Oriental land of Shou Lung,
whose armies are no match for the barbarian
horsemen. Shou Lung's only hope lies with a
general who is descended from the barbarians
themselves!

Suggested Retail Price: $4.95

Product No.: 8479

First Power Play

The Inner Planets Trilogy, Volume One

by John Miller

This is the first book in a bold new trilogy that

promises to be the best in high-tech SF. This
trilogy will chronicle the XXVc™ universe and is
tied to a computer game from SSI!

Suggested Retail Price: $3.95

Product No.: 3561

GANGBUSTERS™ Role-Playing Game

1920s adventure RPG, 2nd Edition
by Steven E. Schend

This reprint of the popular Roaring Twenties

RPG turns back the clock to the days of Prohibi¬
tion, flappers, and machine-gun-toting gangs!
This revised version, in a single 128-page book,
contains all the rules and many of the adven¬
tures that made the original game such a hit
with action, movie, and game buffs!

Suggested Retail Price: $20.00/£12.50

Product No.: 7009

DRAGONLANCE® saga graphic novel , #5

by Roy Thomas

This volume recounts the last section of

DRAGONLANCE Chronicles, Volume Two, Drag¬
ons of Winter Night. In it, Sturm faces the
council of Solamnic Knights and the dragon-
lances fall into the hands of the forces of Good.
Suggested Retail Price: $8.95/£5.95
Product No.: 8435

Outbanker

TSR™ Books
by Timothy A. Madden

Patrolling the far perimeters of their star

system's gravity well, the outbankers protect
their home colonies from the powerful dread¬
noughts of the vast, covetous Corporate Hegem¬
ony. This is the story of Outbanker Commander
Ian S. LlacKenzie. Follow him to the edge of his
solar system and beyond!

Suggested Retail Price: $3.95

Product No.: 8214

Unless otherwise noted:

® and ™ denote trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.

©1990 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

MARVEL SUPER HEROES and MARVEL UNIVERSE are

trademarks of the Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All
Marvel characters, names, and the distintive likenesses
thereof are trademarks of the Marvel Entertainment Group,

Inc. ©1990 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All Rights

Reserved.

BUCK ROGERS and XXVc are trademarks used under

license from The Dille Family Trust ©1990 The Dille Family
Trust. All Rights Reserved.

86 J ULY 1990
DraqonIDars 1

♦ RED DRAQON OF KRl]NN ♦

^♦HUmA'S SILUER DRAqON*

IMM* W ■ All -?<m.l=JM- Clfr^

Enu

-¥3

T ba Dragon Highland holds tightly the reins XJuma, Knighl of SpUmnia, fielder of
the

□f a Red Dragon ^oth rider and mount ElL Drag on La nee and bleated of Pal a dine.

perpetually strmc for dominance over the other yet

ihey £Lilt ojork tea 0011111100 ®nd, to sene the Queen of
Durkncw lh. tier effort lo subjugate Ihe JUortd of
Krynn. Dragon and dark knight soar through the
thickness of ram-laLclon clouds, moi^ure clinging to
■heir scale armor., in search of the-devout worshippers
of Faladine. defiers of theiroiTil purpose. The High-
lord spots his mortal Gnemp and leuels his lance
Plunging through the cloud, dock below, he attacks!

look* to the sky in search □] the Enemies of Knjnn, A

minion of the Dark Queen aslride a Red Dragon
emerges from the fold cj a black dcud. Huma raises
his fist in challenge screaming his oulraqe for the
scourge o] hit beloved world then beckons his friend
and mount, the Situcr Dragon, lo rise up into The heau-
ensaud carry them Lo battle. Shrieking like a thousand
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inrStw®

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a mflGE’S SEflG CiflRPG

An introduction to the

world of live role-playing

^'IDM by Lawrenty Schick

SPECIAL

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We all love tabletop role-playing games,

of course; it's great fun to get together
with a group of friends in heroic guise and
tackle the forces of evil, defeating the
enemy's wretched minions in imaginary
combat and reaping the rewards of victory
for our player characters. But after a few
years of knocking the heads off ores and
pitching grenades at terrorists, you may
find you want to try new ways of role-
playing, and the limitations of tabletop
role-playing become all too clear. Your
character can interact with the imaginary
world of the game only through the lim¬
ited window of the game master's atten¬
tion. That single person controls what you
see, who you talk to, and whether you
succeed or fail. You can interact to a lim¬
ited degree with your fellow player char¬
acters, but since they also must see the
world through the focus of the GM, every¬
one is primarily oriented toward the GM.
And since there's only one GM, the player
characters must always find a consensus
and work together, even when their goals
are so conflicting that they would prefer
to separate and do their own things. Sorry,
players, no can do —splitting the party is
just too hard to handle in a typical table-
top game.

So while creating group stories through

tabletop role-playing is certainly enjoyable,
don't you wish you could have greater
control over your part of the story? Don't
you wish you could make your own deci¬
sions without being constantly steered by
the heavy hand of the GM? It can be done.
There's a new way to play role-playing
games that's not simple, but it sure is
satisfying. This article is all about it.

I live near Baltimore. Last March I at¬

tended BALTICON, the largest of the an¬
nual Baltimore SF and fantasy conven¬
tions. I was scanning through the program
guide, looking for something new or inter¬
esting, and my finger stopped at a panel
titled "The Future of Interactive Litera¬
ture." This sounded like it had something
to do with role-playing games, so I stayed
late Saturday night to attend it. The room
was filled with animated and articulate
people who all seemed to know each
other. They had their own jargon and in¬
jokes, but I gathered that these folks had
been running and participating in live
multiplayer role-playing games involving
as many as 50 to 100 people at a time!
They'd been putting on these games
mainly at SF conventions, and the games
seemed to involve more acting and story¬
telling than the usual live-action ore-
bashing or "assassination" games. These
live RPGs were written in advance by
teams of GMs who created the basic plot
situations, then spent the bulk of their
efforts designing complex characters,
focusing on their motivations and interre¬
lationships. Each player assumed the role
of one of these characters and played out
the game following his own judgment.

I was very interested, if only in what

kind of rules mechanics they could have

developed to handle a 50-player game. I

inquired as to how one got involved in this
pursuit, and was advised that I should try
to attend the Society for Interactive Litera¬
ture's annual convention, which is entirely
devoted to live role-playing games. The
1989 convention, SILICON IV (from SIL:
Society for Interactive Literature), was
only two weeks away, so I would have to
act fast if I wanted to register.

There were three simultaneous games

scheduled to run at SILICON IV, and obvi¬
ously the thing to do was to sign up for one
of them. The games were "Escape Velocity:
a cyberpunk game that was already full;
"Cocabanana," set in a banana republic
during a coup d'etat; and "RMS Titanic ,"
being run by the Mage's Seal GM's group
for the second and final time. "Cocabanana"
didn't interest me much, so I signed up for
"R.M.S. Titanic." The application form asked
what sort of character I wanted to play; I
requested a "smug, pompous, self-right¬
eous, upper-crust aristocrat."

In the week before the convention, I got

a couple of books on the Titanic and read
up on the ship and its one-and-only voyage
in 1912. The first-class passenger list was
studded with some of the most famous
names of the day: English nobility, artists
and writers, and American robber-baron
millionaires. For me, the one character
who really stood out was J. Bruce Ismay,
president of White Star Lines and owner
of the Titanic, who went along on the
maiden voyage to mingle with the aristoc¬
racy and lord it over the officers and
crew. He survived the shipwreck, tried in
vain to cover up the mistakes that led to
the disaster, and ended by living the rest
of his life in ignominy, a virtual recluse. In
one night he went from master of the
largest, most celebrated, and most elabo¬
rate vehicle ever built to scapegoat for two
angry nations. History's verdict: serves
him right.

SILICON IV was held in a hotel on the

northeast side of Philadelphia; on the
Friday it began, I left work a couple of
hours early and drove on up. I checked in
and found some roommates to share ex¬
penses with me, then picked up my char¬
acter packet, a handsome folder with a
number of loose-leaf pages inside. I re¬
treated to my room to read it. Quickly
skipping over the rules of the game and
the background material on the Titanic, I
turned to the character section, where I
read: "You are J. Bruce Ismay. . . ."
Well, this was just too cool for words. I
had been cast as the master of the Titanic!
I read on. As Ismay, I had several minor
character goals, but my main object was to
make sure that the Titanic beat the Olym¬
pic's speed record for transatlantic cross¬
ing time, as I had a bet with J. P Morgan
that would enable me to regain the control
of White Star Lines from him if I won.
(Morgan was supposed to have been on
the Titanic’s only voyage, but an illness
kept him in England —more's the pity.)

I read the game rules and was surprised

to see just how few there were. A couple

of pages of simple combat rules—with a
paragraph apiece on pocket-picking, safe¬
cracking, and cheating at cards—seemed
to be all that were needed. Far more space
was devoted to the history and social
background of the ship and a passenger
list with short character descriptions.

There were no rappelling rules, no

thrown-object scatter tables, no fatigue-
modified movement rates, no character
skill rules to speak of—clearly, this game
was mainly about social interaction, and
success at character interaction was de¬
pendent on the player's own skill. What a
radical concept!

My character's possessions were defined

by a handful of paper coins, pound notes,
and checks (for passing bribes and paying
gambling debts), plus several "special
ability" and "item" cards. These were
3" x 5" cards that described abilities I
possessed (e.g., Ship's Knowledge—I knew
my way around the ship) and objects I
owned (e.g., a naval revolver). These cards
were to be shown to other players at
appropriate moments to prove that I had
what I said I had.

At the BALTICON panel, I had gotten the

idea that costuming could be fairly impor¬
tant at these games, so I had come pre¬
pared with several outfits: a suit with an
old-school tie, a smoking jacket, and best
of all, a naval officer's formal jacket. I'd
picked it up years ago at a used-clothing
store for no good reason other than that it
had looked cool, and now at last I had a
use for it. I put on a white shirt, black
pants, and black bow tie, slipped a (bor¬
rowed) pocket watch in one pocket and a
(borrowed) hip flask in another, then
donned my naval jacket. Thus nattily
attired, I went down to the Game Control
Room to meet the other passengers.

The hotel had a large open indoor pool

area, fronted on two sides by two floors of
rooms, the upper floors giving out onto
railed balconies with spiral staircases that
led down to poolside. SILICON had rented
this entire area for the weekend. The
Titanic’s Game Control Room was a suite
on an upper level; outside "Deck B" was
lined with deck chairs, and we could look
down onto "Deck C" below us. There were
five GMs and about 25 players in the
game. Each player represented a fictional¬
ized version of an actual Titanic passenger,
each with his own goals.

I soon found that the game was played

almost exclusively between the players,
wherever they happened to be, with only
occasional intercession by a GM when
something needed to be resolved or ex¬
plained. (In fact, if you needed a GM, you
had to go and find one.) The GMs had set
up the game, but the action was controlled
and directed almost entirely by the play¬
ers. Essentially, each player tried to be¬
come his character for the duration of the
weekend. Players were on their honor to
act only on the knowledge their characters
would have, and I saw not a single abuse

DRAGON 91

of this trust. When somebody had a ques¬

tion or wanted to do something compli¬
cated, a GM might be called, but just as
often the players figured out what would
happen on their own and reported it to
the GMs later.

We players spent Friday night and Satur¬

day morning discreetly feeling each other
out and discovering who was who. At least
four major subplots were already under¬
way: a murder mystery, a tangled espio¬
nage case, an art forgery scheme, and
something having to do with Egyptian
artifacts and spiritualism that I never quite
figured out. ("Rubbish!" I sniffed whenever
the subject came up.) Plus there were
several financial schemes looking for
investors (including a scheme of my own),
an out-of-control fire burning in the bot¬
tom of coal bunker No. 6 that I had to
keep the passengers from discovering,
some sort of smuggling plot, and a crazed
saboteur hired by J. P. Morgan to slow or
stop the ship.

The game took place anywhere in the

hotel characters happened to be, in any
possible combination of characters, which
meant that no one person could possibly
know everything that was going on. (This
may be the only form of storytelling
where this is true.) The GMs occasionally
introduced new twists —for example, the
ghostly apparition prophesying doom that
appeared in the corridor during the char¬
ity art auction, sending all the spiritualists
into a tizzy. ("Rubbish!")

Costuming was optional and varied from

jeans and T-shirt to full Edwardian regalia.
It wasn't supposed to make a difference,
but clearly a player in full costume had a
psychological advantage over a player
with none. The characters were of three
main groups: the ship's officers, including
Captain E. J. Smith; the high-class aristo¬
crats, such as the Astors, the Duff-
Gordons, the Thayers and Wideners,

Count Boris Romanoff, and Major Archi¬

bald Butt, a personal friend of President
Taft; and the lesser lights in first class,
such as the "unsinkable" Molly Brown,
mystery writer Jacques Futrelle, actress
Dorothy Gibson, cardshark C. H. Rol-
maine, and Pinkerton man F. M. Curran.

As J. Bruce Ismay, I was both a member of

the upper crust and privy to the activities
of the ship's officers, which I found an
excellent arrangement. I got to swank it
with the Duff-Gordons and still cast the
deciding vote among the officers when
problems came up. Whenever some new
horrible calamity befell the vessel, I would
have to go and explain it away to the first-
class passengers, each time a little less
convincingly than the last.

It was delightful. When I wasn't escort¬

ing the glamorous Frau Antoinette
Flegheim to the Ladies' High Tea or dinner
at the Captain's Table, I was ordering the
Captain to press on at full speed through
the fog and not be so damned overcau¬
tious about a few reports of ice floes. The
other players worked busily at their own

goals, arranging business deals, forging

alliances, conducting romances, setting up
swindles, and exacting vengeance for
crimes past. Some players got so involved
in the endless high-stakes poker game in
the first-class salon that they hardly
seemed to notice the other intrigues that
swirled about them. Everyone played with
a gusto that was undiminished by the
knowledge that we were probably all
going to end up in Davy Jones's locker.

On advice of the first officer, the captain

took a more southerly course than origi¬
nally planned to avoid the ice, but we still
ran over a small "growler" iceberg late
Saturday night. This sprung a couple of
seams in the forward boiler room, and
worse, interrupted my game of whist in
the salon! But the damage was insignifi¬
cant, really—the pumps were well able to
keep ahead of it—so we went back up to
full speed and cleared the ice field within
a few hours.

By Sunday morning, most of the plots

had just about worked themselves out,
and some of the players (when out of
character) were beginning to think that
we might make New York safely, but of
course we were doomed from any one of
a number of possible causes. That out-of-
control fire smoldering in the No. 6 coal
bunker could have burst out onto the
decks, or the sabotaged boilers might have
exploded, or the Egyptian curse on the
tomb-robbers could have caused the ship
to split open like a ripe melon. As it hap¬
pened, it was the bombs set in the cargo
hold by the agents of the Kaiser that fi¬
nally did us in. (Of course, if I, in my char¬
acter as a pompous ass, hadn't consistently
diverted all investigations away from the
ringleader, Frau Flegheim— "It's inconceiv¬
able that she could be involved in this sort
of thing!" —the ship's officers might have
found the bombs in time. But something
else would have gotten us.)

With a rip in the hull that extended

across four cargo holds, we started taking
on water, but at first we weren't terribly
alarmed—we all knew the Titanic was
unsinkable. It meant my bet with Morgan
was lost, and we'd have to head for Halifax
as the closest port, but one must keep
one's composure, after all. Then we
started getting panicky reports from be-
lowdecks, so I sent Thomas Andrews, the
ship's designer, down into the holds to
assess the situation. He came back,
shaken, and informed the captain and me
that the Titanic was definitely going to
sink. Reluctantly, I gave the order to start
lowering the boats. That's when I "discov¬
ered" we didn't have enough boats for
everybody.

The climax of the game, the sinking,

went very rapidly and was magnificently
stage-managed by the GMs, who came to
the fore for the final scene. Despite confu¬
sion and misdirection, we managed to get
the boats away with all the women and
children from first class aboard. Only a
few men managed to weasel their way

onto the boats, and this time Ismay wasn't

one of them. (Frau Flegheim, the agent of
our doom, was in the first boat away—she
drew a revolver and commandeered it.)
Meanwhile, the GMs went around and
recruited every member of the convention
who wasn't currently active in "Escape
Velocity" or "Cocabanana" to be second-
and third-class passengers on the Titanic.
As the last boats were loading first-class
women and children on Deck B, the lower-
class passengers swarmed up the spiral
staircases and tried to mob us, but we
managed to beat them back and lock the
gates. I spotted one group circling around
the back way (through the hotel to the
other entrance of the suite), so Major Butt
and I headed them off at the door. As they
pretended to charge, I fired my cardboard
revolver into the air, but Major Butt,
brandishing his 3" x 5" cavalry sabre in
one hand, started mowing them down
with the revolver in his other. In the face
of this mayhem, the mob retreated, and
we locked that gate as well.

The ship was listing badly now, and the

imaginary foredeck was awash. From up
on the balcony, those of us left on the ship
could see the groups of folding chairs out
by the pool that represented the lifeboats.
The seamen left on the ship were working
feverishly to free four more collapsible
lifeboats from the top of the pilot house.
They finally got one afloat, but as we
started to go down to it, it was mobbed by
lower-class passengers. A GM on the bal¬
cony announced that only those players
with a ticket would be considered to be on
the collapsible lifeboat—and then she
tossed a handful of tickets down onto the
pool deck. Most of us left on B Deck dis¬
dained to get involved in the resulting
melee. (The final ticket was tossed into the
pool, and one player unhesitatingly dove
in after it.)

The last boat was away. First Officer

Lightoller and Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon
were building a raft of deck chairs, but
Major Butt and I decided to jump for it.
Luck and the frigid water of the North
Atlantic were against us; we drowned. The
ship went under at last, and the suction
pulled down Sir Cosmo's raft, and they all
drowned, too. A few swimmers were
pulled into lifeboats, but too many got into
Collapsible A—it capsized, and more play¬
ers were lost. Finally, the RMS Carpathia
arrived to pick up the survivors. The quick
and the dead then stood up together and
solemnly sang "Eternal Father, Strong to
Save" ("O hear us when we cry to Thee/

For those in peril on the sea!"). Okay, the

ending was a bit of a downer, but what did
you expect from a tragedy like the Titanic?

The "Interactive Literature" form of live

role-playing has its origins back in 1982,
when a Boston SF fan named Walt Freitag
started talking about how to do a real¬
time, live-action role-playing game. His
friends encouraged him to quit talking
about it and do it, so Freitag contacted the

92 JULY 1990

organizers of the annual BOSKONE SF

convention and proposed a science-fiction
role-playing game for a large number of
players. There was no reply for several
months, and Freitag had written it off,
when shortly before the convention the
organizers got back in touch with him and
said: So, is that game ready yet? Freitag
enlisted several of his friends as collabora¬
tors, and they managed to concoct “Re-
kon,” their first live role-playing game, in
about three nights. It premiered at
Boskone in January 1983, for about 30
players, most of whom felt it was a big
success. In fact, some players who had
come up from the Baltimore-Washington
area were so impressed with “Rekon” that
they asked permission to run their own
version of the game down south. That
game, “Reklone,” was run at a Washington
convention in the summer of 1983.

So it went for a couple of years, each

game larger than the last. "Rekon 2" was
run in Boston in 1984, “Reklone 2” in
Washington. “Rekon 3” was a fantasy game
for almost 200 players, which introduced
so many people to the idea of live role-
playing that by late 1985 new games were
popping up all over the place. By 1986,
most SF conventions in the Boston or
Baltimore-Washington areas featured live
role-playing games of some sort. Players
were drawn from science-fiction fans,
gamers, and theater people, with little or
no crossover with conventional tabletop
role-playing.

By this time, the originators of the Re-

kons had decided that this approach to
storytelling was a new art form and de¬
served its own name. They settled on
“interactive literature,” a name that has
stuck despite its pretentiousness. The most
experienced GMs got together and formed
the Society for Interactive Literature, or
SIL. SIL’s main functions are the exchange
of information and the sponsorship of
conventions devoted to live role-playing
games. SILICON I was held in 1986 and
featured experimental games that it was

felt wouldn’t go over so well at a SF

convention—games like “See Jane Run,”
which was set inside a human body, with
the players cast as various organs. There
are now just under a thousand active
players of live role-playing games, and
most are still found in either Boston or the
Baltimore-Washington area, so SILICONS
are usually held somewhere in between.

Playing role-playing games is always a

collaborative process; with live role-
playing games, even game mastering is a
collaboration. A game for 50 players re¬
quires the creation of 50 detailed charac¬
ters and a complex web of interrelation¬
ships. This is such a daunting task that
groups of four to eight GMs are usually
formed to write a live role-playing game,
and each game is usually prepared over a
period of months. The GMs decide how
the characters goals are related, and
which characters can hinder or help each
other. It takes a delicate touch; each char¬
acter’s goal must be achievable within the
span of a weekend—but not too soon, or
the player will feel the game was too easy.
The game must be designed so it will run
pretty much on its own, for if it needs too
much input from the GMs, the players will
be frustrated and the GMs will be run
ragged long before the game is over.

Playing is not nearly as much work as

game mastering, especially since most
games have few actual game mechanics
that the player needs to understand. The
major skill a player needs is to be able to
walk up to a person he doesn’t know and
introduce himself. Playing the game con¬
sists mainly of staying in character while
having a series of conversations with
various other players. A player must find
out what he needs to know without giving
away too many of the player’s own se¬
crets, but a player who won’t trade infor¬
mation won’t learn anything, so it doesn’t
pay to be too close mouthed.

As in tabletop gaming, some players

concentrate on role-playing and being
theatrical, while others more goal

oriented. The best games provide plenty of

opportunity for both styles of play. About
50 or 60 different games have been run to
date, many of them based on science fic¬
tion or fantasy, but others are on virtually
every subject with any dramatic potential.
There have been a couple of Wild West
games, a game based on characters from
Shakespeare, another based on Watergate,
a Weekly Midnight News” game based on
tabloid reality, and several historical situa¬
tions, such as “Golden Horn,” which simu¬
lated politics in the Byzantine Empire.

Other games have drawn from the works

of authors as diverse as H. P. Lovecraft,
Steven Brust, and Dick Francis. I just
signed up for “Shogun,” in which I’ll be
playing the part of a samurai warlord in
16th-century Japan. Look out, Toshiro
Mifune!

If you’re interested in trying out live

role-playing, and you live on the East
Coast, the odds are good that there will be
a game at the next SF convention in your
area. (Most games at SF conventions hold a
few parts open for walk-in players to
encourage novices to play.) If you want to
preregister for a game, or if you live else¬
where in the country, your best bet is to
subscribe to Metagame, the SIL’s newslet¬
ter that (among other things) lists an¬
nouncements of upcoming games—what
they’re about and where and when they’ll
be run. Live role-playing is gradually
spreading west and south, and will proba¬
bly be showing up in your major metro¬
politan area within the next couple of
years. So get ready—live role-playing is
coming your way!

Contact the Society for Interactive Liter¬

ature at: P.O. Box 44-1478, Somerville MA
02144, U.S.A. Membership dues are $5.00
per year. Subscriptions to Metagame are
also $5.00 per year, and should be sent to
the above address. Articles or information
for Metagame should be sent to: John
O’Neil, Metagame Editor, 9 Chauncy St.

#32, Cambridge MA 02138, U.S.A.

complimentary

CHEQUE

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DRAGON 93

RAGONMIRtH

By Barbara Manui & Chris Adams

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96 JULY 1990
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LETTERING

David McDowell

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98 JULY 1990
Rifts, from
Palladium Books*

There is so much to tell about Rifts® that we don’t know where to begin.
Earth has been tom apart and reshaped. It is as alien as some distant planet,
yet strangely familiar. Humankind has risen from the ashes of armageddon to
reclaim their planet, only this time there are other creatures who claim it as
well.

Rifts is science fiction

It is high-tech science fiction with mega-damage rules, cybernetics, bionics,

robotics, energy weapons, rail guns, power armor, giant robot vehicles, and
fantastic cities. Cities where character classes like the City Rat, Cyber-Doc,
Operators, Body Fixers, and other rogues call home. Cities controlled by the
empire known as the Coalition; a nazi-like government who controls the minds
and hearts of its people and where books are forbidden. Places where men of
magic, psychics, and scholars are hunted by the Coalition Dog Packs and
Psi-Hunters.

Rifts® is fantasy

The world is transformed and the science of magic is a reality. Ley lines
and their mystic energies are tapped to open doorways to other worlds and
used to create technological marvels like TK-Guns (fire telekinetic bolts instead
of bullets) and wing boards (surfboard like platforms that sail along ley lines).-
A world where creatures of legend walk among men. A world where character
classes like the Line Walker, Techno-Wizard, Shifter, and Mystic are just
beginning to understand the power that ancient man called magic.

Rifts® is post-holocaust adventure

Rifts® is great artwork

The cover by Keith Parkinson is only a hint at what awaits you inside.
Incredible new robots, bionics, weapons, vehicles, characters and more are
breathtakingly illustrated by Kevin Long and Kevin Siembieda. Plus a 12 page
center spread of paintings by Long and Siembieda that captures the world of
Rifts.

Rifts® is horror

Where ley lines meet, they are called junction or “nexus” points. These are
the places where portals or “rifts” tear open the fabric of space and time.
Sometimes the rifts can be controlled, but all too often they tear open like an
erupting volcano of mystic and psychic energy. From the eruption, hordes of
creatures emerge. Some are monstrous flesh and blood creatures, others are
alien intelligences, but the worse are supernatural beings that even future man
calls demons.

The world is a vast wilderness, a new frontier with many wonders waiting
to be explored. And just as many horrors barring the path. Player characters
are the brave, idealistic, adventurous explorers of this new world. Men and
women who dare to carve their place in a world gone mad. Occupational
Character Classes include the Cyber-Knight, Bursters, Juicers, Borgs, Crazies,
Mind Melters, Coalition Elite, and many, many others.

&

Rifts !

Three years in the making! Written by Kevin Siembieda, 200 + pages,

interior color paintings, $24.95. Available August 1990. And that’s a promise!!
Rifts is compatible with Robotech™, Beyond the Supernatural ™, Heroes Un¬
limited™ , Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ®, the Palladium Role-Playing Game®
and the entire Palladium megaverse®!!

Palladium Books® 5926 Lonyo Ave.

Dept. D Detroit, Mi. 48210

Rifts® T-shirt free with every purchase

of Rifts RPG at GEN CON® Game Fair 1990

You heard right, a gorgeous T-shirt depicting the Coalition Dog Pack and
Psi-Hunter, illustrated by Kevin Long, will be given away, free, with every
purchase of Rifts at GEN CON® Game Fair. Of-course, supply is limited to
only a few hundred, and available on a first come, first served basis.

Copyright © 1990 Kevin Siembieda

Rifts, Megaverse, Palladium Books and other titles are trademarks owned by Kevin
Siembieda.

GEN CON Game Fair is a registered trademark of TSR Inc.

Available at hobby stores and comic book shops everywhere!

DRAGON 99

ii ®

Enter a world

Of

Fantasy & Make-Believe

Try and buy a game from Chris Harvey

On second thoughts, don't bother... Use one of the renowned shops listed below and
get all the benefits of dealing with
the greatest games wholesaler in the world® but with the personal attention of your
local shop - just drop in and say,

"Chris Harvey sent you.®" ©Possibly untrue... or should that be probably?® But
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NOW AVAILABLE

Probably the most comprehensive

GAMERS' PRICE LIST

in Europe

Available for 50p from shops listed below or direct from

CHRIS HARVEY GAMES for 50p plus a large SAE.

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Collector’s Centre
34 St Nicholas Cliff
Scarborough

Y0112ES
(0723)365221

Toppers

24 Watergate Street
Chester

CH12LA
(0244)328802

Tower Models

44 Cookston Street
Blackpool

FY13ED
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iFantasy Workshop

1 The Wynd

Letchworth

Herts, SG6 3EN

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War & Peace

8 Upper Orwell Street

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190-194 Station Road
Harrow

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Dungeon Games

78 George Street

Hull
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Games & Puzzles

6 Green Street
Cambridge

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Wolverhampton

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Ballards

54 Grosvenor Road

Tunbridge Wells

Kent

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Plymouth St.

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Game Inc.

9 Frankfurt Gate
Plymouth

PL1 1QA
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Pastimes

15 East Street Centre

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The Stamp Corner

75 Netherhall Road
Doncaster

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66 Crewe Road

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98 Station Street
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91 St Dunstans Street
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J & B Small

43 Darlaston Road

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(0922)22338

N.C.C. Games

30 Meadow Street

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Avon

(0934)614282

Paladin Games &

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Wnghts Arcade, Francis Si

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N.Ireland (0247) 811186

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45 SLPeters Gate
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Paperbook Back Shop

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Hanley, Stote-On-Trent

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London SW11 1SY
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Trivial Book Shop

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Marienstr. 3

3000 Hanover
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Phantastic Games

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Epsom, Surrey
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[Games Emporium

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CHRIS HARVEY GAMES, PO Box 38, Bath Street, Walsall WS1 3BY

FAX: 0922 721644

100 JULY 1990

Convention Calendar

Continued from page 85

GAME-FEST XI, August 15-19

This llth-annual convention will be held in

historic Old Town in San Diego, Calif. Over 50
gaming events include AD&D® D&D®, AVALON
HILL CLASSICS*, BATTLETECH*, CAR WARS*,
TMN TURTLES*, WARHAMMER 40,000*, MO¬
NOPOLY*, and AXIS & ALLIES* games, with
painting shows and more. Registration: $20
before August 10 (includes coupon book for on¬
site purchases), or $30 at the door. Write to:
GAME-FEST XI, 3954 Harney St., San Diego CA
92110; or call: (619) 291-1666.

KUBLA KHAN ‘90, August 17-18

Comics Utah presents this convention at the

Redwood Multi-Purpose Center in Salt Lake City,
Utah. This convention will feature comics,
dealers, trading, RPGs, miniatures battles,
contests, and prizes. Registration: $7/day or $10
for both days. Write to: Comics Utah, 2985 W.
3500 So., West Valley UT 84119; or call: (801)
966-8581.

ELTANNCON ‘90, August 18-19

This convention will be held at the Henderson
Convention Center in Henderson, Nevada.

Events include AD&D®, STAR FLEET BATTLES*,

BATTLETECH*, CAR WARS*, and CHAMPIONS*
games. Registration: $10, which allows the
attendee to participate in all events on a first-
come, first-served basis. Write to: ELTANNCON
'90, 860 E. Twain #128, Dept. 456, Las Vegas NV
89109; or call: (702) 733-8626.

CAMALOT II, August 24-26

This will be held at the Sheraton Inn in Hunts¬
ville, Ala. Sponsored by the Huntsville Area
Gamers and Role-players (H.A.G.A.R), this con¬
vention's events include a wide variety of RPGs
and war games, a video room, an art show, and
a costume dance. Registration: $15 until July 10,
or $20 at the door. Write to: CAMALOT II, 4931
B Cotton Row Apts., Huntsville AL 35810; or
call: Bryan Jones at: (205) 837-9036.

Voidjammers!

Continued from page 26

the fighter is self-confident. Peregrin

strongly dislikes uncertainty in people and
expects his friends to hold their moral and
intellectual ground even if they disagree
with him. Flatterers do not stay in his
company for long, nor do people who try
to get him to solve their problems for
them.

When Peregrin is used in a campaign, he

should take the roll of a catalyst. He might
tell PCs of an adventuring site he once
bypassed, or an interesting area of Astral
space he did not stop to thoroughly
explore, etc. And he never denies
knowledge to anyone who wants to know
where githyanki or mind flayers live, if the
questioners plan to attack these creatures.
Peregrine should not help the PCs out
with information or magic. He had to earn
everything he has the hard way, and he
will make others do the same. Q

DRHGOIIS

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IL Emperor's Headquarters • Chicago (312) 777-7307 FANTASY ART.

KY Rusty Scabbard • Lexington (606) 255-3514 $5.00 RETAIL EA.

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OR Military Corner • Portland (503) 234-1881 I^ H

PA The Comic Store West • York (717) 845-9198 A V V L

TX Games Plus • Dallas (214) 296-9332 sf “ mhi U ^ JB

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Send SASE for names of local dealers to: Chessex, 826 South Lincoln, Longmont CO
80501

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Available at Hobby Stores and Comic Book Shops everywhere!

102 JULY 1990

Photography by Mike Bethke and Ral Partha

Tkbougktkb
Down with dragons, up with tanks!

©1990 by Robert Bigelow

This month, we introduce more histori¬

cal miniatures into this review column.
While I understand that this column is in a
fantasy gaming magazine, there is much to
see beyond the thin line that separates the
fantasy miniatures from the historical
miniatures venue. In issue #157, GDW's
BLUE MAX game was reviewed. This
game, like the old DAWN PATROL® game
from TSR, allows you to be the pilot of a
World War I wood-and-cloth aircraft; you
must out-think opponents using now-
obsolete technology. As you play the game,
you also relive the beginnings of one of
the major weapons systems of the 20th
century: the airplane. In aircraft's earliest
days, pilots fired at one another with
pistols from unarmed aircraft. By the end
of World War I, synchronized machine
guns and specialized aircraft (scout planes,
fighters, bombers, and transports) were in
wide use.

If World War I lies too far in the past for

you, look around now at two of the most
important periods of the 20th century.

One of them was World War II, which

affected every nation on the planet and
started just over 50 years ago. From that
war came such developments as the blitz¬
krieg, combined arms operations, carrier
warfare, guided missiles, advanced projec¬
tile weapons, jet aircraft, and the wide¬
spread and integrated use of tanks—not to
mention the invention of the atomic bomb.
In the wake of that war, the political face
of the world was forever changed.

The second of these two great periods is

going on now. In the last five years, we
have seen many dictatorships and repres¬
sive governments fall or be voted out of
power. We are at a great historical cross¬
roads, one at which there can be either
grave consequences or a brighter future.

Why the history lecture? YouTl find that

when you play historical miniatures
games, especially on a wide scale or with a
campaign game, you begin to see just how
fragile history can be. We would live in a
much different world today had things
gone differently during the battles of

D-Day, Pearl Harbor, the Bulge, or Midway.

By studying historical miniatures games,
you can study the great events of the
world.

I am not suggesting that anyone stop

playing fantasy role-playing games. I'm
simply offering an alternative set of games
that promise more immediate gains. Many
of the people who play GDW's TWILIGHT
2000™ system or modern microarmor can
instantly recognize most military equip¬
ment shown on TV and know who uses it.
Are those soldiers from the Soviet army or
are they actually elite Soviet troops such
as airborne? Is the battle being shown a
minor disturbance or are they calling on
crack troops to handle it? By knowing the
little things learned in gaming, you watch
the news—your history in the making—
much more closely.

Try a little history in your gaming. Yes,

sometimes historical miniatures games
move more slowly than role-playing
games, and the multitude of troops is a bit
boggling as the armies march across the
battlefield, but you can now control many
more "characters" than just one. You can
lead, you can learn, and you can add to
your gaming knowledge.

Check with your hobby shop and in

convention listings to see if there will be a
historical miniatures gaming convention
near you. Conventions like these have
events ranging from clashes between
ancient armies to cavalry charges in the
American Civil War. The Historical Minia¬
tures Gaming Societies (HMGSs) on the
east coast and in the Midwest invite you to
attend and see how the other half plays.

Now that I've enticed some of the role-

players, I'll throw out a challenge to the
historical gamers reading my column. I
challenge you each to introduce two new
people to historical miniatures. Your gam¬
ing will be all the richer for having new
opponents and theirs will be richer for
having new games. Be fair when you intro¬
duce them and teach them all that you
know, for we want more long-term and
effective players.
Heavy armored lance (M-3 Miniatures)

Light recon hovercraft (M-3 Miniatures)

M-3 Miniatures

4233 Mario
Plymouth MI 48170

1012 Light recon hovercraft * * * *

1009 Heavy armored lance * * * * y.

We've been getting new releases from

this company in a steady stream. We've
also been getting feedback on these vehi¬
cles from some readers, and most of the
feedback has been good. Many people
have expressed disagreement with the
statistics for use with FASA's BATTLE-
TECH® game on the packages. I should
remind you that these are suggested stats.
If you feel that your stats are better, use
them and send a copy to M-3 Miniatures.

The heavy armored lance represents a

group of four large 80-ton vehicles, each
1" long and 5/8" wide. Each tank rides on
two sets of twin treads, which themselves
ride on a series of road wheels that are
partially protected from weapons' fire by
shields. The upper deck of the tank's hull
shows positions for two light rifles or

Reviews

Miniatures’ product ratings

Poor

* *

Below average

* * * *

Average

*****

Above average
Excellent

DRAGON 103

machine guns facing forward and detailed

exhaust/heat sinks on the rear. The turret
measures 5/16" wide by 3/8" long and has
one massive gun; according to the
BATTLETECH stats, the gun is an AC 20. In
addition to the guns, there are two six-
tube missile launchers on the turret,
they are given no stats. My personal feel¬
ing is that they should be LRM 6 types,
with one reload in the tube; this would
increase their striking power and would
make the tank more valuable, but would
also raise the weight to 90 tons. These
tanks are nice additions to a miniatures
armored force. The only drawback is that
the treads are not as armored as I would
like them to be. These tanks are definitely
worth the $4.75 per package of four.

The light recon hovercraft are made to

be anything but armored. These 21-ton
vehicles are designed to scoot in, locate
targets, take fire, and hopefully withdraw
to harass from the flanks. The models
submitted for review fit in well with this
philosophy. Each vehicle is 1 5/8" long by
7/8" wide; the air-cushion skirt takes up
three-quarters of the width. The actual
body and crew area is only 5/16" wide, 1/4"
tall, and 1" long, and looks like a helicop¬
ter body. The cabin has two large escape
hatches and armored front windows. The
propulsion motor is mounted above the
cabin and is almost as long as the cabin.
Two intakes are mounted forward with a
single large exhaust to the rear. The differ¬
ence of length between the cabin and the
total length is taken up by a tail-like boom
which ends in two steering rudders, laid
out in a horizontal I-shape. The SRM 4
racks are located on opposite sides of the
hover skirt, which has ribbed edges.
This vehicle will serve a very useful
purpose on the 'Mech battlefield. Being a
hover vehicle, it can get to some places
quicker than a 'Mech and can set itself to
ground, providing a good spotter vehicle
with a low profile. It is also a fair harass¬
ment vehicle. The vehicle is $4.75 per pack
of three.

GHQ

2634 Bryant Avenue South

Minneapolis MN 55408

US-66 Ml5 Special w/40 mm * * * * y 2

UK-34 Staghound armored car *****
W-54 ACRV I & II artillery
command vehicles
W-50 SA-8 Gecko antiaircraft

*****

missiles

The U.S. Army learned several lessons

from the Germans in World War II. One of
the most important was the deadliness of
attacking aircraft on columns with no
antiaircraft protection. Several aircraft
equipped with 20-mm cannons for wing
guns could (and sometimes did) gut entire
columns that were unlucky enough not to
be equipped with AA. Aircraft could bomb
or strafe almost at will. One of the ways
that these attacks were driven off was by

Ml5 Special with 40-mm gun (GHQ)

Staghound armored car (GHQ)

using halftracks modified to act as gun

platforms. The M-15 was one such vehicle,
made up of an M-3 halftrack with cut-
down sides and a full-rotation turret
equipped with a 37-mm or 40-mm gun.

This turret could fire at a plane even after

the aircraft had flown over its target.

US-66 from GHQ is representative of one

of these specially built units. The model is
l/285th scale and designed for use with
any equipment around 5 mm (1/300th
scale). The miniature is 7/8 inch long and
5/16" wide. The miniature shows the stand¬
ard M-3 halftrack complete with a winch
on the front, which was used to pull the
vehicle out of the mud. The cab is covered
by a wrinkled tarp. The back of the
halftrack has a flat area with a raised ring
on which the turret rotates and a tool box
in the rear. The turret is slotted to accept
a gun; you simply take a gun from the
sprue that comes with the vehicle and
insert it in the slot in the floor. Add one
man from the sprue, glue both in, and the
turret is done. Place the turret on the ring,
and the vehicle is ready.

The vehicle comes with a wealth of

detail. Hinges, jerry cans, door handles,
and wheel details are excellent and not
what you would expect on a vehicle this
small. The package also contains extra
guns and loaders. This set is highly recom¬
mended for people interested in World
War II. The only problem I could find with
this model is that the tool box/ammo box

prevents the turret from turning a full

360°. You can get four vehicles for $5.50.

UK-34 Staghound has an interesting real-

life history. The Staghound started out as a
joint United Kingdom/United States project
to develop a fast-moving, well-armed, and
well-armored scout vehicle. The program
was in its last stages before production
when the U.S. suddenly abandoned it for
no apparent reason. The British continued
the project, and over 3,000 Staghounds
were in use by the end of World War II.
One variant even sported a tank turret.

The Staghound miniature is molded to

conform to the original vehicle standards.
The miniature is a high-profile, four-wheel
vehicle that measures 3/4" long by 7/16"
wide. The vehicle mounts an oval turret
with a 37mm gun, and it has a wealth of
detail. The front clearly shows three light
sets and a tow cable. Escape hatches,
battery boxes, and extra fuel tanks are all
present, as are the engine maintenance
covers on the rear and the tow hook on
the lower rear. The turret plainly shows
the riveting on the forward metal plate to
which the gun is attached. Two hatches
are on top of the turret.
This vehicle would be simple to convert
to science-fiction miniatures games, A
package of five Staghounds is available for
$5.50 and is highly recommended.

W-54 is a modern Soviet ACRV—an Artil¬

lery Command and Reconnaissance Vehi¬
cle. These tracked units act as the forward

104 JULY 1990

The D5A Albatross was a latecomer to

World War I, making its debut in 1917
after some earlier models. The D5A had a
strengthened body, a bigger engine than
previous versions, and dual machine guns.
Despite its hardiness, it could not climb as
high or stay up as long as most of the
Allied planes of the period (endurance: 2
hours; ceiling: 18,700')

The SE5A was another 1917 entry into

the air-elimination tournaments. This
British aircraft appears shorter, squared
off, and more boxlike in comparison with
many German planes. But what it lacked
in size, it made up for by being faster,
having the ability to reach higher alti¬
tudes, and having a longer flight time.
These were important points as many
British bases were farther from the com¬
bat zone than were their German counter¬
parts, and the speed and extra height
allowed them to dive down onto their
opponents out of the sun (endurance: 2 1/2
hours; ceiling: 19,000').

The Halberstadt model is actually the

Halberstadt CV. This photo-recon aircraft
was introduced in 1918 and flew only for
a limited time before the war ended. Up to
25% larger than either of the two preced¬
ing aircraft, this one had a crew of two: a
pilot and a gunner/observer who manned
a machine gun that fired to the rear and
sides. This weapon and the forward ma-
chinegun gave these planes nearly a 360°
firing arc. Though these aircraft were
slow, they could remain in the air longer
(3 1/2 hours) and fly almost as high (16,405')
as British or Allied aircraft.

All three of these aircraft come as qual¬

ity kits from C in C, having from five to six
pieces each. Each plane matches its photo¬
graphs and line drawings, including such
details as the stack exhaust on the Halber¬
stadt and the upper wing machine gun on

systems the Soviet bloc has, as all the

radar, rangefinders, missiles, and reloads
are contained on one vehicle.

This GHQ miniature comes in four dif¬

ferent pieces with easily followed instruc¬
tions. The hull looks surprisingly like a
large boat with wheels, measuring 1 1/4"
long and 7/16" wide. Detail on the vehicle is
good, showing individual tire treads, gas
filler spout, lights, and blast protectors
well defined. The Soviet's practice of using
horizontal ribs to strengthen their large
amphibious vehicles is obvious with the
crisp lines present on this model.

The actual missile assembly uses the

other three pieces. The triple multifre¬
quency radar is prominent in front. Then
comes the large tower to which the mis¬
siles attach, as well as the search radar at
the top. Each piece shows special attention
to detail, like the bolts on the radar protec¬
tor, ribs on the back of the search radar,
or the heat dispersal vents on the missile
launchers.

It would be easy to convert this unit into

science-fiction game campaigns. Simply
use the missiles against VTOL or fighter
aircraft or use the vehicle as an LRM
carrier. These vehicles come three to the
pack for $5.50.

CinC

8090 University Avenue NE

Fridley MN 55432

MS-24 D5A Albatross * * * * y 2

MS-12 SE5A * * * * y 2

MS-22 Halberstadt * * * * y 2

When the BLUE MAX board game was

reviewed in issue #157, information was
given on how to change it to a miniatures
game. Now you have some planes to use in
your campaigns.

World War I aircraft (C in C)

Soviet ACRV (GHQ)

Soviet SA-8 Gecko (GHQ)

coordinating posts or the actual command

post for groups ranging from a six-gun
battery to a 24-gun battalion. In these
vehicles, fire missions are written and
coordinates are checked.

The miniature is just over 1" long and

7/16" wide, shaped like a large box on
tracks. Only the forward track wheels are
protected. The front of the vehicle has two
armored hatches for the driver and radio¬
man to view the action, and two more
hatches on top for them to escape. En¬
trances and exits abound on this vehicle,
with well done hinges, cables, and connec¬
tors. The package contains two different
versions, type 1 for work behind friendly
lines and type 2 for the field.

This vehicle is an ideal dual-purpose or

crossover item for many science-fiction
games, like FASA's BATTLETECH game or
GW's WARHAMMER™ 40,000 epic 5-mm
system. The vehicle is generic in shape
and is so rich in detail that it could be a
headquarters or commlink vehicle to be
proud of. I also recommend this model for
anyone from a diorama maker to a dual¬
period player. These are fairly inexpensive
at $5.50 per pack of five.

W-50 is a model of Soviet-built antiair¬

craft missile system, the SA-8b, which has
a range of 30 km. The system is in use in
Syria, India, Iraq, the Warsaw Pact coun¬
tries, and, of course, the Soviet Union. The
vehicle is amphibious and can fire on the
move. It is also one of the few one-vehicle

DRAGON 105
the SE5A. Wing spars are clearly visible on
the fuselages. The V-type landing gear is
well done but is molded as a single block
rather than with individual struts and
wheels that would crumple the first time
you set the aircraft down. The lower
wings fit into slots on the bottom of the
fuselage; with the exception of the SE5A,
horizontal flaps slip into the fuselage as
well. The SE5A requires full tail assembly.

The bad points of these aircraft models

are few and are more points of personal
preference. The planes require steady
hands, a good thick superglue, and proper
tools to assemble. Assembly is easy to do,
but there are no instructions. In addition,
the peg-to-hole assembly on three of my
models was slightly off or the holes were
too small, requiring the pegs be trimmed
and held in place while the glue dried.
There are no small strings of flash that
can be clipped with ease, but some care
should be taken not to break delicate
parts. Finally, the spar and frame detail
appears only on the tops of the surfaces,
not on the bottoms. This is a shame, as it
would be nice to see detail on all sides of
these models.

Individual support spars do not appear

on these models, leaving room for perfec¬
tionists to personalize. Because these air¬
craft are 1/285th scale, they are slightly
bigger than the hexes on gaming sheets,
but they fit in well anyway. They are a
good buy at $4.75 per two aircraft, and
they make good playing or display pieces.

Pegasus with rider (Grenadier)

Grenadier Models, Inc.

P.O. Box 305

Springfield PA 19064
Grenadier Models UK Ltd.

19 Babage Road
Deeside, Clwyd, Wales
United Kingdom CH5 2QB

GR716 Pegasus with rider ****

The Pegasus is the horse of an adventur¬

er's dream. The miniature provided for
review here consists of four parts: the
horse, its wings, and a rider. The wings

are very well done, with well-defined

feathers having no flash. The slot for the
wings on the back of the pegasus needs to
be cleaned out and enlarged just a bit for
the wings to fit; the fit then is good, with
easily filled gaps. A mold line runs from
the tail to the base, which must be clipped,
and light flash is present on the legs and
neck. Heavier flash was present on the
rear leg, so some clean-up is involved with
this miniature.

The pegasus is posed as if launching

himself into the air. He is about 2" long
from tip of nose to the rump and about
lVi" from hoof to top of neck. His mane
ripples on his neck with good detail on the
hair. The tail hangs down and is also well
done —but why is the mane rippling and
the tail straight? The wings stretch 3 V 2 "
tip to tip. The pegasus is average in size
and girth for 25-mm scale and is slightly
smaller than one of my heavy horses for
25-mm medieval knights.

The rider is an average 25-mm knight

with a serious expression. He carries an
overly thick spear in his right hand, and
his left hand is lowered as if holding reins.
The rider wears a full set of plate armor
with only his face exposed.

As a playing piece this is good, but it is

not quite a collector's piece. From stories I
have read, the wingspan of a mature pega¬
sus should be about twice as big and the
body should be fuller. Still, this is a fairly
good miniature for $3.50.

Ral Partha Enterprises

5938 Carthage Court

Cincinnati OH 45212
RP 11-409 Four ores * * * * y 2

Ores continue to be a favorite target for

experience-hungry parties, and they are a
longtime favorite of the miniatures com¬
panies. Now Ral Partha is working with
TSR to produce the official line of figures
for the AD&D® game, and these ores are a
part of that line. The set submitted for
review contains four ores in different
poses and with different weapons. The
figures are in 25-mm scale and have round
bases.

Figure #1 is a very brave, charging ore.

The figure holds an ornate long sword
aloft in his right hand; a round metal
shield hangs on his left arm, complete
with rivets on the rim. He holds the shield
close to the ground to protect his left side.
Scale armor covers only his front. Under
the lower part of the armor and extending
around the figure is an unidentifiable skin
that covers his back from the waist down.
His odd helm has jagged spines on the top,
and he wears sandals. Muscle detail is
present but not as deep as in most Ral
Partha figures. Several areas of light flash
are present on the figure, and one large
mold mark lies in the right armpit. The
enraged facial expression is good, with the
mouth open in a scream. Fangs show up
well with no flash.

Figure #2 is bent at the knees and

rocked back to the right side as if avoiding
a thrust while aiming a blow. His right
arm is bare from the elbow down except
for a thick bracelet. In his right hand he
grips a jagged scimitar, while on his left
arm he has an arched-door-type metal
shield with no rivets. His head is covered
by a metal helmet with a plume that leaves
only his scowling face and long braided
ponytail uncovered. His shoulders are
covered in overlapping plates that are
riveted together. This ore is otherwise
bare except for a loincloth and a wide,
studded belt with a skull buckle. This
figure shows no flash except by the feet,
and the only visible mold line runs across
the shield and the base.

Figure #3 reminds me of a cross be¬

tween a member of the Mongol horde and
a beach boy. The figure wears sandals,
and his muscular legs are bare to just
above the knees. At this point he wears a
pair of cut-offs with no visible pockets or
seams. The pants are held by a very nar¬
row belt with a long dagger hanging from
it. From the waist up, the Mongol appear¬
ance begins. He wears a studded leather
vest with his chest and stomach exposed.
On his shoulders rides a furry stole which
goes from arm to arm. On his head is a
leather hood which comes to a point on
top and is unsecured in the front. The
ore's face is bunched in a sneer. In his
right hand he holds a sword, and on his
left arm is a metal-covered round wooden
shield with visible hand and wrist straps.
There is some flash by the left foot and on
the front of the left arm. There are no
mold lines on this figure.

Figure #4 appears to be kneeling, as if

being photographed after making a big
game kill. Both knees are bent, with one
forward with the foot out and the other
bent with his weight on the knee. Both
feet are clad in moccasins or light boots
with thin soles. This ore wears a shin
guard on his left leg only. He is also wear¬
ing a tattered suit of chain mail covered by
a smock which stretches from his shoul¬
ders to mid thigh. The smock is held by a
wide belt with a short sword hanging
from it. His armor is completed by a set of
overlapping disks in front and a plate on
his right shoulder with a spike protruding
from it. On his left arm is a shield which
has no detail on the front but shows signs
of wooden slats on the back, as well as
wrist and arm straps. There are mold lines
on the shield. In his right hand he holds a
long-handled, lopsided, two-bladed axe
emblazoned with front and back skulls on
the center. The rivets holding the axe head
onto the handle are clearly visible. He
wears a helmet with a ridge in front and
three large horns, two on either side and
one in the center. This ore seems to have a
satisfied look about him, if that's possible.

I recommend these figures as additions

to your ore squads. They would make
good additions to the ore "sleeve" of 12
figures now available from Ral Partha or

106 JULY 1990

to other single figures. My only reserva¬

tion is that these figures show a slightly
lower standard of quality than Ral Partha
normally has, particularly in their shield
detail. I hope this is a temporary problem.
The price is $4.95 per package.

RP 11-407 Fire giant * * * * y2

In issue #155, we reviewed the fire giant

from Grenadier. This month we review the
fire giant from Ral Partha.

The fire giant submitted for review is a

58-mm figure with its left knee bent, pre¬
paring to take a swing at some unwitting
target. His head is covered by a helmet of
overlapping scales and comes complete
with ear and neck guards. A bushy beard
covers his lower face, and he appears to
be shouting. His large, hooked nose is
deformed, as if it had been broken.

The giant's upper body is protected by a

breastplate, under which is more of the
scale armor that makes up his helmet. The
scale mail is held in place by a wide belt
and buckle, with a large dagger the size of
a short sword hanging from the belt. His
legs are bare from midthigh to his shins,
where they are wrapped by his sandal
thongs. His left shoulder is covered by
overlapping plates down to his arm, with a
strapped-on wrist guard. His right shoul¬
der is protected by scale mail with a metal
bracer on his right wrist. Both hands
clutch a sword that is 38 mm from pom¬
mel to tip and has a "blood groove."

This figure is excellent, with slightly

exaggerated muscle structure and very
little flash. The only required assembly
involves the three spikes that must be
inserted into the right shoulder guard.

The figure doesn't seem tall enough to

match the description of the fire giant in
TSR's AD&D 2nd Edition Monstrous Com¬
pendium , but this can be easily over¬
looked. Its price is $4.95.

Fire giant (Ral Partha)

Four ores (Ral Partha)

RP 20-630 TOG Imperial guard in

• m j * * * *

ceremonial dress

RP 20-631 TOG Senator ****

The interstellar TOG empire, as por¬

trayed in FASA's RENEGADE LEGION®
games, is beset by rebellion. These two
figures are representative of the tyranni¬
cal overlords against whom the rebels are
fighting.

The TOG Imperial Guard wears a cer¬

emonial dress uniform that consists of a
Roman-style tunic (of which only the front
is shown), with bare legs from just below
the bottom of the tunic to the top of his
flexible magnet-type boots. The boots
show half of the imperial eagle on the
front and thin wiry straps around the legs
down to the soles of his feet. Over this he
wears a long billowing robe that drapes
down from his shoulder guards to the tops
of his boots. The robe has more pleats

than most window drapes. Covering this

robe in the back and draping across his
front is a formal cape that goes down to
the waist. This cape is held by two clasps
at the shoulders. The guard holds a large
blaster rifle in the ready position. His
helmet consists of a bullet-shaped body
with eye slots and two ridges up the back;
this is surrounded by an outer shell that
forms forward-pointing wings above the
eyes. Also included in this outer mask is a
breather unit.

The senator figure is slightly smaller. His

right hand reaches out as if imploring or
making a point, and his left hand grasps
his cloak. On his left arm is a wristwatch.
He wears glasses and has short hair that
seems to have been cut with a bowl. His
face is thin and angular.

The senator's clothing is simple. He has a

traditional thin Roman tunic, secured at

TOG Imperil guard and senator (Ral Partha)

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Drakonne (Ral Partha)

the waist by a belt with pouches. His shirt

sleeves show some embroidery, and his
arms and legs are covered by a thin
spandex-type material with a zipper. A
long cape is draped from his shoulders.

These figures can be used in any num¬

ber of science-fiction role-playing games.
It's unfortunate that these figures have so
many modern luxuries, as they would
make very nice crossover historical pieces.
The price is $1.50 per figure.

RP 02-413 Drakonne

Ral Partha's drakonne is an AD&D game

dragonne that has assumed another name.
TSR's AD&D 2nd Edition Monstrous Com¬
pendium describes a dragonne as being a
mixture of the most dangerous qualities of
a lion and a brass dragon. It has large
brass scales, brass-colored eyes, and wiry
hair that forms a thick mane. It looks like
a giant lion with small wings.

The drakonne comes in two pieces, the

body and the wings, the latter measuring
2*4 from tip to tip (the wings are not
fully stretched out). The body section
measures a little over 4*4" from nose to
tail. The thick tail, covered with scales, is
over 2" long. A ridge of spikes extends
from the back of the head to the tail along
the spine. The body looks very feline
except that the chest is not quite deep
enough and the entire trunk is covered by

scales, except for the long bony center

section that goes from under the head to
the hindquarters along the stomach. The
head does look misplaced and too big for
the neck, but it is in scale according to the
Monstrous Compendium. Even the facial
features and wide open mouth match that
books illustration.

The two pieces join together well, but

you will need filler for the fit to be perfect
(on our model, at least). Flash appears by
the hindquarters and along the throat. A
small mold defect must be trimmed on the
front right leg, which is apparently where
the metal is fed in.

I highly recommend this miniature even

though you have to do a little bit of work
to prepare it for painting. It's a good value
at $4.50.

Everyone remember that the 1990 GEN

CON® game fair will be on August 9-12, at
the MECCA arena in Milwaukee, Wis.

Come over and see how the miniatures

area has grown. If you want to see me or
discuss any reviews, I will be at the
Friends Hobby Shop booth and will try to
spare the time to talk with you. Till next
month. . . fi

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