Issue # 150Vol. XIV, No. 5October 1989

PublisherMike Cook

EditorRoger E. Moore

Assistant editor Fiction editorAnne Brown Barbara G. Young

Editorial assistantKimberly J. Walter

Art directorPaul Hanchette

Production staffKathleen C. MacDonald

Gaye O�Keefe Angelika Lokotz

Subscriptions U.S. AdvertisingJanet L. Winters Sheila Gailloreto

U.K. correspondentand U.K. advertising

Sue Lilley

SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS

11 A Taste of Horror:If you hunt for nightmares, they will surely find you.

12 The Dragon�s Bestiary � Stephen InnissIn the lands of the mind flayers live their more monstrous relatives

18 The Sunset World � Stephen InnissIllithids welcome all strangers to their homeworld � with open tentacles.

28 Fangs Alot! � The editorsA Halloween issue without vampires is like a day without sunshine: therevised AD&D® 2nd Edition vampire!

32 The Well-Rounded Monster Hunter � Dean Shomshak�Cthulhu doesn�t scare me. I have a degree in art design!�

OTHER FEATURES

47 Nobody Lasts Forever � David Edward MartinAll good things must end (sometimes) in the MARVEL, SUPER HEROES�game.

52 The Serpent of Aledorn � fiction by John P. BuentelloIf a sorcerer creates a monster, he does it for a reason.

60 Role-playing Reviews � Ken RolstonLooking for new adventures? Here are five that make the searchworthwhile.

68 The Role of Computers � Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk LesserCreate a world, govern a nation, or whack monsters with your trusty axe� all on your home computer.

78 Darkest Secrets � Marcus L. RowlandThere are some things your TOP SECRET/S.I.� agent doesn�t know evenabout himself.

82 A Final Frontier of Your Own � John J. TerraBoldly go where no gamer has gone before, in FASA�s STAR TREK®universe!

92 Unspeakable Secrets Made Easy � Dean ShomshakCurling up with a good book in Chaosium�s CALL OF CTHULHU® game?

DE P A R T M E N T S

5 Letters 40 TSR Previews 100 Dragonmirth6 Forum 74 Gamers Guide8 Sage Advice 96 Convention Calendar

COVERThis month�s cover is a particularly American blend of horror and fantasy by Larry

Elmore. Somewhere in the hills of western Kentucky, a witch and her familiar checkup on a scarecrow that guards her domain. What the scarecrow does when it findsan intruder is left to your imagination. The arrowhead in the picture (good luckfinding it!) is dedicated to the times when Larry and his father searched for them ontheir farm.

4 OCTOBER 1989

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

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

The vampirerevampedDear Dragon:

The AD&D® 2nd Edition game is a greatsystem, but I was shocked when I recentlypurchased the Monstrous Compendium, VolumeOne. In the two-page entry for the vampire, thesecond page merely repeats the text of the first.The illustration is different, but rather thangoing into the habitat and ecology of the vam-pire, the information on page one is repeatedword for word.

Is this error unique to my copy or is it com-mon to all? If the latter, how does TSR, Inc. planto rectify the situation? Perhaps a special insertin DRAGON Magazine is in order.

Paul FraserWindsor, Nova Scotia

The error was common to all copies of thefirst run of that product—and we have thecorrected text in this issue of the magazine,appropriately enough in time for Halloween.

SSI & etc.Dear Dragon:

I�m just writing in to tell you guys what agreat job you�re doing. But now I have a fewquestions and comments.

1. How about an article on cantrips for Orien-tal Adventures?

2. I LOVED the cover artwork on issue #146.It was superb!

3. Where do I send clues for �Clue corner� ?4. I�m really going to miss SnarfQuest. Are

there any plans for a new regular series?5. I own Pool of Radiance, and I just love it.

Does TSR or SSI have any plans for an Oriental[computer-game] setting?

Jason DunnCalgary, Alberta

1. Any article on cantrips should fit the AD&D2nd Edition game version of the spell cantrip.The idea sounds okay, though we would bechoosy about the article itself.

2. Thank you. We’ll let Keith Parkinson knowthat you liked his work.

3. Send your computer-game clues for “TheRole of Computers” to: Hartley and Patricia

Lesser, 179 Pebble Place, San Ramon CA 94583,U.S.A.

4. We are still working on plans for a newgraphic story but have nothing definite yet.

5. At the moment, no Oriental Adventurescomputer game is in the works. However, youmight be interested to know that upcomingAD&D computer games from SSI, Inc. includethe following (these are working titles only):

Dungeon Masters Assistant, Volume II, forcreating PCs and NPCs, with magical items;

Dragons of Flame, an action-arcade sequel toHeroes of the Lance, set in the DRAGONLANCE®

saga at Pax Tharkas;War of the Lance, a strategic fantasy war

game about the DRAGONLANCE saga;DRAGONLANCE FRP, which uses the same

game system as Pool of Radiance and AzureBonds, and which allows a party to exploreKrynn in the time following the DRAGONLANCELegends trilogy;

Dragonflight, a dragon-riding flight simulatorfor the DRAGONLANCE saga; and

Dungeon Bash, a sequel to Azure Bonds in adungeon environment.

There are several Oriental-style computergames on the market, however; just consult“The Role of Computers” column for details.

Good hit, bad missDear Dragon:

A couple of comments from down-underwhich might be of interest to your readers:

1. In reply to Robert Collins (�Letters,� issue#142), the article �Good Hits & Bad Misses�[which contained critical-hit tables for theAD&D game] has already appeared in a Best ofDRAGON Magazine anthology. It is on page 65of volume V.

2. I have just purchased the 2nd EditionPlayer’s Handbook and Dungeon Master’s Guide.It struck me that you could publish correctionsfor these books in a ring-binder, hole-punchedformat suitable for insertion in the MonstrousCompendium binder. This would keep all suchcorrections close at hand during play and savetime in leafing through DRAGON Magazine forthat missing info.

Tony R. DavisonSunnybank, Queensland, Australia

1. [Groan.] I had completely forgotten aboutthe anthologized version of “Good Hits & BadMisses” when I wrote my reply to Robert Col-lins. The error is all the worse since I workedon that particular anthology.

2. We think it would be better to simply runthe errata on the 2nd Edition materials in the“Sage Advice” column (as we have done in issues#148 and #149). Players may photocopy theerrata and keep the material with their gamebooks; we don’t object to photocopying as longas it is for personal use only and not for sale.

The big one

On August 9th, I packed myself intomy little blue Toyota and drove to Mil-waukee for the 1989 GEN CON® GameFair with all the enthusiasm I wouldhave for going to the dentist, assumingmy dentist were going to keep me inhis chair for five days and perform aroot canal on me every 20 minutes. (Asa TSR employee, I work at the TSRPeriodicals booth whenever we havesuch game fairs). I am pleased to in-form you, the readers, that the conven-tion was a tremendous, stunningsuccess, and I even enjoyed myself,much as if my dentist had only forcedme to run 128 miles over hot concretebefore giving me a clean bill of healthand a warning to floss more often.

Setup of the TSR Periodicals booth onWednesday went well, though ourproduct boxes, which had the words�DRAGON BOOTH� written on them inletters 4� high, were understandablydropped off at the cafeteria and at theupstairs auction room. After setup,your editors went out for Chinese foodand then went home to await Thurs-day�s dreaded dawn, with the openingof the MECCA Convention Center doorsto thousands of game-starved fanatics.

This year�s game fair was scheduledon the same weekend as the annualreunion of the 101st Airborne Division(�The Screaming Eagles�) and a largerap concert that was well attended byhordes of Milwaukee police officers. Bycontrast, the convention crowd of over10,000 gamers and spectators was wellbehaved, with the exception of authorMargaret Weis, who made faces at mewhenever she walked by the TSR Peri-odicals booth. In return, I gave a fan ofthe DRAGONLANCE® saga a dime to goto the Bantam Books booth and tellMargaret how much he admired herwriting (naming books she had neverwritten), but this tactic failed miserablywhen the fan was so overcome withactually meeting Margaret that heforgot his mission and probably hisname and address as well.

Many new and exciting gameproducts appeared at the convention.TSR had lots of AD&D® 2nd Edition,books and supplements, Hero Gameshad the hardbound 4th-edition CHAM-PIONS� rules, and R. Talsorian had theHardwired sourcebook for its CYBER-PUNK game. FASA�s cyberpunk-fantasySHADOWRUN� game was sold beside

Continued on page 66

DRAGON 5

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

The Executive Board of Atlanta�s ORIGINSTM �90would like to clarify a few misconceptionsconcerning our forthcoming convention on June28-July 1, 1990. This letter is in response to areader submission in issue #145�s �Forum.�

Atlanta currently hosts four major conven-tions each year; while each provides a gamingcomponent, only one expands it to a major focusof the event. ORIGINS�90 is first and foremost agaming convention, with the quality and diver-sity of the games and gaming environmentoffered as its prime concerns.

While the cancellation of several secondarygames due to a lack of registration may havebeen a factor in Mr. Walker�s perceptions pre-sented in his letter, this will not present a prob-lem at an ORIGINS due to the overall number ofattendees alone. As the National AdventureGaming Exposition in 1990, nearly all of the toptournament gaming associations in the U.S. willjoin forces with our staff and GMs to providethe finest in role-playing, board, miniatures, andcomputer gaming competitions.

Nearly half of Mr. Walker�s letter focused onthe negative images he perceived certaingamers may have presented. This is the furthestfrom the truth with respect to conventionpublicity in Atlanta, cited by some as �the heartof the Bible belt.� Television, radio, and printmedia continue to feature Atlanta�s conventionsin a positive and healthy light in both live andrecorded programs and full-page articles.

A final point that Mr. Walker presented con-cerned factors that the ORIGINS �90 committeetook into account when selecting a single, self-contained site for both the entire conventionand lodging. The Atlanta Hilton was chosen asour host site. It contains over 100,000 squarefeet of convention facilities and 1,200 roomsthat provide ORIGINS �90 with great versatility.ORIGINS �90 will feature 24-hour tournamentand open gaming, as well as continuous avail-ability of food and beverage, a swimming pooland spa, and other hotel facilities from Thurs-day nonstop till Sunday.

If readers have suggestions concerning gametournaments they would like to see, modulesthey can provide or run (and we heartily en-courage both), or just about anything else, theycan write us at: ORIGINS �90, P.O. Box 47969,Atlanta GA 30362.

David CodyTournament Coordinator

Ed KramerConvention Chairman

With respect to the dragon articles that ap-peared in DRAGON issue #134, I have some-

thing else to add. While dragons rarely need tobe beefed up as much as suggested in �GiveDragons a Fighting Chance,� the author is quitecorrect in saying they are underrated. Theproblem is not in the physical aspects of thedragon but in the mental.

Dragons are smart, believe it or not. Further-more, they have lived waaayyyy longer thanany human, dwarven, or elven party that evermarched up to any dragon cave. The survivingdragons, by trial and error, have learned a lotabout life in general. They will have a wholenetwork of human spies and informants acrossthe surrounding region (contacted while inpolymorphed form, probably), who will warnthe dragons of the general power and renownof characters launching an attack. If a dragonknows a party is coming, he might be in hiscave�and he might not. If he is in his cave, hewill certainly have all manner of traps andguardians (perhaps unintelligent ones�a fewwell-placed green slimes can wreak havoc on aparty), more than one escape route, and proba-bly some cursed items marked by the dragon�swizard mark (so that the dragon doesn�t usethem accidentally) lying around with the rest ofthe treasure. Certainly the dragon will not bealone in his lair; there may be a stone golemconcealed in a rock as well. Charmed body-guards will protect their �friend� from the�greedy, power-hungry adventurers.�

If the dragon is not in his lair, as will probablybe the case, he will perhaps polymorph into theshape of a henchman and offer to accompanythe party on its quest to destroy a dragon. Thispseudohenchman will destroy the party�s itemsalong the way and will eat other henchmenduring the night, appearing astonished in themorning. The pseudohenchman will charmcharacters and plant suggestions of devioussorts on the way to the cave. He will suppress agrin as the party comes across the dragon�sinner lair (actually a false one; the real one isfarther into the mountain), use all the curseditems, be attacked by a mound of disguisedgoldbugs, carry off the gold-covered copperpieces, and wonder where the darn dragonwent, anyway. The pseudohenchman then staysa little way behind the party, polymorphs backinto a dragon, uses a few breath weapons (notfire, of course; that would melt all the party�svaluable items), then picks up the party�s magi-cal items and treasure and hauls it all back.

Whether the dragon is in its lair or secretlyaccompanying the party, it will notify its dragonfriends (if there are any) in other regions andhave a sending spell ready to call for aid, just incase. If the party is caught in any of the traps,there is nothing the dragon will like better thanbreathing down on the group or just waitinguntil the entire party dies (which won�t takevery long), then collecting all of the party�spossessions.

A letter to �Forum� that appeared a long timeago contained an example of a perfectly mis-played dragon. It showed how a group of 25th-level characters would not consider a dragonthat came from the D&D Companion Set a

Continued on page 44

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

©1989 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.Second-class postage paid at Lake Geneva, Wis.,

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

6 OCTOBER 1989

by Skip Williams

If you have any questions on the gamesproduced by TSR, Inc., �Sage Advice� willanswer them. In the United States andCanada, write to: Sage Advice, DRAGON®Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI53147, U.S.A. In Europe, write to: SageAdvice, DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120Church End, Cherry Hinton, CambridgeCB1 3LD, United Kingdom.

Combat and melee in the AD&D® 1stEdition game make up this month�s topic,with special advice on fighting hydras. Allreferences to the Dungeon Masters Guideand Players Handbook in this article are tothe 1st Edition versions of those volumes.In all cases, the information in the AD&D2nd Edition volumes takes precedencewhere there is a contradiction betweenthose rules and this column.

But first, a special word from the sage,then one from the editor.

Why haven�t you answered my 27letters, each with 57 questions onmy favorite game system? You saidyou would reply if I sent an SASEwith each letter. Why don�t you givea seminar at the GEN CON® gamefair? If I come to Lake Geneva, can Imeet you and ask you questions?

Although the �Sage Advice� in DRAGONissue #121 said the sage would make per-sonal replies, I receive so many letters thatI cannot answer every one. (However, ifyou don�t enclose an SASE, I cannot replyat all.) Usually I reply only to letters thathave questions I can use in the column, sothat all the readers get the benefit of mytime. Needless to say, I don�t give extendedprivate interviews in Lake Geneva oranywhere else.

If you want to increase your chances ofgetting a personal reply, do the following:

1. Look through your books for youranswers, and be sure to consult the in-dexes (if the books have them). Often, witha little extra effort, you�ll find rules thathave eluded you.

2. Keep your letter short. Decide whatyou really need to know, and stick to themost important questions. As I�ve stressedbefore, role-playing games involve choicesand decisions; don�t be afraid to makesome on your own.

3. Include the title of the book and thepage number that contains the rule youare asking about; this saves me a lot ofpage flipping.

My work with the RPGA� Networkkeeps me busy at almost every game con-

8 OCTOBER 1989

vention I attend, and seminars are not thebest place to answer rules questions. I�mnot an encyclopedia of game knowledge. Irely on a big library and a large networkof personal contacts to find answers, andfew people would be entertained bywatching me flip through my books andconsult my files while I struggle with atricky question. Still, I do answer somequestions at conventions; just keep themshort, and don�t interrupt me while I�mrunning a game. Also, some conventions Iattend collect written questions for me sothat I can use them in the column or workon them during the show and discuss theresults with anyone who is interested.

Skip Williams

Why are you still running ques-tions for the AD&D 1st Edition gamenow that the AD&D 2nd Editiongame is on the market?

DRAGON Magazine will continue to usematerial specifically for the AD&D 1stEdition game simply because so manypeople use that edition. The 2nd Editionhas only been out for six months, but the1st Edition game has been available forover a decade. (Remember, too, that mate-rial for one edition can usually be usedwith the other with ease.) As time goes on,we expect that more players will switch tothe 2nd Edition game, and our coverage ofthat system will increase. We want to offerthe most useful material to the largestnumber of gamers.

Roger E. Moore

Illustration by Bob Giadrosich

What is the proper way to handle afight with a hydra? Does the crea-ture�s effective hit dice drop as itloses heads? Will damage to thecreature�s body kill it? How do area-effect spells such as fireball effectthe heads? How does one determinewhen a lernaean hydra�s regenera-tion ability is stopped?

Hydras do pose a few problems, espe-cially when magic is involved. I suggest thefollowing rules for handling combat with ahydra.

A hydra�s effective hit dice do not dropas the creature loses heads. With respectto melee, each of a hydra�s heads is treatedas a separate creature. Each head dieswhen it reaches zero hit points, and excessdamage does not carry over to anotherhead. When all heads are reduced to zerohit points, the creature dies immediately.Hits to a hydra�s body will kill it; the bodyhas as many hit points as the total hitpoints of its starting heads. When thebody is reduced to zero hit points, how-ever, the creature continues to fight aslong as it has at least one living head. Itwill then fight for an additional 2-8 roundsor until the body is reduced to -20 hp.

A lernaean hydra�s regeneration abilitymakes it a tougher nut to crack. The indi-vidual heads can be slain in the normalmanner; however, a fire source must beapplied to each slain head or it will regen-

erate. Burning hands is the easiest way toscorch the stumps or sundered heads. A

torch, flask of oil,. or flame tongue swordwill stop a single head�s regeneration ifapplied in time. Any successful hit on theslain head will stop regeneration. A ler-naean hydra stays alive as long as it hasone living or regenerating head (hits to thecreature�s body not withstanding).

When any hydra is affected by an areaspell such as fireball or lightning bolt, theheads are treated as a single entities, withthe damage distributed as evenly as possi-ble among the heads. Although the headsare separate melee targets, they are stillpart of the same creature. The creature�sbody suffers as much damage as the headstook in total (i.e., the hydra gets one savingthrow, but the heads and the body eachtake damage).

Spells that can kill a creature outrightsuch as death spell, power word kill, ordisintegrate kill the creature only if it failsits saving throw (if applicable). Whendetermining a hydra�s resistance to suchspells, its effective hit dice are equal to itsstarting number of heads (or peak num-ber, in the case of a lernaean hydra), andits effective hit points are equal to the totalhit points of all the heads (damage to thebody notwithstanding).

A spell that affects one creature or alimited area (such as magic missile orburning hands) must be directed either atthe body or at one or more heads of thehydra, according to the limitations of thespell. Spells such as charm monster, holdmonster; or slow affect the entire crea-ture, as the beast effectively has only onebrain�perhaps at the base of the necksinside the body.

What happens if a magic-user usesa sword when in desperate need?

If a character�s need is truly great, theDM can allow any class of character to usea weapon prohibited to his class. Thenormal nonproficiency penalty applies(perhaps with an additional - 1 to hit). If aplayer falls into the habit of declaring hischaracters in desperate need too often,however, the DM should either disallowthe use of the prohibited weapon or givethe character no experience award forcompleting the adventure.

What are the effects of blindnessand deafness on spell-casting?

Blinded creatures are unable to cast anyspell that requires a target, but spells thatcan be cast on an area (such as fireball) ordelivered by touch (such as cure lightwounds) may still be used. Deafness cancause spells with verbal components to bemiscast and fail. The failure chance is upto you, but it shouldn�t exceed 20% (lessfor spells with short casting times). Thecleric spell holy word has a deafness effectthat causes spells to fail 50% of the time;this is due mostly to the extreme power ofthe holy word, not merely the deafness.

What is the significance of weaponspeed factors?

Weapon speed factors allow for compari-son among weapons. The lower the speedfactor, the quicker the weapon. Their mostcommon use (and the only use mentionedin the rules) is for breaking ties on initia-tive. When a tie occurs, compare weaponspeed factors; the lowest factor goes first.However, on the first round of a melee,when the opponents are closing, thelonger weapons have the advantage. Theadvantage is also with mounted opponentsattacking or defending against unmountedopponents and with characters who aredefending or attacking from above. Spell-casting time is equivalent to the weaponspeed factor. That is, a weapon with aspeed factor of 3 is as slow as a three-segment spell for purposes of tie breaking.

How do you use the weapon to-hitadjustment tables in the PlayersHandbook (page 38) and UnearthedArcana (page 27)? I don�t understandwhat they mean.

The tables list the bonus or penaltygiven to a weapon against the basic armortypes. For example, the line for Axe, Handreads: -5, -4, -3, etc., for AC 0, AC 1,AC 2, etc., respectively. Full plate armorand shield gives AC 0, so a hand axe has a-5 to hit vs. full plate armor and shield. Ifthe target were wearing full plate armor+ 1 and using no shield, the adjustment isstill AC 0. However, full plate armor aloneis AC 1, so you use the AC 1 column re-gardless of magical bonuses, and the handaxe has a -4 to hit. The same holds truefor dexterity bonuses. These tables are forattacking humans, demi-humans, andhumanoids�never for attacking monsters.Use of the tables is strictly optional; theywere included in the game mainly to sat-isfy the real history buffs who know thatcertain weapons were much more effec-tive than others on the medieval battle-field.

What do the following weaponslook like: bardiche, spetum, voulge,guisarme, halberd, and scimitar?

Some of the less-known weapons in theAD&D game are pictured and described inUnearthed Arcana, pages 123-128. Theweapons depicted on these pages includeeverything on your list except the scimitar.A scimitar is simply a curved broad swordused by Arabs and Saracens. If you�veseen any movies depicting the Middle Eastduring the crusades, you�ve seen scimitars.

What is a morning star?A morning star looks like a long, thin

club with spikes or flanges at the businessend. The morning star in the AD&D gameis similar to a mace but is longer andheavier. Some books on weapons identify aball and chain as a morning star, but thiscombination is considered to be a flail inthe AD&D game.

Why did Unearthed Arcana takeshields away from assassins? It

seems a high price to pay for theoption of having a good alignment.

Unearthed Arcana is in error. Assassinsmay use shields but not during a meleeround in which the character is engagedin the act of assassination. The alignmentexpansion was not an error.

Can a character with a girdle ofgiant strength throw a halberd?When one of my players tried to dothis I allowed it, but with a big to-hitpenalty.

You were correct. Pole arms are notintended to be thrown, no matter whatthe thrower�s strength. Anything, how-ever, can be thrown with some chance ofsuccess. For throwing a pole arm, wesuggest a to-hit penalty of -4 at shortrange (10� or less), -6 at medium range(11-20�), and -9 at long range (21-30�). Wealso suggest that you use these rangesoutdoors where other missiles have rangesmeasured in yards. A pole arm is far toolong for a human-sized creature to throwlike a hand axe (so that the weapon spinsor tumbles), no matter how much strength is available. Spear-type throws are possi-ble, but hits can inflict damage only if thepole arm that is thrown has a spear point.Use spear damage (1-6) in this case, notpole-arm damage.

What are the effects of total dark-ness on combat? When last facedwith this problem, I simply ruledthat everything within the darknesswas invisible, and I applied the -4to-hit penalty.

You handled the situation correctly.More information on the effects of dark-ness is given on page 32 of the Dun-geoneer�s Survival Guide.

What does the space requirementlisted for each weapon mean?

The space requirement is exactly that:the minimum space a character must havein order to use a weapon. For example, afighter must be standing in a space at least4� wide to use a battle axe. Space require-ments are cumulative; therefore, twofighters using battle axes side-by-sidewould require 8� of space.

Can creatures with at-will abilitiesuse such abilities while attacking?Can they use several abilities in thesame round, say one per segment?

Creatures that have at-will abilities mayuse one such ability, once per round, inaddition to normal movement or attacks.

Can magic-users move during around when they cast spells?

A magic-user must remain stationaryonly as long as the casting time of thespell. After casting a spell, the mage can

move during the remainder of the round.For example, a fireball takes three seg-ments; therefore, the mage casting it could

DRAGON 9

have seven segments worth of movementafter casting the spell. See page 102 of thePlayers Handbook for per-segment move-ment rates.

Is it possible for a character toleave a melee without exposing hisback?

The DM might allow a character to backout of a melee at half speed so that theopponent�s free attack would be frontal.Some campaigns allow a friendly charac-ter to cover for a retreating character sothat the extra attack is resolved normallyagainst the the character who is covering.

Can fighters with multiple attacksattack more than one opponent perround?

Yes; so can monsters and the membersof other character classes that get multipleattacks.

How long does paralyzation last?IS it permanent until cured? Whatcures paralyzation? What is paraly-zation, really?

In medical terms, paralyzation is the lossof sensation in part of the body as thevictim�s brain, for one reason or another,no longer controls the body. The uncon-trolled muscles relax, and the victim goeslimp. Autonomic muscles, such as theheart and lungs, are unaffected. Some

kinds of paralysis in the AD&D game(paralysis caused by ghouls and ghasts, forexample) cause the victim to become rigidand immobile. In either case, paralysisaffects only the body, not the mind. Thevictim can still think and use psionics orany form of movement that does not re-quire muscular effort. For example, if acharacter becomes paralyzed while usinga fly spell, he can still fly until the spellruns out.

Paralyzation is not permanent. It can lastanywhere from several rounds or turns to as much as a day. It can be removed with aremove paralysis spell (which removesparalysis of all types) or by a cure disease,neutralize poison, or dispel magic spell,depending on what caused the paralysis.Paralysis caused by undead creatures isdisease- or fear-based; paralysis caused byliving creatures is poison-based; paralysiscaused by a glyph of warding or the illu-sionist spell paralyzation is magic-based.The AD&D 2nd Edition Monstrous Com-pendium, Volume 1, lists the duration forghoul paralysis as 3-8 rounds and ghastparalysis as 5-10 rounds. Paralysis causedby more powerful creatures lasts longer;lich paralysis, for example, lasts untildispelled.

Can a character with a bastard-sword proficiency also use longswords and two-handed swords, or

does the character instead, require aproficiency in both long and two-handed swords?

Each weapon on the weapons lists re-quires a separate proficiency Although abastard sword can be used one-handedwith the same effect as a long sword, itslarger size requires different handling. Likewise, the bastard sword requiresdifferent handling than the longer andheavier two-handed sword. However, if acharacter is proficient in bastard sword,he may use that sword either way.

What is a bastard sword�s spacerequirement and speed factor whenused one-handed?

The same as when it is used two-handed.

If a fighter is specialized (or dou-ble specialized) in a bastard sword,does he get the specialization bo-nuses when using the sword two-handed and one-handed?

A bastard sword is primarily a two-handed weapon. For purposes of gamebalance, it is best to limit specializationbonuses to two-handed use (or let theplayer choose).

When a character gains profi-ciency with a multipurpose weapon

10 OCTOBER 1989

E m b r a c

The Dragon�sIllustrations by Thomas Baxa

BestiaryAll life crawls where mind flayers rule

by Stephen Inniss

The homeworlds of the Illithids (mindflayers) and the depths of the Earth mostthoroughly colonized by the Illithids, asdescribed by the sages in �The SunsetWorld,� share a number of common fea-tures. There are three major classes ofcreatures always associated with Illithidactivity: amorphs (jellies, oozes, trappers,ropers, and company); fungi; and Illithidae(alien beings of which the Illithids them-selves are the most notable examples).Some of these creatures are well known toadventurers in the Underdark; others areknown only from areas fully colonized byIllithids. Table 1 shows some life formstypically associated with Illithid lairs.

AmorphsMost of the amorphs are found in the

same regions of Illithid homeworlds as theIllithids themselves, with the exception ofa few such as the dun pudding of theSunside deserts and the white pudding ofthe Nightland glaciers. Their ranges sel-dom overlap. Of the intelligent amorphs,

12 OCTOBER 1989

most avoid and are avoided by Illithids.Illithids do not prey on amorphs, whichseem to be unpalatable to them. Becauseamorphs are so commonly distributedacross the known worlds, it is likely thatIllithids allow them to breed where foundor else transport them from world toworld for reasons unknown to others.

FungiGas spore. Gas spores were apparently

developed as part of the Illithid defensivearray. Domestic forms, though mindless,ignore Illithids but approach other lifeforms. The resemblance to the beholder istoo close to be coincidental, particularlysince beholders are notorious allies ofIllithids in the Underearth. Despite this,gas spores are found on Illithid home-worlds while beholders are not. Possiblybeholders have been eliminated from thehomeworlds by the Illithids because oftheir potential for danger, or possibly theIllithid worlds are simply too windy forbeholders. Other hypotheses have been

advanced as well: that gas spores weredeveloped in the Underearth and havespread to other Illithid habitations, or thatbeholders and gas spores were both devel-oped by Illithids. This last is consideredunlikely.

Mold, brown. Brown mold is unaffectedby the reddish light of the suns underwhich the Illithids live, and is common inthe warmer regions. The forms encoun-tered there, however, do not drain heatfrom living creatures (Illithids apparentlyeliminate such varieties) and are oftenused to cool Illithid towers in the hotterpart of the year.

Shrieker: The shrieker�s habits are emi-nently practical on Illithid homeworlds.Any commotion is likely to attract a num-ber of predators, so only the most formi-dable creatures attempt to graze on apatch of shriekers.

IllithidaeAll of the Illithidae have four limbs with

four digits each if they are terrestrial; allhave tentacles arranged around a beakedmouth in some multiple of four; all possessboth gills and lungs (though airbreathingforms use the gills only during periods ofgreat exertion); and all have a tough skintypically covered with a slime that is proof against the glues of such amorphs as themimic and roper. All Illithidae have alarval form that lives for a period insidesome other organism, typically a creaturekilled by its parent.

Many of the Illithidae are equivalent tomammals or reptiles of the surface world.The cessirid resembles a wolf, for in-stance, while the saltor is much like amonkey or baboon, and the kigrid fills therole of a bear, pig, or hyena (the embrac ismost like some carnivorous plants). It ispossible to define other such equivalentIllithidae by converting the statistics oftypical mammals, reptiles, or dinosaurs.Armor classes are typically two or threeplaces better; hit dice are either quadru-pled or increased by six (whichever isless); and intelligences (for adult forms)are increased by several points so that theusual range is from low intelligence tovery intelligent. Alignments are typicallyneutral or evil. These creatures generallyexhibit some degree of magic resistance,and the more intelligent ones may havepsionic abilities, including disciplines ap-propriate to their modes of life. All arepredators at least on occasion. Attacksinclude the effects of the feeding tentacles,which may paralyze, kill, induce pain, orpossibly act as Illithid tentacles do. Skincolors are typically some shade of purple,red, black, or gray, or possibly white inthose forms that lurk near the icecaps andg l a c i e r s .

On homeworlds, where light is dim atbest and sometimes absent, all of thesecreatures are vulnerable to illuminationequal to normal sunlight. Light of intensityequal to a light spell or brighter causes

S a l t o r s

them to strike at -1 to hit (if they arecapable of attacks and have eyes). Addi-tionally, in full sunlight, they take 1 hpdamage per turn.

The �frequency� values given for thefollowing four Illithidae apply only toIllithid homeworlds or subterranean lands.These creatures are not encounteredelsewhere.

Note: A fraction of the Illithids whosepsionic strength is exceptional (5% chanceif the total is over 275) have other psionicabilities in addition to the usual Illithidpowers (determine as if for a humanmagic-user). There is a 20% chance thatsuch an individual will have 0-3 (1d4 - 1)additional attack modes and 0-3 additionaldefense modes.

Cessirid

FREQUENCY: Rare (common near Illithids)NO. APPEARING: 1-20ARMOR CLASS: 4MOVE: 18�//15�HIT DICE: 8 + 16% IN LAIR: 5%TREASURE TYPE: NilNO. OF ATTACKS: 1 biteDAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-16SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poisonous bite,

psionicsSPECIAL DEFENSES: PsionicsMAGIC RESISTANCE: 5%INTELLIGENCE: Average

14 OCTOBER 1989

ALIGNMENT: Lawful neutral (eviltendencies)

SIZE: M (2� at shoulder)PSIONIC ABILITY: 90

Attack/Defense Modes: B,E/F,G

Cessirids travel in packs. A cessirid�sbody is canine, with a large head, outsizeeyes, and a rending beak in place of teeth.There are four short tentacles around themouth. Short spines jut from the back.The skin is smooth, slimy, and pale gray incolor. The spaces between the toes arewebbed. Though small, cessirids areshockingly powerful.

In combat, a cessirid leaps and bites atits adversary, inflicting horrible damagewith its outer jaws. The tentacles aroundthe mouth cause a stinging and burningsensation upon contact with flesh (save vs.poison for each bite that hits; failure yieldsa -3 penalty to armor class, savingthrows, and to-hit rolls) that lasts for 3-12turns .

Cessirids may use the following psionicdisciplines at the 6th level of mastery:body equilibrium, ESP and dimensiondoor They use these in the pursuit anddetection of prey, or to escape if attackedby a superior force.

These creatures live in tightly knitpacks, working together silently and effi-ciently to bring down prey of any sort(they can communicate with others oftheir kind telepathically over distances ofup to 24� at no cost to psionic strength).

Though they are willing at times to negoti-ate with other intelligent creatures, theyhave little desire for anything but foodand reproduction. In general, they arewily and treacherous. On occasion, if theyare not hungry, cessirids will harry andtorment prey for hours before killing it.Rivalry between cessirid packs is sharp,but. they will generally band togetheragainst other creatures.

Reproduction is accomplished by depos-iting 1-3 larvae in the body of a victim.The juveniles grow quickly and seem ableto prevent the decay of the corpse duringtheir development. Adults guard the lar-vae until the latter metamorphose. Forreasons not entirely clear, cessirids preferintelligent creatures for larval food.

Thanks to millenia of training and breed-ing, the dogs of the githyanki (kaoulgrim,from �Hounds of Space and Darkness,� inDRAGON® issue # 117) and the cessiridsare fanatic enemies, and will fight oneanother regardless of other constraints(even magical charms). Szarkel, the dogs ofthe githzerai (from the same article andissue as kaoulgrim) will always avoid meet-ings with cessirids. Szarkel can detect theapproach of cessirids within one mile,probably by detecting the use of the lat-ter�s psionic talents.

Embrac

FREQUENCY: Uncommon (common nearIllithids)

NO. APPEARING: 1ARMOR CLASS: 2M O V E : 3 � HIT DICE: 11+22% IN LAIR: NilTREASURE TYPE: CNO. OF ATTACKS: 8DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-8 each (tentacles)SPECIAL ATTACKS: Paralysis, constriction,

surprise on 1-3, psionicsSPECIAL DEFENSES: PsionicsMAGIC RESISTANCE: 20%INTELLIGENCE: LowALIGNMENT: Neutral evilSIZE: L (10� body, 20� tentacles)PSIONIC ABILITY: 80 + 1d20

Attack/Defense Modes: A/F

Embracs are solitary predators that lie inwait for prey. They are slow and troubleto move themselves only when the supplyof game in an area has been exhausted. Anembrac�s body is short, stocky, and rathersacklike in shape. It has stout limbs thatare heavily clawed at the tips. These areused to anchor the embrac while it wres-tles with prey. The head is large and bearsa saw-edged beak. An embrac�s feedingtentacles are as thick as a man�s waist attheir base, and taper to three separatepoints that serve as fingers. The tentaclesbear numerous spikes and hooks on theirundersides. The body color and pattern ofan embrac are variable: usually spots andstripes in shades of black, gray, white, or

dull red that conceal the outlines of theembrac. The skin is slimy and bears bonyplates just under the surface.

Embracs may employ the followingpsionic disciplines at the 5th level of mas-tery: empathy, ESP invisibility, and mindbar. They may also produce illusions thatare like a spectral force at the 5th level ofcasting in all respects except that theillusion has no potential to cause directdamage. The cost of this latter psionicdiscipline is two strength points perround.

An embrac typically lies in wait, conceal-ing itself as best it can (surprising prey ona 1-3 on 1d6). At the approach of prey, itmay attempt to lure it with some illusionthat seems appropriate from an ESP scan.Anything that comes within 20� is vulnera-ble to the embrac�s tentacles. The tentaclesinflict 2-8 hp damage on the first and eachfollowing round of combat unless thevictim forgoes other activities and makes asuccessful bend bars/lift gates roll. Thoseheld by an embrac strike at -2 to hit. Inaddition to the constricting damage, thespikes on the tentacles exude a poison thatcauses paralysis for 2-12 turns unless asaving throw vs. paralysis is successful.

Embracs are occasionally known to usesome of the few manufactured items thattheir body forms allow, and they havebeen known to stockpile precious goodsfor use as bargaining tools. They generallylair in caves or similar dwellings, and closethe entrances with boulders if they detectformidable enemies. Embracs hold allother life in low regard. They reproducein the same manner as cessirids. Likecessirids, embracs are occasionally seen asservitors among Illithid communities.

Kigrid

FREQUENCY: Rare (common in Illithidareas)

NO. APPEARING: 1-3ARMOR CLASS: 3MOVE: 12�//15�HIT DICE: 9+27% IN LAIR: 20%TREASURE TYPE: CNO. OF ATTACKS: 2 claws and 1 biteDAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-8/2-8/2-16SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poisonous bite, psi-

onics, rear claws for 2-12/2-12SPECIAL DEFENSES: Surprised only on a 1

in 10, psionicsMAGIC RESISTANCE: 35%INTELLIGENCE: VeryALIGNMENT: Chaotic evilSIZE: M (5� long)PSIONIC ABILITY: 90 + 2d20

Attack/Defense Modes: A,E/F,G,H

Kigrids may be found singly or in smallgroups. They are always hungry and willattack and eat any vulnerable creature. Akigrid is a stocky, four-legged creaturewith a short tail, powerfully built legs, a

short neck, and broad head. It has sharpclaws, and there are four tough, spikytentacles around the broad, beakedmouth. The skin is black and the eyes adull red. These beasts are cunning andmalicious, and generally unreliable.

In combat, a kigrid will strike with clawsand teeth. If the forepaws both score hits,the rear claws may be used for additionalattacks. If the beak hits the opponent, asaving throw vs. poison is necessary. Afailed saving throw means the poisoncauses swelling and pain that lasts for 2-5rounds (penalty of -2 to armor class,saving throws, and rolls to hit).

Kigrids have the psionic disciplines ofESP body equilibrium, levitation, andinvisibility They are perfect mimics andoften use sounds to deceive prey. Theirtentacles allow them a limited ability tomanipulate objects, and they may rigsimple traps.

Kigrids generally avoid one anotherunless they are closely related; the morepowerful individuals generally regard theless powerful as food. They reproduce inthe same manner as cessirids and em-bracs. On occasion, large kigrids are usedby Illithids as beasts of burden; how this isaccomplished without constant supervi-sion is unknown.

Saltor

FREQUENCY: Rare (common in Illithidareas)

NO. APPEARING: 10-40ARMOR CLASS: 4MOVE: 12�@12� (argid) or 15�@9� (jen-

drid)

Kigrids

HIT DICE: See Table 2% IN LAIR: 50%TREASURE TYPE: C in lair, M, LNO. OF ATTACKS: 5 (four tentacles plus

bite or weapon)DAMAGE/ATTACK: See Table 2SPECIAL ATTACKS: TentaclesSPECIAL DEFENSES: NilMAGIC RESISTANCE: 40%INTELLIGENCE: Low or averageALIGNMENT: NeutralSIZE: S to M (see Table 2)PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil or 130 + 2d20

Attack/Defense Modes: Nil or A/F,G

Saltors are akin to Illithids as baboonsare to men. A saltor somewhat resemblesa baboon in form, but it possesses fourtentacles about the mouth, three-fingeredhands that bear opposable thumbs, theability to stand upright, and slimy skin.Saltors are of varying color (generallywhite or black, but occasionally gray,violet, or red), and of varying build andsize according to the needs of their Illithidmasters, though a few saltors live indepen-dently and determine their own tribalcharacteristics. A saltor�s statistics varywith size, as shown on Table 2.

Within each size class there are twodistinct physical forms. The more commonof the two is of typical baboonlike build:the argid. The other sort, the jendrids, islonger limbed (a foot taller than the statis-tics indicate for size). Argids and jendridsare both agile climbers, but jenrids arefaster on the ground and slower in thebranches.

A saltor may attack with its tentaclesand bite, or it may attack with tentaclesand use a weapon. The tentacles have the

DRAGON 15

C e s s i r i d s

same effect as Illithid tentacles (q.v.), butthe time between implantation and deathis 2-5 rounds. A saltor makes tentacleattacks at -3 against creatures whoseheads are more than 3� higher or lowerthan its own and cannot use tentacle at-tacks at all against creatures whose headsare more than 5� higher or lower. Saltorsuse crude spears that do damage as perthe thrower�s bite (the variation is due tosize). Spears are typically used eitherbefore melee or against opponents thatcannot be touched. Unarmed saltors maythrow rocks (range 1�/2�/3�, short/medium/long) for damage equal to the biteminus 1 hp, at the rate of one rock perround.

Saltors of low intelligence have no psi-onic abilities; those of average intelligencehave psionic power plus the disciplines oflevitation, ESP and body equilibrium, all atthe 5th level of mastery. Among popula-tions controlled by Illithids, only thesmaller two sizes possess psionic power.

Saltors are bold if they outnumber theiropponents, and they are unswervinglyobedient when ordered by superiors.Their actions are always orderly and wellcoordinated. Though they may be bred foralmost any manual task and have diversetalents, they are universally cruel, takedelight in tormenting and coercing lessercreatures, and consider underlings to bethe greatest delicacy. They reproduce, as

Table 1Monsters Associated With Illithids

AmorphsGelatinous cubeGray oozeLurker aboveMimicOchre jellyPudding, deadlyRoperScum creeperSlithering trackerTrapperCrystal oozeMustard jelly

FungiAscomoidBasidirondFungus, violetGas sporeMold, brownMold, yellowObliviaxPhycomidShriekerUstilagorZygom

IllithidaeCarrion crawlerCessiridEmbracIllithidKigridSaltor

Table 2 Saltor�s Statistics

Hit dice Damage3+6 0/0/0/0/1-24 + 8 0/0/0/0/1-35+10 1/1/1/1/1-46+12 1/1/1/1/2-5

SizeS (2� tall)S (3� tall)S (4� tall)M (5� tall)

Illithids do, by destroying the brains ofother creatures and planting their larvaeto grow in the empty skulls.

Wild populations of saltors are morevariable than those controlled by theIllithids. The members of a group tend tobe of the same type, size, and color, butthese bands will include 1-4 exceptionalindividuals if they are far removed froman Illithid settlement. Exceptional saltorshave 1-3 of the following psionic disci-plines, determined at random:

1d6 Discipline1 Domination2 Hypnosis3 Dimension door4 Dimension walk5 Mind Bar 6 Astral projection

Wild saltors are generally found living inprimitive circumstances. Large settlementsor signs of sophisticated manufacturesattract the destructive attention of theIllithids.

A game convention is the perfectplace to make new friends whoenjoy the same hobbies you do �whether you like boardgames,role-playing games, miniaturewargames, or just shoppingaround. If you�ve never attended

a game convention before, pleasecheck out the Convention Calen-dar feature in this issue for thegame convention nearest you.Take some of your own gamingfriends along, too � and make itan experience to remember.

16 OCTOBER 1989

DRAGON 17

Illustrations by Janet Aulisio

18 OCTOBER 1989

The Sunset WorldIn the realm of the mind flayers

by Stephen Inniss

From the opening address of the CXIXth annual meeting of the Imperial Association for the Advance-ment of Arts Magical, convened at the Koaadian Academy on Maskday in the moon of Galewake, in theseventh year of the reign of Irion. The speaker: Academican Fourth M. Sungale, leader of the NinthInterplanar Expedition.

I am greatly honored to speak before soaugust an assembly. Looking out amongyou, I can see many who are my un-doubted seniors in scholarship, learning,and originality of thought, and many no-bles distinguished in deeds and lineage. Iam humbly aware that my own achieve-ments and station are less spectacular. Yetbecause of the nature of our expedition, itpleased the Council to choose one whoseknowledge is broad rather than deep, asimple soul attracted as much to action asto learning, and whose station is not sohigh as to bind with duties. So it is that Iwas selected as coordinator of our enter-prise, and so it is that I now present youwith our findings.

Those of you who attended the Extraor-dinary Session of two years ago will recallour mandate: to study all aspects of theIllithids�vulgarly known as mind flayers�especially their nature, origin, and pur-pose. The reasons for this were twofold.First, the findings of the late AcademicanKratanitkul, whose investigations of Un-derearth societies had uncovered an ex-tensive and elaborate network of Illithidactivity. Second, the urgent command ofour Emperor Himself. This latter camehard on the heels of rumors concerningthe lands beneath the Gray Hills and thetragic but lucrative foray therein by theSixth Legion Elite, and it was accompaniedby a generous influx of funds.

It has long been known that Illithids areforeign to our world. We therefore madeit one of our primary objectives to studythese creatures at their point of origin. Wewill explain to you the processes we usedto gain them, and what we learned in theenterprise, but suffice it to say that wemanaged to contact certain elementsamong the githzerai. The two individualswho agreed to serve as our guides weremembers of the Monzari, one of the rebelSporting Clans. After long negotiations,they admitted that they knew the locationof the Illithid homeworld and agreed toguide us there.

Our complement consisted of represent-atives from each of the major Disciplines;two individuals most suited by training ortemperament to the rigors of research inthe field. We particularly sought Masters

and Academicans learned in herb andbeast lore, and in the ways of the Under-earth. To these scholars and their assist-ants were added two mages skilled inspells of combat and protection; 12 repre-sentatives of the Order of Celestial Wan-derers; and a company of assorted huntersand warriors under the leadership of LordAragson. Our Monzari guides brought twolean, doglike creatures they called szarkel.The szarkel are imposing and gracefulbeasts, but difficult to control; we foundthem to be a great hindrance and nui-sance. We will present you with a shortmonograph on the breed and its affinities;I recommend that you attend that meet-ing, for reasons that will become clear.

We discovered our destination to be analternate plane, surprisingly near ourown, yet in an unexplored direction. Thejourney was uneventful save for someinteresting observations of the Astralluminaries in that region.

The first sight of our destination wasless than encouraging. We arrived on arocky mound littered with ruins, and sur-rounded on all sides by a swamp of shat-tered and decaying trees and sooty blackgrasses. We hurriedly pitched our tentsagainst a chill, damp breeze that brought arotting smell from the stagnant waters andraised unpleasant sounds among thestanding stones and sparse, black vegeta-tion of our hillock. The only warmth is-sued from the sullen fires of a swollen orbhalf the size of our own Sun, perched afinger�s width above the horizon. We stum-bled in the blurred shadows and diffuselight, glancing upward now and then atthe half-familiar stars that twinkled in adark blue sky. A huge waxing moon, cop-pery in that half-light, stood somewhatpast its zenith. Fleshy-leaved busheswrithed to avoid our touch, or grasped atpassing arms and legs. There was a shrillkeening, barely audible over the wind,from somewhere high above. From thedarkness of the swamp came a bellowingand thrashing sound.

As we were to learn, this inauspicioussite was, in fact, one of the safer and morehabitable regions, and in one of its lessobjectionable seasons. The sun seldomshifted far from its position, for which

reason we called our new home the Sun-set World, though we were to learn thatits inhabitants know it as Ssirik Akuar.

Traveling sunward, the lands grow hot-ter and more arid until at last the explorer,comes to eternal noon, where water boilswhen it touches the parched earth. In theopposite direction are the Nightlands,capped and covered with ice as the coldestregions of our own world. Between theSunlands and the Nightlands is twilithabitable region: a ring, thickest at thepoles and thinnest at the equator, betweenthe glaciers and the salt flats that coveropposite halves of the glove. A chill windblows from the Nightlands toward thewarmth and water flows likewise first infrozen glaciers, then in chill fresh melt-water, and at last in tepid, briny rivers.This flow of air and water never ceases orchanges in direction; the trees, bushes,and the land itself are shaped by it.

The Sunset World is not without itsseasons, as we surmised from the brokenand uprooted trees in the swamps aroundus. As seen from our encampment, thesun dips a little below the horizon afterthe hottest season and rises a little aboveits usual position before the warmweather, but the change of seasons iscaused by its variation in size. Over thecourse of our stay, the sun shrank and thewind chilled and weakened, only for thesun to grow rapidly again to three timesthe girth of our own Sun and the wind togrow to a torrential gale for a brief hotseason. This entire cycle takes no morethan 20 of our weeks. Fogs and mists arecommon near bodies of water, as thechanges in temperature are so sudden andgreat. Seen from our campsite, the moonrises as a thin crescent near the sun, wax-ing until it sets toward the Nightlands; thisoccurs over a period of perhaps 10 of ourdays, after which it appears again to re-peat the performance some 10 days later.

The poorly drained land we first en-countered is typical of the habitable belt.Much of the region between the ice andthe salty deserts consists of swamps orshallow lakes. Deep bodies of water andmountains are rare. Water is most oftenfound in pools and seeps, and seldom inwaterfalls or rapids.

DRAGON 19

This description will illustrate why theIllithids are found only in the under-ground regions of our world, where thelight is dim at best and the air is oftendamp. Ssirik Akuar�s dim, red sun causesthem no more discomfort than torchlightwould, unlike the vigorous light of ourown daystar which would blind them andburn their skins. The only element missingfrom their subterranean haunts is theeverpresent wind of the Sunset World.

When we had camped and surveyed thearea, we began simple investigations of theSunset World�s animal and plant life. Whatwe had expected to be a relatively simpleexercise proved to be most taxing andhazardous, though rewarding enough inan academic sense.

The plant life of Ssirik Akuar is blackrather than green; green plants do notthrive in the available light. In the sun-ward regions, some of these plants aregray or silver due to the hairy or waxysurfaces that shed excess light and retainmoisture. In most regions, however, thevegetation has the color of pitch. Some ofthe larger trees and bushes are stream-lined in the direction of the wind, havingoval-shaped trunks and sunward-pointingbranches. Others grow rapidly in periodsof greater heat and light, and occasionallycollapse under the impact of the strongwinds that follow. Still others avoid the

worst of the high wind by folding theirleaves or by moving about in search ofshelter. In general, the plant life of SsirikAkuar is more active than our own. To ourdiscomfort, we later discovered that theseplants may actively defend themselvesagainst animal life, or even attempt to trapanimals for food, either with viscousleaves and simple water traps for smallcreatures or with moving tendrils andspiked branches or pits for larger crea-tures. Many of these plants protect them-selves with secretions that make thempainful and often dangerous to touch.

Fungoid life is abundant on the SunsetWorld and includes many motile forms.Here we encountered a surprise. Many ofthese lifeforms are sorts familiar to thosewho travel the Underearth of our ownworld. The significance of this at firstescaped us. Unfortunately, not all of ourresearchers escaped the more aggressivefungi.

No less surprising was Master Temrik�sidentification of an entire suite of animallife already known to inhabit the Under-earth: the amorphs, as she is pleased tocall them. These include the crop of bone-less and shapeless creatures commonlyknown as oozes, trappers, deadly pud-dings, ropers, jellies, mimics, lurkers, andthe like. These, like the fungi, proved to bea hazard. Envision a surface world in

which trappers may masquerade as gravelbanks or sandy clearings, and where rop-ers may conceal themselves among thestumps of the forests! Fortunately, thesecreatures were not a significant menace toour campsite itself once we posted guards.

The second and dominant form of ani-mal life was more actively dangerous.While these were less familiar to studentsof the Underearth, they do indeed haverepresentatives in our own world. Theyinclude the Illithids, of course, but moresurprisingly, they include the creatureknown as the carrion crawler and possiblysome other less-known denizens of thedeep passages. Just as the dominant lifeforms of our own world are of a commonplan, so too with the build of these crea-tures. There is an internal skeleton ofchitin rather than bone. The skin is thickand generally covered with a protectivelayer of mucus (though in the sunwardregions it may be rough and sharklikeinstead). There are two eyes, and in addi-tion to lungs, even the air-breathing formshave gills (those that cannot breathe wateremploy these during periods of extremeexertion). Adults have four limbs with fourdigits apiece.

Creatures of the Sunset World generallygo through a grublike larval stage inwhich they have a variable number oflimbs; these larvae almost invariably grow

DRAGON 21

from eggs laid in corpses or masses ofrotten vegetation, though there are alsosome more sophisticated adaptions as inthe case of the Illithid. The carrioncrawler is an example of a form whichnever reaches the adult stage but repro-duces in the larval stage. A distinctivefeature both in larval and adult forms isthe presence of tentacles around themouth in some multiple of four. Theseserve as organs of touch, taste, and smell,but their primary purpose is to captureand manipulate food. To this end, thetentacles may be provided with suckers,blades, or hooks, or covered with poisonsthat kill or subdue. The most advancedforms carry special subunits that break offand act independently by injecting poisonor burrowing into the victim. The mouthconsists of a complex collection of hardparts protected by an external beak.

The dominant life forms are found ingreat abundance on the land, and includea number of batlike forms as well as am-phibians. We had little occasion to ventureinto the larger bodies of water, but thepurely aquatic forms we encountered (asmuch like cuttlefish or squid as like fishes)were of the same general plan as the ter-restrial forms. Perhaps Ssirik Akuar alsoholds the race known as the aboleth,which shows a number of similarities toSsirik Akuar animal life despite notabledivergence. The pressure of time did notallow us to explore the possibility.

The animals of Ssirik Akuar, particularlythose of the illithidlike body form, areoften sentient or semisentient. Many areeven resistant to magical or psionic attack(the latter seems to be a side effect of theformer). Some of these creatures are evenpsionically endowed.

These animals are capable of long peri-ods of inactivity followed by periods offurious motion as they encounter prey orpredators. Their reflexes are exceptionallyquick, and they are strong and difficult tokill, as we discovered to our chagrin onmore than one occasion. All are voracious,as life in the habitable zones can be rathersparse. As a result, creatures of this worldeat large amounts in short periods of time,as the flesh and vegetation of Ssirik Akuarare prone to rapid decay even at lowtemperatures. In spite of the scarcity offood, some creatures of Ssirik Akuar growto exceptional size. As formidable as theyare in our own world, Illithids are unex-ceptional in their own.

Though there is some specialization,most of the beasts of the Sunset World areomnivores; palatable plants and subduableanimals are rare and not to be missed.There are numerous large and small flyingforms which migrate back and forth overthe habitable crescent according to theseason and the creature�s preferred clime.Likewise; some of the landbound crea-tures are migratory. Other forms aresessile and lie in wait for the migrants,retreating to burrows if conditions be-

22 OCTOBER 1989

come too severe.When our explorations of the Sunset

World�s natural history were well under-way, and we had achieved safety (thoughnot comfort) in our base camp on themound in the swamps, we began to fulfillour primary purpose: an investigation ofthe Illithids themselves. At first, we ob-served from a distance and investigatedthe numerous ruins we found. Later, wemade cautious observations of isolatedindividuals at closer range. By this means,we gained a basic knowledge of the Illithidand its habits. Eventually, we were able tosupplement this with information gained

from the corpses of two confirmed soli-tary individuals which were provided forus through the efforts of Lord Aragsonand his men. All of this was time consum-ing; for security, we had located our campfar from Illithid activity.

Prior to our expedition, knowledge ofIllithid anatomy was scanty. The typicalIllithid garment (both in our own worldand on Ssirik Akuar) is a robe that con-ceals all but hands, feet, and head. Illithidbodies are rarely recovered for study, asencounters with Illithids typically end inthe death of their opponents or the rapidretreat of the Illithids. In those rare in-stances in which Illithids are defeated andkilled before they can retreat, the ten-dency of the flesh to putrefy quickly is anadditional barrier. Only a dedicated

scholar would be inclined to bring some-thing so noisomely unpleasant home forstudy, and often the body is in poor condi-tion upon arrival,

The Illithid is much like other membersof the dominant form of animal life. Theskin is mauve over most of the body andappears black in the light of Ssirik Akuar.The iris and white of the eye are of thesame dead-white hue; in strong light, theeye appears featureless, lacking any pupil.However, in near-lightless conditions, avertical slit is visible. Close examination ofthe light-adapted eye shows a series ofsmall pinholes where the pupil closes. Thisaccounts for stories that Illithids have nopupil, since adventurers generally bear alight source with them. It also vindicatesthe illustrator of Gryriak�s Bestiary, whoshows Illithids with narrow-slitted pupils.Presumably, a part of the Illithid dislike forlight is the near blindness caused by thepupil�s extreme adjustment.

As frequently reported, the touch of anIllithid feeding tentacle is deadly. Contraryto the usual accounts (doubtless based onobservations made in the heat of battle),the Illithid does not attach its tentacle tothe victim and simply �draw out thebrain.� The process, as we have recon-structed it, is more complicated and agreat deal more plausible. On firm contactbetween the Illithid�s tentacle and thevictim�s head, a specialized subunit of thetentacle detaches and burrows inward.Once firmly lodged in the flesh, it boresthrough the skull with a drill-like struc-ture and forms an extension that reachesthrough the hole to touch the brain. Uponcontact with the victim�s brain, it disruptsall functions, thus causing instant death.

The Illithid must direct this activity atextremely close range (thus the commonperception that the Illithid tentacle re-mains attached). Apparently, the Illithidsends telepathic instructions to the killingunit. We discovered by inadvertent experi-ment that the burrowing halts if the Il-lithid is slain or driven away, and that theburrowing unit then becomes inactive andmay be removed with a knife (althoughthere is a danger of infection).

The �drawing forth� of the brain of thevictim has (like most rumors) a basis infact. However, this follows the death of theprey rather than preceding it; in addition,it is a protracted procedure. When theprey cannot resist and the process is notlikely to be interrupted, an Illithid placesits mouth in contact with the skull of thevictim at the point of the subunit�s entryand removes a flap of skin. At this point,some of the Illithid�s mouthparts functionas bone saws. They produce a hole abouthalf a handspan in width. The Illithid thenuses its complicated feeding apparatus toremove and consume select portions ofthe disabled brain.

It may seem that this is a rather involvedmode of nutrition, yielding a small returnfor the effort and wasting a great deal of

potential food. Indeed, this is so. TheIllithid�s feeding apparatus is well-suited toa wide range of other foods, includingordinary flesh as well as certain seeds andfungi. Illithids regularly eat a variety ofplants and animals, as was confirmed bothby observation of gathering expeditionsand from a catalog of the stomach con-tents of our two specimens. Though Il-lithids do seem to have a culinarypreference for the brain, and will selectthat organ over any other, the primaryfunction of this most infamous habit is notnutrition but reproduction!

Illithids are hermaphroditic and bear apoorly developed larva from an opening ata spot equivalent to the human solarplexus. An Illithid carrying such a larvawill carefully remove the thinking parts ofthe brain from some prey animal andrestore those parts which maintain thebody, carefully sealing off the blood supplyto the regions it has destroyed. The tinylarva is then inserted into the skull cavity,where it establishes a connection with thenerves and blood vessels of the body. Thelarva�s control is sufficient to allow forswallowing and digestion of food providedby the adult. However, this is insufficientto support the growing Illithid. The hostbody gradually shrivels and atrophies asthe larva draws on its reserves. As thelarva grows, it fills its host�s skull cavityand then loosens the connection betweenthe skull bones so that the larva may ex-pand upward and outward. When the hostbody is no longer useful, the larva meta-morphoses and emerges as an Illithid ofadult form, perhaps one-half to one-quarter of the normal size d&pending onthe size and type of host. Highly intelligenthosts are preferred, presumably becausethe skull can be expanded further andpossibly for subtler reasons associatedwith the development of psionic powers.

In several cases, Illithids were observedto carry out the initial series of operationswithout placing a larva. The reasons forthis are unknown. Perhaps these werefailed attempts to complete the procedure,or perhaps frequent practice is necessaryso that all will proceed smoothly when thelarva is ready.

We understand that the process of larvaplacement is a reconstruction; in no casedid we observe the entire process. Ourfind of a partially developed larva in thedwelling of our second lone Illithid wasinvaluable, as were the results of closerinvestigations made at a later stage. Whileit is not certain from our results on SsirikAkuar that Illithids can carry out theentire cycle using human or humanlikehosts, we strongly suspect so on the basisof popular accounts and of hints droppedby our githzerai guides. This has strongimplications for attempts at negotiationwith Illithids; overtures from creaturesthat are regularly used in such a fashionare not likely to be well received.

We observed a number of isolated and

24 OCTOBER 1989

peripheral individuals or groups living inwhat one may suppose is the primitiveIllithid lifestyle. Like many of the SunsetWorlds predatory creatures, Illithids mustlocate scarce prey with a minimum ofeffort. Their semimagical abilities servethem well in this regard. The Illithidchooses some safe burrow or cave andprojects itself astrally in search of foodwhile the body remains in a state requir-ing little nourishment. These explorationsrequire little energy and entail little risk.

When a source of food is located, theIllithid returns to its body and goes fortheither alone or in company, depending onthe effort required to harvest or subduethe food. An ability to pass over water and

mud unhindered and to levitate over diffi-cult terrain allows the Illithid to take adirect route that involves little wastedenergy and reduces exposure to possiblehazards. Often the prevailing winds areemployed in conjunction with levitation;the Illithid will rise up and let itself becarried downwind toward its destination.This is typically done only at low altitudesor in foggy weather because of the dangerof airborne predators.

When prey is encountered at close quar-ters, an Illithid�s ability to read and controlminds allows detection and capture of thisprey with a minimum of effort. If theIllithids are in a group, they may coordi-nate their activities mentally, or use verbal

and visual clues with a prearranged plan ifthe quarry is psionically aware. If mentalcontrol fails, an Illithid may use a blast ofmental energy to kill or incapacitate itsprey. Determined opposition usuallycauses the Illithid to retreat for the simpleand logical reason that a weakened Illithidmight not survive the journey home. AnIllithid in the savage state is no safer thana human in our own swamps and jungleswould be (perhaps less so). This habit(which appears to have been learned inIllithid prehistory) might well be the expla-nation for the reported cowardice ofIllithids encountered in our own world,where they are well known for fleeing anyencounter that begins to go against them.However, such a hypothesis may be atodds with what we later learned of thehunting habits of civilized Illithids.

While solitary Illithids are widespread,the majority of Illithids on the SunsetWorld live in settlements of between 50and 1,000 individuals. These settlementsgenerally consist of burrows and a clusterof stone towers on the leeward side of ahill. Entrances to the complexes are neverat ground level; they are only accessibleby air. This is presumably a precautionagainst vermin and large predators, aswell as possible seasonal flooding. Thetowers are of varying thickness andheight, and often have a cross sectiondetermined by the prevailing winds.Ranged about the central towers are theorderly fields and pastures that providemost of the settlement�s needs. Illithidadults do not tend these; even junior mem-bers of the community merely supervisethe work of various enslaved creatures.

Illithids abhor manual labor in any butthe most refined form, and have reducedeven the amount of labor that their slavespecies must perform through extensivealterations of the plants, animals, andfungi around them. Meat and draft ani-mals and other servant forms are entirelyobedient and dependent, in some casesrequiring special dietary supplements thatonly the Illithids have the skill to produce.The various crops require little attention, being largely self-regulating in form andnaturally resistant to invasion by weeds.Even the towers themselves are grownrather than constructed, being treelikegrowths with stony skeletons. Many of theIllithids� creations serve multiple functions,as in the case of the fungi that providelight, absorb waste, and serve as carpetand tapestry in Illithid dwellings. The mostnotable of the Illithid slave species is acreature that has a form similar to that ofa baboon�the most Illithidlike of SsirikAkuar�s inhabitants. Nowhere did weobserve human or humanlike slaves. Ourgithzerai guides volunteered that theIllithids of Ssirik Akuar have abandonedsuch practices.

Illithids of full-adult status spend muchof their time in the hunt, in various politi-cal activities, in artistic and magical en-

deavors (including the shaping of newtypes of creatures), and in long periods ofmeditation. The late Master Ponder Grey-mantle made a particular study of thehunting practices of the civilized Illithidsand followed several parties at a distance.He found that the Illithids prefer intelli-gent life for such sport (if sport it is), andmay pass up larger and less-intelligentcreatures for those that present a greaterchallenge. These are by no means idleamusements; the Illithids who participaterisk serious injury or death. Despite this,while the hunters may feed on choiceportions of the kill, they are seldom con-cerned to bring the remainder to theirsettlements (even when the distance isshort). Their primary source of food is thelivestock and fields tended by their slaves(and occasionally the slaves themselves).Expeditions may reach far sunward or farinto the icy lands, though Illithids showsigns of discomfort in dry air or when thetemperature drops below freezing. TheIllithids� usual mode of attack is a well-planned ambush at highly favorable oddsfor the Illithids. Pursuits of any length arerare.

Illithid political activity is poorly under-stood even after our closest studies. Ap-parently, Illithid society is divided intonumerous tightly knit groups, all small andall mutually opposed, although they maybe allied with other cliques for varyinglengths of time. It appears that membersof the same clique are often related to oneanother. The typical Illithid embrace, aninterclasping of feeding tentacles, is sel-dom seen except with members of aclique. The reasons for this embrace areunknown, but it is probably that signalsare exchanged; the tentacles are highlysensitive to taste and touch. Significantly,each partner in such an embrace is at themercy of the other. This is the only knowngesture of faith among Illithids. Openviolence between cliques is rare and mostoften occurs in the form of ambushes andassassinations rather than full-scale bat-ties. What body of law or custom regulatesthese procedures and prevents a conditionof anarchy is unknown.

The third major Illithid activity is theproduction of various artworks, books,magical devices, and living creatures. Thisis the only sort of labor that confers sta-tus. Most frequent is the production ofnew animals, plants, or fungi throughselective breeding or wholesale modifica-tion The fields, stockpens, and slave quar-ters contain many more odd individualsthan might be expected naturally, and thevarious domesticated forms vary greatlyfrom settlement to settlement, apparentlyin response to local fashions or conditions.Peculiarly, Illithids were seen in one in-stance to be breeding a new version of oneof the more formidable predators. Thiswould seem to indicate that there is someyet undiscovered relationship betweenIllithids and the creatures they hunt in the

wilderness.While no Illithids were observed to cast

spells, they are highly skilled in the pro-duction of magical and psionic devices orsubstances, particularly various potions(this last accords well with reports fromour own world that Illithids frequentlykeep several potions in their store of trea-sure). It seems that much of the specialequipment wielded by Illithids both hereand in the Sunset World is crafted by theIllithids themselves.

Illithid art is seldom representational.They seem to prefer abstract patterns of acomplex and angular sort, in colors thatare rather muddy to the human eye. Theirfew depictions are generally of violentscenes: hunts and conflicts betweenIllithids. One particularly vivid muralconfirmed part of our story of Illithidreproduction and provided an additionalbit of information: it would appear thatthe ultimate triumph is to use other Il-lithids as food for one�s larva.

Illithids produce numerous books andscrolls, but we found those we examinedto be either entirely factual or completelyincomprehensible. If Illithids producefiction, this is not immediately evident.Neither did we observe Illithids to erectshrines or temples or spend any time inworship; reports that they have no deitiesare evidently correct. It is also notable thatIllithids seldom assemble in large groupsexcept under the most unusual circum-stances. Only once during our stay did weobserve such an action.

Iliithid meditation remains a mystery tous. We thought at first that astral projec-tion took place during these sessions, butcareful measurements showed this not tobe the case. An Illithid engaged in astralprojection generally does so from a sealedroom, whereas meditation seemed tooccur in any sheltered spot. Perhaps themissing worship of deities occurs duringthese states, or perhaps these sessions aremerely a form of rest. Whatever the case,this practice consumes a great deal of anIllithid�s time.

We gathered much information fromperipheral observations, from the twocaptures of which I have spoken, and froma few daring forays into vacant Illithiddwellings. Having mastered Ssirik Akuar�sconsiderable natural hazards, and havingoperated undetected at the fringe of Il-lithid civilization for some time, we beganthe final phase of our work. Here Aca-demican Kratanitkul�s particular gifts cameto the forefront: his ability to mimic theappearance of Illithids and their slavespecies and even to counterfeit certainIllithid abilities proved invaluable. Theseabilities served him well in his investiga-tions of Underearth societies. AcademicianKratanitkul and his assistants began aperiod of extremely close observation.

In retrospect, we had grown somewhatoverconfident, perhaps pardonably so inlight of our prior successes. When our

guides became aware of our new plans,they grew greatly agitated. The Monzarihad become increasingly distant and un-helpful over the course of our stay, butwhen we refused to reconsider ourcourse, they withdrew entirely to theirtents and would say nothing further.

In the beginning, our operations werehighly successful. Assistant Master Tolikloswill be able to present you with fourbooks of Illithid manufacture that cast agreat deal of light on Illithid life, thoughthey raise more questions than they an-swer. Much of what I have told you con-cerning the Illithids was supplemented orconfirmed during this period. It was atime of great hope and great interest; itwas, however, unfortunately brief as well.What final error Academican Kratanitkulmade we will never know. I fear his endwas not a pleasant one.

Fortunately, we had some warning:Academican Kratanitkul and his associateswere tardy, but this was small reason forconcern as the difficulties of travel onSsirik Akuar sometimes make for longdelays. More worrisome was the failure tolocate them through scrying spells, butthese often go awry when the subject iswithin or beyond a large concentration ofcreatures resistant to magic. Our guides�dogs, the szarkel, gave us our first clearintimation of trouble.

It was the habit of the szarkel to runabout the camp unhindered. (This hadbeen cause for considerable friction be-tween the githzerai and our own peoplebecause of the intractability of the dogs.)The creatures did so pow, but mostly atthe perimeter, running back and forth,sniffing at the wind, and staring intentlyinto the distance. Their masters stoodrigidly at the entrance to their tents, as iflistening. Abruptly, both dogs and githze-rai entered their dwellings. During thistime, the githzerai spoke not a word toone another, and refused to acknowledgeour questions. When Lord Aragson wouldwait no longer and followed the githzeraiin his desperation, he found their tentsempty. We never saw them again.

The assault was sudden. Lord Aragsonwill give you the full account of it. It seemsthat the Illithids were also overconfident.While tragic, our losses were small inproportion to the losses suffered by theforce that came against us. It is well thatwe were prepared for a sudden depar-ture, however. When the Illithids re-treated from our unexpectedly strongcounterattack, we had time to make goodour escape before they could gather rein-forcements. So far as we can determine,we were neither pursued nor traced. Ourjourney homeward was as uneventful asour outward faring,

There is one matter I have left for thelast, and for a purpose. You will recall thatwe were encamped on a ruin. There aremany such on Ssirik Akuar, most of them

Continued on page 65

DRAGON 25

Vampire

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

Any landRareSolitaryNightSpecialExceptional (15-16)FChaotic evil

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

1-4112, Fl 18 (C)8 + 31315-10Energy drain+ 1 or better magical weaponto hit

MAGIC RESISTANCE:SIZE:MORALE:XP VALUE:

See belowM (5½’-6½’)Champion (16)

Western 3,000Eastern 4,000

Of all the chaotic evil undead creatures that stalk the world, noneis more dreadful than the vampire. Moving silently through thenight, vampires prey upon the living without mercy or compas-sion. Unless deep underground, they must return to the coffins inwhich they pass the daylight hours, and even in the former casethey must occasionally return to such to rest, for their power is re-newed by contact with soil from their graves.

Illustrations by Clyde Caldwell and Jim Holloway

able to reach its coffin within 12 turns, however, its essencebreaks up and the creature is truly destroyed.

Sleep, charm, and hold spells do not affect vampires. Similarly,they are unharmed by poisons and immune to paralysis. Spellsthat are based on cold or electricity cause only half damage.

One aspect that makes the vampire far more fearful than manyof its undead kindred is its appearance. Unlike other undead crea-tures, the vampire can easily pass among normal men withoutdrawing attention to itself for, although its facial features aresharp and feral, they do not seem inhuman. In many cases, avampire�s true nature is revealed only when it attacks.

At will, vampires are able to disperse their bodies into clouds ofelemental vapor and assume gaseous form. In this state, they areall but immune to attack and can escape from almost any confine-ment. In addition, vampires can shape change so as to take on theform of a large bat (hence the flying movement rate given above).

There are ways in which a vampire may be detected by thecareful observer, however. Vampires cast no reflection in a glass;cast no shadows, and move in complete silence.

Vampires can summon lesser creatures for aid. In a subterra- nean environment, they will typically call forth a swarm of 10-100 rats or bats. In the case of the latter, these do not physicallyattack but serve to confuse and obscure the vision of the vam-pire�s foes. In the wilderness, a vampire will normally call upon 3-18 wolves for assistance. In all cases, the summoned animalsarrive in 2-12 rounds.

Combat: When engaging in combat, vampires are savage and At will, a vampire can use a spider climb ability and scale sheerfearsome opponents. They are physically very powerful, with a surfaces. Often, they will employ this power to gain access toStrength score of 18/76, receiving a bonus of +2 to hit and +4 to rooms on upper floors without alerting those on watch down-damage. The crushing blows of a vampire�s attack are so fiercethat they inflict 5-10 points of damage.

stairs. This power also permits the vampire to seek refuge inplaces which are all but beyond the reach of mortal men.

The gaze of a vampire is one of its most powerful and danger-ous weapons. Any person who allows the vampire to look intohis eyes will be affected as if by a charm person spell. Due to thepower of this enchantment, a -2 is applied to the victim�s savingthrow versus spell. In this manner, vampires are often able to passposted sentries and surprise their chosen victims.

Like all undead creatures, vampires exist in both the PositiveMaterial and Negative Material planes at the same time. Theirpowerful negative essence allows them to drain two life energylevels from anyone they strike. If the vampire is making use ofsome form of weapon in the attack, it cannot employ this power.

Weapons of less than + 1 enchantment pass through vampireswithout harming them in any way. Even if attacked with andharmed by magical weapons, vampires regenerate 3 hit points perround. If reduced to zero hit points, a vampire is not destroyed,but is forced to assume gaseous form. Once in this state, it will at-tempt to flee and return to its coffin where, after eight hours ofrest, it regains its corporeal form. If the defeated vampire is un-

Despite the great powers which vampires obviously possess,they are not without weaknesses of their own. The odor of stronggarlic repels them and they will not approach it. Further, they willrecoil from the face of a mirror or lawful good holy symbol if ei-ther of these is presented to them with courage and conviction. Itis important to understand, however, that this will not actuallyharm the vampire in any way nor drive it off. Garlic will preventthe creature from attacking or entering the area, while mirrorsand holy symbols force the vampire to find some means of re-moving the offending object before it can be bypassed. In mostcases, the vampire will seek to overcome these hazards with theaid of its minions. For example, a charmed person might be calledupon to attack someone who is holding the vampire at bay with aholy symbol. Another important point to keep in mind is that alawful good holy symbol will affect the vampire regardless of thevampire�s original religious background. Vampires which aresplashed with a vial of holy water or struck with lawful good holysymbols are burned by them, suffering 2-7 points of damage.

DRAGON 29

Vampire

Just as vampires can be kept at bay, so too can they be slain bythose who have the knowledge to do so. Any vampire which isexposed to direct sunlight is instantly rendered powerless and, af-ter one round, utterly annihilated. If the vampire can be im-mersed in running water, it loses one-third of its hit points eachround, until destroyed on the third round. Last, a vampire can bekilled by having a wooden stake driven through its heart. In thiscase, however, the creature can be restored simply by removingthe stake if further measures are not taken to ensure the fate of thevampire. In order for it to be completely destroyed, the vampire�shead must be cut off and its mouth stuffed with holy wafers (ortheir equivalent).

In addition to its aversion to items like garlic and holy symbols,the vampire acts under many other limitations. One of the mostpowerful of these is the creature�s inability to enter a home with-out being first invited to do so by a resident of the dwelling. Thisdoes not apply to public buildings and places of business which,by their very nature, extend an �invitation� to all. Once a vam-pire has been invited to enter a residence, it may come and gofreely afterward. A common manner for obtaining permission toenter a home is the use of the vampire�s gaze to charm a servant orother inhabitant.

Any human or humanoid creature slain by the life energy drainof a vampire is doomed to become a vampire himself. Thus, thosewho would hunt these lords of the undead must be very carefullest they find themselves condemned to a fate far worse thandeath. The transformation takes place one day after the burial ofthe creature. Those who are not actually buried, however, do notbecome undead and it is thus traditional that the bodies of a vam-pire�s victims be burned or similarly destroyed. Once they be-come undead, the new vampire is under the complete control of its killer. If that vampire is destroyed, the controlled undead arefreed from its power and become self-willed creatures.

In most cases, vampires do not lose the abilities and knowledgewhich they had in life when they become undead. Thus, it is pos-sible for a vampire to have the powers of, for example, a wizard,thief, or even priest. In all cases, of course, the new vampire be-comes chaotic evil.

Habitat/Society: Vampires live in areas of death and desolationwhere they will not be reminded of the lives they have left behind.Ruined castles or chapels and large cemeteries are popular lairsfor them, as are sites of great tragedies or battles. Vampires oftenfeel a strong attachment to specific areas with some morbid sig-nificance, like the grave of a suicide or the site of a murder.

When deciding on a course of action or planning a campaign,vampires move very slowly and meticulously. It is not uncommonfor a vampire to undertake some scheme which may take decadesor even centuries to reach its conclusion. Because of the curse of im-mortality that has fallen upon them, they feel that time is always ontheir side and will often defeat foes who might otherwise overcomethem; the vampire can simply go into hiding for a few decades untilthe passing of the years brings down its enemies.

Vampires are normally solitary creatures. When they are foundin the company of others of their kind, the group will certainlyconsist of a single vampire lord and a small group of vampireswhich it has created to do its bidding. In this way, the vampire canexert its power over a greater range without running the risk ofexposing itself to attack by would-be heroes.

In general, vampires feel only contempt for the world and itsinhabitants. Denied the pleasures of a true life, they have becomedark and twisted creatures bent on revenge and terror. When avampire creates another of its kind, it considers the new creaturea mere tool. The minion will be sent on missions which the vam-pire feels may be too dangerous or unimportant for its personal

30 OCTOBER 1989

attention. If the need arises, these pawns will gladly be sacrificedto protect or further the ends of their master.

Ecology: The vampire has no place in the world of living crea-tures. It is a thing of darkness that exists only to bring about eviland chaos. Almost without exception, the vampire is feared andhated by those who dwell in the regions in which it chooses tomake its home. The vampire�s unnatural presence is all-pervasiveand will cause dogs and similar animals to raise a cry of alarm atthe presence of the creature.

Vampires sustain themselves by draining the life force from liv-ing creatures. Unless they have a specific need to create additionalminions, however, they are careful to avoid killing those they at-tack. In cases where the death of a victim is desired, the vampirewill take care to see that the body is destroyed and thus will notrise as an undead.

Eastern Vampires:

This breed of vampire is, if anything, even more frightful than itswestern cousin. Although they share many of the western vam-pire�s strengths and weaknesses, they have the ability to fadefrom sight at will. Once they have become invisible, they receiveall of the normal bonuses which such a state normally bestows,including being attacked at -4. These monsters are unable tocharm their victims, however, and cannot assume gaseous format will as western vampires can.

The Well-RoundedMonster Hunter

Investigators� skills in the CALL OF CTHULHU® game©1989 by Dean Shomshak

32 OCTOBER 1989

Chaosium�s CALL OF CTHULHU® rules provide a wide range ofskills for Investigators, but many more skills are possible that couldbroaden the knowledge of player characters. For the benefit of In-vestigators and Keepers alike, some new skills for this game follow,as well as some thoughts on modifying skill rolls to reflect specialcircumstances.

A special note is needed concerning specialty skills. A skill calledEgyptology has appeared in CALL OF CTHULHU modules fromChaosium. While this skill is obviously a specialized form of Arche-ology, no explanation is given as to the relationship of Egyptologyand Archeology in terms of game mechanics. I have attempted toremedy this with rules that define specialized versions of a widerange of skills.range of skills.

Modifying skill rollsModifying skill rollsNot all tasks that require skill rolls areNot all tasks that require skill rolls are

equally difficult. For instance, it�s possibleequally difficult. For instance, it�s possibleto use the Anthropology skill for both theto use the Anthropology skill for both therelatively easy task of identifying someonerelatively easy task of identifying someoneas an ethnic Korean and the more difficultas an ethnic Korean and the more difficultproblem of identifying a member of theproblem of identifying a member of theobscure Ahapi tribe. Similarly, picking aobscure Ahapi tribe. Similarly, picking acheaply produced padlock and a custom-cheaply produced padlock and a custom-built Swiss trick lock are both Locksmith-built Swiss trick lock are both Locksmith-ing feats, but one is obviously moreing feats, but one is obviously moredifficult than the other. Situations likedifficult than the other. Situations likethese occur with new skills as well as withthese occur with new skills as well as withthe old. A Keeper can handle them in onethe old. A Keeper can handle them in oneof three ways.of three ways.

One way is to ask for multiple skill rolls,One way is to ask for multiple skill rolls,which is logical if a task is unusually diffi-which is logical if a task is unusually diffi-cult because of length or complexity. Thiscult because of length or complexity. Thishas the net effect of multiplying the skillhas the net effect of multiplying the skillpercentage by itself one or more times.percentage by itself one or more times.With two skill rolls, for example, someoneWith two skill rolls, for example, someonewith a 50% skill rating has a 25% chancewith a 50% skill rating has a 25% chanceof success, a 70% rating has a 49% chance,of success, a 70% rating has a 49% chance,and 90% has an 81% chance. Probabilitiesand 90% has an 81% chance. Probabilitiesfor other base ratings and numbers offor other base ratings and numbers ofrolls are easily worked out with a pocketrolls are easily worked out with a pocketcalculator.calculator.

The simplest method of adjusting skillThe simplest method of adjusting skillrolls is to reduce the chance of success byrolls is to reduce the chance of success bysome fixed amount. The Swiss lock, forsome fixed amount. The Swiss lock, forexample, might carry an automatic -30%example, might carry an automatic -30%modifier on any attempt to pick it. Modi-modifier on any attempt to pick it. Modi-fiers like this will be familiar to players offiers like this will be familiar to players ofmany other role-playing systems.many other role-playing systems.

Finally, the Keeper can reduce theFinally, the Keeper can reduce thechance of success by some fixed propor-chance of success by some fixed propor-tion by multiplying the character�s chancetion by multiplying the character�s chanceof success by some percentage. The CALLof success by some percentage. The CALLOF CTHULHU rules already have theOF CTHULHU rules already have theimpaling roll for melee and the analogousimpaling roll for melee and the analogousspecial roll for skills, set at one-fifth thespecial roll for skills, set at one-fifth thecharacter�s normal chance of success. Thecharacter�s normal chance of success. Theskill descriptions in the rulebook also referskill descriptions in the rulebook also referto situations in which characters have onlyto situations in which characters have onlyone-half of their normal chance of success.one-half of their normal chance of success.Other percentages, such as four-fifthsOther percentages, such as four-fifths(80%), three-fifths (60%) or one-third(33%), could be used to reflect variouslevels of difficulty. A calculator is neces-levels of difficulty. A calculator is neces-sary to use this method comfortably.sary to use this method comfortably.

All three methods have their advantagesAll three methods have their advantagesand disadvantages. Multiple rolls favorand disadvantages. Multiple rolls favorcharacters with very high skill ratings.characters with very high skill ratings.Multiplying by a fraction slightly favorsMultiplying by a fraction slightly favors

less-skilled characters (they didn�t have agreat chance of success originally, so theyaren�t losing much). Both methods leave atleast a small chance of success for less-skillful characters. In contrast, subtractionmodifiers essentially rule that characterswith skill ratings below a certain percent-age have no chance at all. I use all threemethods, depending on which I think isappropriate at the time. Note that modify-ing a roll to show a task as unusually easycan only be done by adding to the basechance or multiplying it by some amountgreater than 100%. Perhaps that tackypadlock gives + 15% or x 120% to a lock-picker�s skill.

Specialty skillsA character may be an expert in a single

facet of a skill, or he might apply a skill tojust one field. The aforementioned Egyp-tology, for instance, is Archeology limitedto the cultures of ancient Egypt. Analo-gous specialized forms of Archeology canbe defined for other areas of the world:Assyriology (Mesopotamian cultures),Classical Archeology (Greece and Rome),Pre-Columbian Archeology (the NewWorld), and so on.

Skills can have specialized forms. Forexample, an Anthropology specialist wouldbe knowlegeable about the cultures of justone region of the modern world. Insteadof general Mechanical Repair, a charactermight specialize in auto repair, gunsmith-ing, or setting traps. Paleontology could bea specialized version of either geology orzoology. The only limit here is the Keeper�sjudgment in determining what constitutesa meaningful specialty. For instance, al-though Paleontology would be a usefuldivision of geology in the game, crystallog-raphy (the study of crystal shapes) orpetrology (the study of rock composition,structure, and origins) probably wouldnot. The first is too limited a part of geol-ogy, and the second is not versatile enoughto be useful in the game.

Naturally, a character with a specialtyskill is not totally ignorant of everythingelse in the �parent� skill; a master autorepairman, for instance, may never havefixed clocks or refrigerators, but he wouldprobably do better than someone with no

experience at any sort of mechanical re-pair. A specialist can therefore use a spe-cialty skill for nonspecialized tasks�butnot very well. An Egyptologist who hasn�tactually spent points on Archeology skill,for example, could try identifying a non-Egyptian artifact using his Egyptology skillbut at a greatly reduced chance of success(say, at x 25%). Of course, a charactercould buy both Egyptology and Archeol-ogy, but this would be rather wasteful.Specialty skills cost just as many points asregular skills, and there are no cost sav-ings for buying multiple specialties. Cer-tain specialty skills are meant fornon-player characters, who don�t need tobe as versatile as Investigators.

New Investigator skillsFine Arts Knowledge: This measures

a character�s detailed knowledge of thehistory, techniques, and styles of the finearts (painting, sculpture, music, architec-ture, literature, etc.). This skill can betaken more than once, since the full skillrating is only for one art form; e.g., acomprehensive knowledge of music doesnot give any greater skill at analyzingarchitecture. In some cases, the Keepermay relax this separation. A scholar ofmusic might have knowledge of opera;since an opera contains both words andmusic, someone skilled at either art formcould study an opera to learn who theunnamed author was, his mental state,what is obliquely referred to in the third act, and so on.

The most common application of thisskill is in evaluating Mythos-related worksof �fine� art, both ancient and modern. Acharacter with Fine Art Knowledge coulddiscover where and when an artifact orpoem was created, what it symbolizes, thesophistication of the artist�s culture, oreven if the item is of �no Earthly style.�Fine Art Knowledge is thus related toArcheology and Anthropology, and insome circumstances could substitute forthem with a reduced chance of success.Keepers should remember that Fine ArtKnowledge uses elements of an aesthetic as well as a technical perspective.

Cryptography: This skill measures theability to create and break ciphers thatconceal messages. This does not includecodes, which are based on the arbitraryuse of one word to mean another word orphrase; e.g., using �ham� to mean �armsshipment.� Codes can be invented by any-one and are virtually unbreakable, butthey have several disadvantages. Codestake a long time to construct, since somany substitutions are necessary. A needmight arise for a word for which no codeequivalent has been defined. Both senderand receiver must have code books givingthe substitutions, and these books can belost or stolen.

Ciphers, the true subject of cryptogra-phy, hide messages by rearranging orsubstituting words or characters accord-ing to a master plan understood by sender

D R A G O N 3 3

and receiver. Thus, instead of severalthousand code-words, sender and receiveronly have to remember the plan�a mucheasier task. A simple example of a cipher isa sentence in which each letter is replacedby the one preceding it in the alphabet (�a�is replaced by �z�), and the result is thenwritten in reverse. In such a cipher,�Cthulhu rises� becomes �Rdrhq tgktgsb.�The message is decoded by reversing theletters, then replacing each letter with thecharacter that follows it in the alphabet.Although ciphers are easier to use thancodes, their disadvantage is that whathuman ingenuity can hide, human ingenu-ity can locate.

The initial rating for Cryptography isINT%, because nearly everyone in theWestern world has been exposed to ci-phers at some time during their childhood.Anyone can produce an extremely simplecipher, but such ciphers can be broken bysuccessive Idea and Know rolls, or by aCryptography roll at double the chance ofsuccess. Producing a difficult cipher re-quires a Cryptography roll at a double-normal chance of success; it�s easier tomake ciphers than to break them. Such acipher takes a normal Cryptography roll tosolve. If the cipher-maker�s roll failed, thecipher contains a flaw. This flaw wouldintroduce an equal chance of making thecipher impossible to solve or making itvery easy to solve, using Idea and Know,or Cryptography x 2.

A cipher can be designed to be difficultto crack, imposing a modifier on the Cryp-tography roll needed to solve it, by applying the same modifier to the creator�s skill.Someone with 40% Cryptography skillwho is trying to make a - 15% cipher thushas a (40% - 15% =) 25% chance of suc-cess. The Keeper may still allow doublethe normal chance of success when creat-ing ciphers. (Multiple rolls don�t work wellhere.) If the creator�s roll fails, the desiredmodifier is lost (but he won�t know it).

Cracking a cipher or determining that itis beyond one�s abilities normally takesseveral days (Keeper�s discretion on exactnumber). Exceptionally easy ciphers takeless than a day to solve, down to a fewminutes for someone with a Cryptographyrating of 50% or more. Once a cipher isbroken, of course, all messages in it areeasily understood.

Drafting: This measures a character�sskill at producing useful, realistic draw-ings, whether of machine parts or land-scapes. It includes perspective drawings.Simple tools like a compass and ruler areuseful but not necessary. Drafting concen-trates on static form and outline. Subtlycurved surfaces, textures, and suggestionsof life and motion are more in the prov-ince of Painting (q.v.).

Impersonation: This skill enables oneto convincingly masquerade as someoneelse. This is not merely playing a characteron stage; it can be used whenever anInvestigator wants to hide his true iden-tity, emotions, or intentions. Imperson-

34 OCTOBER 1986

ation is invaluable when attempting toinfiltrate a select organization or gain anenemy�s trust. This can be dangerous,especially when criminals or cultists areinvolved.

Impersonating someone from anotherculture well enough to fool someone famil-iar with that culture requires a successfulAnthropology roll as well as an Imperson-ation roll. This can be avoided by intensivecoaching from someone familiar with theculture in question (who makes the appro-priate roll instead). This process takesmany days, and ad-libbing is impossible.Impersonating someone who speaks adifferent language may require a SpeakLanguage roil; impersonating an electricalengineer might require an Electrical Re-pair roll; and so on. In some cases, theseextra rolls might be modified in the char-acter�s favor; in the latter case, for in-stance, the character may only have totalk like an electrical engineer, which iseasier than actually rewiring a circuitboard. The character might be given dou-ble the normal chance of success of theElectrical Repair roll if talking is all that�srequired.

This skill may also enable one characterto see through deception by others. Evenif a �performance� is good enough to fool alayman, (i.e., the deceiver made his Imper-sonation roll), it might not be good enoughto fool a fellow professional (defined as acharacter with an Impersonation skill of50% or more). In this case, a resistanceroll can be used. The would-be deceiverwould add his Impersonation percentageto 50%, and the target would subtract hisskill from that total to determine thechance that he was really fooled. Someonewith high Psychology skill might be al-lowed a similar roll.

Some impersonations can be carried outpurely through voice, posture, and actingability. Others may require makeup, spe-cial clothing, or accessories like wigs andfalse noses. Lack of such disguise elementsneed not destroy any chance at imperson-ation, but Keepers will probably want toimpose negative modifiers or require thecharacter to attempt a Fast Talk roll.

Mathematics: This skill has little incommon with Accounting. Mathematics isa science and also a branch of logic. Itdeals with abstract quantities manipulatedaccording to equally abstract rules in sucha way that unknown quantities or infor-mation can be derived from known ones.Branches of mathematics include geome-try, algebra, calculus, number theory,group theory, and mathematical logic.Higher skill ratings indicate more pene-trating knowledge of mathematical princi-ples and more ability to solve math-ematical problems. Although rulers, pro-tractors, or more sophisticated instru-ments may be needed to collect data for aproblem, the actual mathematical workusually requires nothing more than lots ofpaper, a pencil, and maybe a slide rule (ora calculator for modern-day campaigns) to

speed calculations.Mathematics is occasionally useful in

investigations because so much of Mythosmagic and lore involves bizarre geometry.While neither Mathematics nor any otherskill is sufficient to let an Investigatorlearn a Mythos spell, it could make thelearning easier in some cases. For in-stance, a character trying to learn thehighly mathematical Gate spell from atome might be given a + 1 on the tome�sspell multiplier if he successfully makes aMathematics roll. Mathematics mightreveal that wall markings or a mosaicdesign symbolize strange multidimensionalor non-Euclidean structures and relation-ships, providing a warning to Investiga-tors. Finally, at the Keeper�s option, asuccessful Mathematics roll may give anInvestigator a bonus on another skill roll,such as Astronomy, Physics (seeChaosium�s Cthulhu Now supplement), orCryptography.

Painting: This skill allows a characterto produce pictures by applying paint,charcoal, crayons, etc. to a flat surfacesuch as a canvas. Success at a Painting rollmeans production of a fairly accuraterepresentation of what the artist wastrying to show. Although one can repre-sent abstractions such as emotions or theDecline of the West through painting, ingame contexts this skill will be more oftenused to create pictures of landscapes,creatures, and artifacts. Memory fadeswith time, after all, and not all thingsencountered in a Mythos investigation canbe photographed. Whether anyone elsewill believe the paintings are of real thingsand not, the product of a disorderedimagination is another matter.

Philosophy: A character using thisskill can argue, more or less intelligently,in the four main branches of philosophy:metaphysics (dealing with the ultimatenature of reality), epistemology (the natureand limits of knowledge), logic (the studyand practice of valid reasoning), and ethics(the study of good and evil). Such a charac-ter will also be familiar with philosophicaltrends of the past and present. Using thisskill, a character may guess at the belief�sof another person after several minutes ofsubtle questioning, assuming that thesubject either doesn�t know or doesn�t carethat the questioner is trying to learn some-thing. This skill can also be used to dis-guise true beliefs, somewhat likeImpersonation (q.v.). Philosophy can thusbe used to gain the confidence of cultists,politicians, and other sinister folk, sincepeople are more likely to trust thosewhom they think agree with them.

Finally, Philosophy can be used to in-crease SAN, although this is less effectiveand more dangerous than Psychoanalysis.In each week of intensive �philosophicalanalysis,� or month of less intensive analy-sis, the philosopher-analyst makes a skillroll and the subject makes an Idea roll. Ifboth succeed, the subject gains 1 point ofSAN and may roll for an increase in his

own Philosophy skill. If the analyst makesa �special roll,� the SAN increase is 1D4points�a breakthrough. If the analyst failshis roll, however, the subject is confusedand disillusioned, losing 1D2 SAN. If thesubject fails the Idea roll, no SAN is gainedor lost. Like psychoanalysis, philosophicalanalysis cannot raise a subject�s SANhigher than his Luck roll. It can, however,be practiced on oneself. This is one reasonwhy sages (master philosophers all) havesuch high POW and SAN: Through yearsof continual self-analysis, they raise theirSAN to the limit set by their Luck, thentrade in SAN for POW, thus raising theirLuck rolls and increasing SAN.

Play Instrument: This skill is analo-gous to Sing; the higher the rating, thebetter the performance. The character isalso able to play more difficult musicalworks. Some spells may call for musicalaccompaniment, making a Play Instrumentroll necessary. Note that characters mustspecify which instrument they are profi-cient with, and each distinctly differentinstrumental skill must be bought sepa-rately. If two instruments are very similar,however, such as violin and viola, skillwith one instrument should certainlycarry over to the other.

Sculpture: This measures the ability tomake three-dimensional images in clay,stone, wood, or other media. If a Sculp-ture roll succeeds, the character has accu-rately, recognizably portrayed the subject.Like Painting (q.v.), this skill measures onlytechnique; artistic vision is beyondquantification.

New Skills for Investigators

Skill BaseFine Art Knowledge 05%Cryptography INT%Drafting 05%Impersonation 10%Mathematics 00%Painting 05%Philosophy 05%Play InstrumentSculptureAny specialty

00%05%

As original

36 OCTOBER 1989

Sage Continued from page 10

(such as a kusari-gama in OrientalAdventures), does the characterautomatically gain proficiency withthe weapons that correspond witheach function (in this case, withchain and kama)?

The situation is analogous to that of thebastard sword described previously.Knowledge of the combination weapondoes not necessarily allow use of its com-ponent weapons. The techniques requiredto use each of the weapons you mentionedare different. The governing principle inboth of these cases is the no-free-lunchrule: You can�t get two or more proficien-cies for the price of one simply by select-ing a multipurpose weapon.

When do charging characters at-tack? What are the effects of acharge?

Charging monsters or characters mayattack normally at the end of their charge;exactly when depends on the reach of theweapons being used (longer weapons attackfirst). The charge movement, initiative, andaffects chance to hit. See the DMG, page 66,for more details on charging.

How do high dexterity scores or ashort sword of quickness affectinitiative?

High dexterity never affects initiative; itaffects only surprise. A short sword ofquickness allows the wielder to attackfirst. This is not the same has having theinitiative; a thief-acrobat (for example)cannot automatically evade each roundsimply because he has a short sword ofquickness. He must win the die roll beforehe can evade.

Can missile weapons, other thanhurled melee weapons, he used inmelee?

No, missiles cannot be fired or hurledwhen the firing character is in melee. Fur-thermore, bows and arrows are not meleeweapons and cannot normally be used inhand-to-hand combat. A bow or crossbowcould, however, be used for pummeling(see Unearthed Arcana, page 107).

Can a character fire a missile intoa melee without hitting friendlycharacters? If not, what is thechance of hitting an ally?

This depends on the situation. Whenfiring into a melee, use the followingprocedure:

The character firing the missile declareswhich creature he is targeting. (Any of thecharacter�s allies who are fighting with thetarget creatures are potential targets forthe missile.) Randomly determine whichtarget will actually be in the path of themissile. If the figures in the melee areabout the same size (e.g., human vs. hu-man, elf vs. dwarf), there is an equalchance that either the enemy or an ally

could be the missile�s actual target. If thedie roll indicates that an ally will be theactual target and there are multiple alliesfighting the intended target, randomlydetermine which ally is the actual target.

Roll the to-hit number. If the appropriatenumber for the target�s armor class isrolled, then the target is hit whether ornot the character firing the missile wantedto hit that target. If the creatures in themelee are of different sizes, the largercreatures are more likely to be hit. I sug-gest a two-thirds chance (1-4 on 1d61 to hitthe larger target when the height differ-ence is 2-3� (ignore height differences ofless than 2�). If the height difference ismore than 3�, allow the missile to hit thelarger target automatically if the firerwishes; otherwise, the chance to hit thelarger target is 5 in 6.

Many campaigns exempt the magicmissiles spell from this rule. Magic missilesare assumed to unerringly strike theirtargets.

Is it possible to use an object fornonlethal combat? How much dam-age would a chair or bar stool do?

Yes, you can use odd objects for nonlethalcombat. The amount of damage such objectscan do depends on their hardness and mass.See Unearthed Arcana, page 107.

How far can objects be tossed orthrown?

The maximum range for any tossedobject is 5� (a stone) or 3� (a flask of oil ora vial of holy water), as long as the objectis reasonably compact. Large, bulky ob-jects have a maximum range of 2� or less,depending on the situation.

How do you handle gaze attacks?A creature with a gaze weapon may use

it on one opponent per round in additionto any physical attacks. If the creature isunintelligent, this will be a random oppo-nent. Intelligent creatures may pick theirvictims. Any opponent who can see thecreature can be subject to the attack. Theopponent who is subjected to the gazeattack must save vs. petrification. Somecampaigns allow opponents to avert theireyes and become immune to the gazeattack, but such opponents attack anddefend at a -4 penalty, and the decisionto avert the eyes must be made prior toboth the initiative roll and anyone know-ing where the gaze will be directed. SomeDMs may rule that if an entire party issurprised, all must save against the gazeduring the first surprise segment of theencounter (several party members couldaccidentally meet the creature�s gaze dur-ing the confusion of the surprise segment).

I seem to recall some rule about apenalty when a character makesmore than one attack in a round. Isthere such a rule?

We can refer to page 70 of the DMG forthis answer. The reference states that a

DRAGON 37

character may use a second weapon in-stead of a shield, provided that the secondweapon is a dagger or hand axe. Other-wise, there is no penalty for multipleattacks.

Is there any way to prevent a vor-pal weapon from severing the neckif the attack roll is high enough?

No. However, the DM might choose tointroduce some kind of protective magicthat would do this. Note the limitationsgiven on page 166 of the DMG. The DMmight choose to introduce some additionallimitations; for example, it would be im-possible for a human to sever a cloudgiant�s neck unless the giant was bent overor the human was flying or levitating.

Will unholy water harm a paladin?Yes. It is created by an evil ritual and is

harmful to paladins and good creatures ofextraplanar origin such as devas and solars.

Can a cleric turn undead, thenattack, run away, or cast a spell inthe same round? Or does he standthere for a whole round, give upshield and dexterity adjustments toarmor class, and hope that the turn-ing works?

Turning undead is a separate activity. Acleric who turns undead may not firemissiles, melee, or cast spells in the same

round as he turns undead, although hedefends normally and may be able tomove (DM�s option).

The monk ability quivering palmdoes not work on creatures that arestruck only by magical weapons.Looking at the DMG, I see that crea-tures that are themselves immuneto normal weapons can hit othercreatures that are immune to nor-mal weapons. Does the reverse holdtrue? That is to say, are those crea-tures that can hit creatures immuneto normal weapons immune to nor-mal weapons themselves? Specifi-cally, are high-level barbariansimmune to normal weapons andquiver ing palm?

The barbarian�s ability to hit those crea-tures that are normally hit only by magicweapons does not protect him from non-magical weapons or a monks quiveringpalm.

Can a torch be used as a weapon?How far can a torch be thrown?There are some instances when it isdesirable to use a torch as a second-ary weapon; is this allowed?

Torches can be used as primary weap-ons; treat them as clubs for all purposes�even when throwing and inflictingdamage, assuming that the torch is lit and

the target is not immune to fire. A torchmay be used as a secondary weapon if theDM thinks the situation warrants it. Applythe �Attacks With Two Weapons� rule onpage 70 of the DMG. If players attempt toabuse the privilege, the DM might have acharacter set fire to himself or his equip-ment. Have the torch either save vs. nor-mal blow as thin wood, or break. The firehas a 10% chance of going out per blow.

How long does it take to draw aweapon?

Any weapon can be drawn in one seg-ment (this effectively adds one segment tothe weapon�s speed factor). Commonsense, however, dictates that a characterwho draws a weapon during a melee willlose initiative to a character who has al-ready drawn his weapon, unless the char-acter with the drawn weapon must usethe segment that is required for the drawin order to close to melee range. Note thatsheathing a weapon takes a bit longer;changing weapons carefully takes a fullround (see Oriental Adventures, page 54).

How come a low-level charactergets only one attack per round? Aone-minute melee round certainlyallows time for several attacks, es-pecially if the character uses a lightweapon such as a dagger.

A single melee attack in the AD&D game

38 OCTOBER 1989

assumes the exchange of several blows.The player�s single attack roll representsthe result of a series of attacks by thecharacter, not just a Single blow. See theDMG, page 61, for more details. High-levelcharacters who are allowed multiple at-tacks do not actually strike more blows;their greater experience merely allowsthem to strike a larger percentage of tell-ing blows.

Unearthed Arcana (page 78) saysthat a sap will stun an opponent if ithits him in the head when the headis uncovered. Since there are no hitlocation tables in the AD&D game,how do you determine if the sap hitthe opponent�s head?

The DMG has a rule that says an intelli-gent creature can aim a blow at an oppo-nent�s head half the time (1-3 on 1d6).While this rule (see page 46) encouragescharacters to wear helmets, I think it�s abit excessive. Try any of the following foradjudicating attacks with a sap:

Any attack roll four or more over theminimum score needed to hit the targetstrikes the head. Strength bonuses don�tcount when determining the minimumscore to hit, but bonuses for rear attacks(including a thief�s back-attack bonus) andattacks on prone opponents do count.

Treat the sap as a pummeling imple-

ment, and use the rules on page 107 ofUnearthed Arcana. The sap does no dam-age unless a stun is scored. It has thechance of a large and hard object to stun,and does normal sap damage (1-2) when astun is scored. A sap is a weapon andnegates the initiative penalty for pummel-ing attacks. Roll a 1d6 before each attack;a one indicates that the attack will strikethe head if the sap hits.

The DMG gives a procedure onpage 70 for attacking magicallysleeping opponents, but what aboutnormally sleeping opponents?

The to-hit bonus vs. normally sleepingopponents is +4.

DRAGON 39

NEW PRODUCTS FORSEPTEMBER

AD&D® Monstrous Compendium,Volume Two

AD&D® 2nd Edition accessoryThis product is the perfect companion to the

AD&D® Monstrous Compendium, Volume One.Volume Two has 144 perforated, five-holepunched pages and eight full-color panels thatcan be added to the Monstrous Compendiumbinder. This AD&D® 2nd Edition product pro-vides easy-to-sequence monsters and fascinatingtext and illustrations.Suggested Retail Price: $15.00/£9.95Product No.: 2103

REF2 Character Record SheetsAD&D® 2nd Edition accessoryWhat would you do if you found yourself

face-to-face with a 16�-tall dragon? That dependson whether you are a 15th-level fighter or a 1st-level magic-user. How smart are you? Howstrong? And what�s your dexterity? All thosethings, plus a character�s name, personal belongings, and more, can be recorded on the newAD&D® 2nd Edition Character Record Sheets.They are clearer than ever before for fastaccess and spontaneous role-playing fun!Suggested Retail Price: $8.95/£5.95*Product No.: 9264

Hammer of MarsBUCK ROGERS� Books, The Martian

Wars Trilogy, Book Twoby M. S. Murdock

Suggested Retail Price: $3.95Product No.: 3559

RAM unleashes its formidable powers againstBuck Rogers and the New Earth Organization�sfreedom fighters. Buck is now forced to searchfor allies on the Inner Planets, but RAM has theSun Kings�the royal family of Mercury�behindit. The �normal� humans on Luna and the peo-ples of Venus are NEO�s only hope. RAM�s arm-ies drive NEO closer and closer to the blackabyss of extinction. . . .

TM2 The Eastern CountriesD&D® Trail Mapby TSR StaffThe second in a line of colorful Gazetteer-

style maps, complete with road and weatherinformation, takes the adventurer a little fartherinto the D&D® game�s Known World. This36� x 57� map interfaces with the TM1 TheWestern Countries Trail Map to provide addi-tional adventure in the Known World.Suggested Retail Price: $3.95/£2.95Product No.: 9404

TM3 KrynnAD&D® DRAGONLANCE® Trail Mapby TSR StaffThis DRAGONLANCE® Trail Map details the

lands described in DRAGONLANCE® Chronicles,the best-selling novel trilogy that began theseries. An excellent map for Krynn explorers!Suggested Retail Price: $3.95/£2.95 Product No.: 9400

40 OCTOBER 1989

KendermoreDRAGONLANGE® Preludes, Volume Twoby Mary L. KirchoffTasslehoff Burrfoot is snared by a lady bounty

hunter who is assigned to return the light-fingered escape artist to his homeland. UncleTrapspringer is prisoner to the venerable coun-cil of elders until Tas honors kender marriagetradition. But Tasslehoff�s betrothed pulls adisappearing act of her own. Tas must eludecapricious gnomes, cheer up the last woollymammoth, foil a deadly assassin, dodge matri-mony, and�in the end�save Kendermore.Suggested Retail Price: $3.95Product No.: 8329

WG10 Child�s PlayAD&D® GREYHAWK® moduleby TSR StaffLike WG9, this module is designed to give

beginning DMs and players a chance to learnthe AD&D® game system. But don�t be fooled bythe title! This isn�t child�s play. It comes highlyrecommended by the RPGA� Network.Suggested Retail Price: $5.95/£3.95Product No.: 9265

The Eyes Have ItTSR� Books GREYHAWK® novelby Rose EstesThe future of Greyhawk is in the hands of an

intrepid hero and his halfling companion, plus amage rat named Pfee-Guh and a grizzled dwarfpiloting a lighter-than-air ship drawn by magicalpegasi. The Eye of Tiros is missing! And KathrynFern-Clyffe, Queen-for-Life of the Yeomanry, isfaced with dragons, dread monsters, and theminions of Kranoch the King.Suggested Retail Price: $3.95Product No.: 8207

NEW PRODUCTS FOROCTOBER

SPELLJAMMER�: AD&D® Adventures in

AD&D® 2nd Edition boxed setSpace

by Jeff GrubbA completely new playing terrain is launched

with stand-up counters, poster-size maps, andtwo 96-page rule and information booklets thatcome with this boxed set. This new terrain isspace! Wizards, knights, dragons, and dwarvescan find their way to the moons of theForgotten Realms, Krynn, Oerth, or beyond. PCscan battle magic-user aliens in fantasy-poweredspace crafts and search the Universe for trea-sure and magical artifacts.Suggested Retail Price: $18.00/£8.95Product No.: 1049

FRE3 WaterdeepFORGOTTEN REALMS� moduleby Ed GreenwoodMidnight and your heroes have defeated the

God of Strife and recovered the first Tablet ofFate. But their quest isn�t over yet! They mustnow travel across the Realms to Waterdeep, allin search of the second Tablet of Fate. It won�t

be an easy journey. Magical chaos still plaguesthe land, and both Cyric and the Lord of theDead want the tablet they have. Great rewardsawait your heroes�but only if they can recoverthe second Tablet of Fate and make it to the Cityof Splendors alive! This module is the third in aseries based on Richard Awlinson�s excitingAvatar Trilogy.Suggested Retail Price: $6.95/£3.95Product No.: 9249

PC1 Tall Tales of the Wee FolkD&D® Creature Crucible # 1by John NephewThis product is the beginning of a new line

for the D&D® game system. With these �Crea-ture Crucibles,� players can take on the roles notonly of humans, but of creatures. This moduleexplores the miniature fantasy world hidden inevery forest, allowing PCs to role-play creaturessuch as dryads, pixies, and sprites.Suggested Retail Price: $9.95Product No.: 9254

The Art of the ADVANCED DUNGEONS &DRAGONS® Fantasy Game

TSR® fantasy art bookThis electrifying, full-color edition of fantasy

art will attract role-playing gamers and fantasylovers alike. This first collection of AD&D®fantasy art includes the best covers and interiorart from recent adventure modules and acces-sories. You will find artwork by top fantasyartists Clyde Caldwell, Jeff Easley, Fred Fields,Larry Elmore, Keith Parkinson, and more.Suggested Retail Price: $16.95/£9.95Product No.: 8443

WaterdeepFORGOTTEN REALMS� Avatar Trilogy,

Book Threeby Richard AwlinsonThe God of Strife is dead, killed in his attack

on Tantras, and Midnight and her allies haverecovered the first Tablet of Fate. To completetheir quest, the heroes must travel across theworld to Waterdeep, the City of Splendors, andjourney into the Realm of the Dead. But bothCyric and Myrkul, Lord of the Dead, want theTablets of Fate for their own dark ends. Theywill stop at nothing to recover the artifacts�even if it means the destruction of the Realms!Suggested Retail Price: $3.95Product No.: 8474

TM4 Waterdeep FORGOTTEN REALMS� Trail Map

by TSR StaffThe Avatar trilogy has left its mark on Water-

deep. This latest trail map includes thesechanges and provides players and DMs alikewith updated information on the entire westernhalf of the Realms setting. The map will matedirectly with a future map covering Kara Turand the eastern Realms.Suggested Retail Price: $5.95/£2.95Product No.: 9401

* U.K. price includes VAT.

Unless otherwise noted:® and ™ denote trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.© 1989 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

BUCK ROGERS is a trademark used under license from TheDille Family Trust. ©1989 by The Dille Family Trust. All RightsReserved.

42 OCTOBER 1989

Forum Continued from page 6

challenge. In the letter, however, the dragon justjumped out from behind a rock and attackedthe characters; even so, the party lost one of itsfighters in the example. Now if the same partyhad to work its way to the dragon�s lair, descendthrough caves (a veritable dungeon in itself)filled with who knows what, then finally meetthe dragon at the bottom, while following all thesuggestions in that long-ago �Forum� letter, Idon�t think the PCs would be so casual. Theywould have used up most of their spells by thattime, and the dragon would have attempted tokill the mage in the night, long ago. The charac-ters would never know if one of them wassubject to the dragon�s charm or was actuallythe polymorphed dragon. They wouldn�t knowwhich of their items had been switched forcursed ones, what was in the dragon�s lair, whothe dragon�s contacts were, or even if thedragon was there by the time they got there.

The suggestions in �Give Dragons a FightingChance� were good, if only one such suggestionwas used on a dragon. The nonspeaking, non-magic-using dragons may be fit for lower-levelcharacters, but if you want to use them forhigher-level PCs, at least play them with thebrains they have.

And if you ever do run into a dragon and killit before it wakes up�sorry, it probably wasn�tthe real dragon.

Toby MyersHamilton NY

The point Larry Madden makes [�Forum.�issue #141] about scrolls is somewhat valid,

though I�m reluctant to make high-level spells asavailable as his system would dictate

Granted, nothing is more frustrating for abeginning player than sitting around watchingthe rest of the party bash zombies while hismage DOES NOT cast that sleep spell. Also, Iwould have a hard time denying scrolls to ahigh-charisma spell-caster, who came back to hismentor with a few bags of hard-won gold and acouple of extra first-level spells�particularly inlieu of some of the other things a charactercould buy with that money. For instance, 900 gpcould get the first-level spells alarm, message,and magic missile for his spell book (assumingthe PC doesn�t blow a learn-spell roll). Then thecharacter could use that gold to hire (againusing the 1st Edition Dungeon Masters Guide)four mercenary bodyguards�a 4th-level fighter,a 3rd-level fighter, and two 1st-level fighters�when the party next goes adventuring

But somewhere a line has to be drawn. It agame world exists in which anyone can walkinto a magic shop run by a high-level mage,plunk down 2,700 gp, and get a wish scroll, youhave a game world that is going out of controlCommon low-level spells (except for name spellsor powerful spells like sepia snake sigil) shouldbe relatively obtainable, if the mage has themoney or can provide suitable service.

Madden�s magic-using shop owners are proba-bly ex-adventurers who decided to stay aliveand let others do the risk taking. Since 11th-level mages or higher can build a tower, attracta body of men, etc., and retire as nobles, we canassume the typical shop owner is no higher than10th level Exceptions do exist, but they showup at the DM�s discretion.

Scrolls or spells up to fifth level can be ob-tamed, but due to the longer time to preparehigher-level scrolls and spells, such a shopwould probably have only first- to third-levelspells in stock, unless the owner had a greatdeal of spare time, or a particular fourth- orfifth-level spell was constantly required in thearea�both unlikely events. Higher-level spellswould have to be ordered, requiring a minimumof one day per level of each spell to complete,assuming the mage has the ingredients to makethe ink for the scroll. (And that�s assuming noerrors are made!)

DMs are advised to keep the spell booksbelonging to such shop owners fairly bare andsuch shops distant. Players who have to gothrough a lot of trouble to get a single spell willbe reluctant to go spell shopping without goodreason. PCs, being the most aggressive charac-ters in the area, may stock up an impressivesupply of spells and items. A less aggressiveNPC, even it considerably more experienced,may not accumulate as many spells The typicalmagic shop should have basic spells�i.e., thoseyou feel safe handing out to the players

S. D. AndersonWhittier CA

In issue #139�s �Forum,� S. D. Anderson wroteabout a hypothetical battle in which a single 8th-level PC fighter equipped with bracers of de-fense (AC 2), gauntlets of ogre power, a ring ofprotection + 3, a horseman�s flail + 3, 75 hp,and a dexterity of 17 defeated 40 5th-level NPCfighters in chain mail and armed with scimitarsEach NPC had 32 hp, they attacked two at atime, and whenever one dropped, another took

his place. Eriana the PC was not allowed multi-ple attacks or weapon specialization.

The NPCs are idiots to attack Eriana two at atime. The whole situation seems rigged in herfavor. She may have no specialization bonus butneither do her enemies, and all attacks aremade against her front, where she can use herdexterity bonus. In a realistic campaign, themonsters aren�t going to be so kind to her.

According to page 69 of the Dungeon MastersGuide (under the heading �Number Of Oppo-nents Per Figure�), a single man-size figure canbe attacked by six man-size opponents at once.Three will attack her from the front, two fromthe flanks, and one from the rear. Eriana�s -4armor class takes a nose dive under theseconditions, to AC -1 from the flanks and AC 1from behind. Eriana will now have to kill 35NPCs just to keep them from completely sur-rounding her.

Under completely average conditions, 12.5 hpdamage per hit with a 95% chance of hittingwill take her 94 rounds to kill all NPCs. TheNPCs� scimitars average 4.5 hp damage per hit.The NPCs in front of her have a 5% chance ofhitting, the ones at her flanks have a 20%chance, and the one behind her a 30% chance.Those helpless, faceless NPCs, now doing anaverage of 3.825 hp damage per round, will cuther to ribbons in 20 rounds. Now it is Erianawho finishes over an hour late. We can nudgethe odds back in Eriana�s favor by giving backher multiple attacks per round and by givingher double specialization with the horseman�sflail, but even with two automatic hits eachround and + 12 hp damage (average 31 hp perround), she still needs 36 rounds to kill only 35of her 40 opponents. Her effort is heroic, how-ever, since she takes 19 of her 5th-level oppo-nents to the grave with her.

The point is that PCs can be killed whenoutnumbered by lower-level opponents attack-ing intelligently, so giving them poison, fiveextra levels, or totally arbitrary to-hit bonuses isquite unnecessary. In fact, the PCs will have touse their heads or powerful magic to defeatsuch large groups. In the above example, Erianawill win this bout if she can put her back to acorner, but she will still take 24 hp damage.

The above is still a contrived example. Fight-ers of 5th-level are rare, or at least they shouldbe. Suppose Eriana, armed as above, is fightinga small army of orcs armed with broad swords(averaging 5 hp damage on a hit). She can auto-matically kill two orcs per round. The threeorcs in front of her inflict an average of(.05 x 5 x 3) = .75 hp damage each round. Thetwo at her flanks deliver (.05 x 5 x 2) = .50 hpdamage per round. The one behind her inflicts(0.15 x 5 x 1) = .75 hp damage per round. That�sa total of 2 hp damage inflicted on Eriana perround. It will take the orcs 38 rounds to kill herat that rate. Before she dies, Eriana will kill 76orcs. Impressive, but I wouldn�t single-handedlytake on the orcish invasion force if I were her.

Ted CollinsJohnson City TN

This letter is a response to S. D. Anderson�sletter on Eriana in DRAGON issue #139. In mycampaign, I have introduced a combat modifierto deal with situations such as the one that hedescribes. Whenever a character (PC or NPC) isoutnumbered by opponents engaged in hand-to-hand combat with him, the following adjust-ments are made:

1. The outnumbered character suffers a -1penalty to his armor class for every extra oppo-nent that he is fighting; and

2. The opponents gain + 1 bonuses to theirarmor classes equal to the above penalty.

Thus a character outnumbered 3 to 1 wouldsuffer a -2 penalty to his armor class, while hisopponents would gain + 2 bonuses to theirarmor classes.

The logic behind this modifier is that a charac-ter cannot concentrate upon multiple opponentsas well as he can upon a single opponent; dodg-ing one attack may inadvertantly leave himmore exposed to another attack. Due to thisfactor, a character must concentrate more upondefense than on attack, so his opponents� armorclasses improve.

Using this modifier in the combat betweenEriana and the NPCs produces some interestingresults. Eriana is outnumbered two to one (sinceonly two of the NPCs are attacking her at anyone time). Her armor class becomes -3, whilethat of the NPCs becomes 4. She now hits themonly 90% of the time and so requires 134rounds to finish them all. The NPCs now hit her10% of the time and can kill her in 85 rounds.Even factoring in Eriana�s three attacks everytwo rounds still requires 89 rounds for her towin. Close, but the NPCs would still be favored.

As far as specialization is concerned, remem-ber that it is a two-way street; the NPCs couldalso be specialized. Assuming that Eriana isdouble-specialized with her flail, she is gainingtwo attacks per round as well as + 3 to hit anddamage. She can now kill an NPC every round(approximately) and thereby needs 40 rounds tofinish them all. Give the NPCs single specializa-tion with their scimitars. They now have threeattacks every two rounds and gain + 1 to hitand +2 on damage. Using these numbers (andthe outnumbering modifier), they would kill herin about 27 rounds. Not even close.

In either of these cases, if the NPCs can sur-round her with more than two opponents (up tosix man-size attackers can attack a single man-size figure), it would be over more quickly.There are other tactics available to the NPCs,especially using the weaponless and nonlethalcombat systems as described in UnearthedArcana. If the NPCs try to grapple Eriana, theygain a + 2 to hit until she can break the hold. Ifthey try to overbear her, they gain a + 1 bonusto hit; should they succeed, she will be on theground with a -2 to hit and a + 4 to be hit (sheshould also lose her dexterity bonus). The NPCscould use this opportunity to bring more oftheir companions into the battle with the at-tendant outnumbering results. Finally, theycould attempt to disarm her with their normalchances to hit. Any hit by an NPC would requireEriana to roll an 8 or better (her save vs. petrifi-

cation) or lose her grip on her weapon. Withouta weapon, she would not last long.

One further factor to remember is fatigue.While Eriana�s opponents are replaced by freshmen as the fight goes on, she does not get anyrest. In the original example in issue #139, shefights for over two hours without any breaks.According to the Dungeoneer�s Survival Guide(page 21), she would have to roll against herconstitution after the first hour and again after50 minutes if she makes this first check. If shefails either check, she becomes fatigued andloses two points on every stat and suffers afurther - 2 penalty on all to-hit and damagerolls and saving throws. Furthermore, if shecontinues to fight while fatigued, she must rollagainst her revised constitution every 10 min-utes to avoid exhaustion and subsequent dou-bling of these penalties.

Ultimately, the fact remains that fighters(indeed higher-level characters in general) candefeat an incredible number of opponents withvirtually no chance of losing. The very fact thatwe can calculate the probable outcome of acombat ensures that this is the case. The prob-lem is that there really isn�t any random factor.The to-hit and damage rolls are random, butthey do not allow for the possibility that aninferior opponent will get lucky and deal out atelling blow. As it stands, an orc would have toroll 20s every time in order to defeat even amid-level opponent with a decent selection ofmagical items (and that opponent would have toroll 1s). Such luck is not even worth consider-ing. This detracts from the game, for after awhile you wonder why bother running a com-bat when the outcome is so one-sided.

The problem seems to stem from the hugenumber of hit points the average character hasand from the fact that, in the AD&D® game, acharacter is either functioning fine with noproblems (as long as he has at least 1 hp) or heis dead (or unconscious for more generousDMs). There is no point between these twopoles. While this does allow for a simple, fastcombat system, it does lead inexorably to theproblems described by S. D. Anderson. While itis possible to make a few alterations to thesystem, ultimately, it needs an overhaul.

Stephen JorgensenTruro, Nova Scotia

I am writing in response to S. D. Anderson�sletter in issue #139. First of all, let�s look at howthis situation would really turn out.

Eriana of Belargn, a powerful but not-so-wiseContinued on page 51

DRAGON 45

Nobody LastsForever

But Death rarely has

the last word on superheroes

by David Edward Martin

of the deceased�s conscious control.

Let�s think about the unthinkable�namely, death and its effectson your hero�s career in the MARVEL SUPER HEROES� game.Death doesn�t usually change people physically. Oh, they don�tbreathe, are no fun at parties, and have hygiene problems, but onthe whole, not much else occurs to therecently departed. Superbeings are adifferent case. Because of the powersthat some superbeings (or their su-perequipment) possess, death maycause unforeseen events with the loss

You aren�t likely to know what�s going tohappen to your character if he dies. Evenif you do, you�ll only have to deal with theaftereffects once. NPCs are a differentcase; they can drop like flies in toughcampaigns. Judges should determine post-mortem effects beforehand, especially ifthe current adventure has a high risk ofPC or NPC fatalities. The informationshould be kept secret unless later eventsenable someone to puzzle it out.

Since most PCs are unique individuals,post-mortem effects can be specificallyselected or randomly determined for eachsuperpowered hero as appropriate. Simplyroll 1d100 on Table 1 for random results.If the character�s powers are species abili-ties or are the results of processes used ona number of beings, one post-mortemeffect should be sufficient for everyone inthat group. The Judge should be preparedto decide how technologically producedsuperpowers are affected if the deceasedequipment still operates after the death ofits user or if such equipment is damagedat the time of the user�s death.

Post-mortem effectsTable 1 lists the various post-mortem

effects that might occur when a superbe-ing dies. Of course, these effects may notapply if the superbeing was merely anormal (if athletic) human.

PM1/Total Loss: The body retainsnone of the powers possessed by the de-ceased and remains physically unchanged.For example, when Changeling died whileimpersonating Professor X, his body waslocked into that form.

PM2/Reversion: The body retainsnone of its superpowers. It also reverts indeath back to the deceased�s original form.Werewolves are an example of this.

PM3/Partial Loss: The body losessome superpowers and retains others.Generally, those powers that required aconscious mind in order to operate arelost, while those powers that are a func-tion of body structure remain. For exam-ple, a dead Armadillo would still have anarmored hide and claws.

PM4/Retention: The body retains itssuperpowers, though it is, of course, un-able to use them unless converted into azombie or animated by a possessing lifeforce. Some powers are localized in partic-ular parts of the body. If those body partsare transplanted to another being, therecipient gains the superpowers inherentin those parts. For example, if the de-ceased had optical powers such as tele-scopic and microscopic vision, thetransplanting of those eyes to anothermight give the recipient those powers.Such powers that remain decrease in rankas the body decays, but such decay halts ifthe parts are properly transplanted orstored.

PM5/Self-Direction: The body�spowers turn upon itself. Each power re-leases a final, full-strength attack at the

D R A G O N 4 7 All Marvel characters: ™ & © 1989 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

body. This flurry of activity may destroy,transform, or otherwise alter the deadsuperbeing. If such self-directed attacksare of higher rank than the deceased�sformer Health, the body may be burned,disrupted, or even disintegrated outright.Afterward, the remains are inert andpossess no remaining powers. For exam-ple, if the deceased possessed a petrifyingpower, the body may suddenly transforminto a rock statue.

PM6/Self-Destruction: The body�spowers turn upon itself. The deceased�spower ranks are totaled and convertedinto a self-destructive blast of equal rank.If the blast is of higher rank than thedeceased�s former Health, the body isburned, disrupted, or disintegrated. Forexample, when the android Hyperion died,his body dissolved into protoplasm. How-ever, no matter how destructive the blast,its effects do not extend beyond the body.The nature of the self-destruction shouldbe characteristic of the deceased�s body orpowers if possible.

PM7/Explosion: The body�s powerserupt in a single explosion as the bodyspontaneously detonates. The deceased�spower ranks are added together and con-verted into a single explosion of equalrank. For propriety�s sake, let�s assumethat organic beings completely disintegratewith little mess. Robots, cyborgs, andinorganic parts become shrapnel. If thedeceased was sufficiently powerful, hisdeath could mean the demolition of largeparts of the countryside or even theplanet. Again, the nature of the destruc-tion should be characteristic of the de-ceased�s body or powers.

PM8/New Power: For reasons un-known, the death trauma causes the de-ceased�s existing powers to transform intoa new power. The power is selected atrandom and may have nothing to do withthe previously existing powers. The bodyemits this new power uncontrollably,much like a isotope emitting radiation. Thebody is not immune to this power; if thenew power is destructive, the body soondisintegrates and the power ceases tofunction. However, if the power is usefulor even valuable, the deceased may be-come a valued commodity. In the rareevent that this new power somehow ne-gates death, the character rises like Laza-rus from the tomb.

A question of resurrectionIn comic books and their role-playing

systems, death is reversible. Beside itsobvious effect on the character, whateffects does revival have on his powers?The answer is: any effect. It depends onwhat killed the being the first time, whathappened to the body, and how revivaloccurred. The Judge should decide whichof the following states applies.

Physical resurrection occurs when thebody is returned to at least minimal Healthand a life force is restored or developed. Ifthe body is restored to the same condition

48 OCTOBER 1989

it had during its superpowered phase,such powers most likely reappear.

If the body is restored to a pre-superstate (for example, a dead Thing beingrevived as a mid-20s Ben Grimm), suchpowers might not reappear. Of course, thepotential for later development of powersremains (the revived Ben would still havehis potential for mutation). Mental powersmay reappear if they were a function ofthe physical structure of the brain or ifthe original life force returns.

If the deceased is cloned, you mustconsider whether the deceased�s powerswere genetic in nature. If the powerswere not genetic, the clone is assumed tobe the same as the deceased�s pre-superform. If they were a function of the de-ceased�s genetic code, the clone may bephysically the same as the superbeing�soriginal superbody. Powers that werebased on later mutation or modificationare not necessarily present in the clone,but the potential is there for recreation ofthose missing powers. For example, aclone of Ben Grimm would be human, butexposure to gamma radiation might makethe clone orange, rocky, and superstrong.If the clone is possessed by the original�slife force, mental or magical powers willprobably reappear, although the clonemay have initial difficulty in using familiarpowers in an unfamiliar body.

Sometimes conditions transplant thedeceased�s life force into a new body.These �body transplants� give the hybrid acombination of the life force�s mental ormagical powers and the body�s physicalpowers. For example, Walter Langkowski(formerly the orange-furred, male Sas-quatch) was restored to life in the white-furred Sasquatch form that was onceSnowbird�s body. Langkowski thus re-tained the ability to transform betweenthe white Sasquatch form and a humanbody, but that body was Narya�s femaleform. (Fortunately, that little oversight hassince been corrected.)

Resurrection as remodelingResurrection is a handy way to alter or

redefine a superbeing�s powers. Super-powers result from a complex interactionbetween a life force, a physical body, and(perhaps) external forces. Death, even as atemporary state, alters the equation. Play-ers and Judges should agree on the overalleffect the resurrection will have on asuperbeing�s powers. Examples include:l Retain the same powers but generate

new ranks for them;l Trade randomly selected powers for

new powers;l Throw out all powers and generate new

ones;l Alter the ranks of a randomly selected

number of Physical Abilities;l Keep only mental and magical powers (if

this is a new body);l Keep only physical powers (if this is a

new life force);

l Combine old powers into new hybridforms; or

l Add powers resulting from the meansused to resurrect the deceased (forexample, bionic implants to maintainthe restored life force may possessadditional abilities).

Immortality and longevityNow that you�re depressed, let�s deal

with powers that help your PC avoid thatunknown country from which few explor-ers return.

P21/Immortality: The Players’ Book ofthe MARVEL SUPER HEROES AdvancedSet deals with this power. However, youmight want to know a few details, such ashow old your pet immortal appears (Table

Table 1Post-Mortem Effects forSuperbeings

1d100 Post-mortem effect01-25 PM1/Total Loss26-54 PM2/Reversion55-69 PM3/Partial Loss70-84 PM4/Retention85-91 PM5/Self-Direction92-95 PM6/Self-Destruction96-98 PM7/Explosion99-00 PM8/New Power

Table 2Apparent Ages of Long-Lived orImmortal Superbeings

1d100 Apparent age (years)01-07 Baby (under 2)08-14 Child (2-11)15-29 Teen (12-19)30-58 Young adult (20-40)59-80 Middle age (41-60)81-94 old (61-80)95-00 Very old (81+)

2) and how old that being actually is (Table3). Later, we�ll also consider what happensif an immortal becomes mortal.

P22/Longevity: Adam Sonfield, aMARVEL SUPER HEROES game player,reminded me that a greatly increasedlifespan is not necessarily the same asImmortality. Longevity does not automati-cally include immunity to disease, aging,or bodily destruction, and someone withLongevity merely has a greatly increased�but finite�lifespan.

When creating a character with thispower, you need to determine both theactual age of the PC (Table 2) and his ap-parent age (Table 3). In the case of therecently born (those under 100 years old),the apparent age should be middle age oryounger; otherwise, how would you knowthe hero was long-lived?

The total lifespan of someone with Lon-gevity is determined by his power rank.The power rank number is cubed, then

multiplied by 70 years (current averagehuman life expectancy) to generate theprobable lifespan of the being in question(see Table 4). For beings with other lifes-pans, multiply the modifier in Table 4 bythe lifespan common to that race. Forexample, a field mouse with Typical Lon-gevity could reach an age of 216 years.

In such cases where the actual age of ahero is greater than his expected lifespan,assume the character was either affectedby a process or event that further in-creased his lifespan (for example, being atime traveler) or that he is aware that hisremaining days are few in number. Ineither case, this extension can lead to allsorts of plot complications. Is the charac-ter trying to complete a final task beforedying? Is he trying to do something toprevent death and renew his as-yet-unexplained extension?

Remember that a long life expectancyincludes no guarantee of actually livingthat long. PCs are still prey to accidents.

Normal life: Character is now a normalindividual of his apparent age with a nor-mal life expectancy. If the power can belater restored before a natural death oc-curs, he continues living on as if little hadhappened. If death occurs meanwhile, animmortal might still resurrect himself ifthe power is restored to his remains.

Sudden aging: The character rapidlyages to his true age but doesn�t necessarilydie. A character whose age exceeds hismining the effects of disease on a long-lived PC. If the Longevity rank is higherthan the Endurance number, it can also beused to determine the character�s rate ofhealing.

The player should also determine thecharacter�s aging rate. Does he age in asteady but incredibly slow rate? Does hesuddenly gain a year�s worth of aging onceeach century? Although this informationmight have little game use, the informa-tion will help flesh out your PC�s long lifestory or give motivation to long-lived NPCs�

For example, consider the case of a madscientist who, having just completed a

machinations.

process that gives him a potential lifespan Quick exitsof thousands of years, promptly trips on a But what happens to an immortal orpower cord and dies of a fractured skull. long-lived character if that power is re-

A character�s Longevity rank can be moved or negated? Roll 1d100 on Table 5added to his Endurance rank when deter- for the answer.

Table 3Actual Ages of Immortal or Long-Lived Superbeings

1d100 Actual age (in years)01-06 Under 10007-39 100-50040-67 501-1,50068-79 1501-400080-88 4001-10,00089-94 10,001-100,00095-97 100,001-10,000,00098-99 10 million-5 billion

00 5 billion +

Birth eraModern industrial eraPost-RenaissanceDark AgesClassical periodAncient, post-Ice AgeCro-Magnon, Ice AgePrimitive manVarious prehistoric erasBefore Earth was created

Table 4Life Expectancies of Long-Lived Superbeings

LifeRank Modifier expectancy (years)FE (2) 8 560PR (4) 64 4,480Ty (6) 216 15,120GD (10) 1,000 70,000EX (20) 8,000 560,000RM (30) 27,000 1,890,000IN (40) 64,000 4,480,000AM (50) 125,000 8,750,000MN (75) 421,875 29,531,250UN (100) 1,000,000 70,000,000Shift X (150) 3,375,000 236,250,000Shift Y (200) 8 million 560 millionShift Z (500) 125 million 8.75 billionC1000 1 billion 70 billionC3000 27 billion 1.890 trillionC5000 125 billion 8.750 trillion

normal life expectancy withers to a mum-mylike state. If his age exceeds four timeshis normal life expectancy, the mummy isapparently lifeless. Consciousness remains,though, and the �mummy� is free to use itsother powers as best it can. If the Longev-ity or Immortality power is later restored,the character might regain his previousappearance, depending on the circum-stances and the Judge�s discretion.

Aging and death: The character rapidlyages to his true age. The shock tends to befatal, especially if the character�s actualage is more than twice that of his normallife expectancy. Rapid decomposition oc-curs in 1-100 turns; the remains attain astate similar to that of a normal body thesame age as the recently deceased�s actual

Table 5Aftereffects For Loss ofLongevity/Immortality

1d100 Effect01-40 Normal life41-60 Sudden aging61-00 Aging and death

age. Bodies under 4,000 years old aremummified; those up to 10,000 years oldbecome skeletons, and those older thanthat collapse into dust. If the power isrestored to an immortal�s remains, theimmortal can eventually return to life(traditional vampires are an example ofthis). Longevity-powered characters re-quire aid from such powers as Resurrec-tion or Self-Revival before they can regaintheir previous physical conditions.

Marvel, Marvel Universe, Marvel Super Heroes, andall Marvel characters, names, and likenesses aretrademarks of Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc.Copyright 1989 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. AllRights Reserved.

DRAGON 49

50 OCTOBER 1989

ForumForum Continued from page 45Continued from page 45adventurer, passes the castle of the evil Lordadventurer, passes the castle of the evil LordBadguy. A patrol of Lord Badguy�s elite hench-Badguy. A patrol of Lord Badguy�s elite hench-men (40 in all) sees her. Eriana uses her wisdomof 4 and decides to attack the henchmen. Thereof 4 and decides to attack the henchmen. Therewould be no rules for this bout. In the AD&Dwould be no rules for this bout. In the AD&Dgame, combat happens in the dungeon or wil-game, combat happens in the dungeon or wil-derness, not in a ring. To recreate this fightderness, not in a ring. To recreate this fightproperly, we must consider several things.properly, we must consider several things.

First, let�s give back Eriana�s 3/2 attack rate.We�ll use the rules from the 1st Edition PlayersWe�ll use the rules from the 1st Edition PlayersHandbook and the 1st Edition DMG, so forgetabout weapon specialization for now.about weapon specialization for now.

Second, consider the experience of the face-Second, consider the experience of the face-less NPCs; this is where things really start to goless NPCs; this is where things really start to gowrong. Do you think these people got thewrong. Do you think these people got the18,000 + xp of 5th-level fighters by guarding a18,000 + xp of 5th-level fighters by guarding acastle? Come on! My bet is that many of thesecastle? Come on! My bet is that many of thesefighters were retainers or former adventurers.fighters were retainers or former adventurers.If Eriana is of 8th level and has bracers ofdefense (AC 2), gauntlets of ogre power, a ringof protection + 3, and a horseman�s flail + 3,you might think that someone only three levelsyou might think that someone only three levelslower might have at least one magical item.lower might have at least one magical item.

Also, who says that these fighters have no to-Also, who says that these fighters have no to-hit or damage bonuses? These people are 5th-hit or damage bonuses? These people are 5th-level fighters, not peasants! I bet that many oflevel fighters, not peasants! I bet that many ofthem have strengths that produce to-hit orthem have strengths that produce to-hit ordamage bonuses.damage bonuses.

And finally, who says the NPCs can only faceAnd finally, who says the NPCs can only faceEriana two at a time? If Eriana is in a dungeonEriana two at a time? If Eriana is in a dungeonor the wilderness, 40 NPCs could swamp her.or the wilderness, 40 NPCs could swamp her.They can attack from the front, sides, and rear.They can attack from the front, sides, and rear.Assuming 10 NPCs could get at her at once,Assuming 10 NPCs could get at her at once,that�s 10 attacks per round. Compared tothat�s 10 attacks per round. Compared toEriana�s previous 3/2 attack rate, I would nowEriana�s previous 3/2 attack rate, I would nowsay she is in trouble.say she is in trouble.

Now we�ll run this combat again, using mostNow we�ll run this combat again, using mostof the calculations used by S. D. Anderson.of the calculations used by S. D. Anderson.Eriana needs 127 swings to kill all the NPCs.Eriana needs 127 swings to kill all the NPCs.With her 3/2 attack, rate it will still take her 84With her 3/2 attack, rate it will still take her 84rounds to kill all of our faceless NPCs. One NPCrounds to kill all of our faceless NPCs. One NPCneeds 340 swings to get the 17 hits he will needneeds 340 swings to get the 17 hits he will needto kill Eriana. But now with 10 NPCs facing herat once, they need only 34 rounds to take herat once, they need only 34 rounds to take herdown!down!

Low and behold! Before Eriana can kill half ofLow and behold! Before Eriana can kill half ofour NPC friends, she is dead! And this is withoutour NPC friends, she is dead! And this is withoutgiving some of the NPCs magic items, strengthgiving some of the NPCs magic items, strengthbonuses, bonuses from attacking from behind,bonuses, bonuses from attacking from behind,etc., etc. Not even giving Eriana weapon speciali-etc., etc. Not even giving Eriana weapon speciali-zation can save her this time.zation can save her this time.

What�s the moral of this story, Eriana? TheWhat�s the moral of this story, Eriana? Thenext time you foolishly attack 40 NPCs, bringnext time you foolishly attack 40 NPCs, bringalong the rest of your party. Then maybe it willalong the rest of your party. Then maybe it willbe a fair fight.be a fair fight.

Tom FoottitTom FoottitKanata, OntarioKanata, Ontario

I read with interest the articles on cheating inissue #144, and I thought you might like toknow how I deal with some of those problemsin my campaign.

First, I will discuss cheating when rollingability scores for a new character. As a DM, oneof the first AD&D game rules I ever took issuewith was the experience-point bonus system.Why should a character who already has it easywith high ability scores be rewarded for suc-cessful adventuring with extra experiencepoints? This ruling simply widens the ability gap(through quicker advancement) between charac-ters. I told my players to add up their charac-ters� ability scores and subtract that sum from90. A negative value is a percentage penalty, apositive value is a percentage bonus. I then toldthem to arrive at the scores any way theypleased. They could roll numbers and design acharacter based on the result, or they could

design the numbers based on the character theywished to create�end of problem and thebeginning of some great role-playing fun.

Second, I will discuss cheating while playing. Ihave a simple rule: Play however you like, andcheat if you like, but no one can do anythingthat will spoil the fun of other players (or you�reout of the group). I point out to the players thatcheating against the game is like cheating insolitaire�who are you cheating? No one isallowed to take issue with another player who issuspected of cheating. As a result, one of twothings happens: The cheater quits in disgustwhen no one seems to care whether he cheatsor not (if I haven�t already had to ask him toleave) or he sees the point and starts to enjoythe game as it is meant to be played.

If one or more players are familiar with themodule we are about to play (I have alwaysused commercial modules strung together by anoverall story line in my campaign), I alter it asthough it had already been visited once in thepast and is now repopulated and redecorated(with new traps). The characters who have beenhere before can then �remember� anything theylike and can advise the party accordingly.

As often as possible, I ask the players to rollcertain dice without first telling them why theyare doing that or whether they should want ahigh number or a low (though they always ask).If honesty in a particular roll is crucial to thesuccess of an adventure, I roll it myself.

Though there are honest mistakes made (and Imake about half of them), the players usuallypick them up without much bickering, andeveryone seems to have a good time.

Dennis RudolphPrince George, British Columbia

Most of the letters in �Forum� deal with peo-ple who regularly play their favorite RPG with agroup of friends. This makes it easy to forgetthe number of people, like myself, who findRPGs very interesting but for one reason oranother can only seldom, if at all, play an actualtabletop game.

Before I go much further, I need to explaintwo of the ways in which people play RPGs.Some people enjoy being with friends andplaying a game with endless horizons. They donot bother with particulars such as spell dura-tions. Others play with friends and have asimilar attitude, but the DM is familiar with anduses all rules, and the player is and does like-wise. This is the type of play normally seen atconventions. I�m not saying one style is right orwrong, but I enjoy amassing books and otherliterature on the AD&D game, and with all thereading I do in place of playing, I have become astrict follower of the latter example.

I do know several people who regularly gettogether and play a few rounds of the AD&Dgame, but their DM doesn�t even keep track oftime in the campaign! I also enjoy play-by-mailgames (PBMs) and computer RPGs (writtenabout in issue #145�s editorial) that can besubstitutes for those not in a group. Whilecertainly fun, I disagree that computer RPGscan replace a campaign in which each characteris controlled by a different person.

I would also like to mention Michael Town-send�s letter in �Forum� issue #145, in which hesays he did not have many friends in highschool because he was bussed to a handicap-accessible school. He spent many hours in itslibrary reading fantasy and science-fiction booksas an escape from loneliness. I am not physicallyhandicapped, but manic depression and ex-treme shyness have kept me from making many

friends. Reading AD&D game materials hashelped me escape from loneliness, too.

Matt Foster Wichita KS

I am writing to comment on S. R. Oldson�s�Forum� letter in issue #146. I have been a DMfor only three years, but I certainly see hispoint. When I first began playing the D&Dgame, my players and I really enjoyed gaming.Recently, however, we�ve gotten tired of themore sophisticated modules in which the char-acters must solve some mystery or preventsome civil war.

Mr. Oldson�s call for a �long, challenging,dungeoneering game that requires player intui-tion as well as knee-deep, blood-and-gore fight-ing� is well justified. Besides, how many playersand DMs want to see DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®games become PAYROLLS & POLITICS with thefighters, clerics, thieves, and mages replaced byambassadors, lawyers, district attorneys, andIRS agents?

In my opinion, a good D&D adventure in-volves a deep, dark dungeon or other mysteri-ous, forgotten area with a theme like �clear theswamps of the foul lizardmen� or �delve into theancient drow city and retrieve the Talisman ofLight before they destroy it!� Granted, all hack-and-slash adventures would get dull beforelong. Those who desire these types of modulesneed to play arcade games in which all you needdo is kill. Modules should be balanced with theright amount of fighting and the right amountof thinking. (Oldson�s example of module S1 TheTomb of Horrors is excellent, as the module waswell written.)

Please keep what I have said in mind whenwriting modules. I would also like to encourageothers who support the ideas expressed by Mr.Oldson and myself to write to �Forum� in orderto state their opinions and encourage modulewriters to design more modules of this nature.

Lee LoftisGreenville SC

With all the talk about changing the AD&Dgame rules so that magic-users can have morepower and clerics can use edged weapons, onething has never been considered: How will theserules work in your campaign?

The campaign I am in would make mostplayers shudder. Rules (ones that are written inthe book) are freely tossed aside to accommo-date whims of the DM. (Actually, we have sev-eral DMs, but what was stated still applies.) Forinstance, lycanthropy is not a curse. Someplayers pursue it because they know it givestheir characters greater prowess, and thenegative aspects are easily done away with.Some DMs have very powerful NPCs who canprovide lycanthropy and the control of thatpower to a player. These NPCs will do it with aminimum of whining from the PC. The result isa character able to assume animal form at willand a character immune to nonmagical or silverweapons. (One person started a PC as a lycan- thrope at 1st level.)

Monster PCs are common; dragons, mino-taurs, minor deaths, and others exist and flour-ish. Reincarnation into a new (and usually morepowerful) form is common, but some reincarna-tions start at 1st level. (How they go into atavern without everyone else leaving or attack-ing is beyond me.)

A variant spell system exists for both clericsand magic-users. NPC classes presented inDRAGON Magazine are widely used, and so are

Continued on page 98

DRAGON 51

52 OCTOBER 1989

he miles had lost their numberingquite a ways back for Fordan and hisbeast. He found himself wishing forcompany, something rare for him,when he came upon Bowren. Thevillage was small by the standards ofthe day, no more than a handful of

dwellings set back into the hills and kept from sight by thestacks of greenwood that dotted the countryside. Fordansaw its smokelines first and followed their scattered trailsalong the sky until he reached their earthbound source.

There was no one about as he led his horse down thesingle cut path that served as the village�s road. His earssoon picked up the reason why. A chorus of voices alllifted in song came from the single large building in thearea, a squat, wide-sloped hall with wooden steps that satsquarely in the center of the village. Fordan listened to thevoices, frowning at the piteous tone to their chant. Heturned his beast toward the nearest dwelling and dis-mounted with a great swing that brought a loud protestfrom his legs.

He knocked at the hardwood door. The noise broughtno reply, so he settled down to wait, taking in the villagewith his eyes as he continued to listen to the chantingcoming from the hall.

There wasn�t much to see. The land surrounding thevillage seemed rich�rich enough to support crops thatwould have fed many more homes than this. What fieldshe could see in the distance were not particularly welltended. A threadbare patch of soft corn battled with en-croaching wild-weed that no one had bothered to root out.A number of thresh and heartgrass fields were visible.They were sparsely kept and sickly looking.

Fordan wondered if perhaps blight had struck thisplace, That meant work for him, for he carried cures tothe local types in the pouches slung across his horse�sback. Blights were good trade for him. They brought ahigh price to cure these days, though he did not particu-larly care for the havoc they wreaked on the countryside.No matter. If there was blight here then he would end it,for a fee that would not heavily strain the resources of thevillage.

He was watering his animal when the chanting stopped.It died down so evenly that he was unaware of it, and sothe inhabitants of Bowren saw him before he saw them.He was not an impressive sight, a diminutive man withstraight brown hair that fell to his shoulders, with a thinbut neatly cut suit of cloth covering his broad frame.

A stiff breeze coming from the low fields caught thecloak that hung on his back, spreading it full to reveal thecraft emblem drawn there. A few of the villagers looked tohis horse and saw the pouches and sacks with which heworked his magic. His hands they now saw as firm andpracticed, and when he at last turned to face them, theycaught the look of power that lay behind his eyes.

Fordan had never felt the need to put fear into people.His calling did that well enough. Any man in his rightmind looked with care upon a sorcerer.

One of the villagers, an elder with the history of hislifetime plain on his face, approached him while the othersdivided to their homes. Fordan studied the man before

TheSerpentof Aledorn

by John P. Buentello

Illustrations by Janet Aulisio

DRAGON 53

him, noting his speech and manner, and wondered at thepeculiar oath he was made to swear by.

�Do you pledge upon the wrath of Aledorn�s Serpentthat you are a righteous and good sorcerer?� the elderman asked.

Fordan was well acquainted with the latter part of theoath. Simple minds tended to separate what was humanfrom a sorcerer, and thus invest in him either good orevil. He�d given up trying to explain the many shadesbetween the two long ago.

�I am righteous enough,� he said, �and so swear byyour god.� He did not notice the angry look that tempo-rarily swept the other�s face. It was a mistake he wouldnot have made in his younger years. �I offer my servicesto you.�

The villager nodded once, scratching at the shade ofbeard at his chin. �I am Tarah, elder of Bowren. Yourservices are welcomed here, sorcerer. I pray that they areup to the task.�

�I stand behind the results,� Fordan replied. �I do thejob I�m paid for, nothing more or less. What I ask willdepend on what I have to do. If the blight is great��

�There is no blight,� Tarah replied.Fordan looked to the fields again, his interest piqued.

Surely these people did not mean to starve themselvespurposely? He�d seen no roads that they could have usedto bring food into the village, and even these great woodscould not hold enough game to support them.

�Come, sorcerer,� Tarah said, taking his arm. �Otherswill see to your animal. There are no other villages formiles, so you must have come a great way. We will eat andrest for a time.�

The idea sounded none too bad to him, but he eyed themen who came at the elder�s bidding to take the reinsfrom his hand. �Take care with those brews,� he told themsternly. �See that you don�t open them accidentally. Thelight may spoil their power, or worse.�

The men nodded, backing a bit from the animal. Hewatched as their eyes strayed to his cache of supplies.Nothing there could harm them in its present raw state,but he preferred that no one be tempted to ransack histhings.

Tarah�s home was a large, one-room dwelling that pos-sessed but a single window. The roof had been raised toallow a small loft to be constructed. From that loft heheard the sound of children�s voices. He did not have toguess at the subject of their discussion. Tarah�s wife, asmall woman even to him, said little and stayed near herplace at the fire while Tarah sat and ate with him.

The food, a thick stew which surprisingly held muchflavor, explained little about the villagers� problem. Therewere a number of vegetables, though not many, andchunks of meat he guessed to be rabbit. From the wayTarah devoured it, Fordan guessed that it was not theirusual fare. A religious meal perhaps, to be eaten after theservices they had attended. He finished it silently and didnot ask for more.

Tarah asked him many questions, perhaps to keep himfrom asking any of his own. Fordan gave only the answershe wished known. The elder seemed to know much ofsorcerers. He talked in a manner that indicated he knew a

54 OCTOBER 1989

wizard�s power lay in his potions and not in his mouth.�Perhaps you can be of help to us,� the elder finally

said, looking to his empty bowl.�Perhaps, but I do not do favors for the asking. How

would you pay me?�The other man smiled, but it was a brutish thing that

did not fit his face. �We will pay what you ask. There ismoney enough among us. It is well hidden and protectedfrom discovery.�

It was Fordan�s turn to smile. At least the elder hadn�tlost all his superstitions about sorcerers. �I work for mymoney. Before I can do so, however, I must know whatthere is to be done. You say there is no blight?�

Tarah shook his head. �No. If a blight of those horriblemonsters was upon us, then Bowren would no longer exist.�

�What horrible monsters?��Have you heard of other sorcerers in these parts?�

Tarah asked. �Of a man called Aledorn?��I�ve never traveled this way. He is unknown to me.��Well that he should be,� Tarah replied. �He was put

into the ground by good people some time ago, but notbefore he cursed all those who had brought him to hisdeath.�

�How did he die?� Fordan was not interested in hearingabout the curse, for if it was mere superstition that the vil-lagers now fought, then he was out of luck. There were sor-cerers who would chant away a curse and leave othersbehind believing themselves saved, and poorer for it. He hadnever chosen that particular path. Better to deal with thehere and now and leave the afterworld to the charlatans.

�We killed him,� Tarah said flatly. Fordan looked to hiseyes and saw that the man spoke the truth. He did notlook sorry for it, nor did he turn his gaze from the sor-cerer. He took a single drink from the water flask that laynext to him on the table and swallowed. �There was justcause for it.�

�There must have been, for you to take such a chance,�Fordan answered. �Was it he who brought the trouble toyour village?�

�After a time, yes. Aledorn appeared among us oneday, looking for work he could perform. He showed ushow he could make it easier for us to live by the power of his potions and brews. We asked what he wanted from usin return, and he told us that he was seeking a new home.His old one had lost faith in him. Since he was useful, weallowed him to stay. It would have been better for us if wehad forced him to go.�

Fordan nodded. He had yet to find a people who feltcomfortable living beside a man who could cure yourworst illness or end your life in the space of a heartbeat.As a rule, he had found people feared that which helpedthem the most.

�Aledorn was good to his word for a time,� Tarah wenton. �He cured our ills and made the crops grow. Hepromised to care for us in return for our faith in him, buteven this proved to be a lie. Our fields began to turn,more from neglect than anything else, for he forbade us towork unless the signs seemed right.

�Finally we asked him to go. He would not, so weforced him out. Even then he returned, demanding thatwe obey him. It was after we had driven him off the sec-

ond time that the serpent appeared.�Fordan kept silent, watching the elder as the memories

played across his face. �Could this creature have comenaturally from this place?�

Tarah shook his head, his eyes growing hard. �It is afearful thing. A beast from another realm. It served Ale-dorn�s bidding. It was too large to kill. We tried anyway,each time losing more men. It ate up our fields, destroyedour crops, and preyed on those it could catch.�

�Why didn�t you offer to pay the sorcerer to remove it?�Tarah�s expression showed what he thought of such a

notion. �One night Aledorn returned, perhaps to ask usfor just such a payment. We caught him near the edge ofthe village. The serpent was not with him. We killed himand burned what remained.�

�And the serpent?��We thought it would vanish after we had destroyed

Aledorn, but we were wrong. It�s still out there some-where. It doesn�t attack the village directly any longer, butit still destroys the fields. We dare not allow the children togo far.� Tarah�s expression turned hard with anger. �Ourvillage is dying.�

Fordan sat and brooded about the serpent. His thoughtsbrought him nothing of use. A sorcerer�s brews could domany things, and while he had a notion of what it wasAledorn had actually done, he would have to see for him-self to be sure. Even then he wasn�t certain there wasanything he could do.

�Do you know where this serpent dwells?��It appears around dusk,� Tarah said. �Before that, it

seems to stay somewhere in the woods. After it takes its fillof our fields, it disappears again. None of us have dared tof o l l o w i t . �

�I will wait until dusk then, and see what I can do.�Fordan rose from his place and excused himself, step-

ping outside to draw a fresh breath into his lungs. Evenwith the open window, Tarah�s home carried a dark, op-pressing air to it. He couldn�t see how people managedsuch an existence. Better to be out on the open road whereat least you had land and sky, and a good horse to takeyou anywhere the roads turned.

He checked to see that his animal had been properlybedded, watching the villagers as they went about theirbusiness. He kept his mind from Aledorn and his serpent.It would be best for him to see the creature with as littleforethought as possible. He didn�t need his mind clutteredwhile he worked on a way to destroy it.

The day�s riding eventually began to tell on him, andTarah gave him a spot in his dwelling to rest. The elder�swife handed him a coarse blanket and left him. Fordanslept without dreaming. When he felt the hand on hisarm, he came awake immediately. The inside of the dwell-ing had grown darker, and Tarah�s shadowed form loomedabove him.

�Come,� he said. �The serpent has been spotted in thesouthern fields.�

They joined a group of men outside. Tarah led them toa small ridge that marked the village boundary. Beyondthe ridge, a path had been cut that led down to the fields.The dry breeze of the day had whipped itself into a coldwind, and Fordan found himself shivering despite the

heavy garments he wore.The sounds of the serpent met them first. As he made

his way down the path, Fordan listened to the cry below.It was a dry, sucking sound of flesh against flesh. When itgrew loud enough to indicate that its source was directlyin front of them, they stopped. Tarah took Fordan out afew paces to the edge of the fields, pointing into the with-ered rows of grain.

The overgrown grass and towering woods made seeingdifficult. He could just make out a dark form moving among the rows in the field. His eyes finally adjusted tothe gloom, and he saw the creature plainly for the firsttime. All thoughts of the cold left him.

It was a huge thing, a beast as surely as Tarah hadcalled it. The sight of it raised a deep fear within Fordan.He felt the desire to flee, to leave such a monster far be-hind him. He held his ground and watched, taking note ofevery possible detail of importance as his trade hadtrained him to do.

It was not a serpent, although its sheer size would havecaused anyone seeing it to call the monster by that name.Its head, if that was what it truly was, lay at the far end ofthe field. He could see it consuming entire stalks of grainthrough a great slit of a mouth wide enough to swallow asmall calf whole.

The creature�s body took up the entire length of thefield. Fordan saw the bloated line of its form undulate inthe grass. The fading light caught the curve of each ringthat formed the segments of its body. There was a sheen toit that he knew to be slime, and when the light fell upon it,the reflections mirrored the fear of the men around him.

�Your Aledorn chose carefully when he created his ser-pent,� he said slowly. He began to take a mental inventoryof the supplies he carried. Although not trained in suchpractices, he�d heard of sorcerers who were able to greatlyincrease the size of a living being. It had probably beenrelatively simple for Aledorn to put together a potion thatwould make a worm grow to such proportions.

�Can you kill it?� Tarah asked, his tone suddenlyanxious.

Fordan considered for a moment longer, then nodded.It would not be an easy thing, especially if Aledorn hadgone to the extra trouble of protecting the creature fromnormal forms of attack. Tarah�s account of the attempts tokill it seemed to confirm that he had.

�Yes, I can kill it.�Behind him, he heard a single reflexive sigh escape

from the lips of the other men. Tarah looked to them,drawing their silence, then turned back to Fordan. �Do itthen. Kill Aledorn�s murderous serpent.�

�I can do it. You may have my word on it. But first wemust agree on a payment.�

�What do you ask?��Fifty coins.�A few of the men began to object angrily. Tarah made a

single motion, and others silenced them quickly. The eldernodded and put out his hand. �Agreed.�

Fordan took the hand firmly in his own. �I will have tobe paid first.�

�What if you fail to destroy the serpent?��I will return the fifty coins and be on my way.�

DRAGON 55

Tarah said nothing, fingering his beard in the darkness.�The killing must be done first. After that we will payyou. That is how it must be.�

Fordan saw no use in arguing the point. The villagershad been betrayed by a sorcerer once. It was natural thatthey would not so easily place their trust in another. Be-sides, there were ways that he could insure his payment.

�Agreed.�They watched the serpent until it got dark enough for

torches. Fordan asked Tarah to lead him back to the vil-lage. Behind him, he could still hear the thrashings of thecreature. Its dull scent seemed to hang forever in the airbefore him.

Fordan took his time unloading his animal. He waiteduntil Tarah and the other villagers had disappeared intotheir dwellings before he unpacked the vials and jars he�dcarefully padded into the horse�s packs.

He chose only what he thought he would need, carefullyrepacking the rest. From one pouch he took a handful of astrawlike plant and gave it to his animal. The weed didnot do much beside allow the beast to regain some loststrength, but they both had been journeying long, and itmade sense to be able to leave swiftly if the need arose.

Tarah did not move from his place on the floor whenFordan re-entered the cottage. Fordan sat on the blanketprovided for him, feeling the cold comfort of the groundbeneath. He commanded his mind to relax, waiting forthe feeling that would tell him he was ready to begin.When it came, he began to mix and grind the powders hecarried. If he was watched, he was not aware of it.

Long after the bulk of night had passed, he laid hispestle aside and covered the pair of flasks he had pre-pared. He closed his eyes, savoring the darkness, andslept. Somewhere just at the edge of his hearing, he couldstill make out the sounds of the great serpent prowling inthe darkness .

Tarah and the rest of the village men were waiting whenhe arose. He left the dwelling, the morning light stinginghis eyes, and greeted their stares by holding up the pair offlasks before them.

�These should do the job,� he said, wishing now that hehad not robbed himself of extra sleep. �There are specificsteps that must be taken if the potions are to work properly.�

Tarah nodded. �What must be done?��You must get the serpent to swallow them both.�Tarah�s eyes grew perceptibly wider. �How are we sup-

posed to do this?��Take the potions and give them to two of your hens.

Stake them out in the low fields. The serpent will do therest.�

�What will the potions do?� one of the villagers asked.�The first will remove any magic that Aledorn has

placed upon the creature,� Fordan said, fingering theflask. �The second will paralyze the serpent soon after ithas eaten it. I pray that the serpent does not require thathis prey be moving, for the hen will be stilled soon afteryou force this into it.�

Tarah looked at the two vials, his face as expressionlessas always. �Then the serpent will die?�

�No. You must destroy it after it becomes dormant. Itmust be done in a prescribed way, so that the cursed crea-

OCTOBER 1989

ture will truly die.��How must we kill it?�Fordan shook his head. �First let us see if the potions

do their work.�They waited until midday, when they were sure that the

serpent was gone from the fields for the day. Tarah tooktwo of his own hens and gave them to the sorcerer. Fordan forced the potions into them with practiced hands. Withinmoments, one of the hens became still. Fordan checked tosee if it was still living. He gave each animal a sign ofblessing and announced them ready.

Two men chosen by Tarah took the hens into the lowfields and staked them there. The serpent had gone in theearly light, leaving behind only a remnant of the southernfield. Fordan watched from the ridge. After the task wasaccomplished, he left to repack his brews and load a freshcache of supplies onto his animal�s back.

Dusk came before Fordan was aware of it, and onlywhen he saw the villagers gathering near the low ridge didhe realize that the time had come to see if his potionswould do their work. He caught up with the others,watching his footing in the flickering darkness, and fol-lowed them to the edge of the ridge.

The great serpent was already feeding. It consumedmore in a single mouthful than a man could in a week.Fordan watched as its massive head moved from side toside, pushing through hard ground and brush withouteffort.

At the near edge of the lowest field, the one conscious hensensed the creature�s presence and began thrashing againstthe rope tied to it. The movements were almost impercept-ible, compared to the serpent�s wild motions, but as Fordanwatched, the serpent began to move forward, drawing close.Its speed was so great that it reached the hens in seconds.Fordan felt himself grow colder in the darkness as hewatched it swallow them both without stopping.

A few of the villagers began to step down the ridge to-ward the fields. Picks, shovels, and sharpened blades ap-peared in their hands. Fordan held them back, watchingthe serpent as it continued to feed. There seemed nochange in the quick movements along the great body. Thecreature�s size gave it strength even against his potions.Fordan knew it would take time. He told the villagers tobe patient.

That time came later in the night. In the grey light ofthe moon, he saw the serpent begin to slow. The greatbody seemed to become suddenly sluggish. The head con-tinued to thrust forward, weaving snakelike through thetall grass. The great maw opened once, revealing thebloodied blackness beneath, before the head slowly low-ered itself to the field floor.

�Now, sorcerer,� Tarah said, a large cutting blade in hisown hands, �what must we do so that it will die?�

�I would like to be paid,� Fordan said.�After we have destroyed the serpent.�Fordan shook his head. �I will tell you the method after

I am paid.�He stared into the eyes of the elder, seeing the hatred

that had been growing there since he had first entered thevillage. Fordan had thought long on the village�s plightduring the previous night. It had occurred to him that a

56

people once betrayed by a sorcerer would have aneverending hatred toward them all.

�You will tell us how to kill it,� Tarah said. He grippedthe handle of his blade so it caught fire in the moonlight.�Tell us if you wish to go on living.�

�I would be interested in hearing more about Aledorn,�Fordan said without fear in his voice. �Perhaps he didbetray your people, perhaps not. I find it hard to believethat he was as evil as you say. He could not have become asorcerer without work and discipline. He would haveneeded the aid of another of his kind. We�re usually morecareful about whom we allow to learn our trade.�

�You will tell us,� Tarah repeated, �or we will kill youand take our chances with the serpent.�

Fordan looked around to see the villagers gatheredaround him. Anger and fear flashed in their faces. Helooked at the weapons they now held tightly in theirhands. Such weapons would kill a man as easily as theywould a serpent.

�Take your sharpest blades and go down to the ser-pent,� he said slowly, watching the others about him.�You must sever it across the width of its body, and do somany times over. You must take each piece of flesh andbury it deep, and say a prayer of holiness over it to re-move the curse. Only after this is done will the creatureremain dead.�

Tarah took a step forward. �If you lie, we will give youto the serpent.�

Fordan kept his own voice even. �I gave you my wordThe creature will be destroyed. Then I must be paid, for Iwish to leave.�

Tarah said nothing. He turned from him to lead theothers into the field. Fordan watched while they worked.The moonlight gave strong shadows to the figures as theycarried their bits of burden from the fields to be buried.He watched until they had carried off the last piece beforehe went back to the village.

He had his beast watered and ready when the elderscame back from the fields. Dawn was drowning the lastshadows of night, and their dirty, smeared forms were acontrast to the others gathered to hear the news. A num- ber of the elders stopped to quiet the growing crowd. Oth-ers led by Tarah crossed the center of the village to whereFordan waited.

�You must go now,� Tarah told him.�I intend to do that,� Fordan said, facing them, �as

soon as I am paid.��We have no money. You must go.��You gave your word that I would be paid in return for

killing the serpent. I have done that.� Tarah shook his head. �You have done only what is

right. A sorcerer placed the serpent among us, and nowone has taken it away. You have repaid Aledorn�s debt.�

�I owe you no debt. Aledorn did what he did for hisown reasons. I�m beginning to see why he might have

done so. Pay me.��If you do not leave now, you will die here.�Fordan looked amused. �I am a sorcerer.��Sorcerers die like other men,� Tarah said. He looked

back to the others. �We have proved that before.�Fordan nodded slowly. �So you have. I wonder if there

was a reason for Aledorn choosing a serpent to be placedamong you. A sign, perhaps?�

�Leave us or die.� Tarah�s voice had become hard andangry. He drew a blade stained in dark blood.

Fordan got on his horse without another word and rodeoff, leaving the village of Bowren and its people behind.He did not stop riding until the surrounding countrysidehad lost its familiarity once more. There was a long jour-ney ahead of him before he would feel safe from this place.

He followed a slow-moving stream until it took himdown beyond the far side of the mountains. There hedismounted and settled down on the soft grass next to thebank. Low in the eastern sky he saw the stilted plumes ofhearth fires. Somewhere in the valley there would be avillage where he could find work. He would be careful thistime to demand payment first.

The sun was low over the hills when the boys camefrom the shadows of the trees. Fordan watched as theysettled along the bank in groups of two and three. A fewof them were carrying poles for fishing. Others carriedsacks from which they pulled handfuls of wriggling bait.One of the older boys broke away from the others andcame to sit next to Fordan. His skin was as dark as thesurrounding woods. Fordan guessed he was from the vil-lage in the valley.

�Have you ridden far?� the boy asked. He watched theothers pulling fish from the stream.

�Far enough,� Fordan answered. He noticed the sackthe boy held and reached for one of the worms that stilllay moving.

�As natural a food for fish as fish are for you,� he toldthe boy, �but difficult to find at times.�

The boy smiled. �Sometimes we can�t. Then we useraw meat. The fish prefer the worms.�

Fordan took a knife from his belt. As the boy watched,he sliced the worm into several parts across its width.�Strange creature, this. It has the power of life fromdeath. Use only a portion of your bait. Slice the other as Ihave done and throw it away into the woods. Each partwill grow into a new worm itself, and you will not lack forluring fish to you.�

The boy looked at him with rare innocence in his eyes.�What kind of magical creature is this?�

Fordan smiled. �Not magical at all. A common creature.��And each one will grow another from its parts?�Fordan looked at the writhing sections of the worm in

his hand and nodded. �Wait and see. Soon you�ll be over-run by them.�

DRAGON 57

58 OCTOBER 1989

In 1983, I bought my first HARN� cam-paign supplement, called Harn (nowknown as Harnworld). The back coverblurb unblushingly proclaimed, �STATE OFTHE ART the most detailed, logical,comprehensive, and consistent fantasyworld yet published; an authentic �medi-eval� environment of unsurpassed quality,specifically designed for fantasy gaming.�In 1983, that was a pretty bold claimagainst competition like Glorantha andMiddle-earth, but nonetheless a fair andarguable assertion.

Ironically, and to the everlasting honorof Columbia Games, the claims of thatblurb are probably more justified todaythan they were in 1983. On its self-proclaimed terms�a comprehensive,logical, authentic �medieval� fantasy cam-paign setting�even Harn�s earliest supple-

60 OCTOBER 1989

In search of adventures©1989 by Ken Rolston

ments are state of the art when comparedwith campaign supplements for TSR�sD&D® and AD&D® games, I.C.E.�s MERP�and ROLEMASTER� games, Chaosium�sRUNEQUEST® and PENDRAGON games,Games Workshop�s WARHAMMER� FAN-TASY ROLEPLAY, and other classic FRPsystems. Only the KING ARTHUR PEN-DRAGON game might rightfully challengeHarn�s preeminence here, with its uniquemechanics for introducing models of feu-dal economics as integral elements ofcampaign play, and with its rich blend ofArthurian lore and medieval history. Harn,in return might fairly boast of its epicscale and original concept.

For years, my major reservation aboutHarn was the absence of published exam-ples of adventures in the Harn campaignsetting. This omission was perceived as a

virtue by Columbia Games, apparently inreaction to narrowly �programmed� ad-venture modules that lead GMs and play-ers by the nose through a narrative,thereby constraining the GM�s creativity. Ihave a personal bias against obsessivedevelopment of a setting to the exclusionof development of narrative and theme,probably as a reaction against the type of�game master� who labors for years ondetailed maps and encyclopedias of hiscampaigns, yet who never runs gamesthere, always protesting, �But it�s not quiteready yet.� After four years of Harn cam-paign supplements without a publishedexample of an adventure, I had concludedthat the Columbia Games folks weren�tinterested in publishing an adventure, andI lost interest in them.

With all the hoopla in the last few years

over the DRAGONLANCE® campaign, theD&D Gazetteers, the FORGOTTENREALMS� setting, and other FRP cam-paign supplement series, I managed tooverlook the first Harn adventure, Araka-Kalai, published in 1987, and other subse-quent Harn adventures. I confess to beingeasily distracted by noise and excitement.In this, even as a reviewer, I suspect I amin close sympathy with my audience. Withno ads in role-playing magazines, no ex-citement from retailers, and no anticipatedreleases at conventions, Harn had simplyslipped from my mind.

But as a critic, I can make no excuses foroverlooking Harn. As the following re-views will attest, Harn has made a veryspecial contribution to role-playing GM�ssupport material. The graphics are excel-lent, with color maps, abundant diagramsof locations and buildings, and appropri-ate, expressive illustrations of scenes,characters, and creatures. The style ofpresentation is clear and detailed, and isdry with an occasional droll impulse. It iswell organized for reading and reference.And the campaign materials�well, they�revoluminous, historically and socially plau-sible, and full of dramatic fantasy adven-ture and thematic hooks.

In general, Harn materials are sophisti-cated and demanding of the reader andthe gamer. They aren�t really appropriatefor heroic fantasy (that is, lots of swingingaxes, blasts of magical fire, and accountledgers of loot and experience points),though the locations, characters, andnarrative themes are adaptable to suchrole-playing. Ideally, Harn is for dedicated,educated, mature gamers with an appreci-ation of culture, politics, and history, andwith high standards for logic, coherence,and realism in their fantasy adventuring.

Araka-KalaiFRP adventure supplement for the

HARNMASTER game26-page softbound book and four pages of

predesigned player charactersColumbia Games $16.00Design: Edwin King, Dave Kowan, Richard

Porter, Eric Hotz, N. Robin Crossby

The central concept of this adventuresetting/scenario pack is truly grand. It�sthe doorstep of a god-on-earth�s dwellingplace. Beneath the Pit of Araka-Kalai, asinkhole filled with a bizarre organicsludge, lies the caverns where, accordingto legend, the god Ilvir, Spawner of Mon-sters, conceives the unique, grotesque creatures that are sacred to him. From allover Harn, visitors come to honor Ilvir atthis site. A monastery has been foundedhere to worship the god and to shelterpilgrims. Atop a black plug of marble, anisland in the center of the sludge-filledsinkhole, sits the ruined tower of Ilvir.Beneath this island is an uncharted wilder-

ness of caverns occupied by strange crea-tures, abandoned shrines, and lost cults.Ultimately, in the lowest ranges of thecaverns, dwells the god himself.

The choice of a limestone karst regionfor the setting is geologically apt, withsinkholes and caverns galore. The historyof the waxing and waning of a major cultshrine, and the accounts of the communi-ties and doctrinal squabbles of the cultfactions, are plausible, effective, motiva-tional contexts for scenarios.

The adventures themselves are reallylittle more than scenario outlines, thoughone or two provide enough detail to qual-ify as complete adventures. However, withthe sort of sophisticated gaming Harnencourages, a scenario outline is usuallysufficient, with character developmentand role-playing occupying the bulk ofsession time. Further, the maps and dia-grams of locations and dwellings are de-tailed enough to be used for travel andstrategic problem-solving.

To some degree, Araka-Kalai is a transi-tional phase in the development of a Harnadventure pack, in that most of the back-ground and setting detail is still extrane-ous to the scenario outlines. Thebackground material is rich and interest-ing in its own right, and it provides aperfect opportunity for a GM to improvisehis own adventures. But only one of theseven scenario outlines exploits the Pit ofIlvir, the caverns beneath, and the cultshrine background. The other six scenariooutlines are clearly integrated into thesetting but do not specifically exploit thenumerous pages of history and locationdiagrams and keys that make up the bulkof the supplement.

This is apparently an intentional designfeature. The supplement introductionstates that the designers want to provideenough detail so GMs can begin play witha minimum of preparatory work, but notso much detail that the GM is locked into arigid path. (Incidentally, Harn materials dorequire a minimum of GM study, com-pared with most other supplements, be-cause of their lean, clean organization andwriting and the excellent layout andgraphics.) �The philosophy of Harn hasalways been to provide an intelligent,cohesive background that does not stiflethe GM�s creativity.� The irony is that Co-lumbia Games may unintentionally under-estimate the GM�s natural and cheerfulirreverence for FRP supplements. I sus-pect that the GM�s instinctive impulse tocreativity is stimulated, not suppressed, byan abundance of details, particularly whenit provides a challenging and inspiringexample of excellence.

However, the important thing about theseven scenario outlines is that they give aclear idea of the kinds of stories that mightbe expected to unfold in a Harn setting.One, a short mission to scout the outpostof an unusually successful and well-organized orc tribe, is a refreshingly plau-sible and interesting development of

barbaric orc culture. Another, apparentlya simple rescue mission, involves a skillfulreverse of expectations and poses a subtleproblem-solving test for the players.

Evaluation: This first Harn adventureis more distinguished as a campaign set-ting than as an adventure supplement.Caverns inhabited by the God of Monstersare an inspired setting for fantasy adven-turing, and the locations and history of theregion are detailed and well developed.However, the virtues of the scenario out-lines are their lean simplicity and therealistic personalities and motivations ofthe important NPCs. As such, this is ahighly recommended campaign setting,and a strongly recommended adventuresetting.

100 Bushels of RyeFRP adventure supplement for the

HARNMASTER game28-page softbound bookColumbia Games $10.00Design: Garry Hamlin, Randolph Strom-

men, Eric Hotz, Tom Dalgliesh

This is the first example of a pure adven-ture module for Harn, and it is excellent.It�s a perfect short adventure in a series ofbrief episodes, featuring a simple narra-tive focus, plenty of detail for each epi-sode, challenging problem-solving (only afraction of which involves combat), andthe appealing narrative virtues of mystery,surprise, and discovery. The presentationis visual and concrete, well presented, anduses a page layout ideal for quick refer-ence during the session. Diagrams, maps,and illustrations are abundant, easy toread and reference, and pertinent ratherthan decorative. The entire supplement isshort, simple, and clear enough to readand understand in less than an hour.Though the adventure is actually rather linear (the path from the beginning to thelocation where the adventure is resolved isfairly obvious and inevitable), the resolu-tion of the conflict is open-ended, with aminimum of narrative rigging.

The episode locations are nicely pre-sented. Three in particular (the manorialvillage where the adventure begins, thelair of a monster, and the mines and work-shop of a dwarvm smith) are exceptionallydetailed and plausible, each with well-delineated and well-motivated protago-nists, antagonists, and informants. Thebackground details are conveniently lim-ited to those things necessary to runningthe adventure. (For a GM with little time toread and abstract pertinent details out ofoceans of interesting but irrelevant geo-graphical, social, historical, and politicalmaterial, this is a refreshing change fromHarn�s conventional deluge of campaignbackground text.)

The focus of the setting feels authenti-cally medieval. The village is based onhistorical documents describing medievalvillage life in England. Physical descrip-tions offer realistic details. For example,

DRAGON 61

the peasant huts have no more furniturethan a trestle table and a couple of stoolsor benches, reinforced oaken doors arecovered with a black, brittle substance (taras a preservative), and important villagersare listed with an account of their mostimportant holdings: number of acresworked, and number of cows, sheep, andpigs owned.

Evaluation: 100 Bushels of Rye is avery effective fantasy adventure scenarioin an authentic medieval setting. Though itwould probably work best with HARN-MASTER rules, it would work equally wellfor other medieval fantasy systems, partic-ularly for systems with little PC magic, likethe WARHAMMER FANTASY ROLEPLAYand PENDRAGON games, or for beginningcharacters in more heroic systems like the,AD&D game. As an example of a medievalmanorial village for fantasy role-playing,and as an example of a simple, well-designed, short FRP scenario, 100 Bushelsof Rye is highly recommended.

The Staff of FanonFRP adventure supplement for the HARN-

MASTER game28-page softbound bookColumbia Games $10.00Design: N. Robin Crossby, Eric Hotz, Scott

McKay

While 100 Bushels of Rye is an excellent

example of a low-level, realistic, medievalrole-playing adventure, The Staff of Fanonis a skillfully presented, imaginative exam-ple of a high-fantasy adventure with inter-world gateways, powerful sorcery, ancientraces, marvelous beings, and fantasticlabyrinthine dwellings chock-a-block withmagical traps and treasures and nastydaemonic entities.

Sounds a little bit like a traditional FRPdungeon? Well, it is, but it�s a fairly inter-esting dungeon and is smoothly integratedwith the more realistic, gritty fantasy ofthe Harn campaign. Most important, itlooks like fun both to run and to play.

The presentation is clearer and morereadable than the conventional dungeonadventure format. Layouts are oriented tosingle or twin pages, making referenceand backtracking during study a breeze.The diagrams are clear and detailed, usingHarn�s clever and unique legend and keysystem, by which, for example, one canquickly judge the height of the ceiling orthe rise of a dais from the floor. The illus-trations are eloquent and appropriate,reducing reliance on wordy descriptions,and they are excellent guides to the toneand feel of the adventure. The text is leanand explicit, without the clumsy blather ofconventional game-speak (or, more simply,weak writing and cursory editing) thatplagues most game supplements. Theorganization and use of prominent section

heads facilitates review.In general, while most FRP adventure

supplements equate bulk of text withvalue for money, The Staff of Fanon keepstext to a minimum. And while most adven-ture supplements feature numerousencounters sketchily developed (with littlemore than a brief description of the set-ting and characters, often with wads ofgame stats), The Staff of Fanon takes arelatively short, simple series of encoun-ters and develops them more fully, notsimply by adding more text, but by effec-tively blending graphics and text into acoherent presentation.

The adventure itself is quite appealing.For the GM, the themes and settings sug-gest enigmatic, oblique references to epiccurrents of history. For the players, thesereferences will be perceived only as inter-esting but mysterious details encounteredalong the way toward the resolution of theconflict. Much of what the players seethey will not understand, which is as itshould be in high fantasy. The object theyseek is a minor feature of a vast and in-comprehensible landscape of obscureartifacts and structures. Players should bebewildered and mystified, but not skepti-cally, as with most dungeons that are amelange of bizarre but unrelated widgets,monsters, and special effects with littlecontext or coherence. The GM knows thebackground and purpose of the setting�s

62 OCTOBER 1989

features, and he can explicitly or implicitlyreassure the players that, though thingsseem strange, they do make sense, if onlythe players had the GM�s information.

The problem-solving is not game-systemoriented. Though the magical effects arespecified in terms of the HARNMASTERmagic system, the characters will mostlikely perceive them as special, peculiarenchantments. Most of the problems arefocused on the practical challenges ofexploring an arcane and unfamiliar loca-tion, while searching for the object oftheir quest. Only three beings are citedwith game stats, and none of these needbe fought to complete the quest.

The Staff of Fanon is the first in a pro-posed series of three linked adventures,and publication of the second or thirdadventures are not scheduled for theimmediate future. The adventure is fine asa stand-alone, but many campaign GMswould rightly prefer to have all three inhand before they begin. Further, a fairamount of the detail of this adventurerelates to the later adventures, and thelack of an explanation of some of thesedetails in this adventure is a bit frustrat-ing. Nonetheless, the adventure itself ispleasing enough to deflect my concernwith this minor fault.

Evaluation: The Staff of Fanon is anespecially fine, short, high-fantasy adven-ture, easily adapted to any multiverse

fantasy campaign. In content and presen-tation, it is first-class, and it is guaranteedto satisfy fussy and sophisticated FRP GMsand players.

Concerning the price of 100 Bushels ofRye and The Staff of Fanon: Folks whobalk at paying $10 for 28-page adventureswhen they can get 96 pages for $9 aremissing the point. Quality, not quantity, isthe issue here.

Harn game products are available fromColumbia Games Inc., Box 581, 810 WestBroadway, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V5C4C9; or Box 8006, Blaine WA 98230, U.S.A.

The Broken Covenant of CalebaisFRP adventure supplement for the ARS

MAGICA game44-page softbound bookLion Rampant $7.95Design: Jonathan Tweet and Mark

Rein�Hagen

In DRAGON issue #147, I enthusiasticallyreviewed the ARS MAGICA game, a systemand campaign setting featuring an elabo-rate development of magic and magiciansin a historical medieval context. The Bro-ken Covenant of Calebais, the first pub-lished adventure for that game, is apersuasive example of how the ARS MA-GICA system can produce a first-classfantasy adventure with a spotlight onwizards and sorcery.

Many years ago, a covenant (a wizard�scommune, complete with staff and merce-nary guards) mysteriously sealed itself offfrom the outside world and from theother covenants of the Order of Hermes.The magi have assumed that misfortunefell upon the covenant, but no one haspenetrated the sorcerous illusions guard-ing the fallen covenant. When a missingclue to the nature of the protective wardswas discovered, an expedition to investi-gate was organized. The adventurers andscholars will search the ruins of the Bro-ken Covenant for an explanation to thecovenant�s downfall, and they may find itspriceless libraries and magical treasuresintact and salvageable.

The Broken Covenant is an adventurewith an explicit and developed theme:leadership and the art of governing. Suchan explicit treatment of theme in an RPGscenario is perhaps a touch pedantic, butit is based in a sound understanding ofdramatic mechanics. The designers exhortthe reader to raise their hobby to thestandard of art, to elevate play to a greaterlevel of emotional impact. I wince a bit atsuch rhetoric, but this earnest focus of theadventure�s action is part of The BrokenCovenant�s distinctive coherence and effec-tiveness as a scenario. The Broken Cove-nant is also peculiar in its explicit noticethat if the GM and players are uncomfor-table with violence, the scenario may be

DRAGON 63

successfully completed with little or noresort to violent tactics. This is odd stuff toencounter in an introduction to a role-playing adventure, but it certainly raisedmy expectations. The designers clearlywere reaching for something more than arun-of-the-mill FRP adventure.

Fortunately, the scenario is not onlyearnest but imaginative, challenging, mys-terious fun. The setting itself, a wizard�scommune struck by catastrophe, bedeckedwith the traps, treasures, and mysteriesassociated with the plot, is explorationrole-playing on an epic scale. As usual in asuspense/mystery/explore-the-unknownrole-playing adventure, I can�t publiclypraise the material in detail without spoil-ing things for the players. However, forthe prospective storyguide, I can mentiona few general features that are especiallywell handled. The on-the-road-to-the-dungeon encounter is a charming, well-paced warm-up to the rest of theadventure. The riddle is elaborate, satisfy-ing, and solvable, with GM play-on-through directions for those who, like me,hate RPG riddles; this one, though, I couldfoist upon my gaming associates with aclear conscience. The minor antagonists.are adorable, bush league, and numerous,and are provided with a complete micro-culture and survival rationale. The NPCmotivations, tactics, trappings, and role-playing presentation hints are comprehen-sive, readable, and set up for easyreference. There is plenty of treasure, butnot in the traditional D&D-game sense ofloot and orc-baking magical widgetry.Here, the treasure is that of the detective,archaeologist, and explorer: strange andmysterious scenes, events, and artifactsthat may be only interesting curiosities ormay provide clues to the mystery of thefallen covenant. The final resolution issuitably epic and ghoulish, worthy of thelesser challenges and problems that thecharacters encounter along the way.

Evaluation: The Broken Covenantpleased me enormously; my recommenda-tion is unreserved. The FRP adventurecrop of late has been depressingly unex-ceptional; against such weak competition,The Broken Covenant easily distinguishesitself. How does it rate against the Harnadventures, or my other Hall-of-Famefavorites like Ravenloft, The Grey Knight,Shadows over Bögenhafen, the classicRUNEQUEST scenario packs, and theCompanion�s Islandian Campaign series?Unfortunately, when compared with theHarn materials, The Broken Covenant is abit awkward. The graphics are weak; thewrap-up is a bit abrupt; and the writing,materials, maps, and organization aresomewhat less than polished. But for origi-nal tone and flavor, general effect, andambitious aspiration, it�s a thoroughlysatisfying adventure.

My only quandary is whether I shouldintroduce my gaming group to the ARSMAGICA system in order to take greatestadvantage of the scenario�s features, or

64 OCTOBER 1989

whether I should adapt The Broken Cove-nant to our house campaign rules. Stand-ard melee combat plays a small part in thescenario, so adaptation of NPC and crea-ture stats is only a minor problem. How-ever, The Broken Covenant is best suitedfor the flexible resources of ARS MAGICAgame magic, though a squad of midlevelD&D game spell-casters or SJG�s GURPS®Magic game characters with a wide distri-bution of spells might manage the investi-gative and tactical magic necessary to copewith the scenario�s challenges.

The Broken Covenant is available fromLion Rampant, P.O. Box 621, NorthfieldMN 55057, U.S.A.

Flight 13Adventure supplement for the GURPS

Horror or GURPS Space games64-page softbound bookSteve Jackson Games $8.95Design: W. G. Armintrout

Here�s an adorable bug-eyed-monster,Fifties-style, science-fiction adventure inwhich mad scientists from beyond thestars capture some humans and subjectthem to scientific tests. These tests looksuspiciously like television action-adventure episodes to those of us nottrained in science. As usual, these madscientists from beyond the stars are un-speakably powerful and technologicallyhip, so they can effortlessly craft fantasticamusement park arcades for destructiontesting of our doughty PC heroes. Thisconcept is so cliche that it�s hip. It takes acertain amount of courage to publish suchan apparently unfashionable setting andadventure, particularly for a relativelysophisticated system as the GURPS game.And freed of such fetters as realism andreal-life logic, it looks like a lot of fun.

The presentation and adventure stagingare sharp and appealing, going for depthof characterization and episode ratherthan epic scope. To start, a plot twist in themiddle of the first episode yanks the rugout from under the players� (and PCs�) feet.In the opening episode, we get a well-developed event description and NPC-encounter menu. In other adventures,we�d probably get only a half-page explain-

ing how to herd the PC victims togetherwhere they can be scooped up by theponderously linear narrative. Maybe it�s alittle like the movies Airport, ToweringInferno, and Airplane, where you getintroduced to the character actorsthrough little bits of action and reaction,but it�s actually a clever model for passingaction and reaction among the PCs. Every-one gets to respond in character. (Sure,they all get to respond, too, if you openwith a little melee action, but there�s atired cliche if there ever was one.) By theend of the opening teaser, the PCs areloaded down with all the nice bits of char-acterization baggage; only then does theplot pop out of the box.

Of course, I can�t share nice bits of theplot with you GMs, because your dopeyplayers are listening. But all the stuff thathappens is unexpected and tricky to han-dle. The genre and tone are hard to place.Flight 13 is billed as �GURPS Horror/Space,� but the correct label might be�1950s Television/Movie Science-FictionAction-Adventure.� Twilight Zone, anyone?At least it�s not �Militaristic Space Opera.�

The one problem I can see is fitting thisinto an ongoing campaign. The tone andtexture of the setting are not likely tomatch a standard SF action-adventurecampaign, though it would work just fineas a surprise saga for modern-day super-natural settings. (Hint: The tone wouldprobably fit well with the GURPS Supersgame, if the game matches conventionalsuperhero role-playing models.) But even ifyou can�t run this adventure for yourgroup, pick it up as an example of first-class character involvement and plot de-velopment through episodic conflicts.

Evaluation: Flight 13 is full of fun, iswell-presented, and is an admirable modelfor introducing PCs to a scenario throughrole-playing and interaction with NPCs. Itis strongly recommended, though it is a biteccentric by contrast with other GURPSscience-fiction supplements like the GURPSSpace game, and it is possibly difficult towork into an ongoing GURPS campaign.

GURPS game products are availablefrom Steve Jackson Games, Box 18957,Austin TX 78760, U.S.A.

Sunset World from page 25clearly of Illithid construction and presum-ably abandoned as a result of climatechanges. We found a number of theseruins in the salt desert. I urge you to ex-amine Master Kuro�s report most carefully,but the gist of it is this: While most of thesites had been stripped of all artifacts butfor the constructs themselves, a fewmounds were different.

We found traces of an outer wall ofstone blocks and buildings with entrancesat ground level. Below the water tablewere organic remains preserved in theacidic soil: traces of grain and straw, a fewcharred timbers of pine and oak, fragmen-tary skeletons of horses, cattle, and geese.A few simple tools survived, and therewere many spent arrows. There wereother remains, too�human for the mostpart, though one of the partial skeletonsmay have been that of a gnome or smalldwarf. The skulls we found bore marks ofIllithid predation. All these traces andremains were ancient in the extreme.

The meaning of these findings has beenmuch debated on our return journey andduring the time since our return. Theevidence is hardly conclusive, but I willput forward the conjecture which best

suits the facts as I know them. SsirikAkuar is not the Illithid homeworld, as ourtaciturn githzerai guides had implied. Itwas once much like our own.

There is a persistent rumor among thefolk of the Underearth that the Illithidsseek to extinguish our Sun. This has veryproperly been dismissed as foolish, wish-ful thinking on their part. The Illithidscould no more thrive on a sunless surfacethan could we. Within years or evenmonths of such a ludicrous outcome, theplanet would become an icy wastelandunfit for any sort of life. The ruins wefound at Ssirik Akuar suggest to me amore plausible and sinister story.

Much still remains to be explained, andmany more questions have been raised bythis final discovery. Where did the Illithidsoriginate if not on Ssirik Akuar? Why didthe githzerai assure us they had broughtus to the Illithid home world? Why shouldthe Illithids, if they produced the SunsetWorld�s present conditions, have stocked itwith so many living things inimical tothemselves? How could such changes of aworld and its sun be accomplished? Theseare difficult questions. Rather than answerthem, many of my colleagues would rathersuppose some other explanation for whatwe found at Ssirik Akuar.

I confess that I find such questions lessthan compelling. I am torn between acertain lassitude�we are all of us tiredstill from our sojourn�and a furious urgeto action, to any action. I feel a certainchill at day�s end: perhaps only a relic ofSsirik Akuar�s damp airs, but perhapssomething more�perhaps a chill of pre-monition, a growing certainty that mycolleagues and fellow adventurers died notmerely in the service of learning, or evenfor our Empire, but for something greaterstill. They died so that we survivors mightbring this warning. I look at the Sun nowand wonder if it has grown somewhatredder. Are the days and nights longerthan they were? As I contemplate thesethoughts, a further chill runs the length ofmy body. Perhaps one day we, too, willdwell in a Sunset World.

More information on mind flayers maybe found in �The Ecology of the MindFlayer,� in DRAGON® issue #78. The mate-rial in this article and in �The Dragon�sBestiary� may be used with the materialon mind flayers in the AD&D® 2nd EditionMonstrous Compendium, Volume 1, withsome changes, particularly concerning theuse of psionics and methods of Illithidreproduction.

DRAGON 65

Continued from page 5

I.C.E.�s booth, which sold the SHADOWWORLD� fantasy game and supple-ments (the �Shadow� games are notrelated). The Australian Games Grouppresented its LACE & STEEL swash-buckling FRPG, set in a fantasy worldmuch like 17th-century Europe butwith centaurs, satyrs, and harpies (aswell as humans) among the population.And (oops) TSR also had the DeluxeCity Campaign Set, by Allen Varney, forthe MARVEL SUPER HEROES® game. Imyself was particularly intrigued bythe long-awaited vehicle-rules supple-ment to BTRC�s MACHO WOMEN WITHGUNS game: Renegade Nuns on Wheels(�the game that treads the fine linebetween heresy and blasphemy�). I amcompletely serious.

Other non-RPG items caught my eye.One booth had a wide assortment offurry animal figurines dressed in Napo-leonic costumes, from places like theOtterman Empire, for miniatures bat-tles. Another sold wholesome, patrioticT-shirts, such as the one showing a B-52against a burning horizon with thelegend, �STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND:NEXT DAY AIR.� There were manyBuckaroo Banzai T-shirts as well, whichI stupidly forgot to purchase. I alsofound a copy of 3W�s alternate-historyboard game, TOMORROW THEWORLD, in which the triumphantarmies of Imperial Japan and NaziGermany�with nukes, jets, and all�fight World War III for control of theEarth (in 1948, no less). The gamecomes with a short �historical� timelineso plausible and blood chilling that itmakes the dark-future cyberpunk RPGslook obnoxiously cheerful.

As those of you who attended know,there were zillions and bejillions ofgames: role-playing games, boardgames, computer games, miniaturesgames, card games, dice games, familygames�you-name it, it was there. Thewinner for special effects goes toFASA�s BATTLETECH® simulators, in

which you could pilot a massive Battle-Mech in one-on-one combat againstanother heavily armed �Mech�in realtime, with a simulated 3-D view of yoursurroundings on a TV monitor. TaskForce Games� STAR FLEET BATTLES,GDW�s HARPOON, and GW�s WARHAM-MER� 40,000 games were much inevidence in the miniatures areas. Andthe most-played game was, as youwould expect even if you had spent thelast 10 years in the jungles of Sumatra,the AD&D game.

If you were bored with gaming, therewas the auction, the video room, theart show (with guest Michael Whelanand over a million dollars worth ofartwork), and an exhibitor�s hall inwhich everyone could (and did) buythemselves into a stupor. When you ranout of money, there were lots of freethings to pick up all over the con, andwhen you had too many free things tomove any more, you could sit downand play games again.

And there were seminars. Your edi-tors ran several magazine-related semi-nars, one of which was accompaniedby sound effects from the MiskatonicUniversity Reunion next door, whichhad a contest for the best dying screamof someone who was probably beingeaten alive by ghouls. It was hard tosay. Anyway, we fielded a few rumorsabout the magazines as well, such as:l DRAGON® Magazine does not acceptmaterial from beginning writers (wecertainly do);l DRAGON Magazine refuses to printmaterial on non-TSR games (wrong);l DRAGON Magazine will go out ofprint in two years because of fallingsubscriptions (what?); andl DRAGON Magazine editors hire gangsof street thugs who use rubber trun-cheons to beat those who spread badrumors about the magazine (this isfalse, of course, as many of the thugswe hire could never even spell �trun-cheons,� much less use them).

The auction ran along quite rapidly,and every game, book, and figurine

66 OCTOBER 1989

was given at least a two-second chanceto be sold to some buyer. There waseven an auction store for unsold items,where I noticed a lonely copy of DR.RUTH�S GAME OF GOOD SEX (left overfrom last year�s auction), which shouldserve as a dramatic warning aboutsomething, but perhaps this isn�t theplace to say exactly what.

And best of all, there were lots offamous people�authors, designers,editors, and garners�but there wereentirely too many of them to namehere (sorry to all). There were lots ofparties, too, but I made it to only onebefore collapsing.

There were disappointments, ofcourse. I never made it out to lunchwith Marc Miller of GDW (really, I�ll dobetter next year, I swear). The sparemagazines we had ordered for thebooth were brought in but were hid-den from view under a table, and wedidn�t find them until late Sunday. AndI never got to play in the BATTLETECHsimulators or sit in on the RPG event inwhich Elvis is resurrected by Cthulhu.(I did watch Mike Pondsmith run agood CYBERPUNK game, though.)

At the end of it all, your editors toredown the booth and had all the productready to ship home in one hour flat. Wewent out for Mexican food, and thenwent home to await the mixed blessingsof Monday morning: the unopenedmail, the exhaustion, the flu, the carrepair bills, the editing, etc.

But it was fun. I’ll do it again nextyear, but this time with more comfort-able sneakers. And maybe with someall-new rumors, too, especially if theyinvolve Elvis and nuns on motorcycles.

DRAGON 67

©1989 by Hartley,Patricia, and Kirk Lesser

If you were a god, how would you run things?We have never seen so many good

games released during the summertime bysoftware publishers. There are so manygames, in fact, that we have had to callupon trusted associates to help us with thegame-review process. They have beenwriting for us for over a decade, and theirexpertise is highly regarded throughoutthe computer industry. Herein you�ll findseveral mini-reviews (�Dragon Bytes�)written by them. This allows us to offerfull coverage of all of the games we re-ceive for review

Reviews

Computer-game ratings

X Not recommended* Poor** Fair* * * Good* * * * Excellent* * * * * Superb

Electronic Arts1820 Gateway DriveSan Mateo CA 94404(415) 571-7171

Populous *****

Commodore Amiga version $49.95The story of Good versus Evil in a new

and entertaining format has been releasedby Electronic Arts. Designed by Bullfrog,this game is an outstanding offering forCommodore Amiga enthusiasts. Populousis a game with a different feel and inter-face quite unlike anything currently availa-ble on the market. Basically, you performmiracles. You are a god and, as such, con-trol part of a worlds population.

It is your responsibility to see that yourpeople have enough food. If you managethis task by granting your settlers land for

68 OCTOBER 1989

crops, they will worship you. Throughtheir worship, you gain power with whichyou can oppose the work of another godwho controls the rest of the population onthe same world. The followers of the twogods fight one another, of course, and youcan assist your side by decimating theenemy with a number of godlike maneu-vers such as creating earthquakes, floods,swamps, and volcanoes. The god whoeventually wins the most battles and cre-ates the most knights, and whose peoplerule the land, wins the game. But eventhen, Populous is tar from over. There areliterally hundreds of worlds to conquer,and you can even design your own worldusing the game�s built-in Creator program.Populous is also playable by two playersover a null modem link between twoAmiga computers or through phone linesvia a connected modem.

The key issue in the game is the enrich-ment of your own people with good land,which you physically raise or lower tomake it suitable for crops. Settlementsstart out as mud huts; as you prepare theland for planting, settlements can evolveinto castles.

As your population grows, you caneither ask your worshipers to settle newlands or call them to the Papal Magnet.Once a settler touches the Papal Magnet,he becomes a leader, You can convert aleader into a Knight, should you haveenough Manna (energy) to do so. A Knightis a perpetual search-and-destroy machinewho hunts and slays the opposition andburns its buildings. To increase thestrength of your settlers (also known aswalkers) and your knights, you click onthe �Gather� then �Settle� icons. Thiscauses your walkers to bump into oneanother and, if the settlers are of the samefaith, they merge and become a singlewalker. We found that it helps to move thePapal Magnet to an opposition settlement,click on the �Go to Papal Magnet� icon,then wait for our folk to arrive. The firstone to touch the Papal Magnet becomes a

leader; by immediately clicking on the�Knight� icon, we turn him into a Knight.Then we quickly click on the �Gather� and�Settle� icons, which causes other walkersin the area to merge with the Knight, whobecomes virtually invincible as he trompsthrough enemy settlements.

You can turn the music and sound ef-fects off or on, as well as save and loadgames. An information shield is also availa-ble that tells you the relative strengths ofsettlements as compared to castles, thestrengths of walkers, and how combatbetween opposing settlers and walkers isprogressing. Through Divine Intervention,you can also affect the outcome of combatby following one of your Knights intoenemy territory. Should you see an oppo-nent or a large settlement ahead, you canlower the land below the opposing forceuntil water appears and the opponentdrowns. That�s one less opponent for yourKnight to worry about, and he can con-tinue with his slay-and-burn mission.

Populous has captured our gamingimagination for the last few days. Our onlywish is that Populous would become avail-able for more computer systems so thatother gamers can enjoy being gods as well!

Palace Software, Ltd.(distributed by Epyx, Inc.)600 Galveston DriveRedwood City CA 94063(415) 366-0606

Axe of Rage ****

Commodore 64/128 version $33.95We didn�t think this game would amount

to much. The package is one of the ugliestpresentations for software we�ve everseen, and it boasts an included tattoo!

Well, hold on. Axe of Rage is actuallypretty good. The arcade game puts you inthe role of either Gorth or Mariana backin the days of mammoths, pit things,razor-toothed tigers, and the gnawin�purple pack-o�-plenty creature. Your questis to gain access to the Subterranean Sanc-tum of Drax, and you only have six liveswith which to accomplish this feat. Thecreatures are tough to defeat until youlearn how to time your axe swings withthe joystick. For example, suppose youron-screen representative faces right; if youhold your fire button down and:l move your joystick to the left, you exe-cute a flying neck chop.l move your joystick down, you kneel andlet fly with a low chop.l move your joystick to the right, you kickyour opponent.l move your joystick up, you leap into ahigh chop.

If your character is facing left on-screen,you simply reverse the directions of thejoystick moves to accomplish any move.This is the only real drawback to playingthe game, as during battle it is easy toforget that you must reverse your joystickmoves when facing one direction or an-other. With every mistake your Gorth or

Mariana makes in an attack, the enemyinflicts damage upon you. There are twostrength bars at the top of the screen; onestrength bar is yours, and the other isyour opponents. As damage is inflicted onyou or the opponent, the appropriatestrength bar is reduced in size until itdisappears�and death occurs. A counterkeeps track of your remaining lives.

You start out in the Valley of Despair andface mutant chickens, knuckle draggers,and a lardosaurus that enjoys a quicksnack of your head. This valley has a totalof 26 battle areas; if if you don�t learn howto wield your axe immediately, you�ll belucky to get past the sixth hostile. A swordlocated at the bottom of the screen is yourcompass and is used to reorient the screeneach time you pass into another section ofthe maze.

Remaining levels include Level 2: TheCaverns; Level 3: The Dungeon; and Level4: Drax�s Subterranean Sanctum. Addition-ally, look forward to the cave crud, drip-ping gore, and lava rivers. Fortunately,there are some amenities in the game suchas a special globe that prevents Drax�s evilmagic from consuming you. Other goodiesinclude a special key, a sacred axe, and aspecial shield (a necessity). The real key tosuccess is to continually practice yourmoves during noncombative phases. Prac-tice makes perfect and, in the case of Axeof Rage, ensures you�ll live long enough toperhaps win the quest. Axe of Rage is notfor those who find the sight of blood dis-tasteful It is an engrossing slash �n hackthat�ll please most arcaders. It is availablefor the C64/128 and Atari ST

Springboard Software, Inc.7808 Creekridge CircleMinneapolis MN 55435(612) 944-3915

Hidden Agenda ****

Apple Macintosh version $49.95Hidden Agenda is far more than a game.

It is a simulation of politics as played inthe life and death struggle in CentralAmerica. There is no one way to win thegame; there is no one way to save yourown skin; there is no one way to win overthe hearts of the people while simultane-ously appeasing forces that feel differentlythan you. Hidden Agenda is a learningexperience and is on the same level ofexcellence as Chris Crawford�s two Bal-ance of Power offerings. Although HiddenAgenda doesn�t possess the worldly scopeof Mr. Crawford�s offerings, the micro-cosm of the country of Chimerica is yoursto control, for better or for worse.

You have just been elected Presidenté ofChimerica. Upon starting the adventure,you are confronted with a press confer-ence where you must make statementsregarding three goals you wish to achieve.These set the tone for your first year.Upon completing the press conference,you must fill your cabinet positions. Theseinclude the Agriculture, Defense, Internal

DRAGON 69

ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and theTSR logo are trademarks owned by and usedunder license from TSR, Inc. © 1989 TSR, Inc. AllRights Reserved.

70 OCTOBER 1989

Affairs, and External Affairs ministers,who advise you throughout the gameregarding policy decisions. But watch out!Alienation of one of these powerful minis-ters could lead to your downfall. Thegame requires a careful balance of allpower brokers.

Your ministers are selected from one ofthree candidates put forward by the threepolitical parties: Christian Reform, Na-tional Liberation, and Popular Stability.You click on the icon of the party in whichyou are interested, then select a candidateto investigate. You can read the statementsthis candidate has made regarding politicalplans. Remembering to balance your cabi-net, you then appoint this candidate di-rectly to the ministerial position for whichhe is most suited. (You can also fire any ofyour ministers during the course of thegame.) When all four cabinet positions arefilled, you move on to running the country.

By clicking on the Desk icon, you arepresented with several options. You canproceed to an encounter with someoneinfluential, become involved in consulta-tions with your ministers, check yourmeetings through the logbook, obtainreports from news excerpts, or look atyour country�s progress charts.

Encounters occur with people like thelandless laborer, teacher, coffee grower,American ambassador, guard leader, tradeunion leader, American TNC rep, IMF,representative, campesino, army colonel,Soviet ambassador, rights activist, shop-keeper, coffee worker, doctor, cotton culti-vator, sub-commandante, bishop,industrialist, banker, and Cuban consul.You simply click on the individual youwish to encounter and take the meeting toa conclusion. Each person wants some-thing specific that you or your ministersmay or may not favor. The result of thisencounter is that you must make a deci-sion whether to accept or reject the pro-posal from this individual. You may askadvice from the advising minister, whowill give you his or her opinion as to whatshould be done with the proposal. You canput the proposal on an agenda that givesyou time to mull over the information.This also allows input from all of yourministers, although some decisions can�tbe put off until later. Your decisions ulti-mately cause your support level withdifferent forces to go up and down. Theold saying that you can�t please all of thepeople all of the time is certainly true inChimerica.

The consultations enable you to discussa topic of interest with the minister se-lected. You can make your decisions imme-diately or call for opinions from all of yourministers to receive a general consensus.Through the logbook, you review pastmeeting decisions; by reviewing the prog-ress charts, you show how Chimerica isprogressing through a variety of indexesthat include military spending, socialspending, infant mortality, land distribu-tion, food crops, export crops, agricultural

earnings, cash reserves and debt, loansand aid, and news excerpts. Thanks to areference manual from Springboard, youcan study any element of Hidden Agendaand base your decisions on sound re-search from the data in the manual.

Throughout your presidency, interruptsoccur. These are emergency situations thatrequire your immediate input to avoidcatastrophe. You must accept either theadvice of the individual bringing the mat-ter to your attention or the advice of aminister.

When the game draws to a conclusion, averdict of history is presented, an encyclo-pedia of your term of office, You can judgehow well (or how poorly) you managedChimerica. The verdict of history can alsobe printed if you like. You can save yourgame in progress, recall saved games, orrestore a saved game while in the middleof a less successful endeavor. The authors(Jim Gasperini, Ron Martinez, GregoryGuerin, Angela Greene, and Bill Herdle)have successfully brought to the computerthe true feel of what it�s like to be a pawnof the major powers. Included in the pack-age is a complete, well-written user�s man-ual, a complete and handy referencemanual, and a color map of Chimerica. Westrongly recommend thoroughly readingthe reference material before play. HiddenAgenda is a role-playing event and is oneof the few games we intend to keep onour game shelf and out of the packing box.This is highly recommended!

Hidden Agenda is available for PC/MS-DOS and Apple Macintosh computers (itruns in color on the latter). It is not copyprotected and is easily transferrable to ahard disk.

Mindscape, Inc.3444 Dundee RoadNorthbrook IL 60062(312) 480-7667

Gauntlet ****

Apple Macintosh II version $49.95This is a flying-finger fantasy. Talk about

exciting! Gauntlet can drive you absolutelybonkers as you attempt to mop updungeon levels in your quest to obtainriches. For one or two players, Gauntletjoins Thor, Thyra, or Merlin in a massivedisplay of magic and hand-to-hand combatin the finest of arcade-game traditions.The color version on the Macintosh II isabsolutely first-rate.

What�s unique is that in a two-playergame, both gamers can select a character.When working in unison to clear dungeonlevels, selecting characters with differingbut complimentary powers works to youradvantage. For example, Thor the warriorcan axe the monsters to pieces, but hismagic skill is lacking. He can magic awaysome of the monsters, but until thosemonster generators are destroyed, those

gruesome goons continue to come out adinfinitum. Perhaps Merlin the Wizardshould be the second character. Althoughhe wears no armor and is the absolute pitswhen it comes to hand-to-hand combat, hismagic can destroy the monster generatorsand all monsters. The third character,Thyra, is most at home in a defensive roleas her shield can stop about 30% of alldamage and her sword can cut throughthe monster generators. The fourth availa-ble character is an elf named Questor.Despite poor shot power, lousy armor, anda dagger that cannot destroy the monstergenerators, his magic skills are top-notch.The key to each dungeon level attack mustbe the monster generators which contin-ually spew out beasties at an unbelievablerate until you rid the level of this infernalmachine.

Even if you start the game as a singleplayer, a compatriot can join you at thepress of the fire button or fire key of theappropriate control. With two players, oneuses the mouse and the other the key-board. You can also save a game in prog-ress, and Gauntlet runs under MultiFinder.

With the Dark Prince himself lurking tosteal 200 points of health from you, re-member that only magic will defeat him.Other nasties include sorcerers, lobbers(they toss rocks at you over dungeonwalls, then flee), demons (fireball shoot-ers), grunts (creeps with clubs), and ghosts(they hit you once, then disappear). Youcan gain extra pickup power that enablesyou to carry as many as 15 items, extrafighting power for increased hand-to-handcombat ability, extra shot power to in-crease your missile damage to opponents,extra shot speed to make your missiles flylike rockets, extra magic power to boostpotion effects, and extra armor. Otheritems you might find on the dungeonlevels include an amulet that turns youinvisible for a short time, treasure chests,food, keys, transporters, nasty traps, cider,and poison that looks like cider.

Cooperation in the treasure rooms gar-ners the most points for all concerned,and the best way to destroy the monstergenerators is to shoot them. The exits todiffering levels are labeled. Though yourpartner is immune to your own shots orattacks, there are areas in Gauntlet whereyou can stun or injure your compatriot.The Macintosh II version has an optionsmenu that not only identifies each mon-ster and its capabilities, but it also has atreasure screen that identifies the goodiesyou find.

Gauntlet is a great example of arcadingexcellence. It shows that the Apple Macin-tosh II computer is reaching far beyondthe work-a-day world and is a computer fitfor superb gaming. Gauntlet is one arcadegoodie that should find its way to anygamer�s Macintosh. Versions are also avail-able for C64/128, Atari B-bit, Atari ST,Apple II family, Apple IIGS, and PC/MS-DOScomputers.

Dragon Bytes

Mindscape, Inc.3444 Dundee RoadNorthbrook IL 60062(312) 480-7667

Trust and Betrayal: The Legacy ofSibot * * * * ½Apple Macintosh version $49.95

Chris Crawford, known for his gamedesign, has succeeded again. Trust andBetrayal: The Legacy of Sibot is one ofChris�s �mind games.� However, as is thecase with all of Chris�s games, Trust andBetrayal is not for the novice game player.In fact, it may not even be for theadvanced game player. Trust and Betrayalis complicated!

The player is a character called Vetvel,who is one of seven acolytes on Kira, amoon of the Planet Lamina. The colony onKira is all that is left of Lamina�s civiliza-tion after a nuclear war. The Kirians aretelepathic and therein lies the foundationof Trust and Betrayal. The job of theplayer is to obtain new telepathic powersby acquiring eight auras of three types.The three aura types are tanaga, katsin,and shial, and each aura has its own set ofspecial properties. Auras are mental prop-erties associated with telepathy. The gameis played between acolytes trying to ac-quire the perfect 8-8-8 set of auras.

The telepathic battles occur at nightwhile you are asleep. Your spirit travels tothe Land of Auras where you encounterthe spirits of other acolytes. Each aura hasits own set of special properties. During atelepathic battle, you wrap yourself in oneof these auras, as does your opponent.Defeating an aura is like playing the oldgame of Rock, Paper, Scissors. In Trust andBetrayal, a tanaga aura will defeat a katsinaura, a katsin aura defeats a shial aura,and a shial aura defeats a tanaga aura.Confusing? It can be, but once you startplaying, the rules of the game are easy toremember. You try to play the aura thatwill defeat the aura of your opponent,thus gaining auras you have in short sup-ply. The tricks are to learn how manyauras your potential opponent has and toanticipate which aura he will use in battle.

Trust and Betrayal is won or lost in yourdialogs with other characters and acolytes.You must use such attributes as tact, blus-ter, and friendliness in order to learn whois trustworthy and who is not. You alsolearn about the auras the other acolyteshave and might use.

As difficult as it is, Trust and Betrayal isan interactive human-relationship game.As a player, you gain advantages by learn-ing as much as you can about each charac-ter you encounter. Like life, Trust andBetrayal relies heavily on a player�s intui-tion and insight. Continued play whileincreasing the difficulty level increasesyour understanding of relationships andhow they affect the game.

Trust and Betrayal is a superior concoc-

ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and theTSR logo are trademarks owned by and usedunder license from TSR, Inc. © 1989 TSR, Inc. AllRights Reserved.

DRAGON 71

ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and theTSR logo are trademarks owned by and usedunder license from TSR, Inc. © 1989 TSR, inc. AllRights Reserved.

72 OCTOBER 1989

tion of a game. It is fun yet serious. Itsdifficulty will scare away many players,which is unfortunate. In some respects,Trust and Betrayal reminds me of theOriental game, GO, as the latter�s philo-sophical and psychological underpinningsare similar to Trust and Betrayal. For gameplayers who like a challenge and enjoy a�head trip,� Trust and Betrayal: The Legacyof Sibot is a must.

Mark D. Veljkov

Melbourne House711 West 17th Street, Unit G9Costa Mesa CA 92627(714) 631-1001

Barbarian ****

PC/MS-DOS version $39.99You are Hegor, the most famous dragon

slayer of all in a time and place long ago.You saw a dragon kill your father whenyou were a child, and you have sworn toavenge his death. Now the kingdom is inturmoil as children disappear at night andhomes are burned to the ground. The kingoffers his crown and riches to whoevercan stop this terrible trouble. So the ad-venture begins�and Barbarian is fun. Themonsters don�t appear so quickly thatthere isn�t time to catch your breath.Barbarian is proof that there are goodadventures for PC/MS-DOS machines thatconsider a variety of graphics modes. Thisgame is available for Amiga, C64/128, andApple IIGS computers.

Courtney Harrington

News and new products

Broderbund Software (415-492-3200)has released Licence to Kill. In the com-puter game, the player is Agent 007, whofights across land, sea, and air to defeat adrug lord. The player pilots helicopters inpursuit of planes and jeeps, swims withsharks, dodges bullets, water-skis with aharpoon gun, and chases oil tankers in acrop duster. The game is scheduled forrelease in formats for PC/MS-DOS, Com-modore Amiga, Atari ST ($34.951, and C64/128 ($29.95) computers,

Carmen Sandiego travels far into thepast in her best-selling series. In the formof an exciting detective chase, Where inTime is Carmen Sandiego? highlights lead-ing people, events, and inventions of thepast 1,500 years. The program is sched-uled for release this fall in PC/MS-DOS andApple II versions, for $44.95 each. In thisfourth adventure, Carmen Sandiego andher gang have a time machine that allowsthem to go back in time, from A.D. 400 tothe 1950s. She�s now dispatching gangmembers to Spain in 1492 to steal QueenIsabella�s jewels, and to visit England in1215 to snatch the Magna Carta. Not to beoutdone, the Acme Detective Agency hasdeveloped a time machine of its own. Theplayer takes the part of a detective whomust round up the renegades. To help

interpret clues, the game comes with a1,300-page reference book, The NewAmerican Library Desk Encyclopedia.There is also an on-line graphic databaseof historical clues.

Data East (408-286-7074) has releasedHeavy Barrel in formats for C64/128 andPC/MS-DOS computers, for $29.95 and$39.95 respectively. The player must re-capture the underground control complexof a nuclear missile site occupied by ter-rorists before the terrorists launch themissiles. The terrorists have tanks, treach-erous waterways, and bridges, as well asthe only weapon capable of dismantlingtheir organization: the Heavy Barrel, themost powerful gun ever created. However,a clever technician dismantled HeavyBarrel before the terrorist invasion, andit�s in pieces hidden inside the installation.The player must move quickly to locateand reassemble the weapon, which isstored in six different lockers. The playermust find the keys to each locker, find thelockers, and reassemble Heavy Barrelwithout being detected. He must theneliminate the terrorist leader and regaincontrol of the complex.

Interplay Productions (714-549-2411)has released Dragon Wars, set in the hu-mid world of Oceana, 85% of whose sur-face is covered with water and is dottedwith islands. Play begins as you and aparty of pilgrims set out on a voyage for aholy land in search of a better life. Alongthe way, the ship docks at a harbor forsupplies�but you and your party aredragged off the ship by merciless guards,imprisoned, and stripped of everythingbut your wits. You are confined to Purga-tory, a prison-city created by King Drakeof Phoebus.

The once kind and good King Drake hasbegun conquering surrounding islands inan apparent effort to rule Oceana, whichhas never known a unified government.He has declared, without reason, that allmagic is forbidden. Several islandsthreaten to unleash their guardian drag-ons: beasts that are believed to be themightiest deterrent of attack and the mostdestructive force in Oceana. The playermust learn why magic is illegal and stopDrake�s conquest. Dragon Wars featuresan easy-to-use pop-up window environ-ment, supports characters from Bard�sTale I, II, and III, and has automapping, sothere�s no need for graph paper. DragonWars is available for the Apple II computerfor $49.95. A version for the C64/128 costs$44.95, and one for PC/MS-DOS machineswill be released this fall.

Lucasfilm Games (415-662-1800) willsoon release Loom, a fantasy adventuregame. A unique feature of Loom is agraphic interface that dispenses entirelywith text commands and menus, relyinginstead on icons and music. The setting forLoom is the Age of Great Guilds, a mythi-cal time when shepherds, blacksmiths, andglassmakers ruled the world. Its unlikelyhero is Bobbin, a young member of the

mysterious Guild of Weavers, who findshimself playing the pivotal role in a mightyconflict between good and evil. As thegame opens, Bobbin is alone in his Weavervillage. The Elders of the Guild have mys-teriously disappeared, swept away by anunknown force. All Bobbin can do issearch for clues. When he finds a Weaver�sdistaff, the magic of Loom begins. On thescreen, the distaff, resembling a roughwalking stick, appears under the graphicswindow. Divided into eight segments, eachrelated to a musical note, the distaff bothdetects and weaves magical spells. Loom isscheduled for release for PC/MS-DOS,Amiga, and Atari ST computers.

MicroProse (301-771-1151) will releaseSword of the Samurai for PC/MS-DOSmachines. The game will follow the Micro-Prose fantasy/role-playing traditions firstestablished with the award-winning Pi-rates! game. Atmosphere is emphasized aswell as an accurate portrayal of historicalJapanese culture. Players take on the roleof an ambitious young Samurai seeking tomove up the military and social ladders.By first becoming daimyo, or lord of hisclan, the Samurai begins a dramatic climbto power that can ultimately lead to thetitle of Shogun, ruler of all Japan.

Omnitrend Software (203-658-6917)has made available the latest installment inthe Universe series: Universe 3. Universe 3is a graphics oriented science fiction ad-venture game. Using a set of commandboxes, the player can control charactersand objects without typing words on thekeyboard. A complete set of icons on thescreen allow the player to move aroundthe game. Combined, these icons andcommand boxes create a unique, elegantinterface that makes Universe 3 stand outfrom ordinary adventure games. The PC/MS-DOS price is $49.95. Versions for theCommodore Amiga and Atari ST will alsoappear this year.

Origin Systems (603-644-3360) hasOmega scheduled to appear this year.You�ll design futuristic cybertanks andcompete in free-for-all or team combat ona simulated battlefield. The game will beavailable for PC/MS-DOS,- C64/128, AppleIIGS, Macintosh, Commodore Amiga, andAtari ST computers at a price of $49.95.Omega starts the player as a cyberneticengineer for the Organization of StrategicIntelligence, the worlds leader in militarycybernetic applications. Players mustdesign a cybertank�s chassis, artificialintelligence, integrated weapons technol-ogy, and electronics equipment to createthe supreme cybertank. Cybertank designsare then tested in simulated combatagainst OSI cybertanks. Success on thebattlefield leads to higher security levelsand increased budgets for new designs.

Origin has also announced the release ofWindwalker, a new role-playing game withanimated martial arts action. Windwalkercombines elements of classic fantasy role-playing with real-time, animated, martial-arts combat sequences and authentically

depicted acrobatic and gymnastic move-ments. Players encounter a variety ofcharacters in palaces, monasteries, pago-das, and countryside. It features over 100characters and a full-scrolling terrain withmore than 100 different settings andscenes. Windwalker will be available in fallfor IBM-PC/Tandy and compatibles, AppleII series, C64/128, Macintosh, and Amigacomputers for $39.95.

From Videotakes (201-528-5000) comesa videocassette that explains the secrets ofNintendo compatible games. Loaded withsecret passwords, winning strategies, andamazing tricks for your favorite games,this videocassette includes the secrets ofDouble Dragon, Contra, Blaster Master,Rambo, Simon�s Quest, Life Force, MetalGear, Iron Tank, and dozens of other topgames. All tricks, codes, and strategies aredemonstrated by the U.S. National VideoTeam. The tape runs 60 minutes and costs$19.95.

Clue corner

Eternal Dagger (SSI)In order to enter Avlis�s Tower, you must

have the Bag of Winds from the eagles.Plus, you must have 20 copper pieces.They MUST be copper; gold won�t do!

To find the princess, follow the hallwayuntil you come to double doors. Gothrough these doors and battle your waythrough the nursery that you�ll find be-yond a second set of double doors. At thebottom of the nursery is another doorway.Go through it. You�ll enter a storeroom.Don�t bother searching the wall, but DOsearch the shelf. You should find a peg,which you should turn. A secret door willbecome exposed in the northwest part ofthe wall which can only be opened afteryou�ve turned the peg. Go through thesecret door, and you�ll encounter dragon-men. Battle them and, if you win, marchright through an illusory wall that repre-sents itself as the eastern section of thenorth wall. Once through the illusory wall,you�ll find the princess.

The way to win this game is to destroythe globe.

Legacy of the Ancients (Electronic Arts)1. When you begin the game, view the

Fountain and Thornberry. This will placeyou in that town and net you 200 in gold.

2. ALWAYS speak to encounters in thewilderness: those that will let you, that is.

3. Visit the fortune teller often.4. Play blackjack instead of flip-flop; the

odds of winning are better.5. The museum caretaker knows many

things.6. When you receive a topaz coin, go to

the native currency exhibit. Each time youvisit it, you will receive approximately2,000 gold pieces.

7. Each dungeon has eight levels. Alwaysuse the XAMINE command on new pas-

Continued on page 95

ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and theTSR logo are trademarks owned by and usedunder license from TSR, Inc. © 1989 TSR, Inc. AllRights Reserved.

DRAGON 73

74 OCTOBER 1989

DRAGON 75

DarkestSecrets

What you don�t know could kill

you in the TOP SECRET/S.I.� game

by Marcus L. Rowland

TSR�s TOP SECRET/S.I.� character-generation system,suggests some interesting possibilities for creative ref-ereeing that aren�t explicitly developed. One aspect caneasily add many new facets to the game: the advan-tages and disadvantages discussed in chapter 2 of thePlayers Guide. The rules require player characters totake one advantage and one disadvantage, and option-ally allow multiple advantages and disadvantages. Play-ers always know that their PCs have these traits�butin the real world, we don�t always know everythingabout ourselves. Can anyone be absolutely sure that hedoesn�t have a secret enemy, unknown admirer, unsus-pected allergy, or hidden talent?

An additional optional rule can be used to allow forsuch surprises: At the Administrator�s discretion, andwith the player�s consent, the Administrator may se-cretly award an agreed number of points in advan-tages and disadvantages to each PC, but withoutinitially revealing their effects to the players. Thesetraits are recorded by the Administrator, not the play-ers, and their effects are only revealed in play.

For example, a player might agree to take five pointsin unknown disadvantages to buy five extra skill points,or to gain an unknown three-point advantage and anunknown three-point disadvantage. The Administratorneeds to do some extra record-keeping, but the effect isto add a little more tension, always useful in an adven-ture game like this one. Usually, secret advantages anddisadvantages are more specific than their overt equiva-lents; for example, someone would know that he wasafraid of dogs but might not know about his fear of oc-topi until an octopus was encountered.

78 OCTOBER 1989Illustration by Terry Dykstra

The remainder of this article describessecret versions of some of the PlayersGuide advantages and disadvantages,including some new ones. In some cases,you may need to refer to descriptions inthe Players Guide. The Administratorshould try to ensure that these secrets areoccasionally important; they are meaning-less if they are never used. To ensure theirsecrecy, the Administrator should changesome of these secrets slightly in game playor even add new ones.

Secret advantagesAcute smell (1 point): The PC is very

sensitive to a specific scent (e.g., jasmine,chloroform), even if it is very weak. Hewill automatically notice it without makingan INT check. In all other respects, hissense of smell is normal with no modifiersto INT rolls. The Administrator choosesthe scent when allocating this advantage.The PC has no knowledge of this abilityuntil the scent is first encountered andwon�t automatically know what has beensmelled.

Acute taste (1 point): The PC is sensi-tive to the taste of a specific chemical ordrug (e.g., cocaine, chloral hydrate) inextremely small concentrations and willautomatically detect the substance withoutmaking an INT check. In all other respects,his sense of taste is normal. The Adminis-trator chooses the chemical; the PC isunaware of this ability until the chemicalis first encountered and won�t necessarilyknow what is being tasted.

Animal friendship (1 point): The PC isunusually attractive to one specific class ofanimals (e.g., snakes), which will neverharm the PC unless such creatures areattacked first. This advantage can be com-bined with a contrasting phobia or allergy,with amusing results; for example, catsseem to like to be near people who areallergic to them. A PC won�t know that hehas this ability until he encounters theanimal, and it can�t be improved by theAnimal Training skill.

Bilingual background (1 point): Thisis a forgotten ability; the PC learned asecond language as a child (e.g., he wasbrought up in China) but forgot it forsome traumatic reason (e.g., the death of aparent caused a sudden move to anothercountry). Nothing of that language is re-membered on a conscious level. The PChas the language skill at zero level, but anequally traumatic triggering event (e.g.,torture by Chinese agents) is required tobring it into play. If the PC tries to learnthis language before the block is resolved,it�s much harder than usual; all languagechecks are at -10%! The Administratorselects the language and triggering eventwhen the PC is generated.

Language ability (1 point): This is atraumatically blocked version of the nor-mal Language Ability; the PC has an un-conscious gift for languages, but someforgotten event (e.g., a hostile teacher atschool) has stopped conscious use of this

talent. A triggering event or psychother-apy may remove the block. Until then, thePC learns languages normally. The Admin-istrator selects a suitable trigger event(e.g., the death of the teacher is reportedin a school newsletter) when allocatingthis advantage.

Obscure knowledge (1-2 points): ThePC has a limited form of the usual ObscureKnowledge skill. For example, a knowl-edge of an old science-fiction TV seriesmight be worth one point and a broadknowledge of science fiction two points.Introduce this skill at an appropriate mo-ment; the PC always had it but neverthought of it as a useful talent until theneed arose. It�s up to the Administrator toensure that this talent is actually helpfuloccasionally; perhaps the agents mustinfiltrate a group of Trekkies with plansfor global domination.

Wealth (1-3 points): The PC is unknow-ingly rich, being the lost heir to some vastestate, owner of some forgotten sharesthat have rocketed in value, or holder ofthe winning ticket in the Peruvian nationallottery.

1 point: Potential annual income of$10,000.

2 points: Potential annual income of$50,000.

3 points: Potential annual income of$100,000.

Each level of wealth costs one point lessthan in the normal form of this advantage,because PCs start with no income fromthis advantage and should encounterdifficulties in claiming their rightfulriches. And don�t forget the tax man.

New advantagesConnection in high places (1-3

points): This can be either a normal orsecret advantage. The PC has unusuallinks to an NPC holding influential office:

1 point: Mayor, low-level diplomat, etc.2 points: Senator, member of Parliament,

Congressman, senior diplomat, etc.3 points: President, Prime Minister,

ambassador, etc.If this advantage is used normally, the

link is known to the PC and may be com-mon knowledge (e.g., the two share acommon background at school or in thearmed services, are related by blood ormarriage, etc.). If this advantage is secret,the PC doesn�t know about the relation-ship but the NPC does (e.g., the PC is theillegitimate son of a senator). The PC won�tknow why he occasionally receives prefer-ential treatment, such as early promotion,and he can�t ask for favors from hishelper.

Criminal connection (1-4 points):This can be a normal or secret advantage.The PC has unusual links to a criminal NPC:

1 point: Minor thug, street criminal, etc.2 points: City-level criminal (e.g., orga-

nized crime boss).3 points: National crime leader (e.g.,

organized crime �godfather�).

4 points: Head of international criminalorganization (e.g., leader of a terrorist orcriminal group planning to hold the worldto ransom, etc.).

Normally, the link is known to the PCand may be common knowledge (e.g., thetwo share a common background in theold neighborhood, are related by blood ormarriage, etc.). These connections willhelp the PC by providing equipment,thugs, or information to the limits of theirresources, provided that the PC isn�t try-ing to interfere with �business.� If theadvantage is secret, the PC doesn�t knowabout the relationship but the NPC does(e.g., the PC is married to the illegitimatechild of a Mafia chieftain). This may occa-sionally mean that NPCs try to destroy aPC they would normally help, but no truemaster criminal would let such sentimen-tal details stand in the way of business.

Contacts everywhere (2 points): Thisis best described as the Indiana Jonesadvantage; the PC knows someone in anyarea, though the person known is rarelyas useful or reliable as the connectionsdescribed previously. For example, AgentX needs to investigate a gang of Parisianthugs; he checks his address book, and theAdministrator says that he finds the num-ber of a gendarme he once met at a policeconference in Miami. Contacts aren�t nec-essarily friendly and may occasionallyprove to belong to rival organizations.

If the advantage is secret, the PC meetssuch acquaintances with no advance warn-ing. A PC with this advantage might crasha plane in the desert, encounter nomads,then discover that he and the Arab chief-tain once went to the same university.

Reputation (1-3 points): People respectthe agent. A one-point advantage meansthat senior officials of the PC�s agencyrespect the PC; two points mean thateveryone in the agency admires the PC;and three points mean that other alliedagencies respect the PC. The NPCs con-cerned will do their best to ensure that thePC gets the best equipment, good seats onairliners, comfortable hotel rooms, etc.Reputation also acts as a modifier on reac-tion rolls; each point adds 5% to WILwhen trying to persuade or coerce some-one who is aware of the agent�s reputation.

If this is a secret advantage, the PC isunaware of the preferential treatment.Don�t all agents get rooms at the Ritz?Doesn�t everyone�s Walther PPK have ivoryinlay on the grips? Naturally, players willcatch on in time; if they start to expectpreferential treatment or to abuse it, youshould reduce the points in this advantageor offset them with the Notoriety disad-vantage that follows.

Supernatural help (2, 4, or 6 points):This is an extremely rare advantage thatshould only be used if it fits the setting ofyour campaign, and then only if playerswill not abuse it. The PC has supernaturalpowers or contacts.

2 points: The PC is a medium and canoccasionally obtain information from the

DRAGON 79

Beyond by intense concentration, hypno-sis, seances, etc.

4 points: The PC can frequently tap intomystic information sources with relativeease. Remember that supernatural infor-mation won�t be admissible in court!

6 points: The PC has a spiritcompanion�a helpful ghost! Naturally,there should be strict limits on the useful-ness of such a powerful advantage; mostghosts are described as unable to movelarge objects, unable to appear in daylight,etc. Most people should be unable to seeor hear the spirit. Ghosts may be able tomove small objects and supply limitedamounts of information, but they shouldbe undependable allies, easily offended ordistracted.

If you want to make this a secret advan-tage, the PC isn�t consciously aware ofsuch help. The 2-point and 4-point advan-tages should be presented as luckyguesses, the 6-point advantage is pre-sented as a combination of hallucinationsand lucky accidents. Alternatively, thispower might only come into use aftersome preselected traumatic event, such asthe death of a friend or after training byan NPC mystic.

Secret disadvantagesAllergies (1-2 points): These work

exactly like normal allergies, but the PC isunaware of them until they occur. Secretallergies always relate to relatively ob-scure substances, so they can�t be worththree points (for a common severe effect),since the PC would know about the allergyif the triggering substance was common.For example, a PC might be unaware of anallergy to bearskin until he impersonated aCanadian fur trapper.

Cowardice (2 points): The PC isn�tafraid of every source of danger, but hehas an exaggerated fear of one form ofattack or one particular attacker, and hemust make a WIL check to avoid freezingor fleeing in panic. For example, a PCmight have an unusual fear of razors,guns, ninja, chain saws, etc. The Adminis-trator should not choose the attack formor attacker until the PC has been woundedat least once; it seems likely that thetrauma of a wound will cause such a deep-rooted fear. Perhaps Agent X was onceseverely beaten by Otto Schlumpf, a sadis-tic East German hit man. He now has anirrational fear of Schlumpf and must makea WIL check whenever he is encountered.If Schlumpf is killed, the Administratormust find a new nemesis, such asSchlumpf�s brother, etc.

Ego signature (2 points): The PC isunconsciously leaving behind clues such aschewed pencil stubs, distinctive cigaretteends, gum wrappers folded into complexorigami shapes, etc. These clues aren�t asreadily traceable as those left by PCs withthe normal disadvantage of this type butmay still reveal a lot to forensic science.

Enemy (1, 2, or 4 points): This is anunknown enemy, someone that the PC

80 OCTOBER 1989

knows nothing about. For example, thewife of someone the agent has killed mighttry to get revenge by discrediting the PC (1point). A lone survivor of a gang that hasapparently been wiped out might try tokill the agent who uncovered them (2points). A large or dangerous organizationmight have an obscure reason to seekrevenge on a hapless agent (4 points). In allother respects, this is identical to thenormal Enemy disadvantage, but it maytake some time to learn who is involvedand why the PC is being attacked.

Phobia (1 point): This is identical to anormal phobia, but the PC has no con-scious knowledge of the disability. It canonly be a one-point phobia (the fear of arare or unlikely occurrence or object),because the PC would know about any-thing that occurred more frequently. Fearof tigers or fear of nuclear weapons (seenclose up) are suitably rare; PCs are un-likely to run into either in everyday life.

Traumatic flashbacks (2 points): Aswith phobias, secret flashbacks can onlybe triggered by some rare occurrence.The PC would have learned to expect theflashbacks if the triggering circumstancewas at all common.

Vision impairment (2 points): The PCis unknowingly suffering from some sortof visual abnormality (such as tunnel vi-sion) that hasn�t yet been diagnosed. Rollunder ½ skill when using any skill thatdepends on the aspect of vision involved inthe disability. Naturally, this disadvantageshouldn�t be combined with any incompat-ible visual advantage.

New disadvantagesDyslexia (1 point): The PC isn�t illiter-

ate, but he has trouble reading and mak-ing sense of what has been read. When-ever anything is read, the PC must rollunder INT to understand it, or make alanguage roll under ½ normal skill whendealing with another language. If the rollis failed, give the PC slightly misleadinginformation, such as a wrongly spelledaddress or formula, or a telephone num-ber with two digits transposed. If this is asecret disadvantage, avoid tipping off thePC too quickly by asking all players tomake INT or language rolls wheneveranything is read (but ignore the results fornormal PCs).

Notoriety (1, 2, or 3 points): The PC hasa poor reputation from a record of damag-ing accidents, mistakes, or unnecessaryviolence. A one-point disadvantage meansthat senior officials of the agency dislikethe PC; two points mean that everyone inthe agency despises the PC; and threepoints mean that other allied agencies areaware of the PC�s reputation. The NPCsconcerned will do their best to ensure thatthe PC gets the worst equipment, lousyseats on airliners, uncomfortable hotelrooms, etc. Notoriety also acts as a modi-fier on reaction rolls; each point takes 5%off WIL when trying to persuade or co-erce someone who is aware of the agent�s

poor status.If this is a secret disadvantage, the PC is

unaware of the unfavorable treatment. It�sodd that all the other agents get rooms atthe Ritz and Walther PPKs with ivory inlayon the grips, while the PC stays at rat-infested boarding houses and is issued arusty Luger, but there are bound to beoccasional administrative foulups.

Naturally, players will catch on in timeand may attempt to buy off this disadvan-tage by acts of heroism and other activitiesthat tend to improve their reputations.Encourage the other agents to accusethem of being glory hogs or claim thattheir grand-standing endangers the team!

Unearned fame (1, 2, or 4 points): Thisis the gunfighter�s disadvantage. There�salways someone out there who wants togain fame by taking out the champion.

1 point: The reputation is only slightlyexaggerated (e.g., the PC is rumored to bea black belt in karate, not just a reasonablycompetent martial artist).

2 points: Gross exaggeration of oneability (e.g., there are stories that the PCcan hit a fly with a single bullet at 50�,when the PC can barely hit a car at thatrange).

4 points: This is bad news. For somereason, the PC is treated as a virtual super-man, hypercompetent in every area ofphysical and mental activity. This is veryconfusing if the PC happens to be a rookieagent on his first assignment! These situa-tions can be the result of mistaken iden-tity, agency or media hype, exaggeration,or misleading records. An agent might begiven an impressive record to decoy theopposition and draw fire while the realmaster spy does the dirty work. If this is asecret disadvantage, the PC learns of itonly when challengers start to crawl outof the woodwork, eager to take on the�master agent.� If this seems at all exagger-ated, remember that there are quite, a few.people around named James Bond, andmost have trouble if they have to gothrough Customs or deal with other offi-cials! [I never have any trouble.�Theeditor].

Have You Resubscribed?

If you subscribe to DRAGON® Mag-azine, check the brown mailingwrapper in which this issue arrived.If the wrapper has a subscriptionwarning on it, send your mailinglabel, a subscription card from thisissue, and a check or money orderto: DRAGON Magazine Subscrip-tions, TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 72089,Chicago IL 60678.

DRAGON is a trademark of TSR, Inc.©1988 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

DRAGON 81

A Final Frontierof Your Own

by John J. Terra

Illustration by Jim Holloway82 OCTOBER 1989

Campaign creationfor FASA�s STARTREK®: The RolePlaying Game

Captain�s Log, U.S.S. Valiant, CaptainKoren Anastas reporting; Reference Star-date 2/2202.11: It has been 36 hours sinceFirst Officer Yoshitomo Karasuma, ChiefEngineer Stephen Decataur, Chief ScienceOfficer Kai-Jasik, and Dr. Trisha Steubenbeamed down to the surface of GammaDraconis IV We have lost contact withthem, but we face an even greater prob-lem. The IKV Leading Sword, a KlingonD-10 heavy cruiser, has taken up an orbittrailing our position. The captain of thatvessel has a personal grudge against me. Ican do little about it, as Starfleet has in-structed us not to initiate hostilities. I darenot lower my shields to beam down asearch party, since this will leave my ves-sel vulnerable to the Klingons. These nextfew hours will sorely test my commandabilities, and I pray that I will not be foundwanting.

By now you must be wondering who onearth (or anywhere else in space) is KorenAnastas, and what is the U.S.S. Valiant? Toabout two dozen people, the U.S.S. Valiantis a ship as familiar as the legendary U.S.S.Enterprise is to all of Trekdom. It is anEnterprise - class vessel around which aparticular STAR TREK® The Role PlayingGame campaign revolves. A campaign isthe best way to play this game, and thisarticle will show how to run one.

Why a campaign?FASA Corporation has published many

STAR TREK game modules that containready-to-play PCs and their ships. Whilethis is certainly convenient and good forthose who play only once in a while, it is not helpful to those who want a continu-ous campaign.

Players of other role-playing systemshave enjoyed the satisfaction of creatingPCs from their own imaginations andplaying them. After playing one characterrepeatedly, the player can see the PC growin strength and experience. A personalitydevelops, making the PC a believable en-tity. It becomes a source of pride and asymbol of accomplishment.

For the STAR TREK game, this principleapplies in more detail. Imagine a lieuten-ant PC in the Helm department who isplayed often enough to rise in rank toChief Helmsman. Further into the cam-paign, the ship�s First Officer resigns, andthe Captain chooses the Chief Helmsmanto replace her. Eventually, the Captainretires and our humble former lieutenant

now rises to the rank of Captain and takescommand of the vessel. Can you imaginehow richly developed such a PC is? Thinkof what this PC has been through and thestories he can tell!

It gets even better. The previously men-tioned U.S.S. Valiant was assigned to mycampaign group as a Constitution - classvessel. The campaign�s beginning stardatewas mutually agreed to be the time thatCaptain Kirk and the U.S.S. Enterprisereturned from their five-year mission.Time progressed, and the ship was eventu-ally converted to a powerful Enterprise-class vessel (as per Star Trek: The MotionPicture). For about a year, while the U.S.S.Valiant underwent her conversion, thecrew was reassigned to a dinky transport/espionage vessel. The crew developed aquick appreciation for its old ship, andeveryone was overjoyed when reunitedwith her. (It is easy to see why Kirk was soattached to his own ship.) But in time, theU.S.S. Valiant was retired because of exces-sive wear and tear. The campaign nowcenters on the Excelsior-class battleship,the U.S.S. Excalibur, NCC 2004. Ships, too,develop lives of their own.

In short, a campaign allows the develop-ment of PCs and events. It gives the play-ers goals, whether to seek the head of adepartment or the command of a starship.The campaign approach gives a sense ofconsistency and continuity which makesthe game resemble �real life� a bit more.Friends are made, contacts are estab-lished, and, inevitably, enemies are cre-ated. Events that help mold each PC�spersonality occur, helping the PC�s historygrow to the size of a small novel.

Getting things readyBefore starting a campaign, the game

master (GM) should become as well versedin as many aspects of Star Trek as possible.There are several different science-fictionrole-playing games on the market, but onlyone Star Trek environment. It is notenough for a GM to know science fiction;the GM must be able to capture the feel ofStar Trek.

The sourcebooks that FASA Corporationpublishes are top priority. The books mostneeded in addition to the game itself arethe Star Trek III and Star Trek IV Source-book Updates, and the Klingon, Romulan,Federation, and Orion sourcebooks andship recognition manuals. These booksenable the GM to start his campaign any-where in the Federation and at any pointin history from the beginning of Kirksfive-year mission to his demotion fromadmiral back to captain, commanding anew U.S.S. Enterprise.

Other sourcebook and reference materi-als are helpful but not essential unlessyour campaign is geared in these direc-tions. These materials include: Tradercaptains and Merchant Princes, the Trian-gle Sourcebook and Triangle CampaignBook, and the Star Fleet Intelligence Man-ual. Note: Trader Captains and MerchantPrinces includes a little-known but much

desired bit of information�how much aStarfleet officer gets paid!

The Star Trek: The Next GenerationOfficers Manual is only needed if youwant hard data on new Starfleet vessels.From a game-mechanics standpoint, itgives little information on a campaign setin the timeline of the new television series.

If your campaign includes ship battlesand you want them to be �realistically�portrayed, the Star Trek Starship CombatTactical Simulator is a good investment.

Watching episodes of the old series givesyou the flavor of the Star Trek environ-ment and terminology. The movies are amust. As far as the dozens of Star Treknovels are concerned, many are not con-sistent with the actual Star Trek universe-�or with each other, for that matter. Still,any Star Trek novels by John M. Ford,Diane Duane, or Vonda McIntyre are fairlyconsistent and worthwhile.

Timing is everythingThe next thing you should decide on is

the time period in which the campaign istaking place. Between the beginning of theold series and the end of the fourth movie,approximately 16 years have passed. Dur-ing that time, Federation technology hasimproved and political situations havechanged. New worlds have been admittedto the UFP the Organians have stoppedenforcing the Organian Treaty, and ProjectGenesis has caused a galactic uproar.

The ship recognition manuals becomevaluable tools in showing the smart GMwhich ships were available at what pointsin history. It can be very embarrassing tobe caught using Spacedock a full decadebefore its completion! The Federation ShipRecognition Manual shows, for instance,when each Constitution-class vessel wasrefitted to Enterprise - class, if ever.

The timing also dictates which Starfleetuniform is in use. It might be the old series�vintage velour shirts in red, blue or gold(nice), the pastel pajamas of the first movie(gross), or the maroon tunics used in therest of the movies (sharp!). There are differ-ent models of phasers, communicators, andtricorders. Even environmental suits rangefrom the old series� laughable space suits tothe much better ones used in Star Trek II:The Wrath of Khan.

Of course, relations with Star Trek�sfavorite race of villains, the Klingons,change slightly. It varies from the Klingonssaying �I�ll kill you now!� to �I�ll kill you ifthe Organians are not looking!� to �I�llmaim you now and kill you later; give meGenesis!� The lifting of the OrganianTreaty becomes a very crucial point inhistory, enabling unrestrained ship battlesamong the major powers.

The only consequence of starting yourcampaign in the early years of the saga isthat the PCs will grow old. By the timeyour campaign reaches the date of thefourth movie, your group will be ready toplay �Geriatrics in Space.� If the PCs beginat a relatively young age, this effect willnot be too bad, but it also means that their

DRAGON 83

initial influence on the ship will be less.Limiting the number of tours in the PCs�histories will give the campaign a youngerthough less-experienced crew.

Choosing your shipShip selection is something that the GM

and players can enjoy together. Naturally,the size of the group should affect the sizeof the ship. An Enterprise-class cruiserneeds more department heads than does aNelson-class scout ship.

Personally, I recommend an Enterpriseclass vessel. Not only is it a recognizableship to even the most casual player, it isalso a versatile ship that will not blow upthe first time it is fired upon. Once again,the Federation Ship Recognition Manual isa must. It gives a full list of Constitution-and Enterprise-class vessels including hullnumbers, refit dates, and special notes.The manual also addresses the Reliant-class research cruiser, which is anothergood choice for a campaign vessel. Trulynasty GMs can assign a vessel that is fatedto be destroyed or scrapped at a certaindate, and then create an adventure whenthis happens! If such a dastardly type ofGM exists, it is hoped that he would bekind enough to give the PCs a fightingchance to survive, as well as ensure thatthe PCs do not read about their own fu-tures beforehand.

The disadvantage of a large ship be-

comes painfully obvious to any GM whosemind is one step ahead of his players. Aship of such tremendous power needssome challenging assignments.

If your players are of the hack-and-slashvariety, you could always assign them aMilitary Operations Command vessel suchas a Loknar - class frigate or a Larson-classdestroyer. Ships of these two classes arealso listed in the Federation Ship Recogni-tion Manual by hull number and name,and are all excellent ships.

Please do not initially assign the PCssomething like an Excelsior-class battle-ship! This is the equivalent of an AD&D®game�s DM assigning his players + 5 ar-mor, weapons, and rings at 1st level, orlike a TOP SECRET/S.I.� game�s Adminis-trator assigning his rookie agents Uzis,M16s, and ultra high-tech helicopters.

Reviewing the crewThe next step is to get a crew assembled.

The STAR TREK game requires a com-mand hierarchy of a Captain, First Officer,and Department Heads. There is no needto elect a party leader as in other games.The Captain is the leader, and everyonehad better darn well listen to him or elseconsign themselves to an unglamorousfate of serving on an ore freighter.

This structure makes the Captain andFirst Officer the most crucial persons onthe ship. The rules in the STAR TREK

game recommend that the GM select thetwo people for those positions, and this isa sound idea. But whom do you choose?

Some say that the best leaders are thosewho do not actively seek to lead. Goodleaders do not chase after positions ofpower and glory, and they are the onesyou want for command duties. The GMneeds to select two people who are goodat making decisions and giving orderswithout ego tripping. They need to elicittrust from the other PCs and be able totrust them to do their own jobs. The lead-ers should be team players who inspirecooperation and not chaos.

Think about the implications of com-manding an Enterprise - class vessel. Thisship has enough firepower to devastate aplanet. It contains over 400 NPCs and 6-12PCs. One wrong decision and all thosepeople, including the PCs that the playerstook years to develop, become space dust.That is a big responsibility. Leaders mustfirst be servants, and the lesson is as rele-vant in gaming as it is in real life. Thecommanders must put their personalinterests behind those of their crew andthe ship. The best leader is not &tin-plated, swaggering dictator with delusionsof godhood.

Choosing the First Officer is just as im-portant as choosing the Captain. Remem-ber, if the Captain is disabled, the FirstOfficer assumes command. The perfect

DRAGON 85

First Officer does not interfere with hisCaptain�s duty. Rather, he supports hiscommanding officer, giving advice whenasked. A good First Officer also acts as aliaison to the crew, intercepting and solv-ing minor problems while the Captainremains free to face bigger crises, such asfive million tribbles in the food processorsor the Klingon task force bearing down onthe ship. As a rule, the First Officer hasthe conn if the Captain is off the bridge,and sometimes the First Officer is asked tolead a landing party. In the true Mr. Spocktradition, you can assign a departmenthead the additional responsibility. If youhave few players, this is sound strategy.Security, Engineering, or Medical depart-ment heads are not good choices for dou-ble duty, however.

After these two difficult positions areassigned, let the rest of the players divideup the departments. Each department isunique, and certain personality types seemto be better suited for certain depart-ments. The nonviolent types may enjoyChief Medical or Chief CommunicationsOfficer. The law-and-order or the hack-and-slash player would be perfect forSecurity Chief, though we all know whathappens to Security personnel (�EnsignSlob, check behind that rock.� �Yes, sir!�ZAP! AAGH! GROWF! POOF! �Poor Slob!�).

Players who enjoy using their brainsmay go for Science or Engineering, whilethe players who like blowing things up orzooming around space at ludicrous speedwill love Chief Helm. Finally, there is thatposition voted Most Boring by my cam-paigners: Chief Navigator. At best, thispoor person gets to raise deflector shieldsduring battle. Most of the time, however,the Chief Navigator says �Course laid in,Captain,� then sits back. Give this positionto either the most rabid Trekkie in yourgroup who loves to play so much that hewill take anything, or to someone whodoesn�t care what job he holds.

Be aware that Helm, Navigation, andScience supply many future commandpersonnel, so keep your eyes on thosepeople. They may be worth promoting.

Though the old series did not show itmuch, there were nonhuman crew mem-bers on the U.S.S. Enterprise other thanMr. Spock. Budget constraints on makeupdictated what sorts of aliens we saw. For-tunately, role-playing games are limitedonly by imagination. Let players choosetheir own races, but temper their choiceswith common sense. There are advantagesto playing nonhumans, usually in the formof attribute modifiers. The disadvantageshould be that the player must act in themanner proper to that race, and some ofthe races are downright bizarre.

The player whose PC weeps uncontrolla-bly at the drop of a hat (or helm) wouldmake a terrible Vulcan. The player whosePC is always mellow and laid back is apoor choice for a stubborn Tellarite. TheChief Medical Officer should be the samerace as the majority of the crew. A Vulcan

86 OCTOBER 1989

should rarely be Chief Helm, since helms-men fire the ship�s weapons and Vulcansdislike violence. Vulcans are also not partyanimals, greedy, power hungry, or rowdy(and they flirt only once every sevenyears).

Only a fool would choose a Tellarite forChief Communications Officer (�This isCommander Taubarrgjjh of the U.S.S.Valiant � speak, Klingon slime!�) or place anAndorian in a position that may involvehot temperatures such as an engineeringarea. Deltans are lovers, not fighters, andconsequently would be flops as SecurityChiefs (but would make good doctors).Efrosians make excellent doctors, andtheir warrior background means that thegood doctor may justifiably get involved ina good melee or two. Andorians are a goodchoice for the warrior-type player, buteven this race attempts to be as unemo-tional as the Vulcans. When they do getriled up, watch out!

The STAR TREK game�s character-generation system is excellent because itprovides the player with a PC who is al-ready an experienced officer rather than araw recruit. The GM may give each PC ascore of 10 in his respective planet�sCulture/History skill but not count itagainst the PC�s amount of pre-Academyskills. Any civilized planet would give itschildren instruction in basic culture andhistory whether the child wants it or not.If the planet has a particularly hostileenvironment, the GM is also justified in

awarding a bonus of 10 in the appropriatePlanetary Survival score.

Very few role-playing games show theneed for teamwork as much as the STARTREK game. Everyone must work togetherto accomplish a goal. Reward the playerswhen they work together, and discourage�lone wolf� tactics where one PC goes offto do something stupid. Such a PC shouldbe considered phaser fodder.

A cast of thousandsAs mentioned earlier, the red-shirted

security personnel in the old Star Trekseries were notorious for their short lifespans. Inevitably, they would be stabbed,disrupted, poisoned, dropped from greatheights, changed into Styrofoam poly-hedrons, or burned to death by an angryHorta. Even nonsecurity personnel gottheir share of death and maiming. Afterthe GM establishes his crew, the next wisemove is to create a set of NPCs to not onlysupport the PCs but to present themselvesas great targets. STAR TREK NPC crew-men are great victims for those villainswho cry, �I shall give you an example ofmy power, puny mortals!�

Ideally, a PC in the STAR TREK gameshould have a long lifespan, probably thelongest of any RPG. In the old series, themain characters never died. In the game,the PCs are the main characters. This doesnot mean that there should never be anypossibility of PC death, but rather that itshould be approached carefully. A game

without risk is no fun, but the risk shouldbe well considered. If your players de-serve it, give them a �back door� to get outof the situation. Stupid actions deserveharsh consequences, while smart actionsshould be a good reason to spare PC lives.

Back to the NPC creation. If your cam-paign is centered on any good-size vessel,you have several hundred NPCs to con-sider. You should not create stats for all ofthem, but you could allow one or twoassistants for each PC. Starships operatearound the clock, so crew are needed toman various stations in the PC�s absence,.Create personnel to crew helm, naviga-tion, communication, science, and engi-neering stations during the off shifts.

Give these NPCs some fleshing out! As-sign them a Trivia or Gaming score. Givethem some critical skills that few playerschose for their PCs during generation.This is a good chance to throw in a few ofyour favorite races. Go ahead, give them aVulcan science officer, a Zaranite engineerspecializing in Starship Weaponry Tech, anArkenite marine biologist, or an Efrosiannavigator! My campaign�s favorite NPCsinclude an Andorian chief nurse, a smalltelepathic worm, and a human communi-cations assistant with such a loud, gregari-ous personality that he nearly blows outthe audio circuits!

In addition, flesh out the commander ofthe nearest starbase, a few Starfleet Com-mand officers, and a few ship captainsfrom other Starfleet vessels. You need notrepeat the old series� tendency to havemost of Captain Kirk�s friends dying orgoing insane. Give your NPCs some stayingpower. A rival officer may cause someproblems, and a persistent Orion familymay have a grudge against the ship. Youcan even create a Klingon or Romulanvessel that pops up wherever the PCs andtheir vessel are, threatening to throw aspanner into their plans.

Your five-year mission. . . .After assembling all of this information,

it is time to decide what sort of missions toput the players through. First, let�s tacklethe FASA modules.

As mentioned before, the STAR TREKgame modules are not best suited for acontinuous campaign using the same shipand PCs. There are, however, severalnotable exceptions. Bear in mind that thefollowing modules require adaptation.

Where Has All the Glory Gone?, Denialof Destiny, Demand of Honor, and TheStrider Incident are ail good for adaptingto an ongoing campaign. You can make thechanges without turning the product intosomething unrecognizable. The latter twomodules are also very well written.

The Dixie Gambit, Decision at Midnight,A Conflict of Interests, and The Mines ofSelka are all good modules but have verylimited use in a campaign. It is still possibleto use them, but a GM needs to do heavytinkering or alter the PCs� circumstances.If the PC�s vessel is undergoing a refit or

repair, these adventures are good fillers.Return to Axanar and Old Soldiers Never

Die are dubious at best but are recom-mended for the wonderful sourcebooksthey provide. Return to Axanar is a verylong adventure requiring several sessionsand is unfortunately very linear, taking thePCs from one encounter to the next re-gardless of their actions.

Since the release of The Strider Incident(a terrific adventure that also includesdeck plans for the Regula I research sta-tion, a good investment), there have beenno new STAR TREK modules. Thus, it fallson the GM�s shoulders to come up with anexcellent campaign.

General Order Number One�the PrimeDirective�is the most powerful restraintavailable to the enterprising (no pun in-tended) GM. It is frustrating to the playersto know that they run a vessel that coulddestroy a star system, yet they cannotunleash this power on the penny-antebarbarian village that has a couple of theship�s officers as hostages. When the GMcreates an adventure, the Prime Directivemust always be kept in mind. Violating itcould mean discharge from the service,imprisonment, or (in extreme cases) death.The Prime Directive becomes a specialburden during exploration missions.

Star Trek is about galactic exploration.

While blasting Klingons or outwittingOrions can be fun, the spirit of the series�and consequently the game�is explorationand discovery. You can have a ship battlein every game, but remember that thevarious spacefaring powers have a finitenumber of ships. Try not to let every ses-sion degenerate into a high-tech slugfest.

The finest exploration missions are thefirst contacts, those missions during whicha new race is discovered and the PCs mustdeal with strange and sometimes hilariousdifferences in cultures. The best way toapproach this is to create a new race, notnecessarily humanoid. Then, throw out allcustoms known to the players and rein-vent them, mixing them up well. Oneculture I created shrugged their shouldersto say �yes.� Another race may greet new-comers by striking them to test their pa-tience. Another may require that all malesremain silent and let the women do thetalking, while another race may laughwhen sad or spit when happy.

Imagine running into a totally alienvessel. Your vessel hails it, but it fires abeam of charged photons back at you,crippling your ship. Later, you find outthat it was merely sending back a friendlymessage. The use of physics and technol-ogy can vary from race to race. Not allextraterrestrials breathe oxygen or come

DRAGON 87

from carbon-based life. Some races maybe totally blind, have no nervous systems,or be genderless.

Confuse the players! An ugly race mayfight a handsome race, with the ugly racebeing the good guys. Trap the players withtheir own preconceived notions. A race ofblind quadriplegics may be powerful tele-paths. A handsome, Adonis-like peoplemay be deathly afraid of tiny wounds.

A hilarious example of this occurredwhen the U.S.S. Valiant made first contactwith a race called the Igresh, who werehorrendously ugly and smelled ten timesworse than they looked. Contact teamsmet to talk, and the Igresh offered thecrew a favorite Igresh drink that re-freshed the body. One brave soul, ChiefNavigator Nat Zar, drank it for the sake ofgalactic friendship. Suddenly, every gland,duct, and organ that produced any sort offluid began operating at an acceleratedrate. The liquid was cleaning out all impu-rities from his system. The poor fellowwas in terrible straights, much to thehorror of his ship mates and to the inno-cent delight of the Igresh. Commander Zarsurvived and, after changing his uniform,was in perfect shape.

During the old television series, moneywas saved by using old props from movies.The U.S.S. Enterprise ran into cultures

that resembled different terrestrial histori-cal periods. Ancient Rome, Nazi Germany,

the Roaring 20s, and American Indianswere all represented in the series. Thoughthe GM does not have to worry aboutbudget problems, no campaign would becomplete without running into a dozendifferent human races placed on variousplanets by the Preservers. Imagine run-ning into cultures descended from theVikings, feudal Japan, ancient Egypt, 17th-century America, the Incas, or even anexact counterpart of Earth, complete withWorld War II raging. If the players knowwhat�s good for them, they�ll rememberthe Prime Directive and not attempt totamper. Alternate histories could provide anice twist�but what about a civilizationwhere the Nazis won World War II? Wouldit be considered tampering to try to dosomething about that?

The restraints imposed on the crew byStarfleet Command should present theplayers with ethical dilemmas. A planetwith technology similar to 1988 Earth isabout to launch a thermonuclear war.Should you stop it? How about a planetwhere one race is enslaved to another?

To make matters tougher, throw in someunprincipled Klingons. The Klingons andthe PCs might both try to get a planet tojoin their sides. A classic scenario to besure, but it can hold enough variation tomake each encounter exciting. Avoid pre-dictability. In the previously mentionedIgresh contact, the Klingons were involved

in local politics, as were two other newraces. At one point, the crew of the U.S.S.Valiant and some Klingons had to team upfor survival!

Starfleet officers should consider vio-lence only as a last resort, fighting onlywhen there is no other alternative. Tosome gamers, this is boring, because itreduces the �action.� But the spirit of StarTrek is the challenge of exploring theunknown. The enemy may be a hostilevirus that the PCs must learn to cure, oran abnormality in space that traps vesselsand warps time. There should be action�firing phasers and photons, or landingparties fighting with Klingons�but thisshouldn�t be commonplace.

Above all, try to maintain continuitywith the series and movies. Starfleet doesnot send out vessels to blow up Klingonoutposts, and Vulcans do not advocate warwith the Orions. Certainly, you can set upbizarre situations like a dozen Spacedocks,vessels that travel at Warp 16, and plaidRomulans, but the campaign rapidly losesits Star Trek flavor. The GM becomesobligated to outdo himself until the crewsaves the universe every gaming sessionand the game becomes an unrecognizablemutation of the original product.

If you have unruly PCs, Starfleet Com-mand does an admirable job of keepingthe crew in place. When crew membersstart breaking laws, court-martials can

88 OCTOBER 1989

remedy this. Does the Captain prettymuch do what he pleases? One Board ofInquiry later, the First Officer may be incommand while the ex-Captain minesborite. Sure, Captain Kirk got away with alot, but Kirk is also a Starfleet legend, andthe fourth movie showed that even alegend can be put on trial.

Another great tactic is to have a stablePC play Chief Medical Officer, and if hesees the Captain behaving erratically, havethe Captain declared incompetent. Ofcourse, the GM could always kill a PC, butthat is hardly sporting. Infecting him witha horribly contagious disease for the dura-tion of the adventure may be a good warn-ing, though.

Just how dangerous should an adven-ture be? Obviously, you don�t want to pityour PCs� Nelson-class scout against aKlingon L-24 battleship, but a mission toDeneb to deliver some flowers to a Deltanambassador seems a bit tame. Find themiddle ground. An element of the unusualcan throw the players off guard and makefor a rewarding session. The aforemen-tioned mission to deliver flowers is quiteboring, but what if the flowers were senti-ent, 9� tall, and telepathic? Furthermore,what if another race in the Federationwanted the flowers badly enough that ittried to steal them?

Each adventure should have an elementof risk or it ceases to be fun. Present theproblem clearly, and throw in some twiststo the plot. Provide more than one solu-tion, but make the crew work to findthem. Should a PC�s life be threatened,give him a Luck roll; only if the roll isfailed does the PC die. Even in fatal situa-tions, make sure the threat is logical. Asquad of Klingon marines is not going tooverlook the Starfleet security men inbattle armor in favor of killing the wimpycommunications officer 45 meters fromthe melee!

NPC crew should generally be the firsttargets in a firefight. If there are moreenemy NPCs than friendly NPCs, then thePCs, too, should be counted as legitimatetargets. Players who try to hide behind theNPCs may be charged with conduct unbe-coming to officers and should be zappedon principle. A Klingon may bypass anNPC as a target if the PC is more of athreat. In short, treat combat situationswith fairness and logic.

Inevitably, a PC may die. Any self-respecting player will accept such a fate ifthere was at least a fighting chance toavoid it. There should rarely be KobayashiMaru scenarios in the game�don�t stackthe deck so that the PCs cannot win orescape.

If you really need ideas, here are thetwo most off-the-wall gaming suggestionsthat I have ever created. The first one hasbeen used; the other will not be used aslong as my players behave.

First, imagine finding an Earthlike planetwhere the Preservers have placed a groupof humans whose technology level is simi-

lar to 11th century Britain. The Preserversperformed gene-splicing experiments andcreated beasts that were half man and halfhorse, as well as winged horses, eagle-headed winged lions, etc. They also geneti-cally created short humans with lots offacial hair and a talent for mining, andanother human type with slim build, fairhair, and a 90% resistance to sleep andcharm spells. Sound familiar?

Second, imagine having the PCs find aplanet where a certain bloated, octopoid-headed, insane deity and his flying fungusfriends reside. Your players will go insaneover this one.

How to hassle heroesIf an adventure involves conflict with

another starfaring race, there are certainrules of thumb that should be followed,depending on which race is encountered;these helpful generalizations follow. Bearin mind that just because someone is aKlingon, his behavior is not completelypredictable. To automatically assume thata Romulan will be honorable or that aKlingon will be violent is a deadly mistake.Encourage the players to regard each NPCindividually rather than to make assump-tions based on race. In fact, this is not abad philosophy for real life, and therehave been many instances when Star Trekepisodes told a story with a moral

First, guidelines on Klingons. As seen inthe old series and in the movies, Klingonsare indeed a brutal, violent race. Butplease bear in mind that they are notstupid! No race achieves warp capabilityand an empire by being morons. Klingonsare honorable, but usually only to fellowKlingons or, at the very best, to peoplewho are clearly brave warriors.

There are rivalries between differentKlingon family lines, but such conflicts areput aside when the families are faced witha common threat. There have even beenincidents where Klingons and humanshave cooperated. As the Klingons say:�Only a fool fights in a burning house.�

As a rule, Klingon vessels travel ingroups of three. If the Klingons are inorbit around a planet before PCs arrive,

two vessels will be on the opposite side ofthe planet, in a �sensor shadow.� The PCs

will only detect one vessel, while the othertwo lurk behind, waiting for the momentto strike. Remember, Klingons love negoti-ating from a position of strength!

The Romulans are a different case alto-gether. They are a proud, honorable peo-ple who seem to have more integrity thanthe Klingons do. They fight not becausethey wish to, but because of the necessityfor them to expand. Their systems arepoor in resources, and they need to sur-vive. With Romulans, conflict is less per-sonal. Nevertheless, they are tough, violentopponents who would rather die thansurrender. They might even be describedas noble. Their use of the cloaking deviceis a bit less noble, but to the Romulans itdoes the job. Romulans are the perfectrace to use for a secret incursion intoFederation space. Their tactics have morefinesse than those of the Klingons. Fewthings are more disturbing than havingthree Romulan Stormbirds materializewith weapons charged around the cam-paign vessel.

Orions are accomplished merchants,pirates, rogues, entrepreneurs, and trou-blemakers. They walk a fine line betweenthe UFP and the Klingons. They are mate-rialists but, again, are not stupid. In fact,they are downright devious. If any oppo-nent should be allowed to escape to fightanother day, it should be the Orions. Then there are those green Orion women. . . .

The Gorn are big, lizardlike brutes whohiss a lot and look very mean (with goodreason, since they are mean). Gorn aredivided into clans, and currently someclans are in rebellion against the GornAlliance. Some of the rebellion is due tothe Gorn stance on the UFP. The rebelsfavor war and the Alliance favors negotia-tion. Therefore, the possibility of runninginto rebel Gorn vessels always exists. Gornalso have a code of honor, since they are awarrior race, but they lack finesse andsubtlety. Their tactics are blunt and in-volve much violence, as witnessed in theStar Trek episode, �The Arena.� Theirengineering theory seems to be �If it�s

D R A G O N 8 9

stuck, push it. If it fails to move, get abigger hammer. If it breaks, it needed tobe fixed anyway.� Like the Klingons, theyare by no means idiots, or they would nothave developed warp drive.

As for homemade races, the limits arethose of your own imagination. Make surethat there are logical reasons for certainbehavior or standards. For example, a racethat is recovering from a technologicallyinspired global war may harbor a stronghatred toward technology and those whouse it.

When designing adventures, rememberthat the PCs have great resources at theirdisposal. A nemesis can�t sneak up on agroup that always carries tricorders. Atransporter breakdown still leaves shuttle-craft. Medicine is so advanced that evensomebody who has a current operationalendurance of - 45 can still pull through ifa Federation-style sick bay is handy. Thecomputers on a starship contain moreinformation than the Library of Congressand are at the PCs� fingertips. Some far-sighted parties equip themselves withsubcutaneous transponders so the shipcan always find them.

Avoid using the same plot devices forlimiting the PCs options. How many ionstorms can �just happen� to be in the area,rendering transporters inoperative? Howmany lifeforms are so radically differentthat they do not show up on sensors?Know your players and how they think.Look for weaknesses, and play thoseweaknesses against the group. Learn whatbuttons to push with specific players. Doyou have a player with an inflated ego?Have an NPC push him around. Doesanother player get nervous aroundKlingons? Bring �em on! Players who areterrified of command should find them-selves suddenly left in command becauseof unusual circumstances.

Engineering departmentNo, this has nothing to do with playing

Mr. Scott. There are certain rules-relatedodds and ends that need addressing beforeyou start a STAR TREK campaign.

First, there are Action Points, or APs.According to the rules, the GM is supposedto track each PC�s APs, since there�s oftenthe chance the PC can perform certainactions during another PC�s turn. Suchactions are called opportunity actions.

I advise you to throw out most of the APsystem. Have you ever tried to keep trackof a dozen Klingon Marines and a dozenPCs in a melee? There�s far too muchaccounting involved. Instead, make every-thing more abstract. Let the PC or NPCwith the highest Small Unit Tactics scorego first, as per the rules. Discard the op-portunity actions, but allow PCs to doextra things that may be logical. Let eachcombatant have one (and only one) chanceto attack each turn. Logic should dictatewhat someone can or cannot do, but it

90 OCTOBER 1989

would be wise to keep the AP chartsaround as a guideline and a final arbiter.

The thing I find most irritating about theSTAR TREK game rules is the lack of expla-nation for how long certain skills take toimplement. Here�s how we do it: When askill roll is needed, say in Warp DriveTechnology, the roll is made. This repre-sents a �quick fix,� a la Mr. Scott. Shouldthe roll succeed, all is well. If it fails, thenthe PC can try again, but the results willnot be certain for 2d10 minutes.

The same principle follows for lookingup information or treating someone�swounds. When looking up information,roll the average of the PC�s scores in Com-puter Operations and the respective sub-ject.. If Commander Markell is looking upall incidences of Starfleet starship disap-pearances in Federation history, his Com-puter Operations and FederationCulture/History would be averaged to findthe chance for him to locate the rightentry in a timely fashion.

The rules for using a tricorder seem abit vague. In one instance, the rules tellyou to use Computer Operations; buttricorders are also referred to under SmallEquipment Systems Operation. I suggestaveraging the above two scores with theskill in the subject with which the PC isconcerned. Thus, if Commander Decatauris scanning some ancient ruins, he wouldroll the average of his Computer Opera-tions, Small Equipment Systems Opera-tions, and Archaeology. Remember, thetricorder or sensor records informationaccurately. The player is rolling for hisPC�s ability to understand what is beingrecorded.

Some game systems that use skills haveoutstanding successes and critical failures.This, too, is an excellent idea. If the PCmakes his roll by less than 5% of the skill,make it an outstanding success. If Com-mander Decataur�s Warp Drive Technologyskill is 80 and he rolls a 3, not only did heget the port warp engine working, he alsocoaxed two extra power units out of it foran hour. On the other hand, if the PC rolls96-00, something terrible has happened.The degree of trouble escalates with thehigher rolls. If someone has a skill of 99and he rolls 00, he has failed and must rollagain, this time with a -20 penalty. If hepasses, there are no repercussions. If hefails again, it is a critical failure. Theactions needed to correct a roll like thiscould be an adventure unto itself!

Finally, have you ever tried to resolve a3-D chess game? Nowhere do the rulescover this. We�ve ad-libbed a nice littlesystem where both opponents must rolllower than the average of their intelli-gences and their skill ratings, with thewinner being the first one who makes it. Ifboth make it, the winner is the personwho rolled proportionately lower. If Dr.Voris, who has a score of 40, rolls 10, andCaptain Anastas, who has a score of 20,rolls 8, Dr. Voris would win because 10 is25% of 40, while 8 is 40% of 20, a consid-

erably higher proportion. If someone rollsa critical failure at 3-D chess, feel free toignore the consequences. After all, howcan losing the game be deadly, unless thePC gets a pawn lodged up his nose by anangry loser? Now, if the PC is playing zero-gee lacrosse, a critical failure could mean abroken arm or a concussion. Incidentally,for resolving a sports contest, average thePC�s skill and his dexterity. For resolvingcard games, average the game skill withhis luck score.

MiscellanyThe STAR TREK game is not limited to a

Starfleet-based campaign. There aresourcebooks for playing merchants andtraders, or Starfleet Intelligence agents.Other sourcebooks are available that canallow a Klingon, Romulan, or Orion cam-paign. A Klingon campaign is definitely notlike running a chaotic-evil or all-orc cam-paign in the AD&D® game! It seems to be amixture of FASA�s STAR TREK, West EndGames� PARANOIA®, and TSR�s TOPSECRET/S.I. game.

Be careful not to allow your STAR TREKcampaign to lose its unique flavor so thatthe scenarios you design could be mis-taken for something involving differentRPGs (i.e., �generic module blandness�).Use STAR TREK terminology and historicalreferences, and above all, keep the spiritof exploring strange new worlds andseeking out new life and new civilizationsalive. Many episodes were morality plays.While these may be hard to incorporate inthe game, simple lessons like �violence isnot always necessary,� �machines cannotand must not replace man,� and �don�tjudge by outward appearances� can bewoven into scenarios.

Finally, avoid repetition. Just how manycorrupt Starfleet Admirals are runningaround? How many times can the exist-ence of the entire galaxy be threatened,only to be saved by the same group ofheroes time and time again? Keep yourplayers guessing as to what sort of adven-ture is coming next. Will it be a delicatediplomatic mission or an undercover as- signment? Adventures could even happenduring shore leave, when the players leastexpect it. �Where no one has gone before�leaves a lot of territory to cover.

This article is dedicated to the followingpeople, who stump me at every turn sothat I have to come up with better andtrickier adventures: Sophia Biedel, BethBigelow, Kim Calabrese, Joel and JuddEmery, Jamie Hale, Kevin McBride, MiltonMcGorrill, John Rennie, Nick Rowe, An-thony Scappichio, Ellen Terra, Bryan Vil-larreal, Kevin Wells, Colleen and Dave

Wetzel, and Bow Worsham. Live long andprosper!

UnspeakableSecrets

Made EasyBuilding your unspeakable library in

Chaosium�s CALL OF CTHULHU® game

©1989 by Dean Shomshak

Sometime in the course of a campaign, rules, and my own campaign.CALL OF CTHULHU® game Keepers will The first and most important rule is tofind a need for new, exciting Mythos not make a random-number system fortomes. This article has some thoughts on generating Mythos tomes. One of thehow to create new tomes to surprise In- CALL OF CTHULHU game�s strengths is itsvestigators, with examples drawn from emphasis on storytelling over complicatedMythos stories, the CALL OF CTHULHU rules and numbers. No formulas or tables

will appear here, except for a summary ofsome sample tomes. No table or formulacan do what the imaginative Keeper canwhen creating tomes that are memorableand integrated into the campaign.

Avoiding duplication is essential; in fact,it is at the heart of most of the suggestionsthat follow. These texts are supposed to berare and exotic. Too much similarityamong them tarnishes their mystique. Forinstance, there are already several massivecompilations of �dark and baleful mythos,of liturgies, rituals, and incantations bothevil and esoteric� like the Book of Eibon. Adescription of this book supplies the pre-ceding quote, and the Revelations of Glaakiand the Necronomicon also fall into thiscategory. There are also titles that areessentially collected descriptions of sinis-ter cults; Unausprechlichen Kulten andCultes des Goules spring to mind. One newbook of each type could be rationalized onthe grounds of novelty, but more would beexcessive. After all, if a tome is going to bejust like Kulten or Eibon, why not just usethe original?

The more perceptive Mythos writersseem to have kept this in mind. In theCALL OF CTHULHU rules, Eibon and DeVermiis Mysteriis seem much the same.Their knowledge ratings, spell multipliers,and sanity losses are nearly equal. Vermiisis in Latin; so is one version of Eibon. Ifyou read the stories in which they appear,

92 OCTOBER 1989Illustration by Valerie Valusek

you find that both tomes were written bypowerful sorcerers. One wizard, however,lived and wrote in medieval Europe, whilethe other lived millennia before in Hyper-borea. Maybe these books aren�t alikeafter all.

This illustrates one characteristic of agood Mythos tome: a sinister origin andhistory. Lovecraft went so far as to writean essay on the �History and Chronologyof the Necronomicon,� but you need not goto such lengths. In stories, Lovecraft andhis compatriots settled for a paragraph ortwo on each book, which is enough. If theplayers want to know more about a bookshistory, it�s easy to make up further detailsas needed. Of course, a good tome origincan also be used as a hook to draw Investi-gators into new adventures.

Your own Mythos books aren�t the onlyones that can benefit from added historyand detail. Many of the works listed in theCALL OF CTHULHU rulebook have never,to the best of my knowledge, been givenany history or description by Mythosauthors. The Book of Dzyan, EltdownShards, and others aren�t much more thannames. You can add as many details tothem as you want.

One way that new tomes can differ fromexisting ones is in their origin. Approxi-mately half the books listed in the CALLOF CTHULHU rules are of Western origin.The Middle East, India, and China haveextensive written occult traditions; itseems logical that they would haveCthulhu Mythos writings. The Mythosactivities of other regions could see printthrough visitors from literate areas. Dropa hint to your players that Sanskrit may beas useful to them as Latin.

Books are just one way of storing infor-mation. Although books dominate post-Classical Western cultures, there are alsoscrolls, tablets, wall inscriptions, and mon-uments. Smaller amounts of information�single spells or monster descriptions�might be revealed in tapestries, paintings,inscribed amulets, or even less likely ob-jects. Modern-setting campaigns can addvarious kinds of audio and visual record-ings, microformats, and computer files.Even if a �text� isn�t encountered in itsoriginal book format, this can spice up itshistory and origin.

It�s a good idea to check whether a for-mat is appropriate for the tome�s originalculture. The Mesopotamian cultures, forinstance, wrote on baked clay tablets,whereas the Egyptians used scrolls inaddition to covering their monuments,temples, and tombs with carved or paintedinscriptions. This research will probablygive you lots of ideas for adventures, too.

Another useful trick is to tie a tome�sorigin to some preexisting bit of history orlegend, whether real or Mythos. Every bitof verisimilitude helps in building atmos-phere, and the surprise of recognitiongives players the feeling of investigating areal mystery. On the other hand, suchreferences may be in-jokes, as when Love-

craft interjected a straight-faced referenceto the �Commoriom myth-cycle preservedby the Atlantean high priest Klarkash-Ton.�(Commoriom was an ancient city promi-nently featured in stories by Lovecraft�sfriend Clark Ashton Smith.) In-jokes can befun even if they don�t contribute to yourcarefully crafted atmosphere of paranoiaand horror.

The next step is deciding if the tomefocuses on any particular part of the My-thos. Not only does a focused subject makea tome feel more like a real book insteadof an ad-hoc plot device, it gives you aguide to selecting spells for the work. Atome could focus on the Great Old Ones orOuter Gods, entities of air and space dwell-ers underground, gods that appeal to lonesorcerers, gods served by frenzied cultists,or whatever other corner of the Mythosseems appropriate for the tome�s originand the adventure in which it will beencountered. The R�lyeh Text, for instance,obviously focuses on Cthulhu and relatedbeings. It or any similar guide to oceanicpowers probably will not emanate fromcultists in the arid heart of Asia.

Conversely, if the purpose of a tome is tointroduce a particular spell to the Investi-gators, the tome�s origin and subject focusshould be shaped with this in mind.

Another aspect of tome content is therelative proportion of lore to spells. Someworks clearly emphasize lore. As a guideto Mythos cults, there is no reason whyUnausprechlichen Kulten should havemany spells. In my campaign, the Kultencan teach spells because of numerousluridly detailed descriptions of cult ritualsrather than by any intent of its author.Other texts, in contrast, are meant to bespellbooks. Robert Bloch�s story, �TheShambler from the Star,� makes it quiteclear that De Vermiis Mysteriis is a gri-moire loaded with summonings and otherdire magic formulae. True Magick soundslike a less imposing grimoire. Some tomesmight provide lore and magic more or lessequally; The Book of Eibon, as mentionedabove, contains both �rituals and incanta-tions� and �dark and baleful myths.�

The last stage of tome invention, and inmany ways the least important, is assign-ing the tome�s knowledge rating, spellmultiplier, and sanity loss. The list oftomes in the CALL OF CTHULHU rulebook

shows that only the most important My-thos books like Kulten and Vermiis get aknowledge rating of 12%-15%, while veryminor lorebooks and grimoires like Peopleof the Monolith and the Zanthu Tablets getratings of 5% or less. Anything in betweenis a matter of the Keeper�s taste. The maxi-mum possible sanity loss is usually closelytied to the knowledge rating. For example,the Celaeno Fragments gets a knowledgerating of 9%, and can cause up to 8 pointsSAN loss. The major connection betweenknowledge rating and sanity loss is thelevel of danger posed by the tome�s infor-mation. Monstres and Their Kynde andThe Golden Bough both have a knowledgerating of 5%, for example, but Monstrescauses 1d6 SAN loss, while Bough onlydoes 1d2. Bough, however, deals with theCthulhu Mythos only indirectly and acci-dentally through its analysis of ancientEuropean myths and customs. Besides,The Golden Bough is a real book that hasprobably never driven a reader insane. Ingeneral, unless a tome is meant to be amajor sanity-buster like Vermiis or Kulten,1d4 or 2d4 is a good rating for sanitylosses from tome reading. Either roll has a50% chance of forcing a check for tempo-rary insanity but isn�t likely to cause indef-inite insanity.

Spell multipliers show how compara-tively easy or hard it is to learn spells froma Mythos text. The most common multi-plier is x 2; it gives Investigators a fairchance to learn a few spells without mak-ing it easy to learn any spell in particular.Second most common are the multipliersx 1 and x 3; x 4 and x 5 are appropri-ately rare, reserved for the Necronomiconand those few texts approaching it invirulence. Of course, minor lorebookscompletely lacking spells have no spellmultiplier. Aside from these broad catego-ries, there is no intrinsic relation betweena book�s spell multiplier and its knowledgerating or SAN loss, or between the book�sspell multipliers and whether that book isa grimoire for learning spells or not. Asmentioned above in relation to Kulten, alorebook author might clearly describehow to cast a spell even if he didn�t con-sciously intend to; on the other hand, asorcerer explaining a spell might cloak hisinstructions in obscure symbolism. Minortexts might present their few spells in a

The Golden Goblin Mythos Library

Knowledge SpellTitle Language rating multiplier SAN LossBook of Elder Aeons English * * + 10% x 1 2d4El Codigo de Uxmal Spanish * * +8% x 2 1d8The Uxmal Codex* English +6% x 2 1d8Demon Gods of Mu English +6% x 1 1d6Magic and Mystery of Mu English +5% x 3 1d6Mu: Lost Land of the Pacific English +3% - 1d3

* Translation of El Codigo de Uxmal.* * Work is chiefly available in this language but not originally in that tongue.

DRAGON 93

relatively straightforward manner, while amajor tome could scatter spell instructionsthroughout pages of irrelevant informa-tion or outright nonsense. It depends onthe Keeper�s concept of the tome and thecontext of the adventure. If the adventurehinges on the Investigators learning CallIthaqua, the text providing it should havea high spell multiplier. (This assumes youdisapprove of fudging dice rolls to advancethe plot.)

Mythos tome creation is not a systematicprocess. You probably will start at any ofthe above points and take the rest in anyorder as inspiration leads you. The onlyrule in tome creation that should be con-sidered ironclad is that no tome has statis-tics surpassing or even equalling theNecronomicon.

Since an example is worth a dozen rules,here is a selection of Mythos books fromGolden Goblin Press, occult publishersextraordinaire in the CALL OF CTHULHUgame world.

When the real worlds James Church-ward began writing books of dubiousscholarship about the lost continent of Mu,he didn�t know that Golden Goblin�s starresearcher, Paul Dixon,. had already writ-ten three books on the subject. The firstwas Mu: Lost Land of the Pacific (1896), inwhich Dixon marshalled a wide range ofevidence for that ancient land�s existence,from folklore to zoology. While no reputa-ble scholar ever accepted Dixon�s claims, afew might privately admit that Mu is bothmore plausible and more disturbing thanother works of the �lost continent� school.Some of Dixon�s revelations are quitesinister, especially those about Muvianreligion, giving Mu a 3% knowledge ratingand 1d3 SAN loss. It has no spells and is atypical, very minor lorebook.

In 1900, Dixon wrote a sequel: DemonGods of Mu. Any hint of respect the aca-demic community may have felt for Dixonvanished with this work, which waswidely denounced as lurid, sensationalis-tic, and totally lacking in serious scholar-ship. In it, Dixon not only claimed that thegods of Mu were real, but he asserted thatthey still existed and were worshipped.His reliance on bizarre occult texts like

94 OCTOBER 1989

The Ponape Scripture and the Necronomi-con offended scholars as much as his wildclaim to have been �inspired� by Cthulhu,Shub-Niggurath, and other Muvian gods.His descriptions of Muvian rituals were asgrotesque as they were detailed. Some ofthe rituals actually worked, a point Dixon�sdetractors missed. Demon Gods of Mu is aslightly more important lorebook, with+ 6% knowledge, spell multiplier of x 1,and 1d6 SAN loss. It contains four spells:Contact Cthulhu, Summon Dark Young ofShub-Niggurath, Contact Nyarlathotep,and Activate Eidolon (see �The GhastlyGrimoire,� DRAGON Magazine issue #126,for details of this spell). If you want to usethis or any other of these tomes in yourcampaign, you can give them any spellsyou deem necessary.

Dixon�s final work was Magic and Mys-tery of Mu (1902). This minor grimoiredescribes Muvian sorcery; the preface

claims that it really works. (This is nottrue: half the spells are defective andwon�t work, as a Cthulhu Mythos roll willshow in each case.) Dixon admitted thatMagic only contained minor Muvian spells,but he promised to someday produce amore complete guide to Muvian wizardry.He never did. He disappeared in 1903during an expedition to Nan Madol andwas never seen again. Magic was, by theway, the worst seller of Dixon�s books,probably because his �Muvian sorcery�bore no resemblance to what he called�the puerile fantasies of popular occult-ism.� It has a +5% knowledge, spell multi-plier of x 3, and causes 1d6 SAN loss. Itcontains Elder Sign, Enchant Brazier, Conjure Glass of Mortland, Enchant Blade,Chant of Thoth, Dread Curse of Azathoth,and Contact Lloigor.

In addition to its massively expurgated1909 edition of Nameless Cults, GoldenGoblin published one other major lore-book: the Book of Elder Aeons (1906), a

translation of a scroll found in the ruins ofa heretical Tibetan lamasery. It purports totell the history of the races that camebefore humanity on Earth. It uses theterms and mythological patterns of B�on,the animistic religion which preceded andheavily influenced Tibetan Buddhism.Elder Aeons� cycles of race following race,mysteriously linked in some way to Earth�sposition among the stars, forms a patternfamiliar to Theosophists. Indeed, the simi-larities to Theosophy are deliberatelyemphasized by translator Muriel Rasmus-sen. She argues in her introduction thatElder Aeons confirms Theosophy, al-though the book itself is partly in error.Muriel Rasmussen is still alive in cam-paigns set in the 1920s, but she will nothelp Investigators in any way. In 1911, sherenounced Theosophy, burned her copy ofthe Book of Elder Aeons, and entered aconvent where she lives under a vow ofsilence. The Book of Elder Aeons has thesestatistics: + 10% knowledge, spell multi-plier of x 1, and 2d4 SAN loss. Its six spellsall deal with contacting various ElderRaces. The original scroll is held by theBritish Museum.

Golden Goblin tried hard to producebooks that went beyond the usual occulttripe. They tried too hard, some peoplesaid. A final example is its last publication,a Mayan grimoire found in the ruins of thecity of Uxmal. In 1901, Dr. Miguel Arros-cas of the Museo Nacional de Antropologiain Mexico City produced a translationbased on notes in Spanish written above afew lines of Mayan text. Most archeolo-gists and linguists think that the The Ux-mal Codex is a magnificently detailed hoaxto which Dr. Arroscas succumbed. If genu-ine, this collection of rituals and incanta-tions supposedly compiled by an ancientMayan sorcerer-priest would revolutionizetheories about Mayan magic and religion.(For hints about the Codex�s frightening.revelations, see �The Cthulhu Mythos inMesoamerican Religion� in Chaosium�sCthulhu Companion.) Subsequently, theSpanish El Codigo de Uxmal was translatedinto English by Thad Chevaux, a Miska- tonic University graduate, and published

Illustrations by David Zenz

by Golden Goblin in 1910.Not surprisingly, Chevaux�s translation is

not as complete or accurate a source ofMythos information as Arroscas�s text. Theconcepts of Mythos are especially difficultto translate, so errors tend to multiply. Inpractice, this means that the Golden Gob-lin edition of the The Uxmal Codex gives+ 6% knowledge, while the Spanish ver-sion gives +8%. Both have a spell multi-plier of x 2 and cause 1d8 SAN loss. TheSpanish version contains Contact Yig,Summon Child of Yig, Contact Deep One,Contact Cthulhu, Contact Nyarlathotep,Summon Hunting Horror, Bind HuntingHorror, Dread Curse of Azathoth, Handsof Yig, Enchant Knife, and Summon FireVampire. The English version deletes Con-tact Cthulhu, Contact Nyarlathotep, andBind Hunting Horror.

Following Dr. Arroscas�s suicide in 1908,the original folded tree-bark edition of TheUxmal Codex has been kept in a tempera-ture and humidity controlled vault by theMuseo. Chevaux died shortly after theCodex�s publication, in the fire that con-sumed Golden Goblin�s office, editor, andsupply of unsold volumes. No one knowswhy Chevaux and the editor were alone atthe office in the middle of the night, or theunidentifiable bones found in addition totheir charred remains.

I hope these examples will inspire you tothink up your own new Mythos tomes foryour campaign or create ways to add spiceto the tomes listed in the CALL OFCTHULHU rulebook. Lovecraft himselfencouraged his friends to make their owncontributions to the Mythos and its grimbibliography; Mythos writers like ClarkAshton Smith, August Derleth, and RobertBloch have given Keepers ample prece-dent. So get out there and knock �em dead!

Er, that�s just a figure of speech.

ComputersContinued from page 73sageways. Have plenty of healing herbs.

8. The Pirate�s Lair contains a sapphirecoin and a jeweled crown..

9. You will eventually have to fight in thecastle. When you have a lot of firebolts, goto a section of the castle, wipe out theguards, and open the chests.

10. The Temptress will offer you eitherCharm or Gold.

11. You must have four magic seeds tosucceed on the second level. More magicseeds are found in the same place afteryou use the ones you have.

12. After you solve each dungeon, yourstrength will increase.

13. The turquoise coin is found on thesecond dungeon level.

14. Use the guardian exhibit to open thedoor across from the Spiral room.

15. The �distant healer� is in Eagle�sHollow. He will give you a ruby coin.

16. After you have the four guard

jewels, return to Eagle Hollow to be healedand to buy herbs. Magic does not workwell in the fortress, so don�t buy any!

17. Use healing herbs to free yourselffrom the spell�s grip.

18. At the end of the game, after youreturn the scrolls, you get your own dis-play. This was a nice reward for complet-ing the game.

Phantasie I (SSI)

Scott WhittakerLighthouse Point FL

[Hints courtesy of SSI�s product newslet-ter, Inside SSI.]

As you know, there are nine rings thatmust be found. Here are their locations:find two in the Temple of the DosnebianClerics; one in Phantasie�s Armory; threein J. R. Trolkin�s Castle; and three inBleeb�s Dungeon. To win this adventure,you must slay the Dark Lord and obtainthe Divine Spell.

Phantasie II (SSI)[Hints courtesy of SSI�S product newslet-

ter, Inside SSI.]You�ll have to find the beasts in this

game; beasts 1 and 2 are in the MaterialPlane and can show up anywhere, so becareful. While on the Material Plane,check out the desert island: you�ll findBeasts 3 and 4 there. Beasts 5 and 6 are onthe Astral Plane and can be summonedthrough use of spell #57. Pluto�s Castle isthe home of Beast 7 and in Pluto�s Manage-rie, yep, heeeeeere�s Beast 8.

Phantasie III (SSI)[Hints courtesy of SSI�s product newslet-

ter, Inside SSI.]You eventually need to get to the Plane

of Light. To accomplish this, while in thespirals of the Crystal Castle of Chronos,type �C2 +� and pull the lever, then get outof the dungeon. You must possess the Keyof Light in order to get into the castle.

In order to get to the Dark Plane, followthe same instructions as above, excepttype in �C2-� then leave the dungeon.

Star Command (SSI)[Hints courtesy of SSI�s product newslet-

ter, Inside SSI.]The Princess Viselda is in one of the

three black holes. The coordinates foreach black hole are: 10,29; 28,14; 23,06.

You must enter each black hole anddown scan� on every planet of each star inthe black hole. The password found insidethe Insect Missile Factory is THPI.

Coming next month: The BeastieAwards! Plus, new reviews and more newsregarding new product announcements.Don�t forget to send in your game hints.Mail them to us at 179 Pebble Place, SanRamon CA 94583. While you help others,perhaps others will help you. Until nextmonth, game on!

DRAGON 95

Convention Calendar Policies

This column is a service to our readersworldwide. Anyone may place a free listingfor a game convention here, but the follow-ing guidelines must be observed.

In order to ensure that all conventionlistings contain accurate and timely infor-mation, all material should be either typeddouble-spaced or printed legibly on stand-ard manuscript paper. The contents ofeach listing must be short, succinct, and,under 150 words long.

The information given in the listing mustinclude the following, in this order:

1. Convention title and dates held;2. Site and location;3. Guests of honor (if applicable);4. Special events offered;5. Registration fees or attendance re-

quirements; and,6. Address(es) and telephone number(s)

where additional information and confirma-tion can be obtained.

Convention flyers, newsletters, and othermass-mailed announcements will not beconsidered for use in this column; weprefer to see a cover letter with the an-nouncement as well. No call-in listings areaccepted. Unless stated otherwise, alldollar values given for U.S. and Canadianconventions are in U.S. currency.

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

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

If a convention listing must be changedbecause the convention has been can-celled, the dates have changed, or incor-rect information has been printed, pleasecontact us immediately. Most questions orchanges should be directed to either AnneBrown or Roger E. Moore at TSR, Inc.,(414) 248-3625 (U.S.A.). Questions orchanges concerning European conventionsshould be directed to TSR Limited, (0223)212517 (U.K.).

96 OCTOBER 1989

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 thecompanies publishing those products The use of the name ofany product without mention of its trademark status should notbe construed as a challenge to such status.

COUNCIL OF FIVE NATIONS 15October 6-8

Hosted by the Schenectady Wargamers Associ-ation, this convention will be held at the Ra-mada Inn in Schenectady, N.Y. A number ofRPGA� Network events are planned, including aMaster�s Level AD&D® tournament. There willalso be several other AD&D® tournaments andsingle-round events. Other events will includeBATTLETECH*, STAR FLEET BATTLES*, CIVILI-ZATION*, DIPLOMACY* (Youngstown lo-playervariant), CHAMPIONS*, CAR WARS*, RUNE-QUEST*, and various other role-playing, board,and miniatures games. The convention will alsofeature a miniatures-painting contest and gamesauction. Advance registration will be $10 for theweekend, or $15 at the door. For a preregistra-tion booklet, send an SASE to: Eric Paperman,Con Director, 418 Vliet Blvd., Cohoes NY 12047.Room rates for this event are $60 a night fordouble occupancy and $75 a night for quad. Forinformation about lodging, contact the Schenec-tady Ramada Inn at: (518) 370-7151.

DRAGON CON �89, October 6-8This science-fiction, fantasy, and gaming

convention will be held at the OMNI Interna-tional Hotel and Convention Center in Atlanta,Ga. Guests include Anne McCaffrey, Wes Cra-ven, Michael Whelan, Andrew Greenberg,Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Gary Gygax,Richard Garriott, Robert Asprin, Lynn Abbey,and Larry Elmore. Preregistration (throughSeptember 15) is $30. Fantasy role-playing,strategic, miniatures, and computer gaming willbe featured in over 100 tournaments. Otherevents will include four tracks of workshopsand panels, masquerade shows, an art show andprint shop, video rooms, art and consignmentauctions, a con suite, and more. Send an SASEto: DRAGON CON �89, Box 47696, Atlanta GA30362. You may also purchase your advancedmembership by VISA or MasterCard by callingTevex, toll-free, at: (800) 456-1162.

SUNCOAST SKIRMISHES �89, October 6-8SKIRMISHES presents the ninth-annual pre-

sentation of this gaming extravaganza. Thisevent will take place at the Holiday Inn-AshleyPlaza, 111 West Fortune Street, in Tampa, Fla.Room rates are $50 for one to four people.Events will include: AD&D®, TRAVELLER*,STAR FLEET BATTLES*, CAR WARS*, Napoleon-ics miniatures, SEEKRIEG*, and other games;board gaming; a KILLER* tournament; anddealers. Registration is $18 for the weekend;send your fees to receive a program booklet.Write to: SKIRMISHES, P.O. Box 2097, Winter

Haven FL 33883; or call: (813) 293-7983.

TITANCON/TNT III, October 6-8The Historical Simulation Society of Char-

lottesville, team winner of Titan National Tour-nament II, is hosting TNT III in Cabell Hall at theUniversity of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va.Teams and individuals are invited to competewith the best U.S. TITAN* game players in around-robin, no-elimination event for team andindividual trophies. Registration is $3. Write to:Derek Craxton/HSS, 1711 Galloway Dr., Char-lottesville VA 22901; or call: (804) 296-4897.

TOLEDO GAMING CONVENTION 7October 7-8

The seventh-annual edition of NorthwestOhio�s largest gaming convention will be held atthe University of Toledo�s Scott Park Campus.This year we will have over 140 events, includ-ing: role-playing, strategy, tactical, board, andminiatures tournaments; two auctions; demon-strations; painting contests; and dealers andexhibitors. Featured this year are AD&D®,BATTLET,ECH*, WARHAMMER 40,000*, STARFLEET BATTLES,*, GURPS*, STAR WARS*,ADVANCED SQUAD LEADER*, AXIS & AL-LIES*, and SPACE: 1889* events. In addition,there will be nonstop movies and open gaming.Send an SASE to: TOLEDO GAMING CONVEN-TION 7, c/o Mind Games, 3001 North ReynoldsRoad, Toledo OH 43615.

QUAD CON, October 13-15The RiverBend Gamers Association will spon-

sor QUAD CON �89 at Palmer Auditorium, 1000Brady St., Davenport, Iowa. Special room ratesare available at the Best Western Riverview Innby calling (800) 528-1234 toll free or (319) 324-1921. Games include AD&D®, D&D®, BATTLE-TECH*, RECON*, STAR FLEET BATTLES*, CARWARS*, STAR TREK*, GURPS*, MARVEL SUPERHEROES®, GAMMA WORLD®, TRAVELLER2300*, TWILIGHT 2000*, TEENAGE MUTANTNINJA TURTLES*, MERP*, DR. WHO*, CALLOF CTHULHU*, DC HEROES*, ADVANCEDSQUAD LEADER*, CIVILIZATION*, DIPLO-MACY*, and AIR SORTIE* games. Other eventswill include microarmor, a painting contest, amultievent ancients-to-future combat tourna-ment, and a costume contest (no weapons,please). At-the-door fees are: $10 for the week-end, $5 per day. Send a #10 SASE to: RiverBendGamer�s Association, P.O. Box 8421, Moline IL61265.

NECRONOMICON �89, October 20-22NECRONOMICON �89, a science-fiction, fan-

tasy, and horror convention, will be held at theAshley Plaza Holiday Inn in Tampa, Fla. Guestsof honor will be George Alec Effinger (author ofWhen Gravity Fails) and artist Tom Kidd. Otherguests include Richard Byers (author of FrightLine) and Richard Louis Newman (author of OnWings of Evil). Membership rates are $15 untilSeptember 15, and $20 at the door. One-daymemberships are available at the door only.

Hotel room rates are $50 for single to quadoccupancy. Activities will include author andartist panels, a fan cabaret, a masquerade, aBatman 50th Anniversary Trivia Quiz, auto-graph sessions, an art auction, a late nightdance, and an Ygor party. Write to: NECRO-NOMICON �89, P.O. Box 2076, Riverview FL33569; or call: (813) 677-6347.

NOTJUSTANOTHER CON, October 20-22The Science Fiction Conventioneers of U.

Mass. (SCUM) will hold its fifth NOTJUST-ANOTHER CON in the Campus Center of the

University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Guest ofhonor is Oscar-winning filmmaker Mike Jittlov(The Wizard of Speed and Time). Membershiprates are $13 through October 1; $15 fromOctober 1-19; and $17 at the door. Send an SASEto: SCUM, RSO 104 SAO, U. Mass., Amherst MA01003; or call: (413) 545-1924.

QUEEN CITY GAMES �89, October 20-21QUEEN CITY GAMES �89 will be held at the

Cincinnati Technical College, Cincinnati, Ohio.Events will include BATTLETECH*, STAR FLEETBATTLES*, and microarmor games, with anRPGA� Network tournament, role-playing,miniatures, door prizes, seminars, and a cos-tume contest. Write to: Cincinnati AdventureGamers, Q.C.G. �89, P.O. Box 462, Cincinnati OH45201; or call: (513) 542-3449, 1:30-6:00 P.M.

CONFIGURATION, October 21-22CONFIGURATION will be held in the Student

Union and Post Hall of Rogers State College,College Hill, Will Rogers Blvd., Claremore, Okla.,minutes northeast of Tulsa. Tournaments in-clude D&D®, AD&D®, MERP*, WARHAMMER*,WARHAMMER FANTASY BATTLE*, SPACEOPERA*, TWILIGHT 2000*, and other games.Prizes will be awarded in each tournament.There will be a large dealers� room, open gam-ing, artists, and guests. Admission is $5 in ad-vance, or $7 at the door. One-day admissionprices are $4 per day, or $1 for a dealers� roompass. Write to: CONFIGURATION, 107 E. 7th St.,Owasso OK 74055; or call: (918) 272-4171.

HEXACON �89, October 27-29This science-fiction and fantasy gaming con-

vention will be held at the University of NorthCarolina at Greensboro in the Bryan Businessand Economics building, Tournaments includethe AD&D® game (sponsored by the RPGA�Network), and BATTLETECH*, CAR WARS*, andother games. Dealers will be present. Preregis-tration is $10 general admission for the week-end, $7 for students with valid ID, and $5 forUNCG students. Write to: Robin Jordan, ScienceFiction and Fantasy Federation, Box 4 EUC,UNCG, Greensboro NC 27412; or call: (919) 334-3159.

MILEHICON 21, October 27-29This science-fiction, fantasy, and gaming

convention will be held at the Executive TowerInn in Denver, Colo. Robert Bloch will be theguest of honor; Forrest J. Ackerman will be fanguest of honor; and Simon Hawke will be toast-master. Events will include: literary and scien-tific panels; an art show and auction; exhibits; aCritter Crunch; videos and movies; filk pro-gramming; a gaming area; a costume contest;and a masked ball. Room rates are $47 for singleor double occupancy; $52 for triple or quadoccupancy. Dealers� tables are $40 until October27. Registration fees are $20 until October 15,or $22 at the door. Write to: MILEHICON, P.O.Box 27074, Lakewood CO 80227; or call: (303)426-0806.

WARGAMER�S EXPO, OctoberThis event has been cancelled.

27-29 SCI CON II, November 10-12

COMMAND.CON 1, October 28This convention will be held at the Forest

Park Community College campus cafeteria.Events will include RPGA� Network AD&D®games, miniatures battles, and a game auction.Admission is $5. Write to: COMMAND.CON 1,P.O. Box 9107, Richmond Heights MO 63117; orcall: (314) 727-1508 or (314) 721-1155 before10:00 P.M. No collect calls, please.

ADVENTURE �89, October 28-29Canada�s Premier Gaming Convention is to be

held in Mississauga, Ontario, at the University ofToronto�s Erindale Campus, 3359 MississaugaRd. Guests include Lloyd Blankenship fromSteve Jackson Games, Kevin Barrett of I.C.E.,and Bob Simpson of Supremacy Games. Eventsinclude AD&D® tournaments, and BATTLE-TECH* and more than 20 other role-playinggames, many sponsored by the RPGA� Net-work. Also featured are over 25 board games,miniatures games, professional seminars, agame auction, and a costume contest. For hotelreservations, call Novotel at: (419) 896-1000(mention ADVENTURE �89 for discount rates).Preregistration, in Canadian or U.S. funds, is$15 for the weekend or $9 per day. Registrationat the door is $20 for the weekend or $12 perday. Send check or money order, or write to:ADVENTURE �89, 257 Queen St. South, Missis-sauga, Ontario, CANADA L5M 1L9. Include yourphone number with all correspondence.

STARD �89, November 4-5For the first time, STARD will be a two-day

event, to be held at the Curio-Haus, Rothen-baumchaussee 13, on the Hamburg Universitycampus. Events will include hundreds of role-playing, tabletop, and board game events,miniatures exhibitions and competitions, a gameauction and art exhibition, workshops, paneldiscussion, demonstration games, and a dealers�area. Hours are Saturday, 10:00 to 22:00, andSunday 10:00 to 18:00. Write to: Citadel Verlag,Mühlendamm 41-43, D-2000 Hamburg 76, WESTGERMANY, or call: 40-220 14 14 /5.

CONTRARY, November 10-11CONTRARY �89 will be held at the Parwick

Center in Chicopee, Mass. The convention willfeature military/strategy games, role-playinggames (including at least two RPGA� Networkevents), and miniatures events. Preregistrationis $10 for both days or $8 for one day. Write to:CONTRARY �89, 933 Belmont Ave., SpringfieldMA 01108; or call Mark at: (413) 731-7237.

AU GAMERS CONVENTIONNovember 10-12

The Au Gamers are proud to hold the largestfantasy role-playing convention in New Jersey atthe Sheraton Tara Hotel, 199 Smith Rd., Parsip-pany NJ. Events will include RPGA� Networktournaments, a charity game, a costume contest,a dealers� area, and a miniatures painting con-test. Prizes will be awarded for best players andbest gamemasters. For reservations, call: (201)515-2000, ext. 5800. Mention the convention toreceive special room rates. Registration feesbefore Oct. 20 are $7 per day or $18 for theweekend. After Oct. 20, rates are $8 per dayand $20 for the weekend. Registration at thedoor will be $10 per day. Write to: Steven M.Scheel, Oakwood Village, Bldg #26, Apt #9,Flanders NJ 07836, or call: (201) 927-8097; orJohn Moir, 361 Vandervier Ave., Sommerville NJ08876; or call: (201) 725-1257.

This science-fiction and gaming conventionwill be held at the Holiday Inn Executive Centerin Virginia Beach, Va. Artist guests of honor areRon Lindahn and Val Lakey-Lindahn. Specialguest is Frank Kelly Freas. Events will includepanels, readings, video presentations, a costumecontest, an art show, gaming, and more. Mem-berships are $15 until September 30, or $20 atthe door. Huckster tables (which include onemembership) are $75 until October 1; any tablesavailable after that point will be $100. Send anSASE to: SCI CON 11, Dept. DR, P.O. Box 9434,Hampton VA 23670.

ARMISTICE CON '89, November 11-12This gaming event will be held at the Horizon

Activities Center in North Olmsted, Ohio. Specialevents will include TRAVELLER*, CAR WARS*,BATTLETECH*, DIPLOMACY*, microarmor, andAD&D® game events, as well as Napoleonicminiatures, board and role-playing games, aminiatures exhibit, a miniatures-painting con-test, and 24-hour gaming. Registration fees are$12. One-day passes will be available for $7.Write to: ARMISTICE CON �89, c/o HorizonActivities Center, 30395 Lorain Road, NorthOlmsted OH 44070; or call Dave Smith or FranHaas at: (216) 779-6536 during business hours.

GAMESCON (UK) �89, November 11This gaming convention will be held at the

Laindon Community Centre, Basildon, Essex.Dungeon Masters and players are required forAD&D® competitions. Contact Chris Baylis at tel:0268-419933, or write to: 67 Mynchens, LeeChapel North, Basildon, Essex SS115 5EG,UNITED KINGDOM.

PENTACON, November 11The Northeast Indiana Gaming Association

will be hosting the fifth annual PENTACONgaming convention in the Grand Wayne Conven-tion Center in Fort Wayne, Ind. Games willinclude an RPGA� Network AD&D® tourna-ment, and BATTLETECH*, CAR WARS*, CHAM-PIONS*, CIVILIZATION*, DARKUS THEL*,MORROW PROJECT*, and SPACE: 1889* games.Other features are a painting contest and deal-ers� area. Send an SASE to: N.I.G.A., P.O. Box11146, Fort Wayne IN 46856.

ROCK-CON XVI, November 11-12Over 1,000 people are expected to attend this

year�s convention, to be held at the RockfordLutheran High School, 3411 N. Alpine Rd.,Rockford, Ill. Hours are Saturday, 10:00 A.M. to,midnight; Sunday, 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. A newevent this year will be the painting competition,with numerous prizes. We expect over 15 majordealers. Admission is still only $5 for the entireweekend, with no additional fee for gamingevents. Send an SASE to: ROCK-CON XVI, 14225Hansberry Rd., Rockton IL 61072.

UMF-CON, November 11-12This role-playing and war-games convention

will be held at the Student Center of the Univer-sity of Maine in Farmington, Maine. Events willinclude TOP SECRET/S.I.� and AD&D® games,DIPLOMACY* competitions, miniatures, boardgames, and contests. Also planned is anothermurder mystery. Admission is $5 per day and$2 per game. Send an SASE to: Table GamingClub, c/o Student Life Office, Student Center, 5South Street, Farmington ME 04938.

NOVAG-V, November 17-19The Northern Virginia Adventure Gamers will

host their fifth annual convention at the Carra

D R A G O N 9 7

doc Hall Inn in Leesburg, Va. All types of adven-ture games are included, from historical boardand miniatures games to science-fiction andfantasy role-playing games. Vendors are wel-come. Write to: Northern Virginia AdventureGamers, c/o Wargamers Hobby Shop, 101 E.

Holly Ave., Suite 16, Sterling VA 22170; or call:(703) 450-6738.

UCON �89, November 17-19This role-playing and strategy gaming conven-

tion will take place in the Michigan Union at theUniversity of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Eventswill include: live role-playing; dealers� tables; amovie room; two AD&D® tournaments; andover 80 events including CIVILIZATION*, STARFLEET BATTLES*, DIPLOMACY*, THIRDREICH*, and historical miniatures games. Game-masters receive free registration if preregis-tered. Write to: The Michigan Wargaming Club,P.O. Box 4491, Ann Arbor MI 48106.

UK Masters 1989 AD&D® TournamentNovember 11-12

This tournament will be held at the WAR �89Convention at the Rivermead Leisure Center,Richfield Ave., Reading. Entry fee is £3.50 (£2.50for players with UK ranking points). Makecheques payable and mail to: Mr. C. Froud, 88Southview Ave., Reading, Berkshire, ENGLAND.Space is limited, so register early.

DALLAS FANTASY FAIR, November 24-26Featuring over 140 dealers� tables, more than

60 guests, and over 2,000 attendees, this fantasyevent will be held at the Marriott Park Central,7750 I-635 at Coit Road in Dallas, Tex. Attrac-tions will include two 24-hour video rooms,Japanimation, 24-hour gaming, four-track pro-gramming, a masquerade, an open con suite, anart show and auction, a charity auction, artists�and writers� workshops, autograph sessions,filksinging, dancing, an amateur-film festival, atalent show, and more. Admission is $15 for allthree days in advance, or $20 at the door.Single-day admissions may be purchased at thedoor; prices are $8 Friday, $10 Saturday, and $8Sunday. Write to: Bulldog Productions, P.O. Box820488, Dallas TX 75382; or call: (214) 349-3367.

MACQUARIECON �89, December 8-10The Macquarie University Role-Playing Society

will host Australia�s largest role-playing conven-tion at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.Events will include AD&D®, PARANOIA*, CALLOF CTHULHU*, JAMES BOND*, TRAVELLER*,STAR WARS*, M.E.R.P.*, WARHAMMER*,SPACE: 1889*, JUDGE DREDD*, and boardgames and freeforms. Registration is $30 (Aus-tralian) for the weekend or $3 (Australian) persession with a $7 registration fee. Write to:M.U.R.P.S., P.O. Box 1577, Macquarie Centre,North Ryde NSW 2113, AUSTRALIA.

TRITICON I, December 8-11Students Tempted by Adventure, Fame, and

Fortune (S.T.A.F.F.) will host their first conven-tion at the Price Center on the University ofCalifornia-San Diego campus. Events will include AD&D® tournaments; BATTLETECH*,CAR WARS*, and COSMIC ENCOUNTERS*tournaments; DIPLOMACY*, HOW TO HOST AMURDER*, GAMMA WORLD*, TRAVELLER*,and WARHAMMER* games, and a live dungeon.Prizes will be awarded to tournament winners.Other events include open gaming, SCA demon-strations, a figure painting contest, a dealers�room, and a flea market. Registration is $10($8)before December 1, $12($10) at the door for theweekend, and $5($4) each day at the door. UCSD

98 OCTOBER 1989

students receive the discounted rates in paren-theses; include ID number when registering.Write to: TRITICON I, Price Center, E-30, UCSD,La Jolla CA 92093.

WINTER FANTASY, January 5-7, 1990The RPGA� Network will sponsor WINTER

FANTASY 1990 at the Ramada Inn Airport atMilwaukee, Wis. Special room rates are availa-ble by contacting the hotel at (414) 764-5300.Sanctioned events include AD&D® Grand Mas-ters, AD&D® Masters, AD&D® Feature, AD&D®Benefit, MARVEL SUPER HEROES®, TOPSECRET/S.I.�, PARANOIA*, and other tourna-ments. Other activities include a writers� semi-nar, Saturday morning breakfast, Sundaybrunch, open gaming, and a dealers� area. Allgaming is free except for the benefit tourna-ment. Limited preregistration is available toRPGA Network members; contact Network HQfor a preregistration form. Registration fees are$10 to Network members, $12 to nonmembersuntil November 1. Afterward, fees for the entireweekend are $15. Send a SASE to: RPGA�Network, P.O. Box 515, Lake Geneva WI 53147.

CHATTACON XV, January 12-14, 1990CHATTACON XV will be held at The Chatta-

nooga Choo-Choo, Chattanooga, Tenn. Accom-modations are $60 flat, $85 for sleeper carsuites. Guests will include Michael P. Kube-McDowell, Robert E. Vardeman, David Cherry,Danny Gill, Wilson �Bob� Tucker, Stan Bruns,and Dick and Nicki Lynch. Registration: $18until Dec. 1, $25 thereafter and at the door.Send an SASE to: CHATTACON XV, Box 23908,Chattanooga TN 37422; or call: (404) 591-9322(no collect calls, please).

NEW MEXICON I, January 12-14This science-fiction/science-fact con will be

held at the Las Cruces Hilton Inn. In addition togaming, featured are a variety of people fromscience and the arts to hold panel discussionsand give demonstrations and lectures. Con-firmed guests are G. Harry Stein as scientistguest of honor; Real Musgrave as artist guest ofhonor; James P. Hogan as author guest of honor;and Jim Davidson, Laurie Wiggins, Dr. MikeHyson, and Greg Kennedy as scientist guests.Author guest speakers will be Walter JohnWilliams, George Alex Effinger, Sonni Cooper,and James Theisen. Write to: NEW MEXICON I,Box 3836, New Mexico State University, LasCruces NM 88003-3836; or call Lew Maestasevenings at: (505) 522-0115, or Gaylord Teagueat: (505) 521-3828.

JACKSONVILLE SKIRMISHES �90February 9-11, 1990

SKIRMISHES presents this role-playing andwar gaming convention at the JacksonvilleMotel on the Riverwalk, 565 South Main Street,in Jacksonville, Fla. Room rates are $52 for oneto four persons. Events will include AD&D®game features, along with TRAVELLER*, STARFLEET BATTLES*, CAR WARS*, and SEEKRIEG*games. Other events will include board gaming,a KILLER* tournament, dealers, a miniatures-painting contest, demonstrations by the SCA,and many other role-playing and historicalevents. Hotel reservations may be made bycalling: (904) 398-8800. Registration is $18 forthe entire weekend. Send your registration feeto receive a program booklet. Write to: SKIR-MISHES, P.O. Box 2097, Winter Haven FL 33883;or call: (813) 293-7983.

ForumContinued from page 51magical items. PCs in these games have someincredible stuff. I ask you, how many paladinsbelow 7th level have holy swords in your cam-paign? In this campaign�s case, roughly half.

It�s getting worse, but the players enjoy it.When I started with this group, I tried to rungames by the book. I rejected characters rightand left for the above reasons and didn�t use thevariant systems. After a bit, I noticed a pattern.Some people would deliberately not come togames I ran, and no one would play a magic-user. I had to adapt to the gamers� playingstyles, or I wouldn�t be playing with them forlong. I began using the variant spell systems andwas more lenient with character selection.

I try to hold the line by myself. I retire mymonster PCs soon after they become monsters,and I stick to book classes and races duringcharacter generation. I have a dream that thisgroup will follow my example, but I�m notholding my breath.

All of you out there who have your ideas, usethem if they fit your gaming style. If they don�t,go back to the basics.

Bill McCulloughRiverside CA

The �Forum,� issue #146, contains severalletters on subjects that I would like to address. Ihave been playing the AD&D game since 1982,and I have seen the long, slow transition fromthe original AD&D game to the amalgamation ofthe 12 or so hardcovers and finally to the newAD&D 2nd Edition (which I must say is GREAT!).I have also seen, the birth of the political/socioeconomic masterpieces that have becomeso popular lately. The point I would like to makeis: WHO CARES?!

First, the whole purpose of a game is to havefun. So what if a group wants to indulge in thedetail and rules needed to run a direct-action-produces-results campaign or indulge in hourafter hour of creating mindless monster-bashingadventures? I have run and played in both, andI enjoy both. What are people arguing over?

Second, I am also concerned about those whosay that a bloodbath cannot be creative. In myestimation, I6 Ravenloft (by Tracy and LauraHickman) is essentially a bloodbath that focuseson vampires, but it�s a hard test of a player�sskills and game knowledge. It is also the bestmodule ever produced by TSR, Inc. I dareanyone to say it�s not creative.

Third, what�s the problem with having evilPCs? They are hard to play, true (what bettertest of skill?), but why can�t they be in a party ofpredominately good characters? Raistlin surewasn�t good (even in the beginning, he acted likea neutral PC with evil tendencies). In Dragons ofAutumn Twilight, Laurana asked Raistlin whyhe followed Tanis. His reply was: �Because fornow we walk the same path.�

In closing, let me say this: I am a new waver(i.e., a punk rocker to some, although there is adifference), and I try to see people as individuals(that�s why I consider myself chaotic neutral). Ifa group of players prefers building a kingdomto thrashing orcs and giants, so what? As long aswe are the ones who make the AD&D gamewhat it is and have fun doing it, nothing elsematters, does it? So just sit back, relax, and letus all revel in our �infinite diversity� (to quote acertain Vulcan).

Anthony N. EmmelLongview TX

100 OCTOBER 1989

DRAGON 101