Magazine

Issue #124Vol. XII, No. 3August 1987

PublisherMike Cook

EditorRoger E. Moore

Assistant editor Fiction editorRobin Jenkins Patrick L. Price

Editorial assistantsEileen Lucas Barbara G. Young

Georgia Moore

Art directorRoger Raupp

Marilyn FavaroProduction Staff

Gloria Habriga

SubscriptionsPat Schulz

AdvertisingMary Parkinson

Ed GreenwoodCreative editors

Jeff Grubb

Contributing artistsTeanna Byerts Richard Cameron

Jeff Dee DieselLarry Elmore Ernie GuanlaoJim Holloway Paul JaquaysDwain Meyer Ray Nadeau

Joseph Pillsbury Lawrence RaimondaRichard Tomasic David Trampier

2 AUGUST 1987

CONTENTS

SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS17 AERIAL ADVENTURING:

Give wings to your imagination.

18 Sailors on the Sea of Air � Ed GreenwoodThe flying ships of the Forgotten Realms.

2 2 On a Wing and a Prayer � L. Gregory SmithThe art and science � and joy � of gliders.

2 6 Flying the Friendly(?) Skies � Thomas M. KaneThe sky is the only limit with aerial adventures in the AD&D® game.

34 The Wings of Eagles � J.F. KeepingAarakocra as player characters in AD&D game campaigns.

37 Kocraa � God of the Aarakocra � Christopher JonesA brief word about the lord of the bird-folk.

� The AD&D Game Second Edition QuestionnaireDon�t miss this chance to tell us what you want!

OTHER FEATURES8 Role-Playing Reviews � Ken Rolston

Game reviews are back � and first in line is WARHAMMER FANTASY ROLEPLAY.4 0 Kicks and Sticks � Joseph R. Ravitts

Filipino martial arts at its best: escrima.44 New Front-End Alignments � Rich Stump

If you�ve ever gamed with a Neutral Montyhaul, you�ll love this article.5 0 Arcane Lore � Rich Balwin

The secret spells of Odeen the Arch-Mage.5 4 Packing It All Away � Ian Chapman

Backpacks: Don�t leave for the wilderness without one.56 The Ecology of the Gelatinous Cube � Ed Greenwood

A lecture on the athcoid and the nature of old feuds.5 8 The Game Wizards � Michael Dobson

The latest word from TSR: what, who, where, when, how, and why.6 2 Blasters & Blunderbusses � Peter R. Jahn

How can you control a player character with a howitzer?6 6 A Shot in the Arm � Jason Pamental and David Packard

Making combat a little livelier in STAR FRONTIERS® games.7 0 The Most Secret of Secrets � Thomas M. Kane

A few real-world projects for TOP SECRET® and TOP SECRET/S.I.� games.7 6 The Marvel®-Phile � Jeff Grubb

Meet the newest Hulk® of all � and his most determined foes.8 2 The Role of Computers � Hartley and Patricia Lesser

Black Magic and Realms of Darkness reviewed.9 4 ORIGINS Awards 1987 � The editors

DEPARTMENTS3 Letters 60 Index to Advertisers 96 Dragonmirth4 World Gamers Guide 88 Gamers Guide 98 Snarfquest6 Forum 91 Convention Calendar 101 Wormy

16 Sage Advice

COVERA high-riding adventurer looks down over a forested valley in our cover painting

by Pennsylvania native Teanna Byerts. One can only imagine what thoughts arepassing through the mind of the wide-eyed rider, though the pegasus seems quiteat ease with it all.

LETTERS Directions

Recordbusters the time; currently, it alternates with �The Roleof Books� feature, but this may change soon.

Dear Dragon:My friends and I are interested in breaking

the world�s record for continuous AD&D® gameplaying. Could you send me information on thisor tell me where to send for it?

Peter C. RauchColorado Springs CO

Sorry, Peter (and the dozen or so othergamers who have written to ask this question).We have no idea where you can obtain informa-tion on the current records for any sort ofgaming. We also have no interest in printingsuch records, whether they are legitimate worldrecords or not, because such stunts don�tencourage good health habits. (I can�t imaginesitting down and gaming for more than sixhours at a stretch nowadays, anyway My sonwouldn�t stand for it.) � RM

Your suggestion that we run the addresses ofgamers is one that we ourselves have discussed,particularly with reference to a classified-adssection in which gamers could post listings ofitems for sale, items needed, announcements ofgaming groups, etc. It was also suggested to meby a gamer on an Austin computer bulletin boardthat we publish a list of phone numbers for BBSsfeaturing role-playing game set-ups and sub-boards which discuss gaming topics. We�d likemore feedback on these ideas from readersbefore we act on them (see this month's editorial).

As for a �New Words� department: Send moremail on this one, folks. How would you like sucha feature set up? What information on a gameworld do you think is important? � RM

Future writersDear Dragon:

More changesDear Dragon:

In the �Letters� section of issue #121, one ofthe letters was headed �More Columns.� Forsome reason, the heading was followed by aquestion mark. Well, in that case, my answer isan emphatic yes.

Niel Brandt�s idea for a �New Worlds� sectionis excellent. Anything could be included � TheKnown World, Greyhawk, Blackmoor, Middle-earth, the Wizard�s World (from Alan DeanFoster�s Spellsinger novels), Mognamund (fromthe Lone Wolf gamebooks) � the possibilitiesare endless.

I am a Dungeon Master with thoughts of col-

ings on our staff; our main interest now is in

lege next year. if someone wanted to work foryour magazine or one like it, what classes should

locating high quality freelance writers who can

he take and what are some good colleges to goto? Also, is there any money in writing fantasymaterial? Are there a lot of job opportunities for

produce gaming articles. The only requirements

a fantasy writer? Who can a young writer sendmanuscripts to, to see if they are any good?

Michael ClementPeshtigo WI

If you�ve read the past �Profiles� on the maga-zine staff members here at TSR, Inc., you areundoubtedly aware that there is no establishedmethod for getting into the games or gamesmagazine business. We currently have no open-

Gamers� Guide� and �Overseas Military Gamers�

I think you could expand your �Gamers�

Guide� by including the addresses of U.S.gamers who play unusual, hard-to-find games or

Guide� feature (you know, the one with ads for

have lots of trouble finding gamers in their

game merchants) to be more like the �World

area. Also, since I (and a lot of other people Iknow) enjoy the posters you put out once in awhile, you could put in a two-page pull-out inthe middle of the magazine each month, con-taining that issue�s cover art, or a promo for anew product, or whatever. A �character of themonth� would be interesting as well.

Finally, puh-leeese bring back �The Marvel®-Phile� and �The Role of Computers� as regularfeatures! Please!

P.S. Are you listed in the Readers� Guide toPeriodical Literature?

Mike SugarbakerBerkeley CA

for one to be such a writer are creativity famil-iarity with games, and the ability to express one�sideas clearly and neatly on paper (as per ourWriters Guidelines).

Is there any money in writing fantasy material?That depends. We pay about $0.04 per word forarticles in DRAGON® Magazine, and almost noone has ever made enough from writing fantasygaming material to support himself withouthaving a regular job (unless he was employed as agame designer). Even people who write fantasyfiction usually do it as a sideline to better-payingresponsibilities.

If someone seriously wishes to write gamematerial for any game company or periodical, Istrongly recommend the following:

(continued on page 60)

In reverse order: No, we�re not in the Readers�Guide to Periodical Literature; gaming articlesare not that important, I suppose. �The Marvel-Phile� has been slightly irregular due to Jeff�swork schedule, but it�s still around. �The Role ofComputers� is proving to be more popular all

In a previous column, I mentionedthat we were still thinking of newservices to provide for the hundredsof thousands of gamers who readeach issue of DRAGON® Magazine.Our staff has tossed around numer-ous ideas to improve the quality andutility of the magazine as a wholeand provide you with more hardgaming information, more news ongaming events and issues, and moreof everything else as well.

We�ve considered classified ads,but given the wide circulation of themagazine, any such section wouldprobably cover a minimum of eightpages per issue. More important,this feature is already covered quitewell by POLYHEDRON� Newszine.Classifieds aren�t likely to appear.

We also debated the merits of newdepartments, columns, and features� and now you have two more(�Lords & Legends� and �ArcaneLore�) which will appear at irregularintervals. And, with this issue, younow have a games-review column aswell, a feature that has been sorelymissed by many of our readers.

Other column ideas have beensuggested, several showing muchmerit, but there is a limit to thenumber of things we can add.

Some of the semiregular featureswill alternate with one another invarious issues. We�d like to add morepages, but we have to wait foradvertising to increase sufficientlyto justify the increase in size.

One other idea for a regular fea-ture has occurred to us � a one-page listing of modem-accessiblebulletin board systems (BBSs) whichare gaming-oriented. Some of themfeature subboards with news fromgame companies, debates on game-related topics (I hear that thesecond-edition AD&D® game is a hottopic), and on-line role-playingadventures.

Would you like a BBS page as aregular or semiregular feature?Write and tell us now � and let usknow how you like the changeswe�ve made.

D r a g o n 3

The World Gamers Guideif you live outside the continental United

States and Canada, you can be included inthe World Gamers Guide by sending yourname and full address (carefully printed ortyped, please), plus your gaming prefer-

When listing gaming preferences, writeout the complete title of the games you mostenjoy. For the purposes of this column, theabbreviations listed below are used.

ences, to: World Gamers Guide, DRAGON® AD: AD&De gameMagazine, PO. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI BS: BATTLESYSTEM� Supplement53147, United States of America. BT: BATTLETECH® game

The World Gamers Guide is intended for CC: CALL OF CTHULHU® gamethe benefit of gamers who would like to CH: CHAMPIONS� gamecontact other game-players around the CL: CHILL� gameworld, to share their interests in gaming CW: CAR WARS® gamethrough correspondence. Each eligible name DC: DC� HEROES gameand address that we receive is published in DD: D&D® gamethree consecutive issues of DRAGON Maga- DW: Doctor Who gamezine. To be listed for more than three issues, EPT: Empire of the Petal Throne gameyou must send us another postcard or letter. G: GURPS® game

Overseas American military personnel GHO: GHOSTBUSTERS� gameshould consult issue #123 for information on EQ: ELFQUEST® gameThe Overseas Military Gamers Guide and GW: GAMMA WORLD@ gamehow servicemen may be listed therein. JB: James Bond 007 game

JD: Judge Dredd gameMERP: MIDDLE EARTH

ROLE PLAYING� gameMSH: MARVEL SUPER HEROES� gameOA: AD&D Oriental Adventures systemP: PARANOIA� gamePEN: Pendragon gameRC: RECON® gameRM: ROLEMASTER� gameRQ: RUNEQUEST® gameSF: STAR FRONTIERS® gameSFB: Star Fleet Battles gameSM: SPACE MASTER� gameST: STAR TREK®: The RPGT: TRAVELLER® gameTMNT: TEENAGE MUTANT

NINJA TURTLES® gameTN: TOON® gameTS: TOP SECRET® gameT2000: TWILIGHT: 2000� gameT2300: TRAVELLER 2300� gameVV: VILLAINS & VIGILANTES� game

Luis J. Katigbak (AD)3073 Apple Street UPS IIIParanaque, Metro ManilaPHILIPPINES

Carl Adams (AD,DD)P.O. Box 16KohukohuHokiangaNorthlandNEW ZEALAND

Ilkka Seppa (AD,CC)Lamsantie 2490230 OuloFINLAND

Andrew Mussell (AD,DD)12 Beaconsfield RoadChristchurchDorset BH23 1QTENGLAND

Sean Riley (AD,CW,MSH,P,T,TN)9 Marina DriveMt. Clear 3350Ballarat, VictoriaAUSTRALIA

Jeff Johnson (AD,DD)SPDC Ext. NordBP 31MarouaCAMEROON

Svaerd & Trolddom RPG Society(AD,DD)

Maagevej 24295StenlilleDENMARK

Vesa Lehtinen (DD,GW,RQ,T)Pahkinamaenkatu 5C76SF-33840 TampereSuomi-FinlandFINLAND

Ilkka Seppa (AD,CC)Lamsantie 2490230 OuloFINLAND

Fanaat (gaming club)(AD,DD,T,RM)

VrijhofUniversiteit TwentePostbus 2177500 AE EnschedeNETHERLANDS

Russell Warner(CC,CL,DD,P,ST,VV)

106 Hukanui RoadChartwellHamiltonNEW ZEALAND

The Fellowship GamingOrganization

c/o Ramon Macutay(AD,DD,GW,SF,TS)

191 Pasadena StreetSan Juan, Metro ManilaPHILIPPINES

Wade Phillips (AD,DD,T,RQ)P.O. Box 860Kaunakakai, Molokai, Hawaii

96748UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Robin Sokolowski(BT,MSH,OA,SF,TS,T2000,T2300)

Siedlung Strasse 156799 LiebsthalWEST GERMANY

DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is published monthly by TSR, Inc. The mailing address for all material except subscription orders is DRAGON Magazine, P.O.Box 110, Lake Geneva WI 53147; the business telephone number is (414) 248-3625. DRAGON Magazine is available at hobby stores and bookstores throughout theUnited States and Canada, and through a limited number of overseas outlets. Subscription rates via second-class mail are as follows: $30 in U.S. funds for year (12issues) sent to an address in the U.S. or Canada, $50 for 12 issues sent by surface mail to any other address, and $90 for 12 issues sent airmail to any other addressPayment in full must accompany all subscription orders. Methods of payment include checks or money orders made payable to TSR, Inc., or charges to validMasterCard or VISA credit cards. Send subscription orders with payments to: TSR, Inc. P.O. Box 72089, Chicago IL 60690. A limited quantity of back issues areavailable from the TSR mail order department, P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147. For a copy of the current catalog listing available back issues, write to the mailorder department at the above address. The issue of expiration of each subscription is printed on the mailing label for each subscriber’s copy of the magazine.Changes of address for the delivery of subscription copies must be received at least six weeks prior to the effective date of the change in order to assure uninterrupteddelivery. All material published in DRAGON Magazine becomes the exclusive property of the publisher, unless special arrangements to the contrary are made prior topublication. DRAGON Magazine welcomes unsolicited submissions of written material and artwork; however, no responsibility for such submissions can be assumed bythe publisher in any event. Any submission accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size will be returned if it cannot be published.

DRAGON is a registered trademark for the monthly adventure role-playing aid published by TSR, Inc. All rights to the contents of this publication are reserved, andnothing may be reproduced from it in whole or in part without first obtaining permission in writing from the publisher. Copyright ©1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

AD&D, ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, ADVANCED D&D, AMAZING, BOOT HILL, D&D, DRAGONLANCE, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, FIEND FOLIO,GAMMA WORLD, TOP SECRET, STAR FRONTIERS, and TSR are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. GEN CON is a service mark owned by TSR, Inc. ARES,BATTLESYSTEM, BLACKMOOR, DEITIES & DEMIGODS, DRAGONCHESS, DRAGONQUEST, DUNGEON, FORGOTTEN REALMS, GANGBUSTERS, GREYHAWK,POLYHEDRON, RPGA, TOP SECRET/S.I., WORLD OF GREYHAWK, and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. ©1987 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.Marvel and all Marvel character names and likenesses are trademarks of the Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. and are used under license. Copyright ©1987 MarvelEntertainment Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Second-class postage paid at Lake Geneva, Wis., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to TSR, Inc., P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI53147. USPS 318-790, ISSN 0279-6848.

4 AUGUST 1987

During the two years I have been playing theAD&D® game, I have noticed a form of inflationin the game. When I started to play AD&Dgames, there were only the character classes inthe Players Handbook to choose from. Thegame was very entertaining, but as soon asUnearthed Arcana was published, it took someof the fun away from the game. Everybodywanted to be human and use one of the morepowerful classes, such as the barbarian or thenew paladin.

As a conservative player, I tried to prevent theuse of these new classes, weapon specializa-tions, spells, and ways to roll ability scores forhumans. I myself have never played a barbariannor any other class from Unearthed Arcana. Myfighters never have had weapon specialization,and I roll up all my characters, includinghumans, according to method #1 in theDungeon Masters Guide. Now, when a 1st-levelcharacter becomes too powerful, the DM mustuse more powerful monsters to make an adven-ture challenging. The character, because of this,gains more experience points and should �according to the Monster Manuals, as well asthe FIEND FOLIO® Tome�s treasure table � gainmore gold than magic. This makes low-levelcharacters extremely powerful. The fun I usedto have playing a low-level character is gone.

I think the DM should restrict the manyadvantages that Unearthed Arcana gave to theplayer characters. Many AD&D game playersprobably disagree with me, but I would like tohear someone else�s opinion on this matter.

Rad JorgensenMansfield OH

Mark Tarrance�s letter in issue #121 men-tioned a problem in not having enough informa-tion on the GAMMA WORLD® game to play it indepth. I believe his players are referring to thebasic game set�s lack of detail in the areas ofequipment, skills and talents, and the back-ground information (history, monsters, and soon). They are probably used to a game systemlike the ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®game, which has more than enough of this data.While I agree with Roger�s reply that the judgeusually fills out much of this information (andone of the endearing charms of the GW game isthat it is so open to creativity), I would like tobring to Marks attention the fact that TSR, Inc.,gives more information about the GAMMAWORLD game in the GW module series.

Jim Ward, Bruce Nesmith, and I have createda total of six modules that not only offer adven-tures but also provide many more creatures andlots of background information for the game.Furthermore, module GW9, which I believe isdue out in late summer or early fall, offers anextensive Talent and Skill system, a revised andexpanded weapons chart and cost tables, and adetailed town in which the player characterscan adventure and possibly settle down. Theentire series is interconnected by a couple ofplotlines that provide extensive color to thegame (I will not go into the plots here and givethe surprises away). In addition, I am sure that

6 AUGUST 1987

Brock SidesMoscow TN

players quit, I decided to leave the rules andplay my own game, where I decided whathappened, not the dice. Players were excited bymy imagination, for that is what the game was. Idecided whether the sword hit or not. Before Iknew it, DMing was like writing a book with noone else to help in the creation. I decided whathappened, when, and who survived. This mademe bored. Players and dice had nothing to dowith it; the game was just me rambling on,spinning a story from air. Now I am reading allthe rules I can, trying to be a stickler, and I lovelow-level campaigns. I'm beginning to feel toorestricted by the rules, though. Who knowswhere I�ll turn next?

The point I�m trying to make is that no DMingstyle is right and, given time, your DM willdecide he doesn�t like his current style andmove on. Of course, you can help him along, butdon�t push him or put him down; that just mightmake him quit. So, my advice is not to take yourDM out of his position, but to let him advance,or mature if you will, and encourage him alonguntil he is the kind of DM you want.

Uriah BlatherwickMemphis TN

Lately, I�ve read quite a lot about clerics andhow they�re not being played correctly: �No oneever plays a cleric correctly. Clerics dounknown things to worship faceless gods. Youdon�t see them preaching, converting, providingmoral guidance, or anything that a real clericdoes. They are walking first-aid kits and combatmedics.� (issue #118, p. 68)

Well, so what? After all, the AD&D gamereally does have a major focus on combat. Mostof the rules focus on weapons, armor, combatprocedures, saving throws, etc. If it takes mun-dane role-playing to play a class correctly, Idoubt anyone would play the game. In fact,upon closer inspection, none of the classes arebeing played correctly, if this is the case. Sincewhen does a fighter-player role-play out endlesshours of �exercising, riding, smiting pelts, tiltingat the lists, and engaging in weapons practice ofvarious sorts. . . �? (DMG, p. 85). I�ve yet to see agamer with a 29th-level magic-user detail out tothe DM the way in which he is going to spendthe 82 total hours it will take him to re-acquireall of the spells he can cast. Nor does the playerof a kensai say anything more than �I�ll practicefor two hours today;� the rest is assumed. Afighter need not say �I�ll clean my sword, recov-er my thrown spear, re-strap my shield, andstraighten my helm.� A thief only says �I�llsearch for traps, and then see what�s in thedesk.� He doesn�t say, �I�ll search the thirddrawer for a wire, the second for a pressurepoint, and then, starting at the bottom, reviewthe contents.� All of these mundane aspects ofadventuring � indeed, existence � are assumedto be continuously going on. The DMG puts itbest, when it says: �All very realistic but condu-cive to non-game boredom!� (p. 85)

It is obvious that a cleric, a person who hasdevoted his entire life to the service of a deity,will continuously be preaching, converting,providing moral guidance, and doing everythingthat a real cleric does. This is simply anotherside of the assumed aspects of adventuring �like putting on your saddle and taking care ofequipment. Besides, even if this were playedout, it would not contribute to the game. Whycan�t a cleric just say, �I pay tithing, help out thelocal followers when I can, sacrifice on what-ever holy days I�m supposed to, and execute myother religious duties,� and have the restassumed? A 29th-level cleric will spend 59½

(continued on page 38)

DRAGON® Magazine has more of this informa-tion from its readers as it occasionally runsarticles on the GAMMA WORLD game. GWjudges and players who want these productsshould ask their local gaming, hobby, or bookstore to carry them. The series begins withGW6, Alpha Base, and continues through GW11,due out in 1988.

If Gamma gamers wish more GW informationor products, either in module form or throughDRAGON Magazine, they must write and letTSR know they are interested.

I have seen several AD&D game campaignsdie in their infancy. The reason for failure ineach case was ignorance and inexperience onthe part of the DM; he just did not understandwhat magic items are appropriate for low-, mid-,and high-level characters. He allowed the infantcampaign to succumb to the dread disease ofMonty Haulitis. Low-level characters becamemore like comic-book heroes, with items such asa ring of invisibility/inaudibility, a vorpal sword,or a wand of frost with 80 charges. The inexpe-rienced DM cannot be blamed for his foolish-ness; there is a chance shown for these items onthe tables, and wands are stated to have 80 to100 charges when found. Play at this level ofpower becomes meaningless because there areno suitable opponents. Participants lose interestand the fledgling campaign dies.

Rearranging the magic item tables in the secondedition of the Dungeon Master’s Guide could atleast partially remedy this problem. Rather thanarranging the tables according to type of item (i.e.,rings, swords, misc. magic, etc.), they should bearranged according to the power of the item (i.e.,appropriate 1st-3rd level items, appropriate 4th-6thlevel items, etc.). This would probably involvecreating a new meaning of the word �level� (oh,no!), meaning the power of a magic item. Under asystem such as this, a DM would need a wisdom of3 to allow his campaign to fall victim to the curseof Monty Haul.

I write this letter in response to the cry forhelp of another player in issue #118. He said hewas part of a campaign in which the DM hadgiven power in amounts which made playboring. I�m not sure if you�ve ever DungeonMastered a campaign before. If you had, I�msure you would understand the problems yourDM is having in the way I believe I do.

I have been DMing for about five years nowand have gone through many different stages ofstyle and ability. When I first started, I followedall the rules I had learned. Play soon becameboring when everybody got tired of being lowlevel and fleeing from everything they stumbledupon. While trying to keep the game exciting, Istarted handing out magic at every orc, gnoll, orgoblin. After all, there was no rule against it.Soon players could beat anything they foughtand started losing interest again. After two

Kim EastlandMoline IL

DRAGON 7

© 1987 by Ken Rolston

WARHAMMER FANTASY ROLEPLAYGames Workshop Ltd. $29.95Design and development: Richard Halli-

well, Rick Priestley, Graeme Davis, JimBambra, and Phil Gallagher

Editing: Paul CockburnGraphic design: Charles Elliott

8 AUGUST 1987

THE ENEMY WITHIN(supplement and adventure for WFR)Games Workshop Ltd. $12.00Design and development: Jim Bambra,

Graeme Davis, Phil GallagherGraphic design: Charles Elliott

The WARHAMMER Fantasy Roleplay(WFR) system is a very promising fantasyrole-playing game from Games Workshop,the game company that dominates the

fantasy and science-fiction gaming andminiatures markets in Great Britain. Thesystems, campaign background, and pre-sentation of the basic game are aboveaverage, and the first adventure/campaignsupplement is quite impressive � the mostcredible alternative to the D&D® gamesystems and supplements in years. ThoughWFR is unlikely to rival the popularity ofthe D&D or AD&D® game, it could be theleader of the Loyal Opposition.

Shopping for a fantasy systemIn the beginning, there was the D&D

game. NOW, over a decade later, the AD&Dand revised D&D games, descendants ofthe original D&D game, still dominate thefantasy role-playing market.

The revised D&D game embodies thegreatest virtues of the original set � it�seasy to learn, fast-moving, and providesheaps of loot and hacked, toasted orcs.The AD&D game is the benefactor of theother great virtue of original D&D set �its open-ended expandability. Like otherpublished D&D game variants, the AD&Dgame is a monstrous, sprawling jumble ofgame systems and patches � just like thecountless personal variants (�house rules�)spawned by hundreds of thousands ofeager fans who devoted way too muchwit, energy, and enthusiasm to getting therules just the way they wanted them.

The earliest creditable alternatives to theD&D game family of fantasy role-playinggames boasted of increased sophisticationin four major departments: game systems,campaign settings, presentation, andadventures and supplements. For example,the RUNEQUEST® game offered moredetailed combat, a colorful fantasy worldwith epic themes, a more appealing graph-

ic package, and elaborate boxed campaignsupplements with related adventures.Because many of these alternative systemswere more sophisticated and narrowlyfocused than the D&D game, they hadsmaller audiences, but many of the fea-tures of these alternative systems (e.g.,character skills, epic campaign settings,more appealing graphics, and campaignsupplements) eventually made theirappearance in D&D game products.

Before getting into a detailed discussionof WFR, a quick survey of the strengthsand weaknesses of the more significantfantasy role-playing game (FRPG) systemreleases of recent years is called for.

RUNEQUEST game, third edition (TheAvalon Hill Game Company): A textbookexample of how to cripple a good role-playing product. First, take a slow-pacedcombat system and slow it down withrefinements like fatigue, knockbacks, andother doodads. Take a colorful, campaign-specific magic system and make it moregeneralized, comprehensive, and compli-cated. Take Glorantha � actually thestrongest element of the system � and de-emphasize its importance in favor of abroader campaign background based on afantasy historical Earth � and provide

adequate support for neither campaign mechanics, and rich Arthurian campaign WFR: the basic gamebackground. Then keep the line of Gloran- setting make it an excellent FRPG, but the WFR is a 368-page hardbound fantasythan supplements � many of them award- lack of player-accessible magic spells and system, complete with character genera-winning role-playing classics � out of the narrow tone and focus of the cam- tion, tactical and magical systems, godsprint. paign limit its audience, and preclude it and religions, bestiary, campaign setting,

Regular publication of original, first-class from competing with more flexible, com- and introductory adventure. The hard-supplements would have made the other prehensive fantasy games like the D&D, bound format means no dice, pull-outfaults negligible. Gamers could pick and RUNEQUEST, and MERP� games. references, or other nice perks of boxedchoose among the combat and magical MIDDLE-EARTH ROLE PLAYING� FRPGs (e.g., the appealing cardboard figsystem refinements. The Alternate Earth (MERP) game (Iron Crown): A subset of ures that come with GURPS and MERP). Aidea was a good one, but the trickle of the way-too-complicated ROLEMASTER� first-time FRPG player appreciates the toyrepackaged Gloranthan material and Alter- game system, MERP�s tactical systems are value of stuff-in-the-box. However, sincenate Earth supplements was a grave disap- still intimidating for beginners, with all the WFR is not ideal for first-time gamers (thepointment to loyal fans. charts, options, modifiers, and bookkeep- D&R Basic Set is still far and away the

FANTASY HERO� game (Hero Games): ing. The systems are comprehensive and best choice for first-timers), the hard-This system had potential, if only because versatile, but mastering them is a lot of bound format, with greater page volumeit used the CHAMPIONS� game system, work. The 1986 boxed edition contains an and marketing flexibility, is an appropriatethe system of choice for many serious introductory booklet that relies on �a very choice.super-powered-hero gamers. In fact, it did simple set of role-playing rules compatible WFR is emphatically complete, too. Onlyhave an interesting build-your-own-spell with standard MERP rules� to introduce the third-edition RUNEQUEST game (formagic system, based on the build-your- the beginner to basic role-playing concepts $38.00) is a more complete FRPG package,own-hero character creation concepts, but � an earnest accommodation to inexperi- having more detailed and developed tacti-the game-mastering and adventure materi- enced gamers but of little comfort when, cal and magical systems, campaigningals in the basic game were unexceptional, after a brief sample adventure, you are systems, and game-mastering commentary.and no supplements have been published. sent off to read and comprehend the But WFR creditably covers the basics for a

GURPS® (Generic Universal RolePlaying standard � and complicated � MERP full-scale fantasy campaign.System) and GURPS Fantasy (Steve rules. Character design: WFR offers anJackson Games): A good, playable, well- The MERP game�s great assets are the interesting and original system. Characterstested system for fantasy combat � actu- Middle-earth® campaign setting and the are defined by their career � a package ofally a lot of fun to play. The basics are superior presentation and graphics of the skills and trappings that comes with aquite simple and simply presented, with Middle-earth supplements. Early supple- specific background, and a scheme forlots of examples, informal commentary, ments were strong on background materi- gradual character enhancements throughand helpful tips for game masters (GMs). al and disappointing in scenario and increased attributes and added skills.

But GURPS�s strengths are in its systems narrative values, but recent publications Characters can move from career toand their presentation. The fantasy adven- (particularly Phantom of the Northern career in search of new skills and abilities.tures and campaign supplements are few Marches and Trolls of the Misty Like most FRPG character systems, butand unexceptional. And since Steve Jack- Mountains) are much improved in this unlike the D&D game�s character classes,son Games lacks the production capacity regard. character improvements are gradual andto support a wide variety of role-playing With the RUNEQUEST game�s decline, piecemeal.settings, and no other parties show inter- the MERP game and its Middle-earth sup To simplify presentation for beginners,est in publishing GURPS supplements, the plements became the strongest of the WFR has you roll to determine your PC�schief advantage of the generic system is alternative FRPG packages. WFR should career � a practice I don�t recommend.scarcely exploited. challenge their #2 position partly because Instead, have players spend five minutes

HARNMASTER� game and HARN� of WFR�s simpler tactical systems and scanning the 23 pages of text and illos,fantasy world (Columbia Games): HARN more �D&D-like� campaign setting, and then pick a career that suits their fancy.and the prodigious line of Harn supple- partly because of WFR�s amiably lurid Some careers are more suitable for stand-ments provide an exceptional campaign tone. ard FRPG adventuring � e.g., bountybackground. The HARNMASTER systems Ironically, MERP�s greatest asset, the hunter, mercenary, outlaw, wizard�sare involved and relatively slow-paced, Middle-earth setting, is also a liability in apprentice � while the adventuring poten-and not presented with beginners � or competing with the D&D games, because tial of some career backgrounds � e.g.,even casual experienced gamers � in Middle-earth doesn�t encourage the cheer- agitator, bawd (I believe we call themmind, but the magical and clerical systems ful loot-and-slaughter, monster-bashing �pimps� in America), entertainer, servantand the world systems are detailed, dis- mentality of simpler dungeon-delving � is greatly dependent on setting andtinctive, and colorful enough to stimulate adventures. MERP�s adventures and sup skillful player characterization � toosophisticated GMs and players. plements support the high fantasy of demanding a challenge for rookie role-

However, the HARNMASTER game is J.R.R. Tolkien � moral, dignified fantasy players.particularly weak in one area � packaged that eschews trashy, sensational narratives Game mechanics: Skills are not ratedadventures in the Harn setting. The rule and themes. D&D and AD&D game sup or tested by game mechanics; you havebook doesn�t even have a sample adven- plements support a broader range of the skill, or you don�t. The basic noncom-ture. The narrative, and its staging and themes, but they also tend toward the bat action resolution mechanic is thepresentation in the campaign setting, are genteel in tone. attribute test (i.e., roll against your charac-essential elements of a superior FRPG On the other hand, WFR deliberately ter�s intelligence as a percentage). Routinessystem, and the HARNMASTER game, the aims at adventures and settings with a less for judging many typical FRPG actions areHARN world, and the Harn supplements elevated tone � �grubby fantasy,� as its discussed in a good section on standardprovide few guidelines and no developed designers call it. WFR also invites adven- tests, but the ultimate rule reference is theexamples of the art. tures with grotesque horror elements in GM�s common sense. This is not a game

PENDRAGON game (Chaosium): Many the Lovecraftian tradition. This shift in for rules lawyers, nor for competitiveformer RUNEQUEST game fans have emphasis from genteel to grubby, gory gamers. Gamers are encouraged to look onturned to the PENDRAGON game for a fantasy, and the simplicity of the tactical the mechanics as guidelines rather thansophisticated fantasy role-playing cam- and magic systems, are distinctive assets rules; GM judgment, rather than rulespaign. PENDRAGON game�s simple, fast- of WFR as it competes for a slice of the mechanics, is the dominant element inpaced combat system, unique role-playing FRPG audience. action resolution.

D R A G O N 9

Character power and advance-ment: Characters receive experiencepoints for achieving objectives and forgood role-playing. The scheme is flexibleand informal. Judging the rate of advance(the speed with which characters becomepowerful in a campaign) is difficult � somuch depends on the individual GM andplayers � but from the published adven-tures, it is clear that characters beginrather weak by D&D game standards andcan expect relatively modest advancesover the course of a campaign. I believethat modest, regular advances are moresatisfying than grand, periodic ones, butplayers of the D&D school are likely to bedisappointed when they find out how longthey must wait before they can slaughteran army of goblins single-handed or toasta tribe with fireballs.

Combat systems: Combat is relativelysimple, fast-paced, and short on tacticaldetail and gameworthy options. It parallelsthe WARHAMMER miniatures combatsystem (see DRAGON® issue #85, pages 64-68), with more detail as befits a small-scalesystem but eliminating the most annoyingand clumsy detail of the WARHAMMERminiatures combat � three separate dierolls (one to hit, one for strength of blowvs. target toughness, and a saving throwfor armor) to resolve an attack. WFR com-presses this into one die roll.

Beginning characters won�t last long if

they dash into combat at the slightestprovocation, but they are durable enoughto survive most first blows and run away.Weapons are barely differentiated; in fact,weapon damage modifiers rules areoptional. (Yes, with the basic rules, WFRknives and halberds do similar damage.)Armor and parrying are modestly effec-tive in staving off damage and dismember-ment. Characters are not effectively�injured� in a game sense until reduced tozero hit points, when they begin checkingon a critical hits chart that is charminglygraphic, gruesome, and deadly.

In general, combat is quite simple, and isswift and bloody enough to suit the dramaticpurposes of fast-paced fantasy adventure. Itis also deadly enough to discourage playersfrom using it as their dominant problem-solving resource. Thinking, bluffing, sneak-ing, and running are often superior tactics ifa WFR character wants to live to spend hisexperience points.

Magic system: The magic system isrelatively limited and unexciting. Begin-ning magic-using characters can�t do verymuch. WFR is a magic-poor system for amagic-poor campaign. De-emphasizing therole of magic in a FRPG is a defensibledesign choice (the PENDRAGON game is afine example). However, constrained tocompatibility with the miniatures-rulesmagic system, the selection and utility ofthe spells given are uninspiring, and there

is little integration of the magical systeminto the WFR campaign setting. There areother sources of magic available in thecampaign (amulets, potions, rings, andsuch), and the varieties of magic-users(including elementalists, demonologists,and necromancers, as well as the familiarsorcerers, clerics, druids, etc.) are colorfuland dramatic, but the lot of the spell-caster in WFR is not a happy one. This isthe area where WFR compares least favor-ably with the D&D, RUNEQUEST, MERP,and other fantasy game systems. Thematerial is at best unremarkable, anddisappointing in a few particulars.

Religion and beliefs: This section ismore colorful than the D&D game�s blandclerical system but less well-integratedinto the campaign setting than Glorantha�scults. WFR�s pantheon is solid and service-able as a hook for PC characterization andmotivation. Only druids have their owncult-related spells; clerics of other faithsuse spells available to wizard-type spell-casters, so PC clerics are not so distinctiveas they are in D&D games.

Races and monsters: This is goodstuff. Games Workshop and Citadel Minia-tures have produced charming � andvisually compelling � intelligent monsterantagonists (for example, the Skaven, arace of Chaos-tainted ratmen). The mon-strous races are well-illustrated and oftensupplied with dramatic and humorousbackgrounds. Psychological traits � anexcellent feature of WARHAMMER FantasyBattle Rules � are used to good effecthere. Giants, for example, cause fear insmaller creatures and are subject toattacks of stupidity and alcoholism � eachwith charming effects on encounters.

Campaign setting: Here, WFR shines.The campaign world is loosely based on anearly Renaissance Europe, providing asubstantial underpinning for the details ofculture and politics. Into this frameworkare fitted the obligatory fantasy cultures� remote island kingdoms of the Elvesacross the ocean to the west, a monumen-tal mountain range honeycombed withDwarven tunnels to the east, and beyondthose mountains, the Dark Lands, home togoblins, lizardmen, and demons.

But the finest element of the campaignbackground is the epic theme of the Taintof Chaos. Over the polar ice caps, ancientportals through time and space, artifactsof the decadent Old Slann race, have col-lapsed, releasing a plague of Chaos sporesand a host of powerful beings to threatenthe Old World. The taint of Chaos is on theland and festers beneath the crust ofcivilization.

As a thematic and dramatic device,Chaos is a perfect rationale for the foulcorruption and unspeakable evil thatconfronts the characters. Chaos produceslovely monsters with simple motivations �to spawn more chaos. In a subtle twist oftone, Chaos is presented as at once theblessing and doom of humanity. �AlthoughChaos has the power to mutate and

10 AUGUST 1987

destroy, it is also typically aggressive,changeable, and vigorous. Humanity inher-ited many of these qualities.�

The thematic tone is dark � the eventu-al triumph of Chaos is inevitable. The tideof Chaos may be turned, but it neverrecedes so far as it has advanced. This epicantagonist provides the WFR campaignwith a distinctive, grand, and gloomyatmosphere. This sober background gloomcontrasts effectively with the light andhumorous tone encouraged in sessionplay, giving WFR a subtle and stylish depth� just the thing to suit the FRPG player�staste for epic tragedy while satisfying hismore vulgar affection for adventure andfarce.

Here, and in places like the rules oninsanity, WFR�s tone suggests that master-piece of sophisticated horror role-playing:the CALL OF CTHULHU® game. I�vealways thought a blend of the latter gameand fantasy role-playing would be effec-tive, and this is certainly the campaignsetting for it.

Introductory adventure: The dungeon/gangland/chaos cultist plot is

exceptionally busy and contrived, butgiven its dubious premises, it is chock-fullof problems, mysteries, and atmosphere.The introductory episodes (greenhornsnewly arrived in the big city) are just right� and nicely presented for beginningGMs. The adventure itself prompts admi-

ration on one hand for the broad range ofevents and elements it offers, and wrydismay on the other hand that they are alljumbled together on such thin pretexts.

Other stuff: One of the nicest sectionsis relegated to an appendix � �Buildings ofthe Old World� � which offers illustra-tions and floor plans for typical coachinginns, toll houses, wayside shrines, waytemples, and farmsteads. Also included is adiagram and brief discussion of a typicalvillage. It�s charming little bits like this thatget me going for my wallet when I�mbrowsing in game stores.

So much for the basic game systems andcampaign background. Now for a look atthe first adventure and supplement.

The Enemy WithinThis combination campaign supplement

and adventure package contains a 56-pagebooklet, a 22� x 34� color foldout map ofthe Empire, and two 11� x 17� card-stocksheets with player handouts, maps, dia-grams, and GM references. Two of thedesigners (Bambra and Gallagher) aregraduates of the TSR school of FRPGdesign and presentation � in fact, amongits finest practitioners (see Night’s DarkTerror below in �Short and Sweet�) � andmany of the best features of TSR�s adven-tures are represented here. But, in TheEnemy Within, the designers also effec-tively exploit the distinctive tone and cam-

paign background of WFR, and the tal-ented Games Workshop graphic designsquad does a bang-up job on the look andfeel of the package. Indeed, The EnemyWithin makes a very good first impres-sion. Though that first impression weak-ens slightly on careful examination, it�snonetheless a stand-out product, highlyrecommended, and a promising initialrelease for WFR�s line of campaign andadventure supplements.

Graphic design: The graphic presenta-tion is very satisfying. The cover paintingis strikingly grim and unheroic in tone � no winsome heroines or brawny barbari-ans in sight. The fold-out map of theEmpire is lovely and printed on coatedstock. The card-stock references andbooklet are attractively laid out, withnumerous and handsome illustrations,including small portraits of each PC andsignificant NPC, finely rendered maps anddiagrams, text illustrations, and atmo-spheric mood pieces. The whole packagehas the agreeable heft of volume and theeye-pleasing impact of quality.

The adventure: I like the adventure,but it makes very little use of any of thenice maps. Nobody in the adventure isgoing anywhere except right where thedesigners want them to go. �What else isnew?� the more cynical among you maysay, and admittedly, since this is a cam-paign supplement, the maps don�t have to

12 AU G U S T 1987

be useful for the adventure as long as theyserve a useful campaign purpose.

The adventure also depends on anunusually egregious use of plot manipula-tion to get the PCs from one encounter tothe next. The encounters are excellent �elaborately staged, with detailed NPCs, GMpresentation tips, and fine role-playingopportunities. The adventure materialsare complete to current industry stand-ards � prepared character sheets, withcharacter personality and backgroundnotes, player handout props, GM refer-ence summary sheets, attractive, function-al maps and diagrams. But the creaking ofthe plot mechanisms for shuttling the PCsfrom encounter to encounter is a bit dis-tracting. The adventure could be runwithout all the dubious coincidences �but the best parts of the adventuredepend on those coincidences. If I ran thisadventure, I would earnestly and shame-lessly steer the PCs right into them. But I�dbe a lot more careful about eroding myplayers� trust in the plot devices. �Say,what a coincidence � again. . . .�

One warning: The adventure really consists of only four full-scale encounters,

each detailed in two-to-four pages. Andthe adventure is not complete in itself � itleads into the next campaign supplementadventure, Shadows Over Bogenhafen,without a very satisfying intermediateclimax.

But I like the adventure. Sure, I com-plain a little � it�s got its disappointments,and the PC manipulation makes me wincea bit � but I�d enjoy running the adven-ture, and I like the way it�s presented.

Campaign supplement: The cam-paign setting of this module is the Empire� a rough equivalent of 16th-centuryGermany when it was known as the HolyRoman Empire. There�s lots of good stuffhere � GM presentation tips, campaignguidelines, supplemental detail on theEmpire (history and timeline, society,politics, economics, religion, geography,typical dress, etc.), expanded rules detailon herbs and travel in coaches and barges,mutants (new monsters), a PC backgroundinformation sheet on the Empire, theImperial calendar, and so on. The style isreadable, concise, and entertaining, unliketoo many long-winded FRPG campaigndissertations. The abundant illustrationsare worth the proverbial thousand words,particularly in the sections �Typical Dressof the Empire,� and �Soldiers of theEmpire,� illustrated in the style of histori-cal miniatures references with accompa-nying text and statistics.

WFR: summary evaluationWARHAMMER FANTASY ROLEPLAY is

strongly recommended for gamers insearch of a fantasy system and campaignbackground, or in search of elements tosteal and add to their current system andcampaign. Its systems, presentation, andcampaign setting are superior, and thecampaign supplement/adventure support

14 AUGUST 1987

looks promising. Its strengths, when com-pared to other popular FRPG designs, arethe simplicity of its systems, its support ofgrotesque and macabre themes, and thedistinctive flavor of its campaign setting.Magic is relatively sparse (and indifferent-ly presented), a feature that some mayapplaud and others may lament, but onewhich is consistent with the campaignsetting.

The Enemy Within is recommended as acampaign supplement and adventure forWFR, and for students of superior supple-ment presentation. Despite the statedreservations about the adventure, thepackage is quite good and an indicationthat supplement support for WFR shouldbe substantial and satisfying.

Short and sweetD&D module B10, Night’s Dark Terror.

TSR, Inc. Designed by Jim Bambra,Graeme Morris, and Phil Gallagher. ThisBasic/Expert adventure pack is theremarkable product of Mssrs. Bambra,Morris, and Gallagher while in the employof TSR UK Ltd. Ooh, this is nice. Two colorcovers with pretty maps, a 22� x 34� fold-out covered with pretty maps (on bothsides), a bunch of cardboard counters forthe BATTLESYSTEM� supplement: thebest-illustrated and best-designed moduleI�ve ever seen � and the adventure andcampaign material is every bit as remark-able as the graphic presentation. A classic.

Cities. Chaosium Inc. By Stephen Abramsand Jon Everson. This reprint of theMidkemia Press classic is an essentialreference work for any GM interested inFRPG medieval villages; towns, and cities.

The first section, �Encounters,� is a massof random encounter charts for cityadventuring. Put away your dice; randomcity encounters are not such a hot idea.Instead, use these charts as comprehen-sive idea menus for the kinds of FRPGaction that make city adventuring fun.

The second section, �Populating Villages,Towns, and Cities,� is a set of randomcharts and guidelines for populating amedieval town with shops and residences.You draw the map and buildings, and thecharts tell what is housed in each building.I wish they�d included a few sample towndiagrams � Carse, another Chaosiumreprint of a Midkemia supplement, is agood example. Again, use the charts asmenus rather than random generators(though I�ve used the random roll methodseveral times, and it works well enoughfor fantasy).

The third section, �Character Catch-Up,�is a series of tables for fleshing out theactivities of PCs during the periodsbetween adventures. It�s a very interestingconcept of dubious practicality; only play-ers and GMs with a fetish for campaigndetail might follow through with the pro-gram. Otherwise, it�s a nice menu ofevents, some with excellent role-playingpotential. (Note: These are idea menus

only. GMs have to develop the one-sentence or one-paragraph ideas them-selves.

Terror Australis. Chaosium Inc. Some-thing yummy this way cometh for CALLOF CTHULHU game fans. Included in thispack are: factual background notes forpresenting COC adventures set in 1920sAustralia, featuring the suitably fantasticculture and myths of the aborigines; twosolid COC adventures with effectivelyatmospheric settings by Australian nativesPenelope Love and Mark Morrison; and,the heretofore unpublished Australianadventure originally intended for LarryDiTillio�s classic Masks of Nyarlathotep.

Literate, macabre doom shambles fromeach page. Good reading, and a good cam-paign setting for COC adventures. Hot tip:Study the video of Peter Weir�s fine filmThe Last Wave for Australian local colorand atmosphere and a suitably COC occultmystery.

Hot Rods of the Gods. West End Games.Dan Greenberg�s GHOSTBUSTERS� gameadventure of juvenile delinquents frombeyond space and time. �They�re back ...and they wanna race!� An alien race seed-ed Planet Earth with life forms in thehopes that they�d produce tall buildings �suitable for space-rod demolition derbies.The aliens are back, and the Manhattanskyline is just right.

Party with alien punks. Keep your cool.Never mind the cracks about Earth beer.Visit a pyramid in the jungle . . . in Nome,Alaska. Test-drive the Super-Mega Ectomo-bile, rendered space- and time-worthy bySwneeze-Yip, alien genius-nerd. Play chick-en with unregenerate intergalactic hoodsin the skies over Manhattan. A fine exam-ple of role-playing humor and staging.

Lands of Mystery Hero Games (distrib-uted by ICE). Aaron Allston�s campaignsupplement for those lovely Lost Worldsadventures where modern man can hob-nob with dinosaurs, noble and bestialsavages, and arrogant queens of lost civili-zations. Arthur Conan Doyle, A.A. Merritt,H. Rider Haggard, Edgar Rice Burroughs,and other pulp writers made merry withthis romantic genre, and it makes a sur-prisingly persuasive campaign setting forearly 20th-century adventure role-playinglike the JUSTICE, INC.�, CALL OFCTHULHU, CHILL�, and DAREDEVIL�games.

But this supplement�s greatest value is inits treatments of character stereotypes,GM staging, and role-playing narrativestructure. Whether you�re interested inthe campaign setting or not, Allston�sobservations on the art of GM presenta-tion, NPC and PC development, and adven-ture plot devices are required reading forsophisticated GMs, and his writing style,well-illustrated with sample session dialogsand practical examples, makes for lucidand pleasant reading.

No. Only completion of the task or areversed quest spell removes a properlyworded quest; dispel magic and removecurse will not.

b y S k i p W i l l i a m s

If you have any questions on the gamesproduced by TSR, Inc., write to:

Sage AdviceTSR, Inc.P.O. Box 509Lake Geneva WI 53147

D & D ® E x p e r t S e t

When using the polymorph selfspell, how large or small can thecaster get when he changes? Also,what happens to the caster�s itemswhen he changes?

The only limit on forms given in therules is on hit dice, so the caster couldturn into anything from a huge dragon toa microbe. We suggest, however, that youplace reasonable limits on size. For exam-ple, anything from an elephant down to asmall songbird keeps the spell useful butprevents your players from getting silly.Items carried become part of the caster�snew form unless he sets them aside beforechanging or uses a form that could reason-ably carry the equipment. For example, achange to a sparrow would cause all itemsto disappear; clothing would become thebirds feathers, weapons its claws, and soon. These items reappear when the spellends. If the caster became a hobgoblin, hecould still carry all his equipment just ashe could in normal form.

How many times per day can ahellhound breathe fire?

There is no limit on the total number oftimes that a hellhound can breathe fire,but it may only breathe when the dice rollgiven in the 1983 Expert Rulebook, page51, says it can breathe fire.

Wouldn�t continuous hacking withweapons keep a troll from regener-ating? Would simply hacking thetroll into several pieces and keepingthe pieces separated keep a trollfrom regenerating?

If the troll�s �dead� body is struck, theextra damage temporarily negates regen-eration. The troll is still alive, however,until it is burned, even if it is reduced tosmall cubes or if large pieces are keptseparated. If kept apart over two weeks,all but the largest piece dies; the largestpiece then slowly grows into a whole newtroll. You might have severed pieces of

16 AUGUST 1987

Can a remove quest be used toremove a geas? Can a magic-usergeas a quested character to forgetabout his quest?

Reading the rules strictly, remove questwill not rid a character of a geas; the

troll attack the characters who are holding victim has to find a magic-user to do it. Athem, just to spice things up a bit. The geas that forced a character to ignore anovel Three Hearts and Three Lions, by quest has to be considered directly harm-Poul Anderson, has an excellent fight ful (because the quest’s curse would thenbetween a party and a troll. Reading it apply) and would also be ineffective. Ingives a good feel for what fighting a troll short, quests can only be removed byshould be like. Note that decapitation clerics and geas spells can only bewill not kill a troll. removed by magic-users.

If you are refereeing your own game,Will a remove curse spell actually you might assume that the two spells are

make a cursed magical item into a similar enough so that the reverse of oneuseful item? will negate the other � with chances for

If the item is actually a beneficial item success based on the levels of the charac-that is cursed, then removal of the curse ters who cast the spells. This does notproduces a useful item. If the item is match either the spirit or the letter of theenchanted to be harmful in the first place, rules, but it is close enough to be consid-a remove curse won�t help. See the 1983 ered reasonable.Expert Rulebook, page 58, for guidelines.

I want one of my characters toHow can a character keep an intel- build a stronghold. What do I do?

ligent sword with an alignment How much will it cost? How longdifferent from his own if it damages will it take?him every time he touches it? Also, First of all, you must decide how muchwouldn�t such a sword do extra the character wants to spend on thedamage when it hits a character stronghold. There is a table of construc-with an alignment different from tion costs on page 23 of the Expert Rule-the sword�s and wielder�s? book. Time of construction (in game days)

Handling the sword carefully in order to is also given on page 23. You should workexamine or transport it (e.g., wrapping it out the exact floor plan of the strongholdup or carrying it in gloved hands) does not with your DM.cause damage. Any attempt to wield it or If you are having difficulty coming updetermine its exact powers does cause with a floor plan or you do not under-damage. An intelligent sword will not stand some of the terms on page 23, a tripcause extra damage to a character of a to your local library should help get youdifferent alignment if it is being held by a started. Ask the librarian for books on anycharacter of the swords alignment. of the following subjects: castles, the Mid-

dle Ages, Medieval warfare, or MedievalGeas and quest spells are much architecture. Also refer to those D&D or

abused. For example, couldn�t an AD&D® game modules which your refereeevil magic-user geas a character to allows you to see which also detail castlesnever attack him? Couldn�t an evil and fortresses. DRAGON issue #86 detailedcleric do a similar thing with quest? a huge castle named Great Stoney, com-

A quest must be a specific and finite plete with 3-D fold-up materials and floortask; the victim must be able to take plans. Issues of DUNGEON� Adventuresactions that will bring about the end of the could be helpful here as well, as might thequest, or the spell has no effect. A geas is AD&D game�s Dungeon Masters Guide,similar to a quest in that it must be spe- pages 106-110.cific. �Never stand while I am sitting:� is along-term request, but it is specific enough The rules say that the cost to buildfor a geas spell. �Serve me until one of us a wall is normal up to 30' high, butdies� is either too general for a geas spell double above that. What is the baseor possibly fatal for the caster, if inter- cost to build a wall, and just howpreted literally so that the caster is big a wall do you get for the money?�served� to a tribe of man-eating giants. You appear to be referring to page 52 of�Never attack me� is potentially suicidal the 1981 edition of the Expert Rulebook.for the victim if the caster attacks him, The passage you have quoted refers to theand will reflect back to the caster (see the cost of building a castle wall. The base1983 Expert Rulebook, page 161. costs for walls and other constructions are

given in the table on the same page.Can a quest be removed with a Dimensions are also given here. This same

dispel magic or remove curse spell? (continued on page 37)

Sailorson the

by Ed Greenwood

Many classics of fantasy literaturedescribe flying ships � not spacecraft orairplanes, but ships with sails, anchors,and clipper hulls that sail gracefullythrough the sky. A Dungeon Master canreadily see that such skyships offer fasci-nating AD&D® game possibilities � as longas one is careful to limit their dependabil-ity and combat usefulness so that they donot dominate play. A city or nation thatcontrols a fleet of airships may dominateits neighbors, as happens in fantasy authorLin Carter�s Thongor series. Herein the AirGuard of Imperial Patanga rules mostbattlefields. Likewise, in Carter�s Callistoseries, the Sky Pirates of Zanadar, City inthe Clouds, prey with impunity on theriches of other lands. Much of Carter�swriting is in the tradition established byEdgar Rice Burroughs, who filled the skiesof John Carter�s Barsoom with gun-armedairboats. Most of these novels lie properlyin the realm of space opera, but a few takecomfortable form in a fantasy setting.Many fantasy authors, such as L. FrankBaum in his Oz series, use balloons of

Sea of AirThe skyships of theFORGOTTEN REALMS™campaign

18 AUGUST 1987

various sorts, while others (such as WaltDisney, in his version of Barrie�s Peter Pan)lift galleons intact and dripping from thewater into the sky by magic. (In Peter Pan,magic is called �pixie dust,� and the subjectis simply left at that.)

Lin Carter deserves special mentionbecause he has taken the trouble toexplain the means by which his skyshipsstay aloft. On Callisto, the skyships aremade of �miraculously tough and resilientlaminated paper� 1 and have hollow doublehulls. A naturally buoyant gas is pumpedbetween the two hull layers, and a �com-plicated system of cables and joints andpulleys by which the jointed stationarywings� 2 are manipulated serves to propeland steer such vessels. A cover illustrationdepicts a high-pooped, three-masted gal-leon with full sails, as well as two spread-ing, bat-like wings. The vessels arevulnerable to fire, catapulted stones, andlesser missiles, such as arrows and hurledjavelins.

In The Black Star, Carter describes aship of Lemuria (perhaps one of the shipsof Thongor�s Patanga, mentioned above)which survives in the later kingdom ofAtlantis. �The art of their manufacturehad perished millenia ago: viwan vidya, asthe science of the flying boats was calledin the old Lemurian tongue, was one ofthe many casualties of time. In the dawnof man, some old sorcerer of Lemuria theLost had first learned from the High Godsthe secret of the weightless metal,urlium.� 3 In this case, the mirror-bright,silvery metal was fashioned into a slim,needle-pointed hull; within it were placedengines powered by sithurls (�sun-stones�),power crystals which draw, store, andfocus energy from sunlight. The enginesproduce power for the rotors whose fanblades propel the craft. At the tail of theship are adjustable vanes for steering theship; a compass (a glass sphere containinga floating lodestone) is also included to aidthe ship�s captain. The story reveals thatone man can fly such a craft, and thepresence of the compass indicates thaturlium is not a ferrous, magnetic metal.

There are scores of other aerial craft inthe pages of fantastic fiction�, and for along time, I toyed with the idea of usingsuch vessels as Carter does in The BlackStar, � wherein his ship is a rarity and theknowledge of its making is a lost art � inAD&D game play in the Forgotten Realms.As usually happens when I procrastinate,the Realms decided things for me. A letterfrom Elminster the Sage arrived throughthe gate in the woods. I quote the latterpart of it here:

�. . . In recent letters to me, the sorcer-ess Laeral has revealed the simple princi-ples of the skyship Vulathar Ravoenen,constructed long ago by unknown artisans

in the land now known as Thay. It is (orwas) a sailing vessel � massive and broadof beam so that it may rest upright andintact upon reasonably level ground, but isotherwise similar to a water vessel. Itpartakes not of the rare or strange in itsconstruction, but rather makes much useof the more flexible woods � willow andthe great palm � so as to give and flowwith the winds, and not to endlessly batteragainst them. It has three masts of suchflexible wood, and two rigid panels thatare swung down from the sides of theship, turning on their pivots, to serve as�leeboard� keels or steering vanes. In air, asin water, these vanes prevent the shipfrom being driven helplessly sideways by awind, propelling it forward as intended.

�While undamaged, the vessel can neversink beneath the seas, for the same forcesthat hold it aloft act upon the waves about.The ship�s hull is studded with many plates� polished tortoise-shell, I believe,although Laeral gives the impression thatother substances will do � upon whichlevitate spells of unusual strength andduration have been cast. (Indeed, thesemay be permanent, although Laeral doesmention that such ships are regularlygrounded for repairs, which may wellrequire the renewal of spells.) The ship�scargo is therefore restricted to thatamount which the magic will lift; this isnot, as compared to a seagoing vessel, avery large amount. Such a skyship is alsosubject to the vagaries of the winds, whichmay be more perilously unpredictablenear rock faces than waves of water. Sky-ships cannot hover in place unless there isno breeze at all. Such a ship is anchored torocky spires by lines and mooring gaffs(�angbraces�), or brought to the groundand pegged down with its sails furled (arigged skyship can tear free of its linesand run aloft in scant rounds if sufficientwind arises).

�A flying ship of this nature is obviouslyno steady-but-maneuverable fighting plat-form; spells may be cast from its decks,but it is a large and clumsy target in anyaerial battle [being maneuverability classE], and has a great degree of variability inspeed and stability due to the caprice ofthe winds and the turbulence created byother aerial bodies. Still, these skyshipsare effective in dropping solid missiles (orsuch things as acid or flaming oil) uponhostile forces. The buoyancy of such avessel is greatest close to the ground,where the air is thickest. The maximumheight at which a skyship may be con-trolled is 3600�, Laeral writes, so a skyshipmust skirt the loftiest mountain peaks in amanner much like that used by travelerson the ground.

�The height at which the ship sails canbe crudely affected by the amount of

cargo onboard, but is also influencedgreatly by a magical rod home by thecaptain. This rod of levitation is so con-structed as to consist of three parts: thecentral shaft and two short, hollow cylin-ders which fit over the shaft and cover itsends. The cylinders themselves have noend caps. These endpieces are customarilypainted or carved with raised charactersto distinguish one from the other in dark-ness. Both can be twisted like screws andslid clown the shaft towards its center. Asa tip of the rod is revealed, its powers arefelt. One end of the rod augments thelevitate spells of the ship itself, so that itrises steadily; the other dampens theirefficacy so that the ship loses altitude. Thepower of both these effects are increasedas more of the desired end of the rod isrevealed. A ship can therefore dive orclimb with some alacrity if its captain isdextrous and the rod is fully charged.Laeral notes that these powerful rodsneed continual recharging (although shereveals nothing of the method by whichthis is done). Laeral also notes that a skill-ful individual using such a rod can leap offprecipices and land safely below (as ifusing a feather fall spell), or descend froma skyship to the ground below and there-after ascend again. Using both grips of therod, the user may appear to walk on airby tipping the rod�s ends alternately tomove sideways with an awkward hoppingmotion.

�Regrettably, Laeral reveals too little ofthe whereabouts or the creation of thiscrucial element of a skyship � but shedoes say that unless a wind or some otherforce is acting upon a vessel�s altitude, itremains at the height the rod puts it atbefore being recovered. When a vessellacks such a rod, the long angbraces andthe sky-anchors (metal or rock clawsattached to strong lines, thrown at nearbyminarets, pinnacles, other vessels, or evenat flying beasts who pull the vessel higheror lower) often suffice.

�Laeral states that one skyship of thistype carried her sisters � the ranger Doveand the bard Storm Silverhand � andherself from the doomed city of MythDrannor when they were infants, drop-ping them on the Moonshae Isles beforescudding on westwards over the tracklessgreat sea. The ship, the VulathorRavoenen, may yet survive, and there arerecent rumors of like vessels from as farafield in the Realms as Calimshan in thehot South, and Sossal in the farthest reach-es of the Northeast, across the Great Gla-cier. I cannot yet state in truth that suchvessels still exist, but they have existed,and at least one person knows enough todirect the successful construction of oth-ers, should she wish to do so. From what Iknow of Laeral�s sisters, they could also

D R A G O N 7 9

handle all but the magic involved, andthere are others, especially among theelves, who survived the fall of Myth Dran-nor. So, my friend, I may yet have a shipthat sails the skies to show you. Withpleasure, I remain your willing servant,

Elminster of Shadowdale.�

Footnotes1 Carter, Lin. Sky Pirates of Callisto. New

York: Dell Publishing Co., 1973, page 33. This paperback is the third in the Callistoseries.

Ibid., page 32.² Carter, Lin. The Black Star. New York:

Dell Publishing Co., 1973, page 37. �Viwan�is the name of such a craft, equivalent to�airboat� or �skyship.�

4 For example, Michael Moorcock�s War-lord of the Air and its sequels, Poul Ander-son�s A Midsummer Tempest, the works ofOtis Adelbert Kline, Neal Barrett, Jr.�sAldair series, and Kenneth Bulmer�s DrayPrescott series (written under the nameAlan Burt Akers).

20 AUGUST 1987

by L. Gregory Smith

On aWing and aPrayerGliders and glidingin the AD&D® game

Gliders in the AD&D® game are bestcreated as crude replicas of our present-day hang gliders; their fundamentaldesign is based upon the Rogallo-classglider, which is composed of a frame anda sail. The sail is generally made of cot-ton or wool felt. The frame looks like anisosceles triangle with an apex angle of80-90°, and is usually made of woodfrom a young oak tree. The sail fits overthe frame but is not triangular; rather, itis diamond-shaped, giving the gliderbetter lift characteristics.

Today, the glider is primarily used forpleasure trips, but in the AD&D game it isused for much more. Herein, the glidercan be used for military and commercialpurposes. Military uses are quite obvious:quiet, cheap air travel that can be sued forstrategic offensives, surveillance, andlimited troop or equipment transport. Thecommercial uses vary as well, as gliderscan be rented to travelers or to pleasure-seekers alike. Another commercial uses isthe courier service of documents overshort distances. A character with a greatdeal of gold could finance a more elabo-rate courier scheme, such as the shipmentof mail over long distances in a mannersimilar to that of the pony express ofWestern folklore.

Obviously, a glider in an AD&D gameworld will only work in certain environ-ments (although magical aid may make thedevice useful in any environment). Gener-ally speaking, a glider requires some typeof promontory from which to launch, thusgiving the glider room to fall in the proc-ess of catching a wind. Hilly or mountain-ous terrain is best for this sort of activity,although certain instances will allow forthe launch of a glider in flat, prairie-likeregions. For instance, high winds close tothe surface of the plains may make itpossible to launch a glider from a standingstart. Likewise, the employment of a magi-cal flight spell (such as levitate) will garnerenough lift for the glider to remain aloft,thereby allowing the sail to catch a breeze.These instances, however, are rare at best.As a result, gliders will be most frequentlyavailable in hilly or mountainous regions.

Additionally, it is likely that only a king-dom would have the resources, knowledgepool, and need for the establishment ofglider production and a regular glider-using force. In such an event, the use ofgliders would be regarded as being asnormal as any other form of transport,thought perhaps more hazardous despiteall of its advantages. A regular organiza-tion of pilots (made up largely of fighter-types), research and development workers

(sages and magic-users), and so on couldeasily be envisioned.Before actually flying a glider, a prospec-tive pilot must take lessons for a specifiednumber of weeks from a character trainedglider flight. The number of weeks oflessons is equal to 20 minus the student�sintelligence score. During this time, thecharacter cannot go adventuring or else allknowledge learned in flying a glider is lost.The skill of glider pilot can be treated as atwo-slot nonweapon proficiency based onthe dexterity score, with a � 2 die�rollmodifier.

A glider can be assembled or disassem-bled in one turn. It costs 200 gp for thetools to assemble or disassemble the glider.In disassembled form, the glider can behauled around in a normal cart pulled bydraft horses. The glider tool kit weighs200 gp, and it includes things like a knife,h a m m e r , p u n c h , e t c .

Statistics for glidersThere are two types of gliders: large and

small. The large gliders are designed forcharacters and their belongings weighingbetween 1,750 and 3,000 gp. The small gliders are for characters and theirbelongings weighing less than 1,750 gp.Gliders cannot be designed for charactersand their belongings weighing over 3,000gp weight.

All rules that apply to flying creaturesalso apply to the glider; this includes rulespertaining to diving, climbing, reaction toloss of hit points (as explained later in thearticle), etc. Table 1 shows statistics for thetwo types of gliders, including values formagically heightened conditions. When aglider is magically heightened, it gainsspecial bonuses induced by the casting ofmagical flight-assisting spells such as feath-er fall, levitation, fly, etc. Following thetables is a summary of terms used in thetable.

Note that the maneuverability class of aglider is dependent upon the dexterity ofthe pilot. Table 2 illustrates this relation-ship. It is possible for the pilot to increasehis maneuverability class with a gliderwithout increasing his dexterity, throughcontinued, uninterrupted training andpractice. Once a pilot has learned to fly aglider, he can increase his maneuverabilityclass one step by taking more lessons andconducting more practice sessions. Thelength of this period is determined asfollows: The character attempting toincrease his maneuverability class mustspend time learning and practicing equalto three times the difference between thecharacter�s intelligence and the number20. Once this time is spent, the charactermust roll 01-75 on percentile dice for thiseducation to be a success. Failure meansmore practice is needed. This additional

amount of time is again equal to the figurelisted above. Once a character hasincreased his maneuverability class once,he can do so no longer. Characters withmaneuverability classes of A cannotincrease their abilities beyond this level.

Using Table 2 to determine maneuver-ability, let�s look at the following example.Suppose Randolf the Ranger�s dexterity is13. The maneuverability class of his gliderwould be C. Before he takes off, Machorthe Mage casts a levitation spell on Ran-dolf. Randolf�s maneuverability class thenbecomes B. No more than one magicalflying spell has any effect on a character�smaneuverability rating at a time. It shouldalso be noted that if a pilot is flying thewrong type of glider, such as a characterweighing 2,000 gp using a small glider,then the maneuverability class is wors-ened by two levels (from A to C, C to E,etc.). The maneuverability class can neverbe lower than E.

Now, suppose that Randolf decides toincrease his maneuverability class bytaking more instruction. With an intelli-gence of 13, Randolf must spend 21 weekspracticing and learning ((20 - 13) x 3 =21). Randolf then rolls a 70%, thus success-fully moving his maneuverability classfrom C to B. (If Randolf had rolled a 76%,he would be required to spend another 21weeks practicing and learning.) Randolf�smaneuverability class with a glider cannow only be enhanced by magical spells. Itis impossible for a character to gain amaneuverability class of better than A.

In-flight combatDue to the fact that a pilot�s hands are

constantly involved in controlling theglider, hand-to-hand combat is impossibleonce the pilot is in flight. Similarly, since apilot must concentrate on the navigationof his glider, it is impossible to cast spellsonce the glider is aloft. (This is not to say,however, that a passenger may not castspells or perform combat.) As a result, theonly type of combat reasonably possible inflight is missile combat. Two types of mis-sile weapons that can be used in flightaboard a glider are crossbows and bombs.Crossbows have the disadvantage of onlybeing able to fire a single shot betweenflights; they are, however, the only type ofweapon that can be easily used to hitother aerial targets. Bombs, on the otherhand, can be carried in abundance on aglider, but they can only be dropped ontargets below the pilot.

Up to 20 lbs. of bombs can be stowedaway on a glider. This cargo, includingpilot weight and other belongings, cannotexceed the 1,750 gp maximum for smallgliders and the 3,000 gp maximum forlarge gliders. If the bombs are ignited oilflasks, then space must be allocated onboard the craft for the lantern which willbe used to light them. It takes one roundto light a flask and drop it. In order for thebomb to have any hope of hitting itsintended target, the following stipulationsmust be met:

1. The glider (if bombing a moving tar-get) must move faster than its target.

Table 1Statistics for Large and Small Gliders *

ItemWingspanLengthHeightWeightEncumbrance valueCost to constructTime to constructTraining timeCost of trainingManeuverability classFlight speedStall speedMin. wind speed for take-offMin. slope for take-offRangeAssembly/Disassembly timeUpkeepLanding areaMinimum height for take-off

Large gliders Small gliders36� 24�24� 18�6� 4�

700 gp 600 gp1,700 gp 1,200 gp5,000 gp 3,500 gp30 days 25 days

See below100 gp/week

See below60� (66�)36� (30�)

6 MPH (4 MPH)4:1 or 76° (3:1 or 70°)

10 (121 miles) 8 (10) miles1 turn

50 gp/month40� x 50� 25� x 30�150� (130�) 125� (100�)

* Magically heightened values are given in parentheses.

See page 24 for summary of terms used.

DR A G O N 23

2. For the sake of simplicity, the glidermust be right above the target and track-ing its movement. Normally, the payloadwould follow a parabolic curve down oncedropped; the information on the landingpoint of a dropped missile may also beused from the article �Flying the Friend-ly(?) Skies,� by Thomas Kane, in this issue.

3. A flying target cannot be further than200� below the bomber or the bomb hasno chance of hitting the target because ofcontrol and coordination problems. Dam-age for dead-weight missiles is calculatedby the rules in �Flying the Friendly(?)Skies.�

If all these guidelines are met, then thepilot can try to hit the target. All �to hit�modifiers for bombing are the same asgiven in �Flying the Friendly(?) Skies,� withthe additional note that attacks against atarget moving faster than 6� are made atan additional �2 �to hit.�

Crossbows, as stated earlier, are the onlyother weapons which can be used aboardgliders. Up to three crossbows can beattached to a glider, and all are single-shotweapons. These mounted crossbows faceforward unless designed to face otherdirections. When fired, these weaponsreceive an additional penalty of -2 �tohit� which is instituted above and beyondthe modifiers for range, etc.

When characters fire at a glider, theymust state whether they are trying to hitthe pilot or the glider. If the pilot is hit anddies, the glider crashes immediately. Aglider damaged in such a fall can only be

Table 2Glider Maneuverability Class

Pilot�s Maneuverabilitydexterity class

1 7 + A14-16 B10-13 C

5-9 D4 or less E

Table 3Glider Armor Class

Maneuverability Armorclass class

E 8D 7C 6B 5A 3

repaired by an experienced glider repair-man at a cost of 500 gp. The armor classof the pilot cannot make use of any dexter-ity or shield bonuses, so normal armorand magical protections are all that canhelp him.

Large gliders have an assumed hit-pointvalue of 25, whereas small gliders have anassumed hit-point value of 15. Only anexperienced glider repairman can repair adamaged glider at a cost of 5 gp per hp

of damage. Hit points for a glider are usedthe same way as hit points are used for acreature. The glider also has an armorclass which correlates to the maneuver-ability of the glider. Table 3 illustrateswhat the armor class would be dependingupon the glider�s maneuverability class.Note that if the pilot is surprised by anattacking character, the armor class of theglider becomes 9.

Summary of termsWingspan: See Figure 1 for details.Length: See Figure 1 for details.Height: The height in feet which the average glider stands over the ground when a

character lifts the glider�s control bar waist high.Weight: The glider�s total (dead) weight in gp.Encumbrance value: The amount of space the glider occupies when fully disassem-

bled.Cost to construct: The cost of the materials for the glider plus the cost of the glider�s

design work.Time to construct: The time it takes for a typical glider of this type to be designed

and built.Training time: The number of weeks the pilot spends in training is equal to 20

minus his intelligence score.Cost of training: The amount that the character must pay the instructor for flying

lessons.Maneuverability class: The degree of dexterity of the glider depends upon the char-

acter�s dexterity. Table 2 illustrates the maneuverability of the glider in relation tothe character�s dexterity. The maneuverability class of the glider can be furtherincreased by casting a fly spell on the pilot. Otherwise, a pilot may increase hismaneuverability class once by taking more training as listed above. It is impossiblefor a pilot to increase this advancement beyond the A maneuverability class.

Flight speed: The distance in tens of yards the glider can travel in 10 minutes.Stall speed: The speed in tens of yards at which the glider goes into a stall. Immedi-

ately after the stall, the glider will crash. If the fall is greater than 10�, the pilotand glider will incur damages.

Minimum wind speed for take-off: To determine which direction the wind is blow-ing and at what force, refer to the Wind Force and Direction Table under �Water-borne Adventures,� on page 54 of the Dungeon Masters Guide. To take off, thecharacter must fly the glider against the wind to obtain adequate lift. Take-off andflight are impossible during a strong gale, storm, or hurricane. If the wind is lessthan the speed listed in Table 1, the glider cannot take off.

Minimum slope for take-off : The angle between the take-off area and the ground.See Figure 2 for details. The take-off area need only be large enough to containthe glider and the pilot.

Range: The distance in miles the glider can travel before the pilot becomes tired.After landing, the pilot must spend an amount of time at rest equal to the time inthe air.

Assembly/Disassembly time: See the text.Upkeep: The cost in gold pieces to keep the glider in flying condition each month —

specifically, for checkout and repair, if necessary, of the wooden frame, cloth orfelt wing skin, control bar action, and weapon stores.

Landing area: The area required in order to land a glider without damaging it. If thecharacter attempts to land in a smaller area, damages from wing tears, etc., resultin repair costs equal to the difference in square feet from actual landing area topermitted landing area multiplied by 1 gp. For example, the character lands alarge glider in a field 30� x 40�, so the difference is 800 square feet. Thus, repaircosts would be 800 gp; until fixed, the glider is rendered unusable.

Minimum height for take-off: The minimum height needed to travel the given range.Lower heights produce shorter ranges. Determination of shorter ranges will beup to the discretion of the DM.

24 AUGUST 1987

Flying the Friendly(?)SkiesAerial adventuringin the AD&D® game

Each snap of the hippogriff�s wingsjarred the old warrior to the bone. Barlofffelt the beast�s muscles ripple and strainbeneath him � then jerk as if the beasthad been startled. Had it caught a scent?He tried to scan the sky through the nar-row eyeholes in his helmet. Was it �?

From the mists ahead, the dragonemerged. Its wrinkled head and neck shotfrom the white fog like a green spear; thenits vast, thundering wings tore the cloudto shreds. It had not yet seen him.

Cold with fear, Barloff guided his steed

by Thomas Kane

Illustration by Gustave Dorecourtesy of Dover Publications. Inc.

Winged steeds are a special high-leveltreasure, as they open new possibilities forAD&D® game scenarios. Flying is morethan just a fast way to get around; air-borne characters also have encounters,accidents, and rousing adventures. Muchof the basic information about aerialadventuring is given in the DMG, pages 50-53. Other information is given herein.

This article describes saving throw pro-cedures for which dice are rolled against acreature�s aerial maneuverability rating;treat maneuverability class A as equal to 1,B = 2, C = 3, D = 4, and E = 5. Also, thespeeds of flying objects are measured inscale inches. In �tactical� situations involv-ing normal melee, fliers travel at 10 timesthe combat movement rate mentioned onpage 102 of the Players Handbook. Thus,1� of speed = 10� covered per segment (6seconds), roughly equal to 1.14 MPH. Thisspeed applies to direct, nonstop travel. Onlong �strategic� flights, the slower rate of3" = 1 MPH, as noted on page 50 of theDMG, should be used, as it accounts fortime used for rest stops, getting lost,changes in wind direction which hampertravel, avoidance maneuvers whenencountering unfriendly fliers, etc.

Additionally, it is assumed that all riderson live flying mounts are tied to theirsaddles using leg straps and the like. Anyrider lacking such straps must roll 1d20against his dexterity or less each round heis in flight or else fall off. It is assumedthat magical items that grant flight whileridden do not require such straps, as theykeep their riders seated by magical means(barring some catastrophe).

The aerial environmentThe sky is ephemeral and ever-changing.

There is no lasting terrain within it andthere are few obstacles to movement. Theprimary features of the sky, for game

along the cloud fringe. Tendrils of mist heard long ago. The head twisted slightly preparing for its instinctive dive at thewhipped around him. The dragon’s wings A glittering golden eye looked back, upper part of the dragons back. Thetipped, and it began the long glide down caught sight of Barloffi and began to glowground could be clearly seen: furrowedinto the valley that was Barloff's home and with an unholy heat. fields, smoke from cottages, the greenthe home of his people — the people he Subtlety was wasted now, and the Lord dragons dark shadow. Then Barloff hithad sworn to protect. Barloff kneed the of Air and Storm loved a brave heart. the turbulence from the blast of thehippogriff and followed, swallowing and Barloff roared at the top of his lungs, dragons wings, and he struggled to bracesteadying himself. “Lord of Air and Storm,” waving his lance. The hippogriff echoed his lance.he whispered, his voice drowned in the his cry with a shriek that rang in his The hippogriff’s wings pulled in abrupt-wind blast around his helm. “Just let me bones. Perhaps the villagers would hear ly. Barloffs heart rose into his throat asget one good shot, just one good ...” the hippogriff and take shelter. He could the dive began. The dragon’s eyes burned

But the dragons head cocked, as if lis- hope for nothing more now. like fires from the lowest of the Nine Hellstening to something that it should have The hippogriff’s wings slashed the wind, as it slowly rose to meet him....

purposes, are clouds and air currents, the tures can be attacked inside clouds at � 2former of which (if solid) can serve as

in the AD&D game world. Even magicalon �to hit� rolls instead of at the �4 fig� devices cannot take a PC over this limit

settings for adventures. Consider, too, that ure, and make saving throws with but a (unless the DM decides that outer space ischaracters cannot speed around in the, sky +2 bonus. When using the Detection of filled with breathable air),like little airplanes. PCs are slow compared Invisibility Table on page 60 in the DMG, Generally speaking, the air gets colder asto many weather patterns. add 3 HD/levels to observers for purposes one rises in the sky. Thus, DMs should

There is nothing to stop a flier from of detection. lower the effective temperature 3ºF forgoing straight through a normal cloud, but The effects of certain types of spells, every 1,000� of altitude the PCs ascend.there are occasions when a character when cast within clouds, are hampered by Thus, PCs who spend long periods at highwon�t want to do that. He might be pursu- the mist. The time a gas takes to dissipate altitudes must dress warmly.ing a target and be unwilling to enter the is doubled in a cloud. Magical fire-basedfog, perhaps in an effort to keep his pos- attacks do 1 hp less per hit die of damage. Wind effectssessions out of the wet mist. If a PC skims There is a 20% chance that any electricity Air currents greatly change the mechan-the surface of a cloud, its free-form shape based spell is negated by the wet air. Every ics of flying. Winds blow adventurers offmakes an intriguing maze. Traveling with- time a character changes direction in a course and may even drive them from thein it, a PC. may become lost and may cloud, there is a 70% chance that he air. Thermals (warm bodies of rising air)emerge from the cloud in an unexpected becomes lost and proceeds in a random can be used to soar higher and for longerplace or facing undesirable foes. direction. Certain types of clouds vary durations � a resource which may mean

Cloud types vary according to shape, from these statistics; these are noted in life or death in combat. Downdrafts andaltitude, and weather. The DM should plan Table 1. erratic winds may force PCs out of the airthe weather at least one day in advance, Most cloud patterns cover 30-180 square and into an unexpected wildernessusing whatever weather-generation sys- miles. The DM may select certain dimen- adventure.tem works best. The weather system in sions for a cloud rather than randomly If your weather system does not have athe Wilderness Survival Guide, pages 107- rolling them. A clouds exterior is twisted method for determining wind direction118, serves admirably well, as might and chaotic; bumps, canyons of clear air, and velocity, use the Wind Direction and�Weather in the World of Greyhawk� in and hills of fog pockmark the surface of a Force tables for waterborne adventures,the Glossography of the WORLD OF cloud. As a result, the DM might decide to on page 54 of the DMG (perhaps with aGREYHAWK� Fantasy Setting set. Cloud map certain cloud surfaces (preferably a ­1 modifier on the roll). For every 10patterns often change before the weather number of them for use as needed in MPH of wind speed, the movement ratesdoes, so observant PCs may forecast the future games). This can be done by map for fliers change by 1�. Creatures flyingweather using clouds. ping the clouds onto hex paper, as used in into the wind must subtract this change

The clouds present are determined on the DMG, pages 52-53, or with contour from their movement rate; those goingTable 1. Roll 1d10 and compare the result lines. Otherwise, a DM might draw the with the wind may add it. Flying into thewith the appropriate conditions. There is a cloud as a two-dimensional object and use wind provides lift. A character climbs 10�30% chance that two separate types of a color code to indicate thick and thin for every 1,000� traveled if moving againstclouds are present at once. If this is the areas. the wind, and a character who flies withcase, consult the cloud formation table According to the DMG, page 50, a char- the wind sinks 10� for every 500� traveled.twice. Cloud descriptions follow Table 1. acter cannot fly higher than 5,000�. How- Normal diving and climbing procedures

PCs are hampered within mists. Charac- ever, with magical items like the iridescent (page 50, DMG) may be used to counteractters inside a cloud can see only 40� and are ioun stone or necklace of adaptation, these effects.penalized ­2 on all missile �to hit� rolls. greater heights can be reached. Of course, Flying perpendicular to the wind is filledAll unwrapped items become wet; parch- a flying mount cannot go higher unless it with problems. Crosswinds blow fliersments, papers, scrolls, and books must is similarly protected. With proper magic, sideways at a speed of 1� for every 20save on a roll of 5 or better for each turn a PC can probably go as high as 15,000� MPH of wind speed. For example, a PC onof exposure or else become warped and without harm. Above this altitude, the air a hippogriff goes north while an east windsmeared beyond use. Furthermore, all becomes so thin that normal flying is blows at 50 MPH; a day�s travel blows theinvisible creatures are outlined, bettering impossible. Modern jets routinely fly high- character 4 miles off course. Winged fliersthe chances of their detection. Such crea- er than this, but no such technology exists may be unable to control their flight in

D R A G O N 2 7

crosswinds. A special save vs. maneuver-ability (as outlined at the start of this art-icle) must be attempted every turn. Roll1d20 and subtract one from the result forevery 10 MPH of wind speed. If the resultis equal to or less than the maneuverabil-ity number, the flier loses flight control,flips over, and falls for 1d4 seconds: Highin the air, this is not usually dangerous;control can be regained in most casesbefore hitting the ground. Near theground, however, this can be fatal. Detailson stopping a fall are given below.

Thermals are upward gusts of warm airformed by heat rising from the ground.They can be used to buoy a flying creatureor to help it fly higher. Cumulus clouds arecreated by thermals, and updrafts arealways beneath them. Hills create updraftsas well; a 60% chance exists that a givenhill produces a thermal. In such a draft,

flying creatures may climb at 75% of theirnormal movement rate (instead of thenormal 50% rate). In aerial combat, wisefighters fly upwards in a thermal, thendive on their enemies.

During thunderstorms, a clever flier cannavigate between masses of hot and coldair. This allows him to stay in the air withlittle effort. If characters dare fly in suchweather, a flier can travel 1½ times as faras normal without rest. Of course, thun-derstorm flying is dangerous. Lightningstrikes may occur, strong winds may blow,and dark clouds must be traversed.

The world belowIn the end, most flying PCs engage crea-

tures on the ground. If only to rest theirmounts, airborne characters must occa-sionally leave the air. Many airborneadventures are inspired by events on theground as well. Flying creatures can spyahead of a party or attack ground-basedcreatures. In Greek myth, Bellerophontamed Pegasus in order to attack the mon-strous Chimera from a safe vantage. ManyPCs may have similar aims.

Flying mounts are often used for scout-ing. Major geographical features likemountains or cities can be seen from 40miles away, adding one mile for every 20�of the observer�s altitude. Large objects,like buildings, formations of troops, etc.,can be seen at a distance of two miles.Individual human-sized objects are indis-tinguishable by humans beyond 3,000�. Itis possible for living beings to avoid detec-tion by freezing in place or adopting cam-ouflage coloration to match the localenvironment. Such beings have a 5%chance of escaping detection for every 100� of distance from the observer.

To calculate the distance from an air-borne observer to an observed point onthe ground, add the character�s altitude tothe ground distance to the object

28 AUGUST 1987

observed. Thus, to a character riding abroom of flying at 500� altitude, a personon the ground 2,600� appears 3,100� awayand thus is beyond his range of sight.Height is not always an advantage.

Sun glare reduces the maximum rangeof vision to one mile. Magical items such aseyes of the eagle allow characters to seeeven farther. If the DM allows opticaldevices like telescopes, it will be to theadvantage of aerial observers. Magnifiersincrease the range at which details (suchas individual people) can be seen. A limitof 40 miles plus one mile per 20� of alti-tude remains, even with telescopic equip-ment. The curve of the world obscuresobjects beyond this range.

It is usually impossible, to spot objects onthe ground in woodlands. If the leaveshave fallen from the trees, some thingscan be discerned (this is one reason whyAgent Orange was sprayed in Vietnam). Inbarren woods, a flier can see objects as faraway laterally as he is high. Thus, a char-acter who is 1,000� high can see objects1,000� away from the point on the groundbelow him. In lightly wooded areas, man-size creatures can be seen at a maximumdistance of 1,500�. To see this far, a charac-ter must be flying 1,500� high. Nothing canbe seen in leafy woods.

A winged creature stirs up dust uponlanding on dry soil or sand. This occurswhen the creature is flying 5� or lessabove the ground. The dust causes allcharacters within 10� to take a penalty of-1 on �to hit� rolls and saving throws.

Near the ground, careless fliers cancollide with things. Boulders, trees, fences,and hills often lie in the flier�s path.Defenders might plant stakes to keepaerial enemies at a higher altitude. When acollision is likely, the airborne charactertraveling at �nap of earth� must roll abovehis maneuverability rating on 1d10 toavoid the crash. For every 10� of speed,this save is penalized by �1. Collisions do1-6 hp damage to the mount for every 10�(rounded down) of movement rate. Therider takes half damage from the impact.Unless the rider rolls a result equal to orless than his dexterity on 1d20, he will bethrown hard enough to stun him for 1d8rounds (no attacks or shield use possible,�4 on saving throws and armor class).This assumes that the rider is tied onto hismount, of course. Magical items that fly,like brooms or carpets of flying, must savevs. normal blow (page 80, DMG) or beruined in the collision. If a PC is flying onhis own power, using a fly spell or potionof flying, he takes full damage.

An intrepid flier can lean down tosnatch objects from the ground. To graban unwilling victim, a grapple roll isrequired. This is described in UnearthedArcana, page 107. If the object to be lifted

is at least 50% as heavy as the charactergrabbing it, the character must make anopen doors roll to avoid taking an addi-tional 1d6 hp damage from muscle strain,in which case he also loses whatever hewas trying to grab. If not strapped down,a PC making any attempt to grab some-thing from the ground falls off his mount.A character who falls to the ground takes1d6 hp damage for every 10� he is travel-ing, plus normal falling damage, to a limitof 20d6 (see below).

Bombardment and fallingIn the course of an aerial adventure, PCs

may occasionally drop heavy objects. Suchan action may be accidental or it may bedone on purpose, such as to bomb a tar-get. Any item dropped from a flyingmount or platform continues in a straightline at the same forward speed and direc-tion at which it was released, though theobject�s, actual speed through the air willincrease due to gravity, and the item willhead in a diagonal trajectory for theground. Inexperienced bombardiers usu-ally drop objects directly above the victim.These attacks always miss their target.

To learn accurate bombing techniques, acharacter must experiment with droppingobjects for 20 weeks, subtracting oneweek for each point of intelligence thecharacter has. Once this practice is over,use normal combat procedures for bomb-ing. There will be a nonproficiency penal-ty unless the PC has taken the aerial bombas a weapon of proficiency. The victim�sarmor class is treated as zero (AC 0) unlessit is naturally better protected than that.For every 100� above the target a PC flies,bombing attacks are at �1 to hit, regard-less of other factors.

When objects are dropped in flight,Table 2 is used to show how many feetahead of the drop point an object lands.For example, if the rider of a pegasusdrops his lance, flying 48� at l,000�, itlands 800� in front of the point where itwas dropped. Dropped objects do 1d6 hpdamage for every 10� fallen per 1,000 gpof weight. Thus, a 10 lb. rock (100 gpweight) dropped from 500� does 5d6 hpdamage. Every die of damage is equal toone structural point (pages 109-110, DMG).

The worst thing that can happen to aflier is to fall. Falling damage, for thepurposes of this article, is based upon theexpanded rules in the Dungeoneer’s Sur-vival Guide, pages 19-20. A falling charac-ter takes 1d6 hp damage for the first 10'he drops, then 2d6 hp damage for thesecond 10�, 3d6 for the third 10�, etc., to amaximum of 20d6 damage. The effects ofvarious surfaces upon falling damage aregiven on page 20 of that book.

An airborne creature may go out ofcontrol and drop, regaining control of its

flight shortly after wards (as noted in thesection on crosswinds under �windeffects�). An object falls at 32�/second²,which means that the object falls anincreasing amount with each passingsecond, but wind resistance slows thecreature�s fall. For simplicity�s sake, Table 3shows how far an object falls over a shortspan of time.

In order to regain control and stop a fall,the flier must make a maneuverabilitycheck on a 1d6 for each second that theflier falls. If the number rolled is equal toor less than the creature�s maneuverabil-ity, the fall continues. Air elementals, ofcourse, do as they please (as noted on page53 of the DMG) and take no time at all torecover.

A flier injured so badly that it must land,but not so badly that it will crash (see page53, DMG), takes no damage upon landing if

it makes a maneuverability check using1D10. Failure to make the check results inhalf normal damage from the fall. A flierso badly injured that it plummets to theground (having taken over 75% damage toits hit points) can save itself only with amaneuverability check using 1d4 (i.e., onlyclasses A, B, and C can do so). Making thecheck results in half damage from the fall;failure results in full damage. In either ofthe latter events, the injured flier cannotfly again until it has been fully healed.Note than anyone riding such a fallingbeast takes the same amount of damagethat the beast takes.

The DM may decide whether or not thePCs can invent the parachute. This devicewould not affect game balance greatly, andif the players can think of a logical reasonwhy their characters would have had theidea, they could probably make one. Towork, a parachute must be deployed atleast 1,000� above the ground. The DM canassign chances for a parachute not open-ing correctly, depending on how well it ismade. A parachute must be 24� wide forevery 200 lbs. it is to carry. If it is solid,without a central hole, the parachute spinsduring the fall. This may cause the para-chutist to become dizzy. A PC who usessuch a parachute is incapacitated by vom-iting for 1d10 rounds upon landing. Para-chutists have a 50% chance of taking 1d6hp damage per landing, modified down-ward 5% for each jump. There is always a10% chance of injury.

ManeuveringIt is often important to know how slowly

one can fly. A favorite trick of modernfighter pilots is to slow down so that a pursuer goes past them, then attack frombehind. Flying characters may wish toslow down near the ground to avoid colli-sions. Magical items which allow a PC tohover allow the flier to travel at any speed

30 AUGUST 1987

desired (up to the maximum limit of theitem). Brooms of flying and winged crea-tures cannot move slower than half theirnormal speed. By curving back and forth,a character may cover distance moreslowly (possibly forcing an opponentahead). This ability is governed by man-euverability ratings (see page 52, DMG.Remember that a flying creature is alwaystraveling forward, and that it is impossibleto climb straight up.

Flying mounts can be trained to glidewithout wing movement. This type offlight is utterly silent. Gliding is also morestable than flight using flapping wings.During a glide, archery is performed atmerely a �1 penalty, and long-range fireis possible. At the DM�s option, spells maybe cast during a glide. The spell wouldhave to have a casting time of less thanhalf the time spent gliding. In addition, thespell-caster would have to roll his wisdomor lower on 1d20 in order to concentrate.More detail on spell-casting from an aerialvantage is provided below.

Training a mount to glide requires ld6months. While gliding, a mount is onemaneuverability class worse than normal.Class E creatures are unable to turn in aglide at all. In a glide, a creature descendsat least 1� for every 10� traveled forward.Gliding creatures may dive normally, butcan only climb with the aid of thermals �then at 25% of their normal speed. Glidingspeed is limited to 75% of a creature�snormal movement rate. Note that this doesnot change the minimum speed for thecreature, which is always 50% of thepropelled movement rate.

Intelligent PCs may develop artificialgliders (see �On a Wing and a Prayer� inthis issue). This should, however, be agreat feat in a fantasy world. As a generalrule, most gliders crash, thus discouraginghopeful glider-builders. Gliders statisticsare given in the article �On a Wing and aPrayer.� Gliders may be launched fromcliffs or towers, towed aloft by large flyingmounts, or pulled behind large, fast, run-ning beasts. A launch catapult is alsopossible to build.

Magic in the skiesAs noted above, spell-casting from an

airborne mount may present a bit of aproblem for fliers. Riders of aerial mountsmay be able to cast spells while controllingthe mounts; this is because the mountitself is in control of its flying (though notof its navigation). To cast a spell, however,the spell-caster must roll for his concentra-tion as described above. Spell-casters incontrol of gliders and other flying con-structs, or who are using a fly spell, areunable to cast any spells except for thosewhich only employ verbal components.Decisions in this instance are left to the

discretion of the DM. Some spells may notbe used normally in the sky or havealtered effects in casting, as noted here:

Cleric spellsCloudburst: This may change the sort of

cloud present within the area of effect(consult Table 1).

Precipitation: See cloudburst.

Druid spellsCall lightning: Lightning does not strike

a creature that is not grounded, but crea-tures with electrical energy of their ownmay be struck. Lightning can rise from theclouds to strike a charged creature nearthem. This spell may attract lightning tothe caster.

Cloudburst: See the cleric spell cloud-burst.

Conjure earth elemental: The earthelemental cannot fly.

Creeping doom: It is impossible to sum-mon crawling insects to attack foes in thesky. This spell only works against groundcreatures.

Precipitation: See the cleric spell precipi-tation.

Snare: Snares cannot be set in midair.Transmute water to dust: This spell

turns cloud formations into clear air with-in its area of effect.

Tree: Obviously, a druid who becomes atree while riding a mount falls. It might bepossible to strap a small tree to a carpet offlying or similar item. Druids under theeffects of a levitate or fly spell may simplyhover in tree form.

Wall of thorns: The wall of thorns fallsfrom the sky (making an unusual bomb).

Magic-user spellsCacodemon: See conjure elemental.Chain lightning: See the druid spell call

lightning.Cloudburst: See the cleric spell cloud-

burst.Cloudkill: This cloud slowly sinks to

earth. The magic-user should be directlyabove the victim for best effect.

Conjure elemental: It is impossible todraw protective circles in midair.

Ensnarement: See conjure elemental.Gust of wind: This spell has the effect of

a 40 MPH wind.Lightning bolt: See the druid spell call

lightning.Precipitation: See the cleric spell cloud-

burst.Prismatic sphere: Since the sphere does

not move with the caster, users of flyingbrooms or flying creatures may be forcedto pass through their own sphere.

Shocking grasp: This spell has the nor-mal effect, regardless of whether or notthe victim is grounded. The caster createsboth positive and negative poles. This spell

Table 1Cloud Formation Types

Weather

Sunny, no changeSunny, will changeCloudy, clearingCloudy, no changeCloudy, will rainRain, rain continuesRain, clearingRapid change

Clouds 1 2-3 4-5 6-7 8-10B A NC

NC C BC C D A BD A B C EA B C E FD B C E FD B C F EA B E D D

Weather patterns are determined using the weather-generation system of theDM’s choice. Cloud types follow:

A. Cirrus: These white clouds occur at an altitude of above 30,000’. They are longand thin, and often form patterns or parallel rows. Cirrus bands often cover 20-80square miles. Each strand is l00-1,000’ thick and l00-1,000’ long.

B. Altocumulus: Altocumulus clouds are long and thick, occur at an altitude ofabout 10,000’ or above, and are approximately l,000-4,000’ thick.

C. Altostratus: These dark cloud layers exist at an altitude of 15,000’. They are2,000-8,000’ thick.

D. Cumulus: Cumulus clouds are the fluffy “fair-weather clouds.” They can alsoform dark masses of clouds stacked atop each other in mountainous formations,which are responsible for thunderstorms. Cumulus clouds are usually round withbillowing surfaces and occur at an altitude of about 5,000’. Cumulus clouds arefrom l,00-3,000’ thick, and cover only 2-20 square miles.

Cumulus clouds produce lightning. Of course, flying creatures are not grounded,thus they are generally unaffected. Still, any object with an electrical charge may bestruck by lightning. This includes spell-casters throwing electricity-based magic andcharacters who carry electrical magical items, (like the wand of lightning). Thesemagicks include anything dealing with lightning and the shocking grasp spell. Anycharged object has a 10% chance per round of being struck while it is inside acumulus cloud. Such a strike does 4-24 hp damage. A save vs. death magic halvesthe damage.

E. Stratocumulus: These are rolling grey clouds that occur at altitudes of 2,000’and above. The surface of these clouds undulate in a series of peaks and valleys.Stratocumulus clouds are usually l,000-4,000’ thick.

F. Nimbostratus: Nimbostratus clouds are rain clouds. They are dark and thick,and have rough, rolling peaks. Nimbostratus clouds occur as low as 2,000’. There isa 50% chance that these clouds are accompanied by scud, small black patches ofmist at treetop level. Vision is limited to 5’ within nimbostratus clouds, thus makingaccurate missile fire virtually impossible. Any item which is affected by water mustsave vs. acid to avoid becoming wet, even if the item is wrapped. Careful water-proofing, however, prevents this. A nimbostratus cloud is 3,000-5,000’ thick.

G. No clouds are present.

T able 2Location of Bombs and Fallen Objects

Altitude

Up to 1,000’1,001-2,000’2,001-4,000’4,001-6,000’6,001-8,000’8,001-10,000’

6”100200300350400450

Forward speed (round to closest figure)1 2 ” 1 5 ” 1 8 ” 2 4 ” 3 0 ” 3 6 ” 4 8 ”

200 250 300 400 500 600 800400 500 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,600600 750 900 1,200 1,500 1,800 2,400700 870 1,050 1,400 1,750 2,100 2,800800 1,000 1,200 1,600 2,000 2,400 3,200900 1,120 1,350 1,800 2,250 2,700 3,600

The drop point is the point on the ground directly beneath the flier at the moment abomb is released. This table’s results show the distance from the drop point to thebomb’s impact point on the ground.

may attract lightning strikes to the caster.Statue: See the druid spell tree.Transmute water to dust: See the druid

spell transmute water to dust.Unseen servant: The unseen servant

cannot fly.Wall of ice: The wall falls to the ground,

making a heck of a bomb.Wall of iron: See wall of ice.Wall of stone: See wall of ice.Wind wall: This can be treated as a

thermal.

Illusionist spellsPhantom wind: This spell affects flying

creatures as a normal wind.

Note that no spells which summon land-based creatures confer these creatureswith the ability to fly. Any summonedcreatures come to a spot beneath thecaster (i.e., on the ground). This includesanimal summoning, mount, low-level ver-sions of phantom steed, monster summon-ing, shadow monsters, summon shadow,demi-shadow monsters, conjure animals,shades, and call woodland beings. A 12th-13th level phantom steed can be called inmidair; it is unable to change its altitude,although it can move about in the sky.

The sky is a strange, new place foradventuring, yet it can be reached byclever characters. This article shouldprovide a starting point for any DM andplayers interested in aerial adventuring.As they say: Happy landings!

Table 3Distance Fallen Over Time

Time in Distanceseconds fallen in feet

1 152 603 1354 2405 3606 5009 1,000

12 1,50015 2,00018 2,50021 3,000

This information is modified from“Physics and Falling Damage,”DRAGON® issue #88, page 12. Thedistances have been rounded off tofit a game scale based upon 30’ unitsof measurement (1” scale measure-ment). For every 3 seconds beyondthe limit of the table (21 seconds),500’ of altitude is covered. Terminalvelocity is reached after 6 secondsof falling.

32 AUGUST 1987

The Wings of EaglesThe aarakocra as a PC and NPC race

by J. E Keeping

One problem with the AD&D® game isthe lack of variety in the races available toPCs and NPCs: They all resemble humansin mind and body. The DMG claims thatthis is necessary to keep the powerfulmonster races away from the PCs, remainwithin the game�s �humanocentric� basis,and avoid all the rule adjustments neededto bring nonhumanoid characters to thegame. Yet there are a number of creaturesin the game which are sufficiently similarto humans in power and form as to avoidendangering game balance or conven-ience, yet different enough from humansto provide welcome variety to the game.One of these, the aarakocra, is the subjectof this article.

In this article, the aarakocra is fleshedout and detailed in a manner similar to theofficial races in the AD&D game, so as tomake it playable as an NPC race. The bird-man has also been put on an equal footingwith the other races, so it may be permit-ted as a racial choice to PCs if the DMpermits. The purpose in bringing theaarakocra to the ranks of PCs and NPCs isto lend variety to the racial choices in thegame; the aarakocra are as different fromdemi-humans in mind as they are in body.Thus, when the aarakocra are played,these differences should be emphasizedfor maximum variety, fun, and � if youlike � humor.

Character statisticsThe ability scores for the bird-men may

be determined in the usual manner, with a+1 on strength and a -1 on dexterity,observing the maximum and minimumscores below, or by rolling the special diceon the same chart. Aarakocra have a mini-mum strength of 11 because good strengthis required for flying. They have minimumand maximum dexterity scores of 6 and 17because, while some agility is required forflight, they have clawlike hands which arenot very dextrous. The minimum constitu-tion for an aarakocra is 8, because thebird-men must be in good health to livewith little shelter in the frozen mountains.

34 AUGUST 1987

The comeliness of the aarakocra has noeffect on other PC races, though it doesaffect other aarakocra. This attribute doesnot affect normal, nonsentient birds,though it could affect sentient birdlikespecies (such as kenku) at the DM�s option.

Aarakocra may be fighters (maximumlevel of 9), clerics (maximum level of 7), orthieves (no maximum level). Their onlymulticlass is that of fighter/thief. If ran-dom class selection is desired, roll 1d100to determine the following results: 01-10,cleric; 11-52, fighter; 53-80, thief; 81-00,fighter/thief. Aarakocra with class abilitiescannot summon an air elemental as theirbrethren can.

Aarakocra are small and light becauseflying is difficult for large or heavy crea-tures. Like normal flying birds, the aarako-era have hollow bones, which largelyaccounts for their minimal weight. Todetermine height, roll 1d100 for the fol-lowing results: 01-15, under the average;16-75, average height; 76-00, over theaverage. For weight, these results are:01-15, underweight; 16-85, averageweight; 86-00, overweight. Refer theseresults on Table 2.

Because of the great amounts of energyexpended in an airborne life, aarakocraage quickly and have short �young adult�and �mature� life stages. However, becauseof their mountain habitat or because ofsome magical influence, they outlivehumans in the long run. General age clas-sifications are as follows (in years of age):young adult, 14-20; mature, 21-37; middle-age, 38-60; old, 61-100; and venerable, 101-150. Use Table 3 to determine beginningages for adventuring aarakocra.

Aarakocra are only average thieves, butbeing aerial creatures, they are excellentthief-acrobats. Aarakocra lose from abili-ties such as picking pockets and openinglocks because of their clumsy hands. Fur-thermore, their wings make hiding inshadows difficult. Aarakocra have goodbalance because of their wings; this, incombination with their light bodies, aidsconsiderably in broad jumping, high jump-ing, and pole vaulting. The bulkiness oftheir wings, however, makes tumblingmaneuvers difficult. The aarakocra�s wings

and feathers help them avoid damagewhen falling even if they are injured toobadly for flying. Lastly, their clawed handsaid them in climbing. All rules regardingflight and aerial combat apply to PC andNPC aarakocra as well as to �monster�types.

Although the FIEND FOLIO® Tome tellsus aarakocra �have little to do withhumankind� and �even less to do withdemi-humans,� this ruling must be soft-ened to maintain the usefulness of them ascharacters. The bird-men could be ongood terms with the grey elves and, byextension, on tolerant terms with otherelves (except the drow, of course, who livein the underground setting most bird-menavoid). Aarakocra have a general distastefor dwarves, because elves dislike dwarvesand because dwarves live underground.Aarakocra treat half-orcs with antipathybecause, as the FIEND FOLIO Tome says,the aarakocra �actively dislike humanoids.�Generally, the attitudes of any race towardaarakocra are the same as the aarakocra�sattitudes toward that race. Briefly, aarako-era are tolerant of elves, have antipathytoward dwarves and half-orcs, have goodrelations with grey elves, and are neutraltoward everyone else.

DescriptionThe aarakocra are a race of sentient

avians who inhabit mountainous regions.The alignment of aarakocra is usuallyneutral good, but can be any other as well.For random alignment determination, roll1d100 for the following results: 01-40,neutral good; 41-55, chaotic good; 56-70,chaotic neutral; 71-80, neutral; 81-85,lawful good; 86-89, neutral evil; 90-93,chaotic evil; 94-97, lawful neutral; and98-00, lawful evil.

An aarakocra is vaguely humanoid inappearance, resembling a human-sized,bipedal eagle whose wings fold into over-long arms. Aarakocra plumage varies fromtribe to tribe and region to region, andalso varies with respect to gender; themales are always crested and gaudier thanthe females. Within the race, aarakocraplumage serves no purpose other than ameans for identification. Aarakocra have

5" grey-black beaks which resemble across between that of a parrot and aneagle. Their faces are birdlike, except thatthe eyes are placed frontally to providebinocular vision. Facial shape varies little;the bird-men identify their peers by theirplumage, not by their faces.

The bird-men are a timid and reclusiverace, living far from humanity and civiliza-tion. Yet, like humans, the aarakocra havesome exceptional individuals who find thispeaceful and pastoral life a little dull. It isthese individuals who become the NPC orPC aarakocra described in this article.Such adventurers are generally believed tobe insane by the rest of the race.

It is a curious fact that some adventur-ing aarakocra do suffer from a mild formof mental malady. Most bird-men adven-turers share the usual racial distaste forenclosed places and underground environ-ments, but some claim to have no fear ofsuch places at all. These latter aarakocraare the insane ones. Aarakocra who ven-ture into any enclosed environmentbecome unusually quiet and peer aboutwith wide eyes, though they otherwiseseem calm. But, if engaged in melee, theaarakocra�s reserve has a 10% chance ofbreaking per round of battle � a reactionthat is lacking in the outside world. At thispoint, roll 1d6; the aarakocra is seizedwith either: violent, indiscrete bravado(1-2); cowering, involuntary claustrophobia(3-4); or, screaming, mindless panic (5-6).

In the first instance, the afflicted aarako-era becomes a reckless lunatic, attackingany foe within range and bursting throughclosed doors into unexplored areas with-out restraint. In the second case, the aara-kocra collapses and ceases to defend itselfor run away, covering its head with itswings in a small, rigid ball. In the latterinstance, the repressed racial claustropho-bia of the adventurer whips the afflictedbird-man into a terrified frenzy; the onlygoal for such an individual is freedomfrom confinement: a goal which the victimpursues without regard to safety for selfor party. In any case, the state of maladylasts for 10-60 rounds. After the conditionpasses, the victim returns to normal and isonce again in control of his faculties.

With regard to personality, the bird-menvary almost as much as humans do,though all manage to retain one elementof character common to their race: astrong love of freedom. This love resultsfrom the airborne lifestyle of the aarako-era. As a result, they find urban life con-straining and uncomfortable, and all areafflicted with very strong claustrophobia,as noted in the FIEND FOLIO Tome. Asnoted above, however, some adventuringaarakocra are able to restrain or overcome

this fear, and are thus able to enter a townor city � at least for short periods of time.Still, even these bold adventurers refrainfrom extended stays in closed-in, urbansettings and enter dungeons only underthe gravest circumstances. Of course, thisdoesn�t mean that a fellowship must bebroken every time the PCs stay at an inn orhave a town adventure; aarokocra arehappy to sleep on the roofs of inns orother buildings (�Skraaaak! A few feathersand the place'll be cozy enough!�). They

D R A G O N 3 5

Table 1Aarakocra Ability Score Chart (either sex)

Ability Minimum MaximumStrength 11 18/90Intelligence 3 18Wisdom 3 18Dexterity 6 17Constitution 8 18Charisma 3 18

Roll10 + 1d8

3d63d6

5 + 1d126 + 2d6

3d6

Table 2Aarakocra Height and Weight

Sex

MaleFemale

Height in inchesAverage � or +

60 1-8 1-1056 1-6 1-8

Weight in poundsAverage � or +

70 1-10 1-1056 1-8 1-8

Table 3Aarakocra Starting Age byClass

ClassClericFighterThief

Age in years30 + 5d613 + 1d813 + 2d4

Fighter/thieves start at the age of 21.

Table 4Thief and Thief-AcrobatAdjustments

Ability AdjustmentPick pockets �5%Open locks �15%Find/remove traps �Move silently *Hide in shadows �10%Hear noise + 3 0 %Climb walls + 1 0 %Read languages �Tightrope walking + 5 %Pole vaulting +6 �High jumping +3 �Broad jumping, standing +3 �Broad jumping, running +6 �

* Aarakocra can easily glide, makingno sound at all in the air, wheneverthey wish.

36 AUGUST 1987

may also serve as aerial surveillancetroops, since it is being in cities, not abovethem, that the aarakocra dislike.

A problem with the footloose andfreedom-loving lifestyle of the aarakocra istheir lack of respect for the ground-based�walkers,� as they call most humans anddemi-humans. The bird-men cannotbelieve that �grounded� individuals haveany freedom at all, or that such individualscan be anything other than boring,depressed dimwits (the psychology ofdwarves is totally alien to them). Ofcourse, this opinion often changes withtime and familiarity, but still leaves roomfor some good jokes. (�I just found out youcan�t fly. You poor thing! You can cry if youwant to.�)

Aarakocra deitiesThe only character class open to nor-

mal, nonadventuring aarakocra is that ofthe cleric. Called �elders,� bird-men sha-mans and clerics are the older, respectedmembers of the community. As a mono-theistic culture, the aarakocra worshipKrocaa, their only deity, (see the sidebararticle by Christopher Jones). Clerics whoreach maximum level (7th) in the serviceof Krocaa are able to summon a 12 HD airelemental once per week, in addition tothe normal ability that nonadventuringaarakocra have to summon air elemen-tals.

As stated before, normal aarakocraregard their adventuring counterparts asinsane. �Insane� clerics are tolerated, buteven they are outcasts, unable to performthe rights of worship for an aarakocracommunity (though Krocaa does not reject

them). Generally, �insane� bird-men areconsidered an embarrassment by theaarakocra society as a whole; �insane�clerics are thought to be cursed.

Aarakocra sensesAmong the advantages the bird-men

have is their eaglelike, telescopic vision. Atdistances of over 40�, aarakocra see 10times as well as humans (i.e., everythingappears 10 times closer, so an object 10miles away appears with the same resolu-tion and clarity as if it was 1 mile away).Of course, if something is over the hori-zon, it will still be invisible unless theaarakocra is flying quite high. The visionof aarakocra is limited by light consider-ations, so a bird-man can only see 40� bythe light of a torch, not 400�. At night,their vision is only slightly clearer than ahuman�s.

Since good hearing is required for hear-ing sounds in the thin air at high altitudes,aarakocra hear noise on a 1-6 roll on 1d20.As a result of this acute sense of hearing,aarakocra are surprised only on a roll of 1in 8.

An interesting feature of the aarakocrais their extra pair of �hands� � i.e., theirfeet. These �netherhands� are used forfighting when a bird-man is in flight, butserve as feet when on the ground. Conse-quently, having four hands does not affecttheir number of attacks per round.

Attacks and defensesAll PC and NPC aarakocra have a base

AC 7, as listed in the FIEND FOLIO Tome.They can use armor on the ground, butany sort other than a small buckler pre-vents flight. (This does not mean, however,that a larger shield cannot be used by a�grounded� aarakocra.) A further disad-vantage is that normal armor does not fitbird-men; they must contract an armorerto custom-make their protection. Thistakes twice the time and three times thecost for normal armor of the type request-ed. Most aarakocra dislike wearing armoranyway, because of their claustrophobia.Consequently, no armor is made in bird-man communities.

While flying, bird-men fight with theirnetherhands, as noted above. During suchmelees, they are able to use any hand-heldor thrown weapon, but are not able to usebows or slings. Aarakocra are so accus-tomed to battles in the sky that they areunaffected by the usual penalties for anysort of aerial missile fire. In addition, thoseof the fighter class are able to attack froma dive (starting from above 200�) � afavorite tactic which involves carrying ajavelin in each netherhand, then suddenlypulling up as the aarakocra snap the jave-lins into their target. This attack is at +4

to hit and inflicts double damage perweapon (one �to hit� roll is required foreach javelin). Spears or similar missileweapons can be used instead of javelins.

Disadvantages and advantagesA major disadvantage for the bird-men

(in addition to their AC limitations) lies intheir hollow, fragile bones, which makethe aarakocra very weak in grapplingcombat. Any damage sustained by anaarakocra during grappling is doubled(regardless of whether the system in theDMG or either system in UnearthedArcana is used).

The main advantage the aarakocra haveis their ability to fly; this allows them toavoid pits, bypass walls, and avoid orovertake enemies with ease. Unencum-bered, aarakocra fly at 36� ; each 125 gpweight carried reduces this by 3�. Maneu-verability class is C; this becomes class D ifmore than 300 gp weight is carried, or E ifmore than 900 gp weight is carried.

Strength affects the weight which can becarried by 10 gp weight for every level ofstrength adjustments given in the PlayersHandbook. Flying requires almost noeffort for the bird-men; they can some-times remain aloft for up to a day at atime. For long-range movement, aarakocrafly at 12 MPH (1 MPH for each 3� of move-ment, as listed in the Dungeon MastersGuide), or 96 miles per day. As a result,aarakocra have a great advantage overhumans in the area of travel.

Although they are excellent fliers, bird-men are very clumsy on the ground. Theyhave a base walking speed of 6�) which isreduced by 2� for every 35 lbs. of equip-ment carried (calculated after strengthadjustments are added). Banded, chain,padded, ring, or studded armor reducesan aarakocra�s speed to 4� ; scale, splint, orany sort of plate armor limits them to 2�.Heavy armor and equipment (scale and350 gp weight or more, for example) pre-vent them from moving at all.

KROCAA(God of the aarakocra)Lesser god

by Christopher Jones

ARMOR CLASS: 2MOVE: 12 12"/48"HIT POINTS: 124NO. OF ATTACKS: 2DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8/1-8 (+7)SPECIAL ATTACKS: DiveSPECIAL DEFENSES: +1 or

better weapon to hitMAGIC RESISTANCE: 20%SIZE: L (30’ wingspan)ALIGNMENT: Neutral goodWORSHIPER�S ALIGNMENT: Neutral

good (aarakocra)SYMBOL: Red featherPLANE: Elemental Plane of AirCAVALIER/PALADIN: NilCLERIC/DRUID: 10th-level cleric/

8th-level druidFIGHTER: As 16 + HD monsterMAGIC-USER/ILLUSIONIST: NilTHIEF: 5th-level thiefMONK/BARD: NilPSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

S : 1 9 I : 1 9D : 2 2 C : 2 0C O : 8 ( 2 7 * )

* To aarakocra.

W : 1 8CH: 12 (25*)

Krocaa appears as the perfect speci-men of the aarakocra race. He is largeand has blue eyes and golden feathers;his head plumage is deep scarlet. Aara-kocra legends tell that Krocaa createdthe first of their species, evolving themfrom giant eagles. According to theselegends, Krocaa gave the aarakocraintelligence and taught them to defendthemselves.

Krocaa carries two javelins +2 whichhe uses in battle. These javelins returnto his hands at the end of the round inwhich they were thrown. Krocaa isable to dive as a normal aarakocra, andhe is considered maneuverability classA. He is able to use his powerful wingsto create a wind equal to a gust of windspell cast by a 7th-level magic-user.Once per day, Krocaa can summon two16 HD air elementals. Krocaa generallykeeps to himself, but he is on goodterms with the Caliph of the Djinni andthe nobility of the air e lementals.

Sacrifices and tithes are offered toKrocaa at the end of every month andon various tribal holidays. Offeringsgenerally consist of gems and eggsfrom various evil creatures (such asharpies). The offerings are placed onthe peak of the Holy Mountain, usuallythe tallest mountain in the area, to betaken away by the sacred eagles thatroost there. Aarakocra clerics mayattain the 7th level of mastery.

(continued from page 16)information is given on page 23 of the1983 edition of the Expert Rulebook.

Why was the method for calculat-ing Will scores changed in the newExpert rules? As it stands now, afighter who wants to exchange abili-ty score points to get a highstrength will have a difficult timecontrolling intelligent swords.

The �old� D&D Expert Set used strengthand wisdom because the original D&,Dgame by Gary Gygax and Dave Arnesonused strength and intelligence to deter-mine the Will score. Since wisdom, notintelligence, determines the power of acharacter�s personality, the editor decidedto change intelligence to wisdom when theExpert Set rules were first compiled. The�new� D&D Expert Set takes that logic astep further; the struggle between charac-ter and sword is mental, not physical, sowe use the character�s two mental scores.Now players have to make a choice aboutcreating their characters: gain highstrength for extra experience and moredamage right from the start, or keep theintelligence and wisdom scores in case thecharacter is lucky enough to find a magi-cal sword. The D&D game is a game ofchoices, and they aren�t always easy ones.

The missile fire table (Expert Rule-book, page 29) shows the ranges fora sling as being 40/80/160, while ashort bow is listed at 50/100/150.Surely the sling listing is in error.

The range of a sling is 40/80/160. A slingactually out-ranges a short bow but is lessaccurate at long ranges. Thus, a greaterportion of the sling�s total range falls intothe �long� category.

The rules say that ships withoutsails have only a 20% chance to rideout a storm. Don�t galleys havesails? If so, don�t they have an 80%chance to ride out a storm?

Galleys do have sails, but they also ridevery low in the water and have ports cutinto their sides for their oars, Thus, agalley has as much difficulty in a storm asdoes a ship without sails.

Why do saving throws and thiefabilities get worse in the 1983 edi-tion of the Expert Rulebook?

The �old� D&D Expert Set was preparedat a time when no one knew how far theD&D game system was going to go. Theserules allowed certain character abilities toimprove far too quickly, leaving little roomfor further advancement and develop-ment. The �new� Expert Set was preparedwith the D&D Companion and MastersSets in mind. If you plan to go no fartherthan the Expert Set, you can use the oldrules. Otherwise, use the new rules.

D R A G O N 3 7

(continued from page 6)hours praying to recover all of his spells � whycan�t this game time be as easily passed by as amagic-user�s 82 hours are, without the clericbeing condemned as incorrectly played?

Another ridiculous statement is: �If therewere another way to heal player characters,clerics could be done away with. . . .� (issue#118, p. 68). Well, if there were any other way to kill monsters, fighters could be done awaywith also. Furthermore, potions of healing andextra-healing, elixirs of health, life, and vitality,rings of wishes and regeneration, rods of resur-rection, staves of curing, amulets of life protec-tion, Keoghtom’s ointment, and periapts ofhealth, proof against poison, and wound closureall provide alternate means of healing charac-ters, not to mention druids, bards, paladins,rangers, and lots of good creatures who couldheal, were they so inclined. Include any magicalhealing fountains, places, shrines, groves, etc.,not to mention healing wounds by resting (wow,what a concept!), and it becomes evident thatthere are many, many ways to heal characterswithout the aid of a single cleric. But with all ofthese possibilities available, clerical healing isstill regularly used as the preferred mode ofhealing, because it�s the most effective of all.

Clark TimminsSalt Lake City UT

In issue #119 of DRAGON Magazine, EdGreenwood gave us the beastmaster NPC. If anyfellow readers are like me, they too would liketo make the beastmaster a playable characterchoice. Several of his abilities must be lessenedif this is to become a reality.

First, his abilities to move silently and hide inshadows should be reduced to the equal of athief of the same level. His capacity to hearnoise and detect snares and pits should belowered to the same percentage chance as athief (with the latter ability rated as findingtraps), but the beastmaster gains 10% to hearnoise and 5% to detect snares and pits. Hisability to track should be the same as that of aranger, as outlined in Unearthed Arcana. Theability of sight should be reduced to a base of65% at 1st level and increase in increments of4% per level gained. Likewise, locate animalsshould begin with a 50% base and rise in 3%increments, and hold animals should keep the7% base, but increase in 7% increments. Thesechanges are to lessen powers of a low-levelbeastmaster and to impose a more gradual gainof power.

Resistance to lycanthropy should be limited to60%. If the beastmaster does not roll successful-ly for psionics, if he is a halfling, or if theDungeon Master does not allow psionics in hiscampaign, then calculate the lowest score possi-ble for psionics for the character; this figure ishis psionic potential. Although no attack mode isallowed, he may choose one defense mode. Thelanguages allowed to a beastmaster for gaininglevels may only be of dragon tongues (a maxi-mum of three), aerial creatures (a maximum offive), or woodland beings (natural or magical �no maximum limit). These languages are exclu-sive of those allowed for high intelligence.

After reaching 11th level, a beastmaster maytrain himself. He receives two weapon proficien-cies at 1st level, as well as three nonweaponproficiencies. He may gain an additional weaponand nonweapon proficiency for every threelevels attained.

Possibly the largest unbalancing feature of thebeastmaster is his low experience-point table.An 8th-level fighter has the same experiencepoints as a 9th-level beastmaster. The beastmas-

38 AUGUST 1987

Revised Beastmaster Experience Table

Experience Experience 8-sided dice for Levelpoints l e v e l accum. hit points title0-5,000 1 1 Handler

5,001-10,000 2 2 Breaker10,001-20,000 3 3 Herdhand20,001-40,000 4 4 Husbandman40,001-70,000 5 5 Keeper70,001-125,000 6 6 Ostler

125,001-250,000 7 7 Tamer250,001-400,000 8 8 Trainer400,001-750,000 9 9 Master

750,001-1,100,000 10 9 + 6 Wildrunner1,100,001-1,500,000 11 9 + 1 2 Wildrunner (11th level)

ter might lose a fight in town, but in his ownenvironment, the fighter does not have achance. A magic-user of 11th level would beequivalent to an 11th-level beastmaster. Again,this may seem like an equal match, but couldone put an llth-level thief against either ofthese two powerhouses? I propose my revisedtable be used if a Dungeon Master would wantto use the beastmaster in his campaign for hisplayers.

Each additional level above the 10th requires400,000 xp. Beastmasters gain 6 hp per levelafter the 9th level.

The �King of the Jungle� is still a powerfulcharacter, not to be run by just anyone, buthopefully an experienced gamer can now takehim and play a more balanced, consistentcharacter.

Daniel S. HuffmanBeaver Falls PA

There were two letters written in issue #120in response to my previous letter in issue #117,and there are issues in each letter that I wouldlike to address.

Kristin Marquardt contends my assertion thatfantasy role-playing games appeal almost exclu-sively to males. I would like to point out that thelast time DRAGON Magazine released the resultsof a readers� survey (issue #62), a full 95% of thepeople responding were male. I wrote my letteron the two assumptions that those numbers hadnot changed drastically in the subsequent yearsand that these percentages were fairly close tothe percentages of people reading fantasybooks.

Both Kristin and Randy Donahue cited exam-ples to �prove� to me that there are femalesword-and-sorcery characters. However, I neverimplied that there weren�t! My letter said�almost no traditional female sword and sorcerycharacters,� not �none at all.� Look at the fantasybooks in any bookstore. Are there nearly asmany books about women as there are aboutmen? There aren�t in any bookstores I�ve everbeen to. What I was saying was that people�sideas of fantasy characters are based on theliterature they read. I�ve had a character thatwas a clone of Moorcock�s Elric and a magic-user that could have passed as the cousin ofTolkien�s Gandalf. Why? Because the charactersthese authors created so impressed me that Iwanted one just like them. Until there are asmany diverse and vivid heroines as there areheroes, there will not be equally diverse repre-sentations of women. I never implied thatwomen wouldn�t make good players or PCs.

Mr. Donahue unknowingly agrees with mewhen he says that most players think that allmagic-users look like Gandalf. The reason theythink this is because J.R.R. Tolkien createdpossibly the greatest fantasy character of the

20th century with Gandalf. Here is a characterthat not only possesses great and admirablequalities, but also has the power to changemany things for the cause of good, and is sovividly described that he nearly jumps out atyou. Gandalf seems to have a tremendousappeal to everyone who reads about him. Evenif Gandalf doesn�t appeal to someone, there isanother famous mage that might appeal toreaders. His name is Merlin. What player rollingup a magic-user could not dream of someoneresembling one of these two?

Contrary to what Mr. Donahue said, I laid noaccusations on women. The purpose of myletter was to say that the number and types ofwomen represented in the fantasy genre wouldbe less than that of men by virtue of nothingmore than the numbers involved in each case.To read anything else into my letter is to misrep-resent it.

Dan FejesAurora OH

I seldom write letters to my relatives, let aloneto magazine editors; however, I am so motivatedby a �Forum� letter in issue #119.

Once again, I found myself reading a letterthat stated the opinion that female characters,in the role-playing context, should have limitedstrengths in order to make the game more�realistic.� Reality is a peculiar basis on which toground a rule for such a fantasy-oriented game.If one can take potions and go off to do battlewith dragons, vampires, and liches, using magicweapons with suspended disbelief, how is it thatthese same individuals find it hard to deal withthe concept of a female character of exceptionalstrength?

One must admit that adventurers are hot yourrun-of-the-mill folks. They are generally aboveaverage in at least one trait or characteristic, orelse they don�t last long in the field. It is likelythat women who decide to go into the adventur-er�s line of work will be the sort who can cut itin the outside world.

I am not addressing feminism or the strengthof real-life men vs. women. I am simply tired ofseeing the term �reality� bandied about to justifylimitations. The chances of rolling an 18strength are remote enough that even if youlack the Y chromosome, you should still beentitled to keep the roll.

If we want to deal with reality, we can playPapers and Paychecks, eight hours a day, fivedays a week. If we want to play fantasy games,and can accept their incredible creatures andsituations, then we can�t use the �reality� ration-alization for the limitations of a female charac-ter�s abilities.

I, for one, don�t brake for unicorns. Thanks.Pam Parisi

Kingston NY

D R A G O N 3 9

Kicksand

SticksIntroducing

escrima toOriental

Adventures

by Joseph R. Ravitts

On the outskirts of the known world ofthe Japanese samurai and Chinese monksof history lived the less-sophisticated peo-ples of the Orient (yet more civilized thanthe steppe barbarians). These civilizationshad their own versions of Oriental cultureand the martial arts. In the islands nowknown as the Philippines, a cluster ofrelated tribes did so well at developingindependent systems of self-defense that,to this day, many practitioners of kung-fuand karate incorporate elements of Filipi-no combat into their styles. Filipino mar-tial arts have many sub-styles and manynames. For simplicity�s sake, all referencesmade herein are to one of the better-known styles: the art of escrima.

In the rush to start new campaignsbased on the Oriental Adventures AD&D®game supplement, many DMs may have allof the civilized character classes present inall of the civilized nations of Kara-Tur.Here, then, is a character class that helpsrestore a sense of regional differences.This class should exist only in a limited

area; to parallel the real-world Philippines,this should be a tropical archipelagoadjoining the continent of Kara-Tur. Thereare four subdivisions of the class; first,however, a description of the characteris-tics common to all members of the class isin order.

The escrimadorThe escrimador in an Oriental campaign

is much like a cross between a bushi and amonk. Escrimadores are always human.They have 6-sided hit dice and use thesame attack rate and combat tables asbushi (apart from special attacks, whichare described later). Escrimadores alsoresemble monks in unarmed combat andin their restrictions on wearing armor.Because escrimadores are more dependenton the use of weapons than monks are,they gain an open-handed prowess onlyhalf as quickly as a monk does. Thus, a1st or 2nd-level escrimador has the innatearmor class, alertness against surprise,and open-hand damage potential of a 1st-level monk, while a 3rd- or 4th-level escri-mador equals a 2nd-level monk in theseaspects. Escrimadores do not have thespell-like abilities of monks (except for self-healing) and can never possess powerssuch as the quivering palm or distancedeath. Furthermore, they do not have themonks saving-throw benefits nor theability to dodge missiles. In compensation,however, escrimadores do enjoy defensivebenefits due to their dexterity, and haveoffensive benefits due to their dexterityand strength. Escrimadores also have skillsand ki powers unique to their class.

An escrimador�s initial honor score is 12.First-level escrimadores have six proficien-cies and gain new proficiencies at a rate ofone for every two levels of experiencegained. Those who wish to practice escri-ma must have a minimum intelligence of 7,constitution of 10, strength of 8, and cha-risma of 5. A score of 15 or better isrequired in either dexterity or wisdom(the prime requisites of this class), withthe other score being not less than 9. Anescrimador with a wisdom score of 17 orbetter gains a 10% bonus on experiencepoints.

Escrimadores function best in theirnative environment � in jungles and onislands. The first proficiencies possessedby any escrimador always include survivaland tracking, which are equivalent to abarbarian�s proficiencies. Like the barbari-an, the escrimador�s environment servesas an ally in adventures.

When in a jungle or forest setting, escri-madores can hide in shadows, hear noises,and move silently as ninjas of equivalentlevels (the last two skills apply in all othersettings as well). When fighting in thejungle against any opponent exceptanother escrimador, they gain a +2 bonusto armor class due to their expert timingin ducking behind trees and branches.When traveling in jungles, they can main-

40 AUGUST 1987

tain normal movement speed when othersare slowed by the foliage.

In water, escrimadores can swim 10%faster than other human characters ofequal strength. When fighting on foot inwater between ankle-depth and shoulder-depth, they gain automatic initiative forthe first round against those who are notescrimadores (unless the escrimador wastotally surprised). If the escrimador isalready on his guard at the start of melee,in water at least waist-deep and with aweapon in his hand, he gains a + 3 bonusto hit with his first attack by concealingthe weapon�s initial position just under thesurface of the water. (All these aquaticadvantages, however, are negated if thewater is extremely cold � a condition towhich escrimadores are unaccustomed.)

Because metal is harder to find in thejungle than in other environments, escri-madores often use weapons made partlyor entirely of wood. The vulnerability ofthese weapons to breaking is offset by theescrima method of parrying, which is tocontact the enemy�s hand and arm ratherthan the enemy�s blade. This gives theescrimador a chance against such weaponsas katana swords and even grants a specialadvantage: If a nonescrimador who is notwearing hand or arm protection missesthree consecutive attacks against aweapon-wielding escrimador, the nonescri-mador must save vs. paralysis or lose theuse of his weapon arm for a number ofrounds equal to the escrimador�s strength(the escrimador has successfully struckthe opponent�s arm).

The �signature� weapon of all escrima-dores is the escrima stick, a simple wood-en rod 2-3� long, similar to the jo stick thata monk might use. All escrimadores areproficient with this weapon (in varyingapplications for the three different styles)from the beginnings of their careers.Other weapons typically used are spears,staves, nunchaku, daggers, hand axes,parangs, and rope-weapons similar to theninja kawanaga. Escrimadores can neverbe proficient with long swords, nor withany missile weapons except pellet bows,blowguns, and hand-thrown weapons.

The ki powers of the escrimador are asfollows:

1. For every experience level possessed,the escrimador has a cumulative 5%chance of knowing if he is being watchedby a hidden observer (assuming the escri-mador is conscious and not completelypreoccupied with combat or otherdemanding activity). This is separate fromhis monklike surprise chances, giving theescrimador double opportunities to thwartsurprise. If the escrimador�s intelligence is12 or better, he can even be aware ofbeing magically or psionically observed (asthrough a crystal ball or similar device),but the probability of this sense�s successis but 2% per level, plus 1% per point ofintelligence.

2. At 3rd level, the escrimador can per-form the sinawali prior to the start of a

Escrimador Table

6-side dice forExperience Experience accumulated

points level hit points Level title0 - 2 , 2 5 0 1 1 Bastonero

2,251-4,750 2 2 Bastonero4,751-10,000 3 3 Bastonero

10,001-22,500 4 4 Bastonero22,501-47,500 5 5 Jurimentado47,501-98,000 6 6 Jurimentado98,001-200,000 7 7 Jurimentado

200,001-350,000 8 8 Jurimentado350,001-500,000 9 9 Jurimentado500,001-700,000 10 10 Escrima Master700,001-950,000 11 1 0 + 2 Escrima Master

950,001-1,250,000 12 1 0 + 4 Escrima Master1,250,001-1,750,000 13 1 0 + 6 Escrima Master1,750,001-2,250,000 14 1 0 + 8 Escrima Master2,250,001-2,750,000 15 1 0 + 1 0 Escrima Master2,750,001-3,250,000 16 1 0 + 1 2 Escrima Master

3,250,001+ 17 1 0 + 1 4 Escrima Grand Master

Escrimadores do not advance beyond 17th level.

melee, once per day. The sinawali is onlyperformed against humanoid foes and is arapid sequence of whirling, weaving move-ments with the escrima stick, having anintimidating, quasi-hypnotic effect. This isineffective against fellow escrimadoresunless they are more than one experiencelevel lower than the user, and ineffectiveagainst those who are not escrimadores ifthey outrank the user by more than onelevel or if they have ever previously won afight against an escrimador who usedsinawali. Other opponents, however, mustsave vs. spells or retreat in alarm for oneround (or, if retreat is impossible, theopponent suffers � 1 penalties on �to hit�and armor-class scores for the first meleeround). Even if the save is made, the oppo-nent�s momentary confusion (lasting onesegment) gives the escrimador + 3 on hisinitiative roll, allowing him to make thefirst attack or run away. A 10th- or higher-level escrimador can use sinawali twice aday.

3. At 4th level, the escrimador saves vs.all fear attacks at + 1 ( + 2 after reaching10th level).

4. At 5th level, the escrimador can fighton after being mortally wounded, just as asohei can (Oriental Adventures, page 24).

5. At 7th level, the escrimador can healphysical damage to himself as monks do(Oriental Adventures, page 181, with thesame increase in self-healing ability ( + 1hp per level after the 7th).

6. At 8th level, the escrimador can stayawake for two days without ill effect (orthree days if his constitution is 18). Normalsleep is required afterwards.

7. At 10th level (the rank at which escri-madores first become qualified to teachothers), the character can discern whetherany character he meets is also an escrima-dor � and if not, whether or not that

character (if zero-level) is capable ofbecoming one later. The 10th-level escri-mador is also immune to all enchantment/charm spell effects such as charm person,finger of death, suggestion, geas, and thelike.

8. At 12th level, an escrimador who isnot directly engaged in combat and hasthe opportunity to observe any nonescri-mador in at least one round of meleeaction gains an intuitive feel for that per-son�s reactions in combat. Consequently,the escrimador gains a +2 bonus to hisarmor class if he fights the individual thusstudied. (This advantage does not apply toa future encounter with the same foe,since the foe may have gained new skillsin the interval.) At the referee�s discretion,the escrimador may employ this benefitagainst nonhumanoid beings.

An escrimador�s alignment is usuallylawful or good (or both), since loyalty tofamily and tribe is built into his training.Unlike monks, escrimadores do not prac-tice any sort of monastic withdrawal fromtheir society. Martial instruction is part oftheir family life and is aimed at the protec-tion of the community from enemies. (It isup to the DM to decide if greater enmity isfelt toward peoples altogether outsidetheir homeland or toward rival tribeswithin the region.) The close bonds offamily loyalty give escrimadores one kipower that extends beyond death. If anescrimador is turned into any kind ofundead monster that is not utterly mind-less, and if he encounters someone whowas especially beloved from his formerlife (a parent, spouse, child, etc.), there is abase 50% chance, plus 2% for every pointof the transformed escrimador�s originalwisdom score, that he is able to restrain allmonstrous instincts and avoid harming theloved one. (This also applies if the escrima-

DR A G O N 41

dor is turned into a lycanthrope.)Any Escrima Master who teaches his

tribe�s style to an outsider who is not aformally recognized friend of the tribeforfeits five honor points � and may for-feit his life if this unsanctioned teachingcauses harmful results to the tribe. If theson or daughter of any escrimadorbecomes a different fighting class (monk,samurai, etc.), he or she loses three honorpoints and the parent loses one. No suchdisgrace occurs if the child enters a spell-casting character class, provided suchpowers are used for the tribe�s benefit;also, the dishonor is avoided if the childbecomes a kensai, and uses a weapon thatescrimadores can use.

Escrima styles

of his same style. Failure to attempt this

The four escrimador schools are Lapula-pu style, Humabon style, Kuntaw style,

results in losing nine honor points; if non-

and Alipang style. Each style may be prac-ticed by more than one tribe. As long as

escrimador allies are called in, four honor

there is no cause for serious hostilitybetween different tribes sharing one style,

points are lost; if escrimadores who are

there can be any number of Masters. If,however, there are incompatible moralalignments within one style, or otherpowerful causes for strife, each Master isbound by honor to slay all hostile Masters

allied but of different styles are called in,two points are lost. Above the rank of

ing on who makes the next attack.

Master is that of Datu (meaning �chief�), ofwhich there may be only one per tribe. In

One ki power peculiar to this style is

a psychic duel, a Datu�s strength is treatedas 50% higher than actual.

gained at 10th level: a 10% magic resist-

The Lapulapu style of unarmed com-bat parallels the tae kwon do style for

ance against spells that thwart movement

monks. The first weapon choice for aLapulapu stylist is an escrima stick in onehand and a dagger in the other. Bothweapons can be used simultaneously withno penalty on hit probability, with bothweapons attacking, both parrying, or oneperforming each function. If, at the startof an encounter with humanoid foes notpracticing this style, the Lapulapu escrima-dor can keep foes unaware of his dagger(e.g., by hiding it behind his forearm), headds a + 3 bonus to his attack roll with thedagger on its first use in combat. Onceengaged in combat taking place on sandyground or in water less than knee-deep, aLapulapu stylist of any level can kick sandor water into an enemy�s face withoutusing up one of his attacks. The impair-ment of vision (assuming that the enemyoperates by sight) causes the enemy tosuffer a one-time �2 penalty on either his�to hit� probability or armor class, depend-

(e.g., cause paralysis, repulsion or slow).This resistance increases 2% with eachsubsequent level gained. This ki power iscalled �The Wild Boar Charge.�

The Humabon style parallels kung-fuin open-handed combat. Its primary weap-on choice is also a pair of weapons with nopenalty on simultaneous use � two escri-ma sticks, in this case. Whether using twosticks or one, the Humabon stylist has thisspecial technique: On one of every threestick-attacks made, if the Humabon stylistmisses by only one point on the �to hit�roll, he can make an extra attack in thesame round with the butt end of the stickwith which he attacked. The Humabonstylist can do this on one of every twostick-attacks from the 10th level onward,as well as when using any similar weapon(e.g., the handle of an axe).

The distinctive Humabon ki power, alsogained at 10th level, is �Liquid Body.� Thispower allows the Humabon Master to�flow away� from melee attacks. LiquidBody is usable once a day for a duration ofthree rounds, with an added round foreach subsequent level gained, but neverexceeding 12 rounds. The user of thispower adds + 3 to his armor class againstclose-range attacks and + 1 against mis-siles; he also takes only half damage fromblunt-weapon or open-handed attacks, andsubtracts one-third of all damage done bysharp weapons. If the Liquid Body user isimmobilized or grasped by an attacker,sharp weapons do normal damage againsthim. (This ki power also reduces by halfthe damage received in a fall.)

The Kuntaw style parallels jujutsu inunarmed combat. A Kuntaw stylist�s feetare never used for kicking, but are usedinstead for other maneuvers, particularlysweeping the opponent�s legs from underhim, which can be performed even if theKuntaw stylist is lying on the ground. Infights with non-Kuntaw opponents, leg-sweeping may occur without using up anyof the Kuntaw stylist�s regular attacks; leg-sweeping is usually used if a solitary oppo-nent misses on his first attack, or if theKuntaw stylist falls to the ground (inten-tionally or not) and the opponent tries tomake a follow-up attack. In those cases, aleg-sweep occurs, knocking down theopponent if the opponent fails to make asaving throw vs. paralysis. (Monks, ninja,and other escrimadores get + 1 on thissaving throw, or +2 if their dexterity isgreater than the Kuntaw stylist�s) AnotherKuntaw foot technique, usable only oncein any particular combat, is to step on andtrap one of the opponent�s feet; this istreated as a part of the Kuntaw stylist�sattack in that round, and a successful foot-trap (rolled as an attack vs. AC 10, withthe opponent�s magical-defensive anddexterity bonuses added) gives the accom-panying main attack a + 2 chance to hitand +2 hp on damage.

There are no unpenalized double-weapon proficiencies in the Kuntaw style.The Kuntaw stylist�s favored weapon is a

42 AUGUST 1987

simple escrima stick; however, the Kuntawstylist can keep this one stick shiftingbetween one hand and the other, movingso unpredictably that a shield carried by afoe is rendered useless against the stick.At 6th level, a Kuntaw stylist enjoys thesame advantage with a nunchaku. A Kun-taw stylist of 4th level or higher can jamthe stick against an enemy�s neck andarmpit, levering the foe into a helpless,prone position. This, again, is rolled for asif the enemy was unarmored, but it canonly be used if the Kuntaw stylist has onlyone foe before him. Also, this techniquefails if the intended victim excels the Kun-taw stylist in strength, dexterity, and expe-rience level. All Kuntaw stylists learn the�Instant Stand� technique before reaching5th level (Oriental Adventures, page 104).

A 10th-level Kuntaw stylist gains a kipower called �Sinking the Roots.� Thispower is usable once daily for a durationof five rounds, with an added round foreach further experience level, but neverexceeding 15 rounds. When using thispower, the Kuntaw Master effectivelybecomes four times as heavy as his normalweight with regard to being pushed orpulled by any outside force. Armor class isunchanged, but overbearing attacks andleg sweeps are rendered ineffective. Theuser of this power can still move, thoughnot at a top-speed run. If someone is try-ing to move a Kuntaw Master who is using

this ki power to resist, the Kuntaw Mastercan stop resisting at will by dispelling thepower or merely by moving, thus causingthe enemy to topple as if from a releasedrope in tug-of-war. Sinking the Roots canalso be helpful in other situations, such asin walking against a powerful wind.

The Alipang style uses unarmed com-bat techniques resembling karate in Orien-tal Adventures. Practitioners use a singlestick for sinawali, exactly as in the Kuntawstyle; however, when an Alipang stylistattains the rank of Escrima Master, he isalso able to perform sinawali with aparang or similar short sword.

Every Alipang escrimador is able todetect outdoor traps and snares as a thiefof equal level can, and each will, at sometime before Master level, acquire a profi-ciency in constructing such traps. Anotherskill usual for Alipang stylists is the con-struction of temporary camouflaged shel-ters like hunters� blinds. Concealmentinside these structures gives benefitsequivalent to magical invisibility.

Distinctive ki powers are as follows:Once a day, if an Alipang stylist succeedsin killing, putting to flight, or renderinghelpless an opponent of equal or higherlevel, without assistance and withoutsuffering any damage, he enjoys a boost inconfidence. Thus, for a period equal to thecharacter�s charisma score in meleerounds, he gains +1 on his �to hit� proba-

bility in any combat (which becomes +2 atthe rank of Escrima Master). This advan-tage, once activated, cannot be saved forlater use, but if an Alipang stylist has noreason to expect further combat soonafter one particular victory, it can be ruledthat the ki power was not activated.

If an Alipang stylist of 5th level or higherwounds an opponent with an edged weap-on, the opponent must save vs. spells (at+1 if the victim is an escrimador or +3 ifhe is a fellow Alipang stylist) or suffer adelusion that he has sustained double theactual damage. (After one successful save,no additional saving throw is needed forthat combat.) If such imaginary damagecauses the victim to fall to zero hit pointsor below, though the actually hit-point lossleaves the victim with 1 hp or more, hefalls unconscious for 1-3 melee rounds.

If PC monks make contact with escrima-dores, a DM could allow them to learnsome escrima techniques, just as thefamed movie martial artist Bruce Leelearned Filipino fighting in addition toChinese kung-fu. The real value of escri-madores, however, is as NPCs. After all,the spirit of fantasy involves not onlybeing different sorts of people, but meet-ing different sorts of people. The escrima-dor class is sufficiently monklike to fit intothe Oriental campaign, but differentenough to give a unique flavor to part ofthe world of Kara-Tur.

DR A G O N 43

b y R i c h S t u m p

The alignment system in the AD&D®game is basically a good one; it detailscertain aspects of each alignment, but itdoesn�t get into specifics. We really don�tknow what kinds of things a chaotic goodcharacter may or may not do.

One thing that the AD&D game align-ment system is not very good for is tryingto label people (namely gamers) as being ofany certain alignment. It is hard to defineactions in everyday life as being �good,��neutral� or �evil,� and who would say thathe thought he was chaotic evil, anyway?At best, we can only interpret the system

44 AUGUST 1987

as we want to, and the AD&D game align-ments weren�t really made for this pur-pose anyway.

The following system of 19 �quasi-alignments� has been designed for thepurpose of giving players alignments,however stupid or absurd that may seem.The alignments are based on how theplayers act during gaming sessions and onwhat kinds of things they do. Though thealignments and what they cover are clear-cut, there probably are a few other �quasi-alignments� not yet covered by thissystem.

The quasi-alignment system is dividedinto Lawful, Chaotic, and Neutral align- ments, just like the AD&D game system. In

this system, Lawful means that players ofthose alignments get involved in the game,while Chaotics are detrimental to the gameas a whole. Neutrals fall anywherebetween. It is possible for a player to havetwo or more alignments at once. Thoughthese alignments are really meant forplayers, it is possible to classify charactersunder them as well. How well thisarrangement works depends upon thegroup in question. These alignmentsshould only be taken as seriously as youwant to take them.

Chaotic alignmentsChaotic Crybaby (CC): Players and char-

acters of this alignment are similar to

Neutral Woundwailers (q.v.), though theyare much more of a problem and areparticularly aggravating for DungeonMasters. While the latter complain mainlyabout combat and combat-related portionsof the adventure, Chaotic Crybabies areprone to outbursts on anything. If some-thing doesn�t go their way, you can betmoney that a Chaotic Crybaby will screamand yell. Things which a person of thisalignment complains about include (butare certainly not limited to): missed savingthrows, small amounts of experiencepoints or treasure, character injury, hav-ing insufficient strength to break down adoor, and other game facets of lesserimportance.

Example 1: A Chaotic Crybaby player isrolling up an elven character. All the rollsare above average except for wisdom,which is a 9. The player wails, saying thathe�ll never be able to survive with such alow score.

Example 2: A Chaotic Crybaby�s thief isattempting to pick a lock. When the PC�sactions are unsuccessful, a moan issuesfrom the player about unfair DMs.

Chaotic Diehard (CD): These players andtheir characters can be a great source ofpain for many DMs. Most Chaotic Die-hards are exceptionally good with dice andcan coax almost any number desired outof them. Characters of these people almostundoubtedly have one or more abilitieswith 18s, with strength, dexterity, andconstitution being the abilities that havesuch scores most of the time.

Chaotic Diehards are noted for foiling aDM�s most intricate plans, such as savingfour times against the medusa�s gaze,single-handedly wiping out eight orcs at1st level, dicing up an illusionist while notbelieving any of his spells, and so on. SomeChaotic Diehards get carried away duringmelee combat: It is not uncommon forsuch a person to make attack rolls beforethe DM asks him to do so, and he mayhave a thing about always being the one toroll the initiative die. Players who act inthis manner are also known as ChaoticHackers.

Chaotic Everywhere (CEv): These playerscause heartache to many a DM and playeralike. A Chaotic Everywhere tries to beeverywhere and do everything at once.His PC is usually the first person in a roomwhen treasure is discovered and the firstout of a room if trouble occurs. Often,such a player is impatient and is nearlyalways a source of interruption � espe-cially when the rest of the party is doingsomething or the DM is describing morethan one object in a room.

Example: A group of adventurers con-taining a Chaotic Everywhere charactercomes upon a room that is set up like achemist�s lab. The Chaotic Everywheremoves all over the room, showing upwhenever another adventurer finds some-thing of interest. The person then tries todo anything in the room that someone elsewas planning to do. If the character in

question creates an explosion with somechemicals, the player claims no damagewas taken because he ran at the first signof trouble.

The best way to get revenge on this typeof person is to get the whole party tothreaten the Chaotic Everywhere�s charac-ter with death, or for a DM to design anenclosed room that floods when entered,making sure that the Chaotic Everywhereis the only one to go in.

Chaotic Hot-Shot (CHS): The Chaotic Hot-Shot is a relatively common alignment, andmost players have either met or played inan AD&D game with such an individual. Aperson of this type of alignment is knownfor chronic bragging. If given the chance,such players will go on about abilityscores, hit points, armor class, and what-ever else until they�re blue in the face.Characters of this alignment usually makeenemies among the DM�s NPCs, and havebeen known to die because of their cease-less braggadocio.

Example: A Chaotic Hot-Shot and afriend are at a tavern, and both are drink-ing. The hot-shot brags to his friend allabout his magic sword, his prize gem, hisfortune in silver, and his special shield.The Chaotic Hot-Shot�s friend then buyshim two more drinks and tells him tocome outside when he is finished. The�friend� is really an assassin who plans togive the hot-shot an evening to remember,assuming the PC lives through it.

Chaotic Stupid (CSt): Characters of theChaotic Stupid and Lawful Idiot align-ments are alike in some ways, though notin others. Where Lawful Idiots simplymake bad mistakes, Chaotic Stupids havebeen known to actively seek out idioticthings to do. Some of the actions per-formed by these people are nearly suicidal�actions that would cause even Conan tohesitate. Chaotic Stupid characters maymake enemies in their adventuring partyand might be slaughtered by members ofthe group for certain reasons. In one suchcase, a Chaotic Stupid was slain by hisadventuring buddies because the charac-ter always insulted monsters that couldwipe the party out. The PC in questionsigned a death warrant for himself afterhe shouted a few insults at a large andnasty dragon.

Example: A Chaotic Stupid has hismoney-pouch stolen and decides to givechase. The thief runs down a flight ofsteps into darkness. Not bothering to waitfor the rest of the adventurers, the PCcharges into the darkness � only to findout that he can�t see because he�s a human!Shrugging off this setback, the characterproceeds into the gloom, gets lost in amaze, and is riddled with arrows by afriend of the very thief who stole hispouch in the first place.

Chaotic Suicidal (CSu): A person ofChaotic Suicidal alignment is one with anobsession for killing his characters. Aplayer of this nature may go through fouror more characters in a month. This is

very frustrating for many DMs, as theymust now find a more stable player toincorporate into the current adventuringgroup. Sometimes a Chaotic Suicidal maykill his character off for no apparent rea-son at all; at times, the player simply tiresof his old character and desires anotherone. Of course, the second exampledoesn�t make any sense � especially whenthat character is killed off after reaching ahigh level of experience, being knighted,getting a powerful magical item, or otherrelated goals.

Depending upon what reason or reasonsthe Chaotic Suicidal has for destroying hischaracter, the DM may not allow the char-acter to be done away with so easily. Tocounter this, the Chaotic Suicidal goes on akamikaze rampage, attacking at everyopportunity until the character is slain.

Example 1: A Chaotic Suicidal with a 5th-level fighter is wandering around in alarge cave system. When the fighter getshit by a wight and loses an experiencelevel, the player complains briefly anddecides it is time to get a new character.Consequently, the fighter jumps off thenext cliff he finds.

Example 2: A Chaotic Suicidal charactergets into a jam and is cornered by a pair ofvery nasty fire giants. Though the giantsmight be willing to ransom the character,the PC decides instead to go out in a blazeof glory by daring the giants to attack himand throwing rocks at them until theysquash him.

Lawful alignmentsLawful Bored (LB): Players of the Lawful

Bored alignment are not very vocal.Though they might be excellent players ormay have good ideas, they never get achance to present them because (fromtheir viewpoint) the rest of the group talkstoo much or argues all the time. Thisalignment can be linked to LawfulIgnored, as the two may occur simultane-ously in the same individual. A player maybe bored and is thus ignored by the rest ofthe group, or the player is ignored in thefirst place and becomes bored. A LawfulBored person usually waits from 10 to 30minutes for a chance to do somethingimportant. In the meantime, he just sits ina chair and listens to other people argueabout nothing. After this waiting period,the person may instead get up and leavethe group. The rest of the players oftendon�t even realize that the Lawful Boredperson has left.

Example: A party of adventurers con-taining a Lawful Bored person stumblesupon a large treasure hoard. While therest of the party immediately begins toargue over the treasure, the Lawful Boredcharacter does nothing to get involved.Ten minutes later, the Lawful Bored per-son leaves the gaming room to raid therefrigerator, and is not missed by the restof the party members until the next day,when lots of precious victuals are discov-ered missing.

DR A G O N 45

Lawful Ignored (LIg): A person of this

Lawful Goody-Goody (LGG): This type ofplayer is a rare one. A Lawful Goody-

alignment is either extremely laid-back or

Goody person is usually very nice andnever does mean or nasty (i.e., �fun�)

an NPC. These players usually wind up in

things to other members of the party.They are also the �Champions of Justice,�rescuing anyone in need, saving fair maid-ens, and giving alms to the church or tothe poor. The Lawful Goody-Goody runs asuper example of a paladin and is really agood guy to have around.

Example: A Lawful Goody-Goody�s PCcomes upon a small village which hasfallen upon hard times. After speakingwith the locals, the character finds outthat they are being unfairly governed by amean and evil mayor, who is also verygreedy. The Lawful Goody-Goody decidesto run the mayor out of the town and issuccessful. He then gives the villagersmoney from his own pockets so that theycan start over, declines a reward, and isgone like the wind. (Sounds like a comic-book hero, doesn�t he?)

Lawful Idiot (LId): This alignment is akinto the Chaotic Stupid alignment. Thoughthey may be firm believers in law, theseplayers still seem to be �barefoot in thehead,� as Brian Aldiss might say. A personof this alignment may not do the bizarrethings that a Chaotic Stupid characterwould, but they may do other things: forexample, telling the owner of a gamblinghouse in front of the patrons that hisgames are fixed, or walking into the localThieves� Guild and demanding to fight the�head crook.� The difference between thisand Chaotic Stupid usually lies in the factthat the Lawful Idiot is acting on the gen-eral intent of the group (�But you told methe games were fixed, and you wanted todo something about it! We�re paladins,right?�), while the Chaotic Stupid isn�t (�Idon�t care what you want! I feel like tellinghim off!�). Sometimes a Lawful Idiot acci-dentally does something right andbecomes a hero (�You mean he ran awayjust because I told him he was cheatingpeople?�), but this isn�t common.

the back ranks of an adventuring group

all the rules in the book by failing to keep

and don�t do much. However, if a seriousproblem comes up, the Lawful Ignored

only a modest sum of cash, by hoarding

person can be counted on to pull throughand help the rest of the group. For exam-

magical items, and by building up a great

ple, a cleric may be asked to heal thewhole party after a fight in which theywere nearly killed. A thief might have todisarm a trap, or a magic-user may have toknock open a door. Of course, the LawfulIgnored person is sent right back to therear of the party after performing theirfunction. When a Lawful Ignored personisn�t directly involved in the action, theyoften get away from the group to playcards or do something else the otherswon�t notice. This turn of events maycause some players to also become LawfulBored in addition to Lawful Ignored.When the person is needed but is notthere, a catastrophe is sure to occur.

Example: A Lawful Ignored magic-userwith measly hit points is the main sourceof missile power for a group, as he cancast fireballs, lightning bolts, and otherdestructive spells. A group of orcsambushes the magic-user�s party in amountain pass one day. The fighters in theparty hold back, waiting for a fireball tocook the orcs. When one doesn�t come, theparty finds out that the magic-user�s play-er has disappeared because he didn�t haveanything to do. The DM rules that themagic-user was shot full of orc arrows andis unconscious. The orcs charge and hackup the adventurers.

Lawful Liar (LL): Though this soundslike an alignment for law and order, anyPC of a normal AD&D game alignmentmay be, knowingly or unknowingly, aLawful Liar. (If the �L� from �Lawful� isremoved, a person of this alignment isexposed as an Awful Liar, which is usuallywhat they are.) This player or character isnot a teller of falsehoods; instead, he orshe is constantly out of line with any pro-fessed alignment or class.

Example 1: A paladin character is also aLawful Liar. This individual violates nearly

deal of conceit. The paladin also resorts toviolence to solve day-to-day problems(sound familiar?).

Example 2: A druid of neutral alignmentis played by a Lawful Liar. She acts in atotally Chaotic fashion, doing things bywhim and not caring whether or not the�balance of nature� is kept. A lot of hermotivation is built upon the possible gainof treasure, and she gives little thought toconservation of the wooded areas in theregion. She also spends much time indungeons and other underground places,rather than in the outdoors of which sheis supposedly an intricate part. On top ofthat, she rarely visits her home base anddoes not give worship to nature except indire circumstances. These types of peopleare extremely annoying to DMs, otherplayers, and of course, the deities them-selves. A good way to solve problemscreated by this character involves having adeity or deity�s servant chew them out,demanding reform on pain of death (orworse).

Lawful Serious (LS): Anyone of the Law-ful Serious alignment really knows how toplay DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® games.Rather than being silly or doing stupidthings, the person creates a character tobe role-played differently than prior char-acters. He aims to have a good time, aswell as to get things accomplished whenthe group meets to play. Many DMs(including myself) feel that this kind ofperson is one of the best to game with. Aslong as the player does not take the gametoo seriously, this is one of the best align-ments there is.

Neutral alignmentsNeutral Absent (NA): A person of Neutral

Absent alignment is, for one reason oranother, always unable to attend gamingsessions, but always wants experience andtreasure for the day. These players areknown for calling up a DM and asking tohave their character run as an NPC. If theNeutral Absent player is not too busy, theperson might call up three or four timesfor an update on what is going on. Aftermany calls of this sort, a DM may feel liketelling the Neutral Absent person that hecan go to the ninth level of one of theLower Planes. These people have a knackfor getting on everyone�s nerves.

Example: A group of friends are playingthe D&D game one day when the NeutralAbsent player of the group calls up to saythat he is busy and cannot come. Theplayer then asks the DM to run his charac-ter as an NPC. A half hour later, the Neu-tral Absent player calls back for anupdate. After four such calls, the DM tellsthe person that the rest of the group killedthree dragons and is now swimming in asea of treasure, but the Neutral Absentplayer�s fighter got fried. Of course, theDM is lying, but the player doesn�t knowthat.

Neutral Confused (NC): A player of thisalignment walks around in a daze 98% of

46 August 1987

the time. Neutral Confused players are theones who come into a room, look around,then ask where the exits are. Magic-users who act in this manner are notoriouslyunreliable, for they do not decide whatspell should be cast until all of the oppo-nents are dead. A fighter of this alignmentmay attack an enemy even after the foe isdown, or attack his own party by mistake.Jester players who are Neutral Confusedscrew up their jokes and puns so badlythat they are rendered useless. Sometimesthis person even forgets what has beendone by their character in that play ses-sion, and thus repeats his actions. A goodexample of this is a Neutral Confusedperson who looks in a closet four timeswhile searching a room.

Example: A party containing a NeutralConfused character comes upon a cham-ber outfitted like a bedroom. After a quicksearch reveals a secret door, the partydecides to go through it. The NeutralConfused character is left behind, totallyoblivious to what is going on. He searchesaround in the room, but finds nothing ofvalue. At that moment, the rest of theparty comes speeding back through thesecret door yelling to the Neutral Con-fused character to get out of the room.The Neutral Confused character asks whatthe problem is and watches everyone runout of the chamber without moving. Turn-ing to face the secret door, he sees a hugetunnel worm enter the room.

Neutral Dietosser (ND): This alignment issimilar to Chaotic Diehard in that bothinvolve die-rolling. Neutral Dietossers,however, are those unfortunate peoplewho have lots of dice but are never able toroll well with them or get the numbersthat they want. A Neutral Dietosser mayget very upset with his dice; at this point,the player begins tossing dice over hisshoulder or at other people. If such aplayer lofts enough dice into the air, theperson may be subdued by the DM or byother players (depending on who is sittingclosest to the Dietosser).

Example: A Neutral Dietosser is veryupset at his last few �to hit� rolls, as noneof them were higher than 12. The playerthen announces to the group that unlesshis dice roll well, they will be tossed tonew locations. By the end of the gamingsession, the Neutral Dietosser has throwndice 52 times and has lost six of themforever.

Neutral Montyhaul (NM): This extremelypopular alignment is the favored choice ofhundreds of players. Those individualsunder this alignment are always in therace for the �bestest with the mostest!� If aplayer falls under the hold of this align-ment, look out! Examples of Neutral Mon-tyhaul characters are all too common, buthere are a few: a fighter who has a sword+10; shield +10, and field plate armor+20; a 4,000th-level magic-user or cleric; a

character with an intergalactic battlecruiser; a fighter with a sword that does400 hp of damage to any target; and, a

48 AUGUST 1987

gambling thief who has an unlimited sup-ply of l,000,000 gp gems. If you ever runinto one of these types, it is best to leaveas quickly as possible. Some campaignshave been known to drift under this align-ment and vanish into nothingness.

Neutral Puppet (NP): A person who is aNeutral Puppet does not have a brain and Alignment diagram notescannot think for himself. These players The quasi-alignment system is set up likealways follow another member of their a wheel rotating around a hub. The far-party around and do whatever that indi- ther away from the hub that an alignmentvidual does (except during combat � they is, the more extreme the behavior of peo-usually try to hide at this point). Neutral ple of that alignment.Puppets can get to be extremely annoying, Neutral Self-Centered is at the center ofespecially when they follow another annoying player, which often leads toidiotic actions being done twice over.

Example: A Neutral Puppet has grownattached to a Chaotic Suicidal character.When the Chaotic Suicidal decides to jumpinto a vat of acid for no reason whatso-ever, the Neutral Puppet copies the ges-ture. When a Neutral Puppet getsinvolved with people like this, you can betthat the person will not have a very suc-cessful gaming life.

Neutral Self-Centered (NSC): A NeutralSelf-Centered person believes that theworld revolves around him and expectseveryone else to act in accordance withthis belief. When a person of this align-ment doesn�t get his way, screams of pro-test may occur (see Chaotic Crybaby andNeutral Woundwailer). A major belief ofthis alignment is that all is well with theworld if all is well with the Neutral Self-Centered person. Some characters of thisalignment may believe themselves to besuper-powered and unstoppable, but theirbubble bursts soon enough.

Example: A party containing a NeutralSelf-Centered cleric encounters a group oftrolls and gives battle. They win, at thecost of three characters being badlywounded and another one going to zerohit points. The cleric, who was not injuredin the melee, decides that no one elseneeds aid, as he is healthy. The player (andhis character) may be sent to the hospitalby angry gamers, which may be unavoid-able at this point due to a history of pastoccurrences like this one.

Neutral Woundwailer (NW): A playerwho is a Neutral Woundwailer has astrange susceptibility to injury and thuscannot let his characters take damage. Hebelieves that a powerful force field shouldprotect his PCs from bodily harm and thatthe DM is always out to get them. If aNeutral Woundwailer�s character is nailedfor even one hit point of damage, you canbet money that there will be trouble. Onestrange thing about Neutral Woundwailersis that they usually have high hit pointsbut would rather stay in the back of theparty and let everyone else get beaten up.

Example: A Neutral Woundwailer meetsa band of 10 hobgoblin guards. Afterdrawing his trusty sword and hacking upsix of them, the fighter is hit twice for 5hp damage. The player jumps up immedi-ately, yelling obscenities at the DM and

saying that 5 hp is too much �this despitethe fact that the PC has 57 hp left. DMsusually tell such players to quit whining orthey really will have something to whineabout. See Chaotic Crybaby for moredetails and similarities.

the wheel since everything supposedlyrotates around it (at least according tothose of this alignment). The NeutralAlignments radiate outward from thecenter and form six spokes. Chaotic Cryba-by and Neutral Woundwailer go hand inhand for obvious reasons. The ChaoticDiehard is a more devout die-roller thanthe Neutral Dietosser, though both arerelated.

While Neutral Montyhauls are basicallyinterested in getting everything they can,Chaotic Everywheres want to get every-thing, do everything, and see everything.The Chaotic Hot-Shot alignment seems tobe in a class of its own � one that isn�treally related to any other alignment.Many people of a different alignment wishthe Chaotic Hot-Shots were in a world oftheir own, but that�s another story.

Neutral Puppet is related to two align-ments: Lawful Idiot and Chaotic Stupid.This makes sense, since those of the fore-most alignment have no brains and can�thelp but follow others around. If the per-son has a brain, however, their tendenciesusually shift toward Law or Chaos,although they continue to perform stupidactions regardless. Chaotic Stupid isrelated to Chaotic Suicidal because bothalignments are ridiculous in the first placeand have high character death tolls.

Lawful Goody-Goody is vaguely relatedto Lawful Idiot because being so good isseen by many to be quite idiotic in the firstplace. Lawful Goody-Goodies claim to havenothing to do with Lawful Idiots, butmany believe that they do, so the connec-tion stands. Lawful Serious is tied in withLawful Goody-Goody, and both alignmentsuphold the tradition of Law. Lawful Seri-ous is one of the two quasi-alignments thatnormal AD&D game alignments from thePlayers Handbook can claim; Lawful Liaris the other one. The latter alignment sitsall by itself, as the Liars claim to be anyalignment but are usually the opposite oftheir claims. Neutral Confused may berelated to Lawful Liar, but those of thelatter alignment aren�t in a daze and seemto know what they�re doing.

Neutral Absent has some ties with Law-ful Ignored and Lawful Bored, as all threealignment types may be absent from agaming session at various times. However,the two Lawful alignments have verystrong ties (see Lawful Bored and LawfulIgnored).

b y R i c h B a l d w i n

Most of what is known of Odeen�s magi-cal knowledge comes from a very rare andancient tome, The Spells of Odeen, said tohave been compiled by the SorceressOdessa, Odeen�s daughter. Only sevencopies of this work are known to exist,none of them complete. The volumes wereoriginally 17� high, 12� wide, and 3�thick. They were bound in a gray, silkymaterial, undoubtedly of elven origin, withgilt edges, locking mithral clasps, andinlaid mithral runes revealing the title.Ravaged by time, they have now falleninto decay.

The original work is purported to havebeen written in the elven tongue andprotected by spells that obscure the mean-ing of its content. Some of the copies arerumored to contain explosive runes oreven symbols. Other rumors tell of poi-soned needles in the locks and cursesinscribed on certain pages. Little else isknown of the tome, but for this excerptfrom Encyclopedia Rothari on the subjectof Famous Magical Works:

�I have been informed by Haliman theElder that he has succeeded in decipheringfive of the spells, though they are of lesserimport than he had hoped. The first,which he calls Odeen’s magic cloud,appears to be a spell to evoke small cloudsof various color and effect. The second,Odeen’s impenetrable lock, is a form of,locking spell. The third, Odeen’s magictailor, is a spell to alter garments to fit.The fourth, Odeen’s secret word, is a spellto render writing unreadable until a cer-tain word is spoken. The fifth, Odeen’s

50 AUGUST 1987

sounding stick, is a spell to find faults instone by tapping with a stick. Halimanreports that the most difficult of thesespells is no more intricate than a fearspell, but that he believes the most cogentspells in the work are more cleverlyconcealed.�

The tome is certain to contain manymore puissant and perilous spells, butnone of the copies are available, for theirowners are fiercely jealous of them.

Generally, finding the secret words thatguard the volumes will be as difficult asfinding the word of command for a magi-cal item, so legend lore or some other suchspell must be employed. Sages would bequite unlikely to know the secret words,much less to divulge them. Each spell in acopy of The Spells of Odeen would beprotected by at least a secret word, andthe more powerful spells would be pro-tected by other means as well. It is up tothe Dungeon Master to decide which spellsshould be included in a copy of this workif it is found. It should not include all ofthe five spells listed in this article, andshould include a number of more power-ful spells, the nature of which is left to theDM�s discretion. About half the spellsshould be incomplete, not all of themnoticeably so. This way, more than onecopy of the tome must be consulted inorder to gain all relevant knowledge.

Odeen�s Magic Cloud (Evocation)Level: 2 Components: V,S,MRange: 2� + 1� /level CT: 2 segmentsDuration: 1 round/levelST: SpecialAE: 5� x 5� x 5�cloud

Explanation/Description: When Odeen’smagic cloud is cast, the magic-user causesa small cloud to appear wherever hedesires within range of the spell. Thecloud remains in place for its duration solong as the magic-user pays it nominalattention. Once his full attention isdiverted, the cloud drifts with the breeze.There are several types of clouds:

Storm Cloud — This magic cloud is thick,dark, and billowy, with rain or lightning atthe magic-user�s option. The lightning does1d6 hp damage per round to any creaturebelow or inside the cloud unless a savingthrow vs. spells is made.

Obscuring Cloud — This especially thickcloud is centered on the face of its subject.It prevents both normal vision and infra-vision. This cloud may be used either toprotect the subject from a gaze attack orto hinder an opponents vision (it does not,however, affect a beholder�s eye-spells).

Rainbow Cloud � This magic cloud isthin and displays a rainbow when light ispresent in the visible spectrum. Its chiefpurpose is to impress viewers; double theduration of the spell if this form is used.

Many more versions of this spell arepossible. The Dungeon Master is advisedto keep their effect in line with those listedhere. Material components may vary withcloud type at the DM�s option. A ball ofcotton should be a component common toall the cloud types.

Odeen�s Impenetrable Lock(Alteration)Level: 4 Components: V,S,MRange: Touch CT: 3 segmentsDuration: Perm. ST: NoneAE: SpecialExplanation/Description: When Odeen’simpenetrable lock is cast upon any lockingdevice or mechanism, that device may notbe opened by any nonmagical means, normay it be broken by any mundane force,for the lock is magically strengthened, andthe locking mechanism is also caused tocontinually change shape. This foils anyattempt to unlock or pick it. Further, thelock will be unaffected by a knock spell,since the impenetrable lock was specifi-cally designed to counter knock. The spellmay be removed by a dispel magic spellcast either by the caster of the impenetra-ble lock or by a magic-user of at least onelevel higher than the magic-user who castthe impenetrable lock had attained at thetime he cast it. The spell is not affected byextra-dimensional beings.

Note that while thieves cannot pick alock with this dweomer on it, they are stillable to detect that the spell exists as if itwere a trap. Upon careful examination,they can note the lock�s magical shifting. Ifthe spell is cast on a lock set in a door ofsome kind, fighters with a strength of 18/91 or better will have 50% of their normalchance for opening magically held doorsto open it. This chance reflects the possi-bility that the door might give way at the

hinges or that the casing might crumble.Note too that if a magic key is used in anattempt to open the impenetrable lock, thekey will be caught fast. Any attempt toremove the key without first dispelling theimpenetrable lock will be unsuccessful,save for a limited wish or wish spell, atime stop spell, or the act of a god, demi-god, or some other ultra-powerful being.(Needless to say, no ultra-powerful beingwould normally even consider such ademeaning task.)

Only one locking mechanism may beaffected by this spell. Simple devices suchas bars and wedges are merely strength-ened by the spell, as they have no lockingmechanism. Material components for thisspell are three drams of mimic ichor andtwo drams of doppleganger blood, rubbedon a small gold key. The key is notdestroyed in the casting of the spell andmay be used by the caster alone to openthe lock without first dispelling the magic.Note that if the gold key is used in thecasting of any subsequent impenetrablelock spells, it can no longer be used toopen previous impenetrable locks.

Odeen�s Magic Tailor (Alteration)Level: 1 Components: V,S,MRange: ½ “/level CT: 1 segmentDuration: Perm. ST: SpecialAE: Special

Explanation/Description: This spell altersthe size and shape of a garment or pieceof leather or cloth armor to fit its wearer.Size may be altered up or down by 10%.The garment or armor must be worn atthe time of the spell-casting by the personwho will use the garb. The spell affectsonly one outfit or suit of armor with eachcasting of the spell. Magical garments,such as a robe of blending, are entitled toa saving throw vs. acid against alteration,but the magic remains unaffected regard-less of the result of the saving throw.Metallic armor is not affected by this spell,and magical armor is not affected by thespell either, since it changes shape to fitthe wearer on its own. The material com-ponents for Odeen’s magic tailor are asmall bone needle, a length of silkenthread, and a bit of wool.

Odeen�s Secret Word (Alteration,Illusion/Phantasm)Level: 3 Components: V,SRange: Touch CT: 4 segmentsDuration: Perm. ST: NoneAE: One spell inscription or equivalentExplanation/Description: Odeen’s secretword is used to render writing illegibleuntil a secret word chosen by the caster isspoken. When the spell is cast upon writ-ing, that writing cannot be read by anymeans, magical or mundane, until the

52 AUGUST 1987

secret word is spoken. If the writing is of amagical nature, a read magic spell must beemployed in order to read it, and if thewriting is written in a language unknownto the reader, comprehend languages isrequired. A write spell may be used tocopy the inscription if the secret word hasbeen spoken. If Odeen’s secret word isdispelled, it destroys the writing on whichit was cast.

Odeen’s secret word has no effect onglyphs, symbols, or explosive runes, It maynot be cast on writing with an unreadablemagic (reverse of read magic) or incom-prehensible languages (reverse of compre-hend languages) spell cast upon it.

Odeen�s Sounding Stick (Alteration)Level: 2 Components: V,S,MRange: Special CT: 1 segmentDuration: 2 turns/levelST: None AE: SpecialExplanation/Description: Odeen’s soundingstick, which may be cast upon any rod orstick of wood, enables the holder to detecthollow areas, faults, and weaknesses,including concealed and secret doors andcertain traps, in wood, earth, and stone.Such faults are detected by tapping withthe stick. Only the holder of the stick isable to note such faults, for they arerevealed by vibrations in the stick, ratherthan by loud noises. The base chance fordetecting a fault or hollow space is 60%for magic-users who know Odeen’s sound-ing stick, and 40% for any other charac-ters. Add or subtract modifiers as given inthe following tables:

Type of stick ModifierOak or yew + 10%Witch hazel +5%Birch or alder + 0%Cottonwood or dogwood �5%Pine or fir �10%

Other factorsHolder is an elfHolder is a half-elfHolder is a gnomeHolder is a dwarfHolder is a half-orcHolder wears glovesHolder wears gauntlets

Other modifiers may be set by theDungeon Master as seen fit. The range ofthe sounding stick varies with its size, asdoes the minimum fault size that may bedetected. The range of the stick is fourtimes its length, up to a maximum of 20�.The diameter of the smallest fault whichmay be detected is half the length of thestick.

Only one stick may be affected in asingle casting of the spell. A light or con-tinual light spell may be cast on the stickwithout affecting the sounding stick spell.

Modifier+ 10%+ 7%+5%+5%�5%�5%

�15%

by Ian Chapman

According to the D&D® game rules, abackpack is a container worn on the backthat is able to hold up to 400 cn (or 300 gp,in the AD&LD® game) of material, whileleaving both of the wearer�s hands free.While that description is partly accurate,there is no encumbrance differencebetween carrying a sack of goods, havinggoods strapped to the body, or carryingthem in a backpack. Anyone who has useda backpack for real-life mountaineeringknows that this is wrong.

There is a good reason why modernsoldiers, mountain climbers, and hikersuse backpacks almost exclusively for car-rying equipment. I�ve had hiking experi-ence in the Olympic Mountains, and I cansay that there is a tremendous differencebetween carrying 60 lbs. of assorted goodsin your arms and carrying 60 lbs. of goodsin a pack. When something is in a back-pack, there is no extra encumbrancebeyond the item�s own weight; if an objectis carried, there might be some extraencumbrance from the resulting uneven

54 AUGUST 1987

weight distribution.Any given backpack holds a certain

amount of material, as determined by theamount of available space within the back-pack. The AD&D game system (in thePermanent Character Folder�s wraparoundcover) gives the volume within a backpackas 3 cubic feet, equating 100 gp with 1cubic foot. Because the backpack essential-ly eliminates the portable aspect of encum-brance, only the actual weight for mostitems needs to be considered. A caltrop isnot especially encumbering if you don�thave to deal with the sharp edges. Thus,for purposes of figuring the porter�sencumbrance, a revised encumbrancefigure (the item�s actual weight) should beused. For purposes of packing things with-in the backpack, however, the old figurefor encumbrance is used, to note thedifficulty in packing oddly shaped itemstogether within a limited space.

Unfortunately, calculating actual itemweights involves a lot of judgment callsand estimations, since both the D&D andAD&D games fail to give exact weights(only encumbrance values) for most items.

A table showing some of my own estima-tions appears with this article. Assumethat, for all practical purposes, 1 cn (D&Dgame) equals 1 gp (AD&D game) through-out this article.

Thus, when calculating the encum-brance of materials in a backpack, theweights of the contents are totaled andadded to the 20-cn encumbrance of thebackpack itself. If a spell book takes 450gp of encumbrance within a backpack, itmight only encumber the person by 150gp. When adding weights together for thebearer�s encumbrance, use the chartincluded in this article.

Though a backpack has very distinctadvantages (particularly to spell-casters), italso has a couple of equally distinct butunavoidable disadvantages. First, no objectover 3� long may be placed in a backpack(this restriction obviously applies to manyitems). Second, it takes two rounds to getsomething out of a backpack: one to drop,open, and rummage through the pack; thesecond to find and withdraw it. Certainbackpacks have pockets, however, asexplained below. An object carried in apocket takes but one round to retrieve.

Rangers learn the efficient use of thebackpack out of necessity. As a result, theyknow how to maximize efficiency and are

Weights Of Standard Items

Item Weight in gp or cnBelt 1Belt pouch, large 5Belt pouch, small 2Book, large metal-bound 50Boots, hard 30Boots, soft 10Bottles, flagons 30Caltrop 1Candle 1Cord, 10� 1Crystal ball 100Flask, empty 3Flask, full 10Gem (with protective wadding) 1Hand tool 3Holy water, potions 25Jewelry, large 40Jewelry, small 1-5Lantern 50Mirror 1Purse 1Rations, iron 49Rations, standard 150Robe/cloak 25Sack, large 5Sack, small 1Scroll case, bone 10Scroll case, leather 5Spike 2Tinderbox 1Torch 10Wand: bone/ivory case 30Wand: box 40Wand: leather case 10Waterskin, empty 1Waterskin, full 50

able to apply good judgment when usinga pack. Instead of throwing everythingrandomly into a pack, which is usuallyassumed to occur, rangers are capable ofprioritizing items in packing. Rangersget a 10% bonus to the encumbrancecapacity of any type of pack (includingindividual pockets � explained later).This never reduces the weight of thepacked items. Also, a ranger usuallyknows what items will be needed themost or the quickest. Thus, the ranger isnot assessed the one-round penaltywhen retrieving an object from the back-pack (though it still takes a round toactually open the pack). This ability maybe gained by other character classes as anonweapon proficiency.

Some of the backpacks listed in thisarticle have a certain number of pockets.Each pocket has an encumbrance capacityof 25 cn, or 28 for a ranger. This encum-brance capacity is added to the base capac-ity of the backpack. Each pocket must betreated as a separate entity within thepack. Thus, if a pack has three pockets, anextra item of 75 cns encumbrance cannotbe added, though three items of 25 cneach can be.

Historically, there are many differenttypes of backpacks. As a general rule, allfall within the following categories: soft,one-chamber rucksacks; soft, two-chamber, large backpacks; and wooden-

framed, two-chamber, large backpacks. Allthree varieties of backpacks are availablewith or without pockets.

The soft, one-chamber rucksack withoutpockets is the backpack that all AD&Dgame players know. This backpack holdsup to 450 cn (495 cn for a ranger) ofencumbrance. It can also be made orbought with up to three pockets (25 cneach). Without pockets, this backpackcosts 2 gp; with pockets, it costs 5 gp(special order).

The soft, two-chamber, large backpack isa larger version of the rucksack. One largechamber is generally for foodstuffs; theother is for clothing and other equipment.This backpack holds up to 800 cn (880 fora ranger) of encumbrance and can bemade with as many as six pockets (25 cneach). It costs a base of 10 gp, or 30 gpwith pockets (special order).

The wooden-framed, two-chamber, largebackpack is similar to the soft, two-chamber backpack, but it�s the supportingframe makes the framed pack more rigid(and thus more efficient and roomier).This backpack holds up to 1,600 cn (1,760cn for a ranger) of weight plus tent andbedroll. It can also be made with six pock-ets (25 cn each). All framed packs must bespecially ordered and cost 100 gp withoutpockets and 120 gp with pockets.

All backpacks have a base encumbrancevalue to which the total weight is added.

Rucksacks have a base encumbrance of 20cn; soft, large backpacks have a baseencumbrance of 40 cn; and framed, largebackpacks have a base encumbrance of100 cn. Any large backpack (soft orframed) must be made for the character�sapproximate height. If this is not done, thebackpacks total encumbrance (base valueplus contents weight) is multiplied by150%.

Finally, the weight of each individualitem should be considered. A list of com-monly used items that fit into a backpackis included here. I�ve generally assumedthat any weapon carried in a backpackweighs half its encumbrance value. If aquestion arises concerning items notincluded in this list, that item weighsexactly half its encumbrance value (or areasonable amount to be decided by theDM). Note that certain items weigh far lessthan half their encumbrance value; this isdue to a difference between the space thatobject occupies and its actual weight (suchas a caltrop). Other objects offer a negligi-ble advantage by being carried in a pack.In this case, the object�s weight is also itsmain encumbrance (as is the case withwater skins or flasks of oil). This table isnot intended to replace the encumbrancetable on page 225 of the Dungeon MastersGuide; it is used only to find the totalweight of objects in a backpack for encum-brance purposes.

DRAGON 55

The Ecologyof the

Gelatinous Cube

Unseeing,unthinking,

unstoppable

b y E d G r e e n w o o d

The adventurer Haptooth had spentmany years exploring the vast, labyrin-thine, subterranean ways of Undermoun-tain, Waterdeep. Many and strange werethe tales he shared over sour brintmashwine at The Sign of the Staff or before theCouncil of Mages upon the Feast of theMoon, at winter�s onset.

At the last Feast, Phantas, a member ofthat Council, pointedly challenged Haptooth to do more than entertain by speak-ing of curious observations and dramaticevents. Rather, he demanded that Hap-tooth inform that prestigious group byemploying the adventurer�s access to theunusual to increase the common knowl-edge of what is not common at all (asPhantas so eloquently put it). None couldfail to note the sharp edge of the verbaldagger he thrust at his peer, though it wasbut one of a thousand such attacks he hadmade on Haptooth over the years.

For his part, Haptooth seemed chastened

by the words of his rival and, indeed,came to the next yearly Feast with wordsof note, for he spoke of inquiries into thenature of that curious creature, theathcoid � more commonly known as thegelatinous cube.

Controversy over the athcoid has longraged among the wise � quite heatedly soin the corridors of the Hall of Beast-Tamers and in the offices of the ImperialZoo of Amn, the keepers of which havemanaged to keep a cube alive in captivityfor some 12 winters. Over and over, thequestions are asked: How intelligent arethe cubes? How amorphous are theirforms? Of what is their digestive fluidcomposed, and can it be used as a weaponor in alchemy (or, for that matter, in medi-cine or in the handling of beasts)? How doathcoids mate �indeed, do athcoids mate?Haptooth provided all at the Council ofMages with answers.

�Even now,� he said, �in the lightlessways beneath us, these great creaturesglide noiselessly along, devoid of maliciousintent � indeed, devoid of an conscious-

ness at all � but fully a menace to all whoencounter them. Even children know thatthese nearly transparent, gelatinous mon-sters cannot digest metal or stone, but feedon plants and beasts of all sorts by paralyz-ing those encountered, engulfing them, andabsorbing nutrients from such prey bymeans of corrosive digestive fluids.

�Athcoids have no thoughts as we knowthem, but rather respond automatically �and identically, in all cases � to certainstimuli. They cease to advance when theyencounter a cold surface or object, thenprobe forward to seek a way past oraround it. Athcoids are attracted to vibra-tions or warmth, but seem devoid of hear-ing. When flowing over or around objects,they seem quite fluid and mutable, butreturn always to a rectangular or rhom-boidal form when their surroundingspermit.

�An athcoid does not appear to commu-nicate with any creature, nor can it becontrolled, save by use of the stimuli Ihave already mentioned. When twoathcoids meet � and this I saw happen �they merge to become one, of greater sizeand of an apparently stable nature. Thismonstrous combination has twice theinnate hardiness of either of its compo-nent creatures, though it eventuallydivides into two normal athcoids, eachexactly like the original component crea-tures, which go their separate ways.

�More I can tell, gained from the darkestresearches. Sadly, athcoids are ignorant ofsex.� Mutterings and chuckles from theCouncil followed the comment. �Rather,they reproduce by growing to sufficientsize, then split into two slightly smallercreatures. These creatures then grow to astage which passes for adulthood within ashort time.

�As you all must know, athcoids anesthe-tize prey by means of a gummy secretionwhich is absorbed into the bloodstream ofthe prey through its skin. An oral antidoteis now available to counteract this effect.�Haptooth held up a metal flask, thenreturned it to its place beside anothersuch flask on the lectern before him. �Thisantidote is of my own devise. It�s expen-sive, but then so are the consequences ifyou lack it.�

Haptooth paused, appearing to reflectupon some matter. �As to their digestivefluids � these are produced and held inmovable, elastic cavities or bubbles withinan athcoid�s body. When prey is engulfedby a cube, one or more of these mobilebubbles are shifted into contact with theprey. Such fluid has no effect on metal ofany sort, and, as we have all heard, metalobjects are held for a time within thecreature, then expelled through its skin;but the fluid has devastating effects onflesh and cellulose.�

So saying, Haptooth undid his sash andpulled his robe open. The crowd mumbledgrunts and oaths of amazement. Hap-tooths ribs were laid bare in an ivorylattice on one flank. All about this gaping

hole, his flesh was gnarled and twisted likehalf-melted wax.

�I recently fought my way through acube, when trapped in a dead-end passage,and this was the result,� he said simply. Hecontinued to hold his robe open, turningslowly to allow all in the Hall to see hisinjury. Then, dropping his arms, he wentback to his lectern and took up the twoflasks, pocketing the antidote. As he undidthe cap on the other, he slowly walkedtoward the audience, in the direction ofPhantas. �Dearly, I paid for my labors, butthey were well rewarded. I captured asample of the digestive fluid,� he said in aloud voice, whereupon he drenched theastonished councillor with its contents.�Now, the eminent alchemist Phantas canin his turn increase the common knowl-edge of what is not common at all.�

He left then, teleporting with a lastfiendish grin, as Phantas�s scream echoedloudly through the hall.

Notes1. Gelatinous cubes may flow through

openings as small as 1� across. They senseall living, moving beings within 120� fromthe vibrations and heat given off by suchcreatures, and actively pursue such prey.

2. Being so totally mindless, a gelatinouscube should be immune to all will-forceand mind-affecting magical powers �particularly enchantment/charm spells andmind-reading talents. Charm monster thushas no effect upon them.

3. When two cubes meet and merge, theresulting �double cube� attacks as an 8-HDmonster with a total number of hit pointsequal to the total of the two merged cubes.This combination creature retains a size of10� x 10� x 20�, the longest axis beingpointed in its direction of travel like athick-bodied (but square) worm. Other-wise, it is like a normal cube in allrespects. Division occurs either immedi-ately upon contact with a third cube orafter a period of 2-8 days. Normal-sizedcubes divide after a period of six years.Each of the two resulting cubes has 3 HD,half the number of hit points the �parent�cube originally had, and a size of slightlyunder 8� x 8� x 8�. These �little� cubesgrow to maturity in three months. Techni-tally speaking, the gelatinous cube is animmortal organism, since (unlessdestroyed by adventurers, starvation, ordisaster) a cube never dies.

4. Cubes may move about underwaterwith ease, though the contact poisonwhich paralyzes opponents is much dilut-ed. Saving throws against this effect aremade at +6 in this environment.

5. If Haptooth�s antidote against a cube�sparalysis is made available, it removes theparalysis within 1-4 rounds after beingswallowed (an automatic reflex notstopped by the paralysis). However, thepotion has no effect on any other form ofparalysis, such as that from ghouls orcarrion crawlers. The antidote is notmagical in nature.

D R A G O N 5 7

b y M i c h a e l D o b s o n

Second Edition updateIt�s always been a little difficult to enter

David �Zeb� Cook�s office, what with rowsof toy robots, walls covered with bizarrecartoons and drawings, heaps of Orientalreference works, German and Russianmilitary histories (for Zeb�s upcoming SPI®game project, the MOSCOW 1941� game),and the other detritus that separates theoffice of a game designer from that of anormal human being.

Lately, the problem has been com-pounded by over 2,000 letters from you,our best fans and harshest critics, con-cerning every aspect of the Second EditionAD&D® game project. Boxes filled withletters are first read by Zeb (and, yes, hereads every word of every letter he gets),then the most interesting observations andcomments are highlighted. Next, SteveWinter, our Senior Games Editor who�salso working on Second Edition, readsevery letter. Then I read them all. Selectedletters are passed on to the rest of theGames Division staff and to companyexecutives.

Some of the responses we�ve receivedare incredible. Three stand out: an 80-page dissertation on the AD&D gamesystem by Bob Bell, a Tennessee player andDM, who did a first-rate job of analyzingproblems and recommending innovativesolutions; a 50-page analysis of magic-userspell problems by Scott Mayo, anotherlong-time player (he�s now working onclerical spells); and, the single biggestpackage we received: a �letter� from JimTrew full of creative rules variants andsome very interesting questions that we�llneed to address. We appreciate the short-er letters, too, so don�t rush out to send us

58 AUGUST 1987

a few hundred pages of comments. We aresincerely appreciative of the time, effort,and quality that all of our correspondentshave shown.

Incidentally, to provide your letter withthe maximum impact, it�s a good idea totype it, organize your thoughts and com-ments, and keep it concise. Zeb, Steve, JonPickens (Research and Play-Test Coordina-tor), and I regret that we can�t personallyanswer each letter, but if we did, SecondEdition would never get done. By the way,death threats are not very effective.

As Zeb has noted in previous install-ments of this column, the letters have hada real impact. Things we were pretty sureabout have changed because you, the trueeditors of the TSR line, have persuaded usthat the changes are right. The bard, forexample, lives because of your letters.

But we need even more input, and that�swhy Jon has put together a mammothquestionnaire to find out everything wecan about what you want. The question-naire is slated to appear in POLYHEDRON�Newszine and this issue of DRAGON®Magazine, and we�ll be bringing copies tothe GEN CON® 20 Game Fair and else-where. When we tabulate the question-naire, we�ll share with you what we learn� and I guarantee that what we learn willgo into the project.

While Zeb worries about game mechan-ics and Steve worries about organization,clarity, and style, I�ve been worrying aboutformat and timetables. Zeb discussed someof the options we�ve been considering:three hardcover volumes with softcoveror S-ring binder supplements, or all 3-ringbinder format, or one giant core hardcov-er, or. . . . They all have advantages anddisadvantages, and you haven�t indicated astrong preference for one format over the

other. That suggests that we haven�t fig-ured this one out yet, and we need to keepsifting ideas. We�re having some of theoptions analyzed for cost. For example, ifwe had to sell a S-ring binder edition for$50.00, that�s ludicrous. I wouldn�t paythat much, and I wouldn�t expect you todo so, either. On the other hand, if wecould sell it for, say, $17.95, this is a muchgreater value. If we could sell it for $4.95,there�d be no doubt about value (but don�thold your breath on this last option).

Then there�s the timetable. An incredibleamount of work must done in the designand editing phases of the project, and it�shard to finish a project when you don�tknow what format it should use. Othercritical issues appear, such as play-testing;the Second Edition will need as much play-testing as possible. There�s also the matterof finding reviewers to go through theSecond Edition drafts and find problems;the matter of arranging a preview seriesin the pages of this magazine to let youknow � in advance, while you can stillregister meaningful complaints � whatwe�ve done and why we�ve done it; and,finally, the mammoth project of taking allthe feedback that we get and integrating itinto the final version of Second Edition.

Our timetable for Second Edition nowlooks like this: Zeb and Steve have beengiven a goal of completing design andediting of the revised Players Handbookand Dungeon Masters Guide by December1987. We�ll then prepare about 200 play-test and review copies of the edition andsend them out in January.

The play-testing of Second Edition willbe handled by the RPGA� Network; as aresult, the play-testing DMs must be RPGANetwork members. If you aren�t already amember, join today. Jean Rabe, RPGANetwork Coordinator, and Harold John-son, Director of Consumer Services forTSR, Inc., are developing standards andprocedures for the play-test program. TheGames Department selects the manuscriptreviewers � these will be noted profes-sionals and fans with major credentials.

Play-testing and review is slated to takeplace from January 1988 through June1988. We�ll start a new set of boxes tocollect comments, problems, complaints,and (hopefully) praise about the draft.Then, in July 1988, we�ll assign a newcreative team to spend six months work-ing through the Second Edition once again,to integrate the results of the most mas-sive play-test and review campaign in thehistory of TSR, Inc., to fine-tune every ruleand sentence, to prepare the finest indexin the history of role-playing games, and tomake sure in every way that the SecondEdition is as perfect as possible.

Next, our top graphic designers and artdirectors will work on page design, bordergraphics, typography, and clarity of for-mat. Our Art Department will paint cov-ers, do interior illustrations, and preparediagrams and maps. We�ll pore over everypage of the galleys, keylines, and bluelines,

hunting for typos and last-minute prob-lems (incurring, as usual, the wrath of ourlong-suffering Typesetting Department).Then we�ll get it printed, assembled, andshipped.

So, when can you expect to pick up thepublished Second Edition AD&D game atyour local store? Our working estimatenow is that Second Edition will appear inapproximately March or April 1989. That�sa long time in the future, but that�s theonly way we can guarantee that what wefinally publish will be the best. For a pro-ject like Second Edition, later and greateris the only way to go. It�s also the only waywe can guarantee that you will have fullinput in every stage of the process, so thatwhat we publish is as close as possible towhat you want � and so we won�t comeback in a few years to announce ThirdEdition!

The best news you�ve ever readWe�re lowering module prices. The

modules that leave our shipping docks inlate July (reaching your local store some-time in August) will carry the new prices.What would have been an $8.00 standardmodule (32-48 pages) henceforth will costonly $5.95. The $10.00 deluxe module (64pages) will cost $7.95. The $12.00 specialmodule (96 pages) will cost $8.95, and the$15.00 supermodule (128 pages) will costonly $9.95! That means all new TSR®modules, regardless of size, will cost lessthan $10.00 � or, less than they cost evenprior to the last price increase!

Of course, there is always The FinePrint. This price reduction applies only tonew modules � those already in print andon the shelf keep the old prices. Likewise,hardcovers, boxed games, and DRAGONMagazines stay at their current prices.

What�s even better is that the qualitydoesn�t change; if anything, it will be bet-ter than ever! Page count stays the samefor all classes of module, as does paperstock, cover stock, amount of color (infact, that will probably increase in thefuture) � almost everything�s the same.The only change you�re likely to notice inmodules happened several months ago,and is not related to the price cut: typesize has increased from 9-point to 10-point, for a small loss in text. We�ve donethat to increase the readability; the tinytype makes the module harder to read andplay with. We were all starting to needglasses to read the products.

The price cut is made possible bychanges in our production process and theway products are printed � and that�s thedoing of Mike Martin, Director of Manu-facturing, one of the unsung heroes ofTSR, Inc. Mike identified new techniquesand procedures that have resulted insubstantial savings to us. Consequently,we�re passing them along to you. Theprice cut takes place in July because that�sthe beginning of our new fiscal year, andso we�re beginning our new year with anearly Christmas present to all of you.

What�s new (with apologies to Phil& Dixie)

This has been a very exciting year forTSR, Inc. A lot of things have started thatwe�ll be sharing with you in the monthsahead. In many ways, this is the beginningof a new and exciting period of growth,which will be reflected in the product line.

For example, there�s the first SPI Light-ning Simulation Game, ONSLAUGHT�:D-Day to the Rhine, a fast-moving war-game with a hard board (as opposed topaper), which is at your stores now. Atonly $19.95 retail, it�s an incredible val-ue. Jeff Grubb�s AD&D game hardcovertome, Manual of the Planes, just came infrom the printer today (as I write this �you�ve probably gotten your own copyby now), and it looks wonderful. I�mabout a third of the way through italready. The new Gazetteer series forthe D&D® game provides a rich worldfor D&D game play. The FORGOTTENREALMS� boxed set is a must-have forthe AD&,D game. Then there�s the newTOP SECRET/S.I.� game by Doug Niles �the top-of-the-line espionage game fortop-of-the-line role-playing gamers. It�sgot more stuff in it than any other gameyou�ve ever seen, and it�s still only$15.00 (more pricing magic courtesy ofMike Martin). Don�t miss the greatCATACOMBS� gamebook line, beginningwith Faerie Mound of Dragonkind, byJim Ward and Jean Black, the closestthing to a real AD&D game adventure ingamebook form. Those are just a few ofthe highlights of the line.

There are some new things that don�tshow. For instance, all of us in the GamesDepartment just got new offices. Foryears, since we moved into the new TSRbuilding in sunny Lake Geneva, we�ve allbeen living in tiny little cubes, each lessthan 10� per side, crammed full with com-puters, books, and toys, in a windowlesspart of the building. Now, at long last,things have changed. First, we got win-dows; now we can all photosynthesizeduring office hours. Then, in a majoroverhaul of �Cubeland,� all the GamesDepartment staff got double-size cubes,with new file cabinets, bookshelves, andextra work tables. Some of us are danger-ously close to filling up our new homesalready, but the feeling of luxury hasn�tworn off yet.

We�re traveling to more gaming conven-tions and making some personal appear-ances. Several members of the staff wentto the Minicon SF convention in Minneapo-lis, and we�ve been regular attendees atsuch local conventions as Rockcon, X-Con,and Wiscon. Of course, the GEN CONGame Fair has always been the center-piece of our convention attendance.

In the past couple of years, we�ve begunattending Origins again. This year, thelargest TSR contingent in many yearsattended the Baltimore Origins [See theOrigins Awards winners on page 94].Recently, Doug Niles and I attended Neo-

Vention in Kent, Ohio, and Zeb Cook and Iwent to Glathricon in Evansville, Indiana.The Game Lizards will be on the road a lotin months to come: Watch for us at agaming convention near you!

Watch your local store for the first issueof a free newsletter, TSR Worlds, whichhas all the latest information on what�scoming from TSR, Inc., in the next sixmonths. Handy checklists, contests, andmuch more � and it�s absolutely free! I�llmention one of the contests here: the�Name That World� contest. We�ve beenwracking our all-too-feeble brains for agreat name for the D&D Gazetteer gameworld. If you�ve got a suggestion, send it to�Name That World Contest,� TSR GamesDepartment, PO. Box 756, Lake GenevaWI 53147. The winner gets an auto-graphed copy of our newest AD&D gamehardcover and whatever other interestingprizes we can think of.

Sneak previewsThe time between the moment we think

up a new product and the moment itarrives at your store is at least a year,often more. Thus, we�ve been hard atwork planning the 1988 schedule of newgames from TSR, Inc. Although some ofour projects are secret, there are a fewthings we can share right now.

For the AD&D game system, most of our1988 products revolve around the new

DR A G O N 59

FORGOTTEN REALMS fantasy game set-ting. Several sourcebooks, supervised byJeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood, open upnew lands for your inspection; one com-piles all the new spells and magical itemsEd has developed (most have neverappeared in print before). Kara-Tur, theOriental Adventures land, is now part ofthe Forgotten Realms, and Zeb Cook hasbegun work on the definitive Kara-Turproject (in his spare time from SecondEdition). Doug Niles and I plan to concludethe Bloodstone Pass module series withH4, The Throne of Bloodstone, for charac-ter levels 18 and up, with a simple littleadventure: go to the Abyss, steal the Wandof Orcus, and escape alive. Nothing to it.

We�re returning to the WORLD OFGREYHAWK� Fantasy Setting with the�Greyhawk Jam� supermodule (not its realtitle), in which 15 different game designerseach contribute a level to the most insaneround-robin zoo dungeon of all time. Theinfamous Random Monster Generator hasbeen activated, and you must stop it!There will be anthology collections for theOuter Planes, BATTLESYSTEM� supple-ment, and DRAGONLANCE® saga cam-paigns, as well.

For D&D games, look for more Gazet-teer sourcebooks, and one very special(and very secret) project that takes placein the strange land of Vulcania. The newTOP SECRET/S.I.� game has new source-

books and modules, and an incrediblecampaign set that makes spy adventuringmore dangerous than ever before! TheGAMMARAUDERS� game (coming soon)has several expansion sets and a hardcov-er role-playing game and world bookplanned. Plans for MARVEL SUPERHEROES® game supplements are still clas-sified (that means we haven�t quite figuredthem out), but we plan to build new cam-paigns and worlds on the Advanced Setthat will knock your socks off!

Finally, we�re working on two new role-playing systems and two licensed proper-ties that are classified right now. I�ll tellyou about them as soon as possible. Oh, allright, I�ll give you two clues about thelicensed properties. Clue for License #1:Ryan�s Express. Clue for License #2: Sevenand Five-Sixteenths. Good luck.

The futureStarting this summer, the Games Depart-

ment will meet regularly to develop a longrange plan for the future of role-playingand adventure gaming at TSR, Inc. Whatnew role-playing areas should we cover?What should be the long-range directionof the D&D and AD&D games? How canwe deliver the highest-quality products atthe lowest price? How can we make surethat the heart and soul of our hobby ispreserved and supported? If you�d like tohave your voice heard about these issuesor any others, write to: Michael Dobson,TSR, Inc., PO. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI53147.

(continued from page 3)

they wish to see, and discuss some of your ideaswith them. Then, too, find out if the companyhas some sort of product disclosure form thatmust be submitted with your article, module, orgame design.

3. Strive to improve your writing and commun-ications skills. Pay close attention to your spellingand grammar, and make sure that your writing isneat, clean, clear, and professional in style. Thishelps enormously in gaining the respect of thepeople you wish to work with, and it reduces thechances for error.

Beyond this, all you need is luck. There are nocolleges (or classes) for game designers andgames magazine writers. � RM

1. Know your material. If you want to writearticles or modules for a particular game, knowthat game system inside out and read everythingavailable on it.

2. Know your market. Contact the company orperiodical you wish to write for, get their guide-lines for game designers and writers, and keep intouch with at least one of the staff membersthere. Find out what sort of gaming material

Index to Advertisers

AMAZING® Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21, insert cardA r m o r y , T h e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3Avalon Hill Game Company, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1B a r d G a m e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 , 5 5Chaosium Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 52DRAGON® Magazine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Insert cardsDUNGEON� Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51, insert cardFantasy Games Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 72, 78FASA Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, inside back coverGame Designers� Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29, 75Game Systems Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Games Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside front cover, 31Iron Crown Enterprises, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back coverK Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Leading Edge Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Mattmark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,87Mayfair Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 49, 85Palladium Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39, 61Ral Partha Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Sky Realms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Steve Jackson Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73, 79Task Force Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Task Force Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Tor Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80-81TSR, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20, 43, 59, 60, 74, 78, 86, 90, 93, 95, center insertWest End Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

60 AUGUST 1987

by Peter R. Jahn

Any game master running a game cam-paign in which characters use guns will,sooner or later, have the same problem �characters who have more firepower thanmost artillery divisions. Few things aremore obnoxious than a �typical� modern-day espionage or mercenary characterwho travels about freely with a pair ofSkorpions in his arms, an M-60 on hisback, and a half-dozen LAW rockets in thecar. Luckily, GMs aren�t the only onesmaking rules to control this problem. Mostmodern and historical cities, states, andnational governments have passed weap-ons restrictions. Knowing something aboutpast and present gun laws can keep agame campaign � any campaign � inbalance. The earliest gun laws can even beadapted in various ways to fantasy gamesettings, and a basic grounding in thehistory of weapons laws is especially help-ful for players involved in time-travel

games, like Pacesetter�s TIMEMASTER� orFASA�s DOCTOR WHO games.

Because world-wide gun laws vary somuch, most of the information belowapplies only to campaigns set in the UnitedStates. A trip to the library is called for inother situations. Also note that in war-tornareas of the world, weapons restrictionsare enforceable only at gunpoint. Militarypersonnel and civilians alike are probablyheavily armed, and the only practicalrestriction on firearms is encumbrance.

Early gun lawsMany role-playing games are set in Medi-

eval fantasy, Caribbean pirate, and swash-buckling campaigns, with technologicallevels approximating the period from

62 AUGUST 1987

prehistoric times to the 1600s. Gun lawsduring the Middle Ages and Renaissanceperiods were merely the latest form ofweapons regulation. Very small andwealthy nobilities dominated very largeand poor populations. The fear of a peas-ant revolt ran through all of the Europeanmonarchies, and as a result they passedlaws preventing landless persons fromhaving any weapons. A character with lowsocial status was often put to death for thepossession of a glaive, which was merely atool for trimming branches straightenedinto a weapon for trimming knights. Peas-ants occasionally did perform some knight-trimming, but the laws almost always keptweapons solely in noble hands; anyonerunning a fantasy or Medieval campaign(using TSR�s D&D®, DRAGONQUEST�, orAD&,D® games; Chaosium�s RUNEQUEST®or PENDRAGON games; or, FGU�s CHIVALRY& SORCERY� game, among others) shouldremember this. Carrying weapons andarmor is usually illegal, or at least in verybad taste, in many civilized areas. Conspic-uous components for offensive spells mayalso be restricted to the ruler�s mages,making possession of them by PCs illegal.

As firearms developed, restrictions onwho could own them developed as well.Characters in many swashbuckling cam-paigns (FGU�s FLASHING BLADE� game,for example) will be well armed if they areserving in the military or in some majornoble�s retinue. The common man andeven lesser nobles were not permittedmuch firepower. English law allowed asmall-time landowner to possess alongarm, and landowners with largerestates could have a couple of rifles and ablunderbuss, while a major noble couldadd a pair of pistols to the above. Posses-sion of firearms by the masses was incon-

ceivable; the nobility formed the army andhad the sole right to hunt, so the masseshad no need for weapons� and no rightto own them. Remember this when one ofthe PCs starts waving his weapons arounda bar in more civilized areas, especially ifhe has a low social status.

In the American colonies and in pirate-ruled enclaves in the Caribbean and theMediterranean, however, this was not thecase. The early colonists were faced withdanger from hostile Indians and wildanimals, and needed to hunt game orstarve. The settlers were armed; indeed,the captains bringing new colonists fromEngland were required to make sure eachcolonist brought a rifle. America neverhad a history of firearms prohibitions, soit shouldn�t be too surprising that the firstlaws and regulations involving guns werehunting laws. In 1677, Connecticut passedthe first wildlife protection laws. If you�rerunning a campaign in colonial America,gun laws won�t help control PC excesses;you�ll have to rely on the weight and bulki-ness of the guns involved to limit firepower.

The 19th centuryGames set in the American Old West

(like TSR�s BOOT HILL® game), the Age ofSail (FGU�s PRIVATEERS & GENTLEMEN�game), and Victorian England (the Cthulhuby Gaslight supplement to Chaosium�sCALL OF CTHULHU® game) present adifferent problem in firearms control. Bythe 1850s, America�s casual attitudetoward weapons had changed. In thesettled eastern areas, the citizens no long-er needed to be constantly vigilant. Thehabit of carrying rifles to church haddisappeared from the North, although fearof slave revolts kept it alive in some areasof the South. The higher social circles

considered carrying guns barbaric. Eventhe police were unarmed; the first policeforce to be issued guns was Nashville�s,and that happened in 1871. New York Citypolice did not receive pistols until the1890s, although New York gangs had beencarrying pistols since the 1840s, and someofficers had � unofficially � begun carrying them around 1850.

The federal government had not passedany firearms legislation through this peri-od, but many cities had. By the time of theCivil War, nearly all major cities hadpassed laws prohibiting the carrying ofconcealed weapons. The degree ofenforcement varied, as did the penalties,but one thing was sure: Anyone makingenough of a nuisance of himself could bearrested and lose his gun.

While the eastern cities had a fairlyuniform policy on firearms, westerntowns varied widely. Many allowed citi-zens to carry and possess any weapon atany time. Others had ordinances requiringguns to be checked while in town, orprohibiting the carrying of a gun in asaloon. There were no standards or pat-terns; a GM can get away with practicallyany restrictions on firearms, especially ifbacked up with a fast-draw sheriff and afew shotgun-toting deputies to supplementthe local gun laws.

Between world warsThe 1920s and 1930s are the times for

adventures using TSR�s GANGBUSTERS�and THE ADVENTURES OF INDIANAJONES�, Chaosium�s CALL OF CTHULHU,FGU�s DAREDEVILS�, Pacesetter�s CHILL�,and Hero Games�s JUSTICE, INC.� gamesystems. Gun laws at this time are similar tothose from 1850 on, although slightlytougher in some areas. Parts of the Westhad become settled, and even somecities in Texas had prohibited concealedweapons. In settled areas, concealed weapons were forbidden everywhere, althoughthe penalty was often limited to a fine andconfiscation of the weapon. One majorexception, however, was New York. TheSullivan Law required all New Yorkers tohave a permit to own firearms and a sec-ond permit to carry one, and made it afelony to possess a pistol without one.(Prior to the Sullivan Law, it had been afelony to carry a concealed knife, brassknuckles, etc., but it was only a misdemean-or to carry a pistol.) After the 1916 law,characters carrying a pistol illegally stood afairly good chance of going to a New YorkState penitentiary. (The Sullivan Law is stillin force in New York.)

The federal government�s first major lawonly affects campaigns running in 1934and after. The National Firearms Act ofthat year required licensing of firearmdealers and collectors, and required serialnumbers on all guns. More important, itrequired a special license to own a sawed-off rifle or shotgun, a machine gun orsubmachine gun, a silencer, or trick gunshidden in swords or canes. Violations

were made felonies with stiff jail senten-ces. The law also added a heavy fee to therequired license, and a $200.00 tax on thepurchase of any restricted weapon.

Prior to 1934, FBI agents were notallowed to carry guns as law officers,though they could do so (and did) as pri-vate citizens. After January 1, 1934, how-ever, FBI agents could use virtually anyweapon and had much expanded powersof arrest and jurisdiction. Most policeofficers of this period could carry manysorts of firearms as well, and they hadbroader powers of arrest then than theyhave today. These facts may prove usefulto a harried GM with a gun-happy group.

In 1937, the government decreed thatonly federally licensed dealers could shipor sell weapons from state to state. Thelicenses weren�t difficult to obtain; theannual fee was $1.00, and at one 1930sgangland convention the majority of theparticipants were federally licensed fire-arms dealers. This did not change until the1968 Gun Law, which raised the fee andstrongly tightened the requirements. The1986 amendments legalized interstate salesand shipments of rifles and shotguns.

Mail order and World War IIAnother problem dealt with during the

1920s and later concerned mail-orderfirearms. A criminal (or a character) wish-ing a nearly untraceable gun could orderone anywhere, usually under a false name.Mail-order gun ads appeared everywhere,even in medical journals. The practicecame under fire (ahem), and most maga-zines had stopped publishing the ads by1920. In 1922, Sears, Roebuck and Compa-ny began requiring copies of carryingpermits if such were required in the pur-chaser�s town. (Company executivesclaimed that decision cost them half amillion dollars a year, an indication of theextent of illegal or semilegal mail orders.)In any case, Sears stopped selling pistolsby mail two years later. Federal law pro-hibited the sale of pistols by mail com-pletely in 1927. Such sales are still illegal.

Mail ordering other weapons was stilllegal, however, and boomed followingWorld War II. Europe was flooded withwar-surplus weapons, and most wereimported and sold here by mail order.Almost anything was legal, provided youhad a federal dealer or collector license.Ads touted a submachine gun as �theperfect Father�s Day Present,� and claimedthe Lahti antitank gun as good for shoot-ing �deer or bear, or cars or even a tank ifyou should happen to see one.� My favor-ite, though, listed a mortar and ammuni-tion for only $99.00: �perfect for demol-ishing buildings, getting even with the neigh-bors or just plinking in the backyard!�

Although security was fairly tight, it waspossible to fraudulently obtain restrictedweapons through the mails. Several news-paper editors ordered machine guns in thenames of convicted felons or the editors�baby daughters, and still received the

weapons. President Kennedy�s assassina-tion in 1963 did much to damage thefuture of mail-order firearms, as Lee Har-vey Oswald had purchased his rifle inexactly this manner. This situation eventu-ally led to the banning of all mail-orderfirearms as part of the 1968 gun laws.These laws also limited the availability ofsmall, cheap handguns.

As a side note, and as one would expect,practical restrictions on firearms posses-sion and use was extremely chaotic inEurope after the D-Day. invasion in 1944.Military personel used any available weap-on, as did civilians and resistance groups,and heavy firepower was not difficult toacquire. This time period and locale wouldprove dangerous in the extreme to time-traveling PCs. The most relevant gamecampaign in this time period is theBEHIND ENEMY LINES� game (originallyby FASA Corporation, currently producedby The Companions).

The modern and near-future erasThe modern era is considered to extend

from about 1946 to the current date, andit can also be extended into the nearfuture; the year A.D. 2000 serves well as acutoff date for near-future vs. science-fiction campaigns. Game systems involvingmodern-era campaigns include TSR�s TOPSECRET® and TOP SECRET/S.I.�, HeroGames� DANGER INTERNATIONAL�, TaskForce Games� DELTA FORCE�, Sleuth Publi-cations� MERCENARIES, SPIES & PRIVATEEYES�, Victory Games� JAMES BOND 007,and Palladium�s Revised RECON® games.The PSI WORLD� game from FGU, thoughplaced in the near future, is assumed totake place in a world in which gun lawsare very much like those in force today.Note that several of these games focus onor could take place in regions of activewarfare (e.g., Vietnam), where weaponsrestrictions discussed here do not apply.

Modern campaigns come under all thelaws noted in the last section, in additionto state and local ordinances which varywidely even across America (see the tablein this article for the laws of any particu-lar state). Cities often have more restric-tive ordinances; GMs should check onthose cities around which their campaignsrevolve. New York has not rescinded theSullivan Laws, and Chicago has legislationnearly as strict, but Los Angeles� laws arenot significantly tougher than those ofCalifornia in general. Spies who travel alot could get into trouble quickly!

It is still possible to lay down some gen-eral guidelines for modern campaigns.Almost all states have provisions in theirstatutes to confiscate illegal weapons orthose without permits. Most states requirepermits to carry concealed weapons, andthese permits are issued only by the localcourt or police chief. There is no nationalpermit to carry arms. Only authorizedfederal agents and police officers areexempted from the permit requirementsunder most state laws. The GM can decide

DR A G O N 63

Firearms Statutes in the 50 States

State AAlabama NPAlaska �Arizona NPArkansas XCalifornia NPColorado NPConnecticut NPDelaware NPFlorida NPGeorgia N PHawaii N PIdaho N PIllinois XIndiana NPIowa NPKansas XKentucky XLouisiana XMaine NPMaryland N PMassachusetts NPMichigan N PMinnesota N PMississippi XMissouri XMontana NPNebraska XNevada NPNew Hampshire NPNew Jersey XNew Mexico XNew York NPNorth Carolina �North Dakota NPOhio X

2���15�14���10�37

�����7

��7

�7

�������20��

B CX���X�XXX����������X�X����XX�������

DN P��DX�X���XXX

NPNP�������N P���XX�X�

N P���

EX���X�������XX�X�XX��X�����XXX�����

F����X

NPNPX�

N PX�X�XX�

NPX�XX�XXX���X�X

NPX

NP

G��XX

N PNP�X

N PNPX�X�X��XX�

N PXXX

NPN PN P��NP�X

NP�

N P

H���

R�R�S

�B&R

�B���S

��R

B&R�RRR�HSS

B&R�

B&RRR�

whether the cover papers issued to a PCinclude a weapons permit; if not, the PCsmight consider leaving the extra ammoand holster rigs at home. Carrying a singlegun that can be thrown away at amoment�s notice does have its advantages.

Carrying submachine guns, silencers, orheavy weapons requires a federal licensecurrently costing $500.00 per year, plus$200.00 per weapon purchased. As of May1986, no new permits for the possession ofany type of machine gun can be issued;those people who had one at that timemay keep it, but machine guns are illegalfor anyone else (except for the militaryand on-duty police officers.) Federal per-mits include the owner�s address, andmany states require a separate state per-mit to own silenced or fully automaticweapons, or may outlaw them completely.In some states, the use or possession ofsuch weapons carries a mandatory jailsentence. Finally, carrying a weapon in theopen is not always illegal, but is certain toinvite police attention. (Only two states�laws specifically allow carrying holsteredguns; several outlaw the practice.)

The main thing that PCs should remem-ber is that the police rarely approve of

64 AUGUST 1987

anyone using grenades and auto-fire weap-ons, even in self-defense, and that a localofficer is usually within his rights to con-fiscate the weapons if the owners don�tcarry permits. Even if the characters arecooperating with the police, the local copsstill have to explain all the dead bodiesonce the PCs have gone home, so confis-cating the heavier firepower is not onlylegal, it�s often good politics. PCs areadvised to comply (SWAT teams areunforgiving).

The laws in most foreign countries areat least as strict as those in the UnitedStates. Both Great Britain and Japan, forexample, have very restrictive handgunlaws; encounters with armed NPCs shouldbe very rare in either country. Most Euro-pean and Soviet Bloc laws are tougherthan ours, and average criminals have lessaccess to firearms, but exceptions do exist.Countries engaged in warfare, like Leba-non, Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, and parts of Central America, have unpredictable reac-tions to the appearance of firearms inanyone�s hands; playing tough is notadvised.

Though the above guidelines apply tocertain �normal� near-future game cam-

paigns, some game systems take place inunusual near-future environments, suchas the post-World-War-III campaigns ofFGU�s AFTERMATH�, GDW�s TWILIGHT:2000�, and TimeLine�s THE MORROWPROJECT games. (True, THE MORROWPROJECT game actually takes place in themid-22nd century, but it fits the samepost-atomic genre.) All restrictions on theownership and use of weapons in post-atomic worlds are assumed to have van-ished with the onset of global warfareand destruction; only the America of theTWILIGHT: 2000 game and similarly�civilized� nations would have anythingresembling firearms laws, and thesewould not be uniform from place toplace. The same situation in a non-nuclear �dark future� campaign exists inthe CAR WARS® game from Steve JacksonGames. If you can carry it, it�s yours �unless someone takes it from you.

West Ends THE PRICE OF FREEDOMsystem involves a conquered America, andgun laws would logically be extremelyrestrictive (making guns invaluable posses-sions, especially to guerilla groups thatcould possess any sort of weapon). Com-munist military personnel are likewise

StateOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode Is land South CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington, D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

AX

NPNPNPNPNPNPX

NPX

NPNP�NPX

NP

B C�

D �

EX�

F�

G�

N P�

N P�

NPNPN P�

H�S

�

�523

� � �NPN PITU

�X

�XXXX

�X�

NP�

N P�

�� � �

SS

�

215

�� �

� � �X�X

NP

�� � � �

X� � �X

� �NPXX

N PN P

�52�2

� � �S

B&RS

�

�X

� �X� �

� � � �� � �

X� � � � � �

Key to table columnsA: Carrying concealed weapons: X = illegal, NP = need a state permit.B: Waiting period: a period of time between asking a dealer to sell the gun and actual delivery. This was designed to prevent an

angry person from purchasing a gun during a fight, and to allow a police check on the buyer. The table shows the number of days�wait required.

C: Mandatory penalty: X = a non-parolable jail term for any felony conviction involving use or possession of firearms. This caninclude carrying without a permit.

D: Vehicular carry: X = illegal to carry a loaded firearm in a car, NP = need a state permit, IT = only in a closed compartmentor trunk, U = only if unloaded. (Federal law made it legal to carry an unloaded weapon in the trunk while traveling through astate, as of November 1986.)

E: Armor-piercing ammunition: X = illegal to possess AP ammunition.F: Silencer: X = illegal, NP = need state permit to possess.G: Automatic weapons: X = illegal, NP = need state permit to possess.H: Possession permit required to own gun: N = none, H = at home, W = at work, B = both, R = all guns registered with

police, S = all sales reported to police.If a state's statutes do not directly address a topic, the column receives a dash ( For example, Alabama does not specifically

outlaw silencers or automatic weapons, nor does it require gun owner permits. (Note that a secret agent possessing a machine gunin Alabama must still comply with all federal laws.)

unencumbered by most restrictions, andfighting is likely to be widespread anddeadly in the extreme.

Futuristic societiesThe final frontier for role-playing games

lies in the future. TSR�s STAR FRONTIERS®game, GDW�s TRAVELLER® andTRAVELLER: 2300� games, ICE�s SPACEMASTER� set, FASA�s STAR TREK®: TheRole-Playing Game, and Chaosium�sRINGWORLD game depict other-worldhuman and alien societies in which thepossession (or lack) of a firearm can makeall the difference between success andfailure in a mission, as well as life ordeath.

The laws in futuristic settings vary wide-ly and depend greatly on the flavor of theindividual campaign. In unsettled or fron-tier worlds, especially those with hostileinhabitants, the restrictions on weaponswould be fairly lax. Most individual weap-ons will be legal, but heavy military weap-ons will still be unavailable to civilians.(Even in the Old West, the Army frownedon private ownership of cannon.)

In more civilized areas, the trend towardrestricting weapons will probably con-

tinue. All military weapons will be illegal,and civilian weapons less and less com-mon. Purely defensive, non-lethal weaponslike stunners may or may not be legal, atthe GMs option. (Remember that TASERsand stun guns are widely restricted atpresent.) Radically new weapons notdeveloped by the military may be legal fora brief period, until the authorities realizea criminal element is using them. (Thomp-son submachine guns were legal and soldin hardware stores for ten years, TASERsfor five.) Finally, badly outdated militaryweapons might be permitted in privatecollections, but this policy is by no meansuniversal, even today.

Beyond this � the game master is on hisown. Hopefully, this article will reduce thenumber of Rambo-type PCs and increasethe ranks of PCs who look before theyleap � or shoot.

BibliographyBakal, Carl. The Right to Rear Arms.

New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1966.Federal Regulation of Firearms and

Ammunition. Washington, D.C.: Bureau ofAlcohol, Tobacco and Firearms � Depart-ment of the Treasury, 1980.

Kennett, Lee, and James Anderson. TheGun in America. Westport, Conn.: Green-wood Press, 1975.

Nispel, David H. �Gun Control: A Look atthe Various State and Federal Laws.� Legis-lative Reference Bureau, State of Wiscon-sin: Madison, May 1981.

�President Signs New Gun Law.� FederalFirearms Licensee News. Washington,D.C.: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco andFirearms � Department of the Treasury,July 1986.

Sherrill, Robert. The Saturday NightSpecial. New York: Charterhouse, 1973.

Shields, Peter. Guns Don’t Die � PeopleDo. New York: Arbor House, 1981.

State Laws and Published Ordinances —Firearms. Washington, D.C.: Bureau ofAlcohol, Tobacco and Firearms � Depart-ment of the Treasury, 1976.

Your Guide to Explosives Regulation1976. Washington, DC.: Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco and Firearms � Department ofthe Treasury, 1976.

Your Guide to Federal Firearms Regula-tions. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Alco-hol, Tobacco and Firearms � Departmentof the Treasury, 1984.

DR A G O N 65

A special damage system for STAR FRONTIERS® games

A SHOT IN THE ARMby Jason Pamentaland David Packard

The combat system used in the STARFRONTIERS® game is generally realisticand simple, but the damage system lacksthat realism. You never see anyone with abroken limb, a wound, a concussion, etc.The only damage taken is to one�s Stamina.The following rules make the damagesystem more realistic and provide infor-mation about broken limbs, wounds, andcuts, and how this damage can be healed.It also provides realistic damage to robots,computers, weapons, and equipment.Vehicle damage is already covered in thegame rules.

Table 1Special Damage Modifiers

Modifier Reason+1 Short range+2 Point blank range+2 Explosive weapon+1 Careful aiming *+2 Firing a burst+1 Per 5 SEU used by

weapon+1 Target hit twice in same

turn+1 Small target+2 Tiny target+1 Per skill level with

weapon+2 Per Robotics or Com-

puter skill * *

�1 Large target�2 Giant target�1 Long range�2 Extreme range�1 Moving target* * *�2 Suit-type defense�2 Target is underwater�2 Target makes RS check

* +1 is added for each round spententirely on aiming, up to the maxi-mum of +5.* * This applies only to attacksagainst robots or computers, respec-tively.* * * This modifier is counted onlyonce, even if both attacker anddefender are moving in any manner.

Table 2Weapon Modifiers

Weapon typeProjectile pistolProjectile rifleHeavy projectileBeam rifle or pistolHeavy beamGyrojet pistolGyrojet rifleHeavy gyrojetShort melee *Long melee *FistGrenade**Other thrown weaponBow or crossbowTooth, claw, etc.

Modifier+2+3+5+3+ 4+2+3+6+1+2+1

+2+2+2

* Whips, swords, polearms, spears,chairs, and big clubs are long; axes,bottles, small clubs, knives, nightsticks,pistol butts, shock gloves, etc., areshort.* * Only a fragmentation or incendiarygrenade can cause special damage.Each counts as an explosive weapon onTable 1.

The systemEach character has a percentage chance

to cause special damage to an opponentwhen that character performs a �to hit�roll. This chance is figured out by theformula: 3% + (skill level x 2), where theskill level refers to the appropriate weap-ons skill. For example: Fl�remp, a femaleVrusk, fires a laser pistol at a Human. Shehas a level 4 Beam Weapons skill, so herchance to cause special damage is 11%.She rolls a 06 on her �to hit� roll (less thanher chance), so she has scored specialdamage. A character can add 1% to hisspecial�damage chance for each roundspent aiming at a target. A maximum of10% may be added this way. If a charac-ter�s chance to hit an opponent is less thanthe chance to cause special damage, thenspecial damage cannot be scored.

After a character has caused specialdamage, the player must find out the typeof damage done (this special damage is inaddition to normal Stamina�reducing dam�age). To determine damage, the playerrolls Id10. Add or subtract any applicable

Table 3Damage Results Table: Living Beings

Modified1d10 roll

1 or less234

5�678

9�1011

12�1314

15�16171819

20�2223+

Stamina Specialdamage damage

0 None5 Chest wound5 Leg wound5 Arm wound*8 Shoulder wound *9 Arm wound**10 Head wound10 Leg broken15 Chest deeply cut8 Arm broken *8 Arm broken **

15 Abdomen deeply cut15 Back wound, leg paralyzed12 Shoulder deeply cut **15 Side deeply cut30 Head concussion

1,000 Head removed, body falls apart,target vaporized, etc. (pick one)

Units of lostequipment

00011111111122225

* Secondary side (i.e., the left side if on a right�handed person).** Primary side (i.e., the right side if on a right�handed person).

Special damage effectsChest wound: �5 to hit.Leg wound: �3 meters/turn on movement.Secondary-side arm wound: �5 for firing rifles, can only fire one weapon, �10%

for doing tech, robotics, medical, demolitions, and computer skills.Primary-side shoulder wound: �10 for firing rifles, same other modifiers as a

secondary-side arm wound.Primary-side arm wound: �30 to hit, can�t use rifles, �15% on above-mentioned

skills.Head wound: �5 INT/LOG, 50% chance to be unconscious for 1d100 minutes.Leg broken: Only 2 meters/turn movement.Chest deeply cut: �10 to hit, �5 DEX/RS.Secondary-side arm broken: No rifles can be fired, �10% to all skills mentioned for

a secondary-side arm wound, may only fire one weapon.Primary-side arm broken: Same as with secondary-side arm broken, but with �25%

to all above mentioned skills, �10% to hit with all other weapons.Abdomen wound: �3 meters/turn on movement, �5% to hit with all weapons, �8

kg on limit for carrying items.Back wound, leg paralyzed: Only 2 meters/turn on movement, �15 kg for carrying

items.Side deeply cut: �8 DEX/RS, �10 kg for carrying items.Head concussion: �10 INT/LOG, �5 DEX/RS, 75% chance to be unconscious for

1dl0 hours.Dead: Dead beyond a doubt, no chance of revival.

modifications to this roll, as shown onTable 1. The referee may modify thisnumber with modifications not found onTable 1 as seen fit. Note that a target in anactivated defensive screen cannot takespecial damage. There are two damage-type tables: one for living beings and onefor robots. Computer damage is explainedelsewhere.

To read the damage tables, go from leftto right. The first column on the left is thenumber a player has rolled. The nextcolumn shows how much extra damage istaken to the target�s Stamina score. Thethird shows what kind of special damageis taken, and the final column shows howmany pieces of equipment have been

destroyed. There is a 10% chance that aweapon will be destroyed instead of equip-ment. The victim�s player can pick whichpiece of his equipment has beendestroyed. If the character has more thanone unit of a certain type of equipment,then two units of the equipment aredestroyed (two clips, two rations, etc.).

Special damage need not only occur dueto an attack using weapons. Vehicle acci-dents, falling, and fires are just a few ofthe other possibilities, although this articleis only concerned with weapon-relateddamage.

The referee should keep track of dam-age for NPCs, creatures, robots, and com-puters, while players should keep track of

D R A G O N 6 7

their own damage themselves (unless thereferee doesn�t trust them). If the refereefeels that damage to a character mightgreatly lessen the other players� chancesfor completing their mission, then he mayalter the damage taken by that character.

Computer damageComputer damage is easy to determine

because a computer has no major movingparts. Take the modified 1d10 roll gener-ated above and divide it by 5, roundingdown; this represents the number ofprograms which have been destroyed. Thelowest-level programs are destroyed first,highest level last. If the computer has aComputer Security program which has notbeen destroyed, then any alarms it con-trols are set off.

A computer may be repaired, but theprograms may not be brought back unlessa computer specialist knows them (as perthe Computer skill). A computer which hasmore programs destroyed than it possess-es will explode, causing 6d10 damagepoints to anyone within 5 meters of it(Reaction Speed check defense). A com-puter destroyed in this way cannot berepaired.

Healing special damageAdventurers may find it necessary to

heal damage caused to themselves. To heala wound, all Stamina points of damagecaused by the attacking weapon must behealed, and 1d10 +1 hours of game timemust pass until penalties caused by thewound are nullified.

A cut may be healed as a wound, but ittakes 4d10 hours until the penaltiescaused by the cut are nullified.

A deep cut may be healed this way, butit takes 1dl0 +1 days until those penaltiesare nullified.

A broken limb may be mended if all theStamina points are healed and the limb isset in a cast or splint. If it is not set withintwo hours, the limb does not heal until thecharacter enters a hospital (costing 50Credits per day for 3d10 days). A limb setin a cast or splint takes 3d10 +1 days untilthe penalties are nullified.

A concussion may be mended if all Stam-ina is healed and the PC rests at least 10hours per day for 1d10 days. Hospital feesfor this time amount to 200 Credits.

The back wound is special. It may bemended if ail Stamina is healed, majorsurgery is used to repair paralyzationdamage, and the PC rests for 2d10 hours.Otherwise, it heals in 3d10 days. A hospi-tal charges 200 Credits for these services.

A Dralasite cannot have a broken limb,but it looses the ability to grow one untilthe spot heals where it was hit. This heal-ing takes 3d10 days. The Dralasite stillsuffers the same penalties as if it hadbroken limbs.

If a character has multiple damage, suchas a chest wound and a broken leg, it stilltakes 1d10 +1 days for the leg to heal.Healing times are not cumulative.

68 AU G U S T 1987

A Vrusk with a damaged arm requires a1d10 roll to find out which arm was hit:1-5 is the left arm, 6-10 is the right.

A Dralasite is not able to absorb a para-lyzed leg until it is healed. Because of this,the Dralasite suffers the special penaltiescaused by the paralyzed leg.

An electrostunner does not break a limb.If a broken limb is indicated because of anelectrostunner or other electrical damage,then the limb has excessive nerve damageinstead. The same penalties occur, and thenerve damage may be healed the same aswould a broken limb.

Repairing a robotRepairing a robot is easier than healing a

living creature. A character with Roboticsskill is required.

Damage to a robot takes 2d10 minutes torepair. A broken part takes 5d10 +5 min-utes to fix, while a cracked item takes4d10 +5 minutes. Add 10 minutes to therepair time for each joint which is dam-aged or broken, and 20 minutes if thebrain casing has been hit. If the braincasing and the body have been cracked,add 1 hour to the repair time.

Table 4Damage Results Table: Robots

Modified Stamina Special Units of lost1d10 roll damage damage equipment1 or lower 0 None 0

2 5 Body damage 03 5 Leg damage 04 5 Arm damage 1

5-6 8 Arm joint damage 17 9 Arm joints damage 18 10 Brain casing damage 1

9-10 10 Leg broken 111 15 Body cracked 1

12-13 8 Arm broken 114 8 Arm joint broken 1

15-16 15 Brain casing cracked 117 15 Movement center damaged 218 12 Arm joints broken 219 15 Body and brain casing cracked 2

20-22 30 Brain casing broken 223+ 1,000 Explosion (cannot be repaired) 15

Special damage effectsBody damage: �5 to hit with weapons because of internal damage.Leg damage: �5 meters/turn on movement (unless robot has alternate movement

system, such as rocket movement).Arm damage: Attacker can choose attacked arm or tentacle, �9 to hit with any

weapon held in that arm.Arm joint damage: �14 to hit with a weapon in that arm, �2 damage for melee

attacks.Arm joints damage: No weapons may be fired from that arm, no melee attacks.Brain casing damage: 50% chance of robot being stunned for d100 minutes (even if

A-S implant is installed), �5 to hit with all weapons, 20% chance of a malfunction.All robots have brains, but a noncybernetic robot�s brain is a computer.

Leg broken: �10 meters/turn on movement, �5 meters/turn to movement usingalternate movement system because it also has been hit.

Body cracked: �10 to hit with all weapons, �5 meters/turn on movement, 20%chance of a malfunction.

Arm broken: No weapon can be fired from the arm, �5% to chances to repair it.Arm joint broken: Same as arm broken, but a �25% to chances to repair it.Brain casing cracked: Stunned for dl00 +20 minutes, 50% chance of being deacti-

vated, �10 to hit with all weapons, 35% chance of a malfunction, �30% tochances to repair it.

Movement center damaged: Robot cannot move, �30% to chances to repair it.Arm joints broken: No weapons can be fired from the arm, �20% to chances to

repair it.Body and brain casing cracked: The same effects as body cracked and brain casing

cracked combined. All damage and penalties are cumulative..Brain casing broken: Automatically deactivated, �20 to hit with all weapons, �20

meters/turn on movement, 55% chance of malfunction, �50% to chances torepair.

Explosion: Everyone within 10 meters takes 7d10 damage (RS check defense).

THE MOST SECRETby Thomas Kane

There was once a war in which the goodguys escaped by the skin of their teeth.The most powerful foe they faced haddeveloped a wide array of secret weapons,including subsonic cruise missiles, nervegas, submarine-launched missiles,intermediate-range ballistic missiles,rocket-powered fighters, jet fighters andfighter/bombers, miniature attack subma-rines, antiaircraft rockets, and some of themost advanced and heavily armed ships,planes, and tanks in existence. Its armedforces were well-trained, well-armed, anddevoted to their cause. This nation main-tained death camps in which millions ofpeople were executed by increasinglysophisticated means of extermination, andit had an avowed policy of conquering theworld and building an empire to last for athousand years.

This foe was on the verge of developingatomic weapons, intercontinental ballisticmissiles, orbital satellites, manned space-plane bombers, intercontinental-range jetbombers, and more, when it started itsfinal drive for victory. That nation and itsallies finally fell under the weight of near-ly the entire world�s armies after a six-yearwar. But it had been close � closer thananyone could have imagined.

Since World War II, technology hasunquestionably become the best ally thatany nation could have in wartime � andthe greatest treasure any agent could steaLor protect. What super-secret projects areworld governments developing now? Thedetails, problems, and intrigues of suchprojects can inspire many adventures inTOP SECRET® and TOP SECRET/S.I.�espionage games. In addition to improvinga scenario�s realism, use of basic informa-tion about actual secret research plans inespionage games adds depth to the cam-paign, showing what problems trouble thegovernments that develop them and howscientists plan to solve those problems.

Secret aircraftThe U.S. Air Force does not have large

numbers of aircraft. It hopes that the onesit has are fast, agile, and powerful enoughto take the place of large squadrons. Keep-ing aircraft safe in battle is extremelyimportant, and engineers constantly strug-gle to make airplanes more difficult todetect and more deadly in combat. Severalprojects are on the boards to do thosevery things.

Stealth: In the desert north of LosAngeles, a secret factory has been built in

70 AUGUST 1987

a tan, windowless building with a greatdoor the size of an airplane. The factorylooks like a prison � but the barbed wireatop the fence arcs outward, not inward.This is where prototypes of �Stealth� air-craft are made. The U.S. Air Force will notadmit that Stealth exists, but it is certainthat the United States is designing an air-plane invisible to all radar and detection.

Actually, two Stealth airplanes are underdevelopment. One plane is the NorthropAdvanced-Technology Bomber (ATB); theother is Lockheed�s Stealth airplane, theF-19 fighter. The bomber is meant todestroy mobile ballistic missiles on theground in wartime. The F-19 could beused for espionage in times of peace,conducting surveillance near radar sta-tions. In battle, the Stealth fighter wouldbe best suited for eliminating antiaircraftbatteries prior to a major air raid. Stealthcruise missiles are also under develop-ment.

The ATB would be especially interestingto agents. Anything that can destroy ICBMbases is a threat to �the other side�s� secu-

rity. If ATBs could find missiles anddestroy them without being detected, theycould quickly render the Soviet Uniondefenseless. Only by launching their mis-siles in a preemptive strike could the Sovi-ets protect themselves if they suspectedATBs were in use. Even a fleet of Stealth

bombers probably could not destroy all ofa superpower�s missiles, since submarine-based ICBMs would still ensure deter-rence. But neither side would risk a warcaused by Stealth.

The theory behind Stealth is fairly sim-ple. A radar set emits a microwave signaland detects signals which are reflectedback. If the microwave signal is absorbed,no image is presented. The radar operatorassumes that nothing was there and thatthe microwave signal kept on going. Thereare materials that absorb microwaves;ferrites, like those used in magnetic tape,are excellent for this purpose. Even steelballs embedded in rubber absorb radar.Stealth engineers look for radar-absorbingmaterials that are strong enough to servein aircraft construction. If the radarabsorbent material were simply carried ona plane, the extra weight would slow thecraft to a remarkable (and fatal) degree.Various epoxies may absorb radar, yet maybe strong enough to be used in aircraftconstruction. If iron filings or needles aremixed into the epoxy, the substance iseven more absorbent. The exact materialsused in testing Stealth technology arehighly secret.

A Stealth airplane must not emit micro-waves itself. It uses a special radar systemwhich creates false images using themicrowaves that enemy radar emits. Cur-

72 AUGUST 1987

rent airplanes depend on electronic war-fare to do this, dropping decoys to foolradar and using powerful signals to floodenemy sets with microwaves or projectfalse images. The exact nature of Stealthradar defense depends entirely on theaircraft�s shape. Additionally, in a Stealthairplane, alcohol is mixed with the fuel tostop ice crystals from forming in theexhaust; this prevents a contrail, so peopleon the ground cannot see where the planehas passed. The aircraft�s engines aremuffled, making it close to noiseless.Finally, infrared energy must be elimi-nated. The aircraft�s engines have inlets tomix cold air with the hot exhaust. Whenthe air leaves the airplane, it will be cool �untraceable by antiaircraft missiles.

Straight lines and angles reflect microwaves; curves and bumpy areas do not �and thus are much used on Stealth design.Because jet engines show up with ease inradar sets, a Stealth aircraft would certainlyhave some sort of baffle over its engines.The edges of wings also are highly visible inradar, so �ram wedges� (sawtooth-likedevices which cause microwaves to bounceback and forth until they are absorbed) maybe used on such surfaces.

Most secrets of Stealth design involvereconciling radar-absorbent shapes withaerodynamics. Rumor has it that theStealth aircraft is a flying wing, shapedlike a large, flat triangle. The original�Flying Wing,� a USAF plane called theYB-49, was notoriously uncontrollable andcrashed so often that the program wasabandoned. It is suspected that at least oneStealth prototype has crashed. Because ofsecrecy, the family of the pilot may neverhave learned how the pilot died. In espio-nage scenarios, Stealth accidents may alsoprove to be sabotage.

The Advanced Tactical Fighter: No proto-type of the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF)has been built. Indeed, no exact goals forthe ATF�s performance have been settledon. Seven companies are still working ondesigns for this airplane. In espionagecampaigns, this may lead to corporatespying. The company with the lowest bidfor the best airplane will get the contract,so all involved corporations will be anx-ious to know what their competitors arebidding. Economic maneuvers are alsopossible; companies can attempt to takecontrol of other companies, gaining thecontract in the bargain. Note that none ofthis has actually occurred on the ATFproject; it merely could in the game.

The ATF is intended to be an extremelyagile airplane. Computers control everypart of the ATF guiding the airplane auto-matically so that the pilot may concentrateon other things. The ATF will gather somuch information from radar, infraredsensors, and sensors within the airplanethat the pilot could not possibly keep trackof it all. A computer must digest the infor-mation and tell the pilot only the impor-tant parts. The pilot will be able to guidean ATF by voice command. By merely

looking at a target, the pilot can aim mis-siles. An ATF will be able to display a�gods-eye� view of the environment to thepilot, showing the local battlefield with theaircraft�s location. Computers in the ATFwill advise the pilot on the best flightcourse for a given situation.

Interestingly enough, the ATF is unstablein flight. This makes it extremely maneu-verable, ready to turn in any direction. Italso means that a computer must constant-ly readjust the wing surfaces; otherwise,the pilot could not possibly direct it. TheATF�s engine will contain �thrust vectors,�fins which redirect its propulsion andmake it even more maneuverable. Indeed,the ATF will be capable of turns so sharpthat the pilot could be crushed by centrif-ugal forces,

Transatmospheric vehicles: Flying at 15times the speed of sound, these airplanescould take off on a normal runway and flyto Earth orbit. Transatmospheric vehicles(TAVs, or spaceplanes) are being developedby several nations. Britain is far ahead ofany other country in this program withthe British Aerospace HOTOL, a robotic,air-breathing craft longer than the Ameri-can Space Shuttle (with a top-secret pro-pulsion system). These craft could circlethe globe in less than an hour. Passengerflights in these airplanes are anticipated.TAV warplanes would combine the advan-tages of ICBMs and traditional bombers;they could rapidly cross continents butreturn to base after take-off. These vehi-cles would make space launches mucheasier and more frequent, making themuseful for reconnaissance flights. Likesatellites, they could fly anywhere on theglobe safely, being quite maneuverable.

TAVs are not new (Nazi Germany hadplans for a �skip-glide� bomber that wouldreach Earth orbit after being launched ona rail track), but there are still problemswith the design. The engine which attainssuch high speed must be perfectly shaped�even at remarkably high temperatures.The whole airplane must be incrediblystrong. In flight, it must withstand temper-atures of 4000°F and give the passengers acomfortable environment. The aerody-namics of hypersonic flight are unknown.Designers hope to experiment with elec-tronic models on �supercomputers.� Somespaceplane designs involve rocket sledswhich carry the plane into the air, thendrop away. Other designs would bereleased from normal airplanes.

Space programsA strong space program is extremely

helpful to any modern military force.Satellites allow communication betweencontinents to hold armies together. Orbit-ing cameras take detailed photographsdeep in enemy countries to verify treaties,watch for hostile actions, plan strategies,and learn of secrets. Radio signals fromsatellites direct ships at sea and guidemissiles to their targets. On a smaller

scale, espionage depends on satellites, too.

The Soviet Space Shuttle: The Soviet

Secret agents must also communicate

Union is designing a reusable space shuttle

between continents, guide themselves inthe wilderness, and use pictures of enemyterritory. The military space programs ofthe U.S.A., U.S.S.R., and other countriesare sensitive; even scientific spacelaunches are monitored. [See DRAGON®issues #120-123 for Merle Rasmussen’sfour-part series on space espionage in theTOP SECRET game world.]

The Soviet heavy-lift launcher: Thisrocket is meant to carry extremely heavycargoes into space. It would be needed forthe U.S.S.R.�s ambitious space program,such as the manned Mars mission that theSoviets hint may occur within the next 10years. The heavy-lift launcher could alsocarry powerful military cargoes. Onesource believes that it could carry objectsweighing over 100 tons into orbit. Mostdepictions of this vehicle show it to be ahuge, fat rocket with four strap-onboosters. [The first flight of this super-booster came on May 15, 1987, and it wasa success. Future flights of this vehicle,called the Energia booster by the Soviets,may be used for placing solar-power satel-lite stations in orbit, launching massivespace station modules or Space Shuttles,or for assorted military purposes.]

like that used by the United States. It willhave certain features which the U.S. shut-tle lacks, such as jet engines for maneuver-able landings. The cargo bay will have alarger capacity than the American shuttleas the rear engines on the American shut-tle do not appear in the Soviet design. TheSoviet shuttle, despite at least one appar-ent accident in which the heavy aircrafttransporting it slid off a runway on land-ing, could be ready for launch within acouple of years, using the heavy-liftbooster mentioned above.

missiles-can carry many warheads, butthey are merely used to make a �foot-

The Soviet spaceplane: Certain satellitephotos and other photo sources haverevealed what appears to be a Sovietrocket-launched spaceplane. Oncelaunched, the manned spaceplane wouldgo into orbit and fly to the ground on itsreturn. Many believe that this is a modelof a space shuttle; others fear that callingthis a �shuttle� is �mirror-imaging,� assum-ing that the Soviets will always imitate theUnited States. Still others feel that thespaceplane may be more sinister � a newwarhead for a nuclear missile. Both super-powers are developing multiple attackingreentry vehicles (MARVs). Many of thesebombs could be carried in one missile,which could fly across a whole countrybombing one target after another. Modern

DR A G O N 73

print,� dropping many bombs within sev-eral hundred miles of each other. We donot know what the Soviet �spaceplane�actually is.

ASAT weapons: Wars in space would notbe like science-fiction duels. Electronicjamming and attempts to take over enemysatellites would dominate such a scenario.Thus, nations are interested in details onenemy satellites and their radio frequen-cies. Many attempts would be made todestroy satellites with unmanned antisatel-lite (ASAT) space launches. Both the UnitedStates and Russia have tested ASAT weap-ons. The Soviets have an ASAT weaponcurrently ready for use at their Tyuratamspace complex. It is a rocket-launchedsatellite which orbits into a position closeto an enemy satellite, then explodes,releasing many steel pellets. These pelletscollide with the enemy satellite at incredi-ble velocities (many kilometers per sec-ond), destroying it. The American ASATsystem is a two-stage missile launchedfrom an F-16 fighter. In one test, itdestroyed a target satellite with ease. The

ASAT test was bitterly opposed, since afunctioning scientific satellite (owned bythe Air Force) was the target.

The existence of ASATs makes spaceaccidents dangerous. If an orbiting vehiclesuddenly breaks up for some reason, thereis always the suspicion that it was deliber-ately destroyed. For example, if the early-

74 AUGUST 1987

warning satellites which watch missilefields were destroyed, a crisis wouldresult. Most military satellites have backupsatellites; if one satellite is destroyed, theother can replace it. Also, some satellitescan be given highly elliptical orbits, mak-ing them hard to hit. Soviet spy satellitesare often designed for one mission only,orbited for a short time, then discarded.When a new one is needed, a new one islaunched. American spy satellites areusually reused over many missions. Thismeans that there are fewer of them, andthey are more vulnerable to attack.

SupercomputersMany upcoming military projects

require far better computers than are nowavailable. The ATF needs a myriad ofelectronic devices, and the process ofdeveloping transatmospheric vehiclesdemands computer modeling. All spaceprojects require powerful guidance, main-tenance, and tracking computers. Com-puters are also useful in espionage; theycan store and process huge amounts ofdata, and secrets can be encoded in siliconchips. Computers are being used to investi-gate public records: picking out patterns,noticing where individuals are duringcertain events, or finding other �coinci-dences.� Often, by comparing several setsof unclassified data, one can learnextremely important secrets.

Information on computer design isharder to protect than the secrets of mili-tary projects. Most computer research isdone by private companies without gov-ernment secrecy. Furthermore, theproducts are then sold to the public. Spiescan buy these secret devices as easily asanyone. There are laws against exportingcertain computers to hostile powers, likethe Soviet Union, but computers can stillbe legally shipped to neutral countries,repackaged, and sent on to a restrictednation.

The primary requirement for building asupercomputer is reducing its size. Intheory, one could make a current com-puter as smart as one wishes by addingmore �chips.� But as computers get larger,they become slower. The electricity simplyhas farther to go. Also, huge computersare too expensive and too bulky to use inairplanes. Many designs are being testedto speed up computers. Some designersare trying to place circuits that requiremany chips onto a single block of silicon.However, these compressed devicesbecome quite hot and must be refriger-ated. The circuits on these �monster chips�tend to break during use. A chip this largeis too vulnerable to various stresses.

One way to circumvent this is to havethe computer itself detect flawed areasand avoid them. Another approach is tomake the chips a different way. At Liver-more Laboratories, computer componentsare made by laser pantography. Thisinvolves putting the silicon wafer into a

mixture of chemicals, then using a laserbeam to etch out circuits. These wafersare less fragile than the current kind, butthey are also extremely expensive andslowly made. Photonics � computerswhich use light instead of electricity � arenow being developed. Light beams can bedistinguished by color and polarization.Many beams can cross the same areawithout interfering with each other.Therefore, a photon computer will be ableto perform remarkable calculations.

Another important part of a supercom-puter is the way in which it processesinformation. A current computer goesthrough data piece by piece. A supercom-puter would use parallel processing, inwhich it breaks data down into small unitsand processes them all at once.

Undersea activitiesA submarine�s advantage over other

warcraft is that it is hard to find. The verynature of undersea warfare depends onhiding and locating submarines. Now thatsubmarines carry nuclear missiles, theseproblems are especially acute. The UnitedStates can track Soviet submarines using avast array of microphones in the north-west part of the United States. This arraycan �hear� submarines on the other side ofthe planet. Presently, the Soviets cannottrack ours � and there is no darker secretthan the locations of American subma-rines. This very problem was at the coreof several recent spy trials held in theU.S.A.

Maps of the ocean floor are vital forsubmarine maneuvers. With the rightinformation, a submarine captain can hideamid shoals and reefs, escaping detection.From there, the sub can launch its mis-siles. Scientific ocean research is alwayswatched. Recently, the Woods Hole Insti-tute developed maps of America�s Atlanticseaboard and planned to publish them.However, the Navy demanded and got themaps. They would have been invaluable tothe Soviets.

ConclusionsActual top-secret projects may differ

from the descriptions given here. Thisinformation was taken from severalsources, including issues of Popular Sci-ence magazine, the U.S. Defense Depart-ment�s �Soviet Military Power� resource,and the Boston Globe’s �War and Peace inThe Nuclear Age.� The information wasslightly altered to make it more suitablefor game use. None of these secret pro-jects have yet been completed [except forthe Soviet superbooster). This is why notechnical details have been given on them.One could run a scenario where the PCsrecover stolen plans for an ATE but theagents could not actually fly one. Nonethe-less, secrets like these are what agentsbargain for, lie for, kill for, and perhapseven die for.

by Jeff Grubb

Roger (duh Boss) has been asking for thelatest cast and crew of Bruce Banner�scomic: the Hulk. Since I last wrote aboutthem (in the Advanced Set, about a yearago), Bruce and the Hulk have been pulledapart, sent on a rampage, put back togeth-er, and returned to their joint roots as agray-skinned monster that is nothing likethe friendly just-wants-to-be-left-alone-to-smell-the-flowers kind of jade-green guyhe was.

What can I say? He�s just Incredible.

The HULK®

Robert Bruce Banner, physicist

F IN (30) Health: 175A EX (20)S AM (50) Karma: 70E MN (75)R GD (10) Resources: FE (2)I RM (30)P RM (30) Popularity: -20

KNOWN POWERS:

Body Armor: The gray Hulk�s thick skinprovides him with Amazing protectionagainst physical attacks and Incredibleprotection against energy attacks.

Resistances: The new Hulk is no longerinvulnerable to cold, heat, fire, and dis-ease, but has Unearthly resistance to theseattack forms.

Leaping: The new Hulk can leap up to 40areas in a single turn.

Transformation: The new Hulk is current-ly co-existing with the form of its alter-ego,Bruce Banner. This transformation is trig-gered by the setting of the sun, whichallows the Hulk persona to come out. TheHulk can resist the transformation by aPsyche FEAT roll made each round, just asBanner can, but no Karma may be addedto these rolls. Banner�s stats are:

F A S EPR TY TY TY

R I PRM GD TY

Health: 22 Karma: 46

Homing Instinct: For some unknown rea-son, the Hulk is able to locate the place atwhich he was �created� � Desert Base,New Mexico � with Class 3000 ability.

TALENTS: The new Hulk himself has notalents, but may pull ideas from his Ban-ner personality by making an IntuitionFEAT against Banner�s Typical Psyche.Banner is an expert in physics and radia-tion, and receives a +1 CS in mattersdealing with those subjects. Banner also

76 AUGUST 1987

receives a +2 CS ingamma radiation.

matters dealing with

CONTACTS: At present, the Hulk has nobeings close enough to consider Contacts.Banner was leader of the Hulkbusters, hasties to the Avengers and Fantastic Four,and is on good terms with his cousin Jen-nifer (She-Hulk) Walters and Rick Jones.Banner is married to Betty Ross, daughterof Thunderbolt Ross.

BACKGROUND: Physicist Robert BruceBanner oversaw the development of theGamma Bomb (or �G-Bomb�) at the U.S.Defense Department nuclear researchfacility at Desert Base, New Mexico, underthe command of Air Force General Thad-deus E. �Thunderbolt� Ross. The G-Bomb,so named for its great output of gammarays, was slated for an above-ground test.

On the day of the test, a lone teenager ina jeep drove out onto the site on a dare.Banner ordered the countdown halted andleft the protected observation bunker tobring the youth back. Banner�s assistantwas a Communist spy who neglected torelay the order to halt the countdown,hoping Banner would die in the resultingexplosion.

Banner reached the teenager, Rick Jones,and shoved him into a protective trenchmoments before the bomb was detonated.Banner himself was caught in the blast,but instead of dying was bombarded withgamma rays � and transformed into alarge, brutish, gray-skinned monster called�The Hulk� by military personnel on thebase.

The Hulk has evolved through manystages. The creature initially was gray,only transformed at night, and had somemodicum of human intelligence. About thetime that the Hulk�s skin became a brightjade green, the Hulk became a foundingmember of the Avengers. Because of hisincreasingly savage behavior, he left thatteam after only a few missions.

With the transformation to a greenishhide, the Hulk gained in strength, suchthat his normal strength was at the Mon-strous (70-ton) level. In addition, the surgeof adrenaline allowed the Hulk to boost hisstrength levels to unrecorded heightswhen angered or endangered. During thisperiod, the Hulk wandered alone butoccasionally served with Doctor Strangeand the Defenders.

For a brief time, Banner regained con-trol of his Hulk form and was granted apresidential pardon. Soon, however, hisbestial personality, manipulated by theextradimensional creature called Night-mare, caused the violent Hulk to return,apparently slaying the Banner personalityforever. Following a battle in Manhattan inwhich the Hulk took on a number of NewYork�s super-powered characters, DoctorStrange banished the Hulk to anotherdimension.

The �Bannerless� Hulk had a number ofadventures in this �crossroads of realities,�

HULKBUSTERS�

Samuel J. La Roquette

F A S E R I PRM GD EX EX GD GD TY

Health: 80 Karma: 26

Contacts: Hulkbusters, SHIELD.

Talents: Outdoor survival, exploring.

Carolyn Parmenter

F A S E R I PGD EX TY GD EX EX EX

Health: 46 Karma: 60

Contacts: Hulkbusters, SHIELD, Project Atlantis.

Talents: SCUBA diving, marine science.

Craig Saunders, Jr.

F A S E R I PGD EX GD GD GD EX EX

Health: 50 Karma: 50

Contacts: Hulkbusters, SHIELD.

Talents: Demolitions, explosives.

Dr. Armand Martel

F A S E R I PPR GD TY GD RM GD GD

Health: 30 Karma: 50

Contacts: Hulkbusters, SHIELD.

Talents: Natural and alien biology.

Hideko Takata

F A S E R I PEX GD TY GD EX GD RM

Health: 46 Karma: 60

Contacts: Hulkbusters, SHIELD.

Talents: Geophysicist, Martialtalent to trip a charging Hulk.

Arts A. She has been reported to have used the latter

during which time the Banner personalityreasserted itself. The Hulk was brought back into this dimension by Roger Bochsand Madison Jeffries of Alpha Flight, whowere seeking a new home for the then-untethered spirit of Walter Langkowski(Sasquatch). Escaping from Canada, Hulkreturned to his �home� in the New Mexicodesert.

There, Hulk was captured by Doctor

Leonard Samson, who had been investedwith gamma-spawned strength himself.Samson succeeded in separating the twodistinct individuals. When SHIELD madeclear it was determined to kill the Hulk,Samson freed the mindless beast, only todiscover the �pure� Hulk was a murderouscreature of pure rage, without human pityor thought. Samson resolved to bring thisHulk back and cure it fully.

D R A G O N 7 7

The separated Banner, in the meantime,was organizing his own force to huntdown his former alter-ego. Unlike Samson,Bruce planned to kill the monster. Bannerrevived the old Gamma Base, once theheadquarters of Thunderbolt Ross�s Hulk-hunting activities, and revived theHulkbusters as well (see below). Duringthis separation from the Hulk, Bannermarried Betty Ross, daughter of Thunder-bolt Ross.

The physical separation of Hulk andBanner proved to be unhealthy for either,so their reintegration was necessary tosave Banner�s life. The Hulk was defeatedby the combined forces of the East- andWest-Coast Avengers, and his and Banner�sbodies were re-merged by the Vision. Tosolidify the process, the rejoined Hulk/Banner was to be bathed in a tank ofradioactive chemicals. The Hulk was driv-en into the tank, but was joined by anunwilling Rick Jones, who was pushedfrom behind by Thunderbolt Ross.

The result was the temporary creationof a �Teen Hulk� (who was really RickJones) that greatly resembled the previousjade-jawed giant, and a reversion of theHulk/Banner persona to its more primitive,weaker, gray-skinned form. This Hulkcurrently is only active at night and doesnot appear during the day, even whenBanner�s adrenaline levels are raised.

In addition, while the previous Hulkswere senseless, stupid, and inadvertentlyviolent or resentful, this new gray Hulkhas an evil, scheming personality matchedwith a keen, intelligent craftiness. It haslocked itself into Banner-proof rooms anddrunk itself into a stupor to prevent Ban-ner from regaining control of his body.

SHIELD, Doc Samson, and Rick Jones areall searching for this new evil Hulk, whileBanner tries to control this darker side

of his personality. Unlike previous incarna-tions, thoughts may be remembered orconsciously blocked between the twopersonas. Both Banner and the Hulk haverecently been made aware that, despitetheir own experiences, the governmentcontinues to produce, test, and stockpileG-Bombs.

The Hulkbuster�s story: The originalHulkbusters were part of a force drawnfrom the U.S. Army and Air Force, underthe command of Thunderbolt Ross, andwere charged with the task of subduingthe Hulk. This group fought the Hulk on anumber of occasions, but was finally dis-banded when the then-intelligent Hulkreceived a presidential pardon.

When Banner and the Hulk were sepa-rated and the Hulk persona escaped,Bruce Banner formed the second team ofHulkbusters to track down and destroy hisformer alter-ego. Saunders, Parmenter, LaRoquette, Martel, and Takata were allbrought in to form this specialized team.Each was an expert in his or her field, buttheir willingness to take risks in dangeroussituations had left them all �Jonahs� �unable to get funding or support for theirprojects. Banner proposed to turn thesefive into a fighting team capable ofdestroying the Hulk. The new Hulkbus-ters, based in the rebuilt Gamma Base, had

78 AUGUST 1987

at their disposal a number of weaponsystems, including a Hulklike test robot.The group came into conflict with DotSamson at one of these tests, and theresulting battle between the Hulkbustersand Samson left one of the Hulkbusters,Carolyn Parmenter, dead.

Maddened by grief, Sam La Roquetteswore vengeance on Samson, and heremains filled with hate and the determi-nation to kill both the Hulk and Doc Sam-son. Martel wishes to capture; not destroy,the Hulk, and use the monster for study.Saunders seeks to keep La Roquette undercontrol, and Takata remains the cool cen-ter of the team, trying to pull all the piecestogether.

With the reintegration of the Hulk andBanner, the Hulkbusters were hired bySHIELD to capture or kill the Hulk. Theteam failed in combat with the �TeenHulk,� and most of its members were badlyinjured. Whether they will remain atGamma Base to continue their Hulkbustingmission is not yet known.

Hulkbuster equipment: When theHulkbusters go after their prey, only thebest will do � but even that�s not alwaysgood enough.

Walker-Flyer vehicle: This vehicle con-sists of two linked battle machines, eachwith a two-man crew. The Walker Vehicle

is a two-legged construct which carries thejet-powered Flyer until the two are sepa-rated for scouting or battle. The vehicleshave the following statistics:

Walker Vehicle

Type: Off-roadCost: MN (with Flyer)Control: RMSpeed: EXBody: INProtection: INArmament: Valence Disruptor (5-area

range); can be set for Amazing, Mon-strous, and Unearthly energy damage.

Flyer Vehicle

Type: AirCost: MN (with Walker)Control: TYSpeed: INBody: RMProtection: RMArmament: Hypersonic Screamers �

2-area range; inflicts Unearthly sonicdamage

The Walker Vehicle, though heavilyarmored, proved ungainly in combat withDoc Samson; the Flyer Vehicle, more light-ly armored, proved to be vulnerable to the

disruptor weapon of the Walker in thesame fight. The resulting crash of theFlyer caused Carolyn Parmenter�s death.

Hulkbuster Body Armor: This blackmetal battlesuit is an apparent variation onthe Mandroid armor design, upgunned tohandle the Hulk.

ABILITY MODIFIERS:

Raises Agility by 1 rank(Maximum of EXCELLENT)

Raises Strength by 2 ranks(Maximum of of REMARKABLE)

Raises Endurance by 1 rank(Maximum of REMARKABLE)

The armor�s osmium-steel hide providesAmazing protection from physical andenergy attacks. Most other systems andsensors have been bypassed to provide anUnearthly-strength neuro-stunner, with arange of two areas, which inflicts fullenergy damage on its target.

Neuro-Neutralizer: This yoke-shapeddevice emits a low-frequency wave whichneutralizes brain activity with Amazingability. The being so neutralized must firstbe subdued and placed into the yoke,which is not the easiest thing to do with athousand pounds of enraged Hulk.

DR A G O N 79

Your response to this column continues onscreen, and when your character moves the norm. SSI continues its winning tradi-to be most gratifying. We appreciate your over their screen icons, thee acquisitions tion with the release of Realms of Dark-valuable comments, as well as your game are added to the booty. You are promoted ness, the brainchild of two talentedhints. As space permits, we shall include to Wizard, Sorcerer, and Necromancer as programmers, Gary Smith and Duonthose hints and the names of the gamers you acquire points. Nghiem. This fantasy role-playing gamewho offer the most timely game advice. We were fully prepared not to like this encompasses a broad range of environ-

ments, and features the ability to input notgame. However, we now find Black MagicBlack Magic's spell only text from your lead character directly

For our first review, a surprisequite addicting, as the action is fast and

into the game, but normal adventure gameadventure/arcade game has appeared from

some amount of strategy is involved inactivities, as well.

Datasoft � Black Magic. Designed by Petersuccessfully completing the quest. Such

The graphics are not of the high qualitycreatures as demons and ghosts are quiteWard, the game�s first screens recall those injurious to your total health points, while one might wish to see, especially whenarcade games of the early �80s: entertain- played on an Apple II series computer.ments like Miner 2049 and others of its ilk.

trolls offer aid in exchange for food.Unlike Might And Magic from issue #122,Watch our for the rocs, though; these

Multiple-level screens require the player to birds carry you to regions you won't care in which the onscreen city and dungeonbe quite handy with a joystick in order to walls are solid in appearance, Realms ofavoid battalions of unfriendly beings and

to visit.Not all of your adversaries are living, Darkness presents simple line views of

retrieve a variety of goodies. however. spiked beds, guillotines, lava walls and other structures. When con-With formats for both the Apple II com- fronted by a specific sort of opponent,pits, and stalactites are constant impedi-

puter family and the Commodore 64/128, ments to your adventure and must be you�ll find the onscreen representation ofBlack Magic finds your onscreen character dealt with cautiously. For instance, there it to be less than you might expect. Theinvolved in a struggle with an evil warlock are many water pools that block your drawings are reminiscent of earlier adven-

progress; by casting a Chill spell, you can ture games, such as those created andAnakar the Wise to stone, leaving the turn water to ice and cross these obstacles produced by Sierra On-Line (Coarsegold,kingdom of MariGold open to the evil without worry. To cast a spell, you simply Calif.), with the Wizard and the Princessinvasion of the warlock. The character depress both of your joystick�s fire but- and their On-Line Adventure series.must find six magical eyes and put them tons. A message appears onscreen (�SELECT The graphics in Realms of Darknessback into the stone statue that once was SPELL TO CAST�), and you move your joystick were created using a paint program calledAnakar. When this feat is done, the secret until the spell you wish to cast appears in The Graphics Magician by Polarwareof Zahgrim�s location is learned, allowing the window at the bottom of the screen. (Geneva, Ill.). We have seen far betteryou to defeat him once and for all. When the correct spell is named, you graphics in other games which were pro-

With over 100 different screens and press the lower fire button. duced by this graphics program. What thiseight different magical spells, you also Certainly, this is one of the better games could mean is that this pair of program-have an onscreen display that constantly in the current crop of arcade/adventure mers have more strength in creating theinforms you of your character�s status. games, as the tasks required to complete actual story and game design than theThe character�s experience, class, number the quest are quite varied. You must also onscreen representations. However, weof arrows, number of spells, health, food rescue prisoners as you wander the lands found that we grew accustomed to thelevel, and the number of magical eyes and caverns of the game's environment. graphics as we became more involved indiscovered are all recorded in a window at The final contest takes place in the castle play � so much so that after the first fewthe bottom of the screen. As an Appren- of Zahgrim, otherwise known as the Red minutes, the lack of solid modelingtice, you initially have only a Blink or One. Check this game out at your dealer! onscreen didn�t affect game play or enjoy-Vanish spell. But should you collect the ment whatsoever.onscreen icon of a spell as you maneuver In the Realms of Darkness The strong points of this game include ayour character, the total number of spells For several years, Strategic Simulations, wealth of puzzles that must be deci-available to your character increases by Inc., based in Mountain View, California, phered. In addition to moving around,one. The same applies to your food level has managed to find and produce adven- fighting, and finding treasures, your char-and number of arrows � find them ture games whose caliber is far above acters must solve increasingly difficult

named Zahgrim. Zahgrim has turned

8 2 AUGUST 1987

scenarios. We�ve been at Realms of Dark-ness for over a week and have onlyscratched the surface of the game. Also,most of the game is menu-driven, meaningyou don�t have to learn a variety of com-mands in order to play the game. If youprefer, you can play the game using ajoystick. If you happen to stumble acrossan object on the game, that object�s nameis displayed onscreen. You then enter G forGET, and a listing of your characters ispresented. You simply �mark� the charac-ter who is to pick up the object, and thegame automatically adds that item to thatcharacter�s backpack.

Complementing the game are severalutility programs that enable you to restoresaved games, manage your characters invarious ways, reinitialize and repair disks.An overview of the game system, as wellas in-depth documentation and partialmaps, eases the novice into game playquickly.

Players must complete seven quests.Scenario One has your party of eightcharacters searching for two lost pieces ofa magical sword; Scenario Five has a four-level dungeon; Scenario Seven has a finalbattle that culminates in a special anima-tion sequence. Additionally, because of thegame�s range, you can split your party intoany number of smaller parties (from oneto eight characters may make up a singleparty). However, keep in mind that themore parties you have, the harder theyare to control � and the more difficult it isto defeat opponents who get tougher asthe game progresses. We found that twoparties worked best until the charactersbecame stronger through their adventur-ing gains. At no time did we find fourparties to be advantageous.

Once you�ve Broken up your parties,you can determine how great a time delayshould be allowed by the program inswitching from one party to another foryour input. When the program switches to

a secondary party, the first party is putinto a state of �suspended time� � nothinghappens to them during your interactionwith the second party. Then, when youwish, you can Regroup your parties; whenthey meet one another in the deadly hallsof a dungeon, they are automaticallymerged. Another important matter to bearin mind is the fact that once your party isseparated into individual groups, eachgroup will require its own light source.

Exactly what kind of characters areavailable for play? For those inclined tothe martial arts, you can create a Friar.This character has a foot fetish; if you�arm� this character with hands and feet,the damage he or she can inflict upon anenemy is great. The Friar can also develophealing skills (a very desirable trait in thisgame), as well as the ability to stun adver-saries. Once an enemy is stunned, theFriar can then decide how best to dispatchthe foe once and for all. As the Friarreaches the upper levels of experience, heor she can develop an �ironwill� abilitythat allows him to avoid the damage of aninflicted blow. The player should also bearin mind that it�s pretty tough for a Friar tomanage a flying kick if the character isweighted down by plate armor and ashield.

One of our favorite characters is theBarbarian, an awesome fighter who even-tually gains berserker ability (berserkingcauses great damage against foes who arethe focus of this fury). The Barbarian alsogains thieving abilities, which come inhandy when he finds unopened chests ortraps that require dexterity to successfullydisarm.

What fantasy adventure game would becomplete without a good, standard Fight-er? As a combat-trained member of yourparty, your Fighter is usually in the fore-front of the action, and a Fighter can armhimself with any armor or shield that canbe purchased or found. Two others in the

fighting class of characters are the Knightand the Champion. The Knight possessesall of the weapon skills that a Fighter doesbut can also acquire Priestly spells, whilethe Champion is more inclined to acquireSorcery spells. Both are helpful elementsin any adventuring party.

Speaking of Sorcery and Priestly spells,these are normally wielded by either aSorcerer or a Priest. The Priest�s abilitieswith spells encompasses the healing arts,although this character also has severaloffensive spells and can be quite proficientwith an edged weapon. The Sorcerer isquite weak when it comes to combat, butcan be a powerhouse with magic. Wefound even multiple opponents wereimmediately destroyed when the Sorcerergains enough experience to cast majorspells. The Sorcerer must be protected,though, due to this character�s physicalweakness and lack of hand-to-handcombat ability.

The Thief, another important memberof the party, proves to be handy when itcomes to opening chests or disarmingtraps. When it comes time for combat, theThief can sometimes strike a first blowagainst an enemy, as he has learned tomove silently and thus surprise foes � adeadly ability for any character.

Characters are generated by the com-puter, but you never have to accept thecomputer�s roll. We found that the bestway to proceed is to determine what sortof characters would be most useful in aparty of eight. The manual suggests fourFighter types, one Thief, one Sorcerer, andtwo Priests. Since the Barbarian can dou-ble as a competent Thief, the followinggroup did well in our group, in this order:Up front � one Barbarian, one Knight(with Priestly spells), one Champion (withSorcery spells), and one Friar; second rank� two Priests and two Sorcerers. As youcan readily see, this also gives a fairly evenmakeup for two parties, should you wish

D R A G O N 8 3

Minimum Scores for Character Classes (Realms of Darkness)

Wisdom Intelligence Agility Strength VitalityFighter � � � 14 —Sorcerer 14� � � �Priest 14 � � � �Thief � � � 14 �Champion � 13 10 14 �Knight 14 � 10 14 10Barbarian � � 14 14 14Friar 13 — 15 12 10

to split the group in an area search.The table in this article summarizes the

eight classes� minimum scores. Once youknow what sort of character you want, it�sa simple matter to determine if the statis-tics rolled by the computer are sufficientfor the character you are trying to create.From the game�s Main Menu, you selectthe �Character Utilities� option, whichtakes you to a sub-menu where you select�Create A Character.� Each attribute has arange of from 1 to 20 points; you simplypress your RETURN key to begin.

The computer screen displays the fivescores. By using the up and down arrowkeys, you then assign each of the fivescores to one of the attributes. For exam-ple, the computer generates a 5, 18, 11,14, and 15. You want to create a Barbari-an. Checking your chart, you note that thehighest required scores are for Agility,Strength, and Vitality (minimum of 14each). You have enough points on thiscomputer roll to create your Barbarian, soyou move the rolled 18 to the Strengthattribute, the 15 to the Agility attribute,and the 14 to the Vitality attribute. Youhave an 11 and 5 remaining, and mustassign those to the Intelligence and Wis-dom attributes. No one ever said that aBarbarian had to be smart!

This process continues until all eightcharacters have been created to yourspecifications. If you don�t like a series ofrolls, press the ESCAPE key and re-roll thecharacter, This is one of the toughestadventure games we�ve played, as far asobtaining above-average scores in allattributes is concerned. We seemed tohave been rolling forever just to obtaintwo very powerful characters, threedecent characters, and three mediocrecharacters.

When spell-casters have higher abilityscores, they can cast more spells at lowlevels. However, at the start of the game,the spell-casters receive the same smallnumber of spell points (two) with which tocast spells.

Once your party has been assembled,you can wander around the city of Grail asyou look for the Hall of Heroes, GuardHouse (where you receive your firstquest), Tavern, Inn, Blacksmith Shop, andthe Provisioner. Each of these locations isimportant, as you purchase your weaponsat the Blacksmith Shop, food at the Provi-sioners, and so forth. A Temple can be

found outside the city gates to handle suchmatters as removing poison from a charac-ter or bringing someone back to life fromashes or dust. The latter niceties, however,can be rather expensive.

Your characters must equip themselveswith weapons, food, and other appropri-ate items. Then, it�s off to the outsideworld to find the dungeons and whateverelse is of importance to succeed in thishighly entertaining adventure. Don�texpect to sit down and finish play in acouple of days. Each scenario becomesmore and more complex, and you couldfind several weeks under your belt beforea satisfactory conclusion is reached foreven one of the scenarios.

Due to this investment of time, thegame�s authors were wise enough toinclude a �save-game-in-progress� feature.Believe me: you�ll count your blessingseach time you reinstall that saved game,after your party goes down in ignominiousdefeat at the hands of some heinous hen-chpersons. Additionally, you can alwaysinspect your characters during play. Thisensures that you won�t press forward on aparticular scenario when one or twoimportant members of your party lack thenecessary hit points to continue with adungeon investigation. We recommendthat, as hit and spell points are depleted,you leave the dungeon and head for thenearest locale for rest and recovery beforecontinuing.

Mapping � your favorite activity, right?� is very important in Realms ofDarkness, as there are many secret pass-ageways, traps, and teleportation areas.Even a map sometimes doesn�t help indeciphering these locales: some of themare one-way, and others are illusory.

Another aspect incorporated into thisoffering is the �Adventure Mode� of play.This allows your lead character to talkwith beings and handle objects foundalong your way. You press RETURN, and awindow appears at the top of the screen.You type in what you wish accomplished,such as �Talk to the statue,� �Climb therubble,� �Start the lawnmower,� or �Kill thebeast.� The computer then completes theactivity and gives you a message in return,telling you what has occurred as the resultof your action. To return to normal play,press the ESCAPE key and use either thekeyboard or joystick to move your partyin the direction you wish.

Other single-letter commands that arekeyed directly into the game as you movealong include D for Down, U for Up, O foropening an unlocked door, and L forunlocking a door (but only if a party mem-ber has the correct key). Once you getthrough a locked door, write down allthose clues that are brought to your atten-tion. As each scenario requires a puzzle tobe solved, these clues are needed to fit thisjigsaw puzzle together.

There�s plenty of magic available here,including seven levels of Sorcerer andPriest spells. A typical Level 1 Sorcererspell book could contain Absentminded-ness, Ignite, Fireball, Light, and IdentifyItem; a Level 6 spell book might containValhalla Spirit, Blizzard, Disarm and Iden-tify, Reflection, and Teleport. Three ofthese spells are for combat only, while oneonly works in the presence of a treasurechest. Level 1 spells for a Priest couldinclude Restore Sight, Pray, Heal, Peace,Crossfire, and Light; a Level 6 spell bookmight contain Acid Rain, Restore Ashes,Restore Lost Levels, and Cell Rejuvenation.These spells are definitely needed as youmove further into the different environ-ments in Realms of Darkness.

Before closing this review, we have acouple of other handy hints. Never giverare items to any of your first four charac-ters. Never drop keys behind doors thatthose keys unlock. Always have more thanone light source (spells can be used, butsave those for emergencies). Watch out forfalse passwords. Last, don�t be afraid torun when you have to. Realms of Dark-ness is enjoyable (despite the mediocregraphics), and you�ll immerse yourself inits secrets for many, many hours.

The clue cornerStarting with this column, we will pro-

vide answers (when possible) to problemsthat readers seem to be having with spe-cific areas of certain fantasy role-playingcomputer games. In order for a clue to bewarranted, we must receive severalrequests that delineate the same problem.The area of difficulty cannot be one that iseasily taken care of; there must be somedifficulty involved. Also, if you happen tohave hints that you consider to be of val-ue, please send them to us. We�ll describethe hints that are the most timely, with thename of the gamer who submitted theclue. With so many people readingDRAGON Magazine, this is a perfectopportunity to help other gamers.

Readers with specific problems (or othercomments regarding the column) shouldsend a letter directly to us at: 179 PebblePlace, San Ramon CA 94583. No phonecalls, please.

Kevin Wyatt, of Pasadena, Maryland, hasaddressed an adventure quandary con-fronting him in The Bard’s Tale. He writes:

�Help! I have been playing The Bard’sTale for what seems like eons, and I can�treach Mangar. My party keeps getting

84 AUGUST 1987

trapped in the first level of Kylearan�sTower. I answer the Golden Riddle and getteleported to a place I can�t get out of. I�vetried every spell in the book (I think) andkicked until all my characters had brokentoes. How do I get out?�

We think that all you need to do, onceyou�ve been teleported to that dark area, isto look for a second magic-mouth area,which will ask you to name the �endlessbyway.� If you�ll recall, there is one seem-ingly endless street in Skara Brae. Namethat street, and at that point, whether younotice it or not, you�ll be teleported onceagain. When you�re walking around in themaze this time, you�ll note a door thatwasn�t there before; enter that door andyou�ll find a triangle of silver that is similarin appearance to the one in Harkyn�s Cas-tle. Avoid the chamber that can be reachedonly through a snakelike corridor thattwists and turns its way south.

Hopefully, this will keep you afloat inKylearan�s Tower. Currently, The Bard�sTale seems to have a great number ofplayers, so we�ll probably be receivingmany more requests for assistance. Ifyou�re involved in The Bard�s Tale, justwait until you get your hands on TheBard’s Tale II!

Software scoopsActivision is taking over the distribution

of that fantastic adventure game, Might

and Magic (we reviewed this offering inDRAGON #122). The first scenario, Secretof the Inner Sanctum, has you assemblesix adventurers and enter the Land ofVarn, which has more than 13,000 differ-ent locations to investigate. This is one�must have� game; with Activision distrib-uting the software, you should be able tofind it at you local retailer soon. This gameis already available for Apple II computerenthusiasts, and versions for both IBMmicros and compatibles, and Commodore64/128 computers, will be released laterthis year.

Activision has also released Hacker II forthe Apple IIGS computer, an adventuregame set in current times, wherein youmust foil a plot to destroy the UnitedStates. There are no rules for play andvery little in the way of documentation.This game is the sequel to the company�ssmash hit Hacker, and is a real brain-twister.

Electronic Arts continues to increase itsaffiliated label line of products. The com-pany has now signed up the Datasoft lineof home computer software produced byIntelliCreations. Some of the Datasoftproducts include: Saracen, Black Magic,The Goonies, Conan, and The Never-Ending Story. Again, distribution agree-ments such as these enable the consumerto find games previously not available intheir geographic area.

For those Atari computer-users whohave written to us complaining about thelack of B-bit software, Electronic Arts hasgood news � they�ve released Autoduelfor Atari 800 systems. Produced by OriginSystems and Lord British (of Ultima fame),this adventure game is set in the year2030, when highways are controlled bymarauding outlaws and the most popularsport of the day is motorized arena com-bat. The company has also released thecomputerized version of Steve Jackson�sfamous OGRE® boardgame for IBM microsand compatibles. This is one of our prefer-red strategy games; it involves an incredi-ble Cybertank pitted against conventionalinfantry and armor units. Commodore 64/128 aficianados can now enjoy the firstoffering in the Ultima series from Origin,Ultima I, which has been released byElectronic Arts. This is an expanded ver-sion of the original 1981 release for Applecomputers, and has much faster game playand far better graphics. There�s even somearcade-game action in the adventure.Lastly, the company has also signed withSierra On-Line to distribute The King’sQuest Trilogy, a series of three adventuresthat are in 3-D (and animated, to boot).

If you�re a text-adventure gamer,Douglas Adams has written his next hit,entitled Bureaucracy. Released by Infocomand distributed by Activision, this is anoutrageous journey through red tape thatputs you directly in the middle of abureaucratic muddle so convoluted thatyou can�t help but laugh. This offering isavailable for the IBM, Apple II, Macintosh,

Atari ST, Commodore 128, and Commo-dore Amiga personal computers.

Strategic Simulations has ported three oftheir popular games to Atari ST format.These include two of our favorites, Wiz-ard’s Ring and Ring of Zilfin. The thirdconversion is Colonial Conquest. SSI hasalso converted Phantasie, Kampfgruppeand Roadwar 2000 to the CommodoreAmiga as well. (Watch for our review ofStrategic Simulations�s Phantasie III in ournext column!)

From Firebird Licensees Inc. comes TheSentry, for Commodore 64/128 machines.You�re stranded in a world where energyis the only constant in an ever-changingenvironment, as well as being a life-sustaining commodity. There are 10,600unique landscapes where you, as a lonerobot, battle against the Sentry and herLandgazers in an attempt to usurp her asruler. Also from Firebird is an entertaininggame called Golden Path, for the Atari STcomputer. This two-disk set contains a taleof the mysterious East, drawn directlyfrom Chinese mythology. The graphics inthis set are stunning. You find a ring thatturns you into your own father; you musttry to become your youthful self again byearning wisdom. More on this adventuregame in our next column.

Well, that�s it for this issue. We lookforward to receiving your mail and hopewe can be of some service to you withyour software gaming questions. Pleasekeep in mind that we�re not always able topersonally respond to each and everyletter, but we�ll do our best in that regard.For now, game on!

Valuable addresses

Activision, Inc.P.O. Box 7286Mountain View CA 94039(415) 960-0410

Datasoft (IntelliCreations)19808 Nordhoff PlaceChatsworth CA 91311(818) 886-5922

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

Firebird Licensees, Inc.P.O. Box 49Ramsey NJ 07446

Infocom, Inc.125 CambridgePark DriveCambridge MA 02140(617) 492-6000

Strategic Simulations, Inc.1046 North Rengstorff AvenueMountain View CA 94043(415) 964-1353

86 AUGUST 1987

88 AUGUST 1987

D R A G O N 89

CONVENTIONCALENDAR

Convention Calendar Policies

This column is offered as a service toour readers around the world. Anyonemay place a free listing for a gameconvention here, but the followingguidelines must be observed.

In order to ensure that all conventionlistings contain accurate and timelyinformation, all material should beeither typed double-spaced or printedlegibly on 8½” x 11” paper. The con-tents of each listing should be short,succinct, and under 150 words inlength.

The information given in the listingmust include the following information,in the following 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

requirements;6. Address(es) and telephone num-

ber(s) where additional information andconfirmation can be obtained.

Convention flyers, brochures, news-letters, and other mass-mailedannouncements run the risk of notbeing considered for use in this column;we prefer to see a cover letter with theannouncement as well. No call-in list-ings are accepted. Domestic and for-eign conventions are welcome.

WARNING: We are not responsiblefor incorrect information sent to us byconvention staff members. Pleasecheck your convention listing carefully!Our wide circulation ensures that up toa quarter of a million readers see eachissue. Accurate information is yourresponsibility!

Convention listings should be mailedby the copy deadline date to ConventionCalendar, DRAGON® Magazine, P.O.Box 110, Lake Geneva WI 53147. Copydeadline dates are the last Monday ofeach month, two months prior to the on-sale date of an issue. For example, thecopy deadline for the December 1987issue is the last Monday of October1987. Plan ahead; early listings pay off!

If a convention listing must bechanged because the convention hasbeen canceled, the dates havechanged, or incorrect information hasbeen printed, please contact us imme-diately! For any questions or changesrelated to this column, please call eitherRobin Jenkins or Roger E. Moore at(414) 248-3625.

indicates an Alaskan convention.❉ indicates a Canadian convention.❁ indicates a European convention.

VULCON XIV, August 6-9This 14th annual science-fiction and fantasy

festival will be held at the International Hotel,300 Canal Street, New Orleans, La. Guests ofhonor include Tom Savini and Richard Herd.Events include a costume contest and dance, adealers’ room, open gaming, and a host of otheractivities. For more information, contact:VULCON, P.O. Box 8087, New Orleans LA 70182;or call: (504) 454-0963.

HOUSTON FANTASY FAIR, August 7-9Sponsored by Bulldog Productions, this comic-

book, science-fiction, and film supershow takesplace at the Houston Marriot Astrodome, 2100S. Braeswood, Houston, Tex. Guests include DonSimpson, Burne Hogarth, Scott Beiser, and manyothers. Other features include a huge dealers'room, a professional art show, an art contest, anart auction, video rooms, a masquerade, numer-ous workshops, previews of upcoming motionpictures, and a variety of gaming events andopen gaming competition. Tickets for this three-day event are $20 through July 15 and $25thereafter. For more information, contact:Bulldog Productions, P.O. Box 820488, Dallas TX75382; or call: (214) 349-3367.

ORLANDO SKIRMISHES ‘87, August 7-9LISTING CHANGE: SKIRMISHES presents

this role-playing/wargaming convention at theOmni International in Orlando, Fla. Eventsinclude AD&D®, TRAVELLER®, Star Fleet Bat-tles, and CAR WARS® games, with Napoleonicsand various boardgaming competitions. Prere-gistration is $12 until July 1, and $18 thereafter.Hotel reservations may be made by calling (305)843-6664. For further information regardingconvention events and registration, contact:SKIRMISHES, 1803 Third Court SE #A, Win-terhaven FL, 33880; or call: (813) 294-9166.

TREPCON I, August 15-16This D&D® game tournament will be held at

the Museum of Science, Space Transit Planetar-ium in Miami, Fla. Registration fees are $15 untilAugust 10, and $20 at the door. For more infor-mation, write or call: George Miller 20542 SW92 Place, Miami FL 33189, (305) 235-0683, orDavid Owens, 15630 SW 289 Terrace, LeisureCity FL 33033, (305) 248-7304.

GEN CON® 20 GAME FAIR & TRADE SHOWAugust 20-23

This year’s original gaming convention will beheld at the MECCA Arena in Milwaukee, Wis.For preregistration materials or for judgingforms, write to: GEN CON Game Fair, P.O. Box756, Lake Geneva WI 53147. Please indicate onthe envelope which information you arerequesting (i.e., “Pre-reg info” or “Judging info”).For information on assisting the RPGA™ Net-work Tournament Headquarters, write: RPGANetwork HQ, P.O. Box 509, Lake Geneva WI53147.

SL RALLY '87, August 22-23This rally is for all Squad Leader gamers. The

ON ALL FRONTS 3rd National Tournamenttakes place at the Holiday Inn on Rt. 65B inConway, Ark. Four rounds of round-robintournaments are played over these two days ineach of the following: Squad Leader, Cross ofIron, GI: Anvil of Victory, and Advanced SquadLeader. Prizes are awarded for these events.Other events include a scenario design seminar,games sales, and various other activities. Regis-tration is $6 before July 15 and $8 thereaftcr.For registration forms and more informationwrite to ON ALL FRONTS, P.O. Box 265, Mar-shall AR 72650; or call: Terry at (501) 448-3066.

CONSPIRACY '87August 27-September 1

❁

The 45th world Science Fiction Conventiontakes place this year at the Brighton Centre andMetropole Hotel in Brighton, England. Thus far,the guest program includes Alfred Bester, DorisLessing, Brian Aldiss, Boris and Arkady Stru-gatsky, Larry Niven, Robert Silverberg, GeneWolfe, Ursula K. Le Guin, John Brunner, FredPohl, and many others. Events include a majorart exhibit and auction, a stunning laser show(provided by Laser Creations of London), acostume contest, spaceflight exhibits, computergames, wargames, and much more. Membershiprates as of August 1 £38 for all six days and £10for a single day. (Exchange rates for pounds anddollars are available from most banks.) Formore information on this event, please write to:45th World Science Fiction Convention, P.O. Box43, Cambridge, CB1 3JJ, United Kingdom.

GATEWAY 7, September 4-7The seventh running of this Labor Day con-

vention will be held at the LAX Hyatt Hotel.Featured events include role-playing games,wargames, family games, and computer gamestournaments. Other events include seminars,demonstrations, auctions, flea markets, and anexhibitors’ area. Preregistration is $16 untilAugust 21, and $20 at the door. For information,contact: GATEWAY '87, c/o DTI, P.O. Box 8399,Long Beach CA 90808; or call: (213) 420-3675.

NANCON-88 IX, September 4-7This annual, four-day gaming convention will

be held at the Ramada North West Crossing inHouston, Texas. Tournament events includeAD&D®, PARANOIA™ Squad Leader, Star FleetBattles, Nuclear War games, and a variety ofothers. A large dealers' room and open-gamingroom are also provided. For more details, send aSASE to: NAN’S GAME HQ, 2011 SouthwestFreeway, Houston TX 77098 (Attn: NANCON).

PACIFICON '87, September 4-7The 11th annual PACIFICON gaming conven-

tion will be held at the Dunfey Hotel in SanMateo, Calif. Special room rates are availablefrom the hotel for convention participants.Featured events include role-playing andboardgaming tournaments, a flea market, semi-nars, movies, miniatures-painting contests,auctions, miniatures gaming, open gaming, SCAdemonstrations, and a dealers' room. For fur-ther information, write to: PACIFICON, P.O. Box2625, Fremont CA 94536.

WINGAMES VIII, September 4-7 ❉

This gaming convention will be held at theUniversity Center on the University of Manitobacampus in Winnipeg, Man. This conventionusually draws around 300 gamers. All inquiriesshould be directed to: WINGAMES VIII, P.O. Box80, University Center, University of Manitoba,Winnipeg, Man., CANADA R3T 2N2.

D R A G O N 9 1

GOLD CON �87, September 5-6This gaming convention will be held at the

OMNI Auditorium in Coconut Creek, Fla. Formore details on scheduled events and registra-tion rates, write to: GOLD CON �87, OMNIAuditorium, B.C.C. North, 1000 Coconut CreekParkway, Coconut Creek FL 33066; or call: (305)973-2249.

CHEY CON II, September 12Also known as the �Rathha Con,� this science-

fiction convention will take place at the VFWPost 1881, 2816 E. 7th in Cheyenne, Wyo., andwill run from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M. Mark Armstrong,Editor of FANTAGRAPHICS, will be the guest ofhonor. Featured events include a costume party,Japanese animation, dealers� tables, and ascreening of the �Star Trek Bloopers� film.Preregistration costs (if paid before August 15)are $4 for adults and $2 for teenagers (ages 7-17). At-the-door prices are $5 for adults and $3for teenagers. Children under age 7 are admit-ted free when accompanied by a paying adult.For more details, write to: CHEY CON II, 803Taft Avenue, Cheyenne WY 82001.

MIRACLECON '87, September 12This one-day gaming convention will be held

from 9 A.M. to midnight at the Day�s Inn inSpringfield, Ohio. Sponsored events include anAD&D® tournament, a dealers� room, aminiatures-painting contest, a game auction, anda variety of other gaming programs. Registra-tion is $5 for the day, with no additional fees forseparate events. For more details, contact:MIRACLECON �87, c/o Timothy A. Riley, 308West Church Street, Urbana OH 43078; or call:(513) 653-7848.

MOD-CON 87, September 18-20 ❁Italy�s largest gaming event will be held at the

Older Palasport, Viale Molza 21, in Modena,Italy. Events include AD&D® game tournaments,a Diplomacy tournament, a BATTLESYSTEM�demonstration, and other boardgaming andwargaming tournaments. Convention fees are£ 15, or £ 100 with hotel accommodations. Formore information, contact: Guido nemazzi, c/oOrsa Maggiore Gaming Shop, Piazza Matteotti20, Modena, Italy; or call: (011) 39-59-211200.

SPYCON 5, September 18-20This special convention should be of interest

to all fans of spy/undercover police TV shows.Held at the Mount Prospect Holiday Inn at 200East Rand Road in Mount Prospect, Ill., SPYCON5 features a dealers� room, art show, film room,and a host of other events. Featured programsinclude episodes from The Man FromU.N.C.L.E., The Avengers, Rat Patrol, The Pro-fessionals, Get Smart, and a wide variety ofothers. Registration fees are $18 through Sept.18, and $20 at the door. For more information,send a SASE to: SPYCON 5,2710 Rohlwing Road,Rolling Meadows IL 60008.

UNICON I, September 26-27The Anchorage Community College Gamers

Association and the University of Alaska,Anchorage Gaming Society are proud to intro-duce UNICON I, which will be held on theUniversity of Alaska, Anchorage/AnchorageCommunity College Campus. Tournamentsinclude AD&D®, GAMMA WORLD®, Talisman,RISK®, Blood Bowl, and Advanced Squad Leaderevents, as well as a miniatures-painting contest,open gaming, and other activities. The conven-tion is open from 9 A.M. to midnight on Saturdayand from 9 A.M. to 8 P.M. on Sunday. Preregistra-tion is $4 for UAA/ACC students and $5 for all

92 AUGUST 1987

others until September 12. Thereafter, registra-tion is $8 for both days or $5 for one day.Formore information, send a SASE to: UAA GamingSociety, University of Alaska, Anchorage, 3211Providence Drive, Anchorage AK 99508; or call:Greg Gibbs at (907) 786-7770.

VALLEY CON 12, September 26-27This science-fiction and fantasy convention

will be held at the Ramada Inn, at the intersec-tion of I-94 and Hwy. 75, in Moorhead, Minn.The guest of honor is Frederik Pohl. Featuredactivities include videos, an art show and auc-tion, numerous panels, and a wide variety ofgaming events (courtesy of the Gamers� Guildand Valley Con). Registration fees are $5.50 foradults, $4.50 for teenagers 14-17, and $3.00 foradolescents 4-13, and free for children under 4years of age. For additional information, send aSASE to: VALLEY CON 12, P.O. Box 7202, FargoND 58108; or call: (701) 235-1322.

CONTRADICTION SEVEN, October 2-4This science-fiction and fantasy convention

will be held at the Ramada Inn, 401 BuffaloAvenue, Niagara Falls, N.Y. Anne McCaffrey isthe pro guest of honor, with Mike Glicksohn asfan guest. Other guests include Joan Vinge,Nancy Kress, Jim Frenkel, and T.S. Huff. Eventsoffered include a costume contest ($25 for bestcostume), an art auction, videos, parties, apeople and thing auction, panels, wargaming,filksinging, and other fannish activities. Regis-tration is $13 until July 11, $16 until Sept. 12,and $20 thereafter. For more details, contact:CONTRADICTION, P.O. Box 2043, NewmarketStation, Niagara Falls NY 14301. Please send aSASE if you require confirmation.

DRAGON CON �87, October 2-4The Southeast Fantasy and Gaming Conven-

tion will be held at the Lanier Plaza and Conven-tion Center in Atlanta, Ga. Fantasy role-playing,strategic, and computer gaming are featured inover 75 tournaments. Panels, video rooms, adealers� room, a masquerade party, a gameauction, and much more are offered. Guestsinclude E. Gary Gygax, Michael Moorcock,Richard �Lord British� Garriott, Robert Asprin,Lynn Abbey, Brian Herbert, and Steve Jackson.Preregistration is $25 for fans and $30 forgamers through August 15. (Gamer registrationsinclude four tournament entries.) For moreinformation, send a SASE to: DRAGON CON �87,Box 148, Clarkston GA 30021. Registrants canuse their Visa or Mastercard to charge advancememberships by calling (800) 554-1162 (toll-free), or (404)441-3045 in Georgia.

SAN ANTONIO FANTASY FAIROctober 2-4

Sponsored by Bulldog Productions, this comic-book, science-fiction, and film supershow takesplace at the Sheraton San Antonio, 1400 AustinHighway, Austin, Tex. Guests include Wendy andRichard Pini, Kerry Gammill, Tom Stazer, MikeMignola, and many others. Other featuresinclude a huge dealers� room, a professional artshow, an art contest, an art auction, videorooms, a masquerade, numerous workshops,previews of upcoming motion pictures, and avariety of gaming events and open gamingcompetition. Tickets for this three-day event are$15 through September 1 and $20 thereafter.For more information, contact: Bulldog Produc-tions, PO. Box 820488, Dallas TX 75382; or call:(214) 349-3367.

SUNCOAST SKIRMISHES �87, October 2-4LISTING CHANGE: SKIRMISHES presents

the seventh annual production of this gamingextravaganza at the Howard Johnson PlazaHotel in Tampa, Fla. Events include historicalminiatures, role-playing, and boardgamingcompetitions. Live-action tournaments, a deal-ers� room, numerous seminars, and a host ofother events are also sponsored. Preregistrationfor this three-day event is $12 until Sept. 1;thereafter, all registrations are $18. Hotel reser-vations may be made by calling (813) 873-7900.For more information and registration packets,contact: SKIRMISHES, 1803 Third Court SE #A,Winterhaven FL 33880; or call: (813) 294-9166.

AUTUMN CAMPAIGNS �87, October 3-4Historical miniatures, board games, fantasy,

science-fiction, and role-playing games arefeatured at this gaming convention. TheAUTUMN CAMPAIGNS �87 will be held at theHilton Inn (same as last year) in Lexington, Ky.Registration is $10 for both days or $6 per day.There are no individual gaming fees. For moreinformation, write to: Convention Info, TheRusty Scabbard Hobby Shop, 188 WoodlandAvenue, Lexington KY 40502.

FALL CON IV, October 3This one-day gaming convention will be held

at the McNaughton Park Pavilion in Elkhart,Ind., across from Elkhart General Hospital.Registration for this event is $5 at the door. Inaddition to an official RPGA� Network AD&D®game event, FALL CON IV sponsors numerousother games and miniatures events. For moreinformation, contact: The Brigade GamingGroup, P.O. Box 252, Elkhart IN 46515.

MILWAUKEE�S NINTH HISTORICALWARGAME WEEKEND, October 3-4

This ninth annual, non-profit wargamingconvention will take place at the Bucyrus-ErieHall, 1120 Monroe Avenue, South Milwaukee,Wis. The convention opens at 10 A.M. on bothSaturday and Sunday, and runs until 8 P.M. onSaturday and until 5 P.M on Sunday. Featuredevents include a variety of military miniatureswargames and game vendors. Admission is $5per day or $7 for both days; a $1 fee will also beassessed for each game played. Send a SASE to:Joe Gepfert, 3440 S. Monterey Drive, NewBerlin WI 53151 or Mark Van Groll, 4502 N.56th Street, Milwaukee WI 53218.

VALLEYCON �87, October 3Sponsored by Big Mike�s Video, this one-day

gaming convention will be held at the TulareVeteran�s Memorial Building in Tulare, Calif.Convention events include exhibits, guest speak-ers, rare movies, trivia contests, a costumecontest, gaming demonstrations, AD&D® games,a dealers� room, and open gaming. Registrationto this event is not required, since admission isFREE. For more information, write to: VALLEY-CON �87, 1766 East Tulare Avenue, Tulare CA93274.

CON * STELLATION 6, October 9-11This science-fiction and gaming convention

will be held at the Holiday Inn Research Park inHuntsville, Ala. Julius Schwartz is the guest ofhonor. Registration is $11 through August 31and $15 thereafter. For more details, contact:CON*STELLATION 6, P.O. Box 4857, HuntsvilleAL 35815.

CONTACT-5, October 16-18Sponsored by the River City Science Fiction

Association, this convention will be held at theRamada Inn Spa in Evansville, Ind. The theme ofthe convention is �The War of the Worlds.�

Patrick Price, editor of AMAZING® Stories, isthe guest of honor. Other guests include RickeySheppard, Arlan Andrews, Timothy Zahn,Roger “R2” Reynolds, Mark Schulzinger, GaryM. Williams, Dr. Bill Breuer, Guy McLimore,Greg Poehlein, and David Tepool. Special eventsinclude an art show and auction, a masquerade,panel discussions, RPGA™ Network games, a 24-hour convention suite, a video room, and ahuckster’s room. Registration fees are $12 untilSeptember 15, and $16 thereafter. Room rates atthe Ramada Inn are $45 for a single, $50 for adouble, and $56 for a suite. For more details,write to: CONTACT-5, P.O. Box 3894, EvansvilleIN 47737.

FALL-CON '87, October 16-18This gaming convention which is sponsored

by the Cincinnati Area Gamers, will be held atthe Cincinnati Technical College in Cincinnati,Ohio. All types of role-playing games, board-games, card games, and miniatures games areplayed at this event. Other features include acostume contest, a painting contest, a gamesauction, a dealers' room, and a Titan tourna-ment. For more details, contact: FALL-CON '87,P.O. Box 462, Cincinnati OH 45201-0462; or call:(513) 542-3449.

ICON XII, October 16-18

This science-fiction convention will be held atthe Rodeway Inn, Hwy 965 and I-80, in Coral-ville, Iowa (call (800) 228-2000 for reservations).Scheduled events include science-fiction read-ings and panels, an art show, a large dealers’room, and open gaming. Memberships are $12until September 15 and $17 thereafter; specialone-day registration is available at the door for$10. For details, contact: ICON XII, Dept. M, P.O.Box 525, Iowa City, IA 52244-0525.

NECRONOMICON '87, October 16-18

The Stone Hill Science Fiction Association willhold its sixth annual science-fiction conventionat the Holiday Inn-Sabal Park in Tampa, Fla. Thisyear's guests of honor are Orson Scott Card,Frederik Pohl, and Elizabeth Anne Hull. Inaddition to panel discussions with these authors,there will be a vampire pageant, a costumecontest, trivia games, a general auction, and ahost of other events. Registration rates are $10until Scptember 15. For more informationcontact: NECRONOMICON, c/o Stone Hill SFAssociation, P.O. Box 2076, Riverview FL 33569;or call: (813) 677-6347.

RUDICON 3, October 16-18

This wargaming and role-playing conventiontakes place at the Rochester Institute of Technol-ogy in Rochester, N.Y. Events include tourna-ments, a dealers' room, movies, and much more.For pre-registration or dealers’ information,contact: Steve Ritzau, RUDICON/RochesterWargamer's Association and Guild (RWAG), c/oStudent Directorate, One Lomb Memorial Drive,Rochester NY 14623.

NOVAG III, October 24-25The Northern Virginia Adventure Gamers

(NOVAG) will host their third annual AdventureGaming Convention. This event will be held atthe Leesburg Westpark Hotel in Leesburg, Va.All types of adventure games, from historicalboard and miniatures games to science-fictionand fantasy role-playing games, are featured.Games vendors and game presentations will alsobe available. For more information, contact:NOVAG, 101 E. Holly Avenue, Suite 16, SterlingVA 22170; or call: (703) 450-6738.

94 AUGUST 1987

CHICAGO MODEL & HOBBY SHOWNovember 5-8

Sponsored by the Radio Control Hobby TradeAssociation (RCHTA), this third annual trade andhobby show will be held at the O’Hare ExpoCenter in Rosemont, Ill. A car track, boat pond,retail store, and static model area are featuredagain this year, with product displays by modelrailroad manufacturers. Over 2,000 retailersand distributors will attend this event, as willthousands of experienced modelers. For moreinformation, contact: CHICAGO MODEL &HOBBY SHOW, 2400 East Devon Ave., Suite 205,Des Plaines IL, 60018; or call: Susan P. Lind at(312) 299-3131 or toll-free at (800) 323-5155.

SCI CON 9, November 6-8Sponsored by the Hampton Roads Science

Fiction Association, this science-fiction conven-tion will be held at the Sheraton Beach Inn inVirginia Beach, Va. Larry Niven is the guest ofhonor, with P. Craig Russell as artist guest ofhonor and Bernadette Bosky as fan guest ofhonor. Featured events include panels, readings,videos, a costume contest, an art show, andmuch more. Registration costs are $15 untilOctober 1, and $18 at the door. Huckster’s tables(limit of 2, and including one membership pertable) are $50 each. Room rates at the SheratonBeach Inn are $45 for a single and $51 for adouble. For more information, contact: SCI CON9, P.O. Box 9434, Hampton VA 23670.

EARTHCON VII, November 13-15

This science-fiction convention, which issponsored by NEOFSA, Inc., will be held at theHoliday Inn Westlake, 1100 Crockets Road, inCleveland, Ohio. Guests of honor include R.M.Meluch, Jay Sullivan, Kenneth Shulze, AlanTuskes, Sheldon Jaffrey, and Jim Young. Spon-sored events include videos, dealers, a masquer-ade, panels, filksinging, an art show andauction, a media display room, and much more.Preregistration fees are $18 until August 31;thereaftcr all registration fees are $22. Formore information, write to: Earthcon, P.O. Box5641, Cleveland OH 44101.

PENTACON III, November 14

This one-day gaming convention will be heldat the Whistler Ballroom and Grand WayneGallery in the Grand Wayne Center located at120 W. Jefferson in Fort Wayne, Ind. An RPGA™Network AD&D® tournament is featured, alongwith other AD&D® tournaments, miniaturesbattles, and role-playing games. Events include aflea market, a miniatures-painting contest, andthe awarding of door prizes. A dealers' andmanufacturers’ room is also available. Thisconvention runs from 9 AM to midnight. Fordetails, write to: NIGA/PENTACON, P.O. Box11133, Fort Wayne IN 46856; or call: MichaelDurant at (219) 422-9964.

DALLAS FANTASY FAIR, November 27-29Sponsored by Bulldog Productions, this comic-

book, science-fiction, and film supershow takesplace at the Marriot Park Central, 7750 I-635 atHwy 45, in Dallas, Tex. Guests include CaroleNelson Douglas, Steve Erwin, Kerry Gammill, andmany others. Other features include a hugedealers’ room, a professional art show, an artcontest, an art auction, video rooms, a masquer-ade, numerous workshops, previews of upcom-ing motion pictures, and a variety of gamingevents and open gaming competition. Tickets forthis event are $20 through November 1 and $25thereafter. For information, contact: BulldogProductions, P.O. Box 820488, Dallas TX 75382: orcall: (214) 349-3367.

ORIGINS AWARDS 1987

We received word on the winners of theH.G. Wells and Charles RobertsAwards from the ORIGINS gameconvention, held in Baltimore, Md., July2-5. The winners are:

H.G. Wells Awards

Best historical figure series: AmericanCivil War Line (Stone MountainMiniatures).

Best fantasy/science-fiction figureseries: Fantasy Lords Line(Grenadier Models).

Best vehicular/accessory series:BATTLETECH® Mech (Ral ParthaEnterprises).

Best miniatures rules: CommandDecision game (Game Designers’Workshop).

Best role-playing game:GHOSTBUSTERS™ game (West EndGames).

Best role-playing adventure: GoingHome, for the TWILIGHT: 2000™game (Game Designers’ Workshop).

Best role-playing supplement(co-winners): BATTLETECHTechnical Readout, for theBATTLETECH game (FASACorporation); Cthulhu by Gaslight, forthe CALL OF CTHULHU® game(Chaosium Inc.).

Best professional role-playingmagazine: DRAGON® Magazine(TSR, Inc.) — Thank you!

Best professional miniaturesmagazine: The Courier (The CourierPublishing Co.).

Best play-by-mail game: It’s a Crime(Adventures by Mail).

Best fantasy/science-fictioncomputer game: Bard’s Tale II(Electronic Arts).

Best screen graphics in a computergame: Gunship (Microprose).

Charles Roberts Awards

Best pre-20th century game:Chickamauga (West End Games).

Best 20th-century game: FortressAmerica (Milton Bradley).

Best fantasy/science-fiction game:Kings & Things (West End Games).This game originally appeared inDRAGON issue #77 as King of theTabletop.

Best professional boardgamemagazine: The Wargamer (WorldWide Wargames).

Best military/strategy computergame: Gettysburg, the Turning Point(Strategic Simulations Inc.).

Best amateur adventure gamingmagazine: The Midwest Wargamer’sAssociation Newsletter (HalThinglum).

Best graphic presentation: KoreanWar (Victory Games).

Hall of Fame (The Academy ofAdventure Gaming Arts andScience): Lou Zocchi.

The staff of DRAGON Magazinecongratulates all of the winners.

96 AUGUST 1987

DRAGON 97

98 AUGUST 1987

DRAGON 99

100 AUGUST 1987

DRAGON 101

102 AUGUST 1987

DRAGON 103

104 AUGUST 1987