DRAGON 1

Publisher: Mike Cook

Editor-in-Chief: Kim Mohan Summer what?
Editorial staff: Marilyn Favaro
Roger Raupp Most of you who read this magazine are
Patrick L. Price presently enjoying the part of the aca-
Vol. VIII, No. 1 July 1983 Mary Kirchoff demic year that I always found the most
Roger Moore fun summer vacation. Whether you
Business manager: Mary Parkinson have a job for a while before going back
SPECIAL ATTRACTION Office staff: Sharon Walton
to the books, or whether it really is a
Pam Maloney
Can Seapoint Be Saved? . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Layout designer: Kristine L. Bartyzel vacation, at least summer represents a
Another winning AD&D adventure Contributing editor: Ed Greenwood change from what you do the other nine
National advertising representative: or ten months of the year.
Robert Dewey But if theres something like summer
OTHER FEATURES
c/o Robert LaBudde & Associates, Inc. vacation in the gaming magazine busi-
2640 Golf Road
Glenview IL 60025
ness, nobodys told us about it yet. And
Phone (312)724-5860 for the gaming industry in general,
The ecology of the mimic . . . . . . . . . . . .6 summer is anything but a vacation. This
This issues contributing artists: is the time of year when most of the
The Nine Hells, Part I.. . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Jack Crane Phil Foglio major game conventions are held and
Roger Raupp Dave Trampier
From Avernus through Stygia that means its also the time of year when
Larry Elmore
companies release lots of new products.
Mutants, men (?), and machines . . . . .34 DRAGON Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is pub- That brings me, in a roundabout way,
GAMMA WORLD creatures lished monthly for a subscription price of $24 per to the point of this speech. By the time
year by Dragon Publishing, a division of TSR
Hobbies, Inc. The mailing address of Dragon
you read this, we will be finished with the
Publishing for all material except subscription production of Volume III of the BEST
Beyond the rule book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 orders is P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI 53147. OF DRAGON anthology. Were also
Guidelines for the prospective GM working steadily, if not (yet) frantically,
DRAGON Magazine is available at hobby
stores and bookstores throughout the United on finishing our DRAGONTALES II
Language lessons States and Canada, and through a limited
number of overseas outlets. Subscription rates are fiction anthology. Also in the preparation
I: Even Orcish is logical . . . . . . . . . .54 as follows: $24 for 12 issues sent to an address in stage is a volume containing all of the
II: All games need names . . . . . . . . . 58 the U.S. or Canada; $50 U.S. for 12 issues sent via
surface mail or $95 for 12 issues sent via air mail
Wormy episodes weve ever published. By
to any other country. All subscription payments my reckoning, only about three percent of
UK revisited: Games Fair 83 . . . . . . . . . 76 must be in advance, and should be sent to Dragon the people reading DRAGON magazine
Publishing, P.O. Box 72089, Chicago IL 60690.
EGG had a jolly good time now were around when Tramps story
A limited quantity of certain bath issues of started in issue #9 and I hope the other
DRAGON Magazine can be purchased from the
97% of you are anxious to see how the
Snarfquest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Dungeon Hobby Shop. (See the list of available
issues printed elsewhere in each magazine.) Pay- story (and the strip itself) have developed
Debut of a new comic saga ment in advance by check or money order must
accompany all orders. Payments cannot be made
over the years.
through a credit card, and orders cannot be taken Summer vacation? Summer what? . . .
nor merchandise reserved by telephone. Neither
REGULAR OFFERINGS an individual customer nor an institution can be
Its congratulation time again. Off and
billed for a subscription order or a back-issue
purchase unless, prior arrangements are made. on, weve been using part of this space to
Out on a Limb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 announce module contest winners, and
The issue of expiration for each subscription is
Letters from readers printed on the mailing label for each subscriber's this time the person in the spotlight is
copy of the magazine. Changes of address for the
delivery of subscriptions must be received at least
Bob Waldbauer of Delavan, Wis., who
From the Sorcerers Scroll . . . . . . . . . . . 4 30 days prior to the effective date of the change in won category A-7 with this issues special
New denizens of devildom order to insure uninterrupted delivery). inclusion, Can Seapoint Be Saved?
All material published in DRAGON Magazine Finishing close behind Bobs entry in
Figure Feature: Humanoids . . . . . . . . . 68
becomes the exclusive property of the publisher the judging were Mystery of the Name-
upon publication, unless special arrangements to
the contrary are made prior to publication. less Isle by Colin Nordell of Ontario,
DRAGON Magazine welcomes unsolicited sub- Canada, and The Lost Cathedral by
Review section: missions of written material and artwork; how-
Daniel Biemer of Louisville, Ky., the
Runequest Companion . . . . . . . . . . . 70 ever, no responsibility for such submissions can
be assumed by the publisher in any event. Any second-place and third-place winners,
The Solomani Rim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 submission which is accompanied by a self- respectively.
Tales stranger than fantasy. . . . . . . . 74 addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size will
Our appreciation and congratulations
be returned if it cannot be published.
go to all the prize winners, along with
SF/gaming convention calendar . . . . . 78 DRAGON is a trademark for Dragon Pub-
lishings monthly adventure playing aid. All
our thanks to everyone else who entered
rights on the contents of this publication are category A-7 and made the judging that
Gamers Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
reserved, and nothing may be reproduced from it
in whole or in part without prior permission in
much more difficult. Dont get the wrong
writing from the publisher. Copyright 1983 by idea we like it when the judging is
TSR Hobbies, Inc. tough. That means at least most of the
Whats New . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 entries in a category were high-quality
Second-class postage paid at Lake Geneva,
Wis., and additional mailing offices. pieces of work, so we can be sure that the
Wormy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
winner we print is going to be a winner
Dragon Publishing, P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva with you, too.
WI 53147. USPS 318-790. ISSN 0279-6848.

DRAGON, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, ADVANCED D&D, TOP
SECRET, and GAMMA WORLD are registered trademarks owned by TSR Hobbies, Inc.
TRAVELLER is a registered trademark owned by Game Designers Workshop, Inc.
RUNEQUEST is a registered trademark owned by Chaosium Inc.

2 JULY 1983
 ven though Ive tried and
tried to resist the tempta-
tion, I cant help referring
to this one as a devil of an
issue or, perhaps more
properly put, an issue of devils. No, thats
not entirely accurate, but more than 20 of
the pages inside are devoted to descrip-
tions of new devils and devil-types for the
AD&D game, along with facts about
what the environment is like on the var- of, a letter but for obvious reasons were
ious planes of the Nine Hells. Its not a PBM problems making a couple of exceptions to that policy.
(See the following letter as well.)
place to spend your summer vacation Unfortunately, Mr. Gray is not immediately
Dear Editor:
except, of course, in your imagination. The April issue of DRAGON Magazine con- available for us to obtain comments from him
Leading off the devil section is a pre- tamed an article entitled The PBM Scene: about Mr. Clemens assertions. But this letter
sentation of the manuscripts that E. Gary Facts you can use when you choose what game just came to our attention on the day before
Gygax has composed over the last few to play. Unfortunately, the information about deadline for this issue, and rather than hold
years (since the release of the Monster UNIVERSE II contained in the article was not onto it and wait another month to correct the
Manual) on the hierarchy of The Nine factual. To begin with, the address shown had address error, we decided to use the letter now
Hells and some of the previously unre- not been accurate for two years. Since mail and contact Mr. Gray at a later date. Maybe
from that address is no longer even forwarded, hell have something to say in explanation (or
corded devil-types that live there.
anyone trying to contact us will assume we are in defense) of what he wrote, and if so well be
Next is part I of The Nine Hells, a pleased to print his letter next time. KM
no longer in business.
massive treatise composed by contribut- The article stated that UNIVERSE III was a
ing editor Ed Greenwood in an effort to new version of the game, implying that it is
flesh out what Gary had already done. Ed different than UNIVERSE II. This is not the Dear Editor:
presents his educated speculations about case, as both are processed using the same Thank you (and Mr. Gray) for your recent
what each of the separate planes is like, computer program. Each game operates four coverage of the Play-By-Mail gaming industry.
and descriptions of the individual devils quadrants of space which are adjacent to each We would like to point out that in issue #72 of
that Gary mentions but doesnt detail. other. DRAGON magazine, page 31, the address of
Because Eds manuscript was so long, we It is apparent that Mr. Gray had such Schubel & Son was incorrectly listed. Our cor-
limited experience with UNIVERSE II that he rect address is: Schubel & Son Inc., P.O. Box
had to break it into two parts; next felt he had to create information to include. 214848, Sacramento CA 95821.
month well present his musings on the He evidently paid very little attention to the Duane Wilcoxson
lowest four planes, plus notes on how the ship he was assigned, as he referred to the Gamer Relations
effects of various magic spells are supply of fuel when, in fact, the ships need Schubel & Son Inc.
changed, or nullified, if those spells are no fuel. In addition, he claimed to have built
cast anywhere within the Nine Hells. an alien escape pod when there is no such This time, the mistake was a simple typo-
Top billing in the table of contents this device that can be built. graphical error: Somehow, between the time
time our middle-of-the-magazine spe- UNIVERSE II is a game which requires that Mike Gray wrote his article and when it got
a player use intelligence and creativity in order into print, the 2 got deleted from the post
cial inclusion goes to the winner in
to be successful. The range of activities is very office box number. Even though Schubel &
category A-7 of our Module Design Con- diversified and allows a wide variety of roles. Son is probably famous enough for the Sacra-
test, Can Seapoint Be Saved? If the Some players choose to build fleets of ships mento Post Office to find em anyway, it
player characters in your campaign have (battlecruisers, freighters, shuttles, interceptors, obviously helps to have the correct address on
never been challenged by an adventure on etc.). They explore the hundreds of unique the envelope you're sending. Our sincere and
(and around) the high seas, just let em solar systems, deal with civilized alien races, profuse apologies to anyone who tried to con-
try to sail through Seapoint. discover new lifeforms, operate trading sys- tact either Clemens and Associates (see the
Theres a lot more to being a good and tems, raid other ships or colonies, etc. Others preceding letter) or Schubel & Son by using the
effective gamemaster than knowing the choose to be colonists on uncivilized worlds. incorrect addresses we printed. KM
rules. Lew Pulsiphers contribution They build fortifications, farm, mine, explore,
operate a wide range of factories, trade with
inside goes Beyond the rule book, offer-
passing starships, etc.
ing guidelines on procedures and style
that any campaign manager veteran
Player interaction is frequent, with many
player alliances and empires in existence. Wars
Champions critic
or novice should keep in mind. are fought, ships destroyed, territory con- Dear Editor:
'Way back in issue #66, we printed a quered. New players are generally started in I was very disappointed with the article con-
package of articles about the use of lan- quieter areas so they will have a chance to cerning the superhero role-playing game
guages in role-playing games. As often build up their strength before confronting star- Champions which you printed in issue #73
happens, those articles prompted other ships with the capacity to destroy them. of your magazine.
articles on the same subject so, inside I feel Mr. Gray has done my game a tre- First of all, the authors suggestion of roll-
mendous disservice by including gross inac- ing only for a few characters hunteds and
are two new Language lessons. Both DNPCs is absurd. What good is having the
curacies in an article billed as factual. As
authors, Clyde Heaton and Katharine your magazine has one of the best reputations disadvantage if it only comes into play every
Kerr, make the same basic point: Any in the industry, I am certain you will want to third or fourth game? On that same note, who
language, no matter how primitive, must print this letter in the next issue to provide the says a hunter that is scheduled to appear has
be logical and consistent in order to be correct facts for your readers. to jump our hero and try to pound in his 14
believable and playable. Jon Clemens, President defense skull! There are other ways of dealing
Lastly, but far from least (or should Clemens and Associates, Inc. with hunteds, such as having them leave our
that be leastly?), we present the debut of a P.O. Box 4297 hero a threatening message of some kind, per-
new comic adventure strip: Snarfquest, San Clemente CA 92672 haps a riddle leading the hero to the villains
hideout (a definite adventure in the making),
drawn and written by Larry Elmore.
Right you are, Mr. Clemens. Were more or even a trap.
Maybe ol Snarf isnt exactly a typical than happy to try to straighten out the prob- Secondly, the author makes a suggestion for
hero but then again, this isnt exactly a lems that the article seems to have caused. timing, or how to get several heroes into the
typical magazine. . . . KM Ordinarily, we dont print complete mailing game. All I have to say on this is, if you dont
addresses of writers in, or under the signature know of any way to bring Cosmic Dude,

DRAGON 3
Valley Brick, or Wonder Twit into an Andys, then youre going to have to make a
adventure, you might as well pack it up as a
GM.
Piercer praise determination and stick to it. Sure, we could
give you a number but we admit we cant
Lastly, the idea of paying power points for a Dear Editor: tell you why a piercer has a life span of (for
particular financial bracket is an original one, I was surprised when I opened DRAGON instance) five years, instead of fifty or five
but it severely limits the characters expression #72 and saw a cross section of the piercer. My hundred. In this respect, the AD&D world is a
of individuality. With this concept a powerful first thought was that it must be part of your lot like the one we live in: Some questions can
character, who might need a lot of money to annual April foolery. But as I began reading I never be answered definitively because we just
balance out his origin, may not be able to found a serious, informative article. dont have, and never will have, enough facts
afford an industry. Thats too contradictory I have never thought of the piercer as a par- to be positive were right. KM
to me. After all, the entire Champions game ticularly exciting monster, but now I have
system is set up to allow a player to be what he more respect for it. I too have wondered how
wants, not just what he can afford. I believe the piercer locates and feeds on prey.
the Champions rules were left somewhat vague
in spots on purpose to allow a player to use
Although I dont think the article was espe-
cially important, it did cover virtually all gen-
Cavalier conformity
more of his own creativity in the game. eral points. Some specific information about Dear Editor:
Mark Arsenault lifespan, maximum time between feedings, and I was very pleased with the Attack Priority
Sacramento, Calif. results of starvation would have been appre- System in issue #71, and I was about to use it
ciated, though. For instance, do other animals in my campaign when a very important ques-
or piercers ever inhabit dead piercers shells? tion came up. What about the Cavalier and the
I would like to see more short articles of this weapons he is specialized in? The old way he
Translation and type and encourage anyone who is so inclined would get 3/2, 2/1, 5/2, and 3/1 attacks with
to make some speculations on the life cycles of those weapons in melee rounds, but what
design opportunity various creatures. happens now?
Andy Stone Robert Sprott
Is Japanese your first language? Are Mt. Horeb, Wis. Fairborn, Ohio
you fluent in English as well? Is Japa-
nese history well known to you? Are you We hoped The Ecology of the Piercer Im sure that a suitable answer to Roberts
a student of mythology of the Far East? would go over well; based on the reactions question exists or, at the least, there ought
Do you play D&D and AD&D games weve received, our hopes were realized. As to be a way to use the cavalier character class
regularly? Andy and the rest of you realize by now, the and the Attack Priority System in the same
If you can answer each of the above piercer article was just the first of what we campaign. Unfortunately, thats not a topic
questions affirmatively, then you may expect will be a long series of ecology arti- that can be addressed in this very limited space.
have an unparalleled opportunity with cles. If youre considering trying to write one However, Roberts letter raises a point that I
to submit to us, there are two things you can afford to spend a paragraph on.
TSR Hobbies, Inc.! We are now seeking
should know: First, our standards for this kind Not all of the articles we print are compati-
a full-time translator and designer to of article are pretty demanding in some ble with each other, and we dont try to make
work with our line of fantasy role play- ways, even higher than for a regular article. them so. We hope they are all compatible with
ing games. The position has excellent Be real sure you know what youre talking the game rules they are derived from, and
pay and benefits plus opportunity for about, and try not to leave any stones that's really all that we (or you) can reasonably
advancement based on performance. unturned. Second, weve already got a good- expect. The article on the Attack Priority Sys-
Employment location is at the main sired backlog of articles of this type. That tem was designed to be used with the standard
Corporate offices in Lake Geneva, Wis. means that even if you write about a monster AD&D rules. It is not necessarily compatible
Applicants must send a complete re- no one else has covered yet, and even if it gets with supplementary information weve pub-
accepted, it might not be printed for a long lished in the magazine, such as the barbarian
sume with salary history. Be sure to
time. If youre not discouraged by either or and thief-acrobat classes. And it would have
state how many years you have played both of those facts, give it a try. been downright impossible to include allow-
both the D&D game system and the Obviously, no ecology article can be com- ances for the cavalier in the attack system. The
AD&D game system. Indicate familiar- pletely comprehensive; there will always be article was accepted several months before it
ity with other FRP games, please. Sub- things people want to know that neither we was printed long before any of us here (and
mit information to: nor the author thought about. And in many certainly the author of the article) had ever
cases, such as the points Andy raises in his let- heard of the cavalier. In fact, the cavalier arti-
Cheryl Gleason ter, the only way to answer a question is to cle didnt appear in print until the month after
International Division take a slightly wild guess. The life span of a the Attack Priority System was featured.
TSR Hobbies, Inc. piercer, or how often it needs to eat, are facts Ill suggest, as I sometimes do in this space,
P.O. Box 756 that cant be deduced logically from what we that Roberts question sounds like the germ of
Lake Geneva WI 53 147 know, or suppose to be true, about the nature a good article idea. If anyone out there wants
of the creature. If the situation in your cam- to try to answer it, great. Our mailbox always
paign demands answers to questions like has room for one more manuscript. KM

4 JULY 1983
 open doors roll based on their strength.
Repeated attempts to break free may be
made, but no other action attack or
defense is possible by the victim dur-
ing the round of attempted escape.)
Mimics are interested only in personal
safety and an endless quest for food.
Killer mimics will attack any living
creature, regardless of the number of
adversaries or their powers. The more
intelligent variety often prefers to bargain
with an enemy initially but the crea-
tures have no moral standards as we
know them: If an enemy is sufficiently
weakened after a bargain has been struck,
a mimic will change its mind, always
seeking a meal first and foremost.
Mimics have very sensitive eyespots
(patches of pigment that are sensitive to
heat; light, and vibration) all over their
skin. Bright sunlight overwhelms these
sensory spots, effectively blinding the
mimic; thus, the creatures are almost
always found below ground or in other
areas where the sun never reaches. Mimics
of all sorts are immune to the deleterious
effects of alcohol (but will absorb it if
offered, to make use of the inherent nu-
trients and sugar), and are also unaffected
by slime (including green slime), molds
(including the brown and yellow varie-
ties), and the corrosive secretions of crea-
tures such as the black pudding, gray
ooze, ochre jelly, stunjelly, and gelatinous
by Ed Greenwood cube.
It should be remembered that mimics
From the Journals of Maerlun the the cavity wall muscles, they squirt their can travel on walls and ceilings as easily
Scholar: contents rapidly (within 1 round) into the as they can on floors. Those of the more
The mimic is a curious (and danger- outer skin layer, filling many capillaries intelligent sort are most adept at hid-
ous) creature to most minds but few that lie just beneath the skin surface. ing by assuming the shape of a partition
know, or care to know, that there are These capillaries then stand out, brown- wall, overhanging arch, or rough rock
actually several related species of mimic, ish and wrinkled, in a pattern resembling wall if they feel threatened. One famous,
divided into two groups: a larger, killer wood grain. if somewhat extreme, example: A mimic
variety that is of lesser intelligence, Reversing the process, from the wood- somehow came into one of the busiest
attacking all nearby prey, and does not grain appearance to the natural state, market squares of Waterdeep and
speak; and the more intelIigent, eloquent requires a sort of external contortion; a assumed the shape of a statue. It
species which will often bargain for food, mimic appears to wriggle and twist all remained undetected for two winters,
has a curious (as yet unfathomed by me) over as it empties its capillaries of the until the chronic disappearance of street
language of its own, and often speaks liquid. (The creature can, as we all know, derelicts in the square on every dark night
orcish, the common tongue, dwarvish, or alter the external configuration of its prompted an investigation. A sewer
other tongues used in the vicinity of the form at will, within the limits imposed beside this strangely unfamiliar (to the
individual creatures hunting ground. by the actual volume of its form.) The sculptor who had done the square)
The mimic gains its name from its mimic grows replacement layers of skin statue was discovered to be filled to a
ability to alter not only its body shape but beneath the outer one, which is con- depth of more than 60 feet with human
the color and texture of the outer surface stantly being worn away by the ravages of and animal bones. (Even after this fact
as well. The color and texture changes are movement, battle, and feeding. was discovered, the statue ate two
accomplished by the shifting of pig- The mimic is amorphous, and moves members of the City Watch who prodded
mented liquid between interior and exte- in the same way it attacks: by extending it carelessly with their spears, not expect-
rior body cells, so that the creature resem- strong pseudopods, which exude a sticky ing to find anything.)
bles wood or stone in color and texture glue, and pulling themselves along. A Although the details of the concoction
depending on whether this pigmented mimic can unstick its own glue at any are not known by this scribe, it is gener-
liquid is brought to the outer surface of time, and it never sticks to itself. ally said that the skin of the mimic is use-
the creatures body or stored internally. Reputedly, this glue is sticky enough ful in the making of a polymorph (self)
A mimic is naturally gray in hue, with that only the strongest of adventurers has potion. Also, further investigation is
a smooth, very hard outer skin that gives a good chance of breaking the mimics needed to determine the range of travel of
it the stone-like appearance. The pig- hold without killing the creature first. an individual mimic over a lifetime, and
mented liquid, brownish in color (often Some adventurers claim to have pulled the precise efficacy of the creatures detec-
revealed to adventurers when a mimic is themselves free from a mimics glue, but tion organs, which, based on casual
wounded in battle), is held within the such tales are rare and often their veracity observation, appear to see up to 90 feet
body in large, muscular organs that serve is doubtful: (To simulate the possibility in subterranean (not total) darkness, and
as both bags and pumps. When these of breaking free in game terms, held up to 30 feet in the gloom of night, or in
organs are squeezed by the contraction of characters may be allowed to attempt an darkened areas above ground.
6 JULY 1983
New denizens of devildom
A partial preview of Monster Manual II
By E. Gary Gygax
1983 E. Gary Gygax. All rights reserved.
The Monster Manual details the names the dukes are about equivalent to a represent pit fiends, all having excep-
and ranks of many of the devils, but it is weaker Arch-Devil, although some are tional strength and power for their type.
by no means complete. The following is a only a little stronger than a pit fiend, or The notation (f) indicates a female devil.
list of the Dukes of Hell, as well as some are, in fact, actual pit fiends. Typically, females have strength just
of their foremost henchmen. In general, In this list, names printed in italic type superior to that of a pit fiend.

Name In service of Command or position Name In service of Command or position

Abigor . . . . . . . .Baalzebul . . . . . . . . .60 companies malebranche Bathym . . . . . . . .Belial . . . . . . . . . . . .30 companies barbed devils
Adonides . . . . . .Mephistopheles. . . .Steward Bel . . . . . . . . . . . .Dispater . . . . . . . . . .3 companies malebranche
Adramelech . . . . Asmodeus . . . . . . . . .Chancellor Bele . . . . . . . . . . .Mephistopheles. . . . Justiciar
Agares . . . . . . . . .Geryon . . . . . . . . . . .31 companies bone devils Bensozia (f) . . . . Asmodeus . . . . . . . . .Consort
Alastor . . . . . . . .Asmodeus . . . . . . . . .Executioner Bethage. . . . . . . .Moloch . . . . . . . . . . .9 companies malebranche
Alocer . . . . . . . . .Dispater . . . . . . . . . .36 companies erinyes Biffant . . . . . . . .Dispater . . . . . . . . . .Provost
Amduscias . . . . .Tiamat . . . . . . . . . . .29 companies abishai Bifrons . . . . . . . .Mephistopheles . . . .26 companies ice devils
Amon . . . . . . . . .Geryon . . . . . . . . . . .40 companies bone devils Bileth . . . . . . . ..Moloch . . . . . . . . . . .Tribune
Arioch . . . . . . . . .Dispater . . . . . . . . . . Avenger Bitru . . . . . . . . . .Dispater . . . . . . . . . .70 companies erinyes
Baalberith . . . . . Asmodeus . . . . . . . . .Major Domo Buer . . . . . . . . . .Asmodeus. . . . . . . . .15 companies pit fiends
Baalphegor (f) Mephistopheles. . . .Consort Bune . . . . . . . . . .Asmodeus . . . . . . . . .30 companies malebranche
Baalzephon . . . . Dispater . . . . . . . . . .Prime Minister Caarcrinolaas . . Mammon . . . . . . . . .36 companies barbed devils
Bael . . . . . . . . . . .Mammon . . . . . . . . .66 companies barbed devils Chamo . . . . . . . .Belial . . . . . . . . . . . .Legate
Baftis (f) . . . . . . .Baalzebul . . . . . . . . .Consort Cozbi (f) . . . . . . .Geryon . . . . . . . . . . . Consort
Balan . . . . . . . . .Belial . . . . . . . . . . . .40 companies bearded devils Fecor . . . . . . . . . .Geryon . . . . . . . . . . .8 companies malebranche
Barbas . . . . . . . . .Mephistopheles. . . . Chamberlain Focalor . . . . . . . .Mammon . . . . . . . . .Seneschal
Barbatos . . . . . . . Baalzebul . . . . . . . . .Marshal Furcas . . . . . . . . .Dispater . . . . . . . . . .12 companies bearded devils

8 JULY 1983
Name In service of Command or position Name In service of Command or position
Gaziel . . . . . . . . .Belial . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 companies bone devils Morax . . . . . . . . . Asmodeus . . . . . . . . . 9 companies pit fiends
Glwa (f) . . . . . .Mammon . . . . . . . . .Consort Naome (f) . . . . . .Belial . . . . . . . . . . . .Consort
Goap . . . . . . . . . .Tiamat . . . . . . . . . . . 3 companies erinyes Neabaz . . . . . . . .Baalzebul . . . . . . . . .Herald
Gorson . . . . . . . .Geryon . . . . . . . . . . . Bailiff Nexroth . . . . . . .Mephistopheles. . . .16 companies malebranche
Herobaal . . . . . .Moloch . . . . . . . . . . .16 companies bone devils Phongor . . . . . . .Asmodeus. . . . . . . . . Inquisitor
Herodias . . . . . . .Geryon . . . . . . . . . . .Magistrate Rimmon . . . . . . .Asmodeus . . . . . . . . . 5 companies ice devils
Hutijin . . . . . . . . Mephistopheles. . . . 2 companies pit fiends Tartach . . . . . . . .Moloch . . . . . . . . . . .Legate
Lilis (f) . . . . . . . .Dispater . . . . . . . . . . Consort Titivilus . . . . . . .Dispater . . . . . . . . . .Nuncio
Lilith (f) . . . . . . . Moloch . . . . . . . . . . .Consort Zaebos . . . . . . . . .Belial . . . . . . . . . . . .Lieutenant
Machalas . . . . . . Geryon . . . . . . . . . . . 11 companies barbed devils Zagum . . . . . . . . Asmodeus . . . . . . . . .30 companies barbed devils
Malphas . . . . . . . Tiamat . . . . . . . . . . . 40 companies abishai Zapan . . . . . . . . .Belial . . . . . . . . . . . .4 companies malebranche
Martinet . . . . . . . Asmodeus. . . . . . . . . Constable Zepar . . . . . . . . . .Baalzebul . . . . . . . . .28 companies malebranche
Melchon . . . . . . . Mammon . . . . . . . . . 18 companies erinyes Zimimar . . . . . . .Mammon . . . . . . . . .6 companies bone devils
Merodach . . . . . . Dispater . . . . . . . . . .21 companies barbed devils

Notes on individual descriptions (to be released soon) and the preparation of this magazine article
The new devils and devil-types in this article, through the de- were independent efforts. The information presented here is
scription of Titivilus on page 14, are taken from the same origi- likely to be very similar to whats in the new rule book, but it
nal manuscripts, by E. Gary Gygax, that were used in the prepa- will not be identical. When a point is expressed differently in the
ration of Monster Manual II. However, the assembly of that book two works, the book will take precedence over this article.

ABISHAI (Lesser devil) type Q treasure which they are taking to

some greater devil. Attack damage shown
Black Blue Green Red White is for the weapon type used by a particu-
FREQUENCY: Common Common Common Common Common lar sort of abishai, with strength bonus
NO. APPEARING: 1-3 or 2-8 1-4 or 3-12 1-3 or 3-9 1-4 or 3-12 1-3 or 3-12 added in. Black abishai use halberds;
ARMOR CLASS: 2 3 3 1 3 white, flails; red, long daggers; green,
MOVE: 9/12 15/15 12/15 18/18 9/15 guisarme-voulges; and blue, tridents.
HIT DICE: 8 5+1 6 4+2 7 In hand-to-hand combat, all abishai
% IN LAIR: 20% 35% 30% 40% 25% can grapple. The damage done is 1-4 (due
TREASURE TYPE: Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil to cuts from sharp scales, talons, etc.)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 1 1 2 2 plus strength bonus red +1, green or
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 5-14 5-10 4-10 2-5 /2-5 4-9/4-9 white +2, blue +3, black +4. They are also
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below for all able to strike with their tails for 1-2
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below for all points of damage. Abishai regenerate at
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 35% 20% 25% 40% 30% the rate of 1 point per round, unless
INTELLIGENCE: Average Average Average Average Average struck by silver, holy water, or holy magic
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil for all weapons.
SIZE: L (8) M (5) M (6) S (4) M (7) Abishai can use the following spell-like
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil powers, one at a time, one per round:
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil change self, command, produce flame,
pyrotechnics, scare, summon (another
abishai, 20% chance of success, once per
The race of abishai, the scaly devils, are their lair (second range of numbers under day).
common to the first plane of the Nine No. Appearing above). If abishai are Description: Abishai are the epitome of
Hells. They are reptilian, and most serve encountered in their lair, 10% of the time devils, appearing as humanoids with
Tiamat. On the lower infernal planes there will be 1-4 other devil-types present small horns, snaky hair, fangs, pointed
abishai are uncommon (2nd-4th) to rare as well. ears, slanting eyes, leathery wings, and
(5th-6th). Abishai will always appear in Although they do not value treasure, barbed tail. They have scaled hides and
greater numbers when encountered in abishai occasionally (15%) have charge of reptilian feet.

DRAGON 9
AMON (Duke of Hell) devils. In battle array Bael wears armor of must save vs. poison or immediately
bronze fashioned in the ancient style and develop a burning rash which reduces
FREQUENCY: Unique (Very rare) uses a morning star (+2) with a long dexterity by 1 point per round for four
NO. APPEARING: 1 bronze handle which telescopes magically rounds.
ARMOR CLASS: -2 from 4 length to 8 length as Bael desires. At will, one at a time, one per turn or
MOVE: 18 In addition to normal attacks, Bael can, per round as applicable, bearded devils
HIT DICE: 126 hit points at will, one per round, use the following can use the following spell-like powers:
% IN LAIR: 60% spell-like powers: animate dead, cause affect normal fires, command, fear (by
TREASURE TYPE: G, P serious wounds, detect invisibility, detect touch), produce flame, and summon
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 and 1 magic, dispel magic, invisibility, know another bearded devil (with a 35% chance
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-12 or by alignment, produce fire, pyrotechnics, of success).
weapon type +7 read languages, read magic, shape change
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below (twice per day), suggestion, teleportation,
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below wind walk, (fulfill anothers limited)
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70% wish. Once per day Bael can employ a BELIAL (Arch-devil)
INTELLIGENCE: Genius symbol of stunning. He radiates fear in a
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil 10 radius when he so desires. He can FREQUENCY: Unique (Very rare)
SIZE: L (9 tall) summon 1-4 barbed devils with a 65% NO. APPEARING: 1
PSIONIC ABILITY: 229 chance of success. Bael regenerates 1 ARMOR CLASS: -4
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all point per round. MOVE: 9/15
Description: Bael is a well-formed HIT DICE: 154 hit points
Amon is a vassal of Geryon, mustering humanoid with gold-colored skin. His % IN LAIR: 75%
and commanding up to 40 companies of head is rather long and has small, TREASURE TYPE: A, S, T, Y
bone devils recruited from his fief. He is forward-curling bulls horns. His features NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
large and strong, typically attacking with appear rather bovine, with large, round DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +7
a huge (+3) mace and a vicious bite as eyes, a long and broad nose, and protrud- SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
well. A winter wolf of the largest size ing ears. SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
serves him as a companion and guardian. MAGIC RESISTANCE: 80%
One at a time, at will, one per turn or INTELLIGENCE: Genius
melee round, Amon can use the following ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil
spell-like powers: animate dead, charm BEARDED (Lesser devil) SIZE: L (10 tall)
monster, detect magic, detect invisible, PSIONIC ABILITY: 279
dispel magic, fly, geas, know alignment, FREQUENCY: Common Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
polymorph self, produce flame, read lan- NO. APPEARING: 1-2 or 4-10
guages, read magic, suggestion, teleporta- ARMOR CLASS: 1 Great Belial rules the Fourth Hell. He
tion, wall of ice, and (fulfill anothers MOVE: 15 is firmly in the camp of Baalzebul, hating
limited) wish. Amon causes fear in any HIT DICE: 6+6 Geryon nearly as much as does Moloch.
individual he gazes at, unless the % IN LAIR: 15% In turn, Belial must guard against the
intended victim makes a saving throw vs. TREASURE TYPE: Nil machinations of Mammon, so he does not
spell. Once per day Amon can use a sym- NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 or 3 have complete freedom to act. From his
bol of hopelessness. He can summon 1-4 DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type basalt palace, Belial dictates the disposi-
bone devils with a 60% chance of success. or 1-8/1-2/1-2 tion of the abishai, barbed, bearded, bone,
Amon is able to regenerate 1-12 points of SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below and spined devils populating the reeking
damage per turn. SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below fens and smoking plains of his realm. He
Description: Amon is wolf-headed but MAGIC RESISTANCE: 45% utilizes a huge military fork (+4) in com-
otherwise appears human. His torso is INTELLIGENCE: Average Very bat. This weapon causes the creature
well-formed and muscled. ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil struck to save vs. spell or be affected as if
SIZE: L (6 tall) smitten by a symbol of pain.
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil In addition, Belial can use the follow-
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil ing spell-like powers, at will, one at a
BAEL (Duke of Hell) time, one per round: animate deed,
Bearded devils populate the Third beguile, charm person, detect magic, dis-
FREQUENCY: Unique (Very rare) Hell, the domain of Mammon, as well as pel illusion, detect invisibility, dispel
NO. APPEARING: 1 planes below that. They are particularly magic, geas, illusion, invisibility, know
ARMOR CLASS: -3 cruel and violent, attacking at any excuse. alignment, light, produce flame, pyro-
MOVE: 12 This makes them unpopular and subject technics, raise dead, read languages, read
HIT DICE: 106 hit points to frequent and harsh disciplinary mea- magic, shape change, suggestion, telepor-
% IN LAIR: 55% sures, but it also makes them desirable as tation, wall of fire, and (fulfill anothers)
TREASURE TYPE: G, P shock troops. wish. Once per day Belial can use a sym-
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 In most cases, bearded devils carry a bol of insanity. He can likewise pro-
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +6 saw-toothed glaive equipped with a nounce an unholy word once per day.
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below treble-hook arranged at the base of the Belial causes fear in any individual he
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below blade. The latter device curves backward stares at, saving throw vs. spell applica-
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70% and is used to entangle or snag opponents ble. He can summon 1-4 black abishai
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional closing or fleeing (1-3 points damage, (25%), 1-3 barbed devils (25%), or 1-4
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil plus held fast unless a die roll equal to bearded devils (50%) with an 85% chance
SIZE: L (8+ tall) success of opening a door is made). With- of success,
PSIONIC ABILITY: 206 out weapons, bearded devils attack with Description: Belial is humanoid and
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all their wire-like beards plus clawed hands. typically diabolic in appearance. His hide
If both hand attacks succeed, beard dam- is scaly and sooty black. His horns, tail,
Bael is one of the vassals of Mammon, age is the maximum (8 points). Any crea- and wings are glossy black. His eyes are
commanding 66 campanies of barbed ture struck for maximum beard damage large and slanted, and they glow red.

10 J ULY 1983
BITRU (Duke of Hell) by pointing at any creature within a 60
distance, saving throw vs. spell applica-
FREQUENCY: Unique (Very rare) ble. He can summon 1-3 erinyes with a
NO. APPEARING: 1 60% chance of success. Bitru regenerates 2
ARMOR CLASS: -1 hit points per round.
MOVE: 12/18 Description: Bitru is very muscular.
HIT DICE: 99 hit points His skin is shining crimson, and his
% IN LAIR: 50% horns, hooves, and wings are lustrous
TREASURE TYPE: G, P black. Bitrus visage is typically
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 diabolical.
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65% GLASYA (Princess of Hell)
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil FREQUENCY: Unique (Very rare)
SIZE: L (9 tall) NO. APPEARING: 1
PSIONIC ABILITY: 199 ARMOR CLASS: -2
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all MOVE: 15/30
HIT DICE: 69 hit points
Bitru serves Dispater and leads 70 com- % IN LAIR: 80%
panies of erinyes in warfare. These devils TREASURE TYPE: I, Q(5), S
are raised from the vast estates held in NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
fief. Bitru employs a huge (+3 two- DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +4
handed) sword in combat. SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
These spell-like powers can be used by SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
Bitru, one at a time, at will: animate MAGIC RESISTANCE: 60%
dead, charm person, detect invisibility, INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
detect magic, dispel magic, illusion, ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil
know alignment, mirror image, produce SIZE: L (9 tall)
fire, read languages, read magic, sugges- PSIONIC ABILITY: 206
tion, teleportation, wall of smoke (same Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
as wall of fog), and (fulfill anothers
limited) wish. Once per day Bitru can As consort to Mammon, Glasya is one
employ a symbol of pain. He causes fear of the more powerful and influential of
female devils. She does not normally MAMMON (Arch-devil) Mammon rides a nightmare of largest
engage in combat, but she has a short size, with a pack of hell hounds at his
sword with a poisoned blade (equal to a FREQUENCY: Unique (Very rare) heels, over this grim domain, seeking
dagger of venom). NO. APPEARING: 1 trophies of the hunt. His weapon is a
Glasya can employ the following spell- ARMOR CLASS: -3 fauchard-fork which inflicts normal
like powers, one at a time, at will: ani- MOVE: 6/12 damage (1-8 or 1-10) but acts otherwise as
mate dead, charm monster, charm person, HIT DICE: 139 hit points a sword of wounding.
dispel magic, illusion, know alignment, % IN LAIR: 65% At will, one at a time, one per round,
poison, polymorph self, produce flame, TREASURE TYPE: H, R Mammon is able to use the following
read languages, read magic, suggestion, NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 spell-like powers: animate dead, beguile,
teleportation, and (fulfill anothers DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +7 charm person, detect invisibility, detect
limited) wish. Once per day Glasya can SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below magic, dispel magic, fools gold, geas,
employ a finger of death. She causes fear SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below illusion, invisibility, know alignment,
by speaking to an individual, saving MAGIC RESISTANCE: 75% produce flame, pyrotechnics, raise dead,
throw vs. spell applicable. She can sum- INTELLIGENCE: Genius read languages, read magic, shape
mon 1-2 malebranche (70% chance of suc- ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil change, suggestion, teleportation, wall of
cess). She regenerates 2 points of damage SIZE: L (12 tall) fire, and (fulfill anothers) wish. Once per
every turn. PSIONIC ABILITY: 259 day Mammon is able to use a symbol of
Description: Glasya is another typically Attack/Defense Modes: All/all hopelessness and to pronounce an unholy
diabolic devil, being well-built and good- word. He causes fear by means of his
looking save for her wings, forked tail, Mammon is the ruler of the Third gaze, saving throw vs. spell applicable.
horns, and copper-colored skin. Plane of the Nine Hells. He and Dispater Mammon can summon 1-4 green abishai
are supposedly allies and jointly support (50%), 1-3 barbed devils (25%), or 1-3
Mephistopheles, but neither ever has bearded devils (25%) with an 80% chance
failed to obey Asmodeus. It is also doubt- of success.
HUTIJIN (Duke of Hell) ful that Mammon places real trust in the Description: Mammon is a red-gold
Lord of Dis. color, with scaled wings gleaming like
FREQUENCY: Unique (Very rare) Mammons realm is a boundless series rubies. His form is bloated and soft-
NO. APPEARING: 1 of rifts with slime streams along the bot- looking, but Mammon is very strong. He
ARMOR CLASS: -4 toms. Hot ash falls from spurting volca- is otherwise typically diabolic in
MOVE: 9/18 noes scattered over these badlands. appearance.
HIT DICE: 111 hit points
% IN LAIR: 30%
TREASURE TYPE: G
Mephistopheles great iron citadel in the ice
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 mountains of [the Eighth Plane of the Nine Hells] is
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
a place of much plotting and intrigue. . . .
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65% MEPHISTOPHELES (Arch-devil)
INTELLIGENCE: Genius
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil FREQUENCY: Unique (Very rare) Mephistopheles has a great, three-tined
SIZE: L (13 tall) NO. APPEARING: 1 fork (+3) which can, upon his command,
PSIONIC ABILITY: 275 ARMOR CLASS: -6 deliver 3-12 points of cold, electrical, or
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all MOVE: 15/18 fire damage, saving throw vs. spell appli-
HIT DICE: 188 hit points cable. Each function is usable three times
Hutijin commands two companies of % IN LAIR: 70% per day. These function damage points
pit fiends in service to Mephistopheles. TREASURE TYPE: R, X, Z are in addition to all other damage caused
These creatures are, in fact, the artistoc- NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 by the weapon.
racy of the Eighth Plane, just as Hutijin DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +9 Mephistopheles can, at will, one at a
is one of the greatest of the dukes of the SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below time, one per round, use the following
hells. He uses a net of snaring and a +3 SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below spell-like powers: animate dead, beguile,
trident in battle. MAGIC RESISTANCE: 85% charm person, cone of cold, detect invisi-
One at a time, at will, one per round, INTELLIGENCE: Supra-genius bility, detect magic, dispel illusion, dispel
Hutijin can use the following spell-like ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil magic, geas, ice storm, illusion, invisibil-
powers: animate dead, detect invisibility, SIZE: L (9 tall) ity, know alignment, produce flame,
detect magic, heal (twice per day), hold PSIONIC ABILITY: 309 polymorph self, raise dead, read lan-
monster, invisibility, know alignment, Attack/Defense Modes: All/all guages, read magic, rulership (once per
polymorph self, produce flame, pyro- day), shape change (once per day), sug-
technics, ray of enfeeblement, read lan- The Eighth Plane of the Nine Hells is gestion, teleportation, wall of ice, and
guages, read magic, shocking grasp, sug- ruled by Mephistopheles. His main aim is (fulfill anothers) wish. He can pro-
gestion, teleportation, wall of fire, and to wrest the Seventh Plane from Baal- nounce an unholy word once per day.
(fulfill anothers limited) wish. Hutijin zebul, and with the strength thus gained Mephistopheles causes fear by gaze (save
causes fear by voice tone in a 30 radius, challenge Asmodeus for the overlordship vs. spell applicable) or in a 10 radius
with a saving throw vs. wands applicable. of all the hells. (save vs. wands). He can summon 1-3 ice
He can use a symbol of persuasion once Mephistopheles great iron citadel in devils with a 90% chance of success.
per day. Hutijin can summon a pit fiend the ice mountains of this frozen plane is a Description: Mephistopheles is a tall,
(75% chance of success). place of much plotting and intrigue. The blue-black humanoid with handsome, if
Description: Hutijin resembles a pit outer marches of oozing slime and the diabolical, features. He is hugely
fiend, although his head is larger and his steaming fringe beyond, from whence muscled, as would be expected from his
wings are proportionately smaller than come Mephistopheles malebranche and great strength. His wings are deep blue,
those of a pit fiend. His hide is a dark pit fiends, are said to be a constant source as are his horns and talons. His eyes are
rust-red color. of worry to him. pale blue with red irises and pupils.

12 J ULY 1983
D RAGON 13
MOLOCH (Arch-devil) nature, and so is greatly feared by less can be pulled loose by the creature, and
powerful devils. will burst into flame when they are
FREQUENCY: Unique (Very rare) Once per turn or melee round, as pulled out. Up to 12 of these spikes can
NO. APPEARING: 1 applicable, Moloch can, at will, use the be loosed by these creatures when they are
ARMOR CLASS: -3 following spell-like powers: affect normal flying over an opponent, each inflicting
MOVE: 12 fires, animate dead, beguile, burning damage as a dart if it hits, and causing
HIT DICE: 126 hit points hands (16 points of damage), detect invis- flammable materials to burst into flame.
% IN LAIR: 95% ibility, detect magic, fire charm, fly, geas, In melee, from 1-4 spines will wound an
TREASURE TYPE: I, R, S, T, X illusion, know alignment, polymorph opponent if the devil elects to hurl itself
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 self, produce fire, produce flame, pyro- upon an antagonist. Hits are automatic
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 8-11/8-11/4-16 technics, raise dead, read languages, read on this sort of attack, but the devil can
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below magic, suggestion, teleport (no error), make no other attack in the same round.
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below wall of fire, and (fulfill anothers limited) The following spell-like powers can be
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70% wish. Once per day Moloch is able to used by spined devils, one at a time, one
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional create a flame strike, use a symbol of per round, at will: affect normal fires,
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil stunning, and pronounce an unholy change self, command, produce flame,
SIZE: L (14 tall) word. When Moloch chooses, he may scare, and summon (once per day) a
PSIONIC ABILITY: 226 breathe upon an individual, or up to 9 barbed devil (5% chance of success).
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all persons within 30. Those who fail a sav-
ing throw vs. breath weapon will be
Moloch is a Grand Duke, Viceroy of affected by fear such that they will drop
Baalzebul, and the lord of the Sixth Plane their weapons and flee. Moloch can TITIVILUS (Duke of Hell)
of the hells. He is as strong as a hill summon 1-3 horned devils (with an 80%
giant, and he attacks by grabbing and chance of success). FREQUENCY: Unique (Very rare)
crushing or piercing a victim with his Great enmity exists between Moloch NO. APPEARING: 1
huge hands and taloned fingers, followed and Geryon. If it were not for Baalzebul, ARMOR CLASS: -2
by the bite of his shark-toothed maw. there would be open warfare between the MOVE: 15/30
Moloch carries, and at times may two, much to Molochs detriment and HIT DICE: 86 hit points
choose to employ, a six-tailed whip made Mephistopheles delight. % IN LAIR: 35%
of an unknown, pliable metal. This Description: Moloch is a great, square- TREASURE TYPE: G, S, T
device delivers either 1, 2, or 4 points of bodied creature with red-orange skin. He NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
damage per tail striking, depending on has short, thick arms and legs, and huge, DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +3
the number of charges he expends. The square hands and feet. His feet and head SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
damage from this whip is electrical in are horned. His head is huge with slant- SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
ing eyes and a gaping mouth. MAGIC RESISTANCE: 75%
INTELLIGENCE: Supra-genius
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil
SIZE: M (5 tall)
SPINED (Least devil) PSIONIC ABILITY: 239
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
FREQUENCY: Common
NO. APPEARING: 2-5 or 4-20 Titivilus is infamous for his ability to
ARMOR CLASS: 3 twist words, to use words to confuse, to
MOVE: 6/18 confuse those using words. Fittingly, he
HIT DICE: 3+3 is the nuncio for Dispater. He is not large
% IN LAIR: 10% nor particularly strong, but he is most
TREASURE TYPE: Nil clever. It is said that Titivilus possesses a
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 and/or 2 silver sword of wounding. In any event,
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type he typically uses his other powers.
and/or 1-4/1-4 At will, one per round, as applicable,
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below Titivilus can use the following spell-like
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below powers: animate dead, bestow curse,
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 25% charm person or mammal, chaos, emo-
INTELLIGENCE: Low-average tion, feeblemind (once per day), forget,
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil fumble, hypnotism, illusion, illusionary
SIZE: S (3 tall) script, know alignment, message, misdi-
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil rection, non-detection, polymorph self,
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil protection from good, suggestion, tele-
port, tongues, ventriloquism. Once per
Spined devils are found on all the day Titivilus can use a symbol of discord
planes of the Nine Hells, although they or one of sleep (19 levels or hit dice or 99
are most common on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, hit points affected save indicates only
and 5th. Spined devils are used as ser- nodding and dozing with a 1 in 20 chance
vants, couriers, and the like, for they are per round of awakening fully). He causes
too small and weak for most other duties. fear by touch only. He can summon 1-4
They often herd lemures. erinyes (50% chance of success). He regen-
Attack is by weapon usually, since most erates 1 point of damage per round.
spined devils carry a short military fork Description: Titivilus appears very sim-
(4 long). When airborne, they are also ilar to a satyr, but he is actually more
able to use their taloned feet to inflict human-looking, save for his bat-like
considerable raking damage. The spiked wings. His complexion is pale, but his
projections on the body of a spined devil face slightly ruddy.

14 J ULY 1983
DRAGON 15
 A devil . . . thought the adventurer.
Now there is a fitting foe! Moreover, his
lands would not be safe until it was no
more, and so he set about tracking it.
And a little later . . . There are more
where that one came from, he thought to
himself, standing over its smoldering
remains.
"They could well come again," he said
aloud.
"Yes," agreed the paladin who had
fought at his side. "You have joined an
endless battle, my lord. But if you weary
of fighting it here, amid that which you
hold dear, then come with meI ride on
the hells tomorrow."

by Ed Greenwood
 Devils and demons have always been hells, the suggestion from here is that information from literature, one can cob-
favorite monsters in AD&D play, partic- they be confined to the first (uppermost) ble together a geographical picture of the
ularly with upper- and mid-level charac- plane, which can serve as a universal Nine Hells.
ters. As a DM, I have been reluctant to doormat area for visitors and non- A vast number of writers have offered
include devils until I had done some devils, and a staging area both for any their own religious or primarily fantastic
work on the Nine Hells for the simple standing armies or defenders of the hells, conceptions of the infernal regions (those
reason that player characters, once they and for foraging parties who are to leave lands of the dead that are linked with evil
are introduced to devils and find out facts the hells on various missions. spirits and, usually, punishment of the
about them, are sure to want to carry the Most player-character invasions of the souls of the dead). The chief sources of
fight to the enemys home ground. I am hells, too, would arrive on the first plane. geographically detailed descriptions of
basically kind and fair (what DM isnt?), It is, however, necessary for the DM at the hells are listed here, for DMs who
and it goes against the grain not to allow invasion time to know something of the want to develop their own versions:
characters to enter the hells after theyve other planes of hell, since from those Dantes Inferno; Homers Odyssey, book
gone to some trouble and expense to planes will come the reactions to any XI; Virgils Aeneid, book VI; Spensers
secure the means to do so. Not permitting such invasions. Here we depart from the Faerie Queene, book II canto 7; Ariostos
them to make the trip, when they deserve official, and move into this writers Orlando Furioso, book XVII; Tassos
to be given the try, condemns the charac- attempts to make the Nine Hells a play- Jerusalem Delivered, book IV; Miltons
ters to endlessly be on the defensive when able environment. Paradise Lost; Fenelons Telemaque,
fighting devils. Far more so than (for book XVIII; and William Backfords fan-
instance) the chaotic layers of the Abyss, Reality in the Realms tasy romance Vuthek. Libraries are the
the environment of the Nine Hells In the Realms (my campaign world), I best sources for the above books.
demands that the DM do considerable have followed the idea of the shifts speci- Also valuable are modern fantasy ver-
preparation before play moves to that fied by Mr. Gygax in DRAGON #64, sions of the hells drawn from the original
environment. There are gaps and uncer- removing all non-devil deities from the sources, such as Inferno by Larry Niven
tainties in available official information Nine Hells except for Sekolah. In the and Jerry Pournelle (a 1976 Pocket Books
about the Hells. Briefly, this article will campaign pantheon there exists a greater paperback, still in print). There are many
touch on some of these and explain the god of lawful evil alignment (Bane, by other such examples in fantasy literature,
reasoning I have adopted; other DMs may name) who is worshipped by humans. and many comparable underworlds (those
well make different decisions. The treat- The problem of how to deal with such a in Ursula LeGuins The Furthest Shore
ment of the Nine Hells offered here leaves deity vis-a-vis the archdevils has been and H.P. Lovecrafts The Dream-Quest of
ample room for a DM to make the hells avoided by separating the two (the deity Unknown Kaddath leap to mind) also to
more as he or she sees them, and/or to and the devils) entirely. Bane does not be found therein that will yield ideas of
include specific features therein for a par- attempt to hinder or control Asmodeus or flora, fauna, and physical conditions to a
ticular adventure. the other devils because they serve his DM creating his or her own version of the
The very name of the styx devil (see the purposes acting on their own, freeing Nine Hells. What follows is my own
FIEND FOLIO Tome, pp. 25-26) Bane to do his work elsewhere. By strictly (unofficial) conception.
implies that the river Styx exists in some avoiding the devils, Bane maintains an
form in the Nine Hells of the AD&D mul- unwitting (?) but steadfast and quite Servants and vassals
tiverse, and we know (from the DEITIES powerful set of allies without fearing Before plunging into a plane-by-plane
& DEMIGODS Cyclopedia) that the treachery from them, and without description, a note regarding servant and
sahuagin deity, Sekolah, swims in the expending time and effort in the intrigues vassal devils: These beings are useful in
deepest part of the seas of the Nine Hells. of training, organizing, or commanding that they help to delay any direct inter-
Sekolah is a giant white shark that infernal armies. vention by archdevils in play, stretching
hunts only the largest and fiercest of High-level clerics of Bane regard devils out the fun and providing player charac-
prey. The illustration in the DDG book as a group of lawful evil beings who can ters with individual, significant foes of
suggests that a giant squid is part of such be commanded into various services by lesser power before bringing the big
prey. Might Sekolah also hunt dragon the proper means, and who can be guns onstage. To characters (such as
turtles, or giant octopi? Or are there expected to act thus-and-so due to their powerful clerics) in the Realms who are
aquatic leviathans unique to the hells? lawful evil nature and the social organi- privy to such information, the role and
There are other details a DM must zation of the hells, but who are self- descriptions of these servant devils is
resolve, too: Gruumsh, Maglubiyet, Kur- interested and not willing servants of known to be as follows:
tulmak and some human deities (Set, for Bane or of the clerics. This is essentially Some devils, even those of sufficient
example) named in the DDG book are no different from the way clerics of other power to attain archdevil rank, see their
placed in the Nine Hells. Gruumsh and deities regard the devils; the diabolical are safest position in the present infernal
Maglubiyet are locked in unending battle never dealt with in safety and trust. To regime to be that of lieutenant to an
with the armies they command, and these what extent Bane and the archdevils archdevil. Their precise reasons for this
armies had best be geographically placed know of each other, or have contact, can attitude are known only to themselves,
in relation to hells nine planes. In issue remain vague part of a DMs design but it is thought that some prefer to
#64 of DRAGON Magazine, Mr. Gygax elbow room for now. (Bane is geo- maintain a low profile so that they can
moves the first three deities (to Gehenna, graphically separated from the Nine work behind the scenes, and others
Gehenna, and Acheron respectively), but Hells, too he is in Acheron.) prefer to act in the name of an archdevil,
it is unclear whether this change applies thereby disclaiming responsibility for
officially to the AD&D rules, or just to the Using the rules their own actions.
WORLD OF GREYHAWK campaign Various hints about the nature of the A DM should bear in mind that there is
setting. Certainly, from a design stand- Nine Hells are found in the rules, such as certainly some degree of silent coopera-
point, these deities are best removed, for if the suggestion (by inference from the de- tion between these servant devils, who
the archdevils themselves (see the DDG scription of bone devils, and from the wish to avoid being openly set against
book) are merely lesser gods, how do they cold-related powers that Geryon and the each other (i.e., in combat) or against any
exist amicably with Set, a greater god bone devils possess) that Geryons plane archdevil. This cooperation must be
who conceivably has the power to (lawful is a rather icy place. By gathering the obvious to the archdevils, who seem to
evil, remember?) rule them. information contained in the AD&D rule tolerate it (Baalzebul the least), and some
If any deities are to be allowed in the books, and embellishing these facts with believe that Asmodeus quietly aids and

D R A G O N 17
encourages it, for it adds stability to the devils) the place in which intruders are mind that a nycadaemon might aid a
present status quo in which he is on dealt with. party of adventurers traveling in the hells,
top. Fear and/or mindfulness of general It is a plane of darkness, consisting of to further its own ends.)
strategy (ahead of short-term tactics) pre- rocky crags and hillocks, a desolate waste- Avernus is nominally ruled by Tiamat,
vent most open rivalries between devils land of stunted, poisonous vegetation and the Chromatic Dragon. The mother of all
from escalating further than exchanges of bare rock. Many concealed pits lined with evil dragonkind holds Avernus through
nasty words and cruel pranks. A player filth-smeared stakes and the like have the support of Asmodeus, but her actual
character should not be able to play one been prepared for intruders. Avernus has authority extends only as far as her physi-
devil against another like a Machiavelli no roads or buildings, but many caves cal reach. Most of the inhabitants of the
might manipulate his courtiers; bear in and warrens have been dug out of the plane avoid her, not wishing to serve as
mind that most devils are of reasonably rocks; most are devils homes, as unwary her meals.
high intelligence. travelers seeking shelter will soon learn. The Chromatic Dragon spends most
(90%) of her time sprawled in her lair, the
great caverns known as Azharul, The
Dragonspawn Pits. Here she is attended
by her bodyguards, five huge adult male
dragons one whhite, one black, one
green, one blue, and one red (for details,
refer to the Monster Manual). She is con-
stantly guarded by these consorts, and
when not plotting, feeding, enjoying
cruel sport or facing danger, Tiamat will
be found mating with one of them within
a protective ring formed by the other
four. She bears litters of 1-4 dragonets (or
mewlings: very young dragons born
conscious and in control of their feeble
powers) after an average gestation period
of 6 days. Tiamat occasionally (7% chance
at any given time) travels via the Astral
Plane or Ethereal Plane, perhaps to give
birth to a litter on the Prime Material
Plane (or Planes, if the multiverse of your
campaign includes parallel worlds)
sometimes grudgingly, at the behest of
Asmodeus, but more often to further
some plan of her own.
At irregular intervals the darkness is lit The scant remainder of her time is
1. AVERNUS by fireballs (as in the spell, varying in size spent roaming Avernus; very rarely, she
and damage from 2d6 to 7d6) that form journeys to the palace of Asmodeus.
The uppermost plane of the Nine Hells spontaneously from the vapors of the air, Those of Tiamats offspring that are born
is ruled by Tiamat, the Chromatic bursting at any height above the ground. and remain on Avernus occupy them-
Dragon, and serves as a home to all lesser If one should notice a glowing, swirling selves with hunting down and bringing
unique devils. These are devils with indi- effect in the air, one soon discovers that a back food for Tiamat and her consorts
vidual names and characteristics, and fireball will burst in that location one while the Chromatic Dragon is in her
powers of greater magnitude than those round later. The precise cause of these lair. These offspring/underlings are of all
of a pit fiend (for all such unique devils fiery discharges is unknown, but it is sizes, types, and ages of evil dragonkind,
of lesser power are soon destroyed by their natural and not under the control of any and all are aggressive, cruel, and in good
enemies and the cruelty of their fellows), devil or other creature. A gust of wind health. Injured, weak, or disobedient
which are not otherwise placed in the spell will push a forming fireball away, specimens are soon eaten by Tiamat, or
hells as ruling archdevils or their direct but a dispel magic will not stop it from by others at her direction; she also dines
servants. forming, or negate its effects. (Editors on slain dragons, including slain consorts
There are approximately fifty of these note: DMs using Avernus in play should who have displeased her, and all newborn
lesser unique devils; embittered, frus- take note of the alterations in magic spell spawn who are multi-headed or otherwise
trated beings who torment the lemures effects that are prevalent there and on the chromatic in nature. The few of her
and spined devils of this plane and other planes of the Nine Hells. That spawn that survive to achieve huge
viciously attack all intruders. Chief information will be part of the second adult status serve as replacements for her
among them is Nergal, who like all of his installment of this article.) consorts.
outcast fellows plots and schemes con- Any non-devil lawful evil creatures not Note that Tiamat will have full
stantly to win a higher rank, but through native to the hells (such as the occasional amounts of treasure (as shown in the
hopes of reward always eagerly and beholder), if they are to be found in the Monster Manual entry) only while in her
enthusiastically obeys commands issued infernal regions at all, will be found on lair. She may seize small amounts of trea-
by the archdevils. Most such commands Avernus unless specifically located else- sure when on the Prime Material Plane,
concern the defense of the hells against where by order of an archdevil. One but only quantities which she can trans-
all intruders, for the dukes of hell have no noteworthy example of such creatures are port herself, since her bodyguards are
wish to deal with intruders on their own the nycadaemons (see the FIEND FOLIO unable to accompany her when she leaves
ground the plane or planes they rule Tome). These have the power to move Avernus. They guard her hoard in
when such disorderly business can be freely about the Nine Hells, but they are Azharul diligently in her absence, for she
conducted elsewhere. The uppermost disliked and distrusted by the archdevils will notice if even a single bauble is gone!
plane of the hells thus serves as a mar- and may well be met with physical oppo- The treasure prized most highly by
shalling area and training ground for sition if they appear uninvited on a plane Tiamat is magic specifically, magic-
infernal armies, and is (preferably to the other than Avernus. (DMs should bear in user spells of 1st to 5th level which are

18 J ULY 1983
new to her. With these she can increase conceivably wrest control of the Nine against a rock, etc. The tail will loosen its
her personal power, and consequently she Hells from the Great Devil himself. But grip if it is severed, or if it is dealt 17
is always seeking more powerful offensive even the existence of Astaroth is uncer- points of damage in any single round or
and defensive spells which she can study, tain; he is definitely not an avowed force 26 points of damage over a succession of
experiment with, and modify for her own in the hells at this time. rounds.
use. Note that Tiamat needs time and Amduscias can change forms in one
trial to modify a written magic-user spell round (during which he can do nothing
from the standard form to her own (ver- AMDUSCIAS (Duke of Hell) else except speak), and is restricted to the
bal component only) form of casting. forms described. He can use the spell-like
While on the Prime Material Plane, she FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare) powers listed below, one at a time, once
will reveal herself in the open only if she NO. APPEARING: 1 per round. Note that (as with other dev-
believes a fair chance exists to gain such ARMOR CLASS: -2 ils) verbal, somatic, and material compo-
spells in so doing. Otherwise, her visits to MOVE: See below nents as spell-casters on the Prime
the Prime Material tend to be secretive HIT DICE: 92 hit points Material Plane know them are not
affairs, for she feels uneasy without her % IN LAIR: 20% necessary. Amduscias spell-like powers
bodyguards. In the past, it is said, many TREASURE TYPE: See below are: pyrotechnics, produce flume, fire
men (and some of other races) wor- NO. OF ATTACKS: See below shield (either version), detect invisibility,
shipped Tiamat, and her visits were tri- DAMAGE/ATTACK: See below detect lie, read magic, locate object, dispel
umphs of worship, adulation, pamper- SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below magic, telekinesis (5,000 g.p. maximum
ing, and the bestowal or riches and SPECIAL DEFENSES: +2 or better weight), find familiar (for another being;
magical information to the extent of weapon to hit the familiar will be an imp), and faerie
human experimentation and mastery MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65% fire. Amduscias can cause fear (save vs.
upon the Chromatic Dragon but if this INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional spell to avoid) in anyone within 3 he
was indeed so, it is no longer the case. ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil points at (but only one target per round).
Nowadays, evil dragons will still SIZE: See below Once per day he can use a symbol of
acknowledge their allegiance to her, but PSIONIC ABILITY: 216 stunning.
this is a worship born of fear and Attack/Defense Modes: All/all Amduscias is sometimes called the
respect rather than love or loyalty. Reconciliator of Foes, because he is a
Although Tiamat will battle (attempt- Amduscias is a duke in the service of skillful actor and negotiator, and Tiamat
ing to kill and eat) individual devils Tiamat, ruler of Avernus, and leads 29 often employs him to mediate in disputes
without hesitation, she will never know- companies of abishai. He is a being of between devils or her kin. While in any of
ingly attack an archdevil or a lieutenant long memory and cunning strategies. He his forms, Amduscias can speak and
to an archdevil. She rules her spawn by can shape change at will into a dirty yel- understand perfectly any language (cf.
force and fear, but her will is enforced on low unicorn with eyes of flame and a tongues spell). When encountered,
Avernus by 40 companies of abishai purple horn, a hawk-headed man (he Amduscias will only have treasure with
under the command of Malphas, 29 sim- usually wears dark red or black robes him if he is in his human-like form; if so,
ilar companies led by Amduscius, and 3 when in this form), or his favored form: a it may be of any type. Amduscias regener-
companies of erinyes under the command wolf with a prehensile, constricting ser- ates 2 hit points per round. He can sum-
of the pit fiend Goap. (Names printed in pents tail. He does not need, and does mon (with a 70% chance of success) 1-3
italic type indicate devils who are indi- not wear, armor in any of his forms. abishai at will.
vidually described in the text that fol- When in unicorn form, Amduscias
lows.) These forces are always busy, for attacks with his horn (acts as a sword of
Avernus is constantly dealing with wounding, for 2-9 damage), or his hooves MALPHAS (Duke of Hell)
intruders and the machinations of the (2 per round, for 2-10 damage each). His
rabble of devilkin former consorts maximum movement rate in this form is FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare)
fallen from favor, and other unique devils 18; he can bolt from a standing start, NO. APPEARING: 1
too weak or too mistrusted to gain or and some say that when horses spook or ARMOR CLASS: -3
hold a position in the hierarchy of the gallop uncontrollably, it is because MOVE: 12/30 (in crow form)
hells. These beings are constantly Amduscias has affected them. HIT DICE: 90 hit points
attempting to gather enough support to In human-like form Amduscias has % IN LAIR: 20%
win (at least) a position in the service of average dexterity, and two or three attacks TREASURE TYPE: See below
Tiamat, perhaps by supplanting one of (fists for 1-2 each and beak for 1-8, or NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
the incumbent vassal devils, and are weapon and beak). Amduscias is ambi- DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +5
always moving to avoid the armies dextrous and can wield two weapons if SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
searching for them. Among these outcast they are small (e.g., daggers or darts). SPECIAL DEFENSES: +2 or better
devils are names such as Rumjal, Caim, This devil has above average strength weapon to hit
Bist, Cahor, Dagon, Azazel, Armaros, when in human-like form, and a long, MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70%
Kochbiel, Nisroch, and Nergal. curved beak somewhat like a humming- INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
Tales are told of a mysterious arch- birds in appearance. This beak is, how- ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
devil, Astaroth, said to be mightier in ever, terrifically strong and sharp. His SIZE: See below
power than any devil save Asmodeus move in this form is 12. PSIONIC ABILITY: 220
himself (see Alexander von Thorns arti- Amduscias prefers to fight in wolf Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
cle, The Politics of Hell, printed in form; his movement rate is 18, and he
DRAGON #28 and reprinted in the BEST attacks with two raking foreclaws and his Malphas is a duke in the service of
OF DRAGON Vol. II anthology), who jaws, or his hind claws and tail. If in a Tiamat, ruler of Avernus. He leads 40
dwells elsewhere than the Nine Hells, position to do so, he can use all six of companies of abishai, and, like his fellow
apart from the present regime, working these attacks in a round, against as many duke Amduscias and the pit fiend Goap,
alone to advance his secret ends. This targets. The claws do 3-12 damage each, is likely to be found traveling about
devil represents the greatest threat to the jaws 1-20, and the tail 1-10 constric- Avernus enforcing Tiamats will. None of
Asmodeus; with Astaroths support, tion damage per round plus additional Tiamats dukes have permanent en-
Mephistopheles, Baalzebul, or even a damage if Amduscias uses it to immerse a campments or fortresses, but instead they
lesser archdevil such as Geryon could held victim in water, batter a victim maintain a commonly held system of

DRAGON 19
guarded, safe caves where their forces does 1-6 points of corrosive damage and of the hellcats other capabilities,
can rest or gather. confers immunity to its effects upon the however.
Malphas appears as a powerful, dark- victim for 10-40 turns. Nergal is some- Invisible in the presence of light
complexioned man dressed in black velvet times called The Bringer of Pestilence (except for her eyes, which appear as
studded with gems (of considerable value; and Fever because of this property. irises of orange flame floating in midair),
his robes have 333 gems of all sorts, 100 Nergal is warlike, quick to attack those Bist appears in darkness as a faintly lumi-
g.p. base value each, if recovered com- who defy him or bully injured or weaker nescent, wraith-like, and unusually large
plete), or as a large, black, crow-like bird. creatures. His bite does 3-12 points of hellcat. Her eyes retain their flame-like
Malphas shuns armor, and fights with damage, and possibly confers a disease; appearance when she is so revealed.
all weapons (and his spell-like powers) refer to the DMG for type and effects. Vic- Bist is immune to all mind-controlling
when in human form. His voice is deep tims who are bitten must save vs. poison spells (charm, hold, sleep, etc.). She can
and compelling, and with his powers of at +3 to avoid disease. only be hit by weapons of +2 to hit or
tongues and ESP (usable at will), he is Nergal can employ the following spell- better, and all magical weapons lose their
adept at deceiving others, particularly like powers, one at a time and once per damage bonuses when striking her. Bist
non-devils. He may carry treasure of any round: pyrotechnics, produce flume, wall communicates by telepathy in a 14
type if encountered in human form. of fire, continual light, tongues, read range, although she can speak (in a hiss-
Once per round, at will, Malphas can magic, detect magic, detect invisibility, ing, rasping voice) the common tongue,
use one of his spell-like powers: tongues dispel magic, and darkness 15 radius. He Mabrahoring (the High Tongue of the
or ESP (as noted above), pyrotechnics, can cause fear (save vs. spell to avoid) by hells), and the lawful evil alignment
produce flame, fortress (this creates a touch, if he so wills. Nergal regenerates 2 tongue.
structure similar to Daerns Instant For- hit points per round. (Note that he can- Bist can employ the following spell-
tress see the DMG in all respects, not use a symbol, nor can he summon like powers at will, one at a time and
save that its door will open and close for other devils to his aid.) once per round: pyrotechnics, produce
anyone, and it will disappear in 16 turns Nergal likes to present himself to flume, affect normal fires, detect magic,
or when Malphas wills), detect invisibil- human intruders as a fellow man horribly detect invisibility, dispel magic, magic
ity, read magic, dispel magic, flame arrow transformed by diabolic magic, and may missile (3 missiles per spell), and shield.
(Malphas can also apply this to blades help the intruders for a time, usually to Once per day Bist can employ gaze
wielded by himself or others; these learn of their powers, magic, treasure, reflection, and once per day she can
become flume tongue swords fiery and purposes, before luring them into a blink. In addition, she can generate fear
damage, but no to hit bonuses for 3 trap. Often he uses the powers and magic at will in a 5-radius sphere about herself.
rounds), and remove (or bestow) curse. he obtains in this way to torment his vic- Bist regenerates 1 hit point per round.
Once per day Malphas can use a symbol tims; sometimes he hoards information
of pain, and he can cause fear (save vs. and treasure he obtains to use it for bar-
spell at -2 to avoid) by touch (one target gaining purposes. Always, he builds and CAIM (Greater Devil)
per round). He can summon 1-2 abishai, looks to the future, planning a forcible
with a 55% chance of success, at will. entry into the ranks of the dukes or arch- FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare)
Malphas regenerates 2 hit points per devils. He has no fixed abode or lair, but NO. APPEARING: 1
round. often conceals caches of treasure or magic ARMOR CLASS: -1
he has seized in caverns and grottos scat- MOVE: 8/16
tered all about Avernus. HIT DICE: 93 hit points
NERGAL (Greater Devil) % IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare) BIST (Greater Devil) NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
NO. APPEARING: 1 DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12
ARMOR CLASS: -2 FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare) SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
MOVE: 18/10 NO. APPEARING: 1 SPECIAL DEFENSES: +2 or better
HIT DICE: 106 hit points ARMOR CLASS: -2 weapon to hit
% IN LAIR: Nil MOVE: 14 MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil HIT DICE: 90 hit points INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 % IN LAIR: Nil ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-12 TREASURE TYPE: Nil SIZE: S (5 tall)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 PSIONIC ABILITY: 213
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +2 or better DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-5/2-5/2-12 Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
weapon to hit SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65% SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below Caim is an outcast devil, bound to
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional MAGIC RESISTANCE: 60% Avernus. He is a gossip and a sneak, and
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional is particularly disliked in the hells. A
SIZE: L (9 tall) ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil skilled orator, he can always make his
PSIONIC ABILITY: 211 SIZE: L (9 long) own actions or opinions seem reasonable
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all PSIONIC ABILITY: 213 and he often seeks to dupe intruders,
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all partly because he considers the flesh of
Nergal is the most powerful of the elves and men delicious.
rabble of devilkin banished to Avernus Bist, a devil akin to the hellcats (see the Caim appears as a large, upright,
by the archdevils. Usually enveloped in FIEND FOLIO Tome: Hellcat), is totally darkly handsome bird a thrush with
magical darkness, Nergal appears as a selfish and a master of duplicity. For a long, sharp beak and a belt about the
lion-headed, winged toad. His mottled these reasons, she is mistrusted by all hips. In pouches on this belt Caim carries
pinkish-grey, warty skin is covered with archdevils and is confined to Avernus. items he deems necessary, manipulating
sores which ooze a clear, colorless ichor. Bist cannot leave the hells without being them by means of his unseen servant
This liquid is deadly poisonous to summoned (unlike hellcats), for she has spell-like power.
humans and demi-humans, who must been compelled to change her name, and Caim can employ the following spell-
save vs. poison to avoid this effect if con- thus can no longer be summoned by like powers at will, one at a time and
tacted. If the save is successful, the ichor mages on other planes. She shares many once per round: pyrotechnics, produce

20 J ULY 1983
affect normal fires, unseen servant, light, cases should end when a creature is rolling hills of Dis, but nothing definite
detect magic, detect invisibility, dispel reduced to a maximum 2 move.) is known of these.
magic, hold person, and tongues. Erinyes, being native to the plane, can Hellcats serve various of the lesser dev-
Once per day Caim can reverse gravity; navigate with comparative ease in the ils, and can be found on all of the planes
thrice per day he can cast repulsion. Caim gale (suffering no penalties), and some of of the Nine Hells (except the ninth, for
can generate fear in a 5-radius sphere these devil-types are always aloft, buffet- Asmodeus does not employ them and sel-
about himself, at will. He regenerates 1 ing lemures for sport and watching for dom tolerates the servants of others in his
hit point every 2 rounds. intruders. Erinyes earn increased power domain) from time to time, in accordance
on the plane of Dis through the favor of with their masters wishes. Most of the
Dispater, who rewards them for unswerv- devils regard hellcats as sneaking spies
ing loyalty (he often arranges tests or and useful errand-runners, but untrust-
traps for his servants) and for missions worthy due to their mutable loyalty, and
diligently and well accomplished. When of little consequence. Hellcats charged
an erinyes encounters intruders in Dis, it with guarding or the performance of
will usually fly near to observe clearly other protective tasks will serve with zeal-
their numbers and appearance, and then ous diligence, hoping to gain favor with
head straight for Dis to inform the pit their masters.
fiend Baalzephon, Dispater himself, one Between the city and the hills lie the
of Dispaters other commanders, or one of vast estates held in fief by Dispaters vas-
the Iron Guard (Dispaters bodyguard sals. The duke Bitru is the strongest of
of malebranche). these vassals; he can muster 70 companies
Almost certainly the erinyes will of erinyes. Merodach (described below),
encounter others of its kind while on this commanding 21 companies of barbed
journey, and these it usually informs in devils, and the pit fiend Furcas, with 12
passing of the intruders and their loca- companies of bearded devils, also boast
tion, so that said intruders will likely sizable holdings. Mephits, achaierai, and
suffer attacks from odd bands of erinyes rakshasas wander these holdings, and
before any organized force is sent out stench kows and spined devils are the
from the Iron City. If a group of erinyes working backbone of them. Rakshasas
encounters intruders, all but one the sometimes achieve positions of responsi-
messenger to Dis will immediately bility in a dukes household or retinue,
attack. They may not seek to slay the but are always watched closely, for they
intruders outright, for Dispater, like all are too self-willed and ambitious to be
archdevils, is always alert for beings or trusted servants.
2. DIS items that can help maintain or improve In the city of Dis itself and almost
his own position, and no erinyes deliber- always within Dispaters palace can be
The second plane of the Nine Hells is ately courts his wrath by destroying some- found Lilis, Dispaters consort; his prime
largely flat, with here and there a bare thing Dispater might have liked to have. minister, the pit fiend Baalzephon, who
hill or tor rising smoothly up out of the The Iron City itself is a dismal place of orders and administers Dispaters vassals
plains. Its sky is a thick, smoky-hued eyrie-riddled towers, zombies, garbage- and armies; and Biffant, the provost, who
green without clouds, occasionally lit up choked streets alive with rot grubs (and a runs and commands the staff of the
by high lightning flickers and faint black pudding here and there), and iron- palace itself. Titivilus, Dispaters nuncio,
thunder. The black and cold waters of barred cells full of chains and torture can be found here, as can the pit fiend
stagnant rivers and streams are stretched implements. Abishai, imps, and spined Bel, who commands the Iron Guard (3
threadlike across the plain, radiating devils, plus occasional barbed devils, hell- companies of malebranche), and Arioch,
outward from the moat surrounding the cats, and rakshasa, throng the dark, reek- Dispaters avenger, who punishes all
city of Dis, which is the seat of the arch- ing streets. those who have wronged or hindered the
devil Dispater. The island on which the city is built will and plans of Dispater.
The city of Dis, built of unrusting iron, rises sharply in elevation toward the cen-
stands on an island in the center of a lake ter, and on this rocky knob is the infer-
where the rivers meet. The waters are poi- nally grand palace of Dispater, many LILIS (Princess of Hell)
soned and give off odiferous vapors, towered and terrible. It is fashioned of
sometimes visible as smoky wisps or stone (unlike the rest of the city) and fur- FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare)
plumes. Over the plains sweep ceaseless, nished with iron, carved bone, and stone. NO. APPEARING: 1
fierce winds, tumbling many lemures Its terraced approaches are adorned with ARMOR CLASS: -1
helplessly through the air to strike trees fashioned of iron. The palace is off MOVE: 14/26
repeatedly against the ground or each limits to those without a reason for being HIT DICE: 66 hit points
other. There is at least a 10% chance each there. Erinyes can be seen frequently flit- % IN LAIR: 85%
round that a land-based traveler trying to ting in and out of the palaces high, TREASURE TYPE: Q (4), S
stand or move against the wind will be arched windows (presumably to give or NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
swept off his or her feet (20% chance if receive information). There are many DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +3
mounted or standing high on an exposed caverns beneath the palace, known as SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
position). the pits of Dis, where prisoners live in SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
Aerial travelers will find the wind unmanacled savagery, fighting for the MAGIC RESISTANCE: 60%
unpredictable and savage, so that unless edible garbage that falls into their light- INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
they have spent years learning to less realm down shafts from the palace ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
maneuver in constantly changing winds, above. SIZE: M (5 tall)
they suffer a Flight Class penalty of -1, Far from the central city, the plains of PSIONIC ABILITY: 211
and an aerial movement penalty of -3. Dis rise into rolling hills, haunted by Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
(Those of Flight Class E retain the ability wild erinyes who seldom or never go
to fly, but lose a total of 6 move distance into the city, and by many hellcats. Pil- Lilis, consort of Dispater, is one of the
per round. Movement penalties in all lars of stone are said to move about in the older and weaker female devils, but her
DRAGON 21
 careful diplomacy and strategies and her invisibility, remove (or bestow) curse, and
attention to events in the hells and else- magic missile (6 missiles per spell). Once
where (her network of spies is said to be per day Arioch can use a symbol of death.
second only to that of Asmodeus) has He radiates fear at will in a 6 radius (sav-
kept her own position in the infernal ing throw vs. spell to avoid). Arioch
regions as secure as that of any of the regenerates 2 hit points per round.
nobility of the hells. Lilis and Biffant Description: Ariochs flat, reptilian
(q.v.), Dispaters provost, are as trusting head (rather like a stubby crocodiles) is
and as close as two devils ever become ringed with a leonine mane. His skin is
but both are (thus far) unswervingly loyal dark wine-red, deepening to purple on
to Dispater, making his control of Dis the the head and shoulders, and on his great
envy of other archdevils. bat-like wings. Arioch has a forked tail,
Once per round, at will, Lilis can great cloven hooves, and heavily muscled
employ one of the following spell-like arms.
powers: pyrotechnics, produce flume,
animate dead, charm person, dispel
magic, know alignment, detect lie, BIFFANT (Duke of Hell)
tongues, read magic, dimension door,
repulsion, invisibility, (fulfill anothers FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare)
limited) wish. Once per day Lilis can NO. APPEARING: 1
cause insanity by touch. She can cause ARMOR CLASS: -1
fear by pointing at a victim (one victim MOVE: 14
per round; saving throw vs. spell appli- HIT DICE: 84 hit points
cable). She can summon 1-3 erinyes (70% % IN LAIR: 90%
chance of success), and can regenerate 1 TREASURE TYPE: Q (8), S
point of damage every turn. NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
Description: Lilis has orange-red skin, DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +3
copper-colored hair and green eyes; she SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
looks like a short, plump, well-preserved SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
human female of middle age, except for MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70%
the hue of her skin, her tiny orange-red INTELLIGENCE: Genius
horns, long red nails, forked tail, wings, ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
and delicate cloven black hooves. SIZE: M (6 tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: 219
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
ARIOCH (Duke of Hell)
Biffant serves Dispater as provost, run-
FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare) ning the affairs of that archdevils palace.
NO. APPEARING: 1 Consequently, he is almost always to be
ARMOR CLASS: -4 found in the Iron City, usually in the
MOVE: 14/20 palace itself, where he is never without a
HIT DICE: 123 hit points staff/guard of two messenger erinyes
% IN LAIR: 65% and six servant spined devils. Typically
TREASURE TYPE: See below he carries an ornate iron rod (equal in
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 damage potential to a morning star), but
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6 (bite), by will seize whatever is at hand in a battle.
weapon type +6 Biffant prefers to let others fight for him,
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below however, and will try to summon or oth-
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below erwise call for aid if attacked. He is not
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70% particularly brave or forceful, but is crafty
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional and plans far, far into the future. Biffant
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil and Lilis (q.v.) are said to be very
SIZE: L (9 tall) friendly; closer in mutual understanding
PSIONIC ABILITY: 226 and cooperation, some say, than Lilis and
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all Dispater himself.
Once per round Biffant can use any one
Arioch serves Dispater in the office of of the following spell-like powers: pyro-
avenger, meting out punishment upon technics, produce flume, wall of fire, read
all on Dis who defy or otherwise displease magic, detect invisibility, detect magic,
his master. He also wards off the intru- detect lie, know alignment, locate object,
sions of devils of all ranks from other animate dead, and (fulfill anothers
planes, and accompanies his master as limited) wish. Once per day he can
bodyguard in all situations of possible employ a symbol of hopelessness, or one
peril (such as visits to the court of Asmo- of pain. Biffant radiates fear in a 3
deus or other planes). In combat, Arioch radius at will. He is able to summon 1-6
employs a huge, 20-foot-long, double- spined devils (70% chance of success) or
ended +1 halberd (having a blade at either 1-2 erinyes (30% chance of success) when
end, and wielded by grasping in the mid- necessary. Biffant regenerates 1 hit point
dle of the shaft) of adamantite. per round.
Arioch can use the following spell-like Description: Biffant appears as a
powers, one at a time, once per round: portly, blood-red skinned humanoid
produce flume, blink, dispel magic, detect devil, wingless but with a small, tufted

22 J ULY 1983
DRAGON 23
tail and two inward-pointing, hook- DAMAGE/ATTACK: Bite 2-8, by
curved horns that sprout from his head weapon type +4 3. MINAUROS
above either temple. His eyes are of a sin- SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
gle hue, deep blue-green, and he is always SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below The third plane of the Nine Hells is
smiling. MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65% ruled by Mammon, the clutching Lord
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional of Avarice, and nothing of value exists
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil for long on this plane before being de-
MERODACH (Duke of Hell) SIZE: M (7 tall) stroyed or taken inside the walls of his
PSIONIC ABILITY: 196 many-pillared fortress. This nameless
FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare) Attack/Defense Modes: All/all abode is built of black stone brought
NO. APPEARING: 1 from another plane (possibly the Prime
ARMOR CLASS: -2 Alocer is a duke in the service of Dis- Material), and stands crazily upon great
MOVE: 14/12 pater, and leads 36 companies of erinyes pillars that sink constantly, slowly, into
HIT DICE: 92 hit points into battle. Warlike in attitude, Alocer the bottomless ooze of the marsh.
% IN LAIR: 50% wears plate mail and fights with broad- The outlands of Minauros form one
TREASURE TYPE: G, P sword, axe, mace, and dagger, wielding great dismal marsh of stinking, rotting
NO. OF ATTACKS: See below one at a time and biting at the same time earth, covered with carrion and some
DAMAGE/ATTACK: See below with his great jaws. He will seize and inches of water. It is a place of eternal
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below employ other weapons (incurring no rain; dirty water mixed with hail falls
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below non-proficiency penalties) available when ceaselessly, at a steady pace, from the
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65% in battle, and often rides a nightmare murky, fog-shrouded air. The bodies of a
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional about his estates or to war. great many creatures lie here; indeed, it is
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil Alocer has a humanoid body with red- said elsewhere in the hells that Mam-
SIZE: L (12 tall) gold flesh and a fearsome leonine head. mons house is built upon them.
PSIONIC ABILITY: 196 The fiery flash of his eyes can be seen for Disease (DMG, pp. 13-15) is rampant
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all some distance; if one meets their gaze, the here; the base chance of a creature not
victim must save vs. spells or be blinded native to the hells contracting a disease
Merodach is a duke in the service of for 2-12 days (devils are immune to this here is 13% per trip (including the modi-
Dispater, and leads 21 companies of power). A cure blindness or dispel magic fiers for polluted water, etc. but note
barbed devils into battle on his masters spell will restore sight to a victim. that this base chance is doubled if a crea-
behalf. Merodach has the body of a wolf, Once per round, Alocer can employ ture imbibes any of the water on the
large, feathered wings, and a prehensile, one of the following spell-like powers: ground of Minauros, deliberately or inad-
serpentine tail. Atop Merodachs head are pyrotechnics, produce-flame, detect vertently). Bones and the like are always
two huge, spreading longhorns, and these magic, detect invisibility, fly (enabling handy for use as weapons but their
he can turn slightly to strike an oppo- him to act as an erinyes in terms of flight handiness also obstructs movement,
nent. A clumsy flyer (Flight Class D), he class and move), dispel magic, dancing causing constant stumbling and occa-
prefers to run on all fours, but in battle lights, and read magic. Alocer can cause sional falls for those who travel overland.
often rears up to wield a weapon with his fear by touch (save vs. spell at -3 to A fall may do serious damage if the vic-
front claws. He has no special or magical avoid). Once per day he can use a symbol tim strikes an upthrust bone, or is
weapons, but favors polearms of all sorts. of stunning or one of discord. Alocer can knocked unconscious, perchance to
In a fight his jaws do 1-10 damage, his summon 1-2 erinyes with a 65% chance of drown.
claws 1-4 and 1-4 (or one attack with a success. He regenerates 2 hit points per The fortress of Mammon is the only
weapon, damage as per weapon type +5), round. building of any sort on Minauros; in the
and his horns 2-12 each. Merodachs tail marshes, Mammon allows stone to be
does no damage in combat, but is used to used only in cells. These are great shal-
trip, blind, and disarm opponents, or to low pits (two or three feet deep in water)
carry weapons for Merodachs use later. in which one or more great stones lie.
At will Merodach can use the following Fastened to the stones at one end, and
spell-like powers, one at a time and once dangling away from them, are great
per round: pyrotechnics, produce flame, chains and manacles of iron or brass. The
animate dead, detect invisibility, know vigilant barbed devils will capture any
alignment, telekinesis (5000 g.p. weight intruders and bring them hence, where
limit), read magic, teleport, and (fulfill they sit or stand chained in the cold, fetid
anothers limited) wish. water until they die, are taken away for
Once per day, Merodach can employ a interrogation or torture, or escape. Some-
symbol of pain. He is able to cause fear times when Mammon or his lieutenants
by touch (save vs. spell to avoid). He can are occupied elsewhere, the barbed devils
summon 1-2 barbed devils with a 50% will let a prisoner escape and then
chance of success. Merodach regenerates 2 hunt it for cruel sport. What they cannot
hit points per round. capture they kill, or else call on Focalor,
the pit fiend Zimimar, or Mammon him-
self to deal with.
ALOCER (Duke of Hell) Typically, barbed devils perch atop the
stone of a cell, burning the heads and
FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare) exposed portions of the prisoners below.
NO. APPEARING: 1 Prisoners soon learn (if they survive that
ARMOR CLASS: -2 long) to sit tight against the rock so that
MOVE: 12 they can use it for protection and sup-
HIT DICE: 90 hit points port, to elevate themselves out of the
% IN LAIR: 50% water by sitting on a pile of bones, and to
TREASURE TYPE: G, P keep their heads above water even when
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 sleep comes. Barbed devils can control the

24 J ULY 1983
intensity and size of their produce flame itself. Most of the other archdevils (and employed, evokes lightning discharges
ability with great accuracy. The ground the outcast Nergal; see Avernus section) from any clouds present, bringing also
water of Minauros will douse such a believe that Mammon would be easy prey rain and strong winds in the direction
flame, but the resultant scalding steam were it not for the strength of his few and intensity Focalor wills, the whole
can also do considerable damage to the dukes, and for the wise care of Focalor. effect lasting 4 turns. If no clouds are
unprotected. (Barbed devils are not Focalors loyalty seems unshakeable; most present, this power attracts them (which
harmed by the steam.) of the archdevils have in the past tested it, may take several hours, or a day or more).
Toward the center of the plane, Minau- and they continue to do so. When they arrive, Focalor (if still present)
ros rises into a vast tortured volcanic bad- Focalor can employ the following can use the call storms ability again, as
lands of ash-hills and slime-filled rifts. spell-like powers, one at a time and once described above, to bring the storm out of
The palace of Mammon sits in a marshy per round: pyrotechnics, produce flame, the summoned clouds.
bowl at the heart of these volcanic lands, invisibility, detect invisibility, detect
where many rifts meet. It is here where magic, read magic, tongues, dispel magic,
Mammons seneschal, Focalor, stands gust of wind, water breathing, teleport, CAARCRINOLAAS (Duke of Hell)
guard over Glasya (Mammons consort), know alignment, passwall, and (fulfill
Mammons palace, and Mammons affairs anothers limited) wish. FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare)
when his master is out hunting across the Twice per day Focalor can blink, once NO. APPEARING: 1
badlands. The pit fiend Zimimar com- per day he can cause blindness by touch, ARMOR CLASS: -3
mands the palace guard of 6 companies and four times a day he can remove (or MOVE: 14/12
of bone devils, and will either be found at bestow) curse. He can use a symbol of HIT DICE: 104 hit points
the palace or hurrying elsewhere to pro- stunning once per day, and he can sum- % IN LAIR: 55%
tect Mammon or enforce his will. mon 1-2 barbed devils (40% chance) or 1-4 TREASURE TYPE: G, P
The vassal dukes of Mammon rule erinyes (65% chance) at will. Focalor NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
stretches of volcanic ridges and ash- causes fear by his breath, a cone of foul- DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +6
choked, lifeless woods far from the central smelling vapor 1 in range, spreading SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
palace, between the uplands and the from a mouth-sized base to a 3-wide SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
marshes where prisoners lie in dolor. spray. He can direct this at any target(s) MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65%
Chief among these vassal dukes is Bael, in the area of effect, one exhalation per INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
who can gather 66 companies of barbed round (save vs. spell at -1 to avoid). ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
devils (and actively plots to supplant Focalor regenerates 1 hit point per round. SIZE: M (7 tall)
Focalor, and ultimately Mammon him- Description: Focalor appears human PSIONIC ABILITY: 203
self). The duke Caarcrinolaas commands a thin, bearded, and middle-aged states- Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
36 companies of barbed devils, and man or sage with power and heavy con-
although he is aware of Baels ambitions, cerns until he unfurls his feathered Caarcrinolaas is a duke in the service of
neither supports nor betrays them. The wings from his flowing robes or reveals Mammon, and leads 36 companies of
duke Melchon, who can muster only 18 his brown cloven hooves. Focalor wears barbed devils into combat at his masters
companies of erinyes, chooses to be ea- an iron gauntlet on his right hand, as his behest. In battle he wields a +3 scythe that
gerly and actively loyal to Mammon badge of office, and with this gauntlet he does 5-11 (2-8 +3) damage vs. targets of
which has earned him the deep suspicion can strike for 1-6 damage. He is normally any size, and wears armor with a high-
of the seneschal Focalor. armed with a staff, but will seize any spired collar to protect his head (for he
weapons in battle. His skin is a pale wears no helm). He is indifferent to the
pink-green, and if his armpits and flanks ambitions of others, preferring to follow
FOCALOR (Duke of Hell) are revealed, tiny scales will be seen. orders and wait for any opportunity to
When summoned to the Prime Material better himself to come along. Let others
FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare) Plane, Focalor will seize any chance to risk their necks in intrigues; Caarcrino-
NO. APPEARING: 1 swim (for this he enjoys), and revels in laas will sit and watch patiently.
ARMOR CLASS: -3 the use of two powers of his that are inef- He can use the following spell-like
MOVE:. 12/16 fective in the hells: fish command (as in powers at will, once per round and one at
HIT DICE: 121 hit points the trident of fish command, DMG p. a time: pyrotechnics, produce flame,
% IN LAIR: 80% 155; all fish save at +1), and call storms detect invisibility, detect magic, read
TREASURE TYPE: F, I, Q (3) (usable only when at sea), basically a magic, dispel magic, animate dead, tele-
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 combination of call lightning and control port, invisibility, fire shield (either ver-
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6, or by winds. The call storms ability, when sion), and (fulfill anothers limited) wish.
weapon type +4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65%
INTELLIGENCE: Genius
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
SIZE: M (6 tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: 223
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all

Focalor is seneschal (an agent, or bai-

liff) to Mammon, and wields much of the
real power in Minauros, for his master is
somewhat neglectful of security and
diplomacy. The thin, often silent Focalor
is careful in word and deed, and a master
strategist. He is respectful, too, and takes
no risks with the safety of Glasya (Mam-
mons consort) and that of the palace
DRAGON 25
 Once per day Caarcrinolaas can cast a Description: Melchon is a fiery red- the salamanders were immediately slain
death spell, and twice per day he can pet- skinned, humanoid devil with upturned, by Belials servants and vassals. But a few
rify one creature by touch (as in flesh to bull-like horns; black, curling brows and escaped, yet bound to this plane by
stone; normal saving throw allowed). beard; black hooves; and large, crimson Belials magic, and survive by avoiding
Once per day he can use a symbol of wings. In battle he strikes with his weap- large groups of devils and snatching lone
pain, and he causes fear by touch if he so ons usually a trident or a great two- creatures who venture too near to one of
wills. He can summon 1-3 barbed devils handed war axe (12 long, damage 3- 12 the rivers of fire.
with a 65% chance of success. He regener- vs. S/M, 3-18 vs. L). These salamanders grow fewer as, one
ates 1 hit point per round. His weaponry may vary, but Melchons by one, they are found and slain but
Description: Caarcrinolaas is a weapons are never magical, and they are the devils are busy, and the salamanders
gray/brown-furred, dog-headed human- always envenomed (see Monster Manual, can leave the rivers without any harm and
oid with scarlet bat-like wings, upright Erinyes, for effects of the venom). Mel- venture elsewhere on Phlegethos, so they
scarlet horns protruding from a bony chon also makes use of his long, agile have lots of places to hide. Their favorite
brow-ridge above each temple, black forked tail, which ends in a sharp sting. hiding spots are long, worm-like volcanic
hooves, and a scarlet, forked tail. In the This sting does 2-8 points of stabbing tubes in rock, and they are fond of bur-
center of his brow is a third horn. Taller damage, and Melchon usually envenoms rowing into a hill of ash until it collapses
than the two up-curved flanking horns, it it prior to any expected combat. Melchon overhead to conceal the burrower.
protrudes straight up, and can be is immune to the effects of his, and other This plane is perhaps the most visited
employed (3-6 thrusting damage) against devils, caustic venom. Melchons venom of the Nine Hells except for Avernus,
any targets directly above Caarcrinolaas does not dry out in the hells (although since outsiders who work magic often
(a rare circumstance). He has strong, usage does wear it off of a weapon), but it come to the fabled firefalls of Phlege-
bony, scarred hands of human appear- is harmless outside the infernal regions thos, where the rivers of fire tumble from
ance, and glittering yellow eyes. unless it is continually within 1 of a volcanic ridges down into clefts. The fire
devil (an erinyes, or Melchon himself). in such a spot is mentioned by many
alchemists and mages skilled in the crea-
MELCHON (Duke of Hell) tion of magic items. The best flame
tongue swords (DMG, p. 165) are made in
FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare) such places; one account of the making of
NO. APPEARING: 1 a helm of brilliance mentions one such
ARMOR CLASS: -2 site, and the barbed devils themselves
MOVE: 13 seem attracted to such falls of flame, leap-
HIT DICE: 101 hit points ing and playing about the firefalls and
% IN LAIR: 55% employing their produce flame powers as
TREASURE TYPE: G, P if excited.
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 Belial rules from the huge, hollowed-
DAMAGE ATTACK: By weapon type +5 out shell of a dead volcano. His strong-
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below hold-is known as Abriymoch, The
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below Mount of Leaping Flames. The arch-
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70% devil is attended by his consort Naome,
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional his legate Chamo, and a few malebranche
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil (notable among them the great scarred
SIZE: M (6 tall) specimen known as Night Fang) under
PSIONIC ABILITY: 189 the command of the pit fiend Zapan.
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all Abriymoch consists of several tiers of
chambers, opening into the central shaft
Melchon is a duke in the service of like balconies, and connected to each
Mammon, on whose behalf he leads 18 other by stairs, shafts, and a great spiral
companies of erinyes in battle. A devil path that winds about the central gulf or
most jealous of his stronger fellows, Mel- 4. PHLEGETHOS shaft of the dead volcano. Some chambers
chon is something of a malcontent in stretch through the sloping walls of the
Minauros, and would welcome any set- The fourth plane of the Nine Hells is volcano and have windows or doors
back to Bael or Focalor but he masks ruled by Belial. It is a tortured realm of opening out onto the volcanos outside
his true feelings. volcanoes, gouting fires, hills of ash, and flanks. The lips of the volcanic crater are
Melchon can employ any one of the pits of smoking dung. The ground is crowned by Abriymochs basalt towers. A
following spell-like powers in a round, always uncomfortably hot most few erinyes under the command of the pit
one at a time: pyrotechnics, produce intruders are constantly on the move fiend Zaebos, Belials lieutenant, serve as
flame, envenom (which turns water of and well patrolled by groups of barbed messengers within Abriymoch and
any sort except holy water to a caustic, devils. Ground tremors are common, and between it and vassal dukes or outlying
viscous venom used by erinyes and Mel- a sudden, violent eruption or the opening patrols. These erinyes are often bullied
chon himself upon their weapons), detect of a fissure in the earth is not unusual. and are quite miserable, and as usual
invisibility, detect magic, read magic, The sky is a dark, starless void, but the have their eyes always on bettering their
dispel magic, teleport, and suggestion. landscape is weirdly lit by leaping flames own positions in the hells. Chamo sus-
Twice per day Melchon can cast a all about. There are rivers of liquid fire, pects that the erinyes have served as the
delayed blast fireball of 6d6 damage, and and at least two large lakes (all the bodies spies of Asmodeus, Baalzebul, and per-
once per day he can use a symbol of hope- of liquid are interconnected), and there haps other archdevils in the past, but he
lessness. Melchon causes fear in all crea- the flames blaze brightest. has not yet been able to prove anything.
tures within 1 of any living being he This water is home to several wan- Abriymoch is staffed by spined and
strikes, including the target struck; all dering salamanders that were brought bearded devils, and has a kennel of hell
must save vs. spell (the target at -2) to here long ago, to be bound in servitude to hounds that can be used by Zapans forces
avoid). Melchon can summon 1-3 erinyes Belial. This didnt work out sala- to help defend and guard the palace.
(70% chance) whenever desired. He regen- manders take orders from no creature The vast, smoking plains surrounding
erates 2 hit points of damage every round. when it does not suit them and most of the volcanic heart of Phlegethos are the
26 J ULY 1983
domain of Belials vassals: Balan, who avoid). She can summon 1-4 barbed devils attack), and once per day he can petrify
commands 40 companies of bearded dev- (65% chance of success), and regenerates 2 (flesh to stone of permanent duration)
ils; Bathym, who can muster 30 compa- points of damage every turn. one creature, by touch. He causes fear by
nies of barbed devils; and Gaziel, who Description: Naome is a short, burly, his stare (save vs. spell to avoid), and can
leads 11 companies of bone devils. These middle-aged female devil, with long employ a symbol of stunning once per
vassals are usually dealt with and com- brown hair and cold, pale blue-green day. Chamo can summon 1-6 bearded
manded by Zaebos, speaking for his mas- eyes. She has a tinkling laugh and a sur- devils (45% chance of success) at will.
ter Belial, who, assisted by Chamo, is prisingly light, easy sense of humor. Description: Chamo appears as a
usually occupied with matters of diplo- Quick-witted and glib-tongued, she rarely white-haired, middle-aged man with big
macy and intrigue within the Nine Hells. makes enemies (although she bears no brown eyes. He has upward-pointing
Phlegethos is the most chaotic physical love for Glasya, the consort of Mammon, horns, black hooves, a forked tail, and
environment in the Nine Hells, affording or Lilith, the consort of Moloch), and is black bat-like wings. His skin is scarlet,
intruders the most opportunities for con- most friendly with Baftis, the consort of darkening to blue on his long-nailed
cealment but it is also one of the most Baalzebul. When clad in flowing robes hands. He usually wears loose robes of
active planes, being constantly traveled by (she prefers green or claret-colored silken black with a high stand-up collar.
its inhabitants. The archdevils of other garments), only her tiny horns, gray
planes often test underlings by sending hooves, and crimson forked tail betray her
them here, charged with accomplishing a diabolic nature. Her face, shoulders, and BALAN (Duke of Hell)
task and remaining undetected by the hands have a pale, human-like complex-
patrols that roam Phlegethos, while their ion, but the rest of her body is deep crim- FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare)
progress is observed by spies of whom son in color. Her hands have long red NO. APPEARING: 1
there are many among the barbed devils. nails. ARMOR CLASS: -3
As with Minauros, the outlands of MOVE: 12
Phlegethos are wetter and lower than the HIT DICE: 112 hit points
interior, and these reeking fens are CHAMO (Duke of Hell) % IN LAIR: 55%
populated by bearded devils, a few styx TREASURE TYPE: C, P
devils and abishai, hell hounds, lemures, FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare) NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
and the mephits who flit about constantly NO. APPEARING: 1 DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +6
everywhere on Phlegethos, serving as ARMOR CLASS: -1 SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
eyes for any and all who reward them. MOVE: 14/16 SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
HIT DICE: 131 hit points MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70%
% IN LAIR: 85% INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
NAOME (Princess of Hell) TREASURE TYPE: C, P, S ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 SIZE: M (9 tall)
FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare) DAMAGE ATTACK: By weapon type +4 PSIONIC ABILITY: 219
NO. APPEARING: 1 SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
ARMOR CLASS: -2 SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MOVE: 16/26 MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70% Balan is a duke in the service of Belial,
HIT DICE: 69 hit points INTELLIGENCE: Genius and leads 40 companies of bearded devils
% IN LAIR: 85% ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil into combat. Like his soldiers, he is cruel
TREASURE TYPE: P, S, T SIZE: M (6 tall) and aggressive, given to wild, lustful
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 PSIONIC ABILITY: 222 rages and violent sport. Little liked even
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +5 Attack/Defense Modes: All/all among his fellows on Phlegethos, Balan
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below is at the most respected, and at the least
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below Chamo serves Belial as legate, and tolerated. He will never back down from
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70% plans one day to supplant his master. He a fight, although he is shrewd enough
INTELLIGENCE: Genius fears Naome more than Belial, for Chamo not to be drawn into conflict with supe-
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil and she too often think alike to suit him. rior foes, given any choice in the matter.
SIZE: M (6 tall) Polite but abrupt, Chamo always appears In battle he fights with his spined limbs
PSIONIC ABILITY: 219 calm and fearless. He is said to know and a weapon, favoring large axes,
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all every hiding place in Phlegethos, and blades, or halberds (but he has no special
possesses an iron-shod staff capped with or magical arms). Balan is belligerent,
Naome is consort to Belial, the ruler of the linked (by rings of beaten brass) skulls roaring, and loves a rough-and-tumble
Phlegethos. She spends much of her time of sixteen paladins defeated by him over fight with opponents he considers weaker
in Abriymoch, but is highly regarded in the years. This staff is +1, parts or negates than himself.
the hells for her settling of disputes when all web spells, wizard lock spells, hold Along his forearms from his elbows to
others have failed, and her shrewd bar- spells, and other locks or bindings at a the backs of his hands run rows of spines
gaining ability. In battle she uses her touch, and it can detect good; the skulls six to eight inches in length. These spines
spells and a long scimitar; although she upon its top glow with a pearly white pierce and rake for 2-4 points of damage
rarely engages in combat, it is said she radiance when a creature of good align- per arm per attack, and a struck opponent
enjoys a good fight. ment is within 9. must save vs. poison or immediately
Naome can employ the following spell- Chamo can employ the following spell- develop a burning rash which reduces
like powers, one at a time and once per like powers, one at a time and once per dexterity by 1 point per round for six
round, at will: pyrotechnics, produce round: pyrotechnics, produce flame, wall rounds after the attack. Subsequent poi-
flame, charm person, dispel magic, know of fire, wall of smoke (equals wall of fog), son attacks on the same target will not
alignment, detect invisible, read magic, fireball (4d6), charm person, dispel hasten the loss of dexterity points, and a
telekinesis, (2,000 g.p. weight limit), sug- magic, read magic, tongues, detect invisi- 6-point loss is the most that can be suf-
gestion, teleport, and (fulfill anothers bility, invisibility, teleport, and (fulfill fered. Recovery of lost dexterity points
limited) wish. Once per day Naome can anothers limited) wish. begins, at the rate of 2 points per round,
cast a feeblemind (normal saving throw Twice per day Chamo can reverse grav- on the round after the victim reaches the
applies) on one creature. Her gaze can, if ity (for as long as desired, or until his maximum penalty of -6. Any poison
she so wills, cause fear (save vs. spell to concentration is broken by events or strikes suffered by a victim during the
DRAGON 27
recovery period will drive the victim back (treat as a dagger of venom), and his spitting acid up to 2 with his forked
toward the maximum dexterity loss of 6 spell-like abilities. He rides a nightmare tongue (3-12 corrosive damage, will eat
points, counteracting points gained back into battle. If summoned or bargained through metal, hide or cloth), and with
up to that time and delaying further with, he will reveal (for a high price) whatever weapons are at hand.
recovery. knowledge of the magical lore of gem- Once per round Gaziel can use any one
Once per round, Balan can use one of stones, herbal lore, and low-level magic- of the following spell-like powers: pyro-
the following spell-like powers: pyro- user spells (material components, casting, technics, produce flame, hold person,
technics, produce flame, animate dead, and general principles). hold monster, read magic, know align-
detect invisibility, dispel magic, invisibil- Once per round, Bathym can, at will, ment, detect invisibility, burning hands
ity, teleport, wall of fire, push, and (ful- use one of the following spell-like pow- (doing 14 hit points of damage), fly, tele-
fill anothers limited) wish. Balan causes ers: pyrotechnics, produce flame, read port, dispel magic, and (fulfill anothers
fear with his roar (save vs. spell at -1 to ragic, tongues, detect invisibility, wall of limited) wish. Once per day he can slay
avoid) in all creatures within 2. Once per fire, blink, teleport, ESP, confusion, and living (one creature, by touch), and twice
day he can use a symbol of pain. He can (fulfill anothers limited) wish. Once per per day he can paralyze a victim within 4
also summon 1-4 bearded devils with a day he can cast feeblemind, and thrice per by pointing at the character or creature
50% chance of success. Balan regenerates 2 day he can use a 4-dice delayed blast fire- (save vs. paralyzation to avoid). Once per
hit points per round. ball. Once per day Bathym can use a day he can use a symbol of hopelessness.
Description: Balan appears as a giant, symbol of sleep (19 levels or hit dice or 99 Gaziel radiates fear in a 2 radius at will.
yellow-skinned man with fierce black hit points affected; saving throw indicates He can summon 1-3 bone devils with a
brows and a beard which grows in tufts only nodding and dozing with a 1 in 20 60% chance of success. Gaziel regenerates
(somewhat resembling the lower barbels chance per round of awakening fully, and 1 hit point every 2 rounds.
of a catfish). He has gray hooves and a automatic arousal if attacked). He causes Description: Gaziel has a white, skull-
body which darkens to scarlet about his fear by pointing at a target (one creature like head with hollow eye sockets and
legs and his forked tail. He typically only per round, effective only within 5 small, curling pink horns, so that from a
wears a leather weapon belt and girdle, range; save vs. spell to avoid). At will distance he resembles a bone devil. He
but shuns armor. He has red, flaming Bathym can summon 1-3 barbed devils has a brown to blood-red hued humanoid
eyes visible at some distance, and a hoarse (60% chance of success). Bathym regener- body, a red forked tail, and black hooves.
voice. He is quite a wit (despite a coarse ates 1 hit point every 2 rounds. His tongue is long, slim, purple-red, and
sense of humor), although few converse Description: Bathym dresses in black, forked. His wrists and knees have bul-
long enough on friendly terms with him and has black-hued eyes, black hooves, bous, bony joints, and his elbows have
to discover this. He wears a badge upon and black nails. His skin, horns and tail hooked spurs (1-6 gash damage).
his belt depicting his own head next to a are a dead, fishbelly-white color.
bulls head (signifying his brutal, aggres- Bathyms forked tail is short and curled
sive nature) and a rams head (denoting like a pigs; he is most sensitive about it 5. STYGIA
the lusty side of his nature). Balan is and keeps it concealed. When angry,
polite and respectful to Naome, his mas- Bathym hisses like a snake when he The fifth plane of the Nine Hells
ters consort, but other she-devils will speaks. derives its name from the Styx, the
rarely tolerate his presence. mighty river of black, opaque water that
falls from the endless encircling moun-
GAZIEL (Duke of Hell) tains and swells into a vast salt swamp
BATHYM (Duke of Hell) that fills much of the plane. Stygia is
FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare) ruled by Geryon from his huge castle,
FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare) NO. APPEARING: 1 Tantlin, which lies at the center of the
NO. APPEARING: 1 ARMOR CLASS: -2 plane, the swamp curving about it for
ARMOR CLASS: -2 MOVE: 16 slightly less than half the run of its high
MOVE: 14 HIT DICE: 116 hit points stone walls. Stygia is a chilly place, lit by
HIT DICE: 102 hit points % IN LAIR: 55% lightning flashes and cold fires (weird
% IN LAIR: 55% TREASURE TYPE: P, S white flames that are freezing cold and do
TREASURE TYPE: C, P NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 2-12 points of damage per round of con-
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-12, or by weapon tact) that burn on rocky peaks for some
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-8 or by type +5 time after a lightning strike. It is not
weapon type +5 SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below known precisely what these flames feed
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below on they appear to blaze on bare rock
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65% and they leave no trace on rock or ice.
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70% INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional Much of Stygias landscape is high,
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil tumbled rock and ice. Avalanches and
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil SIZE: L (12 tall) electrical storms are common, and
SIZE: M (6 tall) PSIONIC ABILITY: 196 shooting stars of ice sometimes hurtle
PSIONIC ABILITY: 221 Attack/Defense Modes: All/all across the sky from the peaks, smoking,
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all to plunge into the swamp far below.
Gaziel is a duke in the service of Belial, The swamp itself is constantly dis-
Bathym is a duke in the service of and leads 11 companies of bone devils turbed by splashes and wails, for it is the
Belial, and leads 30 companies of barbed into battle when called upon by his mas- abode of the styx devils, who torment
devils. He is sometimes called The Black ter. He does nothing he does not have to lemures constantly unless summoned by
Duke, after his custom of wearing jet do, and appears to spend much of his Geryon to undertake a mission. Some-
black armor (with full helm) and a black time brooding. In battle, Gaziel is cold times a bone devil or horned devil will
cloak. In battle Bathym wields a black +3 and mechanical a perfect general, enter the swamp to join in the fun, or to
mace which dispels light, continual light, never missing or forgetting any aspect of chase a few styx devils, but on such occa-
and faerie fire radiances upon contact a skirmish or possible tactic. On rare sions all of the styx devils present will
with the affected area, and causes dancing occasions he appears to take some per- eventually unite to drive them out.
lights to fade away. Bathym is also armed sonal interest in such a fight, whereupon Beneath the swamp lies a cold and
with a long-bladed, envenomed knife he becomes most savage. He fights by lightless ocean, home to giant octopi and
30 J ULY 1983
 say if such food is poisonous to some,
carries any diseases or parasites, or if it in
fact has caused their mental conditions.)
Tantlin, however, is said to be richly pro-
visioned and furnished, crammed with
the bric-a-brac of centuries of plundering
the wealth of other planes. (Before he
gained the rulership of his own plane,
Geryon was wont to undertake extended
pillaging expeditions through the Prime
Material Plane whenever summoned
there by a foolish mortal and he
always sought out the most dangerous,
and richest, foes.)
Geryons vassals are outwardly loyal,
and are often called upon to protect their
masters interests. They include Amon,
who commands 40 companies of bone
devils; Agares, who commands 31 com-
panies of bone devils; Machalas, who
leads 11 companies of barbed devils; and
the pit fiend Fecor, who leads 8 compa-
nies of malebranche.
The fiefs of these dukes lie between
Tantlin itself and the rockiest heights of
the endless, frozen mountains, consisting
of rising land and many long, twisting
rocky canyons and hanging valleys.
There are a few remote volcanic rifts in
squids, whales, and many smaller, blind Geryons retinue is Herodias, whose title the mountains, commonly known as
fish. There are no sharks or killer whales, is magistrate. Herodias is responsible for steam trenches, where the malebranche
however, for in the utter depths Sekolah, the security of the realm and the training dwell unless ordered elsewhere.
a great white shark, cruises. She long ago and ordering of Geryons legions of bone
devoured all potential rivals, and now devils, and for assuming command of the
swims supreme, ignored by the devils, as defenses of Tantlin whenever Geryon is COZBI (Princess of Hell)
the ruler of her deep realm. If there ever hunting.
was an aquatic race of any sort at the bot- Geryons bailiff, Gorson, concentrates FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare)
tom of this black river sahuagin, dia- on external matters. It is Gorson who NO. APPEARING: 1
bolic, or otherwise there is none now. observes the day- to-day activities and ARMOR CLASS: -1
The sahuagin of the Prime Material internal politics of the other planes of the MOVE: 14/24
Plane worship Sekolah (see the DDG Nine Hells, and who (unless Geryon steps HIT DICE: 67 hit points
book) but she appears totally disinterested in to do this directly) orders and coordi- % IN LAIR: 90%
in all matters except where her next meal nates the styx devils in their individual TREASURE TYPE: C, E
is coming from. Much of the upper missions about the planes. NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
reaches of the ocean are always frozen (if Geryon is perhaps the most satisfied or DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +4
they were not, much of the vegetation contented of the archdevils, and the least SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
that makes up the swamp would have interested in the endless political struggle SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
sunk to the ocean floor long ago), and among the devils for more power, MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70%
Sekolah very rarely comes to the surface. although he never misses a chance to act INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
When she does, lemures, hell hounds, and to the detriment of his foe Moloch, ruler ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
devils alike usually make a hasty exit of the sixth plane, or his other neighbor, SIZE: L (7 tall)
from the surrounding area. Belial. Herodias and Gorson safeguard PSIONIC ABILITY: 229
Geryon seldom leaves his great castle. his interests (under the watchful eye of Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
He delights in physically battling lesser Cozbi, Geryons consort), gaining much
devils and captured intruders within the actual power while always acting in Cozbi is consort to Geryon, ruler of the
walls of Tantlin, sometimes chasing them Geryons name, and allowing Geryon to fifth plane of the Nine Hells, and is per-
for long periods of time throughout the continue his hunts by, if not increasing haps the quietest and least forceful of the
halls of the castle and the gravel-strewn his force and influence, at least prevent- diabolic princesses but she is no easy
mines nearby, where Tantlins blocks ing their erosion. mark. Cozbi watches her masters interests
were and still are quarried, eternally, by Newcomers to Stygia will find that it is carefully at all times, for she knows well
captives, spined and barbed devils, and cold (why the swamp and the river Styx the hatred that both Moloch and Belial
the like. Geryon delights in luring power- do not freeze is a mystery to one accus- hold for Geryon, and she is aware of
ful creatures from other planes (that is, tomed to conditions on the Prime Mate- Geryons relative weakness among the
from outside the hells) to Stygia with rial Plane), with little shelter outside archdevils. She mistrusts both Herodias
carefully contrived tales of magic, lore, or Tantlin, and there is nothing to eat and Gorson, and is said by some to be
other treasure, so that they can be the vic- unless one has a taste for the flesh of dev- friendly with the outcast devil Nergal (see
tims for one of his cruel hunts. Any sur- ils, lemures or hell hounds. (It is not cer- Avernus section). In battle, Cozbi throws
vivors of these unsporting events go to tain if such flesh is edible by humans. poisoned knives (Insinuative Type D;
the quarries. (Geryon, by the way, is Some mad adventurers in the Realms DMG, p. 20), and fights with a +1 spear.
immune to the strength-sapping power of have boasted of eating the flesh of devils, Cozbi can employ the following spell-
the bone devils tail poison.) but the truth of their claims is unknown. like powers, using them one at a time and
One of the most powerful members of If their words are true, it is impossible to one per round: pyrotechnics, produce
DRAGON 31
flame, animate dead, detect invisibility, INTELLIGENCE: Genius HERODIAS (Duke of Hell)
charm monster, charm person, sugges- ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
tion, dispel magic, know alignment, SIZE: M (6 tall) FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare)
invisibility, polymorph self, read magic, PSIONIC ABILITY: 231 NO. APPEARING: 1
ice storm, teleport, and (fulfill anothers Attack/Defense Modes: All/all ARMOR CLASS: -2
limited) wish. Four times per day she can MOVE: 18
cast a 4-dice lightning bolt, and once per Gorson is Geryons bailiff, and in this HIT DICE: 129 hit points
day she can employ a finger of death. She capacity is up to his neck in the intrigues % IN LAIR: 60%
causes fear by speaking to an individual and activities of the hierarchy of the hells. TREASURE TYPE: A, S, G, P
(save vs. spell to avoid). She can summon A quiet, careful devil who says nothing NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
(40% chance) 1-2 styx devils or, if she he does not intend to, and plans ever for DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-12/3-12, or by
chooses, 1-4 bone devils (70% chance of the future, Gorson is acutely aware of weapon type +7
success). Cozbi regenerates 2 points of Geryons relative weakness in comparison SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
damage every turn. to the other archdevils. As a result, he SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
Description: Cozbi appears as a beauti- always acts to strengthen the standing of MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70%
ful, unnaturally tall woman with chalk- The Great Beast, but in such a way as INTELLIGENCE: Genius
white skin and long (thigh-length) pale to make Gorson himself appear useful, ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
green hair. Her eyes are fiery green and reasonable, and noncommittal to diabolic SIZE: L (8 tall)
her long nails are black. She wears belted observers future masters or allies - PSIONIC ABILITY: 236
robes and jewelry when in Tantlin, but outside of Stygia. He will be quick to deal Attack/Defense Modes: All/all
when fighting or otherwise active strips with intruders to Stygia, but will seek to
her garments away, whereupon her dia- keep any items seized or any knowledge Herodias serves Geryon as magistrate,
bolic nature is revealed. Her hooves are gained about intruders from others as and is a devil of great pride and ambition.
tiny and delicate, easily concealed by much as possible. He fully expects to one day be master of
boots, and Cozbi customarily wraps her Gorson can employ the following the Nine Hells, and favors any change in
forked tail about her waist, or hangs it spell-like powers, one at a time, and once the present regime as a step in his inexor-
over one arm. Her skin is shaded pink to per round: pyrotechnics, produce flame, able rise to the top.
red on her belly, and red from the hips ice storm, animate dead, dispel magic, Herodias can employ the following
down, but her arms and upper torso are detect invisibility, polymorph self, invisi- powers, one at a time and once per round:
chalk-white. Her hair usually hides two bility read magic, friends, hold person, pyrotechnics, produce flame, ice storm,
tiny horns that form a crescent upon the teleport, and (fulfill anothers limited) wall of ice, animate dead, dimension
crown of her head, and her canine teeth wish. Gorson causes fear by pointing at a door, dispel magic, detect magic, detect
are slim, vampire-like fangs (1-2 points of target (one creature per round) within 6 invisibility, polymorph self, read magic,
biting damage, but in a serious fight range, and can use a symbol of stunning suggestion, charm person, hold monster,
Cozbi will rarely let an opponent get once per day. He can summon 1 styx hold person, teleport, and (fulfill anoth-
close enough to allow her to employ this devil (25% chance), 1-3 bone devils (60% ers limited) wish. Herodias causes fear by
bite). chance), or 1-2 barbed devils (65% touch (save vs. spell at -2 to avoid). Once
chance). Gorson regenerates 1 hit point per day he can disintegrate one creature
per round. or item of up to twice his own size, and
GORSON (Duke of Hell) Description: Gorson appears as a twice per day he can cast feeblemind.
yellow-skinned, hawk-nosed man with Once per day he can employ a symbol of
FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare) black-hued eyes, small horns, a tufted hopelessness. He can summon 1-4 bone
NO. APPEARING: 1 lion-like tail, and black hooves. He wears devils with a 60% chance of success.
ARMOR CLASS: -2 saffron robes and bears a scimitar. His Herodias is able to regenerate 2 hit points
MOVE: 14 voice is soft and cultured; his advice and per round.
HIT DICE: 126 hit points arguments always appear sound, sensible, Description: Large and portly, Hero-
% IN LAIR: 55% and convincing. In battle, Gorson dias has a humanoid body of scarlet hue,
TREASURE TYPE: A, G, P appears to let out all of his pent-up feel- and massive, muscled arms. He has a
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 ings and go berserk, exulting in the small forked tail and small, bat-like (use-
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +7 rough-and-tumble, This is the origin of a less) wings. His face is round and sinister
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below saying in the hells, referring to someone and startlingly human in appearance,
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below hurrying, that the individual looks like and his horns are tall, curving inward
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70% Gorson unleashed. and then out again like a goats. His
hooves are black.

AGARES (Duke of Hell)

FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: -1
MOVE: 15
HIT DICE: 119 hit points
% IN LAIR: 60%
TREASURE TYPE: G, P
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65%
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
32 JULY 1983
SIZE: L (8 tall) a ruddy facial complexion that deepens to Geryons dukes in both personal power
PSIONIC ABILITY: 232 a scarlet body skin hue (usually concealed and influence, Machalas encourages the
Attack/Defense Modes: All/all by robes). Agares has a stumpy, gray rep- feuding between his fellow dukes Amon
tilian tail, and a humanoid body with and Agares, while taking the side of
Agares, vassal to Geryon, is a duke who curved, irregular-looking ribs that make neither, and hopes to appear Geryons
commands 31 companies of bone devils. his ribcage look knotted and deformed. most steadfast and reliable vassal so as to
He and Amon, Geryons most powerful Tufts of gray beard are matched by small, gain the favor of The Wild Beast.
duke, bear no great love one for another, stubby gray horns. Agares has watery red Once per round, Machalas can employ
and several times Herodias has had to eyes and red hooked nails. one of the following spell-like powers:
head off open warfare between the two. pyrotechnics, produce flame, ice storm,
Agares customarily fights with a +1 iron- push, blink, jump, know alignment,
shod staff, but will use any weapons at MACHALAS (Duke of Hell) detect invisibility, read magic ESP, dispel
hand in a fight. magic, animate dead, wall of ice, teleport,
Agares can employ the following spell- FREQUENCY: Unique (very rare) and (fulfill anothers limited) wish. Once
like powers, one at a time and one per NO. APPEARING: 1 per day he can cause insanity (save vs.
round: pyrotechnics, produce flame, ARMOR CLASS: -2 spell at -1 to avoid; see DMG for types)
know alignment, dispel magic, animate MOVE: 16/21 by touch, and once per day he can use a
dead, ice storm, detect invisibility, slow, HIT DICE: 122 hit points symbol of stunning. He radiates fear in a
cause earthquake, hold person, hold % IN LAIR: 60% 1 radius at will. He can (70% chance of
monster, tongues, wall of ice, teleport, TREASURE TYPE: G, P success) summon 1-3 barbed devils. He
and (fulfill anothers limited) wish. NO, OF ATTACKS: 2 regenerates 1 hit point every 2 rounds.
Agares radiates fear in a 1 radius, at will DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-8, or by Description: Machalas appears as a tall,
(save vs. spell to avoid). Once per day he weapon type +6 thin humanoid with black, scaly skin, a
can use a symbol of pain. He can sum- SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below black forked tail, black cloven hooves,
mon 1-4 bone devils with a 65% chance of SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below large black batlike wings, and large jaws
success, and regenerates 1 point of dam- MAGIC RESISTANCE: 60% (2-8 damage from bite in combat). A
age every 3 rounds. INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional nimble flyer, he usually wields a +2 axe
Description: Agares appears as an old ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil or a normal spear in combat. His horned
man, and has a brittle, quavering voice. SIZE: L (12 tall) head is a startling fiery red, and his eyes
He often bears a hawk at his wrist; PSIONIC ABILITY: 201 are slanted and entirely white, so that
these birds he captures or bargains for on Attack/Defense Modes: All/all they appear to have no pupils or irises
the Prime Material Plane when sum- unless examined very closely. His face
moned thence, and he enjoys training Machalas is a duke commanding 11 appears ugly and batlike (the jaws most
them as messengers or companions. He companies of barbed devils at the direc- prominent), and his voice is a soft,
has gray-scaled, clawed reptilian feet, and tion of his master Geryon. The least of menacing, hissing tone.

DRAGON 33
Mutants, men(?), and machines
A GAMMA WORLD creature collection by Roger Moore
HYDRAGEN area, and beings of man-size or smaller
out to 10 meters from the blast center
NO. APPEARING: 1-4 stand a 75% chance of being knocked
ARMOR CLASS: 3 down and suffering 1d6 damage.
MOVE: 12 A Hydragen may generate this gas only
HIT DICE: 14d6 three times a day. If this fails to stop an
% IN LAIR: 40% opponent after the third use, the Hydra-
ATTACKS: 5-30 (2-7) per bite, or gen will retreat. Those beings caught in
by special the blast areas may take half damage
ORIGINAL STOCK: Diamond-backed (5d6) if they are immune to either fire or
rattlesnake sonics, or no damage if immune to both.
MUTATIONS: Taller, multiple body Note that even if the victim is immune to
parts, gas genertion, pyrokinesis, these effects, the 75% chance of being
illusion immunity knocked down for 1d6 damage still
applies.
The Hydragen is a huge, mutated de- Hydragens prefer living in isolated
scendant of the diamond-backed rattle- locations like deserts and barren, rough
snake. It is found in many places in the terrain. The brilliant patterns of yellow,
deserts of southwest North American (the red, and black across the Hydragens back
old United States and Mexico). Hydra- stand out clearly in any terrain or envi-
gens range from 15 to 20 meters in length ronment, though this is not yet a major
in adulthood and appear to be large, problem for it, since its speed and tenac-
multiple-headed serpents; 2-7 heads are ity make up for its lack of camouflage.
present and each is well equipped with A Hydragen nest is a shallow depres-
razor-sharp fangs and teeth. The six sion in sandy soil about 5 meters across
major fangs, in the upper jaws along the and 2 meters deep. There is a 20% chance
front, contain an intensity 15 paralytic of 1-6 eggs being buried one meter below
poison effective only against mammalian ground. Each egg is one-half meter long,
creatures (including humans, of course). ovoid in shape, and dull yellow in color.
Because of their speed, these monsters It is very possible that more than one
rarely go hungry, although relatively adult Hydragen inhabits the nest or the
intelligent beings give them a wide berth. area nerby. There is also a good chance
They are not especially intelligent them- (65%) that 1-6 treasures and 1-2 artifacts
selves, but Hydragens readily pursue any will be in or near the nest, previously
prey and use their cunning to drive vic- from all of its heads, directed at as many appropriated from some unfortunate
tims into dead-ends (box canyons and the different targets (within range) as it has adventurers who ventured too close.
like) to prevent escape. heads. Each head of a Hydragen has its own
If the creature is in grave danger or Each head then uses the Hydragens brain, and the heads work together with
confronted by many opponents, a special pyrokinesis ability to ignite the gas exacting coordination. Among other
power of the Hydragen can be brought clouds, at ranges between 10 and 30 advantages, this accounts for the crea-
into play. The creature can generate large meters as desired, creating an explosion tures immunity to illusions and illu-
amounts of highly explosive gases in its with a 5-meter radius of effect. The sional attacks or forces. The lifespan of a
stomach, and once every 12 combat flames and concussion from the blast will monster of this sort is estimated to be over
rounds it can belch out clouds of this gas do 10d6 damage to all within the blast 200 years.

RAYDIUM with silver and blue highlights, and have few have been seen further inland.
a wingspan of about 2 meters. They are Beta Raydiums are about 4 meters
NO. APPEARING: 2-5 commonly found over the shorelines of across and are a dark grey dorsally and a
ARMOR CLASS: 6 the east coast of North America, though a light blue-grey ventrally. Beta Raydiums
MOVE: 18 (flying only) are found in more southerly climates than
HIT DICE: 6 (Alpha), 10 (Beta), the Alphas.
14 (Gamma) Gamma Raydiums, spanning 6 meters
% IN LAIR: Nil from wingtip to wingtip, are a pale blue
ATTACKS: 2-12 (Alpha), 4-24 (Beta), and are known to live only around a few
6-36 (Gamma) islands in southeast North America.
ORIGINAL STOCK: Manta ray All Raydiums spend their lives air-
MUTATIONS: Wings, telekinesis, gas borne. Young are born in mid-air; they
generation, heightened radar sense cling to the parent until their wings dry
(only a few minutes), and then they can
Raydiums are large, mutated manta fly as well. For food, Alpha Raydiums eat
rays that still strongly resemble their small aerial creatures up to 1/10 meter in
ancestral species. At present there are size; Betas can eat creatures up to 3/10
three known types, to wit: meter in size, and Gammas can eat crea-
Alpha Raydiums are dull black in color tures up to 1 meter across in one bite.

34 J ULY 1983
 A very powerful innate radar sense clouds. Alphas can lift up to one kilo- CYCLOPTRON
gives all Raydiums a +4 bonus to hit with gram, Betas up to 10 kilograms, and
a bite attack, and any to hit score of 20 Gammas up to 50 kilograms with their NO. APPEARING: 2-12
or better means the prey has been swal- telekinetic powers. The telekinesis lasts ARMOR CLASS: 5
lowed whole, if it was of the appropriate only 5 melee rounds, so eating must be MOVE: 8
size. Raydiums can maneuver easily in done quickly. HIT DICE: 16d6
darkness or light; they have no eyes, but Some Beta Raydiums (1 in 6) and % IN LAIR: 25%
the radar sense has a maximum range Gamma Raydiums (3 in 6) are able to ATTACKS: 6-36 or special
of 500 meters to the front of the creature. generate other types of gases besides the ORIGINAL STOCK: Human
Typically, Raydiums fly at altitudes of unconsciousness gas. Each individual so MUTATIONS: Taller, improved infra-
300 to 800 meters. endowed will produce only one addi- vision, radiated eye (special), trans-
All Raydiums have special abilities tional sort of gas. Roll d6 and refer to the mutational touch
they use to catch prey on the ground, following list to see which gas the Ray-
should they happen to notice it. When a dium will use: In the mountainous regions of western
flock of Raydiums notices creatures of 1 = poison gas (kill) North America may be found the great
edible size on or near the ground, one of 2 = blindness-producing gas caverns of the folk known as the Cyclop-
the flock detaches from the group and 3 = paralysis gas trons. These are human-descended beings
swoops down in a silent glide (+2 on sur- 4 = tear gas (-2 on all attacks) who stand an average of 6 meters in
prise) at double normal speed (36) and 5 = radioactive gas height at adulthood. Their hair is a
releases a gas cloud 30 meters long, 10 6 = no effect except to obscure bushy black, glossy in appearance, and
meters wide, and 5 meters deep over the vision to 1 distance. their skins are a dull silver-grey. Cyclop-
targets. The gas has a poison intensity All of these gases, except the killing trons are humanoid in shape, thickly
equal to the number of hit dice of the poison and radioactive gases, take effect built and powerfully muscled.
Raydium releasing it; the gas affects all only if a D result is obtained on the The enormous weight they carry is well
mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and avi- Poison Attack Matrix. Poison and supported by their skeletal systems,
ans, causing them to be rendered uncon- radioactive gases can cause damage, as because of the addition of a light metallic
scious for a number of minutes equal to listed on the Poison Attack Matrix, if they alloy to the composition of their bones.
20 minus the victims constitution. The do not kill the victim. So much of their physiology requires
gas cloud can only be generated once a Fortunately, Raydiums are too stupid metallic elements that Cycloptrons fre-
day by any Raydium. to use their telekinetic powers to pick up quently make their own wells and reser-
The gas dissipates in one minute, and rocks and bomb victims with debris. Ray- voirs underground and fill them with
then the other Raydiums swoop down, diums are locally known as skydivers specially developed metallic salts. Their
use telekinesis to pick up the smaller or dusters (after crop dusters, ancient food is also heavily spiced with metallic
creatures (treat as a mental attack), and aircraft that sprayed insecticides on crops salts and materials.
fly off with them for a snack in the and fields). Cycloptrons have only a single eye,

DRAGON 35
 distance. Daylight causes them no dis- Cycloptrons are able, by simply touch-
comfort. Three times a day, a Cycloptron ing something that is predominantly
may launch a ray of energy from its eye metal, to draw the metallic elements out
against an opponent or opponents, with of the object and effectively disintegrate
the same ranges and scores to hit as a it. A Cycloptron can destroy 1 cubic meter
Fusion Rifle. Every time this ray strikes of metal in this fashion every round
an opponent, it will cause the loss of 1 and this power cannot be turned off.
point of physical strength and 1 point of Clever merchants from other races will
constitution (plus all attendant bonuses trade old machinery parts to these beings
and hit points) for 1-6 days. After this (for use by them as food) in exchange for
time the lost points will be regained; but their services.
note that if a victim is hit two or more As a result of this metal-disintegrating
times, the duration of the strength and characteristic, Cycloptrons cannot use
constitution losses are cumulative. (Two robots or the like, and their technological
hits =2 points loss from each ability, for level is quite low. Cycloptrons energeti-
2-12 days.) Should either the victims cally avoid contact with duralloy and
physical strength or constitution score be radioactive elements; the former acts as an
reduced to zero, he or she is slain. Other- intensity 15 poison if touched by one of
wise, the victim can survive the encoun- the creatures (doing 3d6 damage), and the
ter, and recuperation can eventually take latter is greatly feared by all Cycloptrons
place. for religious reasons.

CYBER-NETTER
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 1
MOVE: 18
HIT DICE: 20d6 (100 hit points)
% IN LAIR: Nil
with a red-gold iris. Though they have ATTACKS: See below
limited depth perception (and are -4 to TYPE: Robot
hit with thrown missiles), the larger eye- POWER SOURCES: Nuclear plant
ball better enables them to see in the SENSORS: Standard, infrared, ultraviolet
infrared spectrum up to one kilometer at 2 kilometers
CONTROL: Only by a specific
permanent cybernetic installation

Adventurers in the Great Lakes region

of North America have reported a new,
apparently post-holocaust robot type that
is occasionally found as far as 200 kilome-
ters from Lake Superiors shorelines. caught in the sticky masses of material
Observors believe that it is being manu- when the webber is used.
factured by one or more unknown PCIs Victims caught in the mess may
for unknown reasons. attempt to pull free; their base chance of
The Cyber-Netter, as the locals call succeeding is equal to their physical
it, is a flattened sphere 6 meters in diame- strength doubled and expressed as a per-
ter and 3 meters tall. Eight legs project centage. Only one attempt may be made
out from the sides of the body at regular to pull free; failure means that the victim
intervals, lifting the body some 8 meters is trapped for the time being.
off the ground. Its armament is lighter The webs are not flammable in the
than for other types of robots or warbots, least, and the strands harden in five min-
but effective nonetheless. The mechanism utes to the consistency of a steel-mesh net.
has two batteries of Mark VII blaster rifles The Cyber-Netter may then recover the
(3 guns each) that each do 20d6 damage captives at its leisure, lifting them out
out to 500 meters, 15d6 out to 1,000 with a tractor/presser beam on the under-
meters, 10d6 out to 1,500 meters, and 5d6 side of the body (able to move 500 kg at
out to the maximum range of 2,000 20 meters) after cutting away the strands
meters. It also has a grenade launcher with the atomic torches mounted on the
that can fire 50 rounds of stun grenades ends of the two front legs. When not in
out to 100 meters. use, the torches retract into the mechani-
Peculiar to the Cyber-Netter is a special cal foot-pad at the end of the legs.
sort of weapon (of non-lethal design) Captives are deposited inside the Cyber-
called a webber. A single barrel, pro- Netter through doors on the underside of
jecting from the front of the Cyber-Netter, the body by the tractor/presser beam
is capable of ejecting long strands of equipment, and then carried away. No
sticky material onto a target or targets, one knows where they are taken or what
like water from a fire hose. Everything happens to them after that. The machine
within a 60-degree arc to the front of the emits coded radio signals from time to
Cyber-Netter, out to a maximum range of time, but they are not decipherable, and
20 meters, has an 80% chance of being no receiving station is known.
36 J ULY 1983
NITRODJINN creatures head. They may also use illu-
sion generation, making shapes of men
NO. APPEARING: 1 and monsters appear and disappear in the
ARMOR CLASS: 2 fog, misleading adventurers until they
MOVE: 6 stumble into a hidden trap or pitfall.
HIT DICE: 17 Nitrodjinns have a mental strength of 18.
% IN LAIR: 100% They may also attack physically, four
ATTACKS: See below attacks per round, and each strike from a
ORIGINAL STOCK: Unknown hand will drain one point of dexterity
MUTATIONS: Absorption, illusion from the opponent for 2-12 hours. If an
generation, life leech, weather opponent has his or her dexterity reduced
manipulation to zero in this manner (multiple hits are
cumulative), death occurs. The absorp-
The nocturnal creature of desolate tion abilities of the Nitrodjinn apply to
areas known as the Nitrodjinn is a rare any form of cold or gaseous attacks, and
and strange being. Each creature is invar- the creatures are immune to all poisons.
iably associated with an atomic energy Nitrodjinn fog reduces normal visibil-
source such as a reactor or large battery, ity to one meter, makes infravision use-
from which it appears to draw its life less, but does not affect ultravision. Any
force. Each being manipulates the local strong light source within the fog will
weather conditions to produce a thick fog create a white-out effect, and makes all
for a 100-meter radius around the atomic opponents without ultravision take a -4
power source. to hit penalty from the partial blindness
Unless opponents can see in the ultra- resulting from it. Nitrodjinns seem to be
violet spectrum, the Nitrodjinn is com- very highly intelligent and know how to
pletely invisible to the casual observer best utilize their powers for defensive and
while within the fog. In ultraviolet light offensive purposes.
or when seen without the surrounding The Nitrodjinns torso is roughly man-
fog, this being appears to have a vaguely sized, and the snake-like lower body is
humanoid torso with four arms and a fea- about 1/4 meter in diameter. As these
tureless head. The lower half of the body beings are partially composed of energy,
is a long serpentine form stretching along source, and no more: if forced beyond this they are only semi-material and hence
the ground all the way back to the power point, it will die immediately. have such a low armor class. If the power
source. The Nitrodjinn may move a max- Nitrodjinns may use their life leech source of a Nitrodjinn is destroyed, the
imum of 150 meters from the atomic ability within a 30-meter radius of the creature will be destroyed as well.

DRAGON 37
Beyond the rule book
Procedure and style tips for good GMing
by Lew Pulsipher
Most fantasy role-playing game rules establishing a coherent world and a con- procedures and ten about creating a cam-
dont give much guidance to the prospec- sistent GMing style. paign and a gamesmastering style.
tive gamesmaster (GM) about the proce- One could write a book about these Another experienced GM would offer
dural matters of GMing. I dont mean topics, but a limited set of guidelines is somewhat different guidelines, of course,
mechanics, but matters such as the GMs more practical and will be as much as but these suggestions should help any
attitude toward rule changes and player most GMs need. Consequently, here are inexperienced GM save time and learn
behavior. Moreover, most rules give the offered twenty guidelines for being a some useful lessons the easy way, rather
novice GM precious little guidance about good GM, divided into ten about GMing than through unhappy experiences.

GM PROCEDURE GUIDELINES 2: Be consistent. you play the AD&D game and you rule
Your rulings (and your rules) in your (for some reason) that hit points of dam-
1: Dont let players push you around. world are like the laws of physics in the age from a fireball are divided among the
GMs must look out for the effects of real world. If they change frequently or victims, rather than inflicted in total on
Mortimers Law (as quoted by Jon unpredictably, the inhabitants of the each one, youd better tell this to the
Pickens and modified by myself): It is world are lost in confusion. However player-character magic-users before the
often the goal of many players in a cam- much you encourage role-play, it is still a game begins.
paign to destroy it by the accumulation of game; and the essence of any game (or,
unearned advantages for their charac- for that matter, of life) is to make deci- 4: Dont stonewall.
ters. This is more often the case with sions based on available information, and Some writers recommend that the GM
inexperienced and younger players than then predictions about the outcomes of should never alter a ruling during the
with more experienced and mature role- those decisions. If the natural laws of game (except in matters of demonstrable
players. Many players lack self-restraint; the world change frequently, how can and accidental error e.g., misremem-
only the GM can restrain them, and while one make rational decisions? Or, to put it bering the damage a monster inflicts).
they may not out-and-out cheat, they another way, if the GM changes the rules The reason given is that this prevents all
wont be too careful about how they fol- in mid-session, nobody in his right mind argument and keeps the game going. But
low the rules. will want to play with him unless the I disagree. Granted, the GM cannot often
Those not inclined to cheat will search rule changes and exceptions always favor allow himself to be persuaded to change
for justifications in the rules, in fantasy the players. his mind during a game, or hell find
literature, or (worst) in articles printed in My favorite example of this transgres- himself unsure of anything, and the play-
game magazines, to support their sion is the GM who normally gives his ers will disagree every chance they get.
demands for all kinds of odd advan- players plenty of time to think about But if the GM stonewalls, refusing to
tages, rule changes, special character plans or to make decisions during a bat- change anything, he may find himself
classes, and so on the unearned tle. But when the going is really tough, permanently antagonizing players, if not
advantages mentioned above. You, as when those decisions are most important, losing them altogether.
GM, must be prepared to resist these he switches to real time, forcing players No GM is infallible, nor has any GM
arguments, or any suggested arrange- to decide immediately or suffer by doing devised a rule or determined a percentage
ments such as You go easy on my char- nothing at all. Or, if one day a lightning for every possible situation. Sometimes a
acter in your campaign and Ill go easy bolt extends and bounces in some player may make a very reasonable sug-
on yours in mine. manner, but the next day it acts differ- gestion, or think of some aspect of the
No magazine article including this ently, how can the players rationally problem which escaped the GM. If you
one should ever change your mind decide whether to use the spell? Wouldnt are so unsure of yourself that you must
merely because its the printed word. A you be exasperated if this sort of thing hide behind dogmatism, perhaps you
logical argument, or an explanation of a happened to you? This guideline leads should give up GMing until you have
heretofore unclear rule, might change directly to number three, which is . . . more playing experience.
your mind, but it doesnt matter whether
this is printed in a magazine or pointed 3: Tell players how youve changed the 5: Prepare before game time.
out by a player. Justification can be rules before you start the game. A few minutes of preparation before
found for almost anything in the vast Virtually every GM changes some rules the game can make the playing activity
body of heroic fantasy literature, so it of whatever game he runs. In some cases, run much more smoothly. The more pre-
should not influence your judgement he may change so much that it will be game preparation, the less aggravation
except in the broadest matters. And most difficult to summarize the differences. and delay during the game. Some GMs
games include ambiguous statements and Nonetheless, nothing annoys a player so write down every possible detail of every
downright bad rules. Remember that much as to find out, after hes tried some- place of adventure they construct. Others
youre the ultimate authority, relying sen- thing (spell, trick, whatever), that in this jot down just a few notes, expecting to
sibly on the rules and on logic. world it doesnt work. For example, if find (or make) the time to generate the

38 J ULY 1983
additional details and such with dice rolls intend their characters to do such things, comes partly from the players, but also
during the adventure. forgetting about safety, but most of us from the GM. You dont even need to try
I dont recommend the ultra-thorough value our characters lives more highly to arrange deliberately humorous encoun-
method, for it results in much time than that.) Unfortunately, some GMs like ters in fact, slapstick destroys the sus-
wasted on detail which is not used; on the to occasionally, if not consistently, take pension of disbelief which is vital to fan-
other hand, if you leave too much to the such jokes seriously and make the charac- tasy gaming. But you can throw out
last minute, you ruin the flow of the ter do whatever the player said. Typically wisecracks on the side, play the straight
adventure, and you may give away infor- this amuses the GM, but not the players. man to the players (or to their characters),
mation to the players. Take the classic It is a cheap trick, if nothing else, but and ham it up when you act out a non-
example of the wandering/randomly also stifles the humor in the group to the player character role.
appearing monster. A GM who doesnt detriment of fun, which is what the game
determine the type, purpose, hit points, is all about. Normally the GM should ask 8: Dont favor one player over another.
etc., of wandering monsters before the the player if he really wants to do or say Players, as a class, are pretty smart
game starts is going to waste his players something, when he seems to be joking; if maybe as smart as you are. If you contin-
time. The information should be written he means it, hell make it clear enough. ually favor one players characters, the
on an index card; if the adventurers avoid I cant imagine playing a six-hour FRP others are going to recognize this, and
a significant encounter this time, you can session without some laughter. Humor many of them may resent it. This depends
use the card again in another session.
Some GMs like to roll to determine the
contents of a treasure after the adventur-
ers have defeated the guardians of the
treasure. Not only does this waste time, it
has a tendency to result in treasures much
more valuable than the guardians
deserved to be guarding. Its hard for a
GM to decide fairly whether he should re-
roll a treasure when he already knows
how difficult it was to obtain the treasure.

6: Maintain some semblance of order.

If one or more players are over-eager,
boisterous, or just plain unruly, dont let
him or them take over the game. Dont
allow one person to destroy the fun of the
other players. Dont be afraid to kill a
fools character if his actions call for it.
Some players try to take advantage of
confusion. Its much easier to be a GM if
a certain amount of organization and self-
control is evident in, or forced upon, the
players actions. For example, if you let
players move their fingers around when-
ever they want, youll find that theyve
always moved themselves away from
danger (when they can see that youre
about to say or do something) theyre
always somewhere else. (This sort of
fudging occurs even more often if you
dont use figures.)
The solution to this particular problem
is to not let anyone move until its time
for everyone to move. (Free-for-all mov-
ing can cause hard feelings between play-
ers as well, when the less grabby people
find that their characters have been
moved, or that their protective line of
fighters has suddenly disappeared.) You
are under no obligation to tolerate a
player whose actions seriously annoy oth-
ers, especially yourself. Let the player
know what you disapprove of and why.
Incorrigible offenders will probably quit
on their own before you have to ask them
not to play any longer.

7: Be humorous, or open to humor.

Typically, players think of many
things their characters might do or say
which would be humorous but quite
unhealthy. Much of the amusement of the
game is derived from these might-have-
beens. (In some groups, players actually
DRAGON 39
 on the extent of the favoritism, of course. occasionally your set-up isnt going to
Try to be impartial and fair, as much as give the players as much trouble as you
you can. anticipated.
There may come a time when the dice
just arent cooperating, when the players 9: Dont pursue a vendetta against any
have been wary, intelligent, and skillful, particular player or players.
yet the dice decree death. In this case you Just as you shouldnt favor one player
may feel that, for the good of the cam- over another, you shouldnt carry on a
paign, the character(s) should live. If so, vendetta against a player (or group),
try to devise some alternative which, regardless of how his brilliant stratagems
though undesirable in itself, will be less may foul up your scenarios. To rule
final than death. against someones idea or scheme is part
For example, if a character with 8 hit of the rules of the game, but trying to kill
points left is pushed into a pit, and you off his character is not.
roll 12 points of damage, you might If youve made a mistake, perhaps in
reduce the hit-point damage to 7 points, allowing the character to obtain an over-
but also say that a leg is broken. Only do powerful magic item, you only com-
this sort of thing if you really feel the pound your error by trying to kill the
character deserves a second chance. Or, if character or steal the item. This sort of
a character is trapped (through no fault retribution is not fair, nor is it likely to
of his own) in a dead-end corridor and endear you to the victim; from his point
ten trolls just happen to approach, the of view, you will be a cheat.
character might just happen to notice a Theres a fine line between vendettas
secret door through which he can escape which arise from situations among char-
a secret door that you just decided to acters in the game (say, the non-player
put there. It is imperative that the players character former owner of an item is try-
do not realize youre doing this when you ing to retrieve it) and those arising from
do it, or they may begin to take foolish the outside (the GMs desire to get so-
chances because they think youll bail and-so). The first is part of the cam-
them out. paign, but the second is not part of a
Never favor the monsters. There is too good campaign.
much temptation, once you allow this, to
constantly adjust numbers of monsters to 10: Dont give away information.
give the players a hard battle, regardless Some GMs know more about their
of how well they play. Just accept that players characters than the players do,
but most of us dont have that kind of
memory. You should require the players
to make a list of ability numbers and
major magic items for you to consult dur-
ing the game. Then you neednt attract
attention to a character by asking (for
example) what his dexterity is, and the
players cant spring magic items on you
Oh, I forgot to mention that . . . or
Oh, I just happen to wear an amulet
which negates that attack. . . . The sim-
ple principle to bear in mind is: Dont
give a player more information than his
character would have.
During an encounter, dont tell a
player more than his character would be
able to sense. For example, a character
wont be able to tell a normal wolf from a
werewolf by sight, or if he sees a serpen-
tine form in the shadows he wont know
if its a dragon, a wyvern, a giant snake,
or some other related creature.
Some GMs take the idea of hoarding
information to an extreme, and prefer to
roll all the dice during the game. But
players feel a greater sense of participa-
tion when they roll their own dice, and
for that reason I virtually never roll for
the players. In some cases, such as hiding
in cover, I have the players roll the dice so
that I can see the result but they cant.
Also, I have players make a few rolls of
d20 and d100 before the game starts, and I
write down those results to use as saving
throws or whatever in cases where the
character shouldnt know that something
unusual may be happening to him.
40 J ULY 1983
GM STYLE GUIDELINES 2: Let the players gain abilities at the 3: Dont pass the buck.
slowest rate which maintains their inter- Your campaign is your responsibility,
1: Your style is not for everyone. est in the game. no one elses What happens in it depends
There are many ways to play, and not Lets assume that you want to play fan- ultimately on you. You cannot explain
every player will enjoy your way no mat- tasy role-playing games for as long as you away this responsibility by abdicating
ter how hard you try. You cant satisfy can enjoy the activity; in order to do so, your decision-making in favor of a com-
everyone, but you should be able to you must restrain the impulse to get to mercial module, or in favor of a dice table
gather a group of players you can satisfy. what appears to be the exciting part as (especially one youve prepared yourself).
Sometimes you may run a game for play- soon as possible. For example, the The classic example of buck-passing is
ers who prefer two different styles. In AD&D game at any level is exciting, the GM who rolls dice to determine a
such circumstances the game is likely to when the adventure is played and run treasure guarded by 10 orcs. The result is,
end unhappily, not through your fault. properly, but there comes a time, when say, a vorpal blade or a wand of fireballs,
In other words, sometimes the chemis- player characters reach fairly high and the GM flatly says, I rolled it, so its
try (or lack thereof) among players will (double-figure) levels of experience, when there. In such a case, a competent GM
ruin the session, because theyre looking the game becomes boring to all but the would exercise his judgement, take
for different forms of recreation. For wildest power-hungry fanatics, or it responsibility, and re-roll the treasure,
example, players who get their kicks from becomes a lottery. The longer you can because such a powerful item does not
backstabbing and player-vs.-player com- put off this situation, the more enjoyment belong in the hands of 10 orcs.
petition will not get along with players youll derive from the game. If the GM is using a dice table he
who enjoy cooperative or even regi- As GM, you have the power to force derived himself, the admonition against
mented adventures. How could one GM players to advance slowly. In the long run buck-passing applies doubly. You wont
possibly satisfy both groups at once? Or, theyll thank you for doing it, and theyll convince anyone if you say that the dice
players who like to have the GM tell get more out of the game. If youre going rule all or the dice are Fate. If you
them a story, in effect, with their charac- at a properly slow rate there will be com- made up that table, whatever is in it is
ters as participants, will not get along plaints, but no one will quit. What is your responsibility; if it gives an unbe-
well with those who treat the game as slow for one group may be fast for lievable result, or one which would de-
improvisational theater (the true role- another. Ive heard of groups in which stroy play balance, you had better change
players). If you satisfy one group, the player characters reached double- that result before you use the table.
members of the other group will feel that figure levels in a year almost certainly Finally, commercial modules are writ-
youre doing a poor job. A really skilled too fast by any standard and of others ten by people like yourself, though per-
GM can alter his style to accommodate in which 100 adventures netted only seven haps with more experience. They are
different tastes, but only if he runs the magic items, and correspondingly small devised with certain assumptions in mind
different groups in separate adventures. amounts of experience. A rate of gain which might not apply to your cam-
Most GMs prefer one style of play, and that is too fast can disillusion players as paign. If something in the module
they look for players who like that style. surely as one that is too slow. clashes with your ideas of how the game

DRAGON 41
should be played, or with some assump- any magic item they have, so why should For example, dont allow any magic-
tions underlying your campaign, you a non-player human leave his magic item users, whether player or non-player char-
must change the module. If you pass the in a treasure chest? This works both ways: acter, to research a spell which will work
buck, you may make your players angry Non-player characters should not be able through an anti-magic spell or shell.
and ruin your campaign at the same time. to use magic which player characters of a Dont let someone devise a spell to deter-
similar class cannot obtain. mine the nature of magical tomes. Dont
4: Whats good for player characters This is not to say that you should let characters kill gods! For that matter,
is good for the monsters. change the rules. For example, in the dont let characters become as powerful as
You might call this the Golden Rule of AD&D game only humans and some the gods, and dont let humans escape the
Fantasy Role-Playing Games. The game, associated types, such as elves, can use basic fact of their nature: their mortality.
whichever one you play, is already biased most magic items and many magic spells. Dont devise amulets which enable
in favor of the player characters (and The idea, I think, is that its the magic undead to resist turning by clerics. Dont,
should be, or it wouldnt be much of a which enables humans to dominate their please dont, let magic-users use swords,
game because the good guys would be physically far more powerful rivals. If however magical and special they may be.
slaughtered 90% of the time). If you allow you change the rules of your game so that These kinds of things unbalance the
players to do something that a non-player everyone from orcs to giants can use game at worst, and at best they offend
should, by all logic, be able to do, but magic items, youll be changing the bal- ones sense that the adventure is real.
which you do not allow, you are going ance of power changing the entire
too far. Moreover, youre abandoning game, really. This is not a proper appli- 7: Dont allow anachronisms.
your most useful argument against those cation of the Golden Rule. Fantasy role-playing is only a simula-
players who want as many advantages as tion (of sorts), not reality. Consequently,
possible that if they are able to do 5: Err on the side of stinginess. the players can try to take advantage of
such-and-such, their human enemies (at If youre unsure whether to allow their knowledge of the real world
least) will be able to do the same. player characters to obtain a powerful knowledge their characters would not
For example, players may argue that magic item or large treasure, always have. Typically, a player might cause his
humanoid-type creatures should be virtu- choose not to do it. If youre too stingy character to invent some extremely useful
ally unable to move when in a magic you can always give more later, but its device known in our world but not in the
web, even if they are quite strong. But if extremely hard to call back something campaign world, and from that he makes
you point out that the same thing could which is already in the characters hands. a huge amount of gold; or perhaps, in
happen to the player characters, the play- For beginning GMs, this guideline might other cases, his inventions give him great
ers might be less insistent. Or, if you be restated as: Give only half as much power (rather like the paratime traveller
allow player characters to learn align- treasure as you think is fair. Nothing who invents gunpowder, as in H. Beam
ment languages other than their own, ruins a game more quickly than escala- Pipers Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen). Such
non-player characters should be able to tion and inflation of levels, wealth, and seemingly foolproof schemes can ruin a
do the same. The players are going to use magical power. campaign, and in any case are contrary to
If players are accustomed to treasures the spirit of the game. What can the GM
worth 500 gold pieces, a 5,000 g.p. trea- do to stop it?
sure is fabulous; to those accustomed to Of course, the easy method is simply to
5,000 g.p. treasures, 5,000 is merely nor- disallow any action which depends solely
mal you need to give 50,000 to reach on the players knowledge of the real
the fabulous category. I have even world. Alternatively, if someone comes
heard of games in which 100,000 g.p. was up with a scheme which may ruin your
a normal treasure. In any case, the players campaign, ask yourself why no non-
become accustomed to the normal trea- player character has ever done this. Per-
sure, regardless of the numbers. Why not, haps some powerful lord is against this
therefore, make your normal treasure kind of thing, or perhaps the culture or
value a small number, and keep abilities dominant religion in the area prohibits
and wealth under control? Your players activities which aid this kind of scheme.
will be thrilled just as often by the occa- For example, maybe a character can
sional big treasure, but big will mean invent gunpowder, but could the dom-
one thing to your group, another to the inant church in this world be opposed to
inflation gang. it, just as the Catholic Church outlawed
gunpowder weapons in the late Middle
6: Dont try to stop the irresistible force Ages?
or overthrow the immovable object. Or, as another alternative, ask yourself
In most games there are certain spells, what non-player characters are going to
magic items, or creatures which are sup- do when they see the player character
posed to be the ultimate. In the AD&D making money (or gaining power) hand
game, for instance, things that fall into over fist. Will they try to set up a similar
this category are the gods, protection scheme in competition? Will they try to
from magic scrolls, perhaps the anti- destroy his scheme, or destroy him? In
magic protection of a paladins holy either case, the non-players wont neces-
sword, the undead-turning ability of cler- sarily resort directly to force. There are
ics, the inability of MUs to use swords, subtle ways to influence events, through
and the inscrutability of magical tomes. rulers, bribes, other kinds of pressure on
The cohesion of the game depends on the employees, and so on.
inviolability of such ultimates. A GM
should resist the temptation to add some- 8: Never let the players feel that their
thing to the game in order to get around characters are invulnerable.
the restrictions, because once he starts to Much of the excitement of role-playing
do theres no end in sight. In a way, its comes from the possibility that death may
like starting an arms race. meet you around the corner. This
42 J ULY 1983
instills a healthy caution in most players provide for the unexpected; therefore, he almost immediately, while the party was
(though not in the few who dont think legislates against it. still at full strength.
of their characters as people). When play- There should always be some chance of Obviously, this threw off the GMs
ers become so powerful that they cannot getting away, of surviving, of using a expectations (though he had provided the
be harmed, they are initially on a big ego spell or item in a way no one has thought back-door entrance), but he didnt try to
trip but after a while they become bored. of before. Your job as GM is to recognize change the players minds, nor did he
That fighter with +5 armor and shield that this possibility exists and arrange the fudge his die rolls so that the party would
and 18 dexterity can laugh at orcs and place of adventure accordingly. be detected before they reached the
ogres. Sure, you can throw tougher mon- entrance. His set-up was flexible enough
sters against him, but you should also 10: Dont expect players to perceive a that even though the party killed the
rule that a roll of 20 against him is problem the way you do. boss, the underlings and the orc army
always a hit. Its even easier to make sure GMs must expect the unexpected. If kept things interesting for several days.
the fighter doesnt obtain that much pro- you get locked into a particular plot for The party perceived the problem differ-
tection in the first place. an adventure scenario, and the players ently than the person who designed it,
A game which is too predictable can decide to try something other than the but because the GM was not dogmatic or
cause boredom as well. Throw the players obvious or what seems obvious to you inflexible, the adventure remained enjoy-
out of routine with, for example, a highly either your scenario may be ruined or able for all.
intelligent giant spider, the infamous you must drastically interfere. The latter
mummy that doesnt burn, or a strange, is quite reprehensible, except in those
non-evil undead. But dont overdo it. If groups where players prefer to let the GM
too much is unpredictable, the game control their overall course of action. The
degenerates into a lottery. former can be avoided by setting up the
adventure with attention to flexibility.
9: Avoid arbitrary keying. An example: A strong party, looking
Some GMs habitually put draconian, for a reputedly very evil and powerful
dogmatic, or arbitrary directions in to creature, came upon a castle atop a 5,000-
their dungeon or wilderness keys. For foot peak, with a single narrow access
example, the key might say there is no road. The GM expected the party to blast
way to avoid this trap or nothing can the guards with fireballs and barge in
stop the statue except [some odd spell] but the party wanted no part of a canal-
or anyone who touches the object is ized assault over a mile of open, narrow
permanently dead, no saving throw, road. So they looked for a back entrance,
wishes notwithstanding. Typically, such sneaked past an encamped orc army using
categorical statements are the mark of an invisibility spell, and met the chief
poor design. The GM is not competent to bad guy and his group of bodyguards

DRAGON 43
44 J ULY 1983
Can Seapoint Be Saved?
First place entry Designed by
Category A-7 Bob Waldbauer

Module Design Contest

For as long as anyone in the town can less danger to ship goods by sea to Sea- Those hulls, gutted of practically any-
remember, nothing has come easily to the point from Riverneck, a harbor town thing portable and valuable, offered the
residents of Seapoint. The little harbor about 600 miles due south of Seapoint. only clue to what was going on. They
town sprang up on the south side of a It took years for the economy and effi- were empty of cargo, so robbery was a
short peninsula when the idea of trans- ciency of seagoing commerce to become motive. The crews had apparently either
porting goods by sea began to catch on, evident to most of the major mercantile been kidnapped, or killed and thrown
and the shipbuilders of the land acquired concerns along the coast years during overboard, because no evidence of life
the ability to construct large seagoing which the people of Seapoint scratched remained on any of the wrecks.
vessels to carry raw materials and mer- out a living, practically on a day-to-day Obviously, a sinister force was operat-
chandise up the coast. basis. The town survived, but only ing in the waters between Riverneck and
Before the sea trade was developed, all recently had it really begun to prosper. Seapoint. But of what sort? Were the
commerce between the northern and Then, just as Seapoint seemed to be thieves simply pirates, engaging in an
southern lands of the country took place coming into its own, ships started to dis- occasional raid? If that were so, then the
over a time-consuming and hazardous appear during the journey northward, sea would still be no more dangerous to
overland route. Caravans were forced to Sporadically and infrequently but travel than the overland route; certainly,
hug the coastline in order to avoid travel- quite often enough entire cargos and land caravans had been ambushed and
ing through the mountains and in crews were seemingly lost to the depths. decimated before. Putting up with crimi-
some places along the way, the rough ter- On rarer occasions, merchant ships that nals was an occupational hazard in the
rain extended almost to the seashore. were reported lost turned up days after business of commerce, and the threat of
Then the shipbuilders began to refine their scheduled arrival in Seapoint bat- an occasional pirate raid would not be
their skills, and merchants began to dis- tered, empty, and washed up on the rocky enough to scare most merchants.
cover that it took less time and involved shore to the southeast of the harbor. But these raids have become more than

DRAGON 45
occasional; lately, an average of two ships cant afford to have a cargo-laden ship STARTING THE ADVENTURE
per month have been waylaid en route disappear. Even though the larger busi- Can Seapoint Be Saved? is an adven-
from Riverneck to Seapoint. And each nesses may be able to stand this sort of a ture designed for use with the AD&D
raid is terrifyingly thorough at the loss, some of them are starting to have rule system. To be able to answer that
least, stripping a ship of any items of problems persuading sailors to sign on question, a party of adventurers should
measurable worth, and at the most, caus- with a merchant ship heading north. consist of 4-8 player characters, each of
ing the victimized ship to literally disap- Strangely, no ship has been lost on the 4th-7th level. The group may also include
pear from the surface of the sea. return trip south from Seapoint to River- henchmen and hirelings. To have the best
Many of the smaller merchant con- neck, presumably because ships heading chance for success, the party should
cerns, and even some of the larger ones, south carry relatively light loads, and include as many different character
have become apprehensive about play- many of them are virtually cargoless. classes as possible, with emphasis on
ing the odds any further. Word has All of these conditions add up to one fighter-types.
reached Seapoint, from conversations thing for Seapoint: trouble. If even a few This adventure can be played as part of
overheard in Riverneck, that several of the merchants decide to give up sea a campaign, or as a stand-alone activity
commercial interests have made a pact to trade, the towns economy will go under. independent of a campaign world.
insure their continued survival: If these Only days ago, the Seapoint town council Whether it can be easily incorporated into
pirate raids (if that is what they are) con- promised a reward of 5,000 gold pieces to a campaign depends on how the DMs
tinue much longer, theyll sell their ships any individual or group of adventurers world is structured, both geographically
and re-open an overland trade route to who can successfully investigate the cause and politically. In most cases, it should
serve the lands to the north. of these raids and put an end to the piracy be relatively simple to modify part of the
Practically every merchant who owns that threatens the continued existence of world map to fit the geographical map
more than a single ship has been victim- Seapoint. There have been no takers yet portrayed here (or vice versa).
ized so far; the raiders apparently bear no but today is the day your party has The way to begin this adventure is to
personal grudges. The loss of materials is arrived in town, and that reward money cause the player-character party to arrive
especially serious to small businesses that looks pretty good. . . . in Seapoint. Most of the preceding sec-
tion of text is information that player
characters could know before arriving in
the immediate vicinity, but its up to the
DM to decide how much of this detail to
give to players beforehand.
The partys arrival could be by land or
sea, depending on circumstances. Ocean-
going travel is not that dangerous yet; the
chance that the partys ship will be raided
on its way to Seapoint is virtually nil
especially if the ship the party is sailing
on doesnt look like an ordinary mer-
chant ship.
The presence of a hardy band of adven-
turers in a town the size of Seapoint is
unlikely to go unnoticed for long. Within
just a few hours after their arrival, the
characters will find out about the reward
(if they didnt know about it already), and
will encounter a man named Evald
Ferrier. He is a rich merchant who has
some very personal reasons for wanting
the pirates stopped: three of his ships are
among those that set out from Riverneck
and were never heard from again.
Ferrier has one valuable piece of
information above and beyond the facts
that characters might find out from other
sources. The captain of a merchant ship
owned by a competing businessman
sailed into Seapoint several days ago and
contacted Ferrier to tell him that he saw a
ship resembling one of his lost vessels
unloading cargo at the docks in River-
neck. Ferrier assumes this information to
be true, and is seeking the services of a
group of adventurers who would be will-
ing to travel to Riverneck and investigate
further. If the party agrees to undertake
this mission, Ferrier will supply them
with a ship and crew for the journey
south, against their promise that they
will do their best to find out whether the
ship actually is Ferriers, and if so, whos
in command of it now. (Ferrier is also
willing to sweeten the pot with a larger
reward, especially if the adventurers see
46 J ULY 1983
the towns offer of 5,000 gold pieces as too merchant ships set out on their journey constructed hull (far from being com-
pal try.) along the trade route north to Seapoint, pleted) is the dominant feature of the
Although the plight of Seapoint is the the town is also the endpoint of a couple yard; around it are stacks and piles of
crux of the adventure, most of the land- of major overland trade routes (not wooden planks and beams, metal fittings,
based activity of the adventuring party shown on the geographical map) leading and other necessary materials. The resi-
will take place in Riverneck (assuming from the south and the west. Ships arrive dence for the operator of the yard and his
they take Evald Ferrier up on his offer). in port on the average of one or two per apprentices is a simple enclosure in the
For this reason, a sketchy description of day some of them coming from Sea- southwest corner of the yard itself.
Riverneck and a map of that town are point, most arriving at Riverneck from After their ship is docked, adventurers
provided in the adventure, but the town points further south. And, ships laden may want to head for the nearest tavern
of Seapoint is not detailed in the same with cargo leave the harbor with the same (C) to find out what the people of River-
way. If adventurers end up spending a lot regularity but at this point in time, neck may have to add to the facts they
of time in Seapoint, the DM will have to most of the ships that leave Riverneck are already know. Building (D), just across a
design a town for them to move around headed south rather than north. narrow walkway adjacent to the tavern, is
in. Since both Riverneck and Seapoint are The map at the top of this page depicts the shop of the towns cooper (barrel
relatively small harbor towns, they would the major buildings and other features of maker), which is regularly kept busy
be quite similar in terms of physical the business district of Riverneck (keyed manufacturing new containers to hold
layout and the buildings and businesses with letter-codes) as well as several other cargo to be shipped out.
located in them. miscellaneous structures that serve as res- The two buildings marked (E) are the
idences for some of the townspeople. property of the local Merchants Guild.
THE TOWN OF RIVERNECK Physical details concerning the major fea- The westernmost structure is a flop
After the party strikes its deal with tures (the presence of people, interior house for transients, either members of a
Evald Ferrier in Seapoint, they have furnishings, etc.) should be generated by ships crew or workmen who came to
roughly a week-long journey ahead of the DM if the adventurers activities make town in an overland caravan. The other
them on the open sea as they trace the this necessary. building is a warehouse for goods
trade route southward to Riverneck. At The first things the adventurers will see received by merchants from ships or cara-
the DMs discretion, the ship bearing the when their ship pulls into the harbor are vans and destined for re-shipment.
party may have random encounters along the receiving dock (A) and the shipbuild- Another nucleus of activity in the town
the way, but for the sake of the overall ing yard (B). The dock can accommodate is the Riverneck Inn (F). Visitors can rent
adventure, none of these encounters up to four relatively large merchant rooms by the night, and meals are sold in
should be overly dangerous or distracting ships, but seldom holds more than two a large common room that is also a social
to the partys mission. vessels at once. (See the following section center. This place is frequented by ships
The bustling little harbor community of text for a general description of a typi- captains and officers, prominent mer-
of Riverneck is a vital link in the chain of cal large merchant ship.) chants passing through town, and other
commerce in this part of the world. The shipbuilding yard is a fenced-in influential and knowledgeable types.
Besides being the location from which area serviced by its own pier. A partially Virtually any specific manufactured
DRAGON 47
 Cabin interiors Cargo hold
Main deck

Large 0 5
(feet)
10

merchant
ship

48 J ULY 1983
 her new owners.) The small merchant
ship shown on this page is the vessel that
the pirate band uses on its raids.
When the adventurers arrive in River-
neck, they probably wont be fortunate
enough to find The Sea Hawk sitting at
the dock waiting for them. However, they
will be able to find out from townspeople
that a ship matching the description of
The Sea Hawk (sailing under a different
name, of course) was last seen in port
almost a month ago.
Since a great many merchant ships visit
Riverneck on a monthly schedule, those
who keep track of such things (the dock
manager or one of his helpers) will tell
the adventurers that they might expect to
0 5 10
(feet)
see it return soon. And sure enough, two
days (at most) after the party arrives in
town, the ship theyre seeking will pull
into Riverneck.
For purposes of movement, hull values,
and so forth, treat The Sea Hawk as a
large merchant ship as per AD&D rules,
except that it has no oars and thus no
movement rate for that means of travel.
The aft cabin is the captains quarters,
being occupied at the present time by the
third-ranking member of the pirate gang,
Gareth Juster, a 4th level fighter (AC 6,
HP 34, Str 16, Int 12, Wis 9, Dex 17, Con
15, Cha 9, alignment lawful evil). He car-
ries a +1 dagger and a long sword, and
wears a +1 ring of protection. Rolled up
and stored inside the drawer of a small
table inside the captains cabin is a map
Small merchant ship of the island chain (refer to the map on
page 46) with the site of the pirate head-
quarters clearly marked with an X and
a hand-drawn line that describes the route
the pirates take when entering and leav-
ing their base.
The other occupants of the ship when
item of a nautical nature can be found in square (K), an open-air marketplace with it docks are two name pirates (de-
the ships store (G). Items for sale range a raised platform (used as an auction scribed below) and five nameless deck
from sextants to barrels of grog to caulk- block, speakers stand, etc.) in the center. hands. All nameless pirates (whether
ing pitch. The proprietor of the shop One day a week, the square is filled with located on the ship or waiting back at the
lives in the small building near the main merchants and traders peddling their pirate headquarters) are 1st-level fighters
structure. This shop is operated more or wares. On market day, virtually any (AC 10, HP 7) who carry daggers on their
less in cooperation with the rope and sail item imaginable (within reason, of persons and who also have access to (and
makers shop (H); the ships store doesnt course) can be bought from one of the can use) short swords that are stored
sell rope or rigging materials or sails, and vendors. Often, the captain of a ship will below decks where the crew sleeps.
the rope and sail maker sticks to his spe- try to time his arrival in Riverneck, or The other two name pirates are:
cialties without trying to compete for the delay his ships departure, to be on hand Aldo Huckster, 2nd level fighter (AC 9,
customers of the ships store. for market day. HP 21), armed with dagger and long
The most remote of the main features is As luck would have it, the next market sword.
the constables office (J). The building day in Riverneck is scheduled for the day Kappern Celeste, 2nd level fighter (AC
contains a jail with a pair of iron-barred after the ship carrying the adventurers 8, HP 16), armed with short sword and
cells, but they are empty more often than arrives in port a golden opportunity dagger.
not. The constable is a figurehead with for everyone to replenish supplies before The forward section of the ship has a
relatively little actual power in the com- the next stage of the mission. small cabin used as storage for the anchor
munity; law enforcement in Riverneck chains, extra ropes and lines, and other
consists primarily of citizens controlling THE SHIPS non-merchandise materials. The cargo
one another, in a sort of crude honor Depicted above and on the facing page hold, accessible through an open hatch in
system: If you dont try to steal some- are the two types of sailing ships that the front of the main deck, is where the
ones property or slip a knife between his play a major part in this adventure. The crews supplies, as well as goods intended
ribs, chances are he (or his hired help, or large merchant ship shown at left is what for sale in Riverneck, are stored.
the survivors of his family) wont try any- Evald Ferriers missing ship, The Sea The pirates are posing as merchants
thing against you, either. Hawk, looks like. (This ship is also the with wares for sale, just like any other
Most of the main structures in the type of vessel that the characters will use ship that comes to Riverneck. They oper-
business district of Riverneck are built to travel from Seapoint to Riverneck ate in the open, like any other
around the perimeter of the traders before they encounter The Sea Hawk and merchant-ship crew; that is, they will not
DRAGON 49
be secretive about the merchandise on anyone who isnt below decks. After this PIRATE HEADQUARTERS
their ship, and they will gladly accept all blast, it is a relatively simple matter for The pirate bands base of operations is
the help any dock-workers want to give the pirates to board the merchant ship, located on the eastern shore of one of the
them unloading their cargo. However, making short work of any resistance that small islands in the chain that extends
they wont take kindly to anyone who might remain. southward from the peninsula. The
tries to invade the privacy of the captains As a reward for its assistance, the island in question is in the center of the
cabin. The crew sleeps on the ship while dragon turtle gets to devour all the crew enlarged inset on the geographical map,
it is docked; the merchant sailors will members it can eat. The monster also and the approximate position of the
go into town for recreation and relaxa- receives a portion of the monetary trea- pirate headquarters is indicated by a dot
tion, just like any other visitors to River- sure taken from each wrecked merchant with a circle around it. All of the
neck, but in such a case at least one of the ship. The relationship between the pirate chambers in the headquarters are natural
nameless pirates will be ordered to stay band and the dragon turtle is mutually caves and caverns hollowed out of the
behind and make sure no one boards the beneficial: The creature gets lots of free inside of the island. Except where other-
ship while the rest of the crew is away. meals and a goodly amount of treasure wise noted, all the chambers are well
The pirates will not be looking to take on (and a way to transport those goods back illuminated in strategic spots by the use
new crew members, and its virtually to its lair), and the pirates get all the sal- of continual light spells. All of the
impossible for even one person let able merchandise they can carry off the chambers have ceilings at least 20 feet
alone an entire party of characters to ships that the monster destroys. high. The doors shown on the map are
stow away aboard The Sea Hawk and not The dragon turtle has 12 hit dice, 48 hit all of wood and are normally locked.
be discovered. (Clearly, the only way for points, and a 30-foot diameter shell. It is When the party of adventurers arrives
the adventurers to deal with the pirates at relatively weak (as dragon turtles go) but at the island base, the site will be occu-
this juncture is to take the ship by force quite intelligent smart enough to real- pied by five name pirates (detailed
but without damaging the ship itself.) ize when it has a good thing going. The below), four other nameless pirates
The small merchant ship will probably monster is only charmed by the magic- (low-level types, statistically identical to
not come into play until the adventurers user when the pirates are about to embark the miscellaneous hands on the ship), and
commandeer The Sea Hawk and sail it on another raiding expedition, because it the magic-user who is the brains behind
back to the pirate base. Treat the small is at this time when the creature must be the operation.
ship as equivalent to a small merchant strictly controlled to be sure it does The magic-user is Adoniram Latoner
ship in the AD&D rules, except that the exactly what its supposed to do. The rest (AC 4, HP 28, Str 9, Int 17, Wis 15, Dex
movement rates for normal oar and of the time, even when its not under the 14, Con 12, Cha 16, alignment lawful
maximum oar are doubled. influence of the spell, the dragon turtle is evil). He is proficient with the dagger and
content to remain in its lair on the island the quarter staff, and possesses two of
THE PIRATES where the pirates have established their each weapon. One dagger a +2 weapon
Just as most of the merchants and resi- headquarters. It savors its collection of is on his person, and the other (non-
dents of Seapoint have suspected, a band treasure, satisfies its hunger with occa- magical) is kept under the pillow of the
of pirates is behind the evil operations in sional meals provided by the pirates, and bed in his quarters (area E on the head-
these waters. But it isnt that simple: waits patiently until the next time it is quarters map). In a pocket of his robe, he
Operating in league with the pirates, and called upon. carries a key that will unlock any door in
acting as their leader in most ways, is a The pirates strategy is a key to their the complex. He wears bracers of defense
9th level magic-user. And the creature intentions. They dont want to com- (AC 4) and always sports a rod of beguil-
primarily responsible for the groups pletely discourage merchant-ship traffic ing in a leather holster hanging from
recent successes is neither pirate nor in this area, or obviously theyd be out of his belt. He knows the following spells:
magic-user its a dragon turtle, which business. So, they only set out on raids reduce, shield, sleep (2), invisibility,
cooperates voluntarily with the magic- once every couple of weeks or so. They web, continual light, hold person,
user and the pirate band, and has this strip a victimized ship of its cargo (or as tongues, water breathing, charm monster,
cooperation enhanced by applications of much of it as they can pile into their wall of fire, and teleport.
a charm monster spell. smaller ship), then scuttle the empty or Latoner uses the rod of beguiling as a
The small, unassuming ship that the near-empty ship and head back to their safeguard against a mutiny by the pirates
pirates travel in (see the preceding page) headquarters. (The wrecked hulls that he is leading, and only rarely has he actu-
is not likely to arouse the suspicion of a infrequently wash up on the rocks near ally had to wield it to end an argument or
merchant-ship captain who encounters Seapoint are evidently ships that the quell a possible uprising. He does not use
the vessel; eight men in a small boat are pirates thought had been damaged the rod on the dragon turtle, preferring to
not much of a threat. But lurking nearby, enough so that they would sink but not waste any of its charges on the crea-
underwater, is the dragon turtle and they retained enough buoyancy to ride ture since his charm monster spell can
this changes the odds considerably. the current until beaching themselves.) accomplish the same effect and can be
The dragon turtle (while under the The pirates own one large merchant replenished.
influence of the charm spell) secretly ship, The Sea Hawk (see the previous sec- The pirates all know about the rod,
accompanies the small ship when it tion of text). This vessel was captured and they realize that Latoner can easily
leaves the pirates headquarters and intact on one of their early raids, and put a stop to any conflict by using it, but
moves into the shipping lane, hoping to serves as a way for them to transport they dont realize the rod has a limited
encounter a northbound ship loaded with stolen goods to Riverneck, where the number of charges and Latoner doesnt
goods. When the small ship moves close merchandise is sold for fair market value know that the rod only has three charges
enough to a merchant ship to determine by pirates posing as merchant sailors. (It remaining at this time.
that its worth taking, the pirate leader is quite possible that the pirates have The magic-user seldom is found any-
orders his oarsmen to give a signal to the stolen and sold the same goods more than where but in his chambers, and the
dragon turtle (they slap their oars on the once, since some of what they unload at pirates have never known him to leave
surface of the water), and the monster Riverneck eventually finds its way onto a the headquarters complex. Unless he
roars into action. merchant ship headed north.) By just sell- finds out in advance that adventurers
Still underwater, the dragon turtle ing one ships worth of goods at one have invaded the base, Latoner will be
rushes the merchant ship. It surfaces time, and by doing it within the law, the encountered in his living quarters (Area
beside the vessel and belches out a cloud pirates avoid attracting attention to E). This chamber contains a bed, a desk, a
of scalding steam that kills or wounds themselves. chest of drawers, and other miscellaneous
50 J ULY 1983
Scale: 1 square = 10 feet
DRAGON 51
furniture. Latoners book of 4th and 5th If he is surprised, the captain will be in try to get past the party and escape into
level spells (with only three pages filled at his quarters entering a passage in the Area A (since they dont have keys to get
the moment) is lying on his desk. His logbook, with his spear within easy reach through any of the doors leading out of
other spell book is in one of the drawers leaning against the hammock. If he is the barracks). If the party enters the com-
of the chest. Aside from his weapons and alerted to the presence of the adventurers plex from the southern end (through Area
the items he is wearing, Latoner keeps in Latoners chambers, Krell will leave G) and Krell is alerted to the intrusion,
nothing of value in this chamber. his chamber through the eastern door and the captain will move into Area B, lock-
The cavern to the southeast of Laton- round up all the pirates from the general ing the door behind him, and will then
ers quarters (Area F) is where the magic- barracks area to the east (Area B). If he unlock the door leading to Area C (a
user keeps his share of the monetary trea- hears a disturbance in Area B, Krell will dark, empty chamber) and the door in the
sure and other items of high value flee westward into the magic-users lower right-hand corner of the map. This
appropriated by the pirates. Tucked away chamber and alert Latoner. In such a latter door blocks off an ascending tunnel
in the most secluded spot inside this case, it is possible that Latoner will take that leads out of the subterranean com-
unlighted chamber are three wooden Krell along with him when he retreats plex. The pirates will not use this door,
chests without locks. They contain gold into the treasure chamber and prepares but will try to make it look as though
pieces, silver pieces, and copper pieces in his teleport spell. (Krell would be able to they have. When his men are organized
roughly equal proportions (400-600 coins teleport with him, since the captains (which will take two rounds), Krell will
in each chest). The only other items of weight does not put Latoner over the lead them into Area A, and they will all
noteworthy value in the chamber are a limit imposed by the spell description.) try to escape by using the barge tied to the
pair of gold urns, worth about 350 g.p. All but one of the remaining residents pier. The pirates small merchant ship is
each, and a ships bell formed entirely out of the complex will be in Area B when anchored just outside the opening to this
of silver, worth 450 g.p. the adventurers arrive at the island. The waterway. As long as the number of
If Latoner is aware of the partys pres- exception is a lone sentry (one of the pirates who escape is sufficient to get the
ence within the complex, he will not con- nameless pirates) who is pulling guard small ship under way (at least two men to
front them directly but will rely on the duty at the dock (Area A). The five work the sails, four to man the oars), they
pirates to do the dirty work. He will name pirates found in Area B, all will be able to leave the complex.
gather up his spell books and weapons humans of lawful evil alignment, are: The sentry in Area A will certainly be
and lock himself inside the treasure Jans Harper, 3rd level fighter (AC 9, alerted if characters attempt a direct
chamber. At the first sign of a disturbance HP 25); armed with long sword and assault on the complex through the wide
in his living quarters, he will teleport dagger, also proficient with spear and waterway leading east. If this occurs, the
himself, his books, and his weapons into club. guard will sound an alarm; two rounds
his escape hatch hideaway (Area H). Larkin Fletcher, 3rd level fighter (AC 7, later, the dock area will fill up with angry
If the magic-user is surprised inside his HP 23); armed with long sword and pirates from Area B. Unless the party has
living quarters, he will attempt to defend dagger, also proficient with spear. obviously superior power, the pirates will
himself with any means available (the rod Klass Goffe, 2nd level fighter (AC 8, make a determined defensive stand at this
of beguiling, a weapon, or spell use) until HP 19); armed with long sword and location. Crates, barrels, and boxes of
he can grab his book of 4th-5th level dagger. stolen merchandise are stacked in many
spells. When he has that book in his pos- Dongal Maskill, 2nd level fighter (AC places around the open warehouse area,
session, he will teleport as described 10, HP 14); armed with short sword and offering substantial cover and lots of hid-
above. Except in a truly life-or-death dagger. ing places for the defenders. If the pirates
situation, Latoner will not use his tele- Gorlon Dundore, 2nd level fighter (AC are getting the worst of the fight, or it
port spell to escape unless he is carrying 10, HP 15); armed with short sword and looks like they wont be able to hold off
the book, since he must have the book to dagger. the adventurers assault, they will retreat
re-learn the teleport spell and get himself All four of the nameless pirates in back into Area B and entrench them-
out of the hiding place the same way he the complex are armed with daggers. In selves. As a last resort only, they will try
got into it. (For purposes of moderating addition, the pirate on sentry duty has a to open or break down the door leading
the teleport attempt, treat Area H as very short sword at his side, and each of the to the tunnel and head outside.
familiar to Latoner.) other three pirates can also use a short Area G is no mans land for everyone
The captain of the pirate band is a 6th sword if one is available, except Latoner, the magic-user. This is
level fighter named Morgan Krell (AC 6, The barracks area doubles as a dining the lair of the dragon turtle. On a narrow
HP 49, Str 17, Int 15, Wis 12, Dex 14, Con room and sleeping chamber. It contains patch of land adjoining the small but
16, Cha 16, alignment lawful evil). He is several hammocks hung from posts and deep lagoon there is a disorderly pile of
proficient with the long sword, dagger, an equal number of small, unlocked coins with a few gems and bits of jewelry
and spear. He carries a +1 long sword and chests that contain clothing and personal thrown in (just for color). This is the
a non-magical dagger, and wears bracers items. Crates and barrels of foodstuffs are treasure that Latoner has given to the
of defense (AC 6). His living quarters are stacked along the northern wall of the dragon turtle as part of their bargain; it is
in Area D, immediately to the east of the chamber; nearby are a fire pit, a large roughly equivalent to the value of the
magic-users chambers. The cavern is as square table for preparing food, other monetary treasure in Area F. The monster
sparsely furnished as Latoners quarters, kitchen-type furnishings and equipment, itself lurks in the depths of the lagoon,
containing only a hammock hung from and a long, low table on which meals are generally surfacing only on a signal from
posts, a wooden chest on the east wall, served. Scattered about the room are sev- Latoner. At the bottom of the lagoon is
and a table with four chairs around it eral community property weapons, another pile of treasure, composed of all
roughly in the center of the chamber. The predominantly daggers and short swords, the valuables that the dragon turtle
chest is locked. Krell has the key to this which can be snatched up at a moments acquired before getting involved with the
chest in his pocket, and he also holds a notice by anyone who finds himself in pirates. In all probability, this treasure
key (identical to Latoners) that will open need of one. pile will not be discovered by the party
all of the doors in the headquarters. Unless intruders use some form of (unless they somehow manage to kill or
Inside the chest are a leather bag contain- magic that makes them undetectable, it disable the dragon turtle). If it becomes
ing 60 gold pieces, various personal items will be virtually impossible to invade the necessary to know the contents of the
and articles of clothing, and a book in barracks and surprise everyone in it. If the underwater treasure pile, the DM should
which Krell is writing (in the common party advances into this room from Area generate it according to the Monster
tongue) a log of the pirates activities. A and a conflict ensues, the pirates will Manual specifications.

52 J ULY 1983
DRAGON 53
Language lessons: I
Even Orcish is logical
Make the system fit the speakers
by Clyde Heaton
Players of fantasy role-playing games language it is. Since a player character distims the doshes. Without knowing
are spectators and critics of a complex, has been told in a dream that this inscrip- exactly what one is, you automatically
varied art form. This medium covers a tion may mean life or death to a member know that a gostak is a being or an object
range of experience equal to that of music of the party, off the party goes in search capable of performing some kind of
and poetry, which soars from simple of a needed sage, having many adventures action. This gostak distims; that is, per-
rhyme and melody to the rarefied heights on the way. forms an unknown action (defined as an
of symphony and epic opera. So, too, In most cases, the life-or-death inscrip- action by the internal logic of the lan-
does game design range from simple to tion is never described except as a set of guage), and it distims doshes (whatever
complex. probabilities on dice, or it is given in a they are), the object of the action of dis-
The simplest form is that of the free- sort of doubletalk, as razzamatazz da timming. The only time this internal
standing dungeon, where the players gooblegoop, which the players instantly logic is upset is when two languages
enter the demesne of a mad wizard, who recognize as a simple symbol for a real come into conflict by being used at the
has supposedly created the dungeon for phrase, with no meaning of its own. Too same time and place, and therefore are
his own amusement. The characters come much of this sort of thing, and the game often combined. Eventually the two
from nowhere. There is never a reference becomes dry. tongues will become the same language,
to the wider world outside the maze of The masters of literature have often having its own slightly different logic
tunnels, no reason for the strange mena- found solutions to the puzzle by actually within a slightly different framework.
gerie of monsters and men found in the designing a language. J. R. R. Tolkiens Before a language can be designed, you
rambling warren, and the players find no Elvish is famous, spiced with a bit of have to decide a few things about the
hints of anything more. Dwarvish; Frank Herberts Dune series is people or creatures who will speak it.
Eventually, usually under the goading full of fragments of language, from the First, what kind of vocal apparatus do
of players inquiring minds and free battle language of the Atreides to bits of these creatures have to work with?
imaginations, the referee either loses Fremen and Tleilaxu tongues. Each of Obviously, a creature with no teeth, only
interest in an increasingly complex hobby these fragments strikes a note of realism a horny bill, will not use the same sounds
or gets lost himself in what has become beause it reflects a real vocabulary and that a beast with fangs will, and neither
an art form: the design of a fantasy world. syntax, however incomplete it is. These will use the phonemes of human
If the players dont ask questions about languages are not simple substitutions of language.
the world, the designers own mind will nonsense words in English grammar, like Second, what kind of culture and world
ask them and there are always answers a ten-year-olds secret language he view do these people live in and with? In
to be had: shares with his friends; they represent real his science-fiction novel The Languages
You said a wizard built this place thought about the characters speaking the of Pao, Jack Vance suggests that lan-
because he was mad. What made him lines, and real rules about how languages guages shape cultures. In his fictional
insane? work. Its not hard to learn: This article example, he uses language changes to
The madness was a curse from the will show you how, and well design a shape changes in a society. This may be
gods. language for orcs along the way. so, but if a language grows up within a
What did he do to get the gods culture, the reverse will probably be more
down on him? Languages have logic often true. The sound and grammar of a
Uh . . . he helped overthrow a king Every language has its internal logic, language will almost certainly reflect the
that had the support of the local although folk wisdom holds otherwise. cultural environment in which is is used.
religion. Some people are fond of saying that Eng- For example, it may be no coincidence
What kingdom is this? Can we go lish (or whatever language they are being that ancient Rome, an aggressive, expan-
there? forced to study) is illogical, unpredicta- sionist society, spoke Latin by putting the
And so it goes, until you find yourself ble, and ridiculous. Deep down, they verb first. The position of the word de-
as the creator of your very own world, know this is not true, for they learned the noting and describing action shows clear-
dropping hints of great treasures and basic logic of their native tongue as they ly the importance the Romans placed on
glory to be won. learned to talk, without any formal les- action. The English-speaking world puts
Imagine a scenario wherein the players sons. They can hear a sentence made up the subject of a sentence, a noun, in the
find an inscription on a tomb wall in an entirely of unknown words, but if these leadoff position in the simplest sentences.
unknown language. They copy it down words conform to the patterns of English This may reflect, as it seems to do, an
and go looking for someone to translate it they will instantly recognize certain facts. acquisitive, possession-oriented culture.
for them. A magician can make sense out The commonly quoted example of this To design a language for part of an
of some of it, enough to figure out what is the meaningless phrase, The gostak AD&D world, you dont need a complete
54 JULY 1983
analysis; knowing the general alignment when they are all going to launch a joint one given here, or a similar design of
and cultural habits of the society will charge against the kobolds. Hence, the your own creation:
cover the situation. language is full of concepts relating to 1st 2nd
The third fundamental decision warfare and military construction. Consonant Vowel Consonant
involves the question of use. What do Orcs are always shown with protruding (null) a (null)
these people do with this language? Is it fangs, a physical feature which definitely d e d
spoken primarily by courtiers (such as limits the sounds they can make. Many g o g
High German) or by peasants and mer- subtle sounds that require a completely j j
chants (such as Low German)? To you, as closed mouth to produce will be k k
the game-world designer, this decision is unknown to orcs, because their fangs n n
important because it will limit the kind literally get in the way. Their harsh, sav- r r
of vocabulary you will develop. The age nature will further lead orcs to use t t
Atreides battle language in Dune didnt mostly harsh, guttural sounds. Therefore, Z Z
need words for flowers or birds, for philo- the only consonant sounds in the lan- Now, by picking one from column A,
sophy or religion, but it had a driving guage are D, G, J, K, N, R, T, and Z. The one from column B, and one from
need for military intelligence and combat vowel sounds are A (as in at), E (as in column C, Chinese restaurant style, you
terms. In the same manner, you will egg), and O (as in off). can build dozens of suitably harsh sylla-
design only the part of a greater language (Remember, the process of gaming lan- bles (243, to be precise), each one similar
that you require, adding the rest only if guage design is arbitrary. You are the in form and sound to the others, such as
you find some part of it useful. designer and authority. It is only neces- dug, jeg, zor, ot, and tet.
sary that the component parts not be These syllables may be used as com-
Common Orcish inconsistent. If, by chance, a slight incon- plete words, by themselves, or may be put
The language we are going to develop sistency does creep in, blame it on inter- together into longer words. In doing this,
is Common Orcish, so named because it language contamination, which happens take into account the intelligence of the
is common to all the orc tribes in a given in all but completely closed societies.) speakers. In most cases, only races of rela-
area. Common Orcish is a well-developed If we were designing a tongue for a less tively high intelligence would use a lot of
military language, having evolved to hostile race, such as elves, we might dis- polysyllabic words. I doubt seriously if
meet the needs of intertribal cooperation. card this series of consonants completely orcs would use more than two syllables to
Generally, the only reason tribes will in favor of softer sounds such as F, H, a word, especially in their common, inter-
work together is for warlike purposes, TH, L and S. tribal language. Even so, the consonants
such as civil war or a major raid into civ- and vowels from the above list can be
ilized territory. The orcs of Stony Ledge Setting up syllables combined into more than 40,000 two-
dont want to discuss the fine points of Once the basic sounds of the language syllable words. Common Orcish need not
metal work with the Black Dog orcs, but are chosen, set up a table to help pick syl- be a limited tongue.
they do need to know how, why, and lables, using a matrix something like the When building a vocabulary, if you

DRAGON 55
choose you may have similarities between imagine what would be of paramount nouns and adjectives, then select adverbs
some words, to show a common root; for importance to a nearly immortal people. to modify the verbs, such as hard to mod-
example, in Old Dwarvish (described in I decided that my personal view of elves ify cut. Adverbs have the same form as
DRAGON issue #66) the verb ak (to cut) was that of a race of artists, more con- nouns and adjectives.
was reflected in the nouns bak (cutter) cerned with appearance and attitude than Now, we need one more type of word to
and zak (axe). Such relationships and with actual objects and actions. Hence, give the language the flexibility it needs:
roots are very easy to develop when the mood of a statement takes grammati- connectors, such as conjunctions (and, or,
designing a language, since one word cal precedence over the subject, verb, and if, etc.) and prepositions (from, for, and
will suggest another, such as with sleep, object. Orcs are not as highly developed to). These we have already decided will be
bed and blanket. as either dwarves or elves, however, so we of one syllable of two letters only, so
However, root-word organization will use the simple egocentric grammar assign Orcish translations to these words
would not be very prevalent in Common of subject, verb and object, in that order. and file them.
Orcish. Orcs are not very creative, are Words modifying another word will fol- Using this process, I worked out the
lawful, and may have evolved from a low it. following English-to-Orcish vocabulary
pack-running, hunting carnivore. I stipu- For example, the English sentence The list:
late that their words may have developed chief of the orcs attacked the big fort by
originally from hunting calls and are the wide river would be organized in And (conj.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ak
therefore arbitrary in nature, at least in Common Orcish as Chief orcs/attack Animal (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ragdar
the common language. New words are past/fort big by river wide. Armor (n.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gandan
either borrowed from other languages or The simple concept is Chief attack fort. Army/warband (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . joktar
imposed by a leader strong enough to The subject, chief, is modified by orcs; At (prep.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... ag
have his way. Once used by enough orcs, the verb, attack, is put into past tense by Attack (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. dak
a word gains the weight of custom and is an adverb; and the object, fort, is modi- Attack (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... dakzok
accepted by the lawful-minded populace. fied by the adjective big and the preposi- Axe (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... ekdod
Another thing to consider is whether tional phrase by river wide. Bed (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . derdar
certain parts of speech have a different We now have the bare skeletal structure Big/great (adj.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jajgak
word form, making them immediately of a language. If all you need for gaming Blanket (n.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .derdak
recognizable for what they are. This may purposes are a few fragments of speech or Break (v.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dod
be done by reserving certain syllables for tomb inscriptions, you really dont need Brick (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kettak
special uses, or by the use of suffixes and to develop a full vocabulary; just follow Bright (adj.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..gatad
prefixes. In Common Orcish, we will these rules of construction and the lan- Burn (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . det
record a tendency for verbs to be of one guage (or what there is of it) will sound But (conj .) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ek
three-letter syllable, and for connectors and look consistent. Carry (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dog
such as and, or, but, from, etc., to be of However, if you want to develop a Charge (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kot
one two-letter syllable. Plurals will be vocabulary for orcs, lets continue. First, Chest (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..zekar
denoted by adding the suffix -a to a word, decide what concepts are required by the City/town (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ejtag
and a female version of a noun will be speakers of the tongue. As we decided ear- Climb (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . teg
given an -o suffix. All other words, lier, Common Orcish is basically a mil- Cloak(n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..durad
whether nouns or adverbs and adjectives, itary language to allow cooperation Close/shut (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gen
will be of similar structure, probably of between tribes in time of war. The orcs Cold (adj.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . etar
two syllables. will need to talk about combat (both Come (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..zen
In any language, there must be a way individual and group), bivouac situa- Coming (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..zenak
to denote possession and tense. In High tions, sieges, construction, and possibly Company (n.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . roktor
Elvish (see the article on that topic else- hunting. Incorporating these concepts Cut (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gek
where in this section), a relatively more will dictate the vocabulary of the Dagger/knife (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jortak
sophisticated language, possession and language. Danger (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nartag
tense are both shown by using an entirely Start by making a list of the names of Dark (adj.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..gerdak
different word to denote the difference every object, person, direction, etc., that Day (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . zandag
between my possession and yours, as well an orc may have to talk about when in Deer (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..rorad
as a difference between an object of today any of these situations, and assign an Defend (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gag
and the same object tomorrow. In Old Orcish word to each, according to word Die (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ot
Dwarvish, the same requirement is met by structure as decided earlier; go back to the Dig (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gar
a short modifying syllable preceding the three-column syllable table. Remember, Dog (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . g o j a k
word. In Orcish, we will use a simple nouns are usually of two syllables. Down (adj./adv.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . zegor
modifier in the same manner as an As you begin this list, keep it in alpha- Drink (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . az
adverb. betical order. I find that 35 index Drink (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . aztar
cards are the easiest method; by keeping Dwarf (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kez
From syllables to sentences files for both English and the language East (n.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gokzek
Next, we must determine simple sen- Im working on, I avoid any repetition. Eat (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gad
tence structure, taking into account the When the noun list is as complete as Elf (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rekar
culture and attributes of the race and cul- you want it to be, look it over and add . Enemy (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rargad
ture using the language. When Old any adjectives that an orc might need to Far (adj./adv.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gotrak
Dwarvish was designed, I considered the apply to any of these. For instance, river Fast (adj./adv.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tortan
reputation dwarves have of being mate- might require wide and fast; sword might Fight (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dek
rialists, always seeking to amass treasures need the modifier sharp. In the case of Fire (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . detad
of gold and finely worked materials. Common Orcish, the adjectives have the Flank (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . togtad
Apparently, physical objects are of most same syllabic form as nouns. Food (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gadduj
importance to them, and this must be Now, decide what verbs an orc would For (prep.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . o j
reflected in their language, with the sub- need, such as cut to go with sword and Formation (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kejar
ject and object of a sentence taking the swim with river. These verbs are usually Front (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . regton
prominent position. of one three-letter syllable, in the case of Future (adv.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gakdar
In the case of High Elvish, I tried to Orcish. File these verbs in order with the Gate (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..netdag

56 J ULY 1983
Get/fetch (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d o j To (prep.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . od reads: Officer order (past) to climb wall
Go (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .zor Treasure/wealth (n.). . . . . . . . . . . . . doztat us. A direct translation of this sentence
Going (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . zorak Tree (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tadnen into Common Orcish yields: Jeddar jen
Guard (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d e j Up (adv./prep.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tegat dotad teg kokad dagada.
Guard (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dejad Wall (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kokad If players ever get too familiar with the
Hammer (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gettok Water (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dozar language, it may be time to sprinkle your
Hard (adj./adv.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .gegor West (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gogker Common Orcish vocabulary with some
He (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . darag What (n./adj.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ar indirect translations, otherwise known
Helmet (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ozrad When (adv./conj.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . an as dialects. As the use of a language
Horse (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gozak Where (adv./conj.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . er spreads (and any language worthy of the
Hot (adj.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dendad Who/whom (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . on name common would certainly be
How (adv./conj.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . o r Why (adv./conj.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . en widespread), differences arise in the way
Hunt (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jar Wine (n.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tagrat various tribes pronounce various words.
Hunt (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jarag With (prep.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ed For example, one tribe may pronounce
Human (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rannor Wood (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .dortod the harsh T more softly, so that it would
Hunter (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jardak Yes/affirmative (adv.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . tojat be written TH; the K could become a
I, me (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dagad You (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .dakar breathy KH at the end of a word only.
If (conj.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . eg Much of the Portuguese language is
In (prep.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . aj The parts of speech abbreviated after similar to Spanish, with the words short-
Is/am/to be (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tot each English entry are expressed gener- ened, some of the vowels left out. Perhaps
Kill (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dez ally in terms of how the Orcish language one tribe of orcs speaks this way, so that
Lead (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jed uses these words and concepts. For sim- gogker (west) becomes gokr, and tagrat
Leader/officer (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jeddar plicity (because thats the way orcs would (wine) is tgrat; in an adventure, this
Left (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rakan instinctively do it), there is no distinction could be a source of friction between
Like/as (prep.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ad drawn between nouns and pronouns. tribes that adventurers could exploit.
Listen/hear (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dun Although a given word may be character- How will you make the most and the
Loose (adj.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(konad) ized either as an adjective or an adverb best use of the languages you design?
Make/build/erect (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tek because of its principal usage in English, Thats impossible to predict; there are at
Many (adj.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . zejdad it can be both parts of speech in the least as many ways to use a language as
March (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d o k Orcish sentence structure, where the same there are words in the language itself.
Move (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tor words are used to modify both nouns and And no matter how much and how well
Near (adj.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gotrag verbs. you use authentic languages, one thing is
Night (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . zakdag Words can be easily added to this list as for sure: Player characters in your world
No/negative (adv.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . zozgat they are required by the game situation. will use the languages you designed in
North (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . todreg Words on the list can influence the crea- ways that you didnt even dream of.
Obey (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jeg tion of other related words (as with the
Of/from (prep.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . og Orcish words for hunt and hunter).
Open (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nez But dont overdo this; as mentioned ear-
Or (conj.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . o k lier, Common Orcish wouldnt be terribly
Orc (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .darak sophisticated in this respect. Reserve the
Order (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . j e n related word privilege for concepts and
Order (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .jendad objects that are near and dear to orcish
Parry (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gaj mentality, such as az/aztar, dej/dejad,
Past (adv.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .dotad jar/jardak, and gon/gontad, to name a
Rear (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .rontak few from the list above. As long as you
Retreat (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .noj follow the languages construction and
Ride (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rej grammatical rules and avoid outright
Right (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tokan duplication of words by keeping organ-
Run (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . raz ized lists the language can be dealt
Saddle (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . orgad with and used by players. It can become a
Safe/safety (adj./n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . noztan major factor in the events of your cam-
scout (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gon paign; for instance, being able to recog-
Scout (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gontad nize Common Orcish from previous con-
Sergeant (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jegdan tacts with the language may provide an
Shield (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . gandal important clue to player characters in a
Shoot (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jez perilous situation.
Shut/close (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rot
Sleep (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . der Translation, direct and indirect
Slow (adv.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tontag To translate an English sentence into
Soft (adj.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..gezan Common Orcish vocabulary and gram-
South (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . takren mar, reorganize the sentence in English
Squad (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . j o k first. The sentence The officer ordered us
Stand (v.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nak to climb the wall has officer as its subject,
Steal (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dez ordered as the verb, and us as the object of
Stone (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kordad the verb. The basic Orcish sentence
Stop/halt (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . g e j would be officer order me. The subject is
Sword (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .dotak not modified, but the verb is modified by
Take (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . don the phrase (to) climb the wall and by
Thief (n.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .deztej being placed in past tense by the modifier
Threaten (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..na r dotad. The object is modified by adding
Thrust (v.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . zok the plural suffix, -a.
Tight (adj.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kozad The complete rearranged sentence
DRAGON 57
Language lessons: II
All games need names
But dont make a game out of naming!
by Katharine Kerr
1983 Katharine Kerr most FRP games. As a result, when been discovered and probably never
gamers create names, they start with the existed among anyone recognizably
Youre in the Temple of Florwaks in assumption that anything goes, just as it human. Its likely that as soon as proto-
Shinebright City, says the gamemaster. does in American English. Sometimes, in humans were using tools, they were
You see the Priestess Oolala and her a desperate attempt to sound exotic, they inventing real languages; the same will
barbarian bodyguard, Upchuk, who fall back on handfuls of consonants; more hold true for any sentient human or
serves the mighty god, uh, the god . . . often, they mix and match from widely humanoid beings in a fantasy or science-
how do you say Smkznrf, anyway? different languages, with a healthy dose fiction campaign.
of just plain English thrown in.
Does any of that sound familiar? All It is possible, however, to have a system Pick the right phonemes
too often, role-playing games, to say that will produce personal and place The two basic parts of any language
nothing of the lower reaches of fantasy names in fantastic languages with a min- are its sound (what linguists call its pho-
and science-fiction writing, are marred by imum of effort and brain-wracking. What netics or its phonological inventory) and
the use of personal and place names rang- the gamemaster needs to do is create the its structure (grammar and syntax). To
ing from the merely silly to the utterly language from which these names will be invent a language, you must first deter-
incomprehensible. Even some popular drawn. Making an entire language would mine what kind of sounds your new lan-
published gaming campaigns are filled be too time-consuming and not necessary, guage will have, then decide what kind of
with banal random names. but you can use a few basic linguistic grammar it uses. Once these decisions are
Al though most fantasy role-playing principles to create a small part of a lan- made, you can generate lists of personal
systems have elaborate rules for determin- guage in a surprisingly short time. This names and words that can be used to
ing which game-world languages a player article explains those basic principles and build place names. Let us begin then
may know, when we come right down to gives specific pointers on language crea- with what most people call sounds but
it, all their manifold tongues sound alike tion so that it can serve as a starter-kit for linguists call phonemes (for a reason that
a species of that truly common lan- those who want to create partial lan- will become clear later).
guage, Gamers Exotica. Its a pity, guages for their campaigns. You should The human mouth and throat, to say
because the proper use of strange- bear in mind that the article oversimpli- nothing of the speech-making parts of an
sounding names adds the feeling of a dif- fies many a tangled concept, but on the alien anatomy, can produce an enormous
ferent reality thats part of the pleasure of whole, it sticks close to modern linguistic variety of sounds, ranging from a Bronx
role-playing, whether your game-world theory. It also uses two standard linguis- cheer to a soft hiss. Any language that
lies on a futuristic planet or in a past that tic conventions by setting off example used all or even most of the sounds a crea-
never was. sounds in slashes (/g/) and example ture is capable of making would be too
The problem seems to be that many words in italic type. complex to use for general communica-
gamers forget that names are part of a tion. So, every language selects a rela-
language, and that each language has a What is a language? tively small number of sounds to use in
consistent character that sets it apart from Before we can get down to the step-by- building words. This selection is what
other languages. By and large, most role- step process of making up a language, its gives a real-world language its basic
playing games are created and played by necessary to define exactly what a lan- music or character, because out of a
speakers of English, and American Eng- guage is: a system of sounds, all given simple human liking for whats familiar
lish at that. For centuries, English has arbitrary meanings and organized into and orderly, languages tend toward con-
been a linguistic melting pot, drawing patterns that carry meaning and show the sistency in their choice of phonemes.
roots and words from many other tongues relationships between the basic sounds. Thus, the German Ianguage sounds
and in the process losing any recogniza- The one primary reason that languages throaty and harsh to many people
ble purity of tone and sound, such as one exist is to communicate information because of its selection of phonemes pro-
finds in, for example, Chinese or between individuals. Every existing lan- nounced farther back in the mouth than
German. guage fulfills this need in a very precise those of English, while Spanish uses the
In America, our cross-cultural society way, no matter what speakers of other open, soft phonemes that give it its nick-
produces names drawn from all over the languages may think of it. You must name of the loving tongue. These
world. Ive known a Kevin Woo and a understand that a truly primitive lan- judgements, of course, are culturally con-
Heidi Sanchez, for instance ethnic guage that is, a system of grunts, short ditioned and emotionally subjective
combinations of names that would be words, and grammarless sentences, like but as a gamemaster, subjective emo-
unthinkable elsewhere, especially in a those often attributed to primitive peo- tional color is exactly what you want in
primitive, isolated society such as those in ples in fantasy fiction simply never has your invented languages.

58 J ULY 1983
DRAGON 59
 Your first job, then, is to select basic following vowel. Say the word stop aloud ways of producing consonants, defines
sounds in an orderly, patterned way to and pay attention to the way that your those terms, and shows how the English
give your new language character. Since voice becomes automatically louder when consonants are classified. Notice how few
the word sound is vague, lets define you hit the /o/. Thus we see that a word different consonant sounds English uses,
our special term, phoneme: A phoneme is without vowels, such as the god Smkznrf in comparison to the number of different
a speech-sound that must be precisely of our example, is unpronounceable and sounds the human vocal apparatus can
pronounced to communicate meaning, thus unusable, no matter how dandy it make. For a new language, it would cer-
but this precision is a relative thing. looks on the printed page. tainly be possible to introduce new con-
If a person with a high-pitched voice Both vowels and consonants are classi- sonant sounds but make sure you and
and one with a baritone voice both say fied into categories on the basis of certain your players can actually pronounce a
the word can, for instance, the pitch of technicalities. Although you dont need nasalized dental, for example, if you
the two words is different, but they would to learn all these categories to create a choose to include one. (Perhaps written
both be understood. Similarly, a British partial fantasy language, included below as /nt/, it would be sounded with the
and an American speaker would each is a table for those who like this sort of tongue pressed against the upper teeth as
pronounce the vowel /a/ in can slightly thing. The table shows most of the basic the air went out your nose.)
differently but again, they would be
understood. On the other hand, if some-
one pronounced the word as con, the TABLE OF CONSONANTS
word would not be understood for what it Nasals stops Spirants
is. Thus, the British and the American voiced voiceless voiced voiceless
/a/ sounds are variants of a single pho-
Labial m b p w wh
neme, while /o/ is a different phoneme.
When inventing your new language, Dental th th
then, remember to define the phonemes
Labio-dental v f
closely rather than broadly. For example,
just how will the vowel /a/ be pro- Alveolar n d t zh, z, 1 sh, s, l
nounced in your language? Dont assume
Cacuminal r r
that it represents all the phonemes that
the English letter a represents, such as the Palatal n (as in onion) y y
phonemes in can, cane, and aha, but
Velar ng g k
decide which of these phonemes you
want. (The spelling in your new lan- Uvular (not used in English; ch in German, as in achtung, is one example)
guage will be a breeze, unlike English, if
you play your cards right.) Definitions of terms in table: produced by the vocal apparatus. Labials
The number of phonemes used in Nasals are sounds produced with the are produced with the lips. The other
human speech is vast, and far from nasal passage open. types are produced by contact between the
bounded by our English alphabet. Some Stops are produced by first closing the tongue and another part of the mouth:
African languages, for instance, use the lips, then opening them with a puff of dentals with the tongue touching the
phoneme /!/ (no, that exclamation mark breath. teeth; labio-dentals with the tongue and
is not a mistake), which is pronounced Spirants narrow the lips, but allow air the lower lip; alveolars with the tongue
roughly like a bottle-top being popped by to escape with a feeling of friction. touching the gum above the upper teeth;
an old-fashioned opener. Welsh has the Voiced consonants are those where the cacuminals with the tongue toward the
phoneme /ll/, produced by putting the vocal cords continue to vibrate as they are hard palate; palatals with the tongue
tip of the tongue on the hard palate and pronounced. (Put your fingers on your close to the hard palate; velars with the
hissing. Many languages use the throaty throat and say first /s/, then /z/ to feel tongue on the soft palate; and uvulars
/ch/, as in the Scottish word loch. Closer the difference.) Many consonants have with the tongue back in the throat. (Say
to home, consider all the ways that /r/ both voiced and voiceless pronunciations. some English consonants, noting how
may be pronounced: open as in American The technical terms reading down the your tongue is positioned, to get a better
English, rolled or trilled as in Celtic left column show how the consonant is understanding of these terms.)
tongues, swallowed like in British, nasal-
ized as in New England dialect, or even
aspirated like the /rh/ in Welsh, Each Taking the table further learned and easily spoken during the heat
language selects one method as the To go beyond the table of consonants of play.
right way to pronounce /r/, and so can given here, write out the English To make your new language sound
your new language. alphabet and make notes of the variety of properly exotic, its not even necessary to
phonemes each letter represents in actual have a large number of non-English
Vowels and consonants speech. If you know other languages, phonemes. Languages also take on char-
Varied as they are, however, all pho- think of how those languages would pro- acter by the way in which they combine
nemes fall into one of two groups: vowels nounce the various phonemes. Pay atten- their phonemes and the frequency with
and consonants. A vowel is a phoneme tion to any foreign languages spoken in which they use certain combinations.
produced by vibrating the vocal cords and your community and try to distinguish English, for example, readily uses con-
allowing the air to pass out of the mouth different phonemes. (If youre unfortu- sonants in pairs or clusters, such as in the
or nose or both without obstruction. Its nate enough to live in an English-only words strong track star. Other languages,
the vowels, in other words, that actually community, you can ask at the public such as the Polynesian group, rarely use
allow a word to be pronounced by a library for language-learning records.) more than a single consonant per vowel,
human or humanoid mouth. You may want to incorporate distinctive and many syllables consist of a single
A consonant may be simply defined as foreign phonemes into your new lan- vowel, as in Hawaii or Nukalofa. The
anything that isnt a vowel. Certain con- guage. A little bit of thought will give Welsh language strings together a variety
sonants, such as /s/ at the beginning of a you a long list of possible phonemes of diphthongs, as in haearn, while Eng-
word, do carry air with them, but this air more than can be incorporated into a sin- lish avoids such combinations.
is insufficient to allow the word to be gle language. Remember, however, that What about frequency? Well, if you
heard from any distance away without the any unusual sounds must be easily look over this paragraph you will see
60 J ULY 1983
DRAGON 61
many uses of /t/, /r/, /e/, /a/, and /n/, Reading, writing, and morphemes Chinese is a good example of an isolat-
but hardly any appearances by /x/, /q/, At this point, let's consider the ques- ing language. In a very rough transcrip-
and /v/, to name three relatively rare let- tion of how to write down your new lan- tion, in Chinese jung means middle and
ters in English. In other languages, /x/ guage. While its tempting to make up an gwo means country; thus the word for
(for instance) might be a common con- exotic alphabet, remember that you have China (the Middle Country) is Junggwo.
sonant, even at the beginning of words, to read these words out in the middle of a The morpheme hwa means either
while /t/ may be exceptionally rare. game. Since learning how to read a new speak or speech; there is absolutely
When you select phonemes for your new alphabet takes a lot of time and practice, no difference in the form of the mor-
language, give them a different frequency its best to start by writing your new lan- pheme to show whether its a noun or a
rate than in English; that is, use some of guage in the alphabet you already know. verb. The morpheme bu is used for nega-
them more and some less than the corre- For non-English phonemes, modify exist- tion. Thus, the sentence Do you speak
sponding English phoneme. The choice ing letters by such devices as putting a Chinese? translates (very roughly) as
of a phoneme pattern is just as important slash through or a dot over them. Make a Junggwo hwa, hwa bu hwa? or, more
as the choice of the phonemes themselves. key, and stick to it, to avoid confusion. literally, China speak, you speak not
Lets look at an example drawn from If you assign one and only one pho- speak? The listener understands that this
my own fantasy campaign, which has neme to each letter, spelling will be easy. sentence is a question from the pattern of
two prominent languages: Kazrak and The horror of English spelling arises the morphemes; that is, the repetition in
Tribal. Kazrak predominantly selects the from the fact that one letter can represent hwa bu hwa is a vital part of the lan-
consonants represented by /j/, /k/, /z/, several phonemes, and some phonemes guage and carries the information that
/w/, and /r/, with other phonemes added are represented by several letters. This the sentence is a question.
for variety, of course. It also clusters its situation arose because of the linguistic If you choose an isolating type of struc-
consonants and isolates vowels from each melting pot characteristic of English ture for your new language, its words will
other with consonants. Tribal, on the mentioned earlier a characteristic you be short ideally all monosyllables, but
other hand, prefers smooth sounds such can avoid in your new language. even Vietnamese, the purest known iso-
as /l/, /m/, /d/, and /p/, and rarely Before you begin making up word lists lating language, does not attain that
pairs, much less clusters, its consonants. for your language, you have to decide ideal. Such a language will have to have
If we have two chararters, for instance, some basic questions about its structure, plenty of different phonemes in order to
named Jezro of Haz Strokej and Marador because the grammatical structure of a avoid words which sound alike but mean
of Rinbabadelan, its obvious that the language determines not only the length different things. Chinese neatly solves the
first is a Kazrak and the second a man of of its words but the details of the words problem by adding tones to its phonemic
the Tribes. Any place with a name like form. In spite of their amazing variety on system; that is, a word like hwa means
Melimbalaban will be in Tribal lands, an individual basis, all known human one thing when pronounced in a high,
while Dazjarko must be somewhere in languages can be classified as one of two even tone of voice, but quite another
Kazrak territory. More importantly, broad types: isolating and inflectional. when pronounced emphatically with a
neither could be in California or Indiana. (Modern European languages, including falling tone of voice. Unless you already
English, are a mixture of the two types, speak Chinese or another tonal language,
but most other languages are quite rec- this system will be very confusing for
ognizably one or the other.) In the primi- your game-world language. Since youll
tive and culturally pure worlds of fantasy only need a small number of words, you
gaming, languages will also follow one can get by with simply including a lot of
or the other of these patterns. To define phonemes in the language and paying
these two language types, we need a new strict attention to make sure that you
term morpheme to replace the dont duplicate entire words.
common term, word. Making up names in an isolating lan-
Just as a sound can be made up of sev- guage is a relatively simple matter. Per-
eral phonemes, what are commonly sonal names will consist of two or three
called words can be made up of several words placed side by side, such as Ling
morphemes. Consider, for example, the Mei or Trong Nhu Tang, to give one
word unfortunate. It is made up of un, Chinese and one Vietnamese example.
fortun, and ate, each a set of letters that One of these words will be the persons
contributes meaning to the total word: a actual name, the other the name of the
negation, then the root meaning, and persons family, or perhaps the village
then a suffix showing that the word is an where he or she was born or resides. An
adjective. Although none of these pieces attribute can also be added to a personal
can stand alone as a word in a sentence, name as in Thor Stormbringer, to
each has a definite meaning and thus is a give a common-sounding example with
morpheme the smallest unit of a lan- the attribute plainly stated in English. It
guage that can carry meaning. Some would be much more interesting to have
words are single morphemes: can, a, and the name be Tor Mek Al, for instance,
is, for instance, cannot be subdivided in and leave it up to the character bearing
the manner that unfortunate can be. the name to reveal (if he chooses) how he
earned the name Mek Al, or Bring
Isolating-type languages Storm. Place names can be formed in a
In an isolating language, each mor- similar way. Big Tree Place or Orc
pheme is indivisible in the same way as Death Rock, suitably translated, could
can or is. In the purest type of such a be names of places in a country speaking
tongue, one morpheme equals one word an isolating tongue.
equals one syllable, always remaining
distinct, never changing its form or Inflectional-type languages
sound, and revealing its grammatical Although the inflectional type of lan-
function by its position the sentence guage is more complex, you can invent
alone. one with a minimum of effort once you

62 J ULY 1983
understand the basic principles. Basically, sentence. Consider the examples Marcus Agglutinative languages can string
an inflectional language changes the est infortunatus (Mark is unfortunate) together quite a number of morphemes.
sound or form of its words to show and Anna est infortunata (Ann is unfor- In Turkish, the morpheme den indicates
changes in meaning. There are two ways tunate). The end of the word undergoes movement away from the root its at-
of making these changes: (1) altering the a further sound-change because Ann is tached to, so that evlerden means out of
sound, as in the English run and ran, female and Mark is male. the houses. In practice, most fusional
give and gave, and so on, or (2) by adding Suppose we want to say that Ann and languages have some agglutinative fea-
morphemes, as in fortunate and unfortu- Mark are both unfortunate; this becomes tures and vice versa, but all you need to
nate. When morphemes are added, some Anna et Marcus sunt infortunati. Notice worry about is the predominant character
of them remain distinct; others have their that the verb changes its form to the plu- of your new language. Since an aggluti-
pronunciation blurred and become ral, just as the end of infortunatus/a is native language can pack a lot more mor-
part of the word. (Always remember that altered yet once again. Are these changes phemes into a single word, names in this
speech is the primary form and writing at the end of infortunat- sound-changes, language will be longer but at the same
the secondary form when thinking about or are they morphemes added to the root? time more distinctly pronounced.
these matters.) In the purest type of an Scholars argue the point, because in a Any inflectional language has a
inflectional language, every single word fusional language its very hard to say. number of different kinds of morphemes.
in a sentence will change its form to show Fortunately, the answer is irrelevant for Some are what we think of as words, pure
its precise function and various shades of our purposes, except as it bears on the and simple, referring to events, things,
meaning but even in Latin, a good distinction between a fusional and an qualities, and so on: horse, ride, fast,
example of an inflectional language, agglutinative tongue. under. All morphemes of this class are
some words are invariable. Inflectional In agglutinative languages, there is no complete, as it were, even in their most
languages are further subdivided into two question of sound changes. Each mor- stripped-down form. If a Latin speaker,
types: agglutinative and fusional. Since pheme has a distinct meaning and a dis- for instance, heard the incomplete word
the differences between these two types is tinct character, no matter how many of caball-, he would think vaguely of a
confusing at first, let us examine them in them are glued together, or aggluti- horse, even though he would feel that
more detail. nated. In Turkish, for example, the mor- something was missing without another
Latin is a good example of a fusional pheme for house is ev. To form a plural, morpheme on the end. Morphemes of this
language. Remember our example of one adds ler, for evler. This morpheme is first type can be called, simply, com-
unfortunate, a Latin word taken over always a sign of the plural. In Latin, that plete morphemes.
almost whole into English. To form that -i which pluralizes can also be added to A second kind of morpheme can be said
word, un and fortun and ate are fused different kinds of words to fulfill other to carry meaning by itself, but its mean-
into one longer word which has a mean- functions: librum Marci does not mean a ing is so abstract that it can hardly stand
ing that goes beyond any one of its parts. book and several Marcuses, but a book alone. This second kind of morpheme is,
In Latin itself, unfortunate undergoes belonging to Marcus. In Turkish, such for instance, a -us for caball- to make the
another change when its being used in a confusion would never arise. word horse in the nominative case, or

DRAGON 63
 the -i which would make it caballi, the If youre inventing an isolating lan- pair of things or make distinctions
plural. The Turkish morpheme ler is guage, youll need none of these secon- between one only, a few, and a
similar, in that a Turkish speaker would dary morphemes at all. Isolating lan- great many.
recognize it as meaning more than one, guages leave such questions as number, Lets look at some examples of number
but would hardly consider it a word in gender, and time totally to the context of and gender changes. In Latin, a common
the way that ev is a word. Morphemes in the sentence. Thus, Two horses ran by class of personal names ended in -a for
this second category are those that add yesterday would become Two horse run the feminine gender and -us for the mas-
something to the meaning or qualify the by yesterday if English were an isolating culine. Thus, Claudius and Claudia are
meaning of the root-morpheme to which language. the same name, merely differentiated for a
they are attached; therefore, we may call man and a woman. English has some
them qualifying morphemes. Gender and number names which follow a similar pattern, as
A third class of morpheme, which Ill To make up names in your new inflec- in Robert and Roberta. An agglutinative
term relational morphemes for our tional language, you will need qualifying language will have morphemes to show
purposes here, is exemplified by the morphemes or sound changes for gender gender added onto the core of the name.
phrase a horses back. The s morpheme and number. Gender is important for per- Its also possible to use internal sound
shows the relationship of horse to back, sonal names for characters. It refers to changes to mark for gender, as in John
namely, that the horse possesses the back. actual sex only when the noun refers to a and Jane. The plural of words will be
All inflectional languages either add living being, but inflectional languages shown in similar ways. Arbor is one tree
morphemes or use sound changes to show assign genders to all nouns just for lingu- in Latin; arbores means more than one
certain basic relationships such as istic consistency. Often, as in Latin, a tree. In English, we have one man, several
possession. language will use three genders (mascu- men. For varietys sake, your new lan-
Inflectional languages have an line, feminine, and neuter), but at times, guage can have several different mor-
immense variety of morphemes in both as in Welsh, there are only two (mascu- phemes or sound changes that mark for
the second and third categories for every line and feminine). plural and gender. For example, you
part of speech, but you will be pleased to A game-world language might well might decide that mens names always
know that you need only a few mor- have an unusual way of designating end in -onno, -el, or -on, while womens
phemes for a few kinds of qualifications gender. An hermaphroditic race, for names end in -alla, -or, or -ne. If you are
and relationships to make up names in a instance, might use the two genders of making up an agglutinative language,
created inflectional langauge. (Anyone living (sexed) and dead (non-sexed); or, a remember to make the morphemes con-
whos obsessive enough to want to create precise language might split up the sistent with the general sound of the
an entire inflectional language should neuter gender into categories such as tongue; in a fusional language, the mor-
read Theoretical Linguistics by John active, passive, and abstract. When it phemes should be short and colorless.
Lyons, Oxford University Press, to find comes to number, most languages distin-
out about the months of work that lie guish only between singular and plural, Possession and location
ahead.) but others include a dual number for a For place names, you will also need
morphemes or sound changes to show
possession and location. The possessive
has an example in English: the s added
to nouns, as in the houses roof.
Although English can also say the roof of
the house, an inflectional language has
no equivalent to of. The possessing noun
will have to have a sound change or mor-
pheme added to it to show possession.
For example, in my Kazrak language, haz
means fort, and stroko means sun.
The name The Fort of the Sun trans-
lates as Haz Strokej, because -ej is the
fused morpheme of possession.
The locative, or located-ness, quality is
more foreign to English, which represents
that idea solely with prepositions and
makes no changes in the actual noun.
Although most inflectional languages
have prepositions, they also feel the need
to add a morpheme or change the sound
of a noun to show its subordinate status
to the sentence. In Latin, for example,
arbor means tree, but under the tree
is sub arbore. A word in this locative case
can also stand alone; domus is home in
Latin, and domi means at home.

Prefix, suffix, or infix

By now you may have noticed that
most of these examples so far have added
their morphemes at the end of the basic
word, but many languages make changes
at the beginning and middle as well. A
morpheme added at the end of a word is a
suffix; at the beginning, a prefix; and in
the middle, an infix.
64 JULY 1983
 All three of these forms can be used in way of marking them for gender. You can then place the chosen words in a row in
the same language for a properly foreign prepare a list of such names and have it the proper order. In an inflectional lan-
feeling. In your fantasy language, tree on hand for both NPCs and new player guage, youll have to relate the chosen
might be hendir, and trees bahendir. In characters as the need arises. If a simple words with the possessive and locative
agglutinative languages, infixes become one-word personal name is unsatisfactory morphemes if necessary.
especially important. For example, in my for some reason, you can add a place
campaigns Tribal language, the posses- name, put into the locative case, to show How many words is too many?
sive morpheme is bala, which comes the characters origins, or make up an Doubtless youre wondering how many
before the possessing noun and after the attribute, such as Stormbringer or words youll need to develop meaningful
object possessed to form names. Since rin Quicksword, using the principles names. In actual practice, youll find the
means mountain and delan is moon, detailed below for place names. number to be surprisingly small; most
the name Rinbaladelan means Moun- If you look at maps of various coun- real-world languages use a relatively
tain of the Moon. Simple sound changes tries, youll find that many place names small vocabulary for basic, everyday
can occur at the beginning or end of fall into one of a few broad groups. One communication and even fewer words
words as well as in the middle. In Welsh, group is a description of the place, such than that for naming.
for instance, home is cartref, and at as Salt Lake City or Stratham, which A good many names can be built with
home is gartref a locative parallel to means the hamlet on the strata (Roman only a hundred words of the right kinds.
the Latin domus/domi. You thus have road). Another group incorporates the One group of words necessary for place
many ways of particularizing the different name of a god or a saint, as in San Fran- names are prepositions: on, by, on top of,
languages in your campaign. cisco or Lyon, which once was called below, and so on. For personal names,
Lugdenensis, the land of the god youll need a morpheme for son of and
Now, for the names Lugh. Other places have been given the daughter of. Otherwise, most of the words
Now that you have determined the names of secular heroes, like Washington. you need are nouns and adjectives suita-
basic structure of your new language, Natural features sometimes take their ble for describing countryside. You can
made up a list of the phonemes for it, and names either from their appearance, like also use the names of the gods in your
invented the basic grammatical mor- the Black Hills, or from legends about campaign, and secular heroes if there are
phemes if it needs any, you are finally them, like all the places named Arthurs any. In a science-fiction game, many
ready to make up names and words. Per- Chair, Arthurs Castle, Arthurs Seat, and places will be named after the person who
sonal names are the easiest, simply so on in Britain. first discovered or colonized them. In fan-
because they dont have to mean any par- To make up names, you can use these tasy worlds, the inhabitants are more
ticular thing. After all, do you know what same groups, make up basic word lists, likely to give their gods credit for a deed
Susan or Robert actually means? Do you and draw combinations from them. If as stupendous as founding a town.
care? All you need, then, are words that your new language is an isolating type, At the top of the next page are some
are the proper length and consistent with all you have to do is decide whether examples, to get you started, of words
the sound of your new language, and a adjectives come before or after nouns, with a high degree of name potential.

DRAGON 65
 Natural features: hill, mountain, river, careful. To use one of the examples from countries, the rules about languages will
forest, meadow, ford, peak, canyon, plain, the beginning of this article: Oolala have some point in the ongoing adven-
lake, desert. might be a respectable name if pro- ture. Players will have to get translations
Man-made features: town, city, village, nounced oo-LA-lah, but whos going to from NPCs to learn that a place called
fort, palace, battleground, crossroads, say anything other than oo-la-LAH? Melimbalatanol, say, means River of the
bridge. Upchuk, of course, is reminiscent of Monster, rather than getting an easy
Adjectives: big, great, small, high, low, regurgitation no matter how you say it. clue the moment they enter an area.
marshy, dry, color words, north, south, To be reasonably sure of avoiding such As player characters gain added profi-
east, west, dangerous, placid, famous, mistakes, say each of your invented words ciency in a language, you can offer more
holy, cursed. and names aloud several times in several translations more easily, thus giving
You can also add some animals and the different ways, until youre sure it cant them the feeling that they are indeed
names of certain trees: bear, horse, oak, be twisted into something you didnt learning something new. The cleverest of
dragon, pine, and so forth. mean to say. characters may even learn to pick apart
From even this short list, you can gen- Another trap to avoid is words that names and decipher them for themselves.
erate a tremendous number of names. sound like commercial products. If you When faced with a string of border forts,
Just for starters: Black Bear Mountain, watch television, all that advertising has all called Haz something-or-other, even a
Little Fort, Great Blue Mountain, Dragon soaked right into your subconscious dolt can figure out what haz means.
City, North Peak, High Fort, Holy River, mind, and it will reappear at the wrong
and so on. Translated into your new lan- moment. Take a name like Kolak, for The last ingredient: you
guage, these names will sound not only instance, which sounds properly mascu- Following all of these rules and guide-
exotic, but consistent, as if they were line and exotic at first hearing. But think lines need not restrict your creation of a
thought up by real brains and spoken by about it for a minute, and it also suggests language in any way, because the one
real mouths, instead of having their cola, Kodak, koalas, and to the histori- element that distinguishes each language
names, and the history those names cally minded, kulaks none of those from all others its individuality is
imply, come from an essentially random being words that have really suitable something that only you can provide.
choice. connotations for a heroic figure. The atmosphere and the conditions of
Of course, its far from necessary to your game-world remain the overriding
Watch out for weird words invent a language for every area in your considerations when inventing consistent
When youre making up vocabulary, be campaign, particularly if the players are and workable names for that world.
careful to avoid inventing words with going to pass through it quickly, but I When we consider whats in a name, we
unwanted connotations, and stay away heartily urge every gamemaster to work may conclude that a rose by any other
from downright puns. Once youre up the two or three primary languages in name would smell as sweet but if roses
immersed in a brand-new language, its his or her world. Such a process adds were called plontzes, its unlikely that
easy to forget your English roots and more than atmosphere. If you refrain theyd figure as prominently as they do in
produce some real howlers if youre not from translating place names in foreign poetry and song.
DRAGON 67
 FIGURE FEATURE:
Text by
Kim Eastland

Photos by
Scheibe Studio

TSR HOBBIES, INC. designed for the AD&D game. When this
P.O. Box 756 review was prepared, only prototypes
Lake Geneva WI 53147 were available for photographing; hence,
AD&D Metal Miniatures the druid in the photo is holding a sword
Ranger, Druid, and Paladin and not the scimitar, as in the actual sets.
TSR Hobbies new figure sets were The protos showed a lot of detail, espe-
scheduled to be on the market by the time cially in the druids leather banded armor
this column is printed. The first four sets and the rangers chainmail. Suggested
are character miniatures specifically retail price: $9.95 per set.

RAL PARTHA
5938 Carthage Ct.
Cincinnati OH 45212
Personalities Line
Half-elves (Sculptor: Tom Meier)
One of the problems in portraying fantasy
races in metal figures is the limitation of the
small scale. With half-elves, for instance, the
physical difference between them and humans
is almost impossible to see in a figure barely an
inch tall. Something else must be incorporated
into the sculpture to bring out the difference.
Ral Parthas half-elves are made different by an
elaborate and extensive fashion change. Note
the scalloped robe worn by the spell-caster, and
the distinctive cloak that covers all but the
upper face of the warrior. This set of four fig-
ESSEX MINIATURES ures is fun to look at, and it offers a real paint-
c/o The Reiter ing challenge. Suggested retail price: $4.00.
3440 S. Monterey
New Berlin WI 53157
Medieval Feudals
Monk in mail shirt with flail, Monk holding
large cross, Monk with two-handed mace
Warrior clerics are often difficult to find in 25mm
scale. Consequently, these monks from Essex of
England should be particularly welcomed by Amer-
ican collectors. Of continual note in Essex figures is
the interesting weaponry; while historically accurate,
these weapons seldom find their way into todays fig-
ure lines. Another fine aspect of this line is the avoid-
ance of the clone look so often seen these days. As
mentioned before in this column, about the only real
drawback to the Essex lines is that they are slightly
larger than the normal 25mm figure. Suggested retail
price: 65 each.
68 JULY 1983
HUMANOIDS
ASGARD MINIATURES
c/o The Armory
4145 Amos Ave.
Balitmore MD 21215
Space Marines
Space trooper captain, Space marine in full
armor, Space marine in light space armor
If you have a need for science-fiction warriors in futu-
ristic armor, then Asgard is the place to hire them
from. The present low supply of good SF figures is
boosted by this gorgeous collection of space marines.
The line even includes a marine taking off the blast
from his backpack rockets is sculpted as part of the fig-
ure. Suggested retail price: $1.00 each.

CASTLE CREATIONS
1322 Cranwood Sq. S. marketed as accessories for FGUs After-
Columbus OH 43229 math game, but the humans and
Survival Force figure line muties work just as well for other
Warriors of the Devastation games, too. Pictured here are a female
(Sculptor: Russ Coddington) human sporting a laser; a plated,
Also in the category of futuristic figures Mohawked mutie with crossbow; and one
are miniatures designed especially for BIG dude with an eyepatch and a .50 cal.
post-holocaust SF games. This is one of machine gun. Suggested retail price:
the newest lines in this genre. They are $3.00 for a blister pack of 3 figures.

CITADEL MINIATURES U. S.
P. 0. Box 12352 gaming group some night. All three of
Cincinnati OH 45212 these guys look as mean and vicious as a
Fantasy Adventurers 25mm figure can be and the Grim
Evil cleric, Grim Reaper, Reaper is the grimmest of all. As usual,
and Anti-hero Citadel gives us figures that really convey
Heres a group of sweethearts you a mood they dont just stand there.
might have fun springing on your fantasy Suggested retail price: $1.10 each.
DRAGON 69
Companion fills the Glorantha gap
Reviewed by Ken Rolston dependent on published background Companion volumes will draw material
material provided by Chaosium. Wyrms from a number of sources. First, they will
The Runequest Companion is a sup- Footnotes used to be invaluable for back- contain material revised and re-edited
plement for Chaosiums Runequest ground material on Glorantha; it con- from out-of-print issues of Wyrms Foot-
role-playing game. For the $8.00 price, tained articles on the cultures of alien notes. Other articles will be drawn from
the purchaser receives a collection of mis- races and primitive human societies, on materials cut from other Chaosium pro-
cellaneous articles, stories, and adven- histories at a local and global scale, on jects because of space limitations. Some
tures, including background history and tribal sports and exotic cults. When pub- of the Companion contents will be mis-
geography of regions of Glorantha, notes lication of Wyrms Footnotes ended, a cellaneous articles from the Chaosium
on alien races, fragments from ancient most important source of detail, both epic staff; some will be free-lance submissions.
chronicles, and a wry detective story with and trivial, about Glorantha disappeared. The offerings of the first Companion
an imaginative fantasy setting. To make up for the demise of Wyrms range from soup to nuts almost liter-
Many game companies publish house Footnotes, Chaosium has undertaken a ally. The most substantial contributions
organs that specialize in offering supple- series of intermittently published sup- are provided by Greg Stafford and Alan
mental material related to their fantasy plements to Runequest and Glorantha LaVergne.
role playing games. Chaosium used to the Runequest Companions. They will Glorantha is the original creation of
have such a publication, Wyrms Foot- contain articles, stories, and play-aids Stafford, and he has insisted on preserv-
notes, for its games; the April 1982 issue which do not fit readily into the com- ing its coherence and quality through his
of this magazine was its last. panys other RQ supplement packs. Most authority over the piecemeal publication
That magazine was an important of the Runequest supplements are coher- of supplementary material. Given here is
source of information for those who play ently designed on a single limited theme a history and geography of the Holy
Runequest. This game system is set in the or geographical region for example, Country, an important region that has
fictional world of Glorantha, an original Trollpak, which details the troll race, or been mentioned in side references for
fantasy realm with its own peculiar his- Pavis, which describes a remote town on many years; at last we have an official
tory, theology, and culture. Runequest a great river. In addition, there was a need account of it.
has become organically identified with for a suitable vehicle for publishing The two other major pieces are from
this particular fantasy universe unlike material that does not fall within narrow LaVergne, the author of Chaosiums
most other FRP rules systems, which do thematic or geographical bounds. excellent solo adventures. One of his solo
not provided detailed universes. The Companion series fills this need. adventure is in the Companion, as well a
The only problem with using Gloran- Edited and maintained according to delightful short story, The Smell of a
tha is that the gamesmaster becomes Chaosiums usual high standards, the Rat. LaVergnes contributions are as
solid in their detail as Staffords are in
their broad scope; the minor details of the
setting and circumstances of the short
story add color and life to the abstract
framework of the Runequest rules and
campaign background materials.
There are a number of other useful and
entertaining articles, including a descrip-
tion of illusion Rune magic by Stafford
and notes on unicorns and trolls by
Sandy Petersen. Other pieces include
fragments of correspondence and excerpts
from chronicles of historical figures of
Glorantha, and the musings of a legend-
ary hero from his own accounts of a for-
gotten age.
These pieces, individually and as a
group, provide the texture and atmo-
sphere that are Gloranthas hallmark; just
as in superior literary fantasy, the setting
is perhaps the most important charac-
ter of all and the setting must be
compelling and lifelike, or the fantasy
will fail.
This publication will probably be of
little use to anyone who doesnt play
Runequest and use Glorantha as his
campaign background. Much of the
charm and humor of the contents relies
on references recognizable only to a
Runequest gamer. However, its a little
like the popular magazine Arizona
Highways you dont have to live in
Arizona to appreciate the quality of the
magazine. For Runequest players, this
package is a must-buy, both for its utility
and its entertainment value.
70 JULY 1983
DRAGON 71
 Visit The Solomani Rim
Reviewed by Tony Watson Vilani and the founding of a Second
Imperium, the Rule of Man. All things
The Solomani Rim is Supplement 10 being transient, the Second Imperium
in Game Designers Workshop series of collapsed after 400 years, giving way to an
accessories for its Traveller game system. interregnum, the Long Night. From this
A profusion of play-aids for Traveller emerged the Third Imperium, the politi-
have been marketed by other companies. cal setting for current Traveller
Some of them make it possible to expand adventures.
the scope of a campaign by introducing The humans of Terra, now known as
the referee to another sector of interstellar the Solomani, continued to play an
space and this is also the purpose of important and aggressive role in interstel-
The Solomani Rim. But this supplement lar politics after the rise of the Third
is noteworthy, because its only the Imperium, eventually leading to the out-
second work of its type ever produced by break of The Solomani Rim War. But the
the company that created the game. Ref- Solomani were defeated, and Terra was
erees whose campaigns have outgrown occupied after a bitter struggle. The
The Spinward Marches (Supplement 3) Solomani Movement, however, remains a
can now turn their attention to the other potent force in the sector covered in this
side of the Imperium, where a brand new supplement.
region awaits the players. This summation of the history outline
This is the region where Terra can be included is intended to point out how
found the home planet of the species carefully GDW has constructed the
Homo sapiens. The three-page history future history of the planet we occupy.
outline in the front of the 48-page booklet Whats written here makes sense and fits
history is full of insights on the Terrans well with the pieces of information weve
rise to interstellar importance, starting already been given about the inhabitants
with the development of the jump drive of Terra. The Solomani Rim has been the
in the year 2089 and the Terrans subse- site of two of GDWs Traveller adven-
quent challenge to the already established tures, The Argon Gambit and Prison
Vilani Imperium. The long Interstellar Planet, and it has been used in two GDW
Wars followed, ending in the defeat of the (concluded on page 74)

72 J ULY 1983
board games, Imperium and Invasion
Earth, which chronicle the Interstellar
Wars (in part) and the final battle of the
Solomani Rim War, respectively.
Tales stranger than fantasy
The Solomani Rim is a measurable MAZES AND MONSTERS Coynes Hobgoblin would generally be
improvement over The Spinward Rona Jaffe considered the lesser of the two works,
Marches. The sixteen subsector maps are Dell 0-440-15699-8 $3.50 although he seems to have put more
considerably more detailed and provide research into his work than Ms. Jaffe dis-
HOBGOBLIN
more information. Facts about starport plays in her book. Coyne tosses about
John Coyne
type and bases, the presence of gas giants names of games like Traveller and the
Berkley 0-425-05380-6 $3.50 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game with
and water (for refueling purposes), and
large populations are included right in Presently on the shelves of newsstands a spurious facility. He presents an orig-
the hex on the map; all the pertinent and bookstores are these two mundane inal monster (a Brobdingnagian from
information about a world is available at novels dealing with players of fantasy Gullivers Travels) in a format evidently
a glance. Another very useful item is a role-playing games. Although very differ- cribbed from the AD&D Monster Man-
large map in the centerfold which shows ent in their approaches and effects, these ual. And he even tries to depict a gaming
how the subsectors fit together. Each of novels have a lot in common. session, in which polyhedral dice (which
the subsector maps is accompanied by a Above all else, both writers view fan- he perpetually calls pyramidal) display
listing of the worlds included and their tasy gaming as something that must be bizarre ranges of numerical values. His
statistics and a brief word about any explained, like teenage alcoholism or research shows to much better advantage
planets of note in the region. As for those joining the Moonies. And examined: Just in the creatures of Irish myth with which
familiar planets, GDW has continued what is it, anyway, that leads intelligent, the fictitious game Hobgoblin is popu-
its traditional use of place names from seemingly normal people into fantasy lated: banshees, spriggans, ghillie dhus,
fantasy and science-fiction works as the role-playing? In both works, game play- and others even more obscure.
names for worlds in the Traveller uni- ers are eventually shown suffering from The story concerns high-school student
verse. I spotted Anacreon, Barsoom, Kryp- dissociative schizophrenia (or some sim- and FRP gamer Scott Gardiner. His
ton, and Boskone at first glance. ilar malady), which the reader is invited mother and he live near Ballycastle, a vast
If your Traveller campaign has some- to blame on fantasy role-playing. medieval Irish fortress that was trans-
how managed to exhaust the opportuni- Another important similarity: Both are planted stone by stone to the U.S. decades
ties presented in the Spinward Marches, by established writers (Coyne has pub- ago. Scotts father has died (simultane-
or a change of venue just sounds like a lished three previous books, Jaffe ten) ously with the demise of his 21st level
good idea, The Solomani Rim should who clearly have not done much playing paladin: heavy symbolism), and his
prove valuable. The supplement, of role-playing games, but nonetheless mother has had to move near Ballycastle,
designed by John Harshman, is available have decided that they would be an inter- since she is writing its history. Scott must
for $3.98 in game and hobby stores. esting subject for a novel. adjust to a number of major changes at
once, including going from BMOC at a
prep school to freakish newcomer at a
rural high school. When he begins to
encounter bugganes in the bushes, his
mother and friends (and the reader) must
decide whether they are dealing with the
visions of an overtaxed mind, pranks by
vicious classmates, or something . . . else?
The answer, of course, must be found by
the reader within the book.
The central characters in Ms. Jaffes
Mazes and Monsters are students at a
small Ivy League university in eastern
Pennsylvania. Kate, Jay Jay, Daniel, and
Robbie meet, love, laugh, and play
Mazes and Monsters, until one of them
vanishes mysteriously and the less compe-
tent media types raise a nationwide hyste-
ria about this ominous and bizarre cult-
game. (Does that ring any bells, folks?)
Much of the book is taken up with ana-
lyzing why the players are who they are.
All of this psychoanalysis, of course, is
for the purpose of explaining the deep
insecurities, neuroses, or even psychoses
that must exist within the players of these
games. This is a Problem Novel, and the
Problem is role-playing games.
Neither of these books is likely to be
enlightening to the FRP gamer, except as
examples of what reasonably intelligent
adult non-players imagine we must be
like. In both books, the attainment of
mature adulthood is accompanied by the
abandonment of role-playing games.
Need I say more?
Reviewed by Mike Lowery
74 J ULY 1983
 UK revisited: Games Fair 83
by E. Gary Gygax Unworthy Writer, and so I was again able reached and surpassed on the first day!
to spend about three days at Reading When I suggested that a larger facility
Regular readers of this journal will Universitys Student Union, where the might be in order, the convention staff
recall that I was Guest of Honor at event took place. The convention was replied that they preferred to maintain a
Games Fair 82, and upon my return from quite a success, and everyone there, smallish and closely knit event, and such
that British convention, a brief report of including myself, of course, had a splen- a desire is quite understandable. Inter-
the event was presented in these pages for did time of it. ested game enthusiasts should, however,
your edification and amusement. Wonder Don Turnbull, Managing Director of look for a second convention to be offered
of wonders, the same sequence of events TSR (UK), Ltd., informed me that the by TSR (UK), so that more of the public
occurred, and is occurring, again this dormitory accommodations were filled in can be served.
year. The status of honored guest at January. The capacity of the convention As is also typical of a convention in the
Games Fair 83 was bestowed upon this site was about 400 gamers, and this was United States, the gamers arrived early on
Friday, the opening day. Likewise, there
were many left in the halls when closing
time came. In between, everyone was busy
having fun. Since the minimum age for
admittance to the Student Union build-
ing was 14, the conventioneers were a bit
older than is typical of a like event in this
country, but the ratio of males to females
was about the same.
My youngest son, Luke, accompanied
me to Games Fair, and his perspective is
noteworthy. Luke observed that he could
just as well have been at a convention
anywhere in the U.S., although he
thought all the gamers had accents, and
he was called to-may-toe in return of
his japes. He had a lot of fun.
Don Turnbull was kind enough to act
as moderator for my seminar. About a
hundred people showed up to listen and
to ask questions. The range of questions
was broad, and most were on subjects not
commonly asked when I do this same sort
of thing at GEN CON conventions, for
instance. This I attribute mainly to the
desire of UK gamers to get to know more
about me personally, and to learn more
about TSR. I expect that if I am allowed
to give a seminar at Games Fair 84, the
questions posed will more closely parallel
those asked by American enthusiasts:
sticky ones about rules ambiguities and
glitches in one game system or the other.
While at Games Fair, I spent most of
my time chatting with various gamers. (If
the pub hours in the UK were more lib-
eral, I would undoubtedly have spent
more time drinking good English ale and
less time talking. . . .) In the course of the
three days of the convention I was given
more than half a dozen amateur maga-
zines to read. Because the demands on my
time are such that I am unable to prop-
erly review each of them, the whole stack
has been passed to a reviewer for
DRAGON magazine. You may expect to
see reviews of the lot appear in these
pages soon, I think.
Games Fair is quite different from most
U.S. conventions, so a comparison isnt
actually meaningful. What can be said is
that the convention is fun and thor-
oughly enjoyable. If any American gamer
has the opportunity to attend, he or she
will not regret the experience.
76 JULY 1983
SF/gaming convention calendar
DRAGONSTEETH I, July 16 NANCON 88-VI, July 29-31 passes at reduced rates are also available.
A one-day event featuring tournaments Another running of the convention For details, send SASE to OmaCon 3,
in 18 different role-playing and military that has become a tradition in the Hous- 2518 S. 167th St., Omaha NE 68130.
simulation games. The site will be the ton area. To be held at Stouffers Green-
A&J Hobby House, 20 Auburn Ave., way Plaza Hotel in Houston, and featur- ATLANTA FANTASY FAIR, Aug. 5-7
Utica NY 13501. ing a full range of role-playing, board The Omni Hotel and the adjoining
game, and miniatures events, plus more. Georgia World Congress Center in
STARBORNE CON 5, July 1617 For further information, send SASE to Atlanta will be the location for this
A science-fiction convention, with Nans Game Headquarters, 118 Briar- SF/fantasy gathering. Special guests
emphasis on films, sponsored by the grove Center, 6100 Westheimer, Houston include Elfquest creators Wendy &
Starborne Science Fiction Club. The loca- TX 77057, or call (713)783-4055. Richard Pini and animator Chuck Jones.
tion is Mulls Motel & Convention Center Memberships are $16 until June 30, $19
in Hickory, N.C. The special guest is MEMPHIS FANTASY CON, July 2431 thereafter and at the door. For more
actress Sarah Douglas (the villainess from A comics, SF, film, and game conven- information, write to Atlanta Fantasy
Superman II). A D&D tournament is tion to be held in Memphis, Tenn. Regis- Fair, P.O. Box 566, Marietta GA 30061.
among the scheduled events. For infor- tration fee is $10 for all three days or $5
mation, write or call Geoffrey Rayle, 806 per day. To obtain more information, ADVENTURE EXPO 83, Aug. 6
Chesterfield Cr., Lenoir NC 28645, phone write to Memphis Fantasy Con, 665 S. Sponsored by the Adventure Unlimited
(704)754-4698. Highland, Memphis TN 38111, or phone gaming club and the Wizzards and War-
(901)452-9376. riors Guild of Michigan City, Ind., this
ARCHON 7, July 22-24 one-day gaming event will be held at the
A SF and gaming convention (origi- OMACON 3, Aug. 5-7 National Guard Armory in Michigan
nally scheduled for July 7-9) slated for the Described by the organizers as a City. Admission is $4 for pre-registered
Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, Mo. science fiction, gaming, & pro-space guests, $5 at the door. Contact: Adventure
Gene Wolfe will be Guest of Honor, and convention, this event will feature Larry Unlimited, 2707 S. Franklin St., Mich-
the list of other guests includes Joe R. Niven and Jerry Pournelle among its igan City IN 46360, phone (219)879-2781.
Haldeman, Ed Bryant, and Wilson Bob guests of honor. It will be staged at the
Tucker. Memberships are $18; for more Sheraton Inn S.W., 120th and L St., MYSTICON 2.5, Aug. 12-14
information, write to Archon 7, P.O. Box Omaha, Neb. The registration fee is $13 Science fiction author Orson Scott Card
15852, Overland MO 63 114. until July 23, $15 thereafter; one-day will be a guest of honor at this SF and
gaming convention, to be held at the Jef-
ferson Inn in downtown Roanoke, Va.
Memberships are $10 each; for more
information, send SASE to MystiCon,
P.O. Box 1367, Salem VA 24153, or phone
Calvin Yates at (703)362-3562.

MIT SUMMERCON 83, Aug. 12-14

A gathering for board wargaming and
military miniatures enthusiasts, spon-
sored by the MIT Strategic Games
Society. To be held at the MIT Student
Center, Cambridge, Mass. For details,
write to MIT Summercon 83, East Cam-
pus, 3 Ames St., Cambridge MA 02139.

GEN CON GAME FAIR, Aug. 18-21

The 16th annual gaming and fantasy
extravaganza sponsored by TSR Hobbies,
Inc. For more information, see the adver-
tisement on page 81 of this issue of
DRAGON Magazine.

VULCON 83, Aug. 19-21

SF author Roger Zelazny will be the
guest of honor at this science fiction/fan-
tasy/gaming event to be held in Akron,
Ohio. Registration is $8 in advance, $10
at the door. For more information, con-
tact Stargate, c/o Sarah Blick, 150 Conger
Ave., Akron OH 44303.

CAMPCON 83, Aug. 20

A game convention to be held at Camp
Emmanuel near Astoria, Ill. For details,
contact Kevin B. Sager, Box 833, Astoria
IL 61501, phone (309)329-2934.

78 J ULY 1983
DRAGON 79
 Index to advertisers
Name of firm or product Page(s) Name of firm or product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page(s)
Advanced Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Game Designers Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Adventure Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Gamelords, Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Alnavco Distributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Gamemaster Hobbies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
American Creative Games, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 GEN CON XVI convention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Armory, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82,83 Graaf Simulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Aulic Publishing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Grenadier Models Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Bandersnatch Leathers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Hobby Game Distributors, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Bard Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Iron Crown Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1, Back cover
Berkeley Game Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 JandeL Products, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Broadsword Miniatures Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Judges Guild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Castle Creations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Kilendale Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Chaosium Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,72 Midkemia Press . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Citadel Miniatures U.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Nova Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Clemens & Associates, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Penny Promotions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Columbia Games Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside front cover RAFM Co. Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Coleco Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Ral Partha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Companions, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 RPG Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Compleat Strategist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 RPGA Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Dag Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Superior Models Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
DB Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Talisman, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Dragontooth, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Task Force Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Dungeon Hobby Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Tin Soldier, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Dunken Company, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 TSR Hobbies, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . .28, 29, 77, Inside back cover
Entertainment Concepts, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Tyson, Gill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Fantasy Games Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33, 41, 55 Victory Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Fantasy Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Viking Games, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Fantasy Worlds Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 VIZ Productions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
FanTek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 WarGames West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
FASA Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Wizards Corner, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Flying Buffalo Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Yaquinto Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

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