Issue #141

Vol. XIII, No. 8 SPECIAL ATTRACTION

January 1989

Publisher 15 Not Human Enough:

Mike Cook Humanoids have very simple tastes (and they like the taste of
adventurers best).
Editor
Roger E. Moore 16 The Dragon’s Bestiary — The Readers
Want some excitement? Let the PCs meet a swamp-orc assassin tribe.
Associate editor Fiction editor
Robin Jenkins Barbara G. Young 2 2 Orcs Throw Spells, Too! — Randal S. Doering
Shamans and witch doctors must earn their magic — but the price is steep.
Editorial assistant
Kimberly J. Walter 34 Boulder-Throwers and Humanoid Hordes — Arthur Collins
The bigger they are, the more you should worry.
Art director
Lori Svikel 38 Hey, Wanna Be a Kobold? — Joseph Clay
In just seven minutes, we can make you a humanoid.
Production staff
Paul Hanchette Betty Elmore
Kim Janke Carolyn Vanderbilt
OTHER FEATURES
Subscriptions U.S. Advertising
Pat Schulz Sheila Gailloreto
44 The Ulfjarl’s Stone — fiction by Mickey Zucker Reichert
Was he sent out to die or to live?
U.K. correspondent
Lyn Hutchin
5 0 Role-playing Reviews — Jim Bambra
The state of the galactic gaming art: GDW’s MEGATRAVELLER™ and SJG’s
U.K. advertising
GURPS® Space games.
Dawn Carter Kris Starr
6 4 The Role of Books — John C. Bunnell
Sorcerers from England, China, and the lands beyond.

68 The Game Wizards — Mary Kirchoff

It’s trilogy time! New book releases from TSR, Inc.

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

Start the New Year on the right disk (or VCR tape).

8 0 Through the Looking Glass — Karen S. Garvin

Brown is a fine color for a horse, but not all the time!

8 8 The Marvel®-Phile — David Edward Martin

A mad scientist and a benevolent sorcerer — on the same super-team.

DEPARTMENTS

3 Letters 6 2 TSR Previews 9 2 Convention Calendar

6 Forum 8 4 Gamers Guide 9 8 SnarfQuest
14 Sage Advice 8 6 Index to Advertisers 102 Dragonmirth

COVER
Daniel Horne calls his cover painting “Strength in Numbers,” pointing out that the
best thing you can have when you face a big problem is a friend who will help you
solve it. Here, two gnome guards have discovered a qullan in their cavern treasury
— and there’s only one solution to that problem.

2 JANUARY 1989
 This is the first editorial I’ve writ-
ten since my mononucleosis passed
(sort of) in late November. In my
addled state, no coherent theme
suggests itself to start the new year,
so we will make do with

Random notes
What did you think of this issue? Do you have Value of EPT
a question about an article or have an idea for a We’re International! This issue
new feature you’d like to see? In the United Dear Dragon: of DRAGON® Magazine ends the
States and Canada, write to: Letters, DRAGON® I am inquiring about the value of the EMPIRE series of U.S. and U.K. editions that
Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147, OF THE PETAL THRONE role-playing game
were printed throughout 1988.
U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Letters, DRAGON (copyrighted 1975 by TSR, Inc.). I received it
Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 Church End, Cherry recently from my aunt, who paid a mere dollar Whatever you now see in the maga-
Hinton, Cambridge CB1 3LD, United Kingdom. for it! My cousin and I both believe it may be a zine is the same material that
collector’s item. It contains all of its original appears everywhere, with the
contents, in mint condition, minus the dice. exception of some cover changes.
Holo-Dragon Kevin Collins DRAGON Magazine has had an
Dearborn Heights MI international flavor for many years
Dear Dragon: (see the editorial for issue #135).
Have you seen National Geographic’s Decem- At the 1983 and 1984 GEN CON® Game Fairs, Wherever you happen to be, you
ber 1988 issue? The cover is a hologram. It copies of this game in good condition sold for
will get the best of what we have.
would be interesting to see a DRAGON Maga- about $15-16. The price has probably increased
zine issue with a hologram on its cover. This is since then, but (as noted in the response to the We’ve moved! Or rather, the TSR
an ideal for a special issue — e.g., 150th issue or letter “Golden oldies” in issue #135) the price Limited (formerly TSR UK Limited)
13th anniversary issue. Even if this might raise you’ll get depends on the buyer. Keep your offices have moved. Our readers in
the price of the magazine for that issue, I’m game in good shape and see what people want the United Kingdom and Europe
sure faithful readers wouldn’t mind the price. for it in game auctions, if you want to sell it. For should note the new address: TSR
I’m even sure that that issue would sell like more information on the EPT game, see “Role- Ltd., 120 Church End, Cherry Hin-
hotcakes! I don’t know if you’d be able to do playing reviews” in issue #128. ton, Cambridge CB1 3LB, England.
this, but it would be great if you could. The TSR Ltd. offices offer subscrip-
Emanuel Matos
St. Bruno, Quebec Setting records tions to DRAGON Magazine, too; see
the subscription information at the
This idea has been suggested before (thanks to Dear Dragon: bottom of the first “Forum” page.
several National Geographic covers), but the My gaming group has been playing AD&D® The mailing address for the edito-
National Geographic Society has a far bigger games for about a year now. We are interested rial offices of DRAGON Magazine
budget than we have. We haven’t checked on in trying to break the world record for continu- has changed, too. Our address is
the exact cost, but a phone call to the National ous playing of the AD&D game [and] I am now: DRAGON Magazine, P.O. Box
Geographic Society revealed that the technical writing to you for the marathon rules. We 111, Lake Geneva WI 53147.
problems the magazine’s staff faced in produc- would be much obliged if you could send us the No errer: This is the January
ing their two hologram covers were enormous, rules and the current record. The most up-to-
1989 issue, but the copyright dates
as was the cost (and we’re talking about a maga- date record we have is 84 hours.
herein are correct. This issue was
zine with 2.8 million readers). Oh, well! Mark Way
No address given printed in late December 1988, so
the copyrights are for 1988. We’ll
Where’s Krynn? This is one of the most frequently asked change to 1989 dates in February. I
questions we get at TSR, but we are the wrong mention this only to stop the flood
Dear Dragon: people to ask. The offices of the Guinness Book of “Ha, ha, you screwed up!” letters
I have noticed that there have been no articles of World Records should be able to help you we get.
on Krynn for a good period of time (over a with this, since they publish the records. How- Changelings: In the last six
year). I have tried to do my part as a writer to ever, we do not really recommend this activity months, we’ve had a number of staff
help remedy this situation. I am sure others since of course it means prolonged periods of
who love the world of Krynn and adventuring sleep loss. changes (as evidenced by the
in it would also love to see more. Will there be masthead-box changes on page 2 of
more on Krynn in the future? If so, I hope it is each issue). Some readers have
in the very near future. Krynn has plenty of Computer glitch wondered what was going on. Brief-
room to grow; will you help it by publishing ly: Two of our people gained new
more about it? Dear Dragon: additions to their families and have
Jeff Maxwell What happened to one of my favorite sec- left TSR for the more demanding
Troy MI tions, “The Role of Computers”? I noticed in roles of parents (one is a free-lance
DRAGON issue #139 that instead of “The Role of writer whose material still appears
We have received very little material on Computers” you had “The Role of Books.” I
here); one left and joined the staff of
DRAGONLANCE® campaigns and only margin- would like “The Role of Computers” returned.
ally more material on the WORLD OF Thank you. a magazine in California; three left
GREYHAWK® setting. Though these settings are Ted Leng TSR to pursue free-lance work as
widely played, few have written to us about North Caldwell NJ writers and/or editors; one got mar-
them. It would be easiest to tailor a group of ried and changed her name (but still
characters, magical items, monsters, or new “The Role of Computers” and “Role-playing works here); and we’ve rearranged
spells to fit one of these settings for our “Lords Reviews” were bumped from issue #139 at the the job positions of the rest (after
& Legends,” “Bazaar of the Bizarre,” “The last moment due to a number of problems. Continued on page 43
Dragon’s Bestiary,” and “Arcane Lore” columns. Barring unforeseen events, these columns will
Perhaps some of our readers would like to try continue to appear in the magazine on a regular
this (nudge, nudge). basis — or at least as regular as we can manage.

DRAGON 3
 disbelieving and saving throws.
I rule that intelligence is always checked when
dealing with illusions, no matter how powerful
or experienced the person is. Experience only
matters in how quickly the victim can disbelieve
and get his saving throw (with maybe a little
bonus or two). Will [allowing a saving throw]
require a small error or a major faux pas [on
the part of the illusionist]? Characters have to
factor in the damage (if it is offensive) and consciously disbelieve in an illusion before they
“Forum” welcomes your comments and believability of the illusion. get their saves, and monsters are no different.
opinions on role-playing games. In the Unit- Next, there is improved phantasmal force, An ordinary group of orc soldiers does not
ed States and Canada, write to: Forum, which adds the next sensory component: sound. attempt to disbelieve every spell cast at it; just
DRAGON® Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Note that these are simple sounds; the illusionist when the group is allowed a save is left up to
Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. In Europe, write is not a master as soon as he gets this ability. the DM’s discretion (sprinkled with a little
to: Forum, DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd, This spell should allow for simple creatures or common sense),
120 Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge very believable traps. (You can hear the trap However, there are certain oversights for
CB1 3LB, United Kingdom. We ask that mechanism working and also hear it as it grinds which I always give saving throws. First of all,
material submitted to “Forum” be either its way into the victim’s armor.) The monsters illusions don’t last long against missile-firing
neatly written by hand or typed with a fresh created only have spells and abilities that pro- armies. A sword will be held back by a believing
ribbon and clean keys so we can read and duce sight and sound; there is no thermal com- mind if the weapon “hits” an illusory barrier
understand your comments. ponent to make a fireball or a fire-breathing (though the sword-wielder would be suspicious
dragon. Once again, the power of the creature if no sound occurred on contact), but an arrow
I rarely read “Forum,” but the debate on depends on the area of effect and how the doesn’t have to disbelieve as it passes through
illusionists and illusionist spells has brought me caster describes his creation. It is wise to think an illusion. Also, a huge monster appearing
to write about my feelings on the subject. Illu- before getting overly zealous. Anyone down- from nowhere or in an illogical manner (for
sionists are my second-favorite character, and I wind of a dragon or an army of orcs will be example, a red dragon appearing in the Arctic)
have had lots of experience on the giving and very suspicious if he cannot smell them. will immediately give just about everyone a
receiving ends of illusions. The way that I have Last in the line of pure illusions is spectral saving throw against it. For this reason, my
dealt with them is very similar to the way that I force, which adds the olfactory and thermal illusionists always carry around balls of clay;
have played the AD&D® game all this time; I use components (and, since taste depends on smell, they mold them into the monsters they want,
common sense regarding the logical power taste can be added as well). This is very useful then make the clay monsters look like they
progression of the illusion spells. Each time an for creating complex monsters since they can be grow into the real things. Opponents believe the
illusionist gains a new spell level, he has the smelled (but that is a characteristic that the illusionists are powerful magic-users or have
potential of affecting a new sensory system of a illusionist must be very familiar with), and the magical statues. Once people find out that such
victim, but the illusionist is in no way a master monsters can have abilities that involve heat or a spell-caster is an illusionist, however, they
of this ability. cold. Once again, an illusionist who just always get an automatic saving throw against
Let us first consider the phantasmal force acquired this spell is not a master of these his spells.
spell. It affects only sight and therefore is only senses; he cannot make many different smells The caster also needs to concentrate on his
good for illusions of mundane, inanimate objects (one or two at the most) or make fire hotter illusion at all times. Except in the case of
(i.e., traps and barriers). A creature would make than that of an average campfire. The ability to shadow monsters and the like, the monster will
no sound when attacking (grunts, weapon make an illusion as all powerful as a fireball or not react to a blow unless the illusionist concen-
contacting armor, etc.), and any magical attack cone of cold does not come until the sixth-level trates and makes it do so. An illusion should
such as fireball or lightning bolt wouldn’t have spell shadow magic, and then it is only a one- cover its victims as well. An illusory wound
the thermal component to make it believable. As shot deal from the illusionist himself, not from incurred by an enemy is not quite believable if
to the limits of what the illusionist can make, the endless reserves of some illusory magic-user. illusory blood and guts do not accompany it. As
that is all determined by the area of effect. An Now, I’m not saying what an illusionist can soon as an illusion is set on autopilot, it loses
illusion adds; it doesn’t take away. A person can create with his spells — only what he can make quite a lot of its power. Yet another reason for
be impaled by illusory spikes but will not fall believable. A 9th-level fighter with an intelli- using missile weapons against an illusionist:
down a pit so made. As in all illusion spells, have gence of 5 will probably believe a fire-breathing They ruin his concentration.
the caster describe exactly every detail of his dragon is there with only the use of a spectral Finally, what sort of illusions should be useful
illusion. The complexity of the illusion plays a forces spell. This brings up the next topic: to the party? As the other PCs know of the

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318-790, ISBN 0279-6848.

6 JANUARY 1989
illusionist and his spells, he cannot do anything I suggest the perception skill merely be a 6. Sell your services in town. Remember, 1 gp
extravagant unless it is at least partially real or column on the “Surprises on a” line in Table 1. = 1 xp. All you need is the imagination to apply
he manages to come up with some logical expla- Thus, Beln the ranger surprises 3 in 6 times. every spell in the book.
nation otherwise. The PCs still get a large bonus Beln meets Pigsy, a fighter who is surprised [and I must now defend my position on the construc-
to their saving throws, either way. Therefore, surprises] 2 in 6 times. On the table, Pigsy tion of traveling and permanent spell books (issue
the illusionist is stuck with performing simple would be surprised 50% of the time. If Pigsy #129). I based my description on the size, volume,
coverups, like changing the smell or sight of, were following Beln through the streets, Beln and weight figures on the writing of Eric Krein in
food to make it more savory. An illusory cleric should have a [100%-17%= 83% chance] of issue #123 and the assumption that a traveling
created to heal the party is out of the question; noticing him. If Balin the svirfneblin (mentioned spell book would be built “form follows function”
he would only be able to heal psychological in the article) did the trailing, Beln should only. while a permanent spell book would be “function
damage if he was believed (e.g., fear, damage have a 74% chance of detecting him. follows form.” I will grant that I didn’t consult
from an illusion or psionics, etc.). Most of the For hidden objects, whether natural or other- Unearthed Arcana.
pure illusions are very one-sided; that’s why the wise, the same sort of test applies. Who hid the Mr. Krein, in turn, seems to have missed a key
rest of the spells on the list are utilitarian. object? Penalties may be applied if a skilled crafts- note in my description of a traveling spell book
These guidelines are almost as vague as the man hides something. Any half-decent DM should —the pages are thin! They are made to be
ones given in the rules, but that is the way the be able to assign a level of difficulty when some- squeezed into a small space, not to endure
game was meant to be. If we shoot for too many thing is naturally hidden or dropped. The chance attacks. Permanent (or standard) spell books are
set rules and tables, we may find ourselves of finding something will then vary with the ability constructed to serve the same function for a
spending hours over a combat situation that of the searchers, and the chance will not be an magic-user as treasure serves a dragon: status
could easily take a few minutes. unreasonable value applying for all. symbols! The better quality of these works
Walker White It may also be reasonable to consider the would give them a +2 bonus to saving throws.
Oak Ridge TN difference between noticing something and This example of spell book construction
actively searching for it. Perhaps a deduction of should help: A wizard orders one traveling and
Being a player of the MARVEL SUPER a base 17% value should be made for someone one standard spell book. He is informed that the
HEROES® game, I find the use of martial arts in who “just happens to notice” something. standard book will be ready in a year, and the
fighting extremely useful, but I do not think you There are, however, anomalies in the rules, traveling book in a month.
can limit it to five categories. Therefore, I such as the secret-door location chance for elves The traveling book is built as a loose-leaf
expanded the categories in my role-playing and half-elves, the underground abilities of volume. The pages are between one-half and
adventures. Here are some that I use: dwarves and gnomes, etc. These could be attribu- one-tenth the thickness of a hair. The cover
1. Martial arts F — This martial art is designed uted to racial inheritance or to upbringing consists of two iron pans filled with alkaloids
to cause damage by hitting pressure points. It which aids their normal perceptiveness in and capped with ceramic tiles. The book comes
gives a + 1CS when dealing with damage in a certain circumstances. These are nevertheless with an airtight glass case to keep it. and, maybe,
slugfest. awkward to explain rationally. a few spell components inside. It’s built for
2. Martial arts G — This form of martial arts is As to the informal survey on the future of volume, not strength.
designed to lessen damage inflicted in combat role-playing announced in issue #133’s editorial, The standard spell book is built as a hard-
by dodging and blocking. It is a purely defensive my opinion is that role-playing will split more bound work. Each page is 2-5 hairs thick and
martial art. It gives the user a + 1CS when between hack-n-slay games and role-playing stored in preservatives until needed. The pages
dodging and lessens damage by - 1CS in hand- games as new games appear. Only a few new are sewn to the cover with elf hairs and glued
to-hand combat. games will remain as easily variable as the in place. Endpapers are used. The cover is
3. Martial arts H — This martial art is AD&D game is. constructed of hardwood and covered with rare
designed to focus the user’s internal energy by Mark Hunter leathers. The book is decorated with gold leaf
concentrating one round. The character can Torworth, Notts, U.K. and jewels, and is built to last 1,000 times the
release the energy in a sudden burst, giving him 1-2 years of the traveling book.
one extra attack without a penalty. I’m writing to you on three related subjects My final topic concerns the vagueness of
4. Martial arts I — This martial art isn’t really covered in issue #135 in “Forum.” These subjects illusionist spells. I say they have to be vague; an
a martial art but more of a discipline. It is used are low-level spell-casters, illusionist spells, and illusionist has to be able to create everything
to recover lost health and to avoid stuns by spell books. from a butterfly to Tiamat to a ball to a gaping
raising endurance + 1CS. I find that a 1st-level magic-user needs no crater full of demons with a given spell. His
Applying martial arts in combat can some- improvement to survive. He has all the resourc- spells have to be powerful and flexible. This
times make a difference in a fight. I am hoping es needed to survive as is, if only you look for means they are complex to the point that
that these martial arts can make a character them. These resources are his intelligence and nobody can conceive of an eight-level illusionist
more formidable in hand-to-hand combat. his starting money. spell. The spells do this as they stand.
Brad Shimizo According to the Players Handbook, a magic- Douglas M. Burck
Fremont CA user starts the game with 20-80 gp and can Cincinnati OH
equip himself for 10 gp. The extra money can
I have noticed in many particular issues of be well used in several survival strategies, as I’d like to reply to Kenneth Arromdee’s reply
DRAGON® Magazine that articles, though lim- follow: to my letter [issue #135]. If you have ever
ited by subject, do not take account of each 1. Join a group of adventurers. There is safety played or run a magic-user who has set up his
other. Issue #133 is an example of this. The in numbers, and this is how the game is sup- own magic shop, one of the first things you
articles on perception and surprise are related, posed to be played. discover is that scrolls are the primary source of
but there is no consideration of the effect of a 2. Loan money to a fighter for armor. This income available to you. There are a couple of
perception statistic on surprise values. helps him survive, and he’ll owe you a favor and cases where the cost of making a single applica-
A perception characteristic would be yet some money. tion’s worth of ink for a scroll exceed the sale
another in a long line of such. I feel a new 3. Hire a bodyguard. This is costly, but it price listed for that scroll, but for the most part,
characteristic would upset the apple cart, sim- guarantees he’ll place your life before almost scrolls are a high-profit, easily produced item
ply because of its ramifications; after all, the everything else. You might be able to get one on with a price range within reach of people who
perception article as it stands gives bonuses to the promise of a magical item for him or by use can’t afford the cost of magical items. More to
certain skills for particular classes (e.g., thief, of a charm spell. the point, they can be made at low levels. Scrolls
monk, ninja, etc.). A less harmful manner of 4. Buy a bodyguard. If there’s slavery in your are the only thing an 8th-level magic-user can
introducing perception would be to consider it campaign, it is easy. Otherwise, you can buy a make and sell.
as a function of class and race, in terms of the guard dog for 25 gp or a hunting dog for 17 gp. Mr. Arromdee doesn’t like the loophole I
abilities to surprise and be surprised (which You might also be able to pick up something pointed out about the spell phantom armor and
after all is perception at work) and the ability to more exotic, like a nilbog or a rust monster. states how he’d make a ruling against it in his
notice something unusual and put the observer 5. Make a bodyguard or helper. This option is campaign. But just for the record, all this ruling
on guard. not usually open to low-level spell-casters, but if does is rob the players of the chance to role-play
Therefore, we already know how perceptive you can get a golem or undead to serve you, (that magic-user has no rings, cloaks, or bracers;
any particular being or character is. The “Sur- you’re doing great. Cantrips and 1st-level spells how did that ogre miss?). And while reversing
prise!” article provides a useful translation of usable for this are bee, bug, gnats, mouse, the robe so the armor doesn’t show protects its
awkward die rolls into percentiles, and it allows spider, enlarge, find familiar, mount, unseen wearer from having the armor dispelled by
specific difficulty factors for many situations. servant, and Tenser’s floating disc. disbelief, when was the last time anyone ever

8 JANUARY 1989
 used disbelief to get rid of a phantom armor a fighter (16) and for a magic-user (26); see the gives 15 lbs. as the maximum weight for a pole
spell? That ruling is the equivalent of making an DMG, page 13. Do you get the idea that there is arm, when the halberd weighs 17.5 lbs.
insurance policy against being run over by a a long length of preparation to learning how to I propose the adjustments in Table 1 as allowa-
1913 Rolls Royce while within the Grand Can- cast spells? How long should a character who is ble weapon lengths and weights, for an average
yon illegal. changing classes leave the campaign, and how
The point he made about PCs needing DM far does the rest of the party advance while he
collusion in order to mistakenly sell a higher- is gone? Table 1
level version of an armor or magic missile spell Even if you are generous and let Joe Fighter Maximum Weapon Values
is nonsense. I didn’t post any odds for it in my spend a couple of weeks at Magic Camp and
letter because there were too many variables come back as a 1st-level magic-user, he is a least, Maximum Maximum
involved. Obviously the odds of it happening are one level behind the rest and starting anew in Weapon length weight
small, but impossible? Look at the chance the one of the slowest advancing classes. (Incidental- Secondary 2'6” 5 lbs.
game gives for characters to make a successful ly, most players who go this route go up to 3rd Primary 4’6” 7.5 lbs.
“god call.” Consider a magic shop run by an level as a fighter to get the benefits of better One-handed 4'6” 10 lbs.
absent-minded buffoon like the alchemist Ame- saving throws, a better “to hit” chance, and Two-handed 6’ 25 lbs.
lior from DQ1 The Shattered Statue. In such a extra hit points for a relatively small experience- Pole arms 12’ 17.5 lbs.
case, the PCs actually have a fair chance of point cost.)
lucking out. They might do slightly worse if the No, the dual-class option in not the solution,
store is being run by a new apprentice. The unless the player has a lot of DM collusion.
odds are that the PCs will only get the regular Larry Madden human of 10 strength and 6’ height.
scroll, but the chances of getting lucky are Glendale CA Donald Miller then goes on to calculate the
realistically within the range of the dice we roll. weapon lengths, weights, and weapons allowa-
If tossing the dice to see if a party gets an Donald Miller’s article in issue #127, “Two ble for characters of the demi-human races, of
unlikely break is DM collusion, I am a card- Hands are Better Than One” was very interest- average height and strength. But characters,
carrying collusionist! ing, but I feel I must disagree with his treatment particularly player characters, are seldom
His last paragraph had nothing to do with my of the subject on some points. average. It would therfore be more reasonable
letter but deserves a little comment. Using the First, [I disagree with] his maximum weapon instead to state the maximum weapon lengths
dual-classed character option to help a magic- lengths and weights for humans. He has the and weights as functions of height and strength.
user survive is an admission that the single- maximum weapon length for a secondary weap- For simplicity of derivation and calculation, I
classed magic-user is not weak at low level — it’s on as 2’, when the wakizashi (which [in Oriental assume that weapon lengths and weights allow-
hopeless! The problem is that a lot of characters Adventures] is commonly used in the secondary able are linear functions of height and strength
do not have the minimum 15 strength and 17 hand) has length of 2-3’ (presumably averaging (see Table 2). This will allow maximum weapon
intelligence needed to qualify for the fighter/ at about 2’6”). For the length of primary and lengths and weights to be calculated for individ-
magic-user dual class. What do you do with this one-handed weapons, he uses the user’s height ual characters, and will mean that a character
set of rolls: S 5, I 17, D 13, W 11, CN 16, Ch 10, (presumably 6’ for the average human) times with wimpy strength will not be able use a two-
CM 12 — declare the character hopeless? two-thirds, then comes up in his table with the handed sword simply because he is a human.
Even if the character does qualify, there is a figure 3’9”; however, the bastard sword (which Donald Miller rounds his length limits to the
problem. Look at the minimum starting age for can be used one-handed) has length of 4’6”. He nearest inch; I would recommend rounding
them up to the next half foot (and next 5 gp for
weights), as all weapon lengths (except for the
dagger) are given in half feet (and weights in 5
gp) increments and to allow for the fact that the
lengths and weights given are averages, and we
wish to give upper limits (if someone finds that
an average-size weapon is slightly too long, he
will simply get a slightly shorter one).
This system seems to work for low and medi-
um strengths but may need adjustment for very
high strength (as it stands, you need a 25
strength to wield a two-handed sword with one
hand, given that you are tall enough to do so). A
possible adjustment would be to give double the
increment of allowed weight for each strength
point beyond 15 and an increment for each
category of exceptional strength (i.e., 01-50, 51.
75, etc.). This would then allow someone who is
8’ tall and has 18/91 strength to use a two-
handed sword one-handed.
I would also like to suggest the following
adjustments for individual weapons:
Short sword: This is stated in the Players
Handbook, page 38, to be 2’ long, but is noted
on page 37 as being 15-24” long, I suggest that a
character with sufficient strength to use it and
more than the minimum height required to use
a dagger (length 15”) be allowed to use one.
Battle axe: This weapon seems unusually long,
being nearly three times as long as a hand axe
and longer than the long sword. A more reason-
able average length might be 3’.
Hand axe: Currently, this has the same weight,
length, and average damage as a hammer, so
why did anybody bother putting an axe blade
on it? A better weight might be 40 gp.
I also suggest that allowable speed factors be
based on a character’s dexterity rather than
being a fixed value. A character should not be
able to use in his primary hand any weapon
with a speed factor greater than half his dexteri-
ty, or any weapon in his secondary hand that

10 JANUARY 1989
 every so often (simulated by removing the
character from play), and that they take time
Table 2
each day, before breakfast or before they go to
Weapon Sizes Per Height and Strength of User
sleep, to pray. These things are assumed. We do
not role-play them. (“Well, my cleric, finds some
Two- One-
rocks to build an altar, then he builds it.“)
Pole arm handed handed Primary Secondary
If modern values do show up in our game, it
Length-height
should be because of the beliefs of the players,
ratio* 2.0 1.0 0.75 0.75 0.40 but these morals and values should not be
Weight-strength
imposed by the DM.
ratio** 1.75 2.5 1.0 .75 .5
Aaron Goldblatt
Fort Worth TX
* Number shows length in feet of weapon, per foot of the user’s height.
* * Number shows weight in pounds of weapon, per pound of the user‘s weight.
I’m currently Dungeon Master for an AD&D
game. I’ve been keeping up with the arguments
about magic-users wearing armor and using
weapons, and with arguments in mind, I sought
some information that would support either of
Table 3 the arguments. I found this quote in
Weapon Sizes: Ambidexterity Proficiency DRAGONLANCE® Legends, volume 2, page 111:
“At the beginning of time, magic-users were
Total of two Maximum individual prohibited by the gods from carrying any type
weapons weapon of weapon or wearing any sort of armor. The
Length-height ratio* 1.15 0.75 reason being, ostensibly, that they needed to
Weight-strength ratio** 1.25 .75 devote time to study that could not be spent
Speed factors/dexterity point 0.83 0.5 achieving proficiency in the art of weaponry.
But, after the magic-users helped Huma defeat
* Number shows length in feet of weapon, per foot of the user’s height. the Queen of Darkness by creating the magical
* * Number shows weight in pounds of weapon, per pound of the user’s weight. dragon orbs, the gods granted them the right to
carry daggers upon their persons. . . .” I allow
magic-users to use daggers (and use oil) as
weapons.
Now let’s talk about fighters. I have found that
has a factor of greater than one-third of his In addition, a character with ambidexterity
the fighter is considered undesirable for a few
dexterity. may use either hand “one-handed” without
reasons. First, fighters have no special abilities
In “Be a Two-Fisted Fighter” (DRAGON issue penalty.
outside of combat; second, if a player wants a
#68), Roger Moore wrote that ambidexterity Timothy Makinson
character that wears good armor, can take and
could simply be considered a matter of having Dunedin, New Zealand
dish out decent damage, and has nice hit points,
very high dexterity. This is not true; I myself am then he could choose a cleric and get turning
nearly completely ambidexterous but am not I realize it’s a bit late, but after reading the and spell abilities to boot! So, I feel since a
particularly dexterous. Ambidexterity is having “Forum“ letter by Matthew Hamilton in issue
fighter is trained in combat, he would also be
both hands being equal or interchangable and #121, I feel compelled to respond. The very idea
able to treat minor wounds. Using this rule, a
is, as far as I can see, partly a matter of natural of a Christian campaign is, to me, blasphemous.
fighter could heal 1 hp of damage each day in
tendencies, but mostly a matter of tuition. I I don’t think that any real religion, modern or
semisterile conditions (meaning anywhere
would therefore suggest the following: not, should be allowed in an AD&D game. I am decently clean).
Ambidexterity Non-Weapon Proficiency: This a Jewish person who is not offended by much,
Darrell Anderson
proficiency allows a character to attack with but this gets me mad. Even though the AD&D
Elma NY
both hands equally when using two weapons game is roughly based on the Middle Ages, to
(both being at - 3 to hit, plus the Reaction/ say that the game must have a set of modern
I am writing this letter in response to Tim
Attacking Adjustment). It also lets the character moral values is outrageous. In my game, the Merrett’s comments in issue #136. Although I
use larger weapons in his secondary hand at the parents of my players do not think poorly of
have no problem with his idea of requiring the
expense of using a smaller one in his primary. our game simply because I do not play with
use of a weapon proficiency slot for shield use,
That is, weapons can be used in any combina- “gods.” I have simply removed that element from
his comments on weapon specialization show
tion, as long as the totals of the lengths, the the game.
that he did not fully understand weapon special-
weights, and the speed factors of the two weap- I do make assumptions, however. Clerics and
ization.
ons are not greater than those of the totals of paladins are assumed to have a place of worship
He stated that a ranger could become “special-
primary and secondary weapons allowable, and to which they donate regularly (simulated by ized in a bow, double specialized in a sword and
both weapons are permissible as primary weap- removing money and items from the characters’
an axe, and finally specialized with a dagger.”
ons (see Table 3). possessions), that they take time out to serve
According to Unearthed Arcana (page 18), the
decision to specialize “must be made when the
character is initially created” — in other words,
the only time a character can chose to specialize
is at first level. Furthermore, careful reading of
the text also reveals the following text, “This
discipline is manifested in the character’s choice
of one weapon to practice and use, to the exclu-
sion of others.” A character can never specialize
in more than one weapon.
Allowing fighters the use of weapon speciali-
zation gives them a great advantage. To allow
fighters to specialize in more than one weapon
would greatly unbalance the game.
Jimmy B. Ellis
Victoria TX

12 JANUARY 1989
 [A reference on page 4 of the Glossogra-
phy from the boxed set refers to multi-
classed fighter-cleric elves as “elven
clerics.” Fighter-cleric elves could indeed
use edged weapons. This reference might
be misunderstood to mean the elven cler-
ics were single-classed, which might also
be the problem.]
How big is the Hepmonaland jun-
by Skip Williams gle, and what’s in it? What is the symbol of the pennon
The entire area of Hepmonaland is unex-
carried by the lead knight on the
If you have any questions on the games plored. No one knows how big it is or
box cover?
produced by TSR, Inc., “Sage Advice” will what is in it, except for those DMs who The symbol on the pennon is the arms
answer them. In the United States and develop it for their campaigns.
of Fax, a city on The Wild Coast, with a
Canada, write to: Sage Advice, DRAGON® bar, azure, in fess (the blue horizontal
Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake Geneva WI Which of TSR’s modules are set in
stripe) added for distinction. This probably
53147, U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Sage the WORLD OF GREYHAWK setting?
designates one of the more important
Advice, DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 The following AD&D® game module
noble families in Fax.
Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge series are set in or related to the WORLD
CB1 3LD, United Kingdom. OF GREYHAWK setting:
Where can I get a map showing the
This month, the sage visits the WORLD boundaries of the various countries
OF GREYHAWK® fantasy setting for a The “WG” series
of the Flanaess?
working vacation. These questions are not The “A” series
Approximate boundaries are shown of
related to the GREYHAWK® Adventures The “G” series
page 44 of the Guide to the WORLD OF
tome, but many concern the older WORLD The “D” series
GREYHAWK Fantasy Setting. Exact bound-
OF GREYHAWK setting boxed set. The “Q” series
aries cannot be determined due to the
The “S” series political instability in the Flanaess.
The “T” series
Where in the WORLD OF The “EX” series
GREYHAWK setting are the Clashing When do the “G” and “D” series
Rocks and other special locations modules take place?
The random-encounter tables These modules occur after CY 576 (see
listed in the Dungeon Masters include single-classed elven clerics
Guide? the Guide to the WORLD of GREYHAWK
equipped with edged weapons. Isn’t
The landmarks and objects mentioned Fantasy Setting, page 9). The exact timing
this impossible in an AD&D game
on page 164 of the Dungeon Masters is up to the DM.
world?
Guide have no fixed locations; they are Mr. Gygax’s Greyhawk campaign was
intended only as examples. Are non-Oerth deities usable in a
started long before the AD&D game came WORLD OF GREYHAWK setting cam-
on the scene. The first rules used were the
Which areas of the WORLD OF paign? For example, can I use Bes
three booklets and (later) three supple-
GREYHAWK setting are the most for dwarves or one of the Norse
ments of the original D&D® game. In time,
suitable for adventuring? I want to deities for the frost barbarians?
Mr. Gygax used what he learned from
start a campaign using the most The nonhuman deities from Unearthed
running Greyhawk to write the AD&D
mysterious and intriguing areas. Arcana are more suitable for a WORLD OF
game rules. The campaign, which was GREYHAWK setting than are Egyptian
I won’t make a value judgment about older than the AD&D game rules, could
which areas of the Flanaess are the “most deities from Legends & Lore. Nordic dei-
not be switched over to them because the ties would be appropriate for the various
mysterious and intriguing.” Read the D&D game and AD&D game rules are not
descriptions and decide for yourself; that barbarians and nomads.
compatible. When TSR published the
is what DMs are supposed to do. The WORLD OF GREYHAWK fantasy setting,
individual area descriptions and the How large are the hexes on the
the editors decided to remain faithful to
random-encounter charts will tell you WORLD OF GREYHAWK setting’s
the original campaign. This is how this
what sort of creatures live in each area. campaign map?
rule-breaker got in.
When searching for the mysterious and Each hex is 10 leagues (30 miles) across.
DMs have one of two options: You can
intriguing, don’t overlook your own be faithful to the AD&D game rules and
options as a campaign designer. The Zuggtmoy (from T1-4 The Temple
not allow elven clerics to use edged weap-
WORLD OF GREYHAWK setting is a play- of Elemental Evil) is listed as a
ons unless they are multiclassed, or you
aid; you are free to develop it as you wish. demon in the Monster Manual II.
can remain faithful to the setting and
Even the most humble village or manor Does she have the usual demonic
allow elven clerics to use edged weapons.
can be mysterious if you, the DM, choose abilities and immunities?
The latter choice will not cause any real
to make it so. Zuggtmoy has standard demonic abili-
problems if you are using just the Players
ties, as outlined on page 16 of the Monster
Handbook rules. Elven-cleric advancement
I seem to remember that a Manual, in addition those listed on page
limits are low enough so that giving them
DRAGON issue had a WORLD OF 123 of The Temple of Elemental Evil.
edged weapons does not significantly
GREYHAWK weather screen in it. effect play balance. If you are using
Where can I get a copy of it? What is Oerik’s relationship to
Unearthed Arcana, however, I suggest that
The DRAGON Magazine issue was #68. Oerth’s poles?
you not allow single-classed clerics of any
Oerik’s latitude is given on page 18 of
You may check with the Mail Order Hobby race to use edged weapons. If you insist on
Shop (P.0. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI the boxed set’s Glossography.
maintaining an authentic WORLD OF
53147) to see if it is in stock (which is not GREYHAWK setting, then you should at
likely), or you may be able to obtain a copy the very least not allow single-classed
at a convention. Information on Oerik’s elven clerics to exceed the normal
weather can be found in the WORLD OF advancement limits (see Unearthed Arca-
GREYHAWK setting’s Glossography. na, page 8).
14 JANUARY 1989
 Since this issue of DRAGON® Magazine is devoted to humanoids, we searched our
files and found a number of creatures that look — at least a little bit — like humans.

the
Dragon’s Bestiary
Nonhuman creatures — with human form

Black trolls dwell on some of the 666 following spell-like abilities at will: dark-
BLACKTROLL layers of the Abyss and are believed to be ness 10' radius, pyrotechnics, telekinesis
descendants of normal trolls who were (5,000 gp weight), dispel magic, and tele-
Created by: Michael J. Szarmach
changed by demonic forces. Black trolls port without error. Black trolls can also
have 18/00 strength and can, in addition to gate in 1-2 normal trolls (40%), 2-5 dretch
FREQUENCY: Uncommon in Abyss, very
their claw/claw/bite attacks, hurl rocks up demons (20%), or another 1-2 black trolls
rare elsewhere
to 180’ for 1-10 hp damage each. The most (40%) with a 50% chance of success.
NO. APPEARING: 1-8
powerful attack a black troll has is a 6-36 Black trolls take only half damage from
ARMOR CLASS: 2
hp bolt of chained lightning (usable three cold and poison-gas attacks. Like other
MOVE: 12”
times daily) that can ultimately injure trolls, they regenerate 3 hp per round and
HIT DICE: 7 + 10
every member of a party. A black troll can can reattach all severed limbs. Among the
% IN LAIR: 40%
produce such a bolt ¼” wide and up to 7” largest of all trolls, black trolls have black
TREASURE TYPE: E
long; black trolls sometimes use this attack skin, gleaming green eyes, and red horns.
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 claws and 1 bite
during hand-to-hand combat because of Unlike most trolls, they are smooth
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 7-14/7-14/2-12
their natural immunity to electrical skinned and oddly humanlike in physical
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Hurl rocks, spell use
attacks. Black trolls can appearance. Black trolls are also known as
SPECIAL DEFENSES: + 1 or better weapon
also perform the demon trolls. Rangers,
to hit, regeneration, spell use, various
resistances dwarves, and
gnomes receive
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 60%
the same
INTELLIGENCE: Average
attack and
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: L (13’ + tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

16 JANUARY 1989
defense bonuses against black trolls as About one in 10 caivehs possess the CYNAMOLGUS
they receive against normal trolls or giant- ability to go berserk in certain circum- Created by: Ronald C. Morgan II
size monsters. stances. If surrounded or cornered by
hostile forces, psionically assaulted, or FREQUENCY: Uncommon
captured and taunted, a caiveh berserker NO. APPEARING: 20-200
CAIVEH has a 75% chance of going into battle-rage. ARMOR CLASS: 5
If the caiveh tries to suppress this rage, MOVE: 12”
Created by: Gregg Sharp
the chance of entering berserker fury HIT DICE: 1
drops to 45%. A caiveh in this state of % IN LAIR: 25%
FREQUENCY: Rare
mind has intelligence and wisdom scores TREASURE TYPE: L on individuals; B, Q
NO. APPEARING: 1-10
of 1, but his strength rises to 18/00, which ( X 2), S, X in lair
ARMOR CLASS: 6
allows a + 3 to hit and + 6 to damage NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 weapon
MOVE: 18”
scores. While berserk, a caiveh tosses DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type
HIT DICE: 2 + 1
aside all weapons and uses its claws alone, SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
% IN LAIR: 40%
with appropriate combat bonuses. SPECIAL DEFENSES: Resistance to fear
TREASURE TYPE: B
If encountered as part of a military unit, MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 claws, or 1 weapon
caivehs use human-style weapons. If a INTELLIGENCE: Low
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-5/2-5, or by weapon
family unit or pride of caivehs is encoun- ALIGNMENT: Chaotic neutral
type tered, it relies on the following weapons in
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Berserker fury SIZE: M (6’ + tall)
order of preference: falchion sword, hand PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Surprised only on a 1
axe, broad sword, trident, claws.
in 6, thief skills
Caivehs are quite stealthy by nature and Cynamolgi live in loose bands, usually in
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
possess a number of thieving abilities, as woods and near rivers. They are ferocious
INTELLIGENCE: Average to very
shown below. Note that the percentage warriors who are resistant to fear; as a
ALIGNMENT: Neutral good
chance given in parentheses is the chance result, fear spells have only a 10% chance
SIZE: M (7’ tall)
of performing the skill within the caiveh’s of affecting them. Bands of cynamolgi
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
native setting. This setting is always situ- often war upon each other, except in times
ATTACK/DEFENSE: Nil/nil
ated in a forested or mountainous tropical of great trouble when they occasionally
region. join forces for a few weeks at most.
Caivehs are occasionally found working
in mercenary armies in human countries For every 20 cynamolgi encountered, a
Chance of leader with 8 hp (attacking as a 2-HD
in tropical lands. If more than five caivehs
Thief ability success creature for 3-9 hp damage) is present.
are encountered, the group will be a fami-
Move silently 25% (95%) This leader possesses a magical item 15%
ly comprised of one male and three or
Hide in shadows 20% (75%) of the time and has average intelligence. If
more females. Caivehs resemble humans
Hear noise 15% (35%) over 100 cynamolgi are encountered, the
but with strongly leonine features. Half an
Climb natural surfaces 85% (95%) band includes: a subchief (AC 4, 12 hp,
inch of long fur covers most of their
bodies, and the males have thick manes attacks as a 3-HD creature for 4-10 hp
that add greatly to the lion image (they are damage); 2-8 guards (AC 4, 10 hp,
called lion men by attacks as a 2-HD creature for 3-9
most peoples). hp damage); and 2-6 war dogs
(16 hp each). The guards are
each 25% likely to
have one
magical item,
and the subchief always has one magical but they occasionally venture to the Prime metallic-red hair, and solid red orbs for
item, usually a weapon. Material plane to wreak havoc. They have eyes. Otherwise, they are human in
While cynamolgi normally live in the two castes: common and commander. appearance. Diurges have ultravision and
wild, they sometimes move into aban- Game statistics for commander diurges are infravision. They are extremely sadistic,
doned villages or huge caves. In these listed in parentheses following the normal bear no love to any creature, and are
cases, the cynamolgi (15% chancel keep entries. For every 10 diurges encountered, highly manipulative in the pursuits of
1-4 wolves around as guards. There is one commander is present. The statistics their goals. As a common goal, most
usually a chief in these habitats, a huge for each caste are shown in the accompa- diurges work toward conquering all forms
cynamolgus (AC 3, 16 hp, attacks as a 4-HD nying table. of life in the most painful, ruthless manner
creature for 6-12 hp damage) who has a Armor classes of diurges are AC 4 at possible. Individually, these creatures are
powerful magical item and keeps a wolf base (from innate power, not from armor, not particularly selfish or greedy, and are
with maximum hit points. which is not worn), with dexterity adjust- thus capable of working together to
Cynamolgi may employ any type of ments. All common diurges are fighters at achieve this common goal.
weapon, although they prefer swords, the same level of proficiency as their hit
maces, and pole arms. Cynamolgi are dice (i.e., 6th-level fighters). In addition to
chaotic but not actually evil. They have being 6th-level fighters, diurge com- JOR
their own language, which sounds much manders are also 9th-level magic-users. Created by: Michael J. Szarmach
like the barking of dogs. Cynamolgi appear Diurge commanders are limited by no
to be dogheaded men of normal dog weapon restrictions, and they may use any FREQUENCY: Rare
breeds and colors. Cynamolgi dress them- magical item appropriate to magic-users or NO. APPEARING: 1-20 (20-200 in lair)
selves in poorly cured animal skins. Their fighters. ARMOR CLASS: 5 or 6
average life expectancy is 30 years. In combat, a diurge will often elect to MOVE: 12”
attack by touch rather than with a weap- HIT DICE: 2 + 3
on. The touch of a diurge carries a power- % IN LAIR: 35%
DIURGE ful sting, inflicting 1-4 hp damage and TREASURE TYPE: K, M on individuals; O,
Created by: Scott Bennie and Steve Sloane draining life energy sufficient to cause a U in lair
loss of 5,000 xp from the victim. Further- NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 weapon
FREQUENCY: Very rare more, for each 5,000 xp thus drained, the DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type
NO. APPEARING: 4-40 diurge restores 10 of its own lost psionic SPECIAL ATTACKS: Back-stabbing, poison,
ARMOR CLASS: 4, with bonuses for points. A diurge is unaffected by non- surprise on 1-3
dexterity magical weapons and regenerates 2 hp per SPECIAL DEFENSES: Hiding, surprised on
MOVE: 15” round for any damage (provided the 1 in 8
HIT DICE: 6 (9) diurge is above zero hit points). MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
% IN LAIR: 65% Diurges are unaffected by charm, hold, INTELLIGENCE: Average (low)
TREASURE TYPE: M, N, Q (X 3) on individ- or sleep spells, as well as by paralysis, ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
uals; F in lair poison, polymorph spells, and life-level SIZE: M (6’ tall)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 touch, or 1 weapon losses. Although not technically undead, PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4, or by weapon type common diurges can be turned by clerics
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Energy drain, psionics with the same chance of success as against Jors, also known as swamp orcs, are the
SPECIAL DEFENSES: + 1 or better weapon liches; commanders can be turned as most powerful and cunning breed of orcs.
to hit, regeneration, various resistances special cases. Diurges sustain triple dam- They have developed limited assassin
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard (45%) age from spells which employ the energy abilities which they use to the utmost
INTELLIGENCE: High to genius of the Positive Material plane. advantage. When surprising any victim,
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil (Lawful evil) Common diurges have one or two psio- jors have a 35% chance to kill by back-
SIZE: M (5½-6½’ tall) nic disciplines from the following list: stabbing. In addition, jors make a special
PSIONIC ABILITY: 141-240 (181-280) body equilibrium, detection of magic, sleeping poison from swamp plants and
Attack/Defense Modes: All/All domination, ESP, levitation, molecular waters. They use this poison to coat their
agitation. Commander diurges possess two weapons (saving throw vs. poison at +2 or
Diurges are humanoid natives of the to four psionic disciplines from the above sleep for 2-12 rounds; one use only). Jors
Negative Material plane who live in a list, with the following additional choices: are extremely hard to find in the swamp
nightmarishly twisted mirror of the Prime aura alteration, molecular manipulation, and are surprised only on a 1 in 8 as a
Material plane called Darkrealm. Diurges probability travel, telekinesis. result. In addition, they have a 50%
serve the evil lords who rule Darkrealm, Diurges have dark gray skin, white or chance to hide in natural terrain. Jors
surprise on a 1-3 in 6, and are typically
armed as follows:

Chance
Diurge Statistics Table
Weapons of having
Scimitar and crossbow 30%
Common Commander Scimitar and shield 30%
Strength 16-18 1 16-18 1 Bastard sword and axe 10%
Intelligence 14-17 15-18 Bastard sword and spear 20%
Wisdom 13-16 14-17 Battle axe and flail 10%
Dexterity 12-172 13-182
Constitution 13-183 16-193 Jors wear a form of scale mail armor
Charisma 13-16 15-18 (AC 6). Shield use betters this to AC 5.
Comeliness 3-12 5-20 Jors, like their orcish cousins, hate sun-
1
light and are therefore found outside their
If strength is 18, there is a 50% chance of the diurge having exceptional strength. lairs only after sunset. For every group in
2
Dexterity bonuses apply to armor class. excess of 15 jors, there is a leader and two
3
Constitution bonuses for hit points apply to each hit die the diurge has. assistants. Each leader and assistant has 18
hp, and because they are the strongest

18 JANUARY 1989
and most cunning creatures of their rock troll suffers 8 hp or more damage in cousins. A rock troll’s skin coloration will
group, also have a 50% chance to kill one attack, it drops its opponent. change to correspond with that of nearby
when back-stabbing. If 30 or more jors are The rock troll regenerates 2 hp per rock types, shifting from light brown to
encountered, the group includes a sub- round beginning three rounds after initial dark gray.
chief (AC 3, 3 +4 HD) and 1-4 bodyguards damage is sustained. A transmute rock to
(AC 4, 3 + 1 HD). This large group also mud or passwall spell destroys any rock
contains a master jor (AC 3,4 + 2 HD) who troll within the spell’s area of effect unless
has a 75% chance to kill when back- a saving throw vs. death magic is made at
stabbing. A master jor also has a 90% - 5. When in rocky surroundings, rock
chance to hide in natural terrain and trolls surprise their opponents on 1-3 on
surprises on 1-5 in 6. Jors general travel 1d6 and are themselves surprised only on
through swamps in small hunting parties a 1 on 1d8 Their senses of smell are
composed of young males. acute, and their infravision has a range of
Jor lairs contain females equal to the SO’. Rock trolls have strengths of 19 (hill
number of males. All females fight as well giant strength) and add + 7 to all damage
as the males but have a less-effective back- done as a result.
stabbing ability (15% chance to kill when Rangers, dwarves, and gnomes receive
employing this tactic). Jor lairs also con- the same attack and defense bonuses
tain jor young (AC 8, 1 HD, noncombat- against rock trolls as they receive against
ants) equal to 150% of the males. In normal trolls or giant-size monsters. Rock
addition, each lair contains the following: trolls are able to bat away missiles such as
a chief (AC 2, 4 + 5 HD), two subchiefs, arrows, bolts, darts, and bullets 25% of
4-16 bodyguards, 12-15 leaders, and the time, but they must use one claw
1-6 master jors. Jor chiefs always have the attack to do so. Missiles such as spears,
abilities of master jors. javelins, hand axes, and so on can be
The jors and lizard men are great rivals deflected 10% of the time, and giant boul-
in the swamp, and they often attack each ders can be caught 15% of the time. How-
other on sight. Jors look much the same as ever, machine-hurled missiles (from
orcs, except that their skin tends to be catapults or ballistas) cannot be deflected,
greenish blue in color. It is rumored that and rock trolls will sustain damage from
all jors belong to an assassin’s guild whose them if they try to catch them (which
goal is to destroy mankind bit by bit. many will do until they learn better).
Though larger than regular trolls, rock
trolls are similar in appearance to their
ROCKTROLL
Created by: Linda Hankins

FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-12
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVE: 9”
HIT DICE: 9
% IN LAIR: 30%
TREASURE TYPE: Q
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 claws and 1 bite
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 9-14/9-14/3-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Automatic bites, sur-
prise on 1-3
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Regeneration, missile
deflection, surprise 1 in 8
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: L (11’ tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

Rock trolls usually dwell on the elemen-

tal plane of Earth but have been known to
dwell in dungeons, caves, and remote
mountains on the Prime Material plane.
Rock trolls attack first with their two
claws, then with a gnashing bite. If both
claw attacks successfully strike a medium-
or small-size opponent, the victim has
been grabbed and is automatically hit with
a bite at +2 to damage. Following the first
bite, the victim may break free from the
rock trolls grip with a successful bend
bars/lift gates roll (with a + 10% modifier
to the chance). If the victim fails, he is hit
with two bite attacks the next round (with
the same modification to damage). If the
DRAGON 19
 Purposes and problems
The humanoid spell-caster represents
the means employed by a humanoid deity
to promote the deity’s religion, unite the
humanoid’s tribe, and give the tribe
by Randal S. Doering defenses against its magic-wielding human
and demi-human foes. Humanoid spell-
casters are not meant to be capable of
sustained magical combat, but serve
instead as buffers between the human-

Orcs
related races and the humanoids. Thus,
their abilities tend to concentrate on pro-
tective and miscellaneous magic rather
than on battle magic.
The DMG suggests that humanoid spell-
casters are rare, but there is no reason

Throw
given for this lack of competent masters
among the humanoid races. A careful
look, however, reveals two excellent rea-
sons for a lack of spell-casters among
humanoids. The first is the warrior ten-
dency of these races. The second is (blunt-
ly put) the stupidity of the humanoids.

Spells, Too!
From the puniness of the ½-HD kobolds
to-the terrible might of the 14-HD fog
giants, humanoids are characterized by
violence. Of over 24 humanoid races, less
than a half dozen are good or neutrally
aligned; the rest are downright evil. These
masses of wicked creatures live by raiding
their neighbors. Their energies are thus
spent in preparing for and conducting
Humanoid and giant spell-casters wars. Little time is left for anything else.
Young humanoids grow up learning how
for AD&D® games to wage war; those young that cannot
keep up with the physical regimen of such
a life quickly die, leaving ranks upon ranks
of hardened warriors. This is hardly an
auspicious beginning for a young spell-
caster!
In the larger humanoid bands, however,
especially those that are settled and enjoy
In the highly magical worlds of the AD&D® game universe, the some measure of security, there occasion-
ally arises a youngster who can survive
ability to manipulate magic often determines the winner in a the physical rigors of humanoid life and is
conflict. Thus, the various AD&D game books contain more not satisfied with them. This individual is
information on spell-casters than on any other type of character. too weak to seek physical power but
Yet, since only humans and demi-humans are allowed to be player wants some means of gaining an advan-
tage over his peers. If this individual is
characters, very little information has been given in regards to a very lucky, he could become spell-caster.
third set of spell-casters: the humanoids. Now a new factor works against these
All the information pertaining to humanoid spell-casters can be few: the stupidity of the humanoid races.
On the whole, humanoids tend to be a
found in a few brief paragraphs in the Dungeon Masters Guide and dim-witted and barbaric lot. Those born
Legends & Lore. While this information is excellent for setting up with unusual intelligence or wisdom learn
the bare statistics of a humanoid spell-caster, it does not go far to use their spell-casting abilities ruthlessly
or are killed by jealous rivals. Added to
toward helping the DM run such an unusual NPC. This article this is the fact that other humanoid bands
begins with tips on creating, preparing, and playing humanoid are often jealous of any tribe with a spell-
spell-casters, then addresses how these beings gain and keep their caster. Thus, unusually gifted humanoids
powers. New lists of spells are given to bring the DMG lists up to face a dismal future, and most of these do
not survive their apprenticeships or the
date with Unearthed Arcana, and level limits are suggested for new more dangerous process of self-teaching.
humanoids given in the FIEND FOLIO® tome and Monster Manual This simple reasoning demonstrates why
II. Finally, there is a section devoted to specific religious practices the DMG suggests that humanoid spell-
casters are so rare that they should be
performed by each individual humanoid race and how these placed by the DM. Unfortunately, there
practices can be used by the DM to help flesh out humanoid are no guidelines to follow in this process.
spell-casters. To a beginning DM, taking great care in
placing humanoid spell-casters might
mean including only one or two witch
doctors or shamans per group of human-
22 JANUARY 1989
 have mastered two forms of magic, some- met, since no spell-casters can appear in
thing that only the rarest of even demi- groups, of less than one-half the maximum
human or human spell-casters accomplish. normal group size for humanoids which
The chance of meeting a witch doctor is run in bands of 20 or less. By the same
also based on 25% increments, but the token, no hobgoblin witch doctor could
probability of meeting a witch doctor is ever be met as a 1st-level cleric, since
only 1% per increment. This means that a there must be at least 50 hobgoblins (25%
huge pack of 400 kobolds is only 4% likely maximum “Number Appearing”) for there
to have a witch doctor in its midst. to be any chance of a spell-caster in the
Don’t use this system for humanoids group in the first place. Low-level spell-
who run in very small bands (e.g., giants), casters can be added by the DM as
or there will be too many such spell- apprentices (5% chance of 1st-level cleric
casters. When the maximum normal size per tribe with higher-level shaman, and
of a humanoid group is 20 or less, the 1% chance of low-level witch doctor per
chance of a shaman appearing in the tribe with the same) or as solitary spell-
group is a flat 5%; for a witch doctor, casters (give each tribe without a spell-
there is a 1% chance. Of course, if the caster a flat 5% chance to have a 1st-level
group is unusually large (i.e., 20 stone cleric and a 1% chance to have a low-level
giants), the DM might wish to double or witch doctor), or the DM may dispense
even triple this chance. As with lesser with them entirely in favor of slightly
humanoids, groups of giants must have higher-level humanoid spell-casters.
enough members to support a spell-caster, Once the spell-caster’s levels have been
since the spell-caster is too busy with assigned, he is ready to receive his spells.
arcane arts to hunt or otherwise support No humanoid shaman has access to every
basic survival functions. Thus, giant spell- spell for every level of spell use he is capa-
casters appear only with groups which ble of employing. A humanoid shaman is
have half or more of the maximum normal limited to knowing two spells per spell
group size for that type of giant. level (out of the lists given later in this
No humanoid tribe has both a shaman article) and must choose his daily spells
and a witch doctor, and the shaman is from them by praying for them, as does a
always checked for first. The system given human or demi-human cleric. No spell
above reflects the small numbers of books are kept of these spells, though the
humanoid spell-casters (especially witch shaman can use clerical scroll spells (if he
doctors); it should keep humanoid spell- can read). This limited knowledge is a
casters uncommon enough to retain the function of being primarily self-taught and
excitement of their use. serves to vary the spells available to each
shaman. The DM can roll for spells ran-
Creating the spell-caster domly or assign them.
When the dice or the DM have deter- Shamans gain knowledge of two new
oids. To aid the beginning DM and give the mined that a humanoid spell-caster exists spells per level, either from the prior level
experienced DM a hand in determining in a group of humanoids, the DM must lists or from the next highest list, if the
the frequency of such NPCs, the following take pains to create a well-balanced NPC. shaman just gained a new level of spell use
guidelines are offered. The guides given in the official rules are (a shaman just gaining 3rd level would
Assuming that shamans are more com- vague in assigning levels to these rare learn two second-level spells). These new
mon than witch doctors (since witch doc- creatures, and leave room for creating spells are taught to the shaman by a more
tors are the more powerful of the two), NPCs with too little or too much power. experienced shaman or more often by a
there is a 5% chance for a shaman to A humanoid spell-caster should be servant of the shaman’s deity. The shaman
appear per 25% of the maximum strength assigned levels based on the strength of must meditate and pray to “charge” the
of a humanoid band. For example, the his band, using the maximum normal spells he desires for the day, drawing from
number of gnolls usually encountered is group size divided by the maximum level those spells known to the shaman. The
20-200. If there are 50 gnolls (25% of the of spell use possible for that race, round- rest of the spells in the shaman’s mind are
possible maximum), there is a 5% chance ing fractions up. The following examples spells which he knows but for which he
for a shaman to be present. In a group help illustrate how to assign levels to has insufficient power to use (so they
smaller than 50 gnolls, there is no chance humanoid spell-casters. cannot be cast by the shaman that day).
for a shaman to be present; a band of that Example one: Ogres appear in groups of Shamans do not gain bonus spells for high
size could not protect its shaman well up to 20 individuals, and ogre shamans wisdom, as is explained later, but have
enough and would quickly lose its spell- can rise to 3rd level in experience. Thus, normal chances of spell failure.
caster. This applies to all humanoid bands: for every seven ogres, the shaman will Witch doctors gain their clerical spells as
No spell-casters are ever encountered in a have one level of experience. do shamans, but they have the added
group smaller than one-quarter of its Example two: Hobgoblin witch doctors responsibility of maintaining spell books
maximum size, as given in the AD&D can rise to 7th level as clerics and 4th level for their magic-user spells. A witch doctor
game rules. This principle works in 25% as magic-users. The maximum “Number starts with three random first-level spells
increments — that is, in a group of 99 Appearing” for hobgoblins is 200. For for his spell book and is given one new
gnolls, there is still only a 5% chance for a every 30 hobgoblins, the witch doctor will spell per level earned. The new spell is of
shaman to be present, but at 100 gnolls, have one level of clerical experience; for the highest level of magic usable by the
the chance jumps to 10%. This serves to every 50 hobgoblins, the witch doctor will witch doctor. Witch doctors must check
keep the chance of a shaman appearing to have one level of magic-user experience. newly acquired spells for understanding,
a minimum and increases the scarcity of In a group of 170 hobgoblins, then, the as must any magic-user (a very important
spell-casters. witch doctor will be a 6th-level cleric and point if a PC’s spell book falls into a witch
Shamans are a silver-piece-a-dozen, a 4th-level magic-user. doctor’s hands). The lists given later in this
however, when compared to witch doc- Note that, by the suggestions given earli- article are for those spells which are com-
tors. These more powerful humanoids er, no 1st-level ogre shaman could ever be monly handed down from witch doctor to
24 JANUARY 1989
witch doctor. frightful foe indeed. A
It is recommended that each witch doc- staff of command would
tor be given one or two spells from out- certainly make a hobgoblin
side these lists to give each witch doctor shaman more terrible to meet.
an individual flair. Consider an infamous Even cursed magical items become
kobold witch doctor with a charm person deadly when in the hands of a clever
spell or a feared hobgoblin witch doctor humanoid spell-caster — a necklace of
with magic missile. Such NPCs will be strangulation is a fine gift for a hated
widely known and will add excitement as subchieftain and a scarab of death is an
characters get a chance to test themselves excellent missile weapon against unar-
against them. Witch doctors have only one mored foes (provided the thrower has
set of spell books; these are considered to heavy gauntlets). While the average
be traveling spell books for all intents and humanoid would not even realize that
purposes, for the witch doctors haven’t such items were magical, the tribal spell-
the time, money, nor skill to make better caster is very alert for them. These NPCs
(see Unearthed Arcana, pages 79-80). may employ any magical item of general
A quick glance at the magic-user spell use or of use by the appropriate magic-
lists given later reflects a basic problem using classes (e.g., clerics and magic-users).
for the witch doctor’s spell books, in that In addition, shamans (due to their combat
the witch doctor has no way to read or orientation) may employ magical items
write new spells. If the DM decides to stay usually reserved for fighters. This gives
with this ruling, as given by the lack of the humanoid spell-caster a greater range
these spells in the official lists, it is certain of items to use and allows an innovative
that the witch doctor’s spell book will be DM the chance to create highly individual-
nothing more than a collection of loose istic NPCs of this sort.
pages taken from many sources. This spell This is not to say that every kobold
collection is very sloppy and certainly witch doctor has a staff of power. The
cannot have magical protections set upon chance for a humanoid spell-caster to own
it. In addition, the collection is worth only magical items is given on page 196 of the
half experience-point and monetary values DMG, treating the NPC as a spell-caster of
for a PC who captures it. If the DM wishes the appropriate class and level. It is impor-
the humanoid spell-caster to have true tant to note that the witch doctor rolls on
spell books, along with the power to read two tables (clerical and magic-user), and
and write more spells, he must award the will probably have half a dozen small
witch doctor read magic and write in magical items as a result. If this seems too
addition to the witch doctor’s other start- liberal, remember that only the more
ing spells. This will make the witch doctor powerful humanoid bands have spell-
far more versatile and powerful. casters at all, and that such bands do a lot
The humanoid spell-caster is an impor- of raiding. The spell-caster will be certain
tant part of his tribe and should be pro- to examine new treasures closely for a tain to point out how powerful the magical
tected as such by the tribe. Such persons chance to increase his power, and will aid is to himself and to the war leader. For
are often surrounded by guards equal in thus collect as many items as possible. those shamans serving neutral or good
ability and in number to those who guard The DM can also choose to assign magi- deities, a more balanced spell selection is
the subchieftain. In addition, the spell- cal items, realizing that one or two potions possible as dictated by the situation. Such
caster stays near the war leader, combin- and a scroll should be nearly standard shamans are more likely to share their
ing his many bodyguards with magic to equipment for a humanoid spell-caster. powers and use them to benefit other
create a potent defense. War leaders are Luckier ones might have a magical ring or members of their bands.
certain to defend their tribal spell-casters, wand. Whichever method is used, keep in The humanoid deities have little to do
for those shamans or witch doctors are mind that the PCs might capture this magi- with the undead and grant their wor-
the only defense against magic their tribe cal equipment during the course of the shipers no power with the thinking
may have. A final wise defense for the adventure. As a result, these items should undead (ghouls and greater undead). A
spell-caster is placing guard animals near not be enough in quantity or quality to glance at the spell lists in the DMG shows
him. Most humanoids employ guard ani- make the victorious party too powerful that animate dead is not on the original
mals, and these animals are often tougher and thereby damage the campaign. spell lists — humanoid shamans are con-
than the races for whom they work. Imag- tent to let human clerics dabble with their
ine a low-level party running into several Playing the spell-caster own dead, while the humanoids concen-
giant weasels, a dozen bodyguards, a war The shaman is a tribal cleric. He has the trate on spells of war. However, shamans
leader or two, and a kobold witch doctor functions of any cleric — that is, to revital- of evil alignment can command weak
all at the same time! In small groups of ize and protect himself and the war leader. undead into their service as can any evil
powerful humanoids (such as giants), Because the deities served by such NPCs cleric (“weak” being defined as skeletons
there are no chieftains, bodyguards, and are usually evil, the shaman carries more and zombies). Neutral and good shamans
such. Nonetheless, all members of the offensive and defensive spells than cura- can turn these lesser undead but cannot
band fight to protect their spell-caster. tive spells. As a result, cause light wounds command them. These shamans have no
is often a favorite spell, as are dispel mag- power over the thinking processes of the
Use of magical items ic, chant, etc. Cures are often saved for undead.
Once the spell-caster’s protection is use after a battle by the shaman or per- Shamans are fully expected to fight and
provided, all that remains is the consider- haps the war leader. The shaman’s deity are given extra power (hit points) to aid
ation of magical items to be assigned. believes in strength and does not expect and support their battle conquests, as
Perhaps the greatest power held by a such magic to be wasted among common noted in the “Nonhumans’ Deities” section
tribal spell-caster is the ability to employ members of the tribe. Indeed, the shaman of Legends & Lore. Shamans are not
magical items. With a little help from a very rarely uses magic to directly aid- restricted to blunt weapons but are lim-
wand of fire, a goblin witch doctor is a common humanoids, although he is cer- ited to weapons used by that humanoid
DRAGON 25
type. Fire-giant shamans use great swords; any length to get it. Second, witch doctors might even encourage weakness. The
kobold shamans use short swords, axes, use their spells and magical items freely, deities of the humanoids simply do not
spears, or spiked clubs; and so forth. for it is imperative to maintain their tribe’s allow this sorry state to come about. Even
Shamans are expected to show bravery confidence in their power. Tribes with among tribes that are settled, the worship
and bloodlust, and are expected to melee witch doctors put up with trouble even area is plain and simply adorned so that
frequently. They may thus wear any sort from their own race, due to friction with the spell-caster need not waste time tend-
of armor without penalty and may use the the humanoid deities; because of this, ing it. Among the spell-casters of neutral
best armor and weapons available to their tribal members want constant proof that and good deities, this still holds true, for
tribes. their witch doctor is worth the trouble. these groups wander as much as their evil
As noted earlier, shamans do not gain Finally, witch doctors of maximum level cousins.
additional spells for high wisdom scores. (both as clerics and magic-users) are
This is due to the fact that all humanoid almost always the tribal leaders. At this New spell lists
deities value strength over magical prow- point, they gain no more spell abilities and The spell lists given on page 40 of the
ess. These deities grant spells only to they need an advantage to stay in power. DMG need to be updated with spells from
prove the might of the gods in the first Their takeover at this point can be overtly Unearthed Arcana. The spell lists provided
place, and they will not allow any shaman physical (such as blowing the former in Tables 1 and 2 herein add the new spells
to become dependent solely upon magic to leaders to bits) or subtle (such as casting to the old lists. Spells from Unearthed
defeat foes. Consequently, these deities charms on the leaders). In the former Arcana have been carefully selected to
grant only a bare minimum number of case, the witch doctor must have a great follow the same lines as those given in the
spells to their shamans. amount of power or the other members of DMG — that is, they contain primarily
Witch doctors live by the same rules as the tribe will desert. The latter option defensive and miscellaneous spells. The
shamans insofar as their clerical spells are opens a wide vista to the DM, who could, DM may alter these lists as he sees fit,
concerned. However, witch doctors are for example, set PCs warring against war keeping in mind that too many combat
not allowed to wear armor or use any leaders while the clever witch doctor spells will certainly destroy the purpose of
weapons other than the standard magic- stands back and watches all his foes such an NPC. Spells taken from Unearthed
user weapons. Because witch doctors are destroy one another. Arcana are denoted by asterisks. Witch
magic-oriented, they are not expected to Witch doctors serving neutral or good doctors can use cantrips but do not have
battle. This magic-orientation also means deities are probably not excessively greedy any unless the DM specifically decides to
that witch doctors cannot serve the stand- or violent, although they are certainly assign them in each individual case. As a
ard humanoid deities (who consider them secretive. They, too, are protective of their result, these spells are not included in
weaklings). Most witch doctors worship power and will go to great lengths to Tables 1 and 2. Note also that humanoid
the most powerful demons and devils to preserve it (usually through trickery and spell-casters can use the reversed forms of
buy their powers; the rest follow evil deception). Such witch doctors are not any spell that is reversible.
human or demi-human deities. This tends under nearly as much pressure as their
to alienate the humanoid deities, however, evil counterparts and only rarely lead New humanoid spell-casters
angering them and making them hostile their tribes. With the addition of two new monster
toward the tribes with witch doctors. The As a final note, no humanoid spell-caster books to the AD&D game, the list of
witch doctor is forced to compensate by ever builds or lives in a temple of any sort humanoids that can become spell-casters
presenting a powerful image and casting except for instances involving short peri- needs to be updated. Table 3 provides a list
many spells in frequent displays of power. ods of time (a few months at most). All of some of these new races and the levels
Witch doctors invariably have impressive humanoids are wanderers, as is evidenced they may achieve as spell-casters. Races
abodes filled with all sorts of grisly by their low chances of being found in whose spell-casting classes are described
remains and unusual items. their lairs, and their deities prefer for in the books are not repeated in Table 3,
This need for sheer power has several them to live by hunting and raiding. A nor are those races which have spell-like
effects on witch doctors. First, they will temple means responsibilities which pre- powers (for these cannot also use spells
instantly seize and hoard all suspected clude a spell-caster from going on raids unless such is stated in their descriptions).
magical items brought into the tribe. and impressing the tribe with the might of The DM is free to modify the information
Along this line, all witch doctors are very the deity. Furthermore, such an easy life given in Table 3 as necessary, perhaps
eager for an identify spell and will go to would make the spell-caster lazy and adding such races as the qullan and others

Table 1
Clerical Spells

First level Second level Third level Fourth level

Ceremony * * * Aid* Cure blindness Cloak of fear *
Cure light wounds Augury Cure disease Divination
Detect evil Chant Dispel magic Exorcise
Detect magic Detect charm Flame walk * Neutralize poison
Endure heat/cold * Detect life Locate object Spell immunity *
Invisibility to Messenger * Magic vestment * Tongues
undead * Resist fire Prayer
Light Snake charm Remove curse
Portent * Speak with animals Remove paralysis *
Protection from evil (Un)holy symbol * Water walk *
Resist cold

* These spells are taken from Unearthed Arcana.

* * Ceremonies usable by humanoid spell-casters include coming of age, burial, dedication, and consecrate item.

26 JANUARY 1989
(such races were excluded primarily This system of reward for greater sacri- Giants, frost
because they appear in numbers too small fices urges bugbear shamans to conduct Thrym is a demanding deity who follows
to support a spell-caster). Among giants, mass sacrifices and has earned them a the same code of battle as Surtur, with one
small groups are fine because giants are grisly reputation among the weaker races twist: The frost-giant shaman who loses a
powerful enough to be able to allow one favored as sacrifices. battle dies on the spot. While Thrym
of their number to study and meditate demands no regular sacrifices, he requires
instead of hunt. Among the comparatively Ettins that one human from every group of
weaker races, however, survival is too Although ettins and hill giants both humans battled by the shaman’s band be
time-consuming to afford any member the worship Grolantor, ettin practices differ taken unhurt and frozen alive. Failure to
luxury of not helping in the basic chores greatly from those of their weaker kin. do this results in the shaman being strip-
of survival. If this situation is different in a Ettins pay the deity homage not as a deity, ped of all power and being forevermore a
given campaign, the material presented but as an extremely powerful ettin. standard frost giant.
herein and in the DMG should help a DM Because of this attitude, and the fact that Frost-giant shamans are subjected to
assign spell abilities to humanoid races. Grolantor is the least intelligent humanoid rigorous tests for every level they attempt
Note that the upper level limits of 7th deity, the god does not grant spells to ettin to gain. While tests vary, all involve com-
level for a shaman and 4th level for the shamans (remember that first- and second- bat against foes at least equal to the frost
magic-user abilities of a witch doctor are level spells are based on the faith of the giant in hit dice and power (four ogres
rules of steel which should never be bent. shaman, with no help from the deity). would be a good test). In addition, these
The humanoid mind is too coarse (even in Ettin shamans do not sacrifice to Grolan- shamans must sacrifice 5,000 gp in gems
such exceptional individuals as treated tor and receive no special benefits from to Thrym for each level they have and
herein) to rise beyond these limits. If a their deity. 10,000 gp more for the level to be gained,
higher-level spell-caster is needed, use an each time they are eligible to gain a level.
evil human or demi-human spell-caster. Giants, fire As if this were not enough, any frost
Surtur demands nothing in the way of giant may challenge the shaman to a battle
Deity/shaman relations sacrifice from his shamans, but he has one to the death at any time. The winner
So far, this article has given guidelines to rule which can never be broken: His sha- either keeps or receives the powers of the
help the DM with humanoid spell-casters. mans must never be defeated in personal shaman. Thus, if a 5th-level frost-giant
This section is devoted to the relationships combat. Those who are lose all clerical shaman were defeated by a standard frost
between specific humanoid deities and abilities and are marked by the deity so giant, the winner would walk away with
their shamans, addressing interesting that other fire giants drive the outcast
practices and special powers that deities away. This mark is a flaming sword on the
Table 2
grant their shamans. These are helpful in face of the outcast, the tip on the former
Magic-User Spells
adding detail to humanoid spell-casters, shaman’s chin and the pommel on his
and thus create more unusual individual forehead. The mark is silver, in contrast to First level Second level
NPCs. Appendix 3 in the Legends & Lore the giant’s black skin, and can be seen Affect normal fires Audible glamer
tome (Clerical Quick-Reference Charts) even if covered or hidden. Even death Alarm * Deeppockets *
gives good background for these practices does not remove this dishonor. Dancing lights Detect invisibility
and is useful in conjunction with what When Surtur’s shamans reach 7th level, Identity In visibility
follows. The relationships detailed here they are granted the power to summon Melt * Know alignment *
are with primary deities only; relation- one 8-HD fire elemental once per month. Mount* Levitate
ships with lesser deities are up to the DM The summoning takes one melee round, Push Magic mouth *
to detail. and the elemental appears in 1-4 rounds, Run* Preserve *
staying for six turns or until it is des- Shield Scare
Bugbears troyed. The elemental acts independently Ventriloquism Vocalize *
Hruggek is an exacting deity who of the shaman, who need not concentrate
* These spells are taken from Unearth-
demands that his shamans make sacrifices on controlling it. This power is a bonus
ed Arcana.
of at least two levels or hit dice of foe per ability and does not take the place of any
level of the shaman, per month. Shamans of the shaman’s spells.
who fail to meet this quota receive no
spells for the following month. Shamans
who exceed the minimum have a 1%
Table 3
chance per five additional levels or hit dice
New Humanoid Spell-Caster Level Limits
sacrificed of being granted one additional
spell of the highest level usable by the
Race Shaman Witch doctor
shaman, for use over the next month. This
(clerical levels) (magic-user levels)
spell is a gift that is usable only once. If Aarakocra 7 -
the shaman fails to use the spell by the Bullywug 5 2
following month, the spell is taken back Dakon 3 -
(though a replacement may be given as a Flind 5 4
result of abundant sacrifices). The shaman
Giant * 2
may choose his own bonus spell.
Grimlock 5 4
When gaining levels, these shamans -
Ogrillon
must sacrifice the levels or hit dice of foes Taer 3 -
for each level the shaman possesses and Troll, giant 3 -
10 more for the level to be gained. Failure Vegepygmy 5 2
to make proper sacrifices earns instant Xvart 5 4
death for the shaman, as Hruggek strikes
him down. Exceeding this minimum by 20
* This includes fog, fomorian, mountain, and verbeeg giants.
or more levels or hit dice gives a 5%
A dash indicates that the race cannot employ magic-user spells and thus cannot
chance of the shaman earning one addi-
have witch doctors.
tional hit point (added to the roll for that
level).

DRAGON 27
 Giants, stone to wrest control of ghouls from clerics of
The shamans of Skoraeus Stonebones other deities; their deity’s relationship
are allowed to live as they choose and are with ghouls automatically empowers them
not required to make sacrifices or to control these creatures. Gnoll shamans
undergo trials to gain levels. Due to their are also allowed to choose negative plane
closeness to the earth, however, these protection as a third-level spell.
shamans are restricted from certain spells
and are given access to spells which no Goblins and hobgoblins
other shamans may use. The forbidden Goblin and hobgoblin shamans both
spells have to do with elements other than worship Maglubiyet in his giant goblin
earth; these include resist fire, flame walk, form. The deity treats both races in the
and water walk. In return, the following same manner. At each monthly ceremony,
spells are added to the lists available to the these shamans must sacrifice the living
stone giant shamans: stone shape (third- hearts of two levels or hit dice worth of
level druidic spell) is added to the list of foes per level of the shaman. It is vital to
third-level spell choices; spike stones (fifth- note that these foes must possess souls
level druidic spell) is added to the list of (spirits of animal life energy will not do);
fourth-level spells; and wall of stone (fifth- the Mighty One accepts nothing less. Fail-
level magic-user spell) is added to the list ure to give proper sacrifices causes the
of fourth-level spells. shaman’s spells and extra hit points to flee
Occasionally a stone-giant shaman is him in the next battle, never to return.
extremely devout to Skoraeus, sacrificing [Humans, dwarves, gnomes, halflings, and
everything he owns to the deity and keep- half-elves are assumed to have souls; elves,
ing not so much as a single copper piece half-orcs, and other beings do not.]
or lowly potion. Skoraeus may grant such To gain levels, the shaman must sacrifice
a shaman the power to cast an earthquake the still-beating heart of a human warrior
spell once per month as an added ability of a level equal to or greater than that
when the shaman reaches 7th level. The which the shaman hopes to gain. The
power takes one turn to activate and sacrifice must have been personally
affects an area 60’ in diameter; otherwise, defeated in combat by the shaman or by
it conforms in all other ways to the use of the shaman’s magic.
seventh-level clerical spell of the same Maglubiyet’s shamans may not use heal-
name. There is a 5% chance for any 7th- ing spells. This includes any spell with
level stone-giant shaman encountered to cure as part of its title, and includes neu-
have this power. tralize poison as well. Goblin and hobgob-
lin shamans are free to use the reverses of
Gnolls these spells, as well as a few combat spells
The shamans of Yeenoghu have, without which Maglubiyet approves of: command,
a doubt, the harshest deity in the human- spiritual hammer, and sticks to snakes. In
the loser’s extra hit points and the spell oid pantheon. To maintain their power, addition, those shamans who survive to
abilities of a 5th-level shaman. gnoll shamans must sacrifice four levels or 5th level are granted immunity to fear —
In return for this risky life, the frost- hit dice worth of enemies at each monthly even fear of a magical sort. It is said that
giant shaman is granted two powers. Upon ceremony in a trial by combat. The sacri- the Mighty One absolutely refuses to see
reaching 5th level, the shaman may create fices are permitted natural weapons or a his shamans flee from fights.
a wall of ice once per week as a 10th-level dagger, while the shaman is restricted to
magic-user using the spell. At 7th level, the his flail and no magic (although a magical Kobolds
shaman may summon an 8-HD ice elemen- flail is permissible). If an intended sacrifice Kobold shamans gain more from their
tal from the plane of para-elemental Ice kills the shaman, the person or creature is position than any other humanoid sha-
once per month. This ability works exactly free to leave. mans, for the extra hit points they receive
like that of the fire-giant shamans (see When gaining levels, a gnoll shaman put them far beyond their peers in surviv-
previous section). Both of these powers must scourge himself for 5 hp damage for ability. As a result, Kurtulmak puts his
are bonus abilities which are in addition each of his levels and 6 hp damage for the shamans through rigorous tests.
to, not in place of, the shaman’s full com- level he wishes to attain. Those shamans Kurtulmak’s shamans must personally
plement of spells. who cannot withstand the punishment for slay the leader or subleader of all groups
a new level are frozen at the level where of foes that the shaman’s band attacks.
Giants, hill they can stand the pain. For example, a Shamans may use magic as well as weap-
Hill giants worship Grolantor as a deity shaman desiring to reach 4th level must ons to accomplish this. For whatever rea-
(unlike ettins, as noted earlier). Perhaps have at least 21 hp or that shaman is stuck son, one failure permanently freezes a
this is why hill giants may advance in at 3rd level. This test ensures that only the shaman at his current level. Two failures
levels so far beyond ettins. Hill-giant sha- toughest gnolls rise to power. It is assumed permanently strip a kobold shaman of all
mans are not required to make sacrifices in this case that a gnoll shaman who powers and extra hit points.
to Grolantor, but most shamans like to scourges himself to zero hit points does Kobold shamans must sacrifice gnomes
sacrifice enemies and small valuables to not die but simply falls unconscious; a to gain levels, the gnomes possessing as
the deity anyway. Grolantor occasionally strike with a whip does 1 hp damage. many levels between them as the shaman,
rewards diligent shamans with a special In return for these tests, the shamans plus one level for the level which the
magical club which provides a +4 to hit receive the power to automatically com- shaman is trying to gain. To gain final
and damage against dwarves. This weapon mand up to two ghouls per level, drawing power (5th level), individual shamans must
works only in the hands of a hill-giant these creatures into the shaman’s service. personally hunt down and capture the
shaman and is useless to all others. There Many gnoll shamans do away with gnoll gnomes to be sacrificed. Any means to this
is a 5% chance for a hill-giant shaman of bodyguards in favor of these loyal pets end, including magical items, spells, and
any level to own such a club. instead. Gnoll shamans need not roll dice poisons, are acceptable, but the shaman
28 JANUARY 1989
must do the capturing alone and unaided more coldly logical than mermen and have mans and their minor deities is covered in
by others. Failure or cheating at this difficulty placing faith in an unseen deity. the Best of DRAGON® Magazine Anthology,
endeavor permanently strips a kobold Shamans of these races are ignored by volume III, in “The gods of the orcs.” The
shaman of all power. their deity for the greater part and need only deity whose shamans are not
Upon attaining 5th level, kobold sha- make no sacrifices. Shamans gain levels described is Gruumsh; the shamans dis-
mans are granted a unique ability: the automatically and need pass no tests cussed here belong to that deity.
power to find traps (as per the second- except to have faith. Orcish shamans in the service of Gruumsh
level clerical spell of that name). This Eadro’s shamans are forbidden the use are highly favored by that deity in his effort
ability is permanent and is granted as a of spells which involve fire, even spells to outdo other deities, but the price for
natural extension of the race’s love of which provide protection from that ele- office is high. These shamans are allowed to
traps and ambushes. For this reason, a ment. For compensation, locathah and keep only half their loot, sacrificing the rest
high-ranking kobold shaman is often merman shamans are allowed to choose to the deity. In addition, these shamans must
found in the front of his band when enter- precipitation and cloudburst spells to use make monthly blood sacrifices to Gruumsh,
ing new territory. This ability works con- against fire-wielding surface foes. In addi- these being five levels or hit dice worth of
stantly without concentration, and it is in tion, certain outstanding shamans of maxi- creatures (animals are acceptable) per level
addition to the shaman’s regular spell load. mum level (about 5% of the total) are of the shaman. Failure to meet this quota
given an enchanted conch shell by Eadro. strips the shaman of one level per incident.
Lizard men This shell summons an 8-HD water ele- If the shaman reaches zero level through
The worshipers of Semuanya are found mental when blown. The elemental arrives such failure, he is used as a sacrifice by
only among civilized groups of lizard men, the next round and stays for up to one other shamans during the next ceremony.
as the barbaric lizard men do not follow hour or until destroyed. It will battle on its Levels lost due to failure can be regained by
the gods code of neutrality. Shamans of own, requiring no concentration from the further conquest.
the deity are not tested, although they are shaman. Such shells are usable only by Orcish shamans of Gruumsh can never
required to sacrifice 10% of all hunting maximum-level shamans of Eadro and are lose a personal battle upon pain of instant
trophies taken by the tribe. Civilized lizard not even magical in the hands of other death from above. If the shaman’s tribe
men do not consider humans and demi- beings. loses a battle, the shaman loses a level as
humans to be hunting trophies, and gener- noted earlier.
ally either let them go or hold them for Ogres and trolls To gain a level, an orcish shaman must
ransom. Ogre and troll. shamans worship Vaprak first battle any other orc who wants his
Semuanya’s shamans strive for the emo- every time they kill something, and thus position in a combat to the death. The
tionless reptilian ideal and are granted are not required to make formal sacrifices. winner of this fight either leaves with
immunity from spells which play on the When gaining a level, shamans of Vaprak levels intact or has earned the right to
emotions (such as fear-related attacks, must seek out and slay a creature of their begin training as a 1st-level shaman. Once
symbols of hopelessness or discord, and own size and power (rival members of challengers are dealt with, the shaman
confusion spells). Furthermore, these their own tribe will do). This combat must must then slay in combat a creature with
shamans may attempt to dispel the effects be done without the aid of magic and by levels or hit dice equal to his own. These
of any emotion-influencing attack by using only natural body weaponry. Sha- battles come one after the other in one
touching the afflicted creature. The target mans who break these rules immediately long ceremony, and the use of spells and
then receives another saving throw versus lose all spells and extra hit points. In many magical items (other than acceptable magi-
the effect at +4 on the roll. Lizard-man cases, these shamans are slain by their cal weapons, or those types used by most
shamans may use this power once per own tribes. orcs) is forbidden.
melee round any number of times per day. There is a 2% chance in any battle that Gruumsh’s shamans are not allowed to
As with powers bestowed upon other Vaprak grants berserk fury to one of his use curative spells of any sort on others,
shamans by their deities, this calming shamans, as noted on page 96 in Legends restricting such cures to themselves. The
ability is a bonus. & Lore. The deity grants no other favors reverse applications are highly encour-
to its shamans. Shamans of Vaprak are aged. As compensation for these rigors,
Locathah and mermen forbidden the use of any healing and Gruumsh grants two favors to his sha-
Shamans of the locathah and merman curative spells, though the reverse applica- mans. First, when hit points are rolled,
races worship the same form of Eadro and tions are encouraged. two hit points are added to each level’s
are treated equally by the deity. Locathah roll. This extra favor from the deity gives
shamans are limited to lower levels than Orcs orcish shamans of Gruumsh a large advan-
mermen simply because they tend to be The relationship between orcish sha- tage in battle and encourages them to
melee. Second, Gruumsh’s shamans are
extensively trained with weapons; allow-
ing them to fight as full-fledged fighters of
equal level. They have thus earned a repu-
tation as fierce foes and are feared by
most other humanoid races. Finally, cer-
tain shamans of Gruumsh are so outstand-
ing in their destructive tendencies that the
deity rewards each of them with a magical
iron spear. In the hands of an orcish sha-
man, this weapon acts as a spear +4
(hand-held, not thrown); this weapon is
nonmagical to all other creatures. If an elf
touches such a weapon, he or she receives
5-10 hp burn damage with no saving
throw, and must drop the weapon. There
is a 5% chance for any maximum-level
shaman of Gruumsh to own such a spear.
These weapons are not granted to lower-
level shamans.
30 JANUARY 1989
Sahuagin Witch doctors and deities sending servants to aid the witch doctor,
Sahuagin shamans follow a savage code As, noted earlier, witch doctors are alien- although the patron occasionally simply
which results in small numbers of sha- ated from their humanoid deities by their teleports the shaman to safety. The patron
mans among the race. These shamans are desire to use magic more than brute force. never risks itself by appearing to aid its
allowed no bodyguards and must protect Because of this, witch doctors are forced witch doctor, regardless of the witch doc-
themselves during battles. Furthermore, to worship all sorts of demons, devils, tor’s level and power. A false alarm when
they are expected to be in the forefront of daemons, and various evil human and praying for divine aid earns an immediate
all attacks made by their tribe, fighting demi-human deities for their powers. and gruesome death for the witch doctor,
next to the war leaders. Sahuagin shamans There is no way to give specific examples so most witch doctors are careful to be
can move up in rank only by slaying their of deity interactions for witch doctors, certain that death is at hand before trying
immediate superior and thus must be since there are so many different sorts of this final option.
ready to fight to retain their own posi- worshiped beings, but there are a few
tions. Battles for rank are fought with common rules which apply to all. Final notes
tooth and claw only; no weapons or magic 1. Any entity which a witch doctor wor- Humanoid spell-casters are an exciting
are allowed. ships is extremely powerful, for when opponent for any party to face, for they
In addition, sahuagin shamans must such an entity supports a humanoid witch add an element of unpredictability and
sacrifice foes worth three levels or hit dice doctor it is directly snubbing the human- freshness to familiar foes. Even a mid-level
per level of the shaman per month. Since oid deities. Therefore, the entity must be a party can be hard-pressed by a shaman or
ceremonies are irregular, shamans may Prince or Lord among demons, an Arch- witch doctor with unusual spells and
save their quotas until a ceremony is per- Devil among devils, a Greater daemon, or magical items, and lower-level parties may
formed. However, failure to sacrifice the a deity of at least Lesser God status. For find these NPCs to be much more challeng-
proper amount of foes at this time will see neutral shamans, the greater Hierarch ing than random hack-and-slash encoun-
the shaman fed to the sacred sharks Modrons occasionally support worshipers ters. The addition of a few spells from
instead. on the Prime Material plane, and there are Unearthed Arcana and from outside the
Within a sahuagin tribe, 75% of the a few solars venturous enough to sponsor lists as given in the DMG should give pause
shamans are of the four-armed variety. To the rare, good-aligned witch doctors. to those players who have the DMG mem-
these shamans, Sekolah grants the ability These entities take a great deal of interest orized, and will add new twists to those
to cast spells with one pair of arms and in their witch doctors, since they have few campaigns where the DM has already
conduct melee with the other pair. This worshipers on the Prime Material plane. made use of humanoid spell-casters. The
may continue as long as the shaman is not As a result, they tend to grant more DM can have plotting spell-casters weave
hit. As soon as the shaman is damaged, powers to their witch doctors in order to intricate plots for clever PCs to unravel
spell-casting ability is lost-until the shaman increase their power on that plane. These and can center entire adventures around
can pull out of melee and regain concen- entities grant spells freely and often let famous humanoid spell-casters. With a
tration. This ability also allows these spe- unworthy sacrifices get by, as long as the great understanding of the motivations
cial shamans the ability to hurl or fire witch doctor is actively furthering the and desires of the humanoid spell-caster,
missiles and cast spells simultaneously. patron’s ends. Beings like these are liberal the DM will be able to create many well-
At 5th level, four-armed sahuagin sha- with gifts and spells outside the lists. Many conceived, interesting NPCs of this sort to
mans are put through a tortuous ceremo- allow their witch doctors to affect the use and remember.
ny which deadens their nerves, making undead, depending upon the entity’s realm [Other articles that may be of use to
the shamans virtually resistant to pain. of influence and alignment. In addition, DMs in developing shamans and witch
Shamans of this level may melee and cast these beings tend to give out minor magi- doctors include: “The half-orc point of
spells even after hit, as a result of this cal items to deserving witch doctors much view” and “The gods of the orcs,” from the
ceremony and the will of Sekolah. No more frequently than humanoid deities Best of DRAGON Magazine Anthology, Vol.
other abilities come from this ceremony. reward their shamans. III; “The humanoids,” from the Best of
Symbols of pain do not affect them. Finally, witch doctors may call upon DRAGON Magazine Anthology, Vol. V; and
Iwo-armed sahuagin shamans gain no divine aid from their deities, whereas a “The Citadel by the Sea,” in DRAGON issue
special benefits and generally do not live shaman would never dare admit weakness #78.]
long. They perform minor functions and in this manner. If a witch doctor is in a
act as cannon fodder for the more impor- situation where he will die, his pleas for
tant four-armed shamans. aid have a 1% chance per clerical level of
being answered. An answer to these pleas
Troglodytes usually involves the worshiped being
Shamans of Laogzed have a relatively
easy life, for their deity generally ignores
them. They make one sacrifice per year,
involving the burning of humans with
total levels equal to the shaman’s levels.
This quota is not difficult to meet; failure
merely strips all clerical abilities until such
time as the quota is met.
To gain levels, a troglodyte shaman sacri-
fices all of its earthly belongings, often
tossing in a bonus human or two for good
measure. Larger sacrifices are not reward-
ed, but withholding some item or items
earns the shaman a painful death as soon
as Laogzed catches the offender (which
occurs within a few months, usually).
Shamans of Laogzed may not use fire
spells (that is, resist fire and flame walk),
but they may learn cloudburst and create
water if they so desire.

DRAGON 33
 by Arthur Collins

Boulder-Throwers
and
Humanoid
Hordes
Giants, humanoids, and Dungeon Masters

G iants and humanoids

®
are the stock in trade of the Dungeon Master. They are
basic to the AD&D games, far more exotic monsters in the various
reference books. Orcs, goblins, gnolls, giants, and the rest form the basic set of oppo-
nents for most beginning campaigns. Long before an adventuring group is ready to
take on drow and dragons, it is ready for a bunch of hobgoblins.
The problem with giants and humanoids is that their strengths are their weakness-
es. Sound strange? Look at it this way: Giants have awesome fighting power, giving
and taking lots of hit points of damage. Humanoids can give and take less in combat,
but they come in great numbers. This makes these foes challenging for low to mid-
level parties, but dull for higher-level groups. Once you reach a certain level of
magic-use and acquire a certain number of hit points and magical items, giants and
humanoids aren’t challenging any more. Goblins and kobolds are the worst; with less
than one full hit die, they face fighters who get as many attacks per round as the
fighters have levels. Additionally, giants and humanoids are lumped together in the
giant-class category, against which rangers do extra damage. In the end, the most
powerful groups of giants and humanoids only delay a party, not challenge it seri-
ously.
So what can be done about it? Are these races simply not credible challenges after
the party reaches a certain point? If you let that happen, the campaign will soon suf-
fer from adventure inflation — the unwarranted expansion of magic, treasure, and
treat that make so many campaigns dull. However, experienced DMs can use giants
and humanoids effectively throughout the adventuring life of the PCs’ party, but it
takes knowledge of some tricks about DMing these monsters.

34 JANUARY 1989
The bigger they are... These abilities should be taken seriously. engaged in an ambush or open combat,
Giants are like the old naval descriptions There was a rather cocky wizard in my they should almost always attempt to hurl
of battleships: eggshells armed with ham- campaign who was twice splattered all boulders before closing.
mers. They are capable of dealing out over the side of mountain passes by giant- Giants should use their missile-hurling
awesome damage, but they come few in hurled boulders. He eventually learned not capabilities in other ways. Giants may like
number. Thus, the first principle of using to lead the charge on his broom of flying. fortified gateways and ravines alike, since
giants successfully is to take advantage of While even the rather stupid giants love to attacking and defending from above are
their long-range attacks. Most DMs play get up close and bash, it should be a point among their most basic tactics. Note the
giants as close-and-bash types. However, of honor among giants to see who wins at missile-fire cover and concealment adjust-
most giants have special attack abilities throwing contests. They may make bets ments in the DMG, page 64. Even under-
with hurling boulders or other missiles. on their abilities in leisure times. When ground, place giants on ledges and over

DRAGON 35
gateways (with rocks to throw). Smarter Giants can be found in all sorts of circum- of high-level fighter-types can stand and
giants can construct powerful artillery stances, both as leaders and followers. chop humanoids all day long under the
weapons, which giants can pick up and Fifth, keep in mind those special touches normal melee rules, and they’ll hardly get
use the way humans use crossbows or that make for truly inspired refereeing. their armor scratched. But under the
slings. Beware of giants with ballistas! After all, there is nothing sacred about the BATTLESYSTEM supplement rules for
The second principle of using giants statistics on giants. They can be tinkered Character vs. Figure Combat, no PC can
successfully is to exploit their magical with. How about giant undead, such as wipe out a whole unit of humanoids that
talents and possessions. Remember that giant skeletons, giant zombies, giant liches, fast, and in addition, the humanoids get a
some giants can have clerical abilities. and giant mummies? How about frost realistic chance to overwhelm a character
Giant shamans are more than most PCs giant berserkers? How about Oriental hill that the humanoids probably can’t even
bargained for. With abilities running up to giants who have mastered martial arts and hit individually! If your players complain,
7th level, giant shamans are a lovely edge can kick PCs like footballs? How about point out to them that the humanoids are
on the competition. Not every lair should firbolgs always approaching in man-size? not just skirmishers; they are fairly disci-
have a shaman, perhaps, but certainly How about using regeneration? ethereali- plined, trained warriors engaged in a
there should be a shaman for every tribe ty? phasing? lycanthropy? poison resist- battle maneuver. Thus, BATTLESYSTEM
of giants in a given area. This also ance due to large size? giant shades? The supplement rules correct a deficiency that
increases the amount of magic that the possibilities are endless. many of us saw long ago, making mass
giants have to use against their enemies. combat faster, more realistic, and better
Giant-size magical items should probably The more, the merrier for the underdog humanoids.
be avoided, since they may eventually The first help to give humanoids is to Third, humanoids also have shamans
wind up in the PCs’ hands. Go for expend- improve their lousy generalship. DMs and witch doctors. These spell-casters can
ables, such as potions and scrolls, which often use humanoids as cannon fodder. If gather magical items, undead, and other
the giants can use up in healing them- these humanoids are really trying to sur- spell-casters to wreak havoc on a PC party.
selves and fighting the party. And don’t vive in a tough world, why do they fight Even if a hobgoblin shaman doesn’t have
forget that certain giant types, such as the so stupidly? Humanoids have many missile many effective spells, the extra hit points
firbolg, have innate magical abilities. weapons and a level of civilization that from being a shaman help him better
Third, take advantage of the giants’ would seem to make them formidable stand up to opponents.
home turf. There is no reason why a giant guerrilla fighters. Why not use them in Fourth, like giants, humanoids can also
lair should be easy to enter. Cloud giants small raiding parties with missile weapons, be augmented by their subordinate rela-
live on cloud islands or mountain peaks; acid grenades, and stealth? When the PCs tionship to an overlord, whether a magic-
stone, fire, and frost giants live in often invade the humanoids’ home turf, the PCs user or an outer-planes creature such as a
equally inaccessible places with their own should encounter stiff resistance. A barghest. Other monsters, such as behold-
dangers. In addition to making the PCs humanoid lair, underground or above- ers, liches, and dragons, are sometimes
overcome the difficulties of reaching and ground, should be as well thought out and found as overlords to humanoid tribes.
entering the giants’ lair, the DM should heavily defended with traps, guards, pets, Fifth, humanoids are no more sacred in
remember that giants do not neglect traps, patrols, ambushes, and fortifications as a their statistics than giants. There is noth-
guards, ambushes, alarms, patrols, and human town or castle. The humanoids ing intrinsically wrong with a hobgoblin
locks. If a giant constructs a trap, it proba- should fight tenaciously and intelligently with 7 HD — although you ought to figure
bly causes more damage than one made by in their home’s defense. If the situation out some reason why he rose so high.
a man-size opponent. becomes untenable, they should evacuate There is nothing wrong with a tribe of
Fourth, note that many giants have with many vows of revenge. They should Oriental humanoids versed in martial arts
powerful pets: spotted lions, hell hounds, not just keep coming and coming to be or using ki powers. Half-orcs that resem-
winter wolves, dire wolves, giant lizards, ground into hamburger by the guys with ble their orcish parents could be found in
cave bears, and so on. In addition, many the swords of blending, +3 (Oster). One positions of leadership in an orc tribe.
giants take slaves or live in cooperation must presume that the war chiefs are Humanoid cavalry mounted on giant liz-
with other giants and humanoids (ogres, intelligent battle leaders, and play them as ards, harpies, and even dinosaurs (as well
orcs, etc.) who will fight if so ordered by full-fledged NPCs. as the conventional worgs) is in order.
the giants. Nor do the giants always have Second, when they do go off to war en And finally, don’t forget that finest of
to be in charge. Giants can be found shar- masse, use the BATTLESYSTEM™ supple- humanoid pleasures: poison. Large doses
ing their homes with dragons or else play- ment rules for combat with large, orga- of poison in a campaign are generally
ing the roles of minions for a human nized companies of humanoids, which considered unfair, since too many “zap —
magic-user or cleric (or a vampire or lich). gives them a greater advantage. A couple you’re dead!” situations are a poor means
of evening the odds with the high-level
players. On the other hand, blade venom
should be the forte of humanoids. Making
poisoned arrows and blades more com-
mon is one means of increasing PC respect
for the poor humanoids.

Conclusion
Giants and humanoids can remain chal-
lenging opponents throughout a PC’s life.
The problem is not with the monsters
themselves, but with Dungeon Masters
being unable to use them in more sophisti-
cated manners. As long as we rely on
more aspects of these monsters than their
hit dice and numbers, we can keep using
them over and over again — and never
run out of excitement.

36 JANUARY 1989
 races war against each other for food and
slaves. This intertribal and interracial
warfare is imbedded in their religions and
in their minds. The warring weeds out the
weak and gives the survivors power and
by Joseph Clay glory, thus establishing the pecking order
on a large scale. Exceptional humanoids
that become adventurers are a result of
this weeding process, and are nearly

Hey,
always driven by the same competitive-
ness their tribes possess.

Notes on the tables

This article provides several tables to

Wanna Be a
help DMs and players determine the vari-
ous aspects of humanoid PCs. Tables 1-3
provide minimum and maximum attrib-
utes, the number of dice used to deter-
mine these attributes, and any applicable
modifications made to the rolls. These

Kobold?
figures are determined by race, which is
reflected in the focus of each table. These
tables are based on Character Race Table
III: Ability Score Minimums & Maximums,
on page 15 of the Players Handbook.
Tables 4-6 provide character-class level
limitations. These limits are determined by
race, as illustrated in the focus of each
table. Tables 4-6 are similar to Character
Race Table II: Class Level Limitations, on
Humanoids as player page 14 of the Players Handbook.
characters in AD&D® games Tables 7 and 8 provide racial adjust-
ments for humanoid thief and thief-
acrobat abilities, respectively. These tables
are derived from the Racial Adjustments
The following material is highly variant, but gamers may use it to start an alter- sections of the Thief Function Table on
nate campaign in which the bad guys get a little glory for a change. If these rules page 28 of the Players Handbook, and the
are not adopted for PCs, a DM may wish to use them for creating extraordinary Thief-Acrobat Function Table on page 24
NPCs (perhaps even populating an isolated area of the world with “super human- of Unearthed Arcana.
oids” for the PCs to fight. Note that the D&D® Gazetteer GAZ 10 The Orcs of Thar Table 9 is a new table; it lists a number
(released in December) contains a humanoid character-generating system as well, of physical abnormalities for humanoid
though this article does not mesh with that or with other material on humanoids in PCs which are described in the following
this magazine issue. section. Table 10 lists starting ages for
each of the humanoid races (as in the Non-
Human Characters Table on page 12 of the
Dungeon Masters Guide). Table 11 shows
Exceptional humanoids are rare and tory animals like wolves or lions, the the various age categories for each
distinct from the other members of their rivalry of the pecking order establishes humanoid race (as in the Age Categories
respective races. Such special beings could the most physically powerful male as the table on page 13 of the DMG).
conceivably enjoy limited level advance- master of all he surveys. This mastery Table 12 is the Shaman Experience table;
ment, and a person playing a humanoid allows the strongest male to have his first it provides the experience points, levels,
character would have a unique role- choice of a mate, food, and all else he titles, and numbers of hit dice for this
playing challenge. Some people would like desires. The leading male also has great spell-casting class. Spells for this class are
the chance to be a rustic and downright responsibilities in the hunt and in the listed in Table 13. Table 14 (like Table 12)
disgusting orc after role-playing one too protection of his group. In humanoid lists experience information for the witch
many noble elves. Other maverick role- societies, the pecking order works in doctor character class. Spells available to
players may similarly want to play a much the same way; in both cases, the this class appear in Table 15. These tables
diminutive yet lethal kobold, breaking out group is there for the protection of its are similar to those provided in the Play-
of the mold of the average, easily slain individual members over all other outside ers Handbook for the other character
humanoid. It is for these people that the influences. Humanoids take this reasoning classes.
following guidelines for humanoid PCs a step further so that all other outside
were created. influences must be eliminated, controlled, Physical abnormalities
or used for group or individual benefit. In some humanoid societies, physical
The pecking order Most humanoids fervently believe that the abnormalities are a fact of life. Abnormali-
To get the proper feel for role-playing only way to get something in life is to take ties run from unfortunate deformities to
humanoids, one must first understand it by force. useful new abilities. Exceptional human-
their motivations. Humanoid society is Humanoids of all races will not be oids are distinct from regular humanoids
usually formed into tribal hierarchies with adverse to joining forces in order to attack because they are so often remarkably
the strongest members in control. This common enemies; however, each race is abnormal, even for humanoids. Physical
type of organization is also found in wild aware that when the battle is done, there abnormalities are determined randomly by
animal populations and is often referred to should only be one race to claim the spoils. rolling twice on Table 9. These abnormali-
as the “pecking order!‘ In groups of preda- Most of the time, different humanoid ties are detailed as follows:
38 JANUARY 1989
 Abnormally tall: Height is increased by
1-2’, weight by 20-40 lbs., and strength by
Table 1
1 point. If height is increased past 7’ tall,
Orc Attributes
the humanoid is considered to be in the
larger-than-man-size category for weapon Dice Mod.
Attribute Min. Max.
damage. 3d6 +1
Strength 8 18/00
Color blind: Certain colors cannot be Intelligence 2 16 2d8 -
distinguished and will appear uniformly Wisdom 2 16 2d8 -
gray, at the DM’s discretion. Dexterity 2 17 3d6 - 1
Disgusting habit: This causes a penalty Constitution 10 19 3d6 +1
of -2 to charisma and comeliness. Possi- Charisma* 2 16 2d8 -
ble bad habits could include great unclean- Comeliness* 2 12 2d6 -
liness, slobbering, belching, or worse
(player’s choice).
* Add + 2 to the given charisma when dealing with orcs from the PC’s own tribe.
Disproportionate arms: Increase
strength by 1 point, but only with respect
to the use of hands, arms, and shoulders.
This extra point of strength may be used
for wielding hand weapons, pummeling,
and grappling. In addition, increase the Table 2
chance of successful climbing by 5%. Goblin Attributes
Dumb: The humanoid may be dumb, but
not stupid. Reroll intelligence and wisdom Attribute Min. Max. Dice Mod.
scores using 1d4 +4. Strength 3 18/75 3d6 -
Furry/hairy: The humanoid is covered in Intelligence 3 17 3d6 -
heavy growths of fur. Improve natural Wisdom 2 16 2d8 -
armor class by 1 point and give + 1 to Dexterity 3 18 3d6 -
saving throws vs. cold damage. Constitution 8 17 3d6 - 1
Heightened smell: The sense of smell is Charisma* 2 16 2d8 -
highly acute, allowing the humanoids to Comeliness* 2 8 2d4 -
distinguish hundreds of different people
by scent alone. Surprise rolls are granted * Add + 2 to the given charisma when dealing with goblins from the PC’s own tribe.
+ 1 in favor of an individual with this
ability. Tracking by scent can be done on a
20% chance.
Homing instinct: With this ability, a lost
humanoid can always make a straight-line
path to his home ground (if he is on the Table 3
same world as his home). Kobold and Xvart Attributes
Insanity: Roll for the type of insanity on
page 83 of the DMG. It is suggested that Attribute Min. Max. Dice Mod.
insanity should be a type that might Strength 3 15 3d6 - 1
improve role-playing rather than one of Intelligence 2 16 2d8 -
the more serious, uncontrollable, disrup- Wisdom 2 16 2d8 -
tive forms (like suicidal mania, etc.). [See Dexterity 3 18 3d6 -
“Methods to Your Madness,” in DRAGON® Constitution 2 16 2d8 -
issue #138, for playable types of character Charisma* 2 16 2d8 -
insanity.] Comeliness* 2 8 2d4 -
Iron stomach: An iron stomach-allows
the owner to eat bad food, carrion, rats, * Add double the PC’s experience level to charisma when dealing with humanoids from
rot grubs, or anything that might be his own tribe.
remotely edible with no ill effects. Saving
throws vs. ingested poison are at +4; if no
saving throw is normally possible, the
humanoid gains a saving throw of 16,
adjusted by other applicable bonuses from
magical items. Table 4
Keen hearing: The humanoid has an Class Level Limitations (Orc)
80% chance to hear noise, with a 20%
chance in the worst conditions. Ability score Shaman Fighter Magic-
Oversized claws: The humanoid can user Thief Assassin
make regular claw attacks, doing 1-4 hp 15 5 2 4 7 12
per clawed hand (two such attacks per 16 6 3 4 8 12
round) plus bonuses for strength. 17 7 3 4 9 12
Oversized teeth: The humanoid can bite 18 8 4 4 9 12
for l-4 hp damage (normally, humanoid 18/99 - 5 - - -
bites only do 1 hp damage). 18/00 - 5 - - -
Psionics: This rare humanoid is psioni- 19 10 6 5 10 13
cally endowed and must roll for psionic 20 11 8 6 10 14
ability, powers, and disciplines, as per the 21 11 12 6 10 14
Players Handbook, pages 110-117.
Stupid: Reroll intelligence and wisdom
DRAGON 39
scores using 1d4 + 1. Although not particu- Thick cranium: The humanoid with this Ugly (very): Reroll charisma using
larly bright, the humanoid with this afflic- enlarged forehead can use it as a large, 1d10 -8, and subtract 3 points from cha-
tion can be single-mindedly tenacious. The hard object when pummeling (Unearthed risma (maximum score of 8 allowed).
humanoid can continue to fight for 1-4 Arcana, page 107). Subtract 1 point of Ugly (extremely): Reroll comeliness using
melee rounds after reaching zero through intelligence. 2d6 -20, and subtract 5 points from cha-
- 6 hp before being killed. At - 7 hp or Tougher hide: Subtract 2 from the natu- risma (maximum score of 6 allowed, with
more, death is immediate. ral armor class of the humanoid. no minimum score). If two “Ugly” results
Sensitive skin: In direct sunlight, the Ugly: Reroll comeliness using 1d6 + 2, are rolled, the charisma effects are cumu-
humanoid with this affliction suffers 2 hp and subtract 1 point from charisma (maxi- lative and the lowest possible comeliness
damage per hour from burns. mum score of 10 allowed). score using either result is adopted. Any-
one who sees a humanoid with charisma
and comeliness scores of negative values
must make a saving throw vs. spells or be
affected as if by a scare spell. It is obvious
Table 5 that such a humanoid must keep his face
Class Level Limitations (Goblin) covered when he is not in private.

Ability score Shaman Fighter Magic-user Thief Assassin Starting money

15 7 2 4 9 11 For the sake of simplicity, all humanoids
16 8 2 4 10 12 can be given the starting money normally
17 9 3 4 11 12 allowed to their prospective classes. But if
18 10 4 5 11 13 a DM wishes to create a more challenging
18/99 - 4 - - - dilemma for starting humanoids, he may
18/00 - 5 - - - equip each of them with any three of the
19 11 6 6 11 14 following useful groups of things instead
2 0 11 8 7 12 14 (player’s choice): any one weapon; one suit
21 11 9 8 12 14 of ring mail, studded leather, or leather
armor; a shield (any size); one week’s food
and water; a pouch with 2-8 random coins
(with thieves picks and tools if the human-
oid has thieving abilities); a completely
loyal, immature pet (must be a nonmagical
Table 6 mammal having 5 HD or less when full
Class Level Limitations (Kobolds/Xvarts) grown); a wooden holy symbol (for sha-
mans and witch doctors); a crudely made
Ability score Shaman Fighter Magic-user Thief Assassin spell book (written on thin wooden sheets
15 5 2 2 10 10 or old paper) for witch doctors, with spell
16 6 2 2 11 10 components for 2d10 castings; one set of
17 7 2 3 12 11 very warm furs, a hat, boots, and gloves;
18 8 2 4 12 11 1-4 one-gallon jugs of highly volatile drink-
18/50 - 3 - - -
- - -
ing grog; 1-2 flasks of oil; one flask of a
18/75 - 4
- - - -
randomly determined poison (DM’s deci-
18/99 5 sion as to potency, effects, and use). Moth-
19 10 6 5 12 12 eaten or dirty old garments are free for
20 10 6 6 12 12 starting humanoids. The DM must remind
21 10 7 8 12 12
the humanoid that he comes from a tech-
nologically backwards, if not impover-

Table 7
Racial Adjustments for Thieves

Race of Pick Open Find/remove Move Hide in Hear Climb Read

the thief pockets locks traps silently shadows noise walls languages
Orc - 5 % +5% +15% - - +5% +10% - 2 0 %
Goblin +5% +5% +5% - +5% +5% - - 10%
Kobold +5% +5% +5% + 10% +15% +5% - 1 5 % - 1 0 %
Xvart - +5% +5% +10% +15% +5% - 1 5 % - 5 %

Table 8
Racial Adjustments for Thief-Acrobats

Race of Tightrope Pole High Broad jumping: Tumbling maneuvers:

acrobat walking vaulting jumping standing running attack evasion falling
Goblin - - 2 ' -1' - 1½' -2' +5% + 10% -
Kobold - - 2 ' -1' - 2 ' -2' - +10% +5%
Xvart - -2' -1' -2' - 2 ' - + 10% +5%

40 JANUARY 1989
ished, tribal situation; even shoes or boots Goblins have infravision to a 6” range.
are rarely available. In bright light, goblins take a penalty of Table 9
- 1 on “to hit” rolls and on saving throws.
Physical Abnormalities
Character race descriptions Goblins have a base movement rate of 6”)
an average weight of 70 +2d10 lbs., and Abnormality
ldl00
Orcs an average height of 43 + 2d4”. Goblins
01-02 Abnormally tall
Exceptional orcs may be fighters, sha- have fair mining skills, with a 25% chance
03-06 Color blind
mans, magic-users, thieves, or assassins. to detect grade, slope, new construction,
07-10 Disgusting habit
Orcs may be multiclassed as witch doc- sliding walls, traps, and depth under- Disproportionate arms
11-12
tors, fighter/assassins, or shaman/thieves. ground. When attacked by larger-than-
13-16 Dumb
Orcs have a natural armor class of 10, man-size creatures, goblin characters
17-20 Furry/hairy
modified by dexterity and armor. In addi- subtract 1 from their opponents “to hit”
21-22 Heightened smell
tion to their own language, orcs speak rolls because of the relative speed and Homing instinct
23-25
Goblin, Hobgoblin, Ogrish, and a crude small size of goblins.
26-27 Infravision
form of Common. They also speak their Goblins hate gnomes and dwarves, and
28-30 Insanity
alignment language but can learn no addi- will generally attack them before attacking
31-34 Iron stomach
tional languages. Orcs pick up most any other creature. Exceptional goblins
35-36 Keen hearing
obscene and slang words and phrases if might rein-in their racial hatreds in order Oversized claws
37-38
exposed to a given language for more than to benefit from mutual cooperation, but
39-42 Oversized teeth
one week’s time. this does not keep them from subterfuge,
43 Psionic
Orcs have infravision to a 6” range; in manipulation, or worse at a later date. Stupid
44-45
bright light, they take a penalty of - 1 on Goblins of all alignments can have hench- Sun-sensitive skin
46-49
“to hit” rolls and saving throws. Orcs have men, but evil goblins will literally enslave Thick cranium
50-51
a base movement rate of 12”) an average their followers.
52-53 Tough hide
weight of 170 +2d12 lbs., and an average
54-59 Ugly
height of 66 +4d4” (about 6’). All orcs Kobolds and xvarts
60-64 Ugly (very)
have excellent mining skills, and excep- Kobolds and their blue-skinned cousins
65-66 Ugly (extremely)
tional orcs have a 35% chance to detect may become fighters, shamans, magic-
67-94 No abnormalities
grade, slope, new construction, sliding users, thieves, assassins, or thief-acrobats. Roll again twice
95-99
walls, traps, and depth underground. They may be multiclassed as witch doc- Player’s choice
00
Many orcs have the ability to construct tors, fighter/shamans, fighter/magic-users,
large engines of destruction, such as cata- fighter/witch doctors, fighter/thieves,
pults, battering rams, etc.; some orcs have
extra proficiency in the use of one specific
Table 10
siege-engine type, receiving a + 1 bonus
Age Categories
on “to hit” rolls. A few know how to train
elephantine creatures as war mounts. Old Venerable
Race Young adult Mature Middle aged
Orcs can handle any hand-held weapons Goblin 10-12 13-25 26-35 36-50 51-65
that humans can handle. 20-30 31-65 66-100 101-135 136-180
Kobold/xvart
Orcs hate elves and their ilk, and will 8-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-55
Orc
generally attack them before attacking any
other creature. Exceptional orcs will toler-
ate elves as long as there is no imperti-
nence. This balanced tolerance rarely
Table 11
prevents an orc from using harmless but
Humanoid Starting Age
vulgar puns which the orc regards as high
sarcasm. All orcs are rude, crude, and
Race Cleric Fighter Magic-user Thief
have bad manners, especially when fight-
Goblin 9+1d4 9+1d4 13 + 1d8 9+1d4
ing and eating. Attempts at teaching an
Kobold/xvart 28 + 1d4 20 + 1d4 37 +2d12 26 + 1d4
orc complex tasks sometimes result in
Orc 7+1d4 7+1d4 11 + 1d6 7+1d4
vaguely acceptable behavior, although this
is usually perverted into unintentional
parodies of the desired goal.

Goblins Table 12
Goblins may be fighters, shamans, Shaman Experience Table
magic-users, thieves, assassins, or thief-
acrobats. They may be multiclassed as 8-sided dice for
witch doctors, fighter/shamans, fighter/ Experience Experience accumulated Level
points level hit points title
thieves, fighter/witch doctors, and
shaman/thieves. 0-2,000 1 2 Minor shaman
Goblins have a natural armor class of 10, 2,001-4,000 2 3 Minor shaman
modified by dexterity and armor type. In 4,001-8,000 3 4 Minor shaman
addition to their own language, goblins 8,001-17,500 4 5 Shaman
also speak Hobgoblin, Kobold, Orcish, and 17,501-35,000 5 6 Shaman
a stilted form of Common. They also speak 35,001-70,000 6 7 Shaman
their alignment language and a maximum 70,001-140,000 7 8 Shaman priest
of one other language, regardless of intelli- 140,001-285,000 8 9 Shaman priest
gence. A goblin can call off attacks from 285,001-570,000 9 10 Shaman priest
wolves, worgs, and most dogs if he rolls 570,001-845,000 10 10+2 Greater shaman
his charisma or less on 1d20, with a + 2 845,001+ 11 10+4 Greater shaman
bonus.
DRAGON 41
fighter/assassins, shaman/thieves, shaman/ bers and will always retain good standing mum wisdom ability score of 9 to be a
assassins, magic-user/thieves, or witch within one or more tribes. Each such shaman; if wisdom is greater than 15, the
doctor/thieves. humanoid therefore finds it advantageous character adds 10% to the experience
Kobolds speak their own language, Gob- to increase the size and might of his tribe, points awarded to him by the referee, A
lin, and Orcish; xvarts know their own indirectly gaining more prestige and per- shaman PC also gains bonus spells from
tongue, Kobold, and Goblin. These two sonal power. For example, by seeking to high wisdom.
races also speak their alignment languages improve tribal ironworking techniques, The shaman is dedicated to a deity and
and a maximum of one more language. the exceptional kobold benefits, as his urges his tribe to worship that god. The
Kobolds can deal with wild boars and tribe can create better weapons and shaman’s alignment is that of his deity, and
giant weasels as goblins do large canines, armor of higher protective value. These he uses the weapon and armor types used
and xvarts deal with all rats and bats in a smallest beings must look after each other by that deity and by his own tribe.
similar fashion. in order to survive annihilation by their PC shamans are limited to the casting of
Kobolds and xvarts have infravision out numerous enemies. To reflect this tribal certain spells; these are listed hereafter.
to a 6” range; in bright light, they take a orientation, an exceptional kobold or xvart Shamans have the same number of spells
penalty of - 1 on “to hit” rolls and on adds double his level of experience to his usable per level as clerics, using these
saving throws. Their base movement rate charisma score to get the charisma effect spells to protect the welfare of their
is 6”) average weight is 34 + 2d6 lbs., and when dealing with humanoids of his own tribes. Shamans may additionally use
average height is 31+ 2d8”. Kobolds have tribe. clerical scrolls with spells other than those
a natural armor class of 8 and xvarts of Since so many assorted creatures attack on the shamans’ spell table.
10, with modifications for armor worn them, kobolds have become clever haters, Shamans use the cleric’s fighting and
and dexterity. When being attacked by particularly despising the likes of brown- saving-throw tables. All saving throws vs.
larger-than-man-size creatures, these ies, pixies, sprites, and gnomes. Exception- disease and poison are made at +2, due to
beings subtract 1 from their opponents “to al kobolds tolerate the more powerful the hardy lifestyle of the shaman.
hit” rolls because of the size differential. gnomes only if they can ignore them. Any The shaman character has some of the
Normal kobolds and xvarts almost conversation with these races is terse and primary abilities of the barbarian class.
always live in large war bands which to the point. By contrast, xvarts seem to These primary abilities are: hide in natural
makes up for their individual small sizes. hate everyone equally. surroundings, surprise, and leadership.
Exceptional kobolds and xvarts compen- The shaman also has the following
sate for their smallness by the use of cun- The shaman barbarian-class secondary abilities: surviv-
ning tactics, common sense, and raw skill; The shaman is a primitive subclass of al, first aid, outdoor craft, and tracking.
still, they realize that safety lies in num- the cleric. A character must have a mini- Exceptional humanoid shamans also
have sage knowledge, having two to four
special categories within the major field of
study. The major field of study will, of
course, always be “Humanoids and
Table 13
Giantkind.” Shamans can read and write
Shaman Spells
any language they can speak with a 5%
chance of success per intelligence point.
Number 1st level 2nd level
Humanoid shamans of 9th level can
1 Ceremony Augury concoct poison as assassins can. Scrolls
2 Cure light wounds Chant
may be inscribed by shamans of 7th level
3 Detect evil Detect charm,
only if the shamans can use the spells they
4 Detect magic Detect life
inscribe.
5 Light Holy symbol
If and when a humanoid shaman
6 Portent Resist fire
achieves 8th level, he automatically
7 Protection from evil Snake charm
attracts humanoid followers if he estab-
8 Resist fear Speak with animals
lishes a place of worship. These humanoid
followers are fanatically loyal and serve
without pay as long as the shaman does
Number 3rd level 4th level
not change deities or alignment. The num-
1 Cure blindness Abjure
ber of humanoid followers is the same as
2 Cure disease Control temperature 10’ radius*
the “Number Appearing” statistic found in
3 Death’s door Divination
the Monster Manual under the appropri-
4 Dispel magic Exorcise
ate humanoid type. In addition, there will
5 Flame walk Neutralize poison
be subleaders of the appropriate type and
6 Locate object Produce fire*
4-20 temple guards (normal humanoids
7 Prayer Spell immunity
with maximum hit points). For each
8 Remove curse Tongues
advance in level beyond the 8th, the sha-
man gains 2-20 additional humanoid fol-
lowers. The shaman may also build a
Number 5th Level 6th Level
castle or some type of fortified temple
1 Animate dead monsters Animate object
upon reaching 9th level, as would a nor-
2 Atonement Conjure animals
mal cleric.
3 Commune Find the path
4 Control winds* Forbiddance
The tribal magic-user
5 Cure critical wounds Heal
The tribal magic-user is the same as a
6 Dispel magic Speak with monsters
regular magic-user, except that spell lists
7 Quest Stone tell
are more limited for magicians in such
8 True seeing Weather summoning*
rustic situations. The spells of tribal magic-
users are engraved into poor-quality paper
* As the druidic spell of the same level. or wooden tablets because the expensive
parchment required to make a proper
42 JANUARY 1989
spell book is beyond the technological to humanoids. The witch doctor differs
capabilities of most humanoid tribes. from other multiclasses because a six-sided
These spell “books” are bulky, having an die per level is used to determine hit Editorial
encumbrance value of 10 gp per spell level points. Witch doctors have all the abilities Continued from page 3
for wooden tablets and 3 gp per spell level and level limitations of shamans.
for paper books. The ability to learn and memorize adding a few new faces on the produc-
Humanoid magic-users and witch doc- magic-user spells is restricted by the level tion staff). Nothing remains the same
tors are initially limited in magic-user limitations of the tribal magic-user class, except change. I don’t even want to
spells, but they may attempt to learn and even though the witch doctor can achieve imagine what will happen this year.
use other magic-user spells if such are higher levels. And finally —
accessible. The spells must be provided by In addition to the special abilities of Allycia & Scud & Waldorf &
the very few human or demi-human shamans, witch doctors have other skills. harpies: Regretfully, we are not
magic-users who are willing to trade with At 3rd level, witch doctors can brew accepting any more letters for “Forum”
humanoids (or are forced to do so). Since crude alcoholic beverages. At 5th level, the in which writers point out various
the providing magic-user runs the risk of following spells can be brewed as potions: ways in which the beautiful elven cava-
being labeled as a traitor (or worse), he cure blindness, cure disease, cure light lier Allycia and the scum human fighter
will certainly charge many times the for- wounds, resist fear, and resist fire. Neu- Scud can bash each other for the privi-
mal fee for such services. Exceptional tralize poison and spell immunity can be lege of crossing a bridge. They were
magic-users and witch doctors all begin brewed as potions upon attaining 7th first used as examples in a jousting
with the spells read magic and write, with level. Also at 7th level, a witch doctor has article in issue #118, page 25, and their
1-3 other spells as well. sufficient alchemical ability with which to alternate adventures have dotted the
Wooden or parchment scrolls may be construct a homonculous. Note that no aid “Forum” since then (we’ve gotten a half-
inscribed by 7th- or higher-level tribal from an alchemist is required unless the dozen other letters on them, too). I
spell-casters, so long as the spells involved witch doctor wishes to make other potion think we all know in our hearts that
are on their allowed spells lists. types. Allycia and Scud are in love and are
going to get married, so we need no
The witch doctor further speculation on their martial
Witch doctors are a special form of (and marital) jousting.
multiclassed magic-user/shaman open only We also have more than enough
letters describing ways in which every-
one’s favorite character lays into
Table 14 Waldorf, the 358th-level magic-user
Witch Doctor’s Experience Table who H-bombed Oerth (issue #138). We
may run a few of these later, but
6-sided dice for believe me, our files are full. We have
Experience Experience accumulated Level also turned our backs on the burning
points level hit points title issues of whether dwarven women
0-4,500 1 1 Acolyte have beards, how harpies reproduce
4,501-9000 2 2 Evoker themselves, and the existence of
9,001-18,000 3 3 Witch-Conjurer banded-mail armor. This was not done
18,001-39,500 4 4 Bewitcher without many hours of intense soul-
39,501-75,000 5 5 Witch-Brewer searching, but we trust we have done
75,001-130,000 6 6 Witch-Brewer the right thing. We must make way for
130,001-230,000 7 7 Witch-Brewer wholly new bizarre topics for 1989,
230,001-420,000 8 8 Witch Doctor and we are counting on you — our
420,001-820,000 9 9 Witch Doctor readers — to help chart our course.
820,001-1,220,OOO 10 9+2 Witch Doctor From all of us, to all of you: Have a
1,220,001+ 11 9+4 Witch Doctor wonderful New Year.

Witch doctors gain magic-user and clerical spells of the appropriate levels; when the
maximum spell-use level for one class is reached, spell progression continues for the
other class only.

Table 15
Tribal Magic-user and Witch Doctor Spells

Number 1st level 2nd level 3rd level 4th level

1 Affect normal fires Audible glamer Clairaudience Dig
2 Dancing lights Bind Clairvoyance Enchanted weapon
3 Identify Detect invisibility Defect illusion Fear
4 Jump Invisibility Dispel magic Plant growth
5 Mending Levitate Flame arrow Polymorph other
6 Push Magic mouth Haste Polymorph self
7 Run Mirror image Invisibility 10’ radius Remove curse
8 Shield Preserve Material Ultra vision
9 Taunt Scare Protection from normal missiles Stoneskin
10 Ventriloquism Shatter Slow Wizard eye

DRAGON 43
 The
rystals of frozen breath clung to the
fur that lined the hood of Anrad
Snorrison’s cloak. Wind beat against
his face, and the tears it drove from

Ulfjarl’s
his eyes hardened to ice on his cheeks.
Swiftly, the rhythmical zigzag of his
skis passed miles beneath him, but the
bleak, white landscape never changed. He longed for the
shelter the pines had provided scarcely half a day earlier.

Stone
Now, the forest dwindled to a thin black line behind him,
separating the snowfields from the cloudless sky.
Anrad knew venturing this close to Jotunheim was
dangerous. In a winter so severe the elders claimed it as
the first of three that would herald the battle of Ragnarok
at the end of the world, his journey seemed sure suicide.
Still, Anrad had not been offered a choice. He harbored
little love for his father, but Snorri Hardhand was a chief
and a great warrior, and he should not have to die in a by Mickey Zucker Reichert
sickbed. So, the village priest ordered Anrad to leave his
father’s side and seek the Ulfjarl’s stone. Legends claimed
its reading would bring new strength to the chieftain.
The ground trembled as a distant glacier marched
toward the sea. Anrad felt its movement through feet that
had grown wooden from cold. He longed to turn back and
surrender to the smoky warmth of the longhouse. But if
Anrad returned without finding and reading the runic
stone he sought, he would prove himself a coward and
condemn his father’s soul to Hel, the final rest for men
who died ravaged by illness rather than the glories of war.
As a youth, Anrad recalled his mother’s tears while he
hid behind a thick beam. His father paced angrily. “You
make my son into a milksop. He must learn of Odin and
the warrior’s skill of klima as well as the White Christ and
books. To control the stallions that wander my fief, his
hands must be strong enough to hold their reins. You
make him a weakling.” His mother had struck his father a
ringing blow across the face and ran from the room. His
father’s voice chased her. “Teach him that, and I’ll be
pleased.”
Anrad sniffed the air, and the cold slid mucus down his
throat. Blood filled his hairless cheeks. I’ll not give my father
the satisfaction of proving me a coward. I’ll read the runic stone, or
I’ll not return.
Anrad’s pack of provisions, axe, and bow weighed
heavily on him. His fingertips burned, and his elk hide
mittens stiffened from the cold. The sun paused, half-
hidden by the blank vista that stretched before him. This
night would lay long and bitter across the land. He was ill-
provisioned for a night on the open ice.
Anrad set his axe and bow on the ice and slid the pack
from his shoulder. Its leather flap broke free in his hand.
Swearing, he groped through his hard mittens to remove
the tent. Despite his efforts, the bundle of sealskin
remained frozen to the pack. Anrad had never gone
viking or traveled far from his father’s garth, but he knew
he could not survive the night without his tent and the
lantern secured beneath it. I won’t allow myself to die in an
attempt to save my father’s worthless life. In frustration, he
thrashed the pack until he stood, panting, and sweat stung
his eyes.
The warmth wrestling with the pack produced quickly Illustrations by Janet Aulisio
DRAGON 45
 gave way to cold. With his woolen underclothing damp, The haze of dream stirred through Anrad’s mind. Dis-
Anrad knew he must find shelter soon or perish. Bitter- embodied, he watched as a great assemblage of Norsemen
ness welled within him. He pressed his face into the palms shouted down a speaker. Strong men with tangled manes
of his mittens and cried. Father was right. Anrad Snorrison is a of greasy, blond hair crashed swords against their shields.
craven. He squeezed his hands against his eyes to force The women spat at the man before the crowd and turned
back the tears. The rigid leather raked his skin, and a away while children gathered stones. Revulsion at the
frozen thong from the seam cut his cheek. He jerked his crowd’s treatment of the speaker shook Anrad. He drifted
hands away. A drop of blood fell to the snow. closer to the young man being harried by the crowd.
Anrad removed one of his mittens and reached through As Anrad approached, he recognized the speaker’s tear-
the cool dampness of his cloak. He grasped the knife at his streaked face as his own. Gradually, the buildings and
belt and drew it from its sheath. Wind and particles of ice faces among the crowd became familiar. He entered the
bit mercilessly into his bare hand while he studied the body that stood impotently before the mob. Anger, fear,
long, black blade. There are quicker ways to die than freezing. and vulnerability wrenched at his soul. This was the gath-
He reversed his grip on the knife and stood, motionless, ering to hail him chief after his father’s death, but his
watching a pale splotch of frostbite spread across his people would not have him. His spirit and his dream body
thumb. both wept.
A gust of wind struck Anrad from behind and drove A stone from the crowd crashed against Anrad’s side.
him a step forward. His ski caught on the pack. He fell, Growling epithets, the armed men pressed forward and
driving his uncovered hand deep into the snow. The crust swept him from his feet. They tossed him about like a rag
clawed at the frozen skin of his knuckles. The knife slid doll in the hands of an enraged child.
from his grip. Screaming with pain, he wrenched his hand
from the snow, thrust it beneath his heavy robe, and A sharp pain cut through Anrad’s dream. Dizziness
forced it inside his breeks. seized him as he tumbled through the air. He struck the
The warmth of his crotch brought new pain to his fin- ground with a bone jarring impact. Snow crunched
gers. As he rolled helplessly in the snow, his skis seemed beneath heavy footfalls. Only one of the white bears would
like shackles on his feet. Cruelly, the handle of the knife travel on the open ice! Anrad jolted awake as realization
pressed into his cheek. Above the blade, the dark form of struck him a blow as savage as the cuff from the polar
his pack loomed defiantly. bear. He recalled stories he had heard as a child. One
Anrad struggled with his mittened hand to push himself blow from a bear’s paw could shatter a bull seal’s skull
to his feet. His muscles responded sluggishly. The bitter and hurl the body from the water onto the ice. His father
metal of the knife clung to his face and peeled away pain- had told of two white bears who fought to the death; nei-
fully as he rose. He stood, hunched forward and teetering ther gave quarter. With most of its head torn away, the
in the wind. He reached for the knife. His stiff mit closed winner had crawled away to die.
around its handle. Maddeningly, it fumbled in his grasp; The white bear snuffled and woofed as it circled
but he managed to saw through the thongs that bound his Anrad’s tent. A warm dampness spread through his
feet to the skis and stagger onto the snow. The crust held breeks. He waited, praying to Christ the bear would leave
beneath his weight, and he collapsed beside his axe. him unmolested. The footfalls stopped near the edge of
Wearily, Anrad raised his knife and hacked at the raw- Anrad’s tent. He wanted to burst through the sealskin and
hide lacings which closed the seams of his pack. He trem- run, screaming, to the safety of his father’s garth. But
bled from the cold as death drew nearer. Suddenly, panic terror held him motionless, except for a trembling not
seized him, and he flailed wildly with the blade. Chunks entirely from cold.
of rawhide fell away, but most of the pack clung tenacious- Suddenly, the tent snapped taut and thrashed wildly.
ly to its contents. He clawed at the mangled pack with Anrad rolled from the opening and sprawled in the snow.
both hands. One of the sides pulled free. He pried his tent He stared as the bear towered over him, clutching the tent
loose and unrolled the stiff sealskin on the ice. in its jaws. The sealskins dangled half a man’s height from
The cold conquered Anrad’s mind as well as his body. the ground. Effortlessly, the beast shredded the tent.
He felt no joy or triumph as he lifted the lantern filled Anrad ran. His boots broke through the snow’s crust.
with frozen fat from his shredded pack, crawled across his He tripped, slid across the ice, and crashed into the rem-
axe and bow, and slithered between the layers of sealskin. nants of his camp. His pack and bow spun away, but the
Mechanically, he drew a fist-sized piece of flint from the axe caught beneath him and jerked him to a stop. The
pouch at his belt and struck it with the spine of his knife. bear charged. Anrad snatched up the axe and fled.
The sparks alighted in the fat and died, unable to ignite The white bear traveled in an easy lope that belied its
the protruding cloth wick. speed. Quickly, it closed the distance between them. The
The drowsiness that crept into Anrad’s mind seemed his will to live tore open fear’s grip on Anrad. His heart beat
only reality. Without the heat the lantern could provide, faster. Spinning, he raised his axe to meet the bear. Nei-
he harbored little hope of living through the night. As the ther he nor the beast hesitated. The axe crashed into its
cold numbed his remaining senses, thoughts of sleep face. Impact drove the weapon from Anrad’s grip, and his
replaced those of survival. The cold would disappear once world exploded into darkness.
he closed his eyes. He could light the lantern tomorrow.
Anrad curled into a ball and surrendered to the chill dark- Anrad awoke, warm for the first time since he had left
ness of the arctic night. his father’s garth two days ago. Each breath came with
46 JANUARY 1989
great effort. A weight pinned his shoulder to the ice, and He glided across the ice to the monolith. A thin film of snow
he could not roll far enough to free it. His discomfort coated the Ulfjarl’s stone and obscured the carvings beneath
seemed inconsequential, compensated by the warmth that it. He drew his axe and meticulously scraped free every
enveloped him. speck of ice before reading its inscription:
Gradually, the thought-dimming blanket of uncon-
sciousness lifted from Anrad’s mind. His situation became Ulfjarl went a-hunting
clear. The single blow from his axe had killed the bear, but aurochs in the highlands.
the force of its charge carried the vast body forward and Enemies and chieftains
trapped Anrad beneath it. Even after death, the beast is not with a host surprised him.
vanquished. Anrad held his breath and pushed until the
muscles in his arms and legs burned. Hot blood swept his Mighty Uljarl stood alone
cheeks, and sparks swirled before his eyes. He exhaled, fighting bitter foeman.
nearer to exhaustion than escape. He could not move the Axe and shield and byrnie
bear. splintered all around him.
It might take days for the bear’s carcass to freeze, but
once it did, Anrad knew his death would follow. No fate Bravely our Ulfjarl died.
could seem bleaker than helplessly awaiting one’s own The valkyries attend him.
death. For the first time in Anrad’s life, he felt sympathy It is for his living kin
for his father’s illness. He thought he understood the des- to go out and avenge him.
peration that forced Snorri Hardhand to allow the priest
to send his only son on this hopeless mission. Any attempt Stone cold will our eyes be
to fight, no matter how feeble, took more courage than when we refuse the weregild.
surrender. Brands into their longhouse
Anrad braced his feet against the bear and pushed. The will not soon be forgotten.
carcass remained immovable, but Anrad slid between the
bear and the snow. He repositioned his feet and shoved We tarry carving rune stone
again. Light penetrated the coarse fur that surrounded to make the world remember
him. Hope spurred him on. After another push, his head the vengeance of the yeomen
emerged into the blinding pallor of arctic day. Wind stung, who loved him as a brother.
his face and brought tears to his eyes. He wondered if
survival was worth separating himself from the bear’s
warmth. A final kick slid him free.
The bear sprawled on the ice before Anrad. Alive, it
had stood more than twice as tall as any man. Anrad’s axe
remained wedged in its skull. Pride for his kill brought an
inner warmth and sense of worth he had never known. Not
even Snorri Hardhand can call me, Anrad Bearslayer, a coward!
To Anrad Bearslayer, finding the Ulfjarl’s stone no
longer seemed impossible. He cut strips of hide from the
bear and fashioned new bindings for his skis. He pried his
axe free, lashed the skis to his feet, and set out to complete
his quest. No longer burdened by the heavy tent, Anrad
traveled swiftly. Miles passed beneath his skis. At length,
he came upon a pressure ridge that drew a jagged line of
vertical ice across his path. Beyond it, black cliffs loomed
above the fiord where the priest had told him to seek the
Ulfjarl’s stone.
When Anrad neared the ridge, he removed his skis and
drew his axe. Methodically, he carved steps into the ice
and climbed. As he inched toward the top, he thought of
his father. The image of Snorri Hardhand lying in his
deathbed stirred feelings of pity, but no love. Anrad could
not respect a man who would wager his only son’s life on
an errand based on foolish superstition.
Anrad mounted the last step and stood atop the ridge.
Only a narrow stretch of ice separated him from land. A
triangular rock jutted from the ice at the base of the cliffs.
If God or the Norns graced me with luck, I’ve found the Ulfjarl’s
stone.
Anrad retied the bindings on his skis and prepared for the
final part of his journey. Anticipation lent strength to his legs.
DRAGON 47
 Anrad reread the poem in disbelief. He found no trace father before I brush the hair from your eyes and most of
of the magic he sought to save his father. The song of your scalp with it.”
Ulfjarl could not help Snorri Hardhand regain his health. The old priest turned and strode along a narrow trail
Grim understanding seeped into Anrad’s mind. The priest toward the forest. “Your father would see you as well.” He
and my father sent me away to die. They never believed a sniveling beckoned Anrad to follow. “You’ll have use enough for
milksop could find the Uljarl’s stone. Frustration, betrayal, your axe later.”
and rage writhed within him. Like Ulfjarl’s men, I must Silently, the priest walked into the forest. Anrad trailed
avenge myself. And vengeance requires I return to my father’s garth. him, confused. His reception was not at all as he imagined
The fjord and the pressure ridge quickly disappeared it. The priest did not seem surprised at his return. He did
behind Anrad. With the passing miles, his rage dwindled. not cringe from Anrad’s bloody axe nor apologize. And
He knew Snorri Hardhand was a fair man. If Anrad had why did the priest lead me away from. the longhouse? When
been a son worthy of his father’s attention, the chief could Anrad had left to seek the Ulfjarl’s stone, his father could
not have helped but love him. not sit without assistance. For Snorri Hardhand to walk in
Anrad’s shadow stretched before him. After many the woods, Anrad’s quest must have brought success.
hours, the remains of his last camp lay scattered before Anrad trudged after the priest, in awe of the magic he
him. A white fox ran from Anrad, dragging the fat-filled had worked. He tried to picture the Ulfjarl’s stone and
lantern across the snow. Without heat from the lantern understand the eldritch craft that made it more than mere
and with his tent in shreds, he would be forced to travel rock and words. Consumed by his own thoughts, he failed
through the night. He might still die because of his to notice the small cabin they approached. The priest
father’s hopeless errand. New anger flared. stopped by its door.
The sun dropped below the horizon. As Anrad pushed Anrad stared as the old man pulled two large, triangu-
through the night, his thoughts turned from anger to. lar pieces of cloth from beneath his cloak. “Hel shoes?” A
despair to guilt and back to anger. His emotions seemed condemned soul’s only protection from Hel’s eternal ice. He
like a wheel to carry him across the snow and back to his reached for the shoes. “Father died? The stone —”
home, its axle a question for his father: Why did you try to “Did its job,” the priest finished. “Snorri Hardhand
kill me? forbid anyone other than his son to bind the Hel shoes to
When the first rays of dawn filtered through the pines, his feet. If you never returned from the ice, he would
the low buildings of Snorri Hardhand’s stead squatted in share your fate.” The priest continued. “You were right.
the valley before Anrad. Wisps of smoke curled from the We sent a boy to die on the ice. He did, and a man
longhouse. The sight rekindled rage that sped Anrad’s skis returned.” The priest dropped to one knee. “And the
on the familiar trail. He skated toward the hall where his Ulfjarl’s stone made the chieftain strong. Hail Chief
father lay. Anrad Icewalker!”
When Anrad arrived, the priest pushed open the hide-,
bound door. Closing the panel behind him, he approached
Anrad. Anrad drew his axe and cut the bindings from his
skis, the bear’s blood still frozen in scarlet rivulets on the
blade. Then Anrad met the priest.
A strand of moist, gray hair fell across the priest’s wiz-
ened face. He started to speak, but Anrad cut him off.
“You sent a boy north to die. I froze. I fought one of the
great bears. I found your useless stone. I returned.” His
knuckles whitened around the axe haft. “Take me to my

48 JANUARY 1989
 ©1988 by Jim Bambra

Role-playing
Reviews

In space, no one can hear you fail a morale check

Science fiction is rapidly becoming the board game; GDW’s TWILIGHT: 2000™ and ELLER game was not a cosmic space opera
“in thing” in the gaming world. For years, 2300 A.D.™ games; R. Talsorian Games’ in a box. A lot was missing: aliens, robots,
fantasy games and campaigns have domi- MEKTON II™ game; Palladium’s ROBO- and real high-tech hardware. With the
nated the gaming market, but science TECH™ game; Leading Edge’s LIVING exception of lasers, the TRAVELLER game
fiction is now big and looks set to get even STEEL™ game; New Infinities’ CYBORG put weapons technology back into the
bigger. FASA Corporation has done sterling COMMANDO™ game; and others. When it 1950s.
work in producing a steady stream of comes to science fiction, gamers are not Like its fantasy role-playing contempo-
high-quality products for the BATTLE- left wanting. raries, the original TRAVELLER game
TECH™ and STAR TREK® role-playing But it wasn’t always this easy to find a never told you what you were supposed to
games. Its RENEGADE LEGION™ series (the star-spanning RPG. At first, there was only do with all this stuff. Sure, you could
INTERCEPTOR™, CENTURION™, and the TRAVELLER® game. Way back in 1977, generate characters (if they didn’t expire
LEVIATHAN™ games) may make a huge the TRAVELLER role-playing game came in the process), and characters even had a
impact in science-fiction board games. blasting into the solar system, consisting of few skills (provided you could figure out
Games Workshop’s WARHAMMER™: three black books in a dinky black box. what to do with them). The combat system
40,000 (see “Role-playing reviews” in This role-playing game left the confines of left a lot to be desired — you played with
DRAGON issue #129) has captured the the dungeon and the starship (TSR’s range zones. Early TRAVELLER game
imaginations of large numbers of minia- METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA game was set characters could only advance or retreat
tures players. West Ends STAR WARS? on a slower-than-light ship) for the vast across a two-dimensional piece of paper;
The RPG (DRAGON issue #131) and PARA- expanses of the interstellar void. no fancy movements here! Forward, back-
NOIA® game (DRAGON issue #132) are two Starships, strange alien worlds, robots, ward, and staying put were your only
more excellent examples of the quality of high-tech gadgetry and weapons, wars and options. And armor, instead of soaking up
current science-fiction games. death on a mass scale — this was the stuff damage, made you harder to hit, just as it
And the list goes on: I.C.E.‘s SPACE MAS- of epic science fiction, and the TRAVEL- does in TSR’s D&D® game.
TER™ game; TSR’s third-edition GAMMA LER game seemed to offer them all. But a Worlds were rated using an abstract
WORLD® game and new BUCK ROGERS’ closer inspection revealed that the TRAV- system, with few tips on how to add color

50 JANUARY 1989
to them and bring them to life. There was Make no mistake, this game is undeni- details of the Spinward Marches. An inte-
no GM’s section telling how to stage adven- ably mega! The MEGATRAVELLER game gral part of the MEGATRAVELLER game
tures or establish campaigns. You were on consists of three large books: a 104-page rules, The Imperial Encyclopedia rounds
your own — after all, you played the D&D Players’ Manual, a 104-page Referee’s out the MEGATRAVELLER game and lays
game, so you knew what you were doing, Manual, and a 96-page Imperial Encyclope- the basis for adventuring in the shattered
right? Surely you could manage. It’s only a dia. Weighing in with a total of 304 pages, Imperium.
simple task to map the entire universe and it’s an impressive product. The three book- Marginal entries abound throughout all
fill in all those interesting details that lets are available separately or as part of a three of the rule books, supplying snippets
bring games to life, right? boxed set. As well as having a handy box of information on the history and current
Even with its lack of tips, the TRAVEL- in which to store the books and additional state of the Imperium and giving invalu-
LER game attracted a sizable following, supplements, purchasers of the boxed set able insights into the nature of the uni-
and GDW soon began to publish supple- also get a large, color stamp of the verse. Large, full-page maps show the
ments and adventures which added great- Spinward Marches, a sector of the uni- three Imperiums in various stages of their
ly needed background and structure to its verse that will be already familiar to play expansion and graphically depict the
creation. Over the years, the TRAVELLER ers of the TRAVELLER game. extent of the current troubles. These maps
game became vast — more weapons, more Couple the sheer volume of the rule are informative and amply demonstrate
technology, less abstract combat systems, books with the large number of rules the magnitude of the game’s background.
more detailed and competent characters, systems and topics covered, and it adds up Overall, the presentation is impressive
bigger starships, the appearance of robots to a very remarkable package. And well it when it comes to detailing the Imperium.
and detailed alien races. A special booklet should, for the MEGATRAVELLER game Where it tends to fail is in presenting
was published to provide GM guidelines deals with a vast universe in which the some of its rules systems in a far too con-
on how to actually play, and this was possibilities for adventure are enormous: densed form. More examples would have
followed in the early 1980s by two new hardened mercenaries toting powerful made certain rules easier to understand
editions (the TRAVELLER Book and the weapons of destruction; merchants strug- and would have avoided the many gray
Starter Edition) which explained the game gling to make a profit and keep their ship areas where a second or third reading is
more thoroughly and also included some’ spaceworthy; scouts exploring new required in order to grasp the rules. Typo-
ready-to-run adventures. As time moved worlds; characters engaged in espionage, graphical errors have also crept in here
on, a multilayered universe (complete with assassinations or philanthropy — you and there, but in a project of this size, it is
detailed history) slowly took shape, and name it, you can do it. The potential for only to be expected. GDW has put togeth-
the potential offered by the original three- running adventures in a variety of settings er a MEGATRAVELLER game errata; it’s
book set was more fully realized. is infinite. Players may travel between the available to anyone who sends GDW an
But things have changed,— the TRAVEL- stars to any number of different worlds, SASE (see the address at the end of this
LER game has been recently treated to a explore their hidden secrets by venturing review).
dramatic face-lift to bring it zooming into into the wilderness or under their oceans, Background: The background of the
the modern era. The MEGATRAVELLER™ or simply relax in the starport and never TRAVELLER and MEGATRAVELLER games
game has arrived; it more than lives up to set foot outside its confines. Whole cam- was created with a careful eye to detail. It
its title, and it’s sure to keep GDW in the paigns can be based on only one world, or amounts to a very satisfying and highly
forefront of science-fiction gaming for a group of adventurers can spend the believable future history. Almost 400,000
years to come. majority of its time traveling between years before Earth launched its first
But the MEGATRAVELLER game is not worlds. spaceflight explorations, the mysterious
the only recent addition to the realms of The rule books: The Players’ Manual Ancients had already transported large
star-spanning cultures. The GURPS® Space is an essential reference work for players numbers of humans and dogs across the
game from Steve Jackson Games, while and referees. It contains the character- universe. By the time the humans of Earth
being a more generic pack, is also a major generation rules, a multitude of skills, the (or the Solomani, as they came to be
landmark in the current science-fiction basic combat system, and the lowdown on known) were able to reach out to the
upsurge; instead of providing detailed psionics. Players of the TRAVELLER game nearest stars, the Ancients had long disap-
backgrounds, it makes it possible to design will find much in here that is both familiar peared from the universe, and many inter-
the universe of your choice or even play in and new. New players will discover that stellar empires had already risen and
the universe of your favorite science- this game has its own unique character fallen. The Vilani, an empire of humans
fiction author. Laying down the basis for and charm; neither veterans or new- whose ancestors had been transported by
any number of future universes, the comers will be disappointed. the Ancients, lay on the borders of the
GURPS Space game is in many ways a Kicking off the Referee’s Manual is a Terran system. The two races of humanity
stepping stone to things to come. Before section on running MEGATRAVELLER clashed in innumerable wars which culmi-
looking more closely at this product, how- campaigns. This gives a brief overview of nated in the fall of the Vilani empire and
ever, let’s check out the MEGATRAVELLER the types of adventures that can be run the ascendancy of the Solomani. The Rule
game, the giant of science-fiction gaming. and looks at the attributes of a good ref- of Man then followed, but this second
eree: imagination, improvisation, keeping empire collapsed under its own weight
MEGATRAVELLER™ game things in proportion, and organization. It and the Long Night began: a period of
Science-fiction role-playing game then moves on to describe how to referee retrogression and barbarism that lasted
Boxed set of three books and one map an adventure session. While providing for 2,000 years.
GDW $30.00 (boxed) good, solid advice on adventure and cam- The Third Imperium rose from the
$10.00 (each book) paign structures, little emphasis is placed ashes of the two previous empires and has
Game design: Marc W. Miller on providing staging tips or suggestions as been in existence for over 1,000 years. In
Additional design: Frank Chadwick, Joe D. to how to role play NPCs effectively. This that time, it has expanded its borders, has
Fugate Sr., and Gary L. Thomas section is a little short and perfunctory, been torn apart by civil wars, has been
Editing: Joe D. Fugate Sr. and Gary L. but it adequately covers the basics of invaded by outsiders, and has experienced
Thomas refereeing a MEGATRAVELLER game. all manner of political upheavals. But the
Contributers: Loren Wiseman, J. Andrew Stuffed full of interesting essays and histories of the three Imperiums are only
Keith, John Harshman, and Timothy B. entries on the universe, The Imperial one part of the story — Humaniti (as
Brown Encyclopedia is an invaluable reference future humans spell it) is not alone in the
Cover illustrations: David Deitrick, James work. It also contains copious amounts of galaxy. Alien races border the Imperium:
Holloway, and Steve Venters equipment and sample craft, plus the the Aslan — humanoid, catlike creatures
DRAGON 51
with a strong warrior code; the Vargr — is in turmoil, a situation which some of its done, a homeworld is then chosen or
wolves which were genetically manipu- neighbors have been quick to exploit. generated randomly. As well as helping to
lated by the Ancients to give them intelli- Bands of Vargr corsairs have crossed the flesh out a character’s background, the
gence and hands; the K’kree — militant border into Imperial territory, and the homeworld also influences the career
herbivores who suffer from claustropho- Solomani, who previously broke away opportunities open to a character and the
bia; the Hivers — creatures who resemble from the Third Imperium, are advancing types of skills which may later be learned.
six-limbed starfish, abhor war, but strike their sphere of influence at the Imperium’s Once this is done, it’s time to begin a
fear into enemies; the reptilian Droyne — expense. Many worlds have been cut off career: army, barbarian, belter (asteroid
the direct descendants of the Ancients; or turned into battlegrounds. The Third miner), bureaucrat, diplomat, doctor, flyer,
and the Zhodani — humans who are so Imperium is wracked by anarchy and hunter, law enforcer, marine, merchant,
highly skilled in the use of psionics that sectional interests. It’s an exciting place for navy (space), noble, pirate, rogue, sailor
their society appears abhorrent and alien adventure, and this is only the start. (surface navy), scientist, or scout.
to the average Imperial citizen. Other Character generation: The character- As in the old TRAVELLER game, charac-
minor alien races also exist within and generation system creates human charac- ters enlist for a period of four years in a
outside the Imperium’s borders, adding ters from a wide range of backgrounds. career, to earn skills and improvements to
further variety to this rich universe. Alien PCs are not yet covered, but GDW is attribute scores. The system is random,
This is a huge. interstellar setting which already planning a supplement to deal and most careers involve a certain amount
is both highly credible and absorbing in its with the diverse alien races in the MEGA- of danger; if you fail a survival roll, you
detail and depth. The universe of the TRAVELLER game and has touched upon get booted out of the career and your
TRAVELLER and MEGATRAVELLER games their use as NPCs in the Referee’s Compan- character must start adventuring (under
ranks as one of the best campaign settings ion (see this months “Short and sweet”). the old system, a failed survival roll
ever conceived for a role-playing game. For those of you unable to wait, try to get resulted in death, but this has now
To coincide with the release of the hold of GDW’s Alien Modules for the become an optional rule). After four years,
MEGATRAVELLER game, GDW has added TRAVELLER game; most of these are out characters may attempt to reenlist and
additional twists and background. For of print, but if you come across any sec- gain more skills. Basically, characters cycle
1,116 years, the Imperium has stood as a ondhand copies, snap them up, because through the character-generation tables
solid and reliable power, but now it is they contain the finest treatment of alien until they decide to leave the service or
being torn apart by internal strife. The psychologies and cultures ever published. until they fail either a survival or reenlist-
legitimate emperor is dead, gunned down For now, the 18 human career types cov- ment roll. The main benefit gained by
by an assassin who now claims the throne ered in the Players’ Manual more than quitting the service early is that your
by right of an obscure, yet legitimate, suffice. character starts adventuring while still
precedent. While the Imperium falls apart, Character generation consists of creat- relatively young. Long-term career PCs
other claimants push their ‘rights to suc- ing a character’s personality profile by tend to be older and suffer penalties for
ceed to the Iridium Throne. The Imperium rolling 2d6 for six attributes. Once this is aging, but if they’re lucky, they may be
able to find anagatics (longevity drugs) to
offset the aging process.
On leaving the service, characters begin
their adventuring careers. They can gain
more skills later by study or by learning
through practice. This experience system
allows characters to continue to grow
during play and is a vast improvement on
‘the old TRAVELLER game system.
More detailed careers are available for
characters entering the army, marines,
navy, scouts, or merchants. This optional
system takes longer to use, but the bene-
fits gained in the form of more colorful
character histories and additional skills
make it well worth the effort. Although
limited to only five careers, ambitious
referees will be able to use these as exam-
ples to create advanced careers for other
services.
Combat: Combat is flexible, quick; easy
to use, and complicated. Do “easy to use”
and “complicated” sound like contradic-
tions? Well, yes and no. With simple rifles
and lasers there’s no problem, but add in
grenades, high-explosive slugs, energy
weapons, and other area-effect weapons,
and it starts to get tricky. With a careful
reading, the various elements of the com-
bat system mesh together, but it’s not very
easy to grasp. More examples would have
made this section more user-friendly and
would have alleviated any confusion, but
the system is still impressive in the num-
ber of situations it covers.
With these rules, you can fight a brawl
in a starport, engage in a running gun
battle down the corridors of a starship,
52 JANUARY 1989
 zoom across a planetary landscape in a reworking of the old TRAVELLER game with a compelling motivation to make
heavily armored tank, or blast ground system. Under the old rules, the referee money: keeping their starship running. To
forces into their component atoms using was often left in the dark as to how skills do that, they have to make deals, carry
the impressive firepower of a starship. worked in practice, thus giving birth to passengers, travel away from their star-
The types of weapons covered include hundreds of house rules and individual ship to pick up exotic cargoes, and visit
revolvers, lasers, high-energy plasma and interpretations. Now they are no longer innumerable worlds in their search for
fusion guns, grenade and rocket needed, but referee input is still required profits. Whole evenings can be taken up
launchers, rapid-fire heavy weapons, to define individual tasks during play. with finding the right cargo or with pas-
starship weapons, and even bows and Design and generation tables: Much sengers attempting to hijack the ship. As
arrows. Armor ranges from leather jack- of the Referee’s Manual is taken up with the PCs travel, they get involved with
ets up to powered battledress and heavily describing how to detail something as vast customs officers, pirates, and other mer-
armored vehicles. While armor provides as the universe. Starting with star systems chant lines.
valuable protection, combat can still be and working down to animal encounters Profit-hungry PCs generally respond
very deadly. Fight only when you have and craft design, this section contains well to any adventure that promises them
little choice and, preferably, when you sufficient raw materials to make any ref- monetary rewards; if there’s something in
have the upper hand. Futuristic weapons eree into a competent universe creator. it for them, they’ll generally do it. And you
do lots of damage, so don’t expect to The systems are flexible and, if used intel- can always put the PCs into debt; most
always walk away. Brains, not brawn, are ligently, produce credible results. Fortu- starship owners owe vast amounts of
the prime requisites for survival. nately, star and planetary statistics and a money to the bank, and meeting the pay-
Psionics: Mind reading, clairvoyance, map are provided for the Spinward ments can keep them busy for a very long
telekinesis, body control, teleportation, Marches, so you can skip the star- and time. In addition, starship repairs are
and various special powers are all availa- world-generation tables, only using them expensive. Major damage can be repaired
ble, but not without some hard work on when you want to create a new subsector. by an outside party, thereby placing the
the part of PCs. Psionics are illegal in the Similarly, animal-encounter tables can be PCs deeper into debt; to pay off part of the
Imperium, and the penalties for possession left until you need them for a specific debt, they may have to carry out some
of psionic powers are harsh. They are also adventure. dangerous or illegal mission. Campaigns
harder to gain and master as your charac- The craft-design tables cater to the con- where trading is important come with
ter grows older, so if you want them, your struction of a wide variety of vehicles and ready-made adventure hooks and are very
character had best start at an early age to starships, from a small gray platform all colorful. These hooks are an ideal way to
look for an illegal Psionics Institute. the way up to a massive starship bristling give structure to an adventure session.
The task system: This forms the core with weapons. Again, there’s no need to Starship combat: The last section of
of the MEGATRAVELLER game. This sys- use the tables before play, as sample craft the Referee’s Manual deals with starship
tem first appeared in Travellers’ Digest are provided in the. Imperial Encyclopedia. combat. With these rules, fights between
and was used in an amended form in the You do, however, need to select weapons one-man fighters and enormous battle-
TRAVELLER: 2300™ game (recently re- for a few of them. ships can be played out. Use of sensors
launched as the 2300 A.D. game). The task The strength of the design and genera- plays a major role in any starship combat;
system is easy to use (roll 2d6 and add any tion tables is that they are there if you enemy vessels need to be located and have
applicable modifiers) and rates tasks want them, but they can be just as easily sensors locked onto them before weapons
according to the degree of difficulty ignored until you need them. The scope of can be fired. This makes it possible for
involved. The system is highly flexible and these tables is impressive, and you can ships to run silently by powering down
infinitely expandable, being easily applied have lots of fun designing the starship of their power plants in the hopes of not
to personal and starship combat, com- your dreams. being detected. Combat between ships of
puter programming, bribery, psionics, and Trade and commerce: This is my different sizes is fast and bloody; when the
anything else you can think of. favorite bit of the MEGATRAVELLER battlecruiser orders your small merchant
As well as determining the chance of game. It gives PCs a reason to travel and ship to stop, you don’t argue unless you
success, the task system also gives you the provides plenty of hooks for adventure want to be blown to pieces. Combat
amount of time required to perform a sessions. With these rules, PCs buy and between ships of similar sizes is more
task, the element of danger involved, and sell goods as they travel from one world to prolonged and allows for many tactical
effects of any mishap or failure. This another; sometimes they might strike it options.
system defines any action neatly and suc- lucky and make a fortune on one deal, but Evaluation: The MEGATRAVELLER
cinctly in game terms, and makes the other times they’ll sink into debt — and game is impressive in, its size and in the
MEGATRAVELLER game more than just a debt is bad, because the PCs are supplied extent of its systems. Veteran TRAVELLER
game players will not be disappointed, and
newcomers will find it a very complete
game. While its clarity of presentation is
not always as good as it should be, this is
more than offset by its breath of scope
and the magnitude of its goals. The MEGA-
TRAVELLER game builds on the strengths
of its predecessor and surpasses it in a
great many ways. Don’t let the size of this
game put you off. The future is here; rush
out and get a slice of the action now. The
MEGATRAVELLER game is available from
Game Designer’s Workshop, P.O. Box 1646,
Bloomington IL 61702.

GURPS® Space game

A GURPS role-playing supplement
128-page book
Steve Jackson Games $14.95
Design: Steve Jackson and William Barton
54 JANUARY 1989
Additional material: W. G. Armintrout, Background: Similarly, the back- design-your-own-starship system. Put
Stephen Beeman, Ben Ellinger, John M. ground of the universe is up to you. The another way, this system lets you create a
Ford, Don Gallagher, J. David George, GM decides whether the campaign is set design sequence that fits the type of uni-
Mike Hurst, David Ladyman, and Mike against an alliance of planets, a federation, verse you have in mind. Once a particular
Moe a powerful corporate interest, an empire, starship-design system has been chosen,
Cover illustration: Michael Goodwin or just a group of independent worlds. the design process is very easy to use,
The merits and drawbacks are discussed being far simpler than the one in the
The GURPS game boasts an elegant and for each one, as well as the likely long- MEGATRAVELLER game. It is also more
easy-to-use rules system, and lots of excel- term effects they may have on a campaign. limited. In the MEGATRAVELLER game,
lent role-playing hooks are built into its The level and style of technology is also any type of vehicle can be created; the
character-creation system. To bring the set by the GM; for instance, starships can GURPS Space game only allows for the
GURPS game into the worlds of tomorrow, travel using hyperdrives, jump drives, or construction of starships. It is also worth
new rules have been added to cover high- warp drives. The relative efficiencies of noting that the GURPS Space game con-
tech medicine, bionics, weapons, and the various drives influence the speed of tains very few vehicles, no tips on how
other types of common hardware. The travel and consequently the extent of the they can be designed, and no indication of
GURPS Space game rules additions fit campaign area. If large distances can be how they might be used in combat.
logically and smoothly into the basic game covered in a short time, a large campaign The starship-combat rules, while being
without altering its basic mechanics in any area is advisable. Conversely, a universe workable, are very abstract and stand at
major way. where slow-moving starships are the norm odds with the tactical emphasis that the
Whereas the MEGATRAVELLER game can be much smaller. GURPS game places on man-to-man com-
comes complete with a very detailed, Extra touches can provide further per- bat. While this is not really a problem, it
incredibly rich, and believable campaign sonalization. Jump ships may require means that personal combat and space
background, the GURPS Space game con- psionic triggers to function, or entry to combat play very differently.
centrates on providing GMs with the tools jump space may only be possible by first Star and world design: These sec-
for creating any SFRPG campaign back- entering a black hole or an artificial tions are excellent. They discuss astro-
ground desired. This is one of its strengths stargate. Once in jump space, time for graphic features such as galactic clusters,
and also one of its weaknesses — strength starship passengers may pass at the same galactic arms, globular clusters, nebulae,
from being highly flexible, and weakness rate as in the normal universe, at a slower and open clusters; they also give some fine
from lacking a coherent and exciting back- rate, or even at a greatly accelerated rate. examples of the types of stellar objects
ground. By plundering the works of science- that are likely to exist in a given area of
Armed with this 128-page book, you can fiction authors for ideas and presenting space. Armed with this information, it’s a
set the technology of your universe and these concepts in game terms, the GURPS simple matter to design an interesting and
define its major elements with ease. The Space game allows you to pick and choose evocative campaign area.
book describes the types of universes which elements you desire. The results The various kinds of planets and satel-
suitable for science-fiction gaming, allow- are lucidly presented and highly satisfying.
ing you to tailor the background to the Character generation: The GURPS
needs of a particular campaign. It does game system encourages good role-playing
this in a very satisfying and concise man- by making character traits an integral part
ner, and even provides references to the of character design. The GURPS Space
works of various science-fiction authors. game provides brief character back-
The GURPS Space game also covers the grounds and tips to show which skills and
benefits and drawbacks of the various traits are likely to be held by each charac-
campaign types, ensuring that the choices ter type. This allows characters to be
you make are informed choices. For exam- suited to the needs of a campaign and
ple, PCs can search for new worlds, sur- provides plenty of role-playing hooks.
vey them from orbit, then land to conduct Another bonus to character generation
a more detailed survey. The advantages is the presence of variant human races.
are that PCs who work for a government Instead of being Earth-standard humans,
or private survey organization will have a PCs can elect to be heavy worlders (short,
powerful patron who supplies equipment squat, and muscular), light worlders (tall
and a ship, but they will often be in and thin, with long limbs and spidery
remote space — away from daily control fingers), or spacers, (characters who have
by their superiors. The variety of new lived in zero-gravity for their entire lives,
worlds provides campaign diversity. This consequently being very thin and often
campaign can be ideal for small groups — unnaturally tall). Genetically enhanced
a scout crew can be as small as one per- humans who have been bred to perform a
son. However, if the characters work for particular function are also available.
the Galactic Survey Service or a private The coverage of alien races is necessar-
(probably merchant) organization, PCs will ily brief but touches on the major areas
probably explore worlds by assignment. If and provides design tips on how to design
PCs explore on their own, their ability to space operas or hard science-fiction cam-
keep a starship fueled and supplied paigns. The three sample aliens are fine as
depends on finding profitable worlds. For far as they go, but they suffer from the
the GM, a scout campaign means constant- generic emphasis of this product. The
ly generating new systems (and surprises). aliens of the MEGATRAVELLER game gain
Alternatively, PCs can be merchant a lot of their credence from being fully
traders, star soldiers, space pirates, rebels integrated into the game’s background.
against an evil empire, colonists, or law Steve Jackson Games is thinking about
officers. You can tailor your campaign so publishing a book dedicated to aliens — a
that it neatly fits the kind of adventure project which certainly gets my vote.
you want to run. Starship design: This is really a

DRAGON 59
 lites likely to be visited by PCs are covered combat scenario for the 2300 A.D. and
in commendable detail, and this translates STAR CRUISER games, and adventure
readily into game terms and effects. Once ideas and updates in the form of new
a world has been defined according to its reports of the current state of the shat-
physical nature, its government and other tered Third Imperium. Individual issues
human (or alien) features are easily added. and subscriptions are available from Game
Again, the guidelines include ideas to Designer’s Workshop, P.O. Box 1646,
stimulate the imagination and make this a Bloomington IL 61702-1646.
relatively easy task. In the sections on Travellers’ Digest. Editor: Gary L. Thom-
world design, this game gains full marks as; associate editor: Joe D. Fugate Sr.
for its detail and ease of use. Digest Group Publications, $3.95. This
Evaluation: It is easy to point to the quarterly magazine, from the editors of
wealth of the MEGATRAVELLER rules as the MEGATRAVELLER game, contains a
being more complete and therefore superi wealth of background information,
or to the GURPS Space game, but the detailed adventures, and hardware for the
MEGATRAVELLER game has 10 years of MEGATRAVELLER and 2300 A.D. games.
TRAVELLER gaming experience behind it Recent issues have covered new alien
(a substantial period in which to identify races, detailed planetary systems, medi-
the weaknesses, expand the strengths, and cine in the MEGATRAVELLER game, and
overhaul the entire system). It’s worth Earth in the 57th century. Individual issues
remembering that the GURPS Space game and subscriptions are available from
is a young system; this book is only the Digest Group Publications, 8979 Mandan
beginning, although the GURPS Humanx Court, Boise ID 83709.
game book, detailing the universe of Alan Challenge and Travellers’ Digest maga-
Dean Foster, is already available. Plans zines are available in the U.K. from Games
have been made to produce a tactical of Liverpool, 89 Victoria Street, Liverpool
space-combat book, a book of high-tech L1 6DG; and from Chris Harvey Games,
devices, and the previously mentioned c/o Matthew Harvey &, Co. Ltd., P.O. 38,
aliens book. Bath Street, Walsall, West Midlands,
Then again, is it really fair to compare WS1 3BY.
the GURPS Space book to the MEGA-
TRAVELLER game? The two systems start- Rebellion Sourcebook and Referee’s
from very different design precepts: The Companion, both by Marc W. Miller. GDW,
MEGATRAVELLER game codifies and $10.00 each. Both of these 96-page books
expands on the universe of the TRAVEL offer solid support for the MEGATRAVEL
LER game, while the GURPS Space game LER game. The Rebellion Sourcebook
provides a generic source book which contains essays on the background and
allows any kind of universe to be created. progress of the current rebellion, and
The GURPS Space game does this in a very provides detailed descriptions of the moti-
clear and helpful way and contains no vations and power bases of the main con-
gray areas; all the rules are well presented tenders, be they human or alien. It also
and clearly set out. Its strengths lie in its takes a detailed look at the armed forces
flexibility, in the neat role-playing and of the Imperium and presents some new
combat aspects of the GURPS system, in its starships and vehicles. The adventure
description of a wide array of possible outline is thin, requiring substantial
future histories, and in its clarity of pre- amounts of work by the referee, but the
sentation. Even if you never intend to play rest of this book is an excellent resource
the GURPS game, the GURPS Space game for anyone running adventures in what
is worth picking up on the basis of its remains of the Third Imperium.
ideas alone. For GMs who enjoy designing The Referee’s Companion covers a
unique backgrounds for their players, and diverse range of topics: large-scale combat;
for GURPS players everywhere, this book in-system operations for starship crews; a
is well worth getting. It is available from detailed look at technology; and essays on
Steve Jackson Games Inc., Box 18957, robots in the Imperium, communications,
Austin TX 78760. research projects, megacorporations, and
how to run large-scale campaigns. This is
Short and sweet all very useful stuff, and its look at the
This month’s review offers (among other Droyne, Zhodani, Aslan, and Vargr pro-
(things) a quick look at two magazines of vides additional insights into these alien
interest to science-fiction gamers. races. The book is rounded out with a
Vilani word-generation system and various
Challenge. Managing editor: Loren K. blank maps designed to make the referee’s
Wiseman; associate editor, Timothy B. job easier when it comes to mapping star
Brown. GDW, $3.25. Challenge magazine is systems and planets. This is another fine
an excellent source of adventures, ideas, addition to the MEGATRAVELLER game.
and hardware for GDW’s TWILIGHT.
2000, 2300 A.D., and MEGATRAVELLER 101 Vehicles. Digest Group Publications,
role-playing games, but many of its fea- $7.95. Loads of vehicles (101 to be precise)
tures are also easily convertible to other for the MEGATRAVELLER game can be
game systems. Recent issues have included found in this 48-page book. All of the
designs, whether military, civilian, alien,
high-tech, or low-tech, are ready-to-use.
60 JANUARY 1989
101 Vehicles is a handy source of instant Things. This is a lively, tongue-in-cheek
vehicles and a good example of the versa- board game for two players. One player
tility of the design sequence. It is a useful controls the crew, which uses every item
addition to the MEGATRAVELLER game. that’s not nailed down against the ever-
growing and ever-multiplying monsters.
Space Atlas, by Steve Jackson and Wil- The other player controls the monsters,
liam Barton, Steve Jackson Games, $7.95. which set out to overwhelm the ship, eat
Presented in this 64-page book are 24 the crew, and choke on the robot. The
worlds for use with the GURPS Space crew player doesn’t know what each item
game or any science-fiction role-playing does until it gets used in combat. If you
game. Each world is presented in a double- like fun board games, don’t miss this one,
page spread. One page contains a geodesic or you’ll never forgive yourself.
map of the planet and provides general
information about the planet and its sys-
tem; the other page has information aimed
primarily at the GM and contains adven-
ture ideas for each world. The worlds can Free Catalog!
be individually slotted into an ongoing
campaign or used together to create a
coherent space sector. A useful basis for Send for your free catalog of games
starting a GURPS Space game campaign and gaming supplies! In the United
(and a source of ideas for other systems), States and Canada, write to: TSR
the Space Atlas comes complete with Mail Order Hobby Shop, c/o TSR,
alternate backgrounds for different cam- Inc., P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI
paign settings and maps of the Old 53147, U.S.A. In Europe, write to:
Frontiers Sector. TSR Mail Order Catalogue, TSR
THE AWFUL GREEN THINGS FROM
UK Limited, The Mill, Rathmore
OUTER SPACE™ game, by Tom Wham. Road, Cambridge CB1 4AD United
Steve Jackson Games, $6.95. It’s back! This Kingdom. Our catalog is free —
classic science-fiction game has been out send for it today!
of print for far too long! Now you can join
the crew of the starship Znutar as they
battle for survival against the Awful Green

DRAGON 61
 After escaping from the sultan’s foolproof
prison a rebel nomad acquires some unusual
traveling companions: a panther shape-shifter, a
heretic priest, a young noble, and a cowardly
thief. This fast-paced Arabian adventure pits the
five against the Sultan’s deadliest soldiers,
monsters of the desert, wicked necromancers,
and worse.
Suggested Retail Price: $3.95/£TBA
Product No.: 8203

NEW PRODUCTS FOR DECEMBER NEW PRODUCTS FOR JANUARY

Unless otherwise noted:
® and ™ denote trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.
©1988 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved
FR6 Dreams of the Red Wizards GAZ10 The Orcs of Thar
AD&D® FORGOTTEN REALMS™ D&D® Gazetteer 1©
1988 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
accessory by Bruce Heard MARVEL, MARVEL UNIVERSE, MARVEL SUPER HEROES,
by Steve Perrin Orcs are rude, crude, and socially unaccepta- and all Marvel characters, character names, and distinctive
likenesses are trademarks of Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc.
The nation of Thay, along the eastern shores ble, which is why everyone likes them. Learn
of the Inner Sea, is ruled by the hated and more about your favorite monsters in this 96-
feared Red Wizards. Their legends, deeds, page Gazetteer for the D&D game’s Known
spells, and plans are all included in this 64-page World — and get an updated version of the ORC
accessory. The sourcebook even has adventures WARS board game that appeared in DRAGON®
in which player characters can meet the Red issue #132, as well as a player-character genera-
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DL16 The World of Krynn Lords of Darkness

AD&D® DRAGONLANCE® supermodule AD&D® module anthology
by Douglas Niles, Michael Gray, and introduced by Ed Greenwood
Harold Johnson Bring the undead to life! This 96-page module
This wide-reaching supermodule takes you anthology pits your player characters against
back to the world of Krynn in four challenging every sort of undead in existence, in scenarios
adventures. Many loose ends from the for every level of PC. Visit graveyards, tombs,
DRAGONLANCE® saga module series are tied up ruins, and places you never dreamed you’d
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TSAC6 Covert Operations Source Book, Mad Monkey VS the Dragon Claw
Volume 2 AD&D® FORGOTTEN REALMS™/
TOP SECRET/S.I.™ game accessory Oriental Adventures module
by John Prados by Jeff Grubb
This is the second source book for the TOP Two rival gods of the Orient declare war, and
SECRET/S.I™ game detailing real-life espionage their martial-arts minions are in the front lines
cases from the years 1945 on. It also includes — with the player characters caught in
profiles of the espionage agencies of 11 nations, between! This 64-page module will challenge all
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Product No.: 7632 DRAGONLANCE® Saga Heroes novel
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Galen Pathwarden certainly had no idea he
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Suggested Retail Price: $13.95/£8.95 by Paul B. Thompson and Tonya R.
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62 JANUARY 1989
 nerally depraved — but that’s all right,
© because it’s a character-building process
1988 by John C. Bunnell designed to transform them from self-
indulgent vegetables into self-reliant
dynamos capable of saving the universe.
This would be fine if the two teenagers

The
ended up saving the universe, but that’s
not what happens. One of the girls averts
cosmic disaster by pure luck, rendering
personal growth irrelevant in the process.
The other, after watching the fireworks, is
handed a storybook happy ending. (After

Role of Books
all the novels rhetoric about open-minded
sexual attitudes, Chalker’s characters
uniformly adopt traditional monogamous
lifestyles.) The story relies on contradicto-
ry premises: that the girls have no real
choices (true), and that the choices they
make are integral to the novel (false).
New definition 3: The conflict that drives
Wizards of this world and others the novel is not, as implied in the first two
books, rooted in issues of political and
racial justice. Instead, it’s a petty personal
dispute arising from an old academic
scandal, and the reduction in scale further
weakens an already sagging plot.
What’s most frustrating about War of
the Maelstrom is that some interesting
ideas and concepts surface near the end,
when Chalker explains the theories of
magic and creation that define the cosmos
of the Changewinds. There’s material for
an intriguing yarn in those ideas, but not
in the saga as written. Rather than chal-
lenging his audience to think, Chalker has
tried to direct the audience as a possessive
Dungeon Master directs his players. The
result is a tale which will satisfy no one’s
expectations but the author’s.

THE FAIRY OF KU-SHE

M. Lucie Chin
Ace 0-441-22563-2 $3.50
We have had Oriental tales of complex
intrigue and mystery, of love and loyalty in
the Emperor’s court, and of an Emperor
set on a quest halfway across the world.
Now, M. Lucie Chin adds to the growing
canon of Eastern fantasy with a novel that
takes readers into the realms and affairs
of the gods themselves. The Fairy of Ku-
She is almost encyclopedic in its tour of
the Chinese heavens, and is an intricately
patterned suspense yarn besides.
Two of Chin’s three major characters are
immortal, while the third merely makes a
career out of avoiding death. He is Wei
Pan Ch’ao, a Taoist monk with substantial
powers of magic (probably a wu jen in
WAR OF THE MAELSTROM part of a series, but the last third of a AD&D® game terms) and even more sub-
Jack L. Chalker three-part novel. That revelation, made in stantial powers of deception. For several
Ace 0-441-10268-9 $3.95 a brief preface, abruptly lends structural hundred years, he has cheerfully eluded
There isn’t enough room here for the coherence to the overall story. But it is the Chinese Judges of Death, and his latest
complicated essay it would take to unravel information that should have been provid- feat of trickery is the theft of the magical
all the problems with this book and Chalk- ed at the outset, and its absence from the Golden Chopsticks from the Fairy of Ku-
er’s Changewinds saga in general — some earlier volumes manipulates readers’ She, guardian of the snows.
of which have been noted in previous minds almost as shamelessly as Chalker’s While Ku-She is near the bottom of
columns. An attempt to explain is neces- sorcerers manipulate the tale’s heroines. heaven’s imperial hierarchy, the theft has
sary, though, because the tale’s third vol- New definition 2: Yes, the spectacular major ecological consequences in the
ume drastically redefines the context of hardships and mind-twisting spells to mortal world, and she is dispatched to
Chalker’s narrative. which Charley and Sam have been subject- seek the Chopsticks. Unexpectedly, she
New definition 1: Contrary to the cover ed on their roundabout way to a rendez- falls in love with a relative of Wei Pan
description, War of the Maelstrom is not vous with master sorcerer Boolean are ge- Ch’ao, and though the chopsticks are

64 JANUARY 1989
eventually recovered, Ku-She is exiled to books most appreciative audience, there priate end for an RPG campaign (I suppose
Earth for her husbands lifetime. are more than enough sword fights and players of games such as Chaosium’s CALL
Heaven, however, has taken an interest fireworks to satisfy less-intellectual tastes. OF CTHULHU® game might differ), it is
in her son, Wei T’ai-Tsung — but various Certainly this is one of the more uncon- definitely an apt ending for this trilogy.
errors in judgment combine to warp the ventional adventures to hit the stands of The Sorcerer’s Heir is clearly a powerful
young man’s character, and his unique late, and that’s always good news. novel, and Volsky has the potential to
heritage subsequently enables him to make its successor more powerful still.
become a powerful threat to heaven and THE SORCERER’S HEIR
earth alike. Ku-She and a seemingly Paula Volsky THE CRYSTAL WARRIORS
reformed Wei Pan Ch’ao have their hands Ace O-441-77231-5 $3.60 William R. Fortschen and Greg
full trying to keep up with him, let alone Most contemporary fantasy qualifies as Morrison
trying to end his wave of destruction. comedy in the literary sense — that is, the Avon O-380-76272-7 $3.50
Chin conveys an excellent sense of the characters overcome obstacles rather than Chris Miller of Avon Books writes inter-
vastness and the convoluted internal poli- being overcome by them, as happens in esting letters. (The books and proofs I get
tics of Chinese heavenly bureaucracy, both tragedy. That’s why Paula Volsky’s newest form other publishers frequently include
important factors in her plot. Her charac- novel is such a surprise. The Sorcerer’s press releases or generic form letters. By
ters are likewise well drawn, relatively Heir is the second volume of a trilogy that contrast, material from Avon often comes
small cogs struggling to find places in an shows every sign of becoming a tragedy in with a note suggesting specific angles of
extremely large system. And the wealth of the classical mold. interest to DRAGON® Magazine’s readers.
detail will ably assist AD&D Oriental Luckily for those who missed the first That’s an extra effort — especially given
Adventures referees, especially those book (titled The Sorcerer’s Lady), the the average editor’s workload — and I
wishing to create more magically sophisti- current tale is basically self-contained. appreciate it.) Her comment about The
cated campaigns. As long as Wei Pan Ch’ao Newcomers may not fully appreciate the Crystal Warriors was precisely on target:
can escape the Judges of Death, more arcane web of human politics Volsky “While it’s a military fantasy, it is not what
adventures of this caliber will be welcome. weaves, but that’s a minor issue at best; I would call a militaristic novel.”
the story’s centerpieces are its exception- Fortschen and Morrison are using a
THE ARMOR OF LIGHT ally crafted characters. familiar premise; in fact, it’s almost
Melissa Scott and Lisa A. Barnett Terrs Fal Grizhni is the son and name- directly borrowed from Brian Daley’s
Baen O-671-69783-8 $3.95 sake of Lanthi Ume’s most powerful sor- Coramonde novels of the late seventies.
The Armor of Light opens with a three- cerer (now dead), and is the cornerstone Their execution, though, gives the current
page list of “Dramatis Personae” that reads of Volsky’s plot. Raised in the underground novel a very different flavor and explores
like the index of a history of Elizabethan caverns of the alien Vardruls, he disdains cultural and personal issues not raised in
England, but the narrative owes more to human ways in favor of their communal the earlier books. When opposing captains
the drama and adventure created by the rapport with their ancestors’ spirits. Terrs’ Mark Phillips and Ikawa Yoshio find their
likes of William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, growing powers make him the Vardruls’ respective troops thrown headlong into a
and Christopher Marlowe, all of whom natural leader, but his distorted sense of war of sorcery in another world, the
have parts in the tale. The Elizabethan identity forces him to reject human friend- conflicts that ensue frequently have more
period is usually considered too late a ships and drives him toward open war. His than two sides.
setting for traditional fantasy games, most is a tremendously strong and idealistic, yet The American and Japanese soldiers
likely due to the presence of such things doomed, personality. Volsky captures this declare a tentative truce as they arrive on
as cannons and gunpowder. But Scott’s essence with unsettling skill. Haven, but the detente proves to have
and Barnett’s alternate England, where Terrs’ mother Verran is more likeable, ragged edges as events unfold. Both
magic is very real (if somewhat unusual by but her fears tilt in the opposite direction. groups, though, are recruited by a demi-
AD&D game standards), otherwise seems A blend of circumstance and passivity has god figure — one of a fair-sized pantheon
highly suitable for sophisticated adventur- limited her influence in her son’s develop whose members are constantly maneuver-
ing. (Possibly a Victorian-period rules ment, and her extreme unease with the ing for position — and become crystal-
system would be the easiest to adapt.) Vardruls limits her ability to reason with wielding sorcerers in Allic’s army.
Essentially, the book is a spy thriller, Terrs. Fortschen and Morrison have developed
with agents and double agents, mysterious Rillif Har Fennahar complicates matters an intriguing magic system based on spe-
terrorists, intricate high-level diplomacy, for both mother and son when he infil- cialized focusing crystals. Some crystals
and dramatic duels. Most readers will trates the Vardrul caverns. His intentions are pure laser-style beam weapons; others
recognize Shakespeare, Sir Walter Raleigh, are benign — he hopes to mediate the confer powers of flight or mental com-
and Scotland’s King James among the cast; worsening strife between the previously munication. This is carried to sharply
fewer will be familiar with poet and docile Vardruls and a ruling house bent on logical conclusions, and the Earthmen are
scholar Sir Philip Sidney, who shares the destroying the Grizhni line — but his nearly lynched for disrupting the economy
leading role with playwright and sometime tactics misfire badly when he tries to when they discover the potential for
spy Christopher Marlowe (whose author- conceal another motive from Terrs. Fenna- crystal-based mines and grenades. (The
ship of Dr. Faustus is not coincidental). har seeks the previous Grizhni’s priceless supply of crystals is limited, and blowing
Sidney and Marlowe share an aptitude spell books, and failing that task costs him them up is considered wasteful.) Adapting
for wizardry, but Sidney is a theorist and the chance to bring peace. the idea to an AD&D game environment
Marlowe is a realist. Though they are sent Matters are no better in Lanthi Ume, may be too complex to contemplate, but
to Scotland together to ward off evil where political intrigues seem petty by it’s nonetheless a remarkably balanced
directed against King James, Marlowe’s comparison. Warring factions conspire creation.
orders call for him to secretly watch Sid- ineffectually as order collapses, and the But if the magic cannot be translated,
ney and prevent the mission from suc- humor is decidedly black; a father- the combat patterns are beautifully ren-
ceeding. In the process, Marlowe ‘finds his daughter team of assassins stands out. dered illustrations of fantasy warfare.
writing being fulfilled by his actions, and (Volsky’s novels are easily a gamer’s best BATTLESYSTEM™ supplement tacticians
Sidney is forced to seek magical aid from a argument for assassins as a character should be ecstatic, yet there is still enough
politically risky quarter. class.) one-on-one action to satisfy those who
The novel has a well-researched feel to The book ends with the original prefer not to cope with large-scale strat-
it, and Scott and Barnett include a post- Grizhni’s curse of eternal darkness loom- egy. Moreover, the authors succeed in
script indicating their point of departure ing ominously ahead, and every appear- offering a plot that blends the three dis-
from real-world history. Yet while students ance that impending doom is inescapable. tinctive strategic styles of Haven, Japan,
of the period and its literature may be the And although that might not be the appro- and the U.S. The Japanese warrior ethic,

DRAGON 65
 as practiced by Ikawa, is especially well temple just to hear them blow that crazy
presented. horn.”
Yet, despite the definite focus on matters
of war, The Crystal Warriors manages to SONG OF THE DWARVES
remain a novel of people and personalities, Thorarinn Gunnarsson
notably emphasizing the characters of the Ace O-441-72690-9 $3.50
two captains. Fortschen and Morrison A name like Thorarinn Gunnarsson on
display a remarkable diversity of skills in the cover of a book about the Norse gods
their crafting of this adventure, and the conveys a certain air of authority. In this
result is a story that admirably lives up to case, it does so with good reason; Song of
its promotion. the Dwarves is not only excellent Norse
lore (which is too rare in the first place), it
THE QUEST FOR THE 36 is a mythological retelling with the poten-
Stephen Billias tial to become a cornerstone work.
Questar 0-445-20670-6 $3.95 “Retelling” is exactly the right word
“One of the tales of Jewish folklore, of here. Gunnarsson’s narrative draws liber-
which there are thousands, is the legend ally and openly on the original myths: the
of the Thirty-Six Just Men, pillars of virtue coming of Loki among the Aesir, the ori-
whose saintly lives keep the world from gins of Thor’s hammer, the battles
degenerating into the chaos of evil. . . . between the gods and the giants, the
common people, bakers, tailors, and so chaining of the wolf Fenrir. Not surprising-
forth, unknown to one another This leg- ly, this lends most of the volume a some-
end happens to be true.” With those what episodic quality. But Gunnarsson’s
words, an anonymous Hasidic rabbi sends style maintains a flowing cadence that is
talent agent Dexter Sinister on a world- light and formal at the same time, mini-
wide scavenger hunt whose prize is no mizing the breaks and giving the impres-
less than the fate of the world. sion of both nearness and distance. In
But Stephen Billias’ account of Dexter’s addition, the final chapters introduce the
adventures is about as far from preten- ongoing threat of the “Ring of Andvari,” a
tious as you can get. There is plenty of mythic predecessor to that created by J. R.
vaudeville shtick, which is logical given R. Tolkien. Only Balder, youngest of the
that Dexter’s current theatrical project gods, is missing from the volume, but
involves a vaudeville revival. There are the promised sequels will most likely intro-
Thirty-Six themselves, who include little duce him as Gunnarsson moves forward in
old ladies who can turn into ladybugs, a “history.”
noncannibal from the South Pacific, and It’s unlikely that gamers would want to
an Eskimo from Nome, Alaska. And there be drawn deeply into the Aesir realms as
is Dexter’s skeptical lady-friend, Lola players (except possibly in a very carefully
Corolla. (Billias gets major points for his crafted campaign involving the gods them-
perfect ear for absurd-sounding names, selves as PCs). But the legends that Gun-
and more points for not hitting readers narsson presents are essential background
over the head with them.) materials for serious Norse campaigners
At the same time, Billias weaves the and are far more accessible than the aver-
serious undercurrent of a world teetering age English-class mythology text. Indeed, it
at chaos’ edge, subtly but tightly, into his doesn’t seem impossible for Song of the
pattern. His characters enjoy their ability Dwarves to become such a text — unless
to startle and bemuse Dexter, but remain the secret masters of curriculum decide
passionately and quietly committed to that it’s too entertaining to be of literary
their cause. The Thirty-Six, normally scat- significance.
tered to the ends of the earth, must come
together so that their work may be judged Recurring roles
against the evils and disasters of the Star Trek literature is currently a
majority. growth industry, with the debut of novels
The premise is, of course, eminently featuring The Next Generation characters
suited for a variety of modern RPG cam- and the arrival of the series’ first original
paigns, though TOP SECRET/S.I.™ game hardcover. The news, however, is other-
agents should leave their guns at home wise mixed. Spock’s World (Pocket,
land superhero referees will need to refine $16.95), Diane Duane’s hardback entry,
the concept somewhat. But that virtue is uses much the same storytelling technique
largely coincidental for Billias, who has as the earlier Romulan Way, combining
taken the idea, imbued it with a strong historical chapters with a plot involving
dose of cautious optimism, and turned it Vulcan’s possible departure from the Fed-
into the most appealing little parable this eration. While individual bits of history
side of a stack of Bibles. (I am not kidding are colorfully rendered, they do not flow
here. The Quest for the 36 has an excel- together well, and they force Duane to
lent chance of finding its way into all kinds overabbreviate the secession story. It’s still
of church study groups.) quite enjoyable (and full of Vulcan lore)
But Billias’ novel requires no preconcep- but not sufficiently distinctive to merit the
tions to be appreciated — merely the will- boost in format.
ingness to speculate. And as Dexter As for The Next Generation novels, an
Sinister remarks in closing, “on certain identity has yet to emerge. Diane Carey’s
Fridays now, I, who am not Jewish, go to Ghost Ship (Pocket, $3.95) is simply ill-

66 JANUARY 1989
advised; publishing schedules apparently maintains a much lower profile in the this second book’s depth will startle read-
required its completion before the TV Realms’ affairs — but the sage’s presence is ers expecting no more than the lightly
character relationships were fully set, and hardly a disadvantage. satiric tone of her earlier novel.
editing is sloppy — the new series estab- The chief problem with Lloyd Arthur
lishes Warp 10 as a new “light barrier,” but Eschbach’s Gates of Lucifer series is that Truth in advertising
the novel still acknowledges objects travel- the volumes are so widely spaced. Other- The mass-market edition of Deborah
ing at nearly Warp 15. The Peacekeepers wise, The Sorceress of Scath (Del Rey, Turner Harris’ The Gauntlet of Malice (Tor,
(Pocket, $3.95), though truer to the televi- $3.50) is a worthwhile addition to this $3.50) quotes this column on its front
sion characters, faces the problem of relatively quiet but well-crafted sequence cover — but the quote describes the pre-
squeezing them all into one story. involving Scotsman Alan MacDougall and a vious book in the trilogy, not the one to
Elizabeth Moon continues the adven- mysterious set of lost worlds. Eshbach has which it’s attached, and doesn’t accurately
tures of female mercenary Paksenarrion a knack for constructing clever magical reflect the comments made about Gauntlet
in Divided Allegiance (Baen, $3.95), and props, and this novel showcases several in this space. That’s not good marketing
the results are both impressive and unset- good examples. practice, and Tor Books should know
tling. Paks gains notably in experience, Meanwhile, Simon Hawke continues the better.
wisdom, and wealth, but just as her desti- adventures of Wyrdrune, Kira and
ny seems brightest, she becomes the tar- Modred in The Wizard of Whitechapel As always, comments and suggestions
get of mysterious evil forces, and the book (Questar, $3.95). This time the setting is are welcome, though I can’t promise to
ends on an extremely odd note. Moon also London, and the plot involves werewolves reply personally to all correspondence.
provides an invaluable amount of lore on and a latter-day Jack the Ripper. Unfortu- Letters (and books for possible review)
the care and creation of paladins. nately, most readers will be as disgusted should be addressed to:
Spellfire (TSR, $3.95) proves what read- with this novel as Merlin is with the plot
ers have suspected about Ed Greenwood device Hawke uses to resurrect the wiz- John C. Bunnell
for years: that he is a skilled storyteller ard. The series (more books appear inevi- 3728 SE 39th Avenue #4
who can handle a far-ranging narrative table) seems to be moving downhill fast. Portland OR 97202
very well indeed. The plots and counter- Much better, if only peripherally con-
plots in this FORGOTTEN REALMS™ novel nected to the gaming world, is Mary Moni-
are numerous, but the focus remains on ca Pulver’s prequel to Murder At the War,
Shandril and Narm, a pair of young adven- which features policeman Peter Brichter
turers caught up in a web of magic and and Kori Price. The Unforgiving Minutes
intrigue. Readers may be surprised to find (St. Martin’s, $17.95) still manages to give a
Elminster of Shadowdale involving himself walk-on part to the SCA, and is a first-class
rather openly in this adventure — pre- murder mystery besides. Pulver is becom-
vious material would have us believe he ing a sensitive and powerful writer, and

DRAGON 67
by Mary Kirchoff

The
Game Wizards
Some novel ideas from TSR Books

TSR published its first novel five years ago. We’ve come a long way in a short
time, and our 1989 book line is top-notch. We will have a DRAGONLANCE® saga
trilogy that brings back favorite heroes — Raistlin and Caramon, Tasslehoff and
Flint, and Kitiara and Sturm — and documents their adventures during the five
years before the best-selling DRAGONLANCE Chronicles. Bold new FORGOT
TEN REALMS™ books will add to the best-selling stories begun in 1987 and
1988. Witty, fascinating, and poignant books will appear in the imaginative
TSR™ Books line. Science-fiction stories on the cutting edge by noteworthy SF
writers will also be released in 1989 as part of the BUCK ROGERS™ line. These
books are listed alphabetically herein by product line, so you can easily locate
your favorite works and their release months.

DRAGONLANCE® Preludes
In A.D. 2456, the legend of Buck Rogers DRAGONLANCE saga fans will be happy
lives on in a colonized Solar System where to see a return to the beloved characters
Earth is a polluted ruin whose meager. and tone of the DRAGONLANCE Chronicles
resources are exploited by an evil corpora- and DRAGONLANCE Legends trilogies.
tion from Mars. In the midst of this 25th- In the April release novel by Paul
century battlefield, an artifact is found in Thompson and Tonya Carter, Darkness
the asteroid belt — one valuable enough to and Light, readers will finally hear of the
ignite a revolution, be a bargaining chip in travels of Kitiara and Sturm before the
solar diplomacy, or bring a fortune to its meeting at the Inn of the Last Home at the
owner. The artifact is none other than the beginning of DRAGONLANCE Chronicles.
perfectly preserved body of the 20th- Sturm sets off to find news of his father;
century hero, Buck Rogers. Kit comes along for the adventure. Along
Rebellion 2456, the first in the Martian the way, they stumble upon a flying vessel
Wars trilogy, will be released in May. Buck piloted by 12 gnomes who offer them a
Rogers joins NEO, a group of freedom ride to Solamnia, but the group ends up on
fighters dedicated to ridding Earth of the Lunitari during a war. Eventually escaping
controlling Martian megacorporation to Krynn, Sturm and Kitiara admit their
RAM. NEO’s goal is to gain enough of a attraction for each other.
following to destroy RAM’s Earth space On the lighter side, Kendermore, an
station. If they fail, the war may end August book by Mary Kirchoff, has Tassle-
before it’s begun. hoff Burrfoot collared by a lady bounty
In the August release, Hammer of Mars, hunter and charged with violating the
BUCK ROGERS™ Books NEO ignores RAM’s threats and sends kender laws of prearranged marriage. To
This year, TSR is introducing the first of Buck Rogers to Venus to strike an alliance. ensure his return, Kendermore’s council
its BUCK ROGERS™ books — an anthology A furious RAM makes good on its threats has his Uncle Trapspringer in prison. Tas
by outstanding science-fiction writers, and sends its armada against a nearly meets the last woolly mammoth and an
including Robert Sheckley and Jerry defenseless Earth. alchemist who wants to pickle one of
Oltion, and a novel trilogy by M. S. Mur- Armageddon Off Vesta, the conclusion to everything, including one kender. What no
dock. In March, Arrival introduces old and the Martian Wars trilogy, will be released one knows is that the Dark Queen is incit-
new BUCK ROGERS characters. In A.D. in October. Martian troops speed to Earth ing the riots in Kendermore as part of her
1995, an American pilot flies a suicide in unprecedented numbers. Earth’s surviv- plan for the battle of good versus evil.
mission against an enemy Space Defense al depends on Buck’s negotiations with Brothers Majere, a December book by
Platform to save the world from nuclear Venus. But even as Venus considers offer- best-selling author Rose Estes, reveals the
war. Anthony “Buck” Rogers blasts his ing aid to Earth, Mercury is poised to origins of the love/hate relationship of the
target and vanishes in a blaze of glory. attack Venus. brothers Caramon and Raistlin as devel-

68 JANUARY 1989
oped in the first two trilogies. Caramon, Book Two, Tantras, is a July release.
distraught over his ailing mother, reluc- Falsely convicted of the murder of Elmin-
tantly allows her to die. Unable to forgive ster, the heroes are forced to escape the
his brother, or himself for his inability to dungeons of Shadowdale. On the way to
save her with his magic, Raistlin agrees to Tantras, the party is split over what to do
pursue their mother’s last wish, unaware with the tablets once they are recovered,
that they are all pawns in a power strug and Cyric is drawn into the service of the
gle between the gods of good and evil. evil Zhentarim. Will Midnight and the
forces of good beat Cyric and his evil army
FORGOTTEN REALMS™ Books to Tantras and recover the first tablet?
FORGOTTEN REALMS setting fans will In Book Three, Waterdeep, a September
be happy to see six new novels in this release, the companions flee the wrath of
series in 1989. In the conclusion to Doug the gods to the enchanted city of Water-
Niles’s Moonshae trilogy, Darkwell, a deep, where they believe the last tablet is
March release, the heroes of the first two hidden. However, one of the heroes has
books are back. Robyn must exert her cast his lot with the evil gods, and he
growing druidic powers as never before, wants Midnight for her powers. His deni-
and Tristan must exercise his leadership zens await the heroes at every turn, and
skills with untried wisdom if they are to the mysterious power inside Midnight
defeat political clerics, undead armies, and threatens to annihilate them all when they
the horror of Bhaal himself. But Bhaal has least expect it.
wrought havoc even in their relationship. Pool of Radiance, a November book by
They must decide if they will face the James M. Ward, is the novelization of SSI’s
future as king and queen — or as enemies, computer module of the same name.
forever separated by failure and mistrust. Located on the northern shore of the
R. A. Salvatore’s second book in the best- Moonsea, the fabled city of Phlan has been
selling Icewind Dale trilogy will be overrun by monsters driven by a mysteri-
released in January. In Streams of Silver ous leader. Five companions find them-
Wulfgar the barbarian, Bruenor the selves in the unenviable position of
dwarf, Drizzt the dark elf, and Regis the defending the soon-to-be ghost town
halfling search for Bruenor’s birthplace, against ‘a rival possessing incredible power.
the legendary Mithril Hall.
Richard Awlinson’s Avatar Trilogy will TSRTM Books
take readers through an entire three-book Authors on the slate for TSR’s newest
saga in one year. In May’s release, Shadow- line of science-fiction and fantasy books
dale, three adventurers, desperate to include Hugo Award-winning artist and
escape the dark elements of their pasts, author Phil Foglio; Ardath Mayhar, who
search for a magic-user to round out their has written science fiction and fantasy for
group. Unfortunately, the one they find is Daw, Ace, Doubleday, and Atheneum; and
destined to lead the group into greater Nick O’Donohoe, whose Nathan Phillips stories and the DRAGONLANCE novel
trouble than they were in before. Mid- mystery series has received widespread Stormblade.
night is no ordinary magic-user; she was acclaim (as have his DRAGONLANCE saga Ardath Mayhar’s and Ron Fortier’s novel,
recently infused with god-level magical short stories). Monkey Station, is a June release. A custo-
abilities — at a time when the entire pan- In Nick Pollotta’s and Phil Foglio’s Febru- dian’s error sends a deadly, mutating
theon of gods has been kicked out of its ary release, Illegal Aliens, aliens arrive on plague across the globe. Furthermore, it’s
planes because of some missing tablets. Earth intent on picking up some “guinea traveling so fast that the civilized world
The plot thickens when Midnight and her pigs” for study. It just happens that they can do nothing to stop it. Isolated in the
companions are accused of the murder of land in Central Park and that their speci- tropical rain forests of South America,
Elminster, the most powerful mage in the mens are members of the Bloody Deckers, researchers doing genetic experiments on
Realms. a ruthless New York City street gang. monkeys find that they’ve made the maca-
Chaos erupts over the intergalactic inci- ques evolve faster — and one of the test
dent, and the U.N. First Contact Team and specimens can talk!
the Space Marines only make matters A new GREYHAWK® Adventures novel
worse. This one-of-a-kind, science-fiction by Rose Estes will be published in August.
comedy thriller is full of wondrous techno- In The Eyes Have It, a blind elven king
logical marvels, uncharted planetary sys- looks for revenge and a rock that he
tems, mutants, warobots, and advanced believes can restore his sight. Meanwhile,
and retrograde life-forms. the lord of the dragons is planning an
In Nancy Berberick’s The Jewels of environmental cleanup that will restore
Elvish, an April book, a growing threat in his kingdom to its former splendor — that
the north forces the Elvish and Mannish is, free of elves, dwarves, halflings, cities,
races into an alliance, and the Elvish prin- roads, and villages. Into this stumbles a
cess is wed to the Mannish prince. To the group of unwitting heroes.
marriage, Nikia brings her strange, magi- October’s Too, Too Solid Flesh has a
cal ways and an ancient family heirloom, wonderfully imaginative theme. An inven-
the Ruby of Guyaire. In the lands of the tor creates a troupe of acting androids to
Mannish, amid strange customs and ene- appear on college campuses to perform
mies, she struggles to make both her mar- Hamlet. When their inventor is killed, the
riage and the tenuous alliance a reality. thespian androids must solve the crime.
But when the ruby is stolen, its true worth Susan Olan’s The Earth Remembers
is discovered. Nancy Berberick is the rounds out the 1989 TSR Books line in
author of four DRAGONLANCE saga short December. In this book, Texas and Mexico

DRAGON 69
 are ancient history — part of a mythology
born in a distant past, with stories of
heroes, saints, and gods with names like
Cuauhtemoc, Cilla, Crocket, Zapata, and
Quetzalcoatl. Thousands of years in the
future, Pecos Territory, once a part of
ancient Texas, has been conquered and
enslaved — but the past and the dream of
liberty are kept alive in the myths and the
land itself. Cimarron and Angelina, a cou-
ple drawn together by a passion that tran-
scends this lifetime, join with a giant who
is a throwback to an ancient race, a
Comanche warrior, and the mutated
descendant of a dinosaur to challenge an
army and destiny itself.

CATACOMBS™ Books
In CATACOMBS books, the reader cre-
ates and guides his own adventure by
exploring the items and avenues of his
choosing from 30-plus full-page illustra-
tions. In Allen Varney’s FORGOTTEN
REALMS™ solo adventure book (due for
release in May), artist George Barr’s sensa-
tional illustrations bring the reader face-
to-face with the creepiest creatures in
Waterdeep. The reader plays the part of
an undead paladin who must take on the
undead of the North and find pieces of a
magical staff.
Troy Denning’s August book, Foul Play at
Fool’s Summit, places the reader in the
TOP SECRET/S.I.™ game setting. Web
agents have infiltrated several world-class
ski teams which will compete in races at
the legendary Fools Summit. The reader/
adventurer is an agent from the Orion
Foundation. He knows who the plants are,
but he doesn’t know Web’s plans.

Other fantasy products

The 1990 FORGOTTEN REALMS™ Calen-
dar will be available in May. Focusing on
the Realms’ many cities of enchantment,
the 1990 calendar contains 13 poster-
quality reproductions of paintings by
renowned fantasy artists Jeff Butler, Clyde
Caldwell, Jeff Easley, Larry Elmore, and
Jim Holloway.
September will see the release of The
Art of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®
Fantasy Game, Book II. This full-color, 128-
page edition will display the best covers
and interior art from recent TSR fantasy
products, including the works of top fanta-
sy artists Clyde Caldwell, Jeff Easley, Larry
Elmore, and Keith Parkinson.

BUCK ROGERS is a trademark used under license from

The Dille Family Trust.

70 JANUARY 1989
 ©1988 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser stoned — there are rocks on each world
that would like nothing better than to see
your onscreen character turned into a
pancake. Rockford is thoroughly enjoyable

The
and will entertain players for hours. This
game is also available for Commodore
Amiga and 64/128, Atari 8-bit, and IBM

Role of
micros and compatible machines. The
Atari ST and Commodore Amiga versions
are graphically superior to other formats.
And then comes AAARGH! How is it
possible that a company that develops

Computers
such fine programs as those already men-
tioned can produce such a worthless pro-
gram as this one? The Amiga version
allows you to become either a giant lizard
or fearsome ogre. You use the joystick to
cause these creatures to eat people, burn
inhabited dwellings, and fight off other
marauding monsters; should your crea-
ture lose in battle to giant flying mosquitos
New games for the new year or succumb to cannon fire, there is a
rather bloody dismemberment scene as
your monster is torn to shreds. Your objec-
tive is to collect giant rocs’ eggs, which
means fighting another monster. Eventu-
ment for one or two players. You drive ally, you must find a golden egg in a volca-
Computer-game ratings what is known as a Battlesphere — an no and have a final battle to win the game.
ovoid, mobile weapon used to remove This game is boring, violent without pur-
x Not recommended destructive debris from the spaceways pose, and lacks a solid plot. We hope
* Poor between the moons of the planet Arma- AAARGH! is not a portent of future pro-
** Fair geddon. However, the magnetic side panels grams coming from Arcadia.
*** Good that keep vehicles on the spaceways are
**** Excellent going nuts; some panels can not only delay Epyx, Inc.
***** Superb but completely destroy a Battlesphere. 600 Galveston Drive
Armed with a laser cannon and a protec- P.O. Box 8020
tive shield, you and a partner do your Redwood City CA 94063
Arcadia utmost to ensure the stability of the space- (415) 366-0606
(distributed by Electronic Arts) ways. We found the two-player mode the
Dive Bomber ****½
(415) 571-7171 most successful for Roadwars and, despite
slow program response to joystick com- Atari ST version $39.95
Roadwars ***½ mands, worked up a sweat with this offer- Play Action VCR California
Games ****
Commodore Amiga version $34.99 ing. The game is also available for Atari ST ****
Rockford ****½ and Commodore 64/128 users. Play Action VCR Golf
Play Action VCR Football **
Atari ST version $29.99 Rockford is great! This action-packed
Head-On Baseball ***½
AAARGH! X arcade game more than equals its coin-op
Head-On Football ***½
Commodore Amiga version $34.99 counterpart, Boulder Dash. The game has
Three programs have been rushed to four difficulty levels, 80 screens, digitized All VCR games are $49.95
the market from Arcadia. Two are worth sound effects, and crisp graphics. You visit Epyx has released a series of video-
purchasing, but the third is not. five worlds on a treasure hunt, but you cassette- and audio cassette-based sports
Roadwars presents arcade-quality excite- must collect the treasures without getting games that are quite enjoyable. But first,
the software review. Dive Bomber on the
Atari ST is fantastic! The object of this
two-disk game is to pilot a Grumman
Avenger and hunt for the German battle-
Dive Bomber: Giving
ship Bismarck — but getting there is more
the Bismarck its than half the fun. Before you can even
good-bye kiss. think of going off into the night sky to
search for the German battleship, you’ve
got to learn to fly the aircraft. The graph-
ics are awesome, and the digitized sound
is extremely realistic. You use a mouse on
the Atari ST or Commodore Amiga ver-
sions to make your menu selections and
fly the plane. Taking off and landing on
the aircraft carrier Ark Royal is tense —
especially landing!
Several screens are employed. The Pilot’s
Screen is used to fly the plane, with such
controls as the brake, vertical speed, artifi-
cial horizon, and torpedo release. The
Engineer’s Screen is used to select fuel
72 JANUARY 1989
tanks and to set the fuel mixture and
throttle. The Navigator’s Screen shows a Zork Zero: The
map of the surrounding area and the decline and fall of
locations of enemy aircraft and ships. The the Great
Tail Gunner’s Screen shows the enemy Underground
aircraft attacking your dive bomber from Empire.
the rear, where they can be machine-
gunned. The player’s manual contains
superb tips for flying your Avenger.
This is a most satisfying offering from
Epyx and will require many hours of play
to reach success. Four missions are select-
ed by drawing straws during the opening
game sequence. ST owners should defin-
itely hunt this game down! This game is
also available for Apple II, C64/128, and
IBM micro and compatible systems.
The VCR offerings from Epyx each con-
sist of a videocassette, game board, and
playing pieces. The California Games
product, our favorite, finds as many as six
players involved in a road race from
northern California to San Diego — but
you don’t have any money when you start BattleTech:
the game. By engaging in various contests Gun-to-gun with the
throughout the state (surfing, skate- steel titans.
boarding, rollerskating, sailboarding,
bodyboarding, and BMX), you earn cash.
There are three locations on the California
Interstate Freeways that each require a
toll of $100. If you aren’t successful at
your sports events, you don’t win money,
without which you cannot go south and
win the game.
By rolling a die, you determine the num-
ber of spaces your playing piece moves on
the game board, which is a map of Califor-
nia with designated contest sites, areas of
trouble (road out, mud slides, etc.) and
positive karma spots (find a sponsor and
get $10). When you land on a contest
space, the videocassette is played and a
California Game is shown onscreen with
appropriate background music (usually
the Beach Boys). You watch a short clip of
an event and, should you succeed at the
Shogun: Surviving
event, the tape tells you how much money the shipwreck is the
you’ve won. If you lose, you pay the bank.
easy part.
The videocassette tells you when to pause
the tape so that you don’t get a preview of
the next event. However, after playing the
game several times, it gets to the point
where you can pretty much guess what
the next event will be. Some of the taped
events are so spectacular that you never
forget them! That’s the only drawback,
and if you play with several people, the
odds are that you won’t truly recall every
event until you’ve played it often — and
that could be months in the future!
The VCR Golf Game is next best in the
series, as it has a four-screen view of
differing golf shots that are applied to the
board, which itself is one of several
famous golf course holes. Although not statistics as to its success or not. Most Mindscape Inc.
much in the way of skill is required to play passing plays have a video-based play that 3444 Dundee Road
this offering, it is at least entertaining. The is shown on your TV, with the results (in Northbrook IL 60062
football version is not as good, as the plays yardage gained or lost) shown onscreen. (800) 221-9884
you think you’ve called are not always The audio cassette games are quite enjoy
shown onscreen. However, a clever red- able and can be played wherever a tape PowerPlayers Joystick *****
filter system is employed on the game card cassette player is found. All in all, Epyx See below $29.95
to allow each play to be judged by game should find success with these offerings. Many times, we overlook an item
DRAGON 73
 responsible for much of our software
Zak McKracken and gaming enjoyment — namely, the input/
the Alien output device, the most common of which
Mindbenders: The is the computer keyboard. However,
title says it ail. adventure and arcade games usually
require that the player use a joystick or
mouse to perform onscreen movement.
We’ve found the perfect joystick for use
with software for the Atari d-bit and ST
and the Commodore 64/128 and Amiga:
the PowerPlayers Joystick, distributed by
Mindscape. It is rather unusual when first
viewed. Usually, the player holds the joy-
stick above a base platform, with one or
two buttons placed on the platform for
firing procedures. The PowerPlayers
Joystick requires the player to hold a
handle below the platform, much as some
of the earlier “shoot ‘em up” arcade games
required. Inserted into the comfortable
handle is an ultrasensitive trigger that
handles all firing activities. Your hand
need never leave the joystick itself —
which is placed above the platform and
has a steel shaft with smooth pivoting,
thanks to its ball-bearing construction. We
noted comfortable use by both right- and
left-handed players. Even better was the
long cable that allowed us to jump up
from our chairs with only momentary
thought given to pulling the entire com-
Zak McKracken puter system from its table. This joystick is
On the IBM . . . highly recommended and appears able to
handle being accidentally slammed against
the table, high drops, cord entanglements,
and so forth.

Origin Systems, Inc.

136 Harvey Road, Building B
Londonderry NH 03053
(603) 644-3360

Moebius: The Orb Of Celestial

Harmony

Apple Macintosh version $39.95

****½
Apple Macintosh II color version $39.95
As unusual a fantasy role-playing game
as you’ll ever experience, the Macintosh II
color version of Moebius is phenomenal!
We’ve played the other computer versions
of-this adventure offering and enjoyed all,
but the Macintosh II version leaves the
others behind as far as screen presenta-
Zak McKracken:
tion. Knowing that not everyone has a Mac
. . . and on the II, it is only fair to say that if you have not
Commodore 64/128. experienced the Mac II version, the other
formats are still above average in playabili-
ty. The 9” screen of the regular black-and-
white Macintosh does not give justice to
the graphics environment of the game. But
with the Mac II, you experience a world in
vivid color that brings far more detail
onscreen, allowing the player to see the
approaching tiger or guards in time to
prepare a proper defense.
The object of the adventure is to recover
the stolen Orb of Celestial Harmony. Your
character can only start his quest after
being trained in martial arts (unarmed and
with sword), and increasing his mortality

74 JANUARY 1989
(Body), mental prowess (Mind), Karma, and the arcade version, except for the graphics cannot be classified as a game. It’s a fully
Dexterity. The success of Karma develop- shown when fighting the alien bosses at illustrated science-fiction novel written to
ment is totally dependent upon your skill the close of each level. Guardians in the a software disk, from Berserker Works
with either the keyboard or joystick (or home version do not construct aliens as in Limited: Sign of the Wolf, by writer Fred
mouse on the Mac) as you attempt to the coin-op version; they only shoot at Saberhagen. The graphics are extremely
maintain Karma within certain bounda- you. Lastly, the robots in the original game well done, considering its C64 8-bit envi-
ries, a difficult feat to accomplish. Once are not available in the home version. ronment, and the story lives up to Mr.
you have been successfully trained, you go Alien Syndrome is good if you are look- Saberhagen’s reputation. This is a must
off to rescue the land. There are encoun- ing for an original game for your SEGA read for any science-fiction enthusiast.
ters, treasures, missile and magical com- Entertainment System. However, if you The book appears page by page onscreen
bats, a fully animated combat system recall the coin-op version and enjoyed it, with the attendant illustrations. This is a
allowing fights with opponents onscreen, this translation will not satisfy your yearn- surprisingly entertaining way to read the
and a constantly changing playing field. ings for a similar game. There are many novel. Other Saberhagen-authored soft-
This Oriental adventure game is hard to other games for the SEGA system of better ware includes Wizard War, an interactive
master and will require considerable prac- quality than this offering, which appears fantasy game co-written with Lloyd John-
tice. You will learn much even as you fail. to have been made rather quickly. son, and Berserker Raids. The latter is
Fortunately, a save-game feature is based on the Berserker science fiction
employed, so you can always restart the Spectrum HoloByte series that has been read over the past 20
quest at a point before your last death. 2061 Challenger Drive years by millions of readers. In the latter
This is a novel, innovative, and enjoyable Alameda CA 94501 offering, there are 10 scenarios dealing
adventure game. (415) 522-3584 with the fight against the space-going war
machines. These offerings, for IBM micros
SEGA of America, Inc. Solitaire Royale ***** and compatibles and C64/128 computers,
573 Forbes Boulevard Apple Macintosh II version $34.95 are published by Baen Software.
South San Francisco CA 94080 Commodore Amiga version $29.95
(800) USA-SEGA (toll free, outside Calif.) Tetris *****
(415) 742-9300 (within Calif.) Apple Macintosh version $34.95 News and new products
(distributed by Tonka Corporation) also available for IBM and C64/128)
Solitaire Royale is, bar none, the finest Datasoft
Alien Syndrome ** solitaire card-game simulation ever seen (distributed by Electronic Arts)
price n/a on any computer. The card colors and (415) 571-7171
Alien Syndrome is the official adaptation card-back designs are dazzling, the digi-
Datasoft continues its new product
of the coin-op arcade game to the SEGA tized sound of shuffling extremely realis-
release parade with Napoleon in Russia —
system. In the arcade game, you play a tic, and with eight solitaire games included
Borodino 1812. This is a new strategic
warrior whose mission is to rescue hos- on the disk, the game contains hundreds
tages trapped in various alien-infested of hours of entertainment. If you enjoy
spaceships. As you move through the solitaire or any computerized card game,
spaceships, the screen shows an overhead Solitaire Royale is an offering you should
view of different, mazelike rooms. There seriously consider adding to your software
are weapons and robots called “options” library.
available in the various ships that help We have already reviewed other system
hold the aliens at bay while you conduct formats of Tetris. We now have the Macin-
your rescue. Maps can be found which aid tosh version and have found it to be just as
in finding your trapped comrades. Aliens good, if not better, than the other versions.
chase you only if you enter rooms that The reason? Now, scored music by Ed
they have made their homes, and they are Bogus (famous for the Studio Session and
manufactured by guardians that require Jam Session Studio Mac music synthesis
several shots to eliminate. An exit at the software) enhances game play, there is a
end of each ship allows you to move on to six-player tournament mode as well as an
the next one. This action, however, pits advanced player mode, and a Desk Acces-
you against an alien boss that must be sory version comes as part of the package
destroyed before you can move on to the and allows you to play Tetris even when
next game level. All of these objectives other applications are running. This
must be accomplished as a timer-detonator means that if you get tired of word proc-
runs down. If the timer ever reaches zero, essing or number crunching, you can
your character is killed and the game simply call up the Tetris D/A and relax
ends. while learning how to maneuver shapes
The SEGA home version of Alien Syn- into correct positions for higher and high-
drome lacks some of the qualities that er scores. Additionally, for those lucky
allowed its arcade counterpart to draw in enough to possess a Macintosh II, Tetris
the coin-op players. Only three weapons comes in a color version as well. There is
are available to you in the SEGA version: a no question that this game, developed by
fireball, a laser, and a short-range pistol. Russians and enhanced by Spectrum Holo-
The home game is only for a single player, bite, is an excellent purchase for any Mac-
and that takes some of the fun and excite- intosh gamer.
ment out. There are warps in the home
Berserker Works
version that allow you to teleport to differ-
P.O. Box 14268
ent areas on the ship, and question-mark
Albuquerque NM
icons that can make you invincible, but the
game lacks maps to show where the hos- Sign of the Wolf ***½
tages are imprisoned. The graphics on the Commodore 64/128 version price n/a
cartridge lack the high quality found in The following review is of software that

DRAGON 75
wargame for the C64/128, recreating the mate the qualities of his own personality, 1989, the price will be $39.95.
battle that led to the overthrow of Napo- such as honesty and busybody factors. The company is also releasing a compan-
leon. Players have complete control over With all questions based on a participant’s ion game to its Street Sports series. The
all battle elements, and scrolling battle moral point of view, many responses are new game on the block is Football, with a
maps have been recreated from Russian elicited. The program has been released playing field of dirt and concrete. You
military cartography. The price is $24.95; for the Atari ST at $39.95. select your team from the hoodlums of the
with a version also available for Atari 8-bit neighborhood and select plays from a
computers. Epyx, Inc. computerized playbook or design your
DataSoft has released Cosmic Relief: A new baseball simulation is going to be own action. The game is released for the
Professor Renegade to the Rescue. This is enroute to retailers soon. This new offer- C64/128, Apple II, Apple IIgs, Commodore
a graphics-rich adventure game that finds ing is The Sporting News Baseball, which Amiga, and IBM micros and compatibles,
the players transported backwards in time will feature truly realistic baseball action. at $39.95 for all formats.
40 years. Professor Renegade has found Epyx has also released The Games — Sum- Other new Epyx offerings for the Atari
an asteroid rocketing toward Earth, and mer Edition, officially licensed by the 1988 ST include: Technocop, in which players
he is the only one who can save the planet. U.S. Olympic Team. Set in Seoul, Korea, become part of the Enforcers, an elite
Unfortunately, he has disappeared, and this software simulation presents competi- police force, to thwart the international
the game players must find him so that the tion for one to eight players in spring crime family known as D.O.A. ($39.95);
good professor can build an asteroid board diving, uneven parallel bars, pole Tower Toppler, an action game in which
deflector. One of five famous international vaulting, spring cycling, hammer throw, eight towers rising from the ocean’s
adventurers is selected to help you find hurdles, archery, and rings. The offering depths must be destroyed ($39.95); and
him. This is available for the Commodore is for the Commodore Amiga and C64/128, Sports-A-Roni, a zany sports challenge
Amiga and Atari ST ($34.95) and C64/128 Apple II family and IIgs, IBM micros and including a pillow fight, a sack race, a
($24.95) computers. compatibles, and Apple Macintosh. The pole-vault competition, and a pole climb
price is $39.95 for all formats. (with olive oil!) in Italy ($24.95).
Electronic Arts Also from Epyx comes The Legend of
1820 Gateway Drive Blacksilver, wherein players must aid the Software Heaven/FTL Games
San Mateo CA 94404 beautiful Princess of Bantross by rescuing 6160 Lusk Boulevard, Suite C206
(415) 571-7171 her father from the evil Baron Taragas, P.O. Box 112489
One of EAs affiliated label companies is who himself is possessed by the mystical San Diego CA 92111
Virgin Games. That company has now mineral Blacksilver. Players will endure (619) 453-5711
released A Question Of Scruples, based on tests of skill, tackle vicious monsters, and In issue #136, we reviewed the phenom-
the popular SCRUPLES board game. The search for clues and objects to help in the enal Dungeon Master from FTL for Atari
player, with as many as nine human- or quest. For the C64/128, and for the Apple ST computers. Conversions for the Com-
computer-managed friends, must approxi- II and IBM micros and compatibles in modore Amiga and the Apple IIgs have
come out. FTL will also release a mini-
adventure for these three systems that is
really an add-on to the original Dungeon
Master game. This scenario will open up
new and deeper sections of the dungeon,
and players will be able to design their
characters any way they wish. This sce-
nario will include a mini-paint program.
Also being ported is FTL’s fantastic arcade
game, OIDS, for the Apple Macintosh.

Casady & Green, Inc.

P.O. Box 223779
Carmel CA 93922
(408) 624-8716
This company has released version 2.2
of CrystalQuest ($49.95), which in its new
format is the first arcade game released
that can take advantage of the color capa-
bilities of the Apple Macintosh II. It has
300K of incredible digitized sounds, plus
save- and resume-game features. The
CritterEditor ($79.95) will also be available,
which allows the user to make over 1,000
changes to the game’s colors, sounds,
shapes, and critter behavior. The user can
then save those changes in a parameter
file and play the games they have created
at a later date.

Infocom, Inc.
125 Cambridge Park Drive
Cambridge MA 02140
(617) 492-6000
Infocom has released Journey, starting a
new genre of interactive storytelling that
the company calls Role-Playing Chronicles.
In an illustrated world of dwarves, elves,

76 JANUARY 1989
nymphs, and wizards, players share the Lucasfilm Games sequences. This game will be released for
magical adventures of four characters as (distributed by Mediagenic) both the C64/128 and IBM micros and
they solve puzzles, overcome obstacles, P.O. Box 2009 compatibles. The second offering is
and explore unknown lands. You control San Rafael CA 94912 T.A.N.C., an acronym for Tactically Aware
the party’s actions while trying to defeat (415) 662-1966 Neural Cybertek. This game places the
the evil that has infested the land, Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindben- player in the role of an Artificially Intelli-
Zork fans will be delighted to know that ders is finally shipping! This is the latest in gent Cybertank, and it includes a program-
Infocom is releasing a prequel to the Zork a line of comedy thrillers for personal ming language and compiler that allow for
trilogy: Zork Zero. Epic in size and scope, computers. The lead character is a journal- creations as complex as the programmer
this game covers a century of time and ist, Zak McKracken, the creator of sensa- requires. Cybertanks can be saved to disk
explores the collapse of the Great Under- tional (but not always accurate) stories for and exchanged with other players, and
ground Empire. There are more than 200 the tabloid National Inquisitor. He has other players can even have a different
locations and as many puzzles as in the discovered that a worldwide stupidity computer system and still play with your
whole Zork Trilogy itself. This game also epidemic is really an extraterrestrial plot tank designs! The initial release will be for
incorporates the first graphic puzzles to to reduce everyone’s IQ to a single digit. Apple II computers, followed by IBM
ever appear in an Infocom title. The only folk he can find to help him stop micros and Macintosh versions in the
Another offering with expected high this insidious takeover are two Yale coeds spring of 1989 (no price established yet).
consumer zeal is Battle Tech, a revolution- and a spunky occultist. This is a cinematic
ary new role-playing adventure game adventure with 3-D environments, dramat- Paragon Software Corp.
based on the FASA Corporation’s BATTLE- ic “camera angles,” and colorful backdrops. 600 Rugh Street, Suite A
TECH™ game universe. This is the largest This game is available for IBM micros and Greensburg PA 15601
computer role-playing game ever compatibles ($44.95) and the C64/128 and (412) 838-1166
designed; there are over 4,000,000 loca- Apple II ($34.95). Paragon Software has signed an exclu-
tions which, if completely transversed, sive license agreement with Game Design-
might result in a reward at the close of the Mindscape Inc. er’s Workshop to bring that company’s
game! Spectacularly animated graphics Watch for a new Balance of Power — highly successful and classic science-
executed in the style of Japanese comics 1990! Written by Chris Crawford, this fiction TRAVELLER® game to the home
appear onscreen. You will feel as if you game of global power is said to be even computer. This game was originally
have been thrown into the middle of the better than his original offering. This released in 1977 and includes the chal-
battlefield, going head-to-head with an version is for the Apple Macintosh and lenges of unknown star systems, trade and
enemy BattleMech. costs $49.95. Mindscape is also converting piracy, governments and politics, bizarre
James Clavell’s Shogun is yet another the most popular SEGA game cartridges human and alien cultures, and fast-action
Infocom release. An adaptation of the into versions for C64/128, Commodore combat with futuristic weaponry. Since its
novel by Zork author Dave Lebling, this Amiga, and Atari ST computers. The first introduction, the TRAVELLER game has
game relies upon the player’s ability to release will be the popular Out Run
think and make decisions as Blackthorne ($49.95 for all versions).
would, rather than on solving complex
puzzles. Shogun takes you into a. world New World Computing, Inc.
rich in history and culture, with the (distributed by Mediagenic)
graphics presented in traditional 16th- P.O. Box 2068
century Japanese style. Van Nuys CA 91404
These games are, or will be, available for (818) 785-0519 (tech support)
the Apple Macintosh, Apple II and IIgs, Jon Van Caneghem, president of New
IBM micros and compatibles, Atari ST, and World, has indicated that Might and Magic
Commodore Amiga and C64/128 systems, II will soon be released for the Apple II
at $49.95 for all formats. computer family. He has also signed a
licensing agreement with Starcraft in
Koei Corporation Japan, which will simultaneously convert
20000 Mariner Avenue, Suite 100 and release that game there, as well as
Torrance CA 90503 manage the conversions of all New World
(213) 542-6444 entertainments to Japanese versions.
Koei has dedicated its product line to Currently, Might and Magic is available for
IBM microcomputers, with each program IBM micros and compatibles, the Tandy
capable of utilizing either EGA or CGA computer and its compatibles (with sup-
video boards. The Koei line encompasses port for EGA video boards), the C64/128,
Oriental adventures, such as Nobunaga’s and the Apple II and Macintosh. Might and
Ambition and Romance of the Three King- Magic was the Beastie Award winner
doms, that are conversions of Japanese named in last month’s issue. New World
software games. Both are historical simula- Computing has also acquired Task Force
tion games. The first offering takes place Games, best known for its STAR FLEET
in 16th-century Japan, the latter in China’s BATTLES and STAR FIRE games, as well as
second century. Koei games are historical- distributing the City Book and Traps Book
ly accurate and are similar in approach to series of role-playing game aids.
both role-playing games and strategic
wargames. These games feature high- Origin Systems, Inc.
quality animation and graphics as well as Two exciting new games are scheduled
large databases of game information. Each to be released by this leading software
comes with detailed historical notes, refer- entertainment company, responsible for
ences, and necessary maps. The suggested the Ultima FRP adventure series. The first
retail price of these games is $59.95 each. new offering is Times Of Lore ($39.95),
Also out is Genghis Khan, for IBM micros which expands upon the company’s
and compatibles, Khan, a simulation game superb interactive character environments
based on this warlord. and adds the excitement of arcade combat
DRAGON 77
 sold 250,000 units worldwide. Paragon’s Rainbird Software has also released The Bard’s Tale II (Interplay)
first TRAVELLER computer adventure Starglider II, a fast-paced entertainment My clue concerns the Destiny Knight,
series will focus in a sparsely settled area game that combines spectacular graphics, who is by far the most powerful player
of the Imperium called the Spinward digitized sound effects, and smooth anima- character in this scenario. He cannot die
Marches. The Marches are fertile ground tion for the Amiga and Atari ST com- from most wounds, and his spell and hit
for powerful adventures, surrounded with puters, with an MSDOS version as well. points regenerate as well. However, he is
unfriendly cultures. The game will be This is the sequel to the highly acclaimed vulnerable to stonings, possessions, and
developed for the IBM PC and Commodore Starglider that was released in 1986. Play- withering, and poison can kill him if his
Amiga, and the first adventure will be ers control Icarus, a spaceship complete points are allowed to fall to zero. I have
released in March 1989. with a unique 3-D instrument panel and found that by decreasing his hit points to
sophisticated weaponry. During this inter- the lowest level, he can escape such dam-
Rainbird Software planetary battle, players destroy Egron age. Also, store an extra supply of the
(distributed by Mediagenic) patrol craft and rescue alien colonies seven segments as they are molded into
P.O. Box 2227 under Egron attack. The game possesses the Sceptre upon the Archmage’s transfor-
Menlo Park CA 94025 fast and solid 3-D graphics and animation mation. This is helpful if you want one,
(415) 322-0412 to give an incredibly realistic feeling of two, three, or more Destiny Knights.
Carrier Command has been released for flight. Stunning sound effects and multiple John Garris
the Commodore Amiga, Atari ST and controls and game options enhance game Denver, Colo.
Apple Macintosh ($44.951, IBM micros and play. The price is $44.95. Watch for a
compatibles ($39.95), and C64/128 com- review soon! In Oscon’s Fortress, you can only take
puters ($34.95). In the year 2166, fossil four adventurers into the Snare; this is
fuels and essential industrial metals have Strategic Simulations, Inc. because you have to have three statues
been found in an area of volcanic islands (distributed by Electronic Arts) join your party. The statues are Rock,
in the Southern Ocean. These are the 1046 North Rengstorff Avenue Paper, and Scissor, and they must be in
rarest commodities in the modern world. Mountain View CA 94043-1716 that order. In the Grey Crypt, the answer
The carrier ACC Omega has fallen under (415) 964-1353 to the Sphinx’s question is “Wise One.”
enemy control, and your carrier must not Battles of Napoleon has been released. Lastly, in the Maze of Dread, when the
only populate as many of these rich This is an advanced wargame and con- man appears in a puff of smoke, answer
islands as possible, but must also slow the struction set for Apple II and C64/128 his question by entering “red” backwards
enemy’s rate of progress and fight for computers. It allows players to simulate to get the Sword of Zar!
victory. You control four aircraft and four practically any Napoleonic engagement on Aaron Pauley
amphibious vehicles, all-with offensive and a detailed tactical level. The players can Demotte, Ind.
defensive weaponry. There are 64 islands use the computer to generate random
and 3-D solid-filled scrolling and special maps and modify them, or start from The Bard’s Tale III (Interplay)
effects. scratch by building maps square-by- To obtain the best possible scores, hit
square. You can also create armies or points, and spell points for your mages
adjust the armies provided to suit personal when starting this game — and if you have
specifications. The price is $49.95. in your possession The Bard’s Tale I and II
— I recommend the following. When you
transfer your characters from either BTI
Clue corner or BTII to BTIII, go to Skara Brae. Find the
Old Man and, after he gives you your first
Alternate Reality: The City (Datasoft) quest, change classes. If transferring from
I have found out that this program is BTII, this only works with a single mage;
different for the Apple Macintosh than for make one of your BTIII mages a Chrono-
other versions. When playing the other mancer. If transferring from BTI, make
versions, you can’t get any type of job in one mage a Chronomancer and one an
the city, join any of the unions, or learn or Archmage (provided that mage meets the
cast spells. Additionally, the command to requirements for that class). After you
offer an item is not on the chart, and there complete your quest, they will instantly be
is no reason not to kill everything as there advanced to 35th level, as will any of your
is no reason to worry about alignments. characters who have not yet attained this
[The writer played the Apple IIe version level.
and adds that the game would be of inter- Cody Sims
est to players who enjoyed The Bard’s Tale, Address unknown
but “the only problem is that the Apple II
version is just a hack and slash game.”] Our address for comments, questions,
Robert Speicher and Beastie Award ballots for 1989 (please
Buffalo Grove, Ill. include the name of the system with each
vote for a computer game) is:
Might and Magic (New World
Computing) Hartley and Patricia Lesser
If you have extra gold, you can change it 179 Pebble Place
for experience points in Dragadune. Never San Ramon CA 94583
release a chained lady, just kiss her. If you
want to speak to King Alarnar, agree with We sincerely wish all DRAGON® Maga-
any Druids you might happen to meet. A zine readers the happiest and best gaming
fast way to get under the City of Gold is in year they have ever experienced in 1989!
the Weeping Woods, and also give a help- Computer gaming technology continues to
ing hand in the Dead Swamp. forge ahead, and we’ll continue offering
Harry Moren our insight into these exciting environ-
Teaneck, N.J. ments. Game on!
78 JANUARY 1989
 horses for so long that it is practically a
© science in itself. Horse coloration is
1988 by Karen S. Garvin divided into five basic groups: black,

Through
brown, chestnut, bay, and gray. An enor-
mous range of variations exists within
each group, and the difference between
two colors may sometimes be so subtle
that horsemen often find themselves argu-
ing about what color a horse actually is.
When preparing a horse miniature for
painting, white primer is recommended
over red primer; it is harder to cover up

the the red primer with a light color such as

white, and it is easy to mistake the red for

Looking
an actual color, especially when you’re
painting the horse a reddish brown. If you
are going to give your horse white mark-
ings, paint them so that you are not trying
to cover up a dark color with white.

Glass
The five basic colors for horses are
described below.
Black: Coal black and raven black are
two variations of this color. A coal-black
horse has a dull coat that reflects little
light. To accomplish this effect, use a matte
sealer on the horse after painting. Raven
A horse of a different color black, on the other hand, is very shiny and
often shows green or purple highlights. To
get this effect, wash the horse with a deep
blue-purple after painting, and finish with
a gloss sealer. Black horses almost always
have some white markings.
Y ou’re deep into a painting session. You paint his horse brown. Brown: Brown may range from a light
reddish brown to a deep, nearly black
Choosing your palette with great purpose, Brown — not cinnamon or copper or
chestnut or chocolate — just plain old, brown. Brown horses have muzzles that
you create, from a horde of leaden clones,
boring brown, the brown of a hundred are either the same color as their bodies
a unique persona — the highwayman.
or somewhat lighter. Use almost any earth
Astride his horse with sword raised in other miniatures. Somehow, it doesn’t
seem to fit in with the bon vivant image color for this type of horse. Matte sealer is
salute, the highwayman is a dashing fig
you’ve just created for the highwayman. recommended.
ure. He is dressed in soft deerskin breech-
Bay: The body of a bay horse ranges
es and a tan tunic, belted at the waist by a What can you do? How can you change
the horse to give it some pizzazz without from a yellowish brown to a reddish
wide red belt. His knee-high, black leather brown. Bay horses always have black
boots are dulled by road dust. A black going to unreal lengths? How can you
match the horse to its rider by choosing points — meaning the muzzle, mane, tail,
velvet cape wraps about his waist, draping legs, and tips of the ears. White markings
stylishly over the saddle’s cantle. On his an appropriate color or marking for the
are also common. Matte or gloss sealer
head, set at a rakish angle, is a wide- mount?
may be used.
brimmed gray hat surmounted by a scar-
Basic color and markings Chestnut: The redhead of the horse
let plume. world, a chestnut horse has a flashy color
Horsemen have studied the coloration of
80 JANUARY 1989
 that is rare in its appearance. It may be the length of the spine from mane to tail) vertical stripes. Use a coral pink and a
light yellow, red, or mahogany. Sorrel is a is apparent. Faint zebralike stripes occa- very dark gray for coloring hooves. Gloss
diluted variety of chestnut; add white to sionally appear on the lower legs. Buck- sealer for dark-colored horses and matte
the color you would use for the chestnut skin is a dull, dusty color, so use matte sealer for light-colored horses are recom-
to obtain sorrel. Chestnut and sorrel sealer. mended.
horses have manes and tails that match Palomino: Palominos can range from a
their body colors or are lighter. They very light yellow to a bright copper. Their The language of color
frequently have extensive white markings. manes and tails are always lighter than “A horse is a horse, of course, of course,”
Gloss sealer is recommended for the chest- their bodies and are often flaxen in color. or so goes the song, but the fact remains
nut and matte sealer for the sorrel. Use a color such as Poly S Frost Giant that color plays an important role in
Gray: Steel gray is a medium gray with Ivory, or use white with a dash of yellow choosing a horse, both in the real world
dark legs, mane, and tail, Flea-bitten gray added to it. Roy Roger’s famous horse and in the world of miniatures. Some
is a light gray (almost white) with dark Trigger is an example of a palomino. choices are nothing more than personal
reddish-brown speckles (“flea bites”) scat- preferences, but more than one horseman
tered over the entire body; the mane and Pinto: Also known as a paint, the pinto
seems to think that the color of a horse’s
tail are light gray or white. Gray is not has large irregular patches of white and
coat plays an important part in determin-
usually a very shiny color, so use matte another color (usually black or brown).
ing its psychological makeup. Theories
sealer to finish this type of miniature. Piebald is the term that describes a black-
abound as to why this may be, so color
When choosing paints for any of the and-white pinto; a brown-and-white pinto
does seem to make a difference.
above colors, remember that yellow and is referred to as snowbald. Within these
For example, chestnuts are considered
red refer to earth tones of these colors, two divisions, a pinto may be primarily
high-spirited and temperamental creatures
not the bright primary colors. Almost any white or primarily colored. Tobiano is a
— true to the fiery redhead maxim. Bay is
earth tone makes a good horse color. Some white pinto with large, dark patches on
considered the toughest color; likewise,
of the grays on the market, though, are the body; the white of this horse extends
bay horses are sturdy and reliable mounts.
too flat and machinelike in appearance downward towards the belly. Overo is a
Brown and black horses are more sensi-
and may need to be washed with a black pinto whose coloring consists of jagged
tive than bays, but not as fiery as chest-
to give depth to the color. white markings that extend upwards from
nuts. Finally, gray horses are considered
Most horses have solid-colored coats the belly against a dark body. In both
kind, gentle, and not easily upset.
with white markings on the face or one or patterns, facial markings are common.
So how can you use this information to
more legs. Facial markings range from Gloss sealer is recommended for dark
match the perfect mount to your charac-
snips (small patches of white on the nose) pintos and matte for those mostly white.
ter? First establish what kind of horse
to baldface, where the entire front of the (White hair does shine, but the shine is
your character needs for the purpose at
face is white. Paint these markings with a usually not visible to the extent that dark
hand. Soldiers need tough horses, horses
crisp white, not an off-white or ivory. Leg hair is.)
that are easy to care for on long cam-
markings can be small white patches near Appaloosa: This is a breed of horse as paigns. Based on this, soldiers would pre-
the hoof, or they can extend above the well as a marking. Appaloosa coat patterns fer bays and browns. Practically speaking,
knee, hock, or somewhere between. Mark- are divided into a variety of their own gray horses get too dirty. They are also
ings tend to be very irregular in shape and categories. Blanket is a mostly solid- highly visible — not something a soldier in
size, so give your imagination free rein. colored body with a white “blanket” cover- battle would appreciate. However, a gen-
ing the rump. Snowflake is almost the eral might prefer a gray horse because it
reverse of the flea-bitten gray, with white does stand out in a crowd.
Getting fancy
speckles covering a dark coat. Drybrush- Black has long been a symbol of power,
Now that you know about the colors of
ing with white will help achieve the snow- and a black horse, especially a stallion,
everyday horses, here are some fancy
flake appearance. Leopard Appaloosas are embodies this power. Since Western cul-
colors to further tempt your imagination:
white with egg-sized dark spots covering ture associates white with good and black
Buckskin: A buckskin horse’s body is their bodies (not unlike the spots of dalma- with evil, a black horse is probably the
yellowish brown with black points. Usu- tians). In addition to their fancy markings, only choice for an evil paladin.
ally, a dorsal stripe (a black stripe running Appaloosas usually have pink and black White is a color associated with purity,

DRAGON 81
 thus, a lady would likely ride a white or tection to horse and rider without weigh- Conclusion
gray horse. A princess, on the other hand, ing the horse down. Add + 1 to +4 to the What does this all mean for the model-
might well ride a chestnut or a fancy- armor-class rating of the horse and of the er? Well, a basic understanding of horse
colored horse, such as a palomino or character when he is mounted. Movement coloration can provide a useful set of
Appaloosa. Female adventurers would be is not affected by this change. guidelines when realistically painted horse
well suited for a bay or steel-gray horse. Bloody shoulder: This is a marking char- miniatures are desired. Of course, you can
A flamboyant character, such as the acterized by a red coloration over the always paint your figures lavender or
highwayman mentioned at the start of this horse’s shoulder. Bedouin legend tells of a green if you so desire; this is, after all,
article, would go for the showiest horse he devoted mare who carried her wounded fantasy. But when you want realism, this
could find. A pinto or an Appaloosa would master over her shoulder to safety. This article can be invaluable in providing
be a good choice, or a chestnut with a lot marking is extremely rare. Any horse horses with individuality and authenticity.
of white markings. These are only general exhibiting it proves loyal to one person Above all, it makes painting them a lot
guidelines, so feel free to experiment. only and may not be ridden by anyone more fun!
else. If a horse with this type of marking is
Magical markings stolen, it runs away from its captor at the
Certain markings have been ascribed to first opportunity and seeks its true master.
Label Your Letter!
have magical importance. These various The horse does not panic or run away
markings and their purported qualities are from melee as long as its master is alive. If If you decide to write to us at
listed below. Note that medicine hat and the master dies, the horse then runs wild DRAGON® Magazine, please label
bloody shoulder are both real-world mark- until it is captured and tamed by another the outside of your envelope to
ings; magic saddle is a fantasy invention. person. In order to tame a horse with the show what your letter contains —
Medicine hat: This is a marking worn by bloody shoulder marking, a character be it a letter to the editor, “Forum”
some pintos. The ears are covered with a must have a charisma of 15 or greater; submission, gaming article, short
dark “bonnet” and the chest by a dark even then, there is only a 20% chance of
“shield.” The Cheyenne Indians thought- taming the horse.
story, artwork, cartoons, or sub-
that these horses had mystical powers. Magic saddle: This is another pintolike scription problem. This ensures
Shielded by these markings, a horse with marking in which a dark saddle-shaped that the letter or package you send
medicine-hat markings was believed to be patch covers the horse’s back. Any rider has a better chance of getting to the
impervious in battle. The rider of such a mounted on this horse will not fall off or right person. Our address is:
horse was likewise protected as long as he be knocked off in battle. The rider may DRAGON Magazine, P.O. Box 111,
was mounted. Because it is a shield, the dismount only when it is his wish to do so. Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.
medicine hat marking is considered a form Because of this, the rider may even sleep
of magical armor, awarding variable pro- in the saddle, since falling off is virtually DRAGON is a trademark of TSR, Inc.
impossible (the key word is “virtually”). ©1989 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

82 JANUARY 1989
84 JANUARY 1989
DRAGON 85
 Index to Advertisers

Acropolis Design* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Strategic Simulations, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Alley Bookshop (Preston Games)* . . . . . . . 77 Supremacy Games, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
AMAZING® Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49, 101 Tabletop Games* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67
Bantam Books (Spectra) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Telford Models* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Bard Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 TM Games* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
Britton Designs (Elysian Field) . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Triple D & F Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Crazy Dwarf* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 TSR, Inc. . . . . . inside front cover, 1, 4, 32, 53, 61
Dice & Games (Hobbygames)* . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 62, 63, 66, 76, 82, inside back cover, back cover
DRAGON® Magazine . . . . . . . . . . . 21, insert card TSR Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
DUNGEON® Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . . 87, insert card Virgin Games Centre* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Esdevium Games* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 Warlord Games Shop* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Final Frontier* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Game Designers' Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 * United Kingdom/Europe
G-P Computer Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
Game Systems, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Games Review Monthly* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Games Workshop US
(Citadel Miniatures) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31, 55-58
Gladiator Games* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Guardroom* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Jade Games* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
KJC Games* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Legend* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Magicware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Mayfair Games, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
NAL Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Palladium Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37, 96
Prince August Ltd. (Mithril Miniatures)* . . . . . .97
RPGA™ Network
(POLYHEDRON™ Newszine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

86 JANUARY 1989
 by David Edward Martin former Golden Agency member, now
retired; another was an expelled Squadron
Supreme member; others were newly

The ®
discovered superhumans. The rest were
villains who were more afraid of being
captured than of working with their nem-
esis Nighthawk. The Redeemers’ final

Marvel -Phile
roster included Black Archer (formerly the
Golden Archer), Foxfire, Haywire, Inertia,
Lamprey, Master Menace, Mink, Moon-
glow, Nighthawk, Pinball, Professor Imam,
Redstone, Remnant, and Thermite. As
some of these characters infiltrated the
Squadron Supreme, they were included in
that team’s entry in MU4 Gamer’s Hand-
book of the Marvel Universe, Vol. IV. Here,
we will concentrate on two members of
Back from Earth-S: the Redeemers™ (Part 1) that crew: Master Menace and Professor
Imam. Next issue, we will conclude this
two-part series, as we look at three other
members of the Redeemers: Mink, Pinball,
and Remnant.
This month, our exploration of the paradise by means of the Utopia Program.
Marvel Universe takes a detour to a diver- However, we will not discuss the Squad- MASTER MENACETM
gent world. Our destination is an alternate ron Supreme itself. Details of their lives Dr. Emil Burbank
world called both “Other-Earth” and and powers are found in the Gamer’s
“Earth-S,” the world of the Squadron Handbook of the Marvel Universe, Vol. 4. Normal In Armor
Supreme. This world has far fewer Instead, we’ll concentrate on their adver- F GD(10) RM(30) Health: 36/130
superbeings than the Marvel Earth. Also, saries, the last hope of Earth-S, the A TY(6) EX(20)
the villains tend to be few and weak, while Redeemers. S GD(10) RM(30) Karma: 90/90
the heroes are so few in number that a The Redeemers were the brainchild of E GD(10) AM(50)
single team can incorporate them all. Nighthawk (Kyle Richmond, formerly R IN(40) IN(40) Resources: AM
During the 1940s, this team was the illus- Squadron Supreme cofounder and ex- I IN(40) IN(40)
trious Golden Agency. In modern times, President of Earth-S’s United States). When P GD(10) GD(10) Popularity: -30
they have been replaced by the younger, Nighthawk realized the potential for abuse
more powerful, and more active Squadron in the Utopia Program, he left the Squad-
KNOWN POWERS
Supreme. This team ended up plunging ron Supreme and began his covert war
their world into chaos, then tried to make against his former friends. He found new Hyperinvention: Master Menace has the
amends by transforming America into a allies in a variety of places. One was a Amazing ability to build about anything he
wants to. He and Tom Thumb are equally
the most inventive men on Earth-S,
although their technological quests have
taken them in different directions. Any-
thing one man builds, the other can
counter with a new device. The rest of
Master Menace’s powers are derived from
his variation inventions, many of which
are incorporated into his battle armor.

EQUIPMENT

Battle Armor: Master Menace wears a steel

suit designed to give him protection,
powers, and enhanced abilities. It is the
functional equivalent of Dr. Doom’s or Iron
Man’s armor. Master Menace’s suit has
Incredible Material Strength and gives him
Incredible protection from physical
attacks and extreme environments. The
suit contains a variety of useful devices as
well as a number of modules and circuits
that Master Menace can reconfigure to
perform any desired task. The suit is
normally powered by a small nuclear
generator; if removed from the armor, the
generator could easily supply a large
building’s power needs. An induction coil
hidden within the suits chest insignia
serves as an auxiliary power source. The
induction coil has the equivalent of
Amazing-rank absorption power, and it
88 JANUARY 1989
can convert external energy into power quarters complex contains a well-stocked
for special tasks. The battle armor can warehouse and automated factory com- PROFESSOR IMAM™
recycle air, water, and food for several plex. Operations are overseen by Cere- F FE (2) Health: 110
weeks survival. brac, an advanced computer system. A PR (4)
Cerebrac has the equivalent of Amazing S PR (4) Karma: 180
Dimension Travel: Master Menace’s “D- Reason for purposes of data processing, E UN (100)
Ray” has the Feeble ability to transport a but it is not self-aware. The exterior walls R IN (40) Popularity: GD (10)
chosen subject to any preset dimension. A of the headquarters have Amazing materi- I IN (40)
large D-Ray is secured on a platform in al strength. P UN (100) Resources: AM (50)
Master Menace’s secret headquarters. This
ray can automatically home in on Master HISTORY KNOWN POWERS
Menace’s armor, no matter what dimen- Dr. Emil Burbank is perhaps the most
sion he is in. Master Menace’s portable dangerous man on Earth-S. He is the pro- Professor Imam’s full range of powers is
bazookalike D-Rays can transport a single verbial mad scientist out to conquer the unknown. Because he is Earth-S’s Sorcerer
person to a preset dimension. The ray has world. While he is a brilliant physicist and Supreme, we can reasonably assume that,
a range of one area. Using it is treated as inventor, he is also an egomaniac. He feels when he was in his prime, his powers
an attack, and the intended target can try contempt toward other people and sees were equal to those of Doctor Strange and
to evade it through normal means. A scan- them as little more than ignorant peasants other, more familiar Sorcerers Supreme.
ner connected to his main D-Ray enables (at best) or as prey (at worst). Dr. Burbank Now, however, Professor Imam is an old
Master Menace to view scenes in other is a solitary man. He sees few people as man who no longer has any real control
dimensions. worthy of even serving him, let alone over the physical world. He hoards his
remaining in his presence. He does not remaining powers in the simple effort to
Force Field: Master Menace possesses two enter into alliances proposed by others. stay alive long enough to train his replace-
types of force fields, both of Monstrous For this reason, Master Menace originally ment (who will appear centuries from
strength. One of these force fields is chose not to actively assist the Redeemers. now). The following are the few powers
designed to give Master Menace’s armor Instead, he undertook an independent plot he currently employs.
enhanced protection; the other is located involving the android Hyperion from
in his headquarters. The latter acts as a Marvel Earth. When that plot failed, Mas- Clairaudience, Clairvoyance, and Remote
booby trap; it encloses intruders in indi- ter Menace grudgingly agreed to assist the Sensing: Although he remains sequestered
vidual force-bubbles, which float in midair Redeemers by building a device capable of within his hidden sanctum, Professor
and travel throughout the lair at Master undoing the effects of the Behavior Modifi- Imam uses these Remarkable powers to
Menace’s control. The bubbles are com- cation Machine. (The Behavior Modifica- monitor conditions in the outside world.
pletely energy resistant and allow only tion Machine was built by Tom Thumb to He has a maximum range of 250,000 miles
visible light of normal intensities to pene- alter the brain patterns of criminals, thus with these powers, although he rarely has
trate them. If Master Menace wants to changing villains into super heroes. As reason to extend his senses beyond the
interrogate a captive, he must reduce the mentioned, the Redeemers found a way atmosphere.
diameter of the sphere so that the cap around this and changed the villains back
tive’s head emerges. to normal.) Master Menace chose to sit out Cosmic Awareness: Professor Imam
the final battle, however, and observe the retains his Shift-Z awareness of the cos-
Levitation: Several of Master Menace’s results from afar. mos. He is able to observe the patterns
devices are equipped with Feeble antigrav- of events on a number of dimensional
ity powers. These are primarily used to Post-Squadron Adventures: The defeat of planes. Professor Imam is able to
help him move bulky loads. Curiously, no the Squadron Supreme means that the perform a Power Stunt by
such device is included in his armor. This way is clear for Master Menace to extrapolating events cen-
may be due to unknown technological continue his program of eventual turies into the future.
problems. world conquest. However, he first
has a minor security problem to
Teleportation: A variation of his D-Ray can solve: Hyperion, Mink, and Rem
teleport Master Menace up to 1,000 miles, nant know the location of his
The teleport beam has a Good power rank. headquarters. As a result,
A homing device in Master Menace’s Master Menace must either
armor enables the beam to automatically move to a new lair or
return him home from any location within somehow silence those
its range. three.

Spaceship: Master Menace’s flier performs

a variety of functions: it can hover, fly
through air, and orbit at low altitudes. In
addition, it can be surrounded by other
materials to disguise its true nature. For
example, Master Menace once covered the
exterior with rock when he wanted the
ship to be mistaken for a meteor. The
functions of this spaceship are assigned
the following values:

Control Speed Body Protection

RM Y EX EX

Secret Headquarters: Master Menace

works out of a mountaintop site that is
disguised as an observatory. The head-

DRAGON 89
Dimension Travel: Professor Imam retains concerns to encompass the entire world. other heroes, mostly in the form of
the Incredible ability to transport several Professor Imam grew increasingly remote enchanted devices.
people to other dimensions at will, while from the daily, mundane crime fighting of
he remains within his sanctum. Such the Golden Agency. He eventually retired Next month, we’ll conclude this two-part
transportees must be within 10’ of Profes- from the world to concentrate on his final installment of “The Marvel-Phile” by listing
sor Imam originally, although transportees task — staying alive long enough to train three other members of the Redeemers:
can be retrieved from any location by the his successor, who will appear 443 years Pinball, Remnant, and the Mink.
Professor. from now. It is unknown how and why his
Marvel, Marvel Universe, Marvel Super Heroes, and all Marvel
physical powers waned. He retains his character names and likenesses are trademarks of Marvel
Enchantment: Professor Imam retains the mental powers and uses them to monitor Entertainment Group, Inc.
ability to endow items with specific useful ©1988 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
the world and to await his successor’s
powers. In his current state, he limits his birth. Because of his weakened condition,
enchantments to detection or sensory Professor Imam was unable to actively aid
powers. For example, Professor Imam Nighthawk when he came seeking allies.
gave Nighthawk a small crystal pyramid Instead, Professor Imam transported Label Your Letter!
capable of detecting superhuman allies at Nighthawk to Marvel Earth, then later
a range of 1,000 miles. For game purposes, returned him (along with his allies Mink,
such enchanted items can have a single Pinball, and Remnant). As a final gift, If you decide to write to us at
power of up to Amazing rank. Professor Imam gave Nighthawk an DRAGON® Magazine, please label
enchanted pyramid that enabled him to the outside of your envelope to
The Third Eye: This magical talisman is locate more allies on Earth-S. These allies show what your letter contains —
worn by Professor Imam on his chest. This included Haywire, Inertia, Moonglow, be it a letter to the editor, “Forum”
item appears as an open eye within an Redstone, and Thermite. submission, gaming article, short
inverted triangle. The Third Eye may be story, artwork, cartoons, or sub-
similar in nature and powers to Dr. Post-Squadron Adventures: Conditions on scription problem. This ensures
Strange’s Eye of Agamotto. When Profes- Earth-S rarely affect Professor Imam. Most that the letter or package you send
sor Imam uses a power, it is focused often, he remains sitting in his Temple of
through this triangle. has a better chance of getting to the
Contemplation. His only concern is his
survival and the training of his successor. right person. Our address is:
HlSTORY If a dire emergency threatens his current DRAGON Magazine, P.O. Box 111,
The professor was one of the original existence or his successor’s eventual birth, Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.
members of the Golden Squadron. Professor Imam may summon the aid of
Although he originally championed the other heroes. Likewise, he may give mar- DRAGON is a trademark of TSR, Inc.
American cause, he later expanded his ©1989 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
ginal support to requests for aid from

DRAGON 91
 * lndicates a product produced by a company other than TSR, Fla. Events will include AD&D®, TRAVELLER*,
Convention Calendar Policies Inc. Most product names are trademarks owned by the STAR FLEET BATTLES*, CAR WARS*, BATTLE-
companies publishing those products. The use of the name of
any product without mention of its trademark status should not
TECH*, INTERCEPTER*, and SEEKRIEG* games,
This column is a service to our readers be construed as a challenge to such status. board gaming, a KILLER* tournament, dealers,
worldwide. Anyone may place a free listing an art show and auction, a miniatures-painting
for a game convention here, but the follow- PROJECT. . . GENESIS IV, January 15 contest, demonstrations by the SCA, and other
ing guidelines must be observed. This fantasy-gaming convention will be held at role-playing and gaming events. Reservations
In order to ensure that all convention Chiminello’s Hall, 2221 N. Weber in Fresno, Ca. may be made through the hotel by calling: (904)
listings contain accurate and timely infor- Featured tournament and open-play events 398-8800. Room rates are $49 for single to quad
mation, all material should be either typed include BATTLETECH*, STAR FLEET BATTLES*, occupancy. Registration for the weekend is $18
double-spaced or printed legibly on stand- STAR WARS*, TOON*, and AD&D® games, with at the door. Preregistration is $12 if mailed
ard manuscript paper. The contents of computer gaming, Japanese films, a miniatures before January 22. Write to: SKIRMISHES, P.O.
each listing must be short, succinct, and contest, a swap meet, and more. Preregistration Box 2097, Winter Haven FL 33883; or call: (813)
under 150 words long. is $3 if paid before January 1; after that, it is $5. 293-7983 or (904) 246-1325.
The information given in the listing must Dealers’ tables are $20 for an 8’ table; check on
include the following, in this order: availability. Swap meet tables are $5 for a whole REDCON 89, February 3-5
1. Convention title and dates held; table and $3.50 for a half. Table space is The Royal Military College of Canada will hold
2. Site and location; required for this event. PROJECT . . . GENESIS its annual International War Gaming Convention
3. Guests of honor (if applicable); IV is in need of judges; those accepted receive a in Yeo Hall on the campus grounds in Kingston,
4. Special events offered; refund on their registration fees. Write to: Ontario. Special guest for this event is Larry
5. Registration fees or attendance PATCO, c/o Phillip S. Pittz, 5415 East Washing- Bond of the war-games club of USMA, West
requirements; and, ton, Fresno CA 93727. Make all checks payable Point. Scheduled events include HARPOON*,
6. Address(es) and telephone number(s) to Phillip S. Pittz. BATTLETECH*, microarmor miniatures, Napole-
where additional information and confirma- onics, CENTURION*, and AD&D® tournaments,
tion can be obtained. ICON XIII, January 20-22 plus plenty of open gaming. Retail vendors and
Convention flyers, newsletters, and other Only slightly delayed, ICON XIII will meet at game-company representatives will demonstrate
mass-mailed announcements will not be the Rodeway Inn, at I-80 and Highway 965, at and sell their wares. Registration is $5 Canadian
considered for use in this column; we Coralville, Iowa. Author Joel Rosenberg and in advance and $7 Canadian at the door for the
prefer to see a cover letter with the artist Darlene Coltrain are guests of honor, and entire conference. Send an SASE to: RMC Com-
announcement as well. No call-in listings Algis Budrys is the toastmaster. Other guests bat Simulations Group, c/o OCdt Derek Buxton,
are accepted. Unless stated otherwise, all include Joe and Gay Haldeman and Mickey 4 Sqn., Royal Military College of Canada, Kings-
dollar values given for U.S. and Canadian Zucker Reichert. Featured events include the ton, Ontario, CANADA, K7K 5LO; or call: (613)
conventions are in U.S. currency. Trans-Iowa Canal Company, a film festival, a 541-6277, between 7 and 10 P.M. week nights.
WARNING: We are not responsible for space-opera round-robin, an art show, a writers’ Preregistration must be completed before
incorrect information sent to us by conven- workshop, and more. Registration fees are $15 January 1.
tion staff members. Please check your until January 1, and $18 at the door. For hotel
convention listing carefully! Our wide information, call: (800) 228-2000 (toll-free) or WARCON ’89, February 3-5
circulation ensures that over a quarter of a (319) 354-7770, and tell them you’re with ICON. Texas’s oldest gaming convention will be held
million readers worldwide see each issue. For con information, write to: ICON XIII, PO. at Texas A&M University in College Station, Tex.
Accurate information is your responsibility. Box 525, Iowa City IA 52244-0525. Featured events include an RPGA™ Network
Copy deadlines are the last Monday of AD&D® and a CHAMPIONS* Open Team tourna-
each month, two months prior to the on- DALCON ‘89, February 3-5 ment, with a variety of board games, miniatures
sale date of an issue. Thus, the copy dead- Dalhousie Simulations presents its third- events, role-playing tournaments, a dealers’
line for the May 1989 issue is the last annual gaming convention, featuring AD&D®, room, and 24-hour gaming. Preregistration is
Monday of March 1989. Announcements BATTLETECH*, KILLER*, and MONOPOLY* $8, or $11 at the door. Write to: MSC NOVA,
for North American and Pacific conventions tournaments, as well as CALL OF CTHULHU*, Texas A&M University, College Station TX
must be mailed to: Convention Calendar, WARHAMMER FANTASY BATTLE*, SQUAD 77844; or call: (409) 845-1515.
DRAGON® Magazine, P.O. Box 111, Lake LEADER*, ROBOTECH*, and historical minia-
Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. Announcements tures game events. Also featured will be a THE EGYPTIAN CAMPAIGN ’89
for Europe must be posted an additional casino-style raffle, a scavenger hunt, and a February 4-5
month before the deadline to: Convention miniatures-painting competition. Convention The Southern Illinois University Strategic
Calendar, DRAGON® Magazine, TSR hours are 7 P.M. to midnight on February 3; 10 Games Society will host the second-annual
Limited, 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton, A.M. to midnight on February 4; and 11:30 A.M. to Egyptian Campaign at the SIU Student Center
Cambridge CB1 3LB, United Kingdom. 11:30 P.M. on February 5. The convention will be on the campus of Southern Illinois University in
If a convention listing must be changed held in the McInnes Room, on the second floor Carbondale, Ill. Featured events include RPGA™
because the convention has been can- of the Dalhousie Student Union Building. The Network tournaments, with AD&D®, BOOT
celled, the dates have changed, or incor- entrance fee will be $3 Canadian per day, or $5 HILL®, DIPLOMACY*, CIRCUS MAXIMUS*,
rect information has been printed, please Canadian for the weekend. Write to: Dalsim, c/o RUNEQUEST*, CAR WARS*, GURPS*, BATTLE-
contact us immediately. Most questions or Enquiry Desk, Dalhousie Student Union Build- TECH*, CHAMPIONS*, ROBOTECH*, ACE OF
changes should be directed to either Robin ing, University Avenue, Halifax, Nova Scotia, ACES*, WINGS*, and SUPREMACY* games. A
Jenkins or Roger E. Moore at TSR, Inc., CANADA, B3H 4J2. science-fiction and fantasy miniatures-painting
(414) 248-3625 (U.S.A.). Questions or competition, Clay-O-Rama, an exhibitors’ area,
changes concerning European conventions JACKSONVILLE SKIRMISHES 89 and more are also offered. Preregistration is $8
should be directed to TSR Limited, (0223) February 3-5 for the weekend, or $5 per day at the door.
212517 (U.K.). SKIRMISHES challenges you to conquer the Send a business-sized SASE to: SIU Strategic
river city at our second-annual JACKSONVILLE Games Society, Office of Student Development,
indicates an Australian convention. SKIRMISHES, which will be held at the Jackson- Southern Illinois University at Carbondale,
indicates a Canadian convention. ville Hotel, 565 South Main Street, Jacksonville, Carbondale IL 62901-4425; or call: David T.

92 JANUARY 1989
Blustein at (618) 457-6416 or (618) 453-5302. (UT-BASH). This event features an auction, a ton TX 77251.
miniatures contest, movies, game exhibitors/
ORCCON 12, February 10-13 dealers, an RPGA™ Network AD&D® tourna- ABBYTHON 7, March 18-19
STRATEGICON will sponsor this convention, ment, and more than 130 role-playing, The Abbyville Community Center in
which is to be held at the Los Angeles Airport miniatures, and board-gaming events. The Abbyville, Kans., becomes a Guild Hall once
Hyatt Hotel. All types of family; strategic, and convention will be located in the Student Union, again as the Abbython Adventure Guild hosts its
adventure board, role-playing, miniatures, and third floor, at the University of Toledo’s Main seventh-annual 24-hour role-playing games
computer gaming will be offered at this conven- Campus. The special guest of honor will be Poul marathon. New members are welcome. Best
tion, as well as flea markets, an exhibitors’ Anderson. Send an SASE to: Student Activities players will be awarded prizes for their efforts.
room, auctions, seminars, demonstrations, and Office, UT-BASH (BASHCON ‘89), 2801 West Admission is $5 if paid before February 18, $6
special guests. Write to: STRATEGICON, 5374 Bancroft Street, Toledo OH 43606-3390; or call: thereafter, and $7 at the door. Send an SASE to:
Village Road, Long Beach CA 90898; or call (419) 537-4654. ABBYTHON, P.O. Box 96, Abbyville KS 67510.
Diverse Talents at: (213) 420-3675.
GAMES 89, March 24-27
SIMCON XI: The New Beginning
DUNDRACON XIII, February 17-20 March 3-5
This major Australian games convention will
DUNDRACON is back at the Oakland Airport offer role-playing, war, computer, and other
The convention will be held on the University
Hyatt, 455 Hegenberger Road, Oakland, Calif. of Rochester’s River Campus in the Wilson game events on a massive scale. Nongaming
(Mention the convention name to get the special events include: a formal dinner Saturday night
Commons. Events will include role-playing
$65 room rate for single through quad occupan- tournaments, war gaming, miniatures, movies, (followed by other social events, such as cocktail
cy.) This year’s convention offers numerous parties, Easter egg hunts, etc.), show bags, films,
demos, and a dealers’ room for war gaming,
role-playing games, with over 120 events in a role-playing, miniatures, comics, and science- lectures, and more. Convention fees are $16
variety of fantasy, modern, and science-fiction fiction fans. Registration fees are $5 before Australian for the weekend, or $5 Australian
per day. Write to: GAMES 89, P.O. Box 242,
systems. Also included are seminars, board February 1, and $10 thereafter. Write to: SIM-
games, miniatures events, a huge dealers’ room CON X, P.O. Box 29142 River Station, Rochester Lilydale, Victoria, 3140, AUSTRALIA; or call:
(03) 726-7525.
and a flea market, a figure-painting contest, SCA NY 14627; or by calling: (716) 275-6186.
demonstrations and armor displays, and lots of
UMF-CON, March 25-26
open gaming space. Preregistration for the CALCON IV, March 10-12
This role-playing and war-gaming convention
weekend is $20 to February 1, or $25 at the This gaming convention will be held at the will be held at the Student Center of the Univer-
door. One-day registrations may be purchased at Sandman Inn in Calgary, Alberta. Events will
sity of Maine at Farmington, in Farmington,
the door for $10. Write to: DUNDRACON, 386 feature a large variety of games, including an Maine. World War II miniatures, AD&D®, TOP
Alcatraz Avenue, Oakland CA 96418; or call AD&D® tournament, miniatures contests, guest SECRET/S.I.™, BATTLESYSTEM™, DIPLOMACY*,
Dorothy Heydt at: (415) 524-8321. speakers, and more. Send an SASE to: CALCON
and CHAMPIONS* games will be featured, with
IV P.O. Box 204, Station M, Calgary, Alberta, live mysteries, board games, and contests for
FAL*CON ’89, February 17-19 CANADA, T2P 2H6.
miniatures painting and art. Admission is $5,
This fantasy and science-fiction convention
with a $2 charge per game. Send an SASE to:
will be held at the Howard Johnson’s Conven- COAST CON XII, March 17-19
Table Gaming Club, c/o Student Life Office,
tion Center in Meridian, Miss. Big-name guests This science-fiction and fantasy convention
Student Center, 5 South Street, Farmington ME
and many panels are featured, as well as will be held at the Gulf Coast Coliseum Conven- 04928.
AD&D®, TALISMAN*, KINGS & THINGS*, tion Center in Biloxi, Miss., with accommoda-
COSMIC ENCOUNTER*, CAR WARS*, KING- tions at. the Howard Johnson’s (call (601) I-CON VIII, March31-April2
MAKER*, and STAR FLEET BATTLES* tourna- 388-6310 or (800) 654-2000 for reservations) Held at the State University of New York at
ments. An art show, art auction, indoor pool Guest of honor is Joel Rosenberg, author of the Stony Brook; Long Island, I-CON (Island Conven-
party, masquerade and dance, SEA demonstra- Guardians of the Flame series. Other guests tion, not Iowa Convention) is the largest science-
tions, Civil War reenactment, hospitality suite, include: Steven Sechi, designer of Talislanta and fiction, fact, and fantasy convention in the
and dealers’ room are also offered. Admission Atlantis; P.D. Breeding-Black, artist for Talislan- Northeast. This year’s guests of honor include
fees for the weekend are $15 until December ta; and John Levene, who plays Sgt. Benton on Frederik Pohl and E. Gary Gygax. Other guests
31, or $20 thereafter. Daily admission is $10. Dr. Who. Scheduled events include an RPGA™ include Joe Haldeman, Barry Longyear, Julius
Send an SASE to: FAL*CON ‘89, P.O. Box 492, Network tournament, video rooms, a meet-the- Schwartz, and the current Dr. Who, Sylvester
Meridian MS 39302; or call: (601) 693-0384. guests party, a costume contest, filk singing, a McCoy. Gaming guests include Martin Wixted
charity auction, an art exhibit and auction, and and Greg Costikyan. More guests are confirmed
GENGHIS CON X, February 17-20 a large dealers’ room. Registration is $15 until daily and a Star Trek actor-guest is in the works.
Attend a special birthday party with GENGHIS January 1, and $20 thereafter. Write to: COAST Featured events include speakers, movies,
CON X as it celebrates its 10th anniversary at CON, Inc., P.O. Box 1423, Biloxi MS 39533. autograph sessions, and AD&D®, CHAMPIONS*,
the Ramada Inn, Westminster, Colo. This event STAR WARS*, and DIPLOMACY* games. Game
is sponsored by the Denver Gamers-Association. NEO-VENTION VIII, March 17-19 masters are welcome. Advance tickets are $16
Gaming of all kinds will be offered, along with NEO-VENTION VIII will be held at the until March 17, or $18 at the door. One-day
an official RPGA™ Network AD&D® tournament Gardner Student Center of the University of passes are also available. Send an SASE to: I-
and a games auction. Miniatures events will be Akron in Akron, Ohio. Featured events include CON VIII, P.O. Box 550; Stony Brook NY 11790.
staged by the Colorado Military Historians. RPGA™ Network and miniatures events, a games
Registration is $14 for the weekend until Janu- auction, and more. Write to: UGS, University of MARCH FANTASY REVEL
ary 31, or $17 thereafter. Write to: Denver Akron Gardner Student Center, Office #6, March 31-April 2
Gamers Association, P.O. Box 11369, Denver CO Akron OH 44325. For a quick reply, send a 25- Come to the fourth-annual MARCH FANTASY
80211; or call: (303) 433-3849. cent stamp or SASE. REVEL at the Harborside Holiday Inn in
Kenosha, Wis. Activities will include a war-
OMACON 8.5 — GAME FEST, February 18 OWLCON X, March 17-19 gaming area, a silent used-game auction, a
This convention will be held at the Holiday Rice University’s WARP and RSFAFA will hold dealers’ area, and role-playing events. Featured
Inn Central, 72nd and Grover in Omaha, Nebr., this gaming convention at Rice University. RPGA™ Network events include an AD&D®
from 8 A.M. to midnight. Gaming events will be Registration will take place in Sewall Hall. Grand Masters, AD&D® Masters, AD&D® Fea-
offered in fantasy, historical, and science-fiction Events include RUNEQUEST*, PARANOIA*, CAR ture, TOP SECRET/S.I.™ Feature, and MARVEL
genres (with prizes awarded in several catego- WARS*, TRAVELLER*, DIPLOMACY*, ILLUMI- SUPER HEROES® Feature tournaments. Other
ries), along with a dealers’ room and OMACON 9 NATI*, CIVILIZATION*, BATTLETECH*, STAR activities include workshops, a gamers’ banquet
preregistration discounts. Admission is $5. FLEET BATTLES*, ADVANCED SQUAD LEAD- (please make reservations early), and an RPGA™
Write to: OMACON 8.5 — GAME FEST, c/o Star ER*, and AD&D® tournaments, with open Network members’ meeting. Special guests
Realm, 7305 South 85th Street, Omaha NE gaming and with prizes awarded in some include Harold Johnson, Jean Rabe, and Skip
68128. events. Admission fees are $10 for all three days Williams. Fees are $8 a day or $16 for the week-
before March 3, or $12 at the door. One-day end, if paid before February 1. Thereafter, fees
BASHCON ’89, March 3-5 passes $4 for Friday or Sunday, and $5 for increase to $10 a day, or $20 for the weekend.
BASHCON ‘89 is the seventh gaming conven- Saturday. To preregister, send a check for RPGA™ Network members receive a $2 discount
tion held by the University of Toledo’s Benevo- admission made payable to RSFAFA. Write to: on registration. Write to: Keith Polster, 2432
lent Adventures Strategic Headquarters OWLCON Preregistration, P.O. Box 1892, Hous- Park Avenue, Apt. 6, West Bend WI 53095; or

DRAGON 93
call: (414) 338-8498. Gamers may also contact: of Albany on Route 9). The tournament will Convention Center on the Illinois State Univer-
Janice Ours, P.O. Box 840, Silver Lake WI 53170; consist of AD&D® tournaments, alternate sity campus in Normal, Ill. All major miniatures
or call her at: (414) 889-8346. games, miniatures-painting contests, and our lines will be represented, mostly by the manu-
popular used-game flea market. Admission is $5 facturers. There will be over 100 open games,
TECHNICON 6, March 31 - April 2 for the whole day. Send an SASE to: SCYRON plus a National Team Ancients Championship
Sponsored by the Virginia Tech Science-Fiction ‘89, P.O. Box 896, Pleasant Valley NY 12569. sponsored by NASAMW. We are also pleased to
and Fantasy Club (VTSFFC), this sixth-annual host the National Pike and Shot Championship.
science-fiction, fantasy, and gaming convention DEF-CON I, April 15-16 This convention will be hosted by HMGS-
will be held in the Donaldson Brown Center on Sponsored by THE CLUB, this gaming conven- Midwest and its affiliate, the Central Illinois
the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Va. tion will be held at the Howard Johnson’s in Tabletop Warriors. Admission is $6 per day or
Guest of honor is John M. Ford, author of two Portage, Ind. (Intersection of Route 20 and U.S. $8 for the weekend. HMGS members receive a
Star Trek books and the PARANOIA* game 249). Special events include PC vs. PC (group vs. $2 discount off the admission price. Write to:
module Yellow Clearance Black Box Blues (win- group role-playing), RPGA™ Network tourna- LITTLE WARS, c/o Todd Fisher, 6010 North
ner of the 1984 World Fantasy Award and the ments, and computer tournaments. Other Marmora, Chicago IL 60646.
Charles Roberts award for best role-playing events include AD&D®, MARVEL SUPER
module). Fan guest of honor is Chip Livingston. HEROES®, CHILL*, TWILIGHT 2000*, and V-CON 17, May 26-28
Convention activities include three 24-hour BOOT HILL® games. Fees are $3 preregistered, V-CON, Vancouver’s annual science-fiction
video rooms, three tracks of continuous gaming, or $5 at the door. Games are either free or cost convention, will be held at the University of
a dealers’ room, panels, the TECHNICON play, up to $3. Write to: David Machin, 719 Jumper British Columbia campus in Vancouver, B.C. The
computer gaming, a masquerade, science-fiction Road, Valparaiso IN 46383; or call: (219) 759- theme of this year’s convention is “Humor and
Jeopardy, a dance, parties, and more. Preregis- 2530. Satire in Science Fiction.” Guests of honor
tration is $12 for students and $15 for others, if include Spider Robinson, Robert Sheckley, and
paid in advance. Otherwise, fees are $15 for AMIGOCON 4, April 21-23 Bob Shaw. Events will include panel discussions,
students and $18 for others paying at the door. This science-fiction, fantasy, and gaming an art show, videos, gaming, a writer’s work-
Write to: TECHNICON, P.O. Box 256, Blacksburg convention will be held at the Holiday Inn shop, a costume bacchanal and dance, a dealers’
VA 24063-0256. Sunland Park in El Paso, Tex. Melinda Snodgrass room, and “guerrilla” theater. Membership for
is author guest of honor, and Frank Kelly Freas the weekend is $16 Canadian ($14 U.S.) until
CONNCON, April 1-2 is artist guest of honor. Other guests include November 30; $18 Canadian ($16 U.S.) until
Held at the Quality Inn in Danbury, Conn., this Walter Jon Williams, Rick and Pati Cook, Jenni- March 31; and $24 Canadian ($20 U.S.) at the
convention features role-playing, board-gaming, fer Robertson, Mel White, and George Alec door. One-day memberships will be available at
and miniatures events. Two RPGA™ Network Effinger. Advance membership is $10 if paid the door at a cost of $10 for Friday or Sunday,
tournaments will be held, one open to all play- before December 31. Thereafter, membership and $15 for Saturday. Room rates at Totem
ers and one for members only. A benefit event fees are $12. Registrations purchased at the Residence will be $26 Canadian for a single and
will be held; proceeds will go to the American door are $15 for all three days and $7.50 for $40 Canadian for a double. Write to: V-CON 17,
Heart Association. Preregistration is $10 for the one day. Write to: AMIGOCON 4, P.O. Box 3177, P.O. Box 48478, Bentall Centre, Vancouver, B.C.,
weekend, if paid in advance. Registration paid at El Paso TX 79923. CANADA, V7X 1A2.
the door is $15. Write to: Hobby Center, 366
Main Street, Danbury CT 06810. ONCE UPON A CON, April 28-30 MOBI-CON ’89, June 9- 11
The International Fantasy Gaming Society will Mobile’s convention for comic books and
GAME FAIRE ’89, April 7-9 sponsor its first-ever gaming convention in science-fiction and fantasy gaming will be held
The tenth-annual GAME FAIRE convention will Denver, Colo. Guests of honor will include Larry at the Days Inn Hotel at Airport Boulevard and
be held at the Spokane Falls Community College Niven and David L. Arneson. Events will include Interstate 65 in Mobile, Ala. Guest artists are
in Spokane, Wash. Events will run from Friday IFGS live gaming, seminars, a live tournament Dave Dorman and Lurene Haines. Features
night through Sunday afternoon, and include maze, board and role-playing games, an art include a dealers’ room, movies, a D&D™ and a
game tournaments, microarmor and historical show and auction, a costume contest and ball, TALISMAN* tournament, a games auction, and
miniatures, a video room, dealers’ tables, role- and a variety of science-fiction and fantasy other events. Preregistration is $12.50 until
playing games, board games, family games, a programs. The convention will be held at the June 1; thereafter, it is $15. One-day member-
games auction, and a demonstration by the local Holiday Inn, I-25 at 120th Avenue in Denver, ships may be purchased at the door for $6.
SCA. Registration for GAME FAIR ‘89 is $10 Colo. Special room rates are available. Write to: Write to: MOBI-CON, P.O. Box 161257, Mobile
prepaid or $12 at the door. One-day member- ONCE UPON A CON, P.O. Box 16436, Colorado AL 36616; or call: (205)661-4060.
ships are available at $5 for Friday or Sunday, Springs CO 80935; or call Mark Matthews-
or $6 for Saturday. All profits go to the Wishing Simmons at: (303)499-2812. MICHICON GAMEFEST ’89, June 16-18
Star Foundation, a charity dedicated to helping About 2,000 gamers are expected to attend
children. Write to: Merlyn’s, W 201 Riverside, MISCON 4, May 5-7 this three-day gaming convention, to be held in
Spokane WA 99201; or call: (509) 624-0957. Science fiction, fantasy, and gaming will be the the Southfield Civic Center in Southfield, Mich.
subjects of this convention, to be held at the There will be 60 board-game events, 60 minia-
ROUNDCON IV, April 7-9 Holiday Inn, 200 South Pattee Street in Missoula, tures events, and 25 role-playing events. In
The Round Table Gaming Society will hold this Mont. Room rates are $32.50 per night for addition, there will be 35 dealer’s booths, three
gaming convention at the Russell House Student single occupancy; call (406) 721-8550 to make used-games auctions, and a lot of open gaming.
Union on the University of South Carolina reservations. Vonda McIntyre is author guest of Advance admission is $12 for all three days and
campus. Events will include multiple-round honor; Dan Reeder is artist guest of honor; Glen $7 for one day. Food and beverages will be sold
AD&D® and CHAMPIONS* tournaments, single- (Scruffy) Hammer is fan guest of honor; and Ray at the convention. Preregistration information
event role-playing games of all types, miniatures Beauvais is gaming guest of honor. Events will includes a list of all events, as well as a map of
events, a video room, a miniatures-painting include an art show, a masquerade party, origi- the convention site and several nearby motels
contest, board games, and rooms for open nal Japanimation, dances, SCA events, gaming, and restaurants. The Southfield Civic Center is
gaming, with awards and door prizes. Preregis- videos, writers’ workshops, a computer room, accessible via I-96, I-75, U.S. 10, and U.S. 29. For
tration is $3 if postmarked before March 15; for an art gallery, a dealers’ room, panels, and an more information, send an SASE to: Metro
confirmation of preregistration, please send an auction. Membership rates are $12 until Decem- Detroit Gamers, P.O. Box 656, Wyandotte MI
SASE. Write to: ROUNDCON IV, USC Box 80018, ber 31; $16 until April 15; and $20 at the door. 48192. For daytime telephone information, call
Columbia SC 29225; or call: (803) 254-2601 or One-day memberships will be available for $12 Barry Jensen at: (313) 591-2300, ext. 325; for
(803) 772-4784. at the door. Children under six years of age get evening information, call Mike Bartnikowski at:
in free with their parents; children 6-12 years of (313)928-7744; for dealer information, call Joe
SCRYCON ’89, April 8 age get in for half price. Dealers’ tables (6’ x 2’) Tomassi at: (313) 382-1734.
Able adventurers are needed to regain lost may be purchased for $40 (membership includ-
shards of the Famous Crystal Monolith at SCRY ed). Write to: MISCON, Box 9363, Missoula MT
CON ‘89, the seventh-annual one-day tourna- 59807; or call: (406) 549-1435.
ment sponsored by the seekers of the Crystal
Monolith Gaming Club. This year’s convention LITTLE WARS ’89, May 26-28
will be held at the Red Hook Methodist Church LITTLE WARS, one of the premier war-
in Red Hook, N.Y. (approximately 60 miles south gaming conventions, will be held in the Bone

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