Magazine

Issue # 125Vol. XII, No. 4

September 1987

PublisherMike Cook

EditorRoger E. Moore

Assistant editorRobin Jenkins

Fiction editorPatrick L. Price

Editorial assistantsEileen Lucas Barbara G. Young

Georgia Moore

Art directorRoger Raupp

Marilyn FavaroProduction Staff

Gloria Habriga

SubscriptionsPat Schulz

AdvertisingMary Parkinson

Ed GreenwoodCreative editors

Jeff Grubb

Contributing artistsGeorge Barr Larry Elmore

Jim Holloway Dwain MeyerRichard Tomasic David RampierEdward Wagner Marvel Bullpen

CONTENTSSPECIAL ATTRACTIONS

17 CHIVALRY:

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22

30

38

42

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Feudal lords, armored knights, brave deeds, and glory.

The Code of Chivalry � Mark EasterdayOrders of knighthood for medieval AD&D® game campaigns.

Meanwhile, Back at the Fief . . . � Thomas M. KaneLand is power, and feudal lords want all they can get.

Armies From the Ground Up � James A. YatesWhat every new baron needs to know about making war.

Lords & Legends � Katharine KerrThree knights from the days of King Charlemagne.

Glory, Danger, and Wounds � Garry HamlinThere are three things a cavalier wants out of life. . . .

CLAY-0-RAMA � David �Zeb� CookAn incredibly off-beat miniatures game for all ages.

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64

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82

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OTHER FEATURESThe Ecology of the Greenhag � Nigel D. FindleySome monsters want more from men than their lives.

Woodlands of the Realms � Ed GreenwoodMagical flora for FORGOTTEN REALMS� campaigns.

The Best for the Best � William Van HornElite espionage agencies for TOP SECRET® game agents.

The Passing of Kings � Lois TiltonWhat good is mortal vengeance when nothing mortal lasts?

Bazaar of the Bizarre � Lee Ian WurnMagical maps from the WORLD OF GREYHAWK� setting.

Plane Speaking � Jeff GrubbA look at three natives of the quasi-elemental planes.

The Game Wizards � Mike BreaultA new world for role-playing: DRAGONLANCE® Adventures!

A Second Look at Zebulon�s Guide � Kim EastlandTroubleshooting in the STAR FRONTIERS® game universe.

Role-Playing Reviews � Ken RolstonThree game adventures that stand above the rest.

The Role of Books � John C. BunnellAlternate and alien worlds collide in these selections.

The Marvel®-Phile � Jeff GrubbMeet three of the worst foes the Hulk® could have.

DEPARTMENTS3 Letters 78 Index to Advertisers 98 Snarfquest4 World Gamers Guide 9O Gamers Guide 101 Dragonmirth6 Forum 92 Convention Calendar 102 Wormy

COVERAs Camlan burns in the background, a wounded King Arthur prepares to meet

the mounted attack of his hated rival Mordred. This painting was carefullyresearched by Roger Raupp, who based the weapons, armor, and fortifications onthose in existence in the British Isles after A.D. 500. The battle shown here takesplace at Hadrian�s Wall, where some sources believe the historical Arthur lived.

2 SEPTEMBER 1987

L E T T E R SWormy is 1OO!

Dear Dragon:Hand me a DRAGON® Magazine, and the first

place I�ll turn to is the back � to read the com-ics. And the first comic I�ll read is David Tram-pier�s �Wormy.� I�ve been a subscriber sinceissue #33, and I�ve watched the good and themediocre make their way in and out of theninety-odd issues since then, but �Wormy� hasalways been outstanding. Mr. Trampier is amaster at depicting fast, complex action in alimited number of frames. Considering his manyendearing characters, spirited dialogue, cleverwit, fantastic artwork, and great attention, todetail, I think his strip is often worth the priceof the magazine alone! Yet not once can I everremember reading a letter in DRAGON Maga-zine commending him. Well, albeit long over-due, I hereby correct this oversight. Long liveTramp, and long live �Wormy�!

Timothy M. KleinWilmington NC

Readers will be interested to know that thisissue of DRAGON Magazine is the 100th one tocontain Tramp�s �Wormy.� I am a long-time fanof Wormy�s adventures myself, and it has been apleasure to have it with us for so long.

We have a spectral surprise Planned for thenext issue of the magazine to celebrate this100th anniversary � and Wormy�s fans will findtheir knowledge of the series comes in handy!Get ready for it. � RM

Christian gamesDear Dragon:

I�ve just finished reading Matthew Hamilton�sletter in the �Forum� of issue #121, and I feelthat a generic role-playing game (such as theAD&D® game) should not have any �set� reli-gion. If a DM wants characters to be Christian,Jewish, Buddhist, Taoist, Shinto, or any otherreligion, it should be up to the DM and theplayers � not the game. If one wants a Chris-tian campaign, get the DRAGONRAID� game. Ithas an excellent set of rules, and you learn a lotabout the Bible. I have played in successfulcampaigns without any specific religions for fiveyears. It�s not the game that has the religion; it�sthe players.

Bill RaeTimnath CO

A number of people wrote in response toMatthew�s letter, some favoring his ideas andsome opposing them. In general, it is the policyof DRAGON Magazine to avoid publishing mate-rial that specifically translates a modern andcommonly accepted religion in to game-specificterms. We might use an article on monotheisticcampaigns, or publish an article on medieval lifethat includes information on religious beliefs atthe time, or even publish game statistics for

ancient Roman deities, but (as Bill Rae notesabove) we feel that giving a campaign a specificreligious background taken directly from real-world religions is the province of the DM andplayers involved.

On a related topic, some readers have writtento say that their parents won�t allow them toplay certain role-playing games. A compromisesolution to this problem would be to try differ-ent types of games. Super-powered hero gamesare often quite acceptable to parents, as arescience-fiction and espionage role-playinggames. They�re certainly worth a try!

Bill also mentions the DRAGONRAID game,which is produced by Adventure LearningSystems. This role-playing system was createdto teach Christian principles and ethics througha gaming medium. Interested gamers shouldcontact Adventure Learning Systems, Inc., P.O.Box 25909, Colorado Springs CO 80936, or call(303) 590-7818 for more information. The boxedDRAGONRAID game costs $29.95. � RM

A Finieous fanDear Dragon:

I am writing to you as an avid fan ofDUNGEONS & DRAGONS® games, DRAGONMagazine, and �Finieous Fingers� � not neces-sarily in that order. The end objective of this isto replace my lost copy of The Finieous Trea-sury, and to supply me with any other �Finie-ous� anthologies.

I realize that you cannot supply me with acopy of The Finieous Treasury. However, I amthinking that perhaps the author of the �Finie-ous� strips would have a few copies lyingaround he would be willing to part with. So, ifyou would, please give me the name of theauthor of the �Finieous� series. I would be onestep closer to replacing the best comic-stripanthology I have ever read.

James L. MaillouxMilton, Fla.

We were not able to contact J.D. Webster,whom we understand teaches flight school inthe U.S. Navy in Florida, and the Mail OrderHobby Shop has no copies left of The FinieousTreasury (published in 1981). The adventures ofFinieous and his friends were continued in ashort-lived magazine called Adventure Gaming,then in The Space Gamer for a time. We wishyou the best in finding copies of The FinieousTreasury; it was wonderful. � RM

GAMMARAUDERS™Game Poster Inside

MythsIt was the summer of 1964, and

we were at my grandparents� homein the Kentucky hills. I was waitingfor a train to come by (the tracksran right past the front yard) whenmy dad walked in from town withone of the new half-dollars.

Everyone crowded around to look.I could tell by the way they werepeering at the coin that there wassomething unusual about it. Every-one seemed to be bothered by some-thing.

�I can�t make it out,� said my aunt.�It looks like it might be, but I can�ttell.�

�What?� I walked over, train for-gotten. After a pause, someonehanded the coin to me.

�A hammer and sickle,� someonesaid. �Below his collar, right there �it looks like a hammer and sickle.�

I looked down at the odd symbolunder John F. Kennedy�s profile. Icouldn�t tell what it was. I wonderedwhat a hammer and sickle weresupposed to mean. They didn�tsound good.

Years later, I learned that thesymbol was just the artist�s signa-ture, which � if you were liberal inthe ways in which you interpretedyour visual data � might be said tolook like a hammer and sickle. Inever did figure out what it wassupposed to have meant had it actu-ally been a hammer and sickle.Guess it doesn�t matter now.

My cousin Joe knew everything.He knew about flying saucers espe-cially, since a few of them had flownaround Wright-Patterson Air ForceBase near his home. He told me thatone night the Air Force chasedflying balls of light around a hillnear the base but failed to catch anyof them. I was in awe. Joe was 14,but I was 12, and he knew every-thing.

�They caught one of those sau-cers,� he said. �It crashed, and theAir Force took it back to one of theirhangars at the base. It�s frozen therewith the aliens inside it.�

I nodded, eyes full of wonder. Realaliens. I could understand why theAir Force kept it a secret; this wasbig news. I wondered what thealiens were like and what theywanted here. They were scary butneat. I wished aliens would comearound Louisville sometime. I reallywanted to see a UFO.

(continued on page 72)

DRAGON 3

The World Gamers GuideIf you live outside the continental United

States and Canada, you can be included inthe World Gamers Guide by sending yourname and full address (carefully printed ortyped, please), plus your gaming prefer-ences, to: World Gamers Guide, DRAGON®Magazine, P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI53137, United States of America.

The World Gamers Guide is intended forthe benefit of gamers who would like tocontact other game-players around theworld, to share their interests in gamingthrough correspondence. Each eligible nameand address that we receive is published inthree consecutive issues of DRAGON Maga-zine. To be listed for more than three issues,you must send us another postcard or letter.

Overseas American military personnelshould consult issue # 123 for information onThe Overseas Military Gamers Guide andhow servicemen may be listed therein.

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

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

Svaerd & Trolddom RPG Society(AD,DD)

Maagevej 24295StenlilleDENMARK

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

AD: AD&D® gameBS: BATTLESYSTEM� SupplementBT: BATTLETECH® gameCC: CALL OF CTHULHU® gameCH: CHAMPIONSTM gameCL: CHILL� gameCW: CAR WARS® gameDC: DC� HEROES gameDD: D&D® gameDW: Doctor Who gameEPT: Empire of the Petal Throne gameG: GURPS® gameGHO: GHOSTBUSTERS� gameEQ: ELFQUEST® gameGW: GAMMA WORLD� gameJB: James Bond 007 game

Ilkka Seppa (AD,CC)Lamsantie 2490230 OuloFINLAND

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

VrijhofUniversiteit TwentePostbus 2177500 AE EnschedeNETHERLANDS

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

JD: Judge Dredd gameMERP: MIDDLE EARTH

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

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

The Fellowship GamingOrganization

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

191 Pasadena StreetSan Juan, Metro ManilaPHILIPPINES

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

96748UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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

Siedlung Strasse 156799 LiebsthalWEST GERMANY

DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is published monthly by TSR, Inc. The mailing address for all material except subscription orders is DRAGON Magazine, P.0.Box 110, Lake Geneva WI 53147; the business telephone number is (414) 248-3625. DRAGON Magazine is available at hobby stores and bookstores throughout theUnited States and Canada, and through a limited number of overseas outlets. Subscription rates via second-class mail are as follows: $30 in U.S. funds for 1 year (12issues) sent to an address in the U.S. or Canada, $50 for 12 issues sent by surface mail to any other address, and $90 for 12 issues sent airmail to any other address.Payment in full must accompany all subscription orders. Methods of payment include checks or money orders made payable to TSR, Inc., or charges to validMastercard or VISA credit cards Send subscription orders with payments to: TSR, Inc. P.O. Box 72089, Chicago IL 60690. A limited quantity of back issues areavailable from the TSR mail order department, P.O. Box 756, Lake Geneva WI 53147. For a copy of the current catalog listing available back issues, write to the mailorder department at the above address. The issue of expiration of each subscription is printed on the mailing label for each subscriber’s copy of the magazine.Changes of address for the delivery of subscription copies must be received at least six weeks prior to the effective date of the change in order to assure uninterrupteddelivery All material published in DRAGON Magazine becomes the exclusive property of the publisher, unless special arrangements to the contrary are made prior topublication. DRAGON Magazine welcomes unsolicited submissions of written material and artwork; however. no responsibility for such submissions can be assumed bythe publisher inn any event Any submission accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size will be returned if it cannot be published.

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

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

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

4 SEPTEMBER 1987

But raising a blister is another matter. To beginwith, all blisters involve separation of epidermalcells from one another or from their basementmembrane � yet there is no nerve supply to theepidermis. However, any college freshman canproduce a blister by touching skin with a penciltip treated with a droplet of any chemical vesi-cant. Several of these chemicals are easy toobtain from chemistry labs.

Some time ago, I searched the computer filesof the National Institute of Health just to findout whether the story about the blister is true.The most recent substantial discussion was bymaster hypnotists Johnson and Barber in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, in 1976.They reviewed previous reports and their ownexperiments on 40 subjects, and concluded thatno blisters form in the absence of physicaltrauma or preexisting blister-causing skin dis-ease (eczema, pemphigus, etc.). I�d be glad toshare the review with any DRAGON Magazinereaders. Of seven current books on hypnosis atthe college of medicine, not one mentions blis-tering � or any other physical injury � as abona fide effect of hypnosis.

Mind-over-matter claims that violate presentthinking about human physiology are central toseveral �New Age� therapeutic cults. The claimsare hard to evaluate because their proponentsadvertise directly to the public, and don�t pub-lish date that might convince other scientists.

Cadaveric spasm and a variety of �stress�effects on the heart are recognized �phantasmal-mental killers,� but I am not aware of real peo-ple sustaining wounds from holograms, blankshots, rubber knives, magic shows, or otherillusions or suggestions. The idea of illusionsdoing physical harm may have had its origin inapparent medical myths like the hypnotic blis-ter. Judging from correspondence in DRAGONMagazine, it�s obvious that different refereeshandle these things differently. All the differentsuggestions seem well-reasoned to me. In suchmatters, the realities of human pathophysiologyare largely irrelevant. What matters is fun �which TSR® products supply in large measure.

Edward R. Friedlander, M.D.Asst. Prof. of Pathology

FORUM

Every so often, a game will come up with asituation in which a large group of NPCs willhave to make a saving throw. Making individualsaves takes up a lot of time, while making groupsaves tends to get disproportionate results.

The key here is to realize that in large groups,the statistical average becomes an almost abso-lute rule (try flipping a coin a million times orso). The trick is to realize what fraction of agiven group will make the save and apply thatfraction to the number of that group makingthe save.

If the targets have varying hit dice or levels, itwill be necessary to break the target group intoindividual levels and apply the adjustments toeach separate group first.

For example, an army is subjected to massdeath magic. The army�s composition by fighterlevels is: 50%, zero level; 30%, 1st-2nd level;15%, 3rd-4th level; and, 5%, 5th or 6th. Only25% of the zero levels (12.5% of the total army)should survive, 35% of the 1st and 2nd levels(10.5% of the total army), 40% of the 3rd and4th levels (6% of the total army), and 50% of theelite (2.5% of the total army). Only 31.5% of thearmy is still left, and the largest part of it con-sists of zero-level fighters who are probablygoing to take to their heels.

Rather than endlessly rolling dice, the effectsof the spell can be adjudicated in meremoments, letting the game go on. In the inter-ests of space, only the fighter saving-throwtables have been converted to percentages(using my table), as monsters and fighters areusually the only NPCs who come in largegroups, and both use this table.

SD. AndersonWhittier CA

I read Brian Chase�s letter in issue #121 andwould like to respond. I don�t really believe [thatparthenogenesis among Amazons] is physicallypossible (though I know very little about Ama- zons), and if it is possible, too many peoplewould greet that statement the same way Igreeted it. I, personally, prefer to use a simplersystem, such as that presented in PiersAnthony�s Castle Roogna. I asked my friend,Chaelmon von Zarovic, about male and femaleharpies, hoping that his studies of magic wouldhave told him of something like this.

6 SEPTEMBER 1987

To this, he said: �A-ha! Been reading thatmagazine that has been coming here for thepast . . . what is it, eight months now? Well, besure to mention me! I�ve always wanted to getmy name in some publication, ever since myhalf-brother Strahd got his name in that onemodule, Ravenloft. . . .

�Not to dishonor Samanthalus, if he is as greatas claimed, or D�driand, even though he hasworked with harpies, but I believe they are bothwrong. Harpies reproduce as do birds, as theyhave ever since wild magic caused their speciesto come into being. However, harpies havetrouble keeping their race alive, as male harpiesare generally clean and gentle, and refuse tobreed with the foul and filthy female harpies.Harpies can breed with other species to pro-duce young. Any species with wings, talons,hands, or heads will do, as far as I know. Thereis one restriction that I know of: Female harpiesmust breed with a male or something resem-bling a male in its natural form, so no dopple-gangers or succubi � or even incubi, as theirnatural form is that of a succubus � will do.There is a male harpy living in the Baralienesa,the blessed plains of southern Valla, whosefather was a harpy and whose mother was acentaur! Due to some magical quirk, male har-pies produce only male harpy children, andfemales bear only female young. I hope thisclears up any questions you have about harpies�breeding habits.�

Andy WrightLincoln NE

Everyone has read about the hypnotist whoraises a skin blister by touching a subject with acold pencil and saying it is red hot (see issue#121). It is one of several mind-over-matterclaims I mentioned having reviewed. On theevidence, I concluded that the story is 20th-century folklore. Specifically, I�d like to hearfrom any reader who has seen such a blister(not just a red spot) produced under conditionsthat preclude fraud. (Write to me c/o DRAGON®Magazine.)

All of the substantiated claims I have seen forhypnosis and biofeedback concern effectsmediated on or through the nervous system. Ofcourse, a hypnotist can make people perspireand can produce many other autonomic effects.

Mass Saving Throws Table

Level Death0 25%

1-2 35%3-4 40%5-6 50%7-8 55%

9-10 65%11-12 70%13-14 80%15-16 85%17+ 90%

Poly20%30%35%45%50%60%65%75%80%85%

Wands15%25%30%40%45%55%60%70%75%80%

Breath5%20%25%40%45%60%6 5 % 80% 85%85%

Spells10%20%25%35%40%50%55%65%70%75%

East Tennessee State Univ.Johnson City TN

I read with great interest S.D. Anderson�sletter in issue #122 and feel compelled torespond with a few thoughts of my own. As aplayer of three years experience and a DM inthe process of fleshing out my own fantasymilieu, I have long since dropped the �gold piecestandard� of weight determination. In fact, as arule, I pay little attention to weight. My concernwith weight of various items extends to caution-ing my players that such-and-such would proba-bly be too heavy or too cumbersome for themto carry easily. With the players I�ve been deal-ing with, this is usually sufficient to preventthem from carrying off loads of treasure.

However, if Mr. Anderson is having problemswith a monetary system that seems overlyweighted (pardon the pun) toward the goldpiece, perhaps the following thoughts may be ofassistance. I haven�t been using the gold piecestandard in my campaign for the past year.Instead, I have devised my own monetarysystem based on seven metals of trade. A briefdescription of the system follows.

In order of value, the seven trade metals are:platinum, gold, electrum, steel, silver, bronze,and copper. Each of these trade metals is used,in combination with base metals such as leadand tin, in alloys forming the coin of the realm.All coins are the approximate size of an Eisenho-

DRAGON 7

wer silver dollar, varying only in shape andoverall design. All coins are of roughly the sameweight due to impurities and strengths of alloy.The coins, and their relative values in relation toAD&D game standards, are as follows:

The platinum piece is stamped with the imageof a large sword superimposed on a boar�s head.It is worth five gold pieces.

The gold piece � yes, my world is on the goldstandard � bears on its face the image of alarge dragon. Since gold is difficult to mine andrare in any setting (as well it should be), the coinis only about 75% pure.

Electrum, for the uninitiated, is a compositemetal made up of roughly equal portions of goldand silver. Like all other coins in the realm, it islittle more than 75% pure. The coin itself is six-sided, each side bowed outward so that thereare no sharp corners. The coin bears the imageof a tankard of ale on its face and is worth halfa gold piece.

Steel, because of its use in armor and weapon-ry and its labor-intensiveness, is valued morehighly than silver within my realm. The steelpiece has a small hole in its center and bears theimage of a small helmet above a pair of crossedswords. Ten steel pieces equal one gold.

The silver piece is octagonal in shape andbears the image of a prancing unicorn. Twentysilver equals one gold.

The bronze piece is roughly pentagonal inshape and can be broken in half to be used inplace of copper pieces. One hundred bronzepieces equal one gold piece.

Finally, the copper piece, most common formof currency extant, bears the same relativevalue. That is, two hundred coppers equal onegold. The coin bears the image of a leaping fish.

The point of all this is that each DM�s fantasymilieu need not be solidly rooted in the AD&Dgame standard as written in the Players Hand-book. By devising his own monetary system, theDM creates a means by which players fromother campaigns may enter his own world,possibly losing some cash in the bargain. In myown campaign, players coming into my realmmust change currency before they are able togo about the business of equipping themselvesfor adventure. At a normal exchange rate of35%, a wealthy swashbuckler can wind up shorta few coppers when he goes to buy a newsword. To make matters more interesting, thereare several independent moneychangers operat-ing who will exchange foreign currency at aslightly higher rate and charge a fee in thebargain. Imagine what the thief with a chest ofgold and silver would end up with if heexchanged his goods at 38% and had to pay anadditional 1,500 gold for the service.

Richard Pike-BrownFarmington ME

It has come to my attention, after conversa-tions with several AD&D® game players, that ageneral conception exists which indicates thatbarbarians achieve their exceptional strength,dexterity, and constitution because they are big,burly, tough, etc. After much study of �barbari-an� cultures on our planet, both modern andhistorical, I must conclude that the above is amisconception, and it may actually be a wide-spread one.

The �barbarian� of the real world gains hisexceptional strength because of the very primi-tive conditions under which he lives, wheremuscle power is the major motive power foreverything. He gains his exceptional dexterityfor the very same reasons, and gains his consti-tutional benefits because of the rugged, harsh

8 SEPTEMBER 1987

conditions which prevail where he lives. Never-theless, very few �barbarians� are larger thannormal-size humans, although many are smallerthan normal, so ascribing to a �barbarian� inAD&D game a size of 6�6� and 350 lbs. mightaccount for his strength and constitution, but itwould certainly hurt him for dexterity. Physicalbuilds such as this are abnormal and carry apenalty in most conditions and circumstances,to one or more of these three traits.

The modern gymnast compares most favor-ably in society to the barbarian in the AD&Dgame, in terms of the physical attributes thatthe barbarian accrues. Most gymnasts areexceptionally strong, very well built and muscu-larly proportioned, extremely dextrous, and(due to their physical conditioning and constantworkouts) have very good constitutions. Look asecond time, and you will notice also that theyare generally smaller than average size. Now,compare the weightlifter with the gymnast. Theweightlifter is generally bigger, burlier, hasbulkier muscles, and is stronger overall becauseof his size. He is in good physical health, but hegives away a terrific bonus in dexterity to thegymnast, and in proportion to overall body sizeand weight, the gymnast may still be strongerproportionally.

The Seri Indians of Sonora State, Republic ofMexico, are small, dexterous (very quick andfast-reacting, etc.), in excellent physical condi-tion, and generally stronger than average (in thegymnast�s sense). I�ve observed, partied with,and played among them for 10 years. The SanBlas and related tribes (the last modern head-hunters and cannibals; they quit practicing inthe 1960s) in Panama are shorter, extremelydexterous, exceptionally strong, and have themost rugged constitutions I have ever seen. Iworked, lived, and played among some of theSan Blas Indians for five years. The Vikings,from whom I am descended, may perhaps bestronger overall but are definitely not propor-tionate to the San Blas�s standards, and theyhave to give up dexterity, if not strength. Ofthese three, only the Vikings could perhaps beconsidered larger than normal size.

Therefore, I suggest AD&D game playersneed to rethink their position on �barbarians� ingeneral and ascribe to them a more natural (andnormal appearing) physique than that of beinggrotesque, bulky, musclebound, and giant-tall!

Loring A. Windblad, Sr.Florence AZ

In Bob Hughes� letter in issue #121, he statedthat though the D&D® and AD&D games aresimilar, there are two major differences: com-plexity and flexibility. I have no argument withthis statement, but he goes on to say that it isthe D&D game that is flexible and the AD&Dgame that is complex. I have played both gamesand, in my opinion, this is wrong. I abandonedthe D&D game rules for the AD&D game rulesbecause the latter were more flexible. I believeit is this flexibility that can also make theadvanced rules more complex . . . new rules canbe created whenever they are required. Thismakes the game as complex or as simple asdesired, but lets it retain its flexibility. Why elsewould DRAGON Magazine print all those articlescontaining optional new rules? I myself have alarge collection of articles which I use in mycampaign, and they do not disrupt the balanceor the flexibility of it. They only serve to makethe game more realistic, give it more character,and, yes, make it more enjoyable.

Tom JamesCamlachie, Ont.

I salute you, Michael Estus [issue #123], fortrying to bring the TOP SECRET® game to theForum. I guess some things just need to bepushed to receive response and more ideas.

Yes, there is a very small margin for error inthe game. It really puts tension into players thatis normally lost when friends sit around a tableand play a game. And, it is closer to real life andreal espionage the way it�s supposed to behandled: carefully planned and executed, withlives hanging on a thread and quick executionsrather than �Rambo� shootouts.

Another subject is the hand-to-hand combatsystem. The original system was one of the mainthings that hooked me to the game. The new,quicker system does seem to keep things mov-ing and players interested, but it takes the oldfun of the fights, which were full of maneuversand [the choice of fighting] styles reflecting thecharacters.

Yet another subject is the new alignmentsystem. Can someone give me some examples ofthe usefulness of this, besides telling agentsabout governments and their leaders� align-ments, and for determining how NPCs getalong? Certainly, any relations with PCs shouldonly be based on the players� role-playing.

Chuck AmburnCasselberry FL

Recently, a trend has developed in the TOPSECRET game: the addition of heavier andheavier weaponry to the espionage campaign.While I am the first to admit that heavy weap-onry like machine guns, artillery, and tacticalnuclear weapons can be of use in certainsituations (nothing persuades an unwillingagent quicker than a thermonuclear weapon),they are often overused in games to replacestealth and deduction with constant fire-fights. Merle Rasmussen�s article �Operation:Zondraker,� in issue #122, illustrates well thechange of trends. On page 56 is a table ofcalibers � nothing unusual to the TOPSECRET game player, but this table runs allthe way to an astounding 1.600 caliber, toinclude 23, 30, and 40mm weapons! Granted,such large calibers might possibly be seen in alunar environment, but how can a lunarlander or a �moon buggy� spare the room fora 30mm chain gun and ammunition? After all,that�s what sort of weapons come in thosecalibers. The 30mm size is basically seen intwo weapons: the Hughes chain gun and theAvenger cannon, a six-barreled Gatling sys-tem used in the A-10 antiarmor aircraft. Sowhere would weapons of such firepower befound in a lunar environment? In any espio-nage game? It is the same with 23mm and40mm; both are used solely in military can-non employed by the U.S.S.R. and U.S.A.,respectively. If such weaponry is seen oftenin a TOP SECRET game campaign, then thegame is, contrary to previous claims, amilitary game.

I would suggest a military supplement to theTOP SECRET game that documents all theaspects of the game requiring heavy weaponry.Agents could work for military intelligence withmore dangerous missions, requiring heavierequipment. I feel that Mr. Rasmussen designedthe TOP SECRET game with James Bond andNapoleon Solo in mind, not Rambo. If agentsdesire to be mercenaries, there are gamesavailable that allow it; but, if the player wants tobe a spy, then leave the cannon at home andbring the PPK.

Dennis McLaughlinCamp Lejeune NC

The

EcologyOne of a broad and

by Nigel D. Findley

�And,� said Baylock with great relish,�thus ends the tale of Nex the Archer.Somehow, he escaped the will-o�-wispswith his life; how, we�ll never know � atleast, not from him.� The guide noddedsagely. �Aye, he escaped with his life. Buthis mind is another story. Nex will neverspeak again, I hear.� He glanced at hisemployer � Araman, that was his name �huddled nervously on the other side of thefire. �It happened near here, they say,�Baylock continued innocently, with an airygesture at the mangroves pressing closearound them. Araman looked about him,licking his lips nervously. Baylock grinnedto himself.

Then he decided to let the other man offthe hook. Araman wasn�t such a bad sort,not like many of the rich dimwits Baylockhad wet-nursed through the marshes inthe past. Certainly, he was a soft citydweller, not tempered to hardship likeBaylock and his lads. But he�d come toBaylock with a fair price � and withoutthe rankling disdain that most city dwell-ers had for the mist-eaters who lived andworked along the marshes. Araman alsokept up and pulled his weight � that,moreso than most.

�But no worries,� Baylock finished. �Thatwas five years ago � or more � and no-body�s seen a will-o�-wisp around heresince. Don�t concern yourself with it, sir,�

Across the fire, Araman glanced up withsurprise at the guide�s �sir,� Since they�dstruck the deal for guided passage throughthe marsh, Baylock had addressed him asnothing but �you.� What had mellowed thegrizzled mist-eater, Araman couldn�t guess.But he wasn�t going to question it.

Still, Araman was uncomfortable. Helooked again at the gnarled mangrovesand saw that they seemed to move in theflickering firelight. Baylock�s three �boys�� actually men of Araman�s age � laywrapped in their sleeping rolls, well awayfrom the fire. Their backs were turned tothe warmth as if to scorn the city man�sweak need for a fire. But Baylock himselfsat near the blaze. Was he trying to becompanionly? Whatever the reason, if theguide was suddenly willing to talk, Ara-man wanted to take advantage of the

c h a n c e .

of the Greenhagevil family of hags

�So,� Araman said, his voice weaker thanhe liked. �No will-o�-wisps. Then what doeslive around here? The most dangerouscreature?�

Baylock smiled. �Apart from the vulturesand the giant lizards and the occasionalmist dragon, you mean?� He thought for amoment, and his smile faded. �Well,� hewent on slowly, �there are tales of a shelly-coat.�

Araman glanced at the three backs turn-ed to the fire. Had they stiffened slightly?�What�s a shellycoat?� the city dwellerasked. He wasn�t sure that he should haveinquired.

Baylock looked for another stick to addto the fire. �Maybe you know it as agreenhag.�

No doubt about it this time. Baylock�smen were listening. One stirred briefly asif turning in his sleep, but he merely posi-tioned himself to hear the discussion bet-ter. Araman. leaned forward, fascinatedbut nervous. Anything that could scarethese mist-eaters was worth knowing of.�Tell me about it.�

Baylock shrugged and waved a hand.�Not much to tell,� he said. �The shellycoat� the greenhag � well, it�s like the annis,but even more dangerous.�

�It�s like the . . . ?�Baylock sighed. �The annis,� he repeated

patiently. �A blue giantess. As vicious andcruel a creature as you�d ever be sorryenough to meet. You find them in wilder-ness mountains, swamps, forests � anyclimate but the warmest. Just about any-where well away from civilization. Samewith the greenhag. Both are relatives ofthe night hag.� He leaned forward. �You doknow of the night hag?�

�Of course. But how � how are theyrelated?�

�Simple. What do you get when youcross a night hag with a human or a demi-human, eh? You get a greenhag.�1 Baylockchuckled. �You think that every time anight hag goes out hunting, it�s only todrag some poor soul off to Hades? Oh, no;sometimes it�s not a man�s life she wants.Enough to make your blood run cold, it is.�

Baylock stopped suddenly and cockedhis head, listening. �Hear that?� he askedquietly.

Araman strained his ears. Nothing: justthe constant background murmur of theswamp insects. Suddenly, a chilling howl

broke above the subtle murmur. �Whatwas that?� Araman gasped. Baylock�s mengot to their feet in remarkable time, shortswords and daggers free in their hands.They seemed quite awake.

�A wolf, I think.� Baylock called someinstructions, and his three men sheathedblades, unlimbered short bows, and melt-ed into the darkness out of the firelight.�Don�t worry,� he said, turning back toAraman. �My boys�ll take care of it, what-ever it is. If they can�t stab it, shaft it, orslice it, they�ll salute it. Now, where werewe?�

�The greenhag,� Araman reminded him.�And the shellycoat, if there�s any differ-ence.�

Baylock shook his head. �No, no differ-ence. �Shellycoat� is just what we call herwhen she lives in a swamp or river. That�swhen she�s most dangerous, to my mind.Sometimes she�ll lie in wait underwater torend fishermen � aye, and mist-eaters, too� as they pass by.�2

Araman shivered. �You say �she.� Arethere no male greenhags?�

�Never,� Baylock said flatly. �Some say it�sbecause the female hag�s blood is domi-nant; some say it�s because the night hagmother eats the male babes at birth.Whichever. No male greenhags.� A thinsmile wrinkled his face. �Though that�s notto say the greenhag doesn�t get a yen formale companionship, if you take my mean-ing. She just has to look for it outside herown species, like her mother, though thegreenhag prefers the big boys like ogresand giants. And that�s where you get theannis.3 Now, the annis��

Both men stiffened as a bowstring sangin the darkness. Another twang was fol-lowed by a hoarse call of �Over here!�Through the clatter of underbrush, a high-pitched cry assaulted the evening air. Thecry ended abruptly in silence.

Baylock started to get to his feet, thenslowly sat down again and forced a smile.�Whatever that is, my boys are giving itwhat for.� He nervously eyed the treeline.�Anyway, the annis follows her mother�sattitude towards ogres and giants. Shedeals with them for the same things: infor-mation, provender, and companionship.On occasion, you even find an annis livingwith an ogre or giant tribe as the wife ofthe tribal chieftain.� Baylock smiled briefly.�If that isn�t a case of the power behind

the throne, I don�t know what is.�4

The sound of combat again stirred thenight. A commotion in the undergrowthwas followed quickly by another twangingbowstring � then by a cry hoarse withagony: �Help me, Baylock!�

The guide was on his feet in a moment,his blade drawn. �Stay put,� he said grimly.�I�ll be back.� Rushing off into the brush,Baylock disappeared into the blackness.

Araman wrapped his cloak closeraround him. He glanced down at hishands; they shook as though with thepalsy. He clenched them, and the shakingstopped. The night grew quiet and long.

Araman didn�t see the figure until shehad stepped into the clearing, squintingher orange eyes against the light of thefire. Her rags were tattered, and darkblood � not hers � fell from her blackclaws and splotched her green skin. With-ered lips drew back from needle-pointedfangs in a mockery of a smile. When shespoke, it was in the same pain-roughenedvoice Araman had just heard, but blackwith irony. �Help me, Araman!�

Araman knew it would do no good toscream.

But he screamed anyway.

Notes1. After mating with a human or demi-

human male, a pregnant night hagremains in Hades throughout the 13-month gestation period. Following thistime, she returns to the Prime MaterialPlane to give birth. From the moment ofdelivery, the newborn greenhag is able tofend for herself (which is just as well,since the night hag mother abandons theinfant immediately). The greenhag, whichis always female, is similar in appearanceto a human infant; only her long blackfingernails and the greenish tinge of herskin give away her true nature.

At birth, the greenhag has only 2 HD,and does limited damage (1-2/1-2; nostrength bonus). She maintains her charac-teristic armor class of -2, however. Thegreenhag originally has no spell-likepowers or mimicry ability, and so dependson cunning and stealth to catch her food� generally, anything that moves, withhumans and demi-humans preferred. Thegreenhag grows rapidly, reaching her fullsize, strength, and powers at the age of 18months.

DRAGON 11

The greenhag�s alignment is always thatof the mother: neutral evil. Her intelli-gence, which ranges from low to very, isequal to the father�s intelligence scoreminus 1d6 (as long as this figure does notput it out of the allowable range: 5-12).The language of the night hag, which iswrongly reputed to be a dialect of annis, isactually a degenerate form of the tonguespoken by night hags. The greenhag�sknowledge of her own language is innate;other languages (and sounds she can mim-ic) must be learned.

The greenhag�s spell-like abilities and herinhuman strength are also degenerate giftsof the monster�s mother. Dilution withhuman or demi-human blood has weak-ened the night hag�s extraplanar powers,making some abilities mere shadows of theoriginal powers (invisibility instead ofetherealness, change self instead of poly-morph self, weakness instead of enfeeble-ment). Some of these powers are removedaltogether (e.g., the night hag�s ability togate in demons or devils and her resist-ance to nonmagical weapons). As if inrecompense for this, some new powers,which are more in tune with the PrimeMaterial Plane, have been given to thegreenhag (e.g., pass without trace, speakwith monsters, etc.). A greenhag�s lifespanis usually around 500 years (less than hermother�s 1,000-year span because of thediluting effect of human or demi-human

blood).2. A greenhag often makes her lair in an

underwater cave, using her water breath-ing ability (which lasts for 27 turns, or 4½hours) to dwell therein. If no suitable bodyof water is available, the lair is usuallyconcealed (for example, screened by over-hanging plants or shielded from view by alarge boulder). Being a cowardly creatureat heart, a greenhag will go to greatlengths to prevent her lair from beingfound, often going so far as to enter andleave it only while invisible.

This innate cowardice also dictates thegreenhag�s favored methods of hunting:lying in wait while invisible or otherwiseconcealed, or using her mimicry � whichis often coupled with her change selfability � to lure prey into an indefensibleposition (for example, into quicksand) oraway from comrades. Although physicallyvery powerful, the greenhag is a bullywho often shuns a fair fight. If confrontedby strong, determined opposition, she willflee. Conversely, if her prey is much weak-er than she, a greenhag will cruelly �play�with it (in the same manner that a catplays with a bird or mouse) before killingand eating it.

3. Although basically solitary creatures,greenhags sometimes deal with ogres andhill giants (usually those of lower intelli-gence who are easily dominated), tradingbaubles looted from their victims for infor-

12 SEPTEMBER 1987

mation, food, and protection as necessary.Quite frequently, greenhags also mate withsmaller members of ogre or hill-gianttribes. Any male ogre or giant may fatherthe greenhag�s child.

After a seven-month gestation period,the greenhag gives birth to an annis. Likethe greenhag, the newborn annis (which isalways female) is similar in appearance toa large human infant, again except for skincolor. At birth, the annis has 1 HD and canattack by bite only, doing 1d4 hp damage(no strength bonus). Her armor class frombirth is 0. Like the greenhag, the annisinfant has no spell-like powers, but cansometimes depend on her ogrish or giant-ish father to feed her for a brief while.The greenhag provides nothing for thebaby annis, which the mother abandons atbirth. The annis grows even more rapidlythan the greenhag, reaching full maturityat the age of 12 months.

As the night hag�s characteristics arediluted by breeding with a human ordemi-human, so are the greenhag�s charac-teristics weakened by the addition ofogrish or giantish blood. The annis�s innateknowledge of language is even moreimperfect, so her tongue becomes a fur-ther degeneration of the original night hagspeech. The annis�s resistance to punish-ment is decreased, and more of the nighthag�s powers have vanished. The annis�slifespan, too, is lessened, dropping toapproximately double the lifespan of herfather�s race. Even the annis�s alignment ischanged from neutral evil to a more self-ish, chaotic bent.

Apart from size, the only boon the annisreceives from her father is increasedstrength. The annis�s enhanced range ofintelligence (to a maximum of exceptional)is a special case, resulting more from therecessive inheritance of night hag intelli-gence; the higher range of intelligence hasskipped a generation. This throwbacksituation also explains the annis�s return tothe night hag�s purity of complexion.

4. The annis shares her mother�s bully-ing nature � although she is not as muchof a coward � and will often be foundamongst a tribe of non-humans if she candominate them (usually by dominating theleader). An ogre or giant clan that includesan annis is generally more cunning andcruel in nature than the norm.

An annis will mate with an ogre or hillgiant, if one can be found. Such a matingrarely (10%) results in live offspring.Although not strictly a mule, the annis isnot a very fertile strain. When the annisdoes produce offspring, the infant isalways the same race as the father, andalways female. The only legacies of themother are increased resilience (i.e., theoffspring always has the maximum hitpoints for the species in question) and abluish tinge to her complexion. All othercharacteristics are derived from thefather. Unlike the night hag and greenhag,the annis usually succors the infant aswould a female of the father�s species.

Woodlandsof the

Rea lmsMagical and mundane forests for

FORGOTTEN REALMS� campaigns

by Ed Greenwood

Many varieties of trees common onEarth are also common in the ForgottenRealms. In warmer regions, the date palm,coconut palm, ebony, cypress, and man-grove are common. Evergreens exist in thenorthern regions, and most hardwoodslive in the central forests. Birch and yeware rare in the Realms; alder, boxwood,the plane tree, redwood, and sycamoreare unknown. Cork and rubber trees arefound only in particular areas in the farSouth and are disappearing quickly due toheavy harvests. (Many recent explorationsof the lands of Chult have been under-taken simply to find new supplies of thesewoods.) Common trees of the Realmsinclude:

Apple Hawthorn Shadowtop*Ash Hickory Silverbark*Beech Hiexel* SpruceBlueleaf* Hornbeam Suth*Cedar Ironwood ThornCherry Laspar* Vundwood*Chestnut Maple Weirwood*Duskwood* Oak WillowElm Phandar* Zalantar*Felsul* Pine

Trees marked with an asterisk areunique to the Realms; these common spe-cies are described hereafter. Certainly,other unique species of trees may befound in the Realms as well.

Blueleaf trees have leaves of an eerie,gleaming blue hue, which are many-pointed and rather like those of maples inappearance. Blueleaf trees are very deli-cate and have many small branches. As a

14 SEPTEMBER 1987

rule, these trees are very supple; theybend in high winds and under heavy iceloads (rather than breaking), and grow inthick stands which sometimes reach 40� inheight. The trunks of these trees rarelyattain diameters in excess of 8�. Blueleaftrees yield a vivid blue dye much favoredby clothesmakers; the dye is derived fromthe sap and crushed leaves of the blueleaftrees. These trees are also favored forfirewood cutting because they producebeautiful, leaping blue flames whileburning.

Duskwood trees are 60� tall. Thesestraight trees have smooth, bare trunksmarked by crowns of tiny branches.Duskwoods are named for the dark, eerieappeance of stands of these closely-clustered black trunks. Under the blackbark (which shows a silver-gray colorwhen newly broken or peeled) is woodthat is smokey gray when cut � and ashard as iron. Most mast spars and buildingbeams are made of mature duskwoodtrunks. They are hard and resistant tofire, and they smolder rather than blazewhen set aflame. As a result, duskwoodtrees tend to survive forest fires and theaxes of woodcutters seeking firewood.

Felsul are gnarled, twisted trees with adeep brown hue and a crumbling texture(old bark constantly rots and flakes awayfrom a mature felsul). Young felsul treesare light green in color and are as freshand soft as leafy plants. It is only afterfelsul are 10 or more years old (and 3� ormore in height) that they darken in colorand begin to twist and curve as their rootsdig deeper and the winds shape their frailtrunks. Felsul grow on rocky crags, cliffedges, and clefts, providing the only treecover in many cold, rocky areas of the

North. In the spring, these trees burst intoflower; the crushed petals of their vividyellow-and-purple blossoms yield a delight-ful, spicy perfume highly prized by ladiesin the Realms. Faded felsul blooms arecarefully gathered each year by venture-some souls, for a large sack of these petalscan command a price of up to 3 gp ifsupplies are scarce. Felsul wood burnspoorly and is too weak and gnarled forfurniture or buildings, although felsul-rootis a favorite of those who carve images,toys, and holy symbols.

Hiexel is a green, waxy wood used forsignal beacon fires. It is also used to smokemeat or fish, or to drive out animals orenemies. As it burns, this wood createsclouds of thick, black, billowing smokethat are both oily and choking. Hiexelgrows in thickets in ravines and on hill-sides. The trees themselves are gentlycurved and are marked by sparse branch-es. As a whole, these trees have anupright, oval foliage shape. Hiexel is abrittle wood that tends to succumb to roteasily, but its durable bark is resilient andlasting, and has been used in the makingof tomes of magic and lore (see �Pagesfrom the Mages III,� DRAGON® issue #92�).Windstorms often fell large or old hiexel;with age or much growth, these treesbecome unstable. In such instances, por-tions of their wood dry out unevenly,causing the trees to topple easily. Thissame tendency makes hiexel unsuitablefor use in palisades, bridges, sledges, orother structures exposed to stress andhard usage. Hiexel is very common in theDalelands.

Laspar trees resemble cedars in textureand aroma. They are ever-bearing andhave flat needles that grow in sphericalclusters on the ends of a �cloak� of delicatebranches. These cloaks swirl protectivelyabout a straight, strong, central trunk.Laspar wood is pitchy and tends to snapand spit numerous sparks when burnt;however, beneath its close-shingled,smooth bark of dusky green hue (whichoften forms a surface of small, interlock-ing concave plates with few large fissuresor rough spots), the laspar�s wood is gold-en yellow and easily worked for furnitureor building, much like pine. Boiled lasparneedles (the clusters of needles are knownas shags) are an effective laxative drunk inthe North, and crushed laspar needles areused in the making of certain scents, suchas those worked into torches and candlesof superior quality. Laspar moths, sonamed because they seem attracted to thesmell of laspar trees, are gray, furry-winged insects of up to 4� in length, witha wingspan of up to 8�.

Phandar trees are now uncommon dueto heavy cutting of this wood for manyyears. This dearth comes as no surprise:The curving boughs of a phandar treesprout in great numbers from a massive,knobby central trunk. These boughs aretough, springy, and terrifically strong.Phandar trees have triangular leaves of

mottled shades of green. Often, these treesgrow to 60� in height. The foliage of thephandar tree is shaped somewhat like anegg laid horizontally, the long axis of theegg growing in a tail in relation to theprevailing winds. Phandar wood itself isgreenish brown, with thin, black grainlines running throughout the depths of thewood. Jewelry carved of the wood usuallymakes use of these grain lines in its cut-ting to create patterns or pleasing wavesof parallel lines. Tocken (see �Music of theForgotten Realms,� DRAGON issue #123)are usually made of phandar wood. Bows and weapon handles are likewise oftenfashioned of phandar wood, although thecurving nature of the wood makes itunsuitable for spear shafts and the like.

Phandar trees are very hardy; manyyoung specimens have been uprooted andcarried for many miles and long daysbefore being replanted. Such privategrowing schemes have spread the phandarover a wider area of the Realms than therolling Dales and upland hills of the cen-tral Sword Coast North that was theirprevious habitat, and this has probablyprevented the complete extinction of thistree at the hands of loggers.

The massive central trunk of the phan-dar tree resembles the feared roper innatural appearance. The phandar�s trunkis so strong that it can serve as a pillar tosupport the roof of a dwelling (althoughsuch trunks are rarely more than 20� tall)without preparation. These trunks mayalso be chiselled and notched to acceptcrossbeams without cracking or splitting.

Shadowtop trees are the soaring giantsof the forests of the Realms. These treesgrow very rapidly (up to 2� a year, if theweather is warm and damp enough),allowing some shadowtops to reach 90� ormore in height. Trees of this size oftenhave massive, pleat-ridged trunks flaringup to 20� in diameter at the base. The treegets its name from the dense clusters offeather leaves which adorn its limbs. Ashadowtop�s leaves have frilled edges likethose of an oak, with an irregular numberof small fingers. These leaves are copper-colored on the underside all year roundand deep green on the upper surface. Thetops of these leaves fade to match theunderside in the fall. The leaves clusterfrom spreading branches that make up thetop 12� or so of the tree, which has few orno lower branches.

Shadowtop wood (�shadow wood�) isfibrous and tough, but unsuitable forcarving or structural work, as it has atendency to split down its length understress into a splayed mass of fibers. Thefibers themselves are valued in ropemak-ing; a few are added to the twist when arope is being made, increasing thestrength and durability of the coil when itis complete. Shadowtop wood burns slow-ly (it must be ignited by a leaping firecomposed of other woods) but verycleanly, with little smoke. The resultantflames generate an hot fire. Shadow-

16 SEPTEMBER 1987

top wood is thus favored for cooking.If more than four wagonloads of wood

are felled, cut up, and carried off for salein a city, there will be a large remainder,which is usually left behind for later trips.By custom, travelers can usually cutenough from this pile for a night�s firewithout evoking anyone�s ire.

Silverbark trees flourish in wetground, generally near bogs and swamps,but sometimes in deep ravines in thedepths of large forests. Individual treesare thin and straight, and seldom morethan 15� tall. Their trunks, which areusually 3-4� in diameter, serve the poor asstaves, poles, and (with points hardened ina slow fire) defensive stakes. The silverbark which gives the tree its name is looseand crumbles easily (although it does notpeel off in strips as birch does). The woodof this tree dries out thoroughly after it iscut and, after a year or so, is brittle andweak. As a result, silverbark will not dofor lance shafts, fence rails, or structuralwork. Silverbark is plentiful and growsthickly. Its leaves are large and oval-shaped, with pointed tips and tiny saw-toothed edges. These leaves are a deep redin color, with purple patches where theyattach to their stems and thence to thebranches. The leaves are durable andwaxy, and are often used to wrap freshgame.

Suth trees are squat, splayed treescommon around the edges of the Shaar, inthe woods of Chondath, and farther southin the Realms (the name may be a corrup-tion of �south�). They grow in almosthorizontal, angled sections, slanting in onedirection, branching out (the low branchesproviding balance), then slanting backupon themselves in another direction. Afew of these trees can provide a visualscreen or wall barring passage to all whocan�t crawl under the lowest branches, forthe branches of the different trees inter-twine and double back into a tightly-woven mass. Suth leaves are soft but longand spike-shaped. These leaves grow inbunches at the ends of branches and in aring around each segment where the treelimbs branch and change direction. Suthwood is extremely hard and durable � sohard that it is difficult to work unless onehas the finest tools. Suthwood is the pre-ferred wood for shields; if soaked inwater, such shields do not catch fire easilyand almost never splinter. A heavy blowmight crack a suthwood shield (any savingthrow vs. crushing blow should be at +2),but it wouldn�t shatter it into pointedfragments. Suthwood is also used in themanufacture of book covers because thinsheets of this wood retain astonishingstrength for decades (see �Pages From theMages V,� DRAGON issue #100).

Vundwood trees are short and scrub-by. They grow on poor ground and arenamed for a famous nomadic tribe ofbandits, the Vunds, who were wiped outlong ago by the combined efforts of thefledgling kingdoms of Cormyr and Sembia.

The Vunds raided with impunity for manyyears because none could field strength ofarms against them. They rode likedemons, as one merchant put it, andwould melt away when faced with deter-mined resistance, only to slaughter thenext caravan that came along. The Vundsinhabited the lands west of the Sea ofFallen Stars, threatening the long, over-land trade routes between the Inner Sealands and the Sword Coast. Today, thoserolling, seemingly endless plains are stilldominated by small stands of vundwoodtrees.

Vundwood trees rarely top 15�. Ratherthan having a distinct central trunk,vundwood trees have many small radiat-ing branches, which in turn split intosmaller branches. Vundwood is mostlyused for firewood, though it does have avariety of other uses. Felled vundwoodtrees, for example, are often dragged intolines to form rough fence enclosures,which are used by farmers to hold live-stock or by caravans to serve as overnightpaddocks. Vundwood is reddish brownand has a spicy smell much like that ofcinnamon. The species has smooth, thinbark of a deep red color and leaves of palegreen edged with white. These edgeslighten to yellow in winter or when a treeis dying.

Weirwood is a rare and highly prizedvariety of tree that grows into huge,many-branched forest giants if undis-turbed. Most surviving weir trees arefound in the depths of the huge forests ofthe North, and they are actively protectedby dryads, hamadryads, druids, treants,and rangers. Weirwood will not burn innormal fires; only magical fire can igniteor consume it. Weir trees yield resilient,durable wood that is favored in the mak-ing of musical instruments such as lutesand harps. Instruments fashioned of thiswood create a particular warm, clearsound that resonates without distortion.Weir trees are very similar to oaks inappearance but are seldom seen by men.A bluelight, dancing lights; faerie fire,light, or continual light radiance thatcomes into contact with nondweomeredweirwood, cut or living, lingers aroundthe wood for 2-4 rounds, even if thesource of the radiance is removed.

Zalantar is a wood of the South; it isseldom seen in northern lands. Thesetrees grow in profusion in Chult and alongthe southern coasts of Faerun. The Zalan-tar tree is characterized by black bark andwood, and white or beige leaves. Theseleaves branch in groups of several trunksfrom a central root. Zalantar trees mayreach 80� in height, but are usually halfthat height. The trees seem to grow in anyterrain short of the most mountainous.Zalantar wood is strong and yet easilyworked; many caravan wagons, litters,and wheels are made of it, as are parts ofmany southern dwellings. This wood issometimes called �blackwood� in theNorth.

The Code ofChivalryOrders of knighthoodin the AD&D® game

18 SEPTEMBER 1987

by Mark Easterday

The world of the AD&D® game symbol-izes the eternal struggle of good againstevil. However, players of lawful-goodcharacters often find themselves at a greatdisadvantage as the evil characters havefar greater powers at their disposal �poisons, thieves� and assassins� guilds,demons and devils, etc. To offset thisimbalance while offering players of lawful-good characters more opportunities forrole-playing, this article presents a set ofrules outlining chivalry, honor, and ordersof knights in the AD&D game world. Thismaterial supplements the information onthe feudal code given for cavaliers inUnearthed Arcana, though it is morerestrictive in certain ways, particularly inallowable alignments for knighthood.

The code of chivalry is the heart andsoul of the knight. It is the heroic playercharacter who � with justice, valor, loyal-ty, modesty, courtesy to equals, compas-sion to weakness, and devotion to law andgood � becomes the champion of theoppressed and the defender of all that�sgood. Those who follow the code of chival-ry pledge to fight against powerfuldragons, evil enchanters, and wickedbeings of all sorts until they are over-thrown and rendered powerless.

There is no greater honor among lawful-good knights than the conquest of evil.Honor implies renown, good conduct, andthe pursuit of justice. A knight�s word ofhonor is the most solemn oath known;once a knight gives his word on some-thing, he may never go back on it. Therespect, glory, and admiration given aknight depend upon his level of honor.

Chivalry and honor are both incorpo-rated in the various orders of knights.Training, leadership, protection, a base ofoperations, and a code of values are bene-fits and advantages of joining an order.The following description of an order ofknights applies to all orders created withthese guidelines.

Organization of an orderThe organization of an established order

of knights usually consists of the follow-ing: a Master (at least 13th level of ability),a Seneschal (the Master�s deputy, at least9th level), a Marshal (responsible for direc-tion of military affairs, at least 9th level), agroup of High Officers (responsible for theorder�s castles and troops, at least 9th leveleach), and a main body of knights (4thlevel and up). Fighters, rangers, cavaliers,and paladins may join an order of knights;barbarians and nonfighter classes cannot.Clerics may optionally be allowed to join

particularly religious orders of knights asfull members.

Many NPC knights of an order can beconsidered to be average knights ofrenown, and knights holding positions ofauthority are usually considered to beknights of quality. Statistics for both typesof knights are on page 17 of Legends &Lore.

An order usually has one castle under itscontrol for every 10-50 knights in theorder. Every order must have at least onecastle. The castles have the basic staffrequired and a garrison of five zero-levelsoldiers per knight assigned to the castle.Aid and protection for all characters ofgood alignments can be gained at anorder�s castle. An order will fight todefend the lands and towns near the castleif the populace is of good alignment. Anattack against one castle belonging to anorder of knights is regarded as an attackagainst them all, although personal duelsand quarrels among knights need not beavenged by others unless perpetrated byevil forces.

To join an order of knights, a charactermust be a lawful-good fighter, ranger,cavalier, or paladin of 4th level or greater.The character must also challenge anddefeat a knight of the order (of equal level)in a joust. [Detail on the conduct of a joustare given in “Surely, You Joust!” on pages22-29, DRAGON® issue #118.]

Rules of an orderThe rules of an order of knights may

vary in specifics, but the most basic rulesare given below. Others may be added asdesired, such as those from page 16 ofUnearthed Arcana or from other articlesin this section on chivalry.

1. Knights of the order must have aheavy war horse, a lance, a sword (exceptshort swords), a secondary melee weapon,any armor (except those forbidden tocavaliers), a shield, and a helmet.

2. Knights of the order cannot use magicor magical items of an evil nature or origin.

3. Knights of the order cannot gambleand must pay a tithe of 10% of their totalincome to the order once per month.

4. Knights of the order cannot overin-dulge when drinking or eating.

5. Knights of the order must bear thecoat of arms and colors of the order ontheir shield, tunic, and clothes.

6. Knights of the order must adherestrictly to the laws and codes of chivalry,honor, and lawful-good alignment.

7. If a knight of the order is challengedby one who wishes to enter the order, hemust accept the challenge or suffer a lossof honor.

8. Knights of the order respect, defend,and aid all who are weaker than they, andshow proper regard for the opposite sex.

9. Knights of the order may not beararms against each other except in situa-tions that the law permits (challenges,games and tournaments, etc.).

10. Chapters of the order (meetings)must assemble three or four times peryear, and all knights must attend.

11. Knights of the order may challengeother knights of the order for positions ofauthority (such as High Office) if they areof equal or greater level to the one chal-lenged. The challenge is resolved in aseries of jousts until one knight isunhorsed. Combat continues on foot untilone knight is defeated.

12. Knights of the order may joustagainst other knights of the order duringtournaments held during chapters of theorder.

13. Knights must grant mercy to anyopponent who yields (surrenders). Thedefeated opponent must then take an oathnever to bear arms against the knight whodefeated him again. This applies to war-fare as well as tournament fights.

14. Knights of the order may marry onlypersons of good alignment.

15. Knights of the order may participatein adventures with other characters ofgood or neutral alignment. The adventuresmust not be evil in nature or goals.

16. Knights of the order may never goback on or break an oath or word of honor.

17. Knights of the order may choose toserve in a castle of the order, or they mayadventure to further the goals of theorder and lawful-good alignment.

18. Knights of the order must take asolemn oath to uphold the laws of theorder.

Benefits of an orderKnights of an order receive several

benefits for faithful service. For everythree years a knight spends in the order,he gains one point of charisma (to a maxi-mum of + 2 points). A knight in the ordermay have a + 10% experience-point bonuswhen on a quest or mission for the order;private adventures by the character donot allow an experience bonus. The orderalso pays for all of the knight�s food, nor-mal equipment, and weapons, and pur-chases a war horse for him if his is slain. Aknight is also assigned 1-4 squires (fighter-or cavalier-types of 0-3rd level) and 1-10men-at-arms (all zero level) who travelwith him even on private adventures andare paid for by the order. These retainersgain half the experience points of theknight (except men-at-arms who may notadvance in level). Knights of the order arenot allowed to build or own castles whenthey join the order, but are given free foodand lodging for themselves, their assignedhirelings, and their good-aligned friends.

Training for level advancement is provid-

ed �free� within an order for lower-levelknights and their retainers � so long as alltithes are promptly paid and a suitableteacher is available at the time. The tithepresented by characters who are wealthyfrom adventuring is usually sufficient tocover the needs of those characters andthe needs of poorer knights and retainersas well.

Table 1 shows ways in which honorpoints may be earned, and Table 2 givessome of the benefits of high honor scores.The system of honor acquisition given inTable 1 is similar to the one found in Ori-ental Adventures, and it may be furtherexpanded using the honor system on page36 of that tome. A knight has a startinghonor level of 20. If a knight�s honor everdrops below zero, he immediately loses allbenefits acquired from the order and isexpelled from the order permanently. Healso loses one level of experience due todisgrace and dishonor, and may be subjectto an alignment change.

The knight�s starting honor is, of course,gained when he is accepted into the orderand knighted. The character also gets thehonor of having �Sir� before his name. If acharacter fails in a challenge to gain admit-tance to an order, he must wait one monthbefore trying again, though he cannotchallenge any knight who defeated him incombat.

Tournaments are held at every chapterof an order. All who wish may participate.There are two main areas of combat forknights: jousting with lance and shield isthe first, and a bloody melee in which 20-40 knights fight it out to the finish is thesecond. Knights of an order may partici-pate in any tournament but may not fightother knights of the order except at chap-ter tournaments. [The various articles ontournaments and jousting in DRAGONissue #118 are highly recommended.]

Below is an example of an order ofknights that can be used in a campaign asis or as a model for creating other ordersof knights. [See also the orders of knight-hood from the WORLD OF GREYHAWK™Fantasy Setting guidebook, pages 79-80].Player characters of the appropriate classand level may set up their own orders ofknights as well.

The Order of the StarMaster: Sir John Phillips, 16th-level paladin.Seneschal: Sir Edwin Ramsey, 13th-level

fighter.Marshal: Sir Gilbert Basc, 12th-level ranger.High Officers: Sir Jay Frizten, 10th-level

cavalier; Sir John Piers, 11th-level pala-din; Sir George Sprat, 14th-level fighter;Sir Charlton Acres, 12th-level ranger; SirMarc Jacques, 11th-level paladin; SirDavid Westmore, 15th-level cavalier; SirThomas Cranston, 10th-level fighter; Sir

DRAGON 19

Harold Falst, 11th-level ranger; SirDimentrius Masinto, 13th-level paladin;Sir Guy Luvac, 10th-level fighter.

Castles: Southfield (Commander Sir DavidWestmore), Starpeak (Commander SirMarc Jacques), Bracilot (Commander SirGuy Luvac).

Knights: 225Combined castle garrisons: 1,125Coat of Arms: Blue star on white back-

ground.Colors: Blue cloaks, white tunics with coat

of arms.Chapters: January 18th, July 2nd, Novem-

ber 28th.Oath: I, a Knight of the Order of the Star,

promise to uphold and obey all of therules the Order has set forth. I willfaithfully obey the Code of Chivalry andthe Laws of Honor. I will love theKnights of the Order of the Star as mybrothers. When called upon to leadtroops into battle for the Order, I willrespond quickly and to the best of myability. If two Knights of the Order of theStar quarrel or fight, I will part them,and if I cannot part them, I will not helpeither of them. Finally, I pledge with allmy heart to uphold, strengthen, and

20 SEPTEMBER 1987

spread the Way of the Lawful and theGood.

BibliographyBarber, Richard. The Knight and Chival-

ry New York: Harper and Row Publishers,1974.

Bulfinch, Thomas. Bulfinch’s Mythology.New York: Dell Publishing, 1964.

Guerber, H.A. Myths and Legends Series:Middle Ages. London: Braken Books, 1985.

Tuchman, Barbara W. A Distant Mirror,The Calamitous 14th Century. New York:Ballantine Books, 1978.

Table 1Methods of Gaining and Losing Honor

Destroying a major foe of the order: + 10.Completing a great quest: + 5.Fulfilling a major oath: + 5.Leading troops of the order into victorious battle: + 5.Successfully defending or taking a castle for the order: +5.Gaining position of authority: + 3.Defeating a superior opponent of the same class: +2.Aiding or protecting a weaker person: + 1.Defeating an evil monster: + 1 per 2,000 xp value. *Donating treasure to the poor: + 1 per 1,000 gp value.Marrying: + 1.Per year of membership in an order: + 1.Saving another�s life while risking own: + 1.Winning in a personal challenge or tournament: + 1 per joust or melee.Losing in a personal challenge or tournament: - 1 per joust or melee.Being defeated in personal (nontournament) combat: -2.Failing a quest for the order: - 5.Leading troops of the order into a lost battle: - 5.Losing a castle of the order to attack: -5.Refusing a challenge: - 5.Injuring a fellow knight for petty reasons: - 10.Breaking a law of the order: - 15.Committing murder, robbery, or other felonies: - 20 or more. * *Betraying the order or a lawful-good being: - 30 or more. * *

* Only gained if monster is fought one-on-one by knight.* * Depends on the nature of the offense.

Table 2Benefits from Chivalrous Honor

Honor Benefit1-49 None50+ Knight gains + 1 ( + 5%) on NPC reaction rolls. *65+ Knight gains a minor magical item from the order.80+ Knight gains ability to detect evil as a paladin. * *90+ Knight gains a major magical item from the order.

100 + Knight is given a fief of land and all required hirelings by theorder. * * *

* An additional + 1 ( + 5%) bonus to NPC reaction rolls is gained for every 15 points of honor over 50 the knight possesses.

* * This ability is granted by one or more lawful-good patron deities of the order, ifit is particularly religious. Another benefit may be substituted here if desired.* * * This is gained even if the character is not yet of name level. See the notes onmid-level strongholds from �Feuds and Feudalism,� page 16, DRAGON issue #117.

Meanwhile,Back at theFief . . .Feudal lords have a lot to

keep them busy

by Thomas M. Kane

Land is power. All wealth comes fromthe earth, be it grain, spice, furs, or gold.Most characters want to develop property,and the richer and more famous a PCbecomes, the better a stronghold looks. Ina feudal society such as in most AD&D®game worlds, people are governed by theproperty-owning class, and the master of astronghold is a powerful figure. But powerbrings enemies. Maintaining a freeholdprovides as many adventures as a dungeon� if not more.

When PCs reach high levels, it is hard tochallenge them. They have the resourcesto defeat most monsters easily, yet the DMcannot always use overwhelmingly power-ful enemies. If the PCs develop land, manynew scenarios are possible. Politics andwars occupy the characters. Money can behauled out and put to use in building acastle or maintaining a town, the costs ofwhich far exceed any other expenses PCsmight have. Thus, development of land is

good for game balance. The process ofclearing wilderness land is detailed in theDMG, page 93. Information on obtainingstrongholds in civilized lands is found in�The Care of Castles,� by Katharine Kerr,reprinted in the Best of DRAGON Maga-zine Anthology volume 4. That article alsogives invaluable information on staffingand running a castle. But there has beenlittle information on adventuring after acastle is built.

Maintaining a populaceA land-holding PC constantly struggles to

gain citizens. More people mean moreworkers for whatever industry dominatesthe area. The DMG states that when ran-dom encounter tables indicate potentiallyfriendly creatures, such creatures remainin the PC�s fiefdom. Few overlords will besatisfied with this source of population. Anew landholder will probably want lots ofpeasantry. Katherine Kerr, in �The Care ofCastles,� describes a process for obtainingsuch people. Peasants must be offered abetter situation than they currently enjoy.In addition, their former lord must bedealt with. He will only allow 10-15% ofhis peasants to leave. The PC must alsopay him for them, at a rate agreeable toboth characters. Such negotiations candraw PCs into political scenarios. Theformer lord may want military alliances,and his councillors may oppose the PC.Physically moving new citizens to a PC�sland is difficult, as they must be fed anddefended from monsters. PCs with anestablished estate may trade citizens toother nobles. [See �Armies From theGround Up� in this issue for more infor-

mation on population growth.]A PC will want artisans in his freehold.

A landholder must travel to other cities inorder to find craftsmen. The DM can usethe process for finding henchmen todetermine how many citizens are attract-ed (see page 35, DMG). For every 10%level of effectiveness for a certain method,one NPC will be located that year; thus, ifa character posts notices in some town,1-4 citizens are found. These citizens aretradesmen from the Expert Hirelings Tableon page 29 of the DMG, not true hench-men or servitors of the PC. They may behired normally, but otherwise they merelydo business in the area of the PC�s fief.Some NPC rulers may be displeased withadvertisements luring citizens away fromtheir town � another source of trouble.Each NPC attracted brings 1d12 -2 rela-tives. If a fiefdom is maintained over time,its citizens reproduce, doubling the popu-lation every 21 years or so.

An overlords most important task is torule his people. The DM should determinea morale score for a fiefdom�s citizens. Thenormal morale system, given on page 36 ofthe DMG, may be used. Obviously, modi-fiers for training or status level, enlistmentor association, and pay or treasure shareddo not apply. A set of special modifiers isgiven in Table 1.

Morale is a useful tool. Checks may beused to determine if laws are obeyed, ifthe population flees in times of disaster, orif people revolt against their lord. Moralecan answer almost any question of govern-ing. It may be necessary to compute differ-ent morale scores for different parts ofthe population; a PC may have happypeasants and a dissatisfied middle class. Incivil wars, such divided loyalty createsexciting intrigue. It is important to knowthe morale of citizens of NPC lords, as thePCs may wish to spark rebellion in otherlands. For a small populace (a few hun-dred people), a single morale score maysuffice.

Under feudal law, a lord is not the equiv-alent of a modern dictator. Each class ofsociety is bound by rights and obligations.Some are born to rule; others to feed therulers. Both positions are honorable. TheDM should emphasize this if the PCsdemand unnatural services from theircitizens, keeping the PCs from gettingunlimited free help from their subjects.

A ruler must support his citizens. Ifdisaster impoverishes a freehold, the ruleris expected to help all its inhabitants. Hemust pay at least half of the price for anyrebuilding. For every citizen killed, thesurviving family expects 10 sp. Maimedpersons drain 1 sp each per year thereaf-ter. If subjects are not supported, theyhave no obligation to their lord, and theythen rebel or leave. PCs who ignore this

duty must be prepared to deal with revo-lutions, crime, and banditry.

Making moneySome property is better than others. A

PC who controls rich gold mines usuallymakes more money than one who rules abarren hillside. Landholders have to bar-gain and bully, and sometimes fight wars,to get better property. The DM mustdecide what resources are available in anarea. The Players Handbook lists a land-holder�s income per inhabitant where itdescribes appropriate character classes.By raising taxes, a PC can generate moremoney. As much as 150% of the normalrevenue can be so collected. However,normal medieval taxes were incrediblyhigh. If a PC attempts to raise them, a morale check must be made each year.Furthermore, various penalties will apply.Should morale fail, a revolt will occurimmediately. It is possible for a PC to enterseveral different ventures. If this occurs,compute each income separately. [“ArmiesFrom the Ground Up” has another systemfor tax calculations.]

A piece of land will support only a lim-ited number of people. Under medievalconditions, about seven families can farma one-mile hexagon. Only three herdsmenoperate in a one-mile hex. Furthermore,only cleared land can be used. Otherresources are also limited; the DM mustdecide on the size and location of oreveins, fresh water, etc. Each product musthave a market as well, so a way must befound to get the goods to customers.

A market ratio is shown on Table 2.Multiply this figure by the number ofworkers engaged in a given work. This isthe number of people who must be availa-ble to support a particular industry. Forexample, if 500 people mine iron, themarket is 500 x 10; to make money, theruler must find a way to transport theiron to an area where 5,000 people live.The miners will buy iron goods, so only 4,500 other people must be found.

Each sort of industry has a different rate,of profit � and chances of failure or unex-pected success. Failure is checked for first.When a venture fails, there is no roll forbonuses that year; Table 2 describes thesechances. The adjustment to income isadded to or subtracted from the normalincome described in the Players Hand-book. Thus, a fighter with 1,000 subjectsnormally receives 350 gp per year. If hiscastle controls a rich trade route, he gets50% more, or 525 gp per year. There is achance that his income fails or that he getsan extra bonus. The effects of success orfailure are described below.

If an industry fails, only half the normalincome is collected. No bonuses areallowed, although penalties are still exact-

ed. The morale penalty for a poor year issubtracted. The DM may determine thecause of failures or bonuses. Farms maysuffer droughts, trade may be cut off byhostile monsters, or dreadful rumors maydepress the workers. Failure may also bedue to economics. An overabundance of agiven product can ruin a PC�s profits.Given the above, business can easily leadto adventures, The PCs can try to rightthese matters: destroying the monsters orfinding a new market for the product. TheDM must decide on exact details.

If there is a bonus, the character collectsdouble his normal income. This could bedue to high production, good news, orgood market conditions. The morale modi-fier for a prosperous year may be applied.

A vital factor in economics, medieval ormodern, is how much of a market a giveninterest controls. PCs will engage in heateddiplomacy to control resources. If a per-son or cartel controls an industry, it canreduce the chances of failure and raisechances of success. For every 10% of anindustry a group owns, its chance of fail-ure is reduced 10%, and 10% is added tothe chance of success. The chance offailure may never be lower than 5%, andthe chance of success may never be above60%. A PC may embargo enemy powers.For every 10% of a market held by theembargoing power, the price can be raised20%. Thus, if dwarves control 50% of allbase metals and declare an embargo, theprices of all metal goods double. Shouldsome power embargo food, famine mayoccur. During an embargo, the embargo-ing power must check twice for failure. Ifeither check results in income loss, theloss occurs.

A power that controls a product can alsoflood the market, lowering its prices. Inthis event, the percentage of the marketcontrolled by the flooding power is addedto the chance for the product�s failureeverywhere. This can be useful for ruin-ing enemies, but the forces who are lower- ing the price must also suffer the penalty.It is not as difficult as it seems for a DM todetermine how much of a market a PCcontrols. Trade was limited in the MiddleAges, and only extremely valuable, rare,and nonessential substances were import-ed from great distances. Thus, only a fewnations need be detailed. It was commonfor medieval rulers to establish monopo-lies in their kingdoms. All sales of a givengood were controlled. Trade guilds alsoattempted to seize markets in order todefend themselves against nobles.

International relationsBy now it is obvious that a PC lord will

not be independent. For citizens, money,resources, and security, all rulers mustdeal with other powers. These might not

DRAGON 23

be other countries. Trade guilds must be

shift between rulers without qualms. (Notethat the PC may have purchased serfs totill his lands.) For the same reason, a ruler

dealt with, and churches may formally

cannot always count on the support of hispeople; Wars, economic actions, and diplo-macy occur along church, business, or

negotiate with nobles. Nationalism was

international lines with equal ease. Diplo-

unknown in early times, so people may

macy is expensive. Other nobles must beentertained, and tribute must be paid.

A fantasy-world diplomat is usuallypersonally involved in bargaining. Friend-ship and individual alignment may make adifference, but horrible acts of treacheryoccurred in the Middle Ages. For fear ofthis, parleys were often held on bridgeswith a barrier in the center; this prevent-ed one ambassador from kidnapping theother. If a foreign power has no reason tosupport a treaty, it will break it.

powerful lands contend for the same area,they will probably have some sort of bal-

tional situation in his milieu. Small, new

ance of power. If the balance is damaged,the nations will fight. Powers which

powers are likely to spread war in hopes

defend the status quo often become balan-cers, allying first with one power, then

of increasing their power. Larger nations

another, in order to prevent war. Nonation wants any neighbor to become too

will protect the status quo. When several

powerful. For this reason, countries sel-dom cooperate completely. In the MiddleAges, nations often signed treaties withmany powers. It was not uncommon forthere to be conditions under which anoble would fight for one side, and condi-tions that would make him support the other. Many alliances obviously had to bekept quite secret!

Monsters and disastersThe DM must carefully role-play other There are worse things than war to

nobles. Power plays and intrigue are excit- trouble a noble. In a fantasy world, thereing. If a PC demands respect, and can back are monsters and malevolent wizards toup interests with force, he is likely to get deal with. Monster incursions are coveredwhat he wants. in the DMG, on page 93. The lord should

Only the DM can describe the interna- not be informed of an incursion unless he

24 SEPTEMBER 1987

would have some way of knowing about it.Some creatures immediately begin towreak havoc; others infiltrate a fiefdomand subvert peasants. Undead and lycan-thropes must be feared. If they are notrooted out and killed, the PC may find thathis entire populace has become an army ofmonsters. Magic-users or creatures whichcan charm people present a similar prob-lem. A PC may lead inquisitions, but therewill certainly be morale penalties if inno-cent people are regularly tortured orkilled. Good characters must avoid suchexcesses.

Natural disasters make excellent sce-narios. A table is needed to see when theyoccur. Of course, the DM, is not bound bythe dice. If a disaster would spoil someother adventure, it need not happen; if theDM wants one to occur, he need not waituntil the dice indicate it. The table belowdescribes natural disasters after the man-ner of the yearly and monthly eventstables in Oriental Adventures, pages 107-113. A maximum of 0-2 events occur eachyear. Roll 1d4 -2; if the result is zero or,less, no events occur. An event occurs 1-12game months from the �time� of the diceroll. For every 20% of the populationkilled by a disaster, morale drops by 5%.

Table 3 resultsComet. An especially bright comet is

sighted. Most astrologers and sages see itas a portent, and the local citizens areeither encouraged or frightened by theevent, checking morale with a - 20%penalty. If morale fails, lower morale 10%.If it succeeds, improve it 10%. Optionally,the DM may use this event to foretell amajor adventure. Instead of a comet, thisevent may be an eclipse, meteor shower,or other astrological feature.

Extreme weather. Depending on theseason, this could be a heat wave, a bliz-zard, a drought, or an overpowering rain.Add 30% to the chance of failure for anyfarm. The weather may affect PCs as well.Bruce Humphrey�s article �The Role ofNature,� in DRAGON issue #108, discussedextreme weather conditions.

Famine. Food becomes scarce for 2-7months. Each month, 5% of the populationstarves to death. Food costs 100 times thenormal price! The PC receives no incomefrom farms, and there is a 20% chance ofa plague (see below). PCs may stockpilegrain against such an event. The prices fornormal rations in the Players Handbookmay be used in times of plenty. Each year,2-40% of all stored grain will rot, thoughthe use of magic may alleviate this. If foodwas stored, or if clerics can create it, thePC may decide how it is given out. If it isnot distributed evenly, there will certainlybe morale checks and penalties.

Flood. Waters in any nearby large body

of water rise 5-30�. The impending flood isobvious 2-5 days in advance. The PC loses1-10% of his population and 50-80%(1d20 + 50) of any farm income. There is a20% chance of plague and 20-40% chanceof a famine. Buildings in the flood waterslose 1-6 structural points. All prices aredoubled for 2-5 months.

Table 1Modifiers to Population Morale

Condition ResultRuler is a local hero + 15%Year is prosperous +15%Citizens are noble* + 10%Special gifts distributed** + 10%Festival * * * + 10%Citizens own their land* + 5 % Citizens are gentry* +5%Citizens are freemen* -Citizens are peasants* - 5 %Citizens are serfs* - 10%Ruler behaves improp-erly **** -10%Serfs or peasants oppressed* - 10%Year is poor - 10%Gentry or noblesoppressed* - 15%Citizens are slaves* - 20%Middle class oppressed* - 25% * * * * *

* This modifier may only apply to aportion of the total population, so afractional proportion of this figure maybe used as a modifier (e.g., if 50% of thecitizens are slaves, the total modifier forthat part of the populace is - 10%).** This includes any benefit the rulergives to a large segment of the popula-tion. Presents must be worth at least 5 spper citizen. This modifier could applywhen the PC has performed a popularact, such as capturing a notorious banditor expelling a hated general.* * * This applies for 1-12 months afterthe festival. To qualify for this bonus, thePC must sponsor a celebration that costslarge sums of money. If the DM has nodetails on the price, assume that itrequires 100-10,000 (d100 x 100) gp. Religious ceremonies, knightings, andcelebrations of heroes are typical festivaloccasions. This modifier is cumulativetwice, so a maximum of +20% is gainedfrom festivals.* * * * Improper behavior covers a varietyof ignoble acts. Association with thewrong social class, impious religiousbehavior; or failure to observe localcustoms are examples.* * * * * Interestingly enough, it is moredangerous to offend the bourgeoisie thanany other class of society. Nobles fearupsets in the current situation. Peasantsand serfs usually accept oppression. Butwhen tradesmen and free people arehurt, they often rise up in revolution.

Table 2Player Character Ruler Income

Adjustment Chance of Chance of MarketIndustry to income failure bonus ratioAnimal herds + 10% 10% 15% 0.2Craft work* +25% 30% 15% 2Farm, arable none 25% 20% 0.15Farm, poor** -25% 40% 5% 0.1Fishing none 20% 15% 0.2Lumber/quarry - 10% 10% 5 % 1Mercenaries *** *** *** ***

M e t a l +10% 2 5 % 15% 10Precious metal +50% 20% 30% 20Rare animal + 10% 35% 35% 20Rare herb/spice +25% 25% 20% 15Trade +50% 40% 40% 100Water (desert) + 1 0 % 10% 5% 100

* This includes any manufactured item. Rugs, ships, metal goods, magical devices,and artwork all apply.* * A failure on poor farmland results in famine (see text).* * * The use of mercenaries is generally covered in DRAGON issue #109, �FightersFor a Price.� The DM should work out details if the PC ruler wishes to field his ownmercenary force .

Table 3Natural Disasters and Events

TerrainEvent Normal Coast Plain RiverComet 01-10 01-10 01-10 01-10Extreme weather 11-26 11-17 1 1 - 3 0 11-22Famine* 27-41 18-23 3 1 - 3 4 23-27Flood 42-52 24-44 35-40 28-53Geologic** 53-63 45-54 41-50 54-64Hurricane 64-74 55-75 51-84 65-75Lightning 75 76 85 76Plague 76-95 77-88 86-95 77-95Tidal wave - 89-95 - -Fire 96-00 96-00 96-00 96-00

* This situation may result from war-related sieges or when there is an incomefailure on poor farmland (see text).* * Roll on Table 4 for geologic disasters.

Table 4Geologic Disasters

TerrainEvent Hills/fault Hills/no fault Flat/fault Flat/no faultEarthquake 01-20 01-05 01-50 01-05Mud slide 21-50 06-16 - -Rock slide 51-60 17-27 - -Avalanche 61-70 28-38 - -Volcano 71-90 39-54 51-56 06Roll again* 91-95 55-80 57-70 07-40No event 96-00 8 1 - 0 0 71-00 41-00

* Roll for new disaster on Table 3

26 SEPTEMBER 1987

Table 4 resultsEarthquake. Treat as the spell, but affect-

ing an area 10-1,000 miles in diameter.Mud slide, rock slide, and avalanche.

There is a 70% chance that an avalanchehits a building, and a 90% chance that itblocks a road. Avalanches do 1-10 hpstructural damage, are 40% likely to strikea building, and are 80% likely to block aroad. Mud slides hit buildings 80% of thetime and roads 95%; they do 2-12 structur-al points damage. All blocked roadsrequire 2-5 days to clear. In any slide,1d20 - 8 people are killed.

Volcano. If a volcano is in the area, iterupts. Otherwise, a new volcano forms.An earthquake occurs (as noted above)within a half-mile radius of the volcano.All creatures within 200 yards of the erup-tion lose 6d10 hp damage from the explo-sion. Ash buries all areas within 10 miles1-10� deep. Lava flows are 10-100� wide,and they travel at a speed of 2-12�. Theylose 1� of speed every quarter-mile theytravel. If a lava flow hits a building, thestructure is ruined.

Hurricane. A great storm sweeps theland within 500 miles of the ocean coasts.The PC loses 5% of his population, and all

buildings lose 2-20 structural points. Fur-ther inland, this result indicates tornadoes.Each building has a 50% chance of beinghit by a twister for 3-24 hp structuraldamage. The PC loses 1-6% of his subjects.

Lightning. Roll 1d100. On a roll of 01-80,a major building is hit by lightning; on aroll of 81-90, an NPC is struck; and, on aroll of 91-00, a PC is hit. Lightning doesfrom 3d6 to 6d6 hp damage. If this is 50%or more of the victim�s hit points, he losesa point of constitution. Should the charac-ter fail to save vs. paralyzation, he isstunned for 1-4 rounds and is affected asif by a forget spell. Wooden buildings lose1-3 structural points when hit by lightningand must save vs. lightning or catch fire.Stone is not affected.

Plague. The DM should select a diseaseappropriate to the campaign area from thetable on page 14 of the DMG. Severity isrolled separately for each victim. All PCsin the area have a 40% chance of contract-ing the disease. If they contact infectedpersons, this chance rises to 60%. NPCsfrom other lands refuse to enter the area,and all prices double. The plague lastsfrom 2-12 months. Each month, 5% of thepopulation catches the disease and suffers

28 SEPTEMBER 1987

from its effects.Tidal wave. A seismic wave sweeps the

coasts. It is 10-40� high and comes 100yards inland for every 10� of its height,though this reduces the wave�s height by10�. Each 10� of inland elevation reducesthe wave�s height by 10�. Buildings lose2-12 structural points for every 10� ofwave height when the wave hits them.The PC loses 10-80% of his populationwithout prior warning. There is a 10%chance of a plague after a tidal wave. For1-2 months, the price of building materialstriples, and all other prices double.

Fire. This will be a forest or grass fire inthe wilderness, or a building fire in urbanareas. In the city, from 50-80% of the local(inflammable) buildings burn. Property ofthe PCs has a chance to be burnt equal tothe percent of the city that is ruined.Stone buildings are not destroyed, but allcombustibles inside them are. The cityloses 10-40% of its people. There is a 20%chance of plague and a 10% chance offamine. For four months, the price ofbuilding materials is 10 times normal. Theprice of food doubles for one month.

In the wilderness, a grass or forest firebegins. The DM needs some sort of weath-er table in this event. Grass fires move asfast as the wind; forest fires move at halfthat speed. A fire begins 1-100� wide, andit gains 10� each hour of burning. A wild-fire meanders about for days or weeksuntil rain falls or it is put out. Any build-ing in the area of a wildfire burns. Charac-ters take 2d4 hp damage per round fromgrass fires and 2d6 hp damage from forestfires. Grass fires burn in one area for 10minutes. Forest fires last for a full day in asingle area. A wildfire prevents anyincome from farming if it reaches plantedfields. Lumber is also destroyed.

Characters may attempt to surroundwildfires and put them out. This requiresone worker for every 100� line of fire andgives an 80% chance per day to stop thefire. Each 10 MPH of wind speed reducesthis chance 10%. As an interesting alterna-tive, the DM could play out the fire fight-ing like a mass battle. A map could beused, and the PCs could position fire fight-ers while the DM outlines the path of theflame. If it is ringed by bare earth 100�wide, the fire stops spreading. Spells likecloudburst may also help.

SummaryThe details in this article apply to most

fantasy game worlds. However, if you donot feel that they reflect your campaign,feel free to change them. The affairs ofNPC rulers affect most characters, andnatural disasters can provide adventurefor anybody. Information on strongholds isuseful, even if no PC has one � the NPCsare sure to own a few!

Ground Up

Armies From the

Taxes, politics, immigrants, and themilitary in AD&D® games

by James A. Yates

A lord�s men-at-arms are really littlemore than a large, well-armed police forcecapable of maintaining order within thefief and of repelling most minor incur-sions, yet incapable of large-scale militaryoperations. Since large standing armies arewell beyond the financial means of mostplayer characters or NPCs, a lord must callupon his loyal populace for support if anyreal threat to the freehold should emerge.How many of the freehold�s loyal citizensturn out to aid their lord and how effec-tive their support is must be determinedby a number of factors which also play apart in determining the loyalty of thoseforces and their rate of growth.

Domestic and foreign policiesHow a lord treats his people and neigh-

bors has a great bearing upon his successat creating an army. For the purposes ofthis article, there are four generalizeddomestic and foreign policies into whichmost lords can be categorized: belligerentaggressiveness, inactive complacency,active complacency, and progressive con-

solidation. Each policy has a particularinfluence upon the loyalty of the lordsfollowers and the growth of the freehold�spopulation.

Belligerent aggressiveness is the normalpolicy of a ruthless and ambitious lord �the type who seeks to extend his power asfar and as quickly as possible, regardlessof the consequences. Open warfare withits neighbors and oppression at home arethe hallmarks of such a regime. The mili-tary is all that matters, and little money isleft for anything else. Loyalty to such alord usually stems from fear, and manyresidents of the freehold are reluctant tofight for such a person. Adventurers andmercenaries might be attracted to such afreehold, but not many settlers.

Passive complacency is a lack of any realpolicy. The lord maintains just enoughtroops to secure his position of power andleaves the inhabitants of the freeholdmore or less to their own devices. Manyresidences of the freehold thus feel noloyalty at all towards this sort of lord anddo not quickly rally to his support in timeof need. Immigrants looking for a quietplace to settle might be attracted to such afreehold.

Active complacency is the policy of alord who enjoys the status quo. The mili-tary is maintained at a level capable ofensuring the security of the entire free-hold. Relations with neighbors are cordial,and just enough is done for the citizenryto prevent complaints. Very minor territo-rial acquisitions take place from time totime. New settlers are welcome here, butsettlement is not actively encouraged.Loyalty of the inhabitants is moderate.

Progressive consolidation is a policy ofinternal improvement combined with asteady, gradual expansion of the freehold�sboundaries. This expensive policy includesthe construction of roads and bridges,schools, hospitals, etc. The military ismade a top priority in order to give thelord the strength to back up his foreignpolicy, but not at the expense of all else.Territorial expansion rarely exceeds 5% ofthe total size of the freehold per year andis usually accomplished by peacefulmeans. There is much in such a freeholdto attract new settlers; the inhabitantsreadily support such a lord.

Taxes and more taxesPlayers Handbook (page 22) says that

once a lord has established a freehold, hemay then collect 7 sp per inhabitant permonth in taxes. This is a flat rate andshould be subject to change. Instead, alord should choose from five tax policies:

The oppressive tax rate of 9 sp permonth per inhabitant;

The burdensome tax rate of 8 sp permonth per inhabitant;

The conservative tax rate of 7 sp permonth per inhabitant;

The liberal tax rate of 6 sp per monthper inhabitant; and,

The progressive tax rate of 5 sp permonth per inhabitant.

Taxes areinhabitants

regarded as the bane of all theof a freehold, and the amount

of taxes the inhabitants are forced to payinfluences their loyalty. The inhabitants ofa freehold are far less likely to rallybehind a lord who steals the gold fromtheir teeth than they would a lord whoallows them to actually get ahead in life.By the same token, would-be immigrantsare much more likely to be attracted to afreehold with a low tax rate than to onewith a high tax rate.

What does it mean?These policies and tax rates help deter-

mine the size of any auxiliary forces a lordmight organize and the amount of those

forces that actually show up to fight forthat lord. They also help determine thenumber of new settlers attracted to thefreehold each year. This latter subject isdiscussed later.

There are four basic types of auxiliary

forces a lord can have: a fyrd, a militia, ayeomanry, and mercenaries. The size andquality of these forces are decided bypopulation and the will of the lord, but thepercentage of them who actually fight areheavily influenced by the lord�s policies.For each type of auxiliary force exceptmercenaries, there is a range of percent-ages representing the amount of thoseforces who turn out for battle when calledupon. Some always find an excuse forstaying away; how many do so is deter-mined by applying the following die rollmodifications:

Domestic and foreign policy modifications:Belligerent aggressiveness = + 2%Inactive complacency = -5%Active complacency = 0%Progressive consolidation = + 10%

Tax policy modifications:Oppressive = -10%Burdensome = -5%Conservative = 0%Liberal = +2%Progressive = +5%

No policy modifications can ever cause aresult less than 1%. Should they result in afigure higher than 100%, it is treated as100%. No policy lasts forever, and a lord isentitled to change any policy at the begin-ning of each new year. A militaristic lordmight lower taxes to lure new settlers tohis freehold, to build up its population inanticipation of some future conflict. Then,too, a generous lord who needs funds forsome worthwhile project may demand atemporary tax increase to help pay for it.And an overly ambitious lord who loseshalf his army in an ill-advised adventuremight quickly decide upon a policy ofinactive complacency.

The fyrdThe most economical (it costs nothing)

auxiliary force a lord can have is the fyrd.This basically consists of calling uponevery able-bodied man to gather indefense of the freehold in times of peril.The fyrd is the choice of lords who eitherdon�t want the bother and expense ofoutfitting and training auxiliary forces, orwho don�t trust their �loyal� citizens withweapons.

When summoned, the fyrd consistsalmost entirely of farmers and villagerswith little or no armor, few weapons (farmimplements form most of the pole arms),and even less training. No matter howloyal the peasants might be, the effective-ness of the fyrd is only fair at best, due toits lack of military experience and equip-ment. The fyrd has another disadvantagein that the lord cannot afford to keep it inthe field for long without bankruptinghimself and ruining the economy of thefreehold.

DRAGON 31

The only advantage of the fyrd is itssize; it is the largest type of auxiliaryforce. To determine the actual size of thefyrd, the DM must generate the popula-tion of the freehold (which is also neces-sary to determine the taxes collected). Thebasic fyrd consists of 30% of the entirepopulation of the freehold and representsevery male of military age (18-45 years).The fyrd can be increased by incrementsof 2% up to a maximum of 40% at thelord�s option. Each 2% increase expandsthe military age group by one year at thebottom and three years at the top, so thata fyrd of 32% would include every malebetween the age of 17 and 48. At 34%, themilitary age would be 16-51, and so on tothe maximum of 13-60 at 40%.

When the fyrd is summoned, the lorddesignates a place where it musters (usu-ally his stronghold). The fyrd can be mus-tered in 3-12 days, depending upon thesize of the freehold. The lord can expect60-85% (55 + 5d6) of the fyrd to answerthe call. The result is then modified by thelord�s� domestic and foreign policies andtax rate to determine the final percentage(45-100%) of the fyrd that shows up tofight for the lord.

Example: A small freehold has a basepopulation of 3,100. The lord decides upona fyrd of 32%, resulting in a total of 992males between the ages of 17-48 who canturn out to defend the freehold. It is deter-mined that 72% of the fyrd answer thecall when summoned. The lord has apolicy of passive complacency which sub-tracts -5%, but his liberal tax rate adds+2%, for a final total of 69%. This meansthat 684 ill-equipped, untrained peasantsshow up to do or die for their lord.

The militiaThe next step beyond the fyrd is the

militia. The size of the militia is generallyleft to the will of the lord, since he is pri-marily responsible for its arms and train-ing. Cost is the major factor in decidingthe size of the militia; the more the lord iswilling to spend on weapons and training,the larger the militia can be.

Assume that an average militia is abouttwo or three times the size of the lordsmen-at-arms force, although it could easilybe larger or smaller. Militiamen are select-ed on the basis of age and health. Themilitiamen are instructed in the rudimentsof weapon skills and military tactics. Peri-odically, units of the militia are called outto practice their weapon skills and toreceive additional training. The frequencyand thoroughness of these training ses-sions are solely dependent upon the will-ingness of the lord to pay for them.

The major part of any militia is infantry,usually spearmen. This basic troop typerequires a minimum of training, and their

32 SEPTEMBER 1987

weapons keep them from having to closewith a well-trained enemy. Light troops,archers and other missile troops, and evenmilitia cavalry units could be raised,depending on the circumstances.

Although a definite improvement overthe rabble which forms a fyrd, the militiais still a fragile instrument. Its morale andeffectiveness depend on its arms andtraining. Two drawbacks to it are that thelord cannot afford to keep the militia inthe field for any length of time (as with afyrd), and its weapons will usually be keptlocked up in armories around the freeholduntil times of crisis. Most lords are not sotrusting of their peasants as to allow themfree use of arms, and the armories willbecome prime targets for any invader.

When called out, the militia musters atits armories within two days, then con-verges on a location designated by the lordwithin 2-8 days, depending upon the sizeof the freehold. A base of 75-90%(70 + 5d4) of the militia responds, modifiedby the lords domestic and foreign policyand tax rate. Armor is still a rarity, yetmost men will have shields and adequateweapons. When mixed with units of regu-lars, most militia troops perform fairlywell. If well-trained and ably led, a goodmilitia unit can perform well on its ownand even be trusted to hold a lord�s strong-hold while he is away with the regulars.

Example: A lord who rules a freehold inthe forest has 2,400 subjects and 110 men-at-arms. With such a population, he couldeasily form a militia of 300 men. Whencalled upon, 88% respond, which is modi-fied by +2% for the lords policy of bellig-erent aggressiveness and 0% for hisconservative tax policy, resulting in aturnout of 90% � i.e., 270 fairly reliabletroops.

One final word about militias. As thefreehold grows in size, hamlets, villages,and towns will spring up. In time (if thelord permits it), these communities willorganize their own watches and militias,which can be used to augment or evenreplace the lord�s militia. Many watcheswill contain large numbers of hired merce-naries and may even be of superior qualitythan the lords militia. Although suchmilitias would ease the strain on the lordspurse, they could prove to be a threat tohis authority if they become too powerful.

The yeomanryPerhaps the best auxiliary force a lord

can have is a yeomanry. Only lords of goodalignments normally develop a yeomanry,because doing so entails entrusting largenumbers of the citizenry with their ownarms and armor. The yeomanry is also themost expensive auxiliary force aside frommercenaries, but they make up for this bybeing efficient and reliable auxiliaries.

In forming a yeomanry, the lord sets upa special class of citizen within the free-hold. The yeoman is part of the middleclass of land owners, merchants, etc.Yeomen are expensive because the lordmust supply them with some type ofarmor and weapons and see to their mili-tary training. The lord must also grantthem other concessions as determined bythe DM, most often including a sizeablecut in taxes. In exchange, the yeomen arepledged to defend the freehold in time ofneed and to answer the lord�s call fortroops at any time.

The yeomen themselves are not overlynumerous and seldom number more than1½. times the number of the lords men atarms. However, each yeoman is requiredto train and equip three of his fellows(relatives, friends, neighbors, employees,or servants) to fight with him. Delegatingthis authority and responsibility to theyeoman is the beginning of feudalism.After the initial outlay of funds, all of thelord has to do is cut the taxes of the yeo-manry and hold them in high esteem toassure himself of having a large, well-trained force of auxiliaries.

Most yeomen are good troops, manyequal to regulars and a few even superiorto them. The yeomen�s retainers are onthe par of a good militia, and morale ishigh all around. Yeomen and their retain-ers have their arms and equipment handyat all times and have much more opportu-nity to practice their weapon skills. Manyyeomen are actually retired men-at-armsor even retired adventurers with armsand armor of their own. When determin-ing the size of the yeomanry, figure that 6-12% (4 +2d4) are retired men-at-arms and2-5% (1 +d4) are retired adventurers (usu-ally fighters) of 1st-3rd level. These retiredtypes form the officers and sergeants ofthe yeomanry, and retired adventurershave normal chances for having magicalitems.

A lord who calls a yeomanry can expect80-95% (75 + 5d4) of his force to answerthe summons. This figure is modified bythe lords domestic and foreign policy andtax rate (even though the yeomen havefewer taxes than most other residents ofthe freehold). If the freehold is actually indanger, each yeoman arrives with all threeof his retainers; if the lord simply wantsmore troops for some purpose, each yeo-man shows up with only one retainer. Thisallows the yeomen to remain on extendedservice (up to six months and even beyondthe borders of the freehold) without ruin-ing their farms or businesses. It takes theyeomanry 3-8 days (2 + 1d6) to muster atany point in the freehold, depending uponthe freehold�s size.

All yeomen have shields, armor, andample weaponry. Most also have leather

armor, and some use ring mail, chain mail,or even plate mail. Their retainers haveless protection, although most have shieldsand some may have some form of armor.The retainers are armed much as are theyeomen. Most yeomen are infantry, butnothing prevents them from being cavalry.

Example: A lord resides in a hilly free-hold with 4,100 inhabitants and 100 men-at-arms. He has organized a yeomanry of120 men. In time of need, the lord callsout the yeomanry and 91% of themanswer the call. This is modified by + 10%for his policy of progressive consolidationand another + 2% for his liberal tax rate,for a total of 103% (100%). All 120 of theyeomen answer the call. Of these, 8% (10)of them are retired men-at-arms and 3%(four) of them are former adventurers of1st-3rd level. If the freehold was in danger,the yeomen would have brought 360retainers in all; if the lord wanted toattack a hostile neighbor, only 120 retain-ers would have been brought along.

As the freehold expands, the yeomanrywill be the main source of new leadership� the hetmen, burgomasters, mayors,sheriffs, and constables of the future. Ifthe lord is ambitious, brave, brilliant, andlucky, and the freehold develops intosomething more substantial, the yeomanryoffers the greatest number of candidatesfor knighthood and the new nobility. Aswith the more advanced militias, the lordhad best handle the yeomanry properly,lest they become a threat to his ownp o s i t i o n .

The fyrd, militia, and yeomanry are notmutually exclusive; a lord could have ayeomanry and still maintain the fyrd as alast resort in times of extreme peril to thefreehold. DMs and players must use a bitof common sense when organizing a mili-tia or yeomanry. If a lord has 150 men-at-arms but only 1,200 inhabitants in hisfreehold, there is no way he can have amilitia of 500 men, or 180 yeomen withthree retainers each. Make the auxiliariesas large as you wish but keep them real.

MercenariesThe last method of augmenting a lords

men-at-arms is by hiring mercenaries. Mer-cenary troops can vary in quality from fairto outstanding and in loyalty from unscrupu-lous to fanatical. Hired soldiers requirespecial care and handling, as their primarymotivating force is money. A lord shouldcarefully think through all the pros and consbefore hiring any mercenaries.

Generally, a lord should never hire mer-cenaries totalling more than 50% of hismen-at-arms; a figure of 30% or even 20%would be advisable. Men-at-arms in thelord�s stronghold should always outnum-ber any mercenaries there by at least 2-to-1. No vital positions be garrisoned solely

34 SEPTEMBER 1987

by mercenaries. A large mercenary forcecan be a dagger which ambitious lieuten-ants, wealthy enemies, and slighted offi-cers might turn against a lords throat.

This is not to say that all mercenariescan�t be trusted. If well-paid and properlytreated, many mercenaries can be just asloyal as a lords own men-at-arms. Thelonger the terms of a mercenary�s service,the stronger the bond between him andhis lord. Many other factors help deter-mine the loyalty of mercenaries: racial orpolitical ties, the nature of the cause, andso on. An evil lord hiring a unit of bug-bears to aid in an attack on another free-hold must rule them with an iron handand watch them like a hawk; a good lordwho hires a band of dwarven mercenariesto help stamp out a tribe of pesky orcs canrely on them to give their all withouthesitation. A lord had better understandthe nature of the mercenaries he is hiring.

Nonhuman auxiliariesDemi-human and half-orc lords use a

somewhat different system for auxiliaries.For example, the dwarven troops of amountain dwarf and the orcish contingentof an evil half-orc represent the besttroops drawn from any clans or tribeswhich reside within the freehold. Theremainder is organized by the tribes andclans themselves. In times of crisis, a per-centage equal to that of the yeomanry willrespond to a demi-human lord�s call; how-ever, the actual number of troops sum-moned resembles that of the fyrd. Theseauxiliaries are very powerful, consisting offighters or multiclassed fighters of 1stlevel or higher or 1 HD orcs.

One ticklish problem that might arise isthat concerning the disposition of substan-tial numbers of demi-humans or human-oids who live in a human lords freehold.The lord must have come to some sort ofunderstanding with these nonhumans, orthey would have been driven out as hostilecreatures. Some might work as specialscouts (see DRAGON® issue #99, �Tablesand tables of troops�) and be considered assome sort of tribute to the lord (taxes andany other tribute will have to be workedout by the DM and any players involved).This situation might also arise in a free-hold of a demi-human lord with manyhumans residing in it.

In most circumstances, demi-humans orhumanoids are organized along theirstandard racial lines. Exactly when theirmilitary power is used to assist their lordand how much of it is used depends onmany factors. DMs and players must workout these details for themselves. Motiva-tion is the key here; why should the woodelves help the human lord destroy his

neighbor? What�s in it for the kobolds toaid the half-orc against the invadingdwarves?

Growth and expansionWhere does a lord go once he has

cleared the desired amount of territoryfor a freehold, attracted men-at-arms, andorganized auxiliary forces? Hired merce-naries can increase the lords forces onlyso much and are often a two-edged sword.The only method of increasing a lordsforces with reliable troops is by an actualincrease in the population of the freeholditself. This increase is accomplished inthree ways: natural population growth,attraction of new settlers, and increases inthe freehold�s territory to encompassalready inhabited areas.

Natural population growth is usually thesingle major factor that increases the sizeof a lords forces. Barring some monumen-tal catastrophe such as plague, famine, orwar, the population of any given area willalmost certainly grow from year to year.Alignment means nothing, for even underthe most repressive regimes the popula-tion will continue to grow; rarely willdeaths outstrip births. The terrain of afreehold could influence the rate of thisgrowth, however. An unhealthy climatewon�t necessarily prevent populationgrowth, but it could well impair it; ahealthy climate will certainly promote thepopulation growth.

Normal yearly population growth is 2-5% (1 +d4) and represents the percentageof new births over and above the percent-age of deaths. This growth is determinedat the start of each year and is modified bythe terrain type of the freehold. A moun-tain or maritime freehold adds + 1% togrowth; a desert or marsh subtracts 1%from growth, and all other types have nomodification. Admittedly, these are verygeneralized. The DM should feel free toalter them to fit any specific situation.(Note that some races may have slow ratesof reproduction, like elves and dwarves,while orcs could reproduce quickly.) Thisgives an annual growth rate from naturalpopulation increase of 1-6%, which (underthe best circumstances) causes the popula-tion to double every 12 years or so. At thevery worst, the population doubles every72 years. On the average, a natural dou-bling occurs every 21 years or so, assum-ing nothing interferes with it.

Attracting new settlers is also veryimportant. The number of new settlerscoming to the freehold is determined atthe start of each year, The base number ofnew settlers is 0-3% (d4 - 1) of the currentpopulation and is modified by terrain, thelords domestic and foreign policies, andthe tax rate of the freehold. The modifiersfor new settlers are as follows:

36 SEPTEMBER 1987

Territorial modifiersFreehold is desert or marsh = - 1%

Domestic and foreign policy modifiersBelligerent aggressiveness = - 1%Inactive complacency = 0%Active complacency = 0%Progressive consolidation = + 1%

Tax rate modifiersOppressive = -2%Burdensome = -1%Conservative = 0%Liberal = + 1%Progressive = +2%.

It is easy to see that certain combina-tions of terrain, policies, and taxes insurethat no new settlers come to the freehold,while others guarantee a sizeable increasein the population due to new settlers. Anyresult of less than 0% is treated as 0%. Alord in a desert or marsh had best thinkhis policies through very carefully if hedesires any new settlers.

When all the modifiers are added orsubtracted, we have a figure of 0-6% fornew settlers. At the upper end of thescale, the lord has chosen the policieswhich will attract large numbers of newsettlers. Few people want to live in aswamp and be ruled by a warmongeringmiser, but you can�t keep them out of theland of the free and the home of thebrave.

Add the final results for natural popula-tion growth and new settlers to arrive at afigure of 1-12% for the total annual popu-lation growth. Of the actual number ofnew inhabitants, 30% represents newmale settlers of military age and boys ofthe freehold who have reached the mili-tary age that year. Once this figure isdetermined, a maximum of 25% may beadded to the lords men-at-arms. Anyauxiliary forces may be increasedproportionately.

Example 1: A freehold with a populationof 2,200 is located in a large marsh. Thelord has 95 men-at-arms and a fyrd of 704men. Desperate for more arable land, thelord has decided upon a policy of belliger-ent aggressiveness and has opted for aburdensome tax rate to help finance hisaggressions. At the start of the new year,he rolls a 4 on 1d4 + 1 for populationgrowth, which is reduced to 3 because thefreehold is in a marsh; this results in a 3%natural population growth. He gets luckyand rolls a 3 on 1d4 - 1 for new settlers,which is reduced to 2 for being in amarsh, then to 1 for his domestic andforeign policy, then to 0 because of his taxrate. There are no new settlers this year.The 3% natural growth results in a popu-lation increase of 66, of which 20 are menof military age. The lord could add 5 ofthese to his men-at-arms, increasing hisfyrd to 724.

Example 2: A freehold with a populationof 3,800 is located on a lush plain. Thelord has 125 men-at-arms and a fair militiaof 300 men. The lord is somewhat lazyand has no important plans for the future,so he selects a policy of inactive compla-cency and invokes a conservative tax rate.Rolling for population growth, he gets 2%as a final result. The roll for new settlerseventually comes out to 2%. This gives atotal population increase of 152 people. Ofthese, 46 are of military age. A maximumof 12 could be added to the lords men-at-arms, and the militia could be increasedup to 350 or more.

Example 3: A freehold with a popula-tion of 5,400 is located in the mountains.The lord has 130 men-at-arms, specialscouts, and 150 yeomen with 450 retain-ers. This generous and gifted lord haschosen a policy of progressive consolida-tion and has decided to lure new settlersby installing a liberal tax rate. Rolling forpopulation growth, he ends up with 4%for being in the mountains. He eventuallydetermines that the number of new set-tlers increases the population by another4%. The total population increase is 8%(432 people). Of these, 130 are of militaryage. The lord could add 33 of them to hismen-at-arms and increase his yeomanry bya similar amount.

A few guidelines must be followed inadding men-at-arms. First, they don�t growon trees. A lord can never replace morethan 50% of any lost men-at-arms bydrawing new ones from his populationeach year. Also, the number of men-at-arms may never be increased by morethan 50% each year, no matter how highthe population growth. Thus, a lord whorecklessly loses the bulk of his tiny armymust take several years to recover fromthe loss. Mercenaries could always behired to make up the difference.

The last method of increasing populationand forces is the hardest to explain. When-ever a lord takes over an area that isalready populated, he must exert hisauthority over the inhabitants. Once this isdone, the lord can increase his forces bydrawing some portion of manpower fromthe conquered region. Details dependentirely on the situation, the DM, and theplayers. This method can be the quickestfor army building, however.

Example: A mean and cruel lordattempts to overthrow his neighbor. In theprocess, his forces are decisively defeatedand he himself is killed. The neighbor, ajust and kind lord, quickly moves into thepower vacuum takes over the dead lordsentire freehold, much to the rejoicing ofits inhabitants. This sort of territorialaggrandizement could also occur bytreaty, marriage, inheritance, etc.

By popular demand, we’ve added anew DRAGON® Magazine column forrole-playing gamers: “Lords & Leg-ends,” a collection of heroes and hero-ines for use in TSR role-playing gamecampaigns as NPC adventure genera-tors or as special PCs, at the DM’s dis-cretion. “Lords & Legends” is open tosubmissions from our readers,though these guidelines must be fol-lowed:

All submisbions to this columnshould be printed on clean whitepaper, double-spaced, in clear type orword-processor print. If referenceswere used to create the characters,the references must be included withthe submission. We cannot use char-acters which are protected by copy-right. Thus, we prefer original PCsand NPCs from role-playing cam-paigns, or historical or mythologicalfigures. Characters may be tied to aspecific game world — such as Oerth,Krynn, the Forgotten Realms, orKara-Tur of the AD&D® game; theKnown World and Blackmoor landsof the D&D® game; the Earth of theGAMMA WORLD® game; and, theFrontier of the STAR FRONTIERS®game.

Character descriptions should eachbe no more than five pages long, andthe pages should be numbered andfixed together with a staple or paperclip. The author’s address shouldappear on the first page of each sub-mission. We may sort out charactersand print them in various groups (allthieves, all halfings, all mutant squir-rels, etc.), so don’t count on seeing allof your submissions run together astheir own group.

Descriptions should be completeand contain notes on personalities,special abilities, goals, and possibleadventures relating to that character.Please send no more than six charac-ters per submission. Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope if youwish your characters to be returned;we cannot be responsible for submis-sions without SASEs.

POLYHEDRON™ Newszine has afeature similar to this one, called“The New Rogues Gallery” feature; ifyou wish your submissions to be con-sidered for that periodical as well asfor this one, please note this on yourcover letter.

38 SEPTEMBER 1987

Lords &LegendsThree lords from the Age of Chivalry

by Katharine Kerr

The three men of chivalry who followare all taken from the chansons de geste, aloosely related cycle of story-songs thatform something of a sequel to the Chansonde Roland (�Song of Roland�). Their back-grounds and locations may be easily adapt-

ed into any medieval-style fantasy cam-paign, substituting any evil or hostile forcefor the Saracens and any lawful-goodreligion for the Christian faith underwhich these men served in mythology.

Count William of OrangeMale human15th-level paladin

ARMOR CLASS: 1 (plate mail armor, shield,and dexterity bonus); see special abilities

MOVE: 6� in armor on foot; 20" on heavywar horse (Baucent, as noted below,with cavalier ability)

HIT POINTS: 127NO. OF ATTACKS: 5/2 with long sword or

horseman’s mace; 2 with any othermelee weapon (including lance if dis-mounted and used as a pike); 1 withlance while mounted and charging

ATTACK BONUSES: +8 to hit with holylong sword (strength, cavalier, and magi-cal bonuses); +4 to hit with a lancewhile mounted (cavalier and strengthbonuses); +3 to hit with a long sword(cavalier and strength bonuses); + 3 tohit with horseman’s mace (cavalier andstrength bonuses); + 1 to hit with anyother melee weapon (strength bonuses);see special abilities

DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type (longsword, + 8 for strength and magicalbonuses (+ 13 vs. chaotic-evil oppo-nents); heavy lance (mounted), + 18 forcavalier and strength bonuses (see spe-cial abilities); heavy lance (dismounted),+4 for cavalier and strength bonuses;horseman’s mace, + 3 for strengthbonus)

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Bonuses to weaponsof choice (long sword, heavy lance,horseman’s mace); ability to parry blows;makes attacks from horseback at + 1level; die-rolled damage from mountedlance used while charging is doubled

before adding extra bonuses to it (withadditional +2 bonus to hit and - 1 toAC); cavalier horsemanship skills;immune to all fear; radiates protectionfrom fear and evil within 10’ radius;90% resistant to will-force magic andpsionic blast attacks; +4 saving throwvs. will-force and illusion spells; + 3saving throw vs.“dodged” spells; + 2saving throw vs. all other magical spells;functions at - 12 hp; detect evil at 60’distance; immune to all disease; lay onhands to heal 30 hp damage once perday; use cure disease three times perweek; turn undead as 13th-level goodcleric; use clerical spells of up to fourthlevel; owns paladin’s war horse and holysword; numerous retainers and men-at-arms

MAGIC RESISTANCE: 50% in 5’ radiuswith holy sword; dispel magic at 15thlevel in 5’ radius with holy sword; seespecial abilities for more

SIZE: M (6’5” tall)ALIGNMENT: Lawful goodPSIONIC ABILITY: Nil (see special abilities)SPELLS: As per a 15th-level paladin (see

text)

S: 18(34) I: 13 W: 16D: 15 C: 18 CH: 17 CO: 18

William�s father, Aimeri, a loyal vassal ofCharlemagne, raised his seven sons toserve God above all, and the king secondonly to God. When he was only a boy,William, the third son, so impressedCharlemagne that the king asked him toswear an oath to protect the young PrinceLouis, because Charlemagne feared Louis

was better suited to be a cloistered monkthan a king. Charlemagne�s fears turnedout to be well-founded. On his ascensionto the throne, Louis fell prey to schemingclerics and flattering courtiers, whoindulged the king�s weaknesses and drove,through intrigue, all the good men fromcourt. Only William stayed loyal, interven-ing several times to save Louis from dis-honor and even death. The court cliqueresented this so much that when Louiswas handing out fiefs, they persuaded himto pass William over. Though he wasforced to leave court, William remainedloyal to his liege. He promised to comewhenever the king should recall him, thenrode off to win his fief by force of arms.He took Orange, a small city with a splen-did castle, from the Saracens and convert-ed all the inhabitants to his faith. He nowrules there as count.

William is well over 6� tall, toweringover most men, with broad shoulders anda booming, boisterous laugh. The end ofhis nose was nicked off in battle by apagan, who then mocked him for thedisfigurement. Before he cut the paganinto little pieces, William returned the jest,saying that by shortening his nose, thepagan had lengthened his name. To thisday, he is usually called Count WilliamShort-nose (Court-nez, if the DM prefersthe original tongue). In spite of the nose,he is still so handsome that some womenfall in love with him at first sight. If he isencountered in his palace, William will bedressed so simply, in jerkin and hose, thathe may be mistaken for a man of muchlower rank. In battle, he wears platearmor, carries a massive shield, and is asadept with the lance as with the longsword.

William is very courteous to strangers,offering them hospitality and listening toany tale or request for aid. He likes a goodjoke with a guest, as long as no one�s hon-or is insulted, and receives any teasingabout his nose with a good-humored smile.If, however, anyone is cruel or discourte-ous to others in his presence or insults hishonor, William flies into one of his famousrages. He shouts the most cutting insultsand grabs any available weapon forrevenge, though when he calms down, heapologizes for any injustice. Once he calledLouis�s queen a harlot (and worse) beforethe entire court when she was actingdishonorably. Another time, he grabbed asilver serving tray and slew three paganswith it for insulting his honor. If he hasinadvertently insulted someone else�shonor, he most humbly begs their pardonand offers to make amends.

Since William�s real love in life is battle,he grows depressed and moody in peace-time. Given a chance at a worthy fight, herecovers his good spirits, laughing and

40 SEPTEMBER 1987

singing as he prepares for battle. Hisfavorite targets are the Saracens, whomhe will attack at any time simply becausethey�re unbelievers. In the context of anAD&D game, however, the DM shouldavoid sensitive religious issues by makingthese enemies not Moslems, as in theoriginal tales, but beings of evil alignment.Doing so hardly violates the spirit of thestories, in which Saracens are portrayedas huge fiends with bright red eyes, longclaws, and bloody fangs as often as theyare real men and women. These Saracensalso swear by the god Tergavant, who hasnothing to do with the religious philoso-phy of Mohammed. Since nothing what-ever is known about Tergavant outside ofthese references in the chanson de gestecycle, the DM can invent whatever evildeity will fit into his campaign. An appro-priate detail might be that Tergavantrequires children to be sacrificed to him,since that was a common medieval rumorabout any people who weren�t much liked.

If a party of characters comes to Williamwith tales of the evil worshipers of Terga-vant or stories of oppression of the poor, itis 95% likely that William offers his assist-ance. If the DM rolls 96 or higher on thepercentile dice, William would like to aidthe party but is under a prior obligation toKing Louis. If the party tries to enlistWilliam�s aid for selfish ends, especially ifsome party members are evil, it is only 5%likely he will aid them.

Besides being a skilled fighter, William isadept at disguises. He knows various herbsthat will dye the skin and hair to changeone�s appearance, as well as the variouslanguages of the pagans in his neighbor-hood. He loves to go in disguise and willoften volunteer to spy out a town or ene-my fortification, either alone or with a fewcompanions. His fame is so great, however,that there is a 10% cumulative chance perday that someone will recognize hisclipped nose. If discovered, William beginsfighting his way out rather than tryinganother ruse. He never lies, even if his lifedepends on it, if an enemy asks him anoutright question.

When William won his fief, he also wonhis wife, Guiborc. At that time, her namewas Orable, the beautiful daughter of agreat infidel lord, Desrame. She was mar-ried off against her will to the aged kingTiebault of Orange, who didn�t much carefor her. When William appeared to spy outthe city, Orable instantly fell in love withhim, rescued him from prison, andshowed him a secret tunnel under the cityso that his men could come in and takeover. On William�s victory, she convertedto his faith, married him, and took hernew name. She is a devoted wife and is theonly one who can cheer him up in times ofpeace. While William is away at war,

Guiborc capably rules the fief. Once, withonly women and children to help her, shecaptained Orange through a long, terriblesiege until William could return to therescue. If such a situation arises again, shedons plate mail armor and fights as a 2nd-level fighter (her statistics are left to theDM�s discretion).

If any man attempts to besmirchGuiborc�s honor, William kills him on thespot. One wrong word brings a challengeto a duel. William is a devoted husbandwho has nothing to do with other women.William has also sworn a vow that if hiswife should die before him, he will retireto a monastery and devote himself to God.

On his deathbed, Charlemagne gaveWilliam his own sword, Joyeuse, a + 5Holy Avenger long sword. William�s warhorse, Baucent, is a true and faithful pala-din�s destrier. Baucent has AC 5 withoutarmor, HD 5 + 5, hp 40, MV 18�, attacks asa heavy war horse, and has an intelligenceof 6. William won Baucent from the sameinfidel giant, Corsolt, who nicked his nose.This mighty horse wears plate barding incombat, giving it AC 1.

In the old tales, William has a large bodyof armed retainers (though this is not thenormal rule for paladins in the game sys-tem; William is an exception). If the DMwishes to bring him in line with the AD&Drules for paladins, he may put this body ofmen under the command of Bertrand, asdescribed below. Otherwise, thoughOrange is a splendid palace, William him-self lives simply in humble apartments. Hisonly real adornment is a small silver cruci-fix worn under his tunic.

As a paladin, William has clerical spellsat his disposal. If the DM wishes, he mayuse the following spells, but in any case,William should always have the prayerspell: protection from evil, remove fear,resist cold, know alignment, resist fire,prayer, detect lie.

BertrandMale human10th-level fighter

ARMOR CLASS: 2 (plate mail armor andshield); see special abilities

MOVE: 6� in armor on foot; 15” on heavywar horse

HIT POINTS: 94NO. OF ATTACKS: 3/2 with melee weap

ons; 1 with lance while mounted andcharging

ATTACK BONUSES: + 1 to hit with meleeweapons; see special abilities

DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type (longsword or heavy lance, +2 for strength);see special abilities

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Die-rolled damage

from mounted lance used while charg-ing is doubled before adding extrabonuses to it (with additional +2 bonusto hit and - 1 to AC)

MAGIC RESISTANCE: StandardSIZE: M (5’11” tall)ALIGNMENT. Lawful goodPSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

S: 17 I: 15 W: 14D: 14 C: 17 CH: 16 CO: 16

Bertrand is the son of William�s brother,Bernard de Brubant, but he prefers to livewith his famous uncle, who loves him likea son. Bertrand is the perfect follower,utterly devoted and true but never slavishand sycophantic. When William is in one

of his fits, either of rage or enthusiasm,Bertrand acts as the voice of reason, point-ing out flaws in his uncle�s thinking, tem-pering his anger, or even arguing outrightif a plan seems unworkable. Bertrand doesnot share William�s loyalty to King Louis.Though he�ll fight for the king at William�scommand, Bertrand is utterly disgustedwith Louis�s shabby treatment of William.He often advises William: �Forget a manwho�s too weak to hold a foot of his ownland.� This is the one piece of his advicewhich William refuses to follow.

Though a young man, Bertrand is ahardened warrior who�s been fighting thepagans since the age of 13. Slender andtall, he is courteous to guests, though heisn�t given to excess words. He dresses a

bit more elegantly than William in embroi-dered tunics and has luxurious apartmentsin the castle.

Bertrand leads a band of mounted fight-ers at his uncle�s service. The troop con-sists of 100 men, 50 of them 4th-levelfighters and 50 of them 3rd, all of whomwear plate mail armor and use shields,lances, and long swords. They are fanati-cally devoted to both William andBertrand. The DM should allow this troopa +25% modifier in any situation where aloyalty or morale check is required, solong as they are under the direct com-mand of those two or fighting to rescuethem. If both Bertrand and William arekilled, the troop fights to the death toavenge them.

Count Rainouart ofTorteloseMale human8th-level fighter

ARMOR CLASS: 2 (plate mail armor andshield)

MOVE: 6� in armor on foot; 15” on heavywar horse

HIT POINTS: 83NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 with giant club; 3/2

with other melee weapons (long sword)ATTACK BONUSES: +4 with giant club

(strength and weapon-specializationbonus); +3 with any other melee weap-on (long sword or heavy lance)

DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type (giantclub, 2d4 + 8 for strength and weapon-specialization bonuses; other weapons,+ 6 for strength bonus)

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Die-rolled damagefrom mounted lance used while charg-ing is doubled before adding extrabonuses to it (with additional +2 bonusto hit and - 1 to AC); weapon specializa-tion with giant club

MAGIC RESISTANCE: StandardSIZE: M (7’ tall)ALIGNMENT: Lawful goodPSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

S: 18(00) I: 13 W: 12D:13 C: 18 CH: 12 CO: 14

Rainouart, whose name is pronouncedRahn-wahr, is William�s brother-in-law andhis most devoted friend. Rainouart rulesthe county next to Orange. If William askshim for aid, Rainouart is certain torespond, since he owes his position andhis fief to William�s generosity.

Rainouart is the son of Desrame theinfidel and is thus Guiborc�s brother.When Rainouart was a child of seven, heran away from his father�s court after aquarrel with his tutor. Slavers kidnapped

the boy and sold him to King Louis�s sene-schal. The miserable Louis recognized theboy�s regal bearing and refused to let himgo free, hoping to sell him back to hisfamily for a high price. When Rainouartrefused to tell his father�s name, he wasbanished to work in the kitchens, where,years later, William found him.

Since the lad was already showing signsof becoming a true warrior, William res-cued him from the kitchen and took himalong to his current war. Since Rainouarthad never been in a proper battle before,he fought with a wooden club so heavythat it took two ordinary men to lift it.Whenever he got a strike on an infidel,Rainouart unfortunately bashed the horsealong with the rider. Since horses were ata premium in a long war, he was persuad-ed to try proper arms and armor. He wenton using the club until it finally shatteredagainst a particularly tough pagan. Indesperation, he drew his sword andfound, much to his surprise, that itworked even better.

From that day on, Rainouart worked atbecoming a proper knight. In moments ofgreat stress, however, he is still 40% likelyto throw down his sword, tear an enor-mous branch from a convenient tree, andstart bashing the enemy with this impro-vised club. If he loses or drops his sword,he always procures a club rather thanretrieve his weapon. Because of his unusu-al strength and years of practice, the DMshould treat these tree branches as morn-ing stars, not cudgels. If he is fightinginside a room, Rainouart grabs a massivelog from the fire, a wooden bench, or aniron sconce from the wall; these weaponsshould be treated as normal clubs.

At 7� tall, Rainouart is the only man whocan tower over William the way Williamtowers over others. For all his height,Rainouart is a good-looking, soft-spokenyoung man, devoted to his wife, Aelis, one

of William�s nieces. He is hospitable tostrangers and tries very hard to be court-ly, but his huge hands often get in his way.If he tries to pour wine:, for example, it is80% likely he spills it. In many ways he ismore religious than most knights born tothe faith. He is exceptionally generous tothe poor and turns no beggar at his gatesaway hungry. In times of war, he protectsthe common people and makes sure thattheir fields aren�t stripped to feed thearmies.

His one real fault, however, is his tem-per. Those long years of serving in thekitchen made him extremely touchy overmatters of honor. As an example, when hewas being baptized, Rainouart insisted onsticking his head in the font himself ratherthan letting a priest throw water at him. Ifanyone insults William and his family,Rainouart responds as to an insult to hisown honor. There is a 25% chance that hecan control himself long enough to make aformal challenge to a duel, but otherwisehe grabs the nearest clublike object andstarts swinging. Only his wife and hissister can talk him out of a real rage.

Rainouart has a troop of 25 2nd-levelfighters which he willingly leads to Wil-liam�s aid. He shares Bertrand�s opinion ofKing Louis and does not fight for himunless William gives him a direct order todo so.

BibliographyIn spite of the titles, all of these books

are English translations of the varioussongs and tales about William and hisconfederates.

Ferrante, Joan. Guilliaume d’Orange.Columbia University Press, n.d.

Godin, H.J. Le Charroi de Nimes. OxfordUniversity Press, n.d.

Stone, E.N. The Song of William. SeattleUniversity Press, n.d.

DRAGON 41

Glory,Danger,and WoundsCavaliers and their pursuit of honor

by Garry Hamlin

Both knights were standing in water upto their chests, while arrows, lances, andstones rained down all around them.Before them, the enemy army lay massedon the shore in enormous numbers.Behind them, their exasperated friendscalled from retreating ships, urging themto hurry and come aboard so the shipscould be off.

But the two knights had a problem. Eachhad sworn before the battle to be the lastman to retreat, and each had refused to letthe other have all the glory. Since neitherwas willing to yield on this point of honor,they were unable to find a solution totheir predicament. Instead of retreating,they shrugged and began wading backtoward shore, where the enemy nowstood in anxious bewilderment. Escapehad been only a few feet away, but ratherthan risk the least suggestion of dishonorthe two knights had quietly chosen to facethe opposing army together � and fight tothe death!

A preposterous conclusion? No doubt.But this is roughly the situation describedin Tirant the White, a 15th-century manu-script intended to portray the epitome ofchivalry.1 The story of the legendaryTirant and his comrade Richard the Ven-turesome would have been considerablyshorter if the knights hadn�t found a wayout of their impasse. As it turned out,Richard eventually agreed to retreat upthe ladder into the awaiting galley ifTirant would only put his foot on theladder first. Even this didn�t totally resolvethe problem, since once aboard the shipthe pair got into an angry brawl overwhich of them was the more worthyknight. When Tirant refused to fight aduel to the death over the matter, Richardbecame a fierce enemy and refused to bereconciled until Tirant saved his life inbattle.

Characters with extreme views or per-sonalities can represent a gold mine forrole-playing, and Tirant and Richard cer-tainly represent an idealized chivalricextreme. Would the average historicalknight have acted this way? Probably not.But Tirant and Richard certainly embodiedhow these knights felt they ought tobehave.

Heroic legends are the stuff from whichfantasy role-playing is fashioned. Yet aplayer running a cavalier or paladin char-acter in an AD&D® game may have diffi-culty understanding the heavy emphasisthese classes place on adherence to achivalric code. Our society�s way of think-ing is very different from theirs. While noone would deny that a modern soldierwho behaved like Tirant and Richard was

very brave, many of us would also con-sider him very stupid. But chivalry wasnot a code of self-preservation or commonsense. It was a code of honor � and honor,to its adherents, was more important thanlife itself.

Honor in battleConsider, for instance, The Song of

Roland, in which the chivalric idealbecomes almost self-destructive. The rear-guard of Charlemagne�s forces, led byCount Roland, was attacked by a force ofSaracens many times its size. Despite theurgings of his friends, Roland refused touse his horn to sound an alarm that wouldhave summoned the main force of Charle-magne�s army to his force�s aid.

To Roland�s way of thinking, calling forhelp would have been dishonorable �after all, their enemies were only Sara-cens! Not until his forces were clearlyabout to be massacred did Roland considersounding the alarm. By this time, therewas no hope that Charlemagne�s forceswould arrive in time for a rescue. Rather,Roland sounded the horn in hope that thereturning troops would avenge theirdeaths.

What follows is the kind of epic battlethat modern-day readers are familiar withprimarily through parodies by MontyPython and others. With one heave of hisgreat sword Durendal, Roland downed amounted, armored opponent � the forceof the blow being so great that it choppedthrough the rider�s saddle and killed hishorse as well. Others of Roland�s companystruck similarly mighty blows.

Even at the battle�s bleakest, Roland�sforces fought on. The Archbishop Turpinof Rheims � a fighting man of God if everthere was one, and one of Roland�s pri-mary counselors � found himselfunhorsed and with four lance headsembedded in his breast. Still, he rose fromthe battlefield, drew his sword Almace,and downed 400 of the enemy before hisheart stopped beating from exhaustion.When Roland found Turpin�s body, thebrain and bowels were clearly exposed toview. Considering the kind of damagethese legendary figures absorbed whilestill managing to continue in the fray, it�sno wonder that members of the cavalierclass are allowed to operate in the nega-tive hit point range.

Of course, the kind of strokes describedin Roland�s battle are all but impossible.Modern day writer Poul Anderson, consid-ering this sort of thing, notes that primarysources aren�t always to be trusted. Everynow and then, he notes, you find refer-ences to �somebody cutting a head or limboff somebody else with a single stroke. Trythis yourself on a pork roast, suspendedwithout a chopping block, and see how far

you get.� This could be done, Andersonnotes, �with the best of the classic Japa-nese swords, which are marvels of metal-lurgy.�2 However, these are unlikely tohave been available to Roland and hiscompany.

Today, a soldier failing to sound an alarmin battle would most likely get a court-martial for insubordination. To the mindof the medieval warrior, however, Roland�sbeing too proud to call for help repre-sented a �tragic flaw� in an essentiallynoble character. But even in the MiddleAges, is seems safe to assume that Roland�sexample was more admired by the medie-val warrior than followed in practice.

Knights with more savvy � even legend-ary ones like Tirant � did not hesitate touse delaying tactics in battle when facedwith overwhelming odds. In one cam-paign, Tirant found his army faced with aforce of Saracens many times its size, botharmies being camped along a river nearseparate bridges. When the enemy wouldmass its forces on one bank of the river,Tirant would send his forces to the oppo-site bank to avoid combat with the superi-or force.

Both armies spent several days formingand reforming until the frustrated Sara-cens decided to force a battle by dividingtheir forces, leaving some on each bank ofthe river. Tirant then had the bridge con-necting the two Saracen armies burnedand finished each force off at his leisure.When the Saracen King of Egypt sentTirant a letter rebuking him for winningby treachery rather than valor, Tirantresponded simply that he had won byskill, not treachery, and that no one wouldblame him for his actions.

Unfortunately, real-life knights did notalways see things so clearly, and theytended at times to confuse valor in battlewith competence. French tactics at theBattle of Agincourt in 1415 provide a goodillustration of this. The French, facing asmaller force of exhausted and ill Englishinvaders, launched a courageous chargethrough a narrow neck of muddy land,straight into the line of English long-bowfire. The French were apparently expect-ing their heavier armor, a recent innova-tion, to protect them from English arrows.Instead, French horses and men slipped inthe mud under missile fire, and theirheavier armor, perhaps intended as a�secret weapon,� made the knights soclumsy they were unable to get back up.The bulk of the English troops, beinglargely unarmored and therefore fullymobile, swarmed over the fallen knightslike a tribe of ants on a host of fallen bee-tles. Although French forces had out-matched the English by three to one, theFrench suffered ten times the losses oftheir English opponents and were left with

a devastating defeat.3

Perhaps we can only begin to under-stand how protective legendary knightswere of their honor when we realize whathappened to �dishonored� knights. In alegendary English tournament, Thomas ofMuntalba fought on fiercely althoughwounded in the groin and almost managedto defeat Tirant until he collapsed of bloodloss. Accepting dishonor rather thandeath, Thomas surrendered to Tirant �and was expelled from his knightly orderfor this craven act.

In Tirant�s world, the ceremony forexpulsion was mercilessly explicit. First,the dishonored knight was placed on ascaffold as a public spectacle. There, hisarmor was stripped from him piece bypiece, the dishonored steel being hurled inthe dust. Finally, a bowl of hot water wasthrown in his face, and he was given anew name and denied the right ever touse his old one again. The ceremony beingcompleted, the knight was summarilyhurled from the scaffold.

And you think you�ve had humiliatingexperiences! Tirant�s legend records thatone dishonored knight suffered suchoutrage over the infamy being heaped onhim that his gall bladder burst and hechoked to death on his own bile. As forpoor Thomas of Muntalba, he quietlyentered a monastery upon his recoveryand disappeared from history.

Honor in private duelsNor was the battlefield or tournament

the only arena in which a knight�s honormust be strictly defended. Although some-times illegal, private duels were appar-ently all too common, some of them beingfought under horrifying conditions andfor reasons we would probably regardtoday as trivial. One episode from Tirant�slegend illustrates this perfectly.

In this instance, Tirant asked for andwas given a brooch from a beautiful maid-en�s bodice to wear in a tournament as asign of his service to her. This raised theire of the girl�s long-time suitor, Sir Barren-towns, who promptly challenged Tirant tosurrender the token or fight him to thedeath.

Tirant was not in love with the girl, norwas he competing with Sir Barrentownsfor her hand. Yet rather than surrenderthe honor the girl had done him in givinghim the brooch, Tirant submitted to aghastly duel. The opponents faced eachother wielding 1½�-long, double-edgedGenoese knives �with well-sharpenedpoints.� The two knights were �armored�only in French linen shirts and garlands offlowers. For added protection, a shieldmade out of a single sheet of paper wasdivided between them!

With so little protection, it�s needless to

DRAGON 43

say that the melee between Tirant and SirBarrentowns was rapidly resolved. Theclose of combat found both knights uncon-scious and bleeding on the ground. Tiranthad suffered eleven wounds, any four ofwhich could have been mortal, and SirBarrentowns suffered as many as fivemortal wounds. Tirant �won� this battlesimply by virtue of having survived. But,more important to him than victory, his�honor� survived intact. As for Sir Barren-towns, he was buried with considerableceremony as a knight who never betrayedhis calling. No one seemed to think it scan-dalous that he wasted seven years of hislife courting the maiden, who admired hiscourage but refused to marry him becausehe wasn�t as rich as her parents.

Reverence for one�s lordFor a profession so notoriously touchy

about its honor, it�s amazing how muchabuse a knight was expected to take fromhis rightful lord without even tokendefense. In The Song of The Cid, Ruy Diaz,the Cid, is unrighteously exiled from hishomeland by King Alfonso of Leon andCastile. To add insult to injury, the kinggives Diaz only nine days to leave thecountry. Worse still, he orders his subjectson pain of death not to sell or supply Diazwith anything on his way into exile.

Yet Diaz leaves his family in the hands ofstrangers without a single reproachagainst his liege. Wandering homeless inSpain with only those willing to follow himinto misfortune, Diaz achieves a numberof stunning military victories against theSaracens and carves out a nation for him-self within that hostile culture. DespiteKing Alfonso�s despicable treatment ofhim, Diaz sends gifts to the king out of thespoils of each major battle. Even thoughthe king has stripped him of his landswithout so much as a hearing, Diaz con-tinues to honor Alfonso as his rightfullord. Seeing the Cid�s service in the face ofsuch abuse, Alfonso�s subjects can�t helpbut murmur, �Were his lord but worthy �God, how fine a vassal!� But the Cid him-self utters no complaint against his king.

The chivalric code of obedience to one�sliege is explained early on in Tirant�s leg-end by William of Warwick, Tirant�s tutorin the knightly virtues. Says William, �Nomatter how much evil he may do to you,always obey your natural lord. Though hemay seize your lands, never oppose HisMajesty. . . . Even if he strikes you with hishand, staff, or sword, your natural lordcan never shame you, though he mayharm your person.� William explains fur-ther to Tirant that once he saw a dukewrongfully struck by the Emperor him-self. The duke submitted to this treatmentpatiently, though he warned the spectators

44 SEPTEMBER 1987

that any of them who tried to take similarliberties with him would sorely regret it.

Honor before goldThe item that probably runs most

against the grain for today�s role-playinggamer is the chivalric code�s supposeddisdain for (gasp!) treasure itself. We areall familiar with the incredible intellectualgyrations of players who argue that theyreally can carry the 3,000-lb. platinumstatue of the mud goddess Boopde�ella up12 flights of orc-infested, slimy stairs whilewearing full plate armor and carrying anunconscious maiden under one arm. (�Ofcourse,� they�ll argue, when brought faceto face with facts, �I can always come backfor the maiden if it�s really too much.�)

What gain could Roland have hoped forin his celebrated battle? And what did theCid gain from consistently yielding hisfantastic spoils to the needs of his fol-lowers? In Tirant�s legend, William ofWarwick epitomizes this attitude when herefuses �30 wagons of jewels� as a rewardfor repelling an invasion of England. Wil-liam accepts nothing for his efforts but�glory, danger and wounds.� Similarly,when Tirant foils a Saracen invasion ofRhodes, its overjoyed citizens pile theirtreasure in the city square and beg Tirantto take �all your hands can hold.� Tirantresponds simply that the honor of theoccasion is sufficient for him.

Role-playing implicationsThe gaming implications of all this

become apparent with only a little bit ofthought. Certainly, many players will bereluctant to have their characters follow acode of honor that makes their lives moredifficult. But an adept game master caninsure that the NPCs expect the PCs topractice what their professions preach.

Imagine the frustration of a band ofplayers over an NPC cavalier whom theircharacters have managed to persuade to�help� their party. Let�s say this NPC, SirRoderic the Bold, is standing watch for theparty, which is camped by night in a pineforest. Sir Roderic suddenly hears thesounds of an approaching band of orcs.Sleeping around the campfire are theparty�s PCs: Sir Galen, a cavalier; Plahg, abarbarian; Pinky Four Fingers, a thief;and, Elissa Meadowflower, a druidess. WillSir Roderic wake them up to join in thefight, or will he nobly decide that he canhandle the situation by himself (�They�reonly orcs!�), leaving the PCs to be sur-prised by the ensuing melee?

If the melee turns against the party, willSir Roderic be willing to retreat, or will hepropose that the party make a valiant laststand? If Sir Roderic chooses �tacticalwithdrawal,� he will certainly want to bethe last member of the party to do so �

and he will probably jab Sir Galen aboutthis later if Sir Galen doesn�t challenge himfor the honor. Finally, having withdrawn,Sir Roderic will want to insure that hishonor hasn�t been tarnished, and he willprobably argue with other party mem-bers, and certainly with Sir Galen, overwho performed the most valiant deeds inthe battle.

Additionally, imagine poor Sir Roderic�sconfusion if a low-life like Pinkie or Plahgturns out to be the party�s real leaderinstead of Sir Galen. From Sir Roderic�sperspective, commoners like thieves andbarbarians could only be Sir Galen�s ser-vants, never his peers (let alone his superi-ors). Through long experience together,the players will doubtless have allowedtheir characters to slip into a certainamount of familiarity with each other. AndSir Roderic, viewing Sir Galen�s egalitariantreatment of his social inferiors, mightwell conclude that Sir Galen has been�bewitched� by Plahg or Pinkie, or isunworthy of his status as a knight.

Suppose Sir Roderic concludes that SirGalen, by his unchivalrous conduct, hasforfeited his right to lead the party. Doubt-less, Sir Roderic would challenge Sir Galento yield this honor or face him in personalcombat. If the party submits to SirRoderic�s leadership, the players will cer-tainly be aghast when he waives awaytreasure offered to the party by gratefultownsmen in reward for their valiantexploits. Just as Pinkie and Plahg advance,hands itching to seize their well-earnedspoils, Sir Roderic � chest swelling withknightly pride � steps forward toannounce to the gathered citizenry thatthe glory of their exploits is rewardenough. Before Plahg and Pinkie can takeanother step, the crowd cheers SirRoderic�s generous offer and removes thetreasure. Plahg�s and Pinkie�s faces are astudy of anguished bewilderment as thehoard of glittering jewels that almost wastheirs retreats out of reach into the safetyof a nearby vault. Sir Roderic�s reputationhas been enhanced by turning down aking�s ransom as a reward. But Plahg andPinkie are merely older and wiser � andarguably poorer for missing a load oftreasure that might have been theirs.

Even if Sir Roderic is not allowed toassume leadership, the party is certain tobe annoyed by his behavior toward thedruidess. If Elissa Meadowflower hasabove average charisma and comeliness,Sir Roderic may assume she is secretly ofnoble birth and ask her for a scarf,brooch, or even an intimate article ofclothing for him to wear in battle as anemblem of his devotion. Sir Roderic�sadvances will be all the more inconvenientif Elissa has taken vows of chastity thatforbid her from responding positively to

such requests. If Sir Galen attempts tointervene, naturally Sir Roderic will con-sider him a rival and challenge him topersonal combat �to prove which of us ismore worthy to serve this lady!� A femalecavalier in an AD&D game could turn thetables and make equally outrageousdemands upon handsome male charactersshe sees, seeking to serve one as a champi-on at arms.

If the party is lucky, Sir Roderic willalready be committed to another lady,precluding his advances toward Elissa. Buteven then, Sir Roderic is certain to bewearing some article of woman�s clothingon his person � Tirant wore the equiva-lent of his lady�s slip into battle, in plainview, over his armor � and woe to anypoor soul who dared to smile at the sight!

Even if the party manages to divest itselfof Sir Roderic, doubtless there will beplenty of NPCs who are sick and tired ofsnooty cavaliers looking down their nosesat them. These folk might well includepowerful figures such as a town mayor ora rich businessman. From long experience,they might reasonably consider knights tobe nothing more than a bunch of arroganthypocrites. Influential persons like thesemight take malicious delight in pointingout to Sir Galen, as he passes throughtheir town, every point at which hisbehavior falls short of the chivalric ideal.They might even go so far as to havemocking lyrics about him composed, caus-ing other knights to try to hunt him downand eliminate this disgrace to their profes-sion. How Sir Galen responds to thesepressures will define him as a knight.

Some bad examplesRest assured that whatever response the

PCs make to all this, there�s bound to be ahistorical precedent. History and literatureabound with knights who make very poorexamples but also very interesting reading.In the 1300s, for instance, Sir Eustached�Aubrecicourt of the Netherlands washaving problems sustaining himselfbecause of peace treaties between nationsthat interfered with his ability to takeplunder and spoil in France. Sir Eustache�ssolution was to organize a band of �freecompanions� who plundered anddespoiled France anyway. At one point,Eustache apparently had a thriving indus-try going on selling castles back to theirrightful lords at phenomenal costs.4

Similarly, the English knight and brigandSir Robert Knollys, probably the mostdangerous man in Europe in his time,made such a mess of France that his com-pany left a trail of ravaged towns whosecharred gables were referred to as�Knollys� miters.� Legend has it that at oneplace French villagers threw themselvesinto the river at the mere mention of his

approach. Whether Knollys was legally acriminal or a privateer at any given pointwas mostly a matter of whether Franceand England happened to be at war at thetime, or otherwise whether the king ofEngland found it politically expedient topardon Sir Robert�s latest exploits.5

If some knights were neither good norlawful, neither were all of them brave.William Shakespeare�s play King Henry IVgives us a beautiful example of the coward-ly knight in his portrayal of Sir John Fal-staff, based on a historical raffish knightwho was ultimately burned at the stake forheresy. Apparently knighted at a point ofgreater youth and valor, Sir John hasdegenerated by the time we meet him intoan enormously fat, drunken old sensualistwho can scarcely waddle 20 paces in high-way robbery, let alone conduct himselfsuitably in battle. Assigned by the king todraft villagers to put down a rebellion,Falstaff takes bribes from men trying toevade military service, spends the moneyon his own vices, then fills the ranks of hiscompany with outcasts and criminals hemanages to spring from prison.

When forced to enter battle, Falstaffkeels over and plays dead at the firstopportunity, even though he hasn�t beenso much as wounded. Yet in order toappear to have fought valiantly, he risesduring a lull in battle and stabs the deadbody of a fallen enemy leader, then carriesthe body to the king to �prove� he hasslain a great rebel knight. If Tirant repre-sents the chivalric ideal, Falstaff certainlyrepresents the opposite.

Finally, no summary would be completewithout at least a nod to Miguel de Cer-vantes� famous creation, Don Quixote, themad knight of LaMancha. Actually anaging Spanish petty noble living on a tightincome, Cervantes� mock hero has simplyread so much about knights and theirexploits that his brains dry up and he fallsinto the delusion that he has become a

knight himself. In this wide-eyed, addledstate, Don Quixote roams the countrysideon a rickety horse looking for wrongs toright. He jousts with windmills he takes tobe giants magically disguised by sorcerers.He recovers a barber�s basin which hebelieves is secretly a great enchantedartifact, the helmet of Mambrino. Hisother ridiculous exploits cannot be brieflysummarized here.

All of these character types would makeinteresting NPC encounters, especially fora PC cavalier who is trying to come togrips with his own response to the idealsof chivalry. A particular cavalier may ormay not choose to adhere strictly to acode of honor � but the character shouldnot be permitted to be simply a 20th.century man or woman in plate mail. Thecharacter class can�t possibly be portrayedwell if the player and the Dungeon Masterdon�t understand the social context inwhich the character operates and howimportant the concept of honor is going tobe to other cavaliers that, are encountered.

Gaming sessions never grow stale whenplayers face new challenges for role-playing. Emphasis on �honor� presents theplayers with a whole new set of problemsto be solved � and is likely to liven up anysingle evening�s adventure or flaggingcampaign.

End notes1 Joanot Martorell and Marti Joan de

Galba, Tirant Lo Blanc, translated by DavidH. Rosenthal (New York: Warner Books,1985). All further references to Tirant arefrom the pages of this work.

2 Poul Anderson, �On Thud and Blunder,�in Fantasy, edited by Jim Baen (New York:Pinnacle Books, 1981), page 174.

3 Barbara W. Tuchman, A Distant Mirror:The Calamitous 14th Century (New York:Alfred A. Knopf, 1978), pages 584-5.

4 Ibid., page 166.5 Ibid., page 165.

DRAGON 45

The Bestfor theBestElite espionage

agencies for TOP SECRET® games

by William Van Horn

The new TOP SECRET/S.I.™ game incor-porates many of the concepts about eliteespionage agencies discussed in this artic-le. The Orion Foundation, the espionagegroup presented for use by player charac-ters in that game, is itself an elite groupmuch like the ones presented here. TheTOP SECRET/S.I. game allows agents togain Fame and Fortune points instead ofexperience points, and no agent level-advancement system exists. However, theadvice here is perfectly sound and, withminor adjustment, applies to any espio-nage role-playing game.

Spy games need elite agencies! This ismore or less what a group of disgruntledTOP SECRET® game players told me oneyear ago, and they were right. At the time,I was acting as Administrator in a ratherlarge TOP SECRET game campaign withboth novice and experienced players tak-ing part. After four disappointing sessions,three of my most experienced playerscame to me and said that they were, of allthings, bored. They wanted more challeng-ing missions that would allow them towork in small teams or alone, with a mini-mum of agency support. Instead of tellingthese players to put up or shut up, I satdown and explained what I had in mind to

46 SEPTEMBER 1987

help them. Thus, the elite agency conceptcame into being.

Before we leap into the game mechanicsof elite agencies, a brief look at the basicelite philosophy is in order. Most of myinspiration came from the military eliteconcept. Most readers are familiar withthe military elite groups: the U.S. Army�sSpecial Forces (Green Berets) and Rangerunits, the U.S. Navy�s SEALS, the BritishSpecial Air Service (SAS), Soviet Spetsnazunits (actually part of Soviet military intel-ligence, the GRU), and many others. Inspite of the different national origins ofthese units, they have many things incommon. Each of these units is composedof the best men a country�s military has tooffer. These units are usually small andhighly trained. In wartime, these units aregiven the toughest missions. Unlike thestrict discipline found in regular units,elite units encourage self-reliance andconfidence. Leadership is by example.Since their operations often don�t go �bythe book,� members of elite units have tobe ready to handle the unexpected andstill complete their assigned missions.

Of course, not everything about eliteunits is good. The very selective nature oftheir training tends to breed enemies,since not everyone who tries out for theseunits is selected. It also costs a great dealof money to train and equip an elite force.Both these factors work against elite mili-tary groups, but they have proven their

worth many times over in combat.Throughout history, from the TurkishJanissaries to the British SAS, elite forceshave shown that they are worth the effortit takes to maintain them. Since the eliteidea works in the military, it should workin TOP SECRET game campaigns.

Elements of elite agenciesThis article considers the existing intelli-

gence agencies, such as the CIA, KGB, etc.,to be the �regulars.� Their broad goals andsheer size keep them out of the elite cate-gory. They also fail to meet the mainrequirement of an elite agency: total secre-cy. In order to be really effective, an eliteagency should be as low-key as possible.This means that the regular agencies won�thave the faintest idea who�s operatingagainst them. This breeds confusion thatyour elite agents can and should use tohelp them pull off a difficult mission.

This brings us to the first steps in thecreation of an elite agency: security and aspecial chain of command. Since securityis greater when only a few people knowthe secret, I would suggest that all Admin-istrators who want to design an elite agen-cy set a size limit for their group. After ayear of playtesting, I have found that 10agents is a good maximum number.Remember, that is 10 active agents in thewhole agency, not in one team! No morethan four agents should be used as a team.Any more than that and your team oragency becomes too noticeable.

A special chain of command, unlikesecurity, is an option for an elite agencybut is highly recommended. It gives yourcampaign a distinct flavor and style if theagents get their briefings from, say, a four-star general instead of an old man in anavy blue suit. Since your elite agency issecret, the only government officials whoknow about it should be very highlyplaced, like the President or Prime Minis-ter. As suggested above, high-rankingmilitary officers can take the place ofcivilians. Using this system also gives you,the Admin, a chance to have some funwhile giving out mission briefings. Wouldyour agents be disrespectful to the Secre-tary of Defense?

Once you have taken care of the abovesteps, it�s time to come to grips withanother major facet of the elite system:setting an entry level for your agency.Since most, if not all, elite agencies don�thave the manpower to train rookies, allagents wishing to enter an elite agencymust gain some experience in anotheragency first. This gives the Admin achance to see how a particular playerperforms, and it lets a player learn how toplay TOP SECRET games. Once a player�sagent reaches third level, he should knowhow to play the game and how to carryout a mission specific to his agent�sbureau. Then, if you wish, you can extendthe invitation to join your elite agency inthe form of a mysterious phone call, ameeting with a strange man in a black

trench coat, or some other dramatic stunt.Should the character accept, you shouldthen fake the death of that character (caraccidents are a good way to do this) andchange his name (security, you under-stand).

Before going on, it might be helpful toexplain the reasoning behind having anentry level and faking the death of a char-acter. Since the missions given to eliteagents are often more difficult than usual,these agents should have some experiencefirst. Think of it as on the job training.Faking a character�s death gives him adefinite edge in the field. After all, deadagents are dead agents. The bad guyswouldn�t expect a dead agent to return tohaunt them, so to speak. Staging the deathof an agent is, of course, optional, thoughit adds an element of drama and sacrificeto an otherwise routine event.

On the other hand, having an entry levelis absolutely essential. Remember, justbecause an agent wants to join your eliteagency doesn�t mean you have to let him!By requiring agents to achieve a certainlevel, you have ample opportunity to seehow they perform in the field. If this trialperiod shows that an agent is, for exam-ple, too prone to use violent solutionswhen other, less obvious methods areavailable, you will be able to exclude himfrom your elite agency if you wish. I feelthat third level is the best entry level avail-able, but don�t feel limited to it by anymeans. You could modify the entry levelup or (in very rare cases) down dependingon the experience and temperament ofyour players. For example, if your particu-lar group tends to be very violent, youcould raise the entry level to weed out themore violent agents. On the other hand, ifyour group is composed mainly of quiet,sneaky agents, you could lower the entrylevel. In no instance should agents beaccepted into an elite agency at first level.They need to prove themselves first.

Once you have decided on an entrylevel, you need to decide what benefits anagent gets when he joins your elite agency.Since these agents will soon be going onvery difficult missions with little or nofield support, they need all the materialhelp they can get. I have experimentedwith various types of benefits and havefound that the following are the mostuseful.

When an agent joins an elite agency, heshould automatically become eligible forspecial equipment. This benefit gives youragents a boost from the start. One way ofdoing this is to give each agent a piece ofspecial equipment that is unique to hisbureau as soon as the agent joins youragency. A special gun for an assassin, anX-ray lockpicking system for a confiscator,and a special tracking system for an inves-tigator are some basic examples of thissort of special gear. This gives them anidea of the rigors that lie ahead. If givingout special equipment would in some wayinterfere with your campaign�s balance, I

suggest that you give your agents a payraise upon joining your agency. This raiseshould be fairly small, about $100-300 amission, but enough to make a differencein their lives.

When giving agents benefits or perks,you should consider each one carefully.These perks should be small things thatmake up for or prepare your agents forthe nastiness to come. It is very easy to getcarried away and start giving agents allsorts of things they haven�t earned. Aword of warning: NEVER give agents extraexperience points because they belong toan elite agency. Giving out extra, unearnedpoints for this reason can really mess up agood campaign as agents� levels skyrocket.These points represent what an agentlearns from a mission. This learningremains constant and cannot be changedjust because an agent changes agencies.

Complicated mattersNow that you�ve given your agents some

benefits, it�s time to give them the badnews. To counterbalance these perks, youshould assign some complications to yourelite agency. While you have as free ahand when assigning complications as youdid while assigning perks, there are twocomplications that are inherent to all eliteagencies. The first one is very simple.Since these agencies are all super-secret,no other intelligence agencies (even agen-cies from the elite group�s own country)know about them. This means that thereare no allies for any elite agency. Shouldagents from any other intelligence agencyrun into agents from one of your elitegroups, the other agents may assume thatyour agents are enemy agents and actaccordingly. When working with otheragents, it will be necessary for your agentsto pose as members of a group that isfriendly to the other agents.

Another complication I consider essen-tial for elite agencies is a lack of fieldsupport. Since all elite agencies are small,they often don�t have the personnel neces-sary to set up and maintain a world-widesupport system for their agents. Whileelite agents are often given the best brief-ings in the espionage business and haveaccess to some of the best gear available,they will more often than not be left totheir own devices in the field. For exam-ple, my elite agency has a station house inevery world capitol, and some safe housesin other large cities, but that�s it. Eachstation house has a small stock of smallarms and ammunition on hand, along withcommunications gear for contacting theirmain headquarters. Agents can receivemessages and dossiers here, but not muchelse. This means that agents will have tofind any gear they might need during thecourse of a mission on the local blackmarket. If you want, you can give a teamof agents the name of an arms dealer inthe city your mission involves. This willgive you a chance to play some NPCs andhave fun with your agents. Arms dealers

are known to drive hard bargains. . . .The two complications I have detailed

above should be inherent to any eliteagency you create. When designing yourown complications, keep in mind that theyshould be little things that get in youragents� collective way, but don�t necessar-ily harm them. A good rule of thumb is tomake each complication counterbalance aperk: For example, if you decide thatevery agent who joins your agency shouldreceive a car, your complication could bethat because of a lack of transportationmoney, agents must pay for their car�sshipping to the job site. If you raise youragents� pay, you could increase the cost ofgear purchased from the agency as acomplication. Just use your common sensewhen assigning both benefits and compli-cations. If you feel a complication or perkupsets the balance, flow, or feel of yourcampaign, don�t use it!

Using elite agenciesNow that you�ve created an elite agency,

the question �What do I do with this mon-ster?� might spring to mind. Never fear!While an elite agency can be used on asingle-mission basis, its true flavor andelite status really comes, out in campaignplay. Of course, a campaign shouldn�t startout as an elite campaign for your team.When you start a campaign, assign youragents to a regular agency and wait. Oncean agent of elite quality reaches yourentry level and has demonstrated hisplaying ability, contact him as suggestedabove. Fake the death of this agent,change the agent�s name and appearance ifyou wish, and return him to your cam-paign as an agent on loan from anotheragency (don�t tell the players which one).At the same time you might want to haveyour new elite agent keep an eye on theother agents and report their progress toyou. Keep this up until all the agents youhave selected as elite material have had achance to join your group. Then the realfun begins.

Designing missions and campaigns forelite agencies isn�t as hard as one mightthink, but it comes close. One of the easi-est ways to design elite missions is topretend that your players� agents are twolevels higher than they really are andproceed accordingly. If you usually havefour enemy agents working against fourPC agents, for example, you could increasethe number of enemies to six. Or, youcould keep the number of enemy agents atfour but arm them with submachine gunsinstead of pistols. It is also possible to addanother group of NPCs with a goal similarto that of your agents. If you sent two eliteagents to recover a packet of papers fourKGB agents have stolen, you may decidethat the CIA would have learned about thepapers and sent a team of three agents torecover them. Now, instead of having todeal with only four agents, your team isconfronted by seven, three of whom arealso American CIA operatives!

DRAGON 47

As elite agents advance in levels, themissions given them should also increasein difficulty. In addition, you should beginusing a rather devious creation known asa plot twist. All a plot twist boils down tois a plot within a plot. Most espionagefiction makes use of plot twists in someform or another, so good examples aren�thard to locate. The James Bond novels byIan Fleming are good places to find ratherfar-flung examples of plot twists (seeThunderball and From Russia with Lovefor two good ones). For readers who mightneed some help getting started, a briefdescription of a simple plot twist follows:A two-man team of elite agents is given themission described above: recover stolenpapers. But, when they recover thepapers, they find that two of them, dealingwith Secret Service operations, are miss-ing. They manage to persuade one of theKGB agents to tell them who now possess-es the papers. Following up on that lead,the team stumbles onto a dastardly plot tokill the President of the United States.

While the above is a very simple exam-ple of a plot twist, it should give you anidea about how to set them up. All thatyou, as Admin, need to do is come up witha basic plot, and add on a more complexand dangerous plot that the agents discov-er at some point during the assigned mis-sion. Should they prove reluctant to followup on your inner plot, simply have head-

quarters contact them and order them tofollow up on their new lead � or let thechips fall where they may.

The competitionNow that you have an idea of what kinds

of missions to design for your elite agency,it�s time to look at the enemies of your eliteagents. The �bad guys� in an elite campaignmust be a cut above the ordinary villainsused in a regular TOP SECRET game cam-paign. One way to handle this is to designan enemy elite agency and have your play-ers� agents go up against it. Or, you couldcome up with individual villains for youragents to tackle. In either case, the follow-ing guidelines should be used when youdesign villains:

1. Give each villain a distinct personality.While the usual enemy agent in a blackleather trench coat might work in a nor-mal campaign, the same agent simplywon�t do in an elite campaign. It doesn�tmatter if your villain is an elite enemyagent, a suicidal terrorist, or a mad scien-tist. Give each one motives, interests, likes,dislikes, and habits. One thing that shouldbe common to all your villains is a strongdesire for revenge. True elite villains don�tlike to lose and will stop at nothing to hurtthose who hurt them.

2. Use some repeating villains. This isessential if you decide to pit an elite agen-cy against an elite agency. The desire for

revenge mentioned above comes into itsown here. Whole missions can be plannedaround a villain�s attempts to make theagents or their agency pay for foiling hisplans! To facilitate this, you should makeevery effort to give your villains at leasttwo escape routes in every mission. Thisalso cuts down on the number of villainsyou have to create in the course of acampaign.

3. Make your villains at least equal toyour agents in power and ability. Thispoint cannot be stressed enough. Since theagents are supposed to be elite, the villainsyou send out against them should be atleast as good if not better than the agentsthemselves. This can be difficult, sincesome Admins (this author included) occa-sionally have trouble deciding if they wantto kill off their PCs or give them an easyride. One method I have used successfullyto correct this is what I call � + 2.� All thatmeans is that if, for example, your agentsare fourth level, the main villain should besixth level (or the equivalent). This keepsboth you and your players honest.

4. You should secretly assign one NPC toeach agent at the start of an elite cam-paign as his personal enemy. That NPCcould be encountered at any point duringthe campaign (i.e., right away or saved forlater). In any case, this enemy must beroughly equal to the player�s agent in allabilities and traits. There should be aplausible reason for this rivalry (e.g., thePC killed a friend of the NPC agent), butthe exact reason need be important onlyto the NPC. It is very possible that theplayer in question would never know thereal reason for the rivalry. Adding suchrivalries opens many paths for the creativeAdministrator. Special missions can becreated for a particular player that revolvearound his agent�s particular rival. Awhole elite agency can be uncoveredbecause an agent�s enemy managed tolearn about the secret organization thatthe PC agent works for. The possibilitiesare almost unlimited.

Now that you have the four steps tocreating the perfect villain, what do youdo with them? The following is a villaincreated using the above steps. By day,Mark Hollten is a respected member of theNew York financial community. His hob-bies include tennis, yachting, chess, andmilitary history. His birthplace isunknown, but he is 39 years old and ofEuropean origin. Hollten is unmarried andseems uninterested in dating. On WallStreet, he is known for his cool head whenthings get rough.

Mark Hollten is in fact Manfred Holbach,the leader of the White Brotherhood, aneo-Nazi group. Holbach was born inBerlin just days before Soviet troopsentered the city. Seeing the danger,Holbach�s mother escaped with her babyto Brazil. From there, she came to NewYork and married Jeffery Hollten. Holbachlearned about Hitler and his �ThousandYear Reich� from his mother, a hard-core

48 SEPTEMBER 1987

Nazi herself, and decided that if a half-baked Austrian corporal could do it, socould he.

In game terms, Holbach is an eighth-levelassassin. He is almost mad for power, butthis madness doesn�t cloud his thinking.Due to certain events, Holbach has grownto hate a sixth-level confiscator in mycampaign. Holbach has tried to kill herfour times without success.

As can be seen from all the above,designing an elite agency and a campaignfor that agency is not all that easy. Theprocess of selecting agents to join youragency can take up to two months ofplaying. Once this is done, though, youand your players are in for the role-playing experience of your lives! I�ve beenrunning an elite campaign for almost oneyear, and I�ve found that both the standardof play and the standard of Admin abilityrise greatly. Your missions challenge yourplayers to do their best, and their best inturn challenges you to design better andbetter missions.

As I have stated throughout this article,the main ingredient to a successful elitecampaign is in getting motivated, carefullyselected agents; hence, the entry levelconcept. If you have any doubts about anagent�s ability, don�t ask him to join yourelite group. This can result in your run-ning two campaigns at one time, but allthe extra effort and time invested in anelite campaign is well worth it.

To help Admins get started, I�ve includeda list of three elite agencies I�ve used in mycampaign. One is designed for Americanagents, one for European agents, and onefor Soviet agents. These agencies are listedin the same format used in DRAGON®issues #93 and 97-99, but with a few addi-tional headings. These are explainedbelow:

Command: Who runs the agency in thecountry of origin.

Entry: The level required to enter theagency in question.

Benefits: What agents get for joining.Complications: Inherent problems in the

agency.

Covert Action Group (CAG)Nature of agency: Highly secret U.S.

government special operations group.Governing body: None, but see Com-

mand below.Personnel: Highly classified, but believed

to be in the low to mid-thousands (1,000-4,000).

Annual budget: Also classified; believedto be around $500 million.

HQ: New York City, New York, U.S.A.(front company is International Software,Ltd.).

Established: Not known, but believed tobe 1975.

Activities: Covert Action Group existsmainly to carry out special missions theUnited States government does not wish tobe associated with. Thus, it is involved inboth domestic and foreign counterintelli-

50 SEPTEMBER 1987

gence. CAG does not gather intelligence assuch, so it relies on what it can get fromother agencies. However, CAG has one ofthe best systems for tracking enemyagents in the world.

Policies: CAG exists to carry out specialmissions, so the security of the organiza-tion is a prime concern. Entire missionsare often organized to silence people whoknow too much about CAG. Agents of CAGare also encouraged to use nonviolentmethods whenever possible. CAG agentsoften work alone.

Objectives: CAG�s first priority is to carryout any and all missions assigned to it. Italso attempts to remove potential terror-ists from circulation before they can doany harm.

Areas of involvement: Worldwide.Allies: None.Additional data: CAG has station houses

in the capitol cities of all major nations andsome safe houses in other large cities.These stations can provide agents withsmall arms, ammunition, and communica-tions gear only.

Bureaus: All.Alignment profile: 01-19/07-94/07-81. Command: Joint Chiefs of Staff, Depart-

ment of Defense, U.S.A.Benefits: Special equipment (one device

on entry), $100 per mission pay raise.Complications: Lack of field support, all

gear purchased from the agency costs $50over book price.

Entry: Third level.

European National EconomicCommand (ENECOM)

Nature of agency: Pan-European specialmissions group.

Governing body: None, but see Com-mand below.

Personnel: Classified, but known to be inthe mid-thousands (1,000-5,000).

Annual budget: Believed to be around$500 million.

HQ: Frankfurt, West Germany (frontcompany is Anglo-German DesignInstitute).

Established: Sometime in the mid-1970s.Activities: ENECOM carries out special

missions that the member nations (GreatBritain, West Germany, France, Italy,Spain, Norway, Sweden, and Austria)decide are in their best interests. ENECOMis involved in both domestic and foreigncounterintelligence. ENECOM has beenvery successful at both planning and car-rying out assassinations. ENECOM gathersits own intelligence as it is needed.

Policies: ENECOM agents kill only whenit is necessary. They are just as securityminded as CAG (see above). They also liketo make very thorough operations plansbefore sending any agents into the field.ENECOM likes to use teams of two agentswhen it is possible to do so.

Objectives: To maintain Europe�s place inthe international power structure,ENECOM will attempt to carry out any

mission assigned to it. ENECOM alsoattempts to control industrial espionagewhenever possible. Organized crime is highon ENECOMs list of main enemies.

Areas of involvement: Worldwide.Allies: None.Bureaus: All.Alignment profile: 01-81/07-94/07-94.Command: A special committee com-

posed of the Prime Ministers of the mem-ber nations.

Benefits: $200 per mission pay raise;special equipment is available on entry (nodevice given).

Complications: Lack of field support, allgear purchased from agency costs $100over book price.

Entry: Third level.Additional data: Agents of ENECOM

often pose as members of Interpol. Theirnetwork of stations is similar to that ofCAG (see above).

Political Action Section (D-4)Nature of Agency: Highly secret Soviet

special agency.Governing body: None, but see Com-

mand below. Personnel: Estimated to be in the mid-

thousands.Annual budget: Estimated to be around

$1 billion.HQ: Leningrad, Russian SSR, U.S.S.R.Established: Unknown.Activities: D-4 carries out special mis-

sions assigned to it by the General Secre-tary of the Communist Party. Its agents areinvolved in both domestic and foreigncounterintelligence. D-4 also exists towatch the other Soviet intelligence agen-cies (KGB and GRU) and report their progress. D-4 has access to any informationgained by these groups, so it doesn�t needto collect its own intelligence very often.

Policies: D-4 will ruthlessly carry out anymission assigned to it. D-4 has blanketauthority inside the Soviet Union, so it isespecially ruthless at home. These agentswill kill anyone who reveals their exist-ence. D-4 agents often work alone, but ateam of three is the accepted number ofagents to be used on any mission.

Objectives: D-4 exists to prevent a coun-terrevolution or the fall of the Soviet gov-ernment by any means. It acts swiftly andruthlessly to smash any threat to thehomeland. It will attempt to carry out anymission assigned to it.

Areas of involvement: Worldwide.Allies: None.Additional data: D-4�s station network is

similar to that used by CAG (see above).D-4�s agents often pose as members ofanother country�s intelligence agencies.They often kill themselves rather thansurrender.

Bureaus: All.Alignment profile: 20-94/07-00/20-00Command: General Secretary, CPSU.Benefits: 1 special device upon entry.Complications: Lack of field support.Entry: Third level.

CLAY-O-RAMAA miniatures melodrama for all ages

by David �Zeb� Cook

The Giant Blue Bowling Bail slowly roiled across thebattlefield toward the Neon Orange Thing with the big

the Bowling Ball into the air. It sailed up and hurled

floppy mouth and writhing mass of tentacles. Desper-down, splitting into pieces as it hit the ground.

ately, the Neon Orange Thing hurled pellets at the ballTurning from the destruction, the Red Jet grinned as

as it came relentlessly forward.it sighted the Orange Thing. “Feeling lucky today?” itasked —

Then there was a flash, and a Four-Legged Red Jetand charged.

plowed into the rear of the Bowling Ball, cracking theball’s surface. The Neon Orange Thing, sensing a kill,

Such are the adventures of the denizens of Claydo-nia as they meet on the battlefield of Clay-O-Rama.

closed in. Panicked, the Bowling Bali whipped around,flattening one of the wings of the Red Jet. The Orange

Now you, too, can recreate their epic struggles, inthe all-new, home-use Clay-O-Rama Miniatures Rules

Thing lashed out with its tentacles, grasping the ballfirmly. With a mighty heave, the Orange Thing hurled

— the same you see used every year at theGEM CON® Games Fair!

DRAGON 51

What is a Clay-O-Rama?A Clay-O-Rama is many things. It is a

chance for friends to meet and have agood time. It can be a serious philosophical

discussion on the meaning of modelingclay. It is a means of artistic expression. Itis a ritualistic gathering of Claydonians towatch the violent destruction of others oftheir species. But, most of all, it is a sillygame involving modeling-clay miniatures.

What do I need to have a Clay-O-Rama?

First, you need a group of people willingto be silly and have fun playing with model-ing clay. Next, you need these rules or some-thing like them. Then, you need pencils,paper, and numerous six-sided dice for eachplayer. Finally, you need one can of modelingclay for each player. Utterly unscientifictesting has shown that PLAY-DOH® ModelingCompound is well suited for use in a Clay-O-Rama. It is easily shaped, comes packaged inthe proper amounts, and has pleasing, bril-liant colors.

How do I create a Claydonian?After you have assembled the items

listed above, find a large smooth space onwhich to play. This could be several tablespushed together or a smooth tile floor. Donot play in a place where you do not wantto have bits of modeling clay about. Afteryou have found a place to play and haveassembled your friends, give each one acan of modeling clay. Try to let each playerhave the color he or she wants. Aftergiving out the clay, tell the players thefollowing:

�You have twenty minutes in which tomake a creature out of your modelingclay. You may create anything youwant, so long as it does not collapse atthe slightest touch. You do not have touse all of your clay; any clay you do notuse may be shaped into missiles of anysize and shape you want. You may nottrade clay with another player; useyour own clay. When you have finishedmaking your Claydonian, let me know.�

After telling your players this, let themgo to it. Do not tell them any more aboutwhat will happen except that it will be aminiatures game. Encourage creativity. Aseach player finishes his or her creation,you must assign the creation its powers.

How do I assign powers?There are six categories of powers that

must be assigned to each Claydonian:movement, number of attacks, “to hit”number, damage, hit points, and specialpowers. Each one requires that you makea judgment about the creation of the player. The following are guidelines for assigning the powers; you may alter them as yousee fit.

Movement: All movement is measuredin spans of the player�s outstretched hand(from tip of thumb to tip of little finger).The following table gives the basic move-ment rates.

Number of legs Movement0 1 span

1-2 2 spans3-4 3 spans

5 or more 4 spans

Note that a �leg� is any type ofmovement-producing appendage theClaydonian might have, even if it is awheel.

52 SEPTEMBER 1987

Number of attacks: Look at the crea-tion carefully. How many limbs can it usefor attacking? This is the number ofattacks it can make each turn. However,this number should never be more thanfour.

Chance to hit: A Claydonian�s basicchance to hit is 8 or greater on two six-sided dice. If the creature has big limbs ora big mouth, the chance to hit is reducedby one. If the creature has real big limbsor mouth, or it uses its entire body in anattack, reduce the chance to hit by two.You decide just how big is �big� or �realbig.�

Damage: The base damage done in anyattack is one six-sided die�s worth ofpoints. If the limbs are large, one to twomore dice may be added to this. If thelimbs are very large, three more dice maybe added. If the attack is an absolute killer,up to five dice may be added to the baseattack die. As usual, you can decide allfinal attack values. If you�re getting theidea that this is not a very exact game, youhave the right idea. You�re playing withclay monsters, right? Who needs to beexact?

Hit Points: Look at the creature andcompare it to the amount of clay keptaside to use for missiles. If the entire canof clay was used to form the creature, ithas 50 hit points. If half was used formissiles, the creature will have 25 hitpoints. Assign hit points based on thefraction of clay used to form missiles. If25% of the clay is used for missiles, knock25% off of 50 to find the creature�s hitpoints, This is another judgment call onyour part as the referee.

Special Powers: Each creation getsone special power. It may be from the listbelow, or it can be one you make up. Ifyou make it up, it is recommended thatyou create a power that will affect model-ing clay in some harmless way. The follow-ing powers may be assigned randomly byrolling a die or may be chosen by you tomatch the creature in some way.

1. The Drop: Made in place of one nor-mal attack. If a hit is successfully made,you then lift the target into the air anddrops it 3�. Afterwards, you can decide theamount of damage caused based on whathappened.

2. The Bowl: This power works like thedrop, except that you roll the target acrossthe battlefield.

3. The Poke: When a hit is made, youpoke the target hard with your finger,making a nice hole in it. Then you decidethe amount of damage.

4. Reshape One Limb: This power isused in place of a normal attack. If it hitssuccessfully, the attacking player may alterthe shape of any one limb of the target ashe pleases. As referee, you should beready to assign damage or altered powersbecause of this change.

5. The Blob of Death: This power mayonly be used by a creature with missiles.The player may designate one of the mis-siles to be his Blob of Death. It is fired likea normal missile (see �How does myClaydonian shoot?�). If it scores a hit, youshould take your fist and give the targetone solid smash to show the effects of themissile. After doing this, assign damagebased on the consequences. Only one Blobof Death per game is allowed.

6. Rip Limbs Off: When the creaturerolls an 11 or 12 on a normal attack, theplayer may tear one of his opponent�slimbs off. Ah, that is, the player may tearoff one of his Claydonian’s opponent�slimbs. Though this attack causes no dam-age to the target in terms of lost hit points,you should be ready to note any changesto the target�s powers.

7. Change Places: In addition to a normalattack on a successful hit, creatures withthis power may change places with anyopponent on the board, or may change theplaces of any two other creatures on theboard. The creature may not move in thesame turn it uses this power.

8. Move Out of Turn: Creatures with thispower may move at any initiative point inthe turn. They simply announce that theywish to move. They may not move in themiddle of another player�s move.

9. Use Opponent as Missile: If all of anattacker�s limb�s hit a target, he may pickhis target up and use it as a missile againsta third opponent. The missile is firednormally, and you as referee should assessdamage to both the missile and the target.

10. Divide Self: This power should onlybe given to creatures that can easily divideinto two sections. Each half has half thepowers of the normal creature at the timeof division.

11. Borrow Power: In addition to allnormal attacks, a successful hit by thiscreature allows it to use the special powerbelonging to the creature it hit, if the

OFFICIAL CLAY-O-RAMA RULES

attacker wants to do so. The decision mustbe made immediately or the borrowedpower will be lost until another successfulhit is made. The player with this powershould not be told what the powers ofother creatures are; he can only learn thisby observation.

3. Attack any creature to which yourClaydonian is adjacent, provided you haveattacks left to do so.

4. The other player (or players) maycounterattack against your creature, pro-vided they have any attacks left.

You may create any other powers youcan think of. However, be sure that noneof them are dangerous to the players orany spectators watching the game.

Each player follows this sequence, inorder of initiative, until the player is out ofthe game or the game is over.

How do I play the game?Once all the players have created their

Claydonians and have had powersassigned to them, have them gatheraround the playing area. Have the playersspace themselves at equal distances fromeach other. Each player should then rollthree six-sided dice to find his or herinitiative number. Ties should be rolledoff. Be sure each player notes his initiativenumber. After this is done, explain theWhat Do I Do, How Do I Move, How Do IShoot, How Do I Attack, and How Do IWin rules to the players. Once everyoneunderstands what is going on, begin thegame.

What do I do?The Clay-O-Rama is played in turns. A

player gets to move his creation onceduring each turn. At several points duringa turn, a player may have the opportunityto attack. Each player takes his move inthe order of the initiative rolls, going fromhighest to lowest. The sequence of aplayer�s move is as follows:

1. Move your creation up to its fullmovement.

How does my Claydonian move?To move your creation, use your hand to

measure the distance the Claydonianmoves, starting from the front of thecreature. If there is no discernible front,begin measuring in the direction the crea-ture last moved. There is no terrain in thegame (though you can add some if youlike). Thus, except when turning, a crea-ture will always be able to move up to itsfull movement.

Note that if some people feel that thehand-span measuring system is unfair orgrossly inaccurate, you may then enforcethe Uniformity Rule. The Uniformity Rulestates that all distances will be measuredby the referee�s hand. However, this willslow down the play of the game and placea great deal of work in the hands of thereferee (ahem).

If a part of a creation comes off duringmovement, the player is allowed to putthat piece back on his creation at no penal-ty. Falling apart is best done under combatconditions.

How does my Claydonian shoot?At the end of movement, each player is

allowed to shoot up to three of his mis-siles. A missile may only be used once.After it is fired, it is removed from play. If

2. Fire up to three missiles at targets of a player does not have any missiles, heyour choice. may not fire any.

DRAGON 53

OFFICIAL CLAY-O-RAMA RULES

To fire a missile, the player stands any-where within 3-4� of his own position atthe table. The player may not move to adifferent area of the battlefield; he mustfire his missiles from the point where hiscreation began the game. After the playerhas his position, have him name his target(a specific Claydonian creation on thetable). Players cannot attack a group ofmonsters; only one will do.

Have the player throw his missile,attempting to hit the target. Make it clearto the thrower that how hard the missileis thrown has NO effect on the amount ofdamage done. It is only the SIZE of themissile that matters. It is a wise idea tohave someone stand directly opposite thethrower to catch long shots and bounces.If the thrower manages to hit his declaredtarget, the missile has hit. If the throwerhits a different creature, the shot is a miss,no matter what happens. The attackedplayer is allowed to reattach any parts ofhis Claydonian that come off due to themissile�s hits, unless a special power dic-tates otherwise. If the missile missed, theshot is no good.

If a missile hits its target, you mustdetermine the amount of damage done by

the missile. The base damage for a missileis one six-sided die for something aboutthe size of a marble. Missiles smaller thanthis may do less damage. Missiles largerthan this should do proportionatelygreater damage (up to five dice).

How does my Claydonian attack?Each Claydonian is assigned a number of

attacks it can make in one turn, basedupon the number of manipulative limbs ithas. These attacks can be used as attacksor counterattacks. If a creation has usedall its attacks, it may not make any moreattacks (or counterattacks) for the rest ofthe turn.

If your creation is adjacent to an enemycreation, you may decide to attack. �Adja-cent� is defined as being within the reachof your creation�s arms. You may attack asmany times as you have attacks, providedyou have not used any of your attacks tomake counterattacks (see below).

To make an attack, you must announceyour target and the dice of damage doneby the attack (unless all of your attacks dothe same amount of damage). Then rolltwo dice. If the dice roll is equal to or

54 SEPTEMBER 1987

greater than your �to hit� number, youhave hit your target with that attack.

After all attacks have been resolvedagainst one target, count the number ofdice of damage from all those successfulattacks. Roll the dice and add them togeth-er to find the total amount of damagecaused. The player whose creature wasthe target of the attack should subtractthis amount from his creation�s hit points.If the creation�s hit points reach zero, thecreation is dead (see below on what hap-pens then).

How does my Claydonian counter-attack?

A Claydonian may counterattack if it isattacked by another creation during thecombat phase. To counterattack, theClaydonian must have a few attacks leftand must survive the attacks of its oppo-nent. It may only make attacks against thecreation that just attacked it. The counter-attacks are handled as if they were normalattacks. A Claydonian may use its specialpower in a counterattack.

What happens when my Claydoniandies?

Ah, this particular question has plaguedthe Claydonian philosophers for centuries.Several scurrilous theories have beenpresented, including the concepts of dry-ing out or being eaten by small childrenand dogs. However, in watching the deathsof several Claydonians on the field ofbattle, a common belief has arisen. MostClaydonians feel that when one of theirkind dies, a large hand reaches from theheavens and squeezes the Claydonianthrough its fingers. This act is almostalways accompanied by a horrible screamthat echoes through the heavens.

How do I win?This depends on why you are playing

this game in the first place. If you areplaying to have fun, you win if you getreally silly. If you are playing to be com-petitive and to beat out everyone else, youwin if your creation is the last survivingClaydonian on the battlefield. Since onlyone person can win the second way, it�s alot nicer to play for the first reason.

These are the rules for the Clay-O-Rama.Take them, have fun with them, beinspired to the heights of silliness, or feedthem to your dog. Enjoy!

PLAY-DOH is a registered trademark of KennerParker Toys Inc.

56 SEPTEMBER 1987

sric ducked under his shield as the Norman arrows shattered against it.Beside him, another Englishman inthe shield wall fell, hands clawing theshaft in his throat as the blood spurtedbetween his fingers.

Osric cursed the Normans as heshifted his position to cover the gap. �The Bastard musthave resupplied his archers,� he shouted to his foster-brother, Wulfstan. The shield wall was still holding � they were Harold�s

housecarls who stood facing the Normans, but they werefewer now, and the line was getting thin.

Now another wave of horsemen was charging up theridge toward them, and Osric tightened his grip on hiswar axe once more. The battle had been going on sincemidmorning, neither side yielding. The Normans wereprofessionals at their work, and the housecarls, the heartof the English line, equally so. The core of the Normanforce was its horsemen, while the English fought on foot.Yet the shield wall could stand against the horses, posi-tioned as it was on the high ground of Sandlac ridge. Itwas the cursed bowmen who were killing them.

Defeating them. It was true, Osric thought, his war axenewly bloodied, the Normans once more beaten back. Weare losing this. Eyes stinging with his own sweat beneath hishelmet, he glanced over the English line, by now griev-ously reduced from the eight thousand that had marchedto Hastings, no longer enough to take the offensive andcharge the Norman positions. There was nothing left butto hold the line. And die.

Osric faced the fact stolidly. So, then, he would die hereon this ridge, under the standards of the Dragon and theFighting Man, defending his king. It would be well to dothat. Only, let him cut down more Normans before he hadto fall. The Devil take those archers!

Suddenly, there came a cry that chilled the hearts of allthe English: �The king is hit!�

Osric could see Harold�s banners still standing, butlittle else. The light was starting to leave the battlefield.And now the Normans were coming again!

But the shield wall could no longer hold the ridge. TheEnglish line was shortened, its flanks exposed. More horse-men were into it, swords and lances cutting a path towardthe English center, toward the king. Osric tried to fight hisway through, but there were more Normans coming upfrom behind, horse and foot both. Osric and Wulfstanwere cut off. Back to back they stood against the assaultwith a half-dozen companions, wielding their terrible waraxes.

Defiantly, they shouted their war cry, Holycross! Now, atlast, the fighting was hand to hand. The Norman archerscould no longer shoot lest they hit men on their own side,and the twilight was deepening.

There were other small knots of resistance where therehad been a shield wall, where Harold�s standards hadbeen raised. And fallen. Osric felt the certainty like a blow� Harold Godwinesson was brought down. He could see

Englishmen fleeing toward the shelter of the forest behindtheir line � the fyrdmen, the shire levies summoned bythe king to the defense of his realm. The housecarls still

ThePassing ofKingsby Lois Tilton

Illustrations by George Barr

DRAGON 57

held their positions as they fell,Only a few Normans rode in pursuit. There were more

of them busy stripping the dead than still trying to kill theEnglish. At his back, Osric felt Wulfstan stagger, andturned to see his brother�s shield fall clattering to theground. He turned to view the battle. Resistance hadalready ceased at the center of the ridge. He let his ownshield drop, and his heavy war axe.

�Come,� he said, supporting his brother, �this fight islost .�

Wulfstan nodded, his jaw clenched tight on his pain,and they fled toward the forest, the deep, ancient Andre-desweald, which had seen so many battles. Wulfstan wasstaggering badly; a couple of times he slipped and almostbrought Osric down on top of him.

From behind them came the sound of hoofbeats. Osricwheeled, pulling free his sword, regretting his war axe, toface the oncoming rider. Oh, God save me, my arm is weary!

The ground was too wet for horses, and the beast com-ing toward them was foundering, spent, its rider moreeager than prudent to be charging into the forest at night-fall. The horse went to its knees in a ditch, jolting therider from the saddle, and Osric was on the Norman be-fore he could get to his feet.

Osric got the shaken horse back up and boosted Wulf-stan onto its back, then led them deeper into the trees,avoiding the London road where horsemen could runthem down in the open. The night was moonless, the treesdark over their heads. The forest was English � it wouldbe their refuge from the enemies of the realm. It did notseem strange to him that the forest could recognize itsenemies. It had brought down the Norman knight.

�What now?� Wulfstan asked, once they had stoppedand Osric was doing what he could with his brother�swounds.

�We�ve got to get to London. Resistance will gatherthere.�

�You�re certain the king was killed, then?��Aye, the Normans were gathering like crows.� All the

Godwinessons, the king and both his brothers, were dead.�No use, then, staying to die with them,� Wulfstan

sighed.�We will have another king!� Osric insisted. Only, who

was there left? �The Atheling, Edgar, it may be.�His brother shrugged painfully. King Edward�s nephew

was still only a boy. Yet someone must take the crown, orit would be William�s. So let it be Edgar, Osric thought.Then they would build up an army and drive the Normanback to his ships. Osric was too restless to tend his owninjuries. He could not wait until they were out of thesewoods, back in London.

It was less than sixty miles from Hastings on the oldRoman roads. They had marched it in two days, comingto the battle. But now they had to keep off those roads tostay clear of William�s horsemen. And Wulfstan couldhardly travel at the same pace, even on the Norman�shorse. Still, they ought to reach London in a matter ofdays. But Wulfstan�s wound festered. At the end, he was too

sick to be moved. Six days after the battle of Hastings,Osric, feverish from his own wounds, saw his foster-

58 SEPTEMBER 1987

brother buried in the churchyard of a small monastery.He gave the monks their first report of the battle, of the

king�s death.�God�s will be done,� said the superior, his head

bowed.�No!� Osric protested. �Why would God will the Nor-

man Bastard to rule England? By what right?��Perhaps as punishment for Harold�s sins,� said the

monk. �Or the sins of all England. And did not you tellus yourself that William bore the banner of the Pope?�

Osric was uncomfortably silent, remembering then theking�s words to William�s envoy before the battle. Lookingup toward heaven, Harold had declared, �Now it is forthe Lord to choose the proper claimant to the kingdom.�

But Osric was Harold�s man. And if he hadn�t died inthe shield wall with his king, then he could still oppose hisenemy. Realistically, he knew he had no choice. His landand position were forfeit if William came to the throne.

So he left the monastery the morning after buryingWulfstan, despite his worsening fever, certain that hecould reach London by the next day.

But Osric had gone deep into the Andredesweald, theancient forest, old before the Saxons had come to thisland. And he was a stranger there. By nightfall, he waslost, dizzy with fever. He stumbled to a stream, where thewater felt cool on his burning face. The horse wanderedoff during the night, and by daybreak he was barely sensi-ble enough to crawl to the water.

Things were not clear after that. At some point, a vil-lein found him and took him to a bed in his village. Osricwoke there, sweat-soaked, weak, and naked, with hiswounds bound up and a hollow in his belly.

The villagers, like the monks, were anxious for word ofthe fighting. �Our thegn, Godric, went with the fyrd, andhis sons with him. Can you tell us if he lives?� theybegged.

Osric could offer them no hope, and his heart sank tosee their confusion. �What will become of us, then? Ofour land?�

He could only say that, if William prevailed, theywould surely have a Norman lord over them. Then heasked if any man would be willing to be his guide out ofthe forest.

�On this night?� they asked, with dread in their voices.�Can you not wait?�

�No! I have been delayed too long already.�But they would not stir from their hearths. So Osric set

out for London alone. The fine weather of late Octoberwas passing, and sunset brought a chill wind that madehim shiver and wrap his cloak more tightly.

He huddled for shelter among the trees. Night seemedto reach out for him with dark fingers. The wind began torise, and ragged clouds raced across the angry face of themoon. The forest had a hundred voices, and Osric couldhear the howling of distant wolves mingled with the wind.

He crossed himself, heart racing. What had the villeinsmeant � this night?

Then, from out of the darkness, he heard the faintsounds of horsemen approaching � harness chinking,muffled hoofbeats. Spectral cries floated on the wind.Osric would have welcomed the sight of Norman riders

now. Shaking, he backed up against the trunk of a mas-sive oak. Its branches creaked in the wind � reaching forhim!

He threw himself to the ground. The hoofbeats werethunder in the air. He rolled to his back, and there, in thesky above him, they rode on horses of cloud. Their eyesglared red in the moonlight, and their high-crested hel-mets and breastplates were gold. Each warrior held aspear, and swords were sheathed at their sides.

Osric ran in terror, blindly, from the eldritch host.Their war cries followed him, and he could feel the coldbreath of their ghostly mounts on his neck. He fell morethan once, heedless of his way, tangling himself in briars,even running headlong into the trunk of a tree.

At last shelter beckoned, the dark mouth of a cave inthe side of a hill. Osric flung himself inside, stumbled, fellonce more onto torn and bleeding knees, then knelt therein the darkness, gasping for breath.

Shadows flickered. He started and got to his feet withhis sword drawn as the glimmer of a light approachedfrom the back of the cave.

Glowing in the lamplight, she came into view. Osricgaped. Her gown was fur-trimmed green, belted withjewels, and silver hair floated down her back.

�Come,� she said, �you are a guest in this hall. Thereis no need for weapons.�

He stared at the sword he had forgotten he was holding,fumbled it back into its sheath. �Lady,� he stammeredwitlessly. Her gaze was compelling.

�You may call me Arianrhod,� she told him. The echoof her voice in the cavern rang like bells carved of ice. Hergaze at him was assessing, and Osric felt his face go hot.�I think you could use a good meal and some cleanclothes. Perhaps, first, a bath? Come, take off your sword.And isn�t that armor uncomfortable?�

There was something about the way the lamplight flick-ered that seemed to affect his mind. He shed his mailclumsily, then followed with no thought of resistance asshe receded into the cavern. Around one turn of a corner,torchlights flared in wall brackets and the floor was car-peted. Another turn, and the floor and walls were brightwith mosaic flowers.

Others of her kind waited there, who undressed him,led him to a steaming bath, washed him, and rubbed anointment into his scars that made the aches dissolve.

Then he was brought new clothing, and even Osric�snumbed brain had to wonder at its fineness. He had al-ways been pleased with his looks, and now, dressed like aprince, his fair hair curling as it dried, he felt confident toreturn Arianrhod�s openly inviting glances.

She led him to another room, this one paneled in carvedwood and bright with candles, where a feast was laid outon a gleaming table. His hostess leaned low as she pouredhim dark wine into a golden cup. �Drink,� she urgedhim, �eat. You are our guest.�

Later, there was another room yet, where a crimson-draped bed was waiting, soft with goosedown. Arianrhod�sgown dropped to the floor, and she lay back, holding herarms to him.

He could not tell how long he slept, only that she was

gone when he woke. It would have been easier to believeit had all been a dream. He thought he might have prefer-red that, but the room was too real, and the bed, and thenew garments folded on the chest. The scent of her lin-gered on his skin and made him tremble.

He dressed, noticing that his wounds were all healedand scarless now. He almost wished for them back. Thecandles, he saw, burned without melting. There wasmuch, he thought, that he should have seen before. Pre-serve me, Lord.

The sounds of music and voices came from the corridor.Osric followed them and came to a great hall, where can-dles blazed and people were feasting, all dressed in gar-ments as rich as the ones he was wearing.

He stood, stunned, in the entrance. The abundance oftapestries and carpets, silks and furs and jewels put theroyal hall of England in a shadow. Then heads were turn-ing in his direction as a green-gowned figure approachedto take his hand. She looked like a queen, with a torc ofgold around her throat.

�Is this Alfheim, then?� he whispered, torn betweendread and awe.

Her laugh chimed. For the first time he was able to lookdirectly into the silver mirrors of her eyes. �Your peoplehave called it so. The British named this place Annwyn,the realm of the Fair Folk. But it is all the same.�

She laughed again as Osric turned pale and crossedhimself. Could he have died and gone to Hell?

�Now, come join the feast.��No, I cannot stay here,� he croaked desperately, trying

not to look on the metallic surface of her eyes. �I . . .appreciate your hospitality, but I have to leave.�

�I�m sorry, but that�s impossible.��No, you don�t understand. King Harold is dead. I was

one of his housecarls. William of Normandy will take thethrone if we can�t organize another army to oppose him!�

�I am afraid it is you who doesn�t understand. King-doms and kings mean nothing to us. And you have takenour food and our wine, slept under our roof. You arebound to us, now, with the threefold bond.

�The door that you entered by is opened only once ayear, at Samhain. Did you not know the night? You Chris-tians call it the feast of All Saints, the Feast of the Dead,when the gates between the worlds lie open.�

� I . . . no, I was sick. I lost track of the days. It was thefeast of Pope Calixtus when we fought.�

Osric backed into the corridor, but he couldn�t find theway he had come. Arianrhod�s hand on his arm restrainedhim, and he found himself being drawn back. �I have togo,� he protested.

�There have been many battles,� came a voice frombehind them. �There will be many more, whether you arepart of them or not.�

�Artorius,� Arianrhod said, turning with a smile, �thisis our latest guest. But, of course, you have already met.Artorius is one of the riders of our Host,� she explained toOsric, who swallowed uncomfortably, remembering hislast sight of those riders, the night before.

�What you must understand,� the man named Artoriuswent on, �is that men have invaded these shores for alltime. It was six hundred years ago that Aelle the Saxon

DRAGON 59

defeated us � we fought in these same woods. Can you besurprised that your turn would come?�

�You . . . are British?� Osric stammered. The man hadspoken as if he had been in that fight himself, as if sixhundred years were days.

�I was warleader of the British kings. My name in thatlanguage is Arthur.�

�Yes, and the Romans came before the Saxons,�Arianrhod added, �and the British before them, and oth-ers still before the British.�

Artorius � Arthur � gave her a small bow of acknowl-edgement. �It is so. Each invader replaces the last.�

�Only we,� said Arianrhod, �endure.��What. . . who, then, are you?��We were mortals once, one of the earliest nations of

Albion. But when our enemies would have overwhelmedus, we decided not to fight back � not their way. Therewere sacrifices we had to make, but the realm of Annwynwill never lie open to conquest.�

�Witchcraft!� Osric gasped, crossing himself.A laugh acknowledged it. �And immortality.�Oh, we have our vulnerabilities.� Her laugh this time

had bitter tones. �In our own time, weapons were bronze.There was little risk from the touch of iron. Now, ofcourse, that hazard is greater. And we cannot easily en-dure the light of day. But secrecy is our best defense. Forthat reason, now that you have learned these things, wecannot let you go.�

�But you need not fear to remain with us,� added an-other voice. �You have my sister�s favor.�

�My brother Gwyn,� said Arianrhod, �our king.��Sire,� Osric mumbled, not sure whether he should

kneel to this eldritch ruler. A glance into Gwyn�s silvereyes had left him dizzy. And had he been in the bed of aqueen?

�You have a choice,� the king was telling him. �Youmay stay with us, as one of our servants. In these halls, noone ages. Or, since you are a warrior and favored, there isanother alternative. You could become one of us and ridewith our Host.�

�One of you?��Several of you mortals have chosen to join us. Arto-

rius is one. It is only this way that we can retain our num-bers. There will be no more children of our own race.�

�I . . . I don�t . . .��There is no need to decide now. However, there are

some facts you must consider. In order to preserve ourpowers, it is necessary to renew the sacrifices from time totime. For that purpose, we hold a lottery among our ser-vants when there is no other candidate for the Teind. Butwhen a mortal chooses to join us, then he serves as thesacrifice.�

�Sacrifice,� Osric mumbled uncomprehendingly.�I must also add, since it seems to matter to Christians,

that once the ritual is done, there is no life of the soul afterdeath. But, of course, that is mainly a concern for mor-tals.�

Osric was horrified. �Even this world shall pass away,but the kingdom of heaven endureth forever,� he whis-pered.

�You all say something like that. Well, the choice is

60 SEPTEMBER 1987

yours. And you will be our guest until it is time.�The king of Annwyn went up to his seat, and his sister

drew Osric to a table and pressed a cup of wine into hishand. It burned like poison as it spread through his veins.

Time in the realm below passed at a dream-like pace.Osric was tormented with frustration, knowing that En-gland�s events were passing him by. Though the Fair Folkhad only scant interest in such matters, news did comethat the English had mustered no serious opposition to theNorman duke�s claim on their kingdom.

It was from the Host that Osric learned most of whatwas happening in the land. They were drawn to ride outby the sounds of warfare, by the calling of the crows onthe battlefield. These days, as William laid his hand onthe kingdom he claimed, they rode often. Osric�s spiritached each time he was left behind.

Not even his hours of pleasure in Arianrhod�s bed couldease his restlessness. She chided him, �Have you somemortal lover in the world above? Think � soon she willbe wrinkled, then dust. We have left all that behind. Andso could you.�

�No lover,� he replied, thinking that her words wouldhave brought him no comfort if there were.

�But what, then? Is is still the Normans? William hasthe English crown, and your Harold Godwinesson is coldin his grave. You cannot turn back time.�

The Briton, Artorius, said the same. Osric wouldmarvel that he was speaking to a legend.

�The stories say that King Arthur sleeps in the HollowHills. But, another thing they say � that you will return,to fight against the enemies of Britain.�

Artorius sighed. �Those tales.��They are only tales, then?��Oh, I went back. I fought again. But you can see how

much good it did. Maybe it stopped them for a few years,but your ancestors took the land in the end. It was liketrying to hold back the tides of the sea.�

�But, then, it is true! You can return!��Yes, there are ways for those in the world above to

summon us. Christians, now, have mostly forgotten them.But not all in my day were Christians. At that time, as Isaid, it seemed worth the cost. Now, well, I have seen thetides come and go too many times. As you will, if you joinus.�

Osric slammed his fist into the carved arm of his seat.�I never asked to live forever! I would have died to savethe crown for England. Perhaps I should have died withthe king, and this is my damnation!�

Artorius shook his head and turned back to his lady,Morgan, while Osric stared gloomily into the fire. Hislife, yes, he would give if he could strike back at the Nor-mans once more. He had left the battle only when it wasclear there was nothing more to be done. He would givehis life, still, if that could be changed.

But his soul? And that would be the cost, would it notbe? Would he pay it for the chance to be summoned backto the world above, to fight the Normans once again?

Such were his thoughts when King Gwyn finally sum-moned him. �The Teind is owing. It is time for the sacri-fice, if you would join us. Otherwise, your name will enter

the lottery.�At no risk to his soul. Only, if he were the chosen, then

his chance to return to the world would be forever lost. Abitter death that would be.

Too bitter. He had decided without realizing it. �I willjoin you,� he said.

The king�s brows rose in surprise. He raised his hand insalute.

Arianrhod, standing behind him, smiled with satisfac-tion for a brief moment. She was dressed in a gown of redthat left her arms and breasts bare. Serpents of gold werecoiled around her throat and wrists. She was utterly pa-gan, like a priestess of ancient times. Or a goddess. Powershone from her eyes.

Osric was suddenly afraid. He had witnessed the sacra-ments of the Church, yet he had never felt the presence ofpower as he felt it now. He thought to retract his choice,but his throat seemed paralyzed.

The king and queen each took one of his arms and ledhim from the hall, the rest of the Fair Folk behind them,through corridors that he had never seen. Finally, theybrought him to a chamber with walls the rough, grey rockof a natural cavern, chill and beaded with moisture. In thecenter stood a low altar of stone.

Osric desperately wanted to cross himself, but did notdare. His garments were taken from him, and he was laidnaked on the cold slab. There were channels cut into it.He could guess their purpose.

All of them standing around him had been through this,he tried to convince himself. Artorius had lain here. Un-less it had all been a lie, to bring him willing to thesacrifice.

Arianrhod made an invocation in a language long deadin the world above, a knife of stone upraised in her hands.Her voice rang from the stone walls. She bent down to thealtar. She spoke something as the stone blade sliced acrosshis wrist. He hadn�t thought that stone could be so sharp.

The knife was dark with his blood as she came to theother side of the altar and brought it down to his otherwrist. Five times the knife cut � his wrists, his thighs.The pain was not so much. He had known worse, in bat-tle. This was only his life he was feeling, ebbing away witheach heartbeat. He was so cold. . . .

Last of all, Arianrhod drew the blade across his throat.His blood had drenched her hands and arms, her breasts.His vision of her grew dim.

Then he could see clearly again, and the pain was gone.He was looking down at the pale, blood-spattered figure ofa man on a stone slab. A woman bent over him, and shewas taking a drop of the blood, doing something with it.Then she was going from one to another of the peoplestanding around her, pressing her bloodstained hand totheir lips.

But he was no longer concerned with such things. Hewas moving, more and more swiftly, toward a light, andthe light was the source of such warmth, such rapture,that he longed to flow into it, to be absorbed into its glow.

There was an instant when he was part of the light. Andthen he was wrenched away, into the stark chill solitude oflife. His soul howled, for the light was closed to him for-ever. Such was his damnation, the price of immortality.

Hands were on him, words were being spoken. Hisheart was pumping new blood through his veins.

Puzzled, he opened his eyes, made himself raise hishead. He had been lying in a great cauldron full of liquid.Slowly, he sat up, lifted his hand to his throat, held it outto stare at his wrist. The five wounds were healed. He hadbeen dead and brought back to life. A miracle, then.

They gave him weapons and armor of bronze. He had amount of night and storm to ride, with lightning in itseyes. Out into the world above he rode with the Host ofAnnwyn, drawn by the clash of war.

Their speed was the wind. The forests and downs weretheir hunting grounds, the wild, unsettled land. The citiesof mortal men drained their power. They could not passclose enough to Romney and Dover for Osric to witnessthe destruction William had made of those towns, but hispath was clear enough along the coast � the burned-outvillages, the empty fields, the homeless refugees shudder-ing below in terror as the Host passed by in the night.

They rode wide. When the North rose in rebellion,Osric was witness to the waste that William made in retri-bution. He rode above the fields of dead along the Welshborder. Unable to join them, he saw Hereward�s menstriking back at the occupation from their stronghold inthe fens.

Seasons turned, and he rode at Samhain as the gates ofAnnwyn lay open to the world above.

Seasons turned, and the resistance slowly died, therebels either killed or reconciled to the conqueror.

Seasons turned, and Osric slowly learned the mysteriesof Annwyn, witnessed its rites. When the time for theTeind came again, he stood with the others at the stonealtar, had Arianrhod�s bloody hand pressed to his lips asthe soul of the sacrifice ascended to the light.

By the time William�s son took his throne, Osric knewthe secret he had sought, and now he rode at night with ahorn at his side. William Rufus was even greater in cru-elty than his sire the conqueror, though in nothing else.Wherever the Host would ride, Osric could see the corpseshanging in chains, could hear the cries of his mutilatedvictims.

And wherever the oppression of the Norman was felt,whenever Osric could ride freely in the world above, hewould approach men to offer his secret.

�I can show you how to summon aid,� he would tellthem. But mortal men dreaded the dark powers of therealm below even more than they feared the Normanking. Such witchcraft as Osric described was perilous totheir souls. His quest was unrewarded until the night hecame to the hut of a charcoal burner named Purkis, deepin the New Forest.

The New Forest was an ancient royal hunting preserve,at least as old as the Andredesweald. The conqueror hadreserved it for his own sport, expelling the populations ofdozens of villages.

The charcoal burner fingered Osric�s horn and stareddirectly at the unreflecting surface of his eyes. �I thinkthis is witchcraft,� he said, �but why should I care? TheNorman king burned my village and drove us out. Hissoldiers raped my wife, and she died of it. And last year,his foresters blinded my brother and took off his hand for

DRAGON 61

poaching the deer. Tell me what to do.�

Osric�s time in the world above was limited. The pull ofAnnwyn drew him back. He waited in the realm below,restless, anxious. The charcoal burner would have onlyone chance to try the spell. If fear got the better of him, ifhe made a mistake, the opportunity would be lost.Arianrhod observed him pacing the hall and enticed himto her bed. He went, as much to distract himself from thewaiting as anything else. She stroked his hair with herwhite hand. �You are one of us, now. Can�t you forget thetroubles of the world above? Close your eyes, and theywill all be past in a moment.�

Osric closed his eyes, but his mind remained elsewhere.Finally, there came the sound of a horn, audible to his

ears alone. He left his table in the king�s hall, unheededby the others.

The horn sounded again, and yet a third time. At thattone, the gates of Annwyn flew open. Osric mounted hissteed and rode on the back of a storm toward the NewForest.

The charcoal burner waited, glancing nervously overhis shoulder at the nighttime shadows. He crossed himselfas the sudden storm cloud approached. The horn lay athis feet.

Osric took it up and hung it on his belt. �Then I did itright?� Purkis asked.

�Aye. I am free to remain in the world until the task isdischarged. What exactly, did you request?�

�The king is hunting in the forest,� said Purkis. �Helies at Brockenhurst tonight, but he rides out during theday. If the weather stays fine, he should come tomorrow.� �And my task?�

�To kill him. What else? To kill the Norman king.�Osric had forgotten how beautiful the woods could be in

the daylight. It was August. The summer was at its peak,and Samhain months away.

It was late afternoon before he spotted the riders. Hisattention was drawn immediately to a fair-haired youngman. He watched him dismount, leaving his bow on thesaddle. This felt almost, but not quite, like his target.William Rufus was fair, too, but his hair was long. Thisone had the short-cropped hair of the conqueror. Yet hehad the feel of a king, and the others deferred to him,naming him Henry. It was old William�s youngest whelp,then.

Cloaking himself in invisibility as he had learned, Osricspirited the prince�s bow and quiver from his saddle. Hewas beginning to feel another presence drawing near:William Rufus, the Norman king, come hunting his deer.

The hunters were concealed in the trees as a pair ofstags entered the clearing. The king was blond, with theflorid complexion that had given him his name. He drewback his bow and hit the first animal, but it boundedaway.

Now a second hunter was taking aim. Osric put one ofthe stolen arrows to his own bow, careful not to touch thelethal iron of its tip. This time, the bowman would be

English, the prey Norman. Oh, yes, this is fitting!William Rufus was already falling to the ground as his

companion missed the second deer.

�God save us all, Wat, you�ve shot the king!��No! No, I couldn�t have!�They were gathered around the body, almost incoherent

with shock and terror. The man named Wat was shakingwith it. To have killed the king, no matter what his inten-tion, would surely be his death.

�Have you searched the area?� It was the king�sbrother, Henry, who had come onto the scene. Now hetook command, kneeling there by the body of the deadking. Osric watched unseen as men began to hunt for anassassin.

�Wait.� Henry stopped the man who shot the secondarrow. �Wat, you were my brother�s friend. I don�t be-lieve you would murder him. The throne is mine, now.All I have to do is take it. Unless, Wat, unless men havereason to believe this was my doing. But if you are sus-pect, then I will not be.�

�No, my lord . . .��Wat, this purse is full of gold. I want you to take it

and ride as fast as you can to the nearest port. I am notasking you to confess. And there will be no pursuit. Youcan go free, if you go now.�

The unfortunate Wat took the gold and ran to his horseHenry spurred his own in the direction of Winchester,where the royal treasury lay. Osric was left alone with thebody of the conqueror�s heir as night crept into the forest.

A mist came and took the shape of Arianrhod. Shespared an instant to glance at what lay on the ground.�So, you have done what you always wished. Now it istime to return to us.�

�No. Not as long as there is still a Norman king.�She struck him. Power flashed in her eyes. �You are

bound,� she said. �I command you, return.�He knew her power, but he was summoned to the world

62 SEPTEMBER 1987

above to kill the Norman king, and a Norman king stilllived in Henry. He had the power to resist her.

She felt it, and her voice softened with regret. �One lasttime, I ask you, come back with me. Our survival is tooprecarious. We cannot let you go.�

�And I cannot stay with you, in your feasting hall, inyou bed � not while these Normans are alive in En-gland.�

�Not even to live forever?��Not even for that.��So. I gave you immortality. Now I take it back.� From

around her neck she took a drop of crystal, with a singledrop of blood at its heart, and crushed it between herfingers.

Osric�s heartbeat went still. He sighed as he fell into thedarkness.

There were two bodies in the clearing when the char-coal burner came in his cart at dusk. �I did not know thecost,� he whispered to one of them.

The body of the king he took to Winchester, but Osric

he buried in the churchyard of the deserted village thathad been his home.

To that grave the queen of Annwyn came, still with adrop of tender regret for the stubborn Saxon lover she hadto sacrifice. A single tear fell onto the fresh earth of themound.

And from it a rosebush grew, a rose with petals thecolor of fresh-spilled blood, which bloomed even in thedarkest months of winter.

Word of the miracle spread, and soon pilgrims weremaking their way to the grave of the saint in the forest. Asmall shrine was built, and there was talk of establishing amonastery.

But the ecclesiastical authorities of the kingdom were opposed to the veneration of Saxon saints. Gradually, the

pilgrims grew fewer. By the end of King Henry�s reign,the forest had reclaimed the churchyard, and soon therewas no one living who could remember where the gravemight lie.

DRAGON 63

Bazaarof theBizarre

The Magical Maps of Greyhawk

by Lee Ian Wurn

Among the many lost and nearly forgot-ten treasures of Oerth are certain uniquedevices created in ages past by two sorcer-ers, Madd and Ztxar (pronounced �zar�).Though famed for their great skill atdweomercrafting, their only survivingworks are a legendary set of magicalmaps, which have since been copied byothers, The two men were known to havelived in the portion of the world presentlycalled the Sea of Dust, prior to the Rain ofColorless Fire. During the holocaust, Maddfled with eight of the magical maps,though Ztxar perished with the rest oftheir works in the disaster.

After Madd escaped from the Rain ofColorless Fire, he settled down in anunknown city and led a peaceful life,teaching magical arts and experimentingwith various forms of magic. A monthbefore his death, Madd completed thecreation of a new magical map and addedit to the other eight in his collection, Sens-ing that his end was near, he handed his

maps to his favorite apprentice, an intelli-gent fellow named Dane. This lad thenretreated to a reclusive life, during whichhe mastered the techniques of duplicatingmagical items. Applying these techniquesto the maps, Dane was successful in dupli-cating them all.

Following news of his success, magic-users from all over the Flanaess came tosee Dane, begging him to sell them theduplicates of the maps. Dane refused to doso and asked all the magic-users to leave.Soon after, he disappeared altogether withthe maps and all their duplicates. Whatbecame of Dane and the original mapsthereafter remains a mystery � but dupli-cates of his maps have appeared on occa-sion, and the duplicates have themselvesbeen duplicated time and again. Becausesome of them have surfaced in the FreeCity of Greyhawk, these maps are gener-ally called the Magical Maps of Greyhawk.

Description and propertiesAll of the maps appear to be similar at

first glance, but careful examination

reveals that the inscriptions, designs, andhandwriting are distinguishing character-istics for each. Each of the original maps ismade from ancient parchment which isstill in superb condition. The left end ofeach parchment is attached to an old,ornately carved, round wooden stick. Eachend of the stick is embedded with one gemof roughly 1,000 gp in value. Replicas aresimilarly decorated; it has become a tradi-tion in the creation of these maps.

The symbol of Madd is imprinted on theoriginal maps, though some of these origi-nals have probably been destroyed. Mostof the first-generation replicas bear Dane�ssymbol, and other replicas made by Dane�sdisciples either bear their own symbols orhave no symbol at all.

These maps have several common prop-erties other than their individual functions(including those duplicates made by Dane).The first property is that the maps cannotbe cut, burnt by normal fires, ordestroyed in any way except through theuse of a rod of cancellation, Morden-kainen’s disjunction, magical fires of anysort, powerful magical items like artifacts,wishes, or through other means as notedbelow. A saving throw as per parchmentat + 6 vs. magical fire is applicable if sub-jected to magical flame. If this savingthrow is failed, the whole map is burnt toashes which have no special propertieswhatsoever.

The second property of the maps is thatno runes, words, or inscriptions (magicalor not) can be written on a map. If a wishspell or any other powerful magic, such asfrom an artifact, is used to write upon amap, a magical fire springs into existence,destroying the map. No saving throws areallowed. Other spells cannot harm themap.

Most of these maps have a limited num-ber of magical charges placed into themduring their creation. In order to use sucha map, the bearer (who may be of anyclass or race) holds the map in his hands,looks at his surroundings, then utters acommand word that expends a charge ofthe device. Each time a charge is used, anew diagram is created upon the map�ssurface, erasing any previous map dia-gram. None of the charges can bereplaced; even a wish cannot recharge oneof these maps. When all the charges of amap are used up, the map disintegratesinto a powder. Every two days, the maperases itself. This erasure can also bevoluntarily performed by the user beforethe two-day limit, using the commandword.

Finally, the last property of the maps isthat, whenever one of the maps is acti-vated, the user (but no onlookers) mustmake a saving throw vs. death magic or bestunned for 1-10 rounds. During this peri-od, the user simply stares at the map,unable to perform any other actions. Onlyremove curse, dispel magic, negation,limited wish, or wish can bring the user�sstate of mind back to normal during that

64 SEPTEMBER 1987

time. A charge is used, however, and themap functions normally. (Optionally, theDungeon Master may have a charge spentbut no map diagram appear in order tocontrol the use of these maps.)

Brief descriptions of each magical mapfollow. Assume a 5% chance exists that amagical map found in the WORLD OFGREYHAWK� fantasy setting is actuallyone of these maps.

Map of mappingIn a dungeon, this map records what-

ever the user is able to see, given normalillumination and no upper sighting limit.Upon command, the map changes its scaleto a suitable size and is therefore able tomap features over a great area. Everythingis mapped the way the user sees it. Forexample, the illusion of a door is mappedas a door. If the illusion is discovered assuch or dispelled, the map of mapping willnot record it again for that user. Traps,hidden or invisible items, and living beingsdo not appear on the map. A concealed orsecret door appears on the map only iflocated. To simulate this item�s effect, theDM should sketch out an accurate (thoughlimited) map for the players as they prog-ress through an underground or interiorenvironment, creating a new map witheach charge expended (see below). Somemaps of this sort may have more limitedindoor mapping ranges (generally out to120� or so). Given the limited sightingranges of most underground environ-ments, this map is usually of limited use indungeons and caves.

In the wilderness, the map of mappingrecords the area in a 10-mile radius, takingthe spot the user is standing upon as thecenter. Again, illusions and concealedelements, such as hallucinatory terrain,are mapped as they appear. These �errors�disappear once the illusion is dispelled ordiscovered. The map only shows terrainfeatures like forests, deserts, roads, tracks,cities, towns, villages, etc.; no livingbeings, vehicles, snares, or traps aremapped out. Then, too, only features thatare immediately visible to the user aremapped (thus, the map is of limited use ina valley). This item has 30d4 charges.

Map of misleadingThis map appears to be exactly the same

as a map of mapping until it is used, butthe map records many terrain featuresfalsely. There is a 1% chance per level ofany magic-user using an identify spell forthe true nature of the map to be detected.Unless the user makes a saving throw vs.spells upon using a charge, he believes themap is entirely accurate, despite whateversort of terrain he actually sees (the userbelieves the actual terrain to be an illusionor hallucination). Anyone besides the userwho looks at the map is required to makea saving throw as above at +2 or fallunder the map�s spell. The map�s user, ofcourse, believes nothing contrary to hisown delusions. Though the user does not

resist having the map taken from him, theloss or destruction of the map will notcure his delusions of seeing doors whichdon�t exist, walls in open spaces, etc. Aftera week, the user will not be able to func-tion. Onlookers are similarly affected.

A remove curse followed by a dispelmagic are required to ward off these illeffects. The remove curse should be caston the person currently using the map. Itaffects everyone else under the map�s spellif this is done; otherwise, only one onlook-er is so freed from the map�s power. Thedispel magic spell then entirely removesthe map�s ill effects from any one victim(or from all at once if cast upon the map�suser). If only the remove curse spell is caston the victim, he returns to his formerdelusions unless dispel magic is cast uponhim within a day. Dispel magic alone isuseless. It is believed that the impropercreation of a map of mapping results inthe production of a map of misleading.These maps have no charges as such.

Map of magicThis map functions as a map of mapping

in every way except that it can also detectmagical dweomers and auras (which arehighlighted on the map in pulsating red).The exact sort of dweomer is not shownon the map or made known to the map�suser. The map of magic contains 20d4charges; each use for mapping (whichincludes the detection and location ofmagic) drains one charge. Magical itemscarried on living beings can be detectedand located; invisible objects can be detect-ed as well. Area-effect spells like massinvisibility, certain illusions, or stinkingcloud which are still in effect can be seenon the map as zones of red. Only areaswhich can be seen within 120� indoors (or120 yards outdoors) can be examined forsuch dweomers and auras, though themap will faithfully record areas muchlarger in size, out to the limits of a map ofmapping.

Magic which is a permanent characteris-tic of a living creature (such as the magicalresistance of a dragon or a wizards abilityto cast spells) cannot be detected. Magicalitems or areas hidden from view cannotbe mapped.

Map of illusionsThis map also functions as a map of

mapping, although it can also detect anyform of illusion/phantasm spell withinrange. A map like this contains 20d4charges; the expenditure per usage (whichincludes the mapping and detection func-tions simultaneously) is one charge. Magi-cal (but not psionic) invisibility can bedetected by this type of map, but only onefunction of this map may be used at anyone time, either detecting for illusions orinvisibility. It is possible to dispel invisibili-ty on a certain object or being by using anadditional charge from this map. A savingthrow vs. spells is allowed if the target is aliving being and is unwilling to have its

invisibility dispelled. This latter use doesnot erase the existing diagram on the map,but it cannot be used unless the map itselfhas detected the invisible target. Therange of this device is 120� indoors orunderground, and 120 yards outdoors, forpurposes of detecting illusions; the mapwill still diagram areas out to the limits ofa map of mapping.

Map of secret doorsThe functions of a map of mapping can

also be found in a map of secret doors. Asits name implies, this map has the abilityto locate secret doors, which are shown asbright yellow dots on the map. The mapcontains a total of 20d4 charges. Each useto map an area and locate secret doorsuses one charge. Traps of any sort cannotbe detected, but concealed doors arerevealed. The ranges of the detectionfunctions of this map are 60� indoors and60 yards outdoors; other mapping limitsare as per a map of mapping.

Map of navigationThis map can be used to record nearby

areas on land or at sea. On land, the mapshows a 20-mile radius around the user,recording only normal terrain features(forests, cities, villages, roads, trails, etc.)as per a map of mapping. However, thismap was actually designed by Madd andZtxar to work only on bodies of water.Somehow, the two made a mistake in theenchantment of this map, which led to themap�s ability to work on land as well. Themap is more potent when used from awaterborne ship. Usually, 30d4 chargesare contained within.

The map of navigation has a 30-mileradius of effect when used from a ship. Inthis event, however, it will map no landfeatures beyond a 20-mile radius. Thus, anisland 22 miles away would be missed, aswould features on a shoreline 27 milesaway. A lake only two miles beyond theshoreline mentioned above would notappear, either.

Other information, like sea currents,ocean depths, ice floes, and so forth, maybe gained from casting legend lore whileusing the map of navigation. The DM mayadd other useful or interesting navigation-al information as desired in this event.Additionally, ships within a 30-mile rangeare displayed on the map when legendlore is cast, and sea creatures over 20� inlength and avian creatures over 25� longare shown as well. Each major featureappears in pictorial form with its owndistinctive shape and coloration. The userautomatically understands how to read themap and knows what each symbol means,though onlookers cannot see them.

Map of trapsLike the other maps, this map is similar

to the map of mapping. The map of traps,however, has the ability to detect trapswhich are within the range of sight, 60�indoors or 60 yards outdoors. This map

DRAGON 65

contains a total of 20d4 charges. One useto detect traps drains a charge.

Traps which have already been detectedby the use of the map can be disarmed bydraining one or two charges from themap. The person using the map mustmake a saving throw vs. death magic todisarm or deactivate a trap. The savingthrow is at -2 if the trap is of a magicalnature.

Nonmagical traps are permanently deac-tivated or disarmed using this map (cross-bow traps jam, poison is neutralized, pitsare covered over by a wooden lid, etc.).Magical traps like explosive runes can bedetected, but two charges are required todeactivate them permanently. If only onecharge, perhaps the last one, is available,then the magical trap is only deactivatedfor 2d4 turns. Only one trap of the user�schoice may be deactivated per charge.

Map of distortionThis map exhibits all the properties of a

map of mapping when examined. There isa 1% chance per level of a magic-useridentifying the map to discover the map�strue nature. The map�s ill effects are notnoticed by the user or any other personunder its spell. Anyone looking at the mapor so much as catching a glimpse of thediagram it displays must make a savingthrow vs. spells or fall under the map�spower. No saving throw is allowed to theuser. This map has no charges as such. Aswith the map of misleading, it is thoughtthat errors in the creation of a map ofmapping result in a map of distortion.

The distances shown on the map differfrom the actual distances to landmarks by10-80%. (1d8 x 10) in any direction. Allthose under the spell of the map see theactual distance as being the distanceshown on the map, even if they previouslyknew the true distances to the mappedlandmarks. The user and all others whoare affected perceive no inconsistenciesbetween what the map shows and whatthe world shows them; if the user walkseight miles to get to a hill that the mapshows as being four miles away, the userbelieves he has walked four miles. Theeffects from a single use of this map last

for two days, at which time the maperases itself (unless it has already beenerased). Erasing the map before two daysare up has no effect on the duration of theuser�s or onlooker�s confusion. However, ifthe user activates this map more thanonce, he must make a saving throw vs.death magic (as is normally done uponeach use of one of these maps) or else befeebleminded as per the sixth-level druidspell. No onlookers are affected in anyway by this second activation.

If the person using this map has acti-vated it only once, that person (and allothers affected by the map) suffer othervisual distortions as well during the twodays that the map�s effects occur, even ifthe mapped area is left behind. If attack-ing, those affected by this map roll to hitat -4 and can be hit at +4. The playersshould not know of this adjustment.

To get rid of the ill effects, each personmust be cured individually. A remove

Madd’s symbol

curse followed by a dispel magic spell,both being cast on only one person at atime, must be employed. Anyone under afeeblemind can be cured by a heal or wishspell. Throwing these spells on the mapitself has no effect whatsoever. Only afterall these steps are taken will the map loseits control over the minds of those affect-ed. Destroying the map is of utmost impor-tance, as failing to do so causes anyonewho was once feebleminded by the map to

Table 1Magical Maps of Greyhawk Determination Table

ld20 Map typel-6 Map of mapping7-8 Map of misleading

9-11 Map of magic12-13 Map of illusions14-15 Map of secret doors

16 Map of navigation17-18 Map of traps

19 Map of distortion20 Madd’s marvelous map (see Table 2)

66 SEPTEMBER 1987

become feebleminded again within 2-8days. If the map is destroyed, all of itsvictims are cured of whatever afflictionsthe map gave them.

Madd�s marvelous mapsMadd’s marvelous maps are combina-

tions of some of the maps listed above.Except for the map of mapping and magicthe other maps listed below are all thecreation of Dane, Madd�s disciple. Maddactually created only one prototype of amarvelous map, which has since beendestroyed. After Dane mastered the tech-nique of creating magical maps, he dupli-cated the original before its destruction,and created even more versions by com-bining the functions of several maps.

It is worth noting that, during the crea-tion of these maps, an unfortunate flaw issometimes produced because of the insta-bility of the magic involved. Upon expira-tion of a marvelous map’s charges, themap might explode, causing magical dam-age as listed in each map�s description.This inherent flaw was not detected bythe creators, although it may be detectedby any magic-user employing an identifyspell on the map (which allows a 10%chance per level of noting the map�s flaw).Not all of the maps created have this par-ticular magical flaw.

Map of mapping and magicThis map initially functions in all ways

as a map of magic. After 20d4 chargeshave been used, however, the map has an85% chance of becoming a map of map-ping (with 10d4 charges) and a 15%chance of exploding in magical flame,causing everyone within 10� of the explo-sion to take 2d4 +2 hp damage (save vs.spells for half damage).

Map of mapping and illusionsThis map functions at first as a map of

illusions. After 20d4 charges have beenused, the map has an 80% chance tochange into a map of mapping (with 10d4charges) and a 20% chance that itexplodes, causing 2d8 +2 hp damage toeveryone within a 10� radius of the blast(save vs. spells for half damage).

Table 2Madd�s Marvelous Map Determination Table

ld20 Map type1-3 Map of mapping and magic4-6 Map of mapping and illusions7-9 Map of mapping and secret doors

10-13 Map of mapping and traps14 Map of magic and illusions15 Map of magic and secret doors16 Map of magic and traps17 Map of illusions and secret doors18 Map of illusions and traps19 Map of secret doors and traps20 Dane’s version

Map of mapping and secret doorsThis map works like a map of secret

doors with 20d4 charges. When thecharges are gone, there is an 85% chancethat the map becomes a map of mapping(10d4 charges) and a 15% chance that themap explodes, inflicting 2d4 + 2 hp damageto each person within a 10' radius (save vs.spells for half damage).

Map of mapping and trapsAt first, this map functions as a map of

traps with 20d4 charges. With the expira-tion of the charges, this map has a 70%chance of becoming a map of mapping(10d4 charges) and a 30% chance of beingdestroyed, inflicting 2d4 + 8 hp damage toevery person within a 10� radius (save vs.spells for half damage).

Map of magic and illusionsThis map functions as a combination of

the two types of maps mentioned in itsname. Contained within the map arel0d4+10 charges. Each charge can beused to detect either magic, illusions, orinvisible objects, with all of the rangepenalties and abilities noted for the twomap types of which this map is composed.Additionally, charges may be used to ren-der invisible objects visible as per the mapof illusions. The map explodes when all ofthe charges are used up, causing 1d10 + 10hp damage per person in a 10� radius. Asave vs. spells applies for half damage;however, the user gains no save andalways takes maximum damage, unlikewith other sorts of exploding maps.

Map of magic and secret doorsThis map has all of the same functions as

those mentioned in the map of magic andthe map of secret doors. A single chargemay be used to either detect magic orsecret doors, but not both at once. Like

the map of magic and illusions, this maphas 10d4 + 10 charges. Upon expiration ofthese charges, the map explodes,, causing1d12 + 8 hp damage to every person with-in a 10� radius. A saving throw vs. spells isallowed, though the user gains no saveand always takes maximum damage.

Map of magic and trapsThis map is also similar in description to

the map of magic —the added advantagebeing all of the abilities listed in the mapof traps. This map also has 10d4 + 10charges, each of which may be used todetect either magic or traps, or to negateany traps so detected. When these chargesare expended, the map explodes, causing2d4 +4 hp damage to all within 15�. Asaving throw vs. spells is applicable for

Table 3Value Tables for the Magical Maps of Greyhawk

MapMap of mappingMap of misleadingMap of magicMap of illusionsMap of secret doorsMap of navigationMap of trapsMap of distortionMap of mapping and magicMap of mapping and illusionsMap of mapping and secret doorsMap of mapping and trapsMap of magic and illusionsMap of magic and secret doorsMap of magic and trapsMap of illusions and secret doorsMap of illusions and trapsMap of secret doors and trapsDane’s version

Initial charges30-120

-20-8020-8020-80

30-12020-80

-20-80/10-4020-8O/10-4020-80/10-4020-80/10-40

20-5020-5020-5020-5020-5020-50

20-120

XP value GP value3,500 21,000

- 5005,000 30,0006,000 36,0005,500 33,0005,000 30,0005,500 33,000

- 5006,000 36,0006,500 39,0006,250 37,5006,250 37,5007,500 45,0008,000 48,0008,000 48,0008,750 52,5008,750 52,5008,250 49,5009,500 57,000

half damage, though the user takes maxi-mum damage with no saving throw.

Map of illusions and secret doorsThis map functions as a combination of a

map of illusions and a map of secret doors,with a single charge either detecting illu-sions, invisibility, or secret doors, or dis-pelling the invisibility on an object orbeing. This particular map has 10d4 + 10charges. When all the charges have beenexpended, this map explodes, causing1d12 + 10 hp damage to each person with-in a 10� radius (save vs. spells for halfdamage, except for the user who takes fulldamage with no saving throw).

Map of illusions and trapsThis map has 10d4 + 10 charges and

functions as both of the map types notedin its name. A single charge will eitherdetect illusions, traps, or invisible objects,and charges can be used to dispel invisibil-ity on objects or persons. When allcharges have been used, the mapexplodes, doing 2d6 +4 hp damage to allwithin 15�, with a saving throw vs. spellsfor half damage. The user, of course, gainsno saving throw and always takes maxi-mum damage.

Map of secret doors and trapsThis map works as both a map of secret

doors and a map of traps and has10d4 + 10 charges. One charge may beused to detect either secret doors or traps,or charges may be used to disarm traps asper the map of traps. When all chargeshave been used, the resulting explosiondoes 3d4 +4 hp damage to all within 10�,with a saving throw for half damage. Theuser takes maximum damage and gains nosave against it.

Dane’s versionThis map was created by Dane through

the use of the various techniques taught tohim by Madd. This map has 20d6 charges.For the most part, this map works as amap of magic and illusions, as notedabove. Additionally, Dane’s version has theability to cast one permanent illusion orone programmed illusion per day, and oneveil per week, as a 16th-level illusionist.Each spell drains one charge from themap. The illusions last until dispelled oruntil the time limit expires, as given forthe spells. Any attempts to disbelieveillusions created by this map are made at-2. This map is one of the rarest, as theservices of an extremely powerful illusion-ist are required by the magic-user creatingit (Dane was lucky enough to be bothhimself). When all charges have beenused, the map bursts into flame as per afireball from a 12th-level magic-user. Sav-ing throws vs. spells are allowed for allwithin 20� for half damage, except for theuser, who takes maximum damage withouta saving throw. All items carried by theuser take a - 6 on their saving throws vs.fireball if this occurs.

DRAGON 67

PlaneSpeaking

The (Positive) Quasi-Elementals!

by Jeff Grubb

The elemental planes have their ownnative lifeforms, like any other plane ofexistence. In addition to the creatures thatlive in the environments of those planes(such as xorn, wind walkers, marids, andazer), there are living embodiments of theplanes themselves. These �true elementals�are the creatures that are summoned andenslaved by magic-user and druid spells toserve mankind. The earth elemental is nomere duplicate of an earthly beast nor anative of the Plane of Earth, but a part ofthat plane, gifted with intelligence andable to roam wild over the planar terrainunless brought into service by spells.

I mention this to separate the creatureswho live in the elemental planes fromcreatures of the elemental planes. Thexorn lives in the Plane of Earth; the earthelemental is a part of that plane. Thisexplains the apparent difference in abili-ties of these creatures when encounteredin the Prime Material plane. The earthelemental of the Monster Manual lacks thexorn�s molecular adjustment ability, forexample.

Some of the creatures of the elementalplanes are explained elsewhere. The ele-mentals themselves are detailed in theMonster Manual, while all of the para-elementals are covered in Monster ManualII. The quasi-elemental planes, however,have a single representative noted � the

68 SEPTEMBER 1987

lightning quasi-elemental. The other sevenquasi-elementals will be covered here intwo parts. This first part will discussbeings of the other three quasi-elementalplanes which exist on the border betweenthe elemental planes and the PositiveMaterial plane � steam, radiance, andminerals. A second article will cover crea-tures of quasi-elemental planes that bor-der the Negative Material plane � dust,ash, vacuum, and salt.

These creatures are the �pure� elemen-tal forces of their planes. Creatures asdetailed in Manual of the Planes do livethere, with the special abilities as noted inAppendix II. These, though, are the livingembodiments of those planes.

Quasi-elementals may be rarely found inthe Prime Material plane, but they appearwith common frequency in the innerplanes, particularly in their native quasi-elemental planes and in the elementalplanes adjacent to their home planes. Ithas been surmised that these creatureshave the ability to withstand the effects ofthe Positive and Negative Material plane,though this is unproven. Each quasi-elemental may be of small, medium, orlarge size. The size of a quasi-elementaldepends on where it is found:

Prime Material Inner1d100 plane plane01-60 Small Large61-90 Medium Medium91-00 Large Small

Lightning quasi-elementals have beencovered in Monster Manual II (page 103).In the Plane of Lightning, these creaturesare common and appear in numbers of1-6. Also, several of the more powerfulmages have found a use for these crea-tures as the power source for their exoticartifacts.

[The rings of quasi-elemental commandfrom DRAGON® issue #120, pages 33-34,would be especially useful with thesecreatures.]

RADIANCE QUASI-ELEMENTAL

FREQUENCY: Very rareNO. APPEARING: 1 (1-6)ARMOR CLASS: 0MOVE: 48”HIT DICE: 6, 9, or 12% IN LAIR: NilNO. OF ATTACKS: 1DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3 + 1 hp/HDSPECIAL ATTACKS: See belowSPECIAL DEFENSES: See belowMAGIC RESISTANCE: See belowINTELLIGENCE: LowALIGNMENT: Neutral (chaotic)SIZE: SPSIONIC ABILITY: NilLEVEL/XP VALUE: VII/1,000 + 15per hp

Radiance quasi-elementals look likerapidly turning spheres of multicoloredlight. They are rarely found on the PrimeMaterial plane, and then only in the areaof spectacular events such as double-arched rainbows or multihued meteorshowers in the night sky.

Radiance quasi-elementals normallyattack with beams of pure light, each ofwhich has a different effect. The range ofthese beams is equal to the hit dice of thecreature (i.e., 6�, 9�, or 12� range). Thebeams have the following effects:

1. Red beam: 1d6 + 1 hp/HD (cold)damage;

2. Orange beam: 1d6 + 1 hp/HD (heat)damage;

3. Yellow beam: 1d6 + 1 hp/HD (acid)damage;

4. Green beam: 1d6 + 1 hp/HD (poison)damage;

5. Blue beam: 1d6 + 1 hp/HD (electrical)damage;

6. Indigo beam: 1d6 + 1 hp/HD (holywater) damage; and,

7. Violet beam: 1d6 + 1 hp/HD (force)damage.

Effects are as for that particular type ofdamage, but the energy is a ray 1� wide.For instance, the yellow beam leaves noacid behind, but the effects are as if a boltof acid struck the target. Devices whichoffer protection from that particular typeof damage negate the effects of the quasi-elemental. Similarly, if the creature isimmune to the effects of the type ofattack, the creature will not be harmed(for example, a paladin struck by the indi-

go beam of holy water effect would not beharmed, but a wraith would).

Radiance quasi-elementals radiate acontinual light spell at all times. This isdiminished when they reduce their spin sothat they resemble will-o-the-wisps, orintensified by increasing their spin rates.In the latter case, all who look at a rapidlyspinning quasi-elemental must make asaving throw vs. death or be blinded for2-20 days. The range of this intense radia-tion is 12� in all directions.

Spells which create or control darknesscan prevent such a quasi-elemental fromusing its blinding attack, and these spellsinflict damage of 1 hp per level of thecaster to the creature. Fire, cold, and electricity inflict half damage. Weaponsmust be enchanted to + 1 or better toinflict damage on a radiance quasi-elemental.

Powerful mages have been known tocapture radiance quasi-elementals and usethem as both light sources and guards intheir domains. The creatures have lowintelligence but can separate friend fromfoe, so that a group of invading merce-naries may find the the mage�s own lampsattacking them.

STEAM QUASI-ELEMENTAL

FREQUENCY: Very rareNO. APPEARING: 1 (1-6)ARMOR CLASS: 2MOVE: 12”HIT DICE: 6, 9, or 12% IN LAIR: NilNO. OF ATTACKS: 1DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6 + 1 hp/HDSPECIAL ATTACKS: See belowSPECIAL DEFENSES: See belowMAGIC RESISTANCE: See belowINTELLIGENCE: LowALIGNMENT: Neutral (chaotic)SIZE: LPSIONIC ABILITY: NilLEVEL/XP VALUE: VII/1,000 + 15 per hp

Steam quasi-elementals are very rare inthe Prime Material plane and are onlyfound in areas of highly agitated water,such as the base of waterfalls, in geyserpools, and in areas where the ocean surfstrikes rocks. Steam quasi-elementals lookmuch like transparent, ghostlike waterelementals.

True steam quasi-elementals (as opposedto the other lifeforms found on that quasi-elemental plane) can control their internaltemperature, changing their substancefrom freezing cold fogs to scalding steam.Their method of attack involves engulfingtheir victims, enclosing a cubic area of upto 60� on a side. They then inflict 1d6 + 1hp/HD damage to each creature withineither a hot or cold cloud. Steam quasi-elementals are intelligent enough to recog-nize if one mode of attack is not workingand switch to the other. A device which

protects the user from the effects of heator cold (such as a ring of warmth) alsoprotects the user from that particularcloud attack form.

Steam quasi-elementals can fly or movebeneath water at normal movement rates,as well as seep through cracks into smallareas. They cannot be harmed by spellswhich affect weather, temperature, cold,or water. They take half damage from fireand full damage from electricity. In thelatter case, however, every other livingbeing beneath the steam quasi-elemental�scloud must make a saving throw versusthe effect, suffering half damage if failingand no damage if successful. Steam quasi-elementals can only be harmed by + 1 orbetter enchanted weapons.

Steam quasi-elementals tend to be themost chaotic of the positive quasi-elementals � so much so that even thosemages who have divined methods of sum-moning and containing them have yet tofind an adequate, safe use for them.

MINERAL QUASI-ELEMENTAL

FREQUENCY: Very rareNO. APPEARING: 1-3 (1-8)ARMOR CLASS: 0MOVE: 6”HIT DICE: 6, 9, or 12% IN LAIR: NilNO. OF ATTACKS: 1DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8 + 2 hp/HDSPECIAL ATTACKS: See belowSPECIAL DEFENSES: See belowMAGIC RESISTANCE: See belowINTELLIGENCE: LowALIGNMENT: Neutral (chaotic)SIZE: LPSIONIC ABILITY: NilLEVEL/XP VALUE: VII/1,000 + 15 per hp

Mineral quasi-elementals are normallyonly encountered deep beneath the earth,in veins of gold-bearing quartz and otheruntouched riches. Numerous dwarvennations have encountered these creaturesin the wild, and the dwarves pay a healthyrespect to their territorial claims. In thePlane of Minerals, mineral quasi-elementals are more common, whichfurther increases the peril of that realm.

Mineral quasi-elementals appear in avariety of forms, always resembling somecrystalline parody of Prime Material planelife. Gemlike paladins sit astride glitteringmounts with lacey wings of mica next tohuge beasts that look like carved, ani-mated dragons with gemlike eyes. Thismimicry is inexact and unexplained, as thecreatures do not behave like the beingsthey mimic.

Mineral quasi-elementals have the abilityto move through stone as do xorn. Inaddition, they have the ability to regener-ate 2 hp damage per round as long as theyare alive and in contact with solid, unlivingmatter (stone, earth, etc). Their most dan-

gerous ability is to merge with other quasi-elementals of their type. Two mineralquasi-elementals may merge to form asingle, larger quasi-elemental of double thehit dice. The merged creature can attacktwice per round; each attack inflicts 2d8hp damage, plus 1 hp damage per com-bined hit die. In addition, the mergedquasi-elemental regenerates 4 hp damageper round. Multiple merges may occur;the only limit seems to be the number ofquasi-elementals in the area. A reasonablemaximum limit of 100 HD would be thegreatest merged being ever encountered.

Mineral quasi-elementals are affected byheat, cold, fire, and water. They cannot beaffected by attacks which affect solidobjects, nor can they be petrified or para-lyzed. They take double damage from acidattacks. Lightning inflicts normal damagebut forces a merged mineral quasi-elemental to make a saving throw againstspells or break down immediately into itscomponent parts (damage inflicted on themerged creature is distributed equallyamong its parts).

Despite their glowing appearance, thebodies of mineral quasi-elementals havefew gems or other valuable stones. How-ever, their forms contain a rich variety ofminerals that would be useful to sages andmages, so that a defeated mineral quasi-elemental could fetch a price of up to 200gp per HD from a buyer.

LOOKING FOR AGAME CONVENTION?

If your gaming group is too smallor if you�ve just moved into theneighborhood, finding friendswho are also gamers can be aproblem. However, your localhobbies and games shop mayhave a bulletin board wheregamers can advertise their groupsand meeting times. The hobbystore may also know of local gameconventions where you can meetdozens of other gamers with thesame interests. The ConventionCalendar in this issue may also beof help. Don�t sit at home andwish you knew more gamers. Goout and find them today.

DRAGON 69

T h eG a m e

Wiza rdsA book of kender, knights, and Krynn

by Mike Breault

Hi. I�ve been given this month�s GameLizards column to tell you all about thelatest addition to the multizillion-sellingDRAGONLANCE® saga: DRAGONLANCEAdventures, by Tracy Hickman and Marga-ret Weis, appearing in bookstores andhobby shops in early October. This 128-page, hardback source book is coming outin response to the tremendous interestshown in getting all the background forthe DRAGONLANCE game world in onebook. But there�s a lot more to this bookthan just background material.

DRAGONLANCE Adventures gives youall the information you need to run yourown adventures in Krynn. Whether youcreate characters here or bring in existingcharacters from other campaigns, theworld is yours to explore. This product isdesigned to encourage players to createtheir own characters to adventure inKrynn, either during the War of theLance, after that conflict, or in the distantpast before the Cataclysm tore the land ofAnsalon asunder.

In addition to all the standard AD&D®game character classes and races, severalclasses and races unique to Krynn areintroduced. Players can now choose to runKnights of Solamnia, kender, gnomes (thetechnicians of Krynn), or Wizards of HighSorcery. Each of these additions containsfull details on its history, philosophy, char-acter options and abilities, level advance-ment tables, spells, and more.

Knights and gnomesThe sections on the Knights of Solamnia

describe the workings of the three ordersof Knights, rules for convening KnightlyCouncils, and the ways to become a Knightof any of the orders. Also included areinformation and tables on the clandestinegroups of Knights (the Circles) that oper-ate deep within the lands of the DragonHighlords, preparing the way for the

70 SEPTEMBER 1987

overthrow of those evil oppressors. Every-thing you need to run a Knight of Solam-nia PC is here.

The redundant wackiness of Krynn�sgnomes is revealed in its full glory. You cannow build incredibly intricate andunwieldy monstrosities to accomplish thesimplest of tasks! As if this wasn�t enoughincentive to create a gnome PC, rules arealso given for creating devices that mightactually prove to be useful. Along with theusual stuff you need to know for a newplayer-character race, you also get infor-mation about how to create a gnomishdevice, how likely the device is to do whatyou want, and the unexpected (and some-times unpleasant) secondary functions thatyour device might have. There are tablesshowing you how to figure out the Com-plexity Level of your device, the parts youneed to get it to work, and how much timeand money are needed to build the con-traption. Then, when you�re all done, youmight need to refer to the Gnome Mishaptable if your invention goes awry.

Also included is the Gnome Design Hallof Fame, a compilation of the greatestdevices in gnomish history � not that theyall worked, mind you; it�s just that allgnomes agreed that they were wonderfulideas. Complete game descriptions aregiven for such wonders of gnomish tech-nology as the flapestry (a flying artexhibit), the fargab (a device to communi-cate over long distances), the gnomethink-klackeradd (an overly large mechanicalcalculator), and other devices that willamaze and bewilder you.

The Orders of High SorceryMagic-users in the world of Krynn must

join one of the three Orders of High Sor-cery. Those who refuse to join are calledrenegades and are hunted down by theircard-carrying counterparts. There is anOrder of High Sorcery for each of thethree major moral alignments: good, evil,and neutral (the orders of the WhiteRobes, Black Robes, and Red Robes,respectively). Each order has its own orga-

nization, rules, level advancement system,and spells. Some of the AD&D game Sec-ond Edition changes for magic-users maketheir first appearances here in theDRAGONLANCE Adventures hardback.

The influences of Krynn�s three moons� Solinari, Lunitari, and Nuitari � on thepowers of wizards are detailed in thissection as well. Each of the Moons ofMagic primarily affects the powers of oneof the three orders of magic, but the timeswhen two or three of the moons are inconjunction are periods of special powersand perils for the magic-users of Krynn.

Also in this section is a full-page chartthat DMs can use to keep track of therelative positions of the moons in theirorbits around Krynn. Thus, the DM cantell at a glance the waxings and wanings ofthe powers of wizards according to thephases of their moons. This chart alsoenables the DM to keep track of the con-junctions of the moons.

The Towers of High Sorcery aredescribed in detail here, as is the Test ofHigh Sorcery that must be undertaken byall who join one of the Orders of HighSorcery. Guidelines are given for thoseDMs who wish to give Tests to the magesin their DRAGONLANCE saga campaigns.

New gods, new alignmentsIn this book, the gods of Krynn are

described more completely than everbefore. The philosophies and structures ofthe three pantheons (good, evil, and neu-tral) of gods are given here, as are detailedsections on each god of Krynn. Each dei-ty�s description contains a history of thegod, his game statistics, his godly Sphereof Influence (which determines the spellsavailable to his followers), the specialpowers he grants to his followers, andadditional spells his followers gain overand above their daily allotments.

Good, evil, and neutral clerics each havetheir own level advancement system, theirown hierarchies, and their own tables forgaining spells by level. Within each moralalignment, the spells available to a clericdepend greatly on which god the clericworships.

In DRAGONLANCE Adventures, a newalignment system is presented (similar tothe new system coming in the AD&Dgame revision). This system grants theplayer characters much more freedom ofaction than the old system; no longer doesa character�s alignment force him intocertain actions or modes of thought. Now,a character�s actions determine his align-ment. If a character acts against hispresent alignment�s philosophies too often,he slides into an alignment that is bettersuited to his actions. (Think about it. If yousee Joe beating up on small, defenselessanimals, you wouldn�t say: �Gee, Joe�s ofgood alignment � but why is he beatingup those small, defenseless animals?� Youwould say, �Gee, Joe�s beating up thosesmall, defenseless animals. He must be anevil person.� That�s the way it should really

work, and this is what the new alignmentsystem will do.) We have included a simplechart to make it easy for the DM to keeptrack of characters� alignments and howtheir actions affect their alignments.

Off to the racesNext come discussions of the unique

races of the DRAGONLANCE saga. Thehistory of Krynn�s races is discussed indetail, including the role of the Greystoneof Gargath in transforming Krynn�s feworiginal races into the myriad creatures ofpresent-day Ansalon. Each race isaddressed in its own section. The specialcharacteristics and foibles of elves, tinkergnomes, the various dwarven races, andkender are described along with theirgame statistics. Also included here is asection on special proficiencies designedespecially for characters in the world ofthe DRAGONLANCE saga. Following thisare descriptions and game statistics for thecreatures that are native only to the worldof Krynn: draconians, fetch, gullydwarvres, shadowpeople, dreamwraiths,spectral minions, and thanoi.

The history of KrynnThe explanation of how the world came

to be is covered in this book as well. TheTimeline of Krynn covers the major eventsin the world�s past, from its creationthrough the War of the Lance. The historyof the War of the Lance is given in greatdetail, with all the battles and politicalmachinations of that world-shaping con-flict. Pre-Cataclysmic maps of the politicalboundaries and climate of Ansalon aregiven here in case players wish to adven-ture in the early days of Krynn.

Against the backdrop of the history ofKrynn, the major personalities who domi-nated that history are presented withgame statistics and personal backgrounds.The most important NPCs of the past,present, and future of Krynn aredescribed here, along with the playercharacters of the War of the Lance.

Lavish descriptions of post-war Krynnare given so players can experience fur-ther adventures in the turmoil of the war-torn continent of Ansalon. Post-war mapsof the politics and climate of Ansalon areincluded in this section.

No source book on Krynn would becomplete without discussing the manyunique magical items that the world of theDRAGONLANCE saga has brought to theAD&D game. The dragonlance, the orbs ofdragonkind, the frostreavers, the glassesof Arcanist, and many more arcanedevices are detailed in this book.

This is just a brief listing of the Krynnishlore and game information available inDRAGONLANCE Adventures. For all thosegamers who wrote us saying that theywanted info on how to take their owncharacters adventuring in Krynn (or totake the characters of the DRAGONLANCEsaga on further adventures), this book�sfor you!

72 SEPTEMBER 1987

(continued from page 3)I still loved Joe�s stories years later,

because we had both shared sodeeply in the wonder of themoment, the excitement and thethrill of it all. I�m aware that nowtales of flying saucers in secrethangars qualify as modern mythol-ogy, and the thrill found in UFOstories has faded for me over theyears to the point where I look atthem with unabashed skepticism,but UFOs were once special thingsto a kid. They were to me, anyway,though they seem to be out of fash-ion these days.

The Pope Lick Monster lived inthe woods by the old railroad trestlethat crossed over Pope Lick and ranparallel to Taylorsville Road, headingeast out of Jeffersontown, Kentucky.Lots of stories circulated throughmy high school when I was in 7thgrade about the depredations of themonster, which included jumpingdown from the trestle onto the roofsof cars that drove beneath it on atwisting highway that intersectedTaylorsville Road.

The Pope Lick Monster wasn�t aharmless prankster, though. Oneteenager drove beneath the trestlein an open-top convertible. His bodywas found the next day, slumpedover the steering wheel of hiswrecked car. His neck was broken. Iknew any number of students whohad heard the story and swore itwas the truth.

�He�s a crazy man,� said Paul. Paulwasn�t the most pleasant kid toknow in 7th grade, but he seemed toknow a lot, even if he wanted tobeat me up once. �He killed his wifeand kids and lives in the woods now,all wild and hairy. You can�t kill �im.�

Later, one of my cousins wasriding around with a carload ofgirlfriends when they drove underthe trestle toward the main high-way. All of them were acutely awareof the legend of the monster. Mydevilish cousin reached out of anopen window and rapped hard onthe roof of the car as they wentunder the trestle. Everyone scream-

ed and the driver nearly drove intoa ditch, flooring the accelerator to70 MPH.

I had occasion to drive past thePope Lick trestle in later years andcan attest to the eerie atmosphere ofthe area, out in the hilly countryalong a particularly lonely stretch ofhighway. The trestle itself seems togrow out of the earth like an oldliving thing from the past. I couldeasily believe that a monster livedthere, even if I knew that one didn�t.I sometimes wonder if anyonebelieves in that monster anymore.

The booklet arrived in the mailalong with a dozen other things:manuscripts, game rules questions,letters to the editor, sample copies ofnew games, and all the other thingsthat show up in a game magazine�smailbox. I sorted out the mail andnoted the envelope with no returnaddress. I thumbed it open andfound the booklet.

It was called �Dark Dungeons� andtold how playing role-playing gamesinitiated people into secret cultswhich taught mind control and un-Christian behavior. Neither wastrue, though I regretted the absenceof mind-control powers; they wouldhave come in handy the next time Iasked for a raise. Whoever wrotethat booklet had some pretty bizarreideas about role-playing games ingeneral. Lots of drama and darkestparanoia, but no truth.

I wondered how anyone couldbelieve that role-playing games gaveyou mind-control powers or induct-ed you into secret cults or did any-thing else to you. Then, of course, Iremembered the hammer and sick-le, the UFO in the hangar, the PopeLick Monster, the Proctor & Gamblemoon-and-stars logo, the missingthirteenth floor in certain sky-scrapers, and all the other irrationalbeliefs of our modern age.� DarkDungeons� had simply joined theirranks. It needed no reason to exist;it just was. And someday it, too,would fade away, as all myths do.

I sighed and threw the bookletout. I�m getting too old for myths.

A Second Look atZebulon�s Guide

Corrections, clarifications, additions, and answers

by Kim Eastland

Some time ago, I had the pleasure ofdesigning Zebulon’s Guide to FrontierSpace, Volume 1, the first addition to theSTAR FRONTIERS® game rules in manyyears. For those STAR FRONTIERS gamefans who have picked it up, here are a fewcomments and corrections for that tome.

Preface: The preface mentions�Bizarre� in its first full paragraph. This isthe second largest continent on the planetFaire in the Capella system out in the Rim.Its largest city is Minzii.

Contents Page: Under the Tables list-ing, the Skill Costs Table is actually onpage 9, not 10. The Equipment Tables areactually on pages 88, 89, and 90.

Page 1: The first sentence of the Hum-ma�s special ability to spring charge shouldread, �A Humma can spring up to 25meters horizontally from a standing startand, if it lands within two meters of anopponent, come to a dead stop and make afree melee attack against the opponent.This attack is in addition to normal actionsor attacks that turn.�

Page 3: The Mechanon pictured is apropaganda illustration issued by theplanet Mechano itself to better the Fron-tier�s image of Mechanons. In reality,Mechanons come in a variety of differentshapes and sizes, and they are much dead-lier looking than this cartoon version.

Page 5: Delete the Dexterity Modifiercolumn on the Ability Score Table. It hasbeen replaced by the Dexterity ModifiersTable on page 38. On the Racial AbilityModifier Table, the PER/LDR modifiers forOsakar and Humma are � - 10.�

Page 6: The last sentence in the lastparagraph on this page should begin �Apositive shift makes. . .� Delete the pre-vious �It does make.�

Page 7: The Techex profession skilllisted as �Machinery: Operate� is actually�Machinery Operation.�

Page 9: The second paragraph of thelast column states that skipping levels isnot allowed, even if the character hasenough experience to do so. This meansthat though a character has enough expe-rience points (XP) to directly jump fromsecond to fourth level in a skill, he mustspend at least one adventure (of a substan-tial nature) with the skill at third levelbefore he can spend the rest of his XP toachieve fourth level.

Page 11: With regards to the Medicalsection, note that when a character has adisease, infection, infestation, poison, orradiation introduced into his system, dam-age does not begin to occur until the turnfollowing the introduction. All other formsof damage (weapons damage, fire, falling,etc.) occur instantly, in the same turn theyare introduced to the character. In theRobotics section, note that roboprogs arenot interchangeable with maxiprogs orbodycomp progits.

Page 12: The second to the last sen-tence in the Weapons paragraph shouldend �. . . and his result area can never begreater than the Blue area unless he rolls a01-02 (see Automatic Rolls on page 29).�

Page 13: The skill check for Camou-flage is secretly rolled by the referee. Thisis because the character will not know ifhe is successful until someone else spotsor misses the camouflaged structure oritem.

Page 18: The fourth sentence of theHypnosis skill should read �(If the hypno-tist is a Sathar, his skill level is eighth, butan unwilling victim is allowed a Logiccheck in addition to the normal Intuitioncheck.)� This change applies as it is nowwidely known that Sathar can hypnotize.Also, the prerequisite skill for the Machin-ery Repair skills is Machinery Operation.

Page 19: The first sentence of the firstparagraph should read: �Techexes whooperate these devices for a living musthave Matter Transferal Devices skill level9.� The skills Medical Treatment: Disease,Medical Treatment: Infection, and MedicalTreatment: Infestation all have identicalsecond and third paragraphs. The words�98-00 or� should be deleted from thebeginning of the second paragraph ineach, and the words �01-02 or� should bedeleted from the beginning of the thirdparagraph in each.

Page 20: The skills Medical Treatment:Poison and Medical Treatment: Radiationboth have identical second and third para-graphs. The words �98-00 or� should bedeleted from the beginning of the secondparagraph in each, and the words �01-02or� should be deleted from the beginningof the third paragraph.

Page 21: The fourth sentence of theMedical Treatment: Wounds II skill shouldread: �For every 10 points of damage (orfraction of 10 points) that are healed, a fullturn of treatment time and an additionaldose of biocort are required.�

Page 22: The Pumping Federanium�sfifth sentence should end: �. . . may havetrouble fitting into suits and equipmentnormally designed for his race.�

Page 23: In the Robotics: Robopsycholo-gist section, note that any robopsycholo-gist who attempts to alter the functions ormission of a Mechanon suffers a - 8 CSmodifier.

Page 24: With regards to the Stealthskill, note that the skill check for a charac-ter using Stealth to sneak up on someonemust be made every 30 meters if the useris moving slowly or 15 meters if the user ismoving quickly. The skill check for usingStealth to �tail� a suspect must be madeevery 30 minutes of stalking.

Page 29: The beginning of Step 2 of theRanged Weapon Combat Procedure should

DRAGON 73

read: “Apply all appropriate combat modi-fiers, Dexterity modifiers, and shiftcolumns to the left and/or right? The firstsentence of Step 3 should read: “Roll per-centile dice and locate the final result onthe Resolution Table.”

Page 31: The second sentence at thetop of column one should read: “Opportu-nity shots are like Careful Aim shots; thecharacter can do nothing else that turn,but an Opportunity shot cancels the nega-tive CS modifier for target movement.” Thebeginning of Step 2 of the Area EffectWeapon Combat Procedure should read:“Apply all appropriate combat modifiers,Dexterity modifiers, and shift columns tothe left and/or right.” The first sentence ofStep 3 should read: “Roll percentile diceand locate the final result on the Resolu-tion Table.” The fourth sentence of Step 3can be deleted altogether, as this informa-tion was spread throughout the Grenadesand Missiles sections. In the Skills section,note that the distance a character canthrow a grenade is equal to his Strengthscore plus his Dexterity score, divided byfour; i.e., (STR + DEX)/4.

Page 34: The abbreviation “pS” indi-cates damage per each SEU used. The“Rate” note should be changed to “ROF,”the “Defense Type” note should bechanged to “Effective Defenses,” and the“M#” note should be changed to “Msl#.”

Page 35: The effective defense againstthe acid foam grenade should read“Salgel,” not “Basegel.”

Page 36: The “Range” column heading formissile warheads should be “Blast Radius.”The blast radius of a sonic missile warheadis “6 X Msl#.” Additionally, the PrimitiveMelee and Thrown Weapons Table shouldlist Spear damage as 14, not 4.

Page 41: The last sentence for theChanneling I and Channeling II disciplinesshould be deleted and replaced with thesentence: “Each successful discipline uselasts 3 turns.” Also, the Confusion disci-pline can only be used to affect a singletarget.

Pages 48-50: The names of the UPFSpace Fortresses can be added to thetables of planets:

Planet FortressMoonworld DefiantKdikit KdikitMorgaine’s World GollwinPale PaleGollywog Redoubt

Page 50: The second planet in the Cryx-ian system of the Rim Coalition Planetarylisting is “T’zaan” (delete the “(B)T” note).

Page 65: The warheads come in differ-ent sizes for each missile type and are notinterchangeable.

Page 69: Sonic screens or sonic head-phones provide full protection from theeffects of marble grenades unless three ormore are detonated at the same time. Thethird marble grenade, and all others fol-lowing it which detonate in the same turn,are then treated as polyhedron sonic gre-nades for defense purposes.

Page 73: The paragraph at the end ofthe Combining Hardware and Maxiprogssection lists various combinations of maxi-progs that a Level 2 Mainframe Computercould have. Delete the words “or one Level4 maxiprog” from the example. As is statedlater, a mainframe computer cannot run amaxiprog of greater level than the com-puter level.

Page SO: There are a few mistakesunder the Energy Use or Max. DamageAbsorbed column of the Defenses list. TheSimp Screen should read “1 SEU/ 6 pts.”Full Maser Mesh should read “NegatesMaser damage.” Partial Maser Mesh shouldread “Halves Maser damage.” Both BasicHelmet and Sonic Prot. should read “V.”

Page 91: On the first side of the STARFRONTIERS Character Record Sheet,under the Weapons section, a playershould enter his PC’s DEX or STR modifier,whichever he chooses, along with theColumn Modifier in the “Col Mod” box. Seethe Ability section under Melee Procedureon page 32.

Index to AdvertisersAMAZING® Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81, insert card

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DRAGON® Magazine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Insert cardDUNGEON™ Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 , inser t card

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74 SEPTEMBER 1987

Role-playingReviews

A look at three fantasy adventures

©1987 by Ken Rolston

The Grey Knight Phantom of the Northern Marches(a PENDRAGON game adventure) (three MERP� game adventures)Chaosium Inc. $7.95 Iron Crown Enterprises $6.00Author: Larry DiTillio Design: Graham StaplehurstDirector: Greg Stafford Editors: Peter Fenlon, S. Coleman CharltonCover and interior illustrations: Susan Cover: Daniel Horne

Seddon Boulet Interior illustrations: Steven PeregrineEditing and production: Charlie Krank

Treasure Hunt(an AD&D® game adventure)TSR, Inc.Design: Aaron AllstonEditor: Steve WinterCover: Jeff EasleyInterior art: Stephen Fabian

$8.00

78 SEPTEMBER 1987

It wasn�t so very long ago that I wasbuying �modules� � that�s what they usedto call packaged dungeon adventures (and,later, wilderness adventures) that you usedwith fantasy role-playing (FRP) games.Despite this, I remember having a rathersnobbish attitude toward people whoactually ran the modules they bought.“Real people design their own dungeons

and adventures� was the attitude manysophisticated gamers took, though it wasokay to buy modules to steal ideas � and,well, just for the fun of reading new FRPtrash. But we also bought modulesbecause we were fans, and we boughtanything that had to do with dungeonsand goblins and mad wizards with flame-throwers.

I know lots of folks ran those modules. Iran a few myself � I particularly liked theSteading of the Hill Giant Chief, AppleLane, and Snake Pipe Hollow, to mention afew classics. By and large, those early FRPadventures were maps with room descrip-tions keyed to them, and handy stats forthe critters you were supposed to butcher.Nowadays, we expect a bit more from FRPadventure supplements.

Adventure/campaign supplementsThe term �module� is somewhat out of

fashion, for commercial reasons too tedi-ous to go into here (meaning I don�t fullyunderstand myself). Now, support materialfor FRP games breaks down into twogeneral categories: adventure supplementsand campaign supplements.

Adventure supplements are the linealdescendants of the original modules: theadventure itself � fully designed for theGM, with lots of maps, references, andother nice bits � is the focus of the pre-sentation, with campaign background inthe . . . well . . . background. In campaignsupplements, the FRP setting is the focus.The background is given, and the GM isexpected to design the adventure himself.But campaign supplements are nextmonth�s topic. �Nuff said here.

Narrative values: A good FRP adventurehas many of the best features of goodfantasy fiction � written in an entertain-ing style, with emotionally engaging char-acters, a setting full of the magical andalien, and a series of exciting or intriguingepisodes that lead to a dramatic conclu-sion. The best adventures read like a goodfantasy story; the worst don�t read well atall. (That was the most obnoxious thingabout the early modules � they wereterrible reading.)

Ease of reference: The layout and struc-ture should make it as easy as possible forthe GM to find what he needs duringadventure sessions. Unfortunately, thisobjective often seems to run directlycounter to the goal of making the adven-ture readable. Material designed for refer-ence � dictionaries, software manuals,grammar handbooks, FRP game rules, etc.� are notoriously painful reading. Designswhich achieve both readability and ease ofreference, through clever layout andpresentation, deserve our admiration.

Staging: Good adventures also needstaging tips, which are hints to the GM onhow to present the adventure effectively(e.g., how to handle tricky situations, howto bring NPCs to life, what to do if theplayers do something weird, etc.).

Adventures always told GMs what to do,

but not very much about how to do it.Many recent adventure supplements aregiving more attention to the art of game-mastering. Some designers may hesitate tospell out what seem to them the basictricks of game-mastering for fear ofappearing patronizing to the experiencedand sophisticated gamers they imaginetheir audience to be. In fact, many of usdon�t own the Helm of Gamemaster Excel-lence, and even the best of us benefit fromwatching other masters at work. Theopportunity to listen in on the designer�sthoughts as he presents his adventure canbe valuable, even for venerable veteranslike me.

Nice bits: I�m a sucker for good-lookingor clever components that reduce theGM�s preparation and reference workloador that add to the adventure�s fantasyatmosphere. On the other hand, I amimpatient with careless or ill-conceivedmaterials that seem just to fill space, orpull-out chop-ups that seem to be therejust because every other adventure hasthem.

Strong visual presentation: The coverand interior illustrations should help theGM visualize key settings, characters, anddramatic high points of the narrative. Thetone and content of the art should supportand reinforce the adventure elements andatmosphere. (I�ve seen plenty of good artthat didn�t fit the adventure in content orin tone.)

Maps, diagrams, and illustrations shouldbe used wherever possible instead of text..For instance a room diagram is mucheasier to review and refer to during thesession than a prose description. Thelayout should be attractive, but only if itcan also improve ease of reference andmake the text�s structure clear at a glance.

Let�s take a look at the adventure supple-ments under inspection this month, andsee how they measure up against theseand various other. elements of superioradventure design.

The Grey KnightA solid winner, best-in-show. This has

first-class visuals, superb narrative values,an innovative layout that permits ease ofreference with minimum interferencewith the narrative, and creditable show-ings in the staging and nice-bits categories.

Look at Boulet�s cover � grim, grey, andfey. Her interior pieces are perfect for thegruesome, mysterious, and darkly magicalcharacters and episodes she illustrates.Throughout the text, the shield heraldryin the margins is integral to the adventure,not just slap-dash space-fillers.

The adventure itself is the real prize.The author, Larry DiTillio, is a masternarrative technician, and he�s workingwith the rich resources of the Arthurianlegend and the unique PENDRAGON gamesystem, designed by Greg Stafford to sup-port moral dilemmas and tests of charac-ter as well as hack-and-slash combat andfireball barbecues. The narrative makes

superb use of major figures of the Arthuri-an legends; in the first few pages, thecharacters have interacted with majorvillain, hero, and comic figures from thelegends, not to mention a walk-on forArthur and Guenever. The prominence ofthe major Arthurian characters is notwithout its liabilities � the main actioncenters on pivotal Arthurian characters, casting the PCs in a significant but second-ary role � but the liabilities are more thancompensated for by the richness of theArthurian campaign setting.

Moreover, DiTillio has developed themystical, magical element of the Arthurianlegends that previous PENDRAGON mate-rials have failed to effectively exploit. Todate, PENDRAGON supplements have beenstrongest in their chivalric content �perfectly satisfactory for good role-playing, but not quite fantasy role-playing.In The Grey Knight, the player charactersstill have no magical abilities � but everyencounter menaces them with the chal-lenge of the weird and otherworldly.Undead knights, succubi, shapeshifters,allegorical beasts in mortal combat, rest-less spirits of the unforgiven dead, a jour-ney to the Other World, a really dangerousgiant., and the wiles of a beautiful witch �this adventure reeks with magic, foul andfair.

The layout is strikingly original andutilitarian, and employs a clever device tominimize the conflict between thedemands of readability and easy refer-ence. Each page is printed in one widecolumn with the text describing thesequence of events, the setting, and thecharacters. This text reads wonderfully �more like a novel or tale than a gameadventure. In the margin next to the textare printed short phrases that function asconcise GM notes, and brief notationsabout attribute and personality trait tests.These short notes simplify reference tothe text during the session, and removingthem to the margin prevents them frominterrupting the flow of the narrative. Onefalse note: Neither the text nor the mar-ginal notes give the stats of the creaturesencountered (the GM is referred to therule books and handouts from the PEN-DRAGON game). Nor are many staging tipsgiven for combat � a minor fault, butinconvenient for anyone not experiencedwith the PENDRAGON system.

Summary evaluation: Fine writing andillustration with exceptional tone andrichness. Modest player characters enterinto an epic landscape and narrative.Innovative design and presentation. Bravo,bravissimo.

Treasure HuntAn adventure for zero-level characters?

And they�re shipwrecked with no gear andno idea what�s going on?

My cup of tea.I�ve always been a big fan of low-level

adventures in which the characters arestripped of all their game-mechanics

resources and forced to improvise withtheir wits. They are great as introductoryadventures for new gamers, but are evenmore fun for experienced players, jadedby encounters with critters straight out ofthe �Biology Book� (Monster Manual) andwith endless iterations of the wand ofincredible explosive events.

This is a fine example of this sub-genre,with goblins and orcs, a friendly goddess,loony NPCs, dead guys, and all the thingsthat make FRP great. On this basis alone,this is a nice product, but Aaron Allstonadds a couple of nice bonuses in thisdesign.

First, in the course of the adventure, theplayer characters graduate from zero levelto 1st level. Their actions during theadventure are used by the GM to indicatethe character class into which they gradu-ate. For example, if a guy grabs weaponsand whacks goblins with them, it�s obviousthat he�s cut out to be a fighter. If a char-acter shows special interest in the aban-doned temple, well, he�s destined to be acleric. Record sheets for the GM to trackPC behaviors are provided as handouts.It�s a clever idea and interesting in itssensible implications about the hithertoobscure transformation from undifferenti-ated citizen to class-defined player-character adventurer.

Second, Allston does an outstanding jobof explicit staging for the GM. Forinstance, he includes a two-page appendixentitled �If Things Go Wrong�: a detailed,episode-by-episode treatment of ways tohandle the player characters if they don�tdo what they�re expected to do. The visitof a goddess, the classic deus-ex-machina,is handled particularly well. This would bea perfect choice for a beginning GM andan ideal adventure to include with thenext revision of the AD&D game, butnever did I feel that I was being talkeddown to.

Third, this adventure displays a refresh-ing flexibility and lack of fussiness in inter-preting the AD&D game rules. Whereverthe rules do not serve the purposes of theadventure, Allston provides a plausiblerationale for sidestepping them. Actually, this is just common sense, but those accus-tomed to the narrow vision of TSRproducts in the past will be pleased to see this more open-minded, flexible attitudetoward adapting rules to fit the circum-stances, rather than vice versa.

The layout and presentation is generallygood � Steve Winter is one of TSR�s besteditors � and the interior art is stylish,though the cover is unremarkable. Theplayer maps on the inside cover are unin-spired but functional. However, somelayout choices seem obviously wrong. Forexample, there is a two-page �Players�Introduction� at the beginning of theadventure that each player is supposed toread himself, though it is not customary tolet players read the module. This materialwould be much better as a player hand-out, and there are two 2-page player-

DR A G O N 79

character tracking forms in the handoutsection where one would be enough. Thisseemed to me a case of a handout fillingspace, and space that could be well-usedfor a more appropriate purpose.

Summary evaluation: Superior low-leveladventure, excellently staged. Quite read-able, with a refreshingly flexible attitudetoward rules interpretations. Ideal forintroducing the uninitiated into FRP gam-ing, and well-presented for the less-experienced GMs.

Phantom of the Northern MarchesIron Crown has always turned out nice-

looking, well-written campaign supple-ments. Tolkien�s Middle-earth® is a classyplace to run fantasy role-playing, and ICEhas done a good job in preserving thedignity and intelligence of Tolkien�s setting.

However, neither the supplements forthe ROLEMASTER� nor those for theMERP� games have been any great shakesin the packaged adventure department.They have eschewed many of the featuresconsidered essential by other RPG design-ers (prepared player characters with back-ground notes, player handouts and otherpull-out �nice bits,� and so forth). Adven-tures they have presented are often in themap-keyed description format of moreprimitive adventure modules. Backgroundnotes on NPCs, villages, local customs, andsuch have always been pretty good, andthere�s little to complain about the graph-ics � it�s just the narrative and stagingvalues which have been weak.

In ICE�s defense, they have avoided thetypical hew-and-loot adventures popularwith other, less-elevated campaign back-grounds. For all that I like Allston�s Trea-sure Hunt, the situation is painfullycontrived from a narrative standpoint. Ofcourse, it�s only a game, and we dungeonhackers have never been too fastidiousabout swallowing rather flimsy narrativepretexts if some heroic swashbuckling andsorcerous troll-baking is promised.

The best thing about the three adven-tures in Phantom is the lack of painfulcontrivance in the plots. The fantasy ele-ments in the adventures fit smoothly andplausibly into Tolkien�s world. The motiva-tions of the major villains are psychologi-cally convincing, rather than comic-bookcaricatures of evil, as is common in otherFRP adventures.

Staplehurst provides the narrative andstaging values so obtrusively absent inearlier adventure supplements. I�ve alwaysbeen a bit uncomfortable with ICE�s�ready-to-run� claim on their adventurecovers, but these adventures make goodon the claim. Unfortunately, the presenta-tion style doesn�t make the narrative andstaging virtues obvious. The emphasis isstill on the adventure as reference text,and though the individual sections andessays read well enough, a little writingtechnology (e.g., smoother transitions,summaries and overviews) and a touch ofmagazine-style layout (e.g., blending text

80 SEPTEMBER 1987

and diagram, graphic emphasis of textstructure) would make the material morereadable.

There still seems to be a purposefulavoidance of some of the packaged adven-ture features that are commonplace inother game systems. For example, stats aregiven for 18 player characters. Certainly alot to choose from � but where are thebackground notes and role-playing guides?You could argue that good players don�tneed such support � but you could simi-larly argue that good GMs don�t needadventure or campaign supplements.Prepared PC background notes can beeffective models of PC characterization,even if they are never used in a session.

But, for all my complaints, I highly rec-ommend these adventures. They are intel-ligent, well-motivated, well-staged, andthey make effective use of their fantasyelements without becoming conventionaldungeon arcades. Above all, they areconsistent with the tone of their Middle-earth campaign background � a highstandard to aspire to.

Summary evaluation: Three strongadventures for the Middle-earth campaignsetting. Intelligent, well-staged. Strongnarrative values, with plausibly motivatedcharacters and plausibly integrated fanta-sy elements. Presentation and layout arenot particularly effective in emphasizingthese values.

Short and sweetDUNGEON� Adventures. TSR, Inc. For

$3.75 per issue (or $18.00 for a six-issuesubscription), you get 64 pages of shortAD&D and D&D® game adventures ofvarious lengths, themes, and tones byvarious FRP writers � some amateurs,some professionals. The adventures inissue #1 remind me of the selection ofgame sessions you find at gaming conven-tions or in old-fashioned modules � �TheDark Tower of Cabilar,� �Assault on Eddi-stone Point,� �Grakhirt�s Lair.� Cheap andcheerful, full of the basic fun of D&Dgames.

At the same time, the anthology formatlets you publish fine little bits, like AnneMcCready�s �The Elven Home� that left methinking: �So that�s what D&D game elvesare like. . . .� Such anthologies are greattraining grounds for new writers andoffer an opportunity to experiment withoffbeat themes and tones.

Yes, sophisticated gamers will find a lotto snicker at here, but there are some cuteideas. The writing ranges from young andenthusiastic to polished, and when com-pared with some of TSR�s current modules(like The Books of Lairs, reviewed below),the quality of the layout and graphics isquite decent. And for the price, you can�tgo wrong.

The Book of Lairs (James Ward and MikeBreault) and The Book of Lairs II (variousauthors). TSR, Inc., $12.00 each. These 96-page anthologies are a series of one- and

two-page adventures centered aroundvarious AD&D game critters from thevarious Monster Manuals. The monstersfeatured range from the ever-popularorcs, trolls, goblins, and dwarves to theobscure and exceptionally exotic hybsils,shedu, remorhaz, and otyugh.

Most of these oddball critters you wouldnever want in your campaigns, but youmight get a kick out of seeing how a cleverand dedicated soul could bring them tolife. A good writer can get a lot of charac-ter and atmosphere into a short piece. Onboth accounts, the second book is consid-erably more successful than the first. Thefirst book�s encounters are pretty conven-tional AD&D game problems rather thaningenious explorations of the personalitiesof the creatures involved. Though theymight be entertaining as gaming chal-lenges, they are short on charm and char-acter. The second book has the advantageof being written by various writers in avariety of tones and styles, and is gener-ally more offbeat and inventive. The nar-rative values are also generally betterserved, with nice bits of plot, character,and setting to add flavor to the basicencounter problems, In general, not bad atall and occasionally delightful � AllenVarney�s little bits in particular.

Both are graphically disappointing. Thefirst book brings to mind the old days ofTSR illustration � not a positive associa-tion � but at least the art and diagramsseem to illustrate the text it accompanies.The few diagrams in the second book areremarkably primitive; the illustration isuniformly lifted from old Monster Man-uals and adventures, and not exactlychoice illustrations at that.

Green and Pleasant Land: The British1920s-30s Cthulhu Sourcepack. GamesWorkshop (distributed in U.S. throughChaosium Inc.), $10.95. Oh, simply smash-ing, what? Here�s an excerpt illustratingthe role of butlers as player characters inCALL OF CTHULHU® games:

“Dwat, and double dwat,” lispedAlgernon de Vere Skeffley (Bart), heftingthe shotgun by its barrels as the tentacledmonstrosity shambled its way toward theparty “Deuced inconvenient time to wunout of cartwidges, what?” Behind him,Simmonds shuddered slightly at the sacri-legious thought of Messrs Purdey’s finestbeing used as a blunt instrument, andcoughed discreetly. “If I may suggest, sir, Itook the liberty of bringing along a pickhandle I found while we were comingthrough the cellar. Perhaps you wouldcare to make use of that, while I reloadfor you?”

Oh, so civilized, and oh, so eccentric.Splendid settings and inspirations forunspeakable horrors are offered in thefirst half, the sourcepack, with threeadventures and a piece of short fiction inthe second half. Excellent layout, fineillustrations, entertaining, and readable.Don�t miss it.

by John C. Bunnell

The Roleof

B o o k s

THE MISPLACED LEGIONHarry Turtledove

Del Rey 0-345-33067-8 $2.95

AN EMPEROR FOR THE LEGIONHarry Turtledove

Del Rey 0-345-33068-4 $3.50Its squarely traditional ingredients

should make the Videssos cycle easy topigeonhole. But Harry Turtledove hasneatly inverted the conventions of fantasywarfare, and that makes the first twobooks of this sequence an unexpectedblend of plausibility, alien magic, and veryhuman characters.

The Misplaced Legion starts out with astandard premise: The heroes aresnatched out of reality and stranded in aforeign realm ruled by different gods andtouched with genuine magic. The twist isthat Turtledove�s protagonists are ancientRomans (and a lone Celt), who begin thefirst chapter in the forests of Gaul, only tofind themselves in another world aftertribune Marcus Scaurus crosses ensor-celled swords with his legion�s Celticadversary.

The rest of the book chronicles thelegion�s adjustment to life in the Empire ofVidessos, which is both like and unlike theRome that has been left behind. There ispolitical intrigue in plenty, the Emperor�scourt is crowded with dangerous diplo-mats and equally dangerous officials, andwar with a major barbarian horde is in theoffing. In order to retain their culturalidentity, the Roman legion signs on as amercenary force for the empire � andScaurus, its commander, finds himselftangled in diverse magical and mundaneconflicts.

The second book directly addresses thewar and the imperial succession, which isin some question following the reigningemperor�s death at the first book�s climax.While the Romans are still outsiders inVidessos, they are too busy coping withYezd barbarians and a rival for the throneto worry very much about the fact. Andthere is still evil magic in the background� concealed by a truly ancient author�strick that Turtledove shouldn�t be able topull off. Amazingly, it works, and thisreader at least caught on only a few pagesahead of the legionnaires.

Turtledove�s research appears quitesolid, and the device of translating theRomans to an alternate world allows himto display a great deal of it without comingacross as a lecturer. The result is a star-tlingly realistic tone, which has the dualeffect of making the Romans easy forreaders to sympathize with and makingthe alien aspects of Videssan culture standout from its everyday routine. The battlescenes and tactics also ring true � WarMachine and BATTLESYSTEM� supple-ment devotees are very likely to linger

Alternate and alien worlds galore82 SEPTEMBER 1987

thoughtfully over those sequences. Vides-sos may have vast religious and magicaldifferences from historical Rome, but itswars and political crises are not so unique.

All of this makes the Legion books partlyhistorical fantasy, partly sword and sor-cery, and partly an intriguing symbolicconstruct. For tales that are also plainsolid adventure fare, that�s not bad at all.

THE PHOENIX BELLSKathryn Grant

Ace 0-44l-66227-7 $2.95There�s a potentially absorbing story

somewhere inside The Phoenix Bells try-ing to get out. But a host of seeming con-tradictions and vague intentions is fightingthat story every step of the way, makingKathryn Grant�s book generally moreconfusing than satisfying.

Nowhere does the cover give definiteindications that Grant is dealing in Orien-tal fantasy. Inside, though, the title pagecalls the tale �A Fantasy of a China ThatNever Was� � which is where the prob-lems begin. The subtitle is strikingly simi-lar to that of Barry Hughart�s Bridge ofBirds, inviting comparisons the presentnovel can�t hope to win. It�s a touch authoror publisher should have resisted, and itcreates unreasonable expectations inreaders� minds.

Worse still, the subtitle isn�t even strictlyaccurate. Less than a quarter of the waythrough the book, Grant abandons theimplied wonders of Emperor Ty-Sun�sLand of Ten Thousand Willows and sendsthe ruler on a voyage deep into the Westin search of a bride. From Oriental fanta-sy, the tale shifts to a sort of reverse twiston the travels of Marco Polo, as the entou-rage arrives first in Russia and then jour-neys to France and England. Grant takescare to use the right kings and tsars, butthe Russian segment seems overly unpleas-ant, and there is a very strange dimensionto Grant�s seventeenth-century Englishreligious politics. As historical fare, thenovel is therefore quite weak.

Religion itself is the next and most seri-ous stumbling block, going to the heart ofthe tale�s conflict (which concerns a vaguebut dangerous evil power bent on con-quering Ty-Sun�s empire). While at home,Ty-Sun can summon up Chinese gods quitecasually, and he has learned considerablespellcraft as their pupil. Which is fine �except that Fray Villadiego, a Jesuit whohas attached himself to the imperial courtin hopes of converting Ty-Sun to Christian-ity, seems to be a spy for the evil power.And the British Lord Elphinstone turns outto be a practicing Druid whose mysticpowers are nearly as potent as Ty-Suns.It�s nearly impossible to guess who reallycontrols Grant�s cosmos, and the surplusof belief systems leaves the basic rules ofmagic in doubt as well, confusing readersand characters alike.

Yet the characters, notably Ty-Sun and

his chief concubine, Spring Rain, are whatmake The Phoenix Bells readable despitethe pitfalls. Then again, it may be thepitfalls that make the characters endearing� Grant�s rendering of the emperor�sbewilderment nicely matches the helplessfeelings readers may have, and that makessympathizing with Ty-Sun an easy proposi-tion The narrative�s sense of personality isappealing, and its tone is agreeably light.

Grant�s world, unfortunately, isn�t yetsolid enough to pin these virtues on. Buttwo books remain in her planned trilogy,and answers to the questions posed by thisvolume are definitely worth hoping for.

WORLDSTONEVictoria Strauss

Signet/NAL 0-451-14756-1 $3.50It�s possible to disagree about the charac-

ters who populate Worldstone � readersmay be frustrated by their refusal to fallinto neat hero and villain molds, some willcredit author Victoria Strauss with unusu-al skill in creating people who stubbornlyrefuse to be so easily categorized. Butdebating characterization ignores thenovel�s real flaw: Strauss hasn�t adequatelydefined the artifact at the story�s heart,leaving her conflict adrift with nowhere toanchor itself.

The Worldstone has immutable powerand total knowledge, existing at the centerof all things in what was once a singleworld. But late in the Arthurian era, stressbetween psionics and technology (or mind-power and handpower, in Strauss�s terms)split one world into two, with the psychicstaking possession of the Worldstone. Theirworld became a low-tech dictatorship,while ours developed into modern Earth.

The first difficulty with this is that theWorldstone turns out to be self-aware. It�shard to understand how an entity in com-mand of such awesome resources couldallow the world to get so far �out of bal-ance� that a split could occur. And evengiven the division, the stone should stillhave full awareness of both worlds �which it doesn�t. As the �center of allthings,� the Worldstone is inconsistent.

Also inconsistent is Strauss�s treatmentof handpower and mindpower. On onehand, they�re supposed to be opposingforces, the cause of the split of the worlds.Supporting this logic is the fact that thoseborn of one world cannot sense the stone�swhereabouts while it is in the other. Yetthe two supposedly equal and oppositepowers have different effects on the stone,which has survived millennia of psychicmanipulation more or less intact but iseffectively (if only temporarily) enslavedwhen it�s hooked up to a computer system.And it eventually becomes clear that thereal conflict is one of attitude rather thanpure power � in fact, Strauss�s opponentsare more like than unlike, both sides benton preserving their own powers ratherthan following the paths of right.

What the �right� paths may be, though,is anyone�s guess. They�re not those of thepsychics, led by Marhalt, who follow theWorldstone�s thief into our world. Bron,the thief who hopes his computers willharness the Worldstone�s power for hisown ends, is no better a role model. AndAlexina Taylor, drawn into the struggle byan accidental mindlink, finds herself pre-vented by both sides from taking lastingaction with her own mental powers. (Itmay even be impossible for characters toimprove if Strauss�s gloomy portrait of thestate of the worlds is valid.)

Vagueness about a magical item�s proper-ties isn�t usually enough to destroy thefabric of a novel or game adventure.Worldstone is an unhappy exception tothat rule, and not even last-second hints ofa sequel make up for the illogic.

SEVENTH SONOrson Scott Card

Tor O-312-93019-4 $17.95Suppose the American Revolution had

turned out differently, leaving the Atlanticcoastline divided between British CrownColonies, a smaller United States, and anindependent �New England.� Supposeseveral decades of territorial expansionhad brought the frontier of civilizationinto what we call the Old Northwest.Suppose that a kind of folk magic, born ofcommon sense, herb lore, and secondsight, works in this alternate America. Intothis world bring the seventh son of aseventh son, traditional heir to magicbeyond imagining. So begin Orson ScottCard�s tales of Alvin Maker, chronicles thattake fantasy into realms almost entirelyunexplored.

Seventh Son isn�t a hack-and-slash adven-ture with monsters at every turn, nor is ita riddle-quest with mysteries to unravelevery third chapter. Card�s story is aboutgrowth and order; he draws broad, under-stated parallels between Alvin�s boyhoodand America�s development, and betweencivilization�s mundane trappings and theless tangible concepts of Making andUnmaking. Yet the tale is no less compel-ling for the absence of traditional fire-works. Strongly conceived characters andthe dangerous realities of frontier exist-ence combine with nature-driven magic togive Seventh Son both a sense of immedia-cy and a sense of myth.

That may not seem like the stuff ofexciting role-playing, and in fact the worldof Card�s novel is not really suited forgaming in the AD&D® game mold. But theconcept of �knacks� is easily adaptable asRPG magic, and a skill-based game (Role-master, perhaps, or a modified superherosystem) might provide the foundation foran unusual campaign devoted to culturaladvancement rather than treasure-finding.

Whether readers find new directions forgaming in Seventh Son, though, they willdefinitely acquire a unique and fascinating

DRAGON 83

perspective on American history and ahigh degree of respect for Orson ScottCards literary skills. This is a novel ofextraordinary thoughtfulness, which couldvery well turn out to be a literary classicin a hundred years or so. Further tales ofAlvin Maker will be well worth seeking.

ONCE UPON A MURDERRobert Randisi and Kevin Randle

TSR/Windwalker 0-88038-450-6 $2.95Collaborators Robert Randisi and Kevin

Randle owe a literary debt to mysterywriter Charlotte MacLeod, whose TheCurse of the Giant Hogweed (reviewed inthis column a year ago) rests on the samepremise as their Once Upon a Murder. Yetwhile both tales involve modern-daysleuths caught up in medieval whodunits,Randisi and Randle have managed to turntheir story in sufficiently different direc-tions to distinguish it from its predecessor.

This time, the detective is Chicago gum-shoe Miles Paladon, who has the singularbad luck to be gunned down in a darkalley at the same cosmic instant thatPrince Paladon of Palandrum is shot by amysterious archer near the site of a recentbattle. At least it seems like bad luck � butconsidering the fact that Miles and theprince are identical twins, and that theprince�s enemies may have access tounknown wizardry, it�s hard to be sure.

What�s important is that Miles findshimself in control of the prince�s body,while the prince tags along as a mentalpresence and Miles�s body lies comatose ina Chicago hospital. In order to be restoredto his own time and place, Miles mustfigure out which member of Palandrum�sbickering royal family murdered theprince. (Prince Paladon will die perma-nently when Miles is sent home.)

Though there are the expected laconicwisecracks spicing the narration, Randisiand Randle have given their yarn ratherless comedy than MacLeod�s, while provid-ing a neatly plotted � and entirely fair �puzzle and a stronger dose of genuinespellcraft. The interaction between Milesand Prince Paladon is well-crafted, anddespite a slightly overdeveloped taste forcorny names, the tale comes across as afaithful descendent of both the private-eyeyarn and the fantasy-intrigue novel. If themajor wizard weren�t so predictably irasci-ble (and if his name was anything but�Moribund�), the prospect of more storiesabout Miles Paladon would carry no reser-vations whatever.

KNIGHT LIFEPeter David

Ace 0-441-45130-6 $2.95It�s getting harder by the month to wax

enthusiastic about comic fantasies, espe-cially comic fantasies involving New YorkCity. There are just so many of them! ButPeter David�s tale of King Arthur�s intro-

84 SEPTEMBER 1987

duction to contemporary politics breaksthrough all the sighs and protests of �Notagain!� to find a comfortable place in theranks of both humorous and Arthurianadventures.

Knight Life is situation comedy in themost literal sense, and it wastes no timegetting underway. Inside 15 pages, both Arthur and Morgan Le Fey are firmlyestablished in modern America, and thecharacter of the tale has been clearly set.Events occur at an even, nonstop pace thatbetrays David�s background as a comic-book writer, and the requirements ofArthurian tradition and suspense are bothfulfilled in good measure.

The novel�s great virtue is that, havingestablished his premise, David plays hischaracters � and the narration � with acalmly logical sincerity that is utterlyconvincing. Arthur and his associatesbehave as if there�s nothing odd about alegendary king coming out of severalcenturies� retirement to launch a politicalcareer. His mayoral opponents graduallybegin to realize they are dealing with athoroughly preposterous situation, butcan�t stop trying to handle it logically. Andlogic, of course, has very little to do withanything connected to King Arthur.

The scenario David has chosen for thenovel might have been dangerously pre-dictable, but the deadpan humor andMorgan Le Fey�s ever-devious machina-tions combine to make the road to theclimax as rugged and circuitous as a paththrough the Amazon jungle. And a wicked-ly clever post-election twist both confirmsDavid�s skill as a craftsman and promisesto give most readers a genuine shock.

Knight Life only requires one cautionarynote. Though David has left openings for asecond book, it�s difficult to imagine asequel that could improve on the originalwithout mining the same ground. In thiscase, David would be well advised to lookfor other characters to populate his nextnovel. This one is simply too good to wasteas the start of one more average series,

CIRCUIT BREAKERMelinda M. Snodgrass

Berkley O-425-09776-5 $2.95Colonists are almost ready to begin

terraforming Mars into a lush, livableworld when a high-powered environmen-tal action group files a lawsuit to stop theproject. Who gets the complex job ofdeciding this landmark legal dispute?Cabot Huntington, the interplanetarycircuit justice featured in Melinda Snod-grass�s series of novels about the settle-ment of the solar system.

While Circuit Breaker quotes enough caselaw to satisfy all but the most curmudgeonlylaw professors (Snodgrass is a former attor-ney), readers need not expect a dry,detached narrative. Huntington�s judicialterritory is as wild a frontier as the old West,and enemies both on Earth and elsewhere

are out to sway or dispose of the judge.Among the players are a power-crazedWhite House official, a synthetic gem manu-facturer threatened by Martian diamondmining, the largely Mormon colonists, andthe daughter of a major interplanetarypolitical leader. Even the Nicaraguan govern-ment gets into the act.

The blend of solid legal reasoning andhair-trigger intrigue makes distinctivereading, and Snodgrass has a few clever, ifnot quite unpredictable, plot twists up hersleeve. Yet some concerns remain. Apotent romantic triangle takes up onesubplot, with sex explicit enough to worrythe parents of at least some young read-ers. (The plot is legitimate, but the descrip-tions seem inappropriately detailed � andsometimes a touch violent � for this broadan audience.)

The novel�s climax raises a differentquestion, as Huntington�s judicial statusbecomes doubtful following a chain ofdeceptions and bad luck. It�s possible topraise Snodgrass for letting her seriesdevelop new directions, but it seemsunfair to allow such an unusual hero toescape such a unique role.

But reservations aside, Circuit Breakerpasses one major test for reader satisfac-tion. Once this column is in the mail, I�llhead for the bookstore to find a copy ofCircuit, its predecessor. I want to knowwhat I missed in the first book.

RECURRING ROLESFor those who have wondered, the

admiring quote in paperback editions of ADarkness at Sethanon (Bantam Spectra,$3.95) and earlier volumes of RaymondFeist�s Riftwar saga belongs to someoneelse � and dates from far enough backthat I can�t locate the issue of DRAGONMagazine in which it appears. Though thecomparison to Tolkien is slightly overen-thusiastic, the saga is well worth reading.Feist�s Midkemia does recall Middle-earthin character, but the cycle�s style andscope owe as much to Stephen R. Donald-son. Whatever their origins, the Riftwarbooks are now justifiably among the mostpopular in modern fantasy.

No such justification explains the successof Dennis McKiernan�s tales of Mithgar.Trek to Kraggen-Cor (Signet, $2.95) con-tinues his pattern of hobbit worship andbegins a two-part story borrowed heavilyfrom the �mines of Moria� sections of TheLord of the Rings. Not only are the sourcesof McKiernan�s ideas obvious, they�realmost recreated � and the only newmaterial, notably a long, overly detailedbattle with a �Watcher in the Water� look-alike, would have been better omitted. Thebiographical notes claim that McKiernan�sprevious trilogy was �critically acclaimed;�anyone who can find the favorablereviews is urged to contact this column.

As usual, new series entries are pilingup, with the best being Louise Cooper�s

The Master (Tor, $3.50). This conclusion tothe Time Master trilogy fulfills the prom-ise of the first two books and brings thebattle of law and chaos to a stunning cli-max. Cooper�s books may be an acquiredtaste for some, but they are like little elsein print in their treatment of honor�s battleagainst principle.

The Heir Apparent (Signet, $3.50) con-tinues Joel Rosenberg�s chronicles of aband of fantasy gamers making their wayin a genuine fantasy world, and introducesa new generation of characters, includinga mysterious faerie queen who may havevague connections with master wizardArta Myrdhyn/Arthur Deighton, the archi-tect of the entire affair. This is action-adventure at its most frenzied, and it�s anopen question whether series hero KarlCullinane will be around in the next book.

The second volume of the superheroshared world overseen by George R.R.Martin is Wild Cards II: Aces High (BantamSpectra, $3.95), which comes even closerto being a novel than did the first. There isa shift in emphasis from the earlier book,with more razzle-dazzle action and slightlyless psychological depth, but the WildCards project remains one of the strongestshared worlds available and one of thefew meriting an unqualified recommenda-tion. Superhero RPG fans will be pleased.,

Jack Chalker�s busy schedule finds two

series tales newly available in the samemonth. Pirates of the Thunder (Del Rey,$3.50) continues the sequence begun inLords of the Middle Dark, generally con-firming impressions created by the earlierbook. It�s satisfactory space adventure, butwith an odd fixation on body reconstruc-tion, and the books climax seems to fore-cast the end of the series. The conceptoffered in The Labyrinth of Dreams (Tor,$3.50) seems more promising � a corpo-rate empire based on interdimensionalcommerce � but Chalker�s geographyfalters when he tries to locate McInerney,Oregon, in a part of the state where red-woods don�t grow and the mountains don�tcorrespond to his description. Aside fromthe misplaced landmarks, this tale too iscredible but not spectacular.

Runespear (Questar, $3.50) offers morefireworks for the dollar, and may be theclosest yet at recapturing the spirit of theIndiana Jones films. Victor Milan andMelinda Snodgrass join forces in a yarn ofa Nazi-sponsored quest for the fabledspear of Odin himself. The flavor is quiteunlike either author�s solo work, and boththe treatment of Eskimo culture and theoutcome of the search are handled withskill and wit. The second half moves morequickly than the first, but the novel as awhole is reasonably paced and definitelyworth checking out.

Also worth investigating, if for a ratherodd reason, is R.A. MacAvoy�s novel TheGrey Horse (Bantam Spectra, $3.95). Asusual, MacAvoy expertly creates atmo-sphere and character, this time of Irelandearly in this century and a being who isnot exactly a horse and not exactly a man.The story is chiefly a romance, and foronce MacAvoy seems not to know exactlyhow to conclude her tale, but even at lessthan full strength she writes circlesaround much of her competition. Whatmay attract AD&D game players in partic-ular is the resemblance between MacA-voy�s hero and the Oriental Adventuresrace of hengeyokai.

Finally, David Eddings begins a serieswhere his five-volume Belgariad left off inGuardians of the West (Del Rey, $16.95).Though the characters are agreeablyfamiliar and the quest they must under-take is satisfyingly heroic in proportion,it�s a bit irritating to note that Eddingswants his protagonists to have therewards of experience � kingship and soforth � but not the everyday responsibili-ties, which are cast aside as soon asanother epic danger arrives. And theprophecy, which provided much of theuniqueness of the earlier cycle, is muchless in evidence this time. All in all, thebest advice is probably to wait for thepaperback.

DRAGON 85

by Jeff Grubb

T h eMarvel®-Phile

The last time we met, we reviewed thenew, improved, meaner-than-ever Hulk.The new Hulk is twice as nasty but not asstrong as the old Hulk. But what about theHulk�s old foes who could give old JadeJaws a run for his money in their day?

Read on � from Abomination to Zzzax,as the saying goes (with a bonus hero: thegood Doc Samson).

ABOMINATIONTM

Tyrannus of Subterranea

F EX (20) Health: 240A EX (20)S UN (100) Karma: 110E UN (100)R AM (50) Resources: FE (2)*I EX (20)P IN (40) Popularity: - 40

* Tyrannus, in his original form, controlledthe resources of the underground kingdomof Subterranea (Shift Y Resources), whichare presently denied him in his monstrousform.

KNOWN POWERS:

Body Armor: Abomination�s scaly skinprovides Amazing protection against phys-ical and energy attacks. He has Unearthlyresistance to cold, heat, fire, and disease.Extreme temperatures or lack of oxygencan force him to go into a comalike stateuntil more hospitable conditions return.

Leaping: Like the Hulk, the Abominationhas overly developed leg muscles. Theseallow him to leap with Class 5000 ability,covering two miles in a single bound.

Mind-Scanning: This is an ability of Tyran-nus brought over into his new form. Tyran-nus can probe the thoughts of others withAmazing intensity.

Note: The Abomination, while more pow-erful than the Hulk, does not have theadrenaline surge ability that in the pastpermitted the Hulk to beat him.

TALENTS: The original Abomination,Emil Blonsky, had the espionage skill. Thecurrent incarnation is skilled with engi-neering, robotics, and weaponry.

CONTACTS: The original Abominationhad numerous criminal contacts, includingthe now-deceased Modok. Tyrannus wasleader of the Subterraneans, an under-ground race. In his long absence, his peo-ple have been ruled by the Mole Man.From Abomination� to Zzzax�

Marvel, Marvel Universe, Marvel Super Heroes, and all Marvel character likenesses are trademarks ofMarvel Entertainment Group, Inc.

©1987 Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

ABOMINATION�S STORY: The originalAbomination was Emil Blonsky, a spy for aforeign power, who discovered some

gamma-radiation equipment left behind byBruce Banner. Unaware that the equip-ment was intended to overdose the Hulkwith gamma radiation, Blonsky used theequipment on himself, transforming hisbody into the reptilian Abomination. TheAbomination kept Emil�s personality but,unlike the Hulk, could neither increase hisown strength level through adrenaline nortransform back into Blonsky.

The Blonsky Abomination battled theHulk on a number of occasions, usually asthe minion of some more powerful forcesuch as the Stranger, the Galaxy Master, orModok. After several defeats by the Hulk,the Abomination was disintegrated byModok as punishment. The componentatoms of Abomination drifted off into thenight.

Sometime earlier, the leader of the Sub-terranean people, Tyrannus, sought toconquer the surface world and was defeat-ed by the Hulk and the criminal Goldbug.Tyrannus linked his life-force with theFlame of Life, a cobalt-powered eternalpyre of great power in mythical El Dora-do. When the Hulk destroyed the ancientmachinery controlling that flame, Tyran-nus�s life-force was forced into space.

Tyrannus, now a disembodied form,discovered the floating gamma-irradiatedparticles that once formed Emil Blonsky�sAbomination. Using the last of his powers,Tyrannus merged his form with that ofthe particles. This combined the two into asingle entity which landed in the AmericanSouthwest. Army soldiers investigating thecrash discovered that the Abomination,now dominated by Tyrannus�s personality,had returned.

Tyrannus and Blonsky both existed inthe new Abomination, but Tyrannus had aplan to return to a more human form byseparating Blonsky�s body from the Abomi-nation in a fashion similar to Banner�sseparation from the Hulk. In his case,however, Tyrannus�s spirit would be inBlonsky�s human body, leaving Blonskybehind as the Abomination, a slave toTyrannus.

To complete this plan, the Tyrannus/Blonsky Abomination invaded Gamma Baseand captured Bruce Banner, holding hiswife Betty Ross Banner captive to ensurehis aid. Tyrannus separated Blonsky andthe Abomination, but Tyrannus�s con-sciousness remained in the Abominationform, effectively curing Blonsky of hiscurse. The Tyrannus Abomination nowattacked Banner, but Banner (as the Hulk)defeated him, damaging the machinescapable of working the same wonder onhimself in the process.

Blonsky is currently under arrest for hisespionage activities and crimes as theAbomination. The Tyrannus Abominationrecently escaped custody, battling (andlosing to) Wonder Man in California. Theeffects of being trapped in the hideousform of the Abomination have seriouslyweakened Tyrannus�s already unstablehold on reality.

ZZZAX�

F IN (40) Health: 230A AM (50)S IN (40) Karma: 62E UN (100)R TY (6) Resources: NAI TY (6)P AM (50) Popularity: - 20

KNOWN POWERS:

Electric Body: Zzzax has no physical form;he is an intelligent electromagnetic con-struct of psionic energy. This provides himwith several major advantages and disad-vantages. Zzzax has Unearthly protectionfrom physical and kinetic attacks, sincesuch attacks pass through his electrically

ject to normal attacks, though killing thehost body merely allows Zzzax to go free.The host body must make an EnduranceFEAT to avoid incineration.* Fire bolts of Monstrous energy damagewith a 15-area range.* Use magnetic force of Monstrous intensi-ty within a 15-area range.* Travel through electrical lines atUnearthly speed.

Zzzax�s electrical body has a number oflimitations. He can be affected by otherforms of energy and is particularly subjectto being grounded by a great amount ofwater (a fire hose�s spray will dol. AnEndurance FEAT allows Zzzax to avoidgrounding. Zzzax also radiates his ownenergy away over time, at a loss of oneHealth point per turn. Overlong isolationcauses Zzzax to �die away,� so he often

charged body. In addition, Zzzax can auto-matically make a successful energy attackon those touching his body, inflicting up toUnearthly damage. Various power stuntsZzzax has developed include:* Flight at Amazing speed.* The ability to possess the bodies of oth-ers through psionic means. Zzzax must hitthe target and make two Psyche FEAT rollsagainst the intensity of the target�s ownPsyche. Success of the first FEAT indicatespossession; the second FEAT means thatZzzax is in control of the body. Whilepossessing the body, Zzzax is sub-

recharges from electrical sites as well asfrom the psionic energies of others. Indi-viduals who have been possessed or incin-erated by Zzzax �heal� Zzzax�s losses byamounts equal to their Psyche scores.

ZZZAX�S STORY: The being known asZzzax was created in a nuclear accidentwhen a group of terrorists took over aCon Ed nuclear reactor. Stray gunfire inthe reactor chamber caused a small chainreaction, which in turn formed the initialZzzax creature. The creature absorbed theminds of the terrorists (incinerating them

DRAGON 87

in the process) and gained both a measureof intelligence and its evil disposition. Itsees the destruction of thinking beings asa method of increasing its intelligence(perhaps by one point for every hundredpoints of intelligence so consumed of at

88 SEPTEMBER 1987

least Typical level).Zzzax�s initial attacks were stopped by

Hulk and the Avenger Hawkeye, whodisrupted Zzzax�s energy field by �ground-ing� Zzzax with a long, arrow-shot, con-ductive cable leading to the East River.Zzzax was re-formed some time later byan experiment to monitor past and presenthuman brain-wave patterns: Soul StarResearch. The creature reformed in thegenerator and again ran amuck, battlingthe Hulk until it was disrupted by beinggrounded in a thunderstorm.

A portion of Zzzax�s power was left inthe Soul Star Research device, however.When the generator was purchased byStark International to equip Bruce Ban-ner�s Northwind research lab, the creatureescaped once again. This time, Zzzax wasdefeated by an intelligent Hulk with Ban-ner�s personality and mind. The BannerHulk drained Zzzax�s power into a genera-tor and shot the creature�s energy intospace.

Zzzax recently reappeared on Earth,working with a team of villains assembledby Graviton to defeat the West Coast.

Avengers. Zzzax was once again groundedand dispersed, but on this occasion waslater captured by SHIELD and brought toGamma Base for testing. Zzzax possessedthe body of General �Thunderbolt� Rossbut failed to exert complete control, sothat Ross�s personality overwhelmedZzzax�s own natural tendencies. TheZzzax/Ross being battled the Hulk and agamma-irradiated Rick Jones, but fledwhen the Ross persona was made tounderstand that, as Zzzax, he was amonster, too.

Shortly thereafter, Ross�s spirit returnedto his original body, bringing with himsome of Zzzax�s electrical abilities. Rossused these abilities against another mon-ster, a brain-controlling beast known asthe Nevermind. The massive overload ofelectricity killed both the Nevermind andRoss as well.

Zzzax�s current whereabouts and powerlevels are unknown. Further, former Gen-eral Ross�s body has disappeared, and itspresent location is unknown. Whethereither of these foes of the Hulk will reap-pear is as yet unknown.

DOC SAMSON�Dr. Leonard Samson

F IN (40) Health: 230A IN (40)S AM (50) Karma: 60E UN (100)R EX (20) Resources: GD (10)I EX (20)P EX (20) Popularity: 5

KNOWN POWERS:

Body Armor: Doc Samson�s gamma-irradiated skin provides Incredible protec-tion against physical and energy attacks.Unlike the Hulk and Abomination, he hasno particular resistances to heat and cold.

Leaping: Doc Samson has Shift Z leapingpower, such that he can leap 33 floors(500�) straight up and four areas across.

TALENTS: Samson is a doctor of psychia-try and a self-educated expert on the Hulkand gamma radiation. After many tussleswith the green-skinned monster and oth-ers, Samson has become a master of Mar-tial Arts A, C, and E.

CONTACTS: Doc Samson is on shakyterms with most of his contacts. SHIELDregards him as a menace, the Hulkbustersregard him as a threat, and the Universityof Chicago has denied him tenure.

DOC SAMSON�S STORY: DoctorLeonard Samson first became involvedwith the Hulk when he proposed a curefor Betty Ross when she had been turnedto a living crystalline being after a bloodtransfusion with another Hulk foe, theSandman. Doc Samson invented a deviceto drain the psionic energy of the Hulk

into a cathexis-ray device and used thatdevice to cure both the Hulk and Betty.

The experiment worked, and BruceBanner and Betty Ross were both restoredto normal form. Samson then turned theray on himself, out of scientific interestand a desire to become super-powered inhis own right. The limited amount ofgamma-irradiated psionic energy trans-formed Doc Samson into a green-hairedsuper-hero. When Samson began romanc-ing Betty away from the now-ordinaryBanner,-Dr. Banner subjected himself togamma radiation again, once more becom-ing the Hulk.

Samson has made the Hulk and gammaradiation in general the centerpiece for hisstudies. With the Hulk�s return fromanother dimension to this Earth, Samsondiscovered a method to �sift� the atoms ofBanner from his Hulk persona, restoringBanner to normality. The Bannerless Hulkwas then �acquired� by SHIELD, with theintention of destroying the monster. Sam-son thought the Hulk could be turned togood and so freed the creature � only todiscover that without Banner�s personality,the creature acted out of pure rage.

Feeling responsible for setting this mur-derous new Hulk free, Samson tried torecapture the monster. This obsessionbrought him into conflict with both of theAvengers teams and Banner�s ownHulkbusters group. Both Banner and Hulkwere restored as one being, and Samson�smachinery was broken up in a clashbetween the Abomination and the Hulk.Samson worked with SHIELD in itsattempts to recapture the Hulk, but withthe complete destruction of Gamma Base(partially at his own hands), Doc Samson�spresent situation is uncertain.

GAMERS’ G U I D E

90 SEPTEMBER 1987

DRAGON 91

CONVENTIONCALENDAR

Convention Calendar Policies

This column is offered as a service to ourreaders around the world. Anyone mayplace a free listing for a game conventionhere, but the following guidelines must beobserved.

In order to ensure that all conventionlistings contain accurate and timely infor-mation, all material should be either typeddouble-spaced or printed legibly on 8½” X11” paper. The contents of each listingshould be short, succinct, and under 150words in length.

The information given in the listing mustinclude the following information, in thefollowing order:

1. Convention title and dates held;2. Site and location;3. Guests of honor (if applicable);4. Special events offered;5. Registration fees or attendance

requirements;6. Address and telephone number(s)

where additional information and confirma-tion can be obtained.

Convention flyers, brochures, newslet-ters, and other mass-mailed announce-ments run the risk of not being consideredfor use in this column; we prefer to see acover letter with the announcement as well.No call-in listings are accepted. Domesticand foreign conventions are welcome.

WARNING: We are not responsible forincorrect information sent to us by conven-tion staff members. Please check yourconvention listing carefully! Our widecirculation ensures that up to a quarter of amillion readers see each issue. Accurateinformation is your responsibility!

Convention listings should be mailed bythe copy deadline date to ConventionCalendar, DRAGON® Magazine, PO. Box110, Lake Geneva WI 53147. Copy dead-line dates are the last Monday of eachmonth, two months prior to the on-saledate of an issue. For example, the copydeadline for the December 1987 issue isthe last Monday of October 1987. Planahead; early listings pay off!

If a convention listing must be changedbecause the convention has been can-celled, the dates have changed, or incor-rect information has been printed, pleasecontact us immediately! For any ques-tions or changes related to this column,please call either Robin Jenkins or RogerE. Moore at (414) 248-3625.

indicates an Alaskan convention. indicates a Canadian convention.

indicates a European convention.

GATEWAY 7, September 4-7The seventh running of this Labor Day con-

vention will be held at the LAX Hyatt Hotel.Featured events include role-playing games,

92 SEPTEMBER 1987

wargames, family games, and computer gamestournaments. Other events include seminars,demonstrations, auctions, flea markets, and anexhibitors� area. Registration is $20 at the door.Write to: GATEWAY �87, c/o DTI, P.O. Box 8399,Long Beach CA 90808; or call: (213) 420-3675.

NANCON-88 IX, September 4-7This annual, four-day gaming convention will

be held at the Ramada North West Crossing inHouston, Texas. Tournament events includeAD&D®, PARANOIA�, Squad Leader, Star FleetBattles, and Nuclear War games, and a variety ofothers. A large dealers� room and open-gamingroom are also provided. Send an SASE to: Nan�sGame HQ, 2011 Southwest Freeway, Houston TX77098 (Attn: NANCON).

THE NEXT REGENERATION, September 4-6This Doctor Who convention, which is spon-

sored by Austin Meetings, will be held at theHyatt Regency Hotel, 208 Barton Springs Roadin Austin, Tex. Anthony Ainley, John Levene,and Jon Pertwee will be available for questions,photos, and autographs. Eric Hoffman willpresent a video history of the guests, along witha special tribute to Patrick Troughton. Otherfeatures include a costume contest, coloringcontest, treasure hunt, dealers� room, andnumerous other events. Registration fees are$25 for the weekend, $5 for Friday admissiononly, and $12 for Saturday or Sunday admissiononly. Tickets for the Saturday night Cabaret are$5. Write to: Austin Meetings, P.O. Box 5587,Austin TX 78763.

PACIFICON �87, September 4-7The 11th annual PACIFICON gaming conven-

tion will be held at the Dunfey Hotel in SanMateo, Calif. Special room rates are availablefrom the hotel for convention participants.Featured events include role-playing andboardgaming tournaments, a flea market, semi-nars, movies, miniatures-painting contests,auctions, miniatures gaming, open gaming, SCAdemonstrations, and a dealers� room. Write to:PACIFICON, P.O. Box 2625, Fremont CA 94536.

WINGAMES VIII, September 4-7This gaming convention will be held at the

University Center on the University of Manitobacampus in Winnipeg, Man. Write to: WINGA-MES VIII, P.O. Box 80, University Center, Univer-sity of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Man., CANADAR3T 2N2.

GOLD CON �87, September 5-6This gaming convention will be held at the

OMNI Auditorium in Coconut Creek, Fla. Writeto: GOLD CON �87, OMNI Auditorium, B.C.C.North, 1000 Coconut Creek Parkway, CoconutCreek FL 33066; or call: (305) 973-2249.

CHEY CON II, September 12Also known as the �Rathha Con,� this science-

fiction convention will take place at the VFWPost 1881, 2816 E. 7th in Cheyenne, Wyo., andwill run from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M. Mark Armstrong,

Editor of FANTAGRAPHICS, will be the guest ofhonor. Featured events include a costume party,Japanese animation, dealers� tables, and ascreening of the �Star Trek Bloopers� film. At-the-door prices are $5 for adults and $3 forteenagers. Children under age 7 are admittedfree when accompanied by a paying adult.Write to: CHEY CON II, 803 Taft Avenue, Chey-enne WY 82001.

MIRACLECON �87, September 12This one-day gaming convention will be held

from 9 A.M. to midnight at the Day�s Inn inSpringfield, Ohio. Sponsored events include anAD&D® tournament, a dealers� room, aminiatures-painting contest, a game auction, anda variety of other gaming programs. Registra-tion is $5 for the day, with no additional fees forseparate events. Write to: MIRACLECON �87, c/oTimothy A. Riley, 308 West Church Street,Urbana OH 43078; or call: (513) 653-7848.

MOD-CON 87, September 18-20Italy�s largest gaming event will be held at the

Older Palasport, Viale Molza 21, in Modena,Italy. Events include AD&D® game tournaments,a Diplomacy tournament, a BATTLESYSTEM�supplement demonstration, and otherboardgaming and wargaming tournaments.Convention fees are £15, or £100 with hotelaccommodations. Write to: Guido Tremazzi, c/oOrsa Maggiore Gaming Shop, Piazza Matteotti20, Modena, Italy; or call: (011) 39-59-211200.

SPYCON 5, September 18-20This special convention should be of interest

to all fans of spy/undercover police TV shows.Held at the Mount Prospect Holiday Inn at 200East Rand Road in Mount Prospect, Ill., SPYCON5 features a dealers� room, art show, film room,and other events. Programs include episodesfrom The Man From U. N. C. L.E., The Avengers,Rat Patrol, The Professionals, Get Smart, and awide variety of others. Registration fees are $18through Sept. 18, and $20 at the door. Send anSASE to: SPYCON 5, 2710 Rohlwing Road, Roll-ing Meadows IL 60008.

TOLCON �87, September 26-27This science-fiction, comics, and gaming

convention will be held at the Student Center onthe University of Toledo Scott Park Campus inToledo, Ohio. Featured events include an auc-tion, a painted miniatures contest, movies, anamateur film contest, an art show and contest,an RPGA� Network AD&D® game tournament,and more than 100 other role-playing, board,and miniatures games. Merchants and exhibi-tors of comics, science-fiction items, and gameswill be in attendance, along with a number ofguest speakers. Admission to all events is FREE.Send an SASE to: Student Activities Office,UT-BASH (TOL-CON), 2801 W. Bancroft Street,Toledo OH 43606; or call: (419) 537-4654.

UNICON I, September 26-27The Anchorage Community College Gamers

Association and the University of Alaska,Anchorage Gaming Society are proud to intro-duce UNICON I, which will be held on theUniversity of Alaska, Anchorage/AnchorageCommunity College Campus. Tournamentsinclude AD&D®, GAMMA WORLD®, Talisman,RISK®, Blood Bowl, and Advanced Squad Leaderevents, as well as a miniatures-painting contest,open gaming, and other activities. The conven-tion is open from 9 A.M. to midnight on Saturdayand from 9 A.M. to 8 P.M. on Sunday. Preregistra-tion is $4 for UAA/ACC students and $5 for allothers until September 12. Thereafter, registra-

tion is $8 for both days or $5 for one day. Sendan SASE to: UAA Gaming Society, University ofAlaska, Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive,Anchorage AK 99508; or call: Greg Gibbs at(907) 786-7770.

VALLEY CON 12, September 26-27This science-fiction and fantasy convention

will be held at the Ramada Inn, at the intersec-tion of I-94 and Hwy. 75, in Moorhead, Minn.The guest of honor is Frederik Pohl. Featuredactivities include videos, an art show and auc-tion, numerous panels, and a wide variety ofgaming events (courtesy of the Gamers� Guildand Valley Con). Registration fees are $5.50 foradults, $4.50 for teenagers (ages 14-17), $3.00for children (ages 4-13), and free for childrenunder 4 years of age. Send an SASE to: VALLEYCON 12, P.O. Box 7202, Fargo ND 58108; or call:(701) 235-1322.

CONTRADICTION SEVEN, October 2-4This science-fiction and fantasy convention will

be held at the Ramada Inn, 401 Buffalo Avenue,Niagara Falls, N.Y Anne McCaffrey is the pro guestof honor, with Mike Glicksohn as fan guest. Otherguests include Joan Vinge, Nancy Kress, JimFrenkel, and T.S. Huff. Events offered include acostume contest ($25 for best costume), an artauction, videos, parties, a people and thing auction,panels, wargaming, filksinging, and other fannishactivities. Registration is $16 until Sept. 12, and $20thereafter. Write to: CONTRADICTION, P.O. Box2043; Newmarket Station, Niagara Falls NY 14301.Please send an SASE if you require confirmation.

DRAGON CON �87, October 2-4The Southeast Fantasy and Gaming Conven-

tion will be held at the Lanier Plaza and Conven-tion Center in Atlanta, Ga. Fantasy role-playing,strategic, and computer gaming are featured inover 75 tournaments. Panels, video rooms, adealers� room, a masquerade party, a gameauction, and much more are offered. Guestsinclude E. Gary Gygax, Michael Moorcock,Richard �Lord British� Garriott, Robert Asprin,Lynn Abbey; Brian Herbert, and Steve Jackson.Send an SASE to: DRAGON CON �87, Box 148,Clarkston GA 30021. Registrants can use Visa orMastercard to charge advance memberships bycalling: (800) 554-1162 (toll-free), or (404) 441-3045 in Georgia.

SAN ANTONIO FANTASY FAIROctober 2-4

Sponsored by Bulldog Productions, this comic-book, science-fiction, and film supershow takesplace at the Sheraton San Antonio, 1400 AustinHighway, Austin, Tex. Guests include Wendy andRichard Pini, Kerry Gammill, Tom Stazer, MikeMignola, and many others. Other featuresinclude a huge dealers� room, a professional artshow, an art contest, an art auction, videorooms, a masquerade, numerous workshops,previews of upcoming motion pictures, and avariety of gaming events and open gamingcompetition. Tickets for this three-day event are$15 through September 1 and $20 thereafter.Write to: Bulldog Productions, P.O. Box 820488,Dallas TX 75382; or call: (214) 349-3367.

SUNCOAST SKIRMISHES �87, October 2-4LISTING CHANGE: SKIRMISHES presents

the seventh annual production of this gamingextravaganza at the Howard Johnson PlazaHotel in Tampa, Fla. Events include historicalminiatures, role-playing, and boardgamingcompetitions. Live-action tournaments, a deal-ers� room, numerous seminars, and a host ofother events are also sponsored. Preregistration

for this three-day event is $12 until Sept. 1;thereafter, all registrations are $18. Hotel reser-vations may be made by calling: (813) 873-7900.Write to: SKIRMISHES, 1803 Third Court SE #A,Winterhaven FL 33880; or call: (813) 294-9166.

AUTUMN CAMPAIGNS �87, October 3-4Historical miniatures, board games, fantasy,

science-fiction, and role-playing games are featured at this gaming convention. TheAUTUMN CAMPAIGNS �87 will be held at theHilton Inn (same as last year) in Lexington, Ky.Registration is $10 for both days or $6 per day.There are no individual gaming fees. Write to:Convention Info, The Rusty Scabbard HobbyShop, 188 Woodland Avenue, Lexington KY40502.

FALL CON IV, October 3This one-day gaming convention will be held

at the McNaughton Park Pavilion in Elkhart,Ind., across from Elkhart General Hospital.Registration for this event is $5 at the door. Inaddition to an official RRGA� Network AD&D®game event, FALL CON IV sponsors numerousother games and miniatures events. Write to:The Brigade Gaming Group, P.O. Box 252,Elkhart IN 46515.

MILWAUKEE�S NINTH HISTORICALWARGAME WEEKEND, October 3-4

This ninth annual, nonprofit wargamingconvention will take place at the Bucyrus-ErieHall, 1120 Monroe Avenue, South Milwaukee,Wis. The convention opens at 10 A.M. on bothSaturday and Sunday, and runs until 8 P.M. onSaturday and until 5 P.M. on Sunday. Featuredevents include a variety of military miniatures

wargames and game vendors. Admission is $5per day or $7 for both days; a $1 fee will also beassessed for each game played. Send an SASE to:Joe Gepfert, 3440 S. Monterey Drive, NewBerlin WI 53151; or: Mark Van Groll, 4502 N.56th Street, Milwaukee WI 53218.

TOLEDO GAMING CONVENTION V,October 3-4

This gaming convention will be held at theToledo University Scott Park Campus in Toledo,Ohio. Featured events will include miniaturesevents, D&D® games, board gaming, a minia-tures painting contest, computer-related events,movies, an auction, and a dealers� room. Sendan SASE to: Mind Games, 3001 N. ReynoldsRoad, Toledo OH 43615.

VALLEYCON �87, October 3Sponsored by Big Mike�s Video, this one-day

gaming convention will be held at the TulareVeteran�s Memorial Building in Tulare, Calif.Convention events include exhibits, guest speak-ers, rare movies, trivia contests, a costumecontest, gaming demonstrations, AD&D® games,a dealers� room, and open gaming. Registrationto this event is not required, since admission isFREE. Write to: VALLEYCON �87, 1766 EastTulare Avenue, Tulare CA 93274.

CON * STELLATION 6, October 9-11This science-fiction and gaming convention

will be held at the Holiday Inn Research Park inHuntsville, Ala. Julius Schwartz is the guest ofhonor. Registration is $11 through August 31and $15 thereafter. Write to: CON*STELLATION6, P.O. Box 4857, Huntsville AL 35815.

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CONTACT-5, October 16-18Sponsored by the River City Science Fiction

Association, this convention will be held at theRamada Inn Spa in Evansville, Ind. The theme ofthe convention is �The War of the Worlds.�Patrick Price, Editor of AMAZING® Stories, isthe Guest of Honor. Other guests include RickeySheppard, Arlan Andrews, Timothy Zahn,Roger �R2� Reynolds, Mark Schulzinger, Gary M.Williams, Dr. Bill Breuer, Guy McLimore, GregPoehlein, and David Tepool. Special eventsinclude an art show and auction, a masquerade,panel discussions, RPGA� Network games, a 24-hour convention suite, a video room, and ahucksters� room. Registration fees are $12 untilSeptember 15, and $16 thereafter. Room rates atthe Ramada Inn are $45 for a single, $50 for adouble, and $56 for a suite. Write to: CONTACT-5, P.O. Box 3894, Evansville IN 47737.

FALLCON �87, October 16-18This gaming convention, sponsored by the

Cincinnati Area Gamers, will be held at theCincinnati Technical College in Cincinnati, Ohio.Role-playing games, boardgames, card games,and miniatures games are played at this event.Other features include a costume contest, apainting contest, a games auction, a dealers�room, and a Titan tournament. Write to: FALL-CON �87, P.O. Box 462, Cincinnati OH 45201-0462; or call: (513) 542-3449.

ICON XII, October 16-18This science-fiction convention will be held at

the Rodeway Inn, Hwy 965 and I-80, in Coral-ville, Iowa (call: (800) 228-2000 for reservations).Scheduled events include science-fiction read-ings and panels, an art show, a large dealers�

room, and open gaming. Memberships are $12until September 15 and $17 thereafter; specialone-day registration is available at the door for$10. Guests include Glen Cook, Dick Spelman,Rusty Hevelin, Rob Chilson, Joe & Gay Halde-man, Margaret Weis, and Roger Moore. Writeto: ICON XII, Dept. M, P.O. Box 525, Iowa City IA52244-0525.

NECRONOMICON �87, October 16-18The Stone Hill Science Fiction Association will

hold its sixth annual science-fiction conventionat the Holiday Inn-Sabal Park in Tampa, Fla. Thisyear�s guests of honor are Orson Scott Card,Frederik Pohl, and Elizabeth Anne Hull. Inaddition to panel discussions with these authors,there will be a vampire pageant, a costumecontest, trivia games, a general auction, and ahost of other events. Registration rates are $10until September 15. Write to: NECRONOMICON,c/o Stone Hill SF Association, P.O. Box 2076,Riverview FL 33569; or call: (813) 677-6347.

RUDICON 3, October 16-18This wargaming and role-playing convention

takes place at the Rochester Institute of Technol-ogy in Rochester, N.Y. Events include tourna-ments, a dealers� room, movies, and much more.Write to: Steve Ritzau, RLJDICON/RochesterWargamer�s Association and Guild (RWAG), c/oStudent Directorate, One Lomb Memorial Drive,Rochester NY 14623.

TITANCON I, October 16-18Frustrated by room changes and Titan �vari-

ants� at Origins �87? TITANCON I presents thesolution: the second annual TITAN NATIONALTOURNAMENT (TNT) at the Days Inn in

Charlottesville, Va. Teams of four or moreplayers vie for the 1987 Team National Champi-onship and trophy. Ranking is by Game PointAverage (GPA); players will play four or moregames of regular Titan over this two-day event.For those who complete four or more games,GPA is used to determine both Individual andTeam National Champions. TITANCON I willarrange teams for individuals. Registration is$10 per person; this fee covers all gamingadmission fees. Write to: TITANCON, P.O. Box485, Ivy VA 24060.

OCTOBERFEST GAMING 1987October 23-25

This role-playing game convention, which issponsored by the Detroit Gaming Center andthe City of Detroit Recreation Department, willbe held at the Lighthouse Recreation Center inDetroit, Mich. Kevin Siembieda (creator of theROBOTECH®, PALLADIUM®, MECHANOIDS®,and HEROES UNLIMITED® games), Erick Wujcik(designer of the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJATURTLES® and Revised RECON® games), andPete Rogan (editor of Stardate Magazine) will beguests of honor. Tournaments include AD&D®,TRAVELLER®, PARANOIA�, and ROBOTECH®game events, along with role-playing games andseminars, and a role-playing game costumecontest. Admission for this convention is FREE.Contact: Erick Wujcik, P.O. Box 1623, Detroit MI48231; or call: (313) 833-3016.

NOVAG III, October 24-25The Northern Virginia Adventure Gamers

(NOVAG) will host their third annual AdventureGaming Convention. This event will be held atthe Leesburg Westpark Hotel in Leesburg, Va.

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All types of adventure games, from historicalboard and miniatures games to science-fictionand fantasy role-playing games, are featured.Games vendors and game presentations will alsobe available. Write to: NOVAG, 101 E. HollyAvenue, Suite 16, Sterling VA 22170; or call:(703) 450-6738.

RIVERBEND GAMING CONVENTION �87October 3l - November 1

Sponsored by the Riverbend Gamers, this two-day gaming event will be held at the RamadaInn on Brady Street in Davenport, Iowa. Spon-sored events will include an RPGA� NetworkAD&D® game tournament, a miniatures paint-ing contest, the Riverbend AD&D Game Open,dealers� tables, seminars, game demonstrations,and much more. Rick Reid of �Fluffy Quest�fame will be the guest of honor. Preregistrationis $8 for both days; this includes one free eventticket. Write to: Riverbend Gamers Convention,423 Brady Street, Davenport IA 52801; or call:(309) 323-2670.

CHICAGO MODEL & HOBBY SHOWNovember 5-8

Sponsored by the Radio Control Hobby TradeAssociation (RCHTA), this third annual trade andhobby show will be held at the O�Hare ExpoCenter in Rosemont, Ill. A car track, boat pond,retail store, and static model area are featuredagain this year, with product displays by modelrailroad manufacturers. Over 2,000 retailersand distributors will attend this event, as willthousands of experienced modelers. Write to:CHICAGO MODEL & HOBBY SHOW, 2400 EastDevon Ave., Suite 205, Des Plaines IL 60018; or

call: Susan P. Lind at (312) 299-3131 or toll-freeat (800) 323-5155.

SCI CON 9, November 6-8Sponsored by the Hampton Roads Science

Fiction Association, this science-fiction conven-tion will be held at the Sheraton Beach Inn inVirginia Beach, Va. Larry Niven is the guest ofhonor, with P. Craig Russell as artist guest ofhonor and Bernadette Bosky as fan guest ofhonor. Featured events include panels, readings,videos, a costume contest, an art show, andmuch more. Registration costs are $15 untilOctober 1, and $18 at the door. Hucksters� tables(limit of 2, and including one membership pertable) are $50 each. Room rates at the SheratonBeach Inn are $45 for a single and $51 for adouble. Contact: SCI CON 9, P.O. Box 9434,Hampton VA 23670.

EARTHCON VII, November 13-15This science-fiction convention, which is

sponsored by NEOFSA, Inc., will be held at theHoliday Inn Westlake, 1100 Crocker Road, inCleveland, Ohio. Guests of honor include R.M.Meluch, Jay Sullivan, Kenneth Shulze, AlanTuskes, Sheldon Jaffrey, and Jim Young. Spon-sored events include videos, dealers, a masquer-ade, panels, filksinging, an art show andauction, a media display room, and much more.Preregistration fees are $22. For more informa-tion, write to: Earthcon, P.O. Box 5641, Cleve-land OH 44101.

DALLAS FANTASY FAIR, November 27-29Sponsored by Bulldog Productions, this comic-

book, science-fiction, and film supershow takes

place at the Marriot Park Central, 7750 I-635 atHwy 45, in Dallas, Tex. Guests include CaroleNelson Douglas, Steve Erwin, Kerry Gammill,and many others. Other features include a hugedealers� room, a professional art show, an artcontest, an art auction, video rooms, a masquer-ade, numerous workshops, previews of upcom-ing motion pictures, and a variety of gamingevents and open gaming competition. Ticketsfor this event are $20 through November 1 and$25 thereafter. Write to: Bulldog Productions,P.O. Box 820488, Dallas TX 75382; or call: (214)349-3367.

PELI-CON �87, November 27-29This convention will be the first comics and

gaming convention sponsored in the NewOrleans area. Held at the Clarion Hotel onhistoric Canal Street in Downtown NewOrleans, PELI-CON '87 will take place just blocksaway from the ever-popular French Quarter.Guest artists from several comic-book pub-lishers will be present for panel discussions andautograph sessions. Other guests will includeNed Dameron, George Alec Effinger, Pat Adkins,David �Zeb� Cook, Mike Curtis, and Kirk Alyn.Game events featured include an AD&D® gametournament, an AD&D game trivia contest,Pente, BATTLESYSTEM�, and BATTLETECH®game competitions, and a variety of miniatures,board, and role-playing games. Other featuresinclude a film and video room, a dealers� room,and a 24-hour gaming room. Registration feesfor the weekend are $12 until October 1. Formore information on this event, contact: PELI-CON �87 Convention Committee, 5200 ContiStreet, New Orleans LA 70124.

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