Wings

FeaturesWarriors of the Wind . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Michael LambertLearn the tactics of fighting airborne opponents, and addfour new flying races to your AD&D® campaign, either asopponents or allies for your PCs.

Xakhun Airship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Roger RauppThe drow could never aspire to conquer the skies, couldthey? Learn the secrets of the Xakhun clan’s plan forconquest of the outer world.

Fiction: “Soulkeeper” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Michaelene PendletonWhat wager is worth more than a witch’s entire fortune?

About the CoverRoger Raupp painted this view of the Xakhun airships forDRAGON® Magazine years ago. Recently, we discovered thepainting, the drawings, and the sketches in the labrynthinedepartment archives. Unearthed at last, “Xakhun Airship”forms the center of our “Wings” theme.

StaffPUBLISHER Pierce Watters — EDITOR Dave GrossART DIRECTOR Larry Smith — ASSOCIATE EDITOR Chris PerkinsEDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jesse Decker — PRODUCTION MANAGER

Roger Mangelson — ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Bob HenningADVERTISING MANAGER Judy Smitha

Issue #244Volume XXII, No. 7

February 1998

DepartmentsWyrms of the North . . . . . . . 54Ed GreenwoodNo adventurer should ever underestimate thedanger of a dragon named “Old Snarl,” unlessone’s prepared for “a right bit of Klauth work.”

Arcane Lore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Robert S. Mullin“Spells of Elemental Air” can take your wizards tonew heights.

Bazaar of the Bizarre . . . . . . 76James Wyatt and Steve BermanFrom the mechanical to the magical, peruse thisfine selection of “Miracles of Flight.”

Ecology of the Sphinx . . . . . 84Johnathan M. RichardsA clever wizard applies his knowledge of thefour sphinxes to profit from their naturalanimosity.

ColumnsThe Wyrm's Turn™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4D-Mail™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Sage Advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Out of Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20Bookwyrms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90DragonMirth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92Gamer’s Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94Floyd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95Roleplaying Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100Re:Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105Knights of the Dinner Table . . . . . . . . . . . . .107TSR Previews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108ProFiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

DRAGON #244

The Best CampaignTHE LETTERS continue to arrive, butthe first responses to the “PlayingFavorites” editorial in issue #241 areconfirming what I hoped was true:Even those who have a clearlyfavorite campaign also enjoy othersettings. I’m not alone!

Much has changed since I wrotethat editorial about a year ago. Asidefrom the obvious changes in companyownership and the location of ouroffices, we’ve also seen TSR Onlinemove to the web (at www.tsrinc.com),where it has established both a chatarea and a message board in additionto the features it had originally. Thus,the topics that inspired that editorialare now at the new location. Visit usthere sometime, and add your opin-ion to the discussions.

I promised to name my favoritesetting once the responses arrived,and it’s tempting to equivocate andname a half-dozen. That would bemore fair and truthful in many ways,but it would also be a cop-out. Also,since I wrote that editorial, my firstchoice has wavered several times,making it all the more tempting to bea weenie and not pick just one. Butyou held up your end of the bargain,so I can’t back down now.

My favorite is the AL-QADIM® setting.Now, I’ve never run an AL-QADIM playercharacter, and I’ve DMed only a coupledozen sessions of Arabian Adventures(compared with hundreds in theRealms, Krynn, or Oerth), but the Landof Fate still knocks me out more thanany other setting. Why?

The high production values of theproducts certainly had something todo with it (those gorgeous maps!), asdid the superlative design and editingby Jeff Grubb and Andria Hayday.Most of the adventures for the settingwere excellent (especially those byWolfgang Baur and Steve Kurtz),focusing on the storytelling emphasisof Arabian tales without losing sight

of the strength of location-basedencounters.

Another reason AL-QADIM standsout as my favorite is that it achieved ageneral appeal while maintaining anexotic atmosphere. All of my playersinstantly grasped that the Land of Fatewas somewhere else, but they had noproblem adjusting to the new customsof Zakhara. We had as much fun inconversations over coffee with thesheik after a salt ceremony as we didplaying out combat with ghuls anddjinn. Saying the right thing to theGrandfather of Assassins became justas thrilling as rolling a natural 20 incombat. And, face it, a mamluk is waycooler than a paladin.

That said, I must confess that Ihaven’t run an AL-QADIM adventure forwell over a year. In that time I’veplayed in the FORGOTTEN REALMS®,RAVENLOFT®, BIRTHRIGHT®, and GREYHAWK®settings, some of my other favorites.

Also, I have a soft spot for some ofthe lesser-played campaigns, notablythe historical supplements and theMasque of the Red Death products. (Oneof my game dreams is to run a time-traveling campaign that touches on allof them. Like most folks, I imaginemany more campaigns than I’ll everactually run-especially the latestversion of my house campaign ...which is, of course, my next favorite.

On that note, write me a shortletter describing your own house cam-paign-whether you’ve actually run itor have just dreamed it so far. We’llprint the most interesting in “D-Mail,”where everyone can see what you’veimagined.

DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is publishedmonthly except November (twice monthly) by TSR, Inc.,1801 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98055, United Statesof America. Periodical postage paid at Renton, WA, U.S.A.,and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send addresschanges to DRAGON Magazine, P.O. Box 469086,Escondido, CA 92046, U.S.A. USPS 318-790, ISSN 0279-6848. The postal address for all materials from the UnitedStates of America and Canada except subscription ordersand change-of-address notices is: DRAGON® Magazine, 1801Lind Avenue S.W., Renton, WA 98055, U.S.A.; telephone(425) 226-6500; fax (425) 204-5928.

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DRAGON is a registered trademark of TSR, Inc.Registration applied for in the United Kingdom. All rights tothe contents of this publication are reserved, and nothingmay be reproduced from it in whole or in part without firstobtaining permission in writing from the publisher.Material published in DRAGON® Magazine does not neces-sarily reflect the opinions of TSR, Inc. Therefore, TSR willnot be held accountable for opinions or misinformationcontained in such material.

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©1998 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. All TSR charac-ters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses there-of are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. TSR, Inc. is a sub-sidiary of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

4 FEBRUARY 1998

MANY OF YOUR YOUR LETTERS this monthaddress Steve Stewart’s note in issue#241. The second most popular topic wasfavorite game settings, in response to theeditorial from the same issue. Keep send-ing us your opinions on that question, butalso let us know what you think of thisissue and what you’d like to see.

Humor vs. HatredDear DRAGON® Magazine,

I completely disagree with StevenStewart ’s opin ion on LawrenceWenzel’s article on the mother NPC inissue #238. I believe Mr. Stewartmissed the point. Being a woman anda gamer for nearly 10 years now, Ithink I have another valid viewpoint.The article was poking fun at thestereotype of mothers, not at mothersthemselves. Humor can be an excel-lent weapon against prejudice andhatred. By going “over the top,” as itwere, the article—while being quitefunny—also showed that these views

I believe the main reason thatmore women aren’t interested in gam-ing is not because of articles like thisbut because of the lack of them. If thisarticle weren’t so silly, a lot of maleplayers would simply keep believingthe “fact” that women are good onlyfor mothering the party (“Here, youcan play the cleric.“) or for being thechainmail bimbo (“Hey baby, wannatake a tumble with me?“). If the articleseemed ridiculous, opinions like thatshould seem ridiculous, too.

Most games are based on vaguelyMedieval cultures. Some gamers andwriters like to accentuate the submis-sive position of Medieval women.Women don’t want to play in gameswhere they don’t even have the imper-fect rights that they have in this world.What gamers and writers need to havetruly equal games is to realize thatmen and women aren’t that different.Women don’t adventure only forrevenge, and men don’t adventure

Humor can bean excellent weapon

against prejudice and hatred.

of women were just stereotypes, not only for power. Each character shouldthe real thing. Being politically correct be an individual. Any kind of stereo-allows one blindly to decry anything types, chainmail bimbo, the tediousthat doesn’t appear to be agreeable to elf/dwarf hatred, the man-hatingeveryone. It doesn’t allow you to see Amazon, the obnoxious paladin (thesethe subtleties and genuinely think last from David Liepmann’s letter inabout the cause of the stereotypes. issue #241), all harm the game. They

destroy original thought, and theybring in hate where none needs to be.There are enough villains in the worldto fight; we don’t need to fight amongourselves.

Andrea McCormickHarrisburg, PA

No OffenseDear DRAGON Magazine,

As an avid gamer and reader ofDragon Magazine, I don’t write oftenenough congratulating you on howwell you do. I’m always looking for-ward to the next magazine, and I’mnever displeased.

In issue #241, Steve Stewart madesome comments I wish to address. Heseemed somewhat offended by what“Mommy Dearest” (in issue #238)seemed to say. He wrote “A closeexamination of the article reveals anunderlying lack of respect for womenin general.” I disagree. If anything, itshows a hearty and fearful respect forwhat mothers seem to be able to do.He likened the image to that of theidyllic June Cleaver, but I don’tremember Mrs. Cleaver berating EddieHaskal, even at his most annoying,brown-nosing times.

Also, he states that “[the article]totally ignores the many valuablecontributions women make in mod-ern society.” The first thing to remem-ber is that the AD&D® world is veryfar from modern. Also, if we look at ithistorically, women usually were notconsidered equal and were the house-keepers and tenders. If this were notso, Joan of Arc would have had amuch easier time. The AD&D setting,however, is a fantasy world for themost part, and women are viewed asequals, something I wholly applaud.

“Mommy Deares t ” po r t rayedhumorously that scary tendency moth-ers have to know what we do, wherewe are, and what we think evenbefore we ourselves know. I do notthink it was offensive, but as a son Imight be biased. So I forced my ownmother to read the article, and theonly thing she said was, “That’s right.And don’t you forget it.” It frightenedme more than a little.

We must remember that AD&D ispretty much a free-style game, and theDM is free to use, ignore, or edit any-thing he (or she) wants. So, if “MommyDearest” does not meet your delicatestandards, change it or throw it out.Personally, it would be something I

6 FEBRUARY 1998

might hint on in roleplaying, but Iwould not insert any hard rules.

In conclusion, let’s not try so hardto find something offensive or con-flicting. It’s a very sad thing that theworld has lost its ability to laugh forfear of offending someone else.Anything, if you break it down intosmall enough pieces, can be offensive,but when you look at it as a whole, itshows a completely different picture.

Forrest GarwoodClearbrook, VA

M.O.M Point by Point Dear DRAGON Magazine,

I am writing in response to a letterfrom Steve Stewart about the “MommyDearest” article in Dragon Magazine#238. Personally, I found the articlehilarious and surprisingly useful. Iwould like to go through the mainpoints of Steve’s letter one by one.

One: “[The article shows] an under-lying lack of respect for women ingeneral.” I don’t know about you, butthese abilities, like Berate, Detect Lies,Hindsight, and Power Word: MiddleName make me think that LawrenceR. Wenzel had great respect for hismother. Also, note that the article isintended to create a particular kind offemale character, one who not onlyprobably has children but also haschosen to become a member ofM.O.M. It isn’t meant for female NPCsin general.

Two: “[The article] ignores the manyvaluable contributions women makein modern society.” Yes, it does, that’strue. It doesn’t need to take them intoaccount. A member of M.O.M. doesn’thave to spend her entire time in thepursuit of motherly duties, no morethan a fighter has to spend all his timefighting. (That’d tire you out quickly,wouldn’t it?) After all, modern Mothers(and mine has some of those abilities,too) do all the child-rearing stuff, all thecleaning, the housework, and manageto also take college courses and keep ajob. Nowhere did the article suggestthat Mothers do nothing but house-work. What the article does say is thatcooking, cleaning, and child rearingare big jobs, and that Mothers can dothem well.

Three: “The article also sends themessage that ‘motherly’ chores arethe exclusive province of women.” Isee what you mean . . . however, thearticle claims these chores and abili-ties to be the exclusive province of

Mothers (or at least claims thatMothers have perfected them), not ofwomen in general. Keep in mind,women that become Mothers (withthe capital M) have done so bychoice. Granted, men cannot becomeMothers, but I took the proficiencies inparticular to be applicable to any PCor NPC who wished to take the timeto learn them, male or female. Thenagain, that’s only my interpretation.

Oh, and a final note: as far asfemales in the roleplaying scene go,my gaming group is an anomaly ofsorts. We are all college students at anall-women school, so our groups arecorrespondingly made entirely offemales. Most, if not all, of the charac-ters are also female. One characterrecently became a mother, and shehappens to be the scantily-cladbarbarian of the group. All the othercharacters dress sensibly and weararmor that actually protects all of theirvital organs. When I bought DragonMagazine #238 and read it, I immedi-a t e l y d i s t r i b u t e d t h e “ M o m m yDearest” article among my players,and all of them loved it.

Diana WrayStaunton, VA

The Living OerthDear Dave,

Hello from one of those disgrun-tled 30-something GREYHAWK® gamers.

Two friends and I have been adven-turing since 1982, starting with TheCaves of Chaos. We have stuck to theGREYHAWK setting exclusively since theearly 90s. My friends and I currentlylive one hour apart, and we can playonly three or four weekends per year,but the sessions are quite intense, start-ing in the late morning and endingsometimes before dawn the next day.

We have been playing three RatikanHighlanders for the past six years,and we’ve purchased every GREYHAWK

product ever printed.I really can’t give an explanation

why GREYHAWK has been our world ofchoice, but we love the game. We areoverjoyed to hear that TSR will bebreathing new life into the setting.

We exhausted the supply of pub-lished GREYHAWK adventures long agoand now simply create our own sce-narios and throw in the occasionalpurchased adventure, which the DMalters to fit the GREYHAWK setting. TheRuins of Myth Drannor was awesome,and I am currently working on The

I’m a 58-year-old manwho wants to grow downto be Drizzt Do’Urden.

Mothers and the RealmsDear Dave,

In response to the editorial and the“D-Mail” column from issue #241: Badnews [for those who think of Realmsfans as young teens]—I’m a 58-year-old man who wants to grow down tobe Drizzt Do’Urden.

Favorite setting? After all the novels,it has to be the FORGOTTEN REALMS®campaign.

On the Mother NPC article: BeingJewish, I roared with laughter. TellSteve Stewart to quit being politicallycorrect and get a sense of humor. Mysense of humor is second-hand, as Iobtained it at my local Army-Navystore . . . from a bin marked “used warsurplus.”

Two issues (#241 and the Annual) atonce-l might have a fit of the vapors!

Jeremy A. MicheleBillings, MT

Night Below as wel l as DragonMountain. Customizing is a lot of work!

Connor McCleodLittlestown, PA

Kallisto the BleakDear Dave,

My favorite campaign setting hasalways been one of my own creation.All of the history, magic, and non-player characters are at my fingertips.My players and I have devised anexciting world named Kallisto theBleak just this past August, and so fareveryone is satisfied.

I have tried some of the publishedcampaign settings in previous years,and of them I would have to say thatthe GREYHAWK and RAVENLOFT® settingsare the ones I like best. Why?

When I first started playing, theonly published game settings were

DRAGON #244 7

the Empire of the Petal Throne and theWorld of GREYHAWK. Since my fantasti-cal leanings were more to the Westthan the mystical East, I chose theGREYHAWK campaign. Visions of elves,halflings, and dwarves still filled mymind. What I liked most about Oerthwas that the shield devices of the var-ious lands were printed right on thecover, allowing me to show the play-ers just what Tenser’s guardsmenwere wearing on their shields. What Iliked least about the world was theprofusion of odd gods that didn’tseem to have any connection to eachother, or even to know of each other’sexistence.

Only recently have I started runninggames set in the new RAVENLOFT setting.(I bought the original module yearsago but didn’t see much scope to it.)The main reason I like it so much is itssimilarity to the atmosphere of Call ofCthulhu: I am still looking desperatelyfor the Masque of the Red Death acces-sory so I can incorporate my Cthulhu byGaslight rules with the AD&D game.

J.T. Fuqua IISanta Fe, NM

Everyone’s FavoriteDear DRAGON Magazine,

While many will tell you only abouttheir own preferences, I’m going to tellyou about the entire group’s (past andpresent) favorite campaigns.

Greg likes PLANESCAPE® setting most.He truly is an incomprehensible, cant-spewing power gamer.

Logan likes the DARK SUN® setting.It’s hard to turn it down when yourthri-kreen gets five attacks a round.Anjun likes DRAGONLANCE® most. Jonand Zeb just don’t care.

What about me? I’ll play anything,but I love the campaign I made myself.

Bill Palacek14798 Flintlock Road

Henderson, NV 89014

Ready to PlayDear DRAGON® Magazine,

I am fourteen, and I am sorry tosay that I have never played theAD&D game. I am reading lots of thecomplete handbooks and other rulessupplements. I discovered your maga-zine when I saw my cousin’s huge pileof them, and now I take them outfrom the local library.

I really like “Bazaar of the Bizarre”and “Arcane Lore,” and before issue#237, I had never even heard of the

MYSTARA™ setting. “Knights of theDinner Table” is the best of your comicstrips.

The new kits you create look likethey would be fun to play. Your newspells are really good. The “I’m aWhat?!” article was wonderful, a mustfor all DMs. Overall, issue #237 wasmy favorite of the ones I’ve read.

Virgil LinkewichRegina, SK, Canada

Ecology RequestsDear DRAGON Magazine,

As a long time fan of your maga-zine, I have to say that every issuesince your return has been fantastic!I’ve been extremely impressed by thequality of the content. Though mostall of the articles are quite entertain-ing, I find your “Ecology” section themost useful in actually creating andplaying in my campaign. Having thatbackground information on a beastmakes all the difference in the worldwhen, as a DM, you want to roleplayeach NPC to the fullest rather than justdoing the old “hack and slash.”

I would like to suggest some crea-tures that I would very much like to seeheadlined in your “Ecology” section in afuture issue (the mischievous kenku;shape-changing bandits, the spriggan;and the evil dwarves, the duergar).

Again I say, “a job well done!” I’ll berenewing my subscription for sure.

Keith CoonTempe, AZ

Realms of CharacterDear DRAGON® Magazine,

I have been reading DragonMagazine for a long time and haveoften considered writing a letter butnever found the t ime or nerve.However, when I saw the subject ofissue #241’s “The Wyrm’s Turn,” Idecided I should finally just go aheadand write a letter.

Both my wife and I play AD&D andare both in our mid-twenties. I havebeen playing AD&D for about fifteenyears now, and my wife has just startedin the last few years. We bothagree on our favorite campaign, theFORGOTTEN REALMS setting. However, weboth disagree with the emergingstereotypes that seem to have risenup around the fans of AD&D’s majorsettings. I thoroughly enjoyed theDRAGONLANCE, RAVENLOFT®, and GREYHAWK

settings, and I’m thrilled to see themall once again getting the attention

they deserve (from “Current Clack” col-umn in the same issue, I understandthat GREYHAWK is to receive renewedattention and, of course, there is theDRAGONLANCE line), but I always comeback to the FORGOTTEN REALMS cam-paign. My wife, having just startedgaming in the last couple years, hasn’thad a lot of exposure to some of thenow defunct or often ignored settings.However, she has had a lot of expo-sure to both the DRAGONLANCE andRAVENLOFT settings. Yet her favorite set-ting remains the Realms. Our mainreasons for this preference are thewell developed characters and “exoticlocales” of the Realms. That is not tosay that DRAGONLANCE and GREYHAWK

don’t have their share of enjoyablecharacters and locations; it’s just thatthe Realms have our favorites (withthe exception, of course, of the greatand powerful Fizban).

Now, you’re probably wonderingwhat we base “our favorites” on. Manyof the personalities of the Realmshave a depth and history that fewcampaigns can boast, even their pri-mary characters. (The DRAGONLANCE

campaign has notable exceptions inthe Heroes of the Lance.)

Also the world of the FORGOTTEN

REALMS seems to be the most thor-oughly explored and detailed of allthe currently existing campaignworlds. There’s a lot more I could say,but I’m not trying to write a thesis onfantasy characterization.

Chris and Amy MatoskyAddress Withheld

* indicates a product produced by a companyother than TSR, Inc. Most product names aretrademarks owned by the companies publishingthose products. The use of the name of any prod-uct without mention of its trademark status shouldnot be construed as a challenge to such status.

Send your letters of comment to“D-Mail,” Dragon® Magazine, 1801Lind Avenue S.W., Renton, WA98055, USA. Send email to

dmail@wizards.com. All materialshould be neatly typed or handwrit-ten. Include your full name andmailing address if you expect yourletter to be printed, and let us knowhow much if it you'd like printed.

8 FEBRUARY 1998

The Prepared DMFollowing are some basic ideas

that should aid the novice DungeonMaster in presenting a campaignwhile running the technical aspects ofthe game smoothly.

As inconsequential as it mightseem at first, where the players sit rel-ative to the DM has an effect on thesuccess of the game session. I havefound it most advantageous to havethe players sit in a semi-circle, eachfacing the DM. A large round table isideal for this, but a rectangle oftenresults with the player’s facing eachother instead of the DM. In such acase, it might be better to find com-fortable floor space, if circumstancespermit.

the surrounding terrain, buildings,streets or the inside of a building ordungeon would be helpful. It saves alot of paper as well.

2. NPC List. Each week, the DMshould hand out a list of the NPCs thatwere encountered in the previous ses-sion. For those NPCs who were notimportant, don’t list them—or do if youwish to throw your PCs off track.Include the NPC’s name, race, basicdescription, and whatever facts arealready known of the individual.

3. Player Character Summary. Treatthis in the same way as above, andinclude a basic physical description.This sheet should not need frequentalteration.

4. Player Information on NearbyTerritories. Whatever local news,

The number-one threatto a game is story lag.

The player characters (PCs) shouldeach have something in commonwith at least two other PCs. Chooseone or two from the guidelines below:

1. Ideology, common beliefs, com-mon allegiance, or common patron.

3. Membership in a common net-work, organization, guild, or band.

4. Membership in the same family,preferably friends as well. Rememberthe assumption is that these peopleare working together-or will be-sodon’t make your commonality a dis-advantage through mutual hatred.

5. Friendship. Easy enough.Before the game begins, the DM

might wish to consider using thefollowing tools:

1. Dry-Erase Board. These are idealin situations where a quick sketch of

geographic locations, or sites of inter-est that the party would have knowl-edge of should be detailed here.Player maps should be included, theirdetail in direct proportion to collectivecharacter knowledge (though I’m notsuggesting that the maps reveal anyinformation that a character has kepthidden).

The number-one threat to a gameis story lag. If your players look boredor are reading a book, chances arethe story is lagging. Some ways toavoid this are:

1. Having the PCs suddenlyattacked. Do this too often, and theplayers will think either that theymade you angry or that you neverprepared. Or, just annihilate theircharacters for fun, but don’t expectthem ever to play again.

2. Employ theatrics. Stand up, orgesture more, or raise your voice a bit;get their attention. If the scene doesnot involve combat, then let themknow it is important by catching theirattention. Throwing eggs at them willalso regain their attention, but that isnot recommended. Use motion toyour advantage. People pay moreattention to moving objects than tostationary ones, so walk around a bitwhen you don’t need to roll dice.

3. Declare the immediate passageof time. A common cause of story lagis simple: nothing is happening. Movethe story past these moments quickly.

4. If the characters don’t knowwhat to do next, then provide imme-diate clues for direction, or simplystate the choices.

5. In combat, don’ t le t ru lesdebates slow the action. There’salways time to hone expertise in therules later. Just never be wrong, OK? Itmight also help to list all NPCs andcreatures on one or two sheets tomake stats easily accessible. It’s nogood for the flow of the game if onehas to search around for the details.

6. If all else fails, everyone shouldshut their books and watch a movie.

Follow the above advice, andthings should begin to run pretty well.

Dan Cross337 South Devon Ave

Wayne, PA, 19087

A Grave InjusticeI am writing in response to the

grave injustice TSR has perpetratedagainst one of the most interestingmonsters in the AD&D® game. Thedeath knight has been described inprevious TSR texts as “a horrifyingform of lich.”

It is grossly unfair to fallen paladinseverywhere to fail to accord them thetrue power of their undead stature.Thus, death knights are entitled to allthe basic powers and immunities ofliches as described on page 222 of theMONSTROUS MANUAL™ book. Thesepowers include fear in creatures of 5HD or fewer, 1d10 hp cold damage bytouch, +1 or better weapons to hitand immunity to charm, sleep, enfeeble-ment, polymorph, cold, electricity,insanity, or death spells. Death knightsare not granted the power to paralyzeby touch, since no death knight wouldbe caught dead without his armor.(The armored gauntlets prevent thispower from functioning.)

10 FEBRUARY 1998

Death knights, in life, worked hardto gain levels and should not be arbi-trarily stripped of them upon becom-ing a death knight. Therefore, alldeath knights should retain the HP,THAC0, AC, Saving Throws and magi-cal items that they possessed in life.An examination of the foremost workon Death Knights to date, Knight of theBlack Rose, by James Lowder, reveals

and then grant the death knight oneof the additional powers for every twoor three levels beyond. This allows theDM to create a truly fearsome oppo-nent for medium- through high-levelparties. There is also justification (butnot as well supported in Knight of theBlack Rose and the DRAGONLANCE novels)for death knights to have the follow-ing powers: immunity to fire (see the

Support equal opportunity undeathand give death knights the fearsome

powers they deserve!

still more powers that death knightsare entitled to. First of these powers isthe shadow walk ability. Usable at will,this power allows the death knight tomove from shadow to shadow in afashion similar to dimension door, withthe exception that the death knightmay lurk insubstantially in the shad-ows as desired. Dematerialization andrematerialization take a full round.This power is used extensively by LordSoth throughout the DRAGONLANCE®novels and in Knight of the Black Rose.

Lord Soth is always described as pro-jecting an aura of cold. This aura coin-cides with the 5’ radius fear aura deathknights perpetually generate and hasno real effect on game play. It does,however, provide further justificationfor the lich’s cold touch.

Other powers used by Lord Soth inKnight of the Black Rose include Bigby’sclenched fist 1/day (used to pound onStrahd’s castle), Bigby’s crushing hand1/day (used on the hapless demonictree when Soth is first swallowed by themists), and either Melf's minute meteorsor meteor swarm (as fits the campaign)1/day (used when Soth tried to gainentry to Strahd’s castle through a hordeof Strahd’s minions.) Also, one uniden-tifiable spell is used by Lord Soth tostrike at Caradoc. I have used Otiluke’sfreezing ray 1/day for this effect.

Also, these additional powers allowfor greater flexibility on the part of theDM. If one considers the MONSTROUS

MANUAL description to be the mini-mum powers available to a deathknight and Lord Soth to have themaximum, then the DM can assign alldeath knights of 9th level the stan-dard powers from the MONSTROUS

MANUAL (plus the lich power additions)

Vistani camp in Knight of the BlackRose and Lord Soth’s death by fire),gate 2/day as a means of transporta-tion, and power to control lesserundead (see Soth’s entry into theTower of High Sorcery.)

Support equal opportunity undeath,and give death knights the fearsomepowers they deserve!

Harry PrattNormal, IL

The SAGA® Saga ContinuesChristopher Manning, you’re not

alone. I purchased the FIFTH AGE™boxed set, even though I was some-what hesitant about the new card sys-tem. Being an avid fan of theDRAGONLANCE setting, I was most disap-pointed at the lack of information pre-sented. One 96-page booklet does notpaint the picture of the world that isKrynn. It cannot be assumed thateveryone buying the FIFTH AGE boxedset has access to all the informationpresented in the Tales of the Lanceboxed set, which I believe contains oneof the best worldbooks written. As forthe rules, I’m all for focusing on thestory aspects of the game and exten-sive character development.

The game mechanics, however, lefta lot to be desired. The idea of a class-less system is the first step to an unbal-anced game, in which one player cantake control. To illustrate this point, acharacter (with a bit of luck) possessingAbility Codes of A in several abilitieswith moderate scores in each canbecome a magic-slinging, sword-swinging juggernaut, making otherplayer feel like extras in a movie. Afterplaying the module that came with theboxed set, the decision from the group

was unanimous: return to the trusty,good old AD&D® system, the gamefrom which the DRAGONLANCE saga wasborn-the game in which everyoneworks as a team, utilizing the strengthsof each character, whether or not hehas three 18s, because each class pos-sesses abilities that others don’t.

Maybe the DRAGONLANCE settingneeded a facelift, but not a totalreconstruction. The AD&D system isone of the best roleplaying gamesaround, and I for one will not bechanging. The phrase “If it isn’t bro-ken, don’t fix it” comes to mind.

Just one more question for all thoseDRAGONLANCE fans out there. Why is itthat psionics do not exist on Krynn?The Complete Psionics Handbook statesthat no psionicists are native to Krynn,and those that do appear are fromother worlds or ancestors of such peo-ples. Unsung Heroes, on the other hand,states that no psionicists exist onKrynn and that those who stay therelonger than one month per level losetheir powers permanently.

Apparently, there is no official rea-son for this psionic-draining phenome-non. I use psionics in my DRAGONLANCE

campaign, a byproduct of the passingof the Graygem. The draining came asa result of the magical explosion at theend of the second dragon war, affect-ing all those not already gifted withpsionics, which incidentally were ahandful of those who were believed topossess wild magic. Only their ances-tors possess psionic potential, andmany of them are unaware that suchpowers exist. As a result, psionicists inthe Fourth Age are few and far between.I would welcome others’ thoughts onthis subject.

Chris ReevesRochedale, Australia

Role Over, AD&DI’m writing in response to

Christopher Manning’s letter aboutthe SAGA rules. First, I’d like to quotehim: “Maybe I’m just old fashioned,but the thought of leaving my dicebag at home makes me want to bethere with it.” If you need your dice toplay a roleplaying game, then you arenot roleplaying, you’re roll playing.The SAGA system is trying to get backto the roleplaying roots of AD&D,something that many people don’tsee anymore.

Chris mentions that SAGA lacks thedetail of AD&D, but that’s the beauty

12 FEBRUARY 1998

of the SAGA system. In AD&D, it’s easyto get bogged down in the numbersof the game, losing the intensity of themoment. One of my favorite AD&Dcampaigns was when the DM rolledeverything but saving throws. Insteadof relying on dice, we actually had tothink to survive. Sure, there wereplenty of fights, but instead of havingto calculate anything, the DM did it all.A round involving 12 characters andmore enemies took only one minute.No action lost there!

SAGA takes this one step further,allowing the players actually to choosewhat they want to put down. In AD&D,whether you hit or miss when youattack is mostly chance, since you’rerolling dice. The SAGA system allowsthe player to play a low-numberedcard, showing they believe the task iseasy or unimportant, or playing ahigh-numbered card, meaning theyneed to succeed!

Then we get to magic. Chrisbelieves the magic system is a big dis-appointment. I, on the other hand,find the magic system in SAGA to bevastly superior to AD&D magic inmost respects. One of the things thatslows down an adventure most is aspell that no one is exactly sure about,so it has to be looked up in the books.Instead of having a set spell list thatthe mage must adhere to, a mage inSAGA can create the spell effect theywant on the fly! The power is nearlylimitless! I do admit, the durations ofspells are limited, but if you use the

Question of the MonthWhich player-character races should

appear in the core rules of an AD&D®game 3rd edition? Which should berelegated to optional rules?

The question of the Month isn’tthe onIy topic you can discuss in‘Forum.” Send your opinions onroleplaying games to “Forum,”DRAGON® Magazine, 1801 Lind AvenueS.W., Renton, WA 98055, USA. Sendemail to dmail@wizards.com. AlImaterial should be neatly typed orhandwritten. You must include yourfull name and mailing address ifyou expect your letter to be printed( we won't print a letter sent anony-mously), but we'll withhold yourname if you ask us to do so, and wewon't print your full address unlessyou request it.

SAGA rules elsewhere, as in theRAVENLOFT conversion in DRAGON

Magazine #240, then I find the magicrules better than those in the AD&Dgame, hands down.

The SAGA System is simple yet ele-gant. It’s a good system to use tointroduce someone to roleplaying orto entertain long-time campaigners.The important thing to remember isrole over roll. Dice are a necessary evilin AD&D as far as I’m concerned, yetsome see them as the end-all and be-all of RPGs. Any thoughts?

Chris Merritt19756 Friar Street

Woodland Hills, CA 91367

High-Level BluesI agree with the idea of limiting

magic. If it becomes too common,magic slips from being fantastic tomundane and thus becomes boring.Furthermore, the number of NPCadventurers (especially high-leveladventurers) should also be limited.There are two reasons for this.

One is the practical or ecologicalreason. High-level adventurers needexperience points, and the most com-mon way to gain experience points isto kill monsters/villains. If you havetoo many adventurers, there won’t beenough monsters/v i l la ins to goaround. A useful metaphor is that ofthe carnivores and herbivores of thenatural world. There is only about onecarnivore for every thousand or soherbivores. If too many adventurersupset the delicate balance, manymonsters would become extinct. Theadventurers would work themselvesout of a job. I realize that as a DM youcould put as many monsters as youwant on the world, but then you haveanother problem. If there are so manymonsters in the world, why haven’tthey destroyed the PC civilizationalready? The only way in which amany-monster campaign would workis if it were set in a place where thereare large expanses of untamed or wildterritory, and the adventurers areexplorers or pioneers.

The other reason to limit high-levelNPCs is that too many of them makePCs less special. The PCs are supposedto be great heroes; they have some-thing special about them that drivesthem to fight villains and destroy evil.They walk down the street, and peo-ple shout with adoration and falldown in worship, much as happens to

the movie and rock stars of today. Ifadventurers become commonplace,the common people wouldn’t look upto them anymore. Your paladin entersthe tavern, and instead of being thecenter of attention, the drunks keepdrinking, the gamblers continue gam-bling, and the bartender thinks tohimself, “Another one of your average,run-of-the-mill paladins” and askswhether you want an ale. It is depress-ing to walk into a tavern where every-one you meet is higher level than you.

The second topic I wish to addressis the Skills and Powers book. Manyhave complained about the super PCscreated with the book upsetting thebalance of the game. In my opinion, itis impossible for PCs to get so power-ful that the DM cannot control them.The DM is supreme in his game. If thePCs reach a level of power thatapproaches godhood, use gods astheir enemies. If the PCs become pow-erful because of the Skills and Powersbook, create an NPC villain using therules. Give your villain a Muscle suba-bility of 20. Use low-level “goons” tosoften up your PCs before bringingout your major and powerful villains.The “Ancient Villains” article (issue#238) and the “101 Dirty Orc Tricks”(#239) are really useful. Twenty gob-lins armed with bows and hidden inambush can shoot 40 arrows evenbefore the PCs roll for surprise.

In my campaign, I gave one of myPCs a special attack that deals out10d8 hp damage and can affect multi-ple enemies at once. It might be a bitexcessive in most AD&D campaigns,but I can still deal with it. I am think-ing of using werewolves on my PCs,because they don’t have any magicalweapons. Imagine their screams ofhorror when the moon rises andtheir low-level adversaries suddenlybecome much deadlier. I am also cre-ating a monster based on the alienfrom the Alien movies. How many pal-adins would it take to kill an alienqueen?

Simon Fungnightwyrm@hotmail.com

Coquitlam, B.C.Canada

14 FEBRUARY 1998

by Skip Williams

THIS MONTH’S QUESTIONS, all straightfrom the mailbag, have the sage delv-ing into the workings of spells and pro-ficiencies from the AD&D® game.

Can a character who casts a symbolspell ever be affected by the symbol? Ifso, how does caster avoid setting offthe symbol when it’s finished? Exactlyhow do you decide who or what isaffected when a symbol is triggered?Exactly how long does a symbol last,and how long does it keep workingonce triggered? Is there any way tomake a symbol permanent? How cana symbol be removed?

The symbol spell is widely misun-derstood and is scheduled for a majoroverhaul. Here’s a preview of therevised spell, which works the sameway for both wizards and priests. Theofficial version will appear in theWizard’s Spell Compendium, Volume IV(TSR product #2177), which will bereleased in fall of 1998.

This spell allows the caster to scribeany of the potent runes describedbelow.

A symbol has no effect unless thecaster places it in plain sight and in aprominent location.

As a default, a symbol is triggeredwhenever a creature does one or moreof the following, as selected by thespell caster: reads, touches, or passesover the rune, looks at the rune, orpasses through a portal bearing therune.

In this case, “reading” the runemeans any attempt to study, identify,or fathom its meaning. Throwing acover over a symbol to render it invisi-ble and inoperative triggers it if it reactsto touch. To trigger a symbol, a creaturemust be within 60 feet of the rune.

The caster can set special triggeringconditions of his own. These can be assimple or elaborate as the casterdesires. Special conditions for trigger-ing a symbol can be based on a crea-

Can a character whocasts a symbol spell ever

be affected by the symbol?

Symbol(Conjuration/Summoning)(Geometry)7th-level Priest Spell, 8th-level WizardSpellSphere: GuardianRange: TouchComponents: V, S, MDuration: SpecialCasting Time: 3 or 1 turnArea of Effect: 60’ radiusSaving Throw: None or neg.

ture’s name, identity, or alignment butotherwise must be based on observ-able actions or qualities. Intangiblessuch as level, class, Hit Dice, or hitpoints don’t qualify. For example, asymbol can be set to activate when alawful good creature approaches, butnot when a paladin approaches.

A symbol’s triggering conditions arealways defensive in nature. A touch-triggered symbol remains untriggeredif an item bearing the symbol is usedto touch a creature. Likewise, a symbol

cannot be placed on a weapon andset to activate when the weaponstrikes a foe.

Once cast, a symbol’s triggeringconditions cannot be changed. Thecaster ignores the effects of his ownsymbols and cannot inadvertentlytrigger them.

When triggered, a symbol affects allcreatures within a 60’ radius, exceptfor the caster and any individualsattuned it (see below). If a symbol hasa pass phrase, anyone using itremains immune to that particularrune’s effects so long as the individualremains within 60 feet of the rune. Ifthe character leaves the radius andreturns later, he must use the passphrase again. Once triggered, a sym-bol remains active until its durationexpires; creatures that subsequentlymeet an active symbol’s triggering con-ditions suffer its effects.

A symbol can be quickly drawn inthe air or on some surface, or it can becarefully inscribed on a surface.

A quickly drawn symbol has a cast-ing time of 3. The only material com-ponents required are a small amountof mercury and phosphorus. Theresulting rune becomes active immedi-ately. It lasts one turn per caster leveland glows faintly while it lasts. Symbolsof fear, hopelessness, pain, or persuasioncan be used in this manner.

When drawing a symbol quickly,the caster can instantly attune anynumber of creatures to the symbolrendering them immune to its effects,provided the creatures are within 60feet of the rune when it is createdand that the caster is aware of theirpresence.

A carefully inscribed symbol has acasting time of one turn. The symbol isinactive when finished and remainsso indefinitely until triggered. Oncetriggered, it becomes active and glow-ing, usually lasting one turn per casterlevel. Some symbols can burn outmore quickly. For example, a symbol ofdeath ends when it has slain 80 hitpoints worth of creatures, or after oneturn per level of the caster, whichevercomes first. The material componentsfor a carefully inscribed symbol aremercury and phosphorus, plus pow-dered diamond and opal worth atleast 5,000 gp each.

When creating a carefully inscribedrune, the caster can specify a passwordor phrase that prevents a creatureusing it from triggering the symbol.

16 FEBRUARY 1998

The caster also can attune any num-ber or creatures to the symbol, butthis can extend the casting time.Attuning one or two creatures takesnegligible time. Attuning a smallgroup (up to 10 creatures) takes anhour. Attuning an entire household(up to 25 creatures) takes a day.Attuning larger groups takes propor-tionately longer, as the DM sees fit.

Known symbols include:

Death: One or more creatures with-in the radius, whose total hit points donot exceed 80, are irrevocably slain asthough struck by the sixth-level Wizardspell death spell. Creatures of lowest HitDice or levels are slain first. This sym-bol must be carefully inscribed.

Discord: All creatures within theradius immediately fall into loudbickering and arguing. Meaningfulcommunication is impossible. If theaffected creatures have differentalignments, there is a 50% chancethat they attack each other. Bickeringlasts 5d4 rounds; fighting lasts 2d4rounds. This symbol must be carefullyinscribed on a surface.

Fear: This symbol can be drawnquickly or carefully inscribed. Creatureswithin the radius are afflicted by apowerful version of the 4th-level wiz-ard spell fear. If drawn quickly, thissymbol imposes a -4 penalty to savingthrows. I f the rune is careful lyinscribed, the saving throw penaltyrises to -8.

Hopelessness: This symbol can bedrawn quickly or carefully inscribed. Allcreatures within the radius mustattempt saving throws vs. spell; there isa -4 penalty if the rune is carefullyinscribed. If the saving throw fails, thecreature suffers from hopelessness for3d4 turns and submits to simpledemands from foes, such as “surren-der” or “get out”; the effect is similar tothe third-level Wizard spell suggestion. Ifno foes are present to make demands,there is a 25% chance that a hopelesscreature proves unable to take anyaction except standing in place. If thecreature remains free to act, there is a25% chance it retreats from the rune atnormal speed. In either case, the crea-ture can defend normally if attacked.

Insanity: One or more creatureswithin the radius, whose combined hitpoints do not exceed 120, becomeinsane and act as though affected bythe fourth-level wizard spell confusion.Insanity lasts until a heal, restoration, or

wish spells is used to remove the afflic-tion. This symbol must be carefullyinscribed.

Pain: Creatures within the radius suf-fer wracking pains that reduce Dexterityscores by two points and impose a-4 attack penalty. Both effects last2d10 turns. This symbol can be drawnquickly or inscribed carefully.

Persuasion: This symbol can bedrawn quickly or inscribed carefully. Allcreatures within the radius mustattempt saving throws vs. spell; there isa -4 penalty if the rune is carefullyinscribed. If the saving throw fails, thecreature becomes the same alignmentas the caster for 1d20 turns. During thistime, affected creatures become friendlyto the caster as though subjected thefirst-level wizard spell charm person.

Sleep: Creatures within the radiusfall into a catatonic slumber if theyhave 8+1 HD or fewer. (Characters areaffected if they are 8th level or lower.)Sleeping creatures cannot be awak-ened for 1d12+4 turns. This symbolmust be carefully inscribed.

Spell Loss: Any creature within theradius immediately loses 1d4 spellsfrom memory. The DM should deter-mine which spells are lost randomly.Creatures with no memorized spellsare unaffected. Creatures who havesome memorized spells, but notenough to satisfy the loss, suffer nofurther effects. This symbol must becarefully inscribed.

Stunning: One or more creatureswithin the radius, whose total hit pointsdo not exceed 160, become stunnedfor 3d4 rounds, Stunned creatures dropwhat they are holding and cannot takeany meaningful actions. They cannot

unless the symbol’s effect is instanta-neous (death, spell loss) or the descrip-tion specifies another remedy (insanity).The rune itself can be removed with asuccessful erase spell or by a successfuldispel magic targeted solely on the rune.

Destruction of the surface where asymbol rests destroys the rune but alsotriggers its effects.

Permanent Symbols: A symbol canbe rendered permanent with theeighth-level Wizard spell permanencyprovided it is carefully inscribed upona permanent, non-portable surfacesuch as a wall or door. A permanencyspell extends a symbol’s basic durationof one turn per caster level indefinite-ly. When triggered, a permanent sym-bol usually glows for about a turn, butthere is no limit to how many times itcan be triggered. If the symbol canaffect only a limited number of hitpoints worth of creatures, the limitapplies each round. For example, apermanent symbol of death could slay80 hit points worth of creatures everyround.

Does the spellcraft proficiencyallow a character to identify magicalitems? If so, can the character tellexactly what powers the items has orjust whether it’s magical?

No. The spellcraft proficiency is nosubstitute for a detect magic or identifyspell. Spellcraft gives the character anunderstanding of spells and magicalprocesses. When used to examine anitem, it allows a character to identify“magical or magically endowed con-structs for what they are.” For purposesof the proficiency, an item must havebeen created wholly or extensively

Does the spellcraft proficiency allow acharacter to identify magic items?

communicate, employ spells, use mag-ical items, initiate psionic abilities, usespell-like powers, fight, or move freely.Movement is limited to one-third thecreature’s current movement rate or arate of 3, whichever is less. Attacksagainst stunned creatures gain a +4bonus. This symbol must be carefullyinscribed.

A successful dispel magic removes theeffects of a symbol from a creature

through magic to qualify as a magicalconstruct. Items that have simplyreceived enchantments or beenaltered through magic don’t qualify.For example, a character with thespellcraft proficiency could recognizea sword created with Nolzur’s mar-velous pigments or a major creationspell as a magical construct. If thesame character found a holy avengersword, however, her spellcraft profi-ciency could help her determine that

DRAGON #244 17

the sword was suitable for receivingan enchantment, but not whether itactually held and enchantment orwhat that enchantment might be.

Other “magical constructs” includethe various wall spells, golems, simu-lacrums, and homonculi.

Items or creatures that have beenmerely altered by magic, such as byan enlarge, polymorph, or shapechangespell, are not “magical constructs.”

Is it possible for a character withthe fishing proficiency to cook the fishhe has caught, or must the characteralso have the cooking proficiency?

The rules assume that anyone canperform simple culinary tasks suchand cleaning and cooking fish. Checkout the cooking proficiency descrip-tion, which states that all charactershave rudimentary cooking skills; thatmeans any dolt can drop a fish into afrying pan and scoop it out againbefore it burns to a crisp. A characterwith the cooking proficiency needn’tmake a proficiency check to performsuch a mundane task (nor would non-proficient characters have to makeany kind of dice roll). Should the partyfind it necessary to prepare a trulymagnificent meal from the fish (per-haps to persuade the local werebearnot to eat them instead), they’d need aproficient cook and a successful profi-ciency check.

The wizard spell Nahal’s recklessdweomer from the Tome of Magic hasbeen sowing confusion in my gaminggroup for quite some time. The spelldescription says there is a smallchance for a wizard successfully tocast whatever spell she wants andthat a wild surge always occurs. Italso says to add the wizards level

Need Advice?Send your questions about the

games produced by TSR, Inc. to“Sage Advice,” DRAGON® Magazine,1801 Lind Avenue S.W., Renton, WA98055. In Europe, write to: “SageAdvice,” DRAGON Magazine TSR Ltd.,120 Church End, Cherry Hinton,Cambridge, CB1 3LB, U.K. You mayalso email your questions tothesage@wizards.com. The sage isunable to make personal replies. Please send no SASEs with yourquestion.

onto the wild surge roll on the table.What exactly indicates the success orfailure of the intended spell?

Success or (more likely) failuredepends on the result from Table 2:Wild Surge Results. Any wild surgeresult that includes some manifesta-tion of the original spell effect is a “suc-cess.” Such results include #60 (spellfunctions; any applicable saving throwis not allowed), #61 (spell appears tofail when cast, but occurs 1d4 roundslater), #73 (spell is cast; material com-ponents and memory of spell areretained), and #99 (spell has a mini-mum duration of 1 turn). The “spell” iswhatever effect the character namedwhen casting the reckless dweomer.

I’m having a hard time trying tosort out the differences between thebladesong fighting style from page70 of the Complete Book of Elves andthe bladesinger kit from page 88 ofthe same book. Can a bladesingerlearn the bladesong style? If so, whatbenefits does she receive? Exactlywhat sort of weapon proficiencies,weapons styles, style specializations,and weapon specializations can abladesinger learn? Can a bladesingeror character who knows the blade-song style use all the style’s benefitsat once? What kind of weapons canbe used with the style? Can weaponsthat can be used one- or two-handed(bastard swords, for example) beused with the style?

The bladesong style from page 70is available to any elf warrior, rogue,or priest. Non-elves, including halfelves and drow, cannot learn thestyle. Bladesong is essentially anunusual version of single-weaponstyle specialization (see the CompleteFighter’s Handbook, page 62). The char-acter must choose a particular type ofweapon (not a class of weapons) touse with the style, and it must be aone-handed weapon. To claim anybenefits from the style, the charactermust have one hand free. If thebladesinger holds her weapon in twohands, she loses all bladesong bene-fits. A character can use only onebladesong benefit (see CBE, page 72)during a round but can switchbetween them from round to round.

Since bladesong is a style special-ization, the character is free to learnother styles or weapon specializationsif her class allows them. Prudent DMswill limit a weapon and style specialist

to the best available specializationbonus rather then allowing them toaccumulate. For example, if an elffighter with specialization in the longsword and two slots of bladesongchooses to use the bladesong attackbonuses, she would gain a +2 attackbonus (from bladesong) and a +2damage bonus (from weapon special-ization). The lesser attack bonus of +1from weapon specialization is ignored.

The bladesinger kit from page 88 isfor elf fighter/mages who dedicatetheir lives to bladesong. The characteris assumed to spend three weaponproficiency slots on a single weaponand the bladesong style, but she gainsthe benefits listed on pages 89-90instead of the ones on page 72. Thebladesinger can choose any weaponnormally available to fighter/magesfor bladesinging, subject to the limita-tions noted above. As a multi-classedcharacter, a bladesinger cannotchoose to specialize in a weapon andcannot learn any additional style spe-cializations. (Bladesong counts as theone style specialization the charactercan learn; see CFH, page 62.)

Note that the kit description con-tains a few errors. The WeaponProficiencies section on page 88should read: Bonus: None. Required:Proficiency in a one-handed weapon,bladesong style specialization (twoslots). Recommended: None.

The Special Hindrances section onpage 90 erroneously says that abladesinger can never learn morethan one weapon. This is not the case,though she suffers at least a -1 attackpenalty when wielding a weaponother than their primary one; thispenalty is cumulative with any non-proficiency penalty the charactermight suffer. Further, as a fighter abladesinger automatically knows allfour weapon styles from the CompleteFighter’s Handbook.

Several visitors to the Williams house-hold report that Skip and his wife, Penny,successfully completed a series of cookingproficiency checks and served their guestsa sumptuous Thanksgiving feast.

18 FEBRUARY 1998

Steps To Successby Peter D. Adkison

ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE mostabout roleplaying is tinkering withgame systems. A time-honored tech-nique for doing this is cannibalizingcool ideas from other game systems.So when I first got my hands on theALTERNITY® game rules, part of myinterest was to see if there were coolideas I could integrate into my AD&D®campaign. I was not disappointed.

The heart of the ALTERNITY system—the “core mechanic”—will seem famil-iar to most AD&D game players. It’s askill-check system that functions simi-larly to the AD&D proficiency system,with a few improvements. Basicallyyou have a skill level in various skills(like picking pockets, forensics, orcomputer weapons systems opera-tions), and you roll 1d20 vs. the skillwhen you try to use it. Skill levels of

Have a DM Tip?Share your expertise as a

DUNGEON MASTER by writing to: “Outof Character,” DRAGON® Magazine,1801 Link Avenue S.W., Renton, WA98055. In Europe, write to: “Out ofcharacter,” DRAGON Magazine, TSRLtd., 120 Church End, Cherry Hinton,Cambridge, CB1 3LB, U.K.

You may also email Peter directlyat mavra@wizards.com.

8 to 12 are common, and climbinghigher than that makes you prettygood. I play a fraal psionicist with 16sand 17s in five or six psionic skills, andhe seems to hold his own all right. Asyour character advances in levels,there are mechanisms for improvingthese skills. So far, sounds just likeAD&D non-weapon proficiencies,right?

The ALTERNITY system takes the ideaone step further by introducing degreesof success. If you roll lower than orequal to your ability score, you havean ordinary success; if you roll lowerthan or equal to half of your abilityscore, you have a good success; and ifyou roll less than or equal to one quar-ter of your score, you’ve achieved anamazing success. The ALTERNITY

mechanic also uses the idea of situa-tion modifiers; if there’s somethingabout the situation that makes thisparticular lock harder to pick thanordinary locks, there’s a penalty to thed20 roll. The penalty is simply anotherdie that must be rolled with the d20and added to it before comparing tothe character’s skill to see whether it’sa failure, ordinary success, good suc-cess, or amazing success. The stifferthe penalty the game master wants toassign, the larger the penalty die. Aslightly more difficult task might add

1d4 to the d20 roll, while a nearimpossible accomplishment mightrequire a second d20. Again, this is agreat idea that can be used “as is” inAD&D without skipping a beat.

Of course this idea could be takenfurther by applying it to things otherthan non-weapon proficiencies.

Thieving skills are a good example.Thieving skills are expressed as a per-centile score, so you’d start by divid-ing them each by 5, converting themto the 1-20 base scale. A Climb Wallsscore of 85% would be converted to a17. Then, with a Climb Walls skill of 17,you’d roll 1d20 and you’d need a 17or less for an ordinary success, 8 orless for a good one, and 4 or less foran amazing success. A standard cliffwall might be scalable with a situa-tional die modifier of 1d4, but asmoother, nearly vertical fortress wallmight require rolling 1d20 + 1d8, whilescaling past that overhanging ledgemight require 2d20!

Want to add some variety to themorale bonus for bardic singing?Make it a proficiency roll based, forexample, on level plus Charisma. Anordinary success yields the standard+1 on attack rolls, while a good suc-cess might yield a +2, amazing +3. Ofcourse, a failure in this situation is stilla failure.

One of the attractions of this line ofthinking is the idea of putting as manythings as possible under a consistent“core mechanic,” so that once youlearn how to use the mechanic effec-tively, you know how to play most ofthe game. The PLAYERS OPTION™: Skills &Powers book already breaks down var-ious classes into specific skills, essen-tially making it easy to turn yourgame into more of a skill-based sys-tem. Integrating these two ideastogether is probably going to be thesubject of my next major tinkeringsession!

Taking this idea into my AD&D cam-paign was a slam dunk. It’s clearly animprovement, and it’s simple as heck.

The only thing Peter loves more thantinkering with the AD&D rules is his wife,Cathleen, who helps keep Peter fromgetting too crazy with the game.

20 FEBRUARY 1998

New Flying Creatures and Their Domainby Michael Lambert

illustrated by David Day

INTELLIGENT FLYING CREATURES are some of the mostefficient and deadly opponents that your player characters(PCs) can face. Flying creatures have many tactical advan-tages over ground-based characters. Their ability to fly overor around obstructions lets them outmaneuver non-flyingenemies, they can avoid large-scale engagements whenthey wish, they can live in areas inaccessible to non-flyingenemies, and they can attack while remaining beyond therange of their opponents’ melee weapons. In short, AD&D®PCs are at a severe disadvantage when forced to battleintelligent flying creatures.

In addition, intelligent flying creatures can enhance theirnatural advantages. As a matter of evolutionary necessity,creatures in the AD&D game employ tactics that emphasizetheir natural abilities. Dragons fight differently from giantbats, who fight differently from griffons, who fight differ-ently from pixies. Members of intelligent flying races fight inways that emphasize their strengths and hide their weak-nesses The difference between intelligent races and othernatural flyers is that the former can create tools to comple-ment their strengths. Many of these tools take the form ofmagical items designed to counter the types of threats theyface in battle.

The Advantage of FlightPCs have little room for error when facing opponents

who are more maneuverable, who can choose when andwhere to fight, and who can withdraw at the first sign ofdanger. Intelligent flyers also have the advantage of beingable to attack from a distance while limiting their exposureto a counterattack. Flying keeps them out of the range ofmelee weapons, allowing them to weaken the enemybefore engaging in hand-to-hand combat. Unless the PCscan also fly, their opponents dictate the terms of battle.Groundling PCs will not typically be in a position to take thefight to the enemy; they must react to the offensive movesof a more mobile foe.

Intelligent flying creatures often use sur-prise to their advantage. Once they have

identified a threat, they use their superior movement skillsto attack the enemy when most vulnerable. These flyersassess which characters pose the greatest threat and strikeat them immediately. Spellcasters are targeted first, fol-lowed by those with missile weapons. If these charactersare neutralized, the flyers can attack the grounded warriorsat their leisure. Likewise, intelligent flyers who have magi-cal or innate abilities do not move within combat range ofthe party without first using whatever defensive spells orabilities they have.

Flying creatures can attack from many directions at once,including from above. While one group occupies the war-riors, a second group can swoop in from above to attackspellcasters. Once a spellcaster becomes involved in melee,his impact on the rest of the battle becomes negligible.

Finally, intelligent flying creatures often retreat when thetide of battle turns against them. Flying gives them the abil-ity to disengage from a battle and withdraw to safety,where they can heal and plan a new attack.

Fighting FlyersThe advantages that flying races have over ground-

based enemies are considerable. Unless ground-basedforces have magic at their disposal, battles between the twogroups quickly become lopsided. Fortunately, most groupsof AD&D PCs have access to magic, but it takes more thanjust magic to defeat intelligent flying creatures—it also takesa well-planned and well-executed battle plan.

The Best Offense . . .The key to fighting intelligent flying creatures is to fight

a defensive battle. Fighting these flyers in their element isnot a good offensive option. Unless the flying PCs have thestrength and numbers to defeat all the attacking creatures,they might find themselves in a hostile air battle with littlesupport. Few events in the AD&D game are more painful

than suffering damage while flying; if thedamage doesn’t kill the target, the fall usu-

ally does. When the mental commands

23DRAGON #244

controlling the flying cease, gravityonce again exerts its influence and aPC plummets to the ground. if, forsome reason, a device that impartsflying continues to function even afterunconsciousness or death, the charac-ter might find himself in the unenvi-able position of remaining in the air,perhaps to be taken to the victor’s lairas a trophy of war.

Since most PCs will not be attackingflying opponents in the sky, choosing adefensible position on the groundbecomes the most important tacticaldecision. Most attacks by aerial crea-tures take place in the wilderness, soPCs should look for natural formationsthat reduce their vulnerability toattacks from multiple directions.Forests, large rock formations, caves, orany other natural feature that forcesthe flying creatures to attack from onedirection are best suited for a defensivebattle. If one of these defensible posi-tions is not in the immediate vicinity,magic can help to find one (augury, div-ination, speak with animals, stone tell), tohelp the party move to one (phantomsteed, haste), or to create one (any wallspell, move earth, hallucinatory terrain,rope trick).

Magic and MissilesTiming is critical once a defensive

site has been chosen. Spellcasterswith defensive spells available shouldcast them as soon as possible. Spellslike protection from normal missiles, fogcloud, wind wall, and invisibility 10’radius can reduce the damage theflyers can inflict from a distance.Spellcasters should use their powerfulspells at the beginning of combatrather than save them and not havethe chance to use them at all. If the PCgroup is large enough, a warriorshould keep flying creatures awayfrom the spellcasters; regardless ofwhat is happening to the rest of thewarriors, the bodyguard should notbecome involved in the general battleunless absolutely necessary.

In addition to spell attacks, missilefire is important in the early stages ofa battle. Both missile fire and spellattacks should be concentrated onindividual creatures. Wounded flyingcreatures can easily withdraw from abattle, whereas creatures involved inmelee have little chance of retreatingand attacking from a different direc-tion. With flyers, a character could firehis bow for three rounds, only to see

the creature fly out of range justbefore receiving the telling blow. Byconcentrating fire, the party increasesits chance of eliminating flyers beforethey can retreat to fight another day.

Down to EarthMissile fire, regardless of its effec-

tiveness, will not win the battle for thePCs. Flyers with missile weapons willeventually dominate the battlefield,unless the PCs can force them withinrange of their warriors’ meleeweapons. The flyers won’t land ontheir own, though, since the key totheir success is their airborne mobility.Therefore, the players must takeactions that put the flying creatures ina position where they must eitherengage the party in hand-to-handcombat or break off the battle.

The key to forcing the flyers to landis the PCs’ own mobility. While the fly-ers can use their airborne mobility toremain outside of melee range, itdoesn’t allow them to hinder the PCs’ability on the ground. The PCs neednot stand and fight whenever they areattacked by flyers with missileweapons-they are free to withdrawfrom the battle unless the flyer’s land.Although they may be constantlyharassed as they withdraw, the PCscan choose a defensible position thatis better suited to their abilities.

When traveling, the warrior isshould remain on the outside of thegroup. If the flyers don’t land to stopthe PCs’ movement, the players caneither find an area where aerial oppo-nents can’t attack at all without land-ing (cave, underwater, thick forest) orsimply retreat from the battle. If theflyers do land to stop the PCs’ move-ment, the warriors on the outside ofthe group can bring their weapons tobear and inflict serious damage on thegrounded flyers.

Mounted groups have an evengreater mobility advantage. Horsesare usually faster than flyers, so unlessthe flyers land and force the PC war-riors to fight, the PCs might be ablesimply to outrun them. If the flyersland, the PCs might find themselves ina position where they can dominatethe battlefield. The warriors have anadvantage, facing opponents that areuncomfortable fighting on the ground.Determined resistance might force theflyers to retreat, and once they do, thePCs can continue their withdrawal to amore suitable battlefield.

The Big PictureRegardless of the tactics that the

PCs use to fight flying opponents, theirabilities make them an extremelyeffective and challenging enemy.Flying creatures force players to visu-alize a three-dimensional battlefield,requiring them to use every abilitythey have to emerge victorious. Inaddition, apart from providing a spe-cific threat to the players, intelligentflying races can have a significantimpact on the development of anycampaign world. Their tactical advan-tages over ground-based armies givethem the ability to control largeamounts of territory, and an aggres-sive flying race could establish apowerful empire.

Here are four new flying races suit-able for use in any AD&D campaign,along with the magical items theyhave created to make them an evengreater threat to ground-based ene-mies. Of course, their enemies havecreated magical items of their own toeven the odds, and these are alsodetailed. Even with these items,though, the advantage in strugglesbetween flying and grounded crea-tures is clearly with the former, so PCsmust be prepared to use every abilitythey have in order to achieve victory.

The four races detailed in the fol-lowing pages can be used as directopponents of the PCs. As stimulus forworld events, any of the races could beinvolved in a long-running militarycampaign with global implications.Alternatively, players might choose toroleplay one of the races, adding a newdimension to any adventuring group.

Flying Characters in YourCampaign World

While they are presented at first inthe same format as the MONSTROUS

COMPENDIUM® entries, the flying racesdetailed hereafter can make interest-ing PCs, at the discretion of theDungeon Master. Individual DMs candecide whether their campaign worldcontains any of the detailed races, andwhich of races can be chosen as play-er characters. Tables 1-5 provide thedetails necessary to use these races asplayer character races. Table 1 detailsracial ability requirements, Table 2details class level limits, Table 3 detailsthieving ability adjustments, Table 4details racial ability adjustments and

24 FEBRUARY 1998

Table 1: Ability Requirements

AshieraFainilMasgaiTelvar

Strength Dexterity7/19 3/183/17 7/196/18 3/183/18 6/18

Constitution Intelligence Wisdom3/18 3/17 3/183/18 3/18 3/184/18 6/18 3/176/19 3/18 3/18

Charisma3/183/183/183/18

Table 2: Character Class LimitsWarrior Ranger Paladin Priest Druid Wizard Thief Bard

Ashiera U — — 5 — — — —Fainil 7 7

—5 — 5 U —

Masgai U 9 — — — 4 — —

Telvar 9 9 — 7* 6* — 7 7* Only female Telvar may be priests or druids.

Table 3: Thieving Skill Adjustments

FainilTelvar

PickPockets

—

+10%

OpenLocks

——

F/RTraps——

Move Hide in Detect Climb ReadSilently Shadows Noise Walls Languages-15% +10% +5% — —

+5 +5% — — -20%

Table 5 details the average ages foreach race.

Each of the following MONSTROUS

COMPENDIUM entries also includes role-playing notes for those who wish touse these flying creatures as playercharacters. As with any AD&D race,these notes are only guidelines, andpersonalities might well differ fromindividual to individual. In general,though, player characters of one ofthe following races tend to be out-siders from their own society, with fewroots to tie them down. Adventurersare usually young, with a desire toexperience more of the world thantheir society allows. Since none of theraces interact freely with non-flyingraces, much of what these adventur-ers encounter will be new to them.Prior experiences will have beenlimited to their specific society, withMasgai the most sophisticated andTelvar the most rustic.

DMing Flying CharactersEach DM must make the decision

as to whether one of these flyingraces can be used as a PC race. On thesurface, the ability to fly would seemto give flying characters a significantadvantage over non-flying characters.Flying characters can go places othercharacters can’t, they can avoid cer-tain types of traps, and they wouldhave all the combat advantagesdescribed previously. These abilitiescertainly affect how DMs referee a

game, and some of the advantages

In practice, though, the advantagesthese races have aren’t unbalancing,

might create imbalance.

due in part to the nature of the AD&Dgame. The game’s emphasis on team-work in overcoming obstaclesrequires flying characters to worktogether with the group to achieveshared goals. The abilities that a flyingcharacter has, much like the miningskills of a dwarf or the secret doordetection skills of an elf, should bene-fit the entire party, not just the indi-vidual PC. The social problems theseraces encounter, along with their levellimitations, help balance their physicaladvantages.

Consequently, refereeing flyingcharacters is not much more difficultthan refereeing any other type of char-acter. For safety and teamwork rea-sons, flying characters must usuallyremain with the other PCs, reducingtheir mobility advantage. They can’tstrike out on their own without expos-ing themselves to danger, makingthem less of a wild card for DMs tohandle. In combat, flying creatures aretargeted by opposing archers and

spellcasters, so the ability to fly mustbe used wisely, lest the flying PCbecome a too-frequent target.

In addition, DMs have the advan-tage of adapting their campaign worldto account for the actions of the party.If an imbalance is created by allowinga player to roleplay a flying character,DMs can adjust opponent actions orrestrict the use of the flying ability. Theidea behind the creation of these newraces is to add some interesting twiststo a campaign world, not to give char-acters an unfair advantage. Once theimpact of a flying race has beengauged, DMs can modify the cam-paign to ensure that the PCs can usetheir special abilities while still facingappropriately difficult challenges.Remember that game balance existsto ensure fun, not to limit it.

Table 4: AbilityAdjustments

S D C I W ChA s h i e r a + 1 - 1 — - 1 — —Fainil - 1 + 1 - 1 — — —M a s g a i + 1 — — — - 1 —T e l v a r - 1 — + 1 — — —

Table 5: Age

AshieraFainilMasgaiTelvar

Base Age15356015

Variable1d41d62d61d8

Maximum Age5015020075

DRAGON #244 25

Fainil (Night Flyers)CLIMATE/TERRAIN:FREQUENCY:

Fortress/Subterranean CityVery Rare

ORGANIZATION:ACTIVITY CYCLE:DIET:INTELLIGENCE:TREASURE:ALIGNMENT:

Military GroupNightHerbivoreHigh to Supra (13-18)N × 5, Q × 2Chaotic Evil

NO. APPEARING:ARMOR CLASS:MOVEMENT:HIT DICE:THAC0:NO. OF ATTACKS:DAMAGE/ATTACK:SPECIAL ATTACKS:SPECIAL DEFENSES:MAGIC RESISTANCE:SIZE:MORALE:XP VALUE:

5-154 (flying), 6 (on ground)3, Fly 12 (B)2191 or 2By weaponSee belowSee below50%M (5½’ tall)Elite (14)270

The Fainil and Telvar originated on the same world, aplanet known as Tir. The deadly conflict between the grayelves and drow on Tir occurred shortly after the world wascreated. The gray elves drove the drow underground,where the dark elves plotted their return to the surface forcenturies. One of the questions the drow faced was how todeal with the Telvar, who were certain to side with the othersurface races against any invasion from the subterraneandrow. The Telvar’s mobility could wreak havoc on the looselyorganized humanoid tribes the drow planned to use tospearhead their conquest. The drow recognized the need todevelop a flying contingent of their own, one that would beboth loyal and willing to face the Telvar in their ownelement.

The Fainil were the result of this strategic necessity. Theoffspring of a selective breeding process between drow andtanar’ri allies, the Fainil have qualities of both ancestors.When the drow attacked the surface world, the Fainil wereat the forefront of the greatest drow victories. This militarysuperiority was proven when the war ended after 50 yearsand sunlight returned to Tir. While the rest of the drow weredestroyed or driven underground, the two Fainil fortresses,Morvan and Moddan, withstood repeated assaults. TheFainil remain in their isolated strongholds to this day, gain-ing strength and plotting.

Since the war on Tir, the Fainil have spread slowly toother worlds, although the center of their society remains inthe fortresses of Morvan and Moddan.

Fainil can be warriors, clerics, thieves, or wizards. Unlikeordinary drow, Fainil males tend toward dominance withinFainil society, although almost all clerics are still female.

Fainil have infravision to a range of 120 feet and suffer allthe penalties from sunlight as do normal drow. Their tanar’riancestry gives them a good base AC, and they do not wearthe typical drow mesh armor when flying although manywear it when in one of the two fortresses. They have a basemagic resistance of 50%, like the drow, but this resistancedoes not increase as the Fainil advance in level.

Combat: The Fainil, like other drow, use hand-held cross-bows (with drow sleep poison) and swords in combat.Because they can fly, their preferred method of attack is byambush or surprise—always at night. Fainil fly quietly toattack, targeting spell-casters with their hand-held cross-bows. There are few Fainil wizards, but they can cast theirspells while flying. Most spells are directed at opposing wiz-ards or priests, but when they attack as a small unit, Fainiluse spells to protect the most important warriors.

Fainil are quick and agile in flight, but they do not walkwell and fight awkwardly on the ground. All Fainil attack ata -2 penalty when they fight on the ground, and theirArmor Class rises by two.

Fainil can use the following spells once per day: dancinglights, faerie fire, and darkness. Fainil above 4th level can useknow alignment and detect magic once per day.

Fainil are immune to electrical attacks, a legacy of theirtanar’ri heritage.

The Fainil resemble their drow ancestors, although theyare slightly taller and usually have some distinguishingmark to indicate their tanar’ri ancestry. They all have huge,bat-like wings and slightly elongated fingers and toes. Theywear tight clothing when flying elaborate robes and cloakswhen in one of their two fortresses.

Ecology: Fainil are despoilers of nature, taking what theydesire from the world and discarding anything they feel is nolonger useful. They create little, preferring to steal necessities,artwork, magical items, and other treasure from "lesser”races. Fainil view all other intelligent creatures as beneaththem and have no morality to speak of.

Fainil require little food to sustain themselves, anotherbenefit of their tanar’ri ancestry. They are constantlyimproving the defensive capabilities of their fortresses andprefer to use slave labor whenever possible.

Habitat/Society: Fainil society is based around theirfortresses of Morvan and Moddan. Other than a few indi-viduals who, for various reasons leave Fainil society (see“Roleplaying Notes,” below), all Fainil have lodgings withinthe vast halls of either fortress. They rarely are encounteredin large numbers beyond two days’ travel from eitherfortress.

The Fainil have close ties with the drow and other racesof the Underdark but do not feel comfortable belowground. Most trading is done through intermediaries, andtheir access to the surface world gives the Fainil an advan-tage in most transactions. They are a rich and powerfulrace, strong enough that the human and demi-human racescannot drive them from their mountain fortresses.

Life within Morvan and Moddan is full of intrigue andpolitical trickery. Unlike drow society, the Fainil hierarchy isnot dominated by females. There are equal numbers ofhigh-ranking men and women, although strong families stillwield considerable power.

Roleplaying NotesFainil are universally despised by races who live on the

surface world, and they find it difficult to co-exist with anyother intelligent beings, whom they would prefer to con-quer and enslave. individual Fainil are mistrusted and per-secuted in most regions.

26 FEBRUARY 1998

Fainil who leave their dark fortresses to become adven-turers usually do so for one of two reasons. Either their fam-ily has been disgraced and, to avoid death, they flee intothe outside world, or they are perceived to be an alykus.These rare individuals, a result of the imperfect breedingprogram that created the Fainil, have the ability to becomepowerful wizards (16th-level limit) but lack the normal Fainilpenchant for destruction. The alykus are viewed as threatsto Fainil society and are ruthlessly dealt with once theyhave been identified. A few escape, though, to become out-casts of Fainil society.

Fainil are not as long-lived as their drow ancestors, typ-ically living as long as half-elves. They care little for art orentertainment, and it is extremely rare to find one with asense of humor. Fainil are fanatical in their devotion to theskills required of their class and choose training above allother recreational activities. While they do not trust otherseasily, Fainil are extremely loyal, particularly to those besidewhom they enter battle.

Fainil Magical Items

Aerial WardThe Fainil fear attack by other flying creatures. They

have designed a magical ward that protects their fortressesfrom aerial assault by any non-drow. The ward is generatedby a large crystal located in the central keep of each of theFainlil’s two mountain fortresses. The power of theaerial ward extends 200 feet in all directions of each fortress.Any flying creature that enters the ward’s effect suffers 2 hpdamage and is thrust backward by a gust of wind spell. Anycreature with drow ancestry can pass within the circle atwill; the circle can also be lowered for up to an hour at atime from within the crystal’s chamber by any wizard of 6thlevel or higher. The chamber where the crystal is kept alsoserves as a crypt for the Fainil dead. For every 100 Fainilinterred within the crypt, the power of the crystal extendsanother foot beyond the fortress.

XP Value: nil

Fainil Armor

GP Value: nil

Fainil armor is similar to drow mesh armor (+1 to +3),masking the heat signature of the wearer, so infravisioncannot detect the wearer. The wearer of the armor can stillbe viewed normally. The armor loses its enchantment whenexposed to sunlight for more than two hours.

XP Value: 1,500 (+1) GP Value: 3,000 (+1)2,500 (+2) 5,000 (+2)4,000 (+3) 8,000 (+3)

Flare BoltsThese magical bolts were created by dwarves for use

against the night flyers. Fired from heavy crossbows, thesebolts have two uses in combat. As a typical missile weapon,a flare bolt gains a +2 bonus to hit and causes quadrupledamage against Fainil. The favored use of the flare bolt,though, is to illuminate battlefields where Fainil are attack-ing in force. The bolt is fired into the air and, at the apex ofits flight, bursts into bright light, shedding illumination in acircle with a 150’ diameter. Attacks against Fainil within thiscircle gain a +3 bonus, and any Fainil caught in the area ofeffect suffer a -3 attack penalty for two hours.

XP Value: 300 GP Value: 650

DRAGON #244 27

TelvarCLIMATE/TERRAIN: MountainsFREQUENCY: RareORGANIZATION: SolitaryACTIVITY CYCLE: AnyDIET: OmnivoreINTELLIGENCE: MediumTREASURE: M,QALIGNMENT: Lawful Neutral

NO. APPEARING:ARMOR CLASS:MOVEMENT:HIT DICE:THAC0:NO. OF ATTACKS:DAMAGE/ATTACK:SPECIAL ATTACKS:SPECIAL DEFENSES:MAGIC RESISTANCE:SIZE:MORALE:XP VALUE:

10-4066, Fly 12 (B)2192 or by weapon1-8 (+2)/1 -8 (+2) or by weaponNoneNoneNilL (8’ tall)Fanatic (18)65

Telvar are aerial barbarians who live in mountainousregions far from civilized lands. They live in large clans andavoid contact with other races whenever possible.

Telvar are extremely tall, averaging almost 8 feet inheight. They are quick and agile but not nearly as strong ashumans or even elves. They have abnormally long fingersand toes, and they can use their feet to grip small objects.Telvar have large feathered wings that grow from theirshoulders—pre-dominant colors are brown, gray, and white.Telvar have large, sharply pointed ears, as well as largeeyes with two sets of eyelids. Telvar are usually heavily tat-tooed, the tattoos signifying important events such as thefirst hunt, a first kill, and family membership. Telvar dress inlayers of loose-fitting clothing mostly the hides of variousgame animals.

Every male in each family is expected to be a proficientwarrior and hunter; the weak do not usually survive child-hood. Women are often trained as hunters and face thesame rigorous training demands as the men. Women whoaren’t hunters either gather food or serve as family priests.All Telvar religious figures are women. While they cannotbe the head of a family, they have great authority as spiri-tual and community advisors.

Telvar occasionally travel to cities for trade, but they feeluncomfortable when surrounded by multitudes of ground-based races. They are honorable in all their dealings andtake extreme offense at being cheated or lied to. Telvarrarely develop strong relationships with other races, butthey are staunch allies once they have committed them-selves to an alliance. Of the four flying races detailed here,the Telvar are the least likely to be encountered as enemiesof most bands of PCs.

Telvar have infravision to a range of 80 feet.

Combat: The Telvar are talented archers, able to fell theirquarry from great distances while flying overhead. They areso skilled with the great bow that they gain a +2 bonus todamage for each successful bow attack. Telvar can never bespecialized in melee weapons.

Telvar have very little magic to support combat opera-tions. The priestly magic wielded by the females is usedmainly for divination and healing, although femalecleric/fighters are not unknown. Because of this lack ofmagic, Telvar consistently attack enemy spell-casters untilthey are neutralized. If they cannot defeat the spellcasters,they will withdraw until another opportunity presents itself.

If possible, and as long as their arrows hold out, Telvarattack ground-based enemies with missile fire. They do notengage in melee combat unless absolutely necessary orwhen an enemy has been severely weakened. Most Telvarwield long thin swords that inflict damage as short swords.

Ecology: The Telvar take great pains to live in harmonywith the natural world. They realize that a balance must bemaintained to ensure the long-term survival of each clan,so there is strict adherence to territorial hunting lands andno over-hunting within these lands. Travelers who passthrough Telvar lands may do so without fear, provided theydo not upset the balance that the Telvar have maintainedfor centuries.

Many races mistake the simple ways of the Telvar for alack of intelligence. However, when necessary, the Telvarare capable of developing sophisticated military plansrequiring complex co-ordination between clans. Those whohave underestimated Telvar resolve have met with defeat,demonstrated by the fall of many humanoid bands thathave tried to infringe upon Telvar territory.

Habitat/Society: Telvar are flying barbarians, building nocities and living off the land. They are fierce warriors, hard-ened by generations of subsistence living in harsh climates.The Telvar are nomads, traveling in large family groups thatfollow the yearly migrations of various herd animals.

The heads of every Telvar family meet every two yearsto settle disputes, discuss hunting strategies, and-on rareoccasions-plan war against anyone infringing on theirhunting grounds. Leadership in each Telvar family is deter-mined by combat. Every three years, all warriors in eachfamily are given the opportunity to challenge the currenthead of the family to ritual combat. Each battle lasts untilone side concedes defeat. Defeated challengers often leavethe family, either to start their own family or possibly to hirethemselves out as mercenaries.

Roleplaying NotesFor some Telvar, the lure of the civilized world proves

stronger than family ties. These young, idealistic individualsoften leave the clan to find their fortune elsewhere. In addi-tion, Telvar warriors who fail in their challenge for clanleadership almost always leave the family for a period ofyears, although many eventually return.

Telvar are comfortable with large groups and shareddecision-making responsibilities. They can adapt their skilleasily to the needs of a large adventuring group, but theyprefer not to become involved in pitched battles. They oftenfulfill the role of scout and missile weapon specialist in aparty. Telvar love to hunt, and they are masters of hit-and-run tactics and ambushes.

Telvar are used to hardship and the need to push them-selves beyond their supposed physical limits. They expectsimilar sacrifices from their companions and have little

28 FEBRUARY 1998

patience for individuals who do not contribute to the com-mon good. Their lack of tact in these situations can lead totension with other members of an adventuring party.

Due to their difficulty in maneuvering in small spaces,Telvar have a great fear of being underground.

Telvar Magical Items

Hunter CloaksThe best hunter in each Telvar family wears a hunter

cIoak, a garment that is magically enhanced to make thewearer virtually invisible to creatures with animal intelli-gence. The wearer makes no sound when flying emits nosmells, and absorbs any sound used by animals with echolo-cation. The cloak also gives the wearer invisibility to animalsas long as the wearer is in the air; the cloak imparts no spe-cial benefits to wearers who are on the ground. The wearercan attack creatures with animal intelligence without losingthe benefits of the cloak, but the cloak has no effect on anycreatures with greater than animal intelligence.

XP Value: 1,500

Concussion Arrows

GP Value: 3,000

The Telvar excel at air-to-air combat. Their skills were putto the test against the Fainil. To aid in these battles, thefemale clerics of each family created concussion arrows,specifically designed for use against the Fainil. The arrowshave a +3 bonus to hit and damage, and a successful hitcauses the arrow to explode, creating a shock wave thatstuns anyone within 10 feet of the blast who fails a save vs.spells. The stun effect lasts for only one round.

XP Value: 300 GP Value: 650

Shield of the UnderdarkThe Fainil’s most powerful item of defense against

the Telvar is the shield of the Underdark. The shield of theUnderdark is actually a normal appearing buckler andwas often carried by an inconspicuous member of aFainil combat unit. Once a day, by sacrificing all of hishit points but 1, the bearer of the shield can create amagical barrier in a 20’ radius from his body that actsas protection from normal missiles spell and grants 15%magic resistance to everyone within the barrier. Thisprotection lasts for 15 rounds or until the shield beareris killed or rendered unconscious.

XP Value: 4,500 GP Value: 15,000

DRAGON #244 29

AshieraCLIMATE/TERRAIN: Coastal RegionsFREQUENCY: RareORGANIZATION: CommunityACTIVITY CYCLE: AnyDIET: OmnivoreINTELLIGENCE: VeryTREASURE: C, 4ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Neutral

NO. APPEARING:ARMOR CLASS:MOVEMENT:HIT DICE:THAC0:NO. OF ATTACKS:DAMAGE/ATTACK:SPECIAL ATTACKS:SPECIAL DEFENSES:MAGIC RESISTANCE:SIZE:MORALE:XP VALUE:

10-2046, 6 swim, 6 fly61212-12ColdfireFog cloudNilM (5½’ tall)Elite (13-14)975

The Ashiera are an intelligent race of aquatic humanoidswho, in ages past, were greatly affected by Wild Magic. TheAshiera’s unconscious manipulation of their home world’snatural power dramatically changed their physiology inonly a few generations. Before the Wild Magic lost itspower, the Ashiera had gained the innate ability to flythrough the skies as well as swim in the oceans. While theyare not good flyers, their ability to exist underwater and inthe air make them formidable opponents.

The Ashiera are short and stocky. They have gray skin,small ears and noses, and little body hair. Ashiera have gillson their necks and slightly webbed fingers and toes. Ridgedlayers of gray-blue skin sweep back from their brows. Theywear little clothing, most of it slick and form-fitting. Their fly-ing ability is innate, and they use a modified swimmingmotion to propel themselves across the sky. A few Ashierawear Ashieran armor (see DRAGON® Magazine Annual #1).

The fierce territoriality and aggressiveness of the Ashierausually leads to their complete control over the islandchains around which they build their settlements. On occa-sion, the Ashiera occupy abandoned coastal cities, but theylack the foresight and interest to establish a land-basedempire. They are easily angered and often lash out at near-by settlements if they feel they are threatened.

All Ashiera have the ability to generate coldfire 1/dayfrom their fingertips. This special ability manifests itself asan ice storm in the air, causing 2-12 hp damage to anycreatures in a 10’ diameter circle. Underwater, the coldfireability produces three ice daggers that inflict 1-6 hp dam-age on a successful attack roll (one roll per dagger). Therange on both coldfire applications is 30 feet.

Combat: The Ashiera have relatively unsophisticatedcombat tactics. They prefer to swarm attackers both under-water and in the air, trusting in their superior movement toescape any losing battle. They use their coldfire ability andAshieran lances (see below) to attack enemies from a dis-tance before closing for melee.

The Ashiera can wrap fog around themselves twice aday for five rounds, creating a misty barrier that affords a-2 penalty to all missile attacks against them. Large groupsof Ashiera use this ability to great psychological effect byapproaching enemies as fast-moving storm clouds.

Ashiera are highly susceptible to fire, suffering an extra 1hp damage per die of fire damage.

Ecology: The Ashiera are the most powerful of all intelli-gent aquatic races. They have been known to attack andoccupy the settlements of other races, particularly aquaticelves. In addition, vessels sailing through their territorialwaters are often raided for supplies and treasure, although theAshiera occasionally welcome trading ships to their settle-ments. The Ashiera often possess treasure that they have sal-vaged from sunken vessels or forgotten underwater cities.

The Ashieran diet consists of fish, which they harvest,and an occasional land animal brought back from a raid.

Habitat/Society: The Ashiera are, for the most part, anaquatic race. They build nothing on land, and their settle-ments under the sea vary greatly in size. Most settlementsare built in shallow waters near uninhabited islands, withvast distances between each settlement.

Because of the distance that separates Ashieran settle-ments, their society is difficult to categorize. Geographyplays an important role in determining how different settle-ments develop. Settlements near rich natural resourcesoften develop more sophisticated economic and politicalstructures, while Ashiera in harsher climates live as huntersand gatherers.

The one constant of Ashieran society is its adaptability.Ashiera are short-lived. As a race, they place little emphasison custom and tradition. Ethics, values, and laws changequickly from generation to generation, and Ashiera are quickto embrace new technologies or military concepts. Ashieransociety tends toward isolationism. It is rare for any settlementto have long-term contact with any other civilized race.

Roleplaying NotesThe Ashiera are the most likely of the four flying races to

join an adventuring band. The ties that bind them to theirsociety are not as strong as those of the other races, andtheir ability to travel underwater gives them a wide rangeof locales to visit.

Ashiera do not take orders from others well, and theyoften change plans to take advantage of new circumstances.They do not always communicate these changes well, lead-ing to misunderstandings and complications with non-Ashieran companions. In addition, Ashiera do not think twiceabout breaking oaths if it is to their benefit. Survival of thefittest is the one overriding philosophy of all Ashieran adven-turers.

Ashiera hate to be defeated. Thus, they are fierce oppo-nents when the odds are against them. The more dire thesituation, the more passionate their response.

Ashiera must immerse themselves in saltwater at leastonce every three days, for at least an hour. Ashiera that areunable to immerse themselves lose 3 points of Strength andConstitution every day past the third day, and they will diewithin one week of such deprivation.

30 FEBRUARY 1998

DRAGON #244 31

Ashieran Magical Items

Sword of Free ActionAshieran warriors must be able to fight both in the air

and under the waves. The most powerful warriors amongthem wield swords of free action. These weapons can beenchanted from +1 to +4 and grant the wielder same ben-efits as a ring of free action.

XP Value: 1,500 per “plus” GP Value: 3,000 per “plus”

Ashieran LanceMany mid-level Ashieran warriors use a specially

enchanted pole arm as their primary weapon of choice. TheAshieran lance is an unwieldy flat-bladed pole arm that suf-fers a -2 penalty to attack and damage when used inmelee combat (2-12 hp damage). The bottom of the polearm appears to have a spear-like point. However, at a men-tal command of the wielder, the spear tip discharges coldenergy that causes 1-8 hp damage to a single target with-in 30 feet (save vs. spells for no damage). This ability can beused 6/day and is effective underwater as well as in the air.

XP Value: 500

Coldfire Shield

GP Value: 1,000

The Ashiera pose a threat to many coastal towns. Inresponse to that danger, certain druids have created shieldsspecifically designed to protect against the Ashieran coldfireability. Coldfire shields lend a +2 bonus to AC and give thebearer immunity from all cold-based attacks. In addition,the shields are enchanted to absorb energy from the cold-fire attacks of the Ashiera, healing the bearer for 1 hp dam-age for each hp damage absorbed. The bearer can behealed only to his normal maximum hit points. Any addi-tional points of healing are lost.

XP Value: 1,000 GP Value: 2,500

MasgaiCLIMATE/TERRAIN:

ORGANIZATION:ACTIVITY CYCLE:

FREQUENCY:

DIET:INTELLIGENCE:TREASURE:ALIGNMENT:

Any

CommunityAny

Rare

OmnivoreHighNoneLawful Neutral

NO. APPEARING:ARMOR CLASS: 2MOVEMENT:HIT DICE:THAC0:NO. OF ATTACKS:DAMAGE/ATTACK:SPECIAL ATTACKS:SPECIAL DEFENSES:MAGIC RESISTANCE:SIZE:MORALE:XP VALUE:

10-40

9, fly 18 (C)3181 or 2By weapon typeNilNilNilM (6’ tall)Fanatic (18)65

The Masgai are tall and long-limbed insect humanoids.They walk upright on spindly legs, and their thin armsextend almost to their knees. The outer surface of theirentire body is covered by a dark chitinous Iayer, acting asnatural armor plating. Their faces are elongated, with twoeyes set wide apart, a prominent jaw, and sharp teeth.

Masgai are highly advanced tool makers, and theirclothes are mass produced. While the clothing is of highquality, there is very little variety in fashion, so most Masgaihave a uniform appearance. The Masgai do not havewings, as they are distantly related to air elementals andhave the innate ability to fly at will.

The Masgai are empire builders who are slowly spread-ing their influence from world to world. The Masgai’s capi-tal city of Rig-Veda is hidden on a remote world, its locationjealously guarded by both mundane and magical means.

The Masgai have developed a systematic approach totheir dominion of other worlds. They begin by establishingtrading enclaves in the most powerful cities of each world,entering into trade alliances that give them both financialand political power. When they determine the time is right,they establish a minor settlement on the edge of the fron-tier, helping the indigenous races keep any humanoid,giant or monster populations at bay. Once they have beenaccepted, they slowly increase the size of their settlementuntil they can challenge for political, economic and militarysupremacy.

The Masgai are perfectly content to wait for centuries fortheir plans to come to fruition. They prefer to establish con-trol without military conquest, but they engage in battlewithout hesitation whenever necessary.

Masgai warriors can advance to an unlimited level aswarriors. They have no clerical magic, though, and theirwizards can advance only as far as fourth level.

Combat: The Masgai way of life of has created exem-plary warriors. They are disciplined in battle, respondingflawlessly to a hierarchy of commanders and sub-units.Attacks are coordinated and well-planned. Their assaults

are always carried out for a very specific purpose. TheMasgai do not form rigid battle lines or commit themselvesirrevocably to attack. They usually approach in a loose, flex-ible formation, trying to attack opponents at their weakestpoints. The front ranks of Masgai attackers usually carry 12’spears that are used to thrust at non-flying warriors, andsecondary ranks are typically armed with both bows andshort swords.

If strongly resisted, the Masgai withdraw, hoping tocoerce the enemy into breaking ranks and overextendingthemselves to counterattack. Once an opponents disciplinehas broken down, the Masgai mass to attack isolatedgroups, engaging in melee combat only when the battle isclearly in their favor.

Ecology: The Masgai are an ambitious, powerful race. Theyplan for the long term and are extremely patient in dealingwith other races. Masgai population centers tend to be verylarge, and they are a great drain on the natural resources ofthe surrounding lands. The Masgai need to expand theirpopulation base due to a short life-span forces them to gofarther and farther afield for food and materials. Theirlargest empires have actually drawn on the resources ofnumerous worlds, all connected by sophisticated teleporta-tion portals.

The Masgai jealously guard their magical advances,which are centered on group benefits rather than individualapplications.

Habitat/Society: Masgai are builders of the highest order.They live in vast cities that are built with magic the Masgaihave tamed for domestic use. Since they can fly, theychoose sites that are easily defensible and of little value tocreatures who can’t fly. They use sophisticated agriculturaltechniques to produce large yields from their fields, andthey create immense transportation networks to bring sup-plies from outlying regions.

War is central to the social structure of the Masgai. A mil-itary hierarchy wields economic and political power, and allcitizens are expected to serve at least two years in thestanding army of each Masgai city. The response of mostMasgai warriors to the strain of constant war-making is afierce adherence to a strict code of honor that stresses per-sonal service to the state above all else. This strict warriorcode has led to the establishment of various military orders,membership in which is the measurement of social status inthe Masgai hierarchy.

The Masgai wage war as an extension of their politicalpower; they do not waste resources without the prospect ofsome type of gain. They see conquest as a means to gainriches and power, planning immense campaigns for theannexation and consolidation of power. They are ruthlessand terrifying in battle.

Roleplaying NotesBeyond the surface of their strict adherence to a mili-

taristic society, most Masgai are individualists at heart.Advancement within Masgai society is often based on per-sonal achievement, and one of the fastest ways to rise to theranks of the powerful is to be either financially or militarilysuccessful outside the borders of the empire. Those individ-uals able to strike out on their own and make a name for

32 FEBRUARY 1998

themselves are rewarded with a heightened position inMasgai society when they return. Those that fail in the out-side world, though, fail completely. They are never able toregain their position in Masgai society.

Masgai are quick to make friends and allies; however,most relationships are viewed as temporary conditions thatcan swiftly change as circumstances change. Masgai areopportunistic and rarely risk themselves personally withoutthe chance of a significant gain. If they perceive a specificgoal as worthwhile, though, they pursue it with all themeans at their disposal.

Masgai work well with others, and—although arrogant—are quick to grasp and follow orders. They respect powerand authority and take pains not to break local laws. Whenthey are given authority themselves, they expect completeobedience and have little patience for dissension anddebate.

Masgai player characters find that they are not com-pletely trusted by those who they meet in their travels. First,their alien features clearly set them apart from most demi-humankind, unless they have a means of disguising them-selves. Second, most nations are wary of the ambitions ofMasgai empires, and often view individual Masgai asadvance scouts for possible conquests. Local officials oftenkeep a close eye on the actions of any Masgai once theyare identified.

Masgai Magical items

Earth ArrowsEarth arrows are among the most powerful magical items

created by the Masgai for battles against other flying races.Earth arrows have a +2 attack and damage bonus, and anyflying creature hit must make a save vs. spells or lose theability to fly for three hours. These arrows only affect crea-tures not using magical means of flying. Because of theirpower (hitting a flying creature in flight is deadly), eartharrows will never be found in quantities of more than 1-3.

XP Value: 250

Cloak of the Masgai

GP Value: 750

The Masgai have developed enchanted cloaks that arequite common among warriors of the race. The cloaks havetwo special properties, both tied closely to defense againstearth arrows. First, the cloak enables the wearer fly 1/dayfor one turn. Also, if the wearer is already flying and losesconsciousness, the cloak immediately levitates the wearer,and then slowly lowers him to the ground. The cloaks donot radiate magic until one of their special properties is acti-vated. All cloaks of the Masgai are extremely well crafted, ifnot especially unique in design.

XP Value: 700

Iberc�s Ring

GP Value: 1,500

Iberc’s Ring allows the wearer to fly at twice the normalspeed, regardless of whether the flying ability is innate, nat-ural or magical. The ability can only be used once a day, forup to ten turns. For each turn that the ability is used, thewearer suffers 3 hp damage. When using this ability, thewearer gains a -3 Armor Class bonus.

XP Value: 1,500 GP Value: 3,000

DRAGON #244 33

The Elves of the Dusk

by Roger Raupp, with Chris Perkins and Jesse Deckerillustrated by Dennis Kauth

THE DWARVES HAD KNOWN about the substance for ages, her unholy prayers for conquest and supremacy for theits mere existence no great surprise. Rather, it was the drow’s Xak’Vandiri clan. She tumbled to the altar, numbed by the uhl.ingenious use of it that was so startling. When she finally rose to her feet, it was with an infernal mission.

The dwarves were the first to unearth the mineral that thedrow later named uhl (pronounced OO-ul, meaning “vaporous”or “airy”). Superficially similar to umber, uhl’s relative abun-dunce, milkier translucency, and soft consistency spoil its use as agemstone of any significant value. Before the drow discovered itsextraordinary qualities, the dwarves usually destroyed uhl veinsin order to create tunnels and caverns, taking full advantage ofone of this mineral’s lesser characteristics: common acids vaporizeuhl completely.

The duergar found that uhl made a pleasant incense, andtheir priests would burn small chunks on charcoal embers. Thosewho have tried this for themselves claim that the odor is like thatof copal mixed with burning pitch. The duergar priests attributedmystical properties to uhl incense. Besides causing slight eupho-ria (or nausea), the substance is said to induce prophetic visionsfrom the duergar's corrupt deities. (Surface-dwelling critics of theduergar note that the gray dwarves could probably achieve thesame effect by strangling themselves.)

Eventually, the drow learned of uhl from the duergar. The clanXak’Vandiri had regular contact with the gray dwarves. On oneparticular occasion, a priestess, one Panque (PAN-kay), tookinterest in the spectacular claims of the duergar peddlers. Theyclaimed to have a rare and powerful new incense. Usually,Panque ignored such base dealings, but this time her curiosityoverpowered her sense of propriety. She purchased a sample ofthe duergar’s orange pebbles, swearing to exact a most unpleas-ant revenge if the incense wasn’t all they claimed.

As the legend has it, the censers were lit inLolth’s temple. Uhl smoke issued forth.Panque breathed it in deeply, pronouncing

The spider goddess had appeared to Panque and charged thepriestess with a quest. Centermost in this plan was the uhl. It wasto be employed to carry House Xak’Vandiri aloft and forward onthe winds, like some fearsome aerial predator-like young arach-nids leaving their mothers web.

Panque's vision was to embark the Xak’Vandiri clan on acourse that would span more than a century and finally result inthe “Xan Kraban”— the drow windship. Initially the clan matronsgreeted Panque’s vision-inspired objectives with skepticism. Thetale relates that she invoked the wrath of Lolth on her critics andwon their support by demonstrating the buoyant power of vapor-ized uhl by lofting an uhl-filled bladder before their doubting eyes.Convinced at last of Panque's divine guidance, the matrons set herplans as the highest ambition of the clan. The windships would bebuilt, and the Xak’Vandiri would venture into the open sky, gain-ing great wealth and prestige.

Immediately, drow warlords were dispatched into the dwar-ven reaches of the Underdark to ensure a steady supply of uhl.Pacts were sealed with the duergar, and regular shipments wereassured. It wasn’t long before uhl stockpile began to mount in theXak’Vandiri’s subterranean holdings.

Meanwhile, artisans were set to the task of engineeringPanque's Windship. They worked for many years, submittingdesign after design for Panque’s approval. “When you have ful-filled Lolths wishes, you shall know. Back to your sites, youunworthy slugs!” And so it went.

The craft could not be a simple bladder filled with uhl vapor,though such a device was easy to construct. It had

to be a vessel that could ply the winds, notmerely drift at their mercy.

34 FEBRUARY 1998

The scope of Panque Xak’Vandiri’sgrand scheme would not be limited to theinvention of a flying ship. A special crewwas required, one that could withstandthe sunlight and the elements of the sur-face world. Such a crew would not beeasy to recruit or train. Who among thedrow could rise to such a task? And whichamong their allies could they trust withsuch a bold charge?

Although they could only grudginglyadmit it, and then only among them-selves, the Xak’Vandiri realized that theywere confronted by their greatest weak-ness, with no reasonable solution in sight.How could they overcome the sun itself?In time, Panque hit upon an idea thatwas, even to the drow themselves, almostunthinkable.

Raiding parties were sent to the sur-face, their objective to attack a number ofsylvan hamlets and slaughter all of theelves, except the young females. Thedrow succeeded in their goal. Five com-munities of wood elves succumbed to thedrow onslaught. To this day, the ruins ofAmon Laur and Taur Galen bear cruel tes-timony to the drow victories.

The raiders returned to the Underdarkwith a score of captive wood elves. Theseunfortunates were made the concubinesof favored lords among the drow, andfrom their unholy unions were spawnedhalfbreed drow, known as the Xakhun(pronounced za-KOON).

Those halfbreeds who proved strongbecame the pride of the clan. Those whowere weak found their destinies on thealtars of the spider goddess. The blood oftheir surface-born mothers could be toler-ated only insofar as it helped HouseXak’Vandiri achieve its divine mission.Either they would learn to lead the drowinto the air. or they would be sacrificed onLolth's altars. To this day, the Xakhunwindshippers say, “Sail the winds or stainthe stone,” echoing the aphorisms of theircruel trainers.

When the hybrid offspring came of age,the drow sent them to the surface world totest their strengths. The drow had no shipsconstructed yet, nor did any have experi-ence flying. They needed to learn aboutsailing and the arts of navigation fromthose who sailed the surface seas. Alreadythey had contacts among the mercenarycorsairs of the nearby coast. Now theyplaced their special youngsters in servicewith the pirates, enlisting them to absorball the knowledge they could. Once theireducation was complete, they were toreturn to the underworld and prepare forthe day of ascent—but not all of them did.

As careful as the clan had been, sub-jecting the children to the most intenseindoctrination, in some of these half-breeds their mothers nature could not beovershadowed. Despite decades of disci-pline and conditioning—or perhapsbecause of the cruel disdain with whichthe “truebloods” treated the halfbreeds—ahandful defected, rebuking the clan andfreeing into the surface world. Nothingcould have enraged the drow more.These were traitors among their own kin.The matrons dispatched assassins andswore that each and every one of therenegades would be hunted down, cap-tured, and tortured to death.

It was one such renegade windshipperwho brought this sordid tale of theXakhun windshippers to the surface folk.

It’s all history now. Many folk haveseen those damnable contraptionsscooting just above the treetops in thenight, or high among the clouds in theday. The cave-crawling drow are badenough, but now we have themscooting all over the place overhead,too. House Xak’Vandiri has all butabandoned subterranean life. The firsthalfbreeds have themselves had chil-dren, even great grandchildren. Youmight as well not call them drow any-more; they're a breed apart. Almost allof them are windshippers these days,except for the ancient among them.From what the adventurers who haverun into them say, they’re an arrogantlot, even those who have turned fromLolth to Eilistraee. My advice to you is,when you see those sails with the bigred spiders on them, just turn and run.

The XakhunThe Xakhun of House Xak’Vandiri

are part drow, part wood elf, yetdivorced from each of their parentraces. Generations of selective breed-ing have created a type born to servea specific purpose—to sail the XanKraban. Although others have sincemanaged to steal the Xakhun’s secret,none match the skill or devotion of thewindshippers. To the Xakhun, nothingis more precious than being selectedto serve aboard a windship. XanKraban captains, or skymistresses,hold the most privileged positions intheir clans. To fly is a young Xakhun’shighest aspiration, yet only the mosttalented are chosen for that duty.

Unlike full-blooded drow, theXakhun have no aversion to sunlightor bright illumination. However, they

have lost all of the magical abilities ofthe drow, except that they retain apartial (10%) magic resistance as aresult of their dark elf heritage. Unliketrue drow, the Xakhun halfbreeds donot gain additional magic resistanceas they advance in level.

For special abilities and class levellimits, treat Xakhun halfbreeds in allother respects as wood elves.

Xakhun may be Warriors, Rogues,Wizards, or Priests. Multi-classedXakhun may combine any of the fourprimary classes. All Xakhun windship-pers take one of the following kits. Atthe DM’s discretion, Xakhun PCs mayadopt other kits or take no kit at all.

Windsailors (Warrior or Rogue)Description: Windsailors form the

bulk of Xan Kraban crews. They aretrained in the operations of the airshipand in combat. Xakhun Warriors orRogues may choose the windsailor kit,provided they meet the minimum abil-ity requirements. Windsailors fill thehighest echelons of Xakhun society,below only the clergy of Lolth andhigher-ranking windsailors.

Physically, windsailors tend to beslight and swift. Agility means morethan brute strength on the constantlyshifting deck of a Xan Kraban, andgood windsailors are seldom large.

Windsailor Warriors form the mainassault force of windships, adept atboth missile and melee combat.

Windsailor Rogues are experts atdropping to the ground on a cord ofspider silk, looting the villages of theXan Kraban’s victims before burningthe villages to the ground.

Role: Windsailors are responsiblefor all operations of the Xan Kraban.When not serving on board a XanKraban, windsailors often lead smallXakhun raiding parties on the surface.

Their elite status makes most wind-sailors aloof and serious. Outsiders,even other drow, consider the wind-sailors the worst of an alreadyhaughty people. The knowledge thatthey were chosen to carry out Lolth’squest makes every member of a XanKraban’s crew look down on thosewho were not so honored.

Requirements: Every Xakhunselected to serve on a Xak Krabanmust have a minimum Dexterity of 15.In addition, preference is given tothose slighter in stature than most.Most experienced windsailors arebelow average height and weight.

DRAGON #244 35

New ProficiencyPilot Airship(1 slot Dexterity -3)

This proficiency covers allaspects of flying a Xan Kraban.Characters with this proficiency canserve as competent crewmembers,steer the ship, and know how tomaintain the level of uhl gas in theship. This proficiency does not pro-vide the benefits of the rope use ornavigation proficiencies, which arealso useful to windsailors.

Weapon Proficiencies: Required:Dagger, short bow (composite).

Non-weapon Proficiencies: Bonus:Pilot airship (see sidebar). Recom-mended: Navigation, rope use, weathersense.

Special Benefits: The extensivetraining windsailors receive aboard aXan Kraban negates any penalties theymight otherwise receive due to firingmissiles from an unstable platform.

As part of the final stage of theirtraining, windsailors learn to moveswiftly along the spidersilk rigging of aXan Kraban. Any windsailor movingthrough familiar rigging moves at halfhis movement rate with no penalty. Ittakes roughly two hours for a wind-sailor to become familiar with the rig-ging of a new airship. This benefitextends to the webbing used by dropspiders, allowing crew members toslip down on unsuspecting prey alongwith the spiders.

Special Hindrances: Because of theinherent weight restrictions aboard theXan Kraban, windsailors may not wearanything heavier than leather armor.Although they are allowed to train withany weapon permitted to their class,Xhakun windsailors may not carry anyweapons other than daggers and shortbows while aboard a Xan Kraban.

Spidermaidens (Priestess)These priestesses of Lolth are

feared for their ability to command thespiders that ride on the Xan Kraban.Spidermaidens devote their lives to theworship of Lolth, as do other drowpriestesses. However, instead of lead-ing the rest of the tribe, spidermaidensspend their time among the spidersthat help on the flying ships.

Only priestesses of Lolth can bespidermaidens. Xakhun who abandontheir faith in Lolth, and those who turn

to Eilistraee for guidance and spells,cannot become spidermaidens.

Spidermaidens often ascend to cap-tain their own vessels, but the majorityof them know that they can only do soby handling the spiders with skill.

All spidermaidens learn to trainand handle the giant spider-riggers.However, each must choose whetherto train leaping sword spiders or drop-spiders. Rivalry within the Xakhunmost often occurs between those whofavor the leaping sword spiders andthose who favor the drop spiders.

Role: The primary responsibility ofa spidermaiden is the care of the spi-ders on a Xan Kraban. A dedicatedspidermaiden who serves Lolth welloften becomes a skymistress—captainof her own airship. In combat, the spi-dermaiden is responsible for coordi-nating the spiders’ actions with thoseof the normal crew.

Requirements: Dexterity 15 andWisdom 15.

Weapon Proficiencies: Required:Dagger, short bow.

Non-weapon Proficiencies: Bonus:Animal handling (spider). Recom-mended: Pilot airship (see sidebar),navigation, weather sense, rope use.

Special Benefits: Because of theiraffinity for spiders and devotion toLolth, skymistresses may move alongspider webs at their normal movementrate in any direction. For this power tofunction, the webs must be strongenough to support the spidermaiden’sweight without breaking. Furthermore,spidermaidens are completely immuneto adhesives of all kinds. Web spells,sovereign glue, and other adhesiveshave no effect on a spidennaiden.

At 3rd level, spidermaidens maycast a specialized form of speak withanimals (spiders only) at will.

Special Hindrances: Spidermaidensare linked with the rigger-spider oftheir ship as a wizard is linked with herfamiliar. Although a spidermaidengains little from this link, should herrigger-spider be killed, she suffers direside effects. A rigger-spider that diesdue to age always leaves a clutch ofeggs, one of which matures into a newrigger. If her rigger-spider dies withoutleaving the proper clutch of eggs, aspidermaiden must make a successfulsystem shock roll or permanently losehalf her hit points. Even if this savesucceeds, the spidermaiden loses apoint of Constitution permanently. Arestoration spell counters this loss.

Windtamer (Wizard)Windtamers are mages trained to

integrate their magic with the opera-tions of a windship. They are the onlymembers of the crew not expected toparticipate in the day-to-day operationof the airship. Instead, they serve asnavigators and use their magical abili-ties to aid the rest of the crew.Windtamers come from every level ofXakhun society; there are simply toofew who inherit the drow’s magicalabilities for it to be any other way.

There is one windtamer aboard awindship. Rarely, he will be accompa-nied by an apprentice (15% chance).

Role: Windtamers keep much oftheir magic in reserve in case the shipitself is in danger. The Windtamers’ability to maneuver a Xan Krabanmakes them fearsome opponents.

On board, Windtamers often act asthe first mate and helmsman.

Preferred Schools: Alteration,Enchantment/Charm, Gr. Divination,Illusion.

Barred Schools: Windtamers cannot cast spells from the schools ofConjuration/Summoning or Necro-mancy, regardless of which schoolsthey choose to specialize in.

Requirements: Windtamers musthave an Intelligence of 15 or better,and like all windsailors, a Dexterity ofat least 15.

Weapon Proficiencies: Required:Dagger

Non-weapon: Proficiencies: Bonus:Navigation. (Windtamers receive a +1bonus to all Navigation proficiencychecks.) Required: Pilot airship.

Special Benefits: Unlike most ofthe Xakhun, Windtamers have notlost the affinity for magic typical oftheir drow heritage. Once per day, awindtamer may levitate as the normaldrow ability.

At 3rd level, windtamers gain theability to cast feather fall once per day.

At 5th level, windtamers gain theability to cast fly on themselves onceper day.

At 12th level, windtamers can castwind walk once per day.

Windtamers may move throughthe rigging of a Xan Kraban at halftheir movement rate with no penalty.

Special Hindrances: Windtamersspell restrictions are noted above (seeBarred Schools). Further, they lack theability to cast an additional spell ofeach level like other specialist mages.

36 FEBRUARY 1998

The Xan Kraban

Ship's HullThe windship’s hull is founded on

an immense central beam that runs theentire length of the vessel, emerging atthe prow as the main foremast. Thisbeam is hewn from a single, immense,rigidly straight conifer, a type foundonly in certain forests of the surfaceworld. The hull’s width and volume areestablished by a series of spars lashedperpendicularly along the centralbeam. Their varying length providesthe hull’s basic fore and aft taper, eachgroup supporting the fundamentalhexagonal shape. These spars are splitfrom the stalks of tall sturdy toadstoolscommonly found in the Underdark.They provide a skeletal framing that islight yet very strong.

Sinew cables or, more rarely, giantspider webbing stretches from spar-tipto spar-tip along the length of the hulland around its cross-section. Thisstructural rigging completes the basicdimensions of the windship’s hull andinsures proper rigidity. Over the frame-work of spars and cables a membraneis tightly stretched. This membrane is apatchwork of thousands of finely-scraped hides stitched together andinvested with a special sort of pitch.This material looks very much like vel-lum but is far stronger—resisting punc-ture as if it were much thicker leather.It does not burn as readily as vellum ortypical sail cloth—again demonstratingqualities similar to leather. Much of themembrane’s resiliency can be attrib-uted to the pitch-like medium withwhich it is saturated. Macabre rumorhas it that the Xakhun strip the hidesfor their windships from the bodies ofunfortunate surface folk. There is alsoa story that the pitch-like coatingaround the windship’s membrane isactually secreted by a rare form of sub-terranean spider cultivated by theXakhun.

Interior CompartmentsThe volume within the hull is taken

up by a crew compartment, travel con-duits (ladder chutes) and the uhl gashold. The areas frequented by person-nel—the crew compartment and ladderchutes—are sealed from the gas holdby the same membranous materialthat covers the vessel’s exterior.Though enshrouded in membrane, theinner bulkheads are framed with slats

of toadstool timber, loosely woven andlashed together. The ladder, railings,hatches and mechanisms are also con-structed out of toadstool timber andlashed together with sinew cable orspider webbing when necessary.

SailsFor the sails the Xakhun shipwrights

borrowed a weave from their humancorsair allies. The pirates call this par-ticular canvas their “moonraker” sailand claim it can catch even the slight-est breeze. The windshippers found thematerial well-suited to their needs andlearned to manufacture a variant of thecanvas, enhancing some of its quali-ties. It must be noted that the Xakhunnow trade their special sail cloth forhandsome fees. The same corsairsfrom whom the Xakhun derived theirown brand of moonraker sail nowvalue the windshippers’ canvas morethan their own. Xakhun sail cloth can,on rare occasion, be found in coastalblack markets but costs many timesthat of regular nautical canvas.

The windship has two square-typemain sails that hang from a splicedyardarm off the forward projectingmain mast, functioning like huge sprit-sails. They gather most of the vessel’swind. A mizzen sail flies from a masterected amidship on the spine. Thissail is fitted with battens after an ori-ental design. All of the ship’s riggingmakes use of the same sinew cable orspider webbing used throughout thevessel’s construction.

Rigging & OarsA windship’s rigging is maintained

by one or more specially-trained giantspiders. These creatures are trained bythe Xakhun and can rapidly repairdamage to all parts of the windship—including punctures to the outer mem-brane—with their adhesive webs.When not tightening or replacing therigging, the spider-rigger usuallyattaches itself to some discreet por-tion of the hull until needed.

Amidship, along both sides of thewindship, project three oar-like pad-dles. These too are manufactured fromtoadstool timber. Inside the hull, theyare connected to an ingenious cross-bow mechanism. The opposite endsare splayed, bent, lashed and fittedwith spider webbing (or a webbing ofsail cloth). The crossbow machinery,set firmly amidship on the vessel’s cen-tral beam and mizzen mast, allows a

Xakhun WindshipLength: 185 feet (average)Beam: 40 feet (average)Size Classification: Very largeCost: 150,000 gp (sold amongXakhun only)Building Time: 1d2+2 monthsHull/Crippling Points’: 36/36Crew: Maximum: 12

Average: 8-9Minimum: 6

Cargo Capacity: 1,800 Ibs.Standard Uhl Supply: 500 Ibs.Movement Rate 2: 18Skyworthiness 2: 9Pursuit 3: 1d6+6Maneuverability?

With sails and oars: 1d6+6With sails only: 1d6+3With oars only: 1d6+1

1. The amount of damage that the hull ofthe windship can withstand is determined byits hull points. Crippling damage, on the otherhand, refers to strikes against a ship’s masts,rigging and oars and primarily affects maneu-verability. See "Chapter 4: Nautical Combat” (OfShips and the Sea/ 52-53) for details.

2. See “Chapter 2: Nautical Travel” in OSASfor information on movement rates. Even withtheir oars, windships cannot move withouttheir sails. The windship’s Skyworthiness rep-resents the stability and durability of the ves-sel in adverse flying conditions; otherwise, it issimilar to the Seaworthiness of nautical ships.

3. Pursuit represents the windship’s abilityto use its speed to catch seaborne and air-borne vessels. The ship’s pursuit rating comesinto play during the Maneuvering Phase ofship-to-ship combat when the distancebetween the ships is large enough that subtlemaneuvers have little meaning. (See“Movement & Combat” for details.) A wind-ship’s pursuit rating equals 1d6 plus one-thirdits current movement rate.

4. A windship’s maneuverability comesinto play during the Maneuvering Phase ofnautical combat. (See “Chapter 4: NauticalCombat” in OSAS and the “Movement &Combat” section of this article.)

single windshipper to handle all six ofthe oars at once. Each oar is linked tothis double-bowed mechanism bymeans of a pivoting connector. Sinewcables or tightly-woven web strandsare connected to those pivots that runthrough the crew compartment andenable the oarsman to make certainadjustments. Each oar can have itspaddle set from a vertical position (or“full chop”) to a horizontal position (or“no chop”)—in other words, from aneffective stroke to an ineffective strokeand any degree in between. In opera-tion, this allows the solitary windship-per to direct the force of the oars, inconjunction with the rudder and sails,to assist in maneuvering the windship.

The windship’s aft is mounted withtail-vanes, port and starboard, and a

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rudder. All are constructed much likethe mizzen sail, with canvas and bat-tens, but are more rigid. The rudderresembles the tail-vanes but is set on avertical, pivoting mast and has a stayrunning along its bottom parallel tothe hull, whereas the rudders battensstretch into the hull and are firmlylashed to the ship’s central beam. Thevanes and rudder hold the windship’slateral course, with the rudder furthercomplementing the sails and oars inmaneuvers.

Decks & Landing SkidsAll surfaces aboard the windship

that are subject to travel—the crewcompartment in the lower deck, thequarter deck, poop deck, upper deckand forecastle—are floored with toad-stool timber planking woven togetherwith adhesive webbing. Though quitestrong for its mass, the planking isgenerally only about half an inchthick. Large or heavily encumberedcreatures who are not cautious couldeasily break through the decking andrupture the hull’s membrane. Beneaththe lower deck, the hull would open tothe outside and below, perhaps drop-ping someone through the deckingand to the ground. Other locations arelikely to open into the gas hold, and

the consequences of entering thereare detailed in area F (page 40).

Mounted along the windship’s"keel” are landing skids. These, too,are constructed of lightweight toad-stool timbers. The flexible nature ofthe wood allows it to absorb a certainamount of impact on landing or con-tact with other flying objects. Theskids can easily withstand most nor-mal “touch downs,” but they are typi-cally the first parts of the ship to crum-ble when crash damage occurs.

Deck PlanGeneral areas of activity aboard a

Xakhun windship are denoted byletters. Specific details are marked bynumbers.

A. Lower Deck. This area is setamid the bowels of the ship, alongwhat may be considered the keel. Ifthe planks of the deck are pried up,the outer membrane of the hull will beexposed below. The compartmentsbulkheads are covered and sealedwith membrane, effectively separatingthe area from the gas hold that sur-rounds it above and around, but notbelow. Hanging along the bulkheads,lashed high near the ceiling, are sackscontaining the ship’s uhl supply and

spare coils of web-spun rope (or, inlieu of such finery, ropes of tightlybound hemp).

To the fore and aft of this compart-ment, the deck is inclined to followthe contours of the hull. These areasare considered the orlop decks. Theaft orlop deck is bisected by a gangplank (1). The orlop decks are used byresting crew members. Six webbed ornetted hammocks hang from thewails—three fore, three aft. They arestrung from bulkhead to bulkheadwhen needed. What few belongingsthe crew members are allowed (andnot carried on their persons) are likelyto be stowed somewhere about theorlop decks. Booty or captives arealso stowed here, wrapped tightly inspider webbing. Windships that donot have spider-riggers also carrypatching kits for sealing punctures inthe vessel’s membranes; they are alsostored here.

Next to the gang plank (1), to theport side and immediately in front ofthe aft orlop deck, is a ladder (2) thatallows access to the quarter deck(area B).

Set centrally amid the deck, foreand aft of the mizzen post (4), are thetwo uhl vaporizing basins (3,5). Thesereceptacles are thin copper bowls

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about two feet in diameter. Their rimsare set flush to the decking, andstretched over each bowl is a flexiblemembranous hood that can be drawndown over the basins to channel thevapors into the gas hold (area F).

Set fore of the basins is the lever (6)for “cocking” the oar-driving mecha-nism. On the deck, at the lever’s fullyengaged position, is a bowed spring-hook that holds the system until themoment of the oars’ release. Thesystem is actuated by depressing thespring-hook mechanism.

To either side of the lever, danglingthrough sealed outlets in the ceiling,are control cables (7) for setting theangle of the oars. There are three toport and three to starboard—one foreach oar.

Just before the fore orlop deck liesa winch mechanism (8). It is woundwith two hundred feet of web orsinew cable that runs out through ahole in the decking to a large grapple

hook below. This serves as the ves-sel’s brake and anchor. At the veryfront of the compartment is an accessportal (9) to the ladder shoot (14) thatleads up to the forecastle (area E).

When the windship is in full flight,one crew member is normally sta-tioned in the lower deck compart-ment-the oarsman. This crewmemberoperates the cocking lever and oarcontrol cables. During the initial phaseof windship ascent, the whole crew isnormally occupied vaporizing the uhlto generate lift.

B. Quarter Deck. Overlooking thelower deck, above the aft orlop deckand gang plank and connected to thecrew compartment, lies the quarterdeck. In the middle, hanging from theceiling above the very fore of the deck,are eight vent trip cables (10) used torelease the uhl gas and initiate con-trolled descent. A pulley is located cen-trally on the ceiling; a line runs

through it, secured to the aft bulkhead.This block-and-tackle configuration(11) raises and lowers the gang plank(1). Two ladders rise from the quarterdeck up into chutes (12,13) that lead tothe poop deck (area C) and the upperdeck (area D). Generally, when thewindship is under way, this is wherethe captain is situated.

C. Poop Deck. A ladder chute (12)from the quarter deck (area B)emerges onto this area by means of a3’ diameter portal (19) set amid thedecks forward edge. This rear-most ofall the decks is completely open to theair and enclosed by a 3’ high railing oftoadstool timber reinforced with webstrands. Centered amid the aft of thepoop deck is the tiller (15)— a woodenappendage attached to the ruddervane (16) and used to swing it fromside to side. The tiller is held by thehelmsman (often the first mate), butthere is a rope hitch set on the aft

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railing designed to secure the tiller toa fixed position.

Down and aft from the poop deck,the tail vanes (17,18) emerge from theunderside of the hull.

D. Upper Deck. The other ladderchute (13) from the quarter deck (areaB) opens on to the centermost andlargest of the outer decks through a 3’diameter portal (20) set amid the aftedge of the deck. This deck is exposedto the open air and surrounded by a 3’high railing. Central to the deck andslightly forward stands the mizzenmast and its sail (21) like a huge dor-sal fin. Running up the mast and tiedto the deck are support and controllines made of thick spider webbing(cast by the windship’s spider-rigger),rope, or tightly-wound animal sinew.Special T-shaped pins are used to fas-ten the lines to their best advantage.These wooden pegs are insertedthrough holes set all along the decksperimeter, and the railings can beremoved or placed as needed.Complimenting these unusual T-pegsare small spindles set on top of therailings. These provide leverage, likepulleys, allowing the sailors to amplifytheir strength when hauling lines. Twowindshippers are usually on dutytending the mizzen sail.

E. Forecastle. This deck is mountedabove the prow of the windship, over-looking the main sails. Though smallerthan the upper deck (area D) and lack-ing a mast, it is in all other respects thesame. It, too, is exposed to the outeratmosphere and has the same railingwith T-pegs and spindles. Aft and cen-ter on the edge of the deck is a toad-stool timber hatch (22) that covers theladder chute (14) from the lower deckcompartment (area A). A number ofcontrol lines are rigged to the mainsails from this location. Some of thelines stretch directly from the mainmast to their forecastle anchor-points,while certain others emerge frombelow deck through conduits. Whenthe main sails are billowed and theship is under way, two windshipperswill be on duty upon the forecastle.The windship’s spider-rigger could alsobe “stationed” here.

Projecting horizontally from theprow is the huge needle-nose of thewindship—the main mast (23). Somethirty-five feet out from the hull, alengthy spliced yard arm spans themain mast, suspending the mail sails(24, 25). Each sail measures approxi-mately 20 feet square. Besides thesails’ control lines, many supportcables run from the main mast and itsyard arm to anchor points all aboutthe vessel’s prow.

F. Gas Hold. Most of the windship’svolume is reserved for the lift-providinguhl vapor. The only means of accessinto the gas hold is a two-and-a-halffoot slit (26) in the ceiling membraneof the lower deck compartment (areaA). This aperture is barely apparent,almost completely blending into themembrane’s patchwork of seams. It isa simple gummed incision, used inemergencies and released only withgreat care.

Once within the gas hold, the ship’sskeletal frame dominates one’s view.The interior portion of the mizzenmast stands amidship, lashed securelyto the central beam. Mounted to thecentral beam and mizzen mast is theoar-driving double-crossbow mecha-nism (27) —a strange puzzle of slidinglevers, bow strings, and guide poles.Amidship, along the ceiling of the holdbut just below the upper deck, areeight gas vents (28-35), four port andfour starboard. These are the valvesused to release uhl vapor from thehold. A control line runs from eachvent to the trips (10) that hang fromthe ceiling of the quarter deck (area B).

Windshippers enter the gas holdonly when it is empty or when they’reunder the protection of certain spells.An individual who enters the gas holdor somehow manages to fall into itwhile it is full risks asphyxiation. Eachround spent in the full hold, an indi-vidual must make a successfulConstitution check, with a cumulative-1 penalty each round, or fail uncon-scious. Once unconscious, the victimsuffers 1 hp damage each round solong as he or she remains in the oxy-gen-depleted area. Of course, spellsand magic items may negate theasphyxiation.

Windship OperationThe Xakhun windships, or Xan

Kraban, cannot carry huge payloadsand are too fragile for open warfare,but they afford the Xakhun piratesand privateers (and others who wouldfollow them) a stealthy means of tra-versing the airways beyond the reachof most enemies. Above or among theclouds, a windship can range far andwide, penetrating border defensesand avoiding sight.

The routes travelled by the wind-ships are largely determined by pre-vailing wind currents. The Xakhunhave spent a great deal of time andeffort charting the upper atmosphere

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and are careful to note the character-istics of unexplored “aerotory.”Xakhun navigators have at their dis-posal the finest collection of aerialinformation available. The XanKraban captains (called Skymistresses)are among the finest pilots. They settheir courses without the aid of instru-mentation, relying on superb recogni-tion of cloud formations, lunarmotions, and star positions instead.

Years of flight have worn a peculiarpattern upon the travel of windships—a pattern formed by necessity and effi-ciency. During the day, a windship ispiloted high in the atmosphere. Asnight approaches, the Xakhun allowtheir vessels to drift down as theyinevitably lose some of their gas. Justafter darkness fails, they may havedrifted down as low as a few hundredfeet above the surface. Then theybegin to counter their descent byreplenishing their gas hold. Allthrough the night, until the last hoursbefore dusk, they’ll maintain a healthyaltitude until the threat of morninglight propels them to initiate ascent.When the breeze is steady, theysometimes skim just above the treetops, watchful for the campfires ofwould-be victims. However, any trulydangerous threat will send themquickly aloft. The entire course of awindship’s flight appears as an ongo-ing waveform-up and down, day andnight.

Windships do not carry largereserves of food, and their suppliesneed replenishing on a regular basis.With a proper margin of safety, huntersand raiding parties are dispatched withthe greatest stealth to waylay theunsuspecting or bring down game.Such parties are typically accompaniedby leaping sword spiders or drop spi-ders trained to hunt and track prey.(See “Spider, Xakhun” for details.) TheXakhun prefer to take rations andbooty over fresh animal kills. Prisonersare taken only as space dictates, andthen only if their capture has a chanceof yielding some greater reward.

Ship AscentAscent is achieved by vaporizing

uhl into the windship’s gas hold. Uhlpellets are carefully measured out ofstorage sacks that hang from thebulkheads and placed in the “steam-ing” basins of the lower deck.Approximately five pounds of uhl isrequired each day, on average, to

hold the vessel aloft. Windship trans-porting heavier loads require more ofthe substance. Of course, even greaterquantities are needed to completelyfill the hold if it is empty.

Once the uhl has been placed inthe basins, it must be saturated withspecial acidic fluids that the windship-pers commonly carry. The drenchingtriggers a chemical reaction, dissolv-ing the uhl pellets into a gaseousform. Hoods are immediately drawnaround the basins, trapping the gasand channeling it into the windship’shold. When the gas in the hold isdense enough to counter the weightof the vessel, its crew and its payload,all begin to rise.

Ship DescentDescent is a simple matter of losing

the uhl gas. To a certain extent, this isunavoidable. As meticulous as theXakhun shipwrights are, there arealways small leaks in a windship’smembrane. Windshippers are con-stantly vigilant in detecting of uhlleakage—always attentive to thesmallest scent and ready to seal thesource, but that only stabilizes a con-stant process as new leaks occur. Asoften as possible, loss of altitude istimed to coincide with the inevitableloss of gas. When this is simply notpossible, the captain may elect to usethe gas hold’s release vents. Thesevalves are used sparingly and withextreme care. Any gas released in thismanner requires an additional expen-diture of the ship’s limited uhl supplyto reestablish proper buoyancy. Onlythe captain or, failing her presence,the highest-ranking crew member,has command over the release vents.Unauthorized tampering is dealt withquickly and severely. Disciplineaboard a Xakhun windship is swift,merciless, and attributable to theXakhun’s fearsome efficiency.

ManeuverabilityA windship is maneuvered through

the precise choreography of its ruddervane, oars, and sails. Each is synchro-nized with the others to achieve thedesired course alteration. The Xakhunwindshippers are highly skilled withthe windship’s systems; attempts byuntrained crewmen to maneuver thevessel result in -5 penalties to profi-ciency checks and success rolls.

In preparation for a maneuver, theoarsman on the lower deck pushes the

cocking lever into its “engaged” posi-tion and hooks it there. He then setsthe plane of each oar for the effective-ness of its stroke according to the cap-tain’s orders. With the oars set andready, the captain (standing on thequarter deck) commands her crew onthe outer decks via the ladder chutes.The windshippers tending the mizzensail transmit orders to the crew mem-bers on the forecastle. The captain, orher stand-in, has the vital role of tim-ing and coordinating the crew’s efforts.

Next to the captain, the most vital“player” in guiding the windship is thewindship’s spider-rigger. This giantspider follows the commands of thespidermaiden and is trained to adjustthe ship’s rigging-and spin new rig-ging, where required—at a moment’snotice. It moves swiftly across everysurface of the vessel, ensuring that thecontrol lines remain taut, untangledand secure.

LightingThe Xakhun do not make use ofany sort of artificial lighting. At night,the ship’s interior is almost pitch dark.During the day, the interior is a murkybrownish-gray, as some light filters inthrough the membranes. Xakhunwindshippers have 120’ infravision,enabling them to negotiate the wind-ship in the darkest conditions. Theirlithe, limber forms allow them tomaneuver on deck despite the wind-ship’s delicate construction, unlikeblind clods whose clumsy misstepsare likely to destroy bulkheads andtear membranes.

Ports of CallXan Kraban landing sites tend to

be high altitude, mountainous loca-tions or plateaus leveled into precipi-tous escarpments. These bases arealways positioned along the leastaccessible peaks available. All factorsare surveyed: There must be a highdegree of privacy, advantageouswinds, access to subterranean tunnelcomplexes, and defendable positions.Since the Xakhun often enlist the ser-vices of duergar miners to excavateuhl deposits, these “ports of call” oftenlie near duergar enclaves.

Among the more prominent “ports”is Khallyntas, a rocky spire honey-combed with tunnels that spiral down-ward into the Underdark and lead tovast uhl deposits, all mined byXakhun slaves put to task by derro.

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Jutting from the mountain’s icy peakare dozens of landing platformsdesigned expressly for Xakhun wind-ships. Each is adorned with elaboratespider emblems and mystical drowsymbology. The adornment of landingplateaus is never left to the hired help.This is solely the province of highlyskilled Xakhun artisans, once themenial labor has been finished.

Guarding the spire from gnomishzeppelins and similar incursions is aflight of six young white dragons thatreside on the mountain’s topmostcrags. These ravenous drakes are heldin check by Serendrek the MountainLord, a frost giant employed by theXakhun.

The Xakhun’s strategy for conquestand expansion is to secure a web oflanding plateaus throughout the rangeof their travels. When Xakhun emis-saries penetrate new areas, they areeager to contact local brutes. The ini-tial phases of base construction areoften carried out by slave gangs underthe whip of task-masters in Xakhunemploy. The slaves are usually human,demihuman, or humanoid. The task-masters are generally ogres, duergar,trolls or similar thugs eager for Xakhungold. The slaves are always destroyedwhen construction is completed to pre-vent rumor of their endeavors fromescaping.

The Xakhun keep the locations oftheir landing sites secret. The penalty

for revealing the location of a landingsite to “outsiders” is death.

Movement & CombatOf Ships and the Sea (OSAS) outlines

the rules governing nautical move-ment and combat. These same rulesare applied to aerial combat aboardthe windships of the Xakhun, withmodifications as noted below.

Sailing Movement and WindsThe speed of a Xakhun windship is

improved or hampered by the prevail-ing wind, as determined using Table3: Sailing Movement and Winds inOSAS. Thus, a windship moving with amoderate wind would have two-thirdsof its base movement rate added to itsoverall movement, for a new com-bined rate of 30 (18+3=6, 6 × 2=72,12+18=30).

To determine the strength of theprevailing wind, use Table 4: WindStrength in OSAS. To determine winddirection, refer to Table 5: WindDirection.

SkyworthinessAll nautical vessels in the AD&D®

game possess a Seaworthiness ratingbetween 1 and 20. The higher the rat-ing, the more stable the vessel. TheXakhun windship uses Skyworthinessto measure its ability to remain air-borne in adverse conditions. Like theSeaworthiness rating, Skyworthiness

is rated between 1 and 20. An undam-aged Xakhun windship has a baseSkyworthiness rating of 9.

To make a Skyworthiness check,the DM rolls 1d20. If the result isgreater than the windship’s currentSkyworthiness rating, the vessel“founders” and is forced down. If theroll is four or more higher than theship’s current Skyworthiness rating,the descent cannot be controlled, andthe ship crashes. If a natural 20 isrolled, the ship breaks apart in the air,sending hull fragments and crew cas-cading to the ground.

Rules governing the survival of ashipwreck are given on page 25 ofOSAS. The DM determines whether thedowned windship sinks gradually orcrashes, whether it lands on earth orwater, and how much damage (if any)is suffered by those stranded aboard.

For every 4 hull points of damageinflicted upon a Xakhun windship, thevessel loses one point from itsSkyworthiness rating. When the wind-ship drops to 0 hull points or below, itfalls from the sky. The ship hitsground in 1d8 rounds, rolled by theDM. (Obviously, a roll of 1 indicates arapid fall, likely resulting in the deathsof all aboard.) Note that this is differ-ent from nautical ships of equal size,which sink in 1d12 rounds.

When a Xakhun windship loseshalf of its hull points, it must make asuccessful Skyworthiness check or

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“drift” in a random direction for 1d10hours before the spider-rigger andcrew can compensate for the damageand regain control of the vessel. Everytime a windship loses an additionalquarter of its remaining hull points, itmust make another Skyworthinesscheck to avoid further “drifting.” On aSkyworthiness roll of natural 20, thewindship is forced down, landing in1d8 rounds

In all other respects, damage toa Xakhun windship is determined thesame as with their nautical counter-parts, as explained in the ResolutionPhase of “Chapter 4: Nautical Combat”in OSAS (pages 51-53).

Ship Combat RoundsSimilar to nautical combat, combat

rounds aboard a Xakhun windshipcan be measured in one-minute, 10-minute, or 30-minutes intervalsdepending on how far apart the com-batants are when the round begins.See Table 1 for details (page 49).

With windships, this distance is notnecessarily measured on a lateral orhorizontal plane given their ability tochange altitude.

Possible combat maneuvers arelisted on Table 13: Maneuverabilityand Combat (OSAS). Certain maneu-vers become meaningless as the dis-tance between vessels increases.

Special Close Range ManeuversThe Xakhun have perfected five

unorthodox close-range (0-250yards) combat maneuvers that allowthem to get the “jump” on their ene-mies: deploy spiders, hurl egg sacks,rock the boat, web-lock, and theVengeance of Lolth.

Deploy Spiders: Each Xakhunwindship allied with Lolth carries asmall complement of attack spiders (inaddition to the spider-rigger). A shipmay have leaping sword spiders ordrop spiders, but never both; the leap-ing spiders are ideal against airbornefoes; the drop spiders (paratroopers)are better suited against nautical ves-sels and groundlings. These creaturesare commanded by the crew’s spider-maiden. (Because the spidermaiden isthe only member of the crew who cancommand and control the spiders, thisindividual is often closely guarded byher crewmates and spiders.) A typicalXakhun vessel carries 1d4+1 leapingsword spiders or 1d6+4 drop spiders.These count as “artillery” in combat.

deployed in combat; its sole purviewA windship’s spider-rigger is never

is the maintenance of the rigging andship membrane. However, it can belured away from its primary duties todefend the ship’s spidermaiden.

Hurl Egg Sacks: If the Xakhun haveany available cargo space, they willoften carry large 20-lb. sacks of spidereggs. These sacks are woven from spi-der webbing and contain hundreds ofwrithing hairy spiders (see MONSTROUS

MANUALS™, page 326) that eventuallygrow into full-sized drop spiders orleaping sword spiders. The sacks spillopen onto enemy decks, sending theminiscule spiders scurrying. Althoughthe baby spiders are only a minor poi-sonous threat, they will often findplaces to hide until they mature in1d4+1 weeks, at which time theyemerge to feed. (Particularly mean-spirited Xakhun have been known tofly over pastures and drop several ofthese sacks into the fields, infestingthe entire area with deadly arachnidsthat not only wipe out the livestock,but the farmers as well.)

Rock the Boat: With a single com-mand, the Xakhun captain can order

lowing round. This maneuver can onlybe attempted with a full crew comple-

her crew to rock the windship the fol-

ment and is usually done is responseto enemy boarding. At the beginningof the next round, the ship suddenlykeels to one side or the other, spillingthe unwary boarders off the ship whilethe Xakhun crew holds fast.

Enemies who brace themselves forthis tactic receive a Dexterity check toavoid slipping and falling. Thosecaught unaware make their roll at halftheir Dexterity scores, rounded down.If the roll is failed by 4 or more, theindividual slips off the windship andfalls. Otherwise, the individual isknocked to the deck, is unable to actfor the remainder of the round, andsuffers a -4 penalty to initiative thefollowing round. Braced Xakhun arenot required to make Dexterity checks.

Web-lock: In lieu of traditionalgrapples, the Xakhun are known toemploy web spells and spidersilk linesto form linkages with enemy vessels.The Xakhun and their spider minionsare able to cross or “slide” down theweb strands onto ships within board-ing range. Other species attempting

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similar maneuvers are 50% likely tobecome entangled in the strands(treat as second level Wizard’s webspell). Boarding actions are fullydetailed in Chapter 4 of OSAS.

Fire and edged weapons are effec-tive means of severing the Xakhunboarding lines, each of which requires6 hp damage to burn or sever. Bluntand piercing weapons are useless inbreaking the resilient strands.

Xakhun windships do not tetherthemselves to nautical ships or othersurface fixtures unless absolutely nec-essary. They prefer to use drop linesspun by the spiders to lower boardersonto seaborne vessels or the ground.

Vengeance of Lolth: Rather thanallow a windship to fall into enemyhands, Xakhun skymistresses havebeen known to destroy the ship in aspectacular fashion, killing boardersas well as the crew. (The skymistress,meanwhile, teleports to safety.)

Opening all of the windship’s gasvalves evacuates the uhl from theship’s hold, but not fast enough forthe ship to plummet dramatically.That is why many Xakhun captainshave a doomspider companion. Thesehead-sized spiders are equipped withtwo internal sacks bloated with non-volatile compounds that explodewhen combined. This “gift” from thedemoness Lolth is left behind after theship’s skymistress escapes, at whichtime the doomspider mixes the chem-icals internally and explodes with theforce of a delayed blast fireball spell.

The safest course of action for any-one hoping to procure a Xakhunwindship is to make sure the captain’sfurry doomspider is thrown off theship or lost prior to the vessel’s cap-ture. At least one captain has beenknown to care enough about her “pet”to take it with her, leaving the vesselin enemy hands rather than destroyher favored companion.

Boarding ActionsSee Table 27: Boarding Action

Results in OSAS to determine the suc-cess or failure of any boarding attemptby the Xakhun or their enemies.

Crew Morale & ModifiersXakhun crewmembers are treated

as “mariners” with respect to morale(ML 15). DMs may apply situationalmodifiers to their morale checks asdescribed in “Chapter 4: NauticalCombat” of OSAS (pages 53-55).

Combat Aboard a WindshipXakhun windshippers are trained

in the subtleties of windship combat.While aboard the windship, theynever throw projectiles of any sort,nor do they chance losing their dag-gers by making missile attacks ofthem. Xakhun crew members alwaysopt for the most stealthy assaults.They favor hiding, surprising, andbackstabbing with poisoned daggers.

Accidental Punctures: Sharp pokes,stray blows or ill-cast spells might ripthe thin patchwork of hides that formthe windship’s membrane. Melee andmissile attack rolls of 1 (on a d20) notonly miss their intended targets butalso result in a membrane puncture.When a membrane is punctured, allcharacters within 10 feet must make aConstitution check with a -1 penalty

for each additional puncture in thevicinity. Failure indicates dizzinessresulting in a -1 penalty to hit. A newcheck is required each turn. A characterwho fails two consecutive checks fallsunconscious and remains so until thepunctures are sealed or the victim isremoved from the area, at which pointhe or she awakens in 1d4+1 turns.

Overloading the Ladder Chutes:The windship’s ladders are designed tobear only about 150 Ibs. Every 10 Ibs.of additional weight placed on a lad-der has a 1% chance of causing theladder and its chute to tear away fromits mountings. (Thus, a 220-lb. humanfighter has a 7% chance of destroyingthe ladder, while two 150-lb. individu-als climbing the ladder at once have a15% chance of breaking it.)

When a ladder rips away, the wind-ship immediately sustains 1d2 hull

Table 1: Ship Combat RoundsDistance Time Possible Actions0-250 yards 1 min. Flee, Evade, Close, Ram1, Board2, Spell2,

Missile2, Artillery2

251-1,000 yrds 10 min. Flee, Close, Spell2, Artillery2

1,001 + yards 30 min. Flee, Close, Spell2

1. A windship is too delicate to ram another ship without damaging itself considerably, so ram-ming tactics are avoided except in moments of utter desperation. A ship cannot ram or board itsopponent unless it first reduces the distance to the target ship to zero.

2. Providing the distance between opposing ships when the round begins is not greater than therange of the attacker’s artillery, spell, or archery. Xakhun windship “artillery” consists of leaping swordspiders and drop spiders.

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48 FEBRUARY 1998

Table 2: CrashingThrough the DeckHeight ofDrop (feet) 0-10 11-30 30+150 Ibs. or less d12 d8 d6151-200 Ibs. d8 d6 d4201-300 Ibs. d6 d4 *300+ Ibs. d4 * *

* Creature automatically falls through thedeck, no roll required.

points damage. The ladder tumblesinto the gas hold, along with theclimbers, who then suffer the effects ofthe noxious gas rupture. There’s also achance that characters falling from theladder might crash through the crewcompartments ceiling deck, or eventhe outer membrane. The DM mayadjudicate the results of such a mishap,perhaps allowing each character tomake a Dexterity check to avoid takingdamage or—worse—falling off the ship.

Crashing Though the Deck:Characters who spring from deck todeck or drop onto the windship fromabove have a chance of goingthrough the deck. Falling or leapingdown upon the deck can cause theplanking to give way and burst mem-branes below. This occurs on a roll of1 on a d4, d6, d8 or d12 (as indicatedin Table 2, above). Falling damage isnormally 1d6 hp per deck fallen. TheDM should decide the effects of suchdamage to the ship, its hull, and itsSkyworthiness.

Called Shots AgainstXakhun Windships

When confronted by a hostileXakhun windship, opponents haveseveral options to damage or cripplethe vessel using cal led shots.(Otherwise, assume all damage is sub-tracted from the windship’s totalhull/crippling points.) For instance,characters with fly spells or pegasusmounts could focus their attacks on thewindship’s membranous gas hold, thusforcing the ship down. Similarly, char-acters on the ground might try pickingoff members of the windship crew.

Puncturing the Membrane: Thetaut membrane containing the XanKraban’s uhl vapor is resilient and spe-cially treated to resist punctures, rup-tures, and other potentially catastrophicbreaches. Unless an attack destroys aconsiderable portion of the membrane(as would a disintegrate spell), the effect

is not too serious. (The windship doesnot “pop” like a balloon.) A called shotto the membrane normally results in apuncture if the attack inflicts at least 1hull point of damage.

For every 10 hp weapon damageinflicted to a single area, the ship loses1 hull point. Most normal arrows inflict1d6 or 1d8 hp damage—not enoughto seriously penetrate the resilientmembrane. However, a fighter whoplunges his magical long swordthrough the membrane has a chanceof creating a serious puncture.

A puncture in the windship’s mem-brane is handled by the ship’s spider-rigger and/or crew. A spider-rigger canmobilize and repair a 1 hull pointpuncture using webs and pasty salivicfluids in 1d3 rounds; a single crew-man can do the job in 2d4+1 rounds.This hasty mending restores any hullpoint(s) that were lost as a result of thepuncture. Failure to seal a puncturewithin 1 turn has a 25% chance ofcreating a rupture in the membrane,resulting in a loss of 1d3 hull pointsand forcing a Skyworthiness check.

Rupturing a Windship’s Membrane:Ruptures are more serious than punc-tures and occur when part of the wind-ship’s membrane suffers more thanone hull point of damage. Lightningbolts, ship collisions, and large sharpedges result in a rupture if the mem-brane sustains 2 hull points or 20 hpdamage to a localized section.

Crew Hits: Anyone attacking thewindship from a distance using missilefire can elect to target specific crewmembers. The usual penalty for calledshots applies (-4 to hit), compoundedby adverse conditions and cover. Allcreatures on the exposed decks of aXan Kraban are obscured enough bythe rigging to warrant a -1 AC bonusagainst attacks from off-ship.

Attacking a Windship’s Rudder,Oars, Rigging, or Sails: Damage fromsuch attacks are subtracted from thewindship’s total crippling points (36).A called shot to one specific target(say, an oar) suffers the usual -4“called shot” attack penalty. However,these vital systems can withstand onlyso much damage. The rudder can sus-tain no more than 4 hull points (40hp) damage; each oar can withstand 2hull points (20 hp); each sail can with-stand 3 hull points (30 hp). Damage tothe rigging (even from directedattacks) is always deducted from theship’s remaining crippling points.

Summary of WindshipModel Components1. Windship “nose” (fore)2. Horizontal mast3. Windship “nose” fixture4. Primary (fore) hull5. Hull fixtures (2)6. Primary (central-fore) hull7. Hull fixture8. Hull fixture9. Primary (central-aft) hull10. Primary (aft) hull11. Windship “tail” fixture12. Windship “tail” (aft)13. Vertical mast14. Upper deck platform15. Upper deck plan16. Upper deck platform support17. Forecastle18. Forecastle deck plan19. Forecastle deck support20. Aftcastle platform21. Aftcastle deck plan22. landing skids (2)23. Tail fins (3)24. Tail fin spines (30)25. Tail fin fixtures (6)26. Aftcastle deck support27. Horizontal mast spar28. Horizontal mast spar29. Forward sails (2)30. Horizontal mast “loop”31. Short oar braces (12)32. Oars (12)33. Oar paddle ridges (12)34. Oar paddles (6)35. Dorsal sail spines (10)36. Dorsal sail37. Lower (interior) deck plan*

* This deck plan is not part of the model butis included for reference.

Igniting the Uhl Vapor: In its solidand gaseous states, uhl is nonflam-mable. It does not ignite like oxygen.So, while fireball spells will certainlydamage the delicate windship (if notwith blast damage than with rampantfires), the uhl will not contribute in anymeasurable way to the ship’s ultimatedemise. Uhl vapor has the virtue ofbeing lighter than oxygen, whichaccounts for its tremendous lift.

Former DRAGON® Magazine art direc-tor Roger Raupp now works as a freelanceillustrator from his home in Wisconsin.

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Spider, XakhunDoomspider Drop Spider Spider Rigger Leaping Sword Spider(Large) (Huge) (Giant) (Sword, variant)

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any non-arctic Any non-arctic Any non-arctic Any non-arcticFREQUENCY: Very rare Rare Very rare RareORGANIZATION: Solitary Platoon (pack) Solitary Platoon (pack)ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any Any Any AnyDIET: Omnivore Carnivore Omnivore CarnivoreINTELLIGENCE: Semi- (2-4) Low (5-7) Average (8-10) Low (5-7)TREASURE: Nil Nil Nil NilALIGNMENT: Neutral Chaotic evil Neutral evil Chaotic evil

NO. APPEARING: 1 1ARMOR CLASS: 3MOVEMENT:HIT DICE:THAC0:NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 1DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1

SPECIAL ATTACKS:SPECIAL DEFENSES:MAGIC RESISTANCE:SIZE:

8 69, Wb 9 18, Wb 121+1 2+219 19

FireballNilNilS (2’ diameter)

2-10 2-5

1-6

Poison, websNilNilM (5’ diameter)

MORALE: Average (8) Elite (14)XP VALUE: 270 420

As an extension of their worship of Lolth, the Xakhun

412, Wb 124+41511-8

Poison, webs+4 to saves vs. gasNilL (7’ diameter)

6, Wb 93+3171 + special2-8 (bite) plus1-10 per legLeap, websSee belowNilM (5’ diameter)

Steady (12) Elite (14)975 1,400

Killing a doomspider has the same effect, triggering anrevere spiders, for they are all the demoness’ children. Fourtypes of spiders are most commonly encountered aboardXakhun windships. The usual complement for a Xan Krabanis as follows: one doomspider (the captain’s “pet”), onespider rigger (for maintaining and repairing a ship’s rigging),and either 1d6+4 drop spiders or 1d4+1 leaping sword spi-ders. For reasons that defy explanation, the drop spiders andsword spiders do not get along and cannot coexist aboardthe same vessel without poisoning and dismembering eachother. If there are any spiders aboard a windship, there mustalso be a trained Xakhun spidermaiden to command andcontrol the sometimes ornery arachnids.

Doomspider (large variety)The doomspider (known to foes of the Xakhun as the

“Vengeance of Lolth”) is the most innocuous-and perhapsthe most dangerous-arachnid aboard any Xakhun vessel.This furry black spider’s bite inflicts 1 hp damage and is notpoisonous. However, the creature has a pair of internalsacks each holding about a gallon of non-volatile resin. Thespider can, at will, relax an internal sphincter that allows thechemicals to combine, triggering a decidedly volatile reac-tion that not only consumes the spider but triggers theequivalent of a delayed blast fireball, inflicting 8d6+8 hpdamage to all within 20 feet. The doomspider is intelligentenough to fathom basic commands, but it obeys only itschosen mistress (usually the windship captain). Althoughdoomspiders await their mistresses’ command before mix-ing their internal chemicals, at least one Xakhun captainhas been incinerated by her own pet-perhaps the result ofoffending Lolth in some fashion. Once the chemicals aremixed, the explosive process cannot be halted; the explo-sion occurs the following round-just enough time for thecaptain to make good her escape via magic.

explosion one round after the creature’s death.When not commanded to “self-destruct,” the doomspider

is a relatively docile arachnid. It bites only those who attackit or its mistress. If its mistress is slain, a doomspider usuallyexplodes 1d4 rounds afterward. The trick is to throw it off theship before the inevitable occurs.

Drop Spider (huge variety)Drop spiders are web-spinning huge spiders specially

trained to launch themselves off the deck and lower them-selves via web strands onto ships, groundlings, or anythingelse passing beneath the windship. Even if a drop spider’sweb strand is severed unexpectedly, the spider can often(80%) react quickly enough to shoot another strand, reaf-fixing itself to the Xakhun vessel before the end of the sameround, so long as it remains within 30 feet of the windship.Moreover, the spider can withstand falls of any distancedue to a unique cartilage structure in its legs. Thus, a dropspider could fall hundreds of feet and land on the groundwithout injury. However, for every 100 feet fallen, the dropspider must spend one round “stabilizing” itself. During thisperiod of recovery, the spider cannot attack and suffers a-4 penalty to Armor Class.

Drop spiders have a thin mesh between their legs thatenables them to glide toward designated targets with greateraccuracy. They do not plummet uncontrollably, instead spi-raling downward, seeking the best place to land and attack.

Drop spiders bite their prey, injecting Type D poison. Increating these beasts, the Xakhun also tampered with thevenom. Not only does the affected victim suffer damage, butthe poison causes severe disorientation. Anyone failing asave vs. poison succumbs to this “residual effect” immedi-ately, suffering a -2 penalty to attack rolls and savingthrows. This effect is not cumulative with multiple bites.

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Spider, XakhunDrop spiders can shoot their webs either to secure a line Habitat/Society: The Xakhun spiders exist to bolster the

to climb (or descend) or to entangle a foe. In the latter case, fighting capability of the Xan Krabans. They normallytreat the drop spider’s web as that of a large spider, except “reside” in the crew compartment of the windship untilthat the drop spider’s web is a single strand with a range of called upon to attack nearby ships and enemies.30 feet. As mentioned previously, drop spiders and leaping sword

Spider Rigger (giant variety)spiders do not get along and cannot inhabit the same ves-sel. All spider types are raised with an inbred respect for the

Spider riggers are essentially giant spiders that have spider rigger and never conceive of attacking one, even ifbeen trained to maintain and repair the rigging of the Xan the spider rigger attacks it. The doomspider is basicallyKraban windships. They are as relentless in this task as ignored by the other spider varieties.normal giant spiders are at devouring prey. The spider rig- Since spiders are sacred to Lolth and the Xakhun, theyger is more intelligent and responsive are well guarded and shepherded.than its brutal kin, however, and it The Xakhun do not mistreattakes enough pride in itshandiwork to attack bitterly

their spiders nor dispatch

any foe who deliberatelythem without any thoughtto their retrieval. A Xakhun

severs the rigging or other- ship that loses its entire con-wise hampers the maneuver- tingent of spiders (or neverability of the vessel. Since the had one to begin with) has dis-spider rigger plays such an graced itself in the eyes of Lolthimportant role aboard ship, it is themost important member of theXakhun crew (next to the captain, of course) and isclosely guarded.

somehow. Xakhun are uncom-fortable serving aboard a vessel

devoid of spiders, believing the ship to be cursed.

Spider riggers have the same poisonous bite andweb-spinning ability common to all giant spiders. Theyare immune to the dizzying effects of uhl vapor and receive+4 to their saves vs. other gas-based attacks and spells.

Ecology: Lolth created these spiders to serve the drow ingeneral as well as the Xakhun specifically. They are there-

Leaping Sword Spider (sword variety)These are smaller versions of the sword spider (see the

MONSTROUS MANUAL™ tome, page 326). The Xakhun breedthem smaller to fit aboard the confined Xakhun windships.Each spider can leap as far as 60 feet horizontally, impalingits prey with up to eight legs. Only one attack roll is madefor the creature. If the attack is successful, the victim isstruck by a number of legs based on its size: size S, threelegs; size M, four legs, size L, five legs; size H, six legs; sizeG, all eight legs. Each leg inflicts 1-10 hp damage.

fore found in drow cities and enclaves among the myriadother denizens and arachnids, usually at the beck and call ofpowerful drow priestesses. The chemical sacks of a paralyzedor held doomspider can be safely removed (although thisprocess inevitably kills the creature) and then be used to cre-ate a powerful, portable explosive. Since the chemicals areindividually safe, they can be transported in separate con-tainers without fear of miscibility. The sacks and pads of thevarious web-spinning spiders can be used to create potionsof climbing and slippers of spider climbing, while the legs of thesword spiders can be fashioned into ornate long swords(albeit with no special properties).

All upward attacks against the leaping sword spiderreceive a -4 penalty to the attack roll due to the impalingblades that protect the spider. The leaping spider’s bite isnot poisonous, but it can bite its victim in the same roundit jabs with its sword-like legs.

If Lolth believes that a Xakhun captain is mistreating herspiders, the demoness might command the captain’s doom-spider to explode in a manner that leaves the captain deadand the majority of the crew alive so that the survivorsmight consider the cause of their captain’s misfortune.

Of all the Xakhun spiders, leaping sword spiders are themost difficult to train. If not treated well by their handlers,they are known to vent their irritation upon the crew and,sometimes, upon the ship itself. Unless the spidermaidencan regain control with a successful spider handling profi-ciency check, the untenable spiders must be destroyed.

Important Note:

Although sword spiders are ill-tempered and pose anobvious threat to the delicate Xakhun windships, they areinordinately stealthy, always moving carefully about deckwithout slashing the ship’s rigging. In the rare event a leap-ing spider goes berserk, the spider rigger is usually quick toput it down before any serious damage is done.

Xakhun who have turned their backs on Lolth and havebecome privateers (or player characters) faithful to Eilistraeeare unable to command or control any of Lolth’s “children.”In fact, spiders of all varieties attack these Xakhun on sight.Because the outcast Xakhun are hated so fiercely by Lolth’sminions, they cannot benefit from the presence of spiderriggers, web rigging, reinforced webbing in their windships,and so forth. Instead, they must rely more on conventionalmaterials such as rope or sinew for the rigging and variousearthly glues and pastes for sealing holes in the ship’smembrane.

52 FEBRUARY 1998

54 FEBRUARY 1998

Old Snarl

by Ed Greenwoodillustrated by Storn Cook

THE NASTY BRUTALITY of this hugeold red wyrm has become a watch-word in the Sword Coast North, pass-ing into common speech in suchexpressions as these: “Don’t go nearhim early of mornings; he’s apt to bea right Klauth until he’s had a mug ortwo.” Or, “Blood and bodies every-where . . . it looked as though oldKlauth himself had come calling!” Orthe shorter variant (used to describebutchery): “Regular Klauth work!” Thehabitual facial expression of thismuch-scarred wyrm has won him thepopular nickname of “Old Snarl.”

Klauth is one of the largest andmost fearsome red dragons ever totake wing in Faerûn. He spends hisdays brooding in grim suspicion orlashing out at other wyrms.

Velsaert of Baldur’s Gate (the sagenow recognized as an authority ondragonkind up and down the SwordCoast), describes Klauth as “A grim,nasty, awestrikingly HUGE old reddragon who has slain many rivals in acareer spent on the attack, aggressivelymauling everyone within reach.”

The sage speculates that Klauth isextremely paranoid, always fearingthat other dragons are rising to sur-pass him in power, and striking out atthose he sees as rivals whenever hejudges the time is right. Klauth hasalso been known to scatter armies, toland atop the orcs of a gatheredhorde and roll around (crushing thou-sands at a time), and to swoop downwithout warning to topple wizards’towers with their owners inside.

Only his unpredictability and greatmight have kept Klauth from being thesort of menace that archmages bandtogether to track down and destroy inwhat is known as a Great Hunt. (Suchundertakings have been the fate ofseveral titanic beasts in recent cen-turies, such as the Anglatha of Tulmon,a magically-altered captive deepspawnthat disgorged only beholders.) Onlythreats that seem likely to reach outand menace Klauth—principally otherdragons-are themselves endangeredby the Old Snarl.

As his string of triumphs mounts,however, Klauth’s reputation becomesever da rke r , and he may soonbecome the subject of the first GreatHunt in over eighty years. At least onemage of note, Malchor Harpell, has

DRAGON #244 55

called for Klauth’s destruction afterlearning of the dragon’s recent magi-cal acquisitions. Klauth’s responsewas to attack the Tower of Twilight,where the wyrm’s massive bulkalmost carried him through its defen-sive web-like fields of crisscrossinglightning bolts before their combinedeffects caused his muscles to spasmso uncontrollably that his heart fal-tered and he could no longer beat hiswings to fly. It is reported that Klauthflung himself to one side, crashed tothe ground in the meadow below thetower pond, rolled away into thetrees, and clawed himself aloft again,fleeing before the wizard could sendany spells after him. This sort of sud-den attack and disappearance is typi-cal of Klauth’s fighting style. Althoughhe prefers to slay any foe he fights, heis not above deferring the threat theypose by inflicting as much damage ashe can at no cost to himself, then dis-appearing before his foe can respond.

Old Snarl isn’t an unremittingdestroyer of all he meets, however. Heoften obeys strange whims that leadhim to acts of kindness or aid to crea-tures he doesn’t think can harm him.One such recipient of this surprisingcharity was the elven sorceressJhanandra, whom Klauth found weep-ing amid the ruins of an elven villageshe’d reached too late to defendagainst a brigand raid. In Jhanandra’sarms was the only survivor of theattack, a dazed infant whose only kindwelt in distant Evereska. The dragonflew both elves to Evereska cradled inhis talons, “with a gentleness I’d hith-erto known only from my own kind,”Jhanandra reported. She describedKlauth as having a huge bulk butgraceful, supple movements, as if hewere a hunting cat. His snout, head,and body were all covered in old,wicked-looking scars, where scaleshad been roughly torn away and hadnever grown back. Volo recorded thewords of the sorceress but scoffed ather story. Elminster, however, sternlyinsists that the tale is true . . . and thatthe infant rescued that day is risingswiftly to greatness—and might soonbe known to the Realms at large.

Klauth isn’t known to have shownlike kindnesses to other dragons. If hehas ever mated, no one has takennote of it. Nor does he ever regard redshe-wyrms with any visible romanticinterest, though he did devour oneonce, in a roaring, cartwheeling

midair struggle above the roofs ofMirabar. Spectators report that Klauthseems to have deliberately initiatedthe conflict to enhance his reputationacross the North.

Klauth is said to possess the usualvanity of his kind, though adventurershave failed to play upon it to goadhim into foolish acts; he seems toowise and controlled to allow pride toblind him to perils or lure him intotraps. He is also said to allow himselfno true friends nor even, among drag-ons, acquaintances. His appearance inthe sky sends most wyrms fleeing forcover as quickly as they can hurlthemselves through the air. Thankfullyfor the general peace of the North,such appearances are few.

The key to Klauth’s character couldbe said to be his constant anticipationof potential dangers and the forma-tion of carefully-planned responses.Other wyrms might dream of past glo-ries or future triumphs, but Old Snarlspends his time observing, judgingpotential rivals, and doing somethingabout it. He’s not above sneakingnear a lair by nightfall and causing arockslide to entomb a rival alive-orliterally stealing magic from anotherdragon like a stealthy thief in thenight. Klauth is said to be accom-plished in the arts of creeping aroundwith incredible stealth and silence fora being so large.

He’s also widely (and Elminstersays, correctly) believed to hunt forand devour the eggs and hatchlings ofall sorts of dragons—except for reddragon eggs, which Klauth uses in asecret magical process to increase hissize, health, and vigor. He seems anaccomplished master in the art oftricking dragons out of their lairs (leav-ing offspring or eggs unguarded) sohe can slip in and snatch away whathe seeks.

On at least one memorable occa-sion, he failed in this task and wastrapped in a cavern lair by its return-ing resident wyrm (the mist dragonNarnardinath, who dwelt in a SwordCoast shoreline cavern near themouth of the Iceflow). Klauth broughtdown its roof to make his escape bydeliberately ramming several naturalstone pillars, shattering them with hisbulk. The Bright Broadaxe, a band ofadventurers from Neverwinter who’dcrept into the cavern to explore,unaware that one dragon laired in thecave and another had stolen into it

before them, witnessed the collapsethat slew Narnardinath. It took themhours of clambering over the looserubble that buried the mist dragonand his hoard to find the way the bat-tered red dragon had taken to thefreedom of open air.

Even Elminster is a trifle hazy overjust how Klauth discovered how touse red dragon eggs to make himselfmore mighty, but he knows what spellthe much-scarred red wyrm employsto do so: a Netherese spell namedThellar’s argauneau, after the magewho devised it (an archsorcerer whodelighted in “bettering” dragons withhis experiments, over a long careerthat produced two-headed dragonsand several more stable subspecies).

Klauth's LairKlauth was sorely wounded on the

fourth day of Mirtul in the Year of theTurret, when he was ambushed bytwo white dragons and a blue dragonworking together. The four wyrmsengaged in a spectacular aerial battlethat raged across the skies of theSword Coast North from the lceflow tothe Fell Pass. Though Klauth did slayall three of his attackers and wastedno time in seizing the hoard of thevanquished blue dragon Irdrithkryn,he then went into hiding. Elminsterexplains that according to an awedyoung apprentice mage who waspracticing his scrying spells nearNeverwinter, Old Snarl came out ofthat battle with one wing almost tornoff and a great gaping hole in his side:almost half of his body had beenfrozen solid, shattered, and thenstruck away.

No one saw just where the crippledwyrm flew, nor the landing thatalmost slew him. Klauth used all of hishoarded and freshly seized magic tokeep himself alive and to build a lairin which to hide away and heal. Hechose a narrow, winding chasm in themountains east of Raven Rock, anunnamed, isolated valley that he filledwith sheep, goats, and rothe seizedfrom all over the North. There he yetabides among his ready supply offood, building his strength and prac-ticing his spells, awaiting the daywhen he’ll be powerful enough tosally forth as the unquestioned masterof northern dragonkind.

That day might never come; Klauthhas become a wyrm who sees risingrivals in every other dragon who has

56 FEBRUARY 1998

broken out of its egg—and his para-noia is not soothed by the many mon-sters and adventurers who enter hisvalley to help themselves to the readyfood.

From these intruders, however,Klauth has gained many magicalitems, among them several wands. Byworking on magic of his own andemploying a key spell stolen from thedesert dragon lymrith, he has man-aged to mount the wands in his wingsand establish mental control overthem so that he can “fire” them as heflies. In this way he has surprised andslain a flying mage and two intrudingdragons who were expecting to dealwith only a red dragon’s breathweapon and perhaps a spell or two.The bodies of the dragons arebelieved to lie where they crashed: inthe depths of the tiny but very deepOrothryn’s Well, a pond at the heartof Klauth’s little valley.

Word of “Klauthen Vale” is nowspreading across the North from thetaverns of Mirabar, and adventurersmay soon become a real headachefor Klauth. His hoard is of legendarysize, and folk say (accurately) thatdespite his advancing age, Old Snarlstill leaves the valley from time totime to smite potential rivals and tosearch for the hoards of the two whitedragons he slew in the great battle(Aerihykloarara and Ruuthundrarar,both of whom seem to have used sev-eral resting-caverns but who kepttheir treasure hidden elsewhere).

Klauthen Vale isn’t known to haveany traps or guardians beyond itsfamous owner (who is known to liesometimes on a ledge high on one ofits walls, from whence he can strike atintruders on the valley floor). The Valewalls are broken by several naturalcaves, at least two of which are largeenough for Klauth to shelter in. Hekeeps his hoard in a small, simple net-work of tunnels beneath one cavern.The only entrance to this subter-ranean complex is by lifting a hugeslab of stone—a task only creatures aslarge and as strong as dragons caneasily manage.

Klauth's DomainKlauth doesn’t defend or patrol a

territory the way many dragons do; heregards himself as free to roam wher-ever he desires on his rare forays outof the Vale. This isn’t to say he doesn’trecognize that sightseeing over

Waterdeep or lymrith’s desert citywould be both dangerous and impru-dent. He invades the domains of otherdragons only for specific reasons andperforms the tasks he sets for himselfas quickly and as efficiently as possi-ble. He acts not out of fear but out ofthe prudence that has become a foun-dation of his character.

The Deeds of KlauthKlauth spends most of his waking

time scrying the Realms around himwith his spells. He probably knowsmore about the deeds and where-abouts of surface-world creatures inthe Sword Coast North than any otherbeing alive today. Moreover, Old Snarlthinks more about what he sees thanmost who spy by means of magic; he’sseldom looking for just one thing orperson, and he has the wits (and expe-rience in their use) to assess problemsand reason them through without hes-itation. Seeing carts being loaded withswords in one spot sends him lookingfor activity among armorers in all theplaces to which those carts could logi-cally be headed. A mustering of forcesin a merchant company compound ornoble villa brings his full attention tobear upon the purpose of that activity,and the potential results.

Klauth’s expertise on the activitiesand behavior of others in the North isas formidable a weapon as the jets offire and beams of magic that spurtforth from his wings as he swoopsdown on foes . . . almost. It also giveshim something quite valuable to bar-gain with when dealing with foes he’drather not challenge; Old Snarl isthought to have come to a “live andlet live” agreement with Alustriel ofthe Seven in this manner.

Klauth's MagicOld Snarl is thought to have a gen-

erous number of magic items andknown spells. Although it’s certain hepossesses more wands than his wingsusually sport, changing them is a longand tiresome matter of linking andcontrolling spells that must be brokenand then cast anew. From manyaccounts (given by adventurers, mages,and observers Volo judged not to befabricating or exaggerating too badly),a tentative “roster” of the wing-wandsemployed by Klauth can be assem-bled. It’s important to remember thatthe wing-wand list given here is quitelikely to contain one or more errors.

On Klauth’s left wing (on an oppo-nents right as the dragon swoopsdown):

1. Outermost: wand of frost2. Mid-mount: wand of fire3. Innermost: wand of polymorphing

On Klauth’s right wing (on anopponent’s left as the dragon swoopsdown):

4. Outermost: wand of paralyzation5. Mid-mount: wand of lightning6. Innermost: wand of flame extin-

guishing

The linkages Klauth has estab-lished (by still-secret spells developedby the old wyrm) enable him toemploy multiple triptych spells to acti-vate wands #1, #2, and #4 in unison,or trigger wands #3, #5, and #6together.

These triptych spells come from anoriginal that Klauth stole from thedesert-dwelling dragon lymrith (amagic possibly Netherese in origin,and presumably named for its cre-ator), which fo l lows hereaf ter .According to Cadella Thylight, a priest-ess of Mystra interviewed by Volo inWaterdeep, a version of this magicusable by a human or demi-humanwould be a spell of at least eighthlevel.

Theller�s Argauneau(Alteration, Necromancy)Level: 3Range: TouchComponents: V, S, MDuration: PermanentCasting Time: 1 roundArea of Effect: SpecialSaving Throw: Special

This spell transforms a fertile reddragon egg into life energy and theninfuses it into a living creature indirect contact with the egg duringcasting. The spell fails and is wasted ifthe dragon egg is infertile, derivedfrom another subspecies than red, ormore than one living creature (besidesthe caster) is in contact with it whenspellcasting ends. (The spellcaster canbe the only recipient of the dragonegg energy.)

A spell recipient who is a red dragoncan immediately decide to have theenergy do one of three things: heal5d6 hp damage (of any sort, workingagainst even withering, life energy

DRAGON #244 57

draining, or flesh corrosion); tem-porarily raise the dragon one age cat-egory in powers (this effect lasts for 10hours and can be made cumulative ifthe dragon has access to multipleeggs and argauneau spells); or causethe instant return of all spells previ-ously cast by the dragon, in reverseorder until the dragon’s “roster” ofspells is complete. The choice must bemade immediately, is irrevocable, andtakes effect one round later.

If the recipient of the life energy isa non-red dragon, a weredragon, acreature related to dragons (a wyvern,for example), or is another sort ofcreature who has assumed dragon-form by any means, the energyinstantly heals 4d6 hp of any sort ofdamage but can have no other effect.

If the recipient of the life energy isany other sort of creature, a savingthrow vs. poison must be made. If itfails, the energy dissipates into therecipient body, causing 4d6 hp dam-age and causing the body to convulseuncontrollably (-2 penalty to ArmorClass, no deliberate actions possible)for one round.

If the saving throw succeeds, thespell recipient gains 3d6 hp to offsetany damage he might be suffering;any excess hit points remain for 10hours before fading. In any case, asecond saving throw (vs. spell, thistime) must be made. Failure means nofurther effect, but if it succeeds, oneadditional hit point is permanentlygained.

Alaunghaer�s EnchantedTriptych(Alteration, Evocation)Level: 5Range: 0Components: VDuration: 1 roundCasting Time: 1Area of Effect: Three magic itemsSaving Throw: Special

This spell allows its caster simulta-neously to trigger three magical itemsthat the caster is touching, carrying, orwearing. All of the affected itemsoperate in the same round and candirect their effects at different targetsif desired.

The triptych spell enables its casterto precisely aim and control all threeitems, whatever their usual require-ments as to attention, handling, andthe identity of the user, but prohibits

the triptych-caster from casting otherspells, triggering other magical items,or using other voluntary spell-likepowers (such as a breath weapon) inthe same round that the triptych iscast. Attempts to do so expend andwaste the triptych spell.

Ongoing (previously launched) orautomatic magics can still functionwithout ruining the triptych magic. Ifthe caster was already water breath-ing, he can continue to do so; if he isfalling and wears a ring of featherfalling, it operates normally withoutaffecting the operation of the triptych.Magical item effects can continuebeyond the round in which the triptychactivates them if they normally do so,or are directed to do so. In otherwords, use of a triptych can’t cause awand to activate once per round forseveral rounds thereafter but cancause it to immediately activate oncewith an effect that lasts beyond theround in which the triptych spellawakens it.

This spell can never be used toallow its caster to evoke multiple mag-ical effects from the same item if itisn’t designed to operate in that man-ner, nor can it be used to compel ormake possible the simultaneous cast-ing of multiple spells by the triptych-caster or any other being. If the casterof this spell has more than three mag-ical items available to him when thespell is cast, he must deliberatelychoose and think of the items hedesires to control. Note that the trip-tych magic doesn’t identify items tohim that he may not know possessmagical powers, nor does it makeclear the functioning and control ofany unfamiliar magic item; to avoiddisasters, a triptych is best used withmagical items already familiar to thecaster.

A triptych is a very complex anddelicate piece of magic; even thoughit may be perfectly cast, there isalways a small chance that one or twoof the three magical items won’t beawakened by the spell. Whenever atriptych is cast, roll 1d12. A result of 1means that such a malfunction hasoccurred; a second die should then berolled, with an even number resultmeaning two items did not work, andan odd number meaning that onlyone item failed to respond. (There areno known instances of a triptych spellcausing a magic item to explode, lose

its enchantment, fire wildly, or turn itseffects upon its wielder.)

Khelben “Blackstaff” Arunsun ofWaterdeep has been heard to observethat any human mage who gained fullcontrol over a triptych magic wouldhave to be destroyed, along with allcopies of the spell, “for the safety ofToril, and all creatures in it.” Uponhearing of this, Elminster observed,“We’d better not tell him what myQueen of Aglarond can do, then.”

Klauth's FateOld Snarl is less likely to die by mis-

adventure than most dragons.Enfeeblement (old age), disease, or acabal of foes acting together are thedooms most likely to claim him. Thelast-mentioned cause would probablyinvolve a titanic battle; the othersmight strike silently or might goadKlauth into one last grand, suicidalflight of destruction across the North.

In any case, once word spreads ofthe passing of Old Snarl, KlauthenVale is likely to see a “gold rush” ofadventurers hungry for wealth andmages hungry for magic like no otherin the modern North. If even one ofthese seekers recovers an intact trip-tych spell, well . . . as Elminster hasobserved, “‘Twill be a mite too late,then, for the traditional tactic of‘standing back and looking the otherway.’”

Ed Greenwood likes to go up to his cot-tage in the northern woods and relax witha good book atop a lofty rock that looksvery much like the battlements of ruinedCastle Grimstead in Shadowdale. He wasquite startled one afternoon when Laeral,the Lady Mage of Waterdeep, stepped outof a nearby stone, winked at him, turnedinto a falcon, and flew away. Her appear-ance did help to explain the two piles ofpaperbacks he’d found when opening upthe cottage one spring, labeled in flowinghandwriting: “Utter Trash” and “Garbage,but I Liked Them.” He reports thatEiminster always picks “Utter Trash” booksand ignores the other pile.

58 FEBRUARY 1998

The Red WyvernKatherine KerrBantam Books $12.95

At the heart of The Red Wyvern is ac i v i l war waged in the land o fDeverry—the same realm featured inDays of Blood and Fire, Days of Air andDarkness, and other Katherine Kerrnovels. Prince Maryn, the rightful ruler,tries to wring Deverry from the graspof the usurper-king, Burcan the Boar.The unfolding conflict provides anexcellent backdrop for the novel’s lav-ish characters, among them the villain-ous Merodda. Burcan’s conniving sis-ter proves a delightful villain. Partviper, part Lady Macbeth, Meroddahelps secure her brother’s place on thethrone by poisoning his enemies andusing her magic to eavesdrop on thosew h o w i l l i n e v i t a b l y d e f y h i m .Merodda’s daughter, Lillorigga, fleesDeverry before the war, allying herselfwith those loyal to Prince Maryn. Lilli’sscrying powers are just beginning tomanifest themselves. Fearful of her

treacherous mother, Lilli confides in adweomermaster named Nevyn. Nevynis a pivotal figure whose invocationsturn the tide of battle and whose wis-dom provides important insights in thedarkest moments of the war.

The war becomes a series of engag-ing conflicts. When one of PrinceMaryn’s captains is slain in battle, thereader feels the anger of his men asthey watch the enemy display theircaptain’s severed head on the castlewall. When Burcan is injured in thebattle for Dun Deverry, the reader feelssympathy for the wounded villain.There are unpredictable momentswhen a character dies, and momentswhere a character acts decisively andthe reader bears witness to the conse-quences. Some rather shocking conse-quences, actually.

The war itself is the story’s obvioushighlight. The author moves fluidlyfrom one side of the battlefield to theother, showing the strain on both sides.There’s barbarism, noble sacrifice, andthe death of innocence within oppos-ing forces. The battle scenes are vis-ceral, engaging, believably violent,and handled with epic flair. The disin-grating shield-walls, the falling bas-tions, the surge of the gate-rams, andthe images of flocking red wyvernbanners make the siege of DunDeverry a visual experience.

The Dragon Mage series spans sev-eral points throughout Deverry’shistory, but in this first novel, makingthe leap between time frames is diffi-cult. Each time period introduces newcharacters, and it isn’t always clearthat these characters are actually rein-carnations of characters from earlierperiods in Deverry’s past. For instance,Merodda is reincarnated as Mallona,and later as Raena, but it’s too early to

know how closely these incarnationswill overlap, or what impact they willhave on one another. The prologueand epilogue clearly harken to peri-ods described more fully in later nov-els, but many of these bridges are stillunder construction. The Red Wyvernbraces us for things to come but doesnot entirely prepare us for them.Thankfully, the characters from theperiod of Deverry’s civil war are richand memorable. It will be interestingto see what befalls them in other life-times.

As a roleplaying resource, The RedWyvern provides Dungeon Masterswith a wealth of ideas for running anddetailing adventures around “the cas-tle siege,” particularly in the BIRTHRIGHT®setting where kingdoms rise and falllike the sun.

-CHRIS PERKINS

Running with the DemonTerry BrooksDel Rey $25.95

Terry Brooks new novel, Runningwith the Demon, is a departure fromhis popular Shanara series. Runningwith the Demon chronicles a powerfulstruggle between good and evil set inthe modern world.

Good is embodied by the Word,and evil by the Void. The Word is thepurpose behind all things; the Void isthe equally strong force trying todestroy all things. The real worldexists, and runs as it is supposed to,when the two forces are in balance.The key players in the struggle areDemons, humans who have giventhemselves wholly to the Void, and

60 FEBRUARY 1998

the Knights of the Word, humans cho-sen to serve the Word. In betweenthese powerful figures lie people likeNest Freemark, people who can usemagic and have the potential to dogreat good or great evil depending onthe choices they make.

John Ross, Knight of the Word,travels to Nest’s home town to stopher from being tricked by a Demoninto serving the void. The price Johnmust pay for his knightly powers issteep. John Ross can see the future.He can see how things will turn out ifthe Void succeeds in its attempts tooverthrow the balance. John’s visionsof the future heighten the tensionthroughout the story; John knows thatfailing to help Nest keep away fromthe Demon could mean the end ofhumanity. These two protagonists,John and Nest, complement eachother well. John’s struggle to preventevents that have already happened ismirrored nicely in Nest’s own desire tolearn who her father was.

Running with the Demon combinesstrong foreshadowing, realistic char-acters, and an interesting setting intoan enjoyable read. Although the booksuffers from predictability, Brooks fin-ishes the novel exceptionally well, andit is sure to attract many fans.

-JESSE DECKER

The Dragon andthe Gnarly KingGordon R. DicksonTor $24.95

The Dragon and the Gnarly King isthe third book in a series that beganin 1976 with the World FantasyAward-winning The Dragon and theGeorge. This series is a must for anyfan of medieval fantasy.

In the tradition of A ConnecticutYankee in King Arthur’s Court, Jim Eckert,a modern-day American, has beentransported back in time to feudalEngland-but this is an England wheremagic works. Eckert is a novice magi-cian who is reluctant to use his powers.

In The Dragon and the Gnarly King,Eckert is now Sir James, Baron de Boisde Malencontri et Riveroak, a knightwith his own castle. The wizardCarolinus, one of only three AAA+magicians in the world and Eckert’smentor, charges Sir James with main-taining King Edward on the throneand with rescuing the baby Robert, award of Eckert and his 20th-centurywife, Angela.

Eckert sets out on a 14th-centuryquest with his best friends, Sir BrianNeville-Smythe, warrior extraordinaire,and Dafydd ap Hywel a mighty archer.The three are joined by an assortmentof magical beings including a friendlysea devil and a hobgoblin.

The adventurers travel to strangelands, inc luding the dangerousKingdom of Lyonesse. Throughout thestory, Dickson balances action, armedencounters, evil beings, and politicalintrigue with the wonders of magic—especially when the magician, Sir Jim,doesn’t always know what he is doing.

This is a novel written with tongueplaced lightly in cheek. Some of themore delightful scenes occur whenEckert and Angela must deal with 14th-century behavior. In one such scene,Jim has problems convincing a servantthat a sound beating is not the best wayto improve another servants memory.

The Dragon and the Gnarly King isan enjoyable romp through a world ofchivalry and magic.

—PIERCE WATTERS

War of the GodsPoul AndersonT o r $22.95

One of the masters of fantasy andscience fiction now turns his talents toa retelling of Scandinavian legend.Revealing the story of Hadding is nomean feat, for unlike Arthur, theDanish king has enjoyed relativelyfew chronicles. Starting with the fewwritten legends that exist, Andersonadds liberal doses of revised Norsemythology to create the “complete”legend of Hadding in War of the Gods.

As the second son of a k ingembroiled in war, Hadding is fosteredby giants who owe a debt to the boy’sfather. Among the giants, Haddinglearns something of dark magic,though he himself does not indulge init so wantonly as his ill-fated compan-ion, the giantess Hardgreip.

After leaving the giants, Haddingmeets a one-eyed stranger who proph-esies great deeds in the young man’sfuture. The stranger’s identity is nomystery to those with even a passingfamiliarity with Norse mythology, andhe assists his charge in much the sameway Athena guides Odysseus in TheOdyssey. Fortunately for those who liketheir heroes to achieve their own vic-tories, the divine guidance abates longenough for Hadding to make his ownconquests, proving his battle-prowessand k ing-craf t through h is ownstrength and wisdom.

Anderson’s prose is muscular andpoetic, comfortably echoing the Norsebards without sacrificing the claritydemanded by today’s readers. Thenarrative evokes the wintry landscapeof the Danes, while the dialogue is, likethe characters, timeless and largerthan life.

War of the Gods blends the best ofhistory and mythology. Andersondeftly weaves full-blown fantasy withdocumented chronicle to elevateHadding to his rightful place, firmlybeside Arthur and Beowulf.

-DAVE GROSS

DRAGON #244 61

MichaelenePendleton

Artwork by Karl Waller

I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED to my mother. She told meto marry a farmer and be content with raising childrenand rutabagas. Or join a convent. Or a brothel.Anything rather than training to be a soulkeeper. Shesaid soulkeeping was a hard and dangerous life withfew comforts, low pay, little respect, and not muchprospect of living to a comfortable old age. She wasright.

When I find someone riding as far north as ourhigh-mountain steading, I send Mother a message fullof comforting half-truths and outright lies. I assure herthat my witch does not take too much from me, nordoes she weight me with more than I can bear.

I don’t tell her that the witch whose soul I keep is adrunk. A rowdy, roistering, lying, conniving, lecherous,arrogant, gambling drunk, at that. Sithi, sober, is agenerous woman, an excellent witch, a good mistress.Sithi, drunk, is a disaster lurking round each corner.Sithi is all those things. I have learned to love her.

Sitting hunched over a low table, the sleeves of mynew emerald silk tunic sodden with spilled beer,breathing in greasy smoke and the stench of wetwool and bodies that bathed only when caught in therain, one hand on my cup and the other on my knife,snarling at the tavern dregs who thought to lay handson me, I did not love Sithi.

Everyone else in the dirty, flea-ridden, stinkingriverfront tavern loved Sithi. In the shank end of acold, drizzling autumn night, when the moon and allthe decent sober citizens had gone to bed, Sithi wasaflame with dangerous possibilities. Light from thecheap tallow candles caught in her russet hair, spreada nacreous luster over her fair skin, created shadowsin the kohl-lined green of her long Pathan eyes,flashed from the golden bangles around her slimankles, rippled and ran like water from the ambersatin that clung to her smooth arms and roundedbreasts. Not a man there but would have given every-thing in his purse to have her.

Most of the patrons of the Skelly's Tail had alreadygiven more than their purses in pursuit of one excite-ment or another. Eyepatches, missing thumbs andteeth and ears, legs carved of wood or bone ivory,hardly a man in the place was whole. Wearing silksand damask brocades, leather and ragged pieces ofringmail and mismatched armor, rough woolens andfine linens so grained with filth that the original colorwas in doubt, bedecked with enough jewels to make adowager blush, they were just exactly the kind oflowlife scum that Sithi loves. We could have been lyingon soft couches, being hand-fed sweetmeats by sloe-eyed nubile boys and girls, drinking frail Thalesianwine from the Ahkim’s own table. Sithi chose insteadto spend the evening in the Tail, carousing and gam-bling tantalizing every man there with half-madepromises she had no intention of fulfilling.

In place of the Ahkim’s palace or the Skelly’s Tail,rather would I have chosen a cozy little inn with goodale, hot stew, a jovial paunchy innkeeper, and a softbug-free bed where I could lie next to Haaken’s longbody and play a game of a different sort. But where

DRAGON #244 63

the witch or wizard goes, also goes the soulkeeper.That is our job. Our trust.

So I sat in sullen impatience, trying to keepHaaken awake enough to guard our backs as he wassupposed to be paid two gold ryals every new moonto do, trying to hold on to my temper while Sithiwagered and lost our hard-earned coin, and trying tokeep my sense of humor from fraying completely torags. Mother also said that I take life too seriously.She was probably right about that, as well.

But I loathe rutabagas, so there you are.They say everyone loves a winner. Maybe so, but

losers love another loser. They can feel better abouttheir own cramped, twisted lives when they watchsomeone else being shaken and wrung dry.

Sithi played to their avid lust, both for her and forthe game. Her long fingers caressed the dice cup,shaking it, rolling the brass rune-marked dice aroundits rim, almost spilling them, then tilting the cupupright until the circle of watchers leaned forward,breathless, silently urging her to scatter the dice andlay another stone on the wall of their lives. Most ofthem bet against her. They won.

I watched, tight-lipped, as Sithi laughed and sparkledfor them, inevitably losing every last copper earnedwith Haaken’s blood, my nerves, and her talent. Heropponent was a night-skinned witch from the easterndesert, a tall, lean woman with a shaven skull andlimbs like a leopard: Drusa her name, a water witchwith sharp white teeth and unholy luck with the dice.

With Sithi’s last losing throw, the entire sum of ourfortune lay within the circle of Drusa’s long, darkarms. Grinning, the water witch ran her fingersthrough the pile of gold and copper coins. “Luckdidn’t favor you tonight, shapeshifter.”

Sithi was having trouble focusing, her handsswinging wide of her beer cup and grasping at air.Her lush, plum-dark lips stretched into a foolish smile.“Let’s play again.”

“You have no coin left to wager.”Sithi turned her lambent gaze on me. I shook my

head. “No, Sithi. I have just enough to pay for a warmbed, and you’re not getting it.”

Sithi’s head tilted upward on her long, white neck.Above us, his voice coming from the cobwebs of

the low-raftered ceiling, Haaken echoed, “I have noth-ing, Mistress.” He forbore to mention that Sithi hadjust lost his wages.

Drusa laughed. “No luck, no coin, and poor friends.A situation not likely to change unless you’re a betterwitch than you are a gambler.” And because she hadmade them winners, the crowd around us laughedwith her. Drusa jingled Sithi’s lost coin. “I’ll be glad togive you lessons in both when I am again in need ofmoney.”

Sithi lost her smile. “I need no lessons in witcheryfrom an illusionist, water witch.”

Drusa’s breath hissed through her sharp teeth. Hereyes went flat as a desert viper’s. “Illusionist? Maybeso, but I need no cats-paw to remind me that I amhuman. Without your soulkeeper, what are you,

shapeshifter? Only an animal, lost in your spell.Without your soulkeeper, you are nothing.” Shecaught her thumbnail behind her front teeth andflicked it at Sithi.

Stools creaked, onlookers shifted. I edged back fromthe table. Behind me, I felt Haaken tighten up. Lighttrembled on the blades of his axe. The tavernkeeperstarted gathering up his few pieces of glassware.

If Sithi hadn’t been quite so drunk, she might havesettled it right there with fists and teeth and nails. Drusawas ready, you could see it in her tensed body, hereager eyes. Her guard, a gap-toothed mass of musclelacking Haaken’s inches but outweighing him by twostone, was ready, his hands tight on his iron-spikedmace as he measured Haaken with a squinty grin.

Sithi put both hands flat on the table. “Nothing?”she asked sweetly. She wiggled her right thumb, flash-ing blood red light from a ruby the size of a kite’segg. “Nothing, you say? Why, then, do I wear theAhkim’s jewel? I see no rubies on your hands.”

“The wheel turns. Everyone gets lucky now andthen.”

“Lucky?” Sithi fairly sputtered the word. “On mybad days, I’m twice the witch you are!”

Drusa bared her pointed teeth in something thatmight be called a smile. “Prove it.”

Sithi raised her arms in a sensuous stretch, liftedher heavy hair off her neck, and let her eyes wanderaround the circle, telling each man there that he wasthe one she wanted. As she brought her gaze back toDrusa, you could see that she had once lived inside aserpents skin. “You think to set me a test? What canyou offer to make it worth my while?”

Drusa’s flat yellow stare was entirely sober. “Allthat I have.”

I have no magical talent, but I know truth when Ihear it. Every hair on my neck bristled. This was whatthe water witch had been dicing for; all our gold wasonly the bait she tossed before Sithi. I touched Sithi’scheek, calling her to look at me. “Sithi,” I murmured,“there’s something wrong here. Don’t do this.”

She might have heard me, she may have seen me,but I might as well have been the wind for all thenotice Sithi took of me. She answered Drusa with athroaty laugh. “All that you have isn’t worth the jewelon my thumb.”

Eyes heavy-lidded, Drusa looked down her falcon’snose at Sithi, her mouth twisting with the bitterness ofgreen figs. “Maybe not, but no one can offer more. Ifyou won’t take that bet, then I say it’s because yourcourage is as weak as puppy-piss. I’d heard you hadno nerve, shapeshifter, but while I know you to beinept, I’d not believed you a coward as well.”

Any fly-plagued urchin in the marketplace couldhave seen through Drusa’s ploy; sober, Sithi wouldhave seen it. But Sithi was not sober. She leanedfarther over the rough, scarred table, barely a hand’slength from the water witch. Each word hissed to astop before the next one began. “You and all yourkind tied together in a bundle for pig food couldn’tset a task I fear to try. You seek to test me? Name it.”

64 FEBRUARY 1998

Haaken and I groaned in harmony at the curl ofDrusa’s smile. Then I ordered two large bowls ofcamel stew and started eating.

❖ ❖ ❖

Haaken has a good mind and a brave liver insideall that blond hair and bronzed muscle, but he is aman of the pack-ice fjords, holding his thoughts close.Usually I have no such constraints, but huddled coldand wet inside a dark corner of the sigil-carved wallaround the house of the Sorcerer Ascendant of thelocal Thaumaturgy Guild, awaiting a certain fate thatwould make death seem a blessing, I loved Sithi so lit-tle that I had no heart even to rage at her.

The Pantalogue, Drusa wanted. The one Word thatwould revert any shapeshifter to human form, reverseany spell. Sober, minus her ruby which had gone to askinny beetle of a rockwizard for a Sphere of Defenseand a spell to get us inside the House Ascendantswards, even Sithi should know the hopelessness ofthe task. What use, then, in speaking of it? I pulledmy hood closer, wishing the rockwizard’s spell hadn’tworked, wishing we were scuttling along the trail toanother city, any other city, and waited for Sithi tothink up something brilliant that would get us out ofthis alive.

Our only luck in this business was the conserva-tive, stodgy nature of wizards who have made it tothe top. Since anyone with a thumbnail’s worth ofsense knows it is suicide to annoy the SorcererAscendant, sometimes he gets lazy, resting on his rep-utation instead of renewing his wards. Raisneev hasbeen the top wand waver for a dozen years now, andhe is not only a sour old pucker of a man, he is alsoarrogant. That Raisneev declines to vary his habitsand hosts the rest of the Guild for a feast on dark ofthe moon gave us a chance of getting to thePantalogue during the general revelry.

Drenched, her hair stringing down her face, Sithi’seyes sparkled with a wicked delight repeated in hergrin. There’s no love lost between wizards and witches.Besting Raisneev could do a lot for a witch’s reputa-tion. Or at least guarantee a memorably spectacularfuneral. Sithi would happily settle for either one.

If I somehow survived her, it would be back to therutabaga fields for me. No one hires a deadshapeshifter’s soulkeeper. It’s a one-woman job.

From our quiet corner, we watched the SorcerersGuild wizards arriving, each with his grimoire andfamiliar, wands held ceremonially in the crooks oftheir arms, proud in their black satin and jewels, pac-ing with dignified formality along the paved walkwayfrom the gate into the golden light of Raisneev’s tiledand silk-hung arched and embellished palace. At themain door, two leopards, chained with gold, were heldin trembling check by a lithe yellow-skinned man astheir slit-eyed gazes measured and found wanting allwho entered. The aroma of roast pig set my mouth towatering and I heard Haaken’s stomach growl.

The Sorcerer Ascendant held many treasures insidehis compound walls. His gardens boasted trees that

grew lemons and pomegranates on the same branch,and sprouted venomous black orchids lurking inclumps of gray moss. Blue-eyed birds with rainbowfeathers nested and sang siren songs that turned tostone the unwary, whose eroding statues lumpedhere and there throughout the compound. Fountainsspouted water from the mouths of gargoyles andhydras into pools where delicate sun-scaled fishflashed among white lotus pads, and reflected shardsof light from glowing globes that wafted about thegrounds. Stables that were themselves palaces shel-tered his long-necked horses. An iron-barred seragliowhere eunuchs, armed with more than enoughweaponry to make up for that which they had lost,guarded long-necked beauties of another kind.

There, too, was a place I had never wanted to seethis close—the Chrestomathy of Lost Souls, the zoohousing shapeshifters whose soulkeepers had madeseriously bad mistakes, usually involved with beingkilled, while the shapeshifters were in animal form.They looked at us with their beast eyes, pacing theircages, made restive by our presence. I made a goodluck sign at them and kissed my serpent amulet. Idon’t often pray to the Cloud Snake, but I said acouple of fervent words then. I felt their yearninggazes on our backs as we slipped from shadow torain-washed shadow across the compound to a nichebetween two windows in the palace walls.

Above us towered a minaret, its parapet barredwith filigreed ironwork and ringed with a smoth, slickmosaic depicting the Fall of Stars. Tucking his axe inhis belt, Haaken fingered the wall, searching forclimbing holds. After a few attempts, he shook hishead.

Sithi nodded. She stroked her neck, rubbing herthumb over the blue Sunspider tattoo in the hollow ofher throat. She looked at the wall, then at me. Therueful twist of her lips told me I wasn’t going to likethis. She dropped her cloak and drew her long dressover her head. Naked and goose-bumped in the coldrain, Sithi leaned forward, her voice a bare puff ofbreath in my ear as she gave me the Words thatwould return her to human form, Words that wouldblessedly leave my mind as soon as they were spo-ken. More Words she said then, an incantation thattransformed her into a Ligerian Mantis, better thanthree stones’ weight of lethal insect.

The other seventy pounds of Sithi’s sultry bodyflowed along with her human soul into me. Haakencaught me as I collapsed under the weight, whileSithi’s image morphosed into angular green legs, aflat, thin body, and a triangular head with hugeorange pinpoint-pupilled eyes. Her head flicked tolook at us, heavy forearms snapped close to herchest, pincers scissoring open and shut. Haaken and Iheld ourselves quiet until Sithi’s mind overrode themantis’ predatory instincts. When she was in control,Sithi took Haaken’s climbing rope in one chitinousappendage. She placed her forelegs on the wall andbegan to climb, a nightmare silhouetted against thebeauty of the mosaic.

DRAGON #244 65

Haaken eased me down to rest against his bentknee, arching my back to make breathing easier as Iwheezed under the weight that Sithi had shed tobecome the mantis. The big-boned sturdy frame that Ihad bemoaned as a young girl enabled me to carrythe weight, as well as giving Sithi substance when shewent larger. But it was never easy. Haaken’s handrested lightly on my shoulder and he kissed the top ofmy head, a welcome encouragement while I huffed forair, my loose tunic and pants stretched to the seams.

Sithi scritched up the wall, a series of six-leggeddartings that raised the hair on my neck. At theparapet, she delicately climbed over the iron railingsand disappeared inside the minaret. From theChrestomathy, a forlorn howl drifted into the night.

Sithi reappeared on the parapet. Her commandlanced into my mind like heat lightning. Gratefully, Iwhispered the Words.

Folk who say that something was like a weightlifted from their backs have no idea of how that

really feels. As Sithi reformed into her human shape,the weight was lifted not only from my back, butfrom the rest of me as well. I felt as if I would floataway without Haaken’s hand holding me down.

Sithi tied off the rope then tossed the end down tous. Haaken took a strain on the rope. I climbed up hisbody, found a grip on the knots, and swarmed up thetower, Sithi’s clothes slung over my shoulder. Whileshe dressed, Haaken over-handed his way up to joinus.

I took a breath, and Sithi laid two fingers acrossmy lips, forestalling any sound. She jerked her headand we followed her, creeping silently down the spi-ral steps from the top of the minaret to a doorwayscreened with lace-carved cedar. Golden light shaftedthrough the screen’s openwork, while laughter andmusic and the aromas of food and smoldering frank-incense arose from the open atrium below us. ThereSithi whispered, “Only one guard patrols this level.They pay him no mind. Be silent about it.”

Haaken nodded. With one ice-blue eye pressed tothe screen, he said, “I see him.”

Very soon we could hear him as well, hard leatherbootheels clacking with authority as he made hisrounds. As he got closer, my stomach drew tighter.Sithi loves danger. I get nauseous and tremble a lot.Haaken just does his job.

When the guard was on top of us, Haaken pushedopen the door, hefted his axe, and as the guard’smouth gaped in surprise, punched him solidly in theabdomen with the axe’s weighted head. The guardwent down with no more than a whuff of expelledbreath, boneless as an eel. Not easy to down a manin silence, but Haaken’s skill comes from brain as wellas muscle. I could not love a stupid man. WhileHaaken bound and gagged the guard, I crept to thebalcony railing and in the shadow of a marblecolumn carved with grape leaves, I raised my head topeer down on the wizards’ feast.

I’d always wondered what transpired when thehighest wizards of the land gathered for an evening’s

entertainment. What arcane devisings, what thau-maturgical embellishments, what transmundane fan-tasies did they create for their pleasure? Surely theirpastimes would blast the eyes from an uninitiate’shead. Part of me feared to look. The other part of methat would gaze on Abbadon itself just to know,looked.

They could have been grain merchants or minorprinces of a tired dynasty, or any seven of the denizensof the Skelly’s Tail with more money and less taste.They sat each with his own chair and table carved andinlaid with garish jewels to proclaim their status, up totheir elbows in pig grease, their beards trailing in theirplates, their hats askew and the sleeves of their robesrolled up, swilling wine and spilling most of it as theywaved their golden cups at a sloe-eyed woman withcinnamon lips and hair like the fall of night, as sheundulated her way around the open space in the mid-dle of their gathering in a dance of stomping high-arched bare feet, clapping hands and twitching hips tothe coiling music of drum and rebec and sistrum. Theirfamiliars were aloof, uninvolved with the animalappetites of their masters as they prowled, skittered,crawled, or lazed about the room, each to its ownnature, furred, feathered, or scaled.

In a far corner at the foot of the stairs slept a hugeblack she-wolf, hairy stomach bulging with food, herlegs twitching in dreams. Sithi grinned and startedshucking her clothes again.

❖ ❖ ❖

The wolf and Sithi were of a weight so I followedclose on Haaken’s heels as we slunk down the stairsand slid behind a line of potted frond palms. Neverone to resist the grandiose gesture, Sithi trottednonchalantly to the edge of the wizards’ circle andflopped down on her side, head up and pink tonguelolling.

A youngish wizard, his red beard plaited into ahundred tiny braids, snapped his fingers and called,“Rahab.”

Sithi went very still. Haaken drew in a sharpbreath, his eyes slanting to the real Rahab, stilldreaming in her corner.

“Rahab, come to me.”Sithi looked at him, then trotted over and sat at his

feet. He dropped the knucklebone he had been chew-ing and said, “I still maintain, Great Raisneev, that ourdaemon spirits have more understanding than weknow. Rahab, here, responds to commands in thearcane as well as the common tongue.”

Raisneev, Sorcerer Ascendant, had watercresscaught in his beard. His eyes were raisins, his moutha prune. He raised his hoary brows and chuckled. “Anargument always popular with young wizards, mydear Gibral. With more experience, you’ll realize thatthey are only dumb beasts. Containers for magic, nomore than that.”

Gibral’s fair skin flushed to match his beard. “Ican prove it, O Raisneev. Attend this demonstration.Rahab?”

66 FEBRUARY 1998

Sithi looked at him with her yellow wolf eyes.Gibral made Signs that left orange trails in the air

and said, “Rahab, Stravitiyi podhorts calineris.” Witchesand wizards don’t know each others secret language.Haaken grunted a word in his own language thatneeded no translation, and I drew my dagger.

Sithi did nothing.Raisneev chuckled.Gibral’s face got redder and his voice louder.

“Rahab, Stravitiyi podhorts calineris!”Stretching aft then fore, Sithi stood. She padded to

the middle of the circle, turned around a couple oftimes, then sat, turning her head over her shoulderaway from Gibral, looking down and then raising hermuzzle to the ceiling. Her wolf mouth stretched into awhite-toothed grin.

Raisneev’s chuckle exploded into a racheting cackle,joined by the rest of their company in raucous laugh-ter that swept the circle and bounced to the ceilingarches. It went on until Raisneev pounded his cup onhis table and wheezed, “While there may be a ques-tion as to the understanding of beasts, there can beno question of your beast’s opinion, Gibral.”

Gibral was too young to laugh at himself. He flungout one stiff index finger and hissed, “Rahab, out ofmy sight!”

That command, Sithi obeyed.I sucked in a long breath, and Haaken slumped

against the wall. Sithi trotted off into the darkness ofRaisneev’s palace. I’d seen enough of wizards’ feastsand kept my head down while we waited for Sithi toreturn and prayed that the real Rahab would remainchasing deer in some wolfy dreamhaven.

❖ ❖ ❖

A cold, wet nose touched the back of my arm.“Gods’ curses, Sithi! Don’t do that,” I muttered. She

reformed with a grin on her lips. “You found it?”Flicking a glance at the wizards who were falling

into boozy indolence and a monumental round oftale spinning, Sithi nodded. “And it’s not a job forstealth or cunning. It needs raw strength and brawn.”

I looked at Haaken.“No,” Sithi said. “More than Haaken. The

Pantalogue tablet is displayed in Raisneev’s audiencehall, caged in bars of iron rather than veils of magic. Ineed Haaken, but more do I need the greater part ofyou, soulkeeper.” She was no longer grinning.

A serious Sithi scared me white-eyed. “How much,Sithi?”

“What can you give me and live?”“Three and a half stone.”“I need more.”“For what?”“An Urang. Pound for pound, it’s four times

stronger than even Haaken. I need more weight, soul-keeper. Five stone.”

Could I live at less than half my weight? Sithi knewwhat she asked. If I died, she might as well be dead. Ishrugged and managed a grin. “What’s your plan?”

❖ ❖ ❖

The rain had stopped. That was a blessing. I kneltoutside an iron-barred window opening intoRaisneev’s audience chamber, shrinking down toescape the wash of light from a glowing globe as itfloated past. The smell of wet grass, the sounds of thenight, each detail was magnified by the fear that Iheld on a tight leash. Sithi’s plan held no flash ofbrilliance, just a reliance on brute force. I had nofaith that it was going to work.

Though I was expecting it, Haaken’s whisperthrough the window startled a gasp out of me. “I’mhere,” I answered.

He reached one hand through the bars and laid iton my cheek. “Have care. I will come for you.”

Sithi’s face appeared beside Haaken’s. “Ready,soulkeeper?”

I grabbed the window bars, fingers clenched, feel-ing my life flow out of me as Sithi’s form bulged intoover thirteen stone of ugly orange-haired ape. Myhands became sacks of sticks and twigs, my arms andlegs no more than joint-knotted bone. My guts feltlike they were being drawn out by a hot claw. Mylungs screamed for air. My eyes saw the nightthrough a red mist and sounds faded into a hollowbuzz in my ears. I felt my heart slow, and slow again.

From inside the window came little creakings ofsound, all I could hear of the smashing of wood andthe rending of iron bars as Sithi ravaged Raisneev’streasure tabernacle. Little ant voices shouted in alarmand a light appeared in the room. Steel rang on steel,tiny twinkings, as Haaken’s axe struck sparks fromthe heavy tulwar of a palace guard, come only intime to die on Haaken’s blade.

With a final monstrous wrench, Sithi ripped openthe tabernacle. She grabbed the golden tablet of thePantalogue, scuttered across the floor on her knuck-les, and shoved the tablet through the window intomy deadened hands. Loosing a guttural roar, shesprang to Haaken’s side as two more guards skiddedinto the chamber.

Behind them was the Sorcerer Ascendant, hatless,shoeless, food-stained, his face twisted into a mask ofblack rage. As Raisneev raised his arms, fingerstwitching lurid green trails, Haaken ripped the Sphereof Defense talisman from his neck and threw it down.A flash of coruscating white light burned through mydimmed sight, and Sithi and Haaken were enclosed ina shimmering circle that flared as it deflectedRaisneev’s spear of fire.

That circle muted magic, but did nothing againstsharp-edged steel. Haaken was a blur of deadlymotion as he set his axe against the swords ofRaisneev’s guards. Sithi has no skill with weapons. Asan Urang, she needed none. Snarling, she duckedunder one guard’s tulwar, grabbed his arm and rippedit from his shoulder, then threw him across the room.Back to back, they fought as more guards poured intothe room.

With little care for his servants, Raisneev threwbolts of verdigreed lightning against the shell of theSphere. The circle held, and two of Raisneev’s guards

DRAGON #244 67

were crisped to blackened husks. Putting necessitybefore pride, Raisneev called for help.

Staggering under the effects of too much wine, theother wizards stumbled to Raisneev’s side, took stockof the situation, and joined the Ascendant’s attack. Firesplashed and sparked in splatterings of green and red,blue, yellow, orange and violet and purple. Under thatonslaught, the Sphere of Defense began to shrink.

I sank to the ground, the tablet clutched to myscrawny chest, bedlam in my ears. I felt hollow, emp-tied of all thought or desire, except to live. If Sithidied, I couldn’t survive long in this state. And ifHaaken died, the rest of my soul would go with him,as well as the greater part of my heart.

The sorcerers’ fire hissed and crackled through thewindow, a raging inferno overlaying Sithi’s snarls andHaaken’s warcry. I dragged myself high enough tosee the wizards encircling the Sphere of Defense, clos-ing in as it grew smaller and smaller, crowding Sithiand Haaken closer and closer together.

The lost souls in the Chrestomathy wailed in theiranimal voices as the turbulence from the sorcerers’magic set the trees to swaying, bouncing the lightglobes around like mad fireflies, and lashing thewaters of the pool. From the stables came the splin-tering of wood and frantic neighing. The charged airstood my hair on end and crawled over my skin likea million tiny insects. I heard Sithi shriek in pain. Theyowl of a hunting cat rode the turgid air.

And I thanked the gods for it.Fumbling the tablet into my belt pouch, I began to

crawl, pulling myself over the slick grass, a feeblescrabbling of emaciated limbs that dragged meslowly across the compound to the cages of theChrestomathy. The shapeshifters whined and cried,each in its own particular animal voice.

By the cage of a sleek, long-sinewed panther, blackas the night around us, I came to the end of my thinrope of strength. He swung from his restless pacing tospring at me, ivory fangs clashing on the bars besidemy head, eager claws slashing scarlet ribbons downmy shoulder. The pain was only a faraway naggingmurmur as I fumbled the Pantalogue out of my pouch.

In the clouded darkness of the night I couldn’t seethe Word. Again the panther reached for me. As Ijerked back, I dropped the tablet. From the palacecame the exultant cries of the wizards, answered byHaaken’s defiant curses.

I could feel my life leaking away. I picked up thetablet, running my fingers over the raised surface ofthe Pantalogue Word. Through fingertips made sensi-tive by desperation, the shape of the letters appearedin my mind. I wriggled up to the bars and looked intothe panther’s golden eyes. He snarled, white-toothedand spitting, whiskers bristling. As he lunged, I said thePantalogue Word. With his breath hot on my face, hechanged.

Where there had been a panther black as dark-ness itself, soon crouched a long-limbed, slender manof the same hue. He held one hand before his face,turning his wrist and regarding his palm with his jawslack in wonder.

“Help me,” I whispered.He raised his head and looked around, then

looked at me. “Who are you?”“A soulkeeper.” My voice had gone to a ragged

wisp of sound. He leaned closer. “I helped you. Helpme now.”

He wanted only to run; his body urged him to begone, trembling with its eagerness to escape. He slidhis hands outside the bars and lifted the cage door-latch. When he stepped outside the cage, his chestlifted in a long breath.

“Please, Shapeshifter. I freed you. Help me save mywitch from the same fate.”

He looked down at me. “How?”“The palace. The wizards are attacking my friends.

Free the other shapeshifters and help us.”“Attack the wizards? And die? Now?”“You don’t have to attack them, just distract them.

Get their attention. Give my friends a chance to winfree.” I poured what was left of my soul into my voice.“That’s all I ask.”

His deep answer rumbled in my ears. “You ask alot, soulkeeper.”

❖ ❖ ❖

68 FEBRUARY 1998

Not all the shapeshifters answered his call. Someraced for the gates and caused as much pandemoniumthere as did the many who flung their newly humanbodies into the Sorcerer Ascendant’s palace, shriekingtheir hatred and lust for vengeance. With the last ofmy sight, I saw the wizards’ fire in the Pantaloguechamber sputter and die. With the last of my hearing,I heard the shriek of metal being torn from stoneanchorings.

I lay curled around emptiness, my mind adrift in adark silent cloud of fuzzy nothing. After an endlessand uncounted time, something lifted me from theearth on which I thought I remembered lying, andmight have carried me for a while. It didn’t matter, soI didn’t think much about it. The dark was comfort-able, nothing hurt. Then a spear of yellow fire lancedthrough my mind. I recoiled, seared by that silentcommand. I twisted and shuddered away from it, butit pursued me, surrounding me and piercing me withthousands of tiny points of light.

❖ ❖ ❖

When my eyes opened, Sithi was grinning down atme as I lay within the circle of Haaken’s arms. ThePantalogue was clutched firmly to her breast withboth hands. “Soulkeeper,” she said, “I’m going tomake sure you’re well fed from now on. If youweighed a half a stone less, we’d both be dead.”

“You’re welcome, Sithi.” Though it felt good to beright where I was, I sat up and looked around at asmall cluttered room revealed in the pale glow of asingle lamp. It reeked of sour ale and pickled eggs,“Where are we?”

“In the back room of the Skelly’s Tail, waiting forDrusa.”

As if summoned by her name, the water witchappeared in the doorway amid the clashing of beadedcurtains, one long arm firmly around the dark manwho had been a panther. His arm lay across hershoulders, as well, claiming Drusa as his. Seeing themtogether, this whole thing began to make sense to me.

“Well, Shapeshifter,” Drusa said, “I shall shout yourpraises from the rooftops for all to hear. You are awitch of surpassing talent. lrago here agrees.”

Sithi stared at them, her hands tightening on thePantalogue tablet. She seemed a frozen statue, but toone with eyes to see, she went from triumph to angerto dismay to grudging acceptance in the space of a fewheartbeats. She tossed her hair back and threw a smileat them. “And your lrago was the reason for all this?”

Drusa rubbed her cheek on his shoulder. “His soul-keeper died. There was no other way.”

Sithi laughed and made it sound real. “So it isdeathless love that we must blame for having everysorcerer in the city searching for us with ugly and evilintentions. So be it. Pay up, water witch. You owe meall that you have.”

Drusa smiled back. She beckoned and two burly,patch-eyed men who grunted under the weight of alarge wooden chest crowded into the small backroom. At Sithi’s nod, Haaken opened the chest.

She had more than we thought.“I converted everything to coin,” Drusa said,

“assuming that you would want to be leaving soon.”Sithi’s indrawn breath forestalled any answer. I

hadn’t known there was that much coin in the entirecity. The faces of a dozen petty kings stared back atus, their profiles frozen for all time in thousands ofgold and copper and silver rounds, glinting and wink-ing in the lamplight.

Also reflecting light was the Ahkim’s ruby as it layin Drusa’s open palm. “I return this to you, as well.”

Sithi took the ring. Her voice was thin and flat.“The payment seems sufficient.”

I began wondering who had bested whom. “Onelast thing I offer, Shapeshifter.” Drusa’s dark handsmade the true oath sign in the language of witches.“If you will trust me with it, I will return thePantalogue to Raisneev on condition that he calls offthe search for its thieves.”

Haaken looked at me. We both looked at Sithi. Herfingers moved over the raised letters of the Word as ifto remember that which could not be remembered.She looked at Drusa and lrago. Her body shook in asilent chuckle. Handing the tablet to Drusa, she said,“Fair enough. You have what you want. I have what Iwant. The wheel is balanced. For now.”

Before they left, lrago took both my hands betweenhis and said, What I owe you cannot be repaid.”

❖ ❖ ❖

On top of being made to look fairly foolish, or atbest gullible, we still had to leave town. Word came thatRaisneev agreed to Drusa’s bargain, and the Pantalogueagain resides with the Sorcerer Ascendant. That was thepublic agreement, at least. Unofficially, every wizard inthe city is still itching to get his hands on the thieves.They don’t much like looking foolish, either.

At least we have enough leather sacks of coin tochoke Leviathan, and in the underways, our reputa-tion will precede us. We shouldn’t lack for work. Sithihas promised no more drunken carousing. And themoon will fall from the sky and lions become lapcats.

Tonight, we sit around a warm fire spiced withsandalwood, with pedigreed racing camels to carryour fine clothes, a wiry servant girl happy to havebeen plucked from the stews of the city cooking ourfood, fine wine in our cups, and the Ahkim’s rubyglinting from my thumb as I rest in the circle ofHaaken’s arms. Again, I love Sithi. She might get mekilled, but at least she saves me from the rutabagas.

After a stint at Clarion West ‘88, Michaelene has sold fictionto Omni, Asimov’s, and Fantasy & Science Fiction, amongothers. She lives in Moab, Utah where she runs a bead shopwhen not dodging mountain bikers

DRAGON #244 69

Spells of Elemental Airby Robert S. Mullin

illustrated by Steve Schwartz

IF YOU USE the specialized wizard rulesfrom the Player’s Handbook, you prob-ably also use The Complete Wizard’sHandbook. If you use that work, youprobably also employ the Tome ofMagic and its elemental specialists. Inthat case, you’ll likely use the newwizard specialist types introduced inthe PLAYER’s OPTION™: Skills & Powers andSpells & Magic books, if you don’talready. That’s a lot of wizards, andthe compiled spell list for the class asa whole is impressive.

The complete list (as given in Spells& Magic shows that most of the spellschools are well represented, with atleast one spell of each spell level. Forinstance, the number of spells thateach elemental school possesses isnearly identical, suggesting that eachschool enjoys equal footing. Thatappearance can be deceiving.

Considering the many spells fromother sources, such as back issues ofDRAGON® Magazine, various AD&D®accessories, and even spells of yourown devising, the elemental spells arehardly equal. The Wizard’s SpellCompendium series, once complete,should show that Elemental Fire pos-sesses by far the most spells, followedby Elemental Earth, then ElementalWater, and finally Elemental Air.

The following spells bolster thenumber of Elemental Air spells cur-rently in print. It doesn’t level the play-ing field, of course, but it should drawsome much deserved attention to thisignored and often forgotten branch ofthe elemental disciplines.

Cloud Cushion(Evocation)Level: 1Range: 10’/levelComponents: V, S, MDuration: 1 round/levelCasting Time: 1Area of Effect: 10’ × 10’ × 5’Saving Throw: Special

This spell creates a 5’ thick, 10’square mass of billowing, semi-solidfog that serves as a cushion for fallingcreatures. The caster may place thecloud cushion anywhere within thespell’s range, but it must rest on a solidsurface. Once placed, the cloud cushioncannot be moved. The cloud cushionnegates the damage inflicted by fallsof up to 10 feet per level of the caster.Falls of greater distance cause damageto the victim for only the additionaldistance fallen. For example, a cloudcushion created by a 10th-level wizardnegates all damage from a fall of 100feet or less. However, a victim falling120 feet before landing on the cloudcushion suffers falling damage for onlythe additional 20 feet (2d6 hp damagein this case). Note that the actual dis-tance fallen counts against the 200feet/20d6 maximum falling damagerule. Therefore, if a victim falls 300 feetbefore hitting a 10th-level wizard’scloud cushion, the victim still suffersonly 10d6 hp damage, as any distancegreater than 200 feet does notincrease falling damage beyond 20d6.However, individuals who fall fromheights of 300 feet or greater mustsave vs. death magic (with a -1 penalty

for every 100 feet above that) or missthe cloud cushion altogether and sufferfalling damage as usual.

Cloud cushion can be negated witha successful dispel magic or similareffect, or by the caster’s silent act ofwill. Otherwise, it remains in placeuntil its duration expires.

The material components for thisspell are a fist-sized ball of cotton anda handful of fine sand, both of whichare consumed in the casting.

Glide(Alteration)Level: 2Range: TouchComponents: V, S, MDuration: SpecialCasting Time: 2Area of Effect: 1 creatureSaving Throw: None

This spell combines certain aspectsof the wizard spells feather fall and fly.Like feather fall, this spell allows thecaster (or another recipient touched bythe caster) to descend from high alti-tudes at a decreased rate of speed (twofeet per second, 120 feet per round),though the spell does not reduce therecipient’s mass. Like fly, however, glideenables the recipient to perform direc-tional changes (maneuverability classA) during the descent, thus providinglimited horizontal movement. Therecipient can travel a linear distanceequal to twice the the height fromwhich he began to glide. For example,a recipient gliding from a 100’ cliffdescends at an angle that places him200 feet away from his starting pointupon landing. On the other hand, therecipient could descend 100 feet in onedirection, make a 180-degree turn, anddescend the remaining 100 feet so asto land at the base of his launchingpoint. Note, however, that the recipientmust glide the full distance. If the recip-ient wants to land at the base of hislaunching point but has no desire toexpose himself via the glide out, turn,and glide back routine, he can opt toperform a spiralling “dive” in order tomaintain a constant close proximity tohis launching point. Under no circum-stances does the glide spell enable therecipient to gain altitude, nor can therecipient increase or decrease the rateof descent, though certain magical andmundane effects (e.g., powerful winds,a windshear spell, etc.) can be factoredin, as appropriate to the effect in ques-tion. In any case, the spell lasts until the

70 FEBRUARY 1998

recipient lands, though he must begingliding within one round of the spell’scasting or the magic is wasted. Dispelmagic does not end the spell prema-turely, but if the glider enters anantimagic shell or dead magic zone, or ifa wish or limited wish is used to negatethe spell, the recipient immediatelyplummets to the ground and suffersfalling damage as usual.

The material component for thisspell is a miniature kite, which is con-sumed in the casting.

Part Vapors(Alteration)Level: 3Range: 0Components: V, S, MDuration: 1 round/levelCasting Time: 3Area of Effect: SpecialSaving Throw: None

By means of this spell, the casterbrings into being a narrow path thatforces away smoke, fog, mist, and sim-ilar vapors, much like a part water spelldivides fluids. The spell creates a sta-tionary path that is 10 feet wide by 10feet tall and extends away from thecaster in the direction he is facingwhen the spell is cast, to a distance of10 yards per level. While the durationlasts, nonmagical vapors cannot enterthe path, thus eliminating any visibilityimpairments within the area of effect.

Part vapor sunders vapor-producingspells and spell-like effects of third-level(or the equivalent thereof) and below.When opposing more powerful vapors(e.g., cloudkill, death fog, green dragonbreath, etc.), creatures within the areaof effect receive a +2 bonus to anyapplicable saving throws, or -1 hp perdamage die if no save is allowed.

Part vapor also can be used as anattack form against vaporous crea-tures (e.g., smoke para-elementals,vampiric mist, beings in gaseous formetc.). Any such creature that enters thearea of effect, or is within the area ofeffect when it forms, suffers 2 hp dam-age per level of the caster, plus a likeamount for every round it remains inthe area of effect thereafter.

A successful dispel magic or similarpower causes the path to collapse pre-maturely, as does a silent commandfrom the caster.

The material component for thisspell is a stoppered glass tube of anylength containing clean, clear air.

Windshear(Alteration)Level: 4Range: 50 yards +10 yards/levelComponents: V, S, MDuration: 1 round/levelCasting Time: 3Area of Effect: 25’-radius sphereSaving Throw: Special

This spell enables the caster tocause a sudden, violent disruption inair currents within the area of effect,which the caster may move aboutwithin the spell’s range at a movementrate equal to three times his experi-ence level. Thus, a 7th-level wizard canmove the windshear at a rate of 21.

Flying creatures who pass into, outof, or through the area of effect mustimmediately save vs. breath weaponor lose control and crash, sufferingfalling damage (1d6 hp damage per10 feet fallen) as usual. If more than100 feet separates the flying creatureand the ground (or other surface, asapplicable), a second saving throw ispermitted to regain control, but no

other actions may be taken thatround, and the creature automaticallyacts last on the following round.

Missile weapons that pass into, outof, or through the area of effect suffera -4 penalty to hit but are otherwiseunaffected. Missile spells and magicaleffects that require an actual attackroll (e.g., Melf’s acid arrow, etc.) sufferthis penalty, but not effects that areassumed always to hit (e.g., magic mis-sile, fireball, etc.).

Spells and effects that travel alongair currents (e.g., gaseous form, stinkingcloud, cloudkill, etc.) suffer a randomcourse change upon entering or exit-ing the windshear. If such effects areunder the directional control of a caster,magical item, or the like, control isregained at the end of the followinground (though the course alterationmay require the effect once again tobreak the windshear’s plane in orderto resume its previous heading). If theeffect is not a controlled force, it con-tinues on its new course as air currentsdemand.

DRAGON #244 71

When brought into contact withmagical wind-based effects (e.g., gustof wind, whirlwind, etc.), there is a 50%chance that the windshear negates theother effect. Conversely, there is alsoa 50% chance that the windshear isnegated and absorbed into the neweffect, increasing the effect’s durationby whatever remained of the winds-hear's duration before it was absorbed.Against normal winds, the windshearhas an equal chance of either increas-ing or decreasing the wind speed as itpasses into the spell’s area of effect.

Finally, when creatures from theElemental Plane of Air—particularlythose creatures composed of windand air (e.g., air elementals, invisiblestalkers, aerial servants, etc.)—passinto, out of, or through a windshear’sarea of effect, the sudden disruptionto their own personal air currents issufficient to slow them down for a fewmoments while they “reorganize”these patterns. Essentially, they suffera +4 penalty to the next applicableinitiative roll following contact withthe windshear.

Note that this spell is not the sameas a gust of wind. Although capable ofaltering the course of flying creatures,missile weapons, and certain spells, itdoes not produce any force of its own.It is simply a disruption in air currentsthat such creatures and conditions uti-lize for motive force. Therefore, it can-not be used to extinguish flames,move stationary objects or levitatingcreatures, or the like.

The material component for thisspell is a knife constructed entirely ofglass and worth no less than 100 gp,which the caster sweeps before him ina cutting motion during the spell’scasting. The glass knife is not con-sumed and may be reused.

Mass Flight(Alteration)Level: 5Range: TouchComponents: V, S, MDuration: 1 turn/level + 1d6 turnsCasting Time: 5Area of Effect: 1 creature/3 levelsSaving Throw: None

An improved version of the third-level fly spell, mass flight enables thecaster to bestow the ability to fly uponmultiple subjects. In addition to him-self, the caster may affect up to onecreature per three experience levels.Thus, a 12th-level caster may affectfour creatures in addition to himself,five creatures at 15th level, six crea-tures at 18th level, and so forth.Otherwise, this spell operates as astandard fly spell.

The material component for massflight is one wing feather from any birdfor each recipient of the spell.

Airmantle(Abjuration, Conjuration/Summoning)Level: 6Range: 0Components: V, S, MDuration: 1 turn + 1 round/levelCasting Time: 6Area of Effect: SpecialSaving Throw: None

When this spell is cast, the wizardis surrounded by an invisible layer ofclean air that moves with him. While itlasts, the airmantle confers severalbenefits upon the caster, as follows:

❖ The caster is rendered immuneto the effects (both harmful and help-ful) of nonmagical gases and gaseouseffects (e.g., poison gas traps, smoke,methane, etc.), as the airmantle’smagic continuously replenishes itsoxygen content, effectively filteringout such fumes.

❖ When subjected to gaseouseffects of a fantastic nature (e.g., spellsand spell-like effects, breath weapons,etc.), an airmantle reduces damageinflicted upon the caster by one-halfdue to the airmantle’s filtering capabili-ties. If the caster also makes his savingthrow against the effect, the damage isreduced to one-quarter. If the gaseouseffect produces a result that is notexpressed by hit-point damage (e.g.,death, petrification, paralyzation, etc.),the caster receives a +4 bonus to thesaving throw instead. If the gaseouseffect does both, then the airmantle’sprotection applies to both.

❖ The airmantle provides the casterwith breathable air in an otherwisehostile atmosphere, such as underwateror the vacuum of space. (Note that, inthe SPELLJAMMER® universe, the airmantlecannot be fouled due to its filteringand replenishing effects.)

Dispel magic has no effect on anairmantle, but a limited wish or more

72 FEBRUARY 1998

powerful spell negates it prematurely,as does the caster’s silent command.

The material components for thisspell are a lump of charcoal, a smallair bladder, and a six-inch length ofmetal tubing, all of which are con-sumed during the spell’s casting.

Wind Conduit(Evocation)Level: 7Range: 0Components: V, SDuration: 1 round/levelCasting Time: 1 roundArea of Effect: SpecialSaving Throw: Special

When this spell is cast, a temporaryconduit is opened that creates a directlink between the caster and theElemental Plane of Air. The wind con-duit can be used by the caster in oneof two ways, determined at the timeof casting; once chosen, the methodcannot be changed.

The first version of the spell enablesthe caster to manipulate the energyderived from the wind conduit to boostthe effectiveness of his air-basedspells. Essentially, the caster’s air-based spells perform at maximumpotential while the wind conduitremains in effect. Each time a spell iscast, however, the caster must make asave vs. spell (adjustments for magicalprotections and the like apply, andElemental Air wizard specialists receivetheir usual +2 saving throw bonus). Ifthe save fails, the wind conduit benefitsthe spell as intended but closes imme-diately thereafter, ending the spell.

The second version of the spellenables the caster to use the wind con-duit’s energy to power spells withoutlosing them from his mind. Whenused in this fashion, however, thecaster must make an unmodified sav-ing throw vs. spells (Air Elementalistsstill receive their +2 save bonus) eachtime a spell is cast. If the save fails, thecaster suffers a magical backlash thatwipes clean all air-based spells fromhis mind (including the spell thatcaused the backlash), and the windconduit ends. Lost spells can berememorized normally, of course.

In either case, there is a 10% non-cumulative chance each round that thewind conduit closes on its own, causingno harm to the caster. Otherwise, thewind conduit remains in effect for thefull duration unless the above condi-tions are met, the caster dies, is

rendered unconscious, or wills the spellto end, or it is negated with a limitedwish or wish; dispel magic has no effecton a wind conduit. In addition, a windconduit does not open within anantimagic shell, dead magic zone, orsimilar area. If the caster has an activewind conduit and moves into such andarea, it closes until the caster exits.

(Note: As might be expected, wiz-ards have devised versions of thisspell suited for the three other ele-mental disciplines. These spells—called earth conduit, flame conduit, andwater conduit, respectively—are identi-cal to wind conduit in all ways, savethat each is attuned to its own ele-mental plane.)

Death Stalker(Conjuration/Summoning)Level: 8Range: 10 yardsComponents: V, S, MDuration: SpecialCasting Time: 5 roundsArea of Effect: SpecialSaving Throw: None

This spell is a highly specializedversion of the sixth-level wizard spellinvisible stalker. The two spells areidentical, with differences as follows:

❖ The death stalker is a special 12-HD variety of invisible stalker thatpossesses maximum hit points (96).

❖ The only task a death stalker mayundertake is one that calls for it totrack down and slay a specific individ-ual determined by the caster at thetime of casting. If the death stalker suc-ceeds in its mission, it is freed from ser-vice and immediately returns to itshome plane. If the death stalker isdefeated, it reforms exactly 12 hourslater at the location where it was “slain”and resumes its mission. The deathstalker can reform in this manner onetime for every three experience levelsthe caster possesses. Thus, a deathstalker summoned by an 18th-levelwizard reforms up to six times if it failsto complete its task. If it is slain afterreforming the final time, the spell ends.Note, however, that this spell poses aslight risk to the caster. Each time thedeath stalker reforms, there is a 2%

DRAGON #244 73

cumulative chance that it breaks free ofits bond and immediately returns toslay the caster, using whatever remainsof its reforming ability to do so (thoughthis still occurs at 12-hour intervals).

In addition to the material compo-nents of burning incense and a pieceof horn carved into a crescent shape,this spell also requires three drops ofthe caster’s blood and an object (e.g.,a coin, scrap of cloth, etc.) belongingto the individual the death stalkermust slay. The object is consumed.

Solidify Air(Alteration)Level: 9Range: 10 yards/levelComponents: V, S, MDuration: 1 round/3 levelsCasting Time: 1 roundArea of Effect: 10’ cubeSaving Throw: Special

This spell enables the caster tocause the air within the stationaryarea of effect to become as solid andunyielding as stone. A creature caughtin the area of effect must make a sav-ing throw vs. spell. If the save suc-ceeds, the creature manages to exit

the area of effect before the air solidi-fies (the spell still takes effect, in anycase). If the save fails, however, thevictim must make a second savingthrow, this time against death magic. Ifthis save fails, the victim is completelyencased in solid air and cannot move,talk, or even breathe (suffocation rulesapply) for the duration of the spell. Onthe other hand, if the death magicsave is successful, the victim has man-aged to free enough of his body tobreathe and talk, and, at the DM’s dis-cretion, perform other actions that donot require complete mobility. Note,however, that when used against crea-tures of great size, the spell has limitedeffectiveness. If cast on a dragon, forexample, the spell would trap a singleappendage at best. The area of effectis stationary (even if cast straight up;the solid air is not affected by gravity),so the dragon wouldn’t be able tomove with any great ability; but unlessthe spell was centered on its head, thedragon would be free to use its breathweapon, cast spells, and make biteattacks. Also note that, when usedagainst creatures that are composedof air (e.g., invisible stalkers, air

elementals, etc.), such creatures aremerely slowed while they remain in thespell’s area of effect. If they make asuccessful saving throw, they areslowed for only one round; otherwise,they remain in the area of effect for1d4+1 rounds.

In any case, creatures and objectscompletely trapped within a solidify airspell are impervious to physical dam-age, whether by weapon blow, spell,magical item discharge, or the like.Partially-trapped creatures and objectssustain half damage from attacks. Inboth cases, mental attacks (e.g., psion-ics, charm spells, etc.) are uninhibitedby the spell.

Solidify air has other uses as well. Ifplaced between the caster and anon-rushing opponent (or opponents),missile weapons, certain spells andmagical effects, the spell creates analmost foolproof barrier, especiallywhen used in narrow corridors andpassages. Similarly, it can be used to“fill” pits, prevent doors from opening,and the like. DMs might also rule thatmissile weapons and missile-like spells(e.g., magic missile, Melf’s acid arrow,etc.), magical and mundane effects thatflow on air currents (e.g., cloudkill, stink-ing cloud, gaseous breath weapons andtraps, etc.), and so forth can be sus-pended within a solidify air if the timingis precise (i.e., the solidify air takes effectat the same time the condition in ques-tion enters its area). It should be notedthat, when the spell expires, a trappedmissile weapon would fall to theground, as its motive force would benegated. Other effects are governed bytheir own durations, as appropriate.

Solidify air can be ended prematurelyby the casters silent act of will, a suc-cessful dispel magic or similar effect, orupon the casters demise. Otherwise,the spell lasts for its full duration.

The material component for thisspell is 1,000 gp diamond cut so as toform a one-inch cube. The diamondcube is consumed in the casting.

(Note: Solidify air is but one of sev-eral spells used in the manufacture ofa ring of might, as featured in DRAGONMagazine #223.)

Robert writes: “This one is for Dave, afellow gamer I met at The ReclyningDragon games and comic shop. Youwanted more spells for your air elemen-talist, so here you go."

74 FEBRUARY 1998

Miracles of Flight

by James Wyatt and Steve Bermanillustrated by Jim Crabtree

THE MIRACLE OF FLIGHT has alwaysheld humanity spellbound. The effort-less soaring of birds through the sky isastonishing, and the way bees remainaloft defies our understanding ofaerodynamics. Even the silent flap-ping of bats has served for centuriesas a reminder of human limitation.From Daedalus and Icarus with theirhandmade wings to the famous flightof the Wright brothers, humanity hasturned to science to overcome theconstraints of gravity.

In an AD&D® campaign, manymore races possess the ability to fly.From rock-like gargoyles to elegantwinged elves, huge dragons to tiny

pixies, a host of fantasy races inhabitthe air. Still, the more common races,the human and demihuman racesthat found empires and civilizations,are fundamentally landbound.

And then there’s magic.A wizard’s fly spell, a broom, carpet,

or wings of flying, or winged boots canbestow flight on ordinary humanbeings . . . or dwarves, halflings, ororcs. Human nature is to tinker andinvent—gnomish nature even moreso. Thus, here follow the fruits of thatinventive labor: a collection of itemsboth magical and mechanical, eachdesigned to re-create the miracle offlight.

Anklet of FeathersThe clasp of this fine silver chain is

fashioned in the shape of a feather.When fastened about the ankle, thisitem allows the wearer to shape-change, up to three times per day,into the form of any normal bird (asongbird, hawk, or vulture wouldqualify; a roc or giant owl is not “nor-mal”). All of the character’s posses-sions are transformed into part of thebird’s body, but the anklet remainsvisible as a silver band of an appropri-ate size for the bird-form’s leg. In allother ways, the ability bestowed bythe anklet is identical to a druid’sshapechange ability.

XP Value: 1,500 GP Value: 8,000

Clasps of TheolTheol of Dimenthos was an inven-

tive and cautious priest. He preachedthe virtues of being prepared foremergencies nearly as often as hepromoted the tenets of his faith. Theolprayed and fasted to imbue a giftfrom a goldsmith, a set of cloak claspson a chain, with power. His effortswere rewarded, and he made gooduse of the clasps until he retired fromadventuring at a ripe old age andpassed the clasps on to an acolytewho soon disappeared while travers-ing a marsh. Since then, the claspshave been sighted in the possessionof others, but the priesthood has notyet successfully recovered them.

The clasps do not function if wornwith a cloak. They appear merelyornamental, not even registering asmagical to divination. (That is whythey are often overlooked as valuabletreasure.) When the clasps are throwninto the air, the enchantment isinvoked. Certain materials begin totear loose and fly about the claspsuntil they are magically woven into a

76 FEBRUARY 1998

special garment. Outside, the claspsattract leaves from trees (leaving thenearest branches bare) and loosefeathers. Inside, sheets of parchmentand paper and dust are drawn forth.(The summons is strong enough topull a scroll from a person’s hands.) Ifin an area where no suitable materialsare found, such as in a desert or glac-ier, the clasps will not work. In a singleround a cloak is fashioned, driftingdown to fall about the clasp’s owner’sshoulders.

This cloak seems either scaled orfeathered with the drawn materials. Aslong as the wearer is not wearingmetal armor, the cloak grants an addi-tional +2 protection to Armor Class.The real power in the cloak is that itmay be transformed into a set offeathered wings, allowing the wearerto fly at a movement rate of 18 with amaneuverability class of B.

The created cloak lasts for only sixhours, after which time it falls apart.The clasps may not be used again fora full day.

XP Value: 1,200 GP Value: 6,000

Cloak of the SwanmayThis magical cloak appears as a

shawl made from white swan feath-ers. It can be used only by females ofgood alignment; any other characterdonning the cloak immediately suffers2d8 hp damage. A good-alignedfemale wearing the cloak of theswanmay can, at will, cause the cloakto transform into a pair of huge,swan-like wings, with aspan of about 10 feet. Thewings allow the wearer tofly at a rate of 18 (C), but theflight is very tiring. Aftereach turn of flying, thewearer must make aConstitution check,with failure forcingher to rest for oneturn for every turnspent flying.

Note that posses-sion of a cloak of theswanmay does nottransform a character into a swan-may. True swanmays, and otherbenevolent protectors of nature, arelikely to respond well to a characterwearing a cloak of the swanmay, how-ever, if only because the cloak is asure sign that the character is good.

XP Value: 1,000 GP Value: 6,000

Cloud BlendA rare concoction found in large

potion bottles, cloud blend is said tohave been created by cloud giantalchemists as part of their efforts tomaintain a floating estate. A flask ofcloud blend is always stoppered, andone rarely (10%) contains more than asingle dose.

If ingested, cloud blend tastes heavyand sweet. No harm is caused, exceptthat the drinker feels bloated and isunable to eat or drink again for a fullday.

Cloud blend is meant to be spilledout on a surface, where the milky-looking liquid quickly changes intothick wisps. In a single round, the con-tents of the bottle form a 20’-radiuswhite cloud. The vapors appear to bea foot deep. The clouds are magical,as anyone may climb them as if theywere solid. After 2-5 rounds of thecloud’s formation, they begin to risestraight up at a rate of 10 feet/round.

A dose of cloud blend lasts for 1d6turns. In the last turn of its duration,the cloud begins to break apart. Astrong wind cannot destroy the cloudbut rather gives it horizontal momen-tum, pushing it along with the gusts.There is no other means of steeringthe created cloud.

XP Value: 300 GP Value: 1,500

Cloud ChariotThis magical device is formed out

of solid cloud—it looks like anormal war chariot

as a pegasus,griffon, or hippogriff) is

hitched to it, the animal can

formed from iceand surrounded

with a nimbus ofwater vapor

that shimmersin the sunlight.

It levitates a fewinches off the

ground when atrest. When a

flying mount (such

pull the chariot and its riders throughthe air without suffering any effects ofencumbrance. The chariot can carry600 Ibs. of weight.

In addition to carrying a rider, thecloud chariot bestows some magicalprotection. Any riders in the chariot,as well as the mount pulling it, gain a+2 bonus to all saving throws against

air-based magic, including elementalspells and the attacks of air elemen-tals and djinn.

Cloud chariots are manufacturedprimarily on the Elemental Plane ofAir and are most commonly foundthere and throughout the OuterPlanes.

XP Value: 1,250 GP Value: 8,000

Courier ShaftThese enchanted arrows are prized

by rangers and scouts. Each appearsas a normal arrow, though anyonewith the bowyer/fletcher proficiencynotes that the hawk feathers atthe end of its shaft are longer thanthey should be. The arrow tip is oddlyrounded. Wrapped tightly around thewooden shaft is a thin piece of parch-ment. The arrow appears nothingmore than the sort to bear a message.

When a courier shaft is fired from abow, it immediately transforms itselfinto an actual hawk with the parch-ment tied to its talons. The bird fliesstraight in the direction of the mes-sage’s intended target which can beno more than a 100 miles distant. Thehawk will enter through windows orother openings to reach the target.Once before the individual, the hawkvanishes in a puff of feathers, and theparchment with the message floatsdown.

A courier shaft cannot be used incombat. If fired with no message writ-ten on the parchment, it simply falls tothe ground inches away from thebow.

XP Value: 25 GP Value: 250

DRAGON #244 77

Crown of the Wind DukesAccording to legend, the race

known as vaati (or wind dukes) onceruled over a vast empire spanning amultitude of worlds and planes. Inorder to rule this empire, theyappointed nobles of various otherraces as governors and createdenchanted crowns as symbols ofoffice for these governors. Thesecrowns of the wind dukes are now scat-tered through the planes.

A crown of the wind dukescan be worn only by aperson of nobleblood (whichwould includeany bloodedcharacter inthe BIRTHRIGHT®campaign). Anyother character plac-ing the crown uponhis head instantlysuffers 3d6 hpdamage, andthe crown top-ples off. Thecrown bestows thefollowing spell-like abilities: dust devilat will, feather fall at will, and gust ofwind three times per day. In addition,the wearer can fly at a speed of 12 (B).The crown can be knocked off with aphysical blow, but no amount of windor other force causes it to fall off itswearers head.

The crowns of the wind dukes arevery strongly aligned with law. Non-lawful characters must make a savingthrow vs. paralyzation every month ifthe crown is worn constantly, withfailure indicating an involuntarilyalignment shift towards law. Lawfulcharacters who wear the crownsbecome more rigid and unbending intheir dedication to law.

XP Value: 3,000 GP Value: 25,000

Daedalus� WingsDesigned to simulate the wings of

birds, these magical wings are manu-factured from feathers on a wickerframe, held together by wax. Similarin many respects to wings of flying,Daedalus’ wings strap onto the arms,where they work their enchantmentin the wearers muscles and bonestructure, actually becoming part ofhis body. They allow flight at a speedof 48, maneuverability class B, and

can be used for any lengthof time. Naturally, the

wearer’s hands areotherwise useless while

in flight. The wearer canremove the wings at will.

They do have onesignificant drawback,however: they arevery susceptible toheat or fire. They makesaving throws as paper

against normal or magicalfire, with failure indicating either

the combustion of the feathers or thewax melting. In either case, the wingsare rendered useless, and the wearermay be in for quite a fall.

XP Value: 750 GP Value: 2,500

Darkest BridleA band of mercenaries coerced a

mage to enchant several bridles ofblack leather with onyx studs for usein their campaign against the elves.They wanted steeds that would notonly be swifter than any normal ani-mal but also ones that could strikefear in an enemy’s heart.

When held in hand and crackedagainst the possessor’s leg, a darkestbridle magically summons one of thefollowing creatures:

Roll Creature1-3 Giant raven4-5 Mobat6 Nightmare7-8 Wyvern9-12 Black dragon

Summoned creatures arrive in 1d6turns, and the summoner has no ideawhich creature has been summoneduntil it arrives. A specialist mage fromthe school of Conjuration/Summoning,however, may choose which creatureappears.

The steed allows itself to be boundby the bridle and serves as a mount

for not more than four hours. At theend of that time, the beast rudelythrows its rider (even if from a greatheight) and returns whence it came. Ifthe rider assaults the summoned crea-ture at any time, the beast defendsitself fiercely; otherwise, the sum-moned creature does not attack thesummoner. Should the summonerand summoned creature ever meetagain, however, the mount mightremember its servitude and wish forrevenge.

Should the bridle be used morethan once a day, the creature calledforth attacks the summoner and anyother individuals nearby. The bridlecan be used only by non-goodaligned individuals.

XP Value: 500 GP Value: 2,500

Flying WindmillManufactured by the infamous tin-

ker gnomes of Krynn (the world of theDRAGONLANCE® saga), the “flying wind-mill” is a massive contraption. It does,in fact, resemble a windmill uprootedfrom the ground and set to flying,though it is covered with wings andrudders intended to aid in navigation.It stands 30 feet tall, and its squarebase measures 10 feet on a side. It hasa door at the bottom and numerouswindows through which gnomes andother small object can occasionally beseen to fall.

The flying windmill, incrediblyenough, is capable of flight. It plodsthrough the air at a speed of 6 (E). Itcan hold up to 75 gnomes, or 25human-sized creatures. It offers 90%cover to archers firing from its win-dows. If the PLAYER’S OPTION™ rules forsiege warfare (Chapter 8 in Combat &Tactics) are in use, the brick walls ofthe windmill can withstand 25 points

78 FEBRUARY 1998

of structural damage before beingdestroyed. Gnomes have been knownto jump from windows or the door,attempting to land on the backs of fly-ing opponents, but few other raceswould dare try such a maneuver.

The flying windmill is incredibly dif-ficult to pilot. Only one character at atime (gnome or otherwise) can oper-ate the machine’s controls, and thatcharacter must make a successfulIntelligence check to make themachine cooperate. Each action incombat-changing direction or alti-tude, speeding up or slowing down-requires a successful check. Failureusually indicates that the flying wind—mill does the exact opposite of whatwas intended, though the DM is freeto concoct other mishaps, particularlyfor very bad rolls.

XP Value: 9,000 GP Value: 45,000

Gargoyle ArmorThis suit of plate mail is made of

dark gray iron, making it seem heavyand bulky. A full helm, its visor shapedto resemble a twisted, grotesque face,accompanies the armor. Its mostnotable feature, however, is the pairof metal wings protruding from theback of the suit. In addition to func-tioning as plate mail +1, the armorbestows the ability to fly at a rate of12 (C). The gauntlets of this armorbear heavy claws that inflict 1-4 hpdamage on a successful hit. The clawsare not considered magical weapons.

XP Value: 4,000 GP Value: 24,000

Greater Apparatus of KwalishThe archmage Kwalish was immor-

talized because of his invention of theapparatus that bears his name, a rareand unusual magical item. Unknown

to most people, however, Kwalishdevised another apparatus later in hislife, a creation that he considered a farsuperior accomplishment. Because ofthe dangers inherent in its use, how-ever, the greater apparatus is much lesscommon than its aquatic counterpart.

The greater apparatus appears sim-ilar to the common device whenfound: an iron barrel big enough tohold two men. While operating, itlooks like a small dragon. A secretcatch opens the hatch on one end, toreveal 11 fevers:

Lever1

2

3

4

5

6

7891011

Effect when PulledExtend/retract legs andtail (must be extended toland or steer)Uncover/cover forwardportholeUncover/cover side port-holesExtend/retract head andneckSnap jaws (causes 3d6 hpdamage to apparatus ifhead is not extended)Extend/retract wings(must be extended to fly)Move forward/slow downSteer left/rightAscend/descendOpen/close hatchFire/reload “breathweapon”

The apparatus walks on its legs ata movement rate of 6, while it can flyat the lumbering rate of 9 (E). Thedragon-like head snaps its jaws, hit-ting any Armor Class on a roll of 16 orbetter. (Subtract the targets defensiveadjustment for Dexterity, but no otherAC adjustments apply.) The bite inflicts3d6 hp damage on a hit. The appara-tus is AC 2, and 100 hp damage willdestroy a side. Each wing can onlysustain 50 hp before being destroyed,and both wings are required for theapparatus to remain airborne.

The apparatus’ breath weapon isits most powerful ability—and themost dangerous, potentially, to theapparatus’ user. Pulling on theeleventh control level actually fires asmall cannonball from the dragon’smouth, which acts as an arquebus inall respects (Type P, Speed 15, ROF1/3, Range 50/150/210, Damage1d10). The weapon has a THAC0 of10, regardless of the skill of the oper-ator. Like an arquebus, the apparatus’

weapon backfires on an attack roll of1 or 2, causing 1d6 points of damageto anyone inside the apparatus. If thejaws of the dragon head are not openwhen the weapon is fired, the weaponbackfires automatically. Also like anarquebus, this “breath weapon” inflictscumulative damage if the damage dieroll is a 10. Roll the die again, addingthe result to 10, and continue as longas the roll is 10. The weapon requiresa supply of ammunition and smokepowder, though it reloads automati-cally when the firing level is pushedback to its original position. Thereloading mechanism holds 10 shotsat a time.

XP Value: 10,000 GP Value: 50,000

Horseshoes of the AsperiiSimilar to horseshoes of a zephyr,

these enchanted horseshoes allow ahorse to run without touching theground. In the case of horseshoes of theasperii, however, the horse gains theactual ability to fly, moving at greatspeed and maneuverability. Thehorse’s maximum speed and maneu-verability class depends on how muchweight it carries, as shown on thetable below.

Load Max. Man.Carried Speed Class0-200 lbs. 48 C201-400 lbs. 36 D401-600 lbs. 24 EOver 600 lbs. unable to fly

Horseshoes of the asperii are nativeto the FORGOTEN REALMS® setting andare found only rarely on other worlds.

XP Value: 3,000 GP Value: 8,500

DRAGON #244 79

Mask of the AarakocraThis is a psionic magical item native

to the DARK SUN® campaign setting andrarely found elsewhere. It is a maskmade of leather, designed to cover theupper half of the face. Eagle feathersdecorate the mask, and the beak of aneagle is set to cover the wearer’s nose.

The musk of the aarakocra has twopowers that mimic psionic sciences:animal affinity(giant eagle) andclairvoyance.Three times perday, the wearercan use animalaffinity to adoptone of theattributes of agiant eagle:Armor Class 7, aflying movementrate of 48 (D),claw and beakattacks (THAC0 15;#AT 3; Dmg 1-6/1-6/2-12), or Hit Dice of 4.The wearer must choose one attributeto adopt at a time, and the wearerchanges physically (growing wings orclaws, for example) to match theattribute. Also three times per day, thewearer can use clairvoyance to seedistant objects, as the third-level wiz-ard spell.

The mask of the aarakocra has anIntelligence of 13, allowing it to com-municate its feelings via empathy withits wearer. These masks are of varyingalignment and have ego ratings of 6,which may bring them into conflictwith their wearers (as described formagical swords in Appendix 3 of theDUNGEON MASTER® Guide).

RavenkinThis magical

ring is mostoften found inthe RAVENLOFT®setting, thoughsome have beenfound in theGREYHAWK®campaign as

XP Value: 1,000 GP Value:5,000

well. It is a shinysilver band set with a large onyx. Asun emblem is carved into the blackstone.

The ring of the ravenkin bestows alimited shapechanging ability on itswearer. Once per day, a characterwearing the ring can assume an avianform similar to the hybrid form of awereraven (described in the RAVENLOFT

MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM®, VolumeOne): the arms grow long and trans-form into wings, the head becomesthat of a raven, and the body is cov-ered with black feathers. In this form,

the character canfly at a rate of 24(C) and attack withthe raven beak,inflicting 2d6 hpdamage with a suc-cessful attack.

In addition tothis transformation,the wearer of a ringof the ravenkin cancommunicate in the

languages of ravens,ravenkin, and were-ravens. A cleric or pal-

adin wearing a ring of theravenkin gains a +2 bonus whenattempting to turn vampires, and a +1bonus when turning other undead.

It is important to note that, in theRAVENLOFT setting, many of these ringshave become cursed over the years.Some may actually inflict lycanthropyon the wearer, turning the unfortu-nate character into an infected wer-eraven. The DM is encouraged to con-sult the RAVENLOFT accessory Forged ofDarkness for other curse ideas.

XP Value: 1,750 GP Value: 6,500

Rudder of the WindsThis enchanted item is a rudder

used to steer an oceangoingvessel. They are constructed

for different kinds of ships,from Viking longships

to Renaissancegalleons, and a rud-der constructed forone kind of vesselwill not function if

installed in another.When the pilot of

the vessel speaks acommand word withhis hand on the tilleror helm, the ship

begins slowly to rise intothe air. The vessel “floats” on the airand moves exactly as it does onwater, with the same speed andmaneuverability. Oared vessels push

against the air as if it were water,while sailed ships rely on winds asusual. The pilot can change the ship’saltitude by concentrating, but the shipmust maintain forward movement inorder to ascend or descend. The shipcan move up or down 1 foot for everyyard of forward movement.

XP Value: 7,500 GP Value: 30,000

Saddle of the Dragon SteedThis enormously powerful magical

item is a huge, ornate saddle made ofleather and steel. When a characterplaces the saddle on a dragon, the crea-ture is compelled to serve that characteras a mount for as long as the saddleremains on its back. Note that the sad-dle offers no assistance in the epic taskof placing it on a dragon’s back in thefirst place. Dragons tend to recognizethe magic of the saddle and resist beingbound with all their power. Even whena dragon is successfully saddled, theriders control over the dragon is notabsolute. While the rider is actuallyseated in the saddle, the dragon obeysthe character’s commands to the letter(often, in the case of evil dragons, inter-preting those commands as deviouslyas an efreet interpreting the words of awish). The dragon is prohibited fromcausing direct or indirect harm to theowner of the saddle and must obey acommand to let the character climbinto the saddle. Otherwise, the dragonis under no obligation to obey othercommands issued when the saddle’sowner is not actually mounted. Unlikethe subject of a charm monster spell, thedragon does not regard the rider as atrusted ally but rather as a cruel tyrantto be overthrown at the earliest possi-ble opportunity.

Furthermore, if a weak-willed orlow-level character attempts to com-mand a dragon through the magic of

80 FEBRUARY 1998

the saddle, the character runs the riskof instead being dominated by thedragon. This is very similar to the con-flict between intelligent swords andweak-willed characters (described inAppendix 3 of the DUNGEON MASTER

Guide). Where dragons and charactersare concerned, compare the dragon’sIntelligence plus Hit Dice with theCharisma plus level of the character. Ifthe dragon’s personality score is higherthan the character’s, the dragon maybegin to subtly influence the charac-ter’s actions-or not so subtly, if thedifference is 5 or more.

XP Value: 10,000 GP Value: 50,000

Skyblight RodSo desired are these arcane objects

by the denizens of the Underdark, thatthe mere rumor of one being found isenough to incur bloodshed. Theserods were fashioned long ago, butnone knows their source. The drowclaim they are the rod’s creators, butthe aboleth whisper of earlier magics.Each rod is slightly different, but allare fashioned from dark roots, withsmooth black stones clutched in thetough tendrils.

With a skyblight rod in hand, a crea-ture that shuns sunlight can walk thesurface world during the day withoutfear. When held aloft and one chargespent, the skyblight rod summonsravens from all directions. So many ofthe black birds are called that the sunis blocked out for a one-mile radius,plunging the area below into dark asblack as a moonless night.

The rod has other abilities. Levelingit at an opponent and expending onecharge bestows a curse that causesthe foe to suffer a -2 penalty on allsaving throws vs. magic. (The effectmay be lifted by a remove curse spell).Expending two charges causes a ray ofenfeeblement to strike an opponent,but the weakening effects last untilthe affected individual is magicallyhealed. Expending five charges drawsan arcane symbol in the air above thewielder. Anyone within 200 feet look-ing in that direction must make asaving throw or suffer extreme terror.0-level individuals die of fright, whilethose at 1st-5th level of ability sufferthe effects of a scare spell. Individualsof 6th-9th level suffer the effects of afear spell. Those of 10th level andhigher are hesitant to act against thewielder and lose their action for theround. Even those too distant to suffer

these effects but who can see the rodare chilled by the sight of the symbol.

Against each offensive effect, thetarget is entitled to a saving throw ver-sus rod, staff, or wand. Good-alignedindividuals and creatures cannotwield a skyblight rod. They run the riskof being cursed simply by attemptingto summon its power; unless theymake a successful saving throw vs.rod, they are struck blind permanently(as per the second-level wizard spell)until such time as powerful curativemagic (a heal or restoration spell) hasbeen cast upon them.

This rod may not be recharged.When all the charges have beenexpended, the black stones crumble Staff of the Lost Windsto dust, and the roots wither. Someclaim that the remains are useful as

This staff was crafted by a druid

material components for vile magic.who had become so skilled at calling

XP Value: 3,000 GP Value: 15,000winds that he sought to bind the gustsfrom the four cardinal directions into

DRAGON #244 81

a protective device to aid those whotraveled the land on foot. The staffappears as a normal, gnarled woodenwalking stick except that the top hasfour evenly spaced knotholes. Whenthe magic is summoned, the knot-holes open and release the neededwind.

Priests and wizards may use thestaff of lost winds. Each use of the staffspowers drains one charge but lasts afull hour. No more than one wind maybe summoned at a time. The staffbearer and those within a 20’ radiusare affected by the winds.

North Wind: The gusts that blowfrom the staff are cold (about 40degrees) and protect the bearer and allthose within 20 feet from suffering theill effects of hot climes and weather.The winds restore natural damagecaused by heat at the rate of 1 hp perturn. This effect also provides a savingthrow bonus of +2 vs. heat- and fire-based attacks and reduces damagesustained by -1 hp per die.

South Wind: These gusts are verywarm (about 90 degrees) and protectthe bearer and all within 20 feet fromsuffering the ill effects of cold climesand weather. They restore naturaldamage caused by cold at the rate of1 hp per turn. They also provide a sav-ing throw bonus of +2 vs. cold-basedattacks and reduce damage sustainedby -1 hp per die.

East Wind: These gusts are gentleand comforting. The staff holder andthose within 20 feet find themselvesrefreshed. Any Strength lost due toexertion or magical attacks is regainedat a rate of 1 point per turn. While thewind blows, the protected individualsmay travel and not become fatigued.

West Wind: These gusts are swiftand strong, providing for the staffbearer and those within 20 feet pro-tection from rain and storm. While thewind blows, the protected individualsremain dry and comforted.

An additional power of the staff isthat creatures hailing from the

Elemental Plane of Air will see thebearer as a powerful entity and hesi-tate to attack without strong cause.

The staff may only be recharged atthe hands of a high-level druid or airelementalist mage. A lengthy ritualwith the casting of the control weatherspell is said to be necessary.

XP Value: 2,500 GP Value: 10,000

Whirling ScimitarThe whirling scimitar is an enchanted

blade usually found in the AL-QADIM®setting, but examples have been foundin other lands and even other worldsas well. While it is most commonlyfound in the form of a scimitar,broadsword and two-handed swordversions have been encountered.

The whirling scimitar functions as a+1 magical weapon. Its enchantmentincreases to +2 when battling flyingcreatures, and to +3 when usedagainst creatures native to theElemental Plane of Air. Its uniquepower, however, is its ability to grantflight to the wielder. If the wielderwhirls the scimitar over his head for afull round, forsaking all attacks butretaining all normal defensive ability,the weapon weaves a fly spell on thewielder. The character can fly as ifunder the effect of that spell, with aduration of 5 + 1d6 turns. This abilitycan be used three times per day.

Note that the character must retainhold of the scimitar for the entire dura-tion of the spell to remain aloft. Thescimitar does not need to be whirledafter the first round, but if the charac-ter drops the weapon while flying thefly spell is immediately canceled.

XP Value: 1,500 GP Value: 6,000

Having decided that sleep is for theweak, James has plenty of time to jugglea full-time job, lots of writing, and father-hood. He has a deathly fear of heights.

Steve Berman is a terrible acrophobe.He prefers to maintain a close relationshipwith the ground at ail times. However, hisimagination has been known to oftentake flight.

82 FEBRUARY 1998

by Johnathan M. Richardsillustrated by Scott Rosema

THE ROBED FIGURE approached thecave, careful where he placed his feetlest a loose pebble give him away tothe great beast that dwelt inside. Eventhough he had never stepped foot inthe vicinity before, he knew the cavelike the back of his hand, courtesy ofmany stealthy visits experiencedthrough the senses of a homonculous.

He stood a moment at the cave’sentrance, allowing his vision to adjustto the gloom of the interior, thenmoved quietly inside. He could hearthe soft, rhythmic sound of the crea-ture’s breathing just up ahead: good,he was asleep. That would make it allthe easier.

Taking a side passage away fromthe beast, the wizard followed itscrooked, meandering way until hewas certain he was out of the crea-ture’s range of hearing. Ahead was afork in the tunnel; he knew that if hetook the left branch he would findhimself in the creature’s treasurehoard. He knew, also, that the beasthad placed several glyphs of warding toprotect his treasure, and while itwould be child’s play to move past thecreature’s feeble defenses, he pre-ferred his own intricate plan. Whysteal from one, when there was trea-sure from many to be had? The wiz-ard seated himself against the rockwall of the cavern and began thewords to his spell.

❖ ❖ ❖

1. Criosphinxes live in warm, woodlandregions and tend to be wanderers, disdainingpemranent lairs. For this reason, they bury their

Great Andrumache snored content-edly, enjoying his midday nap. Anandrosphinx, he was leonine in build,save for the hawk wings folded uponhis back and his bearded human face,currently resting on one cheek in gen-tle repose upon his front paws. Hewas much bigger than a lion, reachinga good eight feet tall when standingupon all fours. Like true lions, he livedin a warm climate and chose to spendthe hottest part of the afternoon nap-ping in his den.

Currently, Andrumache was enjoy-ing a pleasant dream, reliving aglorious kill when he had swoopeddown from the sky onto an antelopethat had been entirely unaware of hispresence. As he tore pieces of fleshfrom the antelope’s haunch, hisdream took a sudden turn, changingfrom a re-enactment of somethingthat had actually happened to some-thing altogether new.

A globe of flame streaked acrossthe sky and landed in a fiery confla-gration at Andrumache’s feet. Theandrosphinx could sense the heat ofthe flames, but he felt no pain. A fig-ure took form, coalescing from theflames to become similar in shape toAndrumache himself, only larger, withwings of fire and a mane of flames cir-cling his ancient face.

“Andrumache,” the flame-sphinx bel-lowed, “You have yet to mate. I knowyour reluctance, but think upon this: bythe cruel dictate of fate, there is only

one female sphinx, the gynosphinx, Yetthere are three male sphinxes: thewicked hawk-headed hieracosphtnx,the bestial ram-headed criosphinx, andthe noble androsphinx.

“Nature decrees that whenever agynosphinx mates with either ahawk-head or a ram-head, she willbear a male child resembling itsfather. It is only through the unionof androsphinx and gynosphinx thateither of these two sphinxes is born.Without such unions, both theandrosphinx and gynosphinx wouldperish from the world, bringing thehieracosphinx and criosphlnx toextinction soon afterward.

“The time has come for you to ful-fill the duty you owe to your blood-line, Andrumache. Tomorrow, I willsend a female to you. Do not disap-point me.” The flame-sphinx started tofade from view.

Just as suddenly, it returned. “Oh,and I might just pop in on you myself,Andrumache. Do not look for me in thisform, for I shall be wearing another.”

Again, it faded from view, and thesmall fires that had started at its firstappearance went out as well, leavingthe puzzled Andrumache and hisantelope alone in the silence of thedream.

❖ ❖ ❖

The next day, the robed figuretrekked through the woodlands, stop-ping only to wipe his forehead with ahandkerchief and take a long drawfrom the waterskin at his belt. As hereplaced the stopper, he heard asound from just ahead. Ah, hethought, right on schedule.

Cresting a small rise, he saw alarge, leonine creature pushing dirtwith its front paws to cover up a hole.1

Its features identified it as a sphinx:the lion’s body, covered in tawny fur;the powerful, brown hawk-like wings,with feathers shading to a light,creamy tan at the tips. And the crea-ture’s head made perfectly clear itsexact genotype: It was a criosphinx,with curling, spiral horns jutting fromits curly-haired ram’s head.2 Somehowsensing the robed human’s approach,the monstrous sphinx spun around toface him.

treasure in the ground, often having several of keeping track of their buried loot, able to headcaches spread over a considerable amount of directly to the location of a cache they buriedland. They have a remarkable memory in terms decades before.

84 FEBRUARY 1998

“Ah,” said the criosphinx. It curledits lips up in a parody of a humansmile, exposing numerous sharpteeth, seeming somewhat out of placein its ram’s mouth.3

“Hello,” began the wizard. “Myname is Ulrubio—”

“All the same, I think I’ll just call you‘Dinner.’ It rather simplifies things,don’t you agree?”

“Ah, yes, I see,” said the human. “Ofcourse. I seem to remember some-thing about sphinxes being man-eaters. But don‘t you have to ask mea riddle or something first?”

“I’m sorry,” replied the criosphinx.You seem to have your sphinxesmixed up. The female sphinx is inter-ested in riddles; I, as a male, am farmore interested in dinner. Which is tosay, ‘you.’ ” He took a few steps towardthe wizard, padding forward in felinegrace, then stopped short. “Unless, ofcourse, you wish to purchase yoursafe passage?”

“By all means,” replied the wizard.“How much do you want?”

“How much do you have?” askedthe sphinx pleasantly, the glitter ofgold shining behind his eyes.

Well, uh, actually, nothing on meat the moment, just now.”

“What a pity,” exclaimed the sphinxwith a sarcastic sigh, and croucheddown, preparing to pounce. “I’ll tell youwhat, though, I’ll give you a head start.”

The wizard held up his hand to thecrouching criosphinx. “Wait! A thoughtoccurs to me!”

The creature relaxed its musclesand stood up to its full height, whereit could look down at the robed figurebefore it. “Yes?” he asked impatiently.

“Perhaps I could direct you to agynosphinx. Would that buy my life?”

The creature narrowed its eyes andbent its head so that it could lookdirectly at the human. “You knowwhere there’s one to be found?”

“Yes, as it happens, I do,” replied thewizard. “Only there remains one slightproblem . . .”

“Yes?”“She’s been captured by another

sphinx. He looks like you, only notquite so big and he has a bird’s head.”

“Pshaw!” exclaimed the criosphinx.“Not a problem at all!” Suddenly, athought struck him, and he posed aquestion. “There’s just the one of him?”4

“Just the one male, yes, and theone female.”

Well then, you’re in luck, human.Simply tell me where they can befound, and I’ll be on my way.”

The wizard gave the sphinx direc-tions to an abandoned temple, half-buried in the desert sands, severalhours away by air. As the sphinxstretched its wings for flight, the wiz-ard called out a question of his own.

“How is it that you can speak thelanguage of mankind? I thought youcould talk only to others of your kind,and to animals.”

“Nonsense! If that were so, howcould I bargain with such as yourself?5

Now enough, I must be off. You maytell others that you had the uniqueexperience of surviving an encounterwith Great Rameses.”6

As the wizard watched thecriosphinx become a distant speck inthe distant sky, he smiled to himselfand said, “All the same, I think I’ll justcall you ‘Dullard.’ It rather simplifiesthings, don’t you think?” Then he casta spell and teleported away.

❖ ❖ ❖

The wizard appeared on a hill andfound himself in the presence ofanother sphinx. This one had thefeathered head of a hawk to matchhis wings, and the body of a lion else-where. It glared at him, but made nomove to attack.

“Well?” asked the wizard. “Haveyou thought it over?”

“Yes,” replied the sphinx.“And?”“I agree to your terms. I will be your

riding mount, and you will provide methe location of a mate and half of anytreasure we earn together.”

“Excellent! My name is Malrubio,whom you may address as ‘Master.’ ”He reached inside his robe and pulledout a leather bridle.

“I will do no such thing, nor will Iwear that. This is a partnership ofequals.”7

“Indeed. Well, I’ll have no need ofthis, then, will I?” The wizard tossedthe bridle on the ground. “You maycall me Malrubio, then. And what shallI call you?”

“My name is Warhawk.”“Well, Warhawk, if you won’t wear

a bridle, perhaps I’ll at least be able totalk you into wearing a set of saddle-bags. They will be handy in transport-ing your treasure from its currentlocation to your new home on thelands surrounding my castle estate.”

“Agreed.”“Speaking of which, where is your

treasure presently kept? I ask onlybecause it might be a day or twobefore we can transport it, and I’d hateto see it uncovered in your absence.”

The sphinx gave a quick look overto its right, to another hill where itsnest was located?8 “It’s safe enough,”he responded.

2. A criosphinx is born without horns, butthey develop rapidly during its first year of lifeand then with increasing slowness thereafter.Each year another ridge of new growth appearsat the base of the horns, and it takes about 12years before the horns start to spiral forwards. Acriosphinx’s horn can be used as an alternatematerial component for the shout spell.

3. While the criosphinx’s head is that of aherbivorous ram, it has the appetite of a carni-vore and the teeth to match. Its sharp teeth areused to rip chunks of meat from itswhich it swallows the pieces whole, but the

prey (after

criosphinx does not use its teeth in combat, pre-ferring instead to rely upon the sharpness andswiftness of its claws and the powerful buttingability of its horned head.

4. Hieracosphinxes are the only type ofsphinx which commonly band together in anynumbers (they are found in groups of 1-6), pre-ferring the “strength in numbers” strategy whenattacking. Both androsphinxes and gynosphinxesprefer a solitary existence, and criosphinxes tend

to remain on their own as well (although occa-sionally, when searching for a mate, several ofthe beasts will follow each other, each hoping totake the gynosphinx as his own when, and if, sheis ever found). Note that the “No. Appearing”entries in the MONSTROUS MANUAL have inadver-tently been switched between the gynosphinxand criosphinx; gynosphinxes are encounteredsingly, while up to four criosphinxes can befound traveling together looking for a mate.

5. It only makes sense that a criosphinx isable to speak the Common tongue, as well as thelanguage of sphinxes and that of the animals, forit has a higher Intelligence rating than a hiera-cosphinx, 20% of which can speak Common.Also, in the description in the MONSTROUS MANUAL™tome mention is made of it bargaining with otherbeings, a difficult process were it not able tospeak the Common language of the region.

6. It is a common practice for criosphinxes toadd a descriptive adjective to their name: hence,Great Rameses, Bold Necrotiki, Swift Ibericus, andso on.

7. It is not unknown for a hieracosphinx tojoin in partnership with powerful evil beings, butwhile they’re willing to serve as flying steeds, theydislike being treated as if they were mere horses.Furthermore, they are contemptuous of thoseweaker than themselves and will take advantageof any weakness they see in their “masters.” Theywill remain loyal only as long as they fear theirmaster’s power; otherwise, the “master” is likely toend up as the hieracosphinx’s next meal.

8. Perhaps because of their partial hawk her-itage, hieracosphinxes prefer to lair in nests. Dueto their large size, they make their nests on theground, often at the base of a large tree, or againsta large rock outcropping where they are affordedsome protection from above. Hieracosphinx nestsare simple structures made of broken treebranches, grass, dirt, and occasionally the bonesof their prey. The nest serves no purpose otherthan providing the hieracosphinx with a place tosleep and an area in which to hide its treasure,which is often buried underneath the nest site orsimply piled up against the walls of the nest.

86 FEBRUARY 1998

“That’s all I wanted to know,”replied the wizard. “Shall we go?”

“Where to?”“Why, to find you a mate, of

course. I intend to live up to my partof the agreement, after all.”

❖ ❖ ❖

“That’s it below,” said the wizard.“I don’t see her,” replied Warhawk.

He circled the structure, gradually spi-raling down lower, searching eagerlyfor any sign of the gynosphinx thewizard said lived there. If he’s lied tome, thought the sphinx, I will chew himin half.

The temple building lay half buriedby an enormous sand dune. It wasimpossible to judge its size based onlyupon the part of the structure thatwas visible.

“Land over there, on the side. Wedon’t want her catching sight of youand escaping. I’ll go in and get her tocome out, and then you can grab her.”

“Why don’t I just go in and get her?”“Because she’s on her home

ground in there! There’s no tellinghow many traps she has set up, tostop amorous swains like yourselffrom having their way with her.”

“What’d you call me?”“Just land.”Warhawk did as he was told, and

the wizard dismounted. “Now stayhere, and keep your eyes open! Beready to take action, but by all means,don’t come inside the building! It’s fartoo dangerous.” And with that, thewizard walked up to the ancient struc-ture and entered it.

Again, he was familiar with theplace even though this was his firsttime actually inside; homonculi madeexcellent spies. He let his eyes adjustto the gloomy interior, then wentdeeper inside.

The roof of the structure was sup-ported by massive marble pillars. Themajority of the building consisted of asingle huge, open room, with severalsmaller rooms in the back. Reclining

9. Gynosphinxes are able to cast the follow-ing spells once per day: detect magic, read magic,read languages, defect invisibility, locate object, dispelmagic, clairaudience, clairvoyance, remove curse,legend lore, and are able to use each of the sym-bols once per week. These spells are part of themagic inherent in the gynosphinx, and requireno material components or spell books. Thesame is true of the androsphinx, who is able tocast spells as if he were a 6th-level priest. Theandrosphinx prefers to use his spells for healingand defense and will almost always draw hisspells from the following spheres: All, Animal,Guardian, Healing, and Protection.

on the floor near the back of the roomwas a gynosphinx. The wizard had ahard time making out details in thedim light, but the voice was unmistak-ably female.

“Who is there?”“It is only I, Bellrubios, an explorer

and wanderer, a seeker of fabuloustreasures.”

“Alas, the treasures here havealready been claimed by me. Youhave traveled in vain. Unless there issome service you seek from me?”

The wizard stroked his chin, as if indeep thought.

“A magical item you wish me to scru-tinize for you, perhaps?” prompted thesphinx. “A curse you need removed? Iassure you, I can offer reasonablerates.”

“Actually,” replied the wizard, “thereis one thing . . .”

“Yes?”Well, I understand you sphinxes

are well-known for your wisdom.Perhaps you could tell me what ailsmy griffon. He seems to be pining forsomething, but he refuses to speak ofit, and its beginning to affect his per-formance. Would you be willing tocome outside and look him over?”

The gynosphinx’s eyes narrowedin suspicion. “Your griffon speaks?”she asked.

“Indeed he does. I’d be happy tointroduce you to him.” The wizardstepped to the side and extended hishand toward the outer doorway ofthe half-buried temple.

“No need,” replied the sphinx, andgrowled softly to herself under herbreath, activating a clairvoyance spell.9

Suddenly she sprang to all fours, mus-cles tensed for action and eyes glaringwith anger. “You fool!” she hissed.“That’s no griffon—it’s a hieracosphinx!”

“Really?” asked the wizard, feigningsurprise. “But he swore that he was agriffon. It looks like we’ve both beenduped! What do you think he wants?”

“Idiot! Keep your voice down! Hewants me, of course. I should rip yourheart out for bringing him here!”

“Really, I don’t think that will benecessary. Tell you what, maybe itwould be best if we just left.” Withthat, the wizard headed for theentrance, but he stopped at the door-way and looked back into the dark-ness at the gynosphinx. “I don’t seewhat the problem is, though. You’reboth sphinxes, aren’t you?”

“He is a hieracosphinx! An abomi-nation!”

“Well, what about a sphinx with ahead like a ram?”

“They are little better than animals.I would as soon mate with a goat aswith a criosphinx.”10

The wizard peered out the door-way, squinting at the open skies ofthe desert. “Well, here comes onenow,” he said.

Great Rameses glided down to thedesert floor, shrieking a challenge inthe language of sphinxes to the hiera-cosphinx he found guarding the aban-doned temple, just as the wizard hadsaid.

“Vile abomination! Begone fromhere, lest I slit your belly with my keenhorns! Flee back to the hills, and leavethe gynosphinx to your better!”

“Never!” responded Warhawk. “Shewas promised to me, and I’ll kill anywho try to take her from me!” Heflexed his wings and prepared to taketo the air, where he knew he wouldhave the advantage.11

Great Rameses struck at Warhawkwith his head, butting against the hier-acosphinx’s side with his horns.Warhawk twisted to the side and bit atthe criosphinx’s shoulder with hissharp beak. The two wrestled back andforth, trading rakes with curved clawsuntil both were bleeding from manywounds. Still they gave no quarter andspouted vile insults at each otherbetween grunts and howls of pain.

“Sparrow!”“Lamb!”“You know, I feel just terrible about

this,” said the wizard, watching thetwo males in their life-and-deathstruggle. “Who do you think will win?”

10. As far as mating goes, the gynosphinx isrestricted to the three types of true malesphinxes: androsphinx, criosphinx, and hiera-cosphinx. The so-called “dracosphinx” (see theMONSTROUS COMPENDIUM® Annual, Volume Two, page104) is not a true sphinx but is named because its“winged lion” build gives it the appearance ofsome type of sphinx. Dracosphinxes, however,are hybrid creatures, possibly a magical mergingof a red dragon and an androsphinx, but the racehas two separate sexes and is mutually infertilewith the true sphinxes.

Similarly, the “astrosphinx” (see MONSTROUS

COMPENDIUM 9: Spelljammer Appendix under

“Sphinx, Astro”) is not a true sphinx, either. Severalclues include the fact that it’s covered in scales,has human hands, and its wings are bat-likeinstead of feathered. Whatever being created andnamed these creatures had only a vague under-standing of the true sphinxes’ physiognomies.

11. Although the smallest of the malesphinxes, the hieracosphinx enjoys the fastestairspeed and maneuverability of any sphinx(Maneuverability Class C, or D if being used as ariding mount). Again, this is no doubt due to thecreature’s hawk-like nature and build.

DRAGON #244 87

The gynosphinx had crept upbeside the wizard and watched. “In aone-on-one struggle, the criosphinxusually wins. It is larger and can inflictgreater damage with its horns than thehieracosphinx can with its beak.”

“Then the criosphinx will win yourhand.” In the light of the doorway, hegot a better look at his companion.She stood a good seven feet tall, witha human face, neck, shoulders, andbreasts. The rest of her body was thatof a lion, with large wings sproutingfrom her shoulders. “Uh, I guess paw,”he amended.

“Not if I can help it,” she said, andmoved past him out the doorway. “Ican escape while they battle, andhopefully put enough distance fromthe winner between us for me toremain free.”

“But where will you go?” asked thewizard, worry carefully placed in hisvoice. “Perhaps you could take shelterwith Andrumache; he might offer youprotection.”

“Who is this Andrumache?” askedthe gynosphinx suspiciously, keepinga wary eye on the progress of the bat-tle between her two rival suitors.

“He’s another sphinx that I knowof. Looks kind of like you, but, ofcourse, he’s a male.”

“An androsphinx?” shrieked thegynosphinx. Could it really be? Tellme where he can be found!”

The wizard gave her precise direc-tions to Andrumache’s cave, and shewas off like a shot, all but ignored bythe other two sphinxes fighting overher. Shaking his head, the wizardheaded back into the temple. From hisrobes he pulled out a portable hole.Unfolding it, he reached inside andpulled out his homonculous. Handingthe little creature the hole, he set himoff on his tasks. “It’s in the room on theleft,” he advised. “And mind you, watchout for the symbols.” As the little crea-ture fluttered off, he called back to it,

12. Although androsphinxes don’t particularlylike gynosphinxes—they especially dislike that thefemales are smarter than they are-they are loyalto them until their offspring is grown. The unionof an androsphinx and a gynosphinx results in asingle cub of either sex. Regardless of the child’ssex, it is raised lovingly by both parents.

On the other hand, when a gynosphinx givesbirth to either a hieracosphinx or a criosphinx, thecub is immediately abandoned and left to fend foritself. A gynosphinx will not kill her own offspring,even unwanted ones, but she will do nothing tohelp it to survive. The father takes over the taskof training the young cub to speak, fly, and hunt.

13. Duty is one thing an androsphinx takesseriously. As the guardian of the sphinx race, an

“And make sure you get everything! Idon‘t want even a copper left behindthis time!” Then he went outside towatch the progress of the battle.

❖ ❖ ❖

Andrumache paced back and forthin his cave. He enjoyed his solitudeand privacy, and he was loathe togive it up. The thought of sharing hiscave with a gynosphinx for the yearsit would take to produce a cub12 andraise it to maturity sent him into astate of mild panic. Still, the god in hisdream was right: as an androsphinx,he had the duty13 to perpetuate therace. He might not like it, but thosewere the facts of life. Without suchsacrifices, the great race of the sphinxwould soon perish.

A speck in the sky grew closer, andAndrumache could see the form of agynosphinx take shape. Tomorrow, I willsend a female to you, the sphinx-god hadsaid. As she came to a landing outsidehis cave entrance, Andrumache let outa big sigh of resignation. Maybe theyears will pass quickly, he hoped, and ledthe female into his cave.

❖ ❖ ❖

The homonculous dragged theportable hole up to his master.“Finished already?” the wizard asked.“All right then, in you go.” The con-struct jumped into the hole, and thewizard refolded it and placed it backinside his robes.

He returned his attention to thefighting sphinxes. They were bothsorely wounded, yet neither wouldyield. The insults had stopped, as nei-ther had the breath to waste. Thegynosphinx had predicted Warhawk’sdefeat, though, so maybe he shouldtake some action. With a mentalshrug, he cast a series of magic missilesinto the criosphinx's side. As battered

androsphinx will go out of its way to see to thesafety of the other sphinx sub-races, even thehated hieracosphinxes, when they are attackedby other creatures. Hieracosphinxes certainly donot share this concern for androsphinxes and willattack an androsphinx if they have sufficientnumerical superiority and it appears that theymight be able to kill him. They see theandrosphinx as an enemy that must bedestroyed if at all possible; androsphinxes seethe hieracosphinx as a misguided creature thatmust be led onto the path of goodness by theirown example.

14. The roar of an androsphinx is terrible, butthe creature must be angry in order to use it. Thefirst roar causes all creatures within 360 yards to

as the creature already was, that wasenough to finish him off, and heplopped to the ground with a wetthud. Warhawk stood panting, catch-ing his breath.

“Let’s go,” said the wizard, prepar-ing to mount his aerial steed.

“Go?” squawked Warhawk. “I’m notgoing anywhere but inside to claimwhat’s mine.”

"She’s not there anymore! Didn’tyou see her fly off while you two werefighting over her?”

“What? Why didn’t you stop her?”demanded Warhawk.

“How? My spells are mainly lethal.I could have killed her, perhaps, but Ididn’t think that was the desiredresult. Still, cheer up, I know whereshe is headed. I, uh, cast a spell oflocation on her. We can catch her ifwe hurry.”

“Very well,” agreed Warhawk. Hebent down so the wizard could climbonto his back. “Where is she headed?”he asked as he took to the air.

“To a deserted cave network sheknows about. There’s only oneentrance and exit, so you’ll be able totrap her in there.”

Warhawk found the strength to flya little faster.

“Quiet now, or you’ll ruin it!” thewizard whispered. “She’s in there, onthe right, probably fast asleep. Off yougo, now.” As the hieracosphinx racedoff down the tunnel to the right, thewizard shook his homonculous out ofthe portable hole and set him to workonce more. “You know the drill,” heinstructed, then waited for whatwould happen next.

It wasn’t long in coming. He heardAndrumache bellow in outrage, “YOUDARE?” There was a squawk or sur-prise from Warhawk, and then avicious roar that sent shivers downthe wizard’s spine, even as far awayas he was.14 There came a shriek ofterror from Warhawk and another bel-

save vs. wands or flee for three turns. If theandrosphinx roars a second time, everyone with-in 200 yards must save vs. petrification or beparalyzed with fright for 1d4 rounds, and thosewithin 30 yards of this louder roar are deafenedfor 2d6 rounds. Further provocation can elicit athird, even more powerful roar, forcing everyonewithin 240 yards to save vs. spell or lose 2d4points of Strength for 2d4 rounds. In addition, allwithin 30 yards of the androsphinx during itsthird roar are knocked over and suffer 2d8 hpdamage and must save vs. breath weapon toavoid being stunned for 2d6 rounds, unless theyare over eight feet tall. Stone within 30 yardsof this final roar will crack unless it saves vs.crushing blow.

88 FEBRUARY 1998

low from Andrumache, this time evenlouder. The wizard ran for the cave’sentrance. He saw the hieracosphinxdart by in a flash of feathers and taketo the air. After peeking down the cor-ridor to ensure that the androsphinxwasn’t within sight, he cast a fireballspell at the fleeing sphinx before itmoved out of range. Warhawkexploded in a puff of orange fire andflames.

There was the click of nails onstone, and the wizard acted quickly,throwing an illusion of flame aroundhis head and creating fiery wings fromhis back. Andrumache came into viewaround the curve of the cave tunnel,saw the wizard, and came to a stop.“My lord,” he said, bowing his head.

“You have done well, Andrumache,”said the wizard. “Now return to yourmate, and do what must be done. I amproud of you, my child.”

The winged creature bowed again,and returned the way he came. Thewizard let out a long breath—that hadbeen close!

The homonculous returned soonafter, dragging the hole. “Excellent,” saidthe wizard. “You’ve got the shovel?”The spindly creature stuck its head andarm into the hole and pulled out a handshovel as big as it was. “Then let’s go,”said the wizard, stuffing the portablehole back into his robe. “First you’ve gotthe criosphinx’s treasure to dig up, thenwe’ll head over to the hieracosphinx’snest and pick up what he’s collected.All in all, not a bad day’s work.” He acti-vated a quick spell, and the robed fig-ure teleported away.

Andrumache and his new matedidn’t notice. They had other thingson their minds.

Both Johnathan M. Richards and hiswife Mary enjoy studying about ancientEgypt and one day hope to see the realSphinx in person. In the meantime, theyoften enjoy a good game of Senet, aboard game once played by thePharaohs, which uses throwing sticks

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DRAGON #244 89

FEBRUARYCONVENTIONS

Winter War XXVFebruary 6-8 IL

The Chancellor Hotel, Champaign,IL. Events: Magic: Vampire*, AD&D®game, Call of Cthulhu: Hero System,Warhammer, GURPS*, LARPs, historicalgames, miniatures, board games, StarFleet Battles*, and more. Contact:Donald E. McKinney, 304 W. ShermanBox 1012, St. Joseph, IL 61873. Email:winterwar@prairienet.org.

DunDraConFebruary 13-16 CA

Marriott Hotel, San Ramon, CA.Events: 150+ convention-sponsoredRPGs, seminars on gaming, CCGs andboard game tournaments, miniaturesgames, SCA rooms with seminars, dis-plays and demos, large dealer room,flea market, figure painting contest,video arcade room and lots of opengaming. Registration: $30. Contact:DunDraCon, 1145 Talbot Ave., CA94706. Email: ashland@ccnet.com.

Total ConfusionFebruary 19-22 MA

Ramada Rolling Green Hotel,Andover, MA. Events include role-playing, board, and card games.

Convention Listings PoliciesThis column is a service to our readers world-

wide. Anyone may place a free listing for a gameconvention here, but the following guidelinesmust be observed.

In order to ensure that all convention listingscontain accurate and timely information, allmaterial should be either typed double-spaced orprinted legibly on standard manuscript paper. Thecontents of each listing must be short and succinct.

The information given in the listing mustinclude the following in this order:

1. Convention title and dates held2. Site and location3. Guests of honor (if applicable)4. Special events offered5. Registration fees or attendance require-

ments, and,6. Address(es) where additional information

and confirmation can be obtained.

Contact: Total Confusion, P.O. Box403, N. Clemsford, MA 01863. Email:mikechambers@juno.com.

Con of the NorthFebruary 20-22 MN

Radisson Hotel, Downtown St. Paul.Events: collectable card, roleplaying,live-action, computer network, andboard games. Contact: P.O. Box18096, Minneapolis, MN 55418.Email: cotn@omnifarious.org. Website:http://www.real-time.com/-cotn.

Jaxcon �98February 20-22 FL

Ramada Inn on Arlington Blvd.,Jackson, FL. Events: roleplaying, card,and miniatures games. Other activi-ties: an AD&D tournament, sanc-tioned Magic tournament, VampireLARP, dealer’s room, and flea market.Registration $20/weekend until Jan.1; afterward $25 for weekend, $15 forFri/Sat. Contact: Jaxcon, P.O. Box14218, Jacksonville, FL 32228-4218.Email: Jaxcon@usa.net.

PrezConFebruary 26-March 1, 1998 VA

Double Tree Inn, Charlottesville, VA.Events: demos of Legends of the FiveRings* and Overpower*; board gamesincluding 1830, Age of Renaissance*, Air

Convention flyers, newsletters, and othermass-mailed announcements will not be consid-ered for use in this column; we prefer to see acover letter with the announcement as well. Nocall-in listings are accepted. Unless stated other-wise, all dollar values given for U.S. andCanadian conventions are in U.S. currency.

Warning: We are not responsible for incorrectinformation sent to us by convention staff mem-bers. Please check your convention listing carefully!Accurate information is your responsibility.

Copy deadlines are the first Monday of eachmonth, four months prior to the on sale date ofan issue. Thus, the copy deadline for theDecember issue is the first Monday ofSeptember. Announcements for all conventionsmust be mailed to: “Conventions,” DRAGON®Magazine, 1801 Lind Avenue S.W., Renton, WA,98055, U.S.A.

If a convention listing must be changedbecause the convention has been canceled, the

Baron*, Axis & Allies*, Britannia*, CircusMaximus*, Diplomacy*, Hannibal:Carthage vs. Rome*, History of the World*,Kingmaker*, Merchant of Venus*, RailBaron*, Risk*, Settlers of Catan*, Titan*,Samurai Swords*, UpFront* and WizWar*;collectible card games such as Magic:the Gathering*, Middle Earth: the Wizards*,and Star Wars*; miniatures includingBattletech* and Warhammer*. For moreinformation write to PrezCon Inc., P.O.Box 4661, Charlottesville, VA 22905

Winter Fantasy �98February 26-March 1 IL

Events: RPGA® Network tourna-ments, LIVING CITY™ events, seminars,board, card, miniature, and non-Network roleplaying. Contact: WinterFantasy, P.O. Box 13500, Columbus,OH 43213. Email: andon@aol.com.

SheVaConFebruary 27-March 1 VA

Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.Guests: C.S. Friedman and LarryElmore. Events: art show and sale, 24-hour gaming, live-action roleplaying,Vampire. Contact SheVaCon, P.O. Box2672, Staunton VA 24402. Email:drgnshrd@rica.net

Coscon �98February 27-March 1 PA

Days Inn Conference Center, Butler,PA. Events: Card, board, miniature,and roleplaying games, includingRPGA Network LIVING CITY™ and Benefitevents. Other activities: Dealer’s area,new game demonstration, computerroom, movies, and guests. Regi-stration: $15 before February 15, $20thereafter and at the door. For moreinformation, send a SASE to: Circle ofSwords, P.O. Box 2126, Butler, PA16003.

dates have changed, or incorrect informationhas been printed, please contact us immediately.Most questions or changes should be directed tothe magazine editors at (425) 204-7226 (U.S.A.).

Important: DRAGON Magazine does not publishphone numbers for conventions. Be certain thatany address you send us is complete and correct.

To ensure that your convention listing makesit into our files, enclose a self-addressed stampedpostcard with your first convention notice; wewill return the card to show that it was received.You also might send a second notice one weekafter mailing the first. Mail your listing as early aspossible, and always keep us informed of anychanges. Please do not send convention noticesby fax, as this method has not proven reliable.

❖ Australian convention❊ Canadian convention❁ European convention

90 FEBRUARY 1998

MARCHCONVENTIONS

MegaCon �98March 13-15 FL

Expo Center, Orlando FL. Guests:Julie Bell, John Byrne, Tony Daniel,Joseph M. Linsner, George Perez, DonRosa, William Tucci, Boris Vallejo, MarkWaid, and Steve Bryant. Events: role-playing, RPGA Network, miniaturesgaming, comic book artists, CCGs,anime, LARP, comics, and gaming deal-ers Room. Other activities: board gam-ing, fantasy art show and auction.Contact: P.O. Box 3120, Winter Park, FL32790. Email: megacon98@aol.com.Website: http://www.edgeglobal.com/megacon.

Westward-Ho IIIMarch 14 TX

Best Western Hotel, Midland TX.Events: historical, fantasy, science-fiction, miniatures, Magic: the Gathering,open gaming, dealers area. For moreinformation write to: Westward-Ho III,P.O. Box 9805, Midland, TX 79708.

Gamer�s Con IVMarch 20-22 NJ

Four Points Inn, Route 70 East,Cherry Hill, NJ. Events: RPGA Networkevents, including first-run LIVING CITYand LIVING DEATH™ tournaments, and aLIVING DEATH interactive event. ArtistGuest of Honor: Jason AlexanderBehnke (L5R/Tempest). Other activities:All new “Lords of Gaming” contests,vendors, artists, auction, demonstra-tions, computer gaming and more.Registration: $30 pre-reg; $40 at doorfor weekend. All events free. Contact:Heleen Durston, c/o Multigenre, Inc.,2432 Steiner Rd., Lakehurst, NJ 08733-3437. Email: info@multigenre. comor acd@lucent.com. Website: http://www.multigenre.com.

Midsouthcon 17March 20-22 TN

Grand Veranda Hotel, Memphis TN.Events: gaming, panels, dealer’s room,video room, masquerade, art show,auction, filking, and more. Regi-stration: $30 at the door. Contact:Midsouth Science and FictionConventions, Inc. P.O. Box 11446,Memphis, TN 38111.

AggieCon XXIXMarch 26-29 TX

Texas A&M University. Guests:Robert Asprin, Kerry O’Quinn, Joe R.Lansdale, Thomas Knowles, DarleneBolesney. Events: dealer’s room, artshow, panels, gaming, charity auction,Rocky Horror Picture Show, masqueradeball, costume contest, 24-hour animeroom. Contact: Texas A&M University,MSC Student Programs Box J-1,College Station, TX 77844. Email:aggiecon@msc.tamu. edu. Website:http://cepheid.tamu.edu/aggiecon.

Egyptian Campaign �98March 27-29 IL

Southern Illinois University,Carbondale, IL. Events: RPGA Networkevents, AD&D game, Shadowrun*,Battletech, Warhammer 40K, EmpireBuilder: Diplomacy, Axis & Allies, Magic,Star Fleet Battles, Car Wars*, and manyother board, miniature, card, and role-playing games. Contact: EgyptianCampaign 1990, c/o S.I.U.C. StrategicGames Society, Office of StudentDevelopment, Third Floor StudentCenter, Carbondale, IL 62901-4425.Email ECGamCon@aol.com. Website:http://www.siu.edu/˜gamesoc.

Con-spiracy 8March 28-29 IL

Grace Roper Lounge at RockfordCollege, Rockford, IL. Events: roleplay-ing, card, board, and possibly minia-tures games. Registration: $3 at thedoor, or free entrance with last year’sbutton. Contact: Theresia Conner,Rockford College, Campus Box 120,5050 E. State Street, Rockford, IL61108. Email: connert@rockford.edu.

APRILCONVENTIONS

NoahconApril 17-19 OH

Elyria Holiday Inn, Elyria ,OH. Over25 hobby dealers. Events include:WARHAMMER 40K and AD&D tourna-ments. Contact: Matrix Games andDiversions, 5384 East Lake Road,Sheffield Lake, OH 44054. Email:matrix@centuryinter.net.

Dudley Bug Ball 1998April 18 ❁

Dudley College of Technology,Dudley, West Midlands, UK. From10:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M. Tournamentsinclude AD&D West Midlands Open,Magic: the Gathering, Call of Cthulhu,Chivalry & Sorcery*, TraveIler*, plus manyothers. This is a premier independentcompetitive games convention in theheart of the UK, is sponsored by theBlack Country Role Playing Society.Contact: Steve Turner at 94 LaurelRoad, Dudley, West Midlands, UK.Email DudleyBug@aol.com.

MAYCONVENTIONS

AgamemConMay 22-24 CA

Burbank Airport Hilton andConvention Center, Burbank, CA.Guests: David Eagle, Stephen Furst,Joshua Cox, Jeffery Willerth, MarkAltman, Stephen C. Smith, RichardHerd. Events: dealer’s room,parties, art show, masquerade, videoroom, panels, and more. Contact:Agamemcon, 24161-H Hollyoak,Laguna Hills, CA 92656. Emailorrock@ix.netcom.com.

JUNECONVENTIONS

Milwaukee Summer RevelJune 5-7 WI

The Inn Towne Hotel, 710 Old WorldThird Street, Milwaukee. Guests: GaryGygax, Janet Pack, Tom Wham. Events:All first-run roleplaying events, includ-ing LIVING CITY and LIVING JUNGLE™ tour-naments, AD&D game, Call of Cthulhu,Boot Hill, Paranoia*, board games,miniature events, war games, nonstopDawn Patrol, TCGs, and the alwaysexciting Wham-A-Thon. Other events:Seminars, dealers area, game demon-strations, and strategic breaks for lunchand dinner. Registration: $20. Contact:Bruce Rabe, Summer Revel, P.O. Box779, New Munster, WI 53102.

* indicates a product produced by a companyother than TSR, Inc. Most product names aretrademarks owned by the companies publishingthose products. The use of the name of any prod-uct without mention of its trademark status shouldnot be construed as a challenge to such status.

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DRAGON #244 99

To the Stars!©1997 Rick Swan

HERE’S SOMETHING INTERESTING. Idon’t claim to see every single RPCproduct that hits the market, but I seemost of ’em. And of all those thatshowed up in my mailbox the pastfew months, well over a third could becategorized as science fiction. That’sabout double the number from thesame time last year. Coincidence? Orcould it be that because of the prolif-eration of Star Trek episodes (fourseries = dusk-to-dawn broadcasts)and all the hype in anticipation of theStar Wars prequels, publishers know ahot trend when they see one? Beatsme. But I know this: for fans of laserbeams and bug-eyed monsters, it’s agreat time to be a roleplayer.

Trinity* gameOne 320-page

hardcover bookWhite Wolf

Game Studio $30Design: Andrew Bates, Ken Cliffe,

Richard E. Dansky, Greg Fountain,Robert Hatch, Chris McDonough,Mark Rein-Hagen, Richard Thomas,Stephan Wieck, and Fred Yelk

Editing: Ken Cliffe and Gary GoffIllustrations: Andrew Bates, Robert

Dixon, Glenn Fabry, Jeff Holt, MarkJackson, Leif Jones, Matt Milberger,Christopher Moeller, William O’Connor,John Park, David Seeley, AlexSheikman, Lawrence Snelly, BrianSnoddy, Griffon Sykes, RichardThomas, and Joshua Gabriel Timbrook

Cover: Richard ThomasExpectations have been running

high for Trinity (formerly Aeon, beforeMTV clobbered White Wolf with a law-suit for trademark infringement).White Wolf revolutionized horror withtheir World of Darkness RPGs—includ-ing the Vampire: The Masquerade*,Werewolf: The Apocalypse*, and Wraith:The Oblivion* games—transforming thegenre into a mind-boggling melangeof character-rich narrative and grim-as-a-car-wreck Gothic settings. CouldWhite Wolf do the same for sciencefiction? Well, as it turns out, Trinityisn’t Vampire in Outer Space. It isn’t evenpart of the World of Darkness. Andstrictly speaking, it isn’t science fiction.

So what is it? It’s smart, intensespace opera, as vividly imagined asVampire though significantly lessbleak. It’s what you get when youcross the cyberpunk cynicism of theShadowrun* game with the off-kilterpolitics of the PLANESCAPE® setting andthe a l i en we i rdness o f the o ldTalislanta* game. It’s offbeat and one-of-a-kind. And, not incidentally, of allthe White Wolf epics to date, it’s theeasiest to learn and play.

Set in 22nd-century Earth, a planetsandblasted by political turmoil andecological disasters, Trinity focuseson two opposing groups. First, wehave the psions, mentally-enhancedhumans who’ve mastered neotics (thescience of psionic energy, an elemen-tal force that resonates throughoutthe universe and unifies all matter).Second, we have the Abberants, agroup of sociopathic mutants whowere defeated in a apocalyptic warsome 60 years ago but who are cur-rently making a comeback. Psions canexecute all kinds of neat mental tricks,like reading minds and igniting fires.The Abberants can sprout barbed ten-tacles and spray acid from the poresof their skin.

Put ’em together, and you’ve got aclassic clash of good vs. evil, and that’sbasically the engine that drives thegame. But because this is a White Wolfproduction-and because White Wolftakes roleplaying very seriously-play-ers are not only supposed to beat upthe bad guys, they’re expected toexplore weighty philosophical ques-tions. From the introduction: “What isthe meaning of life? Why are wehere? What is our purpose? Can wedefine the soul in terms of subquan-tum psionic particles? . . . the psionscould hold the answers.” With itssuperpowered antagonists, Trinity ismore reminiscent of, say, the X-Menthan Star Wars. But because of thebrooding, introspective tone that per-meates the text (“As we stand on thebrink of discovery, we also stand onthe brink of destruction”), these are X-Men who probably spend a lot of timeon a psychiatrist’s couch.

Unlike the morally ambiguous PCspopulating the World of DarknessRPGs, Trinity PCs are good guys,through and through. (It’s possible toplay ethically challenged characters,but you’d be violating the tone of thegame, and you’d also have to recon-figure the universe.) To generate a PC,

100 FEBRUARY 1998

you begin by choosing an avocation(Scholar, Warrior) and personalityarchetype (Caregiver, Martyr). Next,you prioritize three Attribute cate-gories (Physical, Social, Mental) intoprimary, secondary, and tertiaryranks. You then receive a fixed num-ber of points to invest in Attributesand their associated Abilities, basedon their rank (for example, you getseven points for primary Attributes,five for secondary). Attributes includePerception, Appearance, and Dexterity.Abilities include Athletics, Survival,and Engineering. To round out a PC,you assign him to an organizationcalled an Order (the Aesculapians, theMinistry of Psionic Affairs) that pro-vides him with resources and con-tacts. You also give him an arsenal ofpsi powers, which are remarkably sim-ilar to magic spells. Typical psi powersinclude molding (stretching one’s limbslike Mr. Fantastic), fursensing (the abilityto see and hear over vast distances),and heatburn (which dehydrates livingtargets). If you don’t dwell too long onpower selection, you can cook up aversatile, three-dimensional PC inabout half an hour.

The mechanics derive from theWorld of Darkness games, but they’vebeen considerably streamlined. To

adjudicate an action, the gamemasterfirst determines which Traits-that is,which Abilities, Attributes, and psipowers-are relevant. Each Trait israted from one to five dots, depend-ing on the skill level of the PC. A 10-sided die is rolled for each dot of therelevant Traits. Every die that comesup between 7 and 10 is considered asuccess. The more successes, the bet-ter the result. If it’s a particularly diffi-cult action (say, picking an electroniclock), the gamemaster might require acertain number of successes for com-pletion of the action (three success topick the lock). Gone are freebie points,knowledge rolls, and other unneces-sary complications from the World ofDarkness games. It’s a slick, clean sys-tem, the best yet from White Wolf.

I’d guess that Trinity has the poten-tial for an impressive array of adven-tures, everything from the explorationof unknown planets to alien shoot-’em-ups. I say “guess” because it’simpossible to tell for sure based on thesparse amount of campaign material.Sure, we get a “Storytelling” chapter,but it’s heavy on generalizations (“Yourchoice of location for encountersshould evolve naturally from the toneyou want to evoke in your game”) andlight on plot hooks. The skimpy localedescriptions-one page for Saturn;barely one page for Uranus, Neptune,and Pluto combined-read like pre-views of sourcebooks, which will pre-sumably contain a level of detail thatthe Trinity designers were unable (orunwilling) to provide. In the meantime,gamemasters will have to cobbletogether adventures based on a hand-ful of interesting table scraps: terroristattacks in Japan (possibly of extrater-restrial origin), eccentric inventions(netlauncher, spider battle harness),and visits from mysterious races (theQin, meter-long slugs with prehensiletentacles).

Evaluation: With these spell-likepsionic powers (force barrier, mindbomb) and illogical gizmos (aircraftshaped like giant bugs), there’s no evi-dence that any of the Trinity designteam completed so much as a highschool physics course.

Players who take their science seri-ously would be much better off withthe Traveler* game; in fact, they’d bebetter off with the Star Wars* game.What Trinity offers is high-IQ roleplay-ing in a quasi-mystical future, bristlingwith political intrigue and supernatural

DRAGON #244

menace. Someday, the White Wolf-ersmight turn their attention to genuinescience fiction. For now, they’ve shownthey know how to turn out one heck ofa fantasy game.

Heavy Gear*game

One 256-pagesoftcover book

Dream Pod 9 $30Design: Jean Carrieres, Jeff Fortier,

Gene Marcil, Stephane Matis, Martin,Ouellette, Pierre Ouellette, and MarcVezina with Ghislain Barbe, ElieCharest, and Denis Solaro

Editing: Jean Carrieres, Jimmy Mah,Brian Faughnan, and Laurie Mair

lllustrations and cover: GhislainBarbe

101

The SouthernRepublic

Heavy Gear gamesupplement

One 128-pagesoftcover book

Dream Pod 9 $20Design: Brent Carter, Daren

Chicoine, David Cooh, DaveCorriveau, Eric Garvis, Stephane Matis,and James Cotsios, with Tyler Millson-Taylor and Julia Dover

Editing: Marc Vezina, Jean Carrieres,Marc Vezina, and Philippe Boulle

Illustrations: Ghislain Barbe,Normand Bilodeau, Bobbi Burquel,and Charles-Emmanuel Ouelette

Cover: Ghislain Barbe

JovianChronicles*game

One 232-pagesoftcover book

Dream Pod 9 $30Design: Phillipe Boulle, Jean

Carrieres, Wunji Lau and Marc Vezinawith Brent Carter, Elie Charest, LaurieMair, Michael P. O’Shea, and TylerMillson-Taylor

Editing: Jean Carrieres, BrianFaughnan, Tyler Millson-Taylor, andJulia Dover

Illustrations: Ghislain Barbe,Normand Bilodeau, Bobbi Burquel,Jeff Fortier, and Pierre Ouellette

Cover: Ghislain Barbe

MechanicalCatalog

Jovian Chroniclesgame supplement

One 136-pagesoftcover book

Dream Pod 9 $23Design: Marc Vezina with Phillipe

R. Boulle and Tyler Millson-TaylorEditing: Jean Carrieres, Marc

Vezina, and Tyler Millson-TaylorIllustrations: Ghislain Barbe,

Normand Bilodeau, and BobbiBurquel

Cover: Ghislain BarbeHere we have two RPCs that share

not only the same system but also thesame concept. True, the concepts aresuperficially different. Heavy Geartakes place in the year 6132 on TerraNova, a war-torn human colony in adistant galaxy. Jovian Chronicles, setin the 23rd Century, focuses on thecolonization of our own solar system,where the planets have become

FEBRUARY 1998

independent domains competing forresources and power. But both gameshave roots in tactical wargames andgiant robot animation. And both fea-ture mechanized monstrosities who’dbe right at home in the BattleTech*game-call ’em BattleTech Life I and II.

Both are beautiful games, intowhich a lot of effort has been invested.According to the design team, HeavyGear alone required 40,000 sheets ofpaper, 50 black pens, and 2.5 giga-bytes of computer space. Truth to tell,the designers worked so hard onthese, I almost feel guilty for not likingthem more.

I do, however, like the system, oneof the smartest set of universal rulesthis side of the GURPS* game. CalledSilhouette, the system uses 6-sided-dice to generate quick and sensibleresults. All skills are rated from a low of0 (little or no aptitude) to 5 (superhu-man aptitude). Actions are assignedthresholds of difficulty, ranging from 1(effortless) to 12 (near-impossible).When a PC attempts an action, thegamemaster assigns a threshold anddetermines the relevant skill. Theplayer rolls a number of dice equal tothe skill level. The results are notadded together. Instead, the highestnumber rolled on an individual die isconsidered the outcome (if a playerrolls two dice and gets a 2 and a 5, theoutcome is 5). Every additional 6 adds1 to the total (if he gets two 6s, the out-come is 7). If all of the dice show Is,the PC suffers a critical mishap. Actionswith higher thresholds, then, becomeincreasingly difficult to achieve. PCswith low skill levels are more likely tofumble then their high-level counter-parts. It’s a clever, elegant system, asnap to learn and adjudicate.

Character creat ion is equal lysmooth, involving the purchase ofattributes (Agility, Build, Perception)and skills (Acrobatics, Law, Stealth)from a pool of character points.Simple formulas are used to computesecondary traits (Strength, Stamina,Health). Creating a PC from scratchtakes half an hour, tops. My players,however, chose to forego the processaltogether, opting instead to choosetheir characters from the roster ofready-to-go archetypes. The HeavyGear roster includes the MilitaryInstructor, Police Officer, and TestPilot; Jovian Chronicles features theBounty Hunter, Security Officer, andYoung Ace.

102

So far, so good. Then we come tothe tactical combat rules, and it’s likehitting a brick wall. A game-within-a-game, the tactical rules rely on hexmaps (not included) and miniatures(not included) to simulate militaryengagements. But it’s more work thanfun, what with the eight-step combatround and hard-to-remember mechan-ics such as “any vehicle that turnsmore than two hex facings while mov-ing at top speed requires a PilotingSkill roll vs. 3 + terrain MP cost.”Though the rules work as intended,they’re not compelling enough tomake tactical wargamers abandonBattleTech or the Robotech* game.

Sadly, the tactical rules aren’t thegames’ only problem. The settings forthese games are downright dismal.Heavy Gear purports to tell the tale ofthe aftermath of the War of theAlliance, when Terra Nova was invadedby Imperial Earth. But there’s next tonothing about the history of the waror the effect on the participants. Anddon’t expect much about politics, cul-ture, or economics. Put it this way: theentire “World of Heavy Gear” chapterfills only six pages. The five-pageadventure-a pretty good one called“When All Hell Breaks Loose”—fills in afew gaps, but only enough to give ateeny glimpse of the Heavy Gear uni-verse. If I were a cynic, I’d say thatDream Pod 9 intentionally down-played the setting material as aninducement to buy sourcebooks.

But if Southern Republic is a repre-sentative example, I suggest thinkingtwice before you get out your wallet.The book examines “the single mostpowerful nation on Terra Nova,” aprosperous military state rife withschemers and crooks. Despite someinteresting ideas—a sophisticatedtaxation bureaucracy; a devious pro-

business organization called theCoalition for Rightful EnvironmentalExploration-the writing is juiceless, asif the designers had a hard time gen-erating much enthusiasm for the pro-ject. For instance, here’s an excerptfrom the section on crime and punish-ment: “Convicts toil as restitution fortheir crimes and serve as a . . . sourceof menial labor for government pro-jects. These projects range from exca-vation and construction for morebrutal criminals to public service forlesser criminals.” Wouldn’t you think asci-fi society would punish criminalsmore imaginatively than that? Thenat ional spor t of the SouthernRepublic is, er, soccer. (Soccer?) Themenagerie of Republic creaturesincludes the Water Viper (yawn) andthe Amorous Plant (z-z-z-z . . .).

The Jovian Chronicles setting is mar-ginally better, if only because it playsout over a broader canvas. The planetsof our solar system, organized as theUnited Solar Nations, have been strug-gling to protect their interests from anincreasingly hostile Earth. War, ofcourse, erupts. Robotic soldiers withnames like HA-101 Brimstone and CEA-05 Wyvern do most of the fighting.

When their robots aren’t poundingeach other, players may investigatethe origins of the Floaters (a race ofgiant gas-filled jellyfish) or minehydrocarbons from the frozen seas ofTitan. Floaters aside, there’s nothingterribly interesting going on here, andthe game’s ambitions seem awfullymodest compared to the wide-screenspectacle of Trinity

Like Heavy Gear, Jovian Chroniclesaims at players more interested inhardware than human beings. Ifyou’re among the target audience,you’ll find the Mechanical Catalog tobe nuts-and-bolts nirvana. Renderedin loving detail, the heavily illustratedtome dissects dozens of high-techvehicles, ranging from missile cruisersand escort carriers to space stationsand cargo haulers. With its strikinggraphics, sharp text, and meticulousblueprints, the Mechanical Catalogrivals the best of FASA’s BattleTechTechnical Readout series.

Evaluation: Other than the lifelesssettings, I couldn’t find anything seri-ously wrong with Heavy Gear or

DRAGON #244 103

Jovian Chronicles. But I couldn’t findmuch to be excited about either. As Ifiddled with the robots, my mind keptdrifting, conjuring up questions. Why,I wondered, didn’t the designers setboth games in the same era? (Thenthe PCs could shift back and forthbetween games, which would bepretty cool.) Why didn’t they strip outthe tactical rules and put them in aseparate game? (FASA did this withBattleTech and the MechWarrior*, inrecognition of the fact that roleplayersand miniatures enthusiasts are, for themost part, two separate species.) Andwhy oh why didn’t they use some ofthose black pens and gigabytes ofcomputer power to make the settingsless derivative? A system this gooddeserves a setting with a little morepizzazz, something like . . . oh, I don’tknow . . . like Reign of Steel maybe?(Information: Dream Pod 9, 5000Iberville, Suite 332, Montreal, Quebec,Canada, H2H 2S6.)

the Rising Sun, and TSR’s Glory of Rome.But he’s outdone himself with Reign ofSteel, a start-to-finish dazzler thatranks as one of roleplaying’s best-ever science fiction settings.

It’s a simple premise. In the 21stcentury, robots have taken over, treat-ing humans with the respect normallyaccorded to cold sores. Most humanshave been wiped out; the rest hide ingrimy slums or await execution inlabor camps. Small bands of guerrillas—most likely, you and your fellow PCs—are all that stands between therobots and the total extermination ofmankind. Pulver milks the premise forall it’s worth, painting a vivid pictureof a future that’s both unrelentinglygrim and infectiously exciting.

The world has been divided up into18 sovereign territories called Zones,each of which is controlled by a singleArtificial Intelligence computer/robot(or “zonemind”). The first half of thebook describes the zones, any ofwhich could serve as a springboardfor a first-class campaign. In ZoneDenver, the zonemind is replacing itsdamaged circuitry with brain tissue,supplied by involuntary donors. InZone Vancouver, traitorous humanscalled zonegangs lure unwary travel-ers into deadly ambushes; the localzonemind pays $50 for each humanhead. And in Zone Berlin, the zone-mind has unleashed swarms of cyber-netic mosquitoes to torment humanvictims with injections of nerve gas.

Throughout, the text sparkles withinvention. A rogue robot disguised asa semi truck roams the interstates ofNorth America to rescue the dis-tressed and dispossessed, making itthe oddest superhero ever to grace

the pages of an RPC. In the jungles ofSouth America, robot scientists tinkerwith a new lifeform called the “GreenMan” that’s half android, half plant.Thinking about a dip in the ocean?Watch out for the cyberwhales.

Engaging sections on robot installa-tions (slave camps, military citadels)and wilderness hazards (radioactivewaste dumps, mutant animals) precedea too-brief (11 pages) campaign chapter,mostly a collection of scenario outlines.I would’ve preferred a fully developedadventure, but those are hard to comeby in GURPS books. Thankfully, theoutlines are absolute corkers, packedwith exciting twists (what happenswhen-gulp-the robots decide to colo-nize outer space?). And for a change of

Reign of SteelGURPS game

supplementOne 128-page

softcover bookSteve Jackson

Games $18Design: David PulverEditing: Susan PinsonneaultIllustrations: Dan SmithCover: John ZeleznikEvery now and then, a sourcebook

comes along that not only knocks mysocks off but also massages my feetand trims my toenails. David Pulverhas been responsible for more than afew sock-knockers, including GURPSMecha, West End’s Indiana Jones and

pace, you can experiment with robotPCs. (Die, human scum!)

Evaluation: Although intended forthe GURPS game, Reign of Steel con-tains a dead minimum of statistics,making it easy to adapt to other sys-tems. (If you’re a GURPS player, how-ever, I suggest you round up GURPSRobots and GURPS High Tech, both byPulver, which will increase your enjoy-ment of Reign of Steel exponentially.)Reign of Steel takes players on a rivet-ing journey through an unforgettablesetting, loaded with laughs, thrills, andendless surprises. Roleplaying doesn’tget any better.

Short and SweetChampions: Alliances, by Eric

Burnham, Steven S. Long, StevePeterson, and Bruce Harlick. R.Talsorian Games, $14.

Alliances details five campaign-ready organizations for the Champions:New Millennium* game, complete withhistorical summaries and facilitydescriptions, along with a number ofbrief but intriguing adventure hooks.Among the entries: the ArcadianAcademy (a superhero training school),the Guard (a paramilitary outfit spon-sored by the Defense Department), andthe Odyssey Research Institute (spe-cializing in robots and time machines).How well you like Alliances dependson the kind of comic books you favor.If you’re a light-‘n’-easy Legion of SuperHeroes kinda guy, Alliances is right upyour alley. But if you’re the grim-‘n’-gritty Image Comics type, this’ll seemabout as interesting as a compendiumof daycare centers.

Mediums: Speakers with the Dead,by Justin Achilli, Andrew Bates, RogerGaudreau. Ed Hall, Robert Martin,James A. Moore, Ronni Radner, TracyRysavy, Lisa and John Daigle, and FredYelk. White Wolf Game Studios, $15.Guildbook: Pardoners and Puppetteers,by Elizabeth Ditchburn, Heather Grove,Jackie Cassada, and Nicky Rea. WhiteWolf Game Studios, $18.

Wraith: The Oblivion has the poten-tial to be the creepiest of the World ofDarkness RPGs, what with all its angst-ridden undead and dreamstalkingsadists (the latter detailed in the terrificGuildbook: Sandmen.) But the more thegame strays from its inhuman centralcast, the more mundane it becomes.Case in point: Mediums, a look at mor-tals with the ability to communicate

104 FEBRUARY 1998

Re: ViewsDate: Thu, 23 Oct 97 22: 14:00 PDTFrom: lester smith ‹lester@pensys.com>To: DRAGON Magazine ‹dragon@wizards.com>

The Power* Game256-page, perfect-bound bookNexus Transmedia Corp. $24.991 Scarsdale Rd., Don Mills ON

Canada M3B 2R2Website: http://www.thepowerrpg.comDesign: Quentin Blasingame & Fulvio

Ciano, with James Gadbois, Steven Leve,and Hugh Adam Simpson

Editing: Lesley MilnerCover Art: Sheri BowersInterior Art: Sheri Bowers, David

Komlos, Adam Smith, and Brian TheriaultImagine that what we perceive as

reality is merely the skim atop a sea ofdreams. Deep within the depths of this“DreamTime,” there dwell vast intelli-gences with their own agendas. Some-times they contact dreaming humans,awakening psychic powers within them.These “Mentors” then set those contactedto tasks, willing or not. Meanwhile, secretgovernment bureaus and clandestine cor-porations seek to capture these new“DreamBenders” for their own ends.Naturally, conflicts arise-betweenMentors and their ‘Benders, between psy-chic agencies and ‘Benders, evenbetween ‘Benders and ‘Benders. This isthe world of The Power RPG: a modernmix of paranoid conspiracy theory, mysti-cal archetypes, and near magical abilities.

Characters in the game can come fromany walk of life, but all are able to usepsychic powers to some degree. Through“Boosting,” they can psychically increasetheir natural attributes for a limited periodof time, allowing for great feats ofstrength, reasoning, and so on. Through

“Bending,” they can psychically extendtheir natural abilities through theDreamTime itself, to lift objects in thereal world at a distance, read minds, andthe like. But with this power comes trou-ble: the jealous attention of a Mentor, therisk of mutation from excessive psychicactivity, and the opposition of ‘Benderswith other agendas. The setting is fasci-nating, full of adventure potential.

Graphically, the game book is wellexecuted, with a strong layout, excellentblack-and-white art, and some wonderfulcolor paintings by Sheri Bowers. Theproduct begins and ends with severalpages of comic book story, setting themood for the text that resides between.

Textually, the game is something of amixed bag, though. On the one hand, theworld is presented convincingly andentertainingly. The psychic powers followa consistent internal logic, for example.There are plenty of fascinating exampleMentors and their “Advocate” groups,with convincing histories of their own.And the sample adventure provides agreat example of the type of plots possi-ble and works well as a starting point fornew player personas.

The game mechanics are respectable,but somewhat lacking in polish. While thecharacter creation system works well, thetask system is prone to erratic results: athree-tiered set of ability ratings togethercreate a target number for a d20 roll,which tends to be far too random forsmoothness of play. I suspect that thedesigners expect game masters to “fudge”for the purposes of story, in keeping withthe current trend of RPGs to treat game

mechanics as a poor, red-headed step-child. The writing betrays this orientation,as well. Whenever the designers speak ofthe world, their text is exciting and evoca-tive. When they speak of game mechan-ics, it is awkward, confusing, and hesitant,resulting in a muddy mix of rules optionsand warnings not to abuse the system.(Don’t think of a monkey.) Unfortunately,the book presents mechanics early andworld detail late, making for something ofa wade to get to the good parts.

Still, taken as a whole, The Power is aliterate, entertaining read and a new takeon some old themes. The central conceptis big enough both to provide plenty ofadventure possibilities on its own, and toincorporate pretty much any modem mys-teries the game master might care toexploit. The range of possible player char-acters is open-ended, as well. For exam-ple, our playtest group consisted of astreet punk, an urban landscaper, and anelderly librarian confined to a wheelchair,all created with equal ease, and all equallyplayable.

I’m highly impressed with The PowerRPG, and I think you will be too.

with the dearly departed. The bookcovers Tarot readings, fortune tellers,even televangelism. It’s well-writtenbut incidental to the essence of Wraith.Better by far is Pardoners andPuppetteers, which spotlights a pair ofmysterious Guilds: the bad guyPuppetteers (renegade body jumpers,outcasts of Stygia) and the good guyPardoners (enemies of darkness, heal-ers of the dead). There’s plenty of usefulcampaign material, including several

new artifacts (soul lantern, hoodoodoll) and merits (storm warning,friends in high places). But what lingersin the mind are the characters: angstjunkies, sin eaters, serial killer skin-riders. Creepy stuff. And when it comesto Wraith, the creepier, the better.

Star Wars Adventure Journal,edited by Peter Schweighofer. WestEnd Games, $12 per copy, $35 forfour-issue subscription.

In its fourth year of publication, theAdventure Journal continues to provideessential reading for Star Wars enthusi-asts. Part magazine, part RPG supple-ment, issue #14 includes BarbaraHambly’s short story “Murder inSlushtime,” profiles of five new aliens,and Star Wars stats for a warehouse fullof droids. Nothing earth-shatteringhere, just solid entertainment. And at$12 for nearly 300 pages, it’s a bargainto boot.

DRAGON #244 105

Zero* game, by Lester Smith.Archangel Entertainment, $25.

In this disturbing, oddball RPG,players take the roles of Borg-like bio-mechs, individual units of a collectiveconsciousness under the thumb of thenasty Queen Zero. The game beginsby liberating the PC biomechs fromthe Queen, then sending them into aninhospitable universe. Little by little,the PCs acquire a sense of their ownindividuality, all the while eluding theclutches of the Queen, who is nonetoo happy to have them runningaround loose. Zero boasts a fascinat-ing premise and clutter-free, easy-to-master mechanics, but it comes upshort on background material. Aftermy group completed the introductoryadventure, we were at a loss as towhat to do next. Guess we’re gonnahave to-sigh-wait for the supple-ments. (Information: ArchangelEntertainment, P.O. Box 481, LakeGeneva, WI 53147)

Film Festival #1, by Gareth-MichaelSkarka, John R. Phythyon Jr., DavidBrandon Sturm, Matt Harrop, andAaron Rosenberg. Event Horizon, $15.To Live and Die in HK, by Gareth-Michael Skarka, John R. Phythyon Jr.,

David Brandon Sturm, Matt Harrop,

If I were to list the best new RPGsof 1997, the Hong Kong Action Theatre*

and F.S. Kessler. Event Horizon, $18.

game would be near the top, a brainysimulation of Asian cinema that’smore fun than the films it emulates.Film Festival #1 presents 15 top-notchadventures, five in each of the game’sthree genres (Gunplay, Marital Arts,Bizarre Fantasy). Favorites: “Five Fistsof Kung Fu” (bloody revenge againstthe tyrannical Ching Dynasty) and“Magic Hunter” (featuring the MonkeyKing and his supernatural minions).

To Live and Die in HK offers aplethora of new specialties, spells, andmaneuvers. Unlike many rules expan-sions, this one adds nuance and flavorwithout significantly increasing thecomplexity. Add six exciting mini-adventures, you’ve got an essentialpurchase. (Information: Event Horizon,P.O. Box 1149, Lawrence, KS 66044.)

Stuper Powers* game, by RyanDunlavey, Steve Ellis, Jamal lgle, CarsonJones, Stew Noack, Lauren Rabinowitz,Fred Van Lente, and Alan H. Zatkow.Unstoppable Productions, $5.

First off, I don’t care what the coversays, this isn’t a real RPG. Rather, it’s a

parody of an RPG, a 32-page joke-book targeted at the Beavis and Butt-head crowd (which includes yourstruly): To begin, you stop off at Bud’sLive Bait and Wargaming Emporiumand pick up a Flounder Force SecretDecoder Ring and a bag of 50-sideddice. You create a stuper hero by deter-mining his Cape Length, AdjustedGross Income, and Tights Size. Stuperabilities include Entangle With ArmpitHair, Urine of Invisibility, and SummonBreasts. So does Stuper Powers deliverfive bucks worth of laughs? Hey, I’dsay Summon Breasts is worth a buckor two all by itself. (Information:Unstoppable Productions, 262 FifthAve., Second Floor, Brooklyn, NY11215.)

Iowa freelancer and alien enthusiastRick Swan would like to say hi to all hisbald-headed buddies in Roswell, NewMexico.

* indicates a product produced by a companyother than TSR, Inc. Most product names aretrademarks owned by the companies publishingthose products. The use of the name of any prod-uct without mention of its trademark statusshould not be construed as a challenge to suchstatus.

106 FEBRUARY 1998

DRAGON #244 107

NEW FORFEBRUARY

Wizard�s Spell Compendium,Volume 3

An AD&D® AccessoryBy TSR StaffWizard’s Spell Compendium, Volume

3 continues the monumental collec-tion of every official wizard spell forthe AD&D game. Spells were collectedfrom the Player’s Handbook, Tome ofMagic, Complete Wizard’s Handbook,DRAGONS® Magazine, POLYHEDRON®Magazine, and a wealth of otherAD&D game accessories, adventures,and supplements.

$24.95/$32.95 CANTSR Product No.: 2175ISBN: 0-7869-0791-6

Moonlight MadnessAn RPGA® Network AD&D

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$11.95/$15.95 CANTSR Product No.: 9568ISBN: 0-7869-1151-4

Crucible: The Trialof Cyric the Mad

A FORGOTTEN REALMS® NovelBy Troy DenningIn this long-awaited sequel to

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$5.99/$6.99 CANTSR Product No.: 8577ISBN: 0-7869-0724-X

Servants of DarknessA RAVENLOFT® AdventureBy Steve Miller and Kevin MelkaThe heroes are caught in the mid-

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$13.95/$18.95 CANTSR Product No.: 9541ISBN: 0-7869-0659-6

The Eve of the MaelstromDragons of a New Age,

Volume IIIBy Jean RabeThe first epic trilogy of the Fifth

Age-the campaign against the greatdragons ruling Krynn—concludes withvictories and courageous sacrifices,the rise of surprising new heroes, andthe rebirth of beloved figures fromclassic DRAGONLANCE® novels.

$5.99/$6.99 CANTSR Product No.: 8385ISBN: 0-7869-0749-5

Hellgate KeepA FORGOTTEN REALMS Setting

DUNGEON CRAWL™ AdventureBy Steven E. SchendDeep beneath the rubble of a

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$9.95/CAN $12.95TSR Product No.: 9562ISBN: 0-7869-0786-X

108 FEBRUARY 1998

NEW FORMARCH

ShadowbornA RAVENLOFT NovelBy William W. Connors and Carrie

A. BebrisShadowborn: The name brings ter-

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$5.99/$6.99 CANTSR Product No.: 8074ISBN: 0-7869-0766-5

The Lost Library of CormanthyrA FORGOTTEN REALMS Novel, Lost

Empires, Book 1By Mel OdomThe Library of Cormanthyr—was it

just a myth or an actual lost piece ofhistory? An intrepid human explorersets out to find the truth, but little doeshe realize that precautions were takenby the ancient xenophobic elves toensure no man might learn theirsecrets. What began as a researchproject soon becomes a race againsttime, as an undying avenger sets outto keep the secrets of the elves.

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Cormanthyr: Empire of ElvesA FORGOTTEN REALMS ARCANE AGE™

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Cormanthor spread across the entireHeartlands, a seemingly endlessexpanse of leaf and bough. In thosedays, elves ruled supreme in the for-est, and their culture reached itszenith. Now, thanks to the ARCANE AGE

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$24.95/CAN $32.95TSR Product No.: 1165ISBN: 0-7869-0761-4

MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM®PLANESCAPE® Appendix III

A PLANESCAPE CampaignAccessory

By Monte CookThe third volume created for the

PLANESCAPE campaign, this MONSTROUS

COMPENDIUM appendix contains a mul-titude of creatures from the InnerPlanes—17 extreme worlds, includingFire, Earth, Water, Air, Smoke, Ooze,and more. Select specimens from theAstral and Ethereal Planes round outthe ranks of this new horde. Most arerevealed here for the first time ever.

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Wings of FuryA DRAGONLANCE®: FIFTH AGE™

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detail about the mightiest creatures ofKrynn—the dragons. In the accompa-nying adventure, the epic climax of theDragons of a New Age adventurecycle, the heroes gain the aid of pow-erful Good dragons and pit themselvesagainst the great Red Dragon: Malysherself! The heroes’ success or failuredetermines the future of Krynn.

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DRAGON® Magazine #245Dwarves

Cover by Matt Wilson

This issue is devoted to thoseindustrious denizens of the under-dark, the dwarves. Discover newkits, spells, magical items, andother great game information toadd to your own AD&D campaign.

❖ Heart of the ForgeBy Wolfgang BaurThe secrets of dwarven crafts-

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❖ MindstalkersBy Bruce CordellOrcs and goblins are the tradi-

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❖ Little RascalsBy Steve BermanFou r new Rogue k i t s f o r

dwarves who want somethingmore than a pocketful of gold.Including the delver, the hoard-sacker, the scurr, and the tale-bearer.

❖ Dwarven EttiquetteBy Christopher PerkinsThey might seem to be without

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❖ Honest & TrueBy Troy DenningCyric the Mad has given his

minion Malik a tight deadline inwhich to publish his “true” versionof the Time of Troubles. If Ruha hasher way, Malik will get nothing buta kill fee.

Plus “Bazaar of the Bizarre,”“Arcane Lore,” “Wyrms of theNorth,” “Forum,” “DragonMirth,”“Roleplaying Reviews,” “SageAdvice,” and more!

$4.95 U.S./$5.95 CANTSR Product No. 8115-03

DRAGON #244 109

The DOUBLE DIAMONDTRIANGLE SAGA� Novels

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The paladins sent by LordPiergeiron have arrived in a king-dom of the Utter East, only to findthe area beset by menacing fiends.The warriors are welcomed by theking, but he is willing to aid theirquest only if they first perform a ser-vice for him.

$2.99; CAN $3.99TSR Product No.: 8637ISBN #0-7869-0867-X

NEW FOR MARCH

Book 5: An Opportunityfor ProfitBy Dave Gross

The pirate crew hired in TheMercenaries is hot on the trail of thekidnapped bride. Landing on theshores of the Utter East, the piratesface fiendish perils and the mysteryof their employer’s true identity.

$2.99; CAN $3.99TSR Product No.: 8638ISBN #0-7869-0868-8

NEW FOR APRIL

Book 6: ConspiracyBy J. Robert King

As the search continues in theUtter East for the kidnapped brideof Waterdeep, the forces of thePaladins and the Mercenaries con-verge. Now, for the first time, thedark secret behind the abduction isrevealed, and the searchers realizetheir quest is only half-begun.

$2.99: CAN $3.99TSR Product No.: 8639ISBN #0-7869-0869-6

The Doom BrigadeA DRAGONLANCE Novel, The Chaos

War Volume 1By Margaret Weis and Don PerrinAn intrepid group of draconian

engineers (whose exploits were depict-ed in The Dragons of Krynn and TheDragons at War anthologies) must unitewith the dwarves, their despised ene-mies, when the Chaos War erupts, forwithout an alliance, doom is assured.

$6.99/$8.99 CANTSR Product No.: 8380PISBN: 0-7869-0785-1

NEW FORAPRIL

The IllithiadAn AD&D M ONSTROUS ARCANA™

AccessoryBy Bruce R. CordellInside this lavishly illustrated tome,

readers will find detailed informationon mind flayer society, psychology,anatomy, and history. New psionicdisciplines round out this “CompleteGuide to the Illithids.”

$19.95/$26.95 CANTSR Product No.: 9569ISBN: 0-7869-1206-5

ReunionAn AL-QADIM® AdventureBy Jackie Cassada and Nicky ReaA villain’s greed leads to the

destruction of an entire tribe of desertnomads. In this collection of threepopular AL-QADIM® tournament adven-tures, your heroes try to rescue theremnants of the tribe and conveythem safely to a secret oasis.

$9.95/$12.95 CANTSR Product No.: 9584ISBN: 0-7869-1196-4

Cormyr: A NovelA FORGOTTEN REALMS NovelBy Ed Greenwood and Jeff GrubbAs Azoun IV lies dying from an

assassin’s ambush, the political andmagical forces struggle to determinethe country’s future. In the face ofimpending catastrophe, the history ofCormyr and its ruling family unfolds,revealing that the past holds thesecrets for saving the kingdom’s future.

$6.99/$8.99 CANTSR Product No.: 8572PISBN: 0-7869-0710-X

Kicker Pack 8: TreefolkA DRAGON DICE® AccessoryBy Bill OlmesdahlThe newest race for the DRAGON DICE

game combines the awesome strengthof Earth and the tender mercies ofWater with the Treefolk expansion.This race is guaranteed to sway thebalance of power on the fragile worldof Esfah.

$6.95/$10.95 CANTSR Product No.: 1515ISBN: 0-7869-0703-7

Relics and Omens:Tales of the FIFTH AGE®

A DRAGONLANCE AnthologyEdited by Margaret Weis and

Tracy HickmanThe Chaos War is over, and the

gods have vanished, taking magicwith them. New heroes, monsters, and

ALTERNITY ® Science FictionRoleplaying Game

Limited EditionPlayer’s Handbook

Although the full release of TSR’snew sf roleplaying game wasdelayed, the company decided todo something special for the peoplewho attended GEN CON® 1997. TheLimited Edition is a full-color, hard-cover book containing all the rulesa player needs to create any type ofsf hero. If you want to own a col-lector’s item or just get an advancedview of the new game, then this isthe product for you. There are stillsome copies left, but they’re goingfast and supplies are extremely lim-ited. You can order one by going tothe TSR website—www.tsr.com.

110 FEBRUARY 1998

quests arise as the new world takesshape, at once familiar but strangelydifferent and fantastical.

$5.99/$6.99 CANTSR Product No.: 8386ISBN: 0-7869-1169-7

MARVEL SUPER DICE�: AVENGERS�A MARVEL SUPER DICE GameBy Michele CarterSlugging it out with KANG THE

CONQUEROR and the ABSORBING MAN ispart of the everyday routine forEarth’s mightiest heroes, the AVENGERS.This set features a new game, Time’sTempest, and new battle zones andbattle options. Or add these dice toyour next MARVEL SUPER DICE game.

$8.95/$12.95 CANTSR Product No.: 6921ISBN: 0-7869-0700-2

LEGENDS OF THE LANCE™Issue #1

A DRAGONLANCE® Saga NewsletterFREE!

All DRAGONLANCE fans will want acopy of this quarterly newsletter. Thefirst issue includes an interview withMargaret Weis and Tracy Hickman,several new articles about theDRAGONLANCE: FIFTH AGE® setting,new information about upcomingDRAGONLANCE releases, and other fas-cinating items exclusive to this pub-lication. To receive your free newslet-ter, write to legends@wizards.comor Wizards of the Coast, CustomerService Department, P.O. Box 707,Renton, WA 98055. Be sure toinclude your name and mailingaddress.

ALTERNITY® Player�s HandbookHardcover Rules BookBy Bill Slavicsek and Richard

BakerThis book contains all the rules nec-

essary for creating characters in anycontemporary to far-future science-fiction setting. Much like the AD&Dgame, ALTERNITY presents informationon character creation, weapons andequipment, combat, and more. Whichfuture do you want to play? ThePlayer’s Handbook helps you answerthat question.

$29.95/$39.95 CANTSR Product No.: 2800ISBN: 0-7869-0728-2

Evermeet: Island of ElvesA FORGOTTEN REALMS NovelBy Elaine CunninghamIn ancient times, the elven god

Corellon Larenthian defeated Malarthe Beastlord, breeding in Malar anundying hatred for all things elven.Millennia later, when Evermeet is cre-ated as an elven refuge, Malar has hislong-awaited target. Thousands ofyears of plotting culminate in the finalconflict, i n wh ich the venge fu lBeastlord and his cohorts attack thelsland of Elves.

$21.95/$27.95 CANTSR Product No.: 8578ISBN: 0-7869-0713-4

The Shadow RiftA RAVENLOFT®

Adventure/AccessoryBy William W. Connors, Cindi Rice,

and John D. RateliffIn the wake of the Grand

Conjunction, a gaping, mist-filled holeappeared in the center of Ravenloft:the Shadow Rift. Through it comes asorcerer-fiend so powerful that heenslaved an entire race and drew itinto his native plane of Shadows. It isup to the heroes to prevent this newevil from finding its way into the wel-coming arms of the Dark Powers.

$22.95/$29.95 CANTSR Product No.: 1163ISBN: 0-7869-1200-6

Unless otherwise noted:® designates registered trademarks owned

by TSR, Inc.™ designates trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.© 1998 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

DUNGEON®AdventureIssue #67

Cover by David O. Miller

❖ Witches BrewBy Steve JohnsonThe search for rare ingredients

leads the heroes to Woody Glen, atown plagued by a foul witch andher goblin minions. What dreadscheme has Morda concocted? AnAD&D® adventure for levels 3-5.

❖ Training GroundBy Rick MaffeiThe Netherese wizard Orokoth

built his Training Ground to test themettle of apprentices. Are you amatch for the wizard’s gauntlet ofmagical traps? An AD&D FORGOTTENREALMS® adventure for levels 5-8.

❖ Falls RunBy James WyattThe terror begins on a haunted

train, but it doesn’t end there. Visita town that gives new meaning tothe phrase “dead of winter.” AnAD&D RAVENLOFT Masque of the RedDeath adventure for first-level PCs.

❖ Uzaglu of the UnderdarkBy Christopher PerkinsAn undead myconid king and

his gruesome minions guard theUnderdark against intruders. Canyou defeat this fungal fiend? AnAD&D adventure for levels 5-10.

❖ The Little PeopleBy Matthew AdkinsHow do you make a leprechaun

cry? Take away all his powers, lockhim in a cage, and threaten to sellhim for a warm pair of socks and atankard of ale. An AD&D SideTrekfor character levels 1-2.

❖ Eye of the StormBy Lance HawvermaleDark clouds are gathering over

the village of Lonethistle. An AD&DSideTrek for character levels 6-8.

$4.95 U.S./$5.95 CAN.TSR Product No. 8203-03

DRAGON #244 111

EdGreenwood

The creator of the FORGOTTEN REALMS®campaign setting has run the sameAD&D® campaign with the same coregroup since 1978.

WHEN ASKED A FEW QUESTIONS forthis 700-word DRAGON® Magazine pro-file, Ed Greenwood sent responsestotalling 2,600 words. This enthusi-asm marks all the work by the prolificcreator of TSR’s most popular cam-paign setting, the FORGOTTEN REALMS.

Greenwood’s spectacular elabora-tion of the Realms, which resemblesHeinrich Schliemann’s obsessive 1870sexcavation of ancient Troy, startedwith stories he wrote as a young boy inthe upscale Toronto suburb of DonMills. The “Forgotten Realms” nameoriginally came from the notion of a“multiverse” of parallel worlds. OurEarth is one, the Realms another. InGreenwood’s original conception,Earth’s fantastic legends derive from afantasy world that we‘ve now lost theway to-hence, the Forgotten Realms.“Concerns over possible lawsuits (kidsgetting hurt while trying to ‘find a gate’)led TSR to de-emphasize this meaning,”he says.

Discovering the D&D® game in1975, Greenwood really bought intoroleplaying with the first AD&D® gamereleases (1978). He started a Realmscampaign in Waterdeep—he still playswith the same group today, albeit spo-radically-then started another groupknown as the Knights of MythDrannor in Shadowdale. His players’thirst for detail made the Realms whatit is: “They want it to seem real, andwork on ‘honest jobs’ and personalactivities, until the whole thing growsinto far more than a casual campaign.Roleplaying always governs overrules, and the adventures seem todevelop themselves.”

Starting in 1979, Greenwoodbegan writing many DRAGON Magazinearticles that included Realmslore.Upon deciding to do AD&D 2ndEdition, TSR sought a ready-madecampaign setting, more open-endedthan the epic DRAGONLANCE® setting.Staff designer Jeff Grubb askedGreenwood, “Do you just make thisstuff up as you go, or do you reallyhave a huge campaign world?”Greenwood recalls, “I answered ‘yes’to both questions.”

Sending TSR a few dozen card-board boxes stuffed with pencil notesand maps, he sold all rights to theRealms for a token fee. “It didn’t makeme rich (no, I don’t own part of TSR,control the Realms, or get royalties onall Realms products), but I’ve neverregretted it for a moment. It has

allowed me to travel the world tomeet gamers, make a lot of goodfriends, and share my creation withinterested gamers everywhere. Inturn, they’ve detailed bits of the set-ting that I hadn’t, and have given mesomething precious: the ability for‘my’ Realms to surprise me.”

Greenwood, 38, is currently work-ing on TSR’s ninth DOUBLE DIAMOND

TRIANGLE SAGA™ novel (The Diamond,with Rob King); the third Elminsternovel, The Temptation of Elminster; sev-eral Realms short stories; the RavensBluff sourcebook, an RPGA® Networkproject; columns for DRAGON® Magazineand POLYHEDRON® Newszine; conven-tion adventures; and Realmsloreanswers for fans. He lives in apple-growing country on Lake Ontario; hestill works full time at the North YorkCommunity Library, as he has since1974; and he still has 60 boxes ofRealmslore in his basement.

Some more of those 2,600 words:“Of my Realms work, I like best

those products that impart some ofthe richness and color of the Realms,such as the novel I wrote with JeffGrubb, Cormyr; the Volo’s Guides;Seven Sisters; The Code of the Harpers;City of Splendors; and stuff that lots ofgamers have found useful, such asDrow of the Underdark and Ruins ofUndermountain. I love many areas inthe Realms, but Waterdeep, Cormyr,and the Dales are my personalfavorites thus far.

“Keeping my enthusiasm for theRealms over the years has been easy.So many new friends care about it, askme constant lore questions, and sharewhat they’ve done. My most memo-rable fan experiences include meetingcomplete strangers in European gameshops who wanted to drop everythingto give me personal tours of theircities, being asked to name babies,and even (gulp!) being asked to fatherbabies. (I’m happily married, anddeclined; ‘twas flattering, though!)

“I love the Realms, I designed it tolast forever, and although I’ll be sadwhen favorite characters die andthings change, I intend to go right onloving it, for as long as I’m alive. Life isa journey, not an episode or two . . .and so is the Realms.”

112 FEBRUARY 1998