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Dragon 1
Contents

Vol. VII, No. 12 June 1983

SPECIAL ATTRACTION

The DRAGON™ Magazine

Combat Computer. 40

A playing aid that can't miss

OTHER FEATURES

Landragons. 12

Wingless wonders

The electrum dragon. 17

Last of the metallic monsters?

Seven swords. 18

Blades you'll find bearable

The ecology of the bulette .26

Special "classified" package:

Tracing THRUSH's nest. 28

In trouble? Cry UNCLE.30

Spying on the spies.34

The vicarious participator. 38

One perspective on role-playing

Programmed character creation.42

An article on computers -

DM's Personnel Service. 45

— and a program to go with it

A player character

and his money. 50

. . . should soon be parted

The SF 'universe' . 59

STAR FRONTIERS ™ overview

REGULAR OFFERINGS

Out on a Limb.3

Letters from readers

From the Sorcerer's Scroll.4

Warhorses and barding

Leomund's Tiny Hut. 8

Bureaucrats and politicians

SF/gaming convention calendar. 56

Off the Shelf .67

Latest in literature

Gamers' Guide. 71

What's New.73

Wormy . 76

Quiet celebration

Publisher: Mike Cook

Editor-in-Chid: Kim Mohan
Editorial staff: Marilyn Favaro
Roger Raupp
Patrick L. Price
Mary Kirchoff
Office staff: Sharon Walton
Pam Maloney

Layout designer: Kristine L. Bartyzel

Contributing editors: Roger Moore
Ed Greenwood

National advertising representative:

Robert Dewey
c/o Robert LaBudde & Associates, Inc.

2640 Golf Road

Glenview IL 60025
Phone (312) 724-5860

This issue's contributing artists:

Jim Holloway Phil Foglio

Timothy Truman Dave Trampier
Roger Raupp

DRAGON Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is pub¬

lished monthly for a subscription price of $24 per
year by Dragon Publishing, a division of TSR
Hobbies, Inc. The mailing address of Dragon
Publishing for all material except subscription
orders is P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva WI 53147.

DRAGON Magazine is available at hobby

stores and bookstores throughout the United
States and Canada, and through a limited
number of overseas outlets. Subscription rates are
as follows: $24 for 12 issues sent to an address in
the U.S. or Canada; $50 U.S. for 12 issues sent via
surface mail or $95 for 12 issues sent via air mail
to any other country. All subscription payments
must be in advance, and should be sent to Dragon
Publishing, P.O. Box 72089, Chicago IL 60690.

A limited quantity of certain back issues of

DRAGON Magazine can be purchased from the
Dungeon Hobby Shop. (See the list of available
issues printed elsewhere in each magazine.) Pay¬
ment in advance by check or money order must
accompany all orders. Payments cannot be made
through a credit card, ana orders cannot be taken
nor merchandise reserved by telephone. Neither
an individual customer nor an institution can be
billed for a subscription order or a back-issue
purchase unless prior arrangements are made.

The issue of expiration for each subscription is

printed on the mailing label for each subscriber's
copy of the magazine. Changes of address for the
delivery of subscriptions must be received at least
30 days prior to the effective date of the change in
order to insure uninterrupted delivery.

All material published in DRAGON Magazine

becomes the exclusive property of the publisher
upon publication, unless special arrangements to
the contrary are made prior to publication.
DRAGON Magazine welcomes unsolicited sub¬
missions of written material and artwork; how¬
ever, no responsibility for such submissions can
be assumed by the publisher in any event. Any
submission which is accompanied by a self-
addressed, stamped envelope of sufficient size will
be returned if it cannot be published.

DRAGON™ is a trademark for Dragon Pub¬

lishing's monthly adventure playing aid. All
rights on the contents of this publication are
reserved, and nothing may be reproduced from it
in whole or in part without prior permission in
writing from the publisher. Copyright © 1983 by
TSR Hobbies, inc.

Second-class postage paid at Lake Geneva,

Wis., and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to

Dragon Publishing, P.O. Box 110, Lake Geneva
WI 53147. USPS 318-790. ISSN 0279-6848.

Birthdays don't hold as much meaning

for us any more as they did when we were
younger. That statement is true for just
about all of us, of just about any age, and
it's true of this "old" magazine, too.

June 1983 is the seventh anniversary of

the first issue of DRAGON™ Magazine.

In one way or another, we made a pretty

big thing of birthdays one through five —
if you have those issues, you know what I
mean. Birthday number six came and
went without quite as much fanfare, and
now, for number seven, we've decided on
a quiet celebration. (Maybe we'll have a
few friends over to the cave, but that's
about it.)

This is as good a place as any to note

the occasion, and it is now so noted. Have
a quiet celebration of your own on our
behalf, if you've a mind to, and I hope
you'll all still be with us for number
eight, number nine, number ten, . . .

Mary Kirchoff knew before she came to

Dragon Publishing that in this business
things don't always get done when they
ought to be done. As evidence of that fact,
here is Mary's official welcome to the
DRAGON editorial staff — a month late.

Those of you who faithfully read the

small print in the column to the left of
this one will have noticed that Mary
joined our staff as of issue #73. She is still
the editor of the POLYHEDRON™
Newszine published by the RPGA™ Net¬
work. But now, she's also filling the
vacancy on our staff created when Gali
Sanchez made a switch to the Games Div¬
ision of TSR Hobbies, Inc.

Needless to say, Mary tends to keep

busy. Needless to say, she likes it that
way. We're glad to have her on board.

Those of you who have enjoyed Roger

Moore's writing in this magazine will be
happy to hear that this is Roger's last
issue as a contributing editor.

Huh? Is there a catch? You bet there is:

Effective with the next issue of DRAGON
magazine, Roger Moore will be a member
of our editorial staff.

Yes, Roger will still write articles for

us, at least as long as his four-foot-long
list of ideas holds out. And the big advan¬
tage in having him on the staff is that
he'll be right around the corner instead of
'way down in Loo-vull (which, I am
informed, is the way the natives say it), so
we'll be able to use his skills in lots of
other ways to keep this magazine getting
better — not just older.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, ADVANCED D&D, and TOP SECRET
are registered trademarks owned by TSR Hobbies, inc.

TRAVELLER is a registered trademark owned by Game Designers' Workshop, Inc.

TM designates other trademarks owned by TSR Hobbies, Inc. unless otherwise

indicated.

2 June 1983
out on n um

his issue's special inclu¬

sion is brought to you through
the efforts of the guy who
invented the wheel. With-
our that idea to pave the
way, we wouldn’t have been able to take
two wheels and turn them into the
(drum roll, please . . .) DRAGON™
Magazine Combat Computer. Now,
instead of going around in circles trying
to determine who hit whom, all you
AD&D™ Dungeon Masters can get a “to
hit” reading with a simple twist of the
two cardboard discs. Better make plans
now for what to do with all the time
you’re going to save. . . .

... For instance, you could put

together a mission for player characters
to find one of the “Seven swords” de¬
scribed for us by Ed Greenwood’s old
friend, Elminster the sage. . . .

. . . And maybe this scenario will

involve a trip through the home terri¬
tory of one of the “Landragons” created
by Ronald Hall — or the electrum
dragon, another new species of dragon-
kind from the imagination of the
aforementioned Mr. Greenwood.

Then, when the characters succeed at

the tasks you’ve placed before them,
they’ll probably come home with lots of
loot. That’s the time to invoke the prin¬
ciples of Lew Pulsipher’s article, “A
player character and his money . . .”

Maybe someone will want to spend

some cash to buy a new horse and be
sure it’s properly attired, in which case
Gary Gygax’s From the Sorceror’s Scroll
column on “Warhorses and barding”
will come in handy. Maybe someone
will want to line the pockets of a
bureaucrat, or pay to help a politician
get elected; if so, the semi-facetious fig¬
ures outlined in Leomund’s Tiny Hut
can inspire you to create characters to fit
those circumstances.

We’ve been promising our readers —

and ourselves — that sooner or later
we’d start publishing full-scale comput¬
er programs dealing with role-playing
games. All things do eventually come to
pass: Inside is an article on “Pro¬
grammed character creation” plus a
BASIC language program for use with
the D&D® game — the first of many
“computer packages” we’re planning
for the months to come.

Secret agents in the crowd (that’s

okay, you don’t have to raise your
hands) will get a kick out of Arlen
Walker’s three-piece feature on the ori¬
gins and organization of those famous
adversaries, UNCLE and THRUSH.

All of that, and more, awaits you

inside — plus a 32-page insert filled
with everything you need to know about
the GEN CON® XVI Game Fair. You’re
gonna need all the time you can save,
just to finish this issue in time for the
next one. — KM

7 finally disagreed’

Dear Editor:

“Up on a Soapbox” has always been one of

my favorite columns in DRAGON, and I’ve
never really had any arguments with the opin¬
ions expressed in it over many issues. How¬
ever, after reading John T. Sapienza, Jr.'s essay
in issue #72, “Level titles don’t do justice,” I
finally disagreed.

I don’t argue with his objections to the tech¬

nical applications of level names; it would be
silly to speak of a Tibetan bishop or a Catholic
lama, but the idea is for titles to represent a
progression from 1st level onwards — if some
titles are inappropriate, then that is because it
is difficult to find technically appropriate
names that would accurately describe each
level and also fit into any campaign culture.

I admire Mr. Sapienza's proposed abbrevia-

tory system for character stats, and plan to use
it in the future. But I also like the character
class level names, and plan to continue using
them. I take pride in having my paladin enter
a town and announce himself as “Medraut the
Defender,” and hope to raise him to where he
may call himself a Paladin — a title he will
have earned through many adventures and
noble deeds.

In short, Mr. Sapienza put forth a good

argument in defense of his point, but I doubt
anyone will be “hurt” by the continued inclu¬
sion of level titles, and I don’t think it was
necessary [for him] to get “Up on a Soapbox”
to demand their withdrawal.

Christopher-Michael DiGrazia
Lawrence, Mass.

‘Disturbing trend’

Dear Editor:

I would like to express my concern over

what I see as a disturbing trend in the last sev¬
eral issues of DRAGON: a greatly increased
emphasis on charts, tables, statistical compari¬
sons and the like. Specifically, “Charting the
classes” and “Weapon statistics” (#69), ‘The
hull truth about speed” and “A second volley”
(#70), and “Who gets the first swing?” (#71), to
cite only a few of many examples.

I’ve also noticed the introduction of a pleth¬

ora of new character classes and the needless
reworking of older ones, such as the recent
articles on illusionists and druids, for example.

You tout your magazine as a role playing

aid, and although the articles I mentioned
above are all well written and well intentioned,
they do not further the cause of role playing.

It is difficult enough for Gamemasters to

wean players from their beloved handbooks
and charts and [get them to] play their charac¬
ters as individuals rather than puppets tethered
to a leash of polyhedra dice. Is fantasy role
playing really served by an article interpreting
the classes on a strictly numerical basis?

Again, the articles were well done. I applaud

the quantum jump in professionalism of
recent articles over some published in years
past by DRAGON. Yet, I see a letter like Tim
Henke’s (in issue #64), asking that DRAGON
do his creative thinking for him, and I can’t
help but wonder what attitudes newer readers
are gleaning from your publication of number-
oriented articles.

Mark Kreighbaum
Berkeley, Calif.

To thoroughly respond to Mark’s letter

would take more space than I can afford to use
here. And, a comprehensive answer is doubly
difficult to come up with because Mark hasn’t
offered any examples of what he likes: Just
what is an article that “furthers the cause of
role playing,” as opposed to one that does not?
But, if you’ll take that into consideration, I’ll
give it a try.

My first reaction upon reading that phrase

in Mark’s letter was to say, “Hey, we print a
lot of articles that further the cause of role
playing.” And then I looked back to his com¬
plaint about the “needless reworking” of char¬
acter classes, and I realized that I would con¬
sider our articles on the illusionist (#66) and
the druid (#48) as ones that “further the
cause.” Yet Mark apparently doesn’t, so we
aren’t on the same wavelength.

So what does “further the cause” mean?

Articles on how to perform the act of role-
playing — that is, practical instructions on
how to adopt a “persona” for some purpose or
another — are pretty dry reading, and probably
belong in a more scholarly journal than this
one. This can’t be the sort of article Mark
wants, can it? I hope not, because we can’t tell
anyone, in general, how to “get into charac¬
ter,” nor will we try. For articles on “how to
play a role,” you’d better look elsewhere.

But articles on how to role-play within the

context of a game system are another matter —
and I maintain that this is the kind of article
that appears on most of the pages of most of
the issues of DRAGON magazine.

Some of these articles are written from a

broad, philosophical base, and may come close
to being the sort of general “how to” article
described earlier. (For a good example of this
kind of writing, see Lew Pulsipher’s essay on
“The vicarious participator” on pages 38-39 of
this magazine.)

Other articles we print also “further the

cause of role playing” — even if they happen
to include numbers, charts, and tables to illus¬
trate or support the points they make. In fact,
to the extent that a “world” can only be fully
understood if it is fully quantified, it could be
said that the charts-and-tables articles we pub¬
lish do as much to “further the cause” as any
other sort of article.

I’d appreciate hearing from anyone who

agrees with Mark, or who feels I’m not under¬
standing what he’s trying to say. We’d like to
keep you all happy if we can. —KM

(Turn to page 70)

Dragon 3

Warhorses and barding

From light to heavy, leather to plate

by Gary Gygax

©1983 E. Gary Gygax. All rights reserved.

Warhorses are, of course, simply

mounts which have been trained for
combat. The horse has served as a means
of transportation for mankind since his¬
tory began to be recorded. The use of the
horse in warfare began only a few centu¬
ries thereafter; first horses were used for
pulling chariots, and later they also
served as mounts for soldiers.

As herbivores meant to rim from preda¬

tors, horses tend to be nervous and skit¬
tish even in domestic state. It takes careful
selection and training to create a true
warhorse. The warhorse is obedient,
inured to the noise and confusion of bat¬
tle, and does not shy at sudden move¬
ment, nor become nervous at the reek of
spilled blood. Furthermore, the warhorse
is tough, has stamina, and will certainly
be aggressive in battle. A perusal of the
AD&D™ Monster Manual will show that
ponies, draft horses, and wild equines
have an attack form. This is the bite.
Warhorses, however, are carefully trained
to not only use their powerful teeth as
weapons, but also to strike with their
forehooves when in melee.

The selection of warhorses is possible

for any character trained in mounted
combat. The creation of warhorses is
another matter altogether. A knowledge¬
able and skilled handler and trainer must
carefully choose candidates (in most cases
stud colts), train these candidates for
several years, and then pass them on to
individuals who will introduce them to
battle. In so-called civilized states, such
activity will be accomplished by military
personnel and independent enterprises as
well. In so-called barbaric areas, the
whole process will typically be taken care
of by the young boys and warrior men of
the group, the process being part of the
training to manhood and normal adult

activity of the group. In this latter case,

the animals will almost certainly be light
warhorses, with the most sophisticated of
groups breeding and training medium
steeds as well, but only on a more limited
basis. (The Mongols are a prime example
of this latter case.)

A light warhorse was referred to as a

courser in medieval Europe. Such a steed
was relatively light, quite fast, and had
great endurance. A typical light warhorse
would be from 14 to 15 hands high,
depending on the availability of stock
and the size of the rider.

A medium warhorse was little more

than a larger, stronger light warhorse.

The typical example would be at least 15V2

hands to about I6V2 hands high. Such
animals were the steeds of the elite Mon¬
gol lancers, Saracen elites, and general
cavalry of Europe.

The heavy warhorse, the destrier, was a

huge animal of 18 or more hands in
height and massive bulk. The famous
Clydesdales which you see in certain beer
commercials on TV are horses of this
type. The power and size of heavy war¬
horses allowed the heavily armed and
armored feudal knights and nobles to
crush all opponents not likewise
equipped and mounted, until the long¬
bow and pike proved themselves ... in
the hands of expert troops.

The light warhorse will certainly force

a non-warhorse to move aside. A medium
warhorse will overbear a light one, and
the heavy warhorse will push aside, at the
very least, any lesser steed. Mounts
trained to combat will not only attack
fiercely, but they will await a dismounted
rider's return to the saddle, even going so
far as to protect him or her from enemy
attacks. A well-trained horse might even
be able to bear a seriously wounded rider

from the field/ encounter to the home

place.

Barding: This is simply the term for

the armor used to protect the mount. The
armor so used covers the head, neck, and
body of the warhorse. The main types of
barding are:

Leather — adds 1 factor to AC,

weighs 160 #

Scale — adds 2 factors to AC,

weighs 250 #

Chain — adds 3 factors to AC,

weighs 350 #

Plate — adds 4 factors to AC,

weighs 500 #

Leather barding includes various forms

of padded barding.

Scale-type barding includes various

leather studding and ring mail armors.

Chain barding includes various metal

bands and plates, so the class includes
banded barding.

Plate barding is principally various

pieces of plate with chain mail support in
other areas.

In addition to the weight which the

horse must carry in order to gain the pro¬
tection of barding, the armor will also
reduce the base movement rate of the
mount, as shown on this table:

Barded warhorse base

movement rate:

Barding type

Warhorse
L

light

21"

15"

NA

NA

medium

17"

15"

12"

NA

heavy

15"

14"

12"

12"

L = leather; S = scale; C = chain;

P = plate; NA = not allowed.

Endurance: The effect of wearing bard¬

ing will be seen not only in relative base

4 June 1983

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movement rate but also in the overall

endurance of the mount, provided that
the animal must wear the barding while
traveling. As a rule of thumb, use the base
movement rates on the preceding page to
find the total number of miles the mount
can travel in one day.

Magic Horse Barding: It is possible

that magical armor for horses and other
sorts of mounts can be fashioned. Such
protection would be rare in the extreme.

It would be worth at least five times the

cost of comparable armor (by type, not
class) for a character. The value of such
magical addition can never exceed +3. Of
such barding, 65% would be +1, 25% +2,
and 10% +3. The type of magic barding
found would be: Leather 10%, Scale 15%,
Chain 25%, Plate 50%.

Elfin Chainmail for Unicorns or Grif¬

fons: Protection of this sort can be
allowed by the DM at his or her option.
Weight and movement rate effect is equal
to leather barding. Protection is equal to
chain barding.

Barding for Other Types of Steeds: As a

general rule, steeds able to fly are able to
wear only leather (or elfin chainmail)
barding. Movement rate should be
reduced by one-eighth for such protec¬
tion. Aquatic steeds cannot be effectively
barded. Other types of mounts, such as
elephants, for instance, can be barded,
and only plate barding would have any
significant effect on movement rate. Plate
barding will reduce the movement rate of
a very, very strong mount by from one-
fifth to one-eighth, with an elephant's
movement reduced by the least, or
one-eighth.

SEEING IS BELIEVING

The visual spectacle of D&D® and

AD&D™ games is not usually striking. In
fact, it is most likely to be quite the con¬
trary. A group of people sitting around
with books, note paper, character sheets,
pencils, mapping paper, dice, and possi¬
bly a few painted miniature figures is less
than exciting-looking to the uninitiated.
Even if there are some printed floorplans
and a monster or two in miniature, the
spectacle is low-key.

Is this important to anyone other than

media people covering the "odd phenom¬
enon" of fantasy role-playing games?

Yes and no. Because most of us are habit¬

uated to the purely mental visualization
of game action, we make do with any sort
of markers for people, places, and things.
Most hard-core enthusiasts will have a
fair collection of character figures, and a
few DMs have an assortment of monsters
as well, but the majority of us have few, if
any, painted miniatures. However, this
lack does not detract from our enjoyment
of the game!

If the question is put a different way,

perhaps a point — an important one —

can be raised. Would spectacle add to our

enjoyment of the game? This is worth
consideration, and TSR has been consid¬
ering it for some time. For some, at least,
and I include myself, the addition of the
proper sort of spectacle would add con¬
siderably to involvement, visualization,
and enjoyment of the whole.

We began to license firms to produce

official figures in order to promote at
least the basics of visual adventures. We
are now ready to take this farther. The
overall result will be better and more
exciting than anything you have seen
before.

Many of you Gentle Readers will recall

that Duke Seifried joined TSR about a
year ago. The Learned Gentleman is an
expert in the production (and sculpting,
of course) of not only miniature figu¬
rines, but of other sorts of visual items as
well. Under Duke's aegis, TSR will soon
be producing white metal castings of fan¬
tasy figures in 1" (25mm) scale. These
official castings will be of the highest
quality and detail — but don't take my
word for it — see for yourself when they
become available.

Although these figurines will be supe¬

rior to any previously available, that in
and of itself is nothing more than news of
a minor sort. We are doing more still! A
whole series of 3-dimensional materials is
planned for release soon — castles, dun¬
geons, and the like, plus plastic as well as
metal figurines. Our game division is
likewise planning to support these offer¬
ings with more visual material, and there
are various R&D investigations underway
to add still more to the perceptual ele¬
ment of adventure gaming.

The products are scheduled to begin

appearing in late spring and early
summer. New, different, and unusual
items will follow from time to time over
the years to come. While all gamers will
not necessarily love the visual and other
additions to the game systems, I believe
that the majority of players and DMs will
find that the addition of visual aids and
other components to their gaming builds
excitement and enhances enjoyment of
the whole activity. I, for one, can hardly
wait to get my hands on the new products
— even if I am obligated to write the sce¬
narios for playing the new 3-D modules!
Some of the other plans currently under
investigation are at least as interesting
and pose as many new aspects for game
enjoyment. Remember that you heard
about it here first.

DRAGON™ magazine is currently

studying the possibility of running a reg¬
ular column or series of features on the
whole subject of miniatures, visuals, and
other things which augment the conduct¬
ing and enjoyment of fantasy gaming,
and I am informed that the Kindly Editor
is generously disposed to the inclusion of
such material in the precious space he has
available. If you support such plans,
please be sure and let Kim know!

ENTERTAINING DEVELOPMENTS

Now, it's time to update all Loyal

Readers on the course of events in the
Wonderful World of Entertainment
Media. Most of you know that TSR has a
script, written by Academy Award recip¬
ient James Goldman, for a theatrical
motion picture which is intended to cap¬
ture the essence of the DUNGEONS &
DRAGONS® game.

The script is a remarkable piece of

work, one which could well lead to a film
as successful as STAR WARS or E.T. It
will do a world of good for our hobby . . .
and then could come the series of "hard
core" fantasy films we have all dreamed
about. I, for one, was tired of mere dream¬
ing. I was in Hollywood recently, and
here is a summary of what happened dur¬
ing the trip:

TSR and Marvel Productions have put

together a Saturday morning cartoon se¬
ries, THE DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ™
CHILDRENS SHOW. It will be fun -
especially for the younger kids who don't
yet play the game. Could be some of you
will get a kick out of the program, too,
even though this Humble Designer had a
fair amount of input into the project.

CBS has slated the series to run opposite

the Smurfs and Pac-Man shows. If I may
be so bold as to crave a favor from you,
please do write to your local CBS station
and let them know how happy you are
that they will be running a program
based on the D&D® game. This will not
only make certain that detractors of role-
playing games find it impossible to
mount a successful hate-mail campaign,
but it will help to get more and better
fantasy shows on the air. In short, I was
not idle during my trip — even when I
sat in the fabled Polo Lounge and
quaffed foaming jacks of scotch and soda
or beakers of silver bullets.

We are entertaining proposals for a

multi-media stage production — and that
also looks good! We are seeking an inter¬
ested party for a television production of
fantastic nature and high adventure,
authored by Yours Truly and the worthy
Buck Rogers man, Flint Dille — and
there is interest! While all this is going
on, we are also plotting a swashbuckling
series of AD&D™ game films, and with a
bit of luck I'll be returning to sunny Cali¬
fornia soon to turn outlines into scripts
and scripts into films.

The projected success of these other

endeavors assumes that the "biggie" —
the cartoon series — goes over, and this in
itself seems a likely event. When you
write to CBS, be sure to mentally wish us
luck, and we'll take it from there!

As a final note, I had the opportunity

to talk with the owners of the Conan
property. They too regret the initial
release, and promise that the next will be
different. There is an outside chance that
technical consulting will be sought from
certain well-known-fantasy game sources.
We shall see. ... II

6 June 1983
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Dragon 7

'(MJND9 f f MM

by Lenard Lakofka and Brad Nystul

Bureaucrats and politicians

The bureaucrat tends to be hopelessly average. To determine

his or her characteristics, roll 2d6 of different colors (let's say red
and white). All physical characteristics (strength, dexterity and
constitution) use a base of 10, while non-physical characteristics
(intelligence, wisdom and charisma) use a base of 11. If the red
die comes up 1 or 2, add the result of the white die to 10 or 11, as
applicable; if the red die comes up 3 or 4, subtract the white die
from 10 or 11; if the red die comes up 5 or 6, the white die is
ignored and the characteristic remains at 10 or 11, as applicable.
A bureaucrat must have intelligence or wisdom of at least 11 to
rise any higher than first level (Clerk).

Bureaucrats do not wear armor, but may use or wear any

magic items of protection. They are poor with weapons, fighting
forever as a zero-level character regardless of bureaucrat expe¬
rience level. (See exception noted below for those who were
adventurers before becoming bureaucrats.) They may employ
daggers, clubs and "blunt instruments" (inkwells, candlesticks,
etc.) as weapons. They throw any weapon at -2 to hit. However,
they obtain the saving throws of a cleric with respect to spells,
paralyzation, poison, death magic, rods, staves, and wands. They
save as a fighter versus petrification, polymorphing and breath
weapons, using their level as a bureaucrat (not their effective
fighting level) for the save. Thus, if someone tried to poison an
Official (6th level bureaucrat), the victim's saving throw would
be 9. If a dragon breathed on him, his saving throw would be 13.

Bureaucrats' special skills

Produce trance: This attack form comes from the bureaucrat's

ability to speak fluent Bullroar. The language is basically unin¬
telligible to most beings, but its constant drone tends to place a
victim at ease. Such an at-ease victim is entranced if the bureau¬
crat makes the required percentile roll and the victim (only one
target at a time) fails his or her saving throw.

An entranced victim will take any suggestion or meet any

demand made by the bureaucrat that pertains to the issue at
hand. This issue typically concerns payment to the bureaucrat
for a service, such as the purchase of a license or permit, or per¬
haps an order or a writ to legalize something. Once the speech
ends, the entranced victim will carry out the given order or sug¬
gestion (pay the asked-for price, for instance) unless someone else
(if another non-entranced character is present) can talk him or
her out of it. A successful second saving throw by the formerly
entranced figure means that someone else has convinced the vic¬
tim not to buy the document in question.

An entranced person will not give up magic items or tell

secrets under the influence of this droning speech.

Lose (and find) paperwork: This innate ability shows up in all

bureaucrats who handle documents or get anywhere near a filing
system. (In other words, all bureaucrats.) Documents given to a
bureaucrat for filing or safekeeping will be lost as soon as they
are received, if the bureaucrat makes the necessary roll on percen¬
tile dice.

The lost paperwork will be found again upon another success¬

ful percentile roll, if someone is first successful in urging or
ordering the bureaucrat to look for it. The first roll to find a lost
document cannot be made sooner than one working day after the
document was lost (these things take time). Succeeding rolls to

BUREAUCRATS EXPERIENCE TABLE

4-sided dice for

Experience

Experience accumulated hit Level

points

level

points

title

0 - 1,150

1 + 2

Clerk

1,151 - 3,250
2

1 + 4

Supervisor

3,251 - 5,350

1 + 6

Manager

5,351 - 8,450

1 + 8

Chief

8,451 - 12,550

2 + 8

Obstructionist

12,551 - 18,650

2 + 10

Official

18,651 - 26,750

2 + 12

Bureaucrat

26,751 - 38,850

2 + 14

Authority

38,851 - 54,950

3 + 14
Commissioner

54,951 - 75,050

10

4 + 14

Board Member

75,051 +

11

5 + 14

Chairman

BUREAUCRATS

SPECIAL SKILLS

TABLE

Produce Lose

Level

trance paperwork

Confuse

Captivate

Infuriate

15%

22%

10%

04%

20%

19%

26%

14%
08%

24%

24%

31%

19%

13%

29%

30%

37%

25%

19%

35%

37%

44%

32%

26%

42%

45%

52%

40%

34%

50%

54%

58%
49%

44%

60%

64%

61%

59%

55%

70%

73%

63%

69%

66%

77%

10

80%

64%

79%

77%

83%

11

85%

65%

89%

88%

90%

find the lost paperwork, if required and desired, can be made at

one-working-day intervals thereafter.

Once a particular document or sheaf of paperwork has been

found, that particular bureaucrat will never lose it again — but
paperwork does get passed on from bureaucrat to bureaucrat,
and the next one to handle it might be higher level, and thus
even better at losing it!

Confuse: This ability produces befuddlement in the victim

unless he or she makes a successful saving throw from spells.

The bureaucrat must make an actual attack to confuse; when he

does so, his produce trance attack (if it was being employed) is
lost. Confusion will cause the victim to leave the bureau office or
board meeting, totally forgetting why he or she ever went there
in the first place. The victim obtains a new saving throw daily or
if he or she can be talked to by someone who knows why he or
she went to the bureaucrats' lair in the first place.

Captivate: This attack form can only be cast on multiple fig¬

ures; a single figure is immune. To captivate, the bureaucrat
must be allowed to blather on for a full ten minutes, without
interruption, about what must be done to produce a desired
result. At the end of the ten minutes the victims each obtain a
saving throw (vs. spell) at -2. Those who fail it are temporarily
insane and will walk away drooling. Their wits will return if a
new saving throw is made (saves are allowed every ten minutes)

8 June 1983

Entertainment Concepts, Inc. Presents:

STAR TREK The Correspondence Game!!

“He’s dead, Jim.’’ Famous last words.

Every episode of Star Trek, James Kirk lost one or more men to the
unknown. Although James T. Kirk was probably the most celebrated
Starfleet Captain, he wasn’t Startleet's finest.

Take for example, Capt. Chris Summers of the U.S.S. Apogee. A bright,
young Starfleet Captain, who to this date has not lost a single crewman in
the performance of his duty. And what incredible duties! Trying to stop an
escalating global war on a primitive planet in the Organian treaty zone.
Entering combat with a Klingon armed only with a shield and sword, chasing
a runaway planet into forbidden Romulan space to get back three crewmen.
Whew! Talk about escapism! Chris Summers is Robin Hood, Han Solo, In¬
diana Jones and Harry Houdini all rolled into one.

I know, because I’m Captain Chris Summers.

For a few hours every month, I shut off this Earthbound mortality and
become a Starfleet officer. Meeting adventure and danger in far flung space.
With my First Officer Jame Laurette and Science Officer Annikia ‘Niki’
Hendersholt, I meet and successfully (most of the time) overcome incredible
odds to right the ‘mistakes’ in UFP space.

How? I'm a player in a play-by-mail Star Trek role playing game. The only
authorized play-by-mail Star Trek adventure game by ECi.

ECI stands tor Entertainment Concepts, Inc., and until recently was vir¬
tually unknown.

In August of 1981, ECI was created by Jim Dutton and his wife Betty, and
they began with a small home computer, an ad for their SILVERDAWN game
in a gaming magazine, and launched into the play by-mail gaming business.
Their SILVERDAWN game, which was based on traditional medievil fantasy
role playing games, was so successtul that by their first anniversary they
had hired two more gamemasters and obtained three more computers.

Beginning with 300 correspondents in 1981, SILVERDAWN now is

played monthly by more than 1,200 people.

Meantime, with such a success in SILVERDAWN, Jim Betty, and new

gamemasters Raymond Maddox and William Peschel decided to start a se¬
cond game. They petitioned Paramont tor the rights to Star Trek.

In July of last year they obtained those rights. Offering in the October
issue of STARLOG the game to the general public for the first time, THAT
WAS ALMOST A MISTAKE! New game players doubled, tripled. Why such
success? Because every single penny spent playing the game is worth it.

As a beginning player, you get the option of being Jim Kirk or chosing a
new character and ship of your uwrt. Only 20% uf existing players choose
the Enterprise. That means, most of the players like being “themselves.” In¬
itial cost is $6.00, which gets you a 24-page rule booklet, a unique 420
crewmember (no two are the same) roster (you get to name your own of
ficers, crewmen are named for you), specifications on your own unique
ship, and orders for your first move. Also players get a monthly newsletter
(a miniature Star Trek fanzine named “Priority One" featuring some of the
players better adventures, Star Trek interviews and info and cash contests.

Each move thereafter consists of Starfleet orders, which outline a

scenario and describes the current situation. The narrative details what hap
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Your “Movement” (because the rules are not complex) begins with your

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members of your crew you wish to use, would react and “solve” the prob
lem.

Talk about incredible fun! Your gamemaster uses your characters, by

name, and his knowledge ol the situation to give you the following counter
move. Records are kept with the aid of a computer, so that ECI has a com
plete ‘novel’ of your adventures, as you do.

And your move can consist of up to 3 pages of narrative, detailing

anything under the sun you want to try. Your response will consist of three
to four pages of narrative and a “status report” on the condition and status
of your ship and crew.
I usually savor every moment of it...I tend to linger over my moves, think
ing through my solutions. I interject a sense of drama into my adventures
and breathe life into my characters. Then, impatiently, l await a response to
see how successful I am. I have never been disappointed, even though at
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So, all you armchair Fleet officers out there, who have ever sat through
79 episodes of Star Trek and said, “Gee, I wish I could do that...”

NOW YOU CAN.

Just write to Jim Dutton, c/o ECI, 6923 Pleasant Drive, Charlotte, NC
28211, and tell them that you were recommended for a Starfleet commis¬
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Oh, yes. where was I? Oh, I remember now. “Suddenly I was dumped on
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was. I felt along my shoulder for the halberth wound. 'Damn
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had closed the skin, the wound was still tender. I could tell by the vibration
under my leet that the Apogee was doing at least Warp Eight.

’Bridge,’ I said, reaching lor the com on the wall. ‘This is your Captain,
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‘Captain,’ the voice was that of my Communication officer Cmdr. Bromah

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ot orbit and is headed into restricted Romulan space.’

‘What?’ I countered, then reached for the com a third time. 'Disregard that
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— Gary Lee Stuber

ECI Is using the acclaimed SILVERDAWN move system to bring you the science fiction
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STAR TREK Player’s Kit Is $6, plus $4 for each additional Starship. Each move
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ECI under exclusive II scense from Paramount.

Dragon 9

or if a rational person can talk to them for ten minutes. While

temporarily insane, victims are totally harmless, but also entirely
useless.

Infuriate: This attack can only be accomplished if the victim

has fallen prey to any of the bureaucrat's other attack forms, i.e.
been entranced, been confused, been captivated, or had his or her
papers lost. Now the bureaucrat will explain that it wasn't his or
her fault. The victim(s) then must save vs. spell or go into a rage
for 1-20 rounds. This outburst usually takes the form of physical
violence against the surroundings, as the victim(s) tries to wreck
the bureau by throwing things, ripping up papers, and tipping
over furniture. When the rage is over, the victim may find that
the bureaucrat has summoned authorities to have him arrested.
The friends of a victim will find that calming him can only be
done over the course of 1-4 rounds of constant persuasion, after
which the victim must save again, this time at -2.

Other abilities and characteristics

Bureaucrats obtain a magic resistance to charm spells of 65%

which they may apply prior to their normal saving throw.

A bureaucrat obtains experience points only from doing his or

her job; that is, performing one of the five available special
skills. The amount of experience gained for a successful act is
equal to the bureaucrat's percentage chance of performing the
skill. Thus, if a 7th level bureaucrat manages to lose paperwork
on a project he is working on, he will obtain 58 experience
points. Note that all "attacks" of the bureaucrat, explained
hereafter, are purposeful with the exception of lose paperwork,
which he or she does subconsciously. Purposely losing paper¬
work will cost a bureaucrat the applicable number of experience
points.

A bureaucrat who takes a bribe can add the value of the bribe
to his experience points, using one-tenth (rounded up) of the
g.p. value of the bribe. The experience gain is limited in all cases
to 100 points per bribe, so it literally doesn't pay to offer a
bureaucrat a bribe of more than 1,000 g.p.

Alignment alterations

Bureaucrats begin as lawfully aligned characters (20% lawful

good, 20% lawful evil, 60% lawful neutral). With each promotion
in level, all non-neutral bureaucrats must save vs. spell or change
alignment. A bureaucrat of lawful good persuasion may become
lawful neutral or neutral good; lawful neutral may become law¬
ful good, lawful evil, or true neutral; lawful evil may become
neutral evil or lawful neutral. Neutral evil and neutral good
characters must revert back to lawful evil and lawful good,
respectively, with the next level/alignment change. Bureaucrats
who become true neutral will remain that way forever.

Former members of adventuring classes may become bureau¬

crats if they fit the ability score requirements and are of some
lawful alignment when they become a bureaucrat. The former
adventurer must not have progressed above 4th level, or he or she
cannot then ever become a bureaucrat. A former adventurer may
never wear armor as a bureaucrat, but may use any weapon
allowed to the former class, and fights at a level equal to the
highest level he or she attained in the former profession.

Unseasoned sage ability

Bureaucrats, because of the vast amount of information that

passes by them daily, have some minor sage abilities in various
areas of knowledge. Their information is rarely as specific or
exacting as that of a real sage. Each bureaucrat will dabble in
two of the following fields of knowledge, determined at random:

01-07 Specifics on any town business: income, taxes, prices,

profit, etc.)

08-11 Specifics on any town proprietor: class and — if and

only if class is known — possibly level, with a
margin of error of two either way
12 Ownership of magic items in town: limit one item per
person asking; 15% chance of having such
knowledge about any specific item

13-15 Specifics on any other town bureau or board: inner

workings, procedures, purpose, effectiveness,
accomplishments, problems, etc.

16-17 Specifics on the town nobility, if any: begin with lowest

level noble and move up, giving bureaucrat a 25%
chance to know some valuable information; upon
failing once, his knowledge ends. (A bureaucrat will
know the names and titles of all nobles in his town.)
18-19 Specifics on town officials, mayor, aldermen, sheriff, etc.
20 Specifics on shady town occupants: assassins' guild,

thieves' guild, bully gangs, protection rackets, press

gangs, waterfront bars, etc.

21-23 Local heraldry

24-25 Signs and sigils
2 6 Cryptography

27-34 Demography of humans, demihumans, and humanoids

in town

35-47 History of town or city

48-50 History of county or country
51-55 Legends and folklore of area
56-65 Local laws
66-74 Town customs
75-77 Genealogy of prominent citizens
78-80 Source of maps of town showing sewers, old construc¬
tion, proposed construction, etc.

81 Maps of buildings in town — not necessarily depicting

the interior, or all the rooms, of a structure
83-84 Information on "monsters" in the locale
85 Timetables for ships, barges, wagons, coaches, etc.

86-87 Knowledge of town tariffs, taxes and levies

88-90 Knowledge of local dialects and languages; the ability to
translate them

91-95 Specific facts on local temples and their occupants

96 Information on local magic-users and illusionists
97-98 Information on rangers or paladins in the area
99-00 Knowledge, of one of the above sorts, of another town or
city in the area; reroll on the list, disregarding
results of 99-00, for the type of knowledge

The chance for a bureaucrat to know the answer to a question

in one of his fields is calculated as follows: The question is
judged to be general, specific, or exacting (see pages 31-33 of the
AD&D™ Dungeon Masters Guide for information on these
terms). When giving the answer, consider the alignment of the
bureaucrat before forming the answer and stating it.

The first area of knowledge rolled for a bureaucrat is his or her

minor area of specialty. In this area, the chance to know a single
answer is:

General information: 2% per level of the bureaucrat

Specific information: 1 % per level

Exacting information: x h% per level (round down)

For example, a 7th level bureaucrat is asked a question about

"monsters" in the locale (his minor field). If 1-14 is rolled, the
information he can give in an answer is only general; if 15-21 is
rolled, his knowledge is specific; and if 22-24 is rolled, his
knowledge on the subject is exacting. If 25-00 is rolled, his
answer will be wrong.

The second area of knowledge rolled for a bureaucrat is his or

her major area. In this area, the chance of knowledge is:

General information: 5% per level of the bureaucrat

Specific information: 3% per level
Exacting information: 1 % per level
The exact cost of information will depend on whether the
bureaucrat knows something. However, any bureaucrat will need
at least one gold piece per level just to "break the ice." General
information will cost at least 1 g.p. per level, specific informa¬
tion 3 g.p. per level, and exacting information 6 g.p. per level of
the bureaucrat. The upper limits are usually 5 g.p., 10 g.p., and
20 g.p. per level respectively for such information.

DMs note: Don't give away too much information if it is going

to ruin some phase of play in town! You can overrule the result
of a dice roll at any time!

10 June 1983

THE POLITICIAN is a sub-class of bureaucrat. To become a

politician, the character rolls up scores just as for a bureaucrat,
except that physical abilities have a base score of 9, not 10, and
non-physical abilities have a base score of 12, not 11. (See the
bureaucrat class description, page 8, for an explanation of dice
rolling.) A politician must have a score in intelligence, wisdom,
or charisma of 15, and must have this score in two of the three
abilities in order to advance beyond 4th level.

Not all countries will have elections, and therefore might have
little use for politicians. The most common elective offices in a
town are the aldermen and perhaps a mayor. A few countries
might elect sheriffs and other "county" officials, who would be
members of the politician class. A sheriff is 85% likely to be a
former member of an adventuring class, with some type of fight¬
er being the most common (80%).

Different special skills

Politicians have none of the special skills of their parent class.

If they are to succeed, politicians cannot afford to have it appear
as though they are confusing or infuriating the public the way a
bureaucrat does. Instead, certain other particular abilities are
available to them.

Politicians who are not ex-adventurer types have a 45% resis¬

tance to charm spell attacks, and those who win office have a
chance to cast a suggestion spell in any speech they make before
a group of five or more people. The audience (each member con¬
sidered separately) is only 35% likely to be susceptible. Those in
the audience who are susceptible still obtain a normal saving
throw against the suggestion. Those who fail the saving throw
will make every effort to act out the suggestion if it is possible.
Suggestions to give up more than 100 g.p. (in money, goods, or
services) allow the victim a +2 bonus on the saving throw. Any
suggestions to give up a magic item or more than 250 g.p. in
currency allows the victim(s) a +5 bonus to the save. Politicians
generally will suggest that the listener(s) contribute to his or her
next campaign fund.

Politicians who have won three elections (not necessarily all

for the same office) gain the ability to perform these skills:

Stuff the ballot box: This ability will add 10% to the politi¬
cian's vote total in any election when it is tried, and it can only
be detected by examination of the individual ballots. The per¬
son^) looking at the ballots must make a saving throw vs. spell
to notice the fraud.

Enthrall: Similar to the suggested new cleric spell enthrall de¬

scribed in issue #58 of DRAGON™ Magazine. The politician can
enthrall all members of an audience who can understand the
language the politician is using, and who fail to make a saving
throw vs. spell. The ability is activated after the politician has
spoken for one full round; all listeners eligible to become
enthralled must make a saving throw each round thereafter, for
as long as the politician continues speaking, to avoid being
taken in. The enthrallment is broken as soon as the politician
stops talking. It cannot affect anyone with 4 or more hit dice, or
anyone with a wisdom of at least 15.

Those who fail a saving throw and become enthralled will

stand in awe of the politician, treating him or her as if the
speaker had a charisma of 21. However, enthralled figures will
not undertake action, such as they might if they were under the
effect of a suggestion.

Sixth sense: This is an ability that manifests itself in several

specific ways. First, an accomplished politician has a way of
"knowing" where and when a noteworthy event will occur, and
will make him or herself available in the hopes of being seen
favorably and thus have a chance to gain votes, recognition and
perhaps donations. The chance to employ the "sixth sense" suc¬
cessfully for the purpose of being in the right place is 5% per
level, one attempt per day.

Politicians can employ their sixth sense to see through clouds

of smoke and fog, including such things as a cloudkill spell, a
stinking cloud, smoke from a fire, a wall of fog, a fog cloud,
pyrotechnics, and the like. The chance of success is 10% per level,
once per cloud, twice per day maximum.

POLITICIANS EXPERIENCE TABLE

4-sided dice for

Experience Experience accumulated hit

points

level

points

Level title

0 - 1,200

1 + 2

Reliever
1,201 - 2,400

1 + 4

Party member

2,401 - 4,800

1 + 6

Speaker

4,801 - 9,600

1 + 8

Orator

9,601 - 20,000

2 + 8

Politician

20,001 - 60,000

2 + 11

Chairman

60,001 - 120,000

2 + 14

Leader

120,001 - 240,000

2 + 17

Vice-president

240,001 +
9

3 + 17

President

Politicians have a 7% chance per level to detect lie and an

equal chance to successfully manage an undetectable lie, just as
for the 4th level cleric spell of the same name.

Other abilities and characteristics

A politician can be of any alignment except true neutral. A

politician attacks as a magic-user at all times and obtains the
saving throws of a magic-user as well. He or she may fight with
dagger, club, blackjack, or mace, beginning with one weapon
and obtaining a new weapon of proficiency at 7th level. The pol¬
itician's non-proficiency penalty is -5.

A politician can wear protection items but not armor, except

for a breastplate that can be employed to make him resistant to
fired missiles. The politician cannot wield most magic items,
though he or she can use the following specifically:

Potions — those of animal control, clairvoyance, clair-

audience, delusion, dragon control, ESP, extra healing, gaseous
form, healing, human control, longevity, oil of slipperiness,
philter of love, philter of persuasiveness, plant control, treasure
finding, and undead control.

Scrolls — None, although neither will any kind of scroll have

an effect on the politician. A cursed scroll, for instance, would be
gibberish to the politician and would not work against him.

Rings — those of djinni summoning, contrariness, delusion,

human influence, mammal control, protection, and X-ray vision.

Rods, staves, or wands — none but the rod of beguiling, rod of

rulership, stuff of command, and wand of enemy detection.

Miscellaneous magic items — only the amulet of proof against

detection and location, bracers of defense, brooch of shielding,
crystal ball, cube of force, cubic gate, eyes of charming, any type
of dust, helm of comprehending languages (but cannot read
magic with the helm), medallion of ESP, medallion of thought
projection, rug of smothering, rug of welcome, tome of clear
thought, tome of understanding, and tome of leadership and
influence.

Magic armor and weapons — No magical armor or swords

allowed; however, a politician can employ any magical dagger or
mace, except for a mace of disruption.

Politicians gain experience from two sources: votes, and

money taken in during campaigns. Money found in a dungeon
or similar sort of adventuring environment can count toward
experience for a politician, but killing an enemy (monster) gains
a politician nothing. Election experience is awarded at the rate
of one experience point for each vote received; however, a politi¬
cian can never gain more experience points from one election
than the minimum necessary to advance to the next level. Thus,
a first-level politician could gain no more than 1,201 experience
points from winning an election, even if he received more votes
than that. Politicians who lose elections always lose experience
points and drop back to the midpoint of the next lower level.

Gold pieces found (contributed) also are equated to experience

points on a one-for-one basis, again limited by the fact that gold
can only "buy" one level at a time. And for gold to be counted as
experience, it must be spent by the politician in an effort to be
elected to some office (a campaign within the campaign). Excess
money can be used any way the politician sees fit. Politicians of
non-good alignment can make and take bribes at any time. HI

Dragon 11

T axonomically, dragons have always been considered an iso¬

lated group. According to the Monster Manual, they are all
members of the same genus (Draco) and, apparently, only dis¬
tantly related to the reptiles. However, from faraway Drogasia
comes word of a form that is obviously related to the Draconian
dragons, but also merits distinction as a separate group.

The Drogasian land dragons, or "landragons," as they are

called by the natives, have breath-weapon abilities like their
cousins do, but they lack the ability to fly. However, they have
stunted wing appendages (often put to use for purposes other
than flight) that serve as evidence of the strong evolutionary link
between the two groups. Other noteworthy differences between
the types include the bulkier build of the Drogasians, the shorter,
thicker tail, often used as a defensive weapon, and a different
growth pattern from that of all flying dragons. Also, few of these
flightless dragons show the intelligence associated with their
better-known counterparts.

stray into their area, as well as wild prey. In their encounters

with humanoids, they will be very territorial and defensive. The
arack will bluff and charge "half-heartedly," with crest and
wings expanded, trumpeting the call that gives the beast its
name, attempting to drive off anyone who comes within its
domain. If the intruders run away, the dragon(s) will generally
not pursue, unless especially hungry (1 in 6 chance). If cornered
or the target of a charge, these beasts will attack at once, using
the breath weapon in the defensive mode while doing so.

These great "lizards" grow fairly slowly but continually

throughout their lives. Newly hatched young average 4' in
length (nose to tail) and thereafter they grow at a rate of about 3'
every 10 years until they are 120 years old. Beyond that, during
old age, no further growth occurs.

Dragons of this species can live to be about 150 years old. As

they grow, they gain hit points and earn increases in their melee
attack ability. They are hatched with ldlO hit points and gain
LANDRAGi

These differences have led sages to place the three documented

species of "landragons" of Drogasia in a separate genus, that
being Drogas. Dragons of this genus have the same fear aura
ability as their flying cousins, but they never possess any magical
ability. All three species have developed strong physical abilities,
of both offensive and defensive nature, to offset their lack of
flight and magic, and overall they can be at least as formidable as
the Draconians.

A land dragon found outside its lair will not be asleep. One (or
more) will be asleep whenever encountered inside a lair (usually
a cave or an old dungeon), unless the party awakens the
dweller(s) of the lair in its approach.

Wingless wonders
of a faraway land

by Ronald Hall

ARACK (Drogas amagia)

FREQUENCY: Rare

NO. APPEARING: 1-4 (50%: 1 only)

ARMOR CLASS: 1
MOVE: 15" (climbing: 9")

HIT DICE: 1-10

% IN LAIR: 50%

TREASURE TYPE: B
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3

DAMAGE PER ATTACK: up to 1-8/1-8/5-30

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapon, tail

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Breath weapon

MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Semi- to low
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (up to 40' long)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

The appearance of the arack dragon, and its use of a breath

weapon, make it an obvious relative of the Draconian ("true")
dragons. Its lizard-like body with slightly stunted wing append¬
ages is somewhat bulkier than the bodies of the flying dragons,
but its size and mobility on land make it a formidable opponent.
This species has blue-grey scales and a deep red underside
matched in color by the crest on the head and neck and the
membranous ligatures on the malformed wings. The wings have
three slender "fingers" of unequal length, one with a long nail.
These are the "wing spears" the beast uses as a secondary weap¬
on in melee.

Arack dragons are found in rocky areas on the outskirts of civ¬

ilization. They feed on domesticated cattle, sheep, and goats that

12 June 1983

Dragon 13

one hit-point die with every 4 feet of growth; hence, the length of
a particular arack can be used to determine its number of hit dice
(length divided by 4, rounded down).

A newly hatched arack dragon has no breath weapon, its wing

spears are unusable in attack, and its bite does only 1-6 points of
damage. When it reaches 10 years of age, the creature gains the
use of both its wing spears and its breath weapon; at this point,
the wing spears do 1-3 points of damage per hit each, and the gas
emitted by the breath weapon has full effect but only covers an
area within a 14' radius to 7' high.

As the dragon grows thereafter, the area of effect of its breath

weapon grows as well, with the height always equal to the drag¬
on's length and the radius twice as large. The wing spears do 1-4
points of damage at age 40,1-6 points at age 80, and 1-8 points at
age 120. The damage figure for the beast's bite increases as well
(as shown on the accompanying growth table), going up by ld6
for, roughly, each 27 years up to age 106.

ARACK DRAGON GROWTH TABLE

Damage:

Age^ (jrs.)

Hit dice

ldlO

Wing spears

none

Bite

1-6

L en|f h
10-12

ldlO

1-3

1-6

7'*

13-26

2dl0

1-3

1-6

8'-11'

27-39

3dl0

1-3

2-12

12'-15'

40-52

4dl0

1-4

2-12

16'-19'

53-66

5dl0

1-4

3-18

20'-23'

67-79

6dl0

1-4

3-18
24'-27'

80-92

7dl0

1-6

4-24

28'-31'

93-106

8dl0

1-6

4-24

32'-35'

107-119

9dl0

1-6

5-30

36'-39'

120-150

lOdlO

1-8

5-30

40'

* — Breath weapon capability gained at age 10.

The breath weapon of the arack dragon is a gaseous cloud,

nearly transparent but faintly visible in daylight (but not under
torchlight, moonlight or magical light short of a continual light
spell). The size (area of effect) of the breath weapon, as men¬
tioned above, is a direct function of the dragon's size. The height
of the cloud is equal to the length of the dragon's body, and the
radius it covers is equal to twice that number.

The breath weapon is usable only twice per day but does not
dissipate quickly; the cloud normally persists for 10 turns. Liv¬
ing creatures (except for the arack) within the gas will notice a
sticky dampness and a stifling lack of oxygen (described by the
DM as "stuffiness"). This causes the loss of 1 additional hit
point, cumulative, for each round that a victim is in the gas
cloud: 1 point for the first round, +2 points in the second round
(for a total of 3), +3 points in the third (total of 6), and so on.

If a victim retreats out of the cloud and remains out of its area
of effect for a number of rounds equal to the time he or she was
inside, then the cumulative effect is "reset" (to 1 point) if the
cloud is re-entered. If the "time out" is not as long as the last
period of "time in," then the cumulative damage will continue
to increase, counting upward from where the count left off, if the
cloud and the victim again come into contact. A character who
retreats out of the cloud and stays out long enough to "reset" the
cumulative damage receives a saving throw (vs. poison), success
indicating only half (of the total accumulated) damage was taken
from the character's last time in the cloud.

The other effect of the arack's breath weapon is a damping

effect that it has on magic. The gas reduces the combat effective¬
ness ("to hit" and damage figures) of all magical weapons by 2,
and has an adverse effect on certain spells. A +1 or +2 weapon
becomes, in effect, a +0 weapon, still magical in nature (with its
other special properties intact) but having no enhanced combat
usefulness at the moment. A +3 weapon becomes "worth" only
+1, and so forth. Cantrips and first-level spells will fail automat¬
ically in the casting, or cease to operate — regardless of the level
of the caster — if their area of effect coincides, in whole or in
part, with the gas cloud. A character attempting to cast a spell of
higher than first level must make a saving throw, using the

proper row of the following chart, for the casting to succeed —

but this save is only necessary if the spell is targeted into or
through the breath cloud. (This is in addition to all other rolls
that might be necessary to determine spell success or failure.)

If a magic item having charges is within the area of the breath,

the DM may (optionally) secretly roll a saving throw for each
charge remaining in the item, assuming in this case that the gas
dissipates charges from the item upon exposure of the item to the
gas, but does not prevent it the item from operating (except, pos¬
sibly, by dissipating all of its charges). Artifacts and relics will
not be affected in any case, their spells work normally within the
gas, and they may not be discharged while in the gas.

Spell saving throws

Spell level

Saving throw

Cantrips

Fail automatically

1st

Fail automatically
2nd

20

3rd

17

4th

15

5th

12

6th

7th

8th

9th

Succeed automatic;

Rings

Rods

15

Staves

14

Wands

16

In melee, the arack can be a formidable opponent. If a fight is

imminent, the beast will use its breath weapon to create a cloud
of gas in a convenient area, then step into the cloud to fight the
humanoids threatening it. The gas does not dissipate or spread
under normal conditions (short of a gust of wind spell or the
like), so anyone trying to fight it must suffer the effects of the
breath unless it can be blown away. The effects are not always
obvious, however, since the gas is nearly invisible, even in day¬
light. Meanwhile, the arack will attack with its mouth and wing
spears against anyone in front or alongside it (on three separate
targets). The neck is supple, able to attack on either flank, and
the beast is quick about turning to face those who think they are
behind it. In battle, it sweeps its tail back and forth continually
and with some velocity. Anyone to the rear of the dragon will
have to contend with the tail as they attack; a successful hit by
the tail (rolled as for any other "to hit" chance) knocks the
opponent down, does no damage, but causes the victim to take a
round to get back to his or her feet.

SCINTILLATING DRAGON (Drogas radiatas)

FREQUENCY: Very rare

NO. APPEARING: 1 (10%: 1-6, family group)

ARMOR CLASS: 1
MOVE: 22"

HIT DICE: 2-12

% IN LAIR: 20%

TREASURE TYPE: D
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: up to 1-8/6-36
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapon
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Fear at -3 (see below)

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Low to average
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (up to 45' long)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

This land dragon has a more muscular body than the flying
types, with an agile, snake-like neck and a short, thick tail. The
dragon's scales are luminescent and iridescent; its body is colored

14 June 1983

The scintillating dragon sees humans as

a good source of protein as well as a
threat to its own existence, and will
attack a human-dominated group with
virtually no provocation, unless the
dragon senses itself to be vastly out¬
classed. Anyone who ventures into the
home ground of a scintillating dragon is
considered, literally, fair game.

in rainbow tones that sometimes seem to ripple across the scaly

surface. The scales have a soft glow of their own, which intensi¬
fies the "moving rainbow" effect and actually turns the dragon's
appearance into a sort of natural weapon.

The dragon's strange appearance will entrance some adventur¬

ers. Upon sighting the dragon, all humanoids must attempt to
save by rolling their intelligence or less on d20, with a -3 modi¬
fier to the die roll. Those failing this roll will either run away in
panic (if the roll would have failed without the adjustment) or
stand entranced by the flashing colors. Those thus enraptured
will continue to watch the dragon until they are attacked or until
the dragon moves out of view.

The entrancing effect will be negated if victims are forcibly

turned to face away from the dragon or blinded in some way (a
hood, for instance) and kept from viewing the dragon for one
round. Likewise, it takes one round for characters to "snap out
of it" after the dragon leaves their viewing area. But if an
entranced character is attacked, the trance is broken immediately.
The entrancing effects of the dragon's scintillating hide can only
"charm" a character upon first glance (when the saving throws
are rolled). Those who make this saving throw will not be
affected as long as the dragon remains in viewing range. How¬
ever, a new round of saving throws would be required if the
dragon moved out of, and then back into, viewing range.

This land dragon is not unintelligent and will usually attempt

to eat or disable immobile, entranced victims (attacking at +4
against such defenseless creatures). The scintillating dragon sees
humans as a good source of protein as well as a threat to its own
existence, and will attack a human-dominated group with virtu¬
ally no provocation, unless the dragon senses itself to be vastly
outclassed. The beast seldom seeks out civilized areas for its
depredations, but will if its normal sources of food are depleted.
Anyone who ventures into the home ground of a scintillating
dragon is considered, literally, fair game.

As with other members of this genus, the growth of this spe¬

cies is slow but sustained. At the time of hatching, a young
dragon is only 6' long (including the tail). Growth for the first
60 years of the dragon's life is at the rate of 1 foot every 2 years, to
a length of 36' at age 60. Then the dragon's growth slows to 1
foot every 10 years, to a maximum length of 46' attained at 160
years of age. Individuals of the species have reportedly lived to
age 200.

The scintillating dragon's abilities in all respects are reflected

by its size, with damage, hit dice, and hit probability increasing
as body length increases. A newly hatched dragon has 2dl0 hit
points, a bite that does 1-6 points of damage, and a tail that does
no damage. As the dragon grows, it gains 1 hit die for every 4 feet
of growth.

At 16 years of age (14' in length), the dragon's bite damage

increases to 2-12 points and the bludgeon-like tail is strong
enough to do 1-2 points of damage. This is also the age when the
dragon acquires its breath weapon capability. With every 8 feet
of additional growth, the bite damage increases in damage by
ld6 and the tail by 1 point of damage at the maximum (skipping
the ranges of 1-5 and 1-7). The beast's breath weapon ability
increases as a function of hit points, in the manner described fol¬
lowing the table.

SCINTILLATING DRAGON GROWTH TABLE

Damage:

Age (years)

Hit dice

Bite

Tail

Length

0-7

2dl0

1-6

6-9'

8-15

3dl0

1-6

10-13'

16-23

4dl0

2-12

1-2

14-17'*

24-31

5dl0

2-12
1-2

18-21'

32-39

6dl0

3-18

1-3

22-25'

40-47

7dl0

3-18

1-3

26-29'

48-55

8dl0

4-24

1-4

30-33'

56-79

9dl0

4-24

1-4

34-37'

80-119

lOdlO

5-30

1-6

38-41'

120-159

lldlO

5-30
1-6

42-45'

160-200

12dl0

6-36

1-8

46'

* — Breath weapon capability gained at age 16.

The breath

weapon of the

scintillating dragon is a

shimmer-

ing beam of energy, 10 feet wide and with length equal to five
times the length of the dragon (up to a maximum of 230 feet).

The presence of the beam is practically undetectable; the beam

itself is invisible, but when it is in use the affected area resembles
thousands of glinting dust particles in a strong beam of light.
Damage is computed by rolling one d6 for each hit die the
dragon has (up to 12d6), with a saving throw vs. breath weapon
for half damage. The dragon can use this breath weapon up to 3
times per day.

The damage from this breath manifests itself in an unusual

form. Only half the damage is felt immediately (round down), as
"burn damage." The remainder appears over the course of the
next two days (half of the remainder each day) as the victim
gradually weakens (losing 1-3 strength points each day) and
breaks out in large burns. Non-magical healing from these
wounds doesn't begin until the fourth day after infection and
proceeds at only half the usual rate. Magical healing applied on
the day of the attack heals only half the damage rolled for at the
time of the healing, but the remaining half of regained hit points
will be applied against the delayed damage.

Only after the victim's healing is completed (by magic, time or

a combination of the two), the victim may become aware of the
worst effect of this insidious ray: Short of the use of regeneration
or a limited wish spell, not all of the damage done by the breath
weapon will heal. Permanent damage to a victim is reflected in a
reduction in the victim's number of recoverable hit points.

To compute the amount of permanent damage, roll percentile

dice and multiply the result, as a percentage, times the amount
of delayed damage incurred by the victim (round down). This
gives the number of hit points that may not be recovered thereaf¬
ter without the use of high-level magic. If the hit points or
strength points of a victim drop below zero at any time during
the "delayed damage" process, he is dead.

The loss of strength points is independent of the amount of

damage taken, even if more than one breath attack is used on the
same figure. The lost strength points will be recovered at the
same rate as lost hit points (one every 2 days), and magical cures
will not help this (except for regeneration). When a healing/ cur¬
ing spell is used on a character who has also suffered damage of
another sort, the other damage is recovered first, before applying
any of the healing power to the breath damage.

Example: Kasanati the Unwise, sixth level fighter, and his

party are involved in a melee with a scintillating dragon 39 feet
long. During the fight, the dragon breathes on Kasanati, doing
10d6 of damage. Kasanati successfully rolls his saving throw, cut¬
ting the damage in half, but still suffers 14 points of damage.
Seven points are applied immediately. The party's cleric casts a
cure light wounds spell, expecting to heal about 4 points of
damage, and is puzzled when only 2 points are cured. (The spell
actually did heal 4 points of damage, but only half of the healing
points are applied immediately.)

The next day, as they travel, Kasanati feels weak (he has lost 1

Dragon 15

strength point) and, by day's end, he has lost another 3 hit points
(4 minus 1 of the "healing points") and large blemished areas are
appearing on his skin.

The next day, Kasanati loses another d3 of strength (2 points

this time) and 2 more points of damage (3 minus the last "heal¬
ing point").

Kasanati does not die, since his original hit-point total and
strength score were high enough to stand these losses. The DM
now rolls percentile dice for permanent damage, getting a 68.

This means that the unlucky fighter will be unable to recover

68% of the hit points he lost to the "delayed damage" effect of the
dragon breath. The delayed loss was 7 hit points (simply half of
the total damage; the effect of the cure spell does not enter into
this calculation).

So, of the hit points Kasanati lost to delayed damage, four are
lost forever (68% of 7 = 4.76, rounded down to 4) and the other
three can be recovered. The maximum number of hit points
Kasanati can have when at full strength is now four less than it
was before he decided to engage the scintillating dragon (as if he
had never rolled those four hit points in the first place). This
reduction can only be offset by regeneration, limited wish, or
alter reality spells.
Since the effect of its breath is so damaging and long-lasting,
the scintillating dragon is usually treated with great respect by

all creatures that live within its area, and the dragon moves
about with self-assurance. It expects most of those it meets to flee
(either by being panicked by the "scintillation" attack, or
through real fear of what it can do), or be chewed up if they are
unlucky enough to be entranced.

If several characters attempt to fight it together, the dragon

will be offended — not afraid — and if attackers are clustered it
will use its breath weapon (if possible) to "burn" all who stand
in its way, hoping to garner one or two to satisfy its nearly con¬
stant hunger. If forced into melee, it will use its large mouth to
bite (again, bringing its breath weapon into play if several
opponents are within a potential area of effect), while beating its
tail back and forth to cover its rear. Anyone hit by the tail must
make a saving throw vs. breath weapon or be knocked to the
ground and unable to attack in the next round.

If more than one scintillating dragon is encountered, it will be

a family group consisting of a female and her brood. The hatch¬
lings of this species remain with their mother for protection
until they are capable of using their breath weapon and fending
for themselves. The female will be at least 30' long and the juve¬
niles all 15' or less. (Sometimes one of the young will remain
with the mother for a year or so after acquiring use of the breath
weapon at 14'.) The mother will be very defensive and will attack
at the slightest provocation in an encounter.

NIGHT DRAGON (Dwgas retinosis)

FREQUENCY: Rare

NO. APPEARING: 1-6 (20%: family groups of 2-8)

ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVE: 15"

HIT DICE: 2-8 (dS)

% IN LAIR: 60% (100% in daylight hours, 20% at night)

TREASURE TYPE: Dx2

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: Up to 4.32
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapon
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Hide in darkness
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Average to high
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
SIZE: L (up to 32' long)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

The night dragon gets its name from its nocturnal hunting
habits and is well adapted for this style of attack. Its scales are
black with grey streaks, camouflaging the creature in any under¬
ground or after-dark environment. Night dragons are almost
never encountered in daylight, spending their days in their caves,
or other dark lairs. For this reason their range of vision includes
both infravision and ultravision, but their vision is rather weak
in the normal spectrum.

The beast's quiet movement and the ability to stand perfectly

still when approached provide it excellent cover. In any encoun¬
ter in the dark, a night dragon will be 90% undetectable at a
range of over 3" unless it is backlighted or within the radius of a
light spell (or faerie fire, etc.). When within 3" of a party, a night
dragon will attack, usually with surprise, unless the dragon has
already been detected. If strong light is used by its opponent(s),
the dragon will be at a slight disadvantage (-1 "to hit" on all of
its attacks, including its breath weapon).

Night dragons are quite intelligent and sometimes hunt in

groups of 2 or more. These hunting packs are especially fear¬
some since they will act in concert, to the maximum disadvan¬
tage of their prey. Such tactics as baiting an enemy into an
ambush (with ambushers hidden in the dark), attacks from the
rear, and group breath attacks are not unknown.

This species of dragon exhibits increasingly powerful capabili¬

ties with age, as do others of this genus (see the Growth Table
below). Hatchlings are 3' long including the short, thick tail.

with 2d8 for hit points and a bite that does only 1-4 points of
damage. The night dragon grows at the rate of 1 foot every 4
years. At the age of 20 years (8' in length), the dragon gains the
use of its breath weapon, and the damage from its bite increases
to 1-8 points. The dragon gains one hit die for every 20 years of
age thereafter, and an additional 1-8 points of damage for its bite
every 40 years, to a maximum of 8 hit dice at age 120 and 4-32
points of bite damage at age 140. The dragon does not grow or
experience an increase in power beyond age 140; individuals
have been reported as old as 160 years.

Night Dragon Growth Table

L ge (years)

Hit dice

Bite damage

Length

0-19

2d8

1-4
3-7'

20-39

3d8

1-8

8-12'*

40-59

4d8

1-8

13-17'

60-79

5d8

2-16

18-22'

80-99

6d8

2-16

23-27'

100-119

7d8

3-24

28-32'

120-139

8d8

3-24

33-37'

140-160

8d8

4-32

38'
* — Breath weapon capability gained at age 20.

The breath weapon of the night dragon is an extremely bright

beam of light only V2" in width, effective out to a length equal to
the length of the dragon converted to scale "inches." Hence, a
25-foot-long dragon can use his breath weapon to a distance of
25", converting to 250 feet indoors or 250 yards outside). When
the breath weapon hits an enemy, the light causes damage equal
to the dragon's number of hit dice, except that damage is rolled
with d6's instead of the d8's used for hit dice; thus, the breath
weapon of a 120-year-old night dragon will do 8d6 damage. A
successful saving throw vs. breath weapon allows half damage.

In addition — only if the saving throw is failed — the breath

weapon will cause blindness in victims by damaging their eyes.

A character blinded by a night dragon will remain sightless for 2

days, unless magical aid (such as cure blindness) is used to re¬
store vision. At the end of the 2 days, the victim can regain his or
her lost sight by making a save vs. poison. Failing this saving
throw means that the victim is permanently blind unless magical
aid is employed.

Family groups of these dragons will typically have 1-4 adults

(60+ years old) and 1-4 juveniles (each less than 40 years old).

The juveniles will only attack if directly threatened, preferring to

remain motionless so that they may go undetected while the
adults lead the threat away from them. El

16 June 1983

The electrum dragon by Ed Greenwood

FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVE: 12"/24"

HIT DICE: 7-9

% IN LAIR: 60%

TREASURE TYPE: See below

NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4/1-4/3-24
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapon +
possible magic use
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
ALIGNMENT: Neutral good
SIZE: L (36' long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
CHANCE OF:

Speaking: 100%

Magic Use: 100%

Sleeping: 40%

The electrum dragon (Draco Magus

electrum) is a rare, solitary creature who
dwells far from civilization, usually in
mountainous areas, and always lairs in a
cavern or stone building. It is usually
peaceful and philosophical in nature, but
can be a formidable fighter if aroused.

An electrum dragon fights with its

breath weapon or by spell casting, in
addition to possibly employing its physi¬
cal (claw/claw/bite) attacks, and may
direct these four attacks against multiple
targets in any round of combat.

Its breath weapon is a unique, unstable

gas emitted in a cone 4" long by 3" by 3"
high, which reacts with air and loses its
effectiveness after 1 round. This gas
causes enfeeblement (effects last for 1
turn), confusion (for 9 rounds), or both.
All creatures in the affected area must
save twice vs. breath weapon to avoid
both effects.

An electrum dragon begins life able to

detect magic and read magic, gains the
ability to identify items on touch —
without any ill or cursed effects — upon
growing to Young state, and upon
becoming an Adult, gains the power to
dispel magic once per day. A Very Old
electrum dragon can dispel magic twice
per day. These are all natural abilities
(the former two usable at will without
limitation), rather than spells.

In addition to these abilities, an elec¬

trum dragon gains the ability to cast
spells as follows: Very Young specimens
can cast one 1st level magic-user spell

each 24 hours; Young ones can cast two

1st level spells a day; Sub-Adults, two 1st
and one 2nd level spell per day; Young
Adults, 3 1st and 2 2nd; Adults, 41st, 2
2nd, and 1 3rd level spell: Old 4, 2, and 2;
Very Old: 4, 3, 2, and 1 4th level spell;
and Ancient, 4, 3, 3, and 2.

These spells are never automatically

known. They must be acquired from
scrolls or spell books or through training
with a magic-user. An electrum dragon
must experiment with a written spell for
some time in order to successfully modify
if for entirely verbal casting. (Refer to the
AD&D™ Monster Manual for aging and
other details of dragon nature.)

Electrum dragons enjoy trading, bar¬

gaining, and philosophical debate. They
hoard things of beauty (such as finely
crafted items) rather than wealth per se; a
typical electrum dragon's hoard might
contain statues, a harp or two, tapestries,
and gems and jewelry, but few coins of
any metal. Electrum dragons mate
approximately every 100 years, the female
producing 1-4 rubbery, foot-long eggs a
year after mating. These eggs are laid and
left untended; each egg (if it remains
unmolested) is 75% likely to be fertile, and
will hatch in a matter of days. II

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Dragon 17

Seven swords

by

Ed

Greenwood Realms

"No spells tonight," Elminster said

with a smile. "It is of swords I would
speak."

"Swords? Magic swords, I take it?" I

asked, settling myself in the chair across
from him.

Elminster grinned through his curling

beard. "As ever, your mind runs swiftly
on a narrow track. Yes, magic blades —
but only after you tell of the famed
swords of this world, for I am most inter¬
ested in the to-ing and fro-ing betwixt
both our worlds . . . mayhap some blades
have made the journey."
"No problem," I replied, reaching for
this, that, and other books from the
shelves surrounding us both. Thus
armed, I told the old sage of King
Arthur's Excalibur, and Arondight, blade
of Sir Lancelot of the Lake.

I spoke of Charlemagne's Joyeuse and

Flamberge (= "the flame-cutter"), and the
swords of his stalwart paladins Roland
(Durandal), Oliver (Glorious and Haute-
claire = "very bright"), Rogero (Bali-
sarda), and Rinaldo (Frusberta).

I turned to Siegfried, and told the sage

of that hero's swords Gram (= "grief"),
Mimung, and Balmung.

I read aloud from Spenser of the blades

Chrysaor and Sanglamore, and then
passed on what I could find of the Cid's
blade Tizona; Ogier the Dane's Courtain
(= "the short sword") and Sauvagine; Sir
Bevis's Morglay (= "big glaive"); and
almost a hundred more. I read from old
books, modem fantasy stories, and guide¬
books to royal regalia until the night had
quite gone, and Elminster had filled his
pipe almost forty times.

When I ran down, he nodded approv¬

ingly at me in the grey half-dawn. "Your

tongue proved even longer than I had

hoped," he said. "I recognized no blade of
the Realms with certainty in all your
gabble, but no matter. In return, I will
tell you of seven blades of power — oh,
yes, there are countless others, but only
seven this time, mind; blades that I have
seen with my own eyes, in the Realms."

What he said thereafter I have set down

below.

Name(s): Adjatha, "The Drinker"

Description: Adjatha is a +2 longsword

of fine blue steel, hilted with steel in sin¬
gle cross-quillon and a plain, spherical
polished knob pommel. Set in the heart
of the tang, where the quillons meet just
above the fine chain-wrapping of the
grip, is a large (one-inch diameter)
cabochon-cut black sapphire (worth 6,000
gp). There are no known markings or
runes on the blade, and it does not shed
any radiance.
However, upon touching any magic
item (not including scrolls, but including
potions if these are poured over the blade
or it is immersed in them), Adjatha
siphons off magical energy, causing the
item in question to glow, shedding a pale
green-white radiance, until the item is
drained of dweomer or the sword and the
item are separated.

The Drinker can never permanently

drain an artifact, but it can steal the
magic of lesser items. In all cases, the
touch of Adjatha causes one power or
effect (per round of contact) of the item to
be nullified for 1-4 turns after contact. If
the item has limited charges, or operates
but once, sufficient contact with Adjatha
can drain it entirely of magic. The blade
absorbs the dweomer into itself in a

peculiar way, retaining magical energy to

protect itself and its bearer.

Per charge drained or round of contact

(many lesser items of magic will be
drained after 13 or so rounds of contact),
Adjatha gains 2 "hit points." It has 9 "hit
points" worth of personal strength, and
may add any magically drained points to
its own, without (known) limit. Any
attacks on Adjatha or its bearer must
exhaust these phantom "hit points"
before they can harm the physical entities
of blade or bearer. When reduced to its
original 9 hit points, Adjatha cannot
absorb further damage to its bearer, and is
itself vulnerable. Anyone grasping the
grip of Adjatha can receive its "hit point"
protection; there is room for a maximum
of two bare human hands to grasp the
grip at one time.

Adjatha, it must be noted, cannot

repeatedly drain the vitality of the same
item; after two contacts with any single
item. The Drinker cannot drain anything
more from it — but note also that a con¬
tact, if uninterrupted, can continue for up
to 1 turn before any bearer must with¬
draw or risk the onset of feebleminded¬
ness due to magical backlash (10% chance
each round beyond 1 turn of continuous
contact). Drained "hit points" gained by
Adjatha in no way cure existing damage
to its bearer, but merely absorb all further
attacks until exhausted.
Adjatha cannot drain or negate spells
cast at it or its bearer, and confers no spe¬
cial magic resistance except immunity to
psionic domination, charm spells, and
similar direct mind-control spells. This
immunity does not extend to sleep, sug¬
gestion, ESP, and the like.

Lore: The Drinker is first known to

18 June 1983

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have existed more than four hundred

years ago, in the reign of Kurskos Iron-
hand; it was the sword of that monarch's
herald and chief councilor, Amrok of the
Dwarves. Kurskos slew Amrok in a night
of revelry after one Shieldmeet, and took
Adjatha the Drinker — plus the enmity of
the Dwarves — as his own. Amrok was of
almost human stature, and it has often
been said Adjatha is of human and not
dwarven manufacture, for it is of full size
and heft for a strong, long-armed
swordsman.

The stories of its making are many and

colorful — and most are doubtless as fan¬
ciful as the tale told by Thyri of Amu,
who stole Adjatha from the palace vaults
in the sack of Aumreayum upon the
death of Kurskos. Thyri held that Adjatha
was given to his grandfather by the gods,
and made any of the family who wielded
it invulnerable in battle.

Thyri was easily — almost contemptu¬

ously — slain by the first man who chal¬
lenged him, a merchant from Calimshan.
That merchant, whose name is lost, was
slain while on caravan soon after by a
mischievous kenku. In like manner. The
Drinker has often changed hands over the
years, usually remaining with any one
owner only a short time.

Elminster saw Adjatha forty winters

ago at the court of Nesker of Mulmaster,
when the sorcerer-king was studying it to
increase his own arts. It disappeared

before Nesker's death and came to light

briefly in reports of fighting in the Shaar,
apparently being wielded by one of the
nomad chieftains. The sword was stolen
from him, and despite sending agents far
afield, he was unable to recover it. The
present whereabouts of the blade are
unknown.

Name: Albruin

Description: Albruin is a broadsword,

of a steel/electrum/silver alloy, demon¬
strably as effective as silver against
undead and other creatures who suffer
particular effects from contact with that
metal. It is +1 to hit and +3 on damage. It
sheds an eerie blue radiance (up to 1"
radius) when drawn from its scabbard. It
is of chaotic neutral alignment (intelli¬
gence 17, ego 13), communicates by
speech (alignment tongue, common,
elvish, drow, thieves' cant), and can read
languages and magical writings.

Albruin's bearer can, at will, activate —

and maintain by concentration — the
sword's power to detect invisible objects
in a 1" radius. Albruin can also neutralize
poison once every 3 days, and heal its
bearer once every 12 days. These powers
are evoked at the will of the bearer, or by
the sword if the bearer is unconscious and
Albruin deems it advantageous to itself to
activate either power. Physical contact
between Albruin and the flesh of the
bearer is necessary for the powers to work.

Lore: Albruin is believed to be the crea¬

tion of the long-dead smith Surdee, who
was famous in his day for the craftsman¬
ship of the work that came out of the
forges of icebound Glister, where he
worked ore fresh from the mines above
the city on the edge of the glacier. The
blade itself evades questions as to its
origin; there are no markings or definite
touches of workmanship that identify
Albruin as the work of anyone in
particular.

Albruin was held for decades in the

royal house of Cormyr, kept as a family
treasure but seldom (due to its alignment)
borne by the kings of that land. It was
stolen from the palace at Suzail some
ninety winters ago by the thief Nyparr
("Nipe"), a halfling who was soon
arrested at Wheloon by soldiers of Cor¬
myr and slain when he attempted escape.
Nipe did not have the blade when seized,
and did not reveal its whereabouts. It was
rumored amongst the thieves of that place
that he had sold it to a "grey trader"
("fence") by the name of Blusken Shtult,
who had a merchant barge on the
Wyvernwater, and that Blusken had
sailed from Wheloon up to a port on the
northern shore of the Wyvernwater and
delivered the blade to a waiting buyer.

The blade's whereabouts were uncer¬

tain for some twenty-four winters, until a
lady of high birth in Selgaunt, one
Shamur, found the blade left behind in
her bedchamber by a visitor fleeing the
city guard. He never returned, and
Shamur sold it when she married. It was
bought by an adventurer visiting the city
of Selgaunt on matters of trade (gold for
mercenaries), and wielded thereafter in
several minor skirmishes about the East-
ingreach before its owner died in an
ambush. His slayer, the adventurer-prince
Thaum of Telflamm, used Albruin to
help him take the lands of Impiltur forci¬
bly from his father's rule and found his
own kingdom. Thaum eventually died by
magic (hired by his father Kuskur, who
was unable to regain control of the lost
lands), and Albruin was acquired by one
of Thaum's warriors, who fled the dead
king's keep and took the blade back
westward into the Dalelands.

This warrior, one Adjuz by name, per¬

ished at the hands of brigands on a
northern road, and Albruin disappeared
from view — but not before Adjuz had
sought out a sage (Elminster, of course)
in Shadowdale to learn the blade's true
nature and powers.

After the death of Adjuz, the trail of the

sword is hidden for some eight winters,
but it is known to have been in the hands
of the mercenary general Malakar on his
visit to Zhentil Keep in the spring of the
ninth year thereafter, and was identified
again by the sage Murail of Sarbreen
when a mercenary warrior sought him
out to learn the blade's properties in that
city some six winters beyond that time.
From then to now, the whereabouts of

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Dragon 21

Albruin are unknown, but Elminster is

careful to remind us that its plain
appearance and its ability to control
many of its bearers would contribute to
this anonymity.

Name(s): Ilbratha, "Mistress of Battle"

Description: Ilbratha is a bronze

shortsword with a row of six matched
bloodstones set into the helve of the blade
on its left face. Each bloodstone is worth
70 gold pieces; as an undamaged set of
stones, they might bring 500 to 600 gold
pieces if sold shrewdly. Ilbratha does not
glow and bears no inscriptions. It is +1 to
hit and +1 on damage, and when grasped
by a fighter of any alignment, its powers
will be communicated telepathically to
the holder. This is a feature of its magical
manufacture; it is not sentient.

Ilbratha gains its nickname from its

powers, which are very useful in combat.
When grasped (flesh to handgrip) and
mentally ordered, Ilbratha can with its
bearer jump (as in the spell; 1 leap only)
three times per day, blink itself and its
bearer once per day, and create a mirror
image of itself and its bearer once per day.

It also rings like a struck chime or tu¬

bular bell when it is touching magic; this
includes spell effects from devices and
physical contact with enchanted items,
but not physical effects (such as a stink¬
ing cloud or gust of wind) caused by an
already-cast spell. This power is a warn¬
ing only, and is in no way a protection
against magic.

Lore: Ilbratha was created by unknown

hands at the behest of Azoun I, long-dead
king of Cormyr. He bore it once into bat¬
tle, at Ithmong in his war with Tethyr,
and then lost it in a storm that wrecked
his ship on the rocks of the Neck.

The sword was found by fishermen of

Teziir and sold to a rich merchant, Sevan
of Amnwater. He took it west on caravan
along the Trader's Road and the river
Chionthar to Scornubel, where he sold it
to Phelas Urm, a merchant of Thentia.
Phelas brought it overland through Cor¬
myr, where it was recognized in Arabel.
Agents of King Azoun attempted to re¬
cover it, and slew Phelas, but in the con¬
fusion the blade was lost (or stolen by one
of the agents for himself).

All trace of it was lost until, two

hundred winters later, the sage Thallas-
tam of Procampur was offered the blade
for 1,500 gold pieces by a peddler from a
nearby town who seemed ignorant of its
true nature. Thallastam brought the
blade to Elminster in Shadowdale, the
only fellow loremaster interested in
swords whom Thallastam trusted.

Elminster identified the blade from the

writings of Azoun I (the old king's great-
grandson had then just come to the
throne), and Thallastam bore it back
toward Procampur by way of Tilver's
Gap and Essembra. But he was never seen
again, and did not reach Procampur. His
ruined diary, his staff, and a skeleton

were found some years later when the

Pool of Yeven in Battledale was dragged,
but the sword was not found. Elminster
believes it is in the hands of brigands, or
perhaps mercenaries, who have not since
drawn the blade in battle near the Dales.

Name(s): Namara, "The Sword That

Never Sleeps"
Description: Namara is a longsword
(+2 to hit, +4 on damage) of fine steel
forging. It glows with a pale mauve
radiance when drawn, and spits white
sparks when striking other metal. On one
side of the blade is etched in common:
Namara, and on the other face Never
Sleeps. The bearer may, at will, evoke the
sword's power to emanate silence 15'
radius.

Namara is as heavy as a normal weap¬

on, but will float on top of any liquid —
fresh water, brine, oil, wine — it has so
far been dropped into. The sword has no
alignment or sentience.

Lore: Namara appears in many legends

and tall tales, but the term "The Sword
That Never Sleeps" appears to be derived
only from the inscription on the blade
and does not refer to any specific property
of the sword. Its origin is unknown;
Namara appears to have existed for as
long as tales have survived, wielded by
such mythic heroes as Eth and Brensyl
the Tall. Even the most critical of sages
(Kumur the Skeptic, First Speaker of
Evemoster) cannot determine Namara's
probable time or place of origin, or find
any references in the tales of a world to a
time "before Namara was forged."

Within the last five hundred years,

Namara has been the blade of Serrus the
Great, founder of Amn, and a blade borne
there by his descendants for three genera¬
tions; the fourth, Ereskas, bore Namara
north to found the city of Mirabar.

Ereskas died without issue, and Nam¬

ara was carefully preserved atop his tomb
in the city. There it remained for sixty
winters, until Mirabar was overrun and
plundered in the Goblin Wars. The gob¬
lin chieftain Nethaug seized the sword
and bore it back to a ravine so deep in the
mountains that the goblins, who were
subsequently almost eradicated from the
North, still hold this ravine today.

The blade remained in goblin hands

for almost two hundred seasons, until a
goblin named Ghaur was slain by a band
of adventurers known as the Company of
the Gryphon. The leader of the band, a
warrior called Flarr, gave the blade to
Thulmar One-Eye of Port Llast in
exchange for training some eighty win¬
ters ago.

Thulmar bore the blade until his death

in the Cold Winter, whereupon it passed
to the Mistress of Port Llast, Stormraven
the Proud Queen. Stormraven, who rode
and fought at the head of her men with
her jet-black hair flowing wildly about
her, briefly made Port Llast great. She is
remembered fondly by old warriors, and

will live long in fireside tales. At length

she married a former foe, Parldulph of
Neverwinter, and gave Namara to her son
Rivenhelm.

Rivenhelm, who became one of the

greatest knights, passed the blade on to
Tamper Tencoin, an adventurer. Tencoin
stood over the wounded knight in battle
with the mercenary company of the Flam¬
ing Fist for most of a day in a vain
attempt to save Rivenhelm's life. The tiny
band held on till nightfall, when the
mercenaries fell back and drove in their
tracking dogs to ravage the wounded
enemy. Rivenhelm handed Namara to
Tencoin in the darkness and said "This is
yours now." Leaving a trail of blood
behind him, Rivenhelm crawled forward
to choke the life out of one dog and died
under the jaws of half a dozen more.

Tencoin lost the blade when he was

poisoned in the Whistling Wizard Inn
four winters ago. The poison made him
mad for days, and when he returned to
his senses, Namara was gone. Elminster,
who saw the blade when Tencoin visited
Shadowdale some years before this event,
believes it was stolen by local thieves and
will soon turn up again. And when it
does. Tamper Tencoin will come looking
for it.

Name: Shazzellim

Description: A scimitar of rather poor

steel but keen edge, with a guard of iron
curved into rearing serpents. Its grip is of
leather, dyed red, but this may now have
been replaced. Shazzellim is neutral evil,
has an intelligence of 16 and an ego of 14,
and communicates by speech (alignment
tongue, common, thieves' cant, orcish). It
is +1 to hit, can detect magic in a 1"
radius if the bearer so wills while wield¬
ing it unsheathed, and in like manner can
locate object in a 12" radius. It can also
detect secret doors in a Vr radius at the
bearer's will, and read any non-magical
languages or maps. It will heal its bearer
once per day, at the bearer's will, and has
a special purpose: to slay bards. Any bard
struck by Shazzellim strikes will be disin¬
tegrated unless the victim saves vs. spell.

Lore: Shazzellim was created by (or at

least under the orders and with the assis¬
tance of) Lauzoril of the Red Wizards of
Thay, in order to destroy his enemies the
Harpers. Little is known of the Harpers;
they consist of bards and a few rangers,
are known by the device of a silver moon
and a silver harp, operate in the northern
regions on both sides of the Great Desert,
and are a secretive organization rather
than a band or race of people. Of the
bards of great power, only Mintiper is
thought not to be a member, and of the
high-level rangers, only Thulraven and
Estulphore are believed to be independent
of the Harpers.

It is not clear if the Harpers are any

thing more than a private club or fellow¬
ship at present, although in the past they
have acted in concert to keep kingdoms in

22 June 1983

the northern lands and in the Dalelands

small in power, and on at least two occa¬
sions have forcibly prevented the expan¬
sion of farms and settlements into elven
woods. The cause of Lauzoril's enmity
toward the Harpers is unknown.

Elminster saw Shazzellim when Ahlzul,

a captain of the armies of Thay, brought
it to Archendale to slay the ranger Dove.
Mistakenly Ahlzul attacked the wrong
woman — the knight Jasilmer — and was
himself slain. Ahlzul's men recovered
Shazzellim and their captain's body, but
were later killed by men of Archendale
over a code-of-conduct dispute.

Shazzellim disappeared from view

briefly, was later identified by the sage
Helavaster of Hillsfar when brought to
that city by the caravan master Lhemako
Tarsakh, and subsequently passed into
the hands of Lhemako's superior, Meer.
The scimitar does not appear to have
passed on to Meer's superiors in Zhentil
Keep (unless one of the lords of that city
is hiding it from his fellow lords for some
reason), and may have been stolen, hid¬
den, or passed to another by Meer before
his disappearance. The blade's present
whereabouts are unknown.

Name(s): Susk, “The Silent Sword"

Description: Susk is a slim longsword

of fine make and good (oil-) slaked steel,
devoid of adornment or inscription. It
does not glow of itself or even reflect

light, so that it does not appear to be

metal from afar. Its nickname comes from
its magical silence: The sword never
rings, clatters, scrapes or emits any sound.
A blade struck against it may ring, but
Susk itself remains silent. This silence in
no way affects creatures, spells, objects or
any area about the blade.

Susk is +3 to hit, but does normal dam¬

age (1-8/1-12). It has no apparent intelli¬
gence or sentience, and only one other
magical property — it levitates involun¬
tarily. That is, it can never rise, fall, or
move in any way by itself, but always
remains stationary when released, even if
in midair. It can be moved while so float¬
ing by being struck with other objects, or
by magical effects (such as telekinesis),
but will stop quickly when such force is
removed.

Susk cannot therefore be effectively

hurled at an opponent, or tossed away to
prevent its capture — it will stop mere
inches from the point of release and hang
in midair. There is no known limit to, or
way to nullify, this power. Any creature
may grasp (and, if not a spell caster to
whom cold steel is forbidden, wield) Susk
without harm. It confers no magic resis¬
tance or spell immunities upon the bearer.

Lore: Susk is a blade mentioned repeat¬

edly in tales and legends of the north. Its
origin is unknown — and curiously,
never mentioned in any folklore — but it
seems to have always been around in the

hands of someone or another. Its present

whereabouts are a mystery; the sage
Elminster can speak of its location with
certainty only over a short span of time
beginning some twenty winters ago,
when he recognized it in the hands of
Abadda, a northern prince of the Fallen
Kingdom, who was then a proud wan¬
derer and bandit-leader.

Abadda was challenged by Distyl of

Nesme at the court of Alustriel, High
Lady of Silvery moon, in Elminster's pres¬
ence. During the fight that followed,
Elminster and at least one other — the
adventurer Umen of Yartar — recognized
the blade for what it was.

Abadda was slain in combat, and Distyl

rightfully took the blade. Shortly thereaf¬
ter he was found dead by his campfire on
the Trollmoors, and Urnen was seen in
Longsaddle not much afterward, bran¬
dishing a blade that was demonstrably
Susk — to Urnen's eternal dismay: When
he let go of it involuntarily in the middle
of a tavern brawl, it hung in mid-air,
beyond his grasp, as he was dragged to
the floor and stabbed to death.

A local bully, Usk Harpell, claimed the

blade, but was found dead in a nearby
alley within the night, the blade gone. It
disappeared from view at that time, but
recent reports from Shadowdale (some six
winters back) and Mulmaster (two win¬
ters ago) suggest that the strange blade is
still "changing hands the hard way"

mrm

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KLINGON CHARACTER SUPPLEMENT

Dragon 23

amongst the adventurers and caravan

merchants of the Realms.

Name(s): Taragarth, "The

Bloodbmnd"

Description: Taragarth is a bastard

sword, of steel fire-blackened along the
length of the blade so that only the sharp¬
ened edges gleam. On the base of the
blade, just ahead of the simple crossbar
guard, is a rune etched into the metal.

The rune is non-magical and evidently

the mark of the blade's maker, but who
the maker was has been lost over time.

Taragarth requires strength and stature

to wield, but while it is held unsheathed,
the bearer is protected from fire (effects
equal a ring of fire resistance) and will be
protected by a feather fall if descending
10' or more precipitously.

Taragarth strikes normally but does +3

damage. It does not glow and is not sen¬
tient. While gripping Taragarth (even
sheathed), the bearer is protected from
ESP and detection spells (including know
alignment). Such spells will simply have
no effect. This protection does not affect
charm, sleep, other control-related spells,
or psionic attacks.

Lore: Taragarth was forged by Elfgar

of Silverymoon in the early days of the
North, and was given to the champion
Aeroth when he led the armies of the
kingdoms of the North against the trolls
of the Evermoors. The might of the trolls

was broken at the Long Battle (of nine

days duration) across the moors, and
Taragarth was brandished aloft bloodily
so often by the valiant Aeroth that it was
dubbed "The Bloodbrand."

Much later, when Aeroth was grey-

bearded, Rayuth of Silverymoon died,
and the throne passed to his son. Aeroth,
grieving for his lord (and none too fond
of the sadistic, proud Tulven, Rayuth's
son), took ship west from Waterdeep, sail¬
ing first to the isle of Toaridge-At-The-
Sun's-Setting and later to the Moonshae
Isles. There, with his wife and six sons,
Aeroth founded the city of Vlan. His de¬
scendants, the nucleus of a group swelled
by other disenchanted or dispossessed
mainlanders, were to become the feuding
merchant houses of the Moonshae Isles.

But Aeroth's sword was not seen on his

voyage, and most legends hold that he left
it in Silverymoon, where it has been lost
in some concealed hoard or in one of the
many warren-like caverns beneath the
city. A few sages know that, in truth,
Aeroth hid the blade in a ruined well on
the isle of Toaridge so that his argumen¬
tative sons would not fight over it.

There it lay while ages passed, until an

exploration party of illithids found it and
carried it to their underground city on the
mainland near what is now Beregost.
There it was studied for only a short time
before a band of adventurers plundered
much of the city and gained it.

The names of the band are now lost;

one was a fighter who later took service
in the merchant-guards of Amn and died
battling bandits on the banks of the Sul-
duskoon river. It seems likely that he bore
Taragarth, but no word of it can be found
after it (presumably) fell into the hands of
the- bandits, until a wandering peddler
offered it for sale in a market at Berdusk.

It brought 400 pieces of gold from an

adventurer who recognized it, but he mis¬
takenly told a companion what he
thought the sword was, and was dead by
the next morning. So was the companion,
murdered in turn by the assassin Turl.

Turl carried the blade north to the city

of Scornubel, using it to pay off a debt to
his guildmaster Iritan. Little is known of
Iritan, who evidently ruled the guild with
an iron hand for more than twenty win¬
ters, but one spring he appeared in
Waterdeep, dying of poisoned wounds,
and gave the blade, plus more wealth, to
the wizard Marune. Much of Manure's
wealth was lost in subsequent upheavals,
and The Bloodbrand fell into the hands
of an unknown someone in Waterdeep.
Where it traveled then is not known, but
four winters ago it was brought to
Elminster when he was visiting Westgate,
for examination, by a swarthy, much-
scarred fighting man of Calimshan who
gave his name as Vulph. The present
whereabouts of Vulph and of the blade
Taragarth are unknown. II

There*s more where this came from!

Unfortunately, most of the back issues of DRAGON® Maga¬

zine are sold out. Issues still in stock are listed below. If you’ve
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24 June 1983
Are You A Cold-Blooded Adventurer?

Try Our Reptiliads!

Reptiliad General (Hatha)

Reptiliad Standard Bearer

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SE-13 Medieval Cannons: Pot Au I

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SE-16 Greek Fire Projector.

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Introducing the Reptiliads, a nation

of lizard men, wandering the world '
search of experience and riches to take
back to their impoverished homeland to
save it from domination by the
Fiercely proud and independant, this
cient race has dwindled in recent years until
rediscovered by the scholar Ossian.

His book is now available describing

this remarkable tribe. Our designer has
prepared miniatures of their warriors
and these may be added to your campaign.

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RE-100 Reptiliad Command Set (Unit

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RE-101 Reptiliad Flank Unit (with

Halberd and Bident).

RE-102 Reptiliad Pike File (Front, Middle

and Rear Flank).

Dragon 25
The ecology
of the

Bulette

by Chris Elliott

and Richard Edwards

"Brethren of the Guild of Naturalists!"

The hum of conversation in the hall

fell to an expectant hush as the speaker, a
short, balding man in the robes of a
Guildmaster, raised his arms for silence.

"For untold years, there has been no

sighting of the Teeth in the Earth, more
prosaically known as the Land Shark,
and even in the Guild there were many
who dismissed the tales of this spawn of
sorcery as little more than legend.

"Tonight, however, we have with us a

man who has not only seen one alive and
been within three poles of the behemoth,
but actually hunted it for trophy!

"From the land of Morn — A'ahb the

Hunter."

The Guildmaster stepped back, his

place taken by a tall, rugged man in
sandy-colored robes; black-bearded, hook¬
nosed, burnt and weathered by sun and
wind. Without preamble, he addressed
the expectant Guildsmen.

"I've hunted all kinds of game, but like

most of you I never thought the bulette,
the land shark as you call it, was any¬
thing but the stuff of legend. How could
such a beast swim through the earth like
a fish through water, even if it was
magical?

"Then, five years ago, I was in a little

known and even lesser traversed area of
Morn when I heard rumors of tribes that
tracked such a beast, digging the earth
from where the bulette had passed, taking
the mud that they found, and smearing it
on their plows.

"I asked the reason for this strange

practice and was told that it made the
plows cut the earth like the prow of a
boat cuts the water. I began following the
source of these rumors, to the east, deeper
into the interior of the sparsely populated
wilderness.

"I was approached by the headman of a

native village shortly after my arrival on
his premises. He confirmed the stories I

had heard, and from what he said I began

to get an idea of the nature of the beast.

"It existed — that much seemed certain

— and its uncanny powers must come
from an ability to secrete a slime from its
skin that works like the potion for trans¬
muting rock to mud, known to some
wizards and alchemists. But this secretion
must be weaker than the potion in
strength and duration, and it seems to
work only on earth, not rock.

"The headman said that he was glad I

had come this way. His village was being
terrorized by an enormous rogue bulette,
an albino of the species, that the natives
called 'Mobh Idich' — The Great White
One. Many warriors had tried hunting it,
but it would either pick them off singly,
or, gathering speed beneath the surface, it
would burst forth upon a small group,
just as a porpoise leaps out of the water,
and devour them all.

"The headman asked me if I thought I

could kill it. I didn't know if I could or
not — but I knew I wanted to try. ..."

The hunter paused, perhaps savoring

the anticipation that he knew his
audience was feeling.

"When I first saw a bulette on the sur¬

face, it fitted all the partial descriptions I
had heard. Its body was articulated, and
covered in thick, scaly plates that built up
into a carapace on its back. Part of this
shell could be extended to become the
horny fin that produces the weaving fur¬
rows that criss-cross the land shark's
domain. Its stocky, powerful limbs can be
retracted while its muscular tail is pro¬
pelling the beast through the earth. The
mouth opens almost to a right angle,
revealing a gaping maw filled with rows
of dagger-like teeth.

"The beast is warm-blooded and

breathes air, surfacing to do so. It is likely
they bear live young, but if so this is done
beneath the surface. As far as I know, a
pregnant female has never been seen.

"I can tell you are wondering how I got

close enough to the beast to find out all
of this without being eaten. Well, you can
find out these things from a dead one just
as well — and I found a way to kill the
bulette that has worked for me time and
again since the first.

"From what I had been told, I figured

that the bulette hunts by tracing vibra¬
tions in the earth, rather than by scent.

So, I caught myself a kobold. A horse

would work just as well, but they're
much too valuable to use for bulette bait.

I found a solitary tree, tied the kobold to

the trunk on a short rope, and nestled
myself in the branches with my heavy
crossbow in hand.

"The kobold circled frantically. I sent

an occasional reminder in its direction
with my crossbow when it started to slow
down, and after a while the constant
movement of the kobold in the small area
had done its task. I sighted a large fin
weaving across the plain. It circled the
tree, spiraling inward, and then abruptly
made its final rush.

"As it burst from the earth, jaws wide

open and mud streaming off its flanks, I
let fly with a large quarrel smeared with
poison — right down its gullet.

"What's that? Yes — only one shot,

thanks to the poison. Really, once you've
got the technique down, it's quite easy.
I've killed others since the first day, but
there's always something special about
the first one. I still keep the hide of The
Great White One as a memento. ..."

At this point A'ahb the Hunter pulled

on a cord, and a cloth behind him fell
away to reveal a huge skin stretched on a
frame. The meeting dissolved in chaos as
members of the Guild fought to be the
first to examine it.

(An earlier version of this article

appeared in Dragonlords — Yet Another
Fantasy & Sci-Fi Roleplaying Magazine.)

26 June 1983

New from GDW

for

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The Brotherhood

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Rival gangs of thugs,

hitmen, and godfathers
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Assault

Tactical Combat in Europe

Winning the first battle of
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Tarsus

World Beyond the Frontier

A boxed module for
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The Near East

Europa IX

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The Normandy Campaign

Beachhead to Breakout
Division-level, hidden
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All new adventures for the
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World War I Air Combat

Multi-player boardgame of
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The Journal of the

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Issue 17

A special feature section,

Amber Zones, The
Bestiary, and Ship’s
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Free Catalog On Request

Dragon 21

Tracing THRUSH's nest

The place: London The time: 1894

by Arlen P. Walker

"Footfalls echo in the memory

Down the passage we did not take
Towards the door we never opened
Into the rose garden
Shall we follow

The deception of the THRUSH? Into

our first world."

— T. S. Eliot, Four Quartets

The year was 1891. The single largest

threat to the peace and freedom of the
world had just been eliminated. James P.
Moriarty, professor of Mathematics,
Napoleon of Crime, lay now at the foot of
the falls at Reichenbach. He had been
removed, and the price was the life of
only one man. Yet this price was a dear
one. True, the prime force of evil in the
world was no more, but neither was the
prime force of good. In dealing with the
professor, Sherlock Holmes had paid the
final price. He, too, now lay at the foot of
the Reichenbach.

So much was made known to the world

by the late John Hamisch Watson, M.D.
Yet, something more was now happen¬
ing, unbeknownst to our favorite doctor.

The passing of Holmes had led many

to begin to weave elaborate webs of crime
and treachery. Once such group met in
the Northumberland Hotel shortly after
that fateful day.

Scotland Yard had rounded up most of

Moriarty's gang, and with the help of the
evidence in "Pigeonhole M" of a desk in
Baker Street, successfully prosecuted those
they had arrested.

But there were yet some who were too

smart for the Yard, which no longer had
Holmes' sure guidance. These men,
knowing Holmes was now out of the
way, met to plan the building of an
empire of crime the like of which the
world had never seen. It was at this meet¬
ing that Colonel Sebastian Moran
appeared, breathless from his hasty return
from Europe, with the news that Watson
had lied: Holmes still lived!

The topic of the meeting rapidly

changed. Holmes alive!! That meant they
could not operate openly, that they must
stay well submerged beneath the surface
of society. Their plans must all be long-
range, now. But the aim would stay the
same — to conquer, to control, to remove
any obstacles that stood in their way.

Moriarty was an eminent mathemati¬

cian, a scholar, and he gathered many
fine minds about him. These were the
men who served as the planning commit¬
tee for this new organization.

They called their new organization

THRUSH — the Technological Hier¬
archy for the Removal of Undesirables
and the Subjugation of Humanity. As the
name suggests, THRUSH recognized
Science and Technology as the wave of
the future; and they were the first organi¬
zation to support their vision with per¬
manent staff for research and
development.

Their first order of business: find a

foolproof method of planning their oper¬
ations. This was of paramount impor¬
tance now that Holmes was known to be
alive. Moriarty had been their leader, and
he had planned many a foolproof job.

But in the end he proved to be only a

man, he failed to outwit Sherlock
Holmes, and that failure cost him his life.

From this incident the Ruling Council

learned two lessons. Lesson one was that
no human planner was to be fully
trusted. Humans could fail, and no one
could hope to predict how or when with
accuracy. Lesson two was that the proper
reward for failure was death.

The first commission of the R & D

department at THRUSH was the con¬
struction and testing of The Computer.

To the agents of THRUSH, it will

always be known simply as The Comput¬
er. Charles Babbage had been one of
Moriarty's mentors. Babbage, in fact, had
shown Moriarty the plans for his comput¬
ing machine. Moriarty had remembered
them, and had been at work himself on
perfecting it. Not satisfied with knowing
that it would work if only the materials
could be properly made, he set himself
the task of designing the materials. This
work was almost completed at the time of
his unfortunate demise. His cohorts
remembered the many times he had
boasted that when this work was finished,
it would be the only thing in creation
that was smarter than he was.

Smarter than Moriarty, and a machine

— and therefore not prone to making
mistakes. That was precisely what they
needed! So the top brains of THRUSH
set about deciphering Moriarty's notes.
And building. And testing.

Finally, three years later, it was ready.

The council fed it all of the information
about the present time — 1894 — and
waited. The Computer gave its first order,
for the surveillance of 221B Baker Street
and the execution of Sherlock Holmes.

Colonel Moran bumbled his assign¬

ment and paid the penalty, but he went
like the soldier he was, without a hint of

what lay behind his attack. The Comput¬

er then revealed that it had expected
Moran to fail and had given him this
assignment to eliminate what it judged
was a weak link in the mighty chain the
machine was forging. As the council sat
and waited. The Computer revealed its
plan for the conquest of the world.

It directed that THRUSH should form

shadow governments throughout the
world. But these governments would not
correspond with the official ones.

National borders were irrational, illogical

barriers. Instead, the world was divided
into regions, each having some common
factor unifying the territory it covered.
These divisions were called satraps.

Because the people and governments

within each satrap have their own flavor.
The Computer selects as the director of a
given satrap the person it considers best
able to work in that area. The satrap is
then, for the most part, left to govern
itself. While each satrap therefore shares
the same aims as the others, it may go
about achieving those aims differently.

Sometimes rivalries may spring up

between directors as personalities clash. If
the two satraps cannot be made to coexist,
at least on the surface, both directors will
be replaced.

Above the directors of the satraps are

the councilors. There are thought to be 26
councilors, each one taking as his title a
letter of the alphabet. The ruling Council
of THRUSH meets periodically in its
capital city to review the progress being
made on the projects assigned by The
Computer.

This capital city of THRUSH (which

goes by the same name) is unique in that
it has no particular geographic location.
The Computer realized that a city is
nothing more than its people, and that
the major weakness of a city is its immo¬
bility. The Computer decreed that
THRUSH, then, would be an entirely
portable city. The elements of the city
move with it to each location so skillfully
that no one has ever been able to say with
certainty just where it is currently.

But THRUSH is a complete city, for

all its portability. It has a standing army,
as well as a force of civil servants, both
dedicated to the movement and protection
of the city. Its security has never been
penetrated by any who survived the visit.
As far as is known, this is the only major
espionage center that can make this
claim.

There does not seem to be any area

28 June 1983
where the city cannot go. It has left traces
of its existence in an underground cavern
in the southwestern United States, as a
floating city on the Atlantic, encased in a
dome submerged in the Pacific, even in
the Himalayas. One report even claims it
was floating in the air.

As with all century old-firms, some tra¬

ditions have grown up with THRUSH.
For one thing, the council members seem
to be patterned after the professor who
had, albeit unwittingly, designed their
entire organization. The council members
all have a very prominent place in the
everyday world as well. There have been a
few statesmen and diplomats, but by and
large, the council members were and are
world-renowned scientists.

The members of THRUSH are dedi¬

cated to the accumulation of power. This
is the "drug" they use to recruit most of
their members. In return, these members
are loyal, for they realize that only
through THRUSH can they acquire the
power they seek. There are very few defec¬
tions from THRUSH, and virtually none
from the upper echelons. No councilor
has ever been known to defect.

"Thrush" can be the name of a bird as

well, and the group member seems to
have taken to their namesake quite read¬
ily. Some of their uniforms include
decorative feathers and wings. The field
headquarters are called nests. And above
and beyond all, they are experts in aerial
operations. It has been said that if a place
is accessible by air, THRUSH can break
in — and probably already has. And if it
can't be reached by air, they've probably
been there, too, just to find that out.

Missions are planned with little or no

regard for human life. If it costs a thou¬
sand lives to achieve The Computer's
aims, so be it. The aim will be achieved.
Agents are always implanted with a mon¬
itoring device linked to The Computer. If
The Computer decides the agent is about
to betray the organization, it detonates an
explosive device housed within the mon¬
itor. The agent, of course, dies.

The average man on the street will

have no knowledge of THRUSH, but if a
citizen is found who has heard of it, the
chances are the contact left him with a
good impression; the aims of THRUSH
are apt to be persuasive if presented in
public. Their aim is world peace. Also,
they seek an end to petty national rival¬
ries, world hunger, and pestilence. They
have been known to sway idealists with
this line, and some directors honestly
believe this is what they're working
toward.

That some traditions have arisen over

the years within THRUSH does not,
however, indicate that it is hidebound.

The Computer has realized that as times

change, it must change too. As new tech¬
nology has arisen, either on the open
market or in THRUSH's labs. The Com¬
puter has absorbed this new technology
into itself. And as a result, it has grown

tremendously in thinking power over the

years.

In the past, it had insisted on being

transported with the city of THRUSH,
but now, in an age of instantaneous
worldwide communication, it has decided
it must remain constantly awake, ever
vigilant for an opening it may exploit in
its opponents' defenses. While The Com¬
puter's exact location is not known, it is
believed to be somewhere in the East Six¬
ties in New York City.

The Computer has not limited itself to

physical changes. As the multinational
corporations came into being, it realized
that in them lay a great opportunity. It
began to penetrate them, and through
judicious moves in the international
financial arenas. The Computer has even
built one or two multinational entities of
its own. There are reports that a few mul¬
tinationals have even been awarded the
status of satraps.

While THRUSH has changed much

over the years, some things remain con¬
stant. Its policy on failure is one. If an
operation should go awry, it is not the
fault of the plan. The Computer did not
err; the plan was perfect. It was the
human who failed to carry it out. And if
you fail, you are unworthy of serving the
perfect planner. There is a short trial by
the councilors, after which the "failure"
is disposed of.

THRUSH agents have a number of

weapons, and the agents are quite diffi¬

cult to disarm, because there is always
one more device hidden somewhere. One
of the most popular is an exploding
tooth. If one is taken from an agent, look
again; they usually carry two. Some
agents are immunized to truth drugs, but
that is usually reserved for those in the
highest echelons.

Of late, there have cropped up in the

world many terrorist organizations whose
sole aim, it would seem, is to destroy.
These organizations, while useful at
times to THRUSH — mainly as diver¬
sions — do not fit in with the organiza¬
tion's plans. THRUSH has no intention
whatsoever of destroying the world: How
can they rule a burned-out cinder?
Members of THRUSH have even been
known to cooperate with their arch-foe
UNCLE (about which more will be said
in the article that follows this one) in
foiling a group which had that aim.
THRUSH's preference is to conquer
without firing a shot, but they will kill as
long as the spoils remain intact.

THRUSH has come a long way since

its inception in 1891; from the broken
remnants of Professor Moriarty's gang, to
the super-secret, super-powerful organiza¬
tion of today. And they may have a long
way yet to go, but they are willing to
wait. For them, it is only a matter of time
until the final act is played out in the
century-long plan of The Computer. II

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Dragon 29

In trouble? Say UNCLE

The date: New York City The time: now

by Arlen P. Walker

UNCLE's Headquarters building is not

easily located. We won't be able to find it
in any phone book. However, we can
begin by prowling around Third Avenue
in New York, a location where many
UNCLE agents have been spotted.

As we travel along Third Avenue in

New York's East Forties, we come to a
public parking garage. If, at this corner,
we turn left we will see a row of brown-
stones and, at the far comer, a three-story
white building.

The first two floors of this building are

given over to a "key club" (a private club
whose members identify themselves by
showing a key at the door) called The
Masked Club.
The Masked Club gets its name from
the fact that — in deference to the privacy
of its members — all those inside (includ¬
ing the waitresses and staff) must wear
masks. The patrons all are businessmen
"unwinding" after a busy day. The club
also has a dance floor and band, and
banquet rooms are available.

On the third floor of this building are

the offices of an agency known simply as
UNCLE. The offices are modest, consist¬
ing mainly of desk after desk of earnest-
looking young people, all of whom are
busily telephoning.

If we stand inside the door for a while

looking lost, the receptionist will come to
our aid. If we ask what UNCLE is, she
will explain that it is an organization
that attempts to aid the hungry and
oppressed all over the world. She will
then recite facts and statistics of deaths
from famines and floods, and the torture
of political prisoners in various countries.
If we offer to donate to the cause after she
finishes her spiel, she will tell us that
UNCLE has been entirely funded by an
eccentric billionaire, but that if we really
feel we must donate, she can take a gift
from us to forward to another organiza¬
tion less fortunate than UNCLE.

The rest of the brownstones are fairly

nondescript; most are residences. The
most prominent of the non-residences is
Del Floria's Cleaning and Tailoring.

Upon entering Del Floria's we find it

to be a small, comfortable establishment.
To the left, against the wall, are many
bolts of the excellent fabrics which will
upon request be made into equally excel¬
lent suits. To the right are racks of suits
already made. Against the far wall is a
row of changing rooms, with a small
light above each door that comes on if the
room is occupied.

Occasionally a man will enter the shop,

go to a rack and select a suit, and head for
the changing rooms at the rear. As he
approaches the rooms, the light over the
third door will wink out, and that will be
the room he enters. After he has entered
the third booth, the light will again come
on. A few minutes later he will emerge,
return the suit to the rack, look around a
bit more, and leave.

But at Del Floria's, things are seldom

what they seem.

Del Floria himself is a mild-seeming

man in his late fifties. It might be hard to
imagine, but he is also a highly respected
member of UNCLE's Section VI. He is a
guardian, and his shop is a secret
entrance to the inner chambers of
UNCLE Headquarters. He is the only
member of UNCLE below Section I who
knows all the members of UNCLE by
sight. He is also a capable guardian, this
route to headquarters having only been
penetrated once in the history of UNCLE.
(He offered to resign on the spot when
this happened, but Waverly wouldn't
hear of it.)

This is what actually happened

"behind the scenes" in the incident de¬
scribed above: An agent came to report in
through Del Floria's. He selected a suit as
an excuse to use the changing room. The
light is always on over the third cubicle,
insuring it will always be available when
an agent needs it. Del Floria, recognizing
the man as an agent, makes any excuses
necessary to allow him (Del Floria) to get
to his desk. Once at his desk, he operates
a hidden switch, turning the light over
the third door off. The light going off is a
signal to the agent that Del Floria has
recognized him and it is safe to enter.
Once in the cubicle, he twists the clothes
hook at the back, and a panel slides aside,
giving him entry into a brightly lighted
corridor leading to a desk. At the desk, a
receptionist hands him his identity badge
and takes the suit he selected from the
shop. She puts this suit on a table beside
another agent who is busily making him¬
self up to look like the agent who has just
come in. When his disguise is complete,
the second agent takes the suit, returns
through the cubicle, places the suit back
on the rack, looks around a bit more, and
leaves, returning to HQ (if he desires)
through a secret door in the parking ga¬
rage. Meanwhile, the agent who received
the ID badge from the receptionist pins it
on his lapel and goes his way through the
labyrinthine corridors of UNCLE HQ.

UNCLE — the United Network Com¬

mand for Law and Enforcement — is
divided into six sections, each one over¬
lapping slightly the duties of the sections
(if any) that are above and below it. If the
Policy Board is captured or eliminated,
control of the network will pass to each
section in turn. If any of the lower sec¬
tions are eliminated, the other sections
will take over their duties.

Section I: Policy and Operations. This

is the head of UNCLE, the section that
controls the network. At the top is the
Policy Board, a council of five men.

These men do not live on the same conti¬

nent as one another, making the capture
or control of them as a unit as difficult as
possible. Alexander Waverly, who was
involved in the founding of UNCLE in
1946, is the current Chairman of the Pol¬
icy Board. He is therefore the sole
member of the board residing in North
America, and his office is in UNCLE HQ
in New York. The Policy Board never
physically meets in one location, and
only in extreme emergencies do even two
of the members meet face to face; sessions
of the board are held over an encrypted
satellite link.

Policy Board members are the only per¬

sonnel permanently assigned to Section I,
but many members of other sections are
temporarily attached to Section I to carry
out support functions and special mis¬
sions. No one in UNCLE can hold a
higher clearance than a Section I clear¬
ance, which is sufficient to open any file
in UNCLE. Only Policy Board members
have a Section I clearance full-time,
although temporary Section I access may
be granted in extreme cases.

Section U: Operations and Enforce¬

ment. At age 33, Napoleon Solo was the
youngest man ever to become Chief
Enforcement Officer, a position which
shares with the Operations Chief full
control over Section II. Only UNCLE's
top agents, the ones able and ready to
kill, are found here; these are UNCLE's
shock troops. When there is an enemy
stronghold to break into. Section II will
always be found leading the way.

Section III: Enforcement and Intelli¬

gence. This group gathers the hard-to-
obtain data and takes on the high-risk
intelligence operations as planned by Sec¬
tion II. Covert actions will be carried out
from here. The agents in this section are
strongarm artists, but they do not have
blanket authority to kill, as Section II
agents have. Killing is a viable option for

30 June 1983

Dragon 31

river entrance would now be the hardest

to break through.

The first and second floors of UNCLE

Headquarters are taken up by the staffs of
Sections II through VI. The third floor
contains Waverly's office, as well as other
offices for agents temporarily attached to
Section I, and some other high-secrecy
projects. The third floor, for instance, is
where a daily radio message from the
Himalayas is received and processed — a
message so secret it is never written down
anywhere.

Access to UNCLE's third floor is sel¬

dom granted. In addition to the chemical
code required, badges allowing third
floor access are color-coded as well; the
current color for third-floor access is
white.

The most prominent feature of the

third floor is Alexander Waverly's office.

It is a very large room, in part because of

his importance as a member of the Policy
Board and in part because it doubles as a
briefing room for those missions run per¬
sonally by him. Centered in the wall is a
breathtaking view of the United Nations
building, a symbol of Waverly's own
belief that the nations of the world must
learn to cooperate, or the world is
doomed. Although the view is lovely, it is
not seen through a window; rather, his
"window" is a projection screen for a pic¬
ture picked up by a remote camera.

Waverly himself is something of an

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32 June 1983

enigma to those who work for him. No

one sees him leave his office, but he has
frequently been seen strolling the corri¬
dors of UNCLE observing his people at
work. Many thousands of people have
worked for him, and while he always hes¬
itates before calling anyone by name
(perhaps a holdover from times when he
dared not use anyone's real name), he has
never been known to forget any name.
Every morning he reads newspapers from
every major city of the world, and he has
an uncanny knack for being able to put
facts from several papers together and
discover some new danger to which
UNCLE must respond quickly. He
claims to be in his fifties, but his war
record stretches back more years than that
allows for. No one knows Alexander
Waverly's real age, but it is almost certain
he is past UNCLE's mandatory retire¬
ment age — a fact that even UNCLE's
central computer doesn't dare call atten¬
tion to.

Waverly doesn't make as many forays

into the field as he once did. On one of
those trips he was captured by THRUSH;
that organization attempted to extract
information from him, but found he was
immune to every truth drug they had.
Waverly remains the Policy Board
member with the highest profile.

UNCLE's main goal is to secure the

peace and freedom of the world. The
organization tends not to get involved in
national disputes unless they threaten the
safety of the world. UNCLE's main
opponent is THRUSH, although it has
encountered other groups whose goal was
world domination (and one, DAGGER,
whose object was world destruction).
UNCLE agents have a strong reputation
for fairness and impartiality, which has
influenced many of the world's other
intelligence organizations to assist
UNCLE when such assistance was
needed.

The second goal is secrecy. UNCLE

tries to keep as low a profile as possible,
hence its philanthropic front. The rea¬
sons for this are twofold. First, if a new
group threatens the world, UNCLE will
have the advantage of surprise. The
group will probably not be prepared for
an organization as far-reaching and effi¬
cient as UNCLE. Second, if the general
public knows nothing about the actual
nature of UNCLE, it will be more diffi¬
cult for some headline-hunting dema¬
gogue to use UNCLE as a scapegoat for
the world's troubles. Also, if the general
public knew of UNCLE's true purpose, it
would know of the danger that UNCLE
is always fighting, which could lead to a
world-wide panic.

The actions of UNCLE agents will be

predicated on these two major goals.

They will not interfere with the domestic

affairs of any country, and they will keep
as low a profile as possible.

The requirement to keep a low profile

means agents will seldom kill. When an
agent of Section II kills in the course of
an assignment, a special UNCLE clean¬
up squad is called in to tie up loose ends
before civilian authorities can discover
them.

While its repeated confrontations with

THRUSH have forced UNCLE to design
and build a super-computer of its own,
there remain some major differences
between its and THRUSH's. UNCLE did
not have access to the single-minded pur¬
pose of THRUSH's technology, and as a
result UNCLE's computer is not the
equal of THRUSH's. In addition, the
UNCLE computer does not run the
organization, but is subservient to the
human members of Section I. The com¬
puter only suggests, it does not order.

There have only been two defections in

UNCLE's history; one a security team
member who went insane, the other a
communications tech from Section V.

There has never been a defection from

above Section V.

There have been security breaches,

though. Most have occurred because of
bad judgement by station heads in var¬
ious parts of the world. Some have been
quite damaging, but none has resulted in
lasting harm. The penalty in UNCLE for
a security breach is dismissal. II
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Spying on the spies

Author's notes: A struggle with sources

by Arlen P. Walker

After reading the foregoing articles,

you are probably wondering where all
this information came from. Most of it
came from published sources, but some of
it, I must confess, I manufactured myself.
If the division between the two is not
readily apparent, I have succeeded, and I
thank you for the compliment.

There were three "official" sources:

personal memories of The Man From
UNCLE television series (MGM-TV),

The Man From UNCLE paperbacks (Ace

Books), and The Man From UNCLE
Magazine (published by Leo Marguiles
and edited by Cylvia Kleinman). The bib¬
liography at the end of this article is not a
complete list of available sources; the
entries represent only the books and mag¬
azines to which I had access, either from
my collection or from the public library.

Writing the preceding articles was not

as easy as merely going through the
books, jotting down relevant facts, and
presenting them. The Man From UNCLE
was, first and foremost, a television series,
and television series are not noted for
their consistency. Many writers worked
on the TV episodes, and as a result, many
contradictions appeared in the show. Del
Floria's didn't seem to be in the same
location, or have the same neighbors, all
the time. Contradictions appear in even
greater number in the magazines, most
likely attributable to the pressure of
grinding out 20,000+ salable words each
and every month.

How then to resolve the contradictions?

I decided the paperbacks should be my
primary source, since they were (presum¬
ably) produced at greater leisure, with the
magazines secondary (I still would have
something on paper I could quote from if
necessary), and my memory would serve
to fill in the gaps. In all cases I reserved
the right to break this rule to accept an
item which seemed especially intriguing,
and to improvise if none of the alterna¬
tives seemed artistic enough. With these
ground rules established, I began to
pursue that elusive bird, the THRUSH.

Perhaps the most interesting facet of

THRUSH (and the centerpiece of the
article) was its connection with Professor
Moriarty. Was THRUSH ever explicitly
linked with the Napoleon of Crime? Not
in so many words, but here is a quote
from The DAGGER Affair (see the bibli¬
ography for complete reference on this
and other quotes):

"The First Council was made up of

survivors of an unnamed organization

34 June 1983

which had been built entirely from

nothing by one of the most brilliant
men the world has ever known. The
Professor was a genius in two slightly
related fields — mathematics and
crime. In 1879 he began to construct a
web of power which covered all of
Europe and was extending its tentacles
into America by the time he was killed
in 1891."

True, never a specific mention of Mor¬

iarty. But can there really be a doubt? Is it
possible there were two mathematics pro¬
fessors intent upon building an interna¬
tional criminal organization? . . .

The turning of the aims of the organi¬

zation from crime to world control is
documented by another quote from The
DAGGER Affair:

"(The members of THRUSH) were

aware of a few things the Professor
had not seen. Crime, per se, does not
pay as well as it used to. And money is
no longer hard to get. The true wealth,
they knew, lies in personal power.

They set for themselves the goal of

unification of the entire world into the
image they foresaw, with all ineffi¬
cient, non-productive or anti-
productive members of society elimi¬
nated, and the efficient, productive
members producing at their
direction."

So we now have Moriarty's crew aimed

at world control. Next, we turn to The
Computer. In keeping with the Moriarty
motif, I introduced it with the same
phrasing Watson used to introduce Irene
Adler. But The Computer does exist and
does direct THRUSH, as documented by
more references than I have room to
quote. It is described as the Ultimate
Computer. But who built it?

Here I ventured onto less firm ground.

Its designer has never been named, or
even hinted at, but a computer that com¬
plex must have been designed by a genius
with a high degree of expertise in
mathematics. Does this unknown
designer begin to resemble someone I
have already named?

Where did Moriarty acquire his interest

in computing machines? How did he
learn their design? He might have learned
about them by studying the designs of
Charles Babbage — but a more artistic
solution began to take shape. Babbage
lived until 1871. What lover of mathemat¬
ics would not desire to meet the inventor
of the "difference engine"? We have
already seen Moriarty's penchant for

turning desire into reality, so we may

assume such a meeting occurred. Bab¬
bage, upon seeing Moriarty's interest and
recognizing his obvious talent, would
naturally wish to get Moriarty to con¬
tinue his work on computers.

Moriarty would accept the challenge,

and was not one to let a lack of tools
hinder him. Hence, he came up with the
design and plans for the construction of
The Computer, even though he never
lived to see it completed.

The date I have given for THRUSH's

founding is 1891, while in The DAGGER
Affair it is given as 1895. Why did I
change the date? Well, Holmes was
thought to have gone into the Reichen-
bath in 1891. Yet the writer of The
DAGGER Affair would have us believe
that Moriarty's organization did nothing
until 1895, four years later. This clearly
was inexplicable; with the one man dead
who could hope to oppose them, the
founders of THRUSH should have
sprung into a frenzy of action. Why were
they silent? Clearly, because they knew
Holmes still lived.

But how did they know this? Mycroft

surely would never have let slip such a
secret, and he was the only man whom
Holmes told. But there was one other
man who knew Holmes had survived: the
confederate of Moriarty who stood atop
the cliff as long as he dared and rolled
rocks down upon Holmes. In "The
Adventure of the Empty House" Holmes
tells Watson he was sure it was Moran
who gave him that "evil five minutes"
out on the ledge.

If Sherlock Holmes was sure, who am I

to argue with him? Therefore, we know
that Moran knew Holmes was still alive.
As Moriarty's chief lieutenant and heir
apparent to his organization, it was
clearly Moran's duty to return and inform
the others — and so he did. While the
members still at large in London were
planning their crime wave, Moran arrived
with the news that doused all their hopes:
Sherlock Holmes still lived!

If they were still to exist, the master¬

minds of THRUSH needed a counter¬
force for Holmes; hence, their insistence
on prompt completion of The Computer.
Moran was not of high enough caliber to
run the organization, so The Computer
sent him on his suicide mission against
Holmes. There might perhaps have been
yet another motive for Moran's assign¬
ment, though: Maybe The Computer was
already securing its position of authority

within the group by eliminating the one

candidate who might possibly challenge
its domination. At any rate, it was only
after Moran's elimination that the serious
business of world domination could get
under way. Since we know that Holmes
returned in 1894, Moran was probably
executed late that year.

The first meeting of THRUSH proper,

the group that was out to rule the world,
could only take place after Moran's exe¬
cution, so the THRUSH leader's asser¬
tion of 1895 could be correct, since that
would have been the time of the first
meeting using the name THRUSH. But
moving the formation of the organization
back to 1891 solves the problem posed by
the quietude of Moriarty's henchmen for
four years after his death.

The remainder of the details of the

organization, tactics, and goals of
THRUSH are mainly straight from the
sources, with only minor points which
could easily be deduced from the facts
given used to fill in the gaps.

The best source of information on

THRUSH is The DAGGER Affair ,
which recounts the only time (as far as I
know) that UNCLE and THRUSH ever
cooperated. Working alongside
THRUSH gave agents Napoleon Solo
and Ilya Kuryakin a great many insights
into that organization — insights which
are shared by the readers.

UNCLE, on the other hand, was a

much more difficult and less rewarding

row to hoe. While much of the informa¬
tion on THRUSH came from one author,
no single writer contributed nearly as
large a share of the pool of knowledge
about UNCLE. So many different authors
contributed, and so poor was the editing
of their work, that there are almost more
contradictions than data! It would seem
that no one could agree on section names
used within UNCLE, how many secret
entrances there were to UNCLE HQ, or
where these entrances were.

I finally accepted the section names

from The Thousand Coffins Affair. My
reasoning was that there was not as much

time pressure for this, the first UNCLE

paperback, as there was for the rest, so
there was more time to get the details
right. Also, the first book of a series tends
to be more tightly planned, in order to set
the stage for future adventures.

The duties of the various sections

within UNCLE are about half docu¬
mented, the remainder being logical
deductions from the names of the sec¬
tions. The reason for the overlapping of
duties between sections was never
explained, so the one I supplied was pure
guesswork.

The physical location of UNCLE HQ

is well documented, as well as the secret

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Dragon 35

entrance through Del Floria's. The

remai nder of the block, except for the
white stone building and the garage, is
never detailed. The indoor furnishings of
Del Floria's and the UNCLE office on the
third floor of thewhite building are from
my imagination and memory.

The operation of the secret entrance at

Del Floria's is never adequately
©(plained, and the button which frees the
back panel of the changing room is
located in many different and mutually
exclusive places, so I guessed at these
things. The agent check-in procedure is
fairly well documented, except for the
conduct and re-entry of the agent who is
assigned to cover the home station. These
were just surmises on my part. Nowhere
could I find a better identification of the
key changing room than "thethird" —
whether from the right or the left is never
mentioned. I havea vague memory of it
being the left, but since I wasn't sure
enough to call it absolutely, I decided to
let U N CLE retai n some secrets.

THRUShi's penetration of Del Floria's

is recounted in "TheThrush From
TH RUSH Affair," a title that was a TV
episode as well as a magazine story. "The
Thrush" was a female agent highly
placed in Interpol who, through contacts
in Interpol and UNCLE, learned
UNCLE'S recognition signals and codes.
Del Floria did not recognize her, but let
her i n on the strength of the codes she

knew. Waverly spoke to him later, and

while we are not privy to what was said,
my guess that Del Floria offered to resign
is consistent with UNCLE'S penalty for
breaches of security. That the resignation
was not accepted is obvious from the fact
that he is still around at the beginning of
the next episode.

The color- and chemical-coding of the

badges is well documented, as is the
alarm sequence. There is no mention
anywhere of the codes changing, but
anyone with experience of secured areas
knows that such codes are changed
regularly.

The activities presented as happening

on the different floors of UNCLE HQ,
expect for Waverly's office and the under¬
ground wharf, are my own guesses. Since
a sped al pass is requi red for access to the
third floor, I placed the sensitive opera¬
tions on that floor, to take advantage of
the additional security.

The data on Waverly is well docu¬

mented. The view of the United Nations
from his office is, in my view, definitely a
projection of a view from a remote
camera. I n the I i teratu re there i s consi der-
ablewaffling on this point. My decision
was based on two observations: Having a
connection to the outside world is bad
enough, but to have it connect straight
into Waverly's office is unthinkable.
Secondly, how could this window be dis¬
guised ? The lights are on at all hours in
his office, and he never closes the cur¬
tains. No, it has to be a projection.

Taking you on this guided tour of the

creation of an article has been fun, and to
be sure I expect to get paid for it. But
there is another reason for doi ng it. By
showing you the decisions I made and
givi ng you access to the facts I used to
make them, I'm hoping to encourage you
to makeup your own mind. If you don't
I ike some of what I've written about
UNCLE or THRUSH, you also have
access to the facts, and you can second-
guess me. In any case, I hope what's writ¬
ten here helps you and yours get more
enjoyment out of espionage rol©playing
games.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Paperbacks in The Man from UNCLE

series, all published by Ace Books:
The Thousand Coffins Affair
by Michael Avallone (#1)

The Doomsday Affair

by Harry Whittington (#2)

The Copenhagen Affair

by John Oram (#3)

The DAGGER Affair

by David McDaniel (#4)

The Mad Scientist Affair

by John Phillifent (#5)

The Vampire Affair

by David McDaniel (#6)

The Radioactive Camel Affair

by Peter Leslie (#7)

The Monster Wheel Affair

by David McDaniel (#8)

The Diving Dames Affair

by Peter Leslie (#9)

The Assassination Affair

byj. Hunter Holly (#10)

The Invisibility Affair

by Thomas Stratton (#11)

Stories from The Man From UNCLE

Magazine, all written by Robert Hart
Davis and published by Leo Marguiles
Corporation. Stories appeared one per
month, Feb. 1966 through June 1967:

The Howling Teenagers Affair

The Beauty and the Beast Affair

The Unspeakable Affair

The World's End Affair

The Vanishing Act Affair

The Ghost Riders Affair

The Cat and Mouse Affair

The Brainwash Affair

The Moby Dick Affair

The Thrush From THRUSH Affair

The Goliath Affair

The Lightkill Affair

The Deadly Dark Affair

The Hungry World Affair

The Dolls of Death Affair

The Synthetic Storm Affair

The Ugly Man Affair n

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36 June 1983

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HE PLAYS
FOR KEEPS

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3408 South University

Little Rock, AR 72204
[501] 562-8230

CALIFORNIA
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1022D Hole Avenue
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5819 Stockton Blvd.
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Our Store
5011 York Blvd.

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Dragon 37

The vicarious participator

Take the middle ground in role-playing style

by Lewis Pulsipher

In the early days of fantasy role-playing

(FRP) gaming, many players did not role-
play in any significant sense of the word;
that is, they did not pretend or imagine
that they were in a real world different
from our own. Instead, they made a farce
out of FRP, and their characters tended to
act like thugs or gangsters, if not fools.
Pursuit of power, without regard for any¬
thing else, was typical.

In reaction and rebuttal to this, some

players went to the other extreme. They
believed that characters, through their
players, should imagine themselves as
fulfilling a role in the real world, and
further declared that each character
should be a personality completely sepa¬
rate from the player, so that the player
becomes more of an actor than a partici¬
pant in a game. For several years these
people were voices crying out in the wil¬
derness, but as more people gained FRP
experience or heard about this "improvi-
sational theater" (or "persona-creator")
school of role-playing, and as the more
articulate and vociferous of the "persona"
extremists found an audience for their
views, this extreme attitude about role-
playing has spread so widely that it,
instead of not role-playing at all, seems to
have become the standard.

Unfortunately, because initially they

had to express their views about role-
playing with maximum emphasis just to
be listened to, many of the people in this
second group have become intolerant of
other views. One occasionally runs into
remarks at conventions or in articles
which disparage anyone who does not
create an elaborate persona for each of his
characters, each different from his own
personality. The most hard-line advocates
of this school of thought refuse to believe
that there is any other "proper" way to
play, and they measure the skill of a role-
playing gamer in accordance with how
closely he or she meets their notions of
role-playing as theater.

There is a third group, with an attitude

that lies between the power-mad, thug-
character players on one hand and the
persona-creators on the other. The view¬
point of these people, who may be called
"vicarious participators," reflects the
original intent of role-playing gaming.
They (and I number myself among them)
believe that the point of a role-playing
game is to put oneself into a situation
one could never experience in the real
world, and to react as the player would

like to think he would react in similar

circumstances.

In other words, the game lets me do the

things I'd like to think I would do if I
were a wizard, or if I were a fighter, or
perhaps, even, if I decided to take the evil
path. Consequently, it would be foolish
for me to create a personality quite differ¬
ent from my own, because it would no
longer be me. The game is not a matter of
"Sir Stalwart does so-and-so" but "l do
so-and-so." In my imagination, I am the
one who might get killed — not some
paper construct, however elaborate it may
be. (Of course, because these are games
played by people with adult mentality —
even if not of adult age — no one ever
becomes overinvolved emotionally.)

Notice, also, that I didn't say "as I

would act," but "as I would like to think
I would act." Few FRP gamers are made
of the stuff of heroes, but we like to think
we are when we play the game. The game
allows us to live out our fantasies about
being heroic, or saintly, or evil, although
we in our personal lives will never reach
nor probably aspire to any of these
extremes. As one player put it, if he were
actually in a dungeon he'd be scared silly
and would flee in utter panic — but his
character does not, because the character
can have attributes (courage, in this case)
which the player does not have.

The difference between this view and

the persona-creator's view is fairly clear-
cut, though it would be hard to define a
line dividing one style from the other.

The vicarious participator lives an adven¬

ture through his character, which tends to
be a lot like he is himself. But he accepts
that his character must undergo some
changes in attributes and personality
from the player's, whether these changes
are imposed by the player himself, by the
game rules, or by the nature of the ref¬
eree's "world," to help him enjoy events
he could never experience in the real
world.

For example, he will accept the

requirements of an extremely good
alignment and crusading zeal of a
paladin, or the requirements of a charac¬
ter who is evil, or even a character of the
opposite sex. To him, the question is
"What would I (like to) do if I were such-
and-such in a fantasy world?"

The persona-creator, on the other

hand, places himself at a distance from
his character, regarding it as a separate
entity almost with a life of its own. He is
not interested in what he would do, but
in what a creature of such-and-such race.

intelligence, likes, dislikes, etc., would do

in a given situation. If his character dies,
his reaction is not overly emotional,
though he'll certainly regret the loss of all
the work he put into the character.

The difference between the two styles is

manifested in many small ways. For
example, a persona-creator playing a
character of low intelligence will play
dumb. If he has a good idea, he probably
won't mention it to the other players,
since his character wouldn't have thought
of it. A participator, on the other hand,
doesn't always care what his character's
numbers happen to be. It's really him in
there, anyway, and he'll use his own
brain and other faculties to the fullest to
keep his character alive and accomplish
his goals.

This difference can be generalized to

show the attitudes of the two types of
role-players to the aspect of luck in char¬
acter generation. The persona-creators are
not much concerned with being able to
choose aspects of the personality of their
character. In a sense, they try to be like
the most versatile film and stage actors,
who can play any role well. Consequently
they would not mind, and might even
prefer, playing a game like Chivalry &
Sorcery, in which virtually everything
about a character — alignment, race, even
horoscope — is determined by dice rolls.
On the other hand, vicarious participa¬
tors want to have some choice in the role
they play. They prefer an activity such as
the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game,
in which only the ability scores are
determined by chance, while race, align¬
ment, social status, and so on are largely
matters of choice. The participators
resemble film or stage actors who have
specialized in a type of role; in this case,
they specialize in being some variant of
their idealization of themselves.

As stated before, one cannot draw a def¬

inite line between the two styles. As par¬
ticipators play more characters in differ¬
ent situations, they begin to approach the
persona-creators in effect. They play
many different roles, increasingly differ¬
ent from their original notion. Many
persona-creators, on the other hand, do
not care to play a persona they have not
created themselves; that is, they put much
of themselves into the character. There is
still a fundamental difference in attitude,
however, between "I am doing it" and
"This character is doing it." Persona-
creators, even of this limited sort, have
been known to write stories about their
characters and develop plot lines which

38 June 1983

do not arise from any game or any ref¬

eree's action. Participators would never
bother with this.

How does the vicarious player differ

from the power/thug gamer? Again, there
is no sharp dividing line between them.

In some cases the power/thug players are

simply indulging in infantile fantasies —
they haven't matured yet, or they don't
bring their maturity to their gaming ses¬
sions. Vicarious players realize that in
this and every world there must be limita¬
tions on what a person can do, but those
limitations are different in the game than
they are in real life. For example, I have
never met a participator who could
believe in (or tolerate) a situation in
which mortal characters defeat gods. Yet
such scenarios occur frequently in
"power" games. The power/thug players
are quite content to ignore all limitations
on their characters, and they find referees
who allow or encourage them to act in
this manner. Some role-players sneer at
this attitude, but many people enjoy play¬
ing this way. However, while persona-
creators and vicarious players can co-exist
in a campaign, provided they are aware of
their differences, neither type can practi¬
cally co-exist with the thugs.

The most important point I want to

make is that there is nothing superior
about the persona-creation method of
role-playing. Vicarious participation is
neither less mature, nor less intelligent.

nor less "true blue" than persona-

creation, though all these claims have
been made at times. Persona-creators
should accept that many players simply
do not want to become actors. Refereeing
requires quite enough acting for most of
us, for the referee must separate himself
completely from his non-player charac¬
ters or he cannot be objective and impar¬
tial — he must be a persona-creator in
order to be a good referee. Perhaps this is
the clearest indication that persona-
creation is no better than vicarious partic¬
ipation: Many excellent referees, who are
necessarily excellent persona-creators,
nonetheless prefer vicarious participation
when they play. The vicarious style is a
matter of choice, not of inability to act. El

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Dragon 39

It's a base . . .

It's a plate . . .

It's

the Combat Computer!

One of the most complex and tiring tasks facing the

earnest Dungeon Master in an AD&D™ adventure is the
proper and efficient resolution of melee. Combat is a bless¬
ing and a curse: On one hand, it provides the right atmo¬
sphere for conveying the thrill and the danger of the
heroic fantasy milieu; indeed, without combat there could
be no game. On the other hand, even the most experienced
DMs find the mechanics of conducting combat to be time-
consuming — even with all the pertinent charts, tables.

HOW IT GOES TOGETHER

Carefully separate the sheet of cardboard from the rest of

the magazine by pulling it gently away from the staples,
or by prying up the ends of the staples, pulling the card¬
board out, and re-closing the staples to keep the magazine
pages properly bound. The larger of the two discs is the
base, and the smaller disc is the plate.

Your Combat Computer will be stronger and more

durable if you glue a second sheet of cardboard to the
unprinted side of the magazine cardboard. Be sure the
adhesive you use forms a tight seal around the outer edge
of each wheel, and around the edges of the windows that
are cut out of the plate. For even more durability, you may
choose to have the discs laminated after they are cut out.

HOW IT WORKS

The Combat Computer offers a quick way to cross¬

index the armor class of the defender with the experience
level or hit dice of the attacker, which yields the attacker's
base "to hit" number.

To determine this number, line up the pointer on the

edge of the plate with the number on the inner ring of the
base that represents the defender's armor class. Look at the
colored bands on the plate, known as the Class/Level Arc.
(The divisions, reading from the outside in, are for fight¬
ers, monsters, clerics, thieves, and magic-users.) Find the
colored band and the level or hit-dice range that applies to
the attacker, and refer to the "break line" (to the left of the

ARMOR CLASS ADJUSTMENTS

One of the most often overlooked parts of the AD&D

combat system is the Armor Class Adjustment section of
the weapons table on page 38 of the Players Handbook. It
stands to reason that someone using his bare fist, for
instance, ought to have a better chance to hit (and thereby
do damage to) against an unarmored opponent than
against an opponent wearing plate mail. Although most
of the armor class adjustments for weapons are much more
subtle than the bonuses and penalties for using a bare fist,
they are all important; failure to take them into account
during the resolution of melee can mean the death of a

40 June 1983

and rules spread out before them — and players must wait
to know the outcome while the DM is referencing and
cross-referencing all of his charts and tables.

Now, help is at hand. The DRAGON™ Magazine Com¬

bat Computer, reproduced on cardboard stock in the cen¬
ter of this issue of the magazine, is designed to help the
DM save time and prevent mistakes when determining "to
hit" numbers for missile or melee combat. It's easy to
assemble, and almost as simple to use.

Cut around the outside of each disc along the heavy

black outline, using a scissors and a steady hand. Then use
a modeling knife, if you have one, and a straightedge to
cut out the gray blocks outlined in black on the front of
the plate. These holes are the windows through which the
armor class adjustments for various weapons are read.
Use a sharp pointed object to punch a small "starter"
hole in the center of each disc. Then push a small brass
paper fastener through the holes to hold the plate against
the top of the disc. Turn the assembly over and spread the
tabs of the fastener flat against the back of the base. Turn
the assembly face up again and slide the discs around a
few times to be sure they move freely.

arrowhead) for that section of the colored band. Follow

this line toward the edge of the base, and it will point to
the base number needed "to hit" for that attacker against
that defender.

Example: A 3rd level fighter is attacking an adversary

armored in chain mail (AC 5). Line up the pointer on the
plate with the number 5 on the inner ring of numbers on
the base. Locate the section of the fighter band (colored
red) that pertains to 3rd-4th level characters and follow the
path of that section's break line toward the edge of the
base. The break line points to the number 13, which is the
fighter's base chance "to hit" in this situation.

character or creature who otherwise would have survived.

Unfortunately, the Combat Computer can't automati¬

cally compute these adjustments, but it does display them.
This is where the "weapon windows" on the plate come
into use. When the Combat Computer is correctly aligned
to yield a base "to hit" number, each window reveals the
bonuses and penalties that apply for all the weapons listed
in the Players Handbook. Without moving the plate, find
the window that displays the adjustment for the weapon
in question, and either subtract the number given from the
character's base "to hit" number, or add it to the player's

actual "to hit" die roll before determining success or fail¬

ure. (Remember that subtracting a negative number is the
same as adding a positive number of the same value.)

Example: Our 3rd level fighter from the previous exam¬

ple, facing an opponent armored in chain mail, has a base
"to hit" number of 13. His weapon of the moment is a
battle axe. By looking in the proper window (immediately

APPARENT VS. ENHANCED ARMOR CLASS

Anyone who has turned the plate too far in one direc¬
tion or the other has already seen by now that something
"goes wrong" when a defender's armor class is better
(lower) than 2: That is, the "weapon windows" don't line
up properly with the columns of numbers beneath them.
Does this mean that the Combat Computer only works for
armor classes of 2 through 10?
No — but to use it for combat involving armor classes
of better than 2, or for any melee involving characters hav¬
ing bonuses or penalties to their AC, it's necessary to dis¬
tinguish between apparent armor class and enhanced
armor class.

Regardless of the actual armor class a piece of equip¬

ment provides its wearer, the apparent AC of that armor is
the same as for all armor of that type. The armor class
adjustments given in the Players Handbook, and repro¬
duced on the Combat Computer, only apply to apparent
armor classes — those between 2 and 10 inclusive.

For example, a man in +3 chain mail has an armor class

of 2, for combat purposes. But the apparent AC of his
armor is 5, just as for all types of chain mail. The armor
class adjustments for weapons apply to all objects of a cer¬
tain armor type, magical or not.

A character's actual armor class may be enhanced by a

number of objects and factors: dexterity (high or low;
"enhancement" works both ways), magic items, magic
spells, possibly such things as physical condition. When¬
ever a defender's armor class is enhanced for any reason,
using the Combat Computer becomes a simple two-step
process:

First, line up the plate and the base according to the

defender's apparent armor class. Read the proper "weapon
window" to obtain the armor class adjustment, if any, that
applies to the attacker's weapon.

OTHER ASSISTANCE

Printed on the plate in note form in various places are

many commonly used "to hit" adjustments, taken from
the pages of the Players Handbook. These notes enable the
DM to have at hand virtually all of the information
needed to properly resolve a combat situation. Of course,
many particular magic items and spells have an effect
either on either the defender's armor class or the attacker's
"to hit" number. These effects cannot be taken into
account by a device such as the Combat Computer, and
will have to be notated and allowed for by the DM when
they are present.

counterclockwise from the pointer, in this case), the DM

notes that the battle axe brings with it a -1 penalty "to
hit" against armor class 5. To account for this, the DM
can either subtract -1 from the character's base "to hit"
number (making the number needed 14 instead of 13), or
add -1 to the player's actual roll (decreasing the result)
before announcing whether a hit has occurred.

Then rotate the plate until the pointer is opposite the

defender's enhanced armor class number and read the
proper "break line" of the Class/Level Arc to obtain the
attacker's base "to hit" number against that armor class.
Take into account the armor class adjustment for weapon
type determined in the first step, and the result is an accu¬
rate "to hit" determination that takes less time to perform
than to describe.

Example: Our 3rd level fighter won't know it for a few

more seconds, but his opponent is actually decked out in
+4 chain mail. This gives his foe an actual (enhanced)
armor class of 1, but still an apparent AC of 5, just as if
the chain mail was not magical. To resolve the matter, the
DM first lines up the Combat Computer as in the previous
example, noting the "weapon window" and establishing
that the fighter has a -1 penalty "to hit" with a battle axe
against chain mail (apparent AC 5). Now he turns the
plate so the pointer is lined up with armor class 1 on the
inner ring of the base, and then reads up from the proper
line on the Class/Level Arc. This reveals that the fighter's
base number "to hit" against armor class 1 is 17; this
number is then modified either before or after the die roll
to take the -1 penalty into account.

As a double-check against accidentally lining up the

plate and the base improperly, a black patch will appear
in one or more of the "weapon windows" whenever the
pointer on the plate is rotated beyond the range of armor
classes 2 through 10. If black shows through any of the
windows when you're looking for a "to hit" number, that
means you're dealing with an enhanced armor class; to
obtain the correct armor class adjustment for the attacker's
weapon (if you haven't done that already), you'll have to
"back up" the plate to the defender's apparent armor class
so the correct adjustment will be displayed.

The Combat Computer, when used by itself, will prove

to be a time-saver for the DM and also will serve as assur¬
ance to players that their characters' "to hit" numbers are
being calculated accurately and consistently. When used in
conjunction with an AD&D Dungeon Masters Screen, or
with the reference charts on page 124 of the Players Hand¬
book, the Combat Computer will still help to speed up
play by putting most of the essential information literally
at the DM's fingertips. Learn how to use the Combat
Computer, and you'll soon be playing a round of combat
in almost as short a time as it takes to swing a sword!

CREDITS

Design and development: Laura and Tracy Hickman

Graphic design: Roger Raupp
Text editing: Kim Mohan

Dragon 41
Q: What do you get when you cross a
Dungeon Master with a computer?

A: Programmed character creation —

without human hesitation!

Article and program by Joseph C. Spann

It cannot be simply coincidental that there are so many role-

playing game enthusiasts among our nation's rapidly growing
number of "computer hackers." Or perhaps it would be more
accurate to say "so many computer hackers among the ranks of
RPG players," as evidenced by the presence of computer-oriented
columns and information in gaming magazines like this one. At
any rate, the balance of this commentary consists of some specu¬
lations concerning this commonality of interests.

While the advantages of computer technology seem to hold a

great deal of promise for utilization in our kinds of games, the
exact manner of its implementation is unclear, and several false
starts have already been made.

Perhaps some insight might be gained by examining what it is

that attracts so many people to both role-playing games and
computers. Certainly, an active mind is required for both of these
activities. How tempting it would be to flatter ourselves and
attribute this combination of interests to a high order of intellec¬
tual capacity.

Unfortunately, this notion won't stand up under close scru¬

tiny. We all know very intelligent individuals who have abso¬
lutely no patience for role-playing games, or anything else they
view as impractical or "silly and childish." By the same token,
we also know people with average mental attributes who none¬
theless enjoy and succeed at hacking and conjuring their way out
of the dungeon that lies deep beneath the citadel.

Intelligence, by itself, is also no touchstone for success in

computer programming. One may have an encyclopedic know¬
ledge of all the commands and functions of a programming lan¬
guage, but without the imagination to envision how a problem
can be expressed and solved using that language, the knowledge
is useless.

No great amount of intelligence or education is needed for a

game player to understand that a rapidly approaching hobgoblin
must be dealt with promptly and thoroughly; but unless the
weight of the shield and the slick oak of the spear shaft can be
felt, role-playing gaming is a pretty dull exercise in dice rolling
and will be only a diversion instead of a regular pastime. From
the player's standpoint, one's imagination needs to be working
on a full-time basis to get the most out of a role-playing game.

Imagination can be more than a way of setting a mental mood,

as it should be and often is used in role-playing games. Imagina¬
tion is used constructively by a gamer, or a computer pro¬
grammer — the way more commonly known as "using your
head." Many a good carpenter has asked "what if .. .?" and then
built a building in a better way. In the last game I refereed, I saw
two students from the local university (one in accounting and
the other in art), a welder, a shop foreman, an auto parts clerk,
and a high-school student all immersed in solving a problem
that could not exist in any known universe. Yet, in their imagi¬
nations, they saw a peril nearer and clearer than nuclear

42 June 1983

holocaust. And, by using their imaginations, they solved it.

This reasoning obviously leads to the point that possession of

a good, active imagination is the common link between those
who enjoy both computer programming and fantasy role-
playing games. Assuming this thesis is correct, let's see if any of
the insights we seek flow from it.

Industrial automation, the incredible exploits of NASA, the

revolution in all phases of business and governmental record¬
keeping, and even the way this article was drafted have all
depended upon the availability of computers. As amazing as all
of these advances have been, not a single one of the many enor¬
mously sophisticated mainframe computers used to effect these
wonders has ever shown the slightest trace of any imaginative
thought!

Little wonder, then, that efforts to use computers in our gam¬

ing environment of bizarre beasts, colorful architecture, and
mostly non-group-centered behavior have been less than success¬
ful. Those of us with enough years behind us to clearly
remember the heyday of radio can see a certain parallel with the
advent of television. In our mind's eye, we had no difficulty
observing the perilous descent of Buck Rogers' space ship, de¬
scribed on radio as it threaded its way down through the craggy
mountains of Venus in a blinding mist. This same scene, when
viewed on the seven-inch screen, was far more likely to provoke
youthful giggles and speculations regarding whether the show's
producer had blown his whole budget on five pounds of dry ice
or was simply puffing cigar smoke at the toy space ship, held up
by wires that glinted off the spotlights.

Using all of our mental senses in a role-playing game, with

the help of a skilled Dungeon Master or module writer, we can
smell the rank odors from the nearby swamp, hear the dry scrape
of the dead leaves as they blow across the stones of the courtyard
in the cold wind, see the eerie glow of the torches as the proces¬
sion draws nearer and nearer through the yellow fog. Computer
graphics can be great fun, but they really can do little more than
suggest this kind of detail. . . . Excuse me for a moment while I
pull my cloak a little closer.

Computers, with all their grand capabilities, simply cannot

substitute for quality modules and referees. True enough, some
computer games are available which are basically narrative. An
objective judgement of these games will reveal that they are not
the equal of a good printed D&D® or AD&D™ scenario. They
have only novelty to offer, and that at a very high price. They are
limited in the number of players who can participate, and are
almost invariably of the "enter the room — fight the monster —
get the treasure — find the way out" type of adventure, which is
of interest only to those who have never fought and thought
their way through a really well-conceived scenario.

In fairness, an individual who really badly wanted to play a

fantasy role-playing game and did not know a qualified DM or

any other possible players might enjoy this kind of game in

computer format. Beggars can't be choosers. If cost were abso¬
lutely no object and programmers who were very well versed in
the techniques of role-playing adventuring were utilized, it
might be possible to adapt some of the artificial intelligence
methods to produce a reasonable imitation of a well-run game.
The main problem with this concept is that the things that the
computer does well, it is not asked to do, and vice versa.

Well, surely there must be some way to use our expensive and
generally very useful electronic friends in the furtherance of our
fantasy role-playing interests. Of course there is! Read on:

All of the fears of our society notwithstanding, modern com¬

puters have taken over only those tasks which are too dull and
repetitive or benefit from superhuman speed, strength, or
patience. It seems only logical to computerize tasks which are
not fun but have to be done with regularity. This applies to a
D&D campaign just as it does to the other aspects of our lives.

For instance, it doesn't take too long for the fun to evaporate
from the seemingly endless dice rolling and arithmetic required
to generate a party of adventurers. Also, scrabbling around
through the charts and rules to determine a character's saving
throws, special abilities, and so forth, is of limited appeal after
you've done it for a year or two. This is the kind of activity that
needs a helping hand from Silicon Valley.

As an illustration of what this helping hand might look like,

included with this article is a program that has been a great time
saver for me in working up parties of adventurers.

The "Dungeon Master's Personnel Service" provides ready-to-

use adventurers, lacking only names (which are provided by the
operator). It has also proven extremely useful for working up
non-player characters.

Briefly described, the program makes all the 3d6 rolls needed
to determine player ability scores; makes all the adjustments aris¬
ing directly from them (number of retainers, adjustments to
armor class based on dexterity, etc.); and prints the character's
basic abilities on the screen so that the player or DM may decide
to keep or discard the character. Each character paraded by for
inspection is numbered so that a player who is choosing his own
character knows how many chances he has left. If players are
operating the program to generate their own characters, I give
them the option of looking at a certain number of characters as
they unfold on the screen. Once rejected, a character is gone
forever. The counting function built into the program simply
tells players how many chances they have left.

If the decision is made that a character is viable, and the player

or DM wants to use it, the program will ask the operator to
input data regarding the character's race and/or class, sex, and
name, plus the experience level at which the character will
begin. Based on this information, the program then calculates
hit dice, hit points (adjusted for constitution), saving throws,
and skill levels for cleric and thief abilities, and prints this
information to the screen. It is not difficult to modify the pro¬
gram to direct the output to a printer, if you have one. By doing
so, a great deal of time can be saved by not having to manually
copy the material.

The data provided by the program is presented for review and

manual copying one more time before the operator is queried
regarding his desire for another character. All of these calcula¬
tions are made in strict accordance with the methods described in
the D&D rule books — with one exception. The computer's
speed is harnessed to eliminate a problem that has irritated me
since I began playing this game. This difficulty arises when the
dice describe a player with a strength of 17 and a constitution of
4. Strength and endurance are closely enough interrelated that
this sort of thing is absurd. It is just as bad when constitution is
very high and strength very low, or when a similarly dispropor¬
tionate relationship exists between intelligence and wisdom. It is
not practical to attempt to do anything about this situation
when dice are being used. To roll these abilities, compare them,
roll again, etc., would mean an enormous waste of time in devel¬
oping most characters. However, it is a simple operation to
insert a checking algorithm in the program to be sure that these

factors are in a rational relationship. If the computer produces a

constitution score that is less than two-thirds of the strength
score or more than one and one-half times as great as the
strength score, it is instructed to try again and keep on trying
until the conditions are met. The process is repeated with the
intelligence/ wisdom relationship. What would take a great deal
of time to perform manually usually requires only a fraction of a
second in the computer. Only rarely is any delay even
perceptible.

If the operator selects a character on the basis of race, class may

be entered later; the converse is also true. Fifth is the highest
"starting level" offered, but this seems a reasonable cutoff point
when we consider that "new" characters are being created. Char¬
acters of extremely high level don't just "pop up" in an adven¬
ture or a campaign.

Using this program, it is not difficult to create a high-quality

party of six players with a good mix of classes in 20 minutes,
including the time necessary to copy the characters' data from
the screen. If a printer is used, 10 to 15 minutes will suffice.

These characters are ready to go, needing only to spend their

"starting money" — the amount of which was also calculated for
them by the program.

This program was originally written in Microsoft's BASIC

80™, a very complete version of the language. However, the
commands and functions used in this program are of the most
elementary sort, and will be included in any BASIC dialect
worthy of the name. The idea, of course, was to develop a pro¬
gram that can be implemented on almost any computer as
written.

Screen display considerations were carefully considered, and

the decision was made not to exceed a width of 40 columns in
this version. There is a considerable amount of tabular material,
and it is just nearly impossible to get it in less than 40 columns.
This width will accommodate most Commodore PET, Commo¬
dore 64, Apple, Atari, and TRS-80 users. And of course, those
with Heathkit, IBM, or other 80-column CRT displays will have
no problem at all. Those of you with Commodore VIC-20's and
other units with less than 40-column display capabilities can
perhaps use shorter abbreviations, or even break the tabular dis¬
plays up into two parts and display them consecutively. It is just
impossible to fit the peculiarities of every piece of hardware with
any useful program.

The existence of so many TRS-80 computers did pose one

problem which was solved with that type of computer in mind.
Although these machines use a 64-column line, which is good,
they only display 16 lines, whereas most displays have at least 24
lines available. Consequently, this program is written to display
a maximum of 16 lines at a time.

Although the program is rather long, it will fit into a 16K

memory with plenty to spare, if a few precautions are observed
when typing the program into your machine. First, do not
include anything before line 1140 or the REMarks. They are of
no use once the program is copied and debugged. Although you
will not be copying the REMarks, do not change the other line
numbers: simply skip the REM statements.

Some BASIC dialects require the RANDOMIZE operation and

others do not. Check your manual to see if you need to include
this operation to get a new random number seed. The only other
command or function which may vary from machine to
machine, so far as I can tell, is PRINT CHR$(12). This is simply
an instruction to clear the screen and home the cursor.

Copying a long program like this can be very tiring, and the
possibility of a mistake grows as fatigue increases. It would be
better to type it in over three or four sessions than to try getting
it done all at once.

Following is a brief description of the program:

1. 1000-1130 Title block

2. 1140-1160 Dimensions array variable PS, gets new ran¬

dom number, and clears screen.

3. 1170-1320 Screen title

4. 1360-1460 Rolls 3d6 and assigns scores to ability areas.

Dragon 43

5. 1530-1640 Prints strength score and calculates and

prints adjustments due to strength.

6. 1680-1720 After checking for balance with strength,

repeats above procedure for constitution,

except printing of adjustments is deferred.

7. 1760-2080 Prints intelligence score, calculates and

prints adjustments due to intelligence.

8. 2120-2300 Process is repeated for dexterity.

9. 2340-2470 After checking for balance with intelligence,

process is repeated for wisdom.

10. 2510-2610 Process is repeated for charisma.

11. 2650-2920 Race/class choice is made and screened for

consistency with ability levels.

12. 2960-3040 Number of sides for hit dice is assigned,

based on class.

13. 3090-3240 Character level is input, and hit dice and hit

points are calculated and printed.

14. 3280-3460 Cleric skills assigned based on level.

15. 3500-3670 Thief skills assigned based on level.

16. 3720-3790 Characters are counted, count displayed, and

selection made to keep/reject the character.

17. 3830-3920 Character's name, class, race, gender input.

18. 3960-4010 Character's money is calculated.

19. 4060-4130 Switching operation to obtain printout of

skills appropriate to each class/race.

20. 4180-4280 Program ends.

21. 4330-4470 Subroutine for calculating hit points, based

on hit dice and constitution.

22. 4510- Prints out data based on character's level,

class, race, etc. in a recap format. The balance

is obvious.

Screen formats — sample run:

Note: The small displays shown below are not intended to be

exact replicas of the manner in which text and inputs are dis¬
played on the screen, but they are essentially accurate. Characters
printed in italic type inside square brackets are operator inputs.

M-JDOM NUMBER SEED (-32768 to 32767)?

M's PERSONNEL SERVICE

PRODUCES CHARACTER ABILITY SCORES

FOR DUNGEONS & DRAGONS(R)

IF YOU ARE READY FOR THE 1ST

CHARACTER, ENTER A ONE? fl j

(#3)

CHARACTER'S STRENGTH IS 13

*ADD 1 TO ROLLS TO HIT, DAMAGE, OPEN DOORS

CONSTITUTION SCORE IS 13

CHARACTER'S INTELLIGENCE 12

*LITERATE IN NATIVE TONGUE

*45% TO KNOW SPELL - MIN/MAX PER LVL: 5/7

CHARACTER'S DEXTERITY IS 11

CHARACTER'S WISDOM IS 11

CHARACTER'S CHARISMA IS 11

*CAN HAVE 4 RETAINERS WITH MORALE OF 4

IF YOU HAVE THIS DATA AND ARE READY TO

PROCEED, ENTER A ONE? [jj

(# 4 )

CLASS/RACE LIST

(1) FIGHTER (4) HALFLING

(2) MAGIC USER (5) ELF

(3) CLERIC (6) DWARF

(7) THIEF

SELECT THE RACE/CLASS THAT YOU WISH

YOUR CHARACTER TO HAVE AND ENTER THE
NUMBER FROM THE TABLE ABOVE? m

#5)

Same as #4, plus:)

CHARACTER LEVEL RANGE... ONE (1) TO FIVE (5)

AT WHICH LEVEL WILL CHARACTER START? [ 4 ]

(# 6 )

YOUR CHARACTER HAS 4 HIT DICE

YOUR CHARACTER WOULD HAVE 19 HIT POINTS
THIS IS CHARACTER # ( 1 )

DO YOU WANT THIS CHARACTER (Y/N)? [Y]

IvHAT IS CHARACTER'S NAME? [OTHO THE FIERCE]

# 8 )

Same as # 7, plus:)

WHAT IS CHARACTER'S RACE? [HUMAN]

#9)

Same as #7 and # 8, plus:)

WHAT IS CHARACTER'S GENDER? [MALE]

# 10 )

Same as # 7, # 8, and # 9, plus:)

WHAT IS CHARACTER'S CLASS? [FIGHTER]

(# 11 )

RECAP OF CHARACTER ABILITIES

NAME OTHO THE FIERCE

RACE HUMAN HIT DICE: 4

GENDER MALE

CLASS FIGHTER HIT POINTS: 19

LEVEL 4

NOTE!! COPY THIS AND THE INFORMATION THAT

FOLLOWS TO THE CHARACTER RECORD
SHEET NOW. IT WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AGAIN!

TO CONTINUE, ENTER A ONE? [1]

(# 12 )

OTHO THE FIERCE'S STRENGTH IS 13

*ADD 1 TO ROLL TO HIT, DAMAGE, OPEN DOORS

OTHO THE FIERCE'S CONSTITUTION IS 13

*LITERATE IN NATIVE TONGUE

OTHO THE FIERCE'S DEXTERITY IS 11

OTHO THE FIERCE'S WISDOM IS 11

OTHO THE FIERCE'S CHARISMA IS 11

CHARACTER MAY HAVE 4 RETAINERS, MORALE OF 4

TO CONTINUE, ENTER A ONE? (i)

(#13)

SAVING THROW TABLE

DEATH PARALYSIS RODS

RAY OR MAGIC OR TURN DRAGON STAVES

POISON WANDS TO STONE BREATH OR SPELLS

10 11 12 13 14

MAY WEAR ANY ARMOR AND USE SHIELD

MAY USE ANY WEAPON
NO SPELLS, BUT MAY USE MAGIC ARTICLE
THIS CHARACTER HAS 110 GOLD PIECES

ANOTHER CHARACTER (Y/N)? [ N ]

The character used for this sample run is the first one that
turned up when I ran the program; no attempt was made to find
a more interesting one. If the character had been generated with
ability scores appropriate to a thief or a cleric, and this role had
been chosen for him or her, then we would have seen a printout
of a chart showing the cleric's table of rolls needed to turn the
undead, or the thief's special skill roll requirements. II

44 June 1983
Dungeon Master's Personnel Service

DUNGEON MASTER'S PERSONNEL SERVICE

( 40 COLUMN BY 16 LINE CRT DISPLAY ONLY )
SAVE AS "D&DCRT.BAS" - VERSION 1.2

WRITTEN BY: JOSEPH C. SPANN - MONROE, LA. *

’DUNGEON MASTER'S PERSONNEL SERVICE"-ver 1.2(C)LAIRTECH *

"DUNGEONS & DRAGONS" Tm BY TSR HOBBIES INC. *

1000 REM
1010 REM
1020 REM
1030 REM
1040 REM
1050 REM
1060 REM
1070 REM
1080 REM
1090 REM
1100 REM
1110 REM
1120 REM

1130 REM ******

1140 DIM PS(7)

1150 RANDOMIZE
1160 PRINT CHR$(12)

1170 PRINT
1180 PRINT "

1190 PRINT "

1200 PRINT
1210 PRINT"

1220 PRINT
1230 PRINT"

1240 PRINT
1250 PRINT"

1260 PRINT
1280 PRINT"

1290 PRINT"

1300 INPUT C
1310 ON C GOTO 1320
1320 PRINT CHR$(12)

1330 REM**************************
1340 REM BEGIN 3D6 ROLLS FOR ABILITIES
1350 REM**************************
1360 L=L+l

1370 Z=INT((RND(1)*6)+1)

1380 Z2=INT((RND(1)*6)+1)

1390 Z3=INT((RND(1)*6)+1)

1400 ZZ=Z+Z2+Z3

1410 IF L=1 THEN 1530

1420 IF L=2 THEN 1680

1430 IF L=3 THEN 1760

1440 IF L=4 THEN 2120

1450 IF L=5 THEN 2340

1460 IF L=6 THEN 2510

1500 REM**************************

1510 REM CALCULATIONS FOR STRENGTH

DM'S PERSONNEL SERVICE"

PRODUCES CHAR. ABILITY SCORES"

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Tm

1520 REM***************************

1530 PRINT'CHARACTER'S STRENGTH IS ";ZZ

1540 ST=ZZ

1550 IF ST=3 THEN SF=-3

1560 IF ST > 3 AND ST < 6 THEN SF=-2
1570 IF ST > 5 AND ST < 9 THEN SF=-1
1580 IF ST > 8 AND ST < 13 THEN SF=0
1590 IF ST > 12 AND ST < 16 THEN SF=1
1600 IF ST > 15 AND ST < 18 THEN SF=2
1610 IF ST=18 THEN SF=3
1620 IF SF=0 THEN 1360

1630 PRINT"*ADD";SF;"TO ROLLS TO HIT,DAMAGE,OPEN DOORS"

1640 GOTO 1360

1650 REM***************************

1660 REM CALCULATIONS FOR CONSTITUTION

1670 REM***************************

1680 CO=ZZ
1690 A=ST/CO

1700 IF A < .67 OR A > 1.5 THEN 1370

1710 PRINT'CONSTITUTION SCORE IS ";ZZ
1720 GOTO 1360

1730 REM***************************

1740 REM CALCULATIONS FOR INTELLIGENCE

1750 REM***************************

1760 PRINT'CHARACTER'S INTELLIGENCE";ZZ

1770 IN=ZZ

1780 IF IN < 9 THEN IZ%="*INTELLIGENCE TOO LOW FOR MAGIC USER."

1790 IF IN=9 THEN IZ$="*35% TO KNOW SPELL-MIN/MAX PER LVL:4/6"

1800 IF IN > 9 AND IN < 13 THEN IZ$="*45% TO KNOW SPELL-MIN/MAX PER LVL:5/7"
1810 IF IN > 12 AND IN < 15 THEN IZ$="*55% TO KNOW SPELL-MIN/MAX PER LVL:6/9"
1820 IF IN > 14 AND IN < 17 THEN IZ$="*65% TO KNOW SPELL-MIN/MAX PER LVL7/11"
1830 IF IN=17 THEN IZ$="*75% TO KNOW SPELL-MIN/MAX PER LVL:8/14"

1840 IF IN=18 THEN IZ$="*85% TO KNOW SPELL - MIN/MAX PER LVL9/18"

1850 IF IN=3 THEN 1870

1860 GOTO 1880

1870 1$="* DIFFICULT SPEECH-ILLITERATE"

1880 IF IN>3 AND IN<6 THEN 1900

1890 GOTO 1910

1900 1$="* EASY SPEECH BUT ILLITERATE"

1910 IF IN>5 AND IN<9 THEN 1930

1920 GOTO 1940

1930 1$="* BARELY LITERATE."

1940 IF IN>8 AND IN<13 THEN 1960

1950 GOTO 1970

1960 1$="* LITERATE IN NATIVE TONGUE.”

1970 IF IN>12 AND IN<16 THEN 1990

1980 GOTO 2000

1990 1$="* LITERATE AND FLUENT 2 LANGUAGES"

<Samema0t?r0
iSjobbtfB, Jnr.

ADVENTURE GAMING
SPECIALISTS

ROLE-PLAYING GAMES AND AIDS

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Fantasy Games Unlimited, Fantasy Productions,
Flying Buffalo, GDW, Gamescience,
Grimoire Games, Metagaming, TSR

MINIATURES

Archive, Broadsword, Citadel, Grenadier,

Heritage, Dragontooth, GHQ, Martian Metals,
Mike’s Models, Minifigs,

Ral Partha, Superior Models

BOARDGAMES

Avalon Hill, Metagaming, OSG,

SPI, Task Force, GDW, Yaquinto, Eon

AND MUCH MUCH MORE!!!

GAMEMASTERS HOBBIES, INC.

4627 GEARY BLVD.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118

(415) 387-4118

Catalog available for $2

Phone orders accepted with VISA
and Master Charge

^ from

(£aUb

3u&gea (S uilb ^

Discover new adventure in our latest City

State located on the coastline of Tarantis,
Campaign Map Four. This 2500 year old
city is described in detail including history,
government, religions, customs, and much
more. Tarantis also includes descriptions of
326 shops and over 100 inns & taverns plus
hundreds of NPC shop owners, waitresses,
customers, sailors, thieves, and lords.

All of the City State Campaign Maps

produced thus far (1-18) have been reduced
to fit on 3 large maps and a complete index
to all terrain features is compiled within
Tarantis. Look for this fine new adventure
in your local hobby shop I ,

$14.98

3fubg?0 dutUi

1221 N. Sunnyside Rd. D-30

R. R.8 Box 9
Decatur, II. 62522

Add $2 for handling +$1.50 for COD

Illinois residents add 5% sales tax

Dragon 45

2000 IF IN>15 AND IN<18 THEN 2020

2010 GOTO 2030

2020 1$="* LITERATE AND FLUENT 3 LANGUAGES"

2030 IF IN = 18 THEN 2050

2040 GOTO 2060

2050 1$="* LITERATE AND FLUENT 4 LANGUAGES"

2060 PRINT 1$

2070 PRINT IZ$

2080 GOTO 1360

2090 REM***************************

2100 REM CALCULATIONS FOR DEXTERITY

2110 REM***************************

2120 PRINT'CHARACTER'S DEXTERITY IS ";ZZ

2130 DX=ZZ

2140 IF DX=3 THEN DF=-3

2150 IF DX > 3 AND DX < 6 THEN DF=-2

2160 IF DX > 5 AND DX < 9 THEN DF=-1

2170 IF DX > 8 AND DX < 13 THEN DF=0

2180 IF DX > 12 AND DX < 16 THEN DF=1

2190 IF DX > 15 AND DX < 18 THEN DF=2

2200 IF Dx=18 THEN DF=3

2210 IF DF=-3 THEN GOSUB 5320

2220 IF DF=-2 THEN GOSUB 5340

2230 IF DF=-1 THEN GOSUB 5360

2240 IF DF=1 THEN GOSUB 5380

2250 IF DF=2 THEN GOSUB 5400

2260 IF DF=3 THEN GOSUB 5420

2270 IF DF=0 THEN GOTO 1360

2280 PRINT "*ADD ";DF;"TO MISSILE FIRE ROLLS 'TO HIT'"

2290 PRINT "* " ;X1$;X2$;X3$;” ARMOR CLASS."

2300 GOTO 1360

2310 REM***************************

2320 REM CALCULATIONS FOR WISDOM

2330 REM***************************

2340 WI=ZZ
2350 B=IN/WI

2360 IF B < .67 OR B > 1.5 THEN 1370

2370 PRINT'CHARACTER'S WISDOM IS " ;WI
2380 IF WI=3 THEN WF=-3
2390 IF WI > 3 AND WI < 6 THEN WF=-2
2480 IF WI > 5 AND WI < 9 THEN WF=-1
2410 IF WI > 8 AND WI < 13 THEN WF=0
2420 IF WI > 12 AND WI < 16 THEN WF=1
2430 IF WI > 15 AND WI < 18 THEN WF=2
2440 IF WI=18 THEN WF=3
2450 IF WF=0 THEN 1360

2460 PRINT"*ADD";WF;"TO ROLL-MAGIC BASED SAVING THROW"

2470 GOTO 1360

2480 REM***************************

2490 REM CALCULATIONS FOR CHARISMA

2500 REM***************************

2510 PRINT'CHARACTER'S CHARISMA IS ";ZZ

2520 LET CH=ZZ

2530 IF CH=3 THEN XF=1

2540 IF CH > 3 AND CH < 6 THEN XF=2

2550 IF CH > 5 AND CH < 9 THEN XF=3

2560 IF CH > 8 AND CH < 13 THEN XF=4

2570 IF CH > 12 ND CH < 16 THEN XF=5

2580 IF CH > 15 AND CH < 18 THEN XF=6

2590 IF CH=18 THEN XF=7

2600 PRINT"*CAN HAVE ";XF;" RETAINERS WITH MORALE OF" ;XF"

2610 L=0

2620 REM***************************

2630 REM RACE/CLASS SELECTION & CHECKING

2640 REM***************************

2650 PRINT" IF YOU HAVE THIS DATA AND ARE READY TO"

2660 PRINT" PROCEED, ENTER A ONE (1)."

2670 INPUT VG

2680 ON VG GOTO 2690

2690 PRINT CHR$(12);PRINT

2700 PRINT " CLASS/RACE LIST"

2710 PRINT "-"

2720 PRINT " (1) FIGHTER (4) HALFLING"

2730 PRINT " (2) MAGIC USER (5) ELF”

2740 PRINT " (3) CLERIC (6) DWARF"

2750 PRINT " (7) THIEF"

2760 PRINT

2770 PRINT"SELECT THE RACE/CLASS THAT YOU WISH"

2780 PRINT"YOUR CHARACTER TO HAVE AND ENTER THE"

2790 INPUT"NUMBER FROM THE TABLE ABOVE";CN

2800 IF CN=4 THEN 2820
2810 GOTO 2870

2820 IF DX < 9 OR CD < 9 THEN 2840

2830 GOTO 2870
2840 PRINT" DEXTERITY AND/OR CONSTITUTION"

2850 PRINT" TOO LOW FOR HALFLING"

2860 GOTO 2770

2870 IF CN=5 AND IN < 9 THEN 2890

2880 GOTO 2900

2890 PRINT'TNTELLIGENCE TOO LOW FOR ELF.":GOTO 2770

2900 IF CN=6 AND CO < 9 THEN 2920
2910 GOTO 2960

2920 PRINT'CONSTITUTION TOO LOW FOR DWARF.":GOTO 2770

2930 REM***************************

2940 REM HIT DICE ASSIGNED BY RACE/CLASS

2950 REM***************************

2960 IF CN=1 THEN HF=8

2970 IF CN=2 THEN HF=4
2980 IF CN=3 THEN HF=6
2990 IF CN=4 THEN HF=6
3000 IF CN=5 THEN HF=6
3010 IF CN=6 THEN HF=8
3020 IF CN=7 THEN HF=4
3030 IF CN=0 THEN 1160
3040 PRINT

3050 REM***************************

3060 REM CHARACTER LEVEL ASSIGNED AND

3070 REM HIT POINTS CALCULATED

3080 REM***************************

3090 PRINT "CHARACTER LEVEL RANGE..ONE(l) TO FIVE(5)"

3100 PRINT

3110 INPUT"AT WHICH LEVEL WILL CHARACTER START";LL

3120 IF LL > 5 THEN PRINT "NUMBER TOO LARGE: RE-ENTER":GOTO 3110

3130 PRINT CHR$(12)

3140 PRINT

3150 PRINT'YOUR CHARACTER HAS ";LL;" HIT DICE"

3160 PRINT

3170 IF CO=3 THEN PF=(-3 * LL)

3180 IF CO > 3 AND CO < 6 THEN PF=(-2 * LL)

3190 IF CO > 5 MD CO < 9 THEN PF-(-l * LL)

3200 IF CO > 8 AND CO < 13 THEN PF=0

3210 IF CO > 12 AND CO < 16 THEN PF=LL

3220 IF CO > 15 AND CO < 18 THEN PF=(2 * LL)

3230 IF CO=18 THEN PF=(3 * LL)

3240 GOSUB 4330

3250 REM***************************

3260 REM CLERIC SKILLS ASSIGNED BY LEVEL

3270 REM***************************

3280 IF CN=3 THEN 3300

3290 GOTO 3500
3300 IF CN=3 THEN 3320
3310 GOTO 3500

3320 CZ$=" CLERIC VS. UNDEAD TABLE (1D20)"

3330 CU$="SKEL ZOMB GHOU WIGT WRAI MUMM SPEC VAMP"

3340 PRINT CZ$

3350 PRINT
3360 PRINT CU$

33 70 Zl$=" 7 9

3380 Z2$" T 7
3390 Z3$=" T T

3400 Z4$=" D T

3410 Z5$=" D D T T 7 9 11

3420 IF CN=3 AND LL=1 THEN PRINT Zl$

3430 IF CN=3 AND LL=2 THEN PRINT Z2$

3440 IF CN=3 AND LL=3 THEN PRINT Z3$

3450 IF CN=3 AND LL=4 THEN PRINT Z4$

3460 IF CN=3 AND LL=5 THEN PRINT Z5$

3470 REM***************************

3480 REM THIEF'S SKILLS ASSIGNED BY LEVEL

3490 REM***************************

3500 IF CN=7 THEN 3520

3510 GOTO 3720

3520 TY$=" THIEVE'S ABILITIES"

3530 TA$="PICK REMV PICK MOVE CLIM HIDE HEAR"

3540 TB$="LOCK TRAP PCKT SILT SURF SHDW NOIS"

3550 PRINT TY$

3560 PRINT TA$

3570 PRINT TB$

3580 Kl$=" 15% 10% 20% 20% 87% 10%

3590 K2$=" 20% 15% 25% 25%

3680 K3$=" 25% 20% 30% -

3610 K4$=" 30% 25% 35%

3620 K5$=" 35% 30% 40% 40% 91% 30% 1-3"

3630 IF LL=1 THEN PRINT Kl$

3640 IF LL=2 THEN PRINT K2$

3650 IF LL=3 THEN PRINT K3$

3660 IF LL=4 THEN PRINT K4$

3670 IF LL=5 THEN PRINT K5$

3680 REM***************************

3690 REM CHARACTER COUNT DISPLAYED AND

3700 REM DECISION TO USE IS MADE.

3710 REM***************************

3720 CC=CC+1
3730 PRINT

3740 PRINT" THIS IS CHARACTER #[";CC;"]"

3750 PRINT

3760 IN PUT" DO YOU WANT THIS CHARACTER(Y/N)";D$

3770 IF D$="N"THEN 1320

3780 IF D$="Y"THEN 3790
3790 CC=0

3810 REM OTHER CHARACTER DATA IS INPUT

3820 REM***************************

3830 PRINT CHR$(12)

3840 PRINT: PRINT: PRINT

3850 IN PUT" WHAT IS CHARACTER'S NAME";NA$
3860 PRINT

3870 INPUT'WHAT IS CHARACTER'S RACE";RA$

3880 PRINT

3890 INPUT'WHAT IS CHARACTER’S GENDER";SE$

3900 PRINT

3910 INPUT'WHAT IS CHARACTER'S CLASS";CL$

3920 PRINT CHR$(12)

3930 REM***************************

3940 REM CHARACTER'S GOLD CALCULATED

3950 REM***************************

3960 PRINT: PRINT

3970 LET M1=INT((RND(1)*6)+1)

3980 LET M2=INT((RND(l)*d)+l)

3990 LET M3=INT((RND(1)*6)+1)

4000 LET MT=M1+M2+M3

4010 LET GC=(10 * MT)

4020 REM***************************

4030 REM SEPARATION BY RACE/CLASS FOR

4040 REM FINAL DATA CALCULATIONS.

4850 REM***************************

4060 IF CN=1 THEN GOSUB 5470

4070 IF CN=2 THEN GOSUB 6130
4080 IF CN=3 THEN GOSUB 5580
4090 IF CN=4 THEN GOSUB 5690

15%

46 June 1983

by Grenadier
a little bit
of magic.

Star Trek™, Worlds

of Wonder™, and vehicles for Ogre™ and
Car Wars™. Ask for them at your local
ganft^jor hobby store. If they don’t have
them, write to the address below.

Fantasy Lords™ are the newest 25mm

characters and monsters available for use
with your favorite fantasy role-playing
game. They’re made by the experts in
role-playing miniatures — Grenadier
Models.

If you appreciate craftsmanship and

imagination, you'll want Grenadier
characters in your adventures. We also
make 25mm characters for the Call of
Cthulhu™, Secret Agents™, Gangsters™,

Call aF,.C|hulhu and Worlds of Wonder are trademarks of

Chaojj&pir Inci Fantasy Lords, Secret Agents and
Gangt^# are trademarks of Grenadier Models Inc. The
Dark Phypal is a trademark of Henson Associates Inc. Star
Trek i&a trademark of Paramount Pictures Inc Ogre is a
trademark of Steve Jackson Games war Wars is a
trademark of Texas Instruments Incorporated

Q Grenadier Models Inc. box 305 , Springfield, pa i9064

4100 IF CN=5 THEN GOSUB 5800

4110 IF CN=6 THEN GOSUB 5910
4128 IF CN=7 THEN GOSUB 6020
4130 GOSUB 4510
4140 PRINT

4150 REM********************************

4160 REM 'END' OR 'CONTINUE' AND CLOSE

4170 REM***************************

4180 INPUT"ANOTHER CHARACTER (Y/N)";GB$

4190 IF GB$="Y" THEN 1320

4200 PRINT CHR$(12)

4210 PRINT:PRINT:PRINT:PRINT:PRINT
4228 PRINT" THANKS FOR USING ME!"

4230 PRINT

4240 PRINT'TF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND AND"

4250 PRINT'WANT ANOTHER CHARACTER,JUST'

4260 PRINT"ENTER THE WORD 'RUN' - BYE."

4270 CLEAR
4280 END
4290 PRINT

4300 REM***************************

4310 REM SUBROUTINE TO CALCULATE HIT PTS

4320 REM***************************

4330 Y=Y+1

4340 PS=INT((RND(1) * HF)+1)

4350 PS(Y)=PS
4360 IF Y <> LL THEN 4330
4370 FOR Y=0 TO LL-1
4380 PS=PS+PS(Y)

4390 NEXT Y

4400 PT= PS + PF

4410 IF PT=<0 THEN 4430

4420 GOTO 4440

4430 PT=LL

4440 PRINT "YOUR CHARACTER WOULD HAVE";PT;"HIT POINTS!"

4450 PRINT
4460 Y=0
4470 RETURN

4480 REM***************************

4490 REM RECAP DISPLAY BEGINS

4500 REM***************************

4510 PRINT CHR$(12)

4520 PRINT

4530 PRINT" RECAP OF CHARACTER ABILITIES"

4540 PRINT

4550 PRINT "NAME....";NA$

4560 PRINT "RACE....";RA$;TAB(22)'' HIT DICE: " ;LL

4570 PRINT "GENDER..";SE$

4580 PRINT "CLASS...";CL$;TAB(22)" HIT POINTS: *;PT

4590 PRINT "LEVEL...";LL
4600 PRINT

4610 PRINT "NOTE!! COPY THIS AND THE INFORMATION"

4620 PRINT " THAT FOLLOWS TO THE CHARACTER"

4630 PRINT " RECORD SHEET. IT WILL NOT BE"

4640 PRINT " AVAILABLE AGAIN!"

4650 PRINT

4660 INPUT" TO CONTINUE,ENTER A ONE(l)";KK

4670 ON KK GOTO 4680
4680 PRINT CHR$(12)

4690 PRINT NA$;"'S STRENGTH IS.";ST

4700 IF SF=0 THEN 4720

4710 PRINT "*ADD";SF;"TO ROLL TO:'HIT,DAMAGE,OPEN DOORS"

4720 PRINT NA$;"'S CONSTITUTION IS..";CO
4730 PRINT NA$;"'S INTELLIGENCE IS..";IN
4740 IF CN=2 THEN PRINT IZ$

4750 PRINT 1$

4760 PRINT NA$;"'S DEXTERITY IS....";DX

4770 IF DF=0 THEN 4800

4780 PRINT "*ADD";DF;''TO MISSILE FIRE ROLLS 'TO HIT"'

4790 PRINT "*";X1$;X2$;X3$;" ARMOR CLASS."

4800 PRINT NA$;"'S WISDOM IS.";WI

4810 IF WF=0 THEN 4830

4820 PRINT "*ADD*";WF;"TO ROLL-MAGIC BASED SAVING THROWS"

4830 PRINT NA$;"'S CHARISMA IS.";CH

4840 PRINT "*CHAR MAY HAVE";XF;"RETAINERS - MORALE OF";XF

4850 IF CN=3 THEN 4900
4860 GOTO 4960
4870 REM***************************

4880 REM DISPLAYS CLERIC'S SKILLS

4890 REM***************************

4900 PRINT CZ$:PRINT CU$

4910 IF CN=3 AND LL=1 THEN PRINT Zl$

4920 IF CN=3 AND LL=2 THEN PRINT Z2$

4930 If CN=3 AND LL=3 THEN PRINT Z3$

4940 IF CN=3 AND LL=4 THEN PRINT Z4$

4950 IF CN=3 AND LL=5 THEN PRINT Z5$

4960 IF CN=7 THEN 5010

4970 GOTO 5070

4980 REM***************************

4990 REM DISPLAYS THIEF'S SKILLS

5000 REM***************************

5010 PRINT TY$: PRINT TA$: PRINT TB$

5020 IF CN=7 AND LL-1 THEN PRINT Kl$

5030 IF CN=7 AND LL=2 THEN PRINT K2$

5040 IF CN=7 AND LL=3 THEN PRINT K3$

5050 IF CN=7 AND LL=4 THEN PRINT K4$

5060 IF CN=7 AND LL=5 THEN PRINT K5$

5070 INPUT" TO CONTINUE,ENTER A ONE(l)";PK

5080 ON PK GOTO 5120

5090 REM***************************

5100 REM DISPLAYS SAVING THROW TABLE

5110 REM***************************

5120 PRINT CHR$(12):PRINT

5130 PRINT " SAVING THROW TABLE"

5140 PRINT"DEATH : :PARALYSIS: : RODS"

5150 PRINT"RAY OR:MAGIC: OR TURN :DRAGON:STAVES"

5160 PRINT"POISON:WANDS:TO STONE :BREATH:OR SPELLS"

5170 PRINT"-:..:.:."

5180 PRINT ST$

5190 PRINT Pl$

5200 PRINT P2$

5210 PRINT P3$

5220 PRINT P4$

5230 PRINT P5$

5240 REM***************************

5250 REM DISPLAYS PLAYER'S GOLD SUPPLY

5260 REM***************************

5270 PRINT "THIS CHARACTER HAS[";GC;"] GOLD PIECES."

5280 RETURN

5290 REM***************************

5300 REM DISPLAYS WISDOM ADJUSTMENTS

5310 REM***************************

5320 X1$="ADD " :X2$="3":X3$=" TO"

5330 RETURN

5340 X1$="ADD " :X2$="2" :X3$=" TO"

5350 RETURN

5360 X1$="ADD * :X2$=" 1 " :X3$=" TO"

5370 RETURN

5380 X1$="SUBTRACT " :X2$="1":X3$=" FROM"

5390 RETURN

5400 X1$="SUBTRACT " :X2$="2":X3$=" FROM"

5410 RETURN

5420 X1$="SUBTRACT " :X2$="3":X3$=" FROM"

5430 RETURN

5440 REM***************************

5450 REM SAVING THROW & MISC.-FIGHTER

5460 REM***************************

5470 IF LL < 4 THEN ST$="..12....13.14.15.16

5480 IF LL > 3 AND LL < 6 THEN ST$=...10....11.12.13.14.

5490 P1$="MAY WEAR ANY ARMOR AND USE SHIELD."

5500 P2$="MAY USE ANY WEAPON."

5510 P3$=" "

5520 P4$="N0 SPELLS, BUT MAY USE MAGIC ARTICLE."

5530 P5$=" "

5540 RETURN

5550 REM***************************

5560 REM SAVING THROW & MISC.-CLERIC

5580 IF LL < 5 THEN ST$="..11....12.14.16.15”

5590 IF LL=5 THEN ST$="...9....10.12.14.12”

5600 P1$="MAY NOT USE EDGED WEAPONS."

5610 P2$="MAY WEAR ANY ARMOR AND USE SHIELD. "

5620 P3$="MAY USE SLING "

5630 P4$="HAS ABILITY TO 'TURN' UNDEAD.'

5640 P5$="USES CLERICAL SPELLS ONLY. "

5650 RETURN

5660 REM***************************

5670 REM SAVING THROW & MISC.- HALFLING

5680 REM***************************

5690 IF LL < 4 THEN ST$="...8.9.10.13.12"

5700 IF LL > 3 AND LL < 6 THEN ST$="...6.7.8.10.10"

5710 Pl$="CANNOT USE LONGBOW OR 2 HANDED SWORD."

5720 P2$="ADJUST MISSILE ATTACK 'TO HIT' BY +1."

5730 P3$="ADJ AC BY -1 VS. MORE THAN MAN-SIZE OPP."

5740 P4$="ONLY 10% CHANCE OF DETECTION IN WOODS."

5750 P5$="REMAINS UNSEEN IN DUNGEON ON 1-2 (1D6)"

5760 RETURN

5770 REM***************************

5780 REM SAVING THROW & MISC. - ELF

5790 REM***************************

5800 IF LL < 4 THEN ST$="..12....13.13.15.15"

5810 IF LL > 3 AND LL < 6 THEN ST$="..18....11.11.13.12"

5820 P1$="HAS 60' INFRA-VISION."

5830 P2$="DETECTS OR SECRET DOORS ON 1-2(1D6)."

5840 P3$="IMMUNE TO PARALYSIS FROM GHOUL ATTACK."

5850 P4$="SPEAKS ELVISH,ORC,HOB-GOBLIN,AND GNOLL."

5860 P5$="MAY USE SPELLS AND MAGIC ARTICLES."

5870 RETURN

5880 REM***************************

5890 REM SAVING THROW & MISC. - DWARF

5900 REM***************************

5910 IF LL < 4 THEN ST$="...8.9.10.13.12"

5920 IF LL > 3 AND LL < 6 THEN ST$="...6.7.8.10.10"

5930 P1$="HAS 60' INFRA-VISION."

5940 P2$="DET'S TRAPS,DUNGEON ANOMALIES,@ 1-2(1D6)"

5950 P3$="SPEAKS DWARVISH,GNOME,KOBOLD,AND GOBLIN."

5960 P4$="MAY NOT USE A LONGBOW OR 2-HANDED SWORD."

5970 P5$=" "

5980 RETURN

5990 REM***************************

6000 REM SAVING THROW & MISC. - THIEF

6010 REM***************************

6020 IF LL < 5 THEN ST$ = ...13....14.13.16.15"

6030 IF LL=5 THEN ST$="..12....13.11.14.13

6040 P1$="LEATHER ARMOUR ONLY-NO SHIELD"

6050 P2$="BACKSTABBING ADDS +4 TO 'TO HIT' ROLL"

6060 P3$="BACKSTABBING DOES TWICE NORMAL DAMAGE"

6070 P4$="SEE TABLE FOR OTHER SKILLS."

6080 P5$=" "

6090 RETURN

6100 REM***************************

6110 REM SAVING THROW & MISC.-MAGIC USER

6120 REM***************************

6130 ST$=" 13 14 13 16 15"

6140 P1$="MAY NOT USE A SHIELD OR WEAR ARMOR."

6150 P2$="MAY USE ONLY A DAGGER AS A WEAPON."

6160 P3$="CHECK INTELLIGENCE FOR ABILITY TO"

6170 P4$="LEARN SPELLS AND # OF SPELLS/LEVEL"

6180 P5$=" "

6190 RETURN

48 June 1983

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Dragon 49

A player character
and his money. ..

by Lewis Pulsipher
It has frequently been noted that in
some fantasy role-playing games the
amount of money available to, and actu¬
ally possessed by, player characters is
unbelievably enormous — impossible to
transport, or to store in anything smaller
than a castle. Even a relatively inexpe¬
rienced character can, after not too long,
afford almost anything he can carry, and
such things as towers and ships are
within the range of a character's pocket-
book before not too much longer than
that.

Some gamemasters go to great lengths

to describe goods and services in their
campaigns in terms of their "real" (that
is, medieval) prices — very low rates to
someone with several pounds of gold
coins. Typically, suggestions for the
"toning down" of a game's monetary sys¬
tem are met with two retorts: first, it is a
"fact" of the campaign that the area fre¬
quented by adventurers is experiencing
rampant inflation; and second, that this
is an adventure game, after all, and huge
piles of gold are part of the heroic milieu.

This article approaches the subject of

money from two angles — first, suggest¬
ing a means of simplifying monetary
transactions while making treasures more
believable and easier to store or carry; and

second, describing some ways in which a

referee can coax treasure away from
adventurers once they've discovered it.

The silver standard

The first part is easy. In any descrip¬

tion of a hoard of monetary treasure,
replace the word "gold" with "silver."
(But don't change prices or values given
for goods or services.) Adopt the "silver
standard" which actually prevailed in late
medieval times. A gold piece (arbitrarily
set equal to 10 silver pieces to make calcu¬
lations easy) becomes really valuable. And
silver, once sneered at as "too cheap to
carry," takes its rightful place as the
wealthy man's mode of exchange. Main¬
taining the proportion between gold and
silver, the value of a silver piece is set
equivalent to 10 copper pieces. The
copper piece is small change, certainly,
but not such a miniscule piece of cur¬
rency as it is in some games.

In a world where silver "replaces" gold,

medieval prices for ordinary goods and
services are reasonable, and the net result
is either unchanged or decreased spend¬
ing power for adventurers.

Concerning the size and weight prob¬

lem, a display of medieval coins in a
museum will show that coins minted

prior to the modem era were very small,

rather like an American dime or British
half-penny (new pence). Consequently, in
bygone days it was possible to carry a
small fortune without risking a perma¬
nent back problem from the weight. Try
setting the size and weight of a coin
(copper, silver, or gold) equal to the size
and weight of a dime. When this standard
is used instead of, for instance, the
AD&D™ game standard (where coins
weigh a tenth of a pound each), someone
who could carry a sack of 300 gold pieces
(30 pounds) in the old system can carry
6,584 gold in the new system (1 dime = 35
grains, or 219+ coins/pound). And gold is
far more valuable per piece, because the
silver standard is used. (And this system
for size and weight can only be used if the
silver standard is also employed.)

Now, personal fortunes are no longer

impossible to carry, and adventurers don't
need magic bags or mules in order to
carry a decent sum away from an adven¬
ture (or a theft).

The origin of treasures

Why, since gold circulated so freely in

the ancient world, did it virtually disap¬
pear in the Dark Ages? Much was
hoarded (e.g., buried) and lost. Some was
successfully hoarded for centuries. Most
of the remainder flowed to the eastern
world via trade. For a time, even silver
was so rare that most transactions were by
barter rather than purchase. In a sense,
adventurers are discovering lost hoards
when they take treasure from monsters. If
the history of your fantasy world is like
that of Earth, having a Dark Age or Age
of Chaos, there may justifiably be a severe
shortage of gold (hence its great value) in
the years that follow this period. Most
personal wealth will be in goods, not
money, and consequently it will be rela¬
tively difficult for a thief to transport or

50 June 1983

dispose of his gains. Except through bar¬

ter, one can't "spend" a fur coat or obsid¬
ian necklace. Unless player characters are
astute, they may sell such "liberated"
items for far less than their nominal
worth.

A player character and his money . . .

What means are available in the cam¬

paign to separate player characters from
the treasure which, sooner or later, they
will accumulate? A few games provide a
formal system for forcing expenditures.

In the Runequest® game, characters

spend money for training and learning
spells. (Why they don't teach each other
for free I am unsure.) In the AD&D game,
characters are supposed to spend money
for training when they rise a level. This
system seems unusable at low levels,
where a character must spend half his
time adventuring without gaining expe¬
rience just to gain sufficient funds to
reach the next level. So what do you do if
your game has no such system, or you
don't like the one provided? Here are
some possibilities:

Theft: The obvious way to relieve char¬

acters of their burden of wealth is to
simply steal it (rather, have it stolen), but
this can create tensions outside the game.
If players aren't used to losing money to
unseen and undetected thieves, they're
going to be very unhappy, and may think

the referee is unfair. In other cases, play¬

ers won't mind theft so much, provided
that 1) they have a chance to catch the
thief and 2) their precautions against
theft reduce the frequency and success
rate of such attempts.

To illustrate the first point: If the ref¬

eree simply says one day, "You can't find
your money pouch," the player will have
virtually no chance to stop or catch the
thief. If, however, during the course of
discussions at an inn or on the street, the
referee casually refers to someone bump¬
ing into or jostling the character, the
player has a chance to react to the theft (if
he thinks about the possibility). Or if a
theft occurs while the character is sleep¬
ing, he may be able to find some clues to
help track down the miscreant.

As for the second point, precautions: A

character who conceals rather than
flaunts his wealth should be less vulnera¬
ble to theft than one who becomes known
as a big spender. Furthermore, some
players make lists of precautions to be
observed by characters when in towns or
other areas frequented by thieves, while
others take no precautions. The latter are
more likely to be successfully robbed.

A character can be conned out of his

money — for example, when he buys a
magic spell scroll which turns out to have
flaws — but frequent con games and sim¬
ilar forms of deceit are no fun for referee
or players. Moreover, players soon

become extremely wary, making it almost

impossible to "fairly" con them. But
most important, con games, moreso than
ordinary theft, are too personal. This feels
too much like the referee, rather than the
monsters and NPCs, against the players,
obstructing the ideal of the referee as an
impartial arbiter. For this reason alone,
deceit is not a satisfactory way to relieve
characters of their treasure.

Players soon become so wary of ordi¬

nary theft that the referee cannot success¬
fully steal large sums without resorting to
strongarm tactics — for example, an
extortioner who happens to be a high-
level assassin. Once again, this results in
an adversary relationship likely to sour
the game, if not personal relations out¬
side of it. Theft is not enough.

Upkeep: Since adventurers spend only

a small part of their time out adventur¬
ing, they must spend money for a place to
stay, food, clothing, and amenities — all
expenses that are not reflected in buying
equipment for adventures. Some rules
assume that the more experienced a char¬
acter is, the more money he will spend.
This is almost universally true, but still
somewhat inaccurate; though there is a
tendency in most people (and characters)
to spend more when one has more to
spend, an adventurer's rise in income can
often far outstrip his expenditures.

Adventurers will always have to pay a

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Dragon 51

minimum amount for upkeep, with addi¬

tions according to the extent of largesse
and luxury they wish to enjoy. Armor
and weapon repairs, oil and rations, and
other matters of equipment replacement,
often ignored by players, can be sub¬
sumed in upkeep. And the more expen¬
sive a city's prices are, the higher upkeep
costs will be for residents in the city. Here
is where the idea of local inflation — the
"gold rush boom town" with very high
prices for ordinary goods — can come
into play.

Henchmen and hired help: Along with

personal upkeep comes payments to
henchmen and loyal followers, including
(but not limited to) their upkeep. This
total expense can be much greater than
personal costs.

Novice and near-novice adventurers are

unlikely to have such expenses, but vet¬
erans who may wish to hire skilled
craftsmen must pay what the market
demands, regardless of the "list price"
given for a service in the rulebook. If only
one armorer in town can make plate, and
several adventurers or lords want to hire
him, the armorer may charge an unusu¬
ally high fee.

(It should be noted for medievalists,

however, that in the Middle Ages many
fees were set by a guild or by the city
government and could not be exceeded.
Supply and demand, as we know it, did
not operate to change prices, though it
might lead to a devaluation of coinage
through reduction of the metal content.)

Adventurers' followers and henchmen,

if they're to remain loyal, must be very
well paid; otherwise, many will strike out
on their own. A character who owns a
stronghold, even a simple blockhouse
with tower, will have to pay troops and
other skilled personnel to garrison it.

They must be paid well enough to

remain loyal, or the character may find
when he returns from an adventure that
he's excluded from his stronghold, or that
it has been sacked, by the garrison.

Acquiring a stronghold: Perhaps the

greatest expense any adventurer will face
is the cost of buying or constructing a
personal stronghold. An adventurer may
buy or build several strongholds in the
course of a long, successful career. The
first may be a small tower, or just a stone
house or villa, either in or near a town.

Unless he has obtained a large grant of

land as well, the character may prefer to
move to another area to build a full-scale
castle, rather than expand his single
tower. And later he may trade territories
(not uncommon in the Middle Ages) or
find a better place to build his master
"festung" in which to spend his remain¬
ing years. Such great stone edifices are
extremely expensive, especially if the
adventurer wants it built rapidly rather
than over the course of five years.
Moreover, expenses do not stop when the

stronghold is completed. Maintenance

costs, both for material and personnel, are
anything but negligible — and the older
the stronghold, the more maintenance of
the structure will cost.

If life is too easy for characters while

they stay in a town, they'll have no incen¬
tive to obtain a stronghold. The more
they're harried by thieves, assassins, punk
sword-slingers looking for a reputation,
and so on, the more they'll look on
spending money for a stronghold as a
gain, not a loss.

Religion: Religion should drain a sig¬

nificant sum from adventurers, staying
more or less proportional as income rises.
In most fantasy worlds the gods are real,
and if not omnipresent, they at least affect
the world through manipulation of fol¬
lowers and minions. Most adventurers
will actively worship one or more gods, if
only "just in case, you know . . ." Active
worship entails contributions, if not
tithes (10% of all income) or offerings of
animals and goods of the worshipper.

And if the local temple is destroyed, the

wealthy worshippers (that is, the adven¬
turers) will be expected to provide money
to rebuild it.

Taxes: In the medieval or the modern

world, citizens of a town are expected to
pay taxes according to the value of their
property — including money, in the
Middle Ages — and non-citizens are
targets for special levies, unless the town
is particularly eager to persuade the for¬
eigners to stay. This eagerness is conceiv¬
able if the town is threatened from the
outside and the foreigners (adventurers)
offer the best defense.

A character's stronghold may be taxed

by the overlord of the area. If the charac¬
ter holds the land in fief, he may be
exempted from many taxes, but on the
other hand he'll have feudal obligations
to his overlord. This often includes the
providing of troops, which means that
the character must hire extra men, and
pay for upkeep of troops on campaign,
even if he doesn't go himself. This will be
true whether the troops take an active
part in the campaign or march on a cru¬
sade to a faraway land.

Pets: The animal companion(s) of an

adventurer, especially if they are big pets,
can be a drain on the character's income
as he pays for housing, training, and
feeding the creature. Perhaps outside of
town the fighter's pet griffon or hippo-
griff can feed on kills — provided it
doesn't take down some farmer's domestic
animal — but when the fighter stays in
town, he'll need to buy animals to feed
his mount.

Training young animals may cost even

more than feeding them, because the abil¬
ity to train is so rare and the act requires
so much time. But the biggest expense of
all could be buying the young animal (or

52 June 1983

egg) in the first place. Encourage players

to have pets, if only well trained (and
thus expensive) war dogs. Sooner or later
the pet will be killed, and in the mean¬
time it may cause much amusement for
the referee, and difficulty for the owner.
On the other hand, if his pet saves his life
just once, the owner will think it well
worth the expense.

Equipment: Not all equipment is

created equal. That is, some suits of (non-
magical) armor are more protective than
others, some swords are stronger than
others and hold an edge better, and so on.
The "ordinary" price for a piece of
equipment given in rulebooks could not
be for the highest quality product. Con¬
sequently, another way to bleed funds
from characters is to offer the opportunity
to buy exceptional, but non-magical,
armor and weapons. The best of this
might even be equivalent in protection or
striking power to the weakest sort of mag¬
ical armor and weapons; you, as the ref¬
eree, must judge where the line is drawn.

Or, if you prefer, you may simply make

"ordinary" equipment somewhat unsafe
to use, in order to encourage player char¬
acters to buy better materials. For exam¬
ple, a dice roll can be taken at the end of
each adventure (or each battle) to deter¬
mine whether armor or weapons have
broken or worn out — and more expen¬
sive equipment wears out much less
often. Or, stipulate that when a player
rolls a 1 when attacking, there is a chance
that his weapon breaks, and when an
attacker rolls a 20 (or 100) there is a
chance that the target's armor is damaged
and his armor class is lessened by one.

The size of this "chance to be damaged"

will vary with the quality of the equip¬
ment. The players can either periodically
buy or repair cheap stuff, or they can buy
high-quality products and rest more
easily.

Of course, a referee could have someone

sell magical equipment to characters, but
in most worlds the price should be so
prohibitive that no adventurer could
afford anything but a trade of magic
items, rather than a purchase. Who
would be crazy enough to sell a perma¬
nently endowed magic item, such as a
sword or shield?

One-use magic: While permanent

magic items such as armor will not be
available for purchase in most cam¬
paigns, except between players, one-use
magic will be more plentiful. Alchemists
manufacture potions to sell them, since
they can't use most potions themselves.
Retired magicians may make a living
creating and selling scrolls and recharg¬
ing some magic items.

Allowing for the purchase of "one-use

magic" can be a wonderful way to drain
money from adventurers without unbal¬
ancing the game; in fact, it offers players
one more way to make a "good move" in

the game by purchasing the most impor¬

tant types of one-use items, such as scrolls
for healing or neutralizing poisons.

If a character finds a fairly good magic

item, such as a wand of magic missiles or
a wand of weak fireballs, he can hardly
afford to allow the thing to run out of
charges, yet he'll probably use it fre¬
quently. Consequently, he'll be willing to
pay out large sums to a magician to re¬
store some charges to the item. It's not
unknown for several members of a group
of adventurers to contribute money
toward recharging a wand owned by one
of them, because the wand helped all of
them survive.

Information: The "facts of the matter"

should be a valuable commodity in the
campaign, something characters will buy
at a high price. This information can
come in many forms, from stories told in
taverns ("Have another drink and tell me
more") to accounts told by rumor-
mongers and oral historians, to the pur¬
chase of ancient books and the expertise
of sages. Education and training for the
adventurers themselves is a form of
information which will cost significant
sums early in a campaign; later, adven¬
turers will teach one another their skills,
and will leam few new ones.

The more accurate a piece of informa¬

tion is, the more it should cost. Experts,
especially, are always expensive — think

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Dragon 53

of a sage as the fantasy equivalent of a

"consultant/ 7 with the high fees that
occupation demands, rather than the
equivalent of a reference librarian or a
university instructor. And although there
were no detectives in medieval times, it is
possible that someone would set himself
up in the "information gathering" busi¬
ness — not quite a detective, but not a spy
either. Such persons would charge high
fees because their service is nearly unique.

Politics: It is almost impossible to

become a wealthy, successful adventurer
without getting involved in politics:
wealth and prestige bring enemies and
hangers-on. The more a character partic¬
ipates in politics, the more it will cost to
acquire and retain supporters, to obtain
information, to bribe.

Well-known adventurers may be

expected to spend a season at the court of
the ruler of the region. The travel,
retinue, finery, and gifts this entails will
not be balanced by any monetary gain,
although the increase in prestige and
favor may help the character later.

Tournaments (jousts and duels) can be

expensive for adventurers who are
expected to participate in such events,
although in some areas the prizes offered
may more than offset the cost.

And if a character is really serious

about politics, he may have to bankroll a
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Bribes: This is a way to soak up money

in an accumulation of small amounts.
Most readers will have heard of countries
in which every official, minor or other¬
wise, expects a bribe in return for
accomplishing what is nominally his
everyday job. Why can't a fantasy society
be afflicted with the same inefficiency?

It's a matter of the size of the bureaucracy,

the way it's recruited, and the expecta¬
tions of the society.

Research: Magical research, whether to

discover new spells or to determine the
nature of found magic items, takes
money. Don't let characters pay a meager
sum in order to find out everything there
is to know about a newly obtained item.
Bleed their money away, giving a little
more information for each input of
funds. After all, magicians are rare and
should be paid appropriately for their
valuable research time.

Of course, player characters may decide

not to pay, but that's their choice; it may
be possible to discover the relevant
information through rumors, libraries,
and knowledgeable non-magicians.

The more complex a magic item is, the

more characters will have to pay to
determine exactly what it does. More than
one level of performance, or more than
one power, is desirable in an item — even
items with (unbeknownst to the player
characters) only one power — so that
players may continue to pay money in an
attempt to learn about additional powers
of an item long after all of its powers and
levels of ability have actually been
revealed.
For example, one researcher may be
able to determine one of the powers of a
wand. Another research expert may know
a command word, not necessarily relating
to the known power. Further research
may reveal another command word and a
second power, perhaps a variation of the
first one. And, the wand may be found to
occasionally weaken the user; finding out
how to avoid that effect — or even if there
is a way to avoid it — would cost even
more than finding out about one of the
wand's beneficial aspects.

Investments: Bad investments will cost

characters large sums. There ought to be
a few good investments available, but
most should be bad — just as in the mod¬
em world. Ways to spend invested money
may include schemes to manufacture new
inventions, property deals, money lend¬
ing, and most likely, mercantile ventures.
While a smart mercantile deal may net a
character a return of more than 100% or
200%, most will result in a poor return or
a loss. Characters may attempt to literally
"protect their investments" by accom¬
panying a vehicle or caravan picking up
or delivering goods, thereby giving the
referee opportunities to create mini¬
adventures connected with the trade
routes and destinations.

Gambling: This is a good way to

separate incautious characters from their
fortunes, in the long run. Just make sure
the odds favor the house — if the game
isn't actually fixed — and remember that
a really big winner may make enemies of
the owners of the gambling establish¬
ment, or of the losers in a private game.

A referee can encourage gambling by

making participation a matter of prestige
in the locale, and by providing means of
obtaining information — rumors, at the
least — unique to the gambling estab¬
lishments). If you challenge the "man¬
hood" (or "womanhood") of the player
characters in connection with gambling,
some of them will respond unwisely —
that is, they will gamble to "prove"
themselves.

Small treasures, big spenders

The more opportunities player charac¬

ters have to spend money, in small
amounts or large, the more they'll spend.
Some combination of the methods de¬
scribed above should allow the referee to
reduce the fortunes of all but the most
miserly adventurers. But the most impor¬
tant single method of doing this is to
make treasures small, so that characters
can't accumulate large fortunes. Whether
this stringency fits the "heroic" mold is a
matter that only each referee and his or
her players can decide. II

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The Alchemist Class: Compleat Formulae # T

for Elixirs, Potions, Dusts, Gasses, Rare §
Herbs, Talismans, Homunculi, much more: 1
$7.50. %

The Witch, Warlock, Mystic Necromancer,

\W 1| Sorcerer and Sage Classes; Familiars, The
S&Y, jr Hierarchy of Demons, Summoned
'W Creatures, Runes & Symbols, much more:
L + $7.50.

Available From The Following Fine Hobby & Game Stores

AL

Homewood

Homewood Toy & Hobby

2830 S. 18th St.

ph. 879-3986

CA

Berkley

Games of Berkley

2110 Addison St.

ph. 843-9436

CA

Burbank

Last Grenadier #1

119 S. Golden Mall

ph. 843-0951
CA

Long Beach

Balboa Game Co.

630 W. Willow St.

ph. 424-3180

CA

Northridge

Last Grenadier #2

8821 Reseda Blvd.

ph. 701-5716

CA

Sacramento

Dragons Den #1

5819 Stockton Blvd.

ph. 452-6647

CA

San Diego

Gametowne

3954 Harney St.

ph. 291-1666

CA

Sunnyvale

Cosmic Comics

127 S. Murphy Ave.

ph. 733-6832

CA

Ventura

Last Grenadier #3

2833 B.E. Main

ph. 648-7236
COL

. Boulder

Bob’s Hobby & Toy

2486 Baseline

ph. 494-7419

COL

Colorado Springs

Security Book Exchange

5644 South Highway 85

ph. 390-6071

CT

Naug

Fantasy Island

92 Cherry St.

ph. 723-1619

CT

W. Harford

War & Pieces Inc.

7 South Main Str.

ph. 232-0608

DE

Claymont

Book Thrift

Tri State Mall

ph. 798-3378

DE

Newark

Days of Knights

85 E. Main St.
ph. 366-0963

FL

Gainesville

Gainesville Toyland

1028 N. Main St.

ph. 372-0478

FL

Davie

Compleat Strategist

5406-8 Stirling Rd.

ph. 744-6622

FL

Panama City

Castle Games

456 Harrison Ave.

ph. 763-8526

FL

Pensacola

Koby’s Korner

110 Palafox Place

ph. 434-7606

FL

W. Palm Beach

Family Book Trader

4311 Broadway

ph. 848-0011

ID

Boise

Kents Dragon Den

2817 Rosehill
ph. 344-9096

IL

Mt. Prospect

Gamtes Plus

20 W. Busse Ave.

ph. 577-9656

IL

O'Fallon

O’Fallon’s Hobbycraft

2 S. Lincoln

ph. 632-4972

IL

Springfield

Black & Co.

815 E. Monroe

ph. 525-1910

IL

Westmont

Lyles Hobby & Craft

38 N. Cass

ph. 852-8085

IL

Woodstock

Beyers Hobby Shop

236 Main St.

ph. 338-1640

IN

Marion

Redbeards Books
512 S. Baldwin Ave.

ph. 662-0403

KS

Topeka

Comics & Fantasy

1402 W. 17th St.

ph. 232-3429

KY

Hopkinsville

Hobby Shop

Pennyrile Mall

ph. 886-5747

KY

Lexingtqn

Rusty Scabbard

207 Woodlawn Ave.

ph. 255-3514

KY

Louisville

Games Galore

3736 Frankford Ave.

ph. 893-3228

MA

Acton

Game Shop #1

427 Great Road

ph. 263-0418

MA

Boston

Strategy & Fantasy World

201 Massachusetts Ave

ph. 267-2451

MA

Newbury Port

Chris's Game & Hobby

1 Hales Court

ph. 462-8241

MA

Worcester

Fabulous Fiction

587 Park Ave.

ph. 754-8826

ME

, S. Portland

Dragons Keep

93 Ocean St.

ph. 767-5086

MD

Annapolis

Ship Shop

75 Maryland Ave.

ph. 268-1141

MD

Baltimore

Strategy & Fantasy World

8 West 25th St.

ph. 366-1665

MD

Baltimore
Tales From the White Hart

3360 Greenmount Ave.

ph. 889-0099

MD

Columbia

Rockbottom Books

1019 E. Walnut

ph. 443-0113

MD

Rockville

Dream Wizard

84 Halpine Ct.

ph. 881-3530

MD

Sykesville

Craft & Hobby Corner

1 Carrollton Mall

ph. 795-0772

MD

Waldorf

Bookends

140 Smallwood Village

ph. 645-2665

MD

Wheaton

Hobbies & Arts

' Wheaton Plaza

ph. 949-3539

Ml

Ann Arbor
Campus Bike & Toy

514-516 E. Williams

ph. 662-0035

Ml

Detroit

Comic Kingdom

13600 Gratiot

ph. 521-9297

Ml

East Lansing

Riders Hobbies

920 Trowbridge

ph. 332-6880

Ml

Flint

Riders Hobbies

3012 Corunna

ph. 234-4051

Ml

Royal Oak

The Alcove Hobby Shop

2424 N. Woodward Ave.

ph. 545-6237

Ml

Westland

Hobby House Inc.

8208 Merriman Rd.

ph. 425-9720

MN
Minneapolis

Realm of Imagination

5400 34th Ave.

ph. 722-6637

MN

Moorhead

Baders Bike & Hobby

121 8th St.

ph. 236-8852

Retailers: If your shop is not listed and you wish it to be, please v

MO

Kansas City

Yankee Doodle Games

6831 Longview Dr.

ph. 761-1113

MO

Overland

Games, Crafts, Hobbies

& Stuff

9220 Lockland

ph. 423-2199

MO

St. Charles

Fantasy Shop

205 N. Main

ph. 925-2340

MT
Great Falls

Hobby World

Holiday Village Mall

ph. 716-5223

NJ

Bergenfield

The Book Stop

32 S. Washington Ave

ph. 384-1162

NJ

Cliftwood Beach

Adventure Hobbies

991 S. Concourse

ph. 583-2088

NJ

Montclair

Compleat Strategist

215 Glenridge Ave.

ph. 961-5660

NY

North Haledon

Ultimate Encounters

1060 High Mt. Rd.

ph. 427-0383

NJ

Princeton

Nassau Hobby

142 Nassau St.

ph. 924-2739

NJ
Warren

Pheasant Run Books

Pheasant Run Plaza

ph. 469-4204

NY

Buffalo

Hobbies Militaria

1660 Kenmore Ave.

ph. 875-0750

NY

Depew

Depew Hobby Center

5866 Transit Rd.

ph. 684-5555

NY

Huntington

Oscar Book Shop

389 New York Ave.

ph. 427-5155

NY

New York City

Compleat Strategist

11 East 33rd Str. P h -

-800-225-4344

NY

New York City

Compleat Strategist

320 West 57th St.

ph. 582-1272
NY

Olean

Enchanted Mt. Design

210 W. State St.

ph. 372-0184

NY

Syracuse

Twilight Sci Fi Book

Emporium

1430 N. Salina St.

ph. 471-3139

NY

Utica

A & J Hobby House

20 Auburn Ave.

ph. 735-1815

NY

W. Seneca

Herb’s Hobby Haven

1370 Union Rd.

ph. 674-7111

NY

Yonkers

Ed’s Hobby Shop

847 McLean Ave.

ph. 237-1649

NC

Raleigh
The Armoury

727 W. Johnson

ph. 836-9018

NC

Raleigh

Hungates

Crabtree Valley Mall

ph. 782-4436

NC

High Point

Bernies Craft & Hobby

2291 Eaglish Rd.

ph. 887-1921

OH

Cleveland

Strategy & Fantasy World

2752 Van Aiken Blvd.

ph. 621-2293

OH

Gahanna

Sieglings

222 Andalus

ph. 475-0158

OH

North Caton

Modelers Haven

4255 Portage

ph. 499-6000

OH
Painesville

The Game Masters Guild

954 Mentor Ave

ph. 354-4515

OH

Painesville

Danielson’s Dungeon

1480 Thatcher Dr.

ph. 357-5490

OR

Salem

Stuff & Nonsense

245 High St.

ph. 370-8982

PA

Broomall

Hobby City

30 Lawrence Park Ctr.

ph. 353-5131

PA

King of Prussia

Strategy & Fantasy World

254 W. Dekalb Pike

ph. 265-8562

PA

Philadelphia

Strategy & Fantasy World

103 E. Broad St.

ph. 563-2960

PA
Wellsboro

The Brass T-Shirt

Pearl St. Shop

ph. 724-7100

SC

N. Charleston

Green Dragon

D-15 Charlestown Mall

ph. 744-8783

TX

Arlington

Lone Star Comics

511 East Abram

ph. 265-0491

TX

Dallas

Lone Star Comics

7738 Forest Lane

ph. 373-0934

TX

Mesgute

Lone Star Comics

Town E. Mall

ph. 681-2040

TX

Dallas

Armadillo Soldier Shop

6030 Luther Lane

ph. 373-8751
TX

San Angelo

Dragon’s Den

1626 S. Monroe

ph. 655-4887

VA

Falls Church

-.Strategy & Fantasy World

103 E. Broad St

ph. 532-2477

i VA

Manasas

Manasas Hobbies

7839 Sudley Rd.

ph. 361-6053

VA

Norfolk

Campaign H.Q.

145 East Little Crk Rd.

ph. 583-9451

VA

Springfield

What’s Your Game

Springfield Mall

ph. 971-5951

VA

Fairfax

What’s Your Game

Fair Oaks Mall

ph. 591-7242
VA

Sterling Park

Wargames Hobby

117 Cardinal Glen Cir.

ph. 450-6738

VA

Virginia Beach

Sea Shore Hobby

2268 Sea Shore Shop

ph. 481-5191

WA

Raymond

Pacific Wholesale

147 S. 3rd St.

ph. 942-2433

WV

Harpers Ferry

Depot Hobby Shop

500 High St.

ph. 535-6610

Can ad

la Toronto

The World House

259 Queen St.

ph. 598-3895

Sweden Stockholm

Target Games

Storgaton #29 S-11455

rite to The Armory, 4145 Amos Ave., Baltimore, Maryland21215 1

Dragon 55

SF/gaming convention calendar

R. F. MICROCON III, June 10-12

Sponsored by the Forest Gamers Club,

to be held at the River Forest Community
Center, 414 Jackson, River Forest IL
60305. For more information, write to the
above address.

UNICORN I, June 10-12

The first fantasy gaming convention

ever in Lexington, Ky., to be staged at
Lexington Catholic High School. For
registration information, contact conven¬
tion coordinator Steven J. Isert, c/o Uni¬
corn Adventurers, P.O. Box 12666, Lex¬
ington KY 40583.

X-CON 7, June 10-12

Author Poul Anderson will be among

the guests of honor at this SF convention,
to be located at the Olympia Spa and
Resort in Oconomowoc, Wis. Registra¬
tion fee is $15 (half price for children
under 12), payable to X-Con 7 at P.O.

Box 7, Milwaukee WI 53201. A brochure

and other information can be obtained by
writing to the above address.

HUNTCON II, June 16-18

This second convention effort of the

Dragon Hunters' Guild is sponsored by

Elysian Field,

ELYSIAN FIELD® PLASTIC GRID BOARD

SET: ELYSIAN FIELD® GRID BOARD and HEX SHEET

♦B.SB

Include *1,00 for shipping. Specify C.O.D.

EMackston* Au*.

Chicago, Ill. 4B415

Allow si* weeks for delivery.

the Fountain Hobby Center in Winfield,

W. Va. Several AD&D tournaments are
scheduled, plus other contests and special
events. Admission is $1 per day or $2 for
all three days. For more information,
send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to
HuntCon II, c/o Keith Payne, Rt. 1, Box
794, Winfield WV 25213, or call
(304)757-9519.

GENGHIS CON V, June 17-19

A gathering for gamers in Denver,

Colo., featuring board games, role-
playing games, miniatures, and computer
gaming events. Reasonable on-campus
housing is available. For details, contact
the Denver Gamers Association, P.O. Box
2945, Littleton CO 80161, phone
(303)798-1404.

KOMMAND CON '83, June 18-19

At the Ohio National Guard Armory in

Mansfield, Ohio, this event has some¬
thing for every type of gamer. For more
information, write to the Kommander's
Wargaming Club, P.O. Box 2235, Mans¬
field OH 44905.

STARS, SPELLS & SHELLS, June 18-19

A mini-con staged by the Gamemasters'

Guild of Waukegan, to be held at the
Zion Leisure Center, 2400 Dowie Memo¬
rial Drive, Zion, Ill. Admission is $2 per
day or $3.50 for the weekend. Contact the
Gamemasters Guild, 1413 Washington
St., Waukegan IL 60085, or call (312)336-
0790 after 2 p.m.

SEAGA '83, June 24-26

A wide range of gaming activities is

scheduled for this event, sponsored by the
Southeastern Adventures Gaming
Alliance. It will be held at the Atlanta
Dunfey Hotel, located at 1-75 and Howell
Mill Road in Atlanta, Ga. For informa¬
tion and registration details, write to
SEAGA '83, P.O. Box 930031, Norcross
GA 30093.

EASTCON, June 24-26

More than 4,000 gamers are expected to

attend this gathering at Glassboro State
College in Glassboro, N. J. (See adver¬
tisement on facing page.) The organizing
group is a combination of the people
who have helped stage Origins, GEN
CON® East, and PennCon conventions
over the past several years. Seminars,
demonstrations, and tournaments will be
offered involving most major games and
gaming activities. For more information,
send SASE to EastCon, P.O. Box 139,
Middletown NJ 07748.

POLYCON '83, June 24-26

Sponsored by the Society of Wizards

and Warriors of Cal Poly in San Luis
Obispo, this event promises a large va¬
riety of games and related activities. More
information can be obtained by writing
to the Society of Wizards and Warriors,
P.O. Box 168, Julian A. McPhee U.U.,

Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo CA 93407.

TEXCON 1983, July 2-4

An extensive schedule of games and

related events will be offered at this con¬
vention in Austin, Tex. For details, send
SASE to David Ladyman, 8028 Gessner,
Apt. #1805, Austin TX 78753.

EXPO '83, July 8-9

A convention oriented toward minia¬

tures and models, staged jointly by the
Tampa Scale Modelers and Suncoast Mil¬
itary Miniatures Association. The event
will be at the Ramada Inn North, at the
intersection of 1-275 and Busch Blvd. in
Tampa, Fla. For information, write to
Bill Hogan, 14707 Carnation Drive,
Tampa FL 33612, or call (813)961-1995.

DRAGONSTEETH I, July 16

A one-day event featuring tournaments

in 18 different role-playing and military
simulation games. The site will be the
A&J Hobby House, 20 Auburn Ave.,

“I opened my leather dice

bag and rolled them out,
caressing the cool ivories in
the palm of my hand.”

“18?”, I said, “No problem!”

What ’fftnce between

“<#6*1 vories” and “just dice”?

The genu ine lumdmmaiatcfom
(tie r Hay ' w you

what. 1PV rv ‘*'

'-■r | yyi ‘

Ebony - Bone - Russett - Brown

Small (15 - 20 dice).*7.95

Large (75 - 100 dice). 14.95

; Texas Residents add 5% Sales Tax.

Check. Money Order or C.O.D.
Dealer Inquiries Welcome

Bqndermatch Leathern

;% 2l'W. Sih^rStodg -
«;Sipn Ant©n% Ttecas 78216

The diflerencd is in the bag.

56 June 1983

June 24,25, 26,1983

Glassboro State College
Glassboro, NJ

(Just 30 miles east of Philadelphia;

2 hours from New York or Washington D. C.)

OVER 300 Separate and Special Events

Over 50 manufacturers represented

Science fiction/fantasy art show,
exhibition, print room, and
two art auctions
Costume call*

Grenadier painting competition

(best figure and best diorama;
all must be Grenadier)

Two general auctions

Miniatures painting competition
(historical and fantasy; best figure,
best group, and best army of 100+)

Free science fiction movies

Science Fiction author and guest of
honor: Dr. Christopher Stasheff (The
Warlock in Spite o f himself and A
Wizard in Bedlam)

Many free events, demonstrations, and

seminars

Artist guests of honor: Phil Foglio and Freff

(D’Arc Tangent: issue #2 will be released
at EastCon)

Official AD&D® Open

RPGA™ Network AD&D® Tournament
Official GDW Traveller® Tournament
Official GAMMA WORLD® Tournament
BOOT HILL® (variant) Tournament
A.H.’s Squad Leader™ Tournament

Champions™ game
Call of Cthulhu™ game
Risk® game
Diplomacy® game
Monopoly

Official Car Wars™ game

Cosmic Encounters™ game
Star Fleet Battles game
Chess
Food and housing available on site
Air conditioned dealer’s area and
classrooms

4,000+ anticipated gamers

AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!

FOR ROOM RESERVATIONS

Call: Ms. Verna Hartlove, Eastern Tours

(301) 755-2300

for special discount convention room rates

(no collect calls please)

* Wearing of costumes is encouraged, but unbonded weapons and German WWII uniforms
are prohibited.

AD&D®, GAMMA WORLD®, and BOOT HILL® are registered trademarks owned by TSR Hobbies,
Inc. All Rights Reserved.
RPGA™ is a service mark owned by TSR Hobbies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Dragon 57

Utica NY 13501. Write to that address for

more information.

ARCHON 7, July 22-24

A SF and gaming convention (origi¬

nally scheduled for July 7-9) slated for the
Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, Mo.
Gene Wolfe will be Guest of Honor, and
the list of other guests includes names
such as Joe R. Haldeman, Ed Bryant, and
Wilson "Bob" Tucker. Memberships are
$18; to preregister or obtain more infor¬
mation, write to Archon 7, P.O. Box
15852, Overland MO 63114.

NANCON 88-VI, July 29-31

Another running of the convention

that has become a tradition in the Hous¬
ton area. To be held at Stouffer's Green¬
way Plaza Hotel in Houston, and featur¬
ing a full range of role-playing, board
game, and miniatures events, plus more.
For further information, send SASE to
Nan's Game Headquarters, 118 Briar-
grove Center, 6100 Westheimer, Houston
TX 77057, or call (713)783-4055.

MEMPHIS FANTASY CON, July 29-31

A comics, SF, film, and game conven¬

tion to be held in Memphis, Tenn. Regis¬
tration fee is $10 for all three days or $5
per day. To obtain more information,
write to Memphis Fantasy Con, 665 S.
Highland, Memphis TN 38111, or phone
(901)452-9376.

OMACON 3, Aug. 5-7

Described by the organizers as a

"science-fiction, gaming, & space support
convention," this event will feature Larry
Niven and Jerry Pournelle among its
guests of honor. It will be staged at the
Sheraton Inn S.W., 120th and 'L' St.,
Omaha, Neb. Registration is $13 until
July 23, $15 thereafter; one-day member¬
ships at reduced rates are also available.
For details, send SASE to OmaCon 3,

2518 S. 167th St„ Omaha NE 68130.

ATLANTA FANTASY FAIR, Aug. 5-7

The Omni Hotel and the adjoining

Georgia World Congress Center in
Atlanta will be the location for this
SF/fantasy gathering. Special guests
include Elfquest creators Wendy &
Richard Pini and animator Chuck Jones.
Memberships are $16 until June 30, $19
thereafter and at the door. For more
information, write to Atlanta Fantasy
Fair, P.O. Box 566, Marietta GA 30061.

ADVENTURE EXPO '83, Aug. 6

Sponsored by the Adventure Unlimited

gaming club and the Wizzards and War¬
riors Guild of Michigan City, Ind., this
one-day gaming event will be held at the
National Guard Armory in Michigan
City. Admission is $4 for pre-registered
guests, $5 at the door. Contact: Adventure
Unlimited, 2707 S. Franklin St., Mich¬
igan City IN 46360, phone (219)879-2781.

KAL CON I, Aug. 6-7

A game convention to be held at Moore

Park in Westfield, N.Y. For more infor¬
mation, contact James Pacanowski II, 44
E. Second St., Westfield NY 14787.

MYSTICON 2.5, Aug. 12-14

Science-fiction author Orson Scott

Card will be guest of honor at this SF and
gaming convention, to be held at the Jef¬
ferson Inn in downtown Roanoke, Va.
Memberships are $10 each; for more
information, send SASE to MystiCon,

P.O. Box 1367, Salem VA 24153, or phone

Calvin Yates at (703)362-3562.

MYTHCON 14, Aug. 12-15

Stephen R. Donaldson will be a Guest

of Honor at this event, otherwise known
as the 14th Annual Mythopoeic Confer¬
ence. The theme of the conference is
"Mythic Structures in (the writings of)
J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles
Williams." It will be held at Scripps Col¬
lege in Claremont, Calif. Registration is
$20; for details, write to Mythopoeic Con¬
ference XIV, P.O. Box 711, Seal Beach CA
90740.

GEN CON® GAME FAIR, Aug. 18-21

The 16th annual gaming and fantasy

extravaganza sponsored by TSR Hobbies,
Inc. For more information, see the pre¬
registration brochure and advertising in
this issue of DRAGON™ Magazine.

America s premier game convention will feature

more than you’ve ever imagined! We’re offering ail
levels of role-playing tournaments, new game
releases, miniatures, and seminars. And we’ve invited
even more exhibitors than in previous years.

Leading the way in the special events category will

be the largest fantasy role-playing episode in the
world — the AD&D® Open tournament. Make your
move this August.

August 18-21 st, 1983

University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Campus. Kenosha, Wl

For more information write:

GEN CON* XVI Convention

P.O. Box 756

Lake Geneva, Wl 53147

BEYOND THE CONVENTIONAL MIND

ind GEN CON are registered service marks owned by TSR Hobbies, Inc 1983 TSR Hobble!

All Rrghls Reserved.

58 June 1983

The SF 'universe'

An in-depth
examination of
the STAR
FRONTIERS™
game:

Rules and systems

The game 'world'

Components
and more

by Tony Watson

The entry of the STAR FRONTIERS™

game into the science-fiction RPG field is
a lot like man's entry into interstellar
travel: Maybe man wasn't the first race to
go into space, but now that he's there, he
intends to make his presence felt.
Likewise, the STAR FRONTIERS
game certainly wasn't the first science-
fiction role-playing game on the market,
but in its first year of existence it has
moved into a position of popularity
alongside some of the older front-runners.

The reasons for this popularity, and some

thoughts on why the game's popularity
isn't as high as it might he, are outlined
in the text that follows.

Background

TSR had previously published SF-

oriented role-playing games, most nota¬
bly the GAMMA WORLD® game and the
METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA game, but
these two games are post-apocalyptic
visions of the future. GW is set in the

United States after a holocaust. MA takes

place on a gigantic colony starship in
which the technical and social order has
broken down.

While they are certainly interesting,

and undoubtedly SF in nature, neither of
these games fully realizes the potential of
a science-fiction setting. A star-spanning
civilization, interstellar spacecraft,
strange aliens, and adventures on a
myriad of bizarre and challenging new
worlds are the elements of a classic SF

Dragon 59

framework. The possibilities for adven¬

ture in such a "universe" are nearly limit¬
less. The STAR FRONTIERS game,
unlike its predecessor SF titles from TSR,
is able to appreciate these possibilities.

A variety of science fiction RPGs have

appeared over the last half dozen years or
so. Comparisons between all of them and
the STAR FRONTIERS system are inev¬
itable. And on a comparative basis, it's
fair to expect good things from STAR
FRONTIERS. The game's late entry into
the "outer space race" should entitle
gamers to expect a more polished and
tighter design than exhibited in some
games that have come before. TSR had a
fairly long time to mull over its product,
at the same time giving other games the
opportunity to go first, blaze the trail,
and have the first chance at tripping up.
As things turned out, some of the earlier
SF role-playing games didn't trip up too
badly, TRAVELLER® being the most
obvious example of success, and the
STAR FRONTIERS game will have to
acquire and maintain a good reputation
among the game-playing public to have a
shot at edging out some of the firmly
entrenched old-timers.

The setting

It has always been this reviewer's opin¬

ion that the setting of a role-playing
game is just as important as the design
itself. An effective combat system and an

CAST YOUR OWN

FANTASY FIGURES

Now there are nine tri-cavity

molds and more are coming. The
figures are designed especially for
role-playing and they are super!

Casting your own figures is almost

as much fun as playing the game.

652. MEN OF THE CITY

Send $1.00 for brochure.

(Refundable first order). If
you have the brochure, send for
free update.

THE DUNKEN COMPANY

P.O. BOX 786D
CALVERT TX 77837

A FUN AND EASY HOBBY

intelligent character creation and devel¬

opment process lose their utility if
coupled with a poorly thought out or
inadequately described background. The
mechanics of a role-playing game are of
course very important, but they are, in the
final analysis, just ways for the players
and the gamemaster/referee to explore,
confront, and challenge the dangers and
opportunities posited by the game's set¬
ting. The fictional framework of any
RPG is what attracts the players and
latches on to their imaginations; game
mechanics are merely modes of inquiry
into the game's possibilities.

An enterprising and imaginative referee

can get by with a minimum of back¬
ground material, relying instead on his
own hard work, but every set of game
rules needs some sort of conceptual skel¬
eton. At the very least, the background
can provide some useful parameters for
the rules: What is possible and what is
not. A fantasy game, for example, is very
likely to have some element of magic and
the supernatural present; what that power
can do is as much a part of the back¬
ground as the actual limitations placed
upon the power by the rules. If the
designer sets his fantasy RPG in a world
where magic commonly manifests itself,
wizards and magical artifacts will
abound, and the rules will (or should)
reflect this. At its best, an interesting
background will give the players a real
sense of the imaginary world the designer
has created, as well as suggest possibili¬
ties for adventures and the style of role-
playing and refereeing the participants
should employ.

The STAR FRONTIERS game is set in

another galaxy than our own, one where
the stars are closer together. Despite this
non-Terran "future history," a race of
Humans, nearly identical to ourselves,
serve as the focal point in the game.
Sometime before the time frame of the
game, these people were able to contact
three other starfaring races: Vrusk, large,
ten-limbed insectoids; Yazirians, a race of
somewhat ape-like humanoids with large,
wing-like membranes; and Dralasites,
amorphous creatures something like large
amoebas, capable of forming variable
numbers of limbs and changing shape.

The four races first met in a region of

space known as the Frontier, and there
formed a multi-cultural civilization. The
needs of the society were met by a large
interstellar corporation, the Pan-Galactic
Corporation, an entity not unlike some of
the charter companies active in colonial
areas during the age of exploration in
North America.

The four races formed a political body,

the United Planetary Federation, when
they encountered the worm-like Sathar,
who seemed intent on destroying the civ¬
ilization that had grown up in the Fron¬
tier sector. The Sathar are the heavies in
the STAR FRONTIERS universe.

Unable to defeat the UPF in a straight

military confrontation, they have resorted

to the employment of agents from the
other races to disrupt commerce and
harmony in the Frontier. The Sathar are
a good bet to be behind any major plots
against the UPF, and thus a fine rationale
for any number of scenarios.

To combat the Sathar, the UPF has

created a law-enforcement arm, the Star
Law Rangers. This is where player char¬
acters come into the action, as Star Law
Rangers. Playing the roles of Rangers
insures that the players' characters will
always be in the thick of an adventure
situation, and this aspect of the setting
aids the referee greatly in setting up sce¬
narios and rationalizing player
involvement.

Components

"Everything you need is in this box,"

says the text on the back of the STAR
FRONTIERS package. Statements like
this are often suspect, but it's not hype
this time. STAR FRONTIERS is com¬
plete, including everything necessary to
begin play. The amount of material is
especially surprising considering the cost;
at $12, the game is a bargain, and com¬
pares favorably with other games of this
ilk in this regard. The components,
briefly described, are these:

Basic game rules — A 16-page, 8V2" by

10%" rule book containing introductory
material, the basic game rules, and several
beginning adventures. The back cover
doubles as a character record sheet and
must be photocopied for game use.

Expanded game rules — This 60-page

book, of the same page size as the basic
rules, contains material on the four char¬
acter races and the Sathar, a listing of
skills and their uses, and guidelines for
character development plus extensive
advanced combat rules, rules for vehicles,
guidelines for the creation and use of
creatures, and listings of weapons and
equipment. In addition, the book
includes brief sections on Frontier socie¬
ties, how to referee, and the design of
adventures.

Game map — This attractive item is

one of the nicest features of the game.

The 23" by 36" sheet is double-sided for

maximum utility, printed in full color
throughout. One side shows the down¬
town environs of Port Loren, a star-city
on an unnamed UPF planet in the Fron¬
tier Sector. The map has a truly extensive
display of buildings of various sorts, park
areas, monorail tracks and stations, and
so forth. The reverse side is a composite
of seven different maps of various types of
terrain: craters, mountains, forest, ruins,
desert, a fort, and a large-scale map of a
town. The wide selection of terrain types
should insure that one will be suitable for
any given encounter. All maps are over¬
laid with a half-inch grid to facilitate the
use of the combat rules.

Counters - The STAR FRONTIERS

game includes 408 counters for use with

60 June 1983

the encounter and combat rules. The

countermix breaks down into five broad
categories: 1) the four character races and
NPCs; 2) aliens; 3) creatures and animals;
4) robots; and 5) vehicles. Counter vari¬
eties are easily differentiated by color
background; each counter also bears an
identification number and a drawing (not
a silhouette) of the being, creature, or
machine represented. I am particularly
pleased with the latter feature, since the
drawings add considerably to the tactical
feeling of encounters, in much the same
manner as miniatures do.

Introductory Module SF-0, "Crash on

Volturnus" — Beginning players can
immediately get involved with the STAR
FRONTIERS game in campaign form
through the inclusion of this introduc¬
tory module. The booklet is 30 pages
long, surrounded by a stiff "cover" that is
actually a double-sided, full-color foldout
map. One side depicts the bridge and sur¬
rounding cargo bays and staterooms of
the starship Serena's Dawn, and the other
is a detailed hexgrid of a large land area
of the planet Volturnus. The module
includes encounter materials, descrip¬
tions, rules, and a 12-page pullout section
of creatures and background information
on Volturnus.

Dice — Last but not least are a pair of

ten-sided percentile dice, in different
colors, and a crayon for filling in the
numbers. Since the game uses only these

dice (a commendable choice, given the

ease with which odds for endeavor
attempts and occurrences can be rendered
in percentages), the purchaser is ready to
play the game right away and does not
need to buy more special dice.

Artwork

In the last analysis, artwork in a game

has only aesthetic value. An ugly game
can be a good game, but it's much nicer if
it's pretty. The artwork and graphics used
in a game help to set the tone for play
and jump-start imaginations into pictur¬
ing the scene and the action.

Graphics and illustrations used on the

STAR FRONTIERS maps and counters
are well done and entirely in keeping
with the mood of the game. Colorful and
illustrative, they are both attractive and
functional. The game rules are profusely
illustrated. Many of the drawings are
purposeful as well as decorative, such as
the diagrams of each of the main races
and the pictures of creatures.

Since several artists contributed to the

work, the styles and quality vary. Most of
the interior work is adequate, though
Timothy Truman's all-too-few pictures
seem a cut above the rest. Also note¬
worthy is Larry Elmore's contribution,
especially the box cover. The depiction of
two humans and a Yazirian defending
themselves before their wrecked vehicle
on some barren world superbly catches

the tone the game is trying to set: flashy,

colorful, and action-oriented.

The basic game rules

Unlike most role-playing games, STAR

FRONTIERS has a set of basic rules.
Apparently, TSR is aiming the game
toward newcomers to RPGs or people
coming over from D&D® game playing,
and the company has decided that a set of
simple rules will serve to get the players
involved quickly. The rules are simple
enough that the game could be played as
soon as an hour after the gamebox is
opened. The term "basic rules" is no
misnomer: They are very simple, but this
is good; players will be able to get into
the swing of things right away.

The rules begin with a storyboard-style

recounting of a brief adventure, and then
get into the meat of the matter with a sec¬
tion on character creation. Like nearly all
other role-playing games, the STAR
FRONTIERS system uses dice rolls to
determine characteristics and abilities.

The eight qualities possessed by player

characters are grouped into the four
"ability pairs" of Strength/Stamina, Dex¬
terity/Reaction Speed, Intuition/Logic,
and Personality/Leadership. The abilities
in a pair have a clear relationship to one
another — the second being a derivative
of the first, which is more of a character¬
istic, or quality.

The character's score in each category

is determined by rolling the dice and con¬

sulting a table. Scores run from 30
through 70 in increments of five; the
average is 45, and 50% of the results will
be either 40, 45 or 50. Unfortunately, a
sentence in the early part of this section
gives the impression that the range can
run from 1 to 100. This is clearly not the
case; although the upper limit of 100 can
be obtained through character develop¬
ment (and it would take quite a while),
there's no way a player character could be
so unlucky as to have a score of 1.

Ability values for aliens (as in the

D&D® and AD&D™ games, humans are
the norm) are adjusted for certain charac¬
teristics. Yazirians, for example, tend to
be bright and dextrous, but are lacking in
strength and stamina. The differences
between races are not radical, but suffi¬
cient to establish certain tendencies.

Tactical movement and combat are the

topics of the rules section following char¬
acter creation. At this point in its "devel¬
opment," the game is very much like a
simple, man-to-man, tactical combat
game. Movement and range are governed
by the maps' square grids. In each turn, a
character may move and fire, reload, or
do nothing; each turn represents only six
seconds of game time.

Movement is very simple: Each race

may move a given number of squares per
turn, either walking or running. Curi¬
ously, diagonal movement is at the same
rate as horizontal or vertical, a distortion
attendant to the use of a square grid.
Buildings, skimmers (hovercars) and the
monorail track (on the Port Loren map)
all have an effect on movement.

The combat procedure is equally sim¬

plistic: Fire combat is straightforward,
and hand-to-hand and melee weapons are
ignored. Fire combat is a function of the
type of weapon used, the range and the
firer's dexterity. A character's dexterity is
his base percentage chance of hitting a
target at point-blank range. Decreasing
chances of success at longer ranges are
accounted for by subtractions from this
base score, depending on weapon type.

If a hit is scored, the weapon does a cer¬

tain number of dice worth of damage,
which is subtracted from the target's
stamina, an ability which functions as
hit points in this regard. Unfortunately
for the play of the basic game, the weap¬
ons do a surprisingly small amount of
damage, no more, than one or two dice.
Figuring the average of ldlO as 5.5 and
the average stamina as 45, characters will
have to be hit about four to eight times
(depending on weapon strength) to be
knocked unconscious — and this without
benefit of defensive armor! Because of this
relationship between weak weapons and
strong characters, firefights can get a bit
monotonous and drag on and on. Not
only is this somewhat "unrealistic," but
it slows the game down precisely when it
should be at its most fast-paced and excit¬
ing. The combat section also covers

incidental but important topics such as

grenades, ammunition reloads, and cover.

The amount of equipment available to

characters in the basic game is small.

Four types of firearms (gyrojet, laser and

needier pistols, and laser rifles) are avail¬
able, all illustrated. Some simple items
such as communicators, coveralls, pocket
tools, rations, and a first aid kit are men¬
tioned. A cost table for all items, includ¬
ing the prices for hospital stays and
transportation, is included.

To aid in the understanding of these

simple rules, and get the players going
right away, the basic rule book has sev¬
eral brief adventures. The first (and long¬
est) of these, "Pan-Galactic Security
Breach," is a programmed adventure; one
player is chosen to take the part of the
"reader," sort of a proto-referee, who will
guide the others through the fourteen
numbered paragraphs of the story. Each
paragraph represents a juncture where
the players must make a decision. There
is usually a short descriptive passage to
set the scene, a listing of any pertinent
actions that take place or happen to the
player characters, and a set of possible
choices for the players to make. Depend¬
ing on the action selected, a new para¬
graph is consulted, and so it goes until
the adventure is complete.

The scenario story is simple enough:

The players are called upon to stop a
party of raiders who have breached PGC's
security. As the action unfolds, players
will use all forms of movement and
engage in several firefights.

A second scenario, "Alien Creature on

the Loose," is not a programmed adven¬
ture. This story involves a gigantic mon¬
ster rampaging through Port Loren. The
scenario can be played several times,
using rules for varying the monster's
characteristics and powers. Following
this mini-adventure is another page and a
half of ideas and guidelines for creating
new adventures.

A final bit of interesting information is

carried on the inside back cover, where a
surprisingly complete glossary appears. It
defines important terms and often-used
concepts, such as initiative modifier or
range modifier. This is a handy list that
will save some time for beginning
players.

The STAR FRONTIERS basic game

rules, while hardly a satisfying base to
build a science-fiction role playing cam¬
paign on, serve admirably to introduce
the rudimentary mechanics of the game.
The game is simple enough to get even
absolute novices involved in play with a
minimum of effort and problems, which
seems to be its purpose. At this purpose,
it excels.

The expanded game rules

Again, the title is no misnomer. These

rules are a considerable embellishment
and expansion of the basic game. They
provide the basis for conducting much

more involved and interesting adventures.

One of the major changes is the greatly
increased emphasis on the role of the ref¬
eree. More now than just a simple reader
of programmed paragraphs, the referee is
expected to handle the myriad of admin¬
istrative and scenario development tasks
we have come to associate with the title.
Secondly, the rules greatly elaborate on
character abilities and development,
combat, and equipment.

While ability scores are rolled up in the

same manner as the basic game, players
are allowed to shift up to 10 points
between the two scores in an ability pair,
offering a greater diversity among player
characters and their capacities. The eight
character abilities are treated in greater
depth, and their use in the game is better
explained.
The nature of the various races is also
dealt with in greater detail. Each of the
four player-character races, plus the
Sathar, has an entire page devoted to its
description. This includes a drawing of
the being, with accompanying details of
any special features, as well as sections on
physical appearance and structure, senses,
speech, society and customs, attitudes,
and special abilities. The information is
quite comprehensive and, taken as a
whole, very intriguing. For instance, the
Vrusk — despite their insectoid structure
— have an internal skeleton. Their cul¬
ture is based on independent corporations
which serve a sort of clan role. The Vrusk
get along well with the other three races,
and are great lovers of art and beauty. In
contrast to that are the shape-changing
Dralasites, philosophical creatures with
strange senses of humor. Smell is their
most important sensory ability, and they
breed by hermaphroditic budding.

Unique racial characteristics are trans¬

lated into game terms via the section on
special abilities. Because of their elastic
body structure, Dralasites may form new
limbs at will, while Yazirians may
attempt limited glides using their wing¬
like membranes. The listings provide the
necessary information (die rolls and the
like) for implementing these abilities in
game play. I found these five pages to be
among the best in the rulebook. They
flesh out the various races very nicely,
imparting to the reader an understanding
of the physical structures and capacities,
as well as the cultural background, of
each. Judicious adherence to the material
should enable the players to "get into
character" that much faster and enhance
the referee's ability to run non-player
characters.

In one major respect, the STAR

FRONTIERS system follows in the tradi¬
tion of games like TRAVELLER®, in
which the acquired skills (as opposed to
innate abilities) of a character are impor¬
tant parameters of what that character
can accomplish. The game lists thirteen
skills that player characters can learn,
grouped into three primary skill areas

62 June 1983
(PSAs). These are Military (including
Beam Weapons, Demolitions, Gyrojet
Weapons, Martial Arts, Melee Weapons,
Projectile Weapons, and Thrown Weap¬
ons); Technological (Computer, Robot¬
ics, and Technician); and Biosocial
(Environmental, Medical, and
Psycho-social).

Each of the thirteen primary skills is

further divided into subskills. The
number of subskills within a primary
skill varies; for example, the skill of Beam
Weapons allows the possessor an advan¬
tage when firing certain types of weap¬
ons; the way the term "subskill" is used
in the rules, each specific weapon within
the Beam Weapons category is not a sub¬
skill. However, the Computer skill is
divided into eight distinct subskills: oper¬
ating computers, writing programs,
defeating security, bypassing security,
displaying information, manipulating
programs, interfacing computers, and
repairing computers. Similarly, the
Technician skill involves tasks such as
operating and repairing machinery; Med¬
ical skill covers diagnosis, surgery and the
administering of drugs. In total, there are
nearly 50 subskills covering a great va¬
riety of tasks the characters might
attempt.

Subskills are translated into game

action by the use of "success rate" formu¬
las. These are based largely on the charac¬
ter's level in that skill (more on how lev¬
els are attained in a moment). An
example: A character with Medical skill
level 2 is attempting minor surgery on a
wounded compatriot. The success rate is
equal to 40% + lOxlevel (=20%), or 60%. In
addition, if the surgery is taking place in
a hospital, 20% is added. Thus, the med¬
ic's chance to succeed is either 60% or 80%,
depending on the circumstances. This
number, or lower, must be rolled on per¬
centile dice for the surgery to produce the
desired results.

All applications of skills work in a sim¬

ilar manner, although the base chance
may vary from 10% to 100%, and the
accompanying paragraph to a "success
rate" formula may place special con¬
straints on the application of the skill,
such as the availability of tools or drugs.
The system is clever in its simplicity; the
difficulty of the task is combined with the
level of expertise in a simple-to-use
method of determining success. The list
of skills is complete for the areas covered,
though one can think of a number of
areas that are ignored, such as most of the
"soft" sciences and humanities, and any¬
thing to do with spacecraft.

A character's skills, and also his or her

eight basic abilities, may be upgraded via
the character improvement process. Expe¬
rience points (XPs) are awarded by the
referee after each adventure, or at the end
of a session of play, but these points don't
come in clumps of hundreds or thousands
as in many other games. The rules
recommend that the referee award no

more than three (3) XPs to a single char¬

acter at the end of an adventure, and then
only to a character who performed excel¬
lently and made a great contribution to
the success of the mission. Characters
who simply survive an adventure without
doing anything outstanding are assured
of receiving at least one (1) XP for the
effort.

And this is why XPs are so few and far

between, and so valuable: Experience
points may be traded in for increased
ability on a one-for-one basis; that is, an
ability score can be raised one point by
expending one XP. Alternately, XPs can
be used to learn new skills or raise the
character's level of competence in a skill
already known. The level of knowledge of
a skill can be raised to a maximum of 6,
with increasing costs at higher levels.

The character development rules allow

players to improve their characters by
expanding their abilities and knowledge.
While the characters are not locked into
certain skills, branching out into different
areas is done at relatively high expense,
which seems to make sense. The number
of points necessary to go up levels in
skills is not so prohibitive as to prevent
appreciable growth in a campaign game,
nor is it so cheap as to encourage the
rapid evolution of super-characters.

While the skill rules are among the

most interesting in the game, they are cer¬
tainly ill served by the character record
sheet printed on the outside back cover of
the basic rule book. While spaces are pro¬
vided for recording personal data, weap¬
ons and chances to hit, movement rates,
racial abilities and current medical status,
no provisions are made for registering
skills and levels. Given that these are
important aspects of a character's
makeup, on a par with the ability scores,
the suggestion to "record skills and
equipment on reverse side" is hardly
satisfying. The sheet could have easily
been restructured to allow room to note
skills and expertise.

The combat rules in the expanded

game are considerably more complicated
than those introduced in the basic book.
Almost a quarter of the book's pages are
devoted to combat and supplementary
rules.

For the most part, the basic game com¬

bat rules are used as the foundation, and
then built upon. Where the basic rules
considered only a few factors in determin¬
ing a character's chance to hit with a
weapon, the expanded rules mix in such
things as target size and movement, bursts
and careful aim, skill levels, even using
the wrong hand. Special situations such
as opportunity fire, more than one shot a
turn, and shooting at targets in crowds
are addressed. The rules are complete
enough to cover damage to structures.

The procedure, is a bit ponderous, but

players can speed things up as they get

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familiar with using it. On the plus side,

the combat system is quite flexible and
covers just about any situation that is
likely to crop up.

Damage is handled in a much more

acceptable manner than in the basic game
rules. Because of increased rates of fire
and the opportunity to change energy set¬
tings on beam weapons, characters can do
considerable damage with their weapons
in the expanded game, putting excite¬
ment and a real sense of danger into
combat situations. In addition to damage
taken against stamina, some weapons can
cause unconsciousness. To help the char¬
acters out in this suddenly more danger¬
ous environment, there are several types
of defensive suits and screens that can
absorb damage from certain types of
attacks.

Although I have only mentioned

ranged weapons, the expanded rules treat
melee attacks with equal thoroughness.
Twenty types of melee weapons are listed,
from chairs and bottles to sonicswords
and vibroknives. The procedure for their
use is much the same as that for ranged
weapons.

Unlike those in many other role-

playing games, the combat rules in STAR
FRONTIERS are not abstract. Rather,
they are nearly as precise and as detailed
as those one would find in a boardgame.
Given the emphasis the game's design
places on combat, this is understandable.
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Vehicles receive an equally detailed

treatment. The problem of movement
along the square grids of the maps (accel¬
eration, deceleration, turning, special
manuevers and the like) require complete
coverage. The problem is intensified at
the same time it is being covered; in addi¬
tion to the "normal" ground cars and
hover transports, the rules deal with
glijets, aircars and other forms of flying
transportation. The role of vehicles of all
types in combat situations is also covered.

One of the weak points in the rules is

the sections dealing with creatures.
Encounters with strange and alien ani¬
mals are part and parcel of SF adventure,
and I think the design of the STAR
FRONTIERS game could have dealt with
this topic in more depth.

My main criticisms are aimed at the

results and examples of creatures pro¬
vided, rather than the process itself. The
randomness and silliness that would
result from a system based on die rolls is
rejected in favor of guidelines following
an almost Socratic method. The referee
asks himself a series of questions: What is
the creature's purpose? Its size? Its speed?
How does it attack and defend? Does it
have special abilities? The referee then
uses these guidelines to create his beastie,
although finishing the creation still
makes quite a demand on the referee's
imagination.

Ten sample creatures, with all the

necessary statistics, descriptions and illus¬
trations, are offered in the rule book. The
fantastic nature of some of these examples
seems to fly in the face of any sort of bio¬
logical rules, and some of them remind
me of the sort of "homemade" creatures
that might pop up in a DUNGEONS &
DRAGONS® scenario. What's acceptable
in a fantasy game can seem a bit odd in a
science-fiction setting. But some could
turn this argument around on the prem¬
ise that strange, other-worldly environ¬
ments could cause creatures stranger than
these to evolve, so it's largely a matter of
individual taste.

The next major section of the rules

surveys the equipment available to adven¬
turers. Two pages of tables list weapons,
defenses, toolkits, robots, computers,
power sources and miscellaneous equip¬
ment, along with their cost and mass.
Seven pages of text and descriptions
accompany them. Despite their simplic¬
ity, I found the rules for computers and
robots to be useful and innovative.

The four-page section on Frontier

societies raises some questions about
completeness. This should be the text
that fully fleshes out the Frontier Sector,
but the information given is a bit sparse.
One full page is a map of the sector. Six¬
teen systems are listed, coded for popula¬
tion, trade characteristics, and gravity.
Curiously, the number of moons circling
a planet is given, but a planet's atmo¬
sphere — certainly a critical aspect — is
ignored. A few slender notes on some of

the planets accompany the data listing,

but overall, the amount of information
about the Frontier Worlds is rather
skimpy. Perhaps a future supplement,
devoting itself to a description of the sec¬
tor, will rectify the situation.

The final parts of the rule book deal

with a number of "how to" questions:
how to referee, create an adventure, or
deal with non-player characters. This sort
of information is quite valuable, espe¬
cially to referees just starting out who
might find the task of creating and run¬
ning an adventure rather formidable. The
advice, while often obvious, is sound.

The back cover of the rule book con¬

tains one of the most important features
of all: a complete index to the rules.

The introductory module

"Crash on Volturnus" is a structured

introductory module for use with the
expanded game rules. It is intended to
start a campaign off, as well as introduce
all parties involved to procedures and the
style of play. Everything is carefully
explained for the referee, and by follow¬
ing these instructions his first attempt at
running an adventure should go
smoothly. "Crash on Volturnus" also
appears to have the secondary goal of
providing an example for referees to emu¬
late; it seems to be representative of the
sort of adventures one can expect in a
STAR FRONTIERS campaign.

Random encounters and planned

encounters are joined by a pullout section
on NPCs, creatures and special locales. A
blank map to help the players keep track
of their travels is provided, while the ref¬
eree has his own full-color display of a
large section of the planet Volturnus.

The scenario plays smoothly, thanks to

the care that the designers have taken
with it, and problems are few. The
emphasis is on action. The players will
skip from one danger to another, and
encounter strange creatures and aliens.
They'll be forced to battle for their lives
on numerous occasions, and the scenario
is certainly tense.

"Crash on Volturnus" seems to succeed

on all counts, both as a learning process
for players and referee and as a exciting
adventure. While some players may balk
at several of the premises (a surprising
number of alien races dwell on Voltur¬
nus, for example) a little willing suspen¬
sion of disbelief should get everyone into
the spirit of things.

Closing comments

Like any good role-playing game,

STAR FRONTIERS has a lot about it to

like, and a bit to dislike as well; just what
will appeal to whom depends on individ¬
ual preferences and ideas about what a
role-playing game should be. The follow¬
ing constitutes this reviewer's general
opinions of the STAR FRONTIERS
game system.

One of the best aspects of the game is

64 June 1983

its approach to character creation and

development. The choices made for abili¬
ties seem intelligent, and the question of
skill s is handled very well. Skills, because
of the broad range of subskills and the
easy method of their application, add
considerably to the game without any real
bother. Combine these features with the
backgrounds and special abilities for
aliens, and you have a system that easily
lends itself to character differentiation
and role-playing. The procedure for
development and new skill acquisition
seems fair and reasonable.
The STAR FRONTIERS combat sys¬
tem is extensive and complete. It is cer¬
tainly one of the key aspects of the game;
only character creation seems to be of
equal importance. The emphasis on
armed confrontation in the rules seems to
be an accurate reflection of the design
philosophy behind the rules. The STAR
FRONTIERS game is very action/vio¬
lence oriented, more so than most science-
fiction role-playing games. One may
come away from reading the rules with
the impression that the rest of the game
was built around the combat system; even
so, many opportunities to ameliorate this
tendency to "shoot 'em up" may present
themselves to thoughtful referees.

On the other hand, the rules have one

glaring omission that should strike any
science-fiction gamer right away: the
almost total absence of anything to do
with spacecraft?

The rules devote a couple of para¬

graphs to space travel, consisting of
guidelines on travel time, schedules, and
passage costs aboard starliners. But no
provisions are made for players owning
starships, nor are there any rules for their
design, movement, or use in combat.

The referee will have to either impro¬

vise, or accept space travel in the manner
in which the game defines it: a simple
means of getting from one world to
another. True, most activity in a game
campaign will take place on planets
rather than between them. But other
science-fiction role-playing games such as
UNIVERSE™ and TRAVELLER have
devoted lengthy sections of rules to star-
ships, and to good effect. By ignoring this
aspect of the science-fiction genre, the
designers of the STAR FRONTIERS sys¬
tem have limited not only their fictional
universe, but the possibilities open to the
players as well. The hope is that this
situation will be rectified soon.

Similarly, the material on the United

Planetary Federation and the Frontier
Worlds in particular is a bit skimpy. If
one accepts the points contended earlier
about the importance of setting and con¬
text, four pages (one of them a map) is
too little to build a campaign upon. A
supplement the size of the "Volturnus"
module could quite nicely add the miss¬
ing planetary maps, plus data and notes
on society and economics, and would cer¬
tainly be a worthwhile project.

The completeness of the sections on

aliens, the expanded combat rules, and
the equipment lists is certainly note¬
worthy. The physical quality of the game
is quite good, and the maps and counters
are attractive as well as useful.

The STAR FRONTIERS game cer¬

tainly has a different feel from that
evoked by TRAVELLER. Some of the
weaker aspects of the TSR game, such as
background and starships, are strengths
of the TRAVELLER system. GDW's
game seems a bit more solid and serious
in its approach. Comparing the two is
like comparing the movies Star Wars and
2001: A Space Odyssey: both very good,
but very different, facets of science fiction.
The STAR FRONTIERS system, for its
part, improves upon the concept of skills
as important components of a character,
and has a more versatile combat system
than the TRAVELLER rules. The TSR
game is the new kid on the block, while
TRAVELLER has had five years to
entrench itself as the front runner.

A final question remains: Is the STAR

FRONTIERS game just a D&D game in
space? The pedigree is evident, but I
think TSR has managed to avoid trading
magic for technology, swords for lasers,
and ores for aliens. The emphasis on
action and some of the design philosophy
belies the kinship of STAR FRONTIERS
to the D&D game, but it is innovative and
original in its own right. The similarities
will make it easy for D&D players to shift
over to STAR FRONTIERS as their first
science-fiction role-playing game. This
may be the largest single body of STAR
FRONTIERS buyers. One very important
advantage in the TSR connection is that
players can count on the company to
support the game with accessories, and
TSR's wide distribution network should
make these products easy to find.

The STAR FRONTIERS game is fast-

paced, accessible, and playable. The
design shows thought and imagination,
and the product is quite a bargain. While
not without its weaknesses, it's certainly a
contender in a competitive market and
probably a good choice for newcomers to
this facet of role-playing. H

for a wide range of

figures and games
I, TSR, GDW, AH,
GHQ, Grenadier, Ral
Partha, Citadel, Task
Force, Yaquinto & more

Everything for D&D® and Traveller

CATALOG 1-413-737-8543

SOLDIER

Join the only official

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS*

game dub.

S housands of gamers the world

over agree that our new fully
illustrated, 32-page
POLYHEDRON™ Newszine and
the RPGA™ Network are the
best way to stay in the arena with the most avid

role players. There are membership cards and

pins, new product releases and a two-way
communication with the experts. For mem¬
bership application write:

RPGA HQ, C185D4, BOX 509

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NETWORK

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Products Of Your Imagination"

lination *

66 June 1983

Off the Shelf

Of comics, chaos, and ‘classics’

Reviews by Chris Henderson

D’ARC TANGENT
Foglio/Freff

ffantasy ffactory $2.00

Rarely is a comic magazine reviewed in

this column, simply because good litera¬
ture in comic-magazine format is rare.
However, when a magazine like D'Arc
Tangent is published, it deserves atten¬
tion. Unlike its peers which tend to have
an eternally evolving plot, that of D'Arc
Tangent will unravel itself in just sixteen
issues — four per year for four years.

As the story begins, senior field agent

Avari T and her partner/ mate compose a
team of explorers who scan the universe
under the direction of an inter-galactic
starfleet. Early in the story, Avari loses
her partner to the hostile creatures of an
insane planet, which the duo has recently
discovered. Unable to live without him,
Avari begins to die.

In addition to the violent world on

which Avari's mate was killed, the fleet
has found only one other planet where
random violence is favored naturally over
empathy: Earth. In order to understand
the depression which threatens to kill her,
Avari's robots take their mistress there.
Upon reaching Earth, the drama thickens

as events get wildly out of hand.

Though a science fantasy, the charac¬

ters of D'Arc Tangent are not the usual
cardboard images prevalent in this genre.
Instead, the characters have been devel¬
oped slowly, so that their personalities
and motives are clearly understood. An
element of levity is balanced with that of
gravity, creating humorous and poignant
scenes that appear real to the reader. If
such literary quality continues, D'Arc
Tangent could be for comics what the
Foundation trilogy was for science fic¬
tion: an opus of respectability for a genre
which has been accused of being childish
for too many years.

Finally, to evaluate any comic maga¬

zine accurately, one must consider the art.
The quality of illustration in D'Arc Tan¬
gent rivals anything else being done in
the industry today. In terms of textures,
wood and brick have the rough quality
inherent to them, while metal shines and
gleams. Clothing drapes naturally, and
the folds and creases create shadows and
depth. Character faces abound with those
emotions that appropriately define the
events around them. The angles used in
each panel indicate that the book is intent
on supplying as much cinematographic
detail as possible.

With such fine art and intriguing plot-

line, D'Arc Tangent should prove to be
one of the best amongst its competitors.

PRELUDE TO CHAOS

Edward Llewellyn

DAW Books 0-87997-800-7 $2.75

Though the topic of anarchy is not

new to science fiction, Llewellyn still
developed a fascinating novel from the
subject.

In a not-so-future America, Gavin

Knox, an ex-bodyguard to a now assassi¬
nated president of the United States,
resides in the most advanced maximum-
security prison ever devised. Knox's only
crime is that he knows too much about
the people who assassinated the presi¬
dent. Fellow inmate Judith Grenfell, a
neurobiologist, suffers from a similar fate:
too much knowledge of the people and
facts related to a government-sanctioned
birth-control device which is accidentally
sterilizing the entire country. Together,
they deduce that the country is heading
for civil war and anarchistic collapse.

And, unless they can escape and warn the

appropriate parties, innocent people will

be slaughtered by the horrors to come.

Knox is a tough, determined, strong-

willed man who believes only in himself.
As an intelligent, self-assured woman,
Grenfell keeps her strong religious con¬
victions and her duty to those she loves in
calm balance. Together, the pair escapes
prison, fights with the government and
each other from state to state, and
attempts to alert the correct people of the
upcoming danger.

As the narrator of the story, Knox

recounts the details of events in a blunt,
matter-of-fact language; thus, each scene
is described concisely and quickly. This
sense of honesty characterizes both Knox
and Grenfell as stubborn, willful types.
Though each is competent in his own
field, each feels lost in the other's. But the
urgency of certain situations forces both
of them have to cross their respective lines
of expertise: Knox performs surgery;
Grenfell kills.

By the story's end, Knox and Grenfell

become lovers. Watching them get to that
point, though, makes this book surpris¬
ingly intelligent. And, it is this careful
study of characterization that makes this
novel worthwhile. As the protagonists

Dragon 67

attempt to save various people, the reader

becomes aware that those being saved are
no better than the people from whom
they are being rescued. In truth, the
moral fiber of the protagonists is as ques¬
tionable as that of the antagonists. Such
being the case, it often becomes difficult
for the reader to tell the factions apart.

Though several chapters do bog down

a little, a study of human nature is always
worth reading. And since Prelude to
Chaos falls into this category, the reader
should find it to be a fine, but quick read.

THE THREE-LEGGED HOOTCH

DANCER (Tales of the Galactic Midway

Resnick

Signet Books 0-451-120832-5 $2.50

Mike Resnick's new Tales of the Galac¬

tic Midway series is a contender against
Barry Longyear's Circus World series for
popularity amongst science-fiction fans.
Though both deal with a planet-hopping
circus. Resnick's series is not as dramatic
as Longyear's, since Resnick is primarily
interested in making people laugh as
long and as often as possible.

Directing Resnick's bizarre carnival

crew is Thaddeus Flint, a small-time
producer who has sought the big time all
his life. Traveling in space with his
broken-down carnival, Flint discovers
that what made his performers unique
and interesting on Earth makes them bor¬
ing and incomprehensible on other
planets. The best example of this misfor¬
tune is Butterfly Delight, a lonely, not so
attractive stripper named Gloria. Her
only claim to fame is that she strips well.
But, on other planets, no one seems too
interested in watching a human being
take off her clothes.

Besides Gloria's constant crying, Flint

is inundated with other difficulties:
animal acts which can't get used to
changes in gravity, legal hassles, a front¬
man who likes being a slug better than a
human being, and a lack of decent beer.
Therefore, trying to make it through each
day proves to be just as much a challenge
to Flint as attempting to make a profit, to
pay performers, or to balance the books
for the intergalactic corporation that
hired him.
Although serious on occasion. The
Three-Legged Hootch Dancer is a gently
funny book, one of the few science-fiction
comedies of the year. Other than Keith
Laumer's Retief series, the use of constant
humor in the science-fiction field just
doesn't exist. Too many writers of the
genre have avoided comedy, hoping to be
taken seriously by critics and consumers
alike. Luckily, Resnick is not so insecure.
Sideshow, the first in this series, was just
as funny as his second effort, but a little
less controlled. Hopefully, The Three-
Legged Hootch Dancer is an indication
of a promising future for the element of
comedy in science fiction.

THE WALLS OF AIR

Barbara Hambly

Del Rey Books 345-29670-2 $2.95

The cover to The Walls of Air calls the

book "the chilling sequel to" The Time
of the Dark. Sequel it is, but chilling may
be a bit misleading. Very little in the way
of chills or horrors appears within this
new release. However, the book contains
a new approach to the same old fantasy
characters we have seen so many times in
the past.

The Walls of Air is one of those sequels

so tightly written that it can stand on its
own, without reference to what preceded
it. This volume provides all the details
necessary to understand what takes place
therein.

Gil and Rudy, two California residents,

are transported into another dimension
by the magics of Ingold Inglorion, a
standard, mysterious old wizard. There,
Rudy learns to control and use the magic
he is capable of summoning, while the
scholarly Gil joins the Guard, laying
aside her researcher's habits for those of a
hack-and-stab warrior-woman. The three
do their best to stop the Dark, a form of
single-celled, vaporous evil which intends
to destroy all that exists in Ingold's
world.

Hambly's obvious enthusiasm for her

characters adds a dimension of reality to
the story. By giving Gil and Rudy con¬
temporary backgrounds, touches of
humor and nostalgia make scenes and
dialogue constantly refreshing, rather
than tiresome. Unlike other female writ¬
ers, Hambly does not make her women
all knowing, all loving, all everything. If
Gil is considered smarter than Rudy, she
is still no more determined to try and save

this world than Rudy is. Similarly,

Ingold's character is balanced by that of
the female head of the Church of his
world. Both people show strength and
endurance, wit and compassion. As fan¬
tasy wizards must be. Ingold is always
one step ahead of the Church leader.

Since she would see all wizards banished

or buried, he had better stay that way.

Hambly also creates a number of

groups within her world which are as fas¬
cinating as the individuals. In particular,
the White Riders are especially well-
crafted. Hambly gives the Riders a fairly
complete culture, taking as much space as
necessary to develop them as human
beings rather than mere stereotypes.

Hambly's command of past knowledge

serves her in good stead, too. Small facts
abound in her work, giving many of her
scenes much more flavor than one usually
receives in today's sword-&-sorcery epics.

Hambly's basic appeal resides in the

degree of reality her world and characters
assume. Those who have read The Time
of the Dark will not be disappointed by
The Walls of Air, for the author has
maintained this appeal. Those who have
read neither should track them down as
quickly as possible, for these two novels
represent the best of sword-&-sorcery
fiction on the market today.

ORION SHALL RISE

Poul Anderson

Timescape Books 0-671-46492-2 $16.95

Anderson has long been respected as an

author of both science fiction and fantasy.
His last novel. The Devil's Game, was a
curious combination of both genres.

Orion Shall Rise reflects a similar case.

Set in Earth's future, the story describes
what happens after a nuclear war which
causes the political structure of the planet

68 June 1983

to completely change. The superpowers

once in charge no longer exist; little of
their cultures or philosophies have lasted,
either. Mindful of the horrors unleashed
on the Earth in the past, the world is now
manipulated by ecologically oriented
superpowers who watch the activities of
the barbarian energy-burners.

Orion is the code word for the Dream

of the Lodges, a project coordinated by
the energy-burning peoples. Hopefully,
this project can shift the balance of power
on Earth so that men will be free once
more to travel to the stars. However, the
space platform known as Skyholm could
prevent success of the project. As the only
space station which survived the nuclear
holocaust, Skyholm is equipped with the
power to stop any foe on Earth; therefore,
the platform is viewed a means by which
to control political competitors.

Orion Shall Rise takes place over an

entire generation, illustrating how the
crimes and plots of the parents come to
fruition in their offsprings. From reli¬
gious battles to political strife, from love
affairs to power plays, Anderson molds
and develops his characters. If Anderson
does manipulate the reader, it is not with
blunt statements, but with facts about
events and characters, which permit the
reader to get a notion of what is going
on. Taking his reader behind the scenes,
Anderson shows how the complexities of
backroom politics really shape worlds
and their wars. By allowing the reader to
observe events in such a way, the book
offers an opportunity to comprehend real
life.

Orion Shall Rise is a compelling study

of human nature and possible political
events. As such, this highly enjoyable and
timely book ought to cause a renewed
interest in science fiction as literature.

THE MISTS OF AVALON

Marion Zimmer Bradley

Alfred A. Knopf, Inc 0-394-52406-3 $16.95

As Anderson is equated with excellence

in the genre of science fiction, so is Mar¬
ion Zimmer Bradley with that of fantasy
literature. Her latest. The Mists of
Avalon, is a testimony to this statement.

The Camelot she presents is not the

hollow wonderland of Lerner and Lowe,
but rather a place peopled by religious
zealots, bestial men, promiscuous women,
insufferably ignorant clerics, and ageless
fairy folk. In Bradley's Camelot, lust is a
recuring theme; purity and chastity are
pictured as desirable, but rarely attainable
virtues.

The action revolves primarily around

Morgaine. First seen at the age of seven,
Morgaine is neglected by her husband¬
worshipping, priest-fearing mother, and
is entrusted with the care of her tiny
brother Gwydion. However, when her
mother's sister Viviane, High Priestess of
Avalon, discovers Morgaine has the Sight,
she whisks the child away to Avalon

to be initiated into the cult of the God¬

dess. Since Viviane has no female heir yet
must provide a successor to her position,
Morgaine is the obvious choice.

The young Morgaine leads the ascetic,

celibate life of a novice until she has to
participate in the Great Marriage, a ritual
the future kings of Britain undergo to
ensure the allegiance of the Tribes of the
North to the people of Avalon. What
Morgaine does not know is that this par¬
ticular future king is Gwydion — now
called Arthur — whom she has not seen
since early childhood. Consummating the
rite in darkness, neither realizes until the
next morning what has happened. That
this union results in an offspring remains
unknown to Arthur until late in his
reign. Their child Mordred assumes his
role as heir to the throne only when
Lancelot's son, named successor by
Arthur, is killed. Mordred's birthright,
incestuous though it is, is then revealed.

THE MISTS
OF AVALON

■MAEUON 7 . 1M F.FL BfljjXXY

Another usual interpretation of the

legend is the battle for religious control
of Arthur's court. This becomes a major
motivational force as the story and the
characters evolve. Within the time frame
of the novel, the peaceful co-existence of
the Druids and the Christians becomes
increasingly strained. As Christianity
encroaches upon the once pagan territory,
Druids and priests swear an oath never to
take up arms against the other, despite
the clashes of their religious beliefs. The
Druids are able to accept some of the
tenets of the religion they oppose. The
Christians, not so open-minded, decry the
Druid faith, calling for an end to heathen
practices. Complicating matters further is
their idea that political control of Britain
goes hand in hand with religious control

of the monarchs. The ensuing scramble

for dominance over the court sets the
stage for a dramatic renunciation of
Arthur as protector of the Tribes by Mor¬
gaine in her position as Lady of the Lake.

Bradley recounts the Arthurian tale

leisurely, allowing the reader an oppor¬
tunity to observe the main figures mature
to adulthood. The reader partakes of the
events, thoughts, and emotions that shape
the characters' lives. All characters are
allowed to vacillate occasionally between
good and evil. Even the best among the
cast is capable of jealousy, cruelty, and
childish retribution.

The author's description of the rituals

and lifestyle of the Druids is compelling.
The care with which she has researched
the topic is evident. The contrast between
the earthy, seductive rites of the Druids
and the stilted, mournful ceremonies of
the Christians is vivid. Maybe too vivid,
for the author's bias shows clearly. As a
result, the total effect is less convincing.

It is within this religious context that

the only real flaw in the work lies. Had
Bradley's evocation of the religious
atmosphere been as well balanced and
presented as the personalities of her pro¬
tagonists, the novel would be a
masterwork.

Nevertheless, the novel is still a far

more enjoyable experience than one
could have hoped. Written with a fervent,
natural style, the plot unfolds gracefully.
Morgaine's thoughts, interspersed
throughout the novel as commentaries,
function well as a plot device and are
often insightful and moving. After all the
tellings and retellings of Arthurian
legend, it is more than justifiable that the
story be finally recounted by female
characters.

REPRINTS AND COLLECTIONS

In past months, several science-fiction

and fantasy works have been reprinted or
reissued. The titles of those works are
categorized below according to the pub¬
lishing company; publishing firms are
listed in alphabetical order.

Ace Books: Heroic Visions, Jessica

Amanda Salmonson, Editor, $2.75.

Avon/Bard: Benefits, Zoe Fairbaims,

$2.95.

Bantam Books: Tales of Neverybn,

Samuel R. Delany, $3.50; The World
Inside, Robert Silverberg, $2.50.

DAW Books: Mutants, Gordon R.

Dickson, $2.95; The Three Stigmata of
Palmer Eldritch, Philip K. Dick, $2.50.

Del Rey Books: Foundation/Founda¬

tion & Empire/Second Foundation, Isaac
Asimov, $2.75 (each); Sector General,
James White, $2.75.

Donning/Starblaze: The Colors of

Space, Marion Zimmer Bradley, $5.95.
Signet Books: Eyes of Amber, Joan D.
Vinge, $2.75.

Warner Books: In a Lonely Place, Karl

Edward Wagner, $2.95.

Dragon 69

OdT on fl LIMp-

‘Male oriented’

Dear Editor:

I am a new subscriber to your fine publica¬

tion and would like to commend you on a job
well done. However (isn't there always a how¬
ever?), I am quite bothered by the very male
oriented nature of your writing and illustra¬
tions. I realize that most of your readers and,
indeed, most gamers are male. But I fail to see
how you plan on gaining any female players
and readers by the continual ignoring of them.

In defense of my point: issue #72. Yes, there

are two female warriors on the cover and a

drawing of a female cavalier. But so what?

Throughout the rest of the magazine we see all
male warriors and jesters, hunters and magic
users. To top it off, Roger E. Moore's story is
wholly from the male perspective. Are there
only succubi? Where are the incubi? Surely you
know that this fiend has no true gender but
rather appears in the image of the desired crea¬
ture for tire victim.

Theresa A. Reed
Portland, Ore.

Parts of Theresa's letter make sense to me,

and those parts I can respond to. Other parts of
her letter make me wonder if she’s reading the
same magazine we're printing. At the risk of
devoting more words to this often-debated sub¬
ject than it warrants, I submit the following in
"defense" of what we've done lately:

Yes, the cover of issue #72 pictured two

female warriors. In fact, seven of the last 10
covers we’ve published (not counting this
magazine) have included a female character. I
won't count the number of times we've por¬
trayed females in artwork on the inside pages
during those 10 issues — but I will point out
that issue #72 has a picture of a female barbar¬
ian (on page 27), in addition to the female
cavalier (on page 10) that Theresa mentions.

As for Roger Moore, I don’t think he’ll mind

me pointing out that he writes "from the male
perspective" because he is a male. If he tried to
write from a female perspective or from a dual
perspective - especially for a story about "sex
in the AD&D™ world" — he’d be even crazier
than he is already. And where are the incubi?
Well, to be technical about it, they’re not in
the "AD&D world" (the succubus is listed in
the Monster Manual, but not the incubus), and
therefore incubi were not within the "terri¬
tory" covered by the article. And, heck, the
whole thing was for a laugh anyway, right?

I don't mean to sound flippant. I think

we've done okay when it comes to representing
the roles of both sexes in the realm of role-
playing games, and we’ll continue to try to
look at the "female perspective" whenever we
can. Like it says in the response to the letter on
page 3, we really do want to try to make eve¬
ryone happy. If you agree with Theresa's point
of view, please let us know, and (I know this
sounds high-falutin' — but it's true anyway)
you can play a part in shaping the future of
this magazine. —KM

EXCITING NEW ADVENTURES AWAIT YOU IN. . .

. . .the science-fiction role-playing game. All new challenges

may be experienced as you design, develop, and become a
highly advanced machine in a totally mechanical society.

DROIDS features a unique, easy to use rule system which

includes all the rules for play as well as an extensive referee
section and a sample adventure. This is all contained in one
high quality book available at better hobby stores everywhere,
or direct for $7.95 plus $1.00 postage and handling.

P.O. BOX 13562 ARLINGTON, TEXAS 76013 USA

Distributor and rtdrter inqulriet welcome.

BEYOND THE CONVENTIONAL MIND.

YOU CAN BE THE JUDGE.

We’re looking for several master minds to judge game

tournaments at our GEN CON® XVI game convention.
Our judges are not only exempt from admission fees,
they receive compensation for each event they con¬
duct. And we’re open to suggestions for additional
events! Our records show that over BO D /oof our game
masters return each year, but expansion for 1 9B3
has increased our demand. Write today and find out
how to join our select few. ..... ^_

XVI JUDGES
Box756

Lake Geneva, Wl 53147

August; 1 8-81,1 983

University of Wisconsin
Parkside Campus
Kenosha, Wl

70 June 1983

GAMERS' GUIDE,

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Ever want to be a
vampire? You can do
this and much more!
Try fflteariia’ Morlii
for fantasy fun. COD
or send $10 (CA res.
add 6% tax) to
Ifantaaij Unrlfts
Bnltmitrii, dept. IGA
div. D, P.O. Box 2033,
Orange, CA 92669

DISCOUNT

COMPUTER SOFTWARE
FOR

FANTASY & WARGAMERS

THE FLOPPY DJSK

(We’re User Friendly)

P. O. Box 6392
No. Hollywood, CA 91616
(213) 762-3123

FREE CATALOG

* GREAT PRICES *

RAL PARTHA CITADEL

GRENADIER TSR More!
FAST SERVICE!

Send $1 for Catalog

(Refundable with your
first order)

IMAGINATIVE MAIL ORDER

Box 100

Hawleyville, CT. 06440

IVla stcr^

^ ^ Let your home computer

take over the record-
keeping and dice-rolling
h chores associated with

MATA role-playing games!

JP GameMaster is compatible

with Dungeons & Dragons® *

It lets you create and store characters and
monsters and offers many other features.

For: Apple II plus - 48K disk —-$29.95

VIC 20 - 5K cassette-$19.95

Timex-Sinclalr - 16K cassette —$14.95

Send order to: McKelvie Programs
P.O. Box 53076
Phila., PA 19105

WHEAT CENTS

Roll of Fifty Different

In Good Condition

THREE DOLLARS PER ROLL

TWO ROLLS FOR FIVE DOLLARS

SATISFACTION

GUARANTEED

UlHIHinniESI

WEST

FOR ALL YOUR

GAMING NEEDS
CALL OR WRITE FOR
FREE CATALOG

1-800-545-6258

WARGAMES WEST

3422 Central Ave SE

Albuquerque. NM 87106 »—■

An Awesome
Magic Entity

Once, fantasy gamers combed

the land for powers to make them
great.

Today, the magic of high wizards

and the strength of all conceivable
armies is in one place: the new COM-
PLEAT STRATEGIST. We've combined
with STRATEGY & FANTASYWORLD
and now have lO locations.

1THE

^OM PLEAT
STRATEGIST!

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that

Catch! Rubberstamps of selected Ral Partha

. tf miniatures licensed by Ral

f >art h a t° bring you unlimited

jabberwocks (2X2’) at the
flick of your vorpal sword.
$9.99 for rubberstamp jab-
berwock, black ink pad and
fantasy catalog with a SUR-
PRISE FANTASY STAMP by
Darlene. * Or send $1 for new catalog with other Ral
Partha and Darlene designs, plus Finieous Finger
mini stamps.

LETTERS, Suite 444

834 W. Chalmers, Chicago, IL 60614 LCUCjS

*and you thought we only sold unicorns!

For prompt mail order service call:

ree:800-225-4344

The ultimate in role playing...

MU

nrri
$16.00 each ^

See ©AMES March 1983 for review

• BOX CONTENTS FOR THIS UNIQUE

PARTY PACKAGE:

• Seven Invitations

• Eight character packets

• Murder scenario

• Dramatic recording to set the

scene and get the party rolling

« Sealed solution

• Hints for successful party giving hours

of engaging entertainment

JUST GAMES

133 MEADBROOK ROAD

GARDEN CITY, N Y 11530 (516) 741-8986

Dragon 71
>MemuAK\es -gunu?l

me al yaiR upcs hckc \

1 ALL CLASS6S &■ HMI-CLASS6V

' \M?- se\\ a program for the Apple 1+

generate wn-ptayrr characters. We also sdl sets ]
of prr-rt>IW NPTs and sheets to keep frock of j
/ player characters possessions, weoith, spets,

' arms, etc. in characters folders.

PR0£HM PISK

99 fHHRHriTRS iyntxeD classes)

' (specify single or mdtldassed)

' 45 CHARACmS (spec*, class)

CfLARACTCR RfCORP SHfFIS

$ 20.00
2.00

(Jj

6b • >

Sriiirnl (tomputer ^roburts

4432 Cane at.

Winston Salem, m, 2?ID5

=Sl©J

LOST IN A WORLD
WITHOUT CHALLENGES?

FIND THE WORLD

OF SCHUBEL A SON

Discover new challenges

with a Schubel A Son ptay-
by-mail game. Eight great
titles to choose from. We
have fantasy, war, science
fiction, even sports games.
Send for your FREE catalog
I today. Write: Schubel &
j Son, PO Box 214848 Dept. D,
Sacramento CA 95821.
IN 25 mm

Send for FREE catalog:

You get your choice of bonus figure

with any order. _

P.S. Did you get your free figure

yet? Offer expires July 15, 1983.
P.O. Box 633 * Boise, Idaho 83701

TRATEGIC

ORRESPONDENCE

AMES

ARMS RACE
WARLORDS
CONQUEST

Challenging

play-by-mail

ACTION!

For FREE Information Send To:

STRATEGIC CORRESPONDENCE GAMES
P.O. BOX 1212. ROLLA, MO 65401

The Gamers' Guide offers a wide selection of advertisements and no¬

tices directed specifically at the ever-growing audience of game hobby¬
ists. It is a place for growing businesses to tell readers about their wares,
and for established businesses to publicize products of interest to gamers.

Payment for space purchased in the Gamers' Guide must accompany

an advertiser's insertion order. For 2" to 5" of column depth, rates are:

Per column inch lx 6x 12x

(column width = 2 5/16") $52 $48 $44

For further information: contact Bob Dewey, c/o Robert LaBudde &
Associates, Inc., 2640 Golf Road, Glenview IL 60025, phone
(312)724-5860.
Index to advertisers

Name of firm or product

Page(s)

Name of firm or product

Page (si

American Creative Games, Inc. .

. 54

Grenadier Models Inc.

. 47

Avalon Hill.

. 7

Gryphon Games.

. 71

Bander-snatch Leathers.

. 56

Hero Games.

. 52

Bard Games.

. 55

Hobby Game Distributors, Inc. ...

. 37

Britton Designs.

. 56

Hobby House .

. 36

Castle Creations .

. 53

Imaginative Mail Order.

. 71

Chaosium Inc.

. 29,65

Indicia Associates.

. 32

Close Simulations.

. 35

Integral Games.

. 70

Columbia Games Inc.

.Inside front cover

Iron Crown Enterprises.

. 1, Back cover

Companions, The.

. 63

I.S.L.E. Labs.

. 32

Compleat Strategist.

. 71

Judges Guild.

. 45

Dag Design .

. 39

Just Games.

. 71

Dark Horse Designs.

. 72

Letters, The.

. 71

Dragontooth Inc.
. 20

McKelvie Programs .

. 71

Dragon Tree Press .

. 64

Nova Games .

.39

Dungeon Hobby Shop.

. 53

Penny Promotions .

.71

Dunken Company, The.

. 60

RAFM Co.

. 25

EastCon convention.

. 57

Ral Partha.

.21, 33

Entertainment Concepts, Inc....

.9

RPGA™ Network .

. 66

Fantasy Games Unlimited .

. 17,31,51

Schubel & Son.

. 72

Fantasy Worlds Unlimited.

. 71
Strategic Correspondence Games. .

. 72

FASA.

. 23

Task Force Games.

. 49

Floppy Disk, The.

. 71

Tin Soldier, The_.

.65

Flying Buffalo Inc.

. 61

Trident Computer Products.

. 72

Game Designers' Workshop ....

.27

TSR Hobbies, Inc.

. 19, 80, Inside back cover

Gamelords, Ltd.

. 36

Victory Games.

. 5

Gamemaster Hobbies.

. 45

WarGames West.

. 71

Game Systems, Inc.

. 54

Wizard's Corner, The.

. 39
GEN CON® XVI convention ...

. 58,70

Yaquinto Publications .

. 35

72 June 1983
MSI}' TO mtit FULLY

LFT '5 TALK ABOUT WE [

SPY BlZm

THtiTHEM WiTH THE *WLJ? OF

ESPlONfi&E mS£ PfCOMf \J£RY POPULAR
LATELY, THE GAMS Tm P To B£ A ^
BIT WORE CBftE&Rfit ftfltPLST THF
FLAYER THY HtSHANO AT ItfTMGUE"* C<

M&. YYQU R\

■ Njjf SHOtlLV
■ mW you CHC0&E
^KVfO ACCEPT

P%KV r "^sJ

AND, UKE ACVNGr, MTZmVdaWCM iTL

is MOT UKE ANY OTHER m?fE5Sl C?N

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ffltnrcfltfFdv i

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KID - WE'RE IfflKtilQ

FOR SflMttfflpV WHO CAM
IMPERSONATE AN j

EXPATRIATED RELIGIOUS I
FANATiC. A

T THAT'S m
SPECIALTY/X
SEAVEP AS W£
AYATOLLAH KHOALmfc
STAND*IN FOR WE
PEACOCK THRONE
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I.WOSSIBL? JMSi-EP MEJS OF

CROSS, PBOBIZ CROSS, TOM£
cross divp so ow— oprsW
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ftWf / steel,
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HAT Y&tfTWMitfliTW SHOULP
YOLtCOUU>HitE JTjflLk' l T
HWR ORIGINS / #P\SNT cJMTrU
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LftCtrEYfJ LflflJP &LUL (if ft Atf

Dragon 73
perhaps nnwnr important part of any esfwnage

OPERATION 15 THE CONCFAttNfr fipfQ fBASING ON OF

INFORM ATfON,

SlU. THERE MUST &£

SOME MISTAKE. , r .Z
I Toi-P IV BE
&LmW THE S ECRET ,
FLEET LOCQTtOflk, ,
WTMl THEY OWE
m \a&% ms TfiR. J
Of APPLE c&m. /

NO M15W &* r 2, WE
INFORMATION HASTEN
COPfP INTO A TffiYEtfi
Mfim* Htmti UiTtiE
ClQ£fi, SO DOATT
mw»f r T-QR. m*Li.

lose the fleet*

U JELL AGENT S- WE
YOU ALL SETT j

YEZZW-PEY $m&tGtV
tM ptmoco m cmf r

XiVMtfYmZEL PfiZl NbEZ.

oh f fs rmr my You'm

Tfit. XlNO- o&pt j._—-"

YFR _T GOT A GODS

tN MY WOZE* J

COME, COME'* 4* , YOU

mg n/ THfirn
yCtffCE SfP>, SfNK SHittl

S.'NCf PEAlHfWP $E'STft\z:iW ARE SUCH HAj

IMPORTANT FA&T Of THm FRoFESSfON. 5 Pits
HR'/F To KNQul About all KlNpS of WEAPONS

THE LfF£ Of A SPY USUALLY CONSISTS Of A FtWti

/ftSUrttm A FALSE- WENVTY fUR. MONTHS AT ft
THl£ t NEVER. KNOWING WHEN HtS &M£A MIGHT \
; BE BLCmt, NEVER. KNQVJtm WHEN AN /HftflSSJ ffi
, ffC/LLET rfifrHT COME.

SPIES REALLY DO HAVE 7??W&5 LIKE PQtSOfiJ

RW&S, OR LASER BEAM CUFF-L{At AS OR RROiOS
IN THEIR SHOES- BUT THEY RE NOT TQPtfLAR.
BECAUSE THEY'RE VtS&UiSEP SO WELL TffAT ONE
CAN FDR&ET THEtft CAFA&UTtES*

> THE RES SOMEBODY

w/unm in my
APARTMENT with

7 HE LIGHTS OUT?

SE'LL ONLY
HAVE ONE

\ m**LQQK t

CAN J CALL
YOU $flCFTP

AN-is ASSAULT TUPLE

526 MM. CLIP CAPACITY
HO fiDUM PS- YOG ftOiJrV&S
TEA MINUTE. JJZ-3Q F COT
V&UHPE MUZZLt VELOCITY...

RUBBER WCrf- MOPEL M-

5$ L&$ INFLATE P Plff5SURf r
PLASTIC SQUEAKER DEVICE IN
MOUTH. CflWif OF
SIMULTANEOUSLY KILLING
FIVE PEOPLE >

itfy/

,.. E UEN SOME "'yOU VE

mm

IWF

NEVER HEARV OF.

f Mm&lRi 19C&, MUtTfiRYMQD£ll\

J S£M{- AUTOMATIC CUFF££> j

1 .MAGAZINE CAPACITY IV MdjtfVS j

y CAL/BAE z 63 MM,.. _ 1 >

fiS\

74 June 1983
WARNING' THIS JOKE HA 5
SEEK C LASSIFIED. X

^~~TWfl77fyfTTP TSflWSCHieE-HEi
fomer femprflS T. Wfiflu^ tfiipkcbj
t /7 ^ r J&R JAJ

frrEra-r ,_-^MJAjflTE / T’WtfNPEK WHflT

Witt\wk, WfU WHN U CAMS' WFS IN

cSjfeXWEP JN JL WTUATtM Uk£ TW S

CrPSTfl&JTfS H-Tt^-rrr-jrwj jum, Pi\

TWtffl’pF’ mf otw^caet? /*e?

Vfflttjdto SUHEjCTEfl 7£

fE«*d.<rMw JV<# MlWW W

0w i^wJfepi
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Var 7Nf ftmNlEST 7HMG-

mour ESPIONAGE

SPIES RflftELV P0'ftEm&/mJEW?,flUftm5tY

THEY FALL AFOUL Of ENEMY AGENTS.

mTAMfmV- \ /WE mNTVOU ToCQWEVom

YEW GUYS ARE

ZRS> AGENTS
WM$T Pa YoU
WANT WITH

Arc?

TOWN ftw EXPi.RjN THIS

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MARTINS, i2 fXPLQlWr
FOUNTAIN FENS AMO THF
TOFPUm QF A SMALL LATIN
AMERtem GOVERNMENT ON
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76 June 1983
O.K., CHIMP...
TOORMOVE

SOMEHOW,.. tpffiF, PUFF >

fc^ r . .1 THERE HAP TO W 1

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7 T'p£w¥FK.r5pif

Dragon 77
78 June 1983

Dragon 79
Encounter the All-New
Advanced

Dungeonsj^pragons

Miniatures

So Lifelike. TTie/re Almost LffeSiied

TSR, creator of the AD&D 1 "' game, proudty introdu¬

ces the firs* four boxed sets of 25 mm scale minita-
lures. We’ve brought all the popular classes and races
of player characters td life.

Keep track of what's happening as your characters

battle monsters in search of treasure. That's impor¬
tant, especially during fast and furious melee.

We challenge you to compare our finely craFted

pieces to ary on the market. See nJiat your char ac¬
ter really looks like, Our sculptors don t overtook
ary detail, from back packs to bell buckles.

Only TSR's AD&D miniatures aie approved for game

play by Gary Gygax and fits Staff. SO you know they're
official. And only TSR wifi offer pieces from the all-
new Monster Manual II later tilis summer.

Coming soon are a comptete line of accessories;

paints, brushes, adhesives, STAR FRONTIERS™ Metal
Miniatures — and enough ADBD mcraters to fill any
QM's dungeon.

Ask your favorite hobby, toy or department stum if

they've ordered these first releases, coming in July.

For a free color catalog of games & accessories write:

TSR Hobbies, Inc.

Products Of Your l mag-in all on."

In the Q5: In the UK:

TSR Hobbies. Inc. TSR Hobbies (QHQ Ltd.

FOB 756, C2G7 D1 The Mill. Rath more Rd.
Lake Geneva, WI Cambridge. ENGLAND

53147 CBL4AD

A&VUlCED KltlGEOTtS & DeAjQDfHS, AUED arrf SWl ImLmutu. hr TSR HDWrts. |IK. 4 i 963
TSR He**!,.* I,K. AJI Rghli Rfck£fY*d

MONKS, BARDS & THIEVES

CLERICS & DRUIDS

EACH BOX
CONTAINS
12 WHITE METAL
AD&P’ MINIATURES

FIGHTERS, RANGERS £ RALADlNS

MAGIC USERS £ ILLUSION IS i S

FlUtJKES ACIUAL SIZE

The Court Of ___ ^

A Realm of Southern Middle Earth™

UPCOMCISIQ

MODULES:

Deplore the ancient swamp ruins and island citadels held by

dark Elven Lords and their fierce minions. Experience the
ultimate terror as the Lords of Ardor attempt to fulfill
Morgotbs evil quest.

Lite all the Middle Earth modules, ARDOR contains

a I6 ,H x Sd" full-color, double-sided detachable
mapsheet, 4 fl & W maps, e ma|or layouts,
herbs, animal lore, items of power, and
much more,

The Middle Earth Series:

- RILL COLOR MIDDLE EARTH POSTER/

map ... ...$5. CO

* GUIDEBOOK TO MIDDLE EARTH

with gritted PGSTER/MAP 59. CO
* ANGMAS, Land of the Witch

.. . . - . 510.00

/ LLMGAH. Haven oS the

Corsair*. si£> W

* auixjp . $ iQ.no

toi.kien w =sem- -■

ENTERPRISES,
a dirainn of ELAN
MERCHANDISING. ** . i

INC. * THE LORD Or

THE RINGS and THE
HOBBIT and alt characters/
places therein are trademark
properties of TOLKIEN ENTER
PRISES, Berkeley. Ca,
IRON CROWN ENTERPRISES. P-O. Box 1605. Charlottesville. VA 22902

push «r

Name _ riWMiBWMAP niiu *ccni.

n[.ai».urMAM

OltMD EBOOK lU.ijl tn»l

ANGMAJi .. |lLS0aia«rf
UA1RAR . . (U.£.)4 idkh 1
AHDOfl pU.£.)4s0p|m

PL HIHKWWJD W.EOSiOppd

SOUTH P.UfS Mil tK'A O. H i

UL7L ■ lMGOTM. .imJ Nil

Uelkildb i t-i^un

11 P.O K" H rr II P fi rWjaw I nr hut? pfj rf«- tyrnfcr

_ . Zip

CAHIKJLAN:
Fcmrihcrn Ardor

All CdilrjilirtTtj; add 50 postage

send self-edd rawed stamped envelope for mace iafortnaiiofL

^mh.hs (ii urni av

Combat Computer

©1983 Dragon Publishing

I 4 a 1 ■

Croii bOw. W*

Ijnjt- inV-aLTHn.'.;:

t.UPuHMj ,:iy
UKiijmj
miE-C-.-i.jufj

E.jfiiffUDH 'KDn

LuyurtmiJ ■*]£■.,
LL>"!L'LH B3Ur|

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'uajii
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PJ«iitH

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MlUHrtg

inuiPTiin^a'.it^-j

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grjjr